TEST DRIVE MEME ( 007 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #7

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 January 15th, and Applications on January 24th!

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.

Ice of You to Drop By
The winter has well and truly settled in, both on LifeAftr and here in Mu; when you wake, you may discover that it isn't on dry land at all, but on a thick crust of ice. In fact, there doesn't seem to be any land in sight, in any direction - just ice, stretching on and on for as far as the eye can see.

Assuming the chill doesn't get to you first, you'll find that there are much more pressing matters than frostbite. One of those things will start cutting to the chase rather quickly in the form of a wickedly pointed fin, glinting beneath the weak winter sun, shearing through the mantle of ice like a hot knife through butter. Ice sharks sound like something out of a sci-fi B-movie and probably are something out of a sci-fi B-movie, but rest assured: they are still quite dangerous. Fragments of undersea ice animated to suit a particularly sadistic shape and size, ice sharks almost look like delicately worked sculptures of glass or diamond, right up until the point where one of them gets their jaws around you. Their preternatural strength and tenacity allows them to "swim" through ice as easily as water. In fact, that happens to be one of their hunting tactics, as they tend to circle a target and break at the ice around them until they're surrounded by icy water, with no means of escape.

Much like real sharks, they can smell blood, and will set upon it eagerly. Unlike real sharks, they are also innately hostile. Anyone who looks like they might be an easy target will be quickly zeroed in upon by several ravenous, but nonetheless quite pretty, of these glittering creatures.

With Our Wassailing Bowl
The rest of Mu might be more forgiving in terms of setting, but that does not mean you're safe. Waking on dry land is generally considered preferable to waking on nothing more than a layer of ice, even if said dry land is nothing more than a jagged spurt of dark, coastal cliff. It's obvious from the start that nothing truly lives here. The island itself is simply some fragment of rock, eroded away from its mainland until it is all that remains.

The island itself isn't special, no. What is special is what is at its center. A massive clay pot of piping-hot wassail steams temptingly at the island's heart, nestled between the crags of rock. Just looking at it, you can know that drinking that heated, blissful drink of cider and cinnamon will surely chase away the unforgiving winter chill, and warm you from your bones to your toes.

Really, the only problem here is that everyone else wants it too.

The second you lay eyes on that treasure, you'll be seized with an instinctive, inescapable need to have it. No one else can be allowed to partake; it is yours by right. You saw it first, after all, didn't you? You'll have to race with your peers to seize it before anyone else does, and you might even have to start fighting dirty to claim your prize. Sure, you could fight that initial instinct, but where's the fun in that?

Dig a Little Deeper
It's not as though actual, real dry land is out of the question for Mu this go around. It's just that there aren't very many desirable options, evidently, when it comes to the manner of islands that resemble those in the proper archipelago. This island in question might be a bit cold, brisk as the winter air is, but it is otherwise quite ordinary. In fact, one would not be remiss in thinking it bears more than a passing resemblance to the island of Chol.

Unfortunately, it's also chosen to emulate a rather unpleasant, if rare, aspect of Chol's landscape: quicksand. No getting out of this one, we're afraid - Mu has dropped you right smack in the middle of a patch of it.

The myth that one can "drown" in quicksand is largely without much scientific bearing. Indeed, the most prominent danger is that one will start to sink and quickly become mired in the stuff, but eventually they'll cease to properly sink at all. No; the real peril lies in the fact that, once stuck, it is nearly impossible to get out of it. Most victims of quicksand risk death by dehydration or starvation, though we wouldn't fault you for fearing death by, er, sand. Who doesn't hate sand? It's coarse, it's rough, it's irritating, and it gets everywhere.
There doesn't seem to be much in the way of ropes or branches one might grab onto for purchase, once stuck. You'll have to ask passersby for a helping hand, and hope they're feeling charitable...or just drag them in with you, if you're that sort of person.

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[buryyourfriends]

Okay. We'll hide.

[The distance between them and solid ground is a fair amount but it feels much farther then that. But that didn't matter. Seto was going to make sure they both were safe. His bravery to keep going was still strong, despite everything.

He still has time to smile at Ren, however. That much he can do before he tugs her along, trying to run on ice as best as he can. The iron pipe weights heavily in his free hand but now's not the time to stand and fight.

Through all of the ghosts, Seto learned when it was best to fight or run past them, even if the first happened more then the running.

But they'll make it. Even if Seto has to carry Ren, they'll make it.

[catpiper]

[He smiles at her and a warm feeling surges through her body-a vivid reminder that this isn't a memory right now. That he's not a flicker of the past here to haunt her dreams. She's not dreaming about being in their desolate city-not thinking about how hungry they used to get or the long road they were traveling on to find other survivors.

They're in a dream, but his hand is warm-his smile is so bright.

She remains close to his side, grip tight if he ever begins to waver on the ice, and trudges along. Never looking behind her, never turning away from him because-

She's worried. If the sound cracking ice breaks her concentration, he might vanish. If she blinks, she might wake up without any indication of where he could be. There's a moment where she silently listens for the crack of ice, tries to focus on her own light footsteps to avoid slipping, and squeezes his hand a bit tighter.]

You promise you'll find me?

[Because these dreams don't last long, in her experience.]

When we wake up?

[buryyourfriends]

[Everything is cold and Seto remembers the nights alone and the nights with someone, and the days of winter when he lived with his Grandpa. He had not been in danger of falling through ice or being eaten by a creature like this, but the boy remembers this kind of cold.

But Ren's hand is warm, as always. As he remembered it was, as they walked hand-in-hand down countless ruined roads and through other paths.

And her question is one Seto doesn't have to think of. He doesn't stop walking but Ren can probably see his smile that's still there.]

I promise.

[You didn't need to ask Ren. From a touch to a subway, a theme park, a hotel, a dam, the tower itself and everything in-between. He'll be here.]

I'll come find you, no matter what.

[Always.]

[catpiper]

Okay. And this time-this time I'll look for you too. We'll find each other very fast that way.

[It was foolish of her to ask. The verbal acknowledgement that he would find her was hardly necessary, but she wanted to hear it more than anything else. With his heart cut off-with all the months and days seperating them, she's been waiting to hear that again for a long time.

When she looks in his eyes, she can see that same resolve he always has. It's comforting.

She won't ask him again. Ever.

And it's because of that unwavering faith in him, backed by his words, that she's able to take her eyes off his form. The ice is cracked ahead-looks like maybe an area the sharks have come through and she points to the left. Maybe it's better over there?

Also, has she mentioned she hates ice? Because she does. The turn she makes isn't abrupt, but it's enough to throw her off balance and she grasps his arm with her free hand.

Yep. Hates it.]

[buryyourfriends]

Yeah. I'll find you as soon as I can.

[Even if it's metaphorical and Seto having no idea what will happen when they set foot on the island before them, he will. He'd keep going until he found her, just like he did before.

...although the ice is really not down with helping them out. Seto had been on the ice long enough before he saw Ren to figure out it was super slippery. Sharks aside, it's probably not safe to be on this.

Ren slips and Seto immediately slows down so she doesn't fall over completely. The shark is gaining but Seto's priority is Ren right now. It can wait for a minute.]

Are you okay?

[catpiper]

I'm okay. Because Seto's here, it's okay.

[Doesn't matter if she almost falls on the ice, because he'll catch her. He won't let these wild dream sharks catch up or leave her to fend for herself.

So if she slips a couple times, it's fine. If he falls victim to the same problem, she'll be here for him too. She doesn't have to worry when they're together like this.]

Let's keep going.

[buryyourfriends]

[No, they don't. Seto has no lack of bravery but he felt stronger with people by his side.

If one of them falls, the other is here to pick them up. Even in a dream this remains the same.

Sadly the sharks don't really think this way. They're hungry. One is going to cut in front of them. Seto pulls Ren in a different direction as quickly as possible.]

This way!