memepatheias | TEST DRIVE: April

— TEST DRIVE: APRIL —

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 March 25th and Applications (Canon | OC) open a week later on April 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. These threads do not count toward AC.

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: The Verens Emergency Response Teams are running drills to make sure that the Verens populace, natives and Otherworlders alike, are prepared for any and all emergencies. This means large scale obstruction of public areas, traffic delays, businesses closing their doors temporarily in the name of professional cooperation... and, best of all, Otherworlder participation!

Alpha Lava: If you asked Team Alpha, they would say they drew the short straw. They are in charge of the volcanic eruption preparedness drill! This includes cordoning off sections of the merchant’s square and residential district to conduct the following tasks: evacuation drills, where random houses are the "willing participant" of loudspeaker announcements telling them they have thirty seconds to escape their homes before they die; dunamis training exercises, to determine who would be most able to hold back or freeze incoming pools of lava; and, most helpful, the role of victim mannequin. Posing still as a statue for several minutes at a time to simulate being encrusted by molten lava is a thankless job, but someone has to do it.
Epsilon Epidemic: Team Epsilon's emergency preparedness drill is outbreak of a deadly disease! For this simulation, they will be rounding up helpful Otherworlder volunteers and distributing signs for them to wear around their necks. Following that, instructions are varied. Perhaps some people end up in quarantine, informed that Team Epsilon will shoot to kill anyone who escaped. Perhaps some people are under strict instruction to act out their sign to the best of their ability, and will be penalised if they don't! (What's the penalty? It's quarantine, or no gift bag, or both.) Perhaps they are simply dead and have to lie in the street all day. Yes, that's very boring. No, they don't have a choice. At the end of the simulation, all participants are given a gift bag filled with handmade cookies (courtesy of Team Epsilon's very own multi-talented Agent N) and gift certificate for a spa day for two. Most importantly: have fun!
Gamma Grandstanding: Team Gamma ended up with the newest preparation drill. Its official title is "People With Indeterminate Motives" (PWIM for short) to keep from throwing a wrench in the Briarlan trade deal and offending sensibilities, but make no mistake: it is about knowing exactly what to do if pirates invade Verens and conduct a hostile takeover. Some Otherworlders will be placed specifically in local business - restaurants, independently owned shops, even the zoo - and trained how to protect them from PWIM. Some businesses will be targeted; others will be ignored entirely (hope you brought a deck of cards!). Other Otherworlders will be asked to play the pirates - sorry, PWIM - themselves, complete with lame costumes (eyepatches, fancy hats, fake parrots to sit on a shoulder, itchy peglegs) for the sake of immersion. Arr! Aye, avast!

• Prompt E: Despite the rain and everybody coming down with colds during the month, everyone in Verens is still doing their best to get ready for next month's Flower Festival. And Otherworlders are definitely expected to help with prep work. After all, it's everyone's festival, so everyone should help make it the best it can be! So here's a few ways to help!

Sign Me Up: The Festival needs signs! Lots of signs. And lots of signs need lots of painters! Or one incredibly overworked painter, but in this case, they've decided to go the teamwork route, pairing up Otherworlders and having them make signs advertising various games at the festival! Sounds easy, right? But with emotion based paints in play, be careful. Too much negativity between partners and the wording will change, the paint could run, go too far in the other directions and the signs will be practically glowing, but possibly lead to claims of false advertising!
Special Delivery Flower Festivals need lots of flowers, and people to transport those flowers! And thanks to handy tech exchange with Briarlan, this year there's some fancy containment units for transporting them. They're really just crates with some fancy looking meters attached, meant to open up when they reach the festival grounds. Unfortunately, these new inventions probably could've used some additional testing and are prone to opening randomly sending flowers all over the place! Try and collect as many as possible and bring them back to the grounds, the festival organizers would appreciate it.
Flower Round Up! Or maybe painting signs and boxing flowers aren't your thing, so how about...corralling them? With all the good vibes in the air, it seems some of the flower arrangements have literally pulled up roots and are running around the festival. And you can't have a flower festival without flowers, so do your best to try and get them back where they belong before they run off to start some sort of flower civilization in the woods*.

*They probably will not form a flower civilization in the woods, but you never know.

• Prompt F: With Verens trading with more and more cities out there, some shopkeepers have gotten an idea to try and increase sales by encouraging both citizens and Otherworlders to shop local by promoting a tour of various business in the merchant district! Though the crystal has been a little negative, they're still hoping the tour goes off without a hitch! After all, it's too late to postpone it.

On the Clock: The first stop is Click, Clack, Clock, a clock shop that offers delivery to anywhere on the island! Unfortunately, due to the poor weather, all of the delivery staff are out with colds, so they're looking for volunteers! And yes, you're on this walking tour, but don't be surprised if you're handed a bicycle and a clock and sent on your way to deliver a clock. Hopefully they remembered to tell you where to go before shoving you out the door.
Shine On: Assuming you haven't been conscripted into the clock store's delivery force, the next stop is at Verens' very own Restoration Works, an establishment for restoring old antiques and making them look good as new. They've set up an interactive demo for everybody, so partner up and practice using your emotions to bring some shine back to some dull scraps of metal! Sorry guys, they're not going to let you work on anything really valuable during the tour, but if you show some promise, maybe they’ll hire you on in the future!
Polg-Oh No: Finally, the tour will end with a nice relaxing meal at the Sweethearts Cafe. Or it was intended to be relaxing, anyway (who would've thought the antique store would be the calmest part of the tour?), but it seems no place is safe from the Polgo plague. Better keep an eye on your plates, otherwise the second you’re distracted, the small kitten-sized blue bugs might scurry up the table and try and run off with your food!

Even if you’re paying attention, they might give it a shot anyways. So be on your guard and ready to give chase if it happens!

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include blueberries and/or buckets.

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!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[.....

Something inside of him just drops. There is fear and hesitation, but anger and something else.]

....Vanitas.

[Oh that feels fimilar. He already picked up on Ventus' presence in this world. Still, a faster answer then he expected.]

It's been awhile. Sounds like you missed me.

[He knew mentioning something to do with friends would get a rise out of his light half. After all, that was all he ever harped on.]

Think I could've gone much longer without you.

[Ventus sounds irked, but he is focused on finding Vanitas now.]

What's the last thing you remember?

Pretty big talk considering it's most likely your fault I'm even here.

[Let's set this straight so whenever Vanitas does what he does best, Ventus can blame himself for somehow bringing Vanitas to this undeserving world.]

You first. What's the last thing you remember, Ventus?

[Vanitas gets to feel a more...strong feeling of regret and anguish. But it's gone as quickly as it came.]

It's been ten years since I've last seen you.

[Is that a better time frame?]

[ Ten years. How was that possible? His defeat to Ventus and the shattering of the x-blade was still a very fresh wound. His jaw clenches tight as his irritation grows.]

Let's make up for lost time then. Better hurry and find me.

[Ventus might have to try a little since he isn't in one of the cities. His emotions are hard to control in a world like this. He's away from everyone currently, staying more towards in the mountainous area until he can get more of a handle on it. Due to oozing with aggravation and impatience the area around him is becoming darker and void of it's color. The grass is dying and various other parts of nature are following suit and wilting.]

[It might take some time.

But Ventus gets an idea about Vanitas' location, somehow understanding that his Darkness would not want to linger around an area while emotions run rampant. Eventually, he does find him, and the sight of the wildlife dying strikes him, much like a thunder hitting him.

Seeing Vanitas in the flesh, however, makes him falter a bit. A simple hesitation, a familiar fear and anger clouding his heart. It's been over a decade, but it's still not easy seeing him. The wind picks up around them, a silent hiss in the air as they respond to the turmoil in Ven's heart, almost like a storm brewing as it edges in on from the horizon.]

[Seeing Ventus in the flesh doesn't make Vanitas falter. His hands clench into tighter fists as the effect on the area around him starts to spread further and further. A area with no color, getting the life drained from it as the shadows noticeably get darker and bigger.]

Ventus....

[He breaths out his name like its a drug. Something that causes his boil to boil with absolute hate but his heart racing with excitement.]

You don't look any different from the last time we saw each other.

[There's a dark chuckle there, amused. He hasn't lost to Ventus. Not so long as he's still breathing. This war wasn't over.

He takes a heavy step forward before breaking into a stride. He walks quickly with purpose, with intent. Despite this, Void Gear isn't summoned but he's walking straight for Ventus. From him small mass of shadows pull off. Multiple sets of red glowing eyes glint mischievously.

Something else Ventus hasn't seen in years. Unversed. The Floods scurry around before sinking into the ground and moving to block off the path Ventus came on. There's no backing up and retreating now.]

Funny. I could say the same to you.

[Seeing Vanitas like this--Still very much like the last time Ventus saw him makes something inside of him jump. Is it fear? No, not quite. It isn't anxiety either.

It's excitement.

Ventus bristles instinctively when Vanitas comes closer to him, recognizing the feeling of the Unversed spreading under him. It's been so long--his fingers flex, circling inwards almost as if about to call for Wayward Wind. Not yet, even if the red eyes underneath peeks out.

His jaw clenches.]

You never did answer my question. What was the last thing you remember?

I don't owe you anything.

[His voice gives nothing away. Despite his offhandish tone, he's seething under it all. Two strong emotions mixing together and making a dangerous combination.

Hate and excitement.

Behind his mask is a hungry smirk. Too long. Those moments apart felt like centuries. He had everything in his grasp only for Ventus to rob him of it due to his own selfish stupidity. Something he worked so hard to obtain for years was shattered right before his eyes. All because of Ventus.

But here they were now. Broken but still existing. To halves a whole. This could be another chance. and one he wouldn't lose. Vanitas will never give up.

Void Gear blinks to his hand and he raises the keyblade up to point at Ventus, holding it just in front of his heart.]

Your little vacation is over, Ventus.

[It makes him bristle, the wind howling around them now. A mixture of emotions fill him, but something is filling him, too. Strong enough where the wind howls with excitement while ice begins to spread out from underneath his feet in fear. However, while his heart remained on a teetering edge between the two emotions, there is another that echoes through their connection.

That stubborn determination Vanitas should be all too familiar with.]

You're crazy if you think I'll let you continue that here.

[Lost Memory blinks into his hand, fingers curled tightly around its handle.

Deep blue eyes darken as an incoming storm thunders in the sky above them.]

[Stubborn determination met with stubborn determination that clashes between them. Vanitas really doesn't know if its that in Ventus irritates him that much more or if it just makes him want to push that much harder. To keep fighting with his light until both their existences cease to be. See just how much until he can break Ventus. There's resent there from their last encounter clearly.]

You still don't get it.

[He's not surprised. Ventus has always been a too slow for his liking. Slow and stubborn, the worst combo. He moves Void Gear slowly, opening his arms wide as if inviting Ventus in.]

Come on then, lets see what you're made of.

[....

That's not a good sign.

And Ventus isn't in the mood to play games with him. Instead of simply charging at him, his jaw clenches and he fires an Aeroga at him. It's only meant to throw him back, to get distance, but he keeps awareness of the Unversed at his feet, too.

Ventus doesn't want to fight, even if his stance has shifted into a defensive position, the way his muscles tense in preparation to move away if needed.]

TEST DRIVE: April

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