TEST DRIVE MEME ( 010 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #10

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 April 17th, and Applications on April 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.

Friends on the Other Side
When you open your eyes, it is to a shadow-tinted cityscape. The buildings are clay-built and colorless, plunging seemingly infinitely onward into the sky before disappearing into a dense pool of foglike sky. The silence weighs heavily like a mantle across every inch of this place, and no matter how you squint at them, every structure seems strangely blurred, as though being viewed through distorted telescope lens, or in the reflection of a pool of water.

All told, it's probably obvious from the start that all is not well here. From the moment you arrive in this strange nether-place, your eyelids have begun to grow heavy. Something about this city and its perpetual, misted darkness leaves you inexplicably drowsy, ready to curl up and fall asleep on the spot.

That wouldn't be a problem, perhaps, if you were alone. Mu does not boast a great deal of flora and fauna, but what it does have is a creature capable of inflicting much in the way of misfortune - clockroach. They occupy this city in swarms of wraith-like wisps, both intangible and curiously amorphous. But when they draw close, they instill a sense of terror like no other, usually igniting one's fight-or-flight response as a result. Sure, they might not be capable of actually hurting you, but why should that matter, when they have a skill for inducing a sense of utter dread in their targets?

Ever try to get some sleep with fresh adrenaline pumping in your veins?

Pretty Fly for a...Fire Guy
With indigo-blue skies, lush fields of green, and miles of rippling grass hills for as far as the eye can see, Mu has cast you into the perfect and picturesque evening. As the imaginary sun lips the very edge of the horizon and the last glow of orange fades to the purple of dusk, the fields come to life with a smattering of bright, wavering lights. LifeAftr has its fair share of fireflies native to its many regions, but this particular kind is special. They're the size of quarters, very pretty to look at...and incredibly volatile besides. It's hard to interpret what these wondrous little glow-bugs might view as a threat or not, but at least it's remarkably easy to discern as much based on the sight of them alone: they're handily color-coded depending on their moods.

While they glow a contented amber by default, those that fireflies warm to will find themselves bathed in a green-blue glow as those bulbous, organic lanterns tint with a soft, cool turquoise. A few of them might even settle across your arms and in your hair, if they take that much of a shine to you.

Of course, those the fireflies don't warm to will be able to note as such when they light up a blazing crimson, mere seconds before the insects spit a stream of glowing orange, molten-colored acid. It stings and burns in equal measure, just as likely to scald you as it is to set the surrounding fields aflame.

Flower You Doing That?
Adventurers were both wary and relieved to discover that the next island on the horizon, known as Ziziphus, appeared to be a rather vegetation-rich paradise. They were considerably less relieved to learn that this island contained predators just like all the rest of them, despite the rich green backdrop of its meadows and the promise of lush woodland at its heart.

So it is that you, too, will learn that sometimes tufts of ferns are not tufts of ferns at all...but dangerous creatures called spindlanks. What might initially appear to be a leafy hillock will very quickly prove to be something far more...mobile, if you get close enough. That clump of grass and red ferns will abruptly hoist itself up on six vine-like tendrils, crawling for its prey like a very large, mossy spider. While it's fully capable of swiping at its foes with its massive, leafy arms, the spindlank's favored method of dispatching its prey is simply to scuttle forth until it's positioned directly above you and drop down. If its weight does not crush you and choking on the clods of earth doesn't smother you, don't worry; the spindlank intends to eat you alive with a set of fleshy jaws set deep in its center.

For despite their leafy appearance, spindlanks are very much carnivorous. Their size can vary from anywhere between six and ten feet tall when their appendages unfurl entirely. They burn as easily as any plant matter would, but the size of them can make them quite difficult to topple alone.

And they are almost always hungry.

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

Comments

[piercetheheart]

It is utterly unfair that Iggy can pull of that look even without his sight. Gladio groans, bringing his hand up to push playfully at Ignis' face. "Stop that."

Even with the push he doesn't let Iggy go far, though, arm dropping from his shoulders to his waist to keep him from toppling over or moving away. He huffs out a sigh, letting himself lean into Ignis, close enough that he can probably feel the heat of his blush.

"Yeah a hunter and don't start, you'll sound like Iris and shit's complicated enough." Which was exactly the opposite of what he wanted.

[shatteredlenses]

A chuckle escapes Ignis as he leans back from Gladio's hand, unfolding his own to gently bat it away. For a moment, he considers trying to escape, but the arm around his waist puts an end to that notion rather quickly.

Not that he really wanted to free himself that much anyway.

As Gladio continues, Ignis' expression grows a bit more serious and he nods, "I understand." At least, as well as he can. Affairs of the heart are never easy for those in their positions in the best of times and Gladio is hardly coming from the best of times, "If you do want to talk about it at some point, just remember I'm here and I will listen."

That icon is unfair. keywords should be "smolder"

[piercetheheart]

It wasn't complicated, or at least it hadn't been, until Iris started meddling. He loved his sister dearly but he didn't need anyone waiting back in Lestallum for him to be happy, if anything it just made him worry even more than he already did.

"Yeah, yeah." It's dismissive because he doesn't want to think too hard about everyone back in Eos than any reason to not share things with Ignis. Not when they have this ease of conversation again for the first time in so many, many years. Strange how different it feels, being with this version of his friend, as though nothing has changed despite the years.

"I will... I-" He frowns a little but surrenders, no matter how sappy it will sound. "I've missed this." Talking to Ignis, touching him, having a friend to lean on no matter what. Sitting like this, even, was something they hadn't really done since they were teenagers, both weighed down with too much responsibility and neither willing to burden their prince with even the slightest hint that they were struggling. It was nice, to have that support again after so long without.

Keyword Update: Complete! It's a better one than I had anyway! LOL

[shatteredlenses]

Ignis doesn't need to see Gladio's frown to guess it's there from his tone of voice. Without thinking about it, he raises his hand back to Gladio's face, finding much to his dismay he's right.

"Now, none of that," his voice is gentle, as his fingers pat the corner of the Shield's frown. "You shan't have to miss it any longer. We may have no idea how long this will last, but for now you need not even ask when you need this." Ignis lets his hand slide to the back of Gladio's neck and if allowed, will pull the other man forward so that their foreheads meet. "For now, put aside your worries, fears, and regrets. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere."

[piercetheheart]

Feeling Ignis' fingers seeking out confirmation of his expression makes him want to change it, to smile for him but he knows there's no use trying to fool Iggy. Sight or no he'd see right through it. He was always disturbingly good at seeing through Gladio's bullshit. "I can try. Dunno if it'll work."

So he sighs softly, takes comfort in the reassuring words, the gentle touches. Closes his eyes as their foreheads meet until he can feel the gentle exhale of Iggy's breath. Which is when it occurs to him exactly how intimate this is, some small nagging guilt in the back of his head reminding him that, whether he wants her to or not Elle's back in Lestallum waiting for him. That, close as they were, as the are this might be half a step too far.

It's enough to make his cheeks flush hotly and he clears his throat, sitting up a little abruptly, drawing away from Iggy's gentle hands and comforting words just enough to put a respectable distance between them again. His arm loose over one leg rather than actually holding onto Ignis' waist. Iggy was still sitting in the circle of his legs but it wasn't quite so... much.

Didn't quite remind him of things that Ignis made clear were not welcome.

[shatteredlenses]

"That you try is all I ask." What good would demanding do, after all? Ignis doesn't want to add anymore weight to shoulders that already carry so much. He just wants to do all he can to comfort, calm, and heal instead.

There's a peacefulness that settles around the two of them then, their breathing the only sound that can be heard. How long as it been since Ignis has been able to feel so at peace? No time recently, that is for sure. There have been moments of a kind of peace on the island, but there was always the knowledge that he should be doing something else. Should be working on any number of things. There Ignis' mind is free to run a million miles a second as it always does, but here on Mu? There's not anything that can be done until they are released once more and having Gladio here to finally fill that empty place that's just been waiting? It's perfect in a way few other situations can be.

Perfection can never last though, and Ignis is startled first by the heat he feels from Gladio's face and then how fast the Shield sudden pulls away. Instinctively, Ignis is on alert, wondering if some kind of danger has snuck up on them when they weren't paying attention. After a moment, though, he realizes that he is the danger. He's become a lot more open about giving and receiving touch on the island, something he really never had time for back on Eos. For others, this isn't a bad thing, but he and Gladio have a bit of a history, if one can call Ignis insisting that duty must come before any person feelings a history. On top of that, there is someone waiting back home for Gladio. How could he be so careless?

"My apologies," the words are hardly more than a mumble as Ignis turns away, hiding the embarrassed flush on his face. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Besides, he has Soma and whatever he wants to call the weird thing that is going on with Ardyn. The time for what might have been passed a long time ago.

Longer for some than others.

[piercetheheart]

Too long. It had been far too long since he'd made motions to offer something more to Ignis. There'd never been words, never a discussion, but with their duty on hold until Noctis' return he'd tried. Tried so very hard to be there for Ignis and had only been pushed away.

Now, the knowledge of what he'd seen, why he'd been so distant, railed so hard against everything Gladio was trying to do in those early years made a lot more sense but it didn't change the fact that he- Well he'd lost that shot a long time ago, if he'd ever really even had a shot to begin with.

"Nah..." He starts off trying to play it off, casual, dismissive. But Ignis turns away from him and it hurts, seeing him upset and knowing it's his fault. "No, Ignis. You didn't." A soft sound somewhere between dark humor and disgust.

"Not you're fault, Iggy." It was entirely Gladio's. That he couldn't just accept the comfort and support without getting it twisted up with old wounds and the ache of loss wasn't Ignis' fault. Dammit.

[shatteredlenses]

It's that soft sound born between dark humor and disgust that really hits Ignis in the chest. His fingers twitch as he fights back the urge to curl them into angry fists, but eventually they still as he fights back his emotions and forces them under lock and key. He's already hurt one friend tonight by letting his emotions get the better of him. He's not going to do it again.

Breathe in. Breathe out. One long breath and he straightens his shoulders, turning back to face Gladio, all traces of the embarrassed flush gone, "I would prefer it if you not take more than your share of the blame on this. We both obviously got carried away. It happens."

He carefully pulls himself to his feet then, not wanting Gladio to think he's pulling away, but not comfortable remaining as they are, "Shall we go look for Noct and Prompto if he's been brought here? It will be nice to have everyone together again."

[piercetheheart]

Watching Ignis reign in his feelings and not really knowing what they are makes the guilt eat at him more and then Iggy looks back at him perfectly composed and closed off and it's like all those fights so many years ago, just after they'd lost Noct, before they'd gone their separate ways. A neutral mask that he now knew hid so many lies and secrets. Seeing that look again makes his stomach clench and he feels sick for a moment, dizzy with memories of lost friends and opportunities.

"Happens..." His voice is wrong, distant and soft like he's talking to someone that's not really there. He blinks up at Ignis as he stands, dread twisting his guts like a knife.

But if Ignis could collect himself and carry on like nothing had happened then so could Gladio. Maybe they'd discuss it later, probably they wouldn't, probably it would sit and fester between them all over again and gladio would lose him, lose them all once more. He has to clear his throat before he trusts his voice again. "Yeah. Good idea. Noct's gotta be around here somewhere." And that's far more important than anything else they could possibly have to say.