dagung | TDM: April

Test Drive: April

All threads can be considered game canon,

the prompts and test drive itself will be

• Reserves Open Today! If you're interested in securing a spot, put one in! We accept applications without reserves too, of course. Reserves will expire three days before the end of the application period, on the 28th.
• Applications Open The 24th! These will last until the end of the month, the 30th, with the game formally beginning on May 1st. The application page can be found here.
• If you have any questions about the game or the world, please refer to the FAQ page; if you still have questions, feel free to ask them! For questions specific to the test drive, please ask them on the appropriate thread.
• For the purposes of the test drive, your character will have access to all magics taught by the Coven if they're a Witch, and as much of their shifted form as you'd like if they're a Monster. Feel free to play around and experiment with each!
• Test drive threads can be used as samples for your applications!

You feel like you're floating. Around you, colors and sounds and smells swirl as if trapped in a whirlpool, vibrancy and hue ever shifting. The more you watch them, the less solid they are; they only become clear out of the corner of your eye. The area around you begins to feel more solid as well, until your feet are on the ground, the wind brushes playfully against your face -

and you know one thing, and one thing alone: this is a dream, and an incredibly realistic one at that.

The Tea Party

The air turns a sweeter smell, almost like a bakery; the gentle laughter and chatter of living creatures filters in through leaves that brush against you, hanging from winding vines that hang from above. Flowers in shades of orange and red glow faintly among the greenery, their petals curling in shyly once they're paid attention to. As the area comes more into focus, the shadows of insect-winged forms become clearer, flitting about - talking about some kind of party, about a Queen, about the Courts meeting on neutral ground for the first time in a thousand years.

You're not entirely sure what's going on, and it doesn't seem as if anyone's noticed you've arrived - but three different paths unfurl in your mind's eye, vague in shape and meaning.

A Taste of Faeryland...
Following the voices, you find them: smaller-than-average humanoids with thin limbs, a variety of wings (prismatic butterfly, fuzzy moth, delicate bee - all of it), large, glittering compound eyes, antennas fitting their winged insect-type... Those familiar with the tales of the fae might recognize these Monsters as something similar. They greet you as if you were an old friend regardless of your appearance, inviting you to sit down at the table - which seems to go on forever in the large dining hall-esque canopy of nature they have set up, lined with elegant porcelain tableware and shimmering orbs of magic.

The food is similarly endless, ranging from the familiar to the unusual, and careful observation (or just plain digging in) shows the following effects: breakfast foods make you glow and emit colorful sparks, brunch foods get you floating as if filled with bubbles, lunch foods will make you feel as if you've taken part in happy hour, dinner foods will make you insatiably hungry, and dessert will make you feel as if you should simply stay in Faeryland forever... It's possible to mix and match these with effects, but do be careful.

The creatures present speak in high, lilting voices about nothing in particular at all - if asked anything serious, they merely give the character a curious if disproving look and say it's impolite to speak of politics over a meal. Ask something a little more lighthearted though, and they laugh and still... don't quite answer, patting your hand and asking if you'd like an extra slice of buttered bread and jam. The tables aren't exactly the best place for eavesdropping and learning what's going on, it seems - but there are plenty of exits out of the dining hall. Large, beetle-like Fae stand guard at the entrances of various hallways outside of the hall in the castle though, preventing anyone from entering them. When asked, they simply reply these are to private quarters that ordinary guests aren't allowed into and refuse to budge on the matter.

A Coalition of Interests...
The Seelie and the Unseelie Courts of the Fae - whether you know them or not, evidently it's a big deal that they're meeting tonight. Or over several days and nights; the Fae themselves seem to be in a bit of an argument over how long they actually want to stay in the same company as their counterparts, neutral ground of the Dewaint Forest. Regardless, there are no marked differences between the two physically, and they all speak of a singular Queen heading them; behaviorally, though, that's another thing entirely.

Those of the Seelie Court are quicker to engage in conversation and prefer it one-on-one, hardly allowing a word in edgewise and getting irritated when interrupted; their pranks are usually mildly malicious, with spells causing uncontrollable laughter, color changes, and charms to make the charmee fall in love at first sight with whomever they see first peppering their repertoire. Returning to their good graces is fairly easy - the gift of something pretty as an apology tends to work, but each Fae has their own very particular gift they like. If it's messed up even a little bit, they won't accept it, and will merely play another trick upon the giftee.

Those of the Unseelie Court, meanwhile, are a little harder to talk to; they prefer to prank and trick first to test those they might be interested in as a group, not unlike children trying to get the attention of someone they like by pulling their hair. Their pranks usually range from genuine hurt (such as pulling hair, stinging nettles, or simply beating them with bound vines) to curses (losing one's voice, the head of an ass, or full-scale animal transformations). Withstanding these, or standing up to these Fae, earns as much of their ire as it does their respect - the truly respectful human will be subjected to headpats and collars, like a pet.

A Treacherous Adventure...
As beautiful as it is outside of the main dining hall and newly-grown castle (just for the momentous occasion itself, going by the rumors!), Faeryland as a whole is mired in danger. The wrong step sends one tumbling down a rabbit hole full of interesting sights, landing in a wide field of drooping flowers that snore softly and scream bloodcurdling loud when awoken. No matter how long one walks, discovering both familiar and unfamiliar sights, never ends in finding the castle again. In fact, it's much easier to find yourself accidentally going deeper into the woods. The exceptionally tall trees of the Dewaint Forest show hints of decay and rot, the smell of the dead barely covered by the flowers desperately growing across the blackened bodies of Fae and other animals that wandered too close to the growing infection in the area.

What look like corpses will tremble and rise when they sense someone is close by - their eyes and mouth are pure white, contrasting with the darkness around them, and throughout the shell are cracks of a similarly pulsing whiteness; it smells magical, it feels incredibly heavy and overpowering, and it might just be too powerful for those most sensitive to the corruption and to magic. The shadowy creatures' wings are larger than normal and monstrous, with their bodies held up by the dew-crying flowers that simultaneously hold them back yet sneak their roots closer to grab those who awakened them and drag them closer. Where the monster begins and ends with the corrupted nature it's made its bed in isn't completely clear, but one thing is: it's very, very hungry.

Thankfully, it's a good thing some of you have new abilities at hand, and some of you have a few neat changes to help. Teaming up makes things go quicker, and once defeated, these creatures bleed white magic and disappear in ashy smoke, shell breaking off in bits to reveal a dried-up corpse of a Fae. Nothing else remains, not even a hint to their identity, and the more of these monstrously-turned Monsters characters meet, the bigger and more terrifying they get.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[~~Lord, she isn't straight enough for this~~ Euuuugh. Even if she's aware of what this idol's archetype was, being from an all-girls' school, she isn't used to... this. And in her perspective, he's laying it on pretty thick. Rather than blush, it's quite the opposite, a bit of color leaving her face as she averts her gaze.]

H-Hmph, spare your meaningless flirtations. A "mortal" like you can't sway a "Lucifer" like me with such empy flatteries. [Ugh, this so awkward that even she's having difficulty maintaining her facade.] 'sides, if you can touch it like that, can't ya just undo it yourself?

Hahah... a Lucifer what? [ Just ignore it and keep going. ] Mmh, naturally I tried to take it off all by myself, but either there's no latch on the back or there's some kind of trick to it? It's more complicated than I thought it'd be.

[ He's not going to say it... that it's probably magicked onto him or whatever, but it's at least heavily implied. It's beyond strange to have something ]

Or maybe it just needs that special touch from a certain someone... ?

[Really, dude? She can't help but grimace at the mention of a "special touch," given that she's recently found out how her healing magic and other things worked for her, but... While the flirting was a bit annoying, Kaoru is a member of one of her favorite groups, so she should show a little respect. And maybe she does feel a little sorry for him, so...]

Urgh... Wish you coulda phrased it less weird, but I gotcha. My magic for that kinda thing ain't that strong though, I need a conduit if it ain't about burnin' things to a crisp.

[And, she reaches out with a hand, as if going in for a shake.]

Here. Gimme your hand, Kaoru-san.

[ Burn things to a crisp... ? Not sure he likes the sound of that, but if she's willing to help him in a way that's not about to singe the leather right off his neck, then... he's totally okay with that. Less pain is good. No pain is even better, actually.

But he gladly offers his hand, obedient as ever in front of a pretty girl. A girl who just so happens to possibly be... his only hope here. Maybe.

He's got to get this off to avoid anymore future judgment, okay? ]

[Gosh, so internally dramatic, Kaoru. Then again, practically everyone in their shared universe in.

Anyway, weird as it is to hold hands with some guy she's seen often on TV and CD covers and things, there's no way around it. So, Suzu hesitates only a little bit as she takes Kaoru's hand into hers, and closes her eyes to concentrate. Eventually, she manages to channel her magical energy into Kaoru, manifesting itself into a tingling sensation that flows from his hand, up his arm, and then to his neck---That flow maintains itself as the collar around Kaoru's neck starts shaking in place, as if it's trying to undo itself.

Suzu allows this to keep up for a few minutes, before she just gives up and cuts the flow. Opening her eyes, she sighs in frustration.]

... Shit, that thing's pretty strong. I can think of one more way of makin' the current stronger, but I don't really wanna...

[That last part comes out in a childishly whiny tone. It's embarrassing, and she has some reservations of using that method for a dude she barely knows on a personal level---]

[ Uh, hello? Who would he be if he wasn't dramatic all the time?? ]

Whoa, whoa. That feels... it's a weird feeling, like... I don't know how to describe it.

[ He's feeling gingerly around the leather collar, fingertips brushing against tiny scorched spots lined up along the inside. It's amazing if not a little scary, and there's obvious wonder plastered across his stupid, handsome face.

He's about to say something dumb again. Go figure. ]

Hmm... almost like I could feel your affection coursing through me? That's what it is, I bet. After all, they say love is another form of magic, right?

[... Wow, seriously man? "Love is another kind of magic"? What kind of un-rock Oj*maj* D*R*Mi shit is she hearing right now? Even if it was somehow true, as someone who boasts about how dark and evil she is, she doesn't want to hear it!!!!

Fan as she is, senior as Kaoru may be, Suzu's temper far triumphs any basic due respect she owes, as her patience quickly gets thinner. She scowls up at him as her grip on his hand tightens, like she's trying to crush it.]

Haaah? Quit goin' on and on about love or whatever bullshit; I ain't about that life. If ya keep that up, I'm ditchin' you for real. You want me to help ya out or not?

[ Stop running from the truth!! Not that he's going to press the matter any further though, not when she's on the verge of snapping one of his finger or something. Help. He winces, taken completely aback by an outburst that he might've seen coming if they were closer on any sort of level. ]

Ow -- okay, okay!

[ Who knew UNDEAD had such a... uh, persuasive fan? That's a nice way of putting it. He's not used to being the one on defense and it's more than a little surprising what with how strong her grip is. Not that it isn't attractive or anything, mind you, and his unsteady little heart is beating frantically out of both excitement and awe. That's... a normal feeling to have, right? ]

I'll quit it for now! Just... ow, quit squeezing my hand so tightly, okay? This isn't the time to be playing rough, so... let's hold off on that for now. I'll be on my best behavior from now on... promise. Really! I seriously want to get this off.

[Geez Kaoru, with that whole internal conflict, maybe it's better to leave that thing on and show the whole world your hidden personality. Satisfied with that response, Suzu simmers down, letting go of his hand to fold her arms across her chest, though she still huffs in mild annoyance.]

Good, 'cause I hate repeatin' myself. Now, if ya want me to keep tryin' to help, get on your knees.

[Okay, look, it almost sounds like she's being hypocritical with her initial judging from before, BUT SHE REALLY HAS A GOOD REASONS FOR REQUESTING THIS---]

You're way too fucking tall. [Too bad she's not so good at explaining those reasons.]

[ Uh. Hmm. It's definitely not the sort of request he expects to hear, especially from a girl that he'd really just met, but... -- okay. They've already gone this far, and it's not as if he doesn't trust the one person trying to help him, so... he holds out hands for space and then obediently drops down gently onto both knees.

No one's going to talk about this after it's all over, right? Not if he can help it, at least.

He gives her a weak smile from... his newly assumed position, and it looks like he doesn't really know what to do with his arms as he's just awkwardly holding them out in front of him. The whispering fae must think that she's mimicking one of their favorite past-times. ]

Got it. It's all on you now, uh... I guess I didn't ask for your name? I might as well ask now, given how close we've gotten in oh, five minutes or so... and I get the feeling calling you Eyepatch-chan will only make things worse for me, right?

Yeah, I would've kicked ya on reflex.

[She admits with little hesitation. Suzu doesn't think Seira would forgive her if she did that, and even if she thinks she has phenomenal cosmic powers as a fallen angel, the idea of hordes of raging fangirls going after her for accidentally ruining Kaoru's face sends a chill down her spine.]

Anyway, you can call me Clo---[Er, maybe it would be better if she didn't user her chuuni name for now, given how serious this was.] Kuromori.

[There. Good compromise.]

Now get over here.

[Sorry dude, she just wants to get this over with and leave. Abruptly, she grabs Kaoru by the shoulders and pulls him into... what appears to be a hug, making sure that his ear---and as a result, his head---is pressed against her chest. Ugh, she doesn't want to do this, but she's found that this is the most effective way of using her magic on other people that doesn't consist of wanton destruction---]

TDM: April

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