⬣//A WHOLE NEW YOU.

[cccorp]

>>Premise // >>Introduction // >>Party // >>Zelkova Corner

⬣//CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WON! 🙂

On a day like any other, you're checking your email when one in particular catches your eye. We invite you to Fragment, the subject line reads, and the sender is a name everyone is familiar with: CyberConnect Corporation.

It doesn't matter whether you signed up for Fragment's closed beta months ago or simply found the mysterious email sitting in your inbox. The fact remains that you are one of the select few chosen to participate, and in a word gone fully digital, you can't afford to turn down such an opportunity.

Those who accepted the invitation were given much more than a free pass to beta test the latest and greatest MMO. Upon confirming their participation, employees of C.C. Corp arrive at their homes and outfit them with top-of-the-line internet — a must to play such an advanced game — a brand new PC, and a state-of-the-art VR headset created by C.C. Corp themselves specifically for this beta test. You may call it excessive. They call it necessary.

Welcome to The World's first event! Your plotting post is here.

⬣//YOUR ADVENTURE BEGINS SIMPLY.

When the morning of July 29th rolls around, you're finally able to access Fragment and create your character. By default, your avatar resembles your real world appearance, but naturally you're able to fully customize your look from head to toe. Want green skin? You got it. What about twintails that stretch down to the floor? You won't have to worry about those clipping through your armor in a game as advanced as Fragment. The sky is truly the limit!

Once you've settled on your avatar's appearance and class, you log into your home Root Rown: Mac Anu, a city forever at twilight with a series of canals snaking through it. It's done up in a series of flowing banners and balloons, glitter and confetti carried along by a gentle breeze you can feel along your cheeks.

Players are given some time to wander around the Root Town and acquaint themselves with the feeling of being fully immersed in a digital fantasy world, but after some time, a soft, playful voice echoes all across the Root Town.

"Hi, everyone! It's time to begin! Meet me at the Chaos Gate!"

When everyone gathers for the meeting, they're greeted by the cheerful face and pitchy voice of an enthusiastic young boy. Unlike you, a level 1 newbie without a single GP to your name, targeting the boy reveals a few things: his name is Zelkova and he's level 100. Huh. Is he cheating? Maybe he's someone important?

In either case, you'll have your answer when Zelkova begins to speak, sweeping his arms out wide to greet all the new beta testers.

"Welcome! I'm Zelkova. I'll be your point of contact during Fragment's closed beta! Before we start celebrating, let me give you guys your armor and equipment. You can't fight monsters without that stuff, huh?"

With a wave of his arms, a table pops into existence before Zelkova. Sprawled out on the table is an immaculate collection of... shabby level one weapons and equipment. Yikes. What, did you think you'd be fabulous from the jump? That's not how MMOs work!

Zelkova encourages everyone to step up and grab the set (or sets, if you're an Adept Rogue) to outfit themselves.

YOUR NEW ARMOR AWAITS.

Blade Brandier: Rusted Blade Leather Cap Ugly Cuirass Deft Gloves Worn Boots

Twin Blade: Railroad Spikes Leather Cap Ugly Cuirass Deft Gloves Worn Boots

Wavemaster: Splintering Rod Tacky Hat Light Robe Light Gloves Old Shoes

Macabre Dancer: Paper Fans Tacky Hat Light Robe Light Gloves Old Shoes

Edge Punisher: Yaoi Oar Helmet Worn Armor Frayed Gloves Squeaky Boots

Flick Reaper: Farmer's Sickle Leather Cap Ugly Cuirass Deft Gloves Worn Boots

Harvest Cleric: Magical Girl Stick Tacky Hat Light Robe Light Gloves Old Shoes

Lord Partizan: Stop Sign Helmet Worn Armor Frayed Gloves Squeaky Boots

Shadow Warlock: Travel Pamphlet Tacky Hat Light Robe Light Gloves Old Shoes

Steam Gunner: Water Gun Leather Cap Ugly Cuirass Deft Gloves Worn Boots

Tribal Grappler: Fishticuffs Leather Cap Ugly Cuirass Deft Gloves Worn Boots

It's... not very impressive, sure, but beginner sets in MMOs never are. Better get dungeon crawling if you want to step up your glamor game.

"Well, that's all the boring stuff for now! This is an exciting opportunity for us all, so why don't we start the beta with a proper party?"

⬣//PARTY LIKE IT'S Y2K.

What better way to celebrate your acceptance into Fragment's prestigious beta program than a blowout party? Every inch of Mac Anu is decked out for the occasion, and once everyone has picked up their armor, Zelkova's armory disappears to reveal a vast banquet table piled high with food, drink, and party favors.

There's cuisine from every corner of the world just waiting to be devoured, and what's more, you'll taste the food like you're really eating it! Zero calories never tasted better. The drinks work much the same way, and there's even alcohol that will get you drunk in no time flat. Take it easy on the cocktails!

Still, maybe you're not feeling adequately dressed for the occasion. Never fear! There are a set of armor skins to pick from. Feeling a bit peckish? Dress up as a vegetable. If veggies aren't your style, how about this sleek little number? Those are just a few of the silly party costumes available for the occasion, and when it's time to depart, Zelkova will graciously allow you to keep your favorite skin to wear whenever you please.

Finally, don't forget to pick up some party favors! There's a foam weapon that, when equipped, takes the form of your class' weapon of choice... but what does it do, exactly? Well, hit another avatar with it and find out for yourself. There are also an array of paint ball guns, nerf guns, and water guns for use in Root Towns. Pick up one of each! Be the annoying friend no one wants to invite on a dungeon run.

Before you leave, Zelkova hands you a Greeting Card that can be emailed to anyone on your friend list. "Try sending it to one of the new friends you made today! I promise they'll love it! Oh... but be careful not to accidentally send it to someone too."

⬣//ZELKOVA'S QUESTION CORNER

⬣ Zelkova, this level one armor sucks! I want better stuff!

"Don't worry, new player! Better equipment is a button press away! Well... after you earn it. Why don't you give Area Exploration a try?"

⬣ I'm a social butterfly ready to spread my wings and take flight on the winds of friendship! Can I start a guild?

"Heehee... About that! This is a beta, you know? We're still getting stuff ready! Maybe if you wait patiently, you'll be able to form and join guilds in... a week from now. While you're waiting, make some friends! You'll need guild members!"

⬣ I hate walking! My feet hurt! I want something that will do all the hard work of moving around for me!

"What? Your feet hurt...? Turn off the pain sensors in your feet! As for alternative travel methods... well, there are "those"... Oh, that's a great idea! Give me some time and I'll see about finding some Grunties for all of us!"

⬣ How can I communicate with other players? I want to stay in the loop!

"Great question! That's what the official forums are for! You can ask for help, search for parties, share interesting discoveries you've made and just about anything else on your mind! Give it a try, but be careful: the head admin is kind of a grump... but you didn't hear that from me, hehe!"

"That's all for this week's edition of Zelkova's Question Corner! If have questions you'd like to ask me, send me an email any time!"

>>Navigation

Comments

[dissimulative]

I can't spit out what I just ate, ribbit. I'm not even a normal frog, ribbit.

[ A 4cm round floating frog being held by a ribbon on the leg. Honestly, this would be a cute picture if it weren't for the fact that Oria is Oria and the situation is just cursed.

But also to prove his own point and answer Sinclair, he equips his water bayonet. Sure, it has shrunken to size, but it is indeed a weapon. A frog with a gun. ]

[insinning]

I guess not.

[Still a player character and not an NPC which made sense.

The small gun is also cute...

Thinking face]

Are you okay with staying like this though? Before you could at least walk...

[dissimulative]

Yeah--

[ Then pop.

Oria the frog disappears and the ribbon falls onto the ground.

he'll come back a tag later ]

[insinning]

[SHRIEKING. WHAT HAPPENED ]

Oria?!

[dissimulative]

[ At least this isn't like Limbus Company Gore (TM). Oria just popped out of existence with a little popping noise!

But it takes around ten minutes for Oria to log back in, so perhaps Sinclair will be glad that his status reads "online" soon enough from the friends list.

Despite everything, he returns as a 4cm frog, same as before. ]

Yo, ribbit.

[insinning]

[This is why his sanity levels remain firmly high. No -30 SP for him thank you!

The offline status tells Sinclair he doesn't need to find tiny frog sparkles to sweep up, so he waits around Mac Anu until Oria reappears. As a frog.

Offering a hand??? At least this is Mac Anu and not Lumina cloth, no PVP and using tiny frogs as tiny bludgeons here]

Oh, you're back. That was fast. I didn't even see your HP bar go down.

[dissimulative]

[ Oria is honestly not wary about hopping onto Sinclair's hand, because he has enough trust from him that Oria would not be used for what beta testers are here for (even though he eventually accepted it begrudgingly). ]

I don't think I took damage, ribbit. It felt like the game crashed, so I was forcibly logged out, ribbit.

[ Hm. Well. Oria does what a good beta tester does and sends a bug report. It doesn't take too long. But he's a little concerned if he worried Sinclair for Reasons, so his little frog hand lightly pats Sinclair's hand multiple times as a form of reassurance that he's all fine and dandy. ]

[insinning]

[If Oria was looking, he could see the rampage of very worried thoughts bouncing around Sinclair's thought bubble, too fast to be deciphered. Boing. Boing. Boing. But it does calm down and settle once Oria reassures him. The bubble is blissfully empty for a little while.]

I guess that makes sense. Maybe the game wasn't designed for you to eat onions with teeth while in frog form.

[Also now that the shock has passed...it was a little funny. Oria can get a ride on his shoulder for now]

...what did it feel like anyway?

[dissimulative]

[ Oria hums thoughtfully, which just sounds like monotone squeaking. ]

Like being in a room with no windows and suddenly getting a blackout, ribbit. It surprised me at first, but nothing hurt because of it, ribbit.

[ ... ]

If anything, I am sore all over because I went to a dungeon that had a spike trap and I was still a tiny frog, ribbit.

[insinning]

Hm...

[I didn't know frogs could squeak.

Wincing. Sure, it's a video game, but he's cooked enough in the volcanic wastelands to know that still hurts in game]

Ouch. At least being tiny doesn't affect your HP bar. How long have you been stuck like this?

[dissimulative]

It's been more than 20 hours, ribbit.

[ Life as a frog... ]

How will I flirt like this, ribbit?? Travesty, ribbit.

[insinning]

[Appreciate the giant floating ellipses in the air behind Sinclair, Oria]

Is that what you were trying with the onion?

[dissimulative]

[ He does very much.

But then Oria the frog tilts his body up as much as possible without rolling backwards on the shoulder and attempting to look into Sinclair's eyes.

There's a lot of judging within this 4cm tall desert rain frog. ]

[insinning]

[ ??????

He does not need to be judged by a 4cm desert rain frog that squeaks like helium.]

W-What...?

[It was an honest question? He does feel appropriately shamed though

Ooops. Maybe I shouldn't have said that.]

[dissimulative]

Vogel... I'm not desperate enough to flirt with an onion, ribbit.

[ He wonders what Sinclair thinks of him??? ]

[insinning]

[Look, at least Sinclair's thought bubble is appropriately ashamed

//////////////////////////

]

I didn't mean it like that...[He totally did - it's Oria's fault for joking about kisses to release him from a curse] sorry. I'm sure you can take a break from flirting for a day.

But if it's been twenty hours, it should wear off soon, right? I lost my wings after about a day.

[And took massive fall damage but lets not talk about that. Even if it appears in his thought bubble]

1/2

[dissimulative]

Uh-huuuuuh, ribbit. Sure you didn't, ribbit. Cute though, ribbit.

[ The judging look changes to a small laugh and a grin. ]

I hope I turn back, ribbit. I feel like I have to log out to feel remotely human again--

[ Wait. ]

[dissimulative]

You lost your wings, ribbit?

[ ... ]

Is that a euphemism for something--

1/2

[insinning]

[Ah, Oria wasn't that annoyed with him that's a relief--]

I can't see them keeping you as a frog for more than a day--

2/2

[insinning]

[And oops, he nearly trips again. Hope you're putting your sticky grip to good use Oria]

No!

[ And in his speech bubble

!@#!$%#@$#?????

Straightening up to shoot Oria a Look, as best he can. He can't be too annoyed because Oria is currently the cutest frog in the world and it's tempting to put Oria in a pocket.]

It's literal! Literal wings.

[dissimulative]

[ Oof. Oria sure is grabbing onto Sinclair's shoulder for dear life, but he can't be too mad. It was really cute and funny.

Also, that spech bubble? Bless your existence. Oria appreciates it very much right now. ]

I bet you would have looked cool with wings, like a guardian angel coming in to save the day, ribbit!

[ He's being 100% genuine about it too. ]

[insinning]

[Hands over his face. Why is Oria still flirting even as a frog? Grumbly thoughts bounce around Sinclair's speech bubble, mostly about being teased. Again. There's something like a >///< face somewhere in there.]

Uh-huh. It was fun though, flying around Mac Anu. I didn't find anything interesting like Akatsuki though.

[Maybe I should try those keywords again? But then there's that new weird quest]

[dissimulative]

[ Reading the thought bubble sure is convenient right now, but he'll come back to that. ]

What did she find, ribbit?

[insinning]

[Most convenient of event quest triggers?]

Scraps of a poem in the clock tower. It was in German, so she asked me to translate for her.

[I can't shake the feeling I've seen that poem before, but it wasn't in any of my old German books either...]

[dissimulative]

[ The great thing about being a tiny desert rain frog is that it's extremely hard to emote physically with its face.

A German poem. There are so many in existence. They can fill shelves upon shelves in a library and it would never run out. There are tons of German poems. But it reminds him of something specific that brings something like heartache. One out of all those poems in existence hurts him the most.

But he makes an intrigued sound as if those thoughts don't exist. ]

Maybe it has to do with the game's main story, ribbit! It could be a quest key item, but I guess they forgot to fix that sort of programming, ribbit. We don't even have a main story quest to do right now, ribbit.