SUMMER TEST DRIVE

[spaceshipit]

THE SUMMER TEST DRIVE MEME
(Or Winter Test Drive for you Southern Hemisphere folks!)

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!

Helpful Info for Ideas!:

June/July's Star System

Game Details

Test drives are posted SEASONALLY, so the next one will be in late September!

Comments

[nerdeology]

I'm not-- don't put words in my mouth! I just don't want to have to deal with a hellionized version of you. Sorey's got enough to worry about, and the power of purification doesn't work that well without Lailah here with us.

[Which makes sense, but it's still irritating. And if he was worrying about Zaveid, he's sure as hell not going to admit it.]

what a tsundere (still me, better account B])

[airily]

Hey! I was alone for a hell of a long time, Mikleo. There's no chance of me becoming a hellion.

[ He's almost offended by it, and all of his body pulls back and away from Mikleo as he turns to look in the other direction. ]

I fight the hellions, I don't join 'em.

how dare

[nerdeology]

[Wow, he managed to offend Zaveid? File that one away for future reference. Should he feel bad or just be glad to lose the extra weight?

He'll just. Fix his hair.]

I doubt you're the first person to say something like that. But even if you're confident that won't happen, you'd still be giving up a lot of power, and you don't have that weapon anymore. It would be reckless to cripple your abilities like that.

i know i'm the worst

[airily]

Me? Reckless?

[ He says it as a joke but they both know the truth, and he shoves his hands back down to hang around his trousers before he glares off into the distance, frowning to himself. It's obvious that he's frustrated, he just can't quite put into words why all this is getting to him so damn much. ]

Hey, Mikleo. Is he happy?

[nerdeology]

...Happy? Remember who we're talking about here.

[He's probably the wrong person to ask- his conversations with Dezel tend to be more serious than jovial. Sorey would know better.]

He smiles more than he used to. I want to believe that things are better for him, at least a little.

[He'd be happier if Rose was here instead, but there's nothing they can do about that.]

[airily]

He can be happy sometimes, you know.

[ But, you know. He doesn't think anyone but Sorey really knows how he and Dezel know each other - not even Dezel is aware, and that's an ache all of it's own.

Still, at least... At least he's smiling. ]

It's about time he stopped being so damn grumpy.

[ With is, of course, Zaveid's way of saying he's glad about it. ]

[nerdeology]

[Saying he can be happy versus whether he is happy are two different things, but Mikleo's not about to kick a fuss about it. He can recognize the progress, and it isn't zero. That's really what matters.]

Did you know Dezel before? He never said anything, but it always seemed like there was something more between you two.

[airily]

[ He's had to learn to take what he can get when it comes to Dezel, and this, tied up with what Sorey told him - well, it has to be enough, doesn't it? ]

Sure did. I knew him when he was just a little guy. [ He shrugs, arms held out to each side. ] Not that he remembers.

[nerdeology]

[Makes sense. He wonders what that was like, but it doesn't really feel right to know before Dezel does.]

He really did forget everything...

[Thrown everything away for revenge. It's such a strange thing- does he even remember what he's avenging?]

[airily]

Sometimes you need to forget everything to make the bad stuff go away.

[ It's not something that he can really express; he's lived a long time. He knows pain and he knows happiness, too. ]

At least he's doing okay here, right?

[nerdeology]

[He'd heard something like that from the older seraphim he'd met, both in Elysia and during their travels- how sometimes it's easy to forget, particularly for those who live so much longer. Memories tend to fade or vanish entirely because it's just too much to bear otherwise. A seraph can fall asleep and wake up in a hundred years, and not miss a thing. For someone who's only lived a tiny fragment of his lifespan's potential, it's hard to imagine. If he did that, he'd sleep Sorey's entire life away. Growing up with a human has skewed his perspective somewhat.

But Dezel's not even that old. To lose that much is incredibly daunting.]

I think so, yeah. It's a different vibe around him, these days.

[And he's actually, you know, letting them in. It's kind of mind-blowing.]

...Zaveid, are you going to tell him?

[airily]

[ Zaveid never forgets that a seraph like Mikleo has no idea about what it means to live as long as he knows they can; he feels ancient, now, too old for his life and his mannerisms but not likely to give them up, either. Mostly, it seems like how he acts and what he does is a mechanism for defence; it means that people don't look beyond the surface of what they see, they don't try to push further because they see how he acts and how he plays around and accept that it must be just how he is, as a person.

Most people forget that he's older than many of the seraph they've men on their journey and he's done his best not to forget too much. No, he has to keep hold of it otherwise he'd lose himself - and he still has a handful of vendettas to complete. They're not going anywhere, no matter where he is. ]

That's good. Probably good to get him away from it all anyway.

[ ... And then he tenses. He frowns, for a moment, before he turns his head away, deliberately. ]

Nah. If he's forgotten then it's for a good reason. No need for me to come along and make it worse for him, is there? He'd try and kick my ass.

[nerdeology]

That's not true! ...Okay, the last part might be, but- you should at least let him choose! I'm sure there must be some memories he wants to get back, and it may be that he just needs a reminder!

[He can imagine Dezel would be irritated if the others knew more about his own life than he did. And it seems like the only memories he's gotten back are the ones Symonne had dragged out of him. Wouldn't it be better to let him decide for himself?]

[airily]

Mikleo.

[ Zaveid turns and looks over at him, careful to push the hat back over his head. ]

He forgot for a reason, alright? I know I'm the bad guy, but I'm not going to force him to remember something just because it'd be easier for me. I know he recognises me, even if he pretends he doesn't, and if he asks? Sure, I'll tell him. But until then it's up to Dezel to decide what to do and how to handle it.

[ And then the humour is back and he huffs out a dry little laugh. ]

Besides, he'll want to remember me. Who could want to forget a smooth operator like myself, huh?

[nerdeology]

[...Ugh. It's disappointing, because he hates being helpless in the middle of all of this mess. But Zaveid's at least half right. Dezel's not stupid, of course he knows something's up. To force it, even just to ask him if he wants to know, wouldn't be that much better than what Symonne had done to him.

Still, he's not happy. And Zaveid's flippant attitude doesn't make him feel any better.]

I can think of a few things about you that I'd rather forget.

[airily]

[ It's not just disappointing for Mikleo; it's just as awkward and painful for Zaveid, who has to live with memories that aren't shared anymore. He stamps them down because it's easier than it is to sit there and wish and wonder. Life is long enough for the Seraphim, why make it worse for themselves? It seems stupid, and almost ridiculously human.

Shaking his head, all Zaveid does is lean over to rest on Mikleo again. ]

That's the spirit.

[nerdeology]

[And he's back to being a shelf. Is this the greatest downside of being just the right height for it?]

...Anyway, just as a head's up, the connection with Sorey is a bit strange here. Neither Dezel nor myself dwell in him long-term because it's uncomfortable to do it the first few times. The armatus still works, but the power of purification is hit and miss.

[airily]

It'd probably get a bit crowded in there anyway, huh?

[ No way does he want to be up close and person with Dezel now anyway. Sharing a vessel is one thing, but dwelling there at the same time - no way. ]

We've got a lot to learn about this place.

[nerdeology]

It just- feels weird. I don't know how to describe it, but I guess "crowded" is a good way to start.

[He shrugs his shoulders. Zaveid will see for himself if he ever tries; as it is, it's reason enough for both he and Dezel to wander about freely instead of follow Sorey around at all times. And while it's not like he resented having to use a vessel, he wouldn't deny that the autonomy is a welcome change.]

If you've got any questions, fire away. I know the gist of things.

[airily]

You should kick everyone out so that it's just you and Sorey.

[ Wink wink etcetc. Zaveid doesn't really want to test his luck and he's more than happy to wander around outside of Sorey's head if he's able to; the fact that they're this far apart speaks enough already, and he turns back to look at Mikleo as the thoughtful look disappears. ]

Where are we staying?

[ Where is Sorey? ]

[nerdeology]

Why would I do something so counter-productive? Keeping the connection intact benefits all of us.

[point ---->







his head

Anyway.]

Sorey, Dezel and I are on the Huntress. You'll have to check your communicator - that machine you probably woke up with - for your assignment. It's an arbitrary selection as far as I can tell, and you can visit or transfer as you like. Dezel was on the Golden for months before he decided to join us.

[airily]

[ ... He almost wants to face-palm... But he doesn't. He just watches Mikleo with an amused expression before he shakes his head. ]

Always the lone wolf, huh?

[ Leaning back, Zaveid focusses on his wide, open grin. ]

I'll have to see how many ladies I've got... Then I'll move.

[nerdeology]

[You know, that's not even a surprise. Exasperating, but not a surprise.]

Keep us posted, I guess.