❪ test drive: #1 - the overflow ❫

[natha]

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

[buraiha]

[ how long did they sleep, anyway? that's a really good question. from oda's memories, his death was as fresh as something as three seconds ago, but maybe he spent more time in the pod than he really knew for himself. he looks down at his hand, the one that isn't holding the spoon.

nothing about his hands seems to suggest that time has passed. but he's also fully-grown, so he doubts he's going to grow anymore, even if many years did pass. children, however, they'll probably be able to tell. ]

You know how long you've been in the pod?

[gekkajuu]

... Not exactly. [Not at all.] It just felt like a long time, and all these people have traveled all through the universe... So many people are still asleep, we're the first who woke up.

[He pokes at his food a little, thoughtful.]

I suppose it's more instinct than anything. But traveling here must have taken a lot of time, no matter how you look at it.

[buraiha]

[ it makes sense. the kid does seem more like the intuitive type than the type to whip out a calculator and start plugging in numbers. that was always more of ango's thing. and here, oda pauses as he wonders if ango also managed to make it into the pods.

he doesn't dwell on it, but it's there, a twinge of uncertainty. he's not sure what kind of face he should make should he ever find out one way or the other. ]

Makes sense. [ he's kind of wondered why he woke up as opposed to all the other people in the pods. what sort of qualification did he have? or was it luck? maybe. ] Couldn't have been too long, though. Pretty sure people still age even when they're asleep. Year, two years.

[ ... ] Somehow doesn't feel long enough.

[gekkajuu]

I don't know... Something tells me it's not a normal sleep. The pods are all closed off, as well...

[People age while asleep, but they normally also breathe while asleep. Atsushi is no scientist, but he's pretty sure that the normal rules as he knows them don't apply here. He tries to smile; it's not very heartfelt.]

... I guess it's pointless to think about, isn't it? This is so far beyond me... I wasn't even sure I believed in aliens, before.

[More to the point: he'd just never thought about it.]

[buraiha]

[ there's a sombre note there, one that speaks to a helplessness that oda supposes is inherent in kids. truth to be told, oda feels like he should feel more out of his depth. confusion, perhaps. a spark of conflict. some nameless emotion that can only be elicited from the prospect of the end of the world.

but he feels nothing. it had been all over for him, back then. this is just a continuation of that. it strikes oda that he ought to change the topic to something a little less upsetting, if only for the kid's sake. but oda's never been one to change predestined paths. he simply goes with the cards that he's been dealt. ]

Wait and see what happens next, whatever that is. [ someone once said that to him. it wasn't all that long ago. it's sound advice, which is why he's repeating it. ] Figure it out then. You've got time.

[ there's no rush in getting all the answers. what the people who yanked them out of their worlds have done is given them more time, for better or for worse. might as well use that time. ]

[gekkajuu]

That's true. [His smile is a little awkward, embarrassed to have bothered Oda with his insecurities maybe. He doesn't mind looking weak like that, but if it makes other people worry about him, that's wrong, isn't it?] If anything... I should make use of the time I have.

[Six months, is what he'd agreed on with Akutagawa. Akutagawa isn't awake yet, but Atsushi should be grateful for every extra day he gets that way. He just needs to find people to train with. Maybe a few more VR sessions are in order.]

[buraiha]

[ it's not a particularly open smile, one that's tinged with self-deprecation and embarrassment. but it's not really oda's place to call him out on it, what with having known the kid for all of ten minutes, and so he does not remark upon it. ]

That's what time's for. [ to be used, probably. he's always squandered his own, but he thinks other people can make much better use of it. they ought be able to. it's only natural.

he puts down his spoon. ] I'm Oda. Got a name?

[gekkajuu]

[Even Atsushi, who doesn't exactly mind putting some work in, has wasted a lot of time, being too afraid or insecure to act. But it's different now. Six months. Six months from the time Akutagawa wakes up, anyway - but that could happen at any moment, so Atsushi needs to be prepared.

Full of determination, he's snapped out of it by Oda's question, eyes widening. He almost feels busted, thinking he might eventually be able to beat Akutagawa.] It's Atsushi. Nakajima Atsushi.

Nice to meet you.