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

[gglosers]

[ It wasn't intentional, she certainly did not mean to disrupt his thoughts by inquiring. But seeing as there were so many like herself unfamiliar with this world, curiosity made her hop at the chance to learn if this was another transport. Hana offers a quiet smile in his direction before returning her gaze to the scenery below. ]

A thriving civilization touched b magic... it's beautiful. It reminds me of those fantasy games I used to play at home. In fact, it's nothing like home. [ A pause, albeit not a sad one. Her mien still appears pleasant despite her morbid thought. ] I kind of wish it was.

[acceptedlife]

[There isn't really that much to disrupt, and the man certainly doesn't seem to mind it. In fact, he also seems a bit curious. Yet another potentially bad habit he inherited...]

Fantasy games, huh. [He remembers some things like that, back in the Tower. Though he never played them, himself. Always too focused on the goal in mind.] Honestly, I'm not really sure what to make of it. Magic's common where I'm from, but... [He shakes his head.] It's still interesting, to see what other cultures use that magic for.

[He pauses, curiosity finally getting the better of him.] What was your home like?

[gglosers]

My home? [ The question sort of stings if only because she knows her home isn't even remotely close to this. The smile on her lips begins to dip a little, yet quickly renews as she finds her voice again within seconds. ] It's beautiful in its own way! Even with the destruction, I can't think of any other place I'd rather be than South Korea. Except, well ... I am somewhere else now! So I guess we better make the best of it, yeah?

[ Eager to dismiss the topic of her home, she turns to face the stranger and throws the question right back to him.]

Tell me about your world! Is it anything like this?

[acceptedlife]

[It gets a slightly sympathetic look from Ira, before he turns his gaze back to the outside as he listens. The question makes him pause, though - because while the Castle is his place of origin, it never was his home. Nor was the Tower. So, really...]

Honestly, I could say the same for most of the places I've been to. Yet, nothing really compared to Aqures Ixen - before the destruction. It wasn't as technologically advanced like I'm used to, being mostly built on ancient bones, but... it was home. [He sighs.] So, I guess you could say that? Still has the airships, the Jobs, the... chocobos...

[He shudders slightly.] But, not nearly as one with nature like this place.

[gglosers]

[ She waits and listens as he goes on to summarize his homeworld and the similarities to this one along with the differences. It isn’t the mention of technology advancement or airships that stuns her, but instead the one word she’s unfamiliar with— ] Chocobos?

[ Puzzled as she might be, the question doesn’t linger long enough for her to delve too deeply into. It’s easy to assume that this was merely one of the defining elements of this place that made it so unique. And judging from the way he spoke about certain places, he seemed to have a greater knowledge of the area than herself. ]

You’re pretty knowledgeable about this place. [ Not a question or even a lead, just a random observation openly stated. Of course knowing someone who possessed even a small bit of information was beneficial to her quest in learning everything and mastering it. Perhaps their meeting was not so random after all. The pleasant smile soon swaps to a grin as she folds her arms and leans against the rail of the airship. ] You wouldn’t happen to be looking for party members, would you?