TEST DRIVE MEME ( 021 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #21

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.

In conjunction with our monthly Test Drive Meme, Reserves are now open! Applications will open on March 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.

Come to Ink Of It
Mu is a strange land, and one that seems to take a conscious interest in the activities conducted upon the waking world. This month, its fixation takes an almost childish delight in emulating the ink-spattered wars and hazing that have occured on Ensō's shores - which is to say, Mu would absolutely enjoy a charming little game of Splatoon.

When you wake, it's in a labyrinth of soft, stonelike material that manages to be the rough consistency of foam. If you take the time to inspect it, you'll discover that it's as good at cushioning blows as it is serving as adequate cover...and it appears to have been shaped into plenty of buildings and barricades, threaded throughout the cavernous room in which you've found yourself. In fact, the whole place looks very much like a battlefield of some kind. In case you didn't get the picture, the paint gun in your hands should give you an inkling. Colors may be up to personal preference, but the rules are simple - solo, in a team, or as a double agent, your goal is to paint the town red, or blue, or purple, until victory is tasted in the form of aesthetic domination.

Do keep in mind, however, that battle cries may be a double-edged sword in this scenario. Unless you wanted green teeth.

I AM THE SHADOW, THE TRUE

-looks at smudged writing on hand-

...SHELF

What's more trouble than the true manifestation of all your darkest fears, desires, and secrets? The manifestation of all of the above that's just - not very well-made. In order for a shadow, a true self, to appear, one really should know themself somewhat consciously. Of course, this also applies true to the world in which they're standing; an effort Mu is willing to make, but not quite hitting the mark.

And by "not quite hitting the mark," we mean egregiously. "Shadows" are an off-brand simulation of what one might expect during a typical shadow event, though their attempts at acting like the character they should be are closer to emulating the opposite. Whether based upon a looser definition of canon, a fanon-style iteration of what your character might have been in worse hands, or simply going in a direction that veers into the territory of edgy Harry Potter OCs, your "Shadow" is here, and ready to be a nuisance.

Unlike ordinary Shadows, a "Shadow" cannot be accepted and dissipate as one would hope. Respite from these garish versions of who you really are will come only upon waking. So until then, enjoy attempting to explain just what, precisely, is dogging your every step, and probably refusing to shut up all the while. Though granted, if they share any of your powers - grossly magnified or otherwise - you might be grappling with them in far more ways than one.

A Bug's Eye View
The lush, verdant shores and the peaceful population of newly-arrived island of Cahypdo have been noticeably present on the minds of the islanders lately. Mu has shifted to reflect those thoughts, but as with many things Mu reflects, things have become a little...skewed. For, you see, the native inhabitants of Cahypdo are the Roaka, and as tree-people, they tower over much of the current inhabitants. They range from six to twelve feet in height, generally, but it seems that their heights have left a....very marked impression. The Roaka certainly tower over you now, even more than before - but so does everything else. Wherever you find yourself in the verdant, fertile valley that houses much of Cahypdo's plantlife - whether it's rich jungles or well-tended farmland - you'll be met with the same undeniable height difference.

Trees are dizzying heights to be scaled the same way a mountain might. Blades of grass and colourful flowers you might once have trodden on without a second thought are like a forest unto themselves. And the fields of crops you might have known from the waking world, like sweetcorn, peas, and tomatoes? Even a single ear of corn or a solitary tomato is now a much, much larger obstacle.

Just pray you don't run into any of the native creatures here, as even ordinary beasts can become potential dangers when they're all the size of giants relative to you, and can stamp you to jelly without so much as a second glance. Snaplings might regard you as a tasty little snack, tigerlilies might think you make for a fun little toy, and worst of all, the native Cahypdo entities known as hydrac, warped hybrids of sharks and dragons, might very well decide that you'd be a fine addition to their hoards.

There's a lot to look out for, when you're this small and the world is this big.

---

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

Zelda | Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

[royalresearch]

Come to Ink of It
[Not being much of a combatant, or at least with this strange weapon, Zelda has been trying to keep out of the way of getting hit. She's been ducking behind walls when she can to avoid the ink and honestly finds this kind of fun. It's nothing like back home in Hyrule, and the ink seems to be harmless, if a bit messy.

If anyone gets close enough, she'll stand and point her gun at them.]

Halt! I am not afraid to defend myself! [And splatter her opponent in blue ink.]

A Bug's Eye View
[Having been in places with tall plants, or at least very tall trees, does not prepare this princess for everything being much too big. No matter. She walks around and looks at all the vegetation nearby to see if there's differences between what she can find at home versus what might be unique here. The tomatoes are regarded with awe, as are the peas. The corn is looked at with some confusion. What is it?

Whether she's casually exploring when you come upon her, or being stalked by one of the creatures, Zelda will be glad for company or a warning.]

Wildcard
[Hit me with anything!]

come to ink of it

[counterblows]

[A space marine in full armor usually makes for a pretty formidable opponent. This go around, it seems Wash isn't in full armor. For whatever reason, all he's got is his ordinary clothes and an ink gun.]

[At least he knows what this dream is supposed to mean. Gun in hand, colors being sprayed all around him - it's a mild shock when he gets a faceful of blue ink, but he opens fire with a stream of bright yellow in response, though half a second later he stops when he realizes he recognizes who fired on him, blinking.]

Wait - Zelda?

bug's eye view

[goat_mom]

[Toriel is also exploring this strange, giant space when she comes across a young human woman walking the opposite direction.

A young, human woman currently being stalked by some kind of enormous, grassy snake, slithering its way out of the sea of grass.

Immediately, Toriel breaks into a run, rushing past the young woman and putting herself between her and the Grasstail. Fire forms in her paws and the giant snake raises itself, looking momentarily startled.

Toriel does not turn to look at the young woman as she speaks.]

Do not be afraid, young child! I shall protect you!

come to ink of it

[aimoaimo]

[Woah, woah, woah-she wasn't trained in this. Her hair actually stands on end, fluffing and raising like it has a mind of its own at the surprise assailant. She's covered in many colors of ink and it seems like her gun has barely seen any action.]

H-Hey! Let's form a treaty.

[She wasn't READY]

what do you ink you're doing

[in4apounding]

[Penny instinctively points her own paintgun at Zelda for just a second, before immediately yanking the barrel up and away, towards the ceiling. She raises a hand in a slightly panicked peace gesture.]

[It takes a second before she can actually speak.]

...Does yours shoot something besides paint?

Atreus | God of War

[kynslod]

1. Putting the SPLAT in splatoon

[For a dream, there sure are a lot of things Atreus doesn't know or understand.

The place he's in, for one. It doesn't look much like rock, and testing his foot against it proves that theory. It's soft, a kind of material he hasn't felt before. Anything's possible in dreams, he guesses, but this is still really weird.

Especially the gun in his hands, because what the heck is a gun? Rather than play the game, Atreus is inspecting the metal thing he's carrying. He turns it over in his hands, trying to figure out what it is.]

What is this thing? Look, there's some kind of hole here. [Yes, he's aware he's not talking to anyone, but he's just used to it by now.] And...

[And he's about to remark on the trigger, but the paintball gun is turned towards himself, and, well.

Next thing he knows, he's on the floor, letting out grunts of disgust as he wipes at his face and coughs. Ugh, he doesn't even know what this stuff is, and it's all over him! His mouth, up his nose, even some in his eyes!

He's not sure he wants to play this game.]


2. You're not even good enough to be my faI'll make you eat those words!

[Oh boy Atreus sure hates this.

Sure, the off-color version of himself following him around is completely inaccurate, but it still acts so much like his arrogant, insubordinate self that he can't stand being around it.]

We're gods, so we should get whatever we want, right? It's too hot; I want it colder! How do we make it colder? Surely we've got that kind of power, right? Why can't father ever be around when we actually need him?

[It's not hurting anyone, so Atreus holds off on doing anything to it. That hasn't stopped him from turning around and snapping at it, but otherwise, he tries to remain quiet. Seething, but quiet.

It's not real, it's not him. He wouldn't say these things.]


3. Land of the giants

[If one were to describe Jotunheim as simply the realm of the giants, they might think of something like this. It wasn't, obviously; the Jotunheim he explored was long dead, with nothing there for him save for the mural on the wall, his story, the name he almost had.

This? This was different. This was a whole other kind of giant. Armed with only a knife to try to cut down food, and arrows to ward off creatures, Atreus has never felt smaller in this land. He could certainly use some company, or at least some help!]


4. Wildcard

[Whatever you want!]

3

[royalresearch]

[The first thing Zelda notes that this is a child. One clearly armed, but still a child. Even so, she takes care in her approach since she doesn't know if he'll startle and attack her.]

Pardon me, but might you be a native inhabitant of this world? [He seems are ease to her at least when it comes to walking around.]

3

[goat_mom]

[Toriel, too, is exploring this strange, giant land. She's busy admiring the enormous flowers, stunned in wonderment... her back turned, she does not even notice Atreus at first.

When she does turn around, she sees him, a human child in armor, carrying a bow and a knife.

She's momentarily surprised. How long has it been since she's seen such weapons, such armor? It must have been thousands of years.

But she smiles, greeting the child warmly, looking not even remotely afraid.]

My dear child. Are you lost?

3.

[mamaterasu]

[Perhaps not the sort of company or assistance Atreus was hoping for, given that even a slow and steady pace seems like an earthquake, but there is an exceptionally large creature moving about the grass with utmost care. One he may even recognize, considering all the absurdities the poor boy may have happened upon today. It's a wolf, pale as moonlight, and just as incredibly large as anything else. Her massive snout parts the grass like Moses parts the sea, and her gentle snuffles sound and feel like a heavy gale.

She appears to be searching for something...and as her nostrils flare, Ammy pauses, sniffs again, and her large, dark eyes peek through the grassy underbrush and spot the very, very tiny person there below. Haha! Found one!! Carefully, she begins to move her nose closer towards the young man,her tail wagging behind her.]

Cole | Dragon Age

[helpthemheal]

A. Spirit: 0. Ink Gun: 1
[Cole tilts his head to the side as he studies the strange object in his hands. These aren't his daggers. If anything, they look like another spirit's reimagining of Varric's crossbow. It has some...sort of trigger on it, and he guesses whatever is inside comes out of.... this? Hole thing? He flips it around, not touching the trigger yet because he's still trying to fi-]

They fire, ceaseless and giddy as they scramble. Ducking, twisting, getting splattered in different colors. A mirror of a shielding spell. [A smile peeks out from under his large brimmed hat.] Varric would love you, but not as much as he loves Bianca.

[He's just not sure what it is, even if he's talking to it. He lifts it to get a better look, and the trigger catches on the amulet around his neck. The inkgun fires, shooting a bit of ink on the wall -- or, if anyone is unfortunate to be toward his left and curious about why the strange boy is talking to inanimate objects, he may have just accidentally gotten them instead.]

Oh! Sorry... [Cole. It's literally part of the game.]

B. He doesn't even have a shelf in his little hidey hole in the tavern attic, the fu-
[Something about the thing following him reminds him of the demon who took over the Seeker's place at Therinfall. It looks like him, but the way he acts is so.... wrong. He's tried talking to it, but so far all he's agreed with him is one thing:]

We're a demon.

Yes.

They all fear us. What we can do. A pet whose leash is cut, wandering, weightless, don't belong but can't go back. We will kill again and make them forget.

No. [Cole frowns.] I am not like that. I am better now, and I could slip through if I wanted to.

But hurting them is easy... They won't remember that it was us. We could be like him-

No. [He doesn't want to be like that. He never wants to be a Nightmare in someone else's head.] I am me. Flighty, fleeting, letting the pearl loose so they can heal. Compassion when they need it most. [He doesn't want to feel that despair again. It isn't him. It isn't what he is.] ...Forget.

[The spirit in mortal form lets go of that hurt and keeps moving. The "Shadow" keeps following him, saying silly things that are just slightly off.]

C. So, remember the Fade..?
No. No, no, no, no, no...

[Cole looks around, jerky, holding onto himself as he can't focus on any of the large plants surrounding him.]

I can't be here. Not like this. I don't- [He doesn't dream like the humans, elves, and qunari. he's just... him.

Someone help calm him down before that tigerlily over on the other side of the tree notices him.]

D. Wildcard
[Come at me! I'm open to a lot of silly shenanigans.]

C

[littlemhigan]

Hey! Hey! Lad, listen te me!

[ As is often the case with dreams, Castor is simply there, and wastes no time trying to grab and hold Cole's attention with sharp whispers and her hands on his shoulders. ]

Look at me, lad. Ye need te keep quiet.

c

[aimoaimo]

[Don't get her wrong, this is weird, but dreams can typically be pretty bizarre. Gigantic plants aren't that bad and even that tigerlily is-

Well nevermind. That's not good.

She presses her finger up to her lips, frantically waving towards the weird beast off to the side. Hopefully he follows her hand to see why she's trying to get him to be quieter.]

Toriel | Undertale

[goat_mom]

I AM A SHADOW - THE TRUE SHELF

[Toriel is having the strangest dream. She appears to be being followed around by... a much, much "sexier" version of herself. It's still distinctly a goat woman, but its horns are tiny, its breasts are huge, and it has no stomach or musculature to speak of. If Toriel is mom-shaped, it is... MILF-shaped.

It says:] Heeeeey, sweetie, my name's Toriel! I love being called Mom while being flirted with by small children!

[Toriel looks utterly exhausted. Someone help her.]

A Bug's Eye View

[Oh dear, oh dear. Toriel is in a strange place indeed, if she is there, and this is not merely another hallucination of her sleeping mind - is this what the Surface was like? She remembers everything being so much... smaller.

Too much in a dreamlike state to be wary of any dangers even if she was aware of what those dangers were, she continues exploring this strange land. So far, she has not run into any dangers, but who knows? That giant sea of grass nearby might hide a Grasstail. That bush might be a Mimicry.

She calls out as she walks, hoping her voice carries through the enormous landscape.] Hello? Is anyone there?

Wildcard

((Hit me up with whatever!))

shadow

[motherfucking_ghost]

Uhhhhhhhhhh, does it make me a furry if I'm kinda down for it?

[While Church's voice is very uh normal, the darker-armored fella a few steps behind him sounds like someone making fun of James Bond villains.]

Noooo, it makes you an idiot who's easily distracted by breasts.

So, y'know, a normal guy.

Yukio Okumura | Blue Exorcist | CRAU

[reflash]

Time to Dye
[It doesn't feel real, but that doesn't mean this isn't happening. Yukio woke up on a stone foam floor with a gun in his hands and instantly scrambled for cover, and now he's doing his best to win this match (who knows what might happen if he loses).

The teen is focused, the tip of his dark, lionlike tail flicking back and forth as he lays flat on top of a building and splatters opponents and walls alike with red paint with the accuracy of a trained sniper. Hopefully, you're on his team.]

Borrowers
[This is absolutely a dream, and Yukio cannot wait to wake up. He scrambles up a giant plant, metal claws digging into the green stem, tail lashing behind him (and cutting occasional gashes into surrounding leaves).

He's alert to everything around him, snake tongue flicking and glowing blue eyes scanning the wilderness. It's going to be hard to sneak up on him, as alert as he is to the potential for danger. He's also keeping his eyes open for danger, or for anyone else in danger.]

time to dye

[egin]

( yuri is, lucky enough, to be on yukio's team and for that she's grateful else she'd probably be splatter with red against a wall somewhere on the other side. she's been partly hidden behind a nearby crate watching the young man (maybe???) with wide and excited eyes. her own gun is in her hands but she has not had the chance to use it because... let's be real here: yukio was handling all of their problems before she could even get them in her line of sight. )

O-oh!! Amazing, so cool! You're really, really good.

Agent Texas | Red vs. Blue

[a_shadow]

i. Come to Ink of It

Tex doesn't know where she is when she awakens. She doesn't know how she got here. But she does recognize the location for what it is—it's obviously a training ground. And the gun she's holding? She knows what that's for. She rises, does a quick 360, and finds cover. Never let it be said she's not fast to find her bearings.

The gun is unfamiliar to her as far as what model it is, so while she waits for the contest to begin, she inspects it. This doesn't appear to be a UNSC model of weapon at all. Not even a facsimile of one.

Soon enough it doesn't matter, though. A paint ball explodes nearby and it puts her on the immediate offensive. She had been careless enough to be spotted and that was already too much of that.

ii. I Am The Shadow

The apparition she was greeted with upon awakening here was puzzling. She didn't catch on that it was meant to be some kind of copy of her, because the things it would say were on one hand far too heartless and cruel and dismissive, while on the other it was honestly much too weak and soft to be something that was meant to be emulating her. She knew that most of all this thing was annoying, and persistent, and she began to move away to get rid of it. But it followed her, and Tex turned and shot it point-blank.

"You can't hurt me like that, you know," it said, moving closer again.

Tex didn't reply. She just lowered her weapon, watched it for a moment, and then turned to walk away again.

i. Come to Ink of It

[bloodbathing]

This is a familiar scenario. Might be disturbing, were it not for the dream-like quality pressing in on Maine's senses. Quelling any desire to ask questions beyond an idle, vaguely irritated thought: why is he teamed up with Texas?

Because they are a team. There's no doubt in Maine's mind of that. It's them versus whoever the fuck just shot a paintball at her.

Maybe this paint won't cause their armor to lock down. Would be a nice change of pace.

The big Freelancer ducks behind a wall with a low growl of annoyance. Looks Texas' way, briefly weighing the merits of trying to form a plan of attack with her.

Ryou Bakura | Yu-gi-oh! (original series, manga) | CRAU via Syn

[shiromadoushi]

A: Come to Ink of It

"Heeeeeeeh...." Bakura grinned, looking around him. A game world, huh? Excellent~

After a brief debate over what color he wanted, he's loaded up with blue link and grinning like a doofus as he runs around, looking for any of his friends (or really, anyone unsuspecting~) to blast away at. He's absolutely garbage at hiding (that massive poof of white hair sticks out so very much against the ink splattered background) but is fully prepared to wind up a multi-colored mess, so long as whomever gets him is prepared to get splattered in revenge~

A little while into the game, however, he does get a little sneaky, and a small white arctic fox may be spotted scurrying around from cover to cover. He can't carry around his squirt gun this way, but he can leave it places and lure someone back towards it~


B: The true... shelf?

There being two Bakurae would not be an unfamiliar thing. Bakura's close friends back home were far more aware of the Ring Spirit than the teen himself was, and while Traveling, the Doppelganger he had bonded with had made his ability to mimic Bakura's form known to his new friends while pranking them on a walkabout.

But that one of them is cringing and all but sobbing as he hides behind his hands while the other looks frankly puzzled... That wasn't what would be expected by anyone. Including Bakura himself.

"Mou, BatBat, what's the matter? This isn't like you..." the puzzled one fretted, moving closer to reachout to his double.

"I'm sorry! Don't hurt me..." the double sobbed, curling up tighter.

Bakura blinked. Then blinked again. "Hurt you?" he repeated, head tilting curiously. "You're not still mad at me for yelling at you when you were being mean to Pinya and everyone, are you?"

The response was a pitiful whimper.

"Mou..." Bakura sighed, shoulders slumping. He'd never had much luck understanding his Doppleganger. The bat-like creature had always just vanished for months at a time and when he did show up again, it was normally to make snide commentary and to cause trouble. Acting like this didn't make any sense at all...!

A

[guiltandearth]

[Asriel is very good at this game. Very, very good at it, for someone whose only experience with a gun was... rather unusual. It's almost like he's played something very similar before.

He's shooting everyone he sees, dive rolling out of the way, when he sees... a fox? He wasn't expecting that.

Curious, he follows it behind cover, keeping his guard up and his gun trained for anyone else who might come barging in.]

Hornet | Hollow Knight

[sealedsibling]

Come to Ink Of It

[She's not really one for games.

This was styled to be fun, of course, but if anyone was going to take something as fun as being given a water gun filled with paint, and the instructions to go turn the town into what looks like a drunken arts and crafts project, and make it into something way too serious... It's... it's going to be her.

She's here to win.

Everything is going to be red, and anyone who has some other, more inferior color preferences in regards to how this town should look is going to be subject to a double barreled, high pressured crimson rebuttal, probably in the face.

Good luck hitting her, the bug practically a blur of constant motion, leaping easily from roof to foam roof, perfectly happy to rain brilliant scarlet retribution down upon the rabble.

git gud]

A Bugs Eye View

[Perhaps this was just inevitable, all things considered. Not that she'd be privy to the joke.

The landscape was strange, the terrain sprawling, massive, but taken easily in stride. Clambering over roots the size of buildings, trudging around fruit and vegetables she could feed herself for weeks with. She'd hardly move, nor hold herself like a stranger in a strange land, it could be understandable if someone mistook her for having been here a long, long time.

She'd seen many odd things within the tunnels of Hallownest after all, and while this world was certainly lovely, striking even, it wasn't nearly enough to induce any overwhelming sense of awe.

Things to do, and all, not enough time in the world to stand around and be overtaken with the raw majesty of nature.]

thINK fast

[yallstupid]

[How do you catch a flighty bug? Well, you stop it in its tracks, for one. Hornet may be perceptive, but even she might miss the brief glint of light off a thin, long thread suspended in the air. If she's quick, she might miss it...

Too bad there are far, far more than one.

An enormous web is suspended between two of the foamy buildings, intended to catch anyone not wise enough to keep an eye on where they're going. The downside of moving fast, perhaps - missing subtle differences in the atmosphere until it's too late. The web's threads may be this and nearly invisible, but like any web, they grip and hold firm. If caught, Hornet won't be moving easily, and the more she thrashes, the more stuck she'll become...and possibly alert the maker of this web.

And its master, of course, who has no problems with shooting a fish in a barrel. Or, in this case, a fly in a web.]

Mark Temple | Red vs. Blue

[sometimespawnskillkings]

Come To Ink Of it

[Temple is not happy to have woken up on an unfamiliar battlefield, with a weapon in his hands. He has had far too much of waging wars he doesn’t believe in, to achieve the purposes of manipulators he’s only vaguely aware of. Way, way too much.

And he’s no good with a gun, anyway.

So, he throws the gun to the ground, in a gesture of both disgust and protest, not even bothering to find out what its ammunition is before he does it.]

The True... Shelf

[Later, on the battlefield, he encounters another version of himself.]

[Which is confusing, to say the least. Neither of them are wearing armour so he can’t dismiss it as simply another sim trooper wearing his colour. It is him.]

[Mark Temple.]

[The other him introduces himself with an evil laugh.]

You’re weak, Temple. Throwing away that gun?

How foolish of you.

You could kill everyone here with it and yet, you just throw it away.

[The original Temple frowns. That makes no sense at all. Sure, he wants to take down the people pulling the strings right now but it’s not something he’d be able to accomplish with a gun and he’s not quite mad enough at them to want them dead yet. That honour is reserved for the Freelancers.]

Maybe you could but I can’t.

And I don’t want to.

The people who put me here: maybe. But all the other folks in here are likely just innocent victims of their machinations. You know how it worked in Desert Gulch, don’t you?

Sure, Freelancers came along sometimes but most of the time, it was just us sim troopers, fighting each other over nothing.

So, this time, I’m not going to go along with it.

[His counterpart then says gleefully:]

But killing is so much fun for you!

Only in very, very, very specific instances. And this is not one of them.

So, please, stop pretending to be me and show what you really are. I’ve had enough of not-quite-right counterparts for a lifetime.

ink of the consequences

[in4apounding]

That's a really unsafe way to get rid of that, sir.

[Penny really understands the sentiment? Like a lot more than she would have until recently. But really, that is NOT safe firearm practice.]

You're lucky it didn't fire when you did that.

[She's still got her rifle, slung over a shoulder, pointing at exactly no one.]

Penny Polendina | RWBY | Airlocked CRAU

[in4apounding]

»May I Splats You A Question«
[Penny eyes the rifle in her hands uncertainly. The familiar weight is something of a comfort, but the memories of her own recent failures make it mixed at best. At least it seems fake, question mark? She studies it for a second, testing the grip and weight.]

[She takes a second and aims it experimentally at a far wall.]

phoont

[Okay. Well. That's definitely a splat of bright orange paint on the wall. So that's a thing.]

Huh.

[Yeah, it's less than a minute later when Penny is taking a series of careful, rapid shots at a far wall, forming a bright orange smiley face on the far wall.]

....The aim's pulling a little to the left.

[Priorities.]

»CHAOS... CONTROL«
[Engaging the- thing? following her is probably a bad idea. Almost certainly.]

01000110 01010010 01001001 01000101 01001110 01000100 00100000 01010010 01010101 01000010 01011001 00100000 01000110 01010010 01001001 01000101 01001110 01000100 00100000 01010010 01010101 01000010 01011001 00100000 01000110 01010010 01001001 01000101 01001110 01000100 00100000 01010010 01010101 01000010 01011001 00100000 01000110 01010010 01001001 01000101 01001110 01000100 00100000 01010010 01010101 01000010 01011001 00100000 01000110 01010010 01001001 01000101 01001110 01000100 00100000 01010010 01010101 01000010 01011001 00100000 01000110 01010010 01001001 01000101 01001110 01000100 00100000 01010010 01010101 01000010 01011001 00100000 01000110 01010010 01001001 01000101 01001110 01000100 00100000 01010010 01010101 01000010 01011001 00100000 01000110 01010010 01001001 01000101 01001110 01000100 00100000 01010010 01010101 01000010 01011001 00101101

Can. Can you please just stop.

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YOU'RE- THAT'S REALLY RUDE.

[It's definitely a bad idea, and she is spiralling into stress.]

[Help?]

»Wildcard«
[Hit me up with your own prompts!]

Chaos

[tokenflavortownie]

Penny? Was that you yelling?

[She heard and she's here now. This definitely feels like a dream.]

I heard some noise over this way. Are you and other Penny-

[.......Wait.]

Oh. Oh, no, I... think I can put together what the problem is.

Niko | OneShot

[worldtamer]

the true shelf life of pancakes (option one)

[So... Niko has found themself here. Not just to mean that they found that they were now in a new strange place, but that they found... uh. Someone that looks like them? Sort of. They don't talk much and have taken to following Niko around for some reason, but whenever they do anything, it's... kind of rude and childish in comparison to the normally sweet child that Niko tends to be.

As an example, it flips off random passerby when Niko attempts to wave to someone instead, or suddenly loudly yell swears, which is weird because Niko doesn't actually know most of these or what it's supposed to mean, which is why eventually Niko approaches someone to ask--]

Um... excuse me, but do you know what "fuck" means? That one keeps saying it for some reason...

["That one" he is referring to is currently attempting to start a fire, um...]

another shelf to stick these pancakes on (aka shadow option two because I couldn't decide on just one)

[Unlike the other Niko, this one is... manly. Much more manly in comparison to the small and timid Niko, and while Niko does think that is kind of cool (at one point it rips a tree straight out of the ground and bench presses it) but he is soon running after it when it suddenly approaches someone if they look like they're doing something troublesome... even if it's as small as littering or saying a swear.]

Hey, you! I'm gonna punch your lights out if you don't stop that injustice right now--

No, no, no, do not do that! They're not even doing anything bad enough to warrant that!

bug's life doesn't get enough attention as a movie tbh

[So this is exciting. The flowers and leaves are so tall and impressive when you're at such a small height. It almost makes you want to climb one and see what it's like from up there.

Unfortunately, that is not the kind of exciting adventure Niko is having. Instead Niko has come across a tigerlily that sees it as a fun new little friend to play with, and by that I mean it keeps picking Niko up by Niko's sleeves and rolling around with Niko or batting at them or, even at one point, tossing Niko into the air to try to catch. So you may get summoned by distressed cat noises from the tiny child as it attempts to escape or shout at the tigerlily to be more gentle here...]

one

[aimoaimo]

[Dream or not, they shouldn't be cussing! She doesn't understand where this small child learned such foul language on a random deserted dream island, but that's whatever. The nebulous vocab origins aren't important-it's correcting the behavior that counts.

She tries to sound confident and a bit stern, steeling her expression to match her voice. Man, how does she even deal with kids?? Nicely, probably. She's got a reputation and an image to uphold.]

That doesn't matter. You can't say it until you're an adult-neither one of you-it's a bad word.

Number Five | The Umbrella Academy

[deadlylittlething]

To The Paint
A
Before Five is even fully aware of the situation, he's already on his feet with his back pressed against the nearest surface, taking stock of his surroundings. Grey walls and obstacles, stairs and platforms arranged in some kind of fake battlefield. Great. He knows a training area when he sees one. Is he being watched? Assessed? Somebody got a neat little scorecard with his name on it, ready to track his speed and accuracy?

The urge to refuse playing whatever game this is makes him sneer, but with his hackles raised he reaches for the first familiar thing close to him - the rifle on the ground. The weight of it is reassuring, if nothing else, even if it's a bit too large for his short arms. With practiced motions he checks the ammunition and--

It's paint pellets. What the hell?

"What am I supposed to do with this kiddie bullshit?" he asks as if anyone's around to hear him. At least this means the Commission has nothing to do with this. They never trained you with dummy ammunition.


B
He didn't believe this was just a dream for even a second. It didn't make any sense. Something's up, it has to be.

But that doesn't stop the boy from running along rooftops with a gun and a purpose, crouching behind barrels and hiding in dark doorways like the tiniest hitman. And he's not playing by whatever idiotic points system is in place here, doesn't waste a single shot of red ink on the walls, oh no. He's after much more satisfying prey - the other players.

If he spots someone, he'll either snipe a mofo with surgical precision from whatever prime position he's concealed himself in, or just straight up appear out of thin air in front of them to pop a bullet right between their eyes, disappearing just as fast with an audible fwoop of torn spacetime around him. Not that he can resist the odd gloat, showing his shit eating grin an instant later from around a corner. Catch him if you can! (You can't.)

Being the last man standing tends to attract the attention of someone higher up, after all. And that's absolutely the only reason why he's really, really getting into this.

To the Paint: A

[sometimespawnskillkings]

Temple laughs.

“If you think kiddie bullshit doesn’t belong on a battlefield, you clearly haven’t been a sim trooper.”

The boy looks like a kid but has enough of an adult air around him for Temple to suppose he might be old enough to be allowed in the military - real or fake, depending on how skilled he is.

“We played Capture the Flag, with real weapons, and treated like an actual battle.”

It was utterly ridiculous and yet, most sim troopers believed in it completely. The only reason Temple hadn’t was that his friend Biff had been on the other team, fighting against him, and yet neither of them really had wanted to fight each other.

And later, when Biff died, he dropped all pretence of believing in it and turned against Freelancer.

So kiddie bullshit on the battlefield was unsurprising to Temple.

Kids on the battlefield, however... that’d surprise him, if he’d even manage to believe that the boy wasn’t just a really young-looking adult.

Asriel Dreemurr | Undertale

[guiltandearth]

1. Come To Ink Of It

[This is the weirdest dream Asriel's ever found himself in. It's definitely not one of his usual nightmares - in fact, he's pretty sure this is a game he plays with Frisk (and, rarely, Chara).

But Asriel joins in with reckless abandon, firing at everyone he sees, covering anything and everything he sees with paint. Maybe it's all the time he's spent playing this game, but he seems very good at it.

This is awesome!

[The question is: are you on his team or his enemy?]

2. The True Shelf

I'm just a sweet, cute, precious baby! I could never harm anyone or do anything bad! Hug me! Protect me!

[Oddly, the real Asriel seems very distressed by this extremely cheerful, happy-go-lucky doppelganger following his every move, greeting everyone he sees, and generally being obnoxiously cute. The real Asriel covers his ears, pulling them over his face, and blindly walks forward, hoping that the fake Asriel will just shut up before he strangles him.

If he's not careful, he might just run right into you.]

3. Bug's Eye View

[Asriel walks, hands in pockets, through the giant fields of flowers.

He hates everything about this dream. It's so obviously phony he could scream. This isn't what the Surface looks like - he's seen it. He knows that.

He takes out his frustration by kicking a flower in the stem, but all it does is hurt his foot. That just makes him angrier.]

I hate this. I hate this!

2

[eudaimonikos]

Hey, watch it.

[Michael grumbles, already irritated to begin with. His own double, who was previously draped on his shoulder, immediately swoops down upon the second Asriel, who apparently needs hugs and protection.]

Oh! A poor, innocent creature in need! I must cradle it and protect it forever, because I'm just a big softie!

I'm going to throw you into the sun.

Imelda Rivera | Disney/Pixar's Coco

[no_dejare_de_quererte]

[Come to Ink of It]

[Dreams are not something that Imelda tries to pay much attention to. After decades of heart-wrenching goodbyes and reunions played out during her sleeping hours, she's come to the point of simply suffering through whatever her subconscious has decided to plague her with. One more unfortunate necessity that she's learned to live with. But this...]

[This is downright bizarre. It doesn't cross her mind to doubt that this is a dream. She's obviously never been to such a strange little village with such bland walls before. It looks deserted at first glance--and maybe appropriately so, when she realizes that it's a superficial village at best. There's no people, no furniture, no glass in the windows... The buildings are wall seem to be little more than barriers.]

[She looks down at the contraption in her hands. There's a trigger like a gun, but it's obviously not a gun... She's not sure what it is. Some kind of toy? Tentatively she pulls that trigger, pointing it very carefully at a wall--and a splatter of purple paint bursts out, covering the surface. She looks to the paint, and then down at the device. Her eyes narrow in thought. Hmm.]

[Five minutes later, there is a skeleton woman in a purple dress that is very precisely coating the outside of one of the buildings in purple paint. She seems very mindful of not getting any paint on the ground or on herself. It's very neat. Very exact. Very... not the spirit of this game at all.]

[Someone come show grandma how it's done.]


[A Bug's Eye View]

[She's not really sure how she got to this part of her dream. The things between then and now are kinda blurry. But what she's absolutely sure about in this very moment is that she's in trouble.]

[She's currently hunkered down inside a crevice made by a cluster of rocks, a tigerlily (or some other creature) pawing at the opening and trying to push the rocks aside so it can get at its new toy. She has her boot off in one hand, holding it threateningly like a weapon. She gives the creature a good smack on the nose when it puts its face up to the crevice to peer at her.]

¡Vete! Devilbeast! Away with you!

[Do you want to lend the frazzled pint-sized skeleton a hand?]

bug's eye

[vagabone]

Hey! Hey!

[There's a familiar voice, punctuating his heys with a whistle. He has a better toy!! One with tigerlily food on it!! Behold, a leafy branch. The tigerlily takes the bait, swatting at the branch and then yanking it out of his hands. Problem solved, he peeks into the crevice...

He looks about the same as always. Yellowed bones of the nearly-forgotten, bare feet, messy hair, straw hat and tattered pants. But. No more broken bones, no more duct tape, and the limp is mostly gone. The dusty old one sleeved purple vest has been retired with honors, replaced by a ridiculous shirt meant for someone much fleshier than himself. Whether it's an improvement or not is debatable.

All she's going to get is a glimpse of him before he recoils, staggering back and landing on his rear. Itty bitty mouse-sized Imelda. Did not expect that. An actual mouse, maybe. Or a baby bird. Anything but a little skeleton!]

Gah! What! Qué demonios?!

Luna | Pokemon Sun and Moon, The Game.

[holdmyhand]

a bug's eye view

[ she's just...just tiny. So small, so little, and this is absolutely the weirdest dream Luna has had since...

...since when? Since a long time ago. Even as she pulls herself up onto a colossal tree root (with only a little bit of difficulty, thanks to her very strong poke-friend) the world is not revealed in full, like she expects. ]

Geez... [ she huffs a little while Incineroar hops up beside her, surveying the vast landscape of greenery. Luna looks up at him, her hands flying to her hips defiantly!!! How dare this world be so large and she be so dang tiny teeny smolly-wolly!! ] ...y'think this ever ends? [ Incineroar spares her a somewhat weary but expectant glance. Without missing a beat, she stares back and then grins happily. ]

Yeah, me neither! Have you ever seen so much...roots? Trees?? Is that grass? [ she's pointing at the largest strand of grass that has ever been spotted by anyone ever!!! Have you ever seen anything that large??? Luna has never seen anything like it!!! Wow!!! Wowie zowie!!! ]

come to ink of it

Hah! Take that!!

[ if you blink twice, you might miss her. Luna, running low to the ground with a pink ink-gun in her hands, her whole body covered in multiple shades of colored paint. Even the side of her face has a streak of blue on it-- her normally soft pink top is a mix of several colors that don't classify as a Single Color, and boy...

...boy the grin on her face could stretch across the oceans. Sweat dribbles in and mixes with the paint as she flees oncoming fire from the other side of the arena, and she darts behind a wall, rubbing the back of her yellow hand across her forehead. ]

Th-this is amazing...what is this?! [ with a start, the weapon is held out in front of her, and she practices posing like a very Cool Kid!!! Woah!!! A laugh escapes her lips, and the weapon is brought back to her chest while she peeks around the corner.

This.....this is actually the best day. Of all days. This one is the best. ]

PAINT in the behind

[yallstupid]

[Behind a wall? Really? Oh, sweet, summer child...that is the worst place to hide, where shady people tend to linger in wait, angling for little suckers like yourself to come creeping so nicely into their web... Guzma's managed to sneak up an surprise a bunch of unsuspecting people that way, considering his dark colors (though now marred with all sorts of hues) makes him blend in a bit.

He doesn't recognize her just yet - it has been a while, and her back is turned to him, but the barrel of a paint gun will softly hit the back of her head as a voice whistles softly into her ear. A familiar, dark, sinister voice... One she hasn't heard in several months, and a wicked, gleaming grin behind two rounded, golden sunglasses. The paint that covers them, and Guzma's face, looks eerie in the dark, considering some of it glows in terrible patterns...like something out of a horror film.]

I reckon this is an ambush, tiny.