souljammed | July / August Test Drive

Test Drive Meme

Prompts

Arrival: So you've just arrived in Nyoi-Cho. Congratulations! You must be so excited about having your wish granted. Or maybe you're upset that the result wasn't quite what you expected? If that's the case, then that's too bad! There are no take backs and no redoes, so you're stuck with what you have! Maybe you should have been more careful about how you worded that wish...

Oh well. There's no use in dwelling on it. You're a magi now, and that means adjusting to a whole new lifestyle! Maybe one of the townspeople can help you out.

Only... they're acting a bit strangely, aren't they? They're all too happy to show you around, but there's something unsettling about the way they're behaving. Almost cheerfully dissonant. Any questions about the history of the town are met with blank stares and brief silence, before they plaster a smile onto their faces and change the subject. Any attempts to tell them about your duties as a magi or anything else that relates to the magical will get similar reactions.

Isn't there anyone normal here that you can talk to at all?

Home Improvement: The houses that the magi are given access to really are something, aren't they? There's almost no limit to what they can do! Why don't you create the house of your dreams, or maybe recreate and relive your favorite childhood scenes? Invite some spectators over to marvel!

A Corrupted Soul Gem: You neglected to take care of your soul gem, and now you don't feel quite yourself anymore. You feel like you're losing your sense of self - all you seem to be able to focus on is your old regrets and past failures. What's happening to you?

A Day in the Life: Everyday hero by day, magician by night! You've got a busy day ahead of you and no time to waste! Maybe it's school, or maybe it's work, maybe it's both! Being magical doesn't make you exempt from paying those shopping bills!

May Day: Uh-oh. This magical girl stuff looked easier on TV. You're in some serious trouble! Or maybe you see someone else who is! It's time to pull up your socks and show them what you have. Be the hero you've always wanted to be, or give in and be that damsel in distress. There's no shame in needing a little help now and then.

A Successful Mission: Congratulations! You met up with your first Nightmare, and you fought valiantly. You even mastered that tricky power of yours! As if in response to your masterful victory, you feel as though you've unlocked a new power. What sort of power did you get? Is it a useful one, or is it not so useful? Maybe you've mastered it beautifully, and now you're showing off to all of your friends. Maybe you're having a hard time keeping it under wraps, and now you're wreaking havoc across the town without meaning to!

A Dreadful Nightmare: You had an absolutely horrid day. As you drift off to sleep, your mind dwells on all the injustices you've had to endure. In response, your bed swallows you up, and your room shifts into a horrific Nightmarescape. What sort of Nightmare are you? What kind of Nightmarescape do you create? Hopefully your fellow magi can stop you before you cause too much damage!

Wildcard: Feel free to use any information from the FAQ or the World Info page to make your own prompt!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Oh she's counting on it personally.]

Thank you~ That college education was worth the money even if I don't know when I'll ever pay off the debt.

I've met with a number of the local Magi so far. Sounds like I came just in time from some of the stories I've heard. This place can attack you on a deeply mental and emotional level.

[That's great. Now, for the million dollar question what's it to you? Are you the cat?]

Do you still have to pay your debts here? We seem to be in the middle of nowhere.

[Folding his arms over the back of the chair. Then Harley's examination of the situation registers, and the immediate reaction is a flash of profound disappointment at the universe. Do you watch The Office? His expression looks like the look they give the camera.

There's a hard edge of perhaps something else, but he exhales and shrugs in a bored way and it's gone from his face.]

Very nice.

I don't suppose someone with strings in this town is trying to fuck us over on purpose.

[His shoulders are not relaxed. His shoulders have never been relaxed.]

Oh no no...I mean I hope not. But I also like to optimistically plan on returning to my own world eventually. I've got some unfinished business there.

[She offers a sympathetic smile at his reaction.]

Well that seems possible, but that's not too different from my world I suppose. Seems there's always someone trying to get ahead at the cost of others.

[She twirls a pen idly between her fingers leaning back in her chair.]

Of course I was one of the people who did my part to put those people in their place. I can't stand bullies myself.

[He would be willing now to have a seat, judging things not imminently dangerous enough, but he's thrown in his lot with standing and leaning. Now he will have to defend his preference for that camp to the death if need be, even if he's literally the only reason why he has to. There is no outward indication that Laurent is reconsidering his past decisions.

In other news, everyone go home, they've found the fucking cat and it's probably this town and that wishgranting weasel. The doctor is also potentially a feasible ally.

Already one more silver lining than the worst-case scenario. Small victories?]

Bullies are some of the lowest kinds of human, though there is a distinction in certain cases.

But you think it's possible to get back? I fancied this was a life sentence.

[ She smiles to see he agrees at least to some extent.]

Well sure. I've been thrown to the farthest corner of the universe twice, I've gone back in time, and even to other universes so anythings possible really.

[OK that might be stretching the truth or leaning on the fourth wall a bit much but she really has done the first two at least.]

How about you cowboy? What was life like for you before you wound up here?

[His face is pleasant interest- pleasant interest deepening slowly as the exchange goes on- until she calls him a cowboy. Then his expression flickers, if only for a moment, a few more blinks as usual as he mulls over the word.

Cowherd?

Is he dressed like her definition of a cowherd? He's not dressed like his own definition of a cowherd. He's dressed like his own definition of someone who could buy multiple herds of cattle and also the hypothetical cowherd.

Her tone is not mocking. It's not sarcasm, or an insult.

Likeliest conclusion, the term means something else to her culture. Alternative conclusion that still remains an option, her culture do farming very differently.

Now, the matter of universe hopping.]

I'm afraid you might find me rather boring in comparison. I only fucked my enemy, conspired against my future interests, and colluded in my own murder.

[He exhales like it's all very boring fare. The words are from what feels like a lifetime ago; it feels dizzying to be able to bring the past up with such brazen disregard. Feels like freedom. He's given himself too much power.]

Oh, and there was half a war. I may have been a part of that.

[ Well he's not terribly wrong on a few of those conclusions at least. Her universe does a lot of things differently. In the meantime she snorts at his introduction.]

Oh yeah because that sounds like a terribly dull story! Who would ever want to hear about something like that? It's not like there haven't been entire novels written about just one or two of those subjects let alone all four!

Come on you can do better then that I bet. Let's start with the naughty~ Who was your enemy and how'd ya get them all seduced?

[There have been novels. Three whole novels. But that's a little beyond the fourth wall, here.]

I didn't-

[Like under a guttering candlelight, a brief shadow falls over his carefully relaxed composure. 'Naughty' is what starts it, and 'seduced' is what makes him tighten his grip on the back of the chair like he's holding himself back from worse.

Of course everyone wants to know about the Veretian prince's sex life. He thanks you for the reminder.

And perhaps, here, he has nothing more to lose. One needs to be reminded of that oftentimes. But maybe he also needs to remind himself of the golden rules of gilt Arles: always end with the phrase, does he really?]

Are we not being too forthcoming for a first meeting? [a veiled edge to his voice. didn't like something she did, there.

But then he returns to lighthearted jesting-] I hope you don't plan to be writing a novel out of this.

Though I must say, your story is quite intriguing even next to mine. You're not a kind of run-of-the mill person, are you.

[ Well she can hardly ignore the body language. It comes down to a careful game of give and take. She can't expect to get all the best gossip on the first day after all.]

Oh not me! I'm a terrible writer. I get all caught up on motivations and then try to throw in some humor when really I'm only good at making myself laugh.

[ She winks at his deduction.]

I'm hoping they broke the mold when they made me. It wasn't a pretty run through a friendly mill but you can't argue with the results.

[ She casually twirls the end of her ponytail around a finger leaning back in her chair.]

But like the best stories it all starts with a girl falling in love, too bad it was with the wrong fella. Still you'll forgive someone a lot if they make you laugh won't ya?

July / August Test Drive

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Sorry for the late reply @_@

No worries!