Test Drive Meme | #35

[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: → Comment with the journal of a character you want to test; put their name and canon in the subject line for added sparkles. → Tag around with everyone! → Profit like you live on a the back of a turtle! → 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! 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! Dramatic Chase Sequence! You're running away from something! It could be anything, from a rampaging kirin to a gaggle of overly enthusiastic children! 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...? Where There's A Will, There's A...? The Life and Dreaming Planes have been merged, and sometimes what starts out as wishful thinking becomes lured into reality. That slick new motorcycle or pile of kingly treasure you were just daydreaming about? Surprise! It's just appeared in front of you. Though, it may only stay for a short while before it disappears again, so make it count. Hopefully you're not the type to daydream about terrible things befalling people you don't like... SECRET UNDERCOVER MODE ACTIVATE! The three major kedan families all have their own agendas, and you've chosen to entangle yourselves with one (or more!) of them. Are you hoping to shift the balance of power? Gain some favours? Perhaps you're on a mission to bring a criminal to justice, or maybe you just want to get the cream of the crop from the black market. Maybe you haven't been hired by them at all, but are using their name for your own goals... as long as no one discovers the lie! Wait... you want my what now?! The kedan are a curious folk, and the Foreigners are entertainment in conveniently arriving packages, especially when they come along with unique items that the kedan might not have seen before. Maybe it's your cellphone... or maybe it's your knickers! How badly do you want to keep your stuff from some overeager native shapeshifters who want to buy, bribe, or burglarize it right off your person? Sea prunes, get your sea prunes right here! Life in Keeliai can take a little getting used to: the chickens have scales, the cows have feathers, and the fruits come in more colour and pattern combinations than your average tye-dye shirt. Not to mention that meal you just ordered from the food vendor? Has arrived on the plate, and you're pretty sure you just saw it move. Everybody needs a little darkness... The Great Enemy may have been defeated over two years ago, and people are even willing to speak Malicant's name aloud now, but there remains a taint in the city never fully purged. Those who consider Malicant a dark god whose end was unjust are the cultists of Keeliai, and they aren't always so easy to identify as one might think. Sometimes their presence is felt in the growing urge to give into one's darker instincts, especially in such a foreign place... Illicit substances, anyone? Every city has its vices, and Keeliai is no different. Perhaps you actively sought it out, or perhaps an opportunistic dealer saw you as a potential customer needing a free sample, but you're now in possession of a packet of Lucid, an emotion-enhancing drug. Interested in finding out what happens when you crush that colourful crystal and ingest it? Incoming! Tu Vishan's latest landfall stop has brought an unwelcome problem to its residents: enormous, toothy creatures who look more like pterosaurs than most people are comfortable with! With a twenty-foot wingspan, these aren't exactly harmless local wildlife, and they have a nasty habit of swooping down on targets both Foreigner and kedan! How are you going to fend them off, or help someone who might have been injured by the latest dive bombing?? 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? Anything goes!

Comments

[zhengmian]

"Then you are a brave man indeed," Inara responded as she paused, looking over to the man. He was dressed rather odd but she was more interested in how he acted. It was a habit- she made a living of being able to read others.

"I take it you are more familiar with the local cuisne then?" she prompted with a smile. His appearance didn't fit in with the locals but at the same time, he seemed rather comfortable with his surroundings. Clearly someone who was used to the unexpected.

[zhengmian]

After their time together, Inara supposes she can't really be surprised at River showing up so suddenly. She glanced around but there seemed to be no one else from the crew in sight.

"River- are any of the others here?" she asked, not looking to see if she was being followed anymore. She had never thought to look for anyone else until River showed up, assuming that if anywhere were here she would have heard about it by now.

[zhengmian]

Inara turned to give Simon a smile as she replaced a bag of tea upon the stand she had been browsing at.

"As are you, Simon." Inara had to admit there was a sense of comfort and security in having at least one familiar face in a strange world.

"Have you just arrived yourself?" she asked as they walked through the market. She didn't look back but she noticed the child had abandoned its pursuit of her.

[ten_zero]

Bisi was momentarily at a loss as to how to proceed with the conversation. In the old days she would likely have returned to her post, but there was no more Orokin empire to defend. And she had no orbiter here to return to either. It seemed strange to keep Frost active while there was no mission to run or place to guard, but she had no desire to return to her 'real' body either.

It occurred to her that no one knew what she was in this place; perhaps introductions were in order?

"I am-" She stopped short again, unsure how to introduce herself. Tenno? Her name? There was no social protocol that she could recall to help her in this situation. In the end, she decided it was dishonest to introduce herself as Bisi while she was wearing Frost. "I am the Tenno. Might I ask your name?"

[drinkuntilidie]

All Constantine would find is one-hundred percent pure troll. Even among this strange city Kevas had yet to find another troll like himself. There were plenty of humans to be found and others that were definitely not-so-human, but so far no sign of other trolls. That bothered him if only because it made him stand out more than he wanted. At least many kedan here looked stranger still, making it a little easier to blend in when he wanted.

"Dat dere be," Kevas replied as he watched the would be pickpockets finally give up. He thought about finding them later and giving them a few tips to improve their skill. Nothing wrong with adding a little more uncontrolled chaos to an already chaotic city.

"It be one of a kind," he went on, focusing on Constantine again with a tip of his hat. "Call me Kevas. So who be you?"

[ruinsprofessor]

It does sound like an apology, for someone used to picking out what goes unsaid from friends who are very bad about giving voice to their emotions. Whatever passed there, it's enough to settle Raine a little more.

She inclines her head in return, to about the same degree Fenris has, assuming them to be equals. "Raine Sage," she says by way of answer. "I run the Healers' Guild, in the Water sector. You handle yourself well in a fight."

Especially given that sword. It's worth noting, given the circumstances of their meeting. There's a point of curiosity, however. "What do you mean, about the magic from your world?" Raine asks. "Is there something wrong with it?"

[hadthehighground]

The Jedi's brows lifted slightly at the interesting introduction. It wasn't often that someone announced themselves as 'the' something.

"I am Obi-Wan Kenobi," he said back. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Tenno. Though might I ask exactly what you are?"

Since we were asking questions here. He did his best to sound polite, and he hoped that it would be quite obvious that he'd not seen anything quite like Tenno before. It was mere curiosity.

[ten_zero]

Frost bowed to Obi-wan in response.

'What you are.' "I apologize, that is a... difficult question. Where I come from I am Tenno, and the concept is understood, even if the opinions... differ.

"In the simplest terms, I am a warrior, and I serve. There is more to it than that, but it would take time to explain, and I am hesitant to do so."

[mewnifestos]

If this is some kind of joke, it's not a very funny one.

[ If Anders is lying, he's doing a remarkably good job of it - which should be the surest tell that he isn't, considering. He can't even cheat at cards (or, well, not usually); how is he supposed to believably deny something like that? ]

Maybe I've... Thought about burning down a few chantries, in my life, but I've never actually done it. [ Not yet, anyway - the notion of some greater action against the monument to apathy and cruel disregard that is Kirkwall's chantry, in particular, is still only just that: a notion. And not one he's yet found the desperation to seriously consider. ]

And if I had, I think I'd remember it. Probably fondly. [ Although there's no mirth in that brief twist of sarcasm. ]

[stabsbothways]

[ Hmm, well that was admittedly very odd. If this was a fake Anders they were doing a very terrible job of trying to make her believe he was the right one. What did he have to gain by lying?

That was a pretty big thing that happened. She tried to remember some other big important things that happened in Kirkwall. She hadn't been paying attention to most of them, she'd been spending a lot of time dodging horned arseholes. ]

You really didn't blow up the chantry?

[ignitethestars]

"Who else pops up out of nowhere in order to rescue you, Master?"

Anakin couldn't suppress the smirk threatening to sneak across his lips. So he did what any person would do in his situation, he turned his face away and focused on pulling the both of them to a more secure location.

Namely on top of the building where they'd get a better visage of the chaos below.

[hellboundheart]

Soul was a loose term in John's case. His was already damned and possibly the property of someone other than himself. Semetics.

His eyes followed the chair's downward path before looking back to Erskine's face, in particular those eyes. In John's world, that colour often did mean celestial. Demons often had red or black eyes. Angels, good or fallen, had eyes of bright gold. Cliche` in John's opinion.

"You don't say. Janitor."

Disbelief was clear in his voice, John pouring himself another drink.

"From the Emerald Isle, hm? Never met an Irishman that didn't like a good trick. Come on, sit down. Have a drink. Not like I'm going to eat you, although I wouldn't doubt there's the occasional one around here that might. Wouldn't happen to have wings, would you? Fire is nice and warm, and I could use someone who knows about this place."

[edgeoftheknife]

"Yep. Janitor."

Hey, Erskine wasn't entirely happy about it either. One does what one must.

The rest of the Englishman's questions came out in a long jumble that Erskine couldn't quite parse all at once. His heart was still half in his throat at the simple fact that he'd been addressed, that he was taking part in a conversation with a stranger that he hadn't personally worked up the courage to initiate. Eventually he leaned the handle of the sweeper against the armchair he'd been levitating and stepped over toward the fire and Constantine's little circle. He chose a chair off to John's right, sitting on the edge of the cushion and leaning forward with his forearms resting on his knees and his hands clasped loosely between.

"I didn't say I don't enjoy card tricks. I meant I'm not a stage magician. I don't do birthday parties." Little tricks to amuse someone he might be flirting with at the moment, or someone he might be trying to cheer up, now that was a different story. "What did you want to--"

A beat.

"Why would I have wings?"

[hellboundheart]

"Brilliant. Hadn't seen it done that well in a long time."

Reminded him of someone but John didn't think deeply on it. Pickpockets and street magicians were a dime a few dozen. People were fascinated by what they didn't think could be explained. Same as how people blamed the devil when something went wrong in their lives.

"Good on you then. Rather not have a crowd of tiny thugs laying in wait for me next time. Now who might you be? John Constantine's my name," he said lightly, looking down at the girl.

He didn't offer his hand, but who would after seeing that slick bit of sleight of hand? John's watch might not be the best, but he liked it on his wrist.

[hellboundheart]

John had precious few that he let into his mind. There was too often the chance of possession of a 'friend' that could result in a mental attack. Better to keep those walls tightly up, all doors slammed shut. When it came to himself, John Constantine was a bastard of the first stripe who thought of him first. He watched the wolf head through one of the doors, not knowing or caring who's room it was although he did reach down into his bag for his switchblade. With its weight resting in the inner pocket of his trenchcoat, John felt a little better. Not silver, but any port in a storm.

Violence would be an absolute last resort given what he'd seen of this place, but a wolf baring its teeth at him coupled with an attempt on his mind didn't bode well.

The cards were being shuffled through his clever fingers when the woman emerged instead of the wolf. Bit of a variation on the lady and the tiger, John mused privately. Didn't take a genius (or maybe just a supernatural investigator) to see the eyes, the coloration and make a general conclusion. If not, wow, he was going to have to issue the rare apology for calling a woman the less polite version of a female dog.

The display of ownership didn't help draw his conclusions along to elsewhere.

"Were you a bitch a few minutes ago or just a strange coincidence?"

No one would ever accuse John Constantine of being tactful.

[hellboundheart]

John watched the pickpockets and his new company for the same reasons: he liked keeping what was his on him. Cut off from home, his supplies were limited until he found an equal source for replenishment. Salt from one dimension might not work in a warding circle in another. Magic was strange like that. If no one was confused, they had no idea what was going on.

John returned the tip of the hat with a nod of his own. The fact he didn't offer a hand like most humans would have was part relief and part confirmation. Only humans were dumb enough to put a fragile hand into someone else's grip to be crushed.

"John Constantine. New around here. I don't doubt that's one of a kind."

Not only because no person John knew would buy or wear something like that except the streetwalkers or pimps.

"Kevas. Can't say I've heard that name except for that knitwear shop down the street. Seemed to like their bright colors. Those Kendan always either too brave or too scared of us?"

[hellboundheart]

The rush of words was thrown at Erskine purposely. In John's experience, people tended to lose track and focus only on the familiar terms when too much was said to them at once. He had expected this magical creature to focus only on 'wings' if he had been an angel or fallen. It was a cheap conman's trick, but in the end, that was what John Constantine was... a conman.

When the 'janitor' did hit on that one word, John's humorless smile stayed on his lips. Even in the warmth of the fire's light, John's dark eyes were pits without kindness or much else. The war-torn learned to protect themselves first.

"Never underestimate the magician," John said mildly. "They're good at what they do."

Time was let to pass as John poured himself another drink and brought it to his mouth. Warmth traced down his throat before he spoke. Time could be an ally or an enemy. The guilty usually rushed to explain. Innocents only remained confused.

"You've got gold eyes, mate. Usually means an angel in my world, good or evil. I like to check."

Nothing more than that was offered. Information was armor or a weapon depending on the situation. No matter how handsome, John tried to put neither in the hands of potential enemies. This janitor wasn't someone John would kick out of bed, but he liked to know what he was admiring first.

[shroudofgray]

It wasn't her. It wasn't the Queen. There was some relief there but it was short-lived. It wasn't her, but the harmonics in the voice were similar, and the way he commanded the shadows felt almost identical.

Yorda backed away slowly, stumbling when she knocked over a few planks of scrapped wood and a half-busted crate.

"Who are you?" She whispered tremulously. Her back hit the wall of a building and she tried to peer through the shadows. Not even her keen gaze could penetrate that darkness though. "You're not from the Castle in the Mists."

[flybyshooting]

"No," Balthier said with an easy-going shrug. "But to hear you tell it, that may change. And here I've never even heard of it before."

He strode over, with the appearance and demeanor of a character out of one of the more fantastical stories of adventure.

"Is that the city you're from? Paris?"

The spoiler continues, fair warning if anyone looks this way

[edgeoftheknife]

Erskine let the comment about magicians pass without offering his kneejerk reaction. Mortals. Mortals using sleight of hand and misdirection. Nothing he and the other Dead Men hadn't done a thousand times, and probably better. He was more interested in a few of the other comments the man had tossed out to focus on something so mundane.

When Constantine finally spoke again, one of Erskine's eyebrows arched and the faint trace of a smile tugged at one corner of his mouth. "Angel? There's one I haven't heard in a while." He chuckled quietly, looking down at his hands as he spoke. "Back in the day, people used to ask if I was one of the sidhe. Anton likes to call me the 'cleaning faerie.'" His mouth curled a little in distaste at that one. "I've heard angel a few times. Demon a few more times. I think 'incubus' was my favorite."

Dodging the angry husband, not so much.

"I'm a sorcerer." He lifted one hand and snapped his fingers; a spark flickered in his grasp, and he cupped his hand to nurture the spark into a little ball of writhing flame before clenching his fist to extinguish it. "We don't all have golden eyes, though. Luck of the draw on that one, I suppose."

He looked up at John finally, actually looked at him. "What about you? You talk to angels much, that you know the color of their eyes?"

[backwordscompatible]

...okay, there was a slight chance he could've just been patronizing her, but she didn't care. Her eyes shone at the compliment, and she gave a smile of both pride and nostalgia. How could she not?

"Zatanna Zatara." In lieu of a handshake, since one was never offered to her, she glanced back over her shoulder, jerking a thumb in the general direction of the Center of the city. "I run the Welcome Center here. So if you're as new as I suspect you are--considering I haven't seen you around before now--feel free to stop by with any questions. Or not. Completely up to you."

[flybyshooting]

"You do me much credit," Balthier chuckled. "But an empty stomach can steel even the weakest of nerves."

He gestured to the stalls. "They practically throw food at you here if you have the look of a foreigner about you, so it's not exactly hard to get acquainted with local delicacies." He inclined his head to another stall that looked like it was selling some kind of crispy fried meat coated in a dark sauce. "At least the local delicacies that can be deep fried and served on a stick."

[redlightgreenlight]

She looked at him, her eyes filling with amusement and a dazzling smile lighting up her fair features. She laughed lightly, drawing her hair over one shoulder and continuing to work her fingers through it, debating on whether or not she was interested enough to look at this man with her soul sight. Because the light of souls radiated outward, looking at one wasn't exactly difficult, merely a matter of switching from the physical plane to the spiritual one in terms of sight. Passive, harmless, more a means of identification than anything else and it was never focused on one person, using the sight meant all souls lit up, not just the person's that you were looking at.

But she decided against it, not particularly wanting the distraction at the moment. She quit messing with her hair and delicately draped one arm across her legs, resting the elbow of the opposite arm on the arm of the chair.

"My name is Valdis, Dronningen av Hundene..." She swept her hand at him in an elegant gesture, an invitation to introduce himself, "You are?"

B!

[flybyshooting]

Balthier may not have known his way around Keeliai, but he did know his way around cities in general. You could plop him in the middle of a big city on the other side of the galaxy and by the time supper rolled around he'd be better acquainted with it's streets and customs than natives who'd resided there their entire lives.

Which was, essentially, what happened with Keeliai. And it was because Balthier frequented brothels.

And this one was the kind of establishment he liked. It was classy enough that the beer was good, the beds were clean, and its entrepreneurs of the oldest profession were pretty (or handsome). But it still had an edge to it - the liquor was sharp and tasted like paint thinner, and the gossip was good. It was, all around, his kind of establishment.

And as it turned out, he was exactly the kind of customer they liked. He paid upfront with no haggling when he wanted a quick tumble, he never drank to the point of blind drunkeness, he tipped handsomely, and was one of those foreigners who came with good stories.

It was when he was wrapping up a story about the time he and Fran got chased across the Estersands by a Saurian that he noticed a figure that seemed a bit too small to be hanging around.

Balthier avoided children like he avoided dire rats and for mostly the same reason. Kids were prone to all manner of pathogens that they may as well have been plague-carriers. The pirate frowned. He knew brothels took in orphans and foundlings sometimes, but it was rare it was to any altruistic end. He hoped that wasn't the case here, but he had to make sure.

"Bit young to be patronizing a house of ill-repute," he remarked, sliding Arya a hot chocolate.

[edgeoftheknife]

Oh, I don't know if I've tried all of it. I certainly remember the purple one, though.

[A wider smile now, lopsided and friendly. He'll assume for now that that's a 'no' on the vampire part. Can't go around assuming everyone's a soulless monster, after all.]

I've been here... [His gaze drops for a moment as he tries to remember.] Eight months, I think? Something like that. It's easy to lose track of time here--or at least it is for me--but Anton keeps a calendar up at the desk in the Hotel. I think it's been eight.

[At the mention of the Hotel he looks back at the other man.]

I assume you've been to the Welcome Center at least, if you've got juulan to spend. Found a place to stay and all that?