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
Didn't anyone around here know that if you couldn't fight, you should really stay away from a battle? Granted, staying away from the action, especially NOW, was kind of hard, what with monsters and bloodthirsty NPCs running around, but... man, he was NOT up for playing rescuer right now.
... not that he was about to leave this poor girl on the ground to be crushed by a tree, because as prickly as Yusuke could be, he wasn't THAT heartless. Pushing himself to run faster, he ducked under the falling wood, snatching Naminé up by the middle with very little effort. It took some extra scrambling to make sure they were well out of harm's way, but once they were in the clear, he plunks her back to the floor.]
Jeez, be a little more careful, will you? You were about to be fertilizer!
no subject
[Or fewer than that, although Naminé is in no position whatsoever to keep tabs on how many trees may or may not have been felled. She's entirely too busy struggling to find her footing. Almost there, almost up, maybe if she's quick enough she can--]
--Hrk!
[Air startled out of her by the sudden grip around her middle, she's entirely too taken aback to struggle, much less attempt to breathe in again. (She's preposterously light - maybe too light. That girl really needs to build some muscle tone, she's nothing but skin and bones.) She wobbles once she's been set down, white as a sheet and looking thoroughly out of sorts.]
Wh--....
[Her eyes flick toward the fallen tree. Back to him.]
I'm-- [Alive, which is nice.] ... I'm sorry?
[
She sounds like she's confused thanks to the dazedness, even though that's. Actually an at least halfway legitimate apology.]no subject
Fertilizer. Y'know-- the stinky stuff they use on plants? You were going to get squashed and turned into that crap if I didn't get you out of the way in time.
[He scratches behind his head, debating on what should be done next. Yusuke couldn't wait around and become an open target for crazy NPCs by babysitting this chick-- but this was also sort of his fault, so he couldn't exactly leave her here like this either.]
-- look, are you alright? You didn't hurt anything when you took that tumble, did you?
no subject
I don't-- I don't think so.
[She's recovering quite well, actually, now that she's had a moment, and by the time she's upright appears to have gathered her wits. It's difficult for a girl like her, who has always existed in such isolation, to adjust to a situation like this one; there's so much going on and everything happens so fast, so much faster than she's used to. It's like having lived one's whole life in slow motion and suddenly being shot into hyper-speed, where everything depends on quick thinking and expedient reaction when she's used to slow and plodding forethought. Sharper-eyed, now, she glances again with greater clarity at the tree that almost crushed her and then back to him, mouth down-turned and more conspicuously apologetic than before.]
I-- thank you. For saving me, I mean. I just wish it hadn't been necessary. [A momentary pause; she seems to realize something.] Were you the one shouting, just now?
no subject
His brow furrows as he watches her stand, ready to give her an arm to hold or to steady her should she need it. She said she was okay, but... well, a tree probably wouldn't be the only thing that could crush her, from the looks of it. His look softens a bit when she thanks him, however, and he looks off to the side with a small huff.]
Well, you can't help it. You're not used to this sorta stuff, right? I mean, you're wearing white out here. That's totally going to get ruined!
[He's joking, of course-- something to lighten the mood a little, to cut the tension of... well, EVERYTHING happening right now. Her next question, however, takes him by surprise, and he turns towards her again.]
Er-- yeah, that was me. Sorry, I really didn't think there was anyone even AROUND here, save for, y'know-- the characters trying to kill me and all.
no subject
[And it's true that she looks far too delicate for a place like this - or any place, really, aside from some quiet room tucked far into the depths of a palace somewhere. There's something fundamentally unreal about her, like she might disappear between one blink and the next if one isn't careful. (Her eyes, however, are just the opposite; there's a marked steadiness there, and now that she's recovered, a brightness of focus that denies the impression the rest of her would make.)]
You have a point.
[It's said bemusedly, just a little humorous in turn, a flicker of a smile on her lips and her head tilting down so that she can look at the dress in question. Her hands move belatedly to brush at it, trying to clear some of the dirt that has already blemished it - mostly from the recent incident, but not entirely. It's not long for this world, that poor dress.]
I didn't get to choose it, but it's not so different from what I usually wear. And-- you're right. I've never been in a place like this before.
[Lifting her head again, she regards him with lingering thoughtfulness. He's is indeed correct - more so than she would have expected of a stranger. Perceptiveness, perhaps, or simply a fluke?]
It's alright. I can't blame you for defending yourself. [The smile comes back, sticking around this time. Her hands fold together, almost polite. Lightly,] So... that was you, too, then?
[She nods toward the remains of the trees.]
no subject
s heartened to see that she's less shakey now, though, which was a turn for the better. (You don't want to know what he'd do if she was more catatonic, Y I K E S.)
There's a half-smile in return to hers, although it falters a bit in sheepishness at her question.]
Yeah-- yeah, that was me too. The, uh... attack has kind of a kick. A really big, explode-y kick.
The trees were just in the way?
[Yusuke, you butthole, you were reckless, MAN UP TO IT.]
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[Sheepishness looks funny on him, if only because he seems to her to be much more the punch-and-adventure type, himself. When the curve to her lips grows, it's partially because of that and partially because it's simply in her nature to attempt to soothe, and his falter triggered that instinct. Nothing to be embarrassed of, see? She doesn't even appear to be inclined to call him on his lack of discretion in using such an ability without making sure not to cause horrendous collateral damage, because she's nice that way. In fact, she seems far more interested by the attack in and of itself - she hums thoughtfully before her,]
I see. And... so was I. Was it magic?
[Because that's the most reasonable explanation to her
, although it wouldn't be impossible to misconstrue as her teasing him, despite the lack of anything like that in her tone. He doesn't look like the wizardly type, it's true, but stranger things have happened.]no subject
although for someone you have feelings for Yusuke THAT IS STILL AWFUL)He can't help feeling a bit embarrassed over the whole thing, though. He was supposed to be more mindful of his power, have a better control of the sort of damage he could do outside of the things he was fighting. Getting people into danger was not his intention, especially those who seemed to be normal aside from these circumstances.
Thankfully, this girl seemed to be very chill about it, despite nearly scaring the hell out of her earlier and having every right to chew him out. His nose crinkles a little at the question about magic, though, unsure if she was serious or making fun of him to lighten the mood.]
Does it look like I have a fancy wand on me?
It's not magic, it's... spirit stuff. [He waves his hands in a useless gesture.] Spirit energy. Like the stuff stored in your body sort of thing. Does that make any sense?
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Gosh, Yusuke, you cad.)][Fortunately for him, she has no apparent intent to rub it in. With any luck perhaps the situation will be lesson enough - and besides, as she said, she could hardly have expected him not to fight back. (The being the case, though, Naminé is... definitely not normal, though one wouldn't necessarily know it to look at her. Based on the way she's acting about it, though, having her life put in danger might be a more regular occurrence for her than one might expect of a girl of her sort.)]
No? [Is her response to his question, pitched slightly as though she's mildly confused about what a fancy wand would have to do with anything.] But not everyone uses one.
[Now that's... another weird thing to say in such a normal tone. She tilts her head at his claim, her fingers lacing together as an outward sign of her considering his description.] ... I suppose, [she says after a moment,] but that sounds like the same sort of thing as magic. Maybe it works differently, where I come from. Either way...
[Her eyes drift briefly over the destruction and back again. The little smile on her mouth is almost-- consoling, like she's trying to find some way to be sure he won't feel bad about the whole situation.
Which would probably be counterproductive, darn it Naminé.] ... It looks like it was probably impressive.no subject
I definitely don't think it's the same sort of thing. It's more like... using supernatural power inside you as an attack. Or... something like that. It comes easier to psychics and demons and people who've been dead and stuff.
[Although the more he's talking about it-- the more it DOES sound like magic? Jeez. He didn't even know at this point. His musings about spirit energy and magic are broken by her observation of the aftermath, however, and he raises his eyebrows in surprise.]
Honestly? That wasn't even all that much of a big one. I could've cleared a path to that ballroom and then some if I really tried.
... not that I'm bragging, though.
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[But she's not about to ask, since it feels somehow as though it would be rude, and keeps her own counsel on the subject in favor of listening to his not-bragging, her own brows raising.]
That's really something...! [Thinking of all that destruction, though, is sobering, gentle girl that she is, even if it does sound like quite a memorable feat.] But I... guess I have to hope nothing happens that would make you need to do that.
[Not to mention that it would be even harder to keep from hurting someone by accident. Her previous curiosity catches up with her, then - she's found a more polite way to inquire further into the nature of this 'supernatural power,’ and after a moment's pause during which she regards him with a curious look that mirrors his earlier one, she asks,]
Do... people come back from the dead a lot, in your world?
no subject