dankmemes | test drive meme #11

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!test drive

test drive meme #11

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?]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

one.

[Of course he'd run into a situation like this. It's hardly a good sign to wake up in a place you don't recognize, but this really takes the cake. Zelos had planned on sneaking around quietly to figure things out, but he stands out like a sore thumb in his outfit, with this hair... It's only a matter of time before he's approached by one of those working Joes.]

[Apparently, working Joe doesn't like that attitude. He reaches out to strangle Zelos, and after some struggling, the swordsman finally jumps back far enough away to gain some space.]

[These things are stronger than usual, so he doesn't very much want to stick around. One attempted slash with his sword at the thing tells him that it's not going to work, but he gets struck by another one from the side. Two on one? Not fair. Help him out?]

two.

[The best way to cope with being stuck in a place like this is forced cheer, isn't it? At the very least, it should do nicely at distracting whoever he happens to run into. Whether your character is already helping or lingering off to the side uncertainly, Zelos shoves a paintbrush or some streamers into their hands and points them in the right direction.]

[...Oddly enough, though he's been passing everything out and yelling encouraging things, he hasn't done any work himself.]

[ Fighting androids, is it. Well, Machine is the one and only, top of the line battle android from where he's from. And to demolish and destroy other robots means nothing to him - they attacked first. And more than that, they lack sentience. They don't beg for their lives as he easily crushes them in his titanium hands, red eyes glowing and empty behind his glasses.

Usually, he only takes orders from one person, and that is the only time he will harm without remorse or concern. But when threatened, he will put down the threat - and ideally, stop it from becoming a threat to those who cannot fight like he can. Machine doesn't feel pain or fear and has endless endurance, by virtue of being inorganic, but those who these droids may go after... well. They may not be as blessed as he is.

With the air sparking around him, he discharges dangerously high voltage out of his arms and hands, frying and disabling as many of the other androids as possible. He only has two hands for crushing and tearing off metal limbs, after all. ]

( beautification )
[ kandara seems to live in the natural parts of hadriel - always found wandering in the park, or strolling through the orchard. these plants are nothing like the ones at home, but they are as close to familiar life as can be.

naturally, when the gods ask for the place to be made more beautiful, kandara turns to the wildlife and picks her way through weeds, conjures water and waters the plants. she studies the flowering fruit trees and ensures they live as beautifully as possible.

but - from time to time - she makes her way into the city, where she drops by on people cleaning and helps out, or asks to join in a party of painters. all with a smile and an air of joy.

this is much better than her entrance here. much more enjoyable. ]

( wildcard )
[ whatever you like!! ]

[[One]]

You really shouldn't be here.

[Tall. The rubbery face looms above, optics beaming from what could be described as a waxen pallor- possibly actual wax? Possibly actual wax- down at a child who is actually dead certain they really should be here. This is, after all, the street they've been cleaning. They have a broom to prove it.

So what else is there to do aside from stare blankly upwards as the- whatsit, leans over them even more? Aside from- maybe shrug, a little. It doesn't seem so bad-]

Unidentified species. A report has been logged to APOLLO.

[Up until it's eyes start glowing red.

Really doesn't seem like anyone is happy about this.]

[[Three.]]]

[They're not crying, it's just raining on their face.

Days like today are the types that Frisk would usually avoid outright. When you just curl up in your blankets a little tighter, wait for it to be over; but they didn't have that luxury in the Underground, and they certainly don't have that luxury here. Actually dragging themself from the cocoon of blankets they've divested into being their own is a little harder, but not impossible.

Scrubbing their face with cold water doesn't stop the tears any.

Nor does scrounging up something vaguely resembling breakfast.

Determination is as determination does, but just because they're walking out onto the streets, intent on doing more work ~~that really doesn't have any meaning or weight to it, who are they kidding? The only good thing about this is not being back there making even worse mistakes~~ Frisk has well and truly resigned themself to the fact that today is just Not Their Day, and tomorrow Isn't Looking Too Great, Either.

Still. Determination, ect ect.

whatever floats your boat man look at all the fucks they give]

[[Wildcard.]]

[Come at me scrublords I'm ripped.]

[Wildcard]

[When those spat out of the Door arrived, they observed chaos because of the monsters that followed. Indeed it had been very chaotic - for various reasons - when Chara arrived. There had been quite a bit to do, to see, to TALK and to kill. Very interesting. Very entertaining.

But luckily this is a calm moment. No monsters thus far to interrupt it, which is good because there was quite a bit to say when you run across someone you hadn't thought you'd see on a random street. A whole lot. And indeed, there were things Chara wanted to say.

They don't, however. Following behind them reminded Chara of the default so they go with that. May as well start at the beginning.]

It's you.

[If Sans had it in him to form a strongly-worded opinion on anything, he'd write Sorrow one or two strongly-worded letters about how much he's making everything suck for just about everybody. Who voted for this chump, anyway? Oh, right, anyone who wasn't Sans, because he didn't show up in time for the regular God Election 2K1X, or whatever people like to call it.

Skeletons can't cry. No tear ducts for it. Thank god, honestly. Granted, magic is as magic does, and they can emote plenty and shed a few cursory tears when the situation absolutely demands it, but rule of comedy would dictate that tears aren't necessary here and rule of drama...

Well, Sans doesn't spring for the rule of drama, not as a rule. That would require reaching, and he'd much rather pick the low-hanging fruit, so to speak. So his eyesockets are dry, but plenty of other people's aren't. He still feels like absolute garbage, but hey, that's pretty much just how things are on the regular. He'd like to say he's dulled to that. He's not, but he'll say he is for now, because there's an unmistakable shape walking down the street, and as much as he kind of wants to nip off in the opposite direction, he's not that selfish.

No, actually, he totally is. But he's been relieved, if nominally, to no longer have just the other kid here, and to have one he recognizes. Mostly, anyway. He's not sure he can ever really trust them. But now's not the time to think about that.

He ends up a step or two behind them. He's quiet when he wants to be.]

On days like these, kids like you...

[His smile softens, supraorbital ridges canting downward in a faint frown of something that could be construed as concern.]

...should be curled up in bed with a couple'a Nice Creams. Seriously, kiddo, what're you doing out here at a time like this?

[What does one do in situations such as this?

Perhaps, someone who wasn't ten years old and opting for acceptance over any systematic attempt to actually understand their current situation would have a better answer (you come understand well enough, when things repeat themselves so often), but Frisk is at least starting simple. Just a niggling question at the back of their mind, pressing but relatively small in comparison to the other oddities.

Should they just keep walking like this, or change positions? In front of them seems somewhat- preferential, like adding visual bias to passersby of the ranking in importance between them. They could walk behind Chara, instead; however, something says that's a bad idea.

They could walk side by side.

Inevitably, they just keep walking forward. If there's to be a shift in their dynamic, then better that they see rather than cause it.]

...It's me.

And you. [It's us. Two lovers standing on the edge of the cauldron to hell, but one of them never had the legs to stand on.]

[Magic is as magic does, and it includes the almost unerring ability to blindside small children Underground-wide. Hadriel-wide now, Frisk supposes; though in a side by side comparison, they suppose it's not too hard when there's only two children to blindside, here.

They're actually vaguely surprised to see him.]

...Clean up.

[Note the missing broom they've only just now realized they've left behind, Sans. Frisk's brow furrows in slight consternation, but in the grand scheme of things, forgetting it can't even begin to be the icing on the cake, so the notion of being more depressed gets discarded.

In fact, they'll- give another game attempt at mopping up their face on their sleeve, for his sake. In all today's peculiar moroseness, part of them says he really doesn't deserve to deal with this. Not from them.

...It really is a Terribly, No Good Day.]

Despite everything.

[It could apply to both of them: despite everything, Frisk was still Frisk and Chara...continued to be themselves. A locket and a knife, love and LOVE. But that completely depended on context and which road they walked. Mercy, Genocide or anything in-between. That was Chara's question, what was this Frisk's path? Color them curious. Ever since they arrived and spoke with Sans and gained the knowledge that anyone of them could come here, where would Frisk stand if they arrived?

...but that could probably wait. They were on Hadriel's path now. A completely new game.]

Greetings. Welcome to Hadriel.

Fear: Little old me?

Me? oh, just passing through, no need to worry about me~

[Cutesy voices and innocent looks apparently don't work on these robot guys though. Still, was worth a try. As hostile hands reach down towards her neck, Rukia leaps back, hands immediately on the sword at her side.]

I'm warning you, don't come any closer!

[The robot, of course, does not heed, and Rukia draws steel.]

Hope: aka get yourself drawn as a bunny
[There is paint, a request to improve the city, and Rukia is here to help. You can find her outside a small building, happily painting a mural on the wall, a stepladder next to her for the high bits (that is, higher than about five and a half feet).]

[It's actually rather cheery and nice, fields and sunshine and so forth. So who wants to tell her that her drawings, well. Leave something to be desired?]

Wildcard
[Something else? Got a great idea? HMU let's do this~]

[Could.

Probably does. Frisk's expression doesn't shift, but they both know those words aren't really a compliment. More important is what comes next.]

Hadriel.

[The game has changed. Frisk's steps slow, before stopping altogether.]

It's not the Underground.

[Way to state the obvious. This is why Chara's the narrator.]

[One: Working Title]

[These Working Joes are kind of creepy. The way they walk around and always seem like they have their eyes on him. But at least one of them punched through a really nasty-looking monster that was about to chomp his head off. Technology at its finest, he thinks.

Then one turns to Rashid, asking to see some kind of identification. Give him a moment as he fishes through his backpack.]

Oh, crap. I think I left it at... wherever I was before. Is it okay if I come back with it-

[And the being tries to take a swipe at him, barely missing thanks to some quick footwork.]

Hey, what was that about! Don't make me have to-

[Another swipe.]

Gah, fine. If that's the way it's gonna be...

[Rashid tries to rush the android and nails it in the head, only for the kick to be shrugged off like it was nothing. Not even a dent? Rude.

With a sore foot, he tries to bail, knowing that he has little chance against a robot. So much for the awesome technology.]

Hey, does anyone know how to take out these guys?!

[Two: Beautification Duty]

[Paint, tools, brushes... It looks like fun, but haha Rashid is so not an artistic guy. He's futzed around with paint apps on his phone but that's not quite like the real thing. Then there's the stickers and streamers to add to the mix.

He takes a little bit of everything and is off to paint. Or do some kind of art.

If anyone walks by, chances are he'll wave and offer a friendly greeting. And then he'll accidentally brush against the wet paint.]

Ahh... not again. If I keep doing that, my clothes will be the work of art.

[Wildcard!]

[Got something else in mind? Toss it my way!]

Edited 2016-07-21 23:41 (UTC)

[Aw, kid.

He didn't really mean to spook them, but his people skills are off today. Lots of things are off today. Because he feels like absolute trash.

Thanks, Sorrow. No really, take a bow. We appreciate what you do around here, we honestly do, thank you for your participation, now kindly buzz off.]

You, uh...tryin' to sweep someone off their feet here?

[See? Jokes. It all feels very rote, though. Such is life down here.]

[Chara stops just a little behind Frisk. Didn't it work better this way? A little voice saying things in the back of their mind, look there's a hole in the ground, didn't you know you can't scream during the Quiz Show and a lack of...anything when it came to Temmie.

And in their timeline, one thing: how many are left. That's all that mattered.]

It is not the Underground we know.

[If it wasn't apparent by the monsters that lacked the quirkiness and instead wanted to eat you. Or, in this flavor of the month, break your neck.]

But it is underground. A familiar setting.

[Sans feels like trash, huh?

Must be another day ending in y. This time, it's accompanied by a very vague attempt at appreciating his humor; a halfhearted twitch of the lips that fails before it even begins.

Sorrow's really got it out for everyone. They'd take the time to consider what the snide little voice in the back of their head would say about that, but they're pretty sure said voice is still in bed. Shame, they might've parroted something out, just to break the awkward gap in conversation.]

I forgot my broom.

[Such a simple statement should not have the ability to make them cry harder.]

[The company might be familiar, but the way it's presented needs work, as always. Never let it be said that voices in the back of your head are comfortable.

Especially when they start counting down.]

Is it?

[For two children of questionable ages such as themselves, is any setting familiar? Do they have the life experience to justify such a statement?

...

They're still avoiding the real issues, here. Of course they are.

They still haven't turned around.]

Chara?

[ * 91 left

Or not. Maybe they need to do a re-count. But in the sense of familiar settings, perhaps that was more Chara's area. They knew the Underground and explored every nook and cranny. First with someone and then finally for everyone.

* Everyone was there.
* And then I came.

But that's getting into the topic they're both hovering around. Chara is staring at the back of Frisk's head but they're not really looking. The benefit of being a narration in someone else's head was that you had a general idea of how they worked. General, though. Outside like this, Chara wasn't a mind reader. Besides, there was still nothing else to be said but the usual.]

Yes. It's me, Chara.

[Standing there covered in dust, a locket and a knife. Hello =)]

[And they don't even bat an eye. There's just kind of a vague tremor to their mouth that could be either a laugh or one of those facial subtleties that humans have, signalling an imminent breakdown. Knowing what kind of day it's been, it's probably the latter.

Sans has no idea how one is supposed to handle crying children. But here he is, standing here, feeling like the worst guy alive (har har), smiling like the kid isn't crying right in front of him, and being wholly and completely at sea as they do so.

Boy, but he knew he was the worst guy for the job, but man is he the worst guy for the job.

He paws around his jacket pockets in search of something handy. Whoopee cushion...no. Joy buzzer, definitely not. C'mon, he's gotta have a tissue or two around here somewhere, doesn't he?]

Uh.

[Wait. Yes. Score. He catches the corner of a handkerchief and pulls it out of his sleeve with a flourish. And...keeps pulling it out. A big long colorful string of them, seemingly unending, practically to the floor now, all so he can hand one end to the kid.

Like he said. Magic is real good for the rule of comedy. And sometimes that comes in handy.]

Here ya go, kiddo.

[They can't not turn, now. Already drawn their own cards- and in return, Chara's slapped on one of their own, a polite knock to the back of their head and a soft Uno to seal the deal. No reverse at hand. Can't skip a turn.

They've never actually seen them before. But even though they've never really imagined them as their own person, nothing Frisk sees is surprising.

It's just how they're supposed to be.

Hi. A rough exhale, and a purse of their lips. It's not so much about accepting that Chara's there (always are) and more that they're over there, not a shared thought between them.

...It's disconcerting.

It's lonely.]

How?

[This person talks weird...and has hair almost as stupidly long as Reynir's... Lalli stares from the streamers in his hand up to Zelos, then back down to the streamers. He pinches one between his fingers to limply bounce it.]

I don't do this kind of work.

[Rejected. He'll be trying to hand this stuff back, now.]

[Everyone has a breaking point. When a day is just so bad it takes one more thing to set you off; you drop a soapy dish and it cracks. You watch the world leave you behind from a dusty trail. Tumble onto a bed of bones, laid to rest in a golden hallway.

Doesn't have to be all bad. As far as black soap operas go, there's a rainbow colored lining. One that gains a wet snort from them, reaching out to accept the- handkerchief, politely attempting to collect it all back up from the ground.

Blowing their nose on it is just ridiculous enough to gain another sound, something of a guffaw, as they contemplate their life and choices and overall state of being, standing in the street with a literal armful of hankies and a very uncomfortable skeleton.]

Thanks.

[They have no idea how they're going to hand it back, but thanks.]

[It's been barely a day since those weird robot things showed up, and Corbin has already decided he didn't like them. He's been avoiding the streets since they showed up, the roofs here are weird and sloping, but he'd rather take the risk of losing his footing than turning a corner and running into one of them.]

[He spots the guy in the white flowing clothes, looking like someone who'd have been labeled "onea them forners" in half a second back home, and he watches as the man tries to kick the robot in the head. It was a good kick, nice and solid, but Corbin already knew you'd need something more solid to take one out, or do more than piss it off.]

Hey! Chromedome!

[He likes pestering the 'bots, once he figured out that they had trouble with the sloping sides he liked to jeer at them whenever he could. This one turned towards him, away from Rashid for just a moment, looking square at the slingshot Corbin has aimed at it, the cup loaded with a large metal ball.]

[Thwap CLANG! One of the glowing red eyes goes out, leaking a thick white fluid, and it fully turns its attention to Corbin, forgetting all about the other man. Corbin just grins, reloading]

I'll distract 'im, but ya might wanna run, mister!

[Thwap CLANG! goes the slingshot, this shot hitting the working Joe in the face, but he only seems pissed off as he tries to get at the redhead perched on the building]

Edited (Wrong icon, whoops) 2016-07-22 00:34 (UTC)

It seems this place decided. You and I. We are to be separated.

[They've caught themselves narrating when they don't have to. Observations to fill that strange void. Lv 20 and stuffed to the brim with LOVE means you are distant enough that you don't really see yourself anymore - if that makes sense. Yet they continue to observe like they are still inside Frisk. It was strange and persistent, much like the feeling of sin being crammed down their throat every time Chara saw Sans. But it's not like Frisk was the one to render judgement on them.

Chara flexes their free hand. Yes, it was strange. They came here in control and yet...]

You. How does it feel?

[Conflicted.

There's fifty different ways to answer that question, and counting. Like they're themself again, like they'll never actually be themself, no matter how hard they try. Like a pressure on their heart has eased, but there's empty impressions to remind them of the absence.

Like they've changed far too much to remember what it's like to to be like this. Individual. Not enough time has passed to say whether this is a blessing or a curse.]

I'm not sure yet.

[It's about as honest as they can be, without struggling to articulate things utterly beyond them. A somewhat useless wave of their hand to the child- ...?- in front of them. And you?]

[They'll take that. Some things are like pulling teeth to try and get an answer at best and at worse trying to get a straight answer out of Sans. Still, it wasn't worse case. They could change.]

I can stretch.

[Chara extends their arms, stretching but that wasn't the point. The dusty knife was there in their hands. Nowhere near Frisk but the point was made. A Reset from one person wouldn't change everything.]

But it is strange. You feel somewhat empty without that voice in the back of your mind.

[There they go into another narration. It's a habit that would never break. If a knife couldn't be the symbol of their bound, then this at least would remain.]

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test drive meme #11

Zelos Wilder | Tales of Symphonia

one

kandara. oc.

Fruks | Obscure.

=)

three TLDRS ALL OVER THE DAMN PLACE

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You two are going to kill me and I haven't even apped yet.

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Rukia Kuchiki | That one series about soap

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Rashid | Street Fighter

you say that like you don't already kill me on a regular basis

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R u d e what have I ever done to you (don't answer that)

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[shifty eyes]

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jfc

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