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.
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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. ] |
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II
Her boots crunch down on a branch a tree over, and she peers down at Grell's handiwork with an impressed look. Those monsters weren't going to be getting up anytime soon. That was certain.]
They're conjured by the environment as hazards, Grell.
[She'd recognize that voice and presence anywhere. And there was something different about this one, a different feel and a different bearing.]
They're not real, they're all generated by computers.
no subject
[another one. she straightens up from where she was crouched on the branch, bloodstained dress sticking to her skin. what she remembers of computers is fragmented, filtered through explanations of magic, but as far as she could recall, it was something like a portal that took you nowhere but everywhere, with letters and numbers that created words, codes that worked like spells did.]
Or is it unique to these ones?
[when she looks at Mars, there is no recognition in her eyes, but the cooler detachment of one viewing a curious stranger.]
no subject
[This was definitely not her Grell, then, if she was having to explain ViViD. The one she’d known had been a hacker, and would definitely not have been receptive of anything Mars had to say. Still keeping her distance, she drew back her bow, nocking a flaming arrow and casually watched the ground for signs of movement. It was a practiced habit, her posture that of an expert hunter, someone at home in these kinds of situations.]
I assume you’re alright, and that blood is theirs, not yours?
no subject
[her eyes glance over to Mars, noting the posture, the ease at which she held the bow. it spoke to practice and skill, and she thinks that she's always been slightly in awe of those who could do archery - she had stayed with swords and hand-to-hand.]
So this ViViD is a way to sort out the weak from the strong. At the very least, a trial by fire that lets them know who needs to shape up...ah, but that's all just supposing based on prior experience. I could just be babbling away with the completely wrong idea, you'd know better than I.
[it's...odd. being the one who needed to be taught rather than having to be a pillar that the new ones could ask things. she almost misses the weight of it for the familiarity it'd bring.]
no subject
[Like, the eldritch abominations down there. Mars doesn't bother to hide her disgust at the sights and sounds of the jungle and the smoldering aberrations. She had a sensitive nose in this form, and ugh.]
Though honestly, your idea has a lot of merit and that may be the true reason, but who can really say outside of our keepers.
[She pauses, fully directing her attention to Grell now. The clothing was different too, and that...well, honestly that was probably good. This one seemed more stable.]
Forgive me for asking what might seem obvious, but I hate assumptions and I'd like to clarify. You don't recall this place, do you?
no subject
Not a moment of it, I'm afraid. CERES, Cerealia, ViViD...all of this registers newly in my mind. Someone offered to tell me the "truth" of it all, but I declined until we were free from this. It's not the most ideal situation to be giving information away in. Comprehension requires more concentration than staying alive can afford.
Today was a day, sorry :(
That's normal. Not remembering. Sometimes one does, sometimes one doesn't. You...or a version of you...was here before. I knew you.
[There's a beat, and she frowns down at the ground. People forgetting was hard, it was annoying, and it necessitated reintroductions.]
My name is Mars. Goddess of Flame and War, and the ruler of the planet with the same name. It's good to meet you.
don't even worry about it!
[she bows her head for a beat, since the space up here was illsuited to the sort of deep curtsy she'd like to give.]
I am Grell Sutcliffe, and I'm honoured to meet you.
[her own titles feel unworthy next to such grandness, and courtesy dictate she not show off to the divine. arrogance was the quickest way to get cursed she knew of.]
no subject
Just Mars, if you don't mind me simply calling you Grell. I'm not one to really stand on formality, and your face is familiar to me, even if mine isn't to you.
[She rose up, balancing easily on the tree.]
Would you like to escape this...game? I can show you the proper way to exit, and it'd be more conducive to actual conversation.
no subject
[there are things she has to think over, after all, and after conversation she has to find someone certain again because she refuses to lose them. but one step at a time. if they all eventually came out, even if she didn't see them at first, they could be out there.
plus, it would be nice to be in actually not bloody clothes.]
no subject
See? Simple enough. It’s something our keepers don’t bother to tell newcomers, but now whenever you find yourself in ViViD, you can log-out. Provided of course they haven’t locked that function for a time. That’s happened before.
no subject
and they took all her weapons. that still leaves her feeling wrong, but at least she has her own dark clothing back, more suited for fighting and travelling than the dress had been.
Mars coming in makes her jump slightly in surprise, but she's listening closely.]
You have my gratitude for helping me get out, at any rate. Though I don't much like the idea of being imprisoned in one of their trials, this one at least had the benefit of being able to meet you. Or should I say remeet?
no subject
[Mars bows her head slightly, tilting it to one side and studying the outfit. Definitely better than the last. A little uncomfortably, she became more aware of her attire, and didn't like standing around in her battle-form anyway.]
I'm going to revert to my other self, Grell. I only wear this form for dangerous situations, and I'd appreciate discretion if asked about my identity. It's safer for me and mine, this way.
[There's a shimmering flash of light and Mars is replaced by Rei. Younger looking, shorter, more frail. The illusion surrounding Mars is broken for Grell now, as it had been in the past, but that's perfectly fine.]
I am Rei Hino, when I'm like this. Easy enough to remember, yes?
no subject
Then it's good to re-meet you, Rei.
[a goddess hidden in plain sight. there's something very poetic about all of that, Grell thinks.]
no subject
You as well, Grell.
[She dips her head and gestures towards the door.]
I can guide you to the residential district, if you want. That's where we're given housing, and what everyone tends to stay near. Or detour towards food, if you're hungry. I know I was starved when I first arrived.
no subject
[and for a moment she looks slightly pensive, glancing at the device that had brought her in.]
Is there a place to wait for those who leave ViViD? There's someone in there - a friend. I don't want to lose track of him if it's possible, not so soon in our introduction to this world, for he's probably just as disoriented as I am.
no subject
[She steps towards the door and pushes it open, and a flood of noise enters from outside.]
The whole area outside is an entertainment center. There's a food court, and other games that aren't ViViD related, and...as you can see it's rather noisy. But to get anywhere your friend will have to pass through here.
no subject
[inwardly she can feel herself tensing at all the noise - it's not exactly a problem, but everything about this place is strange enough that she wants one thing to be familiar. one person who might feel the same way she did, who feels like home.]
But soon, Rei, I hope we can meet again.