//TESTDRIVE4.0.EXE

[reparator]

//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!

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Melanie Walker | Batman Beyond

[tenofhearts]

phase i

[For a moment, she almost thought she could enjoy herself.]

[The speech was boring. The weather was pleasant enough. The crowds, she could easily get lost in. The food...well, for the moment, the food was her favorite part. Time spent working in restaurants had given her a new appreciation for certain tastes, and she was hardly one to let the opportunity to sample pass her by.]

[Nor was she one to forego a chance to taste wine. Red wine, to be specific. A single glass at most, but even the first sip was enough to spread a warmth through her body she hadn't felt for a very long time...]


phase iii

[She wasn't drunk. Tipsy, yes, but she still had her wits about her. Enough to realize what was happening.]

I told you. I don't dance.

[Persistence was something she knew very well. The opportunity to live in the moment. But this was one moment she did not want. Not like this. And her new friend was just going to have to get it through its thick...whatever.]

phase i.

[deontology]

[There's a calm, rather stoic voice that comes from the side when she does take a sip of that drink. Sousei has been watching the party warily, and he knows there will be more to this--of course there will. It's this place.

When Melanie does take a drink, Sousei's glance slides over to her, and then--]

I would not drink it, even to please them.

[You never know what's in that nonsense.]

[tenofhearts]

[The voice gave her pause, if only for a moment. A sideways glance at the person it came from, then down to her drink, and back over again. Then she took a healthy sip. Slow and purposeful.]

Why not? If that's what they want, then everybody wins.

[deontology]

[Ahhh, one of those people. Troublesome people who act out.

He shouldn't even be surprised. His expression is calm enough, though his response, well--]

They've slipped questionable substances in our food and drink before.

[tenofhearts]

[Acting out? Not really. More like determined to assert her own independence.]

[Troublesome? ...well, she tried not to be, but old habits were often hard to break. And besides that, it wasn't like she hadn't taken a good, long look around. Whatever might have been in the drinks, it seemed to do little more than get people drunk. Very drunk. Nobody was passing out too quickly, nobody was dying, and her glass hadn't left her hand since she'd gotten it from the bartender.]

And I should trust you over them...why?

[deontology]

[Well, he'll give her that question. Which he does, inclining his head in acknowledgement of her point. He's a killjoy, and overly cautious, but well--he thinks he'd rather be that than dead. And a week isn't enough time to forget the clowns and their ridiculous drugs.]

Aside from the fact that I have not kidnapped you here, you only have my word.

[So fair enough.]

It was a word of warning. Believe what you will.

[tenofhearts]

[Fair enough, indeed. At least he hadn't gone on to spew some nonsense about righteousness or prior experience or anything her attention span couldn't handle. Trust me or don't, coincidentally, was her usual method.]

Well, I haven't dropped yet.

Think I'm gonna be okay. No need to worry about me. I can take care of myself.

[deontology]

[It's a method he fully subscribes to as well--and he got his warning out nonetheless, so it's up to her now to decide what to do with it. He doesn't have that much of an interest in meddling, beyond that.

And so he nods.]

I see. [It would be stupid to doubt her when he doesn't even know what she's capable of.] That will be a useful skill to have here.

[tenofhearts]

[As a show that she meant what she said, another sip went down before responding back again.]

That's me all over. Useful.

Why else bring me here, if I wasn't useful, y'know?

[deontology]

...Yes. That's the question.

[Why are they here, out of everyone? How much of what they've been told are lies? He can't deny that that's what they really need to figure out to be able to learn more.

Until then, though. He glances at her again, and then decides that politeness hardly costs anyone anything.]

My name is Abe no Sousei. [he can't say it's a pleasure, because the entire situation kind of sucks, and he's an honest sort of person.] You can hold me to my word that way.

[Seems fair to him.]

[tenofhearts]

Melanie.

[The pleasure was all hers, though not because of him. She offered a shrug at the latter statement, however.]

A name's a name. Don't really mean much beyond that.

Been here long?

[deontology]

[hm. Well.]

Approximately one month. [It's not a long period of time, but at the same time...it's not exactly a short period of time to be kidnapped for, either.]

[tenofhearts]

Is it always this...welcoming 'round here?

[The nicest way she could describe this festival.]

phase iii

[modernized]

[Terry is, instinctively, a protective person. Especially when dregs are bothering people and these robots are no exception. Damn things really like getting up close and personal and in all the wrong ways. It's creepy, among other things.

Amid the loud music he doesn't recognize the voice, but he still goes toward the sound as best as he can. When he gets to the scene he's stunned into a moment of silence -- Melanie -- before he takes action and shoves the robot. It only nudges but then he goes up to her side.]

Lady said to beat it, synthoid.

[Will it listen to him? Is the sky green and the grass blue?]

[tenofhearts]

[Okay, she took it back. Maybe she was drunk.]

[This wasn't Gotham. This wasn't anywhere near Gotham. Or any other city she had traveled to. No memories of how she got here. No grasp of why they would want her. Something about a war. Aliens. Didn't they get the memo? She was retired. Done with fighting. She would have been done with Gotham as well, except it had somehow become the closest place to a home she'd ever had.]

[And this wasn't Gotham. Which is why there was absolutely no way the boy who had come up to rescue her could possibly be who she was seeing. Which means she had to be drunk. Drunk and seeing things.]

...knew a boy who looked like you once.

[Her eyes, glazed yet focused, started directly at his face. Completely ignoring the pushy robot that looked like it was making motions to push up its nonexistent sleeves.]

[modernized]

[No, looks like the robot isn't listening. If he starts a fight he might just draw more of their attentions too. He's never liked synthoids, but he hates them even more now thanks to this dump.

He looks over to Melanie, realizing she may just be intoxicated (if not her look, her words definitely) and takes her hand.]

C'mon, before they try pulling us into something freaky.

[He pulls gently, not enough to be forceful but at least enough that she'll hopefully get the hint and follow along as he tries to move as far from the dance floor as possible.]

[tenofhearts]

And just what did you have in mind?

[Grateful as she was for the rescue...and much as she was willing to let him lead her away from the robot (easier than having to take him on herself in her condition--that wouldn't have ended well for anybody involved)...she wasn't completely stupid.]

[modernized]

[Once they're far enough away he lets her go and looks at her hard. So many conflicted feelings, but he knows what's important right now.]

Checking if you're alright. Are you?

[tenofhearts]

I am now.

[He looked so much like Terry.]

[For a fleeting moment, when she turned to stare up at him...she smiled, warmly and genuinely. She was never the kind of girl to keep dreaming about the impossible happening. To long after someone who had made it clear where they stood in life. But, just for a moment, with her mind still buzzed, she was willing to indulge in the fantasy.]

Thanks for the help. You saved that guy a major headache.

[modernized]

Well, I don't think he can get a headache. Inorganic life and all.

[He smiles back a little, unsure what to feel right now. There was a part of him still angry with her, about everything that happened between them. Too many lies and deception and he knows he's a good part in it all. But he can't say he isn't glad to see her after so long, even with those uncertain feelings. He always was a sucker for a smile from a pretty woman.]

If you can tell me where in the housing district you live, I can take you back there if you wanna split. This place can be a real slag sometimes.

[Not different from the clubs in Gotham, but the synthoids trying to get too friendly always muddle the mood for him even though he likes clubbing.]

[tenofhearts]

[Slag]

[One word. One syllable, even. That she hadn't heard until now.]

[Twice, she blinked. Posture straightening. Slag. A familiar phrase, combined with a familiar face. Except...no, there was no way...was there?]

...Terry?

[modernized]

Uh...yeah?

[He shoots her a confused glance, her reaction worrisome.]

Man, you must really be on the stuff hard if you didn't recognize me.

[tenofhearts]

[Later, when she sobered up completely, she might considering feeling embarrassed about this. How she stared up at him, lips parted in a mixture of genuine surprise and partial disbelief.]

I don't--

I just...never thought I would see you again.

[After he had rejected her letter. Rejected her. There was no way he would come to her aid so calmly like this. Knowing who and what she was. What she was capable of.]

[modernized]

[His mouth opens up but all that comes out is a breath of frustration. Slaggit, of course she would be upset. He breathes in and puts a hand on her shoulder, gentle without a squeeze.]

Hey look, maybe we should get out of here. Go someplace that isn't crawling with creepy synthoids.

[There's a lot of complicated feelings here, but he still wants to help Melanie. They're from the same home and maybe things are weird but he won't leave her out to dry here.]

[tenofhearts]

[This was. Not how she'd expected their reunion to go. At all. Not even remotely close.]

...your place or mine?

[A faint joke. Almost instinctive, despite the fact that he had just asked where she had been staying. At this rate, she would be lucky if she could even remember where that was; she'd barely glanced around the place before heading out to explore.]

[And then she'd found the festival, and one thing had led to another, and...well...here they were.]