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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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Doing our best, working together...
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[ look, guild street! ]
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Mm. You're still that optimistic about things?
[It's not judgement in Sinclair's voice but tentative hope. Can they really?]
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[ said easy as ever, with a new and subtle twinge of bittersweetness.
He's going to flop on one of the comfy cushioned areas, bringing Em with him if he lets it happen. ]
What are you most worried about anyway?
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Right now?
[Sinclair flops down with Tylor, squishing down onto the cushioned areas with him. There's no resistance here]
...losing people I love. We've all developed really bad habits playing this game. That'll take time to unlearn. Yet, if we die here, we die for real.
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[ Tylor tugs him gently so their shoulders might rest together. ]
Besides, they could've killed us already if that's all they wanted.
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[He bumps shoulders with Tylor, his brow furrowing]
But here...
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[ Tylor asks it playfully, mock innocence on his face. ]
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Fine, running or hiding, Captain Justy.
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Well, I'm not hiding. I'm hanging out with my very good friend, Chef Em.
[ A beat-- ] Say, want to play a game?
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[Peering up Justy with a frown]
But sure, I'm happy to play anything.
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[ He jokes. ]
Do you know how to play?
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[Sinclair doesn't mind losing, at first. But eventually, his competitive spirit will kick in.]
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[ There is no edge there. But for once, there is no warmth in his voice when he talks about his dad. ]
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[It's unsettling hearing this]
I wouldn't make this up.
[As Tylor should know by now: Sinclair is a terrible liar]
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[ Again, there is a basic statement of fact. Little feeling about it in a way that makes the words too flippant. ]
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[Reaching out, taking Tylor's hands, squeezing tight]
...if it wasn't your dad, who taught you shogi then?
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But then he seems to easily accept the truth of-- ] I don't remember.
I'm sorry, I really don't know what you're talking about though.
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[But he just feels sad. Empty]
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[They can just try]
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[ A pause, a lean into Sinclair. He's forgotten he even asked a game, with the sudden exhaustion that washes over him again. Friction, burying what little memory he has of his parents; cold blue eyes and loneliness. But for now he remembers school, friends, and a deeper hope for love. A rarer Tylor, his voice goes soft. ]
Oh, but first, can we rest a while?
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He nods a little, curling up with Tylor]
...yeah. I think some rest first will be good.
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