expiationmeme | TEST DRIVE MEME #3

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TEST DRIVE MEME #3

TEST DRIVE MEME #3

Welcome to the TDM for Expiation, a pan-fandom adventure game with fantasy, science fiction, and some horror elements. We ask that top-level comments are reserved for new characters and players looking to experience a taste of the world and overarching storyline. Characters already in the game, however, are free to use TDM prompts in their own catch-alls and logs. Feel free to submit any TDM / prompt-related questions to the corresponding comment below.

New players / characters looking to app are free to use TDM threads as samples in their application. Preexisting players / characters may use TDM threads as part of their AC proofs (with the stated limitations).

You may find the below links helpful in getting to know themes of the world, locations, the people, and so on.

info | world

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN...

BRAVE NEW WORLD (ARRIVALS)

After receiving the paper with your sentence, the whole world quickly becomes dark and you find yourself falling through what seems to be an infinite void. You lose track of time after a while, but as soon as your focus seems to waver, your vision clears and you find yourself resting rather unceremoniously in a pile of seeds used for chicken feed.

Once you make your way out of the grain silo (and we of the moderator team wish you good luck in finding a fun way out of it), you may find that several other people have been dropped into the world just like you have. Some are disoriented, others are panicked, and others yet are simply angry about being brought somewhere against their will. Amidst the chaos of new arrivals to the world of Expiation, the newcomers will find that there are some people in the crowd who seem a little more familiar with what’s going on.

These people will tell you that you find yourself in a strange new world, and that it’s best to make your way to a nearby town called Aldrip to get settled down there. It’s a few hours by foot away from this area, but it’s the only place in the nearby area that can accommodate newcomers like you.

WE LIKE TO PARTY (WE LIKE, WE LIKE TO PARTY)

Recently, many Chosen have emerged victorious from a hard-fought battle, taking out a gargantuan creature that threatened to suck the energy from the whole area surrounding Aldrip if it had not been stopped. Such efforts do not go unrecognised, and in the aftermath, the locals all decided to band together to celebrate their saviours’ heroics. Nothing less than a village-wide party and parade would be fitting for such an occasion.

This is an undertaking that will likely take a significant amount of effort. While the locals wanted to make this into a surprise, many of them lack skills to put the thing together properly. Chosen who want to get involved in the preparation process can put their organisation and culinary skills to the test to create fixtures and food for the event. Better yet, your efforts over the past months have improved supply routes into Aldrip, meaning that the food shortage has passed, and you’ll have just about anything your heart desires for the occasion.

Alternatively, you can choose to enjoy the spoils of your efforts! Once the day of the party arrives, Aldrip will erupt into a full-scale celebration, and all Chosen are encouraged to party as hard as possible. Good food, good drinks and good times will be in no short supply for the occasion. Additionally, those who took to the front lines in the previous event will be revered as heroes and likely spoiled rotten.

THIS IS HOW YOU GET ANTS

PLEASE PARTY RESPONSIBLY

It’s no understatement to say that some of the Chosen like to party hard- and that’s quite alright! A few days ago, the people of Aldrip had already set aside a few rooms in the inn to act as an infirmary for those who had been injured during the battle with the Branded. It took little effort for them to expand this project into a full medical wing for those who would undoubtedly be acting irresponsibly during the festivities.

It’s up to you to decide what circumstances brought you here. Perhaps you were injured in the previous battle, and have been stuck in bed as you recover from your wounds. Maybe you had just a little too much to drink, and you decided to come by while you collect yourself. Regardless of what your reason for being there may be, the people of Aldrip have guaranteed that you will receive the best of care.

With that said, the place is terminally understaffed. Aldrip’s locals will certainly appreciate any assistance they can get- even if your character might not have the best training or bedside manner. Medicine can’t be that hard- what’s the worst that can happen?

MR. MAGNIFI'S MAGNIFICENT MIXTURES

Once word of the upcoming celebration spread, several individuals from outside town came in to offer their services or goods in Aldrip. One such individual came into town riding on a rickety cart with the words “Miraculous Magnifi’s Medicine! Guaranteed to heal what ails ye!” emblazoned in gold on its side. The thing smells a bit off, with a strong chemical scent coming from the back, but the moustachioed man who emerges from the back assures you that all of his “mixes are made with meticulous ministrations!”

Those who buy and consume the potion might find themselves feeling strange over the next few days as symptoms emerge. Some people wake up to find that their hair has taken on a rainbow of colours during the night, that rats cuddle up to them for no reason, or that their irises have been replaced with strange spiral shapes. Feel free to come up with inventive but harmless side effects for the miracle elixir- it’s meant for some good fun.

They’re strange symptoms for sure, and certainly not the advertised cure-all. However, Magnifi is already gone by the next dawn, meaning that no one can get a refund. Thankfully, the symptoms will go away after a few days, but the chaos that ensues in the meanwhile will certainly make for some fun stories.

IT'S NOT OVER

♪♫ LET IT GROW ♫♪ ► (FUTURE EVENT TIE-IN)

The party celebrating the dread beast’s defeat can be heard from miles outside of Aldrip, but the situation is not quite yet resolved. Much of the once-lush forest outside of Aldrip had its life force absorbed from it, leaving little more than profaned ground and an overwhelming scent of rot. Worse yet, there are reports that some of the beast’s severed golden tendrils have taken on a life of their own, creating snake-monsters that threaten the local wildlife.

However, the monsters are not the only new arrivals in Pessiria Forest. Those who go to investigate the area will find that fairy-like creatures have gathered in the profaned land and are trying their best to help bring the area back to its former glory. At first, they seem to keep their distance or ignore you entirely, but after determining that you mean well, they inform you that they can temporarily bless the Chosen with the power to make full-sized plants burst forth from the seeds they plant into the ground.

It’s still going to be hard work. Even with the power to bring plants to life, planting seeds in the miles of dead forest will likely take a very long time. Still, these strange fairies could use the help, and tough jobs can be better if you bring a little help from your own friends. (Or enemies. No one’s going to judge you for who you bring.)

WHAT'S THAT MYSTERIOUS LAUGHING SOUND?

The process of regrowing the devastated part of Pessiria forest is well underway, but the process does not go entirely smoothly. Partway through the process, locals start to report that they can hear a strange girl laughing in the forest in the middle of the night, but no one seems able to track down its source. Curious Chosen can patrol around the forest at night to try and figure out the mystery.

Those who are particularly sharp-eyed might see a faint spectre of a little girl wearing a straw hat dancing about, but she never seems to stay in sight for more than a few seconds. One blink is all it takes for her to vanish.

You probably won’t be able to catch this strange spectre, but it’s become something of a game among the villagers to go looking for her anyways. Some say that seeing her is a sign of good luck, and wave to her before she disappears. Others say that if you see her while holding hands, it will bless you with a lifetime of good love. Almost all of these assertions are probably nonsense- but what will you do about it?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Brave New World.
[ Have you ever heard the sound of high heels hurriedly hoofing it across the dirt?

Would you like to?

Unsurprisingly a few groups of go-getter chickens have caught wind of people spilling food out here left and right. While some are satisfied pecking at what's already fallen to the ground, others have noticed that the food smell is much more concentrated on the people, and have taken to following these people around for a better chance at snacking. Sometimes more than a little aggressively.

One such person is a man soaked to the bone and definitely not dressed to be walking around on farmland, much less speedwalking away from hungry chickens. He at least seems to know what they're after, fishing out clumps of feed wherever it's landed in his clothes and tossing them at the beasts, but each time he does it only adds fuel to the fire. He's a food dispensary at this point, and is finding it very difficult to both get away and try not to step on the chickens furiously pecking at his feet. ]

Hey! Stop--stop it! I said get out of here!

[ He. May not be watching where he's going in his mad dash to escape, either. Oops. ]

We Like To Party.
[ What's a party without party games? Slightly less fun, some Aldrip natives would say, including the ones Sigma stumbled upon a few days beforehand. He mentioned a game they were workshopping reminded him of one back home, and so he was roped into helping with its construction and, eventually, being one of the people manning its booth at the party proper.

Care to test your luck? You could win any of the toys, food, books, what have you sitting behind your cheerily smiling host! ]

Please Party Responsibly.
[ Sigma doesn't have much medical knowledge aside from basic first aid, but what he does have is the drive to step up when something needs doing. The locals had been kind enough to help him out since his less than graceful arrival, so dealing with some scrapes and drunks for a night feels like the least he can do to start paying them back.

At the moment he's been sent to fetch medicines with names he doesn't recognize, so he's carefully examining bottles when he catches movement from one of the beds out of the corner of his eye. ]

Down.

[ Doesn't even look away from what he's doing to point to the mattress you may be trying to escape from. ]

You're here for a reason, so let's keep this as painless as possible for everyone, shall we?

Wildcard.
[ have any other ideas? go for it! my inbox is open and i don't bite. ]

🍡 i. Arrival

[Well this was certainly not the way Ochako wanted to be woken up after a very exhausting and trying few weeks. It's a marvel she did wake up, she was out after her bath and cleanup, having quite literally collapsed into bed to let herself drool over her pillow and let blissful rest rejuvenate her weary bones. Life back home has been...not great, to say the least, but one small (major, to her and the rest of her friends and classmates) victory was being reunited with their missing classmate. Getting Deku back to UA was, at the time, the most important thing to all of them.

Though, right now, her green-haired friend is only on the back of her mind. Ochako's not go a damn clue where she woke up, but it smells...dusty? And like she's out in the countryside. Sifting a hand through the mess, she assumes the kernels are either rice or some other kind of grain, and sits up on slightly unsteady legs as her feet sink into the uneven ground under her. What in the world is going on - where is this?! What about her other friends...her classmates? Hell, the civilians...her family is a part of those refugees kept safe at the school!! Voices around her spur her instincts to kick into overdrive, and Ochako's floating herself immediately, calling out in the dim light of the silo.]

Everyone!! Please listen to my voice! If you're stuck, call out and I'll help free you and get us all out of here with my quirk!! Anyone that's not injured, I ask that you help others to the best of your ability, but don't put yourself at risk!!! I can easily float everyone out, so please just stay calm...

[Easier said than done for some, but Ochako makes goo on her word nonetheless - anyone who needs help getting out of the seeds will be pulled free...quite easily once she's got her hands on them, and one by one people will be floated up and out of the silo with her Zero Gravity quirk. Time consuming, given the number of newcomers, but it's effortless and safe for a young Rescue Hero like herself. The only problem, to Ochako specifically, is that she didn't find any of her friends or family members in there...and it's deeply unsettling. Is this an attack? Did a Villain warp them somewhere? Separate them all?

Thankfully, she's given some information by a closeby villager - an older man that looks like a farmer of some sort, though the information he tells the young teen is, uh...startling, to say the least. She pinches and pulls her cheeks to make sure she's not dreaming, and the pain should have been enough to snap her out of it, but...nope. This may all be real after all. Best to go along with it and see what happens. It's not like she can't walk a little bit to clear her head. The, uh...piece of parchment she found in her pocket (thank goodness she appeared in her school uniform and backpack, and not her pajamas - that'd be embarrassing) was extremely concerning, considering what was written on it, so best to get the blood pumping and those good, good endorphins working so she doesn't...freak out more than she wants to. Haha!]

🍡 ii. Soup's On

[Arriving to the city during some kind of festival isn't the worst thing in the world. The lively and positive atmosphere is certainly doing good for Ochako's stress levels, and being offered free food, a place to take a bath and change (the walk wasn't hard, but it was long and she's still covered in the dust of the chicken feed from earlier) is even better. She really didn't expect this level of accommodation, and eventually her Good Girl personality kicks in and Ochako is ready and more than willing to help where she's needed. She can effortlessly lift heavy loads with one hand over her head, float up to pins long banners and flags, and she's actually a decent cook, too!!

In fact, once she's finished with helping the "construction", she can be found stirring a large pot of what's probably a hearty stew, tossing in cubed potatoes, some herbs. and a pinch of salt and pepper. A rag has been rolled up and tied like a headband to keep her hair out of her face, secured in a ponytail with a long ribbon. She looks totally in her element, enjoying just being helpful and making something that...may not be a five star meal, but it'll be damn good anyway, and have that warm, homey, comfort food feel to it.]

Oooi!! Can someone get me some more bowls?! I'm ready to plate!! If you're hungry come and get it while it's piping hot!! But also please don't burn yourself...

🍡 iii. Seeds of Change

[In all honesty, the amount of work to be done is somewhat relieving for Ochako. It makes integrating with this place easier, because she's naturally once to help, being the Hero trainee that she is. It may not be saving people in the sense of what she was taught, but helping plant seeds in a ravaged forest is indeed saving something, and it's helping in a long-term sort of way. Protecting and preserving life that isn't just the people walking around is just as important - besides, anything important to these cute little fairy folk is important to her.

It's long indeed, and messy, but Ochako is out in the forest working hard despite that. She's going to need a hell of a bath after - the dirt, for one, but...she's also getting pretty sweaty in the summer heat. This is labor intensive, and while the young brunette is quite fit, she is still only a teenager. Pausing in her efforts for just a few minutes to catch her breath, wipe her brow, and take a few large gulps of water from a bottle she brought along, Ochako turns her head when she hears laughter just a slight distance away.]

Eh? Um...hello? Is someone there? [She peers around, half expecting a fairy or some other creature, but sees a child off in the distance, holding tight to her little sunhat and giggling happily. Ochako blinks, takes a step forward, a smile gracing her features - she loves little kids!] Ne, ne...where did you come from? Did you want to help plant seeds, too? There's plenty here, so--

[Looking away at her basket for just a moment, the girl is gone and the forest is eerily silent. Ochako blinks, looks around, and feels a full body shiver shake her from head to toe. Oh god, oh man, oh please sweet heavens have mercy she can't--...there's no way, even if it's a "friendly" one, Ochako has her fucking limits. She is not equipped to deal with fucking ghosts, thank you very much no thank you. Noonononononoo...]

...That's enough for today!

[AND SHE GRABS HER SEED BASKET AND POWERWALKS THE FUCK OUTTA THERE. GOODBYE FOREVER, YOU FAIRIES ARE ON YOUR OWN. FUCK THIS HAUNTED FOREST BULLSHIT, SHE'S OUTIE.]

Edited (fuck you, html, i win ) 2023-05-29 18:22 (UTC)

[ Well, well, well ...This is an interesting development that's for sure. That two-tone is unmistakable even at a distance. This here, this very moment, it's the greatest opportunity Gogol will have to catch Sigma unawares and he's not going to let him pass him by. ]

Oh? Is this what you could call fowl play?

[ Gogol announces as he steps through to the other side of The Overcoat to stand a few paces away from the commotion. He's laughing and not exactly helping but what's new there? ]

Gog--!? [ The latter half of that gets mixed with a yelp from him and indignant squawk from an underfoot chicken, tangling up his feet and the birds and speeding us right into the most logical conclusion: Sigma falling on his ass. Much celebratory clucking, and nosy beaks snooping around in his tailcoat as quickly as they can. ]

What--ow--what are you doing...?

I. Arrival

['I can feel everyone's power, coursing through my body. Now I can rescue them from inside this place.' She was reaching for them. She was almost there.

Almost...

Almost...

Please... almost...

She was going to envelop Chaos within herself. She was going to separate Chaos from the Cauldron, to allow the creation of life and darkness to go back to its proper form.

But then, at the last second, at the last breath of a blink...

She... was pushed back. She was warm.

Had she died? White light surrounded her, endless and beautiful and warm, a sweet, familiar scent filling the air.

But then... then it was gone.

Where... where was she? What was this place? Has Chaos... Has Chaos and the Cauldron and everyone else disappeared?

She was in a soft, light blue gown, she looked at her hands and saw her brooch beside her. Usagi reached out and grabbed it, holding it close to her chest. She saw a parchment and read it, her eyes widening as she read her "sentencing." Had... had she failed?

She didn't have time to focus on it because the warmth and scent and light all immediately disappeared and she's falling. No! No no no!

When she comes to again, she's atop a whole bunch of... seeds? She sits up, several grains and seeds in her hair. Usagi clutched her brooch close to her chest as she let out a breath. Where was she now? Seeds? The dusty, earthy smell that accompanied seed and grain filled the air and after getting out, she was barefoot and in a soft gown.

Usagi looked all around her now that she was out of the silo and made her way to the group of people she saw. Should she transform? At the very least, she would then have shoes. She shook her head, seeds and grain coming out of her hair and tumbling to the ground with each step.]

Excuse me... I'm... could you... could you please tell me where I am? How did I end up in there? [She looked back to the silo, more seeds falling out of her hair.]

II. We Like to Party

[Having gotten housing and some new clothing (especially shoes) taken care of, Usagi figured she would look around the town. Which was how she somehow got roped into helping set up for the big celebration that was going to happen.

Usagi wasn't exactly in a setting-up-for-a-party kind of mood, but it was in her nature to help. She was helping put up a colorful banner when a wind kicked up.

And Usagi was a massive klutz even when she was on her own two feet, never mind on a ladder trying to put up decorations.

The ladder wobbled and Usagi lost her balance.]

UWWAAAAAAAAAAAAH! [And down went the rabbit, she clenched her eyes shut, prepared to hit the hard ground... only... she opened one eye and then another when she realized... she had either just landed someone or had been caught.]

III. Let it Grow

[Usagi loved plants, maybe not to the degree that Makoto did, but she didn't steal down to Earth as Serenity just for Endymion. She had also wanted to be amongst real nature. So it was only right to help replant the flowers, trees, and shrubs. She knew she could very well restore everything with her own magic but well, maybe it wouldn't work? Better to go about it with their ability.

She planted a seed and then used the magic that the fairies gave her and held her hands out.]

Okay how do I do this? Do I like say 'grow!' or something? [Her tongue was sticking out of her mouth as she was deep in thought trying to figure out how to use the blessing the fairies gave her. Only, nothing seemed to be working.] Aww come on... please grow? Is there a magic word to this thing?

[She wiggled her fingers.] Hocuus pocus? Abracadabra?... POOF? [She sighed and looked around.] Hey, do you know how to get this thing to grow? Is there something I need to say or do oooor? [She trailed off, gesturing to the planted seed.]

IV. Wildcard
[If you have an idea for a prompt, please don't hesitate!]

[Usagi was, well, not starving, there was so much food to be had that there was no way for her to be starving.

But ooooh boy did that soup smell soooooo good. She immediately came over to Ochako, bowl ready.]

OH MY GOSH! Did you make this? This smells amazing! [Usagi took a little bite and then smiled even wider.]

AND IT TASTE EVEN BETTER! You're incredible!

magnifent mixtures
[among the crowd one figure stands apart, crimson cape swirling about him like a living thing in the sparse breeze, watchful eyes narrowed on the garish promise scrawled on the cart. suspicious. a man claiming to be a healer and selling odd-smelling panacea for a song. such benevolence is so rare as to be unbelievable, and vincent finds himself wondering just what, exactly, this mr. magnifi's endgame is. money? fame? or something more sinister?

in the back of his mind he can hear yuffie chiding him so paranoid!. he turns to fade into the shadows of the trees. time will tell

and it does. in the morning he learns he was right to wonder. the news is unwelcome, a dry and ashen victory. once more he finds himself on the edge of a small knot of people, only this time instead of happily purchasing a promised cure-all, they're milling about in search of a cart that, he guesses, has long since left. reluctantly, vincent approaches another who stands apart from the rest. an outsider, like him]

Did you speak to him last night? [he asks, inclining his head toward the conspiciously missing cart]

let it grow
[cerberus roars and bucks in his hand. one shot, two, and a pair of golden serpents tumble from the trees. they writhe mindlessly in the dirt, softball sized chunks blown through them with pinpoint accuracy. vincent watches their death throes dispassionately. somewhere, deep in the recesses of what remains of his battered soul, he feels a kind of envy toward them. gradually they still, and when their twitching finally ceases he moves on, deeper into the greenery

something snaps behind him, a dry twig, the dried out bones of prey animals, it doesn't matter. a clumsy footfall that has him whirling, already sighting down the triple barrels of his gun]

Don't move.

laughter in the trees
[the villagers think she's a blessing. perhaps she is. perhaps not. vincent being vincent, he takes to patrolling the forest at night, sharp eyes hunting for a glimmer, ears straining to catch the whisper of a giggle on the wind. if the villagers won't protect themselves, he'll do it for them. what else is he meant to do in this strange world with it's strange rules, with the weight of his sins distilled down into a single sentence heavy in his pocket alongside a flip phone that will never ring again

he almost misses it, the ringing. misses the voices nestled in his voicemail more even though he'd never once returned their calls

he settles in a tree far from the homes of slumbering locals, cerberus held loosely in a hand draped over his knee, sparse moonlight glinting off his gauntlet and sabotons. not very stealthy, but he isn't trying for stealth. he's simply waiting, listening

and when that silence is interrupted, either by a passerby or the rumored girl herself, he drops from his perch like a ghost behind them]

You shouldn't be out this late. Go home, it isn't safe in these woods at night.

[ What a pleasing sequence of events that was. It gives Gogol the time to saunter over to stand in front of the fallen Sigma with a wide grin. He crosses his legs at the ankles and leans on his walking stick. Come to think of it he had that the last time when Sigma had had a fall too.

Quick to change his mind he uses it to poke harmlessly at a chicken that's snooping in felled man's coat. The chicken doesn't seem to think it's very harmless, though. It squawks and scurries indignantly. ]

Kind of you to ask! But isn't it obvious? The answer, I mean. I'm here to watch you make friends with the locals.

[Izuku's feelings with the celebration are mixed, following the aftermath of what just happened to everyone. So he's mostly just drifting through the preparations; helping out where he can, of course, but not quite as into the spirit of things as he wants to be. Which might be why he almost doesn't recognize the latest voice requesting a hand with something.

Almost.

That odd tingle of familiarity is just strong enough to make him prioritize those bowls above everything else, and it's a good thing he's already got that sensation serving as a bit of warning or he might have dropped them from the shock of realizing who he was recognizing the voice of. (It's been a few months and he's gone through a lot, please forgive him.)]

Uraraka?! Wh-when did you get here?

_{[ For the first time in what feels like years Roche had started to feel overwhelmed in the inn after the fiasco with the big nasty vine beast. He was an extrovert if there ever was one but there was a limit to what he and his already-sensitive, uh, senses could bear after being beaten up by an oversized plant monster and hearing a party erupt on the floor below while trying to recover.

Especially when said party seemed to persist for days.

He'd sucked it up for the first one and a half, then took to a nearby farm to try and get away from it there. Surely horses would've been better company, but... No. He could still hear it even surrounded by animals which really only left one halfway decent option. Was it a good plan considering what had just happened within and the rumors of a strange, phantom child? Probably not, but it had to have been better than the constant hootin'-n-hollerin'.

It actually was too, at least for awhile. He'd left his borrowed horse hitched to a tree just outside the outskirts while he took his little stroll through the decayed wood with the moon high in the sky, and everything was finally starting to get back to normal in his head. No excessive noise, no overbearing scent of weak booze... Just Roche on his lonesome and the inky black sky full of stars that he'd never see in Midgar. He never thought he'd imagine enjoying the peace and quiet until now, but you know what? It's... pretty nice. He's content and relaxed.

Until something shifts in the air behind him and a voice yanks him from his thoughts. Pivoting on his heel Roche reaches for the sword on his back, eyes damn near glowing under the low light of the moon thanks to the mako in his veins. He hadn't even heard— It's just another person. Okay. Good. Slowly the hand poised to wrap around the hilt lowers, and with it Roche's posture relaxes. ]}

I'd say sneaking up on an armed man isn't the safest thing to do in the woods either, stranger.

_{[ Where the hells did he come from? ]}

[It's a marvel that Ochako doesn't drops anything, though considering her quirk, it's not an issue of anything falling down when she's surprised as it is, uhh...going up. And what's more startling than seeing the one person she's perhaps closest to in their class - at least in terms of the male variety; Tsuyu will always be Ochako's closest and best female friend. Ochako last saw Deku when he was being let into the confines of the fortified UA after her speech. He was still tired, dirty, emotional...none of what he looks like now. He looks...healthy. Rested. Clean. Safe.]

Eh--ah...D-Deku-kun?! You're here, too?!

[That poor ladle gets tossed aside and does a sloppy spin in the air as Ochako hurriedly makes her way to her friend, not hesitating for a moment before her arms are securing him in their grip, tight and warm and familiar. Ah...she was so afraid she wouldn't see any of her friends. Her voice chokes in her throat a little.]

I'm so glad to see you!! I just showed up maybe a few hours ago, in this big, um...I think it was a silo for bird feed. Other people got stuck in there, too, but I helped them all get out my quirk. Then I talked to a farmer, I think he was a farmer, then he explained everything which still sounds crazy, and then told me where to go so walked out here and--...a-and...!

[Oops, her lower lip is trembling a little, eyes misting up bad. Guess the build up of stress got the better of her upon seeing an old friend.]

[ After all the bullshit back in town (and, frankly, the bullshit back home he'd just gotten through dealing with, too), Reno's pretty much had it up to here with monsters, and with doing shit for other people. He isn't out in the woods hunting snakes for altruistic purposes, that's for damn sure. In fact, he isn't hunting the snakes at all. If they cross his path, sure, they gets the zaps put to 'em, but otherwise, leave the "kill x monsters, receive prize" fetch quests for the protagonists. What Reno's after are these so-called wish-granting fairies. Ordinarily he'd chalk the rumor of them up as utter horseshit, but by now he's come to find that most of what people say is out there actually happens to be true, and for another, he was able to find more than one credible enough witness who encountered one themselves, which is good enough for him.

Maybe the fairies can sense his ulterior motives (catch one and bring it back; or, if he can't do that, then get it to piss its fairy dust on him so he can make some decent fucking cash growing weed or something), though, because he hasn't found any yet.

When the gunshots ring out, Reno ignores them and presses on. There shouldn't be anyone this far in, so he isn't concerned about stealth as he crunches his way through the underbrush. This is incredibly stupid. What the fuck is he doing out here, hunting fairies. Why is it always some bull— ]

—shit.

[ That crack isn't a twig, but his ankle—not broken, but god damn does it twist funny as he catches his shoe against a root. He could just wark it off, but as he catches himself against the trunk of the offending tree he finds himself a hearty few feet off from quite a few barrels, all of them pointed his way and glinting like a strobing warning sign in the dappled forest light. Absolutely fan-tastic. Standing partly on one foot, he raises both arms in the universal gesture of don't shoot. ]

Whoa, hey. Easy. Just a guy, not a snake.

You're in a land of those who've been sentenced to crimes. Who would have thought such a bright light would end up here too?

[The voice comes from behind Usagi, though it's hard to say how long she's been standing there. Galaxia knew of Sailor Moon's arrival almost instantly, though it's hard to believe it actually true.

Until she saw it with her own eyes of course. That leads to more suspicions. Sailor Moon has a pure light, so why is she here among those carrying shadows.

Galaxia takes a few steps forward, but it isn't nearly as threatening as their encounters were before.]

Did you succeed? The cauldron is it...?

[Free from Chaos or did she ultimately do as that little girl wanted and wiped everything out. She's not sure why she's asking, here it doesn't really matter, but maybe she's hoping for some sort of closure.]

[where roche relaxes vincent tenses, muscle already wound tight coiling further. the glimmer of mako in this stranger's eyes isn't lost on him, his own, an unnatural amber-red, narrowing almost imperceptibly. SOLDIER. a member of shinra's elite infantry is the last person he expects to see here, in these woods, on this planet, of all places

he lets cerberus dangle at his side, finger pressing tight along its trigger. no move of a threat, not yet, but cautious. no need to pick a fight with both of them so, so far from the upheaval in the wake of midgar's ruin. vincent tilts his head, assessing him with a calculating drag of his eyes from feet to crown

wild hair. cocksure set to his jaw. just who were they letting into SOLDIER these days?]

You're with Shinra, [he says, slowly, not bothering to point out that he isn't exactly unarmed himself. it isn't like he's trying to hide it] SOLDIER. Are there more?

i. IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN... — ❝ are you alive or just breathing?❞

A. inside the grain silo.
cw: voices + brief hallucination

( jinx jolts awake and does her best to steady her breathing when she does. her mind instantly drives in a frantic mode, with a mixture of her own thoughts and the voices of dead that lives inside her head. the teen can't really make out what anyone is saying -- not when they're blending into a gargling mess like this. but then, she desperately pats herself before taking a hastily glance at her surroundings. if there are other people in this grain silo, jinx isn't paying no mind to them, because they're not of any interest or importance to her right now. but it does seem she is panickily searching for something.

huffing out a frustrating groan, her pinks dart down at the chicken seeds she's sitting on -- now rolling over to be on her hands and knees. the twin braided girl launches her hands to comb through the pile, seeds soaring from every direction and possibly hitting another person or hitting this enormous tin can. )

( abruptly, jinx winces as she cocks her head to the side, eyes squeezing at the screeching buzz that's tickling inside her ear. her palms slam flat against the chicken seeds with her head jerking up to pierce a glare at... nothing (at least to your character, there's nothing there). )

Shaddup! — I didn't lose it...! ... It's here. It has to be here. I know it is. And you're not helpin' me, so shaddup!!

B. outside.
cw: light spoilers of arcane

( whether she had help or she got out on her own, jinx manages to make it on the outside. she is still picking chicken seeds out of her hair, and is gradually growing more frustrated the more she finds another in her locks. but whenever she's done plucking at her strands, jinx finally takes notice of her surroundings and her chest tightens. this... this place isn't at all zaun or piltover. there are no tall buildings she recognizes and the grass is way too green for her eyes. and the most important part? there's sun and fresh air shining on her pale skin and filling her lungs.

without realizing, her fingers cling to her left braid for comfort -- digits fiddling with a few strands. sure, jinx ran off after she shot the missile to the tower, but... she had never ventured out beyond the two cities. it's a little exciting, but she wasn't exactly prepared mentally for this.

a reminder tickles at the side of her temple and she reaches around in her back pocket for the rolled up paper. that's right, she had this before she fell. the teen unwinds the stationery to give it a proper read. it seems to be a list of all of the crimes she had committed back home and well, all sounds about right. but instead of looking appalled or confused, the girl simply tosses the paper over her shoulder and begins to venture on ahead, pushing through the crowd of people. she needs to find higher ground to get a better grasp of this place and whoever is here. because someone here has the crystal and her gear, she just needs find them and then make them regret stealing from her. )

ii. WE LIKE TO PARTY. — ❝ let me drunk dance on table tops.❞

A. preparation?

( jinx isn't sure what's going on besides the fact the city is setting up for a party of some kind. over what? who knows and who cares? but she observes the people from afar very intensely, as if anyone amongst the crowd seem familiar or have something that belongs to her. the gemstone may be hard to spot -- it's obvious it'll be in a bag or inside of a pocket. so the only way to really search is to pickpocket once the celebration starts.

a local innocently approaches her and asks if she would like to give a helping hand with setting up the upcoming festivity. the smile twists mischievous and cruel as she pushes herself off her leaning post. it seems like jinx is going along with this local on assisting, telling them to lead the way as she tags behind. and what this local is unaware of is the teen's wandering hand fishing in her own pocket. jinx gives the two of them just enough distance to let a marble-like explosive roll to the local's direction. someone is about to get a fright of their life. )

B. the germlin is eating.

( she can't remember when was the last time she'd seen this much food in one area. and the teen wastes no time shoving and dashing through people to grab whatever she can, then zipping off to somewhere exclusive to chow down. and jinx isn't seen to be using any sort of utensils for her meal, no matter what it is -- the girl is ripping everything apart with her bare hands and sucking off any juices leftover on her fingertips. and if her mouth is a mess, she uses her forearm to clean.

occasionally, her pink eyes dart up at anyone to decides to get close or look her way. the pupils gleam vibrantly if she meets anyone's gaze then quickly back to her meal in her hands. hopefully staying aloof and frightening will get anyone to back away from taking her food. )

C. the germlin is pickpocketing.

a.you're getting pickpocketed. ( maybe your character is drinking and partying it up or maybe your character is on their way to chat with someone new or old. whatever they're doing, jinx is not too far behind them. her gaze is lock hard on your character's figure then down to their clothing -- searching for any pouches or bags. when jinx feels the time is right, she silently makes her way over with a hand brushing swiftly along your character. will she find something interesting? will your character notice? )

b.you're stopping the pickpocket. ( so what is this short blue haired girl doing exactly? why is she creeping so closely against others and the locals? well, the answer becomes very clear as her hand seems to be doing a quick brush in someone's clothing. and whatever she snatched out of their pockets doesn't seem to be something she is looking. how disappointing. ah, well, on to the next victim. )

iii. WILDCARD.

(idk man. im tired. pick whatever you like to do with me here! PM me for questions. )

[the triple barrels trained on reno don't waver, but the eyes sighting down them widen with recognition, if only slightly. there's no mistaking the garish red-dyed hair or whip-thin frame of one of his friends' most uneasy allies. his arms up, a gesture of submission, putting his lack of obvious weapons on easy display, but vincent knows better. he knows what kind of training a turk goes through and how lightning quick this one in particular can be

a beat, then two as he considers, watching him closely. it's the way he gingerly places weight on his injured foot that finally convinces vincent to put the safety on his weapon and slide it back into its holster at his thigh]

Some would say there isn't a difference. [he says it like it's a simple fact, completely devoid of the barb of a veiled insult. another moment of consideration, and he adds equally as matter-of-factly,] ...You're hurt.

[ As the gun comes down, so do Reno's surrendering arms. Which is great, because he needs the support on that tree trunk to set his foot down properly, just in case it's not as stable as he really hopes it is. The twinge that lances up his ankle as he rests his weight on it is perfectly ignorable (unadvisable, but he's got a hi-potion back home, whatever), but that doesn't mean it isn't inconvenient as fuck.

What's a little more pressing than that, though, is who that gun belongs to. Vincent's eyes widen and Reno's narrow, calculating the face in front of him before it registers. When it does, and he gets that sassy quip for his trouble, he laughs, just a little bit hollow. ]

I'll be fine. You musta just got here; no way I would've missed you before, even if you were hiding out. The rumor mill around here churns real fast.

[ Now that he's (mostly) not in danger of being shot anymore, how about a step? ...Correction, how about a clumsy limp in Vincent's general direction? No biggie. ]

Seen Cloud yet?

_{[ Maybe he ought to feel anxious under a stare like that — red eyes and all — but instead there's a small worm of curiosity wiggling to the surface. While he sees himself being looked over like a piece of meat, Roche in turn takes the opportunity to size up Mr. Tall-Dour-And-Strangely-Handsome while he can. The cloak? Very nice. The jury was still out on all the gold though.

Once he's had his fill Roche shrugs a shoulder and settles one hand at the hip, his brow arching with a tilt of his head. How many does this make that recognize him for what he is now? Stormcloud, Red... Three? Yeah. It doesn't surprise him given all of the Shinra propaganda, really. ]}

Excluding yourself I'm technically not out with anyone at the moment. Unless you count the horse a quarter-mile to the west.

_{[ His chin tilts up towards the gun, brow arching. ]}

Am I going to wind up getting acquainted with that little doll in your hand if I'm honest?

[mention of the locals' love of gossip earns reno a flat hum of acknowledgement. he'd noticed. already he's caught a whisper here and there about his arrival. the usual speculation; does the strange pale man in red drink blood, is he a spirit, does he lure unsuspecting victims to their demise under the cloak of darkness. nothing special. entirely ridiculous

saying cloud's name, though, that stirs him. vincent turns an intense stare on him, searching reno's face for any sign he's winding him up, telling a lie for the hell of it. vincent tenses as he draws closer, discomfort at the proximity writ large in the set of his shoulders. he neither moves away nor moves to help, simply watching]

No. [he doesn't debase himself by asking if he's really here. cloud either is, or he isn't. it doesn't change much either way] I've been occupied.

[a barely-there lift of a dark eyebrow meets the mention of a horse. vincent clearly does not count it as another potential threat. if anything, it's one more thing to consider in the possibility of a fight; he's grateful that he gave vague directions to aid in finding the beast. were he to come out on top in such an exchange of violence, he wouldn't want to leave the poor thing tethered to a tree to suffer

his thoughts are drawn back to the here and now, his eyes following the jut of roche's chin to the hand cannon gleaming at his side. frowning faintly behind the shield of his cowl, vincent considers]

Depends, [he says, attention once again latched firmly on the SOLDIER before him] on what you have to say.

Heavens you are scary, aren't you?

_{[ It's mostly said to himself but he makes no real effort to conceal it. Rather he shifts his weight and folds his arms across his chest, fingers drumming a pointless rhythm against his bicep. This man was enough to rouse plenty of suspicion were either of them back home in Midgar, but at the same time he can't help but think of that strangely-dressed girl he'd encountered down in the slums too.

Strange dress, almost hostile... Could they be friends? Nah. Just because a couple people dress the same doesn't mean anything by it — the bulk of SOLDIER and Roche himself being a prime example of such. ]}

...Alright, then.

_{[ Stormcloud, please don't beat him with that big sword of yours. Or do. Roche isn't going to mind either way. ]}

There's... one more here like me, but we don't exactly ride on the same road if you catch my meaning. Even so, they're a dear friend of mine and I'd very much appreciate it if he were left unharmed, Mister...?

(dazai's last memory before entering this place was simply having dinner, a domestic occurrence as much as it can be when you're locked in a glass cell. all he knows from sigma are simply results of his work, never seen, never spent the time in the games that gogol had set for them.

therefore, he's surprised when he sees the man, clean slate as he moves towards him and the booth. with a smile, he sets his chin on the back of his hand, elbow firm on the counter.)

Ah, isn't the lack of altitude a problem for you, though? Being used to being so high up in the sky, Casino Man!

Edited 2023-05-30 00:59 (UTC)

(who knows how long jinx has been wandering around and searching, but there doesn't seem to be any sign of the gemstone or any of her weapons yet. it's becoming down right frustrating and she's beginning to wonder if she should just cut her losses for now. after all, jinx can always build another pow-pow, pistol, and fishbones. this place doesn't seem to be a wasteland, so surely she can start from scratch again. the problem, however, is the gemstone. but the girl can only hope maybe it'll be lost for good and won't be found into the wrong hands.

after all, she did accomplished her mission back home and as for her older sister? ... there's definitely no way of rekindling that relationship now. 'here's to the new us.' she had said. and what better way to really mean it by starting entirely over? as the blue haired girl strolls along, another girl with sunny blonde hair (also in long pigtails) catches her eye above. jinx stops to silently watch, head cocking to the side to read if this said banner had any writing scribbled over its colors. )

( when the wind picks up and the blonde hair plunges, jinx's eyes widen and instinctively catches her into her arms. but instead of asking if she's okay, express worry, or any of the like -- the prodigy frowns over with narrowed eyes. )

If you're not gonna use a ladder right, don't be up there.

[Oh. He was not expecting a hug. He was not expecting to have really really needed this hug. A part of him wants to put his arms around her in return; a larger part of him is too uncertain, too reflexively gunshy, to ever go through with it.

Also she's kind of pinned them to his sides at the moment, and making her break the hug to get them loose to hug her back feels wrong.

He settles for bringing one hand up around the underside of her arm and resting it on her shoulder. Something to ground both of them a bit more, and to reciprocate in some small way. A way to let her know this is just as important a reunion for him, too - though the familiar strained sniffles he's almost immediately failing to hold back are probably doing a much better job of that. Healthy, rested, clean, and absolutely back to being an openly emotional crybaby. (As for safe...hoo boy, don't ask him about the last month.)]

A few hours ago...

[It makes sense, of course. It's not like there's enough Chosen around for her to have been here much longer without them running into each other, or hearing about the other's presence from someone. If nothing else surely someone would have noticed two people with abilities they insisted on calling "Quirks" and brought it up. Even the method of arrival feels familiar. But it feels almost...unreal. Months of being the only one from their world, not even a stranger with only that shared touchpoint, and all of a sudden one of his best friends in his whole life shows up? One who can't have possibly done anything worth putting on those stupid parchments?

The last time he saw her...she was being such an amazing hero, such an amazing friend, and he never even got a chance to thank her. What did he ever do to deserve her kindness?

He's blinking rapidly now, desperately trying to keep the tears from escaping. His hand squeezes her shoulder and he curls in around her, just a little; not enough to end up with his head on her other shoulder, but close.]

Uraraka... [And there's the wobbly voice, too, like clockwork.] I missed you so much, you have no idea...!

[If this isn't real, then at least it's a really, really good dream.]

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TEST DRIVE MEME #3

Mod / TDM Questions

Sigma | Bungou Stray Dogs

Uraraka Ochako | My Hero Academia

Brave New World

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Usagi Tsukino | Sailor Moon

Soups On

vincent valentine | advent children complete

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Soup's On WITH ADDED BROCCOLI

WALK WALK nighttime walk WALK WALK attacked by twees

MY FAVORITE. ♥♥ | cw: mild MHA spoilers for ch. 326+

daddy?

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jinx — arcane.

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we like to party

ii.

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