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.
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Again, not the time... ]
I am pretty fast, aren't I? [ Kogi cracks a smile, sharper than the one that the Jijii gave. He's not as fast as some of the others though, but he can surely move when he needs to.
A bark of a laugh as he eyes Mikazuki up and down once. ]
I could, but only if you really wanted. [ Kogi even backs up and hold his arms out, the most cheery of expressions on the little fox's face! But then again, he's also half-serious... kind of. ]
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At the half-serious offer however, Mikazuki's ears seem to perk up at attention and he laughs in response since he can't help it, Kogi's laugh is contagious. ] You say that like I would ever refuse! [ Excuse him as he just slides over and pat pat pats Kogi's open arms. ] I'm not particularly heavy, aha. That and -- [ Insert squeeeeze of Kogitsunemaru's forearm here. ] You're plenty strong to just lift me up, right?
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I say it because I hope you wouldn't. [ The slightest of smirks, which is emboldened by the squeeze. He flexes that forearm, having a pretty reasonable frame for a 'little' fox. It must be all that tofu. ] And you certainly aren't heavy at all! I just don't want you to get uncomfortable in my arms.
[ Kogi curls his other arm around Mikazuki, drawing him closer. After all, he's going to have to be nearby for him to lift him up and cradle him. ]
... are you ready? I promise to be gentle.
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Which is why he's probably so keen on the idea of being lifted up and carried around. Mikazuki laughs still, patting Kogitsunemaru's arms and telling him that there's no way he couldn't be comfortable! ] Ah, but, I don't doubt you'll take very good care of me. [ His voice has a just slight teasing tone to it. ] How comfortable aha, but yes I am ready. [ Mikazuki wiggles around a little to make it easier for Kogi to scoop him up. ] Oh, please do be gentle.
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As he cradles Mikazuki in his arms, holding him against his chest, Kogi freezes. Taking stock of the entire situation, he realizes that after all this time, he's finally carrying someone. A very special someone. He wishes he could sit down and just... squeeze the blue-clad man tight and let the growing tension in his chest out. ]
Alright then. Where do you think we should go from here, hm?
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Hm. There are those ruins a little ways off. [ It might suit them better especially since the ruins require a lot of running and jumping and with Kogi carrying Mikazuki, it all lines up perfectly. ] How about it, Kogi? [ Excuse Mikazuki as he starts to fuss around with Kogitsunemaru's soft hair, it's always been one of his favorite things to do. ]
It's a quieter place to talk to, I get the feeling there's a few things you want to tell me.
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Haha, it's already pretty quiet here! But I understand... it's kind of a neat looking place, huh.
[ Mikazuki playing with his hair is a welcome distraction from the glitched out graphics and low resolution effects. He can feel the odd textures pull at his feet sometimes, even a few sparks. This place wasn't built very well. Ever step threatened to possibly destroy the ground underneath him and he hates that trembling sensation of breaking through. ]
Hang on. I'll get us to somewhere stable to sit, okay?
[ Thankfully, being in Cerealia did nothing to limit their superhuman abilities--- they are still spirits, and strong ones. So with a jump and few fox-like quick steps, he scales a few of the larger platforms pretty quickly without breaking a sweat, but still careful to keep Mikazuki against his chest and safe. ]
I thought I'd never see you again.
[ It's barely a whisper, but he says it nonetheless. The little fox, princess carrying his prince (or treasure!) up and up, to find a place to settle. And when he does, he'll delicately let Mikazuki down with a little worry, probably being too careful. ]
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Yes, I'll continue to hold tightly just in case. [ Even if Mikazuki is 100% certain that Kogi would never drop him, he does like to hold tight and it's easy access to the fluffiness that is Kogitsunemaru's hair. His hands are distracted as is his mind until he hears that uttered confession. It's confusing to him that Kogi would think that but there has to be a reason why he would since Kogi is...well Kogi. He's thoughtful about what to say, where to begin, until they come to a stop and it takes ages before he actually detaches himself from the larger tsukumogami.
After he touches the ground, there's a long sigh and his palms lightly set onto the other's chest. Mikazuki doesn't meet Kogi's gaze straight away, still trying to find the right words to say but the longer he waits, the longer that the taller tachi might feel apprehensive or tense. Mikazuki is quick to ease any tension by holding one of the fox's big hands with his own. Kogi seems more at ease if they're in some constant contact at least. ] I have to ask...why would you think that?
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Ceres makes fun a pain.
Kogi curses inwardly at being too loud with his confession. How could he explain his feelings directly. Holding Mikazuki's hands in his does help keep his heart from racing, the tachi in front of him pressing his hand against his chest. Now his pulse quickens, especially underneath the hand of the one he adored. ]
... you wouldn't think I was crazy if I thought you disappeared for weeks, right? That I left flowers on your bed, hoping you would find them, but you never came back to your room?
[ He says all of this gently, gauging the other's reaction. Of course, this all did happen, but if for some reason Mikazuki didn't realize this... or perhaps, even remember his time in Cerealia... well, Kogi's been through this before.
Either way, it's a fantastical little myth of a little fox who pined for a very treasured blade. ]
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[ There's no way that Mikazuki would ever think badly of Kogi and Kogi is honest to a fault, if he is telling the ancient sword that this happened then it probably really did. Mikazuki is just sad to disappoint Kogitsunemaru with the truth that he doesn't remember ever being here. Picking and choosing his words carefully so as to avoid hurting the fox, Mikazuki tries to ease into it by first, squeezing the bigger tachi's palm. ] I am...sorry to admit that I don't remember ever being here. It sounds like we've made some memories, Kogi and for forgetting them -- [ his voice is quieter, softer as he finishes ] please forgive me.
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[ He returns the squeeze, even going so far as to pull the other tsukumogami closer to him. Kogitsunemaru, pressing his cheek against Mikazuki's, embracing him because the last thing he wanted to do was to make the eldest of the Sanjo swords to feel that he did something wrong when he was not at fault. His hair tickles Mikazuki's neck, drapes over his shoulders, and he sighs gently into his ear. ]
... I missed you so much, and we can make new memories, okay?
[ Kogi's trying his best to be strong, but the tiniest of cracks in his voice betray the strong front he puts up. ]