testing_the_box | TEST DRIVE MEME

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TEST DRIVE MEME

Starting now, we'll put up a new one of these very month! Feel free to use the current setting of Pandora (Christmas in July) or make up your own! You can also use the following scenarios if you'd prefer:

1. Mushroom Kingdom

Have you ever wanted to be a fairy? Well now you are, even if the answer was no! The City is a big, big place, all of a sudden. Houses are roomy affairs inside giant mushrooms, there are colorful flowers everywhere you look, and the animals are always friendly! Unfortunately, the only food items being sold in the market this month are fruit, fruit, and.... more fruit.

2. School Town

You may be too old to attend the academy, but that doesn't seem to matter; your attendance is mandatory anyway. Or perhaps you're there to teach, because you're the only resident of Pandora that possesses a certain skill. It doesn't matter if it can't be learned; you have to come up with a lesson plan anyway. At least the uniforms aren't some god awful color, right?

3. Zombie Apocalypse.

There's no coming back from death in Pandora, so you'd better do all you can to survive. Three quarters of the city are already infected, and this is the last stand. Are you going to pool your resources and try to make it together, or is it time to stop trusting others and go it alone until the month is over?

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❧ Zombie Apocalypse
[ There are two things that are infinitesimally valuable during these "end of days". Firstly, the ability to execute a silent kill, and secondly, speed.

Both are talents Lancer possesses and despite the risk one takes in traversing the city streets alone, especially at night, he's willing to venture outside of the boarded up apartment he and a small group of fellow "survivors" have made their shelter for the good of everyone. Typically, supplies runs are only ever done during the day, when sunlight tends to keep most of the undead hidden away in the shadows of abandoned and destroyed buildings where the cold keeps their decomposing flesh better preserved. However, the group is running out of food and while he may not need to eat, the others do. Time isn't a luxury they can afford. They're getting weaker. Suffice to say that due to his status as a Heroic Spirit, Lancer can't quite remember what hunger pains feel like in the most visceral of senses, but he is not without compassion and the suffering of his friends isn't a fact of life he can simply accept with detachment when he can actually do something.

It was an easy decision. He's the only one of them who's still in peak physical condition, he's a skilled warrior, and he's fast. He figured he'd be gone and back before anyone noticed. The night would provide for him the cover he chose to deprive himself of by departing on his own, without his usual partner who makes these perilous errand runs with him.

Lancer practically glides along the rooftop of a large grocery store, sleek and silent as a raven, searching for a way in. The normal entrances on the ground level have been barricaded. He can't get in without making a ruckus and that would be a sure way to attract unwanted attention. Though it seemed the store didn't have a second floor when he looked inside through a barred window, he is hoping he'll be able to find structural damage he can exploit more discreetly. After a little bit of testing the flat roof for durability, he finds it-- a place where the stucco and plaster cracks beneath a blow from Gae Dearg. With a smile, he slams his foot down on the weakened area and it crumbles away with a slight groan, revealing wood and padded insulation. He drops in, then uses his spears to cut himself a path through the wall. ]

(( OOC ; ~~Yes, suddenly, this became a Test Drive Your Lancer meme.~~ Canon drop point is post-death and I'm hand-waving that he has been in the city for a while. Your character can either be Lancer's scouting partner, another "survivor" he stumbles upon, or something completely different. |3a Feel free to presume some acquaintanceship between your character and Lancer! Er, and yes, the spot is active if you'd like to play that up. ))

[The King of Heroes stands silent and alone, overlooking the lumbering masses of undead from his perch on a multistory theater complex's roof. It's a decent viewpoint for the night -- one of many spots he had chosen to watch from as the city descended into chaos over the course of the month. His expression is cold and disinterested, a testament to what he thought of the most recent ... turn in the city's environment.

At some level, he could appreciate the situation; after all, this strange city seemed to disrupt the far-reaching sight that was both a boon and a curse, and thus he had no vision of a future for the people of Pandora. He saw no brilliance, no manifestations of greatness that should be preserved, should be watched as they marched to a future far beyond their own imaginations.

Just rotting, mindless corpses that dragged their feet and survived on instinct alone. Worse than those he deigned as mongrels.

The presence of a Servant moving around the city is easy to detect. Divine eyes flit across the nearby rooftops, assuming those to be the most likely areas of travel for a "survivor," until he catches sight of something lingering on a familiar rooftop. The grocery store. Of course. Such a typical place to go for supplies, even with its insides now mostly gutted.

Gilgamesh folds his hands behind his back and strolls to the edge of the rooftop, judging the distance to the grocery store roof for a moment. Then he dematerializes in a flowing current of gold motes, still eying his destination the entire while.]

[ Lancer is so focused on his work and listening for physical warnings that would alert him to the presence of danger that he almost ignores the clear alarm that goes off in his entire being when it picks up on another Servant nearby. He lifts his head and pauses in his movements, leaning backwards towards the small opening he made in the roof. He can't see anyone, but they're definitely still around somewhere and he feels wary knowing they may spring on him at any moment.

There's no reason to fight here and the fact remains that he would be sent back immediately to the Throne of Heroes were they on his world where the war continues anyway, so he isn't especially worried he'll suffer an attack from another Servant. He is concerned that the other Servant's materialization may occur at an ill-timed moment and any small distraction could mean the difference between life and death with the infected wandering. Supposedly, Management is to step in before actual death strikes, but Diarmuid doesn't find the idea of joining the legions of walking dead out in Pandora appealing.

With one forceful shove from his shoulder, he breaks through the wood and plaster and emerges in a cloud of dust and bits of yellow insulation foam on the other side wall, inside what looks to be the back end of the storage warehouse. He takes a couple steps forward and surveys his new surroundings for a brief moment before he calls his spears again and takes a defensive stance.

...Who are you?

Lancer decides to wait and see if the other Servant will appear before moving any further. ]

[One moment, he'd been at home, in Paris, safely in his apartment in the 6th arrondissement. The next, he was suddenly in an unfamiliar room, being talked to by someone who seemed nothing less than absolutely mad--and then, without any ceremony or assistance, he was let out into a foreign city in the middle of the night.

A foreign city full of zombies.

Fortunately, Kayneth had protection with him: spelled vials of fluid that he could easily use to defend himself. In his hands, they were as effective and deadly as any weapon, yet he was unused to combat of any kind. He was a sculptor, a scholar, an art professor, not a warrior, and slicing through the stumbling legions of the living dead was both horrifying and draining. This had to be a nightmare--it couldn't be real. He had a lecture to give in the morning. At any moment now, he was going to wake up.

Or so he kept telling himself as he found himself cornered by zombies. The liquid that rose in sharp sheets and desperate waves from where he stood was almost delicately beautiful. Even when in mortal peril, Kayneth retained his sense of aesthetics.]

[ It isn't long before Lancer has made his way inside the grocery store. The path he's cleared is large enough for him to carry supplies back outside with him as well as safe enough to ensure that when his party back at the apartment is strong again, he could lead the other scouting few of their number back here for more. It's a good plan, but only for as long as what's left inside the store lasts and he suspects that by now, pickings are slim. Someone had to barricade the windows and doors, after all...

Armed with his lances in case he should stumble upon undead here, Diarmuid flits around the small warehouse of the store, none too surprised to find that there's little that isn't either spoiled or has already been looted. Refrigerators leaking fluid are still in one piece for the most part, but they're no longer keeping anything cold with the power out. Well... 'best to see what's left out on the floor before giving up on this location.

Cautiously he pushes through the doors out into the public area of the grocery store and walks down the first aisle, checking the shelves and spilled over boxes and items littering the floor. He reaches the front of the store just in time to catch through the windows sight of what looks like an abstract painting gone mad off the canvas-- color and shape rioting in the streets, decimating the undead like a frenzy of blades given minds of their own. Lancer can appreciate the strange loveliness of it, but it is not natural and to him, that can only mean one thing--

Magi...!? Without hesitating, Lancer dematerializes into his Spirit Form and shoots back outside to help whoever is controlling the magical liquid. When he takes form again, he races through the parking lot to the street. He raises his own weapons, preparing to attack, but before he can, he spots the magus, and he swears it feels like he's been cut straight through the torso once again. ]

[He's going to die in this ridiculous dream. He can only hope that it isn't true, what they say about dying in dreams. Not that he usually believes in that kind of superstition, but his current situation is enough to make him think the most foolish, desperate thoughts. He's frightened, and he doesn't want to die--not in a dream, and especially not in actuality.

He sends another sheet of mercury slicing through his attackers, following it with a wash of liquid nitrogen. His spelled water is of various colors: scarlet causes one of the zombies to burst into flame, while green knocks it violently back with the force of an explosive into the other zombies approaching behind it.

This action opens a space through which he might try to escape, but he doesn't take the opportunity, as he catches sight of a figure moving toward him, and he freezes. Diarmuid? Now he knows this is a dream, because only in a dream would Diarmuid suddenly appear, dressed so bizarrely and bearing weapons.]

Diarmuid, what are you doing here? It isn't safe! [Obviously it isn't safe, but he's not at his most eloquent or subtle presently. He can only think of getting the other man out of harm's way, his concern for his own safety dwindling.] Get back.

[Because Diarmuid can't defend himself nearly so well as Kayneth. He has no magecraft, and he's not a fighter--regardless of whatever sticks he's carrying at present.]

[ Lancer's blood is already boiling when Kayneth catches sight of him and the shouted command garners an angry growl from deep within his throat. Red drenches his vision as he raises his weapons again, then throws himself into the fray without another coherent thought. He doesn't hesitate for a moment to drive the bladed tip of Gae Buidhe through the first undead he meets and it is only because there is an ample amount of enemies to cut through that he doesn't attack his former Master. Diarmuid channels his rage into his assault-- the anger brought forth from not just seeing the man here, but also from being ordered, as though Kayneth believed himself still possessing the right to dictate his actions, and ordered to restrain himself, no less.

In under half the time it took the magus to destroy a few, Lancer has already dispatched the majority of the horde. He takes out the remaining stragglers with a few more tactical thrusts of both of his spears, then turns away and starts walking back to the grocery store parking lot. He says nothing to Kayneth, unconcerned by what the magus chooses to do now. At one time, he wanted to serve his Master loyally, faithfully, to do what he did not do in life, but Kayneth broke their Contract when he ordered him to kill himself and thus, no longer owes him anything. It's not difficult to turn his back on him without much of a thought spared for his well-being. ]

[Kayneth freezes, because none of what he's seeing makes any sense. Fortunately, his spelled liquids are so effective that they don't stop defending him even when his attention is elsewhere, though their movements are nowhere near as zealous and extravagant as before. He's bewildered; he's never seen Diarmuid so angry before--not that he hasn't seen him angry at all, because Kayneth has a way of making people angry. He's never seen Diarmuid fight, either. Boxing doesn't count, in his opinion. Boxing is nothing compared to using weapons and killing things, especially with such speed and deadly skill. His current actions aren't humanly possible, and Kayneth senses an unusual amount of power emanating from him.

In fact, he doesn't seem like Diarmuid at all, but it must be him. It looks exactly like him. Yes, this has to be a dream. He wishes it didn't feel so real.

When Diarmuid turns away, Kayneth stands motionless for a moment, his waters slowly subsiding, then starts after him.]

Wait--where are you going? How did you do that?

[He's too baffled to sound demanding or arrogant.]

[ The genuine astonishment from Kayneth regarding his abilities is a little too genuine for even Lancer to completely ignore. It tugs at the corners of his mind and causes him to still for a moment. He glances back, but he remains furious enough that he doesn't bother to answer the questions or respond to them at all, really. ]

Don't follow me.

[ It's the only thing he says to the other man before he turns away again and continues walking. ]

Why not? [He raises his eyebrows. Diarmuid's tone is unfamiliar, and his words don't make sense. Even if he's angry, there's no reason for him to be angry at Kayneth.

And Kayneth continues to follow, stubbornly, if without really thinking about it.

It may be a dream, but like anyone in a dream, it's hard for him not to give in to the seeming reality of it. He feels foolish, and he hates feeling foolish, but he's still too frightened and confused by what's happening to sound anything but worried. (He hates that, too.)]

Thank you for--whatever that was, I suppose, but I don't understand why you're acting so oddly. [He hesitates. Usually he'd complain, or even say something cutting, because he's not very good at disputes, but something's very off here. He can't get the incongruent image of Diarmuid angrily slaughtering those creatures out of his head.] What's the matter?

[By now, Sola-ui has curled up into an exhausted little ball and despaired of any rescuers. All she can do is wait for the zombies to consume her. However, it seems that she is not meant to die yet, since some new comer had just saved her.]

...Who..?

[She starts to call out, but stops herself. There's a possibility that this "rescuer" would also be hostile toward her.]

[ Lancer hears the voice and stops moving immediately, his body tensing as it forces to still itself suddenly while he strains to pick up more signs of someone else inside the store. When none come, he forces his way through the wall and glances around him.

He knows he heard a voice. He heard someone. Someone is here, hiding, and he doesn't blame them for being afraid. ]

Please... I will not harm you.

[The voice is a familiar one. Older, perhaps. More tired. But still a familiar one.]

Diarmuid?

[She calls out, but doesn't move from her hiding spot.]

[ The voice sounds familiar to Lancer too and his heart leaps into his throat, choking him. His eyes go wide and he begins to tell himself that he must be imagining it. The similarity is only coincidence. It can't really be her. ]

I-Is there no one with you, miss? Is it not safe in the rest of the store?

Edited 2013-07-29 01:54 (UTC)

I can't find anybody else...

[She takes a deep breath, trying to calm down.]

I have to ask you--are you Diarmuid?

[ The more Lancer tries to assure himself that it isn't Sola-ui, the more he becomes convinced it is her. He swallows hard, his mouth dry suddenly, but he takes a few steps in the direction of the voice. ]

Yes. Are you... Sola-Ui?

Yes, I am Sola-ui Archibald.

[She gets up and starts moving toward the voice. She's a little worried at how hesitant it sounds.]

And...are you my child?

[She's been surviving the terrifying month better than most. Under the care of Rider and Archer, Waver would not even be expected to worry for anything. But while they don't need to eat, they like to eat, and she does not share their ability to go without. And simply put, hiding behind the two kings isn't an option that Waver can stomach. She can't stand the idea of other people going hungry while she hides safely away and does nothing. She is a tenth generation magus with impeccable skill, after all; Waver puts all of her cleverness and talent to the test, slipping out at odd hours to raid stores and clinics for meals and supplies. She takes some home, but most of it she leaves in places other small pockets of survivors can easily get to.

She certainly isn't expecting to run into Lancer in one such raid, though, and Waver nearly trips over herself in surprise, looking like the rat who's paws were caught in the cheese drawer.]

I'm not a zombie! Note the grammatically correct and intelligent way I'm articulating myself!

[...Not the best thing to say in a panic, but social situations were never her strong suit.]

[ Of course, Lancer didn't really need her to point out the obvious to him. He can tell she's not and it isn't just because she can speak coherently. Her clothes are clean and she's well-groomed. Clearly, she's been doing very well. ]

...Yes, I can see that.

[ He lowers his spears, but does not dismiss them. Instead, he keeps his eyes darting around them for signs of movement. ]

Are you alone?

[Waver bristles, as if he's implying that she can't handle herself being alone or something.]

Yes? I can take care of myself and the survivors who can't need to eat.

[ It takes him no time at all to pick up on her presumption and he only inclines his head a little to the side as he considers how to approach such a suspicion. ]

I was not implying that you couldn't. I simply do not think anyone should be out on the streets alone at this hour, if they can help it, and especially not with the recent changes that have occurred within the city.

What's your excuse, then?

[She knows that when it comes down to it, as a Servant he's probably got the edge on her. But he did leave himself open, with a comment like that.]

[ No, he didn't! ]

I can't help it. The rest of my group is too weak to make the journey.

Then we'll have to do something about that, won't we? The cloth bags will hold more without breaking, if you can find them.

[She refuses to hear any nonsense about leaving without helping him.]

[ It's not that he doesn't appreciate her help, it's just... She doesn't intend to bring the supplies back with him, does she? That could be a journey that's twice as long as the one she already needs to make. ]

I-- Thank you. I appreciate the advice. My friend who usually makes these trips with me prefers portable crates and baskets. They hold more as well, but they are also far noisier. The rattling... It attracts their attention.

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shortafewcircuits - 2013-08-01 04:58 (UTC) - Expand

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TEST DRIVE MEME

Lancer | Fate/Zero

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AU Kayneth

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please don't kill him, he's a dummy ;;

lol He won't. He KINDA WANTS TO, but he won't. ~u~

yay!

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