Soccer Sabotage
Main Characters / Extra Characters
My Classmates
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Requirements
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Requirements
Payton: Hey, Danny, what’s going on?
Wes: Yeah, what’s with the emergency student body meeting?
Danny: Nishan and I have something to share with everyone. It’s important.
Mia: Is this about the money shortage? If you cut the cheer squad’s funding any lower, we’re going to have to start sewing our own uniforms!
Julian: The football team too. And we are NOT good at sewing.
Sakura: And have you even SEEN the disgusting meat they’re serving in the cafeteria? That’s how zombie outbreaks start!
Mia: None of this would be a problem if we’d gotten the grant money from the CATs... but for some reason, our three best test-takers were AWOL!
Nishan: Yeah... about that. We have a much bigger problem to deal with...
Time - 8 hours
Gathered in the auditorium, all of your classmates listen, mouths agape, as Nishan recounts Pandora’s actions, leading up to stranding you, Nishan, and Sakura in the woods. He trails off, and a stunned silence hangs over the room.
Payton: I just... how can someone be so MEAN?!
Julian: Sorry, but nobody, and I mean NOBODY, messes with my friends!
Wes: All of the Simon Says stuff was just a distraction for the main event... I almost admire the elegance of the con.
Mia: Wes!
Wes: I said ‘almost’!
The assembly devolves into chaotic shouting!
Payton: Does Pandora know, like, EVERYONE’s deep dark secrets?! Not that I have any...
Julian: I’m just preemptively going to say for the record, I am NOT terrified of clowns, okay?
Nishan: Guys, listen! Are we just gonna sit around talking endlessly like this is ‘The Walking Dead’? Or are we gonna do something about it?!
Sakura: I say we pwn this Pandora punk. Some good old-fashioned revenge, served just like our cafeteria food. Cold.
Autumn: But how can we put a stop to all the blackmail when we have no idea who’s behind it?
Nishan: There has to be a clue somewhere. I just need to really think...
Requirements
Nishan meets up with you and your friends in the halls between classes...
Payton: So have you figured out Pandora’s secret identity, Nishan?
Nishan: Well, the evidence suggests it’s NOT my goateed evil twin from a dimensional rift, as I had feared.
Danny: That’s good, I guess.
Nishan: Not only that, but I was also able to piece together a lead!
Nishan: So, in every criminal investigation, you start with the M.M.O.
Sakura: And what exactly does a massively multiplayer online game have to do with this?
Nishan: I’m talking about motive, means, and opportunity! And the most important one is the motive! So I asked myself, what’s Pandora’s angle? Who did she originally target, and why?
Payton: Pandora wanted Lacey out of the running for Athena Academy’s Cotillion Queen... and then went after Katherine!
Nishan: And who stood to gain the most by ruining our school’s scores on the CAT exams?
Danny: Athena Academy!
Nishan: Exactly. Pandora made sure that they won the state funding, not to mention the eternal glory.
Autumn: So we’re pretty sure Pandora is a student at Athena? Maybe we should talk to our friends there and see if they can help us!
Nishan: Sakura and Danny, I want you two to come with me to Athena and have a chat with Lacey, Brigette, and Katherine.
Danny: What are we waiting for?
Requirements
That afternoon, Sakura parks in the visitor lot, and the three of you walk onto Athena Academy’s sunny, manicured campus.
Danny: Look, there’s Lacey, Brigette, and Katherine.
You point to the soccer field, where the three Athena girls are in the middle of rigorous soccer drills. Lacey rockets a high-powered volley into a small target hanging in the goal! Brigette and Katherine nail the same spot in quick succession!
Nishan: Wow, they’re amazing!
Sakura: They aren’t terrible, no.
Danny: So how do you want to handle this conversation, Nishan? The girls might not like us accusing their school of harboring Pandora.
Nishan: Oh! I saw this on Law & Order! We need to do ‘Good Cop, Bad Cop!’ I’ll be the nice on, but if they’re acting defensive, Sakura can jump in and be aggressive. It’s sorta like a role-playing game!
Sakura: A game? You’re going down, Nishan!
Nishan: Uh, it’s more of a co-op campaign.
Sakura: You know I don’t do co-op.
Nishan: On second thought, maybe you should be bad cop, Danny.
Time - 12 hours
You, Nishan, and Sakura approach the Athena girls, who are taking a quick water break from their soccer practice.
Brigette: Hi, friends. What brings you here?
Nishan: Have you heard what Pandora did?
Danny: She stranded the three of us out in the woods during the CATs, sabotaging our chance to win the prize.
Katherine: Oh no, that’s terrible! I’m so sorry!
Sakura: Trust me, SHE’LL be sorry soon enough.
Nishan: Have you guys heard from Pandora since the last time she blackmailed Katherine?
Lacey: Huh? When? You never mentioned this, Katherine.
Katherine: What? I-- I didn’t want anyone to worry! Uh, shouldn’t we get back to practice?
Nishan: Since Pandora has gone after everyone here, it’s important that we share any information we have, no matter what. We think Pandora is a student at Athena Academy with you, so we need you three to snoop around for any clues.
Lacey: No way! Pandora’s left us alone lately, and honestly, I want to keep it that way.
Katherine: Lacey’s right. If we go looking for clues, we’ll just end up making her mad!
Brigette: Sorry, but we have to get back to practice. We do wish you luck with your search, though...
Danny: (Uh oh, time to be bad cop! I’ve got to show them we’re serious!) Listen, we’re not joking around. If you don’t want to take a hard look at your classmates, maybe the police will. And I really don’t think that would look good for your esteemed school, now would it?
Katherine looks at Lacey, uneasy.
Katherine: Lacey... we really, REALLY can’t have the police involved. That would ruin the school.
Lacey: Okay, fine, Danny. We’ll poke around and let you know if we come up with anything. Now if you’ll excuse us, we have some practicing to do.
Sakura: What for?
Katherine: We’re getting ready for the county-wide soccer tournament this weekend!
Nishan: A tournament?
Lacey: Come on, Katherine, let’s go! We’re wasting precious time!
Katherine: Oh. Well, here’s a flyer if you guys want to come cheer us on.
Nishan: Danny, look. The winner gets a funding grant.
Danny: That much money could keep our clubs open for sure.
Brigette: I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Athena Academy is really good soccer. We win the tournament every year.
Sakura: Is that a challenge? Bring it on.
Lacey: Then by all means, sign up. We’ll see you on the pitch.
Lacey, Brigette, and Katherine run back onto the soccer pitch and resume their drills.
Sakura: They always win the tournament, huh? Good. No competition means they’ve gone soft. It’s the perfect moment to strike and dethrone them!
Danny: And save our clubs?
Sakura: Sure. That too.
Nishan: There’s just one problem... the tournament’s this weekend, and we don’t even have a soccer team!
Danny: Then we better start recruiting a squad. But first, we need to make sure our sports program can handle one!
Requirements
Back at school, you convince your friends to enter the tournament.
Danny: Now that we have the space to host a full team, I think we might have a shot at pulling this off.
Autumn: The school just had to sell off the equipment in our photography lab, so if this can save our extracurriculars, I’m in 100%.
Wes: Putting together a championship-level soccer team in less than a week? Sounds near- impossible to pull off... and that’s just how I like it.
After posting some flyers around the school, you arrive at the soccer field after class to find a great turnout for the team.
Danny: Thanks for coming, everybody! We’ve got a couple days to go from a ragtag gang of underdogs to a well-oiled, goal-scoring machine! So let’s get started!
You dump out a sack full of soccer balls, and everyone starts kicking them around. You stand back and watch... As everybody trips over themselves!
Sakura: This is pathetic! Every pass is going way out of bounds, Payton won’t head the ball because it’s ‘dirty’, and Julian: keeps tackling people!
Autumn: That’s not the real problem.
You and Sakura see Autumn watching from the sidelines, clutching her bookbag.
Autumn: Soccer is about technical skill, sure, but mostly it’s about teamwork. But, look. Nobody’s passing. Everyone’s hogging the ball.
Danny: I didn’t know you played, Autumn!
Autumn: After my mom passed away, my dad didn’t know what to do with me, so he signed me up for a ton of after-school programs. I was actually on a soccer team for a few years.
Danny: Do you think you could help us out? We sure could use someone with experience to lead our team.
Autumn: I’d love to.
Autumn takes off her jacket and slips a heart-shaped silver locked off her neck, putting it carefully in her bag.
Payton: That’s a gorgeous locket, Autumn! You HAVE to tell me where you got it!
Autumn: Oh... it was my mom’s. And her mother’s before that. She gave it to me right when she got sick. When I wear this locket... I feel like she’s still with me. But I’d never play soccer with it on. It’s an antique, so it’s really delicate, and I don’t want it to get damaged.
Autumn pops a loose ball off the ground, balances it on her knee, then cracks a whistling half-volley into the net!
Julian: Wow! Autumn, you’re incredible!
Danny: With a player like you, we might just stand a chance. Do you know what we can do to get everyone practicing together?
Autumn: This is a big group. I can’t teach everyone on my own. We’ll need more trainers to get our team in playing shape!
Requirements
Emily: All right, everybody! Line up! On the double!
Alex: You’re about to undergo the most grueling transformation of your life...
Payton: Um, grueling? I don’t do well with grueling. Or gruel, for that matter.
Alex: From a bunch of bumbling buffoons... to a TEAM.
Emily: We’re going to run drills so many times that you will be able to telepathically anticipate your teammate’s position at any moment!
Alex: First, we need to make sure you guys are on an athlete’s diet! What do you all eat for breakfast?
Payton: A peppermint latte.
Nishan: Mountain Dew and Mountain Dew-flavored chips.
Alex: Wrong answer! Now THIS is your breakfast!
Emily and Alex hand out bottles of a chunky, murky green fluid.
Sakura: This looks like Metroid puke.
Emily: It is your daily protein-veggie shake of nutrients and minerals.
Payton: Blech! It tastes like a lawn mower!
Emily: Yeah, it tastes bad. But you know what tastes better than anything you’ve ever known? VICTORY!
Time - 20 hours
Later that very hot day, sweat-soaked players hustle around the field...
Payton: Can I leave for a bit to go get better running shoes?
Alex: No show shopping, Payton! Now dribble the ball through those cones!
Wes: I’m going to go up in the stands and analyze our players from there. I’ll draw up a gameplan.
Autumn: Wes, I know you’re just trying to sit down and take a break, but we can’t yet.
Hours pass... and slowly but surely, everyone improves!
Danny: Nice pass, Payton!
You lay the ball off for Mia, who does a quick pirouette around a defender and scores!
Mia: Yes! I knew my cheer routine would come in handy.
Emily: Good work, everyone! Watching you play almost doesn’t make me want to cry in despair.
Mia: Thanks?
Emily: Next, we need to decide on a goalkeeper. Which of you has the best reaction times?
Nishan: That’d be Sakura.
Sakura: Last line of defense, impossible odds... that’s my kinda fight.
Alex: What about you, Danny? What position do you want to play?
Danny: Hmm... I want to play midfielder.
You line up in the midfield, and the scrimmage resumes! You stop a lobbed pass with your chest and spot Autumn streaking upfield!
Autumn: Danny! I’m open!
Danny: I’ve got you!
You lace a perfect through-ball past the opposing defense! Autumn takes one touch... and blasts the ball home!
Autumn: Yeah! Nice assist, Danny!
Danny: What can I say? We get along well!
Alex: Wow! Excellent progress all around! We might make a team out of you yet.
Emily: That’s a wrap for today! Everyone, get some rest!
Mia: My calves... my poor, poor calves...
Payton: I’m going to take a nice long bath. Preferably with bubbles.
Nishan sidles up to you, keeping his voice low.
Nishan: Hey, Danny, are you busy?
Danny: I’m pretty exhausted, actually. We just finished a pretty intense practice, so--
Nishan: Perfect timing then. I need your help. I have another lead on Pandora. The boxes. The one she gave Katherine and the one she left in the woods.
Danny: Oh! If we analyze them, you’re thinking we can find out where Pandora got them!
Nishan: Precisely. We just need the right people to examine them.
Requirements
Kimia and Nick enter the science lab... and find Nishan ready and waiting.
Nishan: Are we all set?
Kimia: I brought my mass spectrometer from home. With this, we can deduce the type of wood and the chemical makeup of the sealant...
Nick: And I brought my textbooks on woodworking. We’ll be able to identify the precise style and era of the sample!
Nishan: Perfect. Let’s get started!
Time - 14 hours
Autumn finds you in the science lab, awaiting the results of the tests.
Autumn: Danny, what are you doing? We need to be preparing for the tournament this weekend!
Danny: This is important, Autumn. We might be able to track down the person who’s been tormenting us.
Autumn: But you can’t be doing two things at once. Isn’t that what we learned last time? We’ve got a second chance to get our school funding, and we all have to focus on the soccer game. If you get too caught up in tracking down Pandora, you’ll be playing right into her hands... again.
Danny: I haven’t forgotten about the tournament, Autumn. None of us have. But so long as Pandora’s out there, stuff like the tournament will just be playing catch-up... patching the damage she’s already done. We have to stop her.
Just then, a computer chirps, and a print churns out a sheet of data!
Kimia: Oh, the results are in!
Nishan: What have we got?
Nick: The floral engraving and mechanical lid suggests the early stages of the functionality period...
Kimia: I identified the wood as birch, likely a New Hampshire breed.
Nishan: I’ll cross-reference the data... Looks like there’s only one shop in the county that makes boxes like this. Look!
Danny: ‘Pinkman Woodworking Company.’ Great work, guys! What’s our next step?
Nishan: Now comes the tricky part. How are we supposed to see the shop’s sales records? They’re not just going to hand them over.
Danny: We’ll make a plan... and I know just the guy to help us.
Wes: So. You need access to a wood shop’s sales records, huh?
Danny; Yes. Can you help us?
Wes: I’ve got an idea. But schemes like this aren’t cheap.
Requirements
Wes: That’ll do. On to the next phase.
Nishan: Do you want to share what you have in mind?
Wes: I did a little recon. Turns out I know a girl who interns at the wood shop from back in middle school. I bet I can convince her to show me the sales records. Trouble is, the owner’s got a rep for being a stickler. Now ay he’d let that fly.
Danny: Then what are we going to do?
Wes: Let’s just say Pandora’s not the only one who knows a thing or two about the powers of distraction. We’re going to use these funds to buy a bunch of the shopkeeper’s most expensive boxes, like the ones Pandora uses. That will get his attention... and keep it off me.
Danny: So who are we sending in?
Wes: While I turn on the charm for the intern, we’ll need a performance that’s both utterly convincing and completely distracting. I’m thinking a two-person act... a serious straight-man, and a wacky decoy!
Requirements
Ding! A bell rings as Zander and Kyle strut in the front door of Pinkman Woodworking Company and approach the shopkeeper’s register.
Zander: Good day, sir. My associate and I are interested in acquiring a sizeable quantity your renowned birch keepsake cases.
Kyle: Most expensive ones you got, bro!
Kyle slams a large stack of crisp bills on the countertop. The shopkeeper’s eyes go wide.
Zander: Yes, perhaps now we have your attention?
Wes: This is my chance.
Wes slinks in and spots the shop’s intern arranging delicate trinkets on the shelves.
Wes: Hey, Carly. How long’s it been?
Meanwhile, Zander and Kyle step up to the distraction...
Zander: Ahem, I’m afraid none of these boxes suit my fancy. They lack a certain panache. You see, my cat, King Whiskers, first of his name... he loved boxes. Primarily sitting in them, as if they were his thrones. I dare not purchase any unworthy of his memory.
Kyle: How about these ones-- Whoaaaa!
Kyle bumps into a tall, meticulously etched bookcase! It teeters on its edge! The shopkeeper dives to save it! Zander and Kyle share a wink...
Time - 16 hours
Wes: You’d let me see your sales records for my statistics project? That’s real cool of you, Carly...
The intern smiles flirtatiously at Wes as he pulls out his phone and snaps a high-res photo of the manifest. Across the shop, the shopkeeper can’t see past the enormous stack of boxes he’s carrying out to Zander’s car. Just then, Kyle and Zander notice Wes moving for the exit. They grab the boxes from the shopkeeper and dash outside!
Kyle: Nice doing business with you! Toodles!
Back at school, Wes reviews his findings with you and Nishan.
Wes: Looks like there have been several addresses that purchased multiple boxes of this type.
Nishan: I crossreferenced them against Athena Academy’s student rolls. None matched.
Danny: That might just mean that Pandora is smart enough not to ship her signature boxes to her own house.
Nishan: Then we’ve got to visit each of these delivery addresses and try to figure out which one is being used by Pandora! Let’s go!
Autumn: Danny, hold on! We’ve got a serious problem!
Danny: Can it wait? We’re hot on Pandora’s trail.
Autumn: The soccer tournament is TODAY, and we’re not prepared! You said you wouldn’t forget about it.
Danny: ...you’re right. We can check out the addresses later, Nishan. It can wait until after the tournament. Okay, Autumn, what’s the problem?
Autumn: It’s Sakura. Come quick!
Requirements
Danny: So what’s wrong with Sakura?
Autumn: Well, we were practicing and... I’ll just let you see for yourself. It’s not pretty.
Time - 20 hours
Sakura lines up in goal, bouncing on her toes...
Sakura: Give me your best shot!
Autumn steaks toward the goal and shoots! Sakura dives out of the way!
Danny: Sakura, why did you leap away from the ball?
Sakura: I’m just not accustomed to getting hit with things IRL.
Danny: But you’re the goalkeeper. You have the best reaction times by far. We need you to stop the shots.
Autumn: Looks like we’ll have to work on that...
Autumn pulls you aside.
Autumn: Danny, we need to help Sakura get over her fear.
Danny: Can’t we just find someone else to play keeper?
Autumn: I’ve watched out other players a lot. No one out there has the instincts of an elite keeper like Sakura does. You saw Athena Academy practice. Unless we find some people to inspire Sakura to face her fear... we don’t even have a shot at winning the prize money.
Danny: Then we have to hurry.
Requirements
You and Autumn lead Sakura to where John and Nate are trying out new tricks on the vert ramp!
John: Going in for the 720 tailgrab!
As Nate films the spectacle, John launches off the vert... But the board goes sailing away!
John: Oof!
John wiped out hard, skidding back down the ramp!
Nate: Ha ha, get up! Let’s go again!
Sakura: That looked bad.
John: I’m okay. It hurts to fail, but when you get it right, it’s all worth it.
Nate: Yeah, it’s not about being fearless... it’s about facing your fear.
John recovers the board and skates back onto the ramp, launching into the same trick... This time, John nails it!
Sakura: Whoa...
John: See, Sakura? All those times I wiped out... they hurt pretty bad, but they were all worth it just for that one moment of awesomeness.
John hands Sakura a skateboard.
John: Now you try. See if you can pop an ollie.
Sakura: I don’t know how to skateboard.
Danny: Come on, Sakura... I never thought you’d be one to turn down a challenge.
Sakura: Oh, I’m not turning it down. Hand me that board!
Sakura hops on the board, wobbling as it rolls.
Sakura: Whoa... these motion controls need some calibration...
Time - 1 day
Nate: Okay, practice time is over... you’ve got this. Right?
Sakura takes a deep breath.
Sakura: ...I’ve got this.
Sakura skates along the ramp... and pops a perfect ollie!
Danny: You did it!
Autumn: I knew you could!
Sakura: So did I, obviously. Now, let’s get down to the soccer field and see if any of you can score on me...
Back at the practice field, Autumn takes shot after shot on Sakura’s goal... And Sakura knocks each one away!
Sakura: Oof! That’s all you got?!
Autumn: Sakura, you’re amazing! With you in goal, we’ll be unbeatable!
Sakura: No big deal. It’s just like 3D, high-res Pong.
Danny: Okay, everyone, it’s time to head over to Athena Academy for the tournament!
Julian: Aw yeah! I’ve been waiting for this all week!
As everyone packs up to go, Mia whispers to you.
Mia: Aren’t you worried, Danny?
Danny: I know we’re beginners, but we practiced hard and we’re gonna give it our all.
Mia: Not the soccer games. I’m talking about Pandora! She’s gone silent! We haven’t heard from her since the CATs!
Danny: Isn’t that a good thing? Maybe spoiling the CATs for us was her ultimate goal... Or maybe I’m being naively optimistic.
Mia: We need to keep an eye out.
Mia looks around at the team preparing to head out.
Mia: Wait, this can’t be everyone! Take it from a cheerleader. We have no chance of winning unless we bring a big crowd to root us on!
Requirements
Your team jogs out onto the sunny field at Athena Academy and lines up against your first-round opponent. In the stands, dozens of your classmates roar and cheer!
Danny: All right, everyone. This is what we’ve been training for. Let’s make them proud!
The game starts! Your team wins easily against the first two competitors, thanks heavily to Autumn’s excellent shooting, and soon you’re in the semifinals, lining up for another kickoff!
Wes: Whew, this is getting exhausting!
Autumn: Come on, guys! Keep up the pace!
You steal the ball with a standing tackle and dribble upfield in a weaving slalom run! The crowd roars as you draw near the goal!
Danny: Whoa! Someone get open!
Autumn: Here!
You loft a lobbed through-ball and connect with Autumn’s foot! The ball swerves in a wicked curve, diving under the keeper’s outstretched gloves!
Julian: Boom!
Soon after, you’re back on the field for the winner-take-all final against none other than Athena Academy. Lacey, Brigette, and Katherine line up opposite you.
Brigette: Great job making it this far, guys. You’ve really outdone yourselves.
Mia: We’re not done yet, cousin.
Lacey: Don’t get cocky, Mia.
Just then, Autumn jogs out of the locker room, looking pale.
Danny: Are you okay? You don’t look too hot.
Autumn: I’m just... I’m fine.
The game kicks off! Autumn dribbles upfield, but Katherine easily pokes the ball away! Brigette gets the loose ball, and Autumn slides to tackle... but misses by a mile!
Brigette: Nice try!
Brigette slices past your defense and slots the ball to Lacey for an easy goal in the first sixty seconds!
Lacey: Come on, guys, the game started! Don’t make it too easy!
On your possession, you zip a ground cross to Autumn... who shoots the ball way over the net and into the stands! Athena’s players laugh!
Autumn: Sorry, guys. I just need to get my head in the game...
The time ticks away, until you’re in the 90th minute!
Sakura: Danny, we’ve still got a chance. It’s only 1-0, but we have to sub out Autumn!
Danny: She’s our best player!
Sakura: She’s choking! She keeps giving the ball up and missing every shot she takes! We’ve got to get her off the field!
You take a long look at Autumn as she sloppily turns over possession again.
Danny: You’re right. We need to put someone else in and figure out a strategy. There’s not much time!
Requirements
Autumn: You’re taking me out?!
Danny: We don’t have a choice, Autumn.
Sakura: We’ve only got a minute left to tie this game up, and we can’t do that with you throwing our chances away!
Autumn: Please, Danny! You have to leave me in! You have to!
Danny: Sakura’s right. We relied on you to get this far. Now it’s time for you to rely on us to close it out.
Autumn’s eyes well with tears... she runs off into the locker room! You start after her.
Danny: Autumn, wait--
Sakura; Danny, this isn’t feelings time! Athena’s about to inbound the ball! We need a play!
Kimia: I won’t let you guys down. In fact, I noticed something when I was watching from the bench. Katherine is playing alone on defense on the left side. If Julian and I can split the defense and force her to choose who to cover, you can pass to whoever’s open!
Danny: Sounds like a plan! It’s now or never!
Time - 18 hours
You race upfield with the ball! Your whole team presses forward, even Sakura, leaving your own goal empty! Across the pitch, you see Julian and Kimia streaking like twins comets toward Katherine, defending the left flank on her own!
Katherine: ...
Katherine looks back and forth between Julian and Kimia, splitting the difference between them as they sweep towards the goal! Then she closes in on Julian!
Danny: (Now’s my chance!)
You lash a cross toward Kimia! Your pass sails toward an unmarked Kimia, way over Katherine’s head!
Katherine: Oh no!
Kimia: OH YEAH!
In goal, Brigette makes a desperate dive, but Kimia volleys home, blasting a vicious strike into the roof of the net! The crowd explodes in a deafening roar! Your classmates cheer wildly, dancing in the stands as the referee’s whistle blows!
Julian: GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!
Your whole team slides into a dogpile on the grass, celebrating while Lacey chews out a tearful Katherine on the sideline.
Payton: We did it! Tied 1-1 at the end of regulation!
Danny: Great job, guys, but it’s not over yet.
Payton: Yeah, now it’s all coming down to penalty kicks! Who should take ours?
Mia: They’d better be cool as a cucumber. The pressure’s going to be insane!
Requirements
Katherine sets the ball on the penalty spot... jogs up... and slots the ball past Sakura!
Katherine: Yes!
Sakura: Argh!
While Athena’s players cheer, Alexandra takes your first penalty. Brigette dives... and punches the ball out!
Brigette: Woohoo!
Alexandra: Oh no...
Danny: Uh oh, we’re down 1-0 already!
Another Athena girl stutter-steps up to her penalty, trying to fake Sakura out... but Sakura doesn’t blink! She lunges and swats the ball away!
Sakura: YOU SHALL NOT PASS!
Berry takes a penalty, curling it beautifully into the top corner! Brigette had no chance!
Berry: Tied up! 1-1!
Payton: Oh man, this is going to come down to the wire!
Time - 14 hours
The scoreboard reads three penalties a piece as Lacey marches up to take Athena’s final kick. She swaggers back into her starting position and smirks at Sakura.
Lacey: No hard feelings, okay, Sakura?
Sakura: Grr...
Lacey jogs up to the ball... and hammers it at high-velocity straight at Sakura!
Sakura: Aah!
But Sakura doesn’t dive out of the way! Her feet stay firm! The ball drills her right in the chest! She flies back into the net, but Lacey’s shot bounces off her and rolls to a pathetic stop outside the goal!
Lacey: Impossible!
Danny: Sakura! You did it! You took that like a champ!
Sakura: Of course I did.
Payton: Sakura, careful! You landed on your wrist... You might’ve sprained it!
Sakura: I’m fine!
Sakura flexes her hand and winces.
Payton: Danny, I think she’s done for the day. If you make this, we win, but if you miss... Let’s just say it’ll be hard to win with an injured keeper.
Danny: Then I won’t let you down.
You walk out under the bright lights of the pitch, plant the ball at the penalty spot, and take a few paces back.
Danny: (Whew... this is kinda scary...)
Then you turn and see your teammates, arms around each other, watching you with pride and hope. You nod to them, focus on the ball, exhale, and stutter-step! You jog up to the ball, but stop yourself at the last second! Brigette cheats to the left, revealing her play!
Brigette: No, wait--
And you smash the penalty into the right side netting!
Julian: It’s over! We won!
You team rushes out and wraps you in huge hugs! Your whole school races down the bleachers and storms the field, surrounding the team in a giant crowd of euphoric celebration!
Mia: You did it, Danny!
Danny: WE did it! With all that money, we can reopen all our clubs!
Payton: And get better lunchroom meals?
Danny: That too.
Payton: Score!
You shake hands with Lacey, Katherine, and Brigette, all sullen and shocked.
Danny: That was really a great game and super fun!
Lacey: Easy for you to say. You won.
Payton: I have an idea! Let’s throw a big party to unwind!
Mia: Brigette? Do you guys wanna come?
Brigette: Oh, sure. Your school played your hearts out. It was awesome playing against you.
Katherine: Yeah. You deserve every bit of prize money you get.
Lacey: Well... I guess I could use some relaxation after all.
Danny: So, Payton, where are we throwing this party?
Payton: I talked to some of our friends who came to cheer us on, and it turns out that LOTS of people want to throw parties. So I thought, why limit ourselves to just one? That’s so closed-minded!
Danny: Oh boy...
Payton: Multi-party, commence!
Requirements
The last party of the night is in full swing! Students from all over the county splash around in a pool or laugh together over board games.
Payton: The multi-party was a colossal success in my book. An epic end to an epic day.
Danny: You can say that again!
Mia: Even the Athena girls look like they’re having a good time.
You search around the crowded party and realize someone’s missing.
Danny: Hey, Payton... do you know where Autumn is?
Payton: She never showed to any of the parties. I’ve been texting her all night. No response. Rude.
Danny: She seemed really upset at the tournament. I should go look for her.
Requirements
A little later, you show up at Autumn’s bedroom. You softly knock on the door and hear a sniffle.
Autumn: Come in.
Stepping inside, you find Autumn sitting crosslegged on her bed, an old photo album splayed open beside a half-empty box of tissues.
Danny: Autumn? What happened? What can I do?
Autumn: This.
She wraps you in a tight hug, and you let her stay there for a long minute until she breaks away.
Autumn: I’m so sorry, Danny.
Danny: Don’t worry about it! Everyone has their off-days. That’s why you have friends and teammates to back you up.
Autumn: You don’t understand. I wasn’t having an off day... I was throwing the game.
Danny: What?!
Time - 23 hours
Danny: You were intentionally trying to lose the game?! But why?! You knew how important it was to our school’s future!
Autumn hands you her phone. After a hundred texts from Payton, you find one from a blocked number and read it aloud.
Danny: ‘If you ever want to see your locket again, you better throw the game. -Pandora’ Your locket? The one that used to belong to your mom?
Autumn: I got that text after we won the semifinal. I went to my locker, and it was just gone.
Danny: This... this is too far.
Autumn: I’m so sorry, Danny. I can’t believe I let someone coerce me into betraying my closest friends.
Danny: No, Autumn. This is why it’s important to have friends you can confide in. We will always have your back. We can do the things you can’t on your own. And just like teamwork was the only way we could win today, teamwork’s the only way we can beat Pandora.
Autumn: You’re right. I promise not to hide anything from you guys ever again. You’re too important to me.
Danny: And you’re important to us. Which is why we’re getting our friends and going to get your locket back right now!
A few minutes later, you and Autumn are walking down to her car when her phone buzzes. Autumn reads aloud the text from a blocked number.
Autumn: ‘Since you DID try to lose the game, Autumn, you earned your locket back, fair and square. -Pandora’
Danny: Autumn, look.
Resting on top of Autumn’s car is an exquisite, handcrafted wooden box. Autumn gives you a nervous look and pops up the lid.
Danny: What is it, Autumn? Is it the locket?
Autumn: Yes... it is...
Autumn opens the box to show you a silver heart-shaped locket, smashed to pieces. Tears rush to her eyes. She buries her face in your shoulder.
Danny: Now it’s personal.
Can you and your friends put a stop to Pandora’s reign of terror? Find out in the next quest on High School Story!
- Julian
- Payton
- Mia
Payton: Hey, Danny, what’s going on?
Wes: Yeah, what’s with the emergency student body meeting?
Danny: Nishan and I have something to share with everyone. It’s important.
Mia: Is this about the money shortage? If you cut the cheer squad’s funding any lower, we’re going to have to start sewing our own uniforms!
Julian: The football team too. And we are NOT good at sewing.
Sakura: And have you even SEEN the disgusting meat they’re serving in the cafeteria? That’s how zombie outbreaks start!
Mia: None of this would be a problem if we’d gotten the grant money from the CATs... but for some reason, our three best test-takers were AWOL!
Nishan: Yeah... about that. We have a much bigger problem to deal with...
Time - 8 hours
Gathered in the auditorium, all of your classmates listen, mouths agape, as Nishan recounts Pandora’s actions, leading up to stranding you, Nishan, and Sakura in the woods. He trails off, and a stunned silence hangs over the room.
Payton: I just... how can someone be so MEAN?!
Julian: Sorry, but nobody, and I mean NOBODY, messes with my friends!
Wes: All of the Simon Says stuff was just a distraction for the main event... I almost admire the elegance of the con.
Mia: Wes!
Wes: I said ‘almost’!
The assembly devolves into chaotic shouting!
Payton: Does Pandora know, like, EVERYONE’s deep dark secrets?! Not that I have any...
Julian: I’m just preemptively going to say for the record, I am NOT terrified of clowns, okay?
Nishan: Guys, listen! Are we just gonna sit around talking endlessly like this is ‘The Walking Dead’? Or are we gonna do something about it?!
Sakura: I say we pwn this Pandora punk. Some good old-fashioned revenge, served just like our cafeteria food. Cold.
Autumn: But how can we put a stop to all the blackmail when we have no idea who’s behind it?
Nishan: There has to be a clue somewhere. I just need to really think...
Requirements
- Level Nishan
Nishan meets up with you and your friends in the halls between classes...
Payton: So have you figured out Pandora’s secret identity, Nishan?
Nishan: Well, the evidence suggests it’s NOT my goateed evil twin from a dimensional rift, as I had feared.
Danny: That’s good, I guess.
Nishan: Not only that, but I was also able to piece together a lead!
Nishan: So, in every criminal investigation, you start with the M.M.O.
Sakura: And what exactly does a massively multiplayer online game have to do with this?
Nishan: I’m talking about motive, means, and opportunity! And the most important one is the motive! So I asked myself, what’s Pandora’s angle? Who did she originally target, and why?
Payton: Pandora wanted Lacey out of the running for Athena Academy’s Cotillion Queen... and then went after Katherine!
Nishan: And who stood to gain the most by ruining our school’s scores on the CAT exams?
Danny: Athena Academy!
Nishan: Exactly. Pandora made sure that they won the state funding, not to mention the eternal glory.
Autumn: So we’re pretty sure Pandora is a student at Athena? Maybe we should talk to our friends there and see if they can help us!
Nishan: Sakura and Danny, I want you two to come with me to Athena and have a chat with Lacey, Brigette, and Katherine.
Danny: What are we waiting for?
Requirements
- Danny
- Nishan
- Sakura
That afternoon, Sakura parks in the visitor lot, and the three of you walk onto Athena Academy’s sunny, manicured campus.
Danny: Look, there’s Lacey, Brigette, and Katherine.
You point to the soccer field, where the three Athena girls are in the middle of rigorous soccer drills. Lacey rockets a high-powered volley into a small target hanging in the goal! Brigette and Katherine nail the same spot in quick succession!
Nishan: Wow, they’re amazing!
Sakura: They aren’t terrible, no.
Danny: So how do you want to handle this conversation, Nishan? The girls might not like us accusing their school of harboring Pandora.
Nishan: Oh! I saw this on Law & Order! We need to do ‘Good Cop, Bad Cop!’ I’ll be the nice on, but if they’re acting defensive, Sakura can jump in and be aggressive. It’s sorta like a role-playing game!
Sakura: A game? You’re going down, Nishan!
Nishan: Uh, it’s more of a co-op campaign.
Sakura: You know I don’t do co-op.
Nishan: On second thought, maybe you should be bad cop, Danny.
Time - 12 hours
You, Nishan, and Sakura approach the Athena girls, who are taking a quick water break from their soccer practice.
Brigette: Hi, friends. What brings you here?
Nishan: Have you heard what Pandora did?
Danny: She stranded the three of us out in the woods during the CATs, sabotaging our chance to win the prize.
Katherine: Oh no, that’s terrible! I’m so sorry!
Sakura: Trust me, SHE’LL be sorry soon enough.
Nishan: Have you guys heard from Pandora since the last time she blackmailed Katherine?
Lacey: Huh? When? You never mentioned this, Katherine.
Katherine: What? I-- I didn’t want anyone to worry! Uh, shouldn’t we get back to practice?
Nishan: Since Pandora has gone after everyone here, it’s important that we share any information we have, no matter what. We think Pandora is a student at Athena Academy with you, so we need you three to snoop around for any clues.
Lacey: No way! Pandora’s left us alone lately, and honestly, I want to keep it that way.
Katherine: Lacey’s right. If we go looking for clues, we’ll just end up making her mad!
Brigette: Sorry, but we have to get back to practice. We do wish you luck with your search, though...
Danny: (Uh oh, time to be bad cop! I’ve got to show them we’re serious!) Listen, we’re not joking around. If you don’t want to take a hard look at your classmates, maybe the police will. And I really don’t think that would look good for your esteemed school, now would it?
Katherine looks at Lacey, uneasy.
Katherine: Lacey... we really, REALLY can’t have the police involved. That would ruin the school.
Lacey: Okay, fine, Danny. We’ll poke around and let you know if we come up with anything. Now if you’ll excuse us, we have some practicing to do.
Sakura: What for?
Katherine: We’re getting ready for the county-wide soccer tournament this weekend!
Nishan: A tournament?
Lacey: Come on, Katherine, let’s go! We’re wasting precious time!
Katherine: Oh. Well, here’s a flyer if you guys want to come cheer us on.
Nishan: Danny, look. The winner gets a funding grant.
Danny: That much money could keep our clubs open for sure.
Brigette: I wouldn’t get your hopes up. Athena Academy is really good soccer. We win the tournament every year.
Sakura: Is that a challenge? Bring it on.
Lacey: Then by all means, sign up. We’ll see you on the pitch.
Lacey, Brigette, and Katherine run back onto the soccer pitch and resume their drills.
Sakura: They always win the tournament, huh? Good. No competition means they’ve gone soft. It’s the perfect moment to strike and dethrone them!
Danny: And save our clubs?
Sakura: Sure. That too.
Nishan: There’s just one problem... the tournament’s this weekend, and we don’t even have a soccer team!
Danny: Then we better start recruiting a squad. But first, we need to make sure our sports program can handle one!
Requirements
- Spend 400,000 coins
- Have 2 Upgraded Jock Hangouts
Back at school, you convince your friends to enter the tournament.
Danny: Now that we have the space to host a full team, I think we might have a shot at pulling this off.
Autumn: The school just had to sell off the equipment in our photography lab, so if this can save our extracurriculars, I’m in 100%.
Wes: Putting together a championship-level soccer team in less than a week? Sounds near- impossible to pull off... and that’s just how I like it.
After posting some flyers around the school, you arrive at the soccer field after class to find a great turnout for the team.
Danny: Thanks for coming, everybody! We’ve got a couple days to go from a ragtag gang of underdogs to a well-oiled, goal-scoring machine! So let’s get started!
You dump out a sack full of soccer balls, and everyone starts kicking them around. You stand back and watch... As everybody trips over themselves!
Sakura: This is pathetic! Every pass is going way out of bounds, Payton won’t head the ball because it’s ‘dirty’, and Julian: keeps tackling people!
Autumn: That’s not the real problem.
You and Sakura see Autumn watching from the sidelines, clutching her bookbag.
Autumn: Soccer is about technical skill, sure, but mostly it’s about teamwork. But, look. Nobody’s passing. Everyone’s hogging the ball.
Danny: I didn’t know you played, Autumn!
Autumn: After my mom passed away, my dad didn’t know what to do with me, so he signed me up for a ton of after-school programs. I was actually on a soccer team for a few years.
Danny: Do you think you could help us out? We sure could use someone with experience to lead our team.
Autumn: I’d love to.
Autumn takes off her jacket and slips a heart-shaped silver locked off her neck, putting it carefully in her bag.
Payton: That’s a gorgeous locket, Autumn! You HAVE to tell me where you got it!
Autumn: Oh... it was my mom’s. And her mother’s before that. She gave it to me right when she got sick. When I wear this locket... I feel like she’s still with me. But I’d never play soccer with it on. It’s an antique, so it’s really delicate, and I don’t want it to get damaged.
Autumn pops a loose ball off the ground, balances it on her knee, then cracks a whistling half-volley into the net!
Julian: Wow! Autumn, you’re incredible!
Danny: With a player like you, we might just stand a chance. Do you know what we can do to get everyone practicing together?
Autumn: This is a big group. I can’t teach everyone on my own. We’ll need more trainers to get our team in playing shape!
Requirements
- A Level 7+ Jock Except Danny (Emily)
- A Level 7+ Jock Except Danny (Alex)
Emily: All right, everybody! Line up! On the double!
Alex: You’re about to undergo the most grueling transformation of your life...
Payton: Um, grueling? I don’t do well with grueling. Or gruel, for that matter.
Alex: From a bunch of bumbling buffoons... to a TEAM.
Emily: We’re going to run drills so many times that you will be able to telepathically anticipate your teammate’s position at any moment!
Alex: First, we need to make sure you guys are on an athlete’s diet! What do you all eat for breakfast?
Payton: A peppermint latte.
Nishan: Mountain Dew and Mountain Dew-flavored chips.
Alex: Wrong answer! Now THIS is your breakfast!
Emily and Alex hand out bottles of a chunky, murky green fluid.
Sakura: This looks like Metroid puke.
Emily: It is your daily protein-veggie shake of nutrients and minerals.
Payton: Blech! It tastes like a lawn mower!
Emily: Yeah, it tastes bad. But you know what tastes better than anything you’ve ever known? VICTORY!
Time - 20 hours
Later that very hot day, sweat-soaked players hustle around the field...
Payton: Can I leave for a bit to go get better running shoes?
Alex: No show shopping, Payton! Now dribble the ball through those cones!
Wes: I’m going to go up in the stands and analyze our players from there. I’ll draw up a gameplan.
Autumn: Wes, I know you’re just trying to sit down and take a break, but we can’t yet.
Hours pass... and slowly but surely, everyone improves!
Danny: Nice pass, Payton!
You lay the ball off for Mia, who does a quick pirouette around a defender and scores!
Mia: Yes! I knew my cheer routine would come in handy.
Emily: Good work, everyone! Watching you play almost doesn’t make me want to cry in despair.
Mia: Thanks?
Emily: Next, we need to decide on a goalkeeper. Which of you has the best reaction times?
Nishan: That’d be Sakura.
Sakura: Last line of defense, impossible odds... that’s my kinda fight.
Alex: What about you, Danny? What position do you want to play?
Danny: Hmm... I want to play midfielder.
You line up in the midfield, and the scrimmage resumes! You stop a lobbed pass with your chest and spot Autumn streaking upfield!
Autumn: Danny! I’m open!
Danny: I’ve got you!
You lace a perfect through-ball past the opposing defense! Autumn takes one touch... and blasts the ball home!
Autumn: Yeah! Nice assist, Danny!
Danny: What can I say? We get along well!
Alex: Wow! Excellent progress all around! We might make a team out of you yet.
Emily: That’s a wrap for today! Everyone, get some rest!
Mia: My calves... my poor, poor calves...
Payton: I’m going to take a nice long bath. Preferably with bubbles.
Nishan sidles up to you, keeping his voice low.
Nishan: Hey, Danny, are you busy?
Danny: I’m pretty exhausted, actually. We just finished a pretty intense practice, so--
Nishan: Perfect timing then. I need your help. I have another lead on Pandora. The boxes. The one she gave Katherine and the one she left in the woods.
Danny: Oh! If we analyze them, you’re thinking we can find out where Pandora got them!
Nishan: Precisely. We just need the right people to examine them.
Requirements
- Nishan
- A Level 8+ Nerd (Kimia)
- A Level 7+ Artist Except Autumn (Nick)
Kimia and Nick enter the science lab... and find Nishan ready and waiting.
Nishan: Are we all set?
Kimia: I brought my mass spectrometer from home. With this, we can deduce the type of wood and the chemical makeup of the sealant...
Nick: And I brought my textbooks on woodworking. We’ll be able to identify the precise style and era of the sample!
Nishan: Perfect. Let’s get started!
Time - 14 hours
Autumn finds you in the science lab, awaiting the results of the tests.
Autumn: Danny, what are you doing? We need to be preparing for the tournament this weekend!
Danny: This is important, Autumn. We might be able to track down the person who’s been tormenting us.
Autumn: But you can’t be doing two things at once. Isn’t that what we learned last time? We’ve got a second chance to get our school funding, and we all have to focus on the soccer game. If you get too caught up in tracking down Pandora, you’ll be playing right into her hands... again.
Danny: I haven’t forgotten about the tournament, Autumn. None of us have. But so long as Pandora’s out there, stuff like the tournament will just be playing catch-up... patching the damage she’s already done. We have to stop her.
Just then, a computer chirps, and a print churns out a sheet of data!
Kimia: Oh, the results are in!
Nishan: What have we got?
Nick: The floral engraving and mechanical lid suggests the early stages of the functionality period...
Kimia: I identified the wood as birch, likely a New Hampshire breed.
Nishan: I’ll cross-reference the data... Looks like there’s only one shop in the county that makes boxes like this. Look!
Danny: ‘Pinkman Woodworking Company.’ Great work, guys! What’s our next step?
Nishan: Now comes the tricky part. How are we supposed to see the shop’s sales records? They’re not just going to hand them over.
Danny: We’ll make a plan... and I know just the guy to help us.
Wes: So. You need access to a wood shop’s sales records, huh?
Danny; Yes. Can you help us?
Wes: I’ve got an idea. But schemes like this aren’t cheap.
Requirements
- Spend 450,000 coins
Wes: That’ll do. On to the next phase.
Nishan: Do you want to share what you have in mind?
Wes: I did a little recon. Turns out I know a girl who interns at the wood shop from back in middle school. I bet I can convince her to show me the sales records. Trouble is, the owner’s got a rep for being a stickler. Now ay he’d let that fly.
Danny: Then what are we going to do?
Wes: Let’s just say Pandora’s not the only one who knows a thing or two about the powers of distraction. We’re going to use these funds to buy a bunch of the shopkeeper’s most expensive boxes, like the ones Pandora uses. That will get his attention... and keep it off me.
Danny: So who are we sending in?
Wes: While I turn on the charm for the intern, we’ll need a performance that’s both utterly convincing and completely distracting. I’m thinking a two-person act... a serious straight-man, and a wacky decoy!
Requirements
- Wes
- An Actor (Zander)
- A Class Clown (Kyle)
Ding! A bell rings as Zander and Kyle strut in the front door of Pinkman Woodworking Company and approach the shopkeeper’s register.
Zander: Good day, sir. My associate and I are interested in acquiring a sizeable quantity your renowned birch keepsake cases.
Kyle: Most expensive ones you got, bro!
Kyle slams a large stack of crisp bills on the countertop. The shopkeeper’s eyes go wide.
Zander: Yes, perhaps now we have your attention?
Wes: This is my chance.
Wes slinks in and spots the shop’s intern arranging delicate trinkets on the shelves.
Wes: Hey, Carly. How long’s it been?
Meanwhile, Zander and Kyle step up to the distraction...
Zander: Ahem, I’m afraid none of these boxes suit my fancy. They lack a certain panache. You see, my cat, King Whiskers, first of his name... he loved boxes. Primarily sitting in them, as if they were his thrones. I dare not purchase any unworthy of his memory.
Kyle: How about these ones-- Whoaaaa!
Kyle bumps into a tall, meticulously etched bookcase! It teeters on its edge! The shopkeeper dives to save it! Zander and Kyle share a wink...
Time - 16 hours
Wes: You’d let me see your sales records for my statistics project? That’s real cool of you, Carly...
The intern smiles flirtatiously at Wes as he pulls out his phone and snaps a high-res photo of the manifest. Across the shop, the shopkeeper can’t see past the enormous stack of boxes he’s carrying out to Zander’s car. Just then, Kyle and Zander notice Wes moving for the exit. They grab the boxes from the shopkeeper and dash outside!
Kyle: Nice doing business with you! Toodles!
Back at school, Wes reviews his findings with you and Nishan.
Wes: Looks like there have been several addresses that purchased multiple boxes of this type.
Nishan: I crossreferenced them against Athena Academy’s student rolls. None matched.
Danny: That might just mean that Pandora is smart enough not to ship her signature boxes to her own house.
Nishan: Then we’ve got to visit each of these delivery addresses and try to figure out which one is being used by Pandora! Let’s go!
Autumn: Danny, hold on! We’ve got a serious problem!
Danny: Can it wait? We’re hot on Pandora’s trail.
Autumn: The soccer tournament is TODAY, and we’re not prepared! You said you wouldn’t forget about it.
Danny: ...you’re right. We can check out the addresses later, Nishan. It can wait until after the tournament. Okay, Autumn, what’s the problem?
Autumn: It’s Sakura. Come quick!
Requirements
- Danny
- Autumn
- Sakura
Danny: So what’s wrong with Sakura?
Autumn: Well, we were practicing and... I’ll just let you see for yourself. It’s not pretty.
Time - 20 hours
Sakura lines up in goal, bouncing on her toes...
Sakura: Give me your best shot!
Autumn steaks toward the goal and shoots! Sakura dives out of the way!
Danny: Sakura, why did you leap away from the ball?
Sakura: I’m just not accustomed to getting hit with things IRL.
Danny: But you’re the goalkeeper. You have the best reaction times by far. We need you to stop the shots.
Autumn: Looks like we’ll have to work on that...
Autumn pulls you aside.
Autumn: Danny, we need to help Sakura get over her fear.
Danny: Can’t we just find someone else to play keeper?
Autumn: I’ve watched out other players a lot. No one out there has the instincts of an elite keeper like Sakura does. You saw Athena Academy practice. Unless we find some people to inspire Sakura to face her fear... we don’t even have a shot at winning the prize money.
Danny: Then we have to hurry.
Requirements
- A Level 7+ Skater (John)
- A Skater (Nate)
You and Autumn lead Sakura to where John and Nate are trying out new tricks on the vert ramp!
John: Going in for the 720 tailgrab!
As Nate films the spectacle, John launches off the vert... But the board goes sailing away!
John: Oof!
John wiped out hard, skidding back down the ramp!
Nate: Ha ha, get up! Let’s go again!
Sakura: That looked bad.
John: I’m okay. It hurts to fail, but when you get it right, it’s all worth it.
Nate: Yeah, it’s not about being fearless... it’s about facing your fear.
John recovers the board and skates back onto the ramp, launching into the same trick... This time, John nails it!
Sakura: Whoa...
John: See, Sakura? All those times I wiped out... they hurt pretty bad, but they were all worth it just for that one moment of awesomeness.
John hands Sakura a skateboard.
John: Now you try. See if you can pop an ollie.
Sakura: I don’t know how to skateboard.
Danny: Come on, Sakura... I never thought you’d be one to turn down a challenge.
Sakura: Oh, I’m not turning it down. Hand me that board!
Sakura hops on the board, wobbling as it rolls.
Sakura: Whoa... these motion controls need some calibration...
Time - 1 day
Nate: Okay, practice time is over... you’ve got this. Right?
Sakura takes a deep breath.
Sakura: ...I’ve got this.
Sakura skates along the ramp... and pops a perfect ollie!
Danny: You did it!
Autumn: I knew you could!
Sakura: So did I, obviously. Now, let’s get down to the soccer field and see if any of you can score on me...
Back at the practice field, Autumn takes shot after shot on Sakura’s goal... And Sakura knocks each one away!
Sakura: Oof! That’s all you got?!
Autumn: Sakura, you’re amazing! With you in goal, we’ll be unbeatable!
Sakura: No big deal. It’s just like 3D, high-res Pong.
Danny: Okay, everyone, it’s time to head over to Athena Academy for the tournament!
Julian: Aw yeah! I’ve been waiting for this all week!
As everyone packs up to go, Mia whispers to you.
Mia: Aren’t you worried, Danny?
Danny: I know we’re beginners, but we practiced hard and we’re gonna give it our all.
Mia: Not the soccer games. I’m talking about Pandora! She’s gone silent! We haven’t heard from her since the CATs!
Danny: Isn’t that a good thing? Maybe spoiling the CATs for us was her ultimate goal... Or maybe I’m being naively optimistic.
Mia: We need to keep an eye out.
Mia looks around at the team preparing to head out.
Mia: Wait, this can’t be everyone! Take it from a cheerleader. We have no chance of winning unless we bring a big crowd to root us on!
Requirements
- Have 15 Guy Classmates
- Have 15 Girl Classmates
Your team jogs out onto the sunny field at Athena Academy and lines up against your first-round opponent. In the stands, dozens of your classmates roar and cheer!
Danny: All right, everyone. This is what we’ve been training for. Let’s make them proud!
The game starts! Your team wins easily against the first two competitors, thanks heavily to Autumn’s excellent shooting, and soon you’re in the semifinals, lining up for another kickoff!
Wes: Whew, this is getting exhausting!
Autumn: Come on, guys! Keep up the pace!
You steal the ball with a standing tackle and dribble upfield in a weaving slalom run! The crowd roars as you draw near the goal!
Danny: Whoa! Someone get open!
Autumn: Here!
You loft a lobbed through-ball and connect with Autumn’s foot! The ball swerves in a wicked curve, diving under the keeper’s outstretched gloves!
Julian: Boom!
Soon after, you’re back on the field for the winner-take-all final against none other than Athena Academy. Lacey, Brigette, and Katherine line up opposite you.
Brigette: Great job making it this far, guys. You’ve really outdone yourselves.
Mia: We’re not done yet, cousin.
Lacey: Don’t get cocky, Mia.
Just then, Autumn jogs out of the locker room, looking pale.
Danny: Are you okay? You don’t look too hot.
Autumn: I’m just... I’m fine.
The game kicks off! Autumn dribbles upfield, but Katherine easily pokes the ball away! Brigette gets the loose ball, and Autumn slides to tackle... but misses by a mile!
Brigette: Nice try!
Brigette slices past your defense and slots the ball to Lacey for an easy goal in the first sixty seconds!
Lacey: Come on, guys, the game started! Don’t make it too easy!
On your possession, you zip a ground cross to Autumn... who shoots the ball way over the net and into the stands! Athena’s players laugh!
Autumn: Sorry, guys. I just need to get my head in the game...
The time ticks away, until you’re in the 90th minute!
Sakura: Danny, we’ve still got a chance. It’s only 1-0, but we have to sub out Autumn!
Danny: She’s our best player!
Sakura: She’s choking! She keeps giving the ball up and missing every shot she takes! We’ve got to get her off the field!
You take a long look at Autumn as she sloppily turns over possession again.
Danny: You’re right. We need to put someone else in and figure out a strategy. There’s not much time!
Requirements
- A Level 9+ Classmate Except Autumn and Sakura (Kimia)
- Julian
- Danny
Autumn: You’re taking me out?!
Danny: We don’t have a choice, Autumn.
Sakura: We’ve only got a minute left to tie this game up, and we can’t do that with you throwing our chances away!
Autumn: Please, Danny! You have to leave me in! You have to!
Danny: Sakura’s right. We relied on you to get this far. Now it’s time for you to rely on us to close it out.
Autumn’s eyes well with tears... she runs off into the locker room! You start after her.
Danny: Autumn, wait--
Sakura; Danny, this isn’t feelings time! Athena’s about to inbound the ball! We need a play!
Kimia: I won’t let you guys down. In fact, I noticed something when I was watching from the bench. Katherine is playing alone on defense on the left side. If Julian and I can split the defense and force her to choose who to cover, you can pass to whoever’s open!
Danny: Sounds like a plan! It’s now or never!
Time - 18 hours
You race upfield with the ball! Your whole team presses forward, even Sakura, leaving your own goal empty! Across the pitch, you see Julian and Kimia streaking like twins comets toward Katherine, defending the left flank on her own!
Katherine: ...
Katherine looks back and forth between Julian and Kimia, splitting the difference between them as they sweep towards the goal! Then she closes in on Julian!
Danny: (Now’s my chance!)
You lash a cross toward Kimia! Your pass sails toward an unmarked Kimia, way over Katherine’s head!
Katherine: Oh no!
Kimia: OH YEAH!
In goal, Brigette makes a desperate dive, but Kimia volleys home, blasting a vicious strike into the roof of the net! The crowd explodes in a deafening roar! Your classmates cheer wildly, dancing in the stands as the referee’s whistle blows!
Julian: GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!
Your whole team slides into a dogpile on the grass, celebrating while Lacey chews out a tearful Katherine on the sideline.
Payton: We did it! Tied 1-1 at the end of regulation!
Danny: Great job, guys, but it’s not over yet.
Payton: Yeah, now it’s all coming down to penalty kicks! Who should take ours?
Mia: They’d better be cool as a cucumber. The pressure’s going to be insane!
Requirements
- Danny
- A Classmate Except Autumn (Alexandra)
- A Classmate Except Autumn (Berry)
Katherine sets the ball on the penalty spot... jogs up... and slots the ball past Sakura!
Katherine: Yes!
Sakura: Argh!
While Athena’s players cheer, Alexandra takes your first penalty. Brigette dives... and punches the ball out!
Brigette: Woohoo!
Alexandra: Oh no...
Danny: Uh oh, we’re down 1-0 already!
Another Athena girl stutter-steps up to her penalty, trying to fake Sakura out... but Sakura doesn’t blink! She lunges and swats the ball away!
Sakura: YOU SHALL NOT PASS!
Berry takes a penalty, curling it beautifully into the top corner! Brigette had no chance!
Berry: Tied up! 1-1!
Payton: Oh man, this is going to come down to the wire!
Time - 14 hours
The scoreboard reads three penalties a piece as Lacey marches up to take Athena’s final kick. She swaggers back into her starting position and smirks at Sakura.
Lacey: No hard feelings, okay, Sakura?
Sakura: Grr...
Lacey jogs up to the ball... and hammers it at high-velocity straight at Sakura!
Sakura: Aah!
But Sakura doesn’t dive out of the way! Her feet stay firm! The ball drills her right in the chest! She flies back into the net, but Lacey’s shot bounces off her and rolls to a pathetic stop outside the goal!
Lacey: Impossible!
Danny: Sakura! You did it! You took that like a champ!
Sakura: Of course I did.
Payton: Sakura, careful! You landed on your wrist... You might’ve sprained it!
Sakura: I’m fine!
Sakura flexes her hand and winces.
Payton: Danny, I think she’s done for the day. If you make this, we win, but if you miss... Let’s just say it’ll be hard to win with an injured keeper.
Danny: Then I won’t let you down.
You walk out under the bright lights of the pitch, plant the ball at the penalty spot, and take a few paces back.
Danny: (Whew... this is kinda scary...)
Then you turn and see your teammates, arms around each other, watching you with pride and hope. You nod to them, focus on the ball, exhale, and stutter-step! You jog up to the ball, but stop yourself at the last second! Brigette cheats to the left, revealing her play!
Brigette: No, wait--
And you smash the penalty into the right side netting!
Julian: It’s over! We won!
You team rushes out and wraps you in huge hugs! Your whole school races down the bleachers and storms the field, surrounding the team in a giant crowd of euphoric celebration!
Mia: You did it, Danny!
Danny: WE did it! With all that money, we can reopen all our clubs!
Payton: And get better lunchroom meals?
Danny: That too.
Payton: Score!
You shake hands with Lacey, Katherine, and Brigette, all sullen and shocked.
Danny: That was really a great game and super fun!
Lacey: Easy for you to say. You won.
Payton: I have an idea! Let’s throw a big party to unwind!
Mia: Brigette? Do you guys wanna come?
Brigette: Oh, sure. Your school played your hearts out. It was awesome playing against you.
Katherine: Yeah. You deserve every bit of prize money you get.
Lacey: Well... I guess I could use some relaxation after all.
Danny: So, Payton, where are we throwing this party?
Payton: I talked to some of our friends who came to cheer us on, and it turns out that LOTS of people want to throw parties. So I thought, why limit ourselves to just one? That’s so closed-minded!
Danny: Oh boy...
Payton: Multi-party, commence!
Requirements
- Complete a Party with Danny and a Slacker
- Complete a Party with Nishan and a Student Gov
- Complete a Party with Payton and a Gamer
The last party of the night is in full swing! Students from all over the county splash around in a pool or laugh together over board games.
Payton: The multi-party was a colossal success in my book. An epic end to an epic day.
Danny: You can say that again!
Mia: Even the Athena girls look like they’re having a good time.
You search around the crowded party and realize someone’s missing.
Danny: Hey, Payton... do you know where Autumn is?
Payton: She never showed to any of the parties. I’ve been texting her all night. No response. Rude.
Danny: She seemed really upset at the tournament. I should go look for her.
Requirements
- Danny
- Autumn
A little later, you show up at Autumn’s bedroom. You softly knock on the door and hear a sniffle.
Autumn: Come in.
Stepping inside, you find Autumn sitting crosslegged on her bed, an old photo album splayed open beside a half-empty box of tissues.
Danny: Autumn? What happened? What can I do?
Autumn: This.
She wraps you in a tight hug, and you let her stay there for a long minute until she breaks away.
Autumn: I’m so sorry, Danny.
Danny: Don’t worry about it! Everyone has their off-days. That’s why you have friends and teammates to back you up.
Autumn: You don’t understand. I wasn’t having an off day... I was throwing the game.
Danny: What?!
Time - 23 hours
Danny: You were intentionally trying to lose the game?! But why?! You knew how important it was to our school’s future!
Autumn hands you her phone. After a hundred texts from Payton, you find one from a blocked number and read it aloud.
Danny: ‘If you ever want to see your locket again, you better throw the game. -Pandora’ Your locket? The one that used to belong to your mom?
Autumn: I got that text after we won the semifinal. I went to my locker, and it was just gone.
Danny: This... this is too far.
Autumn: I’m so sorry, Danny. I can’t believe I let someone coerce me into betraying my closest friends.
Danny: No, Autumn. This is why it’s important to have friends you can confide in. We will always have your back. We can do the things you can’t on your own. And just like teamwork was the only way we could win today, teamwork’s the only way we can beat Pandora.
Autumn: You’re right. I promise not to hide anything from you guys ever again. You’re too important to me.
Danny: And you’re important to us. Which is why we’re getting our friends and going to get your locket back right now!
A few minutes later, you and Autumn are walking down to her car when her phone buzzes. Autumn reads aloud the text from a blocked number.
Autumn: ‘Since you DID try to lose the game, Autumn, you earned your locket back, fair and square. -Pandora’
Danny: Autumn, look.
Resting on top of Autumn’s car is an exquisite, handcrafted wooden box. Autumn gives you a nervous look and pops up the lid.
Danny: What is it, Autumn? Is it the locket?
Autumn: Yes... it is...
Autumn opens the box to show you a silver heart-shaped locket, smashed to pieces. Tears rush to her eyes. She buries her face in your shoulder.
Danny: Now it’s personal.
Can you and your friends put a stop to Pandora’s reign of terror? Find out in the next quest on High School Story!