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Toru Ishinomori [石乃森都丸] (2dbeauty) wrote in disappear_plot,
@ 2009-07-10 22:32:00

Ishinomori's Challenge Dungeon Crawl
Who: Shadow Toru and Exploration Team.
What: Dungeon crawling.
Where: Ishinomori's Challenge, Paradise.
When: May 15/16
Why: Dungeon crawling chat supplementals!

The whole world there was rendered in the most beautiful way possible. Each polygon shone with the glory of unseen effort on the part of the game's creator. Paradise had really outdone itself here; the material it worked with was rich, and there were no limitations to a place like this. Surely, if some programmer had created even the first level here, he would have passed out from pride and glee. Certainly, the world here was patently not real, and if one looked too close he or she could begin to see the ragged pixels at the edge of shapes, and notice that this world could only simulate sighst and sounds, but otherwise, it was far more beautiful than the real world could ever be. As it were, this first area was a wide-open field, where one could see endless grass and flowers swaying gently in a breeze that no person could feel. A good many meters off, a cave rose from this field, damp and uninviting.

Toru saw no reason to ever leave this place. The real world was so ugly, so painful, so full of awful things. It was fine for him to hide from it in his room and pretend that the Internet was good enough for him, but this was... just so much better than that. Paradise could be so beautiful when it wanted to be. Not just the locations; it made him beautiful, too. What more could Toru ask for?

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	Floors 1-5 2dbeauty 2009-07-11 03:18 am UTC (link)
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Re: Floors 1-5

pinksunbeam
2009-07-15 01:11 am UTC (link)

Misaki looked around. This place, it was familar to a frightening point. So detailed that she could hardly believe it. But it was Matsuri's world alright. There were the twisted trees and spindly branches, she could make out the high mountains where some parties could go hunting for orcs or dragon eggs. In the distance she noticed a small village that had smoke wafting from rooftop stone chimmines, clearly indicating that this world was inhabited, but by what?

She was dressed in her white mage uniform with gold trim and looked around at the others. They were dressed in costume as well and she shook her head. "So...we're in Matsuri?"

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Re: Floors 1-5

daioujou
2009-07-15 02:00 am UTC (link)

Kouchisei hoped to get out of this place quickly, and though he should've been quicker to protest being dragged along he was interested to see what was Toru's problem. That kid needed help. Often, he wanted to help others but always struggled to make social associations - which was why his mind had created that hospital in the first place. He could help but it was just a job.

He looked at the clothes he was wearing, at the red-lined black cape and old-fashioned kimono, and wondered why he was carrying a white mask with cruel-looking lips and black eyepieces.

And to preserve his sanity he said nothing.

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	Re: Floors 1-5 pinksunbeam 2009-07-15 02:08 am UTC (link)
	"Well at least he gave you something interesting Oubai-sempai." Misaki noted and looked around at the others. "A Black mage though, it suits you, I think." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Floors 1-5 daioujou 2009-07-15 02:13 am UTC (link)
	Kou struck his forehead with his palm and sighed. At least he didn't need to tell people a kimono was what he wore outside of school. "I can only imagine, Misaki-chan." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Floors 1-5

giantfruitbyday
2009-07-15 02:15 am UTC (link)

Maeko had never really paid too much attention to Matsuri's character designs before but was swiftly becoming painfully aware that the female 'armour' left very little to the imagination.

And that it wasn't particularly comfortable.

She sighed, tugging at her cosume to try to get it to cover more.

"Seems so. I guess it figures, he was fond of this sort of thing, right?"

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Re: Floors 1-5 -

pinksunbeam, 2009-07-15 02:21 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5 -

daioujou, 2009-07-15 02:24 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5 -

zealousemperor, 2009-07-15 02:25 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5 -

keiito, 2009-07-15 02:32 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5 -

giantfruitbyday, 2009-07-15 02:44 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5 -

zealousemperor, 2009-07-15 02:50 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5 -

giantfruitbyday, 2009-07-15 02:53 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5 -

pinksunbeam, 2009-07-15 03:08 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5 -

keiito, 2009-07-15 03:10 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5 -

anthesphoria, 2009-07-15 03:11 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5 -

zealousemperor, 2009-07-24 03:38 am UTC

Re: Floors 1-5

some_other_dog
2009-07-16 06:52 am UTC (link)

These things were always such a hassle, and just as his luck would happen, on yet another unfortunate day. He’d had to cancel a meeting with the [BOSOZOKU] to join in today-- not that he’d much wanted to do so, mind, but Ikeda or Misaki would probably harass him about it if he didn’t. The fact that he’d been impatient to get it good and done with wasn’t lost on him either. Karma, perhaps?

He’d hopped in and braced himself for the worst, ready to feel the stale wind of paradise playing over his bare thighs and the uncomfortable way stockings trapped his leg hair inside again. The air was indeed there, if only in patches, and when he looked down he discovered why: He was suddenly dressed in the archetypical armor of a berserker, which left copious amounts of skin (not his real skin, he noted-- he was suddenly missing all body hair and scars like most matsuri online avatars) showing in the most masculine (…) way possible. His gloves and chain were gone, replaced instead by vicious clawed gauntlets reminiscent of Badger from the western comic Z-Men.

“… Do you guys just like putting me in skimpy clothes or something?” He snapped, shooting an accusatory glare at Kouchisei. This wasn’t even his regular Matsuri class! An alt, sure, but.. He hung his head when he looked back down and realized there was no way his pack of cigarettes were hidden in this outfit. There wasn’t a place to hide them, after all.

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Re: Floors 1-5

apathyisboring
2009-07-16 07:06 am UTC (link)

"Wow, that's more than any of us need to see," drawled Kiriko from somewhere behind him. "Oubai-san, why don't you lend him your cloak?"

Her whip was coiled and hung from her hip and instead she was absently twanging the bowstring of the longbow that appeared to have come with her costume. Kitsune seemed to have been summoned of its own accord and sat swishing its tails about her ankles. The huntress outfit wasn't so bad, she reflected - at least the shirt went up to her neck and the shorts weren't so likely to ride up. She could live with a bit of bellybutton and leg showing, and the heavy gloves made her feel admittedly more powerful. Plus, having her Persona out by default was certainly nothing to complain about. She drew one of her arrows from the quiver on her back and looked positively delighted when the fox breathed on it and the tip burst into flames.

She looked decidedly less delighted when she attempted to notch and fire it and succeded only in lodging it in the ground about three feet away.

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Re: Floors 1-5

some_other_dog
2009-07-16 07:37 am UTC (link)

“Shut-up!” He muttered, a hand instinctively reaching around behind him to tug his loincloth down in some effort to cover up better. It was long enough to cover all the right areas and a little more, but he couldn’t be too sure. Not around these people, anyway. He snapped his head around to look at Kiriko, or rather the source of the noise he’d heard, just in time to see the flaming arrow extinguish itself in the ground. He looked from it, to the bow, to her, and back again, and then finally settled onto her outfit.

She didn’t play a hunter. The only hunter he knew was the one who seemed to be on all the damned time and constantly harassed him behind the anonymity of the game.

“I thought you didn’t play the game,” he said, eyeing her suspiciously as he moved in behind the group. He didn’t want to be a practice target for Kiriko and he didn’t want anyone else getting a peak at what the loincloth might not always hide when he walked.

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Re: Floors 1-5

apathyisboring
2009-07-16 07:42 am UTC (link)

"I don't play the game," she said smoothly and indifferently, notching another arrow. She could feel his eyes on her and it made her skin prickle, but she played it determinedly cool. After a backwards glance at the group (why on Earth was Kozue shaking her hips while everyone else was threatening eachother...?), she went back to aiming, firing up into the sky this time. The arrow sailed a little further this time, though it was by no means a vast improvement. Kitsune purred in amusement.

"I'm not some shut-in, you know."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Floors 1-5 daioujou 2009-07-16 11:46 am UTC (link)
	"I've given it to Maeko-san," Kou said, keeping his gaze down. He'd spoken when the argument seemed to lighten, but still didn't know where to look. There were girls wearing... how could you call that armour? The men weren't better, and he was relieved that he'd gotten something that covered his modesty. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Floors 1-5 -

pinksunbeam, 2009-07-24 04:38 am UTC

	Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] 2dbeauty 2009-07-11 03:39 am UTC (link)
	Toru stood next to his charge in the middle of a decrepit ballroom, smiling. The Shadows in Paradise could really do anything, couldn't they? Giant robots were impossible in the real world, right? With his hand at its side, he smiled. Nobody could get him to leave. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] pinksunbeam 2009-07-15 05:25 pm UTC (link)
	Misaki moved falling plaster that littered the floor. Her eyes adjusted to the low light and she made a face. "Um...does anyone know where we are now?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] apathyisboring 2009-07-23 08:47 pm UTC (link)
	"I think it's about the middle... Hey, there's Ishinomori-san." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] pinksunbeam 2009-07-24 04:32 am UTC (link)
	Misaki nodded and looked to where Kiriko was looking. She called out, "Toru-kun!" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] anthesphoria 2009-07-25 01:24 am UTC (link)
	Kozue looked over, and, rather quietly, asked "So, we can get him and go home...?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

2dbeauty, 2009-07-28 03:28 pm UTC

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

apathyisboring, 2009-08-20 02:47 am UTC

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

ofmanydevices, 2009-08-21 10:28 pm UTC

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

2dbeauty, 2009-08-26 01:24 am UTC

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

zealousemperor, 2009-08-26 03:45 am UTC

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

2dbeauty, 2009-08-26 12:43 pm UTC

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

apathyisboring, 2009-08-26 10:54 pm UTC

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

2dbeauty, 2009-08-26 11:00 pm UTC

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

zealousemperor, 2009-08-28 12:11 am UTC

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

ofmanydevices, 2009-08-28 01:50 am UTC

Re: Midway through floor 5 [Midboss-Escapist Soldier] -

pinksunbeam, 2009-08-29 01:35 am UTC

Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11]

2dbeauty
2009-07-12 02:33 am UTC (link)

It was almost odd for Toru to be alone in a place like the one where he stood. Great columns surrounded the arena, for that's what it most certainly was, and had they not been obviously rendered in CG, one would have called them marble. If there were more people, the place wouldn't have been out of place as a location in a fighting game. But Toru was completely on his own. And that was the way it should be, right? Nobody from outside could comprehend the beauty of this world.

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Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11]

keiito
2009-08-29 01:47 am UTC (link)

"For the love of all things..." Keiichi was not the happiest of campers as he trudged his way up the stairs to this new floor. "This place blows."

Taking a moment to look around at his surroundings, it looked...classical. Greek or Roman maybe. But what was more important was the *other* figure there.

"Well," Keiichi proclaimed, quietly, "I think we're about to get Quest Complete."

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] zealousemperor 2009-09-02 02:24 am UTC (link)
	Kanaye sighed at Toru. "Finally, we're almost done with this..." Stepping up, he just glared half-heartedly at Toru. "Could you just hurry up with this? I'm sleepy..." (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] ofmanydevices 2009-09-02 02:54 am UTC (link)
	Tom gazed at the two different versions of Toru. He looked to the Shadow. "You can't possibly be the real Ishinomori. Did you kidnap him and take his appearence somehow? What are you?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11]

2dbeauty
2009-09-02 01:48 pm UTC (link)

The Shadow turned around when addressed. There it was, still clad in Toru's Matsuri character's clothes and with a mask covering its face.

"Ugh, are you telling me that all of you managed to get up here? I told you before; I don't want to look at any of you. It was fun enough earlier, when I could play with you all from afar, but dear god you're all so ugly in person. That's why I'm here, so I don't have to look at you."

And for the first time, it was apparent that there were two Torus. The other one was sitting on the floor next to the Shadow, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. The standing Toru made a sweeping gesture with his arms, indicating the other Toru.

"Perceptive, Mr. Detective! You're a regular Shirogane, you know that? Except, I am him." He took a step over to the sitting Toru and nudged him. "You see, he just walks around every day, pretending that real people are oh-so-scary, when in reality he isn't so shy. He just... hates you all."

This caused the sitting Toru to stir. "That's not true!" he shouted, voice full of denial that shouldn't have been there, "I'm just shy! I-I wouldn't ever think that about my friends, o-or anyone else!"

"Friends? Please. You look at their faces and just think about how ugly they all are! Ugly people to match that ugly outside world! Every last one of them, from our lovely Kiriko-chan to even poor little Misaki. Don't you just wish that they looked more... acceptable? Like avatars in an online game. Or perhaps animated characters? Either way, it'd be an improvement."

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Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

apathyisboring, 2009-09-03 01:09 am UTC

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

2dbeauty, 2009-09-03 01:20 am UTC

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

apathyisboring, 2009-09-03 01:22 am UTC

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

pinksunbeam, 2009-09-03 01:26 am UTC

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

some_other_dog, 2009-09-03 01:27 am UTC

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

ofmanydevices, 2009-09-03 01:29 am UTC

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

pinksunbeam, 2009-09-03 01:38 am UTC

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

2dbeauty, 2009-09-03 01:56 am UTC

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

pinksunbeam, 2009-09-03 02:01 am UTC

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

2dbeauty, 2009-09-03 02:29 am UTC

Re: Boss Battle [Shadow Toru- Floor 11] -

thrown_to_winds, 2009-09-03 02:39 am UTC

NOTE THAT THIS HAPPENS BEFORE BOSSPLOSION -

apathyisboring, 2009-09-03 02:33 am UTC

Re: NOTE THAT THIS HAPPENS BEFORE BOSSPLOSION -

ofmanydevices, 2009-09-03 02:53 am UTC

	[Post-Boss: Shadow Toru] Floor 11 2dbeauty 2009-07-12 02:35 am UTC (link)
	(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: [Post-Boss: Shadow Toru] Floor 11

2dbeauty
2009-09-03 02:43 am UTC (link)

The final blow had been struck. Shadow Toru toppled to the ground, defeated, and exploded in a burst of shadows. When everything had cleared of this distracting visual, they had reformed into the Shadow's previous form, minus the mask, which lay broken neatly in half on the floor between the two Torus. For a long moment, there was silence as they stared at each other, one with an accusatory yet expectant look in his yellow eyes, the other with a melancholy expression radiating from his downcast green ones.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

	Re: [Post-Boss: Shadow Toru] Floor 11 apathyisboring 2009-09-03 02:48 am UTC (link)
	Kiriko looked sharply between them, waiting for something to happen, waiting for one of them to speak first and bring a conclusive end to their little moment. When none came, she turned to the shadow, first. "Well, you heard him. Scram. What more do you want?" (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

Re: [Post-Boss: Shadow Toru] Floor 11

2dbeauty
2009-09-03 03:27 am UTC (link)

The Shadow gave Kiriko a surprisingly mild look. "It's up to him." His sharper, more appraising glance towards Toru startled the boy, and he began to talk.

"H-he's... he's right. I got teased about my looks in middle school, and I really took it the wrong way. I... well, I ran away from myself. It was so much easier to just go online and forget about the real world. Even if I thought I was ugly, it didn't matter, because I could present myself however I wanted. B-but... I got sucked into it. I fell so much in love with graphics and avatars and 2D pictures that I started thinking everything outside of that was ugly." For once, Toru didn't flinch away from eye contact; he maintained a steady stare into his Shadow's eyes. "And that just made interacting with people that much worse. I-I've always been shy, a-and I didn't want to get picked on anymore... so thinking everyone was ugly to boot was just the last nail in the coffin. I shut out the rest of the world. A-and then... you all broke into my world. It scared me at first. But at the same time, I liked you all... so I ended up just trying to bury this all under my shyness, to pretend it wasn't there anymore. But that was wrong. This... this ugliness, even if I hate it, is still a part of me." He smiled sheepishly at the Shadow, not daring to look away. "You hear that? You're me. I do think the world's ugly. But I can't hide from that."

His Shadow smiled for a moment, then faded away. For a moment, Toru's Persona was visible in its place. It, too, faded, and Toru wobbled a bit on unsteady legs before collapsing to the ground.

"Oh, good."

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