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graveyardsmash2022-05-14 08:33 pm
ryslighelpers) wrote in graveyardsmash2022-05-14 08:33 pm
Entry tags:
TDM: MAY/JUNE
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.
no subject
Releasing him, she places both clawed hands on her chest with a sigh and a shake of her head. Seras isn't sighing at him, she's just still chasing that regular breathing pattern. One moment.]
N-no, sir. It's not, I'm afraid... [Huff, puff. She lifts a hand to push her bangs from her face, finally regarding him with a crooked, almost apologetic smile.]
I-- ah. This is-- this is me. I'm a werewolf. B-but please don't be alarmed, I'm still a person! I mean you no harm, I promise.
no subject
Deep down he wanted to trust this woman who saved him, but he thinks about the Count, how friendly he acted towards them, how he saved him from those cruel women.
How he gleefully sent him into the throes of despair.
When he speaks again, his voice becomes meek, and he doesn't look Seras in the eyes.]
Oh.
W-well, I thank you for saving my life, ma'am. I suppose I'm indebted to you.
[He says those words out of gentlemanly habit, but fear is edged into what he says.]
no subject
She can't help but feel responsible for how quickly that brilliant wonder faded from his eyes, even if she really had no say in the matter, herself. This is just the unfortunate reality of the world he's been dropped into. But how can she explain that to someone like this without making it... Worse?
A soft whimper escapes her as she shrinks back to give him space, those ears swivelling and lowering as she bows her head, almost as if she were preparing to be struck. It's not all intentional, she's not quite sure if he's the lashing out type, but the compulsion to make herself seem smaller and less threatening was learned long before she was ever a werewolf or a vampire.
She inspired fear in the heart of her peers, once upon a time. Even when she didn't mean to. All she could do was seek to prove that she meant them no harm.]
I-I'm sorry, sir. Please, don't say things like that. I just... Help people. It's-- it's what I do. You don't owe me anything.
[These olden types could be so serious about these sorts of things...]
no subject
[He says that automatically, practically on instinct, before he glances back up at Seras again. She looks like how he feels right now and a pang of guilt courses through him. This woman had saved his life, and here he was judging her. He had no reason to be so wary of her.
Well, perhaps there was thanks to past experience, but Jonathan should be nicer than that.
Jonathan stands up a little straighter, still not looking her in the eyes but he sounds apologetic.]
I'm sorry, I didn't mean to look ungrateful for your help. I... [There's a pause, unsure of what he should even tell her.] I was being held prisoner by this cruel person, Count Dracula. He saved my life and always treated me like I was his "good friend", but he was a cruel person. I scarcely know why he's kept me locked up the way he did, but I just escaped his captivity. I am sure you're nothing like him and I'm sorry for treating you like you are one and the same.
no subject
My God, Master, you didn't..
There's a veritable whirlwind of questions swirling in her mind right now, though it's that last part that weighs heaviest on her. I'm sure you're nothing like him. ...Like you are one and the same.
She is one and the same. Before, she believed that sharing his blood was what made that so. But... all that blood has bled away, hasn't it? Though, she supposes the blood never really mattered. He chose her because they were already one and the same, long before the first bite.
She doesn't want to refute him, though. She at least could guarantee that she had no interest in keeping this man in captivity. Even when she was a vampire, she'd had no such inclinations... Maybe Alucard was just a weirdo, back then.]
I-- Y-you. You... You know Count Dracula?
[There aren't very many people named Count Dracula. Sure, from what she's learned about there being multiple universes, there would have to be multiple Dracula's, wouldn't there? Maybe... maybe the one he's speaking of isn't... her own. But. She's not going to pretend she doesn't know the name. She's never been a very good liar, and that's going to definitely bite her in the ass later if she decides to pretend she doesn't.]
I'm... I'm so sorry he did that to you! That-- [Is fucked up. That's so fucked up, Alucard what the fuck since when were you holding people captive, you lunatic?] That's awful!
[Hearing that story on it's own would have already been enough cause for alarm, but... having a weirdly personal tie to it makes it all the more important that she actually do something to rectify it. Even if that's not her Dracula, she can't pretend for a second that she doesn't feel responsible for whatever he did, no matter when or what version of him did it--
Now how in the hell does she fix this?]
You said you just escaped him? Are you alright? D'you need anything?
no subject
I do! He was my client but then he locked me in his castle, and I don’t know what for. I’m certain he was scared that I would find out about him and tell the world, but he was making me write letters to cover up my own eventual murder and I-
[He pauses, tears welling up as he remembers Dracula throwing his letter into the fire.]
I did just escape him, at first I thought he was trying to bury me alive but I’m unsure why I woke up in an open grave, so I think I’m safe.
I suppose all I want right now is to contact my fiancée Mina. Do you know of a post office around here? I want her to know what happened.
[There is actually a lot of things he wants right now. Some company, a safe bed, a place to shave, and maybe a place to cry for a bit, but that can wait. The idea of leaving Mina in the dark hurts too much.]
no subject
She finds herself much more alarmed by the idea that this... Could feasibly be something her Master could have done, once upon a time, but... Not nowadays, right?
...surely her situation was different. It's not like she was stolen away and held in captivity against her will... She just. Was. Killed and turned without really being given a choice and now employed by...the...Hellsing family. See? Totally different circumstances! ...that she's not going to think too much further about, right now.]
I... That. That's truly terrible. I can't believe he'd--!! Well, no, I can believe, that's the worst part. I'm-- I'm so sorry that he would do something like that, to you.
[She grimaces, an unintentional flash of her fangs. Boy, she hates being the bearer of bad news.]
I... I'm afraid not. I mean. There is a post office, but... It's purely for the peninsula, I think. Things can't exactly...leave, here. I'm very sorry.
no subject
[And then he hears the bad news. He had already failed once to contact his Mina, but he had hope that now that he was out that he could finally send a letter to her, to at least let her know that he's alive. He barely even flinches at the fangs as he starts hugging himself.]
So... there's no way to contact my Mina?
[His voice is quiet, meek. Would Mina never know what became of him? Would she think he left her, or met some horrible end? The thought that he would never see his fiancee's wonderful face ever again hits him, and he lets out a choked sob. He doesn't want to cry in public, in front of this nice lady, but his eyes absolutely burned in sorrow.]
Oh God...
no subject
Oh no, this poor man. Has he not been through enough?
It breaks her heart to see such a pleasant young man fraught with despair. It's far too recent, too familiar a scene, that even with the names and faces changed she can't help but feel that telltale tug on her heartstrings. There were people she missed from home, most certainly, but she couldn't imagine them reacting like this for her. What a wonder it must be to be loved like this. The thought is so alien to her, she can barely hold on to it for longer than a few moments.
Her head sinks even lower with the sound of his voice, eyes shutting tight as she desperately searches her mind for some way to fix this. She delivered the bad news, it wasn't well received, he's about two seconds away from crying and... and. And there's nothing. She can't tell him "everything's okay," because it most certainly is not. She can't tell him "everything will be okay," because she can't guarantee it. She doesn't want to give him the dubious hope of waiting for his fiancée to arrive one day, because that time may never come...
But she wants to do something. Anything.
Forcing herself upright again, Seras takes a deep breath and opens her eyes, blinking the burning sensation away before stepping forward and placing a paw delicately upon his shoulder.]
Hey, I-I'm--
[Apologizing won't fix it, either. She knows this. It won't bring him any closer to His Mina. Nothing will, except what the Fog wants, when She wants it. But she can't explain that to him right now, it's not the time. Instead she opts to move in closer to get an arm braced against his back. It's an odd, sort of one-armed hug, but she's worried about him feeling too trapped by some other monster. It at least gives him an out if he can't handle it, right now...]
Th-this is hard, I know, but. I-it's not forever. You'll see her again.
[It feels like lying, but she isn't entirely sure if it is... There's always the chance she could arrive here, the same as she did. But there's just as much of a chance that she won't.]
Come with me, okay? I think we should get you somewhere comfortable, for now.
no subject
Distantly, a dark part of him points out that Dracula was also nice to him at first, but this woman felt different. She felt kind and warm and... safe. That's all he wanted right now, to feel safe.
Eventually, the crying dies down, and he loosens the hold on Seras.]
I'm sorry about that. If there's a hotel around here, it would be nice to have a place to stay then night. And perhaps some hot cocoa if you can manage it.
[He felt childish asking for it, but he had a rough month and he could really use something warm and comforting to help his exhaustion.]
no subject
She tenses just a bit when he embraces her, recovering quickly enough to relax her shoulders and get her other arm around him, rubbing comforting little circles on his back. She's not unaccustomed to delivering bad news, or being a stranger's shoulder to cry on in a hard time-- she was a police officer, bad news was half of her job --but when it came to things like this, telling someone they may not see their loved one for some time, if ever again... That's something she thinks she may never get used to.
Too recent, too familiar.
Seras tries for a reassuring, sympathetic sort of smile as she pulls back from him, not quite breaking the embrace, but leaning back enough to be able to get a good look at him. Bless his entire heart... he's going to have a hard time here, isn't he?
When he speaks, she can't stop herself from smiling wider, more genuinely with that gentle request, the sadness in her own eyes softening to a wistful sort of endearment as she nods. How could she say no to that face?]
Absolutely. That's just what I was thinking. We'll tell them that you're new to town, and they'll take care of you for a few nights until you get your bearings.
[Tilting her head, she huffs a soft laugh, looking a tad nervous again.]
Aaand, I'll figure out how t'get you that hot chocolate. Might be a little harder in the summertime, but I think I can manage it.