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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phase iv!
[ Mikazuki was no better prepared for the rain than anyone else might have been -- simply because it just didn't rain within the colony. Do the shops around here even sell umbrellas? He might have minded being stuck out in the showers and getting cold and wet but rather than ducking for cover, he gave pause when he saw a familiar comrade of his just...standing there by the looks of it?
He had been faintly talking to himself too...it sounds as if Ichigo was recalling unpleasant things. But at the same time... ] Ah. Did you remember something from your past?
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Mikazuki. You're alive! I'm so glad. So glad! I- [He tries to keep his voice steady as his words trip over one another in his haste to explain. He’s had a really rough day. Please bear with him.] Just now. A-All those bodies- I'd thought- Please don't leave me- I remember Master dying- I- Don't leave me again-
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There, there...did something happen...? [ Mikazuki is careful, delicately patting Ichigo's back in an attempt to ease him down from his panic. ] Ah, first we should get out of this rain, alright?
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... everyone was dead... Master died too... you were taken away...
[His memories of the corpse pile he’d just left overlapping with those of the past.
He falls silent again for a while before he looking up at Mikazuki.]
...okay, let's go back inside.
[But he doesn't seem ready to release the other from his tight hold.]
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He'll smile in response when he's looked at, agreeing that they should dry off and sit down for a talk if possible but to do that -- ] To do that, you'll have to at least relax your arms a bit, Ichigo. Aha, I promise you that I'm not going anywhere but if it makes you feel better we can link arms and I'll lead you back to the apartments where we all reside.
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Then he’ll quickly link his arm with Mikazuki as suggested.]
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Easier said than done of course, but he tries! ] Ichigo, why don't we chat a little?
It feels as though I haven't seen the citadel in a long time. I wonder...what's it like before you came to the colony? I imagine it was lively as ever, ahaha...especially with all your adorable little brothers around, no?
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Okay...
[Ichigo leans against Mikazuki a bit as they walked. He wanted to stay close to him for as long as possible.
Thinking of home was a good distraction though and there's a hint of fondness in his tone as he thinks of his family.]
... we were having breakfast and I was making sure my brothers all had enough to eat. I was about to start eating as well when Midare wanted me to help him brush his hair but before I could do that, one of Gokotai’s tiger cubs was trying to steal his fish again so I rushed over and then...
[He frowned.]
... then I was in that game place... and after I left it...
[His hold on Mikazuki’s arm tightens.] There were bodies... bodies everywhere... everyone was dead... my brothers... dead... and I saw... and there was fire... I was burning again... I...