dankmemes | test drive meme #17

Welcome to Hadriel's test drive, and thank you again for your interest in the game! As always, our reserves page is here, and our applications page is here! Reserves open February 22nd, and apps are open March 1st. Please remember that there is an app cap of 20 apps.

Two quick points here as well:
1. Any thread made in Hadriel's test drive will be accepted as the sole Action Log sample in the application.
2. All threads made in the test drive can be considered game canon, either through handwaving or through a shared mental experience while coming through the Door!

Test drives will be broken up into specific god mini-events, during which your characters can see how well they fare under the watchful eye of one of the gods. Choose wisely or just simply pick 'em all, and have fun!

F E A R

SCENARIO ONE: SHOOTING HOOPS
[The Door brings in all that is chaotic and evil in the world. This may include you, may include the person next to you... and may include the monster behind you.

There you are, calmly exploring this super cool cave city, when all of a sudden you see something roll toward you. What could that possibly be? Why, it seems the Door has brought in some hoop snakes, which are definitely real.

Hoop snakes are poisonous and aggressive reptiles, able to pursue fleeing prey by grasping their tail in their jaws and rolling after them like a wheel. Wow, so efficient! Hard to get away from, though, and kind of... terrifying? If you want to get away, you better be a fast runner. Or maybe you should climb something. Good luck!]

S O R R O W

SCENARIO TWO: YOU GOT THE BLUES
[You woke up this morning on the wrong side of the bed. Not the angry side - the sad side. Somehow, everything just seems to be going wrong, and you don't know why. You were out of milk for your cereal, the fruit you picked just yesterday is already going bad, and instead of getting frustrated all you want to do is feel sorry for yourself.

Even the good things aren't going too well. Maybe your friend just told you your hair looks nice today - doesn't that mean it looks bad the rest of the time? Probably. They've just been too nice to tell you. And your crush smiled at you - that probably means they know about your feelings and are getting ready to let you down easy. That's the only explanation.

No matter what happens, your mind is giving you the worst, most depressing interpretation. You can try to fight it and be aggressively upbeat - or maybe you just want to cry on somebody's shoulder. Yeah. That sounds good right about now.]

D E L I G H T

SCENARIO THREE: PUCKER UP
[For once, Hadriel looks rather lovely, all covered in snow and seasonal! Sure, it's not quite the right season anymore, but who really knows what month it is? Not the residents, and certainly not the gods. But for whatever reason, Delight has decided there should be snow on the ground and ugly sweaters in the shops.

And, of course, mistletoe. On your wanderings around the city, you may find yourself under the mistletoe with a friend or a stranger or even an enemy. Regardless of who they are and how you really feel about them, the mistletoe will give you a gentle compulsion to plant a kiss right on those appealing lips of theirs. You can resist if you want - it won't force you - but don't you kind of want to go for it?

This is a mini version of our Kissmas event this month!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Shuuya's face glimpses into something serious; just a glimpse though. As Ned sets to leave, Shuuya reaches out to grab his arm to stop him.]

Hey, wait! [Nope, Shuuya's not okay with this. He gives a slightly desperate laugh.]

H-hey, so I pushed a few buttons. I mean... don't you want to hit me for it? [Another laugh.] Seriously, man, I can take it. You have every right to be mad, so if it makes you feel better, you can hit me.

[Ned's not someone who gets involved in messy situations when he can just walk away, and that's what he's doing—walking away before this mouthy kid really does get a broken nose out of him. It's neater like this, or it would be, if Shuuya didn't come after him like he does.

He's surprised, first, and he doesn't bother to mask it in his expression. That surprise quickly morphs into something a little put off—the kid is... asking to be hit? That sure is a level of desperation teenagers don't usually have.]

You are really into being wrong today, kid. [He shifts to tug his arm out of Shuuya's grip.] You're a piece of work, but you got me out of there. We're even.

[So why doesn't it feel even? As Ned pulls his arm back Shuuya just... stands there a moment. He doesn't know how to react. His laugh is softer, more pained.]

Seriously, please hit me. I'm okay with it. I promise I won't even tell, if that's what you're worried about. I deserve it, so please. Just... please...

[Please don't hate me.]

[Ned just looks at Shuuya for a moment, before he sighs and turns to face him again, arms folded over his chest. Kids having - what is this, a breakdown? - kids having breakdowns in his face is way beyond his pay grade.]

No. Sorry, this— [He gestures out with both arms, indicating This, this moment, this weird interaction.] —really doesn't matter to me. You should've picked a fight with somebody else.

[Man... of course he blew it. Of course he messed up trying to make a friend. His mouth always gets him into trouble. He always pushes the envelope too far. And he doesn't know what to do when Ned refuses to hit him. Isn't there anything he can say? Isn't there anything he can do?

He considers using Ned's face to provoke a violent reaction, but he just wants to get hit, not shot. Not to mention that would probably make Ned hate him more.]

Come on, man. It's just a punch. A slap. Anything. I said I'd give you anything you wanted if you made it out alive, right? [A weak laugh.] You can't just sit there and tell me you don't want to hit me.

[Really, everybody wants to hit him at some point. That's a fact of his life.]

For real, man - Ned. This is the deal of a lifetime. You can keep hitting as long as it takes for you to feel better. Who offers that for free? Just take it out on me. It's really, really okay.

Look, [Ned starts, already bringing his hands up to rub his temples after listening to all of... this. There'll be no one lining up to defend the merits of all his deeds in life as kind and charitable by any means, but he doesn't do things needlessly. And certainly not because a mouthy kid mouthed off too much and seems to be suffering the consequences of not suffering consequences.

New twist, that. Ned sighs. Where was he going with that one-word start—] I don't know what you think this is or what you think of me, but look—no. Leave it alone. It's not my business to get wrapped up in whatever sad story you want me to get into with you. And frankly, since I don't appreciate the way you run your mouth, if it pisses you off more that I won't hit you, well...

[He gestures with both hands again. Tada.] That is certainly working out for me.

[Well, that just hits the nail on the head, don't it? Ned's driven his point home - he doesn't like Shuuya in the least. Not that Shuuya can blame him. And Ned is making it perfectly clear that he can't be bartered into this.

Shuuya feels his breath snag for a moment as that sinks in. When he finally draws that breath back in, he gives another smile - one of his best and brightest, trying to deter the lump in his throat.]

Right. Yea, okay. No, I totally get it. [He reaches out to pat Ned's shoulder.] Sorry for being an asshole. I'm just some stupid kid who doesn't know how to shut up sometimes.

[It doesn't make him feel any better, but he supposes he's just going to have to accept Ned's refussal for punishment as the punishment itself. Ned's right. Not hitting Shuuya is working out for him just fine.]

If you ever change your mind, give me a shout. No questions asked.

Edited 2017-02-21 03:43 (UTC)

[...Hmm. Well, okay, that's probably the best ending to this Ned could have asked for. It's been... strange, but it could have been worse. His gaze darts to the hand on his shoulder in the moment it's there, just mildly disapproving, before he looks up again.]

Sure. Like I said, take care of yourself.

[Somewhere not in his face, or using his face, ideally. Now he'll turn and go.]

test drive meme #17

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