« intro ⇢ winterball.exe »

[poised]

Who: everyone, literally everyone
When: ooc: 04/25-04/26; ic: 12/26
Where: the Gardens
What: intro log + winter ball!
Rating/Warning: PG-13 | possibly nsfw (please let me know if you need this rating changed, or you are welcome to continue any naughty shenanigans in a private log)

//winterball.EXE Pimp My Party -- Royalty Style A few weeks prior to December 26th, an invitation went out to all whom already reside in Cerealia. In delicate, curling script, it read: You are cordially invited by Natalia L.K. Lanvaldear to a Winter Ball to be held on the Eve of December 26th in the Gardens. Dress in your best attire and enjoy a magical evening of dance and fine cuisine. What do you mean we should fuss about worlds being destroyed? Get into the holiday spirit, you scrooge! And in regards to the new-comers: whether you have been wandering Cerealia over the course of the past few days and managed to receive one of the later waves of invitations or have simply suddenly appeared in the gardens with nothing but the (hopefully…. appropriate….) clothes on your back, welcome. The gardens have been transformed through the work of slave labor condoned by royalty incredibly talented volunteers. A buffet line possibly a mile long, a sprawling dance floor with temporary wood placement to cover the grass, a lovely orchestra with scheduled interruptions of magic shows on the stage, and the entire thing lit gently with lights stretch the span of the main area of the garden. Not too far off, there are ponds and pathways that take you elsewhere into the foliage, but why would you go that way? The party’s right here! "Good evening, everyone!! Whether you are new to Tellus or old, I hope to find you in good spirits. Mind you, I do not intend to ignore the blunders of CERES nor the grave situation that new-comers have found themselves faced with. However I assure you that at this time, surrounded by these people, you are in good company. Please, dine and be merry - I believe some worlds celebrated a holiday yesterday! Get to know one another so we may strengthen our ties and stand firm against whatever this world may throw against us! Also try the salmon, it's absolutely divine. . . . How do I turn this off...? Should I just walk away?"

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ xxxx ] Like any respectable ball, your entrance is announced as you walk right into the party! What do you mean you wanted to slip in unnoticed? That simply won’t do. Natalia managed to rope in someone – is that a Tellus native? – to do the honor of acknowledging your character as they make their debut to the ball. This guy is under strict orders to not miss a single soul. If your character doesn’t give him a name and title ahead of time, then he’ll just make something up. Think along the lines of Broseidon McSnootyname, Duke of Erectile Dysfunction-- What do you mean that’s not your name? PHASE II [ xxxx ] Absolutely no expense was spared when it came to making sure that the food here was the best that money could buy (or threats could extort). Guests can select from a menagerie of main dishes from all sorts of cultures, adorable desserts that look like woodland creatures alongside towering cakes, and even those fruity drinks with the little umbrellas on them. Pig out, you animals – but there’s also a wide selection of fine wine if your tastes and curiosities wander off in that direction…. What even is the drinking age in Tellus? Remember, folks, drink (ir)responsibly. PHASE III [ xxxx ] Well, it is a ball. If you’re interested in proper, classical styles of dance, there’s certainly an orchestra that’s dominating most of the night. One of their songs may or may not sound familiar. Spin around in your flurry of skirts and do the fairy tale thing if that’s what you came here for. Romance, or whatever. Waltz your heart out and don’t forget to point your toes! … that said, there’s also a separate sound system not too far, prepared in case the orchestra might want a break. It’s also not being watched too closely. Maybe put on something to liven up the dance floor? Or did someone ruin your fantasy by putting on something unbearably inappropriate? PHASE IV [ xxxx ] The gardens really are beautiful. Spread throughout the area and more toward the outskirts of the party, there are plenty of beautiful fountains with glittering, crystal clear water. In fact, it’s so clear that you can spot the occasional alien life form flitting through it amidst the lily pads and gently sweeping foliage. It’s so graceful, what beauty! Look at how it rises to the water and gently opens its mouth into a yawn and—tries to chomp anything within range right off with razor sharp teeth what the fuck, whatthefuck. It would appear that's not all, though. Whether you're ready to fight the creature or run screaming, you feel something slowly slide and curl around your arm or your ankle. Look on in horror as you turn your head and realize that it seems that the nearby tree has grown rather fond of you very quickly, to the extent that it will reach out and lovingly wrap its hentai tentacles around you.... Brings a whole 'nother meaning to 'tree hugger', doesn't it? BONUS [ whyo'clock ] Are you lost? Did you try to catch your breath away from the party and start to wander off despite all the cautioning not to? Or maybe you were trying to leave and took a wrong turn? Either way, you seem to have only found yourself deeper in the gardens now. Try not to breathe too deeply or… at all. If you can’t manage that though, it appears that you’ve stumbled upon the hallucinogenic plants of the garden. You start to see things that aren’t there – though whether you suddenly find yourself in a den of cougars lions or think that the person standing next to you is the biggest, cuddliest pile of adorable puppies in the world depends on the person. Hope you have a good trip, bruh. [ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with trigger-y or inappropriate material and do let me know (through FAQ comment or PM preferably!) if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so I can lock the log. ]

//RUN.EXE Welcome to CEREALIA's latest intro post! This one is player-run and all the basics have been laid out for you here. Absolutely feel free to come up with your own prompts, I just attempted to set the scenery! For your convenience, I whole-heartedly welcome questions and inquiries being directed to my attention here and I'll answer them to the best of my ability! Have a ball! Enjoy!! OVERFLOW IS HERE Move over at your captcha-free leisure!

Comments

[flaredo]

Because being led isn't my thing. Unless it's my sister.

slips in here...... ii.....

[verified]

[ that sure is a rainbow snake.

actually, if she thinks about it, she may have seen it before during one of SEES's many trips to tartarus. when you have a leader with the wild card ability, you see Some Shit, okay (let's not talk about dick-sona).

but as it is, despite the practice she had with shinji before the ball, dancing is hard! especially in a fancy dress and heels. so she makes a beeline for the food table, nearly bumping into naoki and yurlungur in her haste. ]

I'm sorry! [ she rights herself, taking a step back, registering the familiar face. ] Oh! Hello, Naoki.

[beaconed]

[ Almost proudly: ] She could if you gave her reason to.

But don't worry, I think you're safe, too. Which leaves us with only one thing left to do.

[ Cue DJ Celty playing the next song, and Jaune bopping his head to the rhythm while waiting for Naoki to join in. This is it, bro, is Naoki ready to let loose? ]

[particularity]

[The ahoge is making its bid for freedom so eventually... it'll twang up, its life restored. But for now, it's behaving. Hinata stops in front of him. Yes, you're very handsome, Gundam!]

Yeah, so far. What about you? [He reaches out, knocking his knuckles in a friendly way to his shoulder.] You pull off this well, Tanaka.

[He can almost believe the Netherworld balls thing-- (except maybe not)]

phase ii!!

[swordsitter]

That'd get dirty really quickly. [ can you imagine what a chocolate fountain in a garden would attract? all kinds of bugs and stuff.

haru is dressed in a suit, of course, but he looks really uncomfortable, and he didn't really do anything with his hair. even so, at least he's dressed for the occasion. did mutsu literally just run over from the apartment..?

he huffs, reaching to tug him down by his sleeve until he's basically haru's height, then reaches into his pants pocket, digging out a simple black ribbon. why does he have a ribbon on him? probably for this exact reason. ]

You could've at least tied your hair back, Mutsu-kun. [ he smooths his hands over the unruly cowlicks, gathering it all back carefully. ]

rip in pieces me

[adornmental]

[WELL THAT'S-- actually really unexpected. Kashuu is a very physical person in general, but even he has an idea of the boundaries that are set by society. Getting up in other people's personal bubbles is tragically Frowned Upon™, and generally speaking, veritable strangers don't have sudden fits of laughter while sweeping others up into hugs!

And visually, this man is a stranger. Not the Okita Souji of his world - not someone he recognizes, even if his clothing is more familiar than what most others are wearing. There's a strange feeling that flits through his chest though, and he steps around it carefully, unwilling to try pinning it down with a name. At the very least, he doesn't seem like he's about to go pushing this man away even if his arms stay by his sides for now. It's not in his nature to do so, and it's not like he feels threatened.]

Umm... [Ah - that's definitely a roadblock of awkward hesitation. Part of him wants to laugh it off, to whip out some smarmy comment with as much ease as they usually come to him, but the warmth makes his words stick. It actually takes some effort to respond with something close to a joke:]

—I guess I'd be okay with this happening whenever I walked into a room, too.

iv

[gao]

[ a stifled laughter comes from behind him as he walks toward sousei, carefully avoiding the reach of the vines. he's already had to deal with them once, he'd rather not do it again before nature gives him a restraining order for the violation of their perfect form. ]

Hey, having fun? I guess the trees could make good company. [ if you're in the mood for fire wood. not whatever he's doing. ]

[spes_phthisica]

[Thank god for dumplings, indeed, since they are reliably... dumpling-like no matter what. Not that Souji minds exploring all the new and sometimes really crazy food in this place, but it's always nice to have a slice of home.

He beams even more - actual serious speculation as to when the top of his head will fall off is probably a fact - as Mutsu draws closer, looking pleased. He's making a new friend!]

Oh, absolutely! It's probably a bit too much for me to eat all of it anyway. [YOU DON'T SAY. The whole plate is crammed full, and beneath the folds of the kimono, Souji looks thin enough to be swept away by a steady breeze.] I never knew you could make food with colors like this.

[particularity]

[What does he look like to you where would he even get chompy alien fish!! Hinata's looking warily into the fountain, watchful...]

No, I'm pretty sure I saw those things try to lunge out of there earlier...

[Why did Hinata ever think some fresh air and peace and quiet would be a good thing. Hah. Gardens. Always dangerous. Somehow.]

[masakados]

I dunno, we can work together pretty well sometimes when we aren't trying to make things into a challenge.

[Naoki finds the beat, remembering how to move (no he didn't practice this alone at his apartment a bit whaaaat are you talking about h-hahaha).]

[beaconed]

W-Wait...


You did that? Are you a wizard?

[masakados]

[So proud, Jaune... Naoki's shaking his head, but...]

Huh. This's your kind of song?

[...but, you know what, okay. He'll bite, why not. He'll bop his head along with it too.]

III

[bloomnobly]

[ Yuyuko was stuffing her face with pastries but she really can't say no to such enthusiasm!! she haphazardly sets her plate down on the windowsill next to her and allows herself to be tugged away ]

Oh, how could I say no?

iii!!

[ineptus]

[Oh, is that clapping she hears? Mabel glances around, spotting the person responsible, and smiles. Are those applause for her? Only one way to find out and that's stepping off the dance floor and going over to say hi!]

I don't think I'm that talented of a dancer, but thank you anyway!

[Hello Faize. Have a precious little girl joining you!]

III

[thatched]

[Thatch wouldn't have come except he knows how important this is to Grell. So he's still very drunk but has since drowned himself in coffee and looks put together as always, dressed in Balamb formal. He knows it's not the best and sometimes wishes he could be a better...whatever to her, but the point was he tried his best.

He spotted Grell on the dance for and made his way over to her, weaving only a little before offering a low bow and his hand.]

If you would do me the honor, sweet Lady Red.

[cheats]

[ wow shut up kaoru ]

[ But Ciel really isn't doing himself any favors here, since he's putting his third cupcake on a plate... He looks at Kaoru seriously, and normally, he might be offended, since he just has a sixth sense for judgement, but not today. Today, he has a noble goal. ]

It's market research. They're from bakeries in the area, so I need to know what my competition is like.

[ he's so full of shit ]

open!

[manolia]

[For a guy who's only had about half a day to prepare for a formal event in a culture he's clueless about, he's done remarkably: his typical hat and cloak layered over black slacks he picked up hastily, and he's actually wearing shoes for once. (They feel like cages for his feet.) More striking might be the white paint you'll notice, if you look closer: it's dotting the sides of his face, spiraling like vines and flowers down his limbs. If it's not an Eliatrope party, might as well make it feel like one!]

phase i.

[Hey, buddy, what's your name and title?]
[Oh! My name is Chibi, and ah, I don't really have a title--]
[Just make it up, dude!]
[I don't know, give me a second! I passed off the throne before I died, so I'm not really--]

Time's up, buddy! Looking like the king of a funeral, it's Chibi, moonlighting as Tina, Duchess of Weird Hats!

[King of a funeral? Weird hats? Who in the Dragon's name is Tina?? Oy. Chibi drags his hand down his face and heads to the buffet table. Feel free to intercept him and ask him about his drag persona, or his weird hat!]

phase ii.

[Food you don't have to cook yourself - it's one of the greatest joys life has to offer. And all these different sorts of meat and fish, too! He says his typical grace, thanking the animals and plants who have given their lives for this meal, then goes straight in. You'll probably find him chowing down on a particularly underdone steak skewer. Comment on how it's still mooing at your peril.]

[But he's also got to try every drink they've put on offer. What's a party after the end of the world without filling yourself with alcohol? Maybe it'll even help him set in... He goes through a few rare wines, appreciating their interplay of flavors, then unabashedly sets into the harder drinks. Some of them even smell like flowers, and he starts loudly commenting on that!]

[Feel free to approach him at any point as he orbits the buffet table, but if you're hanging around for awhile, he'll probably come and ask you:]

'Scuse me. [He points to one of the punches on offer - a bright green, and it almost looks radioactive - and then to his cup, which is full of the stuff.] What in the Goddess' Veils did they put in that thing? Tastes like glowing.

phase iii.

[Ah, here we go - Chibi's well and toasted now, which means it's time to go exploring! He doesn't have to wander too far to find himself in a massive garden, full of the most beautiful flowers and fountains he's seen in a long time.]

[Ah, this place is lovely - just what he was looking for, so teeming with wakfu, so alive! Chibi does a bit of portaling around to see it all, with its vibrant alien life, the way the grass lights blue with every portal he pops up, the inexplicable closeness he feels to the Goddess...]

[And a tree that's growing green tendrils, which he goes over to investigate. It has a soul, he knows, but it seems almost like it has a mind, too. Maybe his drunk self can communicate with it?]

Ah, hey, buddy. [Chibi pets at one of the tendrils; aw, it likes him! --Likes him a little too much, maybe; it winds a tendril tightly around his wrist, then another around his leg.] Er, I don't belong to you! People don't like when you do-- [He yanks at the tendrils, trying not to hurt the tree; it responds by nosing a tendril around his torso. And then, with effort on the tree's part, he is entirely off the ground.]

C'mon, at least be gentle! Stop dragging me around! Please?

bonus.

[The high starts so slowly, really, that Chibi doesn't notice it. First it is the trees and ground breathing, almost like the pores in their surfaces being opened and closed repeatedly. Then, it is color: a wash of purple and yellow and green superimposed over everything, along with the everpresent wakfu-blue when he closes his eyes. Really, he could sit and meditate as he is, but he keeps going deeper, to breathe it all in.]

[He finds someone, deep within the garden's clutches, and points out the most evident thing in the multiverse to him right now:]

It's breathing. [He points at the stone sculpture in the middle of a fountain in the distance. He sees it as bright, breathing - gasping for life, rather, as it pours luminescent water into a bottomless pool.] You see it? It's in pain.

IV

[newtimes]

( Mutsunokami was minding his own business, feeing some alien pond creature cake when-- "No."

He perks up, listening to see if he can hear it again. Color him a little curious, he only wants to make sure everything is okay. There's some shuffling around-- the tentacle, most likely-- and he's rounding a corner just when he hears her repeat herself. Just in time to catch a flash of fire and feel it's warmth. Okay, he has no idea what's going on but he might have one hand near his sword another tucked in front of his chest where his gun is. )

I don't think it can hear ya. ( A challenger approaches! A hero arrives? ) It's hard to listen when you don't have ears.

( Not impossible! Since swords don't have ears either... but ears certainly help! )

OTA!

[mermaiding]

[Phase I: She's beauty and she's grace...]

[The announcement comes at the arrival of an Oona, Mermaid of the Mariana Trench. Oona stands poised at the entrance, chin lifted in the air, all dignity and grace in her dress and heels. There's one careful, deliberate step. And than another. Alright, so far so goo-

Nope! She wobbles, stumbles, and eventually crashes to the ground with a shriek of surprise and pain. If she hasn't crashed into someone on her way down, she angrily tears her heels from her feet and tosses them off in any direction] Stupid things! Knew they were useless! Why would human women where such things!? Stupid!

[yeah, she mad.]

[Phase II: ...She's stuffing her face...]

[Now barefoot, Oona has occupied the food table, wrinkling her nose at pretty much everything. She picks up a glass of wine curiously--it looks like blood what the hell-- and examines it, before taking a sip...

And immediately turns her head and spits it out onto the ground.] Blech! Gross! Who would drink such a thing!?

Eugh... I just want raw fish... [This is too much, she wants her comfort food.]

[changeably]

[Sister? He can't remember if she's mentioned something like that before, but either way, now seems like a good time to hear about it.]

Is she the type to take the lead, even from you? She must be a force of personality, if so.

cyoa

[gao]

[ well, weiss, if fussing is your thing then you're in luck!! the curiosity is strong in this one and while he's not busy stuffing some food in his face, he's marveling at the dancing and the decorations. everything is so new and exciting!

however, sadly that also means fiddling with the decorations, and surely not in the way weiss would like it. in his hand is an ornament he ripped off of one of the trees he's shaking it like it's a toy or those easter eggs with chocolate inside. ]

It's empty! [ he was really hoping something, anything, would be inside. that would have been super cool! ]

[shadows_edge]

[Oh no, what a cute dress...]

Yes, you are correct in that assumption. I arrived only a short while ago. [Literally right before he wound up here. He is the newbiest of newbies.] I must apologize though...I'm afraid I am unfamiliar with the holidays celebrated on this planet, once celebrated in winter or otherwise.

[Because we're totally celebrating Tellus holidays here, right??? Totally.]

[flaredo]

... Mm, you're right. Is this more like teamwork, then?

[ It is, she already knows this, but she's grinning as he moves. He looks more at ease now. ]

yes......

[masakados]

[No, we don't ever talk about that persona...

Naoki glances over with slight surprise-- Yurlungur's looking too, with both of its cheeks all puffed up, still in the process of munching away. But when he recognises her, he nods in friendly greeting.]

'Evening, Fuuka. What's up? [In a rush?]

III

[bloomnobly]

[ S-So what if Kaoru didn't recognize her, that was fine, he clearly had Yuyuko-specific amnesia!! Other people from murdercamp had to be here!!

Low and behold, her face lights up when she spots Mr. Nerdlord in the corner, and gives an enthusiastic wave. ]

Tanaka-saaaaaan! Oh, dance with me, would you?

[ sonia wouldn't mind, right ]