« 008 ⇢ event008.exe »

[reparator]

Who: CERES & you
When: OOC: 12/20-12/31; IC: 10/21-10/27
Where: Cerealia & Vidia's Secret
What: Event log
Rating/Warning: PG-13 | Horror Ahoy!

//event008.EXE You Don't Stand a Ghost of a Chance You were always warned about the little things that go bump in the night, but you didn't believe them, did you? After all, ghosts don't exist, and things aren't really out to get you in the dark. As the month draws nearer to its final days, however, you're going to want to double check that belief of yours. On the eve of the 20th, continuing on, you'll feel the signs. It'll begin with a flicker, something barely noticeable. Conveniently, that day, the cinemas will start showing some creepy movies (maybe you'll have seen similar ones back home, or have you?) and you can access Ceres' TV stations- amazing show and movie line-up on their devices or TV screen. All seems to be normal, really... except for the weather that seems somewhat chilly and dismal throughout, with chances of storms every now and then. 'tis the season to be spooky, after all. It's just the weather being weird... Until you get the feeling that something is in your house... and you sure as heck didn't invite it in. How will you know? Well, you might hear it, whispering in your ear, or maybe see it as just appearing as part of that movie, or on a Holo-screen you're walking by, and disappearing as quickly as you hear or see it... "You'd better not shout, you'd better not cry, you'd better not pout NoT TeLliNg YoU whY Gonna taste you, spit you out, smell you soon YoU STINKy LOuT. Hope you like the company. We've been dying to meet you."

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ xxxx ] Your first day will go normally enough, even if some things at work or school will behave a little oddly. Nothing too major, but enough to give you a sense of unease through the day. The real fun begins when the evening is in full swing, because things will feel even worse than before. Objects will disappear and reappear in the wrong places, your HoloGM at home or the workplace will decide to suddenly flicker into strange shapes and frightening objects before turning to normal, and who threw that lamp?? If you were planning on spending an evening of peace, well. We hate to be the bearer of bad news, but... on the positive side, there's a fun stream of spooky shows to watch?! Just ignore the possibility of someone joining you... or not. Ignoring a guest isn't nice, you know. Will you run into the arms of a lover or friend, or run and hide? The choice is yours. PHASE II [ xxxx ] You're going to really not like what comes next, deep into the hours past 3 a.m. Hope you're not a cranky sleeper, because you may want to be up for this. Your Cerevice will blink a strange message that will merely read "W A R N I N G" and flicker to normal before you feel that your privacy has been completely compromised. Or at least haunted. Because the next thing you know? Ghosts. Lots of them. And they're not going to wait before giving you chase and letting your senses take the hit. Of course, you might just get lucky and not be visited by any of the ghosts at all- but then again, things will just continue to make you jumpy and spook you out throughout the time the others suffer. Hope you weren't counting on a lot of sleep. And as for those of you who will eventually become victims of your unfriendly visitors, well... hope your friends are around to help. Your CereVice certainly will. PHASE III [ xxxx ] What a rotten week. If you haven't been visited by your ghosts of eternal damage, you're going to have a nasty week at work with things going wrong and everything just points at you. If you have been hit by a ghost, you're going to be suffering the after-effects throughout. The good news is, your CereVices will do their best to compensate for what you did lose. You can voice activate them or touch activate them, or have them give you textual directions. Your healer friends however, can come in very handy and attempt to fix you up- and may even succeed! Though some effects may be stronger than the rest. Even ViViD will have some intriguing new stages that may put your recent condition into focus and have you work through them to gain a better boost. Just don't be surprised if it isn't entirely effective, but hey, remember when we said having friends is a good thing? Hope you've been making some, because they might just be the only chance you have against suffering this alone. PHASE IV [ xxxx ] As the week draws to a close, the effects of the hauntings will start to wear off, and surprise and joy, things will seem normal again. People won't be experiencing any irritations and jumpy situations at home anymore, and all will be well. Then night will fall and they'll come again. For those of you who were lucky enough to escape, the only trouble you'll have is the screams of horror and the frightening situations your friends are in (did we mention you had to make friends?)- you may have to get out of bed to help, hunt around- and probably put your life on the line. Because those that did get affected, will be dragged into a place of horror and fright, of shivers and quivers- Vidia's Secret: Premium Lingerie to suit all tastes. A beast of horrifying proportions awaits there, ready to tear your friends from limb to limb, so we do hope the captives are prepared to fight, or die trying. PURGATORY [ whyo'clock ] You died while fighting against the final boss. Sucks, but it happens. That's why you're here, after all. There isn't much, but make yourselves at home. The surroundings will look pleasant enough, little recovery huts with some cute digital medics of all types waiting in there to help you out. After about 12 hours in Ceres time, the characters will step out of ViViD and be given gift bags with "You Tried" stars on them, each containing a sexy set of lingerie (and animal onesies for anyone below 16) and pampering materials like bath bombs, chocolates, candles and shampoos to take the trauma off the last few days. For those that survived, they'll be getting the same, as well as "Well Done!" stars on their bags (and an extra massage coupon)- and all parties will recieve a little note contained within reading: "We're sorry, have some gifts. You can blame one of your own for being too curious, though. Remember to read the instructions next time, and don't go on witch hunts!" For those exploring Purgatory, just relax and enjoy the view. Also, your characters might have woken up wearing the lingerie or onesies during their "recovery treatment"... we're sorry they're the only clothes they'll get until they leave. :( [ 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 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.

Comments

ota

[brocon]

PHASE I

[ Being in a new place was difficult! Ayumu didn't really care much about anything, so generally... settling down shouldn't have been a problem. But that didn't go so well. What was supposed to be a peaceful evening for dinner and brooding turned into an evening of suspense. Cupboards would swing open, and he'd suddenly find kitchen utensils on the floor. He didn't even use those! As much as he hated to admit it, he felt fear. It was stupid to be afraid of "ghosts". Why be afraid of something that you can't see?

That's what he thought until he found a strange reflection off the spoon he was cleaning. Was it a something, or a someone? Either way, he wasn't going to stay in his apartment for long.

Maybe this was a good time to actually talk to people. He was taught how to communicate properly by his "friend". Time to put what he learned into action!

Which is to say, he likely looks like a hobo outside the hallway in the apartments. He's just waiting for someone to pass by so he can try not to show how freaked out he is about his own place. And when someone does pass by, he waves and says: ]

I'm an official Cerealia bed tester. I need to check your beds.


PHASE III

[ Losing your sense of hearing isn't the best thing, but when you're new and you have people barking at you at work for "messing up", it's a blessing.

To him, nothing of value was lost. While he loved music and being able to play the piano, he knew well enough how notes should sound like that he doesn't really need the rely on his hearing. He didn't even have a piano, so doing his favourite thing in the world didn't matter at that moment.

What mattered was that he was out shopping, and stopped by one of the food stalls. He wasn't sure what he wanted to eat, but he knew he at least had to put something in his stomach. He had no craving... maybe he could use some suggestions.

He types on his CereVice: Help a fragile and poor man in need and holds it up, hoping at least one person would stop. ]

i

[unevoke]

[Hobo 1, meet Hobo 2.

Hobo 2 is currently heading back to his apartment, hands shoved deep into his coat pockets and shoulders hunched over like a little old lady, when Hobo 1 calls out and Hobo 2 stops and turns his head slowly. Shinjiro's never heard of a job as dumb as bed tester and even if he had, he's not gonna let someone who looks as sketchy as him into his apartment.]

No. [REJECTED.] Check someone else's bed.

[brocon]

[ No one looks sketchier than you, Shinji.

This inferior-looking-"hobo" pockets his hands and sighs. ]

Too bad. Do I have to call my coworkers so we can conduct a raid? You're smuggling some stuff in there, aren't you?

[unevoke]

[Does he get a medal for Sketchiest Hobo 2014?

So much for being able to reach his apartment unscathed. Now he's gonna have to stand through some dumb interrogation from a kid who looks like he's been kicked out of high school. (Look who's talking, Shinji.)]

I ain't smuggling anything. [So matter-of-factly.] And you're not a cop, you can't raid my place.

[HE KNOWS HOW THIS STUFF WORKS.]

[brocon]

[ Um, excuse! I quit high school on my own volition. Take THAT.

Frankly, Ayumu could just let this be since it looks like he could get clobbered and have his bones broken by this guy. He decides to drop the dumb act. ]

True, cops are pretty stupid. The ones I know, anyway. But seriously, you may want to check your apartment for any misplaced or missing things.

[ He even raises his arms a bit, as if surrendering. ]

I'm not trying to be skeevy.

[unevoke]

[Too late, dude already acts and looks hella skeevy. But. Since Shinjiro's pretty skeevy himself and knows better than the wholly judge based on appearances, he takes the guy's warning with some basis in truth. He makes no move to head back to his apartment, instead watching the guy in front of him with some curiosity.]

You got something stolen from you?

[How else would he know? Unless there was some crime report pinned on the bulletin board downstairs that he missed.]

i

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth is passing by, trying to investigate the strange goings-on in his apartment. It was always organized, and yet things suddenly ended up misplaced. A pillow would suddenly fall despite being a safe distance away from the nearest patch of floor. There was nothing to watch on TV except horror shows, which were not his thing but didn't freak him out. After all, he's seen scarier things.

While asking around about these odd developments, he comes across said hobo outside claiming to be an official bed tester. Now, he had been offered strange jobs when he first arrived, but this? Uh. What.

Edgeworth raises an eyebrow and stares at Mr. Hobo skeptically as he repeats the words:]

An official bed tester?

[brocon]

[ One of the things Ayumu was good at was making stuff up, and making sure it was believable! Sure, an "official bed tester" seemed like the dumbest job title ever... but it seemed plausible that there were actually people who had that particular job in this place. . .

He nods, dignified. He's seeing this through the end.

Or at least, until he runs out of ideas. ]

Yeah. I gotta check the mattresses if they're made with the right materials. Same with the frame. I have to see if you're hiding anything illegal in your pillows, too.

[prosecutory]

[Yeah, no, that doesn't sound like an actual job. The folk in charge of the apartment could handle the mattress composition, and searching for anything illegal? You can't do that without a warrant.]

First, I've been here long enough to know that my bed is perfectly fine. Secondly, it is illegal to search without a warrant, save for exceptional reasons...none of which I find in this situation.

[Does he look like a criminal to you? DO YOU HAVE ~PROBABLE CAUSE~? HE THINKS NOT.]

[brocon]

[ Even the most reputable people end up being criminals. ]

It isn't illegal to search without a warrant, since I'm not even in the police force.

[ It seems like he has more to say about it, but stops himself there. Instead, he continues on with something else: ]

If you're going to be uncooperative, you'd probably want to check your bed on your own. And while you're at it, check every nook and cranny in your apartment. Some things might not be where they should be.

[prosecutory]

[So, you aren't a police officer posing as a "bed tester". Okay. Still, people can't just search other people's stuff willy-nilly, but he shelves that thought as he listens to the next statement.]

I already know that. This is yet another one of these...these strange events that happen regularly.

phase iii

[convections]

[Another person communicating by text... Jenna raises an eyebrow, but as this isn't the first instance of this she's seen since arriving, she supposes she's starting to get used to it.

She pulls out her own CereVice to type back.]

How fragile are we talking, exactly?

[Maybe not as helpful as she could be...]

[brocon]

[ That was fast.

Ayumu's fortunate enough that someone actually stopped. Now he can bother someone with his first world problems. He replies after typing some stuff: ]

I was born with a weak body. It's pretty bad. I can't hear now, too.

[convections]

You could hear before?

[She doesn't think any amount of healing magic will fix him up if he was born weak, but if he could hear before now... maybe it's something that can be healed. She has to make sure first, though.]

[brocon]

[ He just nods at that. It doesn't seem like he has more to say about it.

Or does he.

There's a short pause in between nodding, and suddenly deleting what he typed to type something else, as if he just remembered something important. ]

Do you believe in ghosts?

[ He doesn't seem like he's joking, either. He presents what he typed with a stoic expression. ]

Sorry for the wait! I'm in and out of airports today, so I'll be a little slow still.

[convections]

Yes.

[Jenna makes a face as she types. She can't not believe in ghosts as she's fought them already, but she wishes they weren't a problem here too.]

Are they responsible for your hearing loss?

i!

[harepiece]

[WELL THIS IS INCREDIBLY SUSPICIOUS. It's a good thing Ayumu's picked out one of the most roll-with-it people on the floor, because Oz gives him one look and instead of turning tail and booking it the other way, he just offers a cheery:]

Bed tester? Sure!

[Maybe - just maybe - he can tell that the poor guy seems a little discomforted. Not that his own apartment's going to be any better, considering the weird HoloGM flickers and things rearranging themselves and all...

But he'll gesture in the direction of his room regardless.] It's right down the hall this way.

[brocon]

[ Dear diary,

Jackpot.

There's a relieved smile on his face, but he could be smiling about anything. ]

Your cooperation is highly appreciated. Please lead the way.

[ He actually doesn't think that the other apartments would also be experiencing the same phenomenon, so he's actually looking forward to seeing a regular apartment with futuristic and fake furniture... and then promptly asking the resident if he can bunk with them. It's a fool-proof plan, clearly. ]

[harepiece]

[HE WILL LEAD THE WAY for this genius and his genius plan!! Luckily he's not very far down the hall, so it doesn't take that long to get there! He'll stop in front of the door to scan his card before propping it open and-

everything's... on the floor. The picture frames, vases, cups; they all seem to have been placed very intentionally at the lowest levels possible. Nothing is left on the tables or countertops that isn't practically bolted down. Oz doesn't seem to understand how EXTREMELY BIZARRE this might be to a newcomer though, since he sure isn't explaining what happened in here.]

Here! Make yourself at home. —Oh, but be careful not to sit too close to anything breakable, okay? We put the teacups away, but I'm not sure how much good it'll do...

[brocon]

[ He. . . can't help but stare at the things on the floor.

As his family's resident Maid and Chef, he can't help but feel the need to fix things. But this isn't his home, he has no right to do that. The urge sure is huge, though. ]

I don't think anyone is able to sit anywhere here, honestly.

[ I'll just stand here awkwardly, looking around and getting a feel of the area. May there not be a weird ghost-like thing here. ]

[harepiece]

[It's a tragedy but it's a tragedy Oz seems inclined to ignore... Unless he actually does start picking things up though, because he's a guest!! A bed-testing guest!]

Sure there is! The couch! [Gesturing over toward it!! And true enough, there isn't anything on the couch itself...

It's just that he'd have to wade through an ocean of Stuff in order to get there, since the floor is pretty much covered.]

We've just been having a little trouble with- ...things. [Things.] Can I get you a snack or anything?

iii

[rollin]

[ Yata doesn't know if this guy is poor OR fragile, but he's the kind of person who can't leave someone in need alone! Even if he's deaf, too! He seems to be checking his watch for the time when a holographic keyboard appears. It lets him type something up as the face of his watch displays the words in another holograph. ]

wat u need?

[ look... fuck spelling... ]

[brocon]

[ Ayumu takes a few moments to squint and read Yata's response. It's pretty easy to decipher, but if there were more numbers or letters taken out from words, he wouldn't have been able to get it.

He deletes what he had typed on his CereVice and replaces it with something else. ]

Which of these stalls have food that won't poison me

[rollin]

[ How much faith has this guy lost in aliens... But no, he can understand that. Yata doesn't bother deleting his text; it's too much effort on one hand. ]

dont eat the burgers

[ They're probably safe right now, but with all these ghosts running around, he wouldn't take his chances. ]

[brocon]

[ This guy sure puts effort, deleting what he just typed and typing something new. It doesn't help that he's not used to typing, either. It might be like waiting for your grandpa to reply to a text.

What is this touchscreen? Back in my day, we pressed hard buttons and the buttons beeped. ]

Thank you. It's my first time eating out.

[ That's one thing to cross off his list. He wasn't planning on eating burgers since it's so unhealthy to begin with, but knowing that they were "bad" made him feel better about it. ]