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
Instead, she sees Shinpachi, just as baffled to see her. Finally, she walks over. What else can she say other than "Shinpachi?"]
It's been a while.
[WELL NO SHIT, but while she was cursing inwardly at saying something like that in such an uncool fashion, she notices the blood stains and her cool (but surprised) facade breaks.]
Shinpachi, are you alright?!
no subject
(Probably? Do they even age here?)
It's questions he shrugs off for now, especially when he sees her concern. Making sure she isn't worried about nothing is a much bigger priority to him than getting answers for himself right off the bat, so he smiles back at her and saves a little with the hand that's not holding the sword, like he's dismissing her concerns. ]
As fine as anyone can be here. [ In a murderous level of ViViD, that is..
He follows her gaze, glancing down at his clothes, and manages to realise what she's freaking out about. ]
Oh, I mean-- that's not mine, no worries!
[ TOTALLY CASUAL AND ALMOST CHEERFUL.. AS IF THIS ISN'T ABOUT BLOOD.. ]
no subject
Seeing him well relieves her enough to know that if he had high spiritual anything, he got out of that. It could just be some illusion. That plus the fact the blood isn't his.
SHINPACHI, BE MORE CAREFUL.]
Thank goodness, [A sigh of relief.] I'm assuming that was from the deer then?
no subject
[ He's tempted to say yes. He likes Vietnam and he doesn't want her to think badly of him for killing people - it might be his job, yes, but Shinpachi isn't completely oblivious to how ethics work. It's not like he likes killing people, but someone's got to get rid of the bad guys to protect others.
So he just awkwardly scratches the side of his nose a little. It's an almost comical sight with how he looks aside from that, all bloodied up. ]
Nah, not just the deer. [ He would feel bad lying to her, so he just admits it.. ] There were some of those guys earlier too, they were attacking everyone. [ The NPCs that went wild once the announcement was made. ]
Some people back there couldn't fight, so I was trying to help them out. No one should have to go through something shitty just 'cause this place sucks.
no subject
It's why she calmly looks at him, despite his awkwardness. It's rather endearing that he tried.]
That is fine. I did the same. [Not so much the NPCs, but more the monsters.] If we can fight, then we have to do our best for them, no? You did your best, Shinpachi, you're strong.
no subject
But despite the fact that he already knows.. well, there's just something about the way Vietnam treats him (and probably just people around her as a whole, he figures) that puts him at ease, and he blushes a little besides himself at the comment. ]
Now you're just flattering me. [ Not like he did anything out of the ordinary today! Nothing.. out of the ordinary by this place's standards, anyway... ] Someone's gotta do it, and it's not like I'm the kinda guy that can just stand by when that stuff happens and do nothing about it.
no subject
A-ah, I speak only the truth. [She quickly waves a hand.] That is why you're very strong. It's not just physical strength, but your determination and sense of justice!
[A quick glance at his deer, and she gestures towards it.] As a special reward for your bravery, I can help your prepare that.
no subject
You know, shining eyes, that whole thing? It's happening right now as he looks at the other - as if Vietnam just saved his life instead of just offering to cook something for him. ]
You'll do that, really?!
[ Granted, Shinpachi's own cooking is pretty.. lacking.. so it'd explain why he's so happy to have someone who looks like they know what they're doing do it for him. ]
What would I do without you, huh?