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
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.
no subject
[ 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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
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.
no subject
[ 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?
no subject
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".]
no subject
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...!
no subject
[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.
no subject
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 ]
no subject
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.]
no subject
—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.]
no subject
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. ]
no subject
[HE FEELS SOMEHOW CONCERNED, and like he should maybe be a little insulted?!]
What's that supposed to mean, anyway?
no subject
[ NOODLE ARMS WAVING WILDLY, HERE. ]
That is... you're a time-traveling tsukumogami who does missions for the government, right...? It's a lot to wrap my mind around...
[ As if he's not also a weretiger who does detective work for the government. He's missing the time-traveling aspect, though, so Kashuu has an Edge on him (no pun intended) (pun intended). ]
no subject
He'd also TOTALLY BRING UP THAT TIGER THING if he knew but he somehow still doesn't know the details?? When will Atsushi let him be in the know!]
Well, I guess it is a lot when you put it all together like that... But you can just think of me as Kashuu! That's a lot easier, right?
no subject
One day Atsushi will talk about himself... ask and Kashuu will probably get an incredibly terrible explanation about how he met someone drowning in a river and that guy turned out to be cool and got Atsushi a job?? Who knows, really.
For now, Atsushi pauses, then beams. At heart, he is a simple nerd. ]
Mmhmm— that's right, you'll always be Kashuu-kun to me. Strong and reliable. [ Kashuu is a good boy... ]
no subject
Please regale him with this tale someday though, he needs the reassurance that Atsushi's life is just as weird as Atsushi himself.
ALSO, DON'T LOOK AT HIM LIKE THAT. Don't say things like that!! He asks for praise all the time but sometimes when he gets it, he doesn't know what to do and it makes him flustered!]
—That's good! Because that's exactly what I am! So if you need to rely on me for anything, that's fine too, you know?
no subject
Kashuu is free to take a stab at Atsushi's past— there are no promises regarding whether or not Atsushi will get to the point, but it might put Kashuu a cut above the rest when it comes to knowing things about the tigerkid.
ANYWAY. No matter how you slice it, Kashuu looks a bit overwhelmed, huh. Atsushi parries the deflection with a small laugh. ]
I know. You always tell me— and it's really kind of you.
[ Sheath your schmoopiness, Atsushi... ]
Next time, I'll try to look really cool in front of you.
no subject
Don't get too far ahead of yourself.
[Why is his ass so damn rude. Kashuu is the one who deserves to suffer through endless sword puns honestly, not me!!
BUT at the very least it seems like he's (probably) teasing (maybe), and he effortlessly waves the topic away like he didn't just have a tsuntsun moment and end it with an insult. Sometimes he just can't curb his sharp tongue.]
Oh— hey, which room d'you want, anyway? Do you want one to yourself, or d'you wanna share?