TEST DRIVE MEME ( 018 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #18

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 December 17th! Due to the holiday season, Applications will be opening on December 26th, with an app period shifted to end on January 2nd instead of the usual timeframe!

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.

Upsy Wars: Revenge of the Lift
Over the past sixteen months, adventurers have adjusted to the sight of a wide variety of odd and fantastical creatures, some friendlier than others. Of the more ferocious, it's wise to consider giving them a wide berth - from the indomitable fustercluck to living black holes to the deadly contagious quartzalcoatls. However, only one predator has gained the dubious title of "that weird flying mouth thing."

Invasive to LifeAftr, Upsy the elevator is not satisfied with haunting the memories of those who encountered it during its arrival in July. Now it's here to haunt your dreams, too! While capable of speech and some style of sentience on its home world, it seems LifeAftr has yet to agree with a machine that is equal parts flesh and metal. Driven to silence by whatever forces this world has exposed it to, Upsy is driven by one, basic instinct, and one alone.

To give you a lift, whether you want it or not. Upsy’s attacks are abrupt and immediate. Swooping down from the sky, it will collect as many living things in its mouth as can fit, before closing its doors and soaring away. Want to leave? Don't worry; Upsy has no intentions of keeping you, or digesting you. Release from that fleshy mouth prison is as immediate as the initial attack. We hope you enjoy flying, because Upsy can spit even the heaviest of creatures a good hundred feet away from itself, at any altitude. Do look out below.

The Emoji Movie
Communication on the islands currently consists of Stones of Far Speech, a relatively adaptable system that is open to requests and suggestions for improvement. One such request has been met with a small bout of confusion, however; as adaptable as the Storyteller attempts to be, you kids with your mobile phones and your texting and emojis get a little beyond them, sometimes.

Beyond Mu as well, it seems. When you asked for emojis, this is what you wanted, right? Exclusive to Mu, Emojees come in a variety of shapes and sizes; from knee-high yellow orbs with rows of sharp teeth that simply cannot stop laughing, to horse-sized poop emojees that - well. One can guess. Numbering in the hundreds and intending to convey their meaning by any means possible, it's a good idea to avoid prolonged contact with these happy little abominations.

The taller, more objective emojees will simply try to absorb those attached to them in an effort to become even larger, but the smaller infect their prey with the emotions they portray, influencing them into the perfect emotional state for consumption.

In hindsight, this is probably not what the children actually wanted...

Close enough.

Let It Go Snow
LifeAftr may be primarily tropical, but that doesn't mean some of its creatures don't appreciate a good white Christmas - and a white rest of the year, at that.

Gelfs are one such species. While they may be visually reminiscent of Santa's Little Helpers, these small creatures aren't about to start handing out presents. Having snuck onto Mu's metaphysical shores at the beginning of the month, these little critters have immediately set about doing what they do best - spreading ice and snow across the island, in increasingly hazardous quantities. As the influence of the gelfs settles across Mu, it's quite possible that the abrupt cold snap will lead to severe consequences for any adventurous guests, unless you enjoy the prospect of an avalanche waiting to happen Now may be the best time to hunt these gelfs down, before such disaster can occur.

For those uninterested in massacring a local creature population (again), you may as well enjoy this winter wonderland while it lasts. Ice skating, snowball fights - and for those in the know, the time-honored competition to create the best dabbing ice sculpture. If you're lucky, you might even find a container of piping hot wassail - spiced apple cider - laying around.

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[alchemisted]

[He may have them, but Alfor can't possibly conceive of Zarkon betraying him, betraying any of them. The Galra emperor is his friend, the leader of Voltron. For all that things are a bit tense with Honerva insisting on the research into the rift continuing desoite the incident with the creatures, they're still... his dear and trusted friends.

He glances down at himself, his armor, before looking back up to Allura and nodding.] Yes, that was some time ago, the first time we took to the Lions and formed Voltron. We've done much since then.

[A frown.] Did something else come from the rift?

[diplomacycheck]

[Hooray for a club she joined phoebs ago, with Zarkon's successor to the throne. She closes her eyes for a brief moment, forcing the memories down deep as they make it to the clearing. There are embers still in the fire she'd left when she heard a familiar voice on the wind...

She gestures for him to sit down before she does so as well, poking them with a stick left by the ring of stones. Oh, something else came from the rift alright.]

... In a sense. [She feeds the fire real fast with some dry leaves and it sparks back to life. She's had some practice the last phoeb.]

I do not know all the details, but, Zarkon betrayed us. Something had happened to Honerva while she was pregnant with their son, and he convinced you all that the only way to save Daibazaal was to expand the rift and then close it.

They both came back changed. When I faced her after I awoke, Honerva didn't even recognize me beyond "the lost princess of Altea" and called herself Haggar... and Zarkon conquered much of the known universe.

[But she is getting ahead of herself. It's... difficult to speak of, but she looks up to meet his gaze.]

Altea... was the only planet they destroyed utterly because we refused to submit to Galra rule. You sent me and the Lions away so that the universe might have a chance. The last I remember, Earth nearly became the second planet to suffer such a fate. We saved them just in time.

[alchemisted]

[They can be their own support group for "mistakes were made with feelings for the Galran ruling family" because that is certainly a thing.

Alfor settles by what's left of the fire, looking from the glowing embers back up to Allura as she begins speaking once more. There's a widening of his eyes straight from the start. Zarkon betrayed them?

If it were anyone but his daughter telling him this he might try to disbelieve it. But it's his Allura, and there's no mistaking the gravity in her words.]

...Altea was destroyed.

[He echoes the words, not so much in disbelief as in trying to even wrap his mind around the concept. His throat feels tight. Too tight.] Zarkon did this?

[diplomacycheck]

[They really can be. Allura bites the inside of her lip, before scooting closer to him. The fire has roared back to life; it won't need more tending to for a while. Instead she offers a hand. Whether he takes it or pulls her in close is up to him.]

...Yes. [To both parts.] It is gone. Yet our people and culture are not entirely.

[Oh, if only she knew. If only she knew what Honerva is doing to their people, continuing and twisting what her son had envisioned beyond what he'd done to those of the "second" colony. She leans in closer as she stares at the fire with half-lidded eyes. The words of the phantom within the maze still ring in her ears.]

Lotor, [Ancients, it's been an entire decaphoeb and she still can't hide the pained sadness in her voice at the mention of his name.] Zarkon and Honerva's son, worked to preserve it and save the descendants of those who were on trade expeditions before he followed in their footsteps.

[alchemisted]

[There's not a chance in the cosmos that Alfor doesn't take that hand, doesn't slide closer and tug Allura in close to him as well. The chill is part of it, but the tone of his daughter's voice...

It pains him, an ache that settles deep in his chest.]

I see. Then you've known this betrayal too.

[No doubting that by the sound of her voice. He wants to make it better, soothe it away like he could the nightmares she'd had as a little girl, the small child he remembers. But that's outside his power.]

My Allura... I'm so sorry, that such a heavy weight fell to you.

[diplomacycheck]

[Allura leans into him, then. Both because of the chill and because they both need this. For her, it is something she has had to grow accustomed to for phoebs, but for Alfor...

It pains her to have to tell him any of this.]

I loved him. [In other words: yes.] I still do.

[She gently squeezes his hand in hers. It's painful to admit, and perhaps.. that is why it hurt so much to hear what he'd done to their own people. And yet, she smiles faintly.]

It did not fall to I alone. Others help me to carry it. Shiro, Lance, Keith and his mother Krolia, Hunk, Pidge and her family, and Romelle. We have allies and together we've worked tirelessly to free the universe. Well over a third had reclaimed their freedom from the Galra Empire before our alliance with Emperor Lotor.

I miss Altea, our people, and Mother... but I am glad to have met my team. Just as much as I am glad you are here, Father. [She's missed him so much.]

[alchemisted]

[Her leaning in will have her wrapped up in an embrace. Because he can do that, even if there's nothing else he can do. He's quiet when she speaks at first. To be betrayed by someone you trust, someone you love. He can imagine little else more painful.

But at least it seems she has others who are there for her. He smiles back.]

It sounds like you've found a strong team to stand with. And I'm glad for it.

[And these people he doesn't know, or may have wandered into in this strange dream already, he's grateful to them for being there.]

I am glad I am here too. With you. [And he doesn't want to leave, not knowing these things, not knowing that he's very much already left her when he died in her time. Thousands of devaphoebs ago.]

[diplomacycheck]

[It is more than enough for her. It's something she never thought she would have again and quietly savors this despite the tears stinging in her eyes; both of sorrow and joy. She wraps her arms around him once more like she would when she was younger and had just awoken from a nightmare.]

I have. However we have had our moments. [Just like any team does.] They once escaped a swap moon on the back of what earthlings call a "cow" -- I'll introduce you to Kaltenecker later.

[A very quiet laugh escapes her. Yes. The cow is here.]