archishellago | Test Drive Meme #003

KHU IODUAN; TEST DRIVE MEME #003

I. AROUND AIFARAN - Getting The Perfect Shot!

This month in Aifaran, there's a contest being held on the popular social site Xa Xa, which Earth-based Dreamfolk may recognize as vaguely Instagram-like -- it's all about the pretty pictures! With a top prize of 500 Rhinn per category, lots of people are getting into the game. Prizes will be handed out for awards like Best Composition, Most Creative Angle, Best Use of Lighting, etc, and this means that it won't be uncommon to see people in unusual places (even some risky ones) trying to score the perfect shot. Maybe they're bumping accidentally into you on the street, or slipping off the edge of a rooftop, or not paying attention to that train heading their way??

II. BE A GOOD NEIGHBOUR - Surprise Petsitting?!

Success! You've scored a quiet day, and you're just about to settle in for a marathon of your favourite Tears of the Ocean Heart episodes when there's a knock on your door. A very distracted looking Castian is standing there, talking away on his yimo, and beside him, a very fancy Inan on a glitzy harness and leash.

"Right, right," the Castian says to whomever he's talking to. "I'm just dropping Ruqhina off at the sitter, I'll be there in ten." Shoving the leash at you, he announces, "Thank you again for agreeing to watch my darling Ruqhina, I really appreciate it. Don't forget to exercise early in the day, she likes eating energy of active people only, I don't want her on a lazy person diet. Did you change your hair, I thought you had blue hair? Well nevermind, I have to get going, I'll be back in a week. Goodbye sweetheart, Daddy misses you already!" And then he's gone.

III. TALENT IS A MISNOMER - You Didn't Need That Wall Right?

There are a lot of Dreamfolk in the city, and all of them are dealing with their own newly gifted Talents in their own ways. Some, especially those who are used to extraordinary abilities from their own worlds, have some idea of how to train on them safely, learning the ins and outs of their new gift. And then you have some whose only exposure to "magic" is through stories, fairy tales, or really entertaining TV, and pointing a finger-gun at a target and saying "boom!" has never actually worked... until now.

"Uh," the other Dreamfolk says, staring dumbly at the car-sized hole in the wall, and then glances at you who just happened to be the closest person. "That's... new. Yikes. Should we run? Wait, I've got a better idea--" Cue loud voice and frantic pointing in your direction. "IT WAS THIS ONE! THEY DID IT!"

IV. SHADY BUSINESS - It's A Shakedown

You're in the right place at the right time (or the wrong ones, depending on your point of view) but you're entering a shop just in time to see some Beika punks accosting the shopkeeper, demanding protection money, which they owner is stammering that they've already paid this month. Upon your entrance, the shopkeeper looks over at you with help me plainly written on their face, while the Beika thugs look very unhappy at being interrupted...

V. BEACHFRONT CLEANUP - Oh That's Nasty...

It's not a pleasant task, but it does pay volunteers pretty well: following a massive storm, several dozen dead Giant Jellyfish corpses have washed up on the shoreline, and they need to be cleaned and disposed of before they start to decompose. It's dirty, smelly, and slimey work... but the promise of two weeks worth of rhinn for one day's work is hard to pass up! You're assigned to teams and given some shovels and a wheelbarrow, but as you reach the latest jellyfish body, you're surprised to see that this one appears to be covered in... burns?? Is this something you should report?

VI. WILDCARD - Because You're Not The Boss Of Me

Anything else that doesn't fit the above prompts is welcome, just keep it within the game setting please!

Applications • Reservations • Taken List • Game Navigation

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That doesn't sound especially useful.

[He can't help himself. Zephyr looks out the outthrust yimo and gives it his best unimpressed look.]

I probably can, yeah, but since it looks like what you were doing was trying to get yourself killed... what were you actually trying?

[The only reason Zelos doesn't immediately and vocally object to being handsome not being useful is that the next part catches his attention first.]

For the last time, I wasn't trying to get myself killed! [This... is actually a bit of a sore point, with him. He's being good, damn it.] I have wings, and even if I didn't have wings, I'm naturally athletic and graceful. There's no way I was going to fall.

[He waves the yimo.]

What I'm trying to do, Mr Arrogant Model, is win the train photo contest. What's a better picture of a train than one that's coming right at you? Especially if it's a high-angle shot!

[Considering stare.]

Then why weren't you using them in the first place?

[That seems like a better idea than precarious teetering? He'll address the problem of what wings conceivably mean later.]

That'd probably get you a better angle, anyway. Something most people can't get.

[Putting aside also the issue of why do you want pictures of trains in the first place.]

[Almost as an afterthought:]

Zephyr.

[It's less of a mouthful than Arrogant Model.]

Because I --

[... hm.]

-- you know what, I don't know. I guess 'cause they're still new.

[They still feel weird, and unfamiliar, and like a strange reward of a struggle Zelos still doesn't believe he really won. And what's a bridge to someone with a basic exsphere, anyway?]

Zephyr what? Zephyr gingham? Zephyr Arrogant Model? [Eyes widen.] Oooh, that's your name?

[Hah. Zephyr is not taking any points away from the idiot column.]

No, just Zephyr. Everybody got a family name where you come from?

[What is this man's fixation on Zephyr being a model.]

[You know what, that's entirely fair.]

Pretty much, yeah. They don't where you're from? Why not?

[Off in the distance, there's the rumble of another approaching train, and Zelos holds up a hand, immediately distracted.]

Oooh! Hold that thought. I need to get this picture.

Not enough Zephyrs where I live to need to tell them apart.

[This is completely true. Zephyr prefers to tell the truth and save the lying for the big parts that really need to be believed.]

[There's a tiny eyeroll.]

Are you actually going to use your wings this time?

[Calculating what he'd need to dive after the man this time.]

[Zelos glances back at Zephyr, and smiles. It's not a very innocent smile.] Nah, I wasn't going to. But if you've really got your heart set on seeing them... who am I to disappoint you?

[The wings come out, large and golden and an intangible shimmer in the air behind Zelos. The train rumbles closer, and Zelos perches on the railing with his yimo in hand, ready to drop upside-down the moment the train enters the tunnel.]

Hey, don't put words in my mouth.

[...But the wings are very pretty. Not that Zephyr's going to admit this out loud. He comes up beside Zelos, leaning on the rail and looking sidelong at the panels of shimmering gold.]

[They remind him of fire, and divinity.]

[It makes Zephyr's shoulders itch, even if they look barely anything like his.]

Congratulations. You must be proud.

[So dryly.]

[~~he could put something else in your mouth~~]

Mmm... [Zelos takes the dry question very seriously, sparing Zephyr a glance before refocusing on the train and the drop to the tracks.] No, not really. They cost way too much.

[Getting them in the first place meant betraying Lloyd and the others. Then the actual transformation in Keeliai sucked worse than nearly anything Zelos had gone through before. Worst of all, surviving it meant getting on good terms with Kratos.]

[The train enters the tunnel. Zelos spreads his arms with yimo in hand, then falls forward off the railing.]

[Cost, huh?]

[Maybe Zephyr just won't ask. Anyway, Zelos is going over the edge before Zephyr can think of asking more, and all involuntarily Zephyr starts after him, reaching, reaching--]

[His help isn't necessary here. Zephyr leans his elbows on the railing and watches, just in case he does need to save Zelos from his own stupidity.]

[Leonne knows Zephyr knows about that much.]

[Fortunately, there's no stupidity to save Zelos from, now that he actually has his wings out. One shot, two shots -- and then he sails up out of the way as the train passes semi-harmlessly under him, arms out and posing in the air like the flamboyant showman he is.]

See? Easy!

Yeah, yeah.

[Zephyr actually does look faintly appreciative, for all his dismissive tone. He doesn't bother to stop leaning on the rail.]

Should've done that in the first place. You get your pictures?

[Of course he looks faintly appreciative. This is Zelos we're talking about. Everyone appreciates him! The thought's a little dulled when he remembers most of the appreciation is because of the wings, but hey, he'll take what he can get.]

I would have been fine! I'm agile, and I'm impressive. [He grins, then looks down at the yimo and flips through the photos, and his face falls.] Aw, damn. I didn't get the angle I wanted.

[The irony of those two statements so near each other seems lost on him.]

[The appreciation sure isn't for your intellect, Zelos. Try not flying in front of trains.]

Yeah? Impressing who?

[He's meaning to be more teasing than mean, but there are some lines. Zephyr cranes his neck to see if he can see the pictures.]

There'll be other trains, right?

[Look, if you had wings, you'd fly in front of trains too.]

Impressing you! Don't pretend that wasn't a look of awe and appreciation just now. You're not the first, and you won't be the last, so don't bother lying to yourself.

[Still hanging in the air, large orange wings barely beating, Zelos squints into the distance.]

I hope so. But I don't want to hang around here forever. [He studies Zephyr thoughtfully.] You don't fly, do you?

[With the best deadpan he can muster:]

Fine, you got me. They're very pretty.

[Zephyr does his very best not to twitch.]

No, I don't fly.

[...it's not that he can't. But he doesn't. And he sure wouldn't fly in front of a train.]

I guess you have to decide how much getting the perfect angle is worth to you, huh.

Test Drive Meme #003

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