♥ August Test Drive Meme

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August Test Drive Meme
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As Achtom and Ohnir flow into each other, the skies are still gorgeously blue and dotted with high fluffy clouds that never seem to threaten rain - so long as the weather stays controlled. Businesses are picking back up, the natives starting to cater once again to flesh-bodied people with varied amounts of success. The VR cafes are featuring more helmets so even more people can play along with the ever expanding selection of games. Overall, it seems like Havenwell is quite the peaceful city.

But there are still some issues to be had...

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❥ PROMPT I: Where's the Pied Piper?

All Achtom, the residents have been dealing with things in characters' houses seemingly moving of their own volition to other parts of the house and going temporarily missing, returning chewed upon by the mice that have overtaken Havenwell. By the time the new wave of arrivals come, the worst of it is over, but there are still some pesky little temple familiars running about the city!

The noises at night aren't as terrible as they once had been, but the squeaking and chattering in the walls and ceiling is still noticeable. It's still difficult to sleep at night for all the noise throughout the long night hours. Trying to find the source is a surefire way to drive yourself mad, but it seems that sleeping in the same bed with another person makes it a little easier to bear, especially if you hold hands or touch throughout the night.

Pink and purple rodents of various sizes from panda mouse tiny to chihuahua-sized rats are still popping up all over the city. It seems the only place they aren't is where they're supposed to be - Ainea's temple - and that's a big problem. While many have been returned thanks to the offworlders' efforts, Ainea's temple priests are still out in the city, begging residents both robotic and flesh to peacefully and carefully capture the creatures and return them home to the temple. They pass out soft woven reed baskets to any who agree and thank all participants heartily for their help.

❥ PROMPT II: We Didn't Start This Fire

Throughout the month, pockets of the city experience magnificent dry lightning storms. Before each onset of the storm, an immense clap of thunder booms across the entire city like a siren and the natives hold their figurative breaths until the first strike rains down. A peal of lightning, searing hot, strikes the ground or hits the spires of nearby buildings, cracking stone and leaving nasty burn marks behind. Each storm is only 4 to 5 minutes in length before they suddenly disappear again, but in those few minutes chaos reigns. For anyone unlucky enough to get caught amid one of these storms, take cover! Residents throw open doors and push people inside, even shielding the offworlders with their own bodies if necessary to keep them from getting harmed.

When the lightning and its sonorous booms pass, residents scurry out to repair the damage. They'll be asking nearby offworlders to help as well with patching the stonework or removing broken debris. Most importantly, they put out a call for help in putting out fires that spring up after each storm. Their metal bodies can't withstand the heat for long without melting and the water is dangerous to their circuitry. After the fires are put out and the damage repaired, on occasion, residents will ask for the somber help of pulling a native robot unlucky enough to take a direct hit from the lightning to a local repair shop. Strangely, the natives don't seem sad when their friends and family can't be repaired, and instead start gathering up objects from home to take with them to the temples along with the bodies. When asked, they say it's to pray for a rebirth and go on their way.

❥ PROMPT III: Let's Play the Friend Connection

With all the craziness going on, some people might just want a distraction. A lot of Havenwell's natives certainly seem to think so. Despite everything, the Entertainment District is as bustling as ever and this month the offering is to participate with a friend or group of friends to play a game called: Friend Connection. Rather than the usual plug in and sit configuration, this time the VR cafes have been reorganized into 3 meter by 3 meter square pads with no chairs or furniture available. Players plug in or put their helmets on and they're instantly transported to a garish neon-lighted stage with multicolored spotlights that show a floating, legless robot with a rainbow bowtie and a magnificent mustache. The robot's LED face lights up into the approximation of the :D emote and then a disembodied voice comes from speakers overhead:

"Hail, well met, and welcome to the hottest game show around: Friend Connection! As the studio audience already knows, this game is simple! You and your new friends compete to complete more challenges than the other hidden team. The more fabulously you and your team completes each task, the more points you'll be awarded. At the end of the game, the team with the most tasks cleared and the highest point value will be declared the winners and take home some fabulous prizes. On today's team is..."

And the robotic host waves an arm to a scoreboard behind it, showing your names. The heading "Other Team" has ???? underneath it and a list of challenges is revealed along with a burst of applause. The list reads:

1. Play Twister until someone falls! The longer you go, the more points you win!
   
2. Help each other do a handstand! The Wheelbarrow is acceptable too.
   
3. Recreate your favorite scene from a romantic movie. Take, for example, That Scene from the hit movie, Skytanic! Or hum along to this song as you and your friend make some pottery together.
   
4. Create a complicated Best Friend Handshake consisting of more than 5 moves and do it together 3 times without messing up!
   
5. Answer trivia questions about each other and your worlds while holding hands and staring into each other's eyes. The more questions you can answer, the higher your points!
   
6. Do a trust fall into your friend's arms. The higher or further you fall, the more points you'll earn.
   
7. Play two truths and a lie with your friend. If you can guess correctly, you'll earn points for your team!

Are you ready, contestants? You have 20 minutes. Good luck!

At the end of the game, the characters are declared the winners by a slim and, naturally, exciting margin of just one point! And their fabulous prize......? The friendship they earned along the way! Congratulations, players! And don't worry, when the game ends, you'll be in the exact weird position you were last in as the helmets turn off. Hopefully you aren't still in those weird Twister positions because everyone can and has been able to see you. Yup, the entire time.

❥ PROMPT IV: Comic Logic

Although Achtom is waning and Ohnir beginning, Diacht's influence is still going strong. Throughout their day as they go about their daily routines, helping people out or trying to find their missing items, the natives stop looking at them and start looking above their heads. In fact, as characters meet one another, their attention may also be drawn vertically above their companion because floating above every offworlder's head is a faint white cloud. Whenever they move, the cloud moves too. Attempts to dispel it by magic or physical means does nothing and it seems like you can't touch it at all.

It's annoying isn't it? Or maybe you're feeling quite curious about this phenomenon? Or maybe it scares you? Whatever you're feeling or thinking, it shows up in that cloud clear as day. It's not every thought or feeling that shows and attempts to control what appears fails, but you're now broadcasting your innermost self to the world.

For a time at least. Smart characters might notice that after prolonged physical contact with another character, the cloud fades away and stays away for an undetermined amount of time. Sometimes it's an hour, sometimes it's a day, sometimes it's only 5 minutes, and then it begins to reform again. Whatever it is, it's here to stay, so good luck keeping your secret inner workings, well, secret.

❥ PROMPT V: Buddy System

With all the changes going on, it might be hard to be a new arrival to Havenwell. The natives understand! Sort of. When new arrivals begin to appear at the temples, receive the welcome speech, get their communicators and the simple map of the city, they get taken to the front of the temple by a helpful robotic priest. Rather than turn the newcomers loose right away, they pull someone seemingly at random off the street and push the two people together with a cheerful, "Here's your guide to Havenwell! It's dangerous to go alone, so be buddies!" before going back inside. They try to place a new arrival with one of those who previously arrived, but who can keep track of all that, right? Characters may find themselves thrown together with an actual veteran or with another new arrival who only came here a day or even just an hour before them! Good luck helping each other out, offworlders, and don't lose your buddy!

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Have fun however you like with the setting! Make a network post, 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, 2019 at 10:00PM EST and our applications will run from September 2, 2019 to September 9, 2019 from 10:00PM EST to 10:00PM EST.

♥ Taken Characters ♥ Reservations ♥ Applications ♥

Comments

[sweetlies]

[As if he wouldn't do everything to help the reaper as well. They've been in this together for so long...]

I don't think we've lived anywhere that we haven't made cozy yet. The fleet wasn't quite peaceful but we managed. [A happy sigh and he curls against him a bit.] We can always make somewhere cozy, just as long as we're happy. If you want to stay here, I won't argue.

[Oh, he's tempted to stick his tongue out again but just laughs instead, just enjoying the comfort.]

Lucky I'm too comfortable or I'd... poke you. Or something.

[somakemelaugh]

[Any time the boy wants to curl against him, there are two arms here waiting. Astre knows that by now, and he won't ever deny the boy. Even with his sight returned, touch is still a bulk of his interaction with most things, many people. This city seems to be made for them.]

Oh, we will. I have no doubt about that. But... I think I do want to stay. I haven't been here long enough to know for sure, but I'm tired of uprooting and relocating every other year. Aren't you?

[The thought gets a soft giggle from him. He can't help it.]

Poke away, milord. We'll see what happens.

[sweetlies]

[He does know it. And Undertaker knows the same goes for him, although he knows he fits better in Undertaker's arms than the reaper would in his. He'd still try and be happy to as well.

He'd agree though that Havenwell seemed made for them. When did they not settle in against one another, whether at the end of the day or just because they felt like it.]

I'm so tired of moving about. And worrying whether I'll ever see you again. It's exhausting, it seems like it always happens just as we're getting comfortable and making our own place.

[There's a little grumble but he's smiling, peeking open his good eye and reaching lazily to poke at a cheek.]

There. Poked.

[somakemelaugh]

[There's a sentiment he can agree with, not that they truly disagree on much these days. When they do, it usually ended with a light dusting of flour about their kitchen and the two of them laughing as they cleaned it up.]

[Oh, how he loved it, and he would love it that much more knowing that it will return.]

Ohh, as am I, milord. I have a mind to find whoever runs this place and, if we like it enough, ask them to just let us stay here. Maybe bring your brother around, if they can influence that, and we won't have to worry about it anymore.

[He grins at the finger against his cheek and tilts his head into it, however briefly it might last.] Oh, goodness, the horror. [A hand sneaks down for a brief tickle, but only briefly. They're comfortable and he's enjoying it as much as Astre, and he doesn't want to ruin it all quite yet.]

[sweetlies]

Oh, that would be nice. The three of us together, nice and cozy. All of use keeping each other safe. Not that you need much protection but... I like looking after you too.

[It's a small confession, but it's genuine and warm as he opens his eyes and smiles up at Undertaker. And then giggles softly when those fingers manage that quick tickle.]

What would I do without you? [Actually, he doesn't even need to ask that, he knows.] Hm... I suppose I'd still be bitter and still be contracted with a demon.

[somakemelaugh]

[it isn't the first time that he's heard these words, but he doesn't mind it even still.]

I think you do. Three pairs of eyes are always better than one. Now that mine work properly again, we'll only be that much better off in our home.

[That giggle. Oh, he loves it. Any laughter would make his day, but coming from this boy in particular could make his week.]

Ah, no need to concern yourself with that now, milord. We're well past that one's reach, now that you've been cleansed of the curse.

[sweetlies]

Two and a half, really. [He teases, just a little and at his own expense.] I'm sure you two could make up for my lack of good eyesight though.

[He's good at getting him to laugh. And he tries to get Undertaker to laugh as often as he can. As much as Undertaker loves the teens laugh, he loves Undertaker's just as much. If he'd known how nice it could feel to make him laugh, he wouldn't have made himself look on it as such a chore.]

You're right. It's a hard thing to forget though. I'll never be able to thank you enough for caring so much.

[somakemelaugh]

[There's a surprise, for once. That Astre is actively poking fun at himself, and about his eye no less, something that he knows the boy has been sensitive about, is really almost a wonder to hear, as bad as it is.]

Oh, we would try. I would still miss it if you felt you needed to sit it out on account of that one eye though.

[And he most certainly would, circumstances aside. If it came with more laughter, he'd count it as a bonus, but he would take that as he could get it. He tilted his head into a palm to watch the Earl.]

Whoever said you needed to thank me? Should be me offering my thanks for letting me care. We've said as much before, but we can again.

[sweetlies]

[It's getting easier to make jokes at his own expense. Especially when he chose the loss of sight himself both times. However unwittingly the first time was, he knew what he'd been doing when he asked to remove the marked eye.]

I believe in you both. And I wouldn't sit out of all the fun. I'd feel awful though if my eye got either of you hurt or lost.

[He'd be absolutely beside himself. He just wants them to be safe. And happy. And together, most importantly.]

Nobody but it still feels like I should. You've always cared though, even when I didn't want anyone to care. I always thought it would be easier. [But he tries to shake away those thoughts.]

You're one of the best parts of my life. I know we decided before but- after worrying I might not find you, I want to hear it. I just want to hear that neither of us will let all of this separate us for good.

[somakemelaugh]

[Well as he knows this boy, he knows when they're getting feelsy, and this certainly sounds like Astre getting feelsy. He shifts carefully, moving to settle both arms around the Earl's shoulders, and ducks his head down to nuzzle against the dark hair.]

You'll hear it, milord. We weren't given a choice in leaving the Fleet, or Riverview for that matter. But if this world agrees with us and you find you like it, I want to stay here with you in whatever capacity you need. How does that sound? No more world hopping, no more worrying if this time we're alone, no more starting over again.

[He knew what the boy would say before the words even left those lips, but for his part, he wanted to hear it. And Astre needed to hear it, too.]

[sweetlies]

[He curls into his hold and smiles, closing his eyes and relaxing and just holding onto him so tightly. This is what he wants, needs. Him and his reaper, his brother if they can somehow bring him here and hopefully smooth things over with him with... well, everything.]

That's all I want. Us. A warm and cozy house. I want to like this city, I want to find somewhere we can really call home. Somewhere that's ours. I need that but I'm happy so long as you're here.

[He's predictable in that but he's happy. He can feel his worries melt away.] I've never been happier than when we found each other again. And since then.