//TESTDRIVE.EXE

[reparator]

"I'm the reason half of you are drunk at the moment." (CEO-SAN, NO...) "I'm the reason half of you are drunk at the moment." (CEO-SAN, NO...)

//TESTDRIVE.EXE The lights flicker overhead, music blaring from the speakers as you step inside, every sound drowned out except for that hypnotic tune. The walls are painted in an array of hypnotic colors, saturated to the point where your attention doesn't know where to land, and all kinds of screens hang from each corner, showing flashing images of ads, gadget after gadget appearing in a second to show you the best of what Ceres has to offer. Dancing bodies flank each side of the large ballroom, bodies with eyes that look hollow and their faces too symmetrical. They'll occasionally glance at you and smile, maybe even engage and offer to take you to one of the private rooms in the back. However, their words are interrupted when the lights suddenly turn brighter and focus on the center where a raised platform sits. A man appears in the center, one hand raised to silence the music while the other holds a microphone. "It's been some time, hasn't it? As you may or may not know, I am the CEO and founder of CERES, Julius Vincere, and you can say, I'm the reason half of you are drunk at the moment." He chuckles lightly before continuing, "For a second there, I was worried we wouldn't make it, but I placed my confidence in all of you. I knew you'd surpass my expectations when I first brought you here, and you were able to utilize our tools to perfection. As you may have suspected by the gallons of champagne being passed around at my behest-" He pauses to reach out for a glass, snatching it from one of the wait staff passing by before raising it to the crowd. "We've finally obtained our first victory here on Cerealia. The colony is ours completely and will be fully functional from this day forward. Please enjoy all the luxurious amenities we have put together, and join me in journeying towards a new and better future. Together, we will expand our territory here and reach even further horizons. And by all means, don't be shy with the staff. They're also here for your entertainment." He gestures around the room, smiling before taking a sip of his champagne. Applause echoes from the crowd while Julius steps off the stage, handing the mic to one of the staff before pausing for pictures and interviews from reporters. You stand in the crowd as the lights dim once more, lost in a sea of people and wondering where to go next.

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ 1801 ] The screens lining the walls inside even extend into the bathrooms and the back rooms, playing commercial after commercial, all CERES themed, as you mingle with the other guests, but occasionally, the image transforms into a flash of something else. It appears for a split-second. There's the face of a woman, lips parted in a soundless cry. She looks to be in pain, fingers pressed to the screen. It's so quick that most don't register it, barely even notice it's there unless they focus. The party continues without incident, otherwise. Because it's a pretty damn good party, isn't it? There's plenty of food, strong drinks - hey, no one under seventeen is allowed to drink - and many decorative people. Just ignore that feeling of being watched! You're just so good looking, after all. PHASE II [ ???? ] A room sits in the back with several helmets characters can wear to upload themselves into ViViD, a state of the art virtual reality game, and enter one of the game stages to participate in a team mission. They can sample a few minutes of gameplay as they enter a short battle with one of the NPC creatures. They'll quickly become familiar with the state-of-the-art technology as all pain and wounds experienced inside will feel real and will appear on each character's body. But what an awesome game it is. With amazing digital quality surround, it's a world like none other... but be careful not to fall too fast! (Those monsters even smell real, don't they?) Feel free to talk to Vidia, the game host, if you need help getting things going! PHASE III [ 2134 ] The evening is wearing on, the dance floor is becoming more crowded. The music seems oppressive by now. People are feeling charged with adrenaline, or feeling the intensity rise in the mood. Maybe a new partner is the right choice to go with- or maybe you can talk to a wallflower. But one thing is for certain... The loud vibrations disguise the fact that something is moving over the vents. You can hear it in the background, the rustling sound that agitates your ears. But hey, maybe it's nothing, right? After all, it's just a party... Maybe you'll want to go into the back rooms for a bit to... explore your new friends? The rooms (and your companions) are quite pretty and cozy, and can be adjusted with holograms to create a room for your desired mood. After all, it's a little too noisy when you're not alone, but the sudden silence might get oppressive too... [ Feel free to get intimate or just get out of the party and sleep off the drinks, but remember, anything above PG stuff must go into your own journals and under NO circumstances will unwanted propositioning be allowed or any non-consensual activity lest you want to be locked in a cold box on top of a huge ice cube for the rest of the night. Naked. Please use your own discretion, the minimum age for intimacy is 15-16. ] PHASE IV [ 0243 ] In the quieter corners of the party, it becomes more ever-present until something falls on your eye. It's red. Warm... As you gaze up, you see a dead body faced down, the half-sliced face lying against the ventilation screen. The body's eyes remain open, staring down at you. Screams and sounds of shock sound, and the party halts. As the security filters in to investigate the body, the rustling only grows louder. It's then that they suspect something is in the vents. It's crawling avidly across the ceiling, and lights fall one by one, exploding against the ground. There's barely a moment to register the chaos before the last knight of CERES appears. You can choose to run. You can choose to engage. The knight won't let you leave its sight alive. But you know you have to do something. Be it protecting the innocents there, or fighting off the creature that seems to only be there to harm you and your friends, old and new. And you do want to protect this place, because it's just been won... don't you? BONUS [ whyo'clock ] There's a ball pit hidden in one of the auxiliary rooms. All invited parties are given a maximum of one hour to have fun time in the ball pit. They must not exceed their one hour or they will be forcibly removed by the security droids. Please keep all food and alcohol out of the ball pit. Do not have any genital parties in the ball pit. The ball pit is sacred to CERES. [ The party will be long, so take your time enjoying each scenario... and dreading it. At the end of it all, things will be calmed down and you're free to enjoy the night as you please. Remember to keep things PG (the FAQ below elaborates!), and absolutely no forcing any R-rated things with anyone below 15-16 (so be sure to ask their age, right?) or the droids will have a little fun chasing you around! Do enjoy the pretty views of the gorgeous digital city though. Which seems strangely quiet, but at this late hour, why not, right? ]

//RUN.EXE Welcome to CEREALIA's first test drive! Please forgive our appearance as we are going through the final stages game completion. While most pages are under development and/or hidden from the public eye, please don't feel discouraged, since knowing everything doesn't always make the experience. Your characters will know as little as you. For your convenience, we have compiled a mini-FAQ - please read it thoroughly before playing. Thank you! FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS HOW DID MY CHARACTER GET HERE? You may have been just been doing their day-to-day activities - be it swimming or fighting demons - but the next moment, a crack and blinding light - now you're here, in your best attire, celebrating. The memories of your at-home activities fade away like a fleeting dream, and it's replaced with the feeling of happiness. ( You haven't forgotten your past, just that anything you were doing seems far too distant to be important. ) Must be something in the air. You can't remember clearly fighting for CERES, and whatever this Julius Vincere is telling you might be complete bullshit for all you know, but something influences you to play along anyway - if you think about it long enough, perhaps you had fought for CERES after all...? WHO/WHAT IS CERES? WHAT IS CEREALIA? You mean... you don't remember? After all the help you gave it? WHAT FORMAT CAN WE USE FOR THIS TESTDRIVE? Action (brackets/prose), video/voice, and texting are all available via your CEREVICE at this moment. Most functions are currently undergoing a system update, but as long as it is still connected to the Auralia Network, it will be available for communicative uses. WHAT IS ViVID? An amazing VR game! The demo version of ViViD will be here to play, aren't you excited? It's played with headsets that immediately allow you to experience full-body simulation, without having to move out of your seat! You can enjoy the demo world, design your own, play alone, play with a team, but remember, the boss must be beaten! Please check the phase ii thread for details and interactions! SO... PHASE III? Sexy things can happen, you're getting hot and heavy on the dance floor, and there are rooms in the back that can be decorated to your mood, after all. REMEMBER, the age of consent is 15-16, please use your own discretion and don't upset people. For the test drive, any situation that goes above PG (beyond kissing/grinding/light making out... We're lenient) must go into threads in your own journals. Any creeper behavior or unwanted advances will get an IC boot into the Frozen Locker with "Let it Go" on repeat. POWER LIMITATIONS? Actually, no, the characters don't have any of their abilities locked or otherwise suppressed. More info will be i the official FAQ, but so long as you don't destroy the entire game ( and we trust you can use your powers responsibly— as does CERES! ), limitations are nonexistent. OKAY, WHAT ABOUT PREVIOUS GAME MEMORIES? It's completely acceptable to bring a character that has been in a previous game to Cerealia! THE NAME LOOKS FAMILIAR. . . Yes, a loosely related setting concept with a place called CEREALIA was pitched for an ExitVoid phase before the moderators decided to close the game for good. A few of us got together with the original pitchers of the idea since we thought it really awesome and with a lot of potential and decided to try our own thing with it! ARE THE GAMES RELATED? Nope. Not at all, it's been rehashed from the ground up and built to stand on its own as an original place and game. We'll keep coming back to this, so don't worry.

Comments

hajime saitou | hakuouki - bonus

[iaijutsu]

[Fun...in the ball pit.

This would surely be more meaningful to someone who understands what, exactly, fun in the ball pit is supposed to entail, rather than someone who's just staring blankly at all the little colored balls with the expression of someone who's never had fun in his life and has no idea where to start.

(He'd argue that isn't quite accurate, but it's not as far off as he'd like you to think.)

Still...Saitou's trying. He's seated dead center, there's a red plastic ball neatly balanced on his head (no sign of who put it there), and he's very closely watching the actions of everyone around him, as if by watching everyone else have fun, he'll somehow crack the code and figure out how to have some himself.

...it hasn't been working too well so far.]

[iaijutsu]

[Out of place?

Absolutely.

And from the ripple in his expression, however subtle, it seems like he might be slightly self-conscious of it - but his face quickly turns professionally blank again. No, he doesn't quite get it, but this is just a serious and dutiful attempt to reach some kind of understanding about these strange new surroundings, and he is not at all concerned about his inability to explain why this contraption even exists in the first place.

Not one bit.]

Such things do not exist in my homeland.

[occator]

[ A flicker of interest, but it's quickly replaced with a counter to the "professionally blank" expression of his subject - boredom. His eyes slip close, and his sigh comes off just a hair short of exasperation. ]

I see...

[ When they open, the boredom's gone, as though putting on a new face for CERES' honored guests. Stepping closer, he squats just before the glass separating them, resting a cheek on the palm of his hand. ]

Well, are you having fun? Most people your age would enjoy women and booze, you know.

[iaijutsu]

Alcohol is better with the proper company.

[And though it's meant as no insult to the company at this party, Saitou makes friends slowly enough that he hasn't yet warmed up terribly much to most of the others here.

...he's not avoiding that first suggestion at all, certainly not.]

[occator]

[ It earns him a scoff-laugh, standing up slowly. ]

The same argument can be used for a ball pit, uh -- [ Glancing at his phone as discreetly as he can. ] Hajime.

You did so well out there, though. I'm sure even the Head would drink with you.

[tuberculosis]

[trying to figure out the appeal of the ball pit... well, the two of them are definitely taking vastly different approaches to trying to figure this out. which probably wouldn't be a bad thing were it not for the fact that souji's method involves pissing off just about every single person who passes him by.

he can see what's fun about the ball pit — from the perspective of someone who watches other people go tumbling into it with arms and legs flailing wildly. that? well, that's pretty fun. as for what saitou's doing? well, it's definitely the most saitou-like approach to the situation, but souji has his doubts it's really going to accomplish much.

which is exactly why souji crouches on the ground outside of the ball pit to take matters into his own hands. he picks up a couple of stray balls in various colors, and then...]

Hajime-kuuuuuuun! [he calls out before tossing them one at a time, his aim set on knocking the red ball that managed to stay steady atop saitou's head.]

[iaijutsu]

[In any time, any place, and any situation, Souji will always be Souji.

Saitou turns to look at Souji, his posture otherwise perfectly still as the first couple of balls whiff harmlessly past his head, not quite on the mark. The last one looks like it's about to hit its mark...until Saitou lazily tilts his head to the side to avoid that one too, the red ball finally rolling off from the motion.]

Are you finished?

[tuberculosis]

...You don't have to be such a wet blanket about it, you know.

[souji frowns — or well, he pouts — as he moves from a crouching position to a sitting one. his legs dangle over the edge, slipping into the pile of balls. seriously, friend, that was kind of rude.]

Right at the last second, too. Really, Hajime-kun, you know how to spoil the fun when you want to.

[iaijutsu]

Someone has to keep you on your toes.

[There are enough people in the world who already let Souji's crap fly unchallenged. The last thing he needs is one more.

He straightens up his posture again, watching Souji dip his legs into the ball pit without further comment.]

[tuberculosis]

By spoiling all the fun? You could play along a little sometimes, you know. It's a party, isn't it?

[souji's shoulders slump a little, and he almost looks like a little kid that's been scolded by his parents. it's definitely always the worst when it's saitou who does this to him. he's just trying to have a little fun here, give him a break! especially because souji's crap this time is a hell of a lot less harmful than what he's generally capable of.

this is barely even mischief right now.]

[guardia]

[ She has stumbled upon the ballpit and simply decided to watch people enjoy playing in it, never having seen one before so intrigued slightly how plastic balls could be much entertainment. But, as she lets her gaze float over the various people, Naoto's attention stills on the odd man out who seems to be attempting very hard to understand the concept that he is missing out on experiencing as of current.

She can't help but smile the slightest but to herself, feeling for him as she wouldn't have much clue how to enjoy the pit, either. Maybe he's just a far braver soul than she to even attempt. Either way, Naoto kneels at the edge of the ballpit, idly pushing some of her scarf back over her shoulder as to not let it drape forward and somehow get caught on something. Her voice is quiet, only enough volume to hopefully have the other's attention caught despite the other activity. ]

Any luck...?

[iaijutsu]

[As quiet as she is, Saitou doesn't miss things easily, and he glances over to find the source of the voice.

She doesn't seem like she's got the idea any more than he does, from the way she's hanging at the edge and the looks she's giving to the others in the pit. And unlike some people he could name (Souji...), she doesn't seem to find anything hilarious about his attempt, either.

Finding someone who thinks on his same wavelength, at least to some extent, is uncommon enough that there's always something a bit refreshing about it when it does happen.]

...not as such, I am afraid.

[guardia]

[ well, it is true she has absolutely no more of a clue than he does and probably almost with less of an excuse what with her being from a more modern world.

Naoto seems empathetic to his failure of making the grand discovery he is seeking, but she lets go of the potential conversation fueler in favor of... ah, well... in favor of slowly slipping down into the ball pit and moving forward only as necessary until she can lean forward to reach and gently take the red ball off of his head. That obviously does not belong there.

It's only after she's done so, however, that the thought he put it there is a real possibility and her expression blanks out before she extends her hand, palm flat and up in order to present the red ball back to him. ]

...Sorry.

[ she didn't think this one through. Hopefully it wasn't any strategy in the making (how it possibly could be, she does not know but better to be safe than sorry with strangers that she hasn't felt the immediate need to write off as useless or otherwise stupid. ]

[iaijutsu]

[It wasn't a strategy or an attempt to blend in, thankfully - just the last piece of evidence of some plastic-ball-related indignity someone or other already inflicted on him at some point when he first climbed in. So he's not entirely sure what to do with the ball that she's handing back to him, but it won't stop him from accepting it gracefully and...just holding onto it for now. It doesn't seem proper to just throw it right back in there, either.]

You have done nothing to apologize for.

[mitsunari]

[ ... what is he supposed to do with all these balls?

That's the first question that strikes him as he lies in the center of the colorful pit, clad in his armor and weapons. Just how is he supposed to wade through all of this? He's not even certain what it is he's sitting on, but it's uncomfortable. There are balls digging into places where balls should not be and if he wants to be crass, there are balls digging into balls. There. I said it.

It's most unpleasant to say the least, and Mitsunari tries to stand in spite of all the discomfort, absently fighting for escape and wondering how he was even dropped here. At least, a familiar face greets him, though Saitou looks more thoughtful than concerned about the state of things. ]

I don't suppose you actually know something regarding the purpose of this room. Is it supposed to be training or amusement to whoever it was who saw fit to drag us here. All this being shuffled around dimensions has long since become aggravating when they won't even return us to our proper worlds as they should.

[iaijutsu]

I have the impression that amusement is the intended effect, but I confess I am at a loss as to what about it is meant to be so amusing.

[And he's been trying very hard to understand that, because understanding a situation is the first step to properly dealing with it, but he's been here for close to three quarters of his allotted hour and it still makes no more sense than before.]

[mitsunari]

I fail to see what's amusing about being dropped in a receptacle with these contraptions.

[ He holds up a ball to his face, trying to see if there is anything special or unique about them. Are they weapons? Do they have any other effect aside from just being round and colorful? He gives up trying to understand after a few seconds and tosses it over his shoulder before attempting to wade through the sea of balls only to find himself slipping and falling deeper into the pit with an undignified noise spilling from his throat. ]

This must be a trap of sorts to keep us from immediate retaliation. It's intended use is to immobilize us. I am certain of it.

[ Even with that conclusion, crawling out isn't any easier as he aims to reach the exit. ]

How long have you been here? Why haven't you found a way out, yet?

[iaijutsu]

I have witnessed no retaliation or attempts to subdue those who leave. Surely if this is intended to immobilize those within it, there would be more stringent measures in place...

[He frowns thoughtfully. In fact -]

I have been here for perhaps forty-five minutes. There was one already here, when I arrived -

[And that would be the poor sap getting grabbed by a security droid, over across the way.]

[bloodtablets]

[Yuki decided to stay in the ball pit after being shoved into it by the strange guy from before damn it, Souji. It was fun and she may as well use her time in it to enjoy it! Wading a bit, she looks up when she realizes there's someone standing in the middle of the sea of colored plastic balls looking every bit confused as someone who's not sure of what the situation is that they are in.]

Uhm, did that guy push you in too? Are you alright?

[She looks back up, worried for a second that he had actually pushed this one in as well after she'd left him to his own devices.]

[iaijutsu]

I am fine. Souji is harmless.

[Actually, that was a really bad way to put it, and from the look on Saitou's face, he realizes that as soon as he says it.]

...in this instance, at least.

[bloodtablets]

Oh.

[She does feel bad for assuming that he pushed him!! He just looks so confused.]

I'm sorry! I didn't mean to guess wrong!

[Apology complete with head bowing and all that.]

Uhm, but- you don't look like you're all that comfortable in here... have you never seen a ballpit before?

[iaijutsu]

[Although Souji is quite capable of getting Saitou to make those kinds of faces, for once he's blameless in this.]

Is that what it is called?

[Well, he can't say it doesn't make perfect sense.]

okok slowly making my way around here...

[demarcates]

[ god he turns away for a minute and the whole goddamn world has broken.

Exhibit A: Hajime Saitou in a multi-color extravaganza of plastic.

Hijikata just stands there and then: ]

What the hell are you doing.

[iaijutsu]

[Oh, no.

This looks all wrong and horribly undignified, and while he could endure a thousand indignities for the right cause, and to most eyes, to look this undignified in front of Hijikata, of all people -

Seldom does Saitou look so very like a dog with its tail between its legs.]

I was attempting to understand the appeal others seem to find in this...contraption.