awoosh | Test Drive Meme 3.

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Test Drive Meme 3.


Mary, Mary, quite contrary How does your garden grow? With silver bells, And cockle shells, And pretty maids all in a row.
Prompt 1: t's probably been at least a little while since you managed to climb out of the well, so hopefully you've dried off by now and are enjoying poking around the Town. But who cares about all of that? More importantly, the Town has a new feature this time, for reasons entirely unknown to everyone. The flowers...seem to be talking. They have no faces, but they will definitely turn to talk to you, and if they have had their color restored, they will very brightly and contentedly compliment you, or your clothing, or wish you well. If they haven't? Prepare yourself for all sorts of horrible, horrible insults, because that's all that's coming your way. Prompt 2: ow are you settling in? Is the Town treating you well? It's not as bad as it used to be; some of the houses have color, some of the food has color and taste as well. It's been polished up a bit since everyone first got here. Granted, when you wake up that morning to find yourself in full fancy wear of many different types (all colorless, and gender has nothing to do with which you might end up in), you'll find that the Town might not be as well put together as it seems. You can't get out of the formal wear. It just won't come off, no matter what you do. Which wouldn't be so bad, but... it seems like these clothes will snag on just about everything in the Town, which is far from smooth. Try not to trip over those loose cobblestones, or your dress snagging on a nail sticking out from a door frame. This is really not the place for this sort of clothing. Prompt 3: e loves me, he loves me not... that's a pretty familiar game, right? For some reason, the urge to pick one of those flowers and casually pluck the petals from it while playing that game is going to grow stronger and stronger the more flowers you see. Eventually? You're just going to have to cave to it. (Certainly it doesn't help that the flowers scream a bit when you pull their petals; they still can talk right now, after all!) She loves you, she loves you not...and by the time you've picked the last petal, you've forgotten who you were even thinking of originally -- instead, the very next person you see is going to be the victim of a very impassioned declaration of love. Don't worry, you'll come back to yourself...after you declare your undying love for everyone to hear. Prompt 4: ut no matter how many people tell you not to go into the forest, however, it's still rather enticing, isn't it? It's sitting right there, waiting for you to explore it, waiting for you to just step a little bit out of the Town... And soon, you're surrounded by the dark boughs of the trees, the twisty, turny paths of the woods, where it feels like you're wandering in circles for hours upon hours -- And then, after ages of tree branches yanking at your hair and roots tripping you up, you find a clearing. And in that clearing? There's a field of flowers. They're colorless -- strangely eerie because of it, but still distinctly recognizable to the flower familiar as Asphodel. And touching any single one of those flowers will suddenly give you vivid memories of one of your precious friends -- so long as they're dead. Anyone around you is going to experience that flash of memory too, so be careful! Extra: Got something in mind? Want to play with the setting more? The sky's the limit, so feel free and make up your own prompts to play with! Welcome to Awash's third Test Drive Meme! Please check out the FAQ and rules as you test your characters out. The setting is yours to play with, so be creative and have a good time with it! An important date to remember is September 1st, 9 PM EST, when Applications will open. There will be no reserves for this app round or any future app rounds, so it will be first come, first served applications. As a side note, TDM threads are not canon, so please feel free to assume established CR for the sake of the TDM if it will make threading or showing off your character's voice easier. If you have any questions about the TDM, feel free to ask us here. If there are any other questions, you can catch us via PM, the FAQ or the contact page. You are of course welcome to use prompts from the previous two test drives. Thank you for your interest in Awash!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Only a few days? He seemed so at ease, comfortable with the environment. Hatoko assumed that was the maturity of an adult, while she was still unsure and fumbling with the world around her and assumed that would be the case for a while.

She made the tea with ease but the pair of cups were mismatched. Oh well. As much as she loved a pretty aesthetic she wasn't obsessive about perfection. Hatoko's mind is on the most mundane thing (snacks! can't have tea without 'em) when she notices the, well, unique features she hadn't seen before.

It takes her a few seconds of blatantly staring to recover. She has no idea what to say. Hatoko manages to put the cups down and pour their full without spilling anything, but its in an uncomfortable silence.]

You had a weapon this whole time!

[Ha...ha, yeah. God, she feels awful. Here she is waiting for her friends to swoop her back where she belongs, out of this place. And leave him behind, this nice man? One her friends could make whole? At least she sits down across from him without running away.]

[Being thirty isn't anything at all like being sixteen, and he can vouch for that personally. She has plenty of time to get adjusted with herself, and maybe it's one of the reasons he's humoring her.

He learned what kind of person he could really be when he wasn't tangled up in revenge.]

You don't have to worry. I won't use it unless we're attacked... [He was going to leave it at that, but:] ...by criminals. [He's not sure if she knows to be worried about things worse than thieves. She seems so... normal?]

Thank you.

[Hatoko lays her hands next to the saucer. She has a lot on her mind. Since the tea is very hot it's alright to let it cool first anyway. Maybe if you're a ninja that's reason enough to carry a weapon everywhere, but she isn't sure.]

Umn, Uchiha-san... Could you please tell me more about what you do here? When you said you had a student, did you mean back home?

[Or had he really picked one up after having only been around a few days. That seemed strategic, and too much as if he were settling in for Hatoko's comfort.]

[Well, Nico had actually shown an interest in his abilities and his history, but he doesn't think he could consider Nico a student without any consent.

For a long moment, he watches her face across the table, and then he glances away thoughtfully.] Back home.

I agreed to teach a friend's son. His name is Boruto. [In case she runs into someone claiming to be him.] He wants to be a ninja, and he has potential, but... his reasonings for getting stronger are short-sighted.

[And... relatable.]

[The way he's looking at her, Hatoko thinks he isn't certain how detailed to be in his answer. She gives him all the time he needs, and when the answer comes it's reassuring. So, he hasn't begun to already make a new life here as if he had accepted he wouldn't return to the old one.

She's grateful for his honesty. Some people are sensitive when the subject of conversation is themselves.]

Oh, okay.

[She sounds relieved and can finally sip her tea without burning her tongue.]

I think I know what you mean. If you want to be a ninja, you can't do it just because you want to look cool.

His father would tell you differently. [Mr. I'm Going to be a Super Cool Hokage. Geez... idiot. Briefly, his face looks fondly exasperated, then neutral again.] But he's a half-wit and will be forever.

There's more to being a ninja than looking cool. And being the center of attention.

[Aaaww! Look at that sweet expression. He absolutely cares about this friend whose son he had agreed to take under his wing. That's sweet. Hatoko doesn't know too many adult beyond the obligatory teacher roles; it's nice to just...talk with one like this, and see how they might feel in ways they've been trained away from showing to teens in their orbit.]

Right! You can't - [She performs weird hand/arm dance-like motions.] - and say a catch-phrase at the top of your voice!

[Her exasperation mirrors Sasuke's.]

But that must be why Boruto-kun is with you. To learn the hard parts.

..........Dattebayo

[The visible eyebrow gains a soft tick of movement.

Yeah, there can't be any kind of yelled catch phrases. Nevermind that Boruto already has one. Sarada, too, which she picked up from her mother. Help him. He's surrounded by ninja catch phrases.]

The hard parts are yet to come, and they probably won't come from me. He can't be a lost cause like his father. [Again, this sounds rather fond for someone saying such mean things.] And Naruto isn't going to step up any time soon.

[Because it's tough juggling Hokage shit and a family, but... Sasuke wants to harp on something, okay. Let him give Naruto a tough time.]

[The ghost of Naruto floats through Sasuke's mind...and Hatoko is oblivious. She only knows her dearest childhood friend and his obsession with all things nerdy and cool. It's funny how their lives have been vastly different but she and this grownup are on exactly the same wavelength when it comes to well-meaning dumbasses.]

Mn-mnn. [Nodnod.] That isn't fair to you, but you feel responsible for him, right?!

[Sparkles in her eyes. Hatoko is almost standing up in her chair.]

You can't run towards every dangerous situation like it's a game. Or maybe hurting someone because you've decided they're the bad guy isn't okay! And, and what if getting stronger isn't very important at all!!

[Huff, huff. She's fine.]

[Her enthusiasm startles him to attention, though nothing is exactly betrayed on his face except for just slightly parted lips. She doesn't know him? She doesn't know Naruto or Boruto either. Maybe nothing about ninjas like them.

Yet she's so passionate for someone else, and for a moment, he thinks about Sakura. Feisty and fiery, sure, but so very caring, almost on the verge of annoying when it was taken for granted by them. They never thought to stop being selfish for two seconds and think about the third member of their team.]

You aren't wrong. Maybe you should be Boruto's teacher instead.

Me?

[That calms her down quickly. He must be kidding around; it's a serious responsibility, one which can't possibly be handed over lightly. She laughs self-consciously, and blushes faintly at the compliment even though she's sure it isn't a serious offer.]

I couldn't do that. If Boruto-kun won't listen to you, there's no way...

[She glances at the flat clothing where Sasuke's missing part of himself. It brings back a memory that had frightened Hatoko and her friends into finally understanding that their situation had changed. She speaks up, timidly.]

He might listen some day. He...just doesn't feel scared enough yet.

He listens. [Most of the time... Well...] He listens to me, at least. I have to try a little longer before he'll listen to his father.

[If he's bothered by the glance at the arm, he makes no indication. In all honesty, it's almost as if he isn't missing one with how he carries himself. Certain and confident, though that has come with years of re-learning everything.]

I think he would listen to you, too, but... it's better he's still home and not here. Not yet. [Which makes him wonder.] Are you afraid?

[She can't be upset that he's asked a deeply personal question. Their rapport came out of nowhere but she's glad for it and taking offense now wouldn't be right. Hatoko's thoughts had been curiously leaning towards wondering what this Boruto-nin was like and if he really would listen to her even though she had very little of the confidence Uchiha-san possessed.

That evaporates. Her gaze falls to her half-empty tea cup.]

A little bit.

[She bites her lip. Who else could she talk to about these feelings? Keeping them bottled up was no good.]

Uhm, would it be okay if I told you a secret?

[The visible eyebrows rises slowly, curiously. He's not shocked she's afraid. He would expect it, more than anything. He would expect anyone who isn't use to this sort of thing to be at least somewhat scared.]

If you want. I'm listening.

[Listening to a teenager who doesn't know who to trust. How many adults can manage that? Not as many as there ought to be in the world. Hatoko feels a weight lift off her shoulders, but not completely. Guilt roils in her guts. It's selfish, what she hopes will happen. But she can't see anyone but herself making it out.]

My friends share a club a school. [That's not the important part but she's starting there because the image of them together at the table like usual is comforting, and relevant.]

One of my friends, she can, uhm. Fix things. With magic.

[She glances up at him to see if the one-armed sword-bearing ninja will call her out as a liar.]

[The brow goes up again, but this time it's once and quick. Magic. The disbelief that flashes momentarily across his face is, ironically, not because he thinks there's no such thing as "magic," but more magic is simply... ninjutsu to him.

At least... he doesn't seem entirely judging.]

"Fix things"? Do you mean mending items or mending bodies?

[So far so good? He didn't immediately dismiss the idea as childish nonsense. Neither does he appear to believe her right away - she could have interpreted that as politeness, the furthest thing from the genuine understanding she needs.]

Both, but not like that. Mn... She can return anything to what it used to be, or should be. Dirty clothes become clean. Food can be uneaten.

[She fidgets. It would simpler if he would put the dots together on his own but she has a feeling she'll have to say it all aloud no matter how uncomfortable it makes her.]

[While his face doesn't darken necessarily, it does pinch in consideration. Restoration, but not exactly through healing. Restoration of things besides human bodies.]

Regeneration by way of altering time? She's reversing the time of what's she fixing.

[It isn't a question, but stands to be affirmed or refuted.]

That's what we thought at first, too.

[She sounds a bit sad since the best example of what she means is what she'd dreaded saying.]

How do you reverse the time of an intangible concept? If something's missing, what are you putting back? What if...what is missing is a person, from a group of friends...

[Nervous.]

I...I know she can bring me back to our club. Because she, we did it once already.

Reviving and reincarnating the dead--altering their fate. It's a dark and forbidden path with which to tamper.

[If he himself has done or seen as much, if he knows someone else who can do as much, his face doesn't show it as he peers unwavering across the table at her.]

Kinjutsu. They violate the laws of the natural world. Practicing them won't bring anything but suffering, in most cases.

What happened?

[What...is he talking about? Hatoko's line of thinking was sent off course. For a while, she was too confused to grasp it all.

Her feelings were mixed; she was extremely relieved that he had yet to doubt a word of what she'd said, and a horrible sense of an oncoming storm made her throat tighten as each passing second elapsed and his misunderstanding of past events made her re-evaluate their current situation.]

No, that's not...

[Her whole body feels cold.]

I'm not dead. Am I...dead?

[For a brief second, he is also confused, but then his pinched expression softens.] Her abilities. [For clarification. And then, with the strangest bit of utmost certainty:] You aren’t dead. Not currently.

Neither am I. This is another dimension. You won’t be able to go or come without bridging your dimension and this one with a portal. I’ve already tried. There’s something here blocking ways out. My portals only go to other parts of the town, not to Konoha or anywhere else.

I don’t think your friend will be able to find you here. [He could check with his eyes, but... He can see her now without them, so that must mean... she isn’t dead.] Tell me what happened.

When you used her ability before.

[Oh. Okay.]

...

[You'll have to excuse Hatoko but that certainty meant the world to her in that moment. She needs a minute to tear up, holding back from crying. It's all too much. For a minute there, she'd really thought there was no hope.

Catching her breath, she can't do anything but listen. Literally, her throat feels so tense, her hands like ice. But she can hear the same voice she's been listening to for a while now and some part of her can't believe how incredibly lucky she is to not have been alone when that insidious doubt clawed its way through her heart.]

We weren't too far apart, not like now.

[She's still shaken but Hatoko is determined to answer him.]

Everyone sat together and thought about how the club wasn't the same unless we were all there. Then the empty chair wasn't empty anymore.

[The worry she has for being dead doesn't appear to crumble his resolve or make him question himself. First and foremost, he knows it isn't an illusion. His eyes would've seen right through it. The place is very real.

Secondly, there's no way he can be dead because his afterlife will be far worse than sitting in a refurbished cafe with a young girl drinking tea.

His voice is a tad more gentle this time.]

When they came back, were they the same?

Mhmn. [A nod, as if the topic of conversation were mundane.] Nothing changed. You said this place is a different dimension...

[Her voice trails off and she looks thoughtful. Was that distance too great?]

I don't know the limits of our abilities. Every time we tried to find out we ran out of ideas.

[Maybe it would be possible to restore the club again no matter how far away she was this time. Hatoko needed to hold on to that hope.]

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