You know what everyone needs after rampant robotic attacks and another iteration of clone wars? A vacation! That’s right everyone, you deserve this. CERES understands what you need. CERES is here for you all the time, so never doubt that this is a pleasure colony, and they are here to look after all of your needs. Kick your feet up, relax, and let CERES Recreation and Activity Necessity Keepers (Team RANK, that is) set you up with your ideal getaway.
It’s as if you can sense the incoming relaxation and luxury before you even completely finish loading. There’s the warmth encompassing your entire body as your code gets transferred into this particular ViViD Level. A cool, refreshing breeze hits you. The sounds of waves gently lapping against the coast fill you with relaxation. The sun, the sand, the surfs, it’s all there – welcome to the beach, baby!
An echoing greeting message from the ocean comes next, if you can translate it.
 OOOOOOOOOOOOHMAHH GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHD.
YOOOOOOOOOOOORRRALL SOOOOOOOOOOOOO KYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT.
KYOOOOOOOOOOOT EEEENAAAAUUUUUUUF TOOOOOOOOOOOOO EEEEEEEEEEEEEEET.
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PHASE I [ 08 00 ] That said, isn’t that breeze a little… too strong? It feels like it’s brushing up against all of you, if you know what I mean. When you open your eyes and look down, it becomes rather clear why. It seems that you’ve found yourself in some pretty interesting attire. Everyone. No exceptions. You appear to have two options – be overcome and scream like the Victorian maiden your heart says you are, or strut like a model in this stuff. Turn some heads! Work that up do!
But don’t worry, we’re also conscious about safety here at CERES! Therefore everyone’s also been provided a pair of super high-tech safety-tested appendage protection floatation devices (STAPFD for short.)
At least everyone around you is caught in the same sort of attire – and everyone around you also appears to be stuck inside a giant sand castle. It’s entirely malleable to what you want it to be! Want to see a fancy sand bidet? Feel like adding a sand statue in your honor? Think that wall should now be a door? Well, with enough perseverance, you can make it happen!
Just uh, be careful about getting sand in your… everywhere.
PHASE II [ 1000 ] Someone broke it. Not pointing any fingers, even though you sure do seem like a prime suspect, but someone broke it.
It almost starts like an earthquake with how the castle starts to rumble, the sand shaking right beneath your feet. And then the walls right next to you start to cave in followed promptly by the ceiling right… above your head. Oh dear. The sand starts to run and fall, losing its structure and shape. The hallway behind you starts to cave in, ceiling first and then the walls follow suit. Now the sand really is getting everywhere – but not just uncomfortable places. It’s in your hair, your eyes, your nose…. this sure doesn’t seem like a pleasant way to go!
Best to start running – there’s a trusty drawbridge to get over the moat (because what’s a sandcastle without a moat?) but who knows how long until that, too, is going to give way? Best to cross over it before it starts to shake and disappear too. Or if you don’t make it, hopefully you can land some pretty impressive airtime to make it to the other side!
If not, well...there'll be the sensation of sand crushing down upon you, filling your mouth and eyes, and you won't be able to breathe at all – and then you're alive again on the beach (but possibly in yet another new, uncomfortable, skimpy swimsuit). Honestly, be more careful, would you?
PHASE III [ 1200 ] However, once you do make it to the other side, it’s all smooth sailing from there! Or is it? Hah, as they say, life sure can be a beach.
Which is what this is.
Welcome to your Beach Episode, folks. Now that you’ve made it out of the collapsing sand castle, you’ve made it to the luxurious, picturesque golden coastline. Sure, you’re coughing up fine, luxurious, sand dust right now and you’ve definitely gotten sand in all of your crevices thanks to your swimsuit, but that’s okay! Go take a soak in the ocean or something or cool off with a smoothie. There’s a smoothie shack off into the distance, complete with a long chalkboard with… well, probably a few familiar names? And some unfamiliar ingredients. Sounds appetizing right?
That said, once you do ingest some of the smoothie with the name of a newcomer, you might suddenly find yourself feeling a bit… different. You’ll be taking on some of their traits, one of the most intense parts of their personality – or you might need to take a second to sit down because you’re suddenly seeing one of their memories. Whoa. What do they actually put in this stuff?
PHASE IV [ 1500 ] For the brave souls that venture out into the water, you have even more adventures waiting for you. Anyone who’s swimming around, wading in the water—hell, even looking at the water is getting scooped up and deposited in one of these giant orbs. But don’t take up too much room, because someone else is getting shoved right in there with you. Time to get cozy with your new friend, because it's only going to get worse as the waves begin to carry you out into this big, blue, virtual ocean. Hopefully the choppy waves don’t bounce you around too much or – well, you could always get really friendly with a stranger! Why not?
At least until it’s made very clear that fresh air does not make it back into these balls. That seems like a bit of a design flaw. Now what? Fight the other person who’s inhaling all your air? Suffer through it for swimsuit-clad fun? Or if you break it…. well, you sure are stranded out in the ocean. Or are you?
After enough flailing, you’ll be met by a giant, dumb-looking creature who will then eat you whole.
Everything goes dark. This is surely the end --
And then you're in Cerealia proper; it seems that was the exit to the level (but why there?) and you'll find yourself either in one of the fountains or the pond in the park. Either way, you'll be very, very well. And this time, that's not virtual. But hey, at least you'll have all of your stuff with you.
BONUS [ xxxx ] Do you hear that?
Anyone idle on the beach will hear a distant melody coming from further out into the ocean. It’s a beautiful, elegant song that automatically makes the listener stop what they’re doing and immediately wander toward the noise. It takes you a moment to recall – it takes a moment to think about anything now, really – but you remember hearing the smoothie shack owner say something about mermaids populating the beach. Could this be their song calling out to you? Whether you would normally abide by this kind of call or not, you find your feet walking further and further out into the water, the shallows lapping up to your ankles and up and up as you are drawn in by the song.
A rather classic song, though the usual instances of French are also replaced with the very enticing, enchanting nonsense promise of omelette du fromage........and then they try to drown you.
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Yusuke
[Darin's literally raring to go. Fists clenched, teeth grit.]
[Maybe beating up a kid wasn't a bright idea. Maybe beating up some hapless teen was just a step over the line. He's bigger than this. He's a better person.]
[With that, he straightens up and walks over to Yusuke and clamps a hand on his shoulder.]
Anyone ever tell you that you should respect your elders?
[With that, he swings his arm with ever intent of flinging Yusuke through the sandcastle wall, which with Darin's strength is altogether a possibility.]
[See, someone who wasn't as mature as him would have resulted in punching.]
[This is different.]
no subject
With a burst of speed, he dashes forward, fist cocked, ready to give him a taste of the good ol' Urameshi classic right jab to the face.]
Anyone ever tell you you sound like a dumbass?!
[ENOUGH WITH THE ASSES, YUSUKE.]
no subject
[Darin lowers his guard intentionally. He was never the strongest fighter, but between Dromas and himself, he was a hell of a lot more resilient. Maybe showing this kid that a solid jab to his face will barely slow him down will help defuse the situation.]
[So when that good ol' Urameshi classic lands, Darin is incredibly surprised to find out that it hurts like hell. And it's enough to send him sprawling back several dozen feet until he plants his foot to stop himself from falling backward.]
[Stunned, he turns to Yusuke, blood trickling from his nose. It's a bit crooked, but it'll heal in no time. Having half of an Archfiend Lord's soul tethered to your own has a few perks here and there.]
...What the hell was that?! What do they feed kids here?! Steel?!
no subject
Straightening back up, he gives Darin a once-over, checking to see if he was alright. The guy was obnoxious, sure, but he didn't want to injure him too badly if he could help it. Thankfully, it just seems to be messed up nose, and Yusuke can't help but send a shit-eating grin in his direction.]
What was that, Grandpa? I thought you could handle young whippersnappers like me! What happened?
no subject
Alright...well...
[Darin cracks his neck and sets his jaw.]
At least now I know I don't have to pull my punches, Butthead.
[He knows he shouldn't really let fly with his full strength but...well, he's riled up and not entirely using his best judgment. And with that said, it seems like this kid can take it.]
[Kiddie gloves are off, because Darin is closing that gap quickly, arm pulled back, muscles ready to fire off like a piston once Yusuke's in range. All the while, he's grinning like an idiot. He wasn't gonna let some punk show him up!]
[He skids as he closes in and pivots, leading with a left jab, but then swinging his entire body around for a right haymaker to the side of Yusuke's head.]
no subject
[He slips back into his stance once he sees Darin gearing up again, however, a smirk plastered across his face. Was a sand castle really the best place to have a brawl like this? Probably not, but it's been a while since Yusuke's had a good, blood-pumping fight (that didn't involve trying to eat people), so even if this guy was a pain, this could prove to be fun.
And off Darin goes, quicker than he anticipated, and while the feint threw him off-guard for a moment, he quickly raises his arm to block that haymaker and drive his elbow into his face. Yusuke's knee shoots up, hoping to nail Darin in the face with it to push him back and hopefully leave him open for more attacks.]
no subject
[He plants himself, and instead of blocking the knee or catching it, Darin throws his arm back and then slams his fist down towards Yusuke's oncoming knee. It hurt like hell, smashing bone on bone, but with any luck, it hurt him too. And with a little more luck, Darin could catch Yusuke in a grapple to prevent him from firing off any more of those devastating punches.]
Ngh...! The hell do you do all day to be able to hit like that?!