Test Drive Meme 013

[voidtreckermods]

Welcome to our Test Drive Meme! Here is the place to see how your character might fit the setting, grab some samples and start having fun!

1. Post with your character. I’ve written out some prompts but feel free to make up your own, you have a whole train to play with!

2. Assume they have been around long enough for threads to jump right into the action!

3. Have much fun!

Happy testing!

Training Gym

Fight club have finally gotten a gym to train in. Train carriages make strange gyms, long narrow spaces. But this has mats, balance beams, climbing apparatus. Pads and training dummies for punching. It also has large blocks that look a little like what you might find in a children's play centre but can be used to make obstacle courses or provide cover in training exercises.

Set up a course, practice fighting or try and learn how to throw a punch! There are plenty who will help, people who take training super seriously and let's face it, people who want to ambush others from behind oversized foam blocks.

Games

For those for whom fighting is not an idea of fun, or those wanting more relaxation, the games carriage has a whole collection of different games. Board games, card games, dice games. There are many games about trains but they aren't the only type.

There are low tables in the carriage to set a game up on and plenty of beanbags and cushions to sit on. Grab a game, grab a friend or a complete stranger and get playing!

Water Maze

The latest mission has taken the voidtreckers to an underwater maze. They have been given wet suits, helmets and breathing apparatus- lightweight boxes that strap to their back, connect to their helmet and filter air from the water. A powerful and dangerous artifact has been stolen and the race is on to get it back before it is used for ill.

Team One

Plenty of monsters and foes have been sent to try and retrieve the item. Giant crabs, strange eels. Even people with fish tails and the ability to breathe underwater. All are dangerous foes and fighting underwater is difficult.

But team one are the vanguard, keeping the monster levels low to allow team two to push on through the maze.

Team Two

Hopefully team one will deal with the monsters, but the odd one might sneak through. Team two's main job is to solve the maze, because the thief is in the centre in order to perform his ritual.

It's a race against time, the maze is made of coral and walls of seaweed that are impossible to cut through. Solving it requires a quick mind and some determined swimming.

Team Three

For those not wishing to brave the water, or those whose skills lie more in helping others. The island where the artefact was stolen from needs help. The temple was ransacked and some of the islanders were injured. Help them fix their homes, put the temple back to rights, tend to the injured.

Cleaning the temple is a big job, but hopefully by the time the artefact has been retrieved it will be able to be restored to it's rightful place.

Comments

[baisant]

Jean-Claude looks up at the smile, at the missing teeth, at Joscelin's boyish charm, his freckles, at the way he is all but brimming with life, and he feels in that moment that if he were a more sentimental sort, he might in fact weep for him. Weep for the loss of what they shared together. For the knowledge that mortality makes him soft, vulnerable. That he will lose him to it someday. But that may be for the best. Joscelin was never given a choice in the matter, after all. No opportunity to grow into the man he might have been. And now...?

Shifting his hands to rest on his shoulders, and then moving up to rest one on his cheek, Joscelin's cheek warm against Jean-Claude's own cool skin. His deep blue eyes searching into Joscelin's own, and for the first time he has to curb his own abilities against his own friend, lest he glamour him against his will.

"How?" he asks, searching his face. "Who did this to you, mon ami?"

[iamnotgod]

Most of it courtesy of our local Spider.

[Leaving off the 'Unnamed' part that was listed on the Roster; it felt somewhat ironic to refer to someone by their not having a name.]

... And some mostly-forgotten fight; the mirrors in here have been broken longer than I have been aboard this train. I should hope they did not come that way when the Voidtrecker Express first began acquiring passengers.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin sees no need to lie. They’ve known each other for so long; there’s no one in any universe who understands him like Jean-Claude does.

“The train travels, you know. To different worlds, and we’re expected to clean up their messes. A friend of mine—Romeo; I’ll introduce you later—and I startled a saboteur, who reacted as one might expect. I died protecting Romeo. That should have been the end of me, but it wasn’t. The train brought me back. I can’t explain why.”

He looks into Jean-Claude’s eyes, looking younger and more vulnerable than he ever did in Islington (at least in the last century). “I can’t explain it, old friend, but I believe that whatever happened to me broke the curse. Normally we cannot revive even as ghosts because we do not have souls, but...I seem to have acquired one.”

[dredefulchilde]

“It’s all bloody science fiction,” the boy agrees. “All this different worlds nonsense. Plus, we’ve got robots and monsters aboard.” He would have counted himself amongst the monsters until very recently.

He sticks out a small hand. “I’m Joss Fitzthomas.”

[betrayedwhisper]

Familiar reiatsu drew Muramasa onto the train, and he followed it into the gym car where bright orange hair caught his attention.

He wasn't exactly sure how, or why, he was alive; he'd known he was dying during the last fight with the shinigami in Koga's inner world and could remember fading away. How he'd found himself on the train platform was a mystery to him but he was glad to feel someone familiar.

Knowing better than to sneak up on the other man, Muramasa stayed in the doorway and spoke, "Kurosaki Ichigo."

[strawberryprotector]

Having paused to take a drink from the bottle of water he'd grabbed, Ichigo looked at the door. "Muramasa, right? Are you free from Koga at last?" He did worry about the sword spirit still being under the influence of his twisted master.

[betrayedwhisper]

Murasama brought a hand up, clenching a fist and studying his long nails before answering.

“I do not hear him any longer, nor do I feel the connection we once shared.” The Zanpakto spirit raised his gaze to meet Ichigo’s as he continued, “It’s a strange feeling, if I’m honest. I was with Koga for decades and I’m not sure what my purpose is without him.”

[strawberryprotector]

"Well," Ichigo clapped Muramasa on the shoulder, "don't you think it's time for you to have a fresh start?"

[sizedoesntmatter]

[He chuckled slightly. Considering Bakura's hair... Yeah, it could be much worse.]

I don't have ideas right now, but if I think of anything, I will let you know.

[wyvernmaster]

Where Inigo can't see it because he'd dropped his head onto the table, Gerome's lips had twitched into an almost smile. Amused by his behaviour, even though he wasn't entirely sure what had caused it, all he could do was shake his head.

"As muddy water." He replied to him.

"Do I look like I require cheering?" Had he looked sad? He hadn't felt sad. At least not until Inigo had started to talk about wyverns and Minerva... Now he was thinking about her. Missing her. But yes, it was being pushed to the side. Why? Because what could he do about it? It was beyond his abilities to call her to his side here. Missing her would help no one. Least of all himself.

"... I see." And here he thought it was because he'd pressed a thing and jumped, and Inigo had found it oh so funny.

[baisant]

Jean-Claude caresses his friend's face for a moment longer, before letting his hands fall to Joscelin's shoulders. Sacrificing himself for a friend. And waking up to find himself reborn. It's really quite poetic, if he allows himself to consider the fact.

Speaking of poetic. He flicks the former vampire a soft smile, tilting his head to the side as he replies.

"So you say, mon ami," he says, but there are those who would argue otherwise. Vampires may be dead, and their morals might be somewhat lacking, but such things have nothing to do with their lack of a soul. Corruption, perhaps. A vampire is just another form of undead, after all. A better version, if you ask Jean-Claude.

He squeezes the boy's shoulder, his expression gentling. Perhaps this is a rather public area to be having such a conversation, but then again, their words are very vague, for anyone who might be listening in. And these are important things that must be said.

"I am happy for you," he says, softly. Understanding that this is ultimately what Joscelin would have wanted. He had never asked to become a child vampire. And now he has been given his life back to him. A curse, he had said, and yes. He supposes a curse is how it must have been, for him.

[dredefulchilde]

"Are you?" Joss gives his friend a sad look. "It won't be the same. We vampires are not in the business of accepting change too readily. Or at least I wasn't. Before this."

He sits next to Jean-Claude on the bench, ignoring his own food for now.

"Much has changed, you know. Beyond the obvious. But first, tell me. How has it been in London since I left? What news? Does Islington still hold its expanded territory?"

[luckydragonsfoot]

"Cool!" Great, now he just has to find a spot to practice and-

And as usual the glowing attention magnet is the center of attention. And proudly so, as the pony whinnies. "Eh? Th's Kaseri! She's a ponyta," he explains, rubbing his head as the pony trots over. "Er...G'laran one."

;w; I don't know. I can hardly keep up with what I have, but I can't resist a Zidane!

[treno_nobleman]

[He had almost expected a different reaction entirely. Anger, shock. A blade over words. But what he received instead was... somehow more than all of that. One brow lifted, then eased back into place.]

Hello... Zidane. [A pause.] I don't suppose this little device is forthcoming with instructions on how to use it.

[Not that he cared for it, but even he couldn't help a certain curiosity. It was in his brother's hands, after all, though he would be dead in his grave before he confessed as much.]

[flatteries]

Inigo totally missed the near-smile. By the time he lifts his head again (it's exactly right after Gerome asks that question) it's already gone, and instead Inigo opens his mouth as if to reply.. and then closes it again. Because it is a good question, and maybe his initial answer is not as good as he thought it was. Which is why it comes out a little more hesitant rather than determined.

Because is he maybe projecting a little too much here? Maybe Gerome genuinely is okay with this situation. Or more okay than Inigo himself has been. Maybe Gerome isn't constantly trying to hold himself together mentally under a paperthin exterior the way Inigo himself does. It makes him a little self-conscious.

"I.. well, you usually look that way. It's just.." His voice momentarily trails off. Inigo raises a hand to his face, vaguely waving it around in front of it. ".. you know. Your general face area. You never really look happy."

[wyvernmaster]

Gerome's mask hid a great many things. Currently it hid the mild look of concern at Inigo's uncharacteristic behaviour.

While he didn't consider himself an expert by any means, he had watched Inigo enough to believe he could work out some of his emotions, even if most baffled him. And there was a look on his face now that was puzzling Gerome. And he didn't know why.

And almost... Almost he was tempted to ask. Almost, the words were on the tip of his tongue to say. Almost he asked if Inigo was alright.

Until the idiot goes and says that.

Gerome's back straightened and his brows knitted together in a frown of irritation.

"... Are you deliberately trying to annoy me? Or is this a side effect of something I am unaware of? Have you hit your head and lost the rest of your mind?" Because it was starting to seem a little like he was trying to hurt him. Unless Gerome was just being more sensitive than normal. He was in a strange place, after all. The only familiar thing anywhere... was Inigo. The same Inigo who was, apparently, judging him for not looking happy. When did he ever? Why was it so important now?

[flatteries]

"I'm not!" The faint hint of desperation in his tone as he says that is proof that Inigo seems to mean that very genuinely. There definitely are times where he does tease the other on purpose, but this is not one of those moments. If anything, it's more one of Inigo's dumb foot in mouth moments... "Trying to annoy you, I mean. I swear by Naga that I'm not!"

That's just about the last thing he wants to do here. But while Inigo is at least pretty okay with sharing his concern for others, it's harder in this case. Expressing his concern about how Gerome is handling being here might say a lot about how Inigo felt - feels? - about being here, and talking about his own negative feelings is an absolute no-no. Inigo is here to make others smile, not to bother them with his own misery. It feels even more important to be consistent with that with Gerome of all people, considering he's the one person present on this train who has been through everything with him.

But on the other hand.. he feels like if he doesn't at least admit to his true concern here, Gerome might just think he really has gone totally crazy, and that won't get him anywhere either.

So even though Inigo looks strangely reluctant, he does slowly speak up.

"It's just.." There may even be the faintest hint of colour on his cheeks. "I'm well aware you're going to think that I'm stupid, but I am just worried about how you are doing while you're still new to this entire train thing. I know it's not as if it's the first time we've travelled across time and space or that we ended up seperated from our friends, but this situation is still.. Let's say fairly unique."

Maybe he's dumb. Maybe Gerome is dealing with this much better than he was. Inigo wouldn't be too surprised by that - despite his whining about how girls could possibly like Gerome more than him, he's always thought the other was stronger than him.

[wyvernmaster]

Gerome was quiet for a long moment, just staring at Inigo, is expression unreadable.

When he spoke, his voice was low, though not so low Inigo wouldn't hear him.

"... Unsettling." He corrected. "Not unique. Unsettling." Because no, he wasn't doing well and he knew that. It was one thing to travel to the past. But this felt like travelling thousands of years into the future. A strange and alien future he wasn't prepared for. At least in their past there had been familiar things. There was very little that was familiar now. Not even the clothes he wore.

who needs sleep when i can have gerome!!!

[flatteries]

It's hard to predict how Gerome might react. Even with Inigo knowing him better than anyone else on the train would, there's still very much that mask on the other's face, keeping Inigo from being fully clued in as to what exactly Gerome is thinking right now.

But for once Inigo manages to remain quiet for a few moments instead of saying something dumb - just patiently waiting to hear what Gerome has to say.

.. And what a thing it is that Gerome has to say. Inigo isn't quite sure whether to feel relieved that his initial reaction at this place wasn't so odd or to feel sorry for the other for having to deal with it now. Maybe it's a little bit of both.

"It is very different from what we are used to, isn't it?" He's speaking slightly more slowly than usually. Mostly since he's trying to pick his words carefully, not wanting to be an ass while Gerome may be having a more sensitive moment. "The people too."

Can't help myself. Has to be done!

[wyvernmaster]

"Everything." There was no need to get emotional about it or beat around the bush. They both came from vastly different places. He would have gone so far as to say they didn't belong. But Inigo had clearly made a place for himself and had acclimatised himself well. He'd made friends. So it was odd to hear him voice these concerns himself.

Not even realising he was doing it, Gerome found himself leaning forward just a little. His back not as stiff, his posture almost relaxing.

"... How did you..." He stopped, frowned and then tried again. "... This place, how is it you can walk these corridors with such ease?" Gerome didn't scare easily. But every time he turned a corner there was something shocking that his mind struggled to comprehend. How long did it take fr Inigo to get used to that feeling, he wondered?

[betrayedwhisper]

He wasn't used to being touched, and had to forcibly stop himself from flinching away from Ichigo's hand and to relax into it.

"Considering that I live despite no longer having a Shinigami I don't think I have any other choice. I do have to admit I'm curious about what sort of start I can find."

[flatteries]

"Does it look that way?"

Granted, he's been here for a while. He still discovers something new practically daily, but there are a lot of things that are familiar to him now, but that must still be completely new to Gerome. So it'd make sense if it would seem that way.

Maybe he's actually even slightly glad if it does. It's the kind of impression he wants to pass onto others, after all. That everything is easy for him. That he never seems to worry, so there's no need for anyone else to worry about him either. Even though all of that is nothing more than a big fat lie. After all, it was only recently when their ability to communicate in the same language started malfunctioning that Inigo once again realised how different he was from everyone else here. How alone he was, hiding all the hurt he couldn't explain to anyone else.

It's tempting to confide in Gerome. Back home he had good reasons to hide his hurt from the other, considering they were all stuck in the same crappy circumstances. All of them were hurting, so it didn't feel fair to complain and only add to the problems. It was easier to smile, to remove himself from the sum of people who needed to be looked after. But this place is different. They're on an entirely different level than the other people here, and Gerome would understand that better than anyone, considering what they have been through together.

But at the same time, it's kind of terrifying. He's sure he's cultivated a certain image of himself to his friends now. What would they think of him for not turning out to be as carefree as they assumed?

Inigo is quiet for a moment as he overthinks it all, making sure to keep a small smile on his face all the same and idly pressing down on one of the hippo's heads.

"I suppose I just got used to it. I've already been here for months now. If you have no choice but to adjust, it naturally happens down the line." He then glances up, gaze meeting the other's-- well, mask. "But that's a good thing for you, isn't it? It means that I can help you adjust to all the new things here. You don't have to do it by yourself."

[wyvernmaster]

The beauty of his mask was that he could see people, but they couldn't see him. So, Gerome was looking forward, not facing Inigo... but his eyes were on the other. Watching him carefully.

There was a long silence between Inigo's first words and his last and Gerome said nothing. He just waited. And it was only once the other started to speak that Gerome realised what was wrong in what he was seeing. The words and tone didn't match the expression. It didn't match Inigo's eyes.

Inigo was lying to him.

He did it often, but sometimes he was better at it and Gerome had a hard time picking up on it. The key here was the last of bravado. There was no laughter, no enthusiasm and waving of limbs and silliness to distract him from what was going on in Inigo's eyes. He remained sat where he was, quiet. It was... disturbing, somehow. Unnatural. Un-Inigo-like.

Gerome reached out and dropped a hand over Inigo's to stop him from playing with the coloured creature and making that snapping sound.

"I'm not sure you can help me." He said calmly. "Until you help yourself."

[shuanghuas]

[ achievement unlocked, you are now on the way to being best friends. wen ning you're too cute, he's going to adopt you. ]

It was kind, and for a stranger - I appreciate it.

Ah, if I could trouble you further for some help in this place? You seem to be much better acquainted than I.

[strawberryprotector]

"I don't know what that means, but I have just one question for you." Ichigo looked at the other man imploringly. "Can I pet her?"