aftr_ooc | TEST DRIVE MEME ( 004 )

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*test drive meme

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...

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[ No thank you sir, Terra just can't bring herself to! She just hopes you don't regret eating the Meat of Questionable Origin(tm). It'll be fine, ... right? ]

Oh - well I'm not very good at it. [ She's been trying to catch them with her hands all this time - it's embarrassing. Though she's learning to weave things, so she'll have a net made in no time! And then embarrass herself again. ]

I'm getting better though, I think. Maybe.. [ ... is ... that a tail? She tilts her head a little, curious, and then snaps her head back up when he addresses her. ]

Oh! Yes, that's perfect. [ Ahem. That was definitely a tail. As he dashes off to prep the....monkey....carcass.. to eat she sauntered over towards the jungle herself, just the edge of such, to gather up a few sticks and twigs. Very considerate of Keaton though, to prep his meat away from where anyone would see and -hurk- food all over the beach. By the time he returned, she was neatly stacking the sticks into position, raising her hands to get ready to cast a fire spell on them. ]

[He flashes Terra a grin and a thumbs up before disappearing off down the beach with his meal to be. Really. Really far off down the beach actually. There's being considerate and there's going on a hike and honestly he's pushing it with how far he's walking...

Eventually he returns though, his clothes and hands looking a little bloody but otherwise fine. He's carrying a few slices of meat and, who would have guessed, a few decently sized fish too!

He stands with his meat and fish, watching Terra prepare the fire.]

... Did the sticks offend you or something? Ooh, or is there a really cool looking one you don't want to watch burn? [Why you got your hands up at the fire huh.]

[ He's.. actually taking quite a while.. she was wondering if she should go and look for him, when she senses the approaching Keaton and glances up, almost starting in alarm at the blood. Oh, right, he butchered the monkey. And .. got fish too? Maybe she made him hungrier talking about it. ]

Eh? [ She almost didn't follow the question, glancing back at the sticks, and then back to him, puzzled. ]

I was starting the fire for you. [ And yes, the sticks did offend her. They said she was fat. She has no shame, as she invokes the spell, flicks her hands over the sticks and they immediately burst into a small flame, crackling merrily ~~over the din of many sticks dying an merciless death~~ ]

This should be big enough for your... your meat.

So that's how you do it, no tome or anything. Awesome! [It's a shame she isn't like the mages he's used to in a way though. Some of them carried around some real musty books. The only kind of books he cares about.]

This is plenty big enough for all the cooking we'll be doing. I'll put the meat on this side, and then your fish can go over here. How's that look?

[He even grabs one of the sticks from the fire ~~before it burns up and enters stick heaven~~ and skewers some of the fish for her. Except it absolutely isn't her fish or for her at all and shut up, he just happened to go out of his way to nab some fish. Just because.]

[ She smiled a little shyly. She'd never thought of her magic as being 'awesome' but she was a little happy about it. She nods to the plan of -- wait what? Her fish? ]

It looks fine, but... [ She glanced at him curiously. ] You got the fish for me...?

[ That was so sweet! He totally didn't have to do that, going out of his way like that. ]

No! It's not for you, yeesh, where'd you get that idea? [Probably the "your fish" part gave it away.] You just mentioned fish so I thought, yeah, I could go for some of that. But if you really want some go right ahead, since you did the fire and all.

[See, he didn't go out of his way! Don't read into it too much. It absolutely wasn't him trying to find something Terra would actually eat. It's just repayment for the fire.

... Ignore Keaton's tail wagging this way and that behind him. The tail is stupid. It just does it's only thing.]

[ Keaton is such a good boi! ... who utterly confuses Terra at his denial. ]

I ... um.. but - [ He.. DID say 'your fish' didn't he? Did she mishear? ]

O-oh, I see -- I'm sorry I shouldn't have ...assumed...? [ She's PRETTY sure he said 'Your Fish' though. But his tail was really distracting and fascinating watching it wag back and forth. ]

Thank you, that's very nice of you. [ She appreciated the offer - and that was something she wasn't going to refuse. It would be rude since she had no good reason to deny herself fish. ]

Hey, it's fine. Don't sweat it.

[He flops himself down near the fire, watching the meat and fish as it cooks closely. Occasionally he takes in a deep breath through his nose. Gotta love that smokey cooking smell.]

It's just what you do when someone is kind to you, pay that kindness back... Don't think this is a thank you though! It's just common sense.

[The tail hasn't stopped. Now Keaton has sat down he's brushing streaks in the sand and flicking it about. Being told he's nice has only kept the wagging going.]

[ ... don't...sweat it? She pauses a moment, then decides not to ask. Instead she settles into a more comfortable position, keeping a close eye on the fire. Even her stomach rumbled a little at the prospect of tasty fish - even if Keaton's tail wagging drew her attention again. ]

You're right about that, it's true. If... you don't want me to think of it as a 'thank you' t hen I won't, though.

[ Strange he would say that, but uh... actually there was something about seeing that was just so cute. OH. Arms hugging her legs, she glanced over at him. ]

I'm Terra.

[There we go. He gets to pay her back for help with the fire, she doesn't think it's a thank you and he still gets to appear all tough and cool. That's how it works, right? Right.]

Terra, huh. I'm Keaton. Nice to know you! [Reaching out towards the fire he turns the meat and fish around so it cooks more evenly.] So hey, what were you up to before I showed up and threw a meal at your feet? Or is standing around waiting to make fires for people just your thing.

It's nice to know you too, Keaton.

[ Terra shook her head with a small smile. ]

I was watching the ocean, actually. I didn't feel like exploring the island or sitting near my home .. and I like listening to the waves out here. It's very peaceful.

[ And a little peace was what she needed after the craziness earlier this month. ]

I guess the ocean can be pretty calming. Watching the waves come in and all that.

[It seems like he's just agreeing for the sake of it at first, but then his ears pick up and twitch suddenly.]

Know what's better than watching the ocean? Smelling it! That salty scent of seaweed drying in the sun, just as the water goes out and leaves it all behind... Bliss! [Is it okay to talk about this with food right in front of them.]

[ Terra tilted her head curiously. ]

Smelling it...? [ Well.. she does kind of like that seabreeze, but uh... maybe not -as- much as he did. ]

It does feel like it wouldn't be as...fitting without it. [ Drying seaweed was a topic totally safe to discuss. Its a -strange- topic though. ]

You must really like it though.

Edited 2017-10-19 14:21 (UTC)

You bet I do! When the tide is out that's the best time. There are way better scents than that, but we're just talking the ocean here.

[But now they're on to scents hoo boy, he isn't letting this go. He leans forward eagerly in the sand as he watches Terra closely for her reaction.]

What tops the ocean is apples! Weeks old, when they get brown and so soft your fingers go right through them. That stench lingers forever, let me tell ya! [Now is this better than lowtide or worse.]

[ WWWWWWWWOw. He ... Really likes scents huh? Terra has ...actually never caught a whiff of the ocean when the tide was out, or rotten apples but... she doesn't think apples are meant to be THAT mushy. ]

...R..eally...? [ THE MOST UNSURE LOOK IS ON HER FACE, KEATON. ]

I've... I've never smelled either of those things before. [ Something tells her she should be glad of it too. ]

[Her face says unsure but deep down she's saying PLEASE KEATON TELL ME MORE. Right?? RIGHT.

He takes one of the skewered fish, shuffles around the fire so he's closer to Terra and puts a hand on her shoulder as he hands the fish over.]

Terra. Listen to me. You haven't lived until you've smelled those things. And we haven't even got to dead bats yet!

[So hey yeah enjoy thinking about dead bats have some fish!!]

[ Y-yeah sure, we'll go with that. She is a little surprised when he puts his hand on her shoulder, not being used to physical contact like that, but it does mean he has her full attention. Taking the fish carefully so as not to turn herself, she studies it pensively, blowing lightly on the fish to cool it. Fortunately she had yet to take a bite, because his comment about bats makes her stop in her tracks. ]

Dead.... dead bats?

[ Okay he's GOT to be pulling her leg. Dead things do not smell good! SHE IS SO CONFUSED ]

Edited 2017-10-19 22:14 (UTC)

[Nope, no leg pulling going on here. Does a face like this look like it could lie to her? Does a tail like this look like its wagging just because? No. Genuinely, these things smell fantastic.

Or at least they do to a wolfskin anyway.]

Right?! Dead bats! [Is that confusion. Or is it curiosity. Probably the latter. He's going with curiosity.] Okay, picture this. [Don't picture this.] A bat, with a fuzz covered body and smooth wings. Exposed to the elements. The rain, the sun, everything! And then, on top of all that, its crawling with bugs.

[He's looking at her expectantly, wanting Terra's highly honest and no doubt positive opinion on bat corpses shortly before she starts eating.]

[ ... um. She... she has no idea how to respond to this. On the one hand all of those things sound worse and worse in terms of aroma, but he looks so happy about it, she doesn't want to be mean. ...But the dead bat.. with.. with the everything and the BUGS and ... she's not so sure she's hungry anymore. ]

....

I.. I'm not sure I can imagine something like that. [ Nor would she WANT to. ]

But you really like things that smell like that? What about... well, flowers and things? [ You know. Stuff that actually smells good to ...half espers? ]

Too much for you at once? I can get that. After all it's a lot to take in unless you've lived it. [Truly you can't just imagine a proper, rotting dead bat. You have to be there.

Thankfully her question gets him to drop the topic of bats. He scoots his way around the fire now so he can see how the meat is doing.]

Eh, flowers are fine. [Not that he sounds particularly enthusiastic, especially compared to before.] And bread baking. Clean clothes. Yep, they're all smells. Nice smells. Neat.

[ Look at that, she's safely off of the topic of disgusting scents and decomposing bodies! SUCCESS! And.. he doesn't really sound enthused about fresh scents. What did he have against clean clothes and baked bread? ]

Do you have a lot of those things around you where you lived?

[ Nooooooooooo Terra you were safe! You were GOOD! Whyyyyyyyy. ]

Edited (Wow, typoing my own name. GG.) 2017-10-21 18:18 (UTC)

Bats?! [You fool Terra. But he thanks you for it.] Oh yeah, lots of 'em! Especially if you know where to find them. You could find caves covered in them. You rush in and howl as loud as you can, then they all fly past you to get out!

[And wow, what a feeling that is. To have a hoard of bats flap against you after you wake them all up.]

... There's lots of flowers too if that's what you mean. [Oh look he's giving you an out Terra.] With this nose it's easy to sniff out where they're growing and find fields of 'em. It's kinda fun, running through and tearing the whole place up.

[ It's like night and day! ... and he seems much happier talking about disgusting things. Maybe it's a boy thing? ]

Are there a lot of people like you, where you're from? And they all like bats, and.... um. Those kinds of smells as well? [ That's..kind of terrifying. But well, she supposed SOMEONE has to, right? ]

Oh yeah, my whole pack loves that kinda thing. [Though Keaton might be enthusiastic about it far more than most wolfskin.] Our place on the mountain is full of stuff. Bones mostly.

[Who the bones belong to exactly he doesn't mention, though that's because he's picking up some meat from the fire and sinking his teeth into it eagerly.]

Mm, now that's gamey. [He quickly licks his fingers before continuing.] I'd say you should come look sometime... But I don't really know my way back. Hard to get out of a dream to home you know? [And not because he can't remember the way home. Nope.]

[ Terra eyed her fish contemplatively. Her stomach at least, has mostly settled so maybe it was okay to try eating something now~. Maybe. ]

If I could, that would be nice. [ Well...maybe 'nice' isn't the word she oughta use. If the place was full of bones. ]

I can understand that. [ Wait. ] ... you weren't in your home before you ...um. Dreamed yourself here?

TEST DRIVE MEME ( 004 )

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OHGODWHY

i am so sorry for this gross idiot

Don't apologize this is hilarious XD

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