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[prismods]

Remember Summer Days

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"Anri 杏里 [1983] [Timely] - 11 Remember Summer Days" (Watch on YouTube)

▶ Fox and Friends
Moon Iris; Lunar Scientia, Lunatia | top

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 think grocery store sushi was a good idea? — 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 gives 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. Destination: Prismatica.

a.) An envoy of Prismals with fox-like traits is currently visiting Prismatica to meet with the Queen. Their kind was so awed by tales of the Moonblessed that they have gathered to greet all of them with a ritual dance of their people. They also offer to teach the Moonblessed an amazing trick — with a wink!

Flowing robes follow their delicate bodies as they perform a passionate series of steps and acrobatics with their paper fans. Early in the performance, they peek above their open fans and wink at their audience. At that moment, your limbs are suddenly enchanted with exceptional grace. Couldn’t put your leg behind your head before? Had trouble doing a split? Well, now you can perform these flexible feats and more. The fox Prismals will be inviting the Moonblessed to join them so they can attempt to feel their invigorating chroma against their bodies.

b.) The dexterity spell the fox Prismals cast is one of many a fox has in their repertoire of charms and curses. It can be very useful for making a quick escape! While the older fox Prismals teach this spell to the interested Moonblessed (read: teach them how to wink and use chroma at the same time), you can explore the city with the younger fox Prismals.

A delicious drink called bubbly tea is very popular among teenagers in Lunatia right now! Unfortunately, defective apricot pearls inside may cause you to float a few feet in the air. This effect goes away as soon as the affected pass the pearls at a bathroom, but getting there will be an adventure. Maybe you Moonblessed have abilities that can get rid of the effect? The fox Prismals don’t have a spell to cure this...

Help the affected young fox Prismals get to a bathroom and they will teach you another spell: simply place a finger over your lips, and no one else but your friends can listen in on your secret conversations!

▶ Crab ‘n Go Menu
Lunatia | top

Several tents decorated with streamers, shells, and pearls have been set up along the shorelines of Level 2. A giant clam mascot tells you that hey, hey, hey! There’s a beach festival happening tonight! It will be full of fun activities, and anybody who is anybody will be there. The Prismals involved are inviting people all around Levels 1 and 2. Bathing suits will be provided to all participating festival-goers. What are they celebrating? Who knows. Maybe Prismals just want to have a good time! Hey, hey, hey!

a.) One of Lunatia’s favorite beach party games is “Find the King Crab.” King crabs have a golden belly and are hidden among other disgruntled crabs. Protip: king crabs are often found in the center of large clusters of crabs. Be careful while flipping them; they are very eager to clip anything that comes near their nest! Be the first to find a king crab and claim the grand prize —- an all-you-can-eat buffet for four at a King Crab Sandcastle, a high-end seaside seafood restaurant. You now get to exact vengeance on these crabs by eating as many as you please.

b.) There’s an educational tent promoting the soothing pastime of conch listening. Glossy conchs of various shapes and sizes can be found on the tables. Some special ones are said to link to one’s innermost self. Special conchs are encrusted with tiny glistening gems, making them easy to spot in the sunlight. Pressing them to your ear will draw forth the sound of someone’s voice — be it yours or someone familiar. Depending on the listener’s mood, the sound of the voice will range from peaceful singing to blood-curdling screams.

c.) Another tent is dedicated to scuba diving. You can either rent out a special set of nodes which are worn on either side of your neck to replicate the function of gills, allowing you to breathe safely beneath the water, or traditional scuba diving gear since some Prismals like the challenge! Explore Lunatia’s vast undersea world and bear witness to its wonders, such as its crystalline corals and tropical fish, a myriad of species unique to Prismatica. A few of these species are the rainbow seahorses carrying newborns in their pouches and greater clownfishes that can’t seem to find their offspring. Venture further under and you will eventually find aquatic bears with scaled bodies that seem to be very territorial over their habitat and hoard of delicious (?) sea honey. As they often say, don’t poke the bear…

As the festival winds down, some Prismals can be seen dancing and eating by the campfire. Everyone is welcome to relax and watch a nice fireworks show by the pier while a local band known as the Briny Seamen plays a compilation of their greatest hits. Expect an uncomfortable amount of marimba solos!



▶ Some Assembly Required
LEVEL 2, LUNATIA | top

Once you’ve been all crabbed out for the day, you can finally settle in your new home in Level 2:

a.) 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.) All Moonblessed new and old receive a frazzled email from their favorite Moon Knight, Fahrouk. He was involved in Obscuria’s Glow affair, resulting in both him and his daughter becoming new unofficial Moonblessed Community Ambassadors.

Officer Fahrouk

Subject: MOONBLESSED THERE’S A SALE AT KRABBA!!

To my heroes and my greatest inspiration,

New arrivals, welcome! Old friends, hello! I hope all of you are doing well.

I am writing to let you know there is a sale at KRABBA, Lunatia’s most popular flat-packed furniture store. All crab-themed decors are 50% off!

Here is a picture of my daughter with her new KRABBA shelf. Now we can display our Moonblessed bromides with joy and pride! We had so much fun putting it together and hope you do too.

Here’s a big bear hug from us both! We also attached directions to KRABBA. Happy shopping!

Love,
Fahrouk and Hala

True enough, attached is a picture of him and his daughter standing in front of some newly assembled furniture as well as a map to the KRABBA store in Level 2.

Also true is the sale at KRABBA! The prices are affordable, but the crab-themed items are especially cheap and ready to brighten anyone’s day. Among the notable items in stock are a sea shell-shaped loveseat called Havsskal, a foamy green kitchen table named Tång, and a bed named Havsbotten that somehow resembles the sandy sea floor. Please do not lie down on the beds! The staff have been made to wear crab-themed outfits and will not hesitate to use those claws to get people in line.

After paying at the cashier for your items, feel free to order some of KRABBA’s signature meat (?) balls with Moonberry sauce. You deserve a break!

▶ 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.

Comments

devilfish!

[heavyhitter]

[ Ramir isn't having the absolute best time out here in the waves; she'd meant to go in for just a quick dip, but then that whole thing about turning your back on the ocean went down. First the big wave knocked her off her feet, then there was the undertow business ... so anyway now she's a little too far out, discovering that super strength really doesn't have much to offer in the face of admittedly unskilled swimming.

It's honestly the perfect time for a grab about the ankles. She shrieks immediately and starts kicking -- and kicking hard. The strength might not be doing much for keeping her above water, but it's at least enough to ruin the day of anyone who happens to get in the way of a flailing limb. ]

Asshole! Just fucking -- [ A sputter, a little more ineffectual slapping at the water. ] Try and eat me! I'll punch your brain out through the -- fuck -- roof of your mouth!

[ She's decided it's a shark down there, well known for their grabby-hands. ]

[shivvymetimbers]

[A laugh escapes Bastien once this lass starts kicking, that is until her foot slams against his face. The poor cuss lets out a yelp and flees briefly. For a moment there's peace. The water is completely still minus her woman's frantic splashing but once she calms, everything is still.

The eerie silence is telling. Maybe there's really a shark or something down there within those murky depths. Certainly seems like it, doesn't it?

Well, guess what? Rejoice! It's not a shark!]

ARRRGHHH! [Bastien crashes the surface with a roar with hell, fire and brimstone within his golden eyes.] YOU KICKED ME IN THE NOSE?!

[Yes, he has a crooked little nose now thanks to her swift kick.]

Jeez, woman. You ought to be nicer to us sea creatures.

[He says with a growl as he fixes his nose back into place with a wince.]

[heavyhitter]

[ That peace doesn't last nearly long enough, but it is enough to get Ramir to slowly quit with the thrashing around. Then -- company, suddenly. She yelps again, backpedaling (without much actual success), but surprise dissolves pretty quickly into a scowl. Okay, yeah, a guy down there and not a shark actually does make way more sense. ]

How about you quit grabbing feet! I was using that fucking foot!

[ She frees up a hand to send a splash his way, and bobs under the water for a few seconds for her efforts.

She pops up again, sputters, then: ] Wait, sea creatures?

[ Her gaze drops from his face, but it's not easy to make out much under the water level from here. ]

[shivvymetimbers]

RUDE.

[He whines as he splashes her in return.]

No need to get all saucy! It was just a little joke, you goat.

[See that toothy smile of his? That's just Bastien grinning from ear to ear once the lass catches onto what he said. He likes scaring folks, especially humans. Most humanfolk act as if the old myths and legends are all lies. Too often they forget that for every lie, there's a slither of truth. That's why teasing these cumbersome two-legged folks is always so much fun.]

Uh huh. [He nods.] Sea creatures.

[Just when she looks down, something taps her leg and it certainly isn't a foot. Fish fins are typically bony and spiny with a thin layer of webbing in between each bone. Merfolk are no different when it comes down to their fins but theirs are a tad scratchy.]

Ever heard of the legend of the Little Mermaid, lass?

[His playful smirk transforms into a mischievous grin.]

Guess what? It wasn't too far off!

[Suddenly something rises up from the water and splashes the woman with enough force to knock her back. Something that certainly looks like colorful turquoise fins and attached to a rather colorful fish-like tail.]

[heavyhitter]

[ It takes a concentrated effort not to shriek at that underwater fin-brush — and then the splashing force makes things a lot easier. A full blow is way better than a horror movie style brush. She flies back with an undignified squawk that ends in a gurgle as, once again, a wave takes her under.

This is getting old.

As soon as she pops back up into air it's with a primed shout: ] Take me to the fucking shore, Ariel!

[ There will be some disbelief and amazement when she gets back onto solid ground, maybe, but first she'd really like to stop feeling half-drowned. ]

[shivvymetimbers]

[ That undignified squawk wins a hearty laugh and then some from Bastien. Humans are just so fun to tease. ]

You landlubbers are always cryin' whenever ya get yer feet wet. [ He says while splashing the poor woman again with his tail. ] Like a bunch of mangy cats, I say.

[ He pauses for a moment when she calls him "Ariel". Not out of offense because he actually has a cousin named Ariel but she's much meaner than the one she's thinking about. ]

Eh, you met my cousin? [ He questions before inching over to grab a hold of the lass. ] C'mere!

I'll drag your big butt to shore. Just hold on tight.

[heavyhitter]

[ She's perfectly fine being a mangy cat if it's what gets her to shore. So as soon as he's in close enough she doesn't hesitate to throw both arms around him. Already comforting, honestly. Anything solid to hang onto is infinitely reassuring.

Petulantly: ] It's not my fault the ocean fucking sucks.

[ A new realization, really. She's not been to all that many beaches, and certainly not out for a swim this far off the shore on any of them. ]

[shivvymetimbers]

There, there~

[ He tries to soothe the woman's bruised ego with a quick pat on the head before continuing towards the shore. Swimming is little tough with someone clinging to you for dear life but Bastien can manage. After all, this isn't his first rescue of some pretty damsel-in-distress. ]

The ocean is a big and scary place for some but it's so bad if you know how to swim.

[ Once the waves become a bit shallower, Bastien eases the woman's arms off him. ]

You won't drown today, missy.

[heavyhitter]

I know how to swim, asshole.

[ It’s out in a matter, mostly to herself. So what if she’s not necessarily a strong swimmer, at least she’s got the basic idea.

Her feet touch sandy sea floor, and she finally unwinds her arms from him with a sigh of relief. She backs up a couple of paces, and finally devotes a little attention to try and get a better look at this guy. ]

So, you’re a mermaid or something? [ And why not? She’s seen weirder things here. She squints, brushing wet hair from her face. ] I pictured less facial hair.

[shivvymetimbers]

Sure ya do! [ He teases in regards to that swimming comment. ] Floundering around neck deep in water isn't 'swimming', missy.

[ Now that she's safe and sound upon dry land, Bastien lets himself rest for now. He climbs up onto some rocks and perches himself there for her to see. It's a good thing he's all scaly south of the border or else she'll be getting an eyeful right now. ]

I'm not a mermaid! [ He nearly shouts. ] My mum was one but my dad was a pirate.

[ There's no stopping the faint grin upon his face. It's almost as bright as his turquoise scales. ]

That makes me a merpirate!

[ Mentioning that, shouldn't he be robbing her? Drats! He missed the opportunity. He was too busy tickling her feet to care about riches. ]

[heavyhitter]

[ Okay, this is actually pretty cool. And she can even properly see all of the show when he climbs onto the rocks and into view, and makes no attempt to hide that that's exactly what she's doing with a slow, appreciative once-over. ]

I guess it does.

[ She half wades and half swims in nearer, hooking a hold at the base of one of his rocks as she eyes the scales. She should probably ask about his dick. She has to, right? Where's he keep it? But she's working on maybe not throwing everyone off immediately after knowing them, so she'll keep that one in the reserves for now.

Instead, attention finding his face again while a grin meets hers: ] I'm Ramir. Thanks for heroically saving my life, I can mark get rescued by a merpirate off the bucket list now.

[shivvymetimbers]

[ While Bastien is awfully crude and rude most of the time, he's not crass enough to talk about that until much later. A merman needs to keep his secrets, ya know? Nevertheless, he's positively thrilled to see this lass smiling at last. She's much prettier when she's not hurling curses and threats at him. ]

There's no need for thanks, Ramir. [ He answers with a cheeky grin. ] Unlike my cousins, rescuing damsels is free of charge!

[ Bastien isn't even joking at this point. His cousins are grifters in every sense of the word and then some. ]

The name's Bastien, luv. Captain Bastien Courbis under more formal tidings but I'm without my ship and crew around these parts.

[ Strange business, that. He can't find any of his mangy crew mates anywhere. It makes him wonder if they ran off somewhere. Probably. Oh, the woes of employing family and friends. ]

[heavyhitter]

[ As if talking to a guy with a fish tail weren't enough, now they're getting into the pirate stuff. Ramir decides this is most definitely a conversation she wants to stick around for, and heaves herself out of the water.

She sprawls over a few rocks next to him, entirely unconcerned to be hanging out in a skimpy bikini with a stranger. He's not a total stranger, after all — they did names. Good enough. ]

You were serious about that shit? [ She props her head in a hand, looking charmed. ] A ship and everything, damn. What kinda shit do you guys steal?

[shivvymetimbers]

You're damn right I am! I don't tell lies, missy. [ He states with such pride. There's no way he's lying with that smirk upon his face. ] My crew and I sailed all across the world lookin' for lost treasures while dodgin' the empire's goons.

[ He's not about to go into details about his sordid relationship with imperials. There's just too much to say and not enough time nor booze for it. ]

We would steal just about anything not bolted down, especially from the imperials. That's why we have a hefty bounty on our heads but we make it a point to steal from the rich.

[ They steal from the rich and SOMETIMES give to the poor. Keyword being "sometimes". His cousins like to keep their pearls and diamonds for the most obvious reason. ]

Once I dry off, I'll show you the fancy sword I nabbed from Lord Baron's tomb. It's made out of the purest crystals you've ever see.