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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[And like that, he just seems to completely accept her logic. He's heard it before! (He doesn't seem too fussed about her appearance either, but that's mostly because he only cares about blood when it's ruining his clothing...)
He flicks his blade to the side, even though it's too coated by now to really clean off like that. He'll have to stop and wipe it down soon.]
Well! In that case, your eye is definitely good. I'm pretty much the best in my class!
[Now is not the time to be showhorsing but here he is...]
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Oh, that I have no trouble believing! Even if false modesty isn't becoming - if you are the best, then have no fear in saying so. But tell me, do you have a name, or must I select something out to call you if only so that you will know it's to you that I call?
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...Even if he might be exaggerating, considering every uchigatana ever forged is part of his "class". Still, he's nothing if not prideful of his skill! And the prompt at an introduction has him puffing his chest out a little.]
My name's Kashuu Kiyomitsu! Who're you? I don't think I've seen you around here before... New, right? It's too bad they didn't give you guys a nice party like they gave my group, but I guess you don't mind this too much, anyway.
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My name's Grell, and it's a sincere pleasure to meet you on yes, my first day in this place.
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Ooh! [He'd clap his hands together if he could!] Nice to meet you, too. Things could be better buuut I guess they could also be worse. A-ny-way! All we really need to do is find the exit portal, and then we'll get to go back to the real city.
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[some vast, swirling void of energy they had to step in? a random door in the middle of nowhere? personally she's hoping for the mini void, it would be so much more familiar.]
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[Easy to spot!
...Normally, anyway. It's a bit hard to find even light in a thick jungle, especially with the random spotlights sweeping by overhead.]
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[if it didn't move, it was probably safe to assume it was the portal. after all, they wouldn't be so cruel as to make it move...would they?]
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Nope! It's just a little patch of light that you basically jump into, and it'll port you back to the colony. Pretty ease, as long as there aren't any glitches going on. Scouting's not really my thing, but they're pretty easy to spot since they're about this big.
[He circles his arms out, making a pretty wide diameter that's about typical for teleport-y platform things. True to his poor luck, none seem to be in the immediate area.]
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[plus, she really does want to see if it's possible to get a long bath or something to cleanse the blood from her hair. that was high priority no matter what, even if she had to resort to a river and ice cold water.]
So lead on, my good sir, and you can be certain I will follow.
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[Spoken like a true harried vet of jamjar shenanigans...
But! Kashuu will continue to traipse his way through, quite agile despite the terrain and his impractical (but fashionable!) heels. He only stops once or twice to check patches of ground that seem a little more lit up than others, but it's just the artificial stage lighting overhead.
At one point, though, a scream rings out from a little too close and he's immediately snapping his attention that direction, blade out.]
Eh... What a pain. Let's hope that's just an NPC.
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Unless it decides to attack us, I say leave it be - no sense drawing more trouble than necessary.
[unless that scream is familiar to him?]
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Totally agreed.
[But of course they can't get off that easy! The next time the scream rings out, it's definitely closer - and getting closer still, so Kashuu's definitely shifting into a more actively offensive stance, but--
The NPC isn't the one doing the attacking this time, oops. Nope, it's just a poor unfortunate soul trying to escape the gross jaws of death. They crash through the foliage and Kashuu takes a few quick steps back, but there they go! Snatched up by the hand of fate... Or a very hungry monster.]
Geez—! [Ugh, the struggles of being a police sword. He can't just leave even a bloodthirsty NPC to die...] Time to break this party up, I guess.
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Allow me, if you would?
[okay, so it is an opportunity to show off.]
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—Be my guest!
[He sidesteps to let her pass, but he'll keep his blade raised and at the ready just in case.]
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and then she's behind the creature and her movements are four in total. one for the left arm, one for the right. one to remove the legs, and the last to pierce the center and quiet its disgusting voice. the NPC is safe now, and doesn't even bother to say thanks before bolting off, face pale in shock.
Grell gives a little "tch" to see them go. whatever happened to at least a quick nod to let your rescuers know they were appreciated? ah well, it's dead now, and she wonders how long before this sword will give out. it's not in the best shape, really.]
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Kashuu may not like being covered in blood himself, but he can certainly appreciate a fine sword wielder when he finds one. He clasps his hands together (around the hilt of his sword, anyway, since he's sure not letting that go any time soon) and if this were a true dating sim instead of the hunger games, there'd probably be a little shower of shoujo sparkles happening.]
Wow, wow! Super impressive! Hey, but I don't recognize that style at all. Where are you from? Not Japan, I guess.
[Since the monsters Mega Dead now, apparently he's just decided it's time for a casual chat...]
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No, I'm from Allaidh Darach.
[how true that is depends on your point of view.]
But I take it you're from Japan? What's it like there? I've only ever heard about it, yet never had the opportunity to ever travel there myself.
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That said, since all European names basically sound as foreign to him as Allaidh Darach:]
S'that in the west or something? [Said curiously! He's never left Japan before, even though he's now decided that he would quite like to take a trip once he gets back home, after the war is over.]
But yeah, I am! I was forged in the Kaga prefecture, kinda near Osaka, and then I was in Kyoto for a looong time. Now I live in the mountains! It's really nice. Modern Tokyo's super busy and crowded like any big city, and even though the more rural areas are way quieter, they're way more traditional and the scenery's always pretty. What about— your place?
[He's not even going to try pronouncing that...]
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oh wait, he asked her a question.]
I think it'd be somewhere you'd consider "traditional". Some places are crowded, but very few...most people are spread out in different areas. I live more in the north, nearer the forests with one of my good friends, and the sky, the air there...it's beautiful, if you're not someone who's scared of a bit of wilderness.
[the part she's leaving out is where the forest can be moody and tries to scare off people. living with it so long, it was accustomed to her, and she held no fear.]
But wait, what do you mean you were forged?
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[He doesn't do well, living in seclusion - the only reason he's okay with their forest base is because there are literally like, over 50 other swords living there at the same time. Always lively, the Citadel...
As for the question:]
Oh— I'm a tsukumogami! An object spirit. This- [He shifts a little to tap the sword at his hip, which manifests with him in ViViD.] -is my real body.
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[and to her credit, she doesn't seem offput or disbelieving. no, instead she glances to her own sword - not her body, of course, and then back to his.]
I've not met an object spirit before! I wouldn't have known unless you told me - you're so lively and beautifully red that I thought there must be something special about you though.
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Thank yooou! Red's the color that suits me best, so it makes sense that I was manifested like this.
[His sheath is a deep red, even! Which is a little unusual and showy for a sword, but that suits his personality perfectly, anyway.]
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[has she been giving this mini speech while gesturing dramatically around her, the same way an actress might proclaim her undying love through lines? yes. yes she has.]
As long as you believe you can live up to that, then by all means, Mr. Kashuu, claim it as yours!
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Ah, that nails it! That totally, one-hundred-percent nails it! Oh my god, someone's gotta make that into an official motto or something. [He's not even sure which part he likes best! Maybe the gorgeous and lethal flower part... Nice and snappy!]
Y'know, someone asked me once why red was my favorite color and I told her it's because all of the best things in life are red. That just cinches it!
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