Hey there! Did you know that yearly check-ups are the best preventative medicine you can give to your darling CYbuddy? Their health is of the utmost importance and from the Pomeranian to the Velociraptor, it's so very necessary to give your CYbuddy what he or she needs to be as happy and healthy as can be. After all, CYbuddies are the first and last defense in the war against loneliness, so you must do your best to protect the ones you have! You wouldn't want to be a friendless CYbuddy-less loser, would you? Through thick and thin, rain or shine, your CYbuddy will love you forever. And ever. And ever. Do not disappoint your CYbuddy.
You blink and suddenly find yourself in what looks like a doctor's waiting room, completely alone aside from the robot receptionist. Posters line the walls in various degrees of friendliness. Actually, is this the vet? It kind of looks like the vet. In fact, when you look down towards your lap, there will be a creature snoozing comfortably on you. Really, how did you not notice? The creature's collar names him Fluffy. (That's a dumb name, why did you name your pet Fluffy? Be more creative!) If you decide to call out to the receptionist, they will ignore you, but soon after you will hear clacking of sharp nails on the floor as someone -- or something -- comes out of the back room.
No worries, it's just the doctor.
 Greetings! My name is Thelonious T-Bone the Third and I will be Fluffy's doctor today. I will take good care of your dear Fluffy and be right back to you with him or her in a jiffy. You can, of course, completely trust me for I am the best in the business! No other Velociraptor can treat and heal pets as well as I, most certainly. But there is one tiny little thing, you see. My nurse is out sick today and my hands are too small and dangerous to work well without accidentally killing your poor pet. So, to make up for this, I will need you to be my nurse today. Do you think you can handle that?
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PHASE I [ 09 00 ] Welcome to ViViD's state of the art pet care simulator. It looks like everyone is ready and willing to get started -- maybe a little too eager to get started. There seems to have been a minor misunderstanding actually and Dr. T-Bone seems to think that... well, that you're the pet. Didn't he see Fluffy's collar? (Still, such a dumb name!)
If you don't think fast, you're likely to be shoved into a kennel or forced into getting really uncomfortable shots (to prevent rabies, you see; side effects include dizziness, nausea, sprouting animal ears for a few hours and the increased desire to bite people). At least you'll have company since it looks like this mistake is happening to everyone. Might as well get cozy and get to know the people stuck in the kennels next to you while you're here.
PHASE II [ 1200 ] It's time to actually be the nurse! And time to treat one of Dr. T-Bone's most prominent clients. You will be led to, well, a dinosaur -- a T-Rex to be exact. And you will be told that your job is to take care of its teeth.
That's right. Someone has to clean all of those teeth. And it looks like you're the lucky sap who got the job. Don't worry, the Tyrannosaurus Rex's name tag proclaims it to be vegan (and to go by the name of Sir Gadzooks) so it should be perfectly safe to reach into that gaping maw and start cleaning those teeth.
Alternatively, you could make your dental assistant do it; looks like you weren't the only one to get dragged into this farce. The question is, which one is handling the sharp pointy objects, and which one is sticking their hand into that mouth?
Also, it's not really a vegan dinosaur, that was a great big lie. And it's very, very hungry -- now might be a good time to run.
PHASE III [ 1300 ] Hope you weren't doing anything important (like sticking your hand into the mouth of a dinosaur), because someone is now throwing a blindfold over your eyes and hustling you right into the basement. A couple of twists and turns later, and you're being shoved into what appears to be an underground... peacock fighting ring? With a jaunty peacock headband on and none of your weapons on you, it seems as though you've been mistaken for a particularly ugly peacock and have been tossed into the ring.
Look out though. Those peacocks look mean. They'll go straight for the eyes if they get the chance, and will peck away merrily at your head. Of course, the walls aren't that high all things considered (they're peacocks), so it probably wouldn't be that hard to escape the ring.
(Or, if you manage to find your way down there yourself, you can always join in on the ludicrously outlandish betting pool. It might be a good way to get some cash -- if you bet on the right peacock.
Actually, is that Mr. T-Bone in the crowd too? Someone get the quack out of here!)
PHASE IV [ 1600 ] There's someone whispering.
It's a quiet, throaty whisper, and no matter where you are in the ViViD level, you can hear it. Sometimes, it's clearer than others. Sometimes, it can barely be heard at all. But it's always there, whispering, "Come closer. Come closer. Come closer."
If you should gather up your courage and follow those whispers, they will lead you to a... bird. Upon seeing you, the bird will begin to speak again in that throaty whisper, this time detailing the destruction of your world, down to the tiniest of details, such as the look on your best friend's face as they died, or the last words of your most important person. It's almost hypnotic, so much so that you can't pull away --
And just like that, the bird squawks, and it's over. What was that about? Hopefully nobody else heard all of that.
BONUS [ xxxx ] You go to speak with the vet, whether to complain about your treatment at the hands of the others, the fact that you had to play dino dentistry or to let him know that there's an illegal peacock fighting ring below his practice, and before you know it there's talk of "just to be safe" and "you never know what someone with an attitude like that will do" -- which, what? All of a sudden Dr. T-Bone and his receptionist are shoving you into a cone of shame. How embarrassing! And no matter what you do, it just won't come off.
In fact, if nothing else, it seems magnetically attracted to the walls and anyone else wearing one. If one of those poor fools happen to be within a ten foot radius of you, prepare yourselves for a massive collision. What a pain, right? It seems like the cones won't come off until you (and your magnetic partner) get out of this confounded level. If only you could find the exit (and Fluffy too -- where'd he get off to?)
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\o/ Sorry this is late! IV
The commotion to her left, though, the sheer anger in that resonate, gravely voice? That at drew her out of her thoughts and refocused her attention on the world that was, not the world she was denying.]
It doesn't actually know that name. It's merely programmed, I would say. And tearing out it's tongue would not stop it speaking.
((ooc: Illidan! Sorry, the last few days have been a mess!))
No worries, also omg a sailor scout. best day
Programmed? How do you mean?
((OOC: It's cool! I was getting worried Illidan had fallen so far into the realm of obscurity no one would get my lame preparedness jokes!))
\o/ manga Rei says hi!
It's likely not even alive. It's a machine, I'd wager. Or something created by a machine to read your code and find ways to push your buttons. It doesn't know that person's name any more than I do.
((ooc: I don't know! I played WoW from beta to cattleclysm so it's hard not to recognize him. However, I am prepared.))
Ah my childhood! This right here is like, team nostalgia party.
Impossible. I have written in no such code. It would have nothing to read.
[Or really any code for that matter. Nevermind the code even, his experience with machines was limited, and the ones he was familiar with were primitive. Not to mention the whole 10,000 years locked up didn't do much for gaining worldly experience.]
((OOC: Ahhh you're a veteran! Alas, I only started in BC. I was not prepared!))
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You are written in such code. Please, sit with me and I will do my best to explain. It's complicated, and might take some time.
[She, at least, takes a seat and pulls a pen and paper out, ready to make a diagram if needed.]
((ooc: BC was good times. Such good times.))
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Of course the chair was made more for someone human sized, and not a large half demon monstrosity like himself. Thus, he looked uncomfortable, cranky, and a little ridiculous in his chair.]
Then explain. [He gave a sigh at sound of the paper rustling.] Do not bother trying to write it out, I can't see it.
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Forgive me, I hadn't realized. [Her fingers drum on the tabletop as she tries to think of how to phrase it.]
Ostensibly, everyone here is made up of code. And likely everything here is as well. When I say code, I don't mean a cipher or that sort. I mean the sort of code that's used in advanced machines.
I know this may not sound anything short of insane, but CERES? The people that brought us here? Pulled us out of the code inside a machine, a machine that records everything in every world. Like a great library that collects information automatically. Do you understand that, so far?
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In this case it was probably karma that even with this explanation, it was almost completely going over his head. It remained maddening, to have an answer spelled out as though it were so simple, and yet not understand a word. The best he could do was an educated guess.]
Like some sort of summoning spell?
[That would be a no, he does not.]
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[She nods and taps her finger against her chin, expelling a breath of relief that he'd taken something from it. And it made it much easier to spell out...though, it that explanation required one further question.]
Do you know how some summonings require a name, a full and true name?
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[He crossed his arms and began to lean back, but the ominous creaking of the chair made him think better of it.]
I was a renown sorcerer when I was young. The spells are familiar to me.
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[It was hard not to be a little defensive at being called a fool by a newcomer. Sorcerer or no...]
Your code is a bit like your true name. With knowledge of that name...or code...you can learn anything and everything there is to know about a being. In addition to having a way to call them to you.
The CERES organization has access to a machine that records the true names of every being. They use this information to bring us here, and occasionally to torment us, like that bird.
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[It was hard not to be an ass when someone said he was wrong. By a little girl, no less.]
So it is petty parlor tricks then? Where are they, and this 'summoning' machine? I would like to have some words with them.
[You know, in hindsight he probably should have listened to the little information spouting thing when he arrived. Oh well. He now had some information spouting girl now.]
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[Oh Illidan, if only you knew how old she really was...]
The presence of this machine and of their sanctuary isn't known to us. That is simply the story they've been telling us, it may not even all be entirely true. What I am telling you about code, however, is quite true.
[And she looks up at him, still totally calm, an eyebrow raised.]
May I ask your name, stranger?
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[Contradicted his earlier statement, but that wasn't his problem.]
Illidan Stormrage.
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[She'd bow her head in greeting, but since he can't really see it...]
Illidan Stormrage. [She repeats the name with a hint of accent, but manages it.]
I am Rei Hino. [A pause.] and you are a demon, yes? Or some manner of spirit?
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[There had to be some magic to it. Magic made sense. Also he really didn't like the idea not understanding what it was that brought him here at all. Damaged the ego.]
Neither. I was Kal'dorei- Night Elf in the common tongue, but I have made something more of myself.
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[Again she repeats the word, as someone curious about languages might. The pronunciation this time is actually spot on, as she's getting more accustomed to his accent.]
That would be where the horns, wings, and tattoos are from them? I've never encountered a being like you, so forgive me if I'm being impertinent.
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By all means, continue. There's nothing wrong with curiosity.
[You know what they say, curiosity gave the cat batwings, horns, super eyes, and a whole lot of magic.]
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[A pause.]
And your sense is somewhat muddled to me. I feel magic there, but from a source I've never seen.
[She doesn't regularly deal with demonic entities that aren't on the level of gods, after all.]
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[He found her rather peculiar as well, however he was far too busy enjoying having his ego stroked talking about himself to inquire about it.]
You must mean the markings then. They were granted to me as a gift by a powerful entity, along with a greater kind of vision.
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[She won't really comment on the demonic aspect, as...he's not entirely something she'd consider evil? Not good, but not the bone-chilling evil of Galaxia, Metallia, or the Black Moon.]
Did you slay that foe? To require such change, they must have been powerful.
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Of course. I slew him, and sent his armies back from whence they came. I found it to be a noble sacrifice, but my people were short-sighted and disagreed.
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[And they are often very, very quick to judge. A fact that a seer knows well.]
I suppose you were punished, in some way?
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I was banished. It was either that or execution. I suppose it was better than the imprisonment I was sentenced to the previous time I acted in their benefit.
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[Goodness.]
You've had a rough time of it for your people. What sort of enemy were you fighting?
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