ShadowPhantom

Chapter 2: He didn’t quite remember when he fell asleep, but the next thing he knew, his nightmare was cut short by the jingling tune of the alarm singing loudly near his ear. He slammed a button he hadn’t known previously existed and the sound ceased. He let out a relieved breath, chuckling quietly, as his mind returned to reality. He had dreamt of himself running through the jungle, naked, barefoot, stepping on sharp branches, as a gang of men much stronger than him gave chase not far behind. He was the last one alive against their alliance of four, and they were going to spear him to death. That is, until he escaped back into the real world, where they most certainly couldn’t reach him. Thankfully, the competition ahead of him completely lacked murderous spearmen. He threw his blanket off and the outside air immediately stung as it enveloped him with cold. He quickly stood up and stretched, knowing he had to get his blood flowing for warmth or he wouldn’t be able to resist going back to sleep. Despite the nightmare, he was right about the bed: it was the best sleep he had had in his life. The room was thankfully well-heated, and a short exercise session later, the cold vanished, giving him the motivation to make his way into the bathroom. Inside was another impressive sight – a shiny marble floor, gray streaks atop a white canvas, with a galaxy of embedded shiny specks. The shower could host a fully attended meeting from his recent company job, and the toilet could probably accommodate two. He grabbed the toothbrush he was provided and took his time brushing his teeth. He wouldn’t get to enjoy such a bathroom for another while, at least not until next month if he signed up for the competition again. He turned on the water as he brushed, habit of having to wait for the warm water to start flowing, but wasn’t surprised to find it immediately scalding hot. He played with both handles until it was just warm enough. Then, cupping some water, he dipped his face into it, clearing any last remnants of sleep, before turning his attention to the shower. It hit him that he should probably check the time. They had to congregate in the theater by 9 and knowing himself, he should make sure to have at least an hour reserves before stepping into the huge shower room. He peeked his head back out into the bedroom and glimpsed 7:45 on the clock. Plenty of time. He slipped back inside, and just as he was about to pull down his pair of yesterday’s jeans that he fell asleep in, he paused. It suddenly occurred to him to question, what would it feel like to wet himself right then? After all, he was about to compete in a game where all but one person would be forced to make this fundamental violation, and to do it in front of hundreds of cameras. Surely he had to be able to do it in the complete privacy of this bathroom. And yet, he found his mind rejecting even the thought of it, a brick wall in the way, solidified through years and years of habit ingrained from childhood. He hadn’t noticed this barrier before, perhaps because he never bothered to approach it, but now seeing it loom over him, he wondered how it had built up to be so strong. Surely if he wanted to, he was free to just go past it; it’s not like it was there during the first few years of his life. He stepped back from the shower to the center of the bathroom and tried to relax his bladder muscles, just like he would normally do when standing in front of the toilet. And yet, the action didn’t make it past his mind. He knew what he wanted to do, but it was as if the connection to his muscles was severed. It reminded him of the time he stood on the edge of a cliff after a long hike, wondering what it would be like to jump off and fall through the air. His imagination would play out the exact course of action – he would bend his legs, and push forward, leaping into open air – but his body wouldn’t move an inch. But what he was doing now wasn’t a matter of life or death. The consequence would only result in a minor mess… and social rejection. What would people think if they found evidence of what he had done? A grown man, in the bathroom, choosing his jeans over the toilet. Deviant… pervert… Wow, the conditioning is strong, he laughed to himself in exasperation. He tried to convince himself that nothing bad would come of this, absolutely nothing at all. Undoubtedly, they expected hosting such a competition that some contestants might choose to experiment ahead of time. No one would think anything of it. Holding onto that thought, he tried once more to relax his muscles. By now, he had gotten quite desperate, so it didn’t take long for him to sense the familiar feeling of liquid making its way to the exit. But just as it approached the very end, his muscles abruptly engaged, forcing the flow to a painful stop, as if not by his own will. It was going to be harder than he thought. Even needing to go this badly, he couldn’t bring himself to let go. He focused again, but this time, after he relaxed his muscles completely, he also gave a little push. The liquid rushed forward again much faster than last time, and once again, his instincts pulled back at the last moment, but as he had hoped, it wasn’t enough. A long spurt escaped into his pants, forming a two-inch diameter dark spot on his blue jeans. He looked down at it in fascination. His mind echoed with angry voices, scolding him for what he had done, but he ignored them, prioritizing the one other voice right beside him. That felt good, that felt free, it said. He let go completely, imagining himself standing unclothed in the shower where he would not face any barriers, and felt the stream start up again. It quickly expanded the dark patch, and ran down his thighs, forming tree-like branch patterns on his pants which eventually converged to one long glistening strip. It felt like taking a hot shower, except only below his waist. He observed that jeans were quite absorbent. He had to go quite a bit, and he was already going for quite a bit, but there was yet to be a puddle at his feet. Only as he felt the flow dying down into the final few drops did it begin to drip out from the bottom of his pants leg. Before it could go all over the place, he jumped into the shower and turned it on, soaking his shirt and the remainder of his jeans, hiding the obvious evidence. His whole life he found it incredibly weird that the wealthy class enjoyed doing this, or watching others do it. He couldn’t find a single reason for it. Wet clothes to wash afterwards and a puddle to clean up didn’t seem to define a pleasant experience, and yet, now that he’d finally done it, he saw something fun about it, something liberating. And the sensation wasn’t entirely unpleasant either, as long as he could wash up right after. The hot water beat onto his back like the strong fingers of a seasoned masseuse. He took off his clothes and wrung them out a bit before tossing this outside onto the bathroom floor. He lost track of time slightly with his experiment, so he wasn’t sure he could stay long. To be safe, he didn’t linger longer than he needed, washing himself and exiting the meeting room-sized shower right after. He changed into the uniform they provided him for the competition, which was completely gray. Gray underwear, with gray cargo pants on top, and a gray shirt, with gray socks. He didn’t have to guess why they chose that color. It must have a good contrast when wet. He left his room with 15 minutes left, closing the door, and joining the flow of participants walking down the hallway. Everyone wore the same gray uniform, both men and women. Robert was almost convinced he was a prison inmate, with everyone dressed in the same monotone shade. The theater was halfway full, with more and more participants filing into the seats like sand in an hourglass. He scanned around for Jessica, realizing that last night in the darkness he only remembered her by her clothes rather than her face. He spotted a few ladies with black hair, none of them looking in his direction. He wanted to see her again before they started the competition. As he walked up the aisle, he kept looking around, making sure to look at everyone who could be Jessica in case they were looking back. It didn’t take long for him to make eye contact with a woman in the far back, who was also scanning around, looking for him. It was definitely her, he was certain. He pushed through the congestion of people, squeezing in between seats, and climbed over a row to sit down next to her. She was grinning broadly, a stark contrast to her attitude the last time they spoke. “Tell me you didn’t just have the best sleep ever,” she exclaimed. “It’s all just a ploy to make us submit to the competition more easily, and damn did it work on me,” he agreed. “Did you do what the note said?” she asked, her voice slightly lowered. His heart dropped a few inches. Had he missed something? “What note?” “Dude, the note on the bedside table, you couldn’t’ve missed it,” she said. He thought for a second. Looking back, there was indeed some piece of paper that he unintentionally ignored. “I fell asleep super early, around 8 PM I think, and the next morning I just didn’t pay attention,” he admitted, a bit disappointed in himself. “So what was it?” “Oh well, it just pointed out that the minifridge had many different drinks to choose from, and that if I wanted to, I could take the time to practice for tomorrow, so I did,” she revealed. Brilliant idea, how could he have let it slip past him. “I tried so many new sodas I never knew existed, it’s fascinating. Anyway, I wasn’t exactly tracking how much I was drinking, but I did manage to last like 3 hours. Granted, we won’t be drinking nearly as much throughout this competition. Still, that gives me hope. So anyway, it was getting quite painful to hold after that. I probably could have done another 30 minutes if I really tried, but it was getting late so I decided to call it. So then, I figured with how rich these people are, something wild got into me. I peed on their carpet,” she recounted, whispering the last part all while giggling. He let out a snort, “maybe you were part of the wealthy class in your past life with how exciting you make it sound. Damn how did I miss that note! At least I got the chance to try out wetting myself this morning, get an idea of what it would feel like to lose,” he confessed, adding, “I wonder how many people also did the same thing” “Oh I’m sure most of them did. It only makes sense, especially with the suggestion on the note,” she said. Before he could say another word, the lights dimmed and the spotlight turned on, illuminating the same man from last night. “So, I trust all of you slept well! We have the best rooms you can get in the area, and entirely free of credit charge. Still, nothing is truly free, especially something so luxurious, so I must apologize that we did have cameras filming you in there. I didn’t say this last night because I wanted you to relax, but in the agreement, you did sign up to be filmed live throughout the duration of your presence. “For those of you who are horrified about what you’ve done thinking you were in private, rest assured, you weren’t alone. 78 percent of you chose to avoid the toilet entirely during the stay, and 87 percent of you avoided it at least once. That's almost a record! If it makes you feel any better, I am part of the 78 percent squad, no shame,” he laughed jovially. “Alright, so, that out of the way, it’s time for the game!” he paused, jokingly expecting cheers. A few brave whoops erupted from around the theater, but most kept silent. “Fair, fair, most of you are mortified, I mean, how could we be so evil to film you in a private space. Truly, sorry, but most of you would agree that the quality of your stay was worth the price. “So, now let me explain what will happen next. In a moment, all of you will be called row by row to come forth onto the stage to put on your equipment. Then you will be led backstage where the entrance to the arena is. There are 600 of you here. The arena has 10 floors, each with many rooms and corridors to explore. There are 200 starting points, so everyone will immediately go up against two others in a resource grab. The rules of the game are as follows “Intentional violence is not allowed. Punching, kicking, and other forms of physical fighting is strictly prohibited. Pushing your opponents with the intent of physically hurting them is not allowed, however, pushing as a means to another goal is allowed, such as while running to a resource, or knocking your opponent’s aim off course if they have a weapon. Likewise, tickling or other pain-free contact is allowed. Everyone will drink 4 cups of a refreshment of choice prior to entering the arena. “Afterwards, everyone must keep up with their quota of 1 cup per hour, more or less depending on game circumstances. You will have a watch on your wrist which will tell you how much you need to drink and how much time you have left until a penalty. The penalty comes in the form of a well-placed shock from your shock belt which will cause you to completely relax your bladder muscles. Usually after the first two hours, such a penalty guarantees a loss. “Of course, failing to fulfill the drinking quota isn’t the only thing that could trigger the shock belt. Players can find guns around the arena which fire soft foam darts. If the dart makes contact with any part of you, the belt will administer the shock. The wonders of technology, I know. “Drinks to satisfy your quota are not provided in advance. They must be found throughout the arena, and same with various snacks. The last person to remain with their pants visibly dry wins the game. Of course, I omitted the many different other gadgets you can find throughout the arena, I leave those as a surprise. “Lastly, I would also like to mention that in this competition we introduce a new system where the participant bonus of a hundred credits is now slightly modified. We still give 100 credits to all participants, but those who get eliminated in the more entertaining ways have potential to earn more, determined by votes of those viewing the event. With that, row one may come up to the stage!” The theater burst into loud discussion, a drunk tavern compared to the evening cafe that it was last night. Now that the start of the game drew alarmingly close, everyone was energized and nervous. Robert had to really raise his voice to be heard over the cacophony. “It’s unlikely we’ll be placed into the same starting point, so let’s try to gather resources as best we could, and then an hour in, let’s meet on the 8th floor,” he suggested. “Sounds good to me, the 8th floor could be large, how will we find each other?” she asked. “If we can, we should try to find some way to leave markers, even better if they were numbers in increasing order. This way, one of us could follow the other person’s trail. I say if we find a writing utensil, we draw numbers on the walls. Otherwise, drop something on the floor, leave a trail,” he explained. “That should work,” she agreed. “Row 9, come up to the stage,” the microphone voice boomed again. It was their row. They stood up and followed the train of people up to the stage. The line moved very quickly. Once it was his turn, an assistant staff member motioned for him to turn around and wrapped the shock belt around his waist. Then he secured the watch onto his wrist and patted him to move along. Robert looked down at his new device. The belt was a thin black strip all around with two protruding metal devices at the front. It wasn’t heavy at all, but that didn’t discount its potential. Robert was perfectly content with never finding out what it could do. Backstage, all the decoration and glamor fell away into an industrial-looking space, with crudely painted pipes running along the ceiling, and fluorescent lights blazing white splotches onto a green tiled floor. There were 9 doors, he counted, evenly spaced in the wall in front of him, each with a line of people slowly filing through it. A staff member greeted him upon entry. He was handed a card with a series of numbers on it. “Follow the doors in sequence by the numbers,” the man mumbled, repeating the phrase for the millionth time probably. This is where he and Jessica were likely going to part ways. She walked up beside him, glancing at his card. His read 5, and hers 6. “This is it then, good luck! See you soon” she said. “You too, try not to get eliminated,” he replied, waving as they got in line behind their respective doors. The trip to his starting position felt like one of those weird dreams, where he would find himself walking through doors repeatedly only to arrive at more doors – a never-ending infinite loop. It was like traversing some giant maze. He was thankful they at least had the courtesy to number all those doors, though the numbers repeated, so he wasn’t sure how helpful they would be without his card in hand. He clutched it tightly. 5, 10, 3, 14, 9, was his entire sequence. Finally, after going through the last white door, he entered a waiting room with three empty chairs. There was one other door there, a bright red one, likely the entrance to the arena. He was the first one there, so he sat in one of the chairs and waited. So far he had somehow managed to avoid letting it sink in, that the competition was about to start. Now, there was no more avoiding it. His heart was beating noticeably faster, and the familiar wrenching feeling in his chest came back, the same feeling he felt every time he would remember the rent he couldn’t pay, the landlord he’d have to face, or the deadline he dreaded to make. Who would he be up against? Would they be better than him? He never excelled under pressure. Whenever he found himself competing in a race back in school, he rarely won. This time, the race could determine whether he’d be able to turn his life around, or whether he’d have to partake again next month. Though he was seduced by the soft bed and warm shower, he would rather be on his feet, making his own money. His breathing quickened as the white door swung open. Some tall track athlete was surely about to enter and seal his fate. To his relief however, the newcomer greeting him was a girl, with straight brown hair hanging just above her shoulders, green eyes behind a pair of square glasses, and a white-toothed grin spread across her face. She wasn’t the skinniest woman, but she had weight in just the right places to accentuate her curves. Against himself, he felt a guilty relief, knowing that winning the resource frenzy was now one opponent easier. “Heyo, I’m Amy,” she chirped, taking the seat beside him. “You ready?” “As ready as I can be I suppose,” Robert replied, slightly taken aback by her ebullient attitude. “This one is going to be fun as hell, I can feel it. I got my tactic dialed in,” she asserted. She knows what she’s doing, I’m screwed, he thought, starting to play with his thumb. “You new?” she asked, glancing in his direction, and then back at the wall. He hesitated for a moment, not sure what to say. “I mean, yeah? You say that as if this competition has regular participants. I was under the impression that most come here to get some money in desperate times and go on with their lives.” “Oh well yeah, that’s most of 'em, but then there’s the niche group of veterans who enjoy this kinda thing. It’s honestly a blessing for us that the wealthy class somehow caught onto this perversion. Before, we used to be a kind of small community spread across the world, not much chance for interaction. You know the guy who set that holding record, lasting into the next day, well I know him, I was the runner up that round, giving out right before him,” she explained. Robert’s jaw went slack. What chance did he have against these people, who have been doing this for years? He was stupid enough to think winning first place was possible, but now even top three seemed like a stretch. “But don’t worry, given our numbers, we are usually so spread out across the beginner rounds there aren’t more than one or two of us. You’ll still have a good chance to win, I’ll even help you. We’ll have some fun,” she said. Just then the door swung open for a second time, letting in a short man roughly in his early 30s, a mop of messy blonde curls draping over his head. He was biting his lip and trembling slightly as he made his way to the last chair. “Hey,” he said – a short murmur that came out more like a croak. He clearly hadn’t spoken to anyone since he signed up yesterday evening, so his voice wasn’t warmed up. Robert sighed internally, glad that neither of his two opponents seemed to be a great threat. Amy offered to help him – a conversation which he was eager to get back to – and the short nervous guy still looked to be in denial of his situation to focus properly. Amy turned her attention to the man. “You okay, you look like you’ve seen a ghost, what’s your name?” she asked, chuckling. The man exhaled a laugh, smiling briefly. “I find it crazy how you can have a positive attitude right now,” he remarked. “Oh, you shouldn’t base your judgment off her. She’s here entirely by her own will, she enjoys this,” Robert clarified. The man shook his head, “I wish I could say the same. No, I’m about to embarrass myself in front of my kids, my wife, and worse, my employer,” he complained. “Employer? If you have a job then why do this?” Amy asked in surprise, her foot finally stopping its rapid assault of the floor. The man groaned in frustration, tilting his head to face the ceiling. “I was so stupid, I don’t know why I did it. I wanted to renovate the house a bit, but I didn’t have the money at the time. My job pays, yeah, but not nearly enough. I took one of those rapid loans, the kind you really shouldn’t take unless you know you can pay it back practically right away. I’m sure you can guess the rest” “Rapid loan, yeah, rookie mistake,” Amy agreed, earning the betrayed look from the man. “But don’t worry, you guys have me to help you. I always do this as a challenge, to try to get my two spawn partners to the final three.” The man’s face lit up slightly, but he didn’t say anything. Robert’s mind immediately jumped to Jessica. He couldn’t betray her, not after he had brought her hopes up, but what use would he be to her? Amy was the one with all the expertise. For now, he had no choice but to play along with the flow. They agreed to meet on the 8th floor, but that was not going to be anytime soon. His thoughts were cut short as a crackle sounded from a concealed speaker. A muffled voice echoed into the room. “Contestants, the game will commence shortly. All of you are now going to consume your first quota. The door from which you entered your intermission area is now locked, and the red door will open as soon as everyone has finished their drinks. Good luck!” A compartment on the wall across from them slid open revealing a screen filled with colorful icons of various sodas, like one of those vending machines Robert often used at the diner. The three of them walked up, forming into a line. Amy picked first, choosing iced tea. As soon as she pressed ‘confirm’, a mechanism began whirring within the walls, and soon, a liter-sized iced tea bottle emerged. She took it and returned to her seat. Robert couldn’t help but feel impressed. He had never seen such an unconventionally large container before. Next, the curly haired guy chose Pepsi, and finally, Robert selected orange juice. “I never got your name,” Amy asked the 3rd guy once they returned to their seats. “Mark,” he replied, taking a deep sip from his bottle. “Oh cool, I have a friend named Mark,” Amy commented. Silence blanketed them as they slowly sipped their drinks at a pace slightly faster than what Robert would find enjoyable. 10 minutes later, they tossed their empty bottles and eyed each other, each looking for words to say but not finding anything. It was another 5 minutes before the long-awaited metal clang echoed from the red door, signaling that the lock was now disengaged. The competition had officially begun.

Preface I haven't written anything in almost 2 years, but I got the sudden urge to get back to it. If I ever write, it usually ends up being something omo-related for some reason. I began this story a few weeks back and haven't posted it because I didn't think it was going to be very good; I was kind of hoping I would shake off my rust in the process. I have decided now that it probably is worth posting it, just to get some feedback and share it in case someone might enjoy it. I didn't take much time to do any world building or planning, so I kind of jumped into writing without knowing where it will go. Expect plot holes and other such issues. The story is sort of inspired by the hunger games, depicting a semi-dystopian world where it is standard for those who lack money or have debt to be forced into participating in a large-scale holding contest funded by the wealthy class. I will post the story chapter by chapter. I already have a lot written so the first few posts are already set in stone (except for minor editing), but once that gets exhausted, I will start posting as I write. I am very much looking for feedback on how I can improve. Please do not hesitate to tell me what I am missing. Enjoy! Chapter 1 He stood staring transfixed at the tablet screen, his finger trembling slightly above the agreement button, hoping for something to happen, some miracle that would give him another choice. If he pressed the button, there would be no going back. Sharp words suddenly cut through his thoughts, waking him from the trance. “There’s a whole line of people waiting, hurry up lad, we need to get through everyone today,” the man demanded, his eyebrows meeting in collective irritation. As if the decision wasn’t hard enough as it was… His heart began to beat faster, knowing the person behind him would soon start hurrying him as well, but the pressure only blurred his certainty. He closed his eyes, thinking back to how he got here in the first place. Little money, an apartment he would soon no longer be able to pay for, and out of a job. He only had his dignity to sell, and there was one place where such a thing could be sold: where he stood now. He would find some way to recover from this, he had to. He wasn’t the only one in line out of necessity. Yes, that was it. Surely others would understand why he had to do it. Clinging on to this newfound clarity, he pressed the green “agree” button on the tablet. The man behind the desk nodded to the left, telling him where to go. He turned without a word and walked past the desk through a doorway, entering a dimly lit theater cramped with crimson velvet seats. It was sparsely filled – he was one of the first in line to sign up – but in the next hour, there would not be a vacant spot left. He entered one of the few non-empty rows and sat down next to a black haired lady. She looked to be about his age, early 20s, but she was leaned over, her face buried in her hands as if she were crying, so he couldn’t tell for sure. “So, what made you sign up?” he asked, not looking at her. She lifted her head, slightly startled. He caught an irritated look from her in his peripheral vision. “No other open seats?” she muttered back. “Not talkative I see, I just wanted to make a friend. If you’re here for the same reason I am, to win and get some money, then you should be wanting the same,” he said. “It’s a game of endurance, and only one person truly wins, there is no point in allies,” she replied dismissively. “There are runner-ups, and everyone gets paid for participation either way. But also, you’d be naive to say that allies aren’t needed. It isn’t only endurance, there is potential for sabotaging other teams, or finding ways to increase your chances. In that case, allies could be very helpful,” he persisted. Something shifted in her eyes at that, some tension left her muscles. “You want to win, go find someone else to ally with. I can’t help you,” she mumbled quietly, looking away now, not at all the tone she had a moment ago. “Hey hey, don’t you give up. We can win this, we can make the top 2 and we’ll figure it out from there,” he continued, risking to rest his hand atop hers. He felt her twitch subtly, but then she relaxed. “The whole world is going to see me, laugh at me. You try so hard to build an impression, an image of yourself, and then this…” she cried. “Yes, but let’s show them that we can persevere, show them that their stupid games don’t affect us,” he said. In truth, he felt exactly like she did, and like everyone else who slowly filled the room probably did as well, but he wasn’t going to tell her that. “I hope you won’t be devastated if your hopes collapse, usually people with your kind of energy take it the worst. I have the advantage, I am expecting to lose, as much as I don’t want to,” she said. He hesitated for an instant, his stomach dropping out from under him at the thought of failure, the scenario he had been avoiding imagining. But then he shoved that truth off the table, and turned back to the page of perhaps irrational but much more comforting optimism. “I’m prepared to lose,” he lied, “but it doesn’t mean I won’t try my hardest to win, and it doesn’t mean I won’t believe in the unlikely until the very end.” She exhaled a dry laugh, “I wish I had your attitude. Either way, you are right about one thing, I do need to try to win this thing, and you aren’t giving up on me, so, I’ll bite. I’m Jessica.” She shifted in her seat to face him, and he did the same. “Robert, pleasure,” he replied, a smile forcing itself across his face. “So, what brought you here, you never said?” Jessica sighed – a sound he was quite familiar with. “I fell for the whole student business. I knew some friends who went to pursue university, saw them succeed from it, figured it was the way. I realize now that it was a scam. It works for those who already have it good, those who simply enjoy learning more. Not those who are going there to make it. Anyway, I'm stuck with debt I cannot repay, and those assholes at the financial department didn’t even bother being subtle, they just straight advertised signing up for this competition, telling me it was the only way out if I couldn’t pull the money out soon.” She paused, looking at the floor. Robert let out an appalled laugh, “Wow... Yeah, they aren’t even hiding it anymore. The company that owns my apartment complex at least had the decency to apologize after suggesting it.” “But that's alright, we’ll show them, we’ll play in their little show, and we’ll take their money for it,” she declared half-jokingly, though with a newfound energy she certainly did not have at the beginning of the conversation. Robert thought that even if they didn't win, at least he succeeded in lifting her spirits. He took a moment to look around the theater and noticed that it was full now, as he expected, not a single vacant seat in sight. The lights dimmed, and the stage curtains opened. The rumble of chatter died away, and a spotlight illuminated a well-dressed man on the stage. He certainly didn’t waste a chance to show off what he could buy with the money their organization made. His suit was gray silk, lined with undoubtedly real gold plating. The man tapped his ear to activate the small microphone chip in his mouth and began to speak. “Welcome contestants, I hope the wait was not too long. We will begin right away, though I would like to thank you for choosing to participate in this round. As you know, the funding we get from viewership drives our forward advancement; it is this fortunate balance that we struck that has brought us the prosperity of the past 50 years. That said, I know many of you are here because of challenging times. It is difficult to make the decision to sell yourself in this manner to the public, but I hope it gives you some reassurance to know that just those same 50 years ago, challenging times could have meant starvation, homelessness, or worse. Now, there is another path to choose from. “Tomorrow, we will begin the game. One victor will emerge with their dignity unbesmirched, while the rest will unfortunately suffer embarrassment. This is the first round of the tournament, awarding ten thousand credits to the victor, five thousand to second place, one thousand to third, and one hundred to everyone for participation. The top five placements will have the choice to proceed to the next round, or walk away. Though some of you likely already know the game, I will explain it now in detail, including the changes from the last tournament. After that, all of you will be shown your rooms and given the remainder of the day to yourselves. Tomorrow, everyone is to return to this theater at 9:00 AM on the dot. On with the rules now.” Robert listened for the next hour, noticing somewhere in the middle that the roles had flipped and Jessica’s hand was now atop his. The speech was mostly what he expected, but it filled in the many details he did not know. The game was effectively a holding contest, but played in a large arena where players would have access to many means of sabotaging each other. It would last until the last person standing, which typically didn’t exceed past the same day, though the world record was known to have gone until 7 AM into the following morning. Robert had no idea how such a feat was humanly possible, but after the speaker shared this fact, he could only pray no one even close to that skill level would be in the arena the next day. After the speech finished, the room instantly erupted back into conversation, with a sliver of panic added to the jumbled words from before. Staff members in fine suits directed the audience down each of the four exits leading to their designated rooms. “Hopefully we can meet up quickly tomorrow, try not to worry too much, get some sleep,” Robert told Jessica. “Thank you,” she replied, releasing his hand after they’d stood up. She lingered for a moment, looking at him as if she had more on her mind to say, but then simply added, “good night,” before walking off. Robert was led down the exit labeled with a number 3, though he doubted there was much difference between each of the four wings. His room, number 321, turned out to be unexpectedly luxurious, with a bed softer than anything he’d ever slept on. His body sank into it as if the mattress was one giant pillow. It was still 6 PM, leaving him with 4 hours to contemplate his predicament, and to say goodbye to his self-respect. He very much doubted that it would stick around after tomorrow. He lay staring at the ceiling, looking for patterns in the paint to analyze, but there were none. It was the same shade of white everywhere, not a single imperfection showing in the light. It looked almost unnatural, no shadow patterns to indicate texture or depth. For all he knew, he could have been staring into an open abyss, extending beyond into infinity. He wondered what tool could so flawlessly apply color on a wall, and why anyone cared to invent something like that in the first place. He knew he probably should be thinking about something more important, like his tactics for the game tomorrow. And yet, the bed was so soft, the ceiling so perfect, the furniture smelling like a pine forest in the break of spring. It was the best night's sleep he would get in the next many years, or perhaps ever. And all he had to do was risk a bit of embarrassment, potentially wetting himself on camera? Maybe he had it all wrong, looking at this as some bad outcome. The speaker on the stage had a point… tough times used to mean cold winters outside, freezing in the snow, losing fingers one by one to frostbite. He shuddered at the thought, pulling the thick blankets over himself. they were so cozy… so warm… he almost wanted to giggle, the primitive pleasure overwhelming him. Something clicked in him then, a realization. What was it that he was so afraid of? The wealthy were practically giving away their money with these competitions, running them every month. Was it the social rejection he thought he might face after the footage was published? Who would pay attention to him among thousands of other participants, and moreover, who would dare reject him after he made enough money from this? Who would question how he made his success once he had it? Win or lose, he was still winning something: a luxurious evening and one hundred credits. He beamed to himself, a rippling wave of calm spreading through him, purging all the stress he had no too long ago.

Sit

It has been a super busy year for me, hence my lack of activity on omoorg entirely. Moreover, this particular interactive story started getting very hard to manage with all the numbers to keep track of. Thus, unfortunately, I will say that this thread is over, but that isn't to say that I won't start it over in a 2.0 version, possibly with all the hard-earned upgrades transferred! No promises though, it really depends on my time. Sorry if you thought that this was a continuation. Hope everything is well for all of you and maybe soon I will be active again!

Target's Bladder Strength: 9 Target's Self Control: 3 Player's Influence Level: 35 Aura Level: 4 Target's Bladder: 89/100 > I need to get to the bathroom (35%) (+4.05% and x1.16 from Alex62) > I should just let go (40%) (+5.9% and x1.24 from LittleRaven556) > I should pee in the shower (25%) () + > Stub her toe (25%) (+4.05% and x1.16 from Alex62) > Sophie enters first (21%) (+4.02% from Babedut123) > Make her sleepy (25%) (+5.6% and x1.12 from GermanShepherd) > Bladder +5 (29%) (+5.9% and x1.24 from LittleRaven556) Randomizer winner: > I need to get to the bathroom + Make her sleepy [SUCCESS + SUCCESS] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= It was much harder to get up than she had thought however. It felt as though weights were strung to her eyelids, weighing them to shut closed, but her bladder kept tapping her awake. The colder air outside her cozy blanket was washing her face into wakefulness, which made it easier. Maybe they could delay their plans slightly longer so she could return to the pleasure of her bed, but regardless of that decision, visiting the bathroom would be her first and foremost decision. She swung herself off the edge and onto her feet in one swift motion, and after wobbling for a moment on her sausage-like legs, she waddled to the bathroom. > Custom Dialogue/Action + > Custom Aura/Influence It was an unlucky roll of dice on the winning choices, so here's a LAST chance. 🙂 Also I know this was a very short response after a long time, but I was just busy and didn't check in here

@LittleRaven556 The Aura to add to her bladder by 5 has a 70% success chance at our Aura level, so don't discard that idea @lethalty60 Shower will not render a loss, but you have the issue of bringing her so close to a bathroom that she might ignore your influence. Be careful

Target's Bladder Strength: 9 Target's Self Control: 3 Player's Influence Level: 35 Aura Level: 4 Target's Bladder: 89/100 > Backtrack 2 stores, make loop (76%) > Meet at far store (24%) Randomizer winner: > Backtrack 2 stores, makes loop [SUCCESS] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= A short exchange sent them to their final few shopping destinations. Alice and Emily together crossed a few more food, souvenir, and believe it or not, clothing stores before reuniting with the entire group. The 8 of them were exhausted having spent the past few hours touring the bustling city. Alice's head was dropping like a bobble head, and Mickey was leaning all her weight onto the nearby bus stop sign, her shadow from the descending sun casting across the concrete sidewalk. In the next few hours the sky would go dark, and no stars would be visible, but the power of electricity would keep the city illuminated like the bright Christmas lights on a snowy eve. Their hands were occupied with logo covered bags from almost every company that sold down their way making them walking advertisements. Enid drowsily slurred a suggestion of sleep, but Brenda complained that the city's best moments are during the night. Sophie acted as peacemaker and mediated their extremes to the decision of a short rest. They returned on foot to their room, a sleeping compartment which sat lodged between thousands of other rooms near the top of the building. The same man who had waved to them on their exit earlier in the morning now greeted them again as they reentered. There must have been some weight stringed to her eyelids because as soon as Emily entered her room and sank deep into the softness of her bed, she was quickly taken into sleep not bothering to take notice of her growing needs. The alarm rang in what seemed like minutes, but a glimpse at the bright squint-inducing screen led Emily to the slow realization that their collective nap lasted 2 hours. The sun had almost completed its journey across the sky leaving the horizon with a small strip of light like the crack of a door into a lit room. The city as expected held its brightness to an impressive standard, almost simulating the daytime. Alice was groggily groaning into her pillow and rolling around in the tangled mess of her blanket. Her smooth brushed hair had devolved into a mess of competing weeds growing on her head, some draping over her eyes. She managed to croak out a question about the time, to which Emily responded that it was 7 PM. She sat up in the bed, drawing away the thick blanket to reveal her smooth naked legs leading up to merge with her body where a small section gray of cloth concealed the groin region. An urge in the back of her throat invited her into a prolonged satisfying yawn which transitioned into a stretch, but as she lifted her hands as if to reach the ceiling, her skin pushed slightly against the growing bulge near her belly and she grew suddenly aware of her desperation. Her hands came to the rescue as the liquid contents threatened to escape and she felt lucky that the bathroom was right there a few steps away > Custom Dialogue/Action + > Custom Aura/Influence

@lethalty60 Yellow is their line, Blue and Brown are the other groups. B means bathrooms but only for the ones that are already visited, not ones that haven't been found yet obviously. I kinda spoiled each store... but oh well too late now

I would look back at the visual GermanShepherd made a few pages back, and then count which stores each group visited. I have an updated one but It would reveal some things that you guys can't know :P

Target's Bladder Strength: 9 Target's Self Control: 3 Player's Influence Level: 35 Aura Level: 4 Target's Bladder: 50/100 > Head start (18%) () > Wash hands (27%) (+4.05% and x1.16 from Alex62) > Neither (55%) (+5.9% and x1.24 from LittleRaven556) + > No Influence (13%) () > Catch interest (87%) (+4.05% and x1.16 from Alex62, +5.9% and x1.24 from LittleRaven556) Randomizer winner: > Neither + Catch Interest [SUCCESS +SUCCESS] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Alice caught sight of the sign and showed intent of going to it, but Emily held her back. "Hey, maybe we should finish shopping first. The other groups are counting on us to finish quickly," she suggested. Alice swung a confused look in Emily's direction. "Won't I shop faster if I don't have to pee so badly?" she asked. Emily had no thoughts against that argument. Besides, what would be so bad about her going to the bathroom? Emily parted ways with Alice and headed for the isles as usual, finding nothing that stood out to her. Alice found her shortly and they left the store with no purchases that time. Emily was beginning to get better at dodging other pedestrians and moving faster down the sidewalk. The surge of tourists had died down slightly for no discernible reason, but it was not something Emily wanted to question. All that mattered was that the congestion was dissolving slowly like salt in cold water left unstirred. Between the dissonant symphony of voices and car horns, Emily managed to recall her hunger. Alice was slightly farther ahead and if it wasn't for the volume of their surroundings, perhaps she would have called out, but at that moment, it would have been futile. Instead, Emily switched gears and swerved past the couple standing between her and Alice and caught up to her speedy companion. "Listen, those food stands look really good. Maybe we should grab something," she suggested rather loudly. "Didn't you have that pastry not too long ago?" Alice reminded, hoping to separate her from that thought. "And besides, I thought you wanted to move quickly," she added. "Yea, but that's different. If we are here in New York, it would be sinful not to try the street food," Emily persisted. Alice slowed her pace considerably, her eyes scanning between the crowd to find a desirable food stand. "Fine, you got me. That one over there, you see? Looks pretty good." They slipped between a fire hydrant and a pole passing carefully a few more people before reaching the food cart. The side of it was covered in a large image of juicy dripping chicken beside a mound of fried rice and vegetables. Emily's mouth was salivating like a faucet, and she couldn't help but reveal her hunger with her nervous and impatient tone of voice when ordering. The man smiled at them from behind the cart in response and gave them a 5 minute waiting estimate. Emily was tapping her foot rapidly against the concrete like a hammer. Alice appeared to have surrendered herself to the craving as well. Moments later, each of them received a plastic container containing what looked exactly like the picture. Emily had never seen an ad be that accurate, or maybe her hunger was clouding her vision. She opened the container and for a second, devolved into a starving savage who'd just hunted down a meal. Not too long after her attempt to drink the solid food like soup, she realized that Alice's fork approach was a more effective way of eating. They finished their meals outside their next store and disposed of the trash in the bin nearby before entering the refrigerated compartment that was the food store. Perhaps Emily recalled her hunger too soon because now, the aroma of fried meat didn't smell as much appealing as it would have before the rice and chicken. A familiar sign in the back met Emily's sight but knowing they wouldn't likely be buying anything there after having lunch, they left the store right away and skipped to the next one. Another souvenir store made their next acquaintance but the wares were the same as the last one only for higher prices. Just as they were about to leave for their next destination, a text message rang on both their phones. They found a spot to stand outside of the store and Alice took out her phone to read it. "Hows it going, we are finished with all our planned stores. You guys wanna decide how to go about this next?" Alice read aloud to Emily. > Choose the next 5 stores that Emily and Alice should go to + > Suggest 2 stores for each of the 2 other groups that they should visit

Target's Bladder Strength: 9 Target's Self Control: 3 Player's Influence Level: 35 Aura Level: 4 Target's Bladder: 45/100 > Loop (100%) Randomizer winner: > Loop [SUCCESS] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= After a short consideration, they decided to exchange their back and forth method of search for something more resembling a loop. It was certainly not the most efficient route given that they would need to backtrack a few steps, but perhaps it would give them a necessary break between shopping. Besides, the other groups would likely be returning for the further stores down the street anyway. Without any added delay, the 2 of them continued down the same street with the flow of the crowd and slipped out of the current when they reached the following store. The end of the clothing store streak was a relief, because Emily had begun thinking that they were cursed to only be able to shop for clothes, but thankfully that was not true. The next store on their shopping trip was a jewelry one. The strong sweet aroma of flowers that hit her nose as they entered that store indicated that perhaps jewels weren’t the only thing sold there, and that maybe they could afford something. Although the perfume section did not boast an impressive variety, it had all the right brands and both Emily and Alice found themselves attached to a product of choice. Unfortunately, New York prices were merciless, and they left a pretty penny behind for the scented liquid, but Emily managed to temporarily convince herself that it was worth it. Back into the bustling city they returned, merging like cars into dense traffic, travelling only until the next exit: a souvenir store. Surprisingly it was the first one they visited thus far. Emily expected that souvenir stores would beat clothing stores 5 to 1 but her assumptions were disproven, or perhaps their roll of dice led them into such a pattern. It did not matter how or why, because now that they were in the store, it was time to shop. Narrow passages were clotted by clumsy tourists struggling to wriggle between the glass shelves full of fragile sculptures resembling various memorable locations of the city. After their ascent to the top of tallest skyscraper in the city, Emily recognized one of statuettes that lined the edge of the eye-level shelf of one of the displays. It had an accurate form but was covered with a crude and uneven paint job, one that had a feeling of authenticity to it, as if it was crafted by hand and not by a factory. Though for most that would indicate that something was cheap, Emily noticed herself being more attached to the mini Empire State Building as a result of it. She took the rough carving into her hands, warming it’s cold surface with her palms, and went on to weave between the other visitors of the store in search of Alice, who somehow submerged herself past view into the depths of the crowded establishment. The congestion of the sidewalks outside almost seemed like a breath of fresh air after the cramped experience of that store. Alice sighed wearily as they found a little opening to stand in without getting in the way of others. Emily felt the outside of the bag she was holding, making sure that her hand-sized building was safely wrapped, along with Alice’s mug purchase. “I might need to pee soon,” Alice notified. “Yeah me too probably, but I don’t doubt that we will come by a store with a bathroom soon,” Emily responded, closing the conversation. Alice nodded in agreement. After a short break, the two of them crossed the street back to the other side and entered yet another clothing store. Perhaps the curse was still unbroken, or so Emily thought at that point. Luckily for them however, a distant sign peeked halfway over the shelves from the back of the store labelled with the familiar symbols of a man and a woman. > Alice could go use the bathroom while I get a head start on shopping > I should go with Alice to the bathroom. I’ve been wanting to wash my hands > Neither of us should go to the bathroom because we must finish shopping quickly. The rest of the group is counting on us! > Custom Dialogue > Don’t Intervene + > Aura: Make the bathroom have a long line [Rec.Lvl 20] > Aura: Make the bathroom out of order [Rec.Lvl 10] > Aura: Cause somebody to approach them [Rec.Lvl 10] > Influence: Cause something to catch Emily’s interest > Custom Aura/Influence > Don’t Intervene

Loops are not restricted, so yes, that is definitely a cool strategy

Again I have left you guys for a long time and for that I am sorry. My interactives here are unfortunately only hobbies, heavily subject to my schedule. I am back for now, and hopefully here to start yet another long streak of replies. For now, this is all I got: Oh and also, I read back the posts I made.... and I totally forgot about the 8th member of their group lol! Anna is indeed with them, but she isn't with Emily and Alice. Target's Bladder Strength: 9 Target's Self Control: 3 Player's Influence Level: 35 Aura Level: 4 Target's Bladder: 37/100 > Don't Intervene (62%) (+4.05% and x1.16 from Alex62, +5.9% and x1.24 from LittleRaven556) > Go with Alice (38%) (+5.6% and x1.12 from GermanShepherd) + > Don't Intervene (67%) (+4.05% and x1.16 from Alex62, +5.6% and x1.12 from GermanShepherd) > More Susceptible to drunkness (33%) (+5.9% and x1.24 from LittleRaven556) Randomizer winner: > Don't Intervene + Don't Intervene [SUCCESS +SUCCESS] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= In truth, she already had everything she wished for at the moment in terms of alcohol. She was beginning to fear herself, and decided on restrain as her most trustworthy advisor. Alice's voice as she conversed enthusiastically with the lady behind the counter was lost to the calm sound of music in the store, and to the stream of Emily's prevailing thoughts. She was in a bit of a trance for a moment, thinking ahead about their trip, and the possibilities, and the excitement... that is until it was time to leave. It seemed only a moment ago that Alice was busy in a conversation, but in the time that Emily tuned out, Alice managed to acquire a bag heavy with 2 purchases of deep brown colored liquor. "Let's go," Alice motioned as she spoke, leading the way out of the store. So far they only visited 4 stores and already, their contributions to the checklist were boast-worthy. Emily struggled to keep up with Alice's pace as her friend skillfully dodged pedestrians and other obstacles, crossing the street as if the city was her home. Emily felt like she was the complete opposite, an obstruction to others in every way she moved. Still, she made it safely to the other side to be greeted by yet another clothing store. It was to be expected that so many such venues would occupy the most popular street, but to get 3 of them in their first 5 visits seemed almost unfortunate. Still, it would be a lie to say that Emily was bored of such stores. To her it seemed that she could never be bored of shopping for new things to wear. This 3rd store was strange, unlike the others save for the air conditioner. This one had very little clutter, and much empty space to wander about. The few products that were in sight were displayed very elegantly, each behind a glass showcase equipped with its own lighting. Emily, having read the scene, quickly deduced that their budget was not sufficient for such luxurious finery. Alice on the other hand appeared quite enticed and enthralled by one of the products being displayed. A kind lady came over, with a smile that only spoke of her intention to separate Alice and Emily from their money. "1700$ for this one," the lady replied to Alice's inquiry, her grin gleaming ever so falsely. "Thank you," Alice replied with a nervous laugh, before nodding at the lady and leaving the store with Emily not far behind. No luck with that store either, but they were still in good shape, with much more shopping ahead of them. With the 5 first stores complete, Emily and Alice convened for a potential redirection of their path. - Select the next 5 stores that Alice and Emily should visit (Look back to older posts in this scenario for a reminded on the current situation)

Very busy summer guys, sorry. I should hopefully push out some replies in the coming week/s.

Target's Bladder Strength: 9 Target's Self Control: 3 Player's Influence Level: 35 Aura Level: 4 Target's Bladder: 37/100 > Alex62's answer (50%) (+4.05% and x1.16 from Alex62) > GermanShepherd's answer (50%) (+5.6% and x1.12 from GermanShepherd) Randomizer winner: > GermanShepherd's answer [SUCCESS] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Realizing that daylight was limited and that they have only started their journey, they agreed not to squander their time. Instead they resolved to purchase their morning snack for the road. Approaching the counter, Emily spotted a few light beers in the fridge in the back. Despite knowing her acute susceptibility to alcohol, something drew her towards it; some strange urge in the back of her mind which she could not resist. "Ill have one of those over there," she began ordering, pointing at a sweet looking pastry behind the glass, and then nervously added, "and also 2 of those beers." The young man behind the counter expressed confusion with a lifted eyebrow but made no comment. Alice however, had a word to say. "You wanna drink already? It's so early!" she whispered disconcertingly. "It's for later. I doubt I'll be drinking it now, but hell, if I need a sip, Ill have one." Emily knew well that she made no valid excuses. Guilt was not something that liked to keep quiet. Alice ordered a similar pastry, one with less colors and no creamy gleam, accompanied by some tea. Shortly after paying, the two of them were back out on the street, walking with the rushing flow of people going down the street to their next store. The 2nd store on the right revealed itself to be yet another clothing store, with a differing style of apparel. The aisles proved much more appealing that time and they left with 2 bags worth of purchases, one of which contained an item from their wish list. Alice sent a quick text to the group updating them on the new status. The two of them crossed back to the left side of the street where they were greeted by a large inviting sign which spelled "Liquor." "There you go Emily! Your alcohol heaven. All you had to do was wait one more store," Alice teased. "Yeah, Ill pass." A beer was more than enough for now and for the rest of the evening, or so she thought at that moment. Still, the store was worth a visit in case anything extraordinary came up. If not Emily, then the others certainly expressed interest in some fine shared drink for later in the day. Once again the cool contrasting air washed over them as they entered the small room. Bottles lined the walls from floor to ceiling creating aesthetically satisfying patterns. While Emily aimlessly wandered the rows of drinks, Alice headed for the counter to ask for some recommendations. The group didn't exactly agree on a particular type of booze, so the question was still up in the air. Emily considered her own choices for the time being > I should buy + [Specify drink] > I'll just go with what Alice buys > Don't Intervene + > Custom Aura/Influence > Don't Intervene Note: If nothing about a bathroom was mentioned, assume there wasn't one at the store