Who: Everyone ever.
When: ooc: 10/30 to 11/04 ; ic: 09/26 to 09/28
Where: Cerealia - all five districts.
What: Clowns, Murder, Outrage and One Direction.
Happy Halloween :D
Rating/Warning: PG-13 to R. [ image within includes brief flash of scary clowns, scroll down quickly if you don't want to see it! ]
//event004.EXE
Queen of the Mountain
It's morning when the lights go out completely. Not a single one remains on except the glow of the device and whatever flashlights anyone bothered to stock up on. However, a single hologram in the Shopping District broadcasts along a billboard for a Very Important Announcement. After that, you hear a song so tender and beautiful that it must have been composed by angels at the dawn of time.
"Baby, you light up my world like nobody else. The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed… "
When you go outside to investigate, a friendly clown will be inside a stolen(?) ice cream truck, looking to get all your attention before he talks through the speaker on the truck.
"Greetings, Cerealians! It's nice of you to join us at last. Are you worried about the power coming back? Oh, I'm sure CERES is working on it now. Rest assured that they have their finest technicians on the job. You won't be without your precious personal computers and robot-pets much longer.
In the meantime, let's play a game shall we! The rules are rather simple:
♥ You see that necklace on your chest? That's a lantern. You're going to want to hold onto that. If you lose it… well, you don't want to know what will happen to you if you do.
♥ Now, for the fun part! Collect the necklaces any way you wish, though we prefer the naughty way. Kill a friend. Kill a foe. Killkillkillkill until the streets are paved with blood.
♥ Whoever collects the most of those lanterns, gets a special surprise! They get to go back home, back to their friends and loved ones and away from CERES' endless lies and trickery. Don't you know it's all a lie? Your worlds weren't destroyed. This is a penal colony, and you've been suckered into the biggest prank of your life. But I'm here to help, of course. Just bring me a garbage bag full of the lanterns, and I'll show you, the lucky winner, the way out."
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//SCENARIOS.EXE
PHASE I [ xx xx ]
You're going about your business, wading through the dark, finding supplies. But you're not alone. After the broadcast happens, everything is in full swing. Some masked participants decide to start breaking into shops, classes, apartments, you name it. There's no escaping them. They're on the hunt, they're after you 'cause they're hungry like the woooolf. You can choose to engage them, fight your way out, jump into the game, or head to the sanctuary located in CERES academy. The choice is yours. Be sure to make the right one.
PHASE II [ xxxx ]
Spiders, spiders everywhere. For those who decided to surrender their lanterns, the first twelve hours of the game are a breeze. Then, come the spiders, hungry critters that will attack and try to catch you in their many webs strewn through the colony. Be sure not to get stuck in one while they chase you.
PHASE III [ xxxx ]
Feeling weak? Not quite keeping up with the clown-faced gentlemen? Or maybe even your former friends and lovers? Well, there's a solution for that! You'll find another masked man happily pedaling some Pulse for you to take. The temptation is there with the promise of extra strength and a boost of power and speed. He won't hint at any side-effects, but oh, how you'll feel them when they hit. And those trying to dodge that fate, don't put your drink down anywhere or take your eyes off your food. Someone just might slip a little extra to get this game really going.
PHASE IV [ xxxx ]
It's the last day of the game. You're tired. You're weary. You may have stabbed a roommate or ten. But the lights are gradually returning while the CEO appears as if from nowhere with a public apology on all the billboards. You're welcome to spam your disgust and contempt in his inbox. His explanation for not being around? Quite simple! He was off on an expedition this whole time and wasn't aware of the situation because he gets no reception out in the jungle. See, he was doing it all for the good of the colony and trying to look for more habitable terrain. Isn't that kind of him?
Any further complaints will be forward to his underlings, Elias and Lucius.
BONUS [ whyo'clock ]
You know what's fun? Jumping castles! Someone happened to surreptitiously leave one in CERES' large garden. Do you want to go in and see what's inside? For a limited time only, you can escape the madness and murder to jump to your heart's content. There also might be another clown-faced murderer watching you as you jump. And jump again. He'll just be in the corner. Breathing. Watching.
[ 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. ]
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//RUN.EXE
Welcome to CEREALIA's fourth official event. For your convenience, we have compiled an OOC post explaining the event in greater detail. Feel free to ask questions there if you have anymore lingering concerns or inquiries.
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no subject
but it's only going to serve to fuel the fire.
did hijikata really think that way? of course, it raises the question of what happened in zelien that could have changed things so much, because their differing memories had already caused enough rifts in the group. not sharing the same jamjar memories as all of the people important to him was enough to put a strange, invisible and impenetrable wall between himself and everyone else. though it's rarely mentioned, and often just ignored for the sake of circumstance, there's an elephant in the room every time that just slowly grates on souji, pulling at his sanity and his ability to press on like there's no issue.
sure, souji had always instigated fights with souji. and sure, he was always incredibly jealous of the bond he shared with kondou, because it made him feel a lot more insignificant in the bigger scheme of things. but for all the bickering, teasing, and downright asshattery that he flung in hijikata's direction, it's not like he really harbored any semblance of hatred. annoyance and bitterness, but he was still like family for souji (as hard-pressed as he would be to admit that aloud), so the notion of not wanting to have anything to do with hijikata is just absurd.
couple that with the fact that souji isn't entirely in his right mind right now, and it just proves itself to be a recipe for disaster.]
What don't you just say it truthfully, Hijikata-san?
[because those words hurt, he's electing to slam it back in spades. his words drip with hurt and bitterness, and the red glow of his eyes pierces, staring hijikata down. he doesn't make any attempt to fight back with his sword yet. he came here for a fight, but that doesn't mean souji doesn't know how to goad beforehand.
he isn't pulling back, but he just doesn't press forward, either. instead, his hands grip so tightly at the hilt that his knuckles turn white, and he's sneering as he finishes his thought, not even bothering to answer hijikata's question.] I'm enough trouble that it'd be easier to kill me and get me out of the way, right? Then you don't have to worry about what I do next. Or if you have to play with me.
[of course, souji's not actually planning on letting hijikata kill him so easily, not when he has such a bitter urge to plunge his sword right through the vice-commander, but he baits in anyway.]
no subject
those words jab at him like needles, even knowingly going into this expecting to deal with some of this sort of thing. He knows the other isn't all there, he knows—so why is it so hard to ignore it when he says shit like that? (Because, what if Souji really thinks that, how can he really think such a goddamn—) ]
—Don't. [ his words are hissed in warning and partially defensive. Why so much irritation seems to swell inside of him over such an accusation in this instance when Hijikata's put up with random shit Souji's said in the past. It's not the first time he's claimed knowledge over Hijikata's thought process. ]
You're making this into something it isn't. [ or, at least, something Hijikata doesn't want it to be. Because he doesn't need to have this wrecking ball of a conversation (seems like their only version of a heart-to-heart they've managed thus far in any and every circumstance) with the other with swords pointed at one another and when Souji's not all there. It's bad he's already enough there to make this more difficult than it has to be, but Hijikata isn't going to feign hope of reconcile at a time like this).
But, for all the warning in his tone, he doesn't know what else to say (maybe he's just afraid to touch on such things) so he attempts to deflect it by pretending to let it sail by as unimportant enough to keep on topic. ]
You're not thinking straight; I think you know, but do you understand what is going on right now, Souji?!
[ what you did. what you're doing. what you're about to do.
...or is the only thing in all of this that's crystal clear really just what Hijikata is going to do to him and clarity if the rest is far too much wishful thinking?
(But he'll always hope for reconcile, but he goes day by day wondering if it's ever possible and simply tell himself there's always tomorrow—even when the fact is that their tomorrows together past a place like this have long since ceased arriving.) ]
no subject
[despite all the anger and bitterness that drips from his tone, there's still something so barely there, so unhinged about his words that it's clear: there's a major disconnect in what's happening right now.
souji is functionally aware of he situation; he knows what he did to saitou, and he knows what he wants to do to hijikata. he knows that hijikata will try to stop it, and he knows that someone else has to die for it.
but what's missing is any sense of morality for the situation. he doesn't seem to care that saitou's lying lifeless at their feet, despite the fact that it's completely abnormal. he doesn't really seem to care about his own life either, or what hijikata thinks. he just wants to feel his blade piercing someone; he doesn't even really seem to care if he actually wins with the game, considering he didn't bother with saitou's lantern.
this is about bloodshed. it's not nearly as coherent as it could be. the moments of clear coherency have nothing to do with the ethics of the situation—they're hinged entirely on the personal feelings that fuel his desire to draw his sword.
it doesn't really change much. he's tired of talking. once again he's raising his sword, preparing a signature thrust as he utters words with a cold chill.]
...And I'm playing to win.
no subject
He steps in, using his own blade to swing down on Souji's as the thrust is executed, parrying it, but make no mistake does he think he really has much chance or time once Souji's down to business. But, bringing out his rasetsu form is like admitting to himself that he really has to try and put Souji down because—
—he has to if he can't reason and with the other being far superior in skill hoping to hold out until the effects end isn't going to happen, either. ]
Just don't you dare fucking thank me for this when it's all over. [ his voice is cold but not apathetic. In fact, there's more emotion there than can be counted but to try and decipher it, especially in Souji's state would be impossible. Anger towards the other would probably be the most likely interpretation, unless he's coherent enough to read Hijikata enough as he normally would. But, even then, it's some messy convoluted shitpile nobody's going to find worth trying to sift through.
Sliding his blade off of Souji's he rounds it up to slash out, not quite ready to be doing any attempts at an impaling thrust until he can manage to find an opening for it. (And during that wait, hope beyond hope he somehow won't have to do it at all). ]
no subject
[or is he? the truth is that he hasn't really thought about it much. that's an afterthought, though it sure would be a hell of a lot easier to take two lanterns in one go. it's not as if hijikata had really given him time to actually do anything about it anyway.
not that it really matters right now. even hijikata's words are little more than a wasted effort at this point. souji wants to go in for the kill and take out every murderous feeling that courses through his body out on hijikata. it's not really all that surprising that the attack gets parried but there is one surprising factor in all of this.
seeing hijikata break out his rasetsu form is a surprise. and not just because he did it, but even in this state, souji knows he's never seen this. he had absolutely no idea that hijikata had drank the ochimizu—it's enough for him to jump back a little.
it's also enough for hijikata's slash to connect, leaving a deep gash in his arm.]
Hijikata-san, too... [there's a bitterness that continues to coat his voice. in the back of his mind, somewhere that isn't overruled by the pulse, there's a certain level of panic that sets in. it's not out of fear, but out of concern. when did this happen? what had driven hijikata, of all people, to succumb to this? why didn't he know about it? was anyone else a rasetsu now that he's unaware of?
but that all remains unseen on the surface. on the surface is someone who is bitter and vindictive, but beginning to falter. the gash in his arm closes itself up quickly, but as the pulse begins to wear down, he's tiring out. he can't move as quickly, and there's a certain level of fatigue that's setting in. it's probably more obvious to see outwardly than souji would like, especially in the way he grips at his sword so tightly that it looks like he can snap it. the progressing moments and making them shake, unsteady and unable to move with the same strength and finesse he may normally use.
and that's especially dangerous, when the playing field has been leveled by their rasetsu forms. he's still trying to fight though, stubbornly not giving in, even though he's leaving a number of much sloppier opening for hijikata to strike him down with. subconsciously, he knows that too, but he still refuses to surrender.
it's a matter of pride, after all.]
no subject
For all Hijikata wants to stop Souji, there is definite conflict in his actions when Souji's reaction seems slightly out of place and the next thing he knows his weapon has cut into and left blood that somehow manages always to be such a stark contrast to him seeing it on Souji. The colorings of a rasetsu make that even moreso but the real unsettling issue is the blood is his own.
(He's long since come to hate blood splattered on this person that belongs to him even more than from others. It just reminds him of everyday Souji got worse and never recovered. And losing him so soon after Kondou had just been—)
But Hijikata can't stand down with Souji acting this way and still putting a fight up. The fact he's wearing down is like some mocking false hope when all it resorts to is the fact that he may have a lot of openings but nothing he can see that can incapacitate the younger man instead of kill him.
And it's getting to him, and the linger it goes on, the more hopeless it becomes. ]
Goddamn stubborn—don't fucking make me do this, Souji! [ is he too soft to be letting this affect him, knowing Souji and his pride are ultimately at the core of this refusal? Yeah, probably, but how the hell is he supposed to be fine with taking out the last one of his family he has?
Yes, the others are like family, but Kondou and Souju have and will always be different and special and precious in ways he can even begin to properly express. The thing is, that all his heightened emotions along with the fact that he's not completely void of pulse influence himself makes for a bad combo. The emotional distress only metabolizes the drug faster and makes his movements just that more intense, although it's clear he does seem to avoid taking opportunity with an opening.
That'll have to end eventually, Souji's still his responsibility and as much as he'd give his life for the other... he can't be selfish and leave even a weakening and frayed unstable Souji to wander across anyone else. For the sake of that person and for Souji himself, he can't.
But it doesn't mean he's happy about it and when he finally comes to the point he sees one of those openings and he's felt he's run out of options... ]
You really are more than enough trouble to last me beyond a lifetime. [ his words are strangely bitter after their swords clash for the nth time, but, in order to take the chance for an opportune counter he lets Souji's blade through his own defense. It's just his left arm, though, and that pain burns far less than the acidic furnace building in his chest as he jerks his sword back enough in the half-second or two gained by taking the hit in order to thrust it forward into's Souji's chest. And his voice cracks, and is much quieter, the volume just unwilling to come now and hell he's not even sure anymore if he's still trying to talk to the Shinsengumi captain or just himself. ]
...But the only thing easy is knowing killing you is the hardest thing I've ever done. [ and he's sure, when push comes to shove, the world will be hardpressed to make anything to come even harder than this.
( It's like reliving failing to save Souji from his illness, losing him to an enemy he can't win against no matter how badly he wants to or how long and skilled he swings a sword.
It's exactly like that.
All fucking over again. ) ]
no subject
there's a certain knowing that comes with that. it's one that means souji realizes his end is near; as much as he wants to fight back and plunge that sword through hijikata for the second victory of the night, he also knows how much energy that'll take from him. he can feel his movements getting more sluggish—everything starts to feel like it's moving in slow motion, a haze fogging over his eyes and making his vision a little more unsteady. and though he holds his ground well, though his feet remain firmly planted with all of his will, he's unable to do much else.
so really, there's no way for him to avoid hijikata's return blow. he sees it coming, and he doesn't falter. as much as there is still a deep sense of bitterness that emanates from him, and as much as he wanted these roles to be reversed... if someone had to be the one to take him out, it was better that it was hijikata. even in this state, there's a flash of his memories of haven that passes through, a bitter memory of mitsunari catching him in his rasetsu form, and the vow he'd asked mitsunari to keep if he'd ever lost his mind. yeah, it was definitely better this way. definitely better it was hijikata with the full understanding of just how fucked up it all was to be the one to put an end to his life.
it's not like it's really the end, anyway. that's not how it works in these places, not where death is some arbitrary existence that has no permanence. life and death have lost their meaning in this state, and though his more rational side would see full well that it still has plenty of lasting effects on them if nothing more than through physical scars and psychological trauma, he's still not quite there. he's still unhinged enough that he can only see the parts instead of the whole
and that's why he lets out a weak and pained laugh even as the sword plunges straight through his chest. it hurts. it's an unfathomable amount of pain.]
Really... the hardest... [his words come out in a weak and breathless hiss. it takes a lot to muster up the strength to even say that much one he's been run through. it's the last of his consciousness and his will power. it's a last bit of defiance and bitterness as the world begins to blur and fade. his body begins to slump, strength leaving him as the white flickers away and fades back to its normal shades.
if he has to die, it's better this way. somehow, it hurts his pride a lot less, even if that means hurting hijikata a whole hell of a lot more. but maybe somehow, souji knows that he'll have to pay that forward to hijikata one day, in a place like this one where everything's a mess and the deaths "don't matter."]