Test Drive #5.

[powersthatbe]

Welcome to the Synodiporia Test Drive Meme! Below the cuts there are three new prompts, and here are the prompts from previous test-drives, which you’re still welcome to use in this post. When you comment, be sure you specify what prompt you want to play with, and please put up your own threadstarter - it makes for a much more friendly environment that a forest of bare toplevels! OCs are especially welcome!

Prompt #17 is set in an unknown location, probably Liminal Space, where Travelers have little except their imagination to guide them. Confusion is expected, but what would you do, if you were floating in the shadows of the night sky, surrounded by unseen strangers and animate constellations?

Prompt #18 is an example of a steampunk jaunt, either far in the game’s past or somewhere in its unknowable future. Improvising Infiltrator backstory and playing out diplomacy, intrigue, or mad science in the skies above the Takla Makan desert is greatly encouraged!

Prompt #19 is a popular Liminal Space the travelers have visited before, a look at the dream-logic and nonsensical whimsy Travelers are trapped in during their downtime - though it can also be a source of clues they desperately need, the only form of communication from the Trumps they ever get. What does it all mean? If anything.


Prompt #17: Starry Night

You are floating in a weightless, lightless space, slightly chill. In the distance, motes of light forming abstract shapes move, jerky, robotic perambulations as they circle, but the light is too dim to show anything but the phosphor-dots itself. Whenever you speak, stardust spills from your mouth, illuminating, for just a moment, the lower portion of the speaker’s face, and there are other twinkles of stardust in the distance, but the cool air feels thick, and the light does not travel far before dissipating. What do you do, here in the dark?



Prompt #18: A Zeppelin called Zeitgeist

You’re on the observation deck of a luxury zeppelin. It's a rocky ride, the craft being buffeted below by a swirling sandstorm, but perhaps of more interest to most inside are the furnishings. A steam-powered calliope plays music in the corner. The bar, an elegant contraption of brass and stained glass, is automated and coin-operated, a rube-goldbergian series of chutes and levers clicking and unlocking bottle and glass, pouring and mixing as the coins slide down through the mechanism and click the right counterweights into place. And scattered across the floor is a late gentleman of similar composition, six spiderlike telescoping arms connected to pneumatic pumps; his face a marble mask, but his tuxedo is torn and the arachno-mechanical marvel was apparently dismantled by repeated collisions with sharp objects.

Anyone who finds the scene familiar will remember that this airship, the Zeitgeist, is the Flying Cossacks' primary exploration craft, now taking one last tour over the Golden Khanate before being mothballed. A diplomatic voyage, it's been marked so far with a number of dangerous assassins striking at the envoys aboard... it's the summer of 1896, if you're an undercover agent of the Vatican (Vatican librarians being among the most fearsome and well-informed secret agents in the world); or 1314 if, like most of Europe, you're a Sufi and part of the Ummah Caliphate. Steam power rules the world, although clockwork is fast catching up. And you might be on some sort of mission yourself…



Prompt #19: The Bouncy Castle

Color is everywhere in Liminal Space. A giant moon-bounce castle dominates the landscape, surrounded by a ball-pit moat. The sky beyond is very obviously a matte painting and not a real sky; turning slowly above them, the sun and moon as tinted spotlights. Gummy fish jump and swim in the moat, and balloon animals wander the halls, gliding along the walls thanks to helium and friction.

There are a number of more remote locations - the dungeons, accessible down a slide in one corner. The gatehouse, which has floors which are entirely trampolines, with no pretense, nothing to mitigate the bounciness - and cushioned ceilings. The cistern, a dark little room in one corner which has its own deep, round pool of multicolored balls. These places, at least, are a little more private, for anyone looking for peace and quiet amidst the rainbow extravaganza.

Comments

[eyeofthetiger]

[ Prompt 17 ]

[ every wondered what a grown man would do given unlimited space and the time to do something about it? Well have no fear! The Deanster is here. Zooming across the landscape, there's a distinct wheeeeee trailing behind him and when he happens to see a stranger in his midst, he'll skid to a stop and give the stranger an eyebrow waggle. ]

Yo! What's up Doc? You new here or did ya just stop by to see me?

[ Yeah, don't ask. At least there's no piano's coming out of the sky to flatten you.

Or is there? ]

[ Prompt 19 ]

Sure, the castle was a kid's dream come true but even the adults had to take a few minutes to just enjoy the moment like Dean does as he takes a wild swing across the ceiling, clutching a balloon monstrosity known as the main hall chandelier. Dropping to the ground, a wide smile blooms across his face as he bounces half the distance back up to the ceiling. Finally gaining stable feet, he gasps and laughs at all at the same time.

"Man, do I have to get myself one of these!"

Because yes, Dean can be five years old when the opportunity presents itself. It's that or go stark raving mad and he's been that a few times too many already as it is. It kind of comes with the territory once you've been in the business of hunting demons and other things that go bump in the night for as long as Dean has.

(( ooc: note! as shown in the above, I'm cool with bracket or prose alike. Pick your poison. ))

[howexciting]

"... you can obtain one, where you come from?"

In front of Dean stands a (remarkably calm) man who appears to be out of place, wearing clothes from the Renaissance era, trying to keep his balance on the unsteady floor. But he seems to generally be rather fine with his situation all things considered, shifting his weight when necessary so Dean's bouncing doesn't knock him off his feet.

He sort of smiles as a small balloon poodle brushes against his leg on its journey elsewhere - though Leonardo's not sure any of the balloons have a destination, since they seem to be mostly floating and bouncing off walls.

"You do seem to be enjoying yourself. It's a very nice place to end up, I will admit."

17

[creatic]

[ if he were anyone else, Souji would definitely show his obvious surprise at seeing someone act like this other than... Mostly himself, he guesses. But while he is feeling caught off guard, he doesn't show it, instead folding his arms across his chest before breaking in an exasperated smile before shrugging his shoulders in reply. ]

Oh ho, we just barely met and I already feel like I'm being picked up here.

19

[maxwells_demon]

Pretty much every kid's fantasy. The moat was a good touch, at least that's what this kid was thinking while he traversed the bouncy hallways and trying to get some air. His long braid trailed behind him as he moved, doing some back flips and leap frogging over bouncy balloon obstacles--

Although, y'had to admit, the animals walking around was kinda creepy. Couldn't say he was used to that sort of thing, but this as far as he could tell, it was all benign. Some result of someone's imaginative sugar high.

It was around the time Dean proclaimed his desire to own a place like this that Duo bounced right past the door to that particular room.

He back tracked and peaked in, only to watch the guy who was easily twice his age have the time of his life.

Funny what a place like this could do to a guy. He chuckles dryly at the older man's antics, arms crossed as he leans against the door.

"Havin' fun up there?"

Prompt 19

[chiyocolate]

A

[Naru is nothing if not an adventurous little scamp, and she feels pretty damn comfortable in this particular space. The how's, when's and why's about how she got here aren't of any concern to her. Not when there's a gigantic bouncy castle just waiting to be climbed.

So yes, there's a seven year old girl clambering up the outer wall of the castle. How she's managing is probably through sheer luck more than skill, but children do have a particular way about them. If your character is around soon enough to see her still climbing, feel free to tell her to stop that farce, because when she makes it to the top - and she will, at this rate...]

B

[...she's going to be jumping right into the ball pit moat below. Maybe she hits her mark dead on, landing in a colourful explosion, or maybe she slips at the last minute and lands right on your character... in which case... sorry.

At least she isn't that big.]

whoops it's b

[tealeafs]

[ Thankfully Chizuru did not get an extra hour in the ball pit, so she isn't in there for the girl to slip on.. but even so, she can't help but feel a little worried as she sees Naru jumping in there. Sure, it's just balls and there shouldn't be anything dangerous, but what if she gets trapped under them or something..

So there's already one mother hen coming to the side of the ball pit to peer in, although Chizuru tries to cover up her concern with a small smile. ]

Having fun..?

B

[eyeofthetiger]

[ Color Dean blind because he's sure getting an eyeful of flashing panties and--oops, wrong program because Dean is summarily crushed by a little girl jumping off the tower and using him like a springboard at a pool party. Oofing, Dean just watches the world turn topsy-turvy as he slams into rubber and finds out that you can do a belly flop and still bounce six feet up in the air.

Once the world stops spinning, he gingerly separates himself from the girl and shakily gets back to his feet, glaring. ]

Dude, what's your problem? At least look before you jump!

[ Because Dean is an old man of thirty in need of some antacids after feeling his stomach attempt to throttle him. Good one, Naru. Good one indeed... ]

Prompt 19

[darkhourdear]

This is the coolest thing Phillip has ever seen.

He has no idea where he is, or what's going on, or how he got here, but it's so cool that at this particular moment he doesn't quite care. He will figure out how to get back home when he's done exploring.

He can be found in the ballpit first, and maybe 11 (nearly 12!!!) is too old to be in a ball pit, but this looks like it might be a magic ball pit or something so it's totally different. Later, he'll be bouncing around on the trampolines, only stopping when he's too exhausted to jump anymore.

[ooc: just to clear up what's going on, Phillip here is an AUPG character who is Pharos as a normal kid who's slowly regaining his OU's powers, memories, and personality traits.]

[tealeafs]

Chizuru's actually eyeing the trampolines too, honestly.. it looks a little like it'd be fun, but on the other hand, bouncy stuff like that is totally new to her - she was in the bouncy castle last time, but that level of bouncing is nothing compared to these things - and she doesn't want to do anything stupid..

But then she spots a boy jumping on them. One noticably a lot younger than her, and he seems safe and to be having the time of his life.. maybe it's okay to go ahead and try after all then?

Still, she can't help but speak up and say a word of warning to him - he's still young, so maybe he's just not aware that it could be dangerous too..

"Make sure to not jump too carelessly, okay..? It might hurt if you fall off!"

Re: Prompt 19

[fridgeninja]

Souji has set up on the edge of the ballpit-moat, using rope licorice and gummi worms (saved from the last Liminal Space before this) to fish. Two large, flopping gummi fish (a lemon-lime koi and a rainbow trout) are already on the shire beside him, and he looks placid, unphased, as if everything about this is perfectly normal. Souji's always adapted well, and he has enough experience as a Traveler that this doesn't qualify even a raised eyebrow on his part - until someone splashes through the balls nearby enough to scare away the fish.

[eyeofthetiger]

Too old to be in a ballpit, huh? Tell that to Dean who's happily doing a cannonball into the moat at this very moment. A Dean is very much so a thirty year old man and not ashamed to admit he's still a kid at heart.

If he ever was a kid that is.

Surfacing for air, Dean grins and starts sloshing back towards shore. Casting a glance towards the other person in the pit with him, he flashes a smile. "C'mon, kid. You've got to try it! If you ask me, it's the best damn thing since man made the gummy worm."

Prompt 19

[piza_lord]

[Harry stands, bouncing slightly, in the middle of the foyer of the bouncy castle]

Why am I standing in a bouncy castle.....

[One of the floating balloon animals bumps into his head and stays]

And now I'm being humped by a balloon poodle. I hate Liminal Space.

[He swats at the balloon but it stays there]

Why am I here?!

Because we already discussed this, doing prompt 18 instead!

[howexciting]

[The Zeitgeist is perhaps one of the best things Leonardo could be placed in - or the worst, depending on how you feel about a Renaissance artist geeking out over every possible inch of the ship. He's been examining the steering systems, the strange material the hull appears to be made of, the scenery below them when he's feeling a little braver and the sandstorm isn't completely ruining the view.

Everything.

Including the bar, where Leonardo has placed a few coins he found scattered on deck into the machine, and watched the bottles whirl around in their tubes before it all comes together in the glass that has been set under the chutes, pouring exact perfect amounts. He's set the three drinks he's bought already in front of him, and is about to insert another coin when he spots the familiar man in a duster standing nearby.]

Ah, Harry! Hello again! Come, sit with me amico.

[He pats the plush barstool seat next to him, beaming one of his usual bright smiles.]

This machine is simply fascinating. I think I mostly have it figured out... it is ingenious. They use the coins you put into it as counter weights for the mechanisms... it is very elegant in its design, very practically put together too!

[shantiprayer]

"Because the Trumps have a bad sense of humor."

There was a teenaged girl standing in the doorway giving him a sympathetic smile. She seemed pretty normal, except for a tattoo-like mark on her face.

"Hello. My name is Sera."

[conjecture_this]

[ Prompt 19 ]
[A]
It takes Nagi a bit to just honestly understand what she's looking at. The fact that it's a castle is certain but it's... not. Not exactly a castle. It looks a great deal like one but with the amount of colors going on everywhere and the fact that this castle looks quite bouncy...

[B]
Given the gatehouse is nearby, it's the first thing Nagi checks. She's looking for someone -- honestly anyone -- in this brilliantly colored landscape who can tell her just what's wrong with the big brightly-colored castle outside.

And then the floor just sort of bows underneath her with her first step. In a quick panic she tries to backstep and just ends up bouncing herself straight onto her behind.

Not that that stops the bouncing, of course. "Ah!"

[howexciting]

"Need some assistance?"

A man in very outdated garb (and... remarkably colorful garb, at that, since his hat and cape are both bright red) slowly makes his way over with a few soft steps, trying very hard not to jostle the floor beneath either of them a little too much. He holds out his hand to her with a soft smile.

"Here, let me help you, madonna."

... should I assume they're acquainted, or first meeting?

[fridgeninja]

On her next rebound up, a black-clad arm reaches out to snag hers, pulling her to her feet unsteadily, and more or less into her would-be rescuer, who has one arm looped around the bars in the nearest window (which seem to be pool noodles).

A

[capital_asset]

"I think it's meant to be a joke of some sort."

[backwordscompatible]

Prompt 17: Starry Night

[Her boredom was bored.]

[Granted, it was kind of pretty. The occasional twinkle of stardust(?) in an otherwise perpetual darkness. Like fireflies. Except, whenever she reached out with one hand to touch it, it burst into a million dandelion-like petals of light. But the novelty wore off after the third of fourth time--she'd already lost count--and even the weightlessness got old pretty fast.]

[After all, it wasn't like she couldn't normally fly. When she...you know...actually had somewhere to fly to.]

This isn't some sort of Peter Pan reference, is it? [More stardust seemed to fly from her mouth, illuminating every word.] Because, I have to say...that whole Second Star to the Right business? Not that helpful.


Prompt 19: The Bouncy Castle

[If anyone asked, she simply got lost on her way to Neverland. Blame the directions.]

[Laughter escaped the fourteen-year-old as she sat cross-legged on the floor, which was lightly bouncing from the movement of the giant balloon animals occasionally strolling by. Her hair was a lost cause, the ends sticking up from residual static electricity. Not that she seemed to mind all that much, as the majority of her focus was on the two plastic balls in her hand. She'd "liberated" them from the ball pit earlier, and was currently juggling the pair of them one-handed. One of the many sleight-of-hand tricks her father had taught her as a little girl.]

So many jokes.

Such an air-headed audience.

[A small balloon dog bounced on by, barking on cue.]

You said it, boy. ... or girl?

19

[turbedon]

[Dick just snickers next to her, a balloon poodle bouncing across his lap as he tries to catch one of the balls Zatanna's juggling.]

Hard to tell gender with balloons.

Prompt 17

[twitchery]

[The ever-present inky blackness of the liminal sp-]

Excalibur?

[-...space is disrupted by the sounds of-]

Elfire!

[...sounds of Owain. No, that doesn't get a verb attached to it because it's less Owain speaking and more an occupational hazard of being Owain. (And no, fire didn't magically appear out of nowhere. He is very disappointed.)]

My sword hand twitches...huh.

[Where is a mirror when you need it. It's hard to judge stardust spillage without one.]

[flatteries]

[ At least it's not just Owain trying to be a nerd by himself in the middle of the darkness.. you can try to hide in the darkness, but your nerdiness shines bright, Owain. Everyone can see.

So there's a second voice speaking up, sounding not all too amused - or maybe just a little exasperated, because really, Owain? Really? ]

Did you just really attempt to use magic? [ TRY RECLASSING FIRST, BRO. ]

I doubt a sword is going to do anything about the lack of light in this place.

[ Even when it's Owain's.. sparkly sword of legend or whatever it is he's obsessed with this week. Inigo Knows, man, he's used to this. ]

[maxwells_demon]

[Prompt 17]

He was new to this whole alternate universe in between space thing, but he moved like he's been doing it for years. He was used to the feeling of Zero G, having grown up in space, but weird that he seemed not to have a goal in mind.

What were you supposed to do anyway? Aside from look astounded, or get distracted by the ambiance.

He stopped suddenly, looking around before spotting someone in the distance.

"Hm? Hey!"

Duo made his way closer, just to check to see if it was a friend or foe. Honestly? The whole floating about in this crazy space was starting to get to him. Having some company? That'll probably help.

[knightceties]

The quiet and solitude of space was a new sensation to Ace. He'd have been grateful for the echo of the solitude he remembered from his home travels, but he found the endless starfield to be rather unsettling, rather than awe-inspiring. Swooping around and puffing clouds of stardust around him had long lost its appeal. Being alone with his thoughts didn't hold any appeal at all.

Thus, Ace definitely perked up when he heard the voice echoing at him across space. Friend or foe, it was bound to be something interesting. He barely pauses before returning shout with one of his own, plus an enthusiastic wave of his arm.

"Over here!"

[shiroganeheir]

18: Naoto is sitting on a couch to one side of the room, legs crossed, and sipping some sort of drink quietly. She is wearing an extremely snappy blue suit, tie, and has a thoughtful look on her face. Sharp eyes would note a sidearm underneath the jacket of her coat.

To those who do not know her, it simply seems like there is an extremely bored noble young man on a sofa people watching.

To those who know her, it is obvious that she is watching everyone carefully and waiting for something, either some one or some happening. The Detective Prince is on the case.

19: Naoto Shirogane is too old for bouncy castles. Or at least that's what she keeps trying to tell herself. There are things that she needs to do, but she keeps getting distracted by the fact that the chair she is sitting in bounces.

Every so often, she'll bounce a bit, giggle, and then mentally smack herself, going back to the book. It's a rare moment of true excitement.

18

[fridgeninja]

Souji, when he comes into the room, is almost unrecognizable in a red and black jobok and a black gat, eyes obscured by chromed goggles with something inside them constantly whirring and ticking, Once inside, ignoring the company, he moves almost at once to the disabled automaton, kneeling by its side (a motion which implicitly reveals the number of hidden weapons under his robes by the way the fabric shifts) and examining it with a physician's care.

Since arriving on the zeppelin, he hasn't exactly been himself - in fact, he's specifically been someone else, a familiar echo at best, as Prince Yi Narukami of Joseon.

[knightceties]

Prompt 17

[Ah, space. Peace, cold, solitude...]

AhhhhhHHHHHHH--

[...and some dude in a red coat falling helplessly. Somehow. Careful he doesn't hit you!]

Prompt 18 (1896)

[It's an eclectic crowd gathered around the body -- Zeigeist staff, some of the (many, many) guards, and of course various dignitaries and other unfortunates who were dragged into seeing the Zeitgeist off to the scrapyard. Among the crowd is a tall broad-shouldered fellow, one of the military officers attached to some diplomat's retinue. He seems relaxed, despite the heat and his stiff formal uniform. Almost too relaxed, considering the circumstances. ]

What a problem...

Prompt 19

[Squatting by the moat with his coat off and sleeves rolled up, Ace is trying to catch one of the gummy fish in his hands. Anything to pass the time between Jaunts, right?

When a particularly foolhardy yellow fish decides to take a leap near him, his hands dart out with supernatural speed in an attempt to snare it--but the fish juuuuust manages to wriggle out of his grasp and is quickly lost among its fellows]

HAH!!! No, wait. Almost!

19

[brainiac5]

[Brainy is close behind, floating with the aid of his flight ring behind this red coated fellow.

He scans one of the leaping fish, in an effort to determine if they are as edible as the 21st century snack food. Personally? He finds the concept of grinding leftover bones and tissue to produce gelatin somewhat barbaric.]

Interesting. These must be animated by a powerful psychokinetic force.

[brainiac5]

[Brainiac 5 did not understand the purpose of this massive inflated castle. It wasn't sufficient for long term shelter and the odd movement of the balloon creatures troubled him; what could have the power to animate these things? Aside from Zyxx and his so called magic.

He chooses instead to float with the aid of his flight ring, looking out a bouncy castle window and gaze at the equally strange explosion of color outside off the castle structure.]

[maxwells_demon]

[What a rush. A bouncy castle? So what if it was childish, it was a great distraction from the thought's he's been having lately regarding his own world and how he's going to deal with the situation as of now. But really, right now? All that was set aside for some good ole fashioned kid stuff.

His version though had a bit of bouncy parkour mixed in.

Think you can keep up?]