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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But Neji learned he couldn't let himself have that comfort, not with years of training and good instinct behind him. Resigned (he'd done all he knew to dispelled an illusion and the lifeless body was still there), he straightens. Looks past the corpse. Lili isn't the only one who put stock on first impressions-- he won't turn to her until he knows his features betray nothing. Nothing personal, anyway. Fetching the kunai knife from his back pocket, Neji's still certain he's looking the fair part of 'wary'. So sue him.
But exhausted? Ashamed? He can pretend well enough that he isn't. (What a disgraceful thing.)] I am. [Not a lie. He's unharmed. His body is steady. As a fighter, he is fine] What concern is it of yours? [Not malicious. But he still does note the way she holds that sword. He would win a battle.]
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But given the state of things, she can't blame him. There are plenty of people here looking to kill and that rests uneasily in the back of her mind. In truth, it would be smarter for her to run, to leave and not bother with this person who doesn't seem to need assistance - not really. Except... even clumsy as she is with her kindness, she's not really sure how to.
Carefully, she takes a step back and removes one hand from her sword to raise it in an act of peace.]
I... [Of course this would be when her words fail her.] ... You seem distraught.
That's not... safe - right now.
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Distraught. Him.
And she couldn't see why? Couldn't see that body of his cousin held stupidly upright as it grew colder? His voice is even throughout. That isn't distress, that's control.] I have to appreciate your concern but there's only one of us who's in danger by being idle.
Make no mistake, you'll be safe if you decide to stay. [After all, she hadn't startled him, not like--] I refuse to fight senselessly, especially at the orders of that one old man. [Kill, though-- no. Wait on the girl. Focus on the one living thing. The openly frightened one.] ...the rain may ward off the animals in the meanwhile.
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Well, she must be rather obviously out of her league then. Even she knew that but there's no denying that she would fight to protect her life - if only so that others wouldn't have to do it for her. There's a clear moment of confusion on her face because she's not nearly so good at maintaining control over her emotions.]
... That's fine. I appreciate the gesture but I-
[She hadn't stopped because she was waiting on another person to tell her that she'd be safe? No, it absolutely wasn't for herself.]
... You're already pulling yourself together remarkably fast.
[It's both admirable and concerning.]
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[By all means, show him how to exit this nightmare. He'd already executed every illusion break technique he knew.
Resigned, he takes a deep breath. Okay, so this was helping. He couldn't-- see, damn it, and Neji hadn't ever thought he'd be such a coward without his abilities. Didn't ever really have to. His brows furrow in small concern. Girl was trying to be brave. He wouldn't try to shatter this illusion, at least.] You see, you've already helped.
[Another stiff gesture to the branch, the body.] I know you can't see what's there. This means that either you're not real, or it isn't. [To call his lady's body an it as if it belonged to a dog-- Neji fights back a second grimance. Well then. Nothing to do but move on.] I can't think of a way to learn which is which. [That Nara boy would know, though. But that bum wasn't here, was he?] But staying here isn't going to help either of us. Where you... looking for someone? [Or running from something? Just give the soldier something to do.]
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I'm looking for the exit. I think you should come with me.
[It's forward and decisive - and while she may be scared because of everything surrounding them, Lili is also sternly of the belief that you just need to keep putting your best foot forward.]
This... This isn't real - and while I recognize that it may sound odd, I barely understand it myself.... Don't blame yourself for what happens here.
[Even if she's... very prone to doing the same thing. What a hypocrite.]
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Hm.
[That's an agreement, by the way, to the very welcome suggestion of doing exactly what he had spent the better part of the day... doing. He already even had a direction picked out-- he'd scouted this way and that and East, of course, seemed the most promising. It's shown (isn't Neji just wonderful at communication) by taking a handful of steps forward.
But again, Lili's not what makes him turn back. For her sake, though, he pockets the kunai knife and allows himself to wait on her to hurry and catch up. In the meanwhile, his hands need to do anything else but be idle, so he unties his hair and bands it again. Stupid rain.
Stupid, stupid rain.] I've been in unreal worlds where it does matter what you do inside them. You'll forgive me if I can't bring myself to do as you say in that regard, either. You aren't like someone else who's here; I don't have anything to ask you to prove your honesty.
no subject
bye felicia.]