ohmyarceus | NOVEMBER - DECEMBER TEST DRIVE MEME

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NOVEMBER - DECEMBER TEST DRIVE MEME

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Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Of course? [Claude tilts his head a bit.] I mean, given how bitter and fatalistic he is right now, I guess it makes a sort of sense...but this place is so completely unlike any ideas of the afterlife I've ever heard that I thought it was pretty baffling for him to get that idea. But you know how he thinks better than I would, I guess, so maybe it makes more sense to you.

[At Felix's question...Claude looks thoughtful.] I honestly don't know. Personally, I'm not even sure if we're actually from different points in time, or if it's more like...the rest of you have lost some selective memories? I mean, I've got no evidence to back up the lost memory theory, but there's no way to be sure we're actually from different times, either. Although since people here seem to come from all sorts of different worlds...then maybe people arriving from different times isn't that strange, either.

[He shakes his head slightly.] Anyway...as to whether we can change the past with what we do here, I don't know. I guess it depends on whether things that happen here, or the memories of them, carry over when we go back home. I was wondering about that a little already - for the people who've been here for years, if they went home, would they be that much older at home, too? Or does time not pass for them, either? If someone lost an eye here, would they have one eye when they went home or two?

How much our time here affects us when we go back is something I haven't had the chance to investigate enough yet...or, rather, I've had so many things to look into that I haven't gotten to that specific thing yet. I suppose if we could get Dimitri stable here, and he went back home...whether or not he'd be stable when he got there would depend on whether this place can permanently change you in a way that persists even when you return to your own world. But if time passing here doesn't affect time passing back home...I think that means we can't just assume that things happening here means they'll have happened at home, too. It's not a one-to-one correlation.

[Felix doesn't interrupt Dimitri's silence. He glances elsewhere, trying to come to terms with the unnerving feeling of having stepped back in time; trying not to feel as though the Dimitri who led them to victory in Fhirdiad is gone. And still...is it not a grave disservice to this Dimitri to think of him as 'lesser,' somehow?

He lets Dimitri's voice distract him from that kind of useless thinking, though he's...skeptical.]

No war? I find that hard to believe. [But his skepticism fades into interest, the more he thinks about it.] They spar, huh? I seem to remember finding a book in that room where I woke up that talked about trainers. I presume that's us? We train them to fight?

[Yes, this certainly has Felix's attention. He startles a little at the sudden display of fire magic, half-sinking into a defensive stance on instinct alone until his brain catches up.]

...I see. If this one has an affinity, I don't know what it is. Other than a penchant for petty thievery.

[He glances over to where the cat lounges, perched on his shoulder.] Well? [The cat holds up one paw and extends her claws; he could swear she's smiling. She regards them for a moment, then sheathes them again and turns to give Felix the most innocent of looks. He looks back at her, unimpressed.]

And? You're a cat. Cats have claws. That doesn't tell me anything.

[It sinks in slowly. Felix frowns, slightly alarmed.]

...Sylvain...that makes no sense. We just liberated the city yesterday. You were obviously there. How could it have been years?

[Felix shakes his head.] It has nothing to do with whether or not it matches the scriptures. He's not thinking logically. Frankly, I don't think he's ever thought logically, even before Duscur. [It doesn't sound like an insult; it actually sounds the slightest bit...nostalgic? But then his voice turns pained.] He's always let his emotions rule him. That's why, at his worst, he's a beast.

[He sits through the explanation and Claude's somewhat wandering train of thought with increasing impatience. He remembers now--Claude always loved the sound of his own voice.]

...a simple 'I don't know' would have sufficed.

I mean, he hasn't always. He was pretty wildly different back at the academy than he is now. He told me he was always after revenge since the Tragedy happened, and that he's always been like the guy he is right now, but...c'mon, that's demonstrably untrue. Whatever darker impulses he had back then, they were at the very least way more balanced out with his better nature before. This is a whole other level of...whatever you want to call it.

[He rolls his eyes with good-natured exasperation at Felix's rebuke.] You can't ask me about what plans I've made and what I think might be possible and then get all grumpy with me when I think out loud about it, Felix, honestly. What, you want me to figure this stuff out, but you want me to do it really quietly somewhere by myself and only bother you when I have a whole solution neatly wrapped up in a bow to give to you? So entitled.

Edited 2020-12-05 08:36 (UTC)

A couple of things, huh...? So it sounds like I don't exactly have a fortune on my hands here.

How do people go about getting more money around here?

[Felix narrows his eyes at Claude's image on the screen.] Just because you didn't see it, doesn't mean it wasn't there. He just hid it better then. Did he ever tell you about the rebellion we put down, before the academy? Ask him sometime. Ask him how in touch with his 'better nature' he was during that battle.

[He can tell he's getting...heated, and he shakes his head, glancing elsewhere.] I'm not saying nothing's changed. Just don't let your rose-colored memories of the academy fool you. He wasn't as different as you think.

[He folds his arms, fixing Claude with a blunt look.] Yes, actually. Do that.

I never said it wasn't there, did I? [Claude shrugs.] If he says it was a facet of him back then - which he told me without me needing to ask about any old campaigns, by the way - then I don't have any reason not to believe him. But that wasn't the only facet of him back then, was it? Not like how it's pretty much taken him over now.

That said, I'm not sure I'd say he was hiding it back then. That seems to suggest that he was trying to...I don't know, trick people or something. First of all, as a practiced liar, I can say that who Dimitri was back at the academy wasn't fake. I don't think he could pull the wool over my eyes that well. Maybe the darker parts didn't get seen much, but...I think that was more a lack of reason for them to come out than because he was deliberately hiding or faking anything.

The Dimitri I saw back then was a genuinely good and earnest guy who wanted to do good things. Maybe all the more desperately than I realized, if he felt like a monster for the darker parts of him that didn't come out much. He certainly thinks it makes him a monster now...and that he always was one. Which doesn't seem to be too different from what you're saying. I can't say I see how that kind of thinking is going to do him any good, though.

Everybody's got their dark sides...and yeah, obviously some are darker than others. But his good side was - is - just as real. This idea that it was just some kind of...mask over the real him, that he was hiding his true nature, or that the good parts of him somehow mean less than the worst parts...that's pretty awful, honestly. It's all equally him.

And until he accepts that, of course he's going to keep embracing the darkest parts of himself. Those parts of him are the 'real' him, after all. Not only would it be dishonest to aspire to better, but he can't actually be better, because his true nature is horrible. But if he accepts the good is as real as the bad...then maybe he's not perfect, but he's not a dyed-in-the-wool beast, either. He's a man who can choose what parts of himself to lean into, just like anyone else.

[Sylvain is quiet for a long moment, not quite able (or perhaps simply unwilling) to meet Felix's gaze. He should be relieved, Fhirdiad was free, and they'd both lived to tell the tale. But he hadn't been there to fight by Felix's side. Or at least, he didn't remember being there. It was disturbing to think that he couldn't recall either doing everything in his power to prevent them from keeping their promise, or being there to honor said promise if they had failed.

It stung.

When he finally lifts his gaze, he does so with a forced smile. He knows full well that it doesn't reach his eyes.]

You are not the first person to tell me I have no idea what's going on. Just like old times, right?

Unfortunately for Beau's desire to avoid any more noise, if there's one thing Jules is good at, it's screaming his head off when someone's jumping up to hit him in the face. At least it briefly stops once the hit connects? Have fun trying to drag this too-tall, too-lanky individual inside.

"SCRAAAAAAA!" Rust doesn't know what to do, so she presses her hands to the sides of her head and yells at the top of her lungs, much as Jules has taught her to do, and...wait. The humans are fighting? The humans are fighting! "Scraft! Crafty! Scraft, scrafty!" Jules, quick, use Double Kick! She is trying her best to help.

[There's no reason for war in the afterlife...]

[...is what Dimitri would say if Felix wouldn't snap at him to knock it off again. Besides, that he'd say something like Dimitri moving on from his - "obsession" with the dead is...]

[Dimitri pauses, adjusting something underneath his cloak. Using his full backpack alongside his cloak has proven to be troublesome, so he's made a small change in that. There are fortunately plenty of places that sell packs to be slung over one's shoulder, or attached to a belt. There's where he's taken to storing his Pokegear, when he isn't letting his Rattata play with it.]

They know how to fight from the moment we meet... Although that does not necessarily mean they are good at it. Some require more assistance than others. A trainer is meant to act - like their commanding officer.

[It's the closest comparison Dimitri can think of, before he finally pulls out his Pokegear with the typical delicate care Dimitri handles most things. Biting down on his lip, he carefully points the Pokgear at the Purrloin and presses down the button for the Pokedex. A calm, stiff voice suddenly speaks from it.]

Purrloin, the Devious Pokemon. Type: Dark. Opponents that get drawn in by its adorable behavior come away with stinging scratches from its claws and stinging pride from its laughter. It steals things from people just to amuse itself with their frustration. A rivalry exists between this Pokémon and Nickit.

((Ah, I should mention that despite the icons, Kabbu's definitely a human in these prompts! I still need to draw his human icons. Whoo!))

1. Action Post: Route 29
[After Kabbu gained his surroundings and was no longer freaking out that he wasn’t a beetle anymore, he figured he’d owe it to his newest teammate, er, teammates, a brief course in fighting. It appears he started this journey with a Falinks.]

We’re not so different, you all see? Why, we all have horns!

[He points to each of the Falinks’ horns on the top of their heads, then motioned back to his own...helmet.]

Well, I did have a horn. …

[Nope, nope, he wasn’t going to freak out again. Not in front of his new friend(s). Focus, Kabbu.]

If this place is anything like my home, then in order to get stronger, we must fight! Now, what is a good first target…?

[As if on cue, a Hoothoot appears! Something about it seems familiar, and not in a good way…well, anyway.

Being the well read type he is, he’s already read through the Trainer handbook. He knows that his new partner can be the only one to attack this new threat - although there still is that part of him that wishes he can also help fight. Looks like for now, he must coach.]

Now’s our chance, Team New Bark! Strike our foe with your mighty horns!

[And Falinks marches on ahead, towards the Hoothoot! Wow, look at them go!

...wow they sure are taking their sweet time. Not that Kabbu seems to care, though, he’s still pumped.]

You can do it, Team!!

2. Network Post

[The video opens up to a man in a very...interesting getup. He kind of looks like a superhero, with an intimidating green helmet with a horn sticking out. Wha...?]

This is fascinating...oh, if only Neo were here, he'd have a field day with figuring this device out - ah!!

[Aaaand now he's looking directly at the camera, looking a little embarassed.]

Oh! My apologies! I didn't mean to turn this on. Uh...hello, fellow trainers! I am new here, although I did not come here on my own free will. I would usually ask if anyone needs any assistance, but it appears that the only one that needs assistance here is myself! Hah! ...hah.

[A pause. Then, a chirp from a Pokemon below the camera shakes him back into focus.]

Oh, that's right! While I'm on here, I should ask if anyone here has seen my teammates. I'm assuming that they might have taken different forms too, like myself. There's Vi, she usually carries around a boomerang, and there's Leif, who can harness the power of ice.

Please let me know if you see them! Thank you in advance!

C. Wildcard

[Go crazy go nuuuuuuuuuts.]

[Claude's body language changes as well, making Jaskier smile widely. If the guy is only opening up to this casual chat (friendship?) they've started or there's an actual chance of flirting here, it's too soon to tell, but Jaskier is nothing but determined to find out.]

You may've taken my metaphor a little too literally - the bag of coin is there to represent, as you said, greedy grabs. It may be gold, it may be power, it may be the hand of a virgin maiden. [He winks then.] The possibilities are endless - but it seems you do follow me. Plotters indeed! Although they aren't something we have to worry about in this realm, as far as I know. Not kings around, or monarchs of any kind, from what I heard. It's very peculiar. [A word he's already used, but he can't help repeating even if it goes against his poet instincts. It's the best description he has for these differences he notices.

No dressing up, huh? Interesting. Jaskier nods.] Claude shall it be, then.

[Sturm is indeed a cool name, Dahlia agrees. She's glad the Toxel has finally gotten a name at all - from what she understood of this human conversation, Sturm's trainer took too long to decide on something so important! Geez, he has her sympathies.

Jaskier lets out a little aww when Sturm leans into the touch. Cute!] Oh, absolutely! There is no negative meaning behind it here at all. And that means at least half of my songs have lost all meaning in this realm! Monster hunters aren't precisely heroes they celebrate. I have some serious composing to do to bring my repertoire back to its standard variety.

[He doesn't mind singing love songs -he loves it actually- but a bard must cover all topics!]

Like a commanding officer, huh? [Felix considers this. He prefers to fight alone and never did develop any skill or inclination for leading battalions, but that was when he himself was part of the battle. Training his...pet to fight for him, to compete with others? That, he thinks he can get behind.

He blinks at Dimitri's device. Does his do that, too?] Purr...loin. That joke is so bad I would have expected you to laugh at it. And I have no idea what it means that she apparently has an affinity for...the dark? Guess I'll find out.

[And the idea of a rivalry is, he has to admit, intriguing. Maybe there's a reason this particular cat took a liking to him, after all. Despite her less than helpful behavior otherwise. He gives her an evaluative look, nodding in approval.] It sounds like she'll do whatever it takes to win. I respect that.

Network

[The feed turns on to show the young woman dressed in red robes for the moment, still in New Bark Town. A Litleo sniffing around curiously in the background for the moment.]

So this thing is... Recording me...?

[There's some nose scrunching at the thought, not entirely understanding it. But, alas, she'll just be confused.]

Hm... My name is Wen Qing. What exactly... Is going on here...?

[She's nowhere near Carp Tower like she was before, her brother is nowhere to be seen, and she has a weird cat that's tripped over her paws before going to push against her for pets.]

Goldenrod City

Goldenrod was huge. She wasn't sure what to make of it. The technology, especially. She was just trying to get used to everything. The shopping center, included.

Come up to her and talk! Or bug her. Whatever you may wish to do.

Wildcard!

[[ ooc ; Come at me with whatever you so wish! If you wanna, hit me up at

mellzyvee! I'll also match whatever format you wanna use \o/ ]]

[The longer it takes for Sylvain to respond, the more unsettled Felix becomes. He just gave the man good news. So what's the matter with him?]

No, it's not. [That false smile...Felix hates it. Has always hated it.] And if anyone has no idea what's going on, it's me. We already established that. This is just one more in a heap of things that don't make any sense. So wipe that stupid fake grin off your face so we can figure out what to do about it.

...The adult of this particular species of pig is called an Emboar.

[Dimitri is now well acquainted with just how much pun is happening in this place. It just.. never truly occurred to him to think on that much. Huh.]

[Dimitri is kept from spacing out on that particular train of thought as he watches Felix interact with his cat. Faintly, in the back of his head, he'd always known that Felix would likely adjust well to a place like this, war back in Fodlan aside. It's the kind of thing he always felt his old friend would like: new challenges at every step, all with the intent to get better.]

[The only thing that's really missing are easily available swords, honestly.]

...Sylvain is in the town that comes after this. A three days journey.

[It's a slightly belated answer, but, well. Sometimes Dimitri's mind does this, now. At least now it's just simple shock instead of not sleeping.]

[Leave it to Felix to see right through him. The smile fades, leaving Sylvain to simply meet his companion's gaze with a somber sort of look. He can't put what he's feeling into words. Even if he could, he knows how foolish it would sound out loud.

So he swallows it down, same as he had every other mess in his life.]

I hate to break it to you, but there really isn't anything to do about it. [He looks down to the ground, toeing it deliberately with his boot.] If there was a feasible way back, I would have heard about it by now.

[He shrugs once.]

Best thing I can recommend is following me back. Kind of a long walk, like stupid long, I mean. But -- [He pauses a moment, brow furrowing. In this distant future, where Fhirdiad was liberated, did Felix still loathe their prince?]

Dimitri and Claude will be there. Feels like it might be better to remain as a group, right?

If you want to buy food then don't spend it all on remedies. Simple, really.

You get jobs. Though... My partner has been doing most of the heavy lifting, if I'm honest.

[Felix has...mixed feelings about this. It all just ends up coming out as incredulity.]

Not only is that another awful joke, but you're seriously telling me that your fighting pet...is a boar?

[He shakes his head. This is all ridiculous, all of it. But somehow, despite everything, having Dimitri here makes it all seem more real. Less overwhelming. At the mention of Sylvain, he has to take a second or two to remember what Dimitri is responding to.]

Good. Then let's go meet up with him. But if he makes even one joke about me and cats, I swear I'll kill him.

[Felix stares at him.] So we're stuck here. ...wait, Dimitri is here, too? [Not 'the boar,' but 'Dimitri.' A good sign...probably. He's not sure what to say about Claude also being here, so he doesn't bother.]

Then why did you come all the way here? I told you I should have come to you. [A pause, and Felix's expression turns wary.] Wait. If you don't remember anything about liberating Fhirdiad, does that mean Dimitri doesn't either? What does he remember, exactly?

[There are a lot of questions that come, and Sylvain remains silent until Felix is done. In some ways, he's almost glad that there's so much. He can easily dodge the question. as to why he came all this way. It's a stupid answer anyway -- he knows Felix will just laugh.]

I couldn't tell you what he does and does not remember. [It had quickly been made obvious that it wasn't going to be an easy conversation. Not considering Dimitri's obsession.]

He believes we are all dead. Not sure how that would be possible considering all of the scattered memories we seem to have between us.

[Felix drags his hands down his face.] Quit lecturing me, Riegan, I'm not in the mood. ...that's what he said, too, when I asked. That both faces are the real him. That was after he started acting like a human being again, though. I didn't understand how that could be true, but...hmph.

I hate to say this, because it'll go right to your head, but you're right. About some of that. But it is true that he's let his emotions get the better of him ever since we were children. That's why some people have always thought he was too soft to rule. He thinks with his heart, regardless of whether it's bleeding for the living or the dead.

[He shakes his head, and his tone goes sour.] But since you've apparently got him all figured out already, I don't see what you need me for.

He said that? [Claude looks surprised and pleased by this revelation. He knew the Dimitri he'd entrusted Fodlan to had recovered significantly and regained his stability by the time Claude had left him at Derdriu, but he never found out exactly why or how that happened, and he hadn't had the luxury to pry too much at his mental state. But it's genuinely relieving to hear that Dimitri breaking through his current funk apparently comes with a side of, if not necessarily taking Claude's advice - he certainly hadn't had it at his disposal the first time - then at least coming to the same conclusions on his own.

Claude genuinely does think Dimitri needs to accept those ideas to reach that point at all.]

That said, it's Dimitri who needs you. I don't know if he'll listen to you any more than he will to me, but having his closest friends with him will be good for him no matter what pit he's wallowing in. And I like him a lot, but I don't think he'd consider me a *close* anything. Right now he mostly considers me a nuisance. I can't offer him comfort or support just by being by his side...but you and Sylvain definitely can.

Ugh...of course he thinks we're dead. I don't know why I bothered to ask.

[He shakes his head, putting Dimitri out of his mind. What's important for now is that Sylvain is here.] Whatever. Let's get going. You can tell me about this sword creature you said you found. And help me figure out a name for this gremlin. [He picks up the cat and looks her in the eye.] This is Sylvain. Behave yourself and don't steal his things. Unless he starts acting like a fool, then be my guest.

[He smirks at Sylvain and lets the cat climb up to ride on his shoulder.] Did you end up with a weird pet, too?

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 15 of 29

NOVEMBER - DECEMBER TEST DRIVE MEME

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Kabbu | Bug Fables | OTA

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Would you believe I legit didn't recall Dimitri said that in canon

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