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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Sam, on the other hand... he laughs, because that's a completely normal, completely civilian reaction to seeing a talking cyborg dog. ]
Toss me a sword from your inventory, kid, and I'll let you touch him.
[ Wolf tries to interject with a brief 'Samuel', but seems to think better of it upon weighing the pros and cons of this situation. ]
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If I do that is he gonna bite me? I ain't about that, man. That's siccing man's best friend and ruining their chances at heaven.
[a pause as he realizes this is a robot...dog]
I guess.
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[ What time is it here? He's not sure, he's pretty sure he's supposed to be dead.
Wolf looks vaguely concerned— that is, his tail flicks in vague anxiety— before turning towards Kaneda. ]
I would not bite you. It would be pointless— my teeth are not my weapons.
[ There we go. ]
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[and then he just kind of dismissing all that in favor of the dog. He crouches down, doesn't get too close to Wolf's face but enough to peer into those beady eyes.]
No? Then what's the point, that's supposed to be a dog's weapon...do you got rockets in there?
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Said Wolf tilts his head, meets Kaneda's curiosity with placidity. ]
My mouth allows me to retrieve objects because I lack the thumbs to hold them. I have not been equipped with rockets, either.
[ So practical. ]
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That's really fucking dumb. Whoever designed you was a dumbass. No offense.
[kind of glances at Sam]
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Wasn't my call.
[ Wolf, helpfully, adds: ] Samuel does not possess the expertise required to customize my equipment.
[ Translation: "he's ignorant as fuck." ]
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[this rude little asshole actually wipes 'sweat' from his brow.]
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Forget it, kid. Wolfy here isn't a novelty item.
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That wouldn't make him novelty! It'd make him amazing. You'd know that if you had any experience with dogs.
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[ A gesture towards Wolf, to say 'I have plenty of experience'. Wolf looks away, because Sam's a dick. ]
In any case, Wolfy is far smarter than you are— I wouldn't keep treating him like your average mutt.
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[said matter of factly]
I wouldn't doubt that, but it don't mean he doesn't like being treated like man's best friend. Treats and stuff-- does he even get paid?
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I do not possess the organic functions necessary for a dog to survive. Therefore, treats are extraneous. Payment is also unnecessary.
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[he's downright appalled on Wolf's behalf]
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[ Sam's the one that echoes that term, with no little amount of amusement. Wolf, on the other hand, is thinking of a proper answer to Kaneda's question, serious-minded robotdog that he is.
When he opens his proverbial mouth again, it's to relay, with conviction: ]
I have been given my freedom. That is something that cannot be purchased.
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So fucking what? You're gonna use your freedom and hang out with this loser? You could go pro, man.
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Now, now. Watch what you say— you could hurt my feelings, you know.
[ Complete Bullshit (TM). ]
And more importantly, duck.
[ If Kaneda doesn't want to get brained by an NPC with a baseball bat, that is. ]
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[in any other world, this is where he'd get a bat in the face.
But because he's Kaneda and he's dealt with this not only here but back home, he does as he's told.]
I ONLY DID THAT CAUSE I SENSED IT, NOT CAUSE YOU TOLD ME!
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Oh? Maybe I shouldn't tell you next time, then.
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He shoots a foot out to trip up the NPC, who falls on his ass.]
I'm not thrilled to have a dude perusing me so hard.
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[ But, well. Might as well throw the kid a bone, so to speak.
Wolf springboards up from crouching position, lands on the NPC sprawled next to Kaneda to take them down with one slash of tail to neck. He's not much of a fan of killing at all, but logically, he understands that this is just a simulation— with acute precision, he takes down another assailant and steals his weapon, flings it at Sam so the samurai isn't left completely defenseless (not that he ever was, but still). ]
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When he scrambles to his feet, he cheers:]
Holy fuck! No wonder you don't need rockets though they'd still be cool as hell...! You're a badass!
[this is all to Wolf, of course]
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Wolf is more important, anyway. Here's Wolf. ]
Rockets would yield far too much collateral damage. It would be impractical.
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walking dildo....]
That's not true! It'd be badass, and no one would mess with you! They'd just piss.
[he's sort of glad these NPCs can't pee with fear....he's getting in on The Beating]
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Wolf doesn't see much of a reason to join in, but he will keep talking to this punk. ]
Had I launched a rocket right now, you would also have been injured.
[ jussayin, bro. ]
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