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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no subject
Kanesada huffs and falls heavily against the wall as he listens to Kashuu try to explain more.]
There was that presentation they showed us. What you're saying sounds kind of familiar.
[Look, you can't expect him to remember all the details of that PowerPoint after he's been through quite a rude welcoming ceremony today.]
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Kashuu crosses his arms over his chest though, considering that.]
Yeah, the presentation's kinda accurate. Mostly not though, 'cause CERES totally tries to paint itself as the heroes who saved us from our worlds after they were destroyed, and they're actually the ones responsible for everything.
[How does he manage to sound even more bitter than usual?? It's a mystery.]
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But wait. If CERES is responsible, then...]
Did they really destroy all our worlds or are they giving that excuse to keep everyone here?
[If they did, then, wow, rude af.]
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Nope, they really did. They hired contract assassins to wipe out our planets. That's what the Flamines really are, not some-- ...Well, I guess they are evil world-destroying aliens, but not the way CERES makes 'em out to be.
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We can never go home again...
[Why is this. He's been here for less than a day and he already knows this will never be eve half as comfortable as the Citadel.]
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Don't be stupid! If there was no chance of us going home ever again, no one would be fighting.
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It does perk him up, though, so there's that, at least.]
But it's already happened, hasn't it? We can't go back and change it.
[Don't forget the plot of your own canon, Kashuu!]
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God though not this shit again. LOOK. He's had time to think this over since talking to Ichigo, he's ready for this question now!]
We don't have to change it, okay? We just have to fix it. There're ways to restore us, so there's gotta be ways to restore entire planets, right?
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It's not his fault. So nyeh.]
Isn't fixing something changing it in a way, though?
[But Kanesada goes quiet, because it does make a certain amount of sense. It's still weird and he's still uncertain and it'd be nice if Aruji showed up to reassure him on this matter, but for now...]
...Maybe you're right.
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It's not the same, so don't worry about it. [A pause; he thinks about considering his words carefully, but just ends up being blunt...] We won't corrupt if we try to fix this mess, okay?
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...Just don't take them out, okay.]
We better not.
[A pause...then some reluctance.]
Is...Kunihiro here?
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We won't.
[SOUNDING SO CERTAIN about something he knows shit-all about, just another day in the life.
Also looking a little hesitant, which is probably an answer in itself.]
...He was. He isn't anymore.
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But...ah. There's an ache in Kanesada's chest, some sort of emptiness. No Kunihiro, huh.]
Ah...I kinda figured. He doesn't take this long to come find me ever.
[There's no shadow for him, no one to cheerfully call out "Kane-san!" or put on a smile.
...It's kind of lonely, really.]
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He won't say what he's thinking, though - that it is pretty weird, especially when Horikawa had shown up with Kanesada the last time he was here and then again on his own after that, but Kanesada has never shown up without Horikawa.]
...Mm, well. We'll just have to get him back, too.
[From THE VOID or wherever the heck it is that spirits go, since it sure isn't the code.]
no subject
[That's still going to happen but shhh.
But even if Kunihiro isn't here, there are other people who are and Kanesada isn't quite sure how things are supposed to work in this place as opposed to back at the Citadel, and with history itself.
He grows quiet for a moment, thinking. And then - ]
Hijikata is here. Well, not my Hijikata.
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[NO DISARRAY HERE. Except yes disarray, disarray everywhere, they can't possibly think they can actually get their shit together enough to greet Haru with a house that isn't at least halfway in shambles.
BUT AH, YES. HIJIKATA. The Hijikata he's been bullying mercilessly for like a year. Kashuu sets his hands on his hips briefly, though the gesture is more to keep his hands busy.]
Long hair, kinda short? He's-- He took good care of Horikawa last time he was here. [...] Don't worry about talking to him or anything either, since a weird situation like this means we won't really be changing the past. [......] More of him might show up someday, too.
no subject
Mm, that's the one.
[He's got that gruff kind of protective streak, too, the kind that's not overly obvious unless one looks for it.
...Yeah, Kanesada can believe he'd take care of Kunihiro, and just fine, too.]
More, though? Maaan, I can barely wrap my head around there being another version as it is.
no subject
[Or Kashuu sure did anyway! Because 10000 Soujis kept showing up!! And not leaving him alone!!! And then all leaving en masse! Wow, he isn't bitter.
Anyway--]
He lives pretty close by, anyway, so you'll be able to visit him lots if you want.
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[Oh...but this isn't exactly a bad thing, right? Having Hijikata nearby and not off-limits. And with no Kunihiro to commiserate with, Hijikata, even if he's not the Hijikata, is a really good option.
(Honestly, Kanesada is thrilled.)
But he grasps a lock of hair and lazily flicks it back and forth. Non-chalant.]
Mm, mm, that's convenient.
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Mmmhm. Convenient's one way to put it, yeah. You can even stay over with him some days if you want, or invite him over or whatever.
[Like a sleepover!]
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His lips curl up a little.
But! That's something to consider later! Kanesada looks up from his hair to see that the rain has let up, it looks like.]
Oh?
[He reaches out, palm up, to test the air, so to speak. Only a few sprinkles make contact.]
We might be able to get going soon.
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Geez, finally. I was starting to think the rain would never let up at this rate.