test drive meme 1.

[awashmods]

Her Pa committed suicide By biting off his head. Her mother saw her uncle's ghost And died of fright, she said. So her unpleasant habits Seem most curious to me, Because she seems to come from such A happy family.

Prompt 1: he forest looms as ever, colorless but not at all dead. The leaves are full, fluttering in the silence, but there's no scent to them, no color. The effect is eerily hard to navigate, almost like an optical illusion, leaves, branches and trunk blending together with the small path -- which already disappears and reappears at a whim. But even so... If you brave the path, it seems as though there is something leading you onwards. A trail of... something, crumbs, maybe, the same shade of colorless as everything else, almost impossible to see. Following those might be a bad idea -- your chances of getting lost, tangled in random underbrush, or wandering aimlessly for hours are pretty high... to say nothing of what you might encounter if you stray too far (hint: even the small, fuzzy things have nasty bites). Still, it's there, and if you follow them... eventually you will come to a small house. It's decrepit, falling apart and in shambles... do you really want to go inside? Perhaps armed with one of the many convenient tree branches that have probably smacked you thus far? Prompt 2: hould you enter the house, you'll be greeted with a creepy, creepy doorman. Aw, how cute! And in that doll's hand, there's...a message. On a slip of paper, it reads, simply and plainly: The more you take, the more you leave behind. Curious! (And yeah, you can destroy the doll. It's just a normal doll. You may even come across said doll already crushed by an intrepid explorer.) Of course, it's a riddle, and the answer's a warning -- the longer you walk around and about the house, the less you'll remember about yourself, until you forget why you were there and why you should leave, and who you are at all, doomed to wander forever. Or someone saves you, that's fine too. Prompt 3: roblem: There are no fresh eggs in the Town. Solution: Catch a feral chicken, and keep it for eggs. That seems simple enough, right? You're totally up for the task... right? But why do all of the animals look so strange in the forest? Mutated, with teeth, or wings that don't belong, or claws. That's... a chicken, right? Catching it will allow you to get some eggs, but that beak looks pretty nasty -- it might be harder than it looks. But you're intrepid and clever, right? Why not demonstrate your Chicken Wrangling Skills that won you the championship so many years ago? Or try to serenade the savage beast? Or wuss out and form a coalition with which you draw lots to see who has to do battle with the chicken? There's safety in numbers! But the prize will surely be worth a bit of blood loss and fowl-related trauma. Do it for the eggs. Prompt 4: here's a new quest on the forum today, and it looks awfully easy! It's listed simply as: Quest XXII. Talk to someone you've never met about their childhood. Quest will be completed when you have reached an acceptable level of knowledge. On the other hand, that's a little vague, isn't it... ? How will you even know when you've completed a quest like that? Still, it looks easy! Maybe go give it a try. You could respond to the forum post to try to find people, or just go on outside, go harass someone about their past. If you're lucky, you'll drag it out of them with very little hassle and it won't take you a good chunk of the day. If you're unlucky, that's what highly persistent stalking is for! But don't forget, you'll likely have to return the favor. And your new friend might not be the only one listening. 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 first 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! Important dates to remember are March 1st, 9 PM EST, when Reserves will open, and March 7th, 9 PM EST when Applications will open. Keep an eye out for it! 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. Thank you for your interest in Awash!

Comments

[messianic]

That sounds like a good idea to me. Who knows what's out here.

[Two Persona Protags walk into the woods--

But yeah, he just nods easily enough at that, offering up a peaceful:]

I'm Minato. Arisato Minato. Nice to meet you.

[He means it even if his expression has not changed.]

[inheritance]

A-a bird? [It takes about two seconds for Izuku to get over his surprise at being addressed by a bird, figuring it must be a quirk of some kind.]

I guess you're right! [Izuku smiles, retrieving his pen from where he'd dropped it earlier.] If we don't see what happens with these "quests", then we won't have much information to work with later.

Um, so... about this quest. We're supposed to talk about ourselves?

MON AMIE...!!

[salutations]

[What is this ominous feeling? It's like a mix between a death flag and a love flag!]

[And, well, the giant demonic chicken bursting through the underbrush ticks it slightly over to death. But the brightly colored hunter-gatherer girl ticks it right back. Quick, say some kind of line about how she brightens up the room! Say something-]

[-no, wait, right, get out of the way first]

[It is not his most graceful take-off and a few dove feathers may be mixed in with the rampaging chicken molt.]

Mon amie! [he only calls out to her once he's got a more stable flight-pattern because, well, y'gotta look cool] A picture of raw human determination at its finest, even in the face of such a savage!

one.

[messianic]

[This is a Minato, with leaves and branches in his hair, covered in dirt (colorless...dirt...??) and looking a little, slightly tired.

Ugh, forests. He would like to go back to the town now.]

...Yeah. Is it gone again? It's definitely...happened before to me out here.

[worlds]

[Damn it.]

Why do you need it?

[lssj]

[There’s a brief bout of clarity in her eyes, perhaps acknowledgement of what Maya said as being true, but...

She shakes her head shortly afterwards, rejecting the notion. Though it’s not a very firm gesture.]

No, I...if she’s here...if I leave, I won’t...I have to find big sis...

[jokered]

Kurusu Akira.

[he offers in response with a nod. he's a little less formal about it verbally, but he offers a nod before giving the area around them another look—they have to figure out where to go next.]

We can watch each other's back this way.

[since they don't have those cool philemon-induced skills to sense each other's personas, there's no way of knowing how stupidly capable they both happen to be.]

[worlds]

[Luckily for Akira, Ouni doesn't especially care either way, so he doesn't press.]

... Shouldn't that be your first step, then?

[He's not sure if weapons are even needed for mutant maybe-chickens, but if this guy thinks he might need one, then. It's easier than spontaneously developing powers, at least?]

[salutations]

[See, someone has sense! Pretty good, for a human.]

You'll find that talking about it more is one of my specialties. [even if he doesn't actually say anything productive, he's damn good at talking]

I spent a good portion of my time growing up in France! Now, you may think, ah, that makes sense, this dove is clearly marinated in the allure of French romanticism! I would, however, say that it's mere coincidence! From the moment I hatched, I was this way, regardless of where I spent my time!

<3<3<3

[parodeity]

[ minato, if you were raised with lil cal (cw: lil cal...) you would have similarly strong puppet feelings. also all the fucking smuppet traps. goddamnit bro why couldn't you have been remotely normal.

anyway, his gaze shifts to the side...not that anyone can tell, although his head turning slightly is a better visual clue. ]

I mean. I feel like we're "supposed" to go in there if we follow whatever bullshit narrative this place is tryin' to force on us, but like...we don't have to follow it, right? We can just say no thank you creepy puppet man and go on our merry way and write our own story, with hookers and blow. Only not with hookers and blow, but like, a billion types of grey food.

[ he'd make a fifty shades of grey joke no one wanted to hear, but that was released in 2011. so you're spared, minato. ]

joshua bright | legend of heroes: trails in the sky

[whereabout]

3;
[ That...sure is a chicken.

It's not actually all that startling, to Joshua (just ask him what the sheep look like back in his world), but it does make for a slight adjustment of strategy. He's perfectly confident in his ability to move fast enough and close in suddenly enough to catch the bird, but he also isn't taking chances with those claws.

So he turns to whoever is conveniently nearby. ]

We need a bag.

[ Preferably a very thick one. ]


4;
[ Somewhere under a shady tree, in a nice reading spot, there's a teenage boy who's skimming forum posts on a laptop instead of reading the book that's sitting on the ground next to him.

Gotta stay informed, dontcha know.

He doesn't like the one he's reading very much, apparently, because there's a brief moment where he looks - well, like he's looking into something else entirely, gaze unfocused. His expression isn't sad, but it's not much of anything else, either; the best one might have to describe it is "dead inside."

But it's only a brief flicker before he schools his features into a much more normal and unassuming look of annoyance as he clicks the laptop closed. ]

Pass.


wildcard;
[ Surprise me. It'll be fun. ]

Diamond | Land of the Lustrous (Houseki no Kuni)

[diamondize]

[Prompt 1]

[As colorful and sparkly as Diamond is, it's no wonder they stick out like a sore thumb here. The forest and everything is so new, that even the eerie lack of color doesn't see to bother them as they climb the trees and examine branches, jumping from limb to limb and tree to tree like an overly colorful squirrel or something.

But not all of the branches are up for holding the rock's weight. An unsuspecting traveler below might find one such branch suddenly hurtling at them from above with a cry of:] Look out! [following it.

Diamond jumps down to land gracefully on the ground, brow furrowed in concern] Are you alright?

[Prompt 3]

I don't know what 'eggs' or 'chickens' are... [This is a Dilemma. Sure Dia's agreed to help, but, belatedly, they've realized they don't really know the nature of what they're helping with.

They see to have managed to catch a chicken though! The chicken is trying very hard to peck at Dia's arms to escape, but each attempt is met with a curious 'ping!' noise and neither a wound nor discomfort from Diamond. The long opera gloves they wear do see to be forming lots of nicks and tears in it from the chicken's beak though.

Dia seems pleased at least, giggling lightly as they examine the beast.] How adorable! Now... [FLIPPING THE CHICKEN UPSIDE DOWN. Examining it every which way]

Where does the egg come from?

[who needs help first... the chicken or the rock?]

[Prompt 4]

[What's a forum. what is a child. how does Diamond use this??

After poking and prodding their laptop, turning it upside down and every which way, Dia closes it and tucks it under their arm to seek an answer in person instead before they accidentally break the thing.]

Excuse me? [Dia smiles warmly, reaching out to get the attention of whoever or whatever is passing by] What's a... 'childhood'?

[Wildcard!]

[Feel free to run into Dia poking their nose into anything, exploring, staring down anyone interesting look in curiosity, etc. Or just approach them to ask wtf is up with them bc of how they look. Whatever!!]

2.

[messianic]

[You know, Minato agrees to a lot of things, but even he has lines. Like... jumping out the window lines. Nope.]

I think... that sounds kind of dangerous. [Yep.]

Let's try finding our way out in another way first.

[parodeity]

that makes it a complete guessing game
like are these granny smiths
fuji gala golden delicious
its kind of like those magic jellybeans in harry potter
never know what flavor youll get
only i guess there isnt really a chance of like a TRULY terrible flavor
i personally think the full on red apples are a lil bitter but also ill eat them and like it
i havent had a fucking apple in like
three years
the scurvy is getting to me

do apples even prevent scurvy i dont actually know
whatever

!!!!!!!! hi

[parodeity]

Well... [ WELL ] Is there even a place to like...put them? Or should I just chuck it in an empty house and dub that house the chicken house? What do you even do with chickens. Like, besides make chicken nuggets. Which actually I'm pretty sure have a lower amount of chicken than anyone would actually like to know about...do they eat grass. Do we have to find them specific grass??? Do you do honorable battle for their eggs.

iii

[parodeity]

holy shitballs thats an absurd amount of brothers
how much laundry did you have to do
i bet it was a lot
did you have to share a room
rooms????
whats having a big family like
i only had my bro growing up
did you have a mom and dad

[lssj]

[CLEARLY IT’S WORKING AND SHE HAS TO KEEP BOSSING THIS GUY AROUND TO ESTABLISH DOMINANCE.

Which starts off with a—]

...

[Well, it’s not exactly a word so much as a stare...one she can’t really hold before breaking eye contact.]

You...get me down. ...please. If it isn’t too much trouble...

[Mumble mumble.]

i

[appraiser]

[ Laughter sounds from behind him, soft and full of delight if Minato can hear it through those headphones of his. Ryoji picks his way towards the stream, careful to follow the bent grass up until footprints become a smear of a fall. He pauses there for all but a second before his shoes and socks come off, and he jumps right in, joining Minato in the water with a tentative wiggle of his toes and a widening smile as he picks his feet out of the water and splashes Minato's knees. ]

It's cold.

[ He says it like this is important, somehow. ]

[inheritance]

"Just further back there," Izuku replied, pointing over his shoulder. "What about you?"

He crouched down beside Waver, joining him in examining the leaves. "It all feels normal, but there's no color in anything around this place. I wonder what happened."

4

[parodeity]

[ .....................

you know what. why not. that is pretty much dave's expression now, because, like, this may as well happen? adult life is weird. ]

You're pretty into alliteration, huh? I can dig it. Shoot. As in, I'm down to hear it I guess, in an alliterative fashion also.

Karamatsu Matsuno | Osomatsu-san

[autolatrist]

3.
[For once in his life, Karamatsu's able to stand out by doing absolutely nothing. Of course, being a splash of living colour against a monochrome landscape will do that for a person. It also helps that he just so happens to be wearing a dazzling blue tank top bearing a minimalist depiction of his own face, smirking proudly out from the sea of sequins around it. At least his jeans are pretty normal. If only he knew he had to dress for a mysterious abduction.

Or at least for chicken wrangling. It doesn't feel right without the sexy cowboy look.

But he doesn't let that deter him from his mission. He'll claim all he likes that he's on the lookout for chickens, but his real target is other people - as soon as someone's in view (and hopefully in earshot), he strikes a daring pose on top of a gray boulder and proclaims to the empty air:]

So it seems there's no choice...! I'll undertake this dangerous mission alone, for the good of giving my fellow prisoners the strength to escape this strange place... Heh, I wonder if I'll make it back alive.

[But he makes no move to go any closer to the forest. Like he's waiting for someone to swoon over him, or better yet, to beg him not to go.]

4.
[Talk to someone he's never met.

Just... approach a stranger. And start up a conversation. About personal details.

Hoo... Hoo boy. Okay. He can do this thing. After all, he's sure everyone here is dying to know all about him! It would be cruel to withhold his legend! He just has to take the first step and say hello to someone.

Orrrr, he can find whatever area has the most foot traffic and just casually lean against the wall. It won't be long before someone comes to him, first. He's just so cool and mysterious, after all - actually, if he's the one to approach them, they'd probably get all nervous about it. Poor souls. Yes, he's made the right decision to lurk around and make a very poor show of pretending he's not staring at people all day. And maybe making loud hmms now and then to see if that gets him some attention.]

ii.

[bethelight]

[ Sooo this is definitely not her thing, the whole macabre aesthetic and unsettling atmosphere has never appealed to her. It's not that she's easy to scare (she's not, really), but there is something that feels wrong about this place, beyond the complete absence of color that plagues their world as a whole.

But curiosity is a strong enabler, and after being all but drawn to this place, Lux can't exactly leave without getting to the bottom of it, right? Arriving before John, the light mage has taken her time, quietly moving through like a ghost. It's not until she sees someone lingering in a doorway that she stops (breathe Lux it's ok, you weren't startled), tilting her head as she looks at this stranger's backside. What is he doing? ]

...Are you just going to stand there like that?

[ Yo John you like jumpscares right??? ]

tenya iida | my hero academia

[reingenium]

prompt 1: hypocrite that you are,

[ it has to be some quirk.

iida had thought the lack of color was exclusive to the bottom of the well, that the lack of sound was the aftermath of whatever impact left him in the well in the first place. when he climbs out, he removes his helmet with his glasses and rubs his eyes, hears himself breathing—but the color doesn't return to his eyes, and the only sound is the dried leaves crushed beneath his feet when he slips from the rim of the well.

it has to be a quirk, he figures, but he can't find the offending villain, even when his search leads him into the forest. find this weird, bulky humanoid in the forest, walking carefully but at a steady clip, so long as he doesn't spot anything in this forest. his hero costume makes him hard to miss, and when he sees you from a distance, he won't hesitate calling out to you, his arm shooting straight up into the air and his voice big and strong. ]

Please halt where you are!

[ because that's not ominous at all. will you listen? or will you perish like a dog run away?? ]

prompt 3: extreme chicken run

[ of all people, a person with a quirk that increases their agility would probably be able to catch a chicken.

at least iida isn't senseless enough to go after it without studying it first. he's crouched on the ground behind a barrel, his hand on his chin as he surveys the demon chicken pecking the cobblestone floor some distance away. it's possible that the chicken already noticed him and just isn't worried; he's too big to hide behind the barrel anyway.

at least the helmet of his hero costume is off, so you can see that he's a person. those engines on his legs look like they might be useful if you'd like to get some eggs too... ]

But I've never seen a breed of this kind before. Would it be sensible to catch it with one's hands? And how would you get the eggs afterwards...?

[ iida knows a lot of things, but not really how chickens work. are you here to catch chickens too? are you going to try yanking it away before iida gets to it? either way, iida is probably in the way, or there might be something worth gaining from him. or maybe you'd like to help! ]

wildcard:

( ooc: i'll tag anything! feel free to pm with ideas. )

four

[parodeity]

[ oh hey, someone else who does the rambling to themselves thing. dave's just drawing up to izuku and crossing his arms, listening for a second before he offers: ]

I'm pretty sure we're bein' listened to no matter what, big brother style. But if you want to figure out what's "acceptable", you can track your quest status, I guess? Just check it as you talk and wait for it to flip to whatever?

[fuelfordestruction]

You should be grateful to know that nothing tastes like anything. It is all the same uniformly bland flavouring of food after it's been in the smoke house.

Apples are a good source of no scurvyness. Any fruit really but apples dries the best.