estoria | « 004 ⇢ INTERLUDE004.EXE »

Entry tags:

!event,
!interlude

« 004 ⇢ INTERLUDE004.EXE »

Who: These suckers and E R R O R
When: OOC: 5/29, IC: 7/15
Where: CERES Research Tower and Beyond
What: It seems an old friend has decided the situation is progressing too slowly.
Rating/Warning: PG-13: Violence, injuries and inevitable deaths.

▶ ACTION.EXE | IC: 7/15

For those unlucky saps who disappear today, ranging from early in the morning towards the middle of the afternoon, well...they can't be reached by CereVice.

Any attempt to do so will bounce back the message User Currently Occupied.

It's an odd message, and one that's never been used by the CereVice. How strange. It's probably nothing though, right? No contact can be established between groups or from groups to outside people in Cerealia, whether by technology or magic. You're cut off from everyone but those in your groups, now.

Otherwise, all abilities will remain intact.

As for the people who do disappear, well... things get a little hairy really quickly.

▶ RUN.EXE | MOD NOTES

This is the event log for these sign-ups! Your groups have been sorted below; here are a few handy links for you:

Group 01 | OOC plotting
Group 02 | OOC plotting
Group 03 | OOC plotting
Group 04 | OOC plotting
Group 05 | OOC plotting
Group 06 | OOC plotting
Group 07 | OOC plotting
Group 08 | OOC plotting
Group 09 | OOC plotting
Group 10 | OOC plotting
Group 11 | OOC plotting
Group 12 | OOC plotting
Group 13 | OOC plotting
Group 14 | OOC plotting
There is no tagging order, so feel free to tag in whatever way works best for you as a group.

The characters should not ICly be gone longer than 5 hours -- if they survive, of course. There will be mod involvement in each of the threads.

If there are any questions, feel free to ask them here. Please try to avoid asking hypothetical questions (such as "What will happen if my character does [action]?") as that's part of the fun and risk of the interlude! You are welcome to plot with your groupmates in this post. Thank you!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He takes the sawed-off bar with a nod, gripping it in his right hand, and wanders over to take a look at the desk himself. Any drawers here to poke around in? As for the doors . . . he glances around at their options, frowning off to the right hallway.]

. . . I vote not the elevator. That's totally asking for trouble, right? If we all cram into that thing? Who knows if it even works?

[It's not that he has a fear of elevators now, exactly, but his associations with them sure aren't great, particularly in creeped places like this.]

So one of the other doors!

( looking towards usagi, the female gives a nod to assure her that she's correct. ) If you know what the title means when someone gives their name like that, then you are right. I am just like Archer. Versatile. I see. He has a loud mouth on him and I wish to rip out his tongue but I see he is doing his best. ( to be honest, she still dislikes archers because they're all irritating. ) Me and you will have much to speak about.

( now for the important parts at hand, glancing towards the elevator and a shake of her head. ) If we were to fall I'm sure I could carry all of us to safety, but it would be better to avoid such an area. Cliche as it may be, I've read many dramas where the cord is cut. ( looking around the room at everyone else, she also finds that splitting up would make sure of their deaths. )

But healing and being able to look into coding are very useful skills. It seems we all have some knowledge or ability to get through here safely, do make sure nothing happens to yourselves while protecting others.

[ The desk's pretty lackluster overall, a few old lunch orders crammed in the desk from whoever used to sit here before, some doodles of birds in another drawer, a pack of matches in one other. Enough perusal will show one lone drawer at the bottom of the desk to have something of note when they open it.

A large blue button rests on the bottom of the drawer, waiting to be pushed by anyone in the room. They're certainly free to push it... or to go to the doors off to the side. Free choice for everyone! ]

I think we should stick together too. It's...what's the saying 'safety in numbers' right? Or however that goes.

[Still, Usagi gives a nod to each of them in turn at the introductions, making note on Shigeru and his healing in particular even as she seems to look a little sheepish at Nero's comments about Archer.]

One of the other doors then...once we're sure we can't find anything new in here.

[Part of her feels bad for seeming to hold out, but she vows to transform if they need her help. Need Sailor Moon. For now, she'll sidle over to the desk, peering over Leon's shoulder.]

Find anything interesting? There has to be some reason the door was locked, right?

[ Yeah Shigeru nods in agreement at those assessments. An elevator was like a walking death trap, where Ceres is concerned at least. Despite the trap being shoddy in here there's no telling what other lines of "defense" this place might have. He could honestly see it being a simple cut of the cord and even with his healing abilities even he can't bring people back from the dead. His quick glance at the desk doesn't yield any results, so he'll be wandering about the room, trying to see if there's anything else that stands out. ]

That would be the easiest place for sabotage. So. Definitely not the elevator.

[There's a huff of air coming from Ryuuga as he's trying to take in the rest of the room as well. The worst part was that the other doors might have the same problem they had before with the keypads and while using his psychometry abilities doesn't wear him out initially, he really never had to use it continuously. He's taken to walking slowly around the perimeter of the room, grip on his sword tight.]

From the look of it, though, it doesn't look like anyone's been through here in a while. That keypad hadn't been used in years, probably.

[Leon, on the other hand, is going through all of this stuff in this desk. Who knows when it might be useful? He pockets everything he finds, shoving the matches and even the little bird doodles into his jacket, and then pulls open that bottom drawer—]

Hey, hold up, look at this! C'mere! I found something!

[He is definitely not making any move to press it, though. Just. Look at that big, suspicious button, just sitting in there. Hmm.]

Oh? Hm? ( leaning over a moment to glance at the button that's been found, she mulls over the thought for a moment. looking down at the floor under her and then taking a step back like so, who knows if that button will be a trap door or if it'll alarm another shame cage from the sky. )

A button, it seems like some cliche addition that I've read in various plays in the library. ( but listen, this is no cliche nero, this is your life on the line. ) It could open something or it could be our rose-like nightmare. ( and that isn't a good thing. )

Do you believe that we could use those abilities of yours again? ( looking at ryuuga as she waits for his response unless someone is about to have a good time and press it! ) Though I don't understand how they work just yet but you are versatile in these things.

[He lifts his head, shrugging, but he does make his way over to where the others are gathered and looks down at it.]

I'll see if I can pull anything from it. No guarantees, though. [Ryuuga lets out a huff of air before doing the same as he did with the keypad, gently placing a hand on it without actually pressing the button, closing his eyes and concentrating.

What he's honestly most afraid of is getting absolutely nothing from it - that'd mean that nobody even remotely pushed it even when the building was still in use. Bad enough that the keypad memories were fuzzy.]

[ The only thing he'll be able to get from the button is that everyone who used it before got really excited to do so.

That's it.

Good luck. ]

[Shit.

Ryuuga comes out of the short trance, though the expression on his face might be more than enough to convey his mood. Which is: Not. Impressed.]

I was afraid of that.

[He leans his head back as he's backing off.]

Nothing on what it actually does, just that ... apparently whoever used it was really excited for whatever it did. Sorry, guys.

[Damn. Well, he can't be mad at keypad guy—Dougai. That's still info they didn't have before. Leon frowns down at the button, the wheels in his head grinding along.]

Think it's some kinda sex thing? . . . Just kidding.

[Maybe you sit at the desk and push the button and some attachment pops out and gives you a blowjob, he thinks. That's exactly the kind of thing CERES would invent. He could probably go to the Pleasure District and buy one as soon as they get out of here, seriously.

But they're not gonna be so lucky here.

He walks around the desk, glancing back over at the door they came through.]

It's like, a thousand percent some kinda murder device. Am I right? Think about it . . . that cage that came down, who was that even for, huh? So someone's sitting at the desk, and someone busts in on them, the cage drops down and traps them, and then the office lady or whatever pushes that button! It totally spells lights out for whoever's in the cage! And CERES is a bunch of psychos, so obviously she'd be happy about doin' it!

You have the entire scenario played out in your mind, very well. If you and the others believe such a gimmick then perhaps we shall avoid it. ( someone was happy about pressing it? well that's something but they won't learn anything by staring at a button. ) Though that cage from before had already came from the sky, that button could bestow upon ups some sort of trap door so all we can do is play safe.

( just let nero give one long and tired look at leon for his previous statement, she's so tired. if she had any more pleasure district tickets, she'd give it to him if he feels that way because for some reason, she doesn't find that a joke. ) Denying both the button and the elevator, all we can do is take the hallway towards wherever it may go.

( a pause as she thinks about it. ) So we haven't found anything here either yet it had been guarded with such a poor line of defense. It seems CERES can't think of good capturing methods. ( back in nero's day, she tied them up and lit them afire just so she had some light at night. would have been nice for smores. )

If they were happy, something good must have happened, right?

[Or....or they were Evil and wanting something really awful to happen and took delight in that. Yeah, or that. Usagi just can't help wanting to think the best of people. And yet, CERES is really testing her....Either way.

She's almost tempted to reach over and push it. But the rest seem pretty wary on doing so. Whether they should trust this, especially with this new information from Ryuuga and his strange ability with technology.]

...Should we try it? Or leave the button?

[It seems the only potentially important find thus far. Well, aside from the cage.]

[ This is tricky because he's not sure what exactly caused that happy feeling to occur in the person who used that button. He doesn't want to say yes or no because there's too many unknown variables to all of this. ]

If we do press it we should be on guard. I'm not sure I like that the outcome of doing so is still so mysterious. But we can't disregard it either. We can just use the hallway, but the idea of us missing something crucial that might be linked to this button is also there.

[ He honestly doesn't know what to do about the mysterious button. ] If we do press it, I'm sure we can take on whatever it is that's thrown at us.

[At this point, Ryuuga's still trying to parse out just what that excited feeling was - but once everyone's debating on whether or not to push it, he lets out a huff of air.]

We won't know unless we do something, but if that's the case -

[He backs up so that he's not near anyone, holding out his sword before unsheathing it and drawing a circle in the air above him. What's even more interesting is the fact that there's light trailing from the tip when he does so, and when he flicks his wrist down, the circle fills with light and a gold flash is seen before he's covered in what looks to be golden armor with a wolf motif.]

I'm ready to take it on too. [Even with a limited time to do anything, it's better than nothing. And it probably would be better if he did this now rather than have to risk not being able to get it on in time.]

Forgive me, Master.

( words spoken to herself in a whisper as she quickly takes a step back and in a few fluid motions by twirling around a small red light that appeared in her hands, she continues to flick her wrist until a rather large red sword manifests into the palm of her hand. not only that, flames are flicking from the blade and is also used as light to brighten up the room just a little more. saber swipes her blade to the side, heat coming off of it and hopefully not anywhere near something that could catch on fire.

she's always been suited for battle considering the armor she adorns at this moment, but since everyone else is getting geared up. holding tightly onto the weapon in her hand as she places it by her side, the servant glances at everyone else who's gotten ready and are getting ready. ) It would only be rude of me to abstain from this duel, I only hope my master's mana can hold out adequately if anything is to happen! ( it's troublesome to be a heroic spirit to someone who isn't a magi like many other masters. she does hope the use of her powers don't knock him out since she doesn't have anything to eat to keep her mana in tact without any amounts of food around her to eat; she has to work off her master for now. if she lacks that, losing her corporal body and going into spirit form is the worst that could happen but.. she believes all will be fine. )

[OKAY WHAT THE HELL SON

Leon's a little taken aback, to say the least, just kind of . . . gaping at the group. He had some thoughts about all this, but for the moment they fly out of his head, leaving him in awe. Slightly embarrassed awe. No one's actually looking at him expectantly, but he still feels like they are, like everyone's disappointed he's the one without some . . . cool sword or armor or, seriously, are they all like this? All of them?!

He spares Tsukino a quick glance. Good thing she's normal like him.

(Right?!)

After a few moments just kind of moving his mouth without making sound, trying to will the flush out of his cheeks, he reaches up and tugs a hand hard through his hair, sighing. Dammit. He can still at least plan, huh? (But he's not good at being the smart one either!)

He can try . . . ]

Ooookay, if something jumps out and friggin' murders us after all that, there's probably nothing we could've done in the first place, huh? —Look, let's push it, but no one go anywhere near the cage! Just in case! And if something crazy happens like the whole place catches on fire, run for one of the doors! . . . Right??

[Usagi gives a nod in agreement that they should....sort of be prepared, just in case this could easily turn out to be another trap of some sort. He admires the armor, and then Saber's sword for a moment. It's then that she bites her lip, considering for a second. If she does transform into Sailor Moon in front of them, they would all know. But....they seem trustworthy enough and are showing their own skills to her. She should do her best to help as well.

So, she raises a hand and shouts, her brooch seeming to pulse with a blinding light as she transforms in front of all of them right then and there. Standing where Usagi was is now Sailor Moon. Complete with posing, even. Because every good Magical Girl needs their trademark pose. Of course.]

For Love and Justice, the pretty sailor suited soldier Sailor Moon!

[Wow she almost seems actually fairly serious. For about a full minute or so, before turning her attention to the button.]

I think everyone's fairly ready, right? If something happens, we'll figure it out together! So....lets see what this actually does.....?

[Hope you're all ready because. Yeah. She's going for it, reaching with one gloved hand to push the button. Probably the button of doom, but they won't know unless they try?]

[ It will very quickly become very clear why the person who pushed the button before was excited about it.

The button is pressed, there's a beep, and a robotic: ]

Cages opened.

[ And then there's the metallic scrape of metal on metal.

At which point a few friends step into the room, peering around with robotic intelligence.

They're robot velociraptors, who wouldn't be excited about pressing that button? ]

[EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN THIS ROOM IS ON A LEVEL OF BADASS THAT THIS NORMAL-ASS MOTHERFUCKER IS NOT AT ALL EQUIPPED FOR.

Running for a door seems like a terrible idea, actually. Instead he flings himself under the desk—if he can make it under there. He's sure going for it, and he wasn't standing that far away. But raptors is fast.

Good luck, guys.]

Hoooooly shit! Shit. Shit shit shit! Why'd we fuckin' do that! Holy shit!

( WELL NOW THAT'S AMAZING! nero has to give a look towards usagi's transformation which is very beautiful to her, the servant nodding in appreciation. beauty comes in various shapes and sizes and for someone like usagi, to change her appearance and into something of a superhero is quite admirable. she'll make sure to comment on that later as she quickly jumps back, guarding the table that leon is hiding under. )

We shall protect him! Everyone get into position! A duel to the death these metal beasts wish to bring to us and we shall give it to them! <( hopefully these dinosaurs aren't fools, isn't insane to rush towards someone with a flaming sword unless they love to die? in all honesty, nero holds out her weapon and watches her surroundings. tbh, if leon looks up he can probably see a bit of asscrack which i'm so sorry for, hopefully that doesn't kill. making sure that none of the the beats come towards the desk, the fire flickers of the blade when she swipes her blade downward for an intimidation attempt. )

Such vile and ugly creatures, to look at us with such vibrant emerald hues of pure destruction! You shall close them when you meet death! ( glancing at everyone else for a moment before laying her eyes back on the weird mechanical beasts, she shakes her head. ) They would be good mounts perhaps we whip them into shape and show them who controls who!

Cages? Wait, there are more--?!

[But that's all she really has time to register, before the beasts start to approach, and she shifts to accommodate Leon hiding under the desk. As much as she wants to join him and wonders what the heck they could possibly face next, she knows she's transformed, that she should be more confident. That she can't leave this just to the others. She herself probably isn't the best dressed for this sort of thing, ever. The sailor fuku does leave rather little covered, but at the same time, as a senshi, her body and endurance is stronger. She just has to hope it will be enough.

Even as she holds an arm in front of her eyes at the sword's downward swing, she then raises it slightly, pressing at her tiara, quickly aiming and throwing it at one of the robots if they come closer after that.]

Mounts? I guess they would be faster than walking, but....I'm not sure. [As much as she wants to attempt to cooperate, after the last robot fiasco she is not sure that is really an option at the moment with these.]

[Hey, at least he's got a great view from down here. Nice. He's not really in a mental place to appreciate it, but . . . it's still a plus.

He fumbles for his CereVice, suddenly thinking: he hasn't even looked at the thing yet. The first thing he does is scroll to Kirigiri's name, try and pull up a message, but it won't connect. Of course. He doesn't know why, he's not thinking, but Togami's next—

User is occupied, huh . . .

Well, that's not a good sign.

He glances nervously between his screen and the people surrounding the desk (or their asses, whatever), heart pounding in his ears, unsure if he's waiting to die. His CereVice clearly isn't going to be any help—but wait, maybe he can at least get a picture of these things, some video of this room, something for later. So he turns on the camera function, although he's not going to stick his neck out for this, so his viewpoint is pretty limited here. Like he's going to crawl out into Raptor Hell for the sake of some footage. No thanks.

But maybe he'll get something.]

[Ryuuga gets into position as well, brandishing the now-broadsword sized weapon as he gives a level glare to their newfound opponents. Yeah, they might've looked cool, but people are just plain weird sometimes with what they think is exciting. He's surprised when Usagi and Nero get into battle positions as well, but thankfully that's all hidden by his helmet.

Got a little over a minute to do this.]

Not sure that would be a good idea! [At least in his case. That and he's way too wary of what might happen should they decide to suddenly want to eat the person riding them.

If they ate.

Though he's pretty sure they'll at least maim and/or tear someone apart, at least.

There's a very brief pause before he slams himself bodily into the nearest robo-raptor that isn't occupied by Nero or Usagi's attacks, only to kick off of it, lunge forward and deliver a downward slice.

Not today, son.]

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