TEST DRIVE MEME #8

[fairyfoes]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Considering apping to EACHDRAIDH? Why not give the setting a test run here! OPTIONAL SCENARIOS 01. ARRIVING IN THE DRABWURLD. The Seelie and Unseelie courts welcome you not with mirthful revelry, this time around dear friends. There is a seriousness in the air, though the food is still hearty and the imps still mischievous. After you have been briefed on your purpose here, you will find an endless feast and a night filled with entertainment to placate your concerns. Mingle with new arrivals, sneak down the castle halls and make sure your eyes are always on your glass; fairies and imps have no bias when it comes to tricks! 02. THE STATION. Looking for a little slice of home? The Station gives you all that and more. Take advantage of the wifi, have a cup of fairy-brewed coffee (the one they didn't spit in) or sit back and relax on the patio. You can even move your things into one of the available rooms! 03. WILDCARD. Your own scenario! Explore the Drabwurld or simply take advantage of your Locket! Be mindful, though -- the monarchs are watching and cross court communication should be done with the utmost secrecy.

Comments

[ragnarock]

So I shouldn't hold my breath for an orientation video, [ she groused, leaning back against the balcony and thinking almost -- almost -- longingly of her first days at Arzenal. Arzenal had been a piece of shit, but it had come to be her piece of shit, and at least it had colorful presentations for five-year-olds that clearly explained what you were supposed to be doing. ]

[andallbite]

[ He lifts his head a little more, aiming a blank stare her way in lieu of whatever sarcastic remark she may have been expecting in response. Orientation... what? ]

... No. [ He says slowly, almost uncertain. ] I—don't think so.

[ragnarock]

[ What part of that was unclear? Had being here just made his brain rot? Wait -- if he knew what other people were doing, that meant he probably wasn't a fresh conscript like she was. He would know. ]

Then you can give the introduction speech, [ she said firmly, pointing a finger right at him. ]

[andallbite]

[ You kids and your technology. She moves on swiftly enough from it, though, and he's okay with that; after asking about the occasional odd terms and phrases the first handful of times, Eren's learned it's easier just to leave it be. Other worlds' technology would be fascinating if it didn't sound so baffling.

His eyes fall to her finger as if asking why me? He doesn't actually protest all that much, though, leaning into the railing more. ]

I don't have a lot of impressive sounding words lined up, if that's what you're hoping to hear. [ There might be someone who could lay it out better than him, but if this is what she wants, he won't say no. ] Someone's already mentioned the war, right?

[ragnarock]

The little scratching monsters talked about being special and gemstones, [ she said. And they had been little monsters, throwing her in a sack. She scowled briefly at the memory, then shrugged at him. He hadn't been the one to treat her like a pile of potatoes. ] I don't care if you dress it up nicely -- but someone needs to explain what I'm supposed to do now that I've been conscripted.

[ She's not inclined to be charitable on account of any sense of why me he might have. She's feeling it herself, about being dragged her, and why me is just making her grumpier. ]

[andallbite]

[ If there's one thing they can both agree on, it's that the imps are a group of little fuckers. Maybe it's because of his obvious distaste for them that they continue to harass them, and he keeps on kicking them around. It's a vicious cycle.

Imps aside, though. He pauses in thought, briefly, before beginning. ]

That's more or less it. The monarchs consider us 'special' because we've got shards—you're gonna get called shardbearer a lot. [ Practically every day. ] They hold a certain power that both courts are after so they can win this war.

[ragnarock]

And if King Gloom wins, worlds stop dying and being reborn, and we get to go home. [ She'd got that much out of the imps; it was one of the things that made her believe they were telling the truth. She stretched out, a little more relaxed as the conversation came around to something she actually had strong convictions about. She liked her world. She had plans for her nation, plans for her cafe, plans for Tusk. ] That part makes sense. So, how do we win?

[andallbite]

[ After a few beats: ]

Getting all the shards we can from the other side.

[ To put it simply. It's a task easier said than done, and one many don't have the constitution to pull off. ]

There's a thing out there eating away at the world called the void, too. There's a lot of people out there trying to find ways to stop it—or at least slow it down enough to buy us some time.

[ragnarock]

Shards from the other side? [ she echoes, and for a minute she fixates on that -- if the shard has been growing in her, does it do the same for people on the other side? Her eyes go wider in genuine surprise and a bit of alarm, and her voice shifts upward half an octave. ] Hold on, we're supposed to cut it out of them?

[ It reminds her too much about Salako's story -- That is the truth of the war you've risked your lives fighting. Our people are killed in order to sustain your world's energy. Their hearts are torn out, their crystallized dracunium extracted... ]

[andallbite]

Yeah.

[ Her surprise doesn't go without notice, but he answers easily. Eren isn't normally one to mince words. ]

That's what they want us to do. The Seelie will do the same thing to you if you're not careful.

[ragnarock]

[ Her jaw set fiercely as she digested this new piece of information. Well. It was better to learn she would be fighting humans right off the bat than to learn that the enemy was human after months of massacring shapeshifters for cash... but it would be easier if the targets were something monstrous and different. ]

I'll survive. [ Kill, and survive. Her voice was completely assured now. Even if it was humans, she'd long since cut away the pampered princess who thought killing to survive was selfish and barbaric. ] Especially against any bastards who want to destroy worlds.

[andallbite]

[ It's a hard thing to accept, for a lot. No one ever truly wants to kill another human—sticking one's blade into something monstrous is much, much easier—but it's a necessity if they want to live. And Eren's never taken kindly to people who are so willing to let others die. To know there's a whole other side fighting for that cause sickens him.

It seems to do the same for her, and there's a relief in that, truth be told. To know that despite whatever anger she has of being here, at the very least, she's willing to do what it takes to keep living. ]

I won't ask you to do anything right now. [ The circumstances are a lot to take in. Back home, he'd be a lot more forceful about persuading someone to fight. It's different here. ] But as long as you're here, you can't run away from this war. If you're willing to fight, you should.

[ragnarock]

Of course I'm willing. It's my world on the line, after all. [ And my chance to see that world again. There wasn't any hesitation in her voice at that moment, only easy confidence and conviction -- but then she raised her hands to her head, and began pulling on her hair in a completely undignified display of irritation. ] Aaaah, it still should have been someone else with the stupid magic rock in them! I'm tired of putting up with this "chosen" shit!

[andallbite]

[ Eren shifts on his feet as he watches her, more agreeable than most at first, and then... puts on a show of being fed up with it. It's a bit contradictory, or maybe she just realizes battling for their lives is more important than personal feelings. ("Chosen shit" gets another raised eyebrow, but he wouldn't guess getting knocked off her pedestal as princess and being forced into a life of fighting dragons is the reason behind her words—far from it, really, so he doesn't think much of questioning it.)

But he does give something of a wry huff, because he doesn't quite share those frustrations. Eren's purpose is far too focused on these sorts of matters to ever think about complaining about it. ]

Griping about it isn't gonna get you anywhere. You have the chance to save your world. That's not something to get angry about.

[ragnarock]

[ She looked up sharply and took her hands out of her hair -- though it still looked ridiculous and undignified. ] I can gripe and save the world and be angry all at the same time, [ she informed him loftily, her abrasive tone somewhat undercut by the fact that she had hair sticking in all directions. ]

[andallbite]

[ It is, just a little. Eren levels her a flat look, and if he were the type to roll his eyes, this would be the time to do it. Sheesh, talk about a real complainer. ]

Suit yourself, but it sounds kinda pointless to me.

[ragnarock]

If it's such a problem, you can go out and fight right now.

[ She'd like to get some more direction about how one goes about acquiring some Seelie shards, but she's not sure whether she's willing to put up with someone who can't handle her usual level of fussiness to get it. ]

[andallbite]

[ Sorry Ange, but it's true he's a solemn kind of guy who doesn't deal with fussing too well. ]

This isn't about me. [ Hey, if you asked him, his priorities are in line, thank you. ] There's nothing to go fighting on a day like this, anyway.

[ragnarock]

There's a war going on; I'm sure you could find something. [ She turned, waving a hand at the vast expanse of Dorchadas. ] It's not like you're stuck here. [ Or are they? Well, his response will solve that question. ]

[andallbite]

[ Like it's that easy. ]

Only a dumbass would go walking into Glaschu by themselves. You think I'm asking for a death wish?

[ Despite his reputation back home—which thankfully hasn't followed him all the way here—he's not so keen on getting himself killed. ]

[ragnarock]

Glass Shoe?

[ That brings her to a halt. She has no idea what it is. ]

[andallbite]

Glaschu. [ He says, with more enunciation to it. ] It's what the Seelie territory down south is called.

[ragnarock]

South? Shouldn't you have invaded Achoo by now, if you need their gems?

[ She says it slightly dismissively, like duh that's the obvious thing to do. Ange may be a natural pilot and good at inspirational speeches, but she's not much for strategy. ]

[andallbite]

[ Yeah, he'll let this one go. ]

We have. [ It's gone both ways many times, by now. ] They have their own armies to fight back with, y'know.

[ragnarock]

It's stupid, fighting for your own world to die, [ she said, firmly but dismissively, glancing in the direction she thought was south based on the way the moon was moving. But, then again, Embryo had convinced Salia and her Diagonal Row knights to fight for the end of their own world, at least for a while. If the people fighting for Ass Chew were just being idiots, winning this war would be easier than she'd expected. And if they weren't -- well, it would be difficult, but she'd do it and get home anyway. ]