Test Drive Meme #7

[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 March 25th, and apps are open April 1st.

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: HOW UNUSUAL
[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.

Watch out as you explore the streets of Hadriel, because you're not alone, and there's always something on the rooftops watching and waiting for the perfect opportunity to separate you from your group and tear you into pieces. This time, the Door has brought in a few Rodents Of Unusual Size, from the film/book Princess Bride.

These large creatures are about the size of a large dog and can be stoked into a frenzy once they smell blood. They typically hide in the shadows and wait for an opportune moment to leap out of the dark and strike at you. Though they can sometimes look like overlarge puppets, take no doubt that these monsters are very much alive, and they love the taste of flesh.]

H O P E
SCENARIO TWO: MIRROR, MIRROR
[While exploring, you might be surprised to come across a pristine mirror in this underground city. It could be lying in your path, it could have been dropped into your bag by a mysterious someone, or it could find you some other way, but it will be there. This is no ordinary mirror, however- upon looking inside of it, the glass will show you a vision of a future that you hope for more than anything.

Regardless of what you want, the mirror shows visions that you believe are possible so that you can adequately hope for it- whether or not they actually are isn't really anyone's concern. Feel free to hide in a corner and stare for hours, throw it away, or try to peek at as many other mirrors as you want- we won't stop you!

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


R A G E

SCENARIO THREE: PAY 2 WIN
[How cool are carnival booths? Super cool, right? And luckily, the grand prize in this one is something you've always wanted. It could be a briefcase of enough money to make all your troubles go away, that sacred amulet you've been questing after, or something a little less concrete- the approval of someone you want to like you, a curse upon someone you don't like, general freedom... the choices are endless.

And all you have to do to win it is play a game or two.

Something strange seems to be happening, though. Each time you finish a round of the game, the prize requirements just get a little higher, just stretch a little more out of reach. Play again, we're sure you'll get it this time! No? Well, you've definitely got it next time.

Get fed up and smash the booth for the prize? Well buddy, now you're disqualified, and tampering with the booth sets that thing you want most up in flames. Sorry, bud. Better luck next time! And look, there's another booth right behind you...]

Comments

[bluffed]

[ Do ya thing, bro. No one will judge you for sitting this one out.

Well, Fiona will once she realizes he could have prevented this disaster. Unfortunately for Rhys, one foot hangs low as she straddles the wall, one foot crazing against the side of Rhys' head. That's what you get for talking shit, tbh. Fate kept it so Fiona's attention doesn't dare draw over the fence to see what a sweet reunion it would hide... but instead, more important matters.

She's keeping her eyes on one side of the wall, the scurring rabies carriers approaching quickly and nearly trampling over her hat. ]

Trust me, it's a shitty hiding spot! There's about five of these things on the opposite side and I think they can climb!

[ She's chewing her lip, momentarily debating. Even with them approaching so quickly...

>Hat
>Safety
>Hat
>Safety

God damn it.

She'll keep debating that but in the meantime, she's going to peek over to the side Rhys is lurking at and... holy shit, the expression she makes when she sees a familiar face. Why do they keep getting connected back together?! ]

Rhys?

[hybridification]

[Okay, firstly: that boot on his head is unhygienic, and he's annoyed about it. Secondly (and, admittedly, maybe a little more importantly): Rhys recognizes that voice.

About the same time that Fiona calls his name, Rhys draws the connection, and he takes a step back to look up at her straddling the wall, blinking in surprise. Given that her foot was just mussing up his hair a moment ago, one would think that he'd be a little more annoyed, but right now he's- well, this is actually a kind of cool moment.

Or, it would be, if there weren't a pack of rats on her heels.

Important things first, though-]

Oh- hey. [He looks her up and down for a moment before his brows furrow a little in something that could probably be considered concern.] -where's your hat?

[bluffed]

[ She'd have been more gentle if she had a little more time to settle on her mounted state. This wall was... pretty uncomfortable. Guys weren't the only ones with *that* problem, ugh. Keeping her balance, she's trying not to tumble on either side. Fall to Rhys and her hat is lost, fall to the hat and at least she'd die with what she loves. But, rats. ]

Where do you think?

[ She nudges her head back in the direction to indicate. One rat takes a giant leap and Fiona will crack a harsh kick of her boot to the side of its beady little head to keep it at bay. ]

Do you have a weapon or something? They're trying to climb and - well, yeah, hat is pretty important. We can do the reunion thing later!

[hybridification]

Um- no? Why do you think I'm hiding?

[If you want to get technical about it, he does have Dumpy, allegedly somewhere in his hammerspace inventory, but Dumpy is sad and fragile and screams at things until they go away, which Rhys is willing to bet is not a trait that will really scare off the rats.

Still, Fiona is right. Reunions can probably wait until later, when there aren't rats trying to eat Fiona (and, by proxy, Rhys) and they're in a nice, enclosed space with very limited opportunities for being murdered.]

We can come back for your hat- right now would be a good time for running, come on!

[Rhys, who has never been emotionally attached to anything in his life as much as Fiona is attached to her hat, Does Not Get It. Sorry, Fi.]

[bluffed]

[ Ugh, she should have known. He would have been flailing around with his little stun rod against these jerks. Fiona's still longingly staring over the wall to her hat. It was trampled every so often and it was like a rip in her heart. But... she's going to still try and convince him.

Like, really sell this idea.

Kinda like a vault key. ]

Look, you can hold onto my legs and I can just - I can reach it. And then we'll get the hell out of dodge!

[hybridification]

Are you crazy?

[That is the absolute dumbest idea he has ever heard of.

But Fiona is kind of selling it.

Because like, he knows that she doesn't want to leave without her hat and she'll probably be really mopey if it was destroyed and theoretically, it's Fiona who is going down into the fray for it and not Rhys. Fiona could get jumped by the rats first, and if she does, then Rhys is welcome to drop her, leave her to it, and book it while the rats are eating her.

Not that he wants that to happen. But Rhys comes to the important realization that this plan puts Fiona in a lot more danger than it puts him. Which means that 1) she trusts him, 2) she'll owe him, and 3) she'll be happier to get it back.

So he relents, stepping a little closer and reaching for her legs.]

Okay, okay, fine. Be quick though, okay?

[bluffed]

Crazy times, Rhys. There are giant rats on the street in this weird.. not-Pandora world. Really gonna question what's crazy?

[ Okay, keep selling it, girl.

She's going to take the time to get comfortable - swinging her legs over so both boots were visible to Rhys. They hover over, within his grasp while her midsection sinks into the unforgiving concrete. Her torso hangs over the opposite end, daring the rats to work for their food if they so desperately needed. Their bulbous heads looked ill-matched for the scrawny body with bones pressing into skin. It was disgusting and this way, Fiona got a front row seat. ]

Okay, get my legs and I'll try and - uh.. sandwich myself, I guess?

[ There is a wood plank she could use to drag it closer... maybe...

Realistically, there was probably a low chance she can even get this hat, let's be real. ]

[hybridification]

I think suicide is crazy, no matter what world you're in- or the size of its rats.

[Rhys shoots back, because someone has to be the rational person in this working relationship, and if it's not going to be Fiona, then Rhys will pick up that mantle and definitely not immediately fuck it up.

But he does what she asks anyway, because, again, Fiona would definitely die first in this scenario. Rhys grabs at her ankles then, straightening up a little so he can get a better grip, his robotic arm wrapping firmly around one of her calves. Holding onto stuff is something that he's definitely good at- innuendo not intended, but he's got a strong grip.]

Just- hurry up, alright?

[Hopefully Fiona won't get her face chewed off. That would kind of sour this reunion.]

[bluffed]

I can do this - shit, no I can't. This is so stupid.

[ She mutters to herself as she feels Rhys firmly grip onto her leg. Suicide for a hat was unheard of, but Pandora saw crazier things. She's not going to judge. Not when her hat is on the line!

Fiona's fingers fiddle until she can grasp onto the wood plank nearby. It gives her an extra foot or two - allowing her to roughly scrape her hat against the ground. Nooooo the scuffs!! Fiona will mourn later. She kicks her legs a bit, scooting just - close - enough - anddddd...

GOT IT. Well, kind of. The hat was dangling on the end of the plank and it's up to her balance (and Rhys' grasp) to keep her steady. ]

G-Got it... just a little -

[ She has to correct herself as the weight on her stomach is relieved. A little. Thanks to some kinda sick upper strength she's almost completely planking the wall. Thank god no pics are taken. A bit of fumbling and she pulls the plank closer until - AHA. Hat!

And that's a rat completely taking a dive at her and making her fall back towards Rhys. Ontop of Rhys? Near Rhys? Something. ]

[hybridification]

[For what it's worth, Rhys holds on tight. He might not be particularly strong, but with Fiona's life in the balance, he's not going to be letting go any time soon- even if he is making stupid grunting noises with the effort of keeping her from falling.

But she has it, which is good. For the first time, Rhys thinks that this stupid plan may actually work, and he's not sure how to feel about that- they work well as a team, obviously, but this whole idea was ridiculous from start to finish. So... good? Mostly?

Also, there's still rats and they could still die at any moment. Rhys is about to ask Fiona how she's holding up when suddenly the weight that he's trying to hang on to goes the opposite way, and he barely has enough time to look up before Fiona is falling on him.

The two of them go down in a tangle of limbs and Rhys yells as the air is knocked out of him and he's sent sprawling. So you know, it ends like everything else they try to do.]

Woah- watch it! Ow!

[bluffed]

[ At least she was kind enough not to dig her elbows into him. She catches her wrist on his mechanical arm, using that as leverage to get to her knees. Fiona's finally off of him - kneeling down a bit to catch her breath and dust off her hat.

Man, if she had a nickle for every time she was thrown onto someone during a plan... she'd be rich. Unfortunately for her, that doesn't do much of anything here besides sore limbs and possible bruises. Sorry... she's all muscle, Rhys... ]

This is the shittiest vault ever.

[ Because ... that's all she equates this to. They're safe, somewhat, so that leaves them enough time to... actually talk? At least before they have to get on the run again. ]

Uh, but thanks.

[hybridification]

Vault?

[He spits it out as he heaves himself up in a sitting position- not really due to any vitriol about Vaults in general, but with the air having recently been knocked out of him, it's kind of the only tone he's got.

Rhys can't really blame her for thinking it's a Vault. He'd kind of thought so too, at first. If he remembers correctly, so had Lilith. The whole city kind of has a vault-shaped feeling to it, even if it's not quite true.]

Not a Vault. It's something a lot worse.

[Rhys slowly makes it to his feet, groaning a bit as he rubs at his bony ass, mentally berating it for not being, uh, hefty enough to shield his fragile bones from the fall.

Also, there are things still after them. Well, her, but now that she's with Rhys, it sort of makes it into a them, against his will.]

Do you have any guns?