- « 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

[psycholawgy]

What? Where did you even get that idea? No one even thinks that way but you.

[swordboning]

Simon already asked me what I wanted in return for my gift to him. Surprisingly enough, that's considered a form of thanks, a compliment to my skills.

[psycholawgy]

[ GOD WHY DOES SIMON HAVE TO RUIN THIS ]

Okay, fine! But not everybody thinks that way! And it's only a form of courtesy to offer something in return.

[swordboning]

If you insist.

[Shaking his head.]

Want another dance?

[psycholawgy]

You're just saying that to change the topic!

[ SHE'S ONTO YOU, ARCHER. ]

[swordboning]

If I were, what would you?

[psycholawgy]

... just tell me what's wrong.

[swordboning]

What do I get in return for telling you?

[psycholawgy]

[ Is that a trick question? ]

I don't know. What do you want?

[swordboning]

I don't know. What do you think is a fair trade? I'll tell you what you want to know if you give me something in return. That much, I promise.

[psycholawgy]

You already have my time, but I can definitely give you more of it if you want it.

[ ???? ]

Or do you want something material, is that it?

[swordboning]

We'll negotiate something later. But you do owe me.

[Sighing.]

My issue is that people are enjoying the food and probably knowing it was made by me. I'd rather it not be that way but that much is impossible. I have no wish to be enjoyed or looked up to because, in the end, it's a lie.

[psycholawgy]

[ This really was no place to talk serious. ]

Come with me.

[ And she pulls him to a quieter area in the gardens. ]

If people pay you for your food and compliment you, is that fine? [ Considering Golden Archers is a business and all. ] How do you feel about good feedback there?

[swordboning]

[Outside seems like a good place.]

Like I said, people are paying me there. It's not just about feeling in debt. I just have no need to live a hypocritical life. I'm not someone to look up to nor am I anyone special. At the best, I'm on the same level as dirt. A failed hero who chased after dreams rather than reality.

[psycholawgy]

There's nothing wrong with failing.

[ She's had a lot of failures, too. But it's her passion to help her friends that keeps her going. And that was what she wants Archer to have—passion or a drive for something. Because it's then that he'd be able to find meaning... and maybe then he'd start to put value in himself. ]

And you're not dirt, so don't you ever say that again.

People are so sincere when they tell you that your food is good - with payment or not. They think you're great... but your vision is too blurred and you only see darkness. You have to forgive yourself, Archer. What matters is right now, not what happened in the past.

[ She pauses for a few good moments, awaiting his response. ]

[swordboning]

There's too much there to forgive, Athena. One innocent person is impossible to overcome. As many as I've dealt with? You're asking for the impossible and that's that.

[Though he feels ridiculously bad about it. The tone of his voice says enough. Asking him to deal with his past like that is just...well, impossible in just one sitting. But that's what Athena is for.]

[psycholawgy]

It's only impossible because you say it is.

Everybody has a desire to be happy. You might not know it, or you're probably repressing it, but what I'm saying is true. I can tell you that what happened-- [ She takes a deep breath, because boy, the atmosphere here sure is heavy. ] is difficult to just leave in the past, but it isn't a good enough reason for you not to be happy.

Even the worst of criminals—and no, don't even think I'm calling you one—have a shot at happiness, even after what they've done.

[ But you know what, Archer is being stubborn!! Better show him some warmth AKA an Athenahug. ]

There is no one here who wants to see you like this, you know. [ NO SHE'S NOT PULLING AWAY JUST YET!! ] And I'm pretty sure there's at least one person who doesn't want to hear any sadness coming from your heart.

[swordboning]

And who exactly wouldn't want to hear it?

[Archer is unsure. Definitely not Rin, who would probably punch him in response. And that was the only person he really cared about in that fashion.]

[psycholawgy]

[ wow

wowowowowowow ]

Excuse me? Right here...!

[ She puts a hand to her chest, feigning offense. ]

[swordboning]

You're a friend. Its your job to deal with these kinds of things.

[psycholawgy]

So think of your friends! If you're hurting, then they're hurting too!

[swordboning]

People like you only suffer because I do. To simply tell myself that I'm done regretting what I've done would be oversimplifying the problem and making things worse.

[psycholawgy]

[ She's trying to remain really calm, but it increasingly gets more difficult because of how stubborn Archer is. ]

So, what? You want to be stuck there forever? You're the one who's keeping yourself down. Everyone wants to pull you up, but all I can hear from you is that you don't deserve anything. Stop being ungrateful, because there are a lot of people out there who want to make the darkness in your heart go away!

[swordboning]

A lot of people? How many of those do you count as? I can't even aspire to number the amount of times I've angered you and plenty of other people here. And for good reason. Don't get me wrong, this isn't self-pity. It's simply reality. The person known as Archer is anathema to humanity as a whole, relegated to defending people behind the scenes. Which I'm perfectly happy with.

[psycholawgy]

The only time you can say you're happy is when you really mean it! And that means- [ She's going to poke Archer's chest with a finger. ] when it's your heart speaking and not your stubborn brain.