Morgana did not rise to expectations. She sank, like shattered ships and broken busts at the bottom of the Aegean Sea.

But that, too, was part of Chanda Mama’s plan. 

She knew. The Swimmer’s heart beat in great gulps as she sank deeper into the shrine, drowning, desperate. She knew what I was going to do.

Her partner’s shoulders splintered as another head emerged, breaching like a trapped whale. It joined the mournful song of the first, a farewell dirge to the impossible dream of open-world.

You can do anything. They know what you'll do. You are free. You have always been bound. You can write your own story. You are following a plot.

She could feel herself fracture.

As she floated in free-fall, skirts fanning out around her like the bell of a jellyfish, the self-proclaimed villainess slowly brought her knees up to her chest. She tucked them under her chin. She wrapped her arms around them. Numb. Cold. Alone. An asteroid floating in the void of space. Pointless. Predetermined.

Why care at all?

…

...Who cared what people expected?

“...Did you expect this?”

She unfolded like a paper crane, arms spreading wide like wings.

“Did you expect this?” Bergamot said, pulling a basketball out of her inventory and kicking it towards the closest constellation. “Die! Did you expect this?” Bergamot sliced off a chunk of her own hair and threw it temperamentally at the moon-spirit, the chestnut strands separating, scattering in zero gravity. “No!”

Control her?! Control her?

“Did you expect this?” Bergamot seized Celine Dionyx by the back of her (second) neck, pulling her in close. She hesitated and then kissed her, roughly, teeth against teeth, tasting her own fear like starlight. “...Sorry, Celine Dionyx.”

“No problem, sweetie,” said the head on the left. The head on the right showed her teeth, wolf-colored, humorless. “I’ve had a lot worse.”

Cut off the hydra’s head, and two grow in its place. Cut off a person’s lifeline, and she’ll spin herself a safety net. In Morgana's case, it was a safety armada.

“Did you expect this?” Bergamot equipped Kindler. Sparks showered from the corners of her mouth like a weapon at the forge.

“Did you expect this?” Bergamot brought up her knee and snapped her own finger backwards over the top of it, like breaking kindling.

“Did you expect this?” Bergamot hissed in another thread, biting back screams, her broken finger pointing, trembling, at the title. “Did you expect anything so meta?!”

Did you expect her to cower? Expect her to crumple? Expect her to rise up, rise to the challenge, rise to greatness? Burn her stars? Keep them all? Win the game? Lose, and suffer the consequences?!

“None of that is true.”

She plucked a row of stars from her partner’s chest like buttons, stone folds falling away in waves of satin, and hurled the handful into the incomplete breast of a different serpent. Only one star she kept, still shining pale behind her teeth. Its taste lingered on her tongue. Not sweet. Not hot. It was bitter, like old tears.

“I’m not afraid to play your game,
The Ice is Right,
And you’re to blame.
Chanda Mama, win or lose
Braille or Fail
It’s mine to choose.
For when all is said and done,
Not even I know what’s to come.
Claim my credit,
Claim my will,
and I’ll continue playing still.
Spirit, I will not be claimed
Keep your stars,
I’ll keep my name.”

Morgana puts 5 stars in the STRETCHED, SERPENTINE BODY WITH A FLAT DISK AT ONE END

So... this seemed like a trap.

Chandra Mama promises prizes! Even has the untold generosity to provide two whole stars for them to use to spin more than once!

But the wheel takes three stars. If she harvests the stars from her dance partner she can spin a total of three times with one star left over. Allotta gives a long look at the two stars in her hand and then over to Taillow Swift. The bird celebrity tosses her feathered hair over her shoulder and almost seems to stare through Allotta's soul with her big, bird eyes.

It makes her uncomfortable.

Yet she should really do something with these two loose stars! She could give them to Taillow Swift... but when the other had more stars it had made her scared. She didn't want to repeat that.

So, opening her mouth, Allotta tilts her head back and tips the two stars into her mouth. They feel oddly cold as they slide down her throat and settle in her stomach. Like swallowing ice whole but not quite.

Shrugging, Allotta steps forward with her belly full of stars. May as well spin since no one else has yet!

"Indeedee! Thank you for this gift!
Just one spin, I don't want to grift!"

A big thumbs up is given to both Chandra Mama and the celestial Indeedee. The latter of which grabs the spinner and tugs.

Allotta Swallows her two stars!
She spins the wheel Once!

T2jAnv_E1-12

The shift in tone was jarring, the stars came alight and began their song and their dance.  When he'd signed up to dance with stars, he wasn't quite sure what he expected but it most certainly wasn't dancing with poke stars, and certainly not actual literal celestial bodies.  His gaze followed the red string to his now supposed linked partner, red string was a powerful symbol and the fact that he'd been tied to Manish?  Well, he supposed he'd seen some badassery from the timid man before. 

Maybe lightning would strike twice.  

Their plumet seemed to be paused, it was after all, the bonus round.  The wheel towered over him tantalizing, but the bargain was more likely Faustian than fair, and any boons on it were more likely to come with some form of bane attached.  Yet, Orion lived in a land where fortune favored the bold, in order to win big you had to play big, and that meant it was time to spin that fucking wheel.  He would take the freebie, letting the Indeedee give the wheel a whirl, calling out an ancestral chant.

"BIG MONEY!  NO WHAMMIES!"

He came from the city of sin, and he wasn't afraid to go for another spin.  Granbulton coughed up an extra star and he paid the star toll for another roll.  His form began to flicker and stutter worryingly, but these spins could change the game.  They could be anything, even more stars, and they would most certainly help with whatever was lurking out in the distance, presumably heading their way.

Miss Day is not in the mood to be told what to do.

Gambling sure wasn't in her plans for tonight.

Now, see, some people out there would say that everything you do in life is a gamble and blah blah blah. What would Tuesday say to that? Bullshit. If you work hard and keep at it, you can always get what you want, even if it takes time. Yeah, sure, life sends some people down easier and shorter paths, and all that, but whining is for little bitches and while she may be short that title sure isn't one that belongs to this catgirl.

She is the master of her own fate, and if she's going to win some seemingly random (probably not at all random) reward or punishment, she sure as hell isn't going to leave it up to whatever that thing spinning the wheel is, much less up to Chanda Mama.

Funnily enough, despite what many would expect of her, she's not the one in the mood for slaughter today (although she is quite impressed by the actions of both Kath Ulu and Bergamot Gristleborg. Well played!)

"Don't worry, you demonic steel knight. I may be a Freezer and thus coldblooded, but I'll obviously need you for what comes next, and so it seems you live to rock another day." Or another few minutes, depending on what happens next.

Tuesday's turn comes and she only makes use of her free spin, but instead of giving the command to the Indeedee, she steps forward with grace and pride. She steps right up to Chanda Mama's blood red line. Golden cat ears twitch once, and when mismatched eyes fall upon the personification of the moon, the mischievous grin that illuminates Tuesday's expression is nothing short of Cheshire-like. A limerick is spoken for a moon that loves rhymes:

"O Chanda Mama, did I hear you fine?
Was it 'Don't step past the thin, red, line'?
If I swim or hop or glide
If I dance or cha cha slide
Then by all means, I won't be out of line."

Yeah, yeah, rhyming 'line' with 'line' is way beneath Tuesday, but she'll take the hit for the sake of nice wordplay. True to her logic, she does as she says, and since this is Dancing With The Stars (On Ice), it's with all the unnatural and programed ice skating talent of a Freezer that she glides over the ice, right pass the thin red line – leaning backwards and limbo'ing under it for good measure as well. A beautiful cantilever, for the figure skating afficionados out here.

To stop, she grabs onto the wheel, shooing away the hourglass-shaped Indeedee.

"Now, now, let's see..."

Tack, tack... The wheel moves by Tuesday's hand, all the short way from Bergamot Gristleborg's four to the six marked by a star key. Yes, a star key. The key to the stars. It's the obvious choice in Tuesday's book. "Hmm... Yes, I think I'll take this one."

And with that said, she skates away, under the line once again. As if nothing had just happened.

But, will the wheel do as she wishes? It moves just as she turns...

---

SPOILER: Click to show

{OOC} Including a roll because it may be IC for Tuesday to try to rig the game, but I wanna follow the rules LMAO Feel free to give her the result of this if you want and have her potentially make a fool of herself

ajHOKX3L1-12

DANCING WITH THE STARS
(ON ICE)!

⠎⠥⠗⠧⠊⠉⠑⠧⠕⠗

ROUND 4

The prize wheel spins to a stop and there is a definitive click as the outer mechanisms lock into place. The sun shaped piece in the center spins 180 degrees, and the scarab begins to glow.

"The wheel of prizes stops too soon,
Now come the gifts from mother moon!
Some shine, some sparkle, others bite,
There's some for all, no need to fight."

Twelve. The serpents at the top of the wheel turn, and there is a thunk, thunk, thunk as they fire rounds of thick, golden darts at manish, Tuesday, and orioncayge. The darts sink deep, injecting their venom.

manish, Tuesday, and orioncayge win TM Poison Jab!
Orion and Tuesday are now bleeding
Manish is now bleeding heavily

The Eleven panel shines and the scarab's light turns harsh. A beam of unfiltered sunlight tears across the void, hitting Kath Ulu with the scorching UV of a month at the beach without sunscreen.

Kath Ulu wins TM Solarbeam!
She is now bleeding heavily

The Nine and Three compartments, opposite on the wheel, clunk open, and Indeedee retrieves the items inside. From Three is a chunk of ice. She hands it to Morgana. The ice quivers, and then beats.

Bergamot Gristleborg wins The Hibernal Heart!

Out of the Nine panel roll a pair of burning eyes. She hands the left one to Allotta Bambooga, and the right one to Kath Ulu.

Allotta Bambooga and Kath Ulu win The Estival Eyes!

The Star Key in the Six panel pops out into Indeedee's waiting hands, ejecting prizes like a pez dispenser. One...two...and that's it. The keys have S1 written on the handle in big, bold letters.

manish and orioncayge win a Season 1 Loot Box key!

As Indeedee retrieves the next set of prizes, Chanda Mama offers some words to Tuesday.

"You may have danced across the line,
But that does not make spinning fine,
The wheel responds to one touch only,
Though I'll admit you wandered boldly.
It's lucky your feet didn't stray,
Or else you would be the entree."

There is a heavy pause, and everyone's eyes are drawn to the path of blood. The thick crimson thread is taut, like a line reeling in a shark. It quivers with tension, and miniscule hands rise from the surface to grasp blindly.

Attention shifts back to Indeedee, who is carrying a pile of plates. The bottom two have jagged edges, and sizzle against her hands like hubcaps pulled from a burning wreck. The top four look like they're cut from the sky itself. Gorgeous disks of satin black and purple.

manish, orioncayge, Bergamot Gristleborg, and diva win an Eclipse Disk!
Laguna and Bergamot Gristleborg win a Sunburst Star!

Two doesn't pop out, or appear. It manifests, rising from the trail of blood that leads off into the darkness.

A crimson star that spins slowly in the gloom, waiting for Kath Ulu to collect it. Or to leave it be.

Kath Ulu wins the Blood Star!

One. The last panel opens and out drops dried fruit. Indeedee collects them and presents them proudly to the lucky recipients. It looks healthy, like it belongs in a trail mix, or in the lunch of a well-respected doctor.

manish and orioncayge win a Triskelion Seed!

You feel it before you see it. The oppressive presence of something moving towards you. And as you look out at the starry void around, it is startlingly clear that there are less of the shining stars than you remember.

Something is methodically and voraciously devouring everything in this void.

The starfield is thinning, and some of you are shining awfully bright. Allotta Bambooga in particular has made a show of her Kindler powers since the start, and has swallowed two glowing stars.

The Starcatch is hunting Allotta Bambooga

"The Starcatch comes, and so does dawn,
When it arrives you'd best be gone!
The greatest prize you all can keep,
your lives, I mean, I'll take the Jeep."

Indeedee opens panel Seven on the wheel, and out pops a brand new, Firecracker Red Freedom Top® Three-Piece Hardtop 2023 Jeep Wrangler. Chanda Mama climbs inside, and the engine starts as smoothly as a bucket of buttered marbles sliding down a dolphin's back.

"Off-road, on-road, no road too,
this 4x4 is built for two!
Reclining seats, and him/her air,
We'll drive this dream ride out of here!"

Chanda Mama puts the car into gear and it peels off, disappearing into the darkness.

Suddenly you're all alone.

Deep in the pit.

The blood trail whips, and something jagged and carbon black crashes into the wheel, ripping it to gleaming chunks.

In the rubble you see the remains of a shattered compartment: Eight. Black and blue Pokéballs float into the void.

Far above, you see the wedge-winged constellation, unfinished yet pointing the way home. It flaps its incomplete wings, drifting towards what you hope is the exit.

MECHANICS

• Players must roll 1d12 with their post.
• If you roll 7 or higher, you escape.
• If you roll under a 7, you may spend one star to distract the Starcatch and post/roll again.
• If the dungeon ends and you have not escaped, you will be eaten by the Starcatch

There are also bonuses and negatives based on previous actions/rewards in the dungeon.

Unharmed: +0 - diva
Bleeding: -1 - Tuesday, Allotta Bambooga, Laguna
Bleeding Heavily: -3 - Kath Ulu, Bergamot Gristleborg, manish, orioncayge

Gorebyss Ink: Injected with the gleaming ink, you blend in with the darkness. Gain a +1 to your roll. (All players)
Honedge Dagger: Stab the creature, toss the dagger, or find some way to use this to your advantage for a +1 to your roll. (All players but Diva)
Honedge Blade: Same as above, only it's bigger, sharper, and sentient. Use it for a +3 to your roll. (Diva)
Triskelion Seed: Optional. This can be used to plug the wounds of a single player and stop their bleeding. The player will revert to an Unharmed status. (Orion and Manish)
Blood Star: The Starcatch will hunt the Blood Star. Holding it will give you -3 to your roll. If Kath Ulu refuses to take the Blood Star, or uses it as a distraction, she will gain +3 to her roll. (Kath)

Players can also try to grab the loot from the shattered Eight panel. Grabbing one of the Pokéballs will give you a -2 to your roll.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Star Totals}
diva (2) and BILL HADEERLING (5)
Bergamot Gristleborg (0) and CELINE DIONYX (2)
orioncayge (0) and ALEXANDER GRANBULLTON (4)
manish (0) and RICK GASTLY (4)
Laguna (2) and GALLADE GADOT (5)
Kath Ulu (2)
Allotta Bambooga (2) and TAILLOW SWIFT (5)
Tuesday (2) and SIR MELTAN JOHN (5)

This round will end in 48 hours - 11:59 AM January 22th ET.