⬣//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

[dissimulative]

You can sleep longer if you'd like, Emil. I'll still be here.

[ Yup. Designated pillow determined to spoil Sinclair for the time being. ]

[insinning]

I don't know if I can sleep more.

[ But this is calming for the time being. He doesn't feel as restless as before]

[dissimulative]

Then I guess we'll just be on the bed, cuddling aaall day looong~

[ Not that Oria would mind after what happened the past several days. He holds Sinclair a little tighter and sways him a little side to side. ]

[insinning]

[ Blushing a little but he squishes Oria with a light huff]

That does sound nice.

[dissimulative]

Doesn't it?

[ He won't even joke about making out this time, because he really thinks Sinclair needs comfort in this sort of way instead of trying to bury it through carnal means. He brushes through Sinclair's hair with his fingers again. Fluffy hair... freshly dried from last night's shower. It feels great. ]

Maybe we should just stay like this for the rest of the day.

[ That would honestly kill Oria on the inside because he's the kind of person that doesn't sit still. He'd need to do something... but he's willing to go through it for Sinclair, whom he feels needs a lot of comfort right now. ]

[insinning]

Maybe...

[He'll keep hugging Oria with a soft little huff. Oria was being generous. His hair is extra light and bouncy now that it's short again]

But I wouldn't really make you sit still for that long.

[Oria has a restless spirit ]

[dissimulative]

So you don't have any plans for today?

[ An entire day to spend with Sinclair would be fun, he thinks. ]

[insinning]

Hm? No, I don't.

[ It's important to keep themselves occupied but, Sinclair feels run down with it anyway]

[dissimulative]

Then you can take today off to have some fun!

[ It's still keeping themselves occupied, but in a way that hopefully causes less stress. This means no monster killing. ]

An entire day for a date~

[insinning]

[If they're going for. date, he should get off Oria. Hm. Conundrum.]

Mm, should we go to that new arcade then?

[dissimulative]

Yeah! That sounds fun! All the games are free too, so we can play as much as we want!

[ But yes, the dilemma of no longer being able to cuddle with the boyfriend... Oria still seems pretty content of letting Sinclair cling onto him longer. ]

After that, I'll spoil you a little more. How about it?

[insinning]

You're making me sound like a child...

[ But you know, he might be okay with being spoiled after all. He gives Oria a light kiss to the cheek and he slowly gets up. Fine, fine. But if they're playing arcade games, he's switching back to the outfit from yesterday]

[dissimulative]

[ Oria returns the quick kiss to his nose before Sinclair gets up. ]

You can be spoiled as an adult too! It's not like you can't go to fun places anymore when you're an adult~

[ Well, Oria can't.

And he's trying so hard not to say anything dirty to flirt with him..... ]

[insinning]

[ what are the chances of Sinclair getting the innuendo tho...]

Hmmm, if you say so...

[ Sinclair will just have to make sure Oria gets time. He's a little suspicious though as he slides off the bed to check his hair in the full length mirror tucked in the corner of the room to make sure his hair isn't a complete disaster from sleep]

Breakfast and then the arcade?

[dissimulative]

[ Oria would make them blatantly obvious, just for Sinclair. ]

Yeah! Let's go eat! I'm up for anything, so feel free to decide what you feel like eating.

[ Oria finally gets out of bed too and quickly fixes his hair in front of the bathroom mirror. He doesn't have any products to use, but it looks great anyway. Maybe he's used to it. ]

[insinning]

[ thanks oria...a true boyfriend...

Sinclair takes a moment to think]

A nice bagel would be good.

[ Simple, easy to eat. Lumina Cloth should have plenty of options.

Damn Oria's hair for being so effortless in the game world tho]

[dissimulative]

With creme cheese?

[ Sounds delicious. Oria decides he'll want three different bagels already.

Bur then he comes out of the bathroom and he's wearing very baggy clothes. Ta-da. It's not a dress, but something like a very big top that might as well be one by its sheer length, black leggings, and that giant jacket. Of course, the boots are included, but not the headband nor bag. For someone who wears pants all the time, leggings are... uncomfortable at first, but he thinks he'll get used to it. The only reason he wore this at all is because of how baggy it is. He might as wear be wearing something like two ponchos from their shapes alone. He definitely won't be fighting with this outfit on though. ]

Let's go!

[ He won't let Sinclair get a comment in right away. He can make comments when they get there.

Fastforward to whichever point you'd like! ]

[insinning]

[ No comments on the clothes - clearly Oria knows his way around trendy fashion more than Sinclair so it doesn't even register as odd beyond it not being Oria's usual style.

They have breakfast, Sinclair keeping to his one bagel with cream cheese while Oria has his three and then they make it to the arcade. He eyes one of the fighting games and remembers Oria's reaction that last time they played games together]

It's not Street Fighter but should we try it?

[dissimulative]

Yeah! Looks like we're gonna find out inputs the hard way!

[ aka learn by testing them out. Oria seems pretty excited about the challenge and chooses a random character. Looks like it's a lady with a guitar. ]

[insinning]

Hmm...

[ And Sinclair picks an...alien? Thing?

What is this]

[dissimulative]

What... is that? I bet it's gonna be some kind of eldritch monster with its moveset.

[ Button inputs shouldn't be too different than what he's used to, so once the round starts, Oria has his character zoom right over to Sinclair's, but as he's just finding out, the guitar may be powerful, but the swings are slow.

Worst match-up, considering Oria doesn't like playing slow characters. ]

[insinning]

[ Sinclair starts button smashing automatically and

weird tentacle things start popping out from the ground? like spikes?? Ewww]

Um...I don't know if I like this character...

[Yeah, admiring how cool-cute Oria's outfit is much better than paying too much attention to how gross the attacks are. ]

[dissimulative]

[ Ah. A tentacle monster. Oria personally doesn't mind those, but sludge monsters? Gooey things? Get that outta here. And well, Oria obliges to Sinclair's distaste for the character by quickly making mincemeat of it. The ending quote by the guitar lady says something about letting the alien learn the best human culture of all! Music!! Then a sick guitar riff. ]

Was it that bad that you threw the match?

[insinning]

...I was a bit worried what would happen if I managed to activate a special...

[ New character?? New character selection time. He picks a ninja-like character instead. All masked up and in black]

[dissimulative]

It can't be that bad, right?

[ Not as bad as the headhen... at least, Oria thinks so.

He ends up picking a little pirate girl who wields a giant anchor her size. ]