Test Drive Meme #1 (cw vehicular crash, moderate injury)

[spoofer]

Test Drive Meme #1

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

You don't need an invite to test
but please remember we're currently invite-only

CRASH LANDING

Exit one dimension, enter the next. It was chaos: pressure against your ears, light bending in an impossible, unimaginable way. The very molecules of your body vibrating against one another. If you have windows, the view outside makes no sense. Even if not, your hands, your face, your feet seem like an uncertain thing. It's the feel of reality itself tearing apart, reshaping, reconnecting, thread by thread.

And suddenly, there's a beach— or ocean, whichever you land in. Smoke. Fire. Salt water churning up, fizzing around.

Maybe you crash, in a ship wrecking into sand. Maybe you merely stumble out of a portal, a ragged wormhole in space. Or maybe you fall off the back of an incredible steed, some creature that carried you into this place. Either way, there's pandemonium around you. Incredibly, severe injuries are far and few between— nobody's screaming about the dead. But you might have to help pull someone free of wreckage, or move quickly to salvage burning belongings from the landing craft. Maybe it's the crafts themselves, that you're trying to salvage.

Likely, you don't know them, these other strangers who arrived here^[1]. Maybe you don't trust them— you just came out of a dying world, after all. But you all have one thing in common: you're here now.

When you get a second to breathe, maybe you'll see it. The brilliant green forest across the sand. Beyond that, the glint of a faraway city.

INTO THE WOODS

Your first night at Xistentia does not feature five-star accommodations, but as the sun begins to set, the forest offers everything you need to survive. By now, you may even have met your daemon, who'll help guide you through this. There is fallen wood to make fires for warmth and cooking, any number of rabbits, deer, and fish if that's what you're into eating. Those very same animals also provide guidance as to what vegetation is edible, including a variety of vine mushrooms, fruits, and flowers. If you're the kind of creature that mostly eats other sentient creatures, well. Technically, there are a lot of those hanging out too^[2]! Now and then, you'll see tiny, winged humanoid creatures the height of a finger dart in and out of view.

A resourceful group, the multiversal refugees have determined ways to create shelters, using wreckage, supplies, and basic survival knowhow. There aren't enough blankets to go around, but the weather is mild and the fires seem to keep out any aggressive creatures.


Things get quiet. This could be a good time to meet the others under less fraught circumstances. Maybe you'll see some familiar faces and reunite with others who fled from your dying world; maybe you'll meet someone new.

Try not to seek out and fight any Rock Trolls. It's still early.

ENTER THE CITY

The city is beautiful, even with the vines covering everything, the streams running down half the streets, the massive white deer leaping off under the highway overpasses. The architecture of the skyscrapers is incredible to look at, modern and sweeping. It's clear that terraced gardens were part of the building design, and some of the greenery that lines the street had been part of the original city plan. This is a city of great potential.

And it knows you're here. As you walk by, beacons like streetlamps begin to emit a gentle glow, registering your presence. No doors are locked, though you might find yourself chasing out nests of silver-winged birds and bug-eyed rabbits.

Here, you can claim empty shops or the clothing and other sales items inside of them. Apartment complexes aren't difficult to find in a range of sizes; nor are standalone homes, brownstones, loft studios. Penthouses may not feel like penthouses when there's a thin layer of dust growing on everything and a flower growing out of the sink, but you know what? Maybe that little bud is gonna be your first roommate.

It's the strangest thing. After a few days, the lights begin to work and the water begins to run, fully operational within the unseen sewer system. At some point, the keys to your house or residence are going to turn up. Your daemon will help you find what you need. F.A.TE.S. welcomes you.

NETWORK

By now you've settled in. You have some time to explore the city, the woods, and your new kit.

Chances are pretty good that your daemon is not a phone or a computer or a wax-sealed piece of parchment or a Howler, nothing with a convenient camera or a keyboard; it probably isn't even a pocket sized. Likelier, it stares at you with eyes that contain the lenses-- or powers-- of a camera, and some part of its body projects a holographic keyboard into the air. For those of us who are not accustomed to manipulating intangible light prisms, it's about as intuitive to type on as shaping a cloud with your fingers.

But here's your network access. Accessible to all your fellow travelers in XISTENTIA.

Misfires, typos, and blurry video footage are likely. Time to feel like a Luddite!

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

hells yeah

Footnotes

1. Some of these can be nameless, plot-device NPCs to facilitate interactions! But even in this case, please avoid gore in describing their current state of being. Anyone dead or catastrophically injured will have disappeared by the time your characters make it to Xistentia. There are no corpses or dying here.
   
   
2. But like OOCly ask permission ofc.

Comments

[cantseame]

More than I can express.

[His voice comes out a little meek, but earnest.]

I kept hoping I would see you again, that Pyrius could meet you. I just... Didn't expect it to be like this. I didn't expect to be up and moving after how messed up we got in that fight.

[It still hasn't quite hit him tht everything is gone.]

Figures I get stronger and it all amounts to bunk.

[He looks a bit sullen, but there's not much else he can do right now. Not until he has more information. But hey, company could be a hell of a lot worse.]

I've got some food on me if you're hungry.

[hasitsthorns]

[ Oh. Exactly the answer she was looking for, actually. There's something strangely satisfying about the thought that she was someone worth missing. Maybe she shouldn't be smiling right now but she is. ]

That's how it seems to go, don't it? Sorry, dude. I know it sucks. [ 'Sucks' is a bit of an understatement.

She has to give a shake of her head at the offer, stomach still reeling from that world-hop. ] No, but thanks. I don't think I could keep it down and I wouldn't want to waste it.

[cantseame]

[He nods, withdrawing some half eaten jerky from his pack. It hasn't hit him until now just how hungry he is.]

We should probably figure out where we're gonna crash for the night.

[hasitsthorns]

[ She perks up a little at the mention of 'we.' Rose hadn't expected that, honestly, but can't deny it's preferable at this moment. The woman wasn't about to let anyone important to her out of her sight for the time being.

Though with that in mind... ]

I, uh. I was gonna' head towards the city [ emphasized with a point towards it ] and see if I couldn't find any others from Eudio.

[cantseame]

[If she entertained even the remotest idea he was gonna ditch her, boy, was she in for a surprise.]

I think I saw some people when I was riding the waves, but I can't be sure. I'll come with you.

[He pauses, giving her a look over, his brows furrowed in concern.]

You're not hurt are you?

[hasitsthorns]

[ To be fair, she wasn't about to let him either but... she had been prepared for the possibility he might want to split off on his own in case he wanted to search for anyone he might know too. ]

I guess we'll find out, [ she agrees, giving a whistle for all her dogs to follow. Apollod leads the herd towards the city. ]

I mean, I'm not gonna' say no to a little healing magic if that's what you're offering. [ Joking, again. Mostly, again. There's another mage who's healing hands she's already missing but... with any luck,
they'll find him soon. ]

[cantseame]

[Some ways off in the distance, what looks to be a Jellyfish floats behind them, persistently mirroring Farraige's movements.]

Think I should save that for emergencies, just getting here took a lot out of me.

[From his expression, it was clear he was hearing something speak, even if Rosie couldn't.]

And someone else has an opinion to share on the matter. It never makes this much noise unless it feels threatened.

[hasitsthorns]

[ The jellyfish doesn't escape notice, but it does seem to be hanging back a bit for... whatever reason. She'll let it be but has already kind of pieced together that that's probably his daemon. It makes sense, seeing as how water's his specialty. ]

Hey, no complaints for me. If you need to take a break or anything, let me know.

[ 'Someone else'? Her gaze goes back to the jellyfish and then to him. ]

Well, I can't blame it. I feel pretty threatened and all too with what's going on.

[cantseame]

[Meanwhile Farraige seems to be going out of his way to ignore it.]

I should be okay to keep walking. I just need to be careful how much magic I try to use right now.

[He raises the arm with the bracelet, slightly nodding his head in its direction.]

I've never been capable of teleportation or time magic. That was all... Well, my little hitchhiker's doing.

[hasitsthorns]

Alright, if you're sure.

[ ...Hm. That's interesting. She'll definitely have to ask about that, eventually. ]

At least it was able to do something helpful! That's good, right? I'll have to thank it for getting you to me mostly safe and sound.

[cantseame]

Don't misunderstand. That thing hasn't helped me except for the sake of its own self preservation. At least when it isn't trying to give me a headache.

[He pauses for a moment, gaze a million miles away. When he snaps back to, he looks a bit more at ease, rather than the growing irritation that was present in his voice and mannerisms.]

Sorry. Got it to quiet down. I am glad to see you though, truly.

[hasitsthorns]

Even if it's only saving you to save itself, well, I'm alright with that. It means you'll have more protection at least in case anything here happens. Not that I'm trying to jinx us or anything, of course.

[ Especially since this place isn't about to be near as cuddly as Eudio was. Well. She's definitely going to cuddle people still, but... The environment is a lot more inhospitable than the island had been.

It might not be a necessity to be affectionate here, but the habit to after half a year of regular intimacy comes easier than expected.
Like how she grabs his hand while they're walking for no other reason than she wants to. ]

Me too. I wish it was under better circumstances, but... I'll take what I can get.

[cantseame]

[He immediately squeezes her hand back. It's nice to have that familiar warmth, it helps ground him, know that she feels real while his mind is still reeling. Despite his demeanor, he's probably going to go to pieces sooner or later.]

Even if this didn't happen now, you can bet it's a shore thing I would've tried to find you when I was powerful enough to travel.

[Hey, he almost went more than a few hours without making a pun. That's showing restraint. Or just how shaken he really is.]

[hasitsthorns]

[ She's happy to help any way she can. Honestly, this is also just as helpful for her as it is him; she's shaken herself but used to putting on a brave face. ]

Oh my gosh, [ she can't help but laugh. She would've missed those puns as unbearable as they are. ]

Really though? You would've come looking for me? I'm not worth all that trouble.

[ It's nice to entertain the idea that she might be though. ]

[cantseame]

The only reason I didn't devote all my time researching a way was because I still had my masters' missi--...

[Oh, right. That's all gone. Let's not linger on that until we're safe.]

Well I say you are, and I'm clearly wise enough to be right. Comes with the whole wizard thing.

[hasitsthorns]

[ Devote all his time? To finding a way to get back to her? Granted, it might not have been entirely for her but she can't deny the thought causes her heart to flutter just a little. She hadn't realized she'd made that much of an impression on him.

Though she's glad she did. ]

I can't argue with that. I haven't met a wizard yet who wasn't wise in their own way, so... I'll take your word for it. [ A beat. ] Hopefully we won't have to worry about trying to find each other again for at least a little while.

[ For as long as it takes to get the universe up and running right again, at least. ]

[cantseame]

[As Kelphead has learned, good company has been very hard to come by. And she's definitely good company.]

You still have that bracelet I made for you?

[hasitsthorns]

Of course I do. Didn't notice? [ she asks, raising her other wrist and giving it a slight shake. On it is the braclet he'd given her all that time ago for him. ]

Will it still work here, y'think? [ She'd like to know when he's close or be able to ping him herself still. ]

[cantseame]

It should. We can test it when we have a moment to rest. It only relies on my presence being nearby.

[He gives her hand another slight squeeze. Yeah, she's not slipping away from him again if he can help it.]

[hasitsthorns]

[ She hadn't noticed it go off when he first arrived, but... There had definitely been other pressing matters, of course, so maybe it had and just escaped her notice. He's right. They'll have to test it out later. ]

Alright, sounds good to me, [ said as she smiles at that squeeze of her hand. ]

S'not like we won't have time now, I guess...