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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Almost, if people weren't trying to kill them. ]
Good idea. They'll be so distracted they won't even notice we've gone until it's too late, and we'll be out the door. Ready?
[ Just like in the good old days. ]
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[She gave off a confident smile! If Dipper was going to be the who didn't tell her anything and was constantly worried, then somebody needed to play the role of the optimistic one!
And like she would never say no to that!]
On the count of three, let's zoom through to the table like there's no tomorrow!
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(The very thought still has him reeling.) ]
Alright! One...two...three!
[ With that, he takes off towards the table with her. ]
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(...With a couple of grazed hairs here and there)]
Whew! We're almost to home base, Dipper! As soon as we get out of here, we're are good to go! But man, you are good at this!
Just how long have you been playing this thing anyway?
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They're so close to the door now. Almost out of harm's way and...who knows what they'll find outside. But it has to be better than this, right?
Right?
Well, he's been wrong before. ]
Uhh...well, about...three months now?
[ Might as well tell her now. ]
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How else was she suppose to react?]
But that's impossible! I just saw you on the bus with me! This isn't one of those weird time travel thingies is it?
Because I know what I saw! And you totally were with me!
[She was with him all this time...wasn't he...??]
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It definitely is one of those weird time travel thingies. And then some.
[ The door's just a few feet away now. Almost there... ]
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Don't mind her trying to find the quickest tree nearby to hide in!]
Well, it would kind of helped if someone told me what in the world was going on! And you just don't happen to know that certain someone eh?
[cough cough hint hint wink wink]
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Now what? ]
I guess that someone would be me, huh? [ Well, here goes nothing. ] Where do you want me to start?
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As she gave wiped the sweat from her forehead, she just flashed a smile at him]
Well, the beginning would be good! Give me all you got, Dipper! I want to hear everything!
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To his credit, his smile only flickers for a moment, but he feels his heart squeeze uncomfortably. He looks away, like he's scoping out the best hiding spot for them, but really...he can't quite bring herself to face her in that moment, because he's afraid of what she'll see buried in his expression.
Mabel was the person he could always depend on. The one he knew he could always trust, no matter what. The one person who always had his back.
But it's been three months since that was true. He didn't blame her for a second, but now that he'd learned to cope without her constant companionship, limping along and figuring out how to live again, having her suddenly back in his life is...jarring. It's a feeling he hates, but one that he can feel needling at the back of his mind all the same.
He'd learned to cope. His life had gone on here without her. And so much had gone wrong.
He couldn't - there were things -
Wouldn't it be better off if some things went unsaid?
Guilt swells over him at that inescapable thought, before he tugs her towards the hollow of a tree that will keep them out of sight for a little while and sits. ]
It's a pretty long story. When I first got here, it was kind of how you just did, except in reverse. You were the one who had been here by yourself, and I didn't remember being here before even though you insisted I had been, and other people remembered me. That's...probably going to happen to you now. You had a lot of friends here before you disappeared.
[ See? He's smiling. Everything is okay. ]
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She knows something is wrong and ,the worst part, Dipper wasn't telling her anything. If he was here before, then that mean he had gone through a lot didn't he? For those 3 months, just what happened?
Still, if he wasn't going to talk about it, Mabel will get to the bottom of this! Starting right now!]
Wait, what? What do you mean that I was here before? Because I really don' t remember a thing about here! Like how can you not remember a huge ballroom full of people trying to kill you?
[However, the more she looked at Dipper, the more she gave a pout. There was something even more to that wasn't there? As much as Mabel didn't want to force her brother to talk, it hurt to know he couldn't trust her.
Was it really that bad...?] But...I didn't know you were here for that long.
no subject
How could you just forget a place like this?
But it's not up to them. Mabel wouldn't have chosen to forget, either, if it were up to her. ]
It's not...I mean, I hasn't really felt that long. Time flies when you're solving mysteries, you know? And this place has a ton of them.
[ He'll be glad to have her at his side again. It's about time for the return of the Mystery Twins, though he has to make sure he can protect her. He can't let what's happened to him happen to her. ]
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She needed to keep a strong face for her brother. Gotta keep on being optimistic and hoping for the best! That's what she always did in Gravity Falls and she can do it again here!]
No, it isn't but that's okay! It just means we got to keep on solving stuff right? I bet the answer to this grand and epic mystery is just right around the corner!
[Although, a part of also gotta admit. If he was here for 3 months (and even longer!) and yet, he was still here? Just exactly what was CERES anyway?]
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[ It'd be nice to go home. It's been a long time since he's been there, after all. Longer now than he'd been in Gravity Falls with her during the summer.
But now, at least, he had a bit of home with him here. His smile turns a bit more genuine. ]
I've been working with some friends to try and figure things out. You gotta meet them - Hiro, Yu, the whole team! And you can move into my room with me in the apartment. I think you'll get along with Rise and Rapunzel juuuuust fine. I bet Athena and Rei will be excited to see you again, too. [ A pause. ] We've...all missed you a lot.
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And besides, with the Mystery Twins around, you know it's going to be a-okay!
[At least she hoped so. But just hearing him say all those names and how happy he seemed, it was enough to make her smile in return.
He wasn't alone and he made a ton of friends here! That's really more than she could ask for!]
Well, look at you, mister famous! I didn't know you made that many friends already! Think you can handle just spending some time around your sister anymore?
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[ In other ways, maybe not so much. But Dipper had been lucky to find so many friends he genuinely got along with and enjoyed their company. Most of them had stuck around, too.
He'd needed them a lot without Mabel around. Man, he really can't wait to introduce her to everyone. ]
I think I can manage. We've got a lot of time to catch up on, after all. [ ...Wait a minute. ] But if you're from the end of the summer... [ His eyebrows fly up. NO, IT CAN'T BE. ] Does that mean you're thirteen now?
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Oh you bet! Guess who happens to officially be a teenager now?! This girl right here! [With both of her thumbs pointing at her, she immediately started a chant!]
Alpha twin, alpha twin, alpha twin! [Can he hear the evil laughter in the background somewhere? Because she sure wasn't being subtle about it!]
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Dipper drops his face into his hands. ]
Really? Are you serious? [ Man, he can't believe she turned thirteen without him. Though he was actually there for it, too. Man, this timeline stuff is starting to get a little spooky and he doesn't like it. ]
Man, I'm gonna be stuck at twelve forever. [ He really does not dig this no-aging thing Cerealia has going on. ] We don't age here, by the way. Part of being code, I guess.
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Oh don't worry, I'm sure we'll find some way to make you thirteen! Whatever this place as going on, I think they'll eventually make you into a teenager! It shouldn't be that hard if we put our brains to it!
[Although, it sure does make her feel a lot older than him knowing he can't age! Power of the alpha twin, indeed!]
But until then, I guess you're just stuck where you are!