prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .009

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You awaken amidst the darkness with only a faint light to greet you. Your body is hemmed in by shards of crystals, gently sparkling and possibly pricking your skin. The surrounding landscape is dyed in the pinks and purples of the dusk filled with crystals protruding from the ground, some as large as a skyscraper. Even the few shy moon creatures you find in the wild have strange crystal growths on their hides. This is far from home— perhaps a dream? You pinch your skin and slap your cheeks, yet nothing seems to do the trick. Searching for answers yields nothing but an endless expanse of purple dust as far as the eye can see. You have four options: one, panic; two, soil yourself; three, admire it all then soil yourself; or four, go into survival mode. Eventually, you’ll realize that you’re not alone.

After a day or two of living off the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. After the strange phenomenon during the past months when scientists observed the sudden appearance of rainbow crystals in the sky, the government has been feverishly combing through the moon for more Moonblessed to be rescued. You’ll eventually be brought into Iris’s moon government center.

You all may have your usual inquiries — Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? Why did I inhale all those permanent markers in the third grade? — and the Prismals are almost too eager to answer. They tell you about their world and about the first appearance of the Moonblessed as the medical staff give you an examination to make sure you’re not carrying any viruses or biological hazards. If you react violently, you may be restrained and nerfed with a specialized neurotransmitting gun that releases a numbing agent through the top of your spine. Once the examinations are over, you’re informed that you will be provided accommodations on their planet during your stay.

While waiting for transport to be prepared, you may freely roam around the government center. Eventually you’re called back from exploring, escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the moons and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals. The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ Whip It Good
Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Planet Prismatica, City of Lunatia | top

Welcome to Prismatica’s hub, Lunatia, the city of your dreams! A bustling metropolis lush with bright lights, vibrant colors, luxuriant plant life, and all the conveniences of technology absent from your own world… It seems like paradise to all the uninitiated. After a quick tour of the city, new arrivals can find themselves getting cozy in their new homes.

A Settle in your new home at Level 2 to find new roommates and say hello to your neighbors! City officials will give you directions to the designated districts across Level 2 and instruct you to pick out a unit. Each apartment complex has a different aesthetic, some may look cozy, some stylish, and some bizarre. The free accommodations have a basic living space that can only fit two or three people at most in one unit.

Starter Chromaspace furnishings are provided which can be controlled with the touch of a built-in panel. Examples are color-changing curtains, transforming sofa beds, cabinets turning into tables, etc. Customizing your apartment or moving out will have to wait until you earn more chroma. Until then, why don’t you check out your new neighborhood or explore the city levels? Maybe your new roommates or neighbors can give you a “hand” with allowance for dinner.

B At the Crystarium Moonports is a new family restaurant called Grapplebears, here to serve your favorite dishes from all around the galaxy at affordable prices! The menu ranges from the atomically hot and spicy Chamakshalan curry rice, delectable dragonsaur steak served with mashed space-tatoes, to the sweet and creamy Lunatian milkshakes that bring all the boys to the yard, all prepared by their handsome and huggable bear crew.

As you might have noticed, the restaurant staff is a ragtag group with members from planets unknown to both Prismals and Moonblessed. The waiters and waitresses in particular are tall, muscular, leather-clad bears who take your order by whipping you with a special riding crop that compels you to bark out your order — but only if you ask to be, of course! They might induce you to reveal other unrelated interests so make sure you’re not thinking about anything embarrassing!

If you chat up the staff or customers, you learn more about the restaurant’s origins. The bears say their planets* were also wiped by the Calamity hundreds of years ago, and life for them has been difficult for them since then…

*Further information about these planets is unavailable at this time.

▶ Night of the Living Dummy
City of Lunatia | top

The last vestiges of Geistnacht have officially passed and the first chilly autumn breeze ushers in the new season. The city is awash in giant piles of browning leaves that decorate every walkway.

A To deal with the mass collection of fallen leaves, many buildings across the city have been retrofitted with a new disposal system to help clean up. A sprawling network of automated vacuum tubes around the city will efficiently suck all those pesky leaves right up. While children love playing inside and using them to “teleport” around Lunatia, they have also been known to spontaneously suck up anyone who’s not too careful. You may find yourself falling on some hapless bystander on their afternoon walk, or crammed in a tube with your new neighbors. Lunar Scientia officials warn everyone to be careful of where you walk, else you might need to crawl your way to sweet freedom.

B A pop-up shop in Level 1 is attracting much of the locals' attention, run by a peddler who speaks in a low, elongated hiss and wears a hood over his face. He assures you that his face is of no consequence. What is more important is his selection of wares! In contrast to his cloaked, enigmatic appearance, his travel cart is a Barbie pink explosion of frills, hearts, glitter. He will tell all visitors he comes from the Valley of the Crimson Serpents, which Prismals and older Moonblessed arrivals find odd. Wasn’t the Sanguis moon uninhabitable?

Among the peddler’s wares are adorable, wide-eyed and heavily perfumed dolls in all sorts of clothes a child dreaming of rainbows and tea parties could ever ask for. Hug and squeeze a doll, and you will be greeted by a pre-recorded voice telling you how they’re your bestest friend ever. It’s like they were made for lovin’ you! But if you look away for one moment, you can almost swear you hear a snake’s hiss, its long tongue licking the shell of your ear… The next time you see the doll, its body will be in a slightly different position or location. Is it… following you? Fortunately, a minimal amount of moonlacing will make it leave you alone. You can wait it out too, but why would you?

Destroy a doll and it will later reappear wherever you are when you least expect it, good as new, but leaking from their porcelain heads is a strange pink, glitter-covered liquid. The peddler calls it the “love juice” giving the doll an extra dose of affection for you.

▶ Bird is the Word
Level 2, Greatmoon Groves | top

As autumn paints Lunatia with its golden hues, pumpkin decorations and desserts are now in vogue. This is thanks to Chroma-infused pumpkin seeds, which allow them to rapidly grow in all sorts of sizes, shapes, and colors. The Moonblessed are invited to visit one of the largest pumpkin patches in the city housed within the Greatmoon Groves, where they can enjoy the sight of oversized, colorful neon and sparkling semi-phallic pumpkins, expertly carved to greet you with their buck-toothed smiles.

A The pumpkin patch is full of toddler-sized creatures called hugbugs. When they are not tending to the pumpkins, they follow the Moonblessed around, requesting hugs and treats in exchange for their obedience.

Reward them and they will do simple errands for you and give you compliments. They will also be your personal hype men, talking up your strengths, talents, and physical assets to all those special someones you’re trying to impress. Once you earn their trust, they will be your friends for life!

Ignore them, hurt them, or bully them, and they will cry and place a curse upon you, reducing your self-esteem to nothing and magically forcing you to cry along with them. The effects of the curse may last for up to a week if you’re not careful! But how could you do such a thing? The hugbugs are sensitive and want somebody to love.

B If you manage to survive your encounter with the hugbugs, you are welcome to join in on the Prismal knitting group and enjoy creating your own fanciful scarf made of Galadrian thread, which is known for its bright, golden sheen and aromatic properties. Give it to a friend or wear it yourself, and you will notice a strange ability to attract animals and insects of all kinds. Live out your Disney Princess fantasy! Or a Hitchcockian nightmare. It’s all a matter of perspective as a whole flock of honking birds comes bounding towards you.

▶ Questions
If you have any questions regarding this test drive meme, please ask them in the Questions thread below.

▶ As a reminder, test drive memes are for new characters only. However, current players are more than welcome to use these prompts for their own posts in the IC communities, personal inboxes, catch-all posts, etc.!
▶ As our test drive memes are game canon, feel free to keep any threads that happen here as canon for your character should they be accepted.

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[After helping him up, she nods her head, seeming relatively unfazed from the fall. Then again, she's made of metal, and poor Sun is not.]

I'm perfectly fine! It's gonna take a lot more than one fall to get me down! [She bounces on her feet a little.] Are you alright?

Wasn't expecting you to streak by. [Surprise there, yes, keeping that box held flat because he' just made a quick food run, one of those trips between getting off the job and- well.

Reyes in the flesh, hoodie pulled up and all.]

Several months at least, long enough to know my way around. Look like you've seen a ghost, Oxton. You doing alright?

[Surprise, genuine concern in that tone, faint but that was just... Reyes.]

A lot of the outfits I saw others wearing. I kept thinking to myself 'I bet Kiyomitsu would find this cute'... oh! And some of the buildings are really bright and colorful. I thought those were fun too!

[Getting sucked into a tube by fault of some kid who happened to grab him as he passed him on the street is not something he thought would ever happen to him. He struggled, grunted, kicked, and pushed at the tube wrapped around him before looking up at Taichi with a furious gaze.]

You-!...You-!

[He seemed to be intentionally stopping himself, or maybe he's not and he's just that angry, but words seemed to be failing him.]

How old are you?!?!

[Wow. That actually works.

Siebren finally offers a smile, mildly pleased with himself and being sure to thank Angela later on as he offers a hand.]

Far much calmer than home, despite everything. We haven't met in person, I believe, but I remember the posters and news segments. I'm Dr. Siebren de Kuiper. I... may need a refresher on your name.

( a hug isn't a squish, and leaks is wondering how distressed it might be? or perhaps it's enjoying the somewhat rough treatment, given that they seem to be pretty brainless to begin with? his own is tucked somewhere in his robes, enjoying the constant hugging it gets from being smothered against his tight, black clothes. )

Idiot. ( he sighs, raising two fingers up to the bridge of his nose so he could give it a gentle massage. ) Do they look like something you should be putting in your mouth?

( clenching his jaw, leaks pushes right into rokurou's personal space. )

What if I wanted to eat you? How would that make you feel?

( frankly leaks is only sympathetic because they're a lot stronger than they look. )

You say a lot, but very little at the same time. ( he takes a moment to think, before bumping his forehead against keigo's. ) You should gather your thoughts before you open your mouth.

( and then he huffs lightly. he's not looking to exhale in keigo's face, that's rude as heck. )

Who knows what might happen if you keep letting your lips part like that? Someone could snatch your tongue and take it with them.

( leaks blinks languidly before taking a few steps back and sighs. )

So. Tell me who, or I will make you talk.

[Videl really has no idea how this happened. Well, no, that's a lie, she knows the physics of what happened just fine. She just can't believe she wasn't able to escape it before being sucked up with some guy that she had never met before.

Really, the only benefit to this situation was that they were close enough that there was no way that they weren't producing Chroma. Which meant that she wasn't going to have to worry about any power drain if she tried something to get them out of here. But she needed to figure out what to do. Blowing up the tube was probably more trouble than it was worth. ]

Well, I could get out of here by myself without a problem... But yeah, we'll get out of here. I just need to figure out how to do it.

It's no problem, really.

[ She usually isn't the type to help out random strangers, but now she can't help but be curious as to who this is and how they know her other counterpart. If they know much about them, in fact.

Her gaze shifts to the ends of her kimono for a flicker of a second before back up to Sakura's face. ]

And the kimono's alright, I assume?

[he won't speak to distract him, that it will get easier with practice. Better to let Yasusada get the practice, first. He watches carefully, sipping his tea in part to hide his smile at the way the other is counting to the end of the row. Lowering his cup again]

How do they feel now, the stitches?

( this... doesn’t make any sense to asato. his world is in black and white, so there are only three types of people in this world: people to keep close to, people to generally avoid, and enemies he should kill. such a strict mentality was perhaps built up as a defense mechanism, something which would allow him to do what he was asked by the elder of kira without any lingering doubts or guilt. but it did not allow for much gray area. he hadn't been challenged so much in this, except perhaps by konoe, who he had been sent to kill before the strength seen in his eyes had stayed him. but certainly konoe is an exception to almost anything, everything. otherwise, asato expects his view to remain true, allowing him to trust his initial gut instinct and never budge from it.

if all this were true, this stranger would be trying to attack him again right now. but he isn't. or, at least, not in the same, aggressive way. it's not as though he doesn't pick up on any maliciousness, but it's cast in a playful way, hiding behind smiling masks and leading words. his tone causes asato to bristle. he is no wild animal; he does not necessarily attack without provocation, and if cain had tried to do what he had done the first time they met, he would have had basically no choice but to try and kill him.

but with him so close now, his motivation and intent obfuscated... it just makes asato anxious. )

Not yet. ( he does not trust him. he angles slightly away from him, instinctually wanting to reduce himself as a target. he does not deign give the question a verbal answer; there is just the twitching of his lips into a half-snarl, the confusion in his blue eyes crystallizing for just one moment into the slightly more familiar loathing.

he continues forward, closer, and asato would have wanted to step back to continue to maintain distance. but to do so would have him backing into someone walking around them. he isn't sure what he expects. nothing good. and reaching out to get a hold of the hem of his vest doesn't seem good. asato tries once again to back away, this time having the room but (assumedly) not the permission. his jaw sets; he reaches out to lock a hand over cain's wrist. his grip is tight -- the cat is strong -- and he tries to wordlessly wrench his grasp of his shirt free. )

[ what was happening right now?! keigo couldn't get a read on this guy, which was pretty rare for him. he didn't know what to make of his behavior, much less when he actually bumped his forehead like that. it was almost weirdly ... familiar and affectionate for a stranger to be doing.

his words put him on the spot, too. he really hadn't been looking for anyone, so being asked to prove it was not something he rehearsed an answer for. with this mysterious man taking a step back from him, keigo looked around, as if he was expecting to be pranked or have his reaction recorded.

when nothing of that sort appeared to be the case, keigo reached up and rubbed at his neck in his usual sheepish way, offering yet another laugh before speaking: ]

...O-okay, okay...! You don't needa do anything drastic! [ somehow this guy gave off a "drastic" vibe. ] I... wasn't lookin' for anyone in particular... I was just seein' who moved in!

I don't mind humoring a woman but if her personality is distasteful then..

( there's no reason to continue playing around with them, it's an actual shame however, considering she could have been someone he could talk to in order to pass the time. there's a pause in his actions, holding his breath as he bites down on his tongue to remind himself that incantations will only lead to a mouth filled with metal. even though her nose raises high above caster, he can't help but feel a slither of pity at her words. does she not respect herself? his brow raises in curiosity while looking off to the side to stare at the walls, contemplating if he should just leave. )

First you speak so bold and now you cower down beneath your husband, I feel bad for whoever took you into their embrace. ( will he come to regret these words, possibly, it's more than likely but how else was he to reply to her statements. it doesn't seem like it was out of self-loathing and more to the point of respect, either way, caster doesn't care too much. yes, if he didn't care, he wouldn't have made his comment on how she might have been belittling herself, there's no need to think one doesn't matter as highly as the other in the relationship. of course, the way she speaks on the matter of him hiding doesn't make him want to remove it, only keeping it in place just in case something may happen. he's been called a coward, he's showed his feared when it calls for it — casters have to be smart or he'll wind up dead. )

You say you know your own but what do you know of me other than I'm the one who caught you from plummeting to the earth. ( he grumbles, rubbing at his cheek still despite the pain having already washed away. he's trying to calm himself down to get another look at the female, trying to understand what it is that she's speaking of. there is something different about her, slightly familiar and yet part of him doesn't want to accept it. )

I'm glad you understand that this body can withstand quite a bit but why should I remove my magic for the beastly woman that wanted to break my neck not too long ago! ( he's sensitive and she's already picked at his pride, he sees no reason to be compliant because what if that just means he'll have another handprint kissed along his cheem but he guesses there's a better way that this can be handled. he taps the end of his his cane against the ground and rocks begin to scrape together, exposing that the wall is settling back into place and the mere illusion drops just like that. he's pouting but he's definitely not angry, it's hard to get that out of him. )

[ it's ok, shang yu, shit happens. kogami has to specially keep out of the range of those damn things, and even then it had been a close shave now and then -- it's really a giant pain in the ass for someone who would very much prefer than his routes not involve him being sucked up and all.

but anyway. digressing. kogami catches the tube's next victim with a grunt, before he's setting him down good and proper. another unfamiliar face, but thankfully, one who seems just as surprised to see him as he is. ]

Looks like it's been happening to many others too.

[ Aqua blinks at the question, having not expected to be stopped by someone. Or for that someone to have a doll in her hands that was... wait, was it bleeding? Well, if that was blood it was weird blood but it was still blood all the same.

... Yeah, she should probably answer the question. Clearly this doll wasn't anything normal and it's no surprise that this woman wants to be rid of it. ]

The beach is probably the best place to do that. Both for if your concern is either damage to the buildings or just not having the Moon Knights trying to stop you.

I'm bang on, Commander. Better now seein' you.

[ Poor Lena wants to give him a hug, but...she's still not sure what or how or when---]

Well, I---you've been gone for a while now, Commander. A long while.

[ She won't say dead, not yet. ]

We miss you, you know. Down at watchpoint.

Sounds like it'll be m ore fun than watching you play around with your sword there.

[ He gives a dumb grin, but unfortunately, if Rokurou lets himself get too distracted, the tube might just start changing its power any minute now. ]

Oi! Look out!

I'm honestly still trying to figure out that part. When I woke up I was in the middle of some woods with not a single person nearby. The others wouldn't have just left without me...

[ Although since people stopped being able to see malakhim back home... they could have left Eizen without realizing it... ]

I see. Well, perhaps we could do look at the shops?

[ That's a question Eren's not quite sure how to answer. The first at least he could answer objectively - they talked, and that was it. But that would downplay just how much it meant to him then, and over time it's only become ever more valuable. He recalls how they tiptoed around topics that they thought might scare the other off, only to end up finding more in common than either had expected.

Really, it's a nice memory. Eren looks like he's having fun just thinking about it, if how amiable Rokurou was making his time here at the bar wasn't enough. Sighing quite fondly, he nods a few times before turning to face Rokurou, who by now was up close and friendly. Eren didn't mind - a friend of his friend was more than welcome in his personal space. ]

I might be. But in my case, I think she prefers "stubborn idiot." [ Shaking his head, Eren takes another sip. ] As for how we met, it's nothing special. There was a festival a few months back - neither of us could enjoy the festivities, so maybe that's why we spent our evening talking instead.

[ Whenever he thinks of her, it felt like his chest would burst. It certainly shows on his face. ]

It was fun. She was the first person I got to know here.

[There's still something watchful in his gaze, tended to be, and for a moment there's something knowing before Reyes shakes is head-]

Mind slowing down enough to have a sit down? Little outside area about a block from here.

Can catch-up and see if you really missed me.

[Dry as the comment definitely sounded, that was just his brand of a light joke. Whatever it was, there was something there he wasn't about to say. All the same his hand did gesture in the direction he meant and

yeah that was a pizza box.]

How long have you been running around anyway?

Maybe it's not the name it doesn't like... [ Maybe it's the guy coming up with them. Breaking eye contact with the hugbug, Eren grimaces. ] ...is that ribbon a part of it?

[ He'd give it a tug himself, but that'd be like trying to touch someone else's pet while they're holding it. Kinda weird, y'know. ]

[ just a few words, and that alone has cain chuckling in response.

it's such a juvenile answer, though he shouldn't have expected anything else considering the way they'd first met. cain doesn't even know his name, though koshechka is acceptable enough to him that he doesn't bother pressing for one and instead lets asato have that grip on his wrist. his arm gives, but there's still so little space between them that cain can push forward and curl his other around asato's neck, fingers digging deep into that dark hair and gently pulling. it's still not as hard as it had been when he'd had him on the ground days ago, but there's a firmness to it that he wants asato to feel, his gaze settling on the other's face with a lot less amusement. he doesn't know what it is about this cat that has him wanting to crush him; he just does. ]

Not yet, [ he mimics, the words soft as he leans close. his breath fans across his mouth. ] I said I'd fuck you, remember?

[ truthfully, if anything, it's said to pull a reaction out of him, to see what he'd do. would he get embarrassed and recoil back? try to break his hand? either way, it would be asato instigating this time, not him, and cain, then, would have more right to retaliate than before. not that anything else would stop him from fighting asato here in the middle of this crowd, but if he doesn't keep cool, he might end up somewhere worse than being able to wander around of his own accord. he's spent enough time in enclosed spaces. so, the challenge is in the tilt of his head, the curve of his mouth. his fingers loosen just a fraction in asato's hair, working up so he can brush his thumb along an ear to feel the difference.

it's soft, just like he imagined a cat's would feel like, and other than that, he doesn't do anything else to shove at him. gentle seems to garner a better response out of him anyway, though he's certain it won't last long considering how much the other must hate him. ]

[. . .

Did he find the single ditiziest magician in the world? Is that what's happened?]

You never looked?

[Holy shit just how tall is this lady?

This...lady with weird ears? Is that a thing here? The weird ears?

Whatever. He gestures to the pipe that spat him out.]

Took offense to my smoking.

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▶ TDM .009

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sometimes you just gotta

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bird is the word!

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HES JUST GETTING HIMSELF IN TROUBLE

YEAH

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