Test Drive 035

[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!

Stable Duties

The latest carriage to have been added to the Voidtreckers express is one for large animals. It contains stables downstairs and smaller places for animals upstairs.

Until now the bottom half of the carriage has been mostly empty, with large animals new to the options of creatures voidtreckers can purchase from the shop. But as voidtreckers wake up one morning those going through the carriage will find they each have a creature in them. Large as a warhorse, with six legs, long necks and longer noses. What are they? What do they eat? Why are they here?

No answers are readily available but anyone who gets close will get a nose in their face and then an enthusiastic giant nuzzling them. They are friendly it seems. Very friendly.

Friendly Competition

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..?

Eggageration of Harm

The mission the voidtreckers are sent on seems like a very strange one. The annual spring festival of the kingdom of Fahr is in ruins after a hoard of raiders wearing rabbit masks wreaked destruction, smashing up festival stalls and stealing the intricately carved eggs that had been dedicated to the goddess of spring.

The king of Fahr suspects the raiders come from across the border from the neighbouring kingdom Fehl and has amassed his army to take the eggs back. The king of Fahl denies everything but has been given an ultimatum, if the eggs are not returned the two kingdoms will go to war.

Team One

Investigate what really happened. Are the rabbit masked raiders from the kingdom of Fahl or were they just opportunist criminals? Is war their aim or did they just steal for profit? Try and find out what really happened and, perhaps even more difficult, report the correct findings to the king.

Team Two

Find those eggs! The bunny raiders left clues of course, footprints and trails. Follow them and try and find the eggs before time runs out. The raiders it seems hid most of them, perhaps to return for later, perhaps once they realised they would be caught eventually. Recover the eggs and get them back to the shrines before time runs out.

Team Three

Even though the eggs are the crime the king of Fahr is concentrating on many people had their stalls and livelihoods wrecked. Help them by fixing up the stalls, recovering merchandise and even re-baking their cakes and other spring treats.

Comments

[terribletwos]

Roxas blinks and then leans closer to her. "Xion?" Where was this coming from? It was almost like back then... But that didn't make sense. They didn't have to worry about that anymore, right? Xion's Replica isn't like the one before.

He takes a breath to calm the nerves the return of Xion's uncertainty has brought. It's not like that anymore. They're like everyone else now. Mostly.

"You won't hurt me," he says with genuine confidence. "Things are different now. We don't have to worry about any of that anymore. We can fight together just like Sora and Kairi."

The mention of his Other brings a sharp pain to his chest, reminding him that they still don't know where Sora is. He accidentally squeezes slightly harder on Xion's hand.

[nobodys_puppet]

"But what if we're wrong?" she whispered. "What if I do hurt you? I'm still...." still... "Broken," her voice was almost inaudible on that last word.

[terribletwos]

Roxas is at a loss. He's still not really mastered the concept of comforting another person. He's never had to. Even handholding was a fairly fresh development for him, partially aided by his fake memories. Well, they weren't fake to him.

Still, he has to do something to reassure Xion. That's what best friends do, right?

"Xion, look at me. You're not broken. You never were. That was just everyone messing with us." He can't keep the bitterness out of his tone with that last part. Or the images of Xemnas and Saix that flash through his mind. The awful things they had said about Xion... "They can't do that anymore." Especially since Xemnas is gone. "You don't have to worry about me."

[nobodys_puppet]

"But... I still pass out after missions somtimes... and when you were here before... you did too but then you... you vanished." Her shoulders were shaking now. "And even Taiki passes out sometimes and I'm connected to him... and Axel says that it isn't my fault... but..." She put her hands over her face, shoulders shaking as she cried; the mission forgotten. Which she will hate herself for later.

[terribletwos]

"Xion..." What can he even say to that? Xion's passing out again? And he's been here before? And who's Taiki?

"I can't say I know what's going on... A lot of that sounds really confusing." He brings their clasped hands closer to his chest. "But I know you're not broken. And I know we can finish this mission together. I can... feel it." Great, now he's starting to sound like Sora. How is this stuff like this so easy for his Other?

He kind of wishes Sora were here right now. Sora understood hearts better than anyone.

[nobodys_puppet]

"Feel....?" She looked at him, so confused. Still worried and upset, but also confused. She wanted him to be correct... but she almost never got what she wanted. And he and Axel were both here now, so she wouldn't get more, right?

[terribletwos]

He nods firmly. "Yeah. In my... in my heart, I guess." That still feels so weird to say... "That's how I know it's the truth. So you've got to believe it too."

[nobodys_puppet]

In his... heart.

He... really did move on without her. She looked down. At their hands. Past them. She didn't want to go back, she didn't want to lose this version of her. But everyone else was so far ahead...

But she'd be forgotten again, and would forget. Taiki. Eleven. Webby. Link. Noa. The Train. Diatu. All of this.

Her memories... were her. They were all the her she had. If she went back... she would die. She wouldn't be this Xion anymore.

But if she didn't...

A tear rolled down her face, hit her arm.

[terribletwos]

Roxas looks absolutely shocked at the tear. How is he still messing this up? He's sure most of the words have been right. They're what his heart is telling him to say. So how can they be wrong? How is he supposed to fix this?

"Hey, it's okay. If it's too hard for you to believe right now, then... I'll believe for the both of us. Just like when I used to do both our missions. It can be my new mission. A special one." Just for her. "It'll be okay, I promise."

[nobodys_puppet]

"Because... I couldn't summon my Keyblade..." she said with a small nod. "I.... If it means you get to stay... it's okay if... if I can't use my Keyblade anymore," she whispered. It would mean she had nothing to offer... that she'd be useless... but at least she wouldn't be destroyed for it, right? Shed give up the only way she could be of value... if it protected her friends.

[terribletwos]

"I don't understand. Why wouldn't you be able to use your Keyblade anymore?" How is that related to him staying here? Especially since he's not even sure any of them can leave... He's still lost as to how he ended up in front of the train.

[nobodys_puppet]

"If I am still drawing from you... Axel says I wasn't any more but... But what if I am?" she whispered. "What if that's why you left before?"

[terribletwos]

"Why I left? You mean why I left the Organization?" It's true they never talked about it. They hadn't really had any time before... If she's been here for a while with Axel, it makes sense he would have mentioned it. But Axel knew why he left. He'd made it pretty clear to his friend. "That didn't have anything to do with you drawing power from me. I was never really worried about that." Not that he really understood it back then. Honestly, he still probably wouldn't have cared. Beyond knowing that it upset Xion. "But it's like Axel says, that's not a problem anymore. Not with how we are now."

[nobodys_puppet]

She misunderstood, thought they were talking about the same thing. She gave a small sad nod. "I hope you're right..." she whispered.

[terribletwos]

Roxas is about to make another attempt at reassurance when there's the sounds of different voices speaking from not too far off. Along with some trademark cheesy antagonist laughs and sharp comments like "serves them right" or "they'll be searching for days at least."

Roxas turns his head toward the sound of the voices and summons his Keyblades. They materialize in both hands in twin flashes of light and wisps of darkness, accompanied by a silvery sharp sound. "We'll talk more about it as soon as we deal with these jerks," he whispers quickly. And hopefully him using magic around her without passing out will help convince her that everything is really going to be all right. Because it will be from now on. They've fought way too hard to let it be otherwise.

[nobodys_puppet]

Excuse her while she stares for a moment at him having two Keyblades. Then she shook her head and focused on the mission. She tensed up, ready; waiting for the perfect moment. And then realized... she had no clue which of them was making the noise, and who was doing the fire. And how they were making the noise...

She summoned her Keyblade anyway and waited, unsure.

[terribletwos]

Luckily, Roxas is having a similar realization. They probably should have discussed that while planning. Well, they got a little distracted... Either way, it's probably easier to direct single shots of magic with one Keyblade and he can focus on making his dragon sounds as convincing as possible. His initial try was all right, right?

"You take care of the Fire spells, okay? I'll handle the dragon," he says, slipping back into his confident tone.

Just in time soon as those footsteps are getting closer...

[nobodys_puppet]

She nodded, shoulders easing a bit, now that they had a plan. She aimed her Keyblade at the nest, waited, and then "Firaga!" she whisper yelled; using waaaaay more actual fire power than they needed. Because what was restraint?

[terribletwos]

He winces a lot at that. Since that wasn't exactly the plan... But TOO LATE NOW. Instead, he cups his hands around his mouth and starts on his best dragon imitation. Ironically, he does have a decent growl for someone who didn't have final boss form.

The footsteps stutter as the thieves come partly into view and immediately start panicking about their base. Unfortunately, they still haven't dropped any eggs they might happen to be carrying. But they do start arguing with one another about whether they heard any strange sounds.

[nobodys_puppet]

Worried that their whole plan was about to go down the drain.... she panicked and tried another spell. "Aeroga!" Maybe they'd drop the eggs? Maybe?

[terribletwos]

So much for not using magic directly on their targets...

Well, the violent spinning around does make it much harder for the thieves to hold onto their eggs. Or anything else they were carrying, as their possessions fly out in all directions, amid their panicked yelps and hollers.

Roxas has stopped his roaring attempts and is mostly gawking at the bizarre sight unfolding in front of them. "I guess that works too..."

[nobodys_puppet]

"Now... we just get rid of them before they see us so we don't get in trouble?" she asked, panicked. She was freaking out, okay?

[terribletwos]

"I don't think we need to," Roxas says, gesturing to the now scrambling thieves, as they abandon their leavings and start tripping over themselves to flee.

Their mood is decidedly changed from their initial approach, the conversation marked with snapped shouts about how the eggs aren't worth this and how nobody told them they'd have to deal with a dragon or whatever's out here. It's clear they have no idea that their attackers could possibly be human.

"Should we follow them? I'm not sure this is all the eggs."

Though before they can decide on that, they might have to deal with the loud crackling flames that have completely engulfed the hideaway tree and threaten to spread even further in the forest. Hopefully, the leaves make their escape fast enough for them to break out the Water spells.

[nobodys_puppet]

She shook her head quickly. "Let's take the eggs they dropped and report back. Maybe they'll just send is for more eggs tomorrow, like being sent to clear Heartless in the same world multiple days..."

[terribletwos]

He nods quickly at her, readying himself to rush toward the fallen items as soon as the thieves are out of earshot. Thankfully, the group is moving far faster than they were when they first came upon their base. Roxas chances a low uttered "Water" as he points both Keyblades toward the mostly charred to the ground tree. The Waterga magic swirls around him before sailing toward the tree and crashing into it with a tremendous splash that ripples around the tree and nearby area in a surging wave. It's not in time to save the poor crispy tree, but it does at least drown out the fire's attempt to ignite the rest of the area. So partial success??

It almost means they're both now soaking wet. Along with any eggs they were holding or in the process of recovering. Still, it's a slight improvement over possibly being on fire.