test drive meme # 3

[acatamods]

I ▫ main IV ▫ premise       XI ▫ applications XIV ▫ activity II ▫ logs V ▫ rules VII ▫ bestiary   IX ▫ canon updates XII ▫ taken XV ▫ drop/hiatus III ▫ ooc VI ▫ faq VIII ▫ setting   X ▫ mods XIII ▫ reserves XVI ▫ players test drive meme #3 It happens in the blink of an eye. One moment, you are home. Perhaps you are with your family, perhaps you are at work. It's a completely normal day . . . and then, suddenly, your stomach drops. You are overcome with a sudden sense of vertigo. You cannot see up, or down, or where you are. All you hear is a voice -- light, bubbly, warm, soothing, in your ear: Don't worry, darling. This won't hurt a bit~ ♥ For those who recognize the voice, it will sound a bit strained. Possibly tired. But the moment happens so quickly it's hard to pin down, and once that moment is over, you fall flat on your face. It's bright, warm, and humid. It takes a few seconds for you to gain composure and catch your breath. You think, for half a moment, that a hand is on your back, rubbing between your shoulder blades in comfort, but when you open your eyes, no one is there. You are surrounded by ancient stone buildings, with carvings you do not recognize etched into the stone. There's a sense of nausea, overwhelming and sudden, when you realize you aren't in Kansas anymore. Even worse, it looks like the tinier inhabitants of the Forest of the Fey are acting a little cheeky. THE TEMPLE OF BEGINNINGS. Welcome to the "Home Base" of Astoria's Circle. What the actual name of the base is called is lost to the ages, and there's no sense of where you could find it, unless you started asking around. At any rate, this is a central hub of the Circle, a place of powerful magic and mysterious energy. It is a scattering of ancient stone buildings and for the most part, it looks abandoned . . . except for what seems to be a few items, some rooms taken, items moved or organized, even a small garden planted. These are just the smallest hints that there are people here that have been here before you arrived. Overall, it's fairly beautiful. However, it is definitely not modern. Upon exploration, you find that the buildings are kept up by some kind of magic. Some of the rooms have items, things from other Circle members already settled, and others appear to be unclaimed. Pick your rooms, explore the grounds, see the beauty and wonder all around you in such a magical place. However, be careful -- the sprites that reside within the Forest of the Fey seem to be exceptionally active, today, and tricks abound wherever you look. KINGS AND QUEENS. Typically, the sprites of the Forest of the Fey remain within the protective canopy of the surroundings. However, there seems to be something different in the air, and these little bastards are flitting about and giving out flower crowns to everyone. They are beautifully made, intricate and gloriously decorative, and most people would be happy to adorn one! There's just one problem, though -- they don't come off. No matter how hard you try, those damn flower crowns are stuck on your head, and you cannot remove them no matter how hard you try. Hope you enjoy being a fairy princess for a day. And, if you are alighted with a flower crown, your skin turns the same color as whatever flowers now sit upon your head. A wreath of blue roses? Congratulations, Violet Beauregard -- you're now as blue as a blueberry. The effect wears off in about an hour, and you can remove the flower crown then -- but have fun being every shade of the rainbow as the sprites take their time to torment the new arrivals. BALLOONS FOR EVERYONE. Normally, there are some animals that wander within the ancient stone buildings of the Temple. Tiny little white bats, sheep that grow on the vine . . . that sort of thing. However, the sprites have elected to add a little bit more flair the Temple, and balloon animals have invaded the living space. Where the sprites got the idea for balloon animals, no one can really be sure -- Astoria seems to think the sprites are waltzing through the spirit realm and seem to have garnered an idea there, whatever that's supposed to mean. So, no matter where you go, there are balloon animals. Little dogs, brightly colored fish, dinosaurs, giraffes . . . except they seem to move, and make noise, and act like their real counterparts. Tiny balloon dogs nip at your heels, balloon fish flicker about in the waters that sprinkle themselves throughout the Forest, and balloon birds float through the skies. Bonus? If you pop them, they explode into (biodegradable) glitter. DECAYED DECADENCE. Despite the shenanigans from the sprites, however, there seems to be something happening within the Temple that may be cause of concern. Flower crowns and balloon animals aside, there seem to be odd spots of the Temple that suddenly wilt . . . flowers that bend over and wither at a moment's notice, saplings that seem to creak as if suddenly dried from the inside out . . . and it seems, oddly enough, that it happens whenever you, an Arrival, get closer to the wild life. Astoria seems to think that something is wrong . . . perhaps something the Circle members brought back from their last trip. An illness, or something more? Care to poke about and see how far you're willing to take it? Or does your magical gift enable the protection of plant growth? Try out your green thumb and see if you can help. COMMUNICATIONS. Upon arriving, you will notice on whichever is your non-dominant hand, you will have a fairly simply screen. A smart watch, if you will. Upon exploration, you will find that it has a directory of all those here with you at the Temple of Beginnings- names, and access to a direct message to them. The watch also has video, audio, and text capabilities, as well as what looks like a collection of messages sent to everyone who wishes to open them. This is your 'network', and also how Astoria can reach out and communicate with you. There is nothing keeping you from removing and/or losing your watch! But remember that you will not have access to this network without it. OOC: Also feel free to join us and other possible players on our discord server! enjoy! ♥

Comments

[weremongoose]

[That's okay, Shiro. Barabas agrees fully with that sentiment, and the force behind it.]

Oh. No, no we cannot afford to do that here. Definitely not. No offense to the more... mechanically inclined. But I'm quite fond of being flesh and blood. I imagine many people are.

[But then again, in theory, he shouldn't have to worry much about personally, given that Lyc-V is fairly defensive as viruses go, and tends to oust most competition. But. That helps no one else, and Barabas isn't the type to sit back and shrug just because he's not affected by a danger that others are facing.

And anyway. In this place all bets are off.

But all right. He'll face this other impossible piece.]

If you're willing to demonstrate, by all means.

[Show him, Shiro. Ruin one of the few constants he's come to accept as absolute in the world.]

[spaceforged]

[He steps back enough to safely change shape and reaches deep inside his soul for the storm swirling in the depths waiting for his hand. He lets it sweep through him and roll through his veins. His body turns to purple light and bursts, reshaping into a massive shape.

He shakes himself once to be sure everything settled into place. His systems report green across the board and he straightens, his glowing yellow eyes fixed on Barabas. His mental voice rolls in, almost a perfect match for his voice as a human being.]

I can't talk normally like this. The upside to it is I can contact anyone I see. It's good for combat situations.

[weremongoose]

...you turn into a machine lion.

[Barabas concedes because. Well. Here is truth in advertising, right? At least, aside from the fact that he can't stop staring, he certainly doesn't seem frightened or wary. Just. Vaguely confused and mystified because nothing like this should even be possible.

Then Shiro talks in his head and Barabas visibly startles, stiffening, eyes goin saucer-wide.] Oh. Fuck. Okay.

[Pardon him. He's okay. Hang on.] You turn into a machine lion with telepathy. Well, congratulations. That is definitely something I haven't seen before.

...do you have wings?

[spaceforged]

[His eyes wink off and back on in a blink. His wings turn and almost flatten themselves against his back.]

What's wrong with wings?

[He isn't offended by the question. He has seen that wide-eyed look so many times it's like a rite of passage for newcomers.

'Don't believe us that this place is weird? Go find Shiro and ask him to change shape.'

He sits down and curls his tail over his paws.]

I have a theory that Astoria's magic grants us power that suits us best. I'm a combat pilot. Like this I'm at my best.

[weremongoose]

Nothing is wrong with wings. But lions... don't typically have them. Where I'm from.

[Nor are they typically mechanical. So really, he's splitting hair at this point, and he knows it. But still. He takes a step closer and looks at Shiro, curious now, head canting to the side.

His arms are crossed over his chest, mostly to stop himself from doing something impolite, like knocking on his very metallic shoulder. He's trying to keep his manners in place.]

Hmm. So your power has been tailor made for you. Interesting. [A frown.] Am I to expect to have been given a new ability too? ...has she done something to my shifting?

[spaceforged]

Most lions aren't built to fight and protect the universe as a whole, either.

[Shiro points out as he deliberates over the question. He peers heavenward and parts his jaws like anyone thinking over something. He drops his head back down, yellow eyes glowing a soothing level of light.]

This is the third witch who had their hands on me. The second outside my universe.

[There's a bitter note to his voice when he says 'witch' but he kills it quickly.]

I wouldn't call it tailor made. ...the magic seems to flow and shape on its own. It's never exact to what we were. But it's always related to us.

Paladins of Voltron operate their lions and are bonded to them with mental ties. The pinnacle of being bonded is seeing through the Lion's eyes and senses. This is taking that pretty literally.

It's possible you still have your shifting but it isn't exactly the same. All you can do is try it and see.

[weremongoose]

Fair point. Thankfully the Beast Lord limits himself to Atlanta...

[Which is more than enough to nearly end the world a few times over, so that's fine. Barabas frowns as Shiro continues. Well, witches could be trouble, certainly, and are not to be trifled with, but the way the other man speaks, it sounds personal.]

I see. So it isn't this witch deliberately choosing a power so much as allowing the magic to... do as it will.

[It bothers him more than he expected it would, to consider some outside magic interfering with his ability to shapeshift.]

Trying is probably the quickest way to an answer on that. [He glances down at himself with a sigh.] You'll excuse me if I strip a bit. I don't have a change of clothes with me, and the seams don't always survive in tact.

[Even if both his beast and warrior form are hardly huge enough to shred clothing like some of his fellow shapeshifters, but still.]

In the meantime... paladins of Voltron. I can't decide if you're astronauts or medieval knights.