dankmemes | Test Drive Meme #30

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!test drive

Test Drive Meme #30

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 March 25th, and apps are open April 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: CHOMP CHOMP
[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.

Or sticking out of that pipe, even. Yes, that's right, the Door seems to have brought in an infestation of piranha plants, which may be familiar to you, since they've been in nearly every Mario game.

Piranha plants are large orb-shaped plants with big ol' teeth, all the better for biting you with. They can't walk around, but their stalks can stretch pretty far, so they'll be perfectly happy to stretch out and bite the heck out of you if you get too close - and some of them are good at hiding. You might not see them until it's too late. Luckily, while the biting is pretty bad, it's just about all they can do. You'll be fine, as long as you keep your distance.]

SCENARIO TWO: THEY'RE COMING TO GET YOU
[You've got a scratchy throat, a little cough, a general feeling of awfulness. It sucks being sick, doesn't it? Maybe you can find someone to get you some juice, or hold your hand, or just be sympathetic to how crappy you feel. After all, no one likes being sick. But how can you know that person is actually trying to help you? They have an untrustworthy look in their eye, and you're pretty sure you just heard them mutter something about leaving your body in a ditch.

Or maybe you're the one trying to take care of a sick friend. You have only the best intentions, but they don't seem interested in cooperating at all. In fact, it seems like they think you're trying to hurt them! What the hell? And here you were trying to be a good person for once. Oh shit - did you just sneeze? This isn't going to end well.

This is a mini version of our Flu Season event this month.]

H O P E

SCENARIO THREE: FONDLY YOURS
[When you stepped out of the house this morning, you found a small bouquet of flowers on the doorstep, just waiting for you. They're just the sort you like - your favorite kind, in fact - so they must be meant for you. But who could they be from?

Of course, there must be someone you wish they were from. A lover, a long-term flirtation, your best friend thinking of you. Or maybe you're hoping for something else: an apology from someone who hurt you, or an olive branch from and enemy. Whoever you're hoping they're from, well - the only way to know is ask, right?

Unless you'd rather leave a secret bouquet for them, instead.]

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[A loud, resounding bang rang out around the area, one that Vex would instantly be able to identify. Percy is still bound and determined to save as many bullets as he can, but- ...this is Vex'ahlia. If he's going to use Animus for anything, it's going to be to save her. Not that she seems to need much saving now, and more often than not she's saving other people herself rather than needing to be saved, but the mere thought of Vex being in trouble is enough to jolt him into a surge of action and break out the big guns, even if he's not breaking out the actual big gun.]

[The shot is true and the plant dies with little effort, falling limply out of its nook to dangle on its stalk as he walks quickly up the street in her direction, holstering Animus and drawing his sword again as he moves.] Vex? Are you all right?

[Gunshots could mean anything. She knows that he's not the only one who has them, but she hopes, she prays that it's him.

Sure enough, the shock of white hair, the blue of his coat is so identifiable among the darkness that she rushes forward, forgetting all decorum, forgetting that they're somewhere neither of them know, among monsters and things that they can't identify. Her hands go to his face, pulling it down so that her lips meet his. It's a kiss of worry, a kiss of relief.

When she pulls back, she's smiling.] Percy! Darling, thank the heavens you're here!

[And when she pulls back, it'll be impossible for her to miss the look of blank shock on his face. It's an expression she's seen before, but never in this circumstance.]

[Because Vex just kissed him. And it's not as though she's never kissed him before, but all previous kisses had been somewhat... tongue-in-cheek. There'd been feeling in them, relief or thankfulness or friendship, but this was different to any of them, so different and so overwhelming that he can't help but respond in kind, if only for a moment. His free hand, which had already been reaching for her, curls around her shoulder in return and pulls her to him, and for a split second he can forget that this is a hopeless longing, that even if she shares his carefully-guarded feelings, she's a shining beacon and is far too good for someone as tainted as he is and kiss her in return... before it all comes crashing down again and reality reasserts itself. Because no matter what she might say (what she did say), this is still a terrible idea, and he refuses to let himself destroy her.]

Not... [Percy does have to pause for a moment before continuing, collect himself so he can actually articulate the words.] Not that that wasn't enjoyable, but what was that for?

[His expression throws her for a moment. It's not something she was fully expecting, especially from her husband of all people, so she's willing to chalk it up to being in a weird place and dealing with weird monsters.

She tries to laugh it off.] Don't be silly, darling. Why wouldn't I be glad to see you?

[Ahh, if only it were that simple.]

Well, yes, of course, I'm quite glad to see you, too, especially in one piece. I just... I wasn't expecting such an enthusiastic greeting.

[And he's standing too close to her; it will be so much harder to hold everything down while she's bare inches from him and he can see her eyes so clearly. Percy lets go of her shoulder to raise his hand to his mouth and clear his throat, taking a prudent step back and out of her embrace.]

But you are, aren't you? All right, I mean?

Of course I'm all right. [A beat, as she holds up her cloak.] Aside from my cloak, of course. Look at it! Completely ruined by... whatever that thing was.

[He steps away and she raises an eyebrow. He's not done that since- The thought fills her with a bit of momentary dread, and she pushes it aside. Surely that can't be the case.] Why wouldn't you expect such an enthusiastic greeting from your wife?

[If Vex was hoping for dawning clarity, it isn't going to come to pass. Percy is a little reassured at the start of the descent into their normal banter (flirting, a small part of his brain whispers to him), but her last word absolutely destroys any composure he was regaining. His mouth falls open in astonishment and he stares at her through his glasses, sword actually falling from his hand as his fingers lose tension and let it go. More than likely he doesn't even notice that he's lost it or the metallic clatter as it hits the ground.]

E-Excuse me? [That higher-pitched stammer should also be very familiar to her, and it makes it obvious that he's not playing some sort of cruel joke on her (he'd sooner cut off his own hand, but it could possibly be considered an option).] You- I- what?

[Percy's so bewildered by that statement that he is completely incapable of noticing anything but Vex - including that piranha plant that's lunging to strike from an alcove behind-left of him.]

[She doesn't want to even think this is happening. It was bad enough when they came back from the Feywild the first time and the wayward magics made him forget he had titled her. This was - this was more than a year's worth of 'I love you's' and whispers to each other in the middle of the night when it was naught but them under the open sky.

The solemn vow that they made to each other, under the Sun Tree. Holding his hand, whispering to him that she would love him til his dying days.

She could feel the tears start at the corners of her eyes, her heart catching in her throat. This can't be happening-

Her thought is interrupted with the flash of red and green from behind him, and she all but hipchecks him out of the way, at the same time she readies Fenthras and an arrow, shooting with near superhuman accuracy a bramble shot. The arrow sails through the air quickly, the thorny vines shooting out at the last second, wrapping around the monstrous plant as it hits, squeezing the life out of it. She draws another arrow quickly, the tip following her eyes as she looks around for any more threats.

When she's satisfied that there aren't, she lowers her bow.]

We- [She turns away from him to wipe at her eyes. She doesn't want him seeing her cry.] We should find somewhere else to talk.

[With how close they are, it's impossible for to not see that Vex's heart is breaking at his words, and the shock and confusion on his own face starts to melt into a naked despondency at the realization that, meaning to or not, he's just hurt her very deeply. It's the same expression he was wearing after she'd been revived in the buried temple, only back then he was able to hide more behind the other concerned party members and deal with his shame on his own. Now it's just the two of them and he's hurt her, and he can't do anything to fix it.] Vex-

[But whatever moment was building is completely scattered as she rushes past him, knocking him aside with no warning. Percy stumbles out of the way as the arrow flies, tripping over the sword and barely keeping his feet, but the small interruption means he has no real chance to say anything before she's retreating from him, back behind her walls. He can't call her out from there - it's not his privilege to be able to do that.]

Ah- I think I saw a gate in that direction. [His own voice is quieter than normal, but fuck, he's done it again. He apparently can't stop hurting her.] Presumably it leads... at least somewhere not here.

[Curse her for getting her hopes up, for even thinking that something so good as what they had could last. Is she being punished, for daring to want something money couldn't buy? It was something she wanted more than anything in the world - to be loved - and of course this would be the first thing stripped from her.

She takes a slow breath to even out her breathing. Shove up the wall, don't let him see how hurt you are, Vex'ahlia. You can do this.

She glances in the direction he indicates, then nods, stepping forward to pick up the sword he dropped, placing it in his hand.] Let's get going then. We don't know how many of these plants there are.

[There's so much he wants to say, but there's no time to say it. Or maybe it's that this isn't the right time to say it. Percy is well aware of how Vex handles disappointment and trauma after having known her for years - some of her coping mechanisms are very similar or even identical to his own, after all. Putting on a collected face, diving back into work that needs doing-]

[Yeah, he can't say he's never done that before.]

I'll follow you. [It's a common position for him, right behind her, watching their backs as she watches the front, but those words feel like they mean something now they didn't before. His brain is still completely rattled from what she said, what he knows he doesn't deserve, but... if this isn't some sort of joke her brother concocted...] You're much more observant than me, after all.

[There's a moment where she wants to say something, to do something, but decides against it, instead turning on the heel of her boot and starting off in the direction he indicated before. Whatever this gate looked like - she hadn't seen one yet, so she wasn't sure - hopefully it'll take them back to the prime material plane and back home, to where things made a bit more sense.

If destroying would-be gods made any sense.

She continues to not say anything for the first few minutes, trying to keep silent. She's angry at this whole situation she's landed herself in, angry at Percy for not remembering, angry at herself for being such a fool.]

What's the gate look like again?

[Percy pauses just long enough to retrieve the missing piece of her cloak from the plant he killed before he turns to follow her again. Maybe he'll be able to fix it; he does have the little sewing kit in his tinkerer's tools, after all. There's absolutely no way he can make it look like one solid piece again, but putting it back together is at least something he can handle, if she wants him to. Stuffing the scrap of cloth in one of the pockets of his own coat, he takes off after her, sword still at the ready.]

[Sticking closer to the middle of the open areas means there's much less opportunity for attack as they make their way through the confusion, but he's still on guard for another problem to arise.] My apologies - I didn't see it clearly. I thought maybe I could find the rest of our people and then I heard-

[He clamps his mouth shut on the last words.]

[She's almost about to ask him to keep up when she hears his footsteps catch up to her, falling in line just a few steps back. It's just like before, having him at her back, a comfortable feeling that makes sense to her. It's a tried and true system that hasn't failed them.]

No matter, we'll find it. It shouldn't be hard to see magic like that. [He goes silent on her then, and her curiosity wins out over her mind telling her no.] Heard what?

...I heard your scream, so I came to find you.

[After all, it's not like he hasn't always tried to protect her. It's not like he hasn't injured himself and gone without sleep trying to help her, or make things for her, or apologize to her. As cliché as it sounds, running to her rescue is just something he does at this point, at least if she needs it. But Percy's well aware that with That Word spoken, his habits look more and more significant.]

[(And it's not like the assumption is wrong, to be fair.)]

But the gate didn't look magical - it just looked like a gate from the little I saw.

[She almost wanted to find a lie in that, something to confront him about, but his tone is truthful in her ears and she nods. When she speaks next her tone is quiet.] Thank you for that, by the way.

[She doesn't want to overthink things - he could have just come because they're friends, nothing more. Teammates.] Gate as in wooden or metal? Well that's not exciting.

I truly doubt you needed it. [Yes, he's seen her at some of her absolute lowest points, he's come to her rescue before, but these plants aren't any sort of challenge for people of their skillsets. It's one of those things that he knows very well, but when he's shocked and worried for her it's very easy to forget.] You're able to handle yourself very well - far better than me, if we're being honest.

[Percy clears his throat, reminding himself to not say things like that, not try to deceive her into ...well, anything, really, and tries to go back to his normal business-like tone.] Considering we woke up somewhere we still have no idea how we got to, I'm not sure if "boring" is better or worse, but it could be a way out. Turn right up ahead.

Nonsense. Don't say that about yourself. [If it's one thing she won't stand, it's him putting himself down. She cares too much about him to let him do something like that.

As she gets to the corner, she slides up to it, nocking an arrow. She holds up a hand to be quiet, to be careful, listening for anything that could betray their enemies' movement. When she's sure, she turns the corner, leveling the arrow out in front of her just in case. No movement, yet, so she lowers her bow for now.] We're good.

[He's not going to try a rebuttal against her order - it's futile and he knows it. Moreover, he's learned to keep personal feelings inside himself, especially the ones he has about his shortcomings as a person, and he has learned that his friends and new family mostly don't agree with them and are inclined to argue with him whenever he voices any of them. This isn't the time to get into a fight over how terrible a person he is, not after he's just broken her heart in a way that doesn't make sense to him.]

[As Vex takes the corner, Percy hangs back, watching behind them. It's a good thing, too, as he catches the barest hint of another plant out of the corner of his eye just before it lunges. That glimpse gives him enough time to prepare, swinging the sword up to bar any more vegetation chewing by slicing a chunk off it and making it retreat.] We'll be getting more not good if we stay here - let's go.

[She should have heard it, should have been paying more attention, but she's so far into her head that he caught it before sh did.

Get your head together, Vex'ahlia. You don't have time to do this.

She rounds the corner fully now, heading down that street. She's more aware this time, fully committed to surveying her surroundings. But it's quiet. Too quiet for her liking, so she keeps her voice low as she talks to him.] What exactly do you remember then?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Test Drive Meme #30

hello dear

hello darling.

So glad you're willing to join in this little romp

I couldn't resist.

And I love you for it

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sorry this is late!!