Test Drive Meme #2

[spoofer]

Test Drive #2

I saw a flower, furrow, and brook

New TDMers are free to RP here as if "new" or "established;"
"new" is likely easier to keep in continuity after apping.

When gameplay begins, the second wave will have
their own intro plot and crash log!

CREATURES IN THE DARK

Far away from the city, the wall of light that is F.A.T.E.S. seems calm, glowing peacefully. You’re on an evening walk through the city, or maybe on a camping trip in the woods, or maybe on a romantic date on the beach; whatever it is, you’re outdoors, enjoying the apparent peace and quiet, for once.

That is, until you hear a noise. It’s a rustle, or a step, a branch breaking underfoot, a heavier sound than a human would make. And that’s when you find yourself faced with one of the many Xistentia critters: the Green Backed Bison. She's massive, with small horns and a broad, mossy back, a small calf at her side. She does not appear to want to charge you^[1], but that might change, depending on what you decide to do! Either approach it, run away, or go into aggressive mode; how will you react to being introduced to the incredible fauna of Xistentia?

Glitch in the City

The city of Xistentia now boasts a population of over 200 sentient souls! Congratulations on surviving your apocalypse, now feel free to enjoy the city and outlying forest. Today, a number of local businesses are open, including the local tailor, our diner Pop's Chocklit Shop, and Sue's Salads. For now, the only bar and lounge is the atrium of the Citadel, the outpost overlooking the sea. It's a lovely day to be out and about.

But at midday, the rendering errors begin. New arrivals, those who came into Xistentia since the second crash find themselves subject to a bizarre phenomenon, where a holographic projection seems to be floating above their head! It contains data about the character's marital status, preferences for fun and dating activities, and pet peeves... and perhaps embarrassingly, it isn't necessarily accurate.

As your daemon will explain the glitch is easy enough to fix! You can either move 100 yards from the location where it began, or another character can remove it for you by touching the graphic.

RENDERING ERROR #285
Preferred Alias: F.A.T.E.S. McWeirdo
Marital Status: Hateboning Nemesis
Preferred Dating Activity: Creating new universes, maintaining the equilibrium of the multiverse, organizing temporal divergences/alternate universes, restoring damage inflicted by D.E.S.T.I.N.Y.
Other Enjoyable Activity: DJing music
Pet Peeves: Unfiltered tap water, gluten-fee pasta, unscheduled apocalypses

Optional Code
<br /><center><div style="background: url('http://i.imgur.com/YZTsdyA.gif') no-repeat; background-size: 100% auto; width: 680px; margin: auto"><br /><div style="background: url('http://i.imgur.com/m5GzmXX.png'); width: 80%; padding: 15px 15px 15px 15px; margin: auto; border: 1px dotted #d10045; text-align: left; font-size: 11px"><span style="font-family: Courier New, monospace; vertical-align: middle"><center><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: 3px; font-weight: normal; text-transform: uppercase; color: #D10045"><b>Rendering Error #285</b></span></center> <b">Preferred Alias:</b> ** ALIAS ** <b>Marital Status:</b> Married/Single/Taken/Available/It's Complicated/Random GIF <b>Preferred Dating Activity:</b> ** List of activities ** <b>Other Enjoyable Activity:</b> ** List of activities ** <b>Pet Peeves:</b> ** List of pet peeves **</div><br /></div></center>

GAME NIGHT

At 6 p.m., your Daemon starts making noise - a software update is being installed. It lasts for a few minutes, your Daemon mainly unresponsive if you attempt to make it do anything else than upload the data F.A.T.E.S. is sending it. Afterwards, it resumes acting as normal as it did before the update, but if you ask it, your Daemon will tell you:

Upgrade was installed for entertainment and integration purposes; Hangman.exe was installed.

Launch the application, and you will be given a match against one of your fellow citizens who also decided to join the game. On your holoscreen is a rudimentary, simple game of Hangman, as well as a chat window to taunt your opponent if you so choose. However, it becomes clear that F.A.T.E.S. has no idea what she's doing... the first word is 16 letters long, and she has pre-filled in the letters Z, C, and Q.

It's a good day to complain about technology, or start a new game afresh.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

hells yeah

Footnotes

1. Note any violence or injury in your subject headers, thank you.

Comments

[lacquers]

[ Magnus hums a long note while inputting the letter and waiting for a response. He then purses his lips and shakes his head. ] No N, though we were doing well for a minute there!

[ He sends Vex a somewhat wry look at the other comment. Not at all upset, mind you, more amused than not. But how very Vex. ] Considering the other half of my lineage is from hell, no, it's not that surprising, is it?

I'm Indonesian, you know!

[vexy]

Blast! Clever bugger. How about 'C' then, as a twist?

I have a weakness for you hell boys, honestly. Nico just showed up, I'm about tickled pink. Though his father did... [ He dragged his finger across his neck with a grimace. ] Me the last time we chatted.

You know I don't think I've ever been? Wait, no! I've absolutely been to Jakarta. It was all the rage in the 1970s. My lineage isn't nearly as exciting, unless you're excited by death and sheep.

[lacquers]

[ Again, the game screeches petulantly about a wrong guess. ] It would seem we're not having any luck there!

[ Listen, Magnus' eyebrows are up and down and all over today. The comment about Hades elicits quite a look too. ] I see. You had something of a disagreement then?

You know, I actually spoke to Nico, briefly. He asked about Alexander. [ Also, 'weakness for hell boys.' Vex, you're too much. ]

Jakarta is where I was born. Of course, it was Batavia around that time. [ The list of people he would casually reveal this info to is perilously short. ] I hear tell a lot of people are interested in death or sheep or both.

[vexy]

Kindly tell the game to eff off then, and by eff off I mean give F a go. [ He chuckled a little to himself, took a large swallow from his milkshake, then continued. ] A bit of one. He wanted me to kill all my friends, I told him to bugger off, he cut my throat. Don't worry, I came out alright.

Did he now? Don't worry, his weakness is for blondes with sparkling blue eyes who are good with their hands. [ That wasn't entirely true given Nico's thing with Percy and Loki, but Vex never worried about the details so why should Magnus? ]

Oh yeah? I can't even remember the village I was born in, it was so bloody small. Not even a blip on the map at the time along the Afon Ogwr. Couldn't tell you what it grew up to be, honestly, I ran off to London first chance I got so that's more important to me. [ Not as important as Eudio, but... ]

[lacquers]

[ Magnus listens while Vex speaks, only belatedly giving a shake of his head to indicate there's no F in the word either. An arm gets added to their hanged man. ] That really does sound like the only reasonable response to a request like that. [ Magnus generally is not one for strong language, at least not often, but apparently he believes that situation would warrant some words. ] I'm glad you're all right.

Oh, the thought hadn't even occurred to me! [ He blinks a few times. ] I was wondering if they'd spent time at the Wolf's Den. I can't recall. Maybe my memory is abandoning me in my old age!

I had a friend-- [ Magnus pauses a second. Just momentarily arrested in the thought. ] A very good friend who was a Londoner. I've told you this, haven't I? [ Maybe his memory really is going. He seems a tad lost there. ] It's been awhile since I went back.

[vexy]

You better be glad. [ He teased light-heartedly, or as light-heartedly as he could manage when it felt like a ball of lead had been replaced in his chest where his heart once was. ]

Maybe? I never went there. Ah, how about 'O'? O for old. [ At the question he shook his head, not recalling that particular story even if he had heard it before. Things tended to fall from his head when it wasn't relevant to the present. ]

I wish we had the chance, ruddy Mayor. [ That would have been a perfect way to spend the day with Magnus, had Eudio allowed it. ]

[lacquers]

[ Magnus adopts an expression of mock affront. ] What other reaction could I possibly have? I happen to be very attached to you, you know. [ He says as much in a way that could easily seem offhand to most. And yet... ]

I'm sure I spent more time there being distracting than strictly necessary. Though Alexander often put me through my paces! He's a very adept instructor. [ He offers up a shake of his head at the letter suggestion, meaning their little stick figure now has two arms. ] Perhaps we'll get another chance?

[ After all, Magnus lives in hope. It's one of his driving characteristics. For now. Then again, if all this isn't enough to throw him, one wonders what exactly it would take for Magnus to crack... ]

[vexy]

[ The thought that people were attached to him was a nice one, especially when he felt the same way about Magnus. His grin was slight while he took another generous sip from his straw. ]

Mm, I'm sorry I missed that. I think I would have loved to see you sweat. Try 'S', luv. [ As for that latter comment, well, he just let it slide because he didn't hold out much hope whatsoever that they'd be able to restore their worlds. ]

[lacquers]

[ Honestly, if you asked Magnus, he'd say it's hard not to be attached to Vex. Whether it's because of all the things they've experienced together or because there's something inherently and oddly charming about the man, it's hard to say. Probably both? Either way, Magnus definitely missed talking to him while he was in Brooklyn again for awhile there. ]

Well, I certainly can't go getting out of shape here! [ Wolf's Den or no, he'll find some way to get in some exercise. ]

There is an S! At the very end. Plural, maybe? [ Hmm. B A _ _ _ _ _ S, for yours truly's reference... ]

[vexy]

Hm, well it's not bananas. [ That was too short anyway. He rubbed a thoughtful hand along his jaw, suitably buzzed from the alcohol and distracted by the game to be melancholy about anything at the moment. Magnus Bane was certainly a cure all for his woes. ]

Yeah, I suppose I can't get outta shape either. I'm glad I built up pretty good in Eudio, I'm gonna need that here. How about 'D'?

[lacquers]

[ The stick figure grows a torso at that offering. ] No D, unfortunately. How tragic.

[ Magnus is a cure for many things. Primarily boredom? ] Bananas would've been an interesting word. B-a... something, something, eventually S. [ Interesting. ]

I gather we'll need different things here than there. I wonder what kind of plants and ingredients I could get my hands on.

[vexy]

Have we tried 'G' yet? I can't bloody remember. Try 'N' if G doesn't work, let's get this fellow hung. [ Vex, aren't you supposed to prevent the hanging...? ]

Things? What do you mean, like, vitamins? Oh! For the shakes, right? [ He was still thinking about sweaty Magnus, admittedly. ]

[lacquers]

G, yes! [ He shows their progress. A man with a head, neck, two arms, and a torso. And the letters B A G _ _ _ _ S. ] Should I do N as well?

[ Or do we want to try something else, since G was a success. ]

Oh, for any kind of potion, really. The good people at City Hall never had any trouble procuring the ingredients I needed, but I suspect it won't be the same story here.

[ Banish the thought of sweaty Magnus from your mind, Vex. No good can come of traveling down this road. ]

[vexy]

Nothing comes easy here.

[ You say that and yet you use that icon... ]

I think I know what it is! Do 'E' and 'T' and we should be set, luv.

Oh wait, doesn't baguette have a 'u' in it? Bollocks...

[lacquers]

[ Would anyone believe me if I said that wasn't intentional. ]

Nothing? Not even alcoholic milkshakes?

[ He frowns at the screen. ] I doubt it could hurt to guess E at this point. It might give us some more insight.

[ Magnus is trying to save this man from hanging. ]

[vexy]

It took them thirty minutes to get the balance on this one right so no, not even alcoholic milkshakes.

Go on then, what are you waiting for? [ Vex is slightly bloodthirsty at this point. ]

[lacquers]

[ One brow arches slightly. ] You could always order the next without and let an old friend help you out.

[ Him. He's the old friend.

He's gonna magic you up some alcohol, Vex. And also the letter E.

B A G _ _ _ E S ]

[vexy]

That's an idea. Oi, should you really be using your magic on this shite? What if we get attacked by one of those massive trolls with the big ol' clubs?

[ Vex stared at the word with a deepening frown. ]

It's not bagpipes, issit?

[lacquers]

[ Magnus looks mildly surprised here. Not unpleasantly! He just wasn't expecting that. ] You're not the only one who says I ought to conserve my magic. I feel pretty confident that I can summon some alcohol and fight a troll without running out though. Does that help?

[ Look at that! The little man is dancing for joy!

B A G P I P E S it is! ] Would you look at that.

[vexy]

I should've let him hang for that, bloody bagpipes. Oi, it's your turn to guess this time. Lemme see...

[ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ]

Right then, gimme your letters gorgeous. And yeah, I suppose it helps but if there are two trolls and you're fatigued because of a gin 'n tonic I'm gonna haunt you.

[lacquers]

It's hard to let him hang once you know what the word is, isn't it? [ Wouldn't it just kill you to intentionally guess the wrong thing?

This is the friend territory they're in now. Asking weirdly specific philosophically nonsensical questions. Also, several boozy milkshakes, not that this ever seems to have an impact on Magnus' sobriety. ]

I'll start with I. [ He pauses to consider the two-troll problem. ] I don't know that I'd really want to fight two trolls, even if I had all my magic. Alexander would be the one you'd want for that, Vex.

I guess I could put them to sleep or something, that probably wouldn't be much trouble.

[vexy]

Not for me. [ He was a vicious fellow, after all.

A for the guess, it buzzed and the head appeared in the noose. ]

Look, as much as it would be a delight to rely on Alec for some troll fighting he's not here right now, is he? Have you got him holed up at home doing all the dusting, then?

[lacquers]

[ Magnus gives the floating head a sympathetic look. Alas, poor little guy. Okay, um... ] All right, M. [ I, me, mine. ]

Oh no, I did a routine straight from a Disney musical montage and our apartment is already spic-and-span. [ There is a mildly wry note in his voice. ] Alcohol and cleanliness are never a waste of magic, my friend.

Alexander is [ he hums ] shopping.

[vexy]

[ Boom! There's the torso. Try again, Mags. ]

Shopping. [ The thought if it made him chuckle a little before he drained the last of his milkshake, greedy for the mixture of booze and chocolate. ]

Mm... I wonder if he can find anything to bake a cake with.

[lacquers]

[ Uh, curses? ] E then!

[ He's not in the mood for killing this poor stick figure, so it's time to try and play it safe a bit. After considering the cartoon's fate for a second: ] Yes, shopping. Furniture shopping! We're still decorating a little.

[ Magnus then turns, facing Vex. ]

Are you having a craving for my husband's cake?