Dungeons and Dimensions - Series Premier

[Monolilith]

He's still kind of surprised by how long it took him to realize this. Nexus Island, for the aware and ambitious, is a place of possibility. Of opportunity. Of endless potential. He can sense it, hell, it's obvious! At every turn it shows its pudgy little face. But it took until AFTER the fiasco with Bomberman for it to really click into place.

Series Twelve almost killed him. If he wants to get his bucket list cleared off, he'd best do it now - and what better place than here? Where better to leave his mark than here?

So he took the idea to DTBS. Let them mull over it. Handed over a portfolio, let them offer him the producer and host job all on their own. Within a month, it was time. Is time. It's now. Today's the day. The cameras are ready. The arena is packed. Plenty of potential adventurers responded - and the "council of great ones" made their decision.

Right now, though, he's waiting just behind the scenes, eyes on his pocket watch. The last few live viewers have yet to arrive...

[DMis]

"So how did you get front seats again?" questioned a certain blonde brawler before looking at the shirts the 4 of them wore. "Did we all pick the Game of Thrones shirts?"

There was a sigh from the white haired member of the group. "I offered Schnee Dust to sponsor the show," she answered before dusting off her shirt that looked to be a Game Of Thrones house sigil but custom done to say 'House Schnee' with a rapier being stabbed into the ground and what looked like half of the Schnee crest coming from the shattered earth. She wouldn't admit it but after the whole civilian fiasco, she was glad to have her abilities back.

"Still thank you for bringing us with you. Kinda sucks Forsaken couldn't come...." Ruby offered as she tugged on the hoodie Weiss had gotten her to wear while her cloak was being washed. Ruby blinked and looked down at her own House Rose shirt with a scythe over a rose and then to her sister's House Xiao Long shirt with what looked to be a dragon within Yang's usual symbol. "Can't tell since Blake has her jacket closed."

"We are," Blake offered showing off her own House Belladonna shirt that featured a proud panther and a shadowed flame. "Must talk to Forsaken and Todd about that. Seems they may have collaborated on this one." She couldn't help the fact her cat ears were twitching among the chatter from the other arrivals.

[ShadesofGrey18]

"Hell of a crowd that's built up here."

"Indeed. This promises to be quite a show~"

In the audience, Rodin and Bayonetta were looking around, having found seats.

"Didn't you-?"

"I did. I thought it could make for a fun diversion, really~"

[ryocker]

Close to the top of the stadium was Wario- munching on concessions he had gathered on the way to his seat. That battle with that dog thing was nasty- and he had no idea where his magical orbamajig vanished to when those shadow things assaulted the jungle- but he was here now, at least...

"This is probably the WORST popcorn I'va ever had," he mumbled to himself, still munching on it regardless. "Oh well, at least it doesn't cost a darn fortune." With his ceaseless devouring of his food, Wario didn't seem very focused on the stadium itself...

[jessie]

So, okay, there was a perfectly sensical string of events that led Shawna to be here, but she couldn't have recounted it. This wasn't normally her scene. But when in Rome, right? She'd heard about it, and it's not like she had any obligations.

Shawna felt quite small as she sat in the house. It's not like she normally attended things like this anyways, but it was still strange to not be with anyone she knew. She had no idea what to expect, though god forgive if she went back on her 'up for anything' attitude. It's not like she was going to skip out. She just felt, off.

[Monolilith]

His headset clicks. "They're all here. Raven. How long are we holding?"

Captor surveys the crowd as best as he can from his hidden station. "Just a sec, Eagle. Lark, you're in the stands. How many are there?"

A feminine, sultry voice replies. "Oh, MORE than enough. It's packed. I get the feeling no one's QUIIITE sure what you're plannin' here... but they're excited."

Captor can't help the smile. Perhaps it's simply an unnerving one... but perhaps it's menacing. He can never tell. "That's what I'm counting on. Eagle, go live ASAP."

-

Five minutes pass. Five minutes since the contenders and their allies sat down. In those five minutes, clouds rolled in - thundering but not raining. Ushers assured the antsy crowd that it's just part of the show - and assured some, untruthfully, that said clouds are fake. And now, abruptly, the lights across the arena dim, and then slam into darkness.

Lit only by the faint glow of the sky above, a lone figure appears in the arena's center. He floats a few yards above the ground, pristine, long coat and windswept hair flowing in a cool breeze. He raises a hand, twists his fingers just so, and a microphone appears before him. He takes it. It rings, for a second, though not loud or sharp enough to hurt the ears. And then he speaks.

"Ladies... gentlemen... all others present. It is my honor and my pleasure to welcome each and every one of you to the Dungeons and Islands premier!"

All across the arena, torches come alight with flames that swirl sea green and aegean blue. Below Captor's feet, a jet brazier appears, and then bursts into a similar blaze, lapping at his feet and crackling in an almost malevolent way. The arena is thus cast in an eerie glow, mist that pours from each torch swirling along the arena floor... save on four winding paths from each staircase leading down.

Resting above each staircase, four superscreens come to life, all four fixed on Captor's face. He pushes his glasses up with a finger by the side, then grins, in that confident, chillingly suave way. He cracks his neck both ways, then folds his arms.

"The Council of Great Ones that aided this event's construction have selected from the masses present as well as from the applications sent in four worthy contestants, who together have perhaps the slimmest chance of faring in the unfamiliar terrain of Nexus Isle. Understand that these contestants will be reduced to their barest selves, and that collaboration between them will prove critical for progress to be made. Once the chosen quartet is announced, I will explain the procedure and the consequent objectives, and then all four will have the opportunity to opt out, should they deem themselves unworthy. After all... what's someone else saying you can if you think you can't?"

A prolonged beat. And then, with a head tilt and a coy grin, he continues - softer, but still audible to all, via the headset mic.

"Bayonetta. Wario. Weiss Schnee. Shawna Jones. Come forth."

[DMis]

This part caused Ruby, Yang, and Blake to all look to the mentioned member of the group as she stood up.

"Sorry to do this behind your backs," She offered before a white glyph appeared at her feet and she launched to land near the jet brazier.

Her teammates all gave confused looks as they watched Weiss. This was rather unusual of the girl.

[ShadesofGrey18]

Rodin simply looked at Bayonetta with a raised eyebrow behind his sunglasses, but the witch barely noticed.

Vaulting off the handrailing, she did a flip in the air, lights catching her movement as she landed, strutting her way towards the brazier. "Hmhmh~"

[ryocker]

With no regard for himself or the people around him, Wario downed the last of his food- containers and all- and hefted his way toward the stadium. When he got to the bottom, rather than act sensibly, he effortlessly jumped over the railing, landing flat on his feet with nary a scratch on him. "Let'sa hope this event's good," Wario grinned, walking over.

[jessie]

For a second, she forgot her own name. Shawna Jones, that was her, that was her name coming out of the host's mouth. Did her blood run hot or cold? Did her face drain pale or fill flush? Was her mouth dry or was her skin just filled with a buzz? She certainly couldn't tell by her own judgement anymore, completely compromised by shock.

Murmuring apologies to the others in her row, she shuffled down the line. Taking the stairs, she almost tripped a couple times, flustered as she was. She looked around at the others descending flashily, felt a little disappointed in herself. She definitely got to the arena last. Mostly just trying not to cry, or vomit, or just drop dead on camera.

[Monolilith]

Only once all four are standing around the brazier, the flame flares up again. In the odd shadows, he seems like a raven, like he might burst into caws and fly away at any moment. Like he might soar off to steal a sun marble from distant lands, or see Man emerging from his garden. But he does neither. He closes his eyes, then spreads his hands out flat on either side of him, as if across an invisible surface. The arena floor pulses with green light in radial bars. A low sound is heard, like a song is starting.

It's all pretty scary... but pretty sick, too.

"Understand that you four have not been chosen based on martial prowess or tangible skill. Within the boundaries of Nexus Isle, none of these apply. The Council has selected abilities that will linger with you - learn them, and rely on them, but first and foremost rely on one another. You were selected based on virtue and on want, on your unique abilities to - together - tell an enthralling tale. This tale is your journey.

Another pulse. The floor suddenly comes alight, and... a map appears in white lines, with fifteen small green beacons appearing, as well.

"Your goal is to locate each checkpoint. All of them are nestled among challenges, whose difficulty will increase with your strength. At each checkpoint, you will be able to ask more questions, as well as drop out of the game if you realize you cannot envision yourself at the next one with sound heart and mind. All in all, the game should take a month or two, but it could go on far longer depending on how many secondary objectives you wish to complete.

"Of course, these basic rules are widely known... but review never hurts, no?" He smiles, coyly.

"Understand that most of the time, you will have no contact with the quote-unquote 'real' Nexus Island. Your friends and family will be watching, rooting for you, but you will be unable to see or hear them save at specific points. Also understand that though you will experience pain if wounded, you will never actually die, and you can never be maimed. If you reach zero health points, you will fall asleep and awaken in the real-world arena, where you will be offered three potential ways to re-enter the game by the Council of Great Ones.

"Lastly, I am your ally and your guide through this world. Your spellcasters may expend one spell slot at any time to summon me and ask a number of questions equal to the level of the slot expended. These terms may be foreign to you... but in due time, they will become reflexive, I assure you.

"Do you have any questions about the basic rules of the game, outside the internal mechanics?"

[DMis]

Weiss looked to the others gathered. Well I at least have met one of my compatriots in this endeavor, She thought.

She blinked. "Not able to contact our friends and family?" She asked in a slightly confused tone.

[ShadesofGrey18]

Bayonetta rested her chin on a hand, chuckling. "I see. So it's something like a game, is it? That sounds... fun, really. Could be a fun diversion." She looked over her teammates, as if appraising them.

[ryocker]

Wario just folded his arms, waiting for everything to go on. "Do we get some kind of reward for finishing?" he asked.

[jessie]

The magic light show didn't really impress Shawna, or scare her, or anything. In fact, it actually made her a bit more comfortable. Magic wasn't no thing, she might not know exactly how it works, but she basically got the jist of what was going on. This calmed her nerves enough to remember her working theory: she was totally asleep and all this island nonsense was a dream.

Yeah, she's been here a couple days and she's still convincing herself she's about to save the Royalty of Ev from being a bunch of vases or something. This ignorance is super willful, y'all.

As the host mentions loved ones and such, a sharp sting spikes in her chest. Would she be able to see them if they weren't on the island? ...Would she want to? She suddenly feels ten times more alone than she did sitting in the audience.

Despite all of this being totally fake and not real, that doesn't mean she has to like the way everyone's looking at her. The way they glance down the line of those gathered, and notice that Shawna is completely out of place here. Like, yeah, okay, she gets it. One of these shapes is not like the others, and also lives in a hot air balloon.

Though the magical showboating had eased her nerves, she was still expending real effort to not hyperventilate. Her words come out measured, pre-planned. "I don't have any questions." Honestly, she is surprising herself with how well of a grip she has on what's going on. So far. Maybe she's just missing something that she would have a question about.