« 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

ii-b

[codere]

Misaki. [ It's a terrible shame that the thing that stands between him and the restroom is a girl. ]

Are you heading to the restroom? You don't want to go there. Trust me.

[shacklebreaker]

None yet, though if you find him any suitable dance partners, do let him know.

[Taka went through such an effort to preen his feathers to make them look nice and glossy, too! People should be queuing up to dance with him.]

[harepiece]

[Tragically, the reference is lost on this dingus...]

The same to both of you!

[Along with his smile, he dips into a proper little gentlemanly bow of greeting for them.]

I hope you've been enjoying yourselves so far. No problems?

[codere]

Wha-? That sort of thing is something you'd expect from a magical girl!

[ Wasn't Rin introduced as a wizard?? ]

If you want me to do that, I'd need a royal scepter.

[reuser]

[ Her response catches when the song changes, the slower strings enough to still her feet. Her eyes jerk across the floor, from couple to couple, a strange and gentle twist lingering in her stomach. She tries to chalk it up to Jaune being a better dancer than he she is, even knowing it for a lie - if not only for the fact that, as partners, they’ve always been in synch. Physically, if nothing else.

Her hand slips into his. ]

I’d be happy to, Mr. Arc.

[ Hoping, keenly, that when her heart picks up, he can't hear its thump or feel the unstrung vibration is carries down to her pulse. ]

[codere]

Does that mean you're having a lot of fun here? You should have twice as much to make up for the shortcomings in your life.

[ It's not a request, it's a demand. Enjoy. ] I didn't expect this colony to be as laid back as it is admittedly. There's arcades and plenty of junk food as well as a number of sex shops.

[unmended]

[The act's almost amusing. Matrix then has the shadow of a smile as the shooting range is brought up.]

Now you're processing at my framerate. Where is that range? I'll test it out alright...

[muscats]

[ Whoa, Yata, how many trips have you made to the buffet table?? Hotarumaru has been standing here for a while and had taken notice of him, mostly due to his food choices.

Meanwhile, Hotarumaru has been struggling to get food. The stuff that has been placed in the center tends to be the stuff that he wanted but couldn't reach. Oh woe is he. But at least he's able to see the Santaberries. ]

I think you would appreciate them more.

[ Don't take just three. Have four or five more. He starts putting more onto Yata's plate.

Yeah, he's been given the impression that Yata's a fatty very hungry. ]

[shacklebreaker]

Where would you prefer I stand, then? Over there?

[He nods his head to somewhere... even further away from the dancefloor. If she's going to talk to him like an obstinate little kid, he'll act like one!!]

[niceguypose]

I am!! In fact, I'm aiming to have three... no, five times as much fun, Rin-san! And I put the same challenge on you! [He points dramatically.

He does listen to the rest of what she says too, looking flustered/averting his eyes at the mention of sex shops.]

Ah, that is an interesting point, however. It makes sense if what CERES says is true, that they would want us to feel comfortable now that we are saved. But I am left feeling unsure about how we are supposed to deal with those Flam-Men!!

[codere]

The CERES Gymnasium. It's located within the residential district so you'll see it sooner than later whenever you get around to being set up in an apartment.

[ Maybe she'll see him there someday. ] A lot of the people here don't use guns so...

[rollin]

Wha—

[ It's a good thing red's a good color on him because he flushes at the sound of his name. Just his luck... Yata does his best not to do the "I need to go" dance, but it's a struggle. ]

Whaddya mean I can't go? And don't call me that!

minako & fuuka | open!

[awaken]

phase i/ii-ish

[ Minako has to admit, she's never expected to be invited to parties as grand as this. She's decked out in this and feels a little bit overwhelmed by how big this entire thing.

Though, the sudden announcement of: Miss Minako Arisato, the Iron Stomach! With her companion, Miss Fuuka Yamagishi, Kitchen Nightmare!

... She turns a little pink, but still smiling (it is kinda funny) at that as she heads towards the buffet table. ]

I wouldn't exactly say my stomach's that tough...

phase iii

[ after that embarrassment of the announcement, fuuka finally relents and heads to the dance floor, determined to put the time she spent practicing to use. they're at a ball, after all! it'd be a shame not to at least try... and hope she doesn't trip in her dress and heels.

things seem to be going well, until the next song changes to something else entirely and she's left standing awkwardly next to minako, looking lost. ]

Ah...

[ she didn't practice for this!! ]

phase iv
[ Minako has faced all manner of dangers in her life. A tree with tentacles is somehow not that scary, but it is reaching for her and Fuuka, and that is so not on. She grabs her evoker from her handbag and shoots, the sound of shattered glass echoing in the air.

And Thanatos, in all his eerie, dark glory comes out, sword in hand as it cuts one tentacle, two tentacles... three and more. ]

wildcard
[ or make up your own scenario! hit them up being together or separately, your choice. ]

ii

[sheathwife]

[ What an interesting human. He looks so hungry. He definitely looks like he wants to eat. But he's just... standing there. Hmm. What could be the hold up? Is there something this wakizashi is missing? Humans are unpredictable, after all.

Horikawa knows that he won't find out until he asks. So he approaches with a sunny smile, tilting his upper body slightly to face the other boy, once he's properly standing beside Isogai. ]

Is there something the matter?

ota!

[arcanaofdeath]

phase i - ii

[Pharos was surprised to get an invitation to the party in the first place. And even though he should have struggled with the idea of attending, the desire to experience such a grand, vast ball had been too big to resist. So he shows up, a slip of a boy in a cute suit. And he had been hoping he would have been able to slip by unannounced, to be able to watch quietly from the sidelines at first.

Unfortunately, the Tellus native Natalia hired is taking his job seriously. And Pharos has always been willing to introduce himself now that he actually has a name.

So his name gets shared with the entire mass of people before he's allowed to go elsewhere.

The first thing which catches his eye is the food. Plates upon dishes upon bowls of food. Rows and rows of bottles and glasses and fine wines.

What an indulgence.

...But perhaps indulging like this isn't bad once in a while. Everyone seems to be having fun, talking and mingling, a lull and hum of conversation. It's quite the amount of noise and Pharos quietly slips to the side until something catches his gaze.

A five layer cake, round and dark and thick with chocolate and raspberries and whipped cream.

Is... that edible? Or only for looking at?]

phase iii

[The swirl of colours and people as they rush by, the music in the air and the sound of instruments being checked so the orchestra can take over again...

It's marvelously messy. There is so much life in this single room that Pharos can't help but be drawn in, eyes wide and trying to follow the movements of the dancers.

He himself is standing near the walls, lips curled into a curious little smile.

He didn't intend to dance since he doesn't know how, doesn't know how to translate the rhythym of the music into the movement of his feet but he's enjoying himself regardless.

Perhaps you're one of the people also not interested in dancing? Maybe you want to brighten a young boy's evening by asking him to dance with you?]

ota.

[dragonseyes]

phase i – ii

[Uncomfortable embarrassment and nervousness is written all over Shin-Ah's face as his name is announced. The nice suit he is wearing is a far cry from his usual attire, too stiff and crisp and new. He is also missing the fur piece usually attached to his mask and it's clear that Shin-Ah would feel a little more comfortable with it.

But it's Natalia's party. He wanted to look nice for her since she's become less of a stranger and more of a friend. A constant presence in his life.

And it's for that reason and with the faint memory of encouragement in his ears that Shin-Ah is also wearing a different mask. The eyeholes are still covered with dark cloth from the inside so no one will be able to see into his eyes directly but without the familiar weight on his cheeks, he feels a little naked.

Glad that the announcer is done, Shin-Ah drifts over to the buffet and something in his pocket begins to move. A small, furry head pokes out of the pocket not long after, dark eyes wide and studying the food with as much awe as Shin-Ah is.

Did... did this person smuggle a squirrel into the party? And did the announcer actually miss this? Poor guy, this will surely haunt him forever...]

phase iii

[The way the people are moving is so different so yet so familiar to Yona's dance that Shin-Ah has to wonder where the difference ends and the similarity begins. Her dance was slower, more focused, like a single star in the nightsky. This is akin to the sea, the ebb and flow as the tide comes and goes. Akin to the sea on stormy nights when the waves crush and the passion spills over.

It's more like the night spent with the pirates and unconsciously, Shin-Ah relaxes as he leans back against the wall. Ao is sleeping on Shin-Ah's shoulder, a little tuckered out by all the people and the movement. And the amounts of food the small squirrel managed to push into her mouth.

A black hole, that one is.

Shin-Ah is raising his glass to his lips when he notices the approaching presence of another person and pauses.

Is something the matter...?]

[rollin]

[ One berry. ]

Ah, no, I don't really—

[ Two. ]

Look kid, I just need—

[ fIVE!! He grabs Hotarumaru's wrist and pulls him away with a sharp tug. ]

Whoa, whoa, what the hell? Whaddya take me for, huh? You think I'm some kinda fatass who keeps shoving shit in his mouth? [ Ah. This guy's probably ten. ] ...stuff in his mouth?

[ Yes. Because shit is totally the only swear word he needed to correct. ]

[remainingtwin]

[Why can't her powers ever be put to good use like that? But no she has to do ritual sacrifice and neverending pain. Unfair.

Still, she looks startled by how horrified he looks at the suggestion and again the awkward feeling creeps back.] Oh. That's cool. [a w k w a r d. She shuffles a little-- it's hard without her sister's hand being there for her to reach out and grab in times like this; instead she twists her hands together and just says:]

Sorry. I'm not good at things like this. [Well, not anymore.] I'm Mio. Amakura Mio. [A polite bow follows.] Are you new? [There seems to be a lot of new people floating in lately, so she's hazarding a guess]

[sheathwife]

Hasebe-san!

[ What was that? That was not your name? Well... You will have to forgive this wakizashi, he didn't notice yet due to his current battle adrenaline. Either way, he most certainly did address Edgeworth with a different name.

Horikawa's eyes scan fast, noticing right away that the other is unarmed... ]

Your sword... Where is it? [ Wait a minute, how did he know!? (When coincidences pile up one after another...) ] Is it somewhere around here?

[ Since Hasebe Edgeworth doesn't have a weapon. Horikawa will have to take matters into his own hands. So he takes his own sword out, skillfully rotating it with one hand as he sharply positions himself. ]

[muscats]

[ Kashuu has a point. With Hotarumaru's speed, the fish would have no hope of surviving. Oh, but wait! ]

I have an idea.

[ Be right back! He quickly runs to the party and returns several moments later with an empty soup bowl and a piece of bread. ]

It can fit inside here, right?

[ They can surprise the others if they manage to bring it home. ]

[spes_phthisica]

[If Souji was paying any attention at all, he might notice that some people around them are giving them somewhat alarmed looks, even a couple of disapproving ones no doubt. But he isn't, and even if he noticed, he wouldn't care. This world is the kind of place where tearful reunions sometimes must surely happen from time to time, right? And that is what this is, even if it is undoubtedly a very unconventional one.

At least he does manage a soft little laugh in response to Kashuu's words, and his smile returns little by little, even if he's still rather obviously concerned. He leans back a fraction once more, this time using the sleeve of his kimono to dry away more tears, every touch soft and careful. He doesn't really see a mess, doesn't see the reddened eyes or the slight bruising from where Kashuu has been biting his lip, because Souji has never been the kind of person who gets hung up on details like that. Even when people have their faces twisted up with emotion, they can be very beautiful - because passion in itself has its own kind of beauty, doesn't it?]

I think you're supposed to apologize for making someone you care about cry - but I can give you more compliments later if that makes up for it.

[He knows very well that light, teasing words are somewhat better for mending what's broken, than any amount of heavy and important ones. Both have their place, but... he knows all too well how important it can be to try to smooth over a situation like this.

Not letting go of him, but shifting slightly so that he can loop one arm a bit more firmly around Kashuu's waist, he inclines his head toward one of the padded benches lining the room.]

Let's sit down a bit, shall we? [Because Kashuu looks tired and honestly Souji feels a bit weak with the aftermath of the shock as well. And he can imagine that the sword spirit doesn't much enjoy standing around so publicly while he's still struggling with his emotions like this.]

[remainingtwin]

[The corner of her mouth tugs at a smile despite herself.] It's okay. I was just wondering.

...It was funny. [Not...sure if that makes it any better??] Uh. That scythe thing was cool too!

[rollin]

Santa! How the hell do you—nevermind. Uh... Soooo, you're giving me something?

[ He's touched! Or he would be if he wasn't tapping his foot impatiently. Oz!? Santa doesn't take this long. ]

[beaconed]

[ Let's hope the chosen song doesn't make things any more awkward for them. Either way, Jaune will gladly soldier through it, sliding his arm around her waist and pulling her closer, while the other hand will not be letting go of hers until the end of the song. Jaune's trying not to laugh at the lyrics, or think about them too deeply, even if he can't help but relate every piece of music either to himself or people he knows.

He's about to say something to her, but senses something different in the air between them. ]

--Are you okay?

Phase I

[remainingtwin]

[Oh hey she recognizes that pig. Mio immediately crouches down and holds out her hands]

Saizou, c'mere! [She's not actually expecting the pig to come to her, but she's pleased to see he's doing okay, since the last time she saw him he'd been pretty much the opposite.]