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« 005 ⇢ event005.exe »

Who: CERES & you
When: IC: 10/04 | OOC: 11/15
Where: ViViD & McCERES
What: Intro Log
Rating/Warning: PG-13 | slightly nsfw

//event005.EXE

Learning is Fundamental! Let's play CERESLearn

ViViD's usual worlds are unfortunately down for maintenance. While CERES' programmers work on getting it back up and running, all new entrees this round will be going through a different level than usual. Only a single world is accessible at the moment, a simple one entitled 'CERESLearn.' "What the $%@& is this?" you must be thinking. Well, it's simple!

It's a study program, of course! CERES' advanced AI technology is here to make sure you learn and that you learn sexily. Whether or not you pay attention to the actual content is up to you, the player. Please enjoy it while it lasts. They're here to teach you a variety of subjects and also to make you feel vaguely uncomfortable all over.

New arrivals and those logging into ViViD will first find themselves in a classroom with a new operator greeting them rather than Vidia.

"Greetings and welcome to Cerealia! It's nice of you to join us at last. As you can see, we're just about to get started!

Here are the instructions:

♥ Choose your subject of choice. They include things like medicine, math, CERES economics, CERES history, fun facts about Julius, engineering, and science!
♥ Choose your tutor. You can hire Astor, Hilda, or UN-Zippy
♥ They'll teach you slowly, deliberately, sensually. Then after that, they'll drill you hard and without stopping.
♥ Just when you think you've had enough, they'll quiz you all over until you're sweating and panting.
♥ For those of you who pass, you'll be welcomed well into Cerealia and be given a free voucher for a McCERES Mildly Content meal. Please enjoy!"

//SCENARIOS.EXE

PHASE I

[ xxxx ] Once you choose your lesson and your tutor, you will be transported to a classroom where you and a few other players who decide to choose the same lesson will sit with your tutor after school, getting knowledge taught to you by someone who seems more intent on learning what's under your clothes than filling your head with knowledge. They will be awkwardly stretching, dropping pencils by 'accident' on the floor, and bending down slowly to pick them up. Certain things might be spilling out of their clothes. Awkward things. They will breathe down your neck and make sure you are well-versed in their anatomy by the end of the lesson.

Fortunately, it won't last long as their bodies start to flicker erratically.

PHASE II

[ xxxx ] Just as things begin to escalate, the flickering will grow intense until your tutor will start to morph before your eyes. What takes their place is something that is anything but friendly. And yes, it will continue to breathe down your neck and speak in a sweet, soft, alluring voice while reaching out with its 'hands' to try and touch you.

This will be your cue to run through the halls of the school while That Thing chases you in every single direction imaginable. There will be others joining you as everyone starts bolting out of their classrooms.

PHASE III

[ xxxx ] Feeling tired already? Well, don't stop and rest now! For those who successfully murder their own tutor, they will get their food voucher and a lovely welcome into CERES. You've officially passed! Everyone will be allowed to mingle around the game room in the CERES Research Tower before being directed into McCERES just across the street. For those who were already in the colony, you will also receive a voucher and directions to McCERES at the end of the game in case you want to go meet up with the newcomers there or just eat some artery-killing fast food.

PHASE IV

[ xxxx ] For those who get eaten by That Thing or don't pass their quizzes and upset their tutors, they will be forced to endure the Price of Failure. This means being sent to the gym with the other 'failures' to endure a painfully slow and erotic striptease by UN-Zippy. Once that is over, they will then be logged out and allowed to have their complimentary McCERES voucher.

BONUS

[ whyo'clock ] Congratulations on surviving CERESLearn! Here's your complimentary voucher for a free Mildly Content Meal at McCERES. This month's special is also the McKnight Burger. Characters are immediately invited to take a load off and enjoy some good ol' fashion fast food of questionable origin. Those who decide to order and eat here will also get a special toy included inside their Mildly Content Meals.

[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with trigger-y or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ]

//RUN.EXE

Welcome to CEREALIA's latest intro post. For your convenience, we have compiled a post detailing everyone's usual arrival experience (which is not entirely applicable this round for reasons stated above^) and a FAQ that should explain everything in more detail. Please read them thoroughly before playing. Thank you!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Ah, scary...

[SOMEONE PHYSICALLY NOT BEING ABLE TO EAT THESE BURGERS... Though it's clear that Oz is exaggerating a little, there's also some genuine "why this though" sentiment present.

Luckily, the duration of his time is a decent distraction! Oz's face immediately lights up, since he's partially been looking for someone who knows the ropes better.]

You do? Do you mind telling me about some more of the things here? We didn't really get a good explanation...

Again, it's up to your discretion to decide. [ Takakage nods slightly. Several of his friends in Hinoto-Ri had been able to eat fast food and keep it down, but it's a skill that he never managed to learn. ]

Ah, yes, sure. Though it may be easier if you ask me questions. What would you like to know?

Thanks for the warning, either way. [Maybe he can get Gilbert to test some out first or bite the bullet with him at the same time... Ultimate Victory™.]

Hm... Tell me if I ask too many, okay? [Otherwise he will get carried away, it's like, guaranteed. THAT SAID, first things first:]

Does anyone have any proof that what those guys have said is the truth?

[ That's a difficult question to answer. ]

At the moment, no. But we do not have much choice but to comply. I myself am very interested in finding out if this is all a farce - but for now, what seems to be most effective is to observe. Until we obtain more information or evidence, we cannot make accurate judgments.

[WELL... It's not an unexpected answer, exactly, but it's a little disappointing to hear nonetheless.]

And nothing has really pointed one way or another? [It's a semi-rhetorical question though, since Oz assumes Takakage would have said so if there was.]

Then I guess my next question is... this isn't— No one's ever mentioned anything about a game, have they? Does the term "special guests" mean anything to you?

So far, all observations are in line with their claims. But I would not rule out the possibility of events being to the contrary.

[ He pauses here to consult his book. ]

Might you be referring to ViViD, the simulation game platform?

[That gets a nod and Oz files the information away for later. He personally can't really believe the idea that his own world and the people in it are gone, but that's also because of a healthy portion of good old fashioned denial, so.

As for ViViD, which has left Oz scarred for life:]

Mm... No, I don't think that's it. It was more like a- [okay but how does one explain a murder game in sane terms] ...A game with prizes, but the prizes were only for some.

[ The strategist shakes his head. ]

I'm afraid you will need to be more specific.

[EXACTLY WHAT OZ DOESN'T WANT TO DO. He hesitates for a second, uncertain.]

...Before I woke up here, there was a group of people that had been tricked into thinking everyone was asleep and needed to be woken up by being killed. They were offered prizes for doing that... Has that happened here? Or anything like it?

[ He looks thoughtful for a moment before replying. ]

No. Not exactly. I do not know of anything fitting your description, but a similar incident occurred recently. Residents were encouraged to murder, but it was not forced. I doubt there were many who went through with the act.

[Eugh... The similarity is enough to have him a little worried. His lips purse briefly, arms crossing over his chest.]

Can you tell me a little more about that...? About how long ago was it, and who encouraged the residents?

I was absent for the entire duration, so I am not too sure on the specifics. I believe it was a week or two ago. [ He taps his chin briefly, trying to recall the details. ] It began with a city-wide power outage, and a suspicious individual staged a 'game' where the individual who collected the most kills would... be rewarded.

[ He isn't too sure what it was. ]

In any case, the event lasted for five days. The CEO delivered a public apology, blaming the incident on underground miscreants... but I would not take his words at face value. This isn't the first time something has gone wrong in this colony.

[YEP, NOT GOOD NEWS, so much not good news, Oz is greatly concerned. Between the timing, the game itself and the CEO, everything's lining up in an unpleasantly familiar way.]

...What about the things that went wrong before that? Were you here for any of those? And has anyone heard more about the people who started that 'game' since then?

[ He can tell by the stranger's expression that they had similar opinions on this whole issue. ]

Before this, a virus spread throughout the system and caused the cleaning droids to turn aggressive. I was not present prior to this event, unfortunately - but some of the other people here might be able to tell you more.

[ He aligns his fingertips together at this point. ]

The perpetrators have supposedly been punished, but I doubt anyone will fully trust the CEO's words at this point.

[He nods along with the explanation, grateful since even the smallest amount of new information is good.]

I'll ask around. What are the cleaning droids, though? And— [...Well, it's not like he wants to start off on a Negative Nancy foot here, but past experience tells him to exert caution.] ...You're probably right to do that.

[Not trusting the CEO.]

Ah, they are machines which were intended to clean the sewers and streets of the city. [ It occurs to him at this point that this man may not know of them. ] Usually they stay within the sewers, but in that malfunction incident they emerged out of the manholes and began attacking residents.

[ He pauses for a moment here. ]

Please, be careful. Some things are not what they seem, here.

Thanks for the warning. [A nod; he's definitely filing this all away to share with the other new arrivals who showed up alongside him.]

What do you mean by that? Do you mind explaining? [He feels a little badly, drowning this poor guy in questions...]

[ Takakage doesn't mind. He knows the value of information, after all - and these are warnings he would gladly pass on.

He inclines his head before speaking. ] This colony depends very much on machines and other electronics to keep it functioning. However, machines are programmed - they do not have a soul, nor can they feel like us humans do. Thus, if they malfunction, they can turn very harmful indeed.

So far, most of the technology they have provided are functioning properly. What I ask of you is to not rely on them as much as you can. They may fail, or worse. It is best to have something more dependable than mere metalwork.

[Reasonable advice, definitely - that all makes a lot of sense to Oz. He's not sure how hard it might be to live without technology in a place that literally seems centered around it, but he's got a bit of an edge when it comes to knowing how to live without, at least.]

All right. Thanks; I'll be sure to keep that in mind. [Everything can kill you including the toaster: a Cereal memoir...]

—Ah, sorry! I'm Oz. [HOW RUDE TO FORGET INTRODUCTIONS.]

[ Takakage smiles - it's good to see that this newcomer is willing to take his advice seriously. ]

A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Master Oz. I am Kobayakawa Takakage, from the Land of the Rising Sun. Might you have heard of it?

[ He has had plenty knowledge of alternate worlds, given his travels, but Oz may not. ]

Ah— Just Oz is fine! I don't mind it. [He's had enough of titles to last a lifetime, honestly. But neither of those names ring familiar to him, and Oz shakes his head again.]

Sorry, I haven't. [Oz also has some experience with alternate worlds, at least, so he doesn't seem too perturbed to hear of a land that's completely and utterly foreign.] But it's nice to meet you, anyway! Thanks again for the help, too. This is all a little disorienting...

It's the least I could do. [ He replies by way of a slight nod. ] It isn't very safe around here, after all. We will need all the information we can get.

[ With that, he takes his spellbook from the air where it had been floating out of view. He flips through the pages to where he had taken notes, and the pages copy themselves after some prompting.

The strategist then offers the papers to Oz. ] Here. I have written some information and contacts that may be useful. [ Places that actually sell things he can eat, stores run by friendly humans, and the like. ]

[EXCELLENT. That is neat on two counts, but while Oz takes the papers with a grateful look, it's clear which of the two he's more interested in...]

Thanks! I'll have to pay you back for all of this someday. [Since truly, it is a lot of help... THAT SAID:]

Are you some kind of— [Struggling for a second to pick an apt term... Patchouli comes to mind, though, so he eventually goes with:] -sorcerer?

Please, don't. [ He says this with a smile. ] Pay it forward to someone else who may need help, too.

[ The question doesn't fall exactly out of expectation, but it is rather hard to explain. In addition to his standard repertoire, he had also gained some other skills through his time in Hinoto-Ri. ]

I am not a sorcerer, merely a strategist. However, I do have some skills in the realm of magic. Not much, though.

[ Should he explain his Persona? Perhaps not now... ]

I can do that! [A nod! Though he'll probably still keep this guy in mind and appear like a month later with a gift basket or something in thanks...]

I know someone like that. [A strategist with randomass weird vaguely magical abilities that are never explained!!] But it seemed like a really uncommon thing.

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