⬣//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

[veardant]

[ during the meeting, tighnari was quiet, his arms crossed loosely across his chest. to be perfectly honest, he didn't really have the time for this. all the odd happenings, the rumors..

well. it's not that they don't concern him, of course they do, but tighnari is vehemently realistic over this being a game, and honestly, he hasn't had much time to log in recently, with how much work he's had outside the game. meaning he definitely missed a lot of the, uh, juicy events.

once they're dumped back in mac anu, tighnari can be found at the guild headquarters of fine wine or bookwyrms, or out on the streets, doing his best to calm any understandably agitated pcs. ]

I know, this is all.. a lot. But just breathe for me for a moment, all right? In, and out.

[ your therapist has arrived. ]

bookwyrms!

[murrmoire]

[ Noé spots the guy with the Large Ears near Bookwyrms, and admittedly, it's been hard to hide the concern he's been feeling over their current predicament. That's why it's nice to have a calm voice reach out to him and tell him things are alright. He hadn't even noticed he'd been looking so frazzled, to be honest. ]

...Oh...do I really look that worried?

[ He'll breath in and out, then let out a dry laugh upon that realization, then: ]

Well...I guess that's how I've been feeling. Are you a member of the guild?

[veardant]

[ tighnari offers a mild smile that does not quite reach his eyes. ]

I am, yes. I'm friends with Bram.

[ he'll go ahead and take a seat, exhaling a slow sigh. ]

I haven't had the chance to log in for a bit, so I'm not surprised we've missed each other.

[murrmoire]

Oh, Brambles? I am, too.

[ Or, well, he feels like they're friends, at least! ]

It's nice to meet you, despite everything. I'm Memoir; I joined a little late. ... You like reading, then?

[veardant]

Nice to meet you too, even if the circumstances are..

[ gestures. ]

You can call me Fox, and yes, I do. Mostly reference materials and nonfiction, but I love research.

[murrmoire]

Mm...they're unfortunate. Still, it's good to meet the others who were also placed in this situation, isn't it? We can rely on each other.

[ Noé is still a baby (ish, he's level 25 now...) player, but he wants to help too. ]

You're into science? Is that what you were doing outside of the game?

fine wine

[notfunny]

Not my fault you leave me breathless.

[ what? he's been chilling on a couch in fine wine, where he's almost 100% sure he's not in danger--- now if he has coffee or alcohol? that might change things pretty darn quickly.

anyway, regardless of his comment, which leaves a smirk on his face: ]

I'm fine. What about you?

[veardant]

[ CYNO NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOUR BAD HUMOR!! tighnari Frowns. ]

I've been better, Cyno. This is a mess. I didn't even know that anything like this was possible.

[notfunny]

[ no, any time is a good time for bad humor. ]

Yeah. It sucks.

[ kicks his feet a little. ]

I couldn't feel any of the tech and things feel way more real. Like, they felt real before, but this is... real real.

[veardant]

[ n o ]

.. yeah.

[ at least cyno is being a little more serious, now. tighnari knows how he often copes with stress with humor, but still. this is all very serious. frowning, he lowers his gaze and clasps his hands together. ]

I don't like having my hands tied. All we can do is.. wait.

[notfunny]

[ y e s ]

Don't think anyone does.

[ he's not going to expand on that line of thought, as he reaches over and places one hand on top of tighnari's hands. ]

At least, like... I mean. We're not dead. And there are some pretty smart people in here with us, so.

[ just trying to find the right thing to say without it coming across as the wrong thing. ]

I'm just... I'm sorry.

bookwyrms;

[alchemicalbirth]

[ Not exactly visibly agitated, but he might have overheard Tighnari out in the streets (did he stop to check it out? Probably not and moved on.) But the flipside is that when he comes into Bookwyrms, he notices him for the small amount of time he is in there. ]

Quite a turn of events, isn't it?

[ They haven't spoken face to face yet, but it can't do no harm when they'll be stuck in the game for the foreseeable future. ]

[veardant]

[ yes hello friend, tighnari glances up from where he's been.. frankly, kind of zoning out. lost in thought.

but he manages to summon up a weak smile. ]

That's one way to put it, I'd say. [ a soft sigh. ] It seems I missed quite a bit.

[alchemicalbirth]

[ Hmm...well that is easily noticeable. ]

Yes, quite.

[ If he hadn't been on the up and up for details. But not everyone can know everything that's happening...undoubtedly people just chilling and minding their own business got caught up in this incident with ease. ]

I'm sure the others you reached out to appreciated the comfort. Rest will be pertinent while we're trapped in these bodies. Though, I'm certain you understand this fact.

[veardant]

[ yeah, to be honest, tighnari's work comes way before games, for him, so he'd been using this beta test less as a place to escape to, and more as a way to occasionally relax with his partner.

now this. ]

I do. Strange that we can feel fatigue here at all, but I'm not sure we should go taking any chances. We have to take care of ourselves.

[ a beat, and he offers a thin smile. ]

I'm Tighnari.

[alchemicalbirth]

[ Rip in rest, Tighnari...

But at least he seems to get it so he'll be giving a little Nod. ]

Yes, because who else will?

[ He blinks a bit at the introduction. Was he given somebody's real name?? Since he can see usernames just fine. Well alright then. ]

You can call me Albedo. It's...unfortunate we're meeting under these circumstances, but it is what it is.

bookwyrms!

[dapples]

[ Oh, Brambles is absolutely in need of a therapist right now. When Tighnari arrived at the guild, he would've seen the leader sitting in one of the library shares with a thousand yard stare. Thank goodness that his friend is here to snap him out of it ... but he begins to hyperventilate a little recalling their current predicament, visibly anxious. ]

I...

[ He takes in Tighnari's advice and tries to breathe, but it's so hard. ]

I can't-- Tighnari, I'm so scared ... I'm so worried about this, about my Dad, my boyfriend, you ... everyone ... I can't do this ...

[veardant]

[ oh, bram.. ]

.. I know.

[ he says, gently, and reaches to close his hands over brambles's, squeezing. tighnari's palms are warm even through his gloves. ]

This is difficult, and I'm worried, too. But panicking won't help you, it'll only strain your body and mind. It's okay to allow yourself to feel the anxiety, but remember to breathe, and take care of yourself.

[dapples]

Thank you, Tighnari ...

[ With a small nod, he glances up at his friends, with his curly locks of brown hair framing his worried face. ]

How are you faring...? Is there anything I can do for you too?

[veardant]

Oh, I'm managing. [ a fleeting smile, and he doesn't take his hands away just yet. ] I'll be all right. I have Cyno here with me, and that helps.

[ even though he feels a little guilty for being glad about that at all. ]

[dapples]

I'm glad to hear it ... you two really are peas in a pod, aren't you?

[ He'll be hoping and praying for their safety. ]

I met someone, too. In this game, funnily enough ...

[legendofthelion]

[It's shortly after they're released that Dehya rounds about to find Tighnari. She actually... has no idea what he has or hasn't heard. Her lips are pressed tight.]

So... [What does she even say here?]

[veardant]

[ honestly? he hasn't heard much. mostly because i broke my foot this month so i got very behind in what's going on, rip. ]

.. so. [ he echoes, then offers her a gentle smile. ] How are you holding up?

[legendofthelion]

[Puts you in a bubble??]

uh, well... [She exhales.] I guess I can't say I didn't completely see this coming. Now that it's really happened, though... I don't know. What do we do?

[veardant]

[ thank u i need it... ]

Saw it coming? How so? [ he doesn't sound like he doubts her, just that he's curious, because yeah, he sure did miss a lot. ]