memesofeternity | Test Drive Meme IV

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Test Drive Meme IV

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. The other newly-awakened people have no idea how they came to be here, but now's a good time as ever to introduce yourself to the others on the airship and glean what information you can.

B. CURTI CENTER

The researchers at the Curti Center are not quite so unprepared as last time, but it is still obvious that they are struggling to understand the sudden influx of interdimensional travelers from the Dream Width. "Please step into the lobby for a quick survey. Perhaps there is some common thread we haven't discovered yet..."

The staff will do their best to help the off-worlders settle in. They answer the questions they can, write down all proffered information they can about the arrivals' homeworlds, provide maps and pamphlets about Vaikuntha 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, considering they are still housing the previous arrivals here on the island.

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. PUMPKIN SPICE

Let us send shivers down your spine.

The weather has turned cooler, and with the arrival of autumn comes fall-themed treats, fall fashion, and of course, the beginning of the spookiest holiday season. Even though summer is still newly ended, it is not uncommon to already see people embracing the season in full force. Pumpkins and ghost-moogle decorations begin to appear on porches and in windows, stores offer a pumpkin version of everything, and there is so much orange.

It is all good fun in the day time, but there does seem to be a rise of monstrous activity after the sun sets...

K. WILD CARD

Feeling inspired to create your own prompt? The power is yours!

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"Serge Uehara." He grins brightly, tugging her through a doorway, away from the infirmary for a moment... and onto a viewing deck, panorama windows replacing walls in this area for the express purpose of letting passengers get a look at the world they're coming to. "I dunno what 'irradiated' means, but from what you've said I'm guessing your world's not in the best of shapes. So I... thought you might appreciate this."
He gestures to the window, outside of which rolls endless miles of pristine blue ocean on the left, emerald-green coastline on the right. And... blue skies. "We don't really know how to leave Vaikuntha so you might be stuck here a while, but I promise nobody here's gonna strap a bomb to your neck."

"Irradiated- it means that there's some amount of radiation in it, in this case leftovers from the nuclear bombs detonated during the Great-" Kayle begins to explain as she's pulled along.

And then she sees the world below them through the windows on the observation deck. She just.

Goes quiet. Staring down at the planet below. None of the brown and grey of dead earth and stone. Greens and blues, life, vibrant.

She says nothing for nearly half a minute, and even then, all she says is, "I think... I think I need a bit."

Serge smiles softly, leaning on the railing, not... saying anything, just looking out at the world passing below. It's a pretty great world to live in, in his opinion.

Kayle simply stands there, staring down at the world below for a good five minutes. She certainly knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is not earth, and there's not some trickery going on, now. This matches none of the satellite images she'd collected at the Big Empty, a whole different world.

A living world. Not the dying shell of one that used to be.

"Thank you, for showing me this." she says, her tone completely calm, and very polite now. "I apologize for panicking earlier. I take back all of my frustration, and my worry. This is, quite possibly, the best thing that has ever happened to me. I wish that I could be happier about it, there is so much that I still need to do where I come from. But since I wasn't given a choice, I can live with this."

She slowly inhales, then exhales. "If I were a more sentimental woman, I just might cry."

Edited 2018-09-18 02:38 (UTC)

[Though he'd never met her in person, there's no way Gladio could mistake the face of the young woman in the cafe.

Without hesitation, he walks towards her and prays he isn't coming off as some creep.] Lady Lunafreya... [A shallow bow, wanting to show some modicum of respect.] My name is Gladiolus Amicitia and it's ... I'm glad to meet you.

[They aren't in a formal setting so this is totally fine...]

If your taste buds are anything like your brother's, I bet you'll love it. Would you permit me to buy you one of the pumpkin spice lattes?

"No, I get it, it's fine. It's... hard. That's why I took this job, you know? Helping people who need it. And for what it's worth, I'm definitely not the type to say 'suck it up' if people are feeling a little emotional. Sometimes you need a good cry, right?"

C. Up in the Sky:
Libertus would have liked this, Nyx thought to himself. He was grinning, leaning on the edge of the ship's railing and looking across at the expanse of broadening horizon. The airship seemed like old technology, and maybe not the safest, but Nyx had ever been one to defy the odds willfully. Besides, the view really couldn't be beat. The thrum of the airship, the noise of other excited passengers, the wind against his face...

It was almost enough to forget that he wasn't on Eos, or Thisavrou, or anywhere else he might call home. He was an immigrant and starting somewhere new wasn't new to him. That didn't mean it got any easier. Things had really just been getting interesting on the strange planets of Thisavrou, and good for him. He'd had a fun job, a cool boss, a new love interest, and a cool apartment. Man, he missed every single of those things.

But part of being a role model, or a hero as he used to joke, was being able to carry on despite your hardships. Nyx could still appreciate a great view and relaxing airship ride, and he was determined to do so. "Is this the top speed?" he asked whomever was closest to him. "Seems a bit slow."

H. Mognet - Video:
[Nyx had gotten used to communicating like this at Thisavrou, and so adjusting to the tablet is no more difficult than understanding the simple menu layouts. He addresses anyone in particular.]

Hi, so, I'm Nyx. I'm looking for other Red Mages to train with.

[Which is true but precise, given he has a much more specific request in mind. Nyx is sitting on some cement steps, outside of a market store. The sounds of passersby can be heard in the immediate background of his video.]

Which swords you recommend, actually. I have my own but I'm wondering if there's a reason to choose something like a rapier instead. Any suggestions?

K. Wild Card
Have at it :)

[Gladio's walking around the Center, having decided to pay the place a visit and check out some possible iMog upgrades, when a familiar mop of dark hair catches his eye. Just in time to see his Royal Gracelessness trip over a plant.

With a roll of his eyes, he heads over and chuckles while offering a hand.] Forget how to use your eyes, Charmless?

[The words are out of his mouth before he sees the cane, before he notices the way Noct's eyes don't seem to focus on anything, and Gladio sucks in a breath.]

Fucking shit! What th' hell?! [He wants to ask if this is a sick joke, except he knows that it isn't. The Noctis he knows (both here and from home) wouldn't do something like this just for laughs. And there's no way the Noctis here could have gotten into some accident that rendered him blind between last night and now.

Which means this is a Noctis from somewhere else.]

You're not my Noct.

[Ah, brilliance.]

"Me? No. I don't really follow the races well enough to know who to bet on." Or to have a personal favorite, regardless of the stats. "I'm just here to watch." Terra is armorless at the moment, which makes him feel slightly nervous. Still, he's been told that wearing his armor everywhere makes other people nervous. Not for the first time, he misses his Keyblade armor, which was always a gesture away.

He is, however, equipped with a large water bottle and a moderately enormous bag of popcorn. There's no point in going to a race if you don't get snacks.

"You come here often?"

[ Who else is gonna say that kinda dumb shit in that voice?

Amanda does NOT expect the hug, and kind of awkwardly pats Ursula's back with one hand. ]

H-hi professor?

"Well, fortunately for my dignity, I am not an overly sentimental woman." The Courier puts her hands behind her back, after a moment, and takes another slow breath.

"I have a lot to think about. You said we were on our way to... The Curti Center? What kind of place is it? What should I be prepared for in this new world? I have many questions, and not enough time in the world to ask them all, it feels like."

[Still not something that should leave advisor's mouth. But from the looks of it, Noct seems to be able to catch on it and that's more than enough for Ignis.]

Quite. There are few recorded messages the captains and passengers made for new arrivals if you are interested.

[Ignis stands and places a hand on Noct's shoulder to help him, should he be unsteady when he gets up. He's been laying in bed for a while and this new place is disorienting even for those who can see.]

[OoC: Want to assume this is in the same continuity as the Ignis thread or no?]

No, I--

[Shit. He would make a fool of himself in front of Gladio. Again.] I can't-- [He can't see the offered hand, but he knows Gladio's close enough to try to grab his arm or shirt or something.]

...Are you done?

[ Ah, you see, the problem with your Kings of Old, is they follow their own rules blinded by their greed and all too eager to bring misery to those who live. Ardyn was not at all confused for who was responsible for Ignis’ status. Noct’s little stance was endearingly sweet and he wondered just how small a thing as proximity was cause enough to make an attempt at his very life. ]

My my, your provocation leaves me more bewildered than perturbed! Noctis—

you think I’ve reason to harm you or your friends? Haven’t I already settled that score? Successfully? Oh, dear.. that’s right. Say, when were you drawn from Eos? Mm?

[He smiles faintly, pressing a couple buttons on his iMog and his black mage robs give way to his royal raiment. Hey, so long as it's mostly black? The guild doesn't care. For some reason they are very keen on everyone's outfits being color coded for the convenience of whatever foe or monster sees them and goes "Oh boy, dinner!" ...Foe, because there are gourmands that aren't nearly as awesome as his friend.]

I think that's what the tiara is for.

[He says with a slight amusement, nodding to the bit of white and silver metal on the table beside her. Maybe for the upcoming holiday he'll actually wear the robes he was given upon mastering the Ultima spell.]

Though we could always ask a tailor for something that matches.

Ardyn’s brow knit and his head cocked at the jest. Surely that was all it was, Nyx knew Ardyn better than that. Though he’s been through various lifetimes there have only been a handful of people he felt confident, comfortable, and free enough to explore some of the more primal and carnal pleasures with. The kind that didn’t take more than the basic connection to arouse one’s interest, one’s pleasure. In all of his other affairs, the man simply danced across the top of a chess board. Formal deception against the opponent for the rite of destruction, the joy of domination, and finally the solitude of the winner’s chair.

A firm grin pushes at the corners of his lips and he moves his face closer to the man so he can reassure, “It only seats one.”

Gladio knew blondie could run, but today Prompto must've grown wings because he'd been totally left in the dust. Having Paladin equipped ~~definitely~~probably didn't do anything for his speed anyway, so he maintained his pace and hoped he'd eventually catch up with his friend.

Maybe Prompto would get held up by a cute fluffy animal, maybe even a wild chocochick and its mother, or maybe he'd get distracted by something in the scenery and stop to take pictures.

Nothing could have prepared him for seeing Prompto squaring off against Ardyn.

Fury boosted Gladio's speed and he launched himself at Ardyn with a shout, slamming his fist into the man's jaw. "Get th' hell away from him, you bastard!"

"When you figure it out, I'd love to know." said the man in simple black pants and matching vest over a long-sleeved gray shirt. The orange scarf at his neck and bright violet hair in a low ponytail were the only real color to him, yellow-gold eyes focused on the pamphlet in his hand.

So focused, in fact, that it took Ardyn a moment to realize that the voice asking him was his own, head snapping up and looking over in unrestrained shock.

"...You're--"

Zulf shakes his head. The easy attitude reminds him too much of the Caels.

"Such things are not a game. The dead should be honored, but encouraged to return to Mother. What if all this causes the spirits to linger?"

Prompto squeaked a little in surprise, stunned that Gladio was there, as though he wasn't expecting someone to come to his defense.

He swallowed, he wasn't sure if his friends relied on him as much as Ardyn said, and that was probably the point, to make him doubt.

"Th-That's right, I will work hard to surpass all odds so..keep away from us!"

Well, well! Ardyn found himself pleasantly surprised. This was what being mortal was all about, surely, completely without control of one’s environment (well, perhaps everyone had control but it only went so far— they all ended up in this place after all). His lips part and he has a soft grin. “Cor Leonis. You’re looking as fresh as ever.” Cor, Ardyn knew about this boy since he was just a young teen playing with the big boys. As if the only boy band he kept his eyes on were Noct and his crew.

In any case, he’ll answer the man. “Hm, perhaps you’ve come to my aide then.” He gestured to the board and glanced back to the other (as if nothing treacherous has ever happened to be upset about) and kindly made his case: “I’m looking for a position, perhaps something temporary just to get the feel of the place.. have any suggestions, or… is it you’re here for the very same reason?”

You mean, using the stars to see what is to come? I thought that was just a myth.

[Such a thing couldn't have been possible on his world, or else they would have seen the Calamity coming.]

"Well, for the most part it's a research center dedicated to the Dream Width. And we also handle offworlders that come in, give them housing while they adjust and get back on their feet, that sorta thing. As for what you should be prepared for... um." He looks up at the ceiling, tries to think for a moment. "I don't really know what your world's like, so I couldn't say for sure. Don't go out alone if you're flying into the Width, and if somebody starts screaming about hamsters, run."

Well, this was unexpected.

Ardyn chuckled as he gathered himself back up from the impressive blow Gladio had delivered him. He’s been in that body before, there was definitely a lot of muscle there to work with, but all the same Ardyn was first a talker than a fighter. In fact, if he could get others to fight for him, that would even be better!

He picked himself up from the ground, yes that blow sent him flying down to his ass, and wiped his palms to the sides of his pants. “My, that hurts.” He gently touched the place on his face where Gladio decked him good. It really stings! He can’t help but think as he moves his hand back with a soft wave of his fingers.

“But you see, I haven’t come to see either of you— don’t misunderstand, it’s been a pleasure to have run into the both of you this fine morning.”

For a moment, Kayle simply looks bemused. "What is a hamster?" she asks, quirking a brow. She's never heard of one. She doesn't think so, anyway. "In any case, I will keep that in mind. And it's heartening to know that I'm not going to be a homeless drifter the moment I step off this vessel. What can you tell me about this Dream Width? You mentioned it, and that I was apparently out drifting in it, catatonic. Is it not just simply outer space, out there?"

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Test Drive Meme IV

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psl of the other variety

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Nyx Ulric | Final Fantasy XV: Kingsglaive | Thisavrou CRAU

B. I READ THIS FIC NOT TOO LONG AGO AND OMG I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE FEEEEEEEELS

E | Let's lighten things up a bit

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More people should read it, it's a good fic!

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<3 <3 <3

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/gasp A Threadjacking (welcome to the neighborhood...)

b

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