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

Koujirou Genda ll Inazuma Eleven

[beastfang]

It's an odd feeling in this fading daylight (Prompt 1A):

[The new app actually was still an unknown thing to him currently, mostly because he didn't really use his phone for much outside of the occasional check ins with his parents. The headache though is the main problem considering he was actually wincing every now and again as a book was placed in the return cart. He was going to blame that odd incense his mother had bought during one of her heritage reconnecting kicks.

For now all Christopher can do is hope the aspirin he took earlier kicks in and make a note to seal that incense in an vacuum sealed bag later. Until then, those that are used to him being prompt and reliably available to clean up and help find certain books are treated to a slightly pale and squinting version that likely should have gone home instead of trying to power through this day.

As long as he doesn't pass out on the floor or anything it should be okay. Right?]


A lie that's a truth but still a lie? (Prompt 1B- Network):


[He was pretty certain his name was Christopher Noro, and while Koujirou looked like a name he could have almost been saddled with due to his parents Japan obsession, they wouldn't have gone so far as to change from one perfectly appropriate last name to another. Even if part of him felt as if 'Genda' felt like it fit far better then Noro.]

Koujirou Genda: The marketing for whatever event this app is for was a bit lackluster if no one seems to know what it's for or why they have it.

Is there a pattern perhaps, on who received this app and some mailing list we may have been placed on?


Seek out your version of truth! (Prompt 2):

[He wasn't exactly certain why he had even set out to follow the message in the first place. Yet, here he was and likely completely unprepared for whatever was waiting, as he's certain the first aid kit he has in his bag is hardly enough for whatever this is all about.. Of course that was if he had actually gone straight to where the message directed. Living off campus meant it was easy to wait near the gates and see if any others had also gained that odd message and decided to follow it.

Of course if no one else comes by in a certain amount of time he'll finally give in to curiosity and head towards the orchard on his own.]


Ill fitting masks (Prompt 3):

[It was jarring to go back to being Christopher, who's biggest concern was how packed the study areas of the library would be and thus how snappish and short tempered those cramming at the last second would be if he even breathed in their general direction. Yet now, there were the memories of being Genda and this need to play a sport he had barely paid any attention to before now. Not just a need to play but to play with others as a team that felt right.

This didn't even get into the sensations of that white hot pain and the sound of a flat-lining machine echoing in his ears as he felt the warmth and weight of his own beating heart...or the memory of the demon that had appeared and seemed there to force open the memories of Genda even more and make him relive moments he would rather have kept buried. Especially as there was a chance in this place he would never get to apologize for those times.

Those memories chase him out to one of the practice fields before he realizes what he's done. Luckily it's simply a matter of moving towards the bleachers and making it seem like he was there to watch as the soccer club for the higher cycle practiced. Which is odd enough that a fourteen year old is watching the older team when he's shown no interest in his own soccer club before, and the fact Genda, as Christopher, has never seemed interested in joining a particular sport before. So this is a deviation, and part of him knows it and he really should go. Instead he stays.]


It's the power of zero all possibilities are there. (Wildcard):

((OOC: Hit me with whatever you got, also will match prose or brackets so thread in whatever format you prefer. Will also happily do any interactions with either Pre-Awakened or Post Awakened timeline, depending on if you want to thread out CR with Christopher or Genda.))

1A

[eyeofcute]

Ugh.

[Here's your favorite bully, Christopher. Cagliostro, in all her four-feet glory, is face-down on her usual library table, not even touching the books in front of her. It's kind of worrying. She's sometimes in pretty bad shape, yeah, but not normally so much that she's literally lying comatose... still, she refuses to show much pain, and wears her usual (now kinda creepy) smile.]

This headache... I can't even study, what the hell... is my brain finally too big for me?

[beastfang]

[But is if really bullying if Christopher just rolls with her demands and indulges her requests?]

Or perhaps your head shrank.

[There isn't even aggravation in his tone, despite the words. It's just whatever limited filter he had between his mouth and brain is currently taking a vacation due to pain. That also doesn't actually stop him from gently placing a chilled bottle of water and a small thermos down on the table. Close enough for her to reach, but still out of the way she wouldn't accidentally knock them over.]

Have you taken any breaks recently?

[eyeofcute]

[IUEHIOWOIOWIE RUDE, CHRISTOPHER... however, she doesn't have enough energy to rebut him.] Ugh, as if my body needs to shrink even more... [Being 130cm is suffering.

The familiar clunk of the small thermos is enough to wake her up. She uncaps the top, and manages to pour herself a small cup without spilling it all over the table. Perhaps she's not so dead after all?]

I haven't even started studying yet. A headache since the morning. I should've just stayed at home, jeez... [But most of the time, she skips school to be AT the library to study on her own. Lectures, tutorials-- no, not even the best teacher is better than herself. Her own notes and books are enough to catapult her through the exams, and she won't be restrained by a syllabus. If not the library, then she's enjoying her unrestricted access to the chemistry labs, and may or may not be blowing things up in the name of discovery.

Which means that when she actually stays at home, it's kind of serious.

Still, she maintains her creepy grin.] But, this is nothing for a genius like me. I simply overcome obstacles as they come at me.

[beastfang]

[Please, if he didn't smart off now and again at her she'd have likely gotten bored in ordering him around by this point.]

They say stress and sickness can tighten the skin which is possibly what is making you feel as if your mind is too big for your head.

[He only quirks an eyebrow at her statement, before shaking his head in exasperation.]

Your genius won't save you from being bedridden if you push yourself.

[eyeofcute]

You know, at my age, women would kill for tight skin!

[Cagliostro, you're only 21. Come on. Even if you're ancient compared to all these literal pre-schoolers, you're still nowhere near middle-aged.

She takes a nice, long sip of tea before continuing.] It's fine. If I collapse and die, I'll just revive myself, that's all. [That's-- not at all comforting, but whatever.]

What about you, kid? [Try to call him by his real name 'Genda' and not 'kid', Cagliostro, but...] You notice anything weird today? Because this headache doesn't seem normal... maybe someone poisoned the school food. I've felt off since I woke up.

[beastfang]

[Your entire rant would work better on someone that actually knew and cared about such things. Instead he's just going to remain complete in the not impress but I'm still going to listen to you mode.]

I'll make certain to keep your notes organized until you recover then. Though I'm certain you avoiding such a fate would be better.


[Do you actually know his name or is this just a continuous game of how long can you avoid needing to know or use it?]

If it's something in the food here I wouldn't know. I tend to bring my own lunch. i wouldn't discount something in the water source though, or someone messing up something in the science labs and not telling anyone about it.

[eyeofcute]

Maybe someone's out to get me. I wouldn't be surprised.

[tbh let's just say Cagliostro straight-up doesn't know his name. It just never occurred to her. He responds to 'kid', so that's good enough, right? She opens up her phone screen and grimaces at the app on her phone.

The same app Genda would see-- one with a snake-like creature, Ouroboros, eating its own tail.] Did you get this, too?

[beastfang]

I wasn't aware you had some scholastic rival that would go so far just to steal your work table.


[And oh look Genda finally brings out his very cheap and likely four model updates behind phone out of his pocket to check, after staring at that app for a moment. The sudden trip his eyebrows just took into his hairline is a pretty good indication he has it as well. That doesn't mean he won't flip his phone over to show that app symbol is there. It's painfully obvious as well considering how few apps are actually on his phone to begin with.]

It could be a scam.

prompt 3, vibrates excitedly

[forsteri]

[He wanted to play soccer. Not just kick a ball around but play soccer, between which the side of him still convinced he's dreaming all this up doesn't understand the distinction.

He'd asked about it on the weird app, but he hadn't really waited around for a reply. Instead, as soon as he could, Sakuma took off to the soccer field. There was a team for his age group, sure -- but somehow, watching them, he wasn't too interested. He's already sitting there when Genda arrives, his hair still wet from swim practice. He's still in his jammers, even, just with a hoodie on top. He's really dressed for the occasion. (He's really not.)

There are a fair amount of people hanging out here, so he doesn't pay a whole lot of mind to one more person joining the disjointed throng -- but then he happens to glance down absently at the newcomer and his visible eye goes round.

Sakuma gets up, then clambers awkwardly down past a couple using the bleachers as a convenient public makeout spot to approach him. He doesn't sit right down with him right away, instead stands next to him. If he's not mistaken about this, then he'll sit down.]

Genda?

/shakes like an excited puppy

[beastfang]

[Genda had completely ignored the others moving around him, he was oddly good at such in both sets of memories, but when someone uses that name it's enough to actually make him turn towards the other.

He wasn't expecting to actually know the person next to him. Part of him was still in denial that Genda was actually real.]

...Sakuma?

[How did he not realize he was here as well?]

eeeeee

[forsteri]

It is you, [he says, half to himself. He sounds satisfied. Sakuma finally lets himself sit, putting Genda on his good side and staring out over the soccer field. He doesn't look at him right away -- in fact, he doesn't even say anything right away. He just sits there quietly watching the game. Finally he tilts his head in Genda's direction.]

What's your name?

[This is an odd question out of context, since he just referred to him by name. But he knows Genda will know what he means.]

[beastfang]

[There's an amused smile at the question, because it's such an odd one to ask even though he does know why it was asked.]

Christopher Noro.

[He knows he's going to get some look or comment on it, but he's just grateful his parents in this city hadn't tried to give him an actual Japanese name when they hardly knew more then a handful of words themselves.]

You've likely seen me in passing in the library now and again.

[Because now that he knows and actively thinks on it he can recall a few instances of seeing Sakuma a few times. How had he never until now realized such though?]

[forsteri]

[Sakuma nods, looking away from him to return his focus to the field. It seems to be a practice game -- there's no crowd like might be drawn to a real one.]

Yoshio Koutarou.

[He volunteers it without being asked, then considers this statement. Had he seen him? Now that he thinks about it, he thinks he did. He at least remembers the librarian referring to someone named 'Christopher'. And he might have seen Christopher himself a few times. Genda, like himself, was fairly physically distinctive, after all.]

I think so, [he says finally. He lets this hang in the air -- Sakuma feels like he owes him an apology, but that's not quite right, is it? So instead he finds himself falling silent again, not really sure where to take things from there.]

[beastfang]

Should we treat this as a new meeting or a meeting again?

[That trailing silence isn't one he feels should be there. Even as Christopher he never saw reason to feel overlooked. It was just how he was. Instead he'd give Sakuma an out if he wanted. All the while just calmly smiling over at him. One of the habits from Christopher that seemed dead set on remaining even when he was trying to be Genda.]


...have you seen anyone else here?

[forsteri]

I'm thinking of it as meeting again.

[That's for certain. Yoshio doesn't know Christopher, but Sakuma knows Genda, and that's really all he cares about right now. For all the awkwardness from a moment ago, that smile picks him back up -- it's a little different than the one he's seen Genda wear while goalkeeping, but it's familiar enough that he can't help smiling back. Thinking about it... this is what a teammate should feel like, shouldn't it? Someone he could feel had his back at all times. The swim team were fairly close -- they were friends, but they didn't work together like the soccer team did.]

Yeah.

[His smile sobers a little -- becomes a little uncertain.]

I met Kidou.

1b

[unmaking]

I've noticed a trend where many of the users on here appear to be associated with green valley one way or another, whether it be as fellow staff or students, if that helps?

[beastfang]

That certainly points to someone selling the school registry to whoever created this app then.

Now it's just a matter of finding out who.

3, what else?

[tacticianing]

[It's not just Genda who's spectating. There's another figure lurking not too far away, wearing sunglasses and a determined expression as he stares out at the field. He can't help analyzing them - how 9 tends to leave his left side open, always passing to 11; how 2 seems less agile than 3. Small little things that add up into a bigger picture.

Before he realizes he's working it out, Kidou has an answer for how he'd take this team on. Once he has that answer, he takes the time to look around...

... and pauses.

That wild mane of hair instantly brings back so many other instances; Genda's confident smirk when he knew he had any possible shoot perfectly handled. An unbreakable wall of determination. Unfailing loyalty, ... well. Except for one moment that Kidou refused to believe could ever be his fault. Calm composure that rivaled his own, and stalwart bravery in the face of anything. All that and more instantly came to mind with the deep certainty that Kidou knew this guy. Whether or not they were on the same team, this guy was always one of his. Except... they hadn't ever spoken before, had they?

The King of Keepers, his mind insists, overlaying the moniker to who used to be (should be?) a total stranger.

... Making a decision, Kidou moves closer, taking a quiet seat next to him.]

Can't have sakka kids without sakka

[beastfang]

[At first there's only a slight flicker as he slightly turns away from watching the team down below. Mostly out of curiosity as there were plenty of open spaces to sit, and normally someone only sits next to another person to start up a conversation.

Then he registers who's sitting next to him. Which took a few seconds longer then it should have, because there should be goggles instead of sunglasses. Yet, despite that this was someone he (shouldn't) did know. Yet, what if those certainties were wrong and this was just (a familiar face) another student watching the practice and just didn't mind sitting next to someone they didn't know.

But if this was the only person that he would always see as his captain and not just someone that looked like him...]

They seem to lack any unity.

[He wasn't just going to come out and ask outright. Not if there was a chance everything that had happened since that strange app appeared had finally gotten to him and he was just imagining things right now. Yet, maybe if he hinted enough he could see if it was just hope or actuality.]

It is required.

[tacticianing]

Yeah. By their actions I can see they haven't sufficiently trained together. There's favoritism to their passes.

[Unity, though, is a very specific thing to mention. And with it, there's no doubt who he's talking to. It feels too much like they're sitting together back at Teikoku, commenting on one of the backup teams in the soccer club as they try to reach the top. Just by sitting next to Genda, this has an aspect of routine to it that Kidou never realized he missed.]

They'd never be able to pull off Death Zone.

[Without using names or without addressing it directly, he'll take that hint and raise it to a direct reference. If that truly is Genda, and in Kidou's heart he knows it is, then what would normally sound like a strange statement or bizarre terminology for a strategy would instead make perfect, literal sense.]

[beastfang]

Even that odd version you and Raimon created...Kidou.

[The tone and even the sudden relaxing of tension is so very open. Genda would never had given away so much emotionally that easily, but Christopher had never been taught to keep his emotions under lock and key. Right now, he was too jumbled and relieved to decide which person to act like right now.]

[tacticianing]

[He's not alone. At hearing his name, Kidou's smile is warm and relieved. It's different from when he met up with Sakuma; the glasses at least let him feel less vulnerable than he had been. He's free to just feel happy to have found a friend in all this horror. Even if that happiness is fleeting, due to the implications this meeting has behind them.]

It's good to see you, Genda. Have you been here long?

[How could he have ever not known him? How did he miss they went to the same school? But clearly, they did. They both wear uniforms indicating such...]

[beastfang]

[And there's a smile in return, even as his head tilts a bit in thought. That question seems simple enough to answer but Genda hasn't been the one living this life after all.]

Christopher Noro transferred to Green Valley in his fourth year of Primary.


[And how odd was it to say such when part of him feels like that was the real set of memories, even while most of him felt what he knew regarding his life that involved Kidou was the real set.]

You've likely noticed me in passing helping in the library.

[tacticianing]

Likely so. Although...

[He hesitates for a moment. He'd never put any significance to his name before. It meant something, but it meant nothing ultimately beyond a poetic statement. But now... there's no way to hear it without hearing how it's most likely spelled. The real meaning eluded him until now.

But it's just a moment, and Kidou's voice is closer to emotionless as he continues on.]

Michi Yamashita wouldn't have put any significance on it.

[He steadfastly refuses to say that Kidou would ever have not noticed Genda. That just isn't something that would ever be true.]

It's not somewhere he's spent much time in.