Transcript
Speaker: Let's Play Pretend is an explicit podcast with subject matter that may be disturbing to some listeners.
Speaker: Content warnings are found in the description of every episode.
Speaker: We here at Let's Play Pretend take mental health very seriously.
Speaker: If you or someone that you know is suffering from any mental health issues, please reach out.
Speaker: It's as simple as picking up your telephone and dialing 988 to reach a suicide prevention hotline.
Speaker: Or if you're the kind of person like me that does not like to talk on the phone, text 988.
Speaker: There is somebody there 24-7.
Speaker: And if you don't want to reach out to a stranger,
Speaker: You have friends and family that are always there for you.
Speaker: Please, if you are suffering from any of these, reach out.
Speaker: You matter.
Speaker: Hey y'all, welcome to Let's Play Pretend.
Speaker: I just wanted to take a second to shout out the wonderful artist who drew our cover art.
Speaker: She lives in Poland and she's super talented.
Speaker: If you want to check her out, her name is Morgan Six, that's M-M-O-R-G-A-N and the number six on Fiverr.
Speaker: We will link her page below.
Speaker: Thanks and enjoy the show.
Speaker: Let's play pretend!
Speaker: Let's play pretense Let's play pretense Yeah!
Speaker: Hello everybody and welcome to Let's Play Pretend, a TTRPG podcast with this season the focus on survival.
Speaker: My name is Jordan and I am your DMGM keeper and handler.
Speaker: And with me I have Nick Barnett.
Speaker: I'll be Ned.
Speaker: And I got Breck Black.
Speaker: Hi, I'll be playing Ryan.
Speaker: Melanie Derringer.
Speaker: Hello, I will be playing Samantha Williams.
Speaker: And Matt Check.
Speaker: I'll be playing Arthur.
Speaker: I absolutely love the voice that you decided to go with.
Speaker: So as I told you guys in session zero, this is going to be a closed game.
Speaker: Meaning if I have a scene going on with...
Speaker: specific characters, I will ask the rest of you to take off your headsets, and then I will throw in the messages or shoot in the group text that it's okay to come back.
Speaker: That being said, this session is going to have a lot of solo things, and it's
Speaker: It's going to be more character building kind of stuff.
Speaker: So I more than likely will not have you guys leave this session unless it's something big happening.
Speaker: If it's just something like it's after school and Ned is riding home with his mom in the car, I really don't care if you guys are here for that.
Speaker: So...
Speaker: Just keep that in mind.
Speaker: But we'll know if he picks his nose and wipes it in the car and no one else knows.
Speaker: But Will knows.
Speaker: Maybe Samantha doesn't want to be friends with Arthur.
Speaker: Like I said.
Speaker: He's a weird kid, man.
Speaker: He's a weird kid.
Speaker: You are all friends with Ashley.
Speaker: How you are friends with each other is entirely up to you.
Speaker: It is an undisclosed year in the springtime in a small town called Gainsborough, Ohio.
Speaker: Population about 26,000.
Speaker: You guys are all in high school right now.
Speaker: We have Ned,
Speaker: who is at the very end of his freshman year.
Speaker: We have Ryan at the end of his sophomore year, Arthur also at the end of his sophomore year, Samantha and Ashley both at the end of their junior year.
Speaker: Summer break is coming like a freight train.
Speaker: It is the last day of classes.
Speaker: And all you guys are doing at this point
Speaker: You're turning in your textbooks.
Speaker: You are turning in any last-minute assignments for those last-minute grades that are needed.
Speaker: It's the end.
Speaker: You're clearing out your lockers.
Speaker: You're getting ready to go.
Speaker: Finals are over.
Speaker: So I guess you wouldn't have any last-minute assignments.
Speaker: Scratch that.
Speaker: Finals are over.
Speaker: It's the last day of school.
Speaker: Oh, shit.
Speaker: As the last day of school always goes, God, this day is just dragging on.
Speaker: You guys have been here since 7.30.
Speaker: You keep looking at the clock, waiting.
Speaker: God, that 3.05 bell has to be ringing soon, right?
Speaker: Right?
Speaker: Fuck, it is only 11.30.
Speaker: We haven't even had lunch yet.
Speaker: And as that thought crosses your mind, the bell rings.
Speaker: And it is time to be dismissed for the last lunch of the school year.
Speaker: Ned, what are you currently doing?
Speaker: Ned is probably walking out of the gym.
Speaker: He had to go and see his coach because he wanted to talk to me about summer training.
Speaker: So I play lacrosse and I got to make sure that I know and keep up on what I'm doing.
Speaker: keep everybody happy.
Speaker: So I'm probably just leaving the gym and heading into the lunchroom to get my little bag of fries and Bosco sticks, and that's usually about all I eat at lunch.
Speaker: The lunch of champions for a high schooler, especially for a freshman.
Speaker: Absolutely.
Speaker: Can't go wrong with that with a little marinara sauce.
Speaker: For the fries or for the breadsticks?
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: Ryan, where are you currently?
Speaker: Ryan would be heading to his locker to see if he can't snag his cigarettes to maybe sneak one in before any of the teachers realize he's, you know, missing.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: I am going to...
Speaker: have you roll how about that first roll i'm gonna have you roll a stealth okay um i gotta actually look through my sheet and see if i have any of that i do nice that is a nat three so that's that is a nat three that is a success so as you go into the hallway you manage to sneak out just a couple minutes before the bell rang and
Speaker: You are going quietly down the hallway, sneaking past the classrooms pretty well, especially considering it's the last day of classes.
Speaker: The teachers don't care about having the doors closed at this point.
Speaker: The doors are wide open.
Speaker: But you successfully make it to your locker and snag your cigarettes.
Speaker: Are you planning on smoking one now or during lunch?
Speaker: During lunch.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: He just didn't want to grab them while everyone was in the hallway.
Speaker: That is 100% fair.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: Let's see.
Speaker: Samantha, what are you up to right now?
Speaker: So Samantha is just leaving most likely gym class at this time.
Speaker: And she just got done talking with her swimming coach about the competition that is over the summer.
Speaker: So she's currently heading towards her locker to grab her lunch and head to the lunch room.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Samantha, I want you to roll me just a pure luck check.
Speaker: Not against your luck skill, just a less than 50 or more than 50.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: The last time I rolled luck was for a different campaign, and my dice screwed me.
Speaker: So let's hope this goes better.
Speaker: Well, that would be a 57.
Speaker: We are off to a bad start, ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker: That would be a 57.
Speaker: Okay, so that means you and Ned...
Speaker: must have taken two different hallways.
Speaker: You did not run into each other at this moment.
Speaker: And then I need to know, got what you all are doing.
Speaker: Okay, Arthur, what are you doing?
Speaker: Well, Arthur waited until after class, in biology class, to talk to his teacher and show him the photos, the real photos, of a local Ohio YouTube video.
Speaker: My YouTube channel.
Speaker: This is indeed a real photo of a Sasquatch in the woods.
Speaker: Can't you tell?
Speaker: And which teacher are you showing this to?
Speaker: The biology teacher.
Speaker: Biology teacher.
Speaker: Roll me a... Let's go with a persuade.
Speaker: Okay, persuade.
Speaker: I have 50% on persuade.
Speaker: We should add a bullshit skill.
Speaker: Yeah, we really should.
Speaker: We got 50 or 65.
Speaker: You got 65 on a 50?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: First off, before we role play this out, what is the name of your YouTube channel?
Speaker: Oh, it's called They're Out There.
Speaker: Your biology teacher, Mr. Frank, looks at you and goes, Arthur, it's the last day of class.
Speaker: But look, it's exactly a humanoid figure and its gauge is that of a humanoid.
Speaker: Arthur, go to lunch.
Speaker: I don't have time for this.
Speaker: Just go to lunch.
Speaker: I'm begrudgingly taking my photo.
Speaker: Like, you'll see.
Speaker: You know what?
Speaker: How about this?
Speaker: Next year, when you have me again, you can show me then.
Speaker: That is begrudgingly.
Speaker: I don't respond back.
Speaker: I just keep walking.
Speaker: It's fucking real.
Speaker: It's fucking asshole.
Speaker: I go to lunch.
Speaker: As you guys are walking down the hallway, Samantha, roll me a... I need to get better at what everything is called here.
Speaker: Come on, Jordan.
Speaker: We know what this is called.
Speaker: Roll me an alertness check.
Speaker: Alertness check?
Speaker: Yep.
Speaker: So that's not too bad.
Speaker: It's a 60, so that'd be a 36.
Speaker: That would be a 36.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: So before this person is able to get the jump on you, you turn around just in time to see Ashley about to throw her arms around you and jump on your back.
Speaker: What do you do?
Speaker: Is she going to say anything or she's just running full speed?
Speaker: She was just trying to sneak up on you and get a piggyback ride.
Speaker: okay um so samantha seeing her best friend running at her basically about to throw herself onto her back just opens her arms and like just waits for her to embrace her and she just wraps her arms around her okay um roll me a luck check that's an 83
Speaker: And your luck is what?
Speaker: Oh, if I remember correctly, my luck is pretty damn high.
Speaker: I'm pretty sure all of your luck is in the 90s.
Speaker: My luck is a 98.
Speaker: It is almost perfect.
Speaker: So as...
Speaker: As Ashley jumps and wraps her arms around you in an attempt to get a piggyback ride, you turn around and you just grab her out of the air and brace her in a huge hug.
Speaker: And she just laughs and laughs and laughs and looks at you and goes, you know, I thought this was going to be the one time that I was actually going to sneak up on you.
Speaker: When are you going to learn that I see everything?
Speaker: Oh, I'm going to get you one of these times.
Speaker: I swear.
Speaker: We have one more year.
Speaker: I will get you one of these times.
Speaker: Uh-huh.
Speaker: We'll see about that.
Speaker: So it's the last day of school.
Speaker: What were you doing down this way?
Speaker: I just left gym class myself.
Speaker: What were you doing down here?
Speaker: As Johnson said, there's some sort of swim competition that she wants me to be a part of this summer for a club.
Speaker: I don't know if I should do it or not.
Speaker: Oh, my God.
Speaker: She's so demanding.
Speaker: Doesn't she realize that, like...
Speaker: you're going into your senior year like we have better things to do this summer than that i know but she wants me to do some sort of scholarship program and i don't know i just want to go riding i just want to go ride with anubis and that's about it you know you and that horse are damn near inseparable hi he's my best friend what can i say um offended
Speaker: I mean, you're both my best friends.
Speaker: It's just sometimes Anubis, I can tell him secrets that I can't tell anybody else.
Speaker: Not that I don't tell you everything already, but.
Speaker: She's just looking at you with eyes like, bitch, really?
Speaker: Oh, don't get offended.
Speaker: Let's go to lunch.
Speaker: She laughs as you guys head off to the lunch.
Speaker: So you walk into the lunchroom, all of you right around the same time, you know, lunch periods usually only 45 minutes or so.
Speaker: And you
Speaker: The lunchroom is just so loud today.
Speaker: Everybody is just, you see nobody studying.
Speaker: Everyone's just having the time of their lives.
Speaker: Food is flying everywhere.
Speaker: What do you guys do?
Speaker: I get in line because I need to get my macaroni and cosmic brownies.
Speaker: The classic lunch.
Speaker: Okay, real talk for a second.
Speaker: I don't like reliving my high school years.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Not going to lie.
Speaker: They kind of sucked for the most part.
Speaker: But saying like Bosco sticks and Cosmic Brownies.
Speaker: Just bringing back a lot of memories.
Speaker: Cosmic Brownies are the shit.
Speaker: Anyways.
Speaker: I assume I was the first in line.
Speaker: You know, like when you go up to the counter there and they still got like the metal gate down.
Speaker: It's not the same.
Speaker: I was like the first person in line and waiting for it to open up.
Speaker: I know the exact line that has macaroni, and I'm on that line.
Speaker: Nick, give me just a 50-50 check.
Speaker: 37.
Speaker: 37.
Speaker: On a 50.
Speaker: As you walk to stand in line, you see Ryan right behind you.
Speaker: And you know that Ryan's class at this point, right before lunch, Ryan's class is on the other side of the building.
Speaker: So how the hell?
Speaker: And your class is right across from the lunchroom.
Speaker: So how did Ryan get here right around the same time you did?
Speaker: Ryan...
Speaker: You know I like to be the first one in line here.
Speaker: What are you doing here so early already?
Speaker: Well, I had some errands to run, and he pats his jacket pocket.
Speaker: Oh, I see.
Speaker: You didn't happen to grab two of them, you know, right?
Speaker: Of course I brought two of them.
Speaker: I got the whole pack.
Speaker: It's the last day of school.
Speaker: Why would I leave it?
Speaker: Oh, man.
Speaker: Look, I know I said I'd get you back.
Speaker: I promise.
Speaker: I'm about to start getting my next allowance and I swear I can pay you back for, you know, what you've had me out with.
Speaker: Ned, you're good, man.
Speaker: You're good.
Speaker: Samantha comes up behind the boys with Ashley.
Speaker: She just quietly goes up to Ryan and goes, those will kill you one day.
Speaker: You know that, right?
Speaker: So, well, just about everything else.
Speaker: So, uh, figure if I get some pleasure out of this one, I'll be okay.
Speaker: She kind of just smiles and shakes her head.
Speaker: As soon as they start walking up, I'm going to go ahead and walk through the line.
Speaker: How there, Miss Weathers.
Speaker: Uh, having a good last day of school here?
Speaker: Hey, Ned.
Speaker: Yeah, it's the last day of school, all right.
Speaker: And, uh, just serving up some lunch.
Speaker: Yeah, you know, I'll take the normal, them Bosco sticks, that little baggie of the curly fries if you got them, and that big old thing of marinara sauce, that'll do just fine.
Speaker: Oh, Ned, you know we always have curly fries, and with it being the last day of school, we had to cook up everything that we had, so you're going to get a little bit of extra fries today with no extra cost.
Speaker: Oh, Miss Weathers, today you're the best.
Speaker: I appreciate you.
Speaker: And I put my hand out to shake her hand.
Speaker: As she stares at your hand, she slowly goes to shake your hand, and you see that she goes to blink, and both of her eyes blink at a different time as she shakes your hand.
Speaker: Thank you, ma'am.
Speaker: And I just walk away to sit in a little cube that's off by the lockers.
Speaker: I don't sit at a table.
Speaker: I sit in a weird cutout in the wall.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: My friends and I did that in high school too.
Speaker: Miss Weathers calls to the next person line.
Speaker: Next.
Speaker: That's, that's you, Ryan.
Speaker: She kind of like nudges him forward.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: She's trying to decide.
Speaker: She said a lot of everything.
Speaker: So usually I don't think get a couple of decisions.
Speaker: Got any of that popcorn chicken left?
Speaker: Kill for some of that.
Speaker: Oh, Mr. Winchester.
Speaker: How are you today?
Speaker: Not doing too bad.
Speaker: Not doing too bad.
Speaker: Ready to leave.
Speaker: You ask her if she has the popcorn chicken and you think she just completely ignores you as she asks how you're doing today until you see her actually turn around and grab a thing of popcorn chicken for you.
Speaker: It's one of those where it's like, did she hear me or not?
Speaker: But then she hands over the popcorn chicken to you.
Speaker: What else can I get for you today, Mr. Winchester?
Speaker: Well, unless you guys are unlocking the soda machine, I think I'll be good today.
Speaker: It's the last day of the year.
Speaker: The soda machine is free.
Speaker: Ryan immediately runs over and starts filling up a cup.
Speaker: I can get who's next.
Speaker: So Samantha walks up.
Speaker: What was her name again?
Speaker: Miss Weathers.
Speaker: Weathers.
Speaker: That's what it was.
Speaker: Hi, Miss Weathers.
Speaker: Can I just get some curly fries and cheese, please?
Speaker: Miss Williams, do you want extra cheese today like usual or just a regular cup?
Speaker: Always with the extra cheese.
Speaker: That's good because all the fries have extra fries today.
Speaker: Hell yeah.
Speaker: You're the best.
Speaker: What's the sigh for?
Speaker: I just gave you a compliment.
Speaker: Thanks.
Speaker: I'll put a smile on that face.
Speaker: It's the last day of school.
Speaker: It didn't seem like she was sighing.
Speaker: It just seemed like that long pause, it took her brain that long to comprehend what you said and what it took to come up with a correct answer.
Speaker: She's not used to getting compliments.
Speaker: Is there anything else I can get for you today, Miss Williams?
Speaker: Just a smile from you.
Speaker: She smiles and her dentures almost fall out.
Speaker: Miss Williams, are you picking up lunch for Miss Brooks again today?
Speaker: I don't see her with you.
Speaker: Samantha turns around and goes, yeah, this bitch.
Speaker: Yeah, I'll pick up her some lunch for her.
Speaker: Just her usual lunch.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: She hands you a cup of noodles with Alfredo sauce and a side salad.
Speaker: Thank you.
Speaker: You're welcome.
Speaker: She goes over and sits with Ned.
Speaker: I couldn't think of his name.
Speaker: I'm going to forget all y'all's name.
Speaker: Well, you write it down.
Speaker: I'm also low-key getting hungry for all this ordering food.
Speaker: Right?
Speaker: I want to order some fucking Taco Bell right now.
Speaker: She calls out to the next person.
Speaker: Next.
Speaker: Yeah, I would like to... Before you get a chance to say anything, one of the senior football players comes up and shoves you to the side and is like, get the fuck out of the way, nerd.
Speaker: This is my last day.
Speaker: I get to do whatever the fuck I want.
Speaker: And he just starts ordering his food.
Speaker: Fucking dick.
Speaker: Roll a stealth check.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: That was a 20.
Speaker: And what's your stealth?
Speaker: A million. 10%.
Speaker: He turns around and grabs you by the collar of the shirt and he's like, what the fuck did you just say to me, nerd?
Speaker: I was like, uh, uh, uh, clearly an adult would allow this to happen in front of them.
Speaker: Would I be seeing this?
Speaker: She doesn't seem to notice what's happening.
Speaker: Yeah, do I see this?
Speaker: Same.
Speaker: Uh, both of you can roll me an alertness.
Speaker: Arthur just squirming and panicking.
Speaker: I will let you roll an alertness with a plus 20 because it's not like this guy's trying to be stealthy about it.
Speaker: Can I kick him in the balls?
Speaker: I got a 98 on a 20.
Speaker: I got a 61 on a 60.
Speaker: 14 out of 60.
Speaker: So, Ned, you are like so blind because of your food right now.
Speaker: That's just the most delicious fucking Bosco stick you've ever eaten.
Speaker: Samantha, you hear a little bit of commotion, but it doesn't really matter.
Speaker: You're a little more concerned as to where Ashley went.
Speaker: Ryan, you see the whole thing, but before you're able to react, I want Arthur to roll me in unarmed combat.
Speaker: And it's going to be contested against his unarmed combat.
Speaker: So that's a D100?
Speaker: Yep.
Speaker: Oh, God.
Speaker: 14.
Speaker: 14.
Speaker: So the way contested works is basically Price is Right rules.
Speaker: If you succeed and I succeed, it's the person that gets the closest to the number.
Speaker: So he just has a 50 in unarmed combat.
Speaker: What is your unarmed?
Speaker: 40.
Speaker: Okay, so if he rolls higher than a 14 but under a 50, he will beat you.
Speaker: And he rolled a 71.
Speaker: So yes, you can go ahead and kick him in the nuts, and I want you to roll a d4 for damage.
Speaker: Oh yeah.
Speaker: One second.
Speaker: Sorry.
Speaker: I was not prepared for D4s.
Speaker: I wasn't prepared for anyone to deal damage in this first session either.
Speaker: Well, nobody grabs Arthur.
Speaker: I wasn't prepared for Bosco sticks, but I can't be upset.
Speaker: Oh my goodness.
Speaker: I'm so sorry.
Speaker: There it is.
Speaker: Oh no.
Speaker: My God.
Speaker: Fuck is a D4.
Speaker: How do you not have a D4?
Speaker: You're a fucking dice goblin.
Speaker: It's the one shaped like a pyramid.
Speaker: It's dark and none of this is organized.
Speaker: Wait, hold on.
Speaker: Here we go.
Speaker: I have full proof.
Speaker: None of your shit is organized and we got you one of those freaking organized bags for Christmas.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Last time I played D&D, I kind of went through all the dice.
Speaker: I found a little dice that I knew where it is.
Speaker: Three damage.
Speaker: All that for three damage.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Um...
Speaker: He kind of buckles and drops you and after a second composes himself and stares you down and says, after school, you're fucking dead and takes his lunch and walks away.
Speaker: As he walks away, Ryan's going to step in front of him and just be like, did you say something?
Speaker: Because I kind of hard of hearing.
Speaker: You want to repeat that?
Speaker: Um, I'm sorry, were you in there?
Speaker: Because it sounds like it wasn't any of your fucking business, was it, Winchester?
Speaker: Well, I'm making it my business, so why don't you repeat yourself, jock?
Speaker: He puts his hand on your chest to try to push you back down into your chair.
Speaker: I am going to push it off me.
Speaker: Alright, roll contested unarmed.
Speaker: He rolled a 41 on a 50.
Speaker: I rolled a 35 out of 60.
Speaker: So he got closer without going over, so he does successfully push you back down into your chair and walks off to go sit with his friends.
Speaker: Ryan is going to take note of his face.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: He is the senior, like, this is his last day of school.
Speaker: He is the senior football, like, varsity star.
Speaker: Did this cause a commotion to where, like, all of us would be able to see it now?
Speaker: Hmm.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, I'd say.
Speaker: I'm not even going to make you roll.
Speaker: You did definitely see his confrontation with Ryan because Ryan was, at this point, he was sitting down.
Speaker: So this would have been out in the main lunchroom, yes.
Speaker: Well, at this point, Ned's going to just kind of, he's going to get up and move over by where Ryan's at and making sure not to make eye contact with Ashley.
Speaker: I'm going to put my hand on Ryan's shoulder.
Speaker: Hey, buddy, look, I'm really kind of
Speaker: egged out right now.
Speaker: You wanna maybe we take a step outside real quick?
Speaker: Yeah, we can do that.
Speaker: Alright, let's try and get out here.
Speaker: There ain't been no teachers over by the cut out there where we always sit.
Speaker: Yeah, that works.
Speaker: Ryan's gonna grab his drink and his chicken and follow Ned.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Samantha was too busy looking for Ashley to notice that you left anyways, so.
Speaker: Ha ha ha.
Speaker: Arthur goes back to ordering his macaroni and cosmic brownies.
Speaker: I was just going to say, she goes, and what can I get for you?
Speaker: Well, first off, an apology for not helping me in an assault.
Speaker: I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker: And second, I get an extra cosmic brownie for my trauma.
Speaker: She just completely acts like she has no idea what you're talking about.
Speaker: Typical lunch lady.
Speaker: Typical lunch lady.
Speaker: Still gives you the extra cosmic brownie anyway.
Speaker: Damn right, I said in my breath.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: I go sit down and work on my lightning hawk versus Sasquatch comic.
Speaker: So are you sitting down with Samantha or are you sitting down by yourself?
Speaker: Oh, I'll sit down next to Samantha.
Speaker: She somehow tolerates me.
Speaker: Because as of right now, Ryan and Ned are out in the hallway?
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: So we will resolve this with Ryan and Ned first.
Speaker: Go ahead and roll me just a 50-50 check for right now. 21.
Speaker: That's a two.
Speaker: Okay, so yes, there are definitely no teachers around, and with an ot two, I'm not even going to make your roll stealth.
Speaker: So you guys can go ahead and play out this scene however you want.
Speaker: Ryan, that was real brave of you, man.
Speaker: We've always gotten along pretty good with Arthur, but man, that guy was just so far out of line.
Speaker: That was awesome of you, man.
Speaker: You really stepped up something there.
Speaker: Yeah, well, just wait if he tries anything after school.
Speaker: It's not going to be pretty.
Speaker: Well, just know that I'm here.
Speaker: I'll be by your side just to make sure.
Speaker: He's the captain of the football team.
Speaker: I mean, man, he's a big guy and he got a whole lot of friends and people that just follow him around.
Speaker: So either way, I'll be there.
Speaker: And he's 18.
Speaker: So if he hits me, it's a felony assault of a minor.
Speaker: And Ryan's going to tap his head.
Speaker: God damn it, man.
Speaker: You're just so smart.
Speaker: Now let me get one of them cigarettes.
Speaker: Come on, man.
Speaker: Really?
Speaker: The hallway?
Speaker: Not even going to try to make it outside?
Speaker: Jeez.
Speaker: Man, there ain't nobody around.
Speaker: Come on, let's go.
Speaker: Let's book it.
Speaker: All right, all right.
Speaker: And he's going to pull two out and an old beat-up Zippo and light up one with Ned.
Speaker: Okay, and off of that 50-50 luck roll I made you guys roll earlier, no teachers show up, you guys are good to go.
Speaker: But who does show up is Ashley.
Speaker: And she walks up and she goes, come on guys, really?
Speaker: Out in the hallway?
Speaker: You guys ain't even gonna try to go outside?
Speaker: Did you forget what day it is?
Speaker: Because I don't think even the teachers care at this point.
Speaker: Did you forget that you're not 18 yet?
Speaker: Yeah, but they have to catch me to know that.
Speaker: And I'm quite fast.
Speaker: She kind of rolls her eyes.
Speaker: Anywho, are you guys coming to the party tonight?
Speaker: I had planned on it.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Ned, you coming?
Speaker: When you turn to look at Ned, Ned is already out the door on the side and he's outside and I can't hear you.
Speaker: Wait, wait.
Speaker: Where did he go?
Speaker: He likes to play as a ninja sometimes, I swear.
Speaker: Well, you make sure to grab him by...
Speaker: the chin and get him there if you have to.
Speaker: My parents are going to be out of town.
Speaker: They already said it's fine if I throw an end of the year party.
Speaker: Obviously you guys are invited.
Speaker: Just be there.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Sweet.
Speaker: Party and a kidnapping.
Speaker: Exactly what I like to do on my Friday night.
Speaker: You know it.
Speaker: She winks at you and gives you a high five before going back into the lunchroom where she finds Samantha.
Speaker: And she sits down next to you and she goes, you even got my lunch.
Speaker: You are the best.
Speaker: Yeah, bitch, where'd you go?
Speaker: I turned around and you're gone.
Speaker: You know I got that party tonight.
Speaker: I had some last minute things I had to take care of first.
Speaker: Yeah, I guess.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: Give me some sort of, duh, I'm going to be there.
Speaker: You're my bestie, remember?
Speaker: Of course.
Speaker: And I can't give you a heads up if I want it to be a surprise.
Speaker: A surprise for what?
Speaker: a surprise for everybody.
Speaker: This is gonna be off the chain hook.
Speaker: Okay?
Speaker: Just make sure you're there.
Speaker: Make sure you're early.
Speaker: I want you and I want Ned and Arthur, you're gonna be there tonight too, right?
Speaker: Be where?
Speaker: Tonight?
Speaker: What?
Speaker: Tonight's a lunar eclipse.
Speaker: What do you mean tonight?
Speaker: Arthur, come on.
Speaker: The party, Arthur.
Speaker: You're gonna be at my party tonight, right?
Speaker: uh yeah um yeah yeah i'll check my schedule your schedule is clear you're coming to the party there's gonna be more lunar eclipse arthur it's gonna be an inside and outside party so uh i'll be there how about this arthur since you're so excited for the lunar eclipse tonight i will go outside and i will watch it with you
Speaker: Oh, dope.
Speaker: Anyway, I want the four of you to be there early.
Speaker: I'm going to need some help setting some stuff up.
Speaker: Oh, so this, I see.
Speaker: The real reason it comes out.
Speaker: Oh, come on.
Speaker: I guess he's helping putting out, like, drinks and chips and stuff like that.
Speaker: Ugh, okay.
Speaker: I was considering putting out the telescope for you, but if that's where you want to be, I'll just hide it.
Speaker: No, no, no, no.
Speaker: Chips?
Speaker: What kind of chips do you need to bring out?
Speaker: How many tables do we talk about?
Speaker: That's what I thought.
Speaker: Party starts at six.
Speaker: I'd like you all there at five.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Thank you.
Speaker: She grabs her lunch and walks off.
Speaker: She says she has a telescope.
Speaker: Yeah, she does.
Speaker: I've seen it.
Speaker: It's a really nice one, too.
Speaker: This is literally the first time I've ever heard tell me about a telescope.
Speaker: Oh, maybe she bought it just for you, Arthur.
Speaker: That's weird.
Speaker: Why would it be weird?
Speaker: You're her friend.
Speaker: Arthur just looks perplexed.
Speaker: She looks over at the comic you're you're working on.
Speaker: And she pulls out her own drawing pad and kind of slides it over to him.
Speaker: Just so you know, if you ever need a second artist, I'm here for you.
Speaker: Oh, nice.
Speaker: Nice.
Speaker: Good line work.
Speaker: Thanks.
Speaker: Thanks.
Speaker: I've tried.
Speaker: But nobody else knows, so don't tell anybody.
Speaker: You got a secret that no one needs to know.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Yeah, well, everybody sees me as the whole athletic swimming and softball kind of thing, and that's not always my thing.
Speaker: Yeah, because drawings for nerds just looks at you.
Speaker: I mean, you're wearing a UFO shirt right now.
Speaker: They're out there, all right?
Speaker: I know, Arthur.
Speaker: I know.
Speaker: So at that point, you guys finish up your lunch, and the five-minute warning bell rings, saying,
Speaker: You guys better get to your next class.
Speaker: So where are you all heading?
Speaker: We'll start with Ned.
Speaker: I think Ned is heading over to just a graphic arts class.
Speaker: It's a prerequisite to where I can be able to get into the journalism classes that Arthur's in and get into some more of the high-tech audio video stuff.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Ryan, where are you headed after lunch?
Speaker: Ryan would have a study hall after lunch.
Speaker: And deciding that that does not sound fun, decides to just head to the library, figuring no one's going to miss him in a study hall.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Arthur?
Speaker: Going to a journalism class, or like the, uh, wherever equivalent that would be.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: And Samantha, where are you headed?
Speaker: Samantha is off to chemistry.
Speaker: Optic chemistry, okay.
Speaker: So as you guys get into your class, you, I'm not even gonna make you roll an alertness, you notice that like all of the seniors are just gone.
Speaker: Lunch is done, it's the last day of school for them, they're just, they left, they're gone.
Speaker: So the classes seem pretty empty.
Speaker: You guys get to basically do what you want.
Speaker: You get into your seventh hour, which would be your class after this one.
Speaker: Arthur, your teacher just has a movie playing.
Speaker: It's the lamest thing you've ever seen.
Speaker: It gives you more time to work on your comic.
Speaker: Perfect.
Speaker: Ned, in your class, you notice only like two people are gone.
Speaker: You didn't have many seniors in that class.
Speaker: And unfortunately, this teacher is one of those that even on the last day of school is still trying to teach you something.
Speaker: So how do you play that out?
Speaker: Well...
Speaker: Mr. Smith, I really need to finish up this here t-shirt that you had us doing, the five color silkscreen shirts.
Speaker: I was really hoping that I could just, you know, go in the back room and get that finished up.
Speaker: I really wanted to have that done before the year was over.
Speaker: You already got your assignment done, Ned.
Speaker: No, no, no.
Speaker: I wanted to get this one done too.
Speaker: You had said at the beginning that if we could do a five color shirt, that that would be extra credit.
Speaker: And that would go real good for me with moving forward.
Speaker: Roll a persuade.
Speaker: That is a 36 on a 50.
Speaker: He looks at you and kind of ponders for a second and then, okay, okay, yeah, I can't stop you from trying to get extra credit.
Speaker: I admire your gusto.
Speaker: So you go ahead and...
Speaker: I go work on that.
Speaker: Yeah, that's fine.
Speaker: That's fine.
Speaker: Just be sure to turn it into me by the end of class.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah.
Speaker: I can definitely make sure that gets done.
Speaker: Thank you, sir.
Speaker: Yep, yep.
Speaker: Now get out of here.
Speaker: Samantha, you are going to your second gym class of the day.
Speaker: Yay!
Speaker: But to be fair, again, this is more, th is is the last day of school.
Speaker: This is more cleaning out your locker and all that kind of stuff.
Speaker: This is more of a social hour for you at this point.
Speaker: And during your first gym class, you already took care of cleaning out your locker.
Speaker: So now you're just kind of socializing or looking at your phone, reading a book, whatever you really want to be doing during this hour.
Speaker: So Samantha is most likely at this point just off in the corner by herself.
Speaker: She's weighing the pros and cons of joining the club swimming over the summer to go into the scholarship program that Mrs. Johnson wants her to do.
Speaker: So she's kind of just off by herself, writing in a notebook the pros and cons.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: And Ryan.
Speaker: Your last class was your study hall.
Speaker: This next one, man, it's the last day of school.
Speaker: Do you really need to go to algebra?
Speaker: Honestly, Ryan wouldn't think so.
Speaker: His teacher had pretty much already said that there wasn't anything they were going to do the last class.
Speaker: So there's no real point in showing up.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: So remember you have one class left after this one.
Speaker: Where do you go and what do you do?
Speaker: Ryan would have gotten bored in the library already, so he'd probably head out to his car just to listen to music and chill while keeping an eye on the time.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: What are you listening to?
Speaker: Currently, it is Beastie Boys License to Ill on his ancient, ancient A-track player.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: And A-track.
Speaker: Gotcha.
Speaker: Yes.
Speaker: It is the most advanced piece of technology in his car, which is a 1958 Lincoln Continental Mark III.
Speaker: Of course it is.
Speaker: So you guys all go to your second to last class.
Speaker: You're doing your thing.
Speaker: You get to the last class.
Speaker: It is 2.58.
Speaker: That bell is going to be ringing at 3.05 to give you your freedom for the summer.
Speaker: And you just can't wait for this summer to happen.
Speaker: I want to know, Arthur,
Speaker: As these last seven minutes are ticking away, what are you thinking about doing this summer?
Speaker: Well, I'm currently in the now, in the current here and now, thinking about the exact exit I'm going to take because Jockboy is trying to kick my ass.
Speaker: I don't think we ever established his name.
Speaker: His name is Kevin.
Speaker: Kevin Jockboy.
Speaker: Kevin Jockboy.
Speaker: That's a good nickname.
Speaker: But no, Arthur has plans to go on a excursion around his hometown to find out all of the cryptids that live in Ohio.
Speaker: That live in Ohio or that live in Gainsborough?
Speaker: Gainsborough, Ohio.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: Ned, what are your plans for the summer?
Speaker: 259.
Speaker: Well, first things first, I know that Arthur's in a little heap of trouble and his class ain't too far from mine.
Speaker: So I'm going to be closer to the door after turning in my T-shirt and getting it back and trying to catch up with him just to make sure he ain't alone.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Real quick, I want you to roll me.
Speaker: Did you put anything into art or craft?
Speaker: No.
Speaker: Okay, let's see.
Speaker: What can I have you roll me?
Speaker: Um, roll... I want to see how good this shirt came out to be, but I can't have you roll luck because it's going to be like an automatic win because all of you assholes rolled in the 90s.
Speaker: To be fair, mine's only 87.
Speaker: I'm only 87% lucky.
Speaker: I mean, you were the one who had us roll 3d100, so... I know, I know.
Speaker: I wanted to be nice.
Speaker: I didn't think that... Too nice.
Speaker: You would all roll that high, though.
Speaker: Just roll me a 50-50.
Speaker: Eight.
Speaker: On a... Eight.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: Good job.
Speaker: You got 15 points of extra credit for that one.
Speaker: I appreciate you, Mr. Smith.
Speaker: Would it be alright if I kick rocks a little bit?
Speaker: One of my buddies, he might be in a little bit of trouble and I just want to make sure he's alright.
Speaker: Well, that was for your 7th hour.
Speaker: You're now in your 8th hour.
Speaker: I'd still rather make sure he's alright while he gets to his next class.
Speaker: Yes, that's fine.
Speaker: Appreciate you, Mr. Smith.
Speaker: And I'm going to walk out the door and go stand in front of his room.
Speaker: Ryan, what are you thinking about doing this summer?
Speaker: Three o'clock.
Speaker: Ryan is planning a camping trip up by Lake Erie and is thinking about asking everybody if they wanted to go.
Speaker: Just in our small group.
Speaker: Not a big party thing, but just a big hangout.
Speaker: Yeah, that sounds fun.
Speaker: Yeah, it's been years.
Speaker: It's been a good time.
Speaker: It's been years since Ryan wet and he figured it'd be a good time for everyone to hang out.
Speaker: Yeah, for sure.
Speaker: It's always nice to do something like that with friends over doing it with, you know, just yourself.
Speaker: He's also dreading having to actually go in the building to his last class.
Speaker: Yeah, that's fair.
Speaker: That's 100% fair.
Speaker: Samantha, four minutes until that final bell rings 3.01 PM.
Speaker: What are you thinking about doing this summer?
Speaker: Samantha is currently just thinking about, at this point she's not thinking about the swimming because that's just too much for her to think about right now when school's about to end.
Speaker: So she's thinking about going riding with Anubis this summer and inviting Ashley to see if she wanted to go on any trail rides.
Speaker: You guys stare at the clock as it hits 3.02.
Speaker: You notice that the classrooms kind of start to get a little bit more quiet as everyone just watches that second hand tick all the way around to 303.
Speaker: Everyone's kind of on the edge of their seats.
Speaker: It's quiet now.
Speaker: The teachers just cannot wait to be rid of you at this point.
Speaker: And it's 304.
Speaker: And this last minute just drags and drags and drags.
Speaker: and drags and drags as everybody is closer to the edge of their seat, grabbing whatever notebooks and stuff they have left that they want to take home.
Speaker: And all of a sudden, the bell rings, and it's 3.05, and you guys are free for the summer.
Speaker: Dammit, Arthur, why you gotta start problems right at the end of the year?
Speaker: It wasn't my fault.
Speaker: Dude's an asshole.
Speaker: You kicked him in the dick.
Speaker: He grabbed me by the throat.
Speaker: You kicked him in the dick.
Speaker: That is a reasonable response.
Speaker: Come on, man.
Speaker: Now help me sneak out the back of the school.
Speaker: All right, man.
Speaker: Let's go.
Speaker: I'll get a hold of Ryan and let him know that I'm heading out with you instead.
Speaker: You send Ryan a text?
Speaker: Yeah, I'll shoot him a text helping Arthur.
Speaker: Ryan, give me an alertness.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: That is a 55 on a 60.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: You do indeed feel your phone buzz.
Speaker: Ryan is going to pull it out and check it.
Speaker: And what did it say?
Speaker: Helping Arthur heading out the back way.
Speaker: Ryan just kind of nods to himself and hops in the Lincoln and peels out around to the back of the building.
Speaker: And as he pulls up, he pops open the passenger door and is like, all right, guys, get in.
Speaker: Let's get the fuck out of here.
Speaker: As you guys, I'm assuming you guys get in the car.
Speaker: Oh, yeah.
Speaker: Oh, yeah.
Speaker: As you drive around to the front of the building, you notice dudes are not even there.
Speaker: Too scared to handle my muscles.
Speaker: I fucking love your character.
Speaker: I'm not even going to dignify that with a response, Arthur.
Speaker: But you know what?
Speaker: I'm glad he wasn't here because I really didn't feel like getting in no more trouble lately.
Speaker: Ah, come on.
Speaker: You got to live a little, Ned.
Speaker: Got to have fun.
Speaker: You ain't got a daddy who's in the military.
Speaker: My daddy whooped my ass.
Speaker: So would mine.
Speaker: I'm just better at hiding shit.
Speaker: That's fair.
Speaker: Samantha, what have you done now that the bell rang?
Speaker: Samantha basically sprints out of the classroom or gym class.
Speaker: I can't remember.
Speaker: She was in gym class, right?
Speaker: Last period.
Speaker: Gym class was your seventh period.
Speaker: I was kind of leaving eighth period up to you guys.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Well, she runs out of her classroom for eighth period and goes and tries to find Ashley.
Speaker: And when she does, she's going to return the jumping on the piggyback favor.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Roll a search for me.
Speaker: That'd be a four.
Speaker: That would be a four.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: You do find her and she does indeed have her back to you.
Speaker: Can I roll a stealth to see if I can jump on her back?
Speaker: Sure.
Speaker: That is a one.
Speaker: That is a crit success.
Speaker: And she rolled an 87 on her alertness.
Speaker: So it was not going to be hard to beat anyway.
Speaker: With a crit success, you can just tell me how the scene plays out.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: So Samantha, seeing as Ashley is completely oblivious and probably too busy thinking about everything she has to do for this party tonight, runs up and yells, bitch, and jumps on her back.
Speaker: I love it.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: Let me do one more roll here.
Speaker: That is an 82.
Speaker: Before she even has a chance to say anything, you collide into her and you catch her so far off guard that she loses her balance and you both go tumbling to the ground.
Speaker: Ow.
Speaker: So what the hell are you doing?
Speaker: I was excited.
Speaker: We're out for the summer.
Speaker: Let's go.
Speaker: Let's get the fuck out of here.
Speaker: I'll even come over now and help you set up for the party.
Speaker: I don't care.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: I'm going to hold you to that.
Speaker: OK, let's go then.
Speaker: You driving?
Speaker: I'm driving?
Speaker: Who's driving?
Speaker: Well, considering we both drove here, we should probably both drive.
Speaker: We don't want to leave our cars here.
Speaker: You're no fun.
Speaker: You're Debbie Downer sometimes.
Speaker: Drive to your house, I'll swing by and pick you up.
Speaker: All right, sounds good.
Speaker: Because you know you're just crashing at my place tonight anyway.
Speaker: Well, duh.
Speaker: So Samantha blows her a kiss and heads to her car, which is a little gray, tan Saturn thing.
Speaker: Whose name is Henry.
Speaker: Oh, man.
Speaker: Do you remember what year that thing was?
Speaker: Either one of you?
Speaker: No.
Speaker: No, it was a death trap.
Speaker: That's all I remember.
Speaker: For those curious, she is basing that off of an actual car she had.
Speaker: It was my first car, okay?
Speaker: It was something.
Speaker: It was my car, and then it was Matt's car, and then it was the dumps car.
Speaker: Still sad I didn't get to take that thing into a derby.
Speaker: I know.
Speaker: Just for reference, I had an old vehicle, but not a 1958 Lincoln Continental.
Speaker: Mine is not based on a real car.
Speaker: That's fair.
Speaker: So you guys all head home or head to wherever you're going.
Speaker: And I'm not even going to make you roll alertness for this one because I'm assuming that after school you would have turned your ringer back onto your phone.
Speaker: You get a text from Ashley that says, don't forget, bitches, 530, my place, be there.
Speaker: Ryan is going to see that and be like, I swear she said five, but I guess we can do both.
Speaker: Yeah, definitely it was five o'clock.
Speaker: Arthur sends back an alien thumbs up emoji.
Speaker: Is it one that he created?
Speaker: Oh, yeah.
Speaker: Because there's no such thing.
Speaker: Ryan is driving.
Speaker: He is not going to text back.
Speaker: Smart.
Speaker: He is rebellious, not stupid.
Speaker: That's fair.
Speaker: Ned is going to just look down at his phone, and he's going to type a couple things and then delete all of it, and then type a couple things and then delete all that again, and then he's just going to send a thumbs up.
Speaker: I have a question.
Speaker: Does Ned have the keyboard clicks on his phone?
Speaker: No.
Speaker: Can I roll alertness to see if I saw him do that a bunch?
Speaker: Yeah, go ahead.
Speaker: That's a 13.
Speaker: Yeah, you totally saw him furiously backspacing.
Speaker: Ryan, without even looking over, just like, Ned, fucking send it.
Speaker: Stop messing around with it.
Speaker: Do it.
Speaker: You're fine.
Speaker: All right, all right, all right.
Speaker: Just give me a minute.
Speaker: And I send the thumbs up.
Speaker: Before the thumbs up goes through, you see another text from Ashley come through that says five with an asterisk behind it.
Speaker: Since the DM screwed up.
Speaker: Brian is going to be like, Ned, you know you could just try and ask her out, right?
Speaker: And gives him a little side eye.
Speaker: I don't know what you're talking about.
Speaker: Arthur, you want us to get you home to where you can change your clothes or something before the party?
Speaker: What's wrong with what I'm wearing right now?
Speaker: Nothing, man.
Speaker: Come on.
Speaker: I'm just trying to change the subject.
Speaker: Come on, man.
Speaker: It's my best UFO hoodie.
Speaker: You can't ignore me, Ned.
Speaker: I'm right next to you, Ned.
Speaker: Do you guys not like my hoodie?
Speaker: No, you're great, Arthur.
Speaker: Hey, look, look, I got something for you.
Speaker: How about this?
Speaker: I'll treat y'all to a little bit of Taco Bell real quick.
Speaker: But how about we just go ahead and drop this right now?
Speaker: Arthur, don't be swayed by food.
Speaker: Help me bully him.
Speaker: Come on, Arthur.
Speaker: I do want a beefy five layer.
Speaker: See, there we are.
Speaker: There we are.
Speaker: All right, to Taco Bell.
Speaker: Don't worry.
Speaker: I got you too, Ryan.
Speaker: I got you too.
Speaker: Let's just meander.
Speaker: Damn you, Ned, and your money.
Speaker: So now my question is, who is her?
Speaker: Which girl?
Speaker: Ashley.
Speaker: Aha.
Speaker: Good to know.
Speaker: Good to know.
Speaker: Does everybody pick up on this or is it just the boys?
Speaker: Like, is it something that has been noticeable and Ashley is just oblivious to it?
Speaker: Ashley.
Speaker: Ashley's oblivious.
Speaker: Who's to say Ashley's even oblivious to it?
Speaker: She might know about it and just not say anything.
Speaker: Hmm.
Speaker: God damn it.
Speaker: This is as awkward as real high school was.
Speaker: you guys just give me a second here you just keep that information to yourself god damn it i will 100 keep that information to myself i'll say my high school was not this awkward because i did not have a 60 in awareness i had a zero oh yeah i had negative awareness i learned so much out of high school about what happened in high school oh yeah
Speaker: Best part is that's not even the stat she rolled on.
Speaker: All right, putting that in the notes.
Speaker: Things your DMs say that scare the shit out of you.
Speaker: Right.
Speaker: Man, this is a good five-layer burrito.
Speaker: You was right, Arthur.
Speaker: I told you.
Speaker: I'm telling you, though, you got to take the sour cream off.
Speaker: It's better without the sour cream.
Speaker: Oh, really?
Speaker: Maybe next time you buy me Taco Bell, I'll do that.
Speaker: The entire time you guys are talking, Ryan is just staring at Ned as he eats.
Speaker: Ned, roll me alertness to see if you notice or if you're just too engulfed in your burrito.
Speaker: 85 on a 20.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: You are staring, Ryan, and Ned doesn't even notice.
Speaker: He honestly doesn't care.
Speaker: He's having fun.
Speaker: Yeah, dude.
Speaker: We all have Taco Bell.
Speaker: Who's not having fun?
Speaker: That's 100% fair.
Speaker: So 5 o'clock rolls around and you guys all pull up to Ashley's house.
Speaker: And as you pull up to Ashley's house, her parents are just leaving.
Speaker: Like they are already in the car.
Speaker: They, as she told you guys, her parents gave her permission to have this party.
Speaker: So it's not, it doesn't have to be anything hidden that you guys are showing up or anything.
Speaker: And as Ryan pulls up and sees them in the driveway, he's immediately going to snatch the unlit cigarette out of his mouth and palm it real quick.
Speaker: Roll me stealth.
Speaker: Damn it.
Speaker: I was hoping you just let me do that.
Speaker: It's unlit, at least.
Speaker: It's not like he's going to burn anything.
Speaker: What do I have on stealth?
Speaker: That is a 31 out of 50.
Speaker: And Ashley's dad, who for alertness has a 70,
Speaker: Rolled a 77.
Speaker: So as I said in session zero, if the numbers match,
Speaker: Whether it's over or under, it is a crit.
Speaker: So with 77 being over what he would have needed to roll, that is a crit fail.
Speaker: So he has abso-goddamn-lutely no idea that you're doing it.
Speaker: He just smiles and waves at you guys as you guys pull in.
Speaker: Hey, man, you notice that?
Speaker: You hit your cigarette?
Speaker: I didn't even take mine out the window.
Speaker: Mine's already smoking.
Speaker: Either he didn't notice or he don't care.
Speaker: I'm not going to risk that.
Speaker: In a hallway that's empty is one thing.
Speaker: Someone that can tell my dad is an entirely different one.
Speaker: Man, I keep telling you, you and your priorities, I don't know where they sit.
Speaker: When you figure it out, please let me know.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, I got you.
Speaker: I got you, man.
Speaker: Awesome.
Speaker: Let's get inside.
Speaker: In we go.
Speaker: Guys, you have to unlock the door.
Speaker: Damn it, Ned, we forgot the kid.
Speaker: Guys, one of you has to open.
Speaker: I'm still in the back.
Speaker: Arthur, Arthur, this thing's from 1958.
Speaker: You really think he got any sort of unlock for you?
Speaker: You got to pull up the little thingy.
Speaker: Oh, my God.
Speaker: There you go.
Speaker: You got it.
Speaker: See?
Speaker: I was going to say, if you keep making it sound like you're having a hard time, I will make you roll straight.
Speaker: I was debating it.
Speaker: All right, let's go do this.
Speaker: Let's see what she's got in mind.
Speaker: So as you guys get inside, it's your typical party setup.
Speaker: She's having you guys set up chairs and bowls with chips and drinks and all that.
Speaker: Like, just typical setup.
Speaker: Um...
Speaker: She looks over at you, Ryan, and she goes, hey, you have good taste in music, so would you mind picking the music for tonight, please?
Speaker: Pretty please?
Speaker: Pretty, pretty please, Ryan, please?
Speaker: Only because you're so cute.
Speaker: I'll do it.
Speaker: She says, thanks, you're the best, and gives you a big hug.
Speaker: Hard side eye.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker: Hard side eye.
Speaker: Ryan is going to wink at him as he walks away.
Speaker: I love this.
Speaker: This is the best.
Speaker: I'm very much enjoying this session, too.
Speaker: Samantha, you and Ashley have not really left each other's hip all night.
Speaker: And you notice that she's been looking at her phone a lot.
Speaker: What you doing?
Speaker: What?
Speaker: Oh, nothing.
Speaker: Nothing.
Speaker: Who are you talking to?
Speaker: I'm just getting ready for the party.
Speaker: Bullshit.
Speaker: I'm not talking to anybody.
Speaker: I don't believe you.
Speaker: Let me see your phone.
Speaker: She tries to reach.
Speaker: Ashley, stop.
Speaker: Let me see your phone.
Speaker: And Samantha tries to take the phone from her hands.
Speaker: Roll me opposed athletics.
Speaker: Oh, she gone.
Speaker: She gone.
Speaker: Fucking.
Speaker: She gone.
Speaker: Lose.
Speaker: Oh, I'm going to lose.
Speaker: That's a 93 out of 50.
Speaker: God damn it.
Speaker: So you go to – that's OK because she shot over too.
Speaker: So you guys – you go to reach for the phone and instead of grabbing the phone, you accidentally just smack it out of her hand.
Speaker: Nope.
Speaker: And she looks at you and she goes –
Speaker: Really?
Speaker: Sorry.
Speaker: I'm just curious to who you're talking to because you got a little smile on your face.
Speaker: You don't need to know who I'm talking to.
Speaker: You got like this little look on your face and I want to know.
Speaker: I'm nosy.
Speaker: I tell you everything, bitch.
Speaker: Excuse me, bitch.
Speaker: You just told me that you tell your horse shit that you can't tell me.
Speaker: Thank you.
Speaker: She kind of just has a look of, oh shit.
Speaker: Yeah, you're right.
Speaker: On her face.
Speaker: And if it's that important to you.
Speaker: It's my brother.
Speaker: I don't believe you.
Speaker: You know how devastated I was when he left for the military and he finally got some time to talk.
Speaker: So I've been chatting with my brother, telling him about the year.
Speaker: You know you would be the first person to know if there was someone special in my life, bitch.
Speaker: Can I hear that conversation?
Speaker: Go ahead and roll me alertness.
Speaker: Does her brother have a name?
Speaker: Her brother's name is Chris.
Speaker: Chris.
Speaker: 52 on a 20.
Speaker: You don't hear shit.
Speaker: You are still super pissed that she gave Ryan a hug and not you.
Speaker: God damn it.
Speaker: Well, if you're seriously talking to your brother, then tell him I say hi and give him a little kiss for me.
Speaker: Better yet, tell him yourself.
Speaker: We'll take a quick video.
Speaker: No, that's okay.
Speaker: She may or may not have a crush on Ashley's older brother.
Speaker: Samantha.
Speaker: Who?
Speaker: What?
Speaker: What?
Speaker: Girl.
Speaker: What?
Speaker: Girl.
Speaker: Get over here.
Speaker: And she kind of like forces you, like puts her arm around you and forces you into like a side hug and picks up her phone with the other hand to do like a selfie video and just goes, hey, Chris, we just wanted to say hi.
Speaker: Samantha, is there anything you'd like to say?
Speaker: We miss you.
Speaker: Be careful.
Speaker: And she gets all red.
Speaker: Love you, bro.
Speaker: And she sends off the video.
Speaker: And you do see at the top of the phone, the contact is indeed her brother.
Speaker: All right.
Speaker: She kind of just shoves her a little bit playfully and then walks off to go and start putting out bowls of chips.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Anything else you guys want to do during the party setup?
Speaker: Oh, yeah.
Speaker: I'm going to check out the telescope.
Speaker: Make sure that's set up properly for the optimal hour.
Speaker: Okay, you go to the back deck where you would assume the telescope is, and roll me a search.
Speaker: That is a 26 out of 20.
Speaker: 26 out of 20.
Speaker: You don't see a telescope.
Speaker: What the fuck?
Speaker: I go back in and say, Ashley, where's the telescope?
Speaker: Oh, yeah, I forgot.
Speaker: And she goes off over to the kitchen area where you see what almost looks like a briefcase sitting on the counter.
Speaker: And she opens it up and you see the pieces of the telescope.
Speaker: And she looks at you and smiles and she goes...
Speaker: I know how much it means to you to be able to set this up yourself and make sure it's in the, how do you say this?
Speaker: The proper position, optimal position.
Speaker: So I didn't try to put it together for you.
Speaker: I left it here so that way you could do it for yourself.
Speaker: I appreciate that so much.
Speaker: Just holding back a tear as it goes to the table.
Speaker: She reaches up and like rustles your hair and she's like, no problem.
Speaker: Go have fun.
Speaker: We can finish getting the rest of this party set up.
Speaker: He's immediately making it.
Speaker: I was like, oh, you got the lenses?
Speaker: I haven't even seen these types of lenses before.
Speaker: What the fuck?
Speaker: I will even make sure that the back porch light is off for you.
Speaker: He's like a kid in a candy store making the telescope.
Speaker: Anything else you guys want to do during setup here?
Speaker: I'm just going to be awkwardly maintaining a 10-foot distance from Ashley, no matter what she's doing.
Speaker: I'm trying to just be helpful around where she is.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Um...
Speaker: I got the napkins that you wanted out here for the tables you done set up.
Speaker: I think I'm going to head out back and get those tables set up out there for you.
Speaker: Oh, you're so sweet and head.
Speaker: Thank you so much.
Speaker: Thanks.
Speaker: And then I just, I book it back out there and I start setting the tablecloths out in the back deck.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: Party goes off without a hitch.
Speaker: You see Ashley kind of, you know, doing host duties, like kind of mingling with everybody.
Speaker: But every chance she gets, she's hanging out with you guys.
Speaker: You know, you're all best friends.
Speaker: And she wants to spend the most time with you.
Speaker: And she does everything that she can to try and make it as much of a hangout as it is a party.
Speaker: And I am going to roll and see how well she does on that.
Speaker: Yeah, what's her party percentage?
Speaker: I just rolled it on her luck and she crit succeeded.
Speaker: So this is like the best fucking party you guys have ever been to.
Speaker: This is the only party I've ever been to.
Speaker: And as you guys go on with the party, you know, everything goes great.
Speaker: The end of the night comes and basically everyone's gone home at this point.
Speaker: You guys did not see the football player that said that he was going to beat up Arthur earlier.
Speaker: For all intents and purposes, after that interaction, he kind of just fell off the face of the planet for you guys.
Speaker: Thank God.
Speaker: Arthur's just kind of been looking out the telescope the whole night, almost the entire night.
Speaker: Samantha at one point goes out there with Arthur to look at the lunar eclipse like she promised.
Speaker: Brian would have made sure to bring drinks out to him every once in a while.
Speaker: I'm still hanging out out there with him.
Speaker: Just mind of my own.
Speaker: And as the party winds down, you guys are the only five left.
Speaker: Or the only six.
Speaker: Yeah, no, only five.
Speaker: Only five.
Speaker: And Ashley comes by and she hands Ned her phone and then kind of gets you all into a big hug.
Speaker: And she says to you, Ned, would you mind taking a picture of all of us?
Speaker: This was such a great night.
Speaker: I want...
Speaker: I want the memory.
Speaker: Oh, yeah, yeah, sure.
Speaker: And Ned steps off to the side to take a picture of all of them.
Speaker: No, no, no, no, no.
Speaker: Get in here.
Speaker: I mean selfie style.
Speaker: You got long arms, Ned.
Speaker: You got arms good enough to take this picture.
Speaker: Will you please take a picture of all of us?
Speaker: That's you included.
Speaker: Yeah, yeah, I think I can do that for you.
Speaker: And I kind of hunker down in the middle a little bit.
Speaker: to get where my head is just a little below her chin and I hold it up and snap a photo sideways of all of us.
Speaker: And you guys all have the biggest smile.
Speaker: You guys had a great day, a great night.
Speaker: And the summer is going along and it's just a summer with friends.
Speaker: Samantha, you're doing your training.
Speaker: Ned, you're doing your training.
Speaker: But you guys are getting together every chance that you can.
Speaker: Ryan asked you guys if you want to go on a camping trip to Lake Erie.
Speaker: Of course you all said yes.
Speaker: And you had a wonderful week.
Speaker: And as we get closer to the beginning of a new school year, you guys are about the end of July, beginning of August time.
Speaker: You all get a text.
Speaker: From Ashley that just says usual place now.
Speaker: And you said, I'm sorry, how long has it been?
Speaker: You guys have basically gone through all summer together.
Speaker: You're a couple weeks out from the beginning of the new school year.
Speaker: Brian is going to immediately grab his jacket and his boots and make a run for the car.
Speaker: Because Ashley is usually never this urgent.
Speaker: Okay.
Speaker: I'm going to shoot a text to Ryan.
Speaker: The text is going to say, come pick me up in five minutes.
Speaker: I'm going to find a way to get out of the house.
Speaker: I'll make sure my dad lets me go.
Speaker: Two minutes later, Ryan gets a text.
Speaker: Hey, Ryan, can I get a pickup?
Speaker: My bike is broken.
Speaker: Ryan will just send back a confirmation to both of them.
Speaker: Samantha ends up getting the text message right as she's leaving the barn and immediately jumps in her car and heads over.
Speaker: So you guys all race to the usual spot.
Speaker: And the usual spot is an old tree house that you all used to play in together.
Speaker: Like I said, it's a small town.
Speaker: You've kind of all grown up together.
Speaker: And this tree house has been with you guys all throughout growing up.
Speaker: And it's,
Speaker: It's it brings back such good memories of when you were kids and when, you know, things were just easy before school, before any part time jobs you might have before, you know, the world kind of came and kicked you in the face.
Speaker: And you get there and you all get there about the same time.
Speaker: So you all go up together.
Speaker: And as you go in there, you see Ashley sitting in the corner, her face.
Speaker: blonde hair over her face, and she's sitting on the ground in the corner with her knees pulled up and her arms around her knees, and her face is down in her legs.
Speaker: And you can tell from the sound that she is crying.
Speaker: Ashley, hey, hey, hey.
Speaker: I'm going to go up, and I'm going to be kind of off to her left side and just put my hand on her knee.
Speaker: Hey, Ashley.
Speaker: What's going on?
Speaker: She looks up at you guys and she doesn't even try to hide the fact that she's been crying this whole time.
Speaker: And seeing her support group there, she just kind of starts to sob harder and she tries to talk and you guys can't understand a word that she's saying.
Speaker: And she takes a minute to try to compose herself and to breathe.
Speaker: And she looks up and she tells you guys, Chris is dead.
Speaker: And that's where we'll end our session.
Speaker: You fucking asshole.
Speaker: And there's the other boot.
Speaker: I was waiting for it.
Speaker: Yeah, me too, man.
Speaker: Me too.
Speaker: So, yeah.
Speaker: Welcome to session one.
Speaker: Fun.
Speaker: Fun.
Speaker: A good RP.
Speaker: Yeah.
Speaker: I hope you all had a good time.
Speaker: You killed off Samantha's crush.
Speaker: How dare you?
Speaker: I did indeed.
Speaker: You broke the heart of Ned's crush.
Speaker: I did indeed.
Speaker: Arthur got off pretty scot-free.
Speaker: I don't know why.
Speaker: Yeah, I mean, Arthur got to look through a telescope, got to hang out with friends.
Speaker: It was a good night for Arthur.
Speaker: It was great.
Speaker: So that is gonna do it for our first session.
Speaker: I don't know with how long we've been going.
Speaker: I don't know if this is gonna be a one or two episode thing, but that's gonna do it for this one.
Speaker: If you liked what you guys listened to, don't forget to give us a rating.
Speaker: It would really help us out.
Speaker: It'll put us in front of more people.
Speaker: It'll give us more, put us in more people's ear holes so other people can hear what you're hearing.
Speaker: Also, you know, word of mouth, if you liked what you heard, tell a friend about us.
Speaker: We would greatly appreciate it.
Speaker: but that is going to do it for this episode of let's play pretend.
Speaker: And we will see you guys next week.
Speaker: Pause for dramatic effect.
Speaker: Let's play pretend is Nick Barnett as Ned Dolaran.
Speaker: Breck black is Ryan Winchester.
Speaker: Matt check is Arthur Gooseberg.
Speaker: Melanie Derringer as Samantha Williams and me, Jordan Derringer,
Speaker: as your GM, DM, handler, keeper, and host.
Speaker: Keep up with us to hear firsthand on any fun new developments that may be coming in the future.
Speaker: There's going to be fun new developments coming in the future.
Speaker: And we will see you all here in two weeks' time.
