test drive meme #17

[hadrielmods]

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!]

Comments

[queensberry]

What am I supposed to do?! [A lot of soap. Jacob poured a ridiculous amount of detergent, which meant a ridiculous amount of bubbles. He turns, just sort of standing there while they keep flowing out of the washer.]

I think... it's for washing clothes. [At least he's made that conclusion.]

[trainspotter]

[There's a decently long pause here, while Ned just stares across the room, at Jacob being slowly devoured by bubbles. Soap bubbles. Then it's all he can do to laugh, stepping a little further back from the bubble mess to slouch back against the wall.

He is still laughing. This is hopeless. They should abandon this apartment.] Maybe you oughta spin around a few times in there, then.

[queensberry]

[Jacob stares right back at Ned as he's slowly more enveloped. He makes some effort not to make fun of himself, but seeing Ned laugh so hard... It's contagious.]

That was stressful, Neddy. [He gathers armfuls of the bubbles and steps forward, slowly grinning.] I think I need a hug.

[trainspotter]

[oh lord]

I don't think so! [He's trying to sound stern, but he's still laughing intermittently, so it works maybe half as well as it could. He does hold up a hand, like waving a tiny hand at Jacob will stop his bubbling approach. Chasing him out of his own apartment... he won't allow it. Menace.] Stay on your side, Frye.

[queensberry]

Sorry? I can't hear you over all these bubbles. [He can try, but Jacob's not stopping, or even slowing. He definitely wasn't on his side anymore.] I'm so lonely, Ned.

[trainspotter]

Frye, I'm serious! [So serious!! Despite the fact that he's still got a dumb grin on his face, he really doesn't want to get soap all over his sweater... Even though it's soap. It's the principle of the thing. He makes, however, a grave error, one that he will in due time blame on the weird round walls: instead of sliding to his left, back to the bathroom which has a door, he slides to the right, where there is nothing but wall, and foolishly puts Jacob between himself and bubble-less freedom.

It's been a long day, there were snakes and stuff. Leave him alone.] You keep your distance, I swear...

[queensberry]

[You know what long days need? Hugs. This is the logic that carries Jacob into Ned's personal bubble with bubbles. For now he hovers over him, placing a hand on either side of him so there was only a bubble-filled escape.]

I'm not touching you. [God, what year is it.]

[trainspotter]

[Jacob Frye, master assassin, actual 12-year-old. Ned pulls his arms in close to himself, trying to take up as little space as possible now that he's surrounded. This didn't go as planned?? How???

thrilling stalemate]

You're getting this crap all over my new apartment.

[queensberry]

Can you find it within your heart to forgive me? [Jacob jut out his lower lip in a pout, starting to pull that infamous puppy face. Over bubble hugs. Master assassin.] I wouldn't actually make you take the messy apartment, you know.

[trainspotter]

[No, stop. Not the face. No. Ned raises an eyebrow, like the apartment crisis is a serious business deal.]

No? Color me surprised. [He's still stuck against the wall though... spare him.] What'll it take to get me out of here unscathed? I'm willing to make a deal.

[queensberry]

[Stuck against the wall while Jacob's leaning more and more into his personal space. He's so close...] What do I want? Let's see...

[There's a moment of hesitance as he considers Ned, but he ultimately sighs and pulls another grin.] I want my favor back. No compromise.

[trainspotter]

[Well, this sure is a moment. Ned's trying to look vaguely over Jacob's shoulder instead of at his face while he leans in, but he's too short to see anything but some of the ceiling, so he makes his second grave mistake of the day: glancing at Jacob's face so close to his.

Hmm. Well, here they are. It's not like he has any choice but to stand there and wait unless he wants soap all over him, so—]

What? [The favor??? He sounds disappointed only because of the favor, honest.] What is this, baby's first negotiation?

[queensberry]

It's baby's second negotiation, thank you. [Jacob huffs in offense, but there's no backing off here. Only eye contact and looming. He's determined, for this one.] I got that kiss out of you the first time, didn't I?

[trainspotter]

[Ah, so he admits he's a baby, good. Ned scoffs, shaking his head just a little.] And now you're trying to take it all back. That's bad business, Frye.

[He earned that favor fair and square, let him live.]

[queensberry]

It's fair business. [He says, indignant, but doubtful. It wasn't fair. It also put him at a loss of demands...]

I don't think you have anything to bargain with, Ned. [He can at least try to turn it off himself, though with an unnecessary addition.] It's not like we need to kiss again, or anything.

[trainspotter]

[But he's still thinking about kissing Ned, isn't he... Ned looks at him for a moment, expression a mix of things, none of which are sure how he feels about that little tidbit—but for the sake of his nerves he'll settle on kind of flattered. He scoffs, looking down so he can look away before some mistakes are made.]

I'll put this away someplace. [This, as he tugs on his train sweater. Jacob can stop judging him for it.] Then you can quit running your mouth about it. That's my final offer.

[queensberry]

Of course. [Jacob rolls his eyes, but he relents. He leaned back with his hands up, smug enough about his little victory that he won't keep bringing that up.]

If it's that important to you...

[trainspotter]

[Conclusion: Ned gets to keep his favor, which is what's really important to him. He hums, apparently satisfied, waving a hand at Jacob to back off a little more so he can slide past him to a bubble-free zone. He'll take off his sweater here and now, because he's such a team player. He only swapped his suit jacket with it and not his whole fancy getup, so don't make it weird, thanks.]

You know, I always thought it was lucky that we see eye-to-eye on so many things. [lmao,] You made the right choice, Frye.

[queensberry]

Somehow, it feels like I've made the boring one. [And what does Jacob do when Ned's securing the safety of his dumb sweater? He's making a beard of bubbles on himself. He's beautiful, that Jacob Frye.]

Don't tell me you're going to play it safe here. [Somehow, still trying to maintain a serious conversation.]

[trainspotter]

[Fortunately for Jacob, Ned is busy with his sweater right now, and has not looked back around to judge him yet...]

Are you still giving me shit about that? [he doesn't want to get shot?? what if someone shoots him] I'm looking out for myself, which is more than I could say for—what the hell are you doing?

[?????]

[queensberry]

I've aged in the time it takes you to take that thing off. [Jacob's trying to keep a straight face, stroking that bubble beard like there wasn't anything abnormal about it.

He was usually an idiot, after all.] I'm ready for Assassin Christmas.

[trainspotter]

[Ned stares. Ned stares for a long time.

Then Ned sighs, drapes his sweater over his arm, and turns to slide past the rest of the bubbles all over the floor.]

I'm gonna check out the place next door. You can come too, but the beard has to stay here. [dummy]

[queensberry]

That's no way to treat an old man! [Jacob puts a hand to his chest in his offense... but he just lowers it to start brushing bubbles off himself. There was only so long it was going to last before he would get wet and cold, and Ned sure wasn't going to help him with either of those.

He will trudge out with like, a quarter of what he used to be covered in. It's fine.] To your apartment.

[trainspotter]

[An old man..... he's an infant... Ned completely ignores him with a wave of his hand, striding out pointedly back to the hall so he can pop around next door. Please don't track too much soap onto his new floors, doofus.]

We should've looked for a towel for your new shave. [bubble shave,] There's gotta be one around here somewhere.

[But instead of doing that, he's just going to make himself comfortable on this bubble-free couch and look at Jacob. Hmm, yep, he's a soapy moron.]

[queensberry]

Should you really be leaving me to find it in your new apartment? [Jacob asks, but of course, it's a bluff. He wouldn't actually go that far to annoy Ned lest he want to get kicked out. In fact, he's even mindful of the furniture, staying off the couch so Ned could get a nice view of him.

Well, maybe not that last part. He is looking around the apartment for a towel. But he probably thinks he looks great.] I'll have to be the best neighbor. What is it people do again? Come borrow sugar? Bake cookies? I'll bake the best cookies.