Test Drive Meme: February/March 2017

[undergroundmods]

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Welcome to the Underground test drive meme! This is where you can try out the AU version of your character, start some potential CR and get a feel for the world of the game. Choose your character's species, read up on the available factions and you're ready to go. Put your character's name in your subject line when you post, tag out, and have fun!

Note to current players: Activity in this meme counts as game canon! So you can use it for activity check. If you end up playing anything that you can't or don't want to use as game canon, it's fine to ignore it. (In that case you shouldn't submit it for activity check.)

Here are some prompts to inspire you:

1) SOMETHING NEW. Welcome to London! Spring is approaching but it's still bloody freezing, the wind is howling (are you sure it's the wind?) and your umbrella isn't much use when the rain is driving into you from the side. Maybe the appeal of a new experience is what brought you here. Does the reality match your expectations?

2) RUN THIS SHOW. You are the host of an event designed to showcase the particular skills and power of your people or faction. It can be small scale or ridiculously lavish, but this is your chance to enter the spotlight and show the supernatural community what you're made of.

3) CATCH ME IF YOU CAN. The police are after you. Maybe you did it, maybe you didn't, but they're on to you and now it's your job to make sure the case goes cold. Don't want to leave a supernatural paper trail.

4) WALK ON THE WILD SIDE. London's many parks are a haven for those who like some greenery in their concrete jungles. Popular and peaceful during the day, at night things are different. When the moon is full or the wind blows from a certain direction, the balance of magic can shift and open up ways into the far wilder woods of the Other Realm. Alternatively... you got really really drunk and passed out in a field.

5) BETTER WATCH YOUR BACK. Let's face it: you have a thousand reasons to be paranoid. Maybe the powers that be have it out for you. A werewolf or vampire wants to eat you. You pissed off a shapeshifter just last week. There's a hunter trying to kill you, a witch trying to control you, a fae that wants to kidnap you, a ghost haunting you. Hell, maybe they really are all out to get you. Are you in real trouble this time... or are you scared of your own shadow?

6) FOLLOW THE LEADER. Take your pick: your boss has ordered you to a) threaten an enemy; b) approach a potential ally who might side with you against a common foe; c) dispose of a dead body; d) deal with a spillage at table four. Good luck.

7) GO GO GO. There's nothing like a morning run. Maybe you're training for the London Marathon in April, maybe it's a good way of working out your hunting instincts, maybe you just like to keep in shape. Wait, did that guy deliberately overtake you? Don't get competitive now.

8) CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE. Anything goes.

Comments

Laura Roslin | Battlestar Galactica | Werewolf

[cabins]

2
Who would have thought, that with all the kerfluffles going on in their community, that the biggest thing on Laura's plate right now was hosting, of all things, her school's talent show. She'd never considered herself much of an emcee, but apparently this job was now up to her. The headmaster had said it was easy, a right of passage for the new teachers.

So please explain why Laura was practically tearing her hair out over creating a decent set-list, a few jokes and oh, right, coming up with a decent prize.

Right now, her idea for a prize was simple, and that's what brought her to Tesco, grabbing a few packages of jelly babies and jammy dodgers. Everyone liked candy as a prize, right? She looks at the cookies for a moment, hesitates, and then puts them back. "Maybe I should stick with Cadbury... What do teenagers even like anymore?" She hadn't been a teenager in a long, long time, and when she had, it had been in upstate New York. London was a very, very different sort of thing.

4
She can almost taste the full moon. It's coming, at the end of the week. Right now, the moon is in the sky, even though it's the middle of the afternoon, a phenomenon she'd seen countless times before. Something about it's appearance makes the air sharper, taste more of ozone than it had before. Or perhaps that was the magic?

It draws her attention, however, as it does for so many supernatural sorts, and instead of taking the normal way back to her flat, Laura finds herself wandering through the park, one eye glued to the moon that seemed to follow her with every step. It's comforting: the same moon from back home, every 28 days.

Idly she wonders where the hell she can get some chains around here.

7
One foot in front of the other, in front of the other. Her footsteps echo across the nearly empty streets. Running had always been a favorite of hers, a way to clear her mind before the busy day ahead. She liked to get lost in her own thoughts, let her feet lead the way. There's a cold mist in the air, but Laura knows if she runs enough, she'll hardly notice it. Instead, she'll focus on something else- an upcoming assignment for her students, something she'd heard from her pack, her life back in Ithaca.

Life before she was bitten and chose to uproot her entire life, choosing to come to London rather than stay and face a life that had suddenly become so empty and lonely. She'd made a good choice, she knew. The right choice.

She just needed to remind herself of that.

8
boom.

2

[ghoulaid]

"Money." Oh boy, there's Ghoul. He happens to be browsing through the same aisle, popping his gum loudly before he offers an answer to the question that he knows wasn't technically meant for him. He was a teenager not too long ago- not here, sure, but teenagers are usually very similar at their core. He's got this. "Food and money are good, but money'll win out every time for sure."

There's another obnoxious pop, and then he grins.

[cabins]

It's the American accent that catches her off guard, followed quickly by the familiar smell another wolf. Laura turns to look at the young man, and gives him a small sort of smile.

"Of course." That popping is a little irritating, and she resists the teacherly urge to tell him to knock it off. "Unfortunately, I'm on a teacher's salary, and a cash prize for a talent show is a little out of my budget. I don't suppose you have any other ideas, do you?"

2

[carewolf]

Being an assistant for a secondary school teacher? Not the best pay in the world, but it's surprisingly not awful. Scott's just fresh out of High School so it's not like he's a generation apart from the kids, and he likes Laura plenty. Even if he doesn't always agree with her on how to deal with vampires and the like.

So he's helpfully carrying the currently empty shopping basket as they wander around the store, trying not to get distracted thinking about lunch when she asks her question, and he purses his lips in thought. He doesn't know much about kids in London, but teenagers are teenagers, right?

"Music?" He supplants helpfully. "Maybe some iTunes giftcards or something?"

[cabins]

Scott is young, but Laura likes him. He's smart, funny, and caring.

"You don't need to carry that basket, if you don't want," Laura says, looking at him over the top of her glasses. But she's not complaining, if he wants to hold it.

"Does anyone buy music anymore?" Is her genuine question. "With all the subscription services- that's it! Winner gets free year of spotify on the school." Was that something they could even do?

7

[injectablefame]

Party's not exactly out for a morning run so much as he's trying to get home after a late night of partying, his leather jacket pulled tight around him to ward off the brisk morning air as he trudges through the street, a little lost in his own mind. He knows he looks more than a little sketchy with his torn clothes and dirty, bright red hair, but he's not really concerned with appearances and when he is, he usually likes giving that impression.

Still, he smiles in greeting at the few people he comes across, whether they're joggers, fellow hungover party-goers or simply the odd homeless person. He's in a good mood and he's in the mood to spread the love. "Morning!"

[cabins]

It's at a crossing that Laura finds herself next to what she assumes is a young punk- perhaps homeless, but kind enough. Surprised at his warmth, she turns to him and gives him a smile. "Good morning," she returns.

"What's got you in such a good mood this early?"

Beatrice | Much Ado About Nothing | Witch

[mydearladydisdain]

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
[Beatrice liked her office, and what she liked most about her office was the fact that it was only a short walk to one of the nicer parks where she could sit and have her lunch if she wanted. That is, nicer in her opinion which clearly you wanted if you were asking her about it. It also happened to be one of those places that she could feel the magic of London thriving in, but she suspected that made her sound a bit too much like a pretentious art student, so she never mentioned that fact when meeting any of the coven.]

[Still, that wasn't entirely the point of it. On this particular day, Beatrice had an extended lunch break, and was sitting on a bench in the park, alternating between eating her sandwich, and glancing through social media on her phone. Her job required her to be up to date on this type of thing, and it was never something that she enjoyed doing - personal stuff was more fun, but the public face was needed. And going by the public face at the moment... Well, she couldn't reply as cuttingly as she wanted to the comments left on the facebook feed. Not to mention the atrocious use of grammar - perhaps that report on the falling standards of basic English education had been correct. She snorted slightly at the thought]

Would be the first time that blowhard did get anything right.


BETTER WATCH YOUR BACK
[She wasn't prone to paranoia, that wasn't something that she did. That didn't change the face that the hairs on the back of her neck were standing as though she were being watched very intently, a thought that caused an unpleasant shiver to run down her spine. The shadows seemed darker somehow, something that was she sure was scientifically impossible but then magic and science didn't run concurrently. It used to make her laugh, but right now it put her on edge.]

[Was she being followed? If she was, the question was why? Her hand grabbed at the straps on her handbag, a hand slipping in for the small potion vial she kept on her. Pepper spray and mace were effective and this little creation was... something along those lines. She hardened her face, squaring her shoulders in readiness. If something was after her...]

[Well, she was ready]


CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
[Please come play with Beatrice!]

Watch your back

[melancolique]

She was being followed, by a slip of a girl dressed in clothes as black as the night itself. The scruffy bob hat on Eponine's head did little to keep out the cool air of London, and she huddled herself over in her cracked leather jacket against the wind.

She was following this woman because… because why not? There was nothing better to do. In that respect, it was worse than Paris. There at least there was Montparnasse, or Claquesous or any number of men they sent her towards. Here, she was a spare part and she knew it.

So she followed, not sure enough of herself to call out to the woman, not quite knowing why she was doing it. But she followed.

[mydearladydisdain]

Beatrice kept her cool. She was being followed, she was sure of that now. If she listened carefully, she could hear the fall of the footsteps behind her, and she knew. She didn't take her hand off the vial inside the bag, but carefully slipped her hand out, holding it closed. She waked forward a few more steps and then stopped.

"If you're following me, I advise stopping."

1

[bellbound]

[A small white cat appeared on the bench next to her, staring at the sandwich as if contemplating whether to snatch it out of her hand. Depended how edible it was. He waited a moment to get her attention. People did get glued to Facebook. Amazing how little attention humans paid to their surroundings.]

Taking a break?

[That should get her attention, right? And she might recognise him by his red collar and the distinctive bell hanging from it. Mogget was not actually a cat, but the familiar to the Mother of Witches.]

[mydearladydisdain]

That's the plan/

[Beatrice turned, looking at the familiar and catching sight of the red collar. She smiled, and broke the sandwich in half, placing the larger half in front of Mogget]

Care to join me?

a

[agraveman]

Hey! [Mercutio, armed with two coffees, one in each hand, came to a stop in front of Beatrice.] I'll have you know I've done a lot of things right!

[He was not actually the blowhard in question, but it was such an odd statement that he had no choice but to stop and comment. He'd never been very good at controlling his impulses. Doctors had said it was ADHD. He was pretty sure it had something to do with the fae blood running through his veins.] I'm extremely offended!

[He didn't look offended in the least.]

[mydearladydisdain]

[She looks up, vaguely amused by the interruption]

And would you describe yourself as a blowhard, which is why you thought I was talking of you?

Lydia Bennet - Pride and Prejudice - Witch

[morevacant]

Something New

So, this is London? Lydia grins as she wanders through the streets, popping in and out of the shops. Ostentatiously, she's come to London to attend university, but she knows as well as her poor father does that she has no intention of actually studying. But uni's where the party's at, right? And the fit guys.
She pulls her scarf a bit higher and ducks into the nearest coffee shop. Papa had given her a few hundred to tide her over, and she thinks it only right to indulge herself.
"A raspberry cheesecake mocha frappuchino, please. Oh - and cake!" She points to a particularly indulgent looking cheesecake.

As she goes to sit down, the best part of a tenner lighter, she grins at the other customer in the shop."Hey there!"


Catch me if you can

So she totally didn't mean to take the lipgloss. It just sort of fell into her bag, right? Right. And now this guy's looking at her all like, "You're barred!" Totally unfair, right?
In a huff, and clutching her fine, she pouts her way out of the shop.
"I need a cocktail!" She mutters, battling with her coat and her bag. She's not looking where she's going when she bumps into a passerby.

option 2- commence witches with the best taste in men!

[stauncherhearted]

Nancy had seen it all. The girl taking the lipgloss, the angry retail worker. This served as enough of a distraction for Nancy to do what the other girl had failed: steal some lipgloss.

What? just because she had a (now legal) job and a wealthy boyfriend didn't mean she wasn't going to keep her fingers light. and makeup was so expensive! and with all the money she was giving to Fagin still for the boys? Her kleptomania was completely justified.
So using the distraction, Nancy loaded her bag up and made her way out of the store, Nancy wasn't really paying attention to where she was going. Thus her bumping into the very girl that provided her cover.

"shit!" she swore, catching herself before she fell. "Oh! sorry! are you alright?" she turned to the girl now that they were safely away from the store's doors.

Catch Me if You Can

[knowntohisfriends]

The Dodger had seen his fair share of would-be-thieves, but this one had to win most obvious.

"Don't reckon that'll help much with your skill," he grinned at the girl as she bumped into him. "Unless, 'course, it really did just ... fall into yer bag." And with that, he wandered ahead, carefully and deliberately flipping an item over in his hands.

A familiar lipgloss.

Wednesday Addams | Witch

[outofthemanor]

SOMETHING NEW
[It was raining, this she could cope with. The sun shining while the rain tried it's best to make everyone appreciate the dull and the dark? That was too much for her. Her parsol was up, as the rain fell sideways into the ground as she walked along the busy London streets. So much hustle and bustle, so many people looking but never seeing, rushing their lives along to their inevitable demise, trying to while away the hours pretending that they were anything but alone. It was just as Mother said: London was a wretched hive, a hole in the world like a great, black, pit.]

[She was delighted to be here.]



WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
[An old tradition in the Addams Family states that when in the woods, women of their clan must be barefoot, to better connect with the Earth and the power that they draw from it. Which is why that Wednesday Addams was barefoot as she stood at the clearing of the trees, holding her shoes in one hand and dirt in the other]

[If she was to make London her new home, she would need to gather what she could]



BETTER WATCH YOUR BACK
[She was never frightened of things that lurked in the dark. The things that lurked in the dark knew well to be frightened of her]



CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
[If you have an idea of something to do, I would be pleased to hear it!]

Re: Wednesday Addams | Witch

[melancolique]

Better watch your back

At last, night descends and Eponine can come out.That's what she hates, that feeling of being trapped all day, just waiting for the darkness. She will never, ever forgive Montparnasse for taking the sunshine from her.

She spits on the pavement, wishing that he was there to kick off at. She wishes more that there was a faerie nearby. She could do with a hit.

She wanders through the streets of London, not particularly doing anything much but daydreaming. She bangs her shoulder into Wednesday as she passes, and automatically, her fangs descend.

"Watch where you're going." She snaps.

Mrs. Lillian Lotus | Original Character | Seelie Court

[threadspun]

[ ooc note: let's say this is all happening before her disappearance. ]

RUN THIS SHOW
[ if there was one thing lillian loved, it was trying to strike a deal with humans. deals that involved money and haggling, not the usual ones she was so used to. there was just something amusing in the way she and the person haggled and negotiated and debated about the quality of the work and what it should amount to.

so she opened her shop with a surprise sale one morning, when the air was tad warmer and the skies were slightly brighter.

her latest batch of creations were placed up, the latest trends and the best materials for everyone to see.

the price tags merely listed as 'ask mrs. lotus' and nothing more. when called, she'll head over to the person with a sweet smile on her face and an inquisitive tilt to her head as she speaks in perfect, soft english- ]

Is there something I can help you with?

BETTER WATCH YOUR BACK
[ she hadn't felt this unsettled since the 40s.

the recent light of some events had left her on edge, keeping a sharper eye and ear out for certain faces and certain names. once upon a time, she remembered coming to london because she thought it would be peaceful here compared to the bustle of beijing, the eeriness of paris.

oh how a few years can change that.

that day she wanted some time to herself. the idea of hosting gatherins for her fellows usually excited her but not that day. she turned off the lights and closed the curtains and changed out to something more comfortable-

-forgetting to flip the sign to 'closed' in her rush for some personal time.

lillian only realised her mistake when checking her inventory and logs and she heard the familiar jingle of the door's bells.

she looked up and frowned, barely holding back a sigh as she placed a polite smile on her face and tried, as usual, to be a cordial host. ]

-I'm sorry but we're closed for today. Even for friends of the store. [ her code for 'seelies' in case humans and others wandered in the shop to gawk at the items, the clothes she had displayed. ] May whatever you need wait until tomorrow?

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE
[ feel free to hit her up with a different scenario/setting/anything! ]

run this show

[cabins]

Yes, please, if you don't mind- [Laura gestures at a long burgundy dress.

Her nose tells her this woman is fae. Fine by her, the only person she'd really give a pause to was a vampire. Gingerly, she runs her fingers over the fabric.] I was wondering what you could tell me about this garment? It's stunning.

watch your back

[bellebete]

[Oh, what a delightful store. The clothes on display are so beautiful, made with such care and an expert hand. Imagine having someone make this art for you-- it would be a delight.]

[Her face falls a little at the voice from the back, not unexpected but still a shame.]

I'm sorry-- I have a dinner to go to tonight and the dry cleaner ruined my dress.

[She does her best to look a little pitiful and forlorn, panic etched in her features as she glances around the shop.]

If I could trouble you for some of your time, I can reimburse you.

watch your back gurl

[ghoulaid]

( If she's been extra observant lately, she may have noticed an increase in the number of wolves lurking around the area... and look, here's one now. He's alone, thankfully, and he remains near the door after slipping inside. The oh he responds with sounds genuinely surprised- like he honestly hadn't known the building was supposed to be closed, so maybe he means no harm after all.

Or maybe he's very good at faking. Who knows, right? )

Umm. ( He bites at his lower lip, glancing down at his hands. One is twisted up in the bottom hem of his shirt, the other tightly clasped around it. ) I dunno, I think it might fall off before tomorrow? ( He laughs nervously at his own attempt at a joke. What he means is obvious enough upon inspection- he may be wearing dark colors, but there are a few small, wet patches on his shirt. Fresh blood. Puppy needs a bandaid. )

Maera Perkins | Original Character | Unseelie Fae

[goroesi]

{ walk on the wild side }

[ The night is overcast, there’s a stiff breeze, and Maera Perkins is back in London.

The door to the Other Realm closes as quickly as it opens as she steps through, casting a glance up at the night sky. It’s a little reassuring, that she can clearly recognize the stars and constellations. It grounds her, reminds her that this is the London she’s always known, no matter what conflicts may have brought her here.

With a sigh, she scrubs a hand through her hair, then begins to walk through the park, towards the inner city. It’s time to get to work - and first things first, she’s hoping to run into some other fae. ]

{ better watch your back }

[ The best way to get back into anything is to throw oneself into it with reckless abandon. Maybe it isn’t the safest way to approach your problems, but Maera is anything but levelheaded.

The pub she’s in is dimly lit, the type that tends to be filled to the brim with humans and supernatural patrons alike. She sits up front at the bar, talking with a couple mortals, her voice and actions becoming louder and more theatrical as the night goes on. Of course, the human alcohol she’s been drinking is hardly potent, but it doesn’t hurt to act.

All the while, she keeps an eye on the seedier corners of the bar. She doesn’t like the idea of anyone watching her without her knowledge. So the obvious response is to attract as much attention as possible, so that she knows what to look for. ]

And that is why I’m back in London. Another round on me?

{ choose your own adventure! }

walk on the wild side / before lillian gets vanished

[threadspun]

Miss Maera?

[ lillian had just been out for a quick trip to the grocery store, evident by the heavy plastic bags filled with fruits and vegetables that she carried with apparent ease. when she saw the portal open and a figure step out, she had been this close to leaving in case it was a troublemaker.

then she saw who it was.

she blinked a few times, as if to make sure it was really who she was seeing, before her face lit up with a big smile on her face. she stepped forward to allow herself to be seen better, her voice filled with warm and pleasant surprise. ] It's you! I was wondering when you'd come by to visit again.