PHASE I [ 6 00 ] You wake up, and you're in a camp ground. The graphics aren't bad here, not really, but they're definitely last gen -- not the type of quality expected out of ViViD. On top of that, every once in awhile, the scenery sort of... glitches before going right back to normal as if nothing ever happened. If you're particularly unlucky, your own body parts might glitch out for a moment too, appearing as nothing more than broken code and then back to normal. Pretty weird, right? Oh well, don't worry about it. Totally harmless.
Glitches or not, you're still in a camp ground along with everyone else. There's a fire, there's some tents, some trees. Maybe some s'mores? You got it all. You're also not wearing what you were before. No, now you're wearing some sexy shorts, or maybe you've got a whip at your side, or maybe you've got a really classy fedora. And if you're one of those lucky few who have all three at once? Good for you! Try not to blind everyone with all that sexy.
Or, you know, the game will glitch out again and you'll be stuck wearing something else. That's definitely not as sexy.
PHASE II [ 730 ] If you decide to finally go exploring that crazy jungle, you'll find that you have a wide range of exploring options. Seems ViViD's taking a crack at their very own open world game -- this one modeled after your run of the mill adventure game. There are rivers to swim through (complete with alligators)! There are cliffs to scale (complete with angry birds ready to peck at your face)! There are even ravines to swing across on vines (just like Tarzan)!
Actually, the game is made to allow you to do just that -- those vines are all conveniently lined up for everyone to use them to swing across. Go on, it'll be fun. If you miss, you'll just lose a life, right?
Of course, if you overshoot your goal, you might run into one of the other glitches; the white space that you'll stumble into implies that you flew right off the world map and are now in unprogrammed space. Don't worry, you'll dissolve eventually, slowly but surely, and will reappear on the cliff so you can try again. There's no other way around that ravine either. Still, it's only a little frightening watching your body disappear piece by piece, right?
PHASE III [ 900 ] If you manage to scale one of those cliffs or swing across that ravine or cross that river, you may find yourself a chest. It's a treasure chest, and you don't even need a key to open it! Open it right up, a cute little jingle will play, and… nothing will be there.
Or the item will be there, hovering in the air, something amazing, fantastic, incredible that you've always dreamed of having and wanting, and -- you can't touch it. No matter what you try, it hovers right out of reach, and you can't interact with it at all.
Oh, and the cute little jingle is going to follow you around now, on constant loop.
PHASE IV [ xxxx ] So you died.
No big deal. Perhaps you got eaten by a crocodile. Perhaps you fell off a cliff. Perhaps another player stabbed you (that's rude). Either way, you've only lost one life and you have two more so it's nothing. After all, this is just a video game, right? It's fine.
Except it's really not fine.
You'll find yourself in a graveyard, tombstones all around you (maybe one of them has your name on it -- hope the epitaph doesn't suck). It's nighttime, it's foggy, and you're with the other players who have also lost a life. For a while, nothing will happen. The cold and quiet of the night will start to seep into your bones -- and then a figure appears. It can't be killed, it is silent and grim, and it does not speak.
Instead, it approaches each person there, reaches out and touches them on the forehead. Even you. All you can see for a long moment is corpses around you, the dead faces of everyone who had been with you in the ViViD level, flesh rotting away and faces caught in expressions of horror --
And then you're all dropped back into the camp ground together again. It's sunny and cheery and everything is fine, and you're down to two lives. Just, you know... don't lose the rest, okay?
BONUS [ xxxx ] You have a butler now, congratulations! He's following you around everywhere. He's an NPC, and not a very well-made one; sometimes his face glitches out, and he doesn't so much walk behind you as just… appears right next to you. He's handy though because if you ask him to, he'll pull up the start menu. You can sort out your inventory there and exit the game if you wish (except no matter how many times you press the "quit" button, you... can't).
Sometimes, though, that doesn't work out so well. Not the start menu but the butler himself. He might appear next to you on a narrow cliff face, knocking you right off the edge, or appear right on top of a hornet's nest, making them angry enough to go after, well, you. Maybe he accidentally summons a bear when all you were trying to do was ask him where the next dungeon is. That's unfortunate.
You can't seem to get rid of him either, no matter what you do. How annoying. Hopefully he doesn't cause you too much trouble because that bear... well, that bear's pretty angry.
[ 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}
ii.
Sousei didn't want to end up in ViViD yet again. He doesn't like ViViD. It's always been bad, and now it's completely glitchy and he's trying to find a way to log out when suddenly he's smacked into by a flying sword.
Thankfully not the sharp, pointy kind, but he's met Tsurumaru before and it only takes a glance before he recognizes him again. And, you know, catches his breath.]
What do you think you're doing?
[what a buzzkill.]
no subject
[ what? no? no............. that was......... bad. ]
Anyway. [ he clears his throat. ] I'm trying to swing into the ravine over there, and I want to see how far I can travel on these vines without falling. You made me break that record, though, so now, I have to go aaaall the way back—
[ a pause, because going back where he came from isn't exactly desirable; it's a lot of walking. ] Or, I could just keep going. Yeah, that sounds good. [ and he'll nod, to convince himself.
he reaches for a nearby vine (there are a lot more in the vicinity, after all) and holds it out. ] Do you want to come with me? Maybe if we try really hard, we can land in that one weird spot I saw...
[ that's a glitch, definitely, but swords don't understand glitches entirely, not yet. ]
no subject
Sousei's expression doesn't even twitch though--not at the bad pun, not at the explanation, and certainly not at that vine that Tsurumaru is holding out and Sousei is not reaching to grab.
No way in hell.]
No.
That isn't a good idea. ViViD does not seem to be functioning properly, so I would not actively search out disaster if I was you.
no subject
with a frown, he lets go of the vine that he's been holding, allowing it to swing back to its original place. ]
Why not? What's the fun if you don't go towards disaster?
Someone told me earlier that it's not possible to really get hurt in these games, because everything's virtual, or something.
[ he might be taking a lot of liberties with that interpretation, though. ]
no subject
Instead, Sousei just arches an eyebrow vaguely, expression entirely unimpressed.]
Do you believe everything you are told, even when it concerns your own health and well-being?
no subject
tsurumaru swears that he can feel this man's gaze cutting into his very soul... he treads carefully, tugging on the edges of his jacket in thought. ]
I don't, but I've never been concerned about my own health and well-being — swords don't have a tendency to do that, you know.
no subject
[They've met, though he suspects Tsurumaru doesn't remember by merit of...well, not acting like he does.
The faintest hint of a sigh.]
It is no wonder your saniwa always appears to be so harried, if this is how swords act at all times.
no subject
How do you...
[ his expression darkens, just a little, as he comes to a different conclusion; he takes a few cautious steps back. ]
Our saniwa is used to it. Even if we're a bother, at the end of the day, he does love us with all of his heart. And we love him back just as much, so...
[ (it's still not the right conclusion, but he tried!! why else would strangers know his name, right.....) ]
Don't take me from him. I don't know what kind of market there is here, but I don't think I'd sell for as much as you'd think.
no subject
I am not going to attempt to take you away. I have no reason to, as I have a perfectly serviceable sword of my own. [And he wouldn't steal a sword anyway??? That's incredibly shitty.]
My name is Abe no Sousei [Yeah, that onmyouji family] and we have met before, though that you do not remember is no surprise. That is common enough here.
no subject
man..... tell that to all of the people who stole him!! ]
Abe no Sousei... [ nope, his name doesn't ring any bells. but he does take note to remember it for the future, in case he runs into him again. ] Ooh, that sounds pretty official, don't you think? Kind of like the title of an important person.
Even if I don't remember you, I hope you'll still treat me just as kindly. [ and he means that with his whoooole five year old heart. ] The serviceable sword that you spoke of... People who respect their swords make me curious, you know? I don't know what that's like.
no subject
So I have heard. I made you an assurance before, though you do not remember it. I will repeat it now: your saniwa is here now, but even so, I will not tolerate people who mistreat and steal proper swords. I will not allow such a thing to happen.
[Sousei's...well, he's pretty straightlaced, but he really does mean every word.]
no subject
but in this case, maybe he's slowly being convinced that it isn't as bad as he's thought; although, it does save tsurumaru the task of having to explain everything. ]
That's a preeeetty noble claim. Still, for some reason, I feel as if I want to believe you.
[ maybe it's that commanding aura that sousei has about him, but who knows? ]
Say, if that were to happen... tell me, what would you do?
no subject
Yes, that is what you said before. [Derisively, mockingly. It doesn't bother Sousei, naturally; he's just keeping Tsurumaru informed, because he's going to do what he wants regardless of Tsurumaru's own opinion.]
As to that...naturally, I will stop them.
[Sousei rests a hand on the hilt of his sword gently, but otherwise makes no other moves. He doesn't really need to draw his sword to be dangerous anyway, and he's fully confident in his skills.]
I have been tasked with the defense of Japan--that includes both its national treasures, and the people that are a part of that country, whether they be human or spirit.