TEST DRIVE MEME ( 001 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #1

Hello, and welcome to our very first test drive! 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 July 17th and that Applications will open on July 24th, in preparation for the game’s official opening on August 3rd!

But first, two important notes!

1. The island of Mu 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.

Shipwrecked
The white sand of the beach ridges the island’s edge, even if the clear water soon becomes murky the further out you look across the horizon until the turquoise gleam of the tide disappears in a coil of surrounding fog. Indeed, your best prospects may very well be to strike out among the trees or the crags looming out over the foam-capped waves. There’s lumber to be found and made from the palm-like trees, potentially fruit or edible tubers of some kind if you forage about some. The further you travel, however, the more of your surroundings will reveal themselves in a steady unspooling of curiosities.

One corner of Mu’s current construct drops away into a sheer cliff, initially too dangerous to brave for all but the more daredevilish, but if one starts to scan the sharp rocks below, you might catch sight of what appears to be sodden planks of wood - a wreckage tossed up against the rocks. And a little further...a bobbing, shattered wreck of a lifeboat’s remains, potentially bearing supplies that might yet be salvageable.

Fashion what you can from the wood and stone around you or scavenge from the ruin of the land, if you like. But you can’t simply stand around and wait forever. It’s going to get dark sometime - and if a creature of unknown terror doesn’t catch you, the elements surely will.

Storytime

There’s a sense of camaraderie in this cove, you think. As the sun hangs low over the horizon, the world cast into orange hues, long shadows dispersed by roaring fires that dot across the beach.

That’s right, folks: it’s storytime.

There’s no one to preside over this meeting of the minds in Mu. Call it a vague recreation of things to come, if you like, some vaguely fatidic dreamlike state where you may find yourself drawn to the heat and company that awaits you by the fire. And from there, compelled to default to that old instinct that most of intelligent civilization has revered since they were advanced enough to paint geometric shapes on cave walls.

You tell a story.

Perhaps it’s a tragedy, a tale of woe and of personal loss. Perhaps it’s the sort of thing you’d break out after a few rounds of your alcoholic beverage of choice, clapping hands to your knees as you try to bite back your mirth long enough to spill the punchline. Perhaps it’s an adventure of some sort, some unbelievable rendition of your past exploits. The only common thread to be had, as those gathered around the fire share their tales, is the fundamental rule of a ritualistic sharing of stories such as this: its truth.

But how one chooses to define "truth" is, in its own way, another story entirely...

Dance, Sucker, Dance!
The beat of your heart in your chest is difficult to ignore. It judders with a pulsing, rhythmic quality. If you’re one of those that lacks a heart, the beat is still omnipresent and all-encompassing, until your entire body is unwittingly bobbing in time to a metronomic tune that seems ingrained into your very soul. It’s inescapable. You can’t seem to move unless it’s in time to the rhythm that’s now singing in every atom of your being.

But rest assured, you’re not alone in this musical curse. Everything, from the swaying trees to the waves against the beach, jumps in time to the music. And so do the monsters approaching you, that - wait a minute.

Monsters?

Oh, yes. Did we mention those?


It seems you’ve encountered the wrath of the Boogieman, who curses you to only dance to his infernal beat. If you wish to best him, you’ll have to either evade or destroy the blobs of greenish slime that serve as his minions, all in time to the hard beat of the tune in your head. Clear the radius of his curse or risk an open confrontation, if you dare. Don’t worry if you look foolish; chances are anyone else caught in the Boogieman’s thrall feels just the same.

Mu isn’t pulling any punches to start with. It is a flighty creation, after all, and seems to revel in displacing people into new and uncomfortable situations.

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[ishotyouuu]

It's clear that Guzma has a special relationship with this oversized insect. It sort of reminds him of those zookeepers or caretakers in those animal preserves, who were able to tease and roughhouse with otherwise dangerous big cats without fear of being injured. It's kind of adorable, is what it is, and Wade finds himself looking on almost affectionately. It's like the relationship he has with Tibia, really, and he wonders whether Guzma had had his Pokemon since its hatching as well.

Tibia, for her part, holds the bean she's been given tightly in her claws, watching as Golisopod digs in with unbridled enthusiasm. Hesitantly she brings the brightly colored bean to her mouth, chewing slowly and thoughtfully, her eyes widening with delight as the taste spreads over her tongue. She hums while she chews, little chirpy trills of sound she'd make whenever she was eating something particularly good, and when the bean was completely devoured she gives Guzma her best eye-smile, tapping her claws together in the sign for more.

Wade, watching this, can't help but chuckle affectionately at his little girl. "Hey Mikey, she likes it."

[yallstupid]

Wade would be pretty close in assuming that, actually. While not a hatchling, Guzma had the big guy here since they were both pretty small - meaning when he was just a child, and when Golisopod was still in his pre-evolved state; the cowardly little Wimpod he raised and trained with utmost care and affection into the large, powerful, and equally loyal Golisopod he is now. They're been together for close to two decades now.

They're practically brothers.

Hence why when Guzma looks back - excuse, what did you call him? - he's been roughhousing with his pokemon a bit, sunglasses slightly askew and hair ruffled more than usual.

"Name's Guzma, homie, and m'fraid I can only give out one Rainbow bean a piece... Ain't got 'nuff of those to go 'round. Less ya girl there don't mind a plain bean?" Rainbow beans are rare, but plain colored beans come in droves. It won't be as delightfully tasty as a rainbow bean, but still a nice snack.

[ishotyouuu]

Wade doesn't seem particularly bothered that Guzma doesn't get his reference-- people rarely do. Either that, or they don't want to give him the satisfaction of acknowledging it.

"Nice to make yer acquaintance, Guzma. Name's Wade. An' you're obviously already well acquainted with Tibia over there. Say hi, Tibs."

It's a formality by this point, but Tibia gives Guzma her best eye-smile, claws already working to sign out a greeting.

Hello G-U-Z-M-A. I like you.

Wade grins down at her."Think you might've made a friend there, dude."

[yallstupid]

Wade, huh? That's definitely not the name Guzma would have come up with when looking at this walking stop sign. He returns Golisopod back to its pokeball to rest up, then squats down to be more level to the itty-bitty Cubone. Ah, here we go again, he narrows his eyes, screwing up his face as she signs at him again. He...doesn't know anything of what she said, but apparently it was good? I guess??

He grins, chuckling softly and tilting his head to one side. "That right? Well, gotta say I ain't never met a Cubone with more moxie than this one right 'ere...so I guess the feeling's mutual, yeah?" He scritches under Tibia's chin, then stands up again. "Y'ever need someone to teach you the ropes, homie, come look me up. The girl's tough, but ain't been properly trained for battles...but dang does she have a knack for 'em. Ain't never seen a lot-level like that totally beat down on someone. It was sick as, bro."

He is being entirely sincere here. That was DOPE AF.

[ishotyouuu]

Tibia offers a little trill of pleasure, briefly clasping his fingers in her claws before he pulls away from her, and moves to stand beside her human father. Wade smiles warmly down at the exchange before raising his eyes to the younger man's, his expression lightening when he realizes what exactly Guzma is offering.

"Think I might take you up on that, duderino. I mean, if she can pull stunts like that after only a day of takin' orders from you, then she'd definitely do well with a teacher. Plus... y'know." He ducks his head slightly, looking a little embarrassed.

"You could probably teach me a thing or two about training. I-If that's okay with you, I mean."