Round 2: Test Drive

[cordibus]

Welcome to the second 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 - Flower Festival

The Festival of Flowers is in full bloom in the city! As an inhabitant of Eddan, you're excited to go and attend some of the activities! But unknown to you, something else might be starting to beat in the deepest, darkest depths of your heart.

The festival log prompts can be found here. Please note that you can use these to post in the test drive, but not on the player log itself!

Additionally, if both test drive player and game players agree, the festival test drive threads can also become game canon! As long as the test drive character is played as being completely unaware of what has happened in the game up to this point. Keep in mind that they would NOT have had a message on their phones. Two Test drive players can also make these game canon if they get accepted (and they keep the same requirements as above).

Prompt 2 - 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 3 - 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 4 - 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

[pathfinding]

Wait. No stress. Right.

A beat after it's back to the smiles like nothing happened, like it was just hallucination, all smiles and normalcy and he's not mad at all, "But I expect you'll say no again. Offer's always open!"

"More importantly, I still don't take painkillers. They're still ignoring me about it." Tap tap, the idle vibrations against the false arm to bring attention to it, "Hydrocodone again, upped to ten. I only need a few for emergencies, but the rest are yours. Might make that phantom nerve thing easier to tolerate."

[blackdogdown]

Ah.

He messed up again didn't he? He's known Kris to long to not know the telltale signs of panic on his brothers face before he covers them up again. Gabe knows he's not the smarter of the two, but he's not obtuse.

He messed up again, but he doesn't know how to fix it. He's not...good with people. Not good with his brother. He tries, but Kris probably deserved some one less rough around the edges.

"Thats my line." What happened to the days when Gabe could fill the role of the more simple protector? He bumps Kris back, mindful of the arm and sighs. "No don't bother. It's not your trouble. My med care files all messed up because they're missing so much data. And theres the stuff about paying off this thing first, even with the insurance...."

He trails off into a depressing line of thought before he snaps up again. Tapping that just feels weird in a way he can't even explain. "Oh? Well look at you, little dealer. Not gonna sell a few to line your pockets? You honor me."

[pathfinding]

Aaaaand there goes the look on Gabe's face that means he's overthinking things. He gets elbowed again for it. "Hey. Stop it. You help more than you think."

He will never say aloud the only person he acts like This with is him. Tall-ass moron would just get all worked up and start worrying about it. What a nerd.

Though the expression turns dark at the talk of the insurance. No stress. No stress. He'd get mad if you did something illegal for his sake, anyway.

Inhale. Exhale. Don't think about it - And an arm is wrapped around his elbow in the token Escort position, patting in condolence. "Cheer up Mister Honor, I'm already taking my payment. Food now, depressing later."

[blackdogdown]

"Ow." He is so bullied in this life. He worries so much for his bro, and he is so bullied. Gabe just doesn't like anything that makes him feel like he's being a bad adult. As his brother probably knows, Gabe is far more of a introspective worrywort then he lets on.

Please don't do anything illegal for his sake. We are like 14 days away from literal magic canon arm.

"Of course, madame." He straightens a little. "Sorry bout rambling. Its the flower festival after all. We'll get you your food, and maybe something to help your foster mom overlook the data thing."

[pathfinding]

"Oh come off it, it doesn't hurt." Loooong since have come to terms with the fact he's kind of a wimp, excluding that one time we don't talk about.

Also 'literal magic arm cannon' sounds illegal, all bets are off towards legality of actions.

"Excuse you, it's mademoiselle, did you just insult my age or are you already failing your classes again-"

Nothing will help the missus overlook the data thing, but something more horrifying came with that conversation. Kris has already stared info the abyss of assignments he's missed: essays and lab reports and hundreds of hundreds of unread pages and tests in preparation for the quarter-finals.

It's fine. It's probably fine? If he doesn't ask he can pretend it's fine and not have palpitations over his brother's future career outlook the guy lives in a car what the fuck would he eve

"How bad have your grades gotten."

[blackdogdown]

"Maybe it hurts every day. Maybe you are a bully." A big bully who he loves.

Gabe has only ever been the most legal and law abiding of boys with no correlation towards massive amounts of collateral damage so canon arm will only be a shining spot on his stainless record.

He grin falls a little and he finds himself shrugging again, face unreadable. "My grades are fine." He totally isn't lying. "And I'm in real good shape for the next meet, which is what matters."

[pathfinding]

"I'm sorry. I'll start being super nice to you from now on to make up for the abuse, Princess Ray."

Do you want to ask Why Ray?

Is it worth the risk?

And Gabe the most legal law abiding of boys with no correlation et cetera gets squinted at for that response - but Kris drops it. For once. For like the only time, "Ugh, fine, I'll leave you to it. If you get anything less than first, I'll paint your car pink."

[blackdogdown]

"Ray?"

Gabe takes the plunge before he even realizes it. He's just so baffled.

He rubs his head. "Time to change my license plate then. Maybe paint it a darker shade of black."

[pathfinding]

The question is when Gabe gets That Face again, the compete apathy that gets slapped on in public, a coping mechanism no one can get rid of. Usually means Kris got scared shitless and is too afraid to get called out on it. Maybe he shouldn't have asked-

The same motion goes into grabbing the sides of his face. Dragging down slightly closer to his height. Squishing. "My ray of sunshine. Whoza good boy ububu."

Remember kids if you're capable of turning off all visible emotions at the drop of a hat: use it to torment your brother in public.

"At this rate your Edge is gonna start cutting passer-by," the exasperation is the kind that only comes up when there's enough fondness for the source to give migraines. "Just win the meet and we don't have to discuss your color choices."

[blackdogdown]

Gabe has to put his hands on his knees, that's how ungodly tall he is. His expression of concern and confusion (he really doesn't understand the sudden mood swing, nor the sudden attachment to the word Ray) quickly morphs into exasperation. He pulls back a little. Kris don't you know your brother is a little weird about being touched.

"Kris I will add another assault charge to my record if you do not let go right now."

He pouts a little at the insult, shaking his face a little in Kris's grasp. "Black is a good color."

[pathfinding]

Gabe is too rough and Kris trips on boundaries and both of them keep consistently fucking it up. Terrible brothers, or arguably fitting ones because oh how they suck at it. But it works - and this time, it wasn't Gabe doing the fucking up.

When the hands jerk off, there's a moment of a flatline in his thoughts, that Gabe still sees as a split second of the blank expression. Don't freeze up. It's always a conscious effort not to default back into the non-stop streams of paralyzed apologies, but. But. He doesn't want you to be scared, always made a point of saying that, don't freeze up don't freeze up-

"I thought it was a destruction of public property charge, not assault, but wouldn't that technically qualify as assault and battery, since assault only implies the desire to cause battery, whereas battery means that you did physical harm to the person, and both qualify as a misdemeanor so it's not fair it left that harsh a mark on your record, that level of lawbreaking is written off all the time and you were a minor for it which means your charge should've been lowered to some degree and you wouldn't beat up a terminal patient anyway you're too nice for that only going after those that deserve it to some level i mean i do but not bad enough to worsen your record why doesn't juvenile court look into motives like the others do leaving the decision on one biased party makes no sense from a legal standpoint-"

This is arguably worse.

[blackdogdown]

A hand comes down to ruffle his hair, trying to shut him right up. It's a bit to rough to be called a pat, but he tries.

"I don't understand half of what your saying Kris." Guts has never bothered to learn the difference between battery and assault?? Apparently they're different? Huh. He thinks he'll get along just fine knowing that beating up people is illegal.

Either way, it doesn't matter, because his little brother is getting all rambly and Gabe doesn't know how to deal with that. "I'm pretty sure they took some stuff off when I turned 18 anyway. Haven't had time to add anything else after I met a brat like you."

Except for some windows. But you can't prove that was him.

[pathfinding]

It works. The spiel cuts off in what can only be taken as a spoken keysmash before ducking down out of his reach. There's a kneejerk reaction again - sorry, thank you - but it comes out as swatting his hand off.

"Black is a shade, not a color. Is what I'm saying."

The important thing to take away from this. Even though the tense still rolls off with a sigh. It's only with Gabe, a loyalty he can't shake off easily, but it's easy to worry too much about him. It's not like the foster family is bad, but neither of them will listen to them any more than necessary. That leads to Gabe making dumb decisions and he's still bad at anger management and no one will be there to worry about the idiot once he's deDon't think about it.

"I'm proud of you. I know how hard it must be not smacking people's heads together every ten seconds," meant in the most loving way possible. "Give it a couple more years of good behavior and you can get it expunged. Then you can work on getting the rest of your paperwork together-"

Wait.

Motherfucker.

"Hey! I'm not a brat!"

[blackdogdown]

He pulls his hand back, blinking a little dumbly.

"What? Can't it be both?" More differences? Well, he's learning so many new things today.

Its such a joy to watch Kris's naggy expression go from worried to pissed. He has to stop to let out a snort at how sudden the change of mood occurs. He actually leans down a bit to laugh. What an asshole.

"That exactly what a brat would say, don't you think?" He accepts his brothers incoming beating with open arms.

Now he doesn't have to answer any pesky question about good behavior or any felonies he may have committed in the last 24 hours. There are bandages on his knuckles after all, even if Kris has been to distracted (or polite) to notice. Smashing windows comes with a price.

[pathfinding]

Oh merciful dead gods he's pretty sure he had a nightmare about this.

"I'm not reliving color theory lessons with you." It'll take the better part of two hours to get it into parts he can make sense of, and then Gabe will dump it out of his head by the next day because it's useless knowledge. Maybe two days, if he's lucky. There's better ways to spend that time.

The beating is almost imminent, but the shoulders lower in time with the anger fizzling out. Not even because it's him, but because it's always just. Tiring. It's just petty insults.

But the downcast expression notes the bandages and understands what Gabe wants. If anyone understands wanting to dodge subjects it's him. He's smashing things again. Something's gone sideways - but he doesn't want to think about it.

So Gabe gets elbowed again. Sharp bone between ribs this time. He wants an annoyed brat brother for a distraction, he can do that. "I'm sorry I couldn't hear you over all the shit you're talking. Try again?"

[blackdogdown]

"Theories on colors...." Gabe do you even go to school. "I don't get it. Its just color."

Theres plenty he doesn't get in life though, and he brushes it off quickly.

He actually gets a little huff from a well placed dig. The bandaged hand comes down to push his brothers face away a bit. It hurts sure, but he doesn't wince. A worryingly high pain tolerance is just a classic Gabe trait. How many times had he come home with new bandages and bruises and dodged every question about their cause. "You're like a little monkey, aiming for a mans weak spots like that. Not gonna fight me one on one?"

[pathfinding]

Nope, no, nada, nyet, he's not getting another bottomless pit of horror that's them arguing back and forth over pointless questions in an even more pointless discussion. He is not going to be successfully trolled again, dammit-

Actually, wait no, go ahead Gabe. Continue to terrorize him, egg him on with your ridiculous questions. He just got a reaction from that one. Kris doesn't share the same pain tolerance, but he gets the 'I'm immune to all reactions' part. That exhale is as damning as anyone else screaming.

Bending smoothly with the shoving is just reflex, still continuing normally despite the visibly awkward positioning, but the only glimpse Gabe gets of his face is a smile that's more fangs than teeth. On another person's face, it might even be something akin to madness.

But it's Kris, so no. It's not. It's just Jerk.

"Wow, trying to fight an invalid? That's a hate crime, Gabe! Please don't worsen your record over something like me." Thing- "Also the last time you tried teaching me to fight, I flipped out. Friends don't stab each other."

[blackdogdown]

"Fists are blind brother." He shoves a little more in what might be a tousle, might be a very cruel form of facial reorganization. "There isn't anyone on this planet who I wouldn't beat up. That includes you."

Anyone. He won't point it out, and his face barely shows his flash of anger (he always looks angry) and instead he lets his hand slide down and sighs.

"It's important for you to know how to defend yourself. There's nothing wrong with being scared, but you should know how to stab a guy like me."

[pathfinding]

While having unnerving amounts of balance helps sometimes, it's not to the level to survive being assaulted by a vindictive brother. Nothing is that level. So Gabe can watch as Kris nearly trips over in an attempt to avoid it. Point: Gabe. At least it's not a wipe out. "Still a hate crime! And you can't beat up the Pope."

There was probably something after that, the start of some vowel to resume the friendly bickering, but the change in subject freezes it. He's right, it's logical, changing the subject like means it gets farther away from the bandages on his hands, but still. What's the point of defending yourself if it just speeds up an inevitability?

More importantly, the underlying current of whispers a different tune. Not here, weaponless, but pens work fine if you hit the right place. He's too tall, range is wider, has to be quick and immediate, during the scuffle it would've been an easy shot, submandibular triangle, aim for the carotid, bleeds too fast- 'You should know how', he says.

He knows how.

Sorry for your subject dodging, Gabe, but the thought of continuing this conversation is shoved away so hard it probably got thrown straight out of reality. "You're going to turn me into a sociopath at this rate. I'll pass! Subject closed. Oh, what lovely weather we're having today."

[blackdogdown]

"Says who?" He'd beat up the Pope. He doesn't have any reason to, so he probably wouldn't but he could? Is he supposed to be worried for his soul or something? Sounds stupid.

He doesn't catch the freeze, the sudden stutter stop of thoughts. He's not subtle enough for that. Perhaps its a blessing that he doesn't know, assumes Kris to have needed any sort of instruction. Would he be proud, to know that his brother put in more thought about hurting him then he'd ever assumed? Would he be surprised?

Instead he just blinks at the sudden subject change and grins. "You aren't one already? Even after five years with me?"

[pathfinding]

"I said 'can't', not 'won't'. You'd have to go through an army of bodyguards and then one-v-one a giant Tupperware container."

Yes, better, focus on the mental image of Gabe trying to punch his way out of a plastic box. Way more theraputic. Much better than questioning what his fade would look like if he was any quicker on the uptake. Probably tries headbutting the box too. Yes.

"That's a dumb way of pronouncing 'it's lovely out very minimal rainfall perhaps we should eat outside'." Worst brother. But not really. Bluhhh- "Give it five more years."

[blackdogdown]

"Sounds fun." Gabe no that's not the correct response. "Think they'd have tasers?"

He's never been electrocuted before. So of course he's wondered.

"Pft. You say that like you could get me to eat inside on the flower festival. We're due for rainfall season eventually. I wanna make this count." Besides, his brother never gets enough sun. Keeping him cooped up anywhere wouldn't sit well.

He nods sagely. "Incredible. You can hold out that long. I need to step up my game."

[pathfinding]

Gabe immediately gets The Look shot at him. How is he alive? "Fun, he says. You know what. For your birthday, I'll get a cop to tase you."

Then he can have something to cross off his bucket list. In the meantime, he gets away with mere sniping, as thanks for not calling his brother a plant aloud. In-narrative is totally fine though. "Feels bad for anyone who's got allergies, though. The entire week must be like extended torture-"

Wait, that last part, no, no, god please no- "Don't strain yourself on my behalf. Please."

[blackdogdown]

"Really? Aw, I'm honored." Gabe asks himself that every day Kris. Conclusion: Pure dumb luck.

He grin only increase. "But you know I'd do anything for my dearest younger brother." His drawl only lengthens the emphasis on brother. "If your going to get me tased by my birthday, I'll need to do something first. I can't bully you in jail."

[pathfinding]

Oh god he got the batshit smile. Thank god he was hospitalized for his birthday so he can't get wrecked until December. ...On the downside, that gives Gabe seven months to come up with a punishment.

He's dead.

"Who says you'd be getting arrested? Maybe I could find some crooked cop to zap you for ten bucks. Or just buy one online and do it myself. That means you can keep being a terrorist in smaller bits instead of one large violence orgy."