TEST DRIVE MEME ( 009 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #9

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 March 17th, and Applications on March 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.

City Slicker
The walls of this place are uniform, gray-tinted, built from sandstone and clay. The architecture is deliberate and monochrome to an unkind extent; homogeneity, here, is the order of the day. All told, while a bit colorless, the place is not unpleasant, particularly with that periwinkle blue midday sky blanketed with soft tufts of cloud overhead.

Except for the shouts of armed guards pursuing you. You've broken the law, you see. Maybe your hair is too colorful, or your apparel contained pockets. Maybe you carried a weapon without a permit. Whichever one of those ridiculous, lengthy list of laws you've broken, it's put you in the guards' bad sights. Their technology hasn't progressed beyond that of spears and shields, but at least like this, you're being allowed something of a fighting chance.

We say "fighting," but really, your best bet is probably to try and avoid them. Mu has recreated the ironclad system present on the island of Ai'tuoh, though it's eased some of the unfair advantages stacked against you: the militia are no longer cunningly concealed among the populace, and they do not fight with needles slid into arms before you can understand what, precisely, has just gone wrong. This way, at least you have a chance to run before they seize and sedate you.

Which we recommend, by the way. The running.

Sky Islands, or Skylands
While waking on islands is all very well and good - practically par for the course in LifeAftr, in fact - one might need a moment to adjust to the strangeness of this one. This one, it turns out, is floating. Suspended in midair, this island is one of several dozens peppered throughout the sky. They drift to and fro, close to one another and then away again, but that's far from the most curious thing about them. No; their most peculiar quality is the fact that these islands shift, warping in shape as though caught in a state of perpetual flux. They ripple seamlessly from one visual to the next,: cycling through the varieties of an ice-swept tundra, a lush rainforest, a half-crumbled ruin, and infinite others in the span of mere hours.

And, if you concentrate just enough, you might find that these islands are pliable to even your will. You may be able to mold them like clay through focus of will alone, causing them to gradually shape into something familiar, even desirable: a home you miss, a place you wish you could see. But no matter how you try, you can only fabricate that which is non-sentient - plants, buildings, rocks, trees.

Just take care not to take things too far. You might find that the landscape does not take too kindly to being overly micromanaged. Too much projection of your conscious or subconscious desires will cause the entire thing to start to darken, crumble, and wither away...taking you with it.

And it's a very, very long fall back to earth.

[This prompt is a miniature version of our February event! Feel free to experiment with whatever details you uncover on the info post if you like!]

Kick Back, Relax
It's not all survivalist shenanigans and horrifying, mind-bending events. There are, in fact, plenty of moments of relaxation, of relief, and even fun to be had. Mu is not a wholly unkind being; it can allow you a much-needed respite in the form of something it suspects everyone might enjoy: a good old-fashioned party. A volleyball net has been strung between two palm trees. A length of driftwood table has been laden with any kind of food you could imagine might be found on an island: drinks served in coconut shells, carmelized shrimp, smoked oysters, skewers of fish. The aquamarine tide laps up at the soft white sand, and those who test the temperature of the shallows will discover that they are pleasantly warm.

And at the center of it all, a cheerful bonfire that kicks up hot flares of sparks into the warm, rich blue of the sky. What a peaceful sight! What a jovial celebration!

Better enjoy it while it's here.

---

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

Comments

subaru akehoshi ★ ensemble stars!

[sheens]

A. one jump ahead

[ that whole overly colored hair law...yeah, subaru wasn't really expecting to run from the police today, but what can you do? there's a streak of bright orange hair bobbing and winding through a crowd of gray, and despite the fact that subaru should be running for his (dream) life, he's... laughing? ]

Haha~! Too slow, too slow! ★ [ one of the benefits of being an idol (and a basketball player) is that he's always been extremely light on his feet. it's almost effortless, watching him spin on his heel to neatly dodge around a little group of shoppers, sliding into the space between them to lose a couple of guards, cutting the group chasing him down to three.

(he can't get caught. his mom would be so upset--dream or not, that feeling resonates, and subaru runs.)

abruptly, though, he spots an alleyway, the perfect place to hide. subaru zips to the right and reaches out for the first piece person he can find, which means he ends up grabbing someone by the arm and pulling them into the alleyway with him, plastering himself to the wall with the person in front of him, hand still on their arm.

he puts a hand up to his mouth in a "shhh" gesture, bright blue eyes twinkling as he puts a hand over his mouth, conspiratory. ] Don't worry, I won't hurt you, you're safe with me, but you gotta keep me safe too, okay~? Shh, shhh!

skylands. shiny, shiny skylands.

[ the beautiful, rippling landscapes have led subaru not to a beautiful tundra or waterfalls, but rather, what appears to be a room full of sparkling, shining gold coins, packed floor to ceiling. there are so many, and subaru's laying spread eagled in the middle of it, holding a particularly shiny coin up to his face. ]

O~ooh, it's sparkly, it's so~o sparkly! ★ [ this is heaven? he's pretty sure this is heaven.

however, his little "creation" might be crumbling a little at the edges. after all, there are a lot of coins here, and subaru's greed for shiny things is pretty much unending, so he keeps making more and more pop up. maybe if you're nice, you'll stop him... or maybe you'll keep watching this weirdo practically roll around in a pile of shiny, shiny coins. ]

Shiny

[strayknight]

[Ritsu knows who this is right away. It's one of Maakun's unitmates. The boys need for shiny was well known in the school, as well as how Trickstar was on a mission to overthrow a lot of the bad things at Yumenosaki. For now though Ritsu watches as Subaru is close to burying himself in the shiny coins before Ritsu takes no of the crumbling.]

It might be good to no do that too long.

SHINIES

[sorewatopsecret]

[Ohhh god no not this place again. Though her outward appearance didn't indicate so, Takane has had enough of the floating islands during the first and last time she was on them. How does she get off now? Sit in the safe zone and beg for mercy?

However, she spots someone in the distance, which gives her pause. Orange hair, blue eyes, 200% ENERGETIC, and scooping up a bunch of coins with delight? For Takane, who is dense and spacey enough to mistake billboards for actual people, that can only be one person...

Wordlessly, she walks a swift beeline towards the person. Subaru will now suddenly be pulled into a hug by a strange, silver-haired girl about his height.]

all the idols want shinies...

[finethanks]

[There's something like excitement in Eichi's chest at seeing this particular familiar face. Subaru Akehoshi. What sort of atmosphere could he bring, if he were to appear after this dream? Or is it just that— a distant dream and nothing more?

Either way, Eichi wants to enjoy this time. In a rare show of good health, here, he'll go on watching Subaru for some time. Maybe too long... the pile is essentially disintegrating.]

Ah, by the way, too much creation like that will cause it all to crumble and disappear, so be careful. [He's warning too late?!]

kravitz | the adventure zone: balance

[deathfindsaway]

i. city slicker

[Kravitz is typically very, very good at following rules- he's built a life out of it, upholding a strict set of laws despite circumstance or probable cause. In fact, he's usually a massive proponent of doing so. However, he's also a strong believer in rules being there for the right reasons- and today, he can't for the life of him figure out what he's done wrong. He took immediate notice that there were people looking at him upon entry, and it didn't take long for everything to go rightfully tits up before he's got at least three guards on his tail. He doesn't know this layout- and it's bothering him that he had no chance to survey it- but finally he believes he's lost them, tucked around a corner and instinctively breathing a little heavily from the chase.

He turns his head to whoever's close, and inquiries in a hushed whisper.]

Do you have any idea what they're going on about? I can assure you, I haven't done anything to constitute such treatment.

[It's the pockets, Kravitz. Your fancy, dumb three piece suit has pockets. You're doomed. Real good you haven't come out with that scythe yet.]

iii. party party party

[Now this... this is where he simply has no idea what to do with himself.

Kravitz is not one someone would consider a 'party guy'. He's a very focused man, usually with a mission and a purpose to get in, get out, and then go back to his office. Not being bound to mortal time for so long has left him without needing to set up a recurring schedule, or well, really take a break approximately ever. So when the situation calls for small talk and excitement, he's out of his depth. Mostly, he can be found loitering around the food, picking at the drinks like an oddly sullen vulture lost off in his thoughts. Out of everyone, he probably looks the most uncomfortable to even be here, still standing around in a full suit- though he's thankfully taken off the jacket and rolled up the sleeves to the elbow due to the heat.

If he finds someone staring at him (or was accidentally staring into the distance off at you), he'll blink a few times and clear his throat before looking a bit away.]

Well, uhm. Lovely event, isn't it?

it's... party time

[hellawrath]

Pretty unusual, to be dreaming about just a chill sort of party, after all the recent island hell bullshit, but you know what, Lup's into it. Currently, she's made it her mission to sample and critique all the food, taking one sip or bite before tossing whatever back on the table because that's how seafood connoisseurs do. Maybe she can find like, some kind of dream inspiration for something they haven't yet tried to make out of island bounty? That'd be a real miracle right there.

Eyes on a promising looking blueberry dip for her shrimp skewer, she just barely flicks a dismissive ear at whoever's hovering in her periphery. "I mean, if you're into undersalted fish and a distinct lack of vodka, sure? Shoulda seen the party I threw a while back--" And that's the point where she finally looks up and takes in this dude's just, entire situation. Holy shit. A waistcoat, really? Shirt buttoned all the way up, in this economy? She may be staring a little bit, but probably not for the reasons he might be thinking. "Uh sorry, hot stuff, didn't know we had an opening for undertaker on this island."

iii!

[exbarathris]

Having been introduced to the concept of the coconut drink, The Liberator is considerably more pleased than she was with even just the fish. If someone is going to stare at her? She'll be staring right back. All these small-eyed, big-nosed, big ear people. They're all so strange.

She nods, ignoring the straw and taking a sip off from the coconut shell. Why he's uncomfortable, she doesn't understand, and those empty mouth flappings don't mean much to her, but she adds her own comment in the form of a psychic projection of taste and visuals:

Flavors of sweet and savory. Image of table covered in even more food than is actually there, piled high. Image of Kravitz himself eating food. Emphasized image of Kravitz eating food.

In her opinion, everyone should make the most of this bounty, since who knows when it'll come again. Why is he just picking at the drinks? Is he sick?

City slicker

[achievementhunter]

[Excuse you sir did they say you could talk to them?

As it stands, Chara does not stand out in the slightest. Wearing clothes from the city itself with knives carefully tucked away, their hair color is brown enough to get them by, and so long as they keep their eyes down, no one will notice their... color, as it were.

And then this bumpkin comes along and potentially ruins everything by blatantly violating the law and talking to them? Not cool fucko, not jiving.]

Well sir, if one had to hazard a guess, [Chara glances him over, immediately looking like they’re trying to not burst out laughing. Because they are.] it would probably be the pockets. Concealing things is an indication of deceit.

city slicker

[ohshitsweetflips]

Dream or not, Taako is pretty well caught off guard by Kravitz's sudden appearance, out of breath and ever so slightly in danger of being arrested. Oh boy, we're doing this now, huh. Taako resolves to have a stern talk with his subconscious even as he's unceremoniously hauling Kravitz further away from the more heavily populated road. See? Taako's the worst, but he doesn't make the same mistake twice, is really very sorry he didn't get a chance to look into that whole 'Kravitz drowning' thing before. Like, really really sorry. 'Maybe this isn't the first guilt-influenced dream' sorry. Good luck, future-Taako. Compartmentalize better next time.

"Yeah, see, that's how I felt!" The breezy unconcern and vindication in Taako's answering whisper is somewhat belied by how ready to fuckin book it he is. His ears are tuned for any renewed commotion, and he's determined to Be Cool enough for them both, and he's already failing on both fronts, heart too loud in his ears and grinning like an idiot.

"Just minding my own business when some dude decided to be a total salt golem about a bunch of stuff I didn't think I had actually done wrong. At the time." Just give him a second, he'll say something useful eventually, it's kind of a spin of the wheel every time. "Only these assholes will a hundred percent actually put you in jail, they are not at all fuckin around." See, Krav, these badguy-catcher-people are actually good at their jobs.

city slicker

[flyfisher]

[Myia glares at the man as soon as he arrives, purses her lips, and waits for him to explain himself. When he offers no true explanation, and simply tries to... commiserate? Anyway, the point is, she's miffed.]

Get your own hiding spot! [she replies in an equally hushed whisper that may be just a bit on the loud side.] Go complain in a trash can! They're hunting me because they're jealous of my beauty. They just want your money. Obviously your money.

[Who the fuck else would walk around with a three piece suit but someone who lives in a mansion and probably eats synthetic food and buries their dead?

Not just a rich person. The wasteful kind of rich person. The worst of their type. Sapre was a lot of things, but at least she was classy and charitable and a hard worker. This guy is just flaunting his money and life of leisure.]

The Liberator | Original Character

[exbarathris]

A: Kick back, relax!

The Liberator arrives early, and doesn't know what the net is for. Maybe there's some kind of large land animal that the people here want to catch.

But there's food, and that she recognizes, even if some of it is odd-looking. Not sure what to do with the oysters, she makes a beeline to the fish and shrimp instead and grabs several skewers before finding a place in the shade to settle down. Once she's found a seat the munching begins, bones, scales, fins, carapace and all. Waste not want not!

Perhaps it's this noisy crunchy eating that draws attention, or the absolutely palpable air of contentment emanating from her vicinity -- in more than a metaphorical way, as she's literally broadcasting that feeling. Either way, when approached she glances over, huge eyes swiveling and half-eaten fish dangling from her mouth. There's no words, but there is a very clear set of mental images and feelings projected:

Satisfaction. Curiosity, along with an image of you yourself eating a fish the same way. Uncertainty, and some kind of strange furry beast being trapped in the volleyball net as people jump around happily with spears? Satisfaction.

She continues chewing the whole time. Mmm, fish.



B: Sky Islands? SKYLANDS!

She has a place she knows, a small lake, a tiny oasis in a barren, desolate landscape -- and much worse, hellscapes of steel and rock and death. But why would she replicate that here, in this lush and forgiving land?

That is, until a chill wild blows through and it turns to icy tundra. The Liberator's will is strong, and shivering, she imposes it on the land, her eyes narrowing into slits as she concentrates for a while. She hasn't been here long enough to remember what all the plants look like in intricate detail, so some of what's forming seems weirdly fuzzy around the edges. Maybe she could use some help?

A

[hellawrath]

Even just in the last couple months here, Lup has met eight feet tall fish people, a baking spider, an overenthusiastic giant mouse, and whatever the hell goat fursona Edward is supposed to be, and this person munching on some fish is still one of the wilder things she's seen around the place. She's cool just for that, in Lup's book, though maybe the elf would also kinda like to offer her some free soap, if this wasn't a dream.

She seems to be enjoying herself anyway, and-- woah. That's a whole bunch of thoughts that aren't her own, right there. Lup stops in her tracks, long ears swiveling wildly like startled birds taking flight as she's trying to parse whatever the heck kind of telepathy is happening here. It's a lot, and Lup laughs a bit uncertainly.

"Yeah uh, the fish is pretty good, right? I mean, eating the head and all is maybe, that can be kinda tricky for some people-- No, that's not quite uh, how you play volleyball--" Be cool, Lup, just because somebody's yelling directly into your brain doesn't mean you get to ramble like a damn fool. She clears her throat, gets the conversation back under control a bit and asks more kindly, "Do you like, understand spoken language, buddy?"

a

[brainleak]

River is attracted to the aura of contentment like a swirl of fruit flies over rotting strawberries, hovering at its edges, afraid to broach the territory of emotion, but pecking at it with hesitant, rethought steps. Then, the owlish woman's eyes swivel towards River, chewing away at bone and cartilage and grilled flesh.

River dully stares at the chewing mouth, images hitting her hard, stronger than most. Almost like they're more meaningful, if her reading has any meaning to it in that way, but they're mostly just nonsense. This creature is broadcasting ideas.

"Net is for games," she idly murmurs, almost to herself, unable to fight the small smile of satisfaction that comes with the emotion that's forced itself into her.

Bird has wished upon the monkey's paw (Osomatsu Matsuno - Osomatsu-san)

[firstisworst]

A: So are people up on the Sky Islands called Skylanders, or...
[It's been a little while since Osomatsu peered off the edge of a cliff and whistled at the long drop waiting for him, so in the meantime he's just been bumbling around in circles and thinking about how much he'd rather be at home, watching TV with a beer, or swimming in a big pile of money, or something. You know, anything but freezing his butt off trying to reach that igloo he might just be imagining in the distance.

When the landscape shifts from chilly snowdrifts to crumbling ruins, it brings along with it a couple walls and a scrap of carpet. So, he runs over his own little slice (HA!) of home, kicks his shoes off... And if you happen to bump into him a while later, he's staring gravely at a pile of money stacked up in the corner. Who could be upset with that much cash!? You could always ask and find out, or maybe give him some pointers on how to crack open that fake cold one sitting on, like, half a table.]

B: IT'S PARTY TIME!!!!
[Huh... In a more familiar environment, he'd be hanging out right at the beach's edge, scowling and throwing rocks. Because how dare people have fun right in front of his face, right? For a moment, he does scowl from the distance, like a rude little goblin determined to drag everyone else down to his level. Maybe it's the short attention span, or maybe it's all that free food and drink sitting out right there in the open, but something drags him into the festivities!]

WOO-HOO! PAR-TY! PAR-TY! PAR-TY! PAR-TY! ...Hey, are you gonna eat that?

[...So if you want to throw him into the ocean for being annoying, that's fine. Maybe he can swim. Otherwise he'll be cheering his way around the bonfire and trying to mooch some extra food off of full partygoers.]

PARTY

[sorewatopsecret]

[Ah, finally, a time when Takane is whisked to Mu and not in immediate danger. Actually, this is quite nice! All this food... And, well, food was the main point of interest here, in her case. She's already gone to work, creating an impressive seafood tower on top of a single plate, and embarking on her missing to tear it back down via consumption.

As she munches away on an absurd amount of food that would make any lesser being concerned, she hears a voice in the distance getting louder and louder... Ah. She chews absently as she directs a blank stare at the strange young man who approached her. Oh? He wants some food? Well, food tastes best when it's shared, isn't it?

She wordlessly shoves a handful of shrimp at his mouth.]

B - because I must pester a fellow former Forest Covered player

[suspecteverything]

[There were many times in Jullien's life when he questioned his own sanity. This happens to be one of those times. He'd only come down to the beach to do some fishing or sea searching in hopes of finding protein to add to his meals. The last thing he wants to be involved in is a party. He doesn't particularly enjoy parties even when it's among people he knows and trusts, and neither of the descriptions fit the people here. Maybe they will at some point, but definitely not yet.

When Osomatsu came bounding over, it nearly pushed Jules over the edge. He barely manages to restrain himself for planting the guy face first in the sand.]

The death wish I have at the moment isn't for myself, so no.

[Is that a hidden threat? Knowing Jullien, most likely.]

myia ( original character )

[flyfisher]

I. CITY SLICKER

[The thing about Myia is that she really, really stands out. There's no written law against strangely colored skin or eyes, but her purple carapace and bright red compound eyes are certainly striking enough to deviate from the norm in a completely unacceptable way.

Not to mention the fact that she piles on plastic, gold-painted jewelry as much as possible. Completely unacceptable.

Good thing she's very good at running.

Myia flitters to and fro between city streets. She's never been to a city so big and so populated, but the winding streets prove just confusing enough that she's able to think on her feet and slip out of view quickly. She's tall and gangly, but slim and flexible enough to slip into tight spots, and her wings that offer her limited flight certainly help.

She's jumped up from dumpster to gate to fire escape to roof, now, and is triumphantly laughing at the angry militia down below who've been dodged for the umpteenth time. They don't seem to realize she's above them, as she's slightly out of sight from the street.]

HA HA HA HA HA! Can't catch Myia! I'm too beautiful and fast!! You'll never see me! Invisible! I'm invisible! Haaaaaaaaa!!!

[Really, it's only a matter of time until they realize.]

III. KICK BACK, RELAX

[What a nice dream. Myia enjoys the ocean, enjoys fish, enjoys the sand beneath her digits. She's fully dressed for the occasion, shorts exposing her segmented insectoid legs full of long, rigid hairs. She has a coconut drink and a fish skewer and she's happily enjoying both. It really reminds her of Maahi. That's probably why she's dreaming about it, but then, she mostly hung out at the docks rather than the beach. Maybe she should take the trip outside of the village's limits more often.

It's just that... being outside the Fishers' jurisdiction, where any Harvester could find her... where Amber could appear -- it sends chills down her carapace.

She quickly shakes her head to clear her mind of the thought, and a short yellowed proboscis emerges from her lips to suck the flesh away from her skewered fish. If you aren't familiar with how bugs like her eat, it's probably very weird to look at with your eyes.

Seriously, there's a tall weird purple bug girl slurping up fish meat while watching people play volleyball. What the hell.

If anyone is caught staring or even so much as glancing at her, she'll call them out.]

Get your own fish! It's my fish! Or are you trying to find my weakness?? I have none! None! Go drink saltwater, ugly! Why are you so ugly!!!

[...This is how she socializes at parties.]

Kick back, relax

[halffamiliar]

[While relaxing on the beach with their own drink and a hot pink bikini with a silly amount of ruffles (picked out by Rosewisp), Butterfly Rose had briefly looked at this bug woman, long enough to go "huh" at her eating habits before their attention wanders. They'd seen weirder things from monsters. But that'd apparently been enough for the stranger to freak out at them. Their lips curve in amusement. Both of the minds occupying the body agree in tangent that they're going to mess with this woman. Quickly conferring, they divide up their jobs--Rosewisp to do the talking while Rachel uses her magic.]

You want to know why I'm so hideous? It's to make decent people like you want to puke! That's right, and I'm going to steal your fish too! Me with my horrible fleshy hands!

[While Rosewisp's talking, Rachel carefully prepares the magic, imagining and forming flower petals floating in the air behind Myia.]

angus mcdonald ( the adventure zone )

[fancylad]

I. CITY SLICKER

[Really, how was Angus to know? All he did was greet a guard with a bright, "Hello, sir! Do you happen to know where--" and instantly he was being told he was in violation of the law. He tried to explain himself, but then they started going on about children displaying emotion and his brightly colored fancy clothes and brandishing their swords at him, and he ran off as fast as his little legs could carry him.

He may be small, but he's certainly fast, and he thinks on his feet. He managed to slip himself into a trash can, but he's, uh, regretting it. Severely.

Every once in a while, he peeks out of the can to check on his surroundings. Maybe you noticed the lid of this nondescript trash can nudge a little?]

II. SKY ISLANDS, OR SKYLANDS

[Angus is quick to observe, and observing these strange floating islands that seem to alter shape as fluidly as paint mixes into new colors has definitely proven fruitful so far. They seem to form around the living beings on them, as he quickly noticed the place take certain moon-like qualities around himself.

He concentrated very hard on recreating the Voidfish's chambers, but no Voidfish was to be found. Just a giant, cylindrical glass full of water rather than fish goo. Next, he tried the Fantasy Costco next to that, thinking maybe he could recreate his favorite soft serve ice cream.

Only the ice cream machine appeared upside down, and sputters out mystery liquid rather than any form of vanilla anything.

In fact, the detail on the shelving of the shopping aisles is completely off. There's product fused through the displays, shelves that are vertical somehow, and randomly, a tree growing out of the ground, but completely cleanly. There's no trace that it burst through the flooring. It looks as if it's simply part of the concrete.

Suddenly, the floor starts to crack and crumble below Angus' feet. He steps out of the way, yelping.]

Oh!! Oh, gosh, did I beef it already...?

III. KICK BACK, RELAX

[Well, gee. Angus has never been to the beach before! He looks completely out of place with his little bowtie, suspenders, and newsie cap, and he's getting all kinds of sand in his loafers, but he couldn't be more excited. The beach! With all the fish and the-- wow, volleyball! Coconut drinks? Angus didn't even think those could be real!

He gratefully grasps a halved coconut and starts drinking out of it, but he stares at the clear tide as it goes in and out, looking almost vexed.

He wants to go in the water, but he's not dressed in his swim trunks. That just won't do.

Oh, but he really wants to. He gazes longingly at the waves. He doesn't even know how to swim, but he doesn't have to go out that far, does he? Just a little?

But then his socks will get wet! Oh, what a conundrum.]

oh Shit it’s angus mcventure zone - city slicker

[achievementhunter]

[Wow Angus that is super inconspicuous and absolutely not going to garner any attention whatsoever. Chara watches him peer out of the trash can multiple times before straying away from a few minutes, returning shortly with a few- things.

And promptly rapping their knuckles on the lid of the can.]

Knock knock.

angharad, mad max: fury road

[antiseed]

the skygreenlands

(Angharad has known the Wasteland for all her life, long stretches of cruel, unforgiving desert. The ripple and change of the mundane landscape from harsh sand to leafy green is startling to her. Plants are an unfamiliar sight. The moss, soft and forgiving underneath her feet gives her pause, all her breath leaving her in a soft, awed gasp.

The scope of the terrain is limited by her knowledge, however: she's only ever seen trees in books before, so instead of any varied flora the trees are unnervingly stencilled one after the other, neat carbon copies boxing her into place. The only flowers she's seen have been those pressed into Miss Giddy's books: dried and wilting, crisp to the touch. They fall apart when she reaches to touch.

It's a stilted, eerie version of the green place. Angharad pauses, uncertain of her own creation as the dead flowers continue to crop up in unyielding multitudes around her.)

What's wrong with it?

party time

(A jovial celebration indeed. Angharad hasn't seen such a ridiculous display of opulence before. Everything is new to her, and she can't help but wander along, staring. At some point, somebody offers her a plate as she approaches the table and even makes sure she gets a little bit of everything. Angharad has always truly hated that being pregnant causes people to do things for you without asking first, but in this case it proves to be handy because she's too busy taking everything in to help herself.

If you look up, you might notice a young woman holding a shrimp up between forefinger and thumb and staring at it, lost for words, her bare feet scrunching comfortingly into the hot sand.)

ann takamaki | persona 5

[sassiness]

CITY SLICKER
[ fuck the police. seriously. ann's no stranger to being rebellious but she genuinely did not do anything this time? she walked past the guards and suddenly she got the feeling that she was being followed. ann glances behind her, and sure enough, she's definitely being followed.

she starts walking faster once she notices they're on her tail, but they're keeping up just fine, and ann...she can't let herself get caught here. she has too much back at home she needs to do. and as she approaches the nearest person, ann starts mouthing to them: ]

Help?!

KICK BACK, RELAX
Now this is what I'm talking about!

[ after all of that? ann's ready to let loose and have some fun. she has a plate of caramelized shrimp in one hand, juice in the other, and she's relaxing on a towel on the sand enjoying the food.

she'll even get up and go for seconds, adding smoked oysters and fish skewers to the mix. and then she's up for thirds. dang, how much can this girl even eat?! maybe tell her to save some food for everyone else? ]

Mm...this is just like Hawaii!

WILDCARD
[ hit me up with anything! ]

kick back, relax

[raygunner]

[ and then there's this guy. akechi's hanging out by the water, and he visibly stiffens when he hears her voice. of course they'd follow kurusu, sooner or later.

well. this is alright. akechi clears his throat and turns to her. ]

Enjoying the sun, Takamaki-san?

papyrus | undertewts

[itsfrozentotheplate]

[ c i t y - s l i c k e r ]

[ Papyrus, though a law-abiding citizen at heart, has broken many, many rules on this day.

Mainly, the fact that his monsterous, skeletal form resembles that of the undead. It's somewhat unnerving, though his long, flowing scarf is very heroically billowing!!! Those around him falter and whisper-- a 6'0" + skeleton. Wearing what resembles armor. Standing out obnoxiously, like a tidal wave of eccentric colors.

He watches the sun with empty, blackened sockets, and even though his bony jaw is set in something of a permanent smile, he seems even more happy. His sharp cheeks jut toward the heavens themselves, and he reaches out to grab you-- yes, you, with the arms and legs-- and squeeze whatever part of you he can hold onto (with or without accidentally hurting you; he's a very tough, model Royal Almost-Guard. He's practically there. Undyne says he's doing great.) while he points with a mighty, red gloved hand towards the sun. ]

HUMAN!! DO YOU!! SEE THAT?!?!?!

[ he stands up straight, putting his arm around your shoulder-- and depending on how tall you are, he may lift you off the ground so he can stand straight up. ]

I BELIEVE THAT IS CALLED....THE SUN!!! [ he firmly presses his free hand into his chest!! ] PLEASE, HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE, AS I HAVE LONG STUDIED THE LORE OF THE SURFACE!! NYEH HEH HEH!!! YOU MAY ASK ME ANY QUESTION, NEW FRIEND SINCE I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, I AM MORE THAN HAPPY TO SHARE MY ENDLESS WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE WITH YOU!!

[ he's certainly something, alright. ]

--

[ k i c k - b a c k - r e l a x ]

[ someone here has done the tall skeleton the biggest favor ever-- and buried him in the warm sand beneath them. His bony head faces that pure blue sky and he watches with a trembling excitement. The ground surrounding his head rumbles. The lump of sand encasing his body...looks like a grave, doesn't it?

He's more than happy to lay here for a minute and accept visitors as they come to pay their respects to the greatest skeleton on the island. At their own pace! It's okay! He can wait!

Well, he can wait for a little while. The sky is pretty and the sand is headed by both the sun and the fire that blazes peacefully nearby. Anyone standing close enough or watching might see his head tilt from side to side to observe his surroundings!! It's just!! So much!!!

So many new people!!! ]

[ misc ]

[ want to run into him a different way? LET THIS SKELETON COME AND LOVE YOU. DO THIS. ]

kickin' back

[meredream]

[So guess who has two thumbs and is pretty used to seeing skulls? This guy.

As such, the skull buried in the sand does not garner much attention from the Hunter. A skull is a skull basically and as long as it isn't going to bite his toes when he walks by, the Hunter doesn't care much either. The sever lack of corruption in this place has his attention more then anything right now.

That being said, the Hunter does take note of the skull moving. Again, not that unusual in Yharnam but that puts it at a higher notice then anything else.

Not that it can stop Papyrus from introducing himself, of course. However he may want to be careful. The Hunter is....obviously armed, to say the least.]

hibiki wataru ☆ ensemble stars

[splendored]

City Slicker

( it's a strange and beautiful contrast.

the persistent theme of grey exhausts the scene of any life, draining it bereft and desolate to the point that he expects rain, and yet the sky is a proud pitch of periwinkle overlooking it all. it appears almost invasive to the scene, disjointing and disorienting in exactly the way that he finds interesting, like an unfinished backdrop to work with. what happened to those painting the scene? did they succumb to a cruel and sudden death, or perhaps unbearable heartbreak? the possibilities are endless and sweep him away, drawing his eyes to the direct contrast above and keeping him under a sliver of direct sunlight. he doesn't notice the men gathering around him or their disapproving glares—if he does he pays them no mind, keeping appreciative of the scenery the architecture presents, as if it's been put on display just for him. his smile is approving, his gaze alight with the kind of sincere excitement found rarely outside of a child.

alas! as much as he enjoys drawing a crowd, the atmosphere of rising contempt is elucidated with a simple order:

to stop throwing those colorful roses just about everywhere he goes.

to be truthful they worked both as a way to mark his presence and as a way to spread "Amazing" to this bleak world. once the color-kissed roses brush along the pavement, Wataru knows they will bleed the love and feelings he's put into them into every crack and crevice, they will stream AMAZING colors in spirit beneath the feet of every inhabitant that is going about their day, and it will be as if he's fastened the wings of mercury to everyone's ankles by showing them such a brightness. every flower has a language to it, every color holds a special conversation... !

and none of this matters to any of the militia, whose hands are all readying themselves in the fashion of defensive grips on spears. one even jabs a spear in Wataru's direction, causing him to hitch his chin and place his hands up in a disarming display. )

Now then! Have I earned your displeasure so much? Could it be possible that you are not ready to receive my message of love and radiance just yet?

( if he's nervous at all, he's hiding it with a painted jovial expression. a hand drops to press his index finger at the spear's tip nearest to him, gently attempting to redirect it even just a bit. )

Or ...could it be that I have not given you the proper message? ♪ To be unable to meet my audience is unacceptable, no, it simply won't do! Let's reconcile, shall we? When we get along, even a colorless city like this can be—

( slippery fellow that he is, he's dropped right out of an attempted grab for him, gracefully pivoting behind the guard. who just ended up capturing another guard in a loving embrace instead. )

... Amazing! ☆

( someone get this guy out of here. )

Skylands

( Wataru has learned how to transform his own world by will, and shape the worlds of others with whatever he can give and put into it. he's spent years restructuring favor by playing into the bottomless greed of others, that eternal thirst that could never fully be slaked, turning the world into his stage and adjusting the setting accordingly. so when vibrant cosmos and birds of paradise bloom at the heels of his feet and trailing everywhere he walks, when a vivid and fluxing aurora blankets the sky above him, when unseen birds begin synchronizing to lift a familiar melody overhead, bioluminescent mushrooms sprouting up along the body of every tree he approaches... it almost passes his notice as anything odd or off. it isn't until a giant throne starts being constructed right before his very eyes, from the ground up and straight from the island's natural resources, that Wataru floats the possibility that there's something strange about all of this. he was just thinking of a dear friend... how odd. how very odd! how Amazing! ☆ )

Oh, this display ...is it truly an accident, I wonder? There is only one way to find out ... ☆

( and, although the gesture is absolutely unnecessary, Wataru raises his fingers to his temple and smiles triumphantly at the land shaping before him. a tree bends and lowers its leaves on to his head, shaping him a jester's hat and a sharp mask to drop over his eyes. )

Come now, gather around! I, your Hibiki Wataru, shall put on a spectacular display for you!

( that spectacular display? well, he's already trying to construct something akin to a colosseum. no, wait, it is one. he needs to gather a big audience, yes? this might take a while. )

Relax!

( catch Wataru in a rare peaceful moment, sipping on some of that coconut juice, arms folded behind his head as he soaks in the warmth of the sun bearing down on him and relishes the simplicity of the cool breeze's soft caresses against his face. the ocean spray intermittently gives a timid hello along his skin, carried by the wind as a gift, beckoning him to drift away to a dream.

which would be fine and good if he wasn't doing this in the middle of the volleyball field set up. to his credit, he doesn't want to miss anything exciting or amazing! this way he won't sleep through anything fun. )

city slicker!!

[finethanks]

Wataru!

[It's not fair. In his dreams, in this place, he should at least be free of this city. Instead, he's still in this same track suit that gave him trouble in the first place. Even if he holds back his laughter, his singing— he'll be chased down if he's spotted. But now... Wataru is here.

Wataru would absolutely be caught. If he's caught here, is it the same thing? He's had these types of dreams three times now, and he's never allowed himself to be hurt in them. What if it transfers? What if Wataru is caught and can never meet up with him? He's waited too long. He can't allow that.

While those guards are distracted by... hugging, or whatever it is they're doing, Eichi is actually running at Wataru. He looks exhausted, but it's not stopping him, and he practically barrels into Wataru as he grabs at him, tugging, insisting that he leave.] Rather than playing around with them in such a way, create a distraction and let's leave!

[He'll explain more later! Probably.]

river tam ( firefly )

[brainleak]

I. CITY SLICKER

Too bright, too loud, speak when spoken to, be a good little girl...

[River happens to be sharing a hiding space, through circumstance, with you. Maybe you're tucked into an alley, maybe you've climbed onto a rooftop, maybe you're behind a dumpster. But you might not be for long, with how the girl continues to talk, whimpering to herself as she sits, legs splayed out, fidgeting and rocking her torso back and forth with each couple words.]

Not my dress, said it wasn't my dress, inappropriate, knuckles cracked and bleeding, blistered from the ruler, detained, not going home, miss the bus shuttle...

[She shakes and shudders, and she's about to blow your cover, because militia are marching down the nearby street at this very moment.]

II. SKY ISLANDS, OR SKYLANDS

River sits, curled into a ball, in the center of a meadow on the floating isle. Her eyes are closed, she breathes softly, and she seems to be at a rare moment of peace.

Slowly, around her, flowers shift and start to emit exhaust, twisting into propulsion nozzles. The grass melts away and hardens into pocked metal grating. The trees that surround the edge stretch their branches into iron, Brutalist gates that pierce the sky imposingly.

The grating in front of her explodes forth into a pair of tall structures, deliberately cracked in the center, interlocking through negative space. Then a blink, and another structure appears haphazardly clipped through the first.

River knits her brow in sudden distress and slowly raises a hand to her head. A piece of the architecture cracks and crumbles. Her eyes snap open and she gasps for air, as if she were surfacing from under water.

III. KICK BACK, RELAX

[It's a party on the beach. People are tanning on towels, sipping margaritas, partaking of smoked oysters, splashing in the ocean, and dancing around the bonfire.

River, meanwhile, is making extensive calculations in the sand with a piece of driftwood, mumbling to herself.]

Must measure an adequate sample of local observations showing response at frequencies of the generating force, in amplitude and phase... Derive coefficients and phrase angles... Recombine constants, different components of generating forces, at each of a sequence of future dates and times, collect all elements...

[She writes an extremely complex formula, and then starts graphing it in the sand, just off the edge of the tide.]

yusuke kitagawa, persona 5

[suzuri]

city slicker

[ Yusuke Kitagawa is an artist. Art can be found in everything, including this rather dull and monotonous city. While not his style, he's still appreciating the architecture and theme, finding it spellbinding in its own right. The way everything is identical is unsettling yet telling.

Forming a frame with his fingers, he's snapping mental shots of... practically everything. Angles are very important in this case, so he's looking for vantage points, but he does capture something else with his makeshift lens. ]

It appears that the police are giving chase.

[ Huh. They're coming this way, actually? Calm as ever, he wonders who has themselves in those crosshairs (it's him, please tell him). This dream-like state is dulling his sense of urgency and reason. ]

kick back, relax

[ This kind of reminds him of Hawaii, so he's comfortable here unlike his previous encounter with the monochrome police. Instead of basking in the sun or enjoying a good game of volleyball, Yusuke has given himself the responsibility of carving coconuts. Does he need to carve coconuts to serve them? No. He only needs to hollow them, which he does!

After he carves out a scene of the beach. It can be intricate patterns that remind him of home, maybe something reminiscent of the architecture from earlier, or even flowers. It can be people playing volleyball, maybe it's Ann... Or Ann. Or Ann. It can also be you! It can also be unflattering. It's rather detailed, a piece worth treasuring.

Whichever it is, Yusuke isn't affronted by anyone watching him work. ]

wildcard

[ throw me whatever! ]

city heathen

[covertizer]

[ Akira has had some practice with this - avoiding the eyes of the law, despite his flagrant disregard for the rules here. Look at all these pockets he's got. Shameless.

He's been skulking along higher walls and rooftops as much as he can, avoiding most people's line of sight, which also gives him a bird's eye view of Yusuke -- Yusuke taking in the sights of the city...

... and the crowd of police headed his way. Uh oh. Don't mind him just hopping down from the roof, and unceremoniously grabbing Yusuke's wrist. ]

So give them something to run after.

[ Hi. Keep up, won't you? ]

Era Ra (Warrior of Light) ☘ Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood

[astralera]

☘ CITY SLICKER

[ Era isn't certain why she's being chased (something about pockets and her scales being too glossy?) but she is. Seeing no need to fight she simply grasps her Soul of the Ninja firmly in hand and uses the skills Oboro taught her in order to slip away. The alley is a good enough place to stay for the time being - at least until the guards lose interest in her, which Era is certain will be sooner rather than later given their apparent propensity for inventing laws on the spot.

All things considered, Era finds herself rather flattered that someone found her scales to be so glossy. There are few superficial things she prides herself in, but her Auri traits have always been one of them. ]

☘ SKY ISLANDS

[ The Sea of Clouds is one of Era's favourite places in Eorzea despite the permanent chill to the air. And while she's aware this is not entirely real she also doesn't believe that a good enough reason for the island she's on to be more reminiscent of the Western Highlands of all places. She loves the family she made in Coerthas, but that doesn't mean she has to love the climate there.

Shivering (she has never fared well with cold temperatures), Era thinks of the blistering deserts of Southern Thanalan, or the sun-kissed beaches of La Noscea. It doesn't surprise her as much as it probably should when her feet suddenly sink into soft, warm sand in place of a few ilms of snow on frozen ground.

She wiggles her now-bare toes in the sand and lets out a pleased hum. ]

☘ BEACH PARTY

[ Era has never been one for parties - too many people with too many expectations of her, and always so much politicsreal Era feels no shame whatsoever. No one will go hungry because she is gorging herself on dream-food.

She stretches out on the sand near enough to the water that the waves lap at her feet. Her Emerald Carbuncle is a comforting glow beside her, forcing giggles from her throat as it licks the salt water from her bare toes. It steals a piece of shrimp off her plate while she's distracted (which would be odd under any other circumstances as Carbuncles don't actually eat), skittering away when she reaches an arm out to tug on one of its tails in retaliation.

Maybe it's sad that the only time Era can ever truly relax is when she's not awake, but she doesn't regret her lifestyle - she does what she needs to, doing her best to live up to the expectations she's held to as the Warrior of Light. ]

☘ ETC.

{ feel free to give me your own prompt! I'm up for anything. :) }