TEST DRIVE MEME ( 006 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #6

Hello, and welcome to LifeAftr! 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 December 17th! Due to the holiday season, Applications will be opening on December 26th, with an app period shifted to end on January 2nd instead of the usual timeframe!

Two important notes:

1. LifeAftr's test drives take place on the island of Mu, which 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, largely in the form of test drive reward items.

United We Stand
This particular month, Mu has seen fit to recreate the strange, dichotomous island of Monsun. Most of the information regarding this peculiar land can be found in the informational post linked, but as a quick rundown: Monsun's western side is a hot wasteland of a desert prone of disasters and mishaps, but will affect your character's emotional and psychological state in a positive sense, while its eastern side is a verdant forest filled with endless resources...as well as a tendency to bring out the absolute worst of your character.

The western region blazes with a vengeance, the imaginary sun roasting overhead. The psychological effects of this area of island will shine far more kindly upon you than the sun does; your character's best qualities have been brought to light, and the longer they remain here, the more profound those qualities will become.

This is probably a good thing, too. Because those cactus plants on the horizon seem to be moving closer...and closer...

In fact, they aren't really plants at all. Those who squint may find themselves thinking of another, cuter version of sentient cacti found on other worlds, but the mutual relation to a certain desert plant is where the similarities come to an end. Walking cacti are silent predators who prefer to slowly approach their prey, avoiding being noticed by their targets until it is too late.

Luckily, these creatures do not rely on projectiles to attack. Rather, their needle thin spikes can extend up to one foot out of their bodies in a fast, powerful motion - more than enough to puncture flesh and muscle. If you've ever wanted to try death by acupuncture, these are your kind of monster... but if not, a sharp weapon or fire will certainly help whittle down their numbers.

Regardless, all of your best qualities will come to light quickly in a fight, whether it be courage, diplomacy, compassion, earnest hope, or whatever other positive traits you might bear. Such is Monsun's boon to you.

Divided We Fall
The east, on the other hand, is the polar opposite to that desert wasteland. The sun shines evenly through the thick spread of deciduous canopies, which shade you from the worst of that unforgiving heat. The verdant greenery is perfectly temperate and even tranquil.

A pity that you'll soon find your worst qualities manifesting at a rather rapid rate. The proper Monsun generally gives you a twenty-four hour window before your most despicable traits start to flourish, but Mu, it seems, has sped up the clock significantly.

Scattered across the rich landscape, a herd of deer can be found prancing eagerly about, seemingly oblivious to their potentiality as a food source. In fact, they hardly seem to react to the approach of foreign entities at all. They're quite placid, and content to sit idly back until attacked - at which point they'll do little more than flee at a brisk pace. What an ideal set of circumstances, truly. But should anyone else impose upon your peace, you'd better hope they don't mind encountering you at your absolute worst.

Don't Fear the Succ
You wake on a boat. It's a very nice boat, make no mistake, weatherbeaten and worn as it may seem, but it's still a boat, and you're still surrounded with lapping waves, as far as the eye can see. Or as far as the eye can sea.

Still, no reason not to make the best of this, right? Just sit back, relax, and let the wind take you wherever it may. You hardly need to eat or sleep in the regular sense in dreams, and this might be a good deal more picturesque than many of the dreams you're probably used to. All told, this is really quite a nice diversion -

Hold on. Did something just bump up against the hull?

Yes, in fact. Something did. Something with long, long, reaching tentacles that will soon snake over the deck to try and grasp your vessel in a death grip much like that of a boa constrictor: designed to crush and destroy.

It seems you've run afoul of that legendary creature of the depths; the one that every sailor most fears.

A kraken. Hope you're not averse to a little hentai.

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[scissorhood]

Stories? I think I get the gist of it but I don't really remember being told any of those. [She frowns. That is really weird...] She's short but she comes to about my shoulder.

[Hm...] Did she have any sisters?

[shinetagonist]

Not that I remember. Does the Thumbalina you know have them?

[scissorhood]

She's the oldest. Snow White's the middle one, I think she has a complex about that--and the youngest is Sleepy. I mean, Sleeping Beauty. She doesn't really talk much.

[shinetagonist]

Those are all names from stories too! Are you Red Riding Hood then? If so I'm not wearing the right hood to be the wolf, I'm sorry.

[scissorhood]

H-huh? [That startles her.

Where did you get your name?

That was a question her Dad asked many of the new people coming through. Sometimes they knew, sometimes they didn't... No. It couldn't be. She was real. She was human. Just because she was named after some story didn't change that. Even if the others said during certain battles there was more of a canine look to her.

There certainly was no reason to think of a large wolf slinking around in overgrown ruins. She touched her forehead for a moment, shaking it briefly to get the sun out of her eyes. Then warily, she regained her smile.] Hah.. You got it. I'm Red. Don't know much about wolves, though. There wasn't any in the Jail.

[shinetagonist]

[Hibiki realizes almost at once that he's fumbled into something he shouldn't have said- he's no the best fighter, or strategist, or most powerful with magic. But his skill has always been his ability to read others.

So he ignores his curiosity about this Jail and anything else, instead lightly touching her shoulder]

Red, huh? Well, it's rude for me to know your name and not give mine, right?

[scissorhood]

[She'd rather explain the Jail than anything else. It was just the city, after all. She eyed his hand. It was touching her hood...but he wasn't hurting it, so.]

Yeah. Yeah, you're right! We should exchange introductions. That's polite, after all.

[shinetagonist]

[he smiles, warm and open. Trying to make her more comfortable with his presence again after upsetting her.]

Kuze Hibiki. But just Hibiki is fine.

[scissorhood]

[Luckily, the desert is bringing out that countless optimism and hardiness. She'll just save all those doubts for later.]

Hibiki, huh? Alright. [Though, it might seem strange for him that she pronounces it very well. Nor does she find it strange.]

[shinetagonist]

[it is a bit strange, but as far as his ears hear she is speaking Japanese already... and honestly he's pretty sure he can understand all languages as is- and this seems more like a dream then anything else.

Not that he's dreamed since he became... what he is now. But he doesn't feel the need to question it.]

It's not as cute as Red though.

[scissorhood]

You're just saying that because you don't think your name is cute. Which it is, honestly.