Sugarcane

Time to use that good old Della Robbia charm. You press yourself up against her, then in a sudden attack, wrap your arms around her and start tickling. In the process, your movement accidentally blows out the flame of the candle in front of the two of you.\nInstead of her usual laughter, she screams.\nWilliam rushes over with his light, and tries to calm her down. She starts to breathe again, desperately searching your hand out. She clings to you for a moment, then lets go.\nFeeling disappointed, you give her a kiss, then climb to your feet.\n*[[See if you can help the Einsteins.]]

His eyes widen in surprise. "Well... since you asked... Why don't you grab someone else and use your phone to head down to the power terminal?"\n"Jeremie..." Aelita interrupts. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"\n"The power is already out," he replies. "What else could he possibly do? Besides, I already told him NOT to go alone."\nShe shrugs and turns back to her work.\n*[[You smile and agree.]]\n*[[Feel insulted, and tell him to get someone else to do it.]]

Playfully grinning, you waltz over to the happy couple. You hold your arm out, mimicking holding a microphone. "So, Hotshot Stern," you intone. "How does it feel to be dating Miss Ishiyama? And when can we expect a baby?"\n"Odd!" Ulrich hisses. Yumi shoots one of her famous glares at you, and shoves your hand out of the way.\n"Go bug someone else, I'm trying to sleep."\n*[[See if you can help the Einsteins.]]\n*[[Talk to Gwen.]]\n*[[Talk to William.]]

You grin as you approach your best friend, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. \n"What do you want, Odd?"\nYou quietly reply to him, saying Jer needs the both of you to go check the power terminal a couple levels down. Ulrich glances at Yumi. She's snoring gently. "I can't just... wake her up... She's not exactly a heavy sleeper like you, Odd. If I move, she'll get up."\n*[[Wake Yumi.]]\n*[[Let her sleep.]]

A routine trip to the factory left you and the group confined within its walls as a fierce storm blew out the power. Jeremie was able to dig up a few candles, a radio, and some food you had stashed out there months ago. Together, you gathered in the computer lab as Einstein scurried to kick-start the back-up generators. You wander throughout the lab. Ulrich and Yumi are cuddled up against each other in one corner, and Aelita hovers over Jer's chair. Gwen is minding her own business as William runs his hand back and forth over one of the open flames.\n*[[See if you can help the Einsteins.]]\n*[[Go tease Yumi and Ulrich.]]\n*[[Talk to Gwen.]]\n*[[Talk to William.]]

WELP I'M LAZY AGAIN WOOHOO \n\npower gets turned back on and shit yeaaah go pick something else :)

You catch her eye from across the room, and give her a little wave, but she shakes her head violently and tucks her head into her knees. No way she's going anywhere in the dark.\n*[[Take Ulrich.]]

Turns out, it was William calling down to you, and he didn't appreciate your snark. "I hope your candle blows out!" he yells. "Don't make a stupid joke like that again!"\nShoulders sagging, you turn to the panel on the wall and pry it open. Back to work. There are tons of colorful wires inside, switches to be flipped, buttons to be pressed. You have no idea what you're looking for.\n*[[Hope for the best and start pressing.]]\n*[[Ask Ulrich for help.]]

There are plenty of things to talk about.\n*[[Ask about the upcoming break.]]\n*[[Talk about the weather.]]\n*[[Try to make her smile.]]

"Unlike you, Odd," he sneers. "I have a grade to maintain or my parents are going to flip shit. And I don't know about you, but I'd like to stick around Kadic, alright? Now I'm going to head out and check out what's going on outside."\nWilliam nudges past you to get to the ladder.\n*[[See if you can help the Einsteins.]]\n*[[Go tease Yumi and Ulrich.]]\n*[[Talk to Gwen.]]

"It's dark," she replies simply. Gwen looks distant, not in the mood to talk.\n*Try to make her smile.\n*See if you can help the Einsteins.

You shuffle over to Jeremie and Aelita. The supercomputer is still running, but with the lack of power things could go awry at any moment. He glances back at you, peering over his glasses. "Odd, if you don't mind, we're a little busy here!" \n*[[Ask if you can help.]]\n*[[Hold up your hands in defeat, and back away to the group.]]

Kneeling down, you poke Yumi in the forehead, adding your own ridiculous sound effects. Slowly her eyes open, and she glares at you. "Thanks for the wakeup call."\nUlrich murmurs an apology to her, and climbs to his feet. "Should we take a candle or something?"\n*[[Borrow a candle.]]\n*[[Take only your phone.]]

William yells he was only making sure, than you hear a muffled reply to Gwen that Odd and Ulrich are, indeed, still alive and here in this dimension. You don't know whether to laugh or sympathize for her.\nPhone light dying, you decide to hurry. You turn to the panel on the wall and pry it open. Back to work. There are tons of colorful wires inside, switches to be flipped, buttons to be pressed. You have no idea what you're looking for.\n*[[Hope for the best and start pressing.]]\n*[[Ask Ulrich for help.]]

Your blond hair pops up from the shaft, and Aelita breathes a sigh of relief. "See!" Jeremie exclaims. "I told you he wasn't stupid enough to actually try anything!"\n"Hey!" you exclaim.\n"Yes, but it did get you out of our hands for a little while," the genius smiled smartly. Aelita slaps his arm, and he yelps.\nWilliam starts laughing, and Yumi joins in. Eventually, even Gwen cracks a smile.\n"You guys are jerks!" you yell.\n"But we mean it in the most loving way possible," Ulrich smiles, giving you a friendly pat on the back.\n\nTHE END\n\nthis was stupid w/e first try yayay

You flip some switches and jab some buttons. None of the red ones though. You know those are a risk--video game 101. But something doesn't go right. There's a spark, and suddenly Jeremie gives a yell from above.\n"ODD."\nNice job, Cheshire.

Ulrich shrugs, and heads down the ladder with you. However, once you reach the bottom rungs, your phones slowly starts to alert you that it, too, is almost dead. You swear loudly. Someone calls down to make sure you're both okay.\n*[[Joke, saying Xana is attacking.]]\n*[[Reply honestly and reassuringly.]]

Yumi is already fast asleep against Ulrich. Gwen looks uncomfortable. William has gone upstairs to check on the weather.\n*[[Take Ulrich.]]\n*[[Take Gwen.]]

You nod, and Ulrich steals William's candle with a smirk as you head towards the ladder. The power terminal is past the scanner room, but the elevator was no way safe to use. Carefully, you both climb down. The room is darker than the lab, and Ulrich stumbles on the last step. He swears loudly. Someone above calls down to ask if you're okay.\n*[[Joke, saying Xana is attacking.]]\n*[[Reply honestly and reassuringly.]]

William laughs. "Nothing new from you, Odd. I recommend doing it. You know, maybe one day you'll make it to college. Or you could just get a job working at kids' parties." He pauses, having to resist a grin. "Dressed as a giant purple cat!"\n"Hey, I--!"\nJeremie interrupts. "Hey, William, will you go check the weather upstairs? The cameras suck too much power away from the computer, and I'd like to leave."\nThe black-haired teen clambored to his feet, giving you a pat on the shoulder as he passes you towards the ladder.\n*[[See if you can help the Einsteins.]]\n*[[Go tease Yumi and Ulrich.]]\n*[[Talk to Gwen.]]

He pauses playing with the candle whenever you come closer. He's scared, but with his tough guy attitude, refuses to admit or show it.\nYou cross your arms and give him a friendly smile.\n"So how's it going, Willy-kins?"\nWilliam scowls. He hates the nicknames almost as much as Gwen does. "Fine. I just wish they'd get the power back up and running soon. Or for the storm to stop. I have homework to finish before tomorrow."\n*[[Swear. Shit, you forgot you had homework.]]\n*[[Tell him to forget it. There are more important things in life than homework.]]

Her eyes widen, then she tucks her face back against her knees. Nice going. That was a stupid thing to ask, and you already knew the answer. She'd be spending it at Kadic, again. With a sigh, you give her a kiss on the head and get back to your feet.\n*[[See if you can help the Einsteins.]]\n*[[Go tease Yumi and Ulrich.]]\n*[[Talk to William.]]

Ulrich glances over your shoulder. "Uh, I have no idea what any of this is either. Well... did Jeremie even give you what you were looking for?"\nAbruptly, you realize he didn't.\n*[[Hope for the best and start pressing.]]\n*[[Head back up to the lab.]]

The power eventually gets turned on tada yadda yadda okay whatever go pick another story arc b/c I'm lazy hooray!\n:)

She's tucked up against herself, seemingly trying to blend in against the wall. Her eyes are wide. Then, in a second, it clicks. Although not entirely pitch black, it's still pretty dark in the lab. She's scared.\nYou kneel down next to Gwen, but she doesn't move.\n*[[Take her mind off things.]]

"Get over yourself, Odd," Aelita chuckles. "You and I both know you're not very good with technology, unless it's your game system. Now go grab someone and check out the power, okay?"\n*[[You smile and agree.]]