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
She uses the man's speech as an opportunity to get back on her bubble, laying across it in a comfortable position. When the girl leans over to whisper, Keimi shakes her head in response.]
I don't know, but it can't be good.
1/2
She still wants to ask about that bubble, but it would be pretty bad not to try to listen a little at least to the old man addressing them. Maybe he's got something important to say? ]
Really? I mean it's not like he's gonna tell us to fight each other or anything. [ She shrugs, clearly not as worried, just as the man announces:
"Anyway, whoever survives can leave this room -- enjoy!" ]
no subject
What?!?! [ And the room breaks out into chaos. ]
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I'm sure it's something totally harm--
2/2
The mermaid nearly leaps off of her bubble, grabbing her new friend(?) in shock.]
Gyahh!! Everyone's gonna kill us!!
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[ Chie wants to believe people are so easily swayed by a few words. She's just-- Oh no, that's a shuriken coming straight at her. ]
They're really trying to kill us!! [ Luckily for Chie, instead of a hole in her she's dragged down by Keimi, and it misses her, sticking into the wall behind them with -pang- sort of noise. ]
We need to get out of here, fast!
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[NOT THAT THAT'S THE MAIN PROBLEM HERE. Keimi is quick to release Chie, taking care to stay balanced on her bubble. If she had to hop across the floor to get out of here, it would probably be the end of her.]
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[ To be fair, this is Chie's second time in ViViD and she's kinda starting to see it might be more of a pattern than anything else. This is why she doesn't play video games!! ]
H-Hey, we gotta go! What are you doing?!
[ That date thing... She's going to bring that up again, most definitely, but clearly Keimi was looking to be on a date with someone else. Right now they just need to survive, and Chie thinks the best plan is to run... not ride on comfy looking bubbles. ]
no subject
M-me? I need my bubbles. I'm too slow without them.
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Are your legs hurt or something? Oh, watch out!
[ Chie thinks to duck, and hold Keimi's shoulders down too, just as a flying spear sings past their heads. ]
They really aren't holding back!!
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W-we need to get out of here!
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Yeah! We're ditching this popsicle stand!! [ She can't stop being a goof though. ] C'mon!
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But I didn't see any popsicles...
[All the same, she's back on her bubble. She'll even let Chie take her hand and drag her if that will be faster.]
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[ Keimi pls. Chie can't help but stifle a laugh, but this is pretty dangerous, there's no time for laughing?!
With Keimi on her bubble Chie pulls, knocking over another table in their wake, to keep anyone from following them.
Soon enough the sounds of the fighting die down, and instead is replaced by the soft ambient noise of the jungle. Resting against a tree in a small clearing, it looks like they are safe, for the moment. ]
Jeez, I can't believe how quickly that turned into a bloodbath! What the hell was their problem?!
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This is just how ViViD is. I don't even know if those were real people or just data-y ones.
[She leans back against her bubble, taking a breath.]
At least we got outside. Thanks...
no subject
She's still a little on edge, but taking a few deep breaths in now that they are safe. ]
Ah, you don't have to thank me. I was just doing what anyone would do, right? Oh! Right! I'm Chie, by the way. Nice to meet you!
no subject
[She gives her a little wave out of instict. In truth, her heart was still racing in her chest. It was nice to be able to take a breath, but who knows if they're even safe yet.]
Um... what do you think we should do next?