modmachine: (Default)
Hᴇx - ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴅ ᴍᴀᴄʜɪɴᴇ ([personal profile] modmachine) wrote in [community profile] worldofmemeness2016-09-30 05:31 pm
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TEST DRIVE 01

Welcome to the first Test Drive for Hex! Unlike most test drives, the scenarios included here also feature things that you can investigate with mod interaction. If at any point in your test thread, your character(s) want to investigate something further, please put a "HEY MODS" in your subject line to make it easy to find.

Don't feel limited to the scenarios presented - make up your own prompts as much as you want!

Reserves will open on the 7th and Applications on the 15th.


In a grassy square in the Central District, wedged in between dorm halls, there is a tree. Far wider than it is tall, its leaves are just beginning to turn from yellow to orange, with a few green stragglers near the top and a growing carpet on the grass beneath it. At one end of the tree's reach, there is a picnic table, the sort with benches built in to either side.

Anywhere under the boughs, a distinct ticking, like the sound of a clock, can be heard. Moving about makes it clear that the sound is loudest nearest the trunk. Numerous small gears stick out of twists between branches, though they do not appear to move to the naked eye.

Someone has hung a string of orange lights in the branches for Halloween, along with some cotton spiderweb. No matter how closely you look, there doesn't seem to be an end where the lights plug in to anything. Otherwise, there is nothing unusual about the decorations.

In the center of the table, half-covered by leaves, there is an iron plaque that has not been particularly well-treated for rust. Some of the writing on it is almost legible. It is chill to the touch. Someone's carved their initials and a date into the end of one bench -


Abandoned vehicles are by no means an unusual sight in the Sixth District. Abandoned buses are slightly more unusual. This particular bus has boarded up windows, a black light string hanging over the windshield, and the words HAUNTED HOUSE written along the side, where the old inoffensive public-transit advertisements have been painted over. The front door serves as the entrance; the back leads into the wrecking yard and the haunted "house" proper.

A girl in her late teens in slightly unsettling gothic lolita sits in a cheap folding chair around the front of the bus. She doesn't charge admission, though there is a candy bowl labeled for Donations on the card table next to her with a few bills and some change in it, in the center of a group of candles that burn in skull holders. She reminds everyone who passes her to please not touch the actors or props inside. Occasionally, mist from a smoke machine on the other side of the wooden fence billows around her ankles, almost seeming to form caressing fingers running down her legs.

Across the street from her, two men sit in a beaten up old pickup truck, the much taller man smoking cigarettes with the windows open. The shorter man fidgets almost uncontrollably, constantly glancing in the direction of the girl and her bus. Their voices aren't loud enough to hear distinctly from the haunted house side of the street, but the woman at the bus entrance shoots them occasional looks none-the-less, alternating between pleased smiles and blank stares. Painted along the sides of the truckbed, in much dirtier letters than those of the haunted house, is the phrase NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH.


In a bar downtown, it's not much different from any other night of clubbing, except that everyone is wearing masks. Ranging from the elegant custom work of a nearby boutique (conveniently open even after sundown tonight, if you need to pick one up) to cheap colored paper held on with elastic handed out at the door of the bar, masks are the must-have accessory tonight. Indeed, many of the parties won't let you in if you don't have one.

Those paying careful attention might notice little dots of red on the necks of some of the partiers, especially those who seem a bit pale and have called off drinking for the night. Aside from that, though, it doesn't seem like anyone's really getting hurt; it's just a fun time for everyone. Except for the poor guy who made the mistake of wearing an owl mask and yellow contacts, anyway.

Just within hearing range of the beating bass of the clubs, a young woman in a red jacket holds a mask in her hands, turning it over and sometimes holding it to her face to look at in a window reflection. The long face of it calls to mind some kind of black dog, perhaps a Doberman or German Shepherd. She isn't dressed at all for an evening at the clubs, and has a canvas bag slung over her shoulder with the shape of heavy books straining the fabric at the bottom.


Not everyone seems to be getting into the spirit. A playground near the center of the city has precious few decorations - save for a spiderweb on one of the swingsets that seems to be natural, not man-made. A pumpkin or two have been left near the edges, but they're all smashed, the orange guts running along in a streak that seems to blend into a thin line surrounding the entire perimeter.

The see-saw looks like the board's been freshly painted, but otherwise all of the equipment looks almost lonely and old. The rust on the metal stains everything an orange-red, and the slide in particular seems the worst hit. Still, everything is at least standing, and those who attempt to play on it will find it sturdy and warm in the cool night.

... Except for the merry go round. That one seems to be bent, as if someone very heavy sat on the edge. It still turns, but it wobbles dramatically, with horrible squeaking noises. Still, it's usable, for anyone who would like to play.

runs: (cat: ttly cat behaviour)

[personal profile] runs 2016-10-26 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Then you can pick that one.

It'll just mean that she won't stop asking. Or following him, probably, because he has piqued her interest now and she has no work to do here, or anything else.
chalicejoker: (Bored)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2016-10-27 12:49 am (UTC)(link)
He's investigating the tree, all right, and he definitely seems to be the only one around. Just an average human investigating this decidedly less-than-average tree.

But unlike most humans...he looks up into the tree. Far up.
chalicejoker: (Standard Expression)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2016-10-27 12:56 am (UTC)(link)
"Alright, then." Hajime nods. "And if you do tell...I'll know." He's just going to let that ominously hang.
crazycatvampire: (thinking)

[personal profile] crazycatvampire 2016-10-27 07:10 am (UTC)(link)
At that counter-question, Corwin hesitates for a long moment, trying to work out what to say. It's not really in him to lie, but he doesn't want to upset anyone, either, nor does he want to be dismantled before he gets the chance to join those which he would have to lie to claim to be a part of.

The hesitation, really, is probably answer enough....
onecatmore: (Default)

[personal profile] onecatmore 2016-10-27 08:18 am (UTC)(link)
"...There is no need to fear me."

She doubts that that is the issue here, but still feels the need to say it. He seems so... fragile, not physically, but - like a child, in a way. A child caught in an adult's body, with a grandfather's thoughts.

She doesn't reach out to lay a hand on his arm, but only because she stops herself from it.

"There is nobody whom I would want to tell, and I am not in the habit of trying to ...end what doesn't try to end me." She lets the last words hang, reassurance and threat at once.
movingon: (Default)

[personal profile] movingon 2016-10-27 08:42 am (UTC)(link)
And there goes the advantage of surprise.

She curses herself inwardly and moves quickly, abandoning her coat which will only hinder her in one swift, practised motion. It might be even more apparent that she is far from human this way, but the 8" tall bat ears were already out and visible before that and she's not planning on letting him escape alive, anyway.

Hajime will see something out of a human's nightmares quickly descend on him through the branches, using a mix of gravity and agility to get down in a quickly and controlled manner, head first. The darkness hides anything but her silhouette, but the bat ears of a bat sit on an oddly formed head, with no nose and the whole of her lower face protruding slightly instead. No hair is visible on her head, but even in the dark it can be noticed that her whole body is covered by thick fur. Her silhouette reveals her abnormally formed hands that end in long and sharp talons, her long and oddly shaped feet, bat wings and a cat tail, all of which is moving naturally to aid and not hinder her descent.
runs: (cat: hunter baby)

[personal profile] runs 2016-10-27 08:45 am (UTC)(link)
I never break my word.

She sounds as offended as she feels at this. Breaking your word just makes you look unreliable and while she can't get jobs by herself yet, she'd rather establish a good name where she can.

Well, she probably should amend. Unless the other person breaks theirs first. But that is neither here nor there, in her opinion. If someone double-crosses you, it is only in your right to do the same to them and serve the dish with some retribution on top.
chalicejoker: (Chalice)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2016-10-28 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
Hajime does not immediately know what has just jumped out of the tree, save that it is attacking. He's faster than a normal human would be, much faster.

And because it's not in his nature simply to run away from a fight, he reaches for some of his power, goes for the partial demonic transformation he'd managed to achieve. He looks like a human suddenly calling insectoid armor into existence, which isn't too much of a stretch given the nature of the way he's tweaking reality to meet his needs. He's going to guard for now, because what even is happening here.
chalicejoker: (Satisfied)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2016-10-28 02:15 am (UTC)(link)
"If they break it first, then they're asking for it." Hajime approves of this mindset.
crazycatvampire: (grin)

[personal profile] crazycatvampire 2016-10-28 04:12 am (UTC)(link)
The round, blank mask shakes from side to side hurriedly, and his voice, though rough, is firm when he answers. "I would never. I would only protect, not harm. You are safe with me."

He's a bit relieved, too. He hates lying, but usually he can get around it because he hasn't exactly had very many people ask him if he's human, directly. But if she guessed, then he doesn't have to pretend.
transient_specter: (kanon what the fuck)

[personal profile] transient_specter 2016-10-28 05:24 am (UTC)(link)
"The streets are different in width - and it looks like people drive on the other side. I'd forgotten they did. And the writing is off. The people... well. I guess I'm used to almost everyone looking Japanese."

He hasn't been out of the country aside from being in the Ganma World. It's not his fault.
runs: (cat: yo what up)

[personal profile] runs 2016-10-28 07:03 am (UTC)(link)
Being on the same page is always good.

So now that you know that I won't tell anyone else you can tell me what's up with your body.
onecatmore: (hand)

[personal profile] onecatmore 2016-10-28 07:29 am (UTC)(link)
"Then we are safe with each other."

The smirk is back in her voice.

"I am Marja, by the way."

Her accent is more pronounced when she speaks her name. She used to adopt the English equivalent when pronouncing it while speaking English, but these days she simply falls back into Finnish, her sounds falling less round and drawled, straighter, and the English manner of speech takes a few words to fully return after.

"It's nice to meet you."
svensk: (cheeky nandos)

[personal profile] svensk 2016-10-28 07:58 am (UTC)(link)
Makoto is talking to someone who is still unsettled by everyone driving on the right side these days. Newfangled wrong-sided road usage. Of all the things to be a stickler about, right, but driving on the left just makes more sense to him still. So he hums appreciatively when Makoto mentions that part, but chuckles at the rest.

"It will certainly be harder for you to blend in here, then. Though there seems to be a number of East Asian looking people here, too."

They are coming near some houses now, one of them mounted by a neon sign advertising "Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant". Rasmus heads for the side of the building where the take-away window is located.
movingon: (Default)

[personal profile] movingon 2016-10-28 09:11 am (UTC)(link)
The wind might be blowing in the wrong direction for her to have had the chance to smell something off about him, but this is a very clear sign that something is not right at all.

Dangerously not right at all.

This isn't a good moment for thinking, but she needs to make a decision within a split second - flight, fight or investigate.

The decision is made by instinct more than rational thought and ends up being a combination of all three: Jump down at the ...man to try and push him down and sink her talons and fangs into what seems like vulnerable spots, and bash with her tail at him as she jumps off him again and skids into a semi-safe distance before turning around.

That is the plan as she leaps at him, anyway.
Edited 2016-10-28 17:31 (UTC)
crazycatvampire: (curious)

[personal profile] crazycatvampire 2016-10-30 05:44 am (UTC)(link)
Well, that sounded fascinating. Her voice changed for a few words, there. Corwin watches her mouth, behind the mask, wondering what exactly caused that. "I'm Corwin. It's nice to meet you, too. I hate having to lie to people, so having someone who knows I think is nice."
onecatmore: (sisters)

[personal profile] onecatmore 2016-10-30 07:09 am (UTC)(link)
"I would say that you get used to lying," and with time the lies will get bigger and bigger, "but it is nice to have a place where or people with whom you don't have to."

She watches the dancers for bit. "Why did you come here?"
chalicejoker: (Standard Expression)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2016-10-30 06:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"It's safer if you don't know." It's actually meant as a genuine warning more than a dodge, even if it looks like he's still dodging the question. "But I'm not human."
runs: (cat: peer)

[personal profile] runs 2016-10-30 06:22 pm (UTC)(link)
"Why is it safer if I don't know?"

She is curious now and will bat at this question as long as it moves.
chalicejoker: (Chalice3)

[personal profile] chalicejoker 2016-10-30 11:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Hajime tries to guard from getting bitten and clawed as best he can--he can handle a fair amount of damage, but if he can catch the fangs on his arm guards, so much the better--and will try to retaliate with a punch or a kick the second he's got an opening, even if she's likely to bowl him over.
movingon: (frenzied far)

[personal profile] movingon 2016-10-31 12:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Malin manages to bowl him over and sink her talons into his front, but her fangs catch on his arm guards, and yanking her head up or sideways that way will result in an opening as she moves up to disentangle herself from those pesky arm guards.

His punch connects with her stomach just between ribcage and spinnerets. Ouch. He didn't do real damage, but this might still bruise, and it was enough of an impact to make her roll off him instead of jumping away in a controlled way.

What the hell- she curses internally as she scrambles back onto her feet. What the hell is that. Whatever it is, attacking it seems to have been a mistake, but she isn't sure that backing down now will be better than attacking again. It might be clearly inhuman, but it's not only seen her but more importantly she has probably pissed it off.
crazycatvampire: (thinking)

[personal profile] crazycatvampire 2016-10-31 08:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"To watch," Corwin answers simply, big shoulders lifting and falling in a shrug under his costume cloak. "I like to watch people, and I might learn something. I already did learn something. I never thought people would intentionally do things that could hurt them."
onecatmore: (listening)

[personal profile] onecatmore 2016-10-31 08:19 pm (UTC)(link)
She looks at him pensively.

A child caught in an adult's body, with a grandfather's thoughts, she had thought. Maybe that was a lot more on point than she had assumed.

Her voice is gentle when she asks: "How old are you?"
crazycatvampire: (thinking)

[personal profile] crazycatvampire 2016-10-31 08:31 pm (UTC)(link)
He hesitates, then hangs his head and admits, "I was created fourteen months and six days ago. I still have a lot to learn."
onecatmore: (listening)

[personal profile] onecatmore 2016-10-31 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
She almost whistles in surprise but manages to reduce the reaction to a surprised glance that is mostly hidden by the mask. That is less than she would have expected by far.

"You are doing well for one so young. Is your ...creator still around?"
Edited 2016-10-31 20:35 (UTC)

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