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

[plainest]

[ wow, Yuri. Have you never heard of privacy??

Yuuri is just about to sit down for lunch himself, and he turns around from the sink at the corner of the office at the sound of the door opening. He already knows who it is even before he sees Yuri — nobody else would open the door like that, brash and unassuming and completely sure that he would be welcome anytime. ]

Good afternoon, Yuri.

[ he answers easily with a little smile, turning back once more to pour hot water into his teacup. ]

Feet off the couch please, if you don't mind.

[ the first time Yuri had surprised him at his office like this, yuuri had been ... well, apprehensive is an understatement. the fact that he'd brought him food was another whole different issue altogether. but now, as yuuri turns back with an extra mug of tea in hand and sets it down in front of the boy before taking a seat on the chair opposite, he is as comfortable as if it were one of their usual sessions.

His face positively lights up at the sight of the paper bag, and again when he opens the bag to pull out one of the pastries. ]

Oh! Um, what were they called again—? I know I've had it before too, from Otabek.

[rinkerbell]

[ Yuri shifts back so his shoes are not directly touching the couch, just his ankles are. Compromise. ]

Belyash. ... His mom's are probably better, she's had more practice, but I put in a secret ingredient.

[ That ingredient is hot sauce. He's still watching Yuuri expectantly. ]

[plainest]

[ he eyes the ankles critically but gives a slight, patient smile instead, pulling one of the pastries out. ]

Well, the ones you brought me last time were good as well. Don't sell yourself too short.

[ would you still be saying that after eating this, yuuri ...

he does hear that bit about a secret ingredient, but he is only really half-paying attention to that as he bites into the belyash, chewing thoughtfully. it's going to hit any moment now; three, two, one ... ]

---?!?

[rinkerbell]

[ His entire face lights up as Yuuri takes a bite, and he sits up straight (legs still tossed over the side) as it clearly dawns on him what he did. ]

Spicy, right?? They can be kinda bland in the original recipe, so I made it better. My stepdad seemed to like it.

[plainest]

[ it's spicy alright; but it's not a 'going-to-burn-your-tongue-off' spicy as he'd originally thought it was going to be; sorry for being cautious, yuri, but he's been subject to many other experiments from other people before regarding what kind of food constitutes as being edible or toes over the line into being a monstrosity.

in fact, the more he chews, the more he can taste the strange sweetness of the filling that the initial spice brings out, and yuuri smiles widely at the boy. ]

--Yeah, it's really good! Well done. I really like it, too.

[rinkerbell]

[ He feels pretty damn pleased with himself. It's nice when other people like his cooking and Yuuri is always very appreciative. ]

I usually make savory stuff, right? So I was thinking of trying something sweet next time. You have any favorites?

[plainest]

[ it's really nice to see yuri opening up to him enough to bring him food like this. it makes something in his chest warm, and yuuri's smile turns a little quiet, a little more heartfelt, as he finishes the pastry and picks up another. ]

Sweets? Let's see... I don't really have any particular favourite, but something with fruits?

[ he almost says, 'anything you cook will be delicious', but there's a fine line of balance between complimenting and overdoing the said complimenting. yuri looks so nice like this, preening under his praise over his cooking, that it would be sad to ruin it. ]

[rinkerbell]

[ Fruit? That's easy enough to incorporate. He does like making pastries, so he's already thinking of what he could do. Maybe some sort of tart...? Something easy to take to school... ]

... I can think of a few things I could try making. I'll bring something by when I get it right.

[ Yuri kicks his feet off the couch and goes for the mug of tea he'd set down for him earlier. ]

Were you about to have lunch before I came by?

[plainest]

[ Yuuri's mouth is full with pastry but he nods, eyes following Yuri's movement as the other reaches for the cup. ]

—Yes, I was.

But since you brought me this, I don't think I can eat both.

[ it's wrapped up neatly in a cloth on the edge of his desk, and he reaches out with a hand to grasp it and set it down on the table between them. ]

Did you want to have some of mine?

[rinkerbell]

[ They've shared food like this before, and Yuri has always liked what he had of his lunches, so he doesn't hesitate to agree enthusiastically: ]

For sure.

[ It's nice to know his food is filling and delicious. He reaches out to take the lunchkit, opening it up once it's on his lap and digging in without any further permission. Of course it's tasty. He pipes up with his mouth half full. ]

Did your girlfriend make this?

[plainest]

[ okay, yuuri might have been starting to secretly pack it as healthily as possible, once he was sure that yuri bringing him things to eat was going to be a fairly regular occurrence and not once-in-a-lifetime thing. he wasn't a nutritionist or anything but if yuri was going to have his lunch every now and then, it didn't hurt to try and prepare for such occasions.

plus, he could always stand to eat a bit healthier himself, really. yuuri's been too lazy about it, and he was prone to gaining weight easily under stress. ]

Hmm? Oh, oh no. She doesn't really cook, or anything.

[ taking a break from eating to take a sip of his tea, yuuri leans back in his chair slightly. ]

I just throw together something to take to work, that's all.

[ shut the hell up, yuuri. that lunchbox is a work of art. ]

[rinkerbell]

[ Yuri glances down at it. The elaborate lunch is a little more than "thrown together", which is kinda why he thought it might not have been Yuuri to pack it. It reminds him of the lunches his mother sent with him occasionally.

He goes for a big chug of tea. ]

Didn't think you cooked. Consider me surprised.

[plainest]

[ seriously, you could take a photo of it and put it online to go viral.

But honestly Yuuri is really underwhelmed by his lunch making skills. It's really nothing unusual, so he doesn't think twice about it. The stuff he makes isn't anything compared to the stuff that Otabek's mum makes, or even his mum's cooking. ]

I can't really cook like you can, though.

I can't wait to see what you come up with for next time.

[rinkerbell]

Seems like you can cook just fine to me.

[ He shrugs, going back to enthusiastically stuffing his face. If Yuuri wants to be humble about it, Yuri's not gonna bother correcting him. Not his style to insist, even if he's pleased with the praise. ]

Taking a whole pie to school would be a pain in the ass, so I was thinking tarts. Not sure which fruit to use, though. Strawberries?

[plainest]

[ a whole pie? yuuri is tempted, almost, mostly because the mental image of yuri carrying it to school in the morning makes him smile. but no - he isn't that mean to ask that of him. ]

It would be.

I don't mind whatever. Cherries are also pretty standard...