PHASE I [ ?? ?? ] This time, ViViD is a deathtrap.
There is random magma everywhere, monsters will spawn at random, and at some points, the game is entirely unplayable. It’s like the dev team totally disappeared mid-constructing the level.
Oh wait, that’s exactly what happened.
Monsters may spawn on top of you, you may suddenly be standing in a poisonous bog, you may suddenly lose your powers, or your senses, or so many different things --
It’s time to get out of here, ASAP.
Thankfully, the exit is obvious. Like. Blindingly obvious. It’s got a big sign over it that says EXIT
And just like that, you’ll be out of ViViD and --
PHASE II [ 0830 ] When you wake up (and it’s strange, because you were sure that you were logging out just a second ago), it’s in a pile of bodies.
They’re cold, but not in the same sense that a dead body would be cold. While they are lifeless and look incredibly real, they don’t feel real. They feel like dolls, mannequins, empty models and nothing more. Their code doesn’t seem to be functioning right.
And what some characters may realize upon looking at this pile of bodies is that they are all of the characters who were sacrifices before. Any character that was dropped who had a high magical or spiritual affinity is there in that pile of bodies, lifeless and eyes blank and vacant. Even you might be there, staring at your own dead body -- but it isn’t real It can be touched, but it’s really nothing more than a lifeless body.
You’ll have to crawl out of that pile of bodies to get anywhere, and then you’ll realize -- you’re in the Sanctuary, a building built by the characters as a safe place from CERES. And it’s looking pretty run-down at this point. The technology in it no longer functions, there is no security on it whatsoever…
Oh, and now there’s a pile of bodies. Great.
PHASE III [ 1000 ] There’s also a robot.
It’s wandering from place to place, though it’s impossible to follow. One second it’s there, the next it’s just gone.
Also, it’s wearing this. Weird.
But even with that on its face, the robot seems focused on one thing in particular. In fact, it has a sign, and it says:
Down with CERES. Up with Robots.
That’s a happy, cheerful message. If you try to go up to it to talk to it, it will look at you before...bonking you on the head with the sign and running off. That’s incredibly rude.
Alternatively, you may be safe and sound in your home, but then the doorbell rings, and there’s the robot again. The duck mask is gone, but now instead it has a pin on his fake lapel, and then he’s shoving a pamphlet at you.
He tips his hat, and then he’s gone. Weird.
(Also, if you hold onto the pamphlet, it will lead you directly to the person whose picture is on it, and you’ll feel like you’ve known them and have loved them for years.)
PHASE IV [ 1245 ] But not all is fun and games and shenanigans. There is something...well, strange happening, and the first real realization of that will be when it starts to rain. More than just the localized rain that a few unfortunates have dealt with -- no, it’s raining completely and totally, and that’s when it might hit you.
For the first time in Cerealia, there’s weather.
It’ll rain for a few hours, and then it’ll stop and become hot and sunny. It may get humid, considering it’s a jungle planet. At night, it’ll get rather cold.
Seems like whatever was keeping Cerealia’s atmosphere stable is now gone -- which also means that characters may start to occasionally experience headaches, nausea and dizziness if they go too close to the walls. It seems safer in the center of the city, and the Residential District is still okay, but… there’s no doubt that the planet’s atmosphere is starting to encroach on the city.
BONUS [ why o'clock ] But who cares about all of that? More importantly, you are here in this… totally not shoddy city to have fun, and it’s still being advertised as a pleasure colony. Or, well, it would be if, you know, CERES was still around.
But close enough.
And as a pleasure colony, it would figure that the first robots to really get fixed are...well, the Pleasure District robots. Unfortunately, the Pleasure District is still a nice big mess, so now they’re wandering the entire colony, looking for people they can hug, massage or...try to drag into more explicit activities.
Welcome to Cerealia!
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Atsushi wants to smile, he really does. He's so grateful for Kashuu's grip, even if it might be a little colder than usual thanks to that muderpile over there; he tightens his own, just to remind himself that this is happening. ]
Is it really so easy to dismiss all of that...?! [ KASHUU, ALL YOUR COMRADES ARE DEAD. But that aside: ] But it really does look like a lot has changed— and not in a very good way.
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[BECAUSE THE REAL ANSWER IS YES!! PUNK!
But more importantly--]
Yeah, CERES ditched us. [It was like a bad breakup. Truly awful.] We're pretty much on our own now. None of the technology works and things're starting to break down... Uh, but the eyechip things are gone, at least.
[ONE... one single good thing. Anyway, he'll turn on his heel and start leading Atsushi away from the pile. He'll come back and deal with it later.]
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(but let's be real, he might ask about it later, because we all know how good Atsushi is at being tactful.) ]
Eh...? They left? Just like that?!
[ what the HECK man, they spent so long trying to get deets and they just. Bailed?! Atsushi's eyes widen as he plods after Kashuu, trying to focus on walking and being surprised as hell at the same time. ]
What are we supposed to do now...!?
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Not just like that, but it was all pretty sudden. [COME ALONG, FRIEND. Kashuu isn't walking quickly, at least...]
Mosley was working against them from the inside and they fired him, but things started going crazy after that and they left. Not really sure what we're supposed to do now, though... Mostly we're just trying to reorganize.
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It's a little humbling, so Atsushi stops looking like a complete mess. Just, a slightly more somber version of a complete mess. ]
I... see. I guess it was just that easy for them to leave. [ He's not actually surprised, but he wishes he were. Time to kick this piece of pebble to the side.
He takes a beat, and then, wait for it: ] I... hope you've been alright! Have you been eating fine!? I, if credits are still useful, I could...! [ 'treat you to something' is the rest of it, even if it sounds a little ridiculous in the middle of this robot apocalypse. ]
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You don't need to worry about me, 'kay? I've been doing just fine. But if we find a time to go out and eat later, I'll let you pick up the tab, okay?
[It's nice, at least, to hold on to these tiny slivers of normality.]
I'll need to get you back up to speed first, though.
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This time, Atsushi puffs up a bit, and returns the gesture, however tentatively. Headpats for you too, Kashuu. ]
You always say that it's okay, but... it must have been hard for you, Kashuu-kun. If you're tired, I've just arrived, so— it's my turn to lend a helping hand.
[ chinscratch!! ]
I'm really sturdy, after all. And I'm used to doing a lot of things frugally— you can rely on me!
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His expression warms up a little at the headpat, though... HE'S A SAP. Between his missing saniwa and all these deadass friends, he's feeling some weird measure of grief and detachment and loneliness all at once, so the physical reaffirmation that other people are still around is nice.
That, and he just loves being patted.]
Saying something like that would give most people a reason to be a little worried, y'know. [LIVING FRUGALLY AND BEING REALLY STURDY what kind of sad life does Atsushi lead--] Besides, I don't get tired! So I don't mind helping you out at least a little. That's what friends do, right?
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Except there seems to be a lot less grinning this time around. Maybe it's just Atsushi that's the weird one here, looking too much into things because nothing makes sense— but. You know.
He smooths down Kashuu's hair from where he'd messed it up with his clumsy headpatting, and looks up at the ominous-looking 'sky' as if he expects answers to conveniently be hovering up there. ]
Ah... don't be like that. Of course you get tired. [ ATSUSHI??? Sometimes this lil punk is pretty presumptuous, but that's par for the course. ] We can both help each other. Is there... anything I can do right now?
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He tilts his head a little though, leaning into the direction that Atsushi smooths his hair down in, and follows his gaze up to the sky for no real reason.]
Huh... I didn't know you knew how tired or un-tired tsukumogami can feel. [But his tone is teasing rather than admonishing, at least! And Atsushi isn't entirely wrong, anyway.
As for the question - what can Atsushi do for him right now?]
You can stay in one place, for starters. It's a real pain having to chase all of you down when you disappear and then pop up again!
[Another more-tease-than-not jab, but there's a little bit of truth in that, too... And some gratitude, since he's glad this punk came back at all.]
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WILTS... ]
S, sorry. I'm right here, Kashuu-kun.
[ He slaps a hand onto his chest, palm to shirt, and nods with some sort of conviction. See, here's here, he's solid. ]
I promise I won't go anywhere, or— as much as I can.
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Except no, he doesn't go out of his way to guilt people unless he's actually angry with them. He's not mad at Atsushi so much as at CERES in general for doing... this. All of his. Everything. CERES sucks, basically.]
I know! And even if you do go anywhere again, I'll just have to find you.
[Like he'll have to do with all of his missing comrades - the ones who were sacrificed and the ones from the Code and the ones who hadn't been retrieved in the first place.]
You can lean on me if you need to in the meantime, though. Especially while you're readjusting.
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[ Here's him calculating, what a dingus. Brows furrowed, he comes up with: ]
...A month, at least. I won't trouble you with the other things, don't worry! [ ??????????????? What kind of logic does Atsushi operate on, who even knows. ] And if there's anything that needs investigating, I'll... do my best to pitch in.
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You're not gonna be living like that for a whole month, you weirdo! Just come stay with us if things're tight for you, geez.
[They already house a million ruffians, this is fine...]
We'll definitely need your help with stuff like that, though. We need all the hands we can get.
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Well... if you don't mind it, I might trouble you for a roof, but...
[ Again, 500 idol grandpas. He's still a bit shy, but, oh well. ]
...I'll try not to get in people's way. Especially since I need to get up to speed.
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Then it's settled! I'll get your room set up right away.
[Why is he like this... Welcome to hell, Atsushi?! But that gives him a good goal to strive toward, at least, rather than just randomly wandering around the city and pointing out this or that pile of debris.]
I'll send you a link to that document thingy that Athena started, too. She's not here anymore, but all of the info those people worked on together is.
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[ SO AWAY THEY'LL GO TO SWORDHAUS, where Atsushi can be the resident pet. He's a bit lighter on his feet now that he has something to tentatively look forward to, and after a few seconds of walking, he tugs on Kashuu's sleeve. ]
Say... what do you think is going to happen to us now? I know that people can go back to their worlds, since I've done it, but—
—if this place becomes unstable, do you think we'll be stuck here?
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No, it's mostly because he's just excited to drag this chump back to the apartments. With their number shrinking (even though it's about to rise again), he's been feeling a little lonely.]
Um... I'm not sure about that. If this place becomes unstable, it's more likely that we'll become unstable too, right? Since we're code.
[A nicer way of saying "we probably deda".]
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First, he has to contend with "we probably deda". ]
Ah... that's no good at all. We're gonna have to find out what's going on, and fast.
[ He really doesn't want to wake up with an arm growing out of his stomach, or worse. He grimaces. ]
If only I knew anything about computers...!
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[It makes him tired?! He's a spirit, he's too old to be dealing with these futuristic shenanigans!! When will he be able to retire and just live watching Cooking With Dog, too?!]
Anyway, some of the tech-smart guys are probably working on those things already. Eh... We could probably use a little more communication, though.
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Communication...? Well, in that case— I'm not too bad at being a courier, Kashuu-kun. I can definitely deliver letters to people if you need me to.
[ As if
texting doesn't exist......... good lord Atsushi ]
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You know the phones still work, right? [Reaching out to just gently pat his shoulder... He's such a good bean!!]
But it'd be good to have a courier staff on hand in case that breaks, too. You can go on missions with our pigeon!
[Because they sure do have one.]
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—But, just in case we don't want to use the network...! Sometimes a written note can be good for sending messages that we want to stay private. E, even if no one is monitoring us anymore.
[ He can tell that this is a weakass argument, but, you know what... he tried.
After a beat, though: ] ...You have a trained pigeon, Kashuu-kun?
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[Always have a plan B!! And a plan C, and a plan D, and about as far out into the alphabet as possible honestly. Especially when dealing with do-or-die situations like this...
GIVING HIM A LOOK.]
Do I look like I'd have a trained pigeon? [...] It's government-regulated for contact during missions back home, so we don't stand out as time-travelers.
[Okay but is that more or less reasonable than Kashuu just randomly keeping trained pigeons.]
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Atsushi basically just stares at Kashuu for a longass time uncomprehending, before he finally opens his mouth. ]
Ah... Kashuu-kun...
You really are way out of my league... [ HE SAYS THIS VERY PASSIONATELY. ]
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