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

Mikhail | Drakengard 3

[mynameismikhail]

Prompt A

Zero? Zeeeerooooo??

[With all the people that've apparently just randomly appeared here, it makes sense that someone might be stomping around the airship, looking for someone important to them. From the voice, it sounds like some poor kid has gotten tangled up in this, some poor eight or ten year old from the sound of it, though you'd think they were a giant from the way they're stomping around and the noise they're making.

You'd be right too, because when the 'kid' in question is finally in view, it's a baby dragon. A very small baby dragon, considering they can move around inside the airship, even if they have to hunch their wings a bit. The dragon moves its head erratically from side to side, looking for whoever 'Zero' is before seeing you.]

Hey! Have you seen my friend Zero? She's brave, but kind of mean, and-

[And then the dragon moves back a moment in surprise.]

Hey! You're big! Like, really big! You're almost as big as me!

[Yeah. The baby dragon doesn't understand right now that his size has been greatly decreased upon entering the world.]

Prompt B

[Aside from a battlefield, Mikhail isn't used to being in a place so full of people all the time. Zero had tended to keep to the outdoors and the wilderness during their travels, avoiding cities when they could aside from when it was time to go into battle with her sisters. Actually interacting with people in a large city or crowd, that was new.

And even if he's much smaller, he's still not used to the idea of keeping his wings or tail closer to him so he's not knocking into people this way and that.]

Oh, excuse me! Sorry! Are you okay?

[The little dragon actually sounds a little sad or scared that he's knocking into people like this too, a little frantic at it. It's as if it might be a little much for the poor boy to take in at the moment, despite his excitement at being here as well.]

A.

[sirenslight]

"No. You're just a very small Titan."

[Because that's what she thinks he is. Though, that's just a guess on her part. But Mythra is not going to let this child just keep yelling loudly and disrupting this already very weird and strange airship ride. Even if said child is a literal dragon.]

"Now anyways, why the hell are you freaking out about this 'Zero" person? If she's here, which she's probably not, it wouldn't take her long to find you, seeing that you stick out like a sore thumb. The screaming certainly doesn't help. Meanwhile, the rest of us don't exactly enjoy having to listen to your whining! So just, sit tight. You'll find her or you won't."

[mynameismikhail]

Oh. But I'm not small. And I'm not a titan, I'm a dragon!

[He says that little bit a little snootily, something he takes great pride in. A titan. Harumph. Mikhail doesn't even know what that is.

Zero isn't here though. That's bad. That's very very bad, and the dragon shuffles his feet a moment. He needs to find Zero. Zero made it clear how important it was that he stick with her, and really, she's not going to be happy to have to rescue him from getting kidnapped or captured again. He doesn't even want to think about how angry that'd make her.

He doesn't want to think about it so much, in fact, that he immediately focuses on something else.]

H-Hey! I'm not whining!

[sirenslight]

"Well you're small now. Just take it as a quirk of the situation."

[But, dragon, huh. She'd make a note of that one.]

"But if you aren't whining, what are you doing, exactly? Because that, right there, sure sounds like whining. Now are you gonna quit it, or not?"

[mynameismikhail]

Fiiiiiineee....

[Despite his stubbornness, Mikhail knows he's whining. Knows that Zero would point out that he was whining too. So instead he concedes, laying on the floor of the airship in a rather ridiculous looking slump. He's probably blocking a hallway, but he pays that no mind.]

...Where are we? I don't think I've seen an airship like this before.

[Then again, he's only seen like one or two airships before in his life, anyway.]

[sirenslight]

"No clue. The last time I saw an airship that flew on its own like this before..."

[Torna. Tornan Warships, which could fly without a Titan. Torna, the continent that Amalthus had destroyed. And the last of these ships, the Monoceros, was destroyed by Amalthus too. All of this destruction, because of her.Even if on a factual level she knew that wasn't true... she still couldn't help the guilt. But this, dragon, didn't know about any of that. None of them did. She just had to put it aside.]

"Whatever. It doesn't matter."

A

[einspine]

Oh no!!!

[He knows that kind of distress! That kind of desire to find ones lost, for he, too, is in a similar predicament! And who would he be if he left a fellow monster in need? Certainly not the Great Papyrus!!!

So that would be one skeleton in a goofy labcoat and goggles zipping over.]

Fear not, my draconic friend! I, the Great Papyrus, will aid you on your quest, for I'm missing a dear friend of mine as well! Perhaps the stars will align, and your Zero and my Frisk are closer than you think!!!

[Though the size comment gives him pause.]

Though, yes, I am tall. And handsome. Nyeh heh heh!

[mynameismikhail]

I know! You're super big! And...are you handsome for a skeleton?

[Mikhail doesn't know. The dragon isn't really sure what counts as handsome among skeletons. Usually, he found skeletons to be pretty creepy, but this one seems nice.

After all, he seems to think he knows where Zero might be. Mikhail's head perks up at that.]

R-Really? You think she might be here? I've gotta find her quick!

...What's a Frisk?

[That doesn't sound like a person name. Or at least, it sounds like a funny one.]

[einspine]

The most handsome skeleton of all!!!

[Probably. Maybe. Granted, it's hard to say. But let the dork dream...

But regarding the missing friends, Papyrus nods. Gotta stay positive about this!]

There's always a chance! After all, I'm here. You're here! A lot of other people are here.

As for Frisk, they're a human. About this tall...

[He moves his hand to about the average height of a twelve year old of ambiguous gender. Not quite as tall as him, of course!]

With brown hair and a tendency to squint. And flirt. ...They do a lot of flirting.

[mynameismikhail]

Wow!

[Mikhail sounds suitably impressed. Clearly, if this skeleton says its so, it must be true.]

Oh. I just didn't really think humans were usually friends with skeletons. Didn't seem like they'd be, since skeletons would usually just kind of lay in the ground. Or chase them.

What's flirting?

[Sorry the idea of flirting is entirely unknown to the baby dragon. You're gonna need to explain this one to him.]

[einspine]

Well, my brother has a habit of lazing about, but why would we chase humans? Well, unless the human challenged us to a game of tag. Or a race. Or some other equally thrilling activity!

[Okay, so maybe some skeleton monsters might be more hostile toward humans, but not him! Oh no. He's the Great Papyrus, after all! A friend to all.]

As for flirting, it's...

[He pauses, tapping his chin.]

Wowie. I never thought of the best way to put it into words. But it's sort of like a compliment. Except it's the kind of compliment you give to someone you have romantic feelings for!

B!

[sunderings]

It is all right. [ —soothes the voice of the King who is no worse for wear after being unbalanced by the sweep of the dragon's wing, his footing nearly gone out from under him, but only just. Though rather than withdraw as the rest of the crowd had, Sion had approached the dragon again, his hand lightly touching to the creature's white scales to offer a measure of comfort. Despite the dragon's size... the voice which emanated from its body sounded rather young, didn't it? Like a child. ]

You need only to be still, for a moment, and let the others pass. [ And pass they do, drifting by, the crowd thinning to make way for the dragon to continue on his path. ] You will find that you have room enough to move as you please in short suit, I promise.

[mynameismikhail]

Oh. I know.

[Mikhail says, trying to hide the fact that he really hadn't thought of that simple solution. Still, he settles down and stays still for a moment. He's never been particularly shy around strangers, especially kind ones, though he still feels excited to be this near so many people who aren't trying to kill him.]

I've just never been around this many people before! Well. Around this many people I'm not supposed to crush.

A

[needsteaplz]

[Saori has had encounters with dragons back home. It was never with a baby though. Mikhail's reaction does cause her to laugh a bit since it reminded her of her own children's innocence. ]

Uh, actually, I think it's the other way around. I guess this world shrunk you down to fit better among us. Tell you what, I'll help look for this Zero with you but I need you to tell me more about her, okay?

[mynameismikhail]

Huh? Why would it do that?

[That seemed like a pretty silly decision to Mikhail. Dragon's weren't supposed to be human sized.]

Oh sure! I know a lot about Zero. She's brave, and strong, but kind of mean, and-

[Oh. Wait a minute...as eager as he is to tell others about Zero to find her...]

Uh. I'm not sure Zero would want me talking about her, though. That might make her really mad.

A.

[singerofspells]

[Why, yes, S'reee finds that funny, and reassuring that perhaps someone else was experiencing the same problem she was having at the moment.]

Far less than I would be in my home waters. Perhaps, you're suffering from the same affliction.

[Fort eh moment, she's taking up a wheeled stretcher, trying to adjust to the feeling of weight. She has a tank set up, but getting around on land is a bit of a challenge without wizardry. S'reee had any number of spells, from levitation to shape-change that would do the job, but the Speech she used to call them up was jsut sounds.]

[mynameismikhail]

Whoa!

[The dragon steps back a moment in surprise, wings flapping once. He looks at S'reee as she's stretched out in her tank. Mikhail had never seen anything like it before, the tank or the whale. He brings his head in close, right next time the tank.]

I dunno. I don't think I've ever seen a fish as big as you before.

[singerofspells]

I'm not a fish. Fish don't breathe air.

[S'reee spouted, both in indignation and for demonstration purposes.]

I'm a whale. And not the biggest of them. A blue would be three of my lengths, under normal circumstances. Call it maybe twenty times the size of a human.

[mynameismikhail]

Whoa. That's big! That's dragon big!

[Well, Mikhail is suitably impressed.]

I mean, I knew there were big monsters in the ocean. I didn't know there was anything like you though.

[At a year old, there was still a great deal the dragon didn't know.]

[singerofspells]

What do you mean by monsters?

[S'reee's initial reaction had been to jump on that, but she did refrain to see if Mikhail had some other definition that didn't require a quick lesson in both manners and cetacean biology.]

B

[modelcivilian]

[Adrien's not really paying attention to his surroundings anyway; not since he's still in disbelief that he's just in another world. If anything, being bumped into snaps him back to reality and he turns, smiling sheepishly.]

I'm okay! And really, it's my... fault...

[His voice trails when he realizes he's not talking to a person... and a person isn't talking to him. It's a dragon. It's a dragon! He thinks.]

... Are you really a dragon? [Nailed it.]

[mynameismikhail]

Yup! I'm a dragon!

[Mikhail says, his tails switching across the floor behind him happily. It was so rare that anyone was actually impressed that he was a dragon. Enemies, sure. But Zero? Unless the words 'dumb' or 'damn' preceded the word 'dragon', she sure didn't care that much, or didn't show it.

Even if he is a sweet natured dragon, Mikhail was still a dragon. Still had a pride, even if he didn't usually indulge in it.]

You haven't seen a dragon before?

[modelcivilian]

Cool...

[This is a distraction - a good and pretty awesome distraction.]

Mainly in books. I did see one real one before, but that was a pretty unique situation.

[mynameismikhail]

[Mikhail's mouth opens happily. Smiling wasn't something dragons could really do; kind of just gaping a bit at that proclamation is the best Mikhail can do to show his pleasure.]

Yeah, I know!

[He knows he's cool. He's so cool. He's not dumb, or clumsy, or smelly, no sir.]

Wow, you can read? Even Zero can't read...

[She had ended up having to rely on Dito for that.]

[modelcivilian]

[Even if he was silly, he would still be cool. Dragons were just cool by nature alone.]

Zero? That's your friend? They could probably learn how to read here. If they ask, someone might be willing to teach them if there's not a school.