Test Drive Meme (April + May)

[bravenewmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME: APRIL + MAY EDITION

Welcome to bravenewworld's test drive meme! This post is designed to help players test out their characters within the setting, as well as give them an opportunity to collect samples for their future application. The prompts below are all optional, and can be used to get a feel for the game, but we encourage players to get creative and use this post however best suits their needs. Players are welcome to use either prose or brackets for their threads.

When creating a thread, it is advised that players give their prospective thread partners a bit of information in the subject line, such as the characters name and canon, or a possible typing and Enlightened ability (if this is applicable). These are not required, but will make it easier for any prospective players to thread with you. While not required, we also encourage you to take a look at the most recent AU Planning post.

THIS CYCLE'S PROMPTS
#1 A naughty Castform is following people around and causing rain wherever they walk. Talk about spring showers!

#2 The Flower Grove is well-known for its spring blossoms. Your character has gone to visit, only to discover Gloom have moved in to enjoy the pleasant fragrance! And now the pleasant fragrance...isn't.

#3 This baby Pidgey has fallen out of its nest!!! What do you do? Do you get help? It's squawking and flapping like nobody's business. Might be hard to hang onto without somebody else around to spot you...

#4 Glacier is excited for the Big Spring Thaw! They will tell this to anyone who comes to see them at Citadel, and will even lead expeditions up to the Obsidian Flats to show off the lovely warm weather......while it's still snowing.

#5 Union is still repairing itself after Kyurem's attack. Construction workers are needed at this site. Humans and Pokémon are both welcome, but the supervisor is a Machoke. Communication could get tricky.

#6 Wildcard! Come up with your own prompt!

If you have any setting questions, or want to do some reading before posting a thread, you can find the setting directory here! Happy tagging!

Comments

[hananoprincess]

[1]

[Haruka had started the day feeling rather good about herself. The sun was shining, things were starting to look like they were healing from the attack several months ago. There was a great deal for a young girl to feel positive about!

It was only when she stepped out to do errands for her family that the rain began. And what's more, it was like Haruka had her own private little rain cloud, where everything else looked sunny, warm, and dry.

That wasn't the worst part, however. As Haruka tried to find the source of that little predicament, her companion for the day, her Murkrow, Crows, hovered out of the range of the rainfall, laughing derisively at his soggy trainer.

Haruka looked like she might cry.]

C-Come on Crows... we need to sort this out before I catch a cold...!

[The Murkrow only continued laughing.]

[6]

[The image comes up with that of a young girl, with brown hair. She's sitting in what appears to be her room, with a Bulbasaur sitting next to her. Sitting on her head, pecking at her head, is a Murkrow. Haruka seems to be oblivious, or at the very least used to it.]

Ah. Um, hello...! My name is Haruka Haruno! I guess this is my first time speaking here, and um...

[Her face turns red, and the Bulbasaur places a paw on her hand reassuringly. The Murkrow just trills, sounding irritated, however. Haruka nods to the Bulbasaur, before regaining her composure.]

This is my first time communicating with you all, so I wanted to say hello! I live in Union, and I'm Enlightened obviously enough...! Uhm, these are my friends! Blossom and Crows!

["Blossom" lets out a cry of greeting, while "Crows" merely squawks before returning to pecking at Haruka's head. The girl glances up at him, and sighs, before continuing.]

Anyway, I was wondering, maybe, if you all could talk about how you got along with your Pokemon...? I'm still figuring things out, myself, so I wanted to see what other people thought.

1

[actualprincess]

[ So it turns out when one person is walking around with their own personal ecosystem they kind of stand out - whether they look distressed or not. If Haruka hadn't, Towa would gladly just ignore the situation and leave her to her, uh, water, but she really looks troubled.

Granted, there's not a whole lot a girl and her Fletchling can do - ah.

A few minutes later, without ever having gotten her attention, Towa returns with an umbrella to Haruka having apparently moved on, and she starts to move at a jog to try and find her. ]

Aroma, could you please help me find her? She should be obvious...

[ And the little bird spirals up above the crowds. ]

[hananoprincess]

[Between her personal rain-cloud, and the derisive cackling of Crows, Haruka is rather easy to spot. She's out of sight, but not too far off, trying desperately to hold a package she picked up for her parents out of reach of the rain. Even with all that was happening to her, she did still have errands to do.

Frowning, she looks over at Crows.]

Uhm... Crows, I hate to be a bother, but...?

[For a moment, the Murkrow looked at Haruka like she was nuts... before sighing, and taking the parcel in his claws. The bird-like Pokemon let out a "Hrmph!" before turning his head away, carrying the package as he flew.]

[actualprincess]

[ At least the Murkrow is finally being useful! Aroma chirps at the sight of it carrying that package, but he's not the target - the Fletchling tracks back down where Crows came from, then flutters back down to lead Towa in her direction.

Moving quickly with her folded umbrella, she calls out. ]

Excuse me! Um! Miss!

[hananoprincess]

[Haruka is about to set on her way again, hoping to get home so she can return this to her parents and hopefully get somewhere dry, when she hears someone calling out to her. Her head turns in the direction of Towa, and she blinks.]

E-eh? C-can I help you with something?

[actualprincess]

[ Towa walks up, opens the umbrella, and hands it to Haruka. ]

I'm not sure what's happening, but it looked like you... needed this.

[ With a hopeful smile. ]

[hananoprincess]

[Haruka blinked a few more times, before blushing in embarrassment and reaching out to take the umbrella.]

Th-thank you...! You didn't have to do that...!

[actualprincess]

But I wanted to. You are welcome.

[ The mysterious umbrella avenger steps back and curtsies perfectly. ]

I am Towa Akagi and -

[ With perfect timing, a Fletchling lands on her shoulder. ]

This is Aroma.

[hananoprincess]

[Haruka's face brightens considerably as she opens the umbrella, at last shielding herself from the rain.]

Ah! It's very nice to meet you, Towa! Aroma! I'm Ha...ha...HACHOO!

[After sneezing, Haruka sheepishly takes out a (soggy) handkerchief and wipes her nose.]

... I'm Haruka Haruno, and this is my friend, Crows...

[actualprincess]

[ ...and here Towa was about to reach for a handkerchief for the girl as well. ]

It's very nice to meet you Haruka. Now, we absolutely must get you somewhere that you can warm up and change into some dry clothes. Do you live nearby?

[hananoprincess]

Ah-ah, well... [Haruka looks slightly mortified.]

I don't live far from here, no. It shouldn't take us too long to get back.

[actualprincess]

Perfect!

[ Wait. ]

May I walk with you, then?

[ Clearly miss princess here doesn't have anything better to do than follow friendly strangers around. Or maybe she does and that's why Aroma looks a bit agitated. ]

I am still somewhat new here, and I would like to see more of the city.

[hananoprincess]

[Haruka blinked in surprise at what Towa said, about not being from the city. Crows, meanwhile, bristled in suspicion.]

You're not from Union...? Well, I'd be perfectly happy to let you walk with me! I still have errands to do, so maybe you could follow me after I get into some dry clothes...?

1

[guitar_case_vagabond]

[Ryuko's on duty today, out on patrol, and that means heading around town in the uniform of the Swords of the Savior on the lookout for people to save, wrongs to be righted, that good stuff. ... Man, patrols are boring.

Her usual companion on these patrols, Squawks, wheels high above casting a shadow every now and then as the large Fearow keeps an eye out from above but comes up with nothing. ... Until Ryuko turns a corner and comes face to face with a girl with a rain cloud opening up directly above her head.]

Uh.... [Ryuko stops, staring at the sight in front of her. Looks from the girl to the cloud, to the girl] ... That cloud with you?

[hananoprincess]

[With her own personal rain-cloud, Haruka doesn't notice the shadow of the Fearrow, and as such, she doesn't realize Ryuko's presence until the other girl is right in front of her head. She stops, and blinks, shivering.]

I guess it is... but I'd really rather it wasn't...!

[guitar_case_vagabond]

Uh huh.

[Well, this is... probably the kind of situation her job calls for, isn't it? Studying the cloud for a second, she looks back over her shoulder and up.]

Hey, Squawks!

[With a fearful call, the large bird descends from the sky and peers around the situation then looks toward his trainer.]

Think you can blow that cloud the hell outta here?

[Squawks looks toward Haruka and then spreads his wings with another cry! Better brace yourself, girl.]

[hananoprincess]

... Huh?

[Haruka blinks, while... Crows begins squawking angrily, and getting well out of the way. Realization dawns on Haruka, and she holds up her hands to protest.]

W-wait! Are you sure this is a good idea-!?

[guitar_case_vagabond]

[Of course this is a good idea! Ryuko probably yells something about holding on but it's too late as Squawks begins flapping his wings and kicking up a powerful Gust aimed (mostly) at Haruka's private stormcloud.]

[hananoprincess]

[Haruka lets out a cry, bracing herself (and making sure to hold down her skirt) as the wind picks up. The cloud is indeed blown away, revealing... a rain form Castform floating where the cloud once was.

Give Haruka a moment, she hasn't noticed it yet. She's too busy trying not to be blown away like so many cherry blossoms.]

[guitar_case_vagabond]

Gotcha!

[The wind continues for a few seconds longer before dying down. And when it does, the troublesome Castform will find itself with the point of an oversized, dark red sword leveled right at it. The last traces of the wind seems to almost whistle along the edge.]

So, you're the guy causin' all this trouble, huh?

[hananoprincess]

[By the time the wind stops, Haruka is disheveled, her hair is a mess, and... well, combined with how drenched she is, she looks like she just walked out of a tornado. It's only when the Castform's cry of fear alerts her that she takes notice.]

H-Hey...! Don't hurt it!

[guitar_case_vagabond]

Now listen up, ya little-- huh?

[She's interrupted by Haruka's sudden outcry, blinking as all heads turn toward the shorter girl. Ryuko herself blinks a little and then leans over, hissing under her breath.]

I'm just gonna scare it a little. Jeez.

[You're messing up the routine, kid!]

[hananoprincess]

Eh? You're just-? But...

[The Castform is just... going to squeak, turning back into its standard form and moving to hide behind something.

Meanwhile, Crows starts cackling at this, like the fool bird that he is.]

[guitar_case_vagabond]

[And now some bird is cackling away at her, and the Castform is running off hiding. Even Squawks flaps his wings once and shoots upward with a stupid grin, leaving Ryuko gritting her teeth.]

Alright! [She swings her sword around in one hand, reversing her hold on it and planting her hand on her hip and point at Crows.] You shut your damn beak!

[Upwards at her Fearow partner.]

You get that friggin' smirk off your face!

[To the Castform.]

You! I ain't gonna hurt ya, but quit rainin' on people!

And you! [She points at Haruka and then... hesitates. The girl hadn't actually done anything but... too late to back down now. At least she gives up on trying to shout.] You... go home and change.

[hananoprincess]

[At Ryoko's insistence, all three individuals, human and Pokemon, immediately clammed up. Crows froze in mid-laugh, the Castform looked dejected, and Haruka straightened up like she'd been called on in school.]

Y-Yes...! Thank you so much! I'll do that right away...!