TEST DRIVE MEME ( 005 )

[lifeaftr_mods]

Test Drive Meme #5

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 November 17th and that Applications will open on November 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.

All That Glitters
The caves deep beneath the island's surface are not dimly lit; in fact, they practically sparkle with a strange, unearthly greenish light. Blame it on the crystalline growths that protrude plentifully from every nook and cranny, stalactites and stalagmites alike.

Their glow might be soothing to some, and viscerally terrifying to others, but one thing remains absolutely certain: based on the creaking, groaning noises of shifting rock and the high-pitched tinkle of breaking shards of crystal...

You aren't alone down here. The deeper in you venture, the more the thicker clusters of the things begin to move. And eventually, it will become plain to you that it isn't the crystal at all that's moving, but rather the thing inside of it - something vaguely humanoid shaped, bipedal, with arms and legs and the dull, pale glimmers in the region of what might almost pass for a face.

Formed entirely from crystal.

Upon spotting a living creature, each of them will begin to lurch closer and closer, arms outstretched. Every one is slow and cumbersome and even fragile enough to be smashed, if you dare venture close enough. But once they've trapped you, there is no escaping whatever fate they have in store for you.

And rest assured, it is not a pleasant one.

[The above prompt is a version of our Crystal Clear event from October! Feel free to give the event write-up a read for more information.]

It's High Tide
When you initially wake on the beaches of this strange island with its bleeding, dreamlike edges, you might notice that something seems deeply amiss...something like the fact that you're lying in a whole mess of seawater. Assuming you're not thoroughly soaked already, you'd better figure out a way to get to high ground, because the water level is rising very rapidly. Pretty soon, there might not be anywhere safe to go besides the trees, and even those might not be safe the longer this goes on.

Fortunately for you, if you can find them quickly enough, the island of Mu has helpfully provided some assistance for those who don't feel like doggy-paddling for the duration of the dream. Better hurry and hang onto them before you drown! Unless you'd rather doggy-paddle the whole way out, that is. In which case, we're sure the water feels great.

A Crappy Endeavor
In your travels on this strange new land, you might start to notice something following you. Something...oddly shaped, like a lot of dirt and clay that's consolidated into one great awkward moving lump of a creature. What lies beneath is far more like the common beetle...just much, much larger. And unfortunately for everyone involved, they have a very specific appetite:

Your poop.

Mu has produced a very close approximation of the creatures known as f'rshaymes, animals that go beyond merely being useful for disposing of all that nasty waste. Doiing so comes with significant benefits, as the combined process of mud and excrement as it goes through a F'rshayme's digestive system leaves behind pure clay for the...brave.

Often found in small herds of six to eight individuals, f'rshaymes are extremely docile and would be very easy to turn into a herd of your very own. How nice!

---

LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[covertizer]

No clue.

[ He's a professional stealther and thief, ladies and gentlemen. ]

But if this is the highest point, then... [ He waves a hand in an exaggerated circle and points in the direct opposite from where Yuka had come running from.] Exit, stage right.

[shineinside]

[ Nod, nod. ]

That makes sense. If it comes to a fight, will you be okay?

[creditless]

Do not lie to yourself, Batter. 𝕚'𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕠𝕟𝕝𝕪 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕠 𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕚𝕟𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕤 𝕕𝕖𝕤𝕡𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕒 𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕚𝕔𝕚𝕡𝕒𝕟𝕥.

𝕨𝕙𝕪 𝕕𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕚 𝕒𝕝𝕨𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕜𝕟𝕖𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕘𝕠 𝕠𝕣 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕨𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕦𝕡?

You were fine. In the context of your programming, for the purpose of the game. But you are no longer a program asset. You are a living man trying to make the world into a game, yourself as its player. Stop it.

You're free.

[unpurify]

Zacharie.

[The Batter's voice is sharp, although still just as emotionless as always. Staring down at the merchant he shakes his head.]

I am fine. Whatever you are looking for, it is not within me.

[Without giving him a chance to respond, the Batter moves towards the door. Apparently the conversation was over.]

Stay here or follow. It's your choice.

[covertizer]

I'll be fine.

[ He looks like he has no weapon.

...

He'll be fine. Probably. ]

[creditless]

Well, the thread will end if I don't follow, and we have several weeks to go...

Ha ha ha, I'm putting too much pressure on you, as always. [ He liked the sharpness in his voice, though. ] It's a lot to take in at once, but from my perspective, it's somewhat of an immediate conversation to have.

Has that crystal infection spread any further?

[shineinside]

Right. [ It would be silly for the magical girl to question a claim like that. ]

It looks like the coast is clear. Let's go!

[ Yuka dashes off in the direction Akira suggested before. She doesn't look it, but she's actually very fast. ]

[covertizer]

Fo--

[ Oh.

There she go.

Luckily, Akira isn't not exactly lacking in the speed department either. He has to catch up first but once he does, keeping pace isn't difficult. He seems to be keeping a close eye for any bolt holes wherever they're running, just in case.]

--For how long though.

[shineinside]

[ Oh he's pretty quick, cool. They can talk while they run. ]

Hopefully, until we find an exit. Unless we run into a big group, we should be able to just slip past them.

[covertizer]

[ Running through palaces is his jam. He's pretty nimble. ]

If there's a way in, there's a way out. Or we make one.

[ That sounds ominous. ]

Careful. Sounds like you're tempting fate ther--

[ Oh. Are those footsteps in the distance? Distinctly inhuman footsteps? ]

high tide hang ten

[covertizer]

[ Akira's still bobbing along on his own not-at-all-phallic-looking-flotation device, from where he'd managed to grab one when he first arrived and come across the steadily rising tide.

He's managed to keep himself as close to the coast as he can, with some practised and totally elegant, obviously, flailing when the current starts pulling him away.

But for the most part, he's just been... floating. His trousers are a lost cause, so his legs have just been dangling in the ocean and getting hideously drenched, and he's been periodically propping himself up on his elbows to try and catch sight of ... anyone, really. But seeing someone he did actually recognise?

Bonus. ]

If you don't know then how am I supposed to?

[ Who's the brains of this operation? ]

[lapapesse]

[Well she's not the only one, but...]

I'm not-

Wait, if you're here, then is this a dream...? Or did we get sucked into a truly weird Palace?

[You know. Without going through any of the usual steps like 'using the Metanav.'

Where else is the tide going to come in this hard, this fast? After all, it has most of the island drowned by now - she looked, there's barely anywhere to go.

So, instead, she's just going to put her hand on her chin and think.]

... Or... did we end up somewhere else?

I'm sorry, I have no idea what this is supposed to be. [Clearly it's her fault somehow.]

[thermalwind]

[He raises an eyebrow at the question.] Yeah? Look, if the water rises too high, not even the trees will be good to rest in. Can’t swim forever.

[This guy gets more and more confusing. Keith furrows his brows as he goes back over what he has learned so far. Not much.]

There’s caves but I heard they’re not safe. Better to head for high ground. [This is the most he’s said in quite some time. He rarely says much. That had been up to the rest of the team. Keith pauses to orient himself and moves west.] There wa as beach this way before. Should still be there.

[covertizer]

[ There's an awkward moments as he tries to dig in his trouser pocket without unbalancing the raft, but once it's passed he's waving a decidedly-not-working cell phone in the air. ]

No app, no Metaverse?

[ It gets dropped onto his stomach with little fanfare. Oof. ]

If this is a palace, we messed up getting here, somehow. You're the first familiar person I've seen.

[ And it's not like they can access it from different locations... as far as he's away? Maybe they can, but the organisation involved to get them all to access the Metaverse at exactly the same time, and the chance of it actually working? Unlikely, probably. ]

[esper_magic]

Oh. Have you heard of them before? [ Maybe he knows how to destroy them! ]

They're currently one of the most dangerous threats on the island. They're a mass of limbs and body parts, and whatever they come in contact with they absorb into themselves. So far no one has been able to find a way to destroy them, yet, so it's advised that we avoid them whenever possible. [ Don't go being a hero and trying to kill it Keith. ]

[lapapesse]

[Okay. No app, no metaverse... that's one part of her questions answered. So then... maybe someone else brought them here? She's not sure how that would work, but...

It's a good thought, though. To get them all inside the Metaverse at the same time... is unlikely, but if it's just the two of them, that's slightly... well, more likely.]

Did... someone else bring us here, then? I mean, it is possible to incidentally bring others into the Metaverse with you...

[She pauses, looks at her hands. She is most definitely not in her thief outfit.]

And... we're not considered a threat yet, I don't think. Do you think maybe that's it?

[shineinside]

[ Around the corner, and there's three crystal monsters waiting, with not enough space to easily move around or between them. Yuka skids to a stop, and one of them looks up as she does. ]

...I hope you were right when you said you were ready for a fight...

Caulifla | Dragonball Super

[anesaiyan]

[ All That Glitters - Exploration Side ]

[ Getting out? What? Who would want to do that? When you come across Caulifla, a skinny girl with spiky black hair, she's not looking for a way out at all. She's looking around for more monsters to smash.

There's a lot of shattered, broken crystal forms lying around this particular cavern, too. A sign of how long she's been at this. ]

Come on! There's gotta be more of them than that! I've barely worked up a sweat!

[ Her voice is loud, her tone is brash. She seems more punk than anything. But she seemed to have done a good enough job so far. Approach her? ]


[ All That Glitters - Fighting Side ]

[ They're everywhere! Whether it's because you've been fighting them off before or just because you happened to stumble across a hoard of them, the crystal monstrosities have taken to an "overwhelm with numbers" strategy, practically climbing over each other to try and swarm all over you. ]

OI, WHERE THE HELL DO YOU ALL THINK YOU'RE GOING!?

[ That's definitely not the sound these crystal guys make. Punctuated by a ball of light appearing in their midst and exploding rather violently, destroying some and scattering the rest.

A girl leaps in. Wild hair, wild expression. ] Hey! You all right?


[ It's High Tide ]

[ When the water started rising, Caulifla was content to find a nice hill. When it started rising above the hill, she climbed a tree. And now, here she is, stuck in the top of a tree, water already starting to rise up her pant leg. It won't be long until she has to start swimming.

Come to the rescue maybe? ]

[ungrieved]

[He can swim. Someone probably taught him. A mother. A father. A sibling who wouldn't mind humoring him. Someone probably made sure he could paddle and held him so he wouldn't drown and he got to live like that, happily, with a house that didn't burn down and a family that probably loved him.]

[Regardless of the accuracy of that train of thought, Gabe can't suppress the spike of vicious, incredible, indisputable envy - at this boy's life, at the life Gabe imagines he must have had, He knows how to swim. He got to learn.]

[He hisses in through his teeth before twisting his expression into a smirk. Rather incredibly, it straddles the line between friendly and deeply unpleasant.]

A beach counts as high ground now? That really is something.

[raygunner]

[ Why are these things happening to him?

He had just run into Kurusu, and now... her. Akechi's expression hardens when he sees her, or rather, the back of her head. Hard to miss that head of hair, or mistake it for anyone else's... and certainly, he's never seen anyone wield an axe so comfortably before. ]

Oh, I don't think we have to worry about that, Okumura-san.

[ His voice is so, so tight. ]

the tide is high and you're hoooooooooldin onnnnnnnn

[raygunner]

[ Wow, this just keeps getting better and better. Hilariously enough, it's Nijima now. She'd acted all high and mighty and hadn't spat in his face for messing with her sister, but who's to say it won't happen? Akechi's not counting on their forgiveness to hold, really. And if they have their Personas, too...

Well. It's a good thing she's freaking out, isn't it? ]

Would you like some assistance, Nijima-san?

[ Honey, vinegar, etc. ]

Atomic Robo | Atomic Robo

[mammal_robot]

-All That Glitters-

"Why are they glowing?"

Atomic Robo, the world famous, globe trotting, mad scientist, artificially intelligent creation of Nikola Tesla, has yet to notice the various crystal monsters skulking about in the dark corners of the cave. He was more focused on the inanimate crystals for the moment.

"The energy has to come from somewhere if it's like this all the time. Maybe it's refracted from the surface somehow? Or maybe a chemical reaction powered by geothermal energy...I gotta get a sample of this stuff. Anyone bring a rock hammer?"

-High Tide-

The well dressed robot can't swim. It's not that he doesn't know how, so much as that he weighs a quarter ton. He just sink right down to the bottom. Fortunately, he also doesn't have to breath, so this is more of an annoyance than anything.

You can actually see him, safe from your swimmy duck thing, underneath you walking across the submerged island surface. Communication will be difficult, unless you both can figure out a way to get him to the surface somehow.

-A Crappy Endeavour-

Robo was watching the giant beetles with interest. If they were small, he'd be staying far away, but somehow giant bugs were less frightening. Especially when they weren't trying to eat him.

"They're...reversing natural digestion somehow! This is pure clay! Semi-relatedly: I'm really glad I don't have a sense of smell right now."

[raygunner]

Oh, I'm aware. But they were too persistent to shake off. Slow, though, and very fragile.

[ Akechi flicks a bit of the dust off his shoulder, and the cut there smarts a little. It's shallow, but hurts like crazy. Akechi rolls his shoulder, hopefully subtly enough Kurusu can't see. ]

They're creatures made of crystal. They certainly aren't Shadows, at least.

Fighting Glitter

[justthehardway]

Are you kidding!?

[Vi didn't have superhuman strength, nor could she fly, but she DID have giant hextech gauntlets with rocket boosters on them. She was practically wading in shards of broken crystal as she smashed the creatures like glass with enormous rocket powered punches.]

I can do this as much as I like without having anyone say things like "police brutality"! I haven't had this much fun in ages!

A Crappy Endeavour

[shineinside]

"Speaking as someone with a sense of smell, it's somehow even worse than you'd think." Yuka was standing as far from the ripe miracle of nature as conversational etiquette would allow, attempting not to breathe.

"If it's reversing digestion, though, wouldn't it be making food instead of clay?"