Medusa woke up in her small apartment, the sun streaming through the blinds on her window. She cringed at the light, putting her arm up to cover her eyes. She proceeded to roll over to the other side of the bed. The light unnaturally followed her and started brightly shining from the closet.
[[Get Up and Open the Closet]]
[[Hide your Face under the Covers]]
(set: num-type $Gift to 0)
(set: $MM to false)
(set: $RN to false)
(set: $SS to false)(if: $MM is false and $RN is false and $SS is false)[Medusa stepped outside, sporting her hat, wig, and sunglasses; necessary precautions to protect any humans from shock... and possible petrification.]
(if: $MM is true and $RN is true and $SS is true)[Medusa thought to herself, "I'm done with what I can do for now. I should really get home. Hermes will probably make himself known in the most obnoxious way possible, so I shouldn't have to wait too long for an answer."](else:)[She started her day by pulling out her list to check out the items she needed to find. "Alright, so I need to get(if: $MM is false)[ Hephaestus' sword,](if: $RN is false)[ Athena's shield,](if: $SS is false)[ Hermes' golden sandals]. Now then, where to (if: $MM is true or $RN is true or $SS is true)[next?"](else:)[first..."]]
(if: $MM is false)[[Museum]]
(if: $RN is false)[[Rich Neighbor]]
(if: $SS is false)[[Shoe Store]]
(if: $MM is true and $RN is true and $SS is true)[[Go Home]]
(set: $Total to $Gift)Medusa strolled into the city's museum and began walking through the exhibits. She checked out the signs and made a direct beeline for the armory hall. She wasn't sure which item was going to be here, but there was a high chance it'd be in the armory section.
She found herself to be correct and observed Hephaestus' sword hanging in the display case. Medusa figured that she'd have to wait until all the museum patrons were gone before she could make her move. She decided to enjoy the museum, checking out some artifacts she remembered from the old days.
Right around close, she hid in the bathroom and waited until the guards did final checks. She snuck out and got her bearings in the dark environment. There were still guards walking around, so Medusa tried to be careful in picking her path.
[[Art Hall]]
[[Tapestry Hall]]
(set: $MM to true)
(set: $caught to 0)Medusa checked the list and realized that one of the addresses was actually a neighbor she was somewhat familiar with named Brian. He had given her a key when she had watered his plants in the past, and she still had it. She decided to wait until night so that she could hopefully sneak in and out without too much hassle.
Later, she visited his apartment and slid the key into the door. Medusa snuck in and left the door slightly ajar. She looked around the dim apartment, and quickly spied Athena's shield above the fireplace mantle. She began to walk towards it but heard a noise from down the hallway.
[[Check on Noise]]
(set: $RN to true)
(set: $caught to 0)Medusa made her way to the next address on the list, a local shoe store. She thought to herself, "Hmm, must be Hermes' sandals. Strange they ended up in such a mundane place."
Medusa walked into the store and up to an employee. She greeted them, "Hi, I'm looking for some sandals for the summer. Maybe something in a gold? Do you have anything like that?" The employee smiled at her and said, "Of course, ma'am. Let me get them for you." The employee walked away, and Medusa sat down on a nearby seat.
The employee walked back with the sandals and asked, "Will a size 8 be ok?" Medusa replied, "Perfect, thanks!". The employee continued, "Let me know if you need anything else! I'll be by the counter."
[[Try on the Sandals]]
(set: $SS to true)
(set: $caught to 0)Medusa ran home and into her bedroom. Just as she did, a light began emanating from the closet. She yelled, "Hermes, just appear already. The light show really isn't necessary."
Hermes phased into the room with his arms crossed. "Did you have to ruin it? I don't get to do that too often." Medusa waited impatiently for him to continue. He sighed, "Fine, then." Hermes gave a good, long look at her haul, and then Medusa herself.
He raised an eyebrow and continued, "Well, I will take everything into account, and you should notice a change very soon... if you accomplished enough." Hermes disappeared very abruptly, leaving Medusa looking very confused.
(if: $Total is 0)[[Head to the Bathroom]]
(if: $Total is 1)[[Walk to the Bathroom]]
(if: $Total is 2)[[Run to the Bathroom]]
(if: $Total is 3)[[Rush to the Bathroom]]Medusa pulled herself out of bed and reached for the closet to see what the heck was shining so brightly. As she pulled the doors open, there was a familiar figure standing there: Hermes, the god of trade, travel, and thieves... amongst other things. Medusa put her hand up in a questioning gesture.
Hermes shrugged his shoulders at her and matter-of-factly said, "Well, it's been a long time. How've you been?"
[[Stare at Him]]
[[Go to the Bathroom]]Medusa groaned at the light. “I know you’re the god of way too many things, but one of them is technically sleep, so could you please leave me alone?”
She hid her face under the covers, muffling her hair snakes as the light became brighter and brighter. Finally, a figure materialized from the glow, sounding vaguely annoyed. “I’d love nothing more than to leave you alone, but I’ve got a message for you. Another one of those things I'm the god of, you know?”
[[See Who This Is]]
[[Stay Under The Covers]]Medusa uncovered her face to see Hermes, the god of trade, travel, and thieves standing over her bed. He was about to speak again but backed off a little as Medusa began to glare at him with her petrifying eyes. “Could you be a little more careful? I know I’m immortal, but you can still give me a headache.”
She groaned, rolled her eyes, and pulled herself out of bed. Medusa skirted around Hermes, heading to the bathroom to start her day.
[[Go to the Bathroom]] Medusa stayed below the covers, closing her eyes and trying to pretend she was alone. She stayed there for quite a while, until finally, the covers were quickly pulled from her face. She yelled out, "Hey!" in annoyance, which caused her snakes to start nipping at the cover snatcher.
"Ow!", the figure cried, "Could you keep those things under control? I'm here to help you!"
Medusa focused her eyes on Hermes, the god of trade, travel, and thieves... amongst other things. She loudly groaned, pulled herself out of bed and skirted around him, heading to the bathroom.
[[Go to the Bathroom]] Medusa glared sharply at Hermes with her petrifying eyes, who was still standing in the closet. He winced and closed his own eyes, complaining, "Could you be a little more careful? I know I’m immortal, but you still give me a headache.”
Medusa rolled her eyes and walked out of the closet, with Hermes trailing behind her. She griped, "I think you know exactly how I've been doing, Hermes." She walked into the hallway of her apartment and headed to the bathroom to get started with her day.
[[Go to the Bathroom]] He entered the bathroom behind Medusa, causing her snakes to start hissing and Hermes to flinch. “Why are you here?”, she asked.
Hermes responded, "Look, the gods have heard your constant prayers to be normal again, and they're willing to give you a shot." Hermes gave Medusa a big smile.
Medusa widened her eyes and looked in the mirror. She ran her green-skinned hand through the snakes on her head. She thought to herself, "I'd love to be able to walk outside without full body make-up, a wig, and sunglasses on."
Skeptically, Medusa turned back to Hermes and asked "Why? I've been praying to get back to normal for millennia upon millennia. Why, all of a sudden, are they being "merciful"?
[[Make Hermes Reveal Information]]Medusa glowered at Hermes, making her snakes more aggressive and causing him to cower in the bathroom doorway. "Alright already, stop staring at me!" He tried to compose himself as he continued, "The gods have realized that you could be... useful to them. They need a few important relics back."
Medusa shifted her gaze to the picture behind Hermes to give him a break. "Now THAT makes sense. They need something. Fine." Medusa crossed her arms and continued, "I don't care. I'll do what they want, I just want to be normal."
Hermes cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. "Well, remember when Perseus came to ...visit you last time?" Medusa, looking perturbed, lifted an eyebrow. "You mean when he came to KILL me?"
[[Demand Hermes Clarify]]Hermes looked away and rubbed the back of his neck. "That, yes. Well, the gods need Perseus' relics back." He turned to face Medusa again, "The relics are lost in this city and you're the most familiar with them... for obvious reasons. If you get all of them back, you'll be on the way to normalcy."
Medusa's eyes whipped back to Hermes. "Why, because I haven't been through enough?" Hermes cringed and put his hands up, "Please don't kill the messenger! You know how archaic they can be! Quests are what they do!" Medusa let out a sigh and looked away, and Hermes straightened up.
He pulled out a piece of paper. "Here's a list of the relics' locations. Look at it this way: If you find all of them, you'll never have to deal with the gods again." Medusa snatched the list from Hermes' hand. "Fine."
[[Finish Conversation with Hermes]]"Anything else besides 'find our junk for us'?" Medusa threw up air quotes in Hermes' face. Hermes waved his hand back at her. "Nope, that's it. Good luck, Medusa." He nodded and started brightly glowing again and disappeared from her bathroom in a flash of light. She looked over the list again and had a sudden thought.
Medusa yelled into her empty apartment, "Hermes, wait! I'm broke, I can barely afford this apartment! How do you expect me to get all these "relics"?" She waited in silence until she heard her phone buzz on the night stand. She walked over and saw a text saying, "Steal them."
Medusa picked up the phone and messaged back, "Steal them? The gods are ok with that kind of thing?" Hermes immediately replied, "Just think of it as returning the relics to their proper owners. LOL." She frowned at her phone and put it back down. Determined to change back to normal, she declared, "It's worth it." She left the room and got ready to go out.
[[Set Off to Find Relics]] Medusa sidled into the Jewelry Hall and looked around. The display lights were reflecting off the gemstones and creating prisms along the walls. Medusa moved through until a turquoise-encrusted headdress caught her eye. It was adorned with tridents and waves, which made Medusa recoil. Anything Poseidon-related filled her with rage, so she was desperate to get out of that hallway.
[[Move as Far from Headdress as Possible]]
[[Keep a Safe Distance]]Medusa walked into the Art Hall and started sneaking down the hallway. She recognized a copy of the "Birth of Venus" on the wall. Medusa walked closer to it, thinking "I can't say she wasn't beautiful... if I did I'd get smote. However, that birth was definitely NOT beautiful."
[[Approach Birth of Venus]]
[[Ignore and Move on]]Medusa snuck into the Tapestry Hall and made sure to keep her distance from the art. She noticed a depiction of a muscle-y Zeus on a hanging tapestry. She thought to herself, "Eh, I've seen better." As she was looking, she noticed a familiar green monster in the corner of the tapestry being beheaded. She looked suspicious, "Hold on a minute..."
[[Check Tapestry for Yourself]]
[[Make Fun of Zeus Figure]]Medusa made her way to the Clothing Hall and tiptoed by the mannequins wearing historic outfits. She found some depictions of Greeks, but surprise surprise, it was just the gods. Medusa conceded that personally, she wasn't a fan of the white sheet look, but some people were into it. As she walked by, she noticed the goddess Athena. "The one who made me a monster... If I never have to see her again, I'll be happy."
[[Flip Off the Athena Mannequin and Move On]]
[[Move to the Other Side of the Hallway]]Medusa tried on the golden sandals, unimpressed with the wings etched into the side. "A little obvious, don't they think?" The gods weren't really known for subtlety. Unfortunately, the sandals started floating ever so slightly in Medusa's hands.
Medusa realized that her natural magic was setting them off, and she couldn't bring them to the counter. The employees would absolutely notice if the sandals started floating. She would either need to walk out with them on or hide them in her purse. The employees were mostly milling about the register right now but could move closer to her at any moment.
[[Walk to the Bathroom with the Sandals on]]
[[Stuff the Sandals into your Purse]]Medusa started walking towards the bathroom so that she could discreetly hide them in her purse. She was nearly there but was stopped by an employee. "Hi ma'am. Your sandals are looking great! We'd really appreciate it if you stay in the front room while wearing them. We've had some thefts recently."
Medusa backed off. "Yes, of course. Sorry about that." The employee responded, "No problem ma'am!" Medusa was pissed and needed to think of another way out. She waited until the nearest employee went into the back room and then thought about her next move.
[[Quickly Walk out the Front Door]]
[[Pretend to Browse a Moment]]
(set: $caught to it + 1)Medusa sat down and took off the sandals. She took a quick look around and stuffed them into her purse. Thankfully, no employees saw her doing that.
She still needed a way out, so she waited for the employee that had been working with her to leave for the stock room, and then thought about her next move.
[[Quickly Walk out the Front Door]]
[[Pretend to Browse a Moment]]Medusa hastily made her way to the front of the store, but as she opened the door, the alarms she hadn't noticed started going off. She quickly backed away from the doors and pretended that she had been looking at the shoes in the window displays by the doors.
An employee walked up to reset the alarm and gave Medusa a suspicious look, but Medusa smiled at them and traveled farther back in the store. When alone, Medusa breathed a sigh of relief. "Whew... that was close." Medusa waited for everyone to calm down again and rethought her plan.
[[Try to Slip out the Back]]
(set: $caught to it + 1)(if: $caught is 2)[Medusa couldn't wait any longer and quickly walked to the back of the store. She found the emergency exit, but accidentally set off the alarm. The employees weren't far away; they immediately grabbed her and demanded she take off the sandals.
Medusa apologized profusely and gave the sandals back. She quietly walked out of the store in shame. She grumbled, "Well, that didn't work at all. I'll have to try another day. What else is on that list?"](elseif: $caught is 1)[Medusa waited until some of the employees were in the front of the store, helping other customers or otherwise occupied. She quickly walked to the back of the store and snuck around until she found the emergency exit. She opened the door, accidentally setting off the alarm, and bolted off.
The employees came into the room, but she was down the block before they realized what had happened. She eventually ran into a nearby store, pretending to browse and taking a well-deserved breath. Medusa looked back down at the sandals and thought, "You know, these are pretty nice! I can see the appeal. Now, what else is on that list?"(set: $Gift to it + 1)](else:)[Medusa waited until all the employees were in the front of the store, helping other customers or otherwise occupied. She quickly walked to the back of the store and snuck around until she found the emergency exit. She took a moment to stare at the alarm system on the door, causing it to petrify and break, and opened it to the outside.
She easily walked out and strode to a nearby store, pretending to browse and celebrating her get. Medusa looked back at the sandals and thought, "You know, these are pretty nice! I can see the appeal. Now, what else is on that list?"(set: $Gift to it + 1)]
[[Set Off to Find Relics]] Medusa went to the bathroom to see if any changes had occurred. She took off her wig and sunglasses and washed off all her make-up, but it looked like nothing had changed.
She was curious as to whether or not she could still petrify people, so she went to the kitchen. Medusa figured out a long time ago that she could petrify anything with eyes, so instead of testing on a human, she used a potato. She stared at the potato, and it turned to stone, as usual.
Medusa's face fell, but she realized that tomorrow was another day. Maybe she didn't accomplish what she wanted, but she would in the future. Medusa didn't give up hope and, after a long day, went to bed.
THE ENDMedusa went to the bathroom to see if any changes had occurred. She took off her wig and sunglasses and washed off all her make-up. She first noticed her skin and was shocked at how completely normal it looked. Not one hint of green! Her snakes were still hissing around her ears though.
She was curious whether or not she could still petrify people, so she went to the kitchen. She figured out a long time ago that she could petrify anything with eyes, so instead of testing on a human, she used a potato. She stared at the potato, and sadly, it turned to stone.
Medusa was happily surprised, but she realized that there was still more to be done to get the full transformation. Maybe she didn't accomplish all that she wanted, but she would in the future. Medusa didn't give up hope and, after a long day, went to bed.
THE ENDMedusa went to the bathroom to see if any changes had occurred. She took off her wig and sunglasses and washed off all her make-up. She first noticed her skin and was shocked at how completely normal it looked. Not one hint of green! Her snakes were still hissing around her ears though.
She was curious whether or not she could still petrify people, so she went to the kitchen. She figured out a long time ago that she could petrify anything with eyes, so instead of testing on a human, she used a potato. She stared at the potato, and shockingly, it stayed a potato. Medusa laughed out loud; she didn't have to wear those dumb sunglasses anymore!
Medusa was thrilled, but she realized that there was still more to be done to get the full transformation. Maybe she didn't accomplish everything she wanted, but she would soon. Medusa didn't give up hope and, after a long day, went to bed feeling excited for the future.
THE ENDMedusa went to the bathroom to see if any changes had occurred. She took off her wig and sunglasses and washed off all her make-up. The first thing she noticed was that she had real hair, and not one sign of a snake. She smiled and ran her fingers through it; she had forgotten what a nice texture it was! She checked out her skin and was shocked at how completely normal it looked. Not one hint of green!
She was curious whether or not she could still petrify people, so she went to the kitchen. Medusa had figured out a long time ago that she could petrify anything with eyes, so instead of testing on a human, she used a potato. She stared at the potato, and shockingly, it stayed a potato. She laughed out loud; she didn't have to wear those dumb sunglasses anymore!
Medusa was bowled over: she was truly back to normal. She started tearing up as she looked at her completely regular self in the mirror. Her only regret was her snakes, but the first thing on her to-do list was to head to the pet store! She was so excited that she immediately got dressed, determined to enjoy life to the fullest without any obstacles.
THE END(if: $caught is 2)[After all the noise, the guards showed up. Medusa feigned getting upset and confused, saying she was just trying to find her way out without causing an issue. She turned on the sniffles and the guards took pity on her. They escorted her out of the museum with a warning. After they left, she contorted her face in annoyance. "I'll have to get the sword another time.", Medusa muttered. "I'll try something else."](elseif: $caught is 1)[Medusa had some issues making her way to the Armory Hall, but she was just happy that no one was there to arrest her. Medusa smirked as she approached the sword hanging on the wall. She checked around the weapon display and took off her sunglasses. Over the years, she learned that she could petrify certain technologies too. It was a nice perk, but the negatives of the magic outweighed the positives. She stared into the security alarms and they quickly shut down.
She snatched up the sword and rapidly made her way out of the museum. Medusa happily thought, "Got it! I need to check for the rest now."(set: $Gift to it + 1)](else:)[Medusa smiled as she approached the sword hanging on the wall. She checked around the weapon display and took off her sunglasses. Over the years, she learned that she could petrify certain technologies too. It was a nice perk, but the negatives of the magic outweighed the positives. She stared into the security alarms and they quickly shut down.
She snatched up the sword and rapidly made her way out of the museum. Medusa happily thought, "Got it! I need to check for the rest now."(set: $Gift to it + 1)]
[[Set Off to Find Relics]] Medusa snuck closer to the painting, but accidentally tripped a proximity alarm in the process. It was a small consistent beep, but obviously enough to draw attention to her location. Medusa needed to rapidly make her way out of the hallway before any guards could find her.
[[Clothing Hall]]
[[Jewelry Hall]]
(set: $caught to it + 1)Medusa rolled her eyes and walked past the painting. She snuck through the corridor and didn't have any other issues. As she reached the end of the hallway, she needed to decide on another direction.
[[Clothing Hall]]
[[Jewelry Hall]] Medusa walked closer to get a better look at the other figure on the tapestry, but in the dark, she didn't see the museum brochure on the ground. When she stepped on it, she slipped and fell onto the sitting bench nearby. The forceful thud of her body against the seat made her anxious to leave that spot.
Medusa speedily made her way to the end of the hallway before any guards could find her. She needed to find another direction to go in, quick.
[[Clothing Hall]]
[[Jewelry Hall]]
(set: $caught to it + 1)She shook her head, "Nah, I don't want to know." Medusa stuck out her tongue at Zeus in a mocking way, but then quickly came to her senses and got back to the task at hand.
She continued on her way and tried to watch out for any obstacles in the dark. She approached two more hallways, both of which led to the Armory Hall, so she needed to pick one.
[[Clothing Hall]]
[[Jewelry Hall]]Medusa flipped off the Athena mannequin and just moved along. She thought to herself, "I shouldn't wallow in the past when I'm closer to a better future right now." She made it quickly through the Clothing Hall and walked into the Armory Hall without issue.
[[Armory Hall]] Medusa avoided the Athena mannequin but wasn't looking where she was going and slipped in a spill. She caught herself before she crumbled onto the floor, but unfortunately, she slammed her foot into the ground to regain her balance. The noise echoed through the hallway and Medusa needed to escape to the Armory Hall, which was thankfully close by.
[[Armory Hall]]
(set: $caught to it + 1)Medusa kept her distance from the emerald headdress, scowling as she made her way by. She continued down the rainbow-filled hallway until she reached the end. The Armory Hall was the next turn and Medusa was confident that she'd be able to snatch up the sword without a problem.
[[Armory Hall]] Medusa tried to get as far away from the turquoise headdress as possible. Unfortunately, she didn't look behind her and bumped into the tourist penny-making machine. The jingle of the coins in the machine rang through the hallway as Medusa cringed at the noise. She was very close to the Armory Hall and decided to make a run for it.
[[Armory Hall]]
(set: $caught to it + 1)Instead of trying to bolt out of the store, Medusa decided to walk around and pretend to look at the collection of shoes. She watched the employees out of the corner of her eye, who gradually became busy with other customers. She realized that now was a better moment to sneak out.
[[Try to Slip out the Back]] Medusa slowly inched her head out to see down the hallway, and Brian, her neighbor, emerged from his bedroom. She quickly shot back behind the wall and stayed absolutely still. She watched as Brian walked past her with his eyes wide open, but he didn't really see her. He snorted as he approached the dining room. "He's sleepwalking!", she thought to herself. "Alright, good. Now I can get back to that shield."
Medusa looked around the room and saw a stool in the corner. The shield wasn't terribly high up, but she wasn't sure how heavy it was going to be. She needed to figure it out and quickly, with Brian walking around wherever he pleased.
[[Take Shield Down]]
[[Get Nearby Stool]]Medusa decided to go for it and walked toward the fireplace. She reached up and grabbed hold of the shield. Brian was meandering around the dining table, so she had enough room. She pulled it down, but it was a little heavier than she anticipated, and it clanged into the mantle. She winced and immediately swung her head over to Brian.
He snorted a little, but thankfully, stayed asleep and continued his sleepwalking. Medusa let out a silent breath of relief and thought about how she'd get out of the apartment. Brian started slowly making his way towards her, so she needed to make a move quickly.
[[Go into Kitchen]]
[[Fall onto Couch]]
(set: $caught to it + 1)Medusa went to the corner of the room and picked up the stool. Brian was meandering around the dining table, so she had enough space to work. She placed the stool below the mantle and stood up on it. She gingerly picked the shield up, and it was definitely heavier than expected. Thankfully, she felt more stable in her spot, and was able to lower herself back to the ground.
She let out a silent breath of relief but noticed that Brian was making his way towards her. She put the stool back and needed to make a move out of the way, and quickly.
[[Go into Kitchen]]
[[Fall onto Couch]] Medusa hauled the shield into the kitchen but was surprised at how cramped it was. She was having a hard time trying to get her new bearings and keep track of Brian moving around at the same time. She swung her body around and accidentally smacked the shield into the fridge door.
Thankfully, she didn't use full force, but it did cause a resounding ding. She flinched and instantly looked at Brian for a reaction.
[[Get Out of Apartment]]
(set: $caught to it + 1)Medusa looked over at the nearby couch and essentially threw herself onto it. Her landing was muffled, and she cowered with the shield as Brian walked by without a care in the world, snoring as he passed. He walked into the kitchen and started messing around in there.
Medusa held her breath as she stood up from the couch and got a better grip on the shield.
[[Get Out of Apartment]](if: $caught is 2)[Medusa froze as Brian started waking up from all the noise. She shook her head, snapped herself out of it, and dropped the shield. She booked it out of the apartment without looking back. As she shut the door, she could hear Brian say, "What the heck was I doing this time?" She breathed a sigh of relief, but was pissed she dropped the shield.
Medusa walked away from Brian's apartment, irked with herself. "Damn it! I'm going to have to try that again tomorrow, ugh. Well, what's left to get..."](elseif: $caught is 1)[Medusa waited for a reaction from Brian. He burped loudly, but quickly went back to walking around again. She softly moved around him and made her way to the front door. She opened it with one hand and balanced the shield in the other, finally getting out of the apartment.
She shook her head at the ridiculousness of the situation but was glad to be out of there. "Alright, got the shield. What else is left to get..."(set: $Gift to it + 1)](else:)[Medusa softly walked across the apartment and went back to the front door. She opened it with one hand and balanced the shield in the other, finally getting out of the apartment.
She shook her head at the ridiculousness of the situation but was glad to be out of there. "Alright, got the shield. What else is left to get..."(set: $Gift to it + 1)]
[[Set Off to Find Relics]]