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
This motherfucker.
This STUPID MOTHERFUCKER.
His hands lash out and roughly grab the other boy by the shirt, shaking him viciously and VERY STRONGLY RESISTING THE URGE TO TOSS HIM TO THESE CREATURES.]
YOU DENSE SONUVABITCH! YOU DON'T FUCKING PUNCH THE ONLY ONE CAPABLE HERE OF GETTING RID OF THESE UGLY ASS THINGS!
no subject
Still, he only realizes their trouble once he finishes this sentence:]
EAT ME! I'll punch the shit outta you if I damn well please! You're capable of barely wiping your own--
[see that's when he realizes this. turns to look at Yusuke with wide eyes]
Do something.
no subject
I will if you let go of me first, asswipe.
[Well, except for that. You didn't really make an effort, did you, Yusuke.]
You're gonna have to give me your word that you'll listen to what I say, okay? When I say duck, you duck, and when I say 'get the hell out of here', you run like you're late on a mafia loan. We clear?
no subject
You don't gotta tell me twice-- runnin' from the cops has trained me well. So how the hell do we get outta this.
no subject
Aren't you a little rebel. [DRYER THAN THE SAHARA MAN. But Yusuke, pls, this is not the time for sass. He gestures behind him, face grim.]
Get behind me, for starters. You won't get hit with any falling crap if you're away from the blast.
no subject
so Kaneda scowls at him
but does as he's told]
Just try to do your thing, man, and don't get distracted.
no subject
There's a small scoff at that comment, and he draws his fist back, now glowing the same blue that his finger was the first time around.]
Please. I don't get distracted.
[Once the energy had collected into a significant enough mass, he thrusts his fist forward, slamming the creatures with a multitude of small, powerful blasts.]
SHOT GUN!!
[so yeah, we just upgraded from fingering to fisting. HUZZAH.]
no subject
He ducks back up over Yusuke's shoulder to peek at the damage.]
HOLY SHIT! Atta man! Fuck it up!
no subject
The shot gun blast succeeds at taking down most of the monsters, their bodies being blown back and collapsing into a gross, bloody heap a short distance away.]
And THAT'S how you excel in badassery.
[Before Yusuke can preen too much, though, there's another round of growling and keening from the creature pile, new beasts creeping out to investigate the damage.]
Dammit, they're like roaches on ugly steroids!
[He nudges an arm at Kaneda behind him, urging him back.]
Alright, fan-club, it's time to make a break for it. FAST.
no subject
[since that's the only way Kaneda would ever accept this. But he backs up quickly, quickly, quickly, dust behind each step. Hiding behind a boulder won't help, plenty of creature blood probably sprinkled atop these two warriors.
Finally he turns tail and says:]
Lets get the fuck outta here!
no subject