prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .010

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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 accidentally swallow the worm at the bottom of my tequila? — 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.

▶ I Heat Up, I Can’t Cool Down
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 After settling into your apartment, you notice a shiny silver indestructible mechanoid cube with a pair of tiny stag horns attached to it. The card attached says that it’s a gift from the Lunatian government. One touch of the cube makes it hover in place, light up brightly, and play the classic hit Last Firalia by Blam! on repeat. By the 7th listen, you get hot under your collar, beads of sweat forming on your temples and rolling down your neck, and your breath grows labored. By the 17th listen, you’re all but ready to burst into flames — a stark contrast to the plummeting temperature outdoors.

A bit of vigorous moonlacing should keep you from growing too hot and bothered indoors. Or you could simply decide to chuck the cube out the window and let it be someone else’s problem. That won't really stop it, though. The music only stops once the cube picks up enough Chroma in the atmosphere generated via moonlacing, so go forth, and spread the Firialia lust, love, and cheer!

▶ It’s the Moose Wonderful Time of the Year
City of Lunatia | top

In the city of Lunatia, the streets are emblazoned with beautiful antler decorations, gleaming gold and silver along every walkway. Snowflake holograms appear on shop fronts to announce their annual Firialia sales, and Prismals are all rushing to buy gifts and make preparations for the upcoming holiday.

According to legend, on one incredibly harsh winter, ancient Prismals were downtrodden and on the verge of starvation when the majestic stag king of the forest, Firi, emerged from his humble kingdom to bring them warm clothing, blankets, and gifts for surviving the biting cold. It is said that his spirit remains on the land even after the Calamity, appearing every winter solstice to bless the Prismals for the new year ahead. Every year, Prismals mount festive wreaths on their door, decorated with stag horns in Firi's honor, and exchange gifts to invite the benevolent spirit of Firi into their homes.

A Hanging fake deer antlers is a strong Firialia tradition that has endured for centuries — a success that can be attributed to its magical effects, which often compels two people caught beneath to share a bit of Firialia spirit with one another. One can find these trinkets everywhere, decorating even the most secluded of spaces. The antlers come in three colors:

RED: Causes a dangerous but intense feeling of desire to embrace the person you're with! You will want to roughly pin the closest person to you on a flat surface, passionately kiss, and/or aggressively hold hands.

BLUE: Causes people to want to kiss until they’re out of breath, hands liberally moving across each other’s body, and the errant temptation to go further, but no taking any clothes off in public or the Moon Knights will get you! You’ll simply be eager to tease and kiss beyond the lips and have difficulty feeling sated.

PURPLE: Causes people to want to caress each other's faces affectionately, steal soft kisses, and/or tenderly lace their fingers together. They may also feel compelled to offer up some sweet whispers and compliments!

B To combat the cool weather, Prismals will also be handing out cups of warm chocolate moose mousse. This light and creamy dessert is prepared in enchanted moose-shaped cups with a pair of festive graham cookie antlers poking out of it. Prismal traditions include taking a bite and passing it to your neighbor, enabling you to get a glimpse of one another’s Firialia wishlists left unspoken. Fancy a new fishing rod this holiday? Or perhaps that saucy leather subligar you’ve been eyeing since your arrival? The words and images that make up your list appear before whoever eats your mousse, so who knows? Maybe you might get it this Firilia...

▶ Are You Not Entertained?
Level 1, PrismaPlace | top

After the long wait and preparations, the League Match Action Online (LmaO) preliminary qualification rounds are now underway at the gaming hub in PrismaPlace in Level 1, as the city will be hosting the LmaO Grand Championship next month. Moonblessed old and new are welcome to take the game for a test drive and participate!

The award-winning VR MOBA boasts amazingly seamless first-person view graphics and a real-time combat mode almost as authentic as real life and guaranteed to wow and amaze. Players can explore and immerse themselves in the fantasy world of LmaO, where they can create their own avatars and either fight with or against players from Lunatia and the Kingdom of Lyestellus for glory and loot!

In co-op mode, you will be battling a selection of huge beasts chosen at random. The most notorious among them is Ogma the Dread Ogre, who has high defense and pesky unavoidable attacks. PVP mode pits you against other players, and getting KO’d three times in a row or having your base captured is a loss for you and your team. Fun mode featuring mini-games such as virtual basketball, rhythm step action, beat sword, and many more. Winning any of these modes nets you loads of in-game gold that can be used to buy aesthetic skins, cute in-game pets, fun game emotes, furniture for your in-game house, or weapon and skill upgrades to make you stronger for the next round!

Event emcees will be recruiting anyone passing by for the preliminaries and showing them into fully-equipped private rooms for teams of two to eight players. Each player will be given virtual headsets and tight suits for immersion and communication. Prismal players may be recruited with Moonblessed teams if necessary.

A The scenario for the preliminaries is a majestic coliseum filled with gladiators of all ages and species. In LmaO, weapon choices are currently limited to any melee and ranged weapons you'd find in an ambitious fantasy RPG setting (read: you can find dual swords and grimoires but also gunblades), including an elemental magic system of water, fire, wind, earth, dark and light. Choose your weapon and, with your team, fight for the top spot!

As you begin to battle, you notice that the more you get hit, the more your physical body shows visceral reactions to the attacks. Outside of the game, you lose balance. Bruises appear out of nowhere and mar on your skin. You earn minor abrasions and bleed. It’s possible to feel the sweat or saliva of other players or bots, the sensation of their virtual hands grappling you, or their teeth sinking into your shoulder as they bite. It's a new, tantalizing world of virtual stimulation.

B For those of you more interested in the glamour aspects of LmaO, you are welcome to compete against other players in either the in-game or a real glam-a-thon. Festive LmaO cosplayers will be scattered around the venue, dressed in colorful costumes of characters from the game, such as the ridiculously cool cyborg Kenji and the flirty immortal fox mage Yeri. As for the in-game contestants, they are located on a bright sparkling stage. Large monitors at PrismaPlace can be seen livestreaming everything.

Some of the many competitors are dressed in colorful gear, including stylish himations, risque chitons, and a bevy of glittery, neon gladiator sandals. Challenge other players to a fashion walk-off on the raised catwalk. Score high enough on either contests, and you will win an ultra-rare Firialia plump moose mount in-game. You are welcome to invite others on a scenic moose ride after as the plump moose very slowly waddles across the virtual snowfields and exhibits its adorable built-in feature where it decides to take a nap every few minutes.

▶ 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[This place really did have a way of catching him off-guard in ways he's never had to deal with before. Things like magic, moons that made everyone ~~horny~~ crazy, and people spontaneously appearing from alternate universes or timelines... there was no logic to any of it. As much as he liked to think himself capable of handling anything, that just wasn't true anymore.]

[Likewise, nothing could have possibly prepared him for who he sees standing just a few feet from an open doorway in the apartment across from his.]

[It really shouldn't be too shocking at this point. After all, he's here. Kunikida is here. Yosano is here. Despite whatever fate they're sure to meet back home, if they haven't already, they're here. So theoretically, anyone from any time could be brought here.]

[Even those who should be dead.]

...Mushitarou-kun?

Ranpo...

[ He is more than a little surprised to see him. No, he is absolutely surprised to see him. Why is it the first person that he sees in his new life on a new planet someone that he already knows?

Yet somehow, he doesn't feel upset about seeing him. Why's that? Shouldn't he be demanding to have the manuscript back so that Ranpo can no longer use it? Etc. Etc. What is this sort of feeling that he has. ]

Hi.

[Okay.]

[He must be a new arrival, perhaps just moved in. There's no way they wouldn't have noticed each other before now. He clearly knows Ranpo, and looks shell-shocked enough that he must be from the last point time he knows he could be from. But they never did a recover a body, so he could be from--]

[He needs to stop thinking and talk.]

Hi. [Awkward? Maybe a little.] Small new world, huh... looks like we're neighbors now! You must have just arrived, right?

I did.

[ Awkward, awkward.

He thinks of what he wants to say and stumbles over actually saying it. Actually, shouldn't he be saying something more like himself? Yes, he should.

So he straightens his posture and brushes his hand through his hair. He even tosses his head back and lets out a laugh. ]

Why must I be neighbors with you? Exactly how is that fair? What's this, you're going to keep extorting my good will even here? [ Yes, he recognizes the feeling that he has. It's being relieved and happy to see Ranpo. What an awful joke is that! ]

[Oh cool, are they both gonna be tsundere about their feelings?? Ranpo's down.]

Well, I wouldn't say it's my first choice, either... [But for entirely moonblessing-related reasons. It's hard enough dancing around Yosano.]

But what "good will" are you talking about? I already burned the manuscript.

[Casually removes whatever source of blackmail the ADA was counting on for Oguri's help ~~that they totally shouldn't have had while Ranpo is MIA unless he warned them about potentially meeting a dead man before all of this ever happened because that's a plothole gdit Asagiri~~.]

[ Being tsundere about feelings is the only way to be about feelings!! ]

... are you kidding me right now, Ranpo?

[ He reaches out to grab onto the lapels of the other man's shirt to give him a shake! ] You actually burned it! You burned the only chip you had to get me to cooperate with you!? Are you insane?!

[ His ability is one that would be more than a boon for anyone, and Ranpo just gave up the means to control him?! Oguri is casually forgetting that the manuscript was used to get him to help out earlier, but whatever!! He's going to call this person a fool to his face! ]

[LITERALLY SHOOK]

[But-- hold on, what?]

[All it takes is a few words. That's all it ever takes, the glasses just needless showmanship when it comes to his deductive "ability". Extorting his good will? Cooperating? The level of anger on his face right now, the curious way he greeted Ranpo--]

[He doesn't know what it all means yet. But he has a pretty good idea.]

[He reaches up and sets a hand on top of one of Oguri's wrists.]

...you actually helped everyone?

[In a manner of speaking, because it sounds like he was blackmailed into it. How did they figure out he was alive? Surely someone remembered the report he wrote up about the incident.]

[But even so, he smiles -- although there's a certain sense of melancholy to it.]

Thank you.

[ His eyes widen a little when Ranpo places his hand on his wrist. ]

Ah.

[ It settles him down from yelling at him more. Especially since he doesn't know what to do about that sad smile that he gives him. That isn't like him at all. Shouldn't he be smiling much more triumphantly?

He puffs air into the side of his mouth so that his cheek fills up like a chipmunk's. ]

It was no big deal.

[The sad smile lingers for only a few moments, and then it's gone.]

Well, considering you probably didn't have much choice otherwise, I guess not.

[PATS HIM ON THE SHOULDER]

So, who was it? I bet it was Kyouka-chan, right? I hope she didn't rough you up too much!

Hmph!

[ He takes his hands off of the lapels and crosses his arms. Finishing off his pose, he closes his eyes eyes and tips his head up.

Oguri only opens his eyes when the hand comes to pat him on his shoulder. ]

It was. That little terror! She didn't rough me up, but she did brandish her sword at me too many times! And completely unwarranted! [ It was all very warranted. ]

Uh-huh.

[He doesn't have to be a master detective to know it must have all been 100% warranted.]

Say-- I was just about to go out to lunch. You're probably flat-broke, right? Come with me and I'll treat you! Eating alone is boring.

[He's totally going to grab his arm and start dragging him off anyway, yolo.]

Ack!

[ He flails his arms uselessly. Could he actually get away? Yes. Does he actually try to get away? No. He does make a show about it all the same.

But when it "seems like he can't get away," he makes a different fuss. ]

What's that about?! You think that after all that you can appease me with a meal?! I demand a meal for an entire year! At a fancy restaurant! That serves its food on real china. Wait, does this place even have china?! Well, whatever is the most expensive! My palate can't handle anything less!

Yep.

[VERY QUICK ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION]

But sure, sure, we can go somewhere fancy! But you know, if we do that, someone's gonna think we're on a date.

[...so clearly, fast food is okay, right??]

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

What a dilemma. He wants fancy food but people will think he's on a date. Fancy food or what strangers think about him in a strange world?

He thinks about the kind of meals that he has had to endure. ]

Well. We know it isn't true. So, a fancy place is fine.

[ALAS... well. It's not like he can't afford it, but considering just how most moonblessed make their money here, he'd rather not let Oguri ponder why Ranpo can easily afford a fancy dinner without breaking a sweat.]

All right, I know a good place not too far away, then.

[...]

[He's totally still dragging him by the arm, but look-- it wasn't quite handholding, but moonlacing made just about any contact feel nice. Oguri could probably use the Chroma it generates, too.]

How've you been settling in, anyway? This place is pretty different from back home, after all.

Good, good.

[ He nods his head in an arrogant way. Like a boss would when pleased with a subordinate .... despite the fact that he is the person being dragged along.

Also, it feels nice to have their arms linked as they are. Why is that? Oh, right, the Prismals mentioned something about moonlacing? So this is it? Huh. ]

It is. But it could easily become like home, again... [ Which is to say!!! ] Don't tell anyone about my ability.

I don't exactly make a habit of going around telling other people about other people's abilities, so you don't have to worry about that.

[He just like to flaunt in their faces that He Knows Things, but actually telling people these things is a hassle.]

And in any case, it might not even work right now. Supernatural abilities need chroma to function -- if you tried using it now, it'd either do nothing, or make you pass out.

Then ... I don't have it?

[ Does he sound happy about it? A little bit. Actually, a lot.

There is no more reason for people to use him and he can actually live here. ]

[ Without Yokomizo?

No, this city is huge and vast. Yokomizo might be somewhere in this city. He might be somewhere telling poor Prismals and Moonblessed about mysteries. So, the two of them are actually free to live outside.

He pauses in these happy thoughts to finally frown at Ranpo. ]

And I thought I told you not to take any job. Why didn't your people listen to me? [ His way of saying that he's happy that Ranpo is mostly safe, but what the hell, man? ]

[There's a lot to be read into that first statement. The joy there is palpable -- and all things considered, he has a good idea as to why that is. Not all special abilities were gifts -- he's seen that firsthand.]

[But before he has a chance to reply to that, Oguri continues-- and he might as well have slapped Ranpo across the face for the look it inspires.]

[It was all his fault, after all.]

[He couldn't protect them.]

[But he'll try his best to hide it, even knowing it's futile. Oguri was smart, after all. Much like with Poe, he needed to try harder if he wanted to keep his mental state a secret from them.]

[But this can hardly be called trying. He turns and throws on a smile as he starts to walk just a bit faster towards their destination.]

Ahh... well, it doesn't really help much to say I tried, does it? I guess I'm not the master detective I thought I was-- ah, this is the place, by the way!

[Those words taste bitter on his tongue -- things he hasn't wanted to admit, things that are so unlike him. But truly, what else can he say? Even a month after receiving Oguri's warning, he had no idea what it meant. And despite his own concerns, he still couldn't figure things out fast enough to protect them.]

[He should have tried harder.]

[ Of course, he notices an expression like that. It isn't like he can ignore it. His mouth shuts immediately as he tries to think of something to say to Ranpo.

From what little he heard, it doesn't sound like the ADA are doing well (to put it extremely lightly). Oguri presses his lips together as he tries to think of something better to say.

Something comforting, even.

When he finally opens his mouth, they've made it to their destination. ]

It --

[ Oguri wants to say more but they're going to be in public now. Should he round back to the conversation. No, probably not. It seems like ... no, it seems like it's something that he should talk about privately with him.

Putting a pin in it, he decides that this time that he'll offer some lifeline to Ranpo. Like the detective did for him in offering him a place in the ADA back then.

Clearing his throat, he lifts his chin up and tries to cheer the man up another way. ]

This place seems almost too fancy for someone like you. Why don't you dress more like me and you'll fit in places more? [ Ha... ha... ha. ]

[He sees it for what it is, and he takes it. Somehow, it stings a little to know he must look so bad that he's in need of comfort. But then, it's not like Ranpo is completely blind to his own behavior as of late. In a weird way. maybe being forced to confront everything that happened could be for the better?]

[But for now, he'll gladly try and shift the conversation, no matter how obvious the attempt looks.]

...if I dressed fancy, then they'd really think this was a date.

[(Spoilers: They're gonna think it's a date anyway and put them at a nice, secluded table and even light a candle.)]

A!! and YELLS LOUDLY OGURIIIII

HI HIII!!

Also A+ username omg

THANK YOU THANK YOU

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