« 011 ⇢ event011.exe »

[reparator]

Who: CERES & you
When: ooc: 03/22-03/25; ic: 12/09-12/10
Where: Cerealia's Entertainment District
What: Intro log
Rating/Warning: PG-13 | possibly nsfw (please let us know if you need this rating changed, or you are welcome to continue any naughty shenanigans in a private log)

//event011.EXE The Gifts that Keeps on Giving ((You)) Nightmares It's been a whole month without any new arrivals. Who knows why? If you ask CERES, they won't bother with any in-depth explanations. They will simply claim that none of the code out there has been responding to their recovery methods, so they had to rework a lot of their technology. However, after several weeks of grueling work, they have finally experienced success! A fresh new batch of faces is coming in, and to celebrate their arrival and the real upcoming holidays, CEO Julius Vincere has arranged for a Christmas-themed carnival for all to enjoy. Those who arrive will wake up in Cerealia and be given a long, boring explanation and powerpoint as per usual before being ushered onto a bus (there is no escape. The robots will force you onto the bus one way or another). You will be unwillingly carted to the theme park where you will be immediately assaulted by a giant array of lights followed by several rides that you can enjoy. After you disembark from the bus, one of the snowman robots will be waiting to give you tickets to the rides and show you around as part of the Grand Opening. The amusement park will remain open for the rest of the month of December so anyone can visit as they please. The first couple tickets will also be on the house for new arrivals, but the rest will have to be bought with credits, so choose wisely! (Or try and sneak into the rides -- then face the wrath of the snowman robots and their snowman firearms :D) "☃ WELCOME NEW ARRIVALS ❅ YOU HAVE ARRIVED AT THE SANTASTICAL FOREST OF CHRISTMAS WONDERS ❅ PLEASE ENJOY ALL THE RIDES CEO JULIUS VINCERE HAS HAND-PICKED FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT ❅ WE WISH TO BRING YOU MERRY FEELINGS FOR THE HOLIDAY ❅ COME GIVE SNOWTRON 5000 A HUG ❅ WHAT? YOU DON'T WANT ONE ❅ BUT I WAS PROGRAMMED TO CONVEY HUGGING AS LOVE THROUGH AFFECTION ❅ PLEASE DON'T RUN ❅ COME BAAAAACK, VISITOR ❅"

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ xxxx ] Do you like ferris wheels? This is an enchanting one where you get to ride around in a giant snowflake at a very limited speed. The wheel will turn excruciatingly slow before stopping abruptly, leaving you trapped at the very top. We hope you're not afraid of heights because you're going to be in there for a while! The windows on the snowflake will rapidly darken leaving you and your fellow riders trapped in the darkness. At that moment, you will feel something warm breathing down your neck and along the back of your ear. As you reach over, you'll feel like the chair underneath you is made of snakeskin, and a hissing sound will intensify as the "chair" squirms and as the breathing gets louder and hotter. Scrabble at the doors, fight your way out! Will you escape or not? Probably not, but the experience will last only a good five minutes before the lights come back on and before the ferris wheel starts moving again. The chair will appear as normal, and there will be no one else inside except any fellow riders who came with you. PHASE II [ xxxx ] If the ferris wheel didn't "do it" for you, then perhaps a fun house will? If you're a fan, that is! This Christmas-themed funhouse features a wonderful walk through a snowy forest convered in singing reindeer. The more you walk through, the more you will notice things like within the distorted mirrors, there will briefly appear strange specters. You will also hear a bunch of howling in the background, and while you may think that you're safe since they're trapped behind a mirror, you are very wrong. The lights will go out once more, and you will hear the mirrors shatter all around and feel yourself being grabbed and hurled to the ground. Whatever is coming for you is something you can't see, but it's advancing fast with impressive strength to hurl you back once more. You will feel pain erupt through your body before an engineer will appear to get the lights back on. Once they're back on, the reindeer will be happily singing, and all the mirrors will appear as they were before -unbroken. PHASE III [ xxxx ] After those interesting adventures, another option would be to simply visit the rocking santacoaster, a large, sprawling roller coaster that reaches 150 mph. You will be strapped into a sled and be shot through the tracks where you can scream and cry all you want except once you reach the tunnel, everything will come to a sudden stop (whiplash pending). You and the other riders will be in there for a few minutes, surrounded by a dozen santas as they start to fly out from the tunnel walls, carrying swords and swooping down to take a swipe at you. You better duck or be prepared to be cut up by their blades. The rollercoaster will abruptly resume, and when you reach the end, you might notice some bleeding, a little bit of hair missing, or some clothes shred up. If you ask the snowman robots about it, they will just shrug and claim they don't know what you're talking about. Please go enjoy a snowcone on the house! PHASE IV [ xxxx ] The Christmas whirl will be your last stop for the evening! This is a ride that goes round and round and round while tilting. Everyone will be strapped into it while standing up and forced to hold on as it spins, and somewhere in the midst of the spinning, the ride will suddenly malfunction. Yes, big surprise there! But it won't stop spinning. It will just be a rockier ride, and you will seemingly enter a new space where you will be among the stars and seeing planets all around you. Your own home planet will be amongst them before it breaks open like an egg and out crawls a friendly visitor. If you get bit by it, you will spend the rest of the day and night experiencing an array of possible symptoms, including: a voracious appetite, a fear of light, the urge to 'mate' with anyone who smells especially good, heightened senses, the ability to climb on all kinds of surfaces, irritability and crankiness... (( you don't have to experience them all. you can pick and choose which one you like. )) BONUS [ whyo'clock ] What's that jingling you hear in the background? Why, it's Santa Clause! Coming here all the way from the North Pole. The park will stop, and all the snowman robots will gather in the square, ushering along as many people as possible. Santa-Bot X-3 will be seated on his chair to welcome all visitors to sit on his metaphorical lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. He will then give them a nicely wrapped present and tell them that it's exactly what they asked for, but they can't open it until they get home. For those who can't wait and choose to open it quickly, they will get some nice treats from Mundus Caelestis. But beware! Those who do take this gift home will experience a weird after-effect as the lovely red and white toy will come to life on its own and hop out of the box that evening to try and violently electrocute the owner. The other one is completely harmless. [ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with trigger-y or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ]

//RUN.EXE Welcome to CEREALIA's latest intro post For your convenience, we have compiled a post detailing what's going on right here and feel free to consult the FAQ if needed. Please leave any lingering questions in the OOC post, and we'll answer them as soon as we can. OVERFLOW IS HERE!!!

Comments

Open!

[dimidiampura]

Phase II:

[ Going into the whole arrival experience was something else, but before Kaneki even had a chance to wrap his head around what just happened he was being ushered - forced - onto that bus and taken to a bright place with lights that were so bright they almost hurt his eyes.

If he'd been his 'innocent' self he might have taken enjoyment in all of this but all it's doing is making his chest ache painfully with thoughts and memories he shouldn't even be entertaining right now. So perhaps that was why he opted for something on the ground and maybe would distract him somewhat. What he HADN'T been expecting was the strange specters or the whole part where against his will, something grabbed him and hurled him to the floor and then again before he got his bearings.

Oh, it's not any pain he can't handle, but it doesn't mean he's happy about all of that... and it's this which causes annoyance to flicker over his features. He's glowering at the mirrors, but it's in doing this that it's obvious something's wrong.

Were people supposed to have a black and red eye or have a cut on their arm start healing on it's own? Probably not but he's uncaring as he moves to get out of there as soon as he's able to, his one hand poised strangely with his thumb pressing; cracking at the joint on his index finger. ]

Phase III:

[ Kaneki's never ever been on something so fun as a rollercoaster in his entire life as between his studies in school and eventually becoming a non-human, it kind of put a damper on doing certain things where he came from and as such doesn't immediately phase him as it might with most people.

Well... until it stopped.

Followed immediately by the sound of something coming down toward the sled and he ducked his head in time to feel something pass over the back of his neck, catching air and a few strands of his white hair. Scowling a bit, he looked in the direction of the things that had come down at him - or rather he tried - before the thing resumed and it was over just like that.

So imagine his reaction when the robotic snowmen at the end acted as if nothing at all was wrong. Which perhaps was why without warning and surprising speed, something red, long and scaled materialized from his lower back and skewered the robot so quickly that it looked like a trick of the eye as a second afterward, he was standing there as if nothing at all had happened. ]

...I'm not interested in a snowcone.

Not after that.

post phase iv

[scaryintuition]

[If asked, Hide wouldn't be able to pinpoint the exact moment things started to change. He'd gotten off that godawful Christmas Whirl with a hunger unlike anything he'd ever felt before. He'd eaten six hot dogs, two bags of popcorn, a cotton candy, and three candy bars in quick succession and that had only taken the edge off.

He'd become irritated at the littlest things, something that's very unlike himself. But he couldn't stop himself. It had gotten to the point where even some people's voices were grating for him to listen to. And then came the heightened senses. He could smell pizza cooking in the food court half a park away. The screams of people on the surrounding rides were like gongs going off next to his ears. He needed to get away. And he began to climb.

It had been small things at first. He would climb to the low branches on a tree. Then he would climb to the roof of one of the one story buildings. It was exhilarating being so high up. And the ease in which he could do it was addicting. By the time the sun begins to set Hide has climbed up nearly everything in sight. Except for one...the Ferris Wheel.]

"I'm telling you, man. I can get up there. Easily."

this can only end badly xD

[dimidiampura]

[ There's a thousand things wrong with this place already and he's learning that quite quickly. From the irritable robots to their sick idea of funhouses, it's left Kaneki not wishing to take any rides, but rather that he's taken to walking around in the meantime with Hide while trying to ignore the smell of human food as to him it no longer smelled as appealing as it might have had if he were human.

He put up with it though for humor's sake because that's what Hide wanted to do, and while he still felt vastly uncomfortable getting into the swing of things again, he was trying his best.

It's only as his friend starts to overeat that something seems off to him, but it doesn't set in until the blond started getting more irritable before even that evolved into climbing things and he seriously doubted his friend was just going to stop because he told him no. Infact it was almost entertaining to an extent beyond it's danger level but he just went along with it the whole time until they found themselves standing by the Ferris Wheel and Kaneki gave Hide the most incredulous, quiet look at what he said to him. ]

...If you try climbing that, you're going to hurt yourself, Hide.

so badly

[scaryintuition]

[Somewhere in the back of Hide's mind, he might have been agreeing with Kaneki. The Ferris Wheel was the highest structure in the amusement park, at a height that should not be compared with the likes of trees and one story buildings. If Hide had been in his right mind, he might have even reminded himself that was just a plain human and that climbing such a structure without some kind of harness was insane.

Because Hide wasn't in his right mind none of this meant anything to him. He just wanted the rush of the climb. The higher he got the weaker the noises and sounds that flooded his senses got.

In fact, he was irritated at his friend that he was not being supportive of his endeavors. His mouth scrunched up into a frown and he crossed his arms over his chest.]

It'll be fine. Did you see me climb that tree back there? I was barely even trying.

[dimidiampura]

[ It wasn't like a lack of support regarding Hide himself, but rather the dangers behind what his friend wanted to do which seemed unnaturally reckless and not like something that Hide would normally suggest. Same went with that unusual attitude that he couldn't understand where it came from; that abrupt frown and clear disapproval made no sense.

Why was he looking so upset at him saying what seemed like common sense to most? ]

That's because it was a tree and not something that if you fall from it, will end up with more than just a few broken bones.

[ He's trying to be lenient in attempting to make Hide see some kind of sense. Yes, he's worried about what will happen to the blond if he tries this but he also knows that if Hide persists, it's not like he can't go and help him if he falls or something.

After all, Kaneki did want to keep Hide safe, no matter what. ]

I do think you've done a great job climbing up everything else so far... why not take a break, Hide?

[scaryintuition]

[That's just it. He can't take a break. No matter where he goes his senses are hounded by constant scents and sounds. He can hear people's conversations from a few feet away and he tries to block them out they're always there. Whispering into his ears.

It's not like he can just leave the park. There's no telling how far a walk away the city is. He's trapped here in this loud, smelly place until they're all once again led back onto the bus. But if he can just have a moment to clear his head...

The Ferris Wheel certainly looks like it could be high enough to put a little distance between him and everything else.]

I'm not going to break any bones. Besides, you can come to. Getting up there should be nothing for you.

ii!

[ukakus]

[That was... something. Something awful and kind of horrific, and Touka's pretty frustrated at herself for not being able to stop it before she was hurled to the ground twice. It makes her feel weak, and weakness—well. It's not something that bodes well for a ghoul. It's a dog eat dog world, after all. You don't get to survive if you're weak when you're cornered.

Which is why it's not surprising that she scrambles to her feet as the lights come back on, and surveys her surroundings with a wary eye to make sure whatever that was isn't coming back. When she's sure nothing else is going to jump at her, counting those stupid annoying reindeer, she all but starts sprinting out of this dump.

And totally almost bumps into this weird as hell dude, stopping herself only an inch away from him. NICE SAVE. But not quite nice, because she's rubbing her temples and groaning, still a little hurt from being tossed around. Doesn't get a good look at his face yet, either, momentarily distracted by his hand.]

Shit. Sorry, I— [Yeaaahhhhh. This is where she glances up at his face, and stops. Like. Uh. Her eyes are seeing, but her brain isn't quite computing.]

...Kaneki?

[Un...sure... But even if the face could be a mix-up, there aren't many one-eyed ghouls... Or those who apparently suck at control their stupid kakugan. Huh.]

[dimidiampura]

[ If the lights had come on any sooner they likely would have revealed his kagune as a split second reaction to his prior anger from being assaulted like that without so much as a warning, his kakugan remaining for that next instance subconsciously. His gaze is still toward one of the mirrors as if expecting them to shatter again when there's movement and the sound of a VERY familiar voice next to him.

Only then does he look down and it hits Kaneki just who this is and his eyes widen a bit. There's honestly no mistaking that voice, let alone that head of dark hair which is about when his hands relax and his eyes are entirely back to normal. Kaneki's voice is stuck in his throat and there's a time in which he doesn't know what to say to her because the last he did see Touka, they hadn't left off on the best of terms.

She says his name and definitely is enough to give him pause once again, though unlike the last time he saw her, he attempts to offer a slight smile. ]

I didn't think i'd see you here, Touka.

[ Not so much the funhouse part but referring to Cerealia as a whole. They'd been told that their worlds were destroyed so seeing her here was quite a relief. ]

...Are you alright?

[ukakus]

I'm fine. [She is. Honestly. She really is, even if she says the word with a little more emphasis than is necessary. She doesn't want to waste any time talking about how she's doing. It's wholly unnecessary. Touka has been stuck in this stupid place for a little more than a month; she's had enough time to deal with it. Kaneki, however, hasn't.

Kaneki, who had black hair and normal fingernails the last time she saw him at Anteiku. Did something happen between that day and their world being destroyed? No—she doesn't know if their world was really destroyed. Credibility isn't something CERES has, but... something did happen. That much is for certain. It's upsetting that she doesn't know what.]

But you got here today, didn't you? Are you... [—alright? That's what she wants to ask, but he'd probably say he is. That's not what she wants to hear.] What happened?

[In general. To him. Even just now in the funhouse? She doesn't care. While she's relieved to see him, someone from her world, she would have to be stupid not to notice something is up.]

[dimidiampura]

[ If she said anything other than insisting she was fine, he would have thought it surprising but if she can manage this then it's kind of a relief. She's still the same as he remembered, but he's quickly getting the feeling that it's not the same where it regards him in her eyes.

Something which is more instinct than anything else but he doesn't mention that just yet, watching her for a second or two before his gaze tears away elsewhere. Where would he even start with this? ]

...Ah... I suppose just now... I was surprised by whatever happened when the lights went out. Irritated because I wasn't able to react properly on top of that, either.

[ That's the best she's going to get out of him for now, as he's not about to easily answer the question regarding the reasons behind his white hair and why he's not the same Kaneki she likely remembers. ]

[ukakus]

...Were you? [There's something in her tone that makes it pretty obvious that she wanted to hear something beyond that. The way he says that is just — it's not right. It's not Kaneki. The whiny, confusing co-worker she left back home wouldn't have phrased it like that. It leaves a weird feeling in the pit of her stomach.

But she's not giving up on getting the answers she wants out of him, even if it's going to be slow and a little bit like pulling teeth. She makes a point out looking him straight in the eye. He can avert his gaze all he wants, but she's nothing if not persistent... and also very testy.

Let's play a game of how long she can keep this up before snapping at him.]

Tch... So, what? Stop making that annoying face. Whatever that damn thing was, I wasn't able to react properly either. [She's willing to sacrifice her pride a little here, so he better stop being so... weird.]

iii

[yooknowit]

[ Nearby, Yoon is heard nagging at the people that exited the ride. It's the motherly kind of nagging, asking if they're okay and other similar questions. He's quick to nurse those who are injured, as he already noticed that a proper medical team is practically nonexistent. When he spots Kaneki, he approaches him next. ]

What about you? Are you hurt?

[ He looks at him intently, looking up and down to make sure the guy doesn't have any visible cuts or so! ]

[dimidiampura]

[ In all honesty, Kaneki couldn't remember the last time someone actually fretted and worried over him. So it was perhaps a bit surprising when the other boy came up and asked him that, likely able to spot some small rips and tears in his clothes where there should be wounds but wasn't.

Mainly a large hole in his form-fitting shirt on the right side but there's not anything but an almost completely healed, recent-looking injury in it's place. Which he doesn't look bothered about. ]

...I'm not. I ducked down to avoid caught by those blades, so i'm alright.

[ It's not a lot to go by but he manages a smile for what it's worth, a deeper part of him happy in an odd way that someone would try to worry over him like this. ]

[yooknowit]

[ Oh... That gentle smile kind of makes Yoon watch for a while longer. It's a nice expression. He finds himself embarrassed for some reason. But he plays tough as usual, coughing before returning to business. He notices the shirt's hole... So there's still at least something he can do for this other boy. ]

Hmph. Good to hear it, then. But your clothes are ruined, so... Stay still for a moment, will you?

[ After that, he reaches to his shoulder bag to take out a handy sewing kit. He prepares a needle and thread neatly, skillful hands eventually make their way to that shirt. He starts comfortably sewing the hole, making sure that it closes right up. He works carefully so he wouldn't accidentally hurt him... Time to time, he checks if it's angled right by tugging the end of the shirt. When he knows that it flows well, he continues to sew. ]

[dimidiampura]

[ Initially, he might have rejected this but instinct told him to just let the other boy do what he needed and as such resulted in him looking a bit surprised but allowing Yoon to fix his shirt. There's so much care and precision in the other's work that it's kind of admirable.

He remains still as asked, but there's almost a soft, kind look in his eyes somewhat now as he watches. ]

I wasn't really worried about my clothes but... thank you. I appreciate this.

[ As well, Kaneki's just hoping that while immersed in his work, the boy doesn't notice that the almost healed looking injury is kind of just about gone now. ]

[yooknowit]

[ Yoon did notice the injury earlier, but he's an experienced medic. Thus, after seeing that the wound is closed and almost healed, he ignored it after that. After all, only time can help it further at that stage. If he noticed blood, he would've reacted differently. So thankfully, because he saw that it didn't need attention, he missed the way the wound abnormally regenerates...

He's more fixated on clothes, which definitely won't heal itself. He eventually finishes, so he cuts off the remaining string and moves away again. He seems satisfied with how it looks now, so he nods to confirm those words of gratitude. He reddens a little, but he waves his hand to say it's nothing. ]

Be careful, all right? As you can tell, this place isn't exactly that safe. CERES does crap like this often.

phase ii

[puerilely]

[ That kind of behaviour definitely isn't human. Humans don't have discolored eyes, humans don't heal on their own. But despite that last fact, this guy doesn't feel like a demon either..

.. so what is he?

It's enough to pique Shuu's interest, at the very least, and he's not even being particularly subtle in the way he's stalking the other through the funhouse, managing to deal with the spectres without even really looking at them. He just has eyes for Ken, and when the other turns a corner in the funhouse, he manages to catch up with him, grinning widely. There's something oddly innocent in it, like a little kid, but at the same time something.. off. ]

He-y, is there a problem..?

[dimidiampura]

[ To Kaneki there was nothing that mattered more than getting out of here before something like that happened again. Not that he couldn't handle it, but it did set his nerves on edge and he didn't like it one damn bit.

Perhaps it was in this train of thought that he didn't pay much notice to the other boy who followed after him at first, though the lack of subtlety was what got his attention on some small level. A distinct feeling of being watched as he moved, but it was only when the other spoke up that Kaneki's steps stopped and he looked over his shoulder at Shuu, both eyes normal now and narrowed just a touch. ]

...A problem with what?

[ Just to be safe Kaneki played it cautiously, as something about that grin doesn't appear entirely as innocent as it may seem. It was pure instinct telling him this but until the stranger gave him a reason to, he wasn't going to do anything about it. ]

[puerilely]

Hmmm.. who knows?

[ No matter how unsettling all of this place might have seemed to Kaneki, Shuu doesn't seem unnerved by one bit of it, despite probably having experienced what this place has in store already just by the sheer virtue of having come this far already too.

Instead he just smiles casually - like he's without a single care, and like he isn't asking about incredibly personal things over here. ]

You just look a little troubled.. am I wrong?

[dimidiampura]

[ By this point there's definitely something unsettling about the other boy, just smiling so casually as if the things that happened in this funhouse weren't all so bad. Normal people would be bothered by the sheer abnormality of this whole situation, so perhaps that was what set him on edge.

Irregardless to this though, Kaneki turned a bit more to face Shuu to regard him a bit more head-on than he had before. Perhaps the other would be so kind as to ignore the still-healing, but almost gone injury marring his right side; it would have killed a human and probably stood out due to the material of his bodysuit held a HUGE hole there.

Should have killed him but, well... he's still walking around after all. ]

I would think anyone who had become caught up in that mess back there not long ago would be troubled by it.

[ That's it. Simplistically put to the point and Kaneki figures that should be the end of that as what else was there to say? Also avoiding saying anything else because it's personal and people don't have to know. ]

Am I wrong?

[puerilely]

[ He giggles. ]

Rather than saying they'd be troubled by it, I think I'd rather say that they would be dead because of it?

[ Especially considering what sort of injury Kaneki has got there.. sure, Shuu doesn't know for sure if it's something he already had coming in or something he got only just now, but the point is still the same - no human would be able to survive with that sort of wound, and no human would just miraculously heal it like that either. ]

It's hard to still feel troubled when you're dead, after all!

Phase III

[littlestbaskerville]

[Not quite brave enough to venture onto the coaster, Lily has been watching people as they come off. Each one looking worse, there was something weird about this ride. Not as weird as the next person to exit though.

Lily watches from the sideline as the man pierces the robot and then looks at the weird scaled thing for a moment.]

What's that?

[dimidiampura]

[ No sooner had the little girl asked him the question did the scaled object - his kagune - dissipate away as Kaneki turned his gaze to her. For just a second she might have seen his left eye turn black with a red pupil before it'd changed to normal, gone now as if it'd never been there.

Kaneki even offers something like a light smile to dissuade the image that he was dangerous, in comparison to before. ]

A weapon. I wouldn't have brought it out but seeing as me and others could have been killed on that coaster, it was necessary.

[littlestbaskerville]

[Lily had yet to notice the eye, the tentacle thing was gathering all of her attention currently. Though when it leaves she watches the man as he approaches. It takes a little more to scare her, thankfully.]

That ride is dangerous! I've seen lots of people come off hurt.

[dimidiampura]

With good reason. It's... ah.. a relief nobody's been killed from it.

[ There's a bit of a disdainful look shot back at the coaster's general direction before he turns his attention to the small girl in front of him. She's not asking more about his 'weapon' yet and for that he's sort of grateful on a level because it was just entirely too complicated explaining it all at once. ]

Just like everything else i've seen here, nothing really seems safe, does it?