test drive!

[these_balls]

TEST DRIVE MEME


➞ Post with a character you wish to test drive in this game's setting.
➞ Tag other people's starters and thread out shenanigans!
➞ Invite your friends! Try out new characters! Come play with us!
➞ Have fun!


NOT SURE WHERE TO BEGIN YOUR TEST-DRIVE JOURNEY?
CHECK OUT ALL THE LOCATIONS WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN:

JOHTO | and | KANTO

✭ ✭ ✭


As usual, we've created a Google Doc so you can submit your wanted characters for a big Route game ad on this month's ATP!
FIND IT HERE
CUTOFF FOR ADDING CHARACTER WANT ADS TO THE GDOC IS:
6:00 PM, EST, ON SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28TH!

Comments

jimmy mcgill | better call saul | goldenrod city

[mcgill]

[After spending a few days with his new bright-eyed and bushy-tailed companion — and his other, less bright-eyed, lacking-a-tail-but-being-able-to-fly-so-that's-cool companion — Jimmy's decided he must be in some kind of medically-induced coma. Nacho and his boys must have come after him for that spectacular mess of a situation he caused just because he had to run his mouth, and they must have beaten him bloody with a crowbar.

Or worse.

But he wouldn't know, because he's in a coma and feels fine.

...well, mostly fine. Physically fine. He's still plenty weirded out by the dream he's concocted — seriously, of all things, Pokémon? — but he figures that's just the drugs, and hey, he's a part of Team Rocket. Sure, they're technically the "bad" guys, but he's already slept in quarters three times bigger than he's used to, if not more, so no one will catch him complaining, that's for sure.

He might've been too old when the poké-craze swept the nation, but to be honest? The games always looked kind of fun in a way that would satisfy his need to make progress. Leveling up? Earning badges? Catching 'em all?

Sure.

Why not.

So he's strolling around Goldenrod today with his Eevee trotting by his side. Clad in a suit that's slightly too big for him, you'd never guess he's anything other than some kind of businessperson — or a lawyer, maybe, if you detect the slight swagger in his step.]

[potteahead]

[Here comes along a young, pudgy kid with a teapot for a hat. Most noticeably this kid is strutting down these glitzy streets with a fake mustache.]

Pardon me, Mister! [He says in his best deep voice.] You look like you could use a happy thought today!

o m g

[mcgill]

[...oh, right. Pokémon. Kids. Of course there are kids here.

Jimmy stares at the young, young man, while his Eevee goes bounding over to perform an investigation. She sniffs at Greg's feet while Jimmy... continues staring.]

Uh, sure. Yeah. What've you got?

ohh it's happenin'

[potteahead]

[Smell his feets all you want, lil' puggymans. They're as clean as a whistle.

...Wait. What was he talking about again?]

Ho! Ho! Ho! What a cute puppycat you have here.

[Y'know because that's how grown-ups engage in grown-up conversation.]

I'M SO GLAD

[mcgill]

[O...kay...

Jimmy's not sure how to talk to children. They're like adults, only smaller and less experienced, right?]

She's an Eevee, actually. But yeah, I guess she kinda looks like a puppycat. Her name's Mai. Mai, say hello.

[Mai does not say hello.

Mai just continues sniffing.]

[potteahead]

[And here comes dumb ol' Paddington the Lotad waddling over to Greg's side.]

There you are Willy Wonka! Have you met Mai? She's the floofy one. And that guy right there is a man in a suit.

[Apt description there, Greg.

He kneels over to whisper very loudly to his pokeman.]

I think he was about to say something important.

[mcgill]

[This kid named his frog-thing Willy Wonka?

Jimmy, suddenly a little self-conscious, smooths down the front of his suit. Something important? Like... like what?]

Um. My name's Jimmy.

[And Mai introduces herself by way of sitting.]

[lieutenantantichrist]

[That slight swagger is no match for the guy striding down the street like he owns the place. Blake is the cock of this walk, and so's the little pink Snubbull at his side.

He's moving like he'll plow right over anybody in his way - and, in fact, his shoulder smacks into the guy in the suit.]

Watch it, asshole.

YASSSS HI BLAKE ♥

[mcgill]

[Wow.

Jimmy's tall, but he's not very bulky, so he stumbles a bit when Blake hits him. For a moment, the Eeevee looks more offended than Jimmy does, but that changes real quick.]

Hey, buddy, you know there's an entire sidewalk you could use, right?

HELLLOOOOO

[lieutenantantichrist]

Or you could stay out of the fuckin' way--

[Blake pauses, and gives him a closer look. A suit, that's not real common around here. Neither is the way he walks. After a while, you get pretty good at separating out the ones who aren't from around here.]

You're not a local, are you.

[The Snubbull comes over and daintily sniffs the stranger's leg.]

[mcgill]

[Jimmy is so ready to tell this guy to fuck off. The words are right there on the tip of his tongue, but then Blake switches gears and leaves Jimmy with his brows furrowed.]

No. What was your first clue, detective?

[He means it sarcastically.

Meanwhile, Jimmy's Eevee is watching the Snubbull with a look on her face like she's about to tackle it.]

[lieutenantantichrist]

[Blake steps closer, closer than can be real comfortable for the guy pissing him off.]

You don't know how things work around here.

[The Snubbull approaches the Eevee...and holds her paw out properly. She has manners.]

[mcgill]

I have some idea.

[Uh, sort of.

Jimmy takes a step back, looking Blake over.]

A... very vague idea.

[But it's still an idea.

Mai sniffs the offered paw, then touches it with her own. Okay. Hi.]

[lieutenantantichrist]

Yeah?

[He crosses his arms.]

You even know where you are? Christ, you looked like you stepped out of a goddamn Men's Wearhouse commercial.

[Steve is quite happy. She got a fistbump!]

HI HEATHER

[walkersystem]

<sub>[You know the pretty awesome thing about the car apparently not having been invented, or at least not popularized in the least?]

[The fact that any road or sidewalk is totally safe to play. Which means a lot of kids hanging out doing their thing. Today, Molly's goofing around in a game of hide and seek with her pink Furret, and while there's something a little bittersweet in the choice of the game it quickly evolves into tag when said pink Furret tries to evade the fact that Molly found him.]

[So it scurries right out from its hiding place in a nearby alley, across the street, right in front of that lawyer-type's feet, and Molly doesn't pay enough attention until she's collided into the guy's side in the heat of this pursuit.]

[wellp.]



[Okay, let's just quickly back up and blink up at him.]</sub>

Sorry! Sorry, I didn't mean to.

HI DIN!!

[mcgill]

[That's actually the shitty thing about cars not really existing here.

Also: All that walking. It's so hard on his already-bad knees. The kids playing he doesn't mind so much — it's kinda nice, seeing them so carefree and unconcerned about things like kidnappers and whatnot — but damn if he doesn't wish they'd be more careful anyway.

He's not a kidnapper or a whatnot, but he knows there are people in this world who have much shorter tempers than he does. And luckily, his isn't set off; she just knocks him a few inches back. He's still on his feet, though, and that's the important thing.]

Whoa, whoa — hey, easy.

[walkersystem]

<sub>[She hesitates for a moment, watching him in that uncertain way some kids have where they're not sure whether they'll be excused or get a stern talking to. Her Furret has stopped running and is perched on the other end of the street watching them, not sure when the game will continue.]

[Molly pays him no mind, but is quick to apologise again. In part because she is sorry, but also because she knows that if you show you regret something enough, adults will usually be pretty pacified.]</sub>

I didn't hurt you or anything, right? I'm sorry. I'll watch out next time. I promise.

[mcgill]

[The Furret will find that she soon has company in the form of Jimmy's Eevee, who's padding her way over with her ears curiously perked.

Jimmy, meanwhile, just looks confused.]

Kid, you weigh like, what, 40 pounds soaking wet?

[...is that how much kids usually weigh? He has no idea. It sounds like it might be right.]

Don't worry, I'm fine. Are you okay?

[walkersystem]

<sub>[... oh, friend! A friend. The furret - Scott - immediately perks his ears right back and stretches his long body out to sniff the Eevee in greeting.]

[Molly meanwhile is pretty sure she does not weigh 40 pounds. But that's not the point either.]</sub>

Yeah, I'm okay. It was just a bump. It's not like you're made of rock or anything.

_{[You know, in case you didn't notice. She's not really that nervous about injuries, it's just that sometimes adults are really huffy about how you don't show respect.]}

[mcgill]

[Mai is a cautious one when it comes to other pokémon, so she inches back when Scott moves closer, keeping what seems to be a safe distance.

Jimmy still hasn't noticed the interaction.

After Molly speaks, he gasps and grabs his torso.]

I'm not?! You mean the curse was finally lifted?

[walkersystem]

<sub>[... oh my god. It's the rare kind: the adult with IMAGINATION. Molly immediately rolls with this development, delighted by it but keeping a straight face when she nods very seriously.]

[He can probably see her eyes are basically sparkling, though.]</sub>

It must've been when you came down this road. There's a witch who protects it but only this one.

So you'll be rock again when you leave.

<sub>[It's a grim, grim world out here, Jimmy.]

[Scott respectfully shrinks back from Mai, but keeps his attention centered on her, excited still, whole body wagging a little. If Molly's busy playing with this strange man, maybe he can play with Mai instead?]</sub>

[mcgill]

[Well.

Now he's going to have to roll with it, too. He's quick to look around, all suspicion and hope, before he glances back at her with a slight frown.]

Wait, you mean only this road? This road specifically?

[Mai tilts her head. Why is Scott shaking like that? IS HE SICK? SHOULD SHE DO SOMETHING? Okay, fine; she'll investigate. Just in case.

She approaches slowly, moving in for a sniff.]

[walkersystem]

_{[Another very serious nod follows.]}

Uh huh.

Everywhere else is someone else's territory. A bad guy's. So you have to look out cause if he catches you he'll only make it worse.


_{[Yes!! FRIEND. Scott bumps noses with her and licks gently at the top of her head, cause overbearing behaviour is totally acceptable when someon else made an approaching move.]}

[mcgill]

Great.

[That's definitely sarcasm.]

Good thing this is a long street, huh?

[She's... probably going somewhere with this, isn't she? He's made a mistake. Now she's — is this — are they — playing?

God.]

What's this bad guy look like? Are we talkin' your stereotypical bad guy, or...?

[And then Scott gets an Eevee paw to the face. EXCUSE YOU, MAN.]

[walkersystem]

<sub>[... SORRY, MAI. SORRY? So sorry. Please don't hit him again. Sorry. He curls up in an apologetic stripey ball, giving her puppy dog eyes. Puppy ferret eyes. Either way.]

[Molly meanwhile gives Jimmy a long look and then dramatically looks around them before she steps closer to him with a stage whisper.]</sub>

He looks like what you're most afraid of in the world. And he can see into your soul, so he knows what it is.