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⬣//GROWING WILDLY OUT OF CONTROL.
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.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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Mm. It's nice to meet you nevertheless, Albedo. [ a sigh. ] You seem to be handling yourself rather well.
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You'd be correct. [ ... ] Even with everything happening as suddenly as it did, and considering the present situation, I see no real need to panic.
[ Or outwardly show much stress. ]
Though, of course, everyone handles such scenarios differently.
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[ .. most people do panic, at least a little bit, so albedo's quiet, calm demeanor is certainly notable. ]
Well, I'll be counting on you to help keep the atmosphere calm, then.
[ one less person he needs to worry about losing their heads. ]
It still feels so surreal..
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[ A hint of awkwardness. Albedo is not very good with people, help. He's the type of person to... be himself.
But, it's probably fine?? ]
Because of the fact we can't depart, and everything is more akin to how it's all in real life, I'm sure you mean.
...I wonder who in the corporation made the executive decision to trap us here, however. Do you believe they were afraid we all might have said something against them?
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Honestly.. it's hard to say, but that's certainly a possibility, and one I would bet money on being the truth.
[ he rubs a hand over his face. ]
But they cannot keep us here indefinitely. [ .. right?? ] People will begin to notice that something is wrong, when we don't show up to our jobs or family.
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It would certainly make sense for being one of the primary motivations for current situation.
[ He takes pause at that. Opening his mouth to say something, and then after that moment he finally settles with: ]
...They must understand that to be the case. But, I also hypothesize that they could be confident enough that what they're doing would potentially end up in their favor. A risky presumption for sure, and yet given they hadn't bothered to show is indication enough of the sort of mindset they're holding towards this matter as a whole.
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They certainly must be confident, if they're pulling a stunt like this.
[ with a sigh, tighnari leans back and crosses his arms loosely over his abdomen, his tail flicking like an agitated cat's might. ]
If only our hypotheses could get us out of this situation. I don't want my family to worry. There's someone important to me here in the game, as well, that I worry about. [ a beat. ] I'm sorry, you don't want to hear all of this. I'm just frustrated.
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That being said, Albedo doesn't find himself completely surprised when the other lets out some of his worries. Mildly, at most, but not entirely. He has established himself as a relatively calm individual, and...well, it takes the blond a moment to respond, but he delivers his words with some careful thought. ]
...I don't quite mind all that much.
You would've wanted to say so at one point, and I was already speaking to you on the subject, so it isn't as if it was unwarranted. As it is, I imagine the toll is great on someone who has an important one trapped in it all the same.
[ Even if Albedo thinks this is one of the very few times someone might have confided in him some form of worry. ]
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[ still, it's quite inappropriate to spill your feelings onto someone you've only just met, even if it was only a small spill. tighnari can't help but feel a little embarrassed; he'll simply have to make it up to him and no longer approach feelings territory. ]
Well, nevertheless, we're here now, it is what it is. Do you think there's anything we can.. do to rectify this? I'm not particularly tech savvy, I'd have no idea where to begin. If it's even possible.
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[ Albedo states levelly, more comfortable in the shift of the topic, though 'finding more information' can be a tall ask where one doesn't know where to search, including understanding what possible efforts, exactly, can be used to obtained it at all. ]
I believe testing certain elements of our environment can reveal what might be concealed, for the most part inadvertently. Questioning certain individuals can assist in this matter as well. NPCs who may have taken up certain posts, or those who still hold a link to CC Corp. [ Beat. ] Then there is looking into those special areas, or re-examining previously disseminated information that for potential new angles of investigation.
The end result of our attempts can be we eventually locate an exploit that will restore our minds' connection to our bodies.
no subject
[ tighnari sits back a little, frowning thoughtfully as he taps his chin, his brow furrowed. ]
Probing for weak spots tends to be an effective method when it comes to escaping any traps, and certainly a good place to start, though we should be as careful as we can manage. This is an entirely new situation, and we don't want to do more harm than good.
[ like delete their consciousnesses or something haha but that wouldn't happen right ]
Still, it's a good idea.
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Yes, he supposes that's what most people would like to aim for. But, that's not his modus operandi.
It lowers an entire spectrum of results. Though... ]
...You're concerned about the potential consequences if we were not to tread lightly. I understand.
[ ... ]
I would certainly not expect you to take unnecessary risks. Fortunately, I believe we so happen to have a decently-sized group of individuals. With our numbers, we should be able to usually have leeway for cautious approaches. Accounting for, of course, potential dangers ahead.
[ He will just freely be willing to take various risks himself. ]
no subject
Right. I know we might be putting ourselves at further risk moving forward, and that sitting still really isn't an option, nor does it promise safety.
[ they seem to be at risk no matter what avenue they take. ]
But.. yes, you understand. I just don't want anyone to be reckless, and get themselves harmed unnecessarily. I worry.
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I don't believe it to be an unnecessary worry. It'd be entirely possible people may become more reckless in the days to come.
[ There is nothing extremely ironic about saying this now. ]
I wonder, though...if there is any way for us to obtain information about the outside world as we're going through this predicament. I have been at least making sure to keep track of the date and time, but it'd be useful if we had that kind of access, even just to keep people's worries from accumulating too much.
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[ CHRIST WHAT ELSE DID I MISS.. people please.. ]
As for outside information.. well, if we're still connected to the internet, it might be possible in some way, right?
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I imagine that must be the case.
...Well, with perhaps a bit of hopeful thinking from my part, but I wouldn't believe it to be completely illogical to think it plausible.
[ Their connection doesn't stop them from witnessing updates, right? They'll learn that soon enough, though. ]
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[ imagine they did get word out - who would believe that a bunch of comatose people had their consciousnesses stuck in a video game?? would anyone actually take it seriously? ]
Mm. For now, I think I'm going to enjoy a drink. Would you like one?
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[ So if they achieve getting information or broadcasting before that...hrmm.
Yeah, his thoughts are along the same lines of Tighnari's right now. ]
...As long as there is something light and a bit sweet among the selection, I wouldn't mind.
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he just. wants a drink right now, thanks. so he'll meander on over to the bar. ]
I'm sure you can get a light cocktail. Chilled white wine is also usually light and sweet.
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As for Albedo...is he angling for one himself truthfully? Not exactly, but a little something to tide himself over really can't hurt. ]
Very well, then. What will you be getting?
[ Regardless of the idle curiosity, he'll go on over to slowly join the other at the bar, and order, well...a light cocktail. ]
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[ tighnari enjoys his wine from time to time, but he wouldn't call himself a big drinker. some wine on a sunday night spent reading on the sofa is about the extent of his excitement.
anyway, he goes ahead and places an order with the barkeep.. an npc i assume. ]
So, we're going to be here for a little while, I assume.. might as well get to know one another, hmm? If you're amenable, at least. We could also drink in awkward silence, if you prefer.
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