aftr_ooc | TEST DRIVE MEME ( 004 )

Test Drive Meme #4

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 October 17th and that Applications will open on October 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.

Gone Apeshit
The peaceful island upon which you've found yourself is pleasant enough, isn't it? Clear turquoise waters, white sand, verdant copses of trees...it might be a little on the humid side, sure, but what's not to love?

The answer will come in the form of some decidedly simian ululations and howls that will inevitably start echoing through the trees, paired with the occasional loud, firework-like bang of some weapon being fired. The beach itself is safe, or as safe as beaches can possibly be, but setting foot into the jungle proper will prompt immediate, firepower-based retaliation from the group of monkeys that have elected to live there.

That's right: monkeys. Monkeys wielding rudimentary technology, no less, the most prominent example of such being the cannon-like, primitive firearms that shoot coconuts at interlopers. While their precision is not excellent, a direct or indirect hit can cause incredibly serious injury. Sure, you could opt to stay on the sidelines...but without any resources on hand, your only remaining solution is to either risk starvation or exposure, or to confront the gun-toting monkeys directly.

A pity Jumpman isn't here, huh?

Motherclucker
Congratulations! After who knows however long you might have spent exploring this strange new land - be it hours or eons or days or mere minutes - you've finally stumbled across some resources that may be viable! You've encountered a flock of bludroc, their nests brimming with speckled eggs that would surely taste delicious sucked raw or fried on a stone.

Unfortunately, this is a rather vast flock of the creatures, and they do not part with their offspring easily. While they lend themselves easily to domestication, these bludroc are quite wild, and quite unwilling to be beset upon by complete strangers. So if you encroach upon their territory, beware...for you may find yourself set upon by an abundance of pecking, flapping, screeching, colorful creatures.

Tick Tock
Mu's world is a curious one, no doubt. Its creatures often bear a strange resemblance to those in the world of LifeAftr proper, but some fauna can be found on no other landscape, in no other context, besides the dreamlike dips and peaks that only Mu can emulate.

One of those creatures is the clockroach.

Today, they seem strangely intent on flocking around those who have crossed into the lands of Mu for the first time; the uninitiated of LifeAftr. Their shapes are indistinct, to start with, but the click-whisper of rustling, mothlike wings almost sounds like your name, being uttered over and over...and over...and over...

They have a curious look to start with, make no mistake. But the longer you look, the more those forms start to solidify into a shadow to mirror your own, devoid of color or feature, but unmistakably resembling your general shape. While their edges are softly blurred and out of focus, their forms rapidly begin to solidify the more you interact with them. Speaking to them, touching them, even acknowledging them by looking their way, failing to ignore them utterly, will gradually start to bring them into greater clarity and focus. They do not speak. They merely follow - a shadow of your very own, unattached and allowed sentience.

Once they're solid enough to touch, you'll begin to hear a sound. A low, repetitive tick-tick of a timepiece, moving ever closer to some unseen deadline with terrifying regularity. It starts quietly, at first, but begins to grow louder, louder, until it drowns out all else.

The apparition may soothe and speak all it likes, but the artificial dread worming in your heart refuses to be shucked away. Everything else is a shadow hostile, a creature mistrusted. The fog is a tripwire that will surely trap you; that person approaching from over that hill? Doubtless here to kill you, and see that your invisible clock winds to an end.

But that dark storm boiling in the shadow behind you? Surely that has nothing to do with it...

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

1. APE ESCAPE

[ Coming to terms with where he’s found himself is a pretty daunting task. Hell, Raiden’s pretty damn good at accepting the impossible at this point. Given his near-death-experience record, he’s gotten somewhat used to what most would consider improbable. That said, waking up in what essentially felt like some kind of horrific fever dream takes some getting used to. Especially when he’s currently taking cover from a barrage of coconuts.

Yes, coconuts.

Not bullets. He can handle bullets like a pro, but this obscure form of projectile requires more tactical planning. Because coconuts are heavy and they hurt. Thinks Raiden the cyborg ninja.

The armed ape is stalking through the trees now, training it’s coconut-canon on each and every tree, prepared to fire at even the slightest inkling of movement. Meanwhile, Raiden is attempting to silently draw Dystopia, his magnetic pair of sai, from his utility belt. He waits patiently for the primate to get within a reasonable range and—launches his sai forward.

Except for whatever fucking reason they end up backfiring. Sputtering stupidly and abruptly clanging to the ground. ]

Son of a…

[ … biscuit. The loud clamor of the failed weapons is enough to draw the attention of his aggressor. Instantly, there’s a spray of coconuts being launched in his general direction. What’s more, is the fact that the commotion seems to have drawn backup. Backup chimpanzees, fully equipped with coconut rifles, lumbering over in his general direction. ]

Huh. Just my luck.

2. CHICKEN RUN

[ Despite not really needing the nutritional necessities most people require, Raiden still has to eat. Occasionally. And damn if some fried eggs and chicken doesn’t look good right about now. This is exactly what’s going through his mind as his one eye zeroes in on the delicious looking technicolored hen. The survivalist in him is telling him this potential poultry only means one thing: food.

Raiden draws his blade and begins stealthily approaching the nest. In a single swipe, he manages to behead the vibrant blue bird. He smirks to himself, finally feeling like maybe for the first time since his arrival, he got lucky.

Except, that bludroc apparently had a mate. As Raiden is stooping down to scoop up the eggs as well, a flustered little bird aggressively toddles over and begins… pecking at his face. Like, his one-good-eye-face.

Instantly, he’s attempting to bat it away. Which, to any potential onlookers might be pretty damn comical. ]

Hey! Knock it off! Can’t a guy grab a bite to eat in peace?

[ Headless chicken+angry boyfriend+confused cyborg=entertainment. ]

[So today had taken a somewhat unplanned-for turn. He'd concluded he was probably in hell or some approximation of it, or FOXDIE had just made him utterly and hilariously delirious in his last few seconds. Much as 'infuriated' was Liquid's default state of being, right now he was stuck in a state of 'confused resignation' before hitting utter fury properly.]

[The appearance of what looked like a far more streamlined Gray Fox with a hilariously ineffective sai did not help matters, and neither did the simian army he had clearly aggravated.]

[Sure. This might as well happen.]

I should say luck has very little to do with the matter at hand. Are you just going to stand there, or do you plan to throw something else at them to fail utterly?

[With that irritated remark he took quick inventory of the situation; unarmed, naturally, and he didn't even have his coat. Maybe that would prove a problem for some people, but Liquid Snake was not 'some people'. What, was he of all people really going to die from getting shot with a coconut? Not bloody likely.]

[ This entire conundrum is nothing short of embarrassing. So to have this unexpected observer encroaching on his humiliation isn't exactly welcome. Raiden is pretty damn used to the absurd happening to him at this point, but that doesn't make it any more welcome.

When Liquid approaches, he's crouched into a ridiculous sort of dodging-pose. Fortunately for him, he's managed to avoid most of the coconuts. He trains his eye on the other man, watching him cautiously.

There's something... distinctly familiar about him, pulled from distant memories of a former mission. Raiden's raking his brain when--clang. Donk. Donkdonkdonkdonkdonk.

He's pelleted with coconuts. Okay, screw identifying this guy. There's numerous ape-enemies at stake. Apenemies. ]

Thanks for the input. Are you gonna just stand around insulting me or do you plan on actually helping?

Oh, no, by all means you seem to have things well in hand.

[seriously where did you get that exoskeleton, is it even finished, what on earth]

Surely you can't find this so dire a situation as to appeal for help.

[Liquid ducked a flying coconut aimed for his head, shooting Raiden the world's most insufferably smug smirk.]

[It's not every day you run across something as...majestic as this, for lack of a better word. It's one of those things you see and you instantly know there's a story there.

If McCree were the gambling type, which he is, he'd put his money on someone not knowing the local fauna very well. The bludroc can be vicious when provoked, and judging by the flailing...]

They like to travel in a flock at all times.

[Which is far too little far too late and the smug look on McCree's face says he knows that.]

But they shouldn't hurt ya too badly.

[Could he help? Sure. He's still got the knife he came in with, not to mention the gun still strapped to his thigh...

But he wants to watch this, just a little bit longer.]

[meanwhile, frank is trying to enjoy his impromptu vacation (can it really be called such when 1) he was most likely kidnapped 2) again 3) he's stuck on an island full of annoying fauna) when he hears the commotion among the trees. the monkeys hooting and hollering had been an on-and-off occurrence ever since he regained consciousness on the beach, but it had sounded like it was just for show.

the grunting and yelling coming from the tree line sounded, well, pissed off. don't get involved, he'd tell himself, if he wasn't already racing into the lush greenery. it's not really that he's worried for whatever idiot had decided to intrude upon the apes' home, it's just that, well, surf and sun can only do so much for a man who had spent most of his life engaging in the thrill of the hunt.

with a giant distraction in the shape of a man (that is a man, isn't it? he just has a lot of body armor on), it's child's play for frank to dash in and quickly dispatch a handful of the aggravated primates. just enough bodies to cause a panicked uproar among the battalion, allowing him to snatch up the sai and return them to their owner. sai? really? frank, who still carries around that huge machete, has the audacity to look like he's judging ~~his fellow ninja~~ the stranger for his taste in weaponry.]

C'mon, let's move while they're in disarray.

[unless you wanna take a nut to the face.]

[There's always time for poultry and eggs! Great for on the go nutrition! This is what's on the mind of one roguish Patches, on the prowl for just that. Actually, he's already caught his share and is in the middle of heading on his way out of bludroc territory, when a noisy and glinting sight makes itself known to him.

Some fellow in elaborate armor is being accosted by one of those gaudy birds. The main focus here is that armor, which looks quite bizarre indeed-- even for someone who's seen so many variants, such as Patches himself. He's got so many questions... !

But first, he supposes he should assist the man. Get them off on a good start. With a little grunt, Trusty Patches hoists up and aims his trusty spear, and he lobs it at the bright target. Impales it in a splash of gore. Easy. Also, overkill. But that was on purpose. He wanted to show off.]

Hmm! Lucky that pest didn't peck your last eye out.

[Called to him as he approaches with a smirk. Here he is! Your savior.]

Edited 2017-10-16 20:14 (UTC)

TEST DRIVE MEME ( 004 )

Raiden | Metal Gear Rising

1; i'm so sorry for this

I'M CRYING BLESS U

I HAVEN'T PLAYED HIM IN FOREVER BUT I HAD TO

2!

is this where the cyborg narutos anonymous group is being held

buh gokk