⬣//GROWING WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL.

[cccorp]

>>Gathering // >>Waiting // >>Can't Return // >>It's Real

⬣//STERILE WHITE WALLS

September 23rd—conference day. In the hours preceding the meeting, beta testers are supplied with information on how to access the virtual conference room and offered a set of conduct guidelines. Testers are urged to read them thoroughly and instructed to sign their name on the bottom of the page to confirm that they’ve read and understand the following guidelines:

1. All questions will be addressed. Do not interrupt speakers or other beta testers when they are asking questions or having their questions answered.

2. Conduct yourself professionally and appropriately. Do not curse, shout, or otherwise engage in disruptive behavior. Violators will be muted and their speaking privileges revoked.

3. No eating or drinking. Keep your virtual space clean and free of debris.

4. Remain seated. Excessive movement or inappropriate behavior will result in restriction of your avatar’s movements.

5. PvP is disabled in the conference room. Weapons cannot be drawn and your Fragment inventory is unavailable during the duration of the conference.

Players are generously allowed one hour to filter in and find their seats, review the guidelines, and discuss the questions they’ve prepared with their fellow beta testers.

⬣//THE LOW RUMBLE OF DISTANT THUNDER

One hour comes and goes. The room remains occupied only by the beta participants, CyberConnect Corporation’s flashy logo spinning idly on the conference room’s 80 inch display. Restlessness begins to settle in, idle chatter turning to frustration as one hour becomes two. Still, no one from the Corporation shows.

The conference room remains devoid of purpose, some forty-odd people sitting alone in a sterile conference room, a locked room, should anyone grow so restless they try to leave. Any attempts made to break doors and windows will fail.

The door is locked, as are the windows, the world beyond their stark white blinds a slurry of purple and black. Thunder crackles in that dark, endless void. Even if you could leave, where would you go?

⬣//TORRENTIAL RAINS

It’s painfully evident after three hours of silence that no one from CyberConnect is showing up to the conference, but you knew that already, didn’t you? This mandatory meeting was fishy from the start, some would argue, while others may yet hold out hope.

That ends the instant anyone tries to log out and leave. Everyone who attempts to leave will be met with the same error Shoka was some weeks ago, but this time, the error is permanent. This time, there is no connection between mind and body anymore, and any attempt to “reach” your real self will fail.

You feel no one on the other end. You no longer feel the weight of your headset on your head or the keyboard beneath your fingertips. All your worldly aches and pains have drifted away only to find you here in your new reality, every sensation so real that Fragment no longer feels like just a game. Fragment is reality.

Three hours pass from the start of the conference. The boring white walls and rickety office chairs shudder and shake and give way to the Mac Anu everyone knows. You’re back where you started, more or less. What you do from here is up to you.

⬣//LOST TO THE TUMULT AND BEDLAM

Some menus remain online. Players retain the ability to send and receive friend and party requests, access their inventories, spells, and weapons, and so on, but a few notable items are missing.

Players can no longer toggle their pain sensors on and off. Every blow you take is one you’re forced to suffer through, and what’s more, your health no longer automatically regenerates when idle. You’d better keep a stash of potions or a pocket healer handy.

While you’re at it, try not to die. The sharp-eyed among the group may notice that the respawn information nestled in the menus is no longer accessible to them. The respawn counter now reads as a series of zeros instead of the typical 20 minutes. Now is probably not the best time to continue testing Fragment’s death mechanics, but nothing’s stopping you from trying. No one’s going to save you, either.

Good luck, players. The real test has begun.

>>Navigation

Comments

[justonezero]

Oh... no, I didn't even think about that. Kinda figured I should catch up to everyone before I go guild shopping?

[dissimulative]

At this point, guilds are just based on personal reasons instead of your gaming style.

[ They're all casual guilds, is what Oria is trying to say. ]

If you have decision paralysis, I can register you as a temporary guest in a guild I'm in so you can just sleep in my room if you want.

[ He's just casually throwing this out there, but mostly because he doesn't think it's a good idea to sit here in this environment for too long. ]

1/2

[justonezero]

W-wait, sharing a room?!

[That's like PEAK "there was only one bed" scenario?!!]

[justonezero]

What's the guild about? I can just join for real!

[dissimulative]

[ Oria was so out of it that he wasn't even realizing that way of taking it until Nanashi gives that reaction and.

Oh.

Right.

That definitely has more than one way of interpretation. ]

I said that you can use my room to sleep in it. I won't be sleeping with you.

[ But even this makes him laugh a little. Thanks, Nanashi. ]

It's called "Fandom Foodies". In short, it's for people who have interest in anime or food or both. There's always snacks available there too, if you ever get hungry.

[ Very nerd energy. Oria is a closet fan, but he's definitely there for the food. ]

1/??????

[justonezero]

[Look he may be tired as heckie here but he's not blind, why is this game populated by so many attractive people!!]

I wouldn't mind joining that! I keep up on all the current anime irl, too-

[justonezero]

[justonezero]

[wait...........]

[justonezero]

[WAIT...............................]

[justonezero]

[NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.]

/done

[justonezero]

I'm gonna fall so behind...

[>Priorities.]

[dissimulative]

Ah... yeah, that's gonna happen, isn't it?

[ Oria didn't think about it either, but man. He's going to fall so behind, assuming if they'll ever return to irl. He's never gonna learn the ending of that one anime he's been following. Freaking RIP. ]

[justonezero]

My big bro might record it for me...

[He hopes, anyway. Don't fail him Mikado!!]

[dissimulative]

... I hope he has a ton of tapes to record them on.

[ How long are they gonna even be here?? For eternity?? ]

[trashtier]

[Hello the Fandom side of Fandom Foodies’s creators is here and overhearing all of this…

And now he’s screaming in horror over something new.]

NOOOOOOOOO!!

[He holds his head in agony.]

I’m gonna miss all my shows’ finales!!!! And my streams— All my viewers are gonna wonder what happened to me!!

[AAAAAHHHHHHHHH—]

[justonezero]

[A KINDRED SPIRIT......]

Maybe I can send you copies if my big bro records them?!

[trashtier]

[If only Levi could truly appreciate his fellow otaku right now…]

…Which ones do you watch?

[insinning]

[Oria please. Just glancing over as Understanding Dawns. So That's Why....]

[dissimulative]

[ ????????????????? ]

[insinning]

I'm beginning to understand why you used to have absolute strangers declare their love for you.

[ Yeah he's just gonna focus on this instead of the whole meeting]

[dissimulative]

[ ... ... ...

Realization dawns on him, but mostly about what he just said. ]

I did nothing wrong.

[insinning]

[ He'll just take Oria's hand. Maybe they both need to be aware of themselves]

Mmhm. You were just being nice.

[dissimulative]

Yeah? Poor guy isn't even in a guild? What am I gonna do--make him sleep outside?

[ Say it isn't so???

But Oria's mood picks up a little, since he's well enough to joke around a bit. ]

[justonezero]

Does he do this to everyone?

[insinning]

[Ah ]

Being very nice and helpful? Yes. I'm not sure about the room thing though...