Round 3: Test Drive

[kokuyoyo]

Welcome to the third 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!)

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 - The National Leviathan Habitat

Eddan's shimmering sapphire of an aquarium, the National Leviathan Habitat, is holding a series of special events at its location in Royal Mount. Students and family groups get half off, with certain events being completely free. This include a full night's stay at the aquarium sometime during the week for any person who checks in with their card. While spots are limited, it's such a large aquarium, and nights can be booked in advance, so it shouldn't be too much of a problem. So come, everyone! Enjoy whale spotting, aquarium strolling, educational shows, and a night surrounded by water. However, unknown to you, something else might be starting to beat in the deepest, darkest depths of your heart.

Similar to the flower festival that was used in the prior TDM, Unawakened characters can get a flash of memory sometime during this prompt and Awakened characters will be able to occasionally pick them out. For more information on the National Leviathan Habitat, which is a player introduced location, please check here.

Additionally, if both test drive player and game players agree, the aquarium 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, even on summer vacation. (Or maybe because of summer vacation for the local schools.) 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

[whitefox]

Of course. What else would be his reward for meddling?

Kit sighs, nodding his head in acknowledgment. As someone who has spent time with several different foster families and doesn't really know his real parents, he can understand not being excited about the prospect of having a stranger being forced upon him. Biological parent or not, a stranger is still a stranger, and anyone who hasn't earned their right to be in his life doesn't deserve to be in it.

"It sounds complicated," he responds. "Is he an unpleasant man?"

[miseris_socios]

"He's irresponsible. He ran off before I was born. And it took a long time for them to find him." One of the fish floats by, and Riki tracks its movements out of the corner of his eye. "He doesn't know how to take care of anyone, not even himself. I don't care that he's loud or crude, but anyone who runs off like that can't be a good parent."

[whitefox]

"You're probably right."

Not everyone who has children is equipped to be a parent, much less a good one. In fact, unplanned pregnancies are all too common, often the result of reckless youth, and it is the children who suffer. Of those that aren't aborted, many are turned over to the state and put up for adoption. It's a kindness. It's a mercy. Those are some of the excuses the parent will tell themselves. The child is better off. They have a chance this way. But is that true?

Still...if they want this boy to be placed in his father's custody, then his father must wish it, too. He should say something like, Forgive me if I'm overstepping, but it sounds as though your father must want to try. But the words don't come. Instead, Kit's gaze follows the same fish while he continues to listen intently to their surroundings. The guards will come back this way soon to try and find where they lost sight of this boy.

"If you don't want to go back, then don't."

This is totally helping, right?

[miseris_socios]

"... I don't plan to. I'll find somewhere else to live. Not with him, not with the orphanage." None of it's home. And he hasn't had one for two years, and it hurts to think of trying to find somewhere else. But he has to try. He has to live on, because he's got things that he needs to do.

"... Why did you help me?" He's... curious. Because most people just seem to want to keep to themselves.

[whitefox]

Why did he help him, Kit wonders? He was as much a stranger to this boy as the father in question, and unlike that man, Kit had even less of a reason to step in.

But he still had.

Perhaps he'd recognized something in him, like looking into a mirror that reflected the past, and that inspired him to act? Or perhaps that paints him as entirely too altruistic.

"I'm not sure, really." That's as close to the truth as he can get, and whether or not the answer satisfies, it will have to suffice. "It doesn't really matter, in any case. You can do what you want now. But do you even have a place where you can go?"

[miseris_socios]

"... Can, yes. Want to, no." He can probably find something, but... well. He doesn't know Eddan well enough. At least it's warm, maybe he can get by with sleeping outside. ... But no, there's a murderer on the loose, apparently, so he can't.

He glances down. He doesn't have many choices, really. No one will sell him a bus ticket at this age.

[whitefox]

Oh well. Not his problem.

That's what Kit wishes he could say, but he's already gotten himself more involved than he should have. Backing out now wouldn't only be rude, it would also be irrefutably cowardly. And he is no coward.

"There is one option. If you checked in to the exhibit with your Eddan card, you'll at least have one night to stay here and figure things out." He considers leaving it at that, he's been plenty helpful as it is, but after a brief moment of consideration Kit decides to add, "I'll be staying, too."

[miseris_socios]

"... That's true." It's something to use, at least. And maybe he can just... move into the dorms. That would be fine. Then he could go to school and not have to deal with someone trying to parent him all the time. He can totally live on his own, that's super allowed, isn't it?

It probably isn't.

"... Um. My name's Riki, by the way."

[whitefox]

"I'm Kit." He doesn't offer his last name, not when Riki hasn't provided his, but he does turn to offer his hand. Unfortunately, it's a polite gesture that is immediately cut short, Kit's smile replaced with a look of annoyance.

"We need to move."

Security is on it's way back. Slowly, not in any hurry, this time taking care to survey the faces in the crowd.

"There's an escalator over there, we can take it to the underwater tunnel."

May as well enjoy the view on the run, right? And he'd planned to investigate that before long, anyway. This isn't going out of his way or anything. Not at all.

[miseris_socios]

He doesn't comment on the rudeness, because there's got to be a reason - ah. He can see the uniforms out of the corner of his eye. He nods, trying to not look too tense, and follows Kit. He has to move a bit faster to keep up, because his legs are still too short, but he manages.

[whitefox]

Careful not to move too quickly and draw the notice of the security guards, Kit guides them through the crowd and toward the escalators. There is a moment when, briefly, one of the guards happens to glance in their direction, but having positioned himself in such a way as to block Riki from view, the man's gaze sweeps over him and onward through the crowd. Then, within a few moments, they reach the bottom and follow a few strangers towards the mouth of the tunnel ahead, where the reflection of rippling water plays along the floor and walls and a blue light seems to shine.

"You should be safe down here for now. As long as you're not afraid of sharks."

A rather large one swims overhead almost immediately as they enter the long glass tunnel, to the many oohs and aahs of the people ahead of them.

[miseris_socios]

"... I'm not." He's stayed quiet through the whole affair, and now his shoulders untense a bit. "Thanks." As long as they're down here... he looks up at the shark. Huh. ... So that's what they look like underneath. "... Why are you here on your own, anyway?"

[whitefox]

Kit's hands find their way into his pockets as he gazes up at the underbelly of a reef shark. Its sleek, streamlined body is smaller than his, but considerably larger than Riki's, and it cuts through the water with a hunter's grace, likely looking for its next meal or sizing up those watching it from the tunnel.

Which is still a much more pleasant topic than that of why he's here...but he supposes he can indulge Riki a portion of the truth.

"I couldn't pass up the overnight stay."

Alright, so that's...barely even a portion of the truth. That's like...a crumb. But it's not a lie, either. So long as he was doing something educational, being away from campus and his adoptive family was allowed and not frowned upon. Nobody side-eyed him wanting to come here because it was a 'positive learning experience' and, as he and Riki had already seen, very...very secure.

[miseris_socios]

"... Okay." He's pretty sure that's not what it is, but he's not going to pry. He shouldn't try to figure out everyone else's stuff just to distract from his own.

"At least this place is pretty big." Big enough to lose someone in for a while. Hopefully his 'dad' doesn't try to go after him.

[whitefox]

"That's a good way to look at it. The more ground they have to cover, the longer it will take for them to find anyone who doesn't want to be found."

And down here in the tunnel, surveillance was also limited. They'd bought themselves some time, so without there being any need to hurry, they were free to enjoy the sights on the other side of the glass.