memesofeternity | Test Drive Meme VI

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Is it just him or did Ultra Magnus get even more boring than he remembered?]

I'm sorry I stopped listening after you said "Vaikuntha."

[He sighs.]

I will repeat it one more time.

Vaikuntha has laws in place to ensure peace withing local communities and between the five great nations. If you were genuinely unaware, I have a responsibility to teach you the way of life on this planet. No matter how minor the situation may seem to you, you represent the outworlders. Our reputations requires utmost attention to our public behavior.

[A pause.]

Do you have any questions?

Yes.

[He folds his arms across his chest.]

How and when did you get a stick lodged up your tailpipe? Shocky scrambled your processor, didn't he?

I assure you that he has not. Our encounters were infrequent, and he did not experiment on my processor.

[Besides, if he tried to mess with Ultra Magnus' head, Minimus Ambus would remain safe.]

Besides questions of the personal sort, is there anything else? I can show you to a mentor that can teach you how to partner with a Chocobo.

The last I saw you, you were playing as his enforcer. But, you know what? I don't like this place anymore.

[Not that he liked it in the first place though. Nothing makes sense.]

And why would I want one of those?

[He gestures at the Chocobo with a slightly over-exaggerated arm movement.]

If I wanted something yellow and annoying I'd go find Bumblebee.

I was never--

[No. He will have to prioritize the safety of the Chocobo until further notice. Explaining the nature of alternate universes will require a projector.

Magnus steps forth, giving him the proximity required to protect the bird from a potential attack.]

They can act as an ally in battle, if the Cavalier Asterisk is used, and they are a common form of transportation.

Uh huh. Why don't you go demonstrate using one as transportation then?

[Like hell Starscream is going to use one of these birds for anything. But if Ultra Magnus wants to act like a fool and climb on one, Starscream will certainly watch.]

I will have to decline out of concern for the safety of the Chocobo.

[And he's not climbing out of the Magnus Armor for Starscream.]

If you prefer to travel without the aid of one, then you will have to ride the airship. What is your destination?

[He might not have thought this all through when he decided to go venturing on his own.]

My goal was just away from everything. But at this point I just want to get back to Earth.

[Because oddly enough Earth was home.]

We are all seeking a method with which to return to our home universes. You are not alone in that sentiment, but we cannot run about willy-nilly in the hopes that our actions coordinate without prior negotiation.

[Life is chaotic enough without lone wolves.]

Are you suggesting we team up?

[Why can't he get through any sort of set of events without having to work with Autobots? Is this his curse?]

[This is the post-war life. Autobots and Decepticons, living together.]

It would be in our interests to fend of monsters as a group. Our Asterisks should complement to ensure optimal combat ability.

[He looks down.] I am a Templar and Paladin [and Dancer]. Which Guilds have you visited?

I can't believe I'm stuck inside someone's DnD fever dream.

[Just why to everything.]

I kind of skipped that guilds part.

...Then you are a Freelancer.

[How's that robo-cowlick?]

We must rectify this immediately. Come, I have printed a draft of the revised Introduction to the Job System booklet (pending submission to Ganeshan for approval). We must go through each Asterisk and decide one a set for you before we begin any quest.

There's no way you're not being mind controlled by someone.

[He's kind of right, if he were referring to the shell known as Ultra Magnus. Starscream is addressing Minimus but believe he is addressing Magnus, which complicates matters.

...One day, he will learn the truth.]

I will ignore your comment and take you to a conference room and the Curti Center. This oversight should have been corrected before you prepared to travel into the wilderness.

[And he won't leave you alone, even if are an annoying mech no matter the timeline.]

[It'll be even more complicated by how to this Starscream Ultra Magnus still is a guy in a suit, but instead of Minimus he's a white Optimus Prime.]

What makes you think I'm going to listen to you in the first place?

[He's in for a ~~small~~ big surprise.]

I cannot force you to come with me, but the risk of death should be deterrent enough.

Not if this is all just a dream. Then I can't die.

[He is like a more treacherous variation on Whirl. Minimus wonders why he feels so responsible for everyone.]

I don't know how I can convince you otherwise, but one must exercise caution even in fantasy. It's simply good practice.

[It's so true.]

One question though. Why are you trying to help me?

…[His universal answer:] The Autobot Code states that I must be diplomatic with neutral parties.

In addition, as Decepticons and Autobots do not carry their grievances to this planet, we must consider each other allies. It is in everyone's best interests that we do not unnecessarily antagonize one another.

One problem though.

It's fun to antagonize you.

"Join the club." [That's a colloquialism implying that Starscream is not among the first to enjoy making life difficult for Minimus. He had heard it used on the Lost Light multiple times.]

Do I get a special name badge for joining?

[This is too easy and has pretty much distracted Starscream from the current situation.]

(no subject)

legalcy - 2019-03-02 17:00 (UTC) - Expand

aerospacecommander - 2019-03-02 21:44 (UTC) - Expand