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
Izumi pays for the watermelon after Chihiro's transaction, joining her once she's pocketed the kunai and he's finished his business. They step outside – while it isn't raining, there are telltale drops of water on the ground from the faint drizzle. He tuts. ]
Ah, dang it. I hope it doesn't start raining again. Maybe I should have bought an umbrella, too . . .
[ In fact, maybe he should turn around and do that right now. He just got new clothes. Ugh, that'd be adding to the load he has to carry, though. ]
Think we can make it to somewhere dry before rain happens?
no subject
Chihiro shades her eyes as she glances upward, peering into the mess of clouds visible in the haze of the sky overhead. Hints of what might be rainbows can be seen every so often, indicative of the rain and the moisture contained in the air overhead. She breathes in, smiling to herself.
For all this isn't the best of days, it's still pretty okay, all things considered. ]
If we're fast! I rain too, though, so you're not really safe as long as we're together.
[ She turns her face his way, offering a small, apologetic smile. This would be a tease too if she knew him better, but right now? It's all apology. ]
We should have gotten you a poncho... mm, but there's a old cafe not so far away! Right next to where one of my friends used to work.
[ As in right next to the maid cafe. Chihiro bounces up onto the balls of her feet, hand pressed down firm over her pocketed kunai. She's awaiting his yay or nay on the situation. ]
no subject
Izumi opens his mouth in a silent "ah." He'd all but forgotten about Chihiro's little problem. She can't help it, though, so he wouldn't hold it against her – and neither can the clouds, but he has no reason to be particularly nice to clouds.
Anyway, watermelon first, and prayers for no rain second. ]
Oh, sounds good! Let's go there. We can rest our feet, too.
no subject
She nods, holding tight to her backpack straps, and leaning forward. ]
Okay! This way!
[ She sets off with a grin, breaking into a jog and heading through the puddled streets with her destination firmly in mind. If nothing else, she'll get them there, and settled in, and started on the messy (but entertaining) process of breaking a watermelon into pieces using a ill fitting tool and plenty of youthful enthusiasm.
There Will Be Melon. And it will be GLorious. ]