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.

---

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

Pyrrha Nikos | RWBY

[pyrrhaicvictory]

[ i. storytime ]

[ She feels strange. Like she's a ghost drifting in and out of the groups of people, not entirely sure where she belongs. Where she's supposed to be. She sits politely on the driftwood as stories weave themselves into the air, soothing away the phantom aches on her skin. It seems the chill will never leave.

If you catch her attention, she smiles, a touch shy. ]

I'm afraid I'm not a very good story-teller.

[ ii. monsters. ]

[ Fighting, at least, is still easy. She has not been robbed of her instincts as she slams her boots into the Boogieman's face as she swings her signature gun spear to shoot the blobs with alarming accuracy. Her attention is completely focused on the creature as she defeats it with a clean shot to the head. Satisfied, she slips her spear over her back, not relaxing just yet.

It seems to have, at least, loosened her up a bit. ]

[ iii. try your luck with a wildcard! Most likely she'll be wandering the beaches by herself, scavenging and helping others scavenge politely ]

i.

[yallstupid]

Yeah, and neither is anyone else here!

[He nearly spits it, annoyed and a little tense now that he's become aware this isn't a dream and very real. What the heck happened to him? Where is this place? What about his other three pokemon - are they safe? Are they alive? He was sort of hoping to get some information from this gathering of misfits, or at least a distraction from his thoughts, but no.

Where Pyrrha sits politely and rather daintily, Guzma is the worst goddamn manspreader on Mu. Thankfully no one else is sharing the bleached driftwood log he's sitting on, arms hanging off his knees. He could easily make without the log and squat, but no one's shoved him off the log yet, so.]

[pyrrhaicvictory]

[ Her polite smile does not falter as she folds her arms over her lap. ]

I don't know. Some of them are quite helpful. And it's nice to be listened to.

[ If Pyrrha was more open, maybe she would share. But thinking about her world brought up old regrets she rather keep buried. ]

Are you all right?

[yallstupid]

[The first set of garage Pyrrha spew gets responded to with a snort and a roll f his eyes. Useful? Like the scratching sound of a wet guitar is useful? To who?! I mean yeah, thank god he actually knows his way around an island, but this isn't his set of islands - this isn't Alola. All bets are off on an uncharted island he can't properly navigate. Not only that, but he's missing three of his partners. And no one else he's met thus far even seems to know what the two he actually has even are.

And that, for a lack of better phrasing, really fucking bugs him.

Yet even so, he leans forward, takes a deep breath, and smiles. Yes, he smiles! The most passive aggressive smile a cynical tart could muster up.]

Just ducky.

[pyrrhaicvictory]

[ If anything, her smile deepens pleasantly. Pyrrha might be unsettled by her own thoughts and situations, but she's not weak of heart. She doesn't tremble or balk easily and she has looked a monster in the eye and came out with her soul triumphant. ]

I hope it will be.

i.

[souldeterminant]

[The child huddled by the fire hasn't spoken at all since the stories began. Their gaze drifts quietly from speaker to speaker, their eyes heavily lidded and almost vacant in a way that seems to suggest they may not be paying attention at all. And yet when the pretty red-haired lady speaks up, her smile shy, the child seems to perk a little, brushing a spray of salt-stiffened bangs from their face and returning her look with one equally timid - if not an earnest attempt at encouragement.]

[They lean forward a little, their knees pressing together as if sharing a secret.]

It's OK. I'm a good listener.

[pyrrhaicvictory]

[ The encouragement keeps the chill back and Pyrrha's smile grows a touch stronger for it. She leans back a little, her long ponytail swaying gently as she tries to recall a story. ]

Well, what kind of stories do you like?

[souldeterminant]

[Frisk's brows draw into a faint, thoughtful line. They seem to be giving the question quite a serious amount of thought. After a moment, their gaze bounces down to their knees, and then to the fire. Their voice is a little sheepish when they respond:]

One with a happy ending.

[pyrrhaicvictory]

[ Pyrrha infuses some cheer into her voice. ]

You're in luck. I think I might have a few.

[ She purses her lips in mock thought. ]

How about a story where a boy was bullied and learned how to stand up for himself?

One

[prettypurpleparlor]

Well, there's no need to tell your audience that, is there, dearie?

[The arachnid appearance of the woman sitting across the fire from her may be a little unusual, but despite the fangs her smile is warm, and she winks cheerfully at Pyrrha to show she's teasing.]

After all, if we don't know that you aren't good at this, maybe you can just launch into it and see if we wind up fooled. A story is already one entertaining lie, so why not lie about being entertaining? It might end better than you think...

[pyrrhaicvictory]

[ Pyrrha barely represses a tremor. After all, Pyrrha is a Huntress and her instincts scream at her to move away or lash out. But she's seen all manner of people here, so she provides the benefit of a doubt. ]

I'm not very good at lying either.

[prettypurpleparlor]

Mm, honesty's hardly a bad quality, though I suppose it's not wise to take any virtue to the extreme. Don't your people have some sort of philosophical saying about that? The 'golden mean'?

[Muffet isn't human and won't pretend to be- it wouldn't be all that believable if she tried. But she's spent enough time around them running her business and living on the Surface that she's picked up a few things here and there, even if she doesn't actually know who Aristotle is, specifically. Although, perhaps it was rude of her to assume the young lady was human? She certainly looks it, but this has been a very strange place- perhaps sometimes you can't tell...]

Still, I won't tell you how to live- doubtless you've got more experience with your life than I do.

Perhaps you can turn that into a strength? If you're bad at lying, think of something very interesting you remember, and tell us about it with your honest and accurate nature.

i. I....refuse to be sorry......

[50shadesofburaza]

Heh.

[He actually...wasn't even at this campfire. At all. Up until a split second ago, when he noticed someone he actually wanted to have something to do with. And he's doing his very best to look cool, posing out across the sand like the great Adonis he isn't smirk fixed into place.

Hello. Is it Karamatsu you're looking for?]

The best stories are those that come from the heart.

never be sorry <3

[pyrrhaicvictory]

[ Pyrrha blinks before hiding her smile behind her hand. ]

Then you must have some excellent stories to tell.

o-oh <3 1/2

[50shadesofburaza]

[Kyyyaaaah!! Not only is she prettier, but she's so much nicer than Totoko. This dream can stay, absolutely. Wake him not, cruel world, for he has found his true heaven.]

[50shadesofburaza]

I'm afraid my tales must be forever spun in the shadow of solitude.

[Is he cool enough yet? Are you intrigued?

Would you like to know...more?]

iii

[just_want_normal_knees]

[Gosh, Ruby can't help but be absolutely bored with this place, but hey - at least she can't help but try to make herself at home where she is and make her own home and all that!

However, her wandering is going to end up running into someone familiar...]

...Pyrrha?

[pyrrhaicvictory]

[ Pyrrha freezes up, caught by the sight of her old friend. ]

Ruby?

[just_want_normal_knees]

Pyrrha!

[And Ruby's going to run up and hug her old friend]

Oh, it's so good to see you!

1

[lionson]

[Shiro is sitting in the sand nearby, an arm propped up on his knee. This girl is an interesting one- quiet, but attentive. She reminds him a lot of a certain young man he knows well from his home world, actually. That right there might be what prompts him to speak to her, even.]

Well, I've heard that the best stories tend to start with 'once upon a time', so maybe that would be a good start?

[pyrrhaicvictory]

I . . . guess I could try one of the stories I knew as a child.

[ Except the reality of those stories were real. Even thinking about them reminds Pyrrha how close she was to becoming the Fall Maiden. And how badly she failed. ]

[lionson]

Only if they don't cause you pain.

[Shiro knows nothing of Pyrrha's past, but that look she has is enough to tell her that those stories aren't particularly pleasant to her.]

Sharing stories is a great tradition, but don't participate at the expense of your own peace of mind.

i

[whiteas]

I don't know that you're any good at telling them...

[ Weiss had a million and one things to say once she'd spotted Pyrrha. She'd been a ways away from the campfire, hesitating to approach. It had been the first time she'd believed that the ethereal dream-like feeling nagging at her since she'd arrived might've truly meant this was just a dream, because Pyrrha couldn't be there. Weiss hadn't watched it happened up close, but she had been on the ground when she'd heard Ruby's scream, the flash of light.. She'd rushed up there as soon as she could catch up, panicked and unsure what to do about her comatose leader and the metal pieces on the ruined ground, the dragon grimm frozen above them all.

Jaune's screams through the scroll to save her had echoed through her mind, the most heartbreaking thing she'd ever heard made more heartbreaking by the fact that they couldn't. Weiss wasn't one to go into a situation with her head in a panic though, calming herself down before approaching. (The panic could come back later mid-conversation, but she never let herself start that way.) That was when she'd approached from behind, decided there would be no way anyone else but Pyrrha could be on the front of this person, and spoke her line. Weiss moved to sit down next to her, crossing her legs and folding her hands in her lap before looking over at her, finally confirming it really was her friend. ]

But I'm sure you have plenty to share.

[ Nailed it. The cool expression on her face to match such a perfect line doesn't last long, however, and immediately softens into a sad smile. She really is happy to see her, even if the thousand and one questions are going to come in just a moment. ]

[pyrrhaicvictory]

[ Pyrrha starts. Like Weiss, she's had years to practice at looking calm and composed at all times. It's one of the reasons she appears so invincible and untouchable. After a while though, Pyrrha forgot how to stop. Until she met her team. So her expression wavers before it crumples slightly. ]

Weiss. You're — you're here too?

[whiteas]

I am!

[ There's a brief pause before she adds. ]

Out of a sense of self-preservation, I've decided that despite that you're here, this is not an afterlife. The last thing I remember was watching the window out of a cargo ship, I don't remember said cargo ship meeting an untimely demise.

[ Weiss didn't even want to consider it. After giving up her family, her home, losing her inheritance, and stowing away in a ship to go somewhere and hope she could find her sister? No. She wasn't going to die there, and the fact that she was speaking to Pyrrha wasn't going to change that.

Perhaps self-confidence had been an issue for her, but determination wasn't. At the very least, she'd like to think she would remember what killed her so she could haunt them for the rest of her post-mortem days if she died after all that. ]

How are you here? You were... [ Her expression falters. She knows her mood is changing basically every other line, but she's trying to keep it together here. There are other people around and while Weiss is a little past worrying about making scenes, that doesn't feel like it's a moment she wants to share with strangers- story time or not. ]