Test Drive: May

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: MAY —

Welcome to empatheias' test drive meme. This test drive is to help interested players test their characters in the game's environment. We've included a few prompts that incorporate specific elements of the game, though you'll find all of them have a lot of leeway for players to get as creative as necessary. Before diving in, here are a few things we'd like to remind everyone about the game in general:

• Date reminders. Reserves open 24th of April and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on May 1st. Apps will only be open for four days!
  
  
• OC Reminder! Just a quick reminder that original characters are allowed. Those interested can also use the test drive. OCs do not need to be reserved.
  
  
• Emotions are key! Empatheias' premise focuses on how anyone's emotions can affect their environment, be it big or small. While not every emotion will cause a reaction, significant ones definitely will. How much effect a character will have will ultimately be up to you, the player. Also, while we're giving a lot of leeway for the test drive, keep in mind that there will be some limits in the actual game.
  
  
• Everyone has an amulet. All characters have a unique amulet that is specialized for them. It will contain all of their emotion drops and it serves as the network device. Remember, communication is telepathic. Otherwise, it works basically the same.
  
  
• Assume the character is already in the game. Because "OMG WHERE AM I IS THIS REAL LIFE" threads aren't going to be very helpful in this test drive! Plus, those are going to happen in-game, anyway. So to make things easier, just assume that they've been around at least a week or so. Still learning the ropes, but not a complete "first day" experience.
  
  
• First or third person allowed. Your threads can be in either first or third, but we'd advise being flexible about it. Remember, these threads can also be used in your application for samples! Reminder: We only require one sample and it can be done in either format. We have also made a change to our sample requirements, so look over the Applications page!
  
  
• Transfer to in-game. If accepted, you can assume threads made on the Test Drive happen in-game if the scenario can reasonably fit. For new characters, these threads do not count for activity check. However, these can be supplementary threads for players already in-game.
  
  
• For your threads, put the Character Name and the Canon in the subject line to help readily identify them. You're also welcome to use more than one prompt for respondents to choose from. If you have any questions or want to brush up on the game information, refer to the Game Information entry. Otherwise, tag around and have fun!
  
  
• For any concerns or questions, head over to this top level.
  
  
  Now with that out of the way, here are some prompts you guys can work from!

PROMPTS

• PROMPT A: How about giving the emotions a try?

• PROMPT B: Refer to the Task Board and choose a task your character may be interested in taking up. For this prompt, you could have your character ask for help, already be in the middle of the job, or react to it in some way. Perhaps they were an unfortunate victim or want to create a job countering an existing one. You could even have a prompt making a job request. Creating jobs for the purpose of the test drive is absolutely doable.

• PROMPT C: How about giving the amulets a go? Start a telepathic conversation and see how it works. Remember, the amulets are sending out the owner's thoughts so might want to be careful about how the stream of consciousness goes...

• PROMPT D: Perhaps one may have heard that Verens used to be a floating island, and it was! When the island then ended up on the surface, creatures which explorers have called "Dinosaurs" (quotation marks included) were discovered inhabiting the plains and the mountains in a far off area. It's time to go back to the jurassic world for a very important mission: gather as many Amaranthus Rubus, red pearl-shaped fruits that heal any and all wounds on one's skin. The hospital needs it! As such, one needs to prepare.

Explorers do not wish to harm the "Dinosaurs", as they are afraid the "Dinosaurs" would go extinct should any danger be placed unto them. This means that one's option when encountering volatile and aggressive "Dinosaurs" is to run away. A fun run is now being held in Verens a few days prior to the trip to the "Dinosaur" plains, where 50 sylvs and a t-shirt that says "I successfully ran away from a 'Dinosaur'!". The colour of the shirt is random, though, but there are as many as the colours of the rainbow. Maybe trade with somebody else who's finished the run if you don't like yellow so much.


• PROMPT E: Once the preparations have been made, it's time to set forth into the land of the “Dinosaurs”. As you enter their domain, it may be difficult to resist the temptation to interact with these rare and unusual creatures, and some of the “dinosaurs” are indeed tranquil and herbivorous. Go ahead and feed the long-necks leafy branches and if you're feeling daring, climb up on their backs for a ride! However, many of the “dinosaurs” are quite a bit more dangerous, and they are very territorial. If you cross paths with the a pack of raptors, prepare to run, fight, or distract. All explorers have been supplied with strips of alluring jerky to placate the beasts. Who knows, you might even make a friend! Be careful not to lose and hand, though.

The Amaranthus Rubus is thickest near the home of the most terrifying “dinosaur” of all, the "Tyrannosaur", and if you are daring enough to approach the lair of this creature to reap the fruits, you may not even have the chance to run away before the creature corners you, roars, and...wiggles his sad, little arms. It seems poor old "Tyrannosaur" just wants some kind of tool to extend his reach! Help him out and he will let you go. Or refuse, and he'll eat you. Sounds reasonable, right?


• PROMPT F: It seems like the land of the "Dinosaurs" isn't so bad after all! Perhaps "Dinosaurs" and man can co-exist, but for that to happen, much research will have to be made regarding a "Dinosaur"'s way of life. Now aboard the ship to head back to the city, researchers are talking about another excursion in the future that's solely for researching on "Dinosaurs" - various species, what they eat, their excrement, and the like.

The trip back to Verens is a little long. Perhaps you're just resting in one of the rooms when there's an explosive sound that can be heard. Oh no! It looks like the engine's running out of steam! Luckily, there's a steam generator in the ship, but steam can only be made through cooperation, anger, and sadness. The entire ship needs your help to get back to the city safely, and if you have to hold someone's hand, slap them, and yell at them to get them to manifest their emotions tangibly, then do so!


• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include swords and/or stones.

Comments

Mukuro Ikusaba | Danganronpa | OTA

[givemewings]

Prompt A.

[Despair.

Mukuro is on her knees, just outside the city. The city? Is that what that is? The swirl of colors and light that make up this...place? are too much for her take in at once. She presses a hand to her chest and moves it slowly down her body. The spears. They’re still here, aren’t they? Her fingers reach out touch the empty air in front of her. The taste of blood, something wholly unfamiliar to her still lingers on her tongue and in her throat. She wants to retch but she can’t. She can’t do anything right now but try, and fail, to process. The fabric of her clothes is different than it was before. Her tactical vest. She brings her fingers in to her palms and traces around the leather, fingerless gloves that surrounds them. No, this isn’t right. This isn’t what she was wearing just then...Was it all a dream? A nightmare?]

No, it...doesn’t feel right.

[She doesn’t even realize her mouth making her thoughts audible. Did she...die? Is this heaven, is this hell? Did it really happen? Was she really abandoned? The earth feels like it’s moving underneath her, cracking, as if it were attempting to swallow her up. Maybe it is. The Despair. It’s everything her sister would’ve wanted for her, isn’t it? Is this a gift? This hot, miserable feeling washing over her. Mukuro clutches her throat to ensure that she’s still breathing.

Survival instincts kick in. As some divine act of mercy, her handgun is in its holster at her side. She holds it in hands that are shaking restlessly against her will. A weapon. Good. Whatever this is, whoever is here, she’ll destroy it, she’ll kill them. She’s been in worse situations. Scarier ones. This is nothing that can’t be navigated through sheer power. But without a squadron or sister to tell her what to do, it all feels a little too inscrutable. The goal. What is the goal here? Why is she alone? What is she supposed to do now that she’s alone?

The despair is hot and painful. The world continues to shake and splinter underneath her. All she can do is roll her palms over the barrel of her gun, waiting to find her resolution.

She’ll be here for a while. Basking in the feeling bestowed on her by her beloved sister.]

Prompt B.

[Mukuro lines her finger with the task board and runs it slowly down along its length as she reads. As expected, there are no current jobs that involve murder, covert infiltration, or wanton destruction. How is someone so worthless at everything BUT violence supposed to exist in a place like this? It’s not as if she’s bloodthirsty, but...

She holds her hand up to the light. It bounces off of the black ink of her Fenrir tattoo.]

What should I do? [The decision to speak the words aloud is like a band-aid for the greater wound. As if saying those words would stave off the winds swirling around the void inside of her. As if it would make her sister appear in a dramatic fashion fit for a prime-time television show. But that doesn’t happen. Sure, she could sow despair all over this place if she so chose but...

She brings her hand back to her side.

She’s worthless when it comes to the “why”. Junko was the big idea one. Mukuro just did the grunt work.

“soldier for hire“ is scrawled on a piece of paper in front of her before she even realizes that she’s the one that scrawled it. She crumples it up and lets it slip through her fingers into the wind. God, she’s so stupid. What good would that do? Pathetic. She really is just so pathetic.

The wind carries the slip of paper directly into you, and maybe you catch it, or maybe you brush it aside and notice the girl in military dress looking like a ghost in front of the task board. Mukuro clutches the tactical knife at her side. Which is probably another point of contention for any on-lookers.]

Damn it...why... [Mukuro slowly unsheathes the knife, staring into its bladed edge with a desperate sort of fervor.]

Do something...

Wildcard Prompt

[something else entirely!]

B

[hamnation]

[Gundam Tanaka was on his way to the task board, in search of anything that seemed interesting and related to animals, when the wind blew a paper directly towards him. He managed to successfully snatch it out of the air and read it aloud.]

"Soldier for hire"... [He frowns and looks up towards the girl, as there's no one else nearby who the paper could have come from. She also does seem to be decked up like a soldier.]

The Tanaka Empire has no need for human infantry! [He declares dramatically.]

[givemewings]

[The moment that she locks eyes with him is a whirlwind of confusion. Yes, she knows him. Not only does she know him, but he’s one of them. One of us.

But he seems...off. The look in his eyes. What does she do? What does she say to him? Does he even recognize her? It’s so much easier to just do the grunt work and not have to think. Better to play this one cool, right? Who even knows what’s going on here. She’s sheathes the knife and approaches him imposingly.]

How did you get here? [How did I get here?]

[hamnation]

[He indeed shows no signs of recognition at all. Or Despair. Well, it looks like he finds something about her familiar, as if she looks somewhat like someone else he knows, but he can't put his finger completely on who...

As she comes towards him, despite his posturing, her imposing nature does put him a bit on edge. A few sweat drops trickle down his head, though he tries to maintain his composure.]

The same way that even lowly mortals do. I was brought across the dimensional barrier, by forces not even I am aware of. Th-the mystery has been so intriguing, that I have not bothered to concoct a spell to reverse the process... [Well, that's the story he likes to sell.]

[givemewings]

[She’d have absolutely no idea what to do in this situation if that tattoo on her hand didn’t seem to be burning a hole through it. If he doesn’t know who you are, he’s either an imposter, or maybe just plain stupid. This could all be a trap. “Dimensional Barrier”? It all clashes with her pragmatism as a solider.]

I see.

Is that all that you know? How long have you been here? I...[Have a job to do. Fill the world with despair. Is this a second chance?]

Am lost. [She watches his every movement carefully, studying him for signs that he is indeed an imposter. But if they “Dont know each other” there’s no reason for this to end ugly. Yet.]

[hamnation]

[He frowns as he listens to her. It almost seems like she knows him, or expects something specific of him. But he's still not sure what to make of her. He just tries to answer her question.]

I happen to know of a great many things! My inner eye can perceive more trues than one could comprehend... [He probably would have spouted such things even when a Remnant of Despair. He goes on.] I have dwelt in this world for... over two and a half years, in human reckoning.

You say you are lost? [He manages to shake his head, as intimidating as she seems to be.] Then you are in good company. This realm is practically a domain of lost souls!

A

[bondsofsuffering]

[There's another new arrival nearby, his green hair almost a match for the grass around them, if a bit mintier in color. His shadow is dark, a near pitch-black - notable mostly because the light's quality is such that nothing else is casting a shadow as dark as his.

It's the result of despair, too, although he hasn't yet noticed that much.

Instead, he sees a girl with a gun, and he approaches with a sort of distant curiosity that is quite frankly utterly reckless. Should he be more cautious? Absolutely. But when one's luck is such that not even a gun can guarantee one's death...

Well, it's easy to get lax about these things.]

-? You okay over there, miss?

[givemewings]

[The sound of the handgun cocking is the first response to his question. Her hand trembles slightly, only because of the overwhelming despair swirling beneath her.]

What’s happened to me? [Mukuro barks the words out like a true solider. It all feels like a joke. Have her memories been tampered with? Is she being forced into some sort of ruthless killing game.]

[bondsofsuffering]

[The sound of the gun cocking has him stopping from getting nearer, his gaze finally "wary" as he raises his hands in a gesture of peace. Look, he's not even armed!]

No clue. Did you just wake up in this field, too?

[He's speaking with a Kansai accent, but it sounds... phony. Eh, probably nothing to worry about.]

[givemewings]

[Very cautiously, she lowers the gun after hearing that he may be experiencing the same thing as her.]

...I did.

It doesn’t make sense for me to be here. [Overcome with a sense of purpose, she raises to her feet and starts moving forward.]

I have to find the one that did this to me.

[bondsofsuffering]

[Well then, guess he'll just follow! His shadow remains extra dark, but there's no other real changes.]

You and me, both. Where were you before you woke up here?

[They might be able to glean something from their locations prior to the kidnapping, maybe.]

B

[sobored]

[To be fair, she considered appearing right then and there like some sort of dramatic reveal in a TV show, but opted to hang back and watch her sister agonize over the task board for a little longer. After all, from her point of view, it's been years since she's gotten to see something like this.

So she'll watch until that despairingly pathetic scrap of paper blows away and Junko, being Junko, catches it. Of course she does. She's not going to let something like this blow away never to be seen again, instead reading it while walking over to the board, avoiding foot traffic because she really doesn't feel like being interrupted by anyone else until she's within speaking distance.]

So this is what it's come to, huh?

[There's a morose tone to Junko's voice when she starts talking. One that doesn't quite match the smile on her face, but she doesn't really care about matching those right now, letting the despairing contradiction of expression and tone exist in the open for now.]

My despairingly dismal sister brought to another world, her dimwitted brain so incapable of adapting all she can do is sell herself in the hopes that someone can find a use for her limited skills.

[Her word choice is definitely not how most people would've put this, but she seems amused by it. For a few seconds anyway before her mood flips and she just sounds annoyed.]

I mean come on, you could've at least gone for some of the hunting quests, that sounds like the kind of lame thing you'd be suited for.

[givemewings]

J-J-J...

[Like a gleaming ray of light from heaven. There she was. A miracle. How terrible were those few hours where she was all alone? The despair. It’s just like Junko to do something like that. Mukuro briefly considers getting down on her knees and thanking her sister, but that would probably just annoy her. No matter how hard she was just cut down, it’s nothing compared to the elation of seeing her sister safe and sound. As despair inducing as ever. How could someone so beautiful share Mukuro’s DNA?]

Junko...[her cheeks turn a hot red as she folds her hands in front of her hips.]

You’re right. I’m sorry. [Even what happened before this. The Spears of Gungnir. It doesn’t matter anymore. Here they are, together, the way its supposed to be.]

...Do you know where we are? [Mukuro follows up the query with an expression that reads: I’m far too worthless and stupid to figure it out on my own.]

[sobored]

[Gross. It's just one word, but it so perfectly sums up the despairingly disgusting sight before her. But she'll probably get to that later. Instead for now, she'll brag because...]

Of course I know where we are!

[Then again with how long she's been here, if she didn't things would be truly hopeless. Though just because she knows where they are doesn't mean she'll throw her sister a lifeline or anything like that. That's not her style. So instead, her expression darkens a little while she pretends to watch her closely.]

I mean, you don't think I don't, do you? Surely you're not thinking that just because your brains got more holes in it than...

[She's not going to finish that actually and goes right back to smiling. That unfinished sentence can stay unfinished for now and just loom in the background until she decides to actually finish it.]

Well, never mind that one for now. Like I said, of course I know where we are. You've been transported across space and time to some ridiculous fantasy land. Think of it like something out of a video game if that helps the handful of brain cells still sputtering in that ugly smelly head of yours comprehend it. I know, I know, you'd totally like some sort of drab FPSesque setting, but this is more like one of those long running RPG settings than anything else.

[givemewings]

No, I would never...think that, Junko. [This trained killer couldn’t seem any smaller. All of a sudden she’s a delicate wilting flower.

The idea of being “transported across time and space” is a little too ridiculous for her, but...if Junko says this is reality, then this is reality. If Junko says this is a video game, this is a video game.]

I-I understand! It’s just a little surprising. [There’s a lot of questions on her mind, but she’s hesitant as ever to ask them. The plan must have went wrong, right? Everything they worked so hard for...I mean, it must have gone wrong after the accident with the spears, right? An accident...]

Um... [She’s so pathetic. Really. What would she have done if Junko hadn’t come here and saved her. She rubs the Fenrir tattoo on her hand.]

So, what’s the plan now? We were in the middle of something back there, so...

[sobored]

In the middle of something? Were we?

[Junko frowns, seemingly confused by that.]

Here I thought I was at the end of something. Or maybe it was the beginning? Or hey, maybe even a broken clock is right once in a while and it was the middle? It's hard to tell sometimes, I always have so much going on.

[It sounds like a real mess, but she snaps out of it quickly enough, going back to normal. It's fine, it's fine. Just the struggles of dying at the end of the game and kind of continuing to poison the rest of the franchise after that. No big deal.]

But you know what? I think we'll stick with that broken clock one for now. I totally was in the middle of something back home and it was despairingly rude to bring me here in the middle of all that. But a plan, I don't know, don't you think that's a little played out now? It'd be super boring if I had some sort of despair inducing masterplan for this place, don't you think? That'd reduce me to being super one note, like that's all I do.

[She doesn't sound like she's serious about this at all. Nope, it's definitely not something to be taken seriously by anyone.]

B

[boldsimplicity]

[He's not supposed to remember her.

But right now, as long as he's in this world, he remembers the two years their class had-- remembers Mukuro Ikusaba, the twin sister of Junko Enoshima. It's supposed to be a big reveal right? And apparently something he never does remember, but the situation here is different thanks to Hinata Hajime, restoring his memories before he was sent back home.

Ishimaru barely notices the scrap of paper flying past him, his focus entirely on the soldier stationed in front of the task board.]

...Ikusaba-kun...?

[Ishimaru says in a stunned voice, his volume far lower than it normally is. Of all the classmates he thought he'd be seeing here, she's definitely not one he was expecting. A mix of emotions travel across his face, all of them easily readable, going from that shock to anger, before it slowly devolves into grief.]

Y-you're really here...!

[givemewings]

[Seeing him is surprising, but it’s his reaction that affects her moreso. He remembers her name? That...shouldn’t be possible. She takes a reflexive step backwards without realizing.]

Ishimaru.

You recognize me. [Now isn’t that a surprise. She says it more to herself than to him as she tries to process the situation before her.]

...I see.

[boldsimplicity]

Of course I recognize you, you're one of my important classmates!

[His voice rises a bit with that, a more familiar determination settling upon his face as he takes a few steps closer to her. He kinda forgets to mention the whole memory restoration bit, but there are just so many thoughts running through his head. Should he be crossed with her, for helping Junko spread despair and lock his class in a killing game? Or should he just be happy to see her here, alive and not dressed up as her twin sister?

G-guess he can always do both.]

Furthermore, you aren't dressed up as your sister! That helps with recognizing you as you!

[givemewings]

...Important classmate? [The phrase hits her in a weird way. Why does he remember? How does he remember? And if he does...why would he say something like that? Hiding against the wall, scheming, thinking every day about the eventuality that would result in the death of all of her classmates. “Important classmate.” No. He’s wrong.

The phrase frustrates her more than she’d like. But there’s no time to dwell on that because of what he says next. He remembers the killing game. He remembers her disguise. He knew it was a disguise. That means...

Her entire body tenses as the knife jerks up in front of her from her side, holding it between herself and Kiyotaka. She quickly barks out in a cold and uneven tone:]

What happened to me? [Her mind is racing thinking of the spears piercing her body, the blood spill out of her mouth, the despair.]

[boldsimplicity]

[While Ishimaru is always ready to step up and argue for his beliefs, even he stops in his movements when Mukuro brings up the knife between them. T-that's just really dangerous! He's not so subtlety reminded of the fact that she is the Ultimate Soldier and probably knows at least a dozen ways to kill him with it.

So, taking some extra caution might be beneficial! It's okay to be careful, as long as he doesn't back down or run away.]

You... [It takes a lot of effort to stop himself from shutting his eyes, but the memory of all those spears suddenly piercing through her body is almost overwhelming. He hasn't really thought about it since arriving here, but it's impossible not to right now. It was gruesome, it was awful, perhaps even more so now that he knows more about the twins.]

Erm, well, first I need to know, what was the last thing you remember before coming here? [He shouldn't just tell her that she dies, right? Maybe he just wants to hope that she hasn't gotten to that point in the killing game yet.]

b!

[spiritoso]

[ Kaede just barely manages to catch the piece of paper before it blows right into her face, and she unfolds it, surprised to find "soldier for hire" written down. She looks around, spotting Mukuro by the taskboard, a knife in hand. It's concerning for sure but... maybe it has to do with the paper she just caught. ]

Hey. Is this yours? [ She holds up the paper, tilting her head to the side curiously. ]

[givemewings]

[...Mukuro stiffens. A feeling of being exposed.]

...Yes. [Her eyes flicker down to glance at the back of her hand.]

I...was looking for something to do. [The only thing she can do. Without Junko, without Fenrir, she’s lost.]

[spiritoso]

[ Ah, that makes sense. Kaede notices the glance she gives at the back of her hand, and she can't help but wonder why. Maybe that's something she can ask later.

She offers a small smile. Is she having trouble deciding on a task? ]

We could do one of the tasks together, if you want.

[ They don't know each other at all, so maybe it's not the best time to offer to do one together but... there's no harm in at least offering. ]

[givemewings]

It’s all very ordinary. Ordinary people, ordinary needs...

I’m not sure that I’m cut out for most of this kind of work. I’m used to....conflict. [And that’s putting it lightly. She shuffles away from Kaede just a bit. Her kind face is making her think of something unpleasant.]

I’m not much of a people person. My sister got all of those genes I suppose. [Junko would really do a great job at twisting these tasks around and using them to destroy all of these people’s lives and brining despair upon them, though.]