Round 2: Pre-Awakening AUs, Personas and Tarots, Lets Plan!

[cordibus]

We've made this post for a very quick round of pre-drive planning. Post the characters that you are interesting in trying out and ask for advice or suggest, or even try to look/entice for castmates! Suggest pre-made AUs where someone from cross canon has been living with you for a while, so when you begin the test proper tomorrow you'll have an idea of what you want to do!

The city of Eddan is like a typical metropolis, your characters can have any job that would make sense in a busy city. They don't have to be restricted to the school, or have a school job.

You are free to continue using this post to plan or ask the mods test-drive related questions. We'll do our best to answer in a timely manner! If you're not sure, don't be shy about asking. There's a lot of freedom!

You can also request to roll for a Persona. You can find information about Persona and the Awakening here. Ask for as many test drive characters you have if you'd like!

If you want to assign your character a tarot card for test drive purposes, you're free to pick whatever you think fits best. Your character's actual Arcana will be assigned after being accepted.

Let's begin! And remember, the test drive will is Already In Progress

Comments

[touketsu]

Hey, I'm Joey (bizarretown) with Shirou Fubuki from Inazuma Eleven, an anime series all about magical soccer. I plan to hit up the TDM shortly, but in the meantime...let's do some planning!

For the most part, I've been imagining Pre-Awakening Shirou as a happy and well-adjusted youth of 14 who attends Green Valley. Very popular among his peers, especially the girls, Shirou both achieves excellent grades and is a celebrated member of the school's track and field team, specializing in the sprinting and high jump events. Interestingly, the moments he claims to love the most aren't clearing the finish line or the bar, but the mad dash towards the goal when running, and the fall that follows jumping, when he feels the wind briefly wrap around him and the rest of the world seems to disappear.

Despite being very kind and easy to get along with, Shirou also has a playful side. Given his academic and athletic prowess, there are many rumors floating around about him, most of which are inaccurate and portray him as being much larger than he is. Shirou takes great pleasure in playing with these misconceptions and fooling people. Playing other kinds of pranks on people is another thing he enjoys, though even if they're the kinds of pranks that scare someone, he's always careful not to be cruel.

He seems like he has his life together and, despite the grisly murders occurring in Eddan, seems to be fearless and like he hasn't a care in the world other than having fun.

I have no concrete plans regarding his family (and would love to plot with people regarding that!) but I will note that I'd prefer familial relations to be positive in nature to directly contrast what he'll remember upon Awakening.

Speaking of...

Awakened Shirou is...quite literally a mixed bag. For all that their personality remains something they have in common, he's nowhere near being as well-adjusted and stable as his AU.

For starters, when Shirou was still very young, his entire family was killed in an avalanche. His father, his mother, and his twin brother all died, and he was the only one among them who survived, leaving him with a phobia of any loud noises resembling the deep, thunderous rumble of snow crashing down a mountainside.

Wearing his brother's scarf in his memory, eventually Shirou began to "hear" Atsuya's voice coming from it while playing soccer. This, along with his father's last words the day he died, impressed upon Shirou a desire to be "perfect" and he believed that the only way to accomplish this was to become one with, or surrender himself to his brother, letting Atsuya take over while playing.

As "Atsuya," Shirou is nothing like his more subdued self. He is extremely aggressive, brash, a bit of a show pony and, despite being very capable, he'll charge headlong into a situation without thinking, demonstrating an absurd amount of arrogance and over-confidence. His primary objectives are winning and being entertained, and he'll do whatever it takes to achieve both, except tolerate people standing in his way.

Needless to say, he is a very sore loser. And Shirou himself isn't much better, for he has struggled since the day he lost his parents with his identity and where he belongs. He wants to be needed. But so does "Atsuya." Essentially, while warring with shadows, he'll also be warring with himself...so that'll be a thing.

Regarding his Persona, I've decided to run with Marchosias for him, and Shirou himself will be a Combatant.

Anyway...

TL;DR: I've got a nice (if trollish) kid here with a split personality disorder and I'm looking to see who he might know around the city and school! And for potential family!

[kouteipenguin]

Kidou here! His AU name is Michi Yamashita, aaaand he's on the track team. For now at least.

Also he can't have goggles outside of his awakened form so that's weird.

[touketsu]

I think I'm pretty set on Shirou's AU name being Kouyuki Jin (conveniently written in western format, already). It's appropriately awful.

Anyway...

From an OOC perspective, it's going to take some getting used to seeing Kidou without his goggles! Hell, after Shirou awakens, it'll be odd from an IC perspective, too! But at least he won't be the only one without something? Shirou won't be able to wear Atsuya's scarf, either. H-here's to solidarity...? :'D

...so, about the track team. Looks like they'll at least know each other.

[kouteipenguin]

You know, I've been running this AU for like... two weeks? and I'm still not used to these icons. Picking icons for every single tag never stops being trippy. Jinkouyuki... so we're both being really, really cruel with AU names. That'll be fun.

That'd sure be solidarity if these two would ever sit down and talk about those things they repress. As it is, it's predestined to be a missed opportunity... but fortunately so far the app keeps putting down these really intrusive personal questions, so we might actually have discussions someday. Who knows. Either way they'll both understand what it's like to miss something integral to identity here.

SO about the track team. They will! Let's see.. Michi facts...

Michi tends to drift from thing to thing, and joined the track team not too long ago. So there's no guarantee he'll stick around, either; he's kind of well known for wandering from activity to activity and staying just long enough to get good at it. He's a lot more outgoing, openly friendly, still bossy, still competitive, still gentle natured in general. While he'll be actually willing to talk about feelings (I know; this AU is trippy, man) he still doesn't really talk about his life. What he will do is just voice all those internal monologues he tends to have, so he'll certainly talk more and think out loud at people. He's also far more impulsive; once he has an idea on what to do, he's doing it instead of weighing whether or not he should.

He's a lot closer to Haruna / the overall happy seeming shounen protag in the making he used to be before Kageyama got him.

It is so bizarre to think about just how many things have to change if you remove Kageyama out of his life, jfc.

Lately he's been generally distracted, though. He doesn't seem to really care about improving like he used to and spends a lot of time glued to his phone.

[touketsu]

I mean, when you've got the perfect opportunity to play around with something creative like that, how do you even say no?

That app... At least thanks to it, they won't be able to fall back on those tried and true excuses: Nothing's wrong and I'm fine. So, you're right, there might be discussions someday! But it's hard to say with how good these two both are at avoidance.

Unfortunately, if they're given the time to interact at all before Michi awakens, Kouyuki isn't even the type to ask him to stay on the track team. He'll see Michi's refusal to commit as going wherever the wind takes him, and he'll be inclined to believe that eventually Michi will find the something he was meant to be doing on his own. That said, while Michi will be around, Kouyuki will happily practice with him. He won't bat an eye at the bossiness, will genuinely appreciate any competitive spirit he's shown and the fact that Michi is someone similarly gentle in nature.

That said, it's not very fun to be glued to your phone all the time, Michi. That sort of thing sounds tiring.

And just... Kidou without Kageyama's shadow looming over him. It'll be a really fascinating thing to behold, but terribly sad, too. Or...it'll be sad for those who'll register the significance behind the difference between him and Michi. Which won't be Shirou. He'll only see what's on the surface and register that they are different. Thank goodness Genda and Sakuma are both here.

[beastfang]

More Woofs for the Wolf Pack! Also how did Genda end up as sakka senpai I will never know but I find it hilarious even if it means no classmate shenanigans. Though Christopher (Genda) likely has probably sassed and commentated on any pranks that went down, or dead eyed the poor boy from behind the library check out desk if it seemed like mischief was afoot.

Also RIP Genda's blood pressure because I looked at what sort of stats/spells you rolled for Fubuki and that means another DPS for Genda to heal/tank for.

[touketsu]

Genda's team mom, naturally that had to translate somehow!

Anyway, no classmate shenanigans doesn't mean their paths won't cross, although Kouyuki (Shirou) will likely blankstare or smileyface any sass or dead eyeing he happens to receive. That or lightly sass back like the brat he is. Boy's nice and polite and happy, but some things haven't changed at all. I'm sorry, Christopher.

Doubly sorry for his stats and, um, everything else that'll follow given his whole...you know. But on the plus side, if you've got his back, that means you're not standing in his way? 8D

[beastfang]

But he only has this school year to be on the same soccer team as everyone else. This is going to be a very sad cat point when it hits.


Yes, good Christopher/Genda needs more brats in his life for him to gently smash his face into his desk over. Or slowly just adopt peripherally into his life somehow even if it's just to sigh at them when they pull a Dumb.


He is going to get hip checked out of danger so many times, Fubuki please don't pick a fight with every shadow you see.

[touketsu]

That is sad. I'd say something along the lines of, "But it's not even their soccer here," but that doesn't really help when it's playing with his friends that he'll be missing, huh? (At least they can still practice together on their own time.)


Amazing. For being such a stickler about good behavior, Christopher sure seems to be okay with abusing school property with his face!


Excuse you, he's not picking fights, he's finishing them. Somebody has to, and since you people can't keep up, you may as well just leave it all up to him.

[beastfang]

It's going to be doubly distressing because he still has obligations to the Command Tower group due to Christopher so good luck everyone in juggling non sakka sports/club schedules with playing soccer together.


He's earned this desk, he puts up with all of you during exam time. If he wants to imprint his head into it he damn well will.


Even if Genda has to pay someone to sleep spell you he will, stop getting into trouble and follow the plan. (If this is how Genda adopts Fubuki as someone to team mom over I will laugh)

[touketsu]

Could you nerd any harder Genda Christopher?


Please don't imprint on the desk, you'll really never live down the wolf jokes, then.


He's following the plan! Alright, a plan... His plan! It's fine, quit worrying! (Please team mom him, this boy needs aggressive parenting.)

[pouringrain]

Hello, hello! I've been meaning to bug you (Kidou's mun pointed me in your direction), but would your fourteen year old like to know this fourteen year old? :> HE'S ESSENTIALLY super friendly and into baseball, but he'll be partaking in track things as well. '^' And generally help out with the other sports clubs whenever it's needed, but he could absolutely use more buddies that can help him with his grades.

That and your character sounds pretty interesting, even if I'm completely canon blind to him, haha.

[touketsu]

Double hi! (I'll have to thank Cro for sending you this way! That said...) I'm equally canon blind, but I'd love it if these two knew each other through sports clubs, occasional studying together, or even having classes together! Shirou (or Kouyuki for his AU) really loves being surrounded by people, especially enthusiastic and high energy ones (who love sports as much as he does)!

[pouringrain]

All of that sounds wonderful! Because honestly Yamamoto's pretty much the same way, and will always be willing to have a new friend to go bug when he can. Plus enthusiastic and high energy is pretty much him most days, so it is very good that Shirou can tolerate such people! '^'

[touketsu]

Are you kidding? It goes beyond tolerating. This kid thrives off them. If it wasn't for sports and friends, he'd likely wind up some kind of thrill-seeker in his AU. He loves that rush of life he gets from...well, anything that produces it. Close bonds, exciting activities, you name it.

Yamamoto'll have someone happy to come cheer him on when he plays baseball! And who'll be just as happy to come bug him when he's got free time.

[pouringrain]

Oh!! That is definitely good to know, because they'll probably be best buds in no time. Especially with the whole thrill seeking thing - even if Yamamoto doesn't actively go out of his way, he's def. the sort of person that gets tossed into dangerous and crazy situations often. '^' So he'll certainly be a friend that can help in that area (unintentional or otherwise).

But he'll especially be happy to have friends who'll cheer him on as baseball games. :> <3 So yes good, bug him too. <333

[forsteri]

yo
/two weeks late to this or something but re: these two, i'm thinking i'm going to stick to the basic relationship they have in the test drive, unless you have other ideas!

[touketsu]

Nope, no other ideas. I kind of like that it reflects the relationship Fubuki has with Sakuma from his canon point, to be honest. Like, they've only just met and don't really know each other well, and here in Eddan they'll be loosely acquainted through school and such, but not be super close. It gives us room to develop things in game but gives us that little bit of a foundation to work from - and draw parallels to later on.

It's maybe what you'd call...




Perfect?

[forsteri]

this is true!! i feel like at this point the biggest thing he remembers about fubuki is like, "you marked me that time in shin teikoku" lmao

but yes i think this is good uwu sports acquaintances

[touketsu]

PENGUINS DON'T TALK ABOUT THAT TIME





Can't promise Fubuki won't, though. He doesn't have the same verbal filter as the Teikokus...

I'm so sorry.

[forsteri]

YEAH NO HE AIN'T GONNA BRING IT UP
BUT HE'S GONNA REMEMBER THAT SHIT

please bring it up fubuki, please make this awful