The Buck Stops Here/Dialogues

Outside the Pioneers of the Future banquet, Max storms off, leaving you with Wes.
For a moment, you and Wes stand in silence, watching your breath appear as clouds in the chilly night air.
Wes: He's right, you know. The district board's vote is in two days. Our school is finished.
MC: No. There's still one person who can save us... Ace.
Wes: How do you figure that?
MC: Look, we couldn't prove that Ace was faking all those problems at our school. We couldn't even show that he had a history of pulling this stuff.
MC: The Council passed the proposal to shut us down, and the school board will be happy to approve it, after everything.
MC: I'm not going to let us stoop to his level just to get him thrown out. Which means the only person who can stop the board... is Ace himself. He started this. He can end it.
Wes: What? Just like, persuade him to take back the proposal? Hate to say it, but I doubt that's gonna fly.
Wes: You can be pretty convincing, MC, but Ace wants his revenge. And, say what you will about the guy, when he decides to do something, he does it.
MC: Ace was my friend once. He's wrong to be taking this out on us. Maybe I can make him see that...
Wes: Or maybe our school is in its final 24 hours.
MC: I have to try.
The next evening, you drive over to the suburban neighborhood where Ace lives.
Your ring the doorbell and wait, rehearsing what you're going to say. The door swings open...
Ace: MC... what are you--
MC: Ace, we need to talk.
Just then, you hear a shout from inside Ace's house. Ace makes to close the door on you, but someone pulls it back open!
Mr. De la Cruz: Bartholomew, who are you talking to?
Mrs. De la Cruz: Is it those girl scouts again--
Mrs. De la Cruz: Bartholomew, you didn't say you had a visitor. Who's this?
MC: Uh...
Ace: Mom, Dad... this is, um... MC.
Mrs. De la Cruz: Oh, you're Ace's friend! He talks about you all the time. You must stay for dinner.
Mr. De la Cruz: We won't take no for an answer.
You meet Ace's stare and see a flicker of discomfort behind his stoic poker face.
Ace: ...
MC: Thank you, Mrs. de la Cruz. I'd love to stay for dinner.
You take off your shoes and follow Ace into the dining room, where Mrs. de la Cruz sets out a plate for you.
MC: Thanks for having me.
Mrs. De la Cruz: Of course! We've heard a lot about you, MC. Bartholomew has never had many friends, so we're delighted to finally meet one.
Ace: Mom...
Mr. De la Cruz: Delighted? More like shocked.
You look toward Ace, but his eyes are firmly fixed on his shoes.
Mrs. De la Cruz: Here, sit down, MC. You must be starving!
You sit down to dinner with Ace's family. His parents heap generous servings of chicken adobo over rice onto your plate.
Mr. De la Cruz: What are you waiting for, Bartholomew? Get MC a bowl!
Ace ladles out a bowl of beef stew for you, his movements stiff.
Ace: Enjoy.
Mrs. De la Cruz: Eat up! There's plenty to go around.
MC: Thanks so much for having me. Everything looks delicious.
Mrs. De la Cruz: You're so sweet! If Bartholomew had told me you were visiting, I would have made something better.
Mrs. De la Cruz: He's lucky to have a friend like you. From what I hear, you two are a dream team.
Mr. De la Cruz: Ha! If you can call it that. Bet you have to do the lion's share of the work, eh? My son doesn't always pull his weight, I know.
MC: Well, I--
Mr. De la Cruz: Don't be modest. Bartholomew says you practically run your school! Helped start all those clubs, welcome all the students...
Mrs. De la Cruz: He talked about you constantly when you two were organizing that theater showcase. You've accomplished so much!
Mr. De la Cruz: My wife and I, we run a small business. Worked hard. Climbed our way up. I always say... what do I always say, Bartholomew?
Ace: If you didn't earn it, you don't deserve it.
Mr. De la Cruz: There you go! Can't rely on anyone but yourself. I'm sure you know that, MC. You're a real leader, I can tell. Worked to get where you are.
Mrs. De la Cruz: So one of your classmates won the White House internship, yes?
Ace glances at you sharply, then turns away, his shoulders tense.
MC: Yeah, our class president.
Mrs. De la Cruz: That's a huge honor for your school! Your parents must be so proud!
Mr. De la Cruz: Proud to not be flushing thousands of dollars in Kepler tuition down the toilet every month!
Mr. De la Cruz: Wish my son would take a page from you...
Ace flushes briefly. He doesn't look up from his untouched plate when he speaks, his voice dull.
Ace: You're right, Dad. I will.
Mrs. de la Cruz notices Ace's plate and gives him a sharp look. Without a word, he starts eating.
Mrs. De la Cruz: MC, have more stew! Here, pass me your bowl...
You finish your dinner, fending off more offers of food.
Mrs. De la Cruz: Bartholomew, can you grab dessert? And clear the table, while you're at it.
Ace brings out a dish of leche flan for dessert, before retreating to the kitchen to wash the dishes. His parents keep up a steady stream of small talk.
Mr. De la Cruz: So, what's your plan for the future? Do you have a college in mind? Career?
Choice
What do you say?
   Yeah, I do.
   No, I don't.
if "Yeah, I do." then
   MC: I know exactly what I'm going to do with my life.
   Mrs. De la Cruz: Oh, that's wonderful! With your achievements, I'm sure you'll go far.
if "No, I don't." then
   MC: I'm still figuring things out, actually.
   Mrs. De la Cruz: You're keeping your options open. That's very smart of you. With your achievements, I'm sure you can do whatever you want in life.
Mr. De la Cruz: Must be relaxing for your parents. Don't have to worry about your future. My hair's going gray because of Bartholomew...
Mr. De la Cruz: He just can't handle responsibility!
Mrs. De la Cruz: I remember, when he was thirteen, we had him watch over the shop for just three hours. And in that time, he managed to lose the storeroom key!
Mr. De la Cruz: You must have noticed how unreliable he is.
Choice
What do you do?
   Defend Ace.
   Agree with Mr. de la Cruz.
if "Defend Ace." then
   MC: Actually... he's great at handling responsibility.
   MC: He practically ran my district council campaign for me, and he's the go-to guy for just about everything at Kepler.
   Mr. De la Cruz: Huh... is that so...
   You notice Ace staring at you from the kitchen, shocked.
   Ace: ...
if "Agree with Mr. de la Cruz." then
   MC: Some people, you just can't trust with anything.
   Mr. De la Cruz: See, that's what I'm saying. Bartholomew needs to work on this.
   You glance back toward the kitchen, and see Ace's shoulders sag as he washes dishes at the sink.
   Mrs. De la Cruz: Bartholomew! Posture! Tsk, you're going to be a turtle by the time you're twenty.
   Ace: Sorry, Mom.
Mr. De la Cruz: Excuse me. I'd better check on Bartholomew. He always forgets to rinse twice. Never gets it right.
Mrs. De la Cruz: How do you like the leche flan, MC? I hope it's not too sweet.
MC: It's just right. Thanks for dinner, Mrs. de la Cruz.
Mrs. De la Cruz: No, no. Thank you for being such a good friend to Bartholomew...
Mrs. De la Cruz: He's always been a bit shy, you know? I'm glad that he's finally found someone he can look up to.
Before long, Ace emerges from the kitchen, a forced smile on his face.
Ace: Ready to go, MC? I'll walk you out.
Mrs. De la Cruz: Won't you stay a while? I have this wonderful VHS of Bartholomew in preschool that we could--
Ace: MC has to go, Mom. Now.
MC: Yeah, I have a busy day tomorrow.
Mrs. De la Cruz: Well, you're welcome to dinner any time.
Mr. De la Cruz: Nice meeting you, MC.
MC: It was nice meeting you, too.
You leave with Ace. The moment the two of you are across the street, Ace turns on you.
Ace: Well, MC? Are you happy now?
MC: What are you talking about?
Across the street from Ace's house...
Ace glares at you, the tense set of his jaw highlighted by the yellow glow of the street lamp in the night.
Ace: You got what you wanted. A little exercise in schadenfreude. Must have been fun, seeing my parents talk about me like their pet failure.
MC: I didn't come here to dig into your life.
MC: I came to plead for my school. You made the case for my school's closure with those scandals. You pushed the Council to vote on that proposal. You set me up with that fake memo--
Ace: You dug that grave yourself, MC. The district board might have chosen to reject my proposal if it weren't for that lovely hitpiece of yours...
MC: My point is, you're the only one who can make it stop.
Ace: You have no cards left to play. Why would I do that?
MC: You saw what it's like at my school. We're not a threat to you. We didn't steal the Hamilton Internship from you on purpose--
Ace: There. That's it. Winning the internship? A fluke. Your school didn't earn it. You opened your school, and your friends came flocking over like sheep. Easy as that.
Ace: Even when I leaked that recording of you badmouthing your classmates, your friends closed ranks around you. Your classmates were hurt, but they didn't run you out like they should have.
MC: What's wrong with that?
Ace: That's not how the world works. You don't deserve your success. Neither does your school. I won't back down simply because you asked nicely.
MC: We used to be friends, Ace.
Ace: Didn't you hear my parents? I don't have friends. And I'm glad.
Ace: Everything I've done, I've done alone. All my life, I've fought to be deserving. To earn my place at the top...
Ace: I struggle, and I fight, but I'm never good enough. I can't measure up.
Ace: My mom and dad told all their high-society friends I was going to win that internship. They said I humiliated them. Did you know, if I embarrass them again, they're going to send me away?
Ace: The very last thing I would do is give you a hand up.
MC: It doesn't have to be this way. You don't have to fight to be deserving. Life isn't a competition.
Ace: That's easy to say when you win them all... when you take home football trophies, science fair ribbons, poetry medals on a weekly basis... when everything comes so easy for you.
Ace: Life is a competition, MC. Natural selection.
Ace: If you didn't earn it, you don't deserve anything. You're not worth anything.
MC: That's just not true...
Choice
What do you say?
   You're worth more than your success.
   You can't decide that for my school.
if "You're worth more than your success." then
   MC: You're important because of who you are, not because of your grades or your achievements.
   You reach out and grip Ace's shoulder, looking him in the eye.
   MC: You can't base your value on your trophy case...
   MC: You're worth more than your accomplishments.
if "You can't decide that for my school." then
   MC: Who are you to say we didn't work hard? Who are you to judge what my school does or doesn't deserve?
   You reach out and grip Ace's shoulder, looking him in the eye.
   MC: Ace, you can't decide our worth...
   MC: ...the same way your parents can't decide yours.
Ace: I...
He shrugs you off, unable to hold your gaze. When he finally speaks, his voice is rough and halting.
Ace: You... you may be right.
MC: So you'll do it? Take back the proposal?
Ace: I...
Suddenly, Ace glances back at his house across the street. He shakes his head, stepping away from you. His expression hardens.
Ace: Too little, too late, MC.
He starts walking back inside.
MC: Ace! Wait! You can't do this to us!
Ace: I just did. See you at the board meeting.
MC: Ace!
He closes the door behind him. In the cool dusk, the large illuminated windows of the house seem to grin at you in smug victory.
The next day...
You arrive at City Hall for the district board meeting to find your whole school gathered on the steps!
MC: Wow. Everyone's here.
Payton: And it feels like a total funeral!
Mia: I mean, it basically is one.
Autumn: I'm so sorry, MC. After all we've been through...
MC: It's over. Our school is done for.
Nishan: I don't know if I want to cry or get Hulk smash angry. I can't stand this!
You notice your classmates glancing back at you, whispering.
MC: Why are they all looking at me? Are they saying this is somehow my fault?
Nishan: Uh, not exactly...
Several of your classmates walk up to you...
Classmate 2: We just wanted to say... um...
Classmate 2: We're sorry.
Classmate 3 steps forward as your entire school surrounds you on the grand steps of City Hall.
Classmate 3: We should have believed you about that turncoat Ace. Now that he's wielded legislative power to close our school, his true nature is evident.
MC: You're not mad about the recording?
Classmate 1: Seeing that recording hurt, I'm not gonna lie. But we should have known you were just venting.
Classmate 2: You're like a good ballet partner, MC. You'll always catch us, even if we time our leap wrong and end up kneeing you in the face.
Sakura: What about New Start, huh? And all those posters?
Classmate 1: Actually, that's what confirmed our suspicions about Ace. We knew something was up when he voted for the proposal to close our school...
Classmate 3: But we weren't certain, until New Start came forward in confidence to deny that they made those posters.
Classmate 3: They were discontent with your work on the Council, sure, but when Ace voted to shut us down, they realized it must have been him using them as a way to cause a rift between you and the student body... to provoke you into saying those things on tape.
Classmate 1: Then he showed up and knew just the right things to say. We all fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.
Classmate 1: But we should have seen through him. We should've believed in you first.
Your classmates watch you, waiting for your response in solemn silence.
Choice
What do you say?
   Apology accepted.
   Apology not accepted!
if "Apology accepted." then
   MC: Ace tricked me, too. He had us all fooled.
   Classmate 1: Whew. You're the best, MC! We really don't deserve you.
   MC: Good thing it's not about deserving.
   Payton: Awww, I call group hug! Super big whole school hug!
   Laughing, you pull the people nearest you into a hug! Above you, the massive clock atop City Hall chimes seven o'clock.
   Julian: It's time. Think there's any chance the board votes to keep us open?
   MC: No. But if this is going to happen... I'm so glad to have all of us here together for it.
   Wes: All right, everyone. Let's go hear the verdict.
if "Apology not accepted!" then
   MC: I spent this whole time helping you, never doing anything for myself, and you still believed Ace over me.
   MC: You think I can just forgive that? Everything I worked for is about to be destroyed, all because you let Ace trick you into turning on me!
   Classmate 3: Ace tricked you into turning on us, MC. He hid behind New Start and got you to think we were conspiring against you.
   Classmate 1: You called us all ungrateful. Like we didn't deserve to be at your school.
   MC: It is my school. And maybe you don't deserve to be there.
   Your words ring out, echoing against the columns of City Hall's facade... and as they come back, you realize how cold you sounded.
   All of your classmates look away, uncomfortable...
   Classmate 1: Well... even if you don't accept our apology... we're still sorry. And we'll make it up to you.
   MC: ...it's too late. Come tomorrow, we won't even be classmates anymore.
   Leaving everyone behind, you walk alone into the City Hall auditorium...
   But your classmates sit down next to you, keeping you company.
Families from all over the district file into the auditorium, packing all the seats.
You see the board members sitting at the front of the auditorium, with Professor Edwin at the center.
Professor Edwin: Welcome, everyone. Please take your seats. Quite the crowd today... there's standing room in the back.
The auditorium falls silent. You look around and spot Ace sitting with his parents amid the crowd.
Professor Edwin: The agenda for tonight's meeting is to vote on Proposal 74-F, proposed by the district student council, to close down the school in question and redistribute the students to other district campuses.
Professor Edwin: The proposal reads as follows...
Professor Edwin reviews the proposal before everyone in the auditorium.
Professor Edwin: ...'and in light of recent events, we, the district student council, believe that this school is not capable of properly serving its students.'
Professor Edwin: 'We formally submit a proposal for indefinite closure.'
Professor Edwin: Before the district board votes, the student council's representative must make their case for the proposal.
As Ace goes to stand before the board, your classmates whisper among themselves.
Classmate 3: Look at him! If Ace weren't such a jerk, I'd want him in our theater troupe... he's so good at acting like he isn't trying to end us.
Classmate 2: Ugh, he's such a fake. I'll tweet the squad. We can start up an anti-cheer...
Classmate 1: We probably shouldn't draw more attention to ourselves. It'll only make us look worse to the district board.
MC: It's too late. They've already made up their mind.
Professor Edwin signals for silence.
Professor Edwin: Mr. de la Cruz, please state the student council's case for Proposal 74-F...
Ace stands there, silent, his gaze sweeping over the audience until he finds yours.
Professor Edwin: Mr. de la Cruz, are you listening?
Ace: Yes, Professor Edwin.
Ace: I've seen a lot at the school I represented on the Council, things that would shock and surprise you. What I found there was... was...
Ace: A community.
MC: Wait, what?
Ace: Nerds, preps, jocks... this is a school where no one is trapped by their clique or what people expect of them.
Julian: Is it just me, or is Ace... not dissing our school?
Wes: What's he up to now?
Ace: This school is a place where your worth is taken as self-evident. A place filled with students who... who believed in me.
Professor Edwin: Young man, if I didn't know better, I'd say it sounds like you were making the case against its closure.
Ace: ...maybe I am.
Professor Edwin: A moving tribute, surely. But it doesn't excuse the litany of problems.
Professor Edwin: I would love to see this school flourish, but it's painfully apparent that it grew too much, too fast, under what's clear is near-zero supervision.
Professor Edwin: It is time for the vote. All in favor--
Ace: Wait! You can't close the school.
Professor Edwin: Mr. de la Cruz, I understand that you've grown sentimental about your time there, with good reason.
Professor Edwin: But we're here because of the fire code and food safety violations, the cheating ring, the student fights, the school newspaper that, may I remind you, slandered you publicly!
Professor Edwin: We must take responsibility for this and do what needs to be done.
Ace: You're right, Professor.
From the gallery, you can see Ace's face contort with pain. He sees his parents sitting in the front row, watching him with growing concern.
Ace: It was all me.
A gasp ripples through City Hall at Ace's words.
Professor Edwin: What do you mean, 'it was all me'?
Ace: The code violations. The fights. The cheating. All of it. I framed the school.
Professor Edwin bangs the gavel, trying in vain to silence the huge uproar exploding in the room. Amid the din, Ace turns to his parents.
Ace: Mom... Dad... I'm sorry.
Classmate 2: OMG. He did not just say that. I'm dreaming. Someone pinch me.
MC: If this is a dream, I don't want to wake up.
Classmate 3: Amazing. Prime time television, right here. Does anyone have popcorn?
Professor Edwin: I don't understand. What do you mean?
You watch Ace take a deep breath and square his shoulders.
Ace: Under the guise of a student faction, I launched a smear campaign against their district council rep, MC.
Ace: In so doing, I provoked MC into issuing inflammatory statements that I then recorded and leaked to the public. As a result, MC resigned, and I took the Council seat.
Ace: Then I introduced false scandals to discredit the school and strong-armed the Council into voting through a proposal to shut it down.
Professor Edwin: This is very serious. Why did you do all this?
Ace: Because... I wanted something I couldn't earn.
Ace: Every word I've said for a long time has been a lie, so I know what I'm asking when I beg you to trust me... please do not shut down this school.
With that, Ace strides off stage. The auditorium absorbs the information in quiet shock.
The district board quickly confers with each other. Finally, Professor Edwin steps back up to the podium.
Professor Edwin: In a unanimous vote, the district board has rejected the proposal. The school will remain open.
The auditorium erupts into overwhelming applause!
Payton: We did it! I mean, we didn't do anything, but we did it! We won!
You lean back in your chair, feeling lightheaded with relief.
Beside you, Wes leans over, his whisper in your ear barely audible over the delirious happiness all around you...
Wes: You were right about him.
Your whole school streams out of the City Hall, still cheering and whooping!
Julian: This is awesome. I feel like I could run ten miles on this adrenaline!
Sakura: Not to pull a Payton, but... we need a party, stat!
MC: I am all for this plan.
You see Ace still on the City Hall steps with his family.
Mr. De la Cruz: ...you couldn't earn your place, so you became an even bigger failure? And then you go and humiliate us in front of the whole town?
Ace: Dad...
Mr. De la Cruz: Don't back-talk me. No son of mine would ever do something like this.
Ace's father storms away, while his wife and son walk slowly down the steps together.
Ace: I'm sorry, Mom. I just had to... I couldn't...
Mrs. De la Cruz: You're in a lot of trouble, son...
Mrs. De la Cruz: But you took responsibility. I'm proud of you.
Ace's mother gives him a long hug.
Someone throws an arm around you, jolting you out of your reverie!
Julian: See you at school tomorrow, MC! Bring your party A-game!
The following day, you arrive at school to find the whole place decked out in streamers and balloons!
Your classmates gather around you, slapping you on the back and cheering for you as you walk by!
Classmate 3: Welcome, welcome! Now that you're here, MC, we can get this party started for real!
MC: Heh. You didn't have to wait for me.
Classmate 2: Oh, you. Don't be silly. It's all meaningless if you're not here...
Classmate 1: I don't know what strategy you played, but Ace got wrecked yesterday! If it weren't for you, we wouldn't even have this school to go to!
Payton: Good news? You saved the day! Even better news? Our teachers said that we can have the day off, which means...
Payton: School-wide party!
The school loudspeakers blast dance music as your classmates mingle and party!
You hang out by the refreshments table with a few of your friends.
Nishan: It's just as I calculated. I am fully capable of eating five average sized cookies at once!
Julian: Okay, Nish, but what if I frisbee them into your mouth? Then we can take this show on the road!
MC: I'd pay to see that.
Autumn: To be honest, I think I'd pay not to see that.
Just then, Classmate 3 and Classmate 1 carry over a stack of pizza boxes!
Classmate 1: Make way! More party rations here!
Classmate 3: There's pepperoni, cheese, and 'mystery flavor'... I'm afraid the class clowns got ahold of the phone, and we'll all have to suffer for it.
MC: Hey, pizza's pizza.
Classmate 3: Wise words... so I have to ask. Now that Ace is off the Council, will you be running to get your seat back?
Autumn: That's right! I'm sure you'd be a shoo-in.
MC: Honestly, I think the district board should shut down the Council. They've got too much power...
Classmate 3: Uh, yeah, way too much. Like, it was kinda preposterous if you think about it...
Just then, someone taps you on the shoulder!
Wes: Hey, MC.
MC: Whoa! When did you--
MC: Never mind. Wes teleportation. I should really stop being surprised. What's up?
Wes: Word of warning... Ace de la Cruz at nine o' clock.
You see Ace escorted onto school grounds by security. He hangs his head as he passes a group of your classmates, who watch him coldly.
Julian: He's got a lot of nerve showing up here.
Autumn: He must be here to clear out his art locker.
MC: What's going to happen to him?
Autumn: Well, he did get expelled from Kepler.
Wes: And every other school in the district said he can't enroll. Persona non grata.
Julian: Good. I hope his parents send him away, just like he was afraid of.
Autumn: I don't know, Julian. I just... feel bad for him. He's not welcome anywhere else... that's exactly the kind of student our school was founded for. He did turn himself in.
Wes: That doesn't make him a new man. He'd be an asset... but he's still dangerous. I don't think I could trust him.
Ace walks out of the art wing with a box of pottery supplies. He hurries toward the parking lot, avoiding meeting anyone's gaze.
MC: I'm going to go talk to Ace.
Autumn: What are you going to say?
MC: It'll come to me.
When Ace notices you running after him, he slows down for you, pausing at the school entrance.
Ace: Just the person I wanted to see.
MC: Was that... sarcasm? I can't tell.
Ace: Remember what I taught you on the campaign trail? All about body language. Notice the--
Ace: Sorry, force of habit. Clearly I'm the one who needed teaching. That's not what I meant to say.
MC: What did you mean to say?
Ace: I meant to say I'm sorry... for who I am.
Ace: I'm sorry... for everything. For trying to shut down your school. For betraying you.
Ace: I know I won't have the chance to make amends... but you can rest easy knowing you won't have to see me again.
MC: I heard about... you know. Getting expelled. And you're moving away?
Ace: Yeah. No school in the area will take me. Surprising no one, my dad's livid.
Ace: I'll be flying out next week to this boarding school in Manila.
MC: If I know you, you'll be running the show there in a week.
Ace: I don't think so. I... I think I'm done.
Ace looks at his shoes, uncomfortable, his box of things weighing heavy in his hands.
You stand there together, silently, the laughter and music from the distant party carrying in the air...
Ace: I guess this is goodbye.
Choice
What do you say?
   Good luck out there.
   Never show your face here again.
   Stay at my school.
if "Good luck out there." then
   MC: I'm sorry things turned out this way... but thank you for doing the right thing in the end. I believe that you're sorry.
   MC: I'm just... not able to trust you right now.
   Ace: I understand.
   MC: You'll be okay. If anyone can bounce back from this, it's you.
   Ace: After all this, you still believe in me, huh?
   MC: Have a safe trip, Ace.
   Ace: Hey. I'll keep an eye out for you in the news. I know you're going places.
if "Never show your face here again." then
   MC: Save your breath. You can say you're sorry all you want, but everything out of your mouth from day one has been a manipulative lie. Don't let me see you again.
   Ace blinks rapidly. He quickly swipes at his eyes before speaking.
   Ace: I deserved that. Guess I wouldn't believe me either.
   Ace: But you're right. In politics, words mean nothing. All that counts are your actions.
if "Stay at my school." then
   MC: What if you enrolled here? For real, this time?
   Ace: Wait... you're serious.
   MC: Ace, you really hurt us... but after I saw what your life is like, after what you did for us at the board meeting... I believe that you regret it.
   MC: It's like you said. Everyone's welcome at this school... and that includes you. You have a place here, if you want it.
   Ace looks toward your campus for a moment, dumbfounded... then laughs.
   Ace: You know, my parents were right about one thing. I'm lucky to have someone like you to look up to.
if "Good luck out there." then
   Your friends catch up to you as you watch Ace drive away.
   Julian: Man, he got off easy. You're too nice, MC.
   Autumn: Is he going to be okay? He looked kind of... hopeless.
   MC: I don't know, but he can't be our problem.
   Wes: You're right. He would've been great to have on our side... but there's a limit to who's welcome here.
   Autumn: I didn't realize that...
   Julian: Think he'll be back?
   Wes: Not if MC doesn't want him here. But who knows what the future holds?
   MC: Yeah... who knows...
   Ace is out of the picture, and your school is safe at last!
   But if you ever find yourself needing a political fixer, you'll know where to find him... in the All-Stars tab in the Store...
if "Never show your face here again." then
   Your friends catch up to you as you watch Ace drive away.
   Julian: Nice! You told him, MC!
   Autumn: Is he going to be okay? He looked kind of... hopeless.
   Wes: What do you expect? Not saying we should've given him amnesty, but... he did just ruin his life to save our school. Sure, this was all his fault, but he fixed things in the end.
   MC: Ace got what he deserved. He of all people understands that.
   Ace is out of the picture, and your school is safe at last!
   But if you ever find yourself needing a political fixer, you'll know where to find him... in the All-Stars tab in the Store...
if "Stay at my school." then
   Ace: I'll have to talk to my parents. I think I can persuade them to let me stay... with your help.
   MC: Me?
   Ace: Yeah, they love you. A personal invite from you will seal the deal.
   MC: If that's what it takes.
   Setting down his box of art supplies, Ace offers you his hand. You grip it in a firm handshake.
   Ace: Here's to our futures. It's looking bright. We'll go far together, MC.
   Ready to welcome Ace to your school? Go to the All-Stars tab in the Store to recruit him!