❪ test drive: #1 ❫

[natha]

OVERFLOW POST

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 as you slept. 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 can help. You knew that you'll 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 was all a dream, but somehow, you knew it wasn't — now, will you keep that promise you made to Darma? PROMPT: THE MESS HALL     It's fascinating to the Orbiters how such a dull room can be turned around so completely with people in it. All meals are served by Roman, and while all the food is delicious, some of it is a bit odd. Is that neon green soup? That’s hideous. If you happen to be in the mess hall at a particularly unlucky time, you and the food will suddenly begin to drift. Someone’s got jokes, and they’ve turned off the gravity control. Now it’s just you, your fellow refugees, and the floating sea of food. Wait, did that person just chuck a pie in your direction? 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. Be advised, however, that participating in one of the training modules will start you off favorably with the Natha Orbiters’ in terms of REPUTATION. Once seated and appropriately strapped in, the system will automatically whir to life and the dense foliage and forestry of a section of El Nysa will open up. According to one’s map registry, it clear to see that it’s miles from the outer gates of Olympia, but not as far enough to venture into any other territories. So, in that sense, you’re safe. 1. Or you could have been, but unfortunately the wilderness is home to various types of beasts and monsters hailing from different universes and galaxies. On the bright side, perhaps one of them will be oddly familiar to you. Or maybe someone else who is currently synced is willing to give you that extra helping hand. Fortunately, if you’re powerless, there are options. From telekinesis to flight, there are strange abilities one can adopt and “test” out in the virtual reality. Granted, you’re only limited to one at a time. They say in the near future, some of you may be granted these abilities under certain conditions. But, please practice some caution. You aren’t alone in the system, after all. 2.. Who do you fight for, the VR system will ask you individually before you enter the module. The righteous Olympians, or the free-spirited Wyvers? Whatever your choice, when you enter El Nysa, you will wholly and truly believe your allegiance. A. Working together: You now have to suffer the consequences of your choice, as you and your partner have been captured by guards of the opposite faction. Now jailed and soon-to-be tortured, you must find some way to negotiate your release. Perhaps you’ll find some means to escape without detection. Maybe you’re the “fight your way out” sort of people. B. Facing your enemy: That person you stepped into the VR with? They’re out to capture you. Or maybe you seek to capture them. 3. When you enter the virtual reality, things aren’t exactly how they’re supposed to be. Maybe that’s natural, especially if this is your first time, but the problems here seem a bit more fundamental. Maybe you find yourself under a parental safety lock, and you’re suddenly censored. Exposed back? Censored. Body suit? Censored. Or replaced with a mascot costume. Worst of all? You can’t sign out. Not right now, at least. Regardless, whatever it is— ridiculous filters, body alterations, or even body swaps with other users... you are assured it’ll all be fixed with due time. Zasere sends his humblest apologies and promises no more wire chewing, or so the announcement states. PROMPT: STASIS UNIT     You have found the massive section of Thesa known as the Stasis Unit. There’s no special access required to access 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: HANGAR STATION     You find your way to the hangar station. Here rests are a factory worth of docked mobile suits. You recall how the Orbiters had previously spoken of a "space frontier," but only after seeing this you realize how real their words are. Most machinery have marks of wear and tear, assurance that they have indeed been used before, and an assembly of others are going through repairs and maintenance. No one seems to care that you've just strolled in. In fact, there seems to be a couple of the aircraft that beckon you to take a closer look. Maybe you’ll only look on the outside, maybe you'll be greeted by the hand of a mobile suit extending toward you and welcoming you to its cockpit. You go out and explore SPACE!!! Unfortunately, that mobile suit should have warned you it only had 20 minutes of flight time left in its system. Or, perhaps, you’re a particularly ambitious pilot and you’ve strayed past the designated perimeter. Either way, the HUD display is now blinking with errors, cropping up with a single message: DISTRESS SIGNAL. 1. You’re the poor sap who happened to chill around the Observation Deck. Unfortunately, everyone seems busy with the influx of mobile suits out and about, and the only one who can answer this distress signal is on the Navigation System, well, you. Hope you can figure out the controls fast enough. Guide the pilot back to the safety of the hangar using the most efficient route possible. Keen Navigators will find an instruction manual that provides a shortcut to automatically return a suit back to base. 2. You’re actually sitting in a two-seater mobile suit. Funny how that works, isn’t it? Maybe you were unwittingly dropped down a hatch, or dragged along for a joyride by your ambitious co-pilot. Either way, it looks like help is going to take some time... 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... Looking for someone you can chat with... You’re now chatting with [username]... Say hi! 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! A Training Module thread of AC length on the TDM may be submitted for 1 NATHA ORBITER REPUTATION POINT after acceptance. QUICK NAV premise ● faq ● world ● map ● reputation ● npcs taken ● reserves ● application calendar ● hiatus/drops ● modbox [ FULL NAVIGATION ] elnysa nysalogs nysaisles nysaooc elnyan

Comments

oh come on he has more fans than that!! i think...

[babyjail]

[his eyes narrow a little as he considers that.]

I don't think something like "strength of heart" can be quantified...

[bloom_out]

Do not hide behind nitpicks. [He gestures at the people in the pods.]

The heart of each of these people is different. Some are cloaked in light, many are buried in darkness. Each of them thrums with the power of their world, of their own emotions and memories. But only those with a deep will to live and move on survive. Those with doubts... are lost. Would you not say the amount of pods here is infinitesimal compared to the number there should be with this many worlds? Perhaps there are those the Watcher could not save.

[babyjail]

So you're saying we're the ones with a strong will to live.

[akira straightens up. —well, he can't really argue against it.

he does have a "deep will" to fight and survive. if he didn't, his last days before the storm hit his world—no, the last half of a year—would've been far different...]

That makes our mission even more important.

[bloom_out]

[A hollow, humorless laugh rings out from under the hood.]

You believe her then, do you?

[babyjail]

[he doesn't like the sound of that laugh... but, then, that's okay. after a while of doing what he has, you learn to deal with the unsettling laughter.]

I think we won't get anywhere not believing her.

[it's not complete and unfailing trust, in other words, but it's hard to ignore pods of living people.]

[bloom_out]

I suppose for someone with a heart, that is the closest you will come to logic. It is true she has the upper hand at this time... Very well. I suppose you aren't entirely clouded by your emotion.

[He takes his hood off, finally, a scatter of petals floating down as he shakes his long hair out.]

I am Marluxia. The destruction of my world is meaningless, and she has no thrall over me.

[babyjail]

Akira.

[might as well keep to the "one name" trend.]

If I'm understanding correctly, your world is already destroyed, apart from maybe a handful of survivors.

[he didn't expect he'd nab a glimpse of the man beneath the hood this soon, though. marluxia will have to forgive him if he stares, his eyes growing slightly larger. flower petals? that's not something you see everyday—unless it's magic or he just likes wearing petals in his hair, he figures.

he's also attentive to detail.]

You don't have a heart?

[bloom_out]

The place I came from was already splintered. An endless array of worlds, separated by nothing but void. But we had long forsaken the one from which we came-- abandoned it after it was subsumed by darkness. There was no need to look back, and there continues to be no need. That which we seek cannot be affected by such pettiness as "destruction".

[He delicately catches one of the petals on a finger, examining it closely and leaving it in hand. He has no reason to transform it into his scythe, but after a monologue like that, you never know.]

Correct. I am a Nobody... a being of higher thought, and logic, and strength, but lacking a heart.

[babyjail]

[that's quite a story, marluxia. it paints a vivid picture for him, one of outer space and strange, fantastical worlds more similar to the mysterious otherworldliness of the metaverse than anything else. clearly, his new friend has a different reference point than he does.

he'll have to ask extra questions later. for now,]

How can that be possible? Without a physical heart, most human bodies wouldn't be able to live...

[this is more important. akira furrows his brow, fixes him with a squint and tries to understand. he shakes his head once the concept of a "nobody" sinks in, calling to mind every target they've ever had in infiltrating the palaces.]

No, even without an intangible "heart"... you shouldn't be able to function like normal.

[akira, that's rude.]