TEST DRIVE MEME

[bibliofilo]

TEST DRIVE MEME

> The Park. Man, what a nice day out. Why not enjoy it? I'm sure -- shit, yep, there's some echo monsters.
> The Mall. Exactly what it says on the tin! Dodge the hordes of teenage mallrats or take part, whichever suits your tastes.
> Rainy Day. Agh, it's fucking awful out. And is it raining those vermilion things?? Now you've got an Echo to contend with on top of everything else. Find some shelter, quick!
> PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION, HOW FUN
> The most horribly kitschy Arts and Crafts Fair you can imagine.
> NEW YEARS. What better way to start out the new year than to learn that everything you know is a lie? Or if you are already acquainted with the network pass out some resolutions.
> A food fight has just broken out in the cafeteria. Join? Flee? The choice is yours alone.
> Wild Card! Make up your own.

Comments

Dio Brando ★ JoJo's Bizarre Adventure

[195problems]

action option;
[Diego Brando, law student extraordinaire, popular all through his life, working on family court cases and saving battered children, much more socially adapted, much more successful, much more awful than his (foster) brother. He borrowed JoJo's unlimited metrocard (it's not like he'll use it, anyway) to go get a smoothie and was thinking of dropping by the mall until he saw how crowded the subway was.]

[He's still not used to being this tall-- 195 cm almost 6'5" now, almost half a foot taller than he was before, and his clothes don't fit and he had to take JoJo's (and they smell), and his eyes are even with JoJo's now, and he's not ready to pay attention to all the signs yet. He stumbles getting on the car, hand coming up to catch himself on the bar and misjudging the difference, pitching forward and spilling his smoothie.]

I'm so sorry. [he says, picking himself up and adjusting his scarf first, self-consciously.] I should have a napkin.

network option;
[He's been trying to avoid this, but he has interviews to go to, and he needs to show up in a good suit and shirt or else his career might as well be over. There's no hiding behind turtlenecks or scarves or even the occasional (admittedly good-looking) choker, not when he needs to get into the best possible law office he can.]

[So he seems to have written on the mirror, standing tall and confident but still a little uneasy, turtleneck on as usual, as he asks]

Is anyone good at covering up scars?

[goldenbrocade]

It depends on the scars, my dear.

[here. have a smiling person of outstanding fashion respond. he probably might be okay looking, but who can tell under the layers of fluff, lace, brocade and -yes - vampire teeth. he practically sparkles as he waves.

that could be because of the rhinestones sewn on the cuffs of his sleeves.]

And how deep they are.

winry thalberg (winry rockbell) | fullmetal alchemist

[endthiscycle]

a. rainy day

[The bad weather seemed to mirror her bad mood rather well. Bad moods weren't particularly unusual for one Winry Thalberg but considering events as of late they were becoming more frequent and more volatile. She had always liked Locke when she had visited in the summer in past years, but the knowledge that this place would now be her home didn't sit well.

At the very least she managed to get to a bus stop area before she got too wet. So there she stood, looking out at the glass panels where droplets were falling hard and all appeared dark.

The city looked so strange and different in the winter. Much more foreign than it had ever seemed before. Much more dangerous too, though she had a valid reason for feeling that concerning all the news reports lately. An earthquake had happened recently, gang violence was on the rise, reports of strange occurrences.

She breathed in deep before exhaling. Everything seemed to be turning topsy turvey.

She hoped the bus came soon. She hoped the rain stopped soon. The last thing she needed was to get sick]

b. detention

[Winry had always had a bit of a temper, but it had never landed her in detention before. She used to be such a good student and it was a bit of a shock and blow to her pride to wind up here.

Well. No point whining. Starting arguments with every person who looked at her weird or said anything bad about her brother was not the best course of action. With an irritated grunt she brought out some schematics and started working on a recent idea for a gadget.

Her time would probably best be devoted to some home but eh.]

the park

[It was a much nicer day than usual, and Winry's mood reflected that. Going out and getting some fresh air had been a good idea. She hadn't realized there was an event going on at the park until she saw many people gathered, some drawing on the pavement and walkways with chalk and many others with sketchbooks.

Art had never really been Winry's forte. She didn't have any skills in it herself and quite honestly she didn't get it most of the time. Still, she could always respect the passions of others and she walking around slowly, checking out what people were working on.

The young girl was careful not to step on anyone or thing and paused when she saw something that caught her interest. She hesitated for a moment. For the most part she had kept to herself since coming to the states but that really wasn't her nature. After deciding to go for it she just approached the person doodling]

That is very interesting.

b

[mysteltinn]

[Nearby, Owen was flopped over a desk, sulking. Not because HE'S in detention. That's not really new for HIM. But because Winry's there. Probably on his behalf.

He handled this with all dignity and grace- occasionally giving a melodramatic siiiigh, or flopping over on his other side. Luckily the teacher was just there to make sure no one burned the school down, and mostly ignored him

Which honestly just made him 'act' even more whiny]

Salvador Capello | Tzekel-Kan | Road To El Dorado

[godsdontbleed]

a.

[it's a cheerful, sunny day, which means it's the perfect time to be cooped up in the dustiest section of Locke's library. that seems to be what Salvador thinks, at least, because that's exactly where he is.

a mountain of incredibly old books is surrounding him, blocking everything but the very top of his head from view. the reason for his outing sits front and center, although it's difficult to distinguish it from the other texts - an ancient tome filled with pictographs and a foreign language, every page depicting things more brutal than the next. he'd received it in one of those horrible pulses, and was determined to connect it with something and start making sense of this all.

the amount of time he's spent working is finally beginning to get to him; at the moment Salvador is idly doodling on his notebook paper, gaze unfocused and attention obviously turned inward. the picture he's working on is almost as startling as the contents of the book: a vicious stone jaguar, leaping at an unknown adversary]

b.

[he's not really interested in knick-knacks, but Salvador's walk through the park had brought him through the arts and crafts fair so he figured it couldn't hurt to give it a look. it's harmless and cheerful, something he sorely needs lately.

he's paused in his perusal for the moment, inspecting some Mexican-inspired figurines with a soft smile on his face. a hand wanders up to his face as he does so, softly checking to make sure that none of his concealer has worn off in the bright sun. this may be a pleasant activity, but the last thing Salvador wants is his tattoos being exposed.]

c.

[oooor whatever you want! I'm not picky come tag me 8D]

b

[servantofmictlan]

[Angelo Rodriguez, who some people might know as the local medical examiner / coroner, is ALSO looking at the Mexican figurines, but with a much more troubled expression. He sighs, puts it down, and turns... annnnd runs straight into Salvador]

Er.

[ffuuu]

Pardon me.

Miranda Fallow | Dr. Franklin's Island

[tomorrowgame]

[EITHER: A red-tailed hawk is in the park, stoically ignoring you as she wolfs a dead squirrel. Amongst the tufts of pulled-off fur it might be visible that her feet are constructed quite like knobbly, scaled hands with long curved hawk talons.]

OR: Network post, video. A red-tailed hawk with handlike feet stands on a white plain under a white sky, with no horizon between. There's a girl's voice that seems to belong to her, though her beak doesn't move with the words.]

Meaning? MEANING? Numbers. Freaks!

[radiantchicken]

[Also in the park is a brightly-colored parrot who has had his attention caught by the hawk eating the squirrel. He has never seen another bird eating a squirrel like that, so forgive him as he sort of creeps from the branches of the tree where he's hoping he won't be seen. He's looking down at his own feet and looking over at the hawk's; he's also noticed the obvious differences.]

Graham Specter ~ Baccano!

[heartwrenching]

ACTION: RAINY DAY

[It's just a quick grocery run, he'd said. The dark clouds are all sound and fury, signifying nothing, he'd said. It'll be fine, he'd said.

And for a while, that was true enough. But then there was a terrible clap of thunder and a burst of lightning and the skies opened up to unleash the torrent of odd rain. Graham had tried to cover his eyes from the burst of light and sound, only to be weighed down by something heavy clutched in his right hand.

It was a wrench. The thing was almost as long as a human torso and probably weighed at least 30 pounds. And was that rust or... something else dark red stained into its metal? He tried to drop the weird thing and go about his business, but he found himself strangely compelled to keep it with him. He had to carry it. But the damn thing was so heavy, he wasn't physically capable of picking it up.

So now, if you happen to be walking down a particular street, you get to experience something out of a horror story. You'll hear the horrible ckk-shrrrk cck-shrrrk of metal slowly dragged against concrete. And if you look, there will be a young blond man, drenched and bedraggled by rain, pulling an impossibly long, more-possibly-bloodstained wrench behind him. And he doesn't look too happy about it.]

HEY, YOU! DON'T WORRY! I PROMISE I'M NOT A PSYCHOPATH! And yes, I do realize the inherent irony here, since that is word-for-word, beat-for-beat, and even screaming declaration-for-screaming declaration what a psychopath would say.


NETWORK - HANDWRITTEN:

[In hindsight, maybe the most recent echo was a doozy after all. He hadn't felt too strange at first. Hell, he'd thought that maybe he'd just acquired some new philosophical or poetic inspiration by finding beauty and pleasure in the idea of destruction. Stripping things down to their essentials, maybe? Finding joy in the component parts instead of just the whole?

But, no. Things seem to have escalated quickly. This new interest in destruction plus the older echo that made him more prone to dramatic mood swings has left him feeling kind of uneasy. It might be a good idea to look for some advice.So he pulls out his ideas journal and starts to write.]

At what point, hypothetically speaking, should one start to worry about their... 'obsession' is such a strong, loaded word with such negative connotations... so let's call it 'thoughts which completely consume their every single waking moment until they just wanna smash the alarm clock so you can look at all those wonderful broken gears or slam something into a brick wall over and over and OVER until red dust puffs out into the air or some bastard comes at you so you TAKE EVERY ONE OF HIS JOINTS AND THEN-

[It looks like Graham's pencil broke. The rest is written a bit shakily, as if he had to hold the lead between his fingers.]

I think you get the picture. Again, purely hypothetical.

[ooc note: Unfortunately, I'm traveling a lot over the next few days, so I'll probably be slow. I'll be free by New Years' Day, though!]

Omg I had to, rainy days seem to be a thing for Holly. Action!

[keywarding]

[She'd been out with friends to see a horror movie, and when the movie finally ended it'd already gotten late and the rain had set in. Thankfully Holly always kept an umbrella in her backpack, today wasn't an exception.

She hears the sound first, stopping where she was to look around. It isn't until she starts walking again that she can see him, coming around a corner her eyes going wide as she actually screams during his explanation of innocence.

Congratulations, you have successfully scared a fifteen year old into running, she trips though and falls roughly onto the wet ground, her blue umbrella skidding from her.]

Gunmax / Maxwell Kawasaki | Brave Police: J-Decker

[loveyoubaby]

ACTION police station;

[There was something strangely amusing about this whole thing. First his ex-highway patrol partner turned out to be a corrupt asshole, and now, it seemed like the entire Locke City police force was in on some kind of alien invasion conspiracy? Jesus. It really took corruption to a whole new level, it was almost too bizarre to really be believable.

But apparently it was true. Max hadn't been aware of the network... thing for very long, but he'd done enough snooping to figure out who the "good guys" were. And conveniently enough, some of them just happened to share a building with him. He wasn't interested in getting all buddy-buddy with them, but he could at least squeeze a little more information out of them.

OPTION 1, Once upon a time this asshole strolled up to what was very likely your paperwork covered desk and dropped his motorcycle helmet obnoxiously on top of it. For no apparent reason. He's smiling like an arrogant prick the entire time. Prick why are you doing this?]

Hey, baby. Busy?

[OR OPTION 2, maybe he arrested your pitiful ass for speeding or pelting old ladies with rocks. He's still smiling like an arrogant prick the entire time.]

Option One of course

[detectivetroll]

[Fortunately, Nick's desk is incredibly neat, thank you very much. That's why he makes the big detective bucks, clearly.

And he's just going to take the helmet dropping as an opportunity to snag it, looking it over to see if there's any new marks, dings, or bug guts since the last time he saw it.

Followed by looking back up with a smirk.]

You have to ask? Never too busy for you.

Torin | Voltasaur Sentai Kyoryuger

[radiantchicken]

[Option A]

So it's raining. Maybe you're waiting that rain out underneath an awning in front of some store, or perhaps you're huddled inside a bus stop. But wherever you're waiting out that rain, there is a very wet and miserable-looking parrot waiting right there with you. He's a smart looking parrot. Asking him whether or not he wants a cracker is probably a bad idea.

[Option B]

It's a craft fair! A craft fair, that, to any jaded human in the area, looks tacky and fairly kitschy. Probably not worth anyone's time. But to a curious parrot? This place is awesome. So much to see! So much to look at! If only he knew why that table selling handmade miniature dinosaur skeletons was giving him those weird hollow feelings.

HOLY CRAP, B;

[gaburincho]

Daigo Kiryuu is the world's best kindergarten teacher. All right, maybe not, but he's the kind of man who's really dedicated to his job, and that includes walking the craft fairs looking for things to decorate his classroom, and things for the kids to do. The dinosaur skeletons are something he notices pretty much right away, but he doesn't let himself go near them until he's bought three or four things for the kids.

Dinosaur skeletons are definitely too fragile for a classroom, but they'd look right at home at his place! He bends down, to poke at them.

"I'll take this guy," he says, picking up the obligatory tyrannosaurus rex. It's giving him a good feeling. When she steps away to box it up for him, he stretches, looking around.

Wait, is that a parrot? His eyebrow furrows. What the hell would one of those be doing here?

Youmu Konpaku | Touhou Project

[six_realms_sword]

-1- [Video]

Okay. New Years Resolutions.

I resolve to extend my morning practice by getting up 15 minutes earlier every day. I resolve to learn to actually make sushi so that I can stop being a waitress. I resolve to actually join a club this year, if I can find the time for it.

And, um.

[For the spiritually sensitive, there is an orb-shaped ghost drifting around behind Youmu on camera.]

I resolve to find an exorcist, because apparently I'm haunted now.


-2- [Action]

[Outdoors! A sudden rainy day! A torrential downpour!]

[In the rain is a girl walking, or possibly trudging, along, drenched to the bone, hair plastered to her face. No umbrella. She looks... resigned, really.]

Yes, I suppose it has been this kind of a day, hasn't it.

[1/video]

[gogoghostpowers]

Ha ha, very funny, Youmu. Just because you were at my house for New Year's doesn't mean I'm haunting you.

...and even if I was, I don't think calling an exorcist on me would be a really good idea.

Kazuma Kenzaki | Kamen Rider Blade

[kingofspades]

a - video;

[The video feed opens on this image, an image of a white card a la Pokemon cards, featuring a beetle with a red spade on its back. Slowly, the card pulls back from the feed to be replaced with the slightly exasperated expression of a young man.

He looks at the card, then back at the feed.]

Anybody wanna explain how a... card from Sorcery: The Meeting is supposed to be helpful? Because I gotta tell you, right now it's looking pretty useless.

b - action, at the grocery store;

[Anyone at the grocery store around 10 in the morning on New Year's Eve will find a young man in plain green scrubs looking through the pastries. He looks somewhat wiped, like he's been working all night, and when he finally spots a clear plastic box of apple turnovers that seems to please him, it takes him a minute to actually find the shopping basket he'd placed at his feet.

He looks sheepish as he bends to pick it up, and when he stands to walk toward the vegetables, a nametag falls from his pocket. It says 'Ken Brand, R.N.', and there's a sunflower sticker in the corner. It's probably the kind of thing someone should mention to him.]

Hi, there! A

[chalicejoker]

[The guy on the other end of the video feed looks rather shaken at seeing that card. He's got several of these things, although his all have hearts rather than spades. He'll hold up one of his.]

You're not the only one.

Sealand / Peter Kirkland || Axis Powers Hetalia

[bydefacto]

a. action option;
the park

[Peter has never really enjoyed going to the park that much; he prefers playing soccer on his X-Box to playing soccer in the great outdoors. The only place he'll play sports outside his home at all is at gym in school. But he makes a small exception for his Labrador, Bumblebee, who's his responsibility.

So he takes her to the park (nearly) everyday after school. Hopefully the tennis ball he's throwing for her won't hit anyone nearby.]

b. network option;
written

[When the message comes, it's in a very messy scrawl, written in pencil.]

does anybody know the best place to go when you've run away from home?

[A pause. Peter looks around him. He's sitting on a wall by a house that looks completely derelict. Everything is very unfamiliar, all of a sudden, and he's wondering if this was the best idea after all.]

I think I'm lost.

c. create your own adventure;

[Whether in school, buying sweets at the grocery store, or riding his bike through the city, it's easy enough to run into this kid somewhere or other.]

B

[bloodpoison]

[Typed.]

Did you have somewhere in mind when you started?

Ness | Earthbound / MOTHER 2

[rockin]

> OPTION A
[Ness is at the bus stop! And is... just yawning as he waits for the school bus to arrive at any minute. Looks like he didn't sleep too well judging from the dark spots under his eyes. That is open for discussion.]

> OPTION B
[Ness sends nothing but a simple text message which then pops into the network.]

So it turns out I can bend a spoon just by staring at it. Does that make me part of the magical power squad thing of yours???

A

[italktofish]

[Ness isn't waiting for too long at the bus stop, because a school bus soon pulls up and the doors pop open.]

AHOY THERE, SLEEPYHEAD! UP AND AT 'EM! Time to go to school!

Lord Akeldama | The Parasol Protectate

[goldenbrocade]

A action post~

[ The mall. That mecca for bored teenagers, dreary housewives, and the occasional harried couple trying to find the perfect gift for their mother-in-laws. In the middle of this frenzied activity, Alan Loveless, the owner of The Gilded Trifle, calmly strode through the crowds, ignoring the stares, the pointing fingers, and the whisperings. He was a man on a mission and that mission was far more important than listening to the silliness of people without a sense of style.

Spying his target, he descends on the store with a smile and a wave for the halpless clerk tending the display.]

Do be a dear and bring out that lovely gold-gilded and pink rhinestone flower. I have a craving.


B network post~
[say hello to your official sparkling vampire, network. he looks a little pale - well, paler than normal and he is also not dressed in the layers of fluff and poofy lace, but instead is wearing jeans and a worn and dye-splattered t-shirt. he still has managed to keep his hair in a mess of curls and there is a strange red smear across one cheek.]

I don't suppose there is a dear who is willing to help me with a trifle? [he smiles slightly, showing his eyeteeth.] It seems that I might need some blood soon.

B

[radiantchicken]

[The parrot on the other end of the video looks a bit curious. At least, he's tilted his head to one side and is viewing the man with one beady little parrot eye.]

Why would you need blood?

Glorfindel | LotR+

[thebalrogslayer]

[A Action]

[Gabriel is the botanics lecturer at the uni, when he's not tied himself to a tree somewhere. He's also a washed up model from the 80s, although you wouldn't be able to tell it today. He's been off on an another of his campaigns, and apparently not had time to drop home to wash. Being blonde saves the students and staff from stubble, but otherwise he's indistinguishable from someone homeless or a particularly grubby student, even though he's smiling under the dirt.

He might nip into the mens to wash the worst off his face before heading to his lecture, or he can be found in one of the staff rooms trying to use the hot water from a coffee maker to make green tea and muttering about boiling water. Of course it's not the first time he's come in like this, and students are free to grab him if they want him, and if he sees someone from his lectures he'll wave and smile at them, and possibly head over to greet them properly.]

[B Video]

[The video opens to someone's ear, surrounded by golden blonde hair. The tip is pointed and long fingers trace the tapered edge, unsure and cautious about it.]

I don't suppose anyone else has had anything like this happen to them?

[Leaning back reveals Gabriel, although unusually for him there's something of a frown on his lips.] My hair can hide it, but I'm not sure how long for. [Given that he still does modelling shoots and ad campaigns, not to mention press photographers it's almost certain that someone will catch a photo of it, and there's plenty of proof out there that it's a new thing. But he cracks a smile finally, laughing.] Maybe I can convince people that I'm going off my rocker and I've had cosmetic surgery.

[C Open!]

[Open to anything else! Gabriel is a charity campaigner, lecturer and model as mentioned above and somewhat of a c list celebrity because of it. He's in his 50s, charismatic and generally open and friendly, and in a previous life he was an elf lord. His charities lead him down darker streets than you'd expect to find someone like him, but he can also be found in all the usual places; grocery stores, the park, and around the uni.]

[espigeonage]

[C!

A short young man with dyed blue hair has been feeding grain to a storm of pigeons in a weedy little park in a less-great part of the city. Which might be a little odd, but he's talking softly to them in slightly broken Elvish, the better to make one relax so he can try to hold it and unwind a tangle of string from one red foot.]

Davo eliad anech, hey? Hold still, let me help you.

Riderman | Kamen Rider Decade-flavored

[forgottendecade]

A ::network:: video then text
[this comes on in the middle of a heated debate in Chinese, the voices coming from behind the feed. in front of the screen is a bored looking man who is covered in various pieces of gore, a huge wound in his side pumping out blood and a mechanical arm replacing his right arm. he rises his eyebrows, jerked his chin at the arm, and all but says that he has no idea where that came from when the camera jerks and the picture goes out.

a few minutes later, this text appears after the recording.]

Do you know how hard it is to convince a director that you did not ask for a mechanical arm in a fight scene? This pulse almost cost me a job.


B ::action::
[it's one of those big budget pictures, the kind that involves a lot of fighting, a lot of explosions and a lot of stunt guys doing crazy stuff in front of green screens whenever they can fit them into the general flow of things. this scene needs a living touch, so a part of the busiest section of downtown was blocked and roped off for a huge showdown between Action Hero Willis Bruce's everyday good guy and the Hordes of Goons that surrounded Evil Villain Odd Garyson's mobster kingpin.

Bodies are flying, fake guns are going off, and one of the stuntmen goes tumbling just on cue to land right at your feet, and stare straight up.

better hope you're not wearing a skirt.

but after the director yells cut, all the dead bodies get up, including the one stuntman, who sighs, sits up and lights up. seriously, he's not getting paid enough for this job.]

Is there a Starbuck's nearby?

A, Text

[italktofish]

OUTRAGEOUS THAT JUST HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL AND YOU'RE MOST WORRIED ABOUT THE JOB DESPITE WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ARM BRAVO TO YOU SIR FOR TRUE SHOWBUSINESS SPIRIT WITH THE SHOW GOING ON AND SUCH

Gravelord Nito | Dark Souls

[firstofthedead]

A:

The holiday season always brought out the best in Lucas Yates. His sermons became more passionate, his voice sang out more joyously, and even his aching feet got a little springier. This Christmas was no different. He'd hosted a midnight mass and only returned home to his wife and daughter for a few hours of sleep, before leaving to prepare his church once more at six in the morning. He'd be celebrating all day, culminating in a charity-driven "feast" in the evening. His church's doors were open to all today, no matter their religious affiliation, and he'd be overseeing the whole event with a smile on his face.

B:

[network post, video] Well. It's a pleasure to finally have this curtain drawn back. I've heard a number of fantastical stories from some of my parishioners, and if I didn't find myself here today, I would have continued finding the entire thing very, very hard to believe. But what I found waiting for me in my home shortly before Christmas lent some credibility to the entire thing. [the bald-headed man with a well-groomed goatee rises from his chair and disappears off camera for a moment. he returns carrying in both hands what seems like a single, chest-high stack of neatly folded black fabric swatches. it's all one contiguous piece, but he's not about to unfold it.] I know I call myself a man of the cloth, but this is a little ridiculous, wouldn't you say?

B

[onemoredeath]

[He decided to amuse himself tonight by talking to a man of the cloth. After all, with lights out, there really not much else for him to do save annoy his cellmate.]

That might depend upon which cloth you're speaking of. I suppose you did not try to see what it actually is?

Angelo Rodriguez | Acatl | Obsidian and Blood

[servantofmictlan]

A. It's 3 AM and Angelo is up late in the records office at the police station because there's been another murder and yet, somehow, weirdly, coincidentally nobody brought him the body, even though there clearly WAS a body.

Somebody's been tampering with the records and keeping things from him and BY GOLLY he will figure out who it is.

B. Aw yeah it's the arts and crafts fair and Angelo is hanging around a small arts and crafts stand full of sugar skulls and other Mexican tchotchkeys and looking kinda pensive.

c. idk whatever you want

H'lo!! and Option B

[eyesofafalcon]

[Zoey hardly ever had an entire day off between her two paying jobs and the chores she had at home. She'd been sent out by her father for groceries, but on the way found herself sidetracking to the Arts and Crafts Fair she heard about all the time, but had never had the time or money to go to. All these years living in Locke City and she'd never stopped by the kitschy stalls or food vendors.

'There were better things to spend money on,' she'd been told repeatedly. That she worked for the money she earned didn't matter... it went to the Drake family... her adopted family. They always made certain she knew that she was on the outside of them, but maintained their hold on her, a hold that they had put in place many years before.

And yet, here she was, grocery list and money in her pocket as she peruses the stalls with wonder instead of going where she'd been told. She wound up at the stall with a table covered in sugar skulls, hesitant to touch anything as she pulled the neck of her oversized sweater higher.]

What are they?

Olette (Olette Alesci) | Kingdom Hearts

[suriyan]

A | action post

[Olette, teen baker extraordinaire and a certain Danny Fenton's girlfriend, has spent the entire day looking for elusive baking supplies. Sure, she found half of her stuff at the local grocery store, and she found another fourth at the specialty baking store, but goshdarnit to heck, she just CAN'T FIND one elusive item!

Which really, really sucks when you're trying to surprise your boyfriend with a little something for being such a dear when your memories are failing you. Olette also isn't quite looking where she's going as she rollerblades to her destination.

Watch out! If your character isn't fast enough, she just might crash into---]

B | network post (text)

look, i know the one-day sale was pretty crazy at the mall! things happened! people fought over stuff! it was kind of a bad time. but um, if you happen to have gotten the wrong Vettiene shopping bag, please let me know! Because I don't really remember buying a coffeemaker and an organic pair of jeans. :(

Oh, and men's cologne. My boyfriend can't wear this stuff without sneezing.

B (i'm sorry, by which i mean i'm not sorry at all)

[gogoghostpowers]

Seriously? It was that intense? Maybe I should've gone with you, just to give you an extra pair of hands to help or something.

[he is not even going to mention the part about the cologne, because he doesn't want to bring even more attention to his cologne allergy.]

Dakki Sigal | OC (Phantasy Star Online/Universe)

[photonicfighter]

A - A gym!

[Dani (short for Danielle) Blaine was one of the newer fitness instructors at this branch of the 24 gym chain. While her classes were good ones, full of lots of energy and lots of variations for different levels of skill, she was still new, a replacement for the well-liked older instructor that had previously occupied the time slot. They were still only half-full, if that. But that didn't get to her, though. That just meant that she had to work extra hard, and make every class the best damn class it can be. She'd win them over bit by bit. They'd bring friends. They'd let other folk know that Dani's classes were worth showing up for.

The cooldown stretches are over, and Dani pulls herself gracefully up from her deep toe-touch, to give a over-headed wave and a huge smile to the class.]

That was great! You guys were awesome! Alright! Next class is Thursday, same time! If you've got any questions, I'm all ears!

[She waits a few moments, still smiling, watching the crowd in attendance fetch water bottles and cluster up into groups of friends and prepare to disperse. They really did work hard, and really were great, far as she was concerned. They didn't seem to have any questions, though, far as she could see... so she took it as a chance to snatch up her own water bottle, have a long drink, and then head over to the AV system to pull out her iPod. Of course, maybe she just didn't notice someone lagging behind. Or another member of the gym staff coming in from the side door, with something to say.]

...oh? Hi!

B - Network; Video

[The lady with short blonde hair is looking casual as usual for this network broadcast. She's sitting on a couch, leaning slightly forward, as though she's just so darned excited to be saying what she's got to say.]

New Year's! Yeah! That's... a thing. It's coming up, and I bet you guys've got resolutions, right? You don't have to share them or anything, it's cool, that's personal stuff... [She gives a dismissive hand-wave, and continues right along.] But! But if any of you guys have gym-related ones? Like, I know a lot of people do.... just a reminder, it's gonna get crazy there for the next while. Because so many people've got the same resolution, see...

And also! Also, I don't want any of you doing anything that's actually bad for your health, okay? We're getting all these changes and things... I mean... I've had to lighten up my schedule after... y'know. Stuff changed. So, maybe to be safe, if you've got super-strength or something, maybe hitting the weights or wearing out the treadmills might be... bad? If you break 'em? [She grimaces a little and rubs the back of her neck awkwardly.] ...I'm just saying! I worry about some of you guys, sometimes!

B (text)

[aceofknaves]

i'm going to practice with a sword

like i don't have a sword but my dad has some golf clubs he never uses so i'll just use those i guess

never been to a gym

[and_taxes]

[what am i doing even i never play psychopomps

Option A]

It's snowing hard and few people are out. A scrawny tax accountant with the look of a chronic hesitator has somehow acquired a large sword with a kind of blue glow along the edges of the blade and looks like he's trying to decide whether to run off with it or drop the thing.

[option B, later]

As far as Bill is concerned the strangest thing about becoming a seven-foot skeleton with faint blue lights in its eye sockets overnight is that no one notices. People might see, but somehow they always dismiss the evidence*. If pressed someone might, with effort, venture that he's lost weight. On the Discworld, only some animals, small children, magic users, fellow Anthropomorphic Personifications, and the dying or those near death seem to notice.

So things have been going on as normal. Just picking up groceries, here, making sure to get lots of milk.

[aaaand option C, much later]

You** are dying, or else there is a pause for breath during a life-threatening situation in which you very nearly die. A tall robed skeleton with a scythe is present.

ER... HANG ON A MOMENT. He examines a golden hourglass, an uncertain look on his... on his... he looks uncertain. I'M SURE I KNOW HOW THIS GOES.

* Even when that comes in the form of touching bone rather than skin which, were Bill more of a connoisseur of the flesh, would make for a rather different kind of story.
** By which is meant "your character", not whomever is unlucky enough to be reading these words. The reader has quite a few years left. Hopefully.

holy christ i want to tag every one of these options | but i'll go with B

[umbrael]

As Doyle is slowly starting to learn by the time of this hypothetical and non-canon log, in his past life he was an ancient god of darkness and possibly also a Literal dinosaur. Which classifies him as a magic user, an animal, and maybe an anthropomorphic personification by technicality.

To get to this point he's also echoed back a few memories telling him he's seen Some Shit in that past life, as you can imagine one does in the life of a shadowy dinosaur god. Remembering weird things is all well and good, but it's still a little different from seeing one in the flesh (or lack therof, as it were).

He had no reason to stop in the dairy section, and thus tragically lacks an excuse for how he's slooowing down and s t a r i n g at this walking skeleton. Just hanging out in the grocery store. Unnoticeable to everyone else, apparently. Oh god, this is numbers shit, isn't it?

At some point he's just stopped, and his mouth is open to say something, but nothing's coming to mind. Or, rather, nothing's coming to mind that's more intelligent than 'Uhhhhh', 'What?', or 'walking skeleton?'

Vanitas ( Van Kururugi ) || Kingdom Hearts

[darkcharge]

network option:

So what's the proper procedure for seeing someone you're only somewhat acquainted with when they're injured? I don't wanna show up on the doorstep and look like a goddamn fool and all. It's not like I even know if I should go in the first place...

Why does shit have to be so awkward in the first place.


action option:

[ yeah... it's exactly one of those awkward scenarios. Van is standing outside of the clinic, fighting if he wants to go in or not. part of him is unsure - the jealous part that is. his half brother has gotten a lot more out of life than he has. surely there are other people that can go and see the pain in the ass half brother instead of him.

but the other half says that hey, they are brothers that share the same jerk off of a father. they have been trying to get along ever since the guy moved into the city. it's been pretty rocky, but Van can't say it's been entirely unpleasant. he really doesn't know what to do in these types of situations and making up his mind seems to be beyond him at some point.

maybe Suzaku has his phone on him... maybe Van can drop a text and ask if he wants company? ...not going to be obvious about it of course.

this is how he can be found - pacing in front of the building, fingers on the keys. ]


hit me with what you want???

[ex_elude798]

[He will just be blissfully unaware of your inner turmoil out there bro.

And reading a book he managed to procure. A very, very boring book]

Clair Bernard (Yasu/Beatrice) | Umineko no Naku Koro Ni

[implores]

Mall
[Clair gladly tromps through the mall in what appears to be lolita. She's an adult but who cares??? She's just out to do her errands but she can totally look cute in the process.]

Downtown, a basillica/network text post
[She's here for filming today, the basillica is a favourite place for film crews to shoot period pieces and today her character is getting married. She sits on a bench outside in her 1700s wedding gown waiting to be called on, typing away on her phone.]

getting married today lol

Downtown

[aceofknaves]

what seriously

what ru doing on the net then

is it

internet addiction

Ethan Kazuyoshi (Itachi Uchiha) - Naruto - excuse the canon journal until I make one for here

[yourhatred]

[Action]

[A man with dark eyes, spectacles, and dark hair pulled back into a low ponytail except for shorter locks that fall on either side of his face, is sitting at a cafe table with a laptop open, frowning at the screen. Occasionally he looks over to a paper place mat he has held in one hand. On it, the twelve animals from the Chinese calendar sit in a circle of stylized cartoon glory.

Something about this seems to be baffling him, though it's nothing that isn't seen in any restaurant of that theme, and nothing he shouldn't have seen many times before. So why is he faced with this situation now?

He lays it down for a moment, studying his hands as he sets them palm up in his lap. Then, slowly, he forms them into an odd sign, holds them like that, then lets them fall back into his lap again.

It doesn't make any sense.]

[Network]

[The place mat with the images of the animals from the Chinese calendar is held up to the camera on his laptop where it can be seen clearly.]

This may seem like an odd question, but...

What does this mean to you?

[He's sure he won't find the answers he's looking for, but he feels the need to ask regardless.]

[network] (text)

[aceofknaves]

that's what they put on the tables at chinese restaurants

you look at the year you were born and it tells you what animal you are

Jesús "Chuck" Reyes (Rex Salazar) // Generator Rex

[third_alternative]

A - action, at school
[It's lunch time at Locke City Academy, and Chuck is sitting alone. He doesn't have many friends, and those he does have don't share his lunch period on this day, so here he sits, looking pathetic and lonely.

The glum look on his face as he stares at a stapled set of papers marked all in red doesn't help matters either.]

B - action, Blood Keys encounter
[You've been cornered by a Blood Key! It's hard to make out any defining features, with the big sunglasses, bandanna covering his face from his nose down, and the hood of his sweater pulled up over his head.

He's holding one hand out, palm open and beckoning, while keeping the other as a tight fist at his side. Show them he means business, but don't threaten beyond that. At least, not yet.]

Just hand over your wallet and phone, nobody has to get hurt.

[FIGHT OR FLIGHT, FIGHT OR FLIGHT???]

C - network
Okay, so I get the whole "reincarnations of superpowered people, avoid the cops and Thunder Corp and aliens, etc etc" deal, but there's still one thing I don't get.

Why Locke City?

It's not a major world city like New York or London or Beijing or anything. It's not even the capital of the country! It's just some random city in New Jersey. Seriously, what's the deal?

B

[six_realms_sword]

[What a day today is turning out to be. Her hand slowly moves towards the wooden sword she's carrying.]

Listen, I've had a long day, and I'm opposed to violence, so...

Aleyis Aldage / Alexis "Lexi" Allen | OC

[talktotherock]

A: New Year's [Action]
[Look, even a girl with a crappy income needs to have a little fun on New Year's Eve. Maybe she can't swing an entrance into an upscale bar, but she's managed enough for an okay one.

[But in contrast to the other revelers, Lexi appears to be sitting by herself. Yet still talking to someone, it looks like.] Oh, come on. Speak up! I know you can do it! [This is said to the fist-sized rock that she's got sitting on the bar in front of her. Beside rock is a half-downed drink. A few other patrons notice her actions, but laugh it off as her being really wasted.

[She waves at the rock, looking at it intently.] Helloooo? I know you're in there!

[Funny thing is, if you get a decent look at her face, Lexi sure doesn't look totally sloshed.]


B: Network Video
[Hi, network! Have a cheery redhead leaning on a well-made longbow. And waving at you. That too.]

Hey, everybody. Me again. We get some pretty sweet stuff outta these Echoes, huh? [She nods at the bow.] I mean, check this thing out. Even came with ammo. That bein' said . . .

[She moves aside so that everyone can see the sad-looking paper target she'd pinned to a tree a little ways away. There are arrows scattered all over the field, and it's clear that not one of them came anywhere near hitting said target.] I think my aim kinda sucks. Anybody out there got some pointers?

Sona Buvelle | League of Legends

[maven]

A. Network

Forgive me if this is common knowledge, but these Echoes often give gifts.

Are they known to take things away as well? It seems in dissonance from what I've seen...


B. Action:

[ On New Years Eve, Sona was at a social gathering with her parents and their family friends. Feeling exhausted early, she has dismissed herself, planning to take public transportation to get home. Because it's winter, even though it's still early evening, it's already dark out. It's chilly, but there are tons of groups around setting off small fireworks in the streets.

She's standing by a bus stop, dressed up all nice, but shivering. She has a large instrument case slung over one shoulder, with her electric keyboard inside.

Sona rarely takes the bus, so she doesn't realize that they aren't going to be running on New Years Eve, oops... ]

:D!

[ladyofluminosity]

Take things away? No, I don't think so, at least not that I've seen so far. I guess it's entirely possible.