"Thank you," you respond, taking your cake. "What, uh, is this place?"

  "Welcome to the Ace Speakeasy!" He eyes your clothes. "Facility jumpsuits, eh? Happy Orientation Day!" A sarcastic cheer comes from the crowd at the table. "We always get a few of you wandering in around this time of year. The good ol' light blue of Facility 4. Heard they made that Mitchell guy the Arch Proctor or something? We never thought the dude was fit to be janitor when I was there, two cycles ago now."

  "Yeah," Carla responds nervously.

  "If he asks where you've been, you certainly didn't come here. Get me?" You both give a confused nod. "Good thing you're a pair. He won't be suspicious and you won't need to get a beard or a convincing excuse."

  Turn to page 106.

  You and Rebecca become a living myth. The dragon-riding lesbian valkyrie is often called upon to avenge the wronged, and only ash is left in her wake. Domestically, you live together in a nice apartment on the north end of town. Your relationship isn't defined by romance or a sexual connection, but rather your shared drive to deliver flaming justice to all who deserve it.

  The End

  Carla opens the door with trepidation and waves for you to follow. You both goggle wide-eyed at the assortment of replicas and implements and devices and recordings and literature on display. You had thought that the Facility training had exhaustively covered all variations on the expression of human sexuality, but just thirty seconds in this store proves you were wrong.

  You make one loop around the store, never lingering in one area for more than a few seconds. Carla heads for the exit and you follow.

  She grabs you by the arm out of nowhere just outside of the shop. "Oh, wow. That- Nope. Nope nope nope. Ew. Can you believe some of that stuff? No way in hell is any of that" -she gestures wildly at the storefront- "going anywhere near any part of this." -she sweeps her hands up and down in front of her body. "That was a mistake. Ew. No. We should not have gone in there. The only thing that place sparked was my sense of disgust."

  Turn to page 102.

  "Like hell there was! I saw Priya being hauled off, kicking and screaming! You must have murdered them!"

  "No. You're distraught. I understand that the death of so many of your classmates so suddenly is a shock. Especially on a day like today. I'm told that sometimes a tragedy of this magnitude can cause a... break with reality."

  "I know what I saw!"

  But do you? That weird archer certainly doesn't seem real. Maybe that's when it started... The tragic accident at the Spire Bridge that killed 12 students on an Orientation Day field trip, including your best friend, fills the news for the next week. The Graduation Ceremony is delayed for their funerals. Maybe you saw what you wanted to see, a false glimmer of hope that they were still alive?

  The End

  He'd crunched the numbers from all the previous Orientation Days and had developed a formula which he claimed would be 97.83% accurate in determining whether you'd become straight, gay, or bi on Orientation Day. He'd ask about your family history, measure your fingers, run a helixscan, and collect dozens of other personal details and come up with a result -- which he'd refuse to tell you, because that would "ruin the surprise". Everyone thought the formula was an elaborate prank, but no one doubted his knowledge and passion for Orientation Day.

  Rumor was that he'd already been accepted as an apprentice orienteer over at Facility 12 after graduation next week.

  "Get a move on, lazy bones!" Rebecca throws your blue jumpsuit at your head. "I want to get a good seat!"

  You quickly, but begrudgingly, get into your jumpsuit and head to the door. "Okay, let's go."

  Turn to page 18.

  "HASN'T ANYONE TAUGHT YOU TO KNOCK?" Karen screams, flinging a book at your head. You quickly shut the door and back away, but not before you see far more of her and the guy she's straddling than you ever wanted to see. (Was that Chad from Trigonometry?)

  You stand in the middle of the hallway, dazed by the encounter. Several seconds later, you realize that's not the shock of what you just witnessed that's the problem. The book she threw was a heavy hardcover textbook, and it hit you right on the temple.

  The world fades to black before you hit the floor.

  The coroner's report labeled it an accidental death. Your funeral was well attended.

  Karen and Chad from Trigonometry broke up two weeks later.

  The End

  "Oh well, no room up here for her now anyway," Rebecca continues, hardly pausing to breathe. "She's going to be so jealous when she finds out how close we were! Oh, and it would be so great if you and Tariq ended up compatible! We could all share an apartment after graduation, too. It would be just like it is now, we'd just swap the sleeping arrangements. I bet he already told you what you are based on that test of his. So, straight? Gay? Bi? Which is it?" She shot a glance at the stage. "Shh shh -- It's starting!" She is vibrating with anticipation.

  Turn to page 135.

  Your arms are briefly tied to your body before your transformation snaps the rope, leaving you free. Part of the bridge crashes into the shallow lake under your dragon weight. You roll onto your feet and snap your neck towards the fleeing shadow. "THAT'S RIGHT," you shout in fire, "YOU'D BETTER RUN!" In the split second before the flames hit, you see her Facility Security uniform as it starts to melt. As the burst evaporates, a smoldering boot on a burning plank is all that remains.

  You stare at the rising embers, trying to make sense of the situation. Why would Facility Security be attacking you? They couldn't know about the ring. She said you'd left the Social early... Why would they care about that?

  The Orienter, Proctor Mitchell, the Social, now this? Like a wave receding from the shore, it becomes clear. They see someone like you as a threat.

  You might as well be one.

  Turn to page 92.

  After graduation, the conversations become easier to avoid, and you become more adept at deflecting them entirely. It's inappropriate to talk about such things at work, it's none of your neighbor's business, and you friends try to set you up on dates now and then, but you get a reputation as "picky", so they stop trying.

  Every once in a while, you consider trying again. Maybe the first time was just nerves, maybe it would be different with someone else. But it's just not a pressing priority for you.

  All the while, you wish you could tell someone, but you know they'd never understand. No one else feels this way. They'd label you broken, they'd try to fix you, but you're fine how you are. You just wish you weren't so alone.

  The End

  You don't admit to her that it did light a spark in you. A spark of curiosity. The endless variety... There had to be something in there which would get your attention.

  A month after graduation, you work up the courage to return. You walk out of the shop that time with a basic toy and a relatively tame magazine which apparently has decent articles. You become a regular customer, going back week after week, getting more adventurous and raunchy with each visit, snatching up all the sex toys and all the porn your budget can allow, hoping that maybe this week's haul will light your sexual passion and make you feel what everyone else feels.

  Each week, you are disappointed. 90 percent of the toys are garbage, and an even higher percentage of the porn is poorly shot, dimly lit, uninteresting trash. It's all junk with obvious flaws, and even you can see how to make it better. After a few years, you've wasted a ton of money and are no closer to discovering your passion.

  Turn to page 15.

  "I don't know, I really don't feel like going out again today."

  If you persuade Rebecca to go to the Social, turn to page 14.

  If you stay for more zombie blastin' fun, turn to page 91.

  "I think I'd like to go with my friend," you reply. "This- this is all too much. I don't even know what's going on."

  "Of course," she says, her smile tinged with disappointment. "Of course. I understand. We'll talk later. Now go! Your ride's leaving."

  You rush up the ramp after Tariq and the other students. You turn to wave goodbye to LaTanya, but she's vanished in the commotion.

  "You are going to love this!", Tariq beams, as he escorts you into the balloon.

  You hold the handrail tightly as the balloon begins to ascend. You're gripped with a sudden jolt of panic when you realize that you're inside a cavern and are headed straight for the spiky stalactite formations that line the ceiling! And echoing KA-THUNK fills the cavern as light streams from above. The roof is opening!

  Turn to page 35.

  "Tell you what. Why don't you two give it a go and then tell me how it works out?" You pat them both on the shoulders and step back. "I'm gonna go get some air."

  You head out the back doors and into the night air. You absent-mindedly stroll through the park, and across the bridge to the island in the middle of the lake. You're suddenly struck with fear that the island might be... occupied... so you pause and listen for sounds to tell you to turn back.

  Crickets. It's clear.

  You wander to a small rock outcropping, where you and Tariq spend a lot of your free time. It should be a good place to clear your head.

  You are stunned by what you see.

  On the steepest section of the outcrop, there's a small patch of the rock that's glowing. It's swirling through a repeating cycle of colors: Black, gray, white, purple, black, gray, white, purple.

  Turn to page 117.

  "What are you talking about?"

  "Right, sorry. Got a bit carried away. This is a cafe for asexuals. A safe space for us to be who we are, free from the dangers of the world out there."

  "Asexu-whats?"

  "Asexual. That's what you are. Bet you thought it strange when that Orienter contraption didn't work, eh?"

  Carla glances at you in surprise. "How did you know about...?"

  "You're both here, so you gotta be ace. You said you smelled the cake. That's a specially formulated scent diffuser that only people like us can pick up. Got it from the folks at the Order of the Spade. Let's people like you know we're here without getting the attention of the Consortium."

  "Cake?"

  "Yeah. We may not be attracted to anything else, but we're damn sure attracted to cake!"

  "Hey now!" One of the people at the table chimes up in protest.

  "Yeah!" One of the others concurs.

  Turn to page 29.

  Priya, your former Geology classmate, taps him on the shoulder. "We need to get out of here. Now."

  You glance at Priya, who is busy shrinking nervously into a corner. "Off boinking my old lab partner, then?"

  "Uh, no," he laughs. "Also not my deal. Oh, where are my manners? Do you know Matilda?" He motions at Carla.

  "I told you, it's Mattie." Mattie? Where'd you get Carla from? You try to hide your confusion as she continues. "And yes, we've met. This is who I was telling you about!"

  "Oh, really?" You've known Tariq long enough to know when he fakes learning something he already knows. "So, the Orienter didn't work on you, either? Fascinating. What are the odds of that?"

  "You have to know what's going on. So out with it! What happened to us?"

  Turn to page 131.

  "No, it's not that, it's just that I don't... want... to. The Orienter didn't do anything to me."

  "What you need to do is just give it a chance. Come to the Social this afternoon. I'm sure you'll find someone there who'll spark your fancy." He pats you on the shoulder. "Now, I really must be going, there's something important I need to take care of." He enters his office and you hear a muffled click of the door locking as it shuts. It sounds like he starts shouting at someone as you walk away.

  If you take his advice and head to the Social, turn to page 85.

  If you ignore what he says and go back to your room, turn to page 112.

  "So, what brings you out here?" you ask, feeling bold.

  Daniels' eyes hide panic. He is definitely not supposed to be here right now. "I'm out meeting a friend. She's a researcher."

  "What does she research?"

  "People. People like you." His gaze meets yours, and the panic fades. "People like us."

  You and Carla skip the Pier and go with Proctor Daniels to meet the researcher. She explains all about what's going on, and how it's called "asexuality", There are countless other people like you, but they're driven to silence by society. They do things because they're expected to, not because they want to. They try to "fix" themselves, even though there's nothing wrong. The Consortium and the Facility system explicitly denies their existence -- your existence.

  Turn to page 60.

  "I'm different."

  A joke Tariq once made pops into your mind. What was it again? There's straight, gay, bi, so why isn't there...

  Your fingers start to tremble as you type...

  A-S-E-X-U-A-L

  The results are all about asexual reproduction, so you narrow your search by adding "humans" to your query. Your pulse quickens as you skim the new results. Yes. Yes, this is what it is. This is what you've always known you were.

  "I'm asexual."

  Suddenly, the text disappears and the screen goes red.

  RESTRICTED INFORMATION

  ACCESS LOGGED

  Please remain seated.

  The lights in the library begin to flash in a disorienting pattern as a siren screams across the room.

  What have you done?

  If you want to make a run for it, turn to page 38.

  If you stay and wait, turn to page 37.

  "That really was worth the wait, eh? Wow."

  You smile and nod, hiding your growing sense of brokenness. You turn onto your side, facing away, so they can't see you cry yourself to sleep.

  You try again over the next few days but it doesn't change. You become more skilled with practice, but that just makes it feel more mechanical and unnatural. Like many Orientation Day relationships, the tryst disintegrates after graduation and you go your separate ways, never to think of one another again.

  It's just the first in a long series of failed relationships. They all progress the same way: Starting with "Maybe this time will be different", passing through "Nope, this time is the same but I can deal with it because I like being around them otherwise", and ending up on "Oh, no, not this again". In one of them, you fake a headache so often that your partner has you get scanned for a brain tumor.

  Maybe next time will be different, but it never is.

  Turn to page 74.

  You wouldn't be caught dead going to the Social. Everyone knows that's the desperate meat market for the people who can't get laid on Orientation Day. Can't get and don't want are two very different things.

  You head back to your room and settle in to a nice afternoon blasting zombies in Shadow of the Undead 3. The afternoon rolls into evening and the hours blur by, so you have no idea what time it is when your door explodes in a shower of splinters and Facility Security Agents burst into your room. The largest one picks you up with one hand and tosses you over her shoulder, dragging you into an area of the Facility you've never seen.

  She opens a door marked "Therapy" and throws you inside. "Renegade neutralized," she snarls into her radio as the door slams shut, taking the last sliver of light with it.

  The End

  "This isn't supposed to happen, right? They never said anything about this. Did it break or something?"

  "The way Karen pounced at Chad, it clearly wasn't broken for her. My friend Tariq will know what's going on with us. He's an expert on all this Orientation Day stuff. We should try to find him."

  "I think I wanna hit the town. Get away from... all that." She motions vaguely towards the chamber. "Come with? I could use the company right now. We can talk to your friend when we get back."

  "I don't know... We're not supposed to go off campus without a pass."

  "Yeah, and I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to be throwing an orgy in the assembly chamber, either, but no one's following that rule today."

  If you go to the city with Carla, turn to page 79.

  If you stay on campus by yourself, turn to page 82.

  "Let's walk it. I don't feel like taking the subway." You cross the street, heading into the glass canyon.

  "So I've been thinking about what happened." She has to raise her voice over the drone of the city. "When the flash happened, it's like... I felt something, but that something was... nothing?"

  "Yeah, that's how it was for me, too. Like this spot in my brain filled in and then didn't do anything. Do you think maybe we haven't seen anyone, uh, interesting yet?"

  "I don't know about you, but I've been trying to ogle every single person we pass by. Nothing. That dog over there, it's cute. The guy walking it, though? Like, I can see that he's objectively supposed to be hot. So maybe it's not guys that do it for me, but-"

  "But there was that woman a few blocks back in a low cut top with- yeah, I saw her too. Didn't feel anything."

  Turn to page 73.

 

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