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Entry tags:
❪ test drive #4 ❫
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YOUR STORY BEGINS  The Storm came. You only remember darkness, but you don't remember much after that. All you know, perhaps, is that it was cold. You don't know for how long you slept, but the dreams were short, at least. You remember the expanse of stars and the universe that came in view. Every world and solar system ever known was displayed in your dreams in careful, pristine detail. You have also witnessed The Storm, which has devoured a fair portion of these galaxies. It was a dark, thick smog — ominous in appearance and ever foreboding. Your Earth and similar planets were immersed in The Storm. Somehow, you knew it would be the last you'd see of it. That was when she told you what happened, and how you could help. You knew that you'd be living somewhere new, even though you never asked for it. The details here weren't clear, but you knew you'd made a deal with Darma. Not long after, you'll wake at Thesa Station — your body is still cold. It all felt like a dream, but somehow, you knew it wasn't — now, will you keep that promise you made to Darma? PROMPT: THE STORM  CW: death You were awake on Thesa Station. But at some point you, like many other new arrivals before you, wandered into the Observation Deck. Ordinarily, this is where images of The Storm are replayed to remind Refugees of the fate they have escaped. The Natha Orbiters' technology has evolved. They are aware of your gaps in memory. You may have doubts of The Storm even existing, or of your world's destruction. Though they do not wish reliving those last moments on anyone, they have created an experience that will do just that. Before entering the Observation Deck, you are warned that what follows will not be for the weak of heart. As soon as you step in, you will find that the walls around you begin to transform and expand. Welcome to the Planet Cespi, in the Circinus Galaxy. Unfortunately, we were not able to save this world from The Storm's Consumption.
These are its last memories. You are surrounded by blue, grassy hills as far as the eye can see and a pleasant breeze. The atmosphere is thick with a sickly sweet smell. Before you lays the scene of a quiet village, with its residents going about their everyday lives. You aren't alone, either, with an equally confused stranger (or perhaps you know each other?) surveying the scene. Then the world grows completely silent for a full minute. You and your partner are unable to make a sound, verbal or otherwise. Without warning, a deafening roar fills your ears and forces you to double over in pain. The villagers run out of their homes in a panic, finding themselves in just as much pain and confusion as you do. Where there was no sound before, now there is too much for a normal human body to process. Look up. An expanding mass of energy is swallowing everything you can see. It consumes the earth, the atmosphere, the depths of space — and it is getting closer. Your only hope is to outrun it, if you can. The people in the village certainly try to, racing past you. Their fear is very real. Their bodies are very real. You may be able to run from it for a time, only able to catch glimpses of this dark and sinister force swallowing everything and everyone. The earth rumbles and separates beneath you. Electricity surges through the sky, and then through your very body. You fought hard, but it is impossible to outrun the Storm forever. You too will be consumed. Your death is quick, but not painless. What were you thinking, before you took your last breath? You awaken back in the Observation Deck, next to your new friend. PROMPT: TRAINING MODULES  While it’s all nice and well to familiarize oneself with Thesa Station, it is most advised that new arrivals venture out a bit. Not physically. No one is quite prepared for that yet. However, there will be several virtual reality training programs set for those who dare to be adventurous. For those who aren’t and don’t dare, well — good luck, all the same. Once seated and appropriately strapped in, the system will automatically whir to life. 1. When you enter the Natha's newest program, at first nothing loads. You might think this is an error as you look around in apparent total darkness, only able to see your own virtual body if you look down, but soon enough a voice comes to life as if speakers have turned on somewhere. Long ago, the lands of El Nysa were dominated by the ancestors of the dragons who now live among the people, tamed. It was pretty dangerous! How about a little history lesson? And then the simulation comes to life—
2. Let us now travel forward in time, shall we?  a. The Olympian settlement around you is quiet — until the screaming starts.3. And now, the present.  After all those enlightening scenes, the simulation finally brings you to a more quiet area of Olympia. You are deposited out somewhere in The Outlook, a place the very first group of refugees had to trudge through before they found their homes. You've arrived in the early evening — but sunlight is waning, and soon you'll be under a sky full of stars. Luckily, their old campsites aren't too overgrown. The intention here is to get you familiar with some of the local flora and fauna. What sorts of plants will you encounter? Do you find yourself under a Verillum Tree, suddenly compelled to be painfully honest and truthful in conversation with a complete stranger? Find yourself behaving erratically in the presence of Whistleweed? Or perhaps you'll have to break the spell of being trapped in a Vena Amoris' vines... with a kiss. PROMPT: STASIS UNIT  You have found the massive section of Thesa known as the Stasis Unit. There’s no special access required to enter this part of Thesa Station, but refugees are warned that it may not be for the faint of heart. Here, in large pods that nearly cover every square inch of the space, are all of the people the Orbiters have managed to rescue. Your loved ones, your greatest enemy, your next door neighbor — you might find them here. These people are in a state of deep cryosleep. Due to the damaging effects of The Storm, their bodies are not yet ready to be awoken. PROMPT: OMAGE
Upon receiving your mobile phone, you will be asked to set a username. Voila, you can now access the network! You can choose to send a message to the entire network, specific usernames, or you can try out the Orbiters’ service, Omage, which connects you to a random user. They thought this might be a good way for their new guests to make friends with each other...
Connecting to server... PROMPT: WILDCARD
You are welcome to write any scenarios in Thesa Station! Characters have been granted temporary access to the Observation Room, and are encouraged to study it carefully.
FINAL OOC NOTE
These threads may be carried over as game canon if players choose! Players are encouraged to submit TDM threads as application samples, but they are not required. Please direct any OOC questions to the questions thread below! An AC-length thread may be submitted for 2 NATHA ORBITER REPUTATION POINTS after acceptance here. Please submit by February 18th.
We will no longer be providing overflow posts. In an event where the post hits CAPTCHA, players are advised to move threads to an overflow post on their character journals or create their own catch-all post. These threads remain eligible for REP. There will be an application cap of 60, and no reserves. Please read here for more information. |
lancelot ; granblue fantasy
[ There are no words to describe how Lancelot feels once waking back up in the Observation Room. In fact, he seems rather hollow compared to when first entering the deck and even through the entire experience of dying with a world through its final moments.
Standing up, he turns to offer a hand out to the person that just went through the memory alongside him. Nothing like the terror of eminent death and the pain of dying to get some weird kind of bond formed between complete strangers, right? ]
Are you all right? [ despite looking empty, his voice is calm and relatively concerned (and kindly so, at that). It will take him a few moments to get back to normal, seemingly in some kind of shock and emotionally shutdown from what they just went through. The one thing that does remain is genuine concern for the other individual. ]
2a. guerilla party crashers.
[ Lancelot rather likes history. He likes learning. Usually, anyway.
Nevertheless, something about this whole immersion-in-the-history-being-learned-about thing just doesn't quite work in terms of being enjoyable in any sense of the word. Or, at least it doesn't quite work for him, especially this go around.
The dragons were fine. He will accept dragons. This, however?
. . . t h i s .
That might be because Lancelot is just a little bit sensitive to the situation at hand he's being forced to participate in, which is being currently a captive to these apparent guerilla troops out for revenge. He's really had enough of being a prisoner to last himself a lifetime. In fact, Lancelot is annoyed more than anything, taking this a little more personally than he normally would (—is this some kind of prank? seriously, is this on purpose?)
Which is why once he's sure there is no one paying attention, he speaks quietly to the other person unfortunate enough to be stuck in this simulation and situation with him. ]
... Does this happen to be your first time in one of these historical simulations?
[ If the other isn't new, fantastic. If they are... well, they both can just wing it, break free and cause a prisoner riot then see how it all turns out.
It'll be fine. Probably.]
2½. post-vr history lessons
[ There's no simulation to join here, but if you were coming to this particular station to use it, thinking it was unoccupied, you would be wrong. Lancelot is half-sitting on the arm of the simulation chair holding a part of the visual equipment in one hand and clutching at his head with another.
If he looks sick to you, it's because he is. His first training session here didn't go so bad at all—until it was over and he attempted to get up and leave. He's experiencing a bit of cybersickness and doesn't seem to notice he's no longer alone.
If not spoken to first, however, Lancelot will speak up after a moment has passed, attempting to sound as polite as he possibly can while trying to resist the urge to vomit from his headache and nausea.]
My apologies, were you looking to use this unit? I will be leaving... momentarily.
[ ... He hopes, anyway. This is so not a great feeling for so many reasons. ]
?. wildcards.
( whatever you feel like writing! If you want me to write a prompt for you personally instead of you making something up, feel more than free to let me know what you would like in a comment or you can also pp me on plurk![[plurk.com profile]](https://plurk.com/favicon.ico)
bladeworks. )
2a. just here for fun! other siegfried's can play as well
Of course it is; you should know that well.
[ because hadn't they been pulled here together after the destruction of their island in the sky? He jerked his head to the line-up of prisoners, many of them bruised and bloodied, crying softly into their bound hands as soldiers of Wyver patrolled the masses. ]
We should do something; this isn't right.
[ because it was one thing to defend your borders, even another to fight back against people who invaded you first, but to have such glee in your hearts while wreaking havoc on the poor and rich alike? To conquer and brutalize your prisoners for doing nothing more than breath? It was wrong; it was inhumane. Someone should stand up to the injustice and stop it in their tracks before it got out of hand. He had seen feuds started for far less than what he had witnessed today. Even if this was so called virtual reality; it just didn't feel right to sit by and do nothing. ]
you're ruining dreams
Lancelot does, however, take a look around them when Siegfried suggests action be taken. Of course, he agrees fully with the other, but he is plagued by thoughts and details that make him far too uncertain in the proper course of actions that's normal for Lancelot.
Brow creased in critical concern, he asks even while knowing neither of them can provide an answer. ]
...Is such even possible? This is a retelling of a history, will we be able to alter anything at all? [ He is aware it's a training module, but this is a little less clear to Lancelot. How does it work, can they free the prisoners the same as they could fell a rampaging dragon from earlier? Real concern for the civilians is high and he doesn't wish to simply see this suffering.
(... at the same time, however, he doesn't know if he will be able to handle being helpless to stop lives being tortured and lost despite being right there as it unfolds. He still can not come to terms that he and Siegfried are supposedly the only ones to have survived. He still can not come to terms that Vane is gone after everything they have been through since they were kids. The guilt eats away at him about it, about Percival, about his knights, about his king and his country. What was the point of stopping Isabella and the creature summoned from the Otherworld if the Storm was to destroy everything, anyway?
... Senseless. This is all senseless to him and it hurts.)
... And yet... the words of his captain ring truer than ever: they can't simply do nothing. ]
what dreams? I see no dreams. /eats them like cotton candy
We can't alter what's been done, but at least in this version we might be able to do some good. How are your bonds? Loose enough?
[ Loose enough anyway that they might be able to help each other when no one was looking. Because, as much as he'd like to just rip them off through sheer strength, the damage to their hands and arms may compromise their ability to do anything. That would only be a last resort. ]
how do you sleep at night
I would say s—ngh!
[ His answer is cut off as he reactively cringes from the sudden jerk of his head being yanked back by a guerrilla fighter grabbing him roughly by the hair. The two exchange silent words via eye contact before the fighter smirks and tugs just a little more. "If you have something to say, do let me listen in. Go on, pretend like I'm not even here and keep talking with your friend there."
The Wyver soldier is met with silence and a rather nasty expression. Although the other knight is technically no longer Lancelot's captain, anymore, he may want to temporarily reprise such a role. Siegfried will easily recognize that Lancelot's expression indicates he's about to mouth off rather than keep the silence he so far has should the fighter push his buttons even the slightest bit more. The younger dragon knight is apparently far closer to being at wit's end than his outward behavior has previously implied. ]
quite well thank you!
We do have something to say. Should you not treat your prisoners better? You are clearly the victor in this battle and there is little to be gained by picking on the lost. [ although if he does one more tug on Lancelot's hair, Siegfried may have something else to say to the man. Which he will say with a nice headbutt to the other man's solar plexus. ]
2a
When Lancelot speaks, he glances over, recognition lighting up his face. ]
Yep, first timer. [ He grins, cheered by the presence of a comrade. ] But it's good to see you again, Sir Lancelot. What would you say to a timely escape?
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He is about to reply when he 's addressed personally, his words never coming. The recognition alight on the other' s face is clearly not because of merely another clear in the same situation. Lancelot is at a loss, so much that he momentarily fails to respond to the suggestion concerning what should be the top priority: their escape. ]
... Ah... Forgive me, but do... we... know each other...?
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We're both members of the Grancypher's crew. I'm Cain, recently of Idelva. I've heard quite a bit about you from your fellow knights, and I'm reassured that I could ask for no better comrade in an escape!
[ He must be getting a bit too into it; one of the guards glances towards them and Cain hastily shuts up, waiting until the man's attention turns away again. He gives Lancelot a rueful grin. ]
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Hearing Cain has contact with some of the other knights, though, is a little bit more reeling mentally for him. Taking the brief moment of the guard's attention pulling Cain's away, Lancelot lets the situation concerning them sink in. Can he assume Cain merely means from their time back home or that they—some of them, at least—are here alive and well?
By the time Cain is offering him that grin, Lancelot offers him a reassuring smile. The enthusiasm may not be to the guard's liking, but the captain of the white dragons seems to be another matter. (... although he does feel that... somehow, their relationship still isn't explained. Is he forgetting something somehow...? His memory is still feeling spotty and blank in places, so he can't shake that feeling off so easily. ) ]
I imagine you are most worthy a comrade yourself, to be in their company. I look forward to getting to know you better from here on out.
[ Instant extension of trust and friendship, something that is not so easy for him anymore as it was in his black dragons' days, somehow doesn't seem good enough here to make amends for forgetting whatever it must be that is gnawing at him.
It's a start, though. ]
An escape sounds like just the thing we need. I'm with you.
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[ He quiets a moment as the guard turns back to them, contriving to look as innocent as possible. On Cain, it's not a very good look, ill-fitting. But the guard has other worries than a bit of chatter from the prisoners; there's a commotion outside the door, the distant pounding of feet.
And Cain, leaning in towards Lancelot, scuffs his own feet to muffle the soft click of his manacles coming unlocked. He starts on Lancelot's, the lockpick from his sleeve making quick work of the problem. ]
For now, we need to focus on getting out. How many of them can you take, if they're distracted?
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2a / with a twist!
A role he's far more willing to play.
When no one's paying attention, Takasugi takes notice. He splits from the men discussing their next move, a group that had absorbed the supposed guard for the captives. One look over the group they've rounded up, and he has a pretty good guess as to who the refugee is.
The guy who doesn't look too worried.]
You. [No gesture to specify, only eye contact levied heavily. Takasugi sticks out as well, his manner of dress not so drab as the others in the band of fighters.] Have any experience fighting?
twists are fantastic things
Although Lancelot does not expect to be approached, his expression remains as is upon making eye contact with the individual. It's easy to tell this one is not like the others both from the quick glimpse of attire had as well as the fact the other seems to have caught some type of detail that none of the other attackers have.]
Enough to hold my own. [ enough to be considered unparalleled in skill in his country, actually. Although, this virtual reality tour has not given him the comfort of any weapon, nevermind his familiar twin blades. Therefore, "enough" is more than satisfactory an answer without lying or boasting, especially when he has yet to identify why he's being asked in the first place.
Of course, he would hope if the other is also a refugee they would naturally be of like minds and assist one another, but Lancelot still has the fresh sting of betrayal burning his skin from back home. It causes him to be very conservative compared to his usual extension of trust. ]
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Maybe both. But even the best of strategies has its hitches, one of which they've just come upon.
A city wide search, apparently one of their prisoners was taken by mistake, a far more important man than intended for this group, on their particular route.
Where they are now, stealth isn't an option.
The leader continues a frenzied, hushed discussion about their course of action, and Takasugi only receives a few confused glances for his separation.] Good.
Want a chance at freedom? [He'll sweeten the deal if need be, but when bartering, never start with everything you have to offer.]
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... At least, not for his own sake.
Canting his head to one side, he lifts his chin slightly as he keeps eye contact. He gives no verbal response, but his body language should get the point across that the other has his full attention.
Indeed, he's listening —and listening very carefully, at that.
It's obvious that a better incentive will need to be given if he wants Lancelot's full cooperation based on knowing the reward for doing so and nothing else. Otherwise, he's going to have to talk some more first. ]
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Doesn't seem to be going anywhere.]
We're in a tough spot. Seems like we've caught a fish too big for our boat. [A nod to the prisoners, though he won't be indicating which of the lot is the misplaced noble.] The pursuit is more than we expected.
To get out of here, there are two options those guys are considering.
Fight, or barter with hostages. Knock a few of 'em off so they know we're serious.
[He approaches, crouches, though not so low that he's not looking down at the captive.] Help out, and I'll cut you- [His eyes wander from Lancelot to the others,] All of you. Free.
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1
He is very quickly distracted by the sight and sound of the person next to him. It's... actually Lancelot, in the flesh?!
This is all a bit much for him right now, because it hasn't been more than two months since he had to observe Lancelot fall into stasis. ]
... Lancelot?! It's— [ Is this still part of the VR? He's going to be pissed if it is, because his nerves are running ragged at the moment. ] really you?!
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Any hope he had of finding his friends alive has been (at least for the moment) robbed after that, so what... kind of cruel extension to an already abhorrent mind game is this?]
. . . Percival? [ Lancelot has never sounded so distrustful of what he sees than he does right now. He can't even answer the other's question, though—he's not quite sure of anything anymore, including himself. ]
2½
instead, when he attempts to prop into this one, he finds his hand accidentally meet with someone else's, and by the sounds of it, they might have been sick or having trouble? hence, he easily begins to secure his hand over their wrist. before, a neat tug. ] You okay? Don't worry, I got y—
[ except, wait?? this voice (i say this voice like this, but he also shares a voice with gran so what does this truly mean. think about this before you sleep tonight)?? this?? ] L-Lancey!?!?! [ was he already in the simulation by chance. vane's mouth remains agape with no signs of closing.
keep it together, vane. he seems to be muttering several scenarios under his breath: ] There's no way this can be...
Am I already plugged in...? [ he's feeling against his own cheek and ears, before reaching back out and patting lancelot... and maybe even smothering his face with his hands? the amount of realism of the vr is always astounding. but, no... this is... not vr? probably?
lanchan, help. ]
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he feels vane trying to help him, hears him speaking, but it's only once he's called by name that his mind specifically registers who it is. is it really vane, though? or is it just lingering thoughts taking form in his current unwell state? ...no, he shouldn't be questioning that sort of thing right now. he can't.
he can't because the person in question seems just as confused and uncertain. so lancelot does the only thing he knows how to do (and has been doing since they were kids): he offers the reassurance needed. ]
...Vane. [ it's harder than he would like to admit simply saying that name with certainty and without the hesitance and turmoil that's been circulating inside of him since having to come to terms with the Storm and what it has done to their home. he does it, though. he does it, because one of them has to believe they can tell the difference between fabrication and reality to get somewhere. lancelot will put himself there so vane doesn't have to.
unfortunately, he doesn't do it soon enough to avoid vane... well, being vane. which means he's getting a little bit suffocated as his friend takes things into his own hands to figure out. rather literally. ]
Vane, sto—hhph! [ vane??? no, don't smother him with your hands what are you doing?? (it doesn't matter if it's actually gran or lanchan, don't do the thing...!!?)
lancelot actually moves now despite his condition, grabbing at vane's wrists and tugging them down away from his face with a bit of directed force. vane's going to get yanked down and forward enough that they can have level eye contact with each other just to make sure he has vane's full attention before he speaks. okay? okay.
This is real. I am real. [ and just maybe, his own conviction that's necessary to assure his friend of that is enough to assure himself, as well.
his expression softens, however, and offers a small but apologetic smile.]
...And I am so very sorry, my friend... if it's been a long time since.
[ sorry if he's left vane alone for long, sorry if he worried vane in any way.
sorry for there being a point of time, no matter how small, that he was somewhere vane couldn't follow. ]
1/2
[ there's that undeniable sense of familiarity in the way he hears his name being said. called out in exactly the same manner and tone as he's heard from his childhood. that's how ... real and raw it feels. it incites a certain level of attachment and fondness within him.
but, despite that, he's still registering everything ... pretty slowly. as with most things in relation to vr, he begins to doubt his own perceptions (as his mutterings are likely to suggest. there's probably been a fair amount of "no, no, no??" under his breath). even the warmth beneath his fingertips begin to feel unreal, if just... because the last time he saw lancelot. it wasn't like this.
but, these thoughts are cut relatively short when he feels lancelot reach over to grab him. it's a returned gesture that's so like lancelot that he finds himself oddly mesmerized by it. especially as he's pulled to eye-level; their foreheads mere inches away from one another. from there, it doesn't take him long to realize that it's— ]
It's really you! I— [ he never doubted he'd see him again, he just ...
never thought it'd be this soon, and there's something special about that. which is why he wills himself not to shed tears. he had to be happy in a moment like this, right? ]
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More importantly— [ he drags a wrist out from under lancelot's touch, if just to place a reassuring hand over his. ]
Welcome back. Percy is going to flip when he sees you.
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[ the smile slowly falls away, curiosity reflecting in his features before that, too, dims into thoughtful concern. ]
Ah, welcome back, is it...? [ he mumbles to himself thoughtfully as he pulls back to give vane some space, loosening his grip on the one wrist he still had a hold of. lancelot becomes distracted then, searching inside for something—anything—that could make his mind excuse it rather than be completely confused, instead. nothing comes, though, not even a cracked sliver or chipped surface in his memory continuity around the right place. if he could at least identify a gap where something should have been but is no longer... not a single bone in his body aches with feeling of familiarity for this place, either, though.
. . . ugh. he doesn't doubt vane, but it's unnerving to think those that oversee this place are capable of erasing something so completely, if that is the case.
there's no use dwelling on it, therefore...
now what should he do? does he tell vane he doesn't remember ever being here before? does he simply dismiss it until it comes up directly somewhere down the line?
his continuing lightheadedness and vertigo starts to get to him the longer he tries to come up with something from nothing, until it suddenly finishes sinking in that vane has said something about another person. it just so happens it's a person that's been on his mind along with vane since waking up here. lancelot blinks, surprised. ]
Percival is also...? [ ... here with you? ]
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2.5
He speaks before she can, though, and her expression only becomes more concerned.]
No, please take your time.
[A beat, and then she speaks up again.]
...um, do you need help walking to the infirmary? I could take you...
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... I have no idea what is even wrong with me.
[ He's not rejecting her assistance at all, but he does seem a little uncertain if him going there will be a waste of time: both for her and the staff.
He tries to step away from the support of the VR unit now to hold himself upright, but the vertigo that never left becomes accompanied with a rush of dizziness once again. With how still the air in these chambers are, his nausea is not any better, either.
Thankfully, Lancelot is able to stay standing (that would be incredibly embarrassing otherwise) but doesn't try to take another step further. He's never been this out of balance before, he thinks. Considering the way he fights, it probably is safe to convince himself he is not overreacting to his symptoms. Still... does one even get sick like this from VR? ]
... Is it very far from here, may I ask?