Summer Dance Mix (open player plot)

[roundandaround]

WHO: People around Ellipsa and also Rinku
WHAT: The curse that creates a simulation game of your world is back, but it’s… significantly more harmless (except maybe for your wallet).
WHEN: July 6
WHERE: Weird mind space
WARNINGS: Some discussion of trauma/teamnesia games and what goes on in those, as well as the recent Cursed RPG, Jar of Human Poké Ball, and Lobotomy Corporation player plots.

[You were going about your day. Maybe you were hoping for something nice to happen after everything that’s been going on in town these days. It’s been a rough summer so far, after all, for some more than others.

Something grabs you, though. In the real world, you’ve fallen asleep where you stand, but from your perspective, you suddenly see a stage lit up purple and a cheering crowd.]

RAISE YOUR HANDS UP!!!
3
2
1
Let’s Go!
NEXT MEMBER IS…

[Light flashes, and you’re standing backstage. There are others standing around too, some you might recognize. On the stage, you’ll see a DJ booth with your faces on it. One of you might have an instrument, another a fancy glowstick or two, and you’ve all got microphone headsets on.

The announcer is calling you on stage.

Welcome to D4FES.]

—

[Have fun – it’s an open, lighthearted variation on the cursed-item player plot! Info is here, but basically your character is now expected to perform a DJ live, either alone or in a group (players can work that out). There are turntables on the stage that you suddenly know how to use, and characters who wish to fulfill extra roles in units while one of their threadmates DJs will also have whatever equipment they need and the knowledge to use it. Want to VJ? You’ve got a laptop ready, and mysteriously, all the art or video footage you can imagine is there to project onto the screen behind you or into your LED penlights. Want to play live music? Have an instrument!

The post will be divided into three toplevels in chronological: Free Play (where you play your first round and get used to Suddenly You’re On Stage), Gacha (backstage mingle with everyone else, where a gacha mechanic will put you in new clothes that make you feel stronger and that your threadmates can envy and/or laugh at), and Raid (go perform again with all your new skill and score high enough to break out of the simulation).

As is standard, no powers. We don’t want any accidents on stage.]

Comments

FREE PLAY

[roundandaround]

[You come out onto the stage. There’s a DJ booth here; you (and maybe your friends, if you went up together; otherwise, it’s just you) also have everything else you need to make music. You seem to be at some kind of music festival, with throngs of people in the audience holding penlights and wearing glow bracelets. They’re all looking expectantly up at you.

It’s clear you have to put on a show. Play music, mix and change it as you go, sing and dance, and add whatever you want. Can you get the crowd hyped?]

GACHA/BACKSTAGE

[roundandaround]

[You see something.

And then it’s gone and you’re handed some strange iridescent diamonds – a prize for all the competitors, they say – and ushered backstage for the next act to play.

At least you’re not alone. Everyone else stuck in the dream is gathered here, and you’ve got some entertainment. There’s a green-room TV to watch other people’s performances, a slot machine that apparently registers new stage equipment to you at random (with prizes such as new music – wait, where did you get the music you were playing? – new speakers, and putting a banner with your face on the DJ booth), and an imposing, brightly lit gacha machine that takes those gems you were handed as currency.

Rolling the gacha is guaranteed to make you feel stronger, more skilled, and more confident! It just also puts you into a flashy performance outfit that fits the result you rolled. Everyone else can react to it as well.]

RAID BATTLE

[roundandaround]

[The announcer (who? You’re pretty sure you didn’t see anyone) has called you/your unit back on stage. Once you’re there, you see that the festival seems to have a different setup. The stage is twice as long now, with two booths and sets of equipment, and four very attractive women are performing on the other end of the stage. With how hyped up the crowd is and how reverent they all seem to be, you get the sense that this unit is some kind of a big deal.

Once their song ends, the spotlights and the audience turn to you. The same announcer voice rings out, and you see the message on the screens behind the stage.]

Can you beat the best?
RAID BOSS

[It’s a DJ battle. Bring your best.]

[happydreamed]

[-Oh. Here he is, suddenly, with an audience. At least the audience doesn't appear to be demons, but -

Kantera breathes in deeply. One moment, then two. He hits play on the turntables, and it's a song he knows and can sing along to, so he does.

This is happening, okay. This is fine. He's not having Imeeji flashbacks at all.]

[abnormalizes]

[Oh my god it's happening again-

Oh wait, no, this is Rinku's world. Nothing to worry about.

Evangeline looks through the list of songs available, picks one she knows, and then gets up to dance. She has no earthly idea what she's doing with regards to DJing, but she can at least dance!]

[roundandaround]

[The audience cheers when the music starts, and again when Kantera starts to sing along. The DJ booth will allow him to remove the vocal track, or... actually, anything, and add anything else in. What's he looking for?]

[roundandaround]

[Dancing behind the booth is valid! In fact, getting up to dance in front of the booth is valid, as long as you've got someone running it. The audience seems interested, but some of them look confused -- is the song playing normally?]

[happydreamed]

[Excellent question. What do the kids like with their music... Colors and lights, probably? Can he do those lasers that Porty had at his party, those seemed to be popular?]

[abnormalizes]

[Oh, yeah, she's a DJ here, so she has to make it special and can't just play the song, huh... Well, she suddenly knows how to use turntables now, so she guesses it's time to remix this on the fly!]

[happydreamed]

[Rinku no.

But the notion of performing and receiving rewards from performing is familiar to him. Kantera curiously puts a few diamonds into the machine and...

Finds himself in a very fanservice vampire outfit. He absolutely does not have the tits to make that top work, or at least he doesn't think so? Goodness, when was the last time he wore an outfit that bared his midriff.

And most importantly-]

I believe this might be offensive??

[Sorry Saya, he didn't pick this one...]

[abnormalizes]

[This is Rinku's world, but even then, Evangeline still waits after someone else has used the gacha machine before she gives it a try. Better safe than sorry.

An adorable angel outfit appears on her, complete with wings and halo, and she does a little spin.]

I'm so cute! Even if I'm definitely not an angel.

[roundandaround]

[Sure can! There's a laptop in the booth for the VJ, and he can absolutely make lasers move around in patterns and colours.]

[roundandaround]

[The beat picks up when Evangeline moves it, and she can add or change anything she wants. The audience starts to get more excited at her improvisation, and some of them start to cheer. Others talk amongst each other and start to hesitantly change their penlights to various shades of blue and purple, with a few trying white or pink, as if they're not sure what to use.]

[happydreamed]

[Fantastic. Purple and pink lasers it is. Is there a fog machine too, can he do that?]

[roundandaround]

[There is now! People start turning their bracelets and penlights to the colours he's using. It seems like for this practice run, he's got access to everything he needs without having to buy it from the slot machine.]

[abnormalizes]

[Oh, she should, probably give them some direction with the color thing... it's a little hard to do the turntables one-handed but she hurriedly throws together a video on the laptop to play on the screen, of various blue female silhouettes dancing suggestively. Blue's good, pick blue.]

[roundandaround]

[Evangeline's managing, even if she's trying this solo for the first time. The penlights start to solidify in the range of blue, and then into the specific shade she was using. The song continues, and the crowd watches; what's she going to do in the instrumental break?]

[happydreamed]

[Fantastic!

-Oh, that song is over, he has to put on another one. What else can he sing that you can dance to... One he learned recently, sure. He puts in flashes for the a-a-a parts.]

[roundandaround]

[The crowd seems still mostly into it, even if Kantera's clearly new at this and doesn't pull off a smooth transition. The visuals are keeping them interested, as is his singing; people start to whisper, though it's hard to tell what they're saying from up here.]

[starwill]

Hmmhmm~

[ Stelle may have appeared in a foreign place, but hey- she's dealt with a lot worse in dreams, so she's happy to grab some songs and play them.

Unfortunately for those involved and can hear her are all of her song choices that you all can probably judge her for... ]

[roundandaround]

[The crowd doesn't actually seem to be judging the song choices! They seem intrigued, at least. What's Stelle adding or changing?]

[starwill]

YO HO HO...! The gacha has been blessed today!

[ The pirate outfit that Stelle steps out of has the girl looking rather confident, but was the pirate character that she puts on part of that confidence...?

No, actually.

If she sees someone approach, she'll point at them and say with her full chest: ]

Arrr! How would ye would like to join me motley crew?

[mayoninofukucho]

[What the hell just happened?! Did he get isekai's inside the isekai that is Ellipsa? Or is this some portal nonsense again? If nothing else, though, he at least recognises an idol concert when he sees one... and he's not alone; there are some familiar faces around.]

So... so are we just getting with the program..?

[It sure seems like it! For better or worse, he's kind of used to suddenly being thrown into situations. He can improvise, adapt, overcome! Sorry, audience, but he's going to play Gintama music (sped up!)!]

[mayoninofukucho]

[What the hell was that vision just now..? Rinku-chan, what did you do?

But he doesn't exactly get a lot of time to process it - it's slot machine- and gacha time!! He collects some new songs for the next round of DJ-ing first, then feeds that especially blingy and shiny machine his diamonds, given the peer pressure to do so. He receives... a cowboy outfit! He tips the brown hat back.]

Thank goodness. This could've been a lot worse.

[roundandaround]

[The audience seems pretty fine with that! Turns out anisongs make up half the D4DJ discography. They start dancing and cheering to the sped-up music, though some of them seem to be talking to each other and wondering if that's all he's doing to change it.]