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

[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.

[chefbayardee]

[ Were he not unwilling to waste food, it would've fallen right out of his mouth, because his jaw dropped at that accuracy. Lance was good, but that was... ]

Wow. That was cool.

[ He snaps back to reality with her question, and can luckily pick up on what was said without looking a complete fool. ]

Oh! Sorry. Do you have any idea how to skin them? Y'know, to get the leather.

[pishirogane]

[She better go get that before it gets swept back into the ocean. Raising her eyebrow at his compliment, she just... lowers her gun.]

[Blinking, and now that she can understand him, she nodded once.]

I've been practicing. However, I wouldn't call myself an expert.

[chefbayardee]

[ He nods, pulling the strap of leathers off his shoulder long enough to do a quick count. ]

I could toss you a few of mine if you want, I've got a few extra.

[ He grins, a shit-eating, sheepish, self-deprecating grin. ]

Part of why I stuck around was because I couldn't skin 'em right, and then I got hungry...

[pishirogane]

I see...

[So, he must be doing similar to herself. Though, to stick around and practice... Not something she'd expect anyone else would do.]

... I came to collect ten Zadom leathers. And unless I defeat ten Zadoms myself, I cannot accept your leathers. You must understand than even minimum experience can be vital.

[chefbayardee]

No worries, I understand. You build muscles by using them! But be careful though-

[ He tugs at the collar of his shirt, showing a shock of dark purple creeping up from his chest. ]

-because their water blasts pack a punch!

[pishirogane]

[She eyes the creeping bruise with a frown.]

What's your Job class?

[chefbayardee]

I was working on Gourmand since it has a ways to go before it's useful, but...

[ He drops the leathers, places the skewer gently atop them, and reaches behind his apron to push a few buttons on his iMog. It lets out a few beeps and he reaches behind him, pulling out a pile of metal that quickly extends and snaps into a gunblade... or more of a pointed gunclub. He aims down the sights into the ocean, and makes an emphatic kapeeow! noise. ]

I'm thinking Magitek Knight would've been a little safer.

[pishirogane]

[Gourmand... that made sense. Still, watching him set his belongings down and staring at his iMog, she moves back as the gunblade comes out... gunclub? Gun-something...]

You could still make that your secondary Job.

[chefbayardee]

Yeah, I mean...

[ He sighs, resheathing... or maybe disassembling the gunblade, whichever, he still fumbles with it a bit. ]

Gourmand is cool, but it's difficult, and I'm already a good chef!

[ He looks at the gun at her side, the fact that she's kind of tiny, and again towards the Zadom dead in the water. Hunk feels a bit outclassed. ]

Were you already a crack shot? You seem a little... young for that.

[pishirogane]

[He doesn't have a very steady hand when it comes to this weaponry that's for sure. Still, she doesn't say this out loud.]

[At his comment, she nods.]

It's for my occupation even if I generally don't use it.

[chefbayardee]

I mean I've carried a gun around for my job before, but it's... a lot bigger.

[ He looks her over again. She's calm, cool, collected, kind of terrifying, so... ]

W-wait, you're not an assassin, are you?!

[ Now he's terrified, and he has only himself to blame. ]

[pishirogane]

[She was about to ask him why he has a gun, but instead, she gives him a flat-eyed stare.]

I'm not an assassin.

[chefbayardee]

Ohthankgoodness!

[ He spits the words out in an ever-so-slightly panicked wheeze, because that'd be the last thing he needs right now. Or ever. ]

So, uh... [ A breath catches in his throat. The conversation is uncomfortable even if she's not an assassin (is he sure he believes her?) she still casually has a gun, which necessitates another question. ] What do you need the gun for then?

[pishirogane]

[Well, he's making this conversation kind of... awkward. Why was assassin his first thought anyway?]

I'm a private detective. It's only for emergency purposes.

[chefbayardee]

Oh. Ohhhhh. I gotcha. That makes sense.

[ He cracks a huge smile and laughs. Teenage assassins might be a bit too fantasy for Vaikuntha, and for that he breathes a sigh of relief. ]

I've run into some crazy characters, so I just kinda... expect the worst.

[ He rolls his eyes, downplaying the entirety of his statement, and goes right back to shrugging off seriousness. ]

You uh... you got any good noir stories to share, gumshoe?

[pishirogane]

Hm... I suppose that would put someone on guard.

[She'd certainly be on guard... then again, that's always.]

Gumshoe...? My name is Naoto. [Her tone probably says enough about her feelings being called 'Gumshoe'.] And none of which I can divulge.

[chefbayardee]

What?! Aw, come on. I'll share a story if you tell me one.

[ He's spent most of his time lately in space, but that means hearing a story from (what he assumes is) Earth is like... visiting a childhood home. So he's gonna press the issue. ]

Oh, my name's Hunk, by the way.

[ A grin, a smile, and a hand presented for a handshake! ]

[pishirogane]

... You're going to persist, aren't you?

[The moment people hear she's a detective, the general consensus is that she had an interesting story to tell. Not... always the case.]

Hunk-san then.

[And she accepts his handshake with a firm grip.]

[chefbayardee]

Nice to meet you Naoto...s-san!

[ He stammers a bit, almost forgetting the honorific she used, that he... still barely knew existed. He lets go of her hand, a bit surprised that such a tiny person could have such a firm handshake, and... waits a few seconds for her to start a story.

Until he decides to start one of his own, then she has to share one! ]

So one time, me and my buddy Pidge reprogrammed an Imperial war sentry from, yanno, an emotionless robot into a fun-loving thrill seeker! Then we blew some stuff up, nothing too serious, ran from the fuzz, made friends with the fuzz, and strapped our rebellious robo-buddy to a rocket so he could travel to space like he always wanted.

[ Hunk laughs, before pausing with a bit of a shock, and correcting himself! ]

Don't worry, he always wanted to go out with a bang. It wasn't murder or anything... but I'm not sure if blowing up a robot even counts as murder.

[pishirogane]

You don't have to use honorifics if you're not used to them.

[It's... polite of him to try, but it's wholly unnecessary if it's not something he did normally. And it wasn't as though she didn't have experience with foreigners, but he didn't know these details.]

[He's waiting; of course, but before she can decline again, he's already off. That was the plan, wasn't it? Tell his own story to make her divulge her own. Though, he does have her raising an eyebrow at several things. Imperial war sentry, robots, fuzz, and space... Intergalactic soldier? She didn't ask what he did before this.]

... No, most people would not count destroying a robot as murder. Though, I would suppose that changes depending on time, place, and what inorganic life would be decreed.

[chefbayardee]

Oh, good! [ Hunk barks out a slightly forced laugh, and entirely disregards her attempt to clarify. If the detective says sentries don't count, then sentries don't count! And he does not need to think about his body count... but like elephants, trying not to think about it slams it front and center into his mind and he goes a little... pale. ]

So Naoto, gimme a cool detective story. Or a boring one. I probably won't know the difference!

[ It's so forced. The awkwardness is strong as Hunk glances again towards the pile of Zadom in the ocean. They sure do have a lot of blood, ew. Maybe they should do something about that?

After this story, for sure. ]