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.
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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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Running away never solved anything. To solve a problem, you must address it.
My name is Naoto Shirogane. What's yours?
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[ As Naoto enters her line of sight, Naminé's head raises slightly, her eyes following. She looks about as tired as she sounded, face held in a grim, tense sort of sadness. She's grateful for what distance there is - the closer anyone is the greater she feels the risk grows. And maybe she can't wholly disagree with that claim, but she remains stymied by the lack of any good solution that comes to mind other than running away. Temporarily, of course; waiting it out in solitude was always her goal. ]
... Naminé. [ It occurs to her that she could refrain from sharing and perhaps save herself at least from this particular secret of hers spreading quite so easily, but she discards the notion immediately and answers all the same. ] My name is Naminé.
[ There's a momentary pause; at the end of it she adds, soberly, ]
It's nice to meet you.
[ Circumstances aside. ]
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[She frowns, crouching down where she is, close enough so that they can talk comfortably but not close enough to startle the girl. How old is she? She can't really tell just from looking, but she definitely seems younger than Naoto herself.]
This power of yours... would you classify it as 'magic'? If so, I may be able to take some countermeasures.
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... Yes. [ It comes after a pause wherein she regards Naoto appraisingly, though the word is firm enough. ] At least, that's what it's always been called.
[ Truthfully, she has more interest in this purported method; despite herself, her curiosity is piqued. ]
What kind of countermeasures do you mean?
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But it is worth a shot. Yamato Sumeragi! [She remains crouching as a mysterious form materializes behind her in an unnatural blue glow.] Makarakarn!
[The figure gestures at Naoto, and crystalline walls appear all around her, encasing her in a prism before the walls-- and the figure-- vanish.]
It reflects any magic used on me. [She says as way of explanation.] It may render me immune to whatever you're capable of, as well.
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So you're--
[ '-- like Yu,' she doesn't say, because as similar as it looked she never does like jumping to conclusions. Still, it sticks in her mind as markedly comparable. Lips pressing together again, she remains thoughtful, a hand curling against her mouth. Except it's already done her some good, this supposed protection; whether it would do any good or not - and she hopes they won't have to find out regardless of the outcome - it gives her at least a little peace of mind. Something in her posture relaxes subtly. ]
That's quite a talent. I don't know whether it'll work, but-- you're right. It is worth a shot.
[ Although reflecting might imply that it comes back at the caster. That's a possibility that she recognizes but pays little mind to; she'd rather herself suffer the consequences than someone else, as frightening as she knows her own abilities to be. Growing slightly more somber, she adds, ]
I'm sorry about all of this. I know it must be inconvenient for you.
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If only she knew how like Yu Naoto really was.
She shakes her head, giving a quiet smile to the girl, one that she hopes is reassuring.] It's no trouble. I wouldn't be much of a detective if I ignored someone in need.
Frankly, this is one of the less inconveniencing things I've encountered today.
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[ But she does take reassurance from that smile. Her attempt to return it winds up small, though it doesn't lack for sincerity. ]
A detective? [ Her understanding of the occupation can be summarized in a somewhat uncertain, 'they figure out who did something bad, right?' which has been gleaned almost entirely from the occasional late night tv show. It isn't as though there was actually any law enforcement going on anywhere that she frequented before coming to Cerealia. ] I don't think I've ever met a detective before.
[ Curiosity aside, her sympathy kicks in at that last bit. Brows lowering slightly, ] Have... there been a lot of others in trouble?
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I've encountered people under attack from their own furniture, the security robots, or whose personality was rapidly, temporarily changing. [She frowns.] Or whose clothes vanished.
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I see. I hope they're proud.
[ Naoto seems pretty on top of things to her, all considered. Naminé listens without comment at first to the list of happenings. The first two don't surprise her as she's had some firsthand experience with them, but as it goes on her expression shifts straight through surprised into a slight grimace. What's been going on with her has been bad enough, but-- that last one makes her pale subtly. ]
They-- didn't stay that way, did they? Without any clothes...?
[ Please, Naoto, tell her you didn't leave some poor sap wandering the streets in the buff. (Moreover, that it was a rare occurrence and she doesn't have to worry about that happening to her.) ]
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[The next thing, though... her smile fades completely, and she casts her gaze downward. Is that your senses fooling you, Namine, or is she blushing?] I was able to procure clothes for-- for them, yes. There doesn't seem to be any further problem thus far, at any rate.
[It may have been her.]
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That's... good.
[ Well. ]
[ She certainly doesn't want to make any assumptions, but she isn't unaware that there might be Implications in that blush beyond the unfortunate situation of having to find someone in a... delicate state that isn't at all comfortable for any of the parties involved. So, after a momentary pause, she very carefully asks, ]
Was it anyone you knew?
[ Room left for Naoto to dodge the question, but it was a hunch Naminé couldn't help following. ]
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[She reaches up to grab the brim of her cap and tug it slightly down her face, a nervous habit. Dammit, Namine, and she was looking so cool up until now.] --but! As you can see, it's been resolved, and so there's no need to ask anything further about it at all.
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[ After a beat, she attempts, ] Yes, ah-- I can see that. [ It sounds a little uneven with some of her own secondhand embarrassment. Gosh. Clearing her throat, ] That's unfortunate. I hope it wasn't too troublesome for you...!
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And now to totally change the subject.] Am I the only person you've encountered since the chaos began?
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Oh-- no.
[ It takes her a moment to switch gears. Tucking her chin slightly, she remembers early not to use the word 'friends'. ]
I've seen a few people, and I knew most of them. But I-- wasn't doing so badly at the time. [ A little frown; she nudges herself away from that subject, too, though she is less genuinely distracted from it now. ] They were... very helpful. Most of them didn't seem to be having too much trouble. [ At least in the being changed and/or powers going haywire sort of way. Malfunctioning technology was kind of par for the course for everyone. ]
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Has anything like this ever happened before to your knowledge?
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Not to my knowledge.
[ And it takes effort not to imagine how much worse things have yet to get. It doesn't bear thinking about. ]
But I haven't been here nearly as long as a lot of other people. They'd be better to ask.
[ If, you know, any of them were around. As much as she was trying to mentally avoid the subject, it comes up anyway; after a moment's hesitation, she asks, ]
Do... you think it'll get worse?
[ She knows better than to think Naoto's likely to have a proper answer for that - it was more impulse than anything. She is afraid, truly, though she keeps it in check well. It just-- isn't so unusual to find oneself grasping at straws when in such a state. ]
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I intend to hope for the best but prepare for the worst, and keep as many people safe as I can.
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[ But she has to ask - and she exhales before she does it, as if breathing out her other thoughts-- ]
How do you mean to do that?
[ Intentions are all well and good, but it's plans that interest her here. It seems, after all, that the problem is beyond their capacity to fight - but then again, she always did worry over things like that more than perhaps she should. ]
Keep people safe, that is.
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I mean to do what I can. Whether it's dealing with renegade police robots or helping someone falling from a window.
It's an imperfect plan, but I hope it'll suffice.
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That's very brave of you.
[ 'Kind' is what she really means, though 'brave' probably counts for something, too. ]
Considering the risks. I'm sure there are plenty of people who could use help.
[ Herself included, but that's beside the point. She still isn't certain how she could be helped, except-- funny, how she almost feels as though she should give Naoto the opportunity to do so, should one arise. (Maybe it's just her soft spot for those who help others.) Quiet for a moment, she studies the other girl a second or two more - then, all at once but unhurriedly, she begins to get to her feet. ]
If you don't mind - I'd like to ask you for a favor.
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[At Namine's request, she turns to look at her directly again. The girl is unreadable. Given her behavior thus far, Naoto doesn't think she's likely to ask for help for herself, but perhaps for a friend? Naoto nods again, slowly and deliberately.] Of course. "Trying to help people" does include you in that number, after all. [It's a lame attempt at something resembling levity.]
What do you need?
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[ Brushing halfheartedly at her skirt in an attempt to lessen the amount of dirt left behind from the real ground which is not actually the featureless white that it currently appears to be, she offers the faintest of smiles at that suggestion of levity in her attempt at reciprocating it. ] I was afraid of that.
[ Her tone suggests, however, that that was meant humorously and that she has at least partially moved beyond that mindset. More serious is her, ]
It's like you said - it isn't safe to be outside right now. But... I need help finding somewhere that is safe. [ Safer. ] Somewhere quiet. I... haven't been able to tell where I am for a while now. Everything keeps changing too quickly.
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[Still, she's got a good head on her shoulders and is a very visual person. She can do this, she reasons to herself.] Even with the shifting scenery, I was still able to find my way to you, wasn't I? The patterns change but the surfaces they're concealing don't.
There's a park near here that some people have been going to as shelter. [Naoto frowns.] ...but I imagine you'd rather avoid such a large concentration of people.
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I'm so sorry for how late this is! Please feel free to ignore. I thought I'd tagged this ;w;
SHHHH shhhh, I shall never ignore. o((9))
uwu
C:
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