insiders | TEST DRIVE MEME

Entry tags:

test drive

TEST DRIVE MEME

ΩUTSIDERS
TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to the

outsiders test drive meme! You can use this post to tag with characters you're interested in bringing to the game or who you'd like to try out in the setting.

Landing zone

Please set all threads in one of three areas: the landing zone, where your character get off the shuttle upon arrival; the markets, where your character might run into any of the station's alien population; or in the residential district they'll be staying in.

φ Please give the name and canon of your character in the subject line! OCs and AUs are welcome.
φ You may use threads from this post as a log sample, so long as it has at least 5 of your comments in action tags or prose.
φ You can keep CR from this meme if both players agree to it OOCly, and so long as you keep interactions to these starting areas.
φ Apps open on 1/27; the game opens 2/2.
φ You can find more information on our setting here, and our navigation is here!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Unlike Dun, she listens to what she can of the Omni-tool's description before looking over to the odd contraption she woke up with -- so that's what that was? So focused on looking over the item, the Beauty barely even registers Dun's protest to her interrupting.

However, his mention of the word "beast" cuts through to her sharply, as it was a word she had become accustomed to being referred to, in the last several years of her life; it was a word synonymous with all of the bad things she ever did, the sins she couldn't seem to cleanse herself of. Staring back at the scene before her, she frowns and slowly rises back up to a standing position. After a few moments of hesitation, she averts her eyes away.]

Eheheheh... he's not the one that's the "Beast" here.

[Perhaps greedy and perhaps a little stupid, but from the little she knew of the volus, he didn't deserve to be categorized in the same category as her. While those words were almost as quiet as a mutter, her next words are vocalized in a louder fashion, as if it would distract from her previous musing.]

Maybe we should be using these Omni-tools to get information -- eheheh -- they seem to be some - odd sort of computer, if what he says is true.

[He felt a twinge of annoyance; exactly who was she calling a beast here!? But her attempt at changing the topic worked, especially when she mentions that one can use the Omni-tool for information.]

Then get to it, girl. You try that contraption on your arm; I'll continue with this willing and helpful gentlemen.

[The look he levels the Volus spells out his intentions pretty clear; talk or die. The poor merchant starts talking alright, and by the end of it Dun's got a better idea of where they are and where they stand. There are other questions that still need answers of course, ("What the hell is a relay...?") but at least the basic idea of them being stuck here for the time being gets through. Not that Dun's happy with the answer either; it puts him in a foul mood, but he does let go of the Volus as promised, along with a sharp warning never to get in his sight ever again.]

[She felt a little annoyed herself that he was still barking out orders to her, but the Beauty supposed that she was going to try to tinker around with it anyway. So after a short, nearly inaudible huff, she gets to trying to figure the tool out... even if she never was much of a technological genius, outside of the seamless way her Octopus suit connected with her body.

After a minute or two, she still has a strained smile, from stressing her mind out over this, but addresses Dun as she thoughtfully presses a couple of buttons.]

I'm not sure if you can access any sort of information at all, actually -- heheh -- but I think you can communicate with different people through this? Maybe we can find people more willing to give out information this way...

[That's unfortunately just how Dun is; snapping and barking is how he interacts with nearly everyone. Her explanation of the Omni-tool is good enough to get him slightly curious and he leans over slightly towards hers, looking at all the buttons. Beauty may not know it, and Dun is definitely not one to admit it, but he is apprehensive of all this technology. It's only his pride that has kept him from freaking out ever since he was forced out of the space ship onto the landing zone. So Beauty's hypothesis about the Omni-tool is secretly welcomed indeed.]

The...Volus [that's what the creature had called himself, right?] said that we are in a place called, "Omega". A person called "Aria" is the ruler of this denigrate hole; there are no strict rules or governing body, but apparently there is only one rule that all citizens of Omega must obey.

Don't mess with Aria.

[Xiahou Dun hmmphs and shakes his head. Rubbish. This Aria person doesn't hold a candle to Lord Cao Cao.]

[She listens to what Dun says, rubbing her temples as the severity of the situation sunk into her head, once again. Before, she had at least been on the side of the strongest PMC force on earth, but now she was the one at the disadvantage and in her experience, bad shit happened to her when she was put in such a position.] I-- I don't know this Aria -- heeheehee -- but clearly, she knows this terrain better than either of us combined; she really does have the advantage over either of us, for now.

[It was a hard thing to admit, but without her Octopus suit, she was nearly powerless. She still had a gun and she could deplete people's energy through hugs, of all things, but she had the feeling that those abilities weren't going to do a whole lot against enemies she hadn't gotten the chance to stake out just yet.]

For now.

[He repeats, one hand gripping the hilt of his podao. No matter how impossible the situation, Dun knows that he will, must even, rise above this all and secure a way back to his cousin and lord.

He won't let anything get in his way.]

What's your name, girl?

[If he's going to take on this city's biggest power, he's going to need some allies.]

Octopus. Laughing Octopus.

[But as soon as she introduces herself that way, she furrows her eyebrows, confused. That was the name she was referred to the most often, in the past four years, but she wasn't much of an Octopus now.]

No... heheheh... no, maybe not anymore...

[But there was one other name she was referred to as, even if it was far less common.]

I-- I suppose it's "Laughing Beauty" now. That's what my superiors called me, anyway.

[Satisfied with that answer, she looks back to Dun as her eyes curiously scanned his appearance yet again.]

Who are you?

The name's Xiahou Dun.

[He barely raises an eyebrow at her name though; Chinese naming customs had parents naming their children with characteristics and positive words. His own name, "Dun", means sincere. He supposed his parents called him that in hopes that he would be honest in his dealings. If her superiors chose to call her "Laughing Beauty", then perhaps they wanted her to smile more. Certainly she took their intent to an extreme; Dun found her constant giggles very annoying.]

You appear somewhat familiar with all these gadgets. [And by gadgets, he gestures at the electronics and wires that make up Omega.] Perhaps I was wrong to write you off as useless from the start. But you must take care of how you speak and to whom you're speaking to, especially here. There are too many men with evil designs on their minds, especially for one with a pretty face such as yourself.

[She did have a birth name, but no one had referred to her by that name for... how long had it been anyway? Seven years? In that amount of time, the name was almost foreign to her, and she was far more conditioned to being referred to as a Beast, rather than a human. It was odd to be in a place like this, where there wasn't any obvious warring going on.

She's surprised that he seems to think that she's "useful" just because she had a passing knowledge of technology and it shows on her face -- the remark about her beauty didn't even faze her as she knew it was one of her few assets she carried, obvious when one of her codenames actually drew focus to that side of her.]

You really think appearances matter, in a place like this? Eheh? How odd...

[Indeed, that never mattered on the battlefield. Though again, perhaps the focus of this place wasn't on the battlefield? Oh, this was all so terribly confusing! She considers Dun's words before pulling out her gun -- a sort of submachine gun -- out for display.]

I may not have my tentacles, but I have this, heheh! If anyone tries to fuck with me, I'll kill them! [And she seems so nonchalant about stating that fact too. After what she went through, it didn't seem to be a big deal to strike down anyone first that might threaten her security.]

... But thanks, Xiahou. [Also, she doesn't understand the Chinese naming order.]

Appearances don't make up a measure of a person, but they can attract the wrong kind of attention.

[The piece of metal she's waving around hardly impresses Dun. It's not sharp, and apart from bludgeoning damage what else can it do? He'll keep to his podao and his sword, thanks.]

I fail to see how that small thing you're carrying can protect you. Can you even fight? And it's Xiahou Dun. Not Xiahou. It's a double surname. Have you never heard of one before?

It's not that small! It's bigger than a typical handgun, you know! Eeheehee! And it fires a lot faster than one too! And of course I know how to shoot a gun, if that's what you're asking!

[Even though she was still a pretty piss-poor hand-to-hand fighter and would be terrible at using any weapon that wasn't her suit or a gun.

After her initial protesting, however, she calms down to answer Dun's second question, rubbing one hand near her neck..]

But, ah, no... I hadn't heard of them before. Eheh... sorry, Xiahou Dun.

[A gun? He's never heard of those before. He regards the item with some scepticism; there were no arrows, not even stones. What would this "gun" fire, and how effective could it be?

There was only one way to find out.]

Shoot that glass jar over there.

[He points to an empty bottle, conveniently placed on a nearby abandoned shelf. Bottles had yet to be invented by 2nd century AD either, unfortunately.]

Uh... all right.

[She looks at him oddly, not really sure why he was demanding to see a test of the gun's ability; that particular class of gun -- the FN P90 -- had been manufactured since the 80s, so it wasn't like it was cutting edge technology here. But whatever, judging by the sword he carried around, Dun really didn't seem like the kind of guy that was up with the times anyway.

So after looking both ways to make absolutely sure that no one was about to cross her path -- because god forbid she accidentally kill the wrong person -- she briefly presses the trigger of her gun to fire at the indicated glass. Even in the couple of seconds the gun fired, it shot off at least a couple dozens of bullets (as the P90 was capable of firing 900 rounds a minute), which pretty much decimated the glass along with at least a few holes in the shelf around it.]

Satisfied now, heheh?

[He ignores the odd look she gives him, concentrating solely on the weapon. The truth is, now that he's taken a second look, he's seen something like her gun being carried around by the guards. He hadn't really thought of it as threatening, but the way people reacted when the guards pointed one of them at their direction seemed to suggest that it probably held more weight than he'd originally realised. If it is lethal, than he'd rather know now rather than later.

The short burst of ammunition, along with the loud ruckus it makes, shocks Xiahou Dun, as well as the destruction it left behind. Walking over to the remains of the shelf, he feels the holes left behind. There's nothing left of the bottle either, except for small shards of glass scattered around.]

Impressive...

[She lowers the weapon parallel to her side, smiling with mild amusement at his reaction.]

The way you're acting, it's as if you've never seen a gun before -- hahaha -- do you really deal with all of your enemies with blades?

[Not that it was the first time she heard of it -- Vamp was rather fond of throwing knives and she had heard rumors of a man that could fight Gekkos with just a blade before -- it was just an extremely uncommon method of battling.]

[It is a blow to his pride to be shown up by a girl with questionable sanity, but he manages to reply through grit teeth:]

No, I have not seen such a weapon before.

[At her last question, he draws his podao out of its sheathe. The blade nearly seems to sing, the way it cut through the air as he pulled it out. The lights from a nearby neon sign reflect of the strange sword, covering one half of Dun's face in white light while the other remains in the shadows. His voice is harsh when he speaks; almost as if he had been offended by her statement.]

My blades have cut through enough bodies to form a path for my lord; you'd be wise not to underestimate what they can do.

[Her smile fades away as he admits to never seeing a gun. After a few blinks, she realizes that he's probably telling the truth; even in the short time she had been around Dun, he really didn't seem like the kind to joke about anything at all.]

Wait, really?

[She was almost envious that there was a land somewhere that had never even seen a gun; if that cult hadn't somehow gotten their hands on all of that weaponry, maybe she wouldn't be laughing now.

After her momentary musings pass, her eyes go onto marvel over the unusual weapon before her eyes. It was a beautiful weapon, but before she could glance at it for too long, his tone of voice takes her out of her stupor.]

Wh-- I wasn't underestimating you! Eheheh! It's just... unusual to see someone still using blades.

[Her disbelief only serves to lay salt on his wounded pride. At least she admits that she isn't looking down on him or anything, because that would have ruined any chance of him ever speaking to her again. Xiahou Dun is not a man who takes insults and slights lightly, now matter how small or unintended they are. He does calm down slightly at her explanation; he can understand a little what she means. He hadn't seen anyone carrying even a spear while he was wondering through the market place. If people these days used those guns instead, then it is no wonder she's gaping at his blade. He can see the amazement in her eyes; surely she could understand it's beauty and power.]

Where I came from, you'd be stupid not to have one. Wartime doesn't allow one such luck.

[And fine, he has to admit that her gun is pretty amazing too.]

Your gun isn't that bad either. It's not as good as my podao, but it'll do against common thugs. It's useful enough.

[Aka, Dun speak for, "It's a good weapon, I'll consider getting one myself in the future." Speaking of the future too...he's going to have to consider what he needs to do to secure his own.]

What are your plans then? Do you intend to take on this Aria person, when the time is right?

[The funny thing of it was that most people would actually be stupid to not have a gun, where she was from, but she decided to hold that bit of information to herself; it was obvious how defensive he was about his own weapon.]

You're right -- heehee -- this gun is only really good against low level soldiers. That said, I'm not about to take on the supposed ruler of the planet with this gun alone. Again, I need my suit... I need to figure out where it is, as I'll be considerably more powerful if I can plug myself into it.

[She pauses, thinking on the situation a little more.] But even if I do find it, I don't really have a reason to attack this "Aria", eeheehee. I just... I just need to find a man and kill him. If he's here, then that makes my job easier.

... What about yourself?

[Well, if that stick of steel could be a weapon, then Dun supposes that even an outfit could be deadly. How, he doesn't know, but he'll definitely be interested to see what Beauty could do if she got her suit back.

He can definitely understand what she means though, when she says she needs to find a man to kill. He's got someone on his hit list too, and Dun's made it a personal obligation to his cousin and to himself that before he dies he'll have this person's head, by hook or by crook. It's not his business either, so he will refrain from asking her about it. There are just some things that were too personal, and this sounded like one, if she regarded his death paramount to her escape back home. He doubted he would get a proper answer even if he asked.

And as for himself, well...that's obvious enough.]

I'm going to find the person who put me here, and then I'll make him pay.

[He spits out the last word with much vehemence; Xiahou Dun can not stand to be away from his lord for too long. He needs to go back, and soon, otherwise who knows what will happen to his cousin while he's gone? For all the anger in his face, there's a bit, just a glimpse, of anguish. His cousin had just suffered a major defeat in battle. Dun needed to be there for him, to help him through this tough spell and to make his dream a reality. He couldn't spare the time to be stuck here in Omega.]

[The funny thing was that she didn't even care if she made it out of Omega or not; she really had no attachment to her former world, where only war and bad memories of her sins remained. The only thing that mattered now was the promise of a sort of alleviation of the perpetual pain and sorrow she felt if she killed one man: a small price to pay for something so invaluable. Or at least she was insane enough to believe that would actually work.

She notices the hostility in Dun's voice, piquing her curiosity. On one hand, she knew that there were certain things that one just shouldn't ask about. However, on the other hand, it wasn't every day that she ran into someone with a blade, who looked like they stepped directly out of some period of the past either; the Beauty was curious as to what his deal was.]

Do you think you know who brought you here? Eeheehee? If not, how are you going to find out?

I don't. But I will find out. Somehow. I'll stop at nothing to be reunited with my lord.

[There's no doubt in his voice that he will achieve what he sets his mind to achieve; the only question is how he is going to get there. Quite frankly, he knows he's really out of his element. Planning and strategy were not where his better skills. His string of military defeats were a painful testimony to that. No, he was better as the muscle, as the pawn to be used in his cousin's game for hegemony.

But while he may still need to iron out the details, he's got a clear goal in mind and Dun will stop at nothing to reach it. He just needs to come up a game plan.

Somehow.]

[Her brows crease at the mention of "lord". Now there was a term she didn't hear often. However, she wasn't about to offend him by stating this aloud. Instead, she forces a smile as she begins to turn away, sensing that the conversation was coming to an end.]

Ah... well. Good luck, then! Eheh! Maybe if you do well, I'll hear you in the news, hm?

Hmph! I don't need fame or riches.

[Wait for it...]

...but thank you. I too wish you all the best in your endeavours. When you get back that suit of yours, perhaps we should have a friendly duel. I'd like to see what you can do.

((OOC: Thank you so much for this thread, I truly enjoyed it! To be honest I'm canon blind about Laughing Beauty but she and Dun have developed quite an interesting dynamic here. If you are apping into the game, would you mind if we carry over the CR?))

[She gives Dun another odd look. She never did lose a fight (aside from perhaps the battle she was in the middle of, before being brought here, but she wasn't about to mention that to anyone), so she wasn't really sure about his chances of survival.]

I don't know how to play nice, just to warn you, heheheh. When I fight, I fight to kill.

[The Beauty never did have a spar in her life; she was trained to be a Beast in battle. After a few moments, she shrugs, not looking too bothered as she continued to walk off.] But if you want to take your chances, it's your choice.

Until next time?

((If I can manage to finish this app in time, I'd totally be up for it, as I really liked this thread a lot too!))

(no subject)

anarrowtotheeye - 2013-02-02 05:48 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only