July Test Drive Meme

[tabularasa_mods]

Test Drive Meme #3 Welcome to Tabula Rasa's Test Drive Meme! Our upcoming August app cycle will be for current players only. However, anyone is welcome to use this meme as a way to try out the setting, test out a character for future app cycles, or just for fun. You may also borrow ideas from this meme’s prompts for use in the main game.

Threads from the TDM may be used as samples on your application. TDM samples must be 2 threads with different characters, each with at least 5 comments from your character. You may include your top-level comment if it is a thread you started.

Current players in the game may also claim an AC bonus by tagging other characters on the TDM. Please see the Activity Check page for details.

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Scenario A: This One Blows
With so many winged creatures starting to fill up the world, it was only a matter of time before someone asked: how does flight work? Aerodynamics is a complicated subject, but one cannot hope to fly at all in a world with no air or wind. What, then, would be the point of having wings at all if they can't be used?

All at once the sky becomes filled with air, and the winds begin to move. However, there doesn't seem to be much logic to where and how hard they blow - all the wind knows is that it does blow, and that winged creatures may use it to fly up and away. Unfortunately, the result is something of a chaotic windstorm, and with an infinite supply of snow falling from the mountaintop the world is suddenly whited out in a raging blizzard.

If you're outside when the wind strikes, you'd best grab onto something before you get blown away yourself. If you're indoors at the time you'd think that would be lucky, but the wind hasn't quite figured out where it's coming from, either... so maybe stay away from anything sharp or heavy, in case a sudden indoor tornado starts whipping things around.

Scenario B: Let There Be...?
Light is another tricky subject. Where does it come from? The sky seems like a reasonable answer, but not all places are exposed to it. What of caves and buildings? How does light get there, and what happens when it can't?

The change may come slowly or suddenly as the world itself seems to experiment with the idea. Anything with a roof over it is left in total darkness, while everything outside remains brightly lit. It's as if a bright spotlight were pointing down at the world from above - even windows won't do much to let the light in, as it can only illuminate what it touches. Reflecting light may still be too difficult of a concept for this world.

The idea of there being other light sources is also, unfortunately, a difficult subject. Nothing seems to be able to penetrate this new darkness. Navigating indoors may be difficult for awhile, especially if you're also battling a hurricane.

Scenario C: How To Train Your Dragon
Dragons are dangerous and powerful creatures, but the fluffier, feathery breed has quickly grown in popularity among the people of the new world. Many find the small dragons cute, and some have even adopted them as pets. They're only as big as a house-cat, so what's the harm?

Well, the winged dragons have noticed that people are much more forgiving around them if they play up their cuteness. They've grown more fearless around strangers, and with that they can be quite a nuisance. It's more common now to see them swooping down on people, stealing shiny things, or just getting in the way to beg for food scraps and attention. Though not actively malicious, their claws and beaks are also quite sharp if you're unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end.

Persistence is another strong trait among dragons, as evident from their fishier dragon brethren, so these bad habits might be tough to break.

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code bases by tricklet

Comments

[mightdoriya]

Izuku ends up taking the brunt of the fall, but he doesn't mind it. He's just glad he was able to catch her before she hit the ground. Does that mean she's safe from the wind picking her up again? Honestly, he has no idea. That's a problem for future Izuku to worry about, though.

He shakes his head a little as he sits up, rubbing a hand against the side of his face.]

"I-I'm fine, don't worry. I had no idea the wind was getting that strong..."

Rather, he has yet to realize that Indigo is just that light.

[gotyourbach]

She laughs a little bit at hearing it described as a natural reaction. It's a kind of reassuring to hear it that way, it's true! Like it's something helpful instead of just something that's going to drag people down and make them sad alongside her.

Kaede wipes her eyes with the handkerchief, curiosity overpowering her sadness for a moment as she takes a closer look at her new companion. "You can't cry at all...? Oh, well, you don't have any eyes that I can see, so I guess that makes sense."

Hopefully that's not too rude to say! She's quick to add, "You're like, a magical being, right? Or a ghost?"

[starshower]

Haven't really thought about it that way before...

[Whatever brought them here knew they'd be hungry sometime, but whether it was going to be now or later is another story. It implies that they're going to be here for quite some time, if the latter is the case... She tries not to think about that.]

Whoever it is, at least they're nice enough to keep stocking it up.

[She pauses there, her smile dropping ever so slightly despite her best efforts to put a positive spin on it, and she feels her neck tingle.]

You don't think it's anything... supernatural, do you?

[Please don't say ghosts.]

[indigloaming]

Either she really is that light, or gravity was being wonky. Maybe the world just thinks she should be light because she's not exactly solid on the inside like everyone else; she's never had a problem with it before. At Izuku's comment about the wind, though, she laughs.

"Yeah, now I know why SAIL tells me not to land on gas giants." Never mind that 'land on a gas giant' is an oxymoron in itself, since there's no land to land on.

She cautiously holds up a hand to check for more wind; upon finding the air still for the moment, she stands up the whole way, then leans down and offers her hand to Izuku. Helping him up is the least she can do after he let her fall on him like that.

"It always this windy, or did I come at a bad time?"

[indigloaming]

It's good to see Kaede feeling a bit better. At her speculation at what she is, Indigo gently shakes her head.

"Nah, none o' that. I'm a Novakid. We're kinda like... lil' humanoid stars?" Even she's not exactly sure what Novakid are. "But don't worry about me radiatin' ya or anythin' like that. This shell o' mine keeps all the bad stuff inside." Well, not 'bad', but the things that would hurt an organic like her.

"You can even touch me, and it won't hurt ya none." To demonstrate, she holds out a hand in offering, palm up. If Kaede does take her offer to touch her, she'll find that she's much warmer than a human (though not enough to burn), and while her 'skin' does feel like flesh (though without a pulse), there's something... a little too perfect about it. Almost like touching a living doll.

[menaretrash]

[ MAYBE YOU SHOULD GET SOME THEN, DAD.

This is almost like a normal day at home. Well... MORE normal, because there's no Palaces to infiltrate here or crazy Metaverse shenanigans. She feels a little selfish to admit that she's glad that they're here together, at least. Mostly, she's just glad to be reunited with someone who means the world to her.

She's sure that the board is going to be AMAZING!! ]

Really? You wouldn't mind?

[menaretrash]

[ It would be a lie to say that she trusts Akechi. She trusts him just about as far as she can throw him, and while she wishes she could say she could yeet him effortlessly into the distance, that simply is not the case. Ren trusts him enough, and because of that, Ann is willing to give him a chance, too.

Besides, she'd rather have an ally in him than an enemy, and this place isn't home. This is a brave, strange new world and whether they like it or not, they'll need one another at some point. That point, at least for Ann, happens to be right now, and Akechi is being kind enough to bestow upon her some knowledge in the form of notes. ]

Thank you. Ah... yeah, for the most part he has.

[ She glances down at the neat handwriting, reading line for line, brows furrowing slightly. When she looks up, she does flash him a somewhat sympathetic look. ]

It sounds like you've had a miserable time so far... I'm sorry to hear that. But is also looks like you've been busy. I'd like to lend a hand whenever you go out exploring next, if that's okay with you.

[ Mostly because she wants to help. They can't be the only ones going out and doing things, she wants to help and pull her weight around here, too. She's careful as she shuts his little book and hands it back to him just as gingerly, not wanting to tear or damage anything. ]

[simulatio]

[He's silent to let her read, occasionally just tugging his gloves more firmly into place and wishing Ren were here to make him a cup of coffee. It doesn't make it any less awkward to be stuck just watching her like this with nothing to occupy himself.]

I've been through worse.

[He waves a hand to dismiss the sympathy. She and Ren are truly more deserving of it than he is; at least he didn't leave behind any friends to worry about.

Taking the notebook back, he tucks it back into his jacket.]

Is that something you actually want to do?

[Explore with him, that is. Ren has always been too forgiving for his own good, and it isn't like Akechi's forgotten what they'd all said to him in the engine room, and more recently, while they were teamed up to fight Maruki. But with no obvious external threat to face, well. Color him surprised.]

[gotyourbach]

"Oh, wow! That's so poetic!"

She sniffles and rubs her hand across her eyes again, trying to focus. Never one to turn down an offered hand, she tugs off one of her arm-length leather gloves and reaches out without hesitation to rest her hand in the other's.

"Wow..." she breathes again, reaching with her other hand to clasp it in both of hers, eyes wide with a kind of childish excitement. "That's so cool! Or I guess, 'hot?'" She giggles a little at her own joke, letting go of Indigo's hand to rub at her eyes once again. "Um, do you have a name? I'm Kaede Akamatsu."

[gotyourbach]

Ooooh, hashihime!! I thought you were an elf!

[Kaede claps her hands. She understands that reference! Though now she's more confused than ever, letting the comment about her having somewhere better to be pass on by in favor of adding,] Well, if this isn't where your bridge is supposed to be, don't you want to try to get it back where it belongs? I mean, if I was used to a bunch of people dancing on my bridge, I'd kind of want to get back to it! Oh, unless you're the kind of person who likes the quiet?

[bridge_princess]

Oh goodie. mine is the only reality where all mortals forgot we existed in all Japan apparently. That's wonderful. Great. Tch, gah. Whatever.

We don't exactly pick our bridges up and move them, you know. It's not my job to put it back. And trust me, if you had to deal with an oni, drunk or sober, you wouldn't find it nearly as amusing as you seem to be doing. They're a blasted menace most days, and always putting on airs.

There's only one of them I can stand, and that's because she's too damned stubborn to take no for an answer.

2

[blue_eyed_obsession]

"You're telling me..." A voice scoffed, and should Espio turn towards the source he would see someone else struggling with his own collection of fluffy alleged dragons. As a part of his own unique fashion choices Kaiba was wearing a collection of belts both strapped to his arms, legs and even one holding his pants in place. The metal studs in his ostentatious jacket, weren't helping matters either. So perched on his shoulders were a couple of the curious beasts, while others trailed along behind him in some odd procession, trying to figure out how to get their claws on all those shiny accessories.

He wasn't offering them much resistance, but so far things had remained intact, he also hadn't been introduced to their claws in the same fashion. The layers of his outfit would have provided some resistance should it become an issue.

After the buckle was thrown, some of Kaiba's hangers on had hopped off to go scampering after it too unable to resist the desire to hunt a shiny in motion.

1

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[The wind was becoming more than a little irksome with it's unpredictable nature-though it always seemed to know right when Kaiba was about to take a sip of coffee. Having more or less expected it this time, he managed not to get the liquid poured all over his person. Having heard the distress in the girl's voice, he made no motion to try and help steady her. He does however make sure the door is secured, so at the very least she doesn't get pulled outside and blown high into the stratosphere.

The winds were capable of lifting a person when so desired, it was a wonder that the buildings managed to remain firmly rooted in place.

Once the wind died, down Kaiba moved back to the stool he had been occupying, he eyed the turned over coffee cup on the floor like it had betrayed him in some fashion, sparing it a kick.]

[indigloaming]

"If you say so. I don't know nothin' about poetry." In all the bouncing between hobbies she's done in her life, poetry wasn't one of them. She would say that she doesn't have a creative bone in her body, but she can play music as well as appreciate it, so maybe that's not entirely true?

Humans and their puns. Indigo would roll her eyes if she had any, and this is one of those times she's glad she doesn't have a face to express her scoff, lest she offend the girl.

"You can call me Indigo. 'Cause that's my name." A little bit of her own humor.

[menaretrash]

Even still, I'm sorry.

[ She knows he's been through worse. Knows a little bit about that, at least. She'd never push him for more information than he's willing to give, especially about himself, after all. Ann folds her hands neatly into her lap and sits back on her side of the booth, nodding her head. ]

It is. I'd like to be able to give you a hand where and when I'm able to.

[ It's a start, at least. An olive branch of sorts. Her fingers drum against the top of her knee for a moment, before she tips her head to the side, deciding to talk about something less pressing than potential danger in this strange new world. ]

So, then. Other than exploration, what do you like to do around here? For fun, I mean. Ren says that there's really not a whole lot to do.

[ Which is going to be a really bad situation, because it means Ann is going to have to take these matters into her own hands and really, no one wants that. ]

i just want you to know that i am ridiculously happy that you tagged me, i love kaiba

[menaretrash]

[ She's seen typhoons before, she's seen blizzards. She's seen a lot of crazy weather situations, but this by far takes the cake. Seeing and being out in it are two very different things, after all. She's fortunate, however, that a kind soul comes to her aid. Sort of.

Well, he's at least made sure she wasn't going to get dragged out into that mess and sky high, so, she's grateful for that. Once the door is properly secured, and things have calmed, she manages to stagger and steady herself once more, immediately reaching up to try to fix her wind tussled tresses.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she turns to look at the tall man, who... is currently. Staring down at his downed cup. ]

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate it.

I hope I do him justice then, I was glad to see an Ann!

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[With that task completed, Seto was perfectly comfortable letting the matter drop entirely. He hadn't involved himself for the purpose of garnering gratitude, in fact drawing attention to his actions only seemed to serve as some further frustration. His steely blue eyes darted from the cup to fixing on the pigtailed girl.]

Don't mention it. [A brief pause followed] Really. [Although he wasn't above occasionally helping others he didn't want that becoming common knowledge. Besides, he could always argue that he'd sealed the door for his own benefit, not hers- although that gale had caused his jacket to flare out in that dramatic fashion that it was designed for.]

[He leaned down to scoop up the cup, before going to wash it off in the sink. Following that he refrained from filling it back up. The lack of electricity meant the coffee had been lukewarm, and it wasn't as palatable at that temperature. It wasn't as if he needed it anyway, not here where sleep and sustenance weren't necessary]

[mightdoriya]

"I'd say it's probably more the latter, but it's been windy like this for a little while," Izuku explains with a sigh, taking her hand to pull himself up once it's been offered.

"Does that mean you just showed up here?" Is his next question, because...it would be the first of someone new arriving since the world first formed itself. At least, that he knows of.

[forethinking]

(WHERE DO I BUY SOME

Well, have they ever met normal? The only time it has been normal was for a minute or two, at the station, before she got into the car. Everything after that was not normal... But it does feel good at the end of the day. The gentle smile is not fading anytime soon!

Of course, he definitely is eager to go back home, but while they can't...)

Not at all.

[menaretrash]

[ NO YOU DO NOT BUY THEM YOU GROW THEM IT'S VERY SIMPLE FATHER

This is true... don't remind her about the Kamoshida incident, though. Those few, brief moments before he'd rolled up had been so peaceful, too. But if he hadn't... they may not have been as close as they are now. They've got an undeniable bond, having lived through and seen things that most people their age couldn't even dream of.

She gives his arm another gentle, affectionate squeeze. ]

Promise you won't get mad if I mess up?

I'd just told a friend that if I got in, I was looking forward to CR with Kaiba!! <3

[menaretrash]

[ Okay, so as kind as this young man was, there's still a little bit of chill to him that kind of reminds her of Akechi. Just a little. Maybe less homicidal, but, whatever, it doesn't particularly matter. He was nice enough to help her out, so, that's that. ]

Right. [ She glances off to the side for a moment, before looking back at him as he cleans up the cup and mess that came with it. ]

So, do you come here often? [ Maybe he knows Ren. She hopes he does -- Ren's a good person to know, after all. And he also seems to be able to take the chill off of particularly cold people, he's just good like that. ]

[forethinking]

(Nothing wrong with talking about one's interests! For one, he's charmed by her passion... Even though he doesn't quite understand everything she says.)

Who's your favorite composer?

(From hearing her talk about it, it definitely sounds like a sure way to cheer hear up. He can't quite see the intricate detailing on the violin, but he could tell she was very attached to it... Maybe when they're in better lighting she'd show him... So he can massively embarrass himself by not having the first idea on how to hold it.)

Amamiya.

(Akamatsu-san!)

Someone here promised to teach me, but as of now, not really...

[indigloaming]

"So it's just that time of year, then?" Earth was the same way, back when it still existed.

Izuku's question is an odd one, she thinks. Do they not get visitors often? She cocks her head as she answers.

"Sure have, is that unsual?"

I'd certainly like that, so I hope you get in! Kaiba will have to deal with more peopling!

[blue_eyed_obsession]

[Maybe- being the key. Although there was nothing to outwardly indicate this, Kaiba had harbored murderous intentions in the past. Now, he preferred to crush others through humiliation and financially-based pressure. So, sure- he was a real peach. Eh, he reserved those measures for those that deserved it, which was subjective to his whims.]

[LBR, Akechi is most likely the more homicidal of the two]

[Oh-goody. This was swiftly unraveling into small talk.] Unfortunately. [Answering coolly, he placed the cup away, before turning back to face her again] It's not as if there's anywhere else to go... [Does he honestly look like someone who enjoys camping?]

[Since there was no avoiding it by this point he offered up a contribution to the conversation of his own while trying to refrain from the standard and obvious "are you new?"] Look- I'll keep this brief. Unless you know how to get out of here or you have knowledge about whose behind this, there's nothing for us to discuss. [Unfortunately, his negative attitude hadn't lessened with time. He had somewhere else he needed to be- yesterday.]

Poor Kaiba, at least Ann's not quite as peppy as #shiningfriendship LMAO

[menaretrash]

[ Well, he certainly does remind her of one of the many, many business people she's bumped into in Shibuya. Everything about this guy screams business, in fact, from his expression, attitude, and his exceedingly dramatic coat.

Huh.

Well. At least he's honest. ]

I wish I had an answer for you, in that regard. I'm just as stumped as you are, though. [ If not more, honestly, because she is new, but she shrugs her shoulders and offers him a tired smile. ] Oh. Yeah... okay. Sorry.

[ She slides into one of the booths, the one that she'd usually sit in at home, and she looks down at the table. She could go upstairs, she doesn't think Ren would mind if she took a look around to see if he had books or something, but she'd rather ask him before snooping around.

So, instead, she settles for folding her arms on the table and laying her head down. What a bummer. ]