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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Naoto Shirogane | Persona 4 Golden

[pishirogane]

[A. Retrieval]

[Coming around in a daze like most everyone else, Naoto shakes it off quicker than most - well, attempts to at least appear as though she has. However, the alarm at something being very wrong does help her get her wits about her; enough that she can get out of her cot and walk out of the 'infirmary'. There's other people outside, but they aren't priority first. Instead, it's the window which - once she reaches - she could be found staring fixedly out, slowly putting the pieces of her fragmented memories back together. It looks like she could probably use a distraction.]

[D. Guilds - Gunslinger]

[It's simple enough to understand the processes of getting a Job once it's been explained, and once she hears there's a Job called 'Gunslinger', it isn't hard for one to find her quickly seeking that Guild out. It was familiar, and if she wanted to attempt another Job, she'd already have at least one under her belt.]

[Tark Varentain - she doesn't know what to expect on arrival, but she finds herself getting along... fairly well with those that live there. Serious, guarded, cautious... It isn't long at all before she's officially considered a Gunslinger and left to see whom else is part of the Guild.]

[F. Side Quests]

[Naoto wasn't fond of remaining idle. Even while waiting for prospective employment back home, she always had something to do until the next case arose. But in this world, there wasn't anything just yet... so she took a Side Quest. Ten Zadon Leather which was simple enough, but scouring up and down the beach, where were the Zadon?]

Tch... [Had someone else taken the quest? Had they migrated? Maybe they were attacking a vessel. No matter the reason, Naoto could be seen stalking up and down the beach trying to find these creatures.]

[I. Random Encounter]

[Scowling, her eyes scan between the several enemies before her. They're only Gargoyle, but that's the problem. They are Gargoyle... it's never one with this group apparently, but this is also her first time encountering them personally. Armed and prepared to fight, back-up would certainly be preferred to avoid this battle ending unfavorably.]

I

[topgun_textiles]

[It'd been routine, really; find out who's stuck in battle around here and give them a hand. He'd learned that his whole 'being able to take a beating' quality from back home applied here on top of his weird new abilities. Why not take advantage of it, especially when nobody wanted to know what monsters liked to eat the adventurers they defeated.]

Naoto!

[He turned sidelong and skidded along the grass to stop at her side, hammer heavy against the earth before he hefted it in a single hand. He kept his eyes focused on the gargoyle group.]

H-hitting the grindstone too, huh?

[Well, this was good experience, if... super dangerous if done solo. He'll nag her about that after.]

[pishirogane]

Kanji-kun...!

[For all the people here, she's surprised that he's actually the one here and capable of coming to her aid. That's even more than fortunate.]

You could say that. I wasn't anticipating this encounter actually... Luckily, I managed to keep them from ambushing me.

[If she had turned a moment later... no, they'll discuss after they fight. She checks her gun; it's ready and loaded, but it looks like one gargoyle wants a piece of Kanji first for interrupting.]

[topgun_textiles]

Y'gotta gimme some tips after- I keep gettin' monsters almost up my ass.

Gah- bastard! [Oop, here it comes...! But he bore down and snarled, causing a flare of some sort of energy to kick up the ground at his feet and throw around his hair. Vengeance. When the gargoyle came down all claws and teeth, it chowed on armor... but got a fist in the belly, driving it back with a shriek.]

Heheh- Didn't expect that, didja, shithead?

Let's keep 'em all grouped up... got a few tricks up my sleeve.

[pishirogane]

That might be a Job issue, but we'll see.

[The Gargoyle did not expect that... or maybe it did. Who knows, it just didn't enjoy being attacked. The second Gargoyle definitely doesn't want to get tangled up in that, but it shrieked when Naoto - doing her best to maintain a distance - shot it in the chest.]

Hm... I'll have to stay closer then.

[topgun_textiles]

Erh, really? Shit... not another one.

[He'd need to figure out a compromise when he shifted to Paladin. His mouth liked to run away from him and keep him from twisting his words, but in exchange it helped people to trust him a little better rather than go by his appearance.

But he nodded and readied up a Ground Shaker. He grit his teeth and swung the hammer once and twice for the added momentum. With a roar he brought it down, sending with it a spreading ray of sharp stones and sheer force that barreled into the gargoyle group. With a thin shriek, one of them succumbed just after getting a slug shot to the chest.]

[pishirogane]

[Jobs could certainly be limiting, but it was all they had while they were in this world. She certainly didn't mind hers, but they did limit her proficiency switching between both of them.]

[Following one gargoyles defeat and having scattered the rest, Naoto loaded, took aim, and went a little Trigger Happy on the furthest Gargoyle, taking it down.]

a

[garyoutensei]

-Baiken had had a bad time of it. She'd been pretty much a beast once she'd woken from her nightmares that they'd found her in, and and the shadows of memories that swirled inside her mind were not any more pleasant. But attempts to sedate her hadn't payed off... at least until someone got her some wine. But she'd gone from an enraged animal to a depressed human, so... not exactly a step in the right direction so much as a step to the side.

And she really didn't like that so many people were trying to talk to her, to try and get her to calm down in some way or brighten up or any other kind of loathsome human interaction that she didn't have the appetite for. It was no wonder she found herself gravitating towards the other quiet types.

She stood next to Naoto, a polite distance apart, a canteen in her hand with more wine in it, but she only sipped from it occasionally. She wasn't a drunk, she just... needed something to take the edge off of what had, thus far, been a horrid experience. Eventually... she spoke.-

You seem awfully young... so do a lot of the people here...

[pishirogane]

[Naoto might've seen Baiken in passing, but there were so many people, it was easy enough to walk pass even someone she might've recognized. Still, turning her head, gazing upon the woman in silence at the comment, it made her take another look over the crowd present.]

... Yes, that does seem rather peculiar. However we may have been brought here, it's not discriminatory to age. Though, a number of us seem... ill-prepared for whatever we may find once we arrive.

[garyoutensei]

I can't lie and pretend I am, either, despite being older. -Baiken shrugged.-

After all, I kicked an orderly and nearly broke his back when I first woke up. Not exactly good at coping with 'new' and 'different'...

[pishirogane]

I see... [Seems... hm.]

It's only to be expected. Just as easily as we have been rescued, we've been kidnapped from our homes.

[garyoutensei]

-And into a world that, while not wholly different from her own, definitely seemed to be operating under different 'rules'. Especially considering...-

You're Japanese, aren't you?

[pishirogane]

[That's a peculiar question, one that had Naoto raising an eyebrow.]

I am. Why?

F!

[chefbayardee]

[ After a moment, a larger boy walked out from beneath the oceanfront trees, carrying what looked like a lot of Zadom Leathers tied to a strap slung over his shoulder. In the other hand was a... skewer. It was stacked with pieces of meat, dusted with earthy spices.

The food and an easygoing smile clashed heavily with the large knife at his side and the apron that was more than a little splattered with blood. ]

Any chance I can interest you in a Zadom cutlet?

[pishirogane]

... What?

[It took her a second to process what she was being asked... and then processing the vital information. From his appearance to the item being offered in question, to those materials slung over his shoulder. Immediately, her eyes narrow.]

So that's the reason I haven't located any Zadom... [It might smell tempting, but Naoto can remain pretty focused on her goal. She was not amused to find her quarry quartered already.]

[chefbayardee]

Yeah, that's... that's my bad. Sorry.

[ He laughs, first sheepishly and then genuinely. ]

I got a little carried away once I realized I could take out a few Zadom, go to the edge of the woods, skin the bodies, handle the meat, relax for a bit, and then come back to, well, more of them.

[ Hunk's eyes register something behind her, and with a gentle gesture of the hand motions for her to turn around. Behind her, another pale lizard was poking its head through the surface of the water. His voice fell to a whisper as he took another bite from a cutlet. ]

Just like that.

[pishirogane]

[Just because it was easy, she wants to say still fixing him with a glare. How long has he been here that she can't find any? Did he seriously cook all of them? What was the point? Who else was there to share with? All these thoughts swirl in her mind, but she looks back at his gesture.]

[... Hm.]

... How fortunate there seems to be an overpopulation. I did not want to report a quest failed because none could be located...

[chefbayardee]

Yeah that would be pret-ty bad.

[ He laughed again, unwilling to verbalize how uncomfortable he was with the numbers on these things. Was everything in Vaikuntha this abundant? He takes another bite of cutlet, this time not even waiting to finish chewing before he kept talking. ]

Sho, uh, chu even know ow t'skin em? [ Translation: "So, uh, you even know how to skin them?" ]

[pishirogane]

[Glancing at him from the corner of her eye, she draws out her gun. Where there once was one now rise several more from the waves. Good, she would be able to get her ten Zadom leathers in no time.]

... May you repeat that? Without the food in your mouth.

d

[jocoeur]

( why not try out as many jobs as you could? at least, that was akira's thinking. it was best to find something that you felt comfortable doing, and while he'd never quite handled a real firearm, his experience in the metaverse would surely lend itself to the gunslinging of this world...

inside the guild, he spies someone else that looks like a tell-tale otherworlder, just like him.
and so, he raises his hand in a wave, his expression mostly blank. )

[pishirogane]

[Looking over the gun given to her, she intends on going elsewhere to familiarize herself with it further. However...]

[Before she can leave, she sees something out of the corner of her eye. It looks like a waving hand. Turning her head further, it's indeed something who seems to be waving in her direction. Maybe? There's no one else around her looking back. Hesitantly, she waves back.]

[jocoeur]

( akira, truthfully, had been trying to blend in. but being branded an otherworldly hero in a strange world was sort of the anti-thesis of that. so, a more straight forward approach might be better... )

You must be a member of the guild, right? ( he motions just slightly with a nod of his heard towards the gun. ) Have you been a gunslinger long?

[pishirogane]

[Good, he's approaching; no more of this awkward hand-waving.]

[... Wait, he's approaching. What did she do?]

That's correct. [Ah, he was only curious about that.] Not that long. I'm fairly recent given the circumstances.

[jocoeur]

( there's an airy chuckle at that.
weren't they all? )

I was thinking of joining... I wonder how much experience with a firearm would give someone an edge? ( don't mind this strategic glasses adjustment. )

[pishirogane]

[She takes a second to stare him a little more critically at the move, eyes narrowing.]

...

[... Though, perhaps she isn't one to judge a person on what they might've been doing before since they're all in this situation right now.] ... It helps.