⬣//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

[tot]

[ it's a good thing that he decides to interrupt her between songs because it'll be when he'll have a solid grasp on her attention as she thinks of which song to start on next. honestly, she isn't too surprised when she hears his voice nor when he approaches her. of all of the people she expected to message her; he wasn't too terribly high on the list. however, she did read every message that he had sent to her. ]

Get ready?

[ his words confuse her momentarily but she'll catch on quick enough and fully turns to him and looks down at the ground for a moment. she finds it all too funny and very kind that he gives her a warning before sharing what he has to say. in a way, she's kind of proud of him. when she does look back up at him, she'll be smiling at him. ]

Okay. I think I'm as ready as I can be.

[regressive]

Yes, get ready.

[ Actually, he needs a moment to get ready and enter his scolding stance which is basically crossing his arms on his chest as his piercing gaze focuses on Uta. Her smile makes Joonghyuk questions himself for a moment—perhaps he shouldn't be so harsh—but he shakes off these doubts.

Everything about him makes it seem that Uta is about to be yelled at, especially after he frowns. And yet, when he opens his mouth again, she might find the words surprising. ]

You were missed. Welcome back.

[ It's tempting to ask whether she's feeling okay, but isn't Uta always okay? ]

[tot]

[ oh.

well then.

uta stands there in a bit of shock when he doesn't end up yelling at her as she expected him to. however, and honestly, the alternative response that she gets from him is far more meaningful than if he did yell at her. there's even more character growth here than she would have expected and she has a bit of mixed feelings about it—truthfully. if only because of the situation he's demonstrating it to her. nevertheless, eventually her shock melts away and hangs her head with a smaller, apologetic smile. ]

I'm sorry to cause you to worry.

[ and it's a real smart move to not ask if she's okay because she's always okay even when it's very clearly obvious that she isn't. not that the next thing she says here isn't sincere. ]

But thank you; I'm glad that I get to see everyone.

[regressive]

[ Her expression is very satisfying to see, even if he doesn't smile. Maybe there was no character development in the first place, perhaps Punisher was like this all along. ]

Don't apologize for things that are out of your control.

[ That's the only harsh remark he allows himself, but in all fairness it's still missing the usual sharpness. ]

Everyone is glad to see you too, I bet. But you should rest.

[tot]

[ these subtle changes both make her extremely happy but the subject matter itself is much more difficult for her. ]

...making everyone worried was something in my control.

[ you know, she didn't have to disappear and be unresponsive to all that messaged her. those are things that didn't need to happen after the news about her death was released. she could have done countless of other things instead of retreating but— ]

I'm not sure if I want to rest. [ her voice is a bit sheepish as the whole thing feels a bit like arguing about some metaphorical bedtime. uta take a moment to debate if she should continue before ultimately doing so. ] It's...scary to think about resting right now. Even if supposedly nothing about me here has changed—what if it has changed?

Just in ways that I don't know yet.

[regressive]

It was something in your control... [ He really didn't want to pry, even if one thing he learned about Uta is that being direct might bring results. ] Are you sure about that?

[ If Joonghyuk still tried to convince himself to not ask questions, there's simply no way to ignore what Uta has just said. ]

Aren't we told that people change all the time? [ What kind of a change would make her be scared of resting, though? He can't understand that one thing. ] Uta... did someone attack you?

[tot]

I didn't have to be so unresponsive.

[ and run away. but she's here now, right? isn't that what is important? hopefully it is and uta can't help but laugh when the more protective side of him shines through (again) as well as the little comment about how people change. didn't she say something like that to him? ]

No one here. Everyone here has been kind to me. Well, except for the monsters but they're not supposed to be kind. It would defeat the purpose.

[ she'll raise her head and look at him properly as she places a hand on her chest. ]

But the me that's here. This is the only me that remains and with all that is going on... [ memory nonsense. hearing things. etc etc... ] What happens when this me changes?

[regressive]

[ It's somewhat reassuring that he most likely wasn't the only person spamming Uta's inbox. ]

I don't remember a rule that says you're required to reply to every message in a timely manner.

[ As worried as he was, getting an answer just meant that she's fine. Or rather... alive. Instead of asking for an explanation for the this is the only me that remains part, Joonghyuk decides to answer the question first. ]

It all depends on whether you really want to change or not.

[tot]

[ he sure wasn't but he was the one who did it the most. ...not that she's going to tell him that, of course. ]

No, I suppose there isn't.

[ and even though she wants to say more, that'll be the end of that. her aim isn't to prostrate herself and expect punishment for this but only to aim to take responsibility for hurting the feelings of others. that said, she'll smile briefly as she starts her answer. ]

I don't mind changing if it's something that I'm working towards—like towards a goal or something! Those kinds of changes are ones that I welcome.

[ the pep leaves her voice as she slowly deflates. ]

It's the ones that I can't control that I don't like.

[regressive]

[ That's who he is as a person. Grump in the streets, spammer in DMs. ]

Mhm.

[ Not a very helpful answer really, but one that gives him some time to think. Being in control of basically anything feels like a luxury when they're trapped in a video game. ]

Who would have thought that UTA was a control freak. [ That's rich coming from Punisher. He might be also exaggerating to tease her a bit. ] If you don't like it, then it's simple. We're not letting that change happen.

[tot]

[ i love this for him. ]

Is that what you think? I never saw myself as a control freak, but it was important that people didn't get to know me too well. What's private should be private for a reason, right?

[ obviously she knows that calling her a 'control freak' was meant in jest and not an actual dig at her, so she'll laugh at it and give him a pass while keeping her comment light. not that it lasts very long given his next words to her.

it won't be too hard to see how much those words mean to her. there's no point in hiding it. ]

...do you think something like that is possible?

[regressive]

Because it can be used against you, right? I can relate.

[ The sound of her laugh is soothing, even if Joonghyuk can't shake off the feeling that he's missing something big here. Still... whether Uta tells him what is going on or not, it doesn't change anything really.

He doesn't need to know every single thing to rush to help her if needed. ]

A lot of things have happened already so why not that?

[tot]

I knew you would.

[ said with all of the fondness and amusement as possible given the situation because really? there aren't many people that could understand the kind of situation that she's in without having to be fed information.

however, she chews on his question back to her. for all of the optimism within her heart and what she would instantly want to lean on there's still something else. still... still. it takes her a moment but uta shakes her head. ]

You're right. [ an affirmative nod followed by a bright smile. ] Given all of the incredible things that have already happened, what is one more thing? Nothing that has happened up to today would be anything close to what I could have thought to happen in outside of a book.

We just have to keep believing and trusting in everyone.

[regressive]

Spoken like a true protagonist.

[ He scoffs a laugh which is by no means mocking—if anything, it's hinting at his fondness for Uta. Not just her cheerfulness, not just her songs, but also her inner struggles, even if he might have seen just a small part of that side of her. ]

We have to act when the time comes, too. That's what I'm planning to do, at least.

[ It's very frustrating to not be able to do much about their current situation besides making sure to survive, but it is what it is. ]