Test Drive Meme | April 2014

[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 turtle shell!
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. Darker Days
   Malicant's flexing his chaos muscle and causing havoc on the shell! You could run into some evil cultists in a dark alley, try to infiltrate the possessed palace, or work on hacking the console function back from the technopathic baddie.
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

[backwordscompatible]

Almost. More like a year and a half, I guess. But...sometimes, it feel longer.

[anodites]

Is it really that bad here?

[It seems peaceful, but then again that usually means an alien is about to blow something up.]

[backwordscompatible]

[You just missed the explosions, actually.]

Hmm? Oh, sometimes, it can be. But actually...half the time? It's almost kind of fun.

I've been able to meet some really great people here. People I'd've never gotten to know in my own world...and maybe one or two I would have, but not in the way we met here.

[anodites]

Worlds? Like other planets?

[backwordscompatible]

Other planets...other dimensions...

Honestly, it gets a bit complicated after a while. Don't even get me started on the parallel universe insanity that goes on around here.

[anodites]

[Gwen understands complicated, so she doesn't seem particularly surprised. Parallel universes are new, but not entirely unexpected. She has magic powers and her cousin shape-shifts into aliens. And that's not even the 1/10th of it. She files away this information too-- something to think about while she gets her bearings.]

Right, I won't. So, where's a girl go to get some decent food? Please tell me they at least have burgers on this... turtle.

[backwordscompatible]

[A jerk of her head towards the market area, and Zatanna points to one of the roads in particular.]

I might not be the best person to ask for burgers, specifically...but there's this great deli not too far from here.

I can show you, if you like?

[anodites]

That'd be great. They gave me some money, at least.

[And it'd be nice to eat something that didn't involve mealworms or something.]

[backwordscompatible]

Yeah, that part was pretty handy.

It took me a while to find a steady job around here. Some of the shop owners are still a bit stuck up when it comes to non-kedan.

[anodites]

They make kids work? Aren't there labor laws?

[Then again, maybe some aliens think ten is a good age to start working. Who knows?]

[backwordscompatible]

They don't make you do much of anything. But, unless you get lucky and find somebody to mooch off of...it's kind of the only way to get more money.

It's not so bad, though. Really. The magic shop I work at is actually pretty cool; I might've ended up there even if I didn't need the money for rent and stuff.

[anodites]

[And just like that, Gwen lights up.]

You work at a magic shop?

[backwordscompatible]

I work in a magic shop.

[Insert hints of a knowing smirk here.]

A bit cliche, maybe, but like I said: the place is really cool. And it gives me access to spell ingredients I might otherwise have a hard time finding.

You into magic?

[anodites]

Definitely! Wait, does this mean you can do magic?

[So excited.]

[backwordscompatible]

[A nod]

Want to see?

[anodites]

Yeah! I'd love to.

[backwordscompatible]

[Zatanna held up a hand. The spell she used was simple and short, and resulted in a small swirl of wind and smoke encircling her hand. It formed a sizable cloud, which soon blew away into nothing, leaving behind a small, black tophat. Which she proceeded to flip up her arm and onto her head.]

How's that?

[anodites]

[Gwen watches closely, trying to deconstruct the spell. But she can't make heads or tails of it-- it's so different from what she's learned.]

That was so cool! How'd you do it?

[backwordscompatible]

Magic.

[But, no, really.]

It's just something I've always been able to do. I say a spell, and as long as I have enough power, the spell happens. Simple as that.

[Well, not really, but when explaining it to somebody new it was.]

[anodites]

[Thoughtfully:] Do you think you could show me how to do it?

[backwordscompatible]

[At that, Zatanna offered a sympathetic smile.]

I could probably teach you a couple words, but...it's kind of a family-specific style. Unless you have powers of your own, it's not really going to work. Sorry.

[anodites]

[After a brief pause:]

I do. [She pulls a small purple spellbook out of her pocket and speaks a few words in some kind of Latin-esque language. A nearby trashcan lid floats briefly before she lets it fall.]

I just need help honing it.

[backwordscompatible]

[That was an unexpected surprise.]

And you didn't think to mention this sooner?

[pragmatists]

It's not really something I tell people right away. "Hi, I'm Gwen and I have magic powers."

[backwordscompatible]

Well, why not?

You'd be amazed what a great conversation starter it can make.