You know what everyone needs after rampant robotic attacks and another iteration of clone wars? A vacation! That’s right everyone, you deserve this. CERES understands what you need. CERES is here for you all the time, so never doubt that this is a pleasure colony, and they are here to look after all of your needs. Kick your feet up, relax, and let CERES Recreation and Activity Necessity Keepers (Team RANK, that is) set you up with your ideal getaway.
It’s as if you can sense the incoming relaxation and luxury before you even completely finish loading. There’s the warmth encompassing your entire body as your code gets transferred into this particular ViViD Level. A cool, refreshing breeze hits you. The sounds of waves gently lapping against the coast fill you with relaxation. The sun, the sand, the surfs, it’s all there – welcome to the beach, baby!
An echoing greeting message from the ocean comes next, if you can translate it.
 OOOOOOOOOOOOHMAHH GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHD.
YOOOOOOOOOOOORRRALL SOOOOOOOOOOOOO KYOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT.
KYOOOOOOOOOOOT EEEENAAAAUUUUUUUF TOOOOOOOOOOOOO EEEEEEEEEEEEEEET.
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PHASE I [ 08 00 ] That said, isn’t that breeze a little… too strong? It feels like it’s brushing up against all of you, if you know what I mean. When you open your eyes and look down, it becomes rather clear why. It seems that you’ve found yourself in some pretty interesting attire. Everyone. No exceptions. You appear to have two options – be overcome and scream like the Victorian maiden your heart says you are, or strut like a model in this stuff. Turn some heads! Work that up do!
But don’t worry, we’re also conscious about safety here at CERES! Therefore everyone’s also been provided a pair of super high-tech safety-tested appendage protection floatation devices (STAPFD for short.)
At least everyone around you is caught in the same sort of attire – and everyone around you also appears to be stuck inside a giant sand castle. It’s entirely malleable to what you want it to be! Want to see a fancy sand bidet? Feel like adding a sand statue in your honor? Think that wall should now be a door? Well, with enough perseverance, you can make it happen!
Just uh, be careful about getting sand in your… everywhere.
PHASE II [ 1000 ] Someone broke it. Not pointing any fingers, even though you sure do seem like a prime suspect, but someone broke it.
It almost starts like an earthquake with how the castle starts to rumble, the sand shaking right beneath your feet. And then the walls right next to you start to cave in followed promptly by the ceiling right… above your head. Oh dear. The sand starts to run and fall, losing its structure and shape. The hallway behind you starts to cave in, ceiling first and then the walls follow suit. Now the sand really is getting everywhere – but not just uncomfortable places. It’s in your hair, your eyes, your nose…. this sure doesn’t seem like a pleasant way to go!
Best to start running – there’s a trusty drawbridge to get over the moat (because what’s a sandcastle without a moat?) but who knows how long until that, too, is going to give way? Best to cross over it before it starts to shake and disappear too. Or if you don’t make it, hopefully you can land some pretty impressive airtime to make it to the other side!
If not, well...there'll be the sensation of sand crushing down upon you, filling your mouth and eyes, and you won't be able to breathe at all – and then you're alive again on the beach (but possibly in yet another new, uncomfortable, skimpy swimsuit). Honestly, be more careful, would you?
PHASE III [ 1200 ] However, once you do make it to the other side, it’s all smooth sailing from there! Or is it? Hah, as they say, life sure can be a beach.
Which is what this is.
Welcome to your Beach Episode, folks. Now that you’ve made it out of the collapsing sand castle, you’ve made it to the luxurious, picturesque golden coastline. Sure, you’re coughing up fine, luxurious, sand dust right now and you’ve definitely gotten sand in all of your crevices thanks to your swimsuit, but that’s okay! Go take a soak in the ocean or something or cool off with a smoothie. There’s a smoothie shack off into the distance, complete with a long chalkboard with… well, probably a few familiar names? And some unfamiliar ingredients. Sounds appetizing right?
That said, once you do ingest some of the smoothie with the name of a newcomer, you might suddenly find yourself feeling a bit… different. You’ll be taking on some of their traits, one of the most intense parts of their personality – or you might need to take a second to sit down because you’re suddenly seeing one of their memories. Whoa. What do they actually put in this stuff?
PHASE IV [ 1500 ] For the brave souls that venture out into the water, you have even more adventures waiting for you. Anyone who’s swimming around, wading in the water—hell, even looking at the water is getting scooped up and deposited in one of these giant orbs. But don’t take up too much room, because someone else is getting shoved right in there with you. Time to get cozy with your new friend, because it's only going to get worse as the waves begin to carry you out into this big, blue, virtual ocean. Hopefully the choppy waves don’t bounce you around too much or – well, you could always get really friendly with a stranger! Why not?
At least until it’s made very clear that fresh air does not make it back into these balls. That seems like a bit of a design flaw. Now what? Fight the other person who’s inhaling all your air? Suffer through it for swimsuit-clad fun? Or if you break it…. well, you sure are stranded out in the ocean. Or are you?
After enough flailing, you’ll be met by a giant, dumb-looking creature who will then eat you whole.
Everything goes dark. This is surely the end --
And then you're in Cerealia proper; it seems that was the exit to the level (but why there?) and you'll find yourself either in one of the fountains or the pond in the park. Either way, you'll be very, very well. And this time, that's not virtual. But hey, at least you'll have all of your stuff with you.
BONUS [ xxxx ] Do you hear that?
Anyone idle on the beach will hear a distant melody coming from further out into the ocean. It’s a beautiful, elegant song that automatically makes the listener stop what they’re doing and immediately wander toward the noise. It takes you a moment to recall – it takes a moment to think about anything now, really – but you remember hearing the smoothie shack owner say something about mermaids populating the beach. Could this be their song calling out to you? Whether you would normally abide by this kind of call or not, you find your feet walking further and further out into the water, the shallows lapping up to your ankles and up and up as you are drawn in by the song.
A rather classic song, though the usual instances of French are also replaced with the very enticing, enchanting nonsense promise of omelette du fromage........and then they try to drown you.
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I'm sorry. [ he automatically says because it's in his nature to apologize for all wrongs, except cheating at poker. ] I'm definitely not asking you for food or anything like that, it's just... We — were just eaten by that whale, weren't we? Ordeals like that always make me hungrier.
[ and it doesn't help that he has a bigger appetite than most?? and you're hungry too, kaz so please understand a bro ]
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[As if to agree with Kaz's statement, his own stomach gave a quiet gurgle. He sighed. Well then, it seemed the next steps were clear: go grab some food. Now the question was: could he mooch a free meal from this guy? He sized the stranger up, trying to gauge his level of wealth by his outfit alone. Hm, he looked kinda... weird. Poor weird.
Darn.
Ah well, even then, Kaz wasn't the type to abandon a person in need of assistance. Maybe the good karma would bring him luck later down the line]
So what did you want then? Directions to the nearest food stand? I think there's one not that far away... pretty cheap too, if you're strapped for cash. [he rubbed the back of his neck, looking thoughtful] I'll show you, if you want. I'm starved right now, so, eh, I'll grab a bite to eat too. Hey, we could even split the bill, if you're really hurting for money, it's no biggie.
no subject
That's... very kind of you. [ It's not that Allen's suspecting Kaz of an ulterior motive, just that he hadn't actually expected such a kind offer?? ] I really do appreciate your offer, but I was planning on changing out of my wet clothes first.
[ He's hungry, he's wet, and he doesn't have fire magic to dry himself. life's tough. ]
Would you happen to know where the apartments are?
no subject
[Was it that time of the month already? Ah, then, wait, this guy did have money! If he remembered, newbies were given a lump sum of credits to help them adjust to their new fucked up lives in Cerealia, if his experience with his and Minny's memorable first meeting was anything to go by (RIP his teriyaki chicken, he misses you always). So, that meant, if he played his cards right he could possibly get something edible and free out of this~
Thank you, good karma]
Geeze, you must be pretty confused right now. Tell ya what, I'll show you where the apartments are. It's not inconvenient to me or anything, so don't worry 'bout that. I'm in desperate need of a shower right now, and it's probably best to do that before settling down for a nice, hot meal, yeah? Like, I've got sand all up in my- [...wait, too tmi for a first meeting!] -my, er... something...
[...]
Ah, anyway, apartments! Yeah, they're this way, so, um, just follow me.
no subject
Allen waits patiently as Kaz thinks diabolical thoughts and explains, eventually perking up at his offer. ]
Thank you very much! [ a guide, AWESOME. A... nameless guide, Allen realizes after half a beat. ] My name's Allen Walker, by the way. I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself first.
[ before making all these demands!! ]
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[Since Kaz normally just made up his own name for people. It was easier that way since it was so tricky trying to remember people's names, especially if you had a bad memory like him! Allen Walker though... that seemed pretty simple and straightforward. He'll remember it by "Walk". Yeah...]
My name's Kazuya Minegishi. But everyone just calls me Kaz. I prefer it, even.
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Kaz, then. [ if it's what he prefers, then it's only polite. ] It's nice to meet you. I don't have any nicknames myself, and I don't prefer surnames [ like some people cough kanda cough ] so you can call me Allen!
[ or "Walk" i guess ]
no subject
Allen, huh?
[Probably the only time he'll ever say it - he honestly did try to commit that name firmly to memory though. Hm, maybe he should try going with Ally? Nah, that sounded like a weird nickname to have]
S'nice to meet you too. So- [he gestured for Allen to follow as he began walking, internally wincing at feeling his feet squig in wet shoes. Grossest feeling ever] -how'd ya enjoy your mankini adventure? What a way to be welcomed into this hellhole, huh?
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It was terrible.
[ He's not going to pull any punches for a corporation that kidnapped him and lied to his face about almost everything. ]
If they wanted to smother us with sand and get eaten by a whale by the end of it, then they could have at least provided food for free.
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[Kaz hadn't touched those drinks with a ten foot pole - he remembered what happened to some people in the swamp event eons ago, turning into stone and such, when drinking innocent looking drinks sitting around. He had no doubt that they'd do the same weird things to any food they put out too, because they were jerks]
Better get used to that, by the way. They pull stuff like this all the time, to the point where you just, get used to it...
[Cue Thousand Yard stare]
And it always goes horrible in some way. Like, not gonna lie, getting eaten by a whale to be spit out into the park's fountain is pretty mild compared to what's happened before.
no subject
[ Allen starts in a somewhat heated tone, then it tapers off to one of just. weariness. even the Black Order, the sketchiest organization Allen's sworn his loyalty to, gave the Exorcists food and a comfortable place to live without having to look over their shoulders every minute. Allen misses the place, even though he's already resigning himself to living the life he's lived before the Order. Of scrounging for food and keeping a cautious, wary eye on his surroundings.
He's not looking forward to it. ]
How does any of that help them fight off the Flamines? Or save all those worlds they claim to want to save?
no subject
No idea. Maybe they're incompetent. Maybe they're in cahoots with 'em - I've heard that theory floating around before. Or maybe, there aren't any Flamines at all, and this is just some fucked up fish bowl for some higher being's amusement. Either way, whatever the reason is, you can't trust 'em. That much is clear.
no subject