hugtopiamods: (Default)
hugtopiamods ([personal profile] hugtopiamods) wrote in [community profile] hugme_mes2019-08-16 10:20 pm
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♥ August Test Drive Meme

animated gif of a money driving a car with two people laughing and saying drive monkey drive
August Test Drive Meme
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Click on the title of the prompt to read it.


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...



PROMPT I: Where's the Pied Piper?
the silhouette of a man staring down at a crowd of rats

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
a row of contestants before a game show host

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
two fingers together with smiling faces drawn on

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!




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 CharactersReservationsApplications
carbungle: livebites @ dw (and darlin' darlin')

Noctis Lucis Caelum | Final Fantasy XV

[personal profile] carbungle 2019-08-17 02:41 am (UTC)(link)
( V: buddy my buddy )

[Talk about disorienting. Most of his basic questions had been answered by the overly helpful robot (who is not a magitech trooper, turns out, which made his near-incident with a sword even more awkward) and he'd been shooed out the door in record time, but that still leaves him abandoned on the street with some poor sucker who's been wrangled into guiding him around.]

Uh, hey. Sorry?

[wtf just happened?]


( I: pied piper - prince or princess? )

[While most people are having a hard time with the mice, Noctis is... surprisingly okay. He can sleep through almost anything anyway- car crashes, migraines, phone alarms- so a bit of squeaking barely makes him twitch. They're kind of annoying during the day, though, and as much as he'd like to he can't actually sleep 24/7, which means he has to deal with them like everyone else.

So today he's seated on the ground just outside one of the houses, next to a small chipped hole in the foundation, with an arrangement of fruits, nuts, and cheeses on a pillowcase nearby. His intent had been to catch them, but they'd filtered out of the house so cautiously and begun nibbling away, and he hadn't wanted to scare them, but then they started to sniff at HIM instead...

So yeah, he's surrounded by mice now, and looks perfectly okay with it. They're cute, what else is he supposed to do?]


Man, you guys are really hungry...


( IV: thought bubble )

[Since noticing the clouds popping up over people's heads, Noctis is intrigued but also wary about his own, especially since it seems to frequently shift to the same woman over and over, though the images seem a little grainy, as if based on a photo or a newspaper clipping. A few other faces also pop in from time to time, one that some might find familiar, another equally familiar but a little different than usual, alongside some strange scenery and occasionally a stylish car].

The whole thing is a jarring experience, but he's nosy about what he might see above others around town, so he's people-watching as he explores the unfamiliar streets.

He might also just end up lounging on a park bench to take a cat nap and dream of fluffy chocobos instead, because who wouldn't?]



( wildcard! )

[Ping me via PM or [plurk.com profile] fontech for a unique prompt or find him around town! I'm open.]
philoxenia: (Default)

[personal profile] philoxenia 2019-08-17 02:45 am (UTC)(link)
Mira has the ability to, very subtly, calm someone's emotions via her empathy. Would this help with our skittish rodent friends?
philoxenia: (when the world don't)

Mira Delacroix ♥ Original

[personal profile] philoxenia 2019-08-17 03:07 am (UTC)(link)
Mice to Meet You
[ Of course Mira's going to help! She loves animals, and mice and rats don't freak her out. She has a few baskets in her arms, and as she spots a little cluster of the creatures, she kneels down. ]

Hi there... Can I take you somewhere safer than this? I promise I'll be gentle.

[ Sometimes it works! Especially whenever she reaches out with her powers. But sometimes she just ends up frightening the critters, and she always seems a little put off whenever this happens. ]

There's so many of them... I'm worried they'll get hurt.

Connect Four(iends)
[ She's never done anything with VR before but, hey, there's a first time for everything. Mira plugs in, and she's more than a little startled by the whole thing. She doesn't know a lot of people here! But she's willing to play along. Whoever's nearby-- ]

... Let's do our best, right?

I'm Just a Little Black Rain Cloud....
[ At first, she hadn't noticed. But it's hard to ignore the fact that someone's looking right above her head, whenever she interacts with one of the natives. Then she'd realized that others from different worlds have a cloud above her head. It's not really annoying, just-- yeah, she's pretty curious? It manifests as a series of question marks. Unfortunately, the more she thinks, the more worried she gets. What else can be seen through the cloud?

Sometimes her cloud's a soft pink (content!) and sometimes it's a mass of static (worried). The latter is a dark, gloomy grey. ]


I don't know how to get rid of this... It's kind of invasive.

[ Kind of. ]

Budding Friendships
[ Well, this is... Hm!! Mira isn't sure how she feels about being all but shoved together with another person. It would be one thing if her partner were notified of this beforehand, but it looks like it's just a random choice...? ]

I'm sorry-- [ Even though she... really doesn't have to apologize. ] --If you were busy or you'd rather not have to show me around, I'll understand.

(( ooc; note that mira has empathy abilities; she can feel others' emotions! however, she does have the ability to block them. if you'd like me to play with this let me know, otherwise i'll err on the side of caution! ))
Edited 2019-08-17 03:19 (UTC)
scourgingstars: (not as sure as when we started)

Ardyn Lucis Caelum | Final Fantasy XV

[personal profile] scourgingstars 2019-08-17 03:10 am (UTC)(link)
[V; it wouldn't mean a thing if I told you how I feel]

[To say the man in white looked lost would have been a massive understatement. He seemed more than a bit out of sorts, simply going along with everything rather than waste time and energy questioning the matter. Even if he did, where would he begin? 'How' and 'why' all seemed rather hollow, not to mention he was sure the answers would end up being unsatisfactory.]

[Immortal life was already so goddamn weird, this might as well happen.]

[So perhaps the nearest person unlucky enough to be pulled off the street was met with a somewhat disheveled man with violet hair, gold eyes, and a clear unwillingness to deal with any of this nonsense today.]


[IV; so I'm tired of the pain, of the misery inside]

[Ardyn tried very, very hard to ignore the floating cloud over his head. Most of what the cloud showed were brief flashes, as though his mind itself was a jumbled mess. Brief visions of things like an endless snowfield, a dark room of stone...on rare occasions one could make out a spark of clashing blades or a young woman. Notably enough, that last one always seemed to disappear as quickly as it manifested--as though it was something consciously pushed aside.]

[Gods above, this place was a waking nightmare. He wanted nothing so much as to withdraw somewhere no one could possibly see any of this, but Ardyn had the sneaking suspicion it simply wouldn't be that easy.]


[wildcard; and I wish that I could live feeling nothing but the night]

[hit me with whatever, i'm easy]
Edited 2019-08-17 03:12 (UTC)
velvetinmate: (baby sell that soul)

V

[personal profile] velvetinmate 2019-08-17 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
[Welp, this sure happened. The gold eyes... definitely throw him for a moment or two, but anything he'd have to say about them is shoved to aside--Akira's been here long enough that he's reasonably sure this guy isn't a Shadow. Even if he can access his Persona, there hasn't been any other sign that this place is like the Metaverse at all.

As soon as the robot leaves the two of them alone, Akira shifts awkwardly.]


So, uh... do you want to just find somewhere to sit down first instead of...

[Vaguely gesturing in the direction of the temple.]
philoxenia: (through the streets and avenues)

V;

[personal profile] philoxenia 2019-08-17 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
[ The allegedly unlucky person just happens to be someone... well, a little overwhelmed by everything. It's... difficult to ignore how utterly done he feels with everything, which... yeah, she understands.

Mira clears her throat. ]


... Hello.

[ nailed it ]
scourgingstars: (leave out all the rest)

iv

[personal profile] scourgingstars 2019-08-17 03:26 am (UTC)(link)
[Ardyn really just wanted to find somewhere away from so many people; exhausted as he seemed to perpetually be since leaving the island, this all felt like a bit much to confront all at once. But the brief glimpse of blonde hair in the cloud over someone's head caused him to stop in his tracks, a reflection manifesting in his own cloud of thought. That was impossible--no, it wasn't Aera at all. Was it?]

[Then he made the mistake of looking at who it was standing under the cloud, the woman's image flickering into that of a young man wearing a cold smirk. Ardyn took half a step back, almost defensive as he stared at Noctis in recognition that wasn't quite recognition, rapidly trying to make sense of the impossible.]
scourgingstars: (i only want to say if there is a way)

[personal profile] scourgingstars 2019-08-17 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
I'm fine.

['Fine' in this context meant 'functional'. Functioning, he could do--'fine', he hadn't been in a very long time.]
scourgingstars: (then i was inspired)

[personal profile] scourgingstars 2019-08-17 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
[Ardyn looked her over with a slight raised eyebrow, as if he was still trying to process literally anything that was going on.]

...Hello.

[nailed it x2]
friendshipdriven: (if i have 10 apples and you take 4...)

Budding Friendships! (also I'm cool with empathy!!!)

[personal profile] friendshipdriven 2019-08-17 03:29 am (UTC)(link)
[ When he's outright pushed into the lady, there's a quiet sound of protest... and then a frown and grumble. ]

You could at least ask before just-... Hey, wait!

[ ... Seriously?

Seriously??

Really, Ventus isn't legitimately annoyed to a point of wanting to, say, chase them down? But he is a bit grumpy over all this. With a hint of deflating, he shakes his head at the apologizing lady. ]


No way... Don't apologize! It's not your fault they just... do this...

[ He looks around, the hint of a frown lingering on his face. ]

I'm just sorry that I can't show you around. [ rubbing at the back of his neck now, sighing softly ] Since I'm... actually pretty new myself...
Edited 2019-08-17 03:34 (UTC)
velvetinmate: (but we gonna raise hell anyway)

budding friendships!

[personal profile] velvetinmate 2019-08-17 03:30 am (UTC)(link)
Don't worry about it.

[Akira smiles gently. Honestly, helping a new arrival doesn't sound so bad. It sure beats his daily "clear out the rodents" by a long shot, at any rate.]

My name's Akira. What's yours?

[[ ooc: I won't say no to the empathy abilities if you'd like to play with them c: ]]
riegency: (Default)

claude von riegen | fire emblem: three houses

[personal profile] riegency 2019-08-17 03:32 am (UTC)(link)
( i. two truths and lie )

[ oh this actually looks like fun. claude shrugs, folding his arms above his head, mulling it over. ]

Okay, guess. I once poisoned another class, I'm secretly royalty and I like sweet teas.

( ii. twister )

[ okay. this is a very strange game, but certainly entertaining. but claude is nothing if not devious and "accidentally" nudges someone to fall. ]

Oops. Does this mean I win?

( iii. buddy system )

[ claude sidles up to you, with a wink. ]

Hey, buddy. Got any information you're willing to share on this new guy? I hate to make a bad impression.
velvetinmate: (baby sell that soul)

[personal profile] velvetinmate 2019-08-17 03:33 am (UTC)(link)
If you're sure...

[He rubs at the back of his neck.]

Sorry about those robots, by the way. They're, uh, a lot. Be glad you weren't in the first crop of off-worlders. They were a lot more... excitable then. And touchy.
philoxenia: (rare as the glimmer of)

[personal profile] philoxenia 2019-08-17 03:36 am (UTC)(link)
Oh--

[ Oh no, now he's apologizing. Mira shakes her head, though, and gives him a tentative little smile. It's hard to relax, but there's something about him that feels... well. Not threatening? But she can't really be sure. ]

It's okay. I can see they really didn't think this through... [ a sigh. ] ... I suppose we can walk around and discover things together? [ cautiously: ] If-- you wanted.
scourgingstars: (not as sure as when we started)

[personal profile] scourgingstars 2019-08-17 03:37 am (UTC)(link)
...Is that what they're called?

[Ardyn looked back over his shoulder, arms folded as if he wanted nothing more than to withdraw as much as physically possible.]

I'm not familiar with that sort of magitek contraption. I presume the chief researcher would understand them a bit more.
philoxenia: (13)

[personal profile] philoxenia 2019-08-17 03:39 am (UTC)(link)
... Okay. If you're sure.

[ Unfortunately, she's going to worry about it. Forever. This is just who she is, as a person. Terrible. ]

I'm Mira. It's... nice to meet you, Akira.
philoxenia: (i wanna tell you not to get lost)

[personal profile] philoxenia 2019-08-17 03:40 am (UTC)(link)
[ Great job, guys, truly brilliant. ]

... I'm sorry, I think I'm just as new as you are. I'm not sure why they chose me to help you.
scourgingstars: (not as sure as when we started)

[personal profile] scourgingstars 2019-08-17 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
[they're trying.]

No...forgive me for troubling you. It is scarcely any fault of yours.
carbungle: mirrorcoated @ dw (31)

oh this'll go great

[personal profile] carbungle 2019-08-17 03:44 am (UTC)(link)
[Noctis doesn't notice him immediately, gazing off elsewhere lost in his own thoughts. Part of what has him frustrated - and thinking often of Luna - is how close he'd been to finally crossing the ocean and seeing her again. Why did he have to end up here instead?

When he does see Ardyn a moment later, he has a similar reaction: surprise, of course, though not so much defensive as cautious and confused. His gaze drifts upwards briefly to spot the eerily familiar face in Ardyn's cloud, and his own becomes... well, clouded, like an overcast storm, his thoughts too jumbled to make out.]


You're here too?

[Who the hell is that? And why is Ardyn looking at him that way?]
velvetinmate: (young blood run like a river)

[personal profile] velvetinmate 2019-08-17 03:45 am (UTC)(link)
Yup, that's what they're called. I'm not entirely sure about the details, but... That's a thing.

[Chief researcher, huh...]

... I'm Akira, by the way. Akira Kurusu.
velvetinmate: (raise hell)

[personal profile] velvetinmate 2019-08-17 03:48 am (UTC)(link)
Absolutely.

[He grins.]

It's nice to meet you, too. Is there anywhere you'd be most interested in seeing first?
scourgingstars: (feel it burn me i have changed)

[personal profile] scourgingstars 2019-08-17 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
[He hesitated before giving any answer, not looking directly at Akira. It didn't seem like he was trying to come up with a lie, more as though debating if giving his name was a wise move at all.]

...Ardyn. My name is Ardyn.
philoxenia: (84)

i

[personal profile] philoxenia 2019-08-17 03:52 am (UTC)(link)
[ Oh, well. ]

The lie is... the first one?

[ she sure hopes so!! ]

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