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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C'mon let's go this way.
(He points down the slope of a small hill in the direction opposite of the snarl. There's some massive trees down there with some sturdy looking bases and decent flat ground. More than that, some of those trees look to have hollows in them.
Will takes off in that direction because it's better than nothing. The momentum of the hill is advantageous anyway. Most creatures gain speed, sure, but lose a lot of balance. He'll happily take advantage of that if it comes to it. Once he's at the bottom of the hill with a hand pressed into a tree, he looks at Roman.)
Tell me what's wrong with you. I'm a medic. I can help you if you let me and I don't care that you're not a human. Not human either.
(Because the most frustrating thing to deal with for a medic was someone who tried to lie about anything and everything.)
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What's more surprising is that this guy isn't human either. Roman shakes his head; there'll hopefully be time to ask later on when they're not potentially being chased by something. ]
...I'm hungry. But I can control it.
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He squints his eyes at Roman and gives him another once over.)
Fine. But if there's something you need me to do, let me know.
(He means it, Roman. He pulls at Roman's arm so they're standing side by side in front of a large tree. Will lets go a moment later and draws an arrow, pointing it up the hill.)
Got a name?
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Sure, I'll just take a bite out of you later.
[ That was incredibly sarcastic. Roman regrets it the second it's out of his mouth -- this guy's only trying to help him, in basically every way possible right now. He sighs and turns to face up the hill, gripping his axe for real now. ]
Sorry.
It's Roman. You?
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But then Roman does something most of those kids don't do and apologize. Automatically, Will grins.)
Hey, it's fine. You're in a pretty bad place. It'll be okay though.
(Probably.........)
Will. Nice to meet you. Mostly anyway- the situation could be better.
(Just then one of the monster, the fatter looking one, makes its way to the top of the hill. He pulls back his arrow and takes aim. Just as the monster starts to make its way down, he lets loose and the arrow sails up the hill and lands neatly in the monster's head. It's not as precise as his siblings' arrows might be but hey. Gets the job done.)
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It could be better. But it could be worse.
[ It's as much an acknowledgment of Will's help as it is the situation, so consider that a thank you. He could have killed someone back there. Or they could be being eaten alive by the snarling thing that's coming over the hill right now holy shi-- ]
Nice shot.
[ He eyes Will's bow, impressed.
But is that the only one? They're both still bloody and at least Roman is still in love. He's listening carefully now, eyes darting from the treeline back to the top of the hill. ]
I guess we need to figure how to get out of here now. Before another one shows up.
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Hey man, I'll take that.
(As long as there was an option of 'worse' then things weren't completely lost.)
Thanks. You should see my siblings.
(He says this easily and without a lick of self-deprecation in his tone. He's that rare breed of person who can criticize himself without being completely self-loathing about it.
Yeeeeah probably not the only one.)
Yeah we really do. I've got no idea where we are but I guess our best bet is to find some shelter. Just running blindly could be suicide. We got no idea what kind of place this is.
(He slips off of the tree because now they at least know that the monster snarling at them from before is dead.)
Maybe we could find a cave or something. Then I can wrap up that arm of yours.
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At the shelter suggestion, Roman nods. At least they could defend themselves there. Probably. Unless there are monsters inside the caves, or there are too many of them and they pin themselves down, or-- he needs to stop thinking like this. He glances around, looking for another rise of land that could possibly have caves. ]
Yeah, okay. Maybe that way?
[ He goes to point, and the fabric of his sleeve pulls again. Now that Will's reminded him of it, his arm does hurt like a bitch. He'll just have to bottle up the pain for awhile longer, he's good at that. ]
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He looks around as well and when Roman points, Will gives a curt nod. He was definitely patching that arm up too.)
C'mon then.
(He takes off at a brisk jog. No point in walking with monsters around. Turns out it's not too far off and by the time they get to the position Roman had pointed out, Will spots a small, dark crevice.)
Hm. Hold on.
(He approaches the small cave and steps to the side before leaning over to duck his head in. He gives another shrill whistle. If there was anything inside, it'd definitely be coming out in a few minutes.
But his whistle echoes back and nothing comes with it and there's not even the scattering of a body or anything.)
Welp. Unless we've got a deaf monster on our hands, I think we're safe.
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Whatever. Whatever! He's just following Will's lead now because honestly, he has no idea what the fuck to do. They don't know which way will lead them out of this scenario, so hunkering down in a cave is as good a plan as anything. ]
Safe for now works for me. Go on, I'm right behind you.
[ Wait. He pats his pockets and sure enough, they've left him his lighter. He holds it out so Will can have at least a little light going into the cave. ]
Here.
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Will looks over his shoulder and looks at the lighter in Roman's hand and then up at Roman's face and just kind of...smiles....And takes it from the other boy.)
Thanks. That'll help.
(He doesn't sound mocking really but it definitely sounds a bit like he's laughing at a joke Roman doesn't know about. He turns back to the cave and starts to walk inside. The lighter really does help. As they go deeper, it even seems like the lighter is making Will glow faintly in its golden light.
Or wait no, that's just Will. Glowing faintly. It enhances the light in the cave a good amount and eventually they reach the back. He turns about and sits down He snaps the lighter shut and remains glowing faintly.)
Okay, c'mere and let me have a look at your arm, okay?
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Well okay then.
Roman's thinking he's gonna need a bit more than "not human either" at this point.
He doesn't say anything for now, just follows his new friend to the back of the cave where he works his suit jacket off and sits down next to Will, unbuttoning the cuff of his dress shirt so he can roll it up to the injury. Staring the whole while. He's good at staring. ]
So. You're glowing. And you have a magic whistle.
[ What are you, man??? ]
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He actually doesn't even really pay it any attention. Instead, he kneels in position by Roman's arm and looks over it with critical eyes.)
Yup and you seem to really want blood.
(He'll show if you show, in other words. Thankfully for Roman he's still got some of his things too which include his healing items. He takes out a small tin of what looks to be a silver paste. He sets that aside and rips off the bottom of his own shirt into two clean strips. There's plenty excess material there anyway. One of the strips he uses to clean away the blood as gently as he could. He pulls out a disinfectant spray a moment later and gives it a light spritz over Roman's arm. He was humming idly, mouth barely forming words. But then when he dipped his fingers into the silver paste, he began to actively sing. It was a quiet, soft singing, pleasant but unless Roman understood Greek, he wouldn't catch much of any of what Will was singing as he smoothed the silver paste over the cut.
It would feel like that unique warmth again but this time a little more bone deep. His healing sadly wasn't as great as his father's. Roman wasn't going to be healed in seconds flat but the cut would be healed up far quicker than it would have normally been otherwise. Might even mostly have pulled itself back together by the next night.)
How's that feel?
(As he's already using the second strip of cloth to securely wrap up Roman's arm.)
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I'm upir. If you could not tell anybody that would be great.
[ Roman could try and thrall Will into not knowing, but finds he doesn't want to. He'd rather see if this is someone he can really trust to help him. He has a feeling he's going to need people like that here.
He's watching Will fuss over his arm when then the singing starts. It's... beautiful, he thinks to himself, though no he can't understand any of it. He just listens, enchanted by the song, looking from Will to his arm and back again. The warmth sinks in and eases the pain and he can tell that he's being healed now, not just treated. How many powers does this guy have? ]
Much better.
What are you?
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(He rolls the word around in his mouth. Definitely not Greek. He nods his head regardless. It didn't matter that it didn't know what that really was.
Honestly, Roman's seen the extent of it. Roughly, anyway. Ironically, Will is a hugely minor demigod. His powers aren't really considered anything special by most people. Useful but definitely not special.)
Okay, good.
(His eyes flick up and he grins a little bit. It was only fair that he told him back. It was a bit dangerous for him, sure, to tell monsters what he was but thing was? Most monsters back home knew what he was and that's why they were trying to kill him. This guy wasn't.)
I'm a demigod. A son of Apollo to be exact. And it's okay, I don't want anyone knowing about me either so I won't be going around telling people about you. It's kind of dangerous for me so I imagine it could be dangerous for you too. Secret's safe.
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[ Will can keep thinking vampire if it's easier but he can tell now, touching Roman, that he's very much alive. He's warm, he has a pulse, and they were just running in sunlight. Not among the ranks of the undead, at least, though as he wraps the cut Will can see there's an unmistakable thick scar running up the inside of Roman's arm that glints in his glow. Roman doesn't seem to be hiding that from him either, despite what it means. ]
Thank you.
[ He believes Will. He trusts him already, which is as dangerous as him knowing in the first place, but he does. Roman watches him finish wrapping the wound and leans back against the cool wall of the cave, taking in the fact that gods are real too. Why wouldn't they be. What isn't real, at this point in his life? ]
A demigod... Apollo is Greek, right? I didn't know they actually existed.
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(Will is kind of thinking those things right then. Like a vampire slips in and out through his brain but at least he solidifies the fact that Roman definitely isn't a vampire. If he was, Will glowing would probably be pretty harmful considering that it wasn't just some sort of fancy magic light but actual sunlight.
He's not one to bring up scars or anything. Old wounds are nothing he can fix and sometimes, they are things people don't want fixed.)
Anytime. So, do you need blood to live? Is it healthy for you to go without?
(And just like that, Will is reevaluating Roman's potential needs to be healthy and safe. He's not asking in the generic 'just curious' way but the way a doctor might ask a patient if they had asthma or other health issues that he might need to know about.
Once Roman is all tied up neatly, Will sits back himself and lets his light flicker down almost entirely. He pulls out the device he was given instead and finagles with it until he finds a bit of a flashlight sort of app and sets it down on the ground. His light goes out entirely after that.)
Yup. They do. And they're still messing around and having kids with mortals. A lot of monsters want us dead because demigods have taken out so many of them.
(He rolls his shoulders in a bit of a shrug and crosses his legs together.)
Upir. What is that? It's not Greek. Not Latin either, I don't think.
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[ He watches Will turn on the app and stop glowing; his eyes are bright with curiosity in the cooler light. ]
Monsters like what?
[ What else is real?! ]
I think it's eastern European. I don't know much, besides that I am one.
[ There's frustration in that; he doesn't know much about himself or how he works, he's just trying to change it. Which being here kind of puts a damper on. ]
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(Because yeah that really doesn't sound cool, Roman. Not cool at all.)
Pretty much anything you might know from Greek 'mythology'. There's all sorts out there. Hydras, cyclops, gorgons, hellhounds, harpies, dragons, furies. I mean, there's stuff like pegasi too. The list goes on and on.
(That and he really doesn't like the idea of saying some of the monsters. Like the Minotaur. Since that was generally pretty dangerous though he's not so sure if the Minotaur would be here or not.)
Oh.
(He frowns a bit in sympathy. It was never easy not knowing a lot about yourself like that.)
Well, hey. New place, new resources. If I've never heard of an upir and you've never heard of a demigod maybe there's someone here who knows that kind of stuff. Maybe....
(Maybe Nico would even know. That sort of seemed right up his ally.)
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[ Pryce's experiment works but that's not an option right now. Roman listens to the list of various monsters and finds himself wondering if they're all just plain evil, or if they've got free will too. He's a monster, after all, and he doesn't want to kill people. That's part of his problem... maybe they don't have a choice? Maybe the demigods didn't have a choice... he can just ask, probably, Will seems pretty open. ]
Why do you have to take each other out?
[ New place, new resources... but really he just wants to go home and finish the experiments so he can be human. He had a solution. He had a solution and now it's out of reach. ]
Maybe..? I guess there could be someone.
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(Since he was technically only half human. He raises his arm up and looks at it curiously. Only to lower it a moment later when the question is asked. It's a pretty good question, honestly.)
Well, we don't have to. And we don't always want to. It's not that black and white, you know? Not every monster wants to kill demigods and we don't want to take out all monsters. Like hellhounds, for example. Those things got a pretty bad rep being from the Underworld and all and in the wrong hands, they can be really awful. But in the right hands, they're as sweet as any normal dog.
(He smiles a little fondly then. Miss O'Leary comes to mind but also Nico. Nico who was surrounded by all sorts of creatures people traditionally associated with evil.)
The same goes for a lot of monsters out there. But then there's some monsters who actively want to take out demigods because of stuff that's happened in the past. Like the- the Minotaur. He's a single monster and has a problem with demigods in general. See, monsters don't really die. They get turned to dust in my world and then just kind of exist and then eventually reform. That's the thing. Monsters don't die. But we do.
(He has no idea if he's even making sense right then. He's not the best person to explain this stuff. Not as smart as Annabeth or as eloquent but he's doing his best.)
You never know. Someone or even something? We're supposed to be in a video game right now. That's some advanced technology if it's true- so maybe the resources here are in abundance?
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I don't know. It might be fine... but I'm not going to bite you.
[ That's all he's got. That and memories of ripping into people's flesh and the warmth and satisfaction and-- nope. Nope. He breathes slowly and tears his gaze away from Will's arm, back to his face.
Not all monsters want to take people out. Good. Of course not. ]
So it's like an old grudge? You've been fighting how long, centuries?
[ Right, a video game. Sure. Roman touches the bandage on his arm and raises an eyebrow. ]
It doesn't feel like a game. It feels like we got taken from our worlds and dropped into a fucking hellhole and I don't know how they did it but I need to get back.
[ Him and Peter. Not just for themselves but for Nadia. She needs him. Hopefully she's alright with Miranda, with them gone, but. ]
no subject
Are you...sure? I mean, if it won't kill me and it'll save you then I don't really mind. I just don't want to accidentally hurt you.
(He means that too. Will just wasn't the sort of person who really wished ill will on anyone. Ha.
He snorts a little bit and even rolls his eyes.)
Gods, you've no idea. It's the Greek gods so everything is a grudge. Monsters and demigods are their tools to get back at each other all of the time. You have a god who curses some mortal that becomes a monster and suddenly that monster wants to take out every demigod of that god to get back at them and the god sends demigods in to try and kill the monster they made and blahblahblah. It's this vicious dumb cycle, honestly. The gods make mistakes like people do- just theirs tend to stick around for a whole lot longer. Centuries is...about right. Me personally? I'm only fifteen. Demigods are sturdy but...we're not immortal.
(Yeah Will doesn't really get that either. He shrugs at Roman and shakes his head.)
No, it really doesn't. I think we're in a new world but right now at this very second we're in a video game. Or something.
(He scratches at the side of his head, frowning. His eyes move over to Roman and he frowns deeper and looks down into his own lap. He needed to go back too but at the same time....
Nico was here. Nico had been here alone for a really, really long time. His hands squeeze together in fists and he takes a slow breath. He would find Nico again soon. He needed to. To shove it in his face that he was still here but also...just to be there. For Nico.)
Not so sure it's gonna be that simple getting back. There's a boy from my world here...He's apparently been here for...a long time.
no subject
[ It would only hurt Will, if he bit. And he doesn't think either of them need to have blood loss right now, what with the being chased around by freak monsters and everything. He thinks it over, as he listens to the story of gods and demigods and monsters. ]
Sounds like a mess. They expect you to fight as kids? That's fucked up. Why can't they just take care of it themselves, they're the gods. They've gotta be more powerful.
[ Roman sighs. Nothing is ever simple. Being taken to a different world sure couldn't be, and he doesn't expect getting back to be easy but maybe there's someone he could convince, whoever brought them here. All of this is just reminding him that he needs to find Peter -- what if he's running around in the jungle somewhere right now, alone? Roman looks towards the opening of the cave. It's stupid to go out blindly searching for Peter, just like it would be stupid to aimlessly search for an exit to this fucking place, but. Well. He never claimed to be smart, especially not when it came to Peter. ]
You know someone here? Do you know what he's tried so far?
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(Maybe it wasn't a great idea but if it worked then that was something to keep in mind for the future, right? Will looks over at Roman and he's a bit surprised by his words. Sure, he's kind of heard something like it before but...Never so bluntly.)
...Yeah. Well. Monsters don't care. Kids get attacked by monsters pretty young because they're demigods. We don't have much choice. Gods....They're not ditching us cause they're jerks. Not always anyway. They're still gods. Got a lot of stuff to deal with. They are powerful but it's not like all of them can just bend time to have endless amounts of it.
(Maybe it's an excuse. He doesn't know. The gods aren't perfect but...But he tries to hope for the best from them. His dad seemed to try and want to help. So did some of the others- even when it was against the rules.)
It's just. Complicated.
(Always has been and probably always would be. Will wouldn't really blame Roman. He had similar urges to find Nico. He had done stupid things for and around that boy before and he'd do them again in the future. As many times as he needed to, really.)
No but knowing him, it's probably been everything he can think of. He's a lot more powerful than I am or ever will be. If anyone could figure it out, it'd be him. He's a genius and ridiculously capable. And he hates being caged up here.
(Will sighs faintly, playing a bit with one of the arrow heads, idly turning the arrow around against his palm.)
Maybe we could find him. Maybe...
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