graveyardsmash | TDM: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

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test drive

TDM: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

TDM: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

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

(CW: Human remains)

When you awaken, you are hit with an immediate feeling of motion. A bobbing, if you will, or perhaps more of a rocking. You take a deep breath through your nose and take note of salt, along with the pungent scent of rotting wood. Creaking sounds echo all around you. Sitting up, you find yourself locking eyes with a skull.

An entire human skeleton is positioned across from you, resting limply against a pillar. Surveying the rest of your surroundings, you soon realize that you're below deck on an old, dilapidated ship. A ship that's on the move. The crew must have suffered a terrible fate, strewn as they all are across the floor. With their ripped poofy shirts, sheathed cutlasses and jaunty feathered hats, they seem to scream one word at you. "Pirates". ...Ooh, is that an abandoned bottle of rum? And a treasure chest? Surely they won't mind if you help yourself. They're dead, after all!

Once you've ascended the creaky steps, you find yourself on the deck of this vast, once proud vessel. A tattered Jolly Roger flaps overhead. Thick fog obscures most of the ocean surrounding you, but what's that straight ahead? Land ho! The ship's about to make port, and a crowd of curious onlookers has already gathered on the docks to stare up at this spooky new arrival. They appear apprehensive, perhaps even fearful, as if they haven't seen a ship come in for a long time. Will they hold you accountable for what happened to the skeleton crew? Will they praise you for 'ridding' them of pirates and allow you to keep the booty? There's no way to know just yet. Perhaps you'd best hide and find a way to disembark without being seen. Or perhaps there's someone else to be found here on this ship who suffered the same fate; someone who has a better idea of what to do.

SCENARIO TWO

You've stumbled your way into a city, and you're promptly besieged by the overwhelming sights and sounds. 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 lost expression and your clothes- so different from their own- 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. A hefty laptop may be handed to you, with words of a ‘network’ used for communication. Wonder what that’s about? Then there’s the very confusing pamphlet stuffed within: "What To Expect When You're Expecting (To Turn Into A Monster)”. They may direct you to an organisation known as the Lighthouse, their members most prominently found at the 38-8 apartments and the Lighthouse Church. Or perhaps, if you're injured, they'll refer you to the Crowe Clinic instead. Unfortunately, the directions you're given are so very complicated that you lose your way in the streets after two left turns, a right and a left at the soup kitchen.

Take care when asking for more help. 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

Now that you've found a moment of peace, you open up the mysterious device that's been handed to you. Perhaps you'll recognize it as some sort of laptop, albeit an old and clunky one. Or perhaps you'll be astounded by this curious feat of technology, which is unlike anything you've ever seen before. Regardless, the moment the lid is propped open to reveal the screen and the keyboard within, you gain your first glimpse of the network.

Perhaps you'll want to choose a username and write your very first message, posing the pressing question that's on your mind at this very moment. The lettered buttons click and clack awkwardly beneath your fingertips as you type.

However, you may instead want to respond to today's most popular message.

WELCOME TO RSDOS.
PRESS F1 TO COMPOSE POST.

*** TODAY’S TOP POST ***

018.07.154.55 <JUSTSOMEGUY> Let's play Two Truths, One Lie! It's real easy! You just post three statements about yourself, and the rest of us have to guess the lie. It'll be fun! And you get to be a liar liar without your pants catching fire for a bit.

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I.

[The sweet, gentle bobbing of the sea is honestly nothing new to any good sea dog, and probably the most calming thing about this whole catastrophe. That's the thing, though, Caviar doesn't recall falling asleep on his ship. In fact, the last thing he can remember is trying to get Vanilla Sugar Cookie out of the collapsing Lyceum and...then what? Unable to confirm his success and the scent of a rot that would never be allowed on his ships is enough to stir the captain, but it's not like he gets any answers. Instead he only gets overwhelmed by the bizarre sensation that something is simply very wrong with his entire body. It's difficult to explain, it's not as though he aches, but there's definitely something not right that he can't quite put his finger on...

...fingers, of course, being something he'll have to get used to because he has those now.

Not that he appears to notice them right away. Instead he sloppily heaves himself up with a grunt, inspecting what appears to be a pirate skeleton?? Listen...animated skeleton things are nothing new to him and these aren't exactly the sort of pirates he's used to dealing with, so it's really no surprise that he just casually gives the poor thing a tap or two with his boot. Caviar gives a rather unimpressed scoff when he doesn't get any sort of response.]

Sleepin' on the job, are ya?! You and me both, apparently...

[He grumbles under his breath, unsure how he got captured by what appears to be some very lazy pirates when he can't recall being near the sea, but he...can't really deny where he is.]

Alright, who's in charge here?! 'Cause someone needs to tell 'em they just messed with the wrong capta— WOAH, HEY!! [It only takes one step before Captain Caviar trips over his own legs, something that terrifies him more than the kidnapping itself.] Well, now I know how I got captured, I'm walkin' like some kinda sugary landlubber...

[Fisticuffs will have to wait as Caviar looks over his legs, wondering why they're suddenly acting like they're stilts made out of jelly. It isn't until he grabs one with a hand and its unfamiliar digits that he realize something is, in fact, very wrong.]

Uh... Hm.

[Surely there isn't anything strange about a grown ass man now just staring at his hand like he's never seen it before. Haha, cookie game!]

II.

[There is a learning curve and it is steep. Although the captain was able to safely make it to the city, he still walks like a newborn fawn and grimaces at the fact that he needs to lean on nearly every surface just to barely stand upright. It wouldn't be such a problem if it didn't make him such an easy target.

A future monster unable to walk and clearly in need? Surely people need to offer him ALL THE THINGS. Caviar finds himself waving off just about everything. Unfamiliar foods, far too many shirts, and even the occasional offer to fetch him a cane.

Does he really look so helpless?!]

Get back, all of ya! You're more annoyin' than a squawkin' squad of seagulls, yeesh!!

[It isn't until someone hands him one of those pamphlets that he finally settles down, the title catching his brand new eyes. "What To Expect When You're Expecting (To Turn Into A Monster)," huh?]

So is that what I am, some kinda monster now?

[Ah yes, the most terrifying monster of all: Man]

[In his near eight month tenure in Ryslig, Sparkling has seen newcomers arrive in all sorts of ways. From arriving in an underground facility himself, to showing up in the middle of the mall, to even appearing in a sinkhole in the center of town. Oh, and let's not forget the entire group that just materialized in the middle of his bar, that was a fun time. Seeing a large ship arrive carrying newcomers as its passengers is honestly tame compared to some of the things it could have been, and the crowd of locals that shows up makes it easy for the vampire to pinpoint where they've come ashore.

He's flying overtop peoples' heads in his bat form, able to withstand the sun thanks to the Fog keeping it blotted out for the next few days. And...it's hard not to notice the poor Captain wobbling about like he's never walked a foot in his life. It's very..........

...hm.

Something itches in the back of his mind, telling him to investigate. And so, he does.

Sparkling comes up short in the crowd, shifting into a cloud of mist to get through them better before coalescing somewhere out of sight, not wanting to startle any of these new faces with such a dramatic change. It makes it easier when he steps into view as a fully formed person. Well, monster, as it were.

But when he hears him say that, Sparkling can't help but boggle at him, just for a moment.]

Ah...n-no, you aren't yet...but what makes you say that, if you don't mind me asking?

[To anyone else, the weird bat man with the candy cane feet would probably be a little more off-putting than the rest of these people. Instead, his sparkly colors and bright patterns are the only thing keeping the captain from shooing him off with the rest of the lot.

Somehow...somehow this one just feels more normal.

Caviar grunts at the "yet," unsure whatever that's supposed to mean. It was a pamphlet about transforming, wasn't it? Well, he's transformed!]

Ya really wanna know? Then take a good look at these! [With an almost crazed look in his eye, Caviar holds up the one hand not clinging to a wall for dear life and wiggles his fingers aggressively. It's the only quick example he can think of that isn't him spiraling into a rant about how his dough isn't feeling so...doughy. Don't even get him started on the loss of his caviar, so far no one's been able to understand what THAT means.] Lookin' pretty monstrous to me.

[He sighs, putting down his new and unusual hand and instead just leans against his emotional support building. Thankfully his massive coat didn't transform nearly as much as he did and makes for great padding between him and the otherwise uncomfortable bricks.]

So what are you suppose to be, anyway? Some kinda peppermint bat monster? ...Or am I wrong again? You'd definitely be the calmest monster I've ever seen if I'm not, so thanks for not tryin' to crumble me.

[Listen, he knows he's an easy target right now. He hates it, but he knows it.]

[It's reflexive, the way Sparkling leeeans back as Caviar suddenly shoves a hand into his face, wiggling his fingers at him as if it's the most terrifying sight in the world. And...maybe it's because he's been here too long and has really gone native, but having fingers actually used to be the norm for Sparkling. Now he barely has any at all, with just two claws on each wing-tip to articulate and grip things with. Of course, that was never a problem back home when you didn't need more than a hand to do whatever you wanted.]

Wh- I-

[He can't really get a word in edgewise either before the Captain continues, leaving him feeling a bit dumbstruck as each question rolls around in his head too fast for him to process. Peppermint...? That he supposes would make some sense, he-

But then, the Vampire goes very still. His ears perk up as straight as possible, and for a moment Sparkling just stares back at Caviar, looking more through him than at him directly.

He then suddenly moves a step closer, hopping up onto the tip-toes of his talons, too overwhelmed by the possibility to keep his composure entirely.]

Crumble? Did you just say crumble!? That...you- you would crumble- I heard that right?

[It's Caviar's turn to lean back as Sparkling moves forward, or at least as much as he can what with already being pressed against the wall. He raises an eyebrow, unsure why THAT would catch his attention so much.

Unless...]

What...? Are ya tellin' me nobody crumbles here? What sorta place is this?

[Of course if this is a peppermint bat monster, and he is vicious, it'd make sense he'd be so interested in Caviar's horrible, crumbly, gruesome death. Did...did he just slip precious mortality intel? To a monster???]

Look, don't go gettin' any ideas, you hear me? Just 'cause I can't stand on these legs, doesn't mean I still can't kick 'em!!

[It isn't until Caviar is leaning away from him that Sparkling realizes that he's maybe being...a bit intense, prompting him to quickly move back again. But really, can you blame him? It's hard to exactly compose yourself when someone is using what is very obviously cookie language right in front of you. And this time, Sparkling is so used to people misunderstanding him or the reactions he gets otherwise from telling people that he is a cookie that he doesn't bother beating around the bush.]

No, no you don't have to worry about that! Just, listen- you're a cookie, aren't you? You live on Earthbread? That's why you said you'd crumble?

Wha—

[Sparkling's quick explanation leaves the captain blinking a few times, but it isn't long until he's connecting the dots and grinning ear to ear. Which...is a bizarre feeling when you've never had ears before...]

Oh? Oh! You could tell all that just by a few choice words, huh? That's pretty sharp, mate, I'm impressed! But yeah, ya got that right, Captain Caviar Cookie of the Crème Republic, at your service!

[He's so thrilled about being recognized as a cookie, he nearly forgets that he is, in fact, at nobody's service in the state he's in. It's only when his knees shake a little more does his smile falter.]

Or, well, I will be...once I figure out what's goin' on. ...But say! Does this mean you can show me where the other cookies are?

[It's a not so great combination of relief and dread that floods Sparkling when Caviar introduces himself as a Cookie after all, and while he may not currently be in the dough, that much doesn't matter in the slightest. Sparkling is a vampire for witches sake, they're really past the point of splitting hairs over appearances.

And so, he'll gesture with a (slightly trembling) wing for Caviar to follow him, trying to keep his voice level as he replies.]

It's...wonderful to meet you, Captain. My name is Sparkling Cookie. I can't say I have credentials quite so lofty as yours, but...I do run a bar here in this world. I think we would be more comfortable talking there. I will try to explain as much as I can to you on the way.

[He just hates to be the bearer of the worst news: that...well. There aren't any other cookies.

At least, not anymore.]

[Sparkling Cookie? So this guy...is another cookie? Well, Caviar can't really say that's unbelievable considering the circumstances, but uh...he sure does look more like Peppermint Bat Monster at the moment.

Oh, wait, no, he's still sparkling from the looks of it. Sparkling Cookie it is.]

Bah, what are ya talkin' about? When it comes to credentials, runnin' a bar is by far one of the more respectable things you can ever tell a captain! [He laughs, giving Sparkling a hardy pat on his back. His...weirdly furry back...] And a drink does sound pretty good right about now...

Just, uh, remember to take it nice and slow, okay? Ya get too far ahead and I'm gonna topple over like a sand castle in a tsunami.

Of course. Trust me, I understand. It does take some getting used to...

[And Sparkling still has some days where he wakes up feeling off because of it. Like he should be back home, with no fingers, no toes, no hair, no skin...

But that isn't the reality he and Caviar have to deal with now. He just hates to once more be the unfortunate bearer of bad news.

Sparkling smiles politely, if weakly, back at Caviar before indicating that he follow, starting to make his way towards the nearest bus stop. He is not going to try to make Caviar walk the several miles it would take to get to Amusement Mile, and Sparkling lacks any transportation since he can usually just fly in bat form...so. Bus it is. They'll at least have time to talk in the meantime.]

I do hope that my place lives up to your expectations. I am...currently the only cookie living here that I know of, up until recently. So...having your seal of approval would mean a lot to me.

Eh, as long as there's a roof over my head and a drink in my hands, my expectations are more than made.

[Wait.

The only cookie? For whatever reason, Caviar was under the assumption that there had to be cookies living around here SOMEWHERE amongst all these fleshy...not-cookies. Then again, they aren't exactly cookies themselves right now, are they? So strange, why should they have to change to be here...?

Either way, a lot of Sparkling's actions make sense now. He wasn't being weird, he was being hopeful.]

...So is that why you've been shakin' like a sail this whole time? [Don't think he hasn't noticed. Despite his best efforts to be accommodating, this bat is clearly upset over...something.] I can't say I blame ya for how you acted earlier. Heh, I betcha I woulda been worse if I were the only cookie in a place like...whatever this is.

[Knowing how obvious his nerves have been this whole time is admittedly a little embarrassing, but it isn't as if Caviar doesn't have eyes. So Sparkling decides to just be honest with it all, nodding as he leads the way to a street corner with a bus stop on its edge.]

It...wasn't easy.

[And that is an understatement, to be sure.]

I wish I had better news for you, but unfortunately...cookies like you and I just aren't common in this world. And as you can see, we aren't even cookies at all anymore. What you are now, for example, is a human. You have skin instead of dough, and hair instead of...

[He blinks, thinking back on how he'd introduced yourself.]

Caviar, I assume?

[Caviar's response is pretty much automatic because despite the horrible news Sparkling just told him, he can't help but smile again and swell with pride.]

Right again, mate! A gift from the...sea...itself...

[And noooooow it finally catches up with him. The captain's reflexive response gradually loses its steam and what was once a quick, cheerful explanation becomes a silent look of dread. Cutting his little speech short, both his hands proceed to grab at his head despite his prior need for balance. There are more important things than just standing up at the moment!

And as they grasp into what should've been a beloved ingredient, instead he's welcomed to thick handfuls of...what did Sparkling call it? Hair? He's hairy now?! The worst part is he can't even trick himself into thinking his precious caviar is just covered up or something, he can feel the strands connected to his scalp with each little squeeze and tug.]

Did they— They took my caviar?! [You know, up until now he was doing pretty good keeping it together. A good captain normally doesn't falter in the middle of an emergency. But this? This is personal!] How am I suppose to be Captain Caviar Cookie without any caviar?!

[At least Sparkling still SPARKLES.]

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charmpagne - 2022-09-28 17:12 (UTC) - Expand

No, I'm a monster. You're just a dude, right now.

[Comes a voice from nearby as Maya approaches, nosy as hell and greeting the new arrivals. Caviar sticks out even without knowing he's a cookie, bth in his inability to properly walk as well as his very obviously seaworthy clothing. A mermaid's bound to be nosy about sailors.

She's just a little smarter than the other nosey folks, though, having stood aside until he'd kind-of calmed down.]

You'll be a monster eventually by the looks of it, though.

[There's no way he's From Here.]

Just a "dude," am I? I'll have you know yer talkin' to the captain—

[Caviar whips around as about as gracefully as he can, which isn't really much, but not as bad as it could be. He makes up for it by flaunting out his coat, letting it whip behind him as if it were a majestic cape. He could've been so cool right now, but the sight of the person addressing him causes him to gasp.

Not even any sort of cute, comedic gasp, but the only sort of sound that comes from someone genuinely surprised.

Frozen for a second or two, he blinks himself back into reality, realizing there's no way it could be her. This one...is much too small.

And on land.

With a bit of blush to his cheeks, Caviar straightens himself up and clears his throat.]

So, a sea monster, are ya? Fins and flippers don't get by me, although I'm surprised to see you this far from the sea.

[Okay, yeah, he just got off a boat nearby, but usually the sea monsters are IN the sea.]

That's right, Captain Dude!

[She's rude???

Though the mermaid who claps her hands together as if in prayer has skin that's pearly black— she's not quite the black pearl he's looking for, no. Maya's tail wiggles behind her like a swimming dolphin, making it quite apparent he's at least not wrong about her being a sea monster.]

Can't hang out with all the other monsters if I"m not on land, after all.

[Believe him, he ain't looking for that black pearl again anytime soon.]

Captain Caviar Cookie! [He corrects her in a booming voice, because there is no way he is going to go around letting someone call him Captain Dude. That's right, Fish Eggs Pastry Treat is somehow the less sillier name. His legs might wobble, but his arms are still perfectly capable of proudly sitting at his hips.] So if I'm not a monster then, you got no reason to hang around me, do ya?

Unless you wanna help an old sea dog out, but I dunno....

['Helping' doesn't seem to be as much Maya's priority as discovering, btu she'll make an effort to help eventually!

...First, she has to freak out a little.]

Captain Caviar Cookie? A salty sea dog?! [when did he say salty]

That's right!

[A swing;]

Sparkling told me there were pirate cookies, too!

[And a miss.]

[Look, he's proud of his saltiness, she can call him as salty as she wants. He even grins a little when she says it completely unprompted. Haha, that's right, saltiest cookie she'll ever meet!

Somehow being called a pirate doesn't make him stop grinning.]

Ha! Pirate? No, no, I'm worse than a pirate, I'm the guy who sends pirates shakin' in their boots!

[If he didn't get called a pirate so often, it might've been annoying. Wait-]

Hold on a second, so there ARE cookies here! Y'know, at first I thought everyone was transformed cookies themselves, but I'll take bein' the only one. I dunno what happened to me or where we are, but if you could show me the way to the cookies, that'd be a big help, mate.

Well, there's at least one! And lucky for you, I know exactly where he hangs.

[Maya puts her hand to her chin in thought, suddenly, though, and wonders aloud;]

It's a little farther north, there... Are you gonna be able to walk it?

[Caviar raises his fist, much like one would give a thumbs up. He's...he's still gotta learn that gesture, new thumbs and all.]

Nope!

[Maya raises her own fist to match his, enthusiastic. She does not bother to correct him. That is simply the motion now.]

Great! I can still get you there.

Hey, do cookies have cars, too?

[They did it, they invented the fist pump.]

Tell me what a car is and I'll letcha know.

Are you tryin' to say "cart?"

'Cause we got carts.

So no cars. Got it.

A car is like, a cart that pushes itself!

[She's not wrong, but—]

Or, um, you get in the cart, and then you make it move from the inside.

...Maybe I should just show you.

...

[He points to the street and the cars that pass by.]

Are you talkin' about those things? Almost got ran over by one when I got here, was wonderin' what they were. Look, it ain't like we don't got trains or airships, I know how transportation works, mate. Just seems kinda pointless to have somethin' for places you can walk to—

[Oh wait.]

Y'know, never mind, I can get behind the idea of cars.

TDM: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Captain Caviar Cookie | Cookie Run Kingdom | OTA

II starts screaming and does not stop

I'm so sorry for your future sore throat chi

IM sorry for Sparkling bc hes gonna seem like hes lost his mind for a hot second here

Re: IM sorry for Sparkling bc hes gonna seem like hes lost his mind for a hot second here

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