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SPRING TEST DRIVE MEME

THE TEST DRIVE MEME

Got someone you want to try out before you app? Well this is the post for it! Feel free to use anything that fits in the setting of Drift Fleet! Want to play bumper shuttles? Want to go wild in a med bay? Play around with the current plot? Have at it!

Threads from the Test-Drive may be made game "canon" but DO NOT count toward AC!

FOR NEW PLAYERS: You DO NOT NEED an invite to participate in the TEST DRIVE! If you decide to APP into the game, ONLY THEN will you need an invite from a current player! Applications for new players open April 1st.

Helpful Info for Ideas!:

April's Star System

Game Details

From now on, Test Drives will be posted SEASONALLY (or every three months!). So the next one will be posted in the summer!

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wilderness.
[ This isn't Braavos.

Arya spent all of five minutes in the city before escaping to the woods, long enough to take a gas mask and put it on once she felt herself starting to suffocate. The thing is better than dying, but it restricts her peripheral vision just enough to make Arya uncomfortable with being in this strange, unknown city. She's far more accustomed to forests, however, and she escapes there, sword in tow.

Once she reaches the wilderness, Arya moves slowly, carefully, barely rustling the dead leaves. It's easy to see that this place is sick, perhaps dying, but there's something oddly beautiful about these rocks and hills. After a few hours of hiking, Arya reaches the edge of a cliff, and for a moment she allows herself to stop and appreciate the view.

But only for a moment. She hears something moving behind her, and Arya draws her sword and quickly faces whoever is approaching. ]

Who are you?

[ The hostile way Arya asks the question makes it sound more like an accusation than anything else. ]

war games.
[ Arya didn't mean to start the fight, truly. The hunters had come upon her in the wilderness, and when she tried to fight back, they surrounded her and threw her in the pit she's standing in now. One man bothered to tell Arya that fighting was only allowed in sanctioned areas, despite Arya's protests. She hadn't wanted to fight. She just wanted to live.

More often than not, however, those two amount to more or less the same thing.

Arya looks right, then left. There's so many people, most of them spectators. Arya doesn't know what's going to happen to her, but she doesn't want to find out. She spots a door at the opposite end of the pit. She'll have to barrel through a large crowd, and her escape might not work, but it's worth a shot.

So without warning, Arya sprints straight towards the crowd with one thing on her mind: the exit. ]

[ -- sansa stark isn't involved in the games. but she's a spectator, certainly. her mask covers most of her face, and then a silk veil covers most of the mask. it's as though she can't bear the thought of a polished appearance marred by the ugly filtration system, so she hides it beneath a well-stitched veil in colours that match her dress. even now, her polish and propriety is like an armour.

when arya beats her hasty retreat from the fight, she runs straight by her sister. arya had arrived not long ago, perhaps -- and sansa's still adjusting to her presence. arya is alive. and as wild as ever, it seems. ]

Arya. [ sansa hisses -- her tone a heady mixture of humiliation and censure. ] What are you up to?

[ what trouble have you brought upon yourself now? ]

[ It's still jarring, being called by that name. The Arya that Sansa knew was someone else, some foolish little girl. Arya might still be little, but she likes to think she's not nearly as foolish.

Sansa seems to think so, though -- after all this, Arya is still able to embarrass her sister, and she's not sure if she should be proud or ashamed of that. Mostly, Arya just feels frustrated. Isn't what she's trying to do obvious? ]

I'm not fighting in their stupid games.

[ Arya grabs her sister's arm and keeps running. ]

Come on!

[ She's not killing for anyone else's pleasure. Not today. ]

[ games are all she's ever known -- but that part of her had just begun to unwind, here in the fleet. with robb and bran and even jon, she'd begun to be herself again. but better (she likes to think) because she feels true and honest joy in arya's well-being.

hells, she doesn't even protest too much when the younger girl grabs her by the elbow and drags her onward. sansa grabs a handful of silk skirts and raises them inches out of the muck. and when she runs two steps behind her sister, she feels her heart thundering in her chest. fear and adrenaline threading wildly with each other. ]

Stop it, [ she huffs through puffed cheeks but her heart isn't in the fight. after all, she's obeying arya despite it all. ] Where are we going? Have you given any thought to -- [ huff huff ] -- where we're running to?

Of course I have.

[ Arya says, indignantly. She absolutely hasn't. What's important now is getting out of this crowd. Arya darts and weaves through the swarm of people, fast and nowhere near polite. She keeps her grip on her sister tight. Even though they'd likely find each other again, Arya isn't about to lose Sansa one more time.

Once they're through most of the people, Arya finally lets go of Sansa and ducks into an alley, trusting that Sansa will follow. The smell might not be the best, but it's quieter here, and cool and shady. Arya is panting a little, but she's also grinning. That was actually fun. ]

It's good were out of there. The people here threw me into that place without warning, and I would not wish the same to happen to you.

[ her slipper-shoes are filthy. thanks very much, arya. but sansa seems to care less about such destruction than she once did -- forgiving it quickly, and after only a silent grimace in the direction of her toes. ]

Are you claiming to have rescued me? [ she asks, a little affronted. my, but her sister is bold. ]

Yes.

[ Arya says, her hands actually on her hips, the picture of indignance. Sansa's slippers aren't even that dirty. Arya's seen way worse when she spent weeks in the Riverlands without bathing. ]

They have such stupid rules here. Who knows if you broke them too? They did not like my sword. [ Arya huffs. ] We've got to get Needle back.

[ Sorry Sansa, Arya plans on dragging you even deeper into this mess. ]

I didn't -- [ sansa insists, hissing almost as if she'd been burned. ] I broke no rules. I'm certain of it.

[ she's too careful. too concerned with stepping wrong -- so concerned, indeed, that it only takes arya's off-hand comment to make her wonder whether she hasn't done something that might raise ire with the locals. sansa's throat feels dry.

she redirects the twist of fear in her stomach as another emotion altogether: ] You should never have brought a sword to the surface.

[It's a travesty that Galavant must make do with a gas mask, because his gleaming smile would have utterly dispelled the tension in the air. Instead his casual surrender of his hands up was less because she thought she was a threat but more because he didn't think of her as one at all.]

I'm Galavant. Now would you mind terribly setting that aside?

[ The surrender is acceptable, but the man's condescending tone isn't. Still, Arya doesn't want to pick fights in strange places -- her first priority is defending herself, not putting herself in needless danger. Even though Arya lowers her sword, she's bristling, ready to raise it again is need be. ]

Is this acceptable, Ser Galavant?

[ She figures this man can have some mockery in return. ]

[ The golden krakens painted on his mask should be more than enough evidence for his identity--when hasn't he draped himself in his house's sigil to remind people who he is? He removes the mask all the same, smirking his trademark smirk. It's a good effect, and he's grateful that it will take more than a few moments for the air to make him feel sick. ]

I didn't know so little time in King's Landing could make someone forget so quickly.

[ He chuckles. For all his smugness, Theon does worry and wonder how much Arya knows about what's happened to Winterfell. It will be more than enough when she finds her siblings, that's for sure, and chances are high that she'll try to run him through with that sword when she finds out. Whoops. ]

[ Theon is right about one thing -- it wasn't the time in King's Landing that made Arya forget. It was her time in Braavos, when she had to kill Arya for safety, for shelter, and for power.

But she never forgot. Not completely, not when she still had her prayer. Theon's name was never on it, but she's heard the whispers. Theon Turncloak. She knows what happened to Winterfell in the end, if not the specifics. She knows enough.

When Arya speaks, her words are full of venom. Most unbecoming for a twelve year old girl. ]

You did forget quickly. [ Arya's lips match Theon's sneer, full of hate. ] Enough to think that Winterfell was yours, that you could conquer it like some savage.

[ Beyond Roose Bolton's bastard ordering that Winterfell be set ablaze, Theon doesn't know much else. He hasn't learned that Robb is dead, he doesn't know where Bran and Rickon managed to disappear to, and anything regarding Sansa or Arya is still mystery to him. It's like trying to find your way in the dark without a light, especially when everyone else seems so intent on telling him nothing.

He's almost surprised by the amount of venom in Arya's voice, though he shouldn't be. So she does know. All the Stark children know. Theon refuses to let his smile betray him, though it does falter, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly as they threaten to turn downwards. ]

Funny that you should try to speak to me about things you know nothing about. You were hundreds of leagues away. Or has your memory really failed you so much that you've forgotten even that?

[ A vague and cruel response, but he's grown tired pleading his defense to deaf ears. Robb refused to see his reasoning, Sansa fears him, Bran avoids him, and he doesn't care to explain himself to Jon. There's no way he'll get any sort of understanding out of Arya. ]

[Jon hasn't had very long to readjust to suddenly having Arya back--has had time to get used to the idea that she might come, but the reality of it is something he's still readjusting to. He's really not expecting to find her at a war game, of all things, nor is he expecting her to nearly bowl him over on her way out of the game.

Then again, he's walking around in a black gas mask, so it's to be expected that he wouldn't be recognized on sight.]

Arya--

[--right, okay, give him a moment so he can get to his feet. He wasn't planning on sticking around anyway, surely the crowds won't mind the loss of both one of their number and an unwilling participant.]

--do you know where you're going? [Because if not, he's just going to take her hand so they can get out of there quickly before things get even worse, and he gets dragged into one of these too.]

[ Oh, good, it's Jon. Even though she doesn't recognize the mask, Arya recognizes the voice. A little smile spreads across her face, not from the situation, but from hearing that voice again. Jon is so much richer and fuller in real life. She'd forgotten how pale a shade memories can be. ]

Not here.

[ Arya stops and looks around frantically, realizing that she actually doesn't know where she's going. Her plan never got that far. She grabs Jon's hand tightly. ]

They just threw me in here -- I do not know where the exit is.

I might have some idea.

[In truth he doesn't actually know either (what else is new?), but he can guess at where the exit must be, so he walks as briskly as possible towards a gap in the crowd, ignoring the murmurs of confusion from behind them.]

How did you even end up in one of these?

[Robb keeps adjusting his mask as he walks. Instead of finding the ship, he keeps on finding more trees and rocks. When he hears a voice he stops, his eyes narrowing at the smaller figure in front of him.

It has been a long time since he last heard that voice and a broad smile appears on his face.]

Arya? [He takes a couple of careful steps forward, expecting her to vanish again at any second.] Is it truly...?

[ Arya doesn't return the smile, nor does she lower her sword. Arya doesn't smile at ghosts, and Robb can't be anything but. She'd gotten close enough to the Red Wedding to hear the shouts, and she would have gotten to at least say good bye had Sandor Clegane not knocked her out with that axe.

Arya doesn't move from her spot. She shakes her head only barely because no, she's not Arya, not any more than this specter is Robb. She's no one. ]

I don't know.

[ Arya breathes, barely above a whisper. She doesn't know who she is, she doesn't know what's happening, she doesn't know if she's awake or dreaming. She feels lost, dazed. ]

[Robb halts when she does not lower her sword, not sure what to say. Doesn't she recognize him?]

Wait... [It must be the mask.] Let me take this off... [He raises his arms and starts to tug at the straps until the thing comes off.] See? Have you forgotten the face of your brother, Arya?

[He smiles broadly and takes another couple of steps forward.]

[Any greeting Bran had dreamed dries up in his throat, confronted with the flash of Arya's sword. He had followed her further into the woods out of curiosity, his wheelchair making too much noise on the leaves, barely daring to hope that the glimpse of a familiar face meant what he thought it did. But now, seeing her in front of him, his eyes light up. He fumbles for the strap of his mask, pulling it down in a hurry.]

It's me, Arya. It's only me.

[ Arya surveys Bran, from the top of his head to the base of his wheelchair, with an expression of sheer confusion on her face. This Bran is nothing like the Bran she knew, but how could he be anything but? He's taller, she thinks, although she can't quite tell with the new contraption. His eyes are as bright and quick as ever.

Distantly, Arya wonders if she's crossed into some kind of life after death. She doesn't think so, though -- she doesn't remember dying. ]

But it can't be. [ Arya's voice breaks, just a little. ] You're dead.

[Bran shakes his head, quick and breathless.]

I'm not. I'm not dead, they... [He wants to tell her the whole story, prove it to her right now, but in the dim forest light he can only stare and hope.] They lied.

[In the silence he tries to edge closer to her, but his chair catches on a thick root, and he has to pause, at the mercy of his sister's belief.]

They lied, Arya.

[People rise, going to block the girl from running, to keep her from getting free -- but a small hand raises in one of the more important boxed in areas. A small hand with stubby fingers. and a mask upon his face that do not cover the golden curls.]

Let her be, good sers. She's just a child, after all, and not accustomed to your ways. I ... know her of old, and whatever brought her to the war games? It is not something she is willing to participate in.

[A slight drop to his voice.] Nor, should she have to.

[The men looked at one another, then parted slightly, as Tyrion Lannister stood from his bench, his mask muffling his smooth tones only slightly.]

Lady Arya ... what an unexpected surprise.

[There's the sound of a startled yelp, Vheras jumping back slightly, one arm crossing her body as a way of protection.]

Vheras. My name is Vheras. [She steadies her tone, realizing she probably looks like a fool for jumping at someone. Hunters don't show fear to anyone around them.] I mean you no harm.

[How lucky this wasn't home- she couldn't spare the thought of this girl being like the young girl who had lost both her mother and father to the hunt.]

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SPRING TEST DRIVE MEME

arya stark | a song of ice and fire

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Re: arya stark | a song of ice and fire

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