aftr_ooc | TEST DRIVE MEME ( 017 )

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*test drive meme

TEST DRIVE MEME ( 017 )

Test Drive Meme #17

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 November 17th, and Applications on November 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.

Is Anyone There?
What initially promises to be a relaxing island getaway is anything but. The tropical backdrop is all there - swaying palms, crystalline shores, white sand beaches, the whole hog. It's as idyllic as Ensō ever gets in the real world, the waters sparkling just that much more with a polish of dream-shine.

The real problem here is that you're not alone.

While they might be little more than a misted, formless shape at first, they'll rapidly take a more solid form as time goes on: a specter of a single person of great emotional significance. Whoever you might be seeing, they're here to rouse some aspect of your life that was not fully resolved. Someone you did not mourn, someone you did not grieve, someone you loved, someone you cut ties with unkindly, someone who represents a chapter in your life that you have thus far sought to repress.

Tailing you relentlessly, refusing to be ignored or brushed aside or forgotten, this specter is hungry for your attention to the exclusion of all else. They will bring every painful association to light and rub those wounds raw, to a terrifyingly parasitic extent. They crave your attention, your love, your devotion, your fear. They are tethered to you, and cannot tolerate the thought that you might pay attention to anyone or anything else.

However they might have been in life, however fondly or not you may remember them, this shadow of them is merely that: a shadow. Desperate for your attention, and likely to grow jealous if you dare direct it anywhere else. They can't live without you. Why should you get to live without them?

In fact...why should you get to live at all? If you don't give them the attention they crave, they might start to demand it a shade more vigorously. They're only going to grow more solid as time wears on - and while no one but you can see them, they have the power to affect you very physically if they so choose.

Choose Your Own Adventure
What you have before you, dear traveler, is a very linear path forward. Deep, tropical woodland, jungle-like in texture and evening-dark, and a well-trodden path that stretches onward in a seemingly infinite, winding road. There is no way to go but backwards or forwards. Or, for the particularly brave...well, you could try moving off the beaten path, but we wouldn't recommend it. As it happens, the surrounding vegetation in this area is mostly comprised of a very irritating sort of foe.

As it happens, most traditional mimics take the form of wooden chests to befuddle and then snack upon any intrepid explorers foolish enough to open a container without checking for teeth first. Such is not always the case, however!

Mimicries are what we will tentatively dub...distant cousins of your more conventional mimic. In the waking world, most of them prefer to assume the form of bushes, waiting for an unsuspecting traveler to tread upon the roots that will then snap around their ankles and reel them in, leaves parting to reveal a row of very nasty, very pointed jaws. Tonight, on Mu, their aptitude at blending into the vegetation to prey on the absent-minded explorer is out in full force.

While mimicries are very skilled at impersonating their surroundings, there are plenty of holes in their disguise for those keen of eye. An alert enough traveler may glimpse a pair of yellow, reptilian eyes blinking out from the vegetation before they fade just as fast. Mimicries are highly hostile, prone to attacking once they feel you've drawn close enough for them to take a good chomp, and don't tend to let go of their prey until either it is dead or they are. Armed with spiny teeth and a terrier-like refusal of relinquish their grip under any circumstances, mimicries can vary from genuine danger to outright irritant.

The good news is that, despite their number, mimicries are terribly vulnerable to fire. Happy hunting!

Caught in the Rainbow Current
On the more peaceful side of things, you're also liable to wake on a much quieter island destination - and this time, neither ghosts from your past nor RPG-styled foes will be there to spoil your stay!

Instead, you can take heart in the drifting, multicolored lights that shimmer off the seafoam and flotsam. A bale of kaleidoshells are passing through this region, and they're certainly taking their time in doing so. Resembling a cross between turtles and dugongs, kaleidoshells are so named for their distinctive radiance. Their scales and rainbow-colored shells can get as large as six feet across. The shifting colors on their backs are both bright and reflective. A vast enough number of kaleidoshells can allow for the illusion of an underwater aurora borealis, which is precisely what is occurring now.

Kaleidoshells are placid and peaceable creatures by nature in addition to being unfailingly pretty to look at. As they are largely sea-dwelling, their presence in the archipelago is usually seasonal. However, despite the autumn season, Mu has elected to make an exception. Kaleidoshells are particularly slow and unwieldy on land, and thus not much of a threat, but you're probably better off not trying to poach their eggs. They do, however, make a very fine sight around the waters of Mu, especially in this artificial evening. Luminescent, their rainbow patterns glow underwater with the dim pulse of drifting mood lights.

So relax, take in the sights...or wade in to swim alongside them, if you like. They won't mind the company, and there's something singularly enchanting about getting to swim in the tide of a rainbow.

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[He turns a bit at that, mostly so Alexei can see him rolling his eyes.]

You're going to make me ask?

[He's not surprised by the answer at all, but it sure would be nice if Alexei could be less of a pain for like, five minutes.]

You're going to do everyone a favor and not ask, actually.

[Why can you not be less of a pain for, like, five minutes.]

[Shrug!]

Fine, fine, I'll let it drop, just this once.

[He'll actually shut up for a little while too!]

[Good man.

Just give him a second to recollect himself and shake off...whatever the fuck that was; Schwann seems to be less agitated now that Alexei's focus is on him again, which Alexei admittedly is not sure what he's supposed to do with - he's not going to hold the man's fucking hand through this jungle, he's going to have to put up with being secondary to, you know, figuring out things...]

Keep your eyes open for things that shouldn't be here.

[It's once again not helpful, but at least it is something this time.]

I wouldn't say it's malicious, but there's something clearly not right.

[Yeager nods at that; it would be easy to assume he's not really paying attention given how quick his pace is, but after a moment he'll speak up again, his voice low.]

On the left, there's something moving back there.

[It definitely seems like we've got company, but it's a bit hard to tell what exactly it is from here.]

[...]

I see it.

[He sees something, anyway; he lets his hand drift to his sword without drawing it just yet, but he's certainly on-edge.

...Schwann also seems to be in "I don't like it" territory, but Schwann doesn't get an opinion. Just like home, really.]

[Whatever it is seems to be keeping its distance for now; it's still moving, sometimes behind them and sometimes moving a bit ahead, but it remains just out of sight.

Slightly more pressing is that the path splits in two up ahead. There's a path leading toward the left that looks clear and safe. The path leading toward the right is overgrown; it's certainly possible to traverse it, but it's going to be a bit more difficult.]

Any preference for which way we go?

[He does turn to ask Alexei that, but he isn't looking at you; it seems we've got something else following us as well. Whatever it is moves out of sight before he can make out what it is or how dangerous it might be, but that's certainly something to keep in mind.]

[...Great. At least the decision isn't hard; that comes easily and immediately.]

Left. We'll be more easily followed, but better that and able to fight if needed than distracted by the terrain and whatever might be out of sight along it.

[If this were somewhere within the Empire - somewhere he knew well - the answer would be different; as it stands, however, this is the best he's got.]

Makes sense to me! I'd imagine this one is clear because more people travel it; hopefully it'll lead us somewhere eventually!

[It's mostly idle words to fill the space while he tries to work out where the creature on our left has gone. The one behind us is still there, but the one on the left is the bigger concern right now as he heads down that path.

It is a clear path with more than enough space to walk comfortably. There doesn't seem to be anything else moving just out of sight; even our friend from earlier doesn't seem to be around anymore.]

[It is, in all blunt honesty, also far easier to keep an eye on Schwann this way; Schwann doesn't seem to like anything about this situation, but he's being good and not trying to grab for Alexei again, not as long as he keeps back somewhat and stays near him.

"You know I'm always ready to die for you."

It's quiet and incredibly blunted, in the way Schwann usually tends to be around him; incredibly stiff and formal, and it's something that Alexei isn't precisely here for listening to right now.]

You told me those days were over. Something about the ends not justifying the means, wasn't it?

[...He's having a very quiet argument with thin air like a mildly crazy person, this is probably okay.

The response is prompt. An echo of what he'd heard before.

"I know what I told you. But this is what you want."

God, he's not even dignifying that with a response.]

[Uhhhh, okay, that's new. Yeager actually does turn to look at Alexei at that, both because he has no goddamn idea what Alexei is talking about or why he's suddenly on that topic aaaaand you aren't talking to him at all, are you.

This is a little awkward.]

...Oh dear, please tell me you aren't losing your mind and carrying on conversations with yourself.

[It sounds like a joke but he kind of wants to die??? Oh my god, what are you doing and why are you doing it now.]

Not to be more of a concern than necessary, but I've been questioning the same thing since I arrived here.

[He's so done.]

As I said, something isn't right. Not malicious, but wrong.

[...At least, he thinks it's not malicious? It's not leaving him the hell alone, but...]

[Oh. Everything's worse than he thought, great! Well, Alexei's losing his mind which would probably be pretty entertaining to watch were it not for the whole jungle thing and whatever the hell is still following them.]

Are you going to tell me about it now?

[...Of course you aren't, but he's going to ask anyway.]

Tell me, first... Outside of me, and whatever has taken to following us here - do you genuinely see nothing?

[He almost goes for a smart-ass comment, both because it's Alexei asking him and because this is just what he does. But there really isn't any benefit in it, and given the current situation, it'll ensure he doesn't get any information instead of having a small chance of learning what the hell is going on with Alexei.

(It still might just be crazy, he honestly wouldn't be surprised at this point.)

Instead he takes a moment to will the urge to be a jackass away.]

I don't see anything or anyone you could be addressing. You and I are the only ones here.

[...Well, and our friends. He still doesn't see the one that was hanging out with us on the left side, and the one behind us has fallen back a little ways.]

Since I arrived, someone else has been with me. I can see them clearly, as well as hear them. I would pay this no mind, normally, but the person they appear to be is jarring to me.

They aren't real, I know that much. But I've also felt them - they've tried to physically interact with me, and I can feel it.

[he's aware. that this sounds. insane. he knows.]

As I've said, I want to believe it isn't malicious. It's merely inconvenient, and nothing I can't handle.

[It's official, Alexei's crazy. He was kind of already crazy, but now he's crazier and he's seeing people that aren't there, cool. This might as well happen.

Just. Just give him a moment so he can figure out something to do with his face that isn't blank staring.]

This has been happening since you found yourself here? Who do they appear to be?

[This is the hardest he has ever tried to not be aggressively himself, you'd better appreciate the attempt.]

[He does not, in fact, appreciate the attempt. The attempt is actually greatly annoying him. Thanks. He hates it.]

...Schwann Oltorain.

[So, you know. Yeah.]

[Oh, cool, the other guy with a blastia who was raised from the dead and came back really fucked up cool. This isn't awkward at all, great.]

...I see.

[ohhhhh my god this is not what he wanted to deal with today or ever, really. thanks, he hates it too!]

Well, hopefully that will work itself out on its own!

[So as usual he's just going to completely dismiss it and pretend that's not happening, because Yeager is a man of good decisions. Back to traveling, then!]

Hopefully.

[Schwann will let him continue onward, though he continues to follow; after a while, he'll comment again, his voice as quiet and flat as ever.

"You've been pushing me away for years. Are you really going to keep doing that now, when you don't have anything left?"

...This is going to be a very, very long day, he can tell; he keeps ignoring it for the time being - pushing him away indeed - and this lasts well enough until Schwann tries to touch him again.

"You keep trying to bury it like you tried to bury me. What are you afraid of?"

He pulls away from him again.]

...Yeager. Keep talking to me. Any subject is acceptable for the time being.

[While Alexei's dealing with his crazy, Yeager's been keeping a close eye on their surroundings. There's been movement to their left again, but he hasn't managed to catch a clear glimpse of whatever's out there. It's probably the same thing that was following them before, but it's certainly good at maintaining its distance. Aside from that, everything is quiet... and that's even worse than running into monsters every five minutes.

He glances over his shoulder when Alexei speaks up and that... Well, he's not entirely sure what to do with that, but he shrugs after a moment.]

And here I thought you'd appreciate the silence! Well, if you really do miss my voice so much I suppose I can indulge you for a bit...

[He could use this opportunity to be a pain in the ass. He could say all the things he really wanted to say to Alexei, but never really had the chance. But there's so much baggage there that he'd have to acknowledge, and that sounds horrible. He doesn't want to think about it, so he won't.

Instead, the first thing that comes to mind is... well, it's a story. There's quite a bit Alexei doesn't know about him, after all, and telling a story is easy enough. It's not going to distract him from keeping an eye on their surroundings and it'll be long enough to... maybe keep Alexei from losing his mind any faster, who knows.

He'll talk about what happened leading up to the creation of the Manor of the Wicked - not how he arrived in Dahngrest after fleeing Zaphias or how he came to be in control of Leviathan's Claw, those aren't stories he wants to get into. Instead, he's telling the story of how one man can almost single-handedly get an entire guild kicked out of Dahngrest without ever actually breaking any rules. He doesn't really sound proud of being the world's biggest pain in the ass, but he does sound amused. There's even some fondness there if you really squint - toward the Don, toward his guild as a whole - but there's no mention of Gauche or Droite anywhere.

Anyway, he'll keep going for awhile, feel free to interrupt him at any point!]

[He hadn't exactly expected Yeager to be moderately helpful.

Sure, he's effectively talking about nothing, and Alexei is reasonably sure he's doing it for the sake of keeping him from snapping entirely while they're alone in a secluded area, but at the same time there are a lot of ways this could have gone - either through Yeager refusing to talk or just starting in on him too, it's a vulnerable request and he hates it for that, but just the same he's not going to argue with Yeager being strangely cooperative today.

What he's being told is easy to follow - obnoxious, surely, but "easy to follow" is probably the important part; it isn't distracting enough to keep his attention off of where they're going, just enough to keep Schwann's voice out. Not that it seems to be deterring him any; occasionally there are still things he's aware of, things that are being said that dig at him -

"I did everything you asked, didn't I? I've always done everything you asked."
"You've changed. I understand why, but I don't know if you even realize it."
"Everything you've refused to let go of... Was it worth it?"
"Was it really?"

This time when Schwann grabs for him, he isn't easily shrugged off.

His grip on Alexei's wrist is strong, biting into him even through the fabric; it doesn't hurt but it's something he can't precisely ignore, and when Schwann pulls back on him it's enough to get him to turn almost involuntarily.

"Alexei. Look at me. ...Please."

It's that final word that does it, and he's vaguely aware that Yeager is...probably somewhere but Yeager doesn't really matter anymore, not for the time being. Schwann is here and not letting go of him and this isn't really a confrontation that Alexei needs to be having right now, not after everything -

Schwann's words are quiet, but they sting.

"You didn't want to let us go, did you? We were all you had left of your dreams. So you made sure that we would stay with you.
I'm not leaving you. I won't ever leave you again. We can keep your dreams alive, no matter what it takes. Isn't that what you want?
I want what you want. The dead don't have dreams of their own anymore."

And that's when Alexei draws his sword; there's not enough room between them to do so normally but Alexei tends to hold it underhand anyway, and if he does it that way there's just enough space to press the blade up against Schwann's throat.]

Let. Go. Of me.

[It's cold, the sort of tone absolutely reserved for an order, and... The amount of threatening what's visibly nothing is likely disconcerting but he can't really say he cares right now.]

[Yeager's content to keep going - he figures he'll either eventually run out of things to say (not likely) or Alexei will finally snap and honestly, he can't really say he cares all that much if that ends up being the outcome.

That certainly is what happens when Alexei speaks up, and Yeager turns to glance back at the Commandant. There's still nothing there - no enemy, no Schwann, nothing.

He's not content to watch without commentary for long, however.]

Are you going to kill him?

[Alexei's crazy and all, but he's actually curious if Alexei would try it. If Schwann was really here and irritating Alexei this badly (and... grabbing him, apparently?) would Alexei kill him? Schwann isn't exactly working for Alexei anymore, after all...]

[He doesn't say anything immediately; his breathing is rough, and he doesn't know when it got that way, and for a long moment he tries to regulate it and calm himself down. It doesn't work.]

Tools that would turn on their master have no reason to be kept.

[It's difficult to say who he's addressing - whether he's responding to Yeager or giving Schwann one last chance to step off. It doesn't particularly matter, maybe; he's not lowering the blade either way.]

[Yeager's certainly noticed that Alexei isn't handling this very well, but he doesn't draw attention to it. He tips his head a bit at the words - maybe to indicate that he's heard, maybe in consideration - before he speaks up again.]

I don't know why you're hesitating, then.

[There isn't anything behind the words, they're perhaps surprisingly blank coming from him. He's still sort of smirking, because that's just what he does with his face. The usual level of cheer is completely gone.]

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