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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We need to get out of here quickly! If things get bad, we can get really badly hurt! And I don't want to see you get hurt too!
[Although the problem now was where could they go? If the point of the game was to kill everyone here, then how in the world was he suppose to do that?]
And I don't want to see anyone die again! [Not to mention how desperate he sounded as well]
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No one's going to die. I'll think of a way out of this.
[He's trying to keep himself calm for his brother's sake. He racks his brain, looking across to the double doors on the other side of the room, and the crowd fighting in the centre. It would be risky, but...
Gabumon seems to catch onto what Yamato is planning, and he starts to glow and evolve into Garurumon. As it happens, more NPCs stop what they're doing and turn to them, distracted by the light.]
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But I still think you should be careful. These ViViD games can get really scary.
[As he looked around, it didn't take him that long to see what his brother planning. Despite what he thought, he trusted him. Which was why he wasted no time in tugging him once more toward the doors]
Oniichan, we better go now! Or else we won't make it!
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[Once Garurumon is finished evolving, Yamato picks up Takeru and hoists him onto the wolf Digimon's back. He pulls himself up after, sitting behind Takeru to stop him from falling.
Then Garurumon backs up and does a running leap over the centre of the ballroom, avoiding the melee and heading straight for the exit.]
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Thanks, Garurumon! You're a big help!
[He shouted although, that didn't stop some more weapons coming their way! There might even be an axe coming straight for them!]
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That doesn't stop the axe attack, though. Garurumon lands near the doors, skidding on the ballroom floor, and turning around only just in time to catch the axe in his jaws. He bites down, and the haft splinters and shatters between his teeth.]
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Maybe a little more than he should have!]
Go Garurumon go! Go and show them that you can do it! [Although, with the last of the arrows coming toward them, it was now or never! They needed to get out now or else!]
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Garurumon shoots down some more of the arrows with well-placed bursts of Fox Fire, then turns tail and flees, barging through the double doors and out into the jungle. He won't stop until they're a safe distance away from the building and any NPCs alike.
Once he's sure they're clear and Garurumon starts to slow his pace, Yamato looks Takeru over for any injuries.]
Are you okay, Takeru?
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But at least now with the doors open, maybe some more people can get out a lot easier.
When Garurumon slowed down, he flashed a quick smile toward his brother!]
Mhmm, I'm okay! What about you, you're okay too right? I sure hope those weapons didn't hurt you!
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[Aside from a few tears in the fancy suit this level decided to shove him in, but that's no big loss to him. Satisfied Takeru is safe, he scans their surroundings. Thick jungle on all sides, and no indication of where's best to go next...]
Do you think Patamon would be able to make it above the trees to see where we are?
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[Patamon chuckled before flying as high as he could over the trees! But once he got to a certain point, he started pointing toward somewhere]
We can go that way, I think I see some water! Maybe we can set up camp over there!
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[Yamato looks up to see where Patamon is pointing and nods. Garurumon starts heading in the direction indicated, but more cautiously than the frantic dash to get away before. Anything could be waiting for them in the jungle, and he won't take any risks when it could endanger Takeru.
For a moment Yamato lapses into thoughtful silence. There's a lot he wants to ask, and maybe he'll get a chance if they can set up camp safely. There's some pressing questions that can't wait, though--]
Takeru, why were you talking like you've played one of these games before?
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With his head sinking into his shoulders, he didn't even look back at him. Instead, he just looked at Patamon up in the air as they walked closer to the pool of water.
Then in the lowest voice possible?]
That's because I have! This isn't the first game I've been in. I think this is my 6th time playing in the ViViD.
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[That quiet command is given to Garurumon, who does so immediately. Then Yamato jumps off his back, moving around to look up at Takeru. If his brother won't look him in the eye, he'll force him to.]
That's not all, is it? [He's not angry that Takeru won't be direct with him. But he's making it obvious he won't go anywhere until he hears the full truth, too.]
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Well, it was now or never right? Even thinking about it now was enough to scare him]
No, it isn't. It's been really scary, Oniichan, there's a lot of bad things going on here. I had to see a lot of friends get hurt and even die too.
[It's hard to get rid of the image of his not!mother and a few of his friends getting sacrificed at the altar]
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I thought you were safe with me in Shimane. I'm so sorry, Takeru... [His hands ball into fists. He still doesn't understand everything behind this -- CERES, the Flamines, something else? -- but he has to somehow put a stop to it.]
I don't know why I wasn't brought here sooner. You shouldn't have had to go through all that alone.
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I'm not alone, I have Patamon with me! And I have Hikari-chan, Tailmon and now you and Garurumon too! So I shouldn't be sad that I'm alone anymore!
I should be happy that you're all here right?
[But that didn't stop him from worrying about the both of them though]
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So, he nods, and forces a smile.]
...Yeah. We're here, and maybe we'll see the others again soon, too. [Deciding he's satisfied with that for now, he moves to climb back up.] Let's keep moving, Garurumon.
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[He trailed off a little as they kept on going. Although, the thought of his former paternal figure was making him pout again. Even if she told him that he shouldn't do that, he just couldn't. Not when she was gone and that he promised that he could be strong for her sake!
But then, he suddenly got an idea!]
Maybe when we get out of this game, I can introduce you to Han-san! I think you'll really like him!
[Takeru, what are you doing?]
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I don't mind meeting people, but... Who's Han-san?
[He's curious about this Leia person, too. It sounds like they're both people Takeru has spent a lot of time with, if he'd list them alongside Patamon like that.]
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[And you know. A lot of other stuff he probably doesn't want to tell his brother right now but that's besides the point!]
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[Protective big brother instinct says he'll have to meet them before he can judge whether they've done a good job of taking care of him. For Takeru's sake he doesn't say as much, though.]
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[Of course, the same could apply to his former mother figure too. That person who was strict and yet kind at the same time. Although, with him mumbling, he looked back at Yamato]
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