TEST DRIVE 004

[phantasmods]

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?

Comments

[hairpincurves]

Oh my.

[... Ah, that second bit... Okay, that actually gets her to frown.]

H-hey, come on, I'm still getting the hang of swimming like this!

[foolishjustice]

Then why don't we practice together? I've at least managed to figure out the basics of it, and I can help you get somewhere more open.

[He holds out a hand, then his eyes dip down to where her arms are crossed and his hand pulls back a bit. His blush is starting to spread up his finned ears now...]

Um...

[hairpincurves]

... Sorry, I probably would've found the comment funnier if I hadn't imagined getting a worse injury than just a knot on the head.

[A pause as she watches him hold out his hand, then turn red and retract that hand. Okay, that earns a snort.]

... Hey, it's fine, it's not like there's a lot there for you to brush against or anything.

[... She'll still offer her hand anyway, with a bit of a huff.]

[foolishjustice]

R-right. I just...w-well...

[He covers his face with his hand in embarrassment, then pulls his mask down to cover his darkening blush.]

Even seeing women in bikinis is...new to me.

[But he'll take her hand and start swimming out into clearer waters, away from the rocks of the shallows and the debris of the shipwrecks.]

[hairpincurves]

... Ah. I hope... this wasn't too much of a shock for you then? Even if my scales mean there isn't much to see.

[Still, swimming away from the area is much welcomed and she follows him to the clearer area. This is.... much better.]

[foolishjustice]

It's...awkward. I can see enough that it feels...more than a little rude to look.

[Once they're somewhere clear, he lets go of her hand and puts a safe distance between them. He doesn't want to be anywhere near her, with the possibility of accidentally poisoning her if she bumps into him wrong.]

[hairpincurves]

[She appreciates you not wanting to poison her, Goro.

At least here she'll get the practice to actually... you know. Come to a stop without having objects in the way to decide that for her. Which is helpful when she realizes about how fast she can actually go.]

[foolishjustice]

[He'll just drift idly as he watches her swim...though, he's making a distinct effort to stay behind her.]

Shifting your weight is useful. If you need to stop suddenly, spinning around so your tail is pointed in the direction you were going can help.

[hairpincurves]

Good to know!

[Things to practice! If nothing else, she's a fast learner, especially when it comes to actually doing things. It doesn't take her very long to get a handle on swimming like this, especially with Goro's advice.]

[foolishjustice]

[He gives a few more pointers as she goes, mostly general advice on moving in three dimensions and dealing with momentum. His own tail is different enough that he can't offer anything especially specific.]

You're doing better already.

[hairpincurves]

Well, yeah, thanks to your advice.

Kind of still miss having legs, but at least I probably won't split my head open crashing headlong into a rock or something.

[Charming.]

[foolishjustice]

It...would be preferable to avoid that, yes. I do have Samarecarm, but I haven't had to use it since I got it, and I'd like to keep it that way.

[hairpincurves]

[Well, at least now it's clear why she didn't take the joke from earlier that well...?]

Trust me, I'll try to make sure you can keep it that way. I'll be careful.

[foolishjustice]

If only you could teach my boyfriends how to do that.

[Sigh.]

But, speaking of Persona abilities...there's something I'm betting you'd like to know. Were you wondering how I was able to change the appearance of my mask?

[hairpincurves]

I'm afraid it's not a lesson the reckless learn well.

[... Ah, okay, I guess we're talking about this now.]

Yeah... I was going to ask you when we weren't... y'know. Preoccupied with this.

[Gesturing at both the sea around them and at their tails.]

[foolishjustice]

Given the kinds of creatures that can inhabit these places, you'd probably find out anyway.

Though, I'm also going to have to explain what this place is and why we have gills and tails, so I guess I'll leave it up to you which question I answer first.

[hairpincurves]

... Well, we may as well cover the more familiar ground first, I guess.

[foolishjustice]

[He nods and taps a finger to the beak of his mask.]

This is a simpler explanation, anyway. The black mask is tied to a specific Persona. I changed it by switching to a different one.

[hairpincurves]

Huh. I didn't know something like that was possible...

[foolishjustice]

It's probably because I got that Persona differently from my others. Loki is...unique in several ways. Granted, it might seem just as surprising to hear that he and Robin Hood are both innate Personas.

[hairpincurves]

Oh, for sure. Robin Hood and Loki, huh...

[What an interesting combination for innate Personas...]

[foolishjustice]

I think they're born from opposite parts of me...two inner selves that can't be reconciled in a single Persona.

I also have Rangda, Valkyrie, Kushinada-Hime, and Queen Mab, from negotiating with Shadows.

[hairpincurves]

[She's got... a couple questions by this point, but the nature of them... well, she'll put those off for now. More pressingly...]

You've only got six?

[That strikes her as weird, and Goro can probably hear it in her voice.]

[foolishjustice]

I know, a Wildcard of my experience level should have...a much larger variety. I don't have access to Persona fusion, either. For reasons I think it would be best to explain after you're caught up on a few other things, the Velvet Room isn't open to me.

I didn't even know it was possible to recruit Shadows as new Personas until I saw my version of you do it, and I've been a Persona user since well before we even met.

[hairpincurves]

[That's... suspicious.

Still, if it's a subject he says is best left for later, she'll trust his word.]

I see... [Though, it's clear the gears are already turning in her head.]

Well, I suppose the important thing is you know now...