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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no subject
[She pauses briefly.]
That's Franziska to you! I am no mere fruit!
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Easy, easy! Okay, I get it, Franziska. Nice t'meet ya! I guess I'm Darin(g you to get out of my) Altway. [He thumbs in the direction of the board with the drink lists.]
Either way, you've got to admit that at least we're safe for the time being. And we could definitely be in worse places than here.
no subject
[ She can still name stupider people. ]
I can think of a couple of places worse than this. Why, I could be in a trash dump being miserable instead.
This place is much more preferable.
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[He chortles at her choice of 'worse venue.']
C'mon, there's gotta be worse places than a trash dump. At least there you get to keep all of your clothes and stuff. And hey, honestly? Who's to say a trash dump couldn't be fun? All depends on who you're stuck there with, after all.
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I have no interest in such things. It seems that I have to reassess my evaluation of you. You're already on that list of fools.
[That didn't take long.]
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Wait, come on, at least hear me out! I bet I can make even a trash dump sound appealing!
...Wait, that sounded wrong.
...Tell you what, if I can't do it, you can call me King Fool, Lord on High of the Fool Kingdom, sitting upon a coffer of Fool's Gold.
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But only one. You've given me permission to label you King of Fools should you fail.
Is this really acceptable to you?
[ She's got no complaints with this. ]
no subject
[He stands up and rubs his chin. Okay, he can totally do this.]
[He crosses his arms in thought. What was the lowest he's ever felt?]
[After a minute, he snaps his fingers and leans on the counter, facing her.]
[Sorry Franciska, but for the sake of not offending or freaking out he's making an overabundance of eye contact.]
Alright, so imagine you've lost everything. You've lost your family, your purpose, your home...imagine that there was nothing you could do for anyone. You were useless...helpless. You're sitting there wondering to yourself what you did to wind up this way? Why is it you were left behind? Left alone with nothing? As far as you're concerned, you belong in the very trash dump you're sitting in. Alone. Forgotten. Abandoned and cast aside.
And just then...just when you think you'd just close your eyes and fade into nothingness, into complete obscurity, you feel a hand on your shoulder. A hand that isn't entirely unfamiliar to you, but in that moment, that hand feels like a warm blanket. That hand belongs to someone you know...not family, well...not yet anyway, and that person is there to save you. To be your way out. The start of a new life. In that moment, wherever you are doesn't matter, because it's the start of a brand new life. That trash dump? Sure, it's a trash dump but you'll forever remember it as a place where your life was changed. Where you were given a new lease on life and a place to belong.
[He nods as he completes his story.]
There. How about that?
1/3
2/3
[ So why does she sound angry and ready to hit Darin anyways? Sitting through that felt like a colossal waste of time. Nevertheless, Franziska has some questions she'd like to ask first! ]
3/3
No matter how hard I think about it I can't find a single good reason why another person would be there, in the trash smelling like a fool.
Explain yourself. Who is this mysterious savior?
no subject
A good man looking to give someone a second chance at a life that you almost lost.
no subject
5/10.
You didn't fail, but you didn't pass either! [ In all honesty? She doesn't know what to think anymore. ]
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[That was literally the lowest point of his life and how it all got turned around!]
Don't you feel inspired?! That even when you've hit rock bottom, no matter where you are, that one shining moment of someone reaching out to you can make even the worst place seem wonderful?!
Come on! What more could a story like that need?! A choir of angels?!
no subject
Anything more complicated results in the loss of points. Adding an angelic choir seems idiotic. You were right to leave that part out.
[ Poor Darin. Sorry you had the misfortune of dealing with Franziska. ]
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I...
The angelic choir was sarcasm.
That's not something that happens.
[Does...Does she not know what sarcasm is. Oh no.]
no subject
[ Franziska no please. ]
I never imagined that you'd spend so much time telling the tale. Perhaps you should take up creative writing.
[ People who write stories will appreciate it more her.]
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I doubt you could do any better anyway!
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I can do better than that. You'll see!
[ Her expression tells a different story, don't believe her lies. ]
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[He jabs an accusing finger right in her direction.]
In fact, if you can't! I reserve the right to call you Lady Foolington! High Priestess of Foolism of the Principality of Fooltopia!
no subject
A Von Karma doesn't know defeat, only perfection. If I win then you lose your rights to call me High priestess of foolism of principality of fooltopia.
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There's no way you'll be able to tell me a better story!
[He's all fired up now.]
I'll even give you time to think of one! I'm that confident! You've got one week!
no subject