TEST DRIVE: JANUARY

[empevents]

— TEST DRIVE: JANUARY —

Welcome to empatheias' test drive meme. This test drive is to help interested players test their characters in the game's environment. We've included a few prompts that incorporate specific elements of the game, though you'll find all of them have a lot of leeway for players to get as creative as necessary. Before diving in, here are a few things we'd like to remind everyone about the game in general:

• Date reminders. Reserves open Friday, December 25th and Applications (Canon | OC) open Friday, January 1st.
  
  
• OC Reminder! Just a quick reminder that original characters are currently allowed. Those interested can also use the test drive. OCs do not need to be reserved.
  
  
• Emotions are key! Empatheias' premise focuses on how anyone's emotions can affect their environment, be it big or small. While not every emotion will cause a reaction, significant ones definitely will. How much effect a character will have will ultimately be up to you, the player. Also, while we're giving a lot of leeway for the test drive, keep in mind that there will be some limits in the actual game.
  
  
• Everyone has an amulet. All characters have a unique amulet that is specialized for them. It will contain all of their emotion drops and it serves as the network device. Remember, communication is telepathic. Otherwise, it works basically the same.
  
  
• Assume the character is already in the game. Because "OMG WHERE AM I IS THIS REAL LIFE" threads aren't going to be very helpful in this test drive! Plus those are going to happen in-game, anyway. So to make things easier, just assume that they've been around at least a week or so. Still learning the ropes, but not a complete "first day" experience.
  
  
• First or third person allowed. Your threads can be in either first or third, but we'd advise being flexible about it. Remember, these threads can also be used in your application for samples! Reminder: We only require one sample and it can be done in either format. We have also made a change to our sample requirements, so look over the Applications page!

Now with that out of the way, here are some prompts you guys can work from!


PROMPTS

• Prompt A: How about giving the emotions a try?

• Prompt B: Refer to the Task Board and choose a task your character may be interested in taking up. For this prompt, you could have your character ask for help, already be in the middle of the job, or react to it in some way. Perhaps they were an unfortunate victim or want to create a job countering an existing one. You could even have a prompt making a job request. Creating jobs for the purpose of the test drive is absolutely doable.

• Prompt C: How about giving the amulets a go? Start a telepathic conversation and see how it works. Remember, the amulets are sending out the owner's thoughts so might want to be careful about how the stream of consciousness goes...

• Prompt D: A new card game is sweeping through the streets of Verens: "Magica Ex Arehtei." Players take on the role of an Otherworlder and form battle decks out of minions, monsters, dunamis, and even the Arehtei themselves. It’s insanely complicated in its details, but this hasn’t stopped a seller from handing you a starter deck and all but pushing you into a chair to face an opponent… who may have just been conscripted themselves.

• Prompt E: After a long period of quiet (something about ‘emotional and physical harm to Empatheias’ and ‘manufacturing plush weapons without a Class E(X) license’), toy manufacturers have flooded merchant stalls and storefronts with a new offering, the hyper-cute stuffed Thras. No negative emotions, they promise! Plush Thras is so full of bravery, he’ll inspire anyone who holds him to new heights of courage and valor!

Naturally, magiscience has gone too far, and picking up the doll instills you with vigor, energy, and fearlessness past the point of recklessness.

• Prompt F: Thundersnow! A phenomenon in which a snowstorm is accompanied by lightning and thunder, and not a terribly uncommon one in Empatheias. But today’s thundersnow is more like an apocablizzard -- lighting lashes through the sky and lances down to catch buildings and trees with its fury, all hidden behind whirling sheets of billowing snowflakes that have blanketed the city in a foot of snow with no sign of stopping.

The outside is cold, windy, miserable, and potentially dangerous. Are you trapped in a building you didn’t expect to be in? Or perhaps you’ve joined up with an emergency emotion squad, trying to impose calm or cheer on the raging storm?

• Prompt G: Make your own! It could include lumps of coal or moose.

For your threads, put the Character Name and the Canon in the subject line to help readily identify them. You're also welcome to use more than one prompt for respondents to choose from. If you have any questions or want to brush up on the game information, refer to the Game Information entry. Otherwise, tag around and have fun!

Comments

[explodewiththerage]

[They stay like that for a while longer but just as the lights start coming back on around them, well those that didn't pop or shatter during the earlier moments, Natsu slowly pulls away though not completely.]

I think...we should get off from the ground.

[celestial_wizard]

[ Do we have to? ... she doesn't say that of course. She was reluctant to move right away though, lingering slightly. ]

Y-yeah. Yeah, okay... [ She didn't want to pull too far from him though, still a little worried about him. So it was good that he didn't pull completely away. Although now she felt a tiny bit awkward after that emotional display. ]

Um... [ Maybe they should go back to ... whatever rooms they were staying? She didn't want to leave him alone though. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[To be honest having her close like this was already doing wonders for Natsu. The support helped immensely when it came to clear those clouds over his heart and mind.

The wound on his face isn't something all that pleasant to look at especially not given the tumble he took when Lucy so rightfully slapped him.]

So where the heck are we? This doesn't look like any city we've been to.

[celestial_wizard]

[ She let out a breath, relieved that he found a topic before she did. Something to focus on, yay. ]

I think they call the place Verens or...something like that. It's... obviously not on Earthland anywhere. I guess we kind of got pulled here like...sort of like how we ended up in Edolas that one time.

[ She felt a little bad about hitting him, but he -did- deserve it. And she was making up for it, staying close to him, even reaching for his hand to stay close and support him. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[Natsu looks around briefly before nodding to Lucy's words. her theory has the most credence after all.]

Yeah looks that way. Though if we're here some of the others might be too.

[Except he's not exactly keen on facing anyone else except maybe Happy. After all the things he learned would shake the world of so many people he knows and cares about.]

[celestial_wizard]

[ She would stand with him if he chose to tell anyone else. And if anyone else in Fairy Tail thought to judge him she would step in there too. ]

Yeah... though I haven't heard from anyone on this... um.. thing that I spoke to you on. So it's ... possible they aren't here yet, or... or ... [ at all. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[Well there is that matter with Gray. Which kind of puts a chill down his spine thinking how gung ho the ice queen was about destroying the book of E.N.D. his book. His lethal weakness. No the second lethal weakness.]

Damn....well I guess we should look around. Maybe find a place to stay.

[celestial_wizard]

[ Not even Gray would do something so heinous. And if he tried, he'd have a lot more than Natsu to worry about. ]

Yeah. Maybe we'll get lucky and find a place that's close by to each other. Unless... [ She hesitates. Suggesting that he share a place with her? Honestly... awkwardness and embarrassing situations aside she... didn't feel comfortable letting him stay alone. ]

Erm... do you want to ...to share a place..? I mean... you'd have your own room or you'd sleep on the couch of course.., but... [at least they'd be close by, and she could keep an eye on him. Well if she were being honest with herself she'd admit that she wanted him to stay with her. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[Well Natsu certainly didn't feel like just letting Gray kill him over a stupid misguided personal quest. After all Zeref said it. E.N.D. had nothing to do with the actual creation or decision making of Tartaros. But even without that. He promised Lucy not to leave again. Letting Gray kill him would break that promise. He's already broken way too many towards Lucy.]

Huh? Of course I'll share.

[After all it's not like his precious house is in this place most likely. No attachment. So why wouldn't he stay with Lucy? No that's not it. He needs to stay close to her.]

[celestial_wizard]

[ It was a good thing neither of them were connecting the dots about their emotions quite yet, because Natsu's agreement with sharing the house made the sun shine just a bit brighter. BUT that was her imagination, surely. The smile was no illusion though, as she nodded quickly. ]

Okay, that... that'll make it easier on both of us. Let's ..head down to the residential quarter then. [ She was expecting an apartment - but when she thought about it she didn't remember seeing any apartment buildings. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[With their own troubles distracting them, it's rather understandable they haven't taken notice of this particular trait. It is only a matter of time though. For now securing lodgings is that much more important.]

Uhhh which way is that?

[Because he hasn't exactly wandered around enough to know what smell leads where.]

That icon makes me giggle every time. XD

[celestial_wizard]

[ She chuckled softly, a little tired now that the adrenaline from her panicked sprint through town, and then yelling at him and all those emotions involved had been put on the back burner for the time being. Giving his hand a slight squeeze, she pointed. ]

Back the way I came. It isn't far.

[ She wasn't letting go of his hand for even a second though, leading him back away from the Observatory until they came to the Residential Quarter. Numerous cottages and multi level homes laid out on either side of the street. It was just a matter of finding out how they could set up a residence for themselves. ]

[And rightfully so~]

[explodewiththerage]

[Natsu was not much better. No in terms of energy drain, his case was much more severe. After all he went against Zeref and a fraction of his army from Alvarez]

Okay. Lead the way.

[It's funny really. Even though his hand is trapped in Lucy's he doesn't think even for a moment about pulli9ng it back or letting go.]

[celestial_wizard]

[ She never thought about it, because she'd get embarrassed if she did, but the little gestures she did could easily be misconstrued as something else. She was most worried about Natsu's injuries, and she could sense that he was tired on multiple levels. It took some doing, but when she reached the Residential Quarter she was able to find someone to give them some advise and get them set up with an unoccupied cottage. ]

Wow... we lucked out on this one. The rent isn't bad for a cottage with two bedrooms. [ She glanced over at Natsu, knowing he must be exhausted and ... his nights were probably not going to be that great for a while. If that wasn't the understatement of all understatements she didn't know what was. She unlocked the door to step inside, and only then did she let go of his hand. ]

You can go ahead and pick yours. I'm sure the rooms are probably identical.

[explodewiththerage]

[She was more close to the truth than either of them even realized. While there were still concerns and lingering guilt for several other things, the exhaustion was what hit him even harder.

Even so he powered through until they finally found their new home away from home. Though there was a faint hint of disappointment when she let go.]

Well I guess I might as well...

[Though they both probably knew deep down he'd end up in Lucy's bed regardless.]

[celestial_wizard]

[ She... probably wouldn't kick him out of her bed if she found him sleeping next to her. She'd even let him stay until he was feeling better. And hope by the time that came she wouldn't be so used to him sleeping next to her that she'd just forget to kick him out. She glanced over to him. ]

I should have picked up some bandages and things..and some food. [ That'll be next on the list. She sighed, stepping forward, slipping both arms around him for a tight hug. Things will get better. They would get through this. ...Oh god what is she doing. ... she blushes slightly, moving to step back just as quickly. ]

Um..m-maybe there's at least some first aid kits in the bathroom.

[explodewiththerage]

[He didn't even flinch at the hug, finding it so comforting. He needed that. Needed that more than he could ever bring himself to admit outright.]

Hm? Oh yeah that's probably it. Why don't you go check?

[Though he doesn't really want her to. Something which isn't really conveyed in words.]

[celestial_wizard]

[ She glanced over towards the bathroom, and then back towards him. ]

... yeah... yeah, I will. But... you should get some rest first. Come here.

[ She reached for his hand to tug him over to the couch so he could sit down with her. Priority one was taking care of her partner, and that meant getting comfortable and rested. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[He's being silly. Silly and weak and that's so not like him. But after having so many of his foundations so completely and utterly shattered by revelations, it would be more surprising if he just bounced back from it all like nothing happened.]

Oh. ALright.

[He follows Lucy over to the couch and just drops himself on on his rear on the soft cushions of the couch.]

I hope Happy's okay...

[celestial_wizard]

[ She couldn't blame him, really. She didn't know what the asshole said to Natsu to make him doubt himself so much like this, but she knew she had her work cut out for her to fix it. She never wanted to see him the way he was moments earlier. Once he settled beside her, she reached out with both arms to gently pull him down so he could rest his head in her lap - keeping his wound face up of course. A faint blush dusting her cheeks, she glanced away briefly, and then looked back down to him. ]

Happy ... Happy and everyone will be fine.

[ She believed that most of all. That was why she could be calm - although Natsu was unbelievably strong, and he couldn't defeat Zeref. And he was reduced to such a mess after what Zeref said - no no, she couldn't start doubting now. The lights flickered only briefly, before she focused on what was important; her partner. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[Of all the things he expected getting a sudden lap pillow from Lucy was the last thing to come to his mind. But with the wound on his cheek still rather fresh, that naturally meant he would end up more or less facing Lucy's stomach.

This...is actually kind of really nice. Especially in his current state of mind.]

[celestial_wizard]

[ Of all the things she thought she'd ever do, letting him use her as a lap pillow was definitely not one of them. But she wanted to do whatever she could to help comfort him, and make him feel better. She had to keep herself from panicking with the way he faced her, though there were some nervous twitches when her hand lowered to brush against his hair. This would help, right? A..although she was kind of trapped if he fell asleep like this. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[He closes his eyes after a while, a look of peace and comfort slowly settling in over his features. Safe. This feels safe. But that's only because of Lucy.]

Thanks...

[celestial_wizard]

[ She didn't know if he was going to fall asleep like that, but ...she won't mind if he did rest a little. Stars, she knew he needed it in a -big- way, and if she could help him relax after everything she'd learned and he went through, well, that was fine. It was just the two of them. She smiled faintly, watching his face as he closed his eyes. She owed him so much, being a pillow was only a chip in the wall. And she could have lost him. ... No, stop, don't dwell. Dwelling helped no one. ]

[explodewiththerage]

[Seeing how she didn't answer to his gratitude, Natsu went quiet for a while and just turned his head into her stomach a little more, immersing himself in her scent, her warmth, just her overall presence that was more soothing than anything else in the world right now.]

Sorry.