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avalaughs2020-12-31 11:53 pm
avalonmods) wrote in avalaughs2020-12-31 11:53 pm
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TEST DRIVE MEME ⚔️️ 3
 Premise ⚔️️ Rules ⚔️️ FAQ ⚔️️ Taken ⚔️️ Reserves ⚔️️ Apply ⚔️️ Locations ⚔️️ Bestiary ⚔️️ Top-Levels Only ⚔️️  A ⦿ Soaking in Your Arrival
Regardless of what you were in the middle of, you and your familiar have been magically pulled into the world of Avalon just above the Bay's chilly waters. After a brief plunge into the Bay, the rush of water filling your ears and soaking up into every creak and crevice of your body, you may need to cough to clear your airways when you rise above the surface. It's paralyzingly cold for a few seconds before you're approached by the Lady of the Lake beneath the water's surface. She puts a vial of a vibrant, glowing red Everwarm* potion to your character's lips. The icy water doesn't feel so icy once consumed and you'll be able to move your limbs enough to swim to shore on your own. She can't stick around to explain, she's got to get this to all the new arrivals! Many of which you'll see plopping in around you. If you can't swim, a handful of helpful ice turtles will scoop you up from beneath and drop you off at the shore. When not helping people, the turtles are going around and hitting the ice that keeps forming on the surface with their shells to keep the surface open for the falling arrivals or pushing personal items to the beach near the new arrivals they smell like (belong to). If anyone tries to ask the Lady of the Lake for directions, she will direct you to Archimedes at the Rent-a-Ride. If anyone with Animal Magic asks the turtles, they will give the full spiel, but very slowly, and they like to get off topic and gossip about other turtles you've never heard of. The shores themselves are littered with new arrivals complaining their way up a staircase carved into the walls of the White Cliffs. There is no railing, so be careful, but if you do fall, be prepared for a mysterious sand hand to reach out of the side of the cliffs to catch you. The hand will pat you atop the head twice before retreating back into the wall. This is the Cliff Beast; despite the name, he is quite friendly. B ⦿ The Caravan to Camelot
These carriages use fae technology that combats weight, so your character will be able to get in regardless of whether they're light as a feather or weigh two tons. The carts have air conditioning when it's hot, heating when it's cold, and a mystical shield to protect from bugs. There is also a mini-bar that pops out of the console with nip bottles. Characters can use their smartphones to connect to Camelot's internet service, avalononline (AOL), to chat with other characters, watch dumb videos, learn about the world, contact Camelot Support (they'll answer any questions they can for you, from how to use a smart phone to where to find quests and resources to learn more about your magic). Be careful if you decide to use your phones while in the caravan-- if you don't use those earbuds and start forcing everyone to listen to your nonsense, Archimedes may make you walk.C ⦿ The Red Spring
If you don't want to relax in the room, try taking a dip in the spring for another chance to meet your fellow travelers. The waters have restorative properties that help horses and travelers recover quickly when drunk. It is known to relieve stress, improve energy levels, and mildly accelerate healing. It may be a little chilly when you get out though, so make sure you don't slip rushing back indoors when you get out! The springs are also home to a large training grounds just outside town limits, where there are teachers who will teach basic magic safety and help you discover what kind of magic you have together with other new arrivals. Try target practice, obstacle courses, meditation circles, and other ways to try to figure out just what you can do... if you didn't already have an accidental discovery on the ride there.  Everyone needs a little fun from time to time; the locals have put together the annual Snow Games. As with all things Avalonians plan, magic plays a part in the competition. There will be three separate tiers for characters to enter. Each Tier will have its predetermined track or ring, set up and ready to go. A ⦿ Foot Races
Along the route, racers can expect to run into minor obstacles such as snow bunnies, puddles that can’t be jumped, a flock of snowbirds giving hassle, trees that upend their own roots and move to confuse the pathway. Whatever the interruption, it will come in the form of either a small creature made of magical snow or some minor hindrance to the path. Competitors will have to use magic to overcome these obstacles. Whatever your magic class, find a way. B ⦿ Sled Races
On the path, obstacles will come in the form of wholly washed out portions of the track that need to be reformed using magic to pass. Use elemental magic to flatten rocky areas or wash away debris. Larger creatures such as snow deer and moose congregate in large groups blocking the path, so an animal magic user could be useful for asking them to move... someone with cognitive magic could try their hand at a little hypnotizing a fellow newcomer with big muscles to move fallen logs for them. Healing mages could easily use buffers to support their fellow magicians with temporarily increased speed or strength. Use light magic to sneak past living obstacles, or dark users can cast a love enchantment and make a love match between two moose even though it's far from spring. There are tons more creative uses of magic to help you get through the obstacles on the sled's pathway. Find a creative way to use magic and get through the obstacle; make sure you are faster than the other guy. C ⦿ Snow Chicken
Just... be wary, these friendly yeti are surprisingly big on hugging as a form of congratulations. It's much more challenging to escape from a yeti's embrace than it is to knock one over.  Trumpets hail an announcement by the town crier in front of the castle. More than a few people pull out their phones to record it and post it to the AOL network for all to see. "Hear ye, hear ye! Our noblest of lords, King Arthur of Camelot, will host a tournament on this January the 20th on castle grounds. All are welcome to participate in competitions to determine those most skilled in both the physical and magical arts. In preparation for the upcoming tournament, we are sending envoys to Celliwig. In Celliwig lies the Magic Mirror of the South, gifted to Camelot by the Fae, and a means to communicate with their royal court at will. It is a vastly important task in your journey to become magicians and to show your good will toward the fairies. Parts of the mirror's frame have been damaged. We will need those brave of soul and pure of heart to retrieve the crystals needed to repair the mirror. Those interested, the party leaves at dawn." A ⦿ Brave of Soul
B ⦿ Pure of Heart
"The pure of heart will form the bridge with a leap of faith." Since everyone has gone as a group, it will be possible to see others walking over the water once one person figures it out. Though the clue may seem challenging, it is quite straight-forward. Characters who are pure of heart will find that if they believe in themselves, they will be able to step off the bridge and hardlight will form beneath their feet to allow them to step over the water. Those with ill intentions or those who are willing to harm others to get their way will slip into the rapid waters and may need to be saved by other characters. At least you're off the bridge, so magic will work to that end. C ⦿ Celliwig, the Splendored Court
The party is led to a hall at the center of the city-- the hall of mirrors. Those who have succeeded in obtaining crystals need to bring them and set them on a table placed before a mirror at the end of the hall, which appears to have a number of empty settings. It's unclear what happened to the mirror previously, but now it's necessary to restore it to garner the favor of the fae. Once crystals have been delivered, people will be free to explore the quiet city, but it seems most of the city is closing shop while the visitors are around. There is a restaurant that will serve visitors food, though all of the dishes are of the molecular gastronomy variety. Alcoholic drinks seem to come in vapor form and flashes of light if ordered, but seem effective nonetheless. The local general store seems to be willing to sell supplies to weary travelers as well, but that's about it. ...That said the inn doesn't seem particularly keen on allowing visitors in strangely, so you're either going to be sleeping on the iridescent streets or camping just outside the city if you prefer the soft grass and the darkness of night. Just be aware, if you leave, you won't be able to get back into this mysterious city so easily. MOD NOTES: • All test drive prompts are open to anyone in the game at any time to create your own logs with, but this post should have top-levels by potential new characters only. Current characters may reply to any threads, but should not top-level comment on this post. • If your application is accepted, you may accept TDM threads as game canon as long as both players consent. Characters may begin threading as soon as their journal is accepted to the communities. • If nothing here tickles your fancy, try one of this month's Quests for your TDM prompt. • Note that the third prompt in this TDM will have consequences on the game's progression. After the application round, a poll will be put up to see how many characters who are in the game, both new and old, are able to obtain the crystals from the Brave of Soul and Pure of Heart prompts. • The first "Arrival" prompts are present on every TDM, but may contain seasonal tweaks for flavor. All other prompts will change monthly. • Questions about this TDM's content? Comment here! If you have a question about the game at-large, please head over to the FAQ. *This Everwarm does not count toward your potion collection for those who wish to take up potion brewing. You must obtain Everwarm from the Elphame Trader's to count. **Jackets come in a variety of neutral colors, enchanted with a fit-adjustment spell that will adjust to your character's size. |
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Absolutely not.
Fear is making him think irrationally. He should have shut Zuko up and explained everything to the boss, and left dealing with his supposed 'friend' be Tsuna's call. It is his family, after all. Unfortunately, the wrong people have taught Gokudera how to mafia operates, kicked him at his lowest and it is engrained in him that he needs to prove himself. So... dealing with this before it reaches the boss is his best plan, and one he pulled out without enough thought.
Blowing himself up should matter. The Tenth considers him a friend, and Gokudera thinks he is beneath that. He believes he cannot be a friend, but is only worthy through his use in the family. He's nearly blown himself up, been hit by cars, and put himself in countless fights because his life does not matter. It's only what he deems best for the Family.
He's throwing more dynamite into the air, and as they spin, they changes direction mid-flight, circled about Zuko. Gokudera's watching how he moves, noticing his odd dance-fighting with the air and growls, tossing a few more sticks, and then readying more. Some sticks don't go far enough, and he's moving back, putting himself by a tree and the circular wall of their dome. Gokudera crouches as the explosive goes off, felling the tree and throwing earth about, scorching, and then there is more going off, all the dynamite he'd thrown between the rocket-bombs Zuko is inevitably dealing with.
The bomber seems to have disappeared, casting his own illusion as he is prone, form smoking from the too-close explosive. He blends right in, the tree and the ground around him also smoking.]
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The longer he tries to stay hidden, the more tired he's growing. Dynamite is one thing, but creating and maintaining a giant light barrier to protect the rest of the forest and cloaking himself is too much of a stretch. So he's tossing bombs around again, a mixture of regular dynamite, miniature bombs, and smoke bombs. There are even some duds in there to act as a distraction so he can drop his invisibility while shrouded in smoke.
And instead of doing any cool fighting techniques (mostly because he's never really learned a specific fighting style and has been jumped in the streets too many times as a kid), he tackles Zuko outright while bombs go off around them. It's a cacophony of thunderous noise, and with a few bombs behind him, Gokudera's weight is all but thrown without his control against the firebender. He lands right on Zuko's chest and strikes at his face.
Zuko may be able to see now that his opponent is close up, that Gokudera is obviously lost to some feral thoughts, looking as insane as he's acting. He's consumed by the need to destroy this little flame before it spreads, even if he has to use his bare hands or create his own blaze in order to do so. He's either wearing soot, or he's charred up, got a few cuts, and is literally smoking as he aims a fist for Zuko's jaw.]
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Being from his world at all, let alone a firebender, let alone the Fire Nation prince, to fight without some underlying philosophical formality is as alien to him as... well, as Gokudera is. It offends his core. He'd had an agni kai with a grown man, an esteemed admiral, who tried to retaliate and burn Zuko when his back had been turned after Zuko'd bested the man... Uncle's words singed in his memory instead, though, when he blocked the sore loser's attack: "So this is how a great commander acts in defeat. Even in exile, my nephew is more honorable than you." Iroh had held Zuko back, telling him not to taint his victory, and led him away with a smarmy quip and a palpable sense of righteousness... Something in the punch thrust him back to that moment, and his blood rolls to an instantaneous boil.
Zuko hadn't laid a finger on Gokudera so far! If his uncle could see him tonight, he would be kvelling at the tremendous amount of self-control and anger management he's practiced, the unwavering honor the young prince has shown toward his friend in the face of truly traumatic confusion all around. Zuko's been fighting himself this whole time! Fighting himself to keep a cool head, to try and salvage hope, salvage sense, not hurt the other or let the other hurt himself... But Gokudera didn't give a damn about a damn thing. It's terrifying on many levels, most of them not at all the way Gokudera would imagine, though. Emotionally, physically, this is painful — but ideologically, philosophically, idealistically... Gokudera's knocked some stars from Zuko's eyes, leaving him seeing stars instead. The boy is blanched with a look of abject heartache on his face, not just natural raw pain, even as the blood pools round his lip and jaw from where Gokudera's rings tore into the pale skin.
But like the split in his lip, his patience cracks, that respect bruised and bloodied too, and he's white with rage now. He moves so fast, with his own rather different but still wild look in his eye, but he still is holding himself back. His fists find Gokudera's shirt collars, bunching them up til his knuckles are white, as he tries to turn the tables by abruptly flipping the other to the ground to pin him instead, if he's fast enough. If not, he'd still prefer to fucking wrestle like children like this if they had to if it meant Gokudera would just attack Zuko and stop risking his own damn life while he's at it. Whether he pins him or not, Zuko can't conceal his rage at this attack any longer, and while he doesn't punch him back, he's certainly feeling more and more keen on it with, bellowing ferociously, his raspy voice carrying over the explosions still going off around them. ]
Coward! Don't you fight with any fucking honor?!
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Gokudera has been stricken as a child with no formality, no rules, treat on the streets in his homeless years like one may shoo off a starving mongrel. There is no thought in his mind that is not focused on his literal desire to be a center of attack at all costs. There is no friendship to end that he never had, his own will to live focused solely on destruction.
He fights dirty, and knows it. There is no honor to be had if he's just gone around telling people about his Family. Whether Zuko means any harm to the Vongola or not matters little. He knows too much and he's not a part of it. He needs to stay out of it and Gokudera won't accept that it's his fault, that he broke omertà and he has no memory of doing so.
Ultimately, he's angry at himself for making a friend.
Because this Gokudera doesn't even know what that feels like.]
As if I ever had something like that!
[He growls and balls up both fists. One strikes as a punch aimed at Zuko's good eye, and the other releases a blinding flash of light. Gokudera turns his head away and shoves, trying to get the other boy off of him because he needs to keep fighting, to get dynamite to his still burning cigarette, to end this fight and make sure that Zuko never speaks of the mafia again.. and if he does, that Gokudera's dead and won't be able to hear about what he's done to betray his Family.]
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This all happens in a flash just before Gokudera shoves him off, and Zuko practically lets him. He's over it. As soon as that scale tips and they're free of one another, Zuko's swift to duck to the ground with a wide, round swoop of a kick. However, he's not just trying to knock Gokudera down, that's only secondary. He's attacking him. He wants to hurt him. He's so hurt, and it hurts, and he wants Gokudera to hurt, too. It's a visceral, primal reaction, and it stirs his very core. The firebender had found the bomber never found the bomber more inspiring than now, in the worst possible way, in the worst possible timing. When he kicks at the other boy, catching himself on the ground with his hands and springing back for another higher kick as one fell motion, thick, bright licks of flame stream out from his soles. Looks like the firebending's back on! Just for a blip — a hyper-emotional, unsustainable blip of abject agony and anger. Grief.
He'd never wanted rage to power his bending ever again. That's not the source of his strength. That's not how he wants to fuel his inner flame. He'd felt like a husk of a human the whole time he was living peacefully in Prismatica, but never gained his flames back by any other way than mindful, meditative training with his uncle and sometimes Yamamoto. He was heartbroken to lose his bending for a third time in his life, arriving here in Avalon; he didn't even feel his inner flame, which at least was always a whisper in his chest still in Lunatia before he and Uncle worked to stoke it again — but even if he was distraught about airbending instead of firebending at first, knowing from Sokka they were now both basically Avatars, and had hoped he could regain his natural element sooner than later... this isn't how he wanted to use it. "Naturally," for him, means like this, though — borne from distress and rage and rejection. All those words make old wounds itch again, some scar tissue inside himself feels ripped open to match the fresh blood now dripping down the good side of his face.
Once he's back on his feet, the flip is switched, and he's suddenly as relentless as Gokudera. He's back with his dancerly motions from before, but quicker, tighter, with more deliberate intensity, and he starts shooting a series of short bursts of fireballs at his opponent, growling and snarling with each shot, the steam rising off his breath in the cold blending in with the smoke all around them. No mind there's still, uh, bombs all around too, y'know. Hot-headed hypocrite. He's putting his own life at risk and his friend's life for the sake of spontaneous revenge, knowing the other is covered in explosives still, with what little self-control he'd boasted before now shredded and battered. Zuko's seeing red and now he's fighting and that's just what's happening now. His bending isn't strong or graceful, nothing like at home, because it's not bending — it's new elemental magic — but he's overwhelmed by enough emotion to elicit it, and passion always counts for something. Will he be able to do it again after this fight? No, probably not. It's the literal heat of the moment. Would he want to? No, as well. Because this isn't how he fights, and he doesn't want to fight Gokudera, or fight like Gokudera, he's decided. But he hasn't decided that, uh... exactly yet. Trial and error.
There's a distant rustling in the trees above, following a faint far off rumbling. This fight just hit critical danger levels. It can't keep up at this pace. Zuko doesn't have the capacity to deal with this much pain and damage at once all alone without someone getting burned. But at this rate, both of them will end up with a lot more than burns without some divine intervention. ]
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Befriending him is like taking in a battered stray. He's dirty and rude and aggressive, more prone to biting at any offered help, and liking everything on his own terms.
Zuko doesn't scare him.
The loss of his family's trust does. The Tenth may forgive him... maybe... but there's no coming back from this. Zuko knows what he knows... and even if it were just names... it's too much.
With the firebender off of him, he's moving his arms to try and get up quickly, but he'd already blown himself up in his tackle, and that was after almost literally blowing himself up. He's gotten up from an explosion before, but he knows he can't move fast enough. This is gonna hurt.
Zuko shouldn't have put him on a pedestal. Gokudera is a professional at fucking up. Friendships... and everything within them included.
His arms and knees are struck with that sweeping kick, and then he's on his side. Zuko can't hurt him any worse than he's hurt himself. Gokudera rolls and curls up, supporting his weight on his elbows and shins and leaving his palms up to cast a barrier that takes most of the damage before it shatters. It gives him a chance to get up, but he's not staying close. Zuko is moving too fast, and there is fire. Oh well... better bite the bullet and do what he does best.
Throw more dynamite. Except this time, it's like he's pitching to a bat that is Zuko's leg, and the fire is a recipe for an instant explosive. It flies off and hits another barrier before bouncing back at him and blowing up a good bit behind him, knocking Gokudera back down to his hands and knees again. The barrier he'd cast around them is brittle and the rustling in the trees does not bode well.]
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A strong gust of wind blows through the clearing, smoke blowing with it, any flames still scattered around being snuffed out. The sound of tree branches snapping around them warns of something big approaching, until a large flash of red lands with a loud thud. Another thud shortly follows as Zuko finds himself violently hurled through the air a couple meters and thrust against a tree, all this in one fast blur of an entrance. A long red dragon just whipped its master halfway across the clearing with its tail — protecting Gokudera. It knew that Zuko had given up intent to hurt him before it'd even arrived. But it also knew that Zuko is stupid. He's not going to make the situation any better. That moment has passed. Time to go home, son...
Zuko's stunned over and over, and by the time he gets his bearings, he can barely stand at the sight of what hit him. This was his familiar?! He's just seen his dragon no bigger than a ferret since he's been here, and it's been a pain to him that size, too. But now? It could stand over Gokudera to block him while snarling at its master. It's much smaller than the truly massive dragons Zuko met at home, but, uh — it's still a lot bigger than a ferret. And it's still a fucking dragon. Also, his familiar just attacked him!?! He wasn't fighting the whole time, was on very good behavior, gets angry once for a second, goes to help and apologize, and then gets his ass kicked by his own familiar?! What gives here!
However indignant, he's dazed and terrified. What's he supposed to do...? What if Gokudera attacks the dragon?! What does he do then?! Would Gokudera attack it even though it helped him, just because it's a dragon? Would Gokudera be dumb enough to attack a dragon...? These are questions Zuko's scared to find out the answers to. ]
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He may not be unconscious, but he is weakened, frail having used his magic and exhausted from being thrown about from his own explosives. Every bit of pain he's in now is a result of his own stupidity and despite the fact that he should be ashamed in how reckless he has been, he's more ashamed of the position he's in.
The wind putting everything out is not seen, but felt. He thinks immediately it is some display of power from Zuko, and then realizes he's mistaken at the approach of the creature that lands between them. He looks up at the dragon and realizes that it's probably his opponent's familiar.
But for some reason it's protecting him?! Where the hell is his own familiar!? Gokudera isn't scared of the dragon, and he won't try to fight it.
He loves creatures and reaches out to touch one of its legs as he struggles to get up. Gokudera is not stupid enough to fight a dragon. If it meant protecting his boss, yeah he would... but Zuko had said himself that he is not an enemy of the family. The bomber can't take back whatever he supposedly told Zuko... whatever some other Gokudera told him. He'll have to suffer those consequences on his own. And if they aren't as severe as he anticipates, then he'll pour his own salt into wounds, self-inflicted and foolishly made worse as with every little thing he suffers.
This is not defeat for either of them. It's a means to get away from Zuko. To collapse for the night and give up on his original plans of seeking to have his curse lifted. It's in the very back of his mind, completely forgotten. Now there is only the acknowledgement that he's failed. He'll be making to leave unless either the dragon or Zuko intends to stop him... There's little he can do at this point, as exhausted as he is. The dragon is cool, would be scary if he were faced with its violence, but at the moment, he needs to leave, to lick his wounds and simultaneously make them worse.]
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The dragon doesn't move until it sees Gokudera's slid into the shadows of the forest well, then folds its wings against itself with a long, cold look at Zuko, the clearing growing brighter now as the clouds of smoke dissipate. Zuko's in shock and pain, in spades, many layers and flavors and colors of shock and pain. His eyes trail after where Gokudera may have disappeared toward, seeing only dark empty forest that seem much less empty now, knowing Gokudera's here in Avalon. It's not his Gokudera. It doesn't make sense to him. But Gokudera is still Gokudera. Zuko's eating himself inside, and stumbles backwards, falling into the tree again with a loud lamenting groan, which turns into more of a wail as he presses hot, tender palms to a hot, tender face, wet with blood and sweat and tears. The dragon shrinks smoothly as it slinks up to him while his head is in his hands. It crawls up the tree, onto his shoulder, then bites him in the ear as if to scold the prince, causing him to snap to and yelp in unexpected extra pain that earns the dragon a dirty look from the firebender, before the creature curls up in the crook of his neck to comfort him. ]