TEST DRIVE MEME ( 001 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #1

Hello, and welcome to our very first test drive! We’re pleased that you’re expressing an interest in the game. Here, you can test the waters, gauge how your character may fare in the world of LifeAftr, and even gain some in-game incentives, if you so choose.

Remember that Reserves will open on July 17th and that Applications will open on July 24th, in preparation for the game’s official opening on August 3rd!

But first, two important notes!

1. The island of Mu exists apart from the real world and possesses a dream-like quality that characters are innately aware of from the moment they appear on its shores. No need to panic or fret. Dreams are odd things, after all - and anything can happen in them. Why would anyone question where their mind chooses to wander in its sleep?

2. Due to the nature of Mu, threads in our test drive can not only be accepted as thread samples in your application, but can be accepted as game canon as well. In fact, certain choices your character makes in Mu have the potential to bear in-game consequences.

Shipwrecked
The white sand of the beach ridges the island’s edge, even if the clear water soon becomes murky the further out you look across the horizon until the turquoise gleam of the tide disappears in a coil of surrounding fog. Indeed, your best prospects may very well be to strike out among the trees or the crags looming out over the foam-capped waves. There’s lumber to be found and made from the palm-like trees, potentially fruit or edible tubers of some kind if you forage about some. The further you travel, however, the more of your surroundings will reveal themselves in a steady unspooling of curiosities.

One corner of Mu’s current construct drops away into a sheer cliff, initially too dangerous to brave for all but the more daredevilish, but if one starts to scan the sharp rocks below, you might catch sight of what appears to be sodden planks of wood - a wreckage tossed up against the rocks. And a little further...a bobbing, shattered wreck of a lifeboat’s remains, potentially bearing supplies that might yet be salvageable.

Fashion what you can from the wood and stone around you or scavenge from the ruin of the land, if you like. But you can’t simply stand around and wait forever. It’s going to get dark sometime - and if a creature of unknown terror doesn’t catch you, the elements surely will.

Storytime

There’s a sense of camaraderie in this cove, you think. As the sun hangs low over the horizon, the world cast into orange hues, long shadows dispersed by roaring fires that dot across the beach.

That’s right, folks: it’s storytime.

There’s no one to preside over this meeting of the minds in Mu. Call it a vague recreation of things to come, if you like, some vaguely fatidic dreamlike state where you may find yourself drawn to the heat and company that awaits you by the fire. And from there, compelled to default to that old instinct that most of intelligent civilization has revered since they were advanced enough to paint geometric shapes on cave walls.

You tell a story.

Perhaps it’s a tragedy, a tale of woe and of personal loss. Perhaps it’s the sort of thing you’d break out after a few rounds of your alcoholic beverage of choice, clapping hands to your knees as you try to bite back your mirth long enough to spill the punchline. Perhaps it’s an adventure of some sort, some unbelievable rendition of your past exploits. The only common thread to be had, as those gathered around the fire share their tales, is the fundamental rule of a ritualistic sharing of stories such as this: its truth.

But how one chooses to define "truth" is, in its own way, another story entirely...

Dance, Sucker, Dance!
The beat of your heart in your chest is difficult to ignore. It judders with a pulsing, rhythmic quality. If you’re one of those that lacks a heart, the beat is still omnipresent and all-encompassing, until your entire body is unwittingly bobbing in time to a metronomic tune that seems ingrained into your very soul. It’s inescapable. You can’t seem to move unless it’s in time to the rhythm that’s now singing in every atom of your being.

But rest assured, you’re not alone in this musical curse. Everything, from the swaying trees to the waves against the beach, jumps in time to the music. And so do the monsters approaching you, that - wait a minute.

Monsters?

Oh, yes. Did we mention those?


It seems you’ve encountered the wrath of the Boogieman, who curses you to only dance to his infernal beat. If you wish to best him, you’ll have to either evade or destroy the blobs of greenish slime that serve as his minions, all in time to the hard beat of the tune in your head. Clear the radius of his curse or risk an open confrontation, if you dare. Don’t worry if you look foolish; chances are anyone else caught in the Boogieman’s thrall feels just the same.

Mu isn’t pulling any punches to start with. It is a flighty creation, after all, and seems to revel in displacing people into new and uncomfortable situations.

---

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

finley; oc; ota

[chummer]

shipwrecked;

[ A boy who looks like he belongs more in the water is awkwardly trying to find his landlegs. He actually didn't have legs until recently so this is... an adjustment. One he is not enjoying. At all. ]

Fucking bullshit, [ he mutters, under his breath as he walks along the beach with webbed feet. The gills on his neck pulse idly as he tries to steady his breathing. How do people??? Usually breathe??? Whatever, he'll figure it out. Those aren't the only obvious abnormalities though. He's got sleek fins jutting out of his elbows, a mouth full of jagged teeth reminiscent of a shark's that reveal themselves when he speaks. ]

Hey, you, [ he says, obnoxiously, to whoever 'you' might be. ]

I can get that stuff from the water, if there's something good in it for me. Maybe even some fish, too? I'll make it worth your while, if you can like make sure I'm not out in the cold come dark.

[ EYEBROW WAGGLE. While he's capable of hunting, he's absolutely incompetent at skills that involve building a shelter. He lives in an underwater palace,
okay!! This survival shit is for loser landers!!! ]

storytime;

[ Did someone say camaraderie?

If they did, Finley obviously didn't hear it because, ]

Booooooo, [ he shouts, low but loud. ] That story sucked.

Shipwrecked

[fortunefavored]

[Sorry, just a ding dang minute, Newt is going to just stare at this dude for a hot second.] Uh...what? [because sorry he was too busy taking in the teeth and the webbing and the gills?!?!?!?????!?]

[chummer]

I said, [ he snaps back, obviously not too amused by this dude's attitude. That easygoing smile took only an instant to wane; it's replaced now by a clear bit of annoyance. ] that I can go get that shit out in the water.

You ain't making that cliff dive, four eyes, and I bet you'd drown before you even knew what happened. [ A beat. ] If the rocks didn't kill you first.

[ He stretches his arms overhead. If this guy's gonna' be rude about his appearance, he'll be rude right back. Fuck 'im. ]

So, what do you say, man? Wanna' see how a pro handles things?

[fortunefavored]

[Sorry, Finley, he is 100% not paying attention that much to your attitude. Instead, he's going to invite himself right into your space with a look of keen interest, moving to try and get a look at those gills, all while babbling]

Holy shit, dude, how the hell are you breathing out of water? Are you actually amphibious? How old are you? Because most amphibious species I know lose their gills in adulthood but you definitely don't look like most of the amphibious species I know--most of the ones I know are frogs and newts and shit, not humanoid and oh my god check out your hands--[AND YEP HE'S GONNA TRY AND PICK UP ONE OF FINLEY'S HANDS TO LOOK AT THE WEBBING]--are your hands webbed?!

[chummer]

What the fuck, man, [ comes the immediately indignant response. Is this guy for real? He was warned by his gam that landers would fear (or on the other hand, revere) him. This though - whatever this weird, obsessive fascination is - has him blindsided. And when in doubt, getting angry is one of the things he does best.

He yanks his hand back roughly, chomping his teeth together on the air in a warning. The pupils of his eyes dilate - a sign of his stress - and inky black begins to overtake the brown. If pushed further, they'll blot out the whites too but he's not quite that pissed. Yet. ]

Learn some fucking manners, [ he snaps. Rich, coming from the guy swearing like a sailor and insulting everyone on the island from the get-go. ] Don't touch me again. Do you interrogate everyone like this? What is wrong with you?

[fortunefavored]

[Newt blinks as the guy snaps his teeth at him and holy shit those are sharp??? But he can't help but still be fascinated, even as the guy continues to be pissed. Not that that's ever bothered or stopped Newt before]

Dude, I'm a biologist! Asking you about your shit when it's different from mine is what I do! [and yep, ignoring those sharp teeth, he's getting close again] Seriously, though, you are biologically awesome! What's your ancestry like? Because you look humanoid but totally adapted for water, and I haven't met anyone like that yet--I bet you move through that shit no problem!

[chummer]

[ They are ridiculously sharp. Also, his mouth houses many more teeth than the average person's. Rows of them despite being magically scaled down to fit his more humanoid mouth. ]

Of course I do, I'm a shark. [ Uttered with about as much pride as one would expect from an apex predator. Which he knows he is, is very capable of being. Which is something this guy doesn't seem to realize? As he steps closer again??? His body language is still tense as can be, bristling under this unwanted examination. ]

Are you stupid or something? Like, seriously. Fish have more fucking sense than you do and know to stay away from -and definitely not piss off - something that can eat them.

[fortunefavored]

[He straightens then, slightly, mouth stretched wide into a grin] Okay, coming back to that bit about you being a shark in a minute, but I hate to break it to you, dude, I'm pretty positive I could easily outrun you on this beach. Maybe not in the water, but here on land? Between your webbed appendages and those gills, you probably don't take in air as efficiently as a human, not to mention normally gills drying out for creatures that have them is a really Bad Thing. [and you hear the capitalization, Finley? Can you?]

So, anyway, I'll build us a shelter and start a fire, and you can join me if I can ask you questions about your biology and that whole shark thing.

storytime!

[50shadesofburaza]

Eeeeh??

[Okay, look. He is absolutely trying his best here- and yes, he's gotten far worse criticism in the past from plenty of people. So much criticism without a single note of acknowledgement to it.

But this guy has gills and webbed feet. Sorry guy, but the cute fishy idol look really isn't working for you.]

So you know a better story, huh? I'm all ears. Go on.

Re: storytime!

[chummer]

[ Wow. Rude. It's worked out for him just fine so far. What does this guy even know?

Not how to tell stories, obviously. ]

Damn right I know a better story.

[ Puffs up his chest, clears his throat. A-he-hem, ]

Once upon a time, [ going with the classic opening. Safe. Seems legit. ] there was an island. Everyone there was a bunch of fucking morons who would probably die before the first week was over. And they were shit at telling stories, so dying of boredom was likely to be one of the top causes.

The end.

[ ... Such a charmer, ain't he? ]

[50shadesofburaza]

Ah, good one.

[Die.

He's never had the misfortune of meeting someone less likable than his brothers, but finally, there's a contender. He's right there, looking like he'd just come off the last plane from the furry convention. How charming.]

I have another story.

Once upon a time there was a fish boy who was put to good use. After being cooked on the fire, turns out he really was more fish than boy.

[chummer]

[ A challenger definitely approaches.

At the tale, Finley throws back his head and laughs. Loud, brash, obnoxious. Just about everything he is reflected in the grating sound of it. He also might enjoy showing off his rows of razor sharp teeth.
Just a little. ]

If anyone's getting eaten here, it's you all. I'm not a fish, you idiot, I'm a shark. And you're lucky I'm being nice enough to go after fish instead of flesh.

1/2

[50shadesofburaza]

[Why does everyone around here have to be so freaky?]

[50shadesofburaza]

Tch... shark, huh?

[He recovers as quickly as possible, pretending not to be affected. Nope. Not at all.]

Good. How else are we going to make fish and chips?

[chummer]

[ ... What an unconvincing liar. ]

Not without my help fishing, that's for damn sure. I bet human bones make a good substitute for chips. They're pretty crunchy.

[ Is he joking or

You know what, probably best not to question it. ]

shipwrecked

[whiteas]

[ Weiss's arms were crossed. She certainly didn't looked amused by the way he was speaking to her. The eyebrows and the tone didn't exactly speak to positive company. Then again, last time she'd been in "proper company" she hadn't exactly enjoyed that either, and while she knew how to get her things out of the water just fine with her own abilities...

Fishing and hunting for food weren't exactly in her range of talents. Or at the very least, she hadn't had time to figure out how to work her current talents into procuring them yet, and she definitely didn't know how to properly cook them sans kitchen after they were out.

It might be worth using a little Dust to build a shelter big enough for both of them if he could bring that to the table. She uncrosses her arms and holds one hand out. ]

I can fetch my things on my own but I wouldn't say no to food, if you know how to cook it properly as well.

[ Her eyes glance to the gills for a moment. She's seen a Faunus before, but usually Faunus didn't have multiple parts.. and certainly not parts for breathing that looked like they were struggling. ]

Are you okay?

[chummer]

[ Finley is about the farthest thing from 'good company' one can get. He might be a royal, by proxy, but he certainly doesn't act anything close to regal. ]

Of course I do, [ he practically scoffs. Like her insinuating he couldn't cook was insulting. (He can't though, is the thing, so he really has no right to act so offended. Unfortunately, he's not above lying to get what he wants.) ]

I'm fine, [ he sighs, taking a moment to concentrate. Regulate his above water breathing. The gills stop their motion. ] See? Just gotta' get used to this... breathing through my nose and mouth nonsense. So fucking weird.

[whiteas]

[ As long as the food doesn't make her sick, she'll consider it acceptable. That doesn't mean she won't complain, but if it's about not dying of disease or starvation, she'll accept the deal. ]

We'll need to find a place with good coverage, then I can create shelter very few people would be able to get in and out of. I suppose I could let you in if you can cook.

[ It takes her about three seconds before she blurts out something that's probably not socially approved. ]

What are you? Not to be rude, but I've never heard of a faunus with multiple.. features.

[ She sounds honestly curious at least, and not like she's trying to be rude. ]

[chummer]

[ Weiss, you're already expecting far too much about this terrible being. He nods, however, as she talks. Yeah, yeah, shelter, he's invited. Cool. Actually, she's kind of cute, maybe he could-

Well, she was cute. Until she asked what he was. It wasn't that he found it rude to ask, but that he seemed... offended she didn't know. ]

I'm a shark, [ he says, as if that makes completely perfect sense. Shark-Man, technically, but they just call themselves sharks. ] The fuck is a faunus?

[whiteas]

[ Weiss didn't seem particularly bothered by the offended tone. It happened often, so she was usually just grateful when it wasn't her father's fault and someone was offended by her she existence by extension. Besides, there were far more important matters to discuss right now. Namely how a person she thought was a faunus didn't know what a faunus was.

A perplexed expression furrowed her brows and she moved her hands to her hips. ]

A faunus is a person with an animal feature. They're like humans, except with one feature and a few other species-wide traits like night vision. They're all over Remnant, I have no idea how you've never heard the term before.

[ Wait. Wait!! Maybe.. ]

I suppose if you live under water it might make sense if you never interact with the rest of the world. That's probably why I've never heard of your people.

[ There are so many questions boiling up inside of Weiss right now. One of the many problems of wanting to be the know-it-all. Weiss mentally reminds herself to sort out the faunus question first though. ]

[chummer]

We don't have faunus. I mean, there's the mers and the sea witches, but... That's it, really. [Also,] The fuck is Remnant?

[What the fuck is she even on about, he has no idea. He's never heard of any place called 'Remnant' even on land, so. Weird.]

You've never heard of us? What rock did you live under? Probably super main land, I guess... [It's a possibility, anyway.]

shipwrecked

[desperatetimess]

Fishing, darling? [ A pause and then ] That's the best you can do?

[ They are in the middle of an island, for god's sake - give Chloe a few hours and she's pretty sure she can build an arsenal of local fruits and hope for the best. Going through the trouble of building a whole shelter for mere fish? Definitely doesn't sound all that appealing.

No thanks, she'd rather build a shelter for herself. ]

[chummer]

[ When she gets poisoned by some weird island fruit that's actually inedible, he's going to laugh. At least he knows which fish are safe for consumption. ]

-Hey! That stuff could be super valuable, you don't know. [ A huff. ] Don't have to be such a bitch when I'm trying to help.

[ fiNLEY ]

[desperatetimess]

[ Newsflash, genius: this is where the 'hope for the best' part comes in. See? She's totally got a plan. ]

Trying to help me? Nah, I don't think so - you're trying to pull a rubbish deal at best.

[ SHE DOESN'T EVEN FLINCH! But then again: Chloe's been called worse names. ]

[chummer]

[ ... Right. Sure. Okay, whatever she says. ]

I'd like to see you offer something better! Not like you can swim your ass out there and get that stuff. All you landers are garbage at it.

[ Well, at least he knows she can take it. Hooray for enabling him to continue being awful. ]

Whatever, I don't fucking need to take your shit. I hope you eat something poison and die. Then you'll be sorry you didn't ask me for help.