expiationlogs | TEST DRIVE MEME #8

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TEST DRIVE MEME #8

Test Drive Meme #8

Welcome to Expiation, a pan-fandom adventure game with elements of fantasy, science fiction, and some subtle horror.

TDM top-levels are open to all, whether you are already in-game or not. New characters, please put TDM in your subject header so we’ll know you’re trying things out! You can also put your top-level in the TDM DIRECTORY at the bottom of the post. New folks are welcome and encouraged to use TDM threads as samples in their application. Current players may use TDM threads as part of their AC proofs.

April's TDM is forward-dated to the end of Gogol, Dara, and Seimei's player plot on April 20th.

You can view our CALENDAR to keep important dates in mind. RESERVES open on April 20 and APPLICATIONS will open on April 23 After this, applications will next open in June 2024.

NEW FOR APRIL 2024: there is now a top level for everyone to post their TDM top levels into! This is for new characters only. Thank you!

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Arrival

You remember a room of blinding white light—so bright that you couldn't make out any details. You heard voices, speaking in muffled tones. It sounded an awful lot like they were talking about you. You were just on the verge of figuring out what they’re saying, you were so close...but what happened after that?

Ah–that's right. You fell into blackness.

New characters are most likely to wake in one of the following locations:

THE DOCKS
You wake to the gentle sound of waves, your body rocking with the movement of the water. Wait—water? Since when was there water beneath you?

Since now, apparently. You appear to be in the lower rooms of a boat…and you might not be alone. There are several of these crafts in the harbor, ranging from larger cruising vessels to small sailboats. The one thing they all have in common is this: they are all half-built, as if someone realized very recently that there is a whole ocean to explore. Wonder where they might be going? Either way, you’d better get out of here, before the construction crew finds you and brands you as a stowaway.

ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT
When you come to, the first thing you hear is the commotion of distant voices and running feet. You feel a warm light on your face…it’s too bright to look at directly, so when you open your eyes, you have to look away. It’s probably for the best. Those stage lights can’t be good for your eyes.

… Stage lights?

That’s right, you seem to be just offstage in an entertainment venue. Someone is fussing with you, powdering your face with some last-minute touch-up makeup, vaguely coaching you on. “You’ll be great! Just get out there and have fun!”

With little room to argue or ask questions, you are immediately shoved out on stage, and find yourself in front of a sold-out crowd. What you find on the stage to help you perform is up to you: a microphone, musical instruments, magician’s tools, a full-blown play, the sky’s the limit.

Break a leg…?

CITY CENTER
“These new statues are so lifelike!” Click.
“I wonder which artist installed all of this? It’s almost eerie, isn’t it?”
“I feel like they could move at any second!” Click click.

You wake in a garden. Not just in a garden—amongst the flowers, almost as if you’re an installed piece of artwork. Are you alone, or posed with someone else? Up to you. You may even find yourself entwined with vines, half-buried in the ground, or subtly hidden beneath a large bush. A few hapless locals stand in front of you, taking pictures. Do they really believe you’re a statue? They’re in for a rude awakening whenever you finally move…

Well. Better dig yourself out of here and figure out what’s going on.

However you awaken, the next time you’re able to stand still and take in your surroundings, you’re approached by a small mechanical creature, which reveals a handheld tablet with a rolled-up parchment within it. Booting up the tablet for the first time brings you the following message:
WELCOME, CHOSEN.
WE ARE SO GLAD YOU ARE HERE.

So…now what?

These new familiar streets

The unexpected expansion of Aldrip means that there's suddenly a vast uptick in things to do. The locals don't seem to find any of this unusual or surprising at all, but the Chosen seem to remember that Aldrip wasn't always like this...how unusual! Well, whatever the case, the city is abuzz with activity…and wildlife, apparently. Thanks to some recent events, there seems to be a surplus of poisonous snakes slithering haplessly through the city, as well as, perhaps, a few lingering pockets of miasma. Best to watch your step…

i. This smells like a sidequest
Businesses and individuals all over town will be giving out quests ranging in size, scope, and request. Any of these will net you a prize from the right requestor. These prizes are mostly just silly little knick knacks, and they don’t seem to have any value, but the locals are adamant that they are quite important! At the same time, some locals may offer more useful rewards, such as money, clothing, food, or even a month’s rent at the local inn, especially for newcomers. Either way, you might have to team up to complete some of these challenges. Grab a partner!

Quests and requests can include, but are not limited to, ideas such as:
A local art collector looking for striking photographs of local flora and fauna
The neighborhood food cart owner on the hunt for new and interesting ingredients and recipes
Your neighbor’s search for their missing cat
Requests to clear monsters out of certain areas
Scavenger hunts to find local landmarks, such as murals on the side of buildings, a specific statue, or a hole-in-the-wall business

You're free to use your imagination, the setting, and local NPCs to come up with whatever ideas your heart desires.

ii. Should’ve waited for the patch
This sudden change is going fairly well, but it could be better. Some areas of town will be subject to something that seems like glitches. These effects could range from things going missing or suddenly changing (your favorite lipstick just changed from red to blue?? how odd!) to streets and doorways going into places they logically shouldn’t go to. Your front door isn’t supposed to be at the end of the dock, is it? Better watch your step, because strange things seem to be afoot.

Day and night life

While it’s not an official festival by any means, the beginning of spring is the cherished start of the planting season for the farmers outside of Aldrip, and the entire city comes together to promote it! Chosen are encouraged to take part in the planting process if they desire, but there’s plenty more to do, for those who don’t have a green thumb. Flyers can be found all over town for various competitions, shows, businesses, and events. Just be careful—the city has grown rapidly in a short period of time, and that means crime rates have grown as well. It’s unwise to linger alone after dark. Who knows what someone may find down a dark alleyway…or who knows, maybe they should be more afraid of you.

iii. Iron Chef: Aldrip
Fire up those pots and pans! The highlight of the town center is a huge cooking competition, where locals and Chosen alike are encouraged to bring their finest culinary skills to the table and create a spectacular dish. Those who would rather cheer from the sidelines, or even act as judges for the competition, are encouraged to do so as well. Anyone may enter—and we do mean anyone, so judge at your own risk.

iv. This is not Aldrip’s Best Friends Race
Many local businesses in the Commercial and Entertainment Districts are putting on all sorts of shows and competitions: talent contests, arm-wrestling competitions, fashion shows, dance exhibitions, the sky's the limit. Local business owners will tempt the Chosen into participating by offering rewards: free items, the option to keep costumes they put you in, trophies, all manner of comforts that could entice wary newcomers into volunteering.

Chosen who own or work at local businesses are also encouraged to participate by starting their own shows or contests. They’ll be rewarded with an uptick in business and free advertisement.

The Events Center will be hosting a lavish and well-advertised drag show and competition, and some locals will encourage participation from Chosen of all genders. Most of them will lay off if the Chosen are really not interested (they’re not putting their lives at risk for this!) but some of the more determined and charismatic ones might not take “no” for an answer.

Wildcard Just because it’s not in the prompts doesn’t mean it can’t happen. We encourage you to look at our new setting page for Aldrip, as well as the world map. Anything that looks interesting there is fair game, so have fun with it!

♡

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Scott's sort of just chilling underneath the tree when Luffy jumps on one of its higher branches, but even with this distance, he can certainly hear the other teen shouting and probably scaring some birds off while he's doing it. Wow, amazing. He almost wants to clap in the most sarcastic manner possible, but he just tilts his head up so he can talk to Luffy with a slightly exasperated look.]

Probably because you're yelling from the top of your lungs. Lay out bait, that'll be better.

[Wait is he going to get involved with this now--]

[ it's probably a good thing he refrains from the clapping, as sarcasm just flies over luffy's head like a particularly large bird, regardless of the situation. ]

Bait? Like meat? [ his nose scrunches up in distaste. ] I don't wanna! Any meat I find is mine!

[ he crosses his arms in defiance. ]

[Oh. He gets it.

He's talking to an idiot.]

What's more important, your stomach or catching this cat?

[ with absolute, 1000% sincerity and gravitas: ]

My stomach.

[ he doesn't even hesitate. ]

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

You know, he almost respects it.]

You're one of those types, huh? Just always wanting to eat.

[Scott snorts, but there's definitely something amused about him.] Get cat food then, unless you're gonna tell me that you'd eat that still.

What's wrong with that? Eating's great! You should taste some of Sanji's cooking! He's the cook of our crew, his food is the best.

[ if luffy was grinning before, it's nothing compared to this, the sincere and genuine delight that shines through as he speaks about his crewmate. sorry, he gets like this sometimes... but at least he gets back on the rails of the conversation, eventually — ]

Huh, yeah, maybe. [ and then, eyes sparkling, ] Come on, let's go get some, then!

Big words, I'll believe it when I taste it.

[Please give him really good food--

His crew though... guess the other teen's some sort of explorer or sailor? He can kind of see that. Possibly. Or maybe that's just how he refers to his group of friends. What, it's not like he's really met sailors or pirates or anything like that before!]

...'Let's?' Who said I was going with you? [He asks, staring up at Luffy and squinting behind his shades. Honestly, he's really not opposed to helping him out, but he has to be difficult in some way.]

[ luffy's laughter is bright as it rings out around them — yeah, of course you'll believe it when you taste it! everyone does, with sanji's cooking.

to his question, luffy just tilts his head. ]

Aren't you?

[ the look in his brown eyes is unreadable, the way he stands almost eerily still, for just a moment — before he turns, laughs again, and waves scott to follow him. ] So, where can I find a store, then?

I didn't agree to anything man.

[But rolling his eyes, Scott gets up from his spot on the ground. Might as well help straw hat here with catching this cat... it probably seems like a good idea rather than leave him to his own devices. Besides, he's got nothing really better to do and helping cats is cool.]

Commercial district's your best bet.

[He follows Luffy, hands shoved in the pockets of his jacket as he walks.] Do you know how to get there without getting lost?

[ luffy, like the pro he is, just acts like scott didn't say anything at all about not agreeing to things. he might as well have not heard anything — his hearing is very selective. this guy is clearly like torao; he never wanted to agree to doing anything, either, and ended up doing everything anyway.

the question does get him to listen, though, and he hums, looking to the left, and then to the right, before twirling on his feet to look at scott — ]

Nope! [ it's far too cheerful for an admittance of being totally lost. ] But that's why I've got you, right? Thanks! You're really cool!

[LUFFY...

Scott pauses for just a moment, clearly baffled by just how easygoing he is. Who cheerfully admits that they're lost or have no idea what's going on?! He really is something else. Is this how people function when they don't have any... shame? Thoughts?? Scott's not sure and he flounders for a second, before just... following along. Or leading, because Luffy doesn't know where he's going.

Look, it's kind of impossible to really ignore the stupid charm he's got going on-- nevermind, Scott just doesn't want him to get lost.]

Yeah yeah, you're just lucky that I'm in a good mood today. [He rolls his eyes behind his shades.] It's Scott, by the way. Scott Summers.

[ yeah, exactly like torao, this guy. and luckily luffy has a lot of experience with him, so he knows not to point out that it's totally not because he's in a good mood — instead, he just laughs, a bright sound that bounces around them. ]

Sure, Scott! [ did he... actually get a name right? amazing. happens every once in a while. ]

I'm Luffy! The man who's going to become the Pirate King! [ declared with absolute confidence, as always. ]

[...That's some declaration. Is he serious? Glancing over at him through his ruby shades... yeah, he's definitely serious about that. Well, okay. That's cool. Pirates aren't like his favorite type of adventurers (it's all about SPACE) but they can be fun. Guess he has a goal at least, which is more than what Scott can say about himself.]

Yeah? That's pretty cool man. How do you become Pirate King anyway? Have to find the most treasure or... sail the most?

[He's about to ask if he has to raid the most villages, but honestly, Scott's having a really hard time imagining Luffy raiding a town and hurting innocent people. Maybe a stupid assumption on his end to make, like Luffy's dumb bright smile is just a cover for someone that's a big asshole.

...That somehow sounds even more dumb.]

You find the One Piece!

[ the declaration comes with a bright grin — and then some additional explanations, because for once, luffy gets that he might have to say something else than just that. after all, people here don't seem to have heard of it, or know what it means. ]

It's the treasure that was left on the last island of Grand Line, the treasure that belonged to the first Pirate King. Whoever finds the way to that island, sails there and finds the treasure... [ he trails off, dipping his head as his hat casts a shadow over his eyes, though the smile still lingers — if he hasn't seemed terribly serious until now, that's changed. he may be grinning, but there's an edge, there, one that speaks to just how far he's willing to go for this dream of his. ]

That's what I'm gonna do!

[Right, okay. Well, guess that's simple enough. It's like finding the legendary treasure that no one else has been able to. That's definitely better than raiding a bunch of towns or some crap, so Scott just goes along with it. Honestly, it sounds kind of fun, going out in the ocean, exploring the world with your friends as you try to find this hidden treasure.

Although... it actually seems more like just fun and games to Luffy. It hasn't escaped Scott's notice, the way the other teen's expression shifted ever so slightly. He's really serious about it, huh? Not just a dream, but an actual goal. Well, cool. Seeing that especially Scott isn't going to be a dick about it.

He sends a somewhat cocky grin at Luffy.]

Yeah? Bet you have a massive crew or fleet helping you with that. [Hopefully Luffy has a navigator--] So, I'm talking to the future king of pirates, huh? Pretty cool. I'll mark that off my list.

My crew's the best!! [ he takes a deep breath, and then rattles off, in one go, rapid-fire and excited, ] Zoro's going to be the best swordsman in the world, and Nami's the best navigator, and Usopp's a sharpshooter and he never misses, and Sanji's cooking is incredible, and Chopper's our doctor and he's a reindeer, and Robin's super smart, and Brook's a musician AND a skeleton, and Franky made our ship, and Jinbe finally joined us for good, he's a fishman and our helmsman!!

[ whoa okay he's feeling a bit dizzy now, from not pausing to breathe at all there, give him like, two seconds. and then he just aims his brightest smile at scott, the unique sound of his laughter ringing out around them. ] Yeah, you are! So remember that!

[ and then, tilting his head, ] So what's your dream, Scott?

[There's a lot of thoughts swirling in Scott's mind as Luffy rattles off his crew. He's not sure whether to settle on the fact that there's a reindeer that is also a doctor, a skeleton that is also a musician, or the idea that he only has ten people, including himself, to sail around the world and find a lost treasure.

And yet, he's so confident. Smiling and laughing brightly about this. Geez, when he's like that, it's almost like you can really believe it. And hey, at least Luffy has a big dream and everything. That's more than what Scott can say about himself, even now. So, he keeps smiling.]

Can't imagine a single boring day with your crew.

[It sounds pretty fun.]

Me? I don't really have one, I guess. [Saying it out loud, especially in front of the future pirate king, almost makes him feel lame.] Haven't figured that out yet.

[The aimless high schooler, that's him, before he got his powers and transferred to Xavier's. And... who knows what he's going to do there, maybe just learn more about his optic blasts? Return to society and be a productive member?? That's what the Professor wants.

Or maybe he'll be the leader of the X-Men, as Quentin said about his Scott. He's not sure if he wants that or not.]

[ luffy's laughter follows scott's initial assesment; that's the point of being a pirate, isn't it, to never be bored!

but then, he keeps going, and there's something in the way he speaks the words — i don't really have one — that sounds almost embarrassed, a little lost; and luffy, his eyes sharp, tilts his head and simply looks at scott for a while. ]

You're a good guy, Scott.

[ said like a truth, an inevitability; there is no doubt of it. his intuition is never wrong about people. the way he fixes his eyes on scott has its own magnetic field, a gravity that defies all laws of physics, before his expression breaks into a grin once more and he declares, ]

You should join my crew!

[If he thought before that Luffy had a certain charisma that drew people in, it's nothing compared to the feeling now. He nearly stops to look at the older teen and sure, he's heard people say that about him before (mostly in this world), but there really is some weight, something that makes it hard to fully protest against him. Not that he was fully going to in the first place, but the impact of his words are really hitting him.

Maybe he shouldn't feel this way, take his compliment to heart so much, but it's happening anyway. Scott really doesn't know what to say.

And then all of that disappears when Luffy asks him to join his crew. What.]

Huh? [He looks so baffled, mouth parting slightly as he really stops to stare at the pirate.] Dude, I'm not even from your world!

[He's pretty sure at least.]

[ luffy, in turn, laughs, and laughs, and laughs.

and then, turning on his feet in a somehow graceful spin, arms crossing behind his head as he keeps walking backwards, taking some seemingly random steps to the side every now and then to avoid smacking into other people on the street, despite not being able to see them, he asks: ]

Yeah? [ it has the distinct air of so what? ]

What's that got to do with anything?

[NOW HE'S JUST LAUGHING.....

Scott just helplessly follows. A part of him wants to tell Luffy to watch where he's going, but he seems to be handling it. Not to mention he's a little distracted with the whole conversation about how he's definitely not joining his crew!]

That means I can't go back to your world and be a pirate! [He thought this was obvious!!

A small part of the mutant wonders if this is how Luffy got people to join his crew. Surely not.]

[ it's more likely than you think, scott. (no, it's worse. it's all around worse.)

even as scott protests, luffy simply stares at him, supremely unconcerned, an unflappable air to him that wraps around him like a cloak; his eyebrows raise just slightly. ]

I already said it: what's that got to do with anything? Are your friends from home not your friends just cause they're not here? Aren't you the same person, here and back home?

[ he shrugs. ] I don't have my crew here, and I'm not sailing with them now, but they're still my crew and I'm still their captain. Why wouldn't it work the other way around?

[He almost falls for it.

Because the way Luffy talks about it sounds so simple, but it makes sense. His friends are still his friends, he's still the same person. Luffy is still the captain even if his crew isn't here with him. All of that is hard to argue-- Scott doesn't want to argue wit that. He's still Scott Summers, just maybe a little more mature compared to the person he was a year ago, but... yeah.

Except as Scott fully processes what Luffy says, he opens his mouth and protests once more.]

Okay, but dude, I can't help you become the pirate king and stuff. Find the One Piece. So uh, being on your crew wouldn't help.

You think my crew's there only to make me the Pirate King?

[ emphatically, he shakes his head. ] We're all journeying together to reach our dreams! Zoro's gonna become the best swordsman, and Nami's gonna draw a map of the world, and Sanji's gonna find the All Blue — [ and he goes on, listing every single member of his crew one by one, along with all their dreams. he speaks of them with warmth, and of their dreams like he is absolutely certain that those will be reached, one day. ]

So if you're my nakama, then that's who you are, no matter what. [ for a moment, he meets scott's eyes, his expression almost uncharacteristically serious.

and then he shrugs. ] But you don't gotta make up excuses! If you don't wanna, then you can just say so.

[Everyone really has big dreams, huh? And it sounds like they all help each other out... that's pretty cool. They really are good friends.

He wonders if having such a huge goal is a requirement to be on Luffy's crew, but that's dumb, because the pirate's asked him to join multiple times now and he knows of Scott's lack of ambition. Maybe his dream is just to make sure he spends as much time as possible here with his friends and help them out before he has to go back home, but that sounds... dumb. He doesn't know.

But that look from Luffy is settling back on him, despite the glasses being a barrier and something in him unfolds and he finds himself opening his mouth once more without thought.]

Sure, I'll join, if you'll have me. [WHY NOT??? Being a pirate sounds kind of cool. Does he get to say 'yarrr' and everything now? Okay, probably not. Still, Scott tries to look more confident again, a smile twitching at the corner of his mouth.] Do I call you captain now?

TEST DRIVE MEME #8

sidequests;

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