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
I see. [ pause, before he adds a little stiffly: ] It was a good throw. I just didn't expect anyone to try anything like that.
[ they don't have long to talk, though. the monster's already snuffling and growling as it tries to reorient himself, and kakyoin jerks his head towards the bushes. ]
They're not easy to fight, it's better to run.
no subject
[ no, no— indeed, they don't have much time. he can grill this guy later on what the hell just happened. he follows kakyoin's gaze to the bush, giving him a return nod.
... and as desperate as it is, marco definitely prefers to stick around someone capable of defending themselves. he sets off at a swift pace toward the brush, looking back to make sure kakyoin either has it covered or is in tow. ]
no subject
[ said a little dryly as he sprints after marco. despite that flashy show of mystery abilities, kakyoin clearly isn't particularly extraordinary himself; already a little worn out, he lags slightly behind marco's pace, trying to pick up the pace when the sound of thumping movements resumes from behind them. ]
... it's still following us.
[ a puffing exhale as he glances up towards the tree branches overhead. ]
Can you climb?
no subject
[ and if he listens, the pounding of footsteps behind them momentarily drowns out the hammering of his heart in his ears. likewise, it's best makeshift solution he can think of— one can't outrun monsters forever. now a winded reply, his voice barely even: ]
Looks like I'll have to, I'd say.
[ no "trying" allowed here. thankfully, the forest is think enough that there's no shortage of branches. he spies a fat trunk, the trees' branches just out of his reach. but with the sprinting pace he has... marco gets a few steps up it, hooking his hands over one of its limbs, and begins hoisting himself upward. ]
no subject
time to cheat a little. there's an unseen rustle of movement before he manages to vault to the next branch up more easily, as if being pulled up by a winch. if if looks like marco's having trouble, he stops to offer a hand to help him up, but he otherwise climbs up in silence.
at least until they're a safe distance up, and the sounds of frustrated monster snuffles can be heard from the ground. ]
... I suppose it'd be best to wait here for a little bit before we attempt to get anywhere.
[ said a little breathlessly from where he's balanced on a branch. ]
no subject
Yeah. [ a nod of agreement; they both could use the reprieve, it seems. ] Hopefully it'll... lose interest, soon enough.
[ how long that can be, marco can't begin to hazard a guess. if they're attracted to those in love, it might actually be a while. he rests the back of his head against the tree, gaze warily moving downward to watch the creature and any of its fruitless attempts to get at them. ]
no subject
I certainly hope it won't stay here long ...
[ he is not going to be trapped in a tree all night.
but for now, he settles for catching his breath and resting up. and while they're stuck together, he might as well assess his temporary ally. ]
You managed to stay pretty calm throughout all of that. I'm a little impressed.
no subject
... If someone else runs along and distracts it, I suppose you would go help?
[ try, anyway. he wonders how common the heroic type is, here in cerealia. ]
Did I? [ he was scared out of his wits, he'd say!! while he's naive to kakyoin scoping him out, he still wants to be see as Cool. ] Kaa... Your composure helped a lot with that, then. If you'd been losing your cool during that, then I may have reacted somewhat differently.
no subject
[ he doesn't sound particularly pleased about admitting it. kakyoin's never fancied himself a knight in shining armor, and he's not even the type to interfere in other people's business much. crossing his legs and resting his elbow on his knee, he props his chin on his hand as he hums quietly in thought. ]
I'd assumed everyone here was familiar with some sort of combat, if we'd all been thrown into a dangerous 'game' like this. There wouldn't be much point in exposing people who can't fight to dangers like this -- it would end in slaughter. But if that's not the case ... I'd feel obliged to help, just because I might be able to.
[ it's said at a quiet neutral, sounding fairly matter-of-fact, and he finishes with a quiet sigh. ]
If that ends up being the case, it would give you a chance to flee. You should take it.
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in some ways, he can admire the guy. certainly, it requires and bravery and unselfishness that marco knows he lacks. he'd feel guilty taking advantage of that, almost. almost. ] You're kind, in that case.
[ yes: almost guilty, but not quite. ]
Who knows? Throwing us to the dogs like this could be just the crash course we [ those unfamiliar with fighting against monsters of all things, those untrained in any sort of weaponry, completely powerless. suddenly, he can see cerealia's merciless hazing of newcomers in a new light. they're even so kind so as to have the experience be virtual. ] needed. It's a brutal wake up call— I intend to get stronger after this, you know.
[ seemingly more of an announcement to himself than anything. ]
no subject
I'd rather you didn't overrate me. Helping others if you're capable of it isn't anything special -- it's just the right thing to do. Being apathetic and distant is harder than you'd think.
And, when you become a powerful force to reckon with, I'm sure you'd do the same.
[ it's said with a slight smirk, but he's not just being teasing. there's just the slightest hint of encouragement in his tone of voice. ]
I can't imagine it'll be easy becoming stronger, but you sound determined.
no subject