voidtreckerooc | Test Drive Meme 026

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Test Drive Meme 026

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!

Stand Back

The long-awaited laboratory carriage is a place of many delights. And by delights, we mean 'unsafe thaumo-scientific practices'. Whether the chemistry stores, the machine shop and its welding station, the magitech benches sat right next to the physics research area... or the panic showers.

A strange, earthy smell is coming from the biology room. Green smoke is curling under the door of chemistry. The machine shop is eerily quiet, and within a metre of the physics room, things appear to be levitating. At least one of the showers is running, but who knows which room the erstwhile scientist came from? Dare ye investigate?

Autobiography

The library carriage is normally a place of quiet, two storeys of shelves and comfy seating. The shelves are normally a little empty, filled only with what the Voidtreckers have bought themselves... but today, every shelf is filled.

Some books are normal - that one novel you'd been thinking of last week, or the tome of old family recipes you wistfully mentioned to your friend. The lower shelves are replete with activity books for small children, covering topics such as anatomy (for kids! non-human kids, mostly!), holiday activities for familiar and unfamiliar national holidays, and an unnerving number of sticker books that bodes ill for the walls of the train.

Others are larger, gilt or bound in strange covers. Like this one, coloured in a familiar hue, its spine reading only your name.

Fools' Gold

The Voidtrecker Express has landed on the world of Pamsar. More specifically, it has stopped, floating and untraceable, above the mountains holding the castle and surrounding town of the Pale Marquess's march.

It would have landed, but the forests and gardens of the march have petrified. Trees are sweeping spikes and clusters of sharp, smooth jade. Gemstone flowers dot the meadows and twine up walls and around window frames. Mosses have taken on the rough texture of granite. Beautiful as it is, it threatens the march's survival.

Team One

What were cultivated fields of grain are now rows upon rows of pure gold. Blinding, shimmering in the morning light coming over the mountains, but useless for the people of the Pale March. Panic is spreading. This team is tasked with protecting the granaries and food stores from panicked citizens.

Team Two
When pressed, many people appear to know the source of their misfortune. Living at the frontier, the people of their march have grown envious of the palaces and styles of the inner kingdom, and their prayers the last year have been for wealth and prosperity above all else. A wandering deity granted these wishes, to the peoples' regret. This team is to locate the deity's temple in the outlands, and convince them to reverse the blessing. Or else find another of the outsider gods to repair the damage.

Team Three
The forests across the march are now gorgeous, sharped prison bars for the people and creatures that live within them. This team must ingress into the jade woodlands, and rescue those trapped within. For some, a discovery is made: living blood shed on the petrified plants slowly dispels the effect.

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Stand Back

Emet-Selch was not having a good day. The tall man is grimly looking over the facilities with practiced disinterest, a condescending sneer of the alleged 'accommodations.' Ohh, the facilities were leagues better than most of the primitives back on the Source, but compared to what Garlemald was capable of... well...

Within the chaos of the green smoke and ghastly mockery of physics was one thing that caught his attention. How in the stars did magitech benches appear in the train? Such one may find him were another were to go and investigate the ever increasing disasters that were occurring beyond the lab room doors. "Ah, you must be the help. Well, go on then, there is no doubt that whatever science is escaping will end us all should you permit it."

Autobiographies

The grim man was no less severe in the presence of books. Such primitive forms that one should pass on their words to scribed symbols and basic composition. There was no tact not art. Worse, how often were these tomes discarded or ignored by those with better things to do with their day?

"Oh... I suppose some light reading would not be remiss... now would that anything here would be worth the bother..." And so he goes, picking up a book, reading its first page and throwing it flippantly over his shoulder. "Great Strategies of Military Conquest Hardly... A Basic Guide to Horticulture? Basic is too kind of a word... I Want to Be Your Canary A Play Written by Lord Avon...?"

He cast an askance glance left and right before quietly tucking that particularly tome for future study.

Team Two

Emet-Selch had no interest in helping. The venture provided a fascinating opportunity for... professional enrichment. He was especially interested in what matter of deities the people were dealing with and just how capable they were of shaping their world... Though if they were content with using the powers of creation for something so fickle as granting mortal wishes, then perhaps they were not contemporaries he would want any sort of association.

But what was really getting his goat was the "team" part of this enterprise. Oh sure, he was told at the start that missions would be this way, but he didn't think it would be taken quite so literally. What a bother.

With an irritated flick he addressed the vanguard. "Now my dear valets, I know that this venture must be quite the exciting opportunity for you, but need I remind you that we're fighting a deadline? Now clear a path through those weeds and allow me to do the talking, lest you invoke further divine retribution beyond your pitiable existence."

Team Three

Despite, (or Twelve forbid, because of the venture imparted on Team Two, a rather pleased Emet is unusually chipper at the discovery of how to undo this shortsighted wish. "Well well. It would seem that the jade prison has a bit of a sanguine appetite. Now that we know how to restore them to full, we now have but one course. And so I ask you, who among you is truly willing to make this sacrifice for the good of these people?"

Zagreus chances back a glare at his new "teammate", fingers clenched tightly around the hilt of Stygius while the blade rests on his shoulder. "Look here mate, we're not your servants. We're here to do this mission, same as you. Would it kill you to at least pretend to be respectful to your fellow Voidtreckers?"

This particular individual in Emet-Selch's retinue would certainly be of some interest, in that his aether reads of an Eikon, though not assigned to any particular Element, or pair of Elements known to the people of his world, as is customary among most Eikonic figures. Though Zagreus is clearly borne of Fire and Darkness, with his flaming steps and his wan appearance, the magics of Life are just as strong within him, Wind and Water and Earth in equal measure flowing through his veins. It may call to mind the magics of the Padjali of the Source, White Magic.

"I see your interest in theatre remains intact."

Elidibus has long been observant of finer details. When one looks left and right, one must certainly also think about behind. But the Ascian would be surprised if Emet-Selch had been unaware of his presence regardless.

In one hand, Elidibus bears a certain gilded book; one with his own.... name? Title? The spine is covered by the curve of his palm around it. The front of the book, if indeed the title is printed on it, is held against his thigh. No one will be reading its contents but the man himself.

The other hand bears something far less weighty. A book filled with cooking tips and basic recipes. Elidibus is nothing if not thorough in research needed to fulfill his duties. And eventually the Red Team will be on cooking duty. It only stands to reason he prepare accordingly.

I – Stand Back
Since he’s arrived Idia’s been spending a serious amount of time in the lab, especially the machine shop and magiscience areas. He’s desperate to rebuild the tablet he would normally have back in the school, with it he at least has a barrier between him and all these… talkative, happy, extroverted people. Ughh.

This time though, with that green smoke billowing onto the floor and items floating in the air, Idia’s poked his head in just enough to see what is happening without fully going into the room. He knows not to mess with magic he doesn’t recognize, and sure, of course he could handle it if he knew what it was, it’s just… what if it isn’t something he knows? Things could get real messy real fast, and he would hate to ruin the lab by throwing the wrong spell at it. Also maybe someone else will come along and fix it, then he can just get back to doing what he wanted to in the lab.

II – Autobiography
Idia’s happy with knowledge, he just prefers it in digital form. Paper books are so outdated, and he’s annoyed to find this train was no better than the library back at Night Raven. But, he’s bored, and curious to know if there is books on technology or magic he’s not familiar with, thirsty to add more of those to his range. Normally he would grab a bunch to hide away either in his cabin or a quiet booth by himself to read. Today the changes in the carriage have caught his eye. Was that the limited edition art book for one of his favorite games?! It had managed to sell out before he had gotten his pre-order in for it, as well as the exclusive in-game items that came with it.

He’ll have snatched it up and stuffed himself into one of the seats, too caught up in the fact such an item was here for him to hide away like he normally would. Idia may have also grabbed one of those sticker books, one themed with skulls stickers in it. For later use.

III – Fool’s Gold: Team One
How did he end up in this team? Seriously, how?! It was dealing with people, and Idia was hating it. He’s trying to keep to the back of his team, let them do most of the talking as he tries his best to hide within the hood of his team hoodie, that blue fire hair of his spilling out around his face as it’s impossible to stuff it all into the hood. He knows they got a mission here, he just… just… please don’t make him do this.

As one of the citizens manages to get past the front line of the team, Idia realizes he’s the last one there to stop them, fidgeting for a moment before managing to get out a shout, it sounding more than a little panicked. “Stop! Please! Just stop and go back!”

IV – Wildcard

It is some form of irony or a joke to place Thanatos on this team. He looks over the useless fields of grain and grips his scythe. Thanatos floats higher, trying to make himself look more imposing, and swings it out to trap the citizen between himself and the curved blade.

(The citizen is not in any danger. Thanatos has absolutely no intention of actually harming them.)

"Wait your turn. You'll invite disaster if you act so rashly." Thanatos's world suffers from a lack of food. He would know what mortals will do to each other in order to secure enough to eat for themselves and their loved ones.

Autobiography

The library was not a common destination for the Menreiki; she typically preferred physical activity and hands-on learning as opposed to having her face buried in a book all day. Despite that however, as she passed through the typically very barren library section, it was hard to ignore that there had been a significantly larger selection that appeared seemingly out of nowhere. It got the better of her curious nature, and she decided to investigate it closer.

Kokoro skimmed over most of what she saw, showing little interest in coloring or cooking books just from a glance. However, she did take the time to examine a few select tiles more closely; mostly miscellaneous books containing the scripts of various Noh performances. However, there was one that stuck out to her more than any of the others; an eerily familiar book with her own name printed on its spine. Without much hesitation, she pulled the book off its shelf to get a better look.

"Why would there be..?"

Fools' Gold - Team One

While Kokoro was somewhat familiar with times of strife, she had not seen panic set in quite this badly before. Most conflicts she engaged with in her were 1-on-1 with a few exceptions, although she's never had to deal with this many people at once before. Although it may be difficult to tell, she was grateful she didn't have to deal with it alone.

And soon, she would very much need some assistance, as one of the panicked citizens attempted to push past her to gain entry to the grainery she was assigned to protect, catching her somewhat off guard as she tried to push them back.

"I understand you're desperate, but please wait!"

Wild Card

It wasn't lost of Idia either, having put on a team with a guy just wandering around with such a weapon. How was that even allowed? Is this world really this dangerous for such weapons to be needed? Though right now Idia is very grateful for Thanatos' stepping in, he having no clue how he would had handled the situation otherwise. It doesn't mean Idia relaxes much though, his stance still tense until he starts to see the person leave, and even then it's only a slight change in his stance. He at least puts his hands down from where he had them clasped in front of his chest as he was left with the other Treker, muttering to himself. "I should make a droid as a stand in, it would be so much easier than being here in person."

"I would rather not risk that possibility." Emet smirked. "And we may be in the same predicament as each other, but we are hardly similar."

His appraising gaze did not miss those qualities of Zagreus. He felt similar to an Ascian and also less refined. Though perhaps with a little molding... Ahh, but he found himself moving two steps ahead once again. A poor habit of an overactive imagination (or so he tells himself). Regardless, Emet felt no need to pass on his knowledge of the special nature of this boy.

"Case in point, I am here on my own volition to have a conversation with these so-called 'gods.' And as for your intentions...? Well, I can only imagine that you are here to 'save this world.'" He scoffs venomously at those words. "But perhaps if your people prove themselves worthy of my patronage then I too may be counted among your number."

Of course Emet had felt Elidibus's presence, but he dismissed it out of hand as some aberration in his senses. The fact that he was standing right behind him removed all doubt.

"What are we now but a continuing story?" Or, perhaps, an extended intermission. As he turns to face his contemporary he notices the books in his hands. Curious. Elidibus was never the type to explore such trivialities. Those 'human' details are more Emet-Selch's realm of expertise.

Of course he was going to task, but he couldn't just inquire up front. "Taking up a new hobby, are we?"

Taking up any hobby would be surprising in itself. Elidibus does not do anything without purpose and he's certainly not been here long enough for that habit to change. The difference, though it won't be apparent in the middle of the library, is the interest he takes in it.

"A duty," the Ascian corrects Emet-Selch. "In due time, it will fall on my team to prepare the regular meal. It would be unfortunate if my skills were lacking." There is just enough indifference to suggest Elidibus is going through the motions. But there are still a lot of questions.

Why the extra reading? Why not simply rely on whatever memories of life remained in his current vessel? What need did he see to participate in the team chores? It is not as though everyone did. It made a certain sense that if he were going to cook for the train's passengers, he wouldn't want to poison anyone.

But why is he bothering? Surely there are other ways to appeal that don't require participation in menial tasks.

From where Idia is peeking his head in from his slouched position from the doorway, his spine straights suddenly in shock as he's spoken to, hesitating to turn towards Emet-Selch, almost in hope he's not talking to him and was in fact someone else. But it wasn't that easy, was it? Idia's normal hunched over form returned as he muttered mostly to himself, but also as an answer, just barely loud enough to be heard. "I'm not the help," Though he's not surprised to be looked down upon, even away from school. "And I'm not stupid enough to go walking into someone else's experiment without having knowledge of what it is."

If only Idia knew how common it was for Thanatos's powers and skills to not be relevant on a mission, he'd probably be comforted. A little. Death Incarnate is still on his team, after all.

"... I'd rather not be here either," Thanatos admits as he vanishes his scythe again. He remains floating however, and the citizens look at Thanatos with a newfound fear. Some flee the line completely to go somewhere else. Blood and darkness.... At least that's the normal reaction to looking upon Death, he supposes.

"More help would make distributing the food faster."

The floating Idia doesn't mind, in fact he's a little jealous at that floating while he has to walk. It could certainly lead to him later quizzing Thanatos over how he can do that, and if Idia could somehow turn it into a device for himself. Why walk when you can fly? Also it's not like he hasn't been around others who prefer to float, Malleus was notorious for floating rather than standing during their battle practices.

"Why not just bring in supplies until it's solved, it would help to relieve the panic if they had supplies to go through first." His mind switching over from his own social anxiety panic to problem solving. "Or have a team start to cultivate different crops. Though I suppose observation is required first to know if it's the plants themselves or the land that is being effected." All of this said barely above a mutter, Idia having a tendency to talk mostly to himself, but also quietly even if he was speaking to others.

Edited (correcting spelling) 2021-07-19 01:06 (UTC)

This man is reminding Zagreus of a certain smug Champion of Elysium the more he talks. Instead of giving into the impulse to sass him back, as he'd so often do with Theseus at home, he instead turns around, stopping dead in his tracks right in front of Emet.

"Of course we're here to save this world. That's why the Voidtrecker Express brought us here, because there are people here that need help, and we can provide it. These people here, around us? The Voidtrecker Express thinks them worthy enough to be here, just like you and I. If you don't like that, then go back to the Train." Zagreus squints his mis-matched eyes at Emet, sizing him up slightly, which is very easy to do seeing as Zagreus is far shorter than the Ascian, even on solid ground. "So you're, what, going to condescend the Gods to death to reverse their blessing, is that your master plan?"

Okay, maybe the sassing couldn't be helped.

Edited 2021-07-19 01:51 (UTC)

While Kokoro was not someone who would go tinkering around in a lab herself, the activities that go on here were something that got the better of her curious nature. It was a foreign craft to her, and watching the more scientific types do... whatever it is they do in here was amusing from the perspective of a young youkai.

That said, she didn't expect to see what she did when she turned a corner in the hallway; miscellaneous objects floating around the outside of one of the rooms, with a stench that very much caught the menreiki offguard. It seemed she wasn't the first to happen across it though, noticing the man poking his head inside the biology room. She sauntered on over behind them, curious as to what exactly transpired here.

"What's inside?"

"Ehe!" Idia jumps as soon as Kokoro starts speaking, partly due to not noticing her wandering over, and partly due to just someone coming up to speak with him. His entire form tensed up, almost looking like a cat caught doing something it shouldn't be doing, Idia forcing on getting his heart rate to go back down to normal from the shock. "I-I don't know." He managed to get out eventually, stumbling over his words before Idia is able to compose himself again. "I came here to work and it's like... well..." He half-heartedly waving a hand towards it all.

Idia's reaction was somewhat puzzling to Kokoro; her approach hadn't been that discreet, had it? She noticed how much they tensed up and felt slightly guilty for startling them so much. Somewhat sheepishly, she donned a separate mask than what she had arrived with prior to express some form of guilt.

"Sorry..."

Her attention once again turned towards the scientific mess that was spewing out into the hall. It didn't necessarily surprise her; she's been involved in stranger incidents before. Usually something, or someone, was behind them however. And seeing as Idia was the only other person here she was aware of...

"Did your work cause this?"

Q'uila couldn't be called a coward by any means, especially when you looked at the long list of foes and insurmountable odds her and the Scions had faced. But the train was not a battlefield and Q'uila would readily admit that she'd been purposefully staying away from the newest addition to crew from her home. Or another iteration of her home in the manner that Elidibus was.

However, the crystal of Azem had been burning a metaphorical hole in her pocket for a few days alongside an increasingly burning curiosity that culminated in many, many questions all of which Emet Selch was best placed to answer. And so she followed the darkness of his aether to the train's library and its play section.

"Hello Hades, 'tis good to see you well."

There was no falsehood to the sentiment, Q'uila had found herself enjoying the Ascian's snarky commentary on the First despite herself. That and the Emet Selch that had journeyed we her hadn't seemed to actually mind the many questions that her and the other Warriors had peppered him with over the course of their quest to restore the light.

"My apologies for disturbing you but may I have a few moments of your time?"

"That would assume that the train gives us enough supplies in the first place, and I know of only one person who could grow enough crops at once to feed a population." They are working with too few resources and are short on time, and having Persephone work her powers to the point of nearly collapsing can't be the solution every time.

"However, it would be prudent to discover the cause of all this and its range. The people of this world will need to survive on their own after we leave."

Those masks were a little weird... but Idia's ok with that. Honestly, he liked masks, it was nice to be able to hide behind one and be seen at the surface level, not past that. Shame he can really only get away with in on Halloween... and they could be a little hard to breath in. "It's ok." He mumbled out, realizing that there was no avoiding bumping into people around here. Ughhhh...

"No," Idia's next answer was a bit more forceful, though still as soft spoken in his naturally quieter tone. "I'm more than aware of the dangers of leaving hazardous projects unsupervised. Clearly who did this is not educated in such matters." What a pain, really. It just impacted everyone who wanted to use the lab. How irresponsible could someone be?

Idia's lip curled up in annoyance at that, it really did seem like this 'train' had no clue about important items they required. Then again, 'important' items for Idia might not be the same as for others, his stuff technically wasn't needed for survival. Just his survival. With dealing with others. And keeping his sanity. He missed his computer. And his games. "My plant magic isn't growth based either..." That would be more along the alchemy classes, growing items for potions, but nothing to speed growth along like this location needed.

"Isn't that what the other teams are supposed to be doing?" Idia's not sure which was worse, being stuck here, or trampling through the wilderness for an answer. At least here he didn't have to go on a nature hike, although... "I wouldn't mind some of that gold..." Since it looks like he's going to have to be making his own electronics, and gold did play a part in their construction.

Okay, so it wasn't him; that was good to know and all, but the true culprit still eluded them, and that bothered Kokoro a little. Things could likely get worse if they kept being this irresponsible and left bypassers to clean up the mess. Although, why they would abandon their projects like this to begin with was a total mystery to her.

"Clearly! How could someone be so irresponsible!?" Yeah, she didn't entirely understand the dangers herself, but from what she was seeing, it was a believable statement. "Are you able to actually go inside? This might get worse if it's just left alone."

Eldibus's words is shocking, though he is restrained in admitting so. Of all the ones in their order, his will was the most unbending; the most unshakable. The thought of him performing menial tasks for the sake of these so called 'teams' was ludicrous.

Emet-Selch had to let out a slow, joyless laugh. "I was not aware that domestic duties would serve to bring about the next ardor. That is, unless you intend to use poison or conceal a bomb to start an international conflict. This is the sort of minutia that you would accuse me of overemphasizing."

And should Elidibus find himself busy answering his question, Emet-Selch would attempt to reach down and pry the other book open to get a better look at its contents. What do we have here?

The boy was barely a presence, and had he not responded Emet would have sworn he just insulted the air. "This is no purpose to be underfoot. Unless you have business here, I would suggest leaving it to someone who knows what they are doing."

To accentuate the next point, Emet formed a shadow, only to re-emerge a few feet behind him. "Oh, and do speak up: no one likes a mumbler."

Emet-Selch was no stranger to threats, real or otherwise. He had been on the receiving end of such things for entire millennia, and a good number of them were quite sincere in their intention to cut his life short. The look this boy gave him was that of irritation and challenge, not a real threat of harm. Still, a moment's repose, just enough for him to think that he is weighing over the wrods, before playing his hand: "Or else... what, exactly?" He folded his arms defiantly. "You are the senior member of this little expedition, and are currently under the observation of everyone else present. Should you strike me in anger, you attack an unarmed man displaying the true nature of this fellowship. And for what? Disagreeing with my honesty? Perhaps you would rather I speak sweet falsehoods?"

"But allow me to continue my vow frankly. Though I don't see why you would deserve an answer for being so crude. I intend..." He took a moment to pause simply to let Zagreus wait. "...to listen. Though you may be unfamiliar, you would find that conversations tend to go much better when someone does."

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Page 1 of 5

Test Drive Meme 026

Stand Back

Autobiography

Fools' Gold

Team One

Team Two

Team Three

Emet-Selch | FFXIV | Spoiers Possible

I have to, hello dad from another world!! Team Two --> Team Three, depending how far we get?

Autobiographies

Idia Shroud | Twisted Wonderland

III

Hata no Kokoro | Touhou Project

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hello "son," are you ready to begin missing your biological father?

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Stand Back

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still haven't tried to kill me, so far you're ahead by 70ish!!

I

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Autobiographies /throws the train's resident WoL at you

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the day is still young, my lad