TEST DRIVE MEME

[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. None of you know how you came to be here or where you are going, and the door to the cockpit is locked as the pilots focus on navigating the treacherous obstacles of the Dream Width. You might as well take this moment to introduce yourself to your fellow travelers. B. CURTI CENTER There’s an almost overwhelming aura of excitement in the tower as researchers rush to document this unprecedented number of interdimensional travelers. Over the commotion, the leaders of the Center struggle to explain, ‘Welcome to Vaikuntha. We don’t know why you’ve been brought here, but this is your new home.’ The staff will do their best to help the off-worlders settle in. They answer the questions they can, provide maps and pamphlets about the world 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 under the circumstances. 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. WILD CARD Feeling inspired to create your own prompt? The power is yours!

Comments

[spaceforged]

[His opponent moves so fast all he has to save him from taking hits is instinct. The blade is larger and slower than he'd like but not by much thanks to his right arm. Sometimes it really frustrates him how much he relies on it.

He has to focus solely on parrying. A couple strikes get through. He resolves to never let this man put that sudden speed to his advantage. A fast opponent can wear a strong one down over time.]

Spear or staff. Nice charge, I didn't even catch it until almost too late.

[His stomach stings a little. Without practice armor and with real blades he'd say first blood to his opponent.]

My arm. Probably a given. It used to work like a sword.

[Felt only fair to say so.]

But I've held swords before. [This time when he slashes at him there's not as much power behind it. He reverses the strike immediately and with ease. Right to left, left to right. They're old familiar friends and even slower, he had turned his blade at the right time.]

Just nothing this heavy.

[jeido]

Thank you, and that is correct.

[It was satisfying to see his observations and theories come to fruition, but equally fulfilling is meeting someone who has a good head on their shoulders. It doesn't hurt that Shiro, rough around the edges as he is, seems to know his way around combat and is well aware of his points to improve on.

Which is why all through Shiro's exposition and counterattack, Jade keeps up a smile even as one of the strikes he fails to parry manages to leave a bruising mark. Speed could only take him too far and he finds himself forced to what he's been avoiding, and his unsteady hand in that regard is telling. Still, this is all good to know for the future so he might be better prepared in a more serious fight, already drumming up a routine that will help ease himself out of the double-handed parries he's more used to.]

You'll get used to it, in any case. [He says as he adjusts his stance and positions his rapier properly once more.] If an old dog like me could still take this much punishment and learn a few new tricks, I'm certain a young one like you would be capable of much more interesting feats.

[spaceforged]

[His reply is a wordless incredulous stare. Old dog. That was so ridiculous it almost doesn’t feel like fits the dangerously fast man he’s been exchanging strikes with.] Anyone is capable of interesting things if they’re motivated.

[He’s young enough he can’t quite hide his faint exasperation when it colors his voice. And it serves as a perfect guise for his sudden lunge and sweep of the blade. He doesn’t like how the heavy blade pulls down. He’ll have to train himself to accommodate for the drag. Paladins of this world fight much slower than he’s used to.

He’ll need to work out a regime to handle all the heavy armor too.]

I’ll give you a tip about blade fighting. Moving only as much as you need to when dodging and blocking will help you save your energy. Shedding slightly to the right or left, is moving a step without giving too much ground. It helps.

[Whether his attack lands or not he pulls back and repositions himself.] I’ll show you. Give it your best shots.

[jeido]

[Jade simply spares a chuckle for Shiro's reaction, then takes the time to listen seriously to his words about sword-fighting while they go about sparring. While he still manages to block Shiro's strikes, his movements come out a little heavy-handed, unnatural to those used to the art.

At the invitation, he nods, taking a small step backwards to angle himself more effectively.]

Very well.

[And Jade comes at Shiro more or less the same way he did earlier, with quick and deft movements.]

[spaceforged]

[The bladework is a little unnatural and not as fluid as he would be with a one handed blade. He turns the sword so the blows land on the edge of the blade not the flat of it. He sheds left and right taking the step back just enough to weather the attacks. A few hits get past his guard but the majority don’t.

He falls into the familiar as easily as if he danced across the gladiator arena yesterday. Turn, parry, strike, parry, parry, shed, strike.] When in doubt, parry. Never let anything hit the flat of your sword. Heavier swords will destroy that blade.

[jeido]

[Jade intentionally went with a similar set of moves, interested in seeing any differences from his earlier attempt. He was not disappointed in that regard--Shiro seems to be quick on the uptake and a good demonstrator of a kind, his movements becoming more natural as time passes.]

I'll keep that in mind, [Jade says as he backs away, quite impressed,] I think it will be quite a while before it comes as naturally to me as it does to you, but they say practice makes perfect.

[He lowers his blade for the moment, taking a brief respite from their training session.] If it isn't too forward of me to ask, what asterisks did you take?