c.

cherry gripped a porcelain snack plate with a steady hand. she’d attended enough cotillions in her life to know how to hold herself. still, she couldn’t seem to shake the pit of worry that sat in her stomach. these stakes just seemed so…high. this was THE gamemaster’s party, after all. bobbing around the outskirts of the room - avoiding the masses congregating in the center - cherry nibbled daintily on a dry, less-than-impressive cookie. placing it back on the plate with disappointment, she strode elegantly over to a nearby table in search of a better snack. unfortunately, all of the hors d’oeuvres look equally unappealing and bland. fortunately, though, a familiar raven-haired figure seemed to have a similar idea. “ oh, i-i don’t know. ” cherry drawled softly, stumbling over her words. val had always made cherry a little nervous. between the age gap and the skill gap and just about any other gap one could think of, cherry desperately wanted to impress the vixen.  “ i think it’s just lovely, really. nothing OUTRAGEOUS, of course, but lovely nonetheless. “ sparkling blue eyes examined the room, grazing over the small details of her environment. “ this can’t be all though, right ?? he didn’t really call us on up here to mingle, did he ?? “ there was a certain dumbfounded naivety to her voice, confusion written into the fine lines of her face. “ i’m still waitin’ for some kinda stunt or something, to be perfectly honest. “ 

she rummaged through the other foods displayed on the table, choosing a single cracker (which looked inconspicuous enough) to nibble on. if val didn’t already know who it was behind the mask from the beach blonde hair, the southern drawl was a dead giveaway. she listened intently to the other, a bit impressed by her explanation. now she was speaking like a real vixen. “i don’t know, i was never one for GALAS,” val added, finishing off the cracker in her hand. “i don’t think i ever had the chance to go to one. i’d only ever seen them in movies, really.” val watched over the crowd, admiring a couple dancing in the distance. maybe some of the players really could just relax even under the OMINOUS feeling lurking in the spaces of the party. whatever the case, val would stay on her guard just in case. “i hope we’re not here just to MINGLE. god, he’d be wasting a perfectly good opportunity for us to get somewhere,” she scoffed, sipping again at the practically tasteless drink. “if i was the game master, i’d place some kind of puzzle in such a bland space,” she theorized, tapping her cheek. “there has to be MORE. if not, the game master is the exact coward i thought he’d be.”

v.

          THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT stepping foot on the hundredth floor so carelessly that made the entire gala experience feel wrong. considering the thousands of people who tragically lost their lives in hopes of reaching the final floor in mind — the very floor that soleil and the other players easily made it into — almost gave the young partygoer a sour taste in her mouth. vivienne had never felt so guilty for being so close to the objective of completing the game yet being so horrendously far away. was there even an opportunity to take advantage of? still, without the protection of her mount and her trusty arrow in hand, soleil could feel herself shrink in the presence of such an unsettling place. once she finally wandered into the party hall, where everyone stood and partied with ease, she walked towards the food area and sighed with a hand tangled in black curtains of hair. overthinking was seriously not doing her any good. “u-underwhelming? i’m stressed out!” soleil yelped out tinily, her wide puppy-like eyes consumed with anxiousness. “i-i keep waiting for something bad to happen.. and i know for a fact we’re all way out of our league here.”

valkyrie quriked an eyebrow, leaning back against the nearest wall. she was slightly STRESSED, but she wouldn’t let it show. even if they were promised protection and a space without weaponry, there was still SOMETHING OFF. val was determined to figure out what was so fishy about the gala. “you’re definitely right about being stressed,” she agreed nodding her head. her eyes traced across the layout of the party, a sea of masked faces either fully letting into the careless whims of partying or sticking to the sidelines anxiously. “it’s just kind of sad, though. i feel like i would be able to handle a boss fight...” she mimics the action of the other, running her hand through her hair. “but, i wasn’t expecting it to be just a party.” she huffs a bit, straightening herself off of the wall.

a.

THE GIRL FELT an inclination to run. to leave. yet, she couldn’t. being the second in command of the knights of the blood oath, she had to stand her ground and present herself at the event. the  w h i t e  gown that she was adorned in dragged along the floor, and adelia cursed herself for choosing attire that was so difficult to move in. the familiar visage came into view, and the girl tried her best to not let her negative feelings for valkyrie surface on her face. she did not need to display her disliking now, in front of the entire player base. “i’m sure this isn’t all of it. there was no way he would show us everything, after all. i don’t think you’re even allowed to leave the mansion.”

valkyrie GRIMACED, the familiar voice striking one of her nerves. she could feel her lips twitch uncomfortably into a frown for only a second or two. “i haven’t tried to leave, yet,” she sighs, looking towards all possible exits. “i thought maybe he’d be benevolent enough to show us SOMETHING.” it’s instinctive for her to return to gnawing at the skin of her lip. she hopes that her lipstick will remain intact, but by the end of the night she’s almost guaranteed to be left with only a faint ring of it. she runs her hands across the fabric of her gown, fluffing it out a bit. “you look nice in white. i don’t think i’ve ever seen you so dressed up,” she whispers.

*   ━  ━  ❝ OH, you're G O L D , honey. you are dripping in s t a r l i g h t , bathed in rose water, you're made of GLITTER, and you've got sparks flowing through your veins. d o n ' t fight the ambition that bubbles to the surface, and don't let the past chain you down. ❞

she struts her way across the gala floor, making her way through waves of other promenade-goers. how strange to be on the ONE HUNDREDTH FLOOR, after feeling so removed from it for so long she was finally here. and, if anything, it felt like all of deaths she had witnessed of other players had been in nothing but VAIN. the floor felt like so much less than she had expected, and there was no way in hell that this had to be it. that meant that NATE had been taken away from her for absolutely no reason. val chewed the inner flesh of her cheek, pulling at the plush skin. something about the event was unnerving, off, and val was ready to go back into battle mode at any moment now. she took a cup from one of the food tables, filling it with whatever liquid the gamemaster had set out for the guests. she sipped at it lightly, trying to decipher if it was safe to drink, or not. “it’s more underwhelming than i thought it would be,” she spoke softly, more to herself than any specific person.

a.

BROWS WERE FURROWED as the warrior attempted to approach the creature before her. she was no beast tamer, that’s for sure, but she surely hoped that she would be able to catch a mount with little to no struggle. with careful steps, she closed the distance between her and the wolf, treat in hand, hoping that it would accept her offer and join her as her mount. she was wrong. a sudden SNAP of a twig from a newcomer startled the animal, and it ran off in a scurry. “fuck.” the girl muttered, whirling around to be met face to face with the other. “why would you do that? i spent the last half hour trying to catch that guy!”

velia was full of creatures to hunt, and val was making the best use of her time by picking them off one by one for resources. she had her sword raised, carefully eyeing the area for anything that could harm her, or that she could harm. she felt the wrinkles and sweat droplets on her forehead as she narrowed her eyes. she felt every muscle tense up as she listened for any movement. there it was. just soft enough she might have missed it otherwise. she moved towards the sound, her metal armor clinking slightly as she made her way closer. she was caught off guard by the human sound. “je-sus,” val remarked, sheathing her sword with ease. “well, i’m sorry that velia isn’t just a game that revolves around you, kiddo.” her arms crossed as she continued to speak. “life is unfair, get used to it.”

d.

it’s the hairs that prickle on the back of her neck that alert her to it at first. like most days she’s alone, walking in some forest without a guide. sometimes if she closes her eyes she can pretend it’s a real one. then the memories come, (alice holding her hand and marco wading through a river) and they’re too painful. then she’s back here, back in this hell. she stiffens, someone is following her. the sounds are too irregular and the wind too sparse. she holds in her breath and waits a few seconds before she swirls to meet her follower, a gleaming, silver dagger poised to kill in her hand. “touch me and you’re dead.” she snarls, her dark eyes shining.

she watches the daggers that are pointed at her carefully, their glint DEADLY and threatening. val narrows her eyes and makes a move towards her own broadsword, dragging it out of its sheath. its metal against leather makes a satisfying, sharp noise as it’s unsheathed. “you’re the one who brought daggers to a sword fight, my friend,” val’s grip tightens around the handle of her blade. “now, no one has to get hurt here...”

t.

the mention of the word sisters makes her stomach twist uncomfortably and her expression hardens even further, tenseness burning in every inch of her. thea had a sister - a real sister - and she lost her ;; why would she ever want a pale imitation made of people that would sooner see her die than anything else ??“ i don’t need companionship or cheap sorority sisters. if you wanna play barbie dream house and pretend like every single member isn’t a weight around your ankles or a knife at your back, that’s your burden to bear. i don’t need to delude myself. ”

val can’t help but laugh, at one point in time she had a very similar outlook to thea. when she first found out about nate’s death all she knew was bitterness and vengeance. she couldn’t imagine offering her trust or loyalty to anyone else in what seemed like a world full of backstabbers and egotists, but somehow she found herself connected to the vixens. they were sworn sisters, they had some kind of bond that went deeper than most other guilds - especially those such as the circus. but, she could understand thea’s decision and she wouldn’t keep pushing it. if thea wanted to join a guild at any time, that would be her choice. “ah, ah, ah, i wouldn’t call us cheap sorority sisters,” val wagged her finger towards the other. “we may seem cheap, but they helped me out of a dark place. and never have they kept knives to my back, they’ve always pointed them at others.” she upturns a knowing smirk. “don’t knock it until you try it...”

THIS IS BOTH A TAG DUMP & AN ANNOUNCEMENT. i have several starters i need to reply to, and i’ll do so over the weekend when i have more time! so if we don’t have a thread going, let me know or like this and i’ll try to get to those starters more urgently. thanks y’all!

j.

          “ I know . ” joonie continues to smile brightly at the other . they appear a lot cockier than they actually are , but it comes with being positive around people who can’t be . “ mm … NO , you’re not talking to a robot . BUT , if you were , wouldn’t that be a part of the game ? so it’s not all that weird . ” 

“it would be a little strange,” she answers, crossing her arms over her chest. “i’m not used to talking to robots, i never had to talk to them before i entered velia.” she sighs, wishing she could see her apartment in san francisco again, talk to her real friends, be anywhere but here. even an online oasis got old after a bit of time. “anyways, i’m glad that you’re not a robot. it makes the smile that much more precious.”

h.

GOD, does he have to sit through this poor excuse for an interrogation? “who are you, my MOM?” he blurts out, narrowing his eyes at the woman. she means no harm; he can sense that. but he doesn’t want to be answering questions like that anyway. maybe it’s a distraction tactic and there are others sneaking up behind him. he glances BRIEFLY over his shoulder for peace of mind. “look, i just let my guard down in the WRONG place at the wrong time and got jumped by a few others. it’s nothing major and if they’re not here yet, then i really doubt they’ll be coming back…so YOU’RE safe, if that’s what you’re wanting to know.”

she scoffs, valerie has been called ‘old’ too many times to count in the game. being compared to a mother didn’t make her feel any better about her age. “well, you’re acting like a CHILD, so i might as well treat you like one,” she retorts, snorting a bit at her own humor. she stops wagging her finger in front of his profile; it might help to make her seem like less of an accusatory hardass, or so she thinks. she nods curtly, grateful that he’s said the word ‘safe.’ it’s not often that you hear that anymore. “sorry about the whole interrogation... you can never be too sure in velia, right?” her eyes drift to the shredded remains of the bag. “so... what did they take from you?”

r.

“exactly,” she put it simply, “having no optimism. that’s the point. the idiots that still try to remain optimistic after being trapped in here for two years are only fooling themselves. i don’t believe a single person here isn’t going crazy on the inside.” moxie wanted nothing more than to watch every player stuck inside this virtual reality lose their minds one by one. the red player had already coped with the thought of never escaping velia and, in fact, she preferred if the game never came to an end. “what about you? hm? you can’t tell me something hasn’t happened to you yet that’s made you wanna..” her dark hues fully examined the vixen from head to toe as she spoke slowly before she flickered her eyes back up to hers, “snap.” 

“hope is what allows us to keep fighting for anything,” the girl responds, tossing her hair over her shoulder. the words come out a bit more exasperatedly than she meant them to. “at least i’ll die trying to get out of this thing, being here for two years is better than being here for two hundred,” she continues, smoothing her hair back to its original spot. “i’ll keep fighting, thank you very much,” valerie looks the other directly in the eyes, making sure to get her point across. “i’d rather kill an arbitrary creature, which may serve the purpose of getting me one step closer to escaping this hell hole, rather than waste another human life that’s just as stuck and frustrated as i am.” put away the claws, val, she thinks to herself, trying to relax her shoulders. “i’d rather snap and kill one thousand spawned enemies than another player.”

t.

blinking a few times, thea glances up at the person that’s paused in front of her, every inch of her looking like a dog with its hackles raised. people make her uncomfortable, but still, she has to give herself a moment to breath every now and then ;; even she isn’t capable of fighting 24/7, despite what she’d like to believe. “ if you’re going to try and recruit me into a guild, i suggest you keep walking. i don’t trade, i don’t chat and i don’t watch other peoples’  backs. i’m a shit deal and i don’t care. ”

“i think you’d make a pretty good VIXEN then,” valerie jokes, tapping her finger tips against her thumb. “we don’t trade or fraternize much outside of our guild, we mainly meet just for the companionship of having sisters, we allow several different types of classes, levels, et cetera, and there’s free food at each of our meetings.” she pauses to take a breath. “does any of that happen to interest you?”

r.

swiftly, the brunette turned to the woman who spoke up, giving her head a tilt in curiosity. “pleasant? that’s what you think this is?” she questioned, her eyes growing darker as she narrowed them. “i think its dull.” moxie’s mind has become so sick and twisted to the point where the sight of strangers displaying their happiness truly disgusted her. she was fully aware of how people outside of her guild viewed her. a murderer.. a monster who was best to either avoid or dispose of. hell, maybe even some members of the circus felt this way about her. but there was never a moment where she cared. her morals had been long gone, diminished in the past. now all she thought about was kill, kill, kill. “everyone’s trying to live in peace and harmony as if they aren’t suffering or raging on the inside due to being trapped in this world for two years. when will you people realize that chaos is a lot more.. fun?”

valerie is taken aback at first by the frankness in the other’s tone. she scoffs a bit at the way the other describes such a floor. in all honesty, it’s confusing to her how somebody wouldn’t want to see the good in trying to retain some kind of normalcy, but she knows that there’s no purpose in arguing with a circus member. they’re off their bases already, they won’t listen to the kind of reason that others in velia have relied on. val offers the other a tight-lipped smile. “i don’t know, i think that without some kind of order we really would be suffering,” she sighs, looking over the landscape. “if we didn’t have some kind of normal life and interaction here in velia, we’d have no optimism in returning to the real world.” she bites down on her lower lip, unsure as to why she feels like defending such a lifestyle. even val didn’t really attempt to keep the kind of normalcy she was preaching.

l.

           Even in the real world, Lyric wasn’t going to ever win any awards for his cooking, though by this point, he really was starting to miss that 33¢ instant ramen he practically lived off of. Yet for now, he settled for overcooked pieces of meat and fish when he couldn’t mooch off of a better cook in trade for the gain he’d caught while hunting. At the refusal a chuckle escaped his lips, and he glanced up to take in the sight of his new companion. “That’s probably a smart choice, even I don’t like what I cook.” Lyric mused, before cocking an eyebrow. “Anything with ’goblin’ in it, never sounds very appealing.”

she looks back down at the roasting fish, scrunching up her nose in distaste. “i don’t know, maybe it’s just like medicine. it tastes absolutely abhorrent, but makes you incredibly strong,” she suggested sarcastically. she pulled her pack around to remove some of the extra jerky from her inventory. it’s wrinkled, and looks somewhat like a glob of green snot that had been dried over the period of a few months. she outstretched her hand with the goblin jerky in it, offering it to the wannabe chef in front of her. “i agree, goblin doesn’t sound very appetizing... but, it smells better than the fish here, and it does the trick when i just need to fuel up quickly.”

h.

HE’S used to getting out of one sticky situation and running headfirst into the next. hakkun is wary, his hands clutching the backpack held against his chest tighter than anything he’s held before. he’s not usually showcasing how weak he is like this, but that is exactly what he is and he’s had no time to keep it hidden. he, too, is and was UNPREPARED, no weapon on hand. nothing but his legs, because running is all he can do. but standing at five foot five hardly serves to help him in any way around these parts. hakkun’s eyes are drawn to the woman’s sword, and the instant she lowers it, he lets out a BIG, relieved breath. “uh,” his voice always comes as a surprise. a lot softer than he looks. “not particularly.”

“fine, if you’re not going to finish that thought, then riddle me this,” she holds out an accusatory finger, hoping to scare him off if he is just some lowly thief, or perhaps she’ll get some information off of him if he’s running from some big bad. whatever the case, she hopes that she can seem a bit more intimidating than she actually is. “what were you running from?” she asks bluntly, her finger wagging in his face. she pauses for a bit, waiting for any kind of response. finally, she asks her second question. “whatever you’re running from - beast, player, monster, whatever - will it be coming back for you?” she waits yet again, it helps that she can be very patient when she wants to. she can feel a slight breeze blow her auburn hair across her eyes. she moves her finger only to move the hair out of her face.

j.

         BUT joon has never been less confrontational than he is now . he leans back , fully open and trusting , and removes his hands from the bag in his lap . “ well , TECHNICALLY we all are , right ? no one can play us but US . ” his tongue poked out between his teeth ; a cheeky sort of smile , the corners of his eyes crinkling .

“you’re not wrong,” she shrugs, standing up a little straighter than she had been before. her shoulders are less tensed, and she no longer feels the urge to rest her hand against her sword. “so, i can be reassured that you’re not a robot, yes?” she can feel herself blush a bit, “i’d be embarrassed if i was talking to a bot for no reason...”