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

[red_planet_blues]

Whaaaat. You think I'm-- No, look. Mars. That's the place where I'm from. The planet. Okay, no, so I'm from Earth, yes, but Mars is where I live. Where I'm marshal. On Mars.

[Honestly now.]

Back on Mars, I was second to none with those pistols. [Untrue.] But here, they're about as good as paperweights. So I might as well get what they're worth. Which is a lot. [That last sentence is delivered with a pointed look towards the vendor.]

[daggercubed]

Oh. Oh, like a--a planet.

[Vax is from a medieval world. He only kind of gets the idea of planets.]

Right, of course, that makes all the sense. Damn, I'd have liked to see you use those. You're just trading them away? No sentimental value?

[red_planet_blues]

Not like a planet. Actually a planet.

[Sparks looks back to the guns thoughtfully for a moment.]

Well, I mean... yeah, but. Here I am again, startin' all over with nothing. Dinnertime's gonna roll around, and I ain't gonna be able to eat my pistols. Get what I'm sayin'?

[Then again, the amount of money the vendor was willing to pay probably wasn't going to get him much for dinner anyway.]

[daggercubed]

[Actually a planet. Vax tries to imagine it; he ends up mostly looking confused.]

They're not interested in buying, though. Don't sell memories for cheap. They're worth more than that.

[He shrugs.]

Missing dinner is never easy. I've done it. But I think I'd hold onto it because no one can fucking appreciate it.

[red_planet_blues]

[Still looking at the laser pistols, Sparks finally slides them back over the counter and reholsters them at his hips.]

Yeah, okay. I'll keep 'em. They still got some shots left in 'em anyway, even if I can't hit the broadside of a space barn at this point. Weird that I can with a gunblade, though. I mean, it's got a gun right in it. Aiming it is different 'n all, but... [He shrugs.] Eh, who cares. Thanks for talkin' me out of it, stranger.

[daggercubed]

No need to thank me. Maybe the chance to put them to proper use will come about.

[He extends a hand.]

Vax'ildan. Vax, for short. I should have introduced myself earlier.