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

[seekthelight]

Oh he is, Roxas!

"Yeah, I've spent most of it trying to find people but then I got caught up in actually exploring a little bit which probably wasn't the best idea since I don't have a keyblade or anything," Sora admitted, still a little bothered by the fact that he couldn't summon his weapon or use his magic for that matter. It was an uncomfortable feeling; unsettling even.

"Sort of! I like the idea of being a Red Mage!" The brunette grinned, hooking his arm through Roxas's after freeing his wrist. "I was thinking about exploring after I got some training in. Doing some missions and stuff!"

[chosennobody]

No keyblade. Roxas hadn't even tried to summon his, actually. It hadn't worked in Ryslig and he'd lost the instinct to try.

"Yeah, but... your guild gave you a weapon, right?" You know, the job thing you were supposed to do? Please say he'd done it... Roxas could feel a headache coming on already.

"So you went to the guild and signed up, right?"

[seekthelight]

"Weapon?" Sora repeated, looking confused for a moment before he grinned and bumped his shoulder into Roxas's. "Of course they did! It's strange going from using my Keyblade to using a sword that only needs one hand to wield though," he admitted. He'd been practicing with it when he could and it was definitely a challenge getting use to the lighter weight of the sword but! Sora was determined to master it so he would! Eventually.

"Yeah, I did. What about you? Which guild are you in?" he asked. "Are you a Red Mage, too?" Hopeful your man is hopeful. Were they going to be brothers in arms, so to speak?

[chosennobody]

"You only really need one hand for the keyblade too," Roxas pointed out with a shrug. He himself sometimes only used one, or dual wielded. Either way, one hand. Sora just liked more drive behind his strikes. Regardless, so long as Sora had a weapon of any sort, his Nobody was confident he'd get along just fine.

"No, I joined up to become a swordmaster," he informed the over-energetic teen. "I've never been great with magic."

They reached the steps of the housing office, and the blond paused, turning to fully face the brunet. "You know, we don't have to room together if you don't want to. I'll be fine on my own."

[seekthelight]

"Well, sure, but I can swing a lot harder with two hands!" Sora countered. It was just a far more comfortable way of handling the weapon for him. (Though don't ask him why. He really wouldn't be able to explain it. There was just something about the way it felt that was just right.)

Swordmaster. Honestly that fit. "Does that mean you get to duel wield? You're a pro at that, Roxas! You'd have no trouble doing it with swords like you do with keyblades!"

Sora stopped when Roxas did, staring at the other teen for a moment before his expression soften.

"Why wouldn't I want to room with you, Roxas? You're...if anything I figured you wouldn't want to be around me!" he admitted with a sheepish laugh, reaching up with his free hand to rub the back of his head. "But I definitely want to room with you, as long as you're okay with it!"

[chosennobody]

"And I can swing a lot faster with one," was his retort. He had no intention of suggesting one style was superior over the other, he just felt like arguing his point.

"Maybe. They're making me start with one, but eventually." Eventually. And until then he had to play by the rules of the guild and prove his strength. Something to work towards, he supposed.

"Well..." In reality he knew Sora wouldn't reject him, wouldn't possibly suggest they shouldn't room together for any reason. "It's just... There are probably other people you'd like to room with, right? And you hardly know me."

[seekthelight]

Sora just stuck his tongue out in response to the faster comment, knowing full well that his Nobody had the speed advantage but that hadn't stopped Sora yet!

Jerk.

"Yeah, there are people I want to room with! And you're one of them," he said in a very matter of factly tone, his smile turning into something brighter now though that soft, fond edge was still there. "Plus this will give me the chance to get to know you for you! And you can know me for me!" A pause. "Though I guess you already do..but it'll be different! Because we'll be together instead of.." Sora scrunched his nose and waved the hand he'd rubbed his head with. "Together. This is going to be great, Roxas, I promise!"