memesofeternity | Test Drive Meme III

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Test Drive Meme III

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

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Shiro pauses at the door to glance back, focusing his attention on getting what needs to be done, done.]

Yes...yes I do. Hunk's going to ask what happened to me. We were investigating it and I wanted to be...ready to help him. [He shouldn't have gotten so distracted. He looks at them both uncertainty and heads into the hallway. He mentally kicks himself about being so distracted and adds.]

It will take a few days. We need to pick up what Asterisks you decided on as we head for Arito. If you're not sure, we can talk about it on the ship.

You need to get them as soon as you can. Things get a little crazy here.

I'm not sure you telling Hunk you died is a good idea. [It's...probably good to tell Hunk - he knows his friend well enough to know that if Hunk knows he's out of the loop, he won't stop until he's broken that loop apart and inserted himself in the middle of it and knows everything the loop contains.

He's losing this metaphor.]

I mean, not from...you. That's not going to make it easier on him. Might be best to leave this one to me and Keith this time. [Well, more him than Keith. He's not sure, after the display he just witnessed, that Keith has the emotional capabilities to talk to Hunk about Shiro.

But, more importantly -]

Days? How many days is a few? Two? Three? [Three or more days stuck with...

With this.

How is he not supposed to die? Watching this? For an extended period of time?]

Right. [Wait. Did he just agree with Lance?

...He just agreed with Lance.]

We have a lot of catching up to do, but let us handle that part, Shiro. [He'll be fine talking to Hunk about this, Lance. You saw how he handled it back home. He pauses though, raising an eyebrow.]

Lance, you wanted to take one on a joyride and didn't notice how large they are?

[There will be plenty of room on the ship to escape the gay, or catch one of them alone and ask 'what the (insert expletive of choice here)?!' There's no need to worry about getting stuck in the same space as both of them and be unable to escape.]

A few could be two or three, it depends on how far we'll be going. Each asterisk is given to you by a guild. You can only have two. There are two guilds per city.

[He leads them out of the medical ward before he finally adds,]

I do think it would be better coming from you too. But, I will be there for him when he needs it. [Shiro glances back at them once again calm and in command of himself. He and Hunk had been through so much here. He couldn't abandon him now when he'll need it most. Never mind how he should be feeling about his own death.

With the serious part of the way he looks to Lance.]

...and since the ships are pretty large. Private talks are easy to have. I made sure we'll all have separate rooms. [Later they'll know what kind of favors it takes to get that.]

[How does it feel, Keith? Does it feel bad? Or does it feel weirdly good?

Wait, he's losing his train of thought.]

You know it's possible to have ships in different sizes! There have to be ships that aren't meant for cargo or loads of passengers.

[So, small ones, that would be easy steal and/or modify. Also considering how little attention he's given any of the information that's been presented to him it shouldn't be surprising all of his plans are half-baked.

But with the Hunk Situation sorted, there's...Well. There's the even bigger problem left. He purses his lips, before taking a deep breath.

God- Does he even want to go there? Does he?]

Will it actually be separate or are the two of you gonna keep being like...this?

[He does. May someone have mercy on his soul.]

[...He's not going to answer that. Especially not with the last few words coming out of his mouth.

"Like this"...?

He raises an eyebrow, then the other, before looking between Lance and Shiro. His gaze lingers perhaps just a little too long on his longtime friend and shrugs. Definitely not embarrassed at all that he didn't notice the look the latter gave him because he was focused on everything else.]

Oh, there is. [How he knows that? He's not going to say. Just smirk slightly at Shiro.] One of them's the size of our speeders.

[Completely ignoring what was asked. Yep.]

[He had been about to answer when Lance addresses the elephant in the building. Shiro keeps walking with his head lifted. He takes a left.]

They're called Manacutters, [He glances at Keith and smiles back at him a warmth in his eyes. The memory of talking about those ships is a good one.]

I can share the particulars and blueprints of each type of ship with you, [Shiro looks over his shoulder at Lance and sinks a bit of emphasis into,]

if, you promise not to consider jacking one. I could help you study for the test for a license. You both could easily pass it.

[Wh-]

[UH??]

[KEITH?!?!?!]

[SHIROOOOO?]

[WHAT DID HE DO TO DESERVE THIS?]

[There's so much going on here. The looks, the words.]

[He can feel his soul leaving his body.

This is it, the end of him.]

[HE DOESN'T DESERVE THIIIISSSSSS.]

[Okay, you know what.

Fine.

Three can play at this game.]

So, guess we're going to ignore all of my questions, which fine! Fine. We can just sweep that under the rug.

[He is losing this game.]

But hey, I can put off jacking for some time with you.