altimit | ⬣//SPREAD, CONTAMINATE, ERADICATE

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event

⬣//SPREAD, CONTAMINATE, ERADICATE

  >>Famine
  //
  >>Death
  //
  >>War
  //
  >>Conquest

        ⬣//AN ILL OMEN
      

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.

        ⬣//PAY IT NO MIND
      

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.

        ⬣//GHOSTS AND GOBLINS
      

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.

        ⬣//WHISPERS ON THE WIND
      

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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[ There are Feelings and then there are things you share with your friends. Singular friend, in this case, although... although there might be one or two others who have wormed their way into his heart, but it's Fai that he messages and it's Fai that he answers with the keywords, not anyone else. ]

ΩFleeting Iridescent Memories

[ The silly gaming area that the game has. Bowling, laser tag, and, most importantly, because that is where Fai will find him, mini golf. He's lingering near the start of the course, peering in at it while he waits. ]

[ Ah... the fun family friendly area. He nearly laughs as he looks at the keywords, but he's quick in meeting Fandaniel there.

Though, when he does arrive, Fai takes plenty of time to simply look around, both looking for Fandaniel and seeing what the area has to offer. Eventually, he finds Fandaniel at the mini golf course, looking in and presumably sizing it up. ]

I didn't take you for someone who liked mini golf, of all things.

[ He sounds amused, but he looks incredibly tired, showing in the way his smile doesn't quite reach his eyes. His hair, however, finally makes him look like a carbon copy of his real life self. ]

[ Fandaniel spins about to face Fai with a smile, although it fades a tad once he notes how tired the man looks. Still, he barrels onward with a laugh, similarly looking like an equal copy of his real-life self with the hair change he too has made. ]

I do not know if I like it or not, truly, as I have never had the opportunity to play it. It isn't what I called you out here for, however, though I would not say no to a round...

[ It's almost like hanging out in the real world again, isn't it? Minus the fantasy armor, or whatever skins they've decided to don today. Regardless, it makes him relax just a bit, his shoulders not quite as tense as before. ]

Show me what you wanted me to see. Then... we'll play a round.

[ He could use the extended distraction, the tiniest of smiles on his lips. ]

You might have fun cheating your way through it.

It's... [ Drumroll please. Fandaniel is quick to switch gear as he whirls back around so Fai can see his back, his body gear having swapped out to a shawl, but not just any shawl. ] This! Behold!

[ The shawl has the one and only Nicolas Cage's face printed all over it in a wild and crazy pattern. It is hideous, truly and absolutely hideous. ]

[ He furrows his brows, watching as Fandaniel switches gear and reveals...

Something completely and totally awful. Something beyond simply hideous. ]

Pfft...

[ Fai can't help the way he bursts into a fit of laughter, both at the garment itself and the dramatic way that Fandaniel reveals it to him. Laughing almost makes his stomach hurt, simply because it's been so long, but he can't stop it either. ]

[ Always good to know he hasn't quite lost a grip on Fai's sense of humor after everything that's happened. He whirls back around, making sure to pull one part of the shawl up around his front so the Nic Cage's face is still on glorious display. ]

And this fine piece of cloth can be yours, yes, yours! For what you might ask? 3,000 yen? 1,000? 500? No, for free, free, so long as you play a round of mini-golf with yours truly!

Oh? That's quite the deal, Amon~ I'm actually surprised by your kindness.

[ Or is this an act of pity? Honestly, Fai doesn't even know anymore, not with the many unspoken things between them. ]

I think I could go for a game of mini golf.

[ He could certainly use the distraction. ]

[ When has he ever offered him pity? Please. ]

Excellent! Now, let us go forth and conquer.

[ He'll keep the shawl on for the game even, which is just plain ridiculous. With a quick turn back towards the mini-golf area, he selects two clubs and some balls for them both. Blue and green and Fai gets handed the blue set.

It matches his eyes, after all. ]

[ He holds back a laugh when he's handed the blue set. ]

For my eyes, right?

[ They're red-rimmed and tired, but still very much blue. ]

Do I need to give you instructions on how to play this game, or do you think you've seen enough golf to get it?

I thought it suitable.

[ That or it was the pink ones, which, honestly, probably also suitable, but Fandaniel's already strolling on into the little indoor course by the time he thinks to laugh and mention that, too. ]

I know you hit the ball into the hole and that this sort has all the weird decor and moving parts to block you.

[ Case in point, the first one has the generic windmill between them and the hole. ]

[ He glances over at the windmill and then back at Fandaniel and smiles. ]

Yep. Lots of obstacles.

[ Fai twirls his club in his hands. ]

I'll let you go first and point out everything you're doing wrong~

Oh? Such as if I simply walk around the windmill and put the ball in the hole?

[ Fandaniel, that's cheating, ah, but he won't do that. He'll put his ball down on the tee and make a grand show of lining it up and testing the wind (which doesn't exist as this is indoors) before... putting it. Tiny little putt noise. It rolls along the bright green fake grass only to be clipped by one of the passing windmill blades, knocking it into the gutter. ]

Hmm. Maybe I should be resorting to cheating after all.

[ Making a whole show of it is already funny enough for Fai, but it's when the ball immediately gets sent to the shadow realm that he starts laughing. It's been days upon days since he last laughed, and it hurts his stomach.

But, he doesn't care much. ]

Wow! You know, I was going to suggest we add stakes to this, but maybe we shouldn't!

[ lol lmao rofl ]

[ That laughter is contagious and Fandaniel, too, joins in. Ah, whatever had Fai looking so hollow, it's good to know he can still offer his friend some mirth, however temporary it may end up being. ]

Ha, why don't we still?

[ He asks once the laughter trails off and he straightens up again. He goes to retrieve his ball as he goes on. ]

Who knows? Maybe I will have a miraculous comeback midway through the game.

Hmmm, if you're sure!

[ He saunters over to the tee, placing his ball down on it gently before practically tapping it with his club. Off it goes... right past the windmill obstacle and near the hole. ]

Since you'll probably lose, I'll let you decide on the stakes.

Mm, no. You suggested it. You must have had something in mind.

[ Right, Fai would be the one to nearly get a hole-in-one. Psh, well, Fandaniel has to set his ball back down just outside the gutter where it ended up and take another whack at it. This time he times it so it does bypass the windmill obstacle, going under it and towards the hole. ]

[ Good work, Fandaniel! Fai gives him a little round of applause, though his smile is sheepish. ]

I did, but... I didn't really have anything in mind.

[ Usually, he would have an idea or two on the tip of his tongue, but now? His thoughts are too muddled, to filled with grief to think of much else. It's a miracle that this little game is able to penetrate through that cloud hanging over his mind. ]

If I win, you'll owe me a round of drinks when we get back to the real world.

[ When, not if. If he doesn't hang onto this possibility, he'll have nothing left. ]

[ Fandaniel pauses to look at Fai for a time, considering how to answer that. He has no intention of returning and yet... with how upset Fai seems to be, would now be the time to tell him? It is the want to be kind to his friend that he holds his tongue.

If he knew, if he knew the plan had always been to remain here... ]

Of course. A round of drinks in the real world.

[ All he can do is agree. Anything less would cause further upset and he would see his friend happy. In any case, he gestures towards Fai's ball. ]

Your turn. You're so close to the hole, it won't take more than a tap.

[ He's surprised Fandaniel agreed so readily, but all it tells Fai is that the agreement isn't a real one.

He knows it isn't, but for right now? Fai will pretend that it is. He has to. ]

You're right~ But the tap has to be well-timed and extremely precise anyway.

[ So Fai takes his time of making a show of it, grinning up at Fandaniel before tapping the ball and watching it go into the hole.

While many of his smiles are false, this one is especially so. ]

[ Such a fake smile. It just... irks him. Typically, Fandaniel would let it go. He, too, has worn many fake smiles in the past, but right now? ]

Fai. Do you want me to simply pretend like you are enjoying yourself, for your sake?

[ Or is it more for Fandaniel's own sake? ]

[ His brows furrow at the usage of "Fai" when they're alone, but he doesn't say anything about it. ]

...Whatever is easier for you.

[ It's a copout and he's well aware of it, but he doesn't know if he can muster up the energy to talk about everything going on either. ]

[ Because Fai is Fai's name, right? (: ]

Fine. [ A word that comes with a sigh. ] Pretending it is...

[ Whatever is wrong, he isn't saying, for whatever reason, and so he takes his turn putting his own ball into the hole. He does it, sure enough, though that still technically puts him one... stroke? Behind? Or however it is they score this game. ]

[ He wants to keep pretending, but somehow Fandaniel pretending only makes it more difficult to do it himself. Funny how that works, isn't it?

Fai watches as he makes his ball into the hole, his brows furrowed as he stares at it for longer than he really needs to. ]

...Yael's dead.

[ No point in pretending. ]

[ That brings with it a strange mix of emotions. Angry that Fai lost someone important and yet... and yet? Fandaniel won't turn toward him, instead opting to crouch down and retrieve both golf balls from the hole, if only to safeguard the series of feelings that flitted across his face. ]

Good. He was terrible for you. I imagine whatever happened was his own fault, in any case.

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