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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i
By this strange man that she vaguely recalls from the loading screen (where she'd absolutely just picked someone at random because dating is a waste of time) and then she's squinting.
Aaaaaand fussing.]
U-Unhand me! Who do you think you are...?!
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The two brave people who have seemingly singled Sano and Lili out, however, are a possibly different story. And here Sano does let go of Lili, but only so he can grasp his temporary spear better and arc toward their attackers. He takes out one, but the second jumps back just out of reach. But Sano doesn't retreat. Instead he takes a couple quick steps toward that person and thrusts his spear, easily impaling the attacker.
If only he didn't have to do all this in front of a woman. Ugh.
Pulling his spear out of the body in front of him, he quickly grabs Lili's hand again, resuming the trek for the exit.]
Not to be rude, but can we save introductions for when we're not as popular?
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Unless he's some sort of sick psycho that would personally want to kill her, but she's also not self-centered enough to... completely entertain the idea. It crosses her mind for half a second, but it disappears the second that he's impaling the second attacker with his spear. Her brow furrows.
She doesn't scream, but she's tense. This is serious, then. But she's seen her bodyguards take out similar types of opponents with that level of skill and speed, and even though she's unhappy when he takes her hand again, she doesn't fight as stubbornly.]
... That's a promise, then!
[That he'll tell her who he is - because she's always looking for anything that could give her even the slightest modicum of control.]
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[But it goes both ways, you know. Unless she really doesn't want to disclose her own identity for whatever reason.
Regardless, the important thing is to just get out of this building alive and in one piece - preferably with no wounds at all - and with just a little more trouble that's easily handled by Sano, they make it out of the ballroom and through a short hallway until the outside world greets them.
Still, lingering close to the building sounds like a terrible idea. Sano still holds Lili's hand as he leads her farther away. The sounds of conflict behind them are dull, almost like it's not real, but they know better, having just been there. Soon enough, he stops, feeling safe for now.]
Well. We made it.
[He turns to her and offers a small smile. A promise is a promise, after all.]
Harada Sanosuke.
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Excuse you, sir.
Then she's going to just rub her own hand because honestly, getting pulled around by a man is so annoying... even if he's the reason that she's safe right now and she'll recognize at least that much. Sort of. The small smile is met with a rather neutral look, though she does look him over to check if he has any wounds because... she does have a heart.]
... Lili An.
[Because she's elegant and well-mannered... sometimes. A slight nod of her head.]
You have my gratitude for getting me out of there. I will repay you when we depart this place.
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But it's not a big deal and he's clearly not even embarrassed or anything.
He also got out of there without any scrapes, but his tux does have some bloodstains if Lili looks close enough. At least they're not too apparent against the black.]
Lili. There, that wasn't so bad. And don't worry about it. I'm just glad you're all right.
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[She's pretty obviously more embarrassed than he is. Don't mind her if she's just going to look up at him and huff out a slightly annoyed breath. He's too calm! Too chill!
Meanwhile Lili over here is the Queen of No Chill.]
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[Sano is so chill right now. This battle thing? Second nature. This being nice thing? Practically in his blood.
Breathe, Lili, it's gonna be aight.]
Besides, we've introduced ourselves, and that's a start.
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A long silence followed by a rather simple:]
You're one of those types, then.
[The types of people who're really simple and sincere and somehow really adept at battle?! Yeah, Lili's only met a few of them but they still surprise her every time.]
... Fine. But I still intend on repaying you.
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[Yeah, sorry, he doesn't consider himself a type, so this is weird for him!]
I guess I can't argue if you're dead-set on it.
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[SO QUICKLY.
. . . . . . ok but-]
Though well-meaning you may be.
[So she doesn't... hate it. Regardless she's just going to look away now, embarrassment already leaving a bit of a blush on her cheeks as she flips her hair over her shoulder and starts... walking. Where is she going? This way, apparently.]
Are you coming along?
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[So quick to judge! But though he immediately took some insult, it gives way to an odd sort of amusement. Shinpachi and Heisuke would agree with Lili, probably, though Sano can't imagine why. But just the thought of his best friends does lighten his mood.
So he chuckles and smiles, even as she walks away.
And demands his presence? He takes a few long strides and easily catches up.]
I guess I don't have much choice. I thought I was annoying, though.
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[BEFORE HE GETS ANY FUNNY IDEAS - except honestly this is just Classic Tsundere treatment... sorry about it, Sano.]
... but that doesn't make you insufferable, especially compared to the brutes out here who will just attack rampantly. If it's someone like you then...
["I don't mind your company" is what she wants to say.]
It would just be more troublesome to go on my own.
[N-Nailed it?!]
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I get it, I get it.
[His hand lands on her shoulder, maybe a little more heavily than he intends, oops. He's just...he's such a strong guy, you know...]
I'm useful.
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Which is probably why after that split second is over, she's stepping to the side and turning to slap his hand away none too kindly.
Sorry, Sano.]
You are also too forward. Don't touch me so casually.
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Words are hard, man.]
Sorry, I...I didn't mean anything by it. I just...
[...Nah. Just let it go. Not everyone is like Sano.]
Sorry.
no subject
bye felicia.]