test drive meme #11

[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 July 25th, and apps are open August 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: WORKING TITLE
[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 lurking in the shadows, waiting for the perfect chance to swarm around you and chow down. This time, the Door has brought in a few Working Joes, from the Alien: Isolation video game series.

Once simply androids meant for mundane jobs, working Joes have had their programming altered to isolate and eliminate threats onboard their ship- which they now believe to be Hadriel. Super strong, yet slow and plodding, an android may ask you for identification before throttling you when you don't have the right answer. They are quite sturdy and difficult to destroy without the right tools. Have fun!]


H O P E

SCENARIO TWO: BEAUTIFICATION DUTY
[The city has always looked a little drab, but now with some tools from Hope, it's up to you guys to spruce it up a bit! Your character will find themselves in a shop filled with various paints, home improvement tools, window stickers, streamers, and various other items and tools used to improve the appearance of the neighborhood.

You're encouraged to add your own little flair to the project in order to improve living standards and make Hope the happiest god in the pantheon. So, what will you do? Paint a mural? Sweep up some rubble? Install a skylight! The cave is your oyster.

This is a mini version of our Extinction v2 event this month!]


S O R R O W

SCENARIO THREE: CRY ME A RIVER
[When you wake up in the morning, something feels... off. It feels like you just watched 20 ASPCA commercials in a row and then topped it all off with the first ten minutes of Up. You're beaten down, depressed, upset by all the horrific acts and trauma in the world, and it's enough to make you want to cry.

Turn on the waterworks, because Hadriel is about to have a shortage of tissues and everyone's getting dehydrated. You might run into your neighbor crying while you're scavenging for food, or you might just find that one whole asshole in the entire movie who isn't affected.

Either way, it's time to get some hugs, some kleenex, and maybe a little bit of chocolate. Happy... crying?]

Comments

[hearthebell]

L is usually pretty swift at drawing a reliable bead on someone's temperament, intelligence, and potential to be of assistance to him. So far, Rin's not scoring high in any of these categories, but tenaciousness is one he's managing to pull down top marks. It just figures; usually, the types that L would prefer to shake as quickly as possible are the ones that hang on like barnacles.

"What do you think we could accomplish together, that we couldn't alone?"

That I couldn't, alone.

[heartintheflames]

"Well, lots! I mean, working in groups is important, and safer, and..." He mutters quietly to himself under his breath as he tries to recall what he should have learned in exorcism class. "Uhh... Well, I can at least protect you from any other demons!"

He gives another grin. Besides, the poor kid was alone most of his life. He doesn't like being without his newfound friends. He's as good as his word that he'll protect you, though. He just likes sticking his neck out for the underdog, bonus points that he'll probably heal and you.... probably won't.

Of course, he can't make you stay, just encourage you to trust him.

"Come on, I totally have your back!"

[hearthebell]

"Demons?"

The turn of phrase wouldn't have caught his notice if Rin had used something a little less specific, like enemies or creatures or even monsters. The Working Joe had been a machine, but any of those could have applied to it. Demon, though, seems strange.

Strange and safe is invariably better than familiar and dangerous. For now, L will accept this alliance, because Rin seems incapable of being anything but sincere. That much, at least, is apparent to the detective.

"What do you mean, 'other' demons?"

[heartintheflames]

"Uhh, well..." Where he's from, demons are the norm, him included. Including possession of inanimate objects. "Well, y'know, they're like... scary things of all kinds. Some are pretty harmless, others are bad."

Maybe this guy hasn't gotten his tempt-taint yet and thinks Rin is just crazy. Must be nice to be normal. Rin scratches his head as he tries not to come off crazy.

"Uhh... just think like the monsters in the closet and stuff." That's the best thing he knows to compare it to. Sorry, man.

[hearthebell]

L gives him a plaintive and impatient stare. He dislikes it when others are hesitant in their answer, especially when it seems apparent that they're trying to figure out the best way to explain something, and not necessarily the most honest or accurate. It feels like being accommodated.

"I know what demons are," he nearly snaps. "I asked what you meant by 'other' demons. What we just saw was some kind of machine. Hardly a 'monster in a closet.'"

[heartintheflames]

"Hey, man, chill. I didn't know you could see them. I didn't mean anything by it." Rin frowns and looks around them. "I'm just saying it was probably possessed or something." Or something... Rin only knows maybe half of what he's talking about, here.

"Other demons just live anywhere. Y'never know what you'll run into." Not that he's seen anything other than the robot here, yet. And he won't mention the fact that he's kind of a demon magnet.

[hearthebell]

L quirks a brow. Didn't know he could see what? If Rin is talking about the thing that was strangling him, he could most definitely see it. But again, he doesn't think it was a demon, or anything that would count as such in his world.

Not that that seems to make too much of a difference, here, what was normal or usual or expected in the world that L is from. On the bright side, it's likely that that also applies to Rin and wherever he's from.

"The way things work here are not necessarily the way they worked where we are from. I think that's relatively obvious by this point," L points out levelly. "If it was a machine, and I believe it was, we don't have technology quite that coordinated or advanced."

[heartintheflames]

"Where we're from?" Rin's expression drops to one of cluelessness. What's this guy talking about? "Come to think of it... Yea, I guess this place looks... a little different. Huh..."

A machine, huh? This feels even more like a manga... Unfortunately, most of this is going over Rin's head and he's quickly becoming more confused than anything else. He looks back at L.

"So are you an Exorcist, then? I've never seen you around the Academy. Although.... I guess it's pretty big and you might..." He glances over L again, as if trying to determine something. "Have graduated already? Maybe you're a dropout?"

I mean, c'mon, look at that shaggy appearance.

[hearthebell]

To L, it's obvious that they're not in their versions of Kansas anymore. Hadriel is unlike anything he's seen, and though his mind is working to make sense of it as an elaborate prank, he knows that he was never in a position to be duped like that. There's also the small matter of his death at the hands of a Shinigami, which admittedly makes him far more willing to believe bizarre things.

He gives his head a slight shake, as though he's astonished by the ignorance of the person he's talking to. They aren't on the same wavelength, or even anywhere near it.

"An exorcist? I dont' know what you're talking about. That type of material is fiction, to the best of my knowledge."

[heartintheflames]

Excuse you?!

Rin's eyes widen in disbelief for a moment before he scowls a little.

"Hey! Don't talk about Exorcists like that! My old man was one! He was the highest ranking one: a Paladin! Don't you dare say they're fake!" Rin's tone is anything but level as he fights not to completely explode on this guy. Just who does he think he is?!

Rin's not exactly handsy, but it shows that he's ready to turn this into a physical fight if L says that Exorcists aren't real again.

"What do you know, anyway!? Huh?!"

Rin gets increasingly louder as he stares L down.

[hearthebell]

L's nonexistent eyebrows raise. He didn't mean it as an insult (and for him, that's actually somewhat significant). Just a bit of skepticism, but now, of course, this is a reaction he can't just ignore or brush off. Anger, regardless of context, is usually interesting, especially when it seems like it could lead to something physical.

"You clearly feel very strongly about this. I can't say the same, but it's clear that you believe every word of what you're saying."

[heartintheflames]

Rin's scowl doesn't let up as he glares at L. Something about the way he said what he said bothers him. It definitely wasn't an apology.

"Of course I believe what I'm saying. It's the truth." Rin is gritting his teeth, trying not to yell. "It's like saying you don't exist. You can't pretend something isn't there when it's right in front of you."

Of course, by right in front of you, Rin means himself. Even though he's only in training.

[hearthebell]

L watches him with the cool indifference of someone who knows that he's not talking to someone even vaguely capable of being right, but is beyond argument out of sheer conviction.

"You can only trust your senses, but in truth, if you're concerned with that, I don't suppose that any of use can actually prove that we do exist."

[heartintheflames]

"What do you mean you can't prove we exist? We're breathing right here! It's not like we're dead!"

Rin just gives him a look of 'how stupid are you?' He knows his own intelligence is pretty low and he's pretty stupid. But existing is obvious to him. Just like ice melts and it becomes water. It's just pure fact.

And trying to think beyond that will just make his head hurt.

[hearthebell]

L quirks a brow.

"We're breathing, but we might very well be dead. Depending on what you remember; what I remember definitely suggests it."

The look he gives back is calculating and unconcerned. If people think he's stupid, it typically says more about their intelligence than it does about his, after all.

[heartintheflames]

"Pfft, there's no way I'm dead. I've still got to kick Satan's ass!" Rin says, as if there's no way to trump that logic. Just who does L think he is, anyway?

"And if I'm alive and you're standing right here beside me, then you must be alive, too. You're nothing like the ghosts I've seen."

Ghosts that are problematic and bratty and get to do things that he restrains himself from doing.

[hearthebell]

It sounds more than lofty or ambitious; it sounds insane, the ramblings of someone too religious to be bound by common sense. L can only stare for a moment.

"And what are they like? Who's to say that I'm not as unique a ghost as I was a human?" he challenges languidly.