Test Drive Meme III

[eternitymods]

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. SUMMER SUN [insert Sheryl Crow track here] Vaikuntha offers opportunities for many summer activities. Only some of the beaches hold the risk of being attacked by aquatic monsters, the others are a perfect destination for a day trip on a sunny day. Take a hike up the mountains and relax in some hot springs at the top. Go camping in the woods just not on Friday the 13th. Enjoy a refreshing sea salt ice cream bar. Just because you’re here, it doesn’t mean you’re not entitled to a vacation. K. WILD CARD Feeling inspired to create your own prompt? The power is yours!

Comments

[bleedingunversed]

It doesn't matter what answer the other man gives because as soon as he turns around Vanitas has all the confirmation he needs. The hair, the eyes--that face. There's a brief flicker of surprise that goes across the arachne's face before he let's out an amused snort, smirking sharply.

"Timmy. Right," he drawled, mandibles clicking as he straightened himself up and curled his long fingers against the ground. "Name's Vanitas. Let me guess, you don't remember me do you? Well, I guess I do look different."

There's no denying who this is. That Master Xehanort's plan had worked, the stupid bastard.

It draws a sharp laugh from the ant, golden eyes narrowing with mirth.

"He can try and kill me, pest, but it won't happen. I'd eat you just like I ate the moogle that was bothering me when I got here then gut him afterwards before he could do a damn thing," he mused and it was hard to tell if he was being serious about the bit about his moogle.

...He was alone though.

[fixed_destiny]

Brown eyes though - not yellow, not blue. But the rest? 'Terra' might be a couple years older, and sporting the coloration for the most part of Vanitas' old 'master', so guessing where things led isn't hard at all. The old man hadn't quite gotten what he was after if there's no recognition of his creation; success yes, but flawless? Something's gone wrong. That might not be to Xehanort's advantage.

"No, I don't. You look a bit like a certain troublesome boy who kept making threats but there's ... quite a few differences." He crosses his arms over his chest, a faint frown crossing his face. "He had only two legs." Among other things. But he's certain this isn't Sora, even if he'd never learned Sora's true name. There was more than just appearance differences..

But on the other hand, 'You don't remember me' is ... not something the others who've been hostile and threatened have said. They through their actions made it obvious they knew who he was, this one outright said it. Maybe he'd finally get answers. "Where am I supposed to know you from, and what did you look like before?"

If he were careful, which is going to be difficult.

The moogle has far more pressing and immediate concerns, like 'not being eaten', and decides her best refuge is behind Xehanort directly, raising a little fist in defiance from this questionable place of security. "You just try it! You'll never get anywhere without a moogle's help, kupo! We'll defeat you with our wings tied behind our backs!!"

Things not high on Xehanort's to do list: fighting strangers. "... If I was going to try to kill him, I wouldn't have you or anyone else warning him first. If he tries to eat you, fly away."

Easy, practical answers. He has tons!

More importantly...

[bleedingunversed]

"Let me guess, his hair was brown and he had bright blue eyes right? Did he go on about the good in people and finding the light in all things as well?" Vanitas drawled, rolling his normal eyes because he didn't need a name to know exactly who this guy was referring to.

Sora.

"You aren't from the same world as I am then. The world before this one, I mean, not our original world," the ant mused as his antenna twitched. "The place I come from turned us into monsters." He motioned to himself rather proudly with a click of his mandibles.

The other's questions draw a laugh from Vanitas and he doesn't hesitate to take a few steps forward, hands coming to rest on the ground as he shuffles closer to the man and his moogle.

"From our original world. But you don't have the memories of the time before you were like this do you, loser?" he taunted simply because he could, delighted by this--delighted by the fact that this man had no idea who he was but he knew who and what this guy was.

At least to an extent.

His gaze shifts to the moogle and he bares his fangs in a grin. "That so? Bring it on, meat bag." He'd love a midday snack. One normal eye glances at Xehanort, the ant-eye on that side already focused on the man, as Vanitas snorts. "Typical. So what name are you calling yourself? You lied before, it's hard to lie to a monster. So try again, loser."

[fixed_destiny]

"Yes... and no, mostly he went on about how he was going to stop me if I hurt his friends." By his tone, Xehanort had not been impressed, or particularly intimidated. He had however made it a point to find out who all of Sora's friends were, just in case he felt the sudden need to put Sora's threats to the test. "He didn't seem much interested in going on about the light, but I suppose as the Norse god of light he didn't have to."

It was sort of part of the package.

He definitely hadn't been turned into a monster! He looked reasonably human, unlike Vanitas. Pale eyebrows rise slightly in response to the obvious taunt, and then he shakes his head a little. "Tim will do for now. I think if you want answers you'll need to work on at least pretending politeness." It sounds like a dismissal, it even looks like one, the sort of offhand disregard one would expect of Xehanort not getting his way.

But Vanitas has information he desperately wants. He'll get it sooner or later, now that he knows exactly who to pursue in that goal. It's going to take longer to figure out exactly what angle to strike from, so the power balance shifts in his favor. Right now it absolutely was not, and if there was something he could concretely hate it was not being in control of a situation. "Let's get back to this .. 'quest', Bourbon."

The moogle is keeping a wary eye on Vanitas, when Xehanort is deliberately not doing so. "You just wait, you fiend! Don't worry, I'll watch your back. If he so much as twitches funny..!!" Xehanort's shoulder is given a light pat, as if this is supposed to somehow be comforting, but most of his attention is apparently on surveying the high grass and finding that missing item.

Getting an advantage over someone he doesn't even know is going to be difficult. That's a far more important thing to dwell on than some trinket some traveler lost..

[bleedingunversed]

"Sounds about right for him," Vanitas drawled, all too familiar with those little speeches from the young man that had the same face as him. Thankfully Sora had gotten over those pretty quickly during their time in Ryslig--probably helped that eating people was something the little hero had to do just like the rest of them. "Norse God?" Wait. "What the hell are you talking about?"

That was a new one.

Vanitas just snorts, smirking as he watches the other man--Tim--addressing his moogle now and suggesting them get back to their quest. The arachne isn't about to take the dismissal for what it is, because where would the fun be in that, nor is he going to ever take a threat seriously from that little teddy bear thing.

"I look forward to eating you," he called out jovially, lifting a long arm in a mock wave at the moogle as he snapped his mandibles together sharply. He gave them a moment's head start before starting after them, though, easily catching up to the pair and falling in step to the left of Tim. "Actually, you know, it's funny. You said something about a quest and it just so happens that I'm on one of those stupid things to. Wouldn't it be just ironic if we were on the same one?" the arachne drawled, his tone mockingly cheerful--almost Sora cheerful which just sounds horribly wrong coming out of him.

[fixed_destiny]

"You're not eating my assistant. It might take forever to find another one." There's a touch of sternness to the reproof, even if Xehanort knows damn well this spidery stranger wasn't about to listen to anything he's told. It WOULD be hard to find another, what if moogles weren't just everywhere lining up to go to work?

The sound of enormous insect legs on the hard ground and through the grass is deeply unsettling. But he's good at hiding that particular emotion, and settles for clinical interest instead; there's a human element but there's also those strange elongated limbs.. "Whatever force chose to send you to a world that turned you into ... well, that, apparently, chose to send him to a world that made him a god."

And Xehanort himself, actually. "He was very hostile, didn't even want a melon soda pop."

That has absolutely nothing to do with the quest they're on. He's not addressing that, even if there had been a twitch of tanned fingers at that cheerful tone, because it wouldn't be ironic it'd be ANNOYING, it's hard to work on plotting ways to reverse power struggles with the target of it slinking along right there smirking away.