Test Drive Meme 016

[voidtreckermods]

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

1. Post with your character, including their name and series in the subject. We’ve written out some prompts but feel free to make up your own, you have a whole train to play with!

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

3. Have lots of fun. Mandatory, mod-sanctioned fun.

Happy testing!

Silence in the Library

The library is a double carriage. Downstairs is brightly-coloured, with cover posters across the walls, tables and chairs in the strong colours of the team uniforms, and a wooden model train placed as though winding its way through the carriage with carriages of shelves in tow. The walls are shelving, and beanbags litter the floor. Upstairs is quieter, rows of nonfiction shelves with private desks at the end of each row; the sound up here is muffled.

You don't know who, you don't know why, but someone or something has had a bad power day. How do you know? Well, the fact that the characters of any book you read keep coming to life as tiny versions of themselves and running riot around the carriage... that might have been a clue.

You just wish you'd picked a different book before realising it.

An Apple a Day

Medical is another double carriage, though it boasts one of the few person-sized lifts on the train as well as stairs. On the bottom floor, two of the three rooms are examination rooms, with simple beds, equipment and first-aid capacity. The third is a surgical bay, albeit a simpler one than some passengers may anticipate. All three rooms have ICPs with instructions and manuals for all equipment and a number of medical procedures.

Upstairs, there are four private recovery rooms, with a medical bed and an accessible en-suite. It's possible to check a passenger into one of these rooms, at which point they cannot leave until discharged by the person who checked them in.

Which, unfortunately, you are entirely aware of. You've been here for three days, and you're climbing the walls. But that'll teach you to get injured in such a stupid way. Or so they hope.

Sprockets and Skysong

In which a train arrives among the smokestacks of Little Underpool with some unexpected visitors.

Little Underpool is a township on Void world #30630687444. Caught up in the middle of what appears to be a series of industrial revolutions, the world is in a state of constant, chaotic innovation. Currently, that means that there is a power struggle going on between the skywhaling megacorporation Scrimshaw Inc and the Zephyr Company, an airship manufacturer, over control of the skies above Underpool, and the rapidly diminishing population of skywhales, whose bones are used in most modern airships, and whose blood is a key fuel source for a great number of new devices and engines. The voidtreckers are, this mission, to rescue the whales, rather than any humanoids.

Team One

Infiltrating Scrimshaw Inc, this team's job is to sabotage the tracking drones used to locate the whale pods, to allow the great beasts to migrate successfully away from Underpool. The offices of the corporation are in a series of spiralling brass and bone towers in the centre of the town, connected by exposed cable bridges that run to dizzying heights. Their clockwork guards are numerous, but often faulty, and highly vulnerable to tinkering.

Team Two

This team's job is to hijack some of the Zephyr Company's airships, and use them to defend the whale pods closest to Underpool. Several pods contain whale calves, and cannot evacuate as fast as the larger bachelor groups. The airships are light, and handle well, but their oddly organic design can be rather unsettling. The primary weapons are harpoons and short-range bomb slings, both as deadly against other airships as they are against their original targets.

Team Three

The final team's task is less direct - they must go among the populace of Underpool and spread unrest, redirecting the attention of the people towards the plight of their nonhuman neighbours in the sky, and the wrongdoings of their resident megacorporations. The people are not aware that the whales are an entirely sentient species, which appears to be a deliberate obfuscation by the town's council and sponsors. Your job is to change that.

Comments

[winterforecast]

[Alexis hangs limp in shock for a few moments while Yuume has her by the collar. Curse your sudden but inevitable betrayal, cat biology.

After several seconds, she finally regains her senses and begins yowling and thrashing furiously.]

I kept on TELLING HER that I'm Alexis, not whoever she thinks I am, but noooooooooooooooooooooooooo, she wanted to DUEL ME to GET RID OF THE DEMON and she CLEARLY WOULDN'T TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER so I figured I MIGHT AS WELL OBLIGE!

[tokenloveinterest]

Well, what am I supposed to think?! You acted like you know who I am, but you got my name wrong, and your brother's name wrong, and you act like you can duel but you don't act at all like Asuka! So I don't understand!

[She's stomping a bit now.]

[shadowslipping]

The thrashing if anything makes her inclined to keep holding Alexis like this. It's rather impressive, even if it's marred by Yuume now pinching the bridge of her nose with that other hand.

"Enough," she repeats coolly, frowning at both.

Alexis first. "You- calm down. You shouting and snapping isn't helping your defense- and you," she adds, looking to Rei. "I'll repeat what I said. We're on a multidimensional train. If she looks like someone you know, what makes you think you can't have looked like someone she knew? You're from different, but similar realities- you must be, with all of this even! But shouting and fighting over it not being what you expected does nothing."

[winterforecast]

THE WAY THAT YOU'RE HOLDING ME BY THE SCRUFF OF MY NECK REALLY DOESN'T HELP EITHER, NYA! I KEEP ON WANTING TO GO LIMP LIKE A FREAKING KITTEN AND IT'S DRIVING ME CRAZY SO LET GO BEFORE I DO SOMETHING REALLY DRASTIC, NYA!

[Alexis is Not Pleased with the current state of affairs, Yuume,

At least she's not angry at Rei anymore? At least for the time being.]

[tokenloveinterest]

[Rei kind of wants to see her go limp.]

What, so I'm supposed to believe that it's something that weird instead of 'someone possessed my friends again'?!

[shadowslipping]

[There is a continuing frown at Alexis, even while she puts the girl down.] If you make a move for her, I will do it again, [she warns, crossing her arms.]

...Yes, frankly. Why would you even assume possession first? For that matter, why would you attempt to immediately exorcise someone you thought was possessed instead of getting help! That's dangerous, isn't it? I understand that in this place we're each of us assigned to dangerous missions, but that's no reason to add to it after all..!

[winterforecast]

[Alexis continues hissing and bristling as she's put down, tensing as if to lunge for Rei... but she manages to restrain herself at the last moment. Unfortunately, this woman has discovered her weakness and has a sufficient tallness attribute to take advantage of it. Drat.]

As much as Little Red Riding Hood here is an unfathomable idiot who jumps to conclusions like she's playing hopscotch, she's like, ten percent right, nya. Off the top of my head there's Atticus, Chazz, Bastion, half of campus, and, well, me before I left. And I'm pretty sure she didn't even know about any of that considering how late she arrived in the tournament. Getting possessed by a weird malevolent spirit and having it dueled out of you is pretty par for the course at Duel Academinya.

[tokenloveinterest]

She's being a real pain, and I don't know who any of those people with the really dumb-sounding names are- She's still clearly right, 'cause I only snuck into the tournament at the end.

[shadowslipping]

[It is astoundingly fortunate that Yuume has problem solving skills. Though she will, admittedly, blink owlishly at Alexis before tackling things.] Seriously..? Just what kind of troubles did that school allow..?

[W-well, regardless then...] ...This is very interesting...it's almost as if you're from realities where matters progressed in another country- with the names you're listing...would it be right to assume you're from America? [She asks Alexis, before looking to Rei.] ...I assume in your case, your school is Japanese...

[winterforecast]

[Alexis crosses her arms, huffing.] Nyatch. In my world, this brat was named Blair Flannigan, and was like. A second grader. Crushing on the gayest man in my high school's senior class.

She isn't the brightest.

[tokenloveinterest]

My name is Rei Saotome. What kind of a name is that other one?! And it's the end of my first year at Duel Academy, and I don't know what you're talking about, but don't decide things about my beloved Judai like that just 'cause he's not interested in you!

She's named Asuka Tenjoin, and she's a nice, patient senior, who helps people and plays fairly and respectfully!

[shadowslipping]

[A calm hand is held out, requesting Rei's calm.] Calm down, hm? Part of this discussion is to sort this out, so that we can work together properly. This is not 'Asuka'- but likewise...

[She looks to Alexis for a moment.] You are not Blair. You're both different people- you're talking about different people, and need to stop assuming that one or the other will have the same people as well. You're from different realities- different countries even, and that's something you need to consider.

Of course neither of you will know what the other is talking about, [she chuckles, a soft smile on her face.] You don't know the other. It would be...like trying to explain an apple to someone who's only seen oranges, hm? They're not the same.

You need to stop trying to make them the same. That said...

[A frown for Alexis.] She has a point about your dueling methods. I don't know why you thought that was appropriate in a standing, traditional match, but people can get seriously hurt, even through accidents that way.

[winterforecast]

Oh, really, and did you just block out your massive crush on a certain Cyber Dragon-using gravelly-voiced snob before moving on to Mr. Kuriboh Head? [Alexis snipes back.] And I'm a lesbian anyways, dweeb.

[She snorts at Yuume's chastisement, stiffly turning her head away. What did she know anyways?] If she wanted me to be a monster for her little playacting, I was all too happy to oblige. And I needed to work off some steam anyways from how much she was pissing me off.

[tokenloveinterest]

That was before he turned into 'Hell Kaiser', and started acting like... Well, exactly like you are now. Are you trying to copy that gimmick?

[She's going to give as good as she gets.





She's just not even going to process the one part.]

[shadowslipping]

[How do people have patience for teenagers? She doesn't understand it! At all! The only teens she's been around are Kimi and Shirou, and frankly both of them are angels compared to these guys.

...granted Kimi wasn't herself but...

The woman sighs, grimacing and shoving that thought to the back of her mind. Focus, she reminds herself, expression stern.] Once again- Rei. Assume that she is as she is, and not somehow 'meant' to be someone else.

And as I told you, all that attitude has earned you is more confusion and a larger fight. If you didn't want her to continue accusing you of being 'possessed', or someone you shouldn't be, you should have left her alone to figure it out then. [After all, what would she have done? Forced a duel? Regardless.]

Deliberately risking danger for the sake of your anger, as it stands, is irresponsible, childish, and STUPID.

[winterforecast]

Oh, please. Like I'd copy that self-centered, egotistical, sadistic prick. [The sadism is a New Alexis Rhodes Original, but she'll keep that part to herself for now. So was the self-centeredness, too, but she drew the line at being egotistical.] "Oh boo hoo, some silver-haired brat broke my winning streak by messing with my head and now my fragile ego completely built on being the big man on campus has shattered since I'm not in school anymore so I can't win duels on bravado alone. I guess I'll start being a wrestling heel but completely unironically and put random people that I duel in BDSM shock collars, that seems like a reasonable reaction."

Please. At least when I took a flying leap into heel territory, I had a good excuse in, you know, getting brainwashed. Or possessed. Or whatever.

[Beat.]

What, I never said she was wrong.

[Alexis is going to ignore those remarks about childishness because that, unfortunately, actually does sting.]

[tokenloveinterest]

[YEAH REI'S JUST RAISING HER DISK AGAIN

Never mind that she just tied, she's still ready to go again. Even if Chaos Emperor Dragon sucked all her life points out.]

[shadowslipping]

[Gently, her hand is over the girl's disk.

Her attention however, is firmly on Alexis.] You will stop this, now.

Stop baiting her. Stop toying with her, as if it will earn you anything more than someone's pain. This is not about what happened in either of your homes. It cannot be, and adding those words does not help, [She hisses.]

You are both yourselves. Regardless of if either of you were possessed in the past, [she adds, placing emphasis on the past while looking at Alexis again.]

Now drop it.

[winterforecast]

And when, exactly, did I say I stopped being possessed?

[There's a dangerous quality to Alexis's smile as she steps forward into Yuume's personal space, intentionally turning up the hollow look in her eyes.

(The worst part is that Alexis doesn't even know if she's lying or not.)]

Do you see the look on her face? That heroic, rugged look of determination that she's so clearly aping off Jaden because she doesn't have the strength to find it in herself? The doubt, the realization that if she hasn't saved me by now, she probably never will, nya? [She licks her lips, turning up the theatrics.] It's absolutely delectable. Why would I want to drop it?

[tokenloveinterest]

Shut up!

[She's going to try to raise her arm again, despite Yuume.]

Stop it! Even if you aren't possessed, I won't let you keep acting like that with Asuka's face! I'm not going to let another friend end up like Martin!

[shadowslipping]

Put your disk down, Rei.

[Yuume doesn't even look away from Alexis as she says that- she still doesn't even know the blonde's name, now that she thinks of it actually.

But this rings too familiar, too dark, for her to be phased entirely.

Outwardly, at least.

Saaaah, she remembers proclaiming on that broken arena only two years ago, I AM the 'MONSTER'!]

It's easy, isn't it? To put on the face of a villain. A villain is to be hated, so when you are hated beneath that mask, it can be as deserved.

It doesn't 'hurt' as much, if it's 'supposed' to be, does it?

[winterforecast]

[Alexis freezes like an ice sculpture as Yuume's words pierce through every defense she has effortlessly, striking her heart with all the pain a thorn brings.

She stands like that for several agonizing seconds, stock still.

And then two snarled words:]

Shut up.

[shadowslipping]

I will not, [She answers softly.]

I am not going to watch, and ignore, that mistake. It seems easier, to put on a mask- it's safe, you could even say.

But you need to understand...that what seems safe, what seems easy, is not in the long run. Be honest- but try to care more for yourself while you are.

[winterforecast]

I SAID SHUT UP!

[Alexis throws a punch with all the force of a wild animal and absolutely none of the technique that Dokja taught her at Yuume's face. She doesn't expect it to land.

She just needs to lash out.]

YOU THINK I'M SO POOR, INNOCENT GIRL MISGUIDED BY SOME MALEVOLENT FORCE MANIPULATING HER INTO SELF-LOATHING AND SADISM? AS IF! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO JUDGE ME FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, NYA! YOU DON'T KNOW ME! KNOW WHAT I AM!

HELL, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT I-

[Alexis's mouth clamps shut, but it's too late.]

[shadowslipping]

[She lets it hit, and does not move. If Rei looks to the woman's feet however, it is as if the shadows themselves are rooting them there.]

I don't think you're anything. I don't think you are controlled by anything, because you don't need those things to do it to yourself, [she whispers knowingly, gently moving to push Alexis' fist away from where it drove against her cheek. And maybe the words are too soft for Rei to hear in the meantime, maybe not.

But Alexis' sharp hearing will pick it up easily.]

I don't know who you are.

But no one ever will, if you refuse to be truthful to yourself, and to others. Including you.