TDM: January

[moustre]

Test Drive: January

Welcome to aefenglom's test drive! All threads can be considered game canon, should you choose to do so; regardless of if you pick specific threads to remain canon to the game, the prompts and test drive itself will be. This will be touched on later in-game, so it's fairly important to note! Aside from that, here are some quick reminders:



• 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 31st, with the intro log going up on February 1st. The application page can be found here. As a reminder, this will be our last uncapped application round!
• 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!



With that taken care of...

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 Prehistoric Wilde

Thick summer heat hangs heavy over the uninfected landscape like a damp blanket, smothering. The jungle around you is thick and wet, full of the sounds of chittering animals and the high-pitched drone of insects. The flora and fauna are like nothing you've ever seen before, large and alien in colors and shapes, though they bear no signs of the Cwyld. Flowers the size of a man's head and brightly colored in rainbow hues curl their tendrils invitingly, and giant mosquitoes buzz through the air seeking a meal. You can barely see the glow of the twin moons through the thick canopy above. There are no signs of civilization - at least, not the civilization most will be used to; only the distant sound of the river, compelling you to follow its winding path. But will you go forward, or will you go back?

Rumble in the Jungle Making headway through the jungle at night is a chore. The foliage grows thick and the humid heat is oppressive for even those who enjoy the warmth. There are no clear paths here, no easy way through. The canopy of the ancient trees far, far over your head is just as dense, but the faintest moonlight filters through the holes left by the huge leaves in stippling patterns across the musty forest floor. 'Large' seems to be the theme - lining whatever path you pick your way through, there are pitcher plants massive enough to swallow a grown man, with small animals and giant insects being digested down inside the sticky liquid that fills them. The flowers are as big as a man's head, and come in a rainbow of colors, their venomous tendrils curling toward signs of life. The trunks of some of the trees are as thick as houses, and shade the ground beneath them with leaves like umbrellas. The hand-sized mosquitoes thrive in the sticky heat and if not killed first, can make off with a full pint of blood from an unsuspecting person. At some point in your journey, the ground begins to rumble beneath your feet. The farther you go, the longer you walk, the more signs of life become visible: thick, winding trails of crushed foliage, huge, animalistic footprints in the mud. Luckily, to this world, you are small and insignificant, and may escape the notice of the local Monsters - the massive, prehistoric ancestors of today's Monsters. They seem like giants, colossal Titanoboa Nagas with hollow fangs like swords, towering Fauns with the lower halves of mammoths, sabertooth Turnskins, pterodactyl Harpies with leathery wings. Even the parts of them that resemble humans (and they have far fewer human-like parts than their modern counterparts) are larger than any actual human being. They operate primarily on instinct, made even stronger by the full moons above, and perceive the strange new creatures as threats - or food. Sticking to the river seems safest - at least until you run into megalodon Merrow, singing an alien, but alluring, song to draw in prey, or the apex predator of this prehistoric world - Dragons, bigger and scalier than the ones Mirrorbound may know, stopped to drink at the river. All other Monsters flee from the huge reptiles, lest they become food themselves. Luckily you can defend yourself with your new abilities, or your neat changes - you're small, but not totally helpless. Interesting to note... while all other Monster types are represented, there are no Fae or Chimeras in the Wilde here, and the Vampires are more like huge bat-monsters that traverse the jungle on all fours than humanoid bloodsuckers.

The Natives Going backward, away from the distant sounds of the sea and against the current of the river, leads you through dense jungle. How long have you traversed the landscape? Hours? Days? Time passes funny in dreams. Eventually the trees thin out, grow taller and less leafy, and the air becomes drier. Instead of loamy soil beneath your feet, you start to feel rocky, harder earth, and spot outcroppings of stone. The sun begins to rise, which makes it easier to spot people on the horizon, a little settlement coming to life in the morning, nestled where the river forks into two. They're much hardier than the familiar people of Aefenglom, sunburned and dressed in natural, rough fabrics. Their homes, if one can call them that, are shoddy little structures made of sticks and leaves and mud, pressed up against the sturdiness of the stone formations. And, when they spot strangers approaching their village, they scramble for their weapons - crude clubs, stone axes, even just large rocks snatched up off the ground. The translation magic works on them, thankfully. Their speech is halted and simple, but they get their point across. Tell them who you are, or they'll beat your brains in. Monsters might get their brains beat in anyway if they aren't careful, even though they're much smaller than the Monsters these humans are used to. And Witches? May the gods help you if you use magic in front of these terrified, unevolved people, lest they mistake you for a Fae (the word is whispered with fear and revulsion in their voices) and swarm you with simple iron tools. If you're an actual Fae, an obvious Fae? They'll whisk their children into their huts protectively and then run you right out of the village. Violently. The truly observant, or those who can see through illusions, among you may notice something strange, though. Some Fae actually seem to live among them, heavily cloaked in natural illusions, with the primitive humans none the wiser. There are just a few, but all of them look young, twelve or thirteen at the oldest, and they are all scared of their secret coming to light. Fae who get caught tend to be burned at the stake around here.

The Invaders Perhaps you chose to go forward, with the current and toward the distant sound of ocean waves, where the river pours into the sea. More long-time residents of Aefenglom may notice that the shoreline is familiarly-shaped, but wider, bigger, not yet worn down by thousands of years of erosion. There is no bustling Harbor, only the waves crashing on the rocks, small islands dotting the water near the shore. There is no Bright Wall - there is no city, even, only an expanse of beach transitioning gently into an idyllic grove dotted with gauzy, pointed tents, and a beautiful, gilded ship half sunk into the sandy earth. It seems safer than the jungle, at first - until you notice all the Fae. They're more insectoid than the ones many are familiar with, with big, glittering eyes and either bright, jewel-toned wings like dragonflies or butterflies, or delicate, leafy wings in greens and browns. They're also taller than modern, lesser Fae, though not by much, and they're thin and angular, standing on spindly limbs that barely seem able to hold them. Characters receive a warmer welcome here, by the band of true Fae that have made their camp in the grove, though the alien-looking beings have a tendency to treat them like toys, children, or both, cooing over their sizes and their magic. "Look at the little Monsters! Aren't they cute!" "We should make some of our own! And oh, the little humans have magic! Delightful!" It's hard to have a conversation with one - they're condescending at best, and at worst, flit off to another entertainment out of boredom while you're mid-sentence. And entertainments abound in their camp. They're served and tended to like emperors by collared humans - adults and young adults do the heavy labor, including pulling grand little chariots for transportation, though there are some highly-supervised human children running about fetching drinks and fanning their Fae masters with palm leaves. Farther out, a large, deep pit has been dug out of the earth, ringed by a waist-high barrier of logs, a few Fae gathering at the barrier and leaning over, talking in conversational, happy voices. Down below, Chimera gladiators fight for their amusement, while the Fae keep up running commentary, discussing each warrior's chances, new breeding prospects, interesting crossbreeds their fellows have come up with ("She's trying an Arachne and a Turnskin together, how delightful!"). Trying to disrupt the proceedings will only result in the Fae turning their magic on you - illusions and curses, nasty little tricks. Sit down, silly little ones! The fight is just getting good! Or maybe... Maybe they'll toss you into the pit to see what your chances are in battle.

Comments

atsuko kagari | little witch academia | puca

[recklessbelief]

i. we got fun and games

[She tries numerous times to get the end of her wand to light up. When that doesn't work, she begins shaking it vigorously, her mutterings getting a little more strained not in a panic but in a frustrated whine. She would be willing to privately admit that she's not the best at magic, but she should be able to do this. (It's a dream, too. So, honestly, shouldn't she be able to do any spell she wants regardless of whether or not she can do it awake?) Why is it not working?]

[There's the familiar sound of the violent swish of her wand in the air as she tries light it again, but it ends up being the last as it's swiftly followed by a yelp,]

No!

[Akko tries to blindly grab after it, trying to snatch it out of the air before it can get too far in its trajectory, but all she manages is air. There is a fairly solid thwack somewhere in the near distance and Akko takes a step towards it only to freeze in her tracks at the sound of a low growl. Akko hardly dares breathe, uncertain of where her wand landed and who it landed nearby, but this... This feels different. Akko's not fearless, but she's never been paralyzed like this before. She's always at least been able to run and buy herself some time.]

[The wind picks up, stirring some of the large foliage above and two eyes glint back at Akko in the dark. She wants to scream or close her eyes and will herself awake, but she can't do any of it. She can only stay stock-still, fear flooding every thought of what to do straight out of her head.]

ii. we got everything you want, honey

[One would assume from the abruptness of the yell and its intensity coupled with some frantic spalshing, someone was getting mangled or consumed by one of the gigantic Monsters roaming the land right now. That assumption would be entirely incorrect.]

[The truth is, Akko has only just now realized some of the changes to her features now that she's stopped to take a drink from the river. While this may be a dream, it's still a bit startling to look at one's reflection and suddenly seeing atop your head two short and fuzzy leporine ears. Can Akko really be blamed for slapping at the surface of the water as she backed away from the water's edge?]

[Quieting back down, Akko creeps back over to the edge of the water to inspect them. Slowly, she reaches both hands up to feel them and seems mildly surprised that she can touch them. (No yelling this time, thankfully.)]

When did...?

[Do you point out that they've been there literally since she's been in this dream or just give her a few more minutes to wrap her head around this concept to arrive at the conclusion herself?]

iii. we know the names

[She's been quiet since arriving in the Fae village. Well. Quieter. Akko tried multiple times to talk to literally any of their gigantic bug overlords, but all she's gotten are little coos and one even went so far as to try and pet her. After a while, she didn't exactly give up, but she started trying to come up with a different approach. Arms folded, a furrow in her brow, Akko considered the situation for a few long minutes until a small human child crashed straight into her. By some small miracle, Akko manages to react quickly enough to catch the drink that threatened to tumble off the boy's tray and set it right. His panic, apologies, and quick departure gets Akko to really look around them.]

[It doesn't take much longer before she turns towards her companion in this village.]

Who's in charge of this place?

iv. we are the people that can find whatever you may need (wildcard!)

((feel free to go nuts and do something else if these don't tickle your fancy! akko's adept at getting into trouble, so honestly, anything is possible. if you wanna run something by me first though, hit me up via pm to this journal or on plurk (rebreather)!))

ii

[loverboi]

Uh, pretty sure you had those for a while now.

[ says someone who approaches her from behind. akko will be able to see lance's reflection in the water just before he speaks. yeah, he's seen her around, so he's pretty confident when he says she's had those ears before.

he's naturally drawn to the water, for more reasons than one, and he looks at his own reflection, holding his hand towards the water. he spreads his fingers -- they're webbed. there's also a handful of scales on his forearm that are starting to form. ]

So...did you not have those ears before you got here?

[recklessbelief]

[She jolts a little, but nothing too bad -- being able to see him in the water first lessens a bit of the surprise -- before turning to look at Lance directly.]

Of course not!

[If she sounds a little defensive, it actually has nothing to do with him asking the question. She's now beginning to wonder if Sucy decided to experiment on her again and she really does have little bunny ears in the waking world. She heaves a heavy sigh as she stands up. It's difficult to say whether her uniform really needs dusting off or if she's just doing that for dramatic effect. Or to stall. Who can say?]

[In any case, she starts fiddling with her recovered wand, giving it a few test swings. Maybe this time it will work. She might not be good at most magic, but there's no denying how good she's gotten at transforming.]

I'll just have to turn them back to normal. [And have a talk with Sucy when she wakes up.] That's all.

[loverboi]

Okay, okay!

[ his hands make a 'calm down' sort of motion, though he also understands why she may be distressed right now. in all honesty, he's been kind of stressed about it, too. as cool as being an aquatic being sounds, it definitely feels weird now that it's actually happening to him.

suddenly, he sees her pull out a wand and wave it around. his eyes widen, and while lance has never seen a human do magic before...he also realizes this is all just a dream. might as well roll with it!! ]

Wait, really? You can? [ he sounds hopeful. ] Hey...after you do that, can you change me back, too?

[recklessbelief]

[Someone with sense might recognize that the hope Lance is beginning to get is a false one, and make a little more effort to couch his expectations. But Akko is not that someone and she can't help but feel a little thrilled to hear that hope in his voice. Even if she's a little more motivated these days to follow her dream her own way, she still can't help but aspire to make everyone as hopeful and excited about magic as she can. Rather than answer his question, it's with great flourish that makes every movement now seem entirely intentional that she raises her wand above her head.]

Metamorphie Faciesse!

[...]

[...]

[And despite all that bluster and her proud smile, nothing really seems to happen. At least not right away. Akko frowns, lowering her wand and staring at it. She does a little circle with it, seemingly trying to jostle it into working. She doesn't understand how this couldn't work. Of course, while she's trying to puzzle all this out, her bunny ears shrink and human ears grow right back where they are meant to be.]

[Unfortunately for Akko, that's not the result of magic so much as a new ability she doesn't realize she has yet. She also hasn't noticed her ears yet either, so, that might be a while yet.]

i

[belligerentwarrior]

[Fang's never been so glad to be swept into these bloody dreams. She feels alive here, unmarred and unrestrained, and even if the humidity and the giant Monsters are a bit much, it's a wonderful reprieve.]

[And then something stick-like and point flies through the air and whaps her upside the head.]

[Before Fang can protest, a low growl sets her on edge, the fur on the back of her neck stands on end, and she's moving towards it before she even thinks. Just like a dream months back, some idiot sap's just standing there, and Fang half-tackles, half-carries off the kid as the growling Monster pounces.]

What is with the new lots, starin' slack-jawed into danger, huh? That's a great sense of survival you've got.

[recklessbelief]

[The semi-collision that occurs when Fang scoops her up out of the way is enough to snap Atsuko out of... whatever that paralysis was. She certainly has questions about just what that was that overcame her, but she recognizes this isn't the time for that. Instead, her focus lay elsewhere despite the danger. She reaches out a hand, trying to pull against where she's being lugged off.]

Wait! My wand! I can't leave it!

[She doesn't sound panicked in her protests, but certainly urgent and it's clearly unthinkable to her to let it go and be lost to this jungle.]

[belligerentwarrior]

Quit squirmin'! We'll get it later!

[Fang can hear the beast pursuing them, its heavier steps breaking branches in its wake. It's moving faster than she is, too, a part of Fang noted. In a snap decision, she skids to a stop, chucking the kid to the side, and spins around just in time to catch the fangs of a sabertooth turnskin.]

[Fang slides back in the soft soil, her hind claws an insufficient anchor.]

Well, aren't you a strong one?

iii

[beariot]

Based on my own observations, these are the fae of this world. [ Which she knew sounded like a far cry from the spritely and, while at times chaotic, overall friendly faeries they knew within their own. ]

But in all honesty... they resemble humans more than they probably want to admit. [ The conceit that bordered on cruelty, the arrogance to assume oneself superior to other sapient beings based purely on breeding and ability. ]

I think we should leave this place...

[recklessbelief]

But, Professor...

[Even if this is all a dream, it seems...wrong to leave things like this. With people and creatures so miserable... When Akko looks up to her, her brow is furrowed in blatant concern.]

Look at them. [She gestures broadly to all the humans.] If we have the power to do something, we have to.

[beariot]

[ She knew that protest was coming... in all honesty, it was a reflection of her own feelings. But Akko being in this dream... she knew what it all meant. She knew these dreams were just as dangerous as reality could be, and the reality Akko might be stepping into was something she still wasn't prepared to welcome her into, even if she'd missed her pupil so dearly.

But Akko's heart would be as it always was... and she couldn't help agree with it. But even so, her wisdom spoke first, before her heart. ]

I don't disagree, Akko, but... do we have the power? Fae magic is well stronger than anything I can conjur at the moment... [ And she knew Akko's puca abilities needed refinement, at the least, before she tried using them in something like this. ]

Maybe... maybe we can try something, but right now, I'm having trouble coming up with ideas.

I-ish

[long_live_the_queen]

[The eyes blink down at her, red eyeshine glinting back like lit coals.

Kaede had been making slow, cautious progress through the primal forest, the same as everyone. Her antlers were big enough in the dream that they kept getting snared in vines unless she was careful, slowing the Chimera's progress when all she wanted to do was run, bolt through the giant trees, vent some of the unresolved rage clouding her mind. But getting hung up in these woods would be a terrible idea.

Then something--a stick?--had whirled by her face, and the instinct to chase overrode all else. She surged after the whatever-it-was, like a dog chasing a thrown tennis ball. And like a dog, she ran on four feet--it was faster. She caught up to the moving thing, seized it in her jaws--and realized, aghast, what she had done. So caught up in mortification was she that Kaede didn't swerve in time to keep from slamming her shoulder and side of her antlers into a tree. It was noisier than it was painful, at least.

With an indignant snarl, the Chimera had leaped up into the tree to get a better vantage point and find what was at fault here, claws digging easily into bark. Once she had cleared the overgrown ferns, it was easier to see around--was that a person, down there? Puca. Monster. Still person.

Which led her to this point, glowering down at the frozen-stiff Puca with her tail lashing like an angry cat.]

Drrrt--

[God. The stick was still in her mouth. Irritably, the Chimera snatched it out of her sharp teeth, growling a second time before she spoke.]

Did you throw this stupid thing?

[She heard a yelp from this direction before. Or maybe this was just a bystander as lost as she was. Either way, they were the newest outlet for Kaede's frustration and anger at the waking world. Sorry, Akko. She's in a really bad mood.]

[recklessbelief]

[All Akko can do is follow Kaede's movement in the dark with her eyes. Or at least try to. It just seems like a black, vaguely person-ish blob moving around other plant-shaped blobs before scampering up one and staying put. Her mouth starts to move as she tries to answer the question, but no sound comes out for a few seconds.]

I-I... [Hang on...? Did it speak to her? The scary thing in the dark used words she could understand and it wasn't threatening her. Atsuko swallowed hard and pushed herself to straighten up into something more confident than stiff. Her voice is a little thinner than she would like, but the paralysis seems to be letting up if she can speak.] I wasn't trying to throw it. That's my wand.

[There's a beat as she clenches and unclenches her fists, trying to will parts of herself to move.]

I'm a witch.

[long_live_the_queen]

You threw it at me.

[The shadow-blob huffs in response, more indignant than intimidating. This time. Kaede tended to assume the worst first in almost every situation, and wasn't convinced the throw wasn't deliberate.

Though...a wand?

Hm.

Kaede studied the stick with a renewed interest, but it didn't look very magical to her. The shadow-blob resumes staring at her, light-sensitive eyes revealing everything in this forest as if lit by bright moonlight. She saw the Puca unfreezing, bit by bit. Honestly, Kaede was just surprised she didn't bolt like a flushed rabbit.]

Really? Those ears just for decoration, then?

[Well, that wasn't entirely fair--some who looked more Monster than she did could use magic like any other Witch. Another time, her sarcasm would have been confined to just a skeptical glance. But not when she was this cranky.]

i

[devilsproof]

[The eyes, glowing yellow tapetum lucidum, go a more solid amber-gold as their owner passes through shadow into the light. There's the light smack of something thin and solid slapping an open palm; as Beatrice passes into the clearing, she's holding Akko's wand in one clawed fist. With the other hand, she removes her long pipe from clenched teeth and holds it between still-delicate fingers—]

Be quiet.

[Only to bonk the bowl down on top of Akko's head. It's a very solid bonk. The sound resonates, both through the clearing and definitely inside Akko's poor skull. All in the same movement, Beatrice sticks her pipe back between her teeth, tucks the wand into Akko's hand, and grabs the girl by the back of her shirt to drag her along in her path.]

Do you want to know how big the snake is that we're walking away from, or do you want to move your little feet, little witch?

[recklessbelief]

[The bonk to the head seems to be enough to get Atsuko to loosen up even if she hasn't entirely shaken the paralysis mentally yet. She blinks owlishly at the wand that's shoved in her hand, almost as if she's never seen it before in her life, and there's very little resistance from her as Beatrice begins dragging her along behind her. One would likely anticipate more of a fight than this given the sharp, cruel teeth in this woman's smile, but it hasn't really registered to Atsuko yet.]

[What does, however...]

S-snake? [Akko stiffens and stumbles to walk more independently, trying to shrug Beatrice off as she rubs at her head. It feels tender where the bowl of her pipe bonked her] What giant snake?

[devilsproof]

A gigantic snake.

[She's not letting go just yet. Her pace is brisk but even. Let it be known, universe, that she is not running. You're running. Your mom is running. Your face is running.]

Fifteen of you laid end to end would be almost as long as the snake that's in there. You nearly poked it right in the eye with your little javelin. You should be very grateful that I was there.

[And actually almost tripped over said giant snake, which is how she saw it in the first place . . . this forest stinks.]

What were you trying to do?

ii, blame my cat for posting that last tag-in prematurely lsdfs

[pawper]

[On the same side of the river, Lys pokes her head around the side of a particularly large and craggy rock, distracted from her own reflection by the sudden noise. Glossy blue-black feathers trace the sweep of her jawline on the left side of her thin face, trailing down her throat to disappear under her clothes. On the right side, however, they seem to have been violently pulled out by the handful, leaving behind jagged tears in the skin beneath.]

When did what? [No sarcasm or disbelief here; she's honestly asking, slow to grasp what Akko might be referring to.] Oh, your ears? Uh....probably since you started dreaming all this. Or I started.

[A helpless sort of shrug, with an awkward grin to match. As though she wasn't bleeding and they both weren't sporting animal features.]

Weird, huh?

cats are criminals. this is known

[recklessbelief]

[Atsuko looks over at the sound of the voice, gasping softly at the sight of the pinpricks of blood. Each individual wound isn't much on its own, but altogether... Her brow furrows in worry. That... That has to be painful.]

You're bleeding... [Standing up, Akko approaches the rock that Lys is seated behind.] Did you do that to yourself?

[One might expect she get a little distracted by the disputed claim of ownership to this dream, but the wounds seem a little more important.]

ii

[witchwithoutacause]

...better than what I've got going on.

[ Both of Amanda's arms are out to either side, featuring patchy clumps of brown-and-white down feathers. Nothing so useful as to even get her gliding, let alone flying, just annoying bits of fluff clinging to her arms.

Less obvious, her fingertips have already started to shift the littlest bit - nails growing out and curving - and Amanda hasn't noticed her own teeth starting to sharpen into a row of proper harpy chompers. ]

It's not that weird on you either but I just look like a doofus.

[ And she can't even use her wand here despite it seeming fully charged, so they're both pretty stuck. ]

[recklessbelief]

[Akko crinkles her nose, not sure whether to take Amanda's words as a compliment or thinly veiled insult. It seems like it could genuinely go either way. Rather than try to parse it out, she folds her arms and sulks a little instead. Which is to say, she concludes it's an insult and she's not in the mood to really argue about it.]

I'm sure it'll all go away when we wake up... [She looks up at Amanda.] Do you remember anything happening before you fell asleep?

[Literally anything that might explain this...weird dream.]

[Honestly, weird seems a bit of an understatement. She knows she's dreaming and Amanda seems real enough, not a creation of her dreaming mind or some sort of magical influence. But despite knowing this world is a dream, she doesn't seem to have unlimited ability to manipulate it like she might with a lucid dream. So, something has to be going on here.]

[witchwithoutacause]

[ That's how Amanda shows affection - by making it hard to tell if it's affection, so she doesn't have to seem like she actually cares about you. Jasminka and Constanze have her figured out a little better, but everyone else has to be eased into it.

Because she's cool. ]

You'll get it back soon enough though.

[ Okay, now that's an insult. ]

Uh, no clue though. And it's not that normal to be in the same dream together.

[ At least she's pretty sure no one used that kinda magic on her with her consent. ]

ii

[glitzandglamour]

[Akko prods her ears over the reflection of the water with just enough shock that Mettaton's sure that this dreamer is no figment of his imagination, but a future Puca yet to cross her mirror. Her confusion and surprise is darling, though it reminds him a little of his frantic first time begging Merrows to lend them a disk of water so that he could see the damage done. He regards her from afar with a cross of his arms and a sideways smile at the memory.

It isn't much longer before Mettaton pops up at her side, watching Akko through her reflection with a single visible golden eye. He, too, bears ears: tall, silvery, short-haired ones tipped in black. Here in their dream, they look like proper ears, not ones that have been subjected to iron burns for months on end and then some.]

Haha. Is this really the first time you bothered to check, darling? [A pause.] Either way, I'm full of answers. For example: How long have you been wandering around...?

[That doesn't sound much like an answer. Just another question!]

[recklessbelief]

[Akko doesn't mean to stare or gawk, but she does a little bit of both first at his reflection and then at Mettaton proper. To say the least, she's never see anyone quite like him before. Her hands slowly come away from the ears on top of her head as she looks at the ears on him.]

Um... [He really didn't actually give any answers. Just...questions???] I'm not sure.

[Much like a dream, time didn't really feel like it had a natural flow to it. Some moments felt like they stretched on and on and on and on while others felt like they happened much faster than they would in the waking world.]

Who are you?

[glitzandglamour]

[Her not being sure makes him have significantly fewer answers. He averts his gaze while he tries to come up with a sensible figure... But he could also simply respond to her new question, and deal with all of that stuff later! He'll take the out.]

I'm Mettaton! [His charismatic smile returns to him, and he presses his clawed fingertips to his chest plate.] Where I'm from, I'm an entertainer, a TV star, a performer of many talents... And the same is true in Aefenglom. But we speak less of that. For... reasons.

[Hush-hush about performance art over there. If she wakes up there, that's something she'll have to know. He raises a finger to his lips to indicate the secrecy.]