Test Drive Meme (11)

[trainmasters]

test drive meme

Your character wakes up in a neat bedroom in their team carriage, in nondescript underwear. They might be missing their memories, or their special abilities, or they may just feel a little queasy. Next to them is what seems to be a smartphone, which they know how to use even if they never had before, even if they don't know if they have before. On the screen is a simple message:

Welcome aboard the Aurora!

You have been selected by the Star Prince as a potential hero, tasked with saving the universe from Malice. As a passenger I, your Construct and Conductor, will attempt to provide you with quality lodgings and safety. In return, we ask that you join your fellows in making bonds and doing your utmost to bring joy back to the Stars.

Due to the process of restoring your body, you may find some things are missing. We apologise for the inconvenience and hope to return them to you as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.

★ One
Upon investigation, you'll find some basic clothes matching your team's theme in the storage provided in your room. Or, perhaps, you're wandering out of the room still undressed. Either way, downstairs you'll find someone has left a tray of cups of hot tea on the living room table. Drinking it may be simply pleasant, or it may cause you to feel a sudden need to warm up to the others in your carriage -- emotionally or physically. Welcome to the team, newbie!

☆ Two
Shortly after your arrival, you find yourself wrapped up in some monster NPC's Game. You're inside what appears to be a stone temple, with a massive golden scale on one wall. Suddenly, on one side, a heavy metal weight is dropped. As the scales tip out of balance, the floor begins to slowly disappear, brick by brick, ready to drop you -- and whoever is with you -- into an abyss. Your only hope comes in the form of an inscription on the altar:

How much do your secrets weigh?

Every secret you tell causes a weight to fall onto the other side of the scale. The bigger the secret, the bigger the weight. If you can collectively tip the scales, the floor will quit dropping bricks and a door will appear to allow you back to the train. If you can't, you'll fall, seemingly forever, til you pass out. When you wake up you'll find yourself unable to lie.

★ Three
You've been on the Aurora for a while, maybe you've even started to grow used to it. Used to the train, used to used to the slow but steady revival of the world around you into something less hostile, used to the trials, maybe even used to the people. The singing tree, however, is new. You're pretty sure that tree wasn't there yesterday. You know the singing wasn't. But it's here now. And it's LOUD. Almost unbearably so, enough to come seeping through if you cover your ears. Somehow it even seems to come through if you somehow have the ability (whether mechanical or magical) to seal off your hearing...? If you compliment the tree, however, it stops singing for five minutes. It may even stop altogether if you hug it. But are you willing to risk looking that silly?.

☆ Four
Wildcard. Make up your own prompt! Check out the setting and team pages for info on the train. If you have any questions, ask on the q&a page. Otherwise, apps open on August 8! In the meantime you're free to join us on Discord.

Comments

Miya | OC

[featherbeaned]

Four

[ You're just minding your own business in the lounge one day, when suddenly, from behind you, you hear … ]

[ CHIRP. ]

[ It sounds like canary — a giant canary, the size of a dog, or maybe a small horse. Except when you turn to look, you find that it's not a horse. It's a … dragon … thing … A feathery dragon-thing with a hat perched jauntily on its head and a pair of pants around its neck like a scarf. ]

[ Congratulations on your new teammate! ]

[bowtiedbones]

[gaaaaaAAAAASP]

Oh my gosh! Baby, hello!

[featherbeaned]

[ She's sitting on her butt like a Big Ol' Cat, around about lion-sized (if significantly longer), with her wings tuck neatly against her back. Her feathers glitter iridescent where they catch the light. ]

[ Cheep cheep! Her tail swishes, crooking at the tip … and even as she stretches out her snoot to sniff at Eliza, she's watching her face intently. ]

[onedogarmy]

[ Heine is not equipped to deal with this. Especially when he's a newbie himself. ]

What the hell are you supposed to be...

[featherbeaned]

[ The floofy beast's ears prick up! She stretches out her snoot slowly towards him, snuffling curiously, and — ]

Hell! [ CHEEP. ]

[onedogarmy]

...Don't just repeat things that people say.

[featherbeaned]

[ Tilts her head one way, then the other, her tail swishing slowly and crooking loosely at the tip. She's watching his face very, very intently as he speaks. ]

People. People. [ Her tail swishes faster, almost wagging. ] What are people supposed to be?

[onedogarmy]

[ he looks extremely unsure and probably like he wishes he were not here, having this conversation ]

Ah, so you can talk. That's good.

[ there's a long pause as he parses her question ]

I don't know, do I look like I know what people are?

[featherbeaned]

Can! Can talk. Can talk. [ She's figuring this out, hell yes, this is a Good Time. ]

Look like … [ Stretches out one of her wings, looking between it and him. It shimmers with iridescent blues, pinks, and yellows where her feathers hit the light. ]

[alldesires]

[all of this seems normal]

Nice hat. The pants are a bold choice.

[featherbeaned]

[ there is absolutely nothing unusual about iridescent floofy dragon beasts, or magical trains in space. ]

[ said dragon beast stands, tail swishing, and, as she's stretching out her snoot to sniff him — ]

Nice pants! [ cheep cheep chirp! ]

[alldesires]

[Nothing unusual at all!!]

Thanks, I found them like two minutes ago. Don't suppose you know anythin' more about what's goin' on here?

[featherbeaned]

[ Sniff, snoof. Sniff sniff snoof, her snoot nudging at his hand and up his arm. ]

Nnn. Nyoo? No.

[ And then, she snoofs his face. ]

[ Hi. ]

[alldesires]

[She gets a snootful of his palm before she can make it to the face, sorry!!]

I'm flattered, but I'm not into gettin' intimate with dragons I just met.

[alldesires]

[...]

Or maybe I am. Can't really remember, so anythin' is possible.

Re: Miya | OC

[malignstar]

Oh wow, where did you come from, buddy?

[ Crouching down to make himself look less intimidating, though maybe the wings make him look like a friendly? ]

[featherbeaned]

[ WINGS ]

[ WING FRIEND ]

[ friend-shaped ]

[ At almost four feet tall at the shoulders, crouching likely puts him lower down than her. Sure hope he doesn't mind her bounding forward to push her snoot at him, sniffing him all over, cheeping excitedly. ]

Don't know!

[malignstar]

[ He doesn't mind at all and just starts laughing ]

Whoa! I guess this means you're not going to—Wait, did you just talk?

[featherbeaned]

Just talk! Just talk! Just … ah, hmmm. [ Sniffs and snoofs his feathers, craning around him to nose where his wings join to his back. ] Just talked. Talked.

[ She sounds so pleased with herself. ]

[malignstar]

[ Ducking a bit as he lets the dragon wander over him, not at all bothered by her enthusiasm ]

Oh, I get you're still learning. Do you know your name?

Re: Miya | OC

[daydreamshimmer]

[Turns around at the chirp and-]

WAH! Dragon!

[Jumping back.]

[featherbeaned]

[ SQUEAK ]

[ She's not a small dragon, either, standing at around four feet to the shoulders and quite a bit longer thanks to the (spiked) tail. Her feathers puff up like a shocked cat, and —! ]

[ … She pancakes herself flat on the ground, ears down, eyes wide as she stares. ]

[daydreamshimmer]

[What are you talking about, of course she's small, dragons can end up the size of literal hills.]

[Sunset had done a good job of scrambling onto the table and away and]

[Stares at her.]

You....aren't going to try and eat me, are you?

[featherbeaned]

[ Stares back, still obviously startled with the poofed up feathers and great big ol' blue puppy eyes. ]

…! [ Cheeps in alarm! ] Nyoo — nnn … [ Wrinkles her snout in concentration, tongue blepping out briefly. ] No.

[daydreamshimmer]

....

[This is. A weird dragon.]

....is there a reason you're so cute?