TEST DRIVE MEME ( 013 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #13

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 July 17th, and Applications on July 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.

Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat
When you wake, it's to the bucking of tumultuous ocean waves and the heavy sluice of rain. The boat you've found yourself on was probably seaworthy at some point, but it's been wind-battered and weatherbeaten to the point where it's begun, quite steadily, to sink into the choppy waves. Looks like you're all in the same, sinking vessel. To make matters worse, it seems that the storm itself has a nasty sense of humor. It seems almost intuitive in its attempts to toss you from your footing on the deck and into the frothing waters below. Gusts of powerful wind try to tear you from the mast if you climb it, and the boat rocks perilously to try and tip you into the churning waves. Oh, and did we mention the lightning? Because there's lightning, and it seems to have a personal interest in incinerating your pitifully wooden little boat on the spot.

That doesn't mean you're completely helpless. There is an island in sight, one that resembles the waking land of Ensō, albeit somewhat far off, its silhouette fuzzy and indistinct from the curtains of rain. But if you can make it...

Well, anywhere's got to be better than here, right?

Gibbon No Quarter
It's been a year since the first adventurers were initially drawn to Mu's shores, and then, later, to Ensō's. And so, in celebration, the dream-island has cribbed only the best bits of the previous year for prospective explorers to sample on their way in.

Take now, for instance. You'll find yourself in a cage of all things, with the pound of drums and excited hoots of hungry simians to greet you upon waking. This particular breed of monkeys was once unique to Ensō, before travelers were forced to more or less thoroughly exterminate them. Devilishly smart and naturally inventive, gun monkeys are so named for their trademark weaponry - coconut guns, naturally - and their generally cunning capacity to craft tools out of very rudimentary resources. And oh, right - they're also very carnivorous. They've set up a smoking bonfire in the center of the jungle clearing that makes up their temporary home, and if you don't figure out a way to come out of your cage (have you been doing just fine, perhaps?), then you're going to be next on the menu.

Think fast, or work with whoever's nearby, and you might have a chance. Or you could always call for help. That always works out, right?

To Be Continued
Stories, stories, stories. Anyone who's hung around the block for any length of time can tell you, dear newcomers, that those little things are of the utmost importance in this neck of the woods. There's no mistaking the purpose behind this inviting scene - log seats set up around a roaring campfire, and even a packet or two of marshmallows if you're feeling hungry.

It almost might be enough to distract you from the fact that there's no fuel for said fire. And what's more, the darkness surrounding the woodland backdrop is so impenetrable that you may as well be an isolated blot of warmth in an otherwise unforgiving void. And within that void, if you listen close, you might hear something - a snarling, an indistinct rumble of massive jaws parting, hungrily, in search of something alive. If that flame burns out...well, something out there isn't fond of fire, and that's the only thing keeping it from claiming everyone seated here for its own enjoyment. But the good news is that there's a very easy way to keep this fire blazing well through the danger. Can you tell where this is going?

It's stories, of course. Regale us with tales of your past exploits, or with fairytales or nursery rhymes you remember from your childhood. Relay your tales of triumph and of grief, of laughter and of agony, of anything you can possibly imagine. As long as a story of some sort is being told, the fire will burn merrily onward, and the blanket of all-consuming darkness will be kept at bay.

Just try not to embellish too much. If your story is too vague, if it is more lies than it is something genuine, the fire might start to gutter dangerously low as a consequence. And that beast, whatever it is - oh, it's hungry.

---

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

Comments

[pidgeypidge]

That was certainly an answer.

"So any kind of story with any kind of action?" There's a good chance she might just be thinking of questions to bug him now, but he'll never be able to prove it. Just her inquisitive nature, after all, Lance! "Alright, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Lance!" And she's just going to smile happily at him because it was a little comforting to hear that she'd be able to use just anything.

She'd probably lost count of how many movies she'd seen with almost that exact story, maybe minus the dressing like pirates and acquisition of a cow, but still.

But of course she'd already be thinking about why the Storyteller was called the Storyteller. If it had been called something else, it wouldn't have been as big a deal. But a name like Storyteller invoked a certain kind of mental image. "Maybe it's something we'll figure out after we've been here for a while." That was possible, right?

Pidge is just going to shrug and glance back at the fire. They'd been talking for a couple of minutes at least, so she wasn't expecting any huge change in the flame.

[thermalwind]

"Just after we won at Naxzela." Keith catches sight of something moving through the water like an arrow. Narrow fin on top. He gets the flash of a face. He signals for her to keep rowing as he unsheathes his Marmora blade. It catches the light from the lightning flash.

He tenses on the boat. It moves to circle the raft. His eyes narrow, he flicks the blade like a cat flexing their claws. "That was Storyteller. What point are you from?" Come on. Swim a little closer.

[scholiast]

(Oh, she accepted that so easily! She must know about magic. Perhaps magic is commonplace here.

Lucretia, as per usual, immediately gets the itch to write this all down somewhere but they're not really in a good place right now so she'll file that tidbit away for later.)

Thanks, (she pants, helping Ray to wrestle them down to the foot of the mast, watching her tie them off in a solid looking knot. Good, that's as– well, as sorted as it's going to be. The ship is moving very quickly now, cutting a path through the storm.

Lucretia nods, suddenly uncertain.) Yes. Um– probably. Maybe we should jump when we reach the shallows.

[catpiper]

[Her eyes say wow, but her heart says this story is bullshit. There's a misunderstanding in this tale because a cat would never cheat its way into someone's good graces. They're always doing their kitty best.

The fire doesn't seem to share her troubles-it flares back to life at the tale, drowning out the sound of the weird dream monster growling in the midst.]

That's a good story, but we should change-

[A pause, as she wonders the best part to switch up. Probably the end. That wasn't a happily ever after for all parties-time to fix that.]

The cat took the ring across the roof and met the dog by the door. They walked in together and said wroof and nya and the family gave them a big dinner.

[liveasmyself]

[Having your school overrun by lingered teaches you to accept some things--particularly if something's helpful, Ray's not going to question too hard.

She looks like she wants to question the idea of jumping off the boat, but, despite her frown and furrowed brow, can't. She doesn't have a better plan, after all.]

Okay...

[Even as they move closer, she's having a hard time telling when the water gets shallower, but soon they're close enough that she figures they can no longer risk it. Her eyes dart from the water to Lucretia.]

Are you ready?

[liveasmyself]

[Ray notices the fire reviving in the back of her mind, and her shoulders relax. Enough so that she can focus on workshopping this story, a welcome distraction from... well, everything.]

That would be a much happier end, but it wouldn't really explain why dogs chase cats, would it?

[scholiast]

(It's certainly not ideal, but Lucretia vastly prefers a bit of a swim to getting dashed on the rocks with the boat.)

Um, (she says, and joins Ray at the side of the boat. This is all seeming extremely perilous now that she's considered this. But hey, this is just another cycle right? If she dies she'll just come back in the new one. No harm done.

She clutches the railing a little harder, trying to look more confident. She swallows.) ... Sure.

[liveasmyself]

...On 3?

[Hey, she wants to make sure she's not jumping alone. And is also maybe delaying a bit.

But another wave makes the boat pitch so dramatically that she realizes she can't delay anymore. She swallows her fear and squeaks out, all at once:]

1-2-3!

[And there she goes, into the drink.]

[scholiast]

(Lucretia has a split second to inhale before she hits the water, but when she does all of the breath leaves her lungs immediately anyway. The water seems to be a lot calmer closer to the shore but it isn't any warmer; she breaks the surface with a gasp and a shiver, instantly regretting not thinking of getting rid of her bright red IPRE robes before jumping in. They're just weighing her down now, though, when she does let herself sink curiously underneath the surface she finds the sand bar is only a few seconds below her.

That's fine, then. She returns and starts treading water toward the shore, looking about herself.)

Ray?

[liveasmyself]

[Ray bobs up several feet away as she hits the same sandbar and tries to keep her head above water.]

Here!

[She waves a few times just to make sure Lucretia sees before she starts paddling for shallower water. Lucretia didn't leave Ray, so Ray will stick with her too--much as she wants to make a mad dash to the beach to get out of the frigid water.

She will, but only once they're both almost at the shore.]

Dogo | The Lion Guard

[jackal_style]

B)

[He woke up in a cage.

He doesn't know that's what it is, but he definitely understands the idea of "trapped". Normally, jackals can sweet-talk their way out of just about anything. But the drums are loud and he can't think clearly enough to try and call out to the monkeys.

So he'll turn to whoever else he's trapped with.]

A-are they gonna eat us?

C)

[Dogo is seated next to the fire, taking in the warmth of it while listening to people tell their stories. When it gets around to his turn or when it comes time for him to butt in, he springs up onto his feet and hops around excitedly.]

Oh, oh! I know a story! It's all about this mean, evil group call the "Lion Guard"!

[catpiper]

No, but they shouldn't chase cats. We should talk to the dogs and tell them not to be mean.

[When she wakes up, she's gonna amble off and ask Ammy about this. Maybe she can send a message out to her fellow doggykind.]

Do you know other cat stories?

[liveasmyself]

[Ray doesn't think she can talk to dogs and would be surprised if this other girl could, but it's not the weirdest thing she'd heard today, so she lets it slide.]

I know another one about a tiger. ...It starts off sad, but it has a happy ending, most people say.

[Just a warning for the local cat stan.]

It begins with a tiger killing a woman's son, but the tiger isn't all bad.

[scholiast]

(Oh, she sees! She makes her way determinedly over to Ray, though without any real urgency: it seems she can swim. Good. Lucretia hadn't thought to ask her before the both of them had made a jump for it. Shore isn't too far away, and once they've set a good pace it's easier to ignore how cold the water is.

Lucretia is thinking very longingly of hoisting herself up onto the sands and casting a small fire for the pair of them. By the time she is at the shore her teeth are chattering; she lets her arms fall out of her robes, leaving them in a wet heap on the sand as she staggers out of the surf. It will be much easier to try off her t-shirt and jeans. Lucretia rubs her arms frantically, glancing about them for a moment.)

Let's find shelter; I can light a fire.

[pidgeypidge]

Since she couldn't remember what he was talking about, she was going to assume that he was from a different point as well. Swell.

But before she can say anything more about it, he was gesturing at her and whipping out a blade. That was... probably not a good sign, but she was just going to casually focus on rowing and let Keith deal with whatever it was for now. "Storyteller, huh," she muttered, trying the name out. It made sense, she supposed.

"Uh... just after you and Hunk came back with the scaultrite for the wormhole generator," she admitted with a shrug. How far ahead did that make him? Should she ask? Maybe when they were on solid ground.

[catpiper]

[It's a tragedy this poor girl has been suckered into kitty happy hour, but it's all to avoid dream monsters and isn't that worth it? Probably. Either way, she's disappointed the cat killed someone, but willing to give it a chance because of this girl's warning. That's fine. Cats are good-there's definitely a reason.]

Was the tiger scared of her son? Is that why?

[liveasmyself]

[Ray nods vigorously, though she's shivering enough that the motion may just look like an extension of that. There's not much relief in getting out of the cold water into the still-chilly air; she smiles wearily at the thought of fire.]

I think I've already forgotten what it's like to be warm... I see plants up there [she points farther inland] but no houses. Do you think anybody lives out here?

[liveasmyself]

Um... I don't think my mom said why when she told the story to me. But maybe that's true--people and tigers probably wouldn't have gotten along.

[The cat in the other story wasn't so nice, but Ray can sympathize a bit with the tiger in this story, living on the outskirts and trying to just do their own thing.]

Whatever the reason, the woman became very upset and demanded that the tiger be brought to court for killing her son. She was old and had depended on her son to take care of her--she had no one else. So a man caught the tiger and brought it before the judge, who offered to allow it to live if it would take the place of the woman's son.

[scholiast]

I don't know...

(Lucretia bites the inside of her cheek, still rubbing her arms uselessly: there's really nothing to be done except head for the plants and the trees inland as fast as possible. The moment they have sufficient shelter against a tree trunk she finds a couple of snapped boughs, dragging them over, and casting prestidigitation to light a small fire.

The flame isn't big, but it can, at least, be stoked. After some careful feeding with dried leaves, it starts to burn properly. Lucretia shivers madly, holding her hands out to it.)

Lets dry off as best we can and then go exploring. S-Sound good?

The letter B. :V

[shox]

They can try. But I won't let 'em get close.

[The response comes from an adjacent cage, though this one is much larger as it houses a mostly-human figure, save for the ears and tail, the former of the two pricked and attentive.

Junko definitely feels bad for the little jackal--he looks young and afraid, and he's got plenty of reasons with these strange, aggressive apes keeping them trapped until dinner. Too bad...they were on the menu.]

I won't let you get hurt either.

[Away from home he might be, but the persecuted still fall under his protection. And all it would take is to be set free, to unfurl the wings harnessed to his back and hidden by shadows. A few good clouts, perhaps some clawswipes...he'd make short work of them.

Junko is pretty confident of it. Otherwise he wouldn't say it.]

[jackal_style]

[Despite his fear, Dogo needs someone’s help to get out of here. And it doesn’t seem like he can talk the monkeys out of eating him. He wags his tail a little, eyes getting a little wider. Junko already said he’d protect him, but Dogo puts on his best innocent face anyway.]

Do you have a plan? Are you gonna fight ‘em and win?

01. HELLO!!!

[proficienciesouttheass]

WHOA!

[ Okay, you know, he the wasted-to-waking-up-in-weird-places ratio is all off in this place. From his cozy space in the tent, to nearly falling off a--what is this? A, a, a--wooden boat?

Oh jesus, okay. First thing's first, he's grabbing hold of rope tied to something he can't quite see, keeping himself on his feet and out of the water. It feels like it can hold his weight, but only temporarily, so he really needs to find something else to hold onto and fast.

Immediately soaked, he pulls himself along until he's balanced enough to walk, stumbling and slipping along and calling out for names:] Lup?! Taako! Kravitz?! [ Deafened by the storm.

As one of the bigger waves slams against the boat, he stumbles foreword, smacking his face against the mast - there's only so much breaking his beard & burns can do - but it's at least something more solid to hold onto.]

Fuck!

AHHH HI!!!

[scholiast]

(Lucretia recognises those dulcet curses!

She cracks an eye open against the wind and rain. Magnus stumbling across the ship a few feet away from her; the sight of him is incredibly relieving, even if he doesn't know what's going on any better than she does. It's okay that she doesn't know exactly what's going on, because now they can figure it out together! One brain is always better than two, right?

... Right?? Ah, he's just smacked face first into the mast. Lucretia winces and relinquishes her death grip on her own post so she can slide across the wet deck toward him, catching the mast with one hand. She drops a hand onto his shoulder, gives it a bolstering squeeze.)

Are you okay?

[liveasmyself]

[Ray watches in amazement as the flame laps over the branches; catching on, she roots around the area for some more kindling that hasn't been soaked through from the rain. It's a tall order in this weather, so some of her contributions may add more to the smoke than intended.]

Yes, that's a good plan. [She creeps as close as she can bear, relaxing in both the warmth and the idea that they have a vague idea of knowing what to do next. With awe in her voice, she stares into the fire.]

How did you do that? I've never seen anything like it.

[Except with the incense in her school, but that had been almost more startling than comforting. And she's relatively certain that some other force, not a human, did that.]

[scholiast]

(Lucretia's lived this stupid life before; she kicks over all the wet leaves to find the dry ones underneath, finds sticks that have scattered close to the bases of trees. Those work well enough. The fire is a bit smoky but that's okay, they just need to get warm.)

It's... just a cantrip. (She glances sideways at Ray, confused. She'd been so at ease with the shield she'd just assumed that she knew what magic was. Strange.

That reminds me that she wanted to write everything down and she automatically pats herself as if she's wearing robes... and only then remembers that she left them on the beach in a sodden heap. Her journal is probably waterlogged and useless anyway. She can't find her pen, either. So it's shaping up to be a good start to the cycle. Something that Ray said before comes back to her, then: 'no houses. Do you think anybody lives out here?')

Wait, you don't live here?