Test Drive 029

[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!

Cast-It-Yourself

The library is normally a quiet place. Today, however, a stack of books has been scattered across the low tables and mats. Whilst this shouldn't be an issue - a few minutes of tidying, surely - it would probably have helped if the stack wasn't entirely wizardry tomes and spellbooks. Magic sparks and pops around the room as it collides with other spells, and passengers are as likely to be hit by a stray enchantment as they are to suddenly find themselves able to cast whatever it was they intercepted.

Fixing misfired passenger curses and transformations will take a while; returning the spells to their books might be sensible, but maybe no one will notice if just one spell goes missing..?

3Spoopy5Me

The cinema carriage, normally home to millions of films and TV shows from across the multiverse, is currently undergoing some kind of unannounced maintenance; its library has shrunk down to a few hundred offerings.

Those that remain are, to a one, cheesy horror flicks. Some are earth-like. Evil alpacas from outer space, possessed toy cars, a pack of squirrels infected by a cordyceps fungus and ready to hide pieces of brain for the winter. At least three TV series of faux mysteries and monster of the week thrillers that have an unnerving number of seasons available. People in make-up are just as common as what might actually be genuine supernatural beings on-set, though the acting is universally terrible in either case.

Trick or Treat

Glucke is a small world, known primarily for its week-long Twin-Moon Festival. For six days a year, the natural and supernatural worlds overlap, and spirits and ghosts are able to cross over to the mortal world. Everyone goes about in costume or dressed up in their best. The children and teenagers of Glucke spend the week fulfilling requests and wishes from those visiting from the other side, whilst the adults spend it in contemplation and celebration.

If it was a normal festival, the Voidtreckers wouldn't be here. A particular alignment of the titular twin moons means that the link between the worlds is both stronger and more unstable than it should be, and mischief and trouble abounds.

Team One

A number of mean-spirited people and beings from both worlds have teamed up, and are trying to trick the Glucke children into doing evil acts. Visible by a faint sickly glow in the air caused by their dark intent, they need to be stopped before they lead the kids astray. Too much evil, and the children will become ill. Subdue the people and cast out the spirits!

Team Two

The larger influx of spirits means there are far too many requests to go around - the kids need help! Experiences for those beings who haven't encountered the natural world before, last requests from the departed, requests can be small - souvenirs or snacks - or large - arranging a meeting with a loved one, perhaps even brief possession. (Wishes granted generate a small amount of a sweet, ghostly substance that can restore the affected children from team one. Or, it's a unique and delicious snack.)

Team Three

The strong connection between the worlds has allowed some mortals through into the spirit world, normally impossible even on the festival's final eve. This team must venture into the wispy, intangible world of the spirits to retrieve those who've strayed. Some parts are hazy replicas of the natural world, whilst others can be long stretches of nothingness interspersed by shifting lights and soft shadows, or even fantastical scenes dreamed up by a collective of spiritual consciousness. Find the lost ones, bring them home.

Comments

Esteban Drake | Original Character | Trick or Treat - Team Three

[crowneddragon]

[Esteban balked as he reached the end of the cobbled stones, lingering at the edges of mortal thoughts and where it met with the endless vastness of minds time had forgotten. He could hear the shift of a mischievous wind in the thick mist that spread before him, could smell the thousand blades of grass that rustled in a phantom breeze. It would be warm-- a sun-baked plain of waist-high grasses, golden in the late summer sun; inviting him to lie down it it.]

[It would be warm, his instincts dozed, trailing the sunshine veiled by the mist through his limbs as if he was already standing in it. It would be peaceful, his thoughts slurred, dragging back memories of his childhood's summer days, laying in open fields and watching the clouds drift by. It would be joy, his heart sang, notes of childish happiness the likes of which were soon lost with age.]

[It was a damn liar, Esteban settled, his body and mind fighting the instinctual need to just walk in without a care for the danger. Nectar to sweeten the snap of the trap following close behind.]

"Never alone," [he breathed out to himself, more to hear his own voice and his own instincts over the feel of this... whisper. Pervasive and sweetly murmuring of safety, of happiness, like a lover's caress.]

[But Miri's brother had gone in there-- Yzelf and Rhodia as well! He couldn't-- he wouldn't abandon them! But he couldn't rush in heedless either-- even as tempting as it was.]

[Desperate, Esteban glanced around to find anyone-- anyone at all who might be near enough to come along with him. He'd take his best frenemy at this point. Hell, it might be for the best; he wouldn't be as likely to drop his guard in a mist-veiled field that smelled of too many promises for them to keep.]

[wewillwewill]

[While he's no frenemy, Elidibus is a good match. While his true nature might not be known, he appears to be able to move in this realm comfortably without succumbing to its honeyed lures.

He'd appointed himself a guide, or at least to keep an eye on the Voidtreckers that wandered into the spirit realm on a task. And so he approaches Esteban as the figure seemed to be drawn toward a dangerous promise. When looking around, he'll find Elidibus standing almost directly behind him. When did he get there?

But he's recognizable with a red polo and khakis marking his team designation and there's an SCA on his wrist.]

Ah good. You seem aware of the danger. What are you seeking? And shall I accompany you to your goal and out?

[crowneddragon]

[Oh, shit!]

[The half-elf nearly jumps out of his skin, rattled as he is near the feather-soft musings and the fingers of mist swirling along the cobblestones. With how he had missed Elidibus' approach, finding another being just a few feet away almost makes it seem like the lands beyond have breathed him out; another lure to the constant murmur of "safe, soft, warm" that continuously tickles at the point of his ears. Esteban has to resist the thought that maybe blocking the sounds would help; he very much doubts that it would do anything.]

"Eli!" [In his defense, he hasn't thought this through. Elidibus wasn't someone he was overly close to-- and he'd been trying to keep the nicknames to a minimum considering not everyone enjoyed them. But it slipped out! Elidibus was such a long name!.. Oh well. Better ask forgiveness and all that.]

"Some of the village's kids went missin'. Three of 'em." [He waves at the likely culprit, keeping a careful eye on the mists that seem to edge ever slowly closer. Tendrils of it rise in innocent patterns, fluttering at the edges between the two worlds, wavering in the feeble light that barely seeps through the clouds. He tries to mask the shiver that they cause.]

"We gotta go an' help 'em out." [Already, he is reaching out; a large hand rising, palm open for his companion to take without much thought. The fog does not even need its voices to be as lethal as teeth.]

[wewillwewill]

[There is a sideways look Elidibus gives Esteban which suggests the nickname is noted. But there are more important matters, so he limits himself to a polite response.]

Elidibus, if you please. Three children did not pass by me. I would have stopped them had they done so. If the spirits paths took them to this mist, it was by a different path than the one you arrived on.

[These places, they're like that with their wending and not-straightforward ways, particularly now with the barriers so thin.

Raising a hand, the Ascian points it, palm outward, toward the beckoning mist. It halts and then begins to withdraw. Does Esteban have a sense for magic? Elidibus certainly did something. Whether it senses someone more powerful than it or is reacting to whatever the man did, it does not want to be near.

However it doesn't fully retreat.]

Hm. [He looks down with some actual surprise as the half-elf offers his hand. People just do not reach out of their own accord to touch him. He sighs and puts his free hand on Esteban's shoulder. It makes some sense to remain in contact.] ...If you have something of the children, it will be easier to find them.

Amy Yaeger(Ayumi) | Detective Conan/Case Closed AU

[lightthedark]

Cast-It-Yourself
Amy's been here long enough to have seen some magic, but at the same time... she really can't help the Conanish Skeptical Look that crosses her face at the tomes and spellbook, even as a pair of downy, grey wings twitch back and forth.

It'd be cute if they weren't fluffed up like a bird.

Golden eyes narrow. "Hey!" Then widen as she feels the tiny pair of fangs in her mouth and notes the grey tabby cat tail behind her. "Awww. But... cats don't have wings...?"

Keen eyes will notice the tennis-ball-sized red-and-white pokeball on her belt.

Team Three
On one hand, she has Smiley, the spiritomb's Odd Keystone easily hopping beside Amy as she explores this world.

On the other, despite the veneer of bravery Amy projects, she is uncertain and this thoroughly translates into a more alert pokemon. After all, she can't be sure this isn't the Distortion World.

That said, they both brighten at the sight of another Voidtrecker. "You here to find the Lost too?"

Cast it yourself

[runicfeathers]

"Some cats where I hail from have them, some of them even have four wings!"

There's a bit of a giggle in Willow's voice, much gentler towards children than adults. There's a bright smile on her face as golden eyes flick down to the Pokéball for the briefest of seconds before she waves the thought away at the moment. She can ask about the girl's homeworld later, when the magic isn't being difficult.

"Would you like some help? Wayward magic can be tricky to chase alone."

Tannusen Harrowgate | (old) World of Darkness | OTA

[black_black_heart]

🐅 Movie Night

Here's Tannusen in the cinema car, kicked back in one seat with his booted feet up on the arm of the seat in front of him, ankles crossed. He has popcorn, of course.

What sort of monster watches this kind of silly shit without popcorn? The movie's about to start, the title up on the screen in the cheesiest dramatic splash possible.

"You know..." the blond comments in an aside to whoever's within earshot, his voice a purring thing, "I'm probably not supposed to root for the evil alpacas from space, but I am totally going to anyway. Popcorn?"

🐅 Cat Gonna Cat

You were trying to go about your business somewhere on the train. Just, doing your thing. But as you try to cross one of the cars between you and the thing you're trying to do...

Well, there's a traffic problem.

Ever seen a six hundred pound, nine and a half foot long white bengal tiger? One who isn't inbred and fat in a zoo?

You have now. And he's lounging in the narrow hallway, tail flicking a lazy beat against the floor.

Your move.

🐅 I Reject Your Reality And Substitute My Own

You were trying to go about your business somewhere on the train. Just, doing your thing.

And then reality just sort of... fucking stops. The walls of the train turn into a field of stars, the thing you're holding in your hands suddenly sprouts arms and legs and starts struggling for freedom...

And the man who walks into view? He's covered in stripes, the sclera of his eyes are pitch black, and when he smiles at you -- which he is, now, slow and lazy -- his canine teeth look too sharp. Somehow, like staring at them could cut you.

When he moves, his stripes leave something in the air for a moment like ink in water, dissipating in his trail like smoke.

"Sorry about that," that voice is a rich, low purr, "I didn't know anyone else was in this car."

I reject your reality and substitute my own

[crowneddragon]

He didn't expect that.

Then again, expecting reality to take a sudden vacation was probably not on the usual list of "things that may as well happen today". In a... train... that... defies common concepts of reality.

Okay so maybe it was a little more expected that not expected at all, Esteban reasons with a snicker. His suddenly struggling backpack plops down on the ground and scampers off, but he allows it; too distracted by the sparkle of stars near enough to touch. A hand drags against what used to be a wall; curious as to whether this is only an illusion of if he should watch his steps for the near future when his companion reveals himself.

"That's alright," Esteban grins with his words, turning to face him. "Consider me impressed~" An easy wink escapes the half-elf, but the strangeness of his new surroundings is too interesting to get him distracted.

"How're you doin' that?" He wonders aloud, excited, before he reconsiders his words. "What are you doin', exactly?" He loses absolutely none of his enthusiasm, checking underfoot to see if the carpet has turned to grass by this point, or other such strangeness that might have happened.

[black_black_heart]

The wall certainly seems to be... further out than before? But then if he keeps reaching, he'll touch some sort of transparent barrier between himself and the sparkling void of outer space.

Below, the humble train floor has been replaced with... a street? It looks (and feels) like a goddamned street had been ripped off of Earth's surface and slotted in here, right down the yellow-lined middle of a highway. There's even cracks in the asphalt.

"I dropped the Wyrd," Tannusen explains, amused. "What you're seeing now is how I usually see things. This place has apparently been influenced by a lot of people's dreams of travel and exploration."

[crowneddragon]

"So it's like, phantom memories?" That's an... interesting power? perception? "That must feel crowded in yer headspace," the half-elf adds after reflection.

How would it affect someone, to constantly see with a thousand collected memories? Esteban can't even keep track of his own thought process sometimes; a hundred memories layered one over the other are more than he could bear.

Still, it's very pretty; or at least the stars are. He's not too sure what happened to the ground on the other hand, and somehow, it seems to stink a bit, but it's not too much a concern if it's only a temporary thing.

"D'you travel a lot?" he adds curiously, wondering what travel even meant considering this was apparently "the usual" for his companion.

Cat Gonna Cat

[yondu]

Yondu's passing through, and what happens? Yeah. Yeah, giant Flerken shaped monster. But he's gonna bet it's another elf pet or pokemon or something similarly strange, maybe a new friend of Eva's.

"Alright. Gonna try and pass ya by. Good critter. Don't eat me," he asks about as politely as he can ask, walking down to the end of the cat to step over him.

[black_black_heart]

The huge black and white animal watches Yondu approach, and when he moves to step over...

Well, that's when a dinner-plate sized paw bats at Yondu's raised foot, to whap it back in the direction it came from. Rude!

Wilhelmina “Will” Vandom | W.I.T.C.H. (Comics) (Fanmade AU)

[the_w_in_witch]

Cast-It-Yourself

Random spells firing off left and right, infecting other passengers with the strange inflictions? Meh. Not Will's thing. Instead, she's using her control over energy to shield herself from the flying spells as she looks over the various books to see what she can copy. So far, she's unimpressed.

"What kind of spells are these?" she sighed, shaking her head. “Simplistic yet a little out of my field. I guess I could learn a few here and there…”

3spooky5me

Is it really Halloween time? It doesn’t feel like it, but the oddball selection of movies suggests otherwise. All of them corny in ideas, design and acting.

And honestly, Will could use a little bit of silly. So, she’s going to grab one of the videos and put it in and once it starts, she’ll let her guard down and dispel the glamour she had over her. Gone was the snarky young woman who seemed to have an evil streak in her and now a scrawny teen took her place.

“Hee, just what I needed!”

Trick or Treat

Team One

Will was not happy at this sight. The children were being made to do evil things against their will. This just couldn’t stand at all. However, unlike her more heroic counterparts, Will was taking things a little too far, confronting some of the living beings behind the mess.

“I don’t like it when people think they can control innocents.” Will said, hands sparking with energy. “You will return them to normal or I will destroy you all!”

With that, she let energy tear through the area.

“AHHHH! SHE’S A WITCH!” One of the people shouted.

“I am not a witch, I am THE WITCH!” Will shouted back.

Someone needs to rein her in.

Wildcard A

For all of Will’s attitude and bravado, her anger and her villainous attitude, deep down, Will was still a fourteen year old girl broken by betrayals and losses. Being on the train had triggered those issues, thus when she wasn’t antagonizing the rest of the crew or trying to force the train to do what she wanted, she’d disappear to some random room for peace and quiet, to contemplate.

Today is no exception as she’s curled up in the dressing car, crying. She let her anger and attitude get the better of her and it sent her into a bit of depression.

“I can’t go back…” she muttered. “I’ve ruined everything…”

Wildcard B

(OoC: Hit me up with anything else!)

Spamton | Deltarune (Pacifist)

[transmitkromer]

Cast-It-Yourself
Pay no mind to the strange puppet-like creature standing in the middle of the library.

He's just standing there, watching what visible feats of magic are shooting around the room like firework, affecting whatever they hit in strange ways. It's hard to tell if he's finding it amusing, or if he's simply so confused he doesn't know what to do.

Until one of them moves in his direction and he finally scatters, cursing loudly - at least it sounds like he did, although the sound is covered by static. Suddenly, he seems well aware that it might be a good idea to take cover.

However: too little, too late. Before his little legs can get him close enough to duck under one of the tables, he's hit, and he falls to the ground, glasses - eyes? - turning to (visible) static. He lays there for a few seconds, taking him a while to notice he didn't actually lose any hit points.

His glasses turn back to their default dual colors. He sits up, looking at his hands, as what looks like green lightning surges through his arms.

"WHAT THE [?!??] WAS THAT?" He speaks as he flexes his hands. Green power concentrates in his closed fists. "I FEEL...I FEEL......."

He stands slowly and opens his hands, covered in lightning.

He throws his head back and his eyes flash quickly between pink and yellow.

"I FEEL LIKE A [[BIG SHOT!!!!!]]"


Trick or Treat
So, he may have been a bad pick. Maybe he should have gone to another team, or be left in the train. Because, well - once a salesman, always a salesman, and this guy here hasn't really gotten used to how the world works out here yet, muchless all the different worlds.

So, maybe, he tried to negotiate with some spirits.

Maybe he tried to get more than he was offering. That's how it usually works, anyway.

Maybe now there's a bunch of angry ghosts on everyone's hands.

Paid ran out, please excuse the limited icon choices.

[najaran]

Cast


Najaran didn't often spend time in the library. She does however get lost. Easily. Often. It happened again. So she was in the library when he got hit, trying to find the exit. You know, the one right behind her? She might have gotten knocked on the head and turned around. Also it was still early and she wasn't fully awake.

A spell came right at her and on reflex she lifted Goligan and smashed the spell away with a skill to make any baseball fan squee. Or that what was what should have happened. Instead the man headed cane became pink. And grew hair. Lots of it.

"Were you playing with spells again, NAJA?!" he demanded. "You know better. I'm certain this is somehow all your fault!"

Ignoring him - which was often her answer when he got to yelling - she looked to the strange... thing... that said it felt like a big shot.

"Are... are you okay?"

Was it a Card? Or had a spell flying around turned someone into that? What... was she supposed to do...?

[transmitkromer]

He turns around suddenly at her, eyes still flashing wildly between pink and yellow. And he seems a bit...twitchy. And--glitchy? Something's wrong, but not all of it is the train's fault.

"I FEEL LIKE [[MILLION DOLLAR CASH PRIZE]]!!!!"

Green lightning surges through his body and he twitches more, tossing his head back, which seems to somehow glitch in different sizes, directions, and affecting his voice. "HAHAHAEHEHAHEHEHAHEHEHAHEHAEEAEHEHE!!"

I had to do this. For the ultimate in threads that make no sense to the canon blind

[grim_heaper]

Angry ghosts? Sho laughs at such things! In that, he was laughing as various monsters under his control were ripping up the ghosts. Successfully.

"YOU ZEROS ARE SO ZETTA SLOW! COME BACK WHEN YOU'VE FOUND YOUR BEAUTY!" He yelled after the few ghosts that were fleeing.

(Not apping him here, but couldn't resist.)

lmao i dont know what's going on either but that's a vibe

[transmitkromer]

He's had to deal with his fair share of angry customers ever since he stopped being a [[Big Shot]], but he usually had his way of getting away. Besides, people didn't tend to be angry ghosts, usually.

"NO [[REFUNDS]]!" He says even as he runs, before he jumps behind something big enough to hide him (which isn't hard).

When he peeks out, he notices that the ghosts were scattering, away from other creatures he didn't understand. Well, that's just fine - as long as he was safe.

Horse | Centaurworld

[bbgirl]

Cast-It-Yourself
It's hard enough to open these stupid doors. Every car is different, so at least it's interesting, but that part continues to be annoying.

What she doesn't expect is the light show that awaits her in the library.

"Huh?" She watches as things in the room keep changing size, and color, and making strange noises, and some of the passengers try to get out of the way or to get the books.

"What's-" But, before she can finish, a shot of light is launched right in her direction and she's hit head on, closing her eyes tight and dropping down on her stomach.

...when her eyes open, everything looks different. Really different. Everything's...small.

She's now taking a good 1/3 of the room in size.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

3Spoopy5Me
She's sitting on the floor on the back of the room, watching with a stupified look as the giant alpacas with sharp teeth and acid spit and weird antennas on their head try to take over a planet.

"What. What is this? Some sort of spell?"

One of the alpacas roars at a humanoid figure trying to shoot at it. They find themselves out of ammo. The alpaca spits its acid saliva at them and they scream in pain, slowly, very slowly oozing down to the floor, as smoke rizes from the ooze and the alpaca watches. The scene goes on for...way too long.

"Eugh."

3Spoopy5Me

[tactlesstantei]

It's a movie.

[Masumi looks at the screen, visibly grimacing at the scene in question as she tries to explain what it is.] It's not a spell, it's...like a play? Except it's recorded to watch later.

[bbgirl]

She jumps for a moment, not expecting someone else to be there. Not the weirdest thing she's seen in her life though - or in the last five minutes.

She looks back at the screen. "A...movie." She repeats, narrowing her eyes.

"Is this what passes for entertainment?" She gestures with one of her hooves.

mikasa ackerman ( attack on titan ) | possible manga spoilers, will avoid if needed!

[tostand]

ARRIVAL/PLATFORM.

[ The last thing she remembers is blood on her hands.

Mikasa recognises trains, but nothing like this, nothing like the one in front of her; even the ones she had seen away from home seemed unlike this strange mechanism. For a moment all she can do is stand and stare at it, her eyes a little wider and her expression tightening as the seconds pass by. It doesn't feel right and her senses are on high alert - enough that she's automatically reaching for weapons that aren't there.

There are too many people, none of them who she recognises, and after a moment all she can do is force herself to breathe and look around and try to make sense of it, her mind working in overdrive. She knows how to handle herself in unfamiliar territory, though, and it means she begins to walk quickly, to find something she can use to defend herself, the intensity in her expression probably enough to terrify anyone who looks at her. ]

LIBRARY.

[ If Armin had taught her anything then answers can be found in books. She feels a sudden pang of longing at the thought, the idea of him somehow being out of her reach, and it aches somewhere deep, deep down inside of her. There's a temptation to put her hand over her heart, to touch her chest, to ground herself with the feeling of her heartbeat, but she stops before she can show any kind of outward weakness. Not in such a strange place with people she doesn't recognise, not without her gear to support her.

She still has her fists, but who knows if fists would be enough.

As soon as a spell darts by her, though, she moves immediately and jerks out of the way, on instinct more than anything else. Mikasa ducks with what seems like inhuman speed, her hair whipping around her, eyes narrowing before she shifts herself up and stands. She doesn't seem to try to inch any closer to the books, but she does lift her scarf a little higher over her face, watching.

If anyone else seems to need help she'll go to them, but she hesitates to get involved alone. ]

TRICK OR TREAT.

[ Team one.

Being given orders sometimes works well for Mikasa, depending on whether or not she wants to follow them. If it goes against her own personal desires then it's harder - much harder, something overwhelming inside of her that makes her want to act out. She has no reason to defy orders this time, at least, and so she works her way around the children and does her best to take care of them, to protect them.

She's quick, stern seeming, almost gloomy, and keeps to herself. It's almost as if she's lost her voice completely. ]

WILDCARD.

( Feel free to find Mikasa anywhere else or PM me for something personal! )

Four-Glass-Walls | World of Darkness OC

[fourglasswalls]

Team 1

Bad news: Glass has a stick. Well, more of a branch really. It's long, pointy, and he's chasing down various spirits and jerks with it.

"Die, jerks!" he hollered, bludgeoning one of the mean-spirited people violently with it. A quick pause to kick the dude in the stomach and he was off again, furiously swiping at a spirit. "This'll teach you to ruin this legally-distinct-from-Halloween holiday!"

Well, points for enthusiasm, but -- maybe someone needed to help him focus all that energy, just a bit.

Cast It Yourself

On a table lay a book, spine up and flopped open -- but one half of it not quite touching the surface proper. From beneath that hald, a forked purple tongue snaked out, then just as quickly disappeared... and then a moment later, a gila monster poked its head out, looking around curiously.

Team 1

[monkeyinthewrench]

Jake isn't really having much more luck on the spirit-fighting front. He's trying to help herd spirits and the sick so the more capable people can lock it all down, but it isn't going so great. He's trying to stop them with the force of his muscle, but...he is not Terry.

"...wait, do sticks work? Did you dip them in holy water or something?"

[fourglasswalls]

"Oh, well, this stops them from manifesting anyway. If they turn solid, whacko!" He demonstrated by jabbing the stick clean through a spirit, much to its annoyance. "Also if any of them are actually people, again, whacko! The general strategy is 'whacko', is what I'm trying to get across here."

Also his cheerful enthusiasm seemed to be really, really annoying the spirits. It might be a greater weapon than physical force.

"Die! Unless you're a dead spirit! Then undie! And die again! Better this time!"