May Test Drive Meme

[tabularasa_mods]

Test Drive Meme #1 New Locations ▲ New Species ▼ Scenarios ▲ Comments Welcome to Tabula Rasa's first Test Drive Meme! This meme will be structured the same as an event or intro mingle so you can get a feel for how the game will be after it opens. Anyone is welcome to use this meme whether you plan to apply or not, and we will not be policing what characters or canons choose to play on here. Use it as you'd like and have fun!

Please note that none of the locations and changes described below will be included in the game when it opens. To help create an accurate impression of the game, we have included several imprints suggested by prospective players from the TDM Imprints Submissions. These prompts and locations are only for the TDM. A new arrangement of imprints will be picked when the game opens, which will likely look completely different from the TDM. Please keep this in mind when applying to the game in the future.

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. Responding to other players on the TDM will also be part of an AC bonus, so we encourage anyone who plans to app to tag out to other players as well.

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Full Navigation
Premise ▲ FAQ ▼ State of The World ▲ Locations
Pre-Launch Feedback

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New Location: The Lakeside
Currently the largest defined area within the world, the lakeside is characterized by gray stone cliffs, bright purple trees, and the large body of water situated next to it. Scattered in the clearings between the foliage are the ruins of industrial buildings, though most of them are completely empty on the inside. Fresh graffiti decorates the walls both inside and out, as well as some of the larger cliff faces near to the buildings. Empty dumpsters, metal barrels and broken scaffolding can be found laying around. Barbed fences in various states of disrepair surround most of the buildings, though the gates are all unlocked and open freely to intruders.

On a small island in the middle of the lake is a lighthouse. The lighthouse looks to be in much better shape than the rest of the lakeside's buildings. There's a small dock on the island, but no boats, so you'll need to swim if you want to reach it.

The inside of the lighthouse is packed with Japanese arcade machines. Some of them are stacked on top of each other against the walls, but many more have simply been left in the middle of the entrance and even on the stairs, making it a bit difficult to navigate the building. Colorful banners for popular games and game companies hang from the stairs and ceiling. At the center of the spiral staircase is a giant metal crane, not unlike the kind you'd seen in an arcade crane game. The lamp at the very top of the lighthouse has been replaced by two large TV screens.

Unfortunately, none of the machines in the building seem to have power, so for now they don't do anything.

lakeside ▲ lighthouse ▼ arcade

New Location: The Heart Of Paris
At the edge of the cliffs surrounding the lakeside is a large red tower. From a distance, some newcomers may immediately recognize its shape as the Eiffel Tower, but upon closer inspection it's not like the iron structure one would be familiar with. Instead of iron, the whole tower is made of lengths of solid bone held together with lumps of warm, squishy flesh. The entire structure pulses as if it were alive. The stairs are still in place, allowing visitors to climb the structure, though the sticky fluid coating every surface and the slight swaying of the tower's pulse might make it more difficult.

Hanging from the very center of the tower is a massive blue heart, strung up by a large number of connected veins that weave into the various muscles of the tower. If any of the flesh is cut, it bleeds, and the entire area seems to sway slightly in response.

Eiffel Tower ▲ behemoth

New Location: The Unforeseen Simulation Joint
On the opposite end of the lakeside area is a large dome-shaped building. The inside of the dome is mostly barren, and a realistic image of a beautiful starry sky filled with constellations decorates the ceiling. There's a small plaza area at the very center, featuring a decorative fountain and some more of the purple trees and plants from the outside. There are dirt pathways that seem like they should be leading to somewhere, but most of them lead to completely empty areas. Two of the paths lead to smaller domes within the main dome, though at this time only one of them contains anything.

The first area of the USJ contains a mountainous environment, featuring gray stone cliffs and luscious green plants. Stairs have been carved into part of the mountainside, leading down to a small spring area at the very bottom. The entire mountain area is set slightly below ground level, however, and what may have once been a small spring is now a large flooded pool with the mountain's peak barely poking up to the surface. A large spiraling water slide has been constructed above the peak, and a second spout of the slide pours a waterfall down to where the base of the spring should be. The water is ice-cold, but calming.

The second area is contained in the smaller red dome, housing the grounds and three-story mansion of a New England estate. The mansion is caught in a massive fiery blaze... although, nothing inside seems to be damaged, and anyone who enters will find that the flames are only uncomfortably warm at worst. Antique furniture, oil paintings and strange figurines can be found in abundance. A large library takes up the center of the building, though the books only seem to contain random nonsense words right now.

USJ ▲ estate ▼ cold spring

New Location: The Heavenly Blanc Bar & Cafe
Near the USJ is a slightly run-down building that's easily recognizable as a bar or restaurant. The large wooden sign over the entrance reads "The Heavenly Blanc Bar & Cafe" in mismatched letters, as if half the words were copied from a completely different source. There are some wooden tables and seating on the outside, as well as several thick pipes jutting in and out of the side of the building.

The inside is clean and cozy, with several conflicting menus on the wall above the counter. None of the lights work, but there's an odd mix of neon signs, classy lamps and plain hanging bulbs. Unlabelled bottles of what one can only assume is alcohol cover the shelves behind the counter, alongside jars of coffee beans and tea leaves. A jukebox, pinball machine and dartboard can also be found in the corner next to the bar, though only the dartboard is playable right now.

At the back of the building is a unisex washroom, as well as the stairs to the second floor attic. Oddly enough, the attic is decorated with thick metal pipes running out from the walls and a large section of metal grating on the floor. The room is stacked haphazardly with boxes and crates, a large TV in one corner, a punching bag, a single-sized bed, and a bench with a computer on it. Much like everything else, unfortunately, none of the electronics work. A large whiteboard takes up one of the walls, and a square table with wooden chairs rests on the grating at the center of the room.

7th Heaven ▲ Cafe Leblanc

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New Species: Fireys
Fireys are lanky, furry humanoids with long ears and beak-like snouts. Fittingly, their pelts are a firey mix of bright reds and golds. Even more fittingly, they can combust their hands and bodies into actual flames. This fire doesn't seem to harm them, though, and they can often be found tossing it among themselves as a sort of game. They have loud, squawking voices and spend much of their time singing together in large groups.

Playful and hedonistic, the fireys are friendly creatures... however, they can be overly persistent in trying to rope others into their games. For whatever reason, the fireys have unusually weak necks and seem to enjoy tearing off each other's heads. This doesn't hurt them at all, though if another creature hangs around them long enough they might try the same thing on them. All in good, harmless fun, of course.

fireys

New Species: Jellyrabbits
Jellyrabbits are a jellyfish-like creature covered entirely in short, soft hairs that glow with a faint light. A pair of long ears rest at the top of the umbrella. They have sharp hearing, and their ears are often swiveling about to listen to everything around them. They float like balloons, undulating their bodies to gently drift through the air at a slow and leisurely pace.

Jellyrabbits are incredibly docile. However, they aren't completely defenseless. Touching the tentacles below the umbrella will deliver a painful sting. The fuzzy top is fine to touch, though, and they seem to enjoy a gentle pat or scratch behind the ears.

New Species: Ghowls
The ghowls' natural forms are monstrous creatures roughly the size and shape of a human. They have sharp avian beaks on their faces, vacant white eyes, sickly grey skin with only a handful of feathers still clinging to their bodies, and talon-like fingers and toes with razor-sharp tips. Known for being incredibly violent and relentless, these creatures will attack anything and anyone that isn't one of their own, clawing and biting their victims until they cease moving. There doesn't seem to be any purpose behind these attacks, and the lack of death means that their victims can't be "killed" anyway, but they cannot be reasoned with and will only stop if countered with force.

They have a unique talent, however, that makes them trickier to deal with. Ghowls have the uncanny ability to perfectly mimic any voice they hear. They cannot speak or form their own sentences, but they can copy words and sentences like a parrot. They can also shapeshift their bodies to a limited degree, allowing them to mimic the appearances of humans. While these disguises may not be able to fool someone up close, from a distance they can be easily mistaken for the person they're imitating - and once they're close enough that the disguise fails, they can launch their assault at dizzying speeds.

ghouls ▲ owls

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Scenario A: The Creation Of The World
At first, there is nothing. The endless white of the void stretches out in all directions. For a moment of time that lasts both a millisecond and an eternity, there is nothing but you and the strangers you've found yourself with in this empty, alien world.

In the next moment, there is something. Entire landscapes lift up out of the ground, plants and trees grow to full size in a fraction of a second, water bubbles up from freshly-formed lakebeds, and even buildings spring up from seemingly nowhere to fill the growing space that has just now been defined. The world is suddenly alive, thriving, and expanding at a rapid pace.

The problem is, you're right in the middle of it.

You may have gotten lucky. Maybe you ended up safe and sound on the lakeside, standing under a tree and no worse for wear. Or perhaps a building decided to form itself around where you were standing, and now you're stuck in the middle of it. You might even find yourself at the very tip of the Heart of Paris, clinging to whatever you can grab a hold of to keep yourself from falling.

Wherever it is you are, you're not alone, and you might just need a hand getting your bearings.

Scenario B: Something In The Water
While there is little to eat, people soon find that there is plenty to drink. Every drop of clear, refreshing liquid, no matter whether it be part of the landscape or something found bottled in the bar or cafe, bears the slightest hint of alcoholic heat.

It soon becomes clear that this isn’t quite the alcoholic beverage that its subtle but distinct flavor suggests. No matter how much one drinks, they cannot become drunk. Their judgement remains unclouded and they never become disoriented in the slightest. However, that does not mean it has no effect on those who drink it.

Even under these circumstances, lost in a strange environment that does not know what to do with itself, a drink of water serves to lighten the mood and brighten the spirit. The full effect varies from person to person and from drink to drink - one might simply be more prone to smiling, while another will be filled with such good cheer they cannot help but share it with all who listen. In company, many people become more inclined to talk to their newfound companions, about any and all subjects that come to mind.

If nothing else, it gives people the chance to relax, and with people more inclined to be social it’s a good time to make new friends.

Scenario C: Playing With Fire
An endless blaze rages on within the inner dome of the USJ, and the fireys seem to have taken a liking to it. The furry creatures can be found frolicking within the dome's burning mansion, dancing in the flames and tossing anything they can get their hands on. Every room they touch ends up a mess - the fire may not be able to damage anything, but the fireys sure are making up for it.

They don't seem bothered by people. In fact, they seem quite friendly, though it may be startling at first to have a fireball hurled at your face. If you can keep up with their games, you might even find yourself learning a thing or two about handling fire, tossing it around and picking it up like a natural-born firey.

There isn't much need for the light or warmth of fire right now, but it makes for a fun party trick if you want to surprise someone.

Scenario D: Body Snatchers
The fireys can be a troublesome bunch, but they really don't mean any harm. The same can't be said for every creature here, however...

It might start with a friendly voice, or with a familiar figure waving in the distance. Is it someone you've run into before? But something seems off - didn't you just see them going somewhere else a moment ago? Or is that your own voice calling back, beckoning you to come closer?

Obeying the voice is a mistake, but they won't just stand around waiting, either. The ghowls are faster than they appear to be, and once the gig is up they'll charge forward on all fours, claws out and ready to tear apart anything they can reach. They're bloodthirsty, horrible creatures, and unfortunately for everyone else, they're stuck here too.

You can try to outrun them, or you can try to fight back. Whatever you decide on, you better hope you don't fail. Recovering from disembowelment will be a slow, agonizing process.

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code bases by tricklet

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Katsuki Bakugou | My Hero Academia | OTA

[comburst]

I. LET THERE BE LIGHT(HOUSE)

[ For a fragile and seemingly endless moment, it's just a void - but a white void, devoid even of the black you'd think to find there. Katsuki doesn't recall how he got there or know what to think. Maybe, though, he sees one person - or a few? - he recognizes. If so, he'll maybe take a step -

But then suddenly, there's more than the void. Katsuki's not in the middle of any of the water areas exactly, but he does end up in the lighthouse - as it grows. Suddenly there's walls cutting off his vision, and a roof closing overhead, the inside expanding as he tries to catch his balance, and then the spiral staircase juts up out of the - floor? there's a floor now? - growing like some insane metal plant even as it catches the underside of his feet. The arcade machines come from above, falling into place like tetris blocks.

Luckily, he's always been fast on his feet, so he'll dodge. If you're not able to, regardless of if he knows you or not, he'll drag out out of the way. There's no explosion to help propel them and he doesn't expect that so there may be a curse and he may get clipped by a thing or two until he adjusts, but it's fine, probably.

If you don't need a rescue, maybe you're just catching your breath after everything...slots itself into place and stops growing and moving, in which case Katsuki's gripping the staircase railing and looking at the giant metal claw overhead with some suspicion.

It doesn't look like anything else is moving, but. ]

I don't even like video games.

[ Not...really, anyway. He'll play them, sometimes, but the blond has always had better things to do with his time. ]

II. UNFAMILIAR SIMULATION JOINT

[ When lost in a weird as fuck place - someone's Quirk? A dream? Both seem like strong possibilities - it's maybe natural to seek out the familiar. That instinct, however, leads to Katsuki being even more disturbed. He recognizes the outside of the Unforseen Simulation Joint, of course. The last time he was there his class had been attacked, because class 1A can't have nice things and they always get attacked by villains when they do anything, even a simple class shopping trip.

But the inside of the dome is immediately different. It's weird, because he can recognize bits and pieces of the landscape but it's all - different, too. The starry sky above wasn't there last time, and most of the simulation areas are missing. There's the mountain area, but it's sort of wrong - seems like it's mixed with the water training area. And then there's the blaze area, but...

This isn't where he fought villains with Kirishima back at the USJ battle. It's some weird manor, and Katsuki's squinting at it when one of the Fireys playfully tosses a ball at his face from the side.

Katsuki whirls, and on instinct raises his right hand even though he's figured out his Quirk is on the fritz - but instead of flame engulfing his hand and burning him to a crisp when he's unable to deflect with an explosion, he harmlessly catches the fire. Or fumbles it, at least, and manages to catch it after.

It's weird as hell, and he can be found frowning with flames cupped between his palms or even tossing the balls back to the fireys with an annoyed expression as he gets frustrated. For the first option where he's contemplating fire in his palms: ]

The laws of physics really don't mean shit here, do they.

[ Meanwhile, if you want to catch him getting annoyed with fireys: ]

STOP THROWING SHIT AT ME!

[ Either way, Katsuki seems grumpy as hell. This is, however, his normal state of being. ]

III. THE HEART OF WHAT IN THE FUCK ACTUALLY

[ Something else he almost recognizes, though not from visiting it in-person: the Eiffel Tower.

...Which, somehow, is even worse than USJ.

Katsuki scales the cliffs out of sheer determination mostly, and it's...weird. Pulsing. Apparently alive. He's seriously contemplating doing something about that heart just out of a morbid sense of curiostiy when he hears something - and no, it's not you coming up behind him or popping out from god knows where. It's a voice he recognizes, annoyed expression shifting to further annoyance as he turns around, scanning the distance for that irritating face...

It's a ghowl, though, although right now it looks like an ordinary boy's figure in the distance. Even though it looks that way, Katsuki's eyes narrow. ]

...What the hell?

[ That seems off, somehow. If you're here for this prompt, prepare for an unpowered fight with some demon owls, apparently. ]

IV. A SLICE OF HEAVEN(LY BLANC)

[ Eventually he circles back to what looked like a restaraunt - or bar? - in the hopes of finding something to eat. Or drink. While the second is the only thing that works, Katsuki doesn't mind, opting to grab some bottled water and sit at the bar inside, moodily drinking...water. Look. Even if he could find alcohol, he wouldn't be drinking it, which is why he pauses to re-read the label (which makes little sense once he looks at it) after drinking, glaring at it.

He better not get tricked into underage drinking here??? He has a record to keep spotless???

So the first option is with him angry as usual: ]

Does this taste weird to you?

[ Your own bottle. Not his.

The second option, however, is maybe more weird for anyone who knows him but way more inviting for anyone who doesn't. Katsuki is actively smiling and looks calmer, which is a feat and a half for him. He even sounds friendly, although probably still a bit more on the short side. ]

So, what do you think all this bullshit is?

[ Like. It could be more polite, but he sounds like he's in a good mood? ]

WILDCARD

[ If nothing above works, feel free to make up your own prompt or to contact me to work something out! You can hit me up most easily via PM, roseburst at plurk, or Maggie #0451 at discord. ]

IV-2

[ethical_calculus]

You're talking about how all the drinks are probably drugged, right? All it takes is a little sip, and you can feel that dopamine running through your brain! It's great!

[She herself seems to have used some of the tea leaves in the bar cafe to make herself some tea -- though she seems to be using a fireball to heat it.]

And look! Even though I literally set this cup on fire, it still can't give us some nice hot tea! Isn't the way this place completely ignores how everything's supposed to work amazing?

Ren Amamiya | Persona 5 | Ota

[forethinking]

1. The Heavenly Blanc Bar & Cafe

(This place was familiar, but not familiar enough.

Ren stepped into the shop, eyes scanning his surroundings for any clues of this being just another misadventure of cognition. Instead, he finds a person, way too entertained in their solo dart game to realize there's someone right behind them.

It's a shame his dart kit didn't make it with him.)

Want company?

2. The Creation of the World + Paris

(Wherever he looked, white dominated the environment. It was not the most pleasant thing to look at and he rubs his eyes behind his glasses - how did he end up here again? One could surely freak out over not remember such important detail, but it's not the first time Ren has been thrown into an unknown situation with little to no idea of what is expected of him or what should he do.

Calmly, he takes his first steps in this world - right before a monument slowly emerges right before his very eyes. Sprinting, Ren manages to stay out of the way as this anatomic tower finishes coming into existence. It's with curiosity that he decides to walk towards it for a closer look. Maybe there's something to discover.)

3. Wildcard

(Throw whatever at us! Ren is currently being voice tested, so I'd love the opportunity to play him in different situations.)

2

[realway]

[ as ren walks toward the monstrous tower, beating and thrumming with life, he will be watched and followed. dressed in a charcoal cloak she isn't exactly the hardest to spot, though she keeps a comfortable distance to try and make up for it. she, too, is immensely curious about the monstrous monument that thrums with life even as it came from nothing newly born. however she is not so trusting of others these days to approach properly.

whether he notices her or not, she will continue to track him and see if he finds entry inside. ]

caesar zeppeli | jojo's bizarre adventure | ota

[casaposa]

A

[When his eyes flutter open, the sight is exactly what he expects-a expansive void of nothing. A fitting end to the battle he just faced and the absolute emptiness around him feels like a confirmation of the stories he used to hear coming out of the mouths of townspeople about the afterlife.

He feels strangely at peace with what's happening and then the world shifts before his eyes. Scenery starts to form, his feet feel wet and-

His feet feel wet.

When he looks down, the water is rapidly forming around him and he's not sure what to do about that other than be grateful he can swim. He can't tell where it originates-just knows he's in the center of it all and by the end of its sudden and violent formation, he's bobbing in the middle of the lake. His expression borders somewhere between surprised and irritated, settling more on the latter.

If you happen to be caught beside him, he'll point towards the lighthouse and-]

I'm not interested in seeing what happens next. Let's go before this lake turns into an ocean.

B

[Alcohol is an unexpected part of the afterlife. Though after having a quick taste and realizing it lacks the familiar buzz that typically accompanies a glass of wine, he realizes it's not what it seems.

But what it does is make it easier to breathe and the knot in his chest starts to unwind with every sip he takes.

That's good enough for now.]

Whoever made this clearly hasn't experienced a good drink in their life.

C

[His hamon doesn't work and he's not sure why he's surprised.

That was the point-that's what his final words meant and even though he knows that-understands it-being incapacitated stings in a strange way and he has to resort to alternative means to deal with these fire slinging monstrosities. Instead of hamon infused bubbles, he'll just use a good, ole fashioned punch.

But instead of landing a hit on the humanoid creature, his fist goes straight through a ball of fire it had thrown and he notes, quickly, that it doesn't hurt. It's not hot. Nothing is happening and he looks exasperated at the situation he's found himself in.

When they toss another fireball his way, his hands extend to catch it out of reflex and not because he wants to play their childish game, but-

They take it differently. Now he's playing with them and anyone nearby can probably hear the Hey! and Knock it off and play your games elsewhere, all while he's clutching the flaming ball in his hand.

Eventually, he settles on just throwing it as far as he can, hoping that they react like a group of dogs to track it down.]

They're like children.

Wildcard

[surprise me!! or if you wanna hash something out, pm me or hmu at drowninginpears]

[comburst]

[ Katsuki was loitering around the USJ area because - well, it's vaguely familiar and he was hoping that if anyone else recognized it they'd head this way. He's not sure why he bothered to assume something so logical of any of his classmates, though, so it's not really surprising he's only caught strangers so far.

He snorts, loudly, when Caesar throws the fireball like a toy. ]

Worse than, you can't even explain to these things why they need to shut up and go away.

[ Katsuki is, obviously, fabulous with children. (This is false, although on screen many have seemed to enjoy him.) ]

Add (Mad Paradox) | Elsword

[subtract]

[A]

[Most people would find waking up in a bizarre, alien world a distressing and unexpected event. For Add, though? Pretty typical for a Saturday night. The only surprising parts so far are that he didn't do it on purpose and he can't seem to find his way out.

But for now, he's found something to keep himself entertained. The machines in the lighthouse look interesting, and he really, really wants to look inside. Maybe he could fix whatever's wrong with them? If nothing else he'll have a cool machine to take apart. The only problem is... he doesn't have a screwdriver. Or any decent tools on him, unfortunately. He's trying his best to pry them off with his bare hands, but he's not having much success. His noodly, child-sized arms just don't have the strength to rip apart metal.

He hears someone else enter the building, poking his head up from behind one of the arcade machines to give them a pointed look.] You. Do you have anything on you that can open this?

[B]

[Add doesn't even like alcohol, but he is admittedly intrigued by how it seems to be everywhere. Everything else about this place is weird, so are the drinks weird, too? Only one way to find out for sure.

So, there's a "child" at the bar, drinking straight from the bottle like it's no big deal. He pauses every now and then to mumble under his breath, not really caring if anyone's around to listen.] ... still not feeling any different. Possibly only alcoholic in scent and flavour? Effects could be delayed as well, may need to observe over a longer period...

[He may look like a very small alcoholic, but he's drinking for science. It's completely different.]

[Wildcard]

((hit me up at BlueFlewFedUQueen if you have another idea!))

A

[thefeels]

( Speaking of waking up in a bizarre, alien world, Kokichi was a victim of a group kidnapping. This is not his first rodeo either.

It's definitely bizarre, though. Did the mastermind move them to a second location? If so, why? The academy was massive and there was no escaping that birdcage structure. Monokuma said that they were separated from the outside world and the 'last of humanity alive,' so what would be the point?

Nevertheless, Kokichi is undeniably somewhere else. He's never seen purple trees before. Naturally, he's gravitating to the largest structure. Easily the best place to group up. His fellow Ultimates would surely do the same... right?

... god they're idiots. Who knows where they've run off to. Given the free reign, Miu's probably in another country at this point.

With his faith in humanity actively dwindling, Kokichi continues onward to the landmark. He just barely enters the threshold of the arcade when someone surprises him. Shockingly enough, it's a stranger. An unsettling stranger, to boot.

Kokichi visibly squints, trying to pinpoint what exactly is so alarming about this unfamiliar face. He nearly groans upon realization. The sclera, the clothes, the unusually colored line running from his eye? Come on. Is this a Kiibo expy?

I can't believe it's another robot, he thinks. Not after Kiibo. No, especially after Kiibo was so boring. Monokuma, your fondness of technology is getting pretty cheap now. )

Do I have anything useful...

( Unfortunately, all he's got is a now defunct monopad. Sorry. )

Well. It just so happens to be your lucky day! I'm actually the super-duper-academy-level hardware engineer.

( Ah, right. Kokichi Ouma, liar extraordinaire... don't expect him to be of any actual help. )

tifa lockhart | final fantasy vii remake | ota

[starshower]

★ ARRIVAL ★

[Tifa's found herself in her fair share of odd situations, but this one by far takes the cake. One moment, she's overlooking Midgar and the next, she sees nothing but a vast white expanse of... nothing, while everything she knew dissolved right before her eyes. There's no time to wonder about what happened to the others, however – her mouth opens to call out for Cloud, but just as it does, trees erupt in the distance, as well as buildings she's never seen before.

The worst part of it is that she's suddenly picked up off her feet and is lifted several feet into the air on top of what appears to be broken scaffolding. It's unsteady, swaying at the slightest shift of her weight, and the wooden pieces that support her are splintered at best. Most of them are missing, leaving only a frame of metal poles for her to navigate.

Should she wait until someone comes to find her? Or would it be faster for her to just attempt the climb down and hope for the best?

Luckily for her, she won't have to wait long for the former. The first person she sees will hear a voice calling out to them from high above, and when they look up, they'll see her head poking out from over the edge of the single steady plank of wood there is.]

Uh... hey!

[This is just a little bit awkward.]

You think you could give me a hand?

[Please?]

★ HEAVENLY BLANC ★

[It doesn't take long to find her way up the cliff towards the large domes at the top, where there are more people who seem to be congregating. This must be the main hub? She isn't sure what to think, but it's good to see that she and others who have traveled up from the lakeside aren't completely alone. After making sure that anyone she traveled up with will be okay, Tifa sets off to search. For what? Anyone or anything that might bear some semblance of familiarity.

Of course, the one thing that will not escape her notice is the uncannily familiar building that sits near the domes. The moment she sees the outside, she breaks into a jog to bring herself in front of it. Seeing it should make her thrilled, but her expression drops and her shoulders slump, as if all the hope had been deflated from her.

Seventh Heaven? Or... some kind of iteration of the bar? But the last time she saw it, it was—]

No way this is real...

[Except that it is, in some strange way. The outside of the building bears an almost uncanny resemblance with the way the pipes jut out from the sides, and she would recognize those letters on the sign anywhere, except rather than 7th Heaven painted across it, wooden pieces make up parts of what is now The Heavenly Blanc Bar and Cafe's sign.

But when she wanders inside, it's like someone had taken parts of 7th Heaven and added all kinds of other things, namely the jars of coffee beans that line the shelves next to the alcohol, as well as the jukebox and pinball machine to the side. Habit takes her behind the bar itself, where she runs her fingers over the polished wood, a sense of dread and a wave of sadness that washes over her. Should she even be here? This isn't even her bar...

All of those thoughts are wrenched away when the bell on the door jingles. Immediately, completely out of routine and without realizing what she's doing until she does it, Tifa smiles to welcome whoever's just walked in.]

Welcome to Seventh... Ah... Heavenly Blanc Bar and Cafe.

[ ... ]

[Did she really just... Well, might as well go along with it now.]

Have a seat.

★ UNFAMILIAR SIMULATION JOINT ★

[Further exploration leads her to the blazing mansion inside the dome. Surely someone knows about this, right? Well, she isn't taking her chances on that and rushes to the doors, swinging it open and shouting inside, intending to help anyone who might be trapped within.]

Hello? Anyone in here?

[But, interestingly enough, nothing inside is damaged by the fire. There is little to no smoke blocking her vision, and when the flames come a little too close for comfort, they don't burn. Good thing, too, because one moment she's wandering through an oddly put-together, if not a little warm, home and the next, she's dodging an incoming fireball from behind an armchair. She watches it whizz past her, and when she whirls around again, fists raised, she's met with a strange looking creature that she can only assume is a bird.]

Huh...

[She lowers her guard, and casts a glance to whoever happened to join her on this trip into the mansion.]

It's... actually kind of cute.

[She says, as she has to duck from another fireball. The firey snickers, a playful glint in its round eyes before it skitters away, peering over its shoulder as it rounds a corner as if asking for them to follow...]

★ WILDCARD ★

[None of these strike your fancy? Feel free to leave something else below, or contact me to plot if you'd prefer! If you'd like to avoid FF7R spoilers, please let me know!]

heavenly blanc

[memorate]

Tifa...

[ Don't worry, it's just Cloud, although he looks just as surprised to see how different everything looks. Even more surprising is that he actually finds Tifa inside, and a part of him is relieved to see her. He's sure he could have handled being here all alone (or so he likes to think), but the thought of Tifa being stuck here all on her own sounded much worse to him.

There's an awkward pause as both of them realize how utterly weird this is, but ultimately he plays it cool as he takes her up on the offer. There could be every chance that he's just dreaming this up anyway, so there's no need to make a fool of himself (even in his dream!!) ]

... Love what you've done with the place.

[ Or not... it looks like two people had very different ideas about what this place should look like. ]

2B | Nier Automata | OTA

[twobee]

a. Lakeside

[The lakeside was the expanse that reminded 2B most of the Earth as it existed in the year 11945. As she explored she was reminded of "home", of places where had humans had once dwelled thousands of years in the past but now only existed as silent graves and monuments to a race long since passed.

She would wander with trepidation as this seemed the sort of place that things requiring a good beating might lie, and any who would surprise the oddly dressed woman may find themselves suddenly on the business end of a long sword.]

2

[Finding herself within the lighthouse, 2B wandered about while looking carefully at the arcade games. She tapped at their screens and fiddling with their controls with a look of interest on her face. However, as the machines did nothing and failed to spark to life, she frowned and turned away while musing to herself.]

Maybe these things provided some kind of amusement while humankind was still around, but now they're nothing but junk.

b. Paris

[This place was "strange" even to one from a world where mechanical life had long ago replaced the local population. The strange living land very much reminded her of the innards of a great machine, pulsing with life to a tune she couldn't here. Eventually, she would look for someone who looked like they could make sense of the oddity.]

Hey! Do you have any idea what this thing is?

c. open

[Having just arrived in a world where humans were not only alive and well, but numbered in the dozens, 2B was understandably exhausted both mentally and emotionally. She could be found sitting alone somewhere trying to make heads or tails of this new world. Care to bother her?]

2

[yinception]

I take offense to that! What makes you think humankind isn't around anymore?

[Or... around again, as the case may be. Wuxian has no idea - but he's a human, thanks for noticing. Don't talk like he's extinct!

Walking up to the big metal and glass boxes (coffins...? he hopes they're not coffins!), he taps a finger at them, imitating his new companion as much as satisfying his own curiosity.]

That said... you may be right that these are trash.

Sheba | Golden Sun

[stormsofjupiter]

Lakeside
Of course she'd find her way here; the lighthouse was something she (vaguely) recognized. Also, shelter was a good idea if the screams she'd heard in the... distance? were any indication of what monsters might be lurking. And if she climbed to the top, she'd get a great view! ... Probably. (Either her eyes are playing tricks on her, or things are awfully weird here.)

Sheba's small size allows her to squeeze around the machines – she even scrambles over a few and jumps from one to another, tucking her cape in her sash so it's out of the way. The buttons and levers look like they’re meant to be used, but nothing is lit up? Sitting on one of the machines, she leans over to jiggle the controls. Shame nothing works... maybe there's a power source they have to connect?

"This doesn't look like any lighthouse I've been in." She stares up at The Claw. "You think they put that in here just to move these around? It doesn't look like it has power, though."


Jellyrabbits
Fighting without her powers is unsettling... and there’s no one around to release whatever is sealing her abilities, so Sheba takes to avoiding battles. Or tries to. Even so, her staff has a new stain at the tip, and she’s still shivering from an encounter with some... undead thing... what even was that? It was much more articulate than a ghoul, like something from a nightmare.

She doesn’t have time to think about it, because a cluster of jellyfish-like monsters is suddenly right here instead of over there. So much for avoiding!

"Go, shoo!" Sheba waves her staff at them, holding out and fluttering her cape with her other hand to try to appear bigger. (Intimidation is ineffective! They’re coming closer!)


Playing with Fire
Which she wasn’t intending, but one flies towards her head and think fast! "Whoa!"

It's not the same as lightning... a different sort of heat, a tickling on her palms. And it doesn't hurt at all - that's the funny part - even though she's sure it has nothing to do with her own energy; she can hold the fire without any concentration, easily as picking up a child's playing ball.

"Hehe, I wondered what handling fire was like." Considering the fireball in her hands, thinking back to how her fire-oriented teammates would handle it, she carefully takes one side in each hand and pulls. The fire splits in half. Oh, it’s like snow! Hefting the one in her right hand, she grins and tosses it to the next person. "Here, try it!"

jellyrabbits

[yinception]

These creatures are not like anything Wuxian has ever seen, but the rabbit part? That is familiar - and in a very positive way, too. These floating, weird, not-quite-rabbit creatures are intriguing, so when he sees someone try to shoo them away, he has to interfere. On the positive side: that puts him between the jellyrabbits and the offended lady.

"Hey - what are you doing? Look at how cute they are!" He makes a point of petting the furry top of the creatures, scritching between their ears. They don't seem to mind it, and that pleases him more than he can say. Animals tend to hate him - but look at these! He can't help but smile. "Heh."

... All right, that's definitely not going to keep going well. But for now, he's happy!!

cloud strife | final fantasy vii remake | ota

[memorate]

1. The Heavenly Blanc Bar & Cafe

[ He entered this familiar place because he was curious, although he never expected it to be this familiar. There are certain aspects of the bar that not only remind him of Tifa's place, but he's pretty sure they are from the Seventh Heaven bar. It doesn't explain why the rest of the place looks so different, though.

He needs time to think and process what exactly is happening, although he'd rather be doing anything else than that.

Occupying a stool by the bar, he wonders if he should just help himself to a drink. There's no official staff here by the looks of it. If anyone finds themselves here with him, he'll address them dryly. ]

Local, or just passing through?

[ It's ok, he thinks he already knows the answer. ]

2. The Lakeside

[ The lakeside is a visually stunning place, even with some of the industrial buildings in sight. If someone were to ask Cloud, or just spend one day in Midgar, they'd know that this place could do a lot worse. The bright purple trees alone are almost dream-like, almost romantic depending on who you ask. Cute jellyrabbits floating around, harmless and simply observing any newcomers. Off in the distance, across the lake, is a lighthouse that's demanding to be explored. What could one find there if they went? Everything about this place is a wonder, and the start of a new adventure!

And then there's Cloud, near the lake and toppled over in pain. He can't even stand up without having to lean against one of the trees. Next to him is a jellyrabbit, slowly floating away like a balloon.

... It appears he got stung in the ear like a dumbass. ]

Nnghhh...

3. Wildcard

[ Anything goes! ]

1

[realway]

[ the one cloud addresses is dressed in a charcoal cloak, head turning toward him as she descends down the stairs. she just finished investigating the second floor, what little there was to look around, and his wit only gets the faintest smile. ]

I doubt anyone is a local around here. [ not even him. she takes the last steps to the main floor, but does not yet approach him. ] Wherever here is.

Sarah Williams | Return to Labyrinth

[notimefordreams]

[A] The World, Renewed;

[The white is absolutely blinding, almost as if someone had yanked a blindfold away from her eyes. There's no time to adjust and she's left instinctively covering her eyes with a hand.]

What's --

[She doesn't even get the words passed her lips before things just start changing. Rapidly, fervently, as if this white void can't wait to heave up it's offerings.

Where the void decided she needs to be is on a building. Not in front of it, on it. As in sitting on the edge of what appears to be a giant sign over a doorway.

Sarah's head is reeling from the sudden change, her hands grasping as a shot of fear jerks up her spine like lightning and brings the hairs on the back of her neck up.

She whispers a word under her breath that might just be a curse as she looks down to the rest of the building below her. Is that a porch? No, it's probably a balcony.

After a second a long, long breath rushes out of the woman and she casts her eyes skyward a moment in thorough disgust.]

I don't want to play games with you, okay.

[... Who is she talking to exactly?]

[B] Fire, Fire, Burning Bright;

[At first the blaze had been more than sufficient to make her turn heel and consider leaving. She heavily doubted if she was going to find that fluffy-haired bastard that it would be in the middle of a flaming building. He seemed keen on making things difficult for her but that was a little ridiculous even by his standards... so she hoped.

Even getting near the house though didn't produce the amount of heat she expected. She eventually pauses just inside the front door and just sort of marvels at the dancing flames of a fire on an antique table are just sort of there. Even right beside them they only feel at most tepidly warm and that brings rise to a big frown on her lips.]

None of this makes any sense.

[She's starting to feel just a little like Alice here, perpetually in the middle of some madness.]

[C] Wildcard;

[Feel free to hit me with any other scenarios you like! PMs are open for your plotting needs!]

B

[thequitecontrary]

None at all.

[ Mary is standing in the middle of the room, her arms crossed. She'd been drawn to the large estate initially, but the fact that it was on fire was, to put it mildly, off-putting. After seeing several people walk in and then come out unharmed, Mary decides to try it for herself.

It's warm, but not even uncomfortably so. Every room feels like it's being heated by a comfortable hearth. It'd be fine except for the absolutely disturbing flames that are dancing on the furniture. ]

It's a shame. This place seems quite nice.

Nisha (Nisha Labyrinth) | Elsword

[selfreflection]

[A]

[She expects to be in the Demon Realm, but this place is decidedly... not. The white expanse looks nothing like Henir's Space, either, and Nisha's confusion only grows when new land and plants and structures start to rise up from the ground. This isn't any kind of place she or Laby has seen before. Is something like this supposed to be happening? Is this normal?

It's distressing, and confusing... but she has to stay strong, for Laby's sake. She burns that thought into her mind as she clutches the pink mirror in her arms, carefully backing away from the various trees and cliffs trying to grow underneath her feet. She seems to be handling herself fine, and once most of the mountain has formed she allows herself to relax...

And then the whole mountain seems to sink down, for some reason. That reason becomes more apparent once a torrential downpour of Literally All Of The Water drops down, all at once, onto the mountain Nisha is standing on.

The water settles surprisingly fast, but when Nisha crawls back onto dry land she realizes too late that she's missing something. Laby is gone.

She panics, wading back into the water as she desperately scans the horizon.] Laby! Laby! Where are you, Laby?!

[... and somewhere out in the water, there floats a cute mirror with a flowering frame of blue and white wood and a single piece of pink glass in the centre. Except it's kind of a lousy mirror, since it doesn't seem to reflect very well. Maybe it just needs polishing?]

[B]

[She holds onto Laby more tightly, this time, as she explores more of their new surroundings. The starry sky above the dome is pretty, and she's a bit sad when the outside sky is only plain white. She stands at the entrance for awhile, debating her options, before ultimately deciding to step out into the grassy purple fields.]

See, Laby? It's just like the forest. Aren't the trees here pretty? [is she... talking to herself? it doesn't seem like she's noticed you yet.] There's nothing to be afraid of. Maybe we'll meet some new friends... why don't we look around and say hello? Would you like that, Laby?

[Wildcard]

((hit me up at BlueFlewFedUQueen if you have another idea!))

A

[ateaist]

[It's hard not to notice her panicking out there in the water. The place is so quiet for one thing, but even if it weren't could anyone ignore a scene like this? Nobunaga only goes so far as the shore given she doesn't know who this person is or what could be out in the water, but she still calls out to Nisha from there.] Oi! What's the problem, lass?

Okumura Yukio | Blue Exorcist (++CRAU)

[reflash]

i. in the beginning was the
[This is not the new world he was expecting. This is not the world they asked for, the one they were all supposed to be building after the last one finally ended. Yukio stumbles slightly, as a floor appears under him and walls spring up around him. He catches his balance on a countertop that appears under his hand, and just stares around him, confused.]

ii. unforeseen
[There's a lot that's extremely wrong with his current situation, but that can wait. The first thing that needs to be done is to explore the world as it now exists, assess the situation, and make contact with anyone else who's found themselves here.

Right now, Yukio is making his way through a building that's far more technologically advanced than anything he's seen in the last year (and bigger than any building he's seen in a very long while). And, as expected, he finds someone new.]

Excuse me. [He says, carefully. Yukio is polite, but he doesn't look exactly human anymore, and that can upset people.]

I've just arrived, are you familiar with this?

[[ooc: Yukio's got some CRAU nonsense happening, so here is a current appearance ref. Hit me up at hydok if you want!]]

ii

[yinception]

["Upset" is not the right word for how that inhuman look makes Wuxian feel, but he's definitely surprised! He's seen some weird creatures in his time, but nothing looking quite like that.

Still, it's nothing nearly as strange as this building, so.]

... I am not.

[He tried to school his expression, but it hasn't kept his eyes from widening considerably. The shock in his expression fades pretty quickly the conversation starts, however.]

I am as new as you are. [Apparently, but he sees no reason to assume the guy is lying.] That said, this place sure is interesting, isn't it?

[Perhaps even more so for a long-haired man in robes that looks like he just walked off a fantasy movie set.]

Ahsoka Tano | Star Wars

[realway]

I: Heavenly Blanc Bar & Cafe

[ compared to the rest of the world, a void still forming, the bar looks positively normal. the observable lack of electricity despite lighting and equipment that would use it strikes her odd, as if everything is hooked up but not to any power source. ahsoka heads up to the attic, intent of figuring out if she can find wiring to follow, but the only thing up here are the remnants of a room. she touches the desk and frowns at the lack of dust despite the completely abandoned feeling of the room. as if no life has ever lived here - it must be so with how the surroundings just came into being.

she takes a seat at the bed and without thinking leans down to lie on her back, eyes boring into the ceiling. how long has it been since she last rested? it's hard to say between the wreckage of the republic ship and suddenly finding herself in a strange new world, perhaps even galaxy. her eyes blink heavy and slow and she stretches, turning to curl on her side.

if she doesn't sense danger, then there's no harm taking a short nap? ]

II: USJ/Burning Mansion

[ ahsoka, despite trained to proceed with caution and care, has never been good at exercising those traits. case in point: the burning manor. caught on fire and ready to breakdown, ahsoka immediately charges toward danger and is ready to push back whatever fire she can to safely enter. yet the moment the first fires lick at her skin, she sees it for what it is -- an illusion. an advanced hologram maybe? ]

Well, that's a relief. [ a surprise, to be sure, but a welcomed one. her stance does not slack but the tension of danger breathes out, not even inhaling any associated fumes with the blaze. the sound of footsteps from behind, another person entering the dome, gets her to turn. She's quick to call out: ] The fire isn't real. It just looks like it's burning down.

III: Body Snatchers

[ Anakin. it's the only thought she has when she sees his figure, hears his voice distantly call out her name, and it's enough to get her rushing toward him. her relief turns to shock when the figure morphs into a beast, closing the distance between them with a charge. instinct and a lifetime of training kick in, her hands swinging up to push the monster back with a psychic force.

the ghowl is thrown back and ahsoka reaches for her belt - unequipped and without the weapon she has grown attached to having. all the while the monster is recovering and looking angry. she breathes in sharp and gets into stance, not expecting to get any help. after all, it's the way of life now. ]

I

[mudhornlorian]

Sleep is just beginning to settle in when there's a small noise, audible enough given the pervasive silence of the room. A slurping sort of sound.

Staring up at Ahsoka from the floor is...well, something that looks very much like Master Yoda.

If he were a baby.

The Child is holding a small cup; steam rises from the bone broth within. He watches her nonchalantly and takes another sip, entirely unbothered.

Rinoa Heartilly | Final Fantasy VIII | OTA

[pinwheels]

A ☆ The Creation of the World

[ When Rinoa's eyes first open to the expanse of the void around her, something akin to horror catches in her throat.

No. This can't be happening. They beat Ultimecia. They won. So how is she back in this place...? This time?

And Squall...

She manages to run a few steps through the emptiness before it erupts. Rinoa's eyes widen in surprise and confusion as the land springs up around her, buildings and cliffs too high to reach. A frown creases her eyebrows, her lips part to voice a complaint and--

--her words come out as bubbles as the space around her fills with water.

A magical attempt to shield herself against the water fizzles out as quickly as if it never even began, and with a silent, internalized curse, she kicks against the rapidly-expanding water, trying to rise with it.

When she finally breaks the surface with a splash, she finds herself treading water in the middle of a massive lake, the world around it strange and foreign. Where am I? ]

Hello? [ She turns her head, looking around for others like her as the familiar fear starts to sink back under her skin. Surely she's not alone here...? ]

B ☆ There's Something in the Water

[ It's hard to be your usual, cheery self when you've been unceremoniously dumped in an alien world. Rinoa doesn't think she's managed a proper smile since opening her eyes to this place; she's too preoccupied with thoughts of home, her friends, her failing magic... Her mind feels full, and hectic, and there doesn't seem to be anything she can do to calm it down.

So she does the only thing she can do: she explores.

She's just crested one of the cliffs when she decides she needs a drink. No, needs is wrong. She's not thirsty. She's hardly even broken a sweat, despite hiking up all this way. But habit tells her that the exertion should make her thirsty. That's a good enough reason, right?

The sound of running water leads her into the dome that takes up a large percentage of the clifftop and to a large flooded spring.

Perfect!

Cupped hands dip into the pool, a shudder of cold running down her spine, before she brings the ice water to her lips, sipping tentatively before allowing herself to drink the whole lot.

A smile finds her lips - a real, honest smile - and a sense of calm washes over her as she lowers her hands into the pool again for another drink. ]

Everything's going to be okay.

[ She doesn't even realize she's said it out loud. ]

C ☆ Playing with Fire

[ Just when Rinoa had started to think she'd seen every strange thing this place had to offer, she discovered the contents of the smaller dome of the USJ: a perpetually-burning building, and fire-throwing bird-Moombas.

(Okay, so she's pretty sure that's not what they're called, but they do kinda look like the bird cousins of Moombas!)

Right now, she's crouched behind the statue of yet another animal she's never seen before, trying to get a good look at the frolicking creatures. ]

Option A:
[ Noticing someone nearby, she turns toward them, her voice low, little more than a whisper: ]

What are they doing?

Option B:
[ She's so busy watching that she doesn't notice the fireball until it explodes into the side of her face. There's no pain, just an intense warmth, and the fire dissipates as quickly as it hits her. Still, she whirls toward the attacker, anger written all over her features. ]

What do you think you're doing?!

E ☆ Open

[ Once she's "settled in" - as much as one can in such a strange place - Rinoa will often be found in the plaza of the USJ, sitting on the edge of the fountain and looking up at the projected starry sky. The patterns in the stars are unfamiliar to her, but watching them still brings her comfort. Perhaps this is where you find her? ]

Wildcard

[ nothing here that speaks to you? other ideas? feel free to hit me up via PM or at denouements! ]

C – Option A

[believeprotector]

[Riku has spent a while on watching the bird-monkeys(?) play with the fires that are burning in the building now – long enough to be certain that they aren't malicious at least. The flames themselves don't particular seem like they are doing much damage either… at least not like Riku knows they should be capable of. They just seem… warm. Comforting, even.

When that woman approaches and quietly asks her question, he tilts his head slightly – enough to indicate that he has heard her but without taking his eyes off the bird-monkeys.]

Playing, I think. This doesn't seem to be a kind of fire that can harm anything or anyone.

alphinaud leveilleur • final fantasy xiv

[arcsplainist]

ONE
[ Given the size of the lake, it's no wonder a number of new arrivals get swallowed up in its waters as it and the rest of the world around them materializes in a flash. Fortunately, most know how to swim.

Alphinaud is not "most".

Fortunately, he wasn't far enough from the shoreline for it to be a problem. The small, utterly drenched figure hunched over on his hands and knees and gasping for breath on the muddy sand makes it evident that it was a trial still getting there. All the meanwhile, a trio of jellyrabbits—not that he has a great idea what they are—gently bob overhead, curiously flicking their ears around him.

He does, at least, give them a narrow stare. ]

If you've come to mock me– [ Alphinaud says between heavy breaths. ] –you may save it for later.

[ Look, he's gotta gripe at someone about his misfortune, and that someone is floating jellyfish. ]

TWO
[ When it comes down to it, this area is... familiar. Very much so, Alphinaud would claim he not only knows this place, but he's traversed through it numerous times. Yet the sheer number of oddities have him believe this isn't quite the Lakeland he knows—not counting how he's sure he witnessed absolute nothingness bloom into somethingness, though even he has his doubts on whether he can trust his mind on that one or not. It's already been a weird day.

But there's a lighthouse in lieu of Bismarck, and Alphinaud is more than certain the elves of eld had never constructed such buildings within the uniquely lilac forest. He has half a mind to seek out the Ostall Imperative—which would, normally, be a shorter trek from the lake—but something tells him there's little use trying.

Not that it stops him from looking around some.

Eventually, he winds up on the short walkway leading up to... a tavern, apparently, though its haphazard appearance leaves him wrinkling his nose. ]

Well– [ he begins, should anyone walk up next to him before entering. ] what are the odds anyone is running this establishment?

[ From what he can tell looking through the windows, it's a bit dark in there. Huh. ]

WILDCARD?
[ You know how these things roll. Hit me with your own starter or pm me to plot something else if you want! ]

one

[pureawesome]

[Lift has dog-paddled her way out of the lake a little earlier. She's still sprawled on the sand - soaking wet, wondering what the storms is going on - when Alphinaud crawls out.

She props herself up on her elbows. Huh. What's with the floating things? Lift glances around, hoping Wyndle will somehow smell her ignorance and show up to give a long, boring explanation, but he's still nowhere to be found.

Well. At least there's this half-drowned, annoyed guy to talk to.]

I don't think they're trying to mock you. There'll be probably be more noise, or... [She gestures a hand vaguely.] Rude tentacle flapping.

Damien Brenks | WATCH_DOGS

[abeautifulgame]

A. THE CREATION OF THE WORLD_

[the white is jarring, to say the least -- bright without really being bright, the contrast between where Damien was, atop a lighthouse that will exist again, here in a moment, after dark, in the middle of a blackout, and the endless nothing, now, enough to make him wince and shield his eyes. he takes a half-step forward, once his eyes adjust, limping, the brace around his left leg obvious, and then suddenly, the world comes to life around him.

it's an experience no better-worse than the abrupt white of the void, but he's at least lucky in the fact that he doesn't end up hanging off of something, when it all comes to an end. no, instead, he's left on solid ground, staring up at the Eiffel Tower, and stare he does, because it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to realize something's wrong with it and what, the metal all wrong, not metal at all. he shakes his head a little, lips curling back in a sneer, disgusted, horrified]

... what the hell?

[he's really not sure which part of this has been the worst, so far]

B. SOMETHING IN THE WATER_

[sooner or later, Damien finds his way to the mismatched mess that is Heavenly Blanc, and thank God for small miracles, because he really needs a drink, right now. in the -- however long it's been since he's been here, he hasn't quite figured out where here is, but in his mind, none of the options seem promising. either everything he's ever known has been a lie, his life a simulation that he got to see the edges of, somehow, albeit briefly, like in the Matrix that stupid Cyberdriver spin-off movie they made, or worse yet, he's already had his final confrontation with Aiden, he lost, and this is Hell or something like it. he's leaning towards the former, the latter too worrying, especially when he's not a religious man, but either way, yeah, he needs a drink]

[helping himself to a bottle of something that at least looks like white wine, he hobbles back around the counter, snatching a glass as he goes, and lowers himself into a seat. stretching his braced leg out, he pours himself a glass and reaches for the phone in his pocket. he's checked it more than a dozen times already, it just won't come on, no matter how many tricks he tries, but he can't help but try again. he's a hacker; the phone is every tool in his kit, manifest. he's nothing without his toys and he's just as nervous about not having them as he is anything else he's encountered, so far]

[feel free to bother him, while he's trying to get it to at least power on (thirteenth time's the charm), or wait a few minutes until he's had a few fingers of not-quite-alcohol in him and he's feeling a little better and a little more chatty. or, actually, maybe he'll bother you, calling out:] So, what's your take on all of this?

C. BODY SNATCHERS_

[at some point, after leaving the bar and after he's started to sober up a little, Damien's pretty sure he spots his partner turned enemy, Aiden Pearce, off in the distance. it's that ridiculous trenchcoat he's taken to wearing, he thinks. he's also not particularly thrilled to see who he thinks is Aiden, given that their relationship ultimately ends with Aiden shooting him, but a familiar face is a familiar face, and if he's crippled here, and for more than just his bum leg, the Aiden might be, too. he might actually be willing to play nice, to work together to escape, and he'll just -- betray Aiden later, and leave him here, if and when they manage it. he deserves it]

[that in mind, he heads for 'Aiden', calling out:] I see the ghost in the machine got you, too. [a beat] What do you say, my boy -- truce? [Aiden growls; Damien huffs, rolls his eyes] Oh, come on, Aiden. This really isn't the time for .... [he's close enough, now, that 'Aiden' gets down on all fours, and it's only then that Damien realizes his mistake, eyes going wide. he hesitates for only a second before turning, scrambing as fast as he can, which really isn't that fast at all, given his leg injury, to get away]

Fuck, fuck, fuck ...

[please come and save the disabled man]

WILDCARD_

[have something else in mind? feel free to throw me a prompt or hit me up with a PM, so we can work something out!]

b.

[obscurus_phantasma]

---

[ Minus the headgear Dulcinea is perched on the bar top, one leg swinging lackadaisically as the other remains still, hanging. Either she's always been there or has only just arrived, either way shrouded in silence until choosing to break it with: ] OCD or desperately hoping?

[ Referring to the stranger and his phone tic.

Aubergine eyes observe Damien and not his leg, not yet. Her hair rests freely behind her, black as the ocean's abyss, as oil, skin like moonlight. There's an Italian accent in there, present enough to catch. Neither make-up nor jewelry mark the Goddess. ]

Riku | Kingdom Hearts | OTA

[believeprotector]

[ A – Creation of the World ]

[Opening his eyes to find himself an unknown location isn't an entirely foreign sensation to Riku… but usually his jumps between worlds are fairly deliberate… and finding himself in the middle of the endless white of the void, was already a warning sign the last time it happened to him. At least this time there are no disembodied voices telling him to go back to the "safety" of sleep.

Before he can so much as mutter that thought, the white void around him changes, the ground shaking as it shifts and a second later a wave of water washes over him. Riku barely manages to draw in his breath before that wave drags him into the depths of… well, wherever he is. He keeps still while the water around him is turbulent – no point in wasting precious air and energy – then pushes towards the glimmer of light shining down from the surface.

Seconds later his head breaks through to the air again, deep breaths filling his lungs and Riku finds himself blinking as he takes in his changed surroundings. Huh.]

…So much for being stuck in the void between the worlds again.

[…Well, first things first. He won't be able to explore this place from the middle of the lake, after all.]


[ B – Playing with Fire ]

[A couple of hours in this world and Riku can say one thing with certainty: he has become way more reliant on magic and the enhanced abilities that he gained through his training as Keyblade Master than he would have thought. For all that he can feel that magic simmer under his skin – which is a little comfort at least – without any way to summon it, it's impossible to use.

That somehow, his attempt to light a fire at the lakeside have failed… though strangely enough he doesn't really feel cold, even with his wet cloths still clinging to him. Exploring that dome on the other side of the lake has been plenty distraction from that at least. Especially once he finds those bird-monkeys playing with the fire.

When the first one of them tosses one of their fire balls at him, Riku is a little too slow to dodge entirely and brings up his left arm to block… only to blink when the fire only licks with warmth over his skin. When the next bird-monkey hurls its fireball, he is more prepared and manages to catch the flames between his fingers for just a second… but then they fizzle out again. The bird-monkeys don't seem particularly upset by that at least… instead they look expectant. Riku glances between them and his own fingers, a faint smile curling up the corners of his lips.]

…Sure. I'll play with you guys.

[Later, he grins a little in wonder as he sits a little bit away from the dome, a flicker of flames cradled between his palms.]

It's funny. It almost feels like they taught me Fire magic all over again.


[ C – Wildcard! ]

[You know the drill; give me your own prompt, if nothing above works, or contact me via PM or plurk (iceyly) and we'll work something out! :3]

A

[oathkeeper]

[Exploring new worlds isn't a new concept for Sora either. Although this is the first time he's ever experienced something quite like this. Worlds don't just magically appear and grow under his feet and they don't form places and whole bodies of water in mere minutes. At first the thought maybe, just maybe, he was in some warped version of the final world and that any second now he was going to see upside-down versions of himself running around in circles. But nope, just a whole bunch of water and purple trees.

Sora yelps as one of those purple trees spring up from nearly underneath him. He flails a foot and arm and hops backwards as the tree sprouts and grows to full length before his eyes, big leafy purple leaves and branches sprouting from this way and that. He heaves a little.]

Just one step over and I would've been up that tree in a flash. Geeze.

[He puts his hand to his brow and scans out towards the lake to see if there's anything else worth noting right now. And that's when he sees a somewhat familiar speck in the distance. Sora squints carefully.]

... Is that? Riku? [Well, now he's yelling!] Riku! Hey! Riku!!

Mary Crawley | Downton Abbey | OTA

[thequitecontrary]

I. THE HEART OF PARIS

This is a nightmare.

That's the best explanation that she has for what is happening to her right now. She went to sleep and woke up in some kind of hellscape. Mary stands on the edge of the lake. Behind her are ruined buildings filled with technology she's never seen before, though all of it looks old and disused. In front of her is a monstrosity.

The tower seemingly made of flesh sways slightly as it oozes a red liquid. The heart in the middle of it beats in a graphic and realistic way. Despite having witnessed pig slaughtering before, this is too much for her.

Mary can feel the bile rising in her throat. "I think I'm going to be ill," she says before putting her fingers to her lips and turning away, hoping that she can manage to keep her dinner down.

II. BLANC BAR AND CAFE

Of all the places in this strange land, this is the one that seems the most normal to her (except for the mansion on fire, but she's not taking her chances with that yet). Inside, she's found one sign of comfort that ever Brit relishes: tea. Since the place seems to have no electricity, Mary realizes that she's going to have to improvise. Never get between an Englishwoman and her tea.

After finding a box of matches in one of the drawers, she fills up one of the kettles with bottled water (what an odd thing, bottling water). She gathers some twigs and branches from the surrounding area and puts them into a pile, which she then sets on fire with several of the matches. Back inside, Mary looks for something she can use to hold her tea kettle over the flames. She finds a tall metal stool. Perfect. After dragging it outside, she places it over the flames and puts her tea kettle on top.

Soon enough, the kettle is whistling and Mary uses a towel to grip the handle and pour the hot water into her waiting cup. She steeps the tea bag for a few minutes, then takes a sip.

"Not terrible," she offers, though the tea does have an odd aftertaste, like the burn of gin. "At least we can have something civilized in this God-awful place."

III. WILDCARD

I'm open to random other stuff. Feel free to PM this account or hit me up at sparks_fly.

II

[halloflamer]

"Oh! Aren't you a clever camper."

A young man- casually dressed aside from his somewhat flamboyant hair- has just passed in front of the bar from the sprawling and bizarre landscape around them; having picked up the scent of the fire and the faint whistle of the teapot, he'd come to investigate. He wouldn't mistake that herby smell anywhere...

Hands in his pockets, he strolls closer- slowly- with his eyes on the makeshift campfire first, and then coming to rest on Mary. She seems normal enough...

"I guess there's proper food in this place after all. Mind if I drop in to have a cup?"

Shun Kurosaki | Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V | OTA

[raidraptors]

[ A – Arrival + Paris ]

[If Shun hadn't been dragged to… whatever this place is, from the middle of a stadium filled with people, he would have assumed that he is standing in the middle of a very weird – creepy actually, even by Shun's war-battered standards – Action Field. The white space he had glimpsed at just before this structure had started to build itself under his feet had been somewhat similar to the trainings rooms he remembers seeing in the LDS facilities at least.

Akaba – for all his faults – isn't quite tasteless enough to send him to duel in the middle of a structure made of bone of all things at least.

He spends a moment eying the heart in the middle of the structure, frowning… and hisses a curse when the structure sways due the heart's pulse. Shun shakes his head sharply.]

…Enough sightseeing.

[First order of business is getting down from here… and It doesn't take him long to find the stairs that lead down at least… though the fact that they are covered with fluid makes even Shun grimace faintly with distaste, even if there is absolutely no helping what he has to do.]


[ B – Something In The Water ]

[Shun still hasn't entirely made up his mind about the current situation when he finally manages to sit down at that bar for a bit – too many things happened at once, even before he found himself in the middle of… to be honest he doesn't even know. This place isn't particular comparable to any experience he made during the dimension hopping he did since Ruri's disappearance.

He doesn't waste a thought about taking the advantage of bottled water, even knowing that he likely can't pay for it – if worse comes to worst, he'll just beat up anyone who tries to stop him from leaving. The first sip from the bottle leaves him grimacing… he knows the aftertaste of alcohol well enough to recognize it.]

…The water should be clean enough.

[Shun is by no means an optimist, but knowing the silver lining of the situation helps a little. Work forward. Find the cracks of your enemies and chip away at them until they topple under their own weight… that's the way of Resistance. Though…]

Who the hell is even the 'enemy' now?

B

[seasung]

Why not start with easier questions?

[Kanata hums, the better half of his attention still focused on inspecting the varying menus that have been posted up above the counter. He's well aware that the stranger's question hadn't been directed his way, but it just seemed rude to let it go unanswered, lingering gloomily in the air.]

For instance, in a "place" like this, who are your "friends?"

Din Djarin | The Mandalorian | OTA

[mudhornlorian]

Cafe Blanc

Warily, he pushes the door to the cafe open, his pistol out. The weapon doesn't actually seem to work, though he can't figure out why, nothing is wrong with it, but it's still a visible weapon and thus a deterrent if anyone decides to start something.

A quick scan of the room reveals no visible threats. He looks down to his companion, the small, green Child. "Stay close." He says. A cantina like this might have supplies that he can scavenge for him and the Kid.

But other people might have gotten the same idea. This needs to be quick.

He crosses the floor to the bar, and rounds it. A few quick examinations of the bottles don't turn up; alcohol and caf aren't what he needs. The Child watches him work curiously, his head turned up quizzically.

Something under the counter catches his attention. Water bottles, it looks like. Full water bottles. "I found something." He tells his small companion, lowering himself under the bar to begin grabbing what he and the Kid can use. No food, but clean drinkable water is a start.

That's where you come in; were you in the attic room or in the bathroom when he came in? Or did you see them enter and followed? Regardless, your entrance is noted by the Child who's attention turns to you with a gurgle, followed by the Mandalorian standing up slowly, carefully, from behind the bar, placing a water bottle on the counter in front of him.

"Something you need?" He asks.

USJ

A small camp has been built in the mountain area, using a rocky outcropping and some materials scavenged from the buildings around the lake; it's not big or fancy, but it's defensible, close to water, and protected from the elements; given the weather systems at play in this installation, he's not about to rule out that it might be possible for adverse conditions to spring up, like a storm.

Around a small firepit that's been dug, currently not being used, he sits, performing what maintenance he can on his pistol. The thing hasn't worked since he got here, and now there's time to try and figure out why. The Child is crouched nearby, apparently having found some fun in stacking small rocks, piles as big big as he is...which isn't very much. But it's keeping him entertained.

He doesn't look up from his gun as he hears you approach. "The water's down past here, if that's what you're looking for." He says. There's a path that runs by where the camp has been set up that lead888s down to the overflowing spring.

Body Snatchers

It's later, at the camp. He's not adverse to sharing it with passersby, letting them get some rest, though you'll find while he's not the most talkative on his own. The Child continues to play. But then movement catches his attention, and he looks up in time to see a small, bearded figure disappearing behind some rocks.

"What the..." He begins to rise. "Kuiil?" The Child noticed it too; he coos curiously, the Ugnaught having left enough of an impression to know that he's safe. "Hey. Old man, that you?" It can't be, not after what happened on Navarro, but...with everything else that's happened...

He gets to his feet, approaching where he saw the Ugnaught vanish. "Kuiil. That you?"

That's when the ghowl leaps out, a storm of claws and teeth. Instinct kicks in, and he manages to land a blow on the creature as it leaps, claws scraping against the beskar chestpiece; at least his armour's integrity is as strong as it ever was. He pulls his knife as the creature is knocked back, slipping into a combat stance and already readying himself for its counterattack...but the ghowl's attention has already turned to easier prey.

The Child, hand outstretched towards it, eyes closed and a look of what appears to be intense concentration...yet nothing is happening. The Child's eyes open, the hand droops down; a noise of confusion.

The ghowl charges as he throws himself at the beast with his dagger. He won't let it get the Kid, but his knife isn't going to be enough. They both need help.

cafe blanc

[merging]

Yes, Ezra spotted a Mandalorian in the distance entering a cafe and decided he needed to follow them. No, it probably wasn't a good idea, but this is Ezra. Maybe he should try and be more careful, considering he doesn't have a lightsaber and his connection to the Force is significantly weakened. But again, this is Ezra.

He opens the door... and is immediately distracted by the Child. He's about to coo over him when the Mandalorian he's followed pops up from the bar. Well, so far so good, since no one's shot at him yet.

"Uh, yeah. Meiloorun juice, if you've got it. On the rocks."

kokichi ouma / drv3 / ota

[thefeels]

a. the lighthouse

( Goodbye to all the literal worldbuilding that's happening. Hello, pachinko machines.

Kokichi's joylessly kicking around a few of the nonoperational devices. Sometimes these things just need a good jostle, right? Everyone's trashed a couple televisions in their childhood.

But, he's obviously been at this for way too long. Any normal person would've given up by now. In his defense, it's perplexing. As far as he can tell - and Kokichi's had more than his fair share of wrangling cables and electronics - everything looks fine. On first, second, third, fiftieth glances, Kokichi knows that nothing is wrong with them. It could be something internal, sure, but he doubts it. )

Hmm... are they not making any power?

( That be would predictable and disappointing. If that's why, though, it's beyond his control; electricity escapes his scope of knowledge. This is precisely why Miu is so valuable to him... speaking of his mutual killing game friends, he hasn't stumbled across anyone he recognizes. Not that he's going to go looking for them. He does care, but not enough to traverse through an unknown, potentially lethal landscape for them.

Therefore, he stays with the familiar. Any onlookers have a one-in-a-million chance of spooking the one, the only, asshole Kokichi Ouma as he spider monkey-climbs his way atop the machinery. Don't let him get too high up, or he's going to get ambitious and try to scale the mighty claw above. )

b. the tower

( Screw the familiar, though, amirite. Gross-and-icky landmark constructed out of what appears to be flesh? Count him in.

Uh, not that he's going climb this one. No thank you. Kokichi's genre-savvy enough to avoid whatever horrible things would arise out of bothering the living structure. Instead, he's going up the staircase. )

Gotta hand it to the cubs this time. ( Sounding a little out of breath there, Kokichi. Try not to overexert yourself here, don't forget about Icarus and the sun. Kokichi's probably not going to force himself to the summit, but he's made significant progress. ) This is one hell of a task, even for the Exisals.

( Kokichi stops, just to catch his breath. Unthinkingly he slips his foot a little closer towards the distinctly discolored area of the stairs.

Did he just step in - yeah, he just stepped in some pretty ambiguous looking fluid. Ewwwwww. )

Hopefully that doesn't belong to anybody. Or, any body, nishishi...

( For now, he is going to rest here. He avoids outright leaning against any part of the tower, at least. Anyone else going up? )

c. wildcard

( you can throw your own prompt here or pm me on this account to discuss ideas! )

b

[comburst]

[ Those were a lot of terms that make zero sense in context, actually, so Katsuki just sort of gives Kokichi a weird look. He's climbing the tower out of curiosity himself, but he doesn't seem the least bit out of breath - go figure. ]

What are you even talking about?

[ Cubs? Exisals? Please advise. ]

"mr. nobody" / "subject not found" | transistor | ota

[nonselection]

i. THE LAKESIDE ; there's always a lighthouse, there's always a man, there's always a city

[Always liked being near the water.]

It's not the salt and surf of the ocean, but it's familiar, and that familiarity is what draws him closer. It'd been an adjustment in and of itself - reacquainting himself with the sensation of having limbs, with the world being more or less in one recognizable place. He used to look up and instead of the sky, he'd only see...her.]

[Right now, it's just him.]

[Not sure how to feel about that. Realigning himself with a physical body was change enough, but to do it without her?]

[It's like riding a bicycle, in theory. You never really forget how. Swimming shouldn't be an issue.]

All right.

[Auden shucks off his jacket and rolls up his shirtsleeves, speaking to no one in particular.]

Time to see if I remember how to swim.

ii. CREATION OF THE WORLD ; i swear i've seen this all before

[There was real confusion there at first, upon ending up in that bleached, voided white. A stutter, a hitch of panic sparking up in his chest - the Process. I thought we ended this - !]

[And then it's gone. The white gives way to color and texture. Landscapes unfurl out across the emptiness, like the lightning rod of the Transistor painting the world into being.]

[She was going to light up Cloudbank just the same.]

[Auden doesn't get a lot of time to think it. In the next moment, the world finishes rendering. And he ends up smack at the top of the Eiffel Tower, gripping to it tight to keep from toppling down.]

Oh, all right. You think I've got a problem with heights?

[For all that his tone is fiercely measured and controlled, he's not going to be able to hold on forever. He's shaken; just does a good job of hiding it.]

iii. BODY SNATCHERS ;

[Can you blame him? He's been searching for her since he got here.]

[He hears her voice once, soft and musical, and that's all it takes. He's tearing after the distant silhouette, ducking through the Parisian streets in any hopes of flagging her down.]

Red! Red?

[Fatal mistake. She lost her voice, Auden. Don't you remember?]

[Auden skids to a stop in time to realize that the siren song he's been following was an obvious trap, and he just blundered right the hell into it. He tries to reverse almost at once, but the ghowl moves quicker than he can, still acclimating to having his body back as he is. It latches claws into his thigh and sinks in deep.]

[The bolt of pain that unfurls from his leg is enough to galvanize Auden into further action. He whips around, bringing one bandaged hand up, and cracks the ghowl sharply across the jaw. He's got killer form; he knows how to throw a punch.]

[The instinct briefly takes both him and the ghowl off guard. Not for long, though. With a shriek, the ghowl flings itself at Auden again and it's all he can do to juke to avoid it.]

Hey, now. What'd I ever do to you?

[The ghowl, of course, doesn't answer. Doesn't stop Auden from trying to find humor in a bad situation. He might be able to get out of this one on his own, but a little help can go a long way. He's sure to be grateful.]

iv. WILDCARD ; etc.

[if nothing here appeals, feel free to poke me for something else or throw any of the other scenarios at me, i'm flexible! i will match prose or brackets!]

i

[halloflamer]

--Ah, hey guy, hold up! Don't do that!

[Thank Arceus, he just caught the sight of Auden from afar and saw what he meant to do as he stripped off his jacket. Blue jumps over the side of the lakebank so that he's splashing around up to his knees, and snatches for a hold on the back of the other man's shirt before he wades too far in; his hold is feeble and weak compared to the other man's stature, but he has a serious grimace on his face.]

Take a good whiff of this "water", first. You're not gonna have a good time swimming in this, unless you wanna drown right away.

Blue Oak | Pokémon Sun & Moon | OTA

[halloflamer]

A) Lighthouse Arcade

[Blue thinks he's going to be sick as the disorientation comes and goes in waves, but the sickness never comes. One moment he's spending a sunny afternoon doing a training battle on the shores of a tropical beach, and the next in nothingness... Nothingness and then something-ness. When his senses come-to well enough that he can get a grip on his new bearings, he finds himself on a different kind of shore- that of a vast and unhealthy-looking lake landscape, and at the foot of a massive lighthouse.]

[Protection and companionship is his foremost thought after getting his bearings and finding none to cling to, and yet no matter how he throws his Pokéballs, none of his Pokémon respond to his call. Wobbling struggle and messing with the buttons on the front prove them to be ...malfunctioning? But the creatures inside responsive; and that has Blue on edge more than ever.]

[Once the initial panic and scrambling for understanding subsides, exploration is the next logical step; and so Blue finds himself picking his way into the internals of the lighthouse, surprised at what he sees.]

[Game cabinets, dozens of them, both classics like the ones he remembers from his childhood in Celadon arcades and newer ones he might see on the boardwalks of Hau'oli- brightly colored and cheery even despite the dinged-up graphics and dead screens. It's too much to wonder what they're doing here when nothing else around him makes any kind of logical sense, so instead he wanders past them until one catches his eye, resting a hand on the well-worn balltop of the arcade stick and tapping a few of the buttons with a small smile.]

Too bad I don't have any change on me...

B) Lakeside Shore

[The lighthouse, while baffling, presents no clues, and wandering the abandoned ruins of buildings hasn't presented any answers, either. After a few hours of aimlessness, Blue has parked himself a seat at the edge of the lakewaters to take a rest- he needs to let this all sink in a little more, and he's starting to feel the exhaustion.]

[At first he turns a skeptical frown to the waters of the lake- given the rest of this twisted-looking landscape, he wasn't sure he trusted it to be clean and drinkable, and he had no camping supplies to set up a fire to boil some- but as he investigates it further with scoops of his fingers, he notices something else- the smell of it, however faint, and... very familiar.]

[It's worth a test, right? He takes a short sip with a cupped hand, and blinks in surprise, smacking his lips a few times to be sure.] --Now where's a lake full of booze been all my life!

[Raising his eyes as he sips another greedy handful, he catches your glance at the opposite bank, and flushes slightly. At least he has the good sense to be a little self-aware with someone else around.]

Got any snacks to go with this?

C) USJ Adventures

[When he finds the energy in him to wander again, Blue eventually discovers the strange domed complex of the USJ. At least this place seemed to have more to it than a bit of graffiti and broken arcade machines... The strange spiraling waterslide of the mountain environment delights him right down to that adventurous trainer heart of his, and he finds it difficult to resist just climbing right up to take a splashing ride down- even with the slight mania and adrenaline of his current predicament still in his veins. At least that ice cold water- also booze, he finds- felt refreshing to splash in a bit after all the wandering around. It'd be more fun with someone else around to relax and talk with, he anxiously thinks to himself.]

[It's the other dome, however, that catches his whimsy the most. These-- creatures; Fire-type Pokémon, he automatically assumes, of course, and he just stands and watches them with rapt interest for a few minutes until they've noticed him. They seem plenty friendly, so he doesn't see the harm in it, although they're making an awful mess.]

[Luckily Blue is quite used to dodging fireballs (and lightning bolts, ice beams, razor leafs...) and understands it must be their way of training and playing-- but he's not exactly paying attention to whoever else might be happening upon this strange scene, so you'll have to forgive him if he jumps out of the way of an incoming fireball, leaving it free to hurtle straight at you.] Woah, haha! Watch your aim there, fuzzball!

B

[subtract]

Did you even stop to think about how dirty that water might be?

[... well, it probably isn't since it just now came into existence, but still. Who just drinks water straight from a lake? There are so many germs in there? Animals and people jumping in it? It's probably super gross?? Eugh, he feels sick just thinking about it...]

If you're going to act like an animal, why don't you go eat some grass while you're at it? Disgusting.

aerith | ff7 remake | ota

[anciently]

001. looking for the lorax, maybe?

[ The sky is an enormous, intimidating stretch above her head as she stares upward, one hand down at her side and then other curled into the fabric at her chest. It's a beautiful place, no one could deny that, but...the young woman in the pink dress is silent and motionless for a long time, staring up with her heart pounding in her throat.

She swallows hard, lowers her gaze with an extended exhale, making a conscious effort to relax her posture. There is a lot else here to look at, after all. Aerith worries at her lower lip briefly before glancing around, taking in the other sites that surround her. There are ruins not far off, ones that make her think of the familiar dilapidated sprawl of the slums, and-...another place, too. Other ancient structures, long-since abandoned. A place she's only seen in visions...

Focus. The purple trees are a funny little oddity. Her expression seems to settle a bit more and a smile tugs the corners of her lips upward at the sight. ]

There really is so much to see once you get out a little more, huh...? [ Maybe similarly-unique flowers to match the strange trees? She perks up a bit at the thought, now scanning the landscape closer to the ground to check and see. When nothing like that comes across her view, she pauses for a moment before heading off in the direction of the trees and ruins, at least for the distraction of it...

Hopefully, this place isn't as monster-infested as what they're used to below the plate... ]



002. copyright infringement bar

Whoa... [ Aerith steps into "The Heavenly Blanc Bar & Cafe" and doesn't bother to hide her surprise. Green eyes widen, brows lifting as she catches sight of this place that is...so different, and somehow so familiar at the same time. She'd only visited Tifa's bar once, of course, but the occasion had been so crucial that the details of the place stood out. Now, as she glances around, it's clear that this is either a loving copycat...or just an odd coincidence, one that gives her a bit of a prickly feeling on the back of her neck as she enters. ]

Um - excuse me... [ The brunette will approach anyone else in the bar, hands behind her back as she leans forward inquisitively. ] Do you know much about this place? I can't really put my finger on it, but it seems...kinda familiar.

[ That's a way of putting it, at least. When she's not chatting with other patrons, Aerith will take a seat at the bar, boot heels bouncing lightly against her chair. ]

Helloooooo? Anybody here? [ Help a girl out with a thirst problem?? ]



003. "the city of love" dialed up to 11

[ She doesn't sight, famous in other worlds. Doesn't know the city that surrounds it. If she were glancing around to take it all in, she might be made to think of some of the sectors up on the plate, of their metropolitan lifestyle and high-end shops. Aerith is fully distracted, though, by the massive structure that towers over the city. It's a little bit like a shining monument of Shinra's, like Midgar's own towering building, but this is...more monstrous. Maybe literally. ]

What...? [ A chill runs up and down her body as she stands with a face of mingled fear and confusion. This structure is-...is it alive? Her breath catches at the possibility, and she knows there's no denying the fact that it's bone, flesh, and sinew that, strung together, created this tower. It's made of something organic, and that horrifying concept is enough to make her blood run cold. ]

Who would build something like this? [ Comes the repulsed question, asked aloud of no one, perhaps. Aerith steels herself and swallows the dread for a moment as she steps a little closer, gripped by a terrible curiosity, a need to understand...

Is that...? A heart, hanging aloft in the midst of the tangled mass. It seems alive, pulsing with some kind of life, but this does nothing to assuage her fears. This is...wrong. So wrong. It's all she can do to stand in place and stare back at it, as if willing herself to wake from what must be a nightmare.

Any minute now...right? ]

003

[ateaist]

[Nobunaga whistles, a low and impressed little noise, as she takes a few steps past Aerith to look up and over the tower looming above them. The very concept of this construct would've horrified her when she was still human, but as it stands it isn't the strangest thing she's ever seen. Does that stop it from being disgusting, though? Not really.] Well, talk about novel. What do you reckon? [She draws her sword from the sheathe at her waist.] If I cut it, will it bleed? If I stab that heart, will it die?

raihan | pokémon sword/shield

[rotomphone]

i. You have been challenged by Gym Leader Raihan!

[ run-down or not, the sight of what looks to be a cafe is something of a comfort. it's at least a place to sit down and collect his thoughts, along with trying to figure out what's wrong with his Poké Balls and Rotom Phone. he enters the Heavenly Blanc and looks around; without anyone around to order from or pay, he takes a bottle of something and a glass to nurse while he fiddles with non-responsive buttons and tries to coax Rotom out of its grey-eyed, unresponsive state.

whatever is in these bottles is lifting up his spirits (no pun intended); what's the use in sitting around, anyway? someone else in this pub is surely getting as antsy as he is, and he won't find them by just fiddling around with unresponsive technology. his team is safe in their Poké Balls, which means he should at least try to strike up some conversation. he leaves his drink at the table, lingering around the dart board with his hands shoved in his hoodie pockets. ]

How's your dart game? If you're as bored as I am, we should go for a round!


ii. mischievous fairies(?)

[ purple trees are a strange enough sight to behold as Raihan takes a stroll through the lakeside, but new creatures are just as eye-catching. the way that the jellyrabbits float around almost incites him to get closer, but he chooses to keep his distance. what he wouldn't give to be able to get Rotom to define them or snap a picture or two... if they're some kind of species of Pokémon, he wants to know as much as he can about what they can do. if he sees anyone looking to get closer, he cocks an eyebrow and calls out to them. ]

I wouldn't do that if I were you. If Fairy-type Pokémon have taught me anything, it's that the cute ones have the worst tricks up their sleeves.

[ is he biased because of his specialty typing and experiencing Opal's general weirdness over the years? probably, but he isn't wrong. he won't stop you if you ignore him, but don't say he didn't warn you if you get stung... or just show him that they're generally harmless. ]


iii. wildcard!

[ make something up! ]

i

[halloflamer]

[Having only made it to the bar after quite a bit of exhausting wandering in the wilderness, Blue wasn't really feeling up to socializing when he first arrived, despite the seemingly growing number of people beginning to gather here. It made sense- it was the most normal-seeming piece of scenery in this place, with the most amenities- but once he'd finally arrived, he was more concerned with hunger and thirst than chitchat.]

[Now though- after getting a decent amount of that weird alcohol in him, and a proper amount of time to sit with his head on a table, Blue had taken to people watching and observation.]

[...His first observation was that there were a lot of weirdos around; his second was who seemed the easier to talk to folks. Blue had always been a bit of a social butterfly himself- well really, he just liked having some ear around to chew off- so naturally, he wasn't shy to invite himself to some conversation, either. He has to crane his neck a little to reply to the other man, probably a good foot taller than him, and his eye catches on a logo on his shorts just for a split moment before dismissing it to meet his eyes.]

Hoh? Played before? [Not that he had a ton of experience, but Blue had played enough times when barhopping, and he liked to think he had a pretty good eye for aiming! By the looks of the board, some of the other folks had taken to keeping themselves busy already, so he approaches the board to begin collecting the haphazardly-thrown darts.] Why not? Not like any of us know what's going on in this fever-dream anyway.

Yzak Jule | Gundam SEED/Destiny

[coordination]

1. WELL THIS IS DISGUSTING

[ There's a young man standing a small distance from the "Eiffel Tower," clad in a white military uniform. His expression can be very easily read as that of a mix of both confusion and disgust. Still, despite his completely put-off look, after a few moments he decides to inspect closer, curious, as if to confirm it's as fucked up as it seems?

He reaches out to experimentally touch the tower itself, and quickly pulls his hand away. ]

Eugh!


2. JELLYRABBITS

[ Yzak doesn't see it coming, the jellyrabbit that just so happens to be floating aimlessly by him as he stands somewhere, gazes at the scenery. The creature gently bumps into his shoulder, which starts him somewhat, and he turns to face it, looking perplexed. ]

Huh--?

[ It hovers in front of him for a moment, and in an attempt to move along, he reaches out to gently nudge it out of his way.

Only, the jellyrabbit started to flip over on its own, so his hand makes contact with the tentacles and gets zapped. A very loud, very annoyed voice screams. ]

OW!! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!?

2

[theforgottenboy]

[At his cry, this weirdo in a huge brimmed hat comes lurking up a distance behind him.]

It hurts to touch the tendrils. But only for a moment. I don't know if they mean to, they won't tell me. But you'll be all right... I think.

[He may have also done the thing, a bit more intentionally.]