« 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

[defeets]

[ . . . the information about their home worlds is still insane to Jae-ha to be honest. It's hard to imagine his entire world disappearing just like that and it sits... badly with him. It sits even worse that this place gave him that sparse information and then expected him to buy it entirely.

So he hums thoughtfully at that, even as he starts to walk forward slowly, encouraging her to come with him as he holds onto her hand carefully.]

Then even though there's no place else for us to go, at least we're not in chains?

[A little cryptic, but he turns back to her with a smile afterward.] Well, I'm glad that you're well taken care of at least, lovely Ai Thao.

[emotive]

[She follows (since hand is being held and all), but she can't help but feel as if there's a slight change of atmosphere? Aside from the fun house that's slowly going to hell, but his response prompts a different response from her.]

Are you upset?

[defeets]

[He hums thoughtfully at that. Is he upset?]

.... It depends on whether or not I'm the only one here from my world, I suppose. There are a few important people that I'd hate to see go down with the rest of it, to say the least.

[He'll admit that much.]

[emotive]

[That latter statement gets to her in a certain way; was there anyone important that she would like to see? Lien, yes... There's Tuyet and Hau to consider too. The Witch King wouldn't have gone down so easily, would he?]

I'm not the best person to make any sort of consolation, but I've been told it's possible for people you know to show up sooner or later. I suppose that's a comforting though on its own.

[defeets]

[People he knows to show up sooner or later.... Though now he's still curious about that. Captain Gi-Gan would have gone down long after he did - so how is it possible that he might be here and she isn't?]

But... how?

I don't expect you to have all the answers, sweetheart, but if the world's destroyed.... can they still pull people from it? Wouldn't they already have brought everyone here that they could?

[emotive]

Well... The best way I could explain that would be... a time paradox? Yes, that's probably it.

[She doesn't even want to venture into explaining time mechanics, magic, and the science part of it...]

For me, I've yet to see anyone I know yet. There's plenty of people here who are with others they're acquainted with though.

[defeets]

Is that so....

[Well, he can't deny the truth of that statement. Even in his heart, he can feel the pull toward Ki-ja and Shin-Ah, which means that the other dragons can't be that far at all. But that's not something you say in polite conversation.

Though her words do manage to earn his curiosity-]

But you really haven't run into anyone you know?

[emotive]

... No.

It might be for the best.

[Now who's sounding cryptic? Although for her, it's not that she's being dodgy, it's just how she honestly feels. Uncertain- there's a realization that there are very few people she truly misses.]

[defeets]

[That does sound rather cryptic. He blinks at that, wondering what might be the cause of it. Is she unpopular back home?]

Were you not fond of your previous world?

[emotive]

Oh, it's nothing like that! My world wasn't perfect, but it was my home after all. My... I think my feelings are mixed.

[She thinks?? Ai get your thoughts organized, please...]

[defeets]

[Definitely a little strange. Then he's admittedly curious, so....]

What makes you say that?

[They still haven't found the exit, they might as well get to know each other.]

[emotive]

[She's distracted enough by their conversation and by glancing at the mirrors to see if the creatures are reappearing that she forgets that they're holding hands... Good job Ai... The noises, haunting as they are, aren't enough to deter her.]

Well, for one thing, I doubt any of us expected to be in a situation like this. We're all out of our element one way or another.

But when I think about it, I realized that while I have people I may miss and want to see... I don't think there's anything I could call "precious." There are things I need to do, but there's nothing else...

[A beat.]

That's strange isn't it?

[defeets]

[It comes vaguely as a surprise. Jae-ha can relate, to a certain degree. Before he found Awa all those years ago, he certainly didn't have anything precious in the village of Ryokuryuu. Rather, everything was just him looking for his escape and hoping that the outside world would have more for him.

So instead of calling it strange, he instead chooses to shake his head. That and lifting up their joined hands so that he can press his lips to the back of her hand.]

Perhaps.

But if you're unbothered by it.... I don't see the harm. Rather, I think as long as you keep your heart open to beautiful things now that you're here, maybe this world can hold that something precious that you're looking for.

[Jae-ha's inner monologue: Me. Pick me. I hope it's me.]

[emotive]

[Ai's cheeks flush when her hand is kissed again, but not as wildly as before. Is this the immunity building stage??]

... I hope I can find it.

[Maybe her existence would be more complete then. And since he kissed her hand, she realizes they've been holding it this whole time and nervously asks:]

Do... Do we need to keep holding hands?

[Is this a necessary thing now, she wonders??]

[defeets]

[Well, in complete honesty-]

I'd rather not get separated from you, sweet Ai Thao. It'll make it that much easier to make sure you're safe if you'll entrust yourself to me.

[He says, as the lights flicker once again and then he's looking up at them, bemused and expression a bit more serious.]

We should find the exit as soon as we can, regardless.

[emotive]

[Well, his reasoning was a little sound and at least he was thinking of her safety (she has a feeling Lien and Tuyet have talked about men like this... They're called sweet talkers?? Geez, she's no good with this stuff.)

As the lights flicker, Ai's brows furrow and she sounds more serious.]

At this point, I won't be surprised if the monsters in the mirrors are actually real...

[defeets]

[Hmph. He glances at the mirrors to catch a glimpse of the monster again before he snorts faintly.]

Either way, they won't be any match for me. Just stay close and I'll make sure that no harm comes to you.

[Except she can probably feel the way he tenses up, all the more focused on their surroundings as the lights continue to flicker - as if they're about to go completely out.]

[emotive]

[Should Ai Thao...?? Eh, let him do his thing... For now...]

Do you have a weapon with you, Jae-Ha?

[She's also tensing up, as if instinctively readying herself for danger.]

[defeets]

I am a weapon, beautiful. Probably the most graceful one you'll ever see.

[Mmm, yes, ego. Still though he's stopping their walk then and using his hold on her hand to pull her closer to him. The arm that was holding her hand instead circles around her waist. He leans down closer to her and promises:]

Trust me.

[-- and with that, the lights go out.]

[emotive]

[Apologies Jae-Ha, but Ai Thao's eyes flash for a split second as the lights go out, changing from the vivid blue to a luminous indigo. It disappears quickly and besides that, the sound of mirrors shattering is the more pressing matter at hand!]

[defeets]

[Definitely more of a pressing matter, though he does notice the quick flash of her eyes. When he thinks he sees something move in the darkness, he immediately turns-- and even Jae-ha can't quite fight against what it is so he's grabbed and hurled to the ground.

Except he's also a stubborn guy so you're going to pardon the bumpy ride, Ai Thao, because you'll be going right along with him. Though he is determined to be the one to take the hard fall onto the ground.]

Ugh... You alright?

[Though his free hand is now definitely holding kunai between his fingers, which glint slightly in the dark and are ready to be thrown at anything that comes at them again.]

[emotive]

Yes! I'm fine.

[Hello human cushion, I mean, thank you Jae-Ha for cushioning Ai's fall. She rolls off though, loosening her hand's grip around his, and glancing around.]

I couldn't see what attacked us, but maybe the next time...!

[defeets]

[At least Jae-ha's sturdy and his body does feel pleasantly sore now... However he settles for rolling his shoulder and keeping his eyes peeled in case whatever it was decides to come back.]

Don't wander too far.

[He'd rather be close so that if need be he can get tossed around on her behalf again - it'd be better than letting a cute girl get hurt on his watch.]

[emotive]

[Gotta focus, gotta focus, gotta focus... BUT WAIT!!! Ai realizes that landing on him might not have been the most comfortable thing ever.]

Oh, are you hurt by the way?

[defeets]

[a belated thought but still, he's just giving her an easy-going grin at that]

Not enough to feel anything but a pleasant soreness, beautiful. As long as you aren't injured, I'm entirely satisfied.

[he's such a masochist]