al saiduq/alcor ✵ 【アル ・サダク / アルコル】 (
adminproof) wrote in
estoria2016-03-18 10:47 pm
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Entry tags:
✵ 001 // [open] program: joy
Who: Al Saiduq/Anguished One (
adminproof), Otome Yanagiya (
mombastic), Hiro Kageyama(
theshiningone) & the Ticos, and the star, you, Cerealians! It's like a party up in here.
When: IC: 6/8; OOC: 3/18
Where: ViViD.
What: A completely not suspicious (but fun...???) health exam of some sorts, promoted and announced via networkwhich was handwaved, invited via personal message, hearsay, or this might just be another session in ViViD for you. Either way, please be their guinea pig. Guinea pigs will be compensated accordingly.
Rating/Warning: None so far! Just some virtual demon-whacking in ViViD for the sake of science.
► part A: DO YOU AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS?_
[ Perhaps you've received a personal message on your CereVice inviting you to come here. Perhaps you saw an advertisement or (handwaved) announcement on the network that there'd be a special event in ViViD today that pays more than normal. Or perhaps this is just another ViViD jaunt for you. No matter the reason for coming, what pops up on the level selection screen are not one, but two friendly and helpful NPC assistants, here to tell you something so very exciting! The purple-haired bunnygirl speaks up first in her incredibly peppy voice: ]
Hey-o! We're running a super special custom-designed level today! It's basically a health exam, but waaay more fun, hee-hee! All you gotta do is play our custom level, AI Challenge. Beat up some baddies, let us watch you for a lil' bit, win some credits, everyone's happy!
[ The male butler (thankfully) decides to speak up and clarify the terms. ]
In other words, your performance and vital statistics will be monitored for this gaming session. You will be compensated for your time and effort, of course. The points you accumulate in this session will be worth 1.5 times more than normal.
[ Without further ado, he gestures with his hand and brings up a screen detailing...the dreaded terms and conditions. All the specific information is there (they'll be monitored about their health, stamina, spiritual energy while playing, for the sake of collecting data on ViViD's usage), but buried within the text wall they need to scroll down, unfortunately. Curiously, they don't seem to care about whether the players actually read the entirety of the text wall or not, only that they select whether they agree or disagree to the terms they've laid out. ]
Sounds super neato, right? So whaddya say?
[ Ignoring the two (totally very helpful) AIs and selecting the "I agree" option will bring them to a difficulty selection menu but...weirdly enough, there doesn't seem to be any other modes besides BLESSED and APOCALYPTIC.
Well then. ]
► part B: PARTY FORMATION_
[ The monitoring system can run independently of the ones hosting this, after all, so why not add their own data to the mix and get some exercise/training in? Upon selecting a difficulty level and agreeing to the terms and conditions they surely read all the way through and thoroughly, characters will be presented with a choice from one of three allies just standing around right in front of them. Everyone (including you) will have skills and statistics laid out in a window floating above their heads, because what kind of RPG would it be if there wasn't some number crunching, spells, and cheesing involved?
For players who normally don't have any supernatural abilities in real life, they'll find that they can pick from a large variety of them for this session, ranging from elemental and healing spells, to outright physical moves that allow them to strike multiple enemies.
Name: Al Saiduq
Handle: ???
Age: ???
Name: Otome Yanagiya
Handle: Otome
Age: 24
Name: Hiro Kageyama
Handle: Hiro
Age: 18
( ooc: Just state in the subject header which character you want! Alternatively, this option can be skipped entirely and they can go at it solo, leading to part C.) ]
► part C: BATTLE START!_
[ Now that their party's been set up and they'vesigned away their souls (hopefully) learned about what they're getting into, it's time for the main event to begin! The two AI navigators from earlier will appear right in front of the party. ]
Welcome! Welcome, from the bottom of my heart.
Hi, sweetie! I'm sooo happy you're here!
You are now inside our custom level. Since you have come all the way here to grace us with your presence and agree to assist us, I wish to entertain you to the fullest extent possible. I assume for those like you, there would be no greater entertainment than the challenge, the rigor, and the excitement of combat! I have prepared a number of demons for your battling enjoyment.
The rules are simple! Last one standing is the winner! By the way, I'm like, super-duper strong. Check out the guns!
[ Blows air kisses at her (quite frankly non-existent) biceps. ]
We will try not to be a dull encounter. After all, your happiness is our happiness.
[ And with that, they teleport away, each one far away at opposite ends of the stage. The rest of the field however, will be suddenly be littered with packs of demons. Some of them will definitely look as tough as they are, while others might seem more...disarming. No matter what however, they'll certainly pack a punch and rush at you (and/or your ally) as soon as they spot you! Fortunately, their own stats and moves will be displayed above their heads in a floating box too, including any (randomized) weaknesses! ...And resistances.
Victory: Defeat Tico
Defeat: All allies are defeated. ]
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When: IC: 6/8; OOC: 3/18
Where: ViViD.
What: A completely not suspicious (but fun...???) health exam of some sorts, promoted and announced via network
Rating/Warning: None so far! Just some virtual demon-whacking in ViViD for the sake of science.
► part A: DO YOU AGREE TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS?_
[ Perhaps you've received a personal message on your CereVice inviting you to come here. Perhaps you saw an advertisement or (
Hey-o! We're running a super special custom-designed level today! It's basically a health exam, but waaay more fun, hee-hee! All you gotta do is play our custom level, AI Challenge. Beat up some baddies, let us watch you for a lil' bit, win some credits, everyone's happy!
[ The male butler (thankfully) decides to speak up and clarify the terms. ]
In other words, your performance and vital statistics will be monitored for this gaming session. You will be compensated for your time and effort, of course. The points you accumulate in this session will be worth 1.5 times more than normal.
[ Without further ado, he gestures with his hand and brings up a screen detailing...the dreaded terms and conditions. All the specific information is there (they'll be monitored about their health, stamina, spiritual energy while playing, for the sake of collecting data on ViViD's usage), but buried within the text wall they need to scroll down, unfortunately. Curiously, they don't seem to care about whether the players actually read the entirety of the text wall or not, only that they select whether they agree or disagree to the terms they've laid out. ]
Sounds super neato, right? So whaddya say?
[ Ignoring the two (totally very helpful) AIs and selecting the "I agree" option will bring them to a difficulty selection menu but...weirdly enough, there doesn't seem to be any other modes besides BLESSED and APOCALYPTIC.
Well then. ]
► part B: PARTY FORMATION_
[ The monitoring system can run independently of the ones hosting this, after all, so why not add their own data to the mix and get some exercise/training in? Upon selecting a difficulty level and agreeing to the terms and conditions they surely read all the way through and thoroughly, characters will be presented with a choice from one of three allies just standing around right in front of them. Everyone (including you) will have skills and statistics laid out in a window floating above their heads, because what kind of RPG would it be if there wasn't some number crunching, spells, and cheesing involved?
For players who normally don't have any supernatural abilities in real life, they'll find that they can pick from a large variety of them for this session, ranging from elemental and healing spells, to outright physical moves that allow them to strike multiple enemies.
Name: Al Saiduq
Handle: ???
Age: ???
Name: Otome Yanagiya
Handle: Otome
Age: 24
Name: Hiro Kageyama
Handle: Hiro
Age: 18
( ooc: Just state in the subject header which character you want! Alternatively, this option can be skipped entirely and they can go at it solo, leading to part C.) ]
► part C: BATTLE START!_
[ Now that their party's been set up and they've
Welcome! Welcome, from the bottom of my heart.
Hi, sweetie! I'm sooo happy you're here!
You are now inside our custom level. Since you have come all the way here to grace us with your presence and agree to assist us, I wish to entertain you to the fullest extent possible. I assume for those like you, there would be no greater entertainment than the challenge, the rigor, and the excitement of combat! I have prepared a number of demons for your battling enjoyment.
The rules are simple! Last one standing is the winner! By the way, I'm like, super-duper strong. Check out the guns!
[ Blows air kisses at her (
We will try not to be a dull encounter. After all, your happiness is our happiness.
[ And with that, they teleport away, each one far away at opposite ends of the stage. The rest of the field however, will be suddenly be littered with packs of demons. Some of them will definitely look as tough as they are, while others might seem more...disarming. No matter what however, they'll certainly pack a punch and rush at you (and/or your ally) as soon as they spot you! Fortunately, their own stats and moves will be displayed above their heads in a floating box too, including any (randomized) weaknesses! ...And resistances.
Victory: Defeat Tico
Defeat: All allies are defeated. ]
no subject
That's why instead of punching him away, he does something else. Hiro takes a deep breath and just pulls him into a tight warm embrace because he felt that Kazuya needed it. He didn't care if Kazuya hated him or not... He speaks sincerely and calmly in a hilariously sharp contrast to a moment ago. Yeah, he was still a bit mad about hearing that for plenty of reasons... Not just Kazuya thinking his life was sunshine and rainbows.]
--Of course I wasn't.
[He could've picked a much happier path without become a god and stayed with all of his friends. But even if that happy world happened... Could he really be content living with some paranoia that things could go wrong again? He's had their happy ending destroyed once and didn't want that to happen again. He's quiet for a moment as if collecting himself and starts speaking again.]
I was just like you... I wanted to save everyone and was just doing all that I could. But when I thought everything was going my way, I ended up learning that things were always getting worst somehow! Do you think I was constantly happy back then? No, I wasn't. But I still had to force a smile for everyone's sake and make my own choices to try and fix things as best I could.
no subject
He should be getting angry right now - defensive at least. He couldn't even muster a token effort. That indescribable feeling felt like a frozen rock had wedged itself behind his breastbone, throbbing along with his heartbeat - which raced, frantically, despite the calmness that had overtook him. He was definitely fucked in the head, if he was like this, right? His body's instincts had identified the rapidly approaching frothing mad threat invading its very personal space, but his mind simply... acknowledged.
No, maybe he had expected this after all. Maybe he wanted Hiro to get angry at him? Minato and William and Hyoubu had all been kind and understanding when the truth of what he was came out, that, while appreciated, always struck him as wrong on a deep, visceral level. This was what he expected. This was, on a twisted level, was what he wanted.
Hiro's hand closed around his collar, the grip almost choking. Kaz closed his eyes, bracing, in response to-
...
...
-to the hug?]
...?
[Yeah. Hiro was hugging him. Kaz opened his eyes and stared over his shoulder, arms hanging limply by his side. It didn't properly process at first, Hiro's words taking a sluggish few seconds to fully sink in. His heart beat faster, like it was trying to smash through his ribs and fly off somewhere - anxious. What? What was this?]
I... don't understand. [he felt like Hiro really had sucker-punched him from how hard he was reeling - actually would've preferred it. He would've known how to react to physical pain and anger, not... whatever the hell was happening right now. He felt like his brain was in the middle of some weird meltdown] Why are you... if you were like me, then... how...
[Somewhere in his guts, Bel gave a slight shift, as if to remind him of its presence. He shook. Should he push Hiro away right now? Maybe that would make him punch him and make things go along a route that made sense? He should have lied. He didn't want to know if Hiro was the same and suffered the same - fuck. Fucking fuck. What the fuck.]
How... h-how are you not strangling me right now?
[Seriously????]
no subject
You don't get it already? We're the same. We might handle things a little differently, but we're still the same.
[It was just that simple. The irrelevant small stuff like Hiro being mentally tougher, kinder, funnier and more confident did not matter to him. Hiro's grasp on Kazuya doesn't not move an inch... If he planned on pushing him away, then Hiro would just hug him again.
How many times was he rejected by friendship in the past few worlds? Far more than Hiro could count and it did hurt, but he was persistent. And he's even felt himself doing the rejecting which he couldn't help. As it was for a far greater goal to get everyone to get along. It was one of the reasons why he fought Yamato and Ronaldo in the trials as his goal wasn't betrayal - But friendship and to show the others that there were more than one way.
Once again, Hiro is calm and sincere as he speaks. It wouldn't be the first time that he's dealt with troublesome people.]
Look, you don't have to keep setting yourself up to some kind of scapegoat for suffering or whatever. Beating yourself up over little mistakes... Isn't that counterproductive to moving forward?
[It wasn't in Hiro to bring himself down over every mistake he's made. Does he have regrets? Yes. Does he get down in the dumps sometimes? Yes. But reflecting on it, learning from it and moving forward was the only thing he knew how to do.]
Living for me means making choices. So that's why I'm choosing not to hurt you. Doesn't matter if you're human or non-human to me... There's no doubt that people will always hurt each other, but sometimes they can choose not to. That's why makes friendships and bonds an awesome thing.
[His body may have not been human anymore, but his heart still was. It didn't matter what he was, but as long as could cling to that... Then Hiro felt like he could stay as himself even if it would mean much more suffering in his future.]
no subject
...it's difficult, y'know.
[He mumbled this, his head dipping slightly so the words were muffled into Hiro's shoulder. Moving forwards... it was difficult. He tried, he really did, but he felt like all that baggage that got foisted on him was acting like some killer anchor, trying to drag him down the harder he pulled. Sometimes he thought it'd be better if he drowned, but no, he had to keep moving forwards. Like Hiro said, focusing on the little mistakes was counter-productive to that, but... it was just hard, and he was so so tired.
...
He took a chance.]
Hiro. I-
[he hesitated, then slowly, he returned the embrace with the air of someone who was unfamiliar it. He was more of a headpatting guy, personally, and Naoya, despite being affectionate during his childhood, had never been a huggy person. But, it was... comforting, and... well, good thing Hiro had that stupid bunny hoodie, because it padded him out enough to make the hug feel comfortable. He kept his face hidden in his fellow protag's shoulder, though, because he knew the moment he started feeling self-conscious, would be the moment he sabotaged himself, or chickened out, or do something equally stupid and destructive]
I'm sorry. [Let's hope Hiro's good at parsing quiet mumblings muffled by fabric, because that was the only volume Kaz could muster right now] I know we're the same, but, m'not gonna stop feeling jealous of you, y'know, because... it's all stuff in my head, and... I know, it's unfair, especially since it hasn't actually been all rainbows and roses for you but... I dunno.
[Because even when confronted over this, his emotions weren't going to do a complete 180 in the span of a few minutes. He'll still think Hiro's better. He'll still be jealous of that fact. It was going to be a work in progress, something that made him feel deeply exhausted just thinking about it. Maybe he should actually look into getting some kind of mental help. Though, he didn't know if Cerealia did that kind of thing, and back in his world, well, Lord forbid the Messiah seeing a therapist. Another work in progress task too...]
Ugh... this is dumb. [His grip around Hiro tightened to the point where he might feel his ribs creak. Kaz didn't realise] Emotions are stupid. I hate it. This. Something. You, maybe. I don't know.
no subject
[Hiro wasn't expecting him to change overnight. It took literally three worlds for all of the friends he made to finally confront their problems and become better people. And despite the way that he projected himself sometimes, Hiro knew that he wasn't perfect either. He had plenty of flaws that he wasn't sure if he could fully get rid of, but he could definitely improve on them slowly. He might have become the Human Administrator, but he wasn't going to go as far to say that he was the perfect human.
If humans were truly perfect beings, then they wouldn't had needed to be watched over or protected. While Hiro did lead the assault against Polaris, he certainly didn't think of her as evil. He definitely knew that she had plenty of good points on why humanity needed to be improved. They always fell down, but they always got back up again... That's one of the reasons why Hiro found them so awesome.
Despite the fact that Kaz was quiet, Hiro was always a better listener than most gave him credit for. He understood where he was coming from. So he had to say his part too...]
I'm sorry too. [Hiro knew that he had to fess up too. Kazuya wasn't the only one at fault here.] For not realizing how bad you've had it on your end... Sometimes, I like to have fun a little too much. So I end up hurting other people's feelings when I go overboard with it. Making people smile and laugh is one of my Number #1 goals.
[Laughter was the best medicine, after all. And speaking of which, the sensation of Kaz hugging him tightly... Well, it didn't hurt as his body wasn't human anymore, but he did feel quite a strong grip. Hiro gives him a supportive pat on the shoulder.]
You're pretty good at hugging! Just be a little more gentle with it and you'll be an expert in no time.
no subject
Expert hugger... psh, I'm too scrawny for that. [he loosened his hold, and then pulled back a little. His expression looked a little drawn, but something about him seemed a little lighter - a little less angry] Don't think I'd be all that comfortable. You, on the other hand...
[Hiro was surprisingly comfortable and warm, and Kaz was fairly certain he could've easily just fallen asleep like that - though he was certain it was mostly to do with his bunny hoodie and not the man himself! The hoodie just- just gave him a plushy feel...!]
Er, nevermind. I mean... [he pulled back a little more, looking slightly embarrassed] Thanks. Like, I know I've been an asshole, and, okay, both of us were but... you're not as bad as I thought, I guess. You're like, uh, okayish? Sometimes. Yeah. S'what I'm trying to say or... something like... yeah...
[Mumble mumble]