Sandry's Interview (a Choose Your Own Adventure)

I've had mixed success with CYOA's in the past, but I'm promoting this on my DeviantArt page as well so we'll see how we do.


Chapter One:


Sandry stepped out of the shower, wrapped herself in a towel and returned to her bedroom. She padded quickly to her bed and checked the clock on her table- she had woken up slightly later than she had hoped, but if she made good time now she should have plenty of time to meet Professor Li.
Sandry had recieved the message late last night, that another student had dropped out and she was being invited to interview for Professor Li's research team. Her last interview had, to put in mildly, not gone well- a mishap with the washing machine had led to Sandry's suit falling to pieces in the professor's office, and a red-faced Sandry dashing for the bus stop in her underwear. But this time it promised not to be a normal sit-down interview, she had been informed there would be some element of puzzle-solving and team-working skills involved.
Applying a quick coat of make-up, Sandry then turned to her wardrobe to select her outfit for the day.
Should she choose:

A. Smart black trousers
B. A pinstripe pencil skirt
C. A navy pleated skirt
D. Grey trousers

1. A white blouse
2. A black blouse
3. A white t-shirt
4. A blue jumper

w. Plain knickers
x. Colourful knickers
y. Old, "lucky" knickers
z. a thong

? Look in the back of the wardrobe for something else (please specify)

Oh cool, I really enjoy a CYOA. I'll get the ball rolling:

A. Black trousers
1. White blouse
Z. Thong

I hope that helps. Looking forward to see how things pan out.

C 1 x

A
1
Y

C
1
X

Sandry decided to go for professional and classic; she pulled from her wardrobe a plain white blouse and a pair of black trousers.
She pulled her trousers up over her underwear (to be disclosed later if you play properly) and frowned, looking down at her legs and slight belly, "Hmm..." she muttered to herself, "these were a bit more comfortable last time I wore them. I wonder if I washed them wrong..."
Jumping and jiggling a bit to get herself into them, Sandry tugged the trousers to her waist and fastened them. The blouse slid over her arms, although she found a bit more of that alarming tightness when it came to closing it over her breasts. "I really must consider getting some new clothes." She said to herself, "Particularly if Professor Li picks me."
After wondering whether the blouse should be in or out, Sandry settled for tucking it in as the smarter option, particularly as it did not seem to hang down quite as far as it used to. Then she grabbed her handbag and headed to the door.
All she had to do now was to decide to:

A. Walk to the interview
B. Get the bus
C. Remind her friend that she owes her a lift.

How about C?

B. Get the bus please :-)

Sandry slipped out of her house and went two doors down, to the next student accomodation, where she knocked on the door. As she hoped, it was answered by a ginger-haired girl who was, unfortunately, still wearing her Pokemon pyjamas.
"Hey, Sandry." the girl yawned, "What's up?"
"Hi, Imogen. Er, I came to ask a favour."
"Oh, right. What do you need?"
"Well, I have an interview on campus today, for Professor Li."
"Oh, well I hope it goes better than last time!"
"Oh, me too. And I was thinking, it's quite a way to walk, and the buses are so unreliable, and since I let you borrow my skirt for the Freshers Ball which, I might add, you haven't given back yet..."
"Oh, yeah. You know, I didn't think it would rip that easily, I was going to sew it back up and..."
"It's okay, I just thought, for me to get to the interview on time..."
"You want a lift?"
"That would be great."
"I'll put some clothes on."

A couple of minutes later, Imogen had pulled on a pair of jeans and a jumper and the two girls climbed into her battered old car. With a slight protest from the gears, the car rolled on to the road and they set off.
"We'll have you there in no time." Imogen smiled.
"Thanks for this, I was hoping to get there a little early so I can prepare. I don't really know what I'll have to do."
"She's a psychology professor, right?"
"Yes."
"So do you think it'll be personality tests and things?"
"Could be, I think there's going to be a few people there, I was told there'll be tests of teamwork, things like that."
"It's a good job you're so likeable. Ooh, I can show you this great short-cut I found."
"Really? It's pretty much just one road to follow anyway..."
"Yeah, but this is much quicker."
Imogen steered onto a side road, away from the town. In moments the girls were driving down a narrower lane, with the buildings giving way to plants and trees.
"See? We're behind the park now, so just down the end here we'll hit the back road, and then we're only a few minutes away."
"Okay, if you're sure this is quicker..."
"Have I ever let you down?"
Suddenly there came a loud bang, followed by an alarming creaking noise and a persistent thudding. The car began to slow down.
"What's going on?" Sandry asked.
"Nothing good..." Imogen muttered, as the bonnet of the car popped open and a cloud of smoke rose up. The car juddered to a halt. "Oh, bother."

The girls stepped out and went to the front of the car to look at the engine. Although Sandry had to confess she was not mechanically-minded.
"It's okay, this is fixable." Imogen said, waving some smoke away, "But it does take a few minutes. Are you okay to help me get it running again? Then I can quickly nip you down to your interview."
Sandry sighed, and considered her options.

A. Stay and help Imogen to fix the car
B. Head on foot, the way she indicated to go
C. Head on foot back to town and try to find another way

Hmm, I vote A.

I think A is a good choice.

"I'll stay and give you a hand." Sandry told her friend, she opened her door and walked towards the front of the car, as Imogen pressed a button to pop the hood.

"Waaagh!" Sandry cried, suddenly finding herself tugged into the air, and an alarming draft around her stomach, "What the...?!"
"Oops, sorry!" Imogen gasped, dashing out of the car to her, "Sometimes it snags..."
SSSCCHHRRRIIIPPP!!!
Sandry found herself suddenly dumped back on the ground, struggling to keep her footing. Realising something was wrong around her back, she felt her blouse and found a rip torn most of the way up the back of it.

"Oh, no! Look what you did to my blouse!"
"Sorry, again! Maybe you can just keep your front to the interviewers?" Imogen shrugged, "Come on, let's see if we can get you there." she looked down into the engine. Sandry followed her gaze, but she was immediately lost, knowing nothing about cars.
"Okay, I see the problem." Imogen finally announced, "The fan belt has snapped."
"Can you fix it?"
"Not without a new one. Or something that could take its place briefly. I need some sort of a strap or length of something, a little flexible, that I can tie in there instead. Then we'll be going again in no time."

Sandry considered what to do:
A. Does she have something that can replace the fan belt? We haven't really discussed inventory, but anything that she could concievably have with her in the circumstances. If choosing this, please also suggest an object.
B. Walk to town to buy a fan belt.
C. Leave Imogen and go on foot.

Is Imogen wearing a belt? If so, I vote A.

If not, C.

A. Sandry could use her handbag strap as a temporary solution or if Imogen is wearing a belt then use that.

(Sorry for the lack of pictures, but I wanted to carry on without any further delays)

"Do you have a belt?" Sandry suggested, looking at Imogen.
"Not on me." her friend replied, gesturing to her jeans low on her hips.
"How about this, then?" Sandry reached into the car and pulled out her handbag. The straps was attached by clips, which she quickly took off and attached together, to form one loop.
"That should do it." Imogen replied, taking the strap. She fiddled with the engine for a while, then straightened up. "Okay, let's see how she runs."
Imogen ducked into the car and turned the key. The engine sputtered, then came to life. As it did, a spray of oily liquid shot out, catching Sandry across her cheek.
"Hey!"
"Sorry, it does that sometimes." Imogen replied, "But it's running again! Get in!"
Sandry dived into the car and Imogen carried on. Sandry reached into her strapless handbag and found some face wipes, which she quickly applied to the oil.
A few minutes later, they were pulling up outside the university.
"Okay, let me know if you need a lift later, I'll be nearby for a while." Imogen said, "And good luck!"
"Thanks!" Sandry jumped out of the car, and quickly oriented herself. She was across campus from the building she needed, but it should be a quick walk.
She set off, jogging down the footpath. A breeze at her back reminded her of her ripped blouse, which she was still wondering how to hide.
"Sandry?" a voice called to her side, "Hey, I thought it was you! Can you give us a quick hand?"
Sandry realised she was next to the cafe where she did part-time shifts, and she recognised the voice as Chloe, one of the waitresses. Chloe only called her when she needed an extra shift or something covered, which would take time Sandry couldn't afford. But if she didn't stop, it might jeopardise her getting extra shifts in future.

A. Stop and see what Chloe needs.
B. Carry on walking.

That's a hard one... I vote A. No harm in at least hearing Chloe out, right?

I vote A.

(Still no pictures, I haven't had a lot of time and want to keep this moving)

Sandry sighed, and diverted into the union cafe. Chloe was standing behind the counter, and quickly gestured for Sandry to come and join her.
"I can't work a shift today, I have a thing to get to..." Sandry began.
"It's okay, that isn't what I need." Chloe was a slim girl, with short brown hair and round glasses. She was wearing the cafe uniform of black trousers and a black blouse, but as Sandry turned round the side of the counter she saw a distinct flash of colour.
"Did you know you've..."
"I know!" Chloe quickly held a hand over her backside, trying to hide her pink polka-dot underwear which was bulging through a large hole in her trouser seat. "That's what I need you to help with!"
"What do you need?"
"I have a sewing kit in my bag, but I left it in the library. Can you help me get it?"
Sandry thought for a moment, the library was in the wrong direction for her to get to the interview, but she did not want to leave Chloe like this.

A. Go to the library for Chloe's bag
B. Cover the cafe so Chlose can go
C. Leave and go to the interview

Hard choice, hmm... okay, Sandry really can't keep getting distracted. I think it's time she focused on what's important.

I vote C.

Kinda torn between A and C... Leaning more toward C though as Sandry could bump into Chloe later on and she dowsn't really want ot miss her important interview.

"I'm really sorry..." Sandry gasped, feeling terrible as she saw Chloe's face begin to fall, "I'm already late, I've got to get to this interview, but if it finishes quickly I'll head right back here, okay?"
"But... but..." Chloe stammered as Sandry was already heading out of the door, "Well, hurry back!"

Chloe dashed across campus, making it to the building just as Bobbi, the professor's assistant, was closing the door.
"Come on, please!" Sandry begged as she skidded to a halt in front of the door.
"Professor Li said I should lock the door, if anyone turns up late they've lost their chance." Bobbi explained.
"But I was here, I just had to stop for a moment, and there was a problem with the car on the way in...."
"Okay." Bobbi sighed, opening the door again, "I'll tell her you were coming in as I got here."
"Thank you, thank you!" Sandry nipped through the door.
"Your blouse is torn." Bobbi pointed out.
"I know, I hope she won't notice."
"She notices everything. Come on, this way."
Bobbi led Sandry up a short flight of steps and along a corridor into a large hall. There were several girls milling around, drinking coffee.
They had been as uncertain as Sandry about what to wear for the interview, she wondered if the red-head wearing jeans and a tartan shirt had a better idea about how physical it was likely to be. But then maybe the Indian girl wearing a black trousers suit and a crisp white blouse knew better, dressing for something formal. The final girl, a shorter girl with dirty blonde hair, had a blue pencil skirt and a tight short-sleeved jumper, she seemed to have aimed for somewhere in the middle but maybe hit neither.
"Right, I think this is everyone." Professor Li stepped away from the corner of the room. She was dressed immaculately as ever, in a white suit that was almost blindingly clean, and without anything apparent on under her jacket. Although with her the looked seemed more classy than trashy. "So, we'll get started. Perhaps you'd like to introduce yourselves a little? You know me, and this is my lab assistant Bobbi, who's going to be keeping notes for me."
"Oh, hi, I'm Sam." the red-head began, "I'm a second-year Philosophy and Psychology student."
"I'm Isha," the Indian girl added, "I'm in my third year, studying Medicine and Psychology."
"I'm Sandry, in my first year, studying English and Psychology."
"I'm Natalie," the blonde girl finished the group, "I'm in my first year, doing Art and Drama."
"So, that's all of you." Professor Li addressed the group again, "You know I have one spot open on my research team, and one of you is going to get it at the end of this interview. There will be various abilities tested today, and the first will be a bit of an ice-breaker activity. If you look up, you'll see a friend of mine."
The girls all turned their heads upwards, to the ceiling, a good twenty feet above them. It was crossed with steels struts, one on of which stood a stuffed toy cat. "I call him Henry. I don't know how he manages to get himself into these situations, but it's up to the four of you to find a way to get him down." Professor Li went to her chair and picked up a cup of coffee, and motioned for the girls to begin.

So that's the first challenge of the interview. Any equipment you want to use, think if it would plausibly be in the room or on someone's person, and I'll let you know if it is.

Could they stack up chairs and/or tables? Or if the room has a blackboard with a pointing stick, maybe use that? (of course it would not be long enough for one student on her own)

The girls looked around, and Sandry was the first to spot the stacks of chairs in the corner of the room.
"Look, let's try using these." she suggested, walking over to them.
"It's going to take more than standing on a chair to get all the way up there." Ishi pointed out.
"Well, one chair, yes." Sandry admitted. "But let's see what we can do." She began to unstack the chairs and spread them out in a small square, then lifted more chairs on top. The other girls helped her, and after a few minutes they had a pyramid of chairs, three high.
"It looks a bit rickety." Ishi said, looking at it sceptically.
"I think I can climb it." Natalie volunteered, putting her hands on the back of the first layer and lifting herself up, "I used to do gymnastics." she swung a leg up to reach the next chair.
RRRRIIIPPP!!!
"Of course..." she continued, a bit quieter, "I didn't usually wear a pencil skirt to do it."
The other girls stifled laughter at the sight of Natalie's skirt, ripped up the back from hem to waistband, with lilac panties poking out.
With her skirt split, Natalie did find it a bit easier to move up the pile, and in a few seconds was on the top, but still quite short of the cat.
"I think we need to add some more chairs." she called down to the others.
"I don't think it'll be safe if we do," Sam replied, "it looks a bit wobbly already."
"Maybe we should make some sort of lasso?" Ishi suggested.
"Out of what?" Sandry asked.

a. Add more chairs to the pile so Natalie can reach higher.
b. Make a lasso (out of what?)
c. Something else

Isha has a trouser suit on, does that include a belt they could use as a lasso? (she suggested it after all) If she's not wearing one, or if it wouldn't be long enough, does the room have a tape measure in it?

"Hold on, I know what we can do." Isha said, clambering up the stack of chairs and reaching for her trousers as she did so. She quickly unbuckled her belt and whipped it out. "We'll have him down in a moment."
Isha stripped off her jacket for easier movement, then holding the tail end of the belt she swung it in a circle, and threw the buckle end upwards.
"Hey, careful!" Natalie exclaimed as the buckle fell back down and narrowly missed her, "You'll have someone's eye out!"
"Sorry!" Isha replied, already swinging for a second throw, "Maybe stand back a bit this time."
She threw the buckle again, which this time hit the rafter and looped around it twice, holding fast right by the toy cat.
"Now what?" Sam asked.
"Now this." Isha tugged the belt towards her, inching it along the rafter, towards the cat.
"If her belt doesn't snap, this might work." Sandry murmured.
After a few more strong pulls, the belt had reached the cat.
"Okay, now..." Ishi pulled again.
"Watch out!" Sandry suddenly called out, seeing that Isha's back foot had left its perch on top of the pile. As the girl tried to get a better footing, the chair she was on shifted forwards and fell, and down with it came the rest of the pile.
The girls scattered about the room as the stack of chairs came down with an almighty crash, destroying the pile.
"Hey, look-" Natalie called, she darted to the middle of the room, where the pile had been, and triumphantly held up the cat. "We did it!"
"Yes, 'we' did!" a voice came from above them. The girls looked up, to see that Isha had not come down when the pile of chairs did- she was still clinging on to the end of her belt, now hanging from the ceiling. Worse for her, the belt had proven to be necessary for her outfit, as her trousers had fallen down and were hanging on by her feet.

"Well done, girls." Professor Li said, leaving the corner of the room and striding over. She plucked the cat from Natalie's hand and tossed it over her shoulder, where Bobbi caught it. "The next challenge for you doesn't take place in this room, so grab your bags and we'll move on. But first, a question for you- one of your number could be eliminated at this point, making it easier for the rest of you. Do you want to rescue Isha now and let her carry on, or leave her here? I think this hall is being used by the basketball team in about fifteen minutes, so I'm sure someone will let her down later."

a. Rescue Isha
b. Leave her there