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« 011 ⇢ event011.exe » OVERFLOW

Who: CERES & you
When: ooc: 03/22-03/25; ic: 12/09-12/10
Where: Cerealia's Entertainment District
What: OVERFLOW OF THE 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. If this post goes into overflow, we will make a new one to deal with the ever-hated captcha! Worry not!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ souza's gaze lowers from the rollercoaster at the voice beside him, mismatched gaze catching shirasu's as a warm, startled smile curves his mouth. he dips into a polite bow, nodding as he rises again. ]

It certainly is. I've been around a long time-- [ despite appearances ] --but advances in technology never fail to impress me.

[ he hums out a quiet laugh, gently self-mocking, a hand lifting to tuck a few bright strands of hair from his face. ]

.. Not that I understand much of it. I fear I'm still a blade first, everything else second. [ and as a blade, well, he understands what he was forged to do. other things are secondary. .. though he's good at housework and chores around the keep lately, at least. he likes the mindlessness of cleaning and laundry. ]

[ Shirasu bows in return. ]

A blade? [ The person -- a man, now, he thinks, based on the voice -- is startlingly pretty, almost inhumanly so. Shirasu hones in on the word choice, thinking it sounds very familiar. ]

Are you a warrior? [ Gestures respectfully toward his sword. ]

[ he blinks at the question, but the smile returns a moment later, smaller and faintly hesitant. fingers curve over the hilt of the blade, then slide away again. ]

In a manner of speaking, I suppose so. More importantly, I think, I'm a weapon. I'm meant to be used by another.

[ quite literally, but he's learned here that it's best to warm others up to that idea. he indicates himself with his other hand, smile warming again. ]

My name is Souza, by the way, though I'm also called the Samonji blade. [ if the other man recognizes the name, so be it. ] It's a pleasure to meet you.

Edited 2015-03-29 00:09 (UTC)

[ "I'm a weapon. I'm meant to be used by another."

It has to be the current circumstance that makes Souza's reply feel so wrenching. But it hits him in the chest, and if he had been less self-controlled, he might have staggered. Tenka never understood it, still didn't. The Yamainu captain disregarded and ridiculed it. But this perfect stranger is almost parroting the training he'd ate, slept, and breathed for the majority of his life.

-- naming himself the Samonji blade, Oda Nobunaga's legendary sword, is almost a lesser detail. Had he not met the woman who called herself Vietnam, he might have had a little more trouble accepting such an idea. If this man is a spirit of that blade, then so be it.

Shirasu manages to bring his thoughts back under control and he inclines his head. ]

I'm honored to meet you, Samonji-san. I am Kotarou Fuuma, tenth generation head of the Fuuma clan. [ If Souza recognizes the infamous ninja clan's name, they'll have to cross that bridge when they come to it. ]

[ the fuuma clan? that brings back memories, few of them entirely pleasant, and for a few moments, it's all he can do to ignore the phantom burn of the brand against his skin. his fingers lift, touching the fabric above it as if anything so simple could soothe the demon king's mark of ownership.

he takes a breath in through his nose, returning the polite gesture. ]

The honour is mine, Fuuma-san. I am.. very familiar with your clan. [ his eyes warm faintly. ] At least, as familiar as I could have been, given my position. What are the odds that we should both be brought to this place and find one another like this? [ he hesitates, curling his hands together loosely. ] .. Ah, and call me Souza if it pleases you. One of my brothers is here, as well.

[ Shirasu recognizes that expression. Ah, so the familiarity is negative. But Souza is still kind, and Shirasu inexplicably finds himself relieved. ]

It does seem providential. [ He offers a slight smile, to try and put him at ease. ] I'd be happy if you call me Kotarou in return. [ His clan name is all he has left of his clan, if CERES is to be believed. He can't bring himself to give out the name he used when he lived with the Kumou family. So this is a compromise, of a sort. ]

[ he brightens at the invitation, bobbing his head in a nod. ] Kotarou-san, then. Goodness, it's been such a long time since I've heard the Fuuma name.. [ he breathes a startled little laugh. ] Normally, I don't think much of my age, but times like this remind me that I'm actually something of an old man, myself.

[ older in some ways than some of the older blades. considering the things he and his brothers have been through--

but that's nothing he wants to focus on at the moment. instead, he shifts a little, meeting the other man's gaze again. ] Ah, if I may.. were you approached by those in charge here? I find it difficult to believe that they would take me from my owner and simply leave me here with no true aim or orders. [ what is a weapon without a master? and if any human would understand that, it might be someone from the fuuma clan, he'd think. ]

[ Shirasu can only guess how old the man might be, though he still appears quite young. But spirits take whatever form they wish, so that doesn't surprise him. ]

You don't look it, if I may say so.

[ Ah... his own expression turns sympathetic at the next question and observation, that hit-in-the-chest feeling returning. ] I have not. Not since my arrival, at least. Their intent seems only to be that we... live.

[ There was the person who had approached them with the unknown task, but, at least on the surface, it seemed they were not connected with CERES. ]

[ he offers another startled little laugh at the compliment, warmth and amusement in his expression. ] That's very kind of you to say, Kotarou-san. I suppose I do have an unfair advantage, being a blade.

[ he hasn't met a blade yet that looks older than mid-twenties. he supposes it's a good sign-- it means they're still strong and useful.

the amusement fades, though, as shirasu continues, lips pressing thin uncertainly. 'live'? how is he supposed to do something like that? ] .. I suppose they wouldn't understand how much they're asking. [ he's not human. is he going to gather dust here, too? ]

[ Shakes his head. ]

Perhaps not. [ Pushes his hair back, off his face. ] If we are to believe CERES, then one could consider their orders to be... do whatever is necessary, so they collect all the information they need to defeat the aliens and restore our worlds.

[ He smiles a little, strain lines appearing around his eyes. ]

As long as we are alive, then we are fulfilling that mission. [ It's weak, and he knows it is. And he doesn't know if he believes CERES -- Tenka doesn't. But it's a thread of something. ]

[ his lips part, then close again, pressing uncertainly thin. it's so.. vague. and though it's true that the saniwa too is inexperienced in dealing with weapons like souza and the others, at least they stay busy there. here.. here, he's not entirely certain what to do with himself.

but.. he supposes it helps, at least, that kousetsu is here, and that sousei and tenka have taken it upon themselves to give the blades some sort of stability and structure. (well, sousei, at least. tenka doesn't seem a particularly structured sort of man.)

he shifts, trying to mask the unhappiness with a rueful curl of his lips. ]

.. I see. I suppose that's something, at least.

[ Shirasu would make a ringing endorsement of Souza's impression of Tenka, if he knew the sword had met him. As it is, he tries to push the hollow feeling down and smother it. Better to feel nothing.

His faint smile seems more relaxed as his emotions dull, and he nods. ]

Maybe someone here will be able to help you better than I. [ Since they're too similar, apparently. ] You said you had a brother here?

[ his smile brightens again at the mention of his brother, chin bobbing in a small nod. perhaps in the end, they're nothing but weapons, but family is still important to souza. he loves his brothers with every fiber of his being. ]

I do, yes. My older brother, Kousetsu. [ he laughs lightly, flipping his hair up to indicate it. ] He's as unmistakably-coloured as I am, though he's all blues instead of pinks. [ yes, he's aware that his colouring is unnatural and strange. his bright hair, combined with his too-bright, mismatched eyes tends to be quite attention-getting. he assumes it has something to do with what he represents. ]

[ He gives a breathy laugh, shaking his head. You're talking to someone with similarly unnatural and strange coloring, back home. ] I suppose that will make him very easy to spot.

Samonji Kousetsu, is it?

[ it's.. this ease, it's all false, of course. neither of them is fooling the other, not really. there's still something deep and dark and terrifying about being ownerless, but.. it's a polite pretense, this lightness. it helps them both to function, he thinks. and for souza, the thought of burdening someone else with his doubts and his fears and the crushing depression is something terrible. he can't bring himself to do it. it's just.. better to smile in the end.

and smiling is something he does beautifully. it's second-nature, even when he doesn't really feel like doing so. but for kousetsu, it's completely genuine. ]

Yes, that's right. [ he lifts his hand as if in prayer, amusement flickering into his eyes. ] He's very solemn. He once belonged to a monk, you know.

[ Though Souza's smile is brilliant, Shirasu can't miss the melancholy undertone. No, they're not really fooling anyone. Still, there's something to knowing he's not alone in his feeling, even if it's not something he can or would express. ]

Did he? Then I'd bet being serious suits him.

Would you care for a cup of tea sometime, Souza-san?

[ his eyes light up at the mention of tea, looking pleased and flattered by the offer. ]

That would be lovely, Kotarou-san. [ he presses his palms together, fingertips touching his mouth as he considers that. ] I could even bake something to bring.. [ provided tenka doesn't mind souza using his kitchen, but.. he doubts it'll be a problem. ]

[ Baked things are usually sweets... Shirasu's attention focuses just a tiny bit more sharply at that. Other people's cooking is always fun to try -- once he's sure they're not out to poison him. Perhaps he should invite someone else to be the tester, just in case sword spirits are immune to poison. ]

If you want to make the effort, I'd be honored. [ Inclines his head a little. ] After you settle in, we'll set a date. I don't live very far from the garden.

I quite like baking and cooking, actually. And it will give me a chance to practice more.

[ he practically beams at the other man, and thought the melancholy is there, and will probably always be a part of souza, he's learned how to ignore and work around it for the most part. ]

I must admit, I never expected to have tea with the head of the Fuuma clan. [ it's certainly a novelty, even for a sword-spirit who'd belonged to the unifiers of japan. ] .. But then, I never expected to live with a member of the Abe clan, either. Certainly not without first being claimed, at least. [ sousei is a strange man. so is tenka. ]

[ It's true, the Fuuma have no reason to love Oda Nobunaga. But Shirasu isn't fool enough to revive a six-hundred year old feud with someone who was, quite literally, a tool in the war.

The mention of the Abe certainly catches his interest though. ]

This place does create very strange bedfellows, for sure. Are you living with Abe no Hirari?

[ his eyes widen with surprise at the mention of a second abe, shaking his head once. ]

Oh-- goodness, no. I didn't realize there was more of the family here. The Abe that I'm staying with is Sousei-san. He and Tenka-san, who is.. not a part of that family, were kind enough to take Kousetsu and I in. [ his head tilts slightly, curious and interested. ] You've met them..?

[ ... he should have known the Yamainu captain and Tenka would choose to be housemates -- Tenka would hardly been able to bear an empty home. But despite meeting almost daily, he'd never said a word about it.

Shirasu smiles slightly against the bile in the back of his throat. ]

I have. You and your brother will be well looked after. [ The strain lines are back, though his tone is even. ] If Tenka Kumou knows you can cook, he'll give you all the attempts to practice you'll ever want.

[ .. ah. something he's said-- the mention of tenka makes it clear. there's.. something bitter there, perhaps, that wasn't before?

souza hesitates, then reaches out, gently brushing fingers against shirasu's wrist. mercifully, though, instead of mentioning it, he goes on to change the subject. ]

Ah, well, you know.. I've only been doing it a little while. I haven't had a human form all that long. It's been strange to adjust to.

[ Shirasu startles at the touch, unused to really receiving contact here that's not from Tenka or a hug from Lily. His inability to stifle his emotions -- enough that they're apparently showing -- is unacceptable.

He forces his most genuine smile, the one that had fooled all of Otsu for years, and reaches up to touch Souza's upper arm. ]

I can help, if you'd like. I'm not a bad cook. Where did you learn?

[ if shirasu gets to know souza, he'll quickly realize that the sword-spirit really likes affectionate contact. or any contact at all, really. he's spent so long as a trophy, untouched and unused, that tenka's affectionate gestures had won him over almost effortlessly.

shirasu's bright smile is a lot like souza's, actually. it's almost a survival mechanism at this point. ]

My master. I mean, my master.. at home. The saniwa. [ he laughs, bright and a little embarrassed. ] Goodness, the number of things I've learned in the short time I've been manifested like this is staggering.

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