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

[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.)]

Stop saying 'date!' If you keep saying it, people are going to hear it and think things anyway!

[ Someone is being unreasonably loud. Who has an inside voice? Not Oguri.

He huffs and puffs a few times. It is because doing things like this ... it also helps to take Ranpo's mind off things. He fills his mouth full of air yet again and looks away.

And when they are seated, he is somewhat curious why it is in a secluded place with a candle. He blinks a few times as he looks around as to where they are. Pinching his chin, he starts to formulate a thought and then immediately crushes it.

Denial has yet to let him down and he is going to deny what the people of the establishment must be thinking. ]

All right, what are you having?!

[You know how restaurants will have certain things on their menu that don't really fit with their aesthetic, but are pretty much there for people who have to bring their kids with them?]

Their chicken and fries are really good here! I'll probably get that.

[Turns out that menu item is also meant for hungry Ranpos. Naturally, the rest of the menu is of a fancier fair, including streak and lobster... well, Prismatica's version of a lobster at least. Why is it purple??]

You're getting chicken and fries...

[ Oguri feels offended for the restaurant's sake.

He looks over the menu as he decides that he definitely will have a lobster -- even if it is purple, it probably will be fine. Space lobster with some equally fancy sauce. Be warned, he probably will start crying over being able to eat actually nice food after so long. ]

You should branch out and get something else. Like, at least, wine. [ Ugh, what wine goes good with fries... ]

Huh... you know, I actually haven't tried wine before.

[Blasphemy, clearly.]

But beer would probably go better with fried chicken, right?

[Not that either of them should be drinking, honestly.]

How could you not have tried wine?

[ This is blasphemy. ]

If you haven't tried wine, then you should have wine instead.

[ Otherwise when else can he bully Ranpo into drinking wine with him? Probably many times in the future, but he's acting like this is a one time thing, because that is how he lives his dramatic life. ]

Hmm, I guess I can do that. But you have to pick it out! If it's gross, I'm making you drink it all instead.

[Since he's paying for it and look, he knows wine can be pricey.]

[Which means Oguri better be ready to drink a whole bottle of wine himself, because there's no way Ranpo is going to like it.]

Pick it out, huh?

[ He tosses his head back as he looks through the options of wine. Oguri feels like he will definitely choose the best wine for Ranpo to try out. ]

Let's see... white wines are usually dry. So, we should go for a simple red wine. It goes well with all meats and enhances the flavor of one's meal. [ Sticking his chest out, he feels very confident with his selection. ]

...I'll take your word for it.

[But! After ordering their food, eventually they come around and bring their bottle of wine, pouring their glasses for them -- fancy, fancy.]

[And Ranpo, inspecting it for a few seconds, goes for the taste--]

[MAKES]

[A FACE]

[And then pushes his wine glass to the other side of the table -- there, enjoy ur chance at an indirect kiss.]

How do people drink that...

[ Huh. ]

Don't waste it!

[ He takes the wine glass to put it next to his own. ]

This is the sort of drink that a person should have at these sort of restaurants. They're able to add depth to one's meal and enhance the flavors as soon as you bite in. [ He said the last part earlier, but he's reiterating it! ]

They drink it in order to enjoy the meal and time had eating!

Yeah, well there's no way I could enjoy my time eating while drinking that! It tastes rotten!

[Or fermented, you know, same dif.]

But if you don't want to waste it, then you better drink it all.

[And thus, the time has come for Oguri to get white-girl wasted on wine.]

It's not rotten! It's refined!

[ Huff, huff!! ]

Fine, fine, I will. Someone needs to show their appreciation to good wine.

[ It is time for Oguri to get white-girl wasted on wine!! ]

[Meanwhile Ranpo is going to continue being the Classiest in this fine establishment and order himself a beer.]

Anyway-- how much have you figured out about this place? You know about Chroma at least, right?

[Will it become an on-going tradition for Ranpo to give the Chroma Talk to awkward castmates??]

▶ TDM .010

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