test drive meme # 38

[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 November 24th, and apps are open December 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: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC MOTHERFUCKER
[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.

Of course, a War Unicorn may not seem too lethal, but anyone who's seen Cabin in the Woods knows that they pack a powerful, uh, stab (cw for gore). War Unicorns are mighty beasts, larger than most horses and made of raw muscle. They might seem cute and cuddly in concept, but they're trained to use their horns to blind their opponents before trampling over them with their ironclad hooves and their two thousand pound bulk.

Want to try to bring one down? It's harder than it looks, thanks to their natural magic resistance- many offensive abilities and spells simply don't work on them, and you might piss them off if you try, so be careful...]

C O N F U S I O N

SCENARIO TWO: REMEMBER ME
[It may have just been a brush against the shoulder, a quick handshake, a simple hug- but at the first touch of skin on skin, suddenly you see the other person's memories. This can range anywhere from a recent moment to something traumatic from their past and can be done willingly, if you like.

Of course, once you realize what's going on, you might want to bundle up and avoid contact with everyone- though you might look a little strange, so don't be surprised if someone asks you what you're doing!

This is a mini version of our Memories Past event this month.]

T R A N Q U I L I T Y

SCENARIO THREE: PASS THE TURKEY
[It's that special time of year again, where you get to hang out with people you only kinda sorta know and catch up with every other month or so and pretend that you're all really close for the sake of food.

Because of course, there's a splendid feast waiting for you- juicy turkey and warm stuffing and your very favorite potato dish! The only downside is that you have to spend your evening with these losers, but we're sure you'll find something to talk about!

Well- maybe not religion, relationships, or politics. How 'bout that weather we're having?]

Comments

Scenario 3! Come poke at this over the top dumbass

[often_impaled]

[Dante isn't particularly happy about being pulled into a strange world against his will, but he's not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. If the food is poisoned he'll regenerate from the internal issues quickly, if they even affect him at all, so he's happily loading his plate up with all sorts of goodies despite the potential risk. And those goodies quickly get loaded up with more gravy than any one person ever really needs.

It's been ages since he had a meal like this. The last one he remembers was when his mom was still alive. It's wonderful, and miserable all at once, a moment full of bittersweet memories and nostalgia. Which he hates. So he pushes the thoughts from his head, and grabs another piece of the bird to enjoy instead of being miserable.

Dante always eats his feelings, although it's usually pizza that's the fuel of choice.

He sits down at the table with his loaded plate, and sets his feet up on it with a rough thud. The boots land hard, knocking his glass from the table into his hand. And he reaches the glass out and manages to catch the liquid back in it without a drop spilling. The silverware rose up at the impact as well, and he catches them with the plate in his other hand. They land perfectly into the mashed potatoes and stuffing without a bit of extra effort.

That's just how Dante does things.

Even on turkey day he's s-s-s-stylish.]

Re: Scenario 3! Come poke at this over the top dumbass

[knifecollecting]

[Jo is at the table too. She isn't going to turn down free food, though she might have more potatoes than someone her size might need.

When Dante kicks his feet up on the table she gives him a look over the table.]

Really?

[often_impaled]

Really. If there's free food, I'm going for it. [He stretches out, feet still firmly planted, chair leaning back onto two legs as he settles in.] This isn't my kinda party, but it's a hell of a lot better than the last one I was at.

[knifecollecting]

The food isn't what I was talking about. [Her plate is pretty full too. She's learned better.]

Your boots are filthy.

[often_impaled]

C'mon, they're not that bad.

[He looks down, and there is literally a hunk of demon flesh hanging off of a part of the heel.] Or they are. [He swings his legs back over and off of the table. You can't say he's not a barely-gentleman. Maybe.] Guess I still have some Leviathan guts on them.

[knifecollecting]

[That's a little better. Jo finally moves her hands away from where she'd been shielding her plate, just in case.]

Those weren't here, were they?

[sallyfaced]

[Sal is having somewhat similar feelings of sad nostalgia sitting at the table. He can't remember very many Thanksgivings with his mother since he was young when she died, but the one he does remember he holds on to dear. He doesn't try to push these feelings back, though, and instead embraces them. It's healthy! Sad, but healthy.

Anyway, he's far too distracted by the display to think too much on that anymore. He had been eating a little...he doesn't have a big stomach, so occasionally he'd lift the bottom half of his mask, which was unclasped, and shove a fork under there to take a bite without removing the prosthetic. But right now his brows are raising from underneath his plastic face...stylish indeed.]

Damn, you just violated every law of physics in like, two seconds.

[often_impaled]

[Dante would raise his eyebrows at Sal if he wasn't so used to weird at this point. A random mask doesn't even faze him. And he looks over with a cocky sort of grin at Sal's comment, he's a bit arrogant but there's nothing malicious in his expression. He's just an excessive, bratty kid with a good heart, good food, and now fun company. Sal's not a pretty girl, but this could be way worse. At least the masked dude has a sense of humor.]

Rules are meant to be broken. [Dante shoves a mouthful of turkey into his mouth, chews, and swallows. Oh yeah, this is good. Not as good as his mom's cooking, but still really nice.] This is one hell of a prison, right? Captivity with Thanksgiving. They're really pulling out all the stops.

[sallyfaced]

[He can definitely understand the sentiment behind that. Though Sal might consider rules being changed rather than broken, but he's not going to get into that right now, so he simply gives a thoughtful nod to his head at that statement.]

You see it as a prison?

[He's more curious sounding than anything. His head is inclined a little and there's a questioning glint in his eyes. But he does add on;] I guess I don't blame anyone for feeling that way.

At least they don't make us wear orange.

[often_impaled]

Prison sounds a hell of a lot better than kidnapping. [He's here against his will, he's not sure what else to call it. It's not like he jumped in and went "Hey, it's a good day to dive through a random portal into a strange world with monsters and turkey". He just came, waking up in a place that makes less sense than the infernal realms.

Now that he thinks about it, it's like a crazy trip down the rabbit hole. But he's not going to bother long with that train of thought.]

I'd like to see them try to make me wear a jumpsuit. [If his lack of shirt if any indication, Dante doesn't go with most people's idea of fashion. Or safe outerwear for warm weather.] Who's in charge here anyway?

[sallyfaced]

[Sal's not exactly what one would consider a fashionable sort himself.]

Oh, shit. You're new. Sorry. Uh, there are these beings that call themselves gods? But I think there's just not a word for whatever they are that we can understand. That's what they say, anyway.

[Sal's not going to be so naive as to think that their word should be taken 100%. But, he sort of believes it. If they thought they were actual gods, well, they don't act like them? Whatever that means, honestly...]

Anyway, one of them brought us here, Fear I think. Not sure if "in charge" really fits. They keep us alive and we keep them energized. It's like, symbiotic, you know?

[callada]

[Okay, when Rosinante had posed that the Door seems to like Law in particular due to his close work with Sorrow, he hadn't quite expected that it might mean this would happen. Again. Or perhaps he hadn't left yet at all. Maybe timelines don't quite work the way one expects to after death.

Hard to say, it's not like he has anyone else he can ask about it.

Just as before, he's hungry and yet the offerings this time are a little different. Before him sits a plate loaded up mostly with roast vegetables and sweet potato, but a slice of turkey on the side is a welcome treat. The plate looks ridiculously small in front of him, though, as does the silverware in his hands, and he's sitting slightly hunched at the too-small table.

He's got his mouth around half of a crisped and olive oil-coated brussel sprout when that whole spectacle happens, but he pauses, raising an eyebrow as he lowers the fork with its speared veggie from his mouth, casually looming over the table to look the newcomer over.]

Practicing your circus act?

[often_impaled]

Oh yeah, totally. I'll make a great living. But you should join me. With that makeup? I think you're ready for your clown car. Seriously, you'll be a star.

[The snark is real, sorry Corazon Dante is a bratty teenager with a complex or two. He's about to just go on with his food, but he then raises an eyebrow at the brussel sprout. Why is anyone eating that crap when there are mashed potatoes with gravy? That's weirder to him than anything he's seen so far.

Turkey day is for real food. Not what rabbits eat.]

[callada]

[Ah, so he's come in with the makeup again. Truth be told, he hadn't checked. These so-called gods sure do have their sense of humor. Or maybe - more likely - they're just entirely oblivious.

It's fine. He doesn't even bat an eye at the suggestion, just pops the vegetable into his mouth as he had intended to do in the first place.]

Yeah? I've heard the clown life is a pretty exciting one. Performing every day, alternating between making children laugh and scaring them half to death. I'd probably be good at it.

[He's certainly good at deadpan. And at terrifying children. When you're built like him, you can throw a kid pretty far if you want them to get the hell away.]

[often_impaled]

[Dante is a little surprised by the deadpan, and not in an unpleasant sort of way. So the dude is weird looking, but the last clown looking bastard that bothered him was way more annoying. Corazon isn't exactly cherished company at this point, but Dante's not particularly itching to leave the table because of him either.]

Yeah, I can see that. You'd be a hit in the movies too. They wouldn't need special effects, just a little more face-paint and you'd have people screaming. [He's absolutely sincere. And that's probably not a good thing.]

cw for Nevan being Nevan

[getreadysugar]

Oh look... it's my favourite dish.

[That purring lilt is unmistakable, as is the pallor of the hand that slides its way over Dante's shoulder. Behind him stands a demon, leaning down to place her lips just beside his ear. None of the food here catches her interest, but this..? Dante is one of her top three preferred dishes.

Nevan is defanged here, to a point. She has no fear of death, or of death being permanent, but has no desire to see it visited upon her time and time again. So, she has been behaving... but how could she possibly turn an opportunity like this one down?]

Hey there, sugar.

Hell yes, best CW

[often_impaled]

[Well that's enough to get his plate abandoned, this is a mess to think about. Dante knows that he has Nevan as the Devil Arm safely tucked away to use whenever he wants to slay the devil hoards with slick style. Nothing says cool like a bat and lightning summoning badass guitar after all. And he wonders for a moment if this is just a weird trick. It's not like shape-shifting and illusions aren't demon things to do, it's totally a thing he's aware of. He's just not sure why they'd choose her, he adores her, but he knew her for what, 10 minutes or so of battle before she became his Devil Arm? If someone wanted to make him struggle or trick him, there are a lot of people on the list before her.

...Okay, maybe not a lot of people, but there's still a small queue.]

Well, isn't this sweet. Didn't think I'd be seeing you again like this.

[Dante leans his head back to get a look at her, and breathes in. God, that scent. She reeks of demonic femininity, and something like ozone. A lot of devils and demons smell pretty rank, but not Nevan. Everything about her is deadly and appealing. And he has not yet found a creature that can mimic scent with their transformation. It's usually one, or the other. And as far as he sees it, this really is Nevan.] I can't say I'm one for these kinda events, but it got a hell of a lot more interesting with you here.

[heroofdreams]

Hey, cool trick! Where'd you learn to do that?

[He sounds genuinely interested here, with a smile on his face. He can't say he sees tricks like that often; and he's been in SOLDIER. Or was. He's still not entirely sure if he's been dead or not and what the end result is of his escape from that place.

He'll stick to 'was' anyway. Even if this is some weird, lucid dream while he's trapped in mako, he'll be trying to get right back out of it again. And if he is alive, well then, he's got somebody he needs to go see.

Speaking of which.]

Hey, can you tell me where I am? Or maybe point me the direction of Midgar? Or even Gongaga!

Zaaaaaaack

[often_impaled]

No tricks, just talent. [He's got this obnoxious tendency to ignore the laws of gravity and reality in the name of cool. Which would probably be a lot cooler if he didn't actually have his demon blood tainted boots on the nice table linens, but hey. He's a teenager. He can get away with a little attitude.

This dude has his attention though. Midgar? Does he mean Midgard? Gongaga? He's never heard of that place. And he's been around a time or two.] You know, I think you're even more lost than I am. [He wonders if he's ever going to get home. It's a weak, whiny thought that pops up in the back of his head just to annoy him, and he does the mental equivalent of swatting it away like a fly. None of that fussy nonsense. Back to the talk at hand. Which is where they are.] As far as I know? Or as far as I've been told, at least... [Sorry, gonna have a bite of turkey, and then get back to things.] We're in a place called Hadriel. Crappy little city with crazy gods who run the show. And we're both a hell of a long way from home.

:D

[heroofdreams]

Oh, man. Does that mean you can't teach me, too? That'd be cool to show my friends!

'Hadriel'? [Zack gives a confused headtilt.] Man, I must be lost. I've never heard of it.

[Not that not recognizing any of his surroundings shouldn't have been his first clue.]

So, where are you from, then? And what about these 'Gods'?

[often_impaled]

I could try, but I might have to charge you. [It is cool, and Zack might be able to pick up on some of it. Dante might exude coolness, but Zack is no slouch himself. He's a little dorkier by some accounts, all those squats don't help on the cool factor, but he's still capable of impressing.

But then it's back to the less fun topic. Their imprisonment in one hell of a weird city.]

Like I said, a long way from home. Like, a whole world away. [Dante groans, and leans back a little more in the chair.] These so called gods? Probably demons. I think we're trapped in a prison realm or something.

[vocarrah]

[A feast! Three of his favorite things--food and drink and people. Ianchus is taking a long drink of wine, but he has to swallow painfully as the entire table is shaken, startling him. He pounds his chest as he turns to look at the newcomer curiously, and--ah, my, what a treat.

Once that delightful show is over, he claps politely, grinning.]

A feast and a performance. To whom do I owe the thanks?

I'm so sorry this kid is a loser

[often_impaled]

[With most people, Dante would instantly assume sarcasm. But somehow, he just doesn't get that from Ianchus. He just seems warm somehow, like he's honestly impressed. And that makes him pause, he doesn't quite know what to do with people who are nice, and polite, but who don't seem overtly stuffy.

What to do?] Can't go wrong with dinner and a show, right? [He makes a ridiculous gesture that mimics a bow. It's closer to a flourish than a bow honestly, but the intent shows even if it's dramatic.] The name's Dante.

He's perfect

[vocarrah]

Dante. [Ianchus repeats it with a similar gravitas in his voice.]

Ianchus Cepheos. A pleasure. [Ianchus raises his glass to him.] Lovely to meet someone with similar priorities here, quite honestly. [Ianchus doesn't put much thoughts to the Gods, but he's sure that if any of them would be creating this kind of feast it would be Love, the one he's had no trouble with.

And if it's a different one, one that's rolled something vile into the food...ah, well, then Ianchus will leave a pretty corpse, yes?]

[often_impaled]

Yeah? I guess if your priority is kicking ass, taking names, and enjoying a feast with style we're on the same team.

[Dante isn't sure what to think about Ianchus so far. He's got an easy way about him, a casual charisma that probably overrides any discomfort Dante would feel otherwise. He doesn't smell like a demon, he doesn't act like someone who's plotting against him, he just doesn't register as a threat. But Dante does think that he'd be creeped out by someone acting this way towards him if they weren't as attractive and warm as Ianchus.

Then again, in the last day he's been stabbed, shot in the head, and swallowed by a giant demon. He's not very experienced with pleasant company.]