TEST DRIVE MEME

[rysligmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to Ryslig's test drive meme! If you're considering apping here, this is where you can try your characters out in the game's setting. A few things to note: The State of the Game Discussion produced a lot of great suggestions and we now have a post for Plot Suggestions and Monster Questions. The NETWORK VOTE results are in and PRIVATE MESSAGING will be added some time in November. Lots of people have asked good questions on the FAQ, so do take a look. You can only app ONE character per round so choose wisely. Reserve and application dates have been announced. Test drive meme threads can be used for your roleplay sample! Sample scenarios: SCENARIO ONE: You've just been released from the hospital in Vandare and no one really seems to know what to do with you. The locals offer polite advice but don't seem to want to spend a lot of time with you. You and the other new arrivals stick out like sore thumbs, so perhaps one will spot you wandering about town. SCENARIO TWO: You've become hopelessly lost in Lager Woods. Paths don't seem to lead where you remember them leading, and you feel as if you're going around in circles. Childlike giggling can be heard from no direction in particular. Suddenly, you stumble upon another character, who seems to be just as lost as you! Perhaps you can find a way out together. SCENARIO THREE: The time has come and you've found yourself becoming a monster. Is the change instant, or gradual? Are you familiar enough with monsters to know what's happening, or is it a complete shock? NOTE: Feel free to pick any monster type for this prompt, but note that you may not get the same one in game.

Comments

Astrid Hofferson | How to Train Your Dragon.

[strikingviking]

[one.]
[The first thing she'd done after coming to terms with the fact that she was inexplicably wet was to check for weapons -- all gone. She supposed that she shouldn't really be surprised, with surroundings as alien to her as these, but it definitely made for a ruder awakening than otherwise necessary. Threats hushed, cuts checked, and sent on her way, Astrid's gait is a strange cross between uncertain and prepared. She may not know what the heck is going on, but she was ready to fight if she needed to.

...Though with everyone else looking as wary as her, there was small hope that it wouldn't come to that.]

[three - gargoyle.]
[It wasn't until her skin started peeling away into scales that Astrid grew concerned about the amount of itching she'd been feeling. She'd been too concerned with that awful ache in her shoulders growing and burning like something was trying to claw its way out of her.

Still, she's not willing to let the pain show as a weakness. Her pride won't let her. It's with a high head that she strides into various shops throughout Bavan, inspecting new clothes -- maybe something easier to move in than the waistless light blue dress she had on now -- and ignoring the curious calls after her wondering if she had any special talents, in addition to her reptile skin.

With them, it wouldn't be too long before she discovered she could throw fireballs.]

Three!

[soundsurfing]

[Beat wasn't paying attention to where he was going, too busy scrubbing at the bull horns on his head and itching at the scabbing skin around them, and trying to keep the stupid cow tail behind him from going every which way.

Which is why he runs smack into Astrid, not seeing her until he's right on top of her, causing Beat to flail backwards suddenly with a loud 'bwah!' of surprise.] Whoa, yo! Sorry!

[strikingviking]

[WHO IS THIS ANIMATED DOOFUS AND WHY DID HE HAVE TO BUMP HER, aaargh her back.

But aside from a sharp inhale through gritted teeth and a whirl to see who it was, Astrid's kept her reaction under control. Which is good because instead of chewing him out or lighting him on fire, she can instead gape at his horns and be grateful she wasn't impaled.]

You need to be more careful. And not just with those...things. [She gestures up to his horns, as if there could actually be anything else she was referring to.] If I thought you were mugging me, I could have seriously hurt you!

[soundsurfing]

[Was it sad that Beats first instinct was to try and look where she gestured, tilting his head back to try and see his horns for a moment? Yes, yes it was.

Then he was being scolded and that brought his attention back around, his hands coming up to wave her scolding away.]

It wasn't my fault, yo, you jus' popped out of nowhere! [No she didn-- wait. Her? Hurt him? She looked so... so...] Baaahahahahaha! You too tiny to hurt a fly, yo!

[strikingviking]

[how dare.

Her fists -- because they are indeed fists now -- start to smoke at his laughter, and she takes a step closer.]

Want to rethink that before I dislocate your shoulder?

[She would very much like to dislocate his jaw but Astrid knows the limits of her strength. But she could probably do an arm...]

[soundsurfing]

[Normally Beat would respond to a challenge with a challenge, he'd been itching for a good fight for a while now, but he didn't believe in hitting women. ... Nevermind this woman could probably send him ass over kettle real quick, without breaking a sweat. Vikings, man. Not that he knew that.]

Sorry, yo. [Another wave of his hands to try and placate her, please don't set him on fire] You jus' dun look like a fighter! [Smoking fists saying otherwise. And patchy scales. Which catches Beats attention, his eyes focusing on one fist where he could see scales] Yo, you aight?

Three - gargoyle solidarity!

[call_me_flash]

[Flash had been minding his own business, rolling his wheelchair along and trying to keep it from running into anyone. But when he hears people calling, he automatically looks around to see who they're calling at-and lets out a sigh when he sees someone with scales.

Hi, new member of the oh-crap-going-dragon club.]

You too?

[He lifts his good arm in a wave and spreads one big, black and white wing for emphasis.]

[strikingviking]

[Astrid glances over, finally stopping at the sight of Flash. She isn't sure which part surprises her more: the giant wing or the wheels. Plenty of people on Berk have lost a limb or two, but no one had ever though of using a...cart? as transportation. It was kind of genius.

Her hand absently goes to her shoulder, starting to study the more monstrous features on this stranger.]

Is that what's going to happen to me, then?

[It certainly explained a lot.]

[call_me_flash]

Wings and fire seem to be pretty constant. I've been trying to flag down anybody I see with similar stuff, give them a heads up.

[He wasn't sure how much the newcomers had caught up with the network, and giving a warning in person seemed nicer than just a post of 'yeah, you're turning into a giant lizard. Sorry.']

I hope you like dragons.

[strikingviking]

[Astrid wasn't even really sure what the laptop was for just yet, only that it held some kind of magic that made the screen glow when she opened it, so it's lucky for her that he's taken the "warn in person" route.

She pulls her hand in front of her again, brows furrowing as she tried to get more than a weak lick of flame spinning on her palm. If it was going to be happening, she wanted to be able to control it, rather than just having it flare up (har har) when her anger did. His comment gets her attention back, and the fire vanishes completely to be replaced by a creeping smile.]

Love them, actually. Miss my own.

[call_me_flash]

[Flash watches the flame, raising an eyebrow. So that's what it looks like in person-he hasn't had any flames pop up yet, but he's expecting them.]

A guy on the network said his were shooting out when he sneezed. So if you feel a sneeze coming on, you might want to aim for something that's not flammable.

[If anything like that existed here. Whole town was a firetrap. Her response, though, gets a nod.]

So that makes two people now who know something about dragons besides 'crap, I'm turning into one.' I guess that counts as progress, except for the part where more people are stuck here now.

One! (I'll switch to brackets if you want, but tinyfont is hard on my eyes.)

[going_my_way]

So far, Thrust hasn't managed to find a public InfoCore terminal, but he's got his eyes open for any building that looks archival. He's also keeping an eye on the crowd, for people who stand out or to get a better idea of what kind of people these weird organics are. (He still sort of suspects he's been plugged into a VR simulation. Maybe something originally meant for off-world explorers or diplomats that the Maximals repurposed.)

He's noticed a lot of people giving him a wide berth, and a few other people in the crowd getting the same treatment. Astrid's one of them, which is what draws his attention-- but unlike most of the organics, Astrid moves like a fighter.

So when she's close enough to the low wall where he's parked himself, Astrid gets a moment of eye contact and a fairly respectful nod from a barrel-chested, brown-skinned guy in a hot pink shirt and bright yellow gloves.

... Thrust isn't a big talker.

it's cool! i can prose.

[strikingviking]

With clothing that bright, it would be hard to not notice Thrust, even if he hadn't been giving Astrid her due. She takes another look around, mostly to keep tabs on the locals still bustling by pretending like she didn't exist, before making her way over to the man. It would be good to stick by a wall, anyway.

"You're another one," she observes, turning so that she can face outward, watching both Thrust and the people of Vandare. There was enough distance that if her instincts were bad, she should be able to get away. "From the hospital, right?"

My astigmatism thanks you!

[going_my_way]

Thrust approves of the wariness (just because he doesn't feel like much of a threat right now doesn't mean it isn't flattering to be treated as a potential threat) and the insight.

He hadn't quite been able to tell Astrid wasn't local, just that she's obviously a warbuild warrior.

"Not originally," he allows, slightly more than half his attention on Astrid. Hey, if the crowd turns into a threat, it's... not a threat he's equipped to handle right now. "But yeah.

"Name's Thrust." It's an invitation. (Maybe he'll make an ally of Astrid, maybe he'll make an enemy, maybe they'll just sort of acknowledge each others' existence, but he's seen one warrior on this mudball and a name'd be nice. ... For all three of those potential reasons.)

anytime! o/

[strikingviking]

Unfortunately, the teen would have been much more wary if Thrust had been brought in his original body. Astrid knows how to deal with people and dragons, but a giant hunk of metal would have been well out of her limits.

She nods at his explanation, a short hmn hopefully indicating that her situation was the same. Her arms cross, but she doesn't lock them tightly to position. It was a tough line to walk, looking vigilant enough to be seen as a possible threat but casual enough that she wouldn't be seen as an immediate one.

"Astrid." One she'll take, apparently. A name wasn't enough to cause her harm, especially not when people were being brought in in groups, and when it came down to it? She wanted people to know her name. Maybe she wouldn't be bothered by those who like to pick off their weaker targets.

[going_my_way]

Astrid. Definitely an alien name, although not so alien he can't figure out it's got something to do with stars.

"Medics give you any info?" he asks. She's a little smaller than he is, maybe the organics are too stupid to recognize that size class does not equal threat level.

Or maybe she thinks faster than he does (or didn't flip out at the sight of suddenly-human hands) and didn't shove anybody and start yelling.

"I made a scene," he admits. Hey, if you're gonna make a tactical error, might as well own it.

[3]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Street harassment has sort of become routine for those of a more monstrous nature. Maybe it was the novelty, maybe it was the danger that attracted people. Or maybe it was both.]

[Either way, Heather's been irritated with it from day one.]</sub>

Hey!

Those guys botherin' you?

_{[The shout comes from above, where Heather is hanging from a street-light by one dark-scaled leg, wings spread slightly awkwardly for balance. She likes hanging off of things. It's fun. :Ib]}

[strikingviking]

[...That's certainly a thing.

Her brain stutters for a moment while watching the bird...girl do her thing. Astrid had come across those turning into monsters here or there, but so far she'd been more familiar with those of her batch of arrivals. The ones just starting out. Heather is definitely more impressive, to say the least.]

I can take care of it.

[Her voice, while hard, is a little off from its usual confidence, though.]

[foolishwren]

<sub>[Impressive is... one word for it, anyway.]

[She does look pretty suave there, charcoal-black arms crossed over her chest and smug expression firmly anchored in place.]</sub>

Oh, no worries, didn't mean to imply you couldn't.

But, y'know, it's hella funny when I do it.

_{[She pauses to admire her talons in that faux-vain way that most people would look at their own fingernails, then buffs them off on her vest (or what's left of her vest) in the same manner.]}

Bet you I can make 'em run for the hills in four seconds flat.

[strikingviking]

Four seconds, huh?

[Now that her pride wasn't making her feel challenged, Astrid glances over to the pair that had been tailing her, who are already sharing an uncertain look.]

Huh. Well, now that's something I'd like to see.

[foolishwren]

_{[Heather grins a sharp-toothed grin.]}

Then sit back and watch the master at work.

_{[Swinging to grab back onto the pole with one hand, she rights herself, perching on top of the post for a moment. She cracks her knuckles... and then spreads her wings and booms:]}

I'M GONNA EAT YOUR EYEBALLS!

HAND 'EM OVER YOU WALKING SCHOOL LUNCHES!

_{[If that doesn't do the trick, what she does NEXT probably will. With a clap of feathers on air, she takes off and swoops down at the pair, talons extended and an unholy screech leaving her throat.]}

merida is a bear!

[firefalls]

[ Merida happens to be shopping nearby when she hears one particularly pushy call. she has a green piece of fabric in her hand when she comes around the rack, and she uses it to gesture at the shopkeep angrily. this other girl may be able to ignore it but Merida wasn't going to have any of it. ]

Is that how ye go about treatin' your customers? You're more a beast than any of us are.

[ she whirls on the other girl, pupils small and angry in the inhuman yellow of her eyes. ]

Come on, we can take our business elsewhere.

[ Merida lifts her head high, shoulders square, and shoves the green fabric into the chest of the shopkeep. she's still getting used to her superhuman strength and she accidentally shoves him right back into his seat. she schools the flicker of surprise on her own face before marching back out of the store. ]

awh bearida cute

[strikingviking]

[It takes Astrid a second to realize just what's going on, being so distracted first on trying to ignore the shopkeep, and then by the fact that this girl's accent...sounds like her mom, and she's got hair as fiery as the chief's. Maybe she was from somewhere close to Berk...? It doesn't take long to snap out of her musings, though, and without another glance to the groaning man she's following Merida out into the street.]

Unfortunately, there are plenty of other shops with the same attitude about us. It's a pain, but trying not to punch the living daylights out of these people might be easier than finding a place that won't ask questions.

ʕ•͡-•ʔ

[firefalls]

Ach, I know. [ she says it on a heavy sigh, gesturing with one hand as she goes on:] But some days it just gets ta me. It's not like any of us asked for this t'happen.

[ Merida moves to tuck her hair behind her ear, and it catches on the small, fuzzy bear ears she now has in place of her own. the wild tangle of her hair slips forward off of it after a moment, though. ]

[strikingviking]

I guess if we're really desperate, we could always head back to Vandare... [That makes her wrinkle her nose, though. As much as she hated the harassment rampant in Bavan, as well as the confusing area, she was unwilling to return to being treated like a leper. At least this way she could break the arms of anyone foolish enough to try mugging her.

Astrid automatically mimics the motion, being so used to sweeping her bangs away already.] But you're right. Not much around here is fair.

I'm Astrid, by the way. Resident reptile girl.