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

saruhiko fushimi | k

[clicked]

[ ooc: In his pre-Awakened state, Saruhiko Fushimi will be Subaru Fushimi, an antisocial and perpetually bored 1st year higher cycle honor student. But...! He'll be pretty much a shut-in until he attains his Awakened state. More info here. Test Persona info here; going with Gaap for now. ]

prompt 1

Self-installing apps with ominous logos, phones mysteriously on fire, a stupid alias...
Hey, Cursed Angel or whatever.
Why am I in your wet dream?

[ When you have a ridiculous chuuni sister, you just tend to assume things. ]


prompt 2a (pre-awakening)

[ Maybe you're alone. You're scared of the dark. Maybe your battery died. Whatever. Then this asshole comes in, shining a bright flashlight at your face... Wait, no. That's a good thing. Finally, your guiding star! Your shining beacon of hope!

He doesn't think so. ]

Tch.

[ Aaaand he's walking away.

... Then, a sudden rustle in the distance. He doesn't seem to have noticed. Chase him down? ]


prompt 2b (post-awakening)

[ It's a dead end.

In an attempt to lose the shadow or divert its attention, you run up the stairs and out the rooftop. The wind cools the sweat rolling down your forehead, your neck—but it's not what sends shivers down your spine. Yellow eyes shine brightly in the darkness; a warning signal as the black sludge-like mass drips as it crawls, slithers, and gains momentum. Your only escape: the fifty-foot drop behind you. Your Persona can't make it in time, if not the hand that rips your heart out. The monstrosity leaps, bares its fangs—

Then, a shard of ice pierces its back.

It shrieks, quickly turning its attention to the newcomers. One is a water demon with a fiery stone at its core, but the figure standing before it is a bespectacled young man: Fushimi. His heart's still pounding—this isn't the power he's used to—but his eyebrows furrow in determination.

And annoyance. ]

Don't just stand there, moron. Do something!

[ That was definitely a voice you heard in your head. And your feet do feel lighter. Join his party? ]


wildcard

[ hit me up with anything! feel free to comment to my planning thread if you want to hash out AUs too. ]

II-B

[plainest]

[ yuuri can feel the sweat dripping down the back of his neck, and his eyes are panicked and wide as he glances back to the creature with too much teeth and tongue, too many limbs in the mass of darkness blacker than the night surrounding them. it's like someone took a pair of scissors and carefully cut out all the bits of the sky without any stars in it, like the creature is some kind of a black hole that sucks in everything in its path, and yuuri's whole being shrinks back from it -- but the only thing behind him now is the sheer, terrifying drop from the top of the building.

when the creature jumps, yuuri lets out a yell -- half from sheer terror, half from something more raw and open than anything he's ever used to, something deep in his chest flaring and throbbing with ... with whatever that'd emerged out of him earlier. he doesn't know what to call it, except a part of him knows that this is the only thing standing between him and certain death.

he barely notices fushimi; he barely even listens to his words themselves, but the annoyed determination behind the tone is all too easy to recognise.

there's weapon in his hand, in his persona's hand, it's hard to tell where one begins and the other one ends. yuuri has never used one of these before, except his body somehow moves easily with it, something inside him guiding the movements of his arms. the heavy weight on the end of the chain swings out into the space between him and the creature, and coils itself tightly around two of the limbs, holding it down tightly. ]

I am doing something!

[ who does this guy think he is, anyway?

yuuri yells through gritted teeth, pulling sharply at the chain to keep the creature steady and immobile, even as it struggles. ]

[clicked]

[ The good-natured counselor is the last person Fushimi would expect to take to the frontlines yet the weapon Yuuri has is brutal and unforgiving. It could cut through the shadows if Yuuri had more fear, more control, yet he chooses to trap the monster for Fushimi to finish off. It's the wiser decision, though, and he's surprised. After the throbbing pain in his chest, the heat and the flatline, he thought Yuuri would panic more than that.

No, maybe it's precisely because of the pain that he watches his back. Good on him. Not a lot of people do. ]

Katsuki. [ Not Mr. Katsuki. This Fushimi isn't exactly the kid he's been watching over for the past two years. ] I'll take it from here.

[ Fushimi's body from this point onward moves like clockwork—no, like water. Despite his hunched up stance, there's something about the fluid transition into battle that's pointedly different. It's not that Fushimi has been in battle before, but... slower. Still. Maybe Yuuri can see it in Fushimi's eyes, now driven by a purpose that wasn't there before, or his practiced stance and the way he unsheathes his second weapon, his saber— ]

Fushimi, ready.

[ And he charges, rapidly slashing at the immobilized shadow as Yuuri holds it with all his might. ]

[plainest]

[ if yuuri had any choice or say in what was happening, he would say -- he'd rather happily go back to being ignorant and persona-less, thank you. but the throbbing in his head is lessened now, and in the aftermath of it all the phantom echo of an empty gaping hole in his chest throbs in time with the rhythm of his actual heartbeat, his real heart that's assuredly still inside him.

for a moment, yuuri forgets about his fears and apprehensions, about the life he's been living here, and when his steps had been slightly ungainly earlier there's a newfound sense of agility to his movements. ]

I can't- hold it for much longer...

[ the chain cuts into his hand with every thrashing movement from the creature and yuuri digs his heels into the ground and pulls back with all his weight behind the motion, to give Fushimi -- the same kid he'd known, but even in all the pandemonium that's happening Yuuri notices the different look in the other's eyes -- even just a few more seconds to work with. ]

[clicked]

[ As eager as he seems, Fushimi's not the type to mindlessly strike at an opponent without a plan. The chains grow looser with each blow, he finds, and with Yuuri lacking in upper body strength and he his Aura, he doesn't have enough time to finish the shadow off. Yuuri pulls, and Fushimi pulls back, setting some distance in between him and the monster before he enchants his dagger with his final spell.

The blade flies and digs into the shadow's chest. The growls stop. A faint blue glow ripples from the wound, spreading throughout the entire body until it settles into nothing.

Then slowly, so does the shadow's struggle. It hasn't stopped moving at this point, but controlling and dodging it's become less of a feat. Even so— ]

Run!

[ The voice doesn't seem to be coming from Fushimi's mouth, but he turns his back toward Yuuri and heads for the rooftop entrance before Yuuri can question it. ]

[plainest]

[ wow, Fushimi. W2G. ]

W-Wait!

[ yuuri is definitely not used to this sort of exertion, not in 'this' life. His mind whirls with memories from the past, but his body doesn't listen to him as well as it used to — or maybe it's the echo of the disorienting reality of things that's making his limbs feel too heavy and ungainly.

Letting go of the weapon, almost throwing it at the creature in a panicky motion that would be funny if it wasn't one of those life and death situations that is exciting in movies but it isn't, really isn't, when it's actually happening to you — yuuri hurries to scramble after Fushimi, towards the exit. ]

[clicked]

[ Look, at least he left the door open.

Fushimi sheaths his sword, lets Yuuri go first and rushes down the stares once he runs past. Again, fluid movements as if he's actually done this before. But honestly? He hates escort missions. Humans are too unpredictable and scream half the time.

Hopefully Yuuri isn't panicking too much as they run down flights of stairs in the darkness. Where's the moon when you need it? ]

So I bought us time. My strength isn't enough to finish them off fast.

ii-a -> ii-b or something. we can't do the bickering thing all thread.

[waycuter]

[ don't leave your sister alone, you jerk. it's dark and shady!

(that's why she's using her cellphone's flash as a torch, of course, but she almost dropped it when some jerk shone a flashlight in her face.) ]

W-wait!

[ don't just walk off!! hold up, damn it. ]

aww--i mean

[clicked]

[ Nope, still walking. He fully expects her to follow, by the way. It's dangerous and she has a tendency to overreact.

Not that he'd articulate any of this. ]

Hehhh. I thought I heard a ghost, but I was wrong.

It was a banshee.

unfortunately, they can't kill the shadow by boring it to death with sibling bickery

[waycuter]

[ (Oh right, how long has Fushimi been using his knives, btw? Like-- is it still his knack pre-awakening (does his family know about this, if yes) or does he remember how to use them all of a sudden when his memories come back? Inquiring minds wish to know. )

on the bright side, at least she dressed decently for an evening jaunt, so she manages to keep up with him without tripping over tree roots or something. ]

Ugh....

Iyo does none of that screaming thing. [ hmph. ] Anyway! What are you doing all the way out here? Iyo thought you were busy with a project.

[ i mean. that's why he never picks up calls at times, right? ]

they could kill it while bickering though

[clicked]

[ (probably just in his pre-awakening chuuni dreams tbh. but he brought knives anyway because they're there.)

Also, she totally does the screaming thing?? That's what it sounds like to him. ]

This is the project. [ Kind of. He doesn't pick up because his other projects are their uncle's. And those are confidential. Also, he hates talking. ]

You're here for it too, right? That app—it told us to come to the school.

[ ... ]

But if you're trying to rendezvous with a guy you literally just met, I'll have to stop you there.

How efficient.

[waycuter]

[ > If Iyo had such plans, Iyo wouldn't tell you about them anyway!
> Brother's a chosen one too?
> So you're just as gullible as Iyo, brother.

.....]

[waycuter]

...yes...

[ wait, to what? ]

But I brought a partner, so it wouldn't be just Iyo alone!

[clicked]

[ He just. Hums. Casually looks behind her. ]

Looks like your partner chickened out. I guess you're alone now. That's sad.

[waycuter]

We got separated!

[ at least say something sympathetic! ]

In any case, a-as Iyo was saying! Iyo came prepared for inevitabilities. [ pepper spray in her purse, a golf club stashed in a (stylish) backpack. ] So it's okay, brother can go on ahead.

[ alone. ]

[clicked]

[ Meanwhile, Fushimi has knives.

That he doesn't know how to use, but at least they scare the shit out of people.

And okay, he should probably go ahead then, but. ]

Mm... I would take a wedge over a driver. Did you?

[waycuter]

[ this is a most uncomfortable look as she bites her lip and--

--and (un)fortunately, this is also when there's sound of disturbed foliage a few feet ahead of them. ]

[clicked]

Shh.

[ He brings a finger to his lips before Iyo finds the chance to scream. His eyes shift left and right. No one followed them here, right? He made sure of that. ]

Did you hear that?

2A!! :D

[probablynoteren]

[Gee, thanks, Fushimi. It's not like Lenka was trying to be sneaky after turning off his own flashlight or anything, because he'd been hearing those weird rustles in the distance for a while and is acutely aware that they're all out after dark, after curfew, in a place designated by a suspicious electronic entity that may or may not be a horror antagonist A.I.

Or something.

It's harder to recognize someone in the dark, but Lenka would recognize that back anywhere: it's the guy he keeps having to chase down because somehow he's a recluse who's accumulated at least five legions of fangirls and all of them want a piece of him. Or at least to get a bouquet rammed into various places.]

Hey. [he bites his lip when that doesn't seem to have gotten through, ears straining for more noises in the distance] Hey.

[And if Fushimi still doesn't react, he's going to get a very familiar shadow sliding up to stubbornly block his path.]

[clicked]

[ That part of his backstory is your fault and I hate you. But... it's not wrong.

Fushimi doesn't want extra baggage to take care of. No, correction: he doesn't want to be anyone's extra baggage. So he ignores Lenka, instead going about his own business until Lenka decides Fushimi should do otherwise.

Great.

He stops to spare him a look—oh. He knows this guy. Not that he feels the need to show it, though. ]

What? Scared?

[probablynoteren]

[You love it. What's a rich mysterious heir without golddiggers and starchasers? A poor excuse for a rich mysterious heir with a bad personality, that's what.

Honestly, Lenka doesn't want the company either: he would much rather have dealt with this on his own, since he could be trusted not to walk towards the suspicious noises because he got here first. But. Since he got here first, now he feels kind of responsible even for the Fushimis that wander in. Perks of being too helpful.

When Fushimi finally answers him, he has to bite back his first response. He's not naturally someone who jumps into fights, but everything is unnatural right now.]

No. Listen.

[With one hand he shields the light from Fushimi's flashlight as best he can. And then-- the rustle, but this time accompanied by a distinct wet, heavy noise like cloth being dragged out of mud. Lenka's shoulders jump, because the noise is from behind him, and much closer than it was last.

He pivots around, but there's nothing moving in the dark. For now.]

[clicked]

[ So having stalkers is a positive quality?!

Fushimi does as he's told—uncharacteristically, too, since Lenka's the last punk he wants to listen to. But these circumstances are different, and he feels that cooperation is probably the best course of action right now.

...

Aaaaand cooperating gives him nothing. Okay, nevermind. ]

Do ghosts want to give me flowers, too?

[ No, he's kidding. He heard the noise. He's just here to give Lenka a hard time. ]

[probablynoteren]

[Hey, if you can't have friends, have stalkers, it's almost the same thing!

Lenka is a little relieved, honestly, when Fushimi knows enough to stay put as told; from what little he knows of him personally, he's not outside a lot (hence Lenka's struggles in finding him, ever), so it's like herding cats in the wilderness here. He huffs a little when Fushimi gets in a dig at his day job (it's not even really a job, he doesn't get paid!).]

I wouldn't be surprised if the school was haunted.

[Or if this guy was being chased by ghost schoolgirls. He seems like the kind to leave grudges lying around.

He keeps his voice hushed, though, and his ears pricked for any more movement. There's just the wind through the trees, a moonless night -- since when was it moonless? There's something...]

[clicked]

You know ghosts only exist because people keep saying they do, right?

[ It's like all this karma from his past lives are coming to bite him in the ass...

Anyway, Fushimi's not too worried, because he brought a smartphone.

... Er, a smartphone he modified with an infrared camera. He pulls it out. ]

What are we looking for?

[probablynoteren]

You brought it up.

[He may be a quiet guy, but he's not above some low-key pettiness. That, and he's not sure what Fushimi means by people creating ghosts anyway -- he's not the most superstitious kind of guy, but he still prefers not to mess with the supernatural if he can help it. That being said, them being out here is entirely tempting supernatural fate, isn't it...?

He blinks at the smartphone; he certainly brought his, but he's not sure how it would help in this instance unless that mystery app has some functionality he hasn't figured out.

... Which is entirely possible, so he'll humor Fushimi even as he continues to watch for threats.]

I don't know what we're looking for. The truth. [according to the app] Something connected to the murders. It could be a lot of things.

[Nothing's rustled for a while now, but that doesn't mean something isn't still out there. Does their enemy even produce heat...?]