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

Yue Katou | Angel Sanctuary

[autorejoin]

Prompt 1 ► FROM DAWN TO DUSK [CW UNDERAGE DRINKING]

[ He knew he wasn't supposed to be out past curfew. He knew it, but he honestly couldn't find it in himself to give a single, solitary fuck about what he is or isn't "supposed" to do. He'd catch nine kinds of hell if he was caught— by the police, by the school, by his parents. It should have scared him, should have cowed him even a little. Instead, he found it.... exhilarating. ]

Fuck 'em, anyway.

[ He murmurs the words to himself as he looks out to the rest of the people in the bar he'd found a few weeks ago. It was the kind of hole-in-the wall you'd have to operate in the shadows, with the amount of laws theyr'e breaking. Enough that they'll take his fake ID at face value, despite it being so blatantly obvious he's under the drinking age. What do the proprieters care if they break one more law, after all? They'd be facing plenty of jail time if they were caught regardless.

Despite himself, his eyelids were growing heavy. It wasn't a surprise, really. Between the booze and the headaches that had been plaguing him all day, he was about ready to drop. But he didn't want to. He'd been enjoying that hazy feeling as the alcohol lulled him into a lack of caring. He didn't want it to end so soon.... And it would end when he woke up, with a hangover as he miserably drags his ass to school.

("Your grades have been dropping," his mother would lecture him. Not because she cared, but because she wanted to Keep Up Appearances. Fuck her, anyway.)

Fortunately, a buzz from his phone saved him from passing out entirely. Well no, not a buzz. More like a.... pulsing. A notification he definitely hadn't programmed into it, but it was enough to grab his attention. He swiped it open— it took him a few tries to drunkenly get his own lock pattern right— and hesitates only for a moment before clicking on the snake icon.

"To begin, please write your name."

His fingers move to type the name, unerringly. Wait a second, he thinks to himself even as he hits "enter." My name isn't Yue Katou— ]

Yue Katou: hey so who else is even fucking awake at this hour?

Prompt 2 ► AWAKENING

[ "Make sure you have someone close by to survive...."

That's what the app had said, but who was he even going to bring with him? He'd been bad at friends for as long as he remembered, awkward and asocial at best. At worst.... Well, let's just say his fist had gotten friendly with a few of the first-year's faces once too often for their liking. And the second-years. And.....

He didn't really have any friends.

He wasn't sure what to expect when he walked through the apple orchard. He'd grabbed a pipe he'd found at a construction site on his way here. They won't miss it, probably. And even if they did— they'd never catch him. He wanted to be armed in anyway he could be for this trip. Just in case it was his last.....

It's probably going to be my last.

Fuck it, you live only once, right? Might as well go out in a blaze of fucking glory if this'll be his last day.

Still, when he sees movement out of the corner of his eye— he whirls around, holding the pipe like a bat. ]

Who's out there?!

Prompt 3 / A ► A NEW, OLD LIFE [CW MENTIONS OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE]

[ It was harder, somehow, to concentrate on school. Not that it had been easy before, but it was even worse now. Memories bleeding into each other, different flavours of pain until it was driving him crazy. It figures, just fucking figures, that he'd get a shitshow no matter what kind of life he'd led. Shit, no wonder he'd died at seventeen—

He's not dead. He is? Fucking memories, bleeding together... I'd kill for a needle right now.

Whoa. That was skipping right past alcohol and into territory he hadn't touched, right? At least, not in this life. But Yue Katou remembered the sharp sting of the needle as it slid into his arm, the ecstacy as the drugs hit his system and sent him flying high, high, high.....

Anyway, he'd ended up skipping straight out of class today because fuck you, teacher, who gives a shit? His parents were going to get a call later and he'd catch hell about that, but it's hardly the first time in the past year. What did he care?

(They're not my parents. Not that his real ones gave a shit, either. Ha ha, Katou's life is a cosmic fucking joke.)

But the bars aren't open at ten o'clock in the morning, and most of the shopkeepers tended to look at a seventeen-year-old skipping class funny. So he'd only ditched as far as the roof of the school. Maybe I can sneak something in next time, he mused to himself as he stared up at the sky. That'd make school interesting.... ]

Prompt 3 / B ► A NEW, OLD LIFE

[ At some point far past curfew, he'd stumbled into his room. It was a nice room, as far as rooms go. Big, with a huge TV and the latest video game consoles and a desk with a fancy computer. Three monitors, too.

He ignores all of that in favour of flopping onto his bed. He hasn't bothered to take of his clothes, not even his boots. The sheets would get dirty, but he really doesn't give a shit. After a moment of soaking in his own misery, he pulls out his phone. He doesn't hestiate to log into AppleNET. ]

hey who wants to go wreck shit?

3b

[eargasmic]

[ Well, someone who post at this hour would either be a.) adults or b.) some edgy kids trying to act like adults. It would be really good for Hazama's sake if it was the latter so let's try this one out. ]

Elaborate that, friend.

Re: 3b

[autorejoin]

[ It's definitely B, which will work out just fine for both of them, perhaps. ]

first thought is trying to smash some of those monsters outside

second thought is cars

[eargasmic]

Well, consider yourself a company if it's going to be first.

Unless we're going to destroy some cars while at it then I'm in as well.

[autorejoin]

holy shit

that's a great idea

we'll do both!!!!

[eargasmic]

Glorious.

Say buddy, have you ever had gunpowders? Just asking.

[autorejoin]

no but you have my interest now

3B as well

[callousspark]

[For a while, Katou's message goes unanswered. Long enough, in fact, that he may think that there isn't anyone around to answer him. Right around when he might finally be giving up, or considering at least winding down with a beer, an answer pops up in the chat.]

Larxene: always up for wrecking shit
Larxene: name the place

[autorejoin]

[ Katou had, in fact, almost given up and was halfway to turning off his phone when he got the response. Finally, he thought, a sense of relief coursing through him— one tinged with anticipation. ]

Yue Katou: you know the park near the school?
Yue Katou: i was gonna hit up the streets around that area

[callousspark]

Larxene: sounds like fun
Larxene: u wanna take this to pm?

[autorejoin]

Yue Katou: probably a good idea yeah

[callousspark]

[a moment later a pop-up window spawns on his screen]

Larxene: right so what are you planning on bringing
Larxene: eggs? spray paint? rocks?
Larxene: molotov cocktail?

[that sure escalated quickly]

[autorejoin]

Yue Katou: well i don't have any molotov cocktails
Yue Katou: but holy shit that sounds like fun
Yue Katou: mostly i was thinking rocks and baseball bats
Yue Katou: but i like your idea better

2

[neverbeentogeorgia]

[The thing is that, while Yusuke doesn't really have any friends to speak of, he does have a school-assigned mentor, ever since his grades started slipping and his behavior became so erratic. And who would be a better selection than the apple of every teacher's eye, straight-A college student, overachiever, and all-around-charmer Akira Shuuya?

He'd volunteered for the program as a lark during the summer after graduating from high school as a way to beef up his resume later on, so he couldn't very well say no to the assignment. For anyone else, it would probably be awkward, given that they're technically the same age and Yusuke's family is a lot more well-to-do than Akira's, but perhaps it's just because he's a member of the Higher Cycle or maybe it's just Akira's ego, but he's certainly never seemed lacking for confidence. Even now, while Yusuke's armed with a fucking pipe of all things and shouting at the apple trees swaying in the wind, he's calmly sneaking up behind him.

With one hand, he grabs a firm hold of Yusuke's pipe so he can't try to kill him by accident. With the other, he places the tip of his finger, hand cocked like a gun, to Yusuke's temple.]

Bang. You're dead. --Or you would be, if I was the killer.

[autorejoin]

[ It's a good thing that Akira had gripped on to that pipe, because Yusuke definitely jerked at it when he snuck up on the ever-so-slightly younger teen. (Maybe by a few months, but then, Akira was definitely an overachiever...) ]

What the fuck!? Don't go sneaking up on people, asshole!

[neverbeentogeorgia]

Well if that's not the pot calling the kettle black. [Akira's look is just damn icy as he stares Yusuke down. He's only got three or four inches on Yusuke, but somehow he makes those feel like a whole head. And he's not yet released his grip on Yusuke's pipe, either.] I chose to overlook things when you were just breaking curfew to go party in the city, but this is a bit much. Following hints from unknown people on a bogus app? Just what did you think might happen if you came out here? Even you should be smarter than that, Yusuke.

[HM. Even for a mentor.... Should he even know about any of that...?]

[autorejoin]

[ Yusuke's eyebrows shoot up. ]

I didn't tell you shit about that app. The only reason you'd be out here is because you got the same damned thing. Don't be a fucking hypocrite.

[neverbeentogeorgia]

The reason I'm out here is because I saw some idiot take the bait. I just didn't realize said idiot would be you until I saw you in the parking lot trying to sneak in. Are you really so desperate for some positive attention in your life that you'd come out here to--what, take on Eddan's serial killer armed with some pipe you probably stole from Home Depot? Do you want to die?

[autorejoin]

[ Yusuke huffs. ]

Of course I don't want to die. And I'd hardly call a serial killer "positive" attention. Also, who said I was looking for that...?

[ He shrugs loosely. ]

Mostly, I'm curious. Now let go of the damned pipe. You warned me, you did your duty. If I die, it's not on your conscience.

2

[saviorsoul]

[ That Alexi is currently carrying an actual aluminum bat immediately slips his mind when he spies the bat being brandished by the person in front of him. He scrambles backward, looking severely out of place is most of his school uniform (minus the blazer) and his much too expensive tennis shoes. His hands go up in the air, as the bat tumbles from his fingers. ]

"Sorry sorry! I was looking for someone else!"

[ So much for just wanting to figure this mess out. ]

[autorejoin]

[ Yusuke didn't swing at this guy at least, and that's probably a good thing. He's pretty sure that he's not the serial killer that's been going around, and he wouldn't want to hit some innocent guy and maybe give him a concussion. ]

Oh yeah? Who you looking for?

[saviorsoul]

[ Alexi isn't moving his hands until that pipe is out of sight again. Just in case. ]

Uh I was supposed to meet someone here... A friend from school...

[ Is it a good idea to explain to a random stranger, a random armed stranger, the whole phone business? The guy might hit him out of fear that he's crazy. But then, what's he doing out here with a pipe of all things? Don't normal people bring pepper spray? ]

[autorejoin]

[ He's not putting the pipe away, but he's not aiming it at Alexi anymore. The pipe is casually resting against his shoulder now. ]

It's a little late to be meeting people, don't you think?

[ Yusuke shrugs. It's none of his business. ]

But whatever, do what you want. Just don't get in my way.

[saviorsoul]

[ The question spills from his mouth before he can stop himself, startling Alexi since its not like him to push people like this. ]

What are you doing out here?

[ He feels the instinctive urge to duck as soon as he says it. ]

[autorejoin]

Causing trouble, probably!

[ He says it in a breezy, cheerful tone. ]