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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Phase III; couldn't resist throwing him at her. :3
[There will be a polite individual behind Alice with a kind smile. Well, other than that and him wearing a suit, he'll be holding a folded, wet net filled with a handful of fish inside.]
If you do not mind my sudden intrusion, would you like to have one? I've seem to have caught one too many and you do not seem to be enjoying your current activity neither. [He wasn't normally the type to offer his help to others, but even he couldn't ignore a child's frustrations in performing a task they do not enjoy.]
AAAAH Hello <3333
This relaxing? I think there are far more relaxing and certainly less dull things than waiting for a fish to be hungry.
Ah but ah... no, forgive me. [She cleared her throat and brushed down her dress.] Did you enjoy fishing, sir? I don't mean to be rude about it... ah but, yes! Yes please, that would be terribly lovely! I do so wish to cross the bridge!
hello, dear. sorry for late reply; just noticed that apps are now open.
Good day to you as well, young miss. I am having a grand day. [With a short bow of his head.] It is a pleasure to make your acquaintanceship as well.
[And with a shake of his head.]
No, no, there is no need for you to apologize. I wholeheartedly agree with your earlier remark concerning this particular sport and hobby. I, too, would not partake in it if I was not requested to do so as you were. [And speaking of request, he will continue.] I have many to spare, and I do believe the one who has given us the request asked for a cooked meal. Do you mind assisting me in preparing the meal? [After all, he needs to prove a certain theory over cooking the fish that has left him curious; the young girl could be of great help in solving it.]
So hopefully you'll get your app in!
Ah, but you must be careful, sir. You can introduce yourself to the fish, because then you can't eat them. It's very rude to eat something you've been introduced to, after all!
Oh! Speaking of rude, I've been very rude not telling you my name. My name is Alice Liddell!
hopefully! and thank you for the help. (:
Her warning will definitely gain a light chuckle out of his lips as he found it to be both a fair, but amusing warning. He'll nod his head in understanding.]
Yes, it would be awful on my part to do as you said. Having someone else to speak and get better acquainted with will definitely be a great help to keep myself from falling to such a distasteful situation. I greatly appreciate your company.
[The moment Alice had finally introduced herself, Soushi will offer her a polite bow.]
Not at all. There is no need to apologize as you have not committed any type of misconduct. It's a pleasure to meet you, Lidell-san. My name is Soushi Miketsukami.
Not at all!
[She smiled at the mention of company only to frown.]
Oh no sir, it isn't Littleson, it's Liddle like riddle, which I'm very good at those! [How on Earth did he get "Littleson" as her name?]
It's very nice to meet you Mr. [Oh dear, what a most curious last name.] Me-key-sue-kami. [She winced, she'd call him by his first name if it weren't rude.]
no subject
[Her reply to the pronunciation of her name will have him realize that the younger girl wasn't accustomed to Japanese honorifics. Then again, he should have known as much because she was European. How did he miss that detail? Could it be due to hearing her speak in his language? How is it possible? Does she know she is communicating in his language instead of her own? Maybe he should try to communicate in her own language instead to find out; although he only knew to speak the basics with some more formal words.]
You may use Mr. Mike or my name if it is easier...? [Hopefully his English sounds as formal as his Japanese because he is having some difficulty remembering the formal way of speaking.] I am sorry for the mistake. Is Miss. Liddle better? [His accent will be more noticeable as he places emphasizes in her last name; trying to keep himself from saying "Riddre" instead.]
no subject
She pulled her thoughts away when she heard him say her name again.]
Mr. Soushi sounds much nicer, I think, if it's alright with you. And if I'm going to call you by your first name, then you can call me by my first name!
no subject
You may call me by my first name, Miss. Alice. I do not mind. [With a nod of his head.] I will do the same because you allowed me to.
[Ah. He was beginning to feel slightly self-conscious over the way he was speaking in her language. Was he speaking as formally as she was? Somehow he feels he could have communicated his thoughts better in his own language. Maybe he should return to communicating in his own language to test his current theory over if they were speaking in different languages but understood the other as though the other person was speaking in their own language.]
Thank you very much for allowing me the permission to refer to you by your first name, Miss. Alice, as I found your last name to be slightly more difficult to pronounce while I was speaking English.