Test Drive - May Edition

[rekindlemods]

Belated May Test Drive! Trying to see if a character will fit or work in the setting? Need some interaction samples? Well this meme is for you! Make a post, tag around, and most importantly, have fun! Here's the setting page for those who want to learn a little more about the city itself. And don't forget to go reserve your character, GO GO GO.......

((PS: We’ve also gotten a suggestion to try and post our Test Drives on the same day as the Activity Check goes up! That is, the last day of the month. We may try that out next time, and see how it works!))

Here's some prompts to help you get started, if you need it:

Option 1

[Animals, animals everywhere! All over the different parts of the city…And perhaps paying you a visit as well! In a strange manner, as you might find yourself looking over Saeng Seong in a different, more fuzzy perspective.]

Option 2

[Petals keep falling on your head; or at least they have a persistent habit of falling from trees that are in full bloom. And as a consequence they form a nice array of color floating on the wind…Or perhaps getting in one’s face and blocking vision. Or in the worst case, causing a sneezing fit from the excess pollen. Still, at least there’s some flowers to help liven up the air?]

Option 3

[Whoops. Looks like you haven't taken the cautionary words of the other NPCs to heart, or maybe you just wanted to take your chances. Either way, the withdrawal symptoms have started and you need to find someone to hug quickly before you get even more sick.]

Option 4

[If there's something else you wanted to play with, that you didn't see here, then have fun with that. You've just arrived in a strange city, after all. There's got to be plenty to explore out and about, not to mention people to meet.]

Comments

The Winter Soldier | Captain America | 2 & 3

[heismymission]

[There's a scruffy-looking man wearing a cap making his way downtown, moving fast, though the streets of the marketplace, doing his best to remain inconspicuous as he searches for something. His hands are in his pockets and he's hunched over slightly, partially from fatigue and partially to seem harmless. He hasn't heeded the warnings of the letter, unfortunately, and his inability to sleep properly has only made things worse.

Though his senses are usually sharp, lately to the point of hyper-awareness, the slight dizziness and the heaviness of his eyelids makes him slow to brush away a few flower petals that fall into his eyes and hair with his right hand. He doesn't seem to realize he's headed straight into someone as he does it, and he takes a slow breath to steady himself before quite roughly bumping into the unfortunate passerby with his left arm--and though it appears normal thanks to the jacket over it, the touch makes it obvious it's made of a much harder substance than flesh and bone.

He's turned to the side from the collision, his tired eyes somewhat nervous as he processes what's just happened; it isn't far off to say he looks like a startled stray dog. He has to freeze to keep himself from acting on his first instinct to remind himself that this place is not home, not his world, and that what happens here is not the same as what would happen should he be discovered back on Earth.

Hopefully it isn't too frightening for him to stare so intensely, looking like he does.]

Re: The Winter Soldier | Captain America | 2 & 3

[dadcepticon]

[It's a resounding CLANG where that arm smacks into Krok's thigh. He blinks in surprise more at the sound than the force of the collision, which isn't even enough to make him break stride. He does stop, though.

Most humans he's met here don't have metal parts.]

You're not hurt?

[heismymission]

[Extremely tall robots are not what he signed up for. He has no idea how he completely missed seeing Krok until now; he must really be slipping.

Though he's initially alarmed at his appearance and the unexpected noise of clothed metal hitting metal, the Decepticon's words are disarming. He's... concerned. For some reason. The soldier still doesn't get why anyone bothers to ask how he is.

He shuffles his hands in his pockets nervously, looking up at Krok from under his eyebrows--not that he has much choice, given the height difference.]

I'm fine. [He grimaces and closes his eyes for a brief moment as he feels them sting from fatigue. He's not hurt, but he's not exactly fine.]

[dadcepticon]

[Concern is the appropriate reaction for a 10-feet-tall, 2-ton robot who just hit a creature he's led to understand is considerably more fragile! Or Krok thinks concern should be the appropriate reaction. He notes the fact that this human looks about as shabby as Krok ever has during his time aboard the W.A.P. and obligingly hunkers down on one knee to spare any further eye strain.]

Apologies if I'm being a bit forward, but… you don't look all that fine. [And Krok has plenty of nearby healthy specimens by which to make a comparison.] Don't need a medic, do you?

[heismymission]

[He takes a step back when Krok kneels, taking a sharp breath through his nose as his posture tenses. Despite being here without incident for the past couple weeks, he's still rather jumpy at unfamiliar situations. Which is most everything these days.

But he's learning, albeit slowly. He mumbles a response, still not really used to having conversations with strangers.]

Just tired. [He avoids the robot's gaze for a moment, conflicted. If he's this out of it, maybe he should just go ahead and do what the letter suggested. It was fine. It was a decision he was making himself, wasn't it? He wasn't just following orders.] Probably the contact thing.

[dadcepticon]

…That does tend to cause problems. [Krok could be more diligent about it himself, but he manages to skim by most of the time. He's made some small acquaintances who like hitching rides and that strangely makes his life a little easier.

He doesn't offer to help mostly because this fellow looks about as skittish as Spinister on a bad day. Krok may not fear much of anything from humans, even fully-grown ones with metal arms, but he knows better than to antagonise a potentially volatile situation.]

[littlerat]

[ Admittedly, Red wasn't completely paying attention himself to the people around him as much as he should have, walking and talking to the Pikachu on his shoulder. He was aware enough that they were there, but apparently not to how close that man out of the corner of his eye really was. Pikachu's squeak of a warning isn't quick enough to make him move though, and the side of his arm hits against him, with more force and bluntness that it should for just knocking a bit into a person.

He doesn't fall, but the bump does make him stumble, Pikachu losing his own balance from where he sits and finding himself on the ground, at least with good enough reflexes to hit his feet. Red's stunned himself for a second, wondering what he knocked but not seeing anything other than the man himself.

But he finds some composure before the man does, enough to notice the way he stares more intensely than he himself had. ]

Sorry. [ He touches the side of his own elbow, just gently, feeling that good ol' funny bone nerve tingling. ] Are you okay?

[ Pikachu on the floor is okay! The mouse takes a step close to Red's foot, looking up at the man. ]

[heismymission]

[He manages stop staring like that after another second, shaking off the urge to fight. There's no point; it's just a kid and his pet, and they look harmless. He figures he might as well be... polite. Or something. Speaking to people means being polite, right.]

Fine. [He eyes Red's elbow, trying to be less tense, but only succeeding in looking more tired. He knows that being on the receiving end of a blow from his metal arm isn't something you don't notice, even if it is accidental.] What about you.

[littlerat]

[ He lowers the hand, shaking his head. The sting is noticeable for where it hit, more so that it was more like hitting a lamp post than another person, but there wasn't any need to worry about it. ] No, it's fine.

[ Red looks down to his partner, nodding his head for the rodent to come back up to his spot on his shoulder again. He then looks to the man again, who actually didn't look fine.

And maybe that's not any of his business, but a lot of things in life have never been his business. An idea comes to mind, even if maybe the man's look had more to do with his character than a lack of contact. He holds out a hand. ]

I'm Red. Are you new to the city? You look tired.

[ He was going to need more than a handshake, but if he accepted it then hopefully it would be something. ]

[heismymission]

[He peers curiously at the electric pokemon as it climbs back onto Red's shoulder, wondering if it came from his world or the city they were in, though he'd guess the former. He doesn't move to keep walking just yet, seeing as he's in no rush and standing still might stop the clouded feeling in his head.]

I've been here two weeks. [It still doesn't feel right to give a name; he's never been called it but once that he can remember, and he can't bring himself to use it yet. It's not as if anyone here knows the title he's been given, either. He'll worry about what people call him later.

Regardless, he pulls both of his hands out of his pockets, metal visible on the left under the fingerless glove, the bare right moving to accept the kid's hand. He keeps forgetting that there are stranger things than metal arms here. He figures it shouldn't be a big deal to let it be visible, and in some ways he wants to offer an explanation for the harshness of the collision.]

[littlerat]

[ The lack of a name in return is fine. It's the handshake that's most important, and Red takes it when it's offered to him into a firm enough grip, pausing as if making sure he's holding it right and then giving it a shake. Really, it's just to delay letting it go - the man's only been here two weeks, so maybe it really does have to do with a lack of contact. Red isn't familiar with the symptoms beyond knowing they exist, and going through some exhaustion during the excavation of items from the restricted district a while back.

But for that reason, it's why he doesn't let go of the hand after the handshake (though he will if the man takes his hand back). ]

I've been here for about a month or two. It's a weird place from where I come from, but the rule about contact is pretty serious.

[ A little bit, the man reminds Red of himself when he first arrived -- out of it. And while he might've noticed the glint of the hand, Red's never really seen a person with a metal hand. Admittedly, for the glimpse of it he saw (and it was barely seeing), he figures only that it's a part of the design of the glove

And for the look at Pikachu, he decides to wait to explain him. ]

If you haven't been getting any, we can take a seat. We-- me and Pikachu [ He slightly nods to head to the pokémon ] haven't got anywhere to be right now.

Re: The Winter Soldier | Captain America | 2 & 3

[ofsongandstrings]

[Y'akeno has grown used to accidental bumping into others on the street. Who knows? It could just be someone trying to reach their quota for the day. The way that this person is holding himself is definitely making it seem like that, or even maybe worse.

...Was that the clang of steel she felt against her arm?

Blinking she looks at the person she just bumped into with a little surprise and much more concern shining through. Call it a bleeding heart, but dude looks like hells.]

Are ye alrigh'? Yeh look as though ye've been through the seven hells.

[heismymission]

[It's a young woman with cat ears that he's staring at, he finally realizes as the alarm in his expression fades. He's slowly starting to get used to all the strange things here--though who knows what's actually strange and what he's just unfamiliar with--and the fact that it's mostly a woman and not so much a cat makes it easier to deal with.

He must really look bad if people are commenting on it. He should probably clean himself up and rest or... something. He'd probably try that if he wasn't still on edge all the time.

His speech is a little slow, like he's trying to think of what to say and having trouble putting it into his mouth.] Fine. Long... few weeks.

[It's still strange to him, being awake this long. It almost makes him uneasy, like it's wrong somehow.]

[ofsongandstrings]

[She tilts her head, as if pondering for a moment at his hesitation. He must be from a world where her kind - or others like her - do not exist. That was something she was growing rather used to at this rate, and of course she smiles faintly when he finally does answer.]

I see... Just arrive, huh?

[Well, that would surely explain it. They certainly brought her back at a time when she could use a breather... and promptly had forgotten about the warnings of no physical contact.]

[heismymission]

Came here a couple weeks ago.

[But the events back home and drain on his energy here are beginning to take their toll on the super soldier, even considering the fact he was able to recover from the battle in the helicarrier in almost everything but the damage to his cybernetic arm. But things got worse when he arrived in Saeng Seong, and thanks to his stubbornness, it hasn't gotten any better.

He doesn't like taking orders from people who are trying to put themselves above him anymore.

He awkwardly glances away for a moment and shifts his weight before looking back to the Miqo'te.]

What about you.

[ofsongandstrings]

Ah... [How to word this properly? she wonders, placing gauntleted hands on armored hips.] I first arrived around five moons prior, though they had need to send me back for some span of time.

[The time she was here before is still a blur in some places, but the memory of a month of being sick was hard to forget. Especially considering the fact that since then her friend from home has not let her go without a spar since she heard about it.

However many bruises there might be under the black and red armor is anyone's guess.]

Guessing by your currrent state... you too 'ave failed feel like taking their... "advice" to 'eart?

[lightstrike]

[It's not frightening, but Lightning is very, very disturbed by his intense staring. In her opinion, bumping into someone, even someone with something metal underneath his clothing, doesn't warrant such a gaze.

What the hell?]

Is there something on my face?

[A quip, just to get him talking. If he can talk, that is.]

[heismymission]

[Though the woman doesn't seem threatening at first glance, her posture tells the soldier she isn't unfamiliar with combat situations. There's a particular way that threats hold themselves that he can identify almost by instinct, thanks to his training--

He shakes his head, mostly at himself. There aren't threats or targets here. He's not on a mission. He's just tired and hungry and out to get some damn food.

His response is a little late, thanks to the slow pace of his thoughts, but he has managed to relax just slightly as he looks back to Lightning's face.]

No. [If he knew what an apology was, there would be one here.]

[lightstrike]

Funny, I would have thought there was, since you were looking at me like something important happened.

Which means it's not me-- it's you.

[Lightning falls silent to examine the man closely. Somewhat guarded stance, strong gaze but probably slow reaction time to her comment. She knows the signs of hunger well.]

Are you all right?

[heismymission]

[He has to get a better hold of himself if he's going to stay out of sight, he thinks to himself. He's used to escaping immediately and returning to base, not staying out and attempting to blend in. He did all right back in D.C., but the city was more dense and he had a lot more energy. The people there didn't talk to him. They do here.

He doesn't like being under scrutiny, especially not by someone his mind is telling him could be dangerous. But he pushes the thought aside to answer.]

I'm fine. Just tired.

[lightstrike]

No, you're probably not "just" tired. You're looking bad, which is something when resources around here are easy to get.

[Lightning takes a few steps forward, cautiously in case the man is skittish and decides to bolt.] Come with me-- I'll get you something.

[lightofjustice]

[In hindsight, Gaia probably should have been paying attention more to her surroundings. She had been in the markets for nearly a full bell by this point, scouring the stalls of fresh produce for anything that resembled the foodstuffs from home. The colors were all wrong, and some of these items look just weird... purple faerie apples? Really?

The almost-crash from another party was enough to jolt her out of her reverie and make her impulsively start to reach for the shield that she knew wasn't on her back. Taking in the sight of the one that did the crashing, though, makes her pause and then lower her hand.

By the Matron, this Midlander looked like he had been through at least one of the seven hells and back again. She almost wants to reach for the staff she knows is on her back and offer her aid.] Are you all right?

[heismymission]

[The motion Gaia makes to reach for her missing shield is familiar enough to the soldier that he takes an instinctive step back, not having fared very well against the last shield-user he fought. He isn't interested in going through that mess again, even if it doesn't come with the confusing emotional baggage.

The tension doesn't leave his posture when she stops, but her words drain the alarm out of his expression until he simply looks unsure. Why is she asking? He has to assume it's because of the rough collision.]

Just had something in my eyes. [Damn flower petals. He could have avoided notice if not for them.]

[lightofjustice]

[She manages a small, vaguely amused smile at his reply.] Fair enough. There are enough petals in the air to blind one of the Gods' Quiver.

[Still...with how hard his arm had bumped into her, and with how he had looked ready to bolt not even a few seconds earlier...

His 'not well' body language was making her growing concern more apparent in hers.] Are you sure you're well? I am somewhat skilled as a healer - I might be able to help.

[But then again, was this the energy drain? How long had this man been in Saeng Seong?]

[heismymission]

[Though he doesn't quite understand what reference she's making, he doesn't know if he's supposed to, given the number of different worlds that are supposedly represented in this place. He takes a breath and rubs his eyes again, this time to get rid of the sting of fatigue, and frowns slightly in confusion.]

Healer? [Someone who... heals? Aren't those usually called doctors?]