Love is in the air in Cerealia -- or, well, it is in ViViD anyway. And nobody cares about your lives outside of ViViD, so that's all that matters. It's an artificial love construct, but for you sad, lonely, little people, it's probably good enough, right? CERES is on a mission to find you your other half, your soulmate, your one and only, and this is how they've decided to do it -- through technology and abuse of your private information! Welcome to your new love life, courtesy of ViViD.
For your convenience, CERES has automatically generated dating profiles to help match up the new arrivals swiftly and speed up the "get to know each other" process. Nothing like some not-entirely-agreed-to speed dating to break the ice and improve new relations! You're going to be here for awhile, so you may as well get to know each other.
For the older residents, well... you may very well find your soulmate here! You don't want to miss out on that. That would just be an unfixable tragedy. So here, use the handy-dandy profiles and find your new honey. After all, the information on these profiles is 100% accurate, certified and verified by Mosley himself.
Why would you ever doubt that?
 I've never actually been on a date before. Not that there haven't been offers but I'm just too busy a guy! I think to myself, "Mosley, me, guy who's talking to himself, why won't you go on a date with that nice lady who just asked you out?" And I reply, "Oh, you gorgeous bastard, I'm satisfied with my life as it is already! I don't need love." After all, what is love? Baby, don't hurt me. Don't hurt me. No more.
|
PHASE I [ 6 00 ] Gooooood morning, new ViViD compatriots and gamers! You’re not going to get a lot of time to adjust and recover from your sudden retrieval from destroyed and sad code, really, because as soon as you arrive, fresh and new to Cerealia, you’ll be faced with a profile.
Oh, look, it’s your face! And… a quote attributed to you? And your favorite object? Hopefully those details are correct, because there’s no going back now.
You’ve become an otome love interest.
For those who aren’t brand new to ViViD, you’ll be presented the exact same profiles -- but you’ll have to pick one. You know how this works, pick the love interest you want to romance and sweep them off their feet. Better pick the right route too because, haha! You wouldn't want to end up naked and alone in a basement again! That would be crazy. Just pick some rando hottie instead, it's no big.
Or, well, that’s what they say. But then you’re dumped into a ballroom, dressed up to the nines in finery, and surrounded by other milling NPCs. You're given a moment to process the whole situation before a genteel-looking older man who seems to be running this party steps up to the microphone. Gently, he clears his throat, and welcomes everyone to the party ("Haven't been to a party this fine since I had all my teeth!"), and then he gestures to a pile of weapons in the middle of the room and finishes cheerfully, “Anyway, whoever survives can leave this room -- enjoy!”
It looks like the NPCs aren’t messing around; they’re immediately diving for the weapons, so you might want to get a move on.
Welcome to the Cerealia Dating Hunger Games.
PHASE II [ 1000 ] When you burst out of the ball room, possibly covered in the blood of your enemies (your poor dress/suit!), you’ll find yourself in what looks to be a sprawling jungle. In reality, it’s a circular arena, and if you travel far enough, you can reach the walls, though they’re electrified with no way out. If you try to get past them, you’re going to fry yourself before you accomplish anything else! Where's the fun in that?
The bigger problem is this: there are some unfortunate monsters on the prowl (don't they... look a little familiar?) in the jungle, and they are ready and willing to eat up anyone who crosses their paths. They’re drawn to the scent of blood -- and, even more so, the scent of people in love. So hey, if you're in love right now, it might be a good time to run. Otherwise, you're the top target and about to be hunted. Have fun out there, lovebirds!
Meanwhile, the NPCs (or even your fellow player characters?!) are out for blood themselves, so nowhere is truly safe.
Was that... was that a scream for help, or someone coming to get you?
PHASE III [ 1145 ] At some point, you’re going to need supplies. It starts to feel like you’ve been in here for days without any food or water (but that’s weird, wasn’t this ViViD session supposed to be just a few hours -- ) and you’re starting to feel the effects.
So, time to get in touch with your inner man vs wild. There are animals to hunt (deer, rabbit, etc.) and if you can fashion a spear or use a weapon you scooped up in the chaos, you can kill them for food. Alternatively, you can just try stealing some supplies from your fellow players. That's probably a saner option.
Which leaves you sneaking up onto their camp, full of sneakiness, and more sneakiness, and a little bit of stealth, you reach out and...
Suddenly, there are lights on you! Cameras! Cheering, adoring crowds! There's a narrator narrating every step you're taking (loudly) and there are fans hanging on your every move --
Oh, did that wake up the other player and/or bring monsters roaring down upon you? Whoops. The perils of spectator sports like the Cerealia Hunger Games, really.
PHASE IV [ 1400 ] You did it. Someone came at you, and you killed them. Their blood is on your hands, but it’s fine -- it’s just a program in a game.
Right?
Except when you look again, it’s someone you know. The corpse of a person who’s very important to you in so many ways is lying there on the ground, blood still warm but clearly dead. They’re solid to the touch. They’re there, and they look just like that person you care about so very much. Your heart hurts.
And you’re the one who killed them.
Then, without warning, it starts to rain because ViViD is nothing if not good at sensing the mood.
PENALTY [ why o'clock ] So.
You died.
This isn't really that surprising, considering it's the Cerealia Dating Hunger Games. People die a lot in games like these. It's the price of love.
Don't worry, though! It's just ViViD, so it's not like you really died. You'll get reconstructed, good as new, and they'll toss you right back onto the battlefield. Except, well... it seems like something's a little different.
For one thing, you've got claws instead of hands.
You can't seem to speak, either; all you can manage is garbled growls and sharp noises.
And, worst of all... you're really, very intensely hungry, and you can smell blood (or people in love, that's an even better scent).
So yeah, you're one of the monsters now. Don't worry, it only happens the first time you die in this game; if someone valiantly slays you again, you'll come back good as new, a normal person in the Games. What a weird glitch. There's no way that's on purpose or anything, right? No way!
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
IV
Well.
She can spot family resemblances a mile away. She shifts her weight uncomfortably and spares the dead man a glance before looking to Kouha.]
It is fine. It is not really him-- this is not real. [She points to him] His face was not one of the profiles. So, he is not really here, yes?
no subject
Yeah... Yeah, he wasn't on any of those posters or anything, so he probably wasn't involved in any of this. It's just some stupid illusion...
[He wants to believe that, so he latches onto that idea and focuses on her, avoiding looking at the body as much as he can. A pretty face sticks in his brain, however, and he doesn't recognize Oona from anything he's seen before. Have they met before?]
You weren't either, though. What're you doing out here?
no subject
But, did not want this level. Must be game by CERES, because there are new people. So, it ruins everything for everyone. [There's a mildly petulant tone in her voice, but she tilts her head one way and then the other, looking a bit concerned] Ehh... Probably, that does not make much sense, yes?
Hm. I came to play game, and got stuck in this game instead. I have always been in city, since first people came to the city. So, my profile is not listed. Only new arrivals, like you.
no subject
So... It's some kind of dungeon game? But it's not real?
[He rubs his face, because this is giving him a bit of a headache. Why can't anything just be simple? At least she's explaining things in a way he's mostly getting the gist of.]
And you've been here since the start, so you get exempt. That's sooo unfair. What kind of a welcome is this supposed to be?
no subject
[But she laughs at his question and throws her arms out] A fun one! You got to fight, yes? Many people and monsters and things-- Was it not exciting? [Up until this last one, at least. That kind of sucked]
no subject
The fighting was pretty good, sure. It'd be better if anyone who could wield a weapon was any good at it, though!
no subject
No, no! [She laughs again and shakes her head] If they know how to use them too well, would make it harder for me to win! Like winning more than I like good fighting. [aka I LIKE KILLING WHO CARES ABOUT THE REST.]
Suppose you are more type to, mm... appreciate good challenge, yes?
no subject
Nah, putting 'em down's more fun, I think.
[HECK YEAH MURDER, he is so on the same page there.]
It's just that if nobody's putting up a fight, it starts getting kinda repetitive, you know? Like eating your favorite food starts tasting kinda bland if it's the only thing you have for a week.
[Overthinking it with Ren Kouha, Episode One: Dead Bodies Are Exactly Like Cake.]
no subject
["Why won't everyone just let me stab people in peace" a story by oona]
Hmm, I have not had such problem. But! Can see where could become one. [She nods a little, but shrugs] Still! I do not like being hurt. Hmm, but maybe it would be fun to challenge someone a bit better, some day... [But most of the people in cereal are beyond even her supernatural talents. MAYBE IF SHE CAN GET THEM IN THE WATER...HMMM.
And then, a tad abruptly because she realizes it all of a sudden:] I do not know your name.
no subject
Well, that's their loss. More out there for people like you and me! Besides, if everybody were like that, you'd have to work hard to get the jump on them. Less fun for you, if you don't wanna get hurt.
[He inclines his head towards hers, not bowing, but trying to be a little respectable after all of that nonsense before.]
It's Ren Kouha. Yours is Oona, right?
no subject
It is boring place, usually. But sometimes, fun things happen. [But what counts as "fun" or "boring" to Oona is probably not an accurate representation of what the fuck actually happens here.]
Hmm... Do I call you 'Ren' or 'Kouha'? Human names can be strange.
no subject