dankmemes | test drive meme #21

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!test drive

test drive meme #21

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 June 24th, and apps are open July 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: A LITTLE FRENZIED
[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.

Do you hear something weird? Some kind of strange, constant humming? Hopefully by now you know enough to know that it's probably not nothing, and maybe you should run. If you don't, well- the Door has brought in some Winter Lanterns, from the Bloodborne video game.

Winter Lanterns are rather hideous creatures that hum constantly and glow orange when they detect someone's presence. They can grab you with their tentacles and take a nice bite out of you, which is super fun, or they can mess you up just by looking at you too long. Yep, hanging out in the gaze of a Winter Lantern for too long will end with you being afflicted by Frenzy - blood shooting out all over the place. Not great for the health, really, so maybe don't get into a staring contest. Maybe just run.]

S O R R O W / L O V E

SCENARIO TWO: HAUNTED
[You thought you might never see them again, but now they're here. That person you loved - that person you miss terribly. Except that you seem to be the only person who can see them, and you also seem to be getting steadily weaker.

So that's what it comes down to, then. This ghost that's haunting you will take your life so it can live, even if it doesn't mean to. Do you have the ability to stop them? You'll have to kill them to do it, and you love them so much. Now's the time to make your choice - but be careful. They're strong enough to be visible now, and one of your friends or even a passing stranger might have something to say about your decision.

This is a mini version of our Ghosts That You Know event this month!]

T R A N Q U I L I T Y

SCENARIO THREE: SLEEPING SICKNESS
[For some reason you can't quite put your finger on, you're tired. Like really tired. Like slurring your words, stumbling over your own feet, nodding off if you stop for a second tired. You can't seem to get enough rest no matter what you try - because it's always a light sleep. The slightest sound or movement will wake you up, leaving you just as tired and irritable as before.

What are you going to do? Try to find a quiet place to nap? Good luck. It seems like a lot of other people have the same idea as you - it might be hard to find a truly empty place. Or maybe you just can't take it anymore, and you're going to lay down and take a nap right in the middle of the street. Or maybe you actually feel fine, but everyone around you is falling asleep - and they glare at you when you make the slightest sound.

Maybe you should wake them up? Sleeping in the middle of the street isn't exactly safe. But then, maybe you just want to join them and argue over who gets the most comfortable bit of road.]

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Noctis's heart heavies at the sight of Nyx taking his knee to him. There's a small part of him that understands the formality of the gesture and he appreciates the appropriateness of it but he doesn't desire it. Not right now, not from Nyx Ulric. "Please," he leans forward to gently grasp the young man's shoulder. "Stand.. Nyx." His voice is low, timid, and shaken. Emotion and grief overwhelm him as he recalls the sight of Nyx being strung up as if Ardyn's trophy from a hunt.

"Nyx Ulric.. I want to see you stand.." He waited a moment before he moved his hand from the other's shoulder. A strange sinking feeling swelled in his gut, it was more than just guilt and shame, perhaps fear was there as well. How would Nyx receive him?

It took him by surprise when he was called by name. It wouldn't have completely surprised him if other nobles knew of his name but to know him by sight made no sense at all. Nyx pushed himself up to stand and he gave a small, uncertain smile. Now that they weren't in mortal danger (even if that awful smell was enough to still have some of that fear lingering in his limbs and prepared to fight) Nyx got a better look at him.

He was perhaps thirty-five, Nyx would guess, so five to ten years older than himself. The man was handsome, with the dark hair typical of any Lucis Caelum. Nyx wondered if he could see some of Regis in this younger version, maybe that was the resemblance nagging at him. It would make sense, they were all part of the same royal blood line. That didn't feel quite right, but it made sense.

"The one and only," he answered with that same uncertain smile. "I feel like I should know you, too?" Nyx admitted, looking curiously over the other man.

Noctis drew in a breath, held it, then exhaled as he took in the other. They had brief interactions in the very few times they were in the same room as one another. One of the last times he saw Nyx was the day he left the Crown City. That faithful day his dad sent him out to preserve hope that Eos would be cured once and for all from the Starscourge. The circumstantial thoughts brought him zero joy, nor any comfort.

If things were different maybe they wouldn't both be here in Hadriel staring at each other. His brows furrowed again and he looked down to Nyx's chest.

"I'm--" yet, this was not the time for proper introductions. Out of the corning of his eye he saw movement. He then turned to watch as another lantern buds out of seemingly no where. The pulp shape of its head grows with a swollen pop once its fully emerged from whatever world it came from to this hell of Hadriel. Noctis acts quickly and his weapon submerges once again in his hand, ready to face the creature.

It was almost there, on the figurative tip of his tongue, staring into the other man's eyes. And then the nightmare started all over again and that fear welled up and spelled over from his gut down his arms and legs. Nyx knew now that the big walking blobs were easy to kill with the king's magic here at the ready and a good fighter to wield them. That didn't make his fear lessen, although it was more manageable. Nyx was no stranger to battle after all.

"Same plan," he said, gritting his teeth and adjusting the grip on his blade. Nyx felt an uncomfortable bubble of anxiety lodge in his throat and he was glad he got the two words out before that had happened.

Nyx ran forward quickly, but this time he wasn't quick enough. One tentacle came down towards his head and he managed to slash it with his Kukris. Before he could jump or dodge out of the way, the thing's other amber-glowing arm swiped along the ground and caught him around one leg. Nyx let out a garbled holler of alarm as he was swept off his feet and suddenly flying fifty feet up and through the air. Had he still the ability to warp himself, it wouldn't have been a big deal. But he was magicless, and it was a big deal, and he wondered if he would be dying with a split skull on the ground below in a few seconds.

Noctis nodded in agreement. He waited a beat before he moved his feet but instead of aiming toward the beast he found himself warping up to where Nyx was thrown up into the air like a rag doll. Hopefully the other's limbs weren't yanked out of their socket from the power of the throw. He met Nyx in the air and grabbed the other by his shirt before he warped again, this time with Nyx in tow, back toward the ground behind some bushes. He settled on the ground with Nyx and gently patted at the other's chest in exchange for words. It was a gesture meant to be interpreted as for him to stay tight and recover.

Noctis rushed out of t he bushes and exchanged his preferred sword with a gun--Prompto heavy in mind as he gave off a few shots, then the gun disappeared with a flash of speckled blue and his sword reappeared in his hand before he rushed the beast again. It was difficult to anticipate the power and ability of the monster but he was confident enough having already taken down one. The tentacles reached for him and he shot a quick spell of frost to stop them in their tracks. It gave him just enough time to change direction and reassess a better advantage point. Noctis warped behind the creature about five feet and rushed toward the pulp with the intention of slicing it down like the last one.

Nyx was amazed how much more frightening warping was when he wasn't the one in control of it. There was a weird few moments at the apex of his arc where he was weightless in midair, with the king there floating with him, gripping his shirt, and the world all around them was still including the blue glow from the king and the amber glow beneath them.

Then the moment was over, and the air was being sucked out of him as he was yanked forward through space and time to warp close to the ground. Nyx let out an embarrassing grunt of surprise as he was suddenly on solid earth. He was panting as he stared up at the nobleman who pushed on his chest to make him stay there. "Hey—" but the man was already gone in a flash. Yeah, Nyx thought as he pushed himself awkwardly up to his feet, the guy was good.

But Nyx was used to being the hero and he wasn't going to be counted out from this fight just yet! Nyx pushed his way forward in time to see the gun, then the man warping away, and that was his opportunity to move in. Nyx jogged forward while the thing was still facing towards him and hadn't turned to see the noble yet. Nyx tossed his Kukris up into the air and caught it by the handle, gave it a grin, then brought his arm back and threw with all of his might. The blade spun strong and true through the air, slicing grossly into the monster's head and keeping it more than distracted enough for the king to do his thing again.

Noctis watched the head wobble backward, an indication that something forward came to stun its face. He figured Nyx had assaulted it from the other end. Soon enough his sword came down across the side of its head and once again the pulp rippled before tearing apart with a gush of liquid. Soon enough it began to smell once again like sulfur and Noctis scrunched his nose up in disgust. The creature doubled over and he looked away to gather a sense of their surroundings. "We should get out of here.." Hadriel all together, perhaps, but where would that leave them to go?

Noctis looked back to Nyx and gave him a small nod. "All right?" He questioned with a cautious look over the other.

Perhaps it took him a decade to get to where he was at now, but he had to believe he always had it in him to want to protect others. Just, before, he wasn't always good at it.

One arm was up to cover his face from both the sight of it, the smell, and any splatter. His face was fine but he felt some get in on his boots and he made a disgusted face down at them. "Nice." Nyx grunted and balanced on one leg to wiggle his foot around and try to get some of the slime off. This awkward dance was interrupted by the question and Nyx settled his foot back onto the ground as he blinked up at the young king.

And that ever-ready grin lit his face, accompanied by a wink. "I couldn't let you take all the credit. I'm fine."

That's when he realized his Kukris was in the middle of all of that goop. Nyx sighed and rested his hands on his hips. "Damn. I have to wade through that now. I just had to throw my blade—" Nyx muttered a few more choices words at himself before he began cautiously moving through the muck towards where its head used to be. Over his shoulder he called back, "I used to be able to do that, you know? Warping. So are you some brother to King Regis I never knew about?"

It occurred then to him that Nyx couldn't do any of it now. The warping, the magic, and Noctis felt a stupor overcome him with Nyx's acknowledgment for it. Noctis lowered his eyes to the ground with a heavy frown to his lips. His father's death brought down the wall, brought away the magic he lent out to the King's Glaive. Nyx had then come here, to Hadriel, after his father's death--

perhaps even after his own death, such as Noctis had come here the same. Could this truly be the fate of their afterlife?

His hands clenched together by his sides, the sword dissipated again into blue flecks and Noctis shook his head, though he knew the other wouldn't have seen it. He lifted his eyes and held them to Nyx as he sorted through the mess of horror. "Noctis, I'm Noctis."

Nyx was kicking aside what he could, being as his boots were already a horror show. That tingling unease of fear was still there but he was determined to get his blade back before getting the hell away from this mess. As much as he was afraid another one of these things would come for them, that only made him even more determined not to be unarmed if that happened.

The name had him stilling completely and Nyx looked up quick after a second and stared, then stared a little more. "Are— Noctis?" he stuttered softly in his surprise. Nyx licked his lips quickly and stood up straighter, then a huge grin split his face and his hands went to his hips again.

"Whoa. It really is you, I— but you're— ha!" Nyx couldn't stop staring. "You grew up well. I can't hardly believe it's you. I thought you looked familiar but I..." Here he trailed off, and his expression sobered slightly. What he didn't say is that it was hard to conceptualize the reality of time passing after you were dead, of lives continuing on, and people you knew getting older. "How old are you?"

Nyx's surprise gave way to even more anxiety as he realized the answers to everything he had fought for were here before him. He knew what had happened to Regis but he could barely stop himself from asking about the Princess.

Noctis reciprocated the stare. Though he knew he was being scrutinized; it would have been hard to imagine from when the last time Nyx saw him to now. He was just twenty and now, "I'm thirty.." Or at least he was thirty. Maybe he'll be that age forever, even here, he wondered briefly. Noctis shifted his weight and he stepped closer to Nyx. "I didn't think I would have ever.. been able to do this.." After all, there were so many opportunities in his past that he felt he's missed. "Thank you, Nyx.. for everything .. for being there when.."

He choked and his eyes flickered away. Before he would have struggled even harder than he was now with this. Noctis was determined to carry through and he brought his eyes back up to Nyx. "When I wasn't." When I couldn't be. Noctis was weak and had he been ready then, perhaps he could have stopped things from ending the way they did for so many people.

Shame now filled his chest and his fingers relaxed beside him. His gratitude may be offensive, perhaps he should apologize instead.

The show of genuine, deep emotion, was enough to cause him another stilled moment of surprise. Nyx's brows furrowed together slowly all the while Noctis struggled to get out what he needed to. Nyx could handle joking around about being the big hero but genuine thanks from someone was harder to know how to deal with. Because deep down, Nyx knew he wasn't ever the best, the fastest, the bravest. Gods did he try to be but he wasn't, and he let people down all the time.

He frowned for a second before he gave a small shrug. "It's good. I mean, I did my part and so did you. You weren't meant to be there really what else could any of us have done." Nyx left the blade for now and walked with carefully chosen steps in long strides back over to the slouching prince.

King, Nyx reminded himself, Noct would be the King now.

He stood in front of the older man who should have been younger than him; a boy he had watched from the age of eleven or twelve grow into a slightly spoiled brat but a good guy nonetheless. Now here he was, a man, a king, and Nyx couldn't help a small but very genuine smile. "I'm glad you made it out, kid."

A lot.. Noctis kept his thought quiet. His eyes were heavy but he kept them on Nyx through this greeting, a reunion more appropriately. Nyx was right, however, he did his part. Finally. Noctis gave Nyx a small nod and he looked back to the creature that glistened with oozing goo and liquid that drained from its fatal wound. Noctis may have made it out of the city that night but it was only a matter of time until he returned to it forever.

His friends, his friends.. Noctis' brows drew together with a heavy frown to his lips. Did they know what they were waiting for in the ten years Noctis was away? Did they know they were eventually going to end up returning to the Crown City to lay down their final defense?

Noctis drew in a breath and held it before he exhaled and lifted his eyes once again to Nyx. "Come, lets hurry.. to some place safer.."

There was time enough later to find out some details about what he had missed after his final sunrise. Nyx nodded and lightly patted Noctis on the arm before he turned and walked back to the gooey mess. Nyx was less tentative this time, he made his way back through and kicked around the mess until he felt the metal with his boot. It was elbow deep down in the goop and he had a grimace on his face as he reached down in to grab it.

After that, he hurried back to Noctis with that grimace still in place. "I'll be better once I get into a nice hot shower," he said, wondering if he had said it already but it was truer more now than even a minute ago.

"Alright. Let's get while the getting's good." Nyx broke into a jog alongside the king and he was quiet for a few blocks before he glanced over at the other. "So are you King now?"

Noctis glanced to his side, the question heavy in his heart. He looked ahead and his brow furrowed with a squint to his eyes as he looked ahead. It was a strange question to hear, Noctis was King after his father Regis. That was the way of it and Nyx would know it, however, having left the morning before the attack he wasn't there to take his place. Again, Nyx and all of Lucis was abandoned (though unknowingly at the time) by Noctis. He had been so angry with his father when he had found out. More so than anything, he was heartbroken.

"Yeah, I set things right.. in the end." Yet, who would be king after he's gone--he didn't know. If it was true that he would be a part of the Kings of Old to assess and judge who amongst the people were worthy of the crown, of the Lucian power, he wouldn't know it now. Now that he was here in Hadriel.

Though, maybe people could rule their own lives and prosperity would bleed between nations rather than hate and war. It had been thirty years of the wall being up and those outside the wall lived a very different life than the citizens of Insomnia. Though, they were still a part of the nation, they were at a disadvantage. Something Noct did not realize before his journey with his friends.

Nyx wasn't so obtuse that he couldn't tell something was amiss. If Noctis had set things right it was reason to be happy, to celebrate, brag even (Noct had never been a braggart though, Nyx recalled). Instead the news of victory was delivered with such reservation that it had Nyx wondered just how it had all gone down and what more hardships the kid had to endure before then. Losing his father, his city, wasn't that enough? Nyx cursed the Empire in his mind, jaw sit hard before he tried to lighten the mood.

"I knew it, I knew you'd do whatever it was King Regis meant for you to do. I didn't know what was going on, but you and Lunafreya, I always had faith in you two."

Nyx accompanied this with a kind smile and walked closer, patting Noctis on the back even though that really wasn't appropriate manners for a commoner to have with his King but— the lines were blurred now. Noctis hadn't been his king, hadn't ruled his Insomnia, and this wasn't Insomnia anyway. Hopefully Noct would cut Nyx some slack and not give him that you lil shit glare Regis had been so good at.

Noctis gave Nyx another glance. This one was quick to move into avoidance as he considered Nyx's resolve. Although, putting faith in his father's divine plans was not done in vain, even if it took Noctis a good while to figure it out, Nyx wasn't wrong to trust in King Regis. In a way, his friends gave him that same trust even when Noctis didn't warrant it. Or so he thought. Every step of the way, those three stood by him without wavering. Lunafreya as well, for what she did in rousing the gods. For what trust they still had in the Oracle, she instilled trust enough in them to challenge his worthiness; so to say.

Some would not be persuaded.

Perhaps he was vain in this brief thought, Noctis wouldn't ponder too long on that however, but he considered if the gods of Hadriel would see his worth in this world. If he could be entrusted to reign with their power, with their favor.

The touch was welcomed and brought him to think of his friends. Would he see them here as well?

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test drive meme #21

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