❪ 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

2B | Nier: Automata

[reupload]

TR[A]INING FOR A CAUSE?
[ Alice fell into Wonderland and 2B? She fell into something similar. And she's pretty annoyed by it.

For anyone in the simulation, it may be something of a shock. But to 2B? It's natural. It's programmed instinct. The white-haired and blinded-folded woman that has probably only yelled out commands during the entire time between her own tactical movements stop. Her hand goes up and she, even if she is not a "leader", they were on the outskirts of a Wyver camp. ]

If we're going to win this "game" — [ SHE REFUSES TO SAY IT'S TRAINING. ] — we have to think of a plan. Do you have anything? Negotiations are considerably low.


[B]EAUTIFUL DREAMER
[ It wasn't unsettling. The pods of (mostly, she guesses) humans locked away into a slumber in the Stasis Unit. It's part of this — the whole operation. A singular part of the ever moving machine. Without it, Thesa would cease to function. That, she can respect, at least. She doesn't flinch when someone joins her, staring at their special someones or lost familial associates. ]

If you've found your companion, it's best to make note and move along. Standing here and mourning them won't do you any good.

[ Is that cryo contagious or — ]


[C]RUCIAL RETELLING
[ The mess hall was vast, but it wasn't something familiar to her. Being outside of ruined buildings, that's one thing. Seeing something inside was almost grand. It was a depository — a food gathering where humans can partake in friendship and nutrition. She doesn't require that but what she does require is knowledge.

It takes a few steps to the nearest table, looking down without a second to waste: ]

I'm looking to collect an assortment of data. I've gotten all I can as far as information available to us upon arrival, but I need something: human testimonials. Eye witness reports of the simulation, their experiences on the Hangar, and what their lives were before the Storm.

[ SO STRANGER, CAN YOU HELP? ]

DOWNLOADING [D]ATA
. . . . ▌
. . . . ▌

NOW CONNECTED TO UNIT 2B

Hello? Do you read me? Our line of communication is instantaneous.
With that, I need for you to identify yourself.
Failure to do so will result in termination of the connection.
You may call me 2B.


[ Feel free to Wildcard me too! Still in the process of the game and hoping to finish it this weekend, but — feel free that 2B is from Route A or B for now. That will change maybe upon apping! ]

C

[kissintime]

Mrm?

[Mumbles Ermes with her mouth half-full, chewing on some weird alien food she found that looked a little bit like pork. It's not pork at all, but it's not half-bad either. Once she swallows and takes a sip of a drink, she'll respond.]

Why do you need... sorry, human testimonials? Are you not a human yourself?

[She doesn't ask with accusation, but curiosity. One of her friends is a bunch of sentient plankton living in a human corpse, so who the fuck is she to judge.]

[reupload]

[ MANNERS, ERMES. 2B remains a bit on edge, watching as Ermes carries along. ]

No. I am not.

[ Sure looks like it, though. ]

Which is why I'm trying to collect some information to find a common variable among them outside of this "Storm". If there is one, I mean.

[ She falters in uncertainty for only a moment. ]

There seem to be more people waking up recently, it is in the best interest as someone brought here to find unbiased data from the newly awoken populace, not Thesa.

[kissintime]

...Huh, alright then. [Well she has no issue with sharing some information about herself. Not all of it, but if this girl(?) is curious then she'll oblige.] Is there anything you want to know about my life before in specific? I'm 21 years old, so I've been alive for a good couple decades now.

[reupload]

How many humans existed in your world and what was the year?

[ It's blunt. ]

What was your designated occupation, if you had one. Records show humans in their 20's were notoriously indecisive.

a

[popess]

Well, I'm certainly amenable to suggestions.

[ she says this a bit ruefully. 2b was a bit bossy. she was right, though. they did need a new course of action, and what they were doing now? it wasn't going to cut it. she was used to having futaba to communicate directions for her in situations like this, so she felt a little lost on the battlefield — but she knew that she had the strategic know-how to navigate this.

she peeks around a tree to get a view of the camp ahead. there were only a few people roaming around. possibly more inside. ]

Bumrushing would definitely end in us failing. I think we're going to use stealth. That tent there.. [ she points to one on the edge of the camp, near a grove of trees. ] If we can sneak our way in there, we can gauge what we're up against.

[reupload]

[ ~i'm not bossy, i'm the boss~

The thing about 2B, even if she is the first to leap into action... she does so with command. Purpose. She's free thinking here except for a few vague narratives set up by the VR simulation. There's thousands of variables and picking one that does not injure her unit is crucial. ]

That sounds good. Keep our weapons drawn, no lowering them. We wait until the patrol circles back around.

[ She doesn't command but, she's kind of waiting for confirmation. ]

[popess]

Alright.

[ that's all she says for a couple of minutes. once she spots the patrol passing by and they're out of her field of vision, she springs forward, careful to keep her footsteps low and hushed. she creeps behind a tree to get a visual on the tent in question — it's only a few yards a head. with a nod of her head, makoto bounds in, hands gripped on her knuckles in case someone was inside.

thankfully, it was empty. ]

Okay. We made it this far. Let's see if we can get a body count.

b!

[tricksune]

What?

[ He doesn't know this woman, and for a moment he's caught off-guard, as well as—to be honest—a little chafed; it's an awfully frank suggestion from a stranger. But his shoulders only hike up an inch before they droop again. It isn't fair to lash out, and besides. She probably isn't wrong. ]

Ah—yes. Maybe so. [ Even so, his tone is halting, hesitant. A knot forms in his brow as he switches his gaze to look towards her instead. ] But surely there's a reason we're allowed passage here?

[ He isn't ready to leave quite yet. It's hard to say why, exactly—but then again, he isn't quite sure what the point of seeing all this was in the first place. ]

scoops up all the p5s

[reupload]

Perhaps humans are more comforted in seeing than believing.

[ It's valid, but as she sees a few of her former command units... she's not going to mourn them as if they're dead. When they awaken, they'll be among them. She can't show much more than that common knowledge. Pity, maybe, but a low percentage of it. 2B doesn't want to feel more than that... For her own sake. ]

It's torturing you, I suspect. Your emotion is a bit more readable than you'd think.

:* !!

[tricksune]

[ He's not shedding any tears, but there's still no doubt that she's more collected, somehow. Besides their conversation, the air is very still and very quiet—it makes him want to talk. Fill the void. He lets out a soundless puff, like a laugh that didn't quite make it. ]

You may be better at deciphering my moods than I am.

[ Folding his hands together, he avoids leaning against any of the status pods (it seems disrespectful), instead shifting his weight from one foot to another as he muses aloud. ]

Truth be told, I'm not sure what to feel. [ She's right, to a degree; there's an unmistakable ache of sadness, a tight knot deep in his chest, but it's more than that. Everything that comes with earth-rending change. It's hard to place into words, which he's never wielded as masterfully as a brush. ] But you must have your own woes without turning an ear to mine.

[ She's still here, after all. ]

id: NINES

[idealog]

Hey 2B!
Umm... I went with something a little different for my username this time.

[ Are you gonna say it? ]

[reupload]

[ never. ]

Change it back. No one will know who you are. We need proper identification in case anyone from the Bunker is released from the Stasis Unit.

[idealog]

[ But... :( ]

I don't think anyone from YoRHa would use such an insecure chat protocol to contact us. At least, I hope not.

[ A beat. ]

I was thinking it might be less weird for the humans to use. It's kinda like a name.

D | un: theEND

[winddaughter]

2B? I'm Anemone. Do you need more than that?

[reupload]

That's right.

Anything you're willing to give me would be a good start. Where you're from, how long you've been here, or what type of powers you possess. I'm finding abnormalities among the humans here. Things not documented in any sense of the word from "my world".

[winddaughter]

Abnormalities. Right. [She's not going to think of that.] Well, how do I know what to tell you, if I don't know what your world considers normal?

D UN: s1ren

[r3f4c70r3d]

Am I speaking to a bot?

[ She's sifted through tons of spam and scams that sounded something like this, but at least their programmers bothered to make them sound even a little bit human. ]

[reupload]

...No. I am not a robot or machine.

I just don't have time for something that won't help provide answers.

[c]

[personalwar]

[ 76 might require nutrition, but he hasn't partaken in any of the food thus far. He hasn't even taken a seat, but is instead here to observe. He's been watching Roman and how he interacts with the other survivors for a while, though that doesn't mean he's taken off-guard when a girl approaches him.

A blindfolded girl, to be more specific. Not that he can judge much; his eyes are also covered. There's no saying she can't somehow still see.

She's straight to the point, clinical in her phrasing in a way that seems all-too-familiar. A little like how certain omnics speak. He can do a scan, but he'll have to find a chance to activate the scanner on his visor without it being overly obvious what he's doing. ]

I haven't used the simulator or tested out the suits myself. [ He'd like to think he knows better than that. It made more sense to wait until others tried their hand at it first. He knows when to be reckless and when to hold back, generally speaking. ] What do you need all of that info for? [ A somewhat hypocritical question. 76 has been doing the same sort of information-gathering, even if he's been a little less direct about his approach. ]

screams

[reupload]

[ Instinct, if it carried more towards human, she would naively believe he was a combat android based off the visor. It sticks out, but she knows better. Possibly some human with a vision impairment. She doesn't dwell and when her questions roll off quickly, she's shocked when he gets something back. ]

Doing an initial diagnosis of the situation. Trying to gather the resources available to make an estimation on how limited we are.

[ She's straight and to the point. ]

They've given us free range here and I want to know why the general populace seems to have integrated nicely into the news given to them. Rarely any irrationality. It's odd.

screams back

[personalwar]

[ The direct answers that she gives only continues to reinforce 76's theory that she isn't human, which means if he asks her bluntly she's not likely to be offended by it. Not that offending anyone is something he's too worried about at this point.

For many years, he'd had to watch his words. To phrase things just so. He doesn't have the patience for it anymore.

Still, she makes an interesting observation. ] I'd guess it's shock. Or denial. When you're told something that sounds so insane that you can't process it, you tell yourself whatever you need to so that you can cope.

[ A defense mechanism, in other words. Humans were good at it.

He tilts his head at her, watching her mouth because he can't see her eyes. ] What are you?

c.

[mitu]

( enkidu, who had been contemplating blue soup with a curious amusement, looks up when he's spoken to. abrupt address? curt tone? aggressive demand for information? normal people might take offense. enkidu, considering who he's hung around for the last thousand years or so, simply considers it another day ending in y.

still, as helpful as enkidu tries to be, he listens carefully to the woman's demand, carefully considers it, and then makes the determination that he won't be of much help, because-- )

My apologies, but the testimonials of humans are best to be gleaned from humans. ( after all, he's not human. has never been, really. and neither is this woman, judging from what he feels from her, but at the same time, there's also something living about her as well, something that captures his attention.

still, she seems to be in a hurry. he wonders if she wouldn't mind answering a few of his own questions. ) Pardon me if this seems forward, but why are you curious about the accounts of humans? Your personal account must be equally as interesting, if not more accurate.

[reupload]

[ To her, she's dismissing what being a human and a living, biological being could be. It fails a bit, but she hasn't been "feeling" herself. Things missing, things unobtainable. Like being locked out of a restricted zone — 2B does her best. ]

...It's not. Humans — [ She doesn't say much, but the shoddy twist of her lips proves it's a sore subject. ] — I'm an android and with that, my knowledge of humans are restricted to what are left for me in recordings and history.

[ But - ]

This is not a common understanding. Humans are bountiful in other worlds, I'm guessing.

[mitu]

( so it was curiosity, after all. or rather, that's what enkidu understands from her words. the word 'android' is new. though he has a vague understanding that it is a concept which exists in the modern world, a nuanced definition escapes him.

all the more reason to speak more with this woman at length, then. )

While I cannot speak to other worlds, humans do exist in the world which I come from. ( he cannot say 'his' world, in the strictest of sense. the world doesn't belong to him. he has no ownership of it, no right to imply it. he was, and still is, an interloper upon another's garden. ) Though my understanding of them is mostly second-hand, I would be happy to share what which I know.

( undeterred by the twist of her lips, he gently pats the seat next to him, in a gesture of 'come, sit'. ) What may I call you?