Everything is normal today during the early hours of the morning. There's really no hint, no way of knowing, no anything that could indicate that CERES -- and thus Cerealia -- is about to irrevocably change. There would be birds chirping, if there were birds, but since there aren't any, there's just the constant sounds of a city in motion, humming with technology even that early in the morning.
And then, regardless of where you are or what you're doing or how early it is, everyone's CereVices flicker on to show a perhaps-familiar, perhaps-unfamiliar face.
Bellona Recreare, the business owner of Cerealia and CEO of CERES, stares at everyone with a flat, cold look. She doesn't seem happy.
(When is she ever?)  It has come to my attention that there has been industrial espionage and corporate sabotage in CERES' personnel. Such a thing will not be tolerated.
Due to this, Mosley's employment with CERES has been terminated. Please now direct any public relations questions to 1-800-7322934844444.
Good day.
|
PHASE I [ 6 00 ] Bright and early, not long after that sudden announcement by Bellona, you may decide to go back to sleep, or you may decide to get up and go about your day (or you may not have woken up at all).
Either way, it doesn't matter.
Because your apartment is broken.
The entire apartment. The door is locked shut (and that sucker is solid metal so it might be time to try a window), the HOLO(gm) is flickering wildly between settings, and the blender is out for your blood. Anything technological in any way (that is CERES-brand or has been tampered with by CERES) will be malfunctioning in a way that comes across as... oddly malicious.
Now's a bad time for the late sleepers to realize that the beds, too, have auto-control tech functionality. Hope you enjoy that electroshock wake up call, or the fact that the bed could fling you totally across the room.
PHASE II [ 1000 ] The rest of the city isn't faring so well either.
The trains are completely out of commission; even if the doors do open, it's probably not a good idea to get on. If you do, it looks like the doors will slam shut behind you, and the train will go hurtling forward at dangerous speeds with sudden stops. Many of the shops can't be accessed at all, automated doors refusing to open, and worst of all, every single last piece of tech in Cerealia now seems to have the sole goal of Making Your Life Hard.
The Pleasure District is flooded now that the spas are broken, but hey -- at least the perfume ensures that water smells good, and it's pretty warm. That's good, right? Maybe go for a nice swim.
The CERES police bots are out of control, chasing people down to arrest them for imagined crimes (What do you mean you aren't a closet voyeur?), and heaven forbid you're around any of the auto shops when everything goes totally wrong. The auto-drive feature in many of CERES's cars seem to be a little... finicky today. It doesn't seem like anywhere in the city is exempt from this. Good luck.
And towards the end of the second day of this insanity, the train, with whatever unfortunate passengers are on it, will derail. It crashes into part of the shopping district, leveling buildings and leaving the wrecked overturn husk of a train resting there uselessly.
Suddenly, things don't seem so harmless anymore.
PHASE III [ 1100 ] Of course... you're CERES-owned too.
Your code, rather, is made and owned by CERES, and it's inevitable with the craziness going on that it would soon affect everyone's code as well. So as the hour approaches noon, a few unlucky souls may start to notice that things are just Not Quite Right with them. Their powers may be on the fritz, functioning entirely wrong or not at all, or even stranger -- fire powers turning into water, ice into flame, electricity brings mud. Your clothing might suddenly change when your coding glitches, or it might be gone entirely. You may suddenly have an uncontrollable urge to start singing, or frolicking. You may suddenly be wildly in love with the first person (or robot or mirror) that you see, unable to stop it until the odd glitching wears off.
And then, just like that, you're back to normal, if a bit more tired than before. How troublesome.
There are also moments where what appears to be an ID number appears on the back of your neck in glowing light blue numbers. Each of these codes is a 7 digit number, with an E at the front of the number. It appears that the longer you've been in Cerealia, the lower the number is -- like a brand of some sort. You may not be able to see it yourself with it on the back of your neck like that, but everyone else sure can.
PHASE IV [ 1645 ] And, just like that, on the last day of this madness, the city goes dark. The lights cut out. The technology shuts off. Every last robot in Cerealia is completely and totally down, and can no longer be booted up. Even when the lights come back on in a few hours... the robots remain dead.
Cerealia's a lot harder to function in without those handy dandy robots running the place. It's also a lot more desolate, and rather quiet.
Slowly but surely, the rest of the technology will boot itself back up towards the end of the last day. But the robots remain broken, and cannot be fixed. In fact, opening them up will reveal that nothing's wrong with them at all... they just won't wake up.
As time ticks by, it doesn't look like Bellona will address anything on the network about the events and all people are left to do now is... learn how to function again. Without any help.
BONUS [ ???? ] If you were a stupid brave enough soul to log into ViViD during this time (or were unfortunately glitched there, which could happen), you will find that ViViD is in... safe mode. It's struggling to boot up, and even when you finally enter, you'll find yourself wandering through skeleton levels of half-completed scenery and incomplete quests. There are readings in the corner of each level that can be seen now, one about Energy Gain and one about Energy Loss, and just as the gain goes up the longer you are there, the loss, too, rises. At first, it's fascinating, and it isn't particularly dangerous... but then it becomes clear that you can't actually log out.
You can't exit Safe Mode at all.
Slowly, it feels as though you can breathe less and less, that the empty walls of the level are closing in on you... and there's nothing you can do. Unless you are or find a particularly genius hacker and they can access the source code and find the exit buried inside that code within the next few minutes... there's nothing to be done.
And then everything goes dark.
You'll wake up the next IC day, with those same energy readings marked on your wrist like some sort of bright blue digital tattoo. When you wake in the mornings, it will read at 100% and slowly go down during the course of the day until you sleep. It will fade after three IC days.
And from now on, ViViD always has those energy levels in the corner, even when it's fixed. They always seem to be recording you, every time you're in ViViD. Strange.
[ 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
What animosity he had for the implications, however, dissipates slowly as Yu speaks, and then finally brings himself down to Yosuke's level. Good, he thinks, without a hint of remorse.
He grins a little, not hiding the fact that he's satisfied. ]
Reality's a bitch, isn't it? [ He uncrosses his arms and legs. ] I worked hard to try and live up to you, to what might actually pass as something like "equal". Maybe that's not what happened though, huh? Maybe instead of moving up, I just dragged you back down.
[ Whatever satisfaction he felt a moment before is gone. Instead, his gaze is critical as he scans his friend's face. ]
...But see? That's where we're different. You don't think you need people and I don't know what the hell to do without them. If I didn't have someone validating my existence I'd go crazy. You sure you wanna come down to that level, partner?
[ He gives an amused huff, his lips curling upwards slightly. ]
Maybe I should feel bad about that...but I don't. I wanna feel needed. Especially by you.
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[ Yosuke. Yosuke. How had he gone a month without his best friend? How has he managed his way through that time?
A piece of his traitorous heart whispers a name, a boy's name.
Yu reaches out without a moment's hesitation and cups Yosuke's face in one hand, the gesture tender and gentle and too sweet. ]
Hah... it's not that I don't think I need people. I want to not need them. I need them so much that it scares me. What would I do without my bonds? I'd be alone. I can't be alone again. If I don't need anyone, then I can't risk getting them killed and driving them away for good through my own incompetence. But at the same time, I can't live without them. I can't live without you.
[ After a moment of simply staring into Yosuke's eyes, Yu abruptly grins so wide it splits his face open. It looks a little wild, a little insane. His fingers curl until his nails are pressing into the soft flesh of Yosuke's cheek. Not digging, not gouging. But it still won't feel comfortable. ]
I'm already on your level. We're the same kind of pathetic, don't you get it? You set me up to be an ideal, something you feel like you have to achieve, but I'm not that person. I never have been. I'm needy and scared and weak. Isn't that funny? Now who's the one with an impossible standard to live up to?
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He winces slightly at the press of his friend's nails, but doesn't move. It feels like a show of his own strength and stubbornness, but the reality is he simply doesn't want to move. Not when Yu is focused on him.
At the end of it, Yosuke let's out an airy laugh, a little too sweet for a Shadow, but a little too harsh for Yosuke. ]
Don't be an idiot. The only one setting up impossible standards is yourself, partner. [ There's mirth in his eyes, mixed with a twisted adoration. He's straddling the wall now, so that he can more easily face the other boy. ] I've thought you were the shit since day one and you've only ever proven me right over and over and over. It used to piss me off because I knew I could never be that way. But, you know? I'm cool with riding the curtails behind you. "Second banana", right? What's that make me if you're dragging yourself through the dirt, huh?
[ He reaches out, gripping onto Yu's knee. ]
In some ways? This place is a blessing. It's twisted and fucked up but I'm selfish enough to enjoy it. You know why? Because it just puts off your departure a little bit longer.
no subject
Yu doesn't need Yosuke's attention the way Yosuke needs his. But it's still nice to have.
His breathing pauses for just a second, a momentary hitch, when Yosuke reaches out to touch him. Yu drops his hand and twists so he can face Yosuke, too. Only one of his legs trails off the wall, the other tucked up beneath him. He uses the hand he dropped to lean forward just so. Towards Yosuke. Into him.
But he doesn't get too close. Not too close. Yosuke might run, then.
Yosuke isn't like that. ]
I never wanted to be special like that. When everyone started looking up to me as a leader, and put me up on a pedestal... I was terrified. Terrified of messing up and letting someone die in the TV world, terrified I wouldn't be able to solve the case with all of you... but I was so desperate to keep all my new friends that I never said anything. I couldn't go back to being alone... so I became what everyone wanted me to be. What you wanted me to be.
[ Yu reaches out and closes his fingers around Yosuke's wrist. ]
How can you be second to someone who isn't real?
[ He breaks his lock on Yosuke's gaze, looking down instead. He doesn't let go. His thumb shifts up until it can press into Yosuke's palm. ]
It makes me happy to hear that you want to stay just because of me. It gives me hope that maybe you'll change your mind.
[ Yu pulls Yosuke's hand forward and presses it to his own cheek. ]
Which is stupid, isn't it? You're not like that. Even if you might have felt that way about me someday, I ruined it with those memories. I don't have a chance with you anymore. I hate myself for even wanting one. What's wrong with me? Why can't I stop thinking about you? I should just let it go, because you're not like that, and Minato only just broke up with me. [ First name, no honorific. The Shadow isn't feeling as respectful of Minato as Yu would normally be. ]
But I can't. [ He smiles, sick and sad. ] How sad is that?
no subject
This sort of insecurity from Yu--he knows it exists, yes, but that it's so all encompassing, that it's been potentially trying to undermine his wellbeing. Shadow Yosuke stores it away for now. Mocking is what they do, of course, but Yu is almost a protected party. To deny that he's set on some sort of pedestal would be a lie. No matter how far they've come, Yosuke still admires the guy. There's always a glint in his eye and the sort of pride that comes with getting to call himself Yu's partner.
But this--
--golden eyes begin to go wide.
It gives me hope that maybe you'll change your mind.
He knows what that means. Yu doesn't need to continue, but he does anyway. He doesn't look down at his hand, the way Yu's thumb presses on his pulse, which quickens. He doesn't once tear his eyes away from Yu's face, even as he brings Yosuke's hand to his cheek.
I don't have a chance with you anymore.
A chance. Is that what they had before? What Yosuke can't remember? Not remembering this place has been slowly driving him crazy, he's expressed that plenty of times to others and most harshly to Rei. He hates it. He hates being behind, always a step behind. But...
Why can't I stop thinking about you?
His stomach churns, a mixture of anxiety and butterflies.
But I can't. ]
I-I--...
[ For a moment, he looks uncertain, wide-eyed and nervous. It's not news, not entirely with the knowledge of how Yu felt before, but to have any of those feelings resurface...that's what he's implying, isn't it? Even as a passing fancy, a whiplash from a difficult breakup. It's still-- ]
--I can't take it when you look at me like that.
[ He doesn't pull back, though, nor remove his hand from Yu's face. ]
It freaks me out...'cause I don't know what to do about it. It freaks me out 'cause I know something happened before, things I can't remember--and I really hate not remembering!
[ He does grit his teeth then, his hand mirroring the motion Yu had previously given his face, tightening. ]
I walk around knowing that I've done all this shit that I can't account for. And with you? I trusted you not to lie to me, but sometimes I wish you had. You wanna know why? Because it'd be a helluva lot easier going forward not knowing about that. Because I know that you wouldn't ever do something that you think someone wouldn't want, so that can only mean one thing...
[ Yosuke pulls back then, grinning widely, but it lacks mirth and warmth. ]
It means I wanted it. I fucking wanted to. And to make matters worse? It should gross me out, but it doesn't. And that scares me more than anything else! I've been thinking about it since you came clean, like some sort of obsessed freak trying to pick things apart and make sense of a memory I don't even have. I can't stop either. Now who's the sad one?
no subject
[ Yu whispers his name, an echo of the way he said it in the park that day, when he told Yosuke the truth. He keeps holding Yosuke's wrist with one hand, but his other comes up too, gently gripping that same arm. Yu cradles Yosuke's arm in both hands and holds him close like a man afraid of drowning.
I can't take it when you look at me like that.
It's like a lance through his heart, more keenly felt because all he is right now is feeling.
Yosuke keeps talking, and he digs his nails into Yu's cheek. Yu winces slightly, his lips parting in a silent exhalation of pain, but he doesn't try to lower Yosuke's hand. He keeps it, lets it stay, right where it is. ]
Why do you think I thought about it?
[ He does smile now, but it's a small, canny thing. ]
I knew you'd suffer if I told you. But I'd be a liar if I didn't. Above all I was scared to death you'd reject me. Your best friend who's into guys... gross, right? Does that make you gross, too, Yosuke? If you wanted it.
[ Yu's expression has blanked out again now.
I fucking wanted to.
A thrill is running through him, his pulse trilling in his wrists and his throat. I fucking wanted to. It should gross me out, but it doesn't.
It doesn't. ]
We're both pathetic, [ Yu murmurs with a laugh, something that makes his shoulders jump while he shuts his eyes and curls his fingers more tightly around Yosuke's arm. ] Who gets this obsessed with their best friend? How sad were our lives that we clung to the first person who cared about us and haven't let go since?
[ Now Yu finally pulls Yosuke's hand down, instead holding it in both of his own close to his chest. ]
You know, it hurt when you said you weren't like that. You act like it's okay for me to like guys, but when it seems like the same could be true of you, you panic. Because it's wrong to be like that, if it's you, isn't it? Hypocrite.
[ There isn't any real force in his voice. It's just a statement, flat, but in truth, the Shadow looks a little .. afraid. ]
no subject
I always knew it was different. I've been such a poser my whole life, trying to act cool, stay on top of trends, be that guy that everyone could be friends with. But all it's gotten me is a bunch of shallow acquaintances. Hell, I knew when I left the city the texts would disappear, but I kept convincing myself someone might care. Someone might remember me six months out.
[ He catches Yu's gaze again. ]
And then you showed up. I was desperate. I thought you were like me, but you're not. You're...better. And I'm okay with that. I thought I wanted to be like you, but now I get it...yeah, maybe obsessed is about right.
[ Yosuke's grin doesn't disappear entirely, but it does fade a few notches. He grits his teeth, his fingers balling into a fist. ]
That's exactly it. I can't handle being like that. I don't know what that would mean. And if I don't know, it scares the hell out of me. I am a hypocrite. I just don't wanna admit it because then it'd be like I'd accept that I could be that way.
no subject
[ Yu's eyes go wide now, wide and piercing and afraid. If anything he holds Yosuke's hand to him closer, more surely. ]
I'd be nothing without you. Without everyone... without my bonds, I'll go back to being nothing. I'll go back to being alone. My parents don't care, no one in Tokyo ever cared. But you cared... I accepted the position of leader because it meant I could keep you all around me. You all act like I did something noble, but it wasn't. I was just scared.
[ He's smiling by the end of that, but it's shaky and too-wide. There's none of his usual confidence to it. The opposite, in fact; it's a self-mocking smile, but also clearly scared. ]
I hate that you feel like you can't be that way. That being like me is a bad thing to you... but I'm so needy that I'll accept it no matter what, just to keep you with me.
no subject
Yosuke huffs. ]
You're the one that left. I know it wasn't your choice, but I was still upset about it. I can be petty about that, can't I?
[ He shifts, reaching out with his free hand to take hold of Yu's wrist. It's an awkward position to be in, but he doesn't seem to care. ]
Being like you isn't bad, it's just unattainable.
[ Really, it's as simple as that. He smiles a little, though it's twisted in the wrong ways. ]
That's funny--you act like you even need to try. You can't shake me. I'm fucking clingy and I don't wanna let you go until you tell me you don't want me anymore. I've never had a best friend before. I want to--no, I need to be wanted. I always have.
no subject
Static rolls over him in a wave and he flickers erratically -- and then it's over as fast as it started. The Yu that looks up again has gray eyes.
Yu pulls in a long, shaking breath, his eyes going wide. Yosuke's Shadow. His Shadow. The things they've said--
It should gross me out, but it doesn't. And that scares me more than anything else!
My parents don't care, no one in Tokyo ever cared. But you cared...
He's never really talked about his parents or his life back in Tokyo. Not out of desire, necessarily, to keep it a secret; just, no one really asked, outside of the most superficial questions. Those were things he hadn't intended on admitting.
Despite how compromising their relative positions are, Yu doesn't move, though his grip slackens slightly. If he makes sudden movements right now, especially to pull away, Yosuke's Shadow might react badly. But his chest is in knots and knots.
They only just got pass the issue of the kiss. And now ... this? Why now?
All he can do is stay calm. He reigns his expression back in, locking away his shock and letting only calm show. ]
no subject
But not for Yosuke. Or rather, for his Shadow. ]
Well...looks like the party's over.
[ He let's go and pulls back, not suddenly, but purposefully. ]
Too bad. I've been bored outta my mind around here, but you always find a way to keep me entertained. It's like I can't take my eyes off you.
[ He raises a challenging brow, but it doesn't stop his extraction from the other boy. He swings his leg over the edge of the half wall and hops off. ]
no subject
all that matters to him is that they're still partners. In the end, that's all.
Admitting he'd been dwelling on it... what's going to happen once Yosuke returns to normal?
... whatever he admitted ... whatever Yosuke admitted to him ...
(i fucking wanted to
it should gross me out but it doesn't
i am a hypocrite
i just don't wanna admit it because then it'd be like i'd accept that i could be that way)
... all that matters, more than anything, is their friendship.
Determination sears his chest, burning away his panic, as Yu, too, climbs off the wall. He does it much more slowly, his motions possessed of the kind of fluidity that comes with deliberate calculation. His sword remains on the wall, hilt facing towards the street, but he leaves it there. He'll need both hands free for what he's about to do.
Yu stands straight, his hands loose at his sides as he stares Yosuke down with serious certainty. ]
Yosuke... if you see me as entertainment right now, that's fine. I accepted that this is part of who you are a long time ago. Plus, I know that's not everything about how you really feel. I know what sort of person you really are, and I believe in you.
[ He approaches close, his expression softening only a little as he stops with just a foot left between them. ]
You should know, Yosuke... I'm more selfish than everyone thinks I am.
[ Without hesitation he reaches out and pulls Yosuke into his arms. The need and the desperation and the passion from before, from his Shadow, are all gone. In their place is a gentle surety. ]
I won't let you go. No matter what happens. We'll always be partners... and I'll do everything I can to make sure that keeps being true.
no subject