TEST DRIVE

[ironwood]

TEST DRIVE MEME - TU SHANSHU EDITION!

Itching to try out writing a character? Then rev up your engines, grab your accounts, and slam your way into this meme! Here is a venue for you to try out whatever character there might be tickling your fancy, from fandom to OC, for as few as one and as many as MANY. Seriously, there's no limit.

How do you partake in this fantastic congregation of character testing? Why, by following these simple steps:

1. Comment with the journal of a character you want to test; put their name and canon in the subject line for added sparkles.
2. Tag around with everyone!
3. Profit like you live on a the back of a turtle!
4. Maybe even reserve so you CAN live on the back of a turtle!

But wait, there's more! For the low, low price of $9,999.99, you can even use one of our handy prompts when you tag someone. You could even pick one with a Random Number Generator to help decide which prompt to go with!

1. A Chance Meeting at the Turtle's Head.
   Remember, being here causes a great sense of-- well, shall we say inner peace.
2. Haggling Over Something in the Marketplace!
   Maybe someone else saw the exact same shiny thing you did at the exact same moment! However shall this be resolved? Remember: blood is extremely hard to scrub off of turtleshell!
3. Have Met Before? Because I Could've Sworn I've Seen You In My Dreams.
   Have you wandered into the realm of Dreaming via an archway in Keeliai? Here, everything is shaped to your character's individual mind. Dreams can be shared between characters and will result in a meshing of minds. These dreams can be positive or negative, depending on your character.
4. Dramatic Chase Sequence!
   You're running away from something! It could be anything, from a rampaging kirin to a gaggle of overly enthusiastic children, or even one of the newest editions to Keeliai's menagerie, an incredibly affectionate turtle the size of a minivan! One way or another, you can't stop, and much like a katamari ball, you feel obligated to grab everyone in your path along the way to keep them out of danger! Or perhaps you're more the sort to try and knock them into it as a distraction...?
5. Walking in a Winter Wonderland
   Tu Vishan's entered colder waters and snow now abounds all over the turtle. Are you out enjoying the cold? Maybe trying on some extra warm layers of clothing? Building a snow turtle for the kids to play with? Then this option's for you!
6. WILDCARD!
   Go nuts. Suddenly your character is fighting dragons! Good God, they've found the Millennium Falcon drifting in the ocean! Do you really feel the need to polish every paving stone in the Earth Sector? Please note, Wildcard options are also what you can choose to do if you aren't yet comfortable in the Tu Shanshu setting and would prefer a more 'dear-mun' esque experience. Please specify in your post!

Comments

Sarah ♚ The Last of Us {spoilers}

[newwatch]

Scenario A

[She's dead. D-e-a-d. But this isn't anything like heaven. Or hell. Or any afterlife she's ever heard of. Some of these people-- kedan-- said something about life, death, and dreaming. It sounds like a riddle. But her mind is focused on something else. She's walking through one of the streets, trying to keep a low profile. Especially if there are military or police types around.

Of course, it's hard not to attract attention when someone's wearing dirty pajamas and a blood-stained shirt.]


Scenario B

[Sarah has gotten new clothes, which she greatly appreciates. Now, she's walking aimlessly around the city, getting her bearings and trying to keep her mind occupied. She doesn't want to think. Or be alone, honestly.

She backs up to get a better look at one of the buildings and stumbles into the street.]

Scenario C

[Your choice!]

A!

[mightythinice]

[holy shit.

Holy shit. She recognizes that face-- she's seen it in one photograph, and the look on Joel's face was enough to cement it for her. Holy fucking shit. It's almost like--

No. No, she has to be wrong. There's no way, absolutely no way.]

S...arah...?

[newwatch]

[Sarah looks understandably surprised, maybe slightly nervous. But her nerves are already jumbled anyway.]

Who's asking?

[That would be a 'yes'.]

[mightythinice]

Holy fucking shit, you're real-- [she catches herself. Nooo, no, Ellie. Bad. Sarah's a pretty common name]

Is your dad's name Joel?

[newwatch]

[Suddenly sounding almost desperate:] Do you know where he is?

[mightythinice]

No, sorry... Um. Yyyyou don't know me, but my name's Ellie. I was with your dad until really, really recently. [a beat] Do you wanna get some hot cocoa? It'll help, trust me.

[newwatch]

[None of that makes sense, but Sarah latches on to one thing.]

So he's alive? He's okay?

[She didn't know if the soldier had been set on taking out both her dad and uncle after shooting her.]

[Sarah's not particularly hungry or thirsty, but this girl knows her dad. And Sarah wants to know how. Besides, she could use company.]

Um, sure. Yeah, I'd-- I'd appreciate it.

[mightythinice]

Yeah, I think so. He's not here, so probably.

Wow.

[it was sinking in that she was going to have to explain a hell of a lot to Sarah, while still keeping in mind how she figures Joel would want her to remember him.

He was so goddamn close hold about everything, it was hard to know.]

So... Let's just get this out of the way, I was born in 2018. So you and I know Joel as a very, very different person.

[newwatch]

[For a moment, she stares at Ellie like she's waiting for the punchline. But it doesn't come.]

Okay, you're from the future. [Might as well go along with it. Ellie doesn't seem to be lying. And it explains how Ellie could know her dad.] Wait-- did it get worse? The sickness?

[mightythinice]

Yeah, yeah it did.

[a pause]

Well, okay, it didn't get any worse, it just... spread. Really fast. Everyone outside the Quarantine Zones, they're either fucked, or fucked up.

Be glad you have no clue what the fuck a 'Clicker' or a 'Bloater' is.

[newwatch]

[Sarah takes a deep breath. She remembers the sick people, charging madly at everyone. No longer human.]

They never found a cure.

[She shudders slightly.] If they're scarier than the sick people, I don't want to know.

[mightythinice]

Yeah, they're definitely really, really fucking scary.

[but that was the most important part that she had to get out of the way, so Sarah knew. So that she knew anything Ellie fucked up on with regards to Joel... there was a shit ton of time in there to account for.

Finding a place that sold hot cocoa, though. That was a start]

[newwatch]

[Sarah follows, looking around. But she can't stay silent for long-- she needs to keep her mind occupied or she feels like she'll sink into nothingness.]

How long've you been here?

B

[nowthatsfunny]

[And she stumbles right into Tess! Of course, Tess has no idea who she is, because she's never seen a picture of Sarah or anything like that, so Tess just reaches out a hand to steady the girl.]

Whoa, there. You okay?

[newwatch]

[It doesn't help that Sarah takes strongly after her mother.

She looks over at Tess, smiling slightly, though it's not entirely convincing.]

Yeah, thanks. That curb just came out of nowhere. Musta popped right out of the ground.

[nowthatsfunny]

[Tess just frowns a little, because maybe Ellie has awakened some latent maternal instinct or something.]

You sure? You got a parent or... adult around?

[newwatch]

I was lookin' for him, but Ellie-- a girl I met-- she said he's not here.

[Three guesses who 'he' is and the first two don't count.]

[nowthatsfunny]

[That gives Tess pause. Long, long pause. What even.]

What's - you mean your dad? What's his name?

[newwatch]

Joel. But, like I said, he's not here.

[100% unaware of where this conversation is leading oops.]

[nowthatsfunny]

[Oh shit. Shit shit shit. This is so bad. Tess is almost glad Joel isn't here for this - he would be flipping his shit.]

Sarah?

[newwatch]

Yeah. Are you from the future, like Ellie?

[Because she knows all of her dad's friends, and she's definitely never met this woman before.]

[nowthatsfunny]

[Good god. That's just... Tess doesn't even know how to react. She talked to Ellie? Of course she did. Of course Ellie told her shit.]

I, uh. Yeah, I guess. I know your dad.

[newwatch]

[She doesn't blame Tess for being unsure-- Sarah's a little unsure herself, but she's doing her best to bluff her way through. If she keeps going, she doesn't have to think. If she doesn't have to think, she doesn't have to remember. And a small part of her can still hope that she'll wake up on the couch, safe and sound. That she'll see her dad again.]

So you know my name, but I don't know yours. Should I start guessing?

[nowthatsfunny]

Ah - shit, sorry. I'm Tess. [It's the most awkward thing ever, but what else can she do? She holds out her hand for the girl to shake.

Joel would want to know his kid was being looked after.]

[newwatch]

[Sarah shakes Tess' hand, trying to look as casual as possible.]

So how do you know him?