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 she's just going to steel herself and shake her head then, reaching out to the stranger and tentatively putting a hand on his shoulder. Even though she doesn't recognize the person in front of her, she's not sure if she's seeing the same thing that he is or something else entirely....]
He'll be sad if you don't save yourself too and--
And there's no guarantee that this isn't a trick...!
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He feels this sense of utter helplessness that keeps him practically glued to the ground, and to Nezumi's corpse. ]
I'm not able to save anyone... [ He lays the body on the ground, and grabs the body's wrist. Checking the pulse one more time... Nothing, of course.
He only glances at Lili's hand on his shoulder, and... Picks up the corpse again. It's too late, he keeps telling himself that, but he doesn't want to let go. ]
We weren't suppose to meet like this... He would never die. We might be able to still save him... I think, I just... Need supplies..? I can do it - save him again.
[ It's pretty obvious his mind is a total mess right now, huh... Still dazed, mind boggled with too many conflicting thoughts telling from what's reality and what's fake. He almost forgot who fault it was... ]
no subject
Lili winces when he picks up the corpse again, unsure what to do. This is... desperation and despair and sadness and so many things that would be overwhelming to anyone who comes here. His words resound with her in the most unfortunate way, reminding her of her own helplessness and singular drive to help Yona-
But then she's just going to squeeze his shoulder. Tightly.]
Get it together!
This - this isn't real. Your friend isn't dead, he's not...! You need to keep moving before someone here actually kills you for certain!
no subject
How is this not real? What do you mean? [ He... Really doesn't get it? ] He was bleeding too much, and there's no pulse...
[ Ah, and yes... Saving himself, that's definitely a thing he should worry about- huh? He takes the pistol on the ground and puts it back in his pocket. Then he stands, but he's still carrying Nezumi's body with all the strength he has left. ]
Can you help me get out of here then? [ Trust a random stranger in the middle of hunger games? Yep, totally the best idea. ]
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How frustrating! Lili's blinking for a moment before standing up and explaining as best as she can, even as she can hear other footsteps roaming through the forest and knowing that there might not be much time before they have to defend themselves as well.]
This place... Sometimes it'll make you see things that aren't real! Especially in this - it's just... it's a game! They alter it to its wishes and so your comrade-
I... I'm sorry for your distraught feelings, but I need you to realize that your comrade is probably fine and this place is just using you!
[What a clumsy way to say it but - she managed.]
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It's just a game though... If that's the case, it's a really messed up game. Shion's eyes flicker down to Nezumi's body, then back at Lili. ]
Then ... Is this body not real, and am I seeing things?
[ He falls silent for a moment. He does hear noises all around but that sort of fight-or-flight instinct doesn't trigger in Shion just yet.
A game... Not real... Hm, it sounds like--... ]
A simulation... Is that what this is? [ a pause. ] I'm sorry... He's someone important to me. You're very kind.
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Hopefully it'll give this person some comfort.]
I-I'm not but I.... understand that it can be really jarring to suddenly be here. [As someone who had to watch kind people suffer for her when she first arrived.]
You may be the next to suffer if you don't move though and that's - that's not acceptable either!
no subject
[ That's a very kind thing to do.
A part of Shion still felt wrong to just leave Nezumi here, real or not. However, he'll lie him down comfortably near a tree. Placing a hand on his cheek, drained of all its warmth, as a farewell. They'll meet again, he's sure of it. ]
Looks like I'll have to keep waiting.
[ Besides, there's no way he'd die so easily... So Shion finally stands and looks back at Lili. ]
Thank you for helping me, we should get going shouldn't we? I have to admit, I'm not sure where I am though.
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But she watches the body get placed down and glances away immediately when Shion places a hand on Nezumi's cheek, finding even that gesture to be too intimate for her to watch. No, this is meant strictly between the two of them.... and she hopes that they can be reunited under better circumstances.
When he speaks to her again, she blinks and nods once.]
I can explain to the best of my ability... but we should keep moving. An explanation won't help if we get caught by others here.
no subject