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« 001 ⇢ INTERLUDE001.EXE »

Who: Mosley and these unfortunate souls
When: OOC: 6/27, IC: 1/26
Where: CERES Research Tower
What: Mosley takes a few lucky souls on a tour of the CERES offices.
Rating/Warning: PG-13: Some violence, injuries and possible death.

▶ VIDEO.EXE | IC: 1/25

[ The broadcast comes bright and early for those paying attention to their CereVices; the man who appears on the screen is strikingly pale, white-haired and piercingly blue-eyed. He looks young, no more than nineteen or twenty and he's dressed in a crisp black and white suit. He stares into the screen for a long moment, long enough to be, frankly, just a bit uncomfortable.

And then white eyelashes blink and an awkward, unsure smile spreads across his face. He lifts a hand to fix his tie and speaks. ]

This is Mosley.

[ The smile drops, leaving him with a blank expression once again. ]

CERES has decided in a show of good faith to open our doors to you. I have been given the task of, [ He lifts his hands to emphasize with air quotes. ] "being your tour guide." If that is what I must do, so be it. The lazy worm does not get the apple, after all.

[ He looks down at the tablet on his desk, giving it a few taps and suddenly an icon appears on the bottom right hand of the video. ]

That link will bring you to a listing to make an appointment. You will be given a time. Show up promptly or do not, it is no matter to me. The tour will leave ten minutes after your given time and that will be that. Tours will only last a few hours so you needn't worry about the rest of your day. You will certainly return home in time to catch the latest episode of [ Air quotes again. ] "Banana is the New Black." I hear there's going to be a cliffhanger!

[ A pause and he looks oddly thoughtful. ]

I suppose you could also steal it off the internet? [ Blank again. ] Which would be wrong. Our lawyers will contact you if you do that. Do not.

[ And then another of those awkward smiles before quickly turning into something a bit startled and he taps his tablet again, ending the video. Replies to this feed have been disabled, unfortunately. Seems like someone isn't feeling very chatty. It's a miracle. ]

▶ ACTION.EXE | IC: 1/26

[ The next day, that Monday, those who take Mosley up on his offer will find that him standing there right in front of the main CERES office building, waiting. It’s with that same disconcerting smile that he unlocks the door and ushers them in.

Welcome, all of you, to our lovely CERES!

The group will find themselves standing in a lobby. Clean white walls and floors, a bright blue rug leading towards the elevators on the far wall, and a white reception counter. At the counter are two CERES robots answering calls and directing any visitors (though the lobby seems quite empty today) and on the wall behind them is a hologram of the CERES logo for all to see. Mosley stands in the center of the carpet in his usual suit and claps his hands together, putting on a smile. ]

Welcome to CERES.

[ And then the smile drops. Voice flat, he continues. ]

There has been... talk over the past few months that we at CERES have not been working 24/7 to help you, our clientele, return to your homes safely and soundly. There has also been... talk that we do not do anything. That this entire company is a farce, which is honestly quite hurtful to both me and the other hardworking staff at this company. Mr. Vincere had his way of running this place but Ms. Recreare is fond of a more hands on approach. We want to share that approach with you.

[ He spreads his hands to indicate to the building around them. ]

CERES has many fingers in many jars and they've all been sealed tight for a while. We would like to open those jars. So once again, welcome to CERES and please follow me.

[ After that, Mosley turns and begins to lead the group off. ]

▶ RUN.EXE | MOD NOTES

This is the event log for these sign-ups! Your groups have been sorted below; here are a few handy links for you:

Group 01 | OOC plotting
Group 02 | OOC plotting
Group 03 | OOC plotting
Group 04 | OOC plotting
Group 05 | OOC plotting
Group 06 | OOC plotting
Group 07 | OOC plotting
Group 08 | OOC plotting
Group 09 | OOC plotting
Group 10 | OOC plotting
There is no tagging order, so feel free to tag in whatever way works best for you as a group.

The tours will technically last 3 hours icly, but that may change as ic events happen; oocly, the threads will last as long as necessary, though Mosley will come and collect your characters if they are moseying around too long! There will be mod involvement in each of the tours.

If there are any questions, feel free to ask them here. You are welcome to plot with your groupmates by using the ooc top level comments linked above. Thank you!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Just... excuse Jaune while he's vomiting real actual vomit in the background - it isn't black or creepy or anything, it's only a lasagna he had from earlier.

But... that was gross as hell. Black vomit.

He came here to find answers about his friends disappearing: Pyrrha, Tenka, Weiss, Yata... but, whatever this incident triggered, he suddenly feels like he got more than he bargained for?? ]

[ ... Yang was already crinkling her nose over black vomit, but with Jaune carrying on with the Puking Choir, she's flat-out--

... Ignoring him. SHE KNOWS HE'LL BE FINE, WALK IT OFF. ]

Sooooo... that was a thing. Since our tour guide just ditched us, I guess we're touring ourselves?

[ A glance at the doors. ]

By testing these doors out, probably.

[Incredible. Jaune gets exactly one (1) glance from Peko -- just enough to determine that it's normal vomit and the black liquid isn't immediately contagious -- before turning her attention to Yang.]

I agree. If they are chronological... it may be best to start at the beginning. Or split up to cover as much area as possible before our "guide" returns.

[The dry tone to her voice suggests that she really doesn't have much faith in Mosley, or CERES as a whole. She's not just standing there, though; instead, she's pulling a tissue from her pocket and moving closer to the oil left behind, dabbing at the edge of it. Because clearly if it's not contagious, it's fine to take some with you?? Dangan investigative life, apparently.]

[England has been wanting to get into CERES' facilities since he got here. though he is no fool. this is way too suspicious, could be a trap. and then Mosely does... whatever that thing was, and now he's gone.

he looks at the group he's been saddled with. all kids, a couple he knows. and he does not want harm to come to any single one of them. especially Jaune. poor Jaune]

I don't think we should split up. It's too dangerous. But I do think it would be prudent to start from the beginning.

[...Perhaps he should get that black vomit thing checked out. A pre-existing medical condition, maybe? It doesn't look very healthy, at any rate.

Still, Rio is staring thoughtfully at the doors, considering how best to approach this before offering her thoughts.]

Would groups of two and three be more prudent, perhaps? Are we all capable of defending ourselves?

[Belatedly, she takes a couple pointed steps away from the black puddle, making a slight face.]

If we stay together, we can fight off anything that comes at us better. But if we split up, the chances of all of us getting caught will be minimised.

[ Spoken like an experienced team leader, but completely impossible to be taken with any shred of seriousness as he wipes his mouth like he didn't just throw up lunch. ]

I mean, we are all planning on trespassing here, right?

Well, yeah. [ Spoken in a tone that's a lot like DUH, as Yang taps a boot against the floor and studies the doors. ] But who knows how much free time we've got before he pops some nausea pills and comes back here? I know at least three of us can fight-- [ Rio and England, she's not familiar with. ] So why not do this?

We can pick a door to go in together, and depending on how that goes, we do the other doors in smaller groups, like she-- [ A thumb over to Rio ] said. That way, if nothing goes too crazy through that first door, no one's going solo, and we can get more rooms looked at.

But for now-- [ DRAMATIC FLOURISH AT JUNE. ]

Let's get going.

That's fine.

[Peko pushes herself to her feet, wrapping the tissue around the small bit of black liquid she'd wiped up and shoving it deep into her pocket. Apologies if she smells a little bit thanks to that, but investigation's got to be done! Her hands don't stay free for long, though, one hand reaching back to undo the loose tie at the top of the bag on her back to draw a sheathed katana. Just in case.

She does nod toward Yang, giving the other three an appraising look. Yang she knows can fight, but the rest of them...? She has no idea, and her opinion of Jaune, in spite of his strategic thinking, still isn't very high thanks to that vomiting episode.]

The room labeled June, then?

Edited 2015-06-27 04:42 (UTC)

[well, it looks as if the kittens have claws. England feels... slightly out of place, as though he doesn't have a hold on everyone. he desperately wants to tell them to all stay outside, and that he will check out the rooms alone because he is the adult, but somehow, he knows that won't go over well.

at least he's good at trespassing. he's a great spy. and he pulls out his glock from its hidden holster, mostly to show that he's carrying, and that he's capable of holding his own, as well as protecting the others]

I'll go first.

[he doesn't even wait for the teens to agree or disagree, already making his way to the door]

[ upon entering the room, everything goes dark. The door shuts behind them, and then fades away as the room shifts into what appears to be a jungle instead.

It certainly feels real, even if careful inspection of the shift reveals it to be hologram technology--similar, but not quite the same to ViViD. Either way, when it is properly uploaded, it feels real enough; the atmosphere is muggy, the trees, moss and insects feel real to the touch, and they are definitely in the middle of a jungle.

And then, there's a projected voice, slightly mechanical due to clearly being a recording. ]

Interactive Diary Entry 1: Arrival at Tellus, June X9%U.

[ with that, it stops. For now, it seems that's all that's going to be said. ]

[ Jaune opens his eyes slowly as they readjust to the new environment after being in darkness for a few seconds. Following that, he then hears the recording, easily grasping the current situation as he's a big fan of diary keeping himself. ]

Uh... guys...? I... I think we went back in time. [ Not quite. But... ]

I mean, Tellus is the planet we're on now, I know that much.

[ He feels one of the jungle trees with his hand... it feels so real. ]

..."Interactive Diary"? Perhaps "back in time" isn't too far from the truth...

[Even the atmosphere has changed; Rio has to wonder if this is a mere static record of history, though, or if something a little different is going to happen. "Interactive" suggests that they're going to be the ones experiencing whatever it is that's been recorded here, after all.]

Do we have to do something more to trigger the rest of it, if it's a recording?

Edited 2015-06-27 15:33 (UTC)

Interact with it, probably.

[ Which is why Yang is already striding forward, like this doesn't dismay her at all.

Probably because it doesn't. ]

. . . NEW FILE CREATED . . . CHECKPOINT #001.SAV . . .
. . . CONTINUING TOUR.EXE. . .

[ As Yang steps forward, the jungle spreads out before them. It's a heavily jungled area, with no discernible paths or anything to give them clues as to where to go. There are rather large bugs everywhere, and plants that are brightly colored and questionable-looking.

In the distance, there are the sounds of large creatures moving, but they seem to be a fair distance away (or the trees could be confusing your senses).

For now, there are no other words, but there does seem to be plenty of space for them to move around in. ]

[ugh. hot and muggy. just the kind of trip England did not want to take]

If I knew we'd be stumbling through a jungle, I'd've stayed at home. [says the old man. he whacks at a mosquito that wanted to perch on his neck.

still, England's curiosity is far greater than his dislike of jungles. if only he had better clothes, though. right now, he's dressed in a winter suit! he stops momentarily, craning his neck towards the sound]

Do you guys hear that?

[It is really far too hot for people who'd been in a winter environment up until now. Of course, Peko's a loser who wears all black stockings and a long-sleeve shirt on tropical beaches, so if she's uncomfortable, it doesn't show on her face.]

I do, [she answers England, giving him a nod before returning her attention forward. Her shoulders stiffen a little as she keeps moving forward, eyes constantly darting from place to place. She's not so much soaking in the scenery as looking for threats.]

If this is anything like ViViD... be careful. No matter what Mosley has said, they still do their best to "accidentally" kill us at every opportunity.

[ As soon as England mentions whatever they heard, along with the large bugs around them and Peko's lovely reminder of things trying to kill them, Jaune immediately draws out his sword and shield. ]

Th-that's not gonna happen! I came here to find my friends...!

[ Whom he hopes are still very much alive. ]

We can't go back though... and I dunno how you guys feel about moving forward. Towards that. [ More loud noises can be heard as he says it. ]

Does it really matter? As you said, we can't go back, so there's one option.

[While she's not thrilled about the prospect of being the first to find out what's lurking ahead, Rio tenses her muscles to make ready to leap away if necessary, fingers the Baria Lapis in her pocket, and treads slowly towards the sound.]

For all this jungle seems to care, we pick a direction and go forward. Unless the sounds of hostility are supposed to be the road markers...

[ As they continue on, the noises get louder. Thankfully (?) for them, the voiceover also resumes as soon as they continue deeper into the jungle. ]

Upon arrival, it was clear that this was an uncivilized world. Mr. Vincere seems to think it's perfect for our purposes, however, and he's the man with vision, after all. He gave everyone the task of searching the jungle to find a place for the colony.

This isn't much of a place for an intern, though. Still, standing around listening to those noises isn't great either. Can't anyone else hear them?

[ The voiceover stops, but the noises do not; as they get louder, they sound like the tread of many clawed feet against the branches of the trees, and a distinct sound, almost like...the slither of a snake, or something snake-like. ]

[it's like they have their own commentary! England looks around, listening carefully to the story as it seemingly unfolds around them]

I wonder if we should leave markers to remind ourselves which way the exit is. [will that matter? the noise is unsettling, sending a chill up his spine. this is no place for an intern, or for young teens, for any of them. England is hoping they won't have to fight anything. if this is just a recording, perhaps whatever beast is lurking around won't see them.

...then again, the bugs weren't leaving them alone...]

[ Speaking of bugs, Jaune taps Peko and points to a large caterpillar thing crawling on her shoulder. ]

[WHY... Peko flinches at the touch to her right shoulder and spins, starting to draw her katana from its sheath and neatly elbowing Jaune right in the nose.

Then a muffled grunt of alarm as she realizes there's something on her shoulder, the grip on her sword tightening before she tosses it to her left hand and uses the hilt to try to shove the giant caterpillar off. Gross gross gross howcouldthishappentome.mp3

Please stand back unless you want a face full of caterpillar.]

Edited 2015-06-28 00:14 (UTC)

[ Yang is definitely standing back-- or jogging ahead, after knuckle-nudging some bark off a nearby tree. See look, England, she was listening! ]

Okay, guys, enough flirting. Let's go find us some noise-makers!

[ ... And her gauntlets are activating, sliding to cover more of her arms and wrists. For all her amusement, she's not about to assume that whatever the noisy monster things are won't hurt them. Or try. ]

Edited 2015-06-28 00:33 (UTC)

[ Jaune had his shield raised in a reflex reaction as Peko was dealing with the creature. However, after hearing what Yang just said, he slowly lowers his shield and...

just

looks at Peko in awe.

She was flirting with him? Could this be true? This is no time to be thinking about these things at all, because his number one priority is to save his missing partner. But... wow... could this be the beginning of a new romance for Jaune Arc? Is a girl finally noticing him? ~~RWBY fandom groans.~~

Just as they begin to move on, Jaune leans in to Peko from the side and offers the suddenly cute girl another awesome fact about himself: ]

.......... I'm a natural blond.

[ W-Walks ahead... ]

[ sorry to interrupt your flirting

But either way, Jaune walking ahead trips some sort of thing in his hurry.

Either way, the noises are suddenly growing louder and louder, and then, out of the jungle foliage, there bursts this creature.

Helpfully, the intern's diary narrates:]

There are monsters here! There's a monster! What sort of place are we in? Why are we even here on this horrible planet?

Thankfully, Mr. Vincere's robots were able to take care of the monster, but it was terrifying.

[ Unfortunately, there don't seem to be any robots here now. Just the monster, and it certainly sees them. ]

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▶ CHECKPOINT ONE.SAV

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time for some visual gags before we all move further as a group

LMAO JAUNE

the things I miss while I'm at work

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