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test drive

August-September Testo Doraivu!

TEST DRIVE MEME

➞ Post with a character you wish to test drive in this game's setting.
➞ Tag other people's starters and thread out shenanigans!
➞ Invite your friends! Try out new characters! Come play with us!
➞ Have fun!

NOT SURE WHERE TO BEGIN YOUR TEST-DRIVE JOURNEY?
CHECK OUT ALL THE LOCATIONS WE HAVE AVAILABLE IN:

JOHTO | and | KANTO

ALSO, AS PROMPTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION: Last month's mini-events!

Effect: Friday, July 8: Flower Gift - All day, despite the season, flowers drift down from the sky. They’re harmless, beautiful, and smell lovely, but if trainers aren’t careful, they might end up trudging through rosedrifts up to their knees before long.
Swarm: Tuesday, July 12: Spinda
Effect: Friday, July 15 to Sunday, July 17: Worry Seed - Affected characters won’t be able to get any sleep. Does that make your character cranky? Does it damage their brain-to-mouth filter? The effects can last as little or as long as you’d like over this weekend.
Effect/Swarm Double Duty: Friday, July 22: Surf - Large waves appear in all bodies of water, including things like bathtubs and your Sawsbucks drinks (it’s just bean water, you know). Be careful on the ocean, but also, hang ten, dudes! The waves won’t destroy anything, but trainers are going to get wet on this ride. Also, oh god, small jellyfish Pokemon (Tentacool, Frillish, Inkay) happen to be swarming randomly in these bodies of water. GANBATTE, VICTORY ROAD.
Effect: Friday, July 29: Haze - The forecast is misty inside and out on this oddly cool July day. Affected trainers will find it difficult to remember things, whether those happened long ago or just five minutes past. The memories aren’t gone, of course, it’s just…foggy.
Swarm: Sunday, July 31: Illumise and Volbeat

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[With anyone else, Athena might have bristled at that. Unless she told them about it first, she didn't particularly like it when people talked about her past... but then she remembered how Jack had made them collect those files he'd had on them. How each echo had him talking to "Angel"... how she'd been the one to do the actual work. And knowing Jack, knowing this was a real girl and not some AI, then Athena can only assume he'd forced her to do what he wanted her to do. So the anger simmers away pretty quickly.]

I do. And I'm still figuring things out.

[She's done well for herself so far, in her opinion, but nearly destroying her relationship with Janey proved that she still has a long way to go.]

... You are free. Just keep telling yourself that. Jack may still be alive in this land, but he can't even get here without traveling a long way.

He's still here...

[Angel shudders, feeling every pain that Jack had subjected her to just beneath her skin. Death was meant to be her escape. Winding up here, in a place where her father also roamed, felt more like punishment than anything else.]

He's smart. Resourceful... It is only a matter of time before he finds his way here.

[As much as she wants to tell herself that she's only being pessimistic, she knows deep down that it's only realistic. The second Jack knew she was alive, and she had no doubts that he knew that now, he would come for her. His narcissism would lead him to believe that she needed him, while his megalomania would undoubtedly tell him that he needed her power.]

[Another, more violent shudder wracks her small frame.]

I haven't been alive for more than a few days, Athena. I cannot go back to him. I don't want to lose this.

And if he does, I'll kick his ass so hard he'll have no choice but to run back to Goldenrod.

[She doesn't know what exactly he did. She'll ask soon, of course, but she can put enough pieces together - from her own observations and the things Lilith's vault hunters had told her, though they'd been oddly dodgy when it came to talking about how they destroyed the control core - to at least come to the conclusion that Jack hurt her. She doesn't know in what way, but that's becoming obvious.

And... hoo boy. Hoo boy does that make her - who was forced to hurt her own family - burn. If she wasn't completely disgusted with Jack before...!]

If you don't want to go back to him, then you won't. It's as simple as that, and I'll make sure it doesn't happen.

[Angel lifts her gaze, looking over the gladiator with furrowed brows. Somewhere within her, a faint spark of hope lights up, teasing her once again with thoughts of freedom.]

It's not your job to protect me. [Her voice is small and her words slow. As grateful as she might be for the offer of protection, she can't bring herself to accept it outright. If Athena wanted to help, Angel wouldn't deny it. But she's not about to accept the offer if it's only being handed out through guilt or obligation.]

I won't... deny it, if that is what you want to do. Your help, that is. I just want you to know that I can... find my own way.

[Into his arms, at least, Angel thinks, but keeps her mouth sealed. No use swaying Athena's decision anymore than it already had been.]

I know it's not. But my offer still remains.

[Her voice is firm, but not as hard or biting as it is when she talks to others.]

I'm not going to let Jack have control over anyone here. Not even his own flesh and blood.

[Especially not his own flesh and blood.]

[Her gaze turns away once more, scanning the horizon — half expecting to see a swarm of drones descending upon her. Another glance toward Athena reminds her, however, that she isn't as alone as she expected, nor is she as vulnerable as she feared. The thought causes the frown on her lips to deepen, however, the idea of forcing yet another Vault Hunter to assist her none too welcome in her mind.]

Is there any way I can help you in turn?

[She's nothing if not helpful, and with the way Athena insists on giving aid, Angel knows there's no way to talk her out of it. Better to make their partnership something mutual.]

Edited 2016-08-26 04:58 (UTC)

[Normally, she'd ask to get paid. Especially in recent times, with cutting back on chasing bounties, she needed to take every opportunity she could to make a bit of cash. But that was on Pandora. On this planet, everyone was so... generous. Being able to stay in the Pokemon Centers, having access to cheap, fresh food... and it's normal here. It's the life Athena had dreamed about, when she was trying so hard to track Jess down so they could escape Pandora together.

So... yeah. No need for much money here. Which meant she really doesn't want anything in return. Hm...]

All I need is for you to keep me notified on when Jack tries to contact you. If he ever tries to establish something in person, I want to be prepared.

[Angel nods, though her expression remains troubled. It isn't exactly the answer she's looking for, but it's enough for the time being. At the vert least, Angel could figure out a way to repay her down the line. Surely once she got her feet under her, she could offer something of value.]

I understand.

[She pauses, brows knitting together all the more tighter. Relieving as it was to know someone would be watching over her, the idea of it being an assassin of all people... ]

[Angel's internal laughter is almost bitter. After the hell she had been through, she still couldn't help worrying over her father. Protection was one thing, but Athena didn't seem like the type to stop with a few bruises. Not after what Jack seemed to have put her through.

You won't... You will just warn him off, correct?

I already warned him once that I'll retaliate if he tries to do anything to the people here with me.

[Yeah, no. Athena is never a subtle person, but here she refuses to be subtle at all.]

If anything happens to him, it'll be his own fault.

[Her response does little to assuage Angel's doubts. She looks away uneasily, posture shifting. It was Athena's own decision, but if Angel wound up being the catalyst...]

He's sick. [It's a poor excuse, the same one she used to refute endlessly. Sickness didn't excuse his acts of evil, not by any means. But now, if it's her call? It didn't feel right, knowing that.]

Please... Not for me. Anyone else, fine. But not me...

Bullshit. I saw the person he was before. Being sick has nothing to do with what he's done.

[He may have been a bit full of himself even back then, but. That's a bit different than being sick.]

... Why not you?

He's my father.

[It's a feeble reason, and one that she doubts she'll ever speak again. Acknowledging her relationship to Jack aloud felt wrong in many ways.]

Even after everything... I can't do that to him. I tried, but I never could.

[That actually makes her stomach turn. Because she knows that feeling. She knows the weight of guilt that lays over your shoulders at the death of a family member. But even so... there's a big difference between when that family member is an innocent girl and a megalomaniac hell-bent on killing everyone on the planet in a hail of fire.]

I can't promise anything. Whatever happens, happens. But know that if any harm comes to him, it's because I chose to do it. You have nothing to do with it.

[Athena's words don't reassure Angel by any stretch of the imagination. Still, there's no talking the woman down it seems, and she certainly won't deny the idea of protection. As far as Angel is concerned, it's far better to be safe than guilty, then imprisoned and innocent.]

[She'd had enough of that for a lifetime.]

Okay. [Her voice is soft and unsure, but even as she speaks, she can feel the slight tingle of relief within her chest. Perhaps her hopes for a new start might still be at least partially intact.]

... I know you feel guilty.

[Athena's not good at reading people. Not by a long shot. She can read situations, read strengths and weaknesses in a person from a physical standpoint... but she's still learning this "emotions" thing.

But she knows guilt. She knows grief. She knows those feelings like the back of her hand. So she can't read people all that easily, but she can at see those emotions.]

If you let that consume you, it will be a pit you can never climb out of, no matter how strong you are.

[Athena isn't wrong. How many times had Angel held her father's madness against herself? Even when he wasn't blaming her for her missteps, she was doing it herself. Her lack of control cost her her mother. Losing her mother had killed the man that her father had been. In the end, as far as she's concerned, it all comes back to her.]

[And she'd never been able to convince herself otherwise.]

[How could she even begin to describe that to Athena though? It would take hours to detail every step of what happened to her, and Angel doubts she wants to stick around for that.]

[Instead of arguing, Angel just bobs her head in agreement. Better than anything else.]

I know.

Edited 2016-08-27 06:57 (UTC)

And also remember that, in the end, the thing Jack cares about most is himself. No matter how he twists his words to make himself seem like a good man or the victim... it's all just a tool to use others.

[If Athena had been anyone else, she might have been a bit more careful about this, talking about the girl's father like she is. But the more blunt she is, the easier it will be to get her to understand. ]

Your feelings are wasted on a man like Jack.

I know.

[Angel had learned that particular truth years earlier. It's true that she's done her best to spend years denying it, but deep down, she had always known as much.

I just... I can't stop. It feels like he had to care at some point. Even if neither of us can remember.

The question was: had that part of him died along with her mother? He had proven as much, time and time again, she still can't bring herself to believe it]

If he did, he clearly doesn't anymore. At least, not in the way you want him to.

[Again, it may be a bit brutal, but she has to know. Even if she has trouble moving on - and boy, does Athena understand being unable to move on from traumatic events - she at least has to understand.]

I know. You're right... I know.

[The phrase is getting redundant by now, having left her mouth four times now. She wraps her arms around herself, turning away from the assassin once more.]

So what do I do?

Whatever you want to do. This is your life to live.

[A pause. Well... she already offered to look out for Angel, so...]

I have... a group. Friends. [friends she says as one of them is her fiancee...] If you don't want to be alone, you can come along with us.

[Angel closes her eyes, considering Athena's proposition. It isn't an unpleasant one — there's safety in numbers, for starters, and more people meant more potential friends. But the idea of being a burden on one person alone is bad enough. Slowing down a group is unheard of.

Would they be okay with that?

Of course. Janey.... she's the nicest person I've ever known. There's no way she'd disapprove.

[Janey's heart would probably break when she met Angel, honestly.]

The other person I've been traveling with is one of Jack's dopplegangers. The one that helped us on Elpis. [A pause.] He also decided to break away from Jack. I think you two would have a lot to talk about.

[Her eyes open, a quizzical eyebrow raising in the process. In her experience, the doppelgangers were nothing more than glorified Jack fans, desperate to sacrifice themselves to their precious "god." It was for that reason that she never felt particularly guilty about sacrificing one in order for her plan with the Vault Hunters to go forward.]

[But if there was a thinking one in the bunch... ]

I think I would most definitely like to meet him...

He's a good man. One that shouldn't be caught up with the likes of Jack.

[Funny how none of them have really chosen their lots in life. It's almost sad.]

He's not here now - he's back in the town we were staying at before I came here. But there's a fast-travel system on this planet, so you'll be able to meet him soon.

[Assuming she's serious about tagging along, that is.]

August-September Testo Doraivu!

TEST DRIVE MEME

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