The desert. It's hot. It's sandy. It's filled with creepy monsters and things. But mostly it's hot and sandy and there's a whole lot of nothing. You appear and wonder "why am I here? What is there to do here? Is that a cow skull? Do cows live out here in this desert? How can cows live in the desert? Maybe it's a horse?" These are all very complicated questions with equally complicated answers but there's no one to provide them no matter where you look. Instead, you're given the option of walking. Forwards, backwards, to your right, to your left, any direction is yours to take. Try not to die from dehydration or something, that would be a sad ViViD death and the cow-horse skull might start laughing at you. I mean, you'll just start over from the beginning anyway but still.
Welcome to ViViD's new line of Vacation Spotlights: Desert Edition.
Moo-Neigh.
 One wish, that's all you get.
Make it snappy, I don't have all day.
Actually, I have eternity but I just don't want to spend it with you.
|
PHASE I [ 6 00 ] So.
There's sand.
In fact, there's so much sand that there's probably already sand in your shoes and your shorts and all sorts of other places that aren't fun to have sand in. It stretches for miles and miles, in large dunes and deep dips, and above it all there are three suns that beat down upon everyone's backs. Why three? Because why not, that's why. Enjoy the sunshine and try not to get sunburnt.
You've got a long ways to travel before you find anything but sand, but thankfully you're not alone -- there are a bunch of unfortunate stragglers who are out with you, so it's time to make some friends as you travel. You've got pleeeeenty of time. No water though. Or food. Or... anything but human interaction.
Thankfully, it's only a matter of time before you stumble across your hot new ride. Thankfully, it seats two, so you and your new friend can enjoy a cramped road trip. You, this relative stranger, and the great... sandy... unknown! Good luck!
PHASE II [ 645 ] If you prefer to not take your ride, you're going to wish that you did soon enough. Every desert level has to have desert monsters, after all. You're walking through the sand, trying to make it to somewhere that isn't sand, and then suddenly, the sand worms appear.
Or.
Well.
They try.
Unfortunately, they're little more than 5 or 6 inches tall apiece, and they'll mostly try to eat your shoes and socks. How scary.
Alternatively, if you have actually taken that sweet ride of yours on an adventure through the desert, you're going to hit something at one point. It makes a rather pitiful scream and there's a small bump underneath your tire before your car comes to a stop. You just ran over a sand worm.
Anyone who is intrepid enough to kill a sand worm though will find one interesting thing about them. They're filled with water, and you are very, very thirsty. Ew.
PHASE III [ 1000 ] It sure is hot.
And unless you've devoured one of those poor, sad, screaming sand worms, there's no water to be found. It feels as though you've been wandering in circles for ages, so perhaps it's really no surprise that the heat starts to get to you. First come the headaches, and the thirst. Then the dizziness and vertigo.
And finally, the mirages.
What you see is a waterfall cascading into a crystal pool, beautiful and pristine and painfully cool. It's just begging for you to come enjoy it, and -- wait, there's one more thing. Standing in front of that pool is either someone you care about immensely or someone you hate immensely.
And either way, the things they say or do will be the same. First they reach for you, beckoning, and they they start to detail all of the things they'd like to do to you. NSFW, SFW, loving or cruel or so many things in between, all that's honestly consistent is that it's pretty shocking.
Oh, and awkwardly, it seems as though anyone with you can see and hear that hallucination too. That's embarrassing.
PHASE IV [ 1215 ] Eventually, though, you'll find your destination. Or... at least, it seems like it should be the destination. The tiny temple is at least a change from the endless sand, and in the middle of it, there's a lamp. That sure looks familiar.
If you rub the lamp, of course, you'll release the genie, and he'll glance at you, and inspect his fingernails as though you're hardly worth his time, and offer you one, single wish.
As soon as you make it, well... You'll get the opposite of what you wish for with a sudden apology note in your hand. The card will read "Sorry, this level isn't entirely finished yet - Mosley" before immediately disappearing. Your wish will only apply in ViViD, of course, but hopefully you didn't wish for anything too crazy, or you might have made the level Much Harder for everyone around you.
BONUS [ why o'clock ] One second you're walking along the desert sand, enjoying the eternally same view, and the next there's a sudden pinch on your ankle, and a scorpion monster scuttles away quickly. Whoops, looks like you've been stung.
But it's not poison, it would seem. Aside from feeling a little odd and having a mild fever, you're fine.
More importantly, you've now found yourself in possession of some... new powers (a la Spider-man), and they're...
Well, they're useless.
Maybe you can summon water now, but... only sulfur water. Perhaps you can now make pretty light shows and that's about all. You can see the future but only the next three seconds. The possibilities are endless, but what's for certain is that they're all completely and utterly useless to you.
What the fuck, ViViD.
[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with sensitive or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ] |
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
no subject
Well, it's fine if you can't drive it. I mean, I understand, even Sabers have their faults. [ She shrugs, and even goes so far as to sigh despondently. ] It's a shame. Sabers are supposed to be reliable, aren't they?
no subject
I can drive it! Do you take me for some low class civilian who can do nothing!? ( do you see this? nero taking a few steps towards the car and obviously knows what she's doing. ) Why must you make things hard for yourself! There is no beauty in your stupidity. ( though with trying to make herself useful, she sits in the driver side and looks at the weird mechanics. )
Looks simple enough.
no subject
Ahaaaa, see? As a commercial I once saw said, "So easy, a Saber can do it!" Good job.
[ She's not at all ashamed to basically be trying to con someone else into driving the jeep either. She just doesn't want to do it herself. After all, the desert's not so bad to look at when you get to sit in the passenger seat during a drive! ]
no subject
Do not mock me! I am not doing this for you! It's only so that you can see that Sabers are much smart and can adapt easily unlike weak Casters as yourself, Casko.
( we all know in fgo nero's riding class will be coming, so, with a turn of the key in the ignition; she begins to start the car up but accidentally sending it reverse. )
Umu! Wrong way! I wonder if your big butt sent us the wrong direction!
no subject
But having a large behind is all the rage these days! Though I suppose you wouldn't keep up with trends. Besides... [ Her expression turns a touch more sly and about two touches more sinister. ] At least I'm not the living embodiment of "crack kills."
no subject
Crack.. kills..? ( give it a moment, give it one more. oh hell no! someone hold nero's ribbon! )
Little do you know, this body has saved lives! Do not speak condescendingly towards my fashion, at least I have something to show! Unlike you! No one wants to see such a hairy rear-end, no one wants to know what you wipe yourself with. Hmph! ( a glance at tamamo's tail and nero looks back at her in the eyes. ) If anything, wipe your mouth with your tail, would you!
( there's a bump in the road, they've killed one (1) sandworm on their trip. )
no subject
How crude. I take great care to keep my fur prim and proper and clean. A thousand strokes a day for the tail alone! It's always so clean and fluffy, perfect to sleep on. [ She giggles, the most "uhuhuhuhu" sound ever. ] I almost feel bad for you, clearly wishing for a tail to show off with such a dress, but having none. It's alright, not everyone can have such luxurious fur.
no subject
A tail! I.. No! Don't get yourself confused, I know you have such a hard time understanding but not all can be benevolent as some. ( as she continues to drive, she's about to spat out one more insult until one of the many sandworms pops up out the ground and right into caster's lap! well. )
... I see! Are you calling for your family as back up!? Get that beast out of here!
no subject
No, I think you're mistaken. Something so vehemently vile...it can only be a Roman politician!