utopiamods: (The right way to fight Exaclan)
Rakuen Moderators ([personal profile] utopiamods) wrote in [community profile] rakuen2011-01-24 01:48 pm

[Round Zero: part 1]

At noon on the rest day, every screen in the campus lights up. It's the girl from the introduction again! She's grinning fit to burst, and her voice is bright and excited.

"Good morning, everyone! Round Minus-One is now officially over, so we'd like you to all report to the lobby for a special announcement, immediately! It starts in ten minutes, so don't be late."

The screens all go blank, before simply displaying the flashing text ALL STUDENTS REPORT TO THE LOBBY FOR 12:10.

Reaching the lobby, you find it empty of the usual staff. However, the doors to the tramstation are blocked by a large stage, spanning the entire south wall. In the centre stands the girl, in the flesh and just as sickeningly cheerful as her broadcast.

"Hi, everyone!" She waves, tilting sideways as she does so, and then clasps her hands together. "Wow, it's really great to see you all in person at last! You've all tried a lot harder this week, and it shows! We're really, really impressed with everyone. Ah, even though there was a bit of cheating..." she pouts, and shakes her head lightly, "But that's okay. We forgive you! You all know better now.

"But what we've called you here to say is this! We've been working extra hard too, and we've gotten a lot done with your help. So much that we're nearly ready for Round One!

"However..."

She's still smiling. It's a little unnerving, "We have to do some maintenance first, okay? And I'm afraid it would be a problem if you were all alive for that... you could cause us a lot of problems. So we're going to get rid of you for a little while. Think of this as a final test!"

She snaps her fingers, and your shadows disappear. No, not disappear. That's the wrong word. It's more like... they're abandoning you. Nearly forty pools of darkness flow up onto the stage, and suddenly explode upwards in tendrils and globs of black. The girl laughs as they finish changing, as they take on your shapes. As they reach into themselves and pull out inky replicas of your own weapons. They all laugh with her, in the emotionless tones of the Voice from your dreams.

"You can all draw your own weapons now, okay? Fight hard!"

[mod notice: NOW EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS OOC POST BEFORE THEY REPLY.]

queenscheckmate: we are young (that's the plan; head turn)

[personal profile] queenscheckmate 2011-01-27 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
"I don't know about you," a bitter laugh, "but I don't plan on dying. I just... don't know how many more of ours allies or friends I can gun down. It's... starting to wear on me."

With his help, she sat up, eyes tired and lifeless.
swordofzero: (no!)

[personal profile] swordofzero 2011-01-27 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
"No," they couldn't think like that, that way would only lead to more horror and pain, and there was far too much of that already. "They are not our friends... they are shadow monsters that have chosen to wear the faces of our friends to hurt us..." He helped to pull Kallen to her feet, "Come on..."
queenscheckmate: we are young (look to the future; we hold it)

[personal profile] queenscheckmate 2011-01-27 06:27 pm (UTC)(link)
"Yeah..." Kallen winced when Suzaku helped her up. The grazed blade mark on her shoulder was starting to irritate her, not to mention the blood seeping from the fabric she tied around her arm. "We'll make it through."