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[PLAYBACK: GROUP MEETING II (PENTA CROSS)]

[ The feed flickers on. ]

[ All the contestants are called into the main lobby. There’s a variety of different opinions- some positive, some negative. Interestingly, when reaching the main lobby, they only see ABACAXI, floating near the front of the ship. ]

[ABACAXI]: yo.

[ABACAXI]: how’s everyone been? chill? hanging out?

[ There’s a few mumbles from the crowd. DOROTHY doesn’t speak at all, only staring directly at the sorcerer. ]

[ABACAXI]: well, how would you all feel about a little break from the action, hm? a personal vacation away from the ship?

[ELISE]:: Ooh, where to? Will I be able to see my many friends, my family, and my lovely partner again?

[ABACAXI]: nah.

[ELISE]: Oh. Great.

[ABACAXI]: it’ll still be a bit before you all go home home. these are just little sidequests for you to check out just to stretch your legs, really.

[ ABACAXI pulls a glass bowl from his cloak, containing 5 tickets inside. ]

[ABACAXI]: we’ve got a beach resort, a lovely isolated cabin, and at least 3 other locations that sound appealing.

[ABACAXI]: step on up, see what you get.

[ CHANCE is the first one up. ]

[CHANCE]: So is it like a raffle, do I just grab one?

[ABACAXI]: oh no lol i choose them for you.

[ABACAXI]: the bowl is just sort of presentation stuff.

[ He shuffles the tickets around, looking at each for a moment, before finally settling on one. ]

[ABACAXI]: here you go.

[ ABACAXI hands CHANCE a ticket, before shooing him off. ]

[ABACAXI]: keep the line movin’, guys.

[ Eventually each person gets their ticket. Notably, they all look exactly the same, so they have gained no new information from simply having the ticket. ]

[MARINN]: Where did you say they went, again?

[ABACAXI]: oh a whole manner of places. but don’t worry if you feel the thrall of staying in these spots, it’s a mandatory round trip.

[ABACAXI]: it’ll zip you back here even if you don’t have ‘em on you. call it a safety measure, if you want.

[MARINN]: So you’re saying these trips aren’t s-safe?

[ABACAXI]: no i think i just explicitly did say they were safe. c’mon, keep your ears open, dude.

[ DOROTHY just stares at hers, and back at ABACAXI. He gives her a thumbs up, which she ignores. As unlikely as it is for this vacation to make up for all the stuff she’s gone through while here, she can’t help but have a small part of her hoping for it. ]

[ CALI is a tad disappointed with what she’s got though. ]

[CALI]: …and there really was no way you could have given us two different tickets?

[ABACAXI]: what do i look like, a ticket magician?

[CALI]: …Yes?

[ABACAXI]: well uh. get your eyes checked.

[ABACAXI]: plus i feel like you two need a team building retreat anyway.

[CALI]: Wasn’t that what you two said the, tournament was going to be??

[ABACAXI]: whatever. anyway, you should be leaving any minute now, and then you’ll be returning in about- 3 hours or so?

[DEILE]: Three hours? That’s hardly enough time to find a place to relax!

[ABACAXI]: sorry, doctor’s orders. i’m sure you’ll still have fun, though.

[ABACAXI]: peace.

[ With that, everyone’s tickets start to flash white, until all at one moment, they disappear into nothing. ]

[ABACAXI]: wait.

[ABACAXI]: …did i remember to tell people that our people are coming?

[ABACAXI]: eh. bronte probably did that, it’s fine.

[End Recording]