TEST DRIVE MEME (1)

[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
Outside the train, a large, strangely spinning cube floats over a pedestal, hissing discordantly and shedding strange black light onto the surrounding area. Beyond lies only shadows and slithering noises, a landscape of tangley thorns and eyes that glow in the dark. Your phone says it's noon, but out here it's midnight under a starless sky. As you step into the dark, an alarm blares -- your phone is sending you an alert.

"Goal: clear the area of snakes," it says. "Remember to use the buddy system!"

Soon you realise that the ground just a few feet away is actually writhing in black snakes with crimson eyes. They'll bite if you approach alone, but as long as you're touching another passenger, they're totally docile. You could easily move them away from the clearing, or toss them into the spooky-looking pit at the edge of it.

★ Three
You've been here awhile -- at least, long enough to have made some friends. Currently the TV in the public lounge is playing a weird puppet show, where all the puppets look and act like exaggerated versions of you and other passengers. What kind of person do the puppets think you are? Dramatic? Over-affectionate? Surly?It's all in good fun but it's definitely painting you in a light that, if not unpleasant, is certainly embarrassing.

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

Comments

kaiko minaru | OC

[ghostfromthemachine]

[1] - ginger, licorice, or clover

[ here is one (1) small fluffy girl sitting the wrong way on whatever couch or chair is availabe— by which I mean draped ungracefully upside-down over it with her legs hooked over the back. it looks like it should be uncomfortable, but that's probably not the reason for the way she's visibly sulking... ]

[2]

[ hello! someone has just grabbed your arm (or the hem of your shirt, or even a belt loop or pocket, she isn't picky). the culprit isn't even looking at you; all of her attention seems focused thoughtfully on Ye Big Mass Of Snakes. ]

You know, "clear the area" is kind of vague...

[3]

[ wwwatching the puppet show, her nose scrunched up. this is probably because her puppet is a: even more exaggeratedly composed entirely of fluff and b: all but climbing on anybody who gets within range. ]

...I can't really say that that's wrong, but... goodness. I think I have more manners than that? I hope so, at least.

1, Any of the three

[half2death]

[Plopping himself down in a space relatively close by, but far enough away to give her, her own personal space, he only glances at the position the fluffy girl was in. To him at least, it did not look uncomfortable.]

Want some tea? [He had brought two cups with him without really knowing why, but his guess had been if someone came in and forgot to take one. Or if someone already had one and wanted more.]

[ghostfromthemachine]

[ she transfers her dead-eyed, sulky squint to him—or rather, to the cups in his hands—and makes a deeply grumpy sort of whining grumble in the back of her throat. someone is handling everything with the grace of a beached whale! ]

I'd have to get up to drink it...

[ ...this is not stopping her from holding her hands out for a cup in a wordless "gimme." ]

[half2death]

[Danny just rolls his eyes and hands her the cup, hiding visible concern behind the little movement.]

What's wrong? [That doesn't stop the audible concern from leaking through his tone, of course.]

[ghostfromthemachine]

[ taking it, but not making any attempt to right herself yet— just using it to warm her hands. ]

I have amnesia? I know that's apparently standard, but that doesn't mean I have to be pleased about it.

[half2death]

Looks like we can be amnesia buddies, or something. [If she wanted to be friends that is.]

two, i swear it's not just cause i like talking about snakes

[hissoff]

[ oh. clinged to. also probably a fellow Ginger? dunno, sweaters are nice and warm. ]

Well... miss? [ lifting his arm. that she's apparently clinging to, hi. ] It doesn't seem that vague at all. We have to clear the area of these snakes~

[ghostfromthemachine]

[ SWEATERS ARE IN FACT WONDERFUL especially when they are long enough to be dresses. maximum cozy. anyway she is taking advantage of that lift to straight up loop her elbow around his because what is a personal space ]

Well, the goal isn't vague, true! But the means are more than a little open-ended, you know? Do we move them, do we throw them into that pit, do we kill them, do we try to sneak them into someone's bed, etcetera.

[hissoff]

[ welp that was the opposite of his goal.

llleaaaning to the side, just a little. not exactly away from her, it's subtle, but. ]

..... killing them seems a little bit extreme. Though sneaking them into someone's bed would be entertaining, for sure!

How would you like to take care of them?

[ghostfromthemachine]

[ but she still picks up on it enough to blink at him, round-eyed. ??? ]

Mm... I'm not picky, I don't think. I don't really want to see them harmed, though.

...Which does mean probably not bringing them inside. Oh well.

[hissoff]

[ it's fine. it's fine? .... hm. ]

Moving them off to the side should suffice then, shouldn't it? Though they may move back. Just as well, it isn't as though we were told to keep them out of the way.

2

[bowtiedbones]

[looks up from poking around on her new phone, in the middle of trying to find a way to google the snakes. do snakes normally have red eyes? that doesn't seem right]

Hm? Oh, yeah, it is, isn't it? It doesn't say where we're supposed to clear the snakes to.

[ghostfromthemachine]

Precisely. Can we just put them outside the boundaries of the clearing? Are we supposed to throw them in that pit? What about sneaking them inside? A little more direction would be nice, all things considered.

[ ...leaning in a little more as she talks to see what she's doing on the phone ]

[bowtiedbones]

[turns the phone so kaiko can see the screen better, hi welcome to my personal space]

My guess is that as long as they're away from where they are now it's technically fine... Do you want to sneak them inside?

[ghostfromthemachine]

[ what is personal space. can you eat it ]

Mm...

As funny as it could be, I suppose it wouldn't be very kind to the snakes.

3

[springlocking]

[her puppet is a rag doll that doesn't really do much of anything. occasionally approaching and interacting with other puppets, but that's about it. sometimes helping!

and currently being climbed on by the ball of fluff.]

It's odd...Do you know why this show is even happening?

[ghostfromthemachine]

[ ...huh. glancing at her, then their puppets— then very abruptly back to her in what almost looks like a double take...? ]

Not in the slightest. I mean... I could certainly see it as some sort of icebreaker, or being meant to encourage us toward self-reflection, but who knows.

[springlocking]

Oh.

[why the double take? she doesn't know. she isn't sure what to make of it and isn't sure what to feel about it, if anything. there is probably a good reason her puppet is an inert rag doll, huh?]

So this is normal here?

[ghostfromthemachine]

[ she waggles a hand ]

It isn't abnormal, I don't think? I haven't seen this in particular before, but it doesn't stand out that much.

3

[howlsitgoin]

[Eclair's puppet is very aggressively, loudly yelling about justice a lot. It has a really angry face, too.]

More manners than this stupid train, I bet.

[ghostfromthemachine]

[ it is also getting increasingly draped on. ]

Well, yes, but as far as I can tell that isn't difficult at all.

2

[nihilmancy]

[She visibly twitches at being touched, but doesn't say anything. Instead a sweetly polite voice comes from Hlasoh.]

Yes. We could simply exterminate all of the pitiful vermin.

Re: 2

[ghostfromthemachine]

—wow! That's a little extreme, don't you think?

Re: 2

[nihilmancy]

Ah. That wasn't what you meant? Er, nevermind!

[She chews on her lip, embarrassed.]

What should we do, then?

[ghostfromthemachine]

I mostly meant— well, that's the problem, really. We could move them, assuming they wouldn't move back— or throw them into that pit, or smuggle them on board, or nearly anything, really.

[ side-eyeing her a bit ]

I'll absolutely take the freedom of choice over being forced to take a more violent option, but it does make it more difficult to figure out how to start.