The Other Side of Olivia

[Bipbipbopbop]

I love to write, so I just had to give this a go! What fun!

 

One of my favourite things about Academagia is the fact that each student has their own distinct personality. I'd really love to see more events that make use of the non-player students, true to personality and not just random name insertions. So here's one about Olivia Solari, as I've wondered what she'd do if a character got between her and Cyrus. NOTE: I haven't actually seen Olivia's Adventure yet, so it's possible this might conflict with it or cause some discontinuity, I'm not sure.

 

 

Event Title - The Other Side of Olivia

 

Prerequisites - Female character, relationship with Cyrus Dawes > 4, Olivia not in your character's Clique.

 

Initiated By: Friendship with Cyrus at 5 (or above) for the first time.

 

Main Text

 

You walk out of class before lunch, distracted by the horrendous amount of homework set by @random professor 1@... and straight into @Olivia Solari@. Oops! She doesn't look happy. But you could have just imagined it, because the next moment she shrugs it off and flashes you a blinding smile.

 

"@Your character's first name@! Just the person I was looking for!" she says. "I've thought for some time that we should get to know each other better. Why don't we sit together at lunch today?"

 

You have other things to do and start to protest, but she's not taking no for an answer. She drags you to the Dining Hall and gestures for you to sit. With a smile, she follows your lead. The next thing you know, she spouting off gossip about some of the kitchen staff and you can't seem to get a word in edgeways. She seems eager to hold your attention, and you're not sure why she's become so friendly all of a sudden.

 

 

Exit 1 Description - Danger Sense. Something's not right about this situation.

Exit 1 Roll - Attribute: Insight. Skill: Danger Sense.

Exit 1 Success Text - You're surprised that Olivia's talking about the kitchen staff when there's usually only ever one topic on her mind - @Cyrus Dawes@. Her obsession with your friend is well-known. In fact, you've seen her throwing dirty looks your way of late. For her to go straight from that to smiles and friendliness is suspicious to say the least. What's more, you can spot Cyrus chatting to friends over in the far corner, and Olivia isn't even so much as glancing his way. Something's definitely up, and you're willing to bet she's only playing nice because she wants something out of you. Whatever it is, you don't think you want to find out.

 

You stand up to leave, and Olivia makes a grab for your hand, revealing a crack in her facade. However, you were expecting something like this and manage to evade her.

 

"Wait!" she exclaims, but is ignored. Not to be deterred, she jumps up to follow you out... and accidentally steps into the path of a spell fired from across the room. Olivia shrieks and covers her face, fumbling for her wand, but her shaking hands can't manage to pull it from her pocket and hide herself simultaneously. You think you see something lumpy poking out from under her hairline, but you only catch a glimpse before your would-be 'friend' runs humiliated from the room. It looks as though you narrowly escaped something rather unpleasant, and Olivia received a taste of her own medicine. All in all, this is shaping up to be a good day.

 

(Relationship with Olivia Solari decreased by 2)

(Danger Sense +1)

(Flawless Timing +1)

 

 

Exit 1 Failure Text - Olivia has been throwing dirty looks your way of late, possibly because you've been spending more than your fair share of time with her beloved @Cyrus@. You'd been starting to wonder if she was going to hold it against you - after all, she's famous for being very single-minded. But now her friendly behaviour has you confused. She actually seems quite nice, and you feel bad about jumping to conclusions. You had her pinned down all wrong.

 

Olivia finishes her story, smiling, and at that moment the sound of laughter fills your ears. You look around, wondering what the fuss is about, and see that everyone in the hall is pointing and gaping at you! Olivia sits back calmly as you leap up, patting down your clothes in an attempt to figure out what is happening. Mortified, you rush out of the hall to the sound of taunts and jeers. Upon reaching your dormitory and looking in the mirror, you discover that your face is covered in giant grey warts! Half the school saw it, and no doubt the other half will know about it soon enough. You hadn't even noticed the spell being cast!

 

Clearly, Olivia is cleverer than you gave her credit for. Someone else must have cast the spell while she served as the distraction. You resolve not to let yourself be tricked so easily (not to mention publicly) again.

 

(Stress +2)

(Character Study -1)

(Relationship with Olivia Solari decreased by 1)

 

Exit 2 Description - Befriend. It's a little... odd, but if she wants to be your friend, you aren't complaining.

Exit 2 Roll - Attribute: Charm. Skill: Befriend.

Exit 2 Success - While you're surprised that Olivia Solari of all people would be so enthusiastic about spending lunch with you, you reason that it can't hurt to make new friends. Although you don't get to say a great deal, you listen attentively and discover that Olivia's stories are actually very interesting. Like the one about the time @Olivia's Familiar@ got stuck under a bucket in the kitchen cupboard and ended up being mistaken for a poltergeist. And the rumour that @random professor 2@ got caught sneaking student pastries into the Professors Lounge. You start smiling back and throwing in your own observations about the quality of the Academagia cooking, and before you know it are telling some great stories of your own.

 

The two of you are giggling together when Olivia abruptly looks up, leans over and yanks your arm sideways, causing you to lose your balance and hit your elbow on the table. You think you feel something whiz past your head.

 

"What was that for?" you demand, rubbing your bruised elbow.

 

She looks at you somewhat guiltily. "Actually, this was supposed to be a setup for a prank. But it turns out you're not as bad as I thought you were. I, um, didn't think you'd appreciate being hit with that spell."

 

Well, that was a close call! It was a good thing Olivia experienced a change of heart. You're not sure whether you're grateful to her for saving you or not (after all, she did set it up in the first place), but you tell her thanks anyway. You think. At least you feel better about your conversation skills.

 

(Relationship with Olivia Solari increased by 1)

(Conversation +1)

(Listen +1)

 

Exit 2 Failure - While you're surprised that Olivia Solari of all people would be so enthusiastic about spending lunch with you, you reason that it can't hurt to make new friends. You try to listen attentively to her conversation, but she keeps going on and on without a break. Who knew she could be such a chatterbox? You smile and try to look interested, but your attention soon starts to wander. You think about the homework @random professor 1@ set you and how you could already be getting started on it instead of being stuck here - gods, what is Olivia doing to you! How did you not notice how boring she was before? You want to escape, but can't break through her monologue in order to slide your excuse into the conversation.

 

Finally, there's a gap in the conversation. Sighing with relief, you open your mouth to excuse yourself... and are squarely hit in the face with someone's spell. The next thing you know, you can hear shrieks of laughter erupt around the hall at your expense. Horrified, you put your hands to your face and feel huge lumpy protrusions underneath them!

 

While the rest of the hall is killing themselves laughing, you see Olivia leaning back comfortably, much quieter now and looking very pleased with herself. Of course, this was all her doing. Somehow. Hiding your face in your robes, you slink out of the Dining Hall and resolve not to fall for her deceptions again.

 

(Stress +1)

(Listen -1)

(Conversation -1)

(Relationship with Olivia Solari decreased by 1)

 

Investigation 1 Description - Awareness. Why is Olivia suddenly being so nice to you?

Investigation 1 Roll - Attribute: Insight. Skill: Awareness.

Investigation 1 Success - The nagging feeling that's been bothering you suddenly comes to light. Olivia usually spends lunch with her Clique, but not today. Maybe if you can find out what's happened to her friends, it might help you work out what's going on. You look around the hall and quickly spot @random student 1@ and @random student 2@ seated at a different table nearby. They're trying to act inconspicuous, but you notice them glancing over at you and Olivia every few seconds. You suspect it isn't coincidence that you're both in their direct line of sight. If only you could make out what they were saying.

 

(opens up Exit 3)

 

Investigation 1 Failure Text - That nagging feeling is still bothering you, but you simply can't figure out why. Your confusion must be showing on your face, because Olivia looks at you quizzically and asks what the matter is. Your excuse isn't the greatest, and she soon resumes her conversation. You suppose she really must just want to be friends. Still, you can't help but feel that something important has escaped you.

 

Exit 3 Description - Lip Reading. Find out what Olivia's friends are up to.

Exit 3 Roll - Attribute: Insight. Skill: Lip Reading.

Exit 3 Success Text - You know there's no way you can sneak up and eavesdrop on the gossiping pair while they're watching you. Fortunately, with your skill in lip reading, you don't have to. You block out the sounds of the Hall from your mind and focus on the movements of @random student 1@'s face.

 

"...be quick!" @He/She@ is saying. "I think @Your character's first name@ suspects something." This doesn't look good.

 

@Random student 2@ doesn't look happy. "Olivia owes us for this. Why can't she pull her own pranks?"

 

Wait, 'pranks'? You see @him/her@ reach for @his/her@ wand and decide you should probably get out of there fast. You stand up and Olivia makes a grab for your arm - a little too quickly. "Wait!" she says. "Don't you want to hear the rest of my story?"

 

"Not if it involves me being pranked by those two," you reply loudly, gesturing at the other table. Heads start to swivel in your direction. Olivia feigns confusion, but it's clear to all that the game is up. The would-be pranksters exchange glances with each other and shrug, @Random student 2@ nonchalently sliding @his/her@ wand back into a pocket. Olivia glowers at them across the room.

 

You don't know exactly what they were planning to do to you, but you're free to go back to your own business... and @random professor 1@'s homework. Bother.

 

(Relationship with Olivia Solari decreases by 1)

(Lip Reading +1)

(Concentration +1)

 

Exit 3 Failure Text - You know there's no way you can sneak up and eavesdrop on the gossiping pair while they're watching you, so you try your luck at lip reading instead. You manage to make out a few words: "quick", "Olivia", and your own name, but it doesn't really tell you anything except that they're talking about you. Which you'd already surmised. Oh well, it was worth a try. You wonder if perhaps they've had a falling out of some kind with Olivia and are plotting revenge.

 

Unfortunately, it turns out that although there was plotting afoot, it was aimed at you rather than Olivia. Before you know it, you've been hit in the face with a spell that causes you to sprout giant warts, and have to retreat hastily to your room to research a counterspell. Your only consolation is that you know exactly who the culprits were. You're going to make sure they regret this.

 

(Stress +1)

(Relationship with @random student 1@ decreased by 1)

(Relationship with @random student 2@ decreased by 1)

(...and Olivia gets away with it scot-free!)

 

 

NOTE: I tried to write this so that a little bit of different information is revealed with every different outcome. I also wanted to use Lip Reading in an event, simply because I haven't actually seen it used in one yet (or not that I recall, anyway).

[Legate of Mineta]

Fantastic.

 

Great work capturing Olivia's spirit, too.

[mecharm]

Yay, a new writing!

 

Awesome job! I hope you'll write a lot more!

[laclongquan]

Why would Olivia confess to set up that prank in the 1st place? Why wont she pretend innocence and just oh so coincidentally save you from an ambush? It's not like we didnt do such thing in our own game-pranks.

[Bipbipbopbop]

Why would Olivia confess to set up that prank in the 1st place? Why wont she pretend innocence and just oh so coincidentally save you from an ambush? It's not like we didnt do such thing in our own game-pranks.

I did actually write it that way the first time around. The problem was, I could see equally as many things that could go wrong with it realistically as with the version I used. The accomplices mightn't appreciate Olivia stepping in and taking the credit, potentially getting them in trouble, for example, and might spill the beans. Also, I was trying to write to Olivia's skill set, and while she's adept at Glamour, she's not as good at lying or deceit. I thought she might fold under pressure like being put on the spot with a direct question.

 

The third reason was that writing it that way just didn't turn out very well (in terms of writing quality). Considering that the quality of the writing in Academagia is so high, I had some lofty standards to match! Some of the lines in my first write-up came out sounding very corny and forced. I'm a bit of a perfectionist - I don't like to do shoddy work! - so I was much happier with the rewrite.

[mecharm]

Taking a character's skill set into account when designing an encounter...my hat is off to you...