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

[makababe]

Come by the quad cafe? I'll be there at seven. I dyed my hair green so you'll know it's me!

[ If that's a go, he will certainly be there at seven, holding a cup of Suncents (tm) and his own fixing laptop on the table open in front of him.

The wallpaper is a cat. ]

[draculabackwards]

[Indeed, he is an easy man to spot. As is Alucard, being a 6'5" man with long blond hair. Also has a deep voice you wouldn't expect from him.] I believe you directed me to you as you are an expert in fixing laptops? [Because God only knows what happened to his.]

[makababe]

[ Whoa, that's one tall guy. Teru stands on reflex and gives him a cheerful smile. ]

Yeah. What happened? I'll take a look.

[draculabackwards]

I'm not certain. [He hands over his laptop sadly, trying not to wring his hands.] It was working fine yesterday and then this morning, it acted like it had no idea how to run properly or be able to access quite a number of essays and my thesis notes.

[makababe]

[ Teru makes a noise of affirmation as he opens the laptop and tries to boot it up. ]

Did you download anything or drop your laptop in the past few days?

[draculabackwards]

I didn't drop it but I did look at...[Alucard's eyes widen as he realized what might have happened.] Ah, that bastard! I did look at something e-mailed to me by another student like myself, but it was to take a look at something in an essay. I didn't notice anything other than the paper I downloaded but Hector's kind of jealous of my thesis progress.

[makababe]

[ Teru sucks in a breath. Ooh, academic sabotage. ]

Hm... well, it could be a virus. I'll run a scan for you, but if it is, you might wanna report that Hector dude.

[ His computer can at least boot up in safe mode. Good thing Teru brought a disposable USB to install the scanner. ]

[draculabackwards]

I'm certain that if I did, all I'd be told is that he had "no idea" that there was something wrong with his paper. [Rat bastard. He was always jealous of Alucard's academic achievements.]

Anything you can do, I would greatly appreciate it. [He takes a seat because this probably won't be quick.]

[makababe]

[ It probably won't be. ]

Hm... yeah, we've got some trojans in there. Luckily, they're the common and weaker type, so I should be able to root your drive and salvage the data for you.

[ insert some more tech fiddling here ]

Do you still have the OS install disc that came with your computer?

[draculabackwards]

Yes, right here. [Never was he more glad that he kept the disc until now!] Do a lot of things need replacing?

[makababe]

[ That's good. Teru didn't have to pirate one off the interwebs this time. ]

Hm... not really. It's mild and I can root it out for you, but to be safe I'd recommend re-installing the OS after I'm done.

[ He leans back in his chair, watching the progress bar on the screen crawl. ]

If you don't mind, I'll take your laptop overnight and put your data in a thumbdrive. Then you can reinstall it at your own pace. Or I can do that for you too.

[draculabackwards]

No, not at all. Thank you so much. [He leans forward, rubbing the bridge of his nose.] You have saved me immensely. Please tell me what I owe you for this service.

[makababe]

[ It's rare to find someone not hooked up to technology, but maybe that's just telling of Teru's company. ]

Don't worry about it. Just [ A very small but reasonable amount of macca here ] will do, or if you want, you can buy me two tins of cat food from the supermarket.

[draculabackwards]

I could probably do both for the favor you are doing. Do you own any cats? [He did note the wallpaper on his screen before he got to work.]

[makababe]

[ Teru scratches his head, looking apologetic. ]

Nah. I'm allergic to them, but I take care of the ones who live on campus.

[draculabackwards]

That seems like a hazardous prospect if you're allergic. [Good sir, your poor lungs! But again, a small price to pay for good service.]

[makababe]

[ He's a cat-con. Sorry about that... ]

Yeah, but... I love cats, y'know? Can't stand to see them starve. If I don't take care of them, who will?

[draculabackwards]

I suppose you do make a good argument. Very well. I'll give you both things you ask for.

[makababe]

[ That gets him to raise his eyebrows. ]

No need, man. Just one is enough. This doesn't take too much work, I'd feel bad.

[draculabackwards]

You're doing me an enormous favor by saving all the work I've done on my thesis. It's my own fault for downloading that paper so I'm thankful that you can correct a mistake I should have caught myself.

[makababe]

[ Teru scratches his head again, looking sheepish. ]

Alright. If you insist. Thanks.