August (Achtom) Test Drive Meme

[hugtopiamods]

August (Achtom) Test Drive Meme
Premise ♥ Setting ♥ Rules ♥ FAQ ♥ Mod Contact

Ah, summer. That lovely time of year where the bright sun in the clear blue sky makes you want to head to the beach, catch a tan (hopefully), and relax with a good book. While there may not be a beach in Havenwell (other than in the VR simulators!), the summer sun is definitely out in full force by Achtom as Diacht's power begins to wane. The crystal clear skies do seem to encourage people to go out and the locals, who can't feel the temperature, seem to be bustling about as they continue to clean and improve the newly opened areas. All this activity might be a bit much for the offworlders, however, because in recent months the temperatures has been steadily rising don't seem to be easing up anytime soon.

---

❥ PROMPT I: Staying Cool in the Neighborhood

A massive heatwave that comes and goes throughout the month seems to have gripped Havenwell! While they themselves cannot feel the heat, the natives can observe the effects it has on the offworlders and are quick to find methods to help them beat the heat. Scientists out of the research centers throughout the city develop and then begin promoting cooling drinks and cool packs that they sell at the temples, city centers, entertainment districts, outside their research centers, and other areas where offworlders tend to gather. These drinks and packs do seem to work well in beating the heat thankfully, and either imbibing the drinks or using the cool packs quickly help you ward off the rising temperatures. You're welcome to try and cool off on your own terms, but the unnatural heat will likely leave you lethargic and gross, if not outright sick, if you go too long without some outside support. There seems to be very little long-term relief to be found.

Unfortunately, for some people, they find that these drinks and packs are working too well. Weird quirks and side effects pop up and fade out at random, sometimes even compiling on top of each other! They never seem to last for very long, thankfully, but it can be a bit inconvenient when the following happens to you:

• You've beaten the heat and feel a cooling rush of relief as the heat escapes your body. But then the heat gives way to cold and that cold leaves your teeth chattering as you realize you can no longer regulate your body temperature and your body is quickly reaching wintery levels! Better find someone to help you warm up because you'll need to share body heat until this effect wears off in order to keep your lips from turning blue!
  
• Ah, that sweet sweet cooling relief radiates out from your core, pushing the heat out from the inside. It feels great to be this pleasantly cool while the summer heat beats down on you - until you touch something and it bursts into flame. Apparently the only way to get rid of all that heat is through transferring it to something else! Any inanimate object you touch (no people or animals!) starts to smoke and burn when your hands come into contact with it. Metals start to melt, your ice cold drink starts to boil, that nice little teddy bear you got starts to blacken and burn - it's a bit insane! Thankfully, your clothes and accessories you're wearing at the time the side effect takes hold don't seem to be subject to this inconvenience. You'll need some help to get about your day until the effect fades - which thankfully isn't that long! At most it lasts an hour, but an hour can seem very very long when you can't get your morning coffee in you.
  
• Do you know how your body naturally cools itself? Through sweat! And you're certainly sweating a lot now that the summer heat has taken its toll. After taking the scientists' concoctions, however, you might notice that, while you're definitely noticeable cooler, you've also ramped up the amount of sweat you're producing - to almost insane levels. Your hands are slippery, your feet are slippery, and even if you're wearing shoes, it seems to be leaking through, absolutely robbing you of any and all friction as you slip and slide around the city! Better have someone who can grab onto you and help you get about until the sweating abates or you'll find yourself careening around and into things willy-nilly.

❥ PROMPT II: Unlicensed Squashables

The trend of offworlder goods being popular among the locals seems to be continuing with a new and weird trend in the entertainment district markets. Huggably cute, teddy-bear sized stuffed plushies in the offworlders' likenesses are being sold at various stores, but no one seems to know where they're coming from (or are just completely unwilling to give up their sources). These little pushies are insanely popular with the locals, with some special edition ones with various limited edition costumes going for a premium in Dora and getting traded among collectors. For those familiar, think of the old Beanie Baby craze, and you'll know just how dogged some of the collectors can be as they try to complete their offworlder sets. Of course, the locals aren't the only ones buying up these adorable little dolls and offworlders can find likenesses of themselves and their friends who are still in the city being sold at stores quite easily.

While it may be a weird diversion for some offworlders, for others, they may find something else that raises their hackles about this new toy trend. On occasion, people may start to feel phantom hugs, the feeling of someone giving them a lovely little squeeze, as they go about their day. While this doesn't count for contact, it's certainly weird to be alone and then suddenly feel someone you can't see hug you. Observant people might realize that this all started with the introduction of these plushies to the market, and through trial and error realize that they have some sort of connection to some plushies that share their likeness. If having phantom hugs isn't your thing, then it's time to go find whoever has your connected plushie and either get it back from them or sever the connection somehow! Thankfully only positive contact can be communicated through the plushie, so any damage or violence (why would you??) done to it isn't reflected via the connection.

But how does one sever the connection? Well, that's a bit of a problem because the merchants are absolutely baffled by this phenomenon. Any dolls they've sold to locals don't seem to be experiencing this issue - only ones sold to other offworlders. The plushies do seem to give a clue themselves, however, as they light up with a soft hue in the color of the character's god in the areas where they were last given positive physical contact. Maybe if you mimicked this contact on the plush or on the owner of the plush, it'd do something? It certainly seems like the gods are interfering in your lives again after all. The only places the plush will not light up is anywhere that consent would be needed to touch.

Alternatively, you could pull a plush heist and just steal it from its unsuspecting(?) owner. How you want to deal with this is up to you!

❥ PROMPT III: The Factory Tour

After concerted efforts to clean and repair the Factory, it seems it's finally open for business. Mostly. Through the efforts of the locals and the offworlders, the factory machinery is back up and running, and the locals are thoroughly charmed by just how old it all is. As in, super old. They had stopped using this smelting and refining technology centuries ago for a very important reason: most of the machinery requires touch between two or more participants in order to work. This unique method of operation will require some tutoring to get used to, however, so anyone interested in learning must attend classes with the de facto owners of the factory in order to learn how. It isn't easy to be both the power source AND the operator, but with enough practice, they're sure you can learn to master this age-old technique!

There are two types of classes running for those interested: Forging Basics, where you learn how to power and heat the forge to melt and create simple metal objects at first like spoons and rods, and Smelting Basics, where you learn how to power and smelt common ore like copper and iron into useable metals for the forge. For the Forge Classes, characters will need to stay in contact with each other to power the heat in the forge - which is a strange rainbow-colored fire. The longer they're in contact with one another, the longer the fire will stay lit, and the hotter the flame will get. Characters should keep one hand on the handles outside the forge, and their other hand on each other. For example, 15 minutes of contact in this method would translate to 30 minutes of continuous forge power. The characters can adjust the flame intensity by squeezing the handles in unison, a lighter touch will lower the intensity and a harder touch will increase it. Learning to get this touch and the timing down for the correct forging of metals is one of the hardest parts of the lessons and what the classes will primarily focus on. For the Smelting Classes, characters will need to learn how to power the smelting machinery through a method similar to the Forging Classes - one hand on each other and the other one the machinery handles. This time, however, the finesse and focus of the class is in learning how to use sensitive touch in unison to add the correct amounts of each ore and other materials to result in the purest form of metal ingot in the end.

As a partner is required for each class, tag around! Find a friend and learn together.

Additionally, throughout the month at rare and random times, people who are within or in the immediate proximity of the Factory can feel the ground tremor and bump. The movement isn't large enough to knock anything over or cause any damage, and could easily be dismissed as something large passing by - except that there are no trucks that rumble in the streets. Locals are just as baffled about this phenomenon, but attribute it to perhaps the clunky old machinery thumping too loudly. Those within the Factory and near the mineshaft can on occasion hear a rumbling noise from deep within the mineshaft entrance beyond the barrier which throws a bit of doubt on the idea of the machinery being the cause.

---

Have fun however you like with the setting! Make a network-style toplevel, make up other prompts based on the general setting, go wild. Havenwell is your oyster.

This TDM is for the September application round. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread below. The reservation round begins on August 30, 2020 at 10:00PM EST and our applications will run from September 2, 2020 to September 9, 2020 from 10:00PM EST to 10:00PM EST.

♥ Taken Characters ♥ Reservations ♥ Applications ♥

Comments

MOD QUESTIONS

[hugtopiamods]

Alfredo Martini | Romeo's Blue Skies (CW: Mention of Death)

[hisblueskies]

Prompt I

Dying had been one thing - with as little notice as he'd had, Alfredo had accepted God's plan for him.

And then other gods altogether had brought him here, to this place, where priests made of metal explained that compassion - through physical contact - was what was needed to save this world.

It was all a bit much for him, but if this was where he was needed, if he could only move on to his parents (and, though hopefully not for a long time, his sister Bianca) after this place was saved... he could help. He would help.

It was a bit difficult when he was apparently warm enough to set things on fire, however!

Wherever it happened, the blond boy would immediately check about, worrying that he'd hurt someone.

"I am terribly sorry, are you all right...?"

There may be a 'sir' or 'madam' added to the end of that.

Prompt II

The phantom touches were strange, but the only way he'd put the pieces fully together was if he saw someone holding a plushie of himself!

"Excuse me, but, where did you get that?"

Network

[The boy on the screen looks rather uncertain - of, well, everything. But writing's not what the problem is.]

This screen, this technology is amazing - am I using it correctly?

[He's not: the camera feed is upside down. But at least he's figured out how to post? He's from the 1800s, it's impressive enough he's gotten this far.]

network

[changethestars]

Ummm...kinda. [Ahri flips her hair over one shoulder. Her camera feed is perfectly aligned to accentuate her cute face. She spends a lot of time taking selfies, okay?] You need like a 180.

Network

[connectsthedots]

[Eyyyy what is up fellow 19th century bro? Dot turns on her own video feed in kind, chuckling.]

You're close. It's upside down, though. It's hard to discern which way is up with these things, isn't it?

Kaworu Nagisa // Evangelion

[5thchild]

1.
[ Coming from a place where it's permanently summer (and having a nature that allows him to be quite okay with most temperatures), the heat does not seem to bother Kaworu in the least.

But when offered a drink, he takes it out of curiosity; Kaworu never really had access to much, did not eat before arriving (no need to, when you are an Angel) and often only drunk water because he enjoys water. Being offered a cooling drink is new and because someone else is giving it to him rather than him asking for it, he accepts. After a sip, his face brightens up ] It's very good. [ in all fairness, most thinks will be "very good" to Kaworu, as he is experiencing everything for the first time.

As he explores the city, drink still in hand, he curiously looks around, tries to speak with whoever he sees, smiling and saying "Hello" like the sort of person who is more than fine with his current situation. If anyone is willing to speak to him, Kaworu will start the conversation with a simple question: ]

Are you happy here? [ LUCKY FOR YOU, the drink kaworu has in his hands starts boiling and evaporates fast while the cup is now melting. He looks at it, unsure what is happening right now. ]

[hedgehogsdilemma]

[Even for someone used to extreme summers, the heat currently beating down on Havenwell is pretty overbearing. Shinji's done his best to try and cope with it normally, but there's only so much he can deal with before the drinks being passed out become the most appealing option. There's some chance of shenanigans with them, but... the idea of relief definitely outweighs the worry of that.

It's probably an especially great idea in the face of something as unexpected as seeing a face he knows so well, right in front of him, for the first time in so, so long.

There's a moment where Shinji just looks absolutely puzzled, like he's trying to figure out if he's suffering hallucinations from the heat. The cup in Kaworu's hand boiling off and beginning to melt just kind of lends itself to that idea. His own drink goes neglected in his hand as he gives Kaworu a thoroughly mystified look, his mind swimming in a haze from the heat, before he can finally string a coherent set of words together.]

You should... probably drop that?

[The cup. You probably don't want to hold on to that while it melts.]

[connectsthedots]

Why would I be? I didn't ask to come here, and it's hot as – [Dot falters at the sight of steam rising in front of the pale teenager's face, her eyes following his down to the cup.] Bloody hell!

[As time is of the essence, she takes it upon herself to smack the cup out of his hand before it can ooze any further.]

Mercedes von Martritz | FE:3H

[pathihavechosen]

I

[Mercedes hadn't been in the city long. Enough to get her information and leave the temple and start wandering to take a look around. The heat was starting to get to her, and she had removed her hat and veil and started using them as a fan to try to keep cool. But... not even that did much.

At least some of the robot people were handing out drinks... And she decided to take one so she didn't pass out from the heat. It was amazing! She felt like all the heat was flowing out of her... and then she noticed that the bench she'd taken a seat on was burning.

No, really, on fire. She jumps up to get away from the flames.]

Oh no! I didn't cause this did I?

II

[Well, these plushies are interesting. They don't look like anyone she knows, but they have to be modeled after someone considering they don't look like the robot people she'd seen mostly wandering around.]

Ah, may I have one of these? [She pays with what little money she has, being a new arrival, before wandering off with it in her arms. It's cute, ok?]

Wildcard / Info

[Have some other ideas? Hit me up! You can just drop something here, or hit me up at penguinknitter. Note: She's post Azure Moon timeline. :)]

I

[healing_wish]

[The cool drinks sure are amazing, this young girl in the pink-white dress agrees with that.

Madoka is taking a look around everywhere, when she happens to see the woman there and suddenly the bench is literally on fire??? Thank gosh she gets up before it burns her. Okay, no one's dying (this time), it's only a sudden fire and she seems to be fine.]

Well, I'd think that would require some kind of a fire powers, so unless you have those, then no? [Sheepish laugh. On second thought though...] Um, I mean even if you had anything like that, it could still be just a coincidence.

[She smiles. Oh right... There's something that should have been her first question.]

Are you okay?

Princess Peach / Super Mario

[mush_monarch]

Prompt 1.

[Peach recently arrived and, while she's used to ending up in places against her will, most of the time she ends up in places she knows, even if only by name. Although, Havenwell reminds her of The Overthere, so at least there's a bit of familiarity to her surroundings.

After a day or two, she realizes the heat is becoming more and more unbearable, and it doesn't help that all she has to wear is a long and heavy royal gown.

Thankfully, she soon finds relief in some drinks being promoted in the city that promise to beat the heat. And, to her surprise, the drink she gulps down works like a charm! She cools down in a manner of minutes, the heat a long, distant memory.

But then... temperature keeps on dropping. And dropping. And dropping some more. And then Peach finds herself rubbing her arms while the people around her are fanning themselves and downing drinks full of ice. Just... what is happening to her?

At some point she's just sitting on a bench, hugging herself in a hopeless attempt to warm up with her teeth clearly chattering. It looks like the cold is building up from inside of her, and she barely has the strength to call out for help.]


Prompt 2. (via network)

[A broadcast comes from peach and she's all smiles as she's standing inside a store.]

Ah, good afternoon everyone! I was just walking around and, heh! Look! [Peach points her camera to one of the many shelves there and it's filled with figures that resemble her.] Aren't those the loveliest? Back in the Mushroom Kindgom they did some dolls that looked like me for a while, but it was quite some time ago. It's super exciting seeing something like that again! [She chuckles, picking one of the dollies up.]

I almost wanna get one, but... wouldn't that be too narcissistic of me? Hah, I won... [She stops for a moment, face going from glee to surprise, then she takes a look around.] Hmm... I could swear I felt someone tug at my arm... How strange. [She keeps looking around, clearly distracted from the broadcast.]

1

[jivitadana]

[It's hot and it doesn't look like the heat wave is going to stop any time soon. Minato has known by now to avoid whatever concoctions the robots are serving out on the streets, even if they were so tempting as the heat is unbearable.

That's when he sees someone out in a formal pink gown, like full regalia, but instead of being too warm in an outfit like that, she's shivering. He does go over to sit next to her, worried. He has his hand out ready to touch her shoulder if she's all right with that.]

I can stay with you until you feel better, if that's okay?

Reynir Árnason | Stand Still Stay Silent

[herdimmunity]

staying cool;
[To say Reynir isn't used to the blistering heat would be an understatement. He doesn't think Iceland has ever gotten so hot, and Finland was a little warmer, sure, but it was nowhere near as unbearable as this. He's miserable and warm and when offered a drink to make things feel cooler he accepts as quickly as possible and downs most of the drink in one go. (The rest gets offered to the cat that seems to have decided the best place to be is on top of his head.)

He should have known better.

The chills start after a little while, a shudder going through his body. His teeth start to chatter, and he wraps his arms around himself. Kitty seems to be faring slightly better, and he's glad for that, but the cat has taken it upon itself to go find someone who can fix this problem. Don't be alarmed if a cat with a rather peculiar, over-sized collar comes up and meows at you plaintively.]

S-sorry about her.

[Wow, it's hard to talk with your teeth chattering.]

squash that cat;
[The dolls are... Kind of cute, he thinks. They kind of remind him of the old dolls his sisters' had that he played with when he was a child, though a little more extravagant. He doesn't have a lot of money, but he stares at them with more than a little consideration. He has no use for a doll, but maybe Kitty would like one?

The cat in question is in her customary perch on his head, paws dangling in front of his face. He seems completely unbothered by this, as he hems and haws.]

How much, again?

[Please be cheap, please be cheap...]

wildcard;
[throw something at me!]

Staying Cool

[hisblueskies]

[Here, have a very concerned twelve-or-so-year old.]

Are you quite all right?

... Either of you.

[True, he doesn't like having things he touches end up on fire - but it's never been living things so far, and if he has heat to spare and this person's lacking it...

Conclusion reached, Alfredo walks over and offers a hand to Reynir.]

Perhaps I can help?

more cats for cat squashing

[nyakama]

[The robot vendor happily gives a price, and it's an entirely reasonable one but probably still more than a new arrival has on hand. I say this all vaguely because I have no idea what the Aellyn economy and inflation rates are like so giving an actual number feels weird. Shhh, just roll with it.]

Do you need some dora, nya? [The voice comes from behind Reynir, but also ...below? Indeed, there's a little cat sitting and staring up at him.]

Dorothy "Dot" Pratt | Fallen London (OC)

[connectsthedots]

1A. Ahhh, it’s hot. The false-summers in the Neath got hot too, of course, but after years underground, Dot is more than a little ill-prepared for the rays of the real sun, especially a supernaturally charged one. Her pale skin and stuffy 19th century attire aren't doing her any favors either. She takes off her hat and fans herself with it, trying to take her mind off the entirely unbecoming sweat drenching her body. This was not what she had in mind for her surface homecoming.

She takes off walking in search of some shade. Or at least, she attempts to. Her legs slide out from under her and she tumbles to the ground, skidding a fair distance like a hockey puck.

"This street’s slipperier than a rubbery man’s arse," she mumbles, and though an apt comparison it may have been, it was a hind sight that, in hindsight, she could have done without the mental image of. She grimaces at herself and tries to stand, only to slip back down again. Damn it all. Care to help a lady out?

1B. Dot is no stranger to setting things on fire accidentally. Normally, though, she can at least predict when it’s liable to happen. So when her trusty notebook begins to smoke without any warning, she panics and throws it to the ground. "Oh hell!"

She turns to the closest person as she stamps out the flames. "Do things often just decide to burst into flames around here?" Because if so, she’s going to need to do a lot more research.

2. Cursed. That this place would have a doll of her, someone who just arrived here, is absolutely some sort of bad omen and the doll itself is almost assuredly cursed. She stares at the little plush cautiously, hesitant to touch it. Instead, she takes another doll – one of you! – and gives it a good thump on the nose with her thumb and index finger, looking around for any changes.

3. Wildcard, baybee. Hit me up with whatever. ∠( ᐛ 」∠)＿ Feel free to swap to brackets or change tense or anything like that. There's a profile with some rudimentary info in her journal and you can hit me up via PM or at carrieface if you have questions or wanna hash somethin out.

FALLEN LOOONDOOON...er, hi. (1B)

[pathihavechosen]

"From what I understand, no." Mercedes holds out some water, if she'd like to use that to put the fire out. But, she also notices that it's a notebook, so she won't do it herself. There could be something important in there.

"Did you have something to drink from the locals? Something similar happened to me earlier."

Dahlia Hawthorne | Ace Attorney

[doesntpoop]

Staying Cool in the Neighbourhood

[She was in another world. Literally in another world. Full of robots. Robots that told her she could save the world by physical contact. Dahlia isn't unfamiliar with the supernatural, being from a family of spirit mediums herself, and all of this is so bizarre.

Still, it beats being on death row. At the very least, she has the freedom to walk around. Even better, nobody knows who she is or that she was sent to prison at home. Maybe she can make a new life for herself here. And find 'friends' to manipulate into doing what she wants.

But god, what's with this hot weather? It's boiling. She immediately accepts a drink from one of the robots. It seems to cool her down immediately. What a relief.....

Until she becomes so cold that her teeth start to chatter. The hell? She almost thought she was going to die of heatstroke earlier! Is she sick?

Either way, she feels she needs help. So if you're passing by, you might come across a shivering redhead who tries to tap you on the back or reach out to you. Her eyes look desperate, pleading.]

P-pardon me, but I m-might need a bit of help. C-could you please tell me where the nearest doctor is? I think I might be a little sick....

Network post - Video

[The video turns on to find a shy-looking woman, looking nervously at the camera. She pauses, looking at the ground uneasily before facing the camera again.]

Is this thing on...? [She seems to look around.] Oh, I guess it is!

S-sorry, I don't think I've used a video camera before. Not like this. It's a bit scary, to be honest.

Not only that, but being brought to another world, being away from your family and friends......it's really scary. [And crocodile tears start to fill her terrified eyes.] Are we really not able to go home?

B-but I guess I shouldn't complain. After all, they brought us here for a very good reason. And I should do my bit as well. [And with that, her nervousness suddenly goes and her face lights up as she smiles sweetly. Butterflies everywhere!] Oh, sorry. I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Dahlia Hawthorne. It's an honor to meet all of you. Let's do our best, ok?

Wildcard

[Hit me up with any other ideas!]

Staying Cool

[hedgehogsdilemma]

[This is... not the first time he's come across something like this, but it's probably the first time he's heard someone specifically request a doctor for this. That probably would seem like a reasonable course of action so someone who doesn't know about Havenwell's penchant for shenanigans, huh?

On the other hand, it might not be a bad idea to let the robots know how dire they all find these weird side-effects to be. It's not like it'd hurt to at least get her going the the right direction, one way or another... She looks so frightened, too, how could he possibly not help?]

I can show you how to get to the clinic. Do you need a hand...?

Sephiroth | Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII

[silversoldier]

1B Staying Cool

Sephiroth is almost boiling underneath all that armor and black leather, not to mention his hair. As a SOLDIER, he understands the importance of taking care of himself and finds it very relevant now in this unfamiliar place. This heat cannot be natural, and given his lack of relevant materia to combat that, it is with minimal reluctance he purchases one of the drinks the locals are selling to combat it.

Sephiroth finds a park bench under a shady tree and sits down to nurse the drink. Thankfully, it isn’t long before he begins to feel the advertised effects. Sephiroth lets out a sigh of relief and closes his eyes for a moment as the cooling sensation spreads throughout his body. He loosely cradles the drink in his hands, content for the moment.

Unfortunately, that same drink starts to bubble in his hands and it is really only his enhanced reflexes that have Sephiroth tossing it from his person before it can boil over onto him. He splays one hand against the bench, his eyes narrowed on the spilled drink.

Could it have been poisonous after all? But no, he feels fine. Then what--

Sephiroth feels and smells the bench burning at the same time. He darts to his feet, all but backing into a nearby bush.

Soon, Sephiroth is surrounded by licking flames. He doesn’t seem perturbed by them, per se, but he is checking the materia in his bracer to determine if something has gone wrong there.

2 Unlicensed Squashables

It doesn’t take Sephiroth long in this new place to find that some things have not changed at all. He might be far removed from Midgar, Gaia even, but it seems there are still people who want to profit from him. Sephiroth did his best to put up with such things before, but here? He isn’t anyone’s poster boy.

It’s a new thing he’s feeling: relief that he doesn’t have to put up with this. Sephiroth has the freedom to do whatever he wants and he’s doing just that to the first shopkeeper he meets who has them on display.

“You will remove these from your shelves. Immediately.” There’s cold certainty in his tone, and perhaps that is what has the shopkeeper scrambling to comply. He hands Sephiroth all the squashables he has and that is how Sephiroth finds himself outside a few minutes later with an armful of the things. It gives Sephiroth an ill feeling in his chest to hold them, as if he is being squeezed, and leaves him at a loss as to what to do now.

Should he burn them? Or will that burn him too? He certainly can’t throw them away now that he has them. The only solution is to take them back to the housing he’s been given.

“Ridiculous,” he says, almost under his breath, as he heads that way.

Network

[ Sephiroth is sitting in the small living room inside his townhouse. Behind him is a veritable mountain of squashables bearing his likeness. He is not smiling. ]

I would very much appreciate any information on -- [ he gestures behind him ] these.

[ He seems to be about to say something else, but then the feed cuts out. ]

Wildcard

I’ll roll with the punches and your style, hmu! :)

1B Staying Cool

[original_is_best]

Fortunately or not, Verstael regularly emerged from his lab to investigate the city. And this? This was exactly why. The familiar odor of smoke drifted through the air with a metallic undercurrent. Naturally he paused and looked around to find the culprit - after all, no one enjoyed potentially being burned alive - only to find a rather unfamiliar face among newly birthed flames.

Glancing over the scene he made a quick determination - this was one of the cities many anomalies. Then he made another. Clearly there was some melted metal from that bench.

His mind instantly mulled over how this would work practically, but he had learned plenty enough during his stay here to quickly figure how it probably worked, whether it made sense or not.

He pulled out a small piece of metal he'd collected from rubble around the city, approaching Sephiroth at a steady pace without any hint of speeding up nor trying to hide himself. Instead, he simply tossed the small scrap towards him to see what would happen when he caught it. A quick upward flick of the wrist, perhaps unexpected but in no way looking as if his goal was to hit Sephiroth with the object. Nor was the object particularly sharp or pointed. Just a twisted piece of a small gear from something broken far too long to know what it used to be.

Emil | Nier (replicant-version)

[stoneflower]

II. SQUASHABLES

Emil couldn't see, though the boy knew he was surrounded by people and robots. It was strange, he'd admit, but nothing he wasn't used to. Robots aside. He managed to skirt around people easily enough, even with his blindfold, unaware of some of the stares he was getting.

He only stopped in his tracks when he felt the ghostly touch oh a hug but there was no accompanying warmth to it, no sound of another person near him.

"Huh? Is someone... there..?"

NETWORK.

[It took some work but the boy manages to get his device working without uncovering his eyes. And when it comes on, he just have a bright smile for everyone.]

Hello, everyone! I'm Emil and you can probably guess I'm new here.

Um, I'm not very good at what they need- the hugging and everything- but if you want to, I don't mind.

I am good at playing the piano though. If you ever get bored. Uh... I guess that's all. Have a good day then!

WILDCARD.

[Anything goes!]

Gladiolus Amicitia | Final Fantasy XV

[callmegladio]

Fire and Ice:
[The heat had been tolerable levels at first. Just a little warmer than Lestallum or Galdin, nothing Gladio couldn't handle. He'd opted for shorts and little else in a bid to regain some of his tan, he had lain himself out to soak up the rays.

Of course the heat was just getting worse. And it came to a point where he had to submit to that heat and take one of the strange cooling drinks that had been offered.

... Except the damn drink was too good at it's job.

Gladio went to being hot enough to burn to cold enough he felt like there were icicles hanging off of him! There wasn't, of course, but it didn't take long for Gladio to sit up, shivering.

Being who he was, he tried to tough it out. He grabbed up his blanket with hands that he stubbornly refused to let tremble, and tried to get himself home before the cold got too much for the tough guy to handle!]


Silent Partner:
[After hearing about the plushies, Gladio had to go and have a look for himself. Partly to see if there were any of himself... partly to see if they had any of people he knew.

Where they just of the people here, on this world? Maybe... maybe he could request a plush of a specific person? Or people?

He wondered, as he moved along the lines of plushies, and then chuckled when he spied a few he really did recognise. Maybe he should get them...

Would it be weird to have plushies of his friends? He picked up one of Ignis and grinned down at it.]

Even has his glasses... That's cute.


Wildcard:
[Don't like these? Wanna do something else? I'm open to suggestions! Reply with something and I'll run with it!]

Wildcard!

[blindedbyloyalty]

[ There was a commotion outside of Affurgato's Cafe when he exited the establishment finally. He had to be careful to pry Rio off his arm and leave the poor cat behind.

Ignis pauses, not thinking too much about the noise since the robots are known to be a bit pushy at best. But something else gives him pause, a voice perking at his ears. He hms thoughtfully and moves in that general direction. Wait, hold on a minute here... ]

... Gladio? [ Ignis starts his pace quicker, following the sound of the voice and yes, it's the Shield's that he's hearing. ]

Gladio! [ Ignis is still approaching, but he looks different from when the Shield saw him last. Ignis has a nasty scar on the left side of his face, his eyes are hidden behind a pair of dark glasses and he's using a cane that Noctis had commissioned for him when he first got in. ]

Leave him alone, that's my friend. [ He huffs at the robots. ]

Mina Ashido / My Hero Academia

[pinkxeno]

PROMPT 1
[ Mina was glad to arrive during summer, she kind of preferred it to winter. But there is something as "too much heat", and this is definitively it! She is walking through the city, waving her hand as if trying to create some sort of air current to aid her , but that doesn't seem to work either ] Gee... I wonder if this is how Todoroki feels... [ he'd be lucky, though, since he has an Ice quirk and could easily keep cool if he wanted.

The cooling drinks and cool packs seem to be a hit with her, though, and she is quick to take a drink and put two packs on her shoulders. However, it seems that was a mistake because soon the cooling relief turns into freezing sensation. All of her body shivers and Mina is quick to try and get rid of the packs - she isn't letting go of the drink, though ] What the- what his happening now!! [ with a frustrated pout, she waves her hands a bit and - oops - she totally spills her drink on whoever is passing by.

She gasps, embarrassed, and really tries to apologize, but her teeth are definitively chattering due to the cold she is feeling ] S-s-s-sor..ry- my b-b-bad...!


PROMPT 2
[ Since she is a new arrival, Mina has no idea who the beanies are meant to be of! However, she finds very cute ones during her walk and she can't help but to get her hands on some. In fact, she is keeping all of them close, holding on to a bunch of different one she managed to trade along - her objective isn't to get a specific one but to get as many as possible it seems.

So maybe she is actually holding on to YOUR beanie version without realizing it. feel free to approach her if you wish to complain about that. ]


WILDCARD
[ If you want anything else with Mina, go for it! Assume she is walking around and exploring, talking to the natives and being super excited about this whole place! ]

1!

[phoenixhearted]

[ Kai glares a little at Mina as the cold liquid is suddenly splashed all over him. Honestly, some people...

She seems cold, though. Which is strange, considering how hot it is outside...

...Oh well. Not his problem. ]

Watch where you're going.

Kai Hiwatari | Beyblade

[phoenixhearted]

STAYING COOL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

[ It hasn't even been a day yet, and Kai's already sick of this place.

To begin with, the idea of saving a world through things like hugs and physical affection... it's ridiculous. Laughably absurd. And Kai hates everything about it. He's never been one for affection, and certainly not one for trust - not to mention that the fact that he's here means he's been taken away from his home and his... his friends.

...And now the gods have the gall to ask for his help?

The heatwave certainly isn't helping things. Though the drinks that've been offered to him are helping cool him down, so that's a small comfort... except for the fact that, as he's sitting down with his hands on the table in front of him - he starts to hear a strange noise. And smell something that's sort of like... burning?

Suddenly, the table catches fire. And the look on Kai's face is almost comical as he backs off, standing in an instant as he stares at the flames, baffled. ]

Wha-

UNLICENSED SQUASHABLES | NETWORK

[ As Kai's face appears on the network, he's frowning. It looks like he really didn't want to have to use the network at all, if possible. ]

I'll get straight to the point. Is there really no way out of this world?

...And whoever's got that doll of me, knock it off. Get rid of it. I don't care how.

WILDCARD

[ Feel free to throw anything you'd like at me here! ]

Katsuki Bakugou | My Hero Academia

[hot_handed]

I

[Katsuki doesn't mind the heat. It's where his quirk thrives. But even this is a little much for him. It's why he makes the mistake of taking one of the drinks, only to discover its effects after.

This is why you don't try strange fucking drinks.]

W-What the h-h-ell?!

[He shivers, unable to even say that sentence without stuttering. No matter what he does, he can't seem to get warm. His hands are numb, and when he tries using his palms- nope. He's too cold to use his quirk.]

II

[He didn't want the plush, but he kind of just ended up with one. He's starting to learn about the issues with them, and now he's looking for a way to stop his life from reflecting a PG-rated horror movie. He needs to find whoever was dumb enough to buy his plushie.

He's walking slumped over with his hands in his pockets when maybe he sees you holding one of the dolls, or trying to buy one. His eyes widen and he stops.]

Lemme see that.

III (Network)

About that weird factory.

[Katsuki folds his arms and rolls his eyes.]

Look, I know how this shit goes. The factory's gonna seem like a normal-ass factory, but deep down the mines there's gonna be a monster or dragon or some shit.

LET'S DESTROY THE FACTORY AND SEE WHAT THE FUCK'S DOWN THERE!!!! Maybe they'll give us a reward!

Network

[pinkxeno]

[ have a pink, familiar girl, Bakugou!]

Didn't they try their hardest to get the factory going again? It'd be really mean to destroy something everyone took so long to repair.