Test Drive Meme

[melodiesmods]

Reservations will open on December 24th at 15:00 EST and close on December 31st 14:59 EST
Applications will open on December 31st at 15:00 EST and close on January 08th at 14:59 EST

— Reply with a character you wish to test in the game's setting.
— Feel free to use one of the prompts below or make one of your own!
— Tag around! This is a panfandom RP, so don't hesitate to tag both castmates and non-castmates.
— Most importantly, have fun!

1/ Welcome To The World Of Crystallis!
You have seen reality shatter and collapse around you, in the depths of the void you found a Crystal and now you are in the city of Aqures Ixen, surrounded by Moogles and people as lost and confused as you are. On the bright side, everyone thinks you're a legendary Hero! On the downside, they expect you to save the world. Maybe their expectations are a bit too much. Thankfully, you're not abandoned to your fate as a Moogle explains to you everything you need to know. It's probably time to get to know your companions in misfortune. Besides, it seems this has occurred very often this past year-- Maybe the characters who have been here for longer than you may help.

2/ Do You Like Your New Life?
No? Well, either way, you better get used to it, to your new powers, to your new house, to the ball of fur that follows your every steps—Who knows, maybe you'll even make some friends here. Besides, even if everyone expects you to save the world, fighting isn't the only way to do so. Maybe you could open a shop to help and properly equip your friends who are actually eager to fight. Maybe you could try and gather people who think it is possible to negotiate with the Calamity, you could even participate in the research on the Crystals— Or you could make sure your house is the prettiest of them all in Aqures Ixen. Anything is possible!

3/ Neighborhood Woes...
The government of Aqures Ixen is sorry, but there are too many of you Heroes of Light. Hence why there are no free houses left in district dedicated to housing you. This may also be why you're not alone in the house that was given to you. Hopefully you're not living with a mad villain plotting to take over the world and hopefully your neighbor isn't a singer who doesn't know how to sing. On the bright side, you may have be living with someone very cool and maybe an artist of great talent lives next door! It's just not likely.

4/ Crystallis De Chocobo
Upon arrival, your Moogle gave you a map of Crystallis. This world may be a bit big for you to explore, so why not go to the Chocobo Farm and ask for a Chocobo? These big birds can't fly, but they're much more efficient than horses when it comes to travelling. Maybe it's your first time riding a Chocobo; it might be a good idea to have someone with you in case something goes wrong. Or maybe the old man at the farm didn't have any Chocobos left and gave you some Chocobo Lure© so you can go and capture your own. You can find details on Chocobo Capture here.

5/ A Thing Called Mognet
Hopefully you weren't used to Internet and cellphones back home. Otherwise, you might be a tiny bit confused when your Moogle returns to you with a stack of letters. Or maybe someone else's Moogle is coming to you with a voice message it learnt by heart and is now going to recite it to you with a lot of Kupo. That's how the "network" works here.

6/ A Thing Called Strike
In spite of how old-fashioned it is, Mognet is very useful and odds are that you may have become dependent on it. Hopefully not, because one local tradition seems to be Mognet Strikes. Nobody knows any more whether the Moogles have legitimate reasons to go on strike or if they are just lazy. But today, Mognet is down, and to get information you have no choice but going to the public board in the third district or in taverns.

7/ I Believe I Can fly~
You are on an Airship! Airships regularly depart from Aqures Ixen and stop by most major cities in the world, so they're the perfect means of transportation for you to go and explore this world. You can also borrow the Heroes of Light's official Airship, the Enterprise and some characters even have their own airship! You can go anywhere in a matter of hours — One can only hope you don’t have motion sickness.

8/ Exploration
Enough expository banter. Now is the time to explore. Maybe rather than spending most of your time in Aqures Ixen, you'd rather spend it living in Balicea, or betting on Chocobo Races in Trano Golsaucia. Or maybe you'd rather go and explore the ancient ruins that may hold some precious information in the continent of ruins. With Airships and Chocobos at your disposal, you can go nearly anywhere!

9/ Random Encounter
You were minding your own business walking around, and suddenly monsters attacked you! Time to put to use the skills you've learned with your Jobs! Alternatively, maybe this encounter isn't random at all, and you have been sent on a mission to kick some imperial asses in the war confronting the Heran Empire and the Republic of Esdham. Good luck!

10/ Getting Jobs Is Hard
It all started when you asked Cid to give you a new Job. What could and should have been a formality, quickly turned into a trial. All you wanted was a Job, and here you are in the wild, hunting for a Malboro Vine. Or maybe you are in some ancient and decrepit ruins looking for an artifact. Or yet again, maybe he simply asked you to assist him to clean the laboratory. Getting new Jobs is not easy. Consider yourself happy though, at least you don't have to do that alone.

11/ The World Is Subject To Unrelenting Pain and Suffering…
This is why you should play a game. After all, there are things a lot more important than saving the world: Blitzball is one of them. Triple Triad is another. Why don't you take a break and do something different for once; anyone wanting to play Blitzball is given a special potion allowing them to breath underwater, whereas someone who wants to play Triple Triad should have no difficulties finding veterans more than happy to get rid of their low level cards.

12/ Events Of The Past
Missed an event you would have liked to participate in? The Test Drive Meme is the perfect place to play this event without being restricted by the game's chronology! Maybe you would have liked to be lost and attacked from all sides in the creepy Magitek Research Facility or maybe you'd have liked to celebrate the Christmas of Crystallis. Yet again, maybe you would have preferred to regain your true powers and subsequently be on your path to death, as in The Night of the Thirteen Moogles or chase ghosts for a living. Or how about reliving some of your Worst Memories or fighting in A War for future of the world?

13/ Wild Card
Don't like the options offered here? Go crazy and choose what you want to do in this world!

Logs Community ♦ Mognet Community ♦ OOC Community ♦ Crack Community

Game	Players	World	Other
Premise	Applications	Job List	Employments
Rules	Reservations	NPCs / Contact	Hospital
FAQ	Taken Characters	Job/Regain Quests	Races
Locations	Hiatus/Drop	Guilds	Eidolons
Mognet	Player Contact	Bestiary	Mod Contact
Aqures Ixen	Player Plots	Monster Arena	Suggestions
Legends	Housing	Doppelgangers	Credits

Comments

Ahna Qeido (Original Character) | Final Fantasy XIV

[poisontippedcure]

[Random Encounter]

[Ahna had only wanted to go on a short trip outside the city gates, but it felt like as soon as she stepped out, she was swarmed by a crowd of rather nasty looking monsters.]

[While she was strong enough to hold her own, she wasn't strong enough to do enough damage to matter. Eventually, she called it quits and started running away...only to have the pack of monsters follow her.]

[Anybody near the city gates is welcome to help the poor Miqo'te. She has enough monsters following her that it might as well be a parade.]

[A Thing Called Mognet]

[Anyone who gets the letter will notice that the penmanship is perfect and precise, almost as if it was machine generated.]

Greetings fellow Heroes of Light,

I've recently been tasked with obtaining something from a rather difficult to reach area. The task is too much for me alone, and I'd like to request help from other heroes of light.

I can provide healing and recovery; anyone with combat skills is welcome to join me in my venture. We'll be leaving from the southern gate of Aqures Ixen tomorrow at dawn.

P.S. If any of you do something moronic that threatens to get us all killed, I can and will leave you behind.

Sincerely,
Ahna Qeido

[A Thing Called Strike]

[As per Aqures Ixen tradition, there's never a bad day for a Mognet strike. Unless you happen to be a certain red-haired Miqo'te, in which case it's a very bad day. To anyone near the Observatory who sees Ahna arguing with a delivery moogle, this is readily apparent.]

Yes, I'm aware there's a Mognet strike, but this is urgent. This letter needs to find it's way to Aqures Tosf somehow.

[Ahna's moogle flies behind her, as the representative stands his ground and squeaks out a response. She is having none of it.]

Go there myself? I don't have the time to go there myself! And I'm not trusting it to some idiot who frequents the tavern, either!

[Random Encounter]

[shinrasfinest]

[Buer's don't usually swarm in such parade like fashion after one target, but like all non-Calamity monsters their natural territories have been crushed into the land that was still yet to be touched by the corruption. Unusual behavior of any sort would only be a consequence of the way the World was turning.

Luckily, it's Sephiroth's turn for a perimeter patrol of Aqures Ixen on this occasion and instantly he's on guard as he spots the -wait, another Miqo'te- new hero making a run for it. He calls out to the two accompanying soldiers that are with him, but a short distance away, before sprinting off to intercept.

A long blade seems to come out of no where, reaching out as soon as Sephiroth gets in range, neatly cleaving three of the flying Buer's out of the sky in one precise swipe.]

[A thing called strike]

[notthebattleship]

There's not point in arguing. No one will deliver your letter for you.

[Zhu Li stands a few feet away from the pair, head turned to Ahna with an unreadable expression. She had been walking to the opposite side of the city to deliver her own letter - the heavy boots combined with the elegant outfit was a last minute decision.

How long has she been watching the argument? No one knows.]

[A Thing Called Strike (and I apologize for this asshole)]

[impatienttraveler]

I'm afraid they they won't acquiesce simply because of your mewling.

[Though why this woman would wish to send a letter to a ruin that had been abandoned for quite some time was beyond him, he couldn't help but... sympathize with her frustration. He tips his hat with a bemused smile.]

Alas, that may well be the only way your message will arrive... Now if only there was some other method of transporting yourself to your letter's destination in but a blink of an eye!

Lucina - Fire Emblem: Awakening

[not_marth]

3. Neighborhood Woes

[Growing up in a castle had afforded the mysterious sword-bearer the sort of comforts that many others had not enjoyed. A roof over their head, a bed to call their own, amenities and luxuries that few people could say they knew. In recent years, with the inability to maintain such a lifestyle, the sword-bearer had grown accustomed to living under the shade of trees, as well as making do with the bare minimum of essentials. However, such lodgings usually had not been in shared company. They were, after all, a lone soldier. The very thought of living under one roof with another was a welcome thought, but there was an important mission that needed resolution. Until then, such company would only hinder their progress, or worse.

The masked stranger cautiously walked into the front entrance of the appointed homestead, eyes hidden by the shadow the disguise creates. Trained orbs look back and forth, ever vigilant and aware of their surroundings. Though, they cannot help but wonder, how foolish it must look for someone to be standing in a home with such an appearance as their own.

The low yet mature voice calls out, using enough volume to catch the attention of anyone currently within the walls of the shared space.]

If there is anyone here who claims this home as their own, speak up. You are no longer alone here.


- - - - - - - - -

4. Crystallis De Chocobo

It was not uncommon for their eyes to bare witness to such fantastic creatures, catching a first glimpse of the odd bird-like animals known as "Chocobos". Where they had come from had been home to a variety of different mounts and pets, many kept for sport or company while others served well on the battlefield. Despite wondering and contemplating the notion of charging into battle on such an animal, it was difficult to ignore the charm and allure of the playful birds.

Even while wearing their mask, the sword-bearer forgets themselves in the moment. Laughter echoes from their chest as they approach the small flock of fenced in creatures, holding out their hand with a bit of feed to keep their attention. Fingers comb through the plume of corn-colored feathers, admiring the beauty and tranquility of the different chocobos which approach to eat from their open mitt.]

I can't imagine Father allowing me to have such a friend like you, strange bird. Though I don't suppose he would object outright, would he? Still.. I imagine he'd be more fond of a meal than a ride. What do you think?

((Let's try 3?))

[kyuzen]

[3]

[Takumi’s less than pleased that his house will be occupied by another person.

Castle Shirasagi kept enough rooms for him and his siblings, so the new adjustment to sharing even a room would prove quite the trial. He’s not even aware of who was invited – was it another stranger? Someone he knew? Takumi’s sure about one thing though: ]

He’s definitely not going to be getting a good amount of sleep with a stranger under the same roof.

The entire concept has made him anxious, and he’s retired to his room, entrance door carelessly unlocked. He’s tangled in his own thoughts, when a voice practically yanks him to full consciousness. He closes his eyes briefly, mentally preparing himself for this stranger. Whoever they are, they’re certainly forward.

He trudges from his room, not bothering to shut the door. A few steps and he rounds the corner only to stare blankly at the speaker. He’s caught between shock and confusion, and if they were going to conceal their visage with a mask, well, there was no point in letting down his guard.]

I live here, [he responds, eyes narrowed slightly and arms folded.] I take it you’re staying.

Re: ((Let's try 3?))

[not_marth]

[The stance of the masked figure shifts, turning to the direction of the gentleman who enters into the open space of the entryway. There's very little expression aside from the smug and tightly held appearance of lips un-moving as hidden eyes study and scrutinize the pony-tailed figure before them.]

Not by choice, I assure you.

[In an act of good faith, the buckles which held the mantle about their shoulders is undone, revealing the simple uniform of a soldier belonging to royalty. Casting the length of azure and navy blue material to the nearest chair, the stranger takes a few steps towards the other hero, extending a single hand out in greeting while the other holds steady to the pommel of the large looking blade at their side.]

I'm called Marth. Whom might I be speaking to?

[Again their head barely shifts, eyes doing most of the work as they look over the dress and wares of the man.]

[kyuzen]

I'm Takumi, [he responds, grasping Marth's offered hand, letting go after a brief shake. His attention is dragged to the mask that veils their face. Takumi wonders why they're still wearing it when they've discarded the mantle. He's unsure if they're keeping their guard up as well or if it's just a preference.

So long as they keep it on, Takumi won't let his guard down.]

Take whichever room you want.

[Takumi's belongings (very little there was) hadn't been stored permanently in his current room, so it didn't matter, he supposed. Unless Marth protested, Takumi would minimize the amount of interaction with them as much as he could.]

[not_marth]

[The swordsman gives a curt nod of their head, motioning for the door off to the side that lead to what they assumed was the Master Bedroom.]

I suppose that room will do. Ground floor, close to the exit, appropriate if the need should arise where we're awoken suddenly.

[The hand leaves their sword as they practically freeze where they stand, going stiff and still as if caught in a trance. Seconds pass before they speak once more, bringing a single finger to the mask to push against it ever so slightly.]

Tell me.. Do you know of anyone by the name "Chrom"? Or for that matter, any knowledge of the Shepherds and the kingdom of Ylisse?

[They're more than sure that the stranger knows nothing of such matters, and while the mask was growing to be quite painful to wear, they could never be too sure.. even when they'd been brought to a new world.]

#4 because it's fate

[shepherd_prince]

[What would he think indeed? It's a mystery. While the majority of the chocobos clustered around Lucina look normal and healthy, there's one...just one...that doesn't look quite 'right' for lack of a better word. The feathers stick up at random odd juxtapositions. The eyes don't gaze forward but slightly to either side so that it's impossible to judge where the bird is actually looking. Its movements are sharp and jerky, and even its noises don't sound like a normal chocobo.]

wAaaaaaAAaaarRk...KAK!

[It doesn't seem sick, just. Not 'right.']

Crackers!

[The chocobo is suddenly stiff and alert, head rising above the others as its beak points in the direction of someone coming up the path with a fistful of gysahl greens. Another choked warbling sound before the chocobo scrambles over the others and races for Chrom.]

[And over Chrom.]

[The lord is knocked flat by the bird's bull rush before it teeters back toward the fallen lord and sits on his legs with a pleased burble.]

[Chrom mutters a curse under his breath and flings the greens to the side. The chocobo chases them, leaving him free to climb to his feet and brush off his armor. As he does, his head lifts, and he freezes once his gaze lands on Marth.]

...Marth? When did you arrive?

Fates? No, a rude Awakening *hyuck hyuck*

[not_marth]

[It was jarring enough to witness the strange and somewhat demented behavior of the peculiar bird, but to be surprised by the swordsman Chrom was so much of a surprise to her that Lucina practically jumped where she stood in fright. He had been the last person she expected to encounter here, so much so that if not for the mask upon her face he would have seen much more than her true identity.]

S-Sir Chrom! [She does her best to maintain the lone tone of her voice, the disguise covering her eyes helps in keeping the red hue of anxiety undiscovered.] Quite the surprise seeing you here. I.. I arrived not long ago, a few days or so, perhaps.

[Judging from his appearance, the daughter of the Shepherds can only assume that her Father has been here for some time.]

Though I suppose the same cannot be said of you. Have you been here long? Are there others from your tribe here?

Takumi | Fire Emblem Fates

[kyuzen]

[09]

[Well this was great.

A simple walk in the woods turned into an all out assault. He's not even entirely sure what he's up against. But judging by the faces, they're some type of aquatic creature with hindquarters of a land beast. And he doesn't have the Fujin Yumi.

Takumi curses quietly, backpedaling from the sharp teeth. His arm reaches for one of the arrows tucked in the quiver. He tries to focus and is awarded with a clearer vision, better aim. It's as if he can map out every detail marred on their flesh.]
Here goes, [he mutters, drawing the arrow.

Aim. Notch. Release.]

[10]

Treading in grass that practically swallowed his ankles, looking for something called a Malboro Vine (what the hell was that?) in the middle of the day? Why not? It's not as if this world was still foreign.

He pauses, stretches because Gods, this walk was killing him. Takumi's still a little frustrated, but he had wanted a job, so the complaints settle to a mumble in his head.

...but did the mission have to involve two people? Surely fetching a vine would be a task meant for one.

He looks over his shoulder, halting his steps. He didn't mean to leave them too far behind.]

How are you holding up?

[13: Wildcard]
[ooc: if these two don't work, feel free to fire whatever you want!]

[10] Monkey D. Luffy x Takumi

[gomu_ningen]

[Teeth did their best to bite and pull at the jerky he'd brought along for the journey, stretching the meat to a length reminiscent of the powers he'd once had before being brought to Crystallis. The pirate perks up for a moment, still in mid-bite as he turns to look at his point. Waving a hand above his head, the young Luffy speaks up with food still in his mouth, ignorant to the volume at which he speaks (and the danger he poses upon the two of them by doing so).]

Oi! Takumi! How much father? I'm almost out of meat!!

[The unsuspecting pirate paws through the large rucksack he carried with him, looking at the remnants of bones and pouches which had been filled with rations only a short while ago. So much for making a week's worth of food between them last.]

[kyuzen]

[Takumi flinches as Luffy's voice lances through him. Yes, Cid had some very interesting choices when it came to choosing pairs. And why was Luffy being so loud in dangerous territory anyway? Has this boy ever been on missions like these before?]

Not so loud! [he says, beginning to regret voicing his concern.] We can't be too far, but we don't know what's nearby.

[He manages to take a step or two before pausing. What was that about meat?] Wait, what do you mean we're 'almost out'? Cid gave us a bagful. [Takumi doesn't wait for a response as he backtracks to Luffy. He snatches the rucksack, peering inside and practically feels his stomach drop (maybe it's from hunger, but he's pretty sure the shock has overridden his other feelings).]

Did you eat everything?!

[gomu_ningen]

[Luffy gives his adventuring companion a rather hard stare.]

Yeah! I wondered why they only packed us a light snack! I can't go out on an adventure with an empty stomach!

[The pirate turns his satchel inside out, the collection of bones and scraps of inedible meat drop to the ground to amass a sizeable pile at their feet.]

I'm amazed it lasted me this long! I tried to finish it as fast as I could, otherwise I'd be dragging my feet all over the place.

[Luffy cannot help but wonder why Takumi seems so agitated, or for that matter why he was so concerned with the dangers of speaking normally.]

Relax already! [He says boastfully.] Whatever IS around here doesn't stand a chance against us! Now that I've got some food in me, we've got nothing to worry about!

[The lad rolls his head back to laugh aloud, chuckling as he pats a hand against his still rumbling stomach. Despite the wealth of food he'd eaten, there was seemingly no end to the hunger of the eager pirate.]

Maybe we can find an animal to roast? I bet there's lots of tasty stuff out here in the wild!

Asch the Bloody | Tales of the Abyss

[stupidgenes]

04) Crystallis De Chocobo
After a final once-over glance at the map, Asch jams the paper into his travel satchel and strides over to his rented Chocobo.

"Looks like this is it." His gaze is fixed to the distance even as he pats the Chocobo with confident assurance.

Not that he's ever ridden a Chocobo in his life, but he's not afraid to try. And he's not exactly stupid enough to be overconfident, but he knows that a beast like this will know if its handler is uncertain or insecure. He can't afford that, not with how much he'd paid to get this adventure started.

So here he is, still patting and petting and feeding the bird as if he'd paid to coddle the steed rather than mount it and embark on a journey.


09) Random Encounter
Having finished setting up a small camp and tethering his Chocobo, Asch is a small distance away gathering extra supplies. From time to time he hears... things, noting the direction and approximate distance of the sounds. But as of yet, there isn't anything overstepping the boundary between cautious curiosity and active threat.

And things stay that way for some time before it gets strangely quiet even with the wind rustling through leaves and grass. No, this is like the calm before a storm. Things have taken formation and are about to strike. Calmly and quietly, Asch sets his supplies down before drawing his sword and regarding the pack of sahagin now closing in, their spears at the ready.

"A pitiful excuse for a fight!"


05) A Thing Called Mognet [and 03) Neighborhood Woes]

[Anyone who gets this letter should note it looks as though written by a small woodland creature rather than a person. Because Luke and Asch's handwritings are indistinguishable, and Luke's handwriting is said to look like a cheagle's.]

To other Heroes of Light,

Just recently, I arrived in Aqures Ixen, where so many Heroes are based that free lodging is no longer available. The government has apologized for this oversight, but it's hardly a high-priority matter, so there probably won't be a resolution anytime soon. In the meanwhile, there are still incoming Heroes who don't have a place to stay. Count me as one of them.

Now, it's not small or easy to ask this of complete strangers, but I'm requesting to temporarily room with another Hero. I shouldn't be imposing for long, and would only stay long enough to secure a residence of my own. I'm keep things neat and tidy, and don't have many belongings or need anything lavish or fancy. And I can earn my keep as necessary, from working to cooking or cleaning.

Like I said, I know it's a lot to ask when we probably don't even know each other. But we can work things out through Mognet or arrange to meet in person.

Regards,
Asch

05 ~ possibly to in person if need | ohai potential victim:D

[dammit_flynn]

Asch,

The polite and respectful type huh?

Don't think we ended up with anyone in our home since one of our residents left. Can't say we've done much tidying in that room.

You're free to use it for lodging if you want. It'd be nice to have extra hands around the place. It doesn't have to be temporary either if you end up liking it here.

-- Yuri

[ Yuri may or may not be teasing him in the letter. it's hard to tell. He'll ask his housemates later... oops. ]

[stupidgenes]

[Polite and respectful? Asch isn't eloquent and was at least going for formal, so he'll take it as a compliment.]

Yuri,

That's a generous offer. I might take you up on it, but first I have some questions.

First, where is it located?

You mentioned one of your residents leaving. What's the maximum capacity, and how many people are currently living there?

-Asch

[dammit_flynn]

Asch,

The location is here: (insert directions to the Hijinks House home. ) If you have trouble finding it, I can send out Repede. You can't miss him.

There's four total. We had five before. Two girls, two boys. I share a room with the other guy and the girls have their own space. Max Capacity comes to five.

-- Yuri

04

[forcegalactic]

He's still petting that dang bird. Mordecai has walked up to the stable, untied his own Chocobo, pet its beak as a greeting, and hoisted his saddle, yet Asch is still petting his own. The old man can't help but stare.

"The sun's gonna go down by the time you're finished," he says as he slides one boot into the stirrup.

[stupidgenes]

At least Asch had managed to saddle the Chocobo up before this. But now hearing the man's voice, he blinks at the distance and gives the Chocobo a couple more pats before turning to regard the stranger.

Ignoring his comment, Asch asks, "Where are you heading? Are you going on your own?"

[forcegalactic]

"Goin' next town over for some business. Thought it'd go faster if I was there instead of usin' a middle man or snail mail." He grumbles to himself as he hoists himself onto the Chocobo, his round body having difficulty moving around.

He has to work out more, he promises to himself.

Once not under the threat of falling off, he grips the reins with both hands. "You leavin' anytime soon?"

[stupidgenes]

"Oh. Yeah."

The question could be a reminder to get a move-on, an insult, or an invitation for company. Could be two or all three of those, even. Then again, Asch is aware he's been in the same spot for a ridiculously long time. After giving his Chocobo a final once-over, he saddles up. Well, that went quickly and smoothly.

Turning to the other man, "I'm leaving right now, in fact. Need any company?"

[forcegalactic]

With Mordecai, it was always a mix of the three. While leaving Asch behind would give him the funny story of a man that wasted so much time petting Chocobos that he missed an important event, talking to him had more gossip potential.

And it would get lonely without someone else to rant at.

"Same time? What a coincidence. Sure is nice to go out into the wilds in a group!" He nudged the Chocobo with the heel of his boot, and it sauntered towards the dirt road.

"So what's your name, stranger? Never seen you 'round here before."

#4

[worstintheworld]

"My, you two are getting along famously." Natalia approached from behind, her bow slung lightly over her shoulders, looking as clean and refreshed as she would if she were about to attend a fancy dinner party. But for those who had spent any amount of time with the princess, they'd know well enough that she'd attired herself in what she deemed appropriate for a long and arduous adventure. Her quiver was fully stocked with arrows, a few of them enchanted with special properties and elements to ensure she was prepared to combat any foe that dared to cross their paths.

She approached the chocobo as well, stretching out her hand to brush its feathered neck. "I was told that the rentals are more accustomed to people, but I confess I was surprised to see you taking such a liking to the creature." Natalia turned her head slightly to smile at Asch, then looked back up at the bird which was taller than the both of them. (How sad.)

Satisfied, she placed her hands upon her hips. She'd fetch her own rental in just a moment, but before they left... "Have you spoken to the ranch owner about the possibility of taming one for yourself? As long as we're heading out to the Calm Plains, there's no harm in a brief side quest once we've completed our mission."

9

[hardnoctlife]

It's not an uncommon concept -- he and his friends were ambushed a number of times by creatures, back on Eos. Even less uncommon, is hearing words of such confidence. From his position, however, he can see that the person is alone, facing off against the impressive numbers. It's a matter of seconds before he's making his way to the opposite side of the pack.

He could ask if the person is all right with someone joining him, but he doesn't get that chance; half the pack is already lunging at him, the other half going right for Asch.

With his particular Jobs' current skills, he is better for support... so he's quickly evading their attacks, moving so that there's distance between himself and the creatures. In his next move, he's using the ability of his other Job -- he's increasing the other man's defense.

[stupidgenes]

Back on Auldrant, Asch wouldn't have any problems dealing with this pack. But back home, his attacks would do far more damage; here, his strikes don't land with nearly as much accuracy or force. So he may have bitten off more than he could chew until he sees the pack split, going after him and someone else.

"I don't have time for this," Asch says, still facing their enemies head-on before noting the stranger casting something. He's about to shout something about the stranger being a nuisance or a bother when the other young man casts some kind of magic. And then Asch feels a boost in his fortitude, like he's better built to take a beating if things come down to that.

Instead, he yells, "Brace yourself!" After which he presses between two of the monsters, dodging their spears to deliver a couple quick blows to their heads.