⬣//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

[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. ]

[insinning]

It was definitely gross.

[ Sinclair would like to forget the headhen ever happened for his sanity.

Anyway, the first few attacks from the ninja are throwing knives to keep pirate girl at bay]

[dissimulative]

[ He grins and tries to input whatever combo he can for the pirate girl, but again, she's slow... he needs to stop picking slow characters.

But she summons dolphins to attack her enemy, which is pretty cool. Oria will give her that much. ]

I wonder how jacked her arms are to carry an anchor like that.

[ A mindless quip as he continues to mash buttons. ]

[insinning]

[ Aha-- his ninja person is very dodge-y which is a more fun to play and...

That sure is a shadow teleport to behind! And a vicious stab to the back]

It feels like that jacket shouldn't let her arms get too big though...

[petite pirate girl designs and all... it reminds him of someone. hm]

[dissimulative]

[ Hm! Wonder who it could be! ]

So it'll forever be a mystery—ah.

[ That backstab hurts pirate girl so much and Oria tried to do a combo but it went in the other way... there she goes, making it rain anchors on her half of the stage. ]

[insinning]

[Sinclair has to laugh at that. A couple more vicious stabs while Oria is distracted]

Bye--

[ Poison ending move? Pirate girl turns green and falls over while the ninja turns to the screen and bows, saying something like as master intended. Wild.]

[dissimulative]

Ooh, that's a burn.

[ Oria laughs. Hm... which character should he pick this time as he leans a little over to Sinclair's side as if that'll help him see better.

He chooses a panda. It's not sure if it's someone in a panda mascot costume or an actual panda. ]

[insinning]

Oh, the panda is cute...

[He's briefly distracted by Oria and leans into him instinctively.

Hmmm, that jacket--anyway, this time Sinclair picks...a female soldier? She's very ripped at least]

[dissimulative]

You can pick the panda next if you want!

[ Oria stands upright now, away from Sinclair and... this panda is surprisingly fast? It wields a bamboo stick as if it's a bo staff. The panda goes to grab the soldier and then throws her down, proceeding to body slam with its giant panda body.

...

Oria tries to hold back a snicker. ]

[insinning]

Wha--

[That's just undignifying. Sinclair makes a noise of indignant protest as he gets the soldier back up with a backflip and smacks the panda in the face with the gun for very little damage]

Oh, come on--

[dissimulative]

Must be all that soft plushiness.

[ He's kidding, but... seriously? The panda suddenly seems OP for some reason?! Its jump attack is flinging itself up with the bamboo stick and falling onto the soldier.

...

Okay, he has to laugh now. ]

[insinning]

[ aaaaaaaa his soldier??

Sinclair stares grimly at the screen as the panda gives a cry of victory]

That is way too overpowered.

[dissimulative]

Like. I. Saaaaaaid... you can try it out now!

[ It's such a funny character in Oria's opinion. He had a lot of fun with that one. That said, he hits random character selection, which gives him a nun. Hm. ]

There's something wrong with this character. I can feel it.

[insinning]

Maybe later.

[ Sinclair is feeling a little pouty right now so he picks a tiny orange dinosaur? Hm.]

...the nun?

[dissimulative]

Yeah. Guess we'll find out!

[ And indeed, when the battle starts, the nun has chains and throwing knifes hidden in her clothes. Well then. She looks like a mid-range character. ]

Oh, now I'll feel bad for the little guy.

[ The tiny orange dinosaur?? Look at it. ]

[insinning]

[ And the tiny dinosaur leaps back and...a quick button smash--a giant ball of fire comes the nun's way]

I think you'll have to hit it first.