ioculus | //TESTDRIVE4.0.EXE

Entry tags:

!test drive

//TESTDRIVE4.0.EXE

MOONFESTCON 2014 PART I: Embracing Lunacy

It's that time of the season to praise the two moons of Cerealia. As they hang in the sky, looking harmless and moon-like, the robots and CERES staff have gathered together to prepare a fanciful celebration. It's primarily located in the Pleasure District where paper lanterns hang and where fireworks are starting to burst in the sky. Everyone is welcome to dress up and enjoy an evening of fantastic pleasures, platonic or otherwise.

"Good evening! As always, I'm pleased you all can join me. Do enjoy all the beverages being passed around along with the many services we have to offer, all there for your pleasure.

Take time to play in one of our many booths or just slip away and have a crazy evening. The moons bid it. Don't be shy."

//SCENARIOS.EXE

PHASE I

[ 1900 ] The festival begins promptly with a kick-off speech and a toast from Julius Vincere, encouraging everyone to celebrate beneath the two moons as they light the sky. The weather is crisp and beautiful, leaving them both in full view as their light cascades upon the festival. Around the district, there are several stands full of standard fair food (candy apples/corn dogs/ice cream/deep fried everything), games, and an assortment of many awkward prizes (if you're wondering what these are, do remember you're in the Pleasure District!). Also, there is alcohol everywhere, served to minors and adults alike.

PHASE II

[ 1945 ] The music is playing loudly beneath the noises of the festival. Anyone approaching the speakers will notice a strange buzzing noise that keeps wavering. Then, the sound changes abruptly to the sound of pained moaning hidden within the song. It grows more pronounced by the second until the lights in the Pleasure District flicker off for a brief second. When they return, there is someone crawling out of the speaker. Your eyes squint, and you can see them briefly, the faint outlines of their form as their screaming escalates, only everyone else seems to be deaf to it. Only you can hear it, and you wonder how and why no one else is reacting. Is it just you? Are you hallucinating? Better get used to that feeling in Cerealia.

PHASE III

[ 2000 ] Your friendly speaker friend up there doesn't seem to want to go away. (S)he keeps crawling out and disappearing throughout the evening, but it's easier to ignore as Julius takes to the stage. He has a special announcement for all. CERESdate (who sponsored this wonderful festival by the way) has agreed to set up all you vibrant, sexy Cerealia singles with some robot partners for the night. Want to escape? Too late. They're latching on and dragging you out to the dance floor to boogie down. Afterwards, they'll try and drag you to the nearby hotels for some extra loving. You are welcome to run at this point or comply happily.

PHASE IV

[ 2103 ] Have you escaped the overzealous sex robots? Good, good! Now, it's time for the real fun. The holograms turn from PG images of the stars and surrounding moons and planets to a few fun images of various robot couples caught in absolute bliss. You may spot a clown mask in there or two, reminiscent of those who were running around causing a bit of trouble earlier. The images continue to get distorted as the clowns look like they're stretching their necks out of the image and reaching out towards you. The moaning from before returns.

Doesn't it get you in the mood? If it does and you'd like to find a partner for the night, a few CERESdate robots will be on hand to help fix you up with a partner, organic or otherwise. They're being quite insistent again because they want your credits.

BONUS

[ whyo'clock ] Have you ever been stalked by a condom-dispensing machine? Well, there's a first time for everything! These friendly contraptions are set up all over the Pleasure District, waiting for you to pass by before trailing after you very slowly. At first you don't notice. Every time you turn around, it stands stationery. But the moment you start to move, it just carefully rolls behind you. Watching. Waiting.

[ Remember to apply proper warnings on threads with trigger-y or inappropriate material and do let a mod know if your thread careens off into maiming or canoodling so we can lock the meme. ]

//RUN.EXE

Welcome to CEREALIA's fourth Test Drive Meme. For your convenience, we have compiled a post detailing everyone's arrival experience and a FAQ that should explain everything in more detail. Please read them thoroughly before playing. Thank you!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Right, sorry. I'll dumb it down next time.

No, I don't believe it. [ Her words are strong and she looks deathly serious instead of deathly stoic. ] At all. It's not something I can choose to believe in either, which is why there's gotta be more than what we've been told already. You really don't want to try to figure out what it is?

[Phase I]

[Blake isn't really one for these kind of gatherings, but she's here anyways. She figures that showing up is enough and that she can get away with being a wallflower for the rest of the night.

She's got some tea going on and... that's about it.

Look, just because she's here doesn't mean that Blake has any actual plans on being sociable. But feel free to try to get a conversation out of her! Though she may or may not just roll her eyes at you.]

[Phase II]

[Blake is about to leave until she starts hearing an unusual buzzing noise. Her ears twitch underneath the bow, as the buzzing is eventually replaced with pained moaning. The lights flicker and she catches sight of the creature coming out of the speakers. She's on edge know, reaching for her weapon.

But before she can draw, Blake loses sight of... whatever that was. And yet, the festivities continue on as if nothing has happened. The screams continue, but nobody seems to notice.]

Didn't anyone else see that just now?

[Nope. No escape Elza. Nesso is keeping a hold on him as best he can, though this has them tussling around a bit and likely confusing the particularly persistent robot.]

I don't want the chance. And I'm sure I'd just disappoint her if her heart is set on you.

[Man up, Elza. Go dance with your date! She clearly wants to.] Or we could get out of here entirely. [Escape. Explore. Find their way home. Find Fiona.]

[ At the very least, as proof of their new friendship, Ciel is actually touching Oz, which is a pretty impressive step for him. He's holding his shoulder as he peers around Oz, but as he asks what it wants, Ciel falls silent.

In fact, that silence lingers.

And his face is getting even redder... ]

L— Like I bloody know!!

[ He does, but he cannot say it... ]

It's irritating, that's all!

PHASE I

[ doing his absolute best to ignore the lurid prizes on display (this is completely offensive to his sensibilities), Zara can be found lurking near the more family-friendly stalls, browsing the selection of food. All of which is very fried. And while he doesn't mind fried food and fatty food, as the long rabbit ears quivering on top of his head and the small fluffy rabbit tail on his behind might suggest, he tends to prefer lighter and greener dishes. ]

... Honestly. Eating so much of these types of food is just going to give everyone a terrible stomachache later...

[ and the circumstances aren't doing much for his appetite, anyway. After a while, he can be spotted with a caramel apple, despite protests. ]

PHASE II

-- Don't you hear that?!

[ poor Zara can, painfully well. Actually, he's tugging those long ears of his down to try and muffle the sharp noise of screaming digging into his brain, wincing. The fact that nobody else is reacting to this horrid screeching is almost more concerning than whatever he just caught a glimpse of. Almost.

Most important, however, is getting the noise to stop before his sensitive eardrums burst. ]

PHASE III

[ see, dancing was fine. Zara was good at dancing. He was far too polite to turn down someone approaching him for a dance, even if they were metallic and soulless, but it was fun enough, so he was okay with it. If it ended there, he would have been even more okay with it!

But no. It's become exceedingly obvious that dancing was fairly low on the list of things this woman(? robot?) wanted to do to him, judging by the way she's grabbing at his frilly lapels and attempting to drag him bodily from the dance floor. ]

-- Ma'am, I'm fine by myself, I insist! Now please, let go of me! Let go!

[ his politeness is wearing thin, considering he's now pushing his hands against her face to try and get her away. Help the flustered bunny butler, maybe? Or just laugh at him. (He'll hold it against you later.) ]

Edited 2014-11-05 02:32 (UTC)

You, disappoint her? There's no way.

[Elza laughs, his head still more-or-less wedged, stuck in Nesso's unyielding grip. Oof. Why is Nesso so strong... He squirms about, his ears twitching wildly and his tail lashing behind him.]

...but, escaping sounds even better. [He peers up with a smile, lifting his eyebrows expectantly.]

There are other things I have to sort out first.

[ He says simply, and because I didn't include it in the toplevel for the sake of ease for people that weren't in Dreamland (slash I'm lazy), it's at least clear enough what he means because he's still pretty banged up from the endgame events. Ciel doesn't elaborate on what he means, and doesn't seem to want to, since he moves on quickly. ]

But I'll look into it in time. So long as we're not killing each other, it seems we at least have the extra luxury of time.

Killing each other?

[ That is, of course, what catches her interest the most. She furrows her eyebrows, unconsciously taking a step forward. The look of determination on her face grows. ]

What do you mean by that?

[FRIENDSHIP LEVEL UP. Too bad Oz can't fully enjoy it because he's too busy being concerned that he'll have to fend off a robot with some fruit on sticks...

But he'll glance over his shoulder at the stutter, because that's a pretty obvious "I ACTUALLY DO KNOW" sort of protest and now Oz is curious. Morons, basically. Before actually asking what's what, though, he has something more important to address!]

What's with that look?

Well, you're - you're obviously supposed to use it as a pendant. [She takes the definitely a pendant and hooks the curled part around the necklace she's conveniently already wearing.]

There, see?

[ that was considerably easier than he'd been hoping, and he's grateful, setting aside the fact that he's holding someone else's vibrators in his hands. He just sort of... awkwardly sticks them in a pocket for now and tries to forget about them. He'll look for a trash can later.

Ciel's curious gaze is something he's already become used to, and he schools his face into a patient, friendly smile. His kind wasn't common here - not that they were common back home anymore, either - but he didn't mind educating others on his race. Zara is fully prepared to explain things when the boy sidelines him with a completely different question.

Well. That's fine, too. It's a better topic than sex toys. ]

Why, the Galland household. My name is Zara Skeens - steward of Lord Edgar's estate. [ a small nod. ] You seem like you might belong to a fine house, yourself. Hm?

phase i

[This is all a little sudden, Reim thinks, as he's basically swept along with the crowd through the streets. At one point someone hands him a drink, and someone else steers him into line to play a game. Well, if he's already here...

He is tragically terrible at whatever game this is, and after his third try has thoroughly given up. The game-runner isn't so easily convinced, and Reim is presently engaged in a very one-sided argument about where exactly he should be spending his credits. Still trying to maintain a face of diplomacy, Reim hasn't rightly told the man to shove it; instead, his argument tactic seems to be repeating himself:]

I am keeping my credits, thank you.

[He's just saying that same thing over... and over... this works on ~~Duke Barma~~ children, will it work on aggressive game-peddlers??]

phase ii

[After he's freed from his game loop, Reim drifts toward the speakers around the festival only because most people aren't. They're loud, why would anyone stand close to them voluntarily?

To avoid other people, for sure. He needs a break from more or less everyone here, so: the speakers. He even has a new drink in hand.

At first the noise seems like a malfunction - he has no idea how these speakers work at all, it might as well be - but then the sounds of pain start. That he's willing to write off as his imagination, since he's standing so close to these speakers, but—

there go the lights

—and there's the weird creature, crawling out, right next to his spot. He makes a noise of surprise and backpedals, bumping into someone in the crowd and pointing at the - the thing. Presumably he points it out and whoever it is brushes him off with a laughing comment, at which point his voice can be heard over the music-]

I have not had too much to drink, you-!!

[but suddenly #doubt... what if his drink is haunted.....]

Unfortunately.

[And, wincing, Elza's own ears are pinned back against his hair, little good that it does. He has no doubt that Zara's hearing is that much more sensitive, though, so as he approaches him (head tipping in recognition and acknowledgement), he waves a hand.

It's a beckoning gesture, urgent. He can barely formulate a plan or thoughts with that sound.]

Come on, this way, it shouldn't be as loud over here!

If it's just one day, it's fine, right? As long as no one takes a nap right after, there shouldn't be any stomachaches anyway!

[That's not how it works at all... and where did this nerd even come from who knows but here he is!! The more savory greasy foods aren't too appealing to him, all things considered, but he is carrying a little paper boat that has an assortment of cinnamon and sugar donut holes arranged in two neat rows. About half are already missing... someone stop him.....

That is not the most important part of this, though! Oz will refrain from rudely pointing, but it's clear he's talking about the rabbit ears when he speaks again since he is staring at them intently.]

How are you moving those, mister?

[ Ciel watches this exchange from the sidelines of the crowd, since he's definitely not allowed to have alcohol, for one, but more than that, he's perfectly happy here on the sidelines, thank you. He laughs a little as Reim yells at the bystander, but it's enough to get him to approach. ]

Don't bother. Half the people here can't see the damned things at all.

[ But Ciel can, so he's here for you comrade. ]

[At least tiny children have his back... Reim's still pretty obviously peeved when he looks around to spot Ciel, but he sort of deflates when the words actually sink in (and when he notices Ciel is dressed like a Rich Boy, honestly). He does spare a glance to make sure whoever that was is out of range before responding. Imagine, Reim Lunettes starts a fight...]

Is something wrong with them? [This is half genuine, half petty. They're clearly blind.] It was so— you did see it just now, correct?

There's no look! You're imagining it!

[ Ciel says it indignantly, so it only furthers the suspicion of how much he knows. Who told him about this mysterious machine? Someone rude, probably. But it's definitely getting him flustered, so he gives Oz a shake. ]

Let's just... make it follow someone else.

[ Zara has been purposefully ignoring the games as best as he can, mostly due to the lewd nature of many of the prizes, but he finds himself passing back this way due to the flow of the crowd, to his vague displeasure. However, he's content to let himself be swept along, nibbling at a caramel apple he purchased earlier, and it's pure chance that he ends up near Reim as he's getting held up.

Sounds like someone in a similar situation to him... or at least in one he'd rather not be in. After a moment of hesitation, the rabbit forms a quick plan, steps forward, and claps a hand on Reim's shoulder. ]

Ah, there you are! I've been looking for you. [ he shoots the other man a look - just play along with it - before turning to the merchant again. ] Excuse me, sir, but we've got someone we're meeting -- perhaps he can try his hand again later?

Edited 2014-11-05 02:54 (UTC)

[Tragically it seems like aggressive game-peddlers are not as receptive to repetition as dukes, so the circle of passive denial and aggressive attempts to rope Reim back into the game fray will SURELY CONTINUE FOREVER...

Or that's Oz's concern by the time he bounds over, anyway, immediately sweeping to the front like a rude brat.]

Hey, this looks neat! Can you let me play, mister? [SHOVING HIS CARD OVER at the game-runner, who will at least have to break in his Reim Antagonizing™ to set the game up for another go, grumbling. Unlike Reim, Oz actually seems decently skilled with it and has knocked over the suitable number of rubber duckies to win a prize by his first try. Probably an awkward prize, wow, but Oz isn't really paying attention and just pockets it with a charming smile, leaving the runner sputtering in his attempt to offer a second turn.]

Okay thanks, bye! [GRABBING REIM BY THE ARM and towing him away... He comes in like a hurricane, good lord.

Once he's dragged them out of the wildebeest stampede:] ...Do you want it? You can have it, I don't mind. [The prize...]

[ The way that he looks at Zara is still full of open suspicion, and yet, it's also not for the reasons he would expect. Really, no one would be able to guess the real reason, since it's just Ciel's very unique biases, but after spending time with Sebastian, Ciel doesn't exactly trust butlers. The words are polite, and the smile is kind, but Sebastian was able to do just the same thing.

That, and being pointed out as a noble, makes Ciel draw himself up, and though he's still a short young man, there's definitely the noble's air about him rather than the flustered, confused brat. ]

I've not heard of the Galland household, though that's not unreasonable in a place like this.

[ He frowns lightly, since he's reminded of his discovery that Oz was a nobleman, and one of higher status than he is, but. ]

I am the Earl of Phantomhive.

[Wow.... Someone looks like they're in trouble.

Babysitter Reim lives on, as there is (what looks like) a young child moseying his way over, moving to plant himself between Reim and the counter to make it harder to keep on arguing. Everyone else is having a nice time, and there's been enough fighting recently for him to want to break things up before anyone gets aggressive.]

Do you not enjoy games, sir?

Sir Elza -- ?

[ finally, someone else who can hear it. Except it's someone else with sensitive ears, and that puts them both in a pickle. Zara takes the cue quickly, slipping through the crowd towards Elza in a hurry. get him out of here, brave knight!! ]

They may be idiots, but there's only so far such a thing can go.

[ Ciel says it flatly, then adjusts his cane in his hand (yes, he does have his tiny cane ok) as he looks to the less than pleasant crowd that's just rude, honestly. ]

There may be something wrong with them, but I can't say for certain. They're not like us, at least.

[He's on it, bunny! Elza smiles quickly as he heads further from the sound, the speakers, not immediately replying. Good, he's been remembered, he'd half worried he'd be forgotten, but as expected of Nesso's butler. He keeps walking up until the sound is... well, not completely gone, but the screaming is not as present and making it hard to think.]

Here we go... Is this a bit better? What a racket that was.

[He groans, rubbing his palm over one of his ears.]

That's supposed to be fashionable?

[ It seems like he's not buying it, and he hmphs lightly, but— ]

It looks stupid. People really wear such things?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 2 of 25

//TESTDRIVE4.0.EXE

no subject

Blake Belladonna | RWBY

no subject

no subject

Zara Skeens / Black Wolves Saga

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

reim lunettes | pandora hearts

ii

phase i!

phase dos

no subject

no subject

phase i

phase i!

no subject

phase i

elzaaaaaaaa

no subject

zaraaaaa

no subject