graveyardsmash | TEST DRIVE MEME

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TEST DRIVE MEME

TEST DRIVE MEME: SEPTEMBER

Welcome to the Ryslig Test Drive Meme! Below are a few prompts to get you started, but you may make up any prompt you desire! Please take a look at the navigation page for rules, setting information, and links to reserves and apps. Have fun!

SCENARIO ONE

You wake up on the beach thoroughly drenched with your mouth full of sand. The salt water causes various cuts and scrapes on your skin to sting and the sand isn't helping. The air is slightly humid, ruining any feeling of refreshment you might have gotten from your dip in the ocean. There are lights in the distance but the unfriendly scent of gunpowder fills the air. If you're lucky, you're alone. If not, you might find yourself staring up into a pair of monstrous eyes or down the barrel of a local's shotgun.

SCENARIO TWO

So you've just arrived, and already SOME the natives are trying to get on your good side. Offers of food, shelter and other luxuries in return for hoping you don't eat them. They even have some helpful pamphlets to share with you. "How To Deal With Changes", "Alternatives to Human Flesh", "What to Expect When You're Expecting (to turn into a monster)" are all great pamphlets. There's even some detailing certain monsters, and the changes they go through. Some of these seem to have been passed down from one monster to the next.

Among these however, are some... not so helpful ones. "Bunnyipyips And You", "Axe Thief Axehounds," and "So you're becoming a Fur Bearing Trout" among others. Sometimes they have marks on them from previous people who had them saying they are lies, or pointing out good "jokes." Then there's the people who aren't happy to see you at all. Glares and silent, judging stares if you're lucky. Torches and pitchforks attempting to drive you out of the town if you're not. You may need a friend to help you.

SCENARIO THREE

"Seek us out," the voice whispers in your head, and before you have time to question it you've found yourself in someplace entirely alien. Maybe it's the Fog God's ghostly town of Dyster, where exultant followers dance around bonfires and sing their praises to the skies above. Maybe it's the Fourth God's arcade, with small robots wheeling about amidst the lights and colors of old pinball machines. Only one thing is certain: you are not alone, in this sacred place.

SCENARIO FOUR

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

W-aahh-?!

[Chihiro lets out a startled noise of surprise when Siouxsie pretty much scoops him up off the ground, blood and all. He's near weightless, at least. She'll probably barely even notice she's holding anything, if it weren't for the deer legs hanging over her forearm currently.

But hey, he's not on the ground anymore! But oh god if he isn't up quite high, suddenly.]

W-where...where are you taking me?

Someplace where you won't bleed out in everyone's way.

[Chihiro is very high up, it's true - Siouxsie always has been a whopping 6'2, and the added couple inches from growing her roots certainly doesn't help.
But she simply wanders off down the sidewalk after saying that, going the same direction she had been when she'd tripped over the programmer.]

... There's a lady in town who knows a lot about herbs and medicine and that kind of shit - that's where I was planning on going.

["So that's where you're going, too." It's not said, but certainly implied.
She'd just take him to a clinic or a hospital or something... but where Siouxsie's from, there isn't anything as luxurious as that - it'd be a miracle if she even knew the word "doctor", considering that's something likely handled by family or by her village's priests.

But hey. At least she clearly wants to help?]

[Chihiro blinks, his eyes still wet and heavy from all the crying he'd done. At first, he doesn't really know what to do or say...he just curls up a little in Siouxsie's arms, shivering like a leaf from both the pain and the cold dampness of the fog. He's just so scared. So alone. He's actually surprised Siouxsie is helping him like this, given the way she'd spoken to him when she tripped.

He takes the time walking to look up at her again, his breathing quick and nervous when he notes all the plants covering her body. The almost fur-like growth along her chest tickles the side of his face, making him want to lean away from it.]

T...thank you.

[He's free to lean away, Siouxsie won't be offended - after all, it's pretty nasty, right? Long, stringy fungus like that just growing off her skin like it thinks it's supposed to be there.
Gross.

... But that? That's not something she's used to hearing. After all, while she does help people from time to time... Puppets don't usually say things like thanks.
Except for, like. Really young Puppets.

Thank goodness for her weird, barklike skin - or Chihiro probably would've caught a bit of blush creeping up on her face.]

Yeah, whatever. I'm only doing this because I hate seeing a girl who can't help herself.

[..............ah.

Chihiro was just going to settle back into her arms after that, but he doesn't...not quite. He just keeps staring up at Siouxsie through wide, trembling eyes (that have turned more yellow than amber over time). Of course, he knows- logically- there's no way she really meant any direct harm with those words...but it's still a bit of a rude thing to say no matter who you are.

So Chihiro says nothing at all, turning to look down into his lap at his tattered clothing and bloody legs, and...something about the sight of it and that has him tearing up again, jerking a little as he fights back the urge to start crying anew.

It's not very successful.]

[Harm shmarm. Puppets who can't handle a comment like that deserve to cry.
... But then again, she's been trying to remember - she's the only Puppet here.

None of these other monsters started out in a world like hers, where it's every person for themselves - death being a constant inevitability, and everyone taking what they want whenever they can.
They... come from a lot softer worlds. And that includes the little girl she's carrying right now.

So a pair of green eyes turn down to regard him for just a second, before looking back at the path ahead of her with a little sigh.
How do you... comfort someone for something like this? She's used to just letting people cry.

After a moment or so, she shifts him in her arms so he's being held by just one - so she can reach up behind her and... pluck a little, pink flower out of her clovers, holding it out to Chihiro.]

... Here.

[She looks entirely embarrassed doing this, but... it's an attempt. She's trying.]

[Chihiro hadn't quite started crying again yet, so it makes it easier to quiet himself when she offers him the flower. And, truthfully, the offering is so perplexing that he's too focused on it to keep crying.

So, instead, he wordlessly takes the flower from her, looking it over through blurry vision. For something that just came off of her, it's still quite vibrant and alive. It's one of those little reminders that even if he's in this scary place turning into a monster, he's not trapped in there.]

I...It's very pretty.

Well, yeah. It's a flower.

[A beat.]

... I'm glad you think so, though. 'Cause, y'know - I made it myself!

[Said with the slightest smile - trying to tell a joke, hoping it'll help.
She's trying so hard to not be... herself. A Puppet. Abrasive and harsh and - well, everything Puppets are.
Just remind yourself, Siouxsie - this isn't a hard, dead Puppet. This is a soft, lively "human".
Like the rest of these schmucks.]

So, fuzzball - what were you doing out here, anyway? I mean, I get having places to be, but you seem a little too...

[Don't say "soft". Don't say "weak". Don't -]

... Uh. I mean - it's kind of a bad idea wandering around out here alone, right?

O-oh, um...

[Chihiro sniffs, holding the flower close to his chest as Siouxsie walks.]

I just...I wanted to be outside for a little while. I didn't know that it was going to get so...foggy.

[At least without prior warning.

As for being outside...he has his reasons.]

Needed some fresh air or something, right? Too bad there isn't any around here.

[There's that tone of hers... but it's not directed at Chihiro, at least. This world's just irritating - it's like she can't go anywhere without the air tasting acrid and there being too much light.
Yet even with all that light, she can't see the stars when it gets dark! What's with that?]

Maybe next time think about bringing someone along, y'know? I mean, ol' Siouxsie's not gonna be around the next time something like this happens.
You've got friends around, right?

Mmm...

[That...doesn't make Chihiro start crying again, but it does make him deflate considerably as he keeps his gaze locked on the flower still in his hands.]

No. My classmates aren't here.

[He hasn't met any of them yet, for some reason. He can't understand why he'd be here, alone, and they wouldn't.]

Classmates...? You mean, like - school?

[... Did she ever do that? She probably thought about it when she was younger, but man... those priests sure make everything Not Fun in her village.
But do classmates really count as friends? Aren't they like... obligatory friends?

This kid must not have many friends.
Hmmm.]

... Well then, aren't you lucky! Like I said, I hate seeing a girl who can't help herself...
So that means I'll just have to stick around to help you out, huh?

Maybe you'll learn a thing or two from hanging around a strong, gorgeous woman like me!

[Translation: you have no friends, I have no friends, let's be friends.]

Eh-?

[Oh. Um. This is...sudden? It's sudden.

He thought she didn't...really like him...

Chihiro only seems to curl up further in Siouxsie's arms, though it's not borne from distress this time. No, he's more confused than anything.]

I...I appreciate it, really, I just...I don't want to be a bother.

[He already busted her nose, and now she has to go out of her way to haul him around...how could she just want to stay with him after all that?]

[That... just gets a little scoff from the nymph.]

No, see - what would be a bother is if you had no one to rely on, right?
Imagine breaking your legs again, only this time, I'm not around to help.
Then what would you do?

You'd just sit and cry.

[She shifts him in her arms again, just so the hold's more comfortable. Stop curling up like a little bug or something, jeez.

But for some reason, she's got a little smile on her face, saying this.]

Besides. You could obviously use a good rolemodel like me! [no] I can teach you all sorts of things about life and shit.
Like how to get guys to buy you free stuff!

[Chihiro isn't sure he wants that. He...he'd been wanting to go talk to Mondo about himself, he wanted to be brave, but...he's not THAT brave yet. And having Siouxsie bandy about the idea makes him look over at the street she's walking down, wondering if they're getting any closer to their destination.]

Well I...I don't even know your name...

[...]

I'm...Fujisaki. Fujisaki Chihiro.

[Aw, c'mon, Chihiro - she'd make an awesome rolemodel!! You could call her Siouxsie-neesan and everything!!
Hearing him introduce himself gets a little, interested hum from her, though.]

Pretty cute name. You can call me Siouxsie.
Unless that's too hard for you - met a guy the other day who couldn't even say my name after I spelled it for him and everything.
But I guess he could've just been a moron.

[She's... so quick to talk so meanly about people, like it's just a thing people do.
Not even caring if it might upset him or anything.

As for their destination - they're actually coming up to it now! Siouxsie slows to a stop up by the door... and lets out an annoyed sounding scoff, seeing the sign hung up on the door.]

- Well, fuck.
She's out right now.

It's nice to meet you.

[Chihiro doesn't try saying her name right now to avoid opening up that can of worms, his ears perking when she suddenly curses. Again.

Lots of foul language with this one, but he's used to that from select classmates.]

S..so now what do we do?

[That's something he's gonna have to get used to... Siouxsie is nothing but a bag full of swears.
But as he's asking that, she's already moving to do something about it - that is, she moves to gently place him on the sidewalk under the building's window, before stepping in front of the door and moving back a few paces.]

Don't worry, I've got an idea - just cover your head if anything goes flying, 'kay?

[... Whatever she's planning probably isn't safe.]

[...oh god.]

W-wait! What are you going to do-?

You'll see! [❤]

[After saying that, though, she pauses for just a moment to eye how far she is from that door - before getting a running start, running shoulder first into the wood with a loud thud.
And, unsurprisingly, it splinters right in half thanks to her monster strength, sending Siouxsie tumbling forward into the building with a high pitched squeak.
It was as graceful as it sounds, really.

There's the sound of shuffling, a couple noises of pain and splintering bark, but eventually she pokes her head out around the doorframe with a big grin.]

- Got it! Let's get you inside, 'kay?

[The moment Chihiro sees Siouxsie running, he throws his arms over his head as instructed, curling up as small on the pavement as he can manage as splinters from the door go flying every which way. Thankfully, he's not in the direct line of fire, though he does feel a few wood chips bounce off his arms.

When he looks back up, he's a veritable deer-in-headlights, his ears trembling.]

A...are you okay?

[She's already got sap starting to run down from the shamrocks that make up her hair... but considering her grin, it's probably safe to say she's fine.
Probably.

So she moves over to Chihiro, bending down to carefully scoop him up again.]

Yeah! I mean, I hate having to do my own dirty work... but it's not like I've got my bodyguard around to bust doors for me.
That's lesson number one, Fuzzball: sometimes a girl's gotta take matters into her own hands, even if it's matters that'll get you dirty and gross.

[And into the building they go!! Aren't you glad to have made this new friend, Chihiro?]

F...fujisaki...

[Chihiro corrects hesitantly, lifting his legs a little when he's picked up again. He might as well get used to being carried, at least until he can walk again.

He looks up at Siouxsie as she steps inside, a little stricken by what she's saying.]

You...you must be very brave, Siouxsie.

[He struggles a little over her name, and even though the language barrier isn't here, some of his own native Japanese slips in.]

Don't worry, I remember - I like nicknames!

[So, y'know. He's Fuzzball.
But hearing him say that so... softly gets her to look at him - just a hint of curiosity and even a bit of confusion in her eyes.
Like, nearly every Puppet she knows would argue otherwise. Sure, she can trashtalk monsters like no one's business, and yeah, maybe she helped slaughter the priests in her village... but the moment she's got someone in her face, she cowers.
Like any other Puppet would.

So it's a little weird to hear someone say she's brave.]

... Eh, just cut off what you can't say.
But yes. Yes, I am!

In fact - where I come from, there's no one as lovely and courageous as me!

[He said nothing about her looks, but okay.
She's going to gently put him on a nearby sofa, though - mostly so she can go to the owner's desk and rifle through it for what she needs.]

[Gee, at least Siouxsie has enough confidence for both of them.

The sofa is very welcome, and Chihiro can't help but sag a little against it once he's set down. He's stopped bleeding so much now that the fur is all matted and tacky with blood, but that doesn't mean he can walk on these legs yet. They don't look as broken as they did, though...more like they're just. Deer shaped.]

You're not...s-scared?

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