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

3

[clicked]

Hey, mod. We got a spammer. Should I ban him?

[ Obviously, there's someone he's not addressing here.

Hi. ]

[mockingbirb]

Don't be such a stranger!

[Priorities: the thread, right here.]

Have you ever even HAD pizza?

[clicked]

I guess I'm a stranger if you have to ask.

[ Because Fushimi is all about being difficult. ]

[mockingbirb]

I know the answer's a no, but I was kinda hoping I was wrong. Are you sure you didn't move here last week? There's no way you could've been here as long as you say you have without knowing SOMEBODY. Relatives don't count.

[clicked]

I have eaten pizza.

[mockingbirb]

Fushimi.

It's okay. You don't have to lie. We're all here for you.

[clicked]

Keep this up and I'm leaking your search history.
Moving on.
It doesn't matter if it's the best.
Just call Pizza Hut.

[mockingbirb]

Fushimi. Fushimi, no. Chains are okay, but have some pizza standards. I really worry about you, you know?

[clicked]

It's only text but why can I feel you looking at me with pity?
Is pizza really what we should be talking about here?

[mockingbirb]

What? Do you know everybody else here? Wait, I already know the answer to that. Don't answer that, Fushimi.
Let me pretend.
Look, if we're going to learn more then we're going to have to work with other people. Like it or not, you're stuck with me. And them.
And I don't know a lot about them. Do you?

[clicked]

[ Fushimi closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and waits for this message to disappear.

But that's not happening, and as much as he hates to admit it, Tsurumaru does have a point. Literally, he does. But he particularly has many points here. Even the people thing, which isn't because he's new okay. ]

I know at least half of them are weirdos who like pineapples on pizza.

[mockingbirb]

Why do people think pineapple's a good idea? I really don't get it!

[At least now it's pineapple shaming opposed to Fushimi shaming.]

[clicked]

The sweetness balances out the savory flavor of bacon.
... Or so they say.
Personally, they should stay out of where the meat should be.
Hawaiian pizza isn't even Hawaiian.
Some people shouldn't be left alone in the kitchen.

[ He just has a lot of pineapple feelings. ]

[mockingbirb]

I never got why people called it Hawaiian. Like you said. The only thing kind of Hawaiian's the pineapple part.
And it's not like there's pineapples only in Hawaii, right? So why Hawaiian?
My roommates like it. We always fight over pizza toppings. I usually don't expect much when I go out with them.

[clicked]

Wow.
What happened to being Mr. Congeniality?

[mockingbirb]

Pineapple, Fushimi. Pineapple.
I thought we were having a moment.

[clicked]

Bonding over our shared hatred of sweet fruits on bread and mozzarella?

[ I mean, they kind of were.

It's just weird. ]

[mockingbirb]

You ruined it. Fushimi!
But...maybe that's for the best?

[As of this tdm bonding over pizza toppings with Fushimi is officially weirder than, "I learned I'm a sword." or, "I'm talking to the incarnation of Death." or, "There's a horse walking around saying stuff."]

[clicked]

This never happened.

[ Back to square one? Their S. Link might have ranked up, though. Like, by a half. ]

But you're acting normal, all things considered.
Memories too traumatizing for you?

[mockingbirb]

You really wanna know?

[Oh, there's so much he could say.]

[clicked]

Personally, I could care less.
But if it can give us a clue about what the hell is going on in this jamjar, then I'm listening.

[mockingbirb]

Nah, it's none of that.
It's more like remembering embarrassing things from fifth grade, or that one time you wore that costume, or someone showing you video of what you did that one time you got drunk.
So it's not really...bad. There's a lot I gotta think about. And a lot of it makes sense? But it's just really weird and kind of awkward.
I gave a name to my kitchen knife because of this.
But no, there's not really any secrets there. You?

[clicked]

[ His abusive dad, neglectful mom, involvement in gang wars, bad life choices, teenage angst and tryhard edginess aside? ]

I gained a greater sense of self-awareness.

[mockingbirb]

Yeah, actually, now you mention it? That happened to me too.
It's hard to really worry about some stuff before after...you know!
Like I get stuck in traffic. It's boring! But then I remembered being trapped in a temple for years (long story) and then I go you know? This isn't too bad. At least there's things to look at on a bus.
(And more serious things but I'm trying to keep this light.)

[clicked]

Yeah, I guess...?
My fake family's cool.
Uncle's a sword. (Don't ask me how that works.)

[ I mean he could, but Fushimi doesn't want to explain. ]