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TEST DRIVE MEME

TEST DRIVE MEME: JANUARY

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.

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[Why.]

[Stocke gives her a faintly disgusted look. He's not serious about it, though; his tendrils flick with too much good spirit behind him, in and out of the wall.]

[He pushes himself upright, shouldering the door open and waiting for Raynie to enter before letting it fall shut.]

[The inside is... oddly quiet, for a seedy tavern. Maybe because it's still daylight outside? A spiraling metal staircase curves up behind the counter, as does a passageway to some back rooms and what look like stairs down - it's the former Stocke glances at, eyes flickering upward.]

[Stocke's not often loud at the best of times, but he's at half-volume even for himself when he says,] ...the others are probably still asleep.

[Sounds like he knows this place a bit better than as just another tavern.]

The others… friends of yours? Are they also, you know –

[Another vague hand gesture at Stocke, trying to look nonchalant. Some seedy taverns hide a Resistance, others host a bunch of monsters, no big deal! Stocke is one and Raynie is supposed to join them, but she's got this! She's ready, she's on top of things, she –

She really hopes this place has quality drinks.]

Mm, they're okay with birds being here, it's just us that they don't like.

[says the bird, not noticing the contradiction there.]

If you're lucky though, maybe you can be a bird too! It's fun to fly, and they don't really notice me when I fly around like this.

[It's amusing to see the confusion from the other side. It wasn't long ago that Mello was in this very position: lost, attempting to make any viable connection between what he was being told and what he knew. That so many people were willing to help was more ominous than helpful; it was the kind of thing you do for a dying relative or someone moments from taking their first steps into Hell.]

[So he'll spare Sam the empathy act. He'll figure it out in due time. Like Mello. Like everyone else here. Besides, he doesn't have much to offer in the way of exchange.]

Like pamphlets. [Which are entirely unhelpful. Words on a page don't prepare you for what happens once the changes kick in.]

[And he'll meet that visible discomfort with a flat look. It's one thing to earn a side-eye from the locals. They know all about their cohabitants; sometimes it's pity, sometimes it's hatred. But this guy is regarding him with the sort of caution that Mello was accustomed to long before he woke up here.]

I'm what happens when the fog rolls in.

[And that's all he's willing to give. Divulging his monster type isn't something that Mello has done just yet. And he doesn't intend to begin with a complete stranger. Especially since he's still in the early transitional stages; can't be pinned down to this or that unless someone studies him closely enough.]

[What's the matter? Don't know what you're in for?]

I'll trade one piece of information. I describe a person, you tell me if you've seen them in here with the rest of you. You get a hint if I like your answer.

[Standing stark still and watching; Mello doesn't think he's displeased with the reaction he's getting from the other. It makes him feel stronger. Powerful.]

[Good.]

[ Talk about concise. ]

Pamphlets. Sure, okay. I don't think I'll be spending much time in town, uhm.

[ Sets his mouth, lips pulling inwards enough to shadow his dimples with a thorough clearing of his frankly parched throat. It's irritating giving more than he's getting back, but patience is fortunately strong enough no judgment reaches the surface. Aaand then comes the poetic fog 'answer'. At this point, the mysterious glow in the distance is looking more and more attractive; it feels like he's in the friggin' Labyrinth.

Could be they're on different wavelengths. Even his phrasing feels ' o f f '. ]

'In... here'? The-- the ocean, you mean? [ Shifting one water-logged sneaker back against a mound of sand, he gestures to the whipping black seas. The wind's picked up since first waking. Definitely not the night for a dip. ] I'm sorry, I didn't see anyone. I literally woke up five minutes ago.

-- What do you mean, 'rest of' us? You're not saying there are other people out there??

[ Wait, the guy didn't even see him wash ashore. Or did he. Brows drawn, Sam outright frowns and drops the artificial attitude. ]

Look, buddy. I'm trying here, but I could do without the riddles.

[Oh, Mello thinks Sam will be spending a lot of time 'in town.' Enough that he'll want to know something about the state of things if he's going to make it here. Without someone close to guide him through the details, it's going to be one unpleasant surprise after another.]

[He lets the guy work out his stuttering monologue. It's a shock. Mello understands.]

Answers my question, then. I'll take that as a preemptive 'no.'

[Already, he's looking beyond Sam. If he washed up, others did too. No one ever mentioned anything about people showing up one by one. According to everything he knows, they come in batches like the one he was dragged in with.]

Where's the riddle?

[No, really. Mello thinks he's being as straightforward as is warranted when meeting a new arrival. There are others who will be happy to answer all of Sam's questions, no matter how dim. He shifts on his feet, flicks a claw over his thumb. Sam couldn't have happened upon anyone less willing to ensure his well-being in any sense.]

You asked what I am; I answered you.

[Buddy.]

Given that you have nothing to offer me, I consider that response more than enough.

Alright, rewind. [ Both arms gesture presumably to accentuate his words, though it's interpretive at best. ] You were looking for someone a second ago. Pretty calm for a search party. You are seeing the storm headed this way, right?

[ Know what, nevermind.

The longer this conversation continues, the less helpful it becomes, so he's done chasing a problem that has absolutely nothing to do with him. There's no hint of distress in the immediate vicinity and, were there, Sam might well get in the way in his present condition. The flaring throb in his ankle's proof enough he shouldn't trust himself to play hero for at least another week, or until they can get a hold of a certain angel.

Stepping intentionally into the blond's line of sight to demand his attention, thank you. ]

Honestly? I just wanted to address the elephant in the room -- that's all. Right now, I have more important things to worry about. Whatever you have going, it's none of my business.

And I'm short on bargaining chips; you're right. I did just wash up on a beach in the middle of nowhere. I'm soaked and starving, and I hurt all over. [ Trying to appeal to any sliver of ~~humanity~~compassion in the other. ] Maybe you could lend me your phone? Five minutes, tops. Then, I'm out of your hair.

[Yeah, nevermind. It isn't this guy's business who Mello was looking for. If he hasn't seen anyone, the information from either side is null. As far as the storm—well—Sam has no way of knowing just how fast Mello is. With is inflated ego, he has no doubt that he can outrun it if it decides to hit. Besides, when you've been through having your body transform against your will in the middle of the street with everyone screaming around you, a little thunder and lightning tends to become less imposing in comparison.]

Hey.

[A knit of his brow, a tip of his head. Mello doesn't flinch or take a step back—or forward. He'll give the guy a pass because he has no idea what he would be up against, but that's all he's getting. One. Even so, a sharp fang is digging into the inside of his cheek, fingers instinctively flexing as though egging him on to tear something apart. Over a minor infraction, yeah.]

[Needless to say, he has Mello's attention now. Happy?]

[Cry him a river, Sam. When Mello woke up here, he'd just finished dying.]

I don't have a phone.

[Clipped. See that glint in his eye? It's not a good thing.] No one here does—even if you managed to get one, it wouldn't work. Whatever you think you're going back to, you're not.

[This is his version of helpful advice. It's more than most people get. Maybe Mello's just having a good day, or maybe something in the desperation of this guy speaks to him on a level that will never surface. He schools his features into something resembling concern. Mocking, maybe.]

Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but you're stuck here.

Edited 2017-01-31 06:14 (UTC)

Monsters. [Stocke finishes. His tone expressionless.] ...they are. [And then, after a moment and a small tilt of his head, his voice back to faintly amused,] On both counts.

[The shade settles to lean on the wall next to the bar counter. Stocke, are you just allergic to chairs?]

[Regardless, he nudges one out for Raynie if she wants it - without even thinking about it, he does it with telekinesis. His eyes flicker static in a wince as he realizes, and his gaze jumps to watch Raynie's expression.]

[Whatever her reaction is, he'll eventually ask:] Alistel? [That she can ask him anything she wants in return, or even without return - that's a given.]

Brain...washed...?

[ Look is that even a thing in his time? ~~Well, probably to some extent but is it called that yet?<~~ Because he's imagining someone literally washing a brain and that just can't be healthy. ]

[ what ]

...I'm not following.

[ he does know one thing though: ]

If I were to be an animal I'd actually like to be a horse though.

[Raynie lets out a loud "whoa" and jerks back when the chair moves. She clamps a hand over her mouth almost immediately, eyes shifting around. People – monsters are still asleep!! Realizing Stocke is staring at her, she drops the hand and grins sheepishly.]

Hey, not a bad trick! [She means it.] Sorry, it just surprised me.

[A surprise which she seems to get over quickly, sitting comfortable with one arm draped over the backrest.]

Alistel… it's doing well. Raul's prime minister now, and there's no better person to pull everything together. General Rosch too - [Raynie pauses, like she just realized how much Stocke really missed. She turns in her chair, fully facing him.] Oh yeah, he really jumped up the ranks! He's doing really well these days, with the promotion and the baby on the way…

[It comes out without thinking. Raynie hesitates for a split second when her brain catches up with her mouth, but the words keep spilling out. She wants to tell him everything that he missed, everything that came to be thanks to him.]

Marc and I got promoted too. We're captains now. [She smirks.] Marc's still gotta work on his leadership skills though. He keeps arguing with me in front of the new recruits.

[Yes, Marco is the one who can't keep his mouth shut. Raynie's playful smile softens into a more somber expression as she sits up a little straighter.]

Things aren't perfect. It's gonna take a lot of hard work to fix all the mess, but… we're on the right way. Thanks to you. I – we're all waiting for you to come back and see it.

Not following what?

[the bird doesn't understand either??]

Ah, horses are nice too! They can swim around, and stuff.

What you’re saying.

[ Did he use weird German again? ]

Yeah, and they can run really fast and they’re strong and pretty and cool.

[ He loves horses, his expression and tone of voice is very telling. ]

-- ' H e r e ' .

[ Eyes, obviously considering his words for a prolonged, heavy moment. ]

You keep saying that. You mean here, like -- [ Gestures vaguely in a casual sweeping motion. ] Here-here. This entire place. It's not Earth. I guess. That's what you're trying to say.

[ In the most roundabout manner imagined.

This is Death's solution? Prickles tickle up his spine, both relief and a nervous energy that comes with confronting any unknown.

So, take away Heaven, Hell, Purgatory; what does that leave? --Ryslig, apparently, but the name isn't dinging any bells off the top of his head. Sounds Germanic. An alternative afterlife? Given the existence of so many creation gods, it's not beyond the realm of plausible, though that opens the door to a fresh batch of questions. Mind whirring, hazel eyes skirt the edge of the beach and, with a deep breath, Sam combs his sand-clumped bangs back. ]

Thank you. [ Regards the blond stranger anew, then pushes out an appreciative quirk of his mouth that doesn't quite reach his eyes. ] I think I'm starting to get the picture. Didn't mean to keep you.

I hope you find what you're looking for.

[ Carefully, Sam steps around to make for the lights in the distance, deliberately cutting the sandy hill at a slight degree to keep the creature in his peripheral. Just because he's shown no aggression is no excuse to bear one's back. For all his frustration, the other gave more than enough to run with, but it's clear he's scraping the bottom of the well. ]

Edited 2017-02-02 23:21 (UTC)

[Clarence wrinkles his nose at the nickname. Bug man. Although he'd prefer being a hideous bug monster over a human any day (he'd be considerably more peeved if Vegeta simply called him man), he gave himself a name for a reason.]

The name's Clarence.

[The derision in his voice is plain as day, even as he writhes and coughs on the ground. He forces himself up onto his hands and knees, eyeing the other man as though this stranger was somehow responsible for his plight.]

Who the hell are you?

[Clarence immediately slaps at Mistuhide's hand, batting him away from the wrist like a parent trying to keep a kid from touching a hot stove. As much as Clarence adores pain and suffering, he still finds himself squeamish when confronted with certain grotesque scenes. A face smashed in beyond recognition, for example. An arm angled in the wrong direction. It's the animal part of his brain, that mortal revulsion that keeps prey away from places that smell like death, and predators away from rotting meat.]

You gotta pretty sick sense of humor, pal.

[Beat, an aside:]

Not that you don't know that.

Oh....did I say something strange?

[He keeps forgetting what things humans would know or not...]

Maybe you'll be one of those, then! I have a friend who's a horse, you could meet him.

Not that I don't know it.

[ His tail flops back and forth in the water, splashing it all around. He laughs a little as he did let go of his wrist due to having his hand slapped. ]

You're probably hungry, right? Let's go kill something together, Clarence! [ Reaching out, he attempts to grab onto the other's shoulders -- giving them a light shake. Every bit like a child that's begging his parent to take him out for ice cream. ] Won't that be fun? I don't think we've ever gone hunting before.

[Stocke's smile back, this time, is more than genuine - and almost wide. His eyes, blank-white as they are, flare bright and vibrant] That's good to hear.

[Stocke's tendrils flick, twitching back and forth like a cat's tail. The next thing he says is bland and expressionless.] ...suppose that means you outrank me, now. [Was that... a tease, maybe?]

[It's true, though. Whether Specint agent or Lieutenant -] Are you sure it's not you starting the arguments?

[Okay, no that's definitely teasing. Bland tone or no.]

[The shade looks away, smile fading, but not by much.] ...Rosch was here, for a little while. [Too long.] It's good to hear he made it back.

[Stocke, buddy, you might be mistaken there. Who knows how the Fog God's tricks work.]

You're a bird but you speak like you wouldn't be allowed in the area while other birds are.

[ He could be one? ]

Oh! I wanna be a horse! I can be a horse?

[ Still sort of thinks he's dreaming. ]

[Raynie snorts.] Haha! Is this a way to talk to a superior officer? Keep it up and I'll order you to give me free drinks.

[The rest, however, is less amusing.]

C'mon, you're not even trying with this one. I think I'd remember if -

[Another pause and she frowns. For reason that doesn't feel entirely true, like there IS a way for someone to disappear elsewhere without anyone else noticing...]

I mean, Rosch would definitely have said something.

[ Dia thinks, for a very long moment, that she must be dreaming. Which isn't a surprise -- she's a lifelong Uchiura resident. It would be stranger for her not to dream of the beach now and then. It's only when she abruptly realizes just how cold she is that reality looms. She chokes, splutters and generally makes a huge show of herself as she scrambles to her feet.

This isn't Uchiura. She's not sure if it's even Shizuoka.

A chill, nothing to do with her dip in the ocean, rattles down her spine. She's here in a strange place all alone, no memory of how she ended up here -- if it wasn't for the saltwater burn stinging her into alertness then she might have talked herself back into thinking this was a nightmare.

Shuddering and hugging herself, Dia starts trudging towards the lights glittering in the distance. Maybe this is far more innocent than it seems. Maybe this is Uchiura and the darkness is making this more sinister than it really is. There has to be a reasonable explanation for this. Hasn't there?

She squints and a shape seems to loom out of the darkness at her. Her tongue sticks and she doesn't know if she should say anything -- how can she tell if they're friend or foe? -- but she swallows her fear and finally calls out. ]

Excuse me-- excuse me! Would you be able to tell me where this is?

[ Well then. W--well then.

She's only been here a day or two -- a grandmotherly old woman had offered her a room for a week in return for some help around the house and having a place to stay and dry clothes on her back has... helped. Just a touch. It's enough that she hasn't fled for the hills without looking back, at least.

She's doing a run to the market for her host when she's accosted with flyers and ends up spluttering in confusion and protest. She only gets to glance over the titles to a few before she's spluttering again and calling after a few of the now-retreating pamphlet-carriers with a cracking voice. ]

No-- no, get back here! What's the meaning of this?! If this is supposed to be a joke then it's nothing short of distasteful! "Alternatives to human--" Do you think this is funny?! DO YOU?!

[ She's uh, making a bit of a scene, continuing in that sort of vein at top volume. Someone should probably tell her to find a fraction of chill. ]

w-w-w-w-wildcard

[ COME AT ME WITH WHATEVER YOUR HEART DESIRES ]

[Jason takes the exposure of the back as an invitation, having always been a person inclined to take advantage of others the instant they provided the opportunity to do so. He calls it opportunism, but in truth it's sadism, vindictiveness. He moves to press his foot down on Clarence's lower back. To thrust him down into the dirt, the place where all people Jason deems unworthy belong, a judgment he makes in a heartbeat upon seeing them and one from which no one has ever found pardon.]

That it's the mother of invention, I reckon.

[ Choromatsu had his back towards the direction Dia was coming from when she spots him. He's in his wereform so he's quite large, but in this darkness it's a little hard to make out some of his monster traits.

When he turns though it's hard to miss the ursine quality of his face ]

Eh? You don't know where you are?

[ Uh oh... that gets him concerned ]

A-Are you new--

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TEST DRIVE MEME

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Dia Kurosawa | Love Live! Sunshine!!

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1. FLINGS MYSELF AT YOU