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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

[garb4ge]

[And come on, Five, moonlacing is kind of awesome. Granted, it's a little weird to get all tingly hugging your sibling, but at least it isn't a directly sexual connection, right? Thank god for that.

He hums, apparently pleased with the fact that he hasn't been immediately ejected off of his brother, and then blinks. Man, Five asks all the questions that Klaus has had no occasion to ask.]

I mean, the same age as me. I guess that's kind of weird, huh?

[pubertytwice]

Of course it's weird. What part about that isn't weird?

<sub>[ You know what really grinds his gears? Coming across something-- someone-- anything that he can't understand, and this is just exactly that. It's a hit to his ego, for one, and makes him feel inferior. You know, on this levels of a normal person's intelligence.

Five seethes lightly through his teeth.. and yet, he doesn't break away from Klaus' hold, but it's obvious his mind has gone elsewhere. ]</sub>

This place is full of bullshit. They're obviously doing this intentionally and bringing us here. This is a hostage situation and what have you been doing? Just living your life here like everything is fine and peachy?

_{[ He was doing alright. Causing a scene in the medbay took the edge off, but Klaus will hear it in his voice and he finally writhes out of the other man's grasp. ]}

[garb4ge]

I don't know, what part about this entire fucking place isn't weird?

[He knows, is the thing -- that Five needs something to fixate and obsess over the same way that he needs something to keep him constantly distracted from the train wreck that was his own life and the choices that he made in the past -- so when his brother writhes out of his grip, he doesn't attempt to stop him.

At least he has a halfway decent answer for the question now, though. Thank God for dens of sin.]

No, actually, I've been trying to figure out exactly what the fuck is going on behind closed doors in the illegal parts of town, and making enough Chroma to make sure Ben and I aren't going to end up eating out of trash cans ... you know, out of necessity.

[So he's been slumming and fucking, but in much nicer words.]

[pubertytwice]

So you've been just slumming and fucking, huh?

_{[ Look. He knows your roundabout ways of saying things. ]}

Nice to know you haven't changed, Klaus.

_{[ Five means to sound sincere because it is a breath of fresh air, he's just.. very awful at showing affection and very awful at any sense of socializing, so Klaus may take it as an insult. He doesn't mean to, honestly! ]}

Whenever Ben is around, I'd like to interrogate— _{[ oops ]} —talk to him next.

_{[ Five adjusts a small crick in his neck, still looking over the conch shell.. though he hasn't placed it to his ear yet. ]}

Anything else I need to know about this place? Such as.. are you certain is just you and Ben here?

[garb4ge]

[Yeah, yeah, give the guy a medal. Klaus grimaces, gaze flicking away for a split second. Any other time and he might've understood better, but coming off the heels of his latest and greatest fuck-up -- well.]

Yeah, well. You know what they say about junkies.

[He actually grits his teeth when Five talks about interviewing their brother.]

If you want to interrogate our brother, I suggest you bring some sort of breakfast to our place. And yeah, okay, I'm sure. Dad's the one who could never keep track of his kids, not me.

[pubertytwice]

Maybe I will.

_{[ The breakfast would be something incredibly boring— black coffee and doughnuts he picked up at the local store, but he would humor Klaus in that regard, especially if it means talking to Ben, he's got a few (a lot) of questions for him.
And actually, Five isn't certain what they say about junkies, sharp as a tack or not. It's just not something he's interested in. In any case, he responds to Klaus' next series of words. ]}

Great. More bullshit. You'd think if they were to kidnap all of us with everyone else here, they would have more method to their madness. You know, get us all at once and not go through the effort of getting the one who is deceased so they could bring him back.

I can't believe you just now are realizing how weird that is.

[garb4ge]

Great, fantastic, looking forward to it.

[His voice suggests that he is not, in fact, looking forward to it. Why is his family always like this.

He pushes a hand through his hair, irritated.]

Oh, I'm so sorry that I was more focused on being happy that our brother was alive again than the broader fucking implications of it!

[pubertytwice]

How do you know he’s going to stay alive?

<sub>[ Cynical always, but Klaus is right. Five asks all of the questions— ones that probably aren’t likely or let alone plausible, but he’s seen enough to believe that anything can happen. He doesn’t do “in the moment” happiness. Rather, he doesn’t exactly do happiness at all, so it’s easy for him to not precisely celebrate Ben’s living state.

However, if prompted enough, he would admit with words how glad he is. He does like to protect his family after all.

It takes Five a moment to dumb himself down to Klaus’ level of simplicity, but maybe if he concentrates hard enough, he will be able to understand where he’s coming from. Calmly, he flexes his fingers, hands opening and closing as he regards his brother. ]</sub>

Look, nevermind. I think you owe me more information if you’ve been here for awhile. Do you have any place that— I don’t know— you young kids “hang out?”

_{[ He’s wanting to spend quality time! Just.. for his advantage. ]}

[garb4ge]

I don't, so I'd rather be happy for him while he's here than try waste his time grilling him when he could -- reading, or whatever other nerdy shit he wants to get up to.

[Klaus doesn't prompt Five to admit that he misses their brother because -- well, he's seen it in his eyes before even if he hasn't said it out loud. He lets out a snort.]

You realize that most places you'll be let in won't be terribly useful for information.

[pubertytwice]

That I'm not worried about. I should be able to get into the most secure buildings if and when I want to— when I'm ready for it. It's something you wouldn't understand. So, for now, what I really want to know are the basics of this place and it'll be time saving for me to talk about it over some coffee.

_{[ He finally sets the conch shell back down on the table and folds his hands behind his back, his lips finally pulling into a grin. ]}

Or alcohol, whatever is the easiest to come by.

_{[ Take him to McDenny's, Klaus. ]}

[garb4ge]

Sounds like we're taking a trip to the restaurant I co-own, then.

[Yeah, he's going to drop that bit as casually as he can to Five -- because he wants to see his brother's reaction, but also because he's still not super comfortable with the idea of getting praised for being 'successful', so it seems easier to just not make a big deal about it.]

Even if Adra and Ludwig will give me a dirty look for asking them to serve a kid coffee.

[pubertytwice]

_{[ Getting any sort of reaction out of Five is always fun because sometimes it's very obvious and other times it's very.. subtle. This is one of those obvious reactions where his mouth hangs halfway open before popping right back into place. Any expression of surprise is twisted into his typical look of judgment. ]}

You can't take care of your own goddamn life, let alone an establishment on a foreign planet you've never been to before in a multiverse that is compatible with many other universes.

_{[ In any case, he seems eager to go, waltzing off in a direction that seems to lead to businesses. Really, Five doesn't know where he's going; please direct your brother, Klaus. ]}

I'll believe it when I see it.

[garb4ge]

For starters, you're going the wrong way. It's on the beach.

[Which Klaus says like that's the most obvious thing in the world -- right, it's a high foot-traffic area and people tend to be hungry after they do things at the beach all day, so it actually does make sense.

He pops his lips together and holds up a finger matter-of-factly.]

Okay, first important tidbit of information? The fastest way to make Chroma, which is the currency pretty much everything runs on, is physical affection -- so you can understand why I'm currently loaded.

[Don't slut shame, Five -- it turns out it's very lucrative.]

[pubertytwice]

_{[ He gives Klaus a look before re-directing himself, and the second Klaus goes on about "the basics" of this society is when he gives a slight roll of his eyes. ]}

My consideration for basic information must be much different than what yours is. That much I knew already— and that much about you I already assumed. I paid attention when they gave me the same ole same ole orientation and lecture that— I'm sure— is scripted. You probably heard the exact thing I did.

I'm more interested in numbers and percentages, but I'll be specific with my inquiries. For example, tell me what you know about the government here.

[garb4ge]

God, you want to know about the boring shit. Of course.

[He runs his hand through his hair while they walk, struggling to recollect exactly what he'd actually learned at the casino and combine it with -- well, whatever else he knew.]

The Moon Knights are pretty much Lunatia's cops, and they're more or less as competent as you'd expect them to be. They don't seem to really know what's going on, and they've been calling on people like us more lately to try and help them out.

Obviously there's crime here -- black market, that kind of shit, but there's a whole seedy level of the city below us, too. I think they were trying to pretend their society was pretty idyllic when we all first showed up here, but that's not going to last much longer.

[He guides them toward the restaurant at a steady pace. Hopefully it'll be a time that it's nice and busy, so Five can be ... you know, impressed.

Not that Klaus cares (he does).]

[pubertytwice]

The boring shit is what could potentially get us out of here— you want to do that, right? You do remember we were in the middle of a mission.. right?

<sub>[ Five already knows the answer to that question, but he wants Klaus to answer it, even if the information he told him was actually helpful.. in a weird Five-centric helpful way that again, nobody would really understand.

He's also pretty determined to figure out where the rest of his family is, so a lot of information is needed. ]</sub>

[garb4ge]

[Look, this is another one of those things that he really does't want to admit to having thought about a lot in the last three months -- because that means admitting that he cares about things, that he cares about his family, that he isn't just some sort of airheaded junkie, and that's leaving himself pretty damn vulnerable.

Five doesn't need that kind of burden.]

Why would I want to get out of here? Plenty of sex, plenty of parties, and much better clothes. How do you know like -- time isn't stopped at home, or something?

[He's actually entertained that last statement as a fact in order to try and stop worrying...not that it had worked.]

[pubertytwice]

_{[ That's the exact kind of response he expected, but Klaus' theory— or rather, the excuse he is using to comfort himself— is a possibility.
However, he's a "the cup is half empty" type of guy. ]}

How do you know that it hasn't?

_{[ The little bell chime indicates their arrival, and Five finds himself in a vaporwave kind of disaster of a place. He doesn't seem unimpressed, just a little wary. ]}

Of course this is the place you would decide to co-own; it's covered in plastic palm trees.

_{[ But then: ]}

I like it.

[garb4ge]

If it hasn't, it's no use worrying about it.

[Right, because he totally hadn't been doing that.

Klaus is about to explain that he didn't really get a choice in co-owning the place when Five says that he actually likes the place.

Maybe his lips twitch into just a hint of a smile.]

Well, you did always secretly like all my tacky shit. Go sit down, I'll get coffee.

[pubertytwice]

<sub>[ There's no sense in him arguing with Klaus about this and having to voice his concern about things he's fairly certain Klaus wouldn't understand, but it is relieving to know that his brother is here and is.. living a life here? He guesses? Not something he ever really wants to settle down and do, but in any case..

Five takes a seat at a booth and folds his hands on the table, observing the atmosphere and the people that are in it. Looks like they are just going around and minding their business if nothing is the matter and for some reason that irritates Five.

He's lost in his thoughts by the time Klaus comes back and tips his head, looking up at his sibling. ]</sub>

The loud kid over there in the suit looks like he owns the place. He's the actual manager, correct?

_{[ He's giving Klaus half a hard time and half being serious, but he is gesturing to the fellow that Klaus knows as Alfred. ]}

You know him well?

[garb4ge]

[Klaus brings over two large mugs of black coffee and slides one of them over to Five. He's also pretty sure that someone from the back will also send food over to the table at some point, because that seems to be the trend when he shows up at the diner -- people assume he needs to eat something.

To be fair, they're rarely wrong. He can't help the laugh when Five asks about Alfred, bringing his hand over his mouth for a moment and then rubbing it down his jaw.]

Ha -- yeah, you could say I know him well. We've been fucking for months, now.

[pubertytwice]

<sub>[ He shouldn't be surprised, but behold, he's surprised.. and even more irritated. His hands lift to his face and he shoves it straight into his palms. Count to three, Five. His fingers pinch together along the bridge of his nose, sharp gaze meeting Klaus.

Here, he watches him, if looks could kill. He can't even say anything in response to that, so he lets his unsettling glare linger before he drops his hands to his coffee and brings it to his lips, looking away. ]</sub>

Never mind. I can't believe I thought that was a good idea to ask. You've probably left your mark on half of the population here, and that's not what I wanted to talk about.

[garb4ge]

Look, you might not want to talk about it --

[As if he's really phased by that look, Five, he's been getting that look from Reginald all his life and he got it as recently as a few months ago from him --]

-- But that brings up a good point. There's a fucking shitton of weird stuff here you should probably be aware of, but the one that's most relevant to the place where Ben and I live is that there's like -- physical embodiments of countries here.

[He points over to Alfred -- actually, he gives him a salutatory wave.]

Alfred over there? America.

[pubertytwice]

_{[ Just going to give him that same look again, slowly lowering his coffee on the table and leaning in slightly. Unlike most people, he doesn't question what Klaus is talking about, but he's a skeptic. As usual. ]}

You're lying.

_{[ He doesn't know why, but you are. ]}

[garb4ge]

You can go ask him, if you want. He'll probably even let you meet his pet alien if you're really nice.

[Klaus has been perfecting the deadpan serious face since he was ten, and he's gotten pretty good at it.

He takes a casual sip of his own coffee and blinks innocently at Five.]

Frankly, I'm wounded that you think I'd make up such a boring lie.