prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .012

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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. After an hour or two of wandering through the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. Because of the strange phenomena 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? — 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. You will then be escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the Iris moon and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals.

The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ I am the Terror That Flaps in the Night
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 Your new flat is covered in a sprinkling of feathers here, there, and everywhere! They appear to be coming through the air vents. This seems to be a city-wide problem in all buildings, as many news outlets are informing people to stay alert. They believe the feathers are from the masked seraphim, King Majestas, who attacked the Elaran Amphitheater a few weeks back.

You are advised to destroy the feathers on sight. Prolonged contact with these feathers cause hallucinations and paranoia. You will feel as if winged creatures are always after you, be it one-winged angels or dark-winged ducks. Other side effects include hearing the chanting of voices in an indecipherable language out of this galaxy. These hallucinations may cause headaches, dizziness, or nausea. Thankfully, a bit of moonlacing will heal these symptoms away.

▶ Got Milk?
Level 2, Crystal Beach | top

With the Coiled Hearts Festival fast approaching, local fishermen have already begun procuring food across Crystal Beach’s clear waters to meet next month’s demands. Around this time of year, the popularity of octopus dishes dramatically rises. The Lunatians have an annual tradition to prepare flavorful octopus dishes for the romantic season, such as the much-lauded dark chocolate-coated octopus or the mouth-watering octopus braised with red wine.

Everyone is welcome to join this heart-throbbing affair. During the Second and Third months, everyone is encouraged to give your loved ones something special for a long, successful relationship. Friends, family, and new acquaintances are traditionally given a small amount of Demichroma in tiny cute cases, while lovers are given something that reminds the gifter of their homeland.

A Interested in catching your own octopus? Horned taurus octopi very frequently migrate to the shorelines to perform their elaborate mating rituals. It’s easy to find clumps of taurus octopi participating in a vigorous dance, filled with undulations and strange moaning noises that octopi should not be making. You can lure the octopi by either using a special flute which mimics their moans to gather them in heavy droves. It’s ideal to have a partner with you to scoop the octopi quickly into water containers once they’ve become entranced enough.

Play the flute carefully! If the taurus octopi grow too excited by your music, they will squirt white ink. If you are spritzed with the thick substance, you will start either randomly puking or uncontrollably secreting a milky sweet substance from any body part that secretes liquids. Luckily, the high-end boutique Prissy Polyp is nearby in case you need a change of clothes due to any sizable stains. Effects will naturally wear off after an hour.

B Come with a friend and enjoy learning some octopus recipes together. The Crystal Beach Resort has opened a seminar where several professional chefs will be demonstrating and teaching how to cook various dishes of different flavors and ingredients guaranteed to impress your date, and taste-testing is free!

One dish makes use of horned taurus octopi skin as the star ingredient, renowned for its irresistibly delectable scent. The chefs explain the palatable skin is a potent ingredient in various love potions and aphrodisiacs, so add or mix them to your dishes in moderation! The effects have a significant delay, so you may feel fine for a while, but when it hits, it hits hard. You will become enamored with every little thing — hey, you just met them and this is crazy — but that person’s smile, the sound of their voice, or the way they say your name will make you unable to resist the urge to shower them with your affection.

▶ Going Viral
Level 2, Moonlight Medical Center | top

“Help Wanted” posters can be found on virtual forums and announcement boards across Level 1 to 3. The Moonlight Medical Center has put out a call for volunteers due to a recent shortage of medical staff. The work involves filling in for overworked nurses, performing tasks such as feeding patients their meals, wiping away their sweat, changing their clothes, encouraging their spirits, and so on. Any volunteers may directly walk-in at the hospital. You will be provided a nurse uniform and any necessary equipment while on the job.

The shortage has resulted from the hospital recently taking in a severe number of patients from a nearby small village to the west of Lunatia, Port Sylvel, a known shipping and freight destination. The number of patients worryingly keeps on rising by the day and will soon fill all available rooms.

A Some of the patients are experiencing varying degrees of paralysis. The worst cases have crystallizing parts of their body. The hospital staff will stress that you should be careful around patients with crystallized limbs. Patients like these have a history of aggressively biting anyone who comes close hard enough to draw blood. Those bitten will exhibit similar symptoms as the victims, including crystallization on their bodies, and experience a steady drop in Chroma. An uncomfortable heaviness will cause you unable to move without the aid of others as well as an uncontrollable urge to aggressively bite someone.

While affected Moonblessed can cure it by moonlacing, the Prismals can only be cured by a gluteal inoculation the Lunar Scientia has recently managed to develop. The sick and beleaguered will probably hate you less if you aren’t the one trying to stabbing them with injections in the hindquarters.

B Aside from nursing duties, other available tasks to be completed include making coffee for fellow nurses and doctors, delivering flowers to patients, and general housekeeping. Specifically, disinfecting medical equipment, tidying up rooms, and cleaning the spaces around the hospital. As a result of the current situation, many crystal shards can be found decorating multiple surfaces, such as floors, walls, toilet seats, and so on. These will have to be swept away!

However, as your work day progresses, some of the shards can be seen suddenly moving on their own. These crawling shards will start clustering together to turn into elaborate, floating monolithic formations that will then begin attacking anyone nearby. Their main ability includes shooting diamond spears to impale any unfortunate victims in their line of sight. In the midst of the chaos, nurses and doctors will beg the Moonblessed to please protect the sick and wounded. The crystal formations can be destroyed by any method, though because of their incredibly sturdy composition, they require multiple hits before they shatter into dust.

▶ 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

[Well, those dumplings are going to go the way of the buns, because Moran just put three of them in mouth at once, and the hamster chewing is back.

But then, there's another flare of that power that feels both a little alien and yet so familiar, and he knows the star sign on his brow is glowing again, and suddenly he grows more serious, actually scooting back just a little as he swallows his last mouthful.]

You... probably shouldn't do that too much.

[ ........have we mentioned feeding Moran has quickly become his new favorite thing? He's currently eyeballing his residence for what else he can turn into food, mulling over what kind of food to make it at that. What do foxes like to eat? Oh, but Moran is not actually a fox— Humans, then...? He has not studied enough about humans and will have to amend that at his earliest opportunity.

As he thinks, he also listens, head tilting inquisitively at that warning. ]

Forgive me, have I overstepped? I did not ask you the nature of your mark— That was presumptuous of me. Naturally, I will not do such a thing again without your consent.

I don't know why it reacts this way to you... maybe because you command the stars. But normally, it only glows when my power activates. And it's best if it doesn't activate too much.

[Just like he explained to Song Lan, visions of the future can be a blessing and curse. They come with no context, with little to explain when they will happen, and there is no telling if having seen anything in advance will be useful at all... but mostly, whenever they are significant, it is rarely because they are good.

Not to mention the whole draining of life force aspect, which he hasn't really mentioned. Although of course he also did just claim to have powers even though he said he was human, so make of that what you wish, Runyu.]

Your powers...? [ Humans do not in fact generally possess powers, least of all tiny babies only 26 years of age. ... wait, no, 26 is actually quite grown for them, isn't it? Mortals age all in an instant, in the blink of an eye. They are born and then they are grown and then they die. Swallowing hard, Runyu absently rubs those soft ears again, the act quickly becoming a nervous habit of sorts, a way to soothe discomforting thoughts. ]

You grow more and more curious to me, little star. What manner of power do you possess?

[In this at least, Runyu is right. Most humans indeed do not have powers, even in Moran's world.

At least he doesn't seem too bothered by Runyu stroking his ears, even if he seems rather more fascinated by them then most Moran has met.]

I am a Star Master of HuangDao. Each of the Star Masters preside over their Zodiac and are granted powers by it. Mine is the Aquarius, and from it I get visions of future events.

What manner of visions? Is there a particular trigger, or a specific nature to your premonitions?

[ Runyu leans in with interest, precognition as a power something rare even among powerful immortals. He's able to do nothing of the sort, and the closest he can think of are the impressions of the future known by the most powerful of their kind, a smattering of prophecies that are known of certain immortal lives, and then the ability to read the stars for omens good and ill. None of that sounds quite like what Moran is getting at, so Runyu's interest is piqued. ]

It is fascinating that our powers would interact this way...

It can be anything. I do not control when they happen, or how often, or what I see. This, the stars get to decide. But as you can imagine, if I am shown anything that has some sort of significance, it rarely end up being a very happy occasion to witness.

[His ability has been useful in staving off some disasters... and rather useless at other times.

He points at his forehead.]

But when it happens, my star symbol will glow. So i wonder if you making it glows might not trigger it somehow, even though I am not able to trigger it myself. And... I'd rather it didn't.

Ah, forgive me. I did not realize. I will exercise caution and restraint in the future.

Still...

[ He trace over Moran's forehead with his fingertips, looking the slightest bit disappointed. ]

I would be fascinated to know if we could evolve your ability somehow to be of more use to you.

[The touch to his forehead makes Moran bite his lip, and at the words he shakes his head, slowly.]

It is of use, and it works well enough for its intended purpose. Using our abilities drains out life force anyway, so it would not be beneficial for me to have activate more than it does.

... Besides, knowing the future in general is not necessarily very useful. Just because you know it doesn't mean you can change it.

[Sure, it has helped in some concrete situations, like predicting army movements, or knowing when it was essential that a person be saved. but Moan has never been able to prevent anything from his visions, and mostly, he doesn't necessarily believe that he should.

And as he has mentioned, he rarely gets to see happy moments. And he has to carry the burden of the knowledge mostly alone.]

People think they want to know their future, Lord Runyu, but the truth is, they don't. And they shouldn't.

...it reminds me of an old fable in the Heavens.

[ Runyu sighs out his breath, settling himself against Moran's side as he gently encourages the mortal to continue to eat. ]

The was an old farmer man, who had a single horse to help with the work on his farm. One day, the horse ran away. 'What terrible luck!' his neighbors cried. To that the farmer answered, 'Maybe so, maybe not. We shall see.'

Several days later, his horse returned with several more horses following behind, to which the neighbors rejoiced, 'Now you have more horses than before! What great fortune!' Again, the farmer said, 'Maybe so, maybe not. We shall see.'

Not long after, his son was thrown trying to ride one of the new horses, breaking his leg. 'What misfortune,' said the neighbors, but of course the farmer only answered with, 'Maybe so, maybe not. We shall see.'

Then came the war, came the draft, and they could not take the farmer's son due to his injury. 'What a blessing!' said the neighbors, but the farmer once again merely answered, 'Maybe so, maybe not. We shall see.'

[ Runyu takes a slow sip of tea, expression mild, gaze distant. It's one of his favorite fables, one which reminds him to have patience and heart and to take nothing for face value. In the Heavenly Realm, there is always a longer game at play. ]

It is unwise to meddle in matters without understanding the larger scope of things. Impressive for a child of but twenty-six to see with such clarity.

[If Moran were not moon-affected, he probably would be in more of a mood to pay attention to the deeper implications of the story, or Runyu's expressions as he recounts it. As it is, his brain mostly files all of it away for further examination at a later time. He will remember that later. But for now...]

Lord Runyu, I am not a child! I have been commanding the army and ruling the country in my nephew's stead for the past ten years!

[Never mind that this means he was sixteen when he started and very much a child. This means that he isn't one now. And as he says this, he stuffs three more dumplings in his mouth, chewing furiously.]

[ Runyu's brow furrows at these numbers, doing the math in his head. Commanding armies and ruling from the age of sixteen... Surely even by mortal standards, that's young...? Perhaps he'll get a second opinion from someone else of this realm, come up with some better advice to offer young Beitang Moran. ]

Forgive me, I meant no offense. You sound quite accomplished. It is difficult for me to grasp how much living your kind is able to fit into the span of a single year.

[ For example, sometimes SOMEONE gets HURT and takes a quick THREE YEAR NAP. ]

I only meant to say you are wiser than many I know who have lived several hundred lifetimes longer than you.

Well... living for thousands of years sounds like it would get rather boring after a little while. Most humans only live around seventy to eighty years.

I don't know if I am wiser... I just do what I have to do, that's all. And recent events have shown me I can be pretty foolish sometimes, so I wouldn't presume to toot my own horn about it.

[His tails are bristling a little, and as the tip of one suddenly moves into his field of vision he bats at it almost on reflex, glaring at it... and then seems to realize what he's just done and stops abruptly, bringing his hand back into his lap almost like a cat who was caught doing something goofy and is now pretending he didn't do it.]

Do you need more Chroma?

Edited 2020-02-20 23:00 (UTC)

[ The tail-batting gets another soft breath of a laugh from Runyu, unable to help but imagine his uncle doing something similar. Honestly, he wouldn't put it past Danzhu should the fox spirit get enough alcohol in him... Distantly, he wonders if Moran would respond similarly to a cattail or similar toy. Something to investigate at a later date, as Moran looks embarrassed enough at present and Runyu unintentionally insulted him just now besides.

As to the matter of Chroma... ]

I... would not decline more if you are willing. It appears to be a necessary thing here, and I confess... I am unused to having such limits on my power.

[ Smile growing the slightest bit awkward, Runyu, glances off to the side. ]

It leaves me feeling more vulnerable than I should like to be, not unlike going unclothed at court.

It is very much a necessity, yes. And I wouldn't mind more myself, since I burn through a lot more during the moon.

[And since Runyu asked... Moran moves fast, with fox like reflexes, and plops himself right on Runyu's lap, straddling him and twining his arms around the other man's neck. He is only wearing one layer of soft gray silk instead of his usual five or six, and the robe falls off one of his shoulder, revealing some white skin... and it becomes quite obvious Moran is not actually wearing any sort of underwear.]

We can share like this!

Little⁠— Little star!

[ Runyu all but chokes on his attempt to call out Moran's nickname, the mortal-turned-fox in fact so quick that he's upon the immortal before Runyu can even contemplate the notion. When the robe slips from Moran's shoulder, Runyu swallows against an abruptly dry throat, it having been some centuries since he indulged in anything near this scandalous.

And Moran, of course, with his otherworldly beauty and playfully salacious manner, is well past alluring, into the territory of outright mesmerizing. Still, after a moment to center himself and take a breath, Runyu attempts to straighten the other man's robes. His breaths come a little short, a little shallow, as he tries to keep his gaze and attention upwards, at Moran's face. ]

What... What are your intentions, Beitang Moran...?

[Moran is smiling a little too knowingly. He's not unaware of the effect he can have on people on a normal day - he simply chooses to ignore it as irrelevant most of the time. But as a fox, he loves to play with it. Flustering people is so much fun.

He blinks and cocks his head to the side at the question.]

... To share Chroma? You can feel it, right? The Moonlacing. During the moon, I burn through a lot more Chroma than usual so I need more.

Y..yes.

[ Runyu can't refute that he does feel power flowing into him, warmth and energy flowing freely between them in ways that he's never known. He shivers, leaning into it in spite of himself, in spite of every instinct crying out for him to stop, to cast Moran to the floor, to put an end to this indignity.

His fingers lace through Moran's hair instead, the bewitching fox all that's held in the dark of his eyes. ]

You do not fear that we take this too far? We are strangers, yet not strangers enough to not know we are each beholden to our duties.

... What is 'too far'?

[Even moon-crazed, Moran is aware of his own limits, and he tries to be as respectful as possible of others'. So he offers, always, because this is what he's comfortable with.

He can feel the other man shivering, though, sense a struggle of sorts.]

Can you really call us strangers when you rule the stars that guide me? If you want to kiss me, go ahead. My husband doesn't mind.

[ There are other protests on Runyu's mind, clarifying to Moran the care he knows Moran must have to take as Imperial Regent, his own position as bastard son. But then Moran keeps going and Runyu freezes, eyes going wide at the revelation that the man in his arms is not only a ranking member of an imperial family, but wed.

His mind goes to his own engagement, however empty and symbolic, and he chokes a little on his breath, only just managing to keep from pushing Moran out of his lap. He does not want to cause such an indignity upon someone he feels warmly towards, but neither can he stay here like this knowing that⁠— ]

If he is your husband, how can he not mind? Do you not fear the scandal of such a thing should it become known...?

[Moran feels and sees the sudden tension, and almost rolls his eyes at it. Why does everyone react this way even when he goes out of his way to explain.]

Lord Runyu, it is because he is my husband that he doesn't mind. And there is no scandal to be had here. No one cares. And even if they did I don't care, and neither does he, and our opinions on this are the only ones who matter.

[But really, who would have thought that a self-admitted god has never heard of these things? Do they never observe humans?]

XunXian and I have an agreement. He will always come first in my heart. And the bed that we share is reserved only for us, and no one else. However, I do not restrict him, and he does not restrict me. We are free to share our bodies we whoever we wish.

[Bodies and hearts are different things, after all. Some people don't like making the distinction. Moran is not one of them.]

If it makes you feel more at ease, I can ask him to talk to you, and he will confirm what I have told you. We share deep affection and sensual pleasure with many. But we love and respect one another very much. I would never do this if he did not agree.

[ It's a great deal to wrap his mind around, but he does listen. Moran is so indignant and insistent upon it that it's almost impossible not to. Runyu's own duties leave him with very little time to observe mortals outside of the occasional visit to the mortal realm, and in truth all those visits have really taught him is that mortals live short, brutal lives and that love is a rare thing to be found in any realm, especially the kind Moran speaks of.

One of harmony and trust, of mutual giving, of truly sharing a life and all that brings.

Such a rare and beautiful thing.

He should very much like a taste of it, however borrowed, however brief. Being who and what he is, Runyu has no delusions that such a thing will come for him, and so⁠— Against all better judgement, he nods.

Heart aching with want, he leans in for that kiss. ]

Edited 2020-02-24 02:41 (UTC)

[Harmony and trust and a lot of shaking and of 'why are you like that, Su XunXian?', Runyu. It took long enough for XunXian to accept that he was the first for Moran, because he was too sued to forgetting himself.

But it is indeed a rare and beautiful thing now. Fragile, as those things are, but one that Moran is always going to be ready to protect.

When the god leans in, so does Moran, pressing their lips together gently. And then he starts pecking and nipping and licking, asking for more with no hesitation or shame as the moonlacing starts flowing between them.]

.... Let me taste more.

[The hunger for Chroma is not less than the hunger for food.]

[ It's too easy to fall. It's so easy it scares Runyu a little, rattles him in ways he has not known in years. But he's already off-balance, already tumbling, already caught here in Moran's arms. He pulls the young mortal closer, tighter, leaning into him as he returns each kiss, each graze of teeth, unable to even speak his acceptance. He nods instead, releasing the fear in his heart into exhilaration.

Once he exhales that poisonous breath, he is free and he is trapped. He is in free-fall, hurtling to whatever consequences may come, no looking back. He lets go of it all, looks only at Moran, thinks only of the sweetness of his lips, the aching warmth of his touch.

It feels so impossibly good to let go. ]

[Runyu's lips are slightly cold to the touch, as are his hands that Moran can feel through the flimsy layer he is wearing. At least this time he didn't take one of the sheer ones.

This coolness to the other man's skin is intriguing though, and in between kisses, Moran nuzzles Runyu's cheeks and his neck, and wriggles on his lap contentedly as he's pulled closer.]

... You're cold. Let me warm you up.

▶ TDM .012

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