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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iii
But on a normal day, he'd also be able to see the sword in his face, and his assailant.
Today is clearly not a normal day, and so he just sort of stares vacantly at the source of the voice with an odd little smile as he tries to figure out where he recognizes it from, and then... ah. Dad's home.]
Where did what run off to, Nagasone Kotetsu?
no subject
It was a robot, I think, and it hit me so I gave chase...
Yamatonokami, are you alright?
[ He would have been cool with getting parried for almost poking Yamato... but it didn't happen and he's got a smiling sword just staring, but not quite at him? Nagasone's judgement is far from perfect, but surely Yams wouldn't just let a sword near his face, even if it's Commander Dad and he didn't mean it. ]
no subject
Haa? Why would a robot hit you?
[Because robots are... normal...? At least they are here, and that's something.
But. Oh. He's concerned. He didn't think he'd done anything concerning (yet), but apparently he had...]
I am fine, Nagasone Kotetsu. Why do you ask?
no subject
I have no clue, so I wanted to know why.
[ By going #stabthreatinterrogations on it like any respectable gumisword. But that's not quite as important to him as much right now; he's walking right up to Yamato and quietly waving his hand in front of Yams' eyes. ]
I figured your reaction to my misstep would be more... drastic. Not that the gentle greeting is unwelcome, mind you. Has anything happened to you?
[ Rewording the question, because something is up despite what the oh-so-reliable Okitagumi says. ]
no subject
Okay, maybe that's worrisome.
But he's glad to hear that Nagasone is also still being a proper gumisword by going after the robot that hit him. Good job, dad. Why don't you just... keep. Going after the robot, instead of interrogating him. He's kind of starting to feel a little guilty and a little nervous about not acting perfectly normal. He doesn't want to be a bother...
That said, he totally doesn't react to the hand waving in his face, either. Oops.]
Nothing has happened to me, Nagasone Kotetsu.
[Still... not exactly a lie... if he did it himself, right?]
no subject
He puts away his sword properly to free his hands, then places them firmly on Yamato's shoulders. He can't see the concern or the sternness from Nagasone's face... but he probably can feel it. Or hear it in his voice. ]
...Why are you blind? Who did that to you?
[ How's the guilt treating you there, Mister Eye-gouger? ]
no subject
He can hear Nagasone put his sword away properly, but is still startled when there are suddenly hands on his shoulders, and even he can't keep from tensing before reminding himself that there's no way Nagasone Kotetsu would hurt him. At least not on purpose.
But he can tell he's definitely being looked at with concern and disapproval. That much is obvious at least. Especially when he's so clearly been caught.]
Oh. Ah. I... did...
[Guilt is not treating him well at all, nope, no sir.]