JANUARY/FEBRUARY TEST DRIVE

[ryslighelpers]

TDM: JANUARY/FEBRUARY

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 is making all the cuts and scrapes on your skin 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 of the natives are trying to get on your good side with 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 on the more informative end of the scale. 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 readers saying they're lies, or pointing out good "jokes."

Then there are 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? Feel free to pick any monster type for this prompt, but note that you may not get the same one in game.

Comments

[hevenly]

There are always those who will fight, if the danger is great enough. One need only look.

[ Maybe that's just a fact of the kind of universe Angela comes from, but whenever there is something to unite against, there are heroes who will rise to the cause. ]

[throughavisordarkly]

[Bethan doesn't say anything for a moment, but her mouth twists as if she's tasting something sour.]

[At last, she shrugs.]

Sure. If you say so. I'm just not gonna rely on it.

[hevenly]

No... It would not be wise to wait for numbers before taking action. We should, however, get more information as to the bonds keeping us here.

[ She pauses. They've been walking this long and Angela has no idea if they're any closer to finding some sort of clinic or healer. She looks to Bethan, concern clear on her face. ]

How is your wound?

[throughavisordarkly]

It's fine.

[It's not fine. Her grimace gives that away, as does the blood starting to ooze from between her fingers.]

I mean, it hurts like a fucker, but it's fine. I don't think he hit anything vital.

[hevenly]

[ Angela looks up and down the street. No signs of a clinic, but there is a sort of general goods store nearby. ]

There. Perhaps we can get some bandages from that merchant.

[ She doesn't have much for coin, but hopefully the shopkeeper will either accept something in trade or the promise of a favor. ]

[throughavisordarkly]

[Bethan looks up at the store, considers for a moment, then shrugs.]

Hell, I don't see a pharmacy around here, so why not?

[Although she's increasingly sure that this is a bit past Band-Aid territory, and she has a nasty feeling that's all they'll find here.]

[hevenly]

[ Angela has only the vaguest notion of what a 'pharmacy' is, but Bethan has already agreed that this shop will do, so off they go.

It's late, and the proprietor of the shop is mopping the floor in preparation of locking up for the night, obviously not expecting any more customers. He looks up as the door opens and a bell rings out. ] Can I help you ladies?

[ It's then that he notices the stain of red on Bethan's jacket, on her hands. His eyes go wide and he begins to back away, holding his mop defensively in front of him. ]

I-I don't want any trouble...

[ Angela steps forward, unperturbed by the man's show of fear. She gets this reaction a lot, only usually it's her who's the one covered in blood. Though, to be fair, it's not usually her own. ]

We need bandages. Whatever you can provide.

[throughavisordarkly]

[Bethan, for her part, just rolls her eyes. If there's one thing she hates, it's people stammering and getting all tongue-tied just because they see a little blood. Newsflash, idiots, sometimes people bleed.]

[It's probably just as well Angela's here, for the shopkeeper's sake. It means Bethan doesn't actually have to say any of that; she just lets go of the other woman and goes to lean against a shelf instead. Shelves can't judge her. She can put all her weight on shelves.]

If you got a first aid kit, that'll do. And if you don't, you ought to, that's just common sense.

I'll take a bottle of whatever's cheap and strong, too. [Because honestly, after the day she's had, she just wants a drink and a sleep. The injury can take care of itself. Probably.]

[hevenly]

[ Angela spares a glance to Bethan, not offended but somewhat stern. Asking for more means they must give more in return. Nothing is for nothing.

...But... Technically, it's Bethan who's asking for the liquor. Not Angela. And Bethan presumably doesn't adhere to the same rule that the Angels instilled in Angela from childhood.

This is fine. A loophole. ]

Yes. I will take the first aid kit, and repay you at a later date. And she will have the bottle.

[ The shopkeeper, a cowardly man who doesn't want to stir up any more violence than has already taken place, nods and heads into the back room. Angela prowls through the store, appraising everything she sees. She finds a wooden stool behind the counter and brings it out to where Bethan is leaning against a shelf. ] You should sit.

[throughavisordarkly]

Repay? I've got a credit card. [Bethan looks at Angela, and she looks... hurt? Angry? Maybe even a little betrayed. Still, after a moment's hesitation, she takes the seat, collapsing into it more heavily than she means to.] You didn't think I was just gonna steal?

I'm not a criminal.

[Well, okay, technically she's a criminal. But only with laws that don't matter, like the ones against actual bodily harm.]

[hevenly]

Ah. Hm. [ Angela frowns. ] I did not mean to imply... You said you had no coin.

[ There's a reason Sera complements Angela so well. It's because when Angela opens her mouth, she says the absolute wrong thing about 80% of the time. Sera is the wordsmith. Angela would be happy just to hack and slash monsters for the rest of her days, never interacting with another sentient being. ]

My apologies.

[throughavisordarkly]

I mean, I don't. I've got an overdraft.

[She softens a little, not least because she's starting to feel too tired to hold up her usual level of fury.]

Listen, it's fine. I just...

It's fine.

[hevenly]

[ Angela opens her mouth to say something further, but just then the shopkeeper reemerges, arms laden with the items they asked for: a bottle of whiskey for Bethan and a (hopefully well stocked) first aid kit. Angela will have to ask what an overdraft is later, for now the more important task is opening the first aid kit and seeing to Bethan's wound. ]

Here, hopefully we can stem the blood loss.

[throughavisordarkly]

[Bethan's more concerned with the whiskey. She opens it with blood-slick hands, not without difficulty, and knocks back a healthy mouthful. It burns on the way down, and that helps bring her back to herself, at least a little.]

You know first aid?

[hevenly]

[ Angela patiently tends to Bethan's wound, carefully peeling her learner jacket away from the area so she can reach it with antiseptic and bandages. ]

You do not fight as long as I have without learning how to dress a wound gained in battle.

[ Angels and Asgardians may be made of tougher stuff than humans, but that doesn't mean Angela's never been injured. ]

[throughavisordarkly]

Hm. Guess that makes sense. [She winces as the jacket, plastered to clothes and skin by congealing blood, is pulled away, but she sets her jaw resolutely and doesn't make a sound of complaint. Instead, her hand trembling a little, she reaches down to pull aside the sweater and t-shirt she's wearing underneath, tugging them up just far enough to reveal the wound fully.]

[It's not as deep as you might think, at least - the leather did do something to absorb the blow. But it's a messy cut, made messier by the layers of clothing driven into it.]

I usually just take an Advil and sleep it off. But I guess I've sewn myself up a few times, too. And I don't, you know. Have anyone else to patch up.

[hevenly]

[ Angela does her best to clean the wound, before gently covering it with bandages. ]

I take it your usual self would heal from a wound like this with no issue. [ So would Angela. Or, more accurately, she wouldn't get a wound like this in the first place. But their very beings have been tampered with, in this strange place. Angela vows to find the one responsible, and make them pay. ]

[throughavisordarkly]

I mean... yeah, kinda. I'd probably have to call in sick tomorrow and they've sent me home a few times 'cause things reopened while I was working, but last time I got stabbed I was back out hunting a couple days later.

[She doesn't meet Angela's eyes. This is already too vulnerable a situation, without bringing emotions into it.]

Gonna be a real pain in the ass getting used to this. I might have to reinforce the jacket.

[hevenly]

Mm. [ Angela keeps working as Bethan talks, grateful that the girl can distract herself from the pain and the awkwardness of the scene to ignore what Angela needs to do. ]

I had a similar rate of recovery. Though I was much harder to injure to begin with. I certainly must see about getting better armor.

[ The bikini won't cut it if she's as vulnerable as a baseline human. ]

[throughavisordarkly]

[Bethan's quiet for a moment, still not looking at Angela, her jaw so tight that the tendons stand out sharply against her neck.]

...I might be able to help. I mean, better armour than just a biker jacket, too. I'm pretty good at metalwork and that kinda shit. Can't imagine it's much harder to make armour than to reshape bodywork.

[And that actually would be a decent payback for Angela's help. Then they really can be even.]

[hevenly]

[ Angela's hands still, long enough to show that she's giving the idea sufficient consideration. ]

I would consider that enough repayment. You have much experience with smithing?

[ Yeah... Someone doesn't know much of anything about cars. ]

[throughavisordarkly]

Smithing's just bashing stuff with a hammer, right?

But no. I was thinking more welding. Won't be as pretty as your bikini there, but it'll cover a lot more.

[hevenly]

I assume there is more to it than that... Though admittedly, it is not my area of expertise.

[ She's in the habit of using weapons and armor, not making them. ]

So long as it does not limit my range of movement, I would trust your recommendations.

[throughavisordarkly]

Cool. Sounds like a deal, then.

[She hisses in a long breath through her teeth, looking down for the first time since Angela started dressing her wound. Feels like time for another mouthful of booze.]

How's that coming?

[hevenly]

Almost finished...

[ She finishes applying the medical tape to keep the bandage in place, then retreats, standing and giving Bethan some room to breathe.

The poor shopkeeper has been nervously mopping this whole time, eyeing the pair suspiciously. Angela turns to him, ] You have my thanks for your assistance. When I come into some coin, I will return and pay you for your services.