phantasmemes | TEST DRIVE 004

Entry tags:

!test drive

TEST DRIVE 004

Hello and welcome to the fourth test drive for Phantasmal Rift!

Test drive threads are assumed to be game canon for accepted characters unless otherwise noted, so don't feel like you'll have to introduce yourself a second time to everyone you meet! As an added bonus, participation in the test drive comes with the chance to earn up to two items of loot for your trouble! Characters who are accepted can earn one item for having a top level, and one for tagging out to someone else's top level! Your SWEET LOOT will be included with your acceptance notice.

Additionally, characters currently in game can earn themselves a piece of bonus loot for the dungeon by tagging people's top-levels on the test drive! Existing characters get their bonus loot along with the rest of their loot at the conclusion of the dungeon.

This test drive takes place in Keystone Reef, a water-influenced Fissure to the northeast of the station. It is home to numerous fish and coral species, as well as a very interesting magical effect...

OPTION ONE: FINNY FUN

Under the water is where you woke up, and under the water is where you might be stuck for a while. The magic is lodged in you and has changed your form -- maybe a little, maybe a lot. Perhaps you only have gills, but you may also have a full set of changes, fins and no feet to speak of. Don't panic, you'll surely be fine if you just keep swimming...

Aside from the strange changes, it's a pretty cool place to be. If you've ever dreamed about scuba diving on a coral reef, the place that you've found yourself is perfect for that (minus the needing to scuba part). Curious fish swim up and then dart away into rock crevices, coral growths, and even down to bury themselves in the layer of sand at the bottom. The water is also fairly shallow, allowing you to surface if you so desire.

Even the sharks are friendly and just want to have as much a look at you as you want to look at them. Don't harass the glowing eels tucked into cracks between the rocks, though, they bite and don't particularly let go.

OPTION TWO: WORLD'S SMALLEST JUNGLE

This must certainly be an oceanside jungle - in spite of the humidity, the smell of salt on the air is strong. Brilliant greens and the occasional bright flowers, accompanied by island birdsong... It could be a nice place to spend an afternoon. There's not even that many bugs that want to drink your blood (though bugs in general are, well, quite plentiful).

Eventually, though, however far you go, you'll reach the beach and be met with the expanse of the ocean - blue, uncaring, and real big. While one side of the little island thankfully has land visible in the distance, the outer side just overlooks a near-endless expanse of blue. If you're a very good swimmer, you could probably make your way to land past the rocks of the reef itself... Otherwise, though, you might be just a bit stuck on your jungle island paradise.

At least until someone brings a boat.

OPTION THREE: SHIPWRECK

Both above and below the waterline are the remains of ships crashed upon the rocks, just waiting to be explored. Even though it has clearly been an incredibly long time, the chunks of wood and metal are still in fairly good condition, and the chance of finding something nice tucked in with them among the rocks is surely tempting to anyone with an adventurous spirit.

The wrecks beneath the waves also grow coral and seaweed, and provide havens for larger fish, dragon eels, and sharks. Those along the rocks above the waterline, on the other hand, provide a home for seabirds of all varieties. Most notable is the hulking shell of a shipping craft in the distance, looking very much modern if ruined by some centuries of exposure...

For right now, though, you'd best contend with the flotsam a bit closer to you, and the wildlife that might not take too kindly to your exploring. Below the waterline, the dragon eels found in a few places don't take kindly to being disturbed; above, you might run afoul of some overprotective seabirds protecting their nests. Maybe even an invisible seagull (normal sized) - how ridiculous would that be?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It's fine. You were in a panic, after all. ... though, from what I can see, it doesn't seem you were actually in danger.

[Why couldn't he have had a mild change like that, instead of having this stupid deadly tail?? His focus is on Aiden during the healing, though when he realizes he's being healed, too, there's a questioning, slightly surprised glance sent Akechi's way. His attention then returns to Aiden as he surveys what the magic had healed.]

It's probably for the better anyway. It looks like the fracture needs to be set. ... you might want to bite down on your shirt, if you'll allow me.

Edited 2018-05-27 23:48 (UTC)

Really? I've read plenty of stories of people being able to do remarkable things in the heat of a dangerous moment.

[ There's a questioning look at the mention of him having not actually been in danger? ]

What do you mean?

[ But, that's asked just in time for the sudden appearance of the-... is that another Persona? This would make three total. He doesn't even hesitate - no, he looks outright awe-struck as he quickly asks: ]

A Persona, right...? A power that's awakened in the Metaverse, but is able to be freely used here due to the level of instability?

[ EXCUSE THIS FLASH OF EAGERNESS AND EXCITEMENT...? ]

No.

[ That, however? Is to Shido. It's said with an equal amount of zero hesitation, and it might seem someone flipped a fucking switch. He looks... guarded beneath the sudden eerily calm mask he's wearing on his face. The air somehow feels... remarkably dry around him, given the level of humidity around here. Not only that, but it's now suddenly hotter... around Shido.

His eyes might read, loud and clear: Don't. Fucking. Touch me. ]

That skill defaults to targeting everyone in the area who I don't consider a threat. I wasn't really thinking about the fact that it would include you, too.

[He's lying through his teeth, but Shido can't prove that...despite the fact that he was clearly thinking about something.

There's a definite look of enthusiasm in Goro's own eyes when Aiden recognizes his power. He moves forward slightly, lifting a bit more out of the water than he really should be able to...only to pause and reach to cover one of the sets of slits between his ribs in discomfort as his ear fins droop and the fins in his hair flatten to his head. It's a lot less humid, all of a sudden...even his Persona is looking distinctly uncomfortable.]

It is. I'm surprised you recognize it...but I only have a mid-level healing skill. It really would be more reliable to set the bone normally.

[... yeah, Shido doesn't really buy that reasoning Akechi is giving him. He is just. Getting an eyebrow raise in response. And... oh... alright. Shido... disarmingly raises his hands?? And the heat and dry air both have him wincing as he draws back from Aiden.]

I only want to help. But if not me, you do need to get someone to do it. The sooner, the better...

[He coughs a little from the combined heat and sudden lack of humidity.]

[ Wow, that sure is a lie. Aiden's brow tenses and he narrows his eyes at the younger man for a moment. Only for a short moment. Because he quickly decides to follow the old rule of thumb that he forgets way more often than he'll ever willingly admit; other people's drama is not his concern.

He looks tense, suddenly, after seeing the discomfort (and feeling his own). There's a slow, discreetly heavy exhale as he lifts his hand slowly. His fingers brush through his hair at a steady pace as his gaze rests firmly on an object in the distance.

In that same, short moment, the moisture is back in the air. The heat increase is gone. Aiden resumes talking, his gaze flicking between the young man and Shido. His voice is quiet, and it's clear he's torn between what he wants to say and what he feels safe in revealing... ]

Ah... someone who goes by Joker is the reason I learned about Personas, at all. [ he's not fond of him; that look in his eyes is a lie ] It was Morgana who explained everything about the Metaverse.

[ BUT... a sigh and he looks between the pair one more time, his gaze coming to rest on the younger of the two before he speaks again. Sorry, Masayoshi, but... ]

... Do you know how to?

[And he's going to proceed to completely ignore those suspicious looks. His hand falls from his gills as the moisture comes back, and Kushinade-Hime relaxes visibly. Enough to rest a hand on her hip and sigh, but she doesn't say anything against her summoner's claim.]

Did you meet him here, or is this not your first experience with alternate worlds?

[He glances at the arm, thoughtfully.]

I have some first aid experience, but I've never treated a broken bone outside of the Metaverse. I can't guarantee it would go smoothly.

[ There are no signs of surprise anywhere on his face. In fact, there's a bit of bitter frustration as he says the first sentence. ]

I guess you could say that Akira Kurusu went to school with me. [ WELL... I MEAN ] ... This is my third world. We were locked in a school and encouraged to demonstrate our greatest strength... And the title they gave him was Prospect of Vigilantism.

[ But he sure as hell isn't volunteering his own title. Also there's a small shrug before he adds: ]

I was there for a week before arriving here, so I can't say what happened to anyone.

[ There's a lot of frustration ghosting over his face, in spite of that shrug. And he shakes his head as a belated response to that last thing Goro said. ]

That's fine, though. I'm tougher than I look.

Edited 2018-05-28 02:43 (UTC)

[Locked in a building, in a world that wasn't his own...that description is unsettling enough, but at the mention of titles...there's no way it's a coincidence. His fins go stiff, ears spreading out, hair standing on end, and spines glinting among his dorsal fins and digging into the sand from under his longer abdominal fins.

Kushinade-Hime's reaction shows similar shock and anger, drifting back slightly and clenching her fists. There's a noticeable drop in air temperature around them, ice crystals forming around the Persona and a chilly wind blowing over the beach.]

Did they expect you to kill each other?

[Goro's tone is as cold as the air around him, but his voice is wavering. He's trying hard to sound calm, but isn't entirely succeeding.]

[ ... Fuck.

Aiden actually shudders with an unpleasantly sick feeling resting in his stomach right away. He doesn't even need to be able to sense emotions to note exactly how his words affected this guy, so the combination of both is... a bit much.

It actually knocks the breath out of him. ]

... So, you-...?

[ ... he can't even finish the question. His expression turns a bit tense before he closes his eyes a moment, just before he's listing off: ]

One: We, The Administration, reserve the right to monitor your day-to-day activities through security cameras placed around the premise.

Two: Destruction and defamation of any property is prohibited and will result in severe punishment.

Three: Sleeping outside of the assigned dormitory rooms is not permitted and will result in being forced to wear a "NAUGHTY" cap.

Four: Violence against The Administration is prohibited unless given explicit permission by the Administration to engage.

Five: Violence against your fellow Prospects is allowed.

[ ... There were more, but he had a point, and he got to it. ]

We weren't ever specifically told to kill one another, but...

[ Why rule five? His lips draw together tightly and he shakes his head. ]

... I did some snooping at one point, and the letter on the Administrator's computer implied that something big happened in the past. What's more... is there were voices of a man and a woman. We never saw them, but they were talking to us as though they were right there.

[ He looks. Uncomfortable. ]

So, there are plenty of reasons there was something clearly wrong with that school... and I fully believe that the whole Entrance Exam was a cover-up for something much bigger and much worse than they were letting on.

[Goro's response to that is to just...laugh, covering his face with a webbed hand and splashing the water behind him with his tail. Kushinada-Hime closes her eyes and whispers 'why' under her breath, just a moment before Goro regains his composure enough to respond.]

It was a mall. They called us the Titled...rule seven was that one of us could go free if we killed someone and got away with it.

[... it's sickening. All of it.

If anything, past him might have seen it as pointless. Why waste resources holing up a bunch of people together and having them kill each other? The past him, steeped in darkness and entrenched in himself as he was, wouldn't have stopped to consider how objectively cruel it was, how inhumane, how utterly terrible. ~~He got quite good at realizing which things might provoke useless emotions in him, and so he dismissed it before they had a chance to manifest.~~

For a moment, he has to look away, brow pinching briefly. After he's had a moment, he lets out an even breath and talks to Aiden.]

I'm sorry to hear that happened to you. Rest assured, there are no such expectations here. There hasn't been a murder since the first group arrived fourteen weeks ago.

[To Akechi, he speaks, his voice noticeably softer:]

Akechi, his arm.

... A mall?

[ What's a-... well... that's not important, because that laugh...

It sends an uncomfortable feeling down his spine. This is something far-too-familiar for comfort. But, to the mention of rule seven, he suddenly glares. It's just fortunate that he's actively keeping a firm hold on his magic, otherwise the ground would be on fire. ]

That's... fucking bullshit.

[ Aiden closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. Funny how the cold air is actually helping keep him calm... ]

... Fourteen weeks...

[ He shakes his head. ]

I'm just fine. So far, it looks like I'm the only one who was brought here from Fayflower. So... if anything, those are the guys that should be worried over. Them, and...

[ A very awkward, brief glance to Akechi. ]

We put a stop to what was happening at the mall. There's no need to worry about the safety of anyone I know from there. But...

[That's how he met Akira.]

There's a version of Akira still there. And we're stuck here...

[But, right. The arm. He swims forward, floating through the air to get a look at Aiden's arm.]

You should bite down on something, so you don't bite your tongue instead. And, I'm sorry if I end up scratching your arm, I can't do much about these claws.

[ ... He feels like he should say something that's some kind of reassurance. Not that he owes this guy (or... Akira) anything, but... ]

From what I could tell, Akira's a capable guy.

[ That... works??

... He tries to think of something better, but nothing's coming to mind. It probably doesn't help that the persistent ache is fucking with his ability to think straight. Anyway, he glances to the side for a fairly tense moment... then down to his shirt...

... then to his uninjured arm? He could... bite that, maybe? Sure he'll wind up piercing the skin instantly, but... ]

Don't worry about any scratches. I'm sure they'll have nothing on the worst injuries I've ever gotten.

I know. He helped get the survivors out of the mall.

[But it also messed him up, and he doesn't want to think about other versions of Akira going through something similar. So instead he'll watch as Aiden's eyes shift from the shirt to his arm, then produce a roll of thick parchment from seemingly nowhere.]

It won't exactly taste good, but at least it's not soaked with seawater.

[ Akira was in that mall, too, huh...? ]

Huh? Where did you-... [ . . . ] ... Never mind.

[ ... Though, he can actively tell his surprise level towards a lot of things has lowered, ever since he left Daeseon. With a hint of hesitation, he accepts the parchment and bites down on it. For the first time since his arrival, those fangs are showing to an obvious degree. For once, he's not entirely thinking about it...

Anyway, he's very much of the opinion that this should be a "get it over with" kind of thing. ]

A psychic inventory. It's a Persona user thing.

[Goro doesn't seem too concerned about the fangs, at least. Sure, they're a bit more intimidating than the set he's hiding, but all it really registers to him is that he shouldn't expect that piece of parchment back intact.

He plants his tail in the sand for leverage as he looks over the arm, gently tapping at it to try to get a sense for what's going on under the skin.]

This is going to hurt.

[And hurt it does, though he fortunately manages to keep the claws from doing more than digging painfully into the skin. But after a few seconds of pushing, the bones click into place and he carefully lets go.

[ This hurts far more than anything he's ever experienced, and the sound he releases might make that much obvious. It's not a straight up yell, but it's definitely one of pain. Even with his pain tolerance what it is, this... actually has his free hand curling and digging harshly into the sand. He actively has to resist the urge to straight up punch the one helping him...

It's after the bone is set, he releases the breath he didn't realize he was holding. Then, after a couple of seconds, he shakes his head, removing the parchment from his mouth. That's not a stable laugh being released, and those words are clearly being said by someone clinging to composure. Whoops. ]

What do you mean...? I could go for another round.

[ Haha... ha... He's scrubbing a hand through his hair and doing his best to regain full composure. It's... fine!!! Once that breathing does return to something steady, he looks to that parchment. And then he just... casually lowers it so that the punctured side is resting on the ground.

Aiden hates approximately everything right now. ]

[Shido is keeping a lookout while Akechi sorts Aiden out. Fortunately, it doesn't seem like there's anything in the immediate area that might try to come take advantage of the newcomer's vulnerable position. When he hears Akechi proclaim it's going to hurt, he looks back over.

And god, it looks painful. He winces as he watches, jaw setting a bit at Aiden's cry of pain. He does notice the fangs, but he's more struck by his expression and laugh. Dammit...]

I apologize again for my carelessness.

[He definitely looks guilty, but also a little... frustrated? Maybe even a bit angry? But the glare is directed toward Aiden's arm more than at him.]

Edited 2018-05-29 15:32 (UTC)

[Shido isn't the only one wincing at the pained sound. Kushinada-Hime visibly cringes in the background, though Goro keeps his own reaction to a pinching of his brow. The unsteady laugh...well, he of all people recognizes stress laughter when he sees it.]

Hopefully round two won't be necessary.

[The light of Mediarama starts up again, but this time it excludes Shido. Aiden's arm starts to knit back together and the pain reduces greatly, though it doesn't go away completely.]

That felt like another weak casting...does your arm still hurt?

[ He shakes his head at Masayoshi's apology. ]

You weren't the only one being careless, since I should have known better than to stand at the edge like that. Besides... considering my profession...

[ Aiden trails off just in time for the spell to get cast again. He blinks as the pain seemingly vanishes for a moment; the remaining pain is barely noticeable...

Something that's almost a smile surfaces, his expression relaxing a bit. It all fades away pretty quickly as he answers. ]

If it does, I'm too distracted by how much it doesn't... [ going to try moving it ] ... It's not completely healed, but you don't have to push yourself if you're starting to feel... tired?

[ The last word is said awkwardly since he's not entirely sure how these things work for Persona users. ]

You've done more for me than I deserve already. [ h e h ] I haven't done a single thing to help you, so far.

[Shido makes no mention of minding the fact he was excluded this time, though he wonders why his son seems to be struggling with the healing spells. Perhaps it's still new to him? Or... hm...

... the choice of words strikes him immediately. He's done more than Aiden deserves. It sounds... something like he would say, honestly. He loosely crosses his arms.]

Even so, you're lucky all you cracked was an arm. The least I can do is answer any questions you have and offer you assistance.

[Look, sometimes you just get unlucky with variable power effects, okay??]

There's no need to worry about that. I have a large pool of psychic energy to draw from.

[He casts the skill one more time, again excluding Shido. This time, it heals the arm fully, along with the small scratches from his claws. Her job finally done, Kushinada-Hime dissolves into blue fire and the tengu mask burns back onto Goro's face.]

And your gratitude is really payment enough.

[ After the second healing spell is cast, Aiden frowns... but it's softened and he nods. ]

Right... Morgana did specify that it's magic and psychic abilities. So even your spells are psychic?

[ Hesitantly, he looks to Masayoshi. ]

I wouldn't consider it luck. [ luck would have been--... something different ] But, answers would be appreciated.

[ Slowly, he tests his arms, releasing a quiet exhale as no pain is experienced from flexing it at all. There's something awkward in his voice - he's talking a bit softer than before - as he speaks again. ]

Not that I plan to let it be the only payment, but... thank you. Both of you.

I'm hardly deserving of your gratitude, but you're welcome.

[It really is a relief to see that his arm is fine, especially after having seen... Akechi snap it back into place. He holds a blink for a moment, before releasing a tense breath.]

So, what are your questions?

TEST DRIVE 004

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whoops... since it's still not even at arm yank stuff, I should probably tag again

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