- « INTRO ⇢ WINTERBALL.EXE » OVERFLOW

[poised]

Who: everyone, literally everyone
When: ooc: 04/25-04/26; ic: 12/26
Where: the Gardens
What: overflow of 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 overflow! It's a bit early but just to make sure the transition for everyone over here was captcha-free. 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 and post new intros! 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!!

Comments

cinder fall / ota

[glassy]

[ crashing yet another gala was one of the extremely few acts cinder would never have guessed to earn her a reprise; especially in a new and foreign place. cinder was practically done with kids wanting to play grown-ups for a night and who longed to dance with their crushes in the hope that the stars would finally align or what have you. for a world that claimed to be in dire need of her help, the gaudiness and flash of a party seemed to dismiss those pitiful pleads outright.

even so, cinder was never one to judge anything based on appearance nor was she ever unable to adapt. fashioning appropriate attire was simple enough as was making a stealthy, silent entrance. did that involve her having to knock out some unarmed guard/native who honestly just wanted to have a good time? did she also steal their clothes in order to make a makeshift gown? yes. but why go through all that trouble? ]

phase 1 — ( twirls finger. ) this was very disrespectful.

[ out of experience, parties such as this has often acted as the veritable calm before the storm so why make it harder on herself by being unprepared for any given situation? after all, cinder enjoyed witnessing disasters unfold from a vantage point not from close range.

speaking of, after attaining a drink for herself, cinder floats closer back to the entrance and flicks her gaze towards the rather vociferous maître d'; studying intently for anyone that looks to be of interest. no one seems to catch her eye yet until the man humiliates yet another person to the crowd, drawing her focus to his latest victim. cinder can't help but smirk at their reactions, purely out of self-satisfaction at her ability to remain unnoticed in comparison.

neither can she resist snorting (or rather and more accurately, make a mocking upturn with her lips) when said humiliated guest walks past her. either to the guest whose life is suffering or someone besides her, cinder takes a sip of her drink and notes: ]

He's very rude, isn't he?

phase 3 — a nightmare is a fear your heart framed.

[ after some rather awful fairy-tale music begins to play, cinder reconsiders her plan to find herself a worthy dancing partner in order to better blend in. scanning the floor, cinder takes note of those that seem to awkwardly shuffle along the dance floor and the certain handful of wallflowers that are content to simply watch or gorge themselves with food. while are others seem enthusiastic during such a slow-tempo song, it merely seems out of place. at least with her last dance, cinder had an excuse to slip out midway instead of being forced to watch a group of strangers "attempt" at it for most of the night.

with a roll of her eyes, cinder taps the shoulder of the most salvageable person she takes notice of and offers out her hand disregarding if they're currently with a partner or are arguably adequate dancers in their own right. ]

Care for a quick lesson? I promise it won't take long.

closed to kicksilver — when cinder says "jump", mercury says "what shark?"

[ midnight was the time she arranged to meet mercury. it was enough time for him to mingle, get properly dressed, organize his notes and do what he generally needed before making his presence known to her. and it was enough time for cinder to have confirmation on whether or not she really did have the company of one of her most trusted underlings. it was a surprise to see mercury's name in her cervice and although she was reasonably wary, knowing that she had allies was an advantage cinder sorely needed now.

situating herself into a secluded place in the gardens, one devoid of hallucinogens and sentient plants, it doesn't take very long for cinder to notice mercury within the vicinity. ]

So you really are here, Mercury.

[kicksilver]

[ If he was going to crash a party, he definitely had to dress the part. It looks like he was in a hurry to dress up, though, since his tie is slightly loose, and there's a button on his vest that's just barely hanging by the hole it's supposed to go into. Of course he'd hurry. He's been bored out of his wits since he had arrived, and something exciting as someone whom he actually knows is here is something he doesn't want to miss. Let's just ignore the fact that he bumped into some "schoolmates" on his way and was forced to make some small talk.

But now that he's away from the party, he can do and say whatever he wants, without any acting.

He greets Cinder with a smile on his face. No exaggerated reactions from this one. He's as calm as ever. ]

In the flesh. And am I glad to see you. This place is a dump. [ He had lifted his arm up when he said "this place", only to drop it quickly to show how much of a chore being here is. ]

[glassy]

Is that so?

[ it'd be flattering for cinder to know that her absence was something mercury took great dissatisfaction and notice in. that was the kind of reception she would normally expect from someone with a more enthusiastic work ethic like emerald as opposed to someone as comfortably laid-back. then again as she watches his shoulders slump and takes notice of how hastily he dressed himself, cinder is reminded that remaining idle was never his strong suit.

at least, he appreciated having a sense of purpose.

taking a few strides towards him, cinder reaches for mercury's tie with a delicate hand placed tightly around one end while the other occupies itself with the knot around his throat. ]

Then tell me, how have you been keeping yourself entertained?

[kicksilver]

[ He'll let her do that, then. ]

You really wanna know? [ Of course she does, Mercury. Why do you think she asked?

Still, it's been a while since he's talked so comfortably with somebody. He'll tease for a little while. ] It'll bore you.

[glassy]

I never knew you to be so coy.

[ she pulls on his tie with a jerk, not exactly a fan of mercury's evasiveness. still. he hasn't done anything wrong or anything to earn her ire so she finishes making himself look presentable by dusting off his vest ever so lightly. ]

At least tell me if you've been misbehaving yourself.

phase 3

[beaconed]

[ Feeling the tap on his shoulder, Jaune turns slowly and is about to explain that she doesn't need to waste her time. That he appreciates the offer, but he's already known how to dance for a long time.

...But he doesn't say any of that when he realizes this could be a familiar face. He has seen the exchange student very briefly around campus, but not enough times to determine if this could be her for sure. ]

H-Hey, wait... aren't you...? I-I think I know you.

[glassy]

Oh. You're from Beacon, aren't you?

[ recognizing some indistinct background student was not part of cinder's formidable repertoire of skills. but she can deduce enough from his appearance and the perceived importance of his simply being here (not necessarily referring to this party). this blonde boy... from what cinder can recall, was the leader of Team JNPR, wasn't he? how interesting.

while she doesn't necessarily care about him, his association to pyrrha nikos added to some of his value. ]

Joan... was your name, right? I'm surprised you aren't donning a gown for this event. Would you like me to show you how to lead?

[ implying that he can't... ohhhh sick burn. ]

[beaconed]

[ do your worst. >:( but he'll be there when you're about be eaten by an ursa!! ]

Jaune, actually... h-haha...

Was I really that bad? My mom always said I'm a great dancer, b-but I suppose there's room for improvement...

[ God, he's already letting someone convince him that he's no good. ]

[glassy]

[ you know who else probably thinks he's no good? ... his mom. ]

A few pointers never hurt anyone, Jaune.

[ though truth be told, she hadn't witnessed the entirety of his performance so is unable to really answer is she thinks he's bad or not. but knowing her two sidekicks, nothing they relayed to her could ever be Good. with a once over glance and a hand rested on her waist, cinder would be admittedly surprised if jaune could pride himself on coordination as her discerning eyes tell her otherwise. ]

Straighten your back. Arms up.

Phase 1

[purrfect_weapon]

[Schrodinger seemed to appear from nowhere, her certainly had not been announced by the man at the door. But then he had only just come to this world too and was actually still in his uniform when he appeared beside the woman.]

Personally I find it hilarious. They want to pretend to be all important by not providing their name, so they're provided a name for how unimpressive they are.

[He was rather enjoying the spectacle of the doorman, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth with each pseudonym.]

[glassy]

Pride can often lead to the downfall of many great men.

[ normally, such cheap remarks wouldn't earn even a sideways glance from her but it's interesting to observe how these citizens react to even the slightest insult. there's also appreciation to be had from the opinion of the person (with cat ears?) standing close by to her. ]

And? What sort of unimpressive name do you have?

[purrfect_weapon]

Heir major would say those who think so highly of themselves are begging to be dragged down by those who are truly powerful.

[His ears perk up a little as he grins some more once asked his name. Taking a moment to spin around in front of her and click his heals with a small gesture of greeting.]

It is Schrödinger, for I am everywhere and nowhere.

[glassy]

[ cinder acknowledges the greeting with her own cordial smile. schroöinger sounds like a fairly poetic name with, upon closer inspection, yes... those cat ears do seem real. thankfully, in her world, that isn't an uncommon feature for some. ]

Did your major name you as well? He sounds like he was quite the intelligent man.

phase i.

[undaunts]

Er...yeah, I guess. Not gonna lie, I wasn't completely paying attention.

[And she got lucky and it was just "Ruby Rose", but even so--not paying attention. Good job, Ruby.

Wait.

A pause. She blinks, tilting her head at the other.]

Hey, wait a second, you-- [wait for it--] --were at Beacon, right? [Nailed it]

[glassy]

And... you're the girl who gave me directions?

[ well, look who we have here. cinder hadn't been informed of ruby's arrival yet so what a happy coincidence to find her practically drop down from the sky beside her. it's difficult to suppress a smirk but luckily, that just seems like she's pleased to see a familiar face which is true... in a way. as a waiter passes by, cinder picks up a fruity, non-alcoholic drink for ruby to sip. ]

Here. [ starting off your umbrella collection. ] I'm surprised you remember me.

[ given the fact that ruby usually doesn't which you know, she isn't complaining about. ]

[undaunts]

[She's oblivious to all possible mechanisms and sneaky thoughts anyway; as far as she's concerned, Cinder's just a vaguely familiar face, which is comforting in a place like this.]

Oh--thanks!

[Fruity drink...!! She pokes at the umbrella thoughtfully.]

Well, I mean... you're kind of familiar and everything else is really unfamiliar so that helped. Extra...familiar, you know?

iii

[icefallen]

[Actually, Rio had been out dancing by herself, as it turns out. It came so naturally to her that once she started, the motions just took her away. Most likely, it's something from when she was a priestess that's still deeply ingrained in her muscle memory, because she seems to know every step without being able to reproduce it afterwards, and it doesn't even match up with the music at all. But her feet halt when she's tapped on the shoulder, and she turns, breaking the spell she'd been locked in.]

Hmm... Do you suppose I need one?

[It doesn't sound like a genuine question more than a skeptical rebuttal, though.]

[glassy]

[ serenity and tranquility are simple connotations that belong to priestess. it's present in the delicate way they move, how they bend and shift like ripples in a current. but cinder hadn't noticed that in the girl before her. while the movements itself seemed graceful, the jarring dichotomy between the music and her actions made it hard for her to truly discern her ethereal qualities. ]

Yes. It's why I offered.

[ the skepticism was much easier for cinder to detect. and while cinder is being incredibly rude, there's also nothing inherently wrong with being taught a different style of dance either. ]

[icefallen]

[It is rude, and Rio is a bit disenchanted with the manner of request, but... perhaps she can humor her for a while, and if it's not worth the trouble, then she can show her up. If so, it'll serve her right; if not, then she might learn something new.]

...All right, I'll give you a chance. If your intention is to blow me away, then by all means, show me.

Phase I

[bewrightback]

[Phoenix happens to be nearby, procuring his own drink when he overhears the latest introduction and Cinder's comment on it. He sighs and rolls his eyes.]

Tell me about it. He definitely doesn't seem to be in touch with any kind of holiday spirit...

[glassy]

He seems spirited in other ways.

[ to be honest, she actually found his latest insult to be quite amusing. she turns to phoenix though, swishing her drink in hand. ]

I hadn't realized it was already the holidays.

[ or, well, can "december 26th" really be called a holiday? whether or not that may be the case, hopefully there's enough of a hint for phoenix to realize that she's new here. ]

[bewrightback]

[To not see Christmas coming here, you have to be either blind or new.

He glances thoughtfully towards the young woman and nods.]

Technically it was yesterday, but Christmas just passed here. That's why everything's so... you know, festive.

Am I right in guessing that you're new here?

1 -> 3 eventuallyyyy?

[shikisha]

[ For almost obvious reasons to anyone who knows her, Nonon has had the exact same thought as Cinder. She doesn't know anyone here (except for one) and she already has attacked the desserts, and had to find something else to do other than criticize the minor mistakes the orchestra makes. But she still dressed up, or at least wore her best Uniform, in black and gold. Not a traditional sort of outfit for a ball, but eye catching and formal nonetheless.

So she found herself near the entrance (and okay maybe still a little close to the cookies..) listening to the embarrassingly funny titles being given out left and right. She really couldn't help but snort herself hearing the latest one, laughing openly as the humiliated guest walked by, apparently not feeling the need to be too subtle in her poor behavior. ]

Of course, but he's pretty good at it too. I love seeing the look on people's faces afterwards!

[ Nonon grins, turning to the girl next to her, just assuming she was being spoken to, because that's the kind of person Nonon is. ...And somehow she didn't expect to see what she saw. She has to tilt her head up a little, to see Cinder's face, but... can't help but feel a little flushed for a second. For a girl dedicated and maybe even a little in love with a gorgeous black-haired girl who exudes confidence, grace, and power... it's hard not to notice those things. ]

yyyy

[glassy]

[ her eyes don't necessarily meet the petite girl's whose giddy from the man's latest insult but cinder can sense that her own presence was... attention-grabbing. although she'll later ask why the girl has dressed herself like a conductor for now, cinder curbs her curiosity for now and opts to act pleasant. so politely, she merely laughs; light and effervescent as she sips her drink continuing to observe the sea of guests who wear indignation like a mask. ]

Mm-hmm. It is quite... interesting to see how someone's expression might falter over the most harmless of words and glances.

[ translation: look at these pigs in clothing. cinder turns her head as she says this and notices the brief flash of surprise that paints itself on the girl face. and in that flash, she sees a possible field to plant the seed of loyalty more than anything else. ]

Yours too.

[ smoooooth. ]

[shikisha]

[ Nonon really loves being the center of attention. Her favorite place is to be at the head of the stage, above the rest of the orchestra, all eyes on her in whatever eye-catching outfit she decides on. Though while she might not be leading any musicians tonight, she still went with the outfit that worked best for her... and hey it was a bit of short notice!!

...Though when Cinder turns and looks at Nonon... it's clear who is the real attention grabber here. It's almost unfair, just how much in Nonon's strike zone the other girl is, and that look, that little comment, makes a light red shade paint her features from ear to ear. ]

W-What about me?

[ She just has no idea how much she reacted. She's just going to act now like she totally has no idea what this woman is talking about. Because that's the obvious thing a mature adult would do. ]