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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no subject
The ring around her disappears and only smoke and the charred circle remains as proof of the fire's existence. Shiki Ryougi glares at Merlin.]
It's as I said...
[The grip around his ankle tightens.]
If you attack first, you might as well have just ended it right there. Especially seeing as you've got more than a few tricks up your sleeve. Ah, but you're not good at killing are you?
[It's almost disappointing. Someone's going at her, but not with the intent she wants.]
no subject
His hand shakes against the floor when the grip on his ankle tightens, openly wincing and choking on the pain that shoots up his leg. ]
I had no intention of killing you. [ Maybe he should have done though, he'd presumed this was just a reaction to being caught in a game as awful as this. That she wouldn't really want to kill someone for little reason than a game. ] I-- [ He tries to turn his ankle, pales as something cracks. ] It isn't-- [ It's hard to talk when he's panting at the same time. ] --something to boast about. Killing someone. Taking another's life.
[ Is this really something you should be saying while on the floor in pain???? ]
no subject
[Who knows what's running through the mind of this girl right now? But his words displease her. And now she's dragging him in until he's right at her feet, like some monster pulling in its prey for the final blow. Shiki doesn't seem like she's reveling in any of this though.
The invisible hand releases Merlin's ankle, but she kneels down grabbing him by the collar, her sword dangerously brushing by his neck staring at him with her glowing Mystic Eyes. It's as if she's seeing right through him and it's seems even more monstrous up close. And despite the chaos around them, she asks him rather calmly, just wanting a simple answer.]
Do you want me to die then?
[In other words, does this person want to kill her?]
no subject
It looks like it should be some kind of spirit, but even he can feel life there that seems to be strong and unwilling to falter, like it really might yank and his leg will come off but then--
It's gone before his own hands manage anything, his body trying to lean back to avoid the contact of the sword as he glances at it. His hand hooks around his ankle, drawing it into himself. He won't be able to run that easily now.
His breath is shaky, his shirt feels tight against his skin from where her hand is holding the fabric tightly and it makes his crawl when he looks into her eyes. ]
I thought I already said I didn't want to take someone else's life.
no subject
... Shame. This could have been something.
Guess you can go now.
[Also Shiki, you kind of hurt his ankle, he can't exactly go now...]
no subject
He doesn't cry out, just about managing to bite it back with a hard puff of air as his eyes sting from water gathering at the edges. ]
You can go now. [ Is what he says instead, voice quiet and he doesn't even look up at her. He's more trying to find a safer spot to try and drag himself to. ]
no subject
... Well, he attacked her first so...]
If you attacked me with that much tenacity, you'll probably get on fine even with that injury.
[Gonna start walking away now.]
I'll give you that much credit.
no subject
She was strong. Her abilities--whatever they were--made his own magic seem useless.
He doesn't have the time to dwell on it right now though, instead he concentrates on trying to push himself up, half-limping and half-hopping towards a corner as fast as he can while trying to not cry out in agony.
He only feels like he can relax once she's out the way, and at least tries to heal it. She'd notice that whatever anger and fear he might be feeling is actually empowering him a little though, if she were to look back. ]