Summer Test Drive Meme

[thespaceopera]

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

May's Star System

Game Details

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

Comments

[necromanswers]

[Taako's smart; he's always been smart. She's seen him play the fool plenty of times and people fall for it, just laugh at the dumb flip wizard who happens to have great luck with his spells until they let their guard down and he can punish them for falling for it. He's got all of the pieces, he's holding it right in his hands but the block won't let him see it. So close but still out of reach.

She huffs a sigh and keeps piping.]

Yeah, that must be real frustrating for you.

[It's fucking agonizing is what it is. She wants to grab him and shake him and tussle his hair and go off-ship for a wizard's duel and she wants so much, so much. She wants to hug him and tell him how much she's missed him, how worried she's been as she watched him struggle and fight all this time, how she tried to protect him whenever she was able.

She wants to let herself cry for the fucking miserable decade of their lives that they lost, how he'd never have been alone if she had been with him and alive when Lucretia did this to him, how her choice to vanish alone ruined so much.

She can't. Instead she dips a finger into the filling and licks it, letting the flavour and nostalgia and that good, good fucking food give her strength, and she tries a reply that is less asshole and a bit more sincere.]

There's a few things I can give you, though I don't know if they'll be any help to you. I can tell you that the people in the red robes aren't evil, that we made the relics with the hope that it'd be a good thing. That what happened was supposed to be better than the alternative. I can tell you that the one you met before has been watching you to find out what the Bureau is doing, and to undo the damage done to your memories, not to stop or hurt you. And... I can tell you that you, Merle, Magnus, even Lucretia... all look pretty good in red.

[She's skirting close to the line, she knows. But it's all she's got.]

[abracafcku]

It is, thanks for noticing.

[He knows it's got to be harder on her, but he honestly doesn't know how he should feel about that? Guilty? Relieved? Indifferent? He doesn't actually know her now, even if he knew her once. Being forgotten though...it was something Johann was afraid of and something Taako was trying to ignore. He knew it was a risk of working for the Bureau, but he wasn't banking on dying anytim--- Well, at least he wasn't banking on dying when it actually counted anytime soon.

Taako slides another cookie onto the tray as he listens to her 'explanation.' A lot of it sounds like what anyone who was working for the Red Robes would say - we're not evil, we were doing good things! But it weirdly jives with how things were shaking out lately. The Red Robe that brought June and Jack to Refuge, the one that killed Capt. Captain Bane when he tried to kill them to take the Gaia Sash, the one that begged them to believe in him - a lot of Red Robes, but no death pointed at him.]

I look good in just about everything, honestly. But the rest? I'll have to think on.

For now? Think fast.

[He picks up the next cookie and lobs it over to her.]

[necromanswers]

[Okay.

Okay, she's gonna blame Magnus for this one.

She'd fully intended to use zero aggressive spells in this kitchen, and in the foreseeable future any time she's around him, at least until he's less on edge. But then he did that and there's something flying at her and it's been like thirty years but she still Magic Missiles the fuck out of it on pure instinct, juggling it in the air a few times before she catches herself and it disintegrates into nothing.]

Aww, shit! That was sick.

[And then, after a beat, her voice a scandalized whisper:]

Shit, waste of a cookie.

[fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck]

[abracafcku]

[He thought it would be a nice gesture of a budding olive branch of maybe future trust when he sent the cookie her way.

And then she blasted it straight out of the air like a fucking boss.

At first, he jerks back in surprise, ready to throw up a shield if he needs to, but her spell is precise and fast - absolutely decimating his little rainbow circle of buttery goodness.

There's a moment that passes between them and then Taako starts laughing.]

Fucking rad. Nice aim.

[necromanswers]

[His laughter shatters the tension in the air, and a scant second later a smirk crosses her lips, proud and pleased. It's been a really goddamn long time since she's had a chance to do that one.]

I don't need you to tell me that, babe.

[And then while he laughs she prances over to his plate and snags a cookie properly, taking an oversized bite as she returns back to her corner. It might be infringing into his territory a little, but she earned the cookie, and the distance between them is killing her a bit, so she's taking advantage of the excuse.]

[abracafcku]

Yeah, but next time, don't shoot it so close to my head. I'd prefer not to have singed ends please.

[He subtly shifts to the side when she comes over to grab a replacement cookie, but doesn't go far. He regards her as she retreats again, really trying to connect all the dots floating in his head. Every line drawn quickly evaporates, and he gives up for now. There's a strange familiarity between them, and for now that's fine. He still doesn't trust her, but it takes him a long time to trust anyone. His business is his and he'll keep it that way until such a time that he deems anyone worthy of hearing it.

And somehow that feels sad now as he watches her move away.]

You really need to tame that mane though. If you have my face, I can't have people thinking my hair isn't on point 24/7.

[necromanswers]

[She's already completely demolished the cookie by the time he's done talking, so she idly licks chocolate off her fingers as she runs her other hand through her locks. He's absolutely right- between waking up, running through the ships, and dancing around the kitchen all this time, it's become a tangled mess. Sort of comes from being trapped in an incorporeal form for over a decade; she hadn't even thought about it this whole time. It's a wonder just to be able to feel things again, never mind worrying about style.

Well, that'll come back to her before long.]

...Yeah, usually I have help with that one. It's a bit of a handful to do solo some days.

[She's not going to ask, because she's already getting so much more than she's earned at this point, but she does give him a pointed look. Like hey, guess what, it was you.]

[abracafcku]

[Don't look him, Lup. He isn't putting himself in such close proximity to someone he's just met that quickly. Taako feels like maybe he should offer to help just so his own reputation doesn't suffer, but for now he'll hang back and wait.

Instead, he gestures to his braided hair lying over his shoulder.]

Real easy to do, even with just one set of hands.

[And a mage hand to hold accessories and mirrors.]

[necromanswers]

[It's about what she'd expected, so she takes no offense; if anything, she feels another twinge of sadness, but she masks it with a shrug, turning to grab one of her own cookies off the tray rather than just stealing all of his. She doesn't bite yet, turning it around in her hands, looking thoughtful.

Then she glances over her shoulder at him wearing a grin that can only be described as shit-eating.]

I might shave it off, it's less work.

[She pops the cookie in her mouth, still smirking as she chews. Just has to see the look on his face.]

[abracafcku]

You wouldn't fucking dare.

[If anyone mistook her for him, he'd turn her fucking green just to distinguish them from each other.

When he sees the grin on her face though, he realizes she's teasing. That's....oddly familiar. Still, he wouldn't put it past her, if only to her under his skin.]

I'll dye you green if you do. You'll look like a Candlenights disaster.

[necromanswers]

Ooooh, what a threat. Weird how I'm not worried at all about that! It's almost like I've got magic wizard powers, too.

[She wiggles her fingers at him.]

How about if all your hats turned to those little propeller beanies? You'd be adorable.

[abracafcku]

You're not helping your case that the Red Robes aren't evil, y'know.

[But if being turned green won't sway her?]

I won't cook for you then.

[necromanswers]

[OKAY FUCK, FUCK, THAT'S AN ACTUAL LEGITIMATE TRUMP CARD, SHE HAS REALLY MISSED HIS COOKING

There's a moment of tangible indecision, one hand toying with her hair again- like she's actually thinking about getting it sorted here and now. There was that one scroll when they were kids with the mermaid who used a fork as a brush, she could-

-and then she stops.]

...Sooooo you're saying you'll cook for me if I do my hair, then?

[abracafcku]

[The moment she pauses, he knows he has her. If nothing else, he has confidence that anyone who knows his coming or grew up around his cooking would miss it like burning. His food has always been what he can rely upon, before the magic or his good looks.

He shrugs, inspecting his nails. ]

That all depends on how well you take care of your hair.

[necromanswers]

Ugh, but your style's always so high-maintenance. You really think people will mistake me for you? I know my tits aren't the biggest in the universe but you sure as fuck don't have any.

[Don't make her do that much woooooork, Taako.]

[abracafcku]

I'm not asking you to do a fancy updo everyday, but a little effort is required here.

[He sighs and walks over to grab a completed macaron, inspecting it.]

But at a glance, people might see me not you and vice versa. I'm not going to take the chance that my rep of being the most beautiful thing this Fleet has ever run into suffers.

[necromanswers]

[She makes a gagging noise, as sisters are wont to do - because yes he's beautiful, they're both beautiful, but she doesn't have to say it - but she goes ahead and starts gingerly brushing her fingers through her hair as a temporary measure until she can get herself a proper brush. She used to do this plenty of times on the road when they were younger, when brushes broke or were lost or stolen, it's just been a long ass time. It's not going to be the prettiest job, but it'll do.]

Fine, fine, but you better believe I'm gonna collect on the cooking.

[abracafcku]

Technically, [And he's smirking now] you're already indebted to me for the cookie you blew up and the replacement you ate.

[necromanswers]

[Lup snorts indelicately, wincing around a particularly stubborn tangle.]

And I'd do it again in a heartbeat. -Fuck, ow. Have you got a spare brush?

[abracafcku]

Mmhmm. I was wondering when you'd ask.

[And he pulls one from a random drawer, handing it over with one hand while he continues inspecting the macaron. Good color, the smell is right, and he assumes the flavor is fine. He won't eat it until someone else does though.]

[necromanswers]

[Oh thank god. She takes it immediately and begins brushing properly, gently smoothing out the tangles with practiced ease. With one foot she nudges a chair free from the kitchen table and plops down, making herself at home. Normally she'd just go ahead and sit on the table but there's baking stuff all over the place, so space is a bit of a premium.]

...Hey, Taako? Do you have the Umbra Staff here?

[She'd woken up unarmed, and that seemed to be the general consensus of the folks around that she's already met, but she has to ask.]

[abracafcku]

[Ooh delicate question there, Lup. Taako glances up from his inspection and puts the macaron down, leaving back on his heels. He knows he doesn't need the Umbra Staff or the newly acquired Raging Flaming Poisoning Sword of Doom, but it sure would be nice to have them right about now. ]

Mmnope. This place straight up looted me when I got here.


Why?

[necromanswers]

[Yeah, figured as much. He wouldn't be using an egg timer as a focus if he had her swank-ass weapon around.

A part of her is relieved, truth be told. If he had it she'd have had to wrestle with her conscience and resist the urge to break the shit out of it. She loved that thing when it was hers, had a blast using it and it soaked up power like the cutest floaty sponge, but after everything that's happened she's a little bit afraid of it now.]

No real reason, just wondering. [And then, after a moment, assuming that would be insufficient-] I had jack when I woke up, too.

[abracafcku]

[Well at least they were on the same page. Although he would have liked to see what happened when the Umbra Staff got near her. It reacted whenever people spoke of liches and it carved her name into the wall, so clearly they were connected. The problem was how.

Taako hummed a quiet note of understanding, and then back to leaning up against the counter near his cookies.]

So we're - mostly - even then. How do you know the Umbra Staff though? Did Red Robe the Senior tell you?

[necromanswers]

[Fuck. Fuuuuuuck. Should've just kept her mouth shut. Talking about the truth behind her question isn't something she wants to get into right now- she doesn't trust herself to not get emotional about it, because fuck it had been hard, every day had been hard, and she's not sure that her heart can handle the likely callous response she'd get from Taako as a result.

It's not his fault, she wouldn't blame him for it, but it would still wreck her. It's too close, she was in the umbrella yesterday. She's not ready to tell him, plain and simple.

So after a moment she smiles faintly, setting the brush down and pulling her hair into a ponytail... then reconsidering and starting a braid instead. Best to keep it out of the way.]

"Red Robe Senior"... you're gonna shit yourself when you're able to hear who that one is. Anyway, I know about the Umbra Staff because I'm the one who made it.