//TESTDRIVE2.0.EXE

[reparator]

//TESTDRIVE2.0.EXE Welcome to the Castle-town of Valoria The prototype of ViViD's newest level has been complete. However, right now, only a single castle-town is open and available to be accessed with a mini-mission for all registered players. This castle-town is currently undergoing a terrible plague that causes those who drink the water to become strongly infected by the venom laced within. The venom creates a form of volatile madness known as The Maenas, and it is said to originate by a single flower growing in the center of the castle-town's lake. In order to purify it, everyone will have to work together to rescue the Priestess who is being held hostage in one of the castle-town's main towers, which is currently being guarded by a large dragon. Who that dragon is working for is currently unknown, but right now, it's preventing the priestess from helping the villagers. At the log in screen, players will be greeted by Vidia, giving them a friendly announcement and providing them with the mission details: "You're here at last! There's no time to delay, Player. The priestess mourns the more you hesitate. Come on, get equipped, and follow me! Are you ready? You simply have to follow my instructions. ✩ Get to the tower and defeat the dragon. ✩ Do not kill the townsfolk. They don't know any better! Knock them out, but do not let them die, or the imps will eat their corpses! ✩ Kill the imps, they're aggravating the madness! Each imp will release a soul orb on death. Grab it! It'll protect you from the madness, too. Each soul orb is worth ten credits! ✩ You have six hours. Please rescue the Priestess in that time, and she will be able to let you out. ✩ If you encounter people already from Tellus, you'll get a bonus orb for each soul orb you collect for all players. ✩ If you don't fight, you'll end up affected by the flower's curse... please, band together with someone and travel with them to slow the effects. ✩ The dragon will continue to re-spawn if it's fought alone. Please fight as a pair or group to bring it down if you can! ✩ Remember, you only have six hours... hurry, please!"

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ xxxx ] You're standing right in the center of the entertainment district inside the main ViViD hub. The machines sit before you, beckoning to being worn so you can test out the newest level in ViViD. There are others around you, in similar positions. Researchers are on stand-by to document your every move and make sure there are no glitches at all. As you settle into your chair, you slowly put on the helmet and find yourself being immersed in a world that's so real, you can hardly tell whether or not you're in the game or still in reality. (Please don't attack the researchers, they're only doing their job and they won't hurt anyone!) PHASE II [ xxxx ] You're fully immersed in the game now, wandering around with the list of objectives Vidia gave you. It's your choice where you want to start first. You can talk to the NPCs, engage in a grueling battle, level up, or head straight to fight the boss in a daring suicide run. However, as you walk through the castle-town, you catch glimpses of shifting faces. The NPCs look familiar for a moment, maybe reminiscent of someone back home. The effect lasts too short for it to be noteworthy until it continues to occur. Feel free to explore, but remember, you have six hours, a holographic timer to the side of your screen will appear when you wish for it. PHASE III [ xxxx ] Another glitch appears. This one is more debilitating than the rest, leaving you hanging mid-attack. The game seems to freeze completely for a solid two minutes. In that time-span, the world shifts to your own. You're standing right in the middle of the one you remember, staring up into a sky painted red with fire while a blood-curling scream erupts from the back of your mind. You glance down around, and one by one, the people start to fall to the ground, shattering like glass. In the distance, the dragon looms, staring straight at you and roaring, though its voice seems equally agonized. Then the game resumes normally as though nothing happened. Your complete your attack and continue as normal. Then something else appears within the darkness for a moment, lost in a single blink. That one second passes so swiftly it's barely noticeable. It might throw you off, it might leave you facing a pair of imps or crazed hordes. Whoever is with you had better started fighting... And you'd better run if you're alone! PHASE IV [ xxxx ] You've reached the end. Victory is yours. The townspeople are cheering, and the Priestess is rewarding you with a kind smile and several credits to your name. The dragon lies on the ground defeated, though its eyes are open still, hollow and black. In the reflection, you can still see the traces of a world left behind. In that moment, you can also swear you see it blinking when it should be dead, but there's no time to dwell. You're being logged out and the researchers are shoving surveys in your face or asking you questions about your experience. BONUS [ whyo'clock ] Welcome to the Dressing Room. This is where you can dress up your character in ViViD in all kinds of costumes. Completing missions will open up new outfits that will be delivered in the real world to character's flats. As a prize for completing the above mission, characters will be rewarded with some special outfits (both are unisex). Characters will immediately be launched into the Dressing Room upon completion so they can see themselves modeling their brand new outfits to one another. [ You can choose to set your threads in the game or before/after if you'd like. Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with trigger-y or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the log. ]

//RUN.EXE Welcome to CEREALIA's second Test Drive Meme. Please forgive our appearance as we are still going through the final stages of game completion… mostly fighting with table codes. While most pages are under development and/or hidden from the public eye, please don't feel discouraged, since knowing everything doesn't always make the experience. Your characters will know as little as you. For your convenience, we have compiled a post detailing everyone's arrival experience and a FAQ that should explain everything in more detail. Please read them thoroughly before playing. Thank you!

Comments

[valkyrier]

[ it's not until she feels his hand on her shoulder that she seems to acknowledge his presence. blinking, she looks back to him, biting her bottom lip in indecision on whether she wants to try brushing it off since it's suddenly obvious she's the only one who saw anything.

You...didn't see it?

[ she asks, directing her attention back towards the shadows, looking a little bit concerned that he's not aware. She didn't make that up in her head, she's sure of it, even if it was only a split second and she was still reeling from the initial scenario that caused her outburst. (it's... better not to mention that one to chitose, he has enough to worry about rather than trying to think on what it may mean, as well. ]

It was... teeth. [ yukina frowns. she wishes that sounded way more seriously a problem like it does in her head. but hearing herself saying it... well, no, it's a problem, Chitose, okay? lots of big teeth. ]

[yasashiioni]

Teeth?

[That... didn't sound too bad, at first. Teeth were normal, usually. Though he doubted normal teeth would even remotely bring Yukina to scream like that. She really wasn't the type to get hysterical over nothing, even if part of him wanted to ask if she didn't just imagine it.

Still, he hadn't noticed anything too weird, so he shook his head in response.]

I haven't seen a thing. [But if she saw something...] Can you tell what the teeth belonged to?

[abovedogs]

[ Wow people. Get a room and stop being so... concerned with each other!

Oh, wait, they can't. Standing off to the side, Kazama simply gave the "couple" a long suffering sigh as he gazed out at their surroundings, looking for any other creatures that might be stupid enough to test their mettle. ]

There was nothing we saw that would give us cause to scream. Are you so eager to face this dragon that you'd give our position away so easily?

[ sorry, not sorry, but if Yukina was going to melt into histrionics, it would be far better to leave her now rather then later. Once the enemy is defeated, she can step in to see to the priestesses welfare, but not before. Not when she was so obviously a liability to their mission. ]

[valkyrier]

No... just—

[ oh hi kazama, nice of you to stick around and still not do anything useful i guess.

yukina turns her attention from chitose, to kazama, considering his ... issue of the moment, before tilting her head slightly forward, unwilling to back down. ]

I'm almost certain we are invading its home, which means it knows we're here, regardless. [ but hey, if it wants to come out of hiding so they can stop running around in circles since they have a time limit, she's all for that, too.

and no she isn't staying behind; skillwise, she's better with a sword than you are, god ( not that it always means everything considering okita's match against kazama ...but...ha... ).

nevertheless, what kazama does manage to do is get her to drop her insistence she saw something, muttering more quietly to Chitose. ] Maybe this place is just getting to me. I'm sorry about it. [ it's not as if they're immune technically to the madness they're trying to stop and the imps being ones that heighten it... well. ]

[kazutake]

[ God, at this rate all he'd do here is side eye Kazama forever.. it's a good thing that Kazutake has a good sense of responsibility. Someone's got to keep this group together before Kazama and one of the others start throwing a fit at each other.. although that doesn't mean that the way he speaks doesn't annoy Kazutake all the same. Sure, there's being practical, but there's still a line between being practical and being tactless. Especially to a woman (no matter what Yukina herself might insist on that last matter). ]

Perhaps this place [ "place".. "game".. whatever, he's too old for this shit ] is trying to affect our minds. Be on your guard. [ Because he generally considers himself to be a level-headed person, maybe Yukina too under good circumstances, but the other two.. well.. lost causes there, basically. Babysitting two Kazamas, who thought the day would ever come.. no one wished for this.

Not that Kazutake doesn't still look fairly casualy for someone in the middle of all this, but there's something about the tenseness of his shoulders that gives away the fact he's on his guard all the same. ]

Yukina. I trust you are well enough to continue? [ She'll get the special concern since she's the girl here.. sorry, you two. Except not sorry at all. ]

[yasashiioni]

[Chitose decided to first turn his attention to Yukina rather than to what apparently would be his successor. He gave Yukina's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and shook his head once again.] Don't worry about it. Whatever you saw might also be a warning of some sort, so we should definitely be a bit more careful here. [He spoke quietly as well. It would be dangerous to just brush it off, as unreal as it might have seen.]

Well, this dragon should probably go down in any case. Then we'll have one trouble less. [He turns to Kazama to give him a cocky grin. Yeah, he was being a great grandpa here. only not.

Also wow, you are the worst big bro of all, Kazutake. Okay, Shin is, but yeah.]

I agree. [So Kazutake hasn't seen it either? Perhaps it really was just Yukina.] You'll have to lead us if we're all going crazy. [Alright, Chitose probably tried some inappropriate teasing here as well to lighten the mood a little. But Kazutake is the most trusted oni by the elders, after all.]

[abovedogs]

[ Grandpa doesn't like him :( What he'd do wrong... But his eye twitched only miniscule at the care and obvious affection he gave to the demon woman (Why, why does he have to compete with his own ancestors? If only that Yukimura woman was not the last of her kind, he may not be so bitter at being denied this newest pure blood suddenly in his reach.)]

Speak for yourselves; I'm in full possession of my faculties.

[ he pivoted on his heel, striking out across the dense terrain with barely a sound. ]

Come, if you're able. We've wasted enough time on that woman's fool visions don't you think?

[ not that he's really giving them a choice, but hey! He's Kazama Chikage. He does what he wants! ]

[valkyrier]

Yes, Kazutake. [ and she offers a slight nod to Chitose's acceptance of her apology. but, when Yukina hears Kazama, she looks to him and watches his back in silence with a small bit of concern. if there is one thing she is entirely guilty of is valuing their race regardless of critical factors. which means, she's not letting the other demon go off on his own. there's no excuse for abandoning your own.

she takes a few steps forward, hesitating at Kazutake's side a moment before she glances up to him silently in an almost distressed manner. WHAT DO THEY DO WITH THEIR TWO KAZAMAS, KAZUTAKE... and she looks back towards Chitose a moment before giving a slightly relieved sigh because at least he has been mostly behaving, thus far. how long that'll last it is a mystery...

back to the situation at hand, though. she turns her attention back forward and passes by Kazutake now to follow after Kazama. she might as well be the first to concede to putting up with following his lead for the moment. ]

[kazutake]

[ He totally understands your pain here, Yukina. He never thought he'd see the day where he would decide that Chitose is less of a pain in the ass than a different option - excluding Shin, anyway, because he always has to be a special snowflake. Still, as much as he would wish for Yukina to not have to be in such a situation to begin with (she is a woman, after all) it's good to have someone else responsible enough with him. And Chitose.. well, he can have his moments of responsibility. He's not the one sauntering way ahead of them into dangerous territory for once, after all, so he'll cut him some slack.

Still, even if Chitose would act up - if he can handle one Kazama, he can handle two. This is why people were born with two fists, don't you know? So he's able to smile at Yukina with a calm confidence, momentarily moving his hand to give her a reassuring pat on the head, as if to say that all of this will work out somehow without actually saying it out loud. He's sure, she gets it, anyway, when he pulls his hand away and she jogs off to follow the blonde taking the lead.

He's quick to follow as well though. Because as if he's leaving Yukina alone with someone who treats women like crap.. but he walks more calmly and glances over his shoulder, beckoning Chitose over with one hand - he's waiting for him to watch up, okay. A good demon chief leaves no one behind, especially not someone they care for by default. ]

A good suggestion. [ The fact that he doesn't speak up until the younger demon catches up with him says enough that he's sure not saying it's Kazama's suggestion that's the good one, but rather Chitose's.. even he knows the latter was just teasing, but still. ] Although it seems that some of us may already have lost our minds to begin with.

[ NOT EVEN AIMED AT YOU THIS TIME, CHITOSE.. it must feel good to not be the target of the famed Amagiri scolding for once, huh. ]

[yasashiioni]

[It's not like grandpa doesn't like him, but he is seriously questioning his grandson's sense of comradeship. Chitose can't say that he didn't poke fun at Yukina for one or the other thing, she was really dense - or rather naive - at times, after all, but they were in this dangerous situation together now and this was neither the time or place for such a thing.

Once Yukina walks to Kazutake's side he decides to catch up with Chikage. Man, he was still too young to be a grandpa, but he did feel that Chikage fell under his responsibility.

Chitose was about to take offense when he realized that Kazutake wasn't talking about him. Who would have thought that this day would come? He reaches out to pat the other Kazama on the shoulder, still trying to keep the mood a little cheerful.]

You mean him? I think he just needs to learn a thing or two about teamwork.

[abovedogs]

[ WOW, WAY TO TALK ABOUT A DEMON BEHIND HIS BACK YOU GUYS!!!

But no, alas. Kazama has no mind to lose having lost it already to a certain demon wannabe vice commander some time ago. Perhaps it was fate then, thathe now has a natural immunity by default to this game's mechanics...

Still, though, he does hear their quiet murmuring behind the group and he gives them a sharp glance when he looks over his shoulder, moving past Yukina straight to Kazutake and Chitose. If ever he regretted his origins, it's now. Who knew grandpa was such a frivolous loser? Kazama wants his street cred back you know!!!

But given their conversation... he slows his pace just a little, giving Yukina and the others plenty of time to catch up before he gives a small nod to the tower looming off in the distance nearby. ]

If we're to kill that dragon before our time is up, our options are limited. We'll need bait to lure him down [ he means you, Yukina. Perhaps if she put on the priestess' clothes it might do the trick? ] or scale the tower quickly. Are you spry enough for that, old man?