TDM: December/January

[ryslighelpers]

TDM: DECEMBER/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

(CW: imprisonment)

You wake up in a dark, windowless room. Your hands are tied behind your back, the cold concrete solid against your cheek where you lie on the floor.

As your eyes adjust to the lack of light, you can see your prison in more detail. It appears to be an unfinished basement, the walls made of the same featureless concrete as the ceiling and floor. There is a bucket in the corner, a locked metal door, a single cot with a ragged blanket, a few jagged pieces of metal tossed aside in the corner, and… is that another person?

That’s right. You’re not alone in this prison. Someone else has woken up here too, in just the same state - confused, lost, tied up.

You may as well get to know your new friend. Maybe you could even cook up an escape plan together? You might be here for a while, and, after all… there’s only one bed.

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> Happy Nattensfest everyone!!! If you could have any gift you wanted for Nattensfest, what would it be? It doesn't have to be a thing you can hold, it can be a magical spell or a cool new monster feature too. Or you can wish for world peace I guess... But there's way more imaginative gifts out there! Live your dreams!

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

[makesascene]

Well, Crinkles. [The 'baldie' absolutely gets Leo's goat, but he tries to just roll with it. He's had worse nicknames from his brothers.] You know, just chilling, hanging out, enjoying the relaxing atmosphere.

[He leans closer best he can given he's tied up.] Or, you know...

Kidnapped.

[luckless]

Hm... that you could be kidnapped even as a monster... What terrible luck.

[And even unluckier that this guy has to share a cell with him, too. It's not like Komaeda is much help with the way that he is right now.

But that does mean that this guy should be trustworthy, right?]

Hey, since we're both stuck in this terrible situation together, let's help each other, alright? [He's already crawling on his knees to get a bit closer, half-turning to show his tied arms behind his back.] If your hands can move, do you mind untying this for me?

[makesascene]

Poachers, man, they blow. Ruining a perfectly good Saturday! Laaaame. [The pretense of being a smartass is dropping a little as Komaeda scoots over.

Leo shifts enough to get his hands a little looser and twist to try and help. He gets one hand free after some mild wiggling. He reaches out one handed to work on getting Komaeda free.]

Working on it, Crinkly Winkly.

[luckless]

[Komaeda laughs, because even if the other is getting serious, he still manages to seem rather calm about all of this.]

I think at this point I prefer kidnapping than something worse... like being tortured, or medically experimented on, or being forced to kill one another to escape...

Compared to that, don't you think being tied up in a cell with an ally is actually pretty lucky? [Never mind his previous thoughts of unluck.

As his ropes are worked through, however, Komaeda starts to twist his arms this way and that, hoping to weaken the tension on them. Once they're loose enough, he yanks his arms apart, slipping his slender hand through it and letting the rest slide off of his left forearm.]

Ah, thank you! As used to being kidnapped as I am, it's still pretty uncomfortable to have your arms tied up behind your back, right? Oh— let me help, Baldie-kun.

[It's equally one-handed, but he turns around and starts to work on Leo's bindings as well.]

[makesascene]

You are a real barrel of overcooked laughs, aren't you, Crinkles? [Leo bats back at him with a huff.] It's lucky enough, but I had plans!

[He is shockingly still as Komeda works on the ropes binding him.] It's Leo by the way. I'll have you know, turtles are naturally bald, thank you.

[He is a faerie now, but details!]

[luckless]

Thank you, Leo-kun!

[Were any of the things Leo said compliments? Who knows! Komaeda thinks they are, and seems pretty sincere in his gratitude regardless.]

Ah, being a turtle would make more sense. If it makes you feel better, I've experienced baldness, too. [The binds are starting to come loose, albeit slowly. It definitely helps that Leo is keeping still, but as he continues to work, Komaeda is still chatting away.] When I first started transforming, all of my skin started coming off, which meant my hair did too... Though I was covered in scales afterwards, I didn't have anything that looked like hair for a whole month afterwards!

[makesascene]

[Leo has no idea how to deal with this guy. He's like Mikey, but somehow nicer. Hopefully, he doesn't have his own version of Doctor Delicate Touch hidden in the crinkled hair.]

Yeah, I had all the skin fall off, including my hair- being turned human gave me hair and then, bam gone! [He has to bemoan his luck now, even if its to someone he's mildly been heckling. Oop.

He tries to keep still as Komeda works, aware wiggling won't help, even if he wants to be dramatic.]

We should invest in wigs. Wigs never do me wrong, unlike the rest of his place!

[luckless]

[Even Komaeda's own friends and classmates don't know how to deal with him, unless you're Nanami, and then you've somehow cracked the code of understanding the crinkled hair and all of the secrets held within.]

That's truly sad to give you a short-lived taste of what you could have had... [He muses, as if this was an event as sad as missing one's opportunity to find their true calling in life. Then he adds, without missing a beat—] but I managed to regrow mine, even if it wasn't really hair at that point.

[The bindings become loose under Komaeda's fingers, enough for Leo to get his arms out of them. In lieu of cheering, Komaeda just smiles even brighter as he crawls around on the ground to sit beside his almost-turtle-but-definitely-not-human cellmate.]

You could invest in a wig, but I think the bald headed look suits you, Leo-kun!

[makesascene]

Was your hair like sadder crinklier cut fries? [Leo bats back with no real venom or agitation. Leo mostly just says things because he can.] Or were you like one of the monsters with hair substitute?

[With his arms free, Leo stretches them out with a grunt, trying to work out the soreness before moving to claw at the bindings at his ankles.] Trust me, back home I have wigs. I'd get some here if I was more sure they didn't come from someone being cannibalized.

[luckless]

[It's okay Leo, all of those teasing comments go right over Komaeda's head.]

Hm... [Was it like sadder crinklier cut fries? Komaeda looks like... he's genuinely thinking about it.] No, no... I don't think so! It was like an anemone, or maybe really thick seaweed?

[He should probably undo his leg bindings as well, actually. He adjusts his seated position, pulling his legs out from under him and picked at the ropes with one hand. This would be so much easier if he still had his claws.]

Why don't you ask Mana for a wig? Or a store in Bavan might have something for you. Wigs are pretty common... and they're more often made of animal hair too, not human.

[makesascene]

I really should call you seaweed head, but Crinkles fits better. [This is worse than Todd, its official. How is this is luck? Is this guy secretly a mutant capybara?!

With his own legs free, Leo moves to help Crinkle Cut French Fries The Man with his own ropes.] Yeah, but you have a 50/50 of this hair came from someone who got eaten or died mysteriously, which is also code for eaten. I want normal wigs, cage free wigs, cruelty free wigs!

A turtle can only deal with so much at once!

[luckless]

[You wouldn't get it, Leo. As long as he's not actively dying, anything can be considered good luck. Even being tied up and teased excessively by a turtle.]

You wouldn't be the first to call me seaweed head! So it wouldn't really be all that original. If you want to continue to call me Crinkles, there's nothing I can really do about that, huh...

[As Leo shuffles over to help with his binds, Komaeda tucks himself against his knees and watches the other work.]

I think a turtle wouldn't normally have the dilemma of thinking about cruelty-free wigs, right? In fact, it's pretty weird that you want hair again so badly... do you have a complex about being bald, now?

[makesascene]

Crinkles is Crinkles and that's all there is too it! [Leo says as he manages to pull apart the ropes with his claws. His eye twitches somewhat at the complex comment.]

Can a man not just enjoy the feeling of beautiful hair? Huh? I know you've never understood that feeling, but some of us have!

[He bounds off the point as hard as possible.] Besides hair, snair, we have bigger fish, ha, to fry. Finding out why we were kidnapped!

[luckless]

[Is... is this some sort of term of affection, then?! Komaeda has to pause, even as his leg bindings have become loose. Maybe this turtle is a bit nicer than his previous teasing implied...]

You're right... I could never understand the feeling of having a head full of beautiful hair! Mine has always been wavy and unmanageable, like this...

[Komaeda laughs, easily following after Leo's pace as he pushes himself up to standing. Without being all tied up, it's plain to see that he's more bone than muscle... and quite tall, too.]

Well, considering we weren't forced to kill nor eat each other, and that we've been kept here without being harmed... they might be observing us for something. [They? Who's they?? He doesn't elaborate and just glances around the room, trying to see if there's any cameras around.] Perhaps for some sort of experiment...?

Anyways, there's no reason to worry about why we were kidnapped. Let's just try to escape. I'll see if I can find something to fashion into a lockpick!

[He's already heading back to the scrap pile to sort through it.]