[PLAYBACK: I v II - CHANCE vs COMPUTER BUG]

[It’s been a few days since the group meeting and the competition first began. Everyone’s been readjusting to their current living space, getting used to the facilities and food. They’ve even started having a sign-up sheet so people can take turns using the Simulation room, due to certain people having a tendency to spend the entire day there if not kicked out. Which, speaking of…]

[CALI and DEILE are standing outside of the Simulation Room. Muffled synthwave can very fainly be heard from behind the door.]

[CALI]: He’s been in there for like, two hours. Didn’t you sign us up for the 4:00 spot?

[DEILE]: Yes, I did. Well. I’m like… 95% sure. Maybe.

[CALI]: …So, did you, or did you not?

[DEILE]: Uh. Well. No. But, c’mon, at least it’s the 80s guy in there. He’s probably the easier ones to haggle with. If it was the invisible lady we’d have to give up, but him? Just watch…

[He opens up the door and confidently walks in. CALI follows, rolling her eyes.]

[The current simulation is that of an 80s aerobics studio- in fact, the same one CHANCE has been using for as long as he’s been an aerobics instructor. Slightly distorted synthwave plays in the background as he silently does a routine in front of the empty stands.]

[DEILE]: YO! Uh. CHANCE!

[CHANCE stops his current exercise immediately, instantly turning to face the newcomers as soon as his name is heard. A smile creeps onto his face as he skates over to the duo.]

[CHANCE]: Hey D, hey C. What’s up? You finally taking up my offer for some group workouts?

[DEILE]: Haha, no, uh. Going to take a rain check on that one. An indefinite raincheck, really. Cali and I were just wondering how long you were gonna stay in here for? ‘Cause we have the next open timeframe, so..

[CALI]: Well, we were supposed to have the next one, but he didn’t sign up for it.

[CHANCE]: Hey, take a chill pill, don’t worry. I’m about halfway done with my workout anyway, so… looks like it’ll be another 2 hours.

[CALI]: TWO HOURS?! You’ve already been in here for two… you have a four hour workout?

[DEILE]: Wh-Why do you even need to work out that long?? You don’t have muscles!>

[CHANCE]: C’mon, D. I wouldn’t have this gnarly of a bod if I just decided to veg out all day.

[CALI]: I mean, I guess he literally can’t get tired from working out.

[CHANCE]: That’s also what makes me such a great instructor.

[CHANCE]: Anyway, I know you two always do something important here related to your whole… thing… you do, so I may be willing to let you have it.

[CALI]: Oh, really? That’d be great, so-

[CHANCE]: But first! We gotta play a game.

[DEILE]: Of course, there’s a catch.

[CHANCE]: Hey, mothman, no need to be a downer. If I play a game, I wanna play fair, so you two get to choose what the game is.

[CALI]: Huh. Uh. Alright. Hm.

[DEILE]: Do we have any games we are actually good at? I know Zoe is always trying to get us to play that card game with her, but, frankly, I don’t even know if you can win in that one.

[CALI]: Well, it doesn’t have to be an actual, like, literal game, right? It could be anything?

[CHANCE]: I mean, as long as it’s fun, I’m no stickler for specifics.

[CALI]: Hm. Well, then. What if we had… a little sell-off?

[CHANCE]: A sell-off?

[DEILE]: A sell-off??

[CALI]: (Yeah. Our leader says our pitch for The Gate is always a bit weak, and this would be some great motivation to get better. Plus, do you think Chance has any sales experience?)

[DEILE]: Hm. Maybe you’re right. Let me just go and get my recorder real quick-

[CALI]: No. Recorder. We need to do better without it.

[DEILE]: Alright, alright. Fine. I can do it without the recorder.

[CHANCE]: Hm, well it seems like you two made up your mind. Sale-off it is!

[CHANCE rolls over to the Cyncpad and types in some quick things, leading to the room becoming a different set- this time something closer to something you’d see on the Home Shopping Network. A long table is formed in the middle, with CHANCE taking position on the right side, while DEILE and CALI take position on the left.]

[CHANCE]: Alright, since you got to choose the game, I say I get to pitch first.

[CALI sets down the little pamphlet as DEILE shrugs.]

[DEILE]: Go for it.

[CHANCE]: Oh, and I forgot just one thing-

[He pulls from underneath the table a slew of products, from cereal to vhs tapes, all themed to himself. He sets them up all neat, and then finishes with a flourish. Then, almost as if on cue, a booming prerecorded voice comes from the speakers, along with some synthy production music.]

???: It’s the Allwerk Shopping Network! Television Home Shopping should be anything but dull! And now, here is your valued host for the show: Chance!

[As CHANCE waves to the empty seats of the theater, CALI and DEILE look at each other.]

[DEILE]: Y’know, Cali. I’m beginning to think Chance has some sales experience.

[End Segment]

[As CHANCE wraps up his last product pitch, the focus turns over to the two cultists. Any confidence they had in doing well has all but evaporated.]

[DEILE]: HM. GH. Hhuyh. UH. Well.

[He looks out into the inky void beyond the set, and clears his throat.]

[DEILE]: You ever… die? What if.. What if you… died better- or, uh, went somewhere better after, uh, you died?

[CALI yanks him down by his smaller arm, giving him a stern look.]

[CALI]: (What are you even saying??)

[DEILE]: (I’m NERVOUS, okay?)

[CALI]: (Well stop being nervous. Or at least start being coherent.)

[DEILE]: (Well, if you have so many notes, then why don’t you go up there and do the pitch? Hm?)

[CALI]: (You started it, it’d look bad if you just gave up halfway through and gave it to me.)

[DEILE]: (Well, maybe YOU should have been the one to do it in the first place, considering it was your idea. We should have just said tic tac toe or something…)

[CALI]: (That’d defeat the whole point of this though! We’re trying to get better.)

[DEILE]: (We? That’s rich. If you wanted to get better, you’d be up here doing the pitch right now. But no- you just don’t like my way of doing things, so you want me to change.)

[CALI]: (We are NOT having another discussion about your damn recorder! It’s not good!! It’s literally two steps short of brainwashing!!!)

[The two continue to bicker, their arguments heating up and voices getting louder and louder. CHANCE just leans onto the table, smug.]

[CHANCE]: I’d have thought it’d take at least a bit more effort, but wow. Already fighting eachother.

[CHANCE]: You’ve still got it, Chance… ya still got it.

[End Segment]