« 009 ⇢ event009.exe »

[reparator]

Who: CERES & you
When: ooc: 01/15-01/22; ic: 11/03-11/06
Where: Cerealia's Research & Technology District and Beyond!!!
What: Intro and Event log
Rating/Warning: PG-13 | possibly nsfw (please let us know if you need this rating changed, or you are welcome to continue any naughty shenanigans in a private log)

//event009.EXE Always Believe in the Heart of the Cards Except When They Tell You to Kill People Welcome to CERES Research Tower’s latest event! For all you new folk queuing outside of the conference room where you were just made to sit through a lovely power point presentation, you will be asked to stay a bit longer and test out some games in their Game Testing Center. It’s a giant space located in the basement level filled to the brim with cubicles for everyone to sit in and enjoy their newest array of pop-up games. The games themselves will be in holo(gm) form and will feature suggestions from CEO’s post, including a simplified, 8-bit version of Tetris, Baseball, Soda Smash, etc. Characters can control the game through moving their fingers and tapping them against the holo(gm) screens. Surrounding the cubicles will be tables of food and more food for characters to partake in. It’s all safe this time. No mind-altering candy corn or gut-exploding Knight Burgers. Just sit back, relax, and enjoy the party. For those who have been in Cerealia for a while, they should have received an invitation to the event and an offer of 1,000 credits just for participating. So come on down and bring a friend or ten! Meanwhile, CEO has a small welcome for everyone- “Good Morning and thank you all for coming! We have been expecting you. We hope you will enjoy what we’ve put together today. Ever since we got your feedback on << RAINBOW NARWHAL MELEE >>, we’ve been developing new games for all of you to enjoy. We’ve also tried to draw in some things from your worlds. We hope to hear more feedback from you in the future. In the meantime, feel free to sample our food, generously provided to us by TGICERES, a moderately-priced family restaurant located in the Shopping District."

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ xxxx ] Music lightly wafts from the speakers as the showroom opens. Julius Vincere, CERES’ CEO, delivers the opening announcement before leaving the room. He’ll be watching through all the video cameras placed around the room, so be on your best behavior! You will be guided to one of the many cubicles where you will sit and wait for a screen to pop up with a game. Once that game is defeated, another will pop up and another and another until your character gets hungry/has to pee/is so done with this shit. PHASE II [ xxxx ] Among the game rotations is a simple 8-bit fortune telling game starring Aria, the fortune teller. Come be enchanted by her mysterious wiles as she reads your future. She will do some 8-bit arm motions before summoning a ring of cards that will float around her. Characters will be encouraged to pick a card -any card. Once one has been selected, it will turn around slowly and unveil a card from the major arcana. Aria will then give your character their fortune, and that will be that. End of game. Onto the next! PHASE III [ xxxx ] You’ve left the testing center, and the evening has passed. As you wake up to perform your normal daily tasks, a niggling urge emerges at the back of your mind. It’s faint at first, just a whisper of a suggestion that pokes at your brain like a mosquito bite. However, that bite starts to grow bigger and become infectious. As the day wears on, you find that one little suggestion escalating. The next day is even worse. It starts to dominate your every thought, making you carry out actions you never thought yourself capable of. Who is this person in the mirror? Who have you become? PHASE IV [ xxxx ] By day three, the impulse is now a full-blown addiction. It’s set into your psyche completely. You’ve become something else entirely –the embodiment of the card. You will be acting out everything without anymore resistance, and it won’t stop until the clock strikes midnight. That’s when you’ll reel back to your senses, and when it’ll all have felt like the worst dream ever. Or a nightmare really. BONUS [ whyo'clock ] Among all the games present, there is also an 8-bit version of CERESLearn. Yes, you remember the magical game that won your hearts over not too long ago. It will come complete with the same rules. You choose a subject, you choose an 8-bit teacher among the three (Astor), (Hilda), or (UN-Zippy), and you watch them as they try to erotically teach you what you want to learn. Is that an 8-bit boob or her arm? Who knows? But beware… as you may remember, these teachers house a very terrible secret. They will transform into an 8-bit giant bug that will chase around your protag as you guide them to run away with your finger, but you can also flick the bug on the holo(gm) screen to send them away for good. Those who figure out that little cheat code will immediately receive a special real-time shoulder rub as a reward from a robot that looks eerily like a carbon copy of their teacher of choice. [ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with trigger-y or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ]

//RUN.EXE Welcome to CEREALIA's latest event and intro post. For your convenience, we have compiled a post detailing what's going on right here and feel free to consult the FAQ if needed. Please leave any lingering questions in the OOC post, and we'll answer them as soon as we can. If this post goes into overflow, we will make a new one to deal with the ever-hated captcha! Worry not!

Comments

[sewayaku]

Phase I

[ he has never played any video games before, except for when CERES locks him in his bathroom and forces him to. This due not just to the fact that he's from a time period where the closest thing to a computer is an abacus, but also because he's just plain not interested - something that is incredibly obvious from the completely deadpan expression on his face as he stares at the screen.

Just what is he playing that's leaving him so bored. Why, it's... a simple dating sim app, of course! Who could enjoy something that was essentially just pressing a button and reading poorly-translated dialogue? He sure doesn't know. The current love interest of choice has the main character pinned to a wall, and Zara looks both bored and mildly offended. ]

... Why are all of these men so aggressive with their affections? This is entirely inappropriate.

Phase III

[ later, after being exposed to a certain image and then finally released from video game hell, Zara wakes up to do his daily chores - buying food, necessities, toiletries, and... locks. For some reason, when he woke up this morning, he found himself feeling oddly insecure. Not about himself, for once, or even about Cerealia. No - just some important people whom he suddenly feels he isn't protecting well enough.

If he sees you while he's out and about and you don't look too busy, this rabbit will approach you to innocently ask: ]

Excuse me. Do you know where I can find a good locksmith here?

[ there's nothing suspicious here... ]

Phase III-A: Locked to Nesso / other housemates can come in after?!

[ eventually, he does come home, carrying a rather heavy-looking plastic bag and with a distant look of contentment in his eyes. Zara hardly sets a foot in the door before he starts calling out. ]

Nesso? I'm back. Are you here?

[ his voice sounds pleasant and cheery... ]

III-A

[sisconning]

[You know who has absolutely no clue what's going on? At all? Who hasn't even realized that there is something afoot in this strange futuristic city yet again? That's right, the renowned knight of Weblin, Nesso Galland.

Yup. Because he's peeking out from his bedroom at the sound of his name with a cheerful smile stretching over his face.]

Welcome home, Zara. Get all your errands done?

[It's nice to see his oldest friend in a good mood, right?]

[sewayaku]

[ rest in pieces nesso

at the sight of Nesso, Zara seems to relax, as well, smiling back at him calmly. Ah, there he is. His master. His precious master...

... Wait, what is he thinking? His expression falters for a moment - but only a moment. ]

Mm, I did. It was a little heavy, but I think this is everything... [ walking in to set the bags down on the kitchen counter. One of them makes an audible clink, but he doesn't pay much attention, beginning to pull out groceries instead. ]

[sisconning]

[Nesso lifts an eyebrow at that. Heavy, huh?] Aah, if you're going to be buying loads of things, you should let me come with you. I can help carry things at least.

[He can be that useful, right? Also was that a clink? It sounds like a very heavy bag indeed.

Curiosity gets the better of him and he wanders over to start helping Zara unload the groceries, starting with those anyway, though he glances at the heavier bag.] What did you buy anyway?

phase iii

[scenting]

[ first of all she just got here.

secondly, she doesn't care.

AND THIRDLY... you know what, she's going to roll with it. she is slowly learning everyone in cerealia is insane and it's better to just try to go with it. also this man has rabbit ears and she's staring right at them. ]

Why do you need a locksmith?

[ seriously though: rabbit ears ]

[sewayaku]

[ he's used to the staring by now... although he still finds it weird. It really is another world. This time, he nips it in the bud, a wry smile forming on his face as he explains. ]

... Before you ask, they are my real ears. I'm a Rabbits, a native species from my world. [ that's good enough, right. ] And the doors locks in my apartment are in need of some fixing up, I'm afraid.

[scenting]

[ ... well. ]

Weird. [ a... rabbits. but he looks mostly human? hm. ] Can't you pull them back?

[ into your head that is. like her claws!

also at the lock thing, she furrows her brow. ]

But we use keycards.

[ did you break your keycard, zara? ]

iii

[poised]

[Natalia's reaction to this question is much different than it normally would be. She tilts her head faintly at that and before she can really stop herself, her mind is passing judgments. What on earth is Zara doing, looking for a locksmith? Could it be that he was careless and locked himself out of somewhere important? That's careless and an inconvenience--

But she catches herself before she actually says that, instead tilting her head.]

Ah- why do you ask, Zara?

[It'd be best to know that first, wouldn't it....]

[sewayaku]

[ he doesn't really notice the difference in demeanor, seeing as she doesn't say anything out loud, although he does nod his head slightly in greeting. It's nice to see that some of his friends are unaffected...

(of course he doesn't know that something's wrong with him, too.) ]

Good morning, princess. [ sorry, it's going to be hard to make him not call her that now. ] It's nothing major... Just that the security in my home is somewhat faulty. I'm rather worried about people being able to get in - this futuristic technology seems ... delicate.

[poised]

[It's a perfectly solid concern, it really is. However even before she addresses it, there was one bit that she refuses to let go of.]

Natalia. My name is Natalia. Or do you lack respect for me to the point where you would not abide by my wishes, Zara?

[ . . . . whoa, cutting. It's sharper than Natalia would normally be and she seems to realize it, covering her mouth with a gloved hand. Her apology comes just as quickly.]

Oh- my! I'm sorry. That was far more harsh than I intended!

iii!

[harepiece]

[SO OZ has probably finally figured out that Zara is one of the many people he needs to apologize for, but Things kept happening and he's just been swept up in so much nonsense that he hasn't yet been able to. BUT LO, THE CHANCE HAS COME!! HERE COMES ZARA!

Here comes Zara with a really weird question?!]

A locksmith? [...Well, his apology can wait for a second, then--] I'm not sure about that, but I know you can buy better locks with the holo thing.

[sewayaku]

[ oh, it's Oz. Zara is a gentleman, so, of course, he shows Oz the same polite smile that he always does - it's not like he wronged him or anything - but it may appear slightly forced, if Oz is the type who can read people well. That unnerving smile and gleeful pessimism made him lose quite a few points in Zara's book. ]

Oh? Is that so? How would I do so?

[ and can he trust the holo thing to keep Nesso in and danger out?! ]

*apologize to..... i meant... god

[harepiece]

[If only Jack was here to LAUGH HIS RUDE ASS OFF, but no, it's only Oz, who can read people pretty well indeed and definitely picks up on the fact that something in his smile is a little off.

BUT, first things first:]

You can just buy a pack that has stronger doors in it, I think. [...] Are you worried about break-ins? No one should be able to get into your apartment without a key...

i... I COULDNT HELP IT

[souredsweet]

[Kaoru overhears that and knows EXACTLY WHAT GAME ZARA IS TALKING ABOUT. The only one that has been offensive so far, with the possible exception of the Flappy Bird-esque game that Kaoru cannot beat no matter hOW MUCH EFFORT IS EXERTED.

But!! Glancing over toward Zara's cubicle at that, and in a very sympathetic tone:]

It doesn't improve much, so I would suggest against attempting to reach the end of the demonstration.

MO AKI MO SMILES

[sewayaku]

[ ah, someone else who knows his woes. Zara glances over, ears perking up, and gives him a harried expression. ]

I am trying, but this game is quite a bit longer than the rest... Maybe I should simply give up reading it all.

[ you'll get a bad grade from Big Brother if you do that, Zara!! ]

i, my apologies

[subvert]

[in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. and in a meeting between two people who come from lands with much less technology, the one who throws himself into the technology... well, understands the point of these things a little bit better, or something.

so sorry zara, but there is now a knight who just happens to have overheard the out loud commentary. he's done with his game testing because frankly he finds it boring, and is just ... wandering around now. there's a lot of new people here, he's noticed. and he's not necessarily the best about cultural norms when it comes to technology, so he'll just... look over the other man's shoulder.]

I believe it is akin to a romance novel, but it is intended for the reader to be able to make choices as well.

[his tone implies that no, zara's not alone - delita doesn't really see the point in it either. ivalice doesn't really have Choose Ye Olde Adventure books, which are... maybe the closest thing that someone might be familiar with

and probably makes visual novels sound a lot less appealing, huh.]

shhh no apologies... only old people playing video games

[sewayaku]

[ Weblin also doesn't have Choose Ye Olde Adventure books - so, unfortunately, they're both in the same extremely clueless book. Briefly looking up at him, Zara sighs, attention falling back to the aggressively pretty vampire boy looming over the main character on the screen. (It even has CGs! That's high quality.) ]

And I believe you're right. Still, something like this...

[ he narrows his eyes, frowning. ]

I find it hard to believe a lady would find this... titillating, for lack of a better word. If it were me, I would have slapped him by now.

i zara's too otome game pro for that sim

[amemory]

[shoves his face into Zara's cubicle]

Ah... Some people like that, I guess. It's pretty popular in dating sims.

MORE LIKE TOO NOOB he doesn't know how to handle the do-s

[sewayaku]

Dating sims?

[ he repeats the phrase, puzzled, as he turns to look at the person peeking into his cubicle. A familiar person, actually. ]

Ah... Good day, Mr. Tatara.

Phase I

[littlestbaskerville]

[Bouncing over she leans into his cubicle, wondering what game he has on his screen.]

...Why do they all want the lady?

[Her attention is not yet locked onto what is on his head...aka the ears.]

[sewayaku]

[ ah, a little girl... a little girl with a monstrous tattoo on her face. When he turns his head to look at her, he can't help but stare at it for a moment, though he's quick to politely lift his eyes to hers instead, offering a small smirk. ]

Evidently, they're in love with her, although they're certainly not very good at showing it.

phase i

[ionicwoman]

[Anise's attention are more on the people rather than games - childish pixelated fontech games without money prizes can only keep her attention for so long. Potential husbands are of way more interest.]

[...Also, rabbitpeople playing dating sims. Apparently, that is a thing]

I think it's romantic. ♥

[Anise, you're thirteen]

[sewayaku]

[ Anise, you're thirteen, he is not a potential husband!!

Her comment gets him to raise an eyebrow, at least, though he looks skeptical. ]

Truly? [ she looks young. Maybe young girls liked this sort of thing? Somehow? The only young girl he really knows is Fiona, and he never asked about romance or anything for... reasons. Perhaps he's the one who's clueless here. ] What about this is romantic?

1

[sagemodes]

Right? It's kind of weird when you think about it, but I guess girls dig those kind of things?

[ actually it's just giving him flashbacks to his certain 'friend' that he was fighting back home, but it's not as if he can tell Zara that. ]

[sewayaku]

[ sasuke's asshole magnetism...

Zara recognizes him quickly - he's a memorable guy - and nods his head in greeting before responding. ]

I wouldn't have guessed. Then again, I don't know many girls around this age...

[ only one, actually. ]