Test Drive Meme VI

[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, and some helpful Heroes of Light 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 and your rescuers 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. The experienced outworlders who helped pull you from your memories may be able to get you caught up to speed. B. CURTI CENTER The researchers at the Curti Center are pretty used to this right now, though there's still no good explanation for the influx of interdimensional travelers from the Dream Width since earlier this year. "Please step into the lobby for a quick survey. We have just a few routine questions, it's invaluable to our research so we do ask you indulge us..." 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 have offered to permanently house all of the outworlders here. 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 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 productive members of society and helping support the local economy, 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 housing elsewhere in the world. 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. And they say, those that party up will live to party on! J. LOVE IS IN THE AIR All the mistletoe would have come in handy here... As January gives way to February, stores and streets are decked in red, pink, and white. Posters line the Curti Center walls advertising Speed Dating events and offer to send flowers with anonymous or signed letters to outworlders and Curti Center employees - though there is some suspicion that a handful of received were never requested by the sender. Who cares! Some romances need an extra push! For the less adventurous types, the love-o-meters stationed at just about every hallway can predict your romantic (and platonic, if you so wish) future with just 100 gil, or even measure how good a potential match between two people will be. Is there any scientific backing to their calculations? That's not important. K. WILD CARD Feeling inspired to create your own prompt? The power is yours!

Comments

J

[einspine]

[Gasp!!! A kissing booth. With a misspelling, but no matter! Papyrus moseys on over, bony brow raised as he glances from Chara to the plushie.]

WOWIE!!! ARE YOU TRYING TO FIND TRUE LOVE FOR YOUR DOLL THERE? THAT'S QUITE BOLD OF YOU!

[4got10]

More like put him to work. Got to make a few gil somehow.

[Chara smiles, and it kind of looks like the stand might sway a little. Chara clearly built this quickly and with the intent of it not lasting long.]

I would do it but I like to think I'm more of the manager type.

[einspine]

WHOA!!!

[Hold on. Let him help prop that sucker up. He's good and sturdy and tall!]

NYEH HEH HEH... ARE YOU SURE YOU'RE NOT JUST SAVING YOUR KISSES FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL?

[That smile is worrisome. Maybe. Is he teasing? Serious? Hard to say.]

[4got10]

[Chara tilts their head up, humming and thinking a moment.]

...Nope!

I’m more of the cool type than the kissy type.

[einspine]

OH?

[He sets a hand on his hip. He'd do both, but, well, gotta keep the stand sturdy!]

WELL, I FIND THAT YOU CAN BE COOL AND KISSY!!! AFTER ALL, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, AM EXCEPTIONALLY COOL, BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP ME FROM PILING ON THE SMOOCHES WITH MADDIE!!!

[Okay, so maybe he's exaggerating a bit, but still! Love can happen! Eventually.

But he does recall what Monika said, so he won't push too hard. Light teasing is fun, though.]

SO IF YOU DID HAPPEN TO FEEL A CERTAIN... SPARK WITH A CERTAIN FELLOW HUMAN, I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, OFFER MY FULL SUPPORT!

[4got10]

[Chara smirks a little. Before they got pulled out, Frisk had warned them that Papyrus might try playing matchmaker. Thankfully, Papyrus himself had already provided a diversion.]

You are pretty cool, but I didn’t know you were so good at kissing. Or had someone to kiss.

Who’s Maddie?

[einspine]

[Oh! What's this? A chance to gush? Distraction successful.

Just lookit that big, doofy grin.]

WHY, MADHURI! THE WONDERFUL WOMAN WHO OWNS THE LADY OF BLISS. SHE'S SWEET AND BEAUTIFUL AND OH SO VERY TALENTED. A TRUE INSPIRATION!!!

[4got10]

[Charas smile widens, just a little. You’re a goober, Papyrus. But a good one.

Which is why they have to ask.]

Oh, don’t think I ever met them! Are they a skeleton too?

[They need to know. Know if, somehow, it’s a human and worth looking into since they might take advantage of Papyrus.]

[einspine]

[A skeleton? He chuckles at the idea.]

WELL, IF SHE WAS, I'M SURE SHE'D BE JUST AS RADIANT. BUT NO, SHE'S ACTUALLY A TIEFLING! WHICH MEANS HORNS. PATCHES OF SCALES HERE AND THERE, AND AN AMAZING TAIL THAT CAN DO ALL SORTS OF THINGS!!!

[Ah, so lovely. So unique! All wrapped in a spectacular package.]

[4got10]

[So not human, then. Chara isn't entirely sure what a tiefling is in full, but it's probably more trustworthy than a human would be. At the very least, they would put money on that being the case. It was hard to beat humans for duplicity.

They also have to stifle a laugh. They should tell Papyrus that that last bit is something they should think about rephrasing.

They'll do that later. Probably.]

You hit the dating scene pretty hard since I've been gone. At that pace, it won't be too long before there'll be wedding bells, will there?

[einspine]

W-WEDDING BELLS?

[Oh, would you look at that? He's blushing about as red as a tomato now. Fidgeting, too. Wowie, there's a thought. M-marriage...]

ER. WELL. IT'D BE NICE, BUT PROBABLY NOT THIS SOON! W-WE'VE ONLY BEEN TOGETHER FOR ABOUT A MONTH OR SO.

MARRIAGE IS A VERY BIG STEP!!! I'D WANT TO WAIT UNTIL THE RIGHT TIME.

[But. Maybe some day? Perhaps. Depends on how things go, what with the whole Bahamut situation and what comes after.]

[4got10]

[The child can't help their laughter at this point. It's somewhat amazing how easily flustered Papyrus can be despite their bluster.]

That's good news. No need to worry about little Papyrus's anytime soon then, huh?

[einspine]

IT'S DEFINITELY TOO EARLY TO THINK ABOUT CHILDREN!!!

[Oh god. He's covering his face now. SO RED.

This is karma. This is what he gets for trying to tease the child about dating Frisk.]

[4got10]

[Chara laughs harder at Papyrus's reaction, leaning against the little stand they made to try and steady themselves. Tries to catch a breath as they laugh but they're laughing a bit too hard at this point.

Unfortunately, leaning against the stand isn't a great idea. It creeks a little bit, but thankfully, it doesn't fall down. Just the sign, making a great bang on the ground as it hits.

Chara stops to look at it.]

Whoops.

Well. Good thing there aren't any safety inspectors for things like this.

[einspine]

[He huffs and nearly stomps his foot at the laughter, but the sign promptly snaps him out of it, and he scrambles over to lift it up.]

YES, WELL, I'D SUGGEST FORTIFYING IT ANYWAY! AND MAYBE ADD A FEW SPIKES FOR ADDED APPEAL!

[4got10]

Spikes aren't really the most romantic thing, are they?

[einspine]

ON THE CONTRARY! SPIKES ARE VERY ROMANTIC!!!

[He gestures excitedly, finger waggle and all.]

AFTER ALL, ROSES ARE THE MOST ROMANTIC FLOWER THERE IS, AND THEY HAVE THORNS!!! AND CUPID'S ARROW IS AN ARROW, WHICH HAS A POINTED END! WHICH IS AS GOOD AS A SPIKE!!!