thetube | Test Drive Meme: August/September 2016

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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 and canon 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) HOUSE OF FUN. Whether it's your first time in London or you've lived here all your life, you hear that this is the place to be for someone like you. A place to let loose, have fun, and embrace your true nature, whatever that may be.

2) THE LION'S DEN. And this is not the place to be. This is the enemy's camp and if they catch you...

3) IT'S QUICKER IF YOU RUN. So here's the game: you run, they chase. You might even escape, with a bit of luck... or maybe some help.

4) THE GREAT BRITISH BAKE-OFF. Be inspired and make some cupcakes, attend a cake sale, or try home-baking with your friends. Who says supernatural creatures can't have a sweet tooth?

5) SUMMER = BBQ. Another great British tradition: the moment the sun appears, it's time to get out the barbecue and enjoy some slightly-burnt burgers and hotdogs. With summer fading, what are you waiting for?

6) THE CHEMIST. Even creatures of the night occasionally require a visit to the pharmacy. Bit awkward when you recognise a fellow supernatural being waiting for a prescription though...

7) STUCK ON THE TUBE. The Underground would like to apologise for the delay to this service. It's probably a signal failure. Not a supernatural trap or anything, nope.

8) CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE. Anything goes.

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Jean-Claude sees and recognizes the other man's nerves and finds himself thus charmed as well. He rather enjoys pushing his boundaries and flustering the young and impressionable supernatural such as the man he finds before him. If he had known that this young man were acquainted with a certain other supernatural that he enjoys flustering as well, he would have been far too amused.

"You seem to be doing fairly well adjusting thus far," he observes.

"Well. Despite what a lot of people seem to think, the UK and the States aren't that different." Well, there were a lot of differences, but nothing that massively stood out. "I mean...we mostly speak the same language. I'm not likely to get myself in too much trouble just by talking."

Too much, maybe. When he knows who he's talking to, at least.

Jean-Claude quirks something of a smile at the younger man at such a response before he inclines his head at him in return. "Perhaps you will not," he acquiesces. Because it is true. London is still fairly forgiving in that regard. His smile moves wider as he continues, "You should consider yourself fortunate you have not found yourself in France, however. Alas, the atmosphere is not nearly so forgiving there. Perhaps that is why I find myself an ex-patriot, such as yourself."

To put it mildly. More accurately, the court in France is a literal nightmare and the second Jean-Claude was given leave of it he got himself the hell out before they changed their mind and kept him longer still.

That gets a quicksilver grin from Jason before he shakes his head. "I took French in high school. I can confidently say those were some of the worst grades that I ever got." Good enough that he could graduate, sure, but that was the extent of it. "That would be why I stopped in London. I tend to prefer more forgiving atmospheres."

Which...would partly be the reason behind why he left North Carolina in the first place. Living with his father and Roberta was pretty much the opposite of forgiving.

Jean-Claude flicks the young man a smile, inclining his head in turn. It is a smile that says nothing and yet everything that Jason might need to know of Jean-Claude's experiences in his home country, and how little affection he truly has for the place.

"That, mon ami," he replies, "was perhaps a decision for the best. Regardless of what anyone might tell you of the atmosphere in this city." There is a reason that he had escaped it, when he'd had the chance to do so, after all.

Assuming Jason can read that smile. Which...honestly, he probably comes close. Though it might take somebody who knows the man better to read it entirely.

"Luckily, not too many people have said much about the atmosphere of London. Other than the fact that it's fairly welcoming." Which is what he needs right now.

He takes a moment to consider before holding out his hand. "Jason." Hey, a name wouldn't be a bad thing to give. First name, at least.

Well, it certainly is that. Of course, there's something of an inner turmoil going on within the supernatural factions just at the moment, but if Jason isn't involved in any of those, then. Well, perhaps he is the lucky one, Jean-Claude thinks to himself.

He glances down at the offered hand and a slow smile spreads across his face before he moves to accept it. If his companion were a woman he might have even hazarded a kiss to the knuckles, but such a thing is not always welcome for men, even such men that seem to be relatively appreciative of his flirtations thus far. So he shakes the hand instead, his grip firm as he replies, "Jean-Claude." By way of introduction.

Maybe he will recognize him as the owner of Guilty Pleasures. Maybe he will know that he has been traveling up the ranks and is now Marquess of Islington, with rumored (rumors that are true for that matter) plans to overthrow the current Duke of Islington. Or maybe he is so new to the city that none of this will make a difference to him. It would be interesting to encounter someone of the latter group, for a change.

To be honest, Jason is still pretty new to London. New enough to want to stay out of the politics as much as possible until he HAS to deal with it. So while he knows a few things, he's been trying NOT to find out too much.

He's on vacation. Technically.

Still. Even as much as he's been trying not to find out things, there are a few names he's heard. Enough that his eyes widen before he can school down the expression. "I've heard of your club." Because...well. He's a dancer. There ARE some things he's heard about. "I mean, as long as you're the Jean-Claude the owns Guilty Pleasures."

Jean-Claude's smile widens slightly, pleased that of all the things the young shifter knows of him, it would be Guilty Pleasures. His little club is perhaps the one thing that he is most proud of in this city, perhaps because it is all his. Neither Raymond nor Millicent before him have ever dared to touch it, regardless of what authority they might have held over him at the time.

He produces a card for Guilty Pleasures from somewhere -- god knows, considering the fact that his pants look tight enough to suggest that pockets are not an option -- before offering it to the younger man.

"You should pay us a visit then, sometime," he offers. In the tone of voice suggesting that he would very much like that indeed.

To be fair, it's easier to deal with things like a lack of pockets in your trousers when you don't have to worry about pesky little things like circulation.

Jason takes the business card, looking it over before tucking it down beneath the waistband of his trousers. Because, yeah. No pockets there, either. "I'll keep that in mind. I enjoy dancing, after all." Which was why he was out tonight, honestly.

Jean-Claude watches where the business card disappears to and laments that he did not have the opportunity to put it there himself, in all honesty. But it pleases him that Jason has taken the card and that he doesn't seem to resist the idea of coming to visit him at a club he knows the reputation for. And if anyone knows Guilty pleasures then they know about the tendency towards male dancers.

His smile widens further. "How much do you enjoy dancing?" he asks. He had been watching the young man out on the floor, after all. He'd been pretty good. With a little bit of guidance, he would make a lot of hearts throb. Among other things.

Sure, he doesn't know the entire reputation. That probably won't stop him in the least once he does, though. Because vampires aren't really a thing he's ever had much experience with back home. Comes from having grown up in a town that was founded by shapeshifters.

The question gets a raised eyebrow. "Enough that I've been doing classes since about age five." He lifts his chin a bit, even though he knows the question isn't being asked out of a desire to poke fun at him.

Jean-Claude would never dream of poking fun at anyone for a passion for dancing and still aspire to the career path that he has found for himself. He meets that defiant gaze levelly, his own expression quizzical more than anything else.

"You are formally trained?" he asks the other man inquisitively. He quirks a wry smile. "I am assuming you mean in a style other than club dancing. I know that the times are changing as they say, but I would not think that they have changed quite so much as to consider such a skill a trained talent."

Sadly, he'd been made fun of quite a bit while he was growing up. Either the usual with other kids in school or by his father. So, when Jean-Claude didn't seem interested in following the form he was used to, Jason let his hackles drop.

"In several styles, actually. There was a focus on modern dance, but I've had training in tap and jazz. A little bit of ballet, but that didn't work out so well." While he was plenty strong enough to hold up the other dancers, he just looked odd next to many of them, given he was so short.

Jean-Claude had been born in a time when it had been chivalrous for men to be trained in such arts. He himself knew quite a number of court dances from bygone years that would never come to use ever again outside a vampire's gala. Of course he isn't judging Jason for his talents in the ballet. Jean-Claude happens to have season tickets, after all.

"It is no wonder you move so well on the floor, mon ami," he says, and though it's sometimes hard to tell with him, it is definitely clear that he is saying this in admiration of the other man's talents.

There's a moment of almost shock on his face at Jean-Claude's reply. Sure, he hadn't made fun of him or anything like that, but Jason isn't exactly expected the compliment on top of it all.

He takes a moment before clearing his throat, making a gesture to the bartender to get a drink. Just water because it's warm in the club. "Ah. Thank you. I didn't have a lot of reason to go clubbing before coming over here, so I'm just going with the flow, really."

Jean-Claude smiles as the other man flusters in response to his answer, and he finds it... Charming, really. He has always found it charming when a person didn't know how to take a compliment that they so rightly deserved. And ordering water at a club? He finds that equally charming as well.

"Ah, then you are a natural, mon ami," he says, leaning casually against the bar as he does. Notably not affected by the heat or the atmosphere of the club around him. He sticks out rather like a sore thumb here in his leather pants and his frilled white shirt but he obviously doesn't care one way or the other.

Alcohol is dehydrating. That's Jason's story and he's sticking to it.

It has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Jason might fall to his knees if drunk enough and offer to do some...well. Jason had, honestly, thought himself pretty much heterosexual. Apparently, he just needed the right encouragement to go up one on the Kinsey Scale.

He took a long gulp of water before offering a half smile, corner of his mouth quirked up. "Sometimes, you just end up really good at knowing which way the crowds are going." Especially when, most of the time, you couldn't see over the person in front of you.

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Test Drive Meme: August/September 2016

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