takamagahara | Test Drive #22

Entry tags:

test drive

Test Drive #22

TEST DRIVE # 22

Whether you're trying to figure out how your character would fare in this setting, trying to get some samples together, or just dipping your toes in the water, you've come to the right place! The Test Drive is here to make your life easy by letting you see what the game is like without actually joining it first. So here is how it works:

1: Post a starter with your character, including whether they are a god or shinki in the subject line.
2: Act like your character is established enough in the setting to allow your thread to go places.
3: Take on any god/shinki of your choosing, as long as they're not already in the game!
4: Comment around to the other people on the meme.
5: Have lots of fun!

To get you started, here are some ideas for thread-starters! Feel free to come up with your own ideas if these don't strike your fancy, though.

Buttered Buns

Things are tough for small bakeries in huge cities. It seems like there’s always a bigger chain offering less expensive breads around the corner. To compete, “Four Clover” bakery has gone all-in with a campaign to attract customers, and you’re here to help. They’ve put together a mascot costume for you (degree of cuteness up to player’s imagination), printed a zillion flyers, blown up bunches of balloons… and in praying for the success and prosperity of their store, they’ll certainly go along with whatever heaven-sent ideas come along.

Copious Copies

Outdoor art exhibitions take advantage of the best days of the start of fall. In one large park, a multitude of unique bronze and ceramic statues are on display. However, there’s way more of them than there actually should be. The artist and organizers are stumped by a plethora of near-perfect copies standing alongside the originals. Should a god or shinki get close enough they’ll be able to tell which are ayakashi pretending to be statues, but don’t get your nose bitten off. And don’t break an actual statue while hunting the ayakashi. Please.

Debt Diversion

Formula car races are huge draws for those who love speed, and those who love betting. Snake skeleton ayakashi are twining themselves around the necks of betters, whispering in their ears to seduce the humans into crippling debt.
While gods and shinki are in a human’s blind spot and generally go unnoticed, trying to remove an ayakashi from someone might draw attention, depending on how you go about it. And in a crowd this large, there just might be a human who will notice a strange pair trying to do something to someone else’s neck...

ESP and Extraterrestrials

A group approaches you. Some of them look relatively normal, if a bit on edge. Some of them look the very image of a nerd. And all of them are looking at you intently. This group of searchers of the paranormal have somehow (accurately) honed in on you, and are intent to find out everything about you. What planet are you from? What’s up with those clothes? That hair? Do you have any special powers?!
While they welcome you in peace, they are also very unwilling to let this interview end with your escape… Might need a friend to help you out (or throw you to the wolves).

Fashionable Frills

Fashion runway. Frills. Shirts, pants, dresses, underwear; the changing room is full of variety.
Go strut your stuff.
It’s for a good cause, honest.

If you're uncertain about anything, feel free to check out the Premise, Rules, and FAQ posts. And don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have on the FAQ!
When and if you're ready to join the game, check out the Taken Characters before throwing in a Reserve and starting on your Application
Have fun!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ She nods, smiling. Seeing Mai in one piece, and at least somewhat happy, somehow eases the shock a little. ]

Right? [ She gives a belabored sigh, a bit on the dramatic side. ] I'm starting to think I'll never be done with these kinds of things. ~~[ But at least it's not Namek! ]~~

I've only been here a couple days, barely enough time to really get used to anything before I get shoved into this. [ With a completely disgusted expression, she waves a hand at her own dress. ] I guess you understand though.

[ She reaches out to twist one of Mai's ruffles around, inspecting it a little more closely all while shaking her head in disdain. ]

But what about you? How were things after... Y'know you and Trunks left?

[Because it was Bulma, she didn’t flinch much at having her dress more closely examined. Eyes lowering, she watched the ruffle get twisted around until her attention was brought back by Bulma’s question. And she was immediately confused.]

‘Left’?

Yes. The last time I saw you, well... You you, it was when we saw you and Trunks off in the time machine so you could get back to your home.

[ She scratches the side of her face thoughtfully. ]

Is the future something we weren't supposed to talk about? [ It's hard to remember everything Beerus was blathering on about. ] Oh well, I guess I'm a God too now, so let him try to stop me!

[ Some small part of her hopes she does run into him now. There are definitely a few of his actions she'd love to "repay" him for. ]

Ah-- Or could it be? Are you from a different future? [ She's not 100% on how this place works. ]

[Well, at least Bulma seemed to be taking things well.]

I'm...not sure.

[There was a lot for her brain to catch up with. So much that she barely had time to appreciate the attitude towards her new godhood. It was a good thing she had spent a lot of time around the Bulma of her future talking about this very topic. Even the concept of an alternate timeline wasn't so outrageous, given the presence of her shinki in his current state.]

I never went with Trunks to the past. [Which would at least tell Bulma that she knew Trunks, and knew about the Time Machine.] The original plan was for me to go with him, but we were attacked on the way. I fell unconscious, and when I woke up, he was already gone.

[Something she would never blame him for. There were too many legitimate reasons for leaving her behind, not the least of which--judging from his reaction when he'd come back--being the fact that he thought she'd died. The mission had been the most important. He'd already lost Bulma. They'd been too far in with too much at stake to risk sentimentalities in the face of Goku Black.]

The last thing I remember...Trunks was going up against Black. Goku and Vegeta were...already down, I think. Defeated, not dead. You were with me.

Oh, I get it now.

[ But it's still really strange. Was it the work of Gods or time travel that made it possible for them to have left off on two different points in time? It's probably not the most important point at the moment, but still something to consider sometime. ]

The last thing I remember before waking up here is a little different. But, I guess it doesn't matter that much now. [ What with having her time machine work destroyed ~~and totally not starting it over again in secret. nope. never.~~ and with being here now. Still, it would've been nice to see the kids get a happier ending before being whisked away. ]

[So Bulma still remembered Black. That saved Mai the trouble of having to explain that part all over again, as she’d done with Gohan.]

[And speaking of the half-Saiyan.]

Gohan is here. From your timeline. I think. [There was a notable pause before she added.] His little brother too. And Trunks.

They are?

[ Get ready for Bulma's three stages of being surprised!

1. Joy. The more the merrier, to be honest. She thought she was relieved when she saw Mai, but every familiar face is another ding against the prospect of being left alone here.

2. Grief. Bulma's selfish nature is always what bubbles to the surface first, but it doesn't always last long. Especially now that she's a mother. The idea that they've all been ripped away from where they really belong is bad enough, but just wait until she finds out that some of the group are Shinki.

3. Finally, anger. If her own son is here, why didn't he find her immediately? (Y'know, despite knowing that divine power is difficult to track and all) ]

Hmmph. Don't tell me they're all training, even here, and that's why they're too busy to keep an eye out for a familiar face! Especially Trunks!

[ Bulma thinks that being a Momma's boy means you should know where your mother is at all times regardless of dimensional and time shifts apparently. ]

[Mai was both ready and prepared, and allowed Bulma to go through however many stages she needed. The response actually didn't surprise her much, and she even smiled faintly..although it was tinged with sadness.]

Please don't blame them, Bulma.

Trunks...he and Goten are both shinki. They have no memories of their former lives and don't even know who we are.

I guess you're right, it--

[ She breaks off when the rest of Mai's words finally sink in. And for what seems like an extremely long time, she just stares. As she mentally runs through possible actions, reactions, and even the plausibility of what she's been told, an angry shade of red rises to her cheeks. ]

You're joking right?!

[ She spits those words out venomously... And almost instantly realizes it was much harsher than she'd meant it to be. Truth be told, she doesn't have a real reason not to believe Mai, it's just easier not to. And while Bulma often does take on a "shoot the messenger" mentality, she takes a deep breath. ]

You're not, are you?

[There was a notable flinch at the exclamation, but in truth, Mai had been expecting far worse. To the point where she was more surprised when Bulma calmed down so quickly.]

[Not that she feared being blamed. Shoot the messenger or no, there was no rational reason why any of this was her fault, and she trusted someone as smart as Bulma—and Mai had first hand knowledge of the woman’s intelligence—to understand that. Eventually.]

I almost wish I was.

[Almost, because she wasn’t the kind of person to joke about something like that. Not when the pain of realization was only just beginning to ameliorate, aided by a few other points to highlight:]

It wouldn’t matter to me so much. I never knew Goten in our timeline. And Trunks...he’s from a time before we met, so he wouldn’t know me even if he had become a god. [She tried to keep her voice as steady as possible and nearly succeeded.] But with you...I know it’s hard, Bulma, but you can’t let them know you knew them before. They can’t even suspect, or it’ll cause them pain. It would be trying to force memories they’re not supposed to have.

I know, but...

[ But what? It's not fair? Yeah, it isn't but Mai already knows that, surely. As Bulma wipes at the forming tears in her eyes, she takes a moment to feel sorry for herself, of all people. Being whisked away to a new place where her son doesn't know or recognize her? It's hard. ~~as if it's not just as bad for Mai and Gohan.~~ ]

No!

[ Luckily the good ol' Bulma resolve doesn't take long to kick in. She links her arm with Mai's and starts marching out, dress and all, dragging the poor girl along with her if she doesn't come willingly. ]

We'll find that attendant! Who was it she she works for? Ame-something? Whatever! I'll find out who's in charge of this mess!

[ And do what? Probaby yell and scream and get totally no where. If she can even get that far. ]

Bulma...

[Once again, she was startled but not surprised. A sheepish smile appeared.]

If it will make you feel better, we can try to find them. I’m not entirely sure where they would be at the moment, though.

[And they were technically still in the middle of a prayer mission.]

[ Screw the mission! Honestly, Bulma thinks they're doing the fashion show a favor by getting these hideous excuses for dresses out of the public eye. And even after Mai's admission, Bulma is going to keep the same pace. ]

There has to be some way to find them. Does that God person have a house or a shrine or something? If they've got enough power to pluck someone out of her perfectly happy life, it should be something extravagant!

All gods have shrines.

[At the very least, each of the lesser gods had one. Mai included. Which meant Bulma would have one as well, once she settled in and found it properly.]

I haven't seen them, but I also haven't been here for very long myself. A little more than a month, I think? But, as far as I know, not many other people have seen them either.

[ Slowly, Bulma comes to a stop. This is stupid. She has no idea what she's doing, or where she's going. Even with her newfound powers, there's no way for her to charge headfirst into this. There's nowhere to charge. They're just stuck.

Her arm slips out of Mai's, and Bulma crouches down. She rests her arms on her knees, buries her face, and just cries. It's not an overdramatic tantrum, she just has to let everything out after that realization. ]

I'm sorry, Mai.

[Mai had been there. Far more times than she ever wanted to remember. It was how she knew that Bulma needed to let it out. To shout and cry and unleash all the frustrations steadily building with each new piece of information. Only when she started to apologize did Mai kneel beside her, placing a hand on the other woman's shoulder.]

You have nothing to apologize for. None of this is your fault.

[Her smile was weak and tainted with sadness, but true.]

[ She finally raises her head, but instead of looking up at Mai, she stares off in the distance. She still hasn't stopped her tears, but she tries to wipe them away with the back of her arm anyway. ]

Not just for this. There were so many times I couldn't stop thinking about Trunks, and how he was doing in the future. But it took so long for me to put my notes together, I-- I don't know. I wish I could have done more.

[ Or maybe she wishes she just had done more. Maybe that future where she was the only survivor out of the group should have forced her to better prepare for a future where she couldn't just ask her friends to get rid of all her problems. But now here she is. Unprepared and at a loss. ]

I wish there was something I could do now.

[The parallels were...not quite identical, but similar enough for Mai to note.]

[How many times had she listened to Trunks express similar thoughts? Albeit in a more brooding manner. But that desire to do more. The dwelling on past actions, or lack thereof, and the stubborn insistence that, no matter how many impossible things had been accomplished, it still wasn't enough.]

You and I both know he would never have thought any less of you for that.

[Beyond the bias of being her only son, it was because of all the work she'd done in the future that they'd survived as long as they had. The Time Machine...because of that, Trunks had been able to travel to the past and learn how to defeat the Androids. Sparing their world for that much longer, before the arrival of Black. And then again...because of Bulma's ultimate sacrifice...he was able to go to the past and bring back the help they'd needed.]

Maybe there is still something you can do. Just because the answer's not in front of you now doesn't mean it isn't out there.

[ She nods. Bulma always knew Trunks didn't blame her, but that thought didn't always make things better. Still, she knows Mai is right, and she internally chides herself for needing a pep talk. Bulma's just... Not as good at dealing with the tough stuff when she can't shove it down or mask it with anger during the initial flood of emotion. That thought brings another pang of sadness, thinking about arguing with Vegeta about something stupid in an effort to ignore their real problems.

But she clenches her fists around her ridiculous skirt, trying to clear those thoughts away. ]

You're right, Mai. We'll just have to take it one step at a time.

[ She climbs to her feet again with that, and gives Mai a hopeful smile, despite her puffy face. She knows she won't ever stop trying to get them all back home safely,
she just hopes that time comes sooner than later. ]

[Mai, herself, had been like that. Once upon a time, and multiple lifetimes ago. Her younger days, before Black and the Androids, had been filled with selfish whims and lavish outbursts. She'd been immature and childish because she'd had the luxury to be and inexperience to know better. Occasionally, she would almost start to miss those times. And the innocence that had come with them.]

If it helps at all, there are no shortage of things to do here.

[The godly afterlife would not be spent idly, that was for certain.]

A lot of us train pretty regularly. I've taken up sword fighting in order to better handle Trunks' vessel form. [Oh yeah because he was her shinki on top of everything how about that?] I've also spent a lot of time around the schools, helping the younger children and making sure they stay safe from any trouble-making ayakashi.

[ Wow, that information about Trunks being her Shinki. It must be so hard, and yet here Mai is, smiling and trying to cheer Bulma up.

Kind of puts things in perspective a little. ]

Mai... [ She places a gentle hand on her shoulder. ] I'm really glad that Trunks has you.

~~And you two better not forget to invite me to the wedding!!~~

[Hearing those words coming from not just Trunks' mother, but from Bulma--a woman Mai had come to cherish and respect in multiple timelines--meant a lot. So much so that she just barely flushed an embarrassed smile as her eyes lowered.]

I would say it's more--

[Although she cut herself off when pieces of that ~~strikeout~~ last part finally processed. This time, her face turned RED.]

...it's not like that!

[ Have a smirk, Mai. But, it's a good-natured one, at least!

The two of them can't fool her, but she'll give them a break at least. ]

Okay, okay. But, there is still one thing... I don't think we can go back to the fashion show like this.

[ The dresses are now definitely dirty around the bottom from the little excursion. And Bulma's skirt is all misshapen and mangled looking down the front. She might have used it to wipe her face a minute or two ago.

[Oh, Bulma...if you only knew....]

I suppose not.

Unless we want to claim it's part of a new up-and-coming trend? [The excuse sounded weak even to her, and it had been literally decades since she'd last thought about anything fashionable.]

Hm... Nah. I'm kind of tired.

[ Emotional breakdowns take a lot out of you. Who knew? Except everyone, probably. ]

Besides, I'm pretty sure I saw some other Gods there, so they'll be fine. And then I can get a jump start on figuring this place out.

Test Drive #22

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)