You know what everyone needs after rampant robotic attacks and another iteration of clone wars? A vacation! That’s right everyone, you deserve this. CERES understands what you need. CERES is here for you all the time, so never doubt that this is a pleasure colony, and they are here to look after all of your needs. Kick your feet up, relax, and let CERES Recreation and Activity Necessity Keepers (Team RANK, that is) set you up with your ideal getaway.
It’s as if you can sense the incoming relaxation and luxury before you even completely finish loading. There’s the warmth encompassing your entire body as your code gets transferred into this particular ViViD Level. A cool, refreshing breeze hits you. The sounds of waves gently lapping against the coast fill you with relaxation. The sun, the sand, the surfs, it’s all there – welcome to the beach, baby!
An echoing greeting message from the ocean comes next, if you can translate it.
 OOOOOOOOOOOOHMAHH GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHD.
YOOOOOOOOOOOORRRALL SOOOOOOOOOOOOO KYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT.
KYOOOOOOOOOOOT EEEENAAAAUUUUUUUF TOOOOOOOOOOOOO EEEEEEEEEEEEEEET.
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PHASE I [ 08 00 ] That said, isn’t that breeze a little… too strong? It feels like it’s brushing up against all of you, if you know what I mean. When you open your eyes and look down, it becomes rather clear why. It seems that you’ve found yourself in some pretty interesting attire. Everyone. No exceptions. You appear to have two options – be overcome and scream like the Victorian maiden your heart says you are, or strut like a model in this stuff. Turn some heads! Work that up do!
But don’t worry, we’re also conscious about safety here at CERES! Therefore everyone’s also been provided a pair of super high-tech safety-tested appendage protection floatation devices (STAPFD for short.)
At least everyone around you is caught in the same sort of attire – and everyone around you also appears to be stuck inside a giant sand castle. It’s entirely malleable to what you want it to be! Want to see a fancy sand bidet? Feel like adding a sand statue in your honor? Think that wall should now be a door? Well, with enough perseverance, you can make it happen!
Just uh, be careful about getting sand in your… everywhere.
PHASE II [ 1000 ] Someone broke it. Not pointing any fingers, even though you sure do seem like a prime suspect, but someone broke it.
It almost starts like an earthquake with how the castle starts to rumble, the sand shaking right beneath your feet. And then the walls right next to you start to cave in followed promptly by the ceiling right… above your head. Oh dear. The sand starts to run and fall, losing its structure and shape. The hallway behind you starts to cave in, ceiling first and then the walls follow suit. Now the sand really is getting everywhere – but not just uncomfortable places. It’s in your hair, your eyes, your nose…. this sure doesn’t seem like a pleasant way to go!
Best to start running – there’s a trusty drawbridge to get over the moat (because what’s a sandcastle without a moat?) but who knows how long until that, too, is going to give way? Best to cross over it before it starts to shake and disappear too. Or if you don’t make it, hopefully you can land some pretty impressive airtime to make it to the other side!
If not, well...there'll be the sensation of sand crushing down upon you, filling your mouth and eyes, and you won't be able to breathe at all – and then you're alive again on the beach (but possibly in yet another new, uncomfortable, skimpy swimsuit). Honestly, be more careful, would you?
PHASE III [ 1200 ] However, once you do make it to the other side, it’s all smooth sailing from there! Or is it? Hah, as they say, life sure can be a beach.
Which is what this is.
Welcome to your Beach Episode, folks. Now that you’ve made it out of the collapsing sand castle, you’ve made it to the luxurious, picturesque golden coastline. Sure, you’re coughing up fine, luxurious, sand dust right now and you’ve definitely gotten sand in all of your crevices thanks to your swimsuit, but that’s okay! Go take a soak in the ocean or something or cool off with a smoothie. There’s a smoothie shack off into the distance, complete with a long chalkboard with… well, probably a few familiar names? And some unfamiliar ingredients. Sounds appetizing right?
That said, once you do ingest some of the smoothie with the name of a newcomer, you might suddenly find yourself feeling a bit… different. You’ll be taking on some of their traits, one of the most intense parts of their personality – or you might need to take a second to sit down because you’re suddenly seeing one of their memories. Whoa. What do they actually put in this stuff?
PHASE IV [ 1500 ] For the brave souls that venture out into the water, you have even more adventures waiting for you. Anyone who’s swimming around, wading in the water—hell, even looking at the water is getting scooped up and deposited in one of these giant orbs. But don’t take up too much room, because someone else is getting shoved right in there with you. Time to get cozy with your new friend, because it's only going to get worse as the waves begin to carry you out into this big, blue, virtual ocean. Hopefully the choppy waves don’t bounce you around too much or – well, you could always get really friendly with a stranger! Why not?
At least until it’s made very clear that fresh air does not make it back into these balls. That seems like a bit of a design flaw. Now what? Fight the other person who’s inhaling all your air? Suffer through it for swimsuit-clad fun? Or if you break it…. well, you sure are stranded out in the ocean. Or are you?
After enough flailing, you’ll be met by a giant, dumb-looking creature who will then eat you whole.
Everything goes dark. This is surely the end --
And then you're in Cerealia proper; it seems that was the exit to the level (but why there?) and you'll find yourself either in one of the fountains or the pond in the park. Either way, you'll be very, very well. And this time, that's not virtual. But hey, at least you'll have all of your stuff with you.
BONUS [ xxxx ] Do you hear that?
Anyone idle on the beach will hear a distant melody coming from further out into the ocean. It’s a beautiful, elegant song that automatically makes the listener stop what they’re doing and immediately wander toward the noise. It takes you a moment to recall – it takes a moment to think about anything now, really – but you remember hearing the smoothie shack owner say something about mermaids populating the beach. Could this be their song calling out to you? Whether you would normally abide by this kind of call or not, you find your feet walking further and further out into the water, the shallows lapping up to your ankles and up and up as you are drawn in by the song.
A rather classic song, though the usual instances of French are also replaced with the very enticing, enchanting nonsense promise of omelette du fromage........and then they try to drown you.
[ 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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Shu☆Zo | OTA!
... hm. At least they got the color right.
[ Shu's too busy to notice any eyes on him as he looks down and around. The pink, green, and blue highlights are still in his blonde hair and tail, which is good. It almost coordinates perfectly with his new extremely revealing bathing suit and the weird floaties. With a sniff and an exaggerated sigh, Shu's voice carries the most amusing and gentle of tones as he looks at the closest person and shrugs. ]
You know, if my label ever saw me like this, they'd probably either fire me or they'd try to milk this for all its worth.
[ Oh well. At least he can enjoy himself for a moment, twirling in place. ]
Do I look good? Or at least, do you think I look better than you do?
[ And now he smirks, hoping to get some sort of reaction. His tail sways side to side, brushing against the sand. ]
II.
[ Shu didn't realize that the castle was collapsing in time, nor did he clear the bridge--- years spent running, staying healthy because of intense practices and performances, even seeing the doctor on a monthly basis--- meant nothing. And as the sand filled his lungs and the world faded into black, he thought about one person. A drummer. The first one he ever truly worked with and cared for and then...
... he's sitting on the beach, still in unflattering beachwear like nothing happened. Noticing someone else nearby, hopefully someone who may have also experienced the same thing, he tugs at their flotation device with a grimace. ]
... did you just die, too?
[ Clearly, Shu has never done that before. ]
III.
Never thought drawing a star would be difficult.
[ He's pointing out that his name on the board isn't Shu☆Zo, but Shu??????????Zo. How does one actually pronounce that? Is it in the inflection or perhaps the question marks are actually said? That'd turn his name into something long and memorable, all right, and nothing positive to him. ]
Not sure if those ingredients would make a delicious smoothie, but... if you could buy one and tell me what it's like, then I'd be grateful.
[ One who drinks THIS special combination would find themselves with similar highlights, possibly fluffy ears and/or a tail, or possibly watching a memory of him performing on stage in front of thousands singing to a crowd, holding a giant golden mechanical clock-shaped guitar. ]
IV.
[ As he sits in the fountain, Shu kind of wishes he was still in that bathing suit. Being stuck in these clothes while soaking wet didn't bode well for his future, especially if he got sick? Oh well. Better than nothing. Clearly, he's not on the beach anymore and finally back into civilization... the place almost reminds him of MIDI City, save for the number of robots and foreign looking people passing him by--- like this was something that happened often.
But he suddenly forgets all of the bad things as he climbs out of the fountain and picks up his instrument. Its weight is comforting as he brushes his fingertips over the strings. Pulling it over his head, the strap light and barely tugging at his shoulder, he strums a chord or two.
Shu smiles. Slightly off-tune, but that's easily fixed. He probably looks insane, but for the first time in what feels like days, everything seems just right. ]
iii
so in response, her finger rests on the one named after her, making sure that he's looking before she speaks up. ]
Then, purchase this one, and do the same for me. It's incredibly impolite to force a lady to drink on her own.
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What am I supposed to do, go dig for a lump of coal? We're on a beach, the only thing I could see being sold are seashells on the seashore.
[ A childish huff as his tail gently brushes against Misaya's leg while he spins on his heels and stares at the aggressive woman. ]
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Go find a seashell and paint it black — with dark sand, I don't know. If you do it properly, you just might be able to fool them.
[ with that said, she's going to try to reach for his tail — and no, she misses by a centimeter... but then it comes back! and then she tries to grab it again. ]
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i!
[ He DOES have a thing for foxes but he'll always reserve special treatment for one in particular. Though now begs the question if Shu looks better than Mikazuki? Well, the sword spirit in question tilts his head to the side then circles around this fox as if to examine and gauge whether or not he is. After doing so, he seems settled on an answer. ]
Perhaps even better than I do, yes. You're...ah, a treasure of the beach, truly. [ Treasure puns from a national treasure...hohoho. ]
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But when he does find his voice, Shu's smile is confident yet quizzical. ]
Why, thank you. I'm glad you agree, but at the same time, maybe we can share that title together? Normally, I wouldn't make a concession like that, so you should be very excited by this opportunity.
[ Approaching Mikazuki, Shu feels a little threatened--- how can someone be so beautiful? He's flawless??? What is this! It makes his ears twitch, tail go upright... ]
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I'll share it gratefully then, ahaha. How fortunate to be able to share it with someone as fantastic as you are. [ sparkles ] Actually...you seem to be part animal too? May I ask exactly what kind? [ He just HAS to confirm whether or not the one before him is of a Foxy Nature... ]
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i
Despite the strange outfit, you look quite nice!
[Okay so maybe he's not the one answering, but. Anyone who's a fox is automatically cool in his book!]
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Why, thank you, mister fox! [ He saunters over to the two, reaching out to give the tiny fox a pat on the head. ]
What makes it strange?
[ His tail flickers in amusement. ]
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Well, while we know little of fashion, our experiences so far tell us that people usually wear slightly more than this...
Is that wrong?
[Naki tilts his head with the question.]
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I
Kaneda goes ahead and laughs, loudly]
Are you kidding? You look like some 13 year old American weeb's wet dream. Besides, you could never look better than the great Kaneda-sama.
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[ Whatever pleasant and affable tone that Shu carried before immediately drops, the facade lowering to reveal someone a little more petty and tired of this... ignorant fool. ]
Also, are you sure about that? Seems pretty easy, feels like I could do it wearing anything or nothing.
[ In short--- better to be a wet dream than a nightmare, Kaneda-sama. ]
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[annoyed as he is he's not letting that go, fucko]
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I
... I think you look better than me.
[He never once think about how his own "beauty" compare to others. Now, if it's comparing this foxy guy to his brother or Mikazuki, that'd be another thing.]
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We're at two different stages of our lives. It's a pretty hard comparison, especially considering how adorable you are.
[ He can't help himself, but he has to reach out and ruffle some of that hair! ]
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[Again with the "adorable". People always seems to say that to him. But then, Sayo blinks and take a step back when Shu starts to ruffle his hair?!
This guy is a stranger, okay!]
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iv!
Ugh!! Why can't they just dump us in our beds for once?! [HE HATES THIS.
But the sound of a majestic guitar strum catches his attention and he glances over, brow furrowed. What is this guy doing...]
...D'you need a towel?
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Yeah, I suppose I do! [ But that cold look melts into something much more amicable, once he realizes that Kashuu kind of looks like his kind of people. Fashionable. Classy. Not a moron. These are great qualities to have, so Shu can assume the best for now.
He lets the guitar dangle for a moment, willing to accept a towel or fifty, depending on how many the other has. ]
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Anyway, since he stopped off at the dojo to grab a gym bag full of towels on his way through the park, he'll just unzip it and start digging around. Two fluffy white towels for the stranger, coming up!]
Here. You can just like, leave 'em over in that building there when you're done using 'em.
[Gesturing over toward the dojo roof off in the distance!]
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iv
Yet that's what's happening as Tytree sits up, smacking his ears to try to get all the water out of it and... make sure he's not imagining that noise? Still though he's listening, going to sit on the edge of the fountain and offer Shu a friendly smile.]
Ooohhh, that was four stars, I think!! Something up with your instrument? Maybe if you fix it up, it'll be five stars!
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... wait, does he hear the imperfection? The slight grating of two out of pitch notes? ]
You heard that, didn't you? I'm impressed. It's funny, fans always love what they hear. They're afraid of pointing out any sort of tuning issues...
[ He's half-talking to Tytree and himself, fingers quickly sliding up the neck to delicately turn the pegs. No reason to blow a string, not here, he doesn't really have the energy or patience to go through restringing.
As soon as he does, a basic chord. GMaj. Something warm, something that reminds him of sunny days and breezes. ]
Is that better?
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[Though that's more of a question that's ignored in favor of the new chord, a humming noise coming from Tytree as he nods eagerly.]
Yeah, yeah! Loooooads better. Are you a musician or something?
[A... Half musician? The ears get Tytree's interest, but at least he doesn't stare.]
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I.
Did you hit your head on the way here? You couldn't dream of looking better than I do. [ Indeed, he seems pretty unfazed by his own skimpy swimsuit. Or at least he doesn't have any body shame about it, even if it is tacky. ]
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[ Clicking his tongue against the roof his mouth, Shu shakes his head at Togami. No way he's anywhere CLOSE to the idol's level! He then laughs, bringing his hand up to tap his lips a few times in thought, tail swaying in feigned interest... ]
I mean, just look at you. You seem pretty ordinary to me.
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[ He really shouldn't fall for such easy bait. But on the other hand, this guy just called him ordinary!! Is there any insult that's MORE unforgivable? ]
Aren't you just trying too hard to look flashy at the expense of real quality? Distracting people with unnatural colors and accessories is like putting too many toppings on a dish. A real item of quality is meant to be consumed plain, without any superfluous extras. It has nothing to compensate for. It is already perfect. And I, of course, am perfect.
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