[Open] Second Sending: On the Job

[testoffayth]

Who: testoffayth & You
When: IC: 7/31-Various Dates
Where: ViViD
What: Yuna is a Boss Tester for CERES, and while on the clock things go wrong and other people get glitched into her levels.
Rating/Warning: Maybe violence and language, possible blood, and definitely ink. Lots of ink.

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Maybe you're just getting into ViViD, hanging out and getting ready to load up some game. The plan is to make some credits, have some fun playing a strange alien dating sim, or get a little exercise in the virtual space. Only something goes wrong and when you log in you realize that you've definitely glitched into something that's not what you asked for. And standing next to you is a very serious looking young woman holding a staff and wearing what looks like a kimono missing a few bits...and combat boots. She turns to you, gives you an apologetic look, and says.

“Sorry about all this. It looks like ViViD isn't working right today. Ah...maybe we can work together to get out?”

Nodding towards the level, she waits for you. It could be one of several options, including:

Prompt #1:

The two of you find yourself in a gigantic roller skating ring, complete with skates left out for you to put on. The ring isn't an ordinary ring though, it seems like it's covered in a slimy purple substance that definitely looks pretty darn sticky. It's also littered with metal boxes and ramps, like it's something made for speed. The good news is that beside the roller skates, there's a sort of tube-gun apparatus full of a yellow goop labeled 'Universal Solvent.' But what's more important, or perhaps more noticeable, is the bad news: there's gigantic carrot riding over the track on a kind of hovering stage covered in electronic music equipment blaring some sort of dubstep remix of a song you can't quite make out yet.

The girl starts forward and begins putting on the skates, giving you a nod. “This one's not so bad. I tried it last week. We should be out of it in no time.”


Prompt #2:

This level is a little bit more foreboding. A quiet medieval city complete with thatched roof cottages on the outskirts and dominated by a massive citadel. The whole place appears to be relatively abandoned, with all the lights out and barely a sound save your breathing to break the silence. The girl lowers her voice and looks back to you, frowning.

“I...think we should head towards the center. I haven't seen this game before but that's the only building that sticks out, don't you think?”


Prompt #3:

Or perhaps you two find yourselves seated on a train heading out of the station. It's not a big cabin, but you get the sense that the actual train itself is extremely long. The haunting echo of the engine whistle seems oddly distorted, warbling as if coming from through a layer of water, and from quite far away at that. Shivering, the girl thumps her staff on the metal floor and reaches for the handle.

“I don't like the sounds of this place. Do you?”


Prompt #4:

Another possible world is perhaps the strangest yet. This one has the pair of you standing on what looks like a floating island just outside a city made entirely of white marble towers. None of them are terribly wide but they are tall, and terraced together in tight clusters, each one resting on it's own individual cloud. There are wide gaps in between the clouds, and what looks like wire cages surrounding each tower.. Perfect for grabbing hold of to climb, undoubtedly, and at the center of it all is a large domed building, the only bit of familiar architecture in the whole place.

The girl blinks and steps forward, almost tripping over a bundle of equipment laid at her feet. She recovers and shakes her head, kneeling to examine it.

“It looks like there's enough stuff here for one person to be a walking arsenal.” She picks up something in particular and sort of gawks at it.

“And what is this even for...?”

Wildcard!

Every prompt here is inspired by a different video game boss. If you've an idea for a prompt, start it up and I'll reply! Feel free to set a prompt after an encounter too, If you prefer! If you want to plot something with me, hit me on plurk at AxiomaticGrue if you don't already have me.

Comments

[makigumo]

"But can't you just jump!" It's simple, you just need enough power in your legs and pfoooh!! you go flying! If it was reality though Shihoudou could have totally flown on her clouds.

[testoffayth]

"Not that high..." Yuna protested, spinning in a circle on her skates. "And flying would be cheating."

[makigumo]

"Granny can! At least without funny shoes like these little things." She stands up and wobbles. "Ooooh!" She stumbles a little but this is a woman that has a lot of balance and it doesn't take too much time before she stands still in the skates. "Why? Isn't it always a thing to make use of all ones skills?"

[testoffayth]

"Well, that really depends. I can make this whole game meaningless so you can go on about your day...or we can play it like it's meant to be played."

Basically? Yuna doesn't want to interrupt anyone else's fun.

[makigumo]

"Hmmm... But it's more fun to play it the way one wants to and not the way the game wats to be played," but that's pretty much her philosophy in life.

[testoffayth]

“Alright then, stand back and give me a little room.”

And if the stranger did…Yuna began to move her arms in a swaying motion, almost like a dance, but more the somatic component to a spell.

[makigumo]

"Hohoh! Aye aye cap'n!"

She takes a little skip backwards--and almost trips for a brief moment. Gotta get the hang of these things.

[testoffayth]

The spell completes and a kind of gateway opens up in the air around them...and an enormous bird appears before Yuna. She strides forward and strokes it's beak.

"Ready for a ride?"

[makigumo]

This is amazing! It's like a solid Suzaku!

"Granny can ride on it?"

[testoffayth]

"Yes...if you are Granny?"