Test-Drive Meme - February

[thewatchers]

TEST DRIVE MEME
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With Winter Quarter in full swing, students can often be found dashing madly about the halls, with part-time jobs, classes, and other events and interests occupying much of their time.

Of course, that doesn't mean it's all work. Daybreak Academy tries to offer its students an abundance of leisure time to relax and unwind. With Valentine's Day fast approaching, romance is in the air as news of the Feast of St. Valentine and the Valentine's Ball begin to spread around campus. Already, talks of fashion and finding the right date are buzzing among the student body. With the winter months winding down, the oppressive chill of Winter is starting to loosen its grip, but there's still plenty of snow left for those who want to take one last run at Daybreak's slopes. As midterms approach, the school is as vibrant and busy as ever.

[All threads in this meme may be treated as canon should all involved characters are currently played or accepted into the game. You may use threads within the Test Drive Meme for Activity, even if the person you are threading with does not ultimately app. Current characters are welcome and encouraged to top-level on these prompts, as well as tag around normally.]


A. SECOND-HAND MARKET

Daybreak Academy has existed for several centuries. Throughout all that time, its ethos has been that of honing the abilities of deserving students, no matter what their birthright or social standing. Even still, the lavish galas befitting the riches of the school continued to have an impact, as poorer students unable to acquire proper attire were often locked out. To remedy this, Daybreak Academy began a tradition that it has upheld ever since - the Second-Hand Market. Hosted in an ever-expanding number of classrooms, the Second-Hand Market brings out all of the clothing, weapons, and other items that have been acquired, resold, or otherwise donated to the academy throughout its lifespan.

Here, any students and faculty can acquire any number of items, such as formal wear, weaponry, and other items for a fraction of the price. Most items are in decent condition, although there are some old items in disrepair that are even cheaper. They can come from just about anywhere in the world and just about any era, and you are able to exchange equivalent items, weapons and armor in both magical and mundane varieties, and formal clothing. Especially among richer students, the tradition is to donate any new clothing or items you commission for social events once the event is complete, to keep the stock current and available for the students who might need it.

With the upcoming ball, the Second-Hand Market is once again open for the first half of February. Staffed completely by students, it is frequently bustling with customers, many of whom not only buy outfits or weapons for the upcoming dance, but also spares they can use for their own projects.

B. LAST CHANCE ON THE SLOPES

With the Winter season winding down, the Arctic Slopes are entering their final months of operation for the season. For those hoping to get some skiing or snowboarding in, now will be the last chance for quite some time. As such, the lodge is full of students trying to take advantage of the last chance on the slopes. Winter has lingered this year, and the snow pack is still dense, making it perfect for one last hurrah. With the rush of students and faculty alike, the lodge is stocked with warm meals and hot chocolate to fill people's bellies after a long day on the slopes.

C. ALCHEMY MISHAP

Accidents happen, especially when you’re playing with the very essence of matter - and one just happened in the Alchemy student lab, causing a cloud of pale smoke to float all over campus. Thankfully it won’t turn anyone into a toad or kill someone.

But it does strange things to one’s vocal chords when inhaled, and unlike Helium it isn’t a one-trick pony, voices raise and lower in pitch, foreign accents, even completely different languages may start coming out of person’s mouth while they’re within in the cloud. Though that bit of an echo effect does sound pretty cool.

D. IRIS NETWORK


[Great Beast Voting]

Greetings, staff and students of Daybreak Academy!

Today, we are gathering data for a survey about the most popular great beasts. Please pick from the options below to help us gather results for our work.

What is your favourite Great Beast? Please pick from the list below.
1. Gryphon
2. Dragon
3. Chimera
4. Kirin
5. Barghest
6. Pegasus
7. Sphinx
8. Kraken


Thank you for your participation and assistance. We eagerly await your response!

[ Naturally, the results are public, with the aims of encouraging further discussion. ]

code bases by tricklet

Comments

[youngjustice]

Well, that's certainly true.
Wait, is burnination even a word?

[prisoneroffate]

"No problem. You've got some pretty slick moves, you been using these things for awhile?"

Ren does indeed make the work go faster as he returns a number of the polearms to their stands. Many hands make light work, as the saying goes.

[youngjustice]

Ken returns his share of the load back as well, careful not to have one lean over to far lest it cause a chain reaction and knock them all over again. Ken smiles at the compliment.

"Thanks, I have. I've just always liked them." For his own reasons which may or may not be related to his height. "Do you use spears too? Sorry if I interrupted your buying process."

[prisoneroffate]

"No worries. Spears are a bit large for me. I prefer daggers, myself."

In something of an inversion, the much taller Ren favors shorter weapons. There's probably a message about being comfortable in one's own skin. Or something.

(tag urself I'm #7)

[thedevilwearsgucci]

[ She slides to a halt, staring at the lodge that he'd just bounced into like a pinball. She doesn't move, but takes in the narrative with 1) a wince, 2) a raised eyebrow, 3) surprise, 4) LESS surprise, 5) an actual gasp, 6) relaxing after there proves to be no crash, 7) just enough silence for it to be awkward, and 8) the return of her typical knowing smirk when Mario emerges.]

You certainly did. I think you scared a few lives out of that cat, too, but I'm sure he'll be fine. Now then. I think this means I owe you a coffee...?

[nonomiya]

"No rush. I'm in [insert dorm room]. You can bring him by at your leisure."

She places her rabbit, whom she has already named Mathilda, in her bag. She's not particularly good at making new friends, so she wants this to go a little less business-like.

"I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Chikage. I've been here for three years. Are you new?"

That wasn't much different in tone, unfortunately.

[nonomiya]

[Chikage knows Primrose mostly in name only. She isn't interested in art, and has not yet made the time for a specific fae-related class or Breaking Barriers. She holds back a smile at the teacher's flowery way of speaking. She likes it, and appreciates people who can put themselves out there. It's harder than most think.]

Um, I...

[It is, however, rude to ask for money from a teacher. Though she wil most definitely pay it back.]

I'm sorry, but I seem to have left my money in my room. If you wouldn't mind, could I borrow some? I will reimburse your as soon as possible.

[It was tentative, and she turns a bit pink.]

[upwardspiral]

Of course! Naturally, I will do such a small thing. After all, isn't money such a cruel invention? And yet it facilitates so many things. But I'm getting distracted again.

[She digs into her purse made of faux leather strips of many colors. After a minute, she pulls out some cash.]

I'm afraid I still have some trouble wrapping my head around this money thing. Just take as much as you need.

[It's not like she really spends a lot of money.]

[atomicultimatum]

"Yeah!" Jade has no professionalism bone in her body so they should balance out, maybe, "Well, sort of. I've been here a couple moons- months now but I've been busy."

"And I'm Jade." She adds as she sort of half hugs half cradles the stuffed dog to her chest like its the most precious thing ever. She thinks she might call him Becquerel.

[nonomiya]

Thank you very much.

[Chikage hesitates a bit, but ultimately takes the money. Only enough for food.]

How should I get this back to you? Leave an envelope in your faculty box, or stop by your office?

[nonomiya]

"It's very nice to meet you, Jade."

Her smile is genuine, if rare.

"Moons-months, you said? I'm unfamiliar with the term."

Thus, she was also curious about it.

[upwardspiral]

Why, whatever would be convenient to you. All you have to do is utter my name three times and either I or a representative of mine will be there. Or you could simply come to me during my office hours. I am told I am quite too careless with money, so I'm trying to be more careful with it and handle it in a less easily lost or stolen manner.

[atomicultimatum]

"Oh. Ah, no sorry. I was correcting myself." Oops, "I... sometimes I use terms that confuse people, so I have to learn to use the correct ones."

[youngjustice]

"Daggers?" That is interesting to Ken, at least. He didn't expect an answer like that. He supposed he expected that he would use a...sword, maybe? But, then again, he expects all people older than him to use a sword. It seems like the perfect kind of weapon.

"Daggers seem pretty dangerous to use in combat since their so short. Unless you're just extremely experience yourself?" Is he talking to some secret ace hunter? He has that sort of...air about him.

[prisoneroffate]

"They're not that short," Ren says, reaching into the small of his back and pulling a blade from an upside-down sheathe beneath his shirt. The dagger, notably, is curved and quite long, almost more of a short sword than a dagger. "The advantage to them is that they're quick and you can slip them into weak spots easier. They aren't all that heavy either, so you can run faster and jump farther."

He has a casual confidence about this statement that at least implies he has some experience in this field.

Sieg | Fate/Apocrypha |

[freedom_to_choose]

A. Market

Being sheltered or neglected for most of his life, there's a lot of things in market that catches Sieg's attention as he goes from one stall to the other. From clothes, weapons, various knick-knacks, books, and food, his eyes light up at the sight of the used and word products only to back away when he was given more attention by the merchant.

Still, the awkward and bumbling boy continues to do the same with each stall. Stopping, observing, maybe asking a question or two, then once he was given a lot of eager attention, says goodbye only to start all over again.

Outside of buying food to eat when his stomach grumbles loudly, he hasn't bought a thing but given how he reaches into his pockets at certain stalls he clearly had some intention of buying.

B. Faceplant Slopes

How did he get roped into this? He wondered onto the mountain lodge purely by chance(well, if can call walking while in thought as 'chance') and then some enthusiastic senior chatted him up and wouldn't take 'no' as an answer.

The next thing he knew he was in some borrowed winter gear, feet on a snowboard, and careening down the side of the mountain and either falling on his face, crashing into a snow bank, or managing to stop only to fall flat on his ass.

Still, for all his flailing and yelps of pain, he keeps getting back up to start again.

D. Iris Network

Username: Sieg
A dragon. They're near god like creatures, after all.

No one has really explained how usernames work to him.

[nonomiya]

Then I will bring it directly to you during office hours.

[The line is moving slowly, so she takes the opportunity to ask about one of Primrose's classes.]

Could you tell me more about Breaking Barriers? I know it's only February, but I need to be thinking ahead for next term.

[nonomiya]

"Oh, I see," she's a bit flustered at having not caught on that it was merely a slip.

She looks away for a moment to compose herself, before turning back to Jade.

"Are you adequately prepared for the ball? I have plenty of anti-daemon spray you're welcome to stock up on. It also affects vampires."

[freedom_to_choose]

Sieg was in the same shop for the same reason, searching for a suitable weapon. While spears, axes, daggers, and bows seamed appealing he decided to go with that he was comfortable with which were swords.

He was in the middle of appraising a particularly old but well maintained long sword when he heard the clatter of spears and immediately rushed over.

When he saw Ken huddled over the pile he grew little worried. "Are you alright?" He asks kneeling down and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

[upwardspiral]

Oh, I can definitely tell you about that class! It isn't the usual class that happens at clockwork every term. No, only when do I have enough candidates do I offer it. Fortunately... I'll be offering it soon!

As for what it is, it is in short special training. Each student receives a personal training regime to help the seed of potential in them sprout, and I monitor them. Ah, the beauty of them pushing beyond their limits! Alas, not every student appreciates it. But those who put in the effort, why, they'll see results!

[atomicultimatum]

“I don’t have any but. Maybe I could have one? Or two?” Jade is more embarrassed from having made the slip in the first place. It’s fine though. Maybe. She doesn’t do it often enough, she thinks, now that’s it’s a problem. Or maybe she does but no one has said anything. Oh well. That’ll be something for another time, probably.

[youngjustice]

Ken observes the dagger that the stranger shows to him. It's really impressive looking, really. And from the way he describes them, he seems to really know the ins and outs of dagger-related combat. "I see." Ken says with a small nod. "I just like things with a bit of weight to them. The heavier it is, the more damage it makes is what I think." Not technically untrue.

"Oh, by the way, my name is Ken Amada. It's nice to meet you."

d

[mwillion]

u were dating a kraken????

[Shirase might seem like she's messing with her teacher, here.

She isn't.]

B

[helfiore]

"Hmhmhm! Hmhmhmmhmhm!"

Villainous, elegant laughter echoes throughout the quiet slopes as Ken skies down them, slowly picking up speed - both the laughter and Ken, it seems. As he goes faster, there's a small break in a nearby treeline, a girl on a snowboard from between them - she has one hand to her face, still laughing.

"Muahaha! Are you perhaps vexed by the rapid pace at which we are descending? Does the endless layer of white at the end of this trip feel you with terror you have never felt before? For a being such as myself, there is truly nothing to worry about -"

All of this boasting, of course, can't hide the slight tremble in Ranko's voice every time her snowboard veers slightly - more than once, she has to cut herself off mid-boast, hurriedly flail her arms to get herself straight again, then return to her practiced pose. Like right there.

"Truly nothing to worry about!"

Then a lowhanging branch smack her in the stomach and sends her sprawling forward. They aren't on a particularly steep decline, so she only rolls down the hill for a second more before catching herself on a snowbank.

"Owie," she adds, pouting up at Ken, as if trying to will him to slow down and help her out as he approaches - again, it isn't a particularly steep segment of the hill, so he could easily catch himself with his.

Ski. Sticks.

She narrows her eyes at them as if trying to deduce their names by looking at them.

Mikhail Jirov | Sirius the Jaeger

[twicefanged]

a.

[To say that Mikhail's clothes were a bit tattery would be an understatement. Aside from a couple of his favorite coats he doesn't think he owns a single article of clothing that doesn't have at least one hole in it. He doesn't own many articles of clothing in general. Why bother? He didn't even sleep most of the time and he'd spent ten years in the vampire underground among a clan he despised. There was no reason to join the rest of them in looking his best. He just wore what he was given and never replaced it.

Except he can't do that now. Now he has to blend in the rest of society. He'd be doing his brother and the academy a disservice if he didn't try his best.

That being said, he doesn't have any idea what sort of clothing he wants to pick out. What's even considered fashionable here? Sticking with red and black was so much simpler, even if it did make him look like a punk most of the time.

He stares at a rack of clothing near one particularly large stand, completely at a loss.]

d. un: mikhail

5.

I'm not sure why this survey is necessary.

wildcard.

[Hit me with whatever!]