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

C

[kuposcreed]

Aww, you're not Cloud, kupo.

[The sound of his vomiting attracted the fluttering fluffball that was now commenting on him not being who they expected. This day was likely going less and less as Hunk expected it to go, with little chance of changing any time soon.]

Ummm, have you seen a woman dressed like a pirate, kupo? Her name is Mary...um, unless she's pretending to be James, kupo.

[chefbayardee]

[ Hunk lets out an exhausted sigh as he laments his lunch, only to be startled out of it by... clouds? No wait, the voice said cloud, singular, and-

It's a moogle. He's seen a few of the little cuties around, but this is the first one that's gone well out of their way to talk to him! And they're looking for people. ]

Sorry, I haven't. If it helps, Mary and James are really normal names, not the sort of thing I've heard around here, so I can keep an ear out for them, and an eye out for... a pirate?

[ He's seen enough weirdness to roll with the punches pretty well... after the initial period of screaming and sobbing, and he smiles in pride at this realization. ]

A cloud, though... they're all over the place in the sky. Unless... [ He gives her an unsure look. ] You're calling me fluffy? Or, I guess it might be a joke calling me gassy. Neither one is wrong, either...

[kuposcreed]

[She's also carrying herself a bit differently than the other moogles about. Rather than being here to give someone the standard welcome speech, it sounds like this one is looking for someone she already knows. There's a telltale bit of worry in her voice too.]

Oh, uh, thank you, kupo. And no, one of the other Heroes from my world was a young man named Cloud. He always did his best, sometimes a bit more than that, but he'd get sick on airships too. So, um, there's nothing to be embarrassed about, kupo?"

[Yeah, she kinda lost the thread there.]

[chefbayardee]

Cloud is a real name? [ His eyes go wide and he cracks a smile, because it's so silly! ] Learn something new every day, I guess. [ He makes a note to keep an ear out for the name, since it... seems more than a little uncommon. ]

I'm not really embarrassed as much as disappointed. [ He lets out a whine as his shoulders slump. ] I was really looking forward to that calzone! [ At least he's not one of the newcomers who was entirely unprepared for an airship. That sounds like a miserable adjustment. ]

So how do you know a pirate? I didn't even know Vaikuntha had pirates.

[kuposcreed]

[Bonnie shrugs at the first question. Names are interesting things and she's met many interesting moogles and people with different names. Some are silly sure, but she's rolled a bit beyond the amusement of it for the moment. Maybe. Probably.

In any case that thought is derailed by the talk of calzones. She thinks she remembers Saori talking about those. Clearly this newcomer is someone worth following.]

Maybe you should wait until we land before you try to find a new calzone, kupo. But on the world I'm from Crystallis, I was assigned to help out Mary when she was summoned to my world to be one of the Heroes to save it. Every Hero got a moogle to help them out, kupo. So if I'm here, that means she must have been summoned here too, kupo.

[There's definitely a logic to her line of thinking, but it's backwards and missing the pivotal piece of evidence.]

[chefbayardee]

Wait... [ Bonnie's logic might be there, but Hunk's building the thought train as it barrels down the tracks. His eyes begin to light up, and a smile starts to build on his face. ] You're a moogle, assigned to this Mary who... was summoned to Crystallis to save it.

That sounds like what we're going through right now! [ Except the whole saving the world part, but he's saved enough worlds that he just kind of assumes it's happening sooner or later. ] Unless... it's not?

I can keep an eye out for her, sure, but she might not be here. [ He frowns, glancing at the ground. ] One of... one of my friends, who's there to help me out... he isn't here.

[kuposcreed]

[Bonnie nods eagerly, agreeing with Hunk as far along as he agrees with her about he shape of things, but the worried and concerned look returns to her little face when he then turns for the unsure.]

Kupo....I know. A lot of the Heroes last time were there without their friends, kupo...But we all worked together. I believe in them. And I believe in you all too, kupo.

[chefbayardee]

So it sounds like you're really used to how all this should go. [ He shoots her a smarmy glare, as if he was plotting something nefarious. ]

What's, uh... what's your advice? How similar is Crystallis to Vaikuntha? Are we all gonna die? Why does everyone seem to know magic? Why are we here when anyone and their grandma can pick up a crystal thing, shoot magic lasers, and punch through walls? [ That nefariousness is unloading a bunch of anxious questions because this little Moogle is the closest he's gotten to an expert since getting here. ]

[kuposcreed]

Ummmm... [The moogle blushes a bit and turns away.]

I don't know, kupo. I just woke up. Same as you all. I still don't know where Mary is....does this mean I have to help out an all new Hero, kupo?

[Sorry Hunk. She's experienced, but she's by no means an expert on how things work locally.]

[chefbayardee]

But you can't help a hero if you don't know what's going on.

[ He grumbles for a moment, trying to solve a puzzle he didn't know the pieces for, and then- ]

Wait... You're here from another world too, so... [ His eyes light up a bit. ] What if you're the hero? Does that mean you have to help out yourself? [ He looks perplexed again. ]

[kuposcreed]

[Bonnie pauses, blinking. Something is starting to click.]

Kupo....

[She blushes, her paws on her cheeks.]

Kupo....I can't be a Hero. Moogles are here to help....I mean there was that one moogle Hero....kupo.....

[There's just a touch of excitement in her voice though.]

[chefbayardee]

[ He watches her blush, shift, tear herself down just for being a Moogle. Kind of like how the Balmerans were unwilling to accept the idea of freedom. So Hunk sighs. ]

So... why not be the second moogle hero? [ He chuckles, the tone in his voice akin to a wink. Many winks, in fact. ] Every hero has to start somewhere!

I definitely didn't start anywhere close to heroic. [ He rolls his eyes, trying not to laugh at his own memories. Those were wild, insane, terrible times. ]

[kuposcreed]

[She's coming around to the idea even as he says it. It's one thing to want to be in this position, but for it then to happen and find herself in it, she needed a little time to catch up to it all.

But at his last encouragement she turns fully too him and smiles.]

I'll do my best, kupo. And you do yours. And if you need any help you can always come to me, kupo~

[She gives her little paws an enthusiastic pump. Even if all of this is new to her she spent the past few years with fine Heroes indeed. All she has to do is work hard and follow their example. She can do this. She knows it!]

[chefbayardee]

( Down to end the thread in the next tag or so if you think it's a good stopping point- wanna keep this CR so they can hit the ground running in-game? )

The paw-pump is adorable, and Hunk has to resist the urge to let out a squeal of endearment. Instead, a flash of realization hits him. ]

Our best sure did skip introductions. My name's Hunk.

[ And he reaches out a hand for a handshake. ]

[kuposcreed]

[And the hand is met with a little paw.]

I'm Bonnie, kupo.

[chefbayardee]

[ Hunk grins as the handshake completes- he just shook hands with a cute little winged puffball! This day just got better.

But then something clicked. ]

W-wait, you look a lot like the other moogles! I might... not recognize you in a crowd. [ He looks embarrassed and sad at this admission. It's a terrible thing to say, but... better to admit it now before he makes a fool of himself, right? ]

[kuposcreed]

[Bonnie chuckles and tugs on her hood.]

If you see this, then you know it's me, kupo. And if you don't see me in the crowd, maybe I don't want you to, fufufu.

[chefbayardee]

[ Hunk did not expect that response, nor anything close to it, and his reaction makes that clear. ]

Wh-what's that supposed to mean?!

[ And now he looks like he's about to start crying. ]

[kuposcreed]

[She's on a roll, unfortunately, and keeps up with the teasing. With her head bowed she uses the hood to hide her face in shadow while crossing her arms ominously.]

Fu fu fu, if you don't want to find out, don't do anything that will raise the ire of the Brotherhood of Assassins, kupo~

[chefbayardee]

W-why would I do that?! I'm a Defender of the Universe!

[ He sounds like he's pleading for his life because, well, he is. But then a realization strikes, and there's a bit of fire behind his eyes. ]

...Unless this means you're the bad guys.

[kuposcreed]

[Bonnie's grin remains strong until the accusation is thrown back at her, throwing her paws up in an over the top flinch.]

W-what! Of course not, kupo! We Assassins only go after bad guys who want to control others! And that merchant was lying when he said he was out of kupo nuts, kupo!

[Bonnie! What did you just confess to!]

[chefbayardee]

[ Okay, Hunk can get behind Assassins that go after the bad guys. They're like the Blade of Marmora. Fine. At least, until- ]

Wh- what'd you do to that merchant?! [ The fear is back, with an added apprehension towards the fluffball that totally might've gone after someone for the sake of some nuts. ]

And how'd you know he was lying?

[kuposcreed]

[His shouting actually breaks through her cool, making her panic and flail a bit]

N-nothing kupo! I just snatched a box of kupo nuts while he was distracted and some other moogles followed suit, kupo!

[It was theft. An adorably fluffy riot.]

A-anyway you can't hide kupo nuts from a moogle's nose. Plus I was spying on him and I saw when he got the shipment, kupo.

[chefbayardee]

So you stole the kupo nuts from a merchant. And then a bunch of other Moogles kicked him while he was down and stole more.

[ Hunk's just staring at her, because it's not murder but it's still horrible. ] How do you know he wasn't just saving them to sell the next day?

[ He sounds annoyed. A little mad. This man's livelihood got scooped by a flurry of fluff and pom-poms, and Bonnie sounds okay with this. ] What if someone stole your kupo nuts?

[kuposcreed]

[Bonnie smirked, as if she knew something he didn't.]

Hah, as if anyone saves Kupo nuts for the NEXT day, hahaha.... [And then the gears click into place.]

Oh....I guess we did bad, kupo....

[It seemed like a good idea at the time! As did using Jaune as a patsy! .....oh.]