« 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

[codere]

Yeah, I'm fine. I'm used to getting roughed up.

[ What an ominous thing to confess out in the middle of nowhere. She'll be reaching up along her leg to pull out her CereVice though to confirm it's not damaged in any way. ]

I came out here to get away from everyone... who would have thought Miss Natalia would employ this kind of trickery to keep people at the ball?

[niceguypose]

[That is a little ominous, although the full effect is lost on this guy, who throws himself into hopeless fights all the time.]

I- I'm glad that you're alright... Ah, but this can't be Natalia-san's doing! She's too kind!

iv

[muscats]

Do you think we can catch the fish?

[ Yeah, Hotarumaru doesn't know any better. But there's no rule saying that they can't right? They just need some kind of string and they can tie it onto the end of his sword. They can use the food from the party as a lure.

This is a very good idea. ]

[prosecutory]

[The light quake makes Edgeworth tense and freeze - an earthquake?! Suddenly, before he could think of his next course of action (to probably curl up in a ball if the quake continues to rumble, or continue standing there in fear as his anxiety washes over him like a wave of ice-cold water), he hears someone's voice pierce the uneasy cloud settling over him and his instincts...

...and then he is swept off his feet. This shift in his position makes him gasp and tuck in his arms as if he's being attacked instead of being saved.

Craning his neck to see what brought this on, Edgeworth's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. A larger tree root...much larger than the one he fended off...]

III

[prosecutory]

[Edgeworth can't refuse this dance. Natalia is a good acquaintance of his (okay, friend) and this is her ball. She is the hostess.

He bows before taking her hand.]

I would be honored, Natalia.

[unmended]

[Sigh. His hands are still firmly on it, so maybe he'll allow that light touch.]

It never gets too hot to handle. [Or I think canon never addresses that?! But he does look a bit sullen at the mention of a 'video game'. It's a reminder that she might be one of them... one of those Users.] I've spent a lot of time in games.

[Isn't he so clear with his answers.]

[beaconed]

It's fine, we don't need an archer, we got something that shoots right here!

[ Alright, as he suspected, there IS a safety device. He determines where it is when she said flip, and does so accordingly. She's right, however, he needs to be sure if he wants to do this...

But if he doesn't, what will happen to her? Is he just going to let someone get maimed by this monster tree because he was too afraid to take action? He's not even sure if this will save her, but if he's certain of one thing, it's that he would feel a lot better if he tried.

And so he does, pointing the gun at the tree for the third time, just like his favourite action star Spruce Willis. This is it, Jaune Arc, your finest hour. Say something cool. ]

Merry Christmas, you filthy animal!

[ And just like that, he unloads a couple of rounds on the tree. Luckily it's close-range, so his shots aren't missing it despite his shaky hand. They're far away from most of the guests and loud music that they would assume it's just fireworks anyway. ]

.......and a happy new year. [ BANG. He shot it once more for good measure.

...

Okay, he kind of liked this more than he should have. ]

[bloomnobly]

[ SUCCESS. Unfortunately she hasn't caught on that he doesn't recognize her and just thinks he's being a big weirdo as per usual, alas ]

Oh, it's very hard to poison a ghost, as you know quite well! I should be fine. But very well, I accept your terms!

May I have this dance, O King of Darkness?

Phase II

[bewrightback]

[Phoenix finds Simon eventually and finds himself looking at the bird. For once, Taka inspires feelings of adorability rather than fear.]

It's a nice night, isn't it? Did Taka get any dances yet?

phase iv

[spes_phthisica]

[Souji is really not feeling his best at this point of the evening, but he can't exactly turn down a call for help, can he? Especially not when he realizes that the young man in distress seems to be getting accosted by... a tree?

He's regretting already that he did not bring his swords with him to the ball. After all, with all those sword spirits walking around, it would not have looked very out of the ordinary, would it? But he hadn't, and needs must, so the snowflake comb attached to his hair will just have to do. He's fairly good at improvising with what he's got, and his movements are controlled and ruthless as he slashes at the vines with his impromptu implement. He then daintily lifts the hem of his kimono and kicks upwards hard, trying to pull loose any vines which are out of his reach.

Hoping he hasn't missed any, he grabs Haru by the arm and attempts to pull him some distance away from the amorous tree, his breath coming rather hard and labored by now, but there's still enough of it for some startled laughter.]

Not very restful... these gardens, huh?

iv

[sheathwife]

[ Ah. This human is interesting... Despite the possible danger right beside him, he remains calm. It's admirable. In a moment like this, normally, Horikawa would spring into action to protect humans... But right now, he finds himself a little mesmerized. Why would that be?

Maybe it's because he noticed the fascinating, beautiful sword by the young man's side... Seeing such a lovely sword makes him still. He wants to see the sword fight together with its owner. He wants to see it... So he approaches, maintaining a proper poise as if acknowledging a respectable figure. ]

Please, let me hold that for you!

Phase III

[bewrightback]

[Phoenix offers a soft smile.]

I thought I would be safe on the sidelines, but I should have known that a Great Thief would steal a dance away sooner or later.

[codere]

Yes, but if you went through all the hard work to have a party like this wouldn't you be upset if people tried to stay away from it? It's only natural that she would do something to the trees to make them react this way.

[ Sighing. ] Though I really shouldn't shift the blame onto someone else. It's my fault for being out here.

ota!

[fortheprincess]

PHASE I-IV

[ "Presenting Hak, the God of Thunder, who also happens to be a Beast!"

Close but not close enough. He never said he was a god, because that's honestly the last thing he needs to be, but him being a beast? Not too far off the mark. He can be pretty superhuman when he's fighting, that's for sure. He arrives a little earlier, being staffed as a security guard and looking uncomfortable in his suit. How can anyone move in this? It's so tight and restricting. Not something he'd prefer to wear while on the job. Doesn't quite match the look of his spear, either.

If you arrive a little later, Hak will be standing at the entrance, eyeing people coming in through the entrance to the gardens, checking for anything suspicious. Actually, everyone here could be suspicious. He might even be giving you a weird stare.

Throughout the night, Hak will be patrolling various areas of the event, just making sure shit doesn't hit the fan and nobody gets hurt. So if you're making trouble, don't be surprised if he approaches you, too.

Alternatively, Hak's got a glass of wine in his hand 24/7 so feel free to come and have a drink with him! He'd appreciate it. Also, food. Ask him to dance. Seriously, come and bother him. ]

Phase III

[lapdogged]

[Andy couldn't help but drift towards Shiho when he spotted her standing and watching the dancers. Truthfully, he was a little bored himself, and lost, since Hyoubu had abandoned him early into the party to do who knows what. Spying, probably. So seeing a familiar face, he couldn't help but make a beeline for her]

Hey, not in the mood to dance? [then, almost mischievously;] Or do you suffer from two left feet?

ii!!!

[gao]

[ one (+1) shishiou can be seen stuffing his face with various goodies because !!! this is the first time he's been to a party before. not bad for someone who has been told disheartening news just a few days ago; although nothing worth fussing about now that he knows he's not alone.

bright eyes and ready to enjoy himself to the fullest, he's now reaching for a piece of cake that naoki is standing in front of. his tsundere(???) snake buddy doesn't seen to like that very much... so he opts for a more polite method, lest he gets bitten. ]

... Are you gonna eat that? [ or maybe your snakes wants it? he's glaring pretty hard at him. ]

[codere]

Me too. The rewards ViViD have are too great to pass up. I make more tending to it than I would at any of the jobs here.

[ Looking up to meet his gaze, ] Whoa. Heterochromia?

[niceguypose]

I suppose that it would be upsetting, but... she would still never do such a thing! This situation... It's neither of your faults!

But... I am glad that you did not leave yet. I wanted to- to thank you, Rin-san!

iii

[shacklebreaker]

[Simon is doing his best impersonation of something less like a wallflower and more like a funeral attendee, staying off to the sides and well away from the dancefloor, and looking as glum as ever. When Athena heads over, he already has an idea of what she's about to ask him.]

Go on and enjoy yourself. I will stay here.

[What a buzzkill.]

[codere]

[ Once he's all right with shooting the tree and coming to his own terms in doing so, Rin's peril doesn't last for long. After all, why would it continue to attack her when there was a much more obvious threat. ]

H-Hey, don't just stand there!

[ Fortunately the girl's awareness to her surroundings finally catches up and she throws her last weapon over his head. Yes, there is now a knife pinning the vine against the trunk of the tree.

And Rin is officially out of weapons. ] Come on, let's get out of here before it decides to grow more appendages.

[unmended]

[ViViD. Of course. She's definitely no sprite, and he's not going to bother to correct her. Her question elicits a confused reaction, however.]

Hetero- what?

ii

[sheathwife]

Hey, you two.

[ Look, more familiar company! Does it set your heart to flutter to see a comforting(LOL) presence? Either way, it might be nice to have Horikawa around them. He's a lot more experienced with the outside world, after all.

That's why he decides to stay with these two for now, until he's sure that they'll be find even if they wander all over the place by themselves. ]

Finding something to eat? Let's see what else they have together.

[codere]

Wha-? If it's because Archer helped out with the food, you should be thanking him instead of me. I'm not his caretaker despite whatever rumors may say.

[ She didn't even force him into it this time. ]

[niceguypose]

Not because of that, but the food was quite lovely! The real reason is...

It's because of your secret Santahood!

[shoutai]

[He smiles, almost as if "worthless" were a compliment rather than an insult.]

It's a rotten place. It should have been put out of its misery a long time ago. ["Worthless" was right. In fact, it was only the start of it.] If it's really gone like they say, then those aliens have done me a big favor.

[That wasn't to say that he liked it here, though. And actually, that wasn't to say that he was quite satisfied with his world's fate, either. It felt like— unfinished business, maybe.]