PHASE I [ 9 00 ] You open your eyes, and there is a chicken pecking at your face. It's not a very happy chicken, either, but if you can manage to fend it off, then it will be clear that you are in a village. It is... medieval-esque, in that video game sort of way; the details don’t seem too clear, but if you look to your left, there’s a cow! And to your right, a well! Ignore the clear evidence of modern technology in the buildings such as lights, gas, and 21st century plumbing; CERES is dedicated to authenticity.
Looks like the new ViViD level has finally been released, and everyone is invited to play, whether they want to or not.
The game (because this time, that's surely what it is) will start simple. Everyone begins in the same place and every NPC villager will say the same thing: to get out of here, you have to go through the caves. They’ll shove a stick at you (“take this, it’s dangerous to go alone”) and off you go, into the caves… !
Which are full of tiny rats and more chickens. They will try to fight you, but it’s really not very effective when they’re perfectly small and average (especially when everyone still has their typical powers and abilities -- CERES didn't mess with those at all this time). The caves are winding and circular and maze-like, and to make matters even worse, the only ones around are the other poor saps stuck in this situation.
But if you kill enough of the rats, you’ll get to hear the satisfying level up jingle. Congratulations! You are now level 2. It's probably satisfying just for a minute or so until you finally find your way out of those maze like caves and -- You're back in the village again. Great.
PHASE II [ 930 ] You’re carrying a bag. No matter what you do, you can’t take it off, either; it’s stuck with you through thick and thin. But it is awfully heavy. Maybe you should actually open it and see what’s inside?
The problem is, it’s going to take a while.
The bag has clearly tapped into its true hammerspace nature; there are items for days in there, and they’re all very, very strange. You might end up covered in hats of all sorts, buried in logs as you pull out one after another, or look like you have an odd fetish for pickaxes.
Maybe there’s 1/3rd of an evil turnip, half a piece of pie and an egg.
Geez, what in the world are you supposed to do with all of that?
PHASE III [ 1200 ] Eventually, you make it out of the caves the right way despite the harassment of the rats and chickens and the fact you'll keep perpetually getting lost. Hooray! You come out into a large, peaceful, scenic meadow, with a small river bubbling off to one side, and a house.
You'll immediately notice that there’s a bridge to cross the river, but there’s someone standing in the way of that bridge. When you approach to go past him, no matter what you try to do, you won't be able to. Asking him why he won't move will only get one thing in response -- “Bring me a fish. Cooked.”
Then he’ll shove a fishing rod at you and expect you to get to it. You can’t attack him, you can’t get past him -- looks like the only thing to do is to catch and cook that fish. Time to sit back, relax, and get to work. Or maybe you’ll team up with someone else and be the person in the house making sure that the fish gets cooked properly. For some reason, if you leave it too long it turns right into a pile of ashes.
Weirdly though, no matter how good you are at cooking or fishing usually, it’s as if you’re right back at the metaphorical level one. Any sort of seasoning or effort to cook it faster falls flat and in the end you'll only be able to place the fish in the pan and set it on the stove, whole. This may take awhile.
And if you try to cross the river itself, well... no, really, don’t try to cross the river.
At least if you get eaten, you’ll just respawn back in the village, but do have fun traveling through the caves again!
PHASE IV [ 1430 ] You made it through the caves. You made it across the river (with a slightly burnt fish). You’ve made it to the wide open world, and you can finally adventure to your heart’s content. You take a step forward on the road and --
A message pops up, bright red and in your face.
[ Restricted Area: Members Only ]
No matter what you do, you can’t go past that point. In fact, if you’re not careful and you’re going too fast, you might run face-first into it like it’s an invisible wall (which it is).
Then, just like that, you're back in the village. Again. Only this time, there's a nice, blinking message -- Pay a small subscription fee to access member's content. Oh well. No big deal, you can just start again.
Except then you see a cool sword and when you try to pick it up, you'll get that same message, and end up transported back to the village yet again. And again, with some shiny new armor. And again, with that attention-grabbing NPC over there. Looks like you're caught in an infinite loop here but no matter how much you inspect the pop up, there's no... actual way to pay the subscription fee (and why would you want to?). But at least you have company, because you can't be the only person who thought that sword was cool.
(It was really, really cool.)
BONUS [ xxxx ] What’s that on the ground in front of you? It looks like… some bunny ears? Or maybe it’s a chicken head, or a pumpkin head. Either way, the moment you touch it, you have a strong need to put it on your head -- and once it’s on, it’s not coming off.
To make matters worse, each hat has an effect associated with it; the bunny ears will, in fact, randomly turn you into a cute fluffy bunny for anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour before you pop right back to yourself, whereas the pumpkin hat will, in a complete reversal, turn you into Cinderella for a bit -- complete with beautiful ball gown and the ability to talk to all of those cute fluffy bunnies.
Also the rats will love you, so maybe you should go back to the caves again.
Meanwhile, the chicken hat won't transform you into any odd creature, but it will inspire in the people wearing them a very real, persistent desire to build a nest. This will involve picking up twigs, trash, shiny things and whatever else catches your eye to try to build a nest out of it. You'll also try to pick up whatever food you find on the ground to eat, have the weirdest desire to lay an egg, and basically have all sorts of odd chicken-like instincts inflicted upon you.
At least you look festive!
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Koumei Ren | Magi | OTA
[...This chicken was oddly violent for one of it's size. Koumei, perturbed by the entire scenario, flailed his arms uselessly to fend the feathered beast away-- and at one point reaches for his ornate looking fan to bat at the creature before he grabbed it bodily and pulled it into his arms.]
...Let's get you something to eat, [He murmured, idly blowing his heavy fringe out of his face so he could get a better look at the chicken.
Because, clearly, hunger was the reason why the chicken was agitated-- and there was clearly nothing better around here to do than feeding it.]
III
[Fishing? You mean Naptime. Koumei, still not entirely sure what was going on, knew that fishing and cooking up a meal for a single-minded crossing guard was more work than it was worth. Why waste the effort when the same energy could be spent keeping an eye on things while catching a few Zs?
Except it's getting dark. Someone might want to prod him into motion.]
IV
What-- What is this?
[Restricted? Members only? This was entirely a new concept for someone who had never encountered anything resembling an MMORPG before. The technology for it simply didn't exist in his world-- and Koumei could be found staring at the message in complete bemusement.....and staring at it time and time again every single time it popped up.
What was this subscription fee they kept talking about? He just wanted to feed some chickens!]
III
Once she comes close to the edge of the water though, it's evident that someone else is already there. And that someone else is sleeping quite soundly. For a moment Mai stands sheepish and confused.
Why is he sleeping out here of all places? Was he so exhausted after the caves? I guess he needed the sleep then but it's getting dark. I can't just leave him here...
So after a moment she nods firmly to herself and then leans to gently prod the man in the side with her stick. Her voice is mild, not a shout but definitely not a whisper.]
Hey.
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I can guarantee you that this isn't a matter of grave importance, [he murmured, throwing an arm over his face in an attempt to block out the disturbance.] Please leave me be,
[There may or may not be evidence of a chicken's attempt to nest in his hair from earlier that day. Judging from the sticks, leaves, and feathers tangled up in it, said chicken was having a ball too.
Only a bath would get the mess out.
....if he can be bothered.]
1/2
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Look, something has been nesting in your hair and it's getting dark. You do realize it's going to be just a little bit more difficult catching fish in the dark, don't you?
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[Sluggishly, he began to pull himself upright into a sitting position. His auburn hair, well past waist-length even tied up in a ponytail high atop his head, fell gracelessly into his face and around his shoulders.
....it didn't seem like he often combed his hair, either.]
It was either I let the chicken have it's way with my hair, or I be chased around the entire village by the angry beast. Letting it nest there seemed like the lesser of two evils.
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[She reaches over to pluck a leaf out of the matted horror that is the man's long hair.]
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[He shrugged. He also tended to not get very much sleep....insomniac problems.]
I was waiting for a professional to come along and help, since this bridge seems to be the well travelled sort. Would you, per chance, be the master fisher that we've been waiting for, Miss?
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[She asserts as much with a huff before she proceeds to fiddle with the fishing pole itself. How hard can it be after all? Sure an expert could do better but she's got to do something for herself.]
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i
So.]
Do chickens usually turn violent when hungry? [asks the little fox perched on his shoulders.]
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[Koumei held the squirming bundle of feathers and claws firmly in his arms, not even caring if the hell chicken left tears in his robes.]
Besides, birds to flock to food. It seems the easiest way to pacify them.
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[They're a fox and a sword, they don't actually know much about human women? It doesn't sound right, though. The fox nods anyway.]
That answer does make sense, when you put it that way. [Ah, the chicken's caught up...Naki carefully attempts to push it away with a boot.]
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[He shrugged-- and gently intercepted the other bird by offering a handful of dried, cracked corn. It had pacified the one in his arms...mostly.
There was no reason not to try; it was strategically sound.]
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Ah. Thank you! You must be very experienced with birds, to have calmed it so easily.
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[Koumei glanced up, studying the odd duo with an interested eye.]
Like with the two of you, perhaps. It's easy to who your friends are.
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Approach...that is good advice. [The fox tilts his head.] Our situation may be somewhat unique, but I suppose experience can be gained regardless of the interaction.
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[It applied in all facets of life, from the academic to the martial, and it was a concept that Koumei understood well.
He lifted his brows quizzically at the further commentary.]
That would make a fascinating story for the future, from the way you speak of it, [he said, setting his own chicken down to join the other in the feeding.] But we probably have more urgent issues to consider...like the fact that I don't believe it was intended for us to feed the chickens in this village.
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You're right...I suppose we should be searching for those caves the villagers mentioned, instead?
[That would probably be the more urgent issue, was completing whatever goal this game had decided to give them. The pair had admittedly not played very many ViViD games during their time in this place, but that much was easy enough to grasp.]
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[Koumei offered a smile to both the fox and the strange young man as he stood up, dusting off his disheveled robes with one hand and reaching for his ornate feathered fan with the other.]
I suppose we should be seaarching those caves as well, but it seems like such a tiresome chore...
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IV
Not for you, apparently.
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[Koumei scratched the back of his head uncertainly, staring in bemusement at the flashing red letters that seemed to hover unsupported in the air above the particularly fine looking sack of chicken feed that he wanted to get-- because feeding chickens was clearly the most important thing to do in this game.]
I simply don't understand what they intend for us to do....and how this-- [he waved his hand through the letters, somehow leaving the red characters undisturbed by the act--] is even possible.
[There were no signs of a Magic Tool around.....could this be the result of a cleverly used piece of Clairvoyance Magic? But that was impossible-- there was no magician in sight.
At least, any Magician that he could readily identify.]