//SCENARIOS.EXE
PHASE I [ 20 00 ]
The evening begins promptly at 8:00 PM. There will be crowds gathered, lining up to get in. Everyone will be allowed, children, adults, the living and flesh-filled, the robotic, and the undead. The music will be thumping as far as the sidewalks outside, and the first thing everyone will notice would be bowls of candy everywhere as far as the eyes can see. They'll be sitting on top of the tables in all their innocent glory. For the most part, they are harmless.
But not the candy corn. Never the candy corn. Within it is a secret chemical that causes those who consume it to exhibit attraction to the nearest object/person to them, whether it be inanimate or otherwise. They will feel compelled to be close, to kiss and touch whatever is around them, though the effects only last an hour or so. Consider it a low-leveled aphrodisiac of sorts.
PHASE II [ 21 22 ]
You're dancing. You're moving to the music. Or you're clinging to the walls and wondering why you're even here to begin with. That's when the holograms start playing around with you. The image flickers frequently until a face appears. You can swear it's talking to you beneath the music.
'We need you. We want you. Join us. Come to the back room. Number 005.'
The closer you get to the hologram screens, the louder the voice becomes until it disappears completely, leaving you to question how real it was.
PHASE III [ 22 17 ]
For those brave enough, you go into Backroom #005. What awaits you there is a room full of masked and costumed figures. You don't know if they are human or not, but they watch you eagerly, inviting you to join their private party. Unfortunately, if you chose the backroom, you chose wrong. You chose very wrong. The door is going to be slammed shut and locked, and all the figures will then pull off their masks and reveal faces familiar to yourself. Faces from your world. They'll ask you accusingly why you haven't saved them yet. What's taking you so long. Did you forget them?
Their eyes will glow as they crowd in on you, yelling and growing more caustic until the lights flicker. When you can see clearly again, the entire room will be empty save for a single glass of wine sitting on the table. You'll be sure someone was inside just a moment ago. You were definitely talking to someone. You can't be going crazy, right?
PHASE IV [ 23 45 ]
Fifteen minutes to midnight. The music is getting louder and more intense. You've been eating candy or drinking all night (or avoiding food entirely if you're wise enough). Yet the music lures you in with its haunting tone, and you spot in the middle, a masked figure dancing more hypnotically than the rest. He's waving his chainsaw around as he puts out his lethal dance moves, and you are being drawn by the music into a violent dance off. You can fight the feeling, you can try and run. Unfortunately, none of the other natives and robots see the masked man but you. Only outsiders can see him, and the closer you get, the more you reach out to touch him-
you discover he's only a hologram like any other. Your fingers move through his shape, and distort it, but you're still so sure it's real.
BONUS [ why o'clock ]
One of the back rooms has a beautiful fortune teller by the name of Aria. She will be seated inside, welcoming individuals or groups of people to give them their fortunes, and she will be giving them bizarrely specific and intimate details about their life from their underwear preference to how many partners they've slept with and how many moles they have on their ass. Prepare for awkward embarrassment. Ah, but what does the future hold in store? She'll smile when asked, and then her face will fall apart until a drill protrudes from the center to try and stab through your face. If your reflexes are fast enough, you can dodge it. If you're too slow, prepare for a hospital visit to the CERES Medical Facility.
Once that ordeal is over with, her face will reconstruct itself back to normal, and she will smile and say your future looks very bright in CERES.
[ 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 meme. ]
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Still, the relief is obvious on Jude's face that he found her. Or... it would be if he didn't have the mask on. How'd she get away without wearing hers??
But when she mentions that he shifts uncomfortably on his feet. Yeah, he'd seen it too. Of course he had. And of course he didn't actually believe it. He didn't know if he could disprove it or anything like that but... he just couldn't believe it. If anything, Milla would have never allowed that to happen.
He doesn't want to think about it. Because he really can't with this awful, stupidly loud music. So he just smiles at her in return.] I'm fine, don't worry. I'm sure the others are too. It's just hard to recognize anyone in a place like this.
[But they were... probably around, right? Probably...] Anyway, what are you doing exactly?
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Leia takes a deep breath, feeling relieved. The music isn't doing any favors for either of them, but his words feel so reassuring that it doesn't even matter. Even if she couldn't believe her own convictions... not 100%... she could believe in Jude. They'll find the others, safe and sound, even if it takes an eon.
However long that is.]
To be honest, I'm still figuring that part out.
I sort of just followed the crowd, but it's been interesting so far, don't you think?
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So he'll take the burden of worrying about this for now. Leia didn't need to get worried about it too.]
I don't know if that's the word I would use for it. [Maybe more like... weird. Uncomfortable. Overwhelming. Too much loud music. Etc.] But I guess it's definitely... unique. I'm not even really sure what we're suppose to be doing.
[There's some weird... dancing going on. Maybe? And drinking. But only a select few seem to be eating. Regardless it's all very strange and Jude isn't sure he wants to stick around.]
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She tilts her head, concentrating reaaaal hard. You can just barely make out the "hmm" sounds she's making.]
We could step outside for a bit. I don't really know how these parties work either, but the constant pounding can't be good for my head.
[because it's unfortunately all about the bass......]
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At her suggestion he gives a long suffering sigh.] I tried but they wouldn't let me leave for some reason. I asked why but they didn't really give me an answer.
[The strange masked employees had only ushered him back in and told him it was important he stay put. That was it.
Yeah and Jude can't shake it like he's suppose to to this bass either. He's a doctor not a dancer, man.] Maybe we should try to see if any of the others are around here. [Ludger and the others must be around if the two of them are, right? Hopefully...]
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[Admittedly, an epic fight against shady masked employees of an even shadier night club would make an exciting article. But she'll push that out of her mind, because... well, Jude's upset, and it's not like she has a boss to report to anyways.
Not yet...]
Good idea, though. Let's stick together, too... I don't want to lose you in this place.
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Also Leia no.... let's find a peaceful, nonviolent solution here...
He smiles at her.] Of course. [He doesn't want to lose her either especially since the ultimate goal here is to find everyone and regroup. Although...
He pauses and then reaches up to take off the mask. He doesn't wanna wear it to begin with and even less so when she's not wearing hers. It's silly...] How much of the area have you explored? This is the furtherest in I've gotten. [But there appears to be a back beyond the ballroom that extended further, he noticed.]
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At the question, she looks sheepish and scans room again as she responds.]
Same here. I've mostly been in this ballroom area, since that's where everyone seems to be hanging around.
I did see some rooms that way, but I didn't know if we were allowed back there.
[Not that it's stopped them before...]
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I wandered around the floor trying to spot someone but the lighting made it difficult. [Not the masks. He was pretty sure he could spot their friends even with them on. Milla for sure, at least. And Muzét. Definitely her. But he hadn't had any luck there either.]
Me either but I guess there's only one way to find out. Come on. [If it was no good he's sure the employees will shoo them off... but it was worth a try.
So he'll lead the way in that direction. Stay close and don't get lost in the crowd there, Leia.]
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Right behind you!
[She can't help it though. She'll snag a few pieces of candy before she darts off after him--
Chocolates, caramels... and yes, candy corn, too.]
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But yeah, there isn't anything back here when they do make it. Just a lot of doors with numbers on them. For some reason the one marked 005 catches his attention though he isn't sure why.]
I guess there isn't anything back here after all. [Not even many other people... although there is a couple in the corner making out but Jude is totally just going to ignore that. So maybe... the others aren't here. He doesn't assume the worst, only that perhaps they're outside or elsewhere that isn't this club.
Jeez, he really wishes they could just leave...]
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Once she catches up with Jude, she's scanning the room again. #005 also catches her attention, but... not in a good way, and she kind of feels like she should stay away from it, though she's not sure what that room has that the others don't.
She pops a piece of candy in her mouth--the chewing helps calm her nerves, which are a bit more jittery than usual. Then of course, she spots the couple in question, which does NOT help; and with her cheeks kind of red, she quickly averts her eyes and pretends like she didn't see anything.
Why with Jude, of all people...?]
I- I don't see any Do Not Enter signs anywhere, either! [Her eyes stop on a random room.] Should we...?
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Oblivious as per usual Jude continues to be hyper focused on the task at hand.] Let's give it a shot. [If the others were around they might've come back here to escape the noise too. Well... a few of them might have anyway.
The one marked 005 also gives him a bad feeling so he'll pick 002 because that's the door they're close too. He opens it casually and........]
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This was a terrible idea.
He just kind of... shuts the door quietly. Why this...] I'm beginning to understand what kind of club this is. [All the more reason to want to leave, really...]
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She'd seen enough of them when Jude opened the door... some of them turned to give them death glares, and others didn't notice them at all. Leia's hands shake a bit, as she resists her own thoughts.
I wonder what that's like...? It must be nice, being held like that. To be so close to him, to be able to taste his lips. Haven't you always wanted that?
No... No, she's been hanging around Muzét too much.
And yet she reaches forward, tugging at Jude's labcoat. It's just forceful enough to pull him a bit closer and away from the now-closed door.]
Um... I-I don't think I need notes on that.
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Whoa that's a little too close there, uh...
He smiles a bit, looking a little concerned by her sudden need for closeness here.]
Are you okay? [Also, why is she taking notes...? .... Is she trying to write an article on all of this? Leia please this is serious... There's no time for that...]
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[Alarmed, she lets go of him, stumbling back... but not too far. She stares at the gentle smile on his face and suddenly it feels like she's trying to resist the pull of a magnet. What is this place doing to her?
Of course, her answer to that, especially to a question coming from Jude, is automatic.]
I'm fine! I, uh... Th-That was my fault. Sorry. [She lowers her head, thinking it might be easier when she's not looking at his face. Only then her forehead bumps against his chest, and she can't help but inch a bit closer when she hears his heartbeat.
He's so warm and comfortable, too...
It was her idea to open that door. Now it's closed, so why...]
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He lifts his hands to gently place them on her shoulders. He tilts his head a little to try and look at her face. Maybe she has a fever or something...?] It's fine, don't apologize. Why don't we find somewhere for you to sit down, okay? [He suspects similar to her in that maybe the atmosphere here was making her dizzy or something. It as definitely a bit oppressive and overwhelming. Even Jude felt out of sorts from it.
He glances up at the rooms near them. ... Ugh. Well, they'll be the most quiet spot for her to sit that he can think of. But are any of them going to be empty? He doesn't trust his luck in this place anymore but...] Come on, this way.
[He's going to guide her toward one anyway and hope for the best...]
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She looks a lot like a deer in headlights now, though sitting down admittedly sounded like a good enough plan.
Her shoulders feel tense. She doesn't want him to let go. When he starts to lead them towards another door, she follows him like she might lose him forever if she doesn't.]
Y-Yeah, sure. [The floor is suddenly interesting again. She's got to say something... something that sounds like herself again.] There's got to be an empty room in here someplace, right?
[So we can be alone--
She's barely able to force a smile before the thought creeps up on her; embarrassment running so deep that she might actually explode.
Did she really mean it like that? She didn't. She didn't--]
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This makes him more determined to find her a quiet room and this time when he opens the door he does it more cautiously. He peeks in... aha! Success at last! 001 seems to be empty and he sighs in relief. He wasn't sure where they could go if he hadn't been able to find an empty room.]
In here. [He ushers her in as he says it, now in all out fuss-over-her-well-being mode. He knows she hates it when he does and to his credit he stopped doing it after she left to work in Elympios on her own but still... this is really worrisome!
He forces her to sit on the leather couch pressed against the back wall. This room seems a little more informal but as long as it has a place to sit it's fine...]
Just rest for a little while, okay? You should take it easy and stop overdoing it.
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A flicker of herself does return, though, when he starts to fuss the same way she does.]
I'm not, I swear! [She plops down onto the couch like a small child. She stares, at first defiantly, but then it changes into something different.
She reaches for his sleeve and tugs at it, as if wanting him to join her.] It's... just...
[...... Come on, Leia, you can tell him anything!! You trust him, so--]
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He's still pretty sure she might be feverish though and when she tugs at his sleeve he obeys, sitting down beside her without a second thought. However her reaches up his hand to touch her forehead. She did feel a little flushed but not really feverish...]
You don't seem to have a fever, at least. Maybe the atmosphere here just got to you. [He's pretty much just entered full doctor mode here so he's clueless. As... usual, really.]
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Can words really not work here......?]
Hey...
[Just shut up.
Suddenly her voice is eerily calm, for someone who feels backed into a corner. Her eyes open again, and she reaches for his wrist that hovers just above her face. She slowly pulls herself upwards off the couch, until she's standing up again, leaning into him.
Her hands travel up and she rests them on his shoulders.]
Don't... hate me for this, okay?
[She has to be quick. She might come back to her senses, or-- or Jude might pull away or something.
But she doesn't think about that. She can't think about that.
Let us surrender to our baser urges--
Leia closes the distance between them. She shuts her eyes, and... before she can change her mind, she presses her lips against his.]
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UM????]
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He's frozen when she kisses him and there's a few solid seconds of sheer inner panic; mostly confused panic. He doesn't really register what's happening here and then suddenly he notices the softness of her lips and well hey, this is really happening.
But he doesn't want to push her away or shove her because he's still Jude so instead he jerks away from her himself, moving back as far as he can even with her holding his wrist like that. He's completely flabbergasted and his face is plenty pink as he stares at her with a weird combination of concern and fear.]
L-Leia, what... [He sputters out, barely even able to be coherent.] Wh-Why are you.... [Oh my god he's so confused and embarrassed!]
What's gotten into you?!
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