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!

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Rinoa Heartilly | FF VIII

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

Retreival
[Whiteness all around her. The echoing footsteps of her friends.

Squall. She had to find Squall. The flower field. That’s what she had to focus on. They place they swore to meet. If she can just get there…

Wakefullness comes slowly in what doesn’t feel like a bed of flowers, but there are voices around her, so she must have made it.]

Squall! [ Her eyes snap open and she shoots up suddenly, looking around for that familiar face.]

...Squall?

[She can’t help the tears sliding down her face. No, this… this isn’t right at all. The field! Him! She had focused everything on it, she was sure of it, but it looks like she had failed and now she was… wherever this was. Whenever this was.

This has to be a dream, right? There… there’s still a way back to him, isn’t there?]

Curti Center
[If there’s one thing Rinoa is good at, it’s stubbornness. She’s heard the Curti Center is the place to go for answers, and damn if she doesn’t have a thousand questions. Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be going very well.]

What do you mean we can’t go home? I don’t want a house, I want to go back!

I’m very sorry, Miss, but there’s nothing we can do. We don’t really understand what’s going on ourselves.

Well someone has to! Let me talk to them!

[So far every attendant has given her the same answer and none have been any help. She’s losing her mind over here.]

Job - the other kind!
[It had taken a while, but Rinoa had finally resigned to the fact that she was stuck here for a while, which unfortunately meant finding work. She’s doubtful that “I lead a rebel force” is going to get her anywhere here, so she’s settled as a waitress at a little cafe. Seemed easy enough and a job she wouldn’t feel guilty about leaving without much notice in case someone finds a way back.

She hears the bell ring, signalling someone has entered the shop. She turns to face them with a smile.]

Hi, what can I get for you?

Job - the other other kind
[Upon learning that all of her summons were gone, it doesn’t take Rinoa long to sign up for the summoner’s guild. Apparently it starts with learning some magic, which she’s shocked she doesn’t have to draw from an elementally charged location first. Well that’s nifty!

The other shock, however…]

Wait, so I don’t just battle them and gain their loyalty if I win? This sounds a lot more complicated than I’m used to.

[She also apparently has to start from scratch and has to do a lot of bookwork since they speak their own language here too. This was not at all what she expected.]


Wild Card
[Have something else in mind? Let’s do it!]

Re: Rinoa Heartilly | FF VIII

[nanaimo_bar]

Job

[The shop was brought to the sight of Nanamo carrying in a bundle of furs as large as she was. With a sigh, she set it down at the base of the table.]

Pray, how much do these pelts cost?

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

Uhhh...

[Rinoa blinks. She hadn't realized the cafe dealt in items as well. There's a binder with pricing info somewhere here, though so she can probably figure it out, right?]

Give me one second and I can find out.

[She opens a few drawers and there it is! Now she just needs to find the pelts in there.]

Pelts...pelts... pelts... Pelts! Okay, so it looks like they're... I'm sorry what kind of pelts are they? [She anxiously plays with the rings around her neck.] First day on the job, sorry...

[nanaimo_bar]

Uh... Geezard. Sorry, I am but a newcomer to this trade.

[Level 1 pelts from the lowest and weakest of monsters. Poor Nanamo, it's probably worthless.]

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

That's okay! We all need to start somewhere, right?

[She looks back down at the book.]

Okay, so it looks like we can pay you... yeesh, only 10 gil a piece, sorry... But money is money, right? How many do you have?

[nanaimo_bar]

Well, one must start at the bottom to crawl to the top. I'll sell the lot. [said Nanamo with a sigh.]

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

[Rinoa slides the gil across the counter and throws the pelts over her shoulder to put... somewhere. Her tour of the place was really bad. She'll find a spot.]

Hey, cheer up! You only just got here and you're already working harder than I am. I know it sucks not having all of the skills we had back home but you're already doing way better than I am. I'm sure you'll be bringing me, uh... [she glances back down at the book] behemoth pelts in no time.

Curti Center

[poisonwish]

"Can you stop your incessant whining?" Snow White clicked his tongue and shook his head. He'd never wanted to use the word "princess" sarcastically before, but this young wench might fit the bill.

"They already answered you. What makes you think you're so special? We're stuck -- including you. So you better get used to it."

Re: Curti Center

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

Rinoa's jaw drops when she hears this stranger speaking to her so rudely and she rounds on him, a fire in her eyes as she advances towards him, only stopping when there are inches between them.

"I know that we're stuck here but we were brought here for a reason and somebody has to know why, so excuse me for trying to get to the bottom of this whole mess instead of just blindly accepting that we're helpless!"

[poisonwish]

"A reason?" Snow scoffed haughtily and shook his head. "Don't make me laugh! Do you seriously believe that?"

Then she was more ignorant than he thought.

"There's no reason. We just all have shit luck. Even you." His nose wrinkled derisively. "Don't you think if someone knew why and how we were here, they would have gone about sending us back by now?"

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

Shit luck: a summary of her life.

Honestly, though, there's no way this guy is serious. She can feel her blood boiling, his attitude really getting under her skin. She can't help but snap right back at him.

"Not if they wanted us here! Did you ever consider that, or were you too busy learning how to be a jerk?"

She may not be the best with insults, but, really, why else would they be here if someone didn't want them to be? After all she's been through recently, it really isn't a stretch to think that there may be some crazy mastermind behind all of this.

"Maybe it's possible that this is just some weird thing but it's more possible that it's not and that someone is controlling all of this, and if I can find out who that is then maybe I-"

Maybe she can what? Stop them? She's not strong, not like the rest of her friends are. Sure, she's a sorceress, but she hasn't really tapped into that power too much and, truth be told, she's a little scared to. Besides, who knows if her powers would even work here, the land which strips away abilities.

Her jaw clenches and she stares at him, not backing down but not finishing her sentence either. The fire in her eyes fades slightly as reality starts to crash back in around her, leaving her unsure of what to do.

[poisonwish]

Snow White had spent a long time learning how to be a jerk, taught by perhaps the best in the kingdom -- his mother. But he wasn't about to say that, of course.

In fact, he was genuinely considering Rinoa's argument. What if someone did want him here? He didn't know why anyone would want this lady, but he knew why people would want him. He'd been contracted before, trapped in a book, and now? Now? This was some bullshit.

As the fire faded from Rinoa, it grew in Snow. His own jaw clenched, his hands balled into fists, and his look became distant. Had the Grimm brothers somehow done this? Was someone trying to use him again? Snow wasn't convinced that any of these pitiful peons were truly aware of what was going on, but someone -- somewhere -- was. And he was going to find them.

... The loud wench could help, too, he supposed.

"If you're right... when I find the one responsible, theirs will be the first heart I eat on this world," he growled between grit teeth.

/strolls in 8 weeks late with starbucks

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

Rinoa is too busy angsting to notice the change in Snow's line of thinking. What if she never found the way home? What if she found out who was keeping them here but was still powerless to stop it? What will she do when she inevitably attracts danger and doesn't have Squall here to save her?

She's brought out of her thoughts suddenly by Snow's snarl and she looks at him in shock.

"Eat their hearts?" What the fuck was wrong with this guy? "That's a little extreme, don't you think? I'm not happy to be here either but that doesn't mean I'm about to go around murdering and eating people."

She really hopes he's joking or that it's a figure of speech or something, because he's starting to scare her a little.

O HAI BUDDY (A, obvs)

[boomchucka]

[Wait a second. Is that...?

Selphie spins around to find Rinoa in the same predicament that she's in. A little piece of home to ease the loneliness but first things first.]

Rinoa!

[Selphie crouches in front of her friend, grabs her hands and holds them tight.]

It's okay. I haven't located Captain Grumpy Gus yet but I'm still looking! Please don't cry, okay?

hiiiiiiiiii

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

[Rinoa blinks up in surprise when she hears Selphie's voice. If she was here too then maybe for whatever reason that's where they all were!]

Selphie! I'm so glad you're alright!

[ Regardless of who is and isn't here with them, she throws her arms around her friend, happy to at least see one of the others were with her. And Selphie would probably be her top choice after her knight.]

I was trying to get to the field but when I woke up here I thought I was going to be all alone.

[boomchucka]

[Field...? Colour Selphie as mildly perplexed but she puts that issue to the side as she wraps her arms around Rinoa in turn.]

Of course I am! Who else is going to keep you all from getting down in the dumps?

[True to her promise to Sephiroth, she's going to be a light for others.]

I'm not gonna leave my friends alone when they need me.

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

I'm going to hold you to that, you know. You're stuck with me now.

[Rinoa can't help but smile. It's impossible to say upset for long with her around. Doesn't she know she's always been the light in the party?]

So... any idea how we got here? And where here might be?

[None of this looks familiar to her, but Selphie's probably more well-traveled than she is, being a member of SeeD. She woke up in a bed, so it's possible that maybe someone found her and her friends and brought them somewhere. A hospital, maybe? She hadn't spent her time in the infirmary of Garden conscious so for all she knew this could be it. Never in her life had she been so happy at the prospect of waking up in a hospital.]

Job the other other kind

[dragonflame]

You must have picked summoner, right?

[Bloom didn't pick it herself, mostly because to her it wasn't exactly something she knew much about. She could use magic, but never to summon something. So Bloom herself had picked Black Mage as her class.]

Interesting choice, I must admit.

Re: Job the other other kind

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

[Rinoa looks up from the text she's leafing through and nods.]

Yeah. I figured start with something familiar and, well, this is. Kind of. It's a little different here, but it sounds like we can always switch guilds later if we don't like the class.

[Which, admittedly, she might do if this four inch text is only the first volume she needs to read.]

Re: Job the other other kind

[dragonflame]

That's what I did as well. or at least anything that could be considered close enough to do.

[Because there were no jobs that were just only fire based, otherwise she would have been all over that one.]

But I'm sure even if there are differences we can quickly learn how to use them and do our best with whatever we do. I like to believe that at least.

Re: Job the other other kind

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

[She smiles warmly at Bloom. It's nice to see someone taking this whole situation with stride.]

Well, I don't know about quickly. [She raises the text up to show its volume, face teasing.] But I'm certainly going to try to figure this out. Though I do like the idea of versatility, so I might attempt another job at some point. Maybe something a little different than I'm used to.

[Red Mage sounded like it could be interesting. She'd never used a blade before, but it couldn't be that hard, right?]

Re: Job the other other kind

[dragonflame]

[She nodded slightly. It could never hurt to try some outside one's comfort zone as well.]

Yeah, I mean if we get to try with new abilities, why not try something different. Like one of each. One you are used to and one you might not be but think might be a good idea.

[She looked over her shoulder for a moment.]

So what would you choose for one that is different.

Job - the other kind!

[gglosers]

Give me a giant some chili dogs, a giant mountain dew, and all the Doritos you can store into this bag right here.

[ She even has a large brown bag and immediately whips it out. Never mind that the bag was probably filled with some other items collected through her travels. It was perfectly a good compartment to store her ... snacks. ]

Do you have it? What do I owe ya?

Re: Job - the other kind!

[how_do_i_shot_dog]

Uhhh...

[Chili dogs she knows, but the other two? Rinoa is pretty sure her training didn't mention selling any mountains, or any door-related products. Though from her short experience here, she's learned that people call things different names depending on where they're from, so maybe she can figure out what type of items this girl is aiming for.]

I can get you a chili dog, but I don't think we have the other two, at least not by that name. Do they go by anything else, or can you describe them to me? We might have something similar.

[gglosers]

What?! You got to be kidding me! You too? I've been hearing that all day!

[ It seems this wasn't the only shop she has stopped at. Perhaps she was hoping someone might know. At least Rinoa seems a little more open to trying. ]

Doritos! They're like these triangle chips made of cheddar. And Mountain Dew is a soda! It's my ultimate go-to snack when I'm powering through an epic match!