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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Kaede Akamatsu | Danganronpa V3 (Balance CRAU) | OTA!

[gotyourbach]

A.

[Now, this isn't the first time Kaede's been whisked away from her home and rather rudely deposited somewhere else. Really, it's at least the third or fourth time at this point, depending on how finely one wanted to debate the difference between rescuing and kidnapping. Would it hurt these mysterious kidnappers to be a little more gentle?!

Her feet sink into the featureless white ground-that-isn't-quite-there as she squints around her and takes a few steps forward. All at once, her feet hit grass, a world springs into sight around her, and a massive gust of wind nearly knocks her off her feet.]

Eeek!!

[Her brilliant purple cloak billows out behind her, whipping back and forth to reveal a violin case on her back and a rapier at her waist. She looks like she's dressed for LARPing a fantasy character, or like she's stepped off a high-fantasy TV set.]

Aaaw, jeez! [She taps at the medieval bracer strapped to her left arm, frowning when nothing seems to happen.] Again?!

B.

[Hands clasped behind her back, Kaede all but skips up to the closest person. Sorry, were you minding your own business? It's Kaede Time now, and she offers a friendly smile as she stops short just within what could rightly be considered "personal space."]

Hello there! Do you know anything about the ssskkkskhkskkhhhksskkkkk?

[How is she making those static sounds with her human mouth. Her lips are moving like she's saying words, though try as one might, her lips are impossible to read. But the only thing you can hear is the same kind of static that one might encounter on an old-fashioned TV or radio. Unless, of course, you've already been inoculated with the Voidfish juice, in which case you can very clearly hear her saying "Bureau of Balance."]

C.

[Well, it might be pretty dark inside, but it's not as windy or snowy, so Kaede will count that as a plus. One might be drawn to the sound of haunting violin music being played in the lobby of Hammerlocke Castle. There's just nothing like old buildings for playing music!

Or maybe you find her in the darkness of Heavenly Blanc, eyes closed as she plays another song, though to her ears, it sounds somewhat empty without a piano arrangement to accompany it. If she's left to play that song uninterrupted, she'll eventually lower her bow and rub her eyes like she'd been moved to tears by her own music.]

D.

[Wildcard! Feel free to come up with your own prompt, or shoot me a message @jaderhade to hash something out!

B

[zenryokubatankyu]

[Osomatsu stares at the girl blankly. In any other case, he might've thought 'aw, cute girl to be friends with' or anything along those lines, but this girl straight up just spoke robot at him.

He's wondering where the holy water is.]

No, I don't know anything about the skkkkppbbbhhsksskkkkk.

[He tries to copy the sound, but it's a poor imitation.]

...Are you, like, okay? Is there a demon in there? ...If you wanna murder me that's a bad plan. I can't tell you why it is, but it is.

[gotyourbach]

Oh...

[Well, now she just sounds disappointed, though it doesn't last long. She just laughs, leaning back out of his space and pointing toward the sky.]

No, it's okay! Don't worry about it, I wouldn't be able to explain it if I tried! [Literally... he'd have to drink the gross Voidfish water to get any explanation to sound like something other than static.] Anyway, I'm Kaede Akamatsu. No demon, I promise! I'm just a musician!

[She presses her hand to her heart as if that somehow reinforces the promise, beaming brightly.]

[zenryokubatankyu]

...You know, I'd really love not to worry about it but when people come up and speak garble to you, ya kinda get a little antsy.

[Just. A little.]

Kaede-chan...um, alright. I guess that's just...what dubstep is these days? [A nervous laugh.] I'm Osomatsu Matsuno. So we're at least both from Japan. I think. Sorry I can't help more...

[gotyourbach]

Hmmm...

[She frowns at being called "Kaede-chan" so easily, but she'll let it pass for now. All kinds of people have all different ways of talking, after all, and just because she thinks it's a little bit rude to go immediately to first names when she's practically an adult, it's not worth arguing about.]

Huh? [The mention of dubstep brings her out of the beginnings of a pout, and she laughs again.] No, I don't know anything about dubstep! I'm a classical musician. You know, piano and violin!

[She points to the violin case on her back. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a piano she can carry with her :( the realest crime.]

But yeah, you're right. I'm originally from Japan, too! Oh, but I was in Faerun more recently... have you heard of it?

c!

[bachagain]

[ without fail, leo'll always be drawn to music. he'd never say that the melodies in his mind aren't sufficient, but there's always something different about hearing familiar pieces in person--hearing the personal spin other people put into music. it's all very alive, you know?

he'd been tucked away in the information booth, utilizing the blank pamphlets as... scrap paper to compose on.... in the flippin' dark.... but kaede's playing sure was enough to draw him out of it. that's why he's here! popping out of the booth, big bundle of pamphlets still in hand as he shuffles on over at the song's end. ]

Wahaha, hey! I-- oops! [ he hit something trying to get out. god, why is it so dark. ] --loved that! You really picked a Chopin to fit the mood!

[ and he's sure glad it wasn't mozart, because he hates that guy!! ]

[gotyourbach]

Oh!

[She can hear his footsteps as she squints in the dark, and then hears him- trip? Hit something? Oh, there are papers flying everywhere.]

I didn't know anyone was here!! Are you okay?

[Violin in one hand, she takes a few steps closer, then gasps in delighted surprise as something hits her belatedly.]

Oh, you know about Chopin?!

[It's a little dark, but her eyes are sparkling brightly at the mention. Oh Boy.]

[bachagain]

[ ahhhaha, oops. he waves a hand into the air, as if to wave off her concern... though he realizes that the darkness may make that reassurance a little difficult to spot. ]

Yep, yep, I'm fine!

[ as an aside, as if that's the least important part of this conversation. which it is! really.

what comes next is the important part. this is all said over the movement of paper, as leo dips to the ground to collect the sheets of paper he's scattered.

wherever they are... ]

But yeah, of course I do! I have that guy rolling in the grave frustrated every time I finish a piece! "Oohh, he beat me again!"

[ casually just... challenges the greats while shuffling on the floor, i guess. ]

[gotyourbach]

[Don't worry, she'll help! Though she doesn't really know what he's gathering up... jeez, she misses her magic more than she thought already! She used to be able to light a candle with a snap of her fingers, now she's just fumbling around half-blind in the dark.

Still, his comment makes her laugh, equal parts delight and surprise.] Oh wow, are you a composer, then? I'd love to hear your work! Chopin is my favorite composer, so if you think you're better than he is...

[she trails off teasingly and laughs again.]

Hey hey, what instrument do you compose for? I only have my violin with me, but if there's a piano here, that's my talent!

C

[forethinking]

(It's unexpected to come to Heavenly Blanc to music, the Jukebox doesn't work... It doesn't take him too long to realize someone is playing the instrument, instead of a pre-recorded device.

He finds a wall to just listen, but he wasn't expecting the crying hiccup he had heard.)

Are you ok?

[gotyourbach]

...Oh!

[She stumbles backward a little in surprise, wiping her eyes again. Her ears are very, very good, and usually she can hear people sneaking up on her, but even she knows she has a tendency to get lost in the music. And she'd been really, really into that song, pouring her heart and soul into it as she played.

But wait, even in the darkness, there's no mistaking that voice. She takes a few halting steps closer, almost daring to hope.]

Kurusu-kun? Do you remember me?

[Three times she's met Akira Kurusu -- different Akira Kurusus, from a Tokyo different from her own. If he's here, but not here at the same time, that would just be too heartbreaking.]

[forethinking]

... Kurusu?

(Who is Kurusu?

She seems very sure that he is whoever she has mistaken him with. Did he ever give this as a false name in investigation without remembering?)

[gotyourbach]

Oh...

[It's said very, very quietly. She recognizes his voice, she's absolutely certain it's him, but the way he repeats it back to her... there's no way he knows who she is. She'd thought she'd gotten used to Akira forgetting her, but in the context of having none of her other friends of the last two years at her side... it hurts.

Fresh tears well in her eyes as her footsteps falter, leaving several meters between them that feel like they might as well be leagues, but she tries to force a smile anyway.]

S-Sorry, I... I must be mistaken...

[Another hiccuping sob, and she wraps her arms around herself, violin in one hand, bow in the other. If she ducks her head, maybe he won't see her crying? Fat chance.]

B

[bridge_princess]

...

[She's just staring at you Kaede. This may be the oddest way to introduce yourself to anyone imaginable, and her head is cocked as she's trying to figure out just how she's going to react to this. Finally, she decides to opt for what she thinks is the most obvious.]

I have no idea what the shhhhkaaashshshs is.

[The difference here was that her lips hadn't moved and she was very clearly making an attempt to duplicate the static sound. Her eyes narrowed very slightly and she grunted.]

Now, please do me a small favor. There's already enough light to give me a constant headache. Please never make that sound again.

[gotyourbach]

Oh... well, I can't try to explain it without making the sound again, sorry. You can just forget about it!

[Kaede just bows her head along with the apology, but doesn't seem all that put-off by it. After all, most people can only hear the static noise; it only makes sense, considering she doesn't see a bracer on this elf-lady's arm.]

Do you usually live underground? Is that why the light hurts your eyes? Oh, sorry, I forgot to introduce myself... my name is Kaede Akamatsu! I hope we get along!

[bridge_princess]

Ok, that is an entirely unsatisfying answer. I hope you understand it. But it's an answer, and if I don't have to hear that sound again, then I'll forget it soon enough.

[She saw and returned the bow with a formality that came from more centuries of practice than she cared to admit. She knew exactly how far to bow for a stranger.]

Where else? Yeah, below ground, away from all the pretty people and the bright happy lives. ...It's Parsee Mizuhashi, and I wouldn't put money on that. I don't really 'get along' well.

...

[Chipper little girl like her? She probably made friends so easily. Tch.]

[gotyourbach]

Yeah, I know! But I can't really do anything about it, so...

[She shrugs, carefree as always.]

Aaaw, don't say that, Mizuhashi-san! I bet we can become great friends! [Optimistic.] I mean, we all have to work together to figure out what's going on, right? You're pretty, so don't sell yourself short!

[She pumps a fist in encouragement.]

B

[symbolofstrength]

"Do I know anything about the what, now?" He echoed, perplexed. She looked like she was talking normally, and he didn't think he had any auditory processing issues... maybe it was a brain burp on his part. Yes, that must be it. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" Instinctively he leaned back a bit, only to take a step or two backward so as to reclaim his personal space. Nothing against you, Kaede, it's just... a bit close.

[gotyourbach]

She steps back in closer, repeating more slowly, "You know, the Ssscckkkhhhskk sskkkhhh Sccnnnsscckkkksscchhh?" As if saying it more slowly would somehow make it more clear. "No?"

She finally drops back to a more respectable distance of her own accord, lips edging into a disappointed pout. "Aaw. That's too bad. You have that scientist coat, so I thought maybe you were part of it!"

[symbolofstrength]

He shakes his head. "I'm afraid I can't understand what you're saying." At the comment about his labcoat, he looks down and laughs.

"Oh, this! I study Pokemon. That's what we call the wildlife in my world." Because he's learned enough by now to know that not all worlds have Pokemon. So he's basically the equivalent of a zoologist.

[gotyourbach]

"Oh, cool! Yeah, I've never heard of anything called that, so I guess it's safe to say we're from different worlds, right? Or planes of existence, that kind of thing?"

She sounds remarkably cheerful in spite of that revelation. Very much in a this might as well happen kind of way before resting one hand on her hip and pointing the other toward the sky. "Anyway, you can forget about that static sound. I'm not gonna be able to explain it if you can't hear it to begin with, so... don't worry about it!

"Anyway," she continues with barely a pause for breath, "Where's the closest like, city? Or even a small town? That's the first rule of adventuring, you know! There's always information to be learned inside a tavern!"

C - Heavenly Blanc

[indigloaming]

Sadly from her position, Indigo can't see Kaede's face, or her next course of action might be a little different: As the last notes fade away, the silence is broken by quiet applauding. The source is immediately apparent; even if she isn't glowing enough to serve as a light source, it's as if the shadows can't touch her while her internal light keeps them as bay, leaving her perfectly visible even in darkness.

"That's some mighty fine violinin' there, missy." Yes, violining, not fiddling. Despite her accent and appearance, she at least has enough musical education to know the difference between violin music and fiddle music -- and to appreciate both. "You play here often?"

((I can forgo the transcribed accent if you want, just let me know! Words will still be the same, but at least everything will be spelled correctly.))

i'm fine with the transcribed accent, no worries!

[gotyourbach]

"Oh!"

Kaede's quick to try wiping at her eyes once she realizes she has an audience. An audience whose voice she doesn't recognize. At least the stranger stands out in, even in the darkness. In spite of her tears, she forces a smile, holding the violin loosely in one hand, bow in the other as she offers an aborted bow.

"Thank you, you're really sweet! Um, this is my first time here..." She sniffles and rubs at her eyes again, taking a deep breath to try to project as much optimism as possible. "Isn't there just something about an empty space that just makes you want to fill it with music?"

Oddly enough, she doesn't seem that alarmed to just be speaking with a strangely-glowing being. She's seen magic before, been steeped in it for the last two years; it's not a far jump to assume that this stranger is somehow part of it, too.

:D

[indigloaming]

She's used to people at least being startled by her, even if they don't freak out entirely (Novakid are pretty rare even back where she came from), so Kaede's serenity at her appearance is a refreshing change. Less refreshing are the tears, and Indigo visibly jolts despite her lack of face; it's all in a subtle but abrupt backward movement of the head.

"I can't say I've ever felt that kinda thing before, but it's not unwelcome, I'll tell ya that." She pats around her clothes and pockets, eventually coming up with a handkerchief, and holds it out in offering.

"Why don't ya sit down a spell, lay down your troubles? I dunno if I can do anythin' about whatever's makin' ya cry, but I'm good at listenin'." She pats a nearby seat.

[gotyourbach]

"Huh? Oh..." Kaede wipes at her eyes again, having to use her shoulder to keep from getting snot on her leather gloves. Leather gloves aren't the ideal for playing violin in most cases, but she's gotten used to needing to wear them to protect her hands while fighting that it's almost become second-nature. "I don't want to bother you..."

Still, she'll move to rest her violin back in its case on a nearby table, strapping it in carefully before taking the offered seat with a small smile.

"I mean, everybody probably has people they miss, right? No point crying about it!" Her smile wavers, and though she takes the offered handkerchief gratefully, it ends up balled in her fists instead of being used. "Right?"