Round 1: Test Drive

[cordibus]

Welcome to the first test drive!

Please don't worry too much about using your Personas correctly or following the prompts exactly. They're meant to give you starting ideas, but by all means, go wild and add more options!

The objective here is to try out characters and see who you could have the most fun with in the game's setting. However, feel free to follow this link to request a Persona be generated for you as if you were part of the game. (Please try to limit this to only one of your test drive characters if you can as to not overwhelm us! Never mind generating Personas is a pretty fast process! Request for as many characters away as you like!)

If you have questions about the test drive itself, you can ask them here! If you want to play an AU don't forget this entire post can be used for you to get AU scenarios set up and see who your character might have been related too or know before Awakening.

Now then, let's begin...

Prompt 1 - From Dawn to Dusk

The city has been abuzz for the past few weeks. A new string of murders is making front page news and serving as a grim reminder why the nightly curfew is so important. As families, perhaps even someone close to you, mourn, pressure continues to rise at the many police stations and at city hall. The people are afraid and they’re demanding answers.

There's not much time for you to dwell on this.. Like everyone else in the city, you have a lot to do, and a tight schedule to do it in. You don't even notice the application that has appeared on your phone's screen. The headache that follows, however, is strange and disorienting, and it brings with it an odd sensation that something is wrong today. You’re just not sure why.

The day passes by and soon, it's close to midnight. Your body, if you're not in bed by now, is completely exhausted. Despite your best efforts, you'll find yourself closing your eyes. Too bad it's quickly interrupted by a strange noise, and movement like something pulsating softly.

It's your phone, or at least you think it's your phone, but it's never glowed this orange before. There’s mist rising above it almost like fire...something's definitely bizarre about this. Despite your fears, you forces yourself to open it, and click on that strange snake-like icon.


It opens revealing a single statement and blank box;

To begin, please write your name.

Your fingers move on their own. Before you have time to really think about it, and as the pain inside your head becomes so terrible you start breathing rapidly and sweating, you've entered a series of letters and pressed enter. Now you're in a large chatroom with many others...but your 'name' you've never even heard of it...have you? It almost feels like you have...

Prompt 2 - Awakening

The last rays of the sun disappeared over the horizon almost an hour ago, yet here you are, walking through the apple orchards located behind one of the campus wings. The strange app that's been sending you strange clues the past seven days now says you're ready to face the truth. It told you to come here tonight, but never to travel alone. Repeatedly, it warns you to make sure to have someone close by if you're to survive…but besides some friends, what else did you bring with you? Did you pack for this, or did you figure you'd make it up as you go? Are you in a position to be able to bring weapons with you that no one would suspect?

Something is out there, and it's getting closer.

Before you can think, you see it: a large, blackish mass, almost like slime, slithering along the ground resembling a vaguely humanoid shape with glowing yellow eyes. When it roars again, it reveals rows and rows of teeth. This was a mistake your brain warns. The strange name from the chatroom, the days leading up to this...you're fairly certain even if you are prepared that you're going to die.

And yet, something inside you stirs. Even as they move closer, you find yourself charging instead of running, as your heartbeat increases. A voice inside is guiding you, each movement bringing forth a surge of memories of a past that you had lost. You’re angry and confused, but your pain, your fears, your rage for all of this… all of that needs to be taken out on those creatures.

All you need to do now is to tear out your heart.

Prompt 3 - A new, old life

Now that you have your memories back, the strange veil of this world has been somewhat lifted. Things that seemed simple now seem strange. You have so many questions, but not enough answers. Then there's the new weapons you wield and the strange creature inside of you...your Heart Persona.

During the day, you are encouraged to continue to live as you did before, but with old and new memories together, sometimes it is difficult to keep acting like you did. Will it cause issues in your job or school life? Will it change your reactions to whatever life you had here? Do you notice others like you who have awakened?

Maybe it would be a good time to send a chatroom message, just to ask others what they are planning to do. Maybe you should set up a meeting to fight shadows at night. Maybe you’ll organize a plan of attack or set up a club to escape the strange looks others have been giving you. Maybe you just want someone's opinion on the best place to have pizza. Hey, no one said you had to use the AppleNET just for serious things, after all.

Comments

Tsurumaru Kuninaga | Touken Ranbu

[mockingbirb]

(Also, I swing both ways when it comes to the great prose versus brackets divide, so tag me with whatever and I'll match.)

Obligatory Prompt 3

So…where’s the best place to get pizza? Asking for a friend. He doesn’t get out much.

[Hi Fushimi.]

Prompt 2: Solo Mix, 8 minutes before random encounter give or take

[Okay, the app told him to bring a friend, and he tried to. He got his roommate (NPC from whatever the setting equivalent of Idaho is) to agree to go with him so under the pretense of saying it was to place a giant metal rooster made out of pipe and hope in the apple orchards. However, when the fated hour came…well, NPC had eaten some bad burritos. He couldn’t leave the apartment.

So Tsurumaru had gone alone. It was a bad life choice, but what about his life wasn’t a bad choice?

But… as it turns out, he wasn’t alone. So, as he turned to whoever approached him:]

So… [This is suddenly awkward.] Why are you here?

[They’re probably going to have to deal with the random encounter armed with chicken wings if the other person wasn’t prepared, just saying.]

Prompt 2: After the dramatic random encounter

[So, as they’re bleeding, tired, beaten up, possibly poisoned (sorry, his Persona has that as a side effect for a skill) or otherwise kicked ass, he’s going to ask the obvious.]

What just happened?

[This is the roundabout way of stalling for time as he processes the fact that he was an inanimate object at some point? What? Someone distract him by talking about how they were a dragon, please.]

2; oh boy

[eyeofcute]

Why are you here?

[Don't answer a question with another, Cagliostro, that's rude.]

I'm here for the truth. Maybe we'll meet with the serial killer that's been going around and join a cult. [That's a bit...] Did you bring any weapons?

[Cagliostro is, like, four feet tall and carrying a school backpack. The fact that she has to ask this question is probably a sign that they're both fucked.]

[mockingbirb]

[And that got him to sigh in relief, completely oblivious to the fact that in approximately eight minutes the two of them will flip out, rip out hearts, scream, and basically kick ass and take names. It's nice knowing that he's not the only one who (probably) followed cryptic chat app instructions and ended up in this place at ass o'clock.]

I've got this thing. [And here he hoisted the aforementioned chicken statue. It looks sturdy! Not sturdy enough to really fight with, but good enough to take a blow or two.] I was going to stick it in a tree if nothing happened-...you think it might be some weird cult thing, huh?

[He might've been wondering if it was an ARG. Or maybe a cult. Cult sounds surprisingly legit.] You might be on to something.

[eyeofcute]

...

[A... chicken statue...

In any case! Cagliostro actually does have a weapon, and she pulls out a suspicious flask, barely capped with an old wine bottle cork. It's actually hot to touch.] Behold! A result of my lab research! This chemical is corrosive on skin, so any pervert who gets too close is going to get a glassful of shards and acids smacked in their face.

[Though, Cagliostro doesn't have much in the way of protection on her. She also does not seem like a very trustworthy person in general. If Tsurumaru gets smacked with it, she's not taking responsibility, but she'll never let it go if he gets herself get hurt by her own creation.]

Anyway. Cult or not, anyone who made my phone download an app I didn't consent to is gonna get it! What else could they have possibly gotten from my phone?!

[they'd get lost by the 500th selfie]

3 woomps on

[probablynoteren]

is it really the time for pizza?

[Like, honestly, the bizarre situation and obligatory confusion is kind of making him hungry too, but that doesn't mean he can't protest this turn of events! Who's Fushimi, is he new.]

Off.

[mockingbirb]

Why wouldn't it be the time for pizza?

Do you know anything about whatever THAT thing was? I don't.

never.

[probablynoteren]

you'd have to go out there again. or force someone to.

[This is just irresponsible pizzaing, he won't stand for it, even in the face of terror, hunger, and... whatever else. Maybe he's just grumpy! For good reason!]

the last one

[foxhands]

[Naki Insert AU name here Naki? is just as confused as you are right now, neighbor! Confused and hopefully not poisoned, it'd be a pretty sad first battle if he died of sword poisoning here.

He takes a moment to catch his breath - and also to try to get his thoughts in order, a little. Let's see, he came here, that monster showed up, they...ripped their hearts out....???]

........I have no idea. [Getting his thoughts in order: failed, apparently.]

[mockingbirb]

[Well, if they ripped out their hearts that means they remember each other and their past as swords so they're Naki and Tsuru and thus we don't have to worry about AU names.

Which means there's an important question. So, after he looks at Naki and goes ah, yes, aside from the neighbor thing I know you, he's gotta ask that.] So, what happened to your fox...?

[foxhands]

..............................

[A longer silence for a more difficult question! More difficult because now that he remembers the fox he misses it.......maybe his new persona is a fox, maybe his fox turned into a persona, that's a possibility right?

I was gonna have him actually answer the question, but after opening his mouth he decides to shut it and shake his head instead. Same meaning.]

...You remember him?

2b, (muffled victory theme in the background)

[princessofsociallinks]

The no-longer-strictly human honor student puts her head in one hand, running her index finger over her aching horn.

"I... don't know, exactly," she says. "It was certainly some kind of magical ritual, some - some manner of evocation, but of a kind completely foreign to my world -"

She trails off. "To my world. Which this is not. Which this never was. It's not your world, either... Is it."

[mockingbirb]

Tsurumaru looked to his right, where the former honor student once stood and now an It's Complicated stood, and all he could think was that no matter how weird his memories were and his situation apparently was there's still yet inches to go before he hits rock bottom.

Her being a prime example of that. At least he didn't sprout feathers.

"Who knows, really. Back home-" Stretch! This felt satisfying, really. Like something that he had been missing had just clicked into place, and in the worst way possible. "They had us traveling through time fighting-...it's a long story. So I don't know, maybe this is some far future and they got bored. I couldn't tell you."

[princessofsociallinks]

Twilight shakes her head. "Nothing like that back home, plus... this very clearly isn't either of the worlds that I've been to previously."

She puts one hand over her chest, grimacing. "I do recognize the term 'Persona,' though. Normally, it's... a psychological construct, a way of presenting yourself to the world. We covered it in psychology class, in all three worlds. In this context, though..."

3

[clicked]

Hey, mod. We got a spammer. Should I ban him?

[ Obviously, there's someone he's not addressing here.

Hi. ]

[mockingbirb]

Don't be such a stranger!

[Priorities: the thread, right here.]

Have you ever even HAD pizza?

[clicked]

I guess I'm a stranger if you have to ask.

[ Because Fushimi is all about being difficult. ]

2b

[catchthishand]

[ If one is poisoned, then so is the other, because Okuyasu doesn't have the concept of 'restraint' as anything other than something other people do, and hitting harder is always a good thing.

Either way, even poisoned and looking like he went a few rounds with a sledgehammer, Okuyasu still has the mental capacity to be confused and alarmed at how easy that was. ]

Did we kill it or did it escape?

[ He doesn't want to deal with hiding a body right about now ]

[mockingbirb]

[He should have some fucks to give. He should be really concerned, alarmed, angry, scared, frightened, even. Instead, he shrugs.]

Beats me! It's gone either way, so it's not our problem, and, besides...anyone who sees it will know something happened.

[He thinks it's dead, though. As someone - or something - with a high body count it felt...dead.]

Oh, right! [Before he forgot!] Your sister took your copy of [Insert plausible movie here.]...Yeon [Roommate #3] wanted to watch it and she figured you wouldn't mind. I figured I should probably tell you before I forgot - again.

[Yes, they can segue back to the JRPG monster encounter but this was important.]

[catchthishand]

What the-

[ Okuyasu stares up at his sister's (he has a sister?) roomate, before pushing up to his feet, crossing his arms in aggravation, wolf and stands set aside for the more pressing matter at hand ]

Again? I was going to watch that! Rent it yourself!

[ Forget the potential of bodies in the orchard, if he gets a late fee on this movie, he's going to make them pay it, not him ]

2

[tacticianing]

[Michi Yamashita - or so he's known as in Eddan - is also alone. But unlike Tsurumaru, this isn't by his own choosing. That Trevor ran off and left him here to see whatever it is he's supposed to...]

Searching for truth. Or so I've been told. Have you seen anyone else here?

[He doesn't appear to exactly be armed.]

[mockingbirb]

I think I saw some guy with a golf club walk off over there.

[Said offhandedly - the gentleman in question didn't seem inclined to actually talk to Tsuru and he didn't feel like pressing the issue, especially when they had something more important to consider. Searching for the truth...]

We joined a cult, didn't we. [Accidentally! But still.] Hearing someone else say it sure makes it sound like one.

[Talk about another bad life choice.]

The first of the two... prompts 2's

[yotto]

[ Welcome to the bad life choices club. Atsushi went alone because he is an independant child who don't need no moody teenager or young adult friend. Something something child problems. Honestly all his friends ditched him due to some rumors. Not enough Courage Stat. ]

...I was really bored. It was this or finish a book report.

[ He holds up his phone, a hand-me-down Note 4 in a wallet case, a bit too big for a kid's hands. ]

This said look for two birds together and make one sing! This is close enough... Now I just need you to really pretend you're one to make it count.

[ The choice is this or this. ]

[mockingbirb]

Now I wish I brought an MP3 player. I could stuff it the rooster's mouth and we do it that way- I'm not giving up my phone, either. [Just in case.] You're going to have to try harder to get me to croak out anything besides...

[This was going somewhere. He lost what he was saying. Croak out anything besides words? Bad jokes? Banter? Details.] ...well. It's not like I'd want to do a book report either if I had one, so I can't blame you.

2 hello red

[presentable]

[ UGh. Mitsutada is startled by Tsurumaru's question because... Like him, he had his friend bail on him, too. Actually, this all seems like a bad idea, but it would be lame of him to back out after following all these hints.

Clearing his throat, he tries to find an answer. He can only awkwardly chuckle right now. ]

I'm looking for leads—though now I'm also curious about all of this. There's... something off? Don't you agree?

[ Or maybe it's the gurgle of a black menace that is around the corner. ]

No.

[mockingbirb]

[It's the gurgle of a black menace around the corner that's going to pop up in a tag or two.]

What isn't off about everything? We download an app, write...names, get headaches- did you know I saw someone else with this downloaded? It was at the library. She was old, real old. She left her phone unlocked and I looked- I know, but guess what name she had down?

[The name is probably going to be something like 'Warbound Deathgaaaah fuck what is that thing behind you, random dude, run!']