« 014 ⇢ EVENT014.EXE »

[reparator]

Who: Cerealia natives & you
When: ooc: 05/21-05/23; ic: 01/08
Where: A local photography studio
What: Intro 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)

//event013.EXE WE'RE YOUR BIGGEST FANS WE'LL FOLLOW YOU UNTIL YOU LOVE US (L̻̣̖̯̰ͣ̒̓̆̃̈́̈͜͞O̱̞̞̝̤͋̆ͭV̵̨̖̘͉͖̤͇̞̺ͫ̾̇̚͝Ę͐̇̓ͪͨ̇͠͏̰̼͍͍̪̙̰͍̪ ̸̫̆ͨͨ̕͝Ȕ̘̼ͬ͋ͮ̂͋Ś̑̒͗҉̧̤͚ ̪̯̰̮̘̔ͬ͂ͫͫ́͝L̠͍͔̯͔͈͆̄̉ͤ͢͝ͅO̳̰͔͙̱̹̦͌̓V͍̗͖̙̬̰ͫ̆̆ͤ́E̡̤̤̟̩̟̅̃͢ͅ ̦̙̲̮͖͙͓̄ͩͥ̇̎̈ͫ́̀͢U̶͚͔ͯ͌͘S̡̛͈̺̹̯͎̓̐̄̿͝ ̷̌̑ͮ̒̂̓҉̰̦͕͓̝L̤͍͍̝̯̙̈̓ͮͬͧ͡͠Ô̢̲̗̻̱̜͔̺̗̦ͩ̒͊̄̌̒͊V͎̬̺͇͖̮̻̚͜Ĕ̱̺͓̩̯̫ͅ ̖̫͙̞̜͇͖̹͗̿ͨͧ̄͑̕͝U͎͔̼̒̂́̽͑͆ͨͯ͟ͅS̢͔̳ͣ̊̃̇ͣ̐̀͞ͅ ̲̣̳̾ͩ͑ͦ̈́ͩ̉͗̕͞L̗̩̰͈̜͔͍͈̓͢O̫͈̝̭̠͈͕̻̎̏ͣ̚͘͠V̸͔̲̻͚̭͂͆̎̈ͨ̐̏̑́͢È̪̖̟̞̗͎̰̻̱̈́ͩ͂ͩ̓ͩ ̵͎̘̺̋̐̉ͦ͂ͧ̐ͬU͇̫̪̬ͣ͢S̰͓͂̿͂͗̐̓ ̶͌̇̂͗ͧ̓҉̤͎̫͈L̺̦͓̏̏͌͢O̷̗̥̭ͣ̐ͯ̚͢Vͮ͌ͦ͏͇̖̗̟͈E̱͉̥̋ͥ̏ͣ͘ ̧͙ͧ̃̒̓͘͠U̘̺͎͌̊͡S̸̛͇̠̭̹̞̘ͨ̓ͧ̌͋̍̊ ̬̭͋͐͗̈͒̅L̡̢̗̙͈̲͉̼̳̆͛O̶̵̗̼̺͓ͮ̓̉̕V̢͒ͫ̌͛ͣͣ̀̕҉̟̖̹̤̞ͅE̵̘͈͋ͣ̈̋ ̧̛̙͛́͂ͣ̀̍ͫỤ̧̩̞͉̰̠̉͒̓̓̓̊͟͟S̵̠͕͍̼̠̺͔ͣ͛͂̒͛͌ L̡͑̀͟͏̪͎̲͖͉̖̣ͅỌ̸͙̅̂̔ͥͭ͌̾͟͟V̝ͫ̽̂̐ͬͥͭ͒̌Ẻ̷̇ͨ̇͛̒́̿҉͓̤ ̹̺̫͇̠̰̐ͤ͋̃̉͝Ȕ̻̪̪̰̰͙͆̈̐S̷̫̻̗̜͔̜̲͆͒̓͛ͬ) CERES itself has been notably quiet lately as they run their usual code recovery protocols, but the colony locals, who totally ripped off the company's name to put on CERESCON, are more than willing to step up their game. They've got something great planned for old friends, newbies who attended the convention, and even newer arrivals who only experienced the usual arrival: a massive group photoshoot with the intention of creating photobooks, calendars, and various other merchandise that can be sold. After all, regardless of what the you all think of CERES and vice versa, the locals love you guys! ...maybe a little too much. The newest arrivals will be ushered onto a bus shortly after emerging from their powerpoint presentation and driven around the city so that they can see the sights and be joined by those who have been in the colony for longer (and those who just arrived but are retaining test drive memories). The bus will make stops at various residences and places of employment in the effort to round up as many people as possible, and they will use any means necessary to get you to join in on the fun, from bribery (did they mention that you'll get a free lunch before the shoot, a free dinner after the shoot, and royalties from the sale of merchandise your face appears on?!) to outright kidnapping for the more stubborn. If you really don't want to take part, escape is possible, but expect to be tailed by amateur photographers trying to snap candid photos of you for the rest of the day. Upon arriving, everyone taking part will be treated to a delicious buffet-style lunch! Nothing too heavy, because they don't want anyone getting sick during the shoot, but they'll certainly make sure you're comfortable. This is a good chance to mingle with the new arrivals and meet people who have been in the colony that you haven't yet crossed paths with yet, so why not take a day off from work and have some fun? After all... CERES has nothing to do with this... right? What's the worst that could happen? "LOOK THIS WAY, MY PRETTY! AH YES, THAT'S YOUR GOOD SIDE... AGAIN, AGAIN! HOLD THAT POSE... GOTCHA! YOU'RE REALLY MAKING MY BLOOD RUSH NOW, NYA! NOW LOOK RIIIIGHT INTO MY CAMERA... JUST A LIIIIITLE MORE... Ȧ͊͗̿Ṋ̪͍̲ͮͤ̔̎D̜̻͕̼ ̍͂͂͋̊̚N̴̙̯̦͆̏̐͊ͯ́̓O̸̗̫̎W̗̲̰ͮ̇̏͛ͮ͑́ ̯̩̜̰̯̿́̅̂͌ͤ̉ͅY̶͍̜̤̎ͮO̫̺̫̬͍̹͘U͏̮̦̘̩̻̠̻'̬̹́͒R̬̩̙̻̙͚̳͟Ě̞̬̬ͩͧͯ̂̈́̚ ̫̞̺͆ͥM̛̌͑I̩̺̲̗̤̍̚ṈͭͅE͚̣͎ THIS IS A GREAT SHOT! YOU'RE SENDING SHIVERS DOWN MY SPINE! I'LL NEVER LET THIS PICTURE GO..."

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ xxxx ] So you've all just been dropped off at the venue and now it's time to get some food in you. After all, as any of Cerealia's professional models will be able to tell you, standing under the lights and looking pretty is a whole lot harder than it looks! You're definitely going to want to keep your strength up. But don't worry about paying, because this meal is on the house. Eat as much as you like. It's buffet-style, and anything that runs low will be refilled by friendly robots in a timely fashion. Also on the house is treatment from the colony's various appearance professionals. Makeup artists and hairdressers will have their time to shine as they primp and polish 'til you glow with pride, and representatives from various boutiques and clothing stores, as well as professional fashion designers, will be on hand to ensure that you look your best! Don't be surprised if, while you're waiting to get started, a dark-clad figure in a hood sidles up to you and dumps a letter or two in your lap! These are letters from your adoring public (yes, even the new arrivals have quite a devoted fanbase), and they range from cute to creepy. ...how did that messenger even get in, anyway? Maybe the way they seem to melt into the crowd and disappear when you blink has something to do with it. PHASE II [ xxxx ] Now it's time to get down to business! Business, of course, being getting your picture taken by these overly-enthusiastic photographers. ...do some of them look like cats? That's got to be your imagination. Blink and they'll look normal, promise. The photographers are interested in catching as many shots of the various visitors to the colony as they can possibly get, so don't be surprised if they pair you up with people you don't even know just because they think you look cute together. The poses they'll put you in will range from normal to outright risqué, so here's hoping you and your new buddy don't feel awkward together! Midway through the shoot, one of the volunteers will run into the room very excitedly, wheeling a cart full of animal carriers behind him. Some of the things he's brought along are harmless CYBuddies, because what photoshoot isn't made cuter by including adorable animals, but some of the others are... let's just say CERES probably won't be too happy once they hear that someone's brought alien life forms into the colony. In all fairness, some of them are actually quite cute, like the aquatic creature that manages to float itself around in a sphere of water and the multi-tailed fox with glowing purple eyes, as well as the... Well, no one's really sure what this thing is, not even the person who brought it, but it's cute enough. Others, on the other hand, are just entirely bizarre, but to each their own. Feel free to chat up the others while you're waiting for your turn, to play with the animals, or to try and escape. Those who try and duck out the back will eventually be tracked down by a volunteer or a robot that will try to either bribe or kidnap them into continuing with the shoot, though! Maybe you and a friend can team up to figure out a way past them? Or you could just be on good behavior and let them take your picture. ...a word of caution, however. No matter how often the photographers urge you to do so, do not look directly into the camera. Characters who do will be rendered unconscious (those with spiritual sensitivity will actually be able to tell that they've been rendered soulless, though characters that already lack souls to begin with will still be rendered unconscious) for five minutes in the first instance and five minutes plus one minute for every instance thereafter (six minutes for a second time, seven for a third, and so on). Should they reach the point where they would be knocked out for a period of ten minutes, the photographer will try to leave the building. You will want to stop them. If you don't, your character will remain unconscious until the dawn of the next day and will be transported to the CERES medical center. If other characters manage to keep the photographer from leaving, your character will wake up after ten minutes as normal. Feel free to NPC these encounters yourselves if it comes to it; the mods will not be doing so. It's up to you whether the photographer escapes or not. PHASE III [ xxxx ] Uuuuuuh-oh. Whoever thought it was a great idea to bring in all those alien creatures is probably going to get fired, because one thing has led to another and now they're on the loose. What's more, those of them that can do so have taken on decidedly more threatening appearances, and more than a few of them seem to be out for blood. In the chaos brought on by their outbreak, a second wave of photographers will make their way into the building. They're more aggressive in their attempts to have the characters look right at them when they take their pictures, and will absolutely try and gang up on them to hold them down and turn their heads to force them into having their pictures taken over and over again. These shots will have the same effect as being directly photographed during the photoshoot, but fighting back against them is okay - in fact, the volunteers and photographers who organized the shoot will actually do their best to help you fight the paparazzi off. This sort of aggression is not condoned by the locals who love you, after all. Should your character be rendered unconscious for ten minutes, anyone who attempts to stop the paparazzi from absconding with their soul will be assisted by the official volunteers for the photoshoot. ...of course, if your character is managing to hold their own, they'll just hang back and photograph the fight. Why waste a good opportunity for candid shots? After all, you're the people who are going to be restoring your own worlds and subsequently protecting theirs from the Flamines! Why wouldn't they want to document it every step of the way? PHASE IV [ xxxx ] The paparazzi has been successfully expelled, the photoshoot has been finished up, and as if by magic (okay, no, it's just technology), they've actually managed to produce the prototypes for the various merchandise that will be sold around the colony. Isn't that exciting? You've all done a great thing here today, the volunteers will tell you. Now just sit back, relax, and let them make up for all the trouble. Admire the calendars, books, and prints you're all appearing in! Or, you know, you can also wonder why ghostly images of people who aren't even there are showing up in some of the pictures you've taken. If you took a picture with just one other person, you might see a third person there, posed perfectly to go along with you! It's almost like the photographers were able to see them all along, but that's not possible, right? They won't always be there, either. You can see it and someone else can see it, but if you look away for too long and then look back, the picture will look just the way it should have based on how you took it. Huh. Weird. Anyway, enjoy the lavish banquet the volunteers have prepared to thank you for all your hard work! You've done a fantastic job and they really want to express their gratitude. If there's any particular food you like, chances are it will be there. (Don't ask how they knew what you like.) While you're eating, another black-clad messenger might appear and give you even more fanmail than you might have received before the shoot - apparently people have been watching, and this has really boosted your popularity! You're developing quite the fanbase. The dinner crowd's fanmail definitely ranges more along the "creepy" side of things, though some of the notes actually will be cute and innocent expressions of admiration. The security has been stepped up considerably for the meal, so the paparazzi won't be able to get in (though you can certainly hear them trying). At the end of the night, the volunteers will offer to escort you home, and should you take them up on their offer you'll make it home safely and be unbothered by the paparazzi at your place of residence. Try and go home alone, though, and the paparazzi will stalk you until sunrise, even going so far as to try to break into your room. BONUS [ whyo'clock ] It seems like your devoted fanbase has gotten a little out of hand! At any point during the log - even during the chaos surrounding the animal outbreak and paparazzi attack - you might just be approached by a robot. A robot that loves you so much, it's going to take you away from all of this. This robot will wax poetic about its undying love for you and how it's going to make sure that the two of you can be together forever and no one will ever be able to take you away from them. It will then proceed to do its best to kidnap you. Maybe there's some kind of a glitch in its program, because it's not gentle about it at all! And if you try and escape, it'll definitely get violent. Try to run away and it might just have to break your legs so you can never leave it behind. Try and fight it off, and it'll do its best to incapacitate you so it can drag you off, put you on display, and take super good care of you. These robots are incredibly sturdy, but the more technologically-inclined may be able to reprogram them into being less creepy and more helpful if they can get to the control panel on its back. Fight hard enough, or avoid it for long enough, and eventually its battery will wear down and you'll be safe. If you can't fight or run, you'd better hope someone who can will come along and help you...! [ 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 intro post For your convenience, we have compiled a post detailing everyone's usual arrival experience and feel free to consult the FAQ if needed. Please leave any lingering questions right here, and we'll answer them as soon as we can.

Comments

iv!

[adornmental]

[AH YES, it's his fantastic partner in crime... Good to know she wasn't caught by the con police and carted off into con jail!! He seems pretty pleased to see her and just as excited to see her pictures.]

Great! [Showing his off! Heck yes.] Yours are super cute, too. Those guys really knew what they were doing, huh?

[The ones who weren't trying to RUDELY STEAL THEIR SOULS anyway...]

[plumblossom]

[ She wasn't caught because she charmed the pants off them, THAT'S WHY. ]

Aw, thank you... Yours look really good too. I like this shot. [ She turns to a page where Kashuu is posing like a pro model because ahaha, she looked at it beforehand. All her friends are so cute, she can't help it, okay. ] You know, I'm amazed at how pro these volunteers all are! Our fandom is really talented.

[adornmental]

[A SMOOTH CRIMINAL.]

Thanks! [He doesn't even question why she knew which page to look at...] I know, right? These guys should be the one in charge of that company. Obviously they know what they're doing!

[Except for the really stalkery ones, they can just... go sit in a corner with Horikawa or something.]

—The animals were pretty weird, though. [AND THE SOUL-STEALING CAMERAS??]

[plumblossom]

I wonder what that was about. I think those were endangered species just now. They shouldn't be bringing them on the set if they're that dangerous too, you know?

[ This is what she's worried about. Speaking of worries... ]

Ah! Did they hurt you?

[adornmental]

I mean, I can see why they'd be endangered...

[Because they're ugly as sin so honestly who would want to try preserving them?? GOD. But he looks vaguely baffled by that question for a second?!]

Huh? [Oh... The animals, right - they were definitely giving humans some trouble, but he waves his hand dismissively.] Nope, I'm fine. It'd take more than that to damage me! [Said proudly GOOD WORK, TEAM.]

You look fine, too. [is... is that his way of returning the question... it might be.]

[plumblossom]

[ True, true. Those aliens were nasty, but she won't say that unless they ask. Maybe. ]

Hm? [ What... is he trying to imply by that, though? Where is this coming from? ] Oh! Hehe, yeah. Countries don't go down so hard. My paper cuts go away in seconds!

[adornmental]

[Go away he can't ask these things like a normal person.]

That quick, huh? That's even faster than it works for me.

[He's a little jealous... It would be even better if his vessel had the same sort of instant healing. Then he wouldn't have to worry so much every time he had to go in for heavy damage repair...]

[plumblossom]

Only things like economy and wars can really hurt us... It's pretty complicated stuff. [ Boring, sad stuff, so she doesn't elaborate. ] What about you, Kashuu? How do swords heal?

[adornmental]

[Wars can really hurt anyone, so he doesn't bother asking for elaboration, even if "the economy" gets her a little quirking look of curiosity.]

This body isn't really human, so it'd just heal right up on its own if someone cut it or something. [Patting his chest for emphasis. Good work, fake body!] And if my real body gets damaged, Haruji fixes it.

[plumblossom]

[ Taiwan nods. This is exactly how countries work, so that makes a lot of sense to her! ]

Oh! You mean Haru, right? Mutsunokami told me he was here.

[adornmental]

[GOSH MUTSU making friends with all of his friends... But Kashuu's expression lights up at that because heck yeah everyone should know about Haru, basically.]

Yeah! He's been here since most of us showed up. [A beat, and then:]

You should meet him if you haven't yet. I think he'd like being able to talk to the spirit of a whole country. [Mission Find Haru Friends carries ever onward...]

[plumblossom]

[ Mutsu can't be stopped... ]

Ahaha, really? I'd be honored! I heard he was really young. Is he cute?

[ priorities ]

[adornmental]

[stop mutsu immediately.]

He is, he is! [Really young but also cute?! He doesn't see anything wrong with these priorities... These two are hundreds of years old and they need to be stopped more than Mutsu, honestly.]

He's got that kinda understated cuteness. Like, if you saw him on a bus or something you'd probably overlook him at first since he doesn't stand out a whole lot and he wears boring clothes. But you can see how cute he is if you look past his grandpa sweaters, and he has really pretty eyes!

[plumblossom]

[ did kashuu just insult and compliment his master IN THE SAME DAMN TAG

Taiwan nods and pretends she didn't hear that, though. ]

Oh, oh, I know the type! The kind that really stands out if you only fix his hair a little, right? Is he tall? Or on the short side?

[ why does she even care ]

[adornmental]

[LOOK...... they're affectionate insults. If he wants to avoid them he should get rid of his grandpa sweaters!!]

It's totally that! I need to go shopping for him. ["For", not "with"... BUT OH NO talking about how short Haru is, one of his favorite things.]

He's tiny and it's the cutest! Even I can carry him around. Actually... [Eying Taiwan...] I think you two might be close to the same height? He comes up to about here on me- [Gestures to a little below his shoulder.]

[plumblossom]

Wah! [ She brings her hands to her mouth. He's... not her type. BUT STILL CUTE!! ] Really? He's so small...

[ Words Haru probably doesn't want to hear from anyone. ]

Does he use swords too? That must be tough for him. [ HE'S ONLY A LITTLE SHORT, TAIWAN. ]

[adornmental]

[As long as she agrees that he's VERY CUTE, they can still be friends...]

Isn't he? He argues about it but he really is! [He's not that short.

But Kashuu shakes his head in response to the question.] He doesn't need to since we wield ourselves. [That's their whole point for existing, as far as he's concerned. They make better swordsmen than any saniwa could, so they're much better suited for the actual front lines. THAT SAID:]

But it'd be funny to see him try to swing around one of the oodachi or something!

[plumblossom]

Swords wielding swords... That's funny!

[ But good for Haru. She wonders how the swords feel about being sent to the front lines, but that's a question for later. ]

Oodachi? What's that? One of the bigger swords? What are you?

[adornmental]

A lot of people here think so.

[He seems pretty amused by it! Since it's largely normal to him... because it's basically the only thing he knows... Nodding at that, though.]

Mmmhm. There're three of them here right now! A couple are super easy to spot since they're about seven feet tall, but one's shorter than I am. [Gesturing down to Hotarumaru's height... Lattle babby oodachi. AS FOR HIMSELF, with some measure of pride:] I'm an uchigatana!

[plumblossom]

[ Nodding at all this information! Wow, Japan probably told her about this before, but she was younger then. She also wasn't... listening... ]

Uchigatana? Is that different from a katana? [ With a playful smile, ] Are you trying to make yourself sound fancy?

[adornmental]

[...TAIWAN.]

I don't need to do that! [He's already fancy without having to hype himself up, gosh!! Just look at how pretty his blade is, he's got this on lock.]

I'm a type of katana, y'know?

[plumblossom]

Ehehehe! Aww, I'm just teasing you. [ Also, she didn't actually know that. ] Then what makes you different from oodachi, Kashuu?

[adornmental]

[HE GIVES HER AN UNCERTAIN LOOK... Was it really teasing, Taiwan. Was it. And if so, rude!! But he'll explain anyway because he can't not...]

There're a bunch of differences but the easiest one to remember is size. Oodachi are a lot bigger! Even tachi are bigger than we are. We were refined for samurai by the time I was forged, so we're lighter and easier to cut with.

[plumblossom]

[ She needs to hang out with Kashuu more to actually mean it, but hey... maybe it was half-serious! ]

Ooh, that reminds me! [ She claps her hands together. ] Whose sword are you, Kashuu? Mutsunokami told me about his, so I was wondering.

[adornmental]

[Mutsu strikes again.]

I'm Haruji's sword. [Which might as well have been followed by a "duh", with the way he says it... But he knows what Taiwan means, so after a pause, he adds:]

But my former master was Okita Souji.