//TESTDRIVE5.0.EXE

[reparator]

//TESTDRIVE5.0.EXE Let it Go, Let it Fucking Go Already Let's keep pretending it's not technically October in the game while Yuletide thoughts continue to spread through CERES. Inspired by recent tragic events, your friendly neighborhood programmer, Elias (serritor) has constructed a wonderful new ice world to be accessed through ViViD, the popular virtual simulator. As expected, this is a world covered in ice all over with a chill that bores into one's bones as players wander through. In the midst of it all lies a beautiful reconstruction of a mall, complete with various stores to suit your online shopping needs. However, before you can indulge in any spending, you're tasked with a mission should you choose to accept. You will have to enter the frost-covered mall which hosts a large, elaborate labyrinth and complete all the objectives as they're given to you and your party. It seems that some horrible foe has arisen from the great beyond to kidnap Santa Bot (no relation to the futurama one). Unable to deliver toys and goods to the poor, needy adults of Cerealia, it's up to YOU to save him from a variety of enemies which include: a.) Nasty, foul-mouthed elves b.) A rabid flock of reindeer c.) An ice queen who will not stop singing d.) And a fucking minotaur. Why? Why not? "Ho ho ho! And seasons greetings, players! I am Julius Vincere, the CEO of CERES, and I must apologize for a few recent temperature modifications as of late. But we were able to fix that small glitch quickly. We were only hoping to cool things down by a few degrees after we received a few complaints about overheating equipment. It seems our robots went a bit overboard with our dome, which is a safety precaution we put in place in the event of an outside threat or invasion. There's no need to fear, and we hope you enjoyed warming up with one another in the meantime. Now, that that's behind us, let's have a little fun, shall we? I think some of you are familiar with the concept back in your home worlds. I observed enough to know that it's a pretty ostentatious holiday. That's why I asked my dear programmer, Elias, to build a simulation so we can experience a little bit of Christmas together. You can say it's a dress rehearsal for the real thing. Anyway, if you all would be so kind as to sample this world and tell me how it goes. I want to see what you all think and get you all in the festive mood. Consider this my deep apology for one mistake too many. We won't allow it to happen again."

//SCENARIOS.EXE PHASE I [ 0000 ] Let the games begin! You're dropped before a giant forest with snow-covered trees, and in your path to reach the mall, there appears your first threat. They look cute and sweet -innocent little elves that smile and blush in your direction. They barely reach up to your chest and look up at you with big, glassy eyes as they promise to help you along your way. Little hands will grab yours, tugging you along. That is, until you're far enough along that you're deep in the midst of the forest where they decide to chip at a lake of frozen ice and chuck you inside. They will then criticize your clothes, call you a piece of reindeer shit, tell you your ass is too fat then call your mother a whore. Because that's just how they roll. Here's your chance to fight back, get vengeance, and force the elves to tell you where Santa is. Those who manage to beat them into submission will be pointed in the right direction to the mall. Those who don't, have fun drowning in icy water! PHASE II [ 0000 ] Once you've escaped the elves, another trial appears. This time, it's in the form of twelve savage reindeer with blood dribbling from their lips. Their eyes are all an eerie shade of red, and they're staring at you deeply as though they can see into your soul. If you hope to get into that mall, you'll have to fight them down and avoid being caught in their antlers. There will be lots of bucking. Copious buckings. Kill the reindeer and remove their antlers for a special gift! (it's a coupon for a free McCERES burger.) PHASE III [ 0000 ] Once you reach the entrance of the mall, you'll be confronted with the icy labyrinth, guarded by a minotaur. He is large and in charge and will probably try to mow you down once he sees you. None of your weapons or magic will work, though. To pacify this beast, you will have to hug him. He requires a hug with feeling. He will tell you as much when you confront him. Give him a good squeeze then let him be. Love can cure many things! PHASE IV [ 0000 ] Are you done running around this maze of a mall? Tired of seeing the same Vidia's Secret store a dozen times? Alas, there is one last trial. It comes in the form of obnoxious carols being crooned in your direction by a beautiful ice queen. She's beckoning you to her with a siren song in the form of merry Christmas music, luring you in little by little and making you walk towards her while she tries to enchant you. She'll lean in close and whisper the rest of the song in your ear, and once you're in her trance, you'll turn on your own friends and party members to try and kill them. To avoid being drawn into her trance, you'll have to be knocked around a few times to regain your bearings. Then, it's either destroy her or be subjected to her ice magic. However, before she dies, she'll look deep into your eyes and beg you to save her and not to forget her. She needs you. Once you defeat her, Santa Bot will appear to dance a merry jig in your honor and shower you with credits. Hooray! BONUS [ whyo'clock ] You can't escape Christmas without a random sprig of mistletoe floating around your head and following you around. For those who try to escape, the mistletoe bot will only move all the quicker. Those caught under its insistent floating will be compelled to kiss a neighbor or two or ten. Or even kiss the minotaur. What we're saying is you should probably run. [ 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 fifth 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!

Comments

Rumplestiltskin | Once Upon a Time

[wuenschen]

phase iii

[ he was at a lost for how this world different from his own. Sure, the part of The Enchanted Forest he was from wasn't covered in ice and snow, it was rather dark and depressing in the mines, actually. But Arendale, last he checked, was still under Ingrid's spell. She really did go over board with the cold.

However, this wasn't magic, apparently, which was mind boggling. This icy winter wonderland didn't come from any person. Too bad, really, he would have found them and forced the spell to finish. Instead, he had to troop through all of this hero stuff. He wasn't a hero, quite the opposite, he was a villain, this should be the Charmings' job, where were those bothersome heroes when you needed one.

Such as when you were about to challenge a labyrinth with a minotaur inside. Wasn't that the type of things heroes enjoyed? ]

phase iv

[ so there was an ice queen behind it all. Just not Ingrid. Well, no matter... except she had such a lovely voice. Just find her some different songs... maybe he could trap the voice in something. Didn't he have something for that purpose? ]

I need your voice, Dearie. [ should have kept those antlers, one of those could have held the queen's voice. ]

bonus

[ he had no need for mistletoe right now. Every time he shoved some into his pockets, more would reappear. Now he had pockets full of mistletoe and force feed the mistletoe to the being, bot, that kept holding it over his head was just not working. So if he couldn't poison it, he would have to find another way... he did not just think that, perhaps it was a good thing the Charmings weren't around, he needed some time away from them. ]

lapis | oc

[straining]

PHASE I

[ The elves are unconscious but she's drenched and cold. As much as she loves the clothes she wears... They're terribly heavy when it's wet.

So there's a girl in her late teens dressed only in a tank top, short pants and long boots picking up pieces of wood to stack in a pile.

...If one looks closer, she's shivering. ]

PHASE IV

[ Fighting isn't what she does. It's Rowan's job moreso than hers, even if he's taught her how to fight and stand up to things three times her size like trolls.

Others are in the front fighting the ice queen and Lapis is just there, a rather small late-teens girl in a maroon poncho, daggers in her hands as she gazes towards the ice queen. She doesn't want to do this, but she can. This is her job, to collect information--

But trying to establish a link with an unwilling target is hard. She's had practice, but it's still hard all the same. As if the ice queen realises what she's trying to do, she suddenly turns her head and hurls an icicle. Lapis raises her daggers to defend but it knocks her backwards into a display.

...Maybe because it's a game, it doesn't hurt. Lapis jumps up to her feet and walks forward again, looking completely unshaken even as she bleeds from her forehead.

She sighs. Maybe it's not such a good idea after all. ]

BONUS A

[ She looks up at the mistletoe expressionlessly, not running. Lapis can feel it -- the influence beginning to creep on her thoughts, but she doesn't move, just stares with a dagger held contemplatively in one hand. ]

BONUS B

[ ...And that's why a sudden dagger suddenly lands near you, missing you by inches. Lapis walks up wordlessly, picking up the dagger and--

--aims at the mistletoe floating above her head?! ]

bonus b bc idk he's always yelling

[rollin]

[ That... sure was a thing. He's kind of used to this, but he's concerned about people other than himself, so. ]

—DON'T!

[ He doesn't move. He doesn't have to. But if something possesses Lapis to strike, Yata gets in position. ]

fuuka yamagishi | personality disorders 3 portable

[verified]

phase 2

[ there is a reason why she was never actually involved in any of the dark hour fights and was always kept to a support role. cold and terrified, fuuka runs as fast as she can through the snow from another angry reindeer, cutting around bushes and ducking under low branches in an attempt to throw it off.

she manages to grab a particularly low hanging branch as she runs under it, letting it go at the last second and praying it would hit the animal behind her. there's a satisfying thwap as it hits the reindeer in the face and she immediately dashes towards a cluster of trees a ways off to the right, trying to catch her breath as quietly as she can. ]

phase 3

[ why me, is what she wants to ask when faced with the minotaur. but it's not like she has any alternative, what with her lack of weapons and general fighting ability, so: ]

A-All right... I'll do my best....

[ slowly. opening her arms. god this is awkward. and terrifying. ]

bonus

[ at the end of the day finds fuuka tucked in the corner of the mall, trying to push away the mistletoe bot. it's insistent though and she's tired as hell, so in the end she just lets it stay there.

... and leans against it as she nods off. oops. ]

y halo thar | bonus

[awaken]

Man, what a day.

[ Minako rolls a shoulder as she just wanders around the mall, looking a little beat up but still going strong. Nearly getting drowned by elves and chased by demon deer does that to you. She turns at a corner and finds herself looking at a very familiar person leaning against a mistletoe bot. ]

Fuuka? [ No response. Minako taps the other girl's shoulder. ] Hey, Fuukaaa.

phase 3

[invoker]

Yamagishi...!

[ Mitsuru runs up to her, out of breath and sword drawn. She knows very well that Fuuka's Persona has no fighting abilities, so it's with a concerned voice that she yells. ]

Get back! It's dangerous!

bo......nus...........

[unevoke]

[It’s the uniform that catches his attention first, the serenely sleeping face second. Yamagishi. She looks so peaceful napping against the wall but he knows firsthand that she’ll develop hypothermia and/or pneumonia if she keeps it up much longer.

The mistletoe bot gets chucked a good distance away – it’ll come back, he knows, but for now he could do without the extra annoyance of it hovering around his face – before he leans down to carefully shake her awake.]

Tch, you’ll freeze to death out here.

[So much grumbling over the apparent idiocy of all his underclassmen, but that doesn’t stop him from taking off his coat to drape it over Fuuka. He’s got a sweater and hat, he’ll be fine.]

ashiya mutsuki | donten ni warau

[spiritee]

PHASE I

[Just thrown into the chipped lake? Expect company, because there's a projectile elf with a black eye crashing in for a swim – unconsciously. No apologies for the splashing water.

Ashiya emerges from nearby, his right hand hovering around the hilt of the sheathed katana strapped on his back. He tips his head on seeing a new, non-elfin face.]

You were lured here as well?

PHASE IV

[Ashiya is cultured enough to watch Santa Bot through the entirety of his merry jig, which is just about the strangest yet happiest dance he's ever seen, before stooping down to collect the credits. Money is important, considering the general circumstance.

Of course, the individual with whom he completed the phase is also important, so Ashiya casts them a sidelong glance over his shoulder.]

We've completed the mission. Will that be all?

IV

[sunshrouded]

Ashiya, you're still so cold!

[Is Tenka pouting? Yeah, he's pouting. He's also not collecting coins because for some reason, he's not hurting for money anymore. It's weird.

But anyway-]

Let's go back to my place! Have you run into Sousei yet? If he's not out saving people, he probably went back already.

[Don't ask why they're on such good terms again, it's a long story.]

I.

[deontology]

[Thankfully for his dignity, Sousei hasn't been tossed into the lake. There is an awful lot of yelling going on, some insults about his hair and heritage, which Sousei doesn't particularly care for (or about), but for his part, any elf that tries to grab at him meets the blunt end of a sheathed sword.

But that's...not a face he was expecting to see here. His boots crunch through the snow easily enough, though he isn't wearing his uniform at the moment, but something rather less conspicuous--slacks, a simply long-sleeved shirt, a coat, all vaguely western but as simple as possible.

He's been here awhile.]

Ashiya.

[Yo.

An elf that thinks Sousei might be distracted reaches for his hand and goes face-first into the snow. Sousei is, as ever, not messing around.]

mari maya | samurai flamenco

[adamaunt]

phase i; terrible
[ ITP: One girl dressed in what seems like an cheap expensive, yellow Sail*r Moon knockoff standing between...dead...dying bodies of elves. As if the sight isn't enough, she starts poking one of the elf using the tip of her foot.. ]

Oh my, oh my. [ Covering her mouth with a hand, she lets out a gasp. ] What might have led you guys to this fate, hm? A~nyway, since you guys are so afraid of whores!

[ Commence ball kicking. Literally. ]

phase iv; even more terrible
[ Santa's job is to spread gifts and happiness around the world to every nice children who deserve one. Which is to say, Mari is perfectly qualified for one! That's why when you reach the Ice Queen's place, you'll find one girl in yellow winter coat who's clearly not the Ice Queen sitting...in said Ice Queen's throne, as Santa comes bringing her tea and cookies on a plate. ]

Ah, thank you so much! Earl gray tea is the only way. Whooo's the good Santa? [ That him, he's the good Santa. Why does he look so afraid of her tho. ]

bonus; the most terriblest
[ But why would someone run from just a simple mistletoe! Not Mari, definitely not. After glancing at the mistletoe above her and you, she blinks her sparkling big, red eyes at you instead, and-- ]

Mistletoe! [ Does this innocent shock comes off as sincere or... ] Wouldn't that mean we have to kiss now? M-mari... is so nervous, she has never kissed anyone before, or even...touch. [ She cups her face in both hands, face turning scarlet at the nasty thought!! ]

Aah, oh no, what would my fans say if they see how obscene I'm being! Mari's so naughty, such a bad girl!

...1..... let's make beautiful music together...

[bakudanma]

<sub>[ You know, she almost fools him with a get up like that. And he almost goes running to get Sail*r M**n's autograph. Though, he doesn't want to intrude on what glorious ball crushing is going on there. He's seen plenty of ball crushing throughout his series; manga and anime; but this girl made it almost look like an art.

So instead, Katsura is just sort of staring for a moment.

And then, comes the applause.
He'd ask for an encore, but realizes he's the only one standing and probably shouldn't for his own safety. ]</sub>

Marie | Personal Waifu/Husbano Simulator 4 Golden (Persona 4 Golden)

[purseowna]

Phase I:

[WHAT DOES LITERALLY ANY OF THIS HAVE TO DO WITH CHRISTMAS. Not that Marie has any idea what Christmas is. Or who Santa is. She was a little preoccupied around that time, and even then Christmas in Japan is quite different than it is in other countries. Though she has a distinct feeling it has nothing to do with cursing elves. Who would even celebrate a holiday like that.

Maybe masochists.

Whatever the case maybe, it seems like they've found something to do that's even worse than dunking her in some half-frozen river; reading one of her poems outloud before crumbling it up and tossing it to the next elf. Naturally Marie's frantically running back and forth trying to grab the stupid paper, but her attempts end in vain. Feel free to laugh at the poor sap or wonder why she doesn't just electrocute the little bastards.]

Phase II:

[So after somehow managing to get her poem back (and zap an elf or twenty), Marie is on her not-so-merry way to the mall through the forest. She doesn't even know why she's doing any of this, but it beats sitting around in the Velvet Room doing nothing with The Nose and Margaret. She could do without all this reindeer killing, though. They're cute.

...covered in the blood and flesh of their enemies, but still cute. Maybe the mall has a reindeer plush? One can only hope.

If you're in the forest, you might happen to encounter a young girl about high school age fighting demonic Rudolf. Of course she's not doing much of the fighting, rather her Stand Persona is. What's weird, though, is that it looks like a robotic bunny girl astronaut. I'm serious. But it seems to be getting the job done, so if you need a hand she's got your back. Probably.]

Phase I

[unluckybreak]

[Thanks to his constant misfortune, Touma was usually a little wary of bizarre things. And those elves were sending off warning flags from how disgustingly cute they were from the start. And well, he couldn't just sit back and watch if someone was getting bullied. Not to mention, he had to stop those elves from reading those cringe worthy poems out loud...

Have a spiky-haired boy running towards you, Marie. He's kind of flailing his arms around.]

Oi! Knock it off! Her poems may be trashy, but there's no need to humiliate her like this!

[AT LEAST HE'S HONEST???]

Prussia || Hetalia: Axis Powers

[gewehrundblut]

phase I

::Strange new world? Check. On the edge of a giant, snow-covered forest the likes of which he hasn't seen in a very long time? Check. The faintest friggin' clue what he's supposed to do now? Nah, that one is oddly unable to be checked off. With a groan, Prussia runs his hand through his hair as he tries to decide what to do. There's nothing behind him, and just trees before him... Forward it is!

He doesn't get too far before he hears rustling, which puts him on high alert. What could be out there?

The rustling draws nearer and nearer, until, out from between the trees come... elves! They look so sweet and innocent! Like little children!::

Awwww, aren't you all so cute! Wanna help me get out of here?

::Someone might want to rescue him from his own folly. Or not. He probably deserves a soaking anyways.::


phase III

::He is cold. He is wet. He is covered in blood, and annoyed by the fact that some of it is his. And he is pissed off. Today had been the epitome of unawesome! First, those stupid elves that started off cute and then got rude and shouty. Kind of like Romano, actually! He chuckled at the thought.

Then there were the reindeer, which should have been cute and fuzzy and mayyyybe a bit threatening because of their sheer size, but otherwise probably docile? He didn't know a lot about reindeer, but he was pretty sure they weren't bloodthirsty murderbeasts sent to kick his ass from the very depths of Hell itself. Y'know. Just a thought. Otherwise Santa wouldn't use them to draw his sled. On the plus side, he'd managed to subdue them, because he was just that awesome. He'd even gotten some antlers, and free coupons!

On the minus side, as mentioned before: they made him bleed. His own blood!

So when Prussia sees the minotaur, he groans.::

Not this shit again...

::He shifts into a fighting stance, and raises an antler like a club, before rushing at the minotaur and-

WHOMP!

-getting knocked back like seven meters. Well shit.::

RIN TOUSAKA 🎲 FATE/EXTRA 🎲 CANON POINT UP FOR DEBATE

[codere]

      ♚ PHASE I: "I TOLD YOU SO"
[ This was a bad idea, Rin insisted to teammate(s) who not only refused to listen, but built up a tolerance to her pushiness by outright ignoring her. Experience rarely proves her wrong and once she's fished them their sorry asses out of the lake (which by the way she agrees with the elves: their butts are eyesores), it's battle time. Fortunately she has her trusty call_gandor(64); code cast with her while she's within the simulator and her aim is just slightly better than usual, possibly fueled by the frustration of being insulted.

By now her teammate(s) have probably moved on so anyone is free to encounter her just shooting at a bunch of elves and shoving them under the ice in the lake with her own bare hands. While wearing those boots. It's a Christmas Miracle. ]

      ♚ PHASE II: "USED TO LAUGH AND CALL HIM NAMES"
[ As much as she'd like to argue that reindeer really don't exist, Rin's a bit too busy to make that claim. Somehow she's managed to climb atop the back of one and is attempting to ride it while getting bucked at by the other eleven reindeer. What is her life?? She never signed up to be a cowgirl, but at least she has the boots to sport the reputation. Hee-haw, save her before she gets thrown off please. ]

      ♚ PHASE III: "THE TSUNDER TALES"
No. [ That's it.

Rin Tousaka is willing to go the distance for some things (like digital dickings in the nurse's office) but she apparently draws the line at hugging a minotaur. ]

III

[swordboning]

And what's stopping you? Certainly not a false sense of modesty.

[Because being rude at even not!Tohsaka's is perfectly legit in all corners.]

Jenna | Golden Sun

[convections]

phase i}
How dare you!

[Jenna is sopping wet and shivering, but that bothers her a lot less than the insults these stupid little elves are so delighted to be spouting. She has never been one to control her temper, so it isn't long before she's hefting herself out of the ice-cold lake and chasing after the elves to beat the stuffing out of them.]

You think this is funny? We'll see who's laughing when I set you on fire!

[Because that is definitely a normal reaction. Yes.]

phase iii}
[And here Jenna is, running for her life from the minotaur because what the hell why isn't her Psynergy working. Fuck this!]

You've gotta be kidding me!

[Maybe you're around the corner she's just about to turn. If so, she will probably barrel right into you and send you both sprawling to the ground, because her life is unfortunate like that. Or maybe you're a few twists and turns away.]

Sheba? Ivan? If either of you can hear me, now would be a REALLY good time to break out Hover or something!

or...}
[Got another idea for a prompt? Choose your own adventure!]

iii.

[solarbeam]

Sorry, I'm not either of those.

[ Kara is narrowly dodging being trampled, but only because she jumps into the air—

And stays there, floating. Sensing the situation is really bad she reaches her hands out to the girl. ]

But I can help with the hover thing. Give me your hands!

rin tohsaka | fate/stay night

[harshwords]

PHASE I.

[ Today was definitely not her day -- that much was apparent -- especially as she found herself dropped on top of a tree branch, outright refused the help of one of Santa's elves after finding out they were completely useless, and then having to gandr it in several shots made her completely exhausted.

At the very least, she's glad that she came out of that alive. With a toss of her hair, Rin Tohsaka gives a triumphant 'hmph', before muttering aloud in a clearly annoyed tone, twisting her foot in the snow angrily. ]

I can't believe you insulted my clothes, you moron!

[ Complete disgust is written all over her face as those words echo throughout the entire area.... ]

PHASE III.

[ When she's told that he requires a hug with feeling, Rin is absolutely skeptical about the idea, raising a brow as she gives a rather confused: ]

Huh? [ Yeah, that's not... happening. ] W-- what the hell?! Why does it have to be a hug? Besides, I'm sorry, but I can't hug you. You said you wanted a hug with feeling, right? Well, I can't give you such a thing.

[ She waves him off with a shoo, shoo gesture as if to tell him to stop bothering her. If she can't get through the gate through the minotaur, then she'll have to simply find another way in, right? ]

BONUS.

[ Mistletoe.

Also known as a tsundere's worst nightmare. She can feel her face heating up considerably just staring at it, but she's also trying to find a way out of this mess without having to kiss someone she either knows or is gross, but to no avail. She tried. ]

BONUS......................... i'm sorry???????????????????????????

[codere]

[ Great, look at what you did, other Tohsaka. The golden haired one has a look that could kill on her face and so far it seems to have warded off potential other kisses. ]

Weren't you paying attention to your surroundings? Geez, now we're in a real mess.

xion | kingdom hearts

[offstrings]

[phase i]

[ever the curious soul, it doesn't take Xion long to fall for the elves' trap. she may only have a rudimentary understanding of Christmas, but she knows enough that it's supposed to be a season of joy and giving...! who could blame her, with her lack of worldly experience causing her to genuinely believe in them? it doesn't take long for that to start dissipating, but by the time she realizes that their intentions aren't the best, it's too late. their throwing her into the lake upsets her, but not because of the frigid cold and their jeers, but because they betrayed her when she had placed trust in them. that, to her, is the biggest offense of all.

the sudden appearance of a large key-shaped object in her hand as she bobs in the freezing water surprises not only the elves, but her as well. she doesn't dwell on it for too long, though, for she has other things to worry about at the moment. she may not be one for violence when it's unnecessary, but maybe she could try to intimidate them now that she's armed? it's worth a try. if all else fails, she could always follow the words of wisdom she imparted to a friend once upon a time:

"when in doubt, give it a good smack."]

[phase iv]

[with all the trials she's overcome so far, Xion is more than prepared for the final encounter. and what a final encounter it ends up being—the queen's dirty tricks almost manage to succeed as Xion comes close to taking out the other people trying to bring down the queen, but a well-placed punch to the stomach by one of her teammates (accompanied by a guilty "sorry, but this is for your own good") brings her back to reality. the daring of the queen to turn her against her allies brings her to a rare state of anger, but the pain from the hit she took causes her to sit on the sidelines to try and regain her strength. from there, it's only a matter of time before the final blow is struck.

as she starts to stand up now that the battle is over, she doesn't expect the queen to still be hanging on for just a few more seconds. when she hears the woman's final words, she freezes in place—and not because of the ice magic. no, the queen's last request, to not forget her, resonates with Xion in the deepest of ways. was she really evil all along, or was she...? despite the fact that they were just in the midst of battle, Xion can't help but reach out toward the queen, but it's too late.

though Santa Bot appears to congratulate her and the rest of the combatants on their victory, Xion can't consider it that. she sits on her knees amidst the shower of gifts, letting those last words echo in her head.

could they have been kindred spirits?]

[bonus]

[having no concept of Christmas other than the presence of Santa and the exchanging of gifts, Xion doesn't at all understand what the mistletoe bot is trying to accomplish by following her around. all it's really doing is weirding her out! with a dubious look on her face, she tries to speak to it...]

Um... why are you following me?

[no this isn't just to try and make up for the previous prompt what are you talking about]

bonus

[harshwords]

You too?

[ Thankfully, Xion's not alone; there's someone who's been running as fast as she can. She's not really sure that she can destroy the robot to begin with, considering the fact that it's not human and it isn't a threat -- just an annoyance.

Though the disgust is clear as she runs a hand down her face. ]

hiccup | how to train your dragon

[allthreefourths]

[ phase i ]

[ anyone out and about in the middle of the forest after getting abused by elves or half-freezing to death (woohoo!) will find a boy with a prosthetic metal leg sitting on a black dragon, saddle and all. the boy himself looks a little what the hell (?) about the whole ... everything that's going on.

while shivering. a little. he did get dunked in a lake, after all. ]

... Remember when I said this was starting to seem like Snoggletog, buddy? I take that back. It's not like Snoggletog at all.

[ seemingly directed towards the dragon, who has taken to looking unimpressed by the now panicked elves around them as they dodge the small plasma blasts toothless is firing. revenge, revenge, revenge!! reckless revenge, as one of those elves managed to make it near your feet, and, as a result, hiccup's dragon may have just fired a plasma shot right at 'em. whoops!

his rider? is shocked. and. then very apologetic looking. as he waves over in your general direction. ]

Uh oh. Sorry! Sorry. About that. Oh boy.

[ phase iii ]

[ and here? minotaur and skinny fish bone boy hugging. for a very long time. extremely long time. far longer than he'd like to. maybe you're waiting for your own turn to hug the smelly big guy, but you're going to have to wait.

well, at least there's a warm spot beside the dragon who's blasted the ground with fire and is now settled in the melted snow while watching hiccup getting smothered. ]

Oh yeah, feeling! A lot of feeling. I'm feeling it. Thaaat's way too much feeling, don't you think?

phase i

[shivered]

[Oh no her feet! Elsa's not exactly fond of having things -- especially burny things -- shot in her direction. So she's yelping quite sharply and jumping back, already confused at being surrounded by nasty little elves.

Her magic reacts though, even if she desperately tries to rein it back in. The newly melted snow refreezes into a sheet of solid ice around her feet all too rapidly. She'll try to ignore it though.]

No... no it's fine. I just... [More importantly.] You're riding a dragon.

[Just in case you didn't know.]

kougyoku ren | magi: the labyrinth of magic

[redsea]

phase i

[ No one's getting tossed into a lake of icy water because Kougyoku made all those little elves swim in it. The frozen surface you remember? There's a huge, nasty hole in the middle now thanks to her water spell. Kougyoku, however, stands in front of the lake, golden hairpin in hand. Maybe she would have been fine with the comment about her heavy makeup, or even the one about her ancient hairdo! But her mother was a whore, thanks.

After her rather loud outburst, she takes in a few deep breaths and straightens up. ]

Shall we move on?

bonus

[ In her spare time, Kougyoku likes taking strolls... alone. Which often translates to stalking other people who seem nice. Sorry. The longer she follows, the more she finds it difficult to stop her heart from beating so loudly. It's strange how she wants to get closer to whoever she's following. But she can't bring herself to do that! It's so embarrassing!

While the fuss Kougyoku makes as she holds her cheeks might get your attention, you might observe that she has yet to notice the mistletoe-bot floating above her head. ]

bo...nus..

[adamaunt]

[ Strictly speaking, it's strange how anyone would want to follow Mari, considering each of her actions can be universally described as = rude. Still, she's a...wannabe magical girl who protects all girls every place, every time. So, most likely? Kougyoku caught her while she's doing exactly that (aka beating bots up before literally kicking their balls, then getting girls into safety). ....The only...good moment of hers.

So, that's the deal, then here comes the meeting. It's not Mari if she doesn't notice her audience, even if they're hiding. ]

Hiya, you there! [ While pointing her baton at her, even adding a wink?! Mari totally hasn't noticed the mistletoe-bot either. ]

VIPs aren't supposed to be in the back seat you know!

jiros verslan | oc

[subservience]

PHASE III:

[The hugging part isn't so difficult. Jiros can suck up any awkwardness for the sake of his mission, and so, aside from his wariness that the minotaur is going to attack once he gets close, he steps up and hugs the creature with relative ease.

... It's the feeling part that's extremely difficult for someone who was probably a robot in another life.

Jiros honestly does not understand how to give ~passionate hugs~, and so his attempt comes across as more of an awkward placement of arms from someone who has evidently never hugged anyone in his life.]

Is this sufficient...?

[...

Yeah, this would be why, after that wonderful failure, Jiros is back to fleeing from the minotaur. NO ONE CAN SAY HE DIDN'T TRY, THOUGH.]

PHASE IV:

[The whole siren song will probably become relevant soon enough but until then? Jiros's first reaction is somewhere along the lines of THAT WOMAN (???) IS BARELY WEARING ANY CLOTHES.

So yes, um. Though Jiros is still on guard for any attacks and readying his bow, he'll just be politely averting his eyes as much as he can, looking kind of scandalized because some of us are proper and prudish, thank you???]

[poised]

[Proper and prudish is all well and good, friend, but your fellow archer is honestly looking a bit less than impressed at your tendency to avert your eyes. After she looses one of her own arrows, she turns to him and looks a mix between vaguely annoyed and confused.]

Sir, how do you plan on getting any proper hits in like that....?!

JK | Kamen Rider Fourze

[gossipboy]

PHASE I
[ JK isn't the strongest guy out there. Actually, he's weak as hell, and he knows it. But he trusts no-one, and that's what saves him from getting thrown in the water. They catch him eventually though, and he's rolling around in the snow trying to avoid them getting enogh of a hold on him to get him anywhere. ]

Hey, stop that, leave me alone!

PHASE II
[ Those reindeers are scary. And with zero fighting-knowledge, he can't do much other than try to run for the mall. And once he spots anyone, run and hide behind them. ]

Please, help me! They're trying to kill me!

BONUS
[ JK is great at running. But with them gaining speed and him being a regular human, the mistletoe tire him out eventually. Huh. That didn't do much. But he's feeling a lot like kissing people for some reason...

And that's what he'll do. He doesn't do romance anyway, kissing (some less scary looking) strangers might be okay. Too bad he can't really control who to kiss though. ]

phase ii

[harshwords]

Move out of the way!

[ Rin yells those words as she raises her hand, murmuring words of magic without letting anyone hear as a curse slowly began to appear at the tip of her finger, a physical curse in the form of a black, ominous, bullet. ]

Jennifer | Rule of Rose

[theunluckygirl]

[Phase I]

[Jennifer wishes she could say she was shocked or offended or something; but really, after see grotesque imps and goat-headed children and the like, she assumes this is just one more weird stop in her amnesia-filled dream world.

But wasn't she just crowned the Princess of the Rose? What about Wendy and the screaming, and--

Being thrown into the icy lake was only a small surprise, the serene silence of the area broken by her shrill scream of surprise as she struggles to stay afloat.]

Filthy!Look at your clothes! So old-fashioned and dirty!

[She heard similar--and worse--from the other girls at the orphanage,and she struggles out of the water, shivering from the cold.]

Pl-please don't... [She doesn't say much ore than that, and doesn't appear particularly keen on fighting back or anything...]

[Phase II]

[A large kitchen knife is hardly a decent weapon against mutant reindeer of death, but Jennifer is making a decent stab (ha) at it. Of course, her way of fighting seems to mostly be covering her eyes and swinging wildly.

It barely works, and she seems more concerned with running away, straight for whoever else seems to be coming down the path. Maybe this person can help??Or at least be warned] Watch out, be careful! They're-- Ah!

[She dives to the ground to avoid a reindeer, causing it to jump over her and narrowly avoid clocking her in the head with its hooves.]

Phase II

[crosstobear]

[This world has hardly been what Kenshin had expected. Not that he had known what to expect at all after realizing this wasn't Kyoto, but even so, it's incredibly strange.

And rude, but that's nothing new for him, either.

But after progressing past the elves - with some brute force, unfortunately - Kenshin finds himself on a road, hopefully one step closer to this Santa-bot that apparently needs help. Except just ahead he sees someone else who is in need of assistance.

Because that sure is a large and probably rabid animal. Well. At least Kenshin is here now to help out.]

Run!

[Not heeding the woman's words, he instead runs toward the reindeer, which has focused its attention on him now. And Kenshin prefers that because, for the most part, he is more capable in these situations. And from what he had seen for a second, this woman just...isn't. It'd be better if she were to get out safely.

Not having much time to think of a strategy, Kenshin suddenly veers to the right and, using his momentum, runs up a nearby tree trunk before somersaulting above the reindeer. Still mid-air, Kenshin draws the sakabatou and, as he falls, cries out - ]

Ryuutsuisen!

[And, barely avoiding the antlers as the reindeer jumps around to keep Kenshin in its sights, the blunt edge of the sakabatou comes down hard on the animal's back, which should fell it out of shock to the system if nothing else.]

Lily Baskerville | Pandora Hearts

[littlestbaskerville]

PHASE I

[After arriving, and promptly landing on her butt, Lily met with the cute elves. Cold and wet already, she doesn't really suspecting anything from them. So she follows them until they get far enough out and they begin to trash talk.

Feelings already hurt she puffed out her cheeks as she called out Bandersnatch. The large dog-like chain appears beside her and grows. Drool falling from it's mouth, Lily feels tear welling in her eyes.]

Mean! Ugly! Jerks! Bandersnatch get 'em!

[Unaware to any one around her she sends the dog after the creatures as she stomps her foot.]

PHASE II

[Bandersnatch already at her side they were both covered in red. They beat the weird elves easily enough, although Lily was still confused why they had to do this weird fighting in the first place. So when they got to the deers Lily was already starting on the water works again. All she wants is to find her friends, not deal with this.

Protective as always, Bandersnatch circles her as the deers stay where they are.]

Go away you dumb deer! I want to go inside!

Phase I

[purethingsonly]

[Ada, too had been fooled by the unkind elves and had suffered a trip into the lake for it. However, she'd fought her way out and made it onto her feet again just in time to see another group of elves leading another girl this way.]

H-hold on!

[She hurried over and checks on the young girl. After all - Bandersnatch should have no trouble taking care of the unkind creatures.]

Are you alright? You're not hurt are you--?

[Ah... she was on the verge of tears. They'd probably said some really nasty things - just the same as it had been for her...]

Ah... D-don't listen to them, okay? I don't know what kind of things they said to you but... please don't let it get to you.

Ada Vessalius | Pandora Hearts

[purethingsonly]

Phase 1

[The moment she lifted her gaze, she knew that she had lost her way. The air was cold, making her draw her arms up against herself to keep in whatever warmth she could. They had taken her in with their innocent smiles and kind words. She hadn't hesitated to follow them.]

Ahhhh--!!

[So to be so betrayed - to watch the ice cracking and crumbling under her... Ada realized that she had made a mistake. It was scary, and the water was freezing cold, licking and her ankles and then all at once the whole area around her gave out, dunking her into the unforgiving lake. If she stayed here, she was going to freeze to death. But her arms were already shaking and the ice was so weak... Even so she let out a fierce cry and forced herself up, scratching and clawing her way out of the freezing hole. She refused to give up. Refused to die here. The strange elves seemed surprised and took off as she fought her way out.]

Wait--!

[Perhaps they thought she would seek vengeance... that she was stronger than she looks. Well, though the latter was true, she wouldn't want the prior.]

How will I find my way now...?

[She didn't have much strength to even pull herself off the ground after all the struggling she did earlier. And she was so cold... But again, she didn't accept being defeated here. Maybe she could find someone... maybe they heard her cries. She had to keep positive. One way or another, she'd find her way.]

Bonus;

[Unlike others, Ada was amused by the antics of the strange bot. Though she did try to get away, it was with the air of someone playing a game more than anything else; chuckling when it managed to catch up with her no matter what she tried.]

I just can't get away, can I?

oh hi...

[ofmisfortune]

[ That cry-- with all the madness abound, he wouldn't have even thought to pay it any mind - but the woman's voice is familiar. Much too familiar.

No.

No, no, no. It can't be. What is she going here? This ruins everything!

Except his legs have begun to move without his permit. What begins as a numb stumble through snow soon has him running, weaving through trees, and when he finally sees her there, collapsed on the ground, he hesitates.

It's definitely her; it's Ada. Cheeks flushed and breath hot, he safely peers at her from behind the tree he's grabbed to hide behind steady himself.

Ah, but she isn't moving much. She appears to be soaked, too... Is she hurt?

She probably hasn't seen him yet, he could just leave her here. Let her succumb to a freezing death. Someone like her, so fondly looked after and untried by the world's unkindness, she's probably never experienced a pain like it. Not anything close... ]

Perhaps I could assist you with that.

[ It pains him to cross that final distance between them, and yet, he can't seem to withhold; however, for what he shows her is a warmly sympathetic smile. Before he's reached her side, Vincent has unbuttoned his coat to drape over her. ]

Sabo | One Piece

[artful_dragon]

Phase I
[When confronted with little, cursing elves that just wanted to maim and drown you, Sabo had taken an eerie cool to the situation. Managing to jump just before the ice cracked and dipped him in, Sabo ran along breaking sections of ice in silence until he reached the shore. One such elf screeched and tried to bite him, before Sabo locked his hand on his cheeks, keeping his jaw wedged open. The rest of the elves scattered, getting ready to attack before the Revolutionary soldier kicked a branch up from the ground and removed his belt, tying the elf to the branch with it.

He then held the elf above his head, igniting his hand in flames and looking the little gasping creature over once when his jaw was finally free.]

Alright, pal. Ever tried to cook meat when it was just frozen and you used too high a flame? Doesn't cook it all the way to the center, but it still burns the outside like crazy, right?

I just got this fire ability, so I don't know how to use it right. You either tell me where I gotta go or you and your friends can learn what it's like being that poorly cooked and burned slab of meat.
Phase III

[At first, the situation seemed fairly normal given Sabo's experiences. There was a monster charging at him that didn't seem bothered by his attacks and he was at a disadvantage without any information on it. The minotaur stopped its charge only awhile long enough to issue Sabo a command:

"Hug me with feeling. I need it, alright?"

Sabo listened to the minotaur as he made his plea, staring somewhat vacantly in return, given the oddity within the situation. Getting to the creature hadn't been terribly difficult, given that he melted through all the walls to get to the thing, but he was made disappointed by the fact that his request was so peaceful. Most folks would look at that request as insane and would assure Sabo that he'd die, but he didn't feel it was a threat.

Sighing, he held his arms out and gave the great big beast a smile.]

Come on, big guy. You want a hug? I've got one I've been neglecting to give for awhile, now.

phase iii

[moveglitch]

[ Sitting atop the minotaur's shoulders is... a little girl? He doesn't seem to notice her and every few seconds, she flickers away into strange blue squares. ]

Get a load of this dweeb.