Test Drive 018

[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.

Happy testing!

Heated Debate

The spa carriage, the newest addition to the train, boasts sunlamps and loungers, massage tables stocked with fluffy towels and a variety of oils and lotions, an enclosed sauna… Soothing birdsong fills the warm, scented air, and the terminals offer several masseuse courses or a playlist of relaxing music.

In pride of place, a three-tiered heated bath in the centre of the room, each tier able to fit five people comfortably.

‘Comfortably’? Well, it could definitely fit more, but it might get a little awkward, depending on your feelings on personal space. Ditto with the sauna, really. But the important thing is, you got here first.

Didn’t you?

Getting Draughty In Here

The lower floor of this carriage is open and sprawling, with two wide, low tables and plenty of cushions and beanbags. The walls are lined with shelves and wooden chests, both filled with games. Board games, card games, you name it, though train themes feature heavily. On a shelf of its own sits a case of Duel Monsters cards.

The upper floor is split into two. One half has a pile of oversized games - lawn jenga, twister, giant connect4 - and the other, sectioned off with soft rope barriers, hosts a screen, a console, and a variety of video game controllers, including four VR headsets.

Perhaps you’re testing yourself in one of the VR Crisis simulators. Perhaps you’re learning the rules of a competitive card game a little too well, and your friendships are suffering accordingly. Perhaps you’ve convinced someone to play twister with you..?

Shiver Me Timbers

You are aboard the PNV Vexation, a first-rate ship accompanied by several escort vessels currently halfway through a voyage across the Sunsea of Yarra, AKA #59352110. The cargo she carries is of utmost importance, and must reach the Shining Port intact.

The pirates who sail the Sunsea have other plans.

Team One

The Vexation has several sloops in tow - the best of which are the Gemstone Heart, the Fallen Lord and the Duckling. Team One is split across the three sloops, and can use their greater speed to good effect in boarding actions. Your job is simple - sink every unmarked ship that approaches the Vexation. The captains are cooperative and daring, and happy to lend out boarding axes and pistols. The pirates are less happy.

Team Two

Back aboard the Vexation, it seems that either the crew are playing tricks, or something more sinister is going on - whispers of spirits roaming the deck at night, strange screams or whimpers in the hold. Lights off the starboard bow. The day holds no such terrors, and shipboard life is mostly ropes, deckwork and stints on the masts, but as the mission continues, the crew are getting more and more restless… Team Two needs to figure out the source of these strange events, before they incite the crew to mutiny.

Team Three

Unbeknownst to the crew, on the second day of the mission, the precious cargo is loaded onto the fourth and fastest of the Vexation’s escorts, the Sun’s Edge, and sent ahead, while the fleet remains as as a decoy. Team Three are sent aboard the Edge to crew the ship and keep the treasure - something sealed in a large, padded steel pyramid - safe. The pirates don’t notice the deception, but the sea serpents definitely do, and with just one serpent able to wrap its entire length around the Edge, the third day is a harrowing one.

Comments

[its_dad_sanzo]

[ Oh good, distraction. Koumyou will take it. He pulls one hand out of his sleeves to place his fingers against the ceremonial bamboo breastplate over his chest. ]

Toua Koumyou Sanzō Hoshi-sama, the 30th of Shangri-La.

[ It's a lot. ]

Koumyou Sanzo is the short version. 'Sanzo' is my rank, we are the ones entrusted with the duty I described. 'Koumyou' is my homyo, or holy name. It would be inappropriate to use it on its own.

[subcircuits]

[Yep, that's a lot. But as Devero realizes that Sanzo's full name and title is going to be a whopper, he makes a subtle gesture and clips the audio out of the short-term buffer stored in his Interface. He saves that to his cl-- to the device's internal storage for later review.]

Ah, I understand. Thank you for the correction earlier, then! Do you prefer Koumyou Sanzo, or is just Sanzo all right?

[Respecting identities: a big thing, where he comes from!]

[its_dad_sanzo]

Either one is fine!

[ 'Sanzo' is simpler, easier. 'Koumyou Sanzo' perhaps takes a little more effort. But he really doesn't mind either version.

He tucks his hand back into his opposite sleeve. ]

And what about you? Tell me something about you -- this has been pretty lopsided!

[subcircuits]

Oh, there's not much to say about me. [He laughs, a touch uncomfortably.] I'm no one special.

[He's been learning that his usual demurral doesn't quite apply here, though. He may think he's no one special where he comes from, but so far it seems like he's the only person from his particular reality on the train. Perforce, that makes him special-- or at least, unique.]

I suspect the world I come from is rather different than yours. Unless the phrase "full combat grade neural-tactile innervate Implant" means anything to you?

[its_dad_sanzo]

That sure is a lot of words!

[ And Koumyou laughs, because he knows that's an answer. Devero may as well just slipped into a language the train didn't know how to translate. ]

It sounds science-y. Is it science-y?

[subcircuits]

[Devero laughs too, good-natured and unsurprised by the incomprehension.] Yes. Very science-y.

Does saying "I'm a cyborg" make it any easier?

[its_dad_sanzo]

[ Gasp! ]

A real cyborg?! Like in the movies?!

[subcircuits]

That, I couldn't say. I'd have to see one of your movies first.

[its_dad_sanzo]

Oh! They have a whole car for watching movies here!

[ And here comes Koumyou, reaching to grab his hand again. Time for more dragging around the train? Probably. ]

I'd never gotten to see any of them, before. Electricity isn't everywhere in Shangri-La, and there's even less chance of it in the temples.

[ So televisions were a rarity, for a priest from Shangri-La. ]

[subcircuits]

[Devero seems perfectly willing to be dragged around by his new buddy. What else is he going to do? It's not like he has any of his usual duties to attend do. So he's happy to let Sanzo lead the way.]

Oh, that's a shame! No one is electricity-poor where I come from, though I understand it was very common Before.

[its_dad_sanzo]

Before?

[ And Koumyou's just going to lead him through the various cars by the hand. Probably, no one will even notice. Koumyou Sanzo's doing something unexpected again? Just be glad it wasn't to them.

This time. ]

Things like electricity and appliances and iron vehicles... I'm told that's all a lot more common in the other lands. Something about Shangri-La just doesn't play nicely with technology.

[subcircuits]

Before the Pathogen. [He says it quick and casual, as if he'd like to just skim past this particular element of his reality.

Let's talk about Shangri-La instead!] How fascinating. I wonder why that is? I know there are distortion zones in my world, but they're usually-- [Ah hell, what was that about avoiding talking about this part of his world?] --ruins. There's too much interference because of all the metal.

[its_dad_sanzo]

Something about spiritual magic being incompatible, the concentration of youkai in Shangri-La being incompatible, and something something... I don't know.

[ Koumyou had only ever paid so much attention, as a student. He made up for it in raw talent, but... ]

I honestly may have slept through that lecture.

[subcircuits]

[He laughs, covering it with a hand.] That's fair. Magic, though! There's no magic where I come from.

Can you do magic?

[its_dad_sanzo]

Technology seems to be a more common thread between worlds than magic.

[ As for the question, Koumyou holds his free hand out and to the side as they walk, palm up. A golfball-sized orb of electricity appears there, floating and crackling above his fingers. ]

For me, it's chi manipulation. Everyone who can do magic here seems to do things very differently from one another.

[subcircuits]

That's honestly kind of relieving. Magic is absolutely beyond me.

[Devero's eyes go wide as Sanzo manifests what appears to be a tiny ball of lightning over his palm. He bends down to peer at it as they walk.] That's incredible! What can you do with it?

[its_dad_sanzo]

Most things I've tried! Attack, defense, wards, illusion, breaking other people's wards and illusions, paralysis, ah, I can do this really cool move where I turn stuff into dragons.

[ Koumyou counts them off on the fingers under the ball of lightning, starting over as needed. ]

One time when I was in training, I built a big buff snowman to shield everyone from an avalanche! Though I had to use everyone else as a battery to do that. One body only produces so much chi at any given moment.

[subcircuits]

[Devero is so very fascinated, listening raptly as Sanzo ticks off abilities. He shakes his head, but in wonderment rather than disbelief.] If you ever want to show any of that off, let me know. I'd be a more-than-willing audience.

[He whistles his admiration.] I can relate to your snowman. I took the top half of a crumbling skyscraper across the shoulders once. I mean, there wasn't all that much left of it, but it was still a hell of an impact.

[its_dad_sanzo]

Woah, you did what?

[ Koumyou dismissed his lightning ball, and let go of Devero's hand in favor of stopping in the middle of the aisle, turning around, and poking the bigger guy's shoulders. ]

Are they metal?!

[subcircuits]

[They are not. They're as fleshy as Sanzo's own, although with more meat over the bones.

He laughs, mostly at himself, and puts his hands up.] Sorry, I didn't think-- I was in my exo. It's a machine, like a-- [He flails for a comparison.] --a big mechanical suit of armor, sort of.

[its_dad_sanzo]

Ah...?

[ poke, poke ]

How disappointing...

[ Really got his hopes up there for a second, Devero! ]

[subcircuits]

Sorry to let you down. [He actually looks a little sheepish as he says that.] I promise, it really was impressive. If I hadn't braced just right the damn thing could have squashed me, exo and all.

[its_dad_sanzo]

Ohhh? Well, I'm sure you'll get to do impressive stuff here, too.

[ And Koumyou went back to leading the way through the cars, complete with snatching up one of Devero's hands again to do it. This way! ]

Just make sure I get to see some of it!

[ Sound like a deal? Sounds like one to Koumyou!

And eventually, they get to the cinema car. Koumyou leads the way over to the screen in here, and wakes it up to peer at the seemingly infinite list of movies. ]

Any of these sound cyborg-y to you?

[subcircuits]

You got it. [Dev squeezes the hand Sanzo's caught up again, sealing this very serious pact between them.

Devero peers over Sanzo's shoulder and evaluates the list on the ICP in the cinema carriage. Several screens of options pass by before--] Oh, that!

[He reaches past Sanzo to point at the screen. The entry he's spotted reads The Governator: Politics Reborn, and the image beside it is of a face half human(?) and half metal. The synopsis, when it's accessed, promises the thrilling tale of an influential planetary administrator who survives an assassination attempt through the marvels of modern science. Rebuilt into a top-of-the-line cyborg, they sets out on a mission to clear out governmental corruption at the highest levels-- by any means necessary.

It looks absolutely pulpy and ridiculous.]

What do you think?

so is this a date or

[its_dad_sanzo]

Looks like a good pick to me!

[ Koumyou boops the correct buttons -- he's done this before, after all -- and then drags Devero toward whatever seats look best. ]

I saw one in here one time about a super hero named Action Man! It was very exciting. So much drama!