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
[peter finally seems to register the guy on the ground.]
Did you just like, whistle him to death?
no subject
(He smiles a little bit, seeming far more amused than embarrassed by the whole thing.
He looks down at the guy on the floor and shakes his head.)
Nah. Killing isn't really my style. I just...you know. Whistled at him in general. Just so happen to have a bit of a supersonic whistle and it's pretty horrendous to be on the end of?
(He gives Peter a look like what can you do?)
But enough about me and more about getting outta here. You down for escape 2.0?
no subject
[he is clearly putting too much thought into this. the bit about the supersonic whistle makes him wince in a way that only someone who has had wolf hearing could.]
Okay, please never whistle at me. And yeah, let's go for getting the hell out of here take two before I have to actually try and use one of these things or you bust my eardrums by proximity.
no subject
(It's okay, Will is putting as much inappropriate amounts of thought into it as Peter is.)
Wasn't planning on it. Unless you felt like attacking me but you don't seem the type.
(Will snorts a bit at Peter but then he's looking seriously around the room. He points to the door.)
All right. Think you can sprint over there with me?
no subject
[peter lifts up his very shiny dress shoe, looks at the smooth leather soles, and then looks at will. then the shoes come off, and the dress socks too, because fuck that noise. they were really uncomfortable anyway.]
Now I can sprint.
no subject
They really were super uncomfortable.)
Let's go then.
(He doesn't wait a second more before he takes off and it's evident within seconds that this kid's athletic as all hell. He whips through the crowd but despite his speed and natural grace, he keeps on looking back to make sure Peter is doing good himself.)
no subject
basically, he's no demigod, but it could be worse. a lot worse.]
no subject
The important thing is though that they eventually make it to the door and Will doesn't hesitate to slam it open. It could be worse on the other side but what he's learned is that sometimes you just gotta take the plunge.
They burst out into a jungle and Will ducks into the trees, not stopping just outside to look around. He hopes Peter's smart enough to follow his lead and gives a glance over his shoulder just to make sure. Will is far from a ditcher, after all.)
no subject
Please tell me this isn't going to get worse.
no subject
(Will responds cheerfully. Smile and all.)
Forests usually mean it's gonna get worse. Monsters kind of worse.
(He knows this from A) camp and B) video games and C) life.
Running is good though so he keeps up with that. It's kind of a bitch running through the forest bare footed but it's also something he can handle just fine. They won't run forever.)
Keep an eye out for a cave or something like an outcrop. Shelter sounds like a good idea.
no subject
[peter would sound more sarcastic if he wasn't busy running. he curses as a tree-branch threatens to thwap him in the face and he just barely ducks in time. peter is excellent at cursing.
on the upside, the ducking means he sees something off to the side that he wouldn't have otherwise--what looks like an overhang of some sort. he points and swings off in that direction.]
Shelter like that over there?
no subject
(Will moves rather effortlessly through the woods. Bless them godly thighs and natural skills.
He automatically follows after Peter when he swings off and is jogging right up next to him.)
Yeah, totally.
(Anything will work at this point.)
no subject
[peter sure as shit wouldn't know, nobody he hangs around with is half as positive as this literal ray of sunshine over here with his annoyingly godly thighs.
on the upside, the overhang peter saw turns out to be a cave. on the downside, it's hella dark in there.]