ioculus | //TESTDRIVE.EXE

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!test drive

//TESTDRIVE.EXE

"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.

Threaded | Flat

[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.]

Edited 2014-07-24 03:45 (UTC)

[there's a buzzing in nam soon's ears that agitates; it grates and if it weren't for everything else, he'd probably have bailed already.

there are a lot of things about this situation that feel kind of fuzzy to him — it's a blurry sense of not knowing the hows or whys, but not being entirely displeased about it either. it's like a temporary weight has been lifted from his shoulders, even if he can't explain the reasoning. he doesn't particularly remember fighting for anyone at all. cerealia? huh. it feels like kind of a mystery, and while he could be inclined to think it was because he one drink too many. ...but the truth of the matter is that he hasn't really had anything to drink at all.]

...Annoying. That sound. [he mutters it quietly to himself, his lips pursing in some kind of vague irritation. nam soon kind of just wants to take a nap, honestly. it's crowded though, so as he seeks out a quieter room to recoup in, he may bump into someone, knock a drink from their hands...

or find himself in a room that's already occupied. he doesn't appear all that intent on interrupting anyone, at least, but if he finds a room with a table? he'll sit at it, stretch one arm out in front of him, and use the other as a makeshift pillow. he may need to be woken up if he's in the way, though there aren't any guarantees that he won't retaliate if things get too rowdy.]

[It's not until he's seen at least two rounds of people use the helmets and unhook themselves unscathed that Leonardo finally steps up to give it a try himself - though after that incident with the Utrom's VR technology, there's really no blaming a guy for being cautious, right? But nobody seems to be getting stuck in the game (and no creepy jerkface heads mounted on robot spider bodies are around to sabotage the controls), so eventually, curiosity wins out.

Besides, it might be informative!

If fighting a gigantic dragon-monster thing can be informative, but that's a worry for later.

For now? It's all about winning.

The stage setting seems to be a city - not quite New York, but an urban jungle is still an urban jungle, and Leo's spent enough time training in them to feel quite comfortable with his odds. He's crouched atop a street lamp, eyes on the creature circling overhead, even if his words are loud enough to carry to wherever his fellow players might be nearby, and his question is clearly meant for them.]

Fought anything like this before?

[Dragons are new. But he's sure he can figure something out.]

[souji isn't pay all that much mind to the security that surrounds the ball pit. or any of the rules, in fact. he's just standing near it pretty casually, a drink in one hand. he seems to just be observing the people who pass by...

well, until they walk past him.

anyone who walks past souji and remains close enough to the ball put may just feel a nudge. it may be a light tap, a bump of the shoulder, or a full on shove with the palm of his hand. regardless? if they go tumbling in, he'll be laughing and offering a wave.]

Ahh, they only give you an hour, so make sure you use it well! [there's always gotta be one asshole causing petty trouble at the party, right?]

[ HELLO players! When you enter the strange little room, you'll find a cute little lady ready to take you on. Don't be shy, don't be afraid, she's here to help and guide you into the amazing and wonderful world of ViViD! Not only will she help you with your VR headset settings, but she'll also suggest scenarios if you can't think up any. Everyone gets a turn, and no one is left out!

So, are you brave enough to try the wonderful world of ViViD? Let her know...! You can comment here for some adventurous plotting or questions, but remember, be nice and she might throw in a special surprise! ]

We have a great turnout today, and it's going to get even better! Come on in and don't be shy, I'll hold your hand and we can fly! Just remember the rules, everyone! No hurting players, no rudeness and definitely no trying to cheat! Don't do things you wouldn't do in real life! Are you ready?

[ And right before your eyes, as you enter the chamber to put on your sexy headsets, an image appears! ]

Create your fun, beat up the bad guys, there's lots of prizes to be won! Hey, you there. Right this way. What kind of a game would you like to play? Would you like a solo run, or maybe a friendly group game? The name is Vidi, I'm going to be your guide, so let's have fun, it's going to be a delight!

Oh, and... Don't worry if you're having trouble using the mood set-up in the private rooms. I can help with that, too!

[ Feel free to talk to Vidi, all game guidance and start-up will go here, and you can also make your own top level Phase II threads below! Be careful, the game can be slightly addicting when it starts to go your way! Are you brave enough to take on the challenge? ]

Edited 2014-07-24 09:30 (UTC)

The loud music pounded in her ears and more importantly, she could hear other's heartbeats, practically feel their blood pumping almost as if she could taste it. Heightened senses as they were, everything seemed to drown into one dull noise. She swept the crowd a bit, occasionally getting shuffled along and maybe even propositioned to dance only to decline. Her ankles hurt a little from the heels on her feet that began to take on a constricting feeling. Stopping, she has a drink, turning into a second and then a third drink before she realizes it. She was getting swept up in the atmosphere, all the while a small headache began to form. Some sort of rustling sound was beginning to make her ears and her head hurt. Maybe it was just the music getting to her after a while?

All the same, she slowly pushes back through the crowd to collapse against pillows. The room she found herself in was beautiful with red walls, accented with rose colored curtains. The couch she collapsed into was also red, the pillows soft enough that she grabs the nearest one to hug it to herself. She couldn't recall how she'd wound up here, only that her brother seemed to be nowhere to be found. Maybe if she rested a while he might find her, or she might feel up to searching for him more.

"Hmm..." she mumbles sleepily, curling up into herself as she drifts farther. Her limbs felt heavy and while the pounding still remained, she felt tired enough to sleep a year if need be.

[At first Sano had been confused and on edge upon finding himself in this new situation. And it is rather new, even for a guy who likes to party as much as anyone else. But as the night wears on and he grows used to the sounds and lights assaulting his senses - which may or may not be helped by the fact that he has been imbibing - he begins to relax.

Don't worry, he hasn't reached the shirt-stripping and scar-baring state yet.

But despite everything, he still feels something in the back of his mind that something isn't quite right - though that may also be because of the booze. Either way, he keeps his eyes open for any trouble while still mingling through the crowds, sometimes taking a pretty girl up on an offer of a dance (or something like it, anyway), and other times politely declining a not-so-subtle offer of an entirely different type of dancing.]

[Yeah. Shouyou being in the ball pit really shouldn't be a surprise. Could anyone really imagine this shorty on the dance floor? With a bunch of strangers? Hell no! It doesn't help that high school students can't drink, and high school students as short as him can't exactly get away with faking it either. Even if the taller volleyball club members were around (which they aren't, far as he can tell), he doubts they'd sneak him a drink anyway. Pass, dancing's totally lame. And he'd probably just embarrass himself anyway.

So ball pit it is. And Shouyou is alternating between flopping into the sea of balls like a humpback whale and throwing one above his head, jumping, and "spiking" it back down into its fellow colored friends. These spikes are usually accompanied with a loud shout that vary in intensity, but never in volume. He's gotta get in some practice somehow, right?

Sorry if you catch a ball to the face though.]

[ She may have fought for Ceres in whatever battle had taken place for the colony but she certainly didn't have to agree with everything Julius Vincere did. And, for starters, she was exceedingly disgusted with the thought that any staff member should be a part of the entertainment. She certainly hoped that the men and women she had worked with had better taste then that. Of course, passions of the moment did tend to flare, especially after a victory, but at least consent was usually involved.

Turning a blind eye to some of those same men and women sneaking off to the backrooms, she turned when a waitstaff stopped with a tray of champagne glasses in hand and she quickly took one with a tight smile and a thank you. Taking a gulp, she turned and surveyed the room again, obviously ill at ease in the party and, after a moment, she glanced to the nearest person next to her. ]

It's a, um, lovely party isn't it--[ and that's when she saw her. Staring back at her from the screen behind her perfect stranger was a young woman, scared (obviously) and in pain. Disregarding propriety, she started to push past her perfect stranger when the girl suddenly disappeared leaving Peggy half pressed up against someone and suddenly with nowhere left to go. An awkward breath later, she suddenly stepped aside and cleared her throat. ]

Sorry, but did you happen to see a young girl over there? I usually wouldn't believe it, but it almost looked like she was trapped inside the screen.

[ Because while Peggy was still wrapping her mind around all the advanced technology here in Cerealia, she did know at least one thing. Getting trapped inside a video screen wasn't supposed to be possible. Not even in ViViD. Right? ]

[Phase I]

[She hates crowds. Why was she here? Too many humans walking around, bumping into her. She's not interested in their drinks or chatter, abruptly shoving a woman away when she reaches out to touch Oona's hair. She bares her teeth in a silent snarl and quickly stalks away to look out the windows and try to find a bit of peace.

The view outside is gorgeous, if alien to her. She missed the sea. Why was she even here again...? But the more she tries to remember, the more it seems to elude her until she's pressing a hand to her head and turning away. Her eyes catch a screen, the brief, terrified look of a woman, and Oona jumps in surprise. She turns quickly to the nearest person and asks in a demanding voice:] See that?

[Bonus]

[The fuck is this. Oona looks heavily skeptical of the ball pit she's sitting in--when did she get in here anyway?--and that fact it's more difficult than it should be to move or get out.

She looks at the brightly colored balls and then at the other gathered people, before picking on up and oh-so-casually chucking it at the nearest human-looking person.]

[ Leanne was never someone who attended parties, let alone one that kept her so on edge with the crowd of unfamiliar faces. The man by the name of Julius Vincere speaks of a victory that she can't recall, and the thought alone has her searching for anything in the back of her head before that's swept away with the crowd once the lights had dimmed down. She feels a force against her back that has her stumbling forward, quickly regaining her balance before she even has the chance to accidentally bump into someone else.

There's a bothersome itch in the back of her head as her gaze travels around the room, eyes still adjusting to the lights as she attempts to look for a familiar head or two (preferably two). She moves among the crowd, not exactly sure where she's going before her eyes catches the woman on the screen in absolute pain. Immediately she jumps, her heart stops for a brief second in surprise before she can even register that she no has someone by the arm in her grasp. ]

Oh! [ She immediately lets go. ] I'm sorry! I...

[ She points up to the screen. ]

Did you see that? The girl on the screen, did you see her?

He could hear something rustling through the pipes, its steps soft on the metal and swift. His gaze followed after it, and Kazama eyes light up slightly as finally something about this party was turning out to be a little... fun. He'd have left long ago, but there was something that urged him stay and something that urged him to wait.

And let's face it, Kazama is just lazy enough that even the noise pounding against his ears wasn't enough to get him to move from the wall he'd been decorating all night long. But this? This thing stalking through the shadows was and so he moved, following (again) with both sight and hearing the path the thing must be taking and regardless of who he runs over, who he bumps into, he follows it.

Until he opens up a door to follow a pipe through the wall and steps directly into the ball pit. Falling, he didn't even have time to blink before he crashed into the garishly bright sea of balls, spewing them in an avalanche around him. And then he sank.

RIP Kazama, we knew you well...

((ooc: catch him before the ball pit or after, doesn't matte! Will also match brackets if you prefer brackets. I honestly have no preference.))

[ The night is young, and faces are scattered throughout the crowd, those he'd hand-selected -some his men recommended. He can't help but match them to the intriguing profiles he read through, their histories playing out like a narrative as he shakes hands, spreads smiles, and lets his touch linger. There isn't one he doesn't find suitable to make his vision for CERES come true, and he's eager to get to know these men and women on a personal level after all the trouble it took to bring them this far.

There's a certain swell of excitement being caught in the middle of all these bodies, but even so, something continues to flicker in the corner of his eye. It's faint, too brief to catch. Yet, he sees it, a remnant of his nightmares, perhaps... Who can say?

If he's bothered, he disguises it with a drink because he doesn't like to dwell. His mind is always moving forward, obsessed with progress. Obsessed with the next level of evolution. The future will begin at this crossroad, finally witnessing the stage he'll command, but there's another hint of something.

A soft-whispered voice near his ear, too faint again for him to solidify in his thoughts. Maybe it's his imagination by this point, nothing to fixate over because there are those who need to be greeted. His hand is out, waiting to shake the hand of the one he owes their current success to. ]

Allow me to extend my gratitude to you. You were really impressive out there. I could say you took my breath away.

[ He smiles, still waiting for the offered hand to be taken. ]

What was your name again?

Edited 2014-07-25 00:39 (UTC)

This place is the most fucking useless and goddamn distracting place he's ever seen. ( and that's saying a lot, okay )

And, of course, just like any other place that people are given too much to distract themselves with, it's far too easy to get stalked and cornered into a place that is probably not the best place to be—somewhere quiet, somewhere with less people and less bodies to create a chaotic mess if someone were to just ever so casually gut someone.

Not that Hijikata is worried or anything. Not at all.

Actually, he's not sure if he ended up here subconsciously because of that noisy sound or because that's just how his and Kazama's cat-and-mouse game happened, but... well, the fact is it's happened. However, while he is aware of the sound, it's not as pressing as to turn to see if he has time to do anything to further—

It stings his eye when it manages to drip into it after splattered on the very edge of his brow, but before he bothers with the aggravating sensation, he feels the warmth.

Most of all, though, he smells it.

Jerking his head up immediately, Hijikata's eyes narrow as he locks gazes with the hollowed and lifeless eyes of the freshly mangled corpse. (Didn't he just say this place was way too convenient to have something like this happen?) His jaw clenches tightly shut when someone happens to wander over, noticing him staring so intensely upward and everything just explodes into a rush of chaos.

Security, people, loud noises, pushing and movements he can't register, Hijikata somehow manages to get enough away that he can breathe. Or, so he thought, because the second he inhales one of the lights smashes to the ground—the final light actually—and he ends up holding his breath as it barely misses him. He doesn't even really turn to look upwards, though, because even if he didn't really hear it appear, he knows somewhere between that light dropping and now, whatever it is is no longer up above. Raising his head, he locks his own stare with ... eyes. Lots of eyes. Of course.

"Oh, son of a bitch," he releases his breath on exhale of his words, them both quieter and louder than he intended and his hand already instinctively reaching for the hilt of the longer weapon strapped to his side.

This... well, this is a first, he can safely say.

And that? That says a hell of a lot more than his initial impression of this place, by far.

( so much for that fat squirrel theory. )

[ He's drunk -that's the only explanation available, but he's having fun, laughing and carrying on and living in his own little drunken world for a while. Where he is, he couldn't tell you. How he got there, who knows. All that matters right now is that he's happy, he's having fun, there's booze, and WOW lookit all the colored balls! In fact, there's nothing at all that can possibly make this any better...

...except his hour is up and those sure are security droids trying to haul him bodily out of the ball pit while he kicks and yells and makes grabby hands at the colored sea of plastic.

After dragging him far to the other side of the room and releasing him, Heisuke pouts in indignation, staring longingly at the pit. ]

Why d'they gotta be so mean? It's not like I was doing anything wrong...

Phase III

[The dance floor is too tightly packed for Shindou to handle. So many people thronging, unfamiliar faces, the constant pulse of the music -- they're all foreign to him, even without the distant awareness that he has no real clue where he is. (This isn't a party with the soccer club; this isn't his room at home with Chopin floating from the piano.) He feels like he should be intimidated, but it's more the fact that the fear and confusion refuse to sink in, that the beat and the strangers who keep shoving up against him only drive the rush of adrenaline higher, that's truly overwhelming.

He tries to ask someone along the far wall if they know the way outside, but all that earns him is a smile and a glass pressed into the palm of his hand. (He's pretty sure he's not allowed to drink whatever's in it.) So, instead, he moves along the borders of the dance floor, edging past the celebrants as politely as possible, until he stumbles upon the back rooms.

The first lounge-space he tries is, uhm, populated already, but if there's anyone in the next he comes to, he doesn't notice them right off the bat at least. That's good enough for him; he drops straight down onto a luxurious couch by the wall.

It's only after he's let himself sink into the cushions, contraband champagne still in hand, that he realizes just how badly he needs to catch his breath.]

Phase IV

[Shindou is just so lucky tonight(?).

He's barely made his way from the lounges in the back, out to the party again, when everything falls violently apart. Panicked, someone points to the body overhead, and then security is streaming in. The lights collapse, and that thing snakes out from the vents. Shindou finds himself caught in a torrent of fleeing bodies as he stares in shock at the monster...which has come to a halt, clinging to the ventilation shafts almost directly overhead.

He doesn't know if he can get away from it. Even if he had a clue where away was here, the mob all around him is packed too tight, and the way that thing moves...it'll only hurt someone else, even if he somehow manages to escape.

Without thinking, he reaches for his keshin. Light flares across his frame, replacing whatever outfit he's shown up in with something a little more flashy. And then it's easy enough to start moving through the crowd. A high leap sends him over the mob's head - and precariously closer to the monstrosity above - for a beat, then back down a fair distance away.

Shindou has no idea how to fight something like that, but maybe if he can draw his attention, get it moving in the opposite direction that most of the partygoers appear to be fleeing...well, it's as much of a plan as he can grasp onto, right now.]

iii;
Wine had never agreed with him.

Its acrid fumes made him nauseous, and he did not understand why so many people would willingly down it. Albeit embellished with various condiments and coloured liquids, it was still poison. And only those with a death wish would take poison so lightly.

There were so many questions that still remained unanswered. Why was he here? Surely his duty was paramount... and yet, the unshakable feeling that CERES was more important still remained. This was perplexing - it contradicted much of his character up till now. Was this a sign that his will had finally faltered? Or... was it something more sinister?

Whatever it was, he could not trust whoever was in charge here. And yet, compliance seemed the only way to survival...

... this was frustrating.

He had been standing near the edge of the party for most of the time elapsed, only venturing out in attempts to find water. Yes, plain water. Which, for some reason, was not even available - all the trays were filled with various grades of alcohol. He had to take a glass of the vile substance, empty it discreetly, and scour its surface with whatever moisture he could garner from the air.

Glass now filled with clear water (thank goodness), he left the main hall in search of one of the hopefully empty auxillary rooms. Most of them were filled with people, and only the one at the very end was empty.

However, he barely had time to sit down and open his book before the screen door slid open again.

iv;
He hasn't eaten anything for the whole day, stemming from the possibility that everything had been drugged. However, he couldn't starve - and judging from his physical state, he would black out in a few hours if this function kept dragging on. So, this was another one of their inevitabilities...

... just as he re-enters the party hall, all hell breaks loose.

Even though he has his suspicions about CERES, it doesn't change the fact that the people here need assistance.

The tome in his hand snaps open and rises a few inches into the air. He closes his eyes and focuses, trusting the shield that his spellbook projects to at least buy him a few seconds of time. Five orbs of water condense into existence behind him, fanning out int a vague semicircle. A second later they explode, forming a crescent composed of glittering droplets - which then abruptly lengthen into a myriad of what now seem to be levitating needles.

The strategist opens his eyes, and does a horizontal sweeping gesture with his free hand.

And the needles all fall like rain, streaking above the heads of the panicking partygoers and heading straight for the monster in their midst.

PHASE I
[ The music blaring from the speakers combined with the odor of everyone within her proximity overwhelms her— she finds herself with a headache that just might split her head in two, and an unpleasant scent wafting through the air. Not one for dancing, she finds herself situated on a bar stool, observing the party-goers with a keen sight, even in this dim lighting.

The memory of actually fighting for CERES escapes her, and the more she dwells on it, the more she can't seem to scrape up anything specific. She adjusts her gloves and the jacket she has on, being careful to leave no skin exposed, as she glances to the screens. And it's just in time to catch the flicker of an image that's so out of place between the endless commercials that it startles her.

She takes the time to mull over what she's seen, perturbed but doing well to not show it, when she looks up to notice someone approaching. ]

Ah. Excuse me, it's free. [ She figures the stranger's intentions are obvious, given the fact the only free seat is next to her. She grabs her glass of water and takes a small sip. ] You can sit there, if you'd like.

PHASE IV
[ The stench above her sets her off immediately even before the drop of blood is on her face. She wipes it away, looking upwards and sees the mutilated corpse in clear detail. The screams around her only add to the awful headache she's been sporting this evening before it completely stops. Her eyes wander upward, keeping track of the movement above her.

Every sound is amplified, the crawling in the vents and the lights as they explode. She's painstakingly aware of the situation, so much that she processes the evening could turn horribly wrong if whatever is up there gets out.

It's when the beast appears in front of her does she feel the need to take action. The space is far too confined, far too dangerous because of the people, to even try and use her Chakram. She decides not to risk it.

There's no time to warn anyone of the obvious, before the beast lunges at her. She opens her lips to belt out one continuous note, a white light manifesting in front of her before a circular barrier appears. It separates her from the knight just in time, although her real concern lies in the people behind her. ]

PHASE III
[ The only parties that Four was accustomed to were only a party of six, to be exact. But even that had gone down thanks to the circumstances back home, which she doesn't so much mind because Four actually enjoying the company of her sisters for long is a miracle in itself. Which is why she is so easily irritated with the flashing lights and music in this seemingly small room.

But what the man said early does catch her interest. She's helped save this city? And, even if not mainly towards her, she was being praised for it? She feels her heart swell up in her chest, lips immediately curving into a smile of pride at the mere thought that she was being thanked for all her hard work—

Ah, but what exactly did she do? Any memory of fighting desperately for this place is fuzzy, but the feeling of victory was so clear to her that she didn't even bother to question it any more than she already had. She'd much rather enjoy herself, after all, since she's sure that she helped out the most out of everyone here. She was the most helpful of her sisters, after all.

But her moment of bliss is short-lived when she feels a body against hers, causing her to stumble forward. ] Ugh! [ She quickly turns to whoever was unfortunate enough to bump into her of all people, brows knitted as her voice tries to equal to that of the music. Which, ultimately, silences out the sound of the vents above her for the time being. (At least for her.) ] Have you no manners? Watch where you're going!

PHASE IV
[ Yeah, Four is beginning to realize that parties like this are just not for her. Not only was it insanely crowded, but half of the people here were almost as shameless as Five, all of whom received an almost painful glare from her before she declines. And not politely, either.

So she goes off on her own in one of the less populated corners of the room, standing on her toes to gaze over the crowd in hopes of finding some exit somewhere.

But that's before something drips down and lands on her cheek, causing her to freeze and return to her heels before she looks up. Almost immediately she can feel her heart sink, staring back at the mangled corpse as another drop of blood lands on her face. She's prepared to let out a shriek, but before anything even manages to scrape out of her throat there are security approaching, the lights falling from the ceiling that she manages to clumsily dodge.

She picks herself off of the ground, just in time for the creature to appear. Immediately she breathes a heavy breath, her hands forming into fists just as the beast decides to attack; fortunately her physical strength was far above an average human, which gives her a boost of confidence and is why she brings back a fist without hesitation before knocking the beast away. ]

How foolish. [ She shakes the hand she had used. ] Evil scum like you who would take someone's life so pointlessly deserves to be completely annihilated.

[ yeah she's about to fist fight an alien ]

phase i.

[ Parties suck. Actually, parties without food suck. But most importantly, parties that like to pick her off from where she's supposed to have escaped suck even more. And what's all this about a won battle, anyway? It might be that or... she honestly can't remember. It's bad enough her stomach is grumbling and there's no one she can recognise and that pretty boy CEO looks like he'd do better working a pole than being a CEO but la, la, la, thoughts she'd like to keep to herself.

Though she can see the food in one of the corners of the room, a huge, almost seemingly endless buffet line. Excuse her, after all that suffering that big escape caused? She needs to fill her stomach. And pretend she didn't just see flashes of scary women that look like they belong in wells and scaring people to death.

... Yeah, food is good. She'll just look around, hoping she can recognize a face or two with her mouth full. ]

phase ii.

[ This sort of reminds her of home, even if the little digital girl there is grating on her, but then again, home just seems so far, far away at the moment that it's a relief to experience some working technology again.

So far so good, though, but she's not going in without a partner. She can barely fight on her own normally except for punching someone for self-defense. And she kind of died miserably the first time she tried. Bloody game. So, feel free to help her out here! ]

phase iii

[ Okay, now she definitely hates parties. Mostly because she can't dance and like hell is she getting stuck between these idiots who think they can with their junk poking everyone. That's an exaggeration, but it might as well not be...

Still, she's not one for grinding against strangers, even if others are, and she is trying to escape to somewhere quieter. This party is nuts. For now, though... She does stumble upon one of the rooms, trying to avoid that strange high that everyone is experiencing. If only she could go back and get some food, though... She still wants to figure out why she's here and what kind of battle she fought that's warranting this celebration.

The curse of being a memory loss figure from the start, she supposes... But for now, rooms. Beds. BEDS. Actual beds!! Excuse her, she's going to flop onto one and glance at anyone that tries to come in with a vicious look. ]

Room's taken! Find one of your own!

[ Unless they're someone she recognizes. Then there will be a double-take. ]

phase iv

[ Of course this had to happen, didn't it. It's bad enough they're somewhere they don't recognize, but to have a monster flying in and totally ruining the decor here!! Not that that's her problem, but there's people who can't take something like that on.

So don't mind her- she's going to be working on healing and shielding the and trying to get them out of the way while the big folk with their fancy attacks and prowess handle what they can't. ]

Why can't a party ever end in a good night's kiss and an even better sleep, geez!

[ Because not everyone is lucky enough to be that optimistic, perhaps... ]

bonus

[ Anyone in the ball pit is going to get her glaring angrily at them and anyone that remotely attempts to suggest she's too old for one will get a ball in their face. Yeah, how'd you like that. At least she'll give a warning before it flies. ]

Heads up!!

[ Honestly, why else would you be in a never-ending ballpit anyway? Aside from not knowing why you're in one? Yeah, thought so. ]

PHASE I
[Naoya doesn't like parties that much, but he doesn't show it as he appreciate the strong drinks and casually talks with people. Sometimes, he simply eavesdrop through the noise and music, while pretending to be drinking or paying attention to something else.

Everything about this entire situation is suspicious to him. His memory, his one painfully clear trait, is strangely fuzzy. He doesn't remember fighting for anyone, only himself and, by relation, humanity. Did he have too much to drink?

For that reason, he's going around and gather information, with or without some compliments laced in his words. But his red eyes would glance over at the screen, where he saw that brief flash of a screaming woman earlier, and looks around to see if anyone notice it.

An trick of his mind, or there is something more to this party?

But he keeps his thought to himself, as he continue to talk to people.]

Are you enjoying yourself?

PHASE III
[The buzzing sound agitated his ears and Naoya's eyes moves from watching the dancing party goers and around the room. Eventually, he's sees the vents and frowns, which is almost difficult to see in the party.

Was there something in the vents, or yet another trick of the mind?

Naoya moves toward the back rooms, aiming to get some peace and quiet to recollect his thoughts and scants of information he gathered. It would be easy for him to notice other people near the area, too.

He looks up at them and nods.]

Taking a break as well?

PHASE IV
[He almost laughs as he stares right at the monster, after wiping away the blood from his eye. Now this? Is something mildly more interesting than the party. Naoya smiles, as he pulls out his COMP and summons a winged being.]

That thing is your opponent. Engage him.

[Garuda nods and flies over to engage the monster, allowing Naoya to stand back and watch. He can summon another demon, but there are other people in this room and it would be too much trouble if he killed someone by accident.

For now, he will support Garuda and protect the people with his magic.]

(OOC: Major DeSu spoilers may pop up in Naoya's introspection/narration. Let me know if it's okay or not.)

[ There's definitely something weird about all of this. But it's a kind of weird he can't put his finger on, and just that fact makes it somehow easier for the feeling to be shoved to the back of his mind. Maybe it's the music or the lights or-- well, everything combined. The party enters his mind so forcefully that somehow a lot of stuff doesn't seem to matter as much anymore. Like the fact that he isn't so keen on drinking anymore after what happened before, but the memory is so far out of his reach that it practically feels like it's almost not even there anymore.

And so Shinpachi doesn't hesitate to actually get some booze. And some food, in fact. You might find him at the buffet table camping out with said booze and slowly building a pyramid of food on his plate that's slowly becoming so big it might as well be one of the new Wonders of the World. If you happen to be at the food table too, don't be surprised if he snatches food from right in front of you since he's not paying attention to where he's taking it from.. although you're free to pipe up to him about it, of course. ]

[ It's like the lights only get more blinding and the music more pounding as the party goes on. At first it was already annoying, but to a point where he could tolerate it if he really had to, but now it's practically overwhelming - the feeling it gives him, too, as if he can't even think straight about just how he fought for CERES, or any of the stuff that happened before he was at the party. It's a strange and fuzzy kind of feeling, even with some stranger noises he can't entirely place thrown into the mix as well.

But before Heung Soo even has a chance to properly think about all of it, some person or another shoves a drink into his hand before disappearing into the crowd again without the guy himself having a chance to pipe up about it. After all, even if the drinking age here is lower than back home, it still doesn't feel entirely right to drink. If not just since the thought of what his older sister would say in the back of his head is stronger and more convincing than any other conscience he'd ever need. But it's pretty tempting since the weird fuzzy feeling confuses him and he's pretty sure that it'll go away if he just drinks some (some more, maybe? the feeling does feel like he's supposed to be drunk or something, he thinks).

While he's staring at the glass and deciding though, it isn't very difficult for someone to accidentally bump into him in the busy crowd. The glass tilts a little because of the sudden force, spilling some of the drink on the clothes of whoever happens to be passing by at the moment. You, maybe. ]

Aish-- [ Even though he's already making a sound of annoyance since this might turn out to be troublesome, he does look up to see who got hit by it. At least you got his attention? It's not easy to obtain, usually. Even if it might have cost you smelling like alcohol for the rest of the night. ]

Phase 1

[This place doesn't feel right. Too much noise, too much unfamiliar... well, whatever those screens on the wall are, she doesn't know how they work, and that worries her. The music is strange, almost unpleasant, there's far too many people, and she doesn't like it. Not at all. For all the man on the podium seems to think she belongs here, she's pretty sure she doesn't.

The woman silently screaming is more than a little alarming, but no matter how much she reaches out with those other senses she possesses, she can't seem to find any traces of her. Nothing to channel, nothing to trigger her abilities. So. Either a trick on someone's part, or something kept hidden even from her. The mystery bothers her.

She's taken a drink purely for appearances sake, not touching it otherwise, and she's retreated to a corner, observing, for now. Anyone who gets close enough is treated to a long, slightly judgemental look, before her eyes go back to the screens.]

So, having fun?

Phase 4

[She's seen worse than the single corpse, she remembers that much, but even so, corpses still make her gag, just a little.

Monsters, on the other hand, she's well versed in dealing with. And even if this place is wrong, and she doesn't actually belong here, she's not about to let it carve up innocent people. Her voice, as always just before a fight, is cool and dispassionate.]

There's no point in running from it. Grab something and fight it.

[She begins chanting, drawing an odd shape in the air, but it's been a while since she did this and casting always has taken a while.]

[ III ]

[It's hot and there are far too many people-- and that's saying something when it's Kaguya thinking it. It's strange enough that she can't seem to completely teleport away or open up some time stream and figure out what's going on. That's one of the most worrying parts of this, but the strange noises in the vents are quickly rising through the ranks of worrying and unnerving.

She manages to squeeze her way through the crowd until she can stumble into one of the back rooms, trying to escape the noise. Maybe she accidentally intrudes on someone else who had the same idea, or maybe you end up doing the same?]

[ IV ]

[Sometime after making her way back out of the other rooms.The noise is definitely distracting now, and it doesn't take long before she's wandering around, trying to follow the noise with her eyes on the vent.

It's then the first glob of blood drips onto her face. It isn't the first or the last time she's had blood splashed on her like that, but it's the first she's had it happen at a party like this.

Kaguya blinks slowly, the blood dripping down her cheek and chin like some perverse tear.As she reaches up with trembling fingers to wipe it away, the room seems to explode in a flurry of screaming and moving bodies and strange creatures. Her mouth sets in a grim line of determination and she waves her arms to summon her hand mirrors.]

Please do not fear. Worry about getting to the exit. [Is she talking to you? Apparently, as she gives a reassuring little smile before turning to face down the creature.]

((OOC: CRAU is totally possible for anyone from ExitVoid! Just let me know if you're down with it or not!))

Edited 2014-07-27 06:09 (UTC)

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