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

1

[laconism]

[Red is just about to walk into the cafe himself when a gust of wind suddenly whips itself up; the umpteenth one he's had to deal with by this point. Initially he puts a hand on his hat to keep it from blowing away while his Pikachu clings tightly onto his shoulder, but then the girl nearby is blown off her feet along with the chair she'd grabbed onto.

Before she can go too far, he rushes forward to catch her, releasing the grip on his cap — causing it to fly off his head, his small loyal friend to reach a paw up to catch it, which in turn causes him to be blown off his Trainer's shoulder and along with the wind's current.]

Pikaaaaa!

[Red whips an arm out towards Pikachu, successfully catching him by his other paw while Ann slams against him. Fortunately, he's a very sturdy guy and only stumbles back a few steps, holding onto Pikachu for dear life while he wraps his free arm around Ann's shoulders to keep her in place.

The moment the wind dies down, he releases his grip on the younger girl without missing a beat and reels his poor Pikachu in.]

Um... sorry... [A mumbled, sheepish apology for the messy rescue. And for holding onto Ann like that without warning.]

[menaretrash]

[ Ann swears that by the end of this day, she's going to either end up blown off into the abyss or really, really banged up and bruised. What she does know, is that she's never going to get used to these strange weather patterns, probably. This isn't the first time she's been blown around today, and it won't be the last.

She's totally prepared for getting slammed into the ground, or into something else, but her savior comes in the form of a very sweet young man who takes the time to sacrifice his own hat to ensure her safety. He's got some kind of adorable little animal with him, and she gasps as the poor little thing gets blown off. Fortunately, he manages to grab his little friend as well. All's well that ends well!

She has to blink a few times, once the wind calms again, and it's the first time that she actually gets a really good look at him. He's cute. ]

You don't need to apologize, I do. It was my bad... thank you very much for the catch! I'm so sorry you had to endure that, though. [ Because that... couldn't have been easy. Catching her and the cute little yellow thing. ]

[laconism]

[After he's gotten Pikachu safely back on his shoulder, Red takes a moment to look over the young woman as well. It doesn't seem like she got hurt during that whole mess. A faint smile of relief forms on his face.]

It's fine.

[He's endured far worse during his decade as a Pokémon Trainer. So has Pikachu! The resilient little Pokémon puts Red's cap back in its rightful spot on his Trainer's head and regards Ann with a bright expression like nothing ever happened.]

Pika pi~ka! [Everything's totally fine!!]

[menaretrash]

I was waiting on my friend, Ren, to come back, and thought I'd step outside for a little bit of fresh air...

[ Ann gestures with her hands, wind and a mess and... well. He probably gets it, considering that he just lived it with her. Poor thing. ]

Even still, I'm so sorry. Thank you very much for your help.

[ She'll have to figure out a way to pay him back, at some point. His little yellow friend is adorably distracting, though, and Ann flashes both of them a small, albeit bright smile. ]

Wow, he's really cute! And totally helpful, too. What's his name?

[ It suddenly hits her, though, how bad she's being. These two just saved her from a multitude of bruises and pain, and she hasn't even introduced herself. ]

Oh! I'm sorry, I'm being rude. My name is Ann Takamaki, and it's very nice to meet you both!

[laconism]

[She's a friend of Ren's, huh? Red doesn't know him very well yet, but he seems like a nice guy from the little time they've spent together so far. This girl also seems really nice, so he can definitely see the two of them being friends.

Red is completely unfazed by Ann's supposed rudeness; he thinks she's the one with better manners here. He just quietly listens to her words and then bows his head politely at her introduction, Pikachu following suit.]

I'm Red. This is Pikachu.

Pika~chu! [Nice to meet you!]

[menaretrash]

It's very nice to meet both of you!

[ Pikachu almost reminds her of a yellow, mousey Morgana, the way he perches on Red's shoulder like that. She wonders if they're anything alike -- can Red understand him the way they understand the not-cat? ]

I'm just glad that I didn't hurt you guys. I'm not used to weather like that -- we have some crazy weather patterns where I'm from, but not quite like that.

[ There's plenty of crazy things at home, though, not just the weather. Far, far more unpleasant things than that. ]

Is... that normal? The wind violently picking up like that, I mean.

[laconism]

[Red can't understand Pikachu quite as literally as the Phantom Thieves can understand Morgana, but they've been together long enough that they can communicate with each other just fine without using words!

He ponders that question for a moment. It's not like there's any concrete way to tell how much time has passed here, but it feels like this only started happening very recently? So...

He answers with a frown and a shrug of his shoulders.]

It happens inside, too.

[That's the part that really baffles him.]

[menaretrash]

[ Pikachu is small and delightful, and in the big scheme of things, that's truly all that matters.

She blinks, looking... well. Surprised, to say the least. ]

Inside? No way... that means none of us are really safe! That's terrible! I wonder why, though?

[ Because seriously, shouldn't that be the one place everyone is safe at? Inside?! ]

This place is way, way too strange...

[laconism]

[He sure is!!

Red hums in agreement with Ann's statement. This place is truly bizarre, and he's still just as clueless about it all as he was when he first arrived. Everyone is.]

...Um... I can stay with you... until Ren comes back.

[Just until then! To make sure she doesn't get blown around again!]

[menaretrash]

[ The cute boy says he will stay with her until Ren comes back, that is a treat in itself. But it's also not fair to keep more of his time than she already has. ]

Oh! You don't need to do that for me. Really, I think I've caused you enough trouble! Ahh, that's super sweet of you, though. Are you and Ren friends, too?

[ Yes, Red. Sit and chat for a while, why don't you~? ]

[laconism]

Well, um... we've met.

[He's not sure if it's okay to call Ren a friend yet? Making friends isn't something that Red does very often. Pikachu chimes in excitedly as well.]

Pika! Pika! Pikachu~!

[The adorable outburst elicits a few pets from Red.]

Pikachu wants to stay, too.

[Nod nod!!]

[menaretrash]

If you've met, I'd say that's definitely enough to designate you as friends, as far as Ren's concerned.

[ Trust her, she'd know. And Ren is a very good friend to have.

Oh... Pikachu is too cute for his own good, how can she argue with that? ]

Okay, then. Thanks! Take a seat and make yourself at home. [ Ann, this is NOT your establishment-- ] Do you guys want anything to eat or drink?

[ She can probably find something, she knows her way around Leblanc pretty well back home... ]