PHASE I [ 6 30 ] You really have arrived, finally.
Too bad the welcome isn’t so great.
Upon arrival, you will literally be dropped out of the sky.
You may land in the lake (watch out for the fish). You may land on the roofs of the buildings in the town (watch out for the spires). Or you may be unlucky, and fall all the way from the sky to the ground, at which point you die and lose a life already.
Don’t worry, you’ll respawn in the air and you can try again.
Good luck this time!
If you do manage to finally land in a way that doesn’t break your spine and/or drown you, you’ll find that if you’re a newcomer, you’ll have some strange words hovering over your head. They seem to be a set of your name, a level, a class and a quest, something like --
Ima Adventurerer Lv. 9000
Class: Dragon Slayer
Current Quest: Slay every dragon
-- but aside from existing, they don't seem to have any actual impact on your abilities or requirements. But you can do the quests if you really want to. Everyone will clap politely for you if you do. There might be confetti, even.
They would appear to coincide with a scroll or two posted up in the middle of town for everyone to see.
At least it’s easy to tell who’s new this round.
PHASE II [ 745 ] Once you’re safely on the ground (hopefully no broken bones!), it’s time to get a feel for the game. As free range as it seems to be, you have all sorts of choices in where to go and what to do. You could take on some quests! You could go hunt down monsters! You could...pick up that fancy looking armor over there!
Except you may not actually want to do so. As soon as you touch that armor, it will equip itself, no ifs, ands or buts. Of course, it isn’t so bad, at least, not for the ladies. For the men who equip the armor, they may find it to be a little breezy. In many different variations.
To make matters worse, be careful what you touch in your inventory, unless you want to equip a fish instead of your sword, or whatever the hell this is instead of your cool, awesome, special weapon. Good luck.
And the only way to unequip it is to find something else to equip. There’s motivation for some questing, at least.
PHASE III [ 1000 ] Eventually, you have to venture out of the town, however. There are NPCs ushering you to quest onwards, and there’s nothing in the town worth poking your nose into; none of the doors open, and all of the NPCs say the same, looping lines in a creepy monotone.
There are quests to be done outside of the town, they say, over and over.
So, off you go. However, the moment you step out of the town, you’re…somewhere else entirely. Look behind you, and the town is gone. Look around you, and there’s nothing but flowers, fields and the other people who have stepped out of the town themselves, looking equally confused. The bizarre armor is now gone, and you're back in your proper clothing; the strange floating titles and levels and the like are also gone. Otherwise, it is silent; there isn’t a single other soul. No bird song, no buzzing of bees -- just silence.
Of course, it won’t last. Soon, the monsters show up...but strangely, they seem to be monsters from your world, if your world had monsters. If your world had animals, they are those, or robots, or any number of combinations. But they seem...different. They’re meaner, larger, nastier, and all dark colors and bloody, dripping claws and fangs.
It seems everything’s been a little corrupted here -- even things from your own worlds.
PHASE IV [ 1400 ] If you persevere through the monster-infested fields, trampling your way through flowers which did nothing at all to you, you’ll eventually find yourself at a still, still lake. It’s a beautiful place, quiet and hushed and untouched, and totally monster-free; it might be a good place to take a breather.
But if you look into the lake, even for a brief moment, you’ll see whatever it is you want most in the world. Whether it’s a person (dead or alive), a thing, a title… it doesn’t matter; the lake will show it, tantalizing and right there, so close to being in your grasp.
If you don’t pull away immediately, you might find that it’s hypnotizing, in fact; you’ll feel the need to go closer and closer, even if it means wading into the lake to get closer to that goal. Just...don’t go too far. Something is waiting for you.
If you touch someone to try to help them, you’ll see what they are also seeing in the lake, for better or for worse. It might be a good chance to get to know them, if you weren’t, you know, in danger of being eaten.
Thankfully, with some perseverance and good friends, the hypnotism can be broken. You do have friends, right?
If you survive all of that, you can finally log out and join Cerealia proper -- hooray!
BONUS [ xxxx ] There sure are a lot of flowers in this field of flowers. There are flowers everywhere. Which isn’t a bad thing, unless you’re allergic to flowers (if you are allergic to flowers, CERES apologizes and suggests you take their special, patented ClariCERESclear to clear that right up). Except...the longer you’re in said field of flowers, the more you may notice that things are a little...strange.
Some of the pollen of the flowers has some strange effects on your bodies, it would seem. You could stumble across any of these (or none at all), and they could last anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour or two, depending on how much of that pollen you breathe in.
The effects are as follows:
➟ The urge to princess-carry the nearest person
➟ The urge to serenade the nearest person, regardless of your singing ability
➟ An awakened urge to be really aggressive towards the nearest person, even to the point of fighting (it's time to pvp)
➟ Uncontrollable crying
➟ An uncontrollable urge to make flower crowns and place them on peoples' heads (which thus further spreads the other effects).
Don’t trust the flowers.
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
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As soon as they've made it out of the enclosed space, things are a bit better though. He can breathe more easily, at least, and he's sure the rest will settle down soon enough (or so he hopes). It helps that he's on solid, unmoving ground now, even if everything still feels a little unsteady.
Ugh.
Chaltier murmurs his concern, a quiet, "Young master?", and Leon mutters in response, hushing him.] Later, Chal.
[They can talk about it later, but not now. He's not interested in that right now.
Either way, he's so focused on that that it takes him a moment to actually look up--and then up. And up and up and up. These buildings are so tall, what the heck......... it's almost enough to distract him from how he's feeling.]
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even if it's just the small things, like getting him the ice cream that he failed to bring back way back when in noischtat, or getting him medicine to help with his motion sickness... stahn wants to do these things. it's the least he can do, especially after all he failed to do before. stahn will have time to think about these things later, though. first... well, first comes looking to see just what it is that even leon seems to be distracted by.]
...Wow. Amazing...
[stahn's already been awed by quite a lot today. the lights and the tall buildings in the entertainment district were surprising enough. but for them to be that tall where people live... is that even possible?]
Do you think people really live in all of those rooms, Leon?
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Well, he certainly hopes people don't live in all of these rooms. What if they are all kidnapping victims like them? That is...a more distressing situation than he first thought.
And this is a bigger deal than he expected, as well.
Either way, he can't lose focus; he still has his goal, and it hasn't changed. Get Stahn back to their world (make sure their world is fine), so that he and the others can save it. Marian will be fine then, Rutee will be fine, Stahn will be fine, everything will be fine.
Leon takes a slow breath (still a little unsteady from the trip), and then crosses his arms and thinks. Well... if lodgings are that easy for them to obtain, then--]
I doubt that all of them are occupied, but it does seem that this city is bigger than I expected.
[Time to...re-evaluate things a little bit!]
Either way, we don't have time to gawp. Let's go.
[This is...admittedly the harder part of the directions Stahn received. Use their CereVices to get lodgings...? Leon pulls his out, but it's really a mess of utter foreign everything to him. ...well. They'll figure it out as they go along, he supposes.]
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[there's so many buildings, so many people... even taking the train, stahn can tell they covered a pretty decent amount of ground in a very short period of time. this is nothing at all like what they know.... and if this is just once city, what about the rest of the world? it raises so many questions.
maybe getting distracted is a bad idea.]
Right, but— [go where exactly? neither of them really has a clue about that part. there hadn't been any way to predict that the city would be so big, or that there would be that many houses to choose from. he stops questioning it though when leon pulls out the cerevice.
right, that thing. he peers over, looking down at the screen.]
I wonder how it works. [he's so puzzled. he could just take out his and try to figure it out, but he's just baffled enough to crowd leon for a moment. they don't both need to be doing that at the same time anyway, right? they can figure out the other parts later, but getting a place to stay comes first.]
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For now, Leon's focused so hard on the CereVice that he doesn't quite notice Stahn crowding into his personal space. The language is one he understands (which is...strange. He's pretty sure that's weird.) and he's able to at least work his way through the menus when he realizes that touching the options is what carries you forward.
He metaphorically stumbles a few times when he accidentally hits the wrong thing, or fails to realize what a bit of slang or an abbreviation means, but it helps that the apartments thing is right there, obvious and straightforward.
Even if Leon's hesitant to hit it, eventually he does, and then it brings up options and...what looks like prices? He supposes it costs people money to live....places.... Leon sure doesn't know, he's never had to think about it before!!! He's not sure Stahn will understand any better than him, but he turns to ask his opinion anyway, and... with Stahn that close, he gets a face full of mullet hair instead.
Naturally, Leon springs away like a startled cat, bristling.]
What are you doing?
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stahn really hadn't realized that leon was so aware of how close he's been hovering; he naturally assumed that leon would have sensed it. so that's a total accident that leaves stahn dumbfounded for a brief moment when leon bristles.
not that the bristling is really surprising when it's leon, but it came suddenly at an unexpected time. but he's not totally blind as to why it happened, so he'll give a weak, sheepish laugh after a moment.]
Sorry, sorry! I was just looking to see how it all worked...
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Slowly, Leon's bristling settles as Stahn apologizes and also gives him back his personal space. It was probably an overreaction, but Leon and his personal space... some things never change.
Leon, a bit more settled now, just clears his throat.]
... It looks as though you would choose one of these options, and that is where you would live. [Temporarily, naturally.]
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but whatever, it's passed quickly enough and they can get back to what's important. which is good, because honestly? stahn is exhausted. this has been a long, draining day. it had already been long before getting here at all, and then adding the hours of adventure through ViViD and the emotional exhaustion from the reuinion with leon... and stahn is just beat.]
Amazing... if it's really that easy, it's amazing. This place... it's not like anything else. [he can't help but continue to be awed by the whole thing. it's just incredible and unbelievable. honestly, stahn wishes the others were here to see this with them.]
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Leon frowns at the addresses, and then glances around them. While Stahn is sparkling at how amazing everything is, Leon continues to be...well, business.
Which is why he hardly responds to that, instead finally saying:]
This way. Let's go. [Straight to the point as ever!!! And then he's going to start striding down the street, hardly bothering to wait to see if Stahn will follow (because of course he will). If they can just... find one of these places, then they can rest there, and they (read: Leon) can figure out the finer details tomorrow, after they've gotten some sleep.
It's as good a plan as any, Leon figures.]
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Yeah. [it's just a small hum of confirmation to leon's prompting. which probably doesn't matter all that much when leon's already on the move. it's no surprise at all that stahn follows behind, trusting that he doesn't have to ask anything else in the meanwhile. leon's got this under control, he'll find them a place to stay and get them there safely, he's sure of it.]
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But sure, leave it in his hands. Ironically, despite the fact that Leon still has very little idea what he's doing, having that sort of pressure on his shoulders helps. It's more what he's used to, and it serves to remind him that even so, Stahn at least is still willing to depend on him. Even with how terribly things turned out before.
Leon's not sure Stahn should, not with how everything spiraled out of his control before, but the fact of the matter is that he is, so he'll roll with it now.
Some fiddling with the CereVice as he walks reveals that he can even see more information about the apartments as they go, even from here... admittedly he doesn't like any of them (they're all so foreign, and different from what he's used to) but they'll have to make do, so he goes with whatever seems best all around and leads them there.
So after a couple of minutes of walking, he pauses in front of a building (checks the address, double checks the CereVice, because this all seems like a trick), before he just deals with it and strides forward as if he's not totally confused about the entire situation. In they go!]
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and it doesn't change that in stahn's eyes, leon had always been more suited for that sort of role. he admired leon's strength and skill, both on the battlefield and while dealing with the diplomatic situations and being a leader. none of that has changed even despite everything else. he'll never let himself believe that leon's actions had been anything but done out of desperation for the person he cared most for. sure, there are things he still needs to scold leon for—not coming to them sooner for help, holding back that he was rutee's brother and then burdening her at such a terrible time... but that hasn't removed stahn's trust in him, not at all.
this feels familiar enough in a sea of unfamiliarity, so it's hard not to welcome even the most feigned confidence coming from leon. stahn's sure it'll work out, anyhow. it always did when they worked together, after all... it wasn't until they stopped acting a team that things had gone south, right?
it's hard not to continue to marvel at the sights as they made their way inside the building. seriously, everything about this is... surrela. but also kind of cool.]
People really live in these? It seems more like an inn than a place to live.
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[There's quite a lot of disdain in Leon's voice, if nothing else; he's used to much fancier places to live than this, quite frankly. Even so, though, he would still prefer something like this to the manor with the constant threat of Hugo. It's a whimsical thought, but even so one that sticks with him.
They'll make it work, in one way or another.
Either way, he doesn't hesitate to push open the door, inspecting room numbers (and taking the stairs instead of the elevator) until they reach the apartment in question.]
This is one that appears to be available. To me. [A twist of his lips, displeased. He doesn't like it at all--people telling him what he can do and where he can go. IN THEY GO.
... It's actually nice inside, he realizes, but it's not like he wants to admit that, it'd be like giving this place some sort of small victory. But at the very least, he can see how it would work as a living space. (It's larger than he expected, too, so... this would be a reasonably place, probably, even for the both of them to live, but is that what they really want? He's not sure. Space might be better.)]
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stahn just isn't about to question it. not right now, there's no reason to. the last time leon was in an elevator was probably on his way down in that cave, just as they'd done to find him—which couldn't haven been that long ago for leon. so stahn decides it's better to leave it be. they can add that to the pile of things to be discussed later. besides, getting to the apartment, checking it out and getting settled is more important.
when he steps inside the apartment, stahn looks around with eyes wide; this is a lot bigger and more luxurious than he was expecting.]
It's a lot bigger than an inn room... [he walks a bit ahead of leon before stopping, then turning around in a circle to get a nice 360 view from top to bottom.] It's practically the same size as my house in Leane!
[and then.
and then he spots the the large windows that face out into the city—with one hell of a view of the lights and buildings that make up cerealia's skyline. he's definitely never seen anything like this. it's astonishing and it's pretty, and just stands there, jaw slack and eyes wide.]
A... amazing... You can see the whole city from here! And... it's so big!
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But he can't really find anything that's super suspicious or terrible (though there are a lot of things that he has no idea what they're for or how they function; for now, he leaves them alone), and when Stahn opens his mouth, Leon pokes his head back into the general living area to see what's gotten his attention now.
Ironically, he hadn't looked out the window. For all of his poking around, when he joins Stahn in front of the window it's the first time he's really gotten a glimpse of Cerealia like this, and... well, even Leon is a little slack-jawed, even if it shows on his face a little less.]
What...
[...]
What sort of place is this? [It's huge, and laid out before them like this, it's clear that it's utterly foreign and alien. The lights, the transportation, the people, the buildings...it's all completely alien, and in a way, Leon feels totally dwarfed and lost right now. But... when he glances over at Stahn, all he sees is awe on his face, and somehow that grounds him a little bit. He may be out of his depth here, but some things haven't changed--Stahn is still Stahn, and the world will keep on turning, and that's enough.]
... Regardless. I suppose this will do. [He supposes.]
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[or fitzgald, or phandaria. it's so massive and sprawling; he knows it's not going to be an easy task to even learn their way around. there's not even a single comparison point of familiarity.
but really, even thinking about trying to explore more makes stahn yawn a little. he's exhausted both mentally and physically from this day. more importantly is acknowledging what leon says, so he turns (though it's hard to pull his gaze from the window, honestly), and gives a nod.]
I think it'll be fine. Ahhh, I'm beat anyway. I don't think I could take any more stairs. [...there's a chance dymlos is sighing at that, because... well, stahn is in fact still stahn.]
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Either way, Leon looks at him for a long moment before he crosses his arms and nods.]
Fine. Stay here then.
[Stahn seems perfectly content to treat this like an inn situation, but Leon isn't; he's already getting the sense that this is strangely permanent. In which case... living in the same place as Stahn just sounds and feels strange. Which is why he's going to turn on his heel and try to leave like an idiot to find another place to stay, because he's Leon and sometimes he's incredibly dense.]
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[even if it is something of a more permanent situation, stahn still didn't consider things would have to be any other way. he stands there for a moment, dumbfounded before he speaks up again.]
Where are you going, Leon? [it's sort of unfathomable to him hat leon would go through the effort of leaving after all it took to get here in the first place. among other things, of course. stahn also just... really doesn't want to be alone. being alone's never been good for him, and he's not even in the best state of mind to be without the company of others, even if it's just to remain in silence or go to sleep.]
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["Of course". Like it's only natural. Stahn is staying here, so Leon will find somewhere else. He doesn't really intend to stay with Stahn, because...
... Because it wouldn't be fair. It would be better if he slipped out of Stahn's life again, even if it's just to be across the Residential District. In some way that Stahn doesn't have to see him all the time...
Because to Leon, it still weighs heavily on him that he is dead, and no matter how long they're stuck here, it simply cannot last. So he'll remove himself, before some other force does it for him. It'll be a little lonely, perhaps, but... who cares about that?]
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[leon seemed relatively satisfied with it when they checked it out, so...? it's only nature to stahn that leon just stay there. it's spacious enough, and they're friends. he doesn't want to be alone, and honestly, he doesn't want leon to be alone either.
that's not what either of them needs right now, no matter how much leon may want to try and convince himself that's the case. stahn would rather have brief time with leon than be alone, especially if it means wasting opportunities to see a person he's missed so much all this time.]
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[For a moment, he doesn't understand what Stahn is getting at, so his answer is frank and surprisingly honest. And then it clicks with the way that Stahn continues to look at him, and Leon frowns.
And, as certainly as he can manage (which is honestly not very certain at all):]
I am not going to live with you.
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[it's almost immediate, the way stahn speaks up in protest. no, he doesn't like this at all.]
You're already here, and there's a lot of space. [he laughs, a bit awkwardly.] Kind of big for one person, isn't it?
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If you were going to make an argument, Stahn, that's probably not the right one considering Leon's circumstances. He lives in a manor.
Still, Leon does pause, if a little uncertainly.]
No, it isn't. I have no reason to stay here. [... Nor does he have a reason to go, admittedly. He can't help but hesitate right now.]
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[they both just got here, it's not like there's some other agenda. aren't they going to work together like they always did anyway?]
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[.. .... .... He's obviously not going to be forthcoming with a reason because he...has none...
Aside from the fact that he just isn't sure he's able to stay with Stahn like this.
aka Leon's just being a big baby, what else is new.]
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