TDM: JANUARY/FEBRUARY

[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 in a dark ditch, the sky cloudy overhead. Dirt cakes into your cuts and scrapes. The air is clammy and damp, and it smells like rain.

You’re in a grave. And when you sit up to inspect the tombstone marking your spot, it has your name on it. Maybe the graves next to you have the names of familiar friends, family, acquaintances. Not all of them are open like yours are. RIP.

There’s a light dancing in the distance, and you hear the jingle-jangle of heavy keys, or worse still, the gravekeeper’s massive pitchfork or shovel. If you're lucky, you can sneak out beyond his notice, and get out alone. If not - you might find yourself on the wrong end of a shovel’s swing, or worse yet, tripping headfirst in front of a pair of monstrous eyes.

SCENARIO TWO

You've stumbled your way out of the graveyard, and you're promptly besieged by the overwhelming sights and sounds of the city. Cars honk at you to get out of the street, and strangers try not to look in your direction for too long. They see your dirty clothes and scraped faces, and pretend to busy themselves with something else. Rarely, a look of pity is cast your way.

But some people try to reach out. Enterprising citizens and those that hope to curry favor with the newcomers pass out new clothes and bundles of food, asking if you have a place to stay the night, wondering about the details of the world you came from. Some are even handing out pamphlets which vary in how helpful they are--"What To Expect When You're Expecting (To Turn Into A Monster)", "Wolpertinger: Fact or Fiction?", "100% ACCURATE MONSTER QUIZ ASSESSMENT: GUARANTEED TO PREDICT YOUR MONSTER!", and "Ryslig Law In A Nutshell".

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? Does it fit you, or does it feel incongruous with your nature? Feel free to pick any monster type for this prompt, but note that you may not get the same one in game.

Comments

[creamsouda]

Are you kiddin' me!?

I look like godzilla meets doraemon and you think I'm joking?!

[why does he have to be so loud I'm sorry Hinata]

[recuttal]

We both saw Nidai get turned into a robot! How the hell am I supposed to know what's possible or not?!

[The supergenius brain, probably, but he also has no way how this could logically happen anyway.]

[creamsouda]

Well that— that was—

[Different, he wants to say. Fictional, even. Soda stares ahead as he considers that, actually, the simulation they were in wasn't that much different than what they're in now.]

A-actually, come to think of it, this is pretty much the same thing. It's like we got moved over to some whole different game, except there's other players now.

[He is making A Lot of assumptions about what Hinata knows here...]

[recuttal]

What... you mean this entire thing is just-- another simulation?

[You are so lucky that Hinata already knew about the Neo World Program, Souda, or else you would have so much to deal with. Not that this idea makes him feel any better about the situation.] Is that possible?

[creamsouda]

I— well, no. Probably not? But it's not exactly our reality either.

[...]

Uh, how much do you know about the parallel universe theory?

[recuttal]

...

[For a moment, he simply stares at Souda flatly, before letting out a sigh.]

Sure. The theory that there exists an infinite amount of universes parallel to our own reality... some with only minor differences, others completely different. Some say that every time you make a decision, or flip a coin, a new universe is created. [His tone almost sounded bored, like he was reciting it from a textbook.] You're saying... we're in another universe?

[creamsouda]

[For a moment, Souda just watches Hinata answers, starry eyed; wow! He didn't have to explain any of that! Hinata is so smart and cool and it's been a year and he's really missed him—]

Yeah! Exactly. More like, a convergence of a whole bunch of other universes. There's people here from totally different worlds!

Worlds that never ended... Worlds that aren't even Earth!

[recuttal]

[Slow down there Souda he'll probably disappoint you soon enough--]

A convergence point...? [That seems a little more sci-fi than actual theory, but he supposed something like that was possible? If multiple worlds theory was true, and people from universes that weren't even Earth were here...]

I guess when you put it like that, anything's possible... [He sighs.] And it means a whole world that doesn't hate us for what we did back home, so... that's probably good, right?

[creamsouda]

H-yeah, honestly? That part's pretty cool, not gonna lie.

[ . . . ]

But, uh, you're still gonna end up turning into a monster like me. And a lot of stuff's gonna try to kill us, anyway.

[ . . .

Souda starts scratching his neck.]

It's, uh. It's been a long year.

[recuttal]

Right... [The whole. Monster thing. He'd been trying not to think about it... for as long as that lasted, at least. Or maybe it's more... he didn't really know what to think of it. How to think about it. In comparison, it was a lot easier to deal with stuff trying to kill them, because that was just-- kind of normal.

Hinata was quiet for a moment, one hand on his hip, the other holding the side of his head as he scrunched his eyes closed. Finally, he lets out another sigh, though it's far more heavy than the last.]

I guess I'm not that much of a stranger to turning into a monster... [He means it as a joke. Probably.] Or stuff trying to kill us.

[He stands up straight again, letting out another breath.] Besides, you may be a giant lizard, but you're still you. And it's not like I'm alone here, so... Maybe it'll be fine?

[Bold words from a man shaking in his boots, but he's doing his best.]

[creamsouda]

[That seems to snap Souda out of what ever sulking he may have been starting. He grins a crocodile grin, tongue sticking out between his front teeth, and lifts his arms to go behind his head as he usually does— before remembering that isn't as comfortable with wings between his shoulder blades, and stowing his hands in the pockets of his jumpsuit. He makes a rumbling hiss sound that... Could be equated with a purr, but like, if a dinosaur was purring.]

Well hey, you don't have to worry one bit! This gargoyle thing is kind of an upgrade— and now that you're here, I'll have your back for sure!

[It's true that he doesn't look terribly intimidating with how pink he is.. But there are little pink embers dancing out of his nostrils with his joy at seeing his soul brother, and those teeth are pretty sharp...

Still, it's probably hard to take him seriously when he leans forward and wraps one of those big arms around Hinata's shoulders, giving a squeeze.]

Aw man, I've missed the shit out of you!

[recuttal]

[If the attitude and the near tears weren’t enough to convince Hintata that this was still Souda, the big toothy grin definitely was. He didn’t really know if— dinosaur, lizard, doraemon monsters would purr, but it still brought a smile to his face. The half-hug was a bit— stronger than he was used to from Souda, and he let out a grunt of surprise from the force— but still, his smile held fast, and bloomed into a grin.

It wasn’t like… he didn’t remember seeing Souda the day before, personally. But it felt good to be missed. To know, without a doubt, that there were people that looked forward to seeing him. And were glad to see him.]

I’m sure a gargoyle is probably better in a fight than one of your Minimarus. [Not to underestimate the terror Souda could cause with a good set of tools, of course.

He couldn’t quite get an arm around Souda in kind, given— again, the gargoyle thing— but he still twisted his closer arm up to rest on the closest of Souda’s shoulders he could reach.] H-Honestly, it feels like I just saw you yesterday… but I’m happy to see you, too. And I know I can rely on you.

[creamsouda]

[It's then, and only then, that Souda recalls Hajime could be from a different time entirely. Wide eyed, he exclaims—]

Oh shit! Yeah! You really did just see me, huh!

It's been so long since one of us showed up, I didn't even remember. Komaeda was on a totally different level when he got here!

[recuttal]

Geez... [For a moment, Hinata just laughs at how predictable Souda is... and then he actually processes what he says.]

--Wait!

[He slips out of the half-hug, mostly so he could turn and look at Souda, with urgency on his face.]

Komaeda's here!? He's awake!? He's... a-alive...?

[creamsouda]

[ah— there's the time dissonance. Souda blinks, and like an idiot, says—]

Of course, dude, everyone woke up.

Don't you remember?

[recuttal]

They woke up...

[He barely processes that this might be weird for Souda given the-- weird, time situation. He's far too preoccupied that they're awake, that everything they've been working towards since they woke up from the simulation hadn't been for nothing. He'd been willing to work for that slim, slim chance that they would wake up, no matter the odds, but to hear that it had actually worked...

Hinata looks like the wind's been knocked out of him, and he gently slumps back against the wall that made up the alleyway, letting out a sigh of relief, holding the side of his head as though the world was spinning. It kind of was, for a moment.]

...The last thing I remember... We were still trying to wake them up. Guess I fell asleep while I was working...? But I don't really remember now.

[It's a bit embarrassing to admit that, now, knowing they must have all already woken up for Souda.]

[creamsouda]

H-Hey, no, don't worry about it...

[Souda scratches at his neck again, shifting awkwardly.]

Komaeda... he didn't even remember waking up, when he first got here. It looks like we all remember different stuff— me and Sonia were the only ones who remembered everything.

[Still, seeing Hinata look.. relieved for a moment is kind of fulfilling. He hadn't realized how tired his friend had come to look, when they were still waiting and hoping.]

[recuttal]

I can't believe it worked...! [He wasn't used to having actual, tangible results...! Maybe all of his mishmash of talents was worth something if he'd actually been able to bring them back.

He can't help but smile-- but self-consciousness catches up with him, and he pushes himself off the wall, trying to stand up straight and look presentable again.]

S-Sorry. You and Sonia must have had to put up with that a lot. [Thanks, timelines!] But I know how hard you were working, too. Hopefully I didn't miss anything else too exciting... [He was exhausted just thinking about it!]