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The Mods of LifeAftr ([personal profile] lifeaftr_mods) wrote in [community profile] aftr_ooc2019-01-13 08:43 pm
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TEST DRIVE MEME ( 019 )

Test Drive Meme #19
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 January 17th, and Applications on January 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.

Let's Be Heroes
Back in December on the recent island of Maati, the Trial of the Brave was intended to challenge those who approached life with hesitation; the timid, the uncertain, and those who trend too easily toward inaction. Mu, of course, has a habit of neglecting the finer details. And thus...here you are, whether you need the intended lesson or not.

Armed with nothing more than a torch, a short sword, and the clothes on your back, you're sure to enjoy the scenic view of labyrinthine stone walls, low-hanging ceilings, sharp corners hiding all sorts of secrets, and a thick, foreboding darkness. Your light, and the torches of others making their way through the dark, are the only breaks in the seemingly uniform dark.

Those and the lights of the eyes of the other things down here with you, of course.
Hidden throughout the maze are scattered innumerable creatures, all of them happy to take advantage of those wandering about on their own. Nighthooks are fiendish, shadowy monsters that appear in the shape of a long-fingered hand. While they cannot physically hurt anything, they specialize in slinking out of the darkness to snuff out any light source they can find...like your torch, for example. Also abundand are the grimlings, hulking, dog-like creatures composed of a seaweed-like blackness and glowing coals for eyes. Should you come across one, several more are bound to be nearby, as they travel in packs. And they are always hungry.

For those lucky enough not to stumble across these creatures? Enjoy your stumble through the dark. There's an exit around here somewhere, if you look hard enough. Probably.

The Waiting Game
The second trial Mu has appropriated is the Trial of the Patient. This test was named for those who exhibit the very antithesis of patience, initially intended to draw in the brash, the reckless, those easily incited into action, and so on. Instead of a dark and lengthy maze, Mu has instead concocted a brightly lit room to test your patience, and lack thereof.

So you should have no trouble at all seeing the entirety of the expansive, gaping void that stretches between you and the only way out.

Stranded on a singular ledge, the space in which you wake is white and seemingly infinite. No ceilings or walls are visible, and peering over the edge of the small platform reveals no flooring below to catch you. The only distinct characteristics to this room are the door opposite you, positioned some couple hundred feet away. There's nothing for you to grab or cling to in order to make your way over there faster. In fact, nothing else seems to help, either. Flight, teleportation, gadgets, you name it - each attempt will inevitably fail, and give you just enough time to contemplate all the ways you went wrong as you go plummeting down (or is it up?) into that endless void. What a shame.
Luckily for you, this dream is happy to give you a second chance! And a third, and a fourth...and however many it takes, really. Those who fall will, just as the initial adrenaline shock starts to run out, abruptly find themselves standing right back on the platform where they started. Once again, they'll find themselves staring at that infuriating, impossible-to-reach door. Seems like you may be stuck where you are, for the time being.

We say "for the time being," because the other distinct attribute of this loosely defined room is a second platform, drifting steadily from the doorway to your position. Once it reaches you, you'll be able to climb aboard, and be safely ferried across the room to the exit you so greatly desire. Once it reaches you. Once it...well, it seems to be taking some time. A few minutes. An hour. Something in that ballpark, maybe. Got a good book on you? No? Guess you'll have to find some other way to wile away the time.

You, and whoever else you happen to be stuck with.

Water Rising
The island of Ensō is a relatively flat island, aside from a lone, steep mountain to the north. Mu is less so. It tends to mold itself to whatever shape best suits it, and in this case? It has chosen Ensō. And so that is where you find yourself - positioned at the base of its mountain, no less, only several feet up the beginnings of its slope. Unfortunately, there's not much time to take in the new scenery. Stretched out along the island's coast is a beach of glittering white sand. Further inland, the green sprawl of a jungle blots the horizon. But there's also plenty of ocean. And therein lies the problem.

Creeping through the treelines and rapidly pooling about the mountain's base, said ocean levels are rising quickly. Very quickly. Those who wish to stay and enjoy the view of an island underwater are welcome to it. For everyone else, the only other option is the obvious one: to climb.

To climb very, very quickly.
As luck would have it, the rising waters aren't the only danger present. Those too slow to escape its wrath will surely drown, but the higher up you go, the thinner the air becomes, and the more searing the heat. To the west, a crop of dangerous creatures known as lungblossoms claim the wooded thickets that offer reprieve from the intense and unrelenting rays of dream-sun. A confrontation with these living plants may expose you to hallucinogenic spores fit to fill your senses with horrific, nightmarish visions, so tread lightly...but not slowly.

At the mountain's very peak, an empty temple awaits those who can make it to the end of this terrible and impromptu gauntlet. It will provide shade and a space for the exhausted survivors to congregate. Tend to yourself and others, if you like- or head back out to locate those who haven't had such luck in reaching this haven.

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( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )
phantomtrick: (✦jiiii)

[personal profile] phantomtrick 2019-01-28 06:12 am (UTC)(link)
[ Akira walks up to Kirito and clenches his fist. ]

This is such a huge waste of time. I can't be standing here so mindlessly..

[He lets out a long irritated sigh. ]

It's hard to write this off as a joke. It's not even funny.
vorpalstrike: (pic#7702004)

[personal profile] vorpalstrike 2019-01-28 06:20 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, can't disagree with you right there.

[ Though, he can at least sympathize with how unsettled Akira is, since well, a lot of shit had happened in a short burst of time and now they're in this weird place so.

YEAH. ]


But hey, at least you didn't just wake up here while falling from a tower. Long story.
phantomtrick: (✦do it for justice)

[personal profile] phantomtrick 2019-01-28 06:28 am (UTC)(link)
...? A tower? That can't happen without you hitting your head and being miserable.

[ Akira's first impression of Kirito: maybe this guy has brain damage somewhere and he should be concerned. The tension from his body leaves as it's now replaced with just worry.]

Tell me about it.
blindfoster: (fae34)

[personal profile] blindfoster 2019-01-28 06:32 am (UTC)(link)
[Quentin is keeping himself on this side of panic so far, and he'll definitely try to keep that trend up. Toby's presence helps way more than he'll admit -- and he'll admit it to a pretty decent degree.

He nods, considering.]


Hopefully. My cell phone isn't working.

[Or he'd at least be able to find out where some of their friends are. Maybe.]

I don't even remember getting here. Or what I was doing right before. That's weird, right? Like, weirder than usual I mean.
vorpalstrike: (pic#7702006)

[personal profile] vorpalstrike 2019-01-28 06:36 am (UTC)(link)
[ There's a dry laugh from Kirito, at least he's not offended about that. ]

I'm kind of known for being a hard head from my circle of friends.

[ But he shrugs, and continues on anyways. ]

Me and a friend were kind of sneaking into an off-limits tower to save another friend, only for a kind-of disaster to happen and causing me to be thrown off. It's... well, not great.

But hey, I'll take cold solid ground than falling any day of my life.
phantomtrick: (✦do it for justice)

[personal profile] phantomtrick 2019-01-28 06:40 am (UTC)(link)
You must have a thick head if you survived that.

[Akira thinks it might actually be a good thing?? If Kirito wasn't as hard headed it may have gone badly.]

Well I'm just glad you're alright. So that guy you mentioned....your friend? Is he here?

[ What happened to that? ]
vorpalstrike: (pic#7702008)

[personal profile] vorpalstrike 2019-01-28 06:56 am (UTC)(link)
Well, that was the last thing I remembered, so I guess I can add Thick Head to my list of skills now.

[ well. he's been smarter, so. ]

I don't think so, but knowing him, he can handle himself pretty well on his own, so I trust him to be doing good by himself.

[ Beat. ]

Yeah! I'd like to think this day can only go up, since things have gone so pear-shaped I'd think if it goes on it'd be an apple then.

[ Gotta be a postive! Or he'll probably break into pieces if he's given time to process. ]
phantomtrick: (✦ lower your expecations)

[personal profile] phantomtrick 2019-01-28 07:04 am (UTC)(link)
Is that so? I hope he's okay for your sake as well. Don't push yourself too hard.

[This is terrible coming from a guy who just came out of prison and he's pushing himself. Kirito doesn't need to know that. Akira just pulls his glasses and adjusts them.]

I was going home and then I found myself here somehow.
vorpalstrike: (pic#7702003)

[personal profile] vorpalstrike 2019-01-28 07:15 am (UTC)(link)
Hah, thanks. But I know my limits. [ Does he? But he should probably reassure this stranger that he's gonna be fine.

No need for all his heroic stupidity yet. ]


Were you? Damn, that's way less eventful than mine and sucks just as bad.
phantomtrick: (✦ lower your expecations)

[personal profile] phantomtrick 2019-01-28 07:32 am (UTC)(link)
You can say that again. I don't know about you but having your plans interrupted without warning would anger most people.

[ So Akira can sympathize with Kirito's situation just as well. ]

I left with my cat and I wonder if he's alright. Do you like pets?
achievementhunter: (♥ I won't forget you.)

MEET ME AT DENNYS FOR BREAKFAST ON ME SCRUB

[personal profile] achievementhunter 2019-01-28 01:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[Grudgingly, Chara has to admit-- that was pretty cool. To themself. Internally. The turtle never needs to know, especially when their claws are making a sound akin to nails dragging across a chalkboard as they gouge out chunks of rock on their way down- only five times louder, with little flecks of broken shrapnel raining down on the child's head.

Aside from that? Very impressive. Chara blinks down at them, torn on whether or not they should be incredibly offended by all of-- whatever the hell this is. It probably isn't wise to piss off the person saving your life, even if foregoing the reward of calling them out for babying you.]


I will manage, thank you. [That doesn't mean they won't sound as haughty as possible whilst edging closer, trying to gauge the safest way to go about this. One foot on, then the other, then...crouch? Let go? Rely on themself to have some balance and not immediately fall to their death?

They have no idea. Chara's got neither monkhood nor experience with wizard towers behind them, so they'll just-- wing it. Taking a deep breath, they start with one foot, arms shaking from the strain as they lift it up, place it on Eska's shell, put their weight back on it...lift... their other foot-

Add immediately beef it, shoe skidding off the surface of Eska's shell as Chara goes cartwheeling down to the churning waters below. Bye Eska. Bye Felicia. This dream was stupid anyway.]
Edited 2019-01-28 13:56 (UTC)
achievementhunter: (♥ I have never)

[personal profile] achievementhunter 2019-01-28 01:55 pm (UTC)(link)
[That's not quite what happens. They do slip, hower, scrambling to catch themself as they collide with Eska's shell much more quickly than intended. Their chin hits the upper lip with a hard thunk-- at which point, Eska may notice their new cargo kind of- smells? Not like B.O, but

Like ozone. As soon as Chara's actually got a grip on their new purchase, they also start to laugh

so that's nice!]
vorpalstrike: (pic#7702009)

[personal profile] vorpalstrike 2019-01-28 02:31 pm (UTC)(link)
I think that's just a normal reaction to weird things happening all of a sudden, y'know?

[ just like him being stabbed by someone who held a grudge in him.

geez, what is his life now that he thinks about it again. ]


Not really a pet person, but I know someone who likes them a lot. [ Even if said pet is a cute in-game dragon. ]
phantomtrick: (✦ smiling with tomodachi)

[personal profile] phantomtrick 2019-01-29 01:55 pm (UTC)(link)
I guess, it's not for everyone. I don't know what life is like without a cat.

[ Akira adjusts his watch looking at the time. Is it broken? Time is weird here. ]

..How long has it been now? We've been waiting a while.
vorpalstrike: (pic#7702005)

[personal profile] vorpalstrike 2019-01-30 04:29 am (UTC)(link)
I've stopped keeping track once 5 minutes have passed, but at the rate we're going...

[ Stares at the exit. ]

Probably half an hour more, give or take 10 minutes.

[ Y i k e s. ]
phantomtrick: (✦jiiii)

[personal profile] phantomtrick 2019-01-30 07:19 am (UTC)(link)
[ Akira drops to his knees, sulking. ]

Every part of my body wants to leave.

[ He sighs, looking defeated as he picks himself up. ]

I'd be more productive taking a nap, but it's hard to relax here.
beforeitwascool: (003)

[personal profile] beforeitwascool 2019-01-31 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
I-- Y-- What.

[are those noises in the distance coming closer? hm.

probably nothing]


What! No! I--

Clearly you're just projecting your own feelings onto me, so, really! Really, when you think about it, it's YOU saying that!

...Obviously!

[OBVIOUSLY.]
demonpuppy: and i'm just not that interested in thinking about things (yeah i'd have to think about it first)

[personal profile] demonpuppy 2019-02-01 06:24 am (UTC)(link)
[You're fine, Eska, Chip is just a skittish little bean. They relax a little bit and nod again, brow furrowing as they think about that.]

So you just...sit and let your brain do stuff?
thermalwind: (Tank swaps are for tanks who care)

wtf this didn't show up in my inbox.

[personal profile] thermalwind 2019-02-01 09:22 am (UTC)(link)
There's four of us from my home. There was five...and one of us has been back and forth...three times now. He kept having different memories every time he appeared. [He hides it well, but his voice falters a little and his brows furrow a little bit more. He'd rather not let a stranger know just how much Shiro disappearing and returning bothered him.]

He had no memory of the islands each time, until the last time. He only vanished for a few days. That's happened to others too. Sometimes we disappear for only a short while and come back with new memories. The memories can be any length of time. ...as far as I know.
errantdetective: (Only brutal new surprises)

[personal profile] errantdetective 2019-02-02 05:33 am (UTC)(link)
It's pretty weird, yeah. I don't remember either.

[Which makes sense. It would probably be weirder if she remembered and he didn't. But at least they'd know a little more about their situation.]

We're probably going to have to make a run for it. I don't want to fight all these things.
Edited 2019-02-02 05:34 (UTC)
yallstupid: (C:<)

[personal profile] yallstupid 2019-02-03 12:57 am (UTC)(link)
[And the curl of Guzma's lips seems to twist and contort as his eyes squint with delight at her very present discomfort. It's a look Plumeria will recognize, since it's basically what Guzma does - revel in the discomfort of the people he's about to crush. He'll strip them down, make them bend...knock away piece by piece, until they break. And he delights in the whole journey, the whole ride. It's sinister, a part he left behind over a year ago, but it's not a part of him easily forgotten. A dark part of him will forever be the Big Bad Boss of Team Skull.

There's no sympathy in him right now. No friendliness. No joy.

Just a desire to fight, to battle, to find something buried beneath the surface. A truth that he expects not to find, but maybe...hopes for? Maybe, behind the careless grin and the glint of the scorching sun off his sunglasses as he lowers them over his eyes and takes his position, squatting down a ways back from his Pokemon, who breathes deeply and tenses its long claws.]


Funny...neither did I. [And he extends a hand for her. Ladies first, after all.]
promfight: (lol noob)

[personal profile] promfight 2019-02-03 01:37 am (UTC)(link)
[Probably nothing indeed, but a 19 on a perception check says otherwise. Unfortunately for Liam though, Damien is way too much of an asshole to actually, you know...alert him of the incoming danger. He'll be fine, he's undead! Honestly, the asstrumpet has survived worser things - worser things that Damien himself has caused, in fact. It's fine, he'll be fine.

Probably.]


...Right.

You're about to be mounted by Scott's cousin. [And that's all the warning Damien will give before he moves back as a grimling lungs at Liam from behind, hoping to take him down and bite into his shoulder.]
blindfoster: (fae37)

[personal profile] blindfoster 2019-02-04 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
That part sounds pretty much like usual.

[Comforting! Ish.

Quentin nods though, in agreement.]
But what direction do we run in? I haven't figured out which way is up. ...we should go up, right?

[He doesn't want to go down. This is down enough.]

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