memesofeternity | Test Drive Meme II

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Test Drive Meme II

A. RETRIEVAL

Dreams fade slowly, and awareness returns in increments. The hum of machinery, the smell of recycled air, the murmurs of others waking up around you.

The interior of the ship has been outfitted with cots for those Biggs and Wedge retrieve from the Dream Width. Outside of the makeshift infirmary, windows set into the walls of the worn lounge area offer a view of space.

It’s time to meet your fellow new arrivals who have been brought together on Biggs and Wedge’s airship. The other newly-awakened people have no idea how they came to be here, but now's a good time as ever to introduce yourself to the others on the airship and glean what information you can.

B. CURTI CENTER

The researchers at the Curti Center are not quite so unprepared as last time, but it is still obvious that they are struggling to understand the sudden influx of interdimensional travelers from the Dream Width. "Please step into the lobby for a quick survey. Perhaps there is some common thread we haven't discovered yet..."

The staff will do their best to help the off-worlders settle in. They answer the questions they can, write down all proffered information they can about the arrivals' homeworlds, provide maps and pamphlets about Vaikuntha and the destinations within it, and even guide the arrivals to a neighborhood where housing has been provided for you. Yes, due to the strange influx of arrivals, you’ll be expected to share, but the Curti staff are doing the best they can, considering they are still housing the previous arrivals here on the island.

Experiences like these bring people together. Perhaps you are the only one here from your world, but at least you are not alone in this experience. Others are right beside you, learning the same information, planning trips to visit the same new cities, checking out these Job things, and settling in to their new (temporary) homes.

C. UP IN THE SKY

There’s a whole new world to explore. It’s almost enough to distract from the fact that there’s one place you can’t go- home.

You are on an Airship, the main mode of transportation between the major cities of Vaikuntha. While the majority are owned by airlines, perhaps you hitched a ride with a friend that has their own. You can go anywhere in a matter of hours — One can only hope you don’t have motion sickness.

D. GUILDS

Proud representatives of the Guild are lined up, ready to demonstrate their skills for the new initiates. Make sure to stay behind the designated line, this might get dangerous.

So you want a new Job? You'll have to first travel to the Guilds, sign the papers, go through the orientation and introductory lectures, and get basic training. Afterwards, you can freely chat and practice with your fellow members, celebrating your new powers, and checking out your new wardrobe.

E. LET'S BE ADVENTURERS

Separated from all of your material possessions, connections, and everything you know, and really, what you’re left with is time. Better try to make the most of it.

Enough expository banter. It's explorin' time. Maybe instead of spending every day in your room, you'd rather spend it living it up in the city of Lavode, or betting on Chocobo Races in Sparks Goldsaucia. Or maybe you'd rather go and explore the caves and ruins near Arito. With Airships and Chocobos at your disposal, you can go nearly anywhere!

F. SIDEQUESTS

Maybe you’re telling yourself, ‘I didn’t sign up for this.’ But wait, you did. At least it pays.

It all started when you checked the Quest Board. All you wanted was a few gil to spend, and here you are in the wild, hunting for a Malboro Vine. Or maybe you are in some ancient and decrepit ruins looking for an artifact. Or you could be asked to be janitor for a week. Consider yourself lucky though, at least you don't have to do that alone.

G. GET A JOB (THE OTHER KIND)

You’ve got a Job, but Claire keeps sighing and muttering about layabout space-people not earning their keep, so it might be time to seek out Employment as well.

There are plenty of opportunities to earn some gil in Vaikuntha, no matter where you choose to settle down. Your iMog slate includes listing for employment opportunities. Hopefully you can find something you can live with so that you can start saving up for an airship or the security payment for your permanent housing.

H. MOGNET

*Ding!* You’ve got Mog-Mail!

Thankfully, you can instantaneously chat with your friends around the world thanks to you iMog Slate. And unlike old-fashioned Moogle Letters, you can even send messages to everyone in a blink of an eye! However, despite the change in technology, the old tradition of Mognet Strikes have never gone away. Nobody knows any more whether the Moogles have legitimate reasons to go on strike or if they are just lazy. But today, Mognet is down, and to get information you have no choice but going to the public boards or risk message corruption and mishandling.

I. RANDOM ENCOUNTER

The ground trembles, and out of nowhere, something hostile appears! ~~Is that battle music playing?~~

You were minding your own business walking around, and suddenly monsters attacked you! Time to put to use the skills you've learned with your Jobs! Will you try to fight on your own or seek help? And remember, you die in random battle, you die FOR REAL. There’s no shame from running from enemies that are a higher level than you!

J. CHOCOBO MADNESS

You look at the giant chicken, and the giant chicken looks back at you. Could this be the beginning of a beautiful relationship?

The kind folks at the Chocobo Farm have provided you with the tools of the chocobo-catching trade: greens, a bridle, and more advice than you can remember. Time to go find your new steed.

Or perhaps you have already captured a chocobo, and your friend has captured a chocobo, and now you'd like to bring some chicks into the equation. Chocobo breeding may be the minigame for you!

K. WILD CARD

Feeling inspired to create your own prompt? The power is yours!

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Well...this is a little surprising. Not bad surprising, but still...Cor nods in greetings at the younger man. "Prompto...go ahead and have a seat. Just make sure these little rascals don't swarm you."

And by 'little rascals', he meant Tigger's kitty friends who are coming over to the young man. Who is this one, and why does he smell (wonderfully) of giant bird??

Prompto nodded quickly. "Yeah, okay!" He wasn't nervous, why would he be nervous?

He found a comfortable seat with a low table, it was meant to be soft and comfortable and he was swarmed with Tigger's kitty friends, one leaping up onto his shoulder, to sit and groom his hair and another on his lap.

He was totally fine with this, smiling with delight as his fingers found soft fur. He could use the relaxation break.

Cor doesn't let the younger man see it, but there's a smile tugging on his lips upon seeing the cats greeting Prompto in their feline ways. Seeing the younger man relax is...oddly comforting to the older man.

He soon joins Prompto at the table with a couple glasses of water, one of which he hands to him. "So, what brings you here, besides the obvious?"

"Cats." He chuckled softly and softened his smile and continued to stroke the fur gently.

"Thanks Cor." He leaned forward and took a sip at the water he was provided.

"Um, yeah, no reason. Just a break, you know?" Prompto smiled. He was having a rough week anyway, but it was nice to see Cor arrive.

Cor settles into a seat on the other side of the table, sipping at his own class. His spare hand is being rubbed at by one of the younger cats, who's barely out of kittenhood.

"A break from hunting, or from Clarus' training regime?" There's some slight, sympathetic teasing on the latter part. Peopled often complain about Cor's tough training, usually without realizing that Clarus is at least as bad in that regard.

"Just a break." He smiled slightly, it was neither of those things really.

"I don't mind his training!" Prompto chirped cheerfully, but then again he'd never complained about Cor's either. "I'm trying really hard though. We had to start over, but it's turning out okay!"

Hunting was okay too, they were used to that though, by then, so it wasn't a huge hardship.

Cor makes a slight disgruntled noise about the mentioned 'starting over'. It makes him feel like a novice trainee all over again. Still, he doesn't show it in any other way. "He must be pretty pleased about your enthusiasm, then. And it's good that you're keeping up the good work. Just don't slack off and you'll be fine."

"I won't, I promise." Prompto said enthusiastically because he wanted to impress Cor with his skills, and that meant he'd have to train so as not to be a drain on their group.

"I guess. It's a bit weird, you know?" He didn't know Clarus that well. "But you know, he likes chocobos."

That meant Clarus was secretly a great guy, that's all there was to it.

Cor nods satisfactorily at that response. Good; at least one of the younger members is keeping up with their training.

Though that remark about Clarus and chocobos earns a rude snort from the older man. "Understatement of the year. Clarus has always been a big softy for those big birds. I wouldn't be surprised if he's planning to set up his own stable for them soon."

"We each have one!" Prompto gushed. "They're so cute! And Noct has a black one too, and they're all fluffy and friendly and yeah we probably need a stable at this rate, because they need more space but they're amazing!"

Cor knew another chocobo superfan, but Prompto had always been like that. If there was anything he liked the best, it was chocobos.

"It's just weird." He addressed the first question. "We're from different times. There's things to come and things that happened, and it's just a lot."

"Aren't black ones rare these days?" Or at least, they were back in their home world. Still, he's not surprised that nearly everyone else has one of their own already. Since cars and motorbikes and such are practically nonexistent, though, it would make sense to have a few around for easier travels.

Cor nods in agreement with the latter statement. "It's certainly unusual...makes me wonder if there's some deeper form of time magic at work here." It might be something to pursue - if not by him, then certainly one of the others.

"I don't know if they're as rare here or not, but I know at home they are."

It wasn't just the best mode of transportation, they had the Regalia after all, but the cutest mode of transportation which was just as important.

Prompto nodded, and wondered aloud. "What do you remember last Cor?"

Not that he wanted to get into the things he remembered or learned of what was to come but he was just curious. They'd already had some very long discussions in that area which would likely have to repeat if Gladio arrived. Not to mention they were just plain exhausting.

Ah, yes, the Regalia... Cor himself isn't quite as attached to it as some others, but it's still comforting to have that particular piece of home with them. There's a lot of fond memories tied to that car, after all...

"Last I remember..." He leans back and thinks for a moment. "...you four had left for Altissia." He paused for a moment, wondering if he should be inquiring about future events. Well, there's at least one question he knows is safe to ask: "I presume that you three are from afterwards?"

There were a lot of fond memories tied to the Regalia, may she rest in peace since he was from the time after she's met her untimely demise.

He pondered about that for a moment and nodded. "Ignis is from just after that. Noct and I are from further in the future."

Prompto wasn't exactly sure when Noct was from, but it was as far as him, if not slightly further.

Cor listens with a thoughtful look on his face, sipping his water as Prompto explains. He absentmindedly pets one of the cats that just happened to leap into his lap. "And Clarus and Nyx are...before me... Any ideas about anyone else?"

Prompto shook his head. "No...we haven't seen Gladio or anything."

A kitty, he could focus on, instead of his nerves.

"The future sucks." That was a good summary of it.

"Nn." That's...a little troubling. Last time Gladio's been away from the others for an extended period, he was with Cor for much of that time.

"...how badly?" He pauses for a moment, before adding, "You don't have to go into specifics, not now." He'd rather wait until they're all gathered together before he starts asking for specifics. Less chances of people repeating the same info.

"Depends on what you're thinking." He said. "Depends on who you are too, I guess." His future was just miserable, but he was fine carrying that alone.

He had Noctis. For now.

"We take a big hit, and the sun hasn't come up in days. I'm not sure how long it's going to take before...Noct comes back."

His frown deepens upon hearing the part about the missing sun. Taking a 'big hit' had seemed reasonable, but for the sun to no longer rise? There's only one explanation for that.

"...so. The Eternal Night will set in, then." He leans back, the wheels already turning quickly in his head. "Sounds like we'll need to make sure that the lights all stay on until our King ascends to his throne."

Which means more recruits to train and ready for the inevitable retaking of Insomnia. Cor's got his work cut out for him already, but if it's for the good of all Eos...

"Yeah. I don't know how long that's going to take, but it's supposed to happen." He swallowed.

It was going to be a lot of work for Cor, and probably a lot of work for all of them.

"He'll come back." Prompto took in a shuddering breath. It wasn't Noctis coming back that was the problem, but he didn't want Cor to know the rest. There had to be hope somewhere even if his world was crashing down around him slowly.

Cor notices how shaken the poor guy is, and he's almost tempted to ask for more details. Almost. Still, it would be unwise to leave the kid in this kind of state, especially when two cats are purring as loudly as possible while rubbing all over him in their attempt at comforting the blonde.

"...he's here now. Best to treasure your time with him while you can."

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Test Drive Meme II

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