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⬣//SPREAD, CONTAMINATE, ERADICATE
You've had a chance to adapt to your new circumstances and make peace with what your life has become… hopefully. If you haven't, don't expect life to get any easier.
A few things have changed in recent days. Healing no longer works as effectively as it did in the past. If you're in the habit of behaving recklessly, don't expect one of Fragment's few healers to pick up the slack. Broken bones will now remain broken no matter how many healing spells are cast on your shattered limbs. Damage to organs can't be repaired with the wave of a wand.
What's more, HP and SP restoring items have gotten harder and harder to come by. Potions are no longer available for purchase at generic NPC shops and gatherable items needed for crafting have become fewer and fewer in number, limiting your item making options. If you've gotten into the bad habit of injuring yourself heedless of the consequences, it's time to rethink your lifestyle. Playtime is over.
Think of the three core memories that have formed and shaped the person you are today. Some will think back fondly on family and friends while others have been jaded by the ill treatment they've received from important figures in their lives. In any case, it's of little concern to you now. One of those three precious memories has vacated your mind, taking with it a vital piece of you that you can no longer get back.
You may choose one of the three key memories listed on your application to be taken away from your character. Choices are limited to the memories supplied in your application and additional memories submitted for the previous memshare event or not eligible for convenient plot-induced memory loss. Choose wisely, because you aren't getting it back.
And Sky Fish, and Disco Knives, and Evil Armors…
Has anyone noticed the monsters around town lately? Which town, you may ask? The answer is all of them.
Monsters have invaded Root Towns in large waves, attacking anything and everything in sight. Any lovingly crafted signs or other furnishings you've erected around town are easily torn to shreds and destroyed by the monsters who have come to roost in your once safe Root Towns. On the plus side, PvE and PvP has now been enabled in all Root Towns, which is excellent news for those who wish to combat the monster invasion and those who can't seem to help hurting themselves and others.
These monsters range in level from 50 to 75, and while many of them can be defeated with a bit of ingenuity and teamwork, some of them boast impenetrable shields that no regular attacks or spells can break through. They are also immune to status/potion/armor effects.
When in doubt, turn to your fellow players for support. There may be some among you who know how to deal with these impossibly strong monsters, but there's no guarantee that they'll want to help you.
A lilting, boyish voice sings to you in your sleep. His voice sounds familiar to you, tickling your heart like a call from an old friend, but this is no friend of yours.
"You had every chance to abandon this world and return to your own. What stopped you? Was it ego? Hubris? In any case, it's too late for regrets now.
They say the world is what you make of it. Doesn't the same hold true for reality?"
The voice will periodically visit you and your sleep, but the moral of his message never changes: you did this to yourself. You were trapped here because you chose to look the other way. If anyone is to blame for the current situation, it's you and you alone, but there is a̸̬̲͔̘͈͚̠̫̘̬̗̖̋͑̉̓̿͛̈́̋͐̃̾̈̕̕ͅń̵̩̱̠̫̖̬̲̻͉̝̈́̀̀̚͜͜o̴͍͎̣͔̤̝̲͍̺̿̒t̴̨͚͓͍̜̮̥͊͑̿̈́̉̂̐͜͠͝h̷̨̨̦͕͖̙̞͙̗̗͎̬͛̂̾̋̅͜͜͝ȩ̸͎̭̙̜̯͎̯̳̮̘̲͒ȑ̸̡̧̢͓̠̦͙͇͍͎̭͑̈́̓̿̓̅̑̅̌͑̈́̕͝͝ ̴̧̼͕̟̬̰̞̮̗͔͈̬̙͍̈́̀w̵̗̖̩̘͇͖̲̩̫̣̗̙̲̌͜a̷̛͎͋͑̃͛̆̈̋̑̋͠y̴̡̬͕͈̗̫̯̟̯͊͐̌̀̐͑͘͝͝.
Another h̶̦̘̤̘͐͑̿̂̏̎͋͝o̴̧͖͚̖̜͓͂̏́͒̑̈́͝͝p̶̡͙̏̉̿̎̀̑́̈̆͌̉e̷̡̡̦̣̯̘̺͍̟̰͍̤͛̀́̚͝͠. Will you heed that voice and call to it?
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[ And Hien can't — or won't — protect them all. They truly are all on their own, aren't they? ]
But yes, I did notice the sudden lack of mats I get when I go out farming. Very odd. Is this another part of CC Corp's game?
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[ Hien mumbles a little under his breath, but then sighs. ]
Fuck if I know. Don't you want more items, or did you hoard enough like a chipmunk preparing for hibernation?
me when i immediately forget a different recent tag ayyy
[
good thing memory loss is going around right now so i can pretend i'm not an idiotahem anyway, Fandaniel has to pause and think back, recalling that little fit of rage from before. Right, he had, hadn't he? ]I suppose I did. Mm, but I rather think I would save you for last. [ Supposing he himself survives that long. ] I do have a very pretty hoard locked away in Telophoroi's vault, though. I just wouldn't mind adding to it...
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[ It's not really a promise, but it might as well be--at least to Hien. ]
If you have a sizable hoard, I guess you wouldn't need any more either.
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Hmm, perhaps not, but who knows how long it will remain this way? Forever? I would be a poor leader if I did not make sure to take every resource I could for Telophoroi.
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[ Most of them anyway. ]
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[ Besides, he's locked down access. If any of them want what's in there, they'll have to beg for it. ]
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[ Just saying?? He can see that locked access now on his UI after Fandaniel mentions it. ]
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[ Which still somehow includes Hien, even after all of this. ]
But I won't allow unacceptable uses of our resources, especially if they're becoming more and more limited. I will keep everyone fed and, if they ask, give them what they need for alchemy and other items.
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[ In that case, here. He gives Fandaniel a stack of x20 HP and SP potions each.
Head Administrator is touched by your generosity towards your guildmates—or something. ]
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Why would you give these to me? Are you stupid?
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[ Enjoy, Fandaniel. Hien won't be taking them back. ]
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You know, I never could tell if you were trying to be my friend or not, all this time. Even now, I can hardly figure it out. You do something kind or caring, then follow it up with uncaring cruelty...
[ Which isn't unlike Fandaniel. That can't be trusted. It's just too confusing. ]
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[ Social etiquette and whatever are just out the door when it comes to interactions for Hien. He just does what he wants, even after knowing the consequences that come out of them. ]
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[ They are more similar, he supposes, than he and Hien ever were. Animal instinct, barely recalling when to act human, if ever. He'll fall silent for a time apart from the occasional crunch of popcorn between his teeth.
The shark strikes again, blood stains the water red, and he wonders aloud after that moment, ]
Do you think CC Corp is running bets on which of us will die first?
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No, because they wouldn't bother. They sure made a show of it when it happened though.
[ gestures to the news article about UTA ]
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Hmm? Then what makes you think they won't bother further? Why murder the little streamer girl and not someone else?
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[ Hien tilts his head just slightly, looking at how the shark takes down its next target in a rather gory display. ]
They wouldn't have to make one. With this batch of testers, it would happen on its own.
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[ Just because Hien thinks otherwise doesn't make it more or less likely. People bet on sports all of the time, after all, so why not this? A rich man's game, where useless fools caught in their trap struggle and die for their amusement. ]
Why assume they won't play more games with our lives when they've already proven that we're expendable? That no one can stop them? Even if a number of us are careless wit our lives, all that would do is alter the odds of betting on one player or another.
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Hien is quiet about it. While it's true that Fandaniel's possibility could be what's happening in the company, and Hien doesn't feel like he wants nor needs to defend the company that he's working for. He's just here to be used, as par for the course. ]
Is it easy to say that because you would do it yourself, if you were in their position?
[ A part of Hien believes that Fandaniel honestly wouldn't... ]
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Ah, would I? A good question. Would you? [ Hien wouldn't, he imagines. That would require effort, an aimless and directionless cruelty. As for Fandaniel? ] Only if it were they forced to take our place in this game, as it is now. Then perhaps I would take great satisfaction over betting which would die first.
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[ Also because that way isn't really fun for Hien. If the fight isn't exhilarating, then there's no point. ]
But not if we took a new batch of fresh people and put them in your shoes, right?
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[ Doubtful, though, very doubtful. ]
I suppose you would prefer hunting them down in person.
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[ Though that makes him think... ]
So you'd only kill people who deserve it... of your revenge. Interesting. You're still soft though.
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As if you aren't. I remember how gentle you were with me when I was that silly little bird.
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