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!

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[covertizer]

[ There.

As soon as the monster reels backwards, Akira shoots towards it, using the now-slope of it's body as a ramp to run up until he hits the head of the monster. Once he's there, he uses the head as a board to leap into the air from. There's a flash of burning blue fire and dark chains wrapping around his body and the figure that towers up behind him: tall and elegant, yet eerie and dark, wreathed in fire and wings and pointed slash of a smile.

Not unlike the one on Akira's face right now. ]

Arsene!

[ There's a swoop as the figure behind him bears down on the monsters around them, arm slashing out - it's a heavy blow, not enough to crack or really damage the monsters, but enough to push them back and open up the area more.

In the middle of all this, Akira lands on the ground in a cat like crouch, and gestures to Yuka with a sharp motion. ]

Move! While they're distracted!

[shineinside]

[ Whoa, he's got powers too. Never seen anything quite like that before.

His voice snaps her back into the reality of the moment, though, and she scrambles frantically to her feet. The opening Akira made doesn't last long, but it's enough, and they're off again, with the monsters in slow pursuit.

The sounds of giant footsteps gradually fade into the distance behind them. ]

[covertizer]

[ He waits until Yuka has run past him, and gives himself just enough time for a exaggerated two-finger salute at the slow-turning, slow moving monsters as they right themselves and start to turn to come after them.

And then he's gone, down the corridor before they have a hope in hell of so much as considering touching him. Running until he can no longer hear footsteps in the background, following after them. ]

[shineinside]

[ Eventually, there's no sign of anything living within earshot other than the two of them. Then, Yuka finally stops, leaning against a (non-crystalized) wall to catch her breath. ]

You're pretty good at this... you aren't hurt, are you?

[covertizer]

[ Akira hums lightly, brushing specs of dust off his trousers and stretching out his arms. ]

I've had a little practice with this sort of thing.

[ Ah. Such concern. ]

I'm fine. What about you? You were the one getting all up close and personal with the enemy there.

[shineinside]

If I had fought them for longer, I'd be in trouble, but that much was fine. I've fought scarier things than that before.

[ While they've got a moment to not be in survival mode, introductions. A small bow. ]

I'm... [ Wait shit which name to use. UHHH ] ...Yuka Ichijou. Thanks for the assist back there.

[covertizer]

Akira Kurusu.

[ ah. now they're friends.

or bash buddies, at the very least. ]

Thanks for taking that behemoth down in the first place. It was good teamwork.

[shineinside]

Thank you. In terms of raw strength, I'm the weakest member of my team, so it's a good thing there were two of us...

[ If only the other Reflectors were here to help. Wait, no, isn't it good that they don't have to go through this...? ]

...Have you seen anyone else dressed like me? There'd be two other girls about my age.

[covertizer]

Raw strength doesn't mean everything. Smashing your way to victory just gets you a broken hand.

[ so says the wise ?old man of the crystal caves. ]

I prefer teamwork anyway.

[ ... ... ... ... ... ... ]

Nope. Other than lots of crystals and a detective that needs a haircut, you're the first new face I've seen.

[shineinside]

[ She folds her arms and nods slightly. So, she really is alone here. Well, Akira's here, but he's also a stranger. ]

...It was a long shot, but I guess that's not too surprising. In the meantime, I guess there's nothing for it but to combine our strength and escape...

[covertizer]

[ Hey, they've exchanged names now. They're at the very least acquaintances. ]

Right. I've got no interest in staying here longer than I have to. Shall we?

[ if you don't think he's making a swooping-bow and hand wave to her, then I don't know what to tell you. ]