justhugalready | Test Drive

Test Drive - October Edition

The October 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.......~~

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

Option 1

[ With the return of fall comes somewhat cooling temperatures and the phasing out of all summer clothing from the shops. There's an assortment of colder-weather clothing being put up; sweaters, jackets, scarves, gloves, boots - you name it, and it's visible in the mannequins out on display. With the return of fall also comes the return of the fall sales - all store managers are offering discounts for those that come in to purchase in pairs. ]

Option 2

[ With the changing out of the summr clothing to fall also comes the shift from the fresh fruits of summer to the gourds, apples, and warm spices of the season of harvest. Cinnamon and nutmeg can be smelled wafting from cafe's and coffee shops, tempting anyone passing by to come in and sample the wares. Like the clothing stores, they are offering a discount for those that purchase in groups of two or three. ]

Option 3

[ There seems to be another festival in the works, if the stands being erected in the Fourth District are anythign to go by. There still seems to be a lot of work to do, and the citizens would love it if a helping hand or two were to be offered.

One stand that seems to be fully erected and hard at work is one dedicated to carving what looks to be the Saeng Seong equivalent of a pumpkin into traditional lanterns. There are still a number of these gourds waiting to be carved, and once again the citizens would be delighted to have any number of volunteers aiding them with the task of carving. ]

Option 4

[ Fall in Saeng Seong also means rain; lots and lots of rain, usually from out of nowhere. Luckily, the city is used to this phenomenon, and has had several small awnings built in strategic locations around the city for waiting out the wet spells that hit so frequently.

They're only big enough for two or three people to take shelter under with moderate comfort, but that doesn't seem to bother anyone. Hope you don't mind sharing the space with a stranger for the duration of the weather, unless one of you had the foresight to bring an umbrella. ]

Option 5

[ 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 6

[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.]

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[Positives of Singsong: less of the friendship is magic horsecrap. Less of the blinding Lisa Frank aesthetic. Less being a freaking horse. Actually having...hair? Wait. Something's still a little off, but he'll take it. And it's just so nice to not have a giant muzzle that he's okay with leaving the old wrestling mask off for a while.

Negatives of Singsong: just about everything else. Is he gonna listen to anybody telling him to hug it out? Heck no at all. He's just gonna stomp on through, hands shoved in his Taranchula jacket, but he almost trips over some idiot not looking where he's going. He throws his hands up to push him away, too blinded by irritation to recognize Marty.]

Are you out of your mind? Look, you wanna go waltz into traffic, try that way.

[Shove. Hey, that's technically physical contact, right? Strong Bad is feeling smug. That's how he gets by, thinking it's enough.]

[His general miserableness was interrupted by the feeling of practically falling over, and was just about to get annoyed at the asshole who nearly pushed him into traffic until he registered that voice. He can't help but feel a little surprised.]

... Do I know you?

[Which, okay even he knows that it's kind of a weird question to ask to anyone, but he knows that voice despite how he doesn't look familiar to him at all. Someone else from Equestria maybe?]

[Well...that's not the response he expected at all. Strong Bad stops, one hand hanging uselessly in the air as he considers this guy.

Finally, his eyes flick up. There's something familiar about that dorky face.]

If you're as out of it as you look, I could be the Pope for all you know. But I must be losing it too, 'cause for a second there I thought...

[He roughly pulls at his hair. Something's nagging at the edge of his mind.]

[C'mon, he's not that out of it. But still, now that the question entered his mind it can't hurt but ask, if this strange person might also recognize him.]

... Did you ever go to Ponyville?

[He says as if they had a choice.]

[Ugh. Ponyville. That name he'll never forget. He reaches for the familiar mask in his pocket.]

The no-expense-paid vacation to horsey hell? Wish I hadn't.

[He pulls out the familiar mask in his pocket, a question in his eyes.]

And you? I'm getting the vibe that maybe I don't entirely hate you.

Strong Bad?

[Wait, he recognizes that mask.]

It's me, Marty.

[He searches the face to be sure...and yes. That's definitely his old friend. And that's almost a smile on the grumpy face, though it's masked by irritation at how sick Marty looks.]

Come on, man, what are you doing? Wandering around the street when you're out of it like this, people'll hurt you. So you're going home to kick your feet up and play some games. Which way're we going?

Like you.

[That was a joke, but it's probably hard to tell with the deadpan in his voice.]

I'm fine, really, I just need to go to the store for more soup.

...oh. Yeah. Oops.

[He half-heartedly dusts Marty off, taking the opportunity to assess how sick he is.]

No way am I letting you go off like this yourself. C'mon. I'll handle the soup, you're chilling for a while.

[He steps closer, but seems to hesitate a bit.]

Think you caught this from somebody?

[Well Marty doesn't look like he's going to die anytime soon, but he does look like he's on the verge of collapsing from exhaustion.

However Strong Bad dusting him off gives Marty a brief, strange warmth. Not enough to do any lasting help but it does surprise him and made him almost miss the question.]

Ah, yeah, I mean I don't know where else I could have gotten it from.

All right, but you're not dragging me down with you. So let's get you settled a-sap.

[Strong Bad corrals him into the convenience shop, lingering a little closer than usual in case he collapses. One quick purchase later and they're back outside.]

Okay. Which way to your place? I'm not staying out among the weirdos a second longer than necessary.

[That's the odd thing about this town...the people who pass by are almost invariably joined at the hip, all up in each other's grills. Like you're suddenly required to breath your friend's oxygen.

Surely all that touchy stuff is just their way of messing with the newbies on the block, right? He'd joke about it. Because it had to be a joke.]

Over there. [Points to a nearby apartment complex.] It's close enough so you don't have to carry me or anything.

[Another joke, but man he should cut that out because they keep sounding pretty serious.]

Good, because I'm no workhorse anymore.

[Yeah. As much as he'd hated being an earth pony...he'd probably been stronger in that form than he was now. He doesn't quite carry Marty home, but he does bump shoulders frequently and cast worried looks when he's sure Marty's not looking.]

So...how's singsong-ville treating you?

Alright, I know this place is really into hugging in stuff but that's probably out of the question now that I'm sick.

[Not quite sure if he should consider that a good thing or not.]

If we were getting free cuddles with the ladies, that would be pretty worth it. But reality disappoints yet again.

[He shakes his head.]

It's all lies. It's been years since I've hugged anybody and it's never hurt before.

[Oh wait. He's not supposed to admit that.]

Uh---I mean, of course, that it feels like it's been years. Because doing that as a horse would've been horrifying on several levels.

[C'mon Marty, let's get home. He nudges him frantically.]

[C'mon Strong Bad, don't lie, you've hugged a tree before.

The nudges do help a little, but it's still really doesn't do much besides give Marty a small warmth inside of him. However, he eventually starts to catch on to what this means and stops dead in his tracks.]

Oh no...

[Please don't tell him that he somehow amazingly misinterpreted things again.]

What?

[He stops on the spot, spins, and grabs Marty's shoulders, both to hold him upright and keep him at a safe distance.]

Don't tell me you're gonna regurgitate breakfast all over me.

[Shakes his head, too embarrassed to even look at Strong Bad.]

No no, it's just... this whole "we need physical contact for survival" thing wasn't a metaphor, was it.

[Oh man. Not good. The color drains from his face too.]

So you're saying you're this bad off because you haven't been touching people?

[Well, he doesn't like this development at all. But Marty's clearly in a lot of pain, and if he can help... He redoubles his efforts to get them safely back to the apartment, and as they walk, he casually drops his arm across Marty's shoulders.]

Home. Bed. Soup.

Please don't word it like that.

[Because seriously, ew. Meanwhile while he still looks like he's in pain, the arm draping does make him seem less like he's about to fall asleep on the floor.]

I'm sure I'll be fine, it's just that this is really embarrassing.

Right. Sorry. It's just...this place somehow being even more insidiously evil than Ponyville.

[He has a distinct feeling of the warm fuzzies. That's normally gross enough for him to rip his hand away, but he actually likes Marty enough to want to keep him going. And...he hates it, but staying in contact with him makes him feel stronger, more alert. There's some illegal substance analogy to be drawn here, he's sure.]

Ugh. I know where you're coming from on that, but it doesn't have to be.

[He gently (but with no room for argument) herds Marty inside and settles him on the couch, pulling away to start on that soup. He keeps talking as he goes.]

You don't have to let it. You're the kind of friendly guy people like. Just grab your friendly acquaintances like it's just a thing you do, and you'll meet the freaky touchy-feely quota in no time.

[Marty doesn't want Strong Bad to do everything for him and almost speaks up that he can cook for him and almost says that he's well enough to take care of himself. But he realizes that he should probably save his energy on... cuddling or something.]

Yeah, it probably won't be too hard. It's just... I've only been here for two weeks. I'm kind of worried what would happen if I don't hug someone for more than that now.

[Seriously if Strong Bad didn't bump into him he might have died.]

[He narrows his eyes at the thought. Wow, this place is somehow far worse than Ponyville, if it could so easily threaten their lives for a stupid reason.]

That would definitely top the worst ways to die list. But trust me, that ain't gonna happen.

[He throws the soupt together in a hurry, somehow still gathering the correct amounts. When it's all stirred and can simmer for a few moments, he returns and plops next to Marty on the couch.]

We're all in the same horribly sinking love boat. If the other victims know what's good for 'em, they'll help you. And if they don't?

[He sits up, looks hesitant...and then his expression hardens into determination. For the first time in his life, Strong Bad hugs a friend. It's kind of painfully awkward for a second, because he's not quite sure what he's doing, but he soon has it under control and gives him a rough squeeze.]

Screw it. I don't like this any more than you do, but if that's what it takes to keep you? Fine. Done.

[Honestly Marty didn't mind hugs at all, but the idea of having to do this much physical contact every day or suffer didn't sit too well with him.

Still, he doesn't hesitate to return the hug at least.]

Hey, I don't want you to get sick either. I'll be here if you want to hug more often so you don't end up like me.

[Wait, no, that sounds weird.]

[As weird as giving hugs is for Strong Bad, it's not too different from a wrestling move. He's just supposed to be slightly gentler and less aiming to kill. (Not that he ever succeeded at that.) He's still cool and still in control.

But being hugged is different, and so he's not entirely prepared when Marty grabs him. He freezes for a good moment, but after that, whatever this place is doing to his head kicks in. He relaxes and realizes that this is...not entirely unpleasant. When he pulls back, he's even smiling. Just a little. If you squint.]

All right, but we're coming up with another word for this hug business. Because it's under duress. I'm thinking 'strug'? As in, 'struggling not to kill whoever came up with this cultist crap?'

[He has to over-complicate things. It's like a law.]

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thepoweroflove - 2014-11-20 06:18 (UTC) - Expand

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crapfully - 2014-11-21 01:16 (UTC) - Expand

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