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

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?"

[indigloaming]

"I ain't got nothin' else to be doin'. Yeh're fine." She wishes she could give her a reassuring smile or the sort, humans seem to like that. All she can do is patiently listen as she learns what's wrong.

"It's true that that's somethin' that happens to just about ev'ryone, but that don't mean you ain't got no right to feel sad about it. And there's nothin' wrong with cryin', either. It's just yer body's way of makin' ya feel better. Stress hormones an' all that." Not that she would have any personal experience with the benefits of crying, because.... "Sometimes I wish I could cry, too."

[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?"

[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.

[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."

[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.