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

[firstworldproblem]

[Of course he missed. He shouldn't be surprised. The knife didn't even make a satisfying THUD against the table as it was more of a thrust than a downward impale. What he wouldn't give for his abilities to simply magicks her out of existence --- doesn't she realize what she has done?!

No, of course not. That seems to be the heart of the problem.

One thing Emet-Selch is not is quick on his feet. His options are thus. One, vault over the counter which he'd probably fail at spectacularly or quickly run around to prevent her from getting back up.

Neither sounds appealing. So he does what any person would do who just attempted to stab another. He goes back to meal prep.]

They couldn't have taken your reflexes away along with everything else. Too much to ask I see.

[nhaamasblessing]

What in the world was that?!

[Her tone is indignant, and she's continuing to back away from him, hands in front of her defensively. She ought to just run — she might have, if not for the fact he'd apparently just decided that one attempt at stabbing was enough and gone back to his business, which has completely thrown her off her groove.]

Whatever I've done to hurt you, I apologize. But please, I don't remember anything, let alone my own name. Surely we can set aside our differences until such a time I can actually approach you on equal footing once more — doing bloody battle with you for the rest of our time on this train isn't conducive to anything for either of us.

1/2

[firstworldproblem]

You apologize! Well, that makes everything better. Rights all the wrongs you have wrought. The shortsightedness. Your failures. How simple! Why didn't I see it before?

[Can his voice be any less dry?]

[firstworldproblem]

[Whirling as only a slouching, seven foot man can do.]

You want to be equals, do you? What a charming thought? Though I'm afraid through your own actions that path is closed to you.

[nhaamasblessing]

[Having utterly no context for the situation, she's quick (too quick, really) to accept that she must've done something wrong to this man. Even if he was bold enough to try and stab her over her apparent past actions, to feel so strongly, she must have done something to deserve it. Her shoulders slump slightly, and her gaze flickers away for just a moment — she didn't want to keep her eyes off of him for too long, least he make another attempt at something.]

I don't know what you want from me, then. Is my death really going to be so satisfying to you? Is that truly the only way to absolve my sins? Blood isn't going to fill whatever void I've left.

[firstworldproblem]

Your death would be a fleeting moment of satisfaction as murdering for vengeance is want to do. Though it would serve a more important purpose.

To prevent you from falling into the same cycle. To do as you always do and run headlong into the same traps, the same ways of thinking, the same false preconceptions. Would that could draw a promise from you that this time it would be different perhaps we can come to an understanding.

[nhaamasblessing]

Without the knowledge of my past self and her actions, I don't know if I could keep a promise I made now once my memories return to me. But I'm willing to try. If I've really done something so horrible, so deserving of vengeance and your ire, then I want to be better than I was. At least give me the chance to prove to you that I'm not a monster, as you say I am.

[firstworldproblem]

I can only assume the Light rages within you even though I can't see it currently. Unless ----

Monster. Hero. You have many titles. All well deserved.

[Sighs.]

If a promise you can't make, then I'm afraid our cooperation ends here.

[nhaamasblessing]

[Light?? She doesn't know what that means. But hearing him call her a hero and a monster in the same breath is deeply confusing.]

I don't want to be someone deserving of being called a monster, to be considered with such hatred. If a promise is what you want, then you shall have it: I shan't become the same person I was before, this I swear.

[firstworldproblem]

If I could make some adjustments.

If you would swear not to get in the way of my life's work I would forever grateful.

[nhaamasblessing]

What is your life's work...?

[firstworldproblem]

A terribly raw subject.

Will you give your word or not?

[nhaamasblessing]

[mmmmmmmmmm it didn't feel quite right to make a promise about something she had no information about or context for, but minus the whole trying to stab her thing, this man didn't seem like a terribly bad person, just someone deeply hurt. she didn't see any reason for him to try to lead her astray, especially with something as simple as a promise. it was a show of good faith, not a legally binding action.]

You have my word, then.

[firstworldproblem]

I will hold you to that.

As a show of good faith in return, I will answer truthfully one question of your choosing. However, if you ask anything terribly broad I'm revoking your right to ask that one question.

Please think carefully, Hero.

youre fine! <3

[nhaamasblessing]

[There's so many options at her disposal, so many questions she had that were swirling around her mind constantly. Things like, what is her real name? What kind of person was she? And now, what had she done to this man? It's hard to decide.]

What was I like to be such a monster, yet a hero in the same breath?

[That kind of combined two of her questions, hopefully.]

[firstworldproblem]

[Motioning for her to sit again.]

One does lead into another. You've never wanted for handing out kindness. For providing succor and aide to those in need. While I can't read your mind, I have high suspicions you'd do it without the reputation it gives you, the fame, the recognition --- that is just the type of person you are.

How ironic then that your kindness, your desire to save, would lead you to absorb a great deal of aether that would change you. You were becoming a literal monster, body and soul twisted and shaped from the inside. A failing on your part but not of your own fault. Simply the reality of the situation.

[nhaamasblessing]

[she is NOT sure if she wants to get back into stabbing distance, thank you very much. it seems as though they've worked it out, but... ugh. curse her for being too trusting and wanting to see the best in people. she picks up the discarded chair and sets it back upright, sitting back down, though there is a hint of wariness as she does so.]

A literal monster...

[so she went from being someone that helped to someone that hurt, then? how very ironic.]

And I suppose you're among the number that I hurt in the process.

[firstworldproblem]

Yes, but not in the way you think.

[nhaamasblessing]

I don't know what I think. This is a lot to process.

[firstworldproblem]

On the matter of remembering, you'll receive no sympathy from me.

[nhaamasblessing]

I don't expect you to offer me any sympathy, from what you say.

[firstworldproblem]

While ire is the prominent emotion I feel for your, there are deeply buried undertones of respect.

Very deeply buried.

[nhaamasblessing]

While not remembering certainly doesn't absolve me of the things that I've done, be they good or bad, mayhap we can work to change that.

...If you're willing to give me a second chance, of course.

[firstworldproblem]

[Sighs.]

This is more akin to the fifth or sixth time.

[Is he exaggerating, the world may never know.]

I only have so much patience so please do keep your word.

[nhaamasblessing]

[fifth or sixth........]

I will.

[you're only as good as your word, after all.]

You still haven't told me your name, though.