phantasmods: (Default)
Phantasmal Rift Mods ([personal profile] phantasmods) wrote in [community profile] phantasmemes2018-05-24 10:10 pm
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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?
biddentodance: (I will take your breath away)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-07 06:26 am (UTC)(link)
[wait

you

You just

You just admit that? To a random stranger in the sea?

wha]

You're- a Persona-user?!
beguiledcard: (g ♪ note)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-07 06:42 am (UTC)(link)
[ YEAH JUST WAIT TIL YOU HEAR SOME OF THE OTHER STUFF. What is secrecy in this place, honestly... ]

. . . [ blink ] Yes, actually. And judging from the question, I'm guessing it's safe to assume you're one, too...?

[ HE LOOKS FAR FROM DISAPPOINTED - if anything, he looks kind of... hopeful. ]
biddentodance: (Now the dark is taking over)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-07 06:47 am (UTC)(link)
[This is.... The only Persona-users outside of SEES that he knows of are enemies. Chidori kidnapped Junpei. He has to remember that. He's far from peak condition, but he's on the alert - not exactly expecting anything, but ready for things to go bad.]

...Yeah. [Who is this guy? Who just admits this power to random people? It doesn't seem like there's any point in hiding it, thanks to his own reaction...]
beguiledcard: (j ♥ we'll carry on)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-07 07:24 am (UTC)(link)
[ He actually never considered there even being other people with the power of a Persona... But now that he is, he probably should have considered what it would mean for someone from another world just popping in. He does remember what it was like to keep it a secret, and what it could have meant for others to know.

... Still, he can't begin to know why coming across another person with this power could be a bad thing. Time to... see if he can smooth everything over by providing more info? ]


You know, I should... probably explain where we are and how things work before we go into everything else. [ gesturing to their surroundings ] For starters, you're inside a Fissure.
biddentodance: (All is lost again)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-07 02:52 pm (UTC)(link)
[The fishure pun comes to mind instantly, but now's not the time. He doesn't know if this guy is a friend or an enemy, or what's going on. He needs information and fast.]

Who are you? [Poisonous flowers...he's still not completely sure how to interpret that warning.]
beguiledcard: (g ♪ note)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-07 10:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Heh, way to start things off on the right- fin...? [ way to go, self ] I'm Akira Kurusu.

[ He takes a brief moment to consider... ]

There are a few of us here with abilities from our respective worlds. Seven of us have at least one Persona, including my boyfriend and I, who happen to be wildcards. While you're here, you're free to use your Persona whenever and wherever.
biddentodance: (Save your breath,it's far from over)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-07 11:19 pm (UTC)(link)
[...None of that tells him if they're allies or not. With how Chidori tricked Junpei, he can't be too careful... It'll be trouble for SEES if something like that happens to him. Seven Persona-users, two wild cards... He had no idea there were other wild cards.]

Seven... And two of you are wild cards...?
beguiledcard: (j ♥ we'll carry on)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-08 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
[ ... Hm. ]

Yeah. [ contemplative look ] Unfortunately, with no Velvet room or Metaverse around, Goro and I are kind of stuck with the Personas we currently have.
biddentodance: (Save your breath,it's far from over)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-08 12:16 am (UTC)(link)
[...The guy earlier was... Well, now he's glad nothing came up. Nothing remotely...and the fussy fish didn't seem to realize what he was looking for, so he probably still doesn't know. Let's keep it that way for now.

There is a more pressing matter.]

..."Metaverse"?
beguiledcard: (j ♥ dafuq man?)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-08 12:40 am (UTC)(link)
[ ... So his fishing (ha) for a reaction worked. This guy doesn't seem fazed by talk of wild cards and the Velvet Room, so that implies he already knows about them. And the only reason he can think of for someone to already know is to already be a wild card.

Still, he's already suspicious of Akira, so he'll stick to answering questions and giving information.

And being confused.

Because... how could he be a Persona user and not know about...

Uh..........

what ]


You've never heard of the Metaverse? Where were you when you got a Persona...?
biddentodance: (Now the dark is taking over)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-08 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
[So far, very little is matching up. No mention of the Dark Hour, positive or negative. He can't let his guard down. "Where"... That's an interesting question.]

Iwatodai. Where were you? [Other cities would experience it...]
beguiledcard: (g ♪ G-goro Akechi...................plz.)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-08 01:08 am (UTC)(link)
[ He's squinting softly, a slight frown on his face... ]

A version of Shujin Academy that was inside the Metaverse...

[ After some consideration... ]

... in the year two thousand sixteen.
biddentodance: (All is lost again)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-08 01:11 am (UTC)(link)
[Where the heck is Shujin Academy, must be another city. Again, something more pressing arises.]

It's 2009.
beguiledcard: (j ♥ we'll carry on)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-08 01:41 am (UTC)(link)
[ Yep, that settles that. They're not only from different places, but from different years... ]

For you... [ offering a small, reassuring smile ] That's another thing this place does, though. It pulls people from, not only different places, but from different timelines.

[ After a short pause, he gives a soft snort. ]

So... you're apparently from a time when I was only nine years old.
biddentodance: (Now the dark is taking over)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-08 01:49 am (UTC)(link)
[How a transparent sea slug can be flushed and yet pale at the same time is a mystery for the ages, but that....this just confirms something Akechi said earlier, something that alarmed Minato. Time...time.]

You've been a Persona-user this long? [Nine is...younger than Ken. That's not comforting. And if there are still Persona-users that far in the future, then what happened?]
beguiledcard: (12349889)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-08 02:40 am (UTC)(link)
[ That gets him to blink in surprise, and he shakes his head. ]

Oh... No, I became a Persona-user after accidentally winding up in the Metaverse with my friend. That was just over a year ago, for me.

[ He glances to the side a bit, and maybe it'll be clear he's thinking of something that has him briefly... sad? He looks back to the other (apparently way older) young man before he continues. ]

Before coming here, the only way for us to use our Personas was if we were inside the Metaverse. But you've never even heard of that place, right?

[ Soooooo... ????????? ]
biddentodance: (Watch the end through dying eyes)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-08 02:59 am (UTC)(link)
[He's still confused about this "Metaverse", buddy, you haven't exactly explained that. Apparently it's a place but. Where??? Where is that. Where.

I don't need to be anywhere in particular to summon?

[Why...why do other Persona-users need to be, what happened? He is so confused...]
beguiledcard: (j ♥ we'll carry on)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-08 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
[ They can... use their Personas whenever and wherever, then...???

His first thought is what an awful situation that could have turned into, considering how loose Ryuji's lips alone were... ]


Think of the Metaverse as a layer of reality that's just beneath the reality people normally live in. It's the place where a collection of desires and the deepest thoughts people want to keep hidden away forms. And it kind of takes "power of imagination" to a literal degree.

[ Hopefully that can help clear away some of the confusion. ]

There's way more to it, but I think Goro or Futaba would be better at explaining this kind of thing.

[ They're the nerds (♥). ]

Anyway, we go into the Metaverse to fight people's distorted desires with the help of our Personas, so that we can help them off of a bad path. But, when we're outside of the Metaverse, we're no different from normal human beings, for the most part. I was still able to access the Velvet Room and use my Third Eye ability, but... [ smol shrug ] That's pretty much it.
biddentodance: (All is lost again)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-08 03:49 am (UTC)(link)
Sounds complicated. [Layered reality? Imagination? Distorted desires? This is way too much for his fever-clouded mind. But...he does get the impression they're trying to help people. 'Bad path' could be interpreted several ways but he wants to assume the best.

How different can it be from SEES trying to save the Lost? It's nothing so fancy as all of that, but...]

We're not doing anything that dramatic.
beguiledcard: (j ♥ we'll carry on)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-08 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
[ Now that the guy seems a little less on-edge, he relaxes a little. And realizes he never got this guy's name. ]

By the way, what's your name?

[ And he isn't surprised that the guy isn't following, and he wants to explain, but... ]

What are you guys doing, then?
biddentodance: (Default)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-08 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
Minato Arisato.

[And...he pauses. How to put what they're doing... Cleaning up a ten-year-old mess? Fighting a secret crusade? Climbing a tower? He's silent for a few long moments...]

We're trying to put a stop to Apathy Syndrome.
beguiledcard: (g ♪ note)

[personal profile] beguiledcard 2018-06-08 08:02 am (UTC)(link)
It's nice to meet you.

[ Should heeeee be calling him Senpai? ]

Apathy Syndrome...? [ taking a moment to think that over ] Never heard of it.

[ Which must mean they succeeded? Just going off of the name (which dimly sends his thoughts back to "Mental Shutdown")...... ]

I'm going to go ahead and call that a good sign.
biddentodance: (All is lost again)

[personal profile] biddentodance 2018-06-08 01:05 pm (UTC)(link)
The epidemic's been getting worse and worse for ten years.

[Even if the other has never heard of it....it sounds like they succeed, and they should soon, there are only three left,but just to be sure...]

It's....when perfectly healthy people lose all will to do anything overnight. Just kinda stand around like zombies until someone takes them to the hospital or they die of exposure. Cause unknown to the public.