« 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

[hoasen]

[She hasn't even touched the drink yet, she thought she might have to be designated body carrier!

AND TENKA HAVE YOU SEEN YOURSELF.]

I-I'm, I'm fine! You're...you're looking very handsome!

[That just slipped out in the midst of being super shocked, but it's true. Like what the fuck.]

collects the pandoras

[unionjackoff]

[well, well! look who it is, all dressed up]

Thank you, Lily. I'm happy you enjoyed it.

[hamham]

Now is hardly the time to be insisting on pleasantries, Katsura. We can exchange names once we have freed you.

[And yet he uses his name anyway. Okay hold on friend, he'll get this off your...charm point. Whatever that is, note to self inquire about that once the fish is free.

But here you stubborn alien, can he tempt you into letting go if he nudges your mouth with his left hand? Do you want to bite onto that instead? He's removed the glove he was wearing, revealing that his hand is still wrapped in bandages beneath it. With those sacrificing his cursed hand once again shouldn't cause too much of a problem...probably. It'd be better than tormenting this guy, surely, since all he wants to do is yank on the poor fish!!]

[adornmental]

[Again, he's torn on how to feel. It's so incredibly soothing to hear those words that he's worried he might start tearing up again. He doesn't, much to his relief. Instead, he focuses on the hands holding his own, and after a second, he curls his fingers down and just focuses on the warmth of the palms against his own. "As much as that guy liked hard-to-use katana like you, he had a weak body." He had said that to Yamato once, not that long ago, when they had revisited Toba. It's easier to handle trauma if you brush it off with careless shrugs or stale jokes, and he really isn't as hung up on Souji as Yamato, but... that doesn't mean he suddenly stopped loving Souji just because he was discarded.

On the other hand, it's incredibly difficult to just let go of feeling unwanted. Even though he's hearing everything he could ever want to hear, it doesn't magically erase the niggling doubt in his mind. He hates that. It scares him and makes him wonder if it's a feeling that will ever go away, and the thought of living with it forever is far from pleasant. His grip tightens. He shakes his head and then leans forward, like a flower to the sun.]

S'fine - you already said what I wanted to hear most.

[He doesn't really need anything along the lines of an apology or regretful feelings voice aloud, does he? After all, it hadn't been Souji's fault that he had broken. As a sword, he had one job: to serve his master. If there's a failing like his, it lies with the blade and not the hand that wields it. He may harbor an intense bitterness, and sometimes it might have manifested in harsh words about the man who had once wielded him, but it was always more largely rooted in self-loathing than any outward-facing target.

So an apology... he's never felt a need for it. He just wants reassurance - to hear things like "I wanted to see you" and "it's an honor" and maybe "I still need you", if he's very lucky.]

[eyelineronpoint]

[this was a lot easier back when he was a huge jerk]

I'm not worried about that. [but maybe he is] I just don't...dance. [god even saying the word is uncomfortable] And there are too many people here.

[good_ideas]

[She uncrosses her arms when she sees him, because she really had wanted to dance. (But then you got awkward encounters later on when people found out you were a psychometer the entire time.)

She's glad to see him though she'd never admit it.]

Do you want to suffer two left feet?

[She smiles sweetly.]

To your stomach?

[She won't kick him while dressed like this though, thankfully.]

iii

[afterdusk]

[Maybe it was strange for him, but Yona was so happy to see Shin-Ah here. For him it was definitely a huge step. The reason didn't matter; Yona wanted Shin-Ah to be able to experience all kinds of wonderful things and meet more people and... Honestly, she was a little hesitant to steal his time, but since he and Ao seem to be without company at the moment...]

Are you having a good time?

[He's not the only one who feels a little out of place. It's been... well, honestly it hasn't been that long, but it feels like it's been forever since the days when events like this... dresses like this... were familiar to her. Almost like it had been another life. But thinking about it hadn't been so unpleasant when she'd thought about all the fun everyone seemed to be having.]

[teradyne]

[And Argilla can take a joke as she completely lowers her rifle to her side, a slight smile now on her face. It's nice to see people who aren't completely uptight. He may not be completely human, but that doesn't mean she's automatically decided he's an enemy.]

It is nice out here. If it weren't for whatever that was, I'd almost think I'd finally reached Nirvana.

[Though with the powerpoint presentation she was given before she arrived, she knew that's not really the case. Still, that world was going to be destroyed anyway which means they probably didn't make it to God on time.]

[unionjackoff]

[England likes the ball, even if it isn't perfect, and it's in a weird place. it makes him feel... connected. he's met quite a few interesting characters in his time in Cerealia, a lot of people who are going through what he's growing through. misery loves company.

he grins when he sees Levi and walks over to get some champagne for himself]

Well, if it isn't my new favorite author. You seem to be enjoying yourself.

1/2

[newtimes]

( Heh heh heh, please be curious because it's not like he wants to show off or anything. Heck, her invisible friend can even watch!! When the branches begin to creep closer again, he draws his sword. )

Yeah? Then ya and ya'r friend can sit back and watch!

[variform]

[Probably the best thing to say, of course. Dying quickly isn't a fun thing at all (to watch, of course).

He just grins]

Not bad at all~

[Though a little more flare and excitement would have been great.]

[teradyne]

[They're nice flowers -- so lively and so vibrant. The smell almost tickles her nose as she sneezes once before she's able to reply back. What... an odd looking human. Odd in that she looks completely normal -- no trace of war, no trace of any sort of strife. She looks peaceful.]

Hello. Are you here to look at the flowers, too?

[She smiles, completely being friendly to the other girl. Despite her appearances, she wants to be kind to others.]

[hoasen]

[They are food comrades, they're going to make sure it's all going to be devoouuurred.

It was definitely a strange question, but Vietnam has been learning that this world has brought in others that have interesting powers. Here is one.]

A spirit medium? I see now. I never knew that a human could sense my spirit, though my kind can sense our own, so this is impressive to me! A-ah, I am a country. Or a spirit of a country, one can say.

[ineptus]

You're welcome! [Okay so. They are not together but they came together. And she's pretty sure she spotted Peko earlier and she's in all black too so Mabel was under the impression that they came together but apparently not...man, you two are a little strange aren't you? But that's fine, she'll puzzle that as she talks to him.]

Oh yeah! That made my job soooo much easier. [She hasn't looked at his sleeves yet at all, but assumed since he wasn't wearing the tie he wasn't wearing those.] And good, I was a little worried leaving it there that you might not get it. But you're welcome!

[She really wants to ask if he liked it, but that's kind of rude isn't it? Yeah kind of...he might be able to tell she's curious though. Mabel's pretty easy to read usually.]

[newtimes]

( Ah... but these branches are moving a little slow. When one is finally close enough, he gives is a swift cut which sends some of the others retreating just slightly. Fire and sharp things... maybe this tree has a desire to live even if it's awful at listening. )

C'mon! Is that the best ya can do!? I can't be strong like this!

Phase II

[om_nom_namur]

Oi, ain't y' part a Shanks' crew? Sheheheh, somehow I thought y' was taller.

[Nevertheless, Usopp will find himself heartily clapped on the shoulder by an eight-foot tall fishman.

~Hi~

Fight him.]

<3

[good_ideas]

[The fact that only one of them found it funny was what made it even funnier to her.]

That's why you carry an umbrella too, for two times the protection.

[Or wore a rain coat.]

[beaconed]

W-Why not? What in the world could keep you from trying at least once?

[ ...Maybe she's bad at it. AW, SHIHO... ]

swoon

[unionjackoff]

[it all happens so fast, England barely has time to process a response. he was being careful, minding his own business! he presses his hands to the ground as it shakes, to stabilize himself.

haaa... that was some pretty powerful magic]

Do you know what that thing was?

[hoasen]

[Hak, your work ethic is very impressive, but sometimes, you can trust the others too. Vietnam knows everyone here is very talented at fighting and protecting.

She tilts her head curiously when the pastries are pushed away (he didn't want them?) and then sees him hold out a package. Before she can take the package, she offers him the pastries again, so that her hands can be free. (It's smooth, totally.)]

You really didn't have to... [She takes the package with a free hand, it's cute wrapping though. Time to unwrap it!

A small smile appears when she sees what it is. It's rather sentimental.]

Thank you, Hak. It's lovely. I can use it on you whenever you find yourself in danger again. [IT'S A JOKE.]

[yaayaa]

Oh, no, I'll simply eat some of his!

That's right.

[To demonstrate, the fox will just climb down his arm and reach over to take the first bite.]

[variform]

[It's a completely innocent crazy, though. Lucky her!]

Of course.

[Sometimes hard work goes into it, which he never lifts a finger for.]

But this thing is way too fancy, to begin with. Why should it matter a whole lot?

[unionjackoff]

[it seems like everyone is dressing up tonight! even England's apprentice. he fights against the vine, clawing at it with his hands. but then another vine snags his wrist]

Yuya! Stay back!

[teradyne]

[Argilla is quick to shake her head. It must sound weird, but people don't know she's... just an AI. In fact, isn't everyone in the same boat? That's what seems weird now after being discriminated for being mere data in 'Nirvana'. This girl seems plenty friendly, even more reason for Argilla to put up a friendly front and not be defensive despite her newfound programming... or something.]

No, we didn't have things like that. I guess because of circumstances you'd have to get by with whatever was edible.

[Trying to keep it vague because she doesn't want to talk about it at all. Maybe the people at the Karma Society got to have stuff like this, but she wouldn't know.]

[newtimes]

( Tomato-cheddar and crab salad. He was wondering what the latter really was but knowing that it's crab, it seems a lot less mysterious. )

Why not both? They're pretty tiny!

( Even a tiny guy like HInata should be able to handle both? )