Test Drive: March 2021

[storyevents]

Test Drive: March 2021—

§ instructions.

Welcome to the Test Drive for Forgotten Tales! This is to help interested players test out their characters in the game's setting and see if the essence they have chosen will actually work in game play. There are a number of prompts that try to touch on the kinds of settings and scenarios the characters may encounter. So here are a few things to keep in mind while on the test drive:

• Feel free to use the current Workshop for help if you need it! Both the Workshop and the Test Drive are required for Registration.
  
  
• Participating on the Test Drive does not guarantee a spot on either Claims or Registration.
  
  
• Check the Character Roster and Essence List to see if your choices are not already taken.
  
  
• Include Character Name and Canon in the subject line, and note somewhere within the toplevel your character's essence. It can be in the subject line if you already know what it is (so ex; Character | Canon | Essence). Side note: You are free to try more than one essence if you're on the fence. Just make sure to note which one you're using for that particular prompt.
  
  
• Players are free to assume their characters have been informed of the very basics so you can skip all that if you'd like.
  
  
• All prompts of the Test Drive can be carried over into the game in their entirety and be used as intros. Should current events in the game be different while the TDM is still active, you can adjust some of the settings to better match it upon entering the game.
  
  
• Don't forget to refer to the Game Info for how the mechanics work.
  
  
• Public Registration is currently closed until further notice, but anyone with an invite and current players can register at any time. Claims will open at a later date.

Most of all, have fun! Feel free to invite those you may think would be interested to participate in the test drive.

---

§ prompts.

¶ I. In the Index. When not out adventuring or playing character roles in stories, the Aspects will have some downtime within the Index, the central hub of the Realm of Stories. Here they can explore the city, read up on other stories, socialize with fellow would-be heroes, learn more about the essence, or even just do nothing at all. Any threads and CR made with "Index" prompts can be carried over into the game.

• A. Out in the City. Life in the Index can range from the mundane to the extraordinary depending on which area one travels to. Because it is a hodgepodge of many different stories from numerous cultures, one can never be sure what they may encounter even on an average run for groceries.
  
  
  1. Furious Furniture. A new woodworking shop has opened in the Index, specializing in furniture. Perfect for finding that extra piece that's missing from your home or replacing the furniture already there if one's Essence completely clashes with their tastes. It's the talk of the town, every table, chair, and so on is gorgeous and at bargain prices! Free delivery included! The only catch is some of the furniture seems a bit...temperamental. The lucky ones may find this out at the store, as a chair might dump them right out of it or a dresser might launch a shelf at it. But others may only find out later and need to call in some assistance to fend off cabinets and shelves that refuse to hold anything, a table that flips itself, or even a bed that seems insistent on laying on the poor sleeper, instead of the other way around.
     
     
  2. Candy Combat. Over the holiday season, particularly during Christmas, some candy makers got a bit "heated" in their competitions against each other. Now they are challenging each other to see who has the "strongest" candy around. Calling up for anyone willing, volunteers are to enter a stage made of hard chocolate surrounded by a raspberry glaze which if stepped or fallen into counts as a defeat. For "weapons," participants are to choose from a variety of various "hard" candies, although some are a little more malleable. They range from peppermint candy canes to hardened taffy. While they could be used for melee combat, many have magical components and can cast candy themed spells as well. The only limit is one's imagination. Many will try to fight to defend a certain shop's honor, but most just want to have an excuse to have a fun spar.
     
     
  3. Bad Books. It seems to be a rather bad day in the Grand Library. For some reason the books are behaving mischievously. Snapping when pulled off the shelf, fluttering around to suddenly close on top of someone's head, several toppling over on a hapless passersby, switching around to be in the wrong locations. It's enough to make the usually levelheaded staff frustrated and stressed as they try to keep order. On top of it all, the owl aides are particularly short fused and summon the sentries for the smallest offense. Find a way to soothe and calm the books as well as comfort the aides. Perhaps some food would help.
  
  
• B. Essence Practice. Suddenly inheriting the abilities of another person while losing most of your own at the same time can be quite jarring. Picking a place to test out these newfound powers or even going to the Library to read up on the essence's story may help glean some clues as to what they can do.
  
  
• C. Try Out the Journal. The journals are unique to this world and the sole source of communication for everyone. Feel free to give it a try, either by sending a random message out or even a doodle.

¶ II. Spring Is in the Air.In addition to the other goings on, with the changing of the season, there’s plenty of other sights to see and things to do. Flowers are blooming, animals are coming out to play, allergies are wreaking havoc, okay maybe not that last one, but still, there’s plenty of seasonal activities too!

• A. A Rat's Sweet Tooth. After the candy battles have subsided, there’s the easily answered question of what to do with all the leftover candy? Sell it of course! So plenty of little pop-up sweets stalls have opened up in the main part of the town, offering everything from spun sugar roses to pecan rolls covered in glaze. Unfortunately, it seems people aren't the only ones drawn to the new treats, as rats seem to be literally coming out of the woodwork to cause problems. Maybe you can help chase the rats off and be rewarded with free treats! Or maybe you don't care about the plight of the common man and just want your candy.
  
  
• B. Fussy Flora. Winter seems to have lasted forever, but spring has finally arrived into the Index. To liven up some gardens, some florists and residents have imported the unique flowers from the Book of Wonderland. Said to bring joy and laughter to all, many add them to their gardens without much care. However, what they did not realize was that while the flowers are wonderful when grown, when they are still young blooming sprouts they are quite...noisy. All through the day the small flowers will cry and wail, demanding varying needs. Too much sun, not enough sun, need more water, want better soil, the roots of another plant is invading their space. Some even demand strange things like sweet snacks, blankets, music. In time they will "mature," but everyone has to resist pulling them out until then. Help out by assisting to soothe the young flowers or help in replotting them into a special nursery (hastily) built for them.
  
  
• C. Game, Set, Ouch. Despite the fact that it's a pretty prickly endeavor, a new game is becoming popular in the Index: Tumbleweed Tennis! Upon closer inspection they seem to be rose bushes, but rose bush badminton wasn't as catchy. The object of the game is to hit the poky bundles back and forth without getting jabbed by the thorns. Sounds fun, right? Well, even if it doesn't, Aspects may find themselves suddenly drafted into a game because the players need another group for doubles. Or it's possible to be on the sidelines and have to duck the spiky foliage heading your way.

¶ III. Story World Shenanigans. After the Story Eater's attack on the Index, it appears some of its influence has made its way to some of the other Books. Good news is there are no reports of any attacks or damage to the story worlds, however some of the people are behaving oddly and strange groups or settings have appeared. Better check and try to sort it out, or at the very least keep the chaos to a minimum and ensure it doesn't spread any further. Note: Although there are no set roles or scenes to act out, Aspects will appear in a random role of the player's choosing, complete with costume change and slight ability change to match the role. For example, an Aspect might find themselves dressed as the White Rabbit while in Wonderland and may be able to use some time manipulation along with their usual Essence abilities. Players can be creative on what they can do. Using these roles may help diffuse some of the chaos.

• A. Moonfellas. It's an old story. A bamboo cutter goes into the forest, finds an unusual stalk of bamboo and cuts it open to find...a man in a suit stating he'll make him an offer he can't refuse. Okay, so maybe it's not an old story after all. The strange man in the bamboo has friends, and suddenly this section of the forest is overrun with all sorts of issues. Illegal lotteries, discount bamboo that fell off a cart somewhere, and the whole area seems tired of having to fork over bamboo in case something bad happens to their...bamboo? Doesn't seem to really be an efficient method of extortion. Aspects who've wandered into the forest can expect to get caught up in all this, and there's the option to play along and live out any gangster dreams of theirs, or they can try and lure these strange strange people back into the bamboo they emerged from, where it'll take off like a rocket back to their home. (Roles available: Kaguya, Bamboo Cutter, Moon Knight, One of the Princes, Emperor)
  
  
• B. Seadragons' Fury. The mermaids near the Royal Kingdom are angry and are attacking ships and anyone wandering along the shore. The reason? Pollution. Trash and sewage have been dumped into their once pristine ocean waters and they are having none of it. With powerful sea dragons, they dive underwater and break through the hulls of the ships, they can also briefly soar above water to release streams of water to knock down anyone in their way. There's also a very large, angry purple whale that will burst through the water to smash into the ships and spray hot water onto the shore. While the Royal Navy's fleet are capable of fending off the dragons with strong artillery and magic defenses, as early 90s edutainment taught everyone, pollution is a real problem that needs real solutions. In this case, the solution is wrangling a sea dragon of your own and try to appease the mermaids by picking up trash along the way. Get to it! (Roles available: Mermaid, Prince, Sea Witch, Priestess)
  
  
• C. Curiouser and calculus-er. You're late, you're late for a very important date! And unfortunately the white rabbit is not taking no for an answer and has dragged whatever poor Aspect they've found down into...Wonderland? Not quite. It seems more like Wonderland by way of a children's edutainment program. No flamingos here, instead the croquet mallets are the number 7. They're painting the denominators red, and the Mad Adder has invited everyone to a very merry cram session. Probably a good idea to make for the rabbit hole and back to the world of the Index, but be careful the Cheshire >3 doesn't lead you astray. And the Queen of Parts is very interested in subtracting from the whole of any uninvited guests. And you probably don't want to find out firsthand what Aspect minus head equals. (Roles available: Alice, White Rabbit, Queen of Hearts, Mad Hatter, Cheshire Cat)

¶ IV. Mix it up. This is the "wildcard" prompt. Feel free to take any of these prompts and make them more of your own, or pull from an entirely different story. As mentioned you're free to use any of our previous stories or other events. Just have fun with it!

Comments

Yuuka Kazami | Touhou Project | Dracula

[uscofseasons]

[Option I-A-1 - Furious Furniture]

[Before purchasing furniture for her new home, it was important to test it out. She liked the design of one small table and chair in particular and approached them.]

[Now, one might be there when she first attempted to try the set - setting on the table a tea set and laying her parasol on the chair. The table toppled, throwing the tea set to the ground while the chair bucked off her parasol.]

[Anyone visiting later might notice her sitting in the chair and at the small table, taking her time to enjoy a small drink from another shop nearby, and watching the antics around her continue. Both furniture pieces trembling beneath her. A few new claw marks decorate them, but she continued to drink away.]

[Option I-B - Essence Practice]

[She's a quick study, already knowing about vampires due to a certain few people, but Dracula himself? Haha, oh, if the little vampire did find out... how funny would that be?]

[There's no practice to begin until the sun begins to set, and as it does, she can feel it - the welling of power that felt so familiar, but different. She'd been feeling a little hungry today so... time to play around. Shifting into her new bat form, she was going to help herself to those rather unsuspecting or kind.]

[Option II-B - Fussy Flora]

[It was so noisy, but Yuuka moved along, transferring plants, moving pots, and adding or removing soil almost like she's deaf to it all. She was listening obviously from her continuous work, but how she remained unbothered was a mystery.]

[... Maybe try asking if she had something to soften the complaints.]

[Option IV. Mix it up]

[OOC: Obvious wilcard option is obvious.]

[Option I-B] I'm the worst

[blazeoflife]

[ Welp, Junpei had just gone out to get some groceries after helping to repair some parts of the Index... he had looked into getting some new furniture, but uh, the whole 'possibly alive' thing kiiiinda turned him off.

Don't mind him carrying his bags of food, debating if he should make sandwiches tonight or just go for using his bamboo for Ramen again... ]

Nino Lahiffe | Miraculous Ladybug | Kappa (Japanese Mythology)

[djbubbles]

Out in the City
Nino had barely hit the ground from the airport after having just returned to Paris from New York City when he ends up on a new adventure of his own. Of course he would help save the stories, it's just the right thing to do.

Unfortunately for Nino, when he arrives at the Index, he's no longer fully human. His appearance changed quite a lot. His clothes have been replaced by a green and yellow-striped yukata, his hat having been replaced by a leaf crown that in the middle holds some water, his hands and feet have become webbed, a turtle shell is on his back, and a pair of small fangs can be barely seen.

"Man, this sucks." Why couldn't have gotten a cooler essence than whatever he got turned into. Some kind of turtle demon?

He moves a webbed hand and briefly touches the water on his head. That turns out to be a bad idea as he shutters in a bad way from that.

"Okay note to self, no touchie on the water on my head. Gotta."

Too bad Alya or Adrien or any of his other friends aren't here. It would make things easier to handle.

He'll just keep wandering around for now. Having no real clue as what to do next...


Bad Books

Nino had discovered that a library existed here so he went there to try to figure out what he is and learn more about it. He figures looking into Japanese mythlogy would be a good start.

Unfortunately it's not going so well. Aside from getting glares from the owl aides despite not doing anything wrong, he's been having a hard time dealing with the books themselves.

Either changing places on him, or snapping at him when he pulls one out from a shelf.

Anyone wanna help this kappa kid out?


Candy Combat
Well okay this sounded fun to Nino. So he decides to volunteer and try it out. He finds a giant jawbreaker that he can actually go inside and roll around with. Sure it's not exactly the most fair, but sometimes you gotta cheese it.

"Let's see if you can avoid being run over, dude. Let's go!"

He starts to move and head towards whoever he's fighting. Trying to hit them with the jawbreaker.


Wildcard

If you want something else, just comment here with your own prompt.

Bad Books

[cookingmechanic]

[Fuuka had been having her own struggles with the books when she heard someone one row over getting particularly frustrated. Distracted, a book on Japanese technology snapped shut on her fingers. Yelping, she hopped back and huffed; maybe more then one person was needed to wrangle these little monsters.]

"Are you having a hard time too?"

[Peering around the shelf, she spotted a young man who...well he looked like...]

"...a kappa??"

Because I apparently can't press the enter button... also Out in the City

[afoolshope]

A butterfly had begun to follow him. It was bright blue and it eventually landed on his shoulder. A few more followed suit. Since he was just wandering around, they wanted a ride it seemed. Of course, Makoto eventually caught wind that the butterflies were using someone as a chauffer and sighed. Honestly, he hadn't realized butterflies could be so lazy at times!

It took a bit of flying, but Makoto eventually located the kappa and landed nearby. He stumbled a little on the landing, but a pair of solid shadows kept him from falling on his ass. He really needed to practice his landings, oops.

Still, Makoto attempted to play it cool and casually brushed his bangs back with a hand as he walked forward. "Are they bothering you?"

Ganyu | Genshin Impact | Titania

[sweetflower]

[I-A3: Bad Books]

Ah, no! [Hands reach up to gasp the horns on her head when a book decides to land on top of her.]

Please, land anywhere but on my horns. [Even as she pled in her most sincerest voice, the book continues to bounce on her horns.]

[I-A3+B: Library+Essence]
[Even though Ganyu has not properly mastered her new essence powers, the faes seem to have sense their "Queen's" distress and have come to her aid to fend off a few of the owl aides. While helpful, they were still a mischievous bunch, taking books and stealing objects from other visitors to throw at the aides and that's definitely not going to help matters.]

I'm so sorry they took this from you. [That leaves Ganyu to apologize to whomever had their personal belongings stolen from them and return said item, with or without damage. Let's hope the owls don't wise up and call the sentries at any point.]

[I-C: Journal]
Would anyone like to take some of my candy? I received them as a thank you gift for handling the rat situation, but a few are made with animal produce. I'm sure they're very tasty, but I'm unable to eat them myself.

[It's hard to tell by words alone, but she is very sad she can't eat some of the sweet treats.]

[II-B: Fussy Flora]
[A request to help tend some flowers? That seems completely up her alley! And it has nothing to do with her essence.] Oh my, I hadn't realize flowers can be so talkative... [They normally don't talk in her world anyway. Despite their incessant crying and whining, she merely smile at them with a soft bit of laughter.]

And very cute. [She didn't seem at all bothered tending to their constant needs, however miniscule their demands may be. It help that she seem to understand what their needs were, something that came with her essence? It felt almost familiar to her, busying herself like this, but with flowers instead of paperwork. She can get use to this kind of work.

When things slow down, she may come over to assist others who may be struggling with their flowers.] I believe they want to be moved into the sunlight.

[Wildcard]
[Drop your own prompt ideas instead!]

I-C | Sender: Jean Kirstein | The Beast

[rustyhonesty]

I wouldn't mind. I might have some that are safe for you to eat, since I also got candies if you want to swap.

Futaba Sakura | Persona 5 Royal | Mycroft Holmes

[mwehehe]

I-A: Cities and a Shut-In Don't Mix

[Look. Look. She was doing better in Yongen-Jaya and... sometimes Shibuya and Akiba, but those were places she knew. She had people she could call to be a heroic Key Item to give her bravery, or talk to when she was feeling way too overwhelmed at how many people were around, and a home she could escape to when she needed to get away from that.

The Index doesn't have that, and she doesn't know this place. It's not Yongen-Jaya, and it's definitely not Japan. There's people asking her questions or trying to get her somewhere else, but she's not budging and instead just trying to shut it all out with eyes shut and hands pressing her headphones in more, mumble-whining her wish for someone she knows to come save her.

Please get her out of here, she will appreciate you.]

A-3: Books Gone Wild

[So the best place to learn about this place is the library! And once Futaba is settled, she'll be there to read and consume as much as possible! And that's always a good thing!

...except when the books are magical and something out of some JRPG or something. Having books fall on her head after fluttering around will get an "Ow! Hey, quit it you bratty books!" shouted, though that comes with the singular warning of "Don't. Yell." and menacing looks from patrons and the owl keepers. They get a more hushed version any other times it happens, and her moving to get them to stop does not deter them. The mere fluttering of pages gets her to cover her head, and when nothing happens, Futaba makes annoyed sounds.]

Did I get pulled into some weird JRPG by accident like in anime or something? I feel like this should be titled "That Time I Got Pulled Into A Magical Library With Jerk Books"--

[Thunk. They apparently took offense to that. Cue frustrated, angery sigh. Does anyone have a library card she can borrow???]

III-C: Oh, I Can Math

[Why not jump into a storybook while here? That's the thing people do, right? Right. So one March Hare later, and she's in Wonderland and being told she has to do some math to entertain the Queen of Parts. Well heck, she can do that. She does know this. After a rousing game of Math Croquet and doing really well, she gets to hear the words that no Alice-like person wants to hear:]

She must have been cheating! Off with her head!

[And that's a cue to get the heck out of dodge.]

Uh, what?! I wasn't-- woah, hey, watch where you're swingin' that thing! I think it's time to make like a hedgehog and run!

[And off she goes, as fast as her legs can carry her-- which is admittedly not very far, but she's trying.

Upon running into anyone else, she'll skid to a stop, and]

You gotta get me outta here!

[The sound of Math Book Soldiers approaching is an ominous sound. Maybe you should both get out of here.]

Wildcard

She may be exploring or just finding a corner off in the world somewhere to look at the journal and try to figure this out because magical journals what?! and maybe try to do some... not so stealthy avoiding people to check out the food things and just the place in general.

There's no essence practicing because how do you practice being an Armchair Detective???

Anyway, you can pp me at infel for plotting or just slam down a wildcard and I'll roll with it!

Cities and a Shut-In Don't Mix

[schrodingers_joker]

[Did someone need rescuing?

Ren had just finished some training while he sees a familiar face and his eyes widen. After Akechi left, he wasn't expecting anyone from his time to end up here. But that reaction is familiar too. Looks like she got overwhelmed and he doesn't blame her.

So he moves down and nudges her shoulder while giving a comforting smile. Hope she doesn't mind how goofy Ren looks.]

Hey Futaba, let's get going.

III - C

[afoolshope]

[Well, at least he wasn't Alice this time. The Mad Hatter, maybe? Either way, he wasn't wearing a dress and he didn't mind. But he was nearby to hear about the math thing with the Queen. He supposed math was harmless enough, but he opted to watch. That was until the girl playing Alice was accused of cheating and tried to skedaddle.

Guess some things never changed. He took her hand with a nod. Even with his wings due to Thanatos and his sword, he wasn't about to take on a bunch of soldiers. He vaguely remembered the way that the White Rabbit had pulled him through, so he started in the direction that he originally came from to start.]

Let's go.

Wildcard, II-A-ish

[greatestdefective]

[Did someone say 'rats'? Naturally, the Pied Piper is present for this! And while all the candy stall owners should have been relieved to see the guy with the essence who's famous for saving a village of a rat infestation, it's not that simple. Sherlock is too nice a guy and too easily distracted. Instead of luring the rats away from the stalls, he's seated on the sidewalk with about 20 rats facing him. Their attention is entirely on Sherlock as he feeds them little treats.]

There we are. No shoving, now. There's enough for everyone. I see that you are famished and I, the great Sherlock Holmes, shall provide!

[Meanwhile, all the nearby stall owners are just kind of... giving Sherlock the evil eye for keeping those rats occupied near their precious wares.]

I-A

[chippedsoul]

[He's not anyone she knows, but he does manage to disperse the crowd that was forming around her. With his looks, one could see why they all walked away. Futaba was also just curl up on the street beside his pub. Not exactly the most welcoming place for a kid to be hanging around.]

Hey. [He sees those headphones, but he calls out to her anyway. A clawed hand waves in her view to get her attention.]

I-A

[rustyhonesty]

[Well she doesn't look much like any essence they've had so far. Nor anything else he's seen either. So he's curious about who she might be.

Though it may be a little odd to find a stranger with lion ears, wolf tail, horns and claws near you - he's not trying to be scary at least.

He's mostly waving to try and catch her attention because he's not sure how the things on her ears work.]

Kazuma Kiryu | Yakuza 6 | The Big Bad Wolf (Little Red Riding Hood)

[loyaldragon]

Index

[Kiryu shook his head briefly, side-stepping one of the residents as they rushed past. Things were a little overwhelming; so much noise, picking up nearly every little smell on the air. Still, he kept himself more towards the sides where most people could pass him easily. Gold eyes narrowed as his nose wrinkled.

Something delicious was on the wind, a part of him trying to steer him in that direction.

Stubbornly he kept walking.]

This is ridiculous.

[More so than he was expecting.]

Furious Furniture

[... Really?

There was a table flipped over, a clawed foot planted solidly on it to keep it pinned down even as the legs wiggled frantically, one caught in a clawed hand. All the better to keep it from hitting him, the others too far away to do much but flail uselessly in the air.]

Thought I told you to knock it off.

[There were a few other pieces of overturned furniture scattered outside of the store around him. None of it was broken, but it wasn't trying to attack any of those who were passing by either.

All of this was giving him a headache already.]

[Wildcard. You know what to do here!]

A Legend meets a legend? Furious Furniture

[titanus_gojira]

[How does the Dragon of Dojima feel about furniture being tossed back in his direction from the outside? It may seem impossible, but there was indeed a large kaiju lizard outside the shop, furiously not having it with the random furniture suddenly being tossed at him. Although this kaiji seems a bit...on the smaller side. He still easily towers over everyone, but certainly not the size to be stomping on skyscrapers. Was it someone in a suit on stilts?

The effects are rather impressive all the same as he fires a solar breath at some of the furniture, much to the dismay and horror of the shop owner. The kaiju unfortunately does not have the same delicate touch as Kazuma, caring little if he ends up breaking the manmade toys.]

Index

[rustyhonesty]

You'll find out soon enough that ridiculous isn't a strong enough word.

[Especially during the stories. Oh boy, he's gonna have a field day with those if this is ridiculous.

And this is said by a 190cm guy with lion ears, horns, wolf tail, claws and fangs. So yeah, ridiculous.]

Naoki Kashima || SMT III: Nocturne || Godfather Death

[onemorerejected]

In the Index
[There's a new face in the Index, one of the many new people in this influx of new Aspects. But unlike other Aspects who are usually greeted with a warm welcome by the locals, this one has the residents of the Index giving him a wide berth. But given his appearance, that might be quite understandable.]

[Naoki would be imposing all on his own, with his hard expression, gold eyes, and markings covering his bare skin. But paired with his new black robes and scythe in hand, and he looks much more intimidating as he makes his way down the streets of the Index. He doesn't let the stares bother him, nor does he really pay much attention to them. But perhaps you cross his path, or bump into him accidentally, or seek him out for some sort of help with a task. But he may approach your character on his way, in need of some direction of his own.]

The Library. Where is it?

[OoC: Feel free to come up with your own reasoning for approaching Naoki if you'd like!]

Candy Combat
[The candy makers obviously had good intentions when they set up their little competition, and meant the competition to be something of a fun little romp for people to enjoy. But with all friendly competitions, there's always going to be someone who doesn't hold back, despite the casual nature of the event.]

[Such is the case at this current match. Naoki swings his large candy cane like one would a sword, striking hard and fast. The combatant is knocked clear out of the ring by a strong, sweeping attack, and there's a brief moment of pause before Naoki is declared the winner. He straightens upright and rests the candy cane on his shoulder, looking for the next opponent.]

I said I wasn't going to hold back. Don't come crying to me about it now.

Journal
[Once he gets his hand on the journal, and realizes its functions, Naoki will try it out for himself; if it's a way to gain information, he might as well make use of it.]

Tell me what this world is like, other than the silly fairytale schtick. And about the Story Eater. I need to know how strong he is so I know how strong I need to get.

[Simple and to the point, if a little blunt.]

Essence Practice
[Aspects are supposed to practice their Essence abilities, and Naoki knows the value of practicing new abilities when you are given them. Which is why he can be seen on occasion going into the forest outside the Index, hunting for rare herbs that he seems to instinctively know are high in medicinal value. Why he knows this is still strange, but he takes it in stride; must be part of being an Aspect now.]

[While out collecting herbs, he may pause if he senses your character nearby. If he does, he stands slowly, gripping his scythe in his hand in a firm grip.]

I know you're there, so quit hiding and come out already.

Wildcard
[Got an idea you'd like to thread out? Just message me or make up your own starter and we'll be good to go!]

In The Index

[uscofseasons]

[Though the residents might be intimidated, she is not. You see a few youkai with a scythe, a young kid in a black robe is not impressive. At his question, she already knows what she's going to be doing with this one.]

Goodness, asking without a 'please'. No wonder you're so lost.

[Maybe she knows, maybe she doesn't...]

Essence Practice

[rustyhonesty]

[Jean is mostly taking a walk to see if everything's alright near his castle surroundings. It's not the most inviting part of the forest, where he lives.

He's not really hiding that much (hard to when you're 190 cm) but he does come out from behind a tree or such. It's a young man with lion ears, wolf tail, horns, claws and apparently also fangs.]

I wasn't stalking you, I was merely passing by.

Candy Combat

[sonicblade]

Don't worry, I won't.

[A loss would be a loss, but Cloud didn't intend to lose. With a beat of his wings, he was over the raspberry glaze and onto the hard chocolate ring. It had taken a bit to get used to his new draconic features, but not too long. Cloud was adaptable, he had to be for all these years after Radiant Garden fell.

So, he held the taffy sword easily in his hand, despite not being used to the lighter weight. His clawed feet dug a little into the candy but otherwise it remained intact. He may not have all of his abilities anymore, but he was still a capable fighter at least. Even with candy weapons.]

Let's go.

[With another beat of his wings and a strong push off the ground, he dashed forward at Naoki.]

Yusaku Fujiki | Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS | Smaug

[digitalism]

Essence Practice

[Yusaku hadn't know what to expect when coming to this place. The fact that he was part dragon clued him in a few things, but he figured that was the limitation. He had the essence of some kind of dragon figure in a children's book. A dragon who seemed to horde gold and terrorize a nearby village. While Yusaku wouldn't really call himself a hero, he never saw himself as a villain either.

But now he laid down just outside of Index, the local kids running rambunctiously up and down his wings. They were massive, just like the rest of him. Apparently, he could go full-Smaug too. He scared a bunch of people in the beginning, but after keeping quiet and still, it seemed the kids grew fearless and were now using him like a jungle gym. His bright green eyes rolled lightly, it was annoying to be sure, but he also didn't have much of a heart to stop them.

Indeed, his tail even came up to catch a child who lost their balance, or his wing slid out a little further to ease a tumble. He was getting hungry though, what could he eat? He didn't have any money and he was too big to go back into the city proper. Maybe once the kids were done he could go find something, assuming he figured out a way to turn himself back to human.]

Do you know if they sell hot dogs around here?

[He figured if you're going to walk close enough he may as well ask, he doubted the kids were going to answer.]

Game, Set, Ouch

[Much like in the stories, it seemed the parts of Yusaku that were dragon were fairly impervious. His tail was a good indicator of this as he hit the rose bushes quite easily. Which meant he was able to stay in the game much longer than others.]

It's not fair to use your tail!

The rules don't say I can't.

[If nothing else, Yusaku was a little bored. This wasn't dueling, not that he really enjoyed that game in particular anymore, but at least he could continue to practice and get better. But he was without both his deck and his duel disk. Not that he expected it to work here anyway. He sighed, with one final smack of the tail, he won yet around round and abruptly walked off. He shoved his hands in his pockets. He was urged to come back.]

Find someone else, I'm done here.

Journal

Am I really supposed to live in a mountain?

Wildcard

[Or we can do something else, just let me know!]

Wildcard w/Rose Bush minton mixed in

[titanus_gojira]

[As Yusaku leaves the area, one of those rose bushes gets sent flying in his direction, aimed for the back of his head. Apparently, Godzilla had chosen to take a nap nearby and one of those not!tumble weeds Yusaku had hit, smacked him in the snout.

It didn't hurt, but it did irritate his nostrils that made him let out a powerful sneeze, thus sending the rose bush back in Yusaku's direction.]

Anastasia Romanova | Anastasia (1997) | Vasilisa the Beautiful

[grandduchess_anya]

Workshop

I-B. How to Train Your Doll
Okay, I have some bread and water from the spring. I hope you have a good appetite right now.

(Today Anya is currently trying to get the wooden matryoshka doll sitting on a bench to come alive while Pooka, a small gray mutt with unkempt fur, is barking non-stop at it, wondering if the doll could be a toy, and sadly, no Pooka, that doll is not for playing.)

Here you go, take this bread and this water... Eat a little, drink a little, and..., um, please come to life!

(At first, the doll doesn’t move at all, letting Anya to wonder if she did something wrong. But soon enough, the doll slowly begins to rattle a bit and move, sensing her presence, its eyes glowing with life and arms beginning to move enough to consume the bread and water she has offered to her.)

Wow, it actually worked, it actually worked. Pooka, the doll is now alive. *Bark, Bark, Bark!*

II-B. Baby Flowers Blues
Oh no, please don’t cry, little flowers, please don’t cry!

(Anya has no idea how to keep the little flower sprouts from crying too much while being under the Sun’s mercy. The Sun’s light must be becoming too much for them so they began to cry profusely, leaving Anya really sad and Pooka really annoyed. Maybe if someone is nearby, she runs up to whoever is also doing the same task as she is and tells them all about her dilemma.)

Hey there. The flowers I’m looking after are crying because the sunlight is getting too much for them to handle right now. I think we should find some shade for them to hide in before the sun hurts them even more.

Wildcard
(Got another prompt in mind? Feel free to comment down below or contact me on mariscorner or on Discord (Mariposa21 #4257).)

II-B: Ganyu | Titania

[sweetflower]

Oh- [Ganyu is who she grabs the attention of, startled out of her headspace. She had been watering a few of the plants nearby, humming to herself.]

Ah, yes, of course. [Carefully setting down her watering can, she'll come access the plants.] Oh my... [They're certainly very upset. She glances around, frowning.] I'm afraid there may not be enough available space to move them all into the shade.

Izanami | Persona 4 | Hel

[goddessinthefog]

1) Index

[Even the Storyteller's explanation as to how she'd suddenly been dragged into this other world following her defeat didn't quite prepare her for, well...

Izanami had to bite back her anger the second she'd caught sight of her reflection. In line with the half-alive, half-dead appearance of her essence, the left side of her body looked skeletal- not unlike the rotting appearance of her true form. And this grey dress didn't even have a long sleeve to cover it- worse still, she couldn't call on her power to cover it.]

...So the fog itself has been taken from me? That shouldn't be possible!

[Despite knowing it wouldn't work, she rubbed at her undead arm in frustration, willing the fog to return and cover it before anyone could see her. Hopefully she wouldn't snap at anyone else in the same unfortunate mess as her. Hopefully.]

2) Library

[Well, she didn't know a great deal about the death Goddesses of other cultures, so best plan was to do a little homework so she could work out exactly what she was dealing with.

And so, Izanami had found a comfy corner in the library to settle down with a few books on Nordic mythology.]

Hel, hm...she who precedes over the domain by the same name...

[At least she'd calmed down?]

X) Wildcard

[Feel free to PM me if you have anything particular in mind!]

2

[schrodingers_joker]

[Sometimes Ren wanted to try out new recipes despite being limited in what he can do while stuck with a Kamakura Era (Medieval Ages) things. So he would go into the library once in a while to read some cook books to see if anything catches his interest.

He grabs a couple and as he moves to sit down somewhere, he notices Izanami. Although he's never seen her before, something about her felt...familiar.

He did more or less die back home once when Yaldabaoth temporarily erased him and his friends from existence, and that's not counting when he died back in Londeva by Hyde's hands. Thank goodness for being able to come back (unless it's by the Story Eater and his Erasers).

The wild card moves to a chair not too far away, but not too close either. Just the right amount of distance to not be suspicious. He opens a book and tries his best to pretend to read it.]

Re: zenyatta | overwatch | the velveteen rabbit

[tekhartha]

a) furious furniture
[An omnic doesn't need a bed. Certainly, the feeling of sitting on something soft is nice enough, but the inability to sleep renders it more of a pleasing novelty than a necessity.

Perhaps that is what this rather splendid box-bed takes umbridge with when Zenyatta, after a day of exploring this strange, beautiful new world, pauses to rest on its mattress. One moment he is relaxing, stretching his newly-lapine legs, deciding on his next destination... and the next he's being suddenly flung upwards and into the wall as the bed snaps closed around him.

Fortunately, he does not need to breathe. More fortunate still, he has not been entirely swallowed; at the side of the box bed anyone passing by may notice the plush rabbit foot sticking awkwardly out to one side, the velvet all rumpled and creased.

As soon as he detects nearby footsteps, Zenyatta calls out in a muffled and altogether too calm voice.]

Excuse me. [The foot twitches pitifully.] Would you be so kind as to assist me?

b) bad books
[Most of the library may have been rendered a minor warzone by the proceedings, but even in conflict can there be found moments of harmony- if you know where to look for them. In this particular instance, one need only follow the sound of wind chimes and contented cooing.

In between the aisles of the non-fiction section (D-G) Zenyatta floats in his little bubble of serenity, surrounded by his nine orbs. One digitigrade leg is crossed neatly over the other, creating a surface upon which he rests an enormous tome as he leafs through it. Occasionally a book flings itself in the omnic's general direction, only to flop uselessly to the floor as it reaches him.

He seems to be engrossed in his book, though on occasion he reaches out to pet one of the owls resting on nearby shelves, apparently unperturbed by the peck he gets whenever he misses just the right spot.]

c) journaling
[It takes Zenyatta a while to decide what first to write, not least of all because, off the cuff, he cannot remember the last time he physically wrote anything. Eventually, he settles on something simple:]

Peace and blessings be upon you all! :)

furious furniture

[steadypulse]

[No real surprise that this nonsense was continuing, having heard about all of the fussy furniture as of late with the act he'd been passing through town more often than before. Nose wrinkling behind that mask, ear twitching towards the sound of a voice.

Someone got Venus Fly-trapped.]

Hold still, until you feel like you can wiggle free.

[Doesn't take too much effort to grip either side of the mattress, ears pinned back more to listen for any other nearby pieces of furniture that might get some smart idea as his tail flick.

Hooves planted firmly to the floor as he pried the thing open, mindful enough to not let claws pierce in through anything.]