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

nico di angelo ▪ riordanverse ▪ eudio-cr ▪ mild violence

[deathkid]

( 01 ) ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK SHADOWS?

[ forests don't scare nico. neither does the dark. not when he's stalked both a fair share on several occasions. in fact, half of his life has been living in the dark underworld, so the possibility of fear is straight out.

he's not afraid of massive monster bearing down on him either. the fact that it looks like something the demeter cabin might have experimented on doesn't even faze him. after, well, the craziness that has been his life and the collapse of eudio, this seems like a regular walk in the park.

the only issue about this whole scenario is that nico's just stumbled from the shadows, wear-worn as darkness seeps off him in waves. he'd been with will, but now he can't sense his boyfriend anywhere. immediately, his mind goes into adhd battle mode, quickly scanning the area. ]

Will! [ merda. looks like he's not going to escape the monster's notice. figures. ] Gods... Will Solace, Nico di Angelo is about to do something underworld-y! You better come stop me!

[ annnd when that just makes the bison-thing snarl, he curses again and draws his sword before throwing out his free hand and muttering a few important words in ancient greek. ]

( 02 ) DEMIGODS AND TECH DON'T MIX_VRS2.0

Rendering Error #285

Preferred Alias: nico
Marital Status: taken
Preferred Dating Activity: mcdonalds
Other Enjoyable Activity: summoning the dead & watching old movies
Pet Peeves: getting chased by monsters, dyslexai, meddling gods, ppl disrespecting the dead

( 04 ) "SAY NEVERMORE," SAID SHADOW. "FUCK YOU," SAID THE RAVEN.

un: ghostking | ( text )

okay i KNOW my boyfriend isn't dead
these are the kinds of things i just know
so someone please tell me where in hades
will solace can be found
and who actually made it?

i guess i should say sorry i'm late...

( 05 ) READER BEWARE: YOU CHOOSE THE SCARE.

[ want something else? let me know. i'm at alkahestic ]

4

[healingdork]

[Oh gods. Oh gods oh gods oh gods he could actually cry from relief.

He made it. Nico made it.

Bonus one: Nico di Angelo is still alive.

Bonus two: He remembers that Will is his boyfriend.

If this place is anything like Eudio, he's pretty sure that people can come from different points in time, but he can deal with anything as long as Nico is alive and knows who he is.]

longest three weeks of my life.
where are you???

[Look, he doesn't even care if you shadow travel as long as you're not going to dissipate into nothing. He will happily let you pass out in his arms if you need to.]

[deathkid]

[ to say nico is breathing a sigh of relief is putting things lightly. when he lost will in the shadow jump to this new world, he'd most certainly panicked. after all, this is the boy who loves him more than anything ( and the feeling is certainly mutual ). he'd gone so long without him in eudio that the thought of possibly losing will is probably the only thing that frightens him these days. ]

THREE WEEKS? i should've emerged with you
gods, i'm so sorry, will.
i thought we'd make it through at the same time.

[ okay okay breathe, nico. ]

i'm making my way into town
i think?
also this stupid raven keeps talking to me.
it's annoying.
the daemon thing, right?
do they always talk?

[healingdork]

i thought i might have lost you.
like, really lost you.
i thought you might have overdone making the jump so much, there'd be nothing of you left.
scared a few years off me.
but it's okay, you're here, you made it.
you are okay, right???
you better be okay and not about to collapse any second before i find you.

okay, i'm making my way there.
ha, i'm not surprised at all you have a raven for a daemon.
guess what i have.

[You can bet he's going as fast as he can, already having grabbed his medical bag while he was racing out the door, just in case.]

[deathkid]

you can't get rid of me that easy, caro mio
anyway, i'm here now.
and i'll make it up to you. promise.

i'm a little tired, but otherwise fine.
i swear you won't need to tie me to a bed for three days

knowing you, i imagine a slinky cat
probably one that basks in the sun a lot.

[ and he'll be waiting, not exerting himself any more than he needs to now that he knows will's on the way. ]

[healingdork]

['Caro mio' warms his heart so so much, he might just be glowing a little bit.]

aww, but what if i make tying you to the bed a fun thing? ;p

yep, it's an orange tabby. i dubbed him garfield. i've been calling him gar or g for short.

[Eventually he gets to where he thinks Nico might be, looking around for a dark-haired son of Hades, and since there isn't a ton of people here, he spots him pretty quick, face splitting into a wide grin as he runs towards him.

He doesn't even bother slowing down, full on tackle hugging him so hard he spins him around a little bit with the extra momentum.]

Best belated birthday present ever.

[deathkid]

[ laughing joyfully as he's spun, he eagerly wraps his arms around will's neck and begins peppering his face with kisses. it may have only seemed like minutes to him, but being lost in the shadows is never fun and he's infinitely glad to see his boyfriend again. ]

I missed your birthday? We'll definitely have to fix that. And if you tie me to the bed in a fun way... well, I can't say I'd be against it.

01; mild powerprose lmk if not okay

[hasitsthorns]

[ This is entirely the wrong blond to come rushing to Nico's side. Still, when he'd been doing all that shouting she had to come flying from where she was hiding to tell him, ] Sh! [ as she tugs at him to fall back. Probably interrupting whatever he was saying. Hopefully it wasn't important.

Her dogs surround them in the underbrush, crouched down and eyeing the agitated bison. Their tails flick nervously, paws digging into the soil beneath uncertainly. They look ready to fight if need but would probably rather not. ]

It's a mother, [ she tries to explain. ] It's more worried about its young than you so if you put your sword away and step back it'll probably leave you alone.

[ Probably. It might be too late at this point, but she's trying to stop one of her friend's boyfriends from potentially getting gored by a bison before they're even reunited. ]

a-okay with me!

[deathkid]

[ turning towards the familiar voice, nico's eyes widen. it takes a few seconds, be he lowers his sword and grins at the woman surrounded by a pack of dogs. he'd know her anywhere. and it's a good thing he's now seen someone else from eudio who's made. he feels a lot less panicky. ]

Gods, Rosie! [ and then sheathing his sword as suggested, he takes a slow step towards her. ] Am I glad to see you. You sure she won't attack? I... have a bad history with creatures like this.

[hasitsthorns]

[ An easy smile at his grin. She is, despite the circumstances, happy to see him too. She knows that Will will also be ecstatic, which is a double happy factor since he's been obviously worried about Nico's absence. ]

You too, dude, [ she answers, voice barely above a whisper still. The dogs are happy to see hin too. They still are cautious but creep closer and sniff snoof at him in greeting. ]

Me too, believe it or not. But she shouldn't, [ the bison snorts in time with this, as if she knows she's being discussed. Still watching them while guarded but not overtly aggressive just yet. ] if we're careful.

[deathkid]

[ seeing her grin assuages any other worries he might have; after all, this is a friend and with her dogs currently sniffing at him ( and not backing away for once ), nico breathes a sigh of relief. ]

Should we back away, then? [ whispered just as lowly as she had. his fingers stray away from the hilt of his sword and he glances toward the beast. he hadn't seen the calves, but knowing now that the creature is just wanting to protect its children makes him not want to do anything to harm it. ] I'll let you take the lead on this.

[hasitsthorns]

[ Her dogs are thankfully familiar with all types of supernatural by now. The only time they're on the offensive is when someone startles them or is clearly not a friend of Rose. As it is, she'd approached Nico first and nothing bad happened so he is deemed safe. Spoopy, but safe. ]

We should absolutely do that thing, [ she answers, tilting her head back towards a little space they can probably stay that's far enough away to let the mother and her baby bison pass. ] Thanks, dude. I know Will wouldn't appreciate hearing you got speared by a bison like five minutes into being here, so. Oh. Will's here, by the way. He'll be happy to see you.

[ An understatement, definitely. ]

[deathkid]

I wouldn't let that happen... [ a slight scowl, but he perks up at hearing his boyfriend has made it safely. he'd worried when they'd been separated. ]

That's good to hear, but I'm sure he'll nag me for being stuck in the shadows for so long. How long has it been since he got here?

4

[helical]

can you tell that with anyone?

[deathkid]

nearly, yeah.
sometimes it depends on the afterlife they go to

[helical]

Do you have to have met them, or need something of theirs to tell?

[deathkid]

if i know their name or something about them, it helps.

why are you asking?

[helical]

I have family I haven't seen here yet.

[deathkid]

who?
and how are they related to you?

1; very powerprose, lmk if I need to edit <3

[vexy]

[ In an odd twist of events, Nico would suddenly find himself sheathing his sword and taking steps away from the bison. Back, back, back, until he presses up against a body, where a familiar accented voice mumbles next to his ear. ]

Quiet, luv. Mummy's not in the mood for your company. [ His arm extended for Nico to see where he was pointing, at the calf that was almost completely obscured by it's mother's impressive legs. ]

[ He'd be able to move himself freely at that point, and if he looked at Vex he'd find his friend in shorts, a white t-shirt and flip-flops. Had someone got full-native? A bit. There was more silver in his goatee than there normally was in Eudio, either dye wasn't a thing or he didn't care anymore, and give the dark circles under his eyes it was likely the latter. ]

How 'bout a kiss for old time's sake?

[deathkid]

[ the sudden loss of control of his limbs has him inwardly panicking a bit. his breath catches, but when he senses a familiar, dark aura, he releases a sigh of relief. there's only one person he's known to have an aura like that and he couldn't be happier to feel it, even with how dark and painful he knows it is for that person. ]

Vex. [ breathed as he turns towards the fae. he easily tilts his lips up for the kiss, not taking immediate notices of what vex is wearing. instead, he's focusing on wrapping his arms around him and squeezing him tight. ]

Gods, it's good to see you.

[vexy]

[ His arms wind around in Nico to hug him close, tighter than he originally intended. He felt his eyes sting as they kissed, the familiar pain of tears that couldn't fall while his chest tightened. It was another case of not realizing how much he missed someone until they were with him again. That kiss lingered, was followed by a few more- each one hungry and grateful- then he finally began to relax as he set his forehead against Nico's. He whispered softly. ]

Shit, Nico... love. You have no idea. [ He definitely felt the same way: It was so good to see him, feel him, know that he was here and alive. He swallowed before he struggled to speak again. ] My place isn't far from here if you wanna get away from the natives.

[deathkid]

[ nico hadn't realized how much his being gone had impacted vex, but seeing it now made his heart thump hard against his ribcage. this man was as familiar with death as he was and as a result, was a comfort to have around. knowing that such a dear, close friend was hurting, nico made sure to prolong each kiss as much as vex needed, brushed his fingers through the fae's hair, and even cupped a cheek with a hilt-callused palm. ]

That's fine. I'm sorry I got lost along the way. I didn't mean to hurt you.

[ because hurting vex was one of the last things he'd ever want. ]

[vexy]

You didn't hurt me, love. This bloody place has, several times over.

[ Nico didn't even know the half of it. Vex had more losses than he cared to think about at the moment, so he just focused on what he had in his arms right now: his beautiful friend, a boy who more of a brother to him than his own had been. He kissed him again and again, then finally seemed to relax.

He stepped away from him but took his hand so he could guide him through the forest and towards the beach. ]

Stick close, I'll protect ya. [ He winked, knowing full well that Nico would be the one to protect them if anything bad happened, but still. Meanwhile he debated on bringing up Will: He knew how much that boy ached for Nico, but he wanted to be selfish and not mention him yet only because he wanted Nico to himself for a little while.

Because he knew the moment they reunited he'd be alone... again. ]

[deathkid]

[ hearing that just made nico sigh even more. what it could have been to make vex hurt, he wasn't sure, but he knew he'd get the story out of the dark fae eventually. his fingers continued to soothe across vex's cheek and as soon as they reached the beach, he slid his hand down to clasp vex's. ]

Tell me.

[ short and simple because he knows something's wrong and that he couldn't do anything about it until vex told him what the problem was.