<@Dreol> [Power Sliders Kyler Intro] <@Dreol> [You have come to New York to compete at Ubercon! The largest multi- genre video game competition in the world. You bussed in last night so that you could arrive early on Friday. The bus managed to arrive in town a little bit early placing you at the con at around 9 AM.] <@Dreol> [As you approach the convention center, a mass of people are all gathered outside some of them are cosplaying as various video game characters, or anime characters, or just in creepy goth outfits, because somehow that's all related?] <@Dreol> [In any case, the registration line is a long 2 hour wait. By the time you get through it is about 11 AM, and once you get inside you are assaulted with a barrage of lights and sounds from all around.] <@Dreol> [Stalls are set up where new games are being shown ala E3 or TGS, there is a section where dealers are selling rare games, or plushies or anything video game related that people might want.] <@Dreol> [most of the floor, however, is taken up by countless huge competition stations being set up.] <@Dreol> [You, as a competitor, are scheduled to participate in the Madden 09 tournament which will take place at Noon. It is standard tournament bracket form and should last about 3 hours. You have one hour to do what you wish.] <@Dreol> [Begin.] * Kyler yawns and looks around, cracking his neck discreetly as he does so. He's a tall, lean young man in his early twenties with dark hair, currently being sleepily mussed above his white visor-cap. Other than that, he's also wearing a blue polo shirt with his university seal, name, and the Greek letters Sigma Phi Epsilon over the breast, khaki shorts, and a pair of Adidases. An old red backpack is slung over his shoulder, with the monogram KMTF. * Kyler doesn't seem too fazed one way or the other by the cosplayers, nor even especially by the stalls. He checks his little convention center map, checks the time, and sets about looking for someplace to get a bite to eat. <@Dreol> [There are some vendors inside the convention selling horribly overpriced food, or there is a Wendy's across the street with a line out the door. Additionally there are some con-goers who have obscene amounts of pocky and may be willing to share.] * Kyler frowns as his stomach gives another demanding grumble and looks back and forth between the vendors and the Wendy's. No vending machines, even? ;-; <@Dreol> [Nope. Unfortunately the vendors don't want the competition. But if you walk for a couple blocks outside you may be able to find a hotdog vendor that doesn't have a line.] * Kyler does so! He is hungry and a poor college student and has little time! ;-; <@Dreol> [You arrive at a hotdog vendor who gladly sells you a hotdog with anything you want on it. It takes you about 5 minutes to walk there and 5 minutes back.] * Kyler snarfs down the hot dog within two minutes and guiltily goes back for another one before heading back. Not having eaten for over 12 hours will do that to you. <@Dreol> [On the way back, what appears to be a prostitute, but is, in fact, an Ivy cosplayer smiles at you and waves. "Hey. I lost my map. Any idea where the Pokemon tournament is being held?"] * Kyler blinks and pauses in the second snarfing, wipes his hand surreptitiously and pulls out his map, shaking it out and tilting it so they can both look. "Uh, let's see here..." <@Dreol> [She leans over your shoulder, which causes her not-so-well-contained chest to press against you. "Oh there we go... it's over in the east wing. Now let's see... where's the nearest entrance."] * Kyler blinks and stares VERY INTENTLY at the map while she does so. "I think I know where it is. Would you like me to show you the way?" Now that he speaks more, it may be possible to discern a very light southern cant to his speech. <@Dreol> [She nods. "Oh that would be great. Thank you!" She bounces some at the prospect and backs off so he can walk first.] * Kyler gestures forward with his non-hot dog holding hand. "After you, please. It's this way." He might have gotten in a discreet glance while doing so. We won't tell. <@Dreol> [She smiles and heads forward. "Oh, my name's Zoe, by the way."] * Kyler smiles back. "Kyler. Pleased to meetcha." As soon as she turns her back, he stuffs the rest of the second hot dog in his mouth in one bite and quickly moves to flank the girl at a polite distance. <@Dreol> [She nods. "Likewise. So what are you doing at the con? Are you competing or are you just here to watch?"] * Kyler swallows down the food. "I'm competing. I'll be in the Madden tournament, at noon in the north wing." * Kyler wipes his hands with the flimsy paper napkin and tosses it in the first available trash can, or sticks it in his pocket until he can find one. <@Dreol> [She keeps walking and looks over to you. "Oh, cool. I hope you do well." as you enter the con again from the east entrance you notice that the TV monitors which, until this point, had been displaying just the Ubercon logo now turn on to reveal two men in a press box] <@Dreol> [The one on the left, the monitor claims his name is Alex, has stiffly parted dark hair, is thin and has glasses. The one on the right looks like he just got out of a J-rock concert or is trying to cosplay someone from Kindgom Hearts II. His hair is combed back in huge spikes, his name is Jason.] <@Dreol> "Welcome to Ubercon 2009, I'm Alex Thompson." <@Dreol> "And I'm Jason Moore. It's been a big year in competitive gaming and this is going to be a very exciting competition, some newcomers this year look very promising." <@Dreol> "Yes, but a lot of returning competitors here as well. I saw Gregory Stevens, last year's winner of the Soul Calibur tournament and asked him if he thought he would be able to defend his title. He said that he would certainly try but every year the gaming community gets more skilled and he wishes his competitors luck." <@Dreol> "What a great guy, I love Greg. Anyway, there are a few competitors you won't be seeing this year. Richard Williams has been the victim of an unfortunate deli-slicer injury and cannot compete in the Dynasty Warriors tournament this year." <@Dreol> "Right, and Nate Walsh was banned from Ubercon last year after getting in a heated argument and punching a judge who ruled that his pokemon were illegally obtained." <@Dreol> "Gerard Peterson, the current Halo champion disappeared a month ago during the competition at Shutocon and hasn't been heard from since. <@Dreol> "And finally Renee Fielding who is last years winner of the Final Fantasy competition with her amazing 3 hour run through the supposed 6 hour demo of Final Fantasy XIII that Squarenix presented us, has said that she is quitting competitive gaming to take up a career in game design." <@Dreol> "Maybe she'll be here next year as a developer." <@Dreol> "We can hope. In any case a very exciting year." <@Dreol> [The TV fades out to just displaying the Ubercon logo.] <@Dreol> [She pauses to watch the TV. "Wow... that's really weird. The guy just disappeared."] * Kyler glances over as he says, "Thank you," and pauses to watch the little thingy. "Huh." Well, I don't know that I'd say weird...somethin' probably happened to him there. I hear Dallas is a pretty dangerous place. * Kyler continues walking. "I had a friend whose relatives all got their purses stolen or their pockets picked when they were all there for a wedding. The hotel was privately booked and everything, too. Crazy stuff." <@Dreol> [She nods. "Yeah... Oh! Here we are." And there you are! You arrive at an area sectioned off with statues of various pokemon, inside are some monitors that are displaying the current competitors in combat. Zoe bounces and gives Kyler a hug and then heads off into the arena. "Bye, Kyler! Thanks!"] * Kyler is too startled to give more than a cursory hug back and waves. "No problem!" He then turns around and looks at the map and his watch again, then starts heading for the north wing. <@Dreol> [You arrive at the north wing in the Sports section. Several competitions are already in progress. You soon find what appears to be a miniature football stadium with "Madden 09" on a sign over it and a bunch of people outside it. Some of them are dressed as various football players.] * Kyler heads for the end zone! I mean, his destination! <@Dreol> [And just in time. A man walks out dressed in a Jets jersey with a "Uberstaff" badge on. "Alright. All competitors please head on in. We're ready for you."] * Kyler heads on in, then, giving the guy a friendly nod as he passes him, if he passes him. <@Dreol> [The inside continues to be a mock football stadium. There are spectators seated in all the seats along the stadium, and the ground is even painted to look like a football field. In the center of the room are about sixteen different gaming stations, and there are several larger monitors around the stadium so the spectators can see each player's screen. You are led to one of the stations where it instructs you to enter a handle] * Kyler enters in "KFOX". * Kyler then leans back and looks around, taking in his competition. <@Dreol> [And it looks like you are paired against someone named Titan1337. And the same rep who let you in heads into the middle of the arena and yells "Begin!" and the games begin.] <@Dreol> [The games are shortened to fit within the time, and you easily beat Titan 24-0, and when the next round starts you are up against someone named HenryHammer this game is allowed to go a little longer, as it's the next round and Henry is a bit tougher to beat. He's clearly not anywhere near as skilled as you and while he manages to get one touchdown on you the final score is 38-7.] <@Dreol> [The third round against Bradsgurl and uh whoever she is, she deserves to be in the 3rd round. Her defense is much stronger than the previous players and you only manage to score 3 touchdowns in the time alloted. But it's enough and you beat her 21-10.] <@Dreol> [Bradsgurl being eliminated, she walks away and you get a glimpse of her. She's about 14, tall, and has very short hair. The final round is allowed to go for a full game and you are up against someone that calls themself F34rSpyd3r. You've played against this guy before on X-Box live, actually, and he's really good. He's never managed to beat you but he gets damn close.] * Kyler sucks in his lip a bit as he plays, his forehead wrinkling a little for the first time. <@Dreol> [You're doing pretty well against him. You've managed to score two touchdowns and him only one. But about 2 PM, a decent way into the first quarter everything stops. And by everything I mean the entire world seems to freeze and then melt away until you're left in basically a void of darkness.] * Kyler peers at the area where the screen was in frustration before managing to realize that it's not just the screen. <@Dreol> [And as you float there for a bit soon a dim light seems to shine in on the world again and you find yourself standing on a stone floor in, what appears to be, nothingness] <@Dreol> [Session End]