Test Drive Meme!

[these_guys]

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!

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Comments

[thecrooks]

[WHAT LIGHT, THROUGH YONDER DARKNESS BREAKS; IT IS —

...Well, actually, it seems like it's somebody's tail flame, actually, which is sort of weird when you figure that most people generally don't wander around with their butts on fire, or if they do they're typically at least moving a lot faster than this particular light source is at the moment.

Actually, yes, that's definitely a flame attached to somebody's tail; there's a long red reptilian length of it dangling over the edge of the pitfall that Dave's fallen into, one story up.

From the way it's shuffling around and sort of wagging, it seems like maybe whoever this particular butt-light belongs to is looking for the source of the voice calling for assistance...?]

Oh hey look who's alive

[callbacks]

[Well, that. Sure is a thing.

Dave stares up at the light for a second, mouth scrunched to one side. Eltee stares up, too, and for once keeps her helpful commentary to herself. Eventually, Dave calls up:]

Hey? Hello? ...If that's, like, meant to be in any way some kind of assistance, it'd help if it were a little longer and also not on fire.

[thecrooks]

Maaaaaa?

[Aha! The voice is coming from behind and a little below; that makes it easier to pin down.

The owner of the tail half-pivots, half-waddles in a semicircle, dropping down onto his belly to peek over the lip of the hole, his red reptilian snout now illuminated by the flame burning on his tail. It takes him a few seconds of squinting, but eventually he seems to lock onto the source of the voice, and when he does, he raises one clawed foot and waves, more babyish than confident.]

Maa!

[Hello, person! He sees you now.]

[callbacks]

[Oh. Okay then.

Dave tilts his head, but Eltee wastes no time in backhanding him in the shin and then returning the wave with both her nubby arms.]

Pii! Piiny!

Ow. Ahem. Uh, hey...buddy.

[Why wasn't he more of a nerd growing up, why doesn't he know what any of these things are.]

You know, you kind of look like the things that populated my planet, except you both probably don't talk and are about five hundred times more intelligent than they were. So you're already, like, immeasurably cooler. Don't suppose you're the resident tour guide, know the backstage exit from this particular attraction?

[thecrooks]

[Reptilian eyes narrow slightly as his head cocks to one side, listening intently to what he's being told; after a few moments to process, and another few of hesitation, the head disappears and sound of claws scrabbling on rock can soon be heard, followed by a series of noises indicative of steady, smooth scratching.

It takes a minute or two, but then the little dragon reappears, this time holding something in his claw over the edge of the pit, close to his tail where it'll be visible in the light.

Once he feels sure he's been seen, he lets it drop — and if Dave manages to catch it in time before it rattles away or breaks on the floor, he'll have an answer to what those scratching noises were: four letters painstakingly etched into the hunk of stone, though two of them are backwards by mistake.

H E L P ]

Aaa?

[From the intonation of the noise he makes, the message is a question, and Dave's new friend is seeking confirmation.]

[callbacks]

[It may be dark, but Dave's reflexes are good. He manages to catch the rock, and not even with his face. +5 EXP for Strider. He has to take his Pokégear out again to read the inscription, but when he does, his eyebrows rise in the pale glow.]

Holy shit. You're smart as hell, Godzilla. Yes, fuck yeah--can you help us?

[He slows his speech down, endeavors to make his words clearer.]

Water. That's what we need. Some kind of water.

[thecrooks]

[Naturally, you need water and you get the Fire-type. Ain't that always the way.

Luckily, the point and affirmation both seem to have taken as far as the little reptile is concerned; there's an immediate and recognizable change in his demeanor as he realizes he's been understood, and he nods and waves enthusiastically in response.]

Maaaa! Mm.

[Funny how that almost sounds like a very young, reptilian "...Mom".

He waves once more, briefly, and then begins to retreat from the edge of the hole, making a lot of noise and chirping every so often as the light from his tail recedes, and whether that's for the sake of trying to help Dave know where he is or to get the attention of someone else is really anyone's guess.]

[callbacks]

...Okay. You do you, man.

[Good-bye, new friend. Dave and Eltee watch the firelight vanish, and then he scoops the Happiny up into his arms and starts beatboxing softly along with the background music, just for something to do.

Maybe the thing's species is like, Maaaam. Mamzilla. Yes.

When the light fades enough that Dave starts feeling alone, despite the noise, he calls up:]

Marco.

[Do Pokémon know Marco Polo? Shit.]

[doitrockapella]

[For a while, things are quiet, save for the very faint sounds of the average goings-on of the ruins. The light is low, the corridors are silent.

And eventually, one of Dave's calls of "Marco" doesn't go unnoticed.]


...Polo. Well, well, Miles. It looks as though we've found your friend.


[A familiar, faint but triumphant Maaaaaa! follows, and gradually the glow of firelight grows stronger again as the little lizard returns, this time accompanied by a human who seems to share everyone's penchant for red, red hat and red lipstick and a surprised expression visible when she looks over the edge of the pit.]

Hello down there. Took a tumble, did we?

[callbacks]

[Hello, lady. He likes your style.]

Here's where normally I'd offer some kind of snarky, offhand horseshit in an attempt to preserve what dignity I got left, ma'am, but dignity's mostly for people who didn't just fall down like three floors' worth of puzzle traps.

[Eltee cheers happily, then reaches up to fuss with her curls. Rescue is here! We must look more fabulous. Dave readjusts her in his arms without looking.]

Do you happen to know whether, if I keep going down, I'll eventually hit the Earth's liquid core? Or should I actually attempt, you know, upward movement here. I kind of figured it was pointless due to dungeon magic.

[doitrockapella]

You look a bit ill-equipped for an impromptu journey to the center of the earth, Jules Verne. As far as I know, there is a way out at the very bottom, but I've been led to believe you're in need of a rescue, and not just directions.

[The sound of a Pokeball opening somewhere up above rapidly follows, and shortly thereafter, a pair of long green vines begin winding their way down into the pit.]

So if you're going my way, let me give you a lift.

[callbacks]

[He brightens without actual facial expression--something about the way he lifts his head and shifts his weight to the balls of his feet, like he might bounce.]

You're a gentlewoman and a scholar.

[He reaches out tentatively at first to touch a vine, then concludes that this is just another nature thing he's not going to understand but will ultimately be safe.]

You do this a lot? Swoop in to deliver teenagers from their own dumb asses?

[doitrockapella]

Only when they need it, which in my experience with teenagers actually isn't all that often. But maybe I just know some very capable teenagers.

[The vine twitches a little when he touches it, confirming that there's definitely something alive on the other end; the fact that there's a very soft Saur! Ivysaur! from above shortly after he does so only lends more weight to that conclusion.]

Now, while Ivy gets you out of there, I wouldn't mind learning the names of the people she's rescuing.