livinglot | ⇨ Test Drive Meme: EDEN (Rescued Captives)

⇨ Test Drive Meme: EDEN (Rescued Captives)

WELCOME TO THE SHOW!↴

Or, more specifically, Lost Carnival's test drive meme! We've changed a lot this time around and have introduced a whole new method of entering the game. Before we get started, let's lay down some details:

You can (and should) read the plot FAQ here.
Reserves and Applications are currently OPEN.
This round, new characters will be entering as rescued captives. Initially stolen away into this world by the leader of Eden, they will be rescued by current characters as part of an in-game event.
You can apply as a newcomer or as a "veteran" character who has been in the carnival for up to three years. In the case of veteran characters, you will need to come up with an explanation of why they haven't been around the carnival recently. They will arrive in the carnival grounds with no entry log necessary.
TDM threads can be used as game canon after the fact if both characters are accepted, the players agree to it, and it makes any sense contextually.

CURRENT SCENARIO↴

⇨ GARDEN OF EDEN ⇦
Eden is a magical, almost idyllic realm created by a powerful nephalem, with the specific purpose of finding a way to craft the perfect mortal soul. Above ground there are beautiful forest, gardens, and architecture that is otherworldly in its splendor. You, however, don't get to see most of that, because you have been brought to its underground prison, locked away like a zoo animal to be studied by the locals. This is extra weird because everyone living in Eden is some kind of uplifted animal - the beings attending to you are a diverse assortment of species, all with the ability to talk and apparently bend reality.

The underground garden you're being kept in doesn't look like a prison at first. Despite its lack of natural light, it's well decorated with plant life and various water features, its trees growing enough fruit to sustain you indefinitely. But there's no way out. It's just you and the other captives, and occasionally one of Eden's beasts coming in to check on you, or drag someone out to be examined. It's like being abducted by UFOs if the UFOs were talking animals, and the spaceship was a magical realm.

You may have noticed by now that, eventually, individual test subjects stop being returned to the garden. You could imagine this is because they've been released, but realistically, you suspect it's something much worse.

► THE MIRROR: The first thing you remember of your stay in Eden is seeing a mirror, its pristine silver surface being all that you can focus on. You don't know how you got there, only that the reflection seems to reach inside of you and pull something out, as if it's splitting you in half to create your mirror image. Eventually, you lose consciousness, and wake up in the garden prison. It took you a while to get the chance to talk to any of the animals, and they are disinclined to give you anything but the most basic of information - what to eat, where to sleep. They don't seem to want to get attached.

► THE GARDENS: There's not much to do in the garden, besides lounge around and maybe speak with your fellow captives. They have more information for you than any of the animals will - some of them are human, but some of them are obviously alien, telling tales of different worlds far beyond your experience. The lights dim at night and brighten in the day, but there's no outdoors to be seen. There are cushions and blankets laying on the grass for you to sleep on, but there are no beds. No one who has gotten violent towards the animals that attend to you has come back after being hauled off.

► SOMETHING MISSING: Since the moment you've arrived, no magic or powers you had previously have worked. More than that, you feel like something inside of you is missing - like some part of your soul never came back from being split into that mirror you saw. Maybe that's an abstract idea for you, maybe you don't believe in souls. Yet, now it's an instinctive feeling that is hard to put out of your mind. What did they take from you? Can you get it back?

► WILD CARD: Want to try some threads with the assumption that your character is already with the carnival? There are a lot of possibilities and you're free to explore them. Check out the rest of the game info or the locations page for additional inspiration. Want to run the obstacle course? Hang out in the Backyard? Choose whatever appeals! These prompts will be considered non-canon, unless you are applying as a veteran.

Recruits from this month will be signing on with the carnival in an entry log that will be posted around the start of August. You can view the in-game calendar here.

ENTRY STATUS↴

Approved characters will arrive as part of an in-game event log which will cover their rescue. TDM threads are meant to be pre-rescue circumstances, and current players will be tagging in as NPCs or other captured characters.
Characters rescued from Eden can have been imprisoned in the gardens for anywhere from a single day to up to three months. Good luck keeping track, though, there's no clocks down here.
Characters rescued from the gardens will be mostly depowered at the time, but will get their powers back by the end of the event.
Characters will be imprisoned with only the clothes on their back. All items will have been confiscated, but can potentially be retrieved in the event log.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Do you have questions about something on this TDM, or about the process of submitting an application? Feel free to ask those here.

Excuse me, but can memories be taken when a character's soul is split in half? This character doesn't have any powers other than being a really good maid, so I wanted to make her lose a bit of her identity with her soul.

Sure, that's feasible. It'd just be a side effect of the process, since it's a bit spiritually traumatic.

(Anybody reading this can decide to do that for their characters as well, but it isn't mandatory.)

I see. And I assume the memories can be regained when everyone gets their powers back, or is this asking too much?

No, getting them back at the same time would be my assumption. That's fine.

Dark is bored out of his mind.

An idyllic garden is great and all, but there's nothing to steal. There aren't many pretty girls for him to woo. There isn't anything much for him to do at all. His powers aren't working, so there isn't much he can do about escape for now. Mostly he spends his time complaining to the animals, occasionally tossing insults for good measure, not caring that they don't respond most of the time. He needs to get back to the real world. He needs to get back to Daisuke. He needs something to steal.

THE GARDENS

Haruhi didn't like the feeling of being watched.

She is used to attention, sure, but being watched like she is some sort of animal is something she did not want for herself. The Garden is a beautiful place. It is, really! But she couldn't bring herself to enjoy it due to the circumstances. It is all nothing but a fuzzy blank for how she got here in the first place but she definitely misses home. She even misses those lot of idiots she calls "co-workers" and friends. Haruhi wanted a break from the Host Club. But not like this. Definitely not like this.

Haruhi touchs one of the flowers in The Garden and sighs, running her fingers over the petal. There is no way out of here, is there? She looked multiple times for exits that just didn't seem to exist. There is also what is the equivalent of DIY sleeping bags on the ground along with others people as well. Well, she couldn't complain but she'd definitely prefer her bed at the moment. How long has she been here? It felt like days. It was strange in here. The animals were weird and the ones who messed with them never came back.

Haruhi sighs and slowly sinks down into a sitting position, pulling at the grass.

"If I ever make it home, I swear I'll work double time at the host club..."

Something to steal, huh?

It's not much, but there's a fluffy little dog with a clipboard wandering around the gardens and taking notes. He does not seem to be paying Dark any attention.

The badger Temel is far from aware of just what will happen to the 'peoples' they have been tasked with checking in on, but they are likewise no fool to the obvious. More than a few times, someone has crossed a line, and someone has had to be taken off for....who knows what really, all that Temel knows is that it is not their responsibility at that point.

They are not supposed to care, or grow attached, but with recent tensions 'outside' they cannot help but take notice of people getting closer and closer to such a point. So the badger coughs, making a pointed look toward Haruhi. More problems are the last thing anyone needs.

"....I might recommend banishing such thoughts," she warns, clicking her tongue. She carries some sort of notepad, and a pen sits atop her ear. If not for the circumstance, perhaps it could have been humorous.

"Ah!"

Jesus. She will never get used to this whole...talking animal thing. This isn't Alice in Wonderland and she is no Alice. But the badger had initiated conversation and it is only polite to respond. Even if she is just...talking to an animal. She still remembers when she burst out laughing when one first talked because she thought it was all apart of yet another Host Club scheme. But it is quite obvious now that it is not the case. Haruhi runs her hands over her eyes to make extra sure that she isn't dreaming before she finally responds.

"Right. Let me guess. You're gonna tell me that I'm never going home or something, right?" She asks. "Will you actually tell me the point of this whole thing?"

Edited 2018-07-28 20:16 (UTC)

Oh, honestly! The badger looks quite annoyed, as if the idea that any of this could be shocking were utterly ridiculous.

It could also just be the fact that they're talking about escape and not trying it. "No," she tsks, gently taking her pen to start jotting a few things down. "I am going to tell you that peoples who think the way you are now, have a habit of eventually thinking themselves escape artists or warriors. At which point, they're someone else's responsibility," Temel notes, tapping her pen against the board a few times.

"...And they have certainly never returned here when that became the case. Not that I know where they go," she continues- and indeed, she doesn't- "But I doubt it's whatever place you came out from. So banish those thoughts, and enjoy what you have," the badger huffs.

Haruhi really did not want to believe that she just got threatened by a badger. She also did not want to believe that it may or may not have worked. The young host loosens the tie to her school uniform, only slightly wishing she wasn’t stuck in some mystical garden with an outfit that wasn’t too comfortable. “Oh yeah, nothing more enjoyable than being trapped in what feels like a human zoo. Who could possibly complain?” Sarcasm to hide the slight fear of what the possibility of rebellon will bring.

“Anyways, could you at least tell me why I’m here? Because I’m not exactly the person you should kidnap for ransom.” Actually, no. She is sure the hosts would do whatever they could. But this isn’t exactly a normal kidnapping situation. She is surrounded by talking animals, for pete’s sake. “And while you’re at it, can you explain why you’re carrying around a clipboard like that? Are you observing us for research or something equally sci fi-ish?” It is best to ask questions now. Maybe she’d be able to get some answers out of this...talking badger.

Edited 2018-07-29 02:41 (UTC)

Threatened! How insulting! She's saying it like it is. She even wrinkles her nose. "...'Zoo'...this is hardly a 'zoo', really," the badger grumbles. Rather than answer immediately, she crosses her arms and holds her clipboard to her front.

"I will answer for you what I can, on the condition you try to enjoy yourself then," she hums, nodding her head. It's an absolutely fine idea, if she says so herself. "As I said- it's not my responsibility once you peoples begin causing a ruckus." She learned very quickly not to grow attached to you things, and for good reason.

That said- "I'm making sure the temperature is optimal- you peoples have certain tolerance ranges that we need to make certain are met..."

Enjoy herself? What a weird condition to be met. And a nearly impossible one to boot. It’s enough she smells like rose petals on a daily basis but not to be permenantly surrounded by them? This really was some kind of 9th circle of hell, huh? Had she actually managed to get herself killed? She bets a while five hundred yen that she choked on the weird amount of petals that often seems to accompany the Host Club.

”So, you’re taking care of those of us that are captured by making sure certain habitat requirements are met.” Haruhi lightly pounds her fist into the palm of her hand. A thought! “Like how someone cleans a fish tank. Or making sure enclosures are cleaned. You know...” She glances at the badger. “...like a zoo.”

Haruhi is in deep analysis mode. “Why not just lie about the real reason we’re all here?” Not that she knows the real reason herself but...you know. Sometimes you have to shake the tree to see what falls out. ”It’s hard for anyone to relax when they wake up in a strange place and met with talking creatures. Making them even more uncomfortable is not proper ettiquete and will make it hard for anyone to enjoy themselves.”

"I don't believe in pretty lies," is the curt response.

Does she know about the host club? The rose petals? Certainly not. She couldn't even begin to guess, but all the same- "Frankly," Temel explains, "We're a little tired of finding you peoples whisked away because you couldn't simply sit still. Could you blame us for holding our distance?" Granted, there are reasons other than escape attempts for them vanishing but...

...Well those reasons are just as much if not more of an unknown, at this point. So she won't dwell on that. "And it's not a zoo!" she adds, grumbling a bit more. "You are here, because it is your place now. That is that."

Haruhi laughs. She really didn’t mean to, she was trying to keep her composure. But this new development is simply hilarious. “Aww. You guys are just little tsunderes then.” Cute tsundere animals. How could anyone resist that? It is like something out of those little short cartoons with the chibi animals. Haruhi resists the urge to pat the badger on the head. That’s a little dangerous. Plus they are the enemy at the moment.

“Well, this place is really nice and all. But us “peoples” need something better than the supplies we’ve got at least. Some people have back problems, you know? You’re gonna ruin the environement and probably get sued. And no one likes getting sued.”

For a moment, she looks as though she intends to ask whether or not 'tsundere' is meant to be some sort of people insult. She restrains herself.

As it is, she would have been absolutely furious if she was pat upon the head. She's no dumb beast, madam!

"No one will be getting 'sued', I assure you," she huffs, scribbling away her notes on the clipboard. She does, however, pause to squint at Haruhi.

"Explain about the 'back problems'."

Haruhi is happy to explain.

“Well, back problems are a common thing in us humans. It may come from leaning over your desk too much due to studying for exams or maybe even sleeping in an uncomfortable position. There are some remedies to this, of course, but the most affective is a comfortable bed with maybe some medicines as well.” Haruhi explains with ease. “Of course, untreated back problems lead to crankiness. A bunch of humans in an enclosed space feeling cranky due to their bad backs. You can only imagine the chaos that would erupt. I’d say you’ve only got a lucky few who don’t seem to be suffering from it but good things can’t last forever, you know?”

Temel is silent for a few moments.

She does not seem to have been taking any of what Haruhi said seriously in that silence, however. "....Hn! I thought you were speaking of serious worries!" she eventually huffs, tucking her pencil back behind her ear. "You have nothing like that to worry about. There are plenty of pillows for sleeping on, and I can show you which ones are best for it with backs like 'yours'," she adds in, before any arguments of species and their needs arise.

"At the least it sounds as though my point stands firmly. You should enjoy your time away from these...'exams'," the badger insists, even chuckling somewhat.

~~Yes, the dog. he will steal the dog~~

With no mind paid whatever to subtlety Dark begins following the dog, trying to get a look at the notes. He's so bored, honestly, he'll take what he can get for entertainment.

~~STEAL THE DOG~~

The dog in question seems to sense that something is amiss, and half turns around enough to see that one of the subjects is following him. His triangle ears swivel back slightly in alarm, but he turns and continues trotting away at a quickened pace. If he ignores it it can't bother him, right!?

Edited 2018-07-29 04:34 (UTC)

“Everyone needs to do their best to prevent the tragedy that is back pains.”

Okay, maybe that wasn’t true. But there was probably someone in here with back pains, damn it, and she’d get them a proper bed one day. At the mention of getting away from exams, Haruhi freezes for a second before the proper oh shit moment sinks in. “Oh shit.” There it is. “Exams, my studies...will I get a pass for being kidnapped?” But the real question was if they would actually believe her story when she got back home. No ifs, only whens.

“This isn’t exactly the best vacation away from stress, you know. I actually like breaking my back doing homework. If anything, I want a break from the club. But not like this!”

Edited 2018-07-29 04:36 (UTC)

Oh good grief. Temel watches the poor girl go through her momentary crisis, patiently waiting for it to be at least half over.

"I have told you, repeatedly," she notes, sighing, "That this is quite permanent. In fact, you should hope yourself that it stays that way. It's quite nice here." Certainly nicer than wherever the peoples always vanish off too when it's time to leave for whatever reason, she's certain.

As it is. "You might as well consider it a permanent vacation- there are no 'studies' and 'exams'!"

Haruhi glances over at the badger. Really? No sympathy at all?

Well, they were just talking animals and they usually were the type to keep their distamce, huh. Curse that adorable face though! Though, Haruhi will not give in. She is a lot stronger than that. The young girls sighs, her posture completely collapsing. “It’s not that simple. That means all my hard work was for nothing. It’s like building a house of cards only for the wind to knock it over before kicking the cards into a gutter.” She explains. “Do you understand?” Probably not.

Do you know how many peoples she has seen in her day Haruhi she has seen So Many Peoples.

Not to mention the personal distance she's had to employ as a Scholar.

Yet....she does seem to be tapping her board some. Eventually she glances over her sheet, flips it over, and takes her pencil again.

"Very well...what sort of 'studies' were so important that you would feel it all for 'nothing' now, hmm?"

This is not very encouraging at all. But it's something, probably.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 1 of 15

⇨ Test Drive Meme: EDEN (Rescued Captives)

⇨ MOD QUESTIONS

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Dark Mousy || DNAngel

Haruhi Fujioka | OHSHC

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject