Test Drive - 004

[ateratmods]

TEST DRIVE 004

Welcome to Aterat!

Here is our forth Test Drive Meme! There are a lot of areas of the city to explore, so please have a look around! In case you need a little help getting started, I've included a few prompts below, or feel free to start your own! Exploration and player initiative are the names of the game here!

Helpful Links to Get Started

Arrival & General Information | Locations & Bestiary | Residences & Housing Info | Businesses | Rules & FAQ (ask questions here!)

A. Crash into Me

Not exactly, but close enough. You have just arrived and received a strange satchel from a tiny, strange little man and are left more or less to your own devices (more information on what to expect upon arrival can be found here)! Follow directions to the north and check out the housing, or maybe have a look around the Historium and try to get some information from that giant glowing ball, see what you can waste your meager starter coin on in the Market District, or maybe just meet the neighbors.

B. A Winter's Ball

What brand new ballroom would be complete without a fancy new winter's ball to break it in? Things are a little strange at the ballroom (check the prompts) with mistletoe that traps you for a kiss with a random passerby, strange gray meringue that makes you willing to overshare, not to mention the fact that one of your strange possible overlords funded the whole thing. What's the worst that could happen?

C. We're all hanging out at the park, right?

The park near the Complex has become a glittering expanse of show! Children and adults alike build snowmen and even sled down some of the higher hills in the area. There are stands around the park selling hot chocolate, coffee, tea, and cider, as well as sweets and wrapped snacks for the day in the park. Speckling the park at regular intervals are standing fire pits designed to ward away the cold and allow for gatherings and conversation.

The pond in the park has frozen over as well, affording the abilities to ice skate as the ever-industrious Raimon is renting skates, and maybe even challenge people to a hockey game. How hard could it be to find some makeshift pucks and other accoutrements in order to play a game?

Tell Phone

The Tell Phones everyone are provided when they arrive are capable of voice transmission and texting as well and photo texts!

NAVIGATION

Comments

[doubled_speed]

So evasive power houses that don't know what they're doing are fucking with our lives?

[gadaboutdetective]

That about sums it up, I'm afraid. That and they're looking for our help with rebuilding the world that ended under unknown circumstances. I've been trying to learn more about that but even those who were presumably here from the apocalyptic event don't remember.

[doubled_speed]

How is it we keep getting in places that are trying to rebuild? Just let me land somewhere with cheap and quick street food.

[gadaboutdetective]

Luck, I'd guess. [The bad sort, he supposed. Still, felt better than being in his world in some ways and definitely better than the Sphere.] The street food costs money, but it's pretty good. There's a circus complex that has a lot to choose from for different snacks too.

[doubled_speed]

I don't care if it's good or that it costs. I just want it cheap and heaping.

[Tommy could support himself on the sort of funds he coudl make back home. Here, he was probably going to need two or three jobs.

[gadaboutdetective]

Honestly, that might be something worth bringing up... If they are going to bring people here and expect them to contribute, they should have what they need. [Because Tommy's need to steady calories could get risky for him, and that really was a bit unfair at the end of the day.] Until then, we'll have to make some arrangements. What kind of work do you think you'd like to try? I could always put a word in for you at the office I'm working out of, or at the flower shop.

[doubled_speed]

I don't even know. I doubt I can make enough as a courier. I'll have to take up more.

[He'll have to figure out just what he can do at speed to make more money.]

[gadaboutdetective]

Courier isn't a bad place to start though? I can't think of seeing anyone run deliveries around the city, so there might be a bigger demand for it than you think. A few of the business that are out of the way and on the outskirts of the city usually have to send someone to pick things up, I think?

[doubled_speed]

Yeah but just because you don't see delivery people doesn't mean the aren't around. What if I did that and was taking food out of other people's mouths?

[gadaboutdetective]

I admit, you’ve made a good point there… But it’s something to start with. I’ll help ask around if you like. Even if there is, maybe they need help from someone who can make speedier deliveries, hm?

[Llewellyn was, as usual, determined to make sure a friend in need was going to be alright.]

There are a few businesses that are hiring right now as well, you can see if any of them seem like something you could do… Oh- and a notice board where a lot of requests tend to go up.

[Humming a little, he rubbed his cheek lightly as he tried to pull forth a few more ideas.]

Maybe even a job that would give you access to food through the day, even if it’s just at a discounted price.

[doubled_speed]

I'll see what I can grab.

[Wait, there was work that would do that to a degree? Huh, maybe he should consider that.]

Thanks, this does help with some ideas.

[gadaboutdetective]

I'm glad I could help, Tommy. It's hard enough getting started in places like this, on top of the whole uh- adjustment to where we were before.

[And he was glad that at least some of his ideas might have been good ones, rather than throwing things around that were anything but helpful.]

[doubled_speed]

[Still, Tommy's got a ton of shit to think about with this.]

You seem to have adjusted.

[gadaboutdetective]

I have, but I've also been here a few months now. [And he did arrive with people, that helped. It was just sad that Tommy had arrived alone, but he would do his best to help.] And I was pretty used to sudden upheavals in my day to day life before all this... being pulled around from world to world thing began.

[He offered a small shrug,] And I think being in a world where we aren't trapped in a reverse fishbowl, without something in our heads messing with us, probably helped.

[doubled_speed]

[Yeah, no Wanda and no Gar, it was a mess.]

Yeah, I'm a big fan of sky and air.

[gadaboutdetective]

They're pretty great, natural sunlight too. [None of these artificial lighting that could go out without warning.] There's a lot more life here, in the parks and the forests. Everywhere- though the giant birds were an interesting change from the horses I was used to seeing.

[doubled_speed]

Yeah, the giant birds look hella tasty.

[Tommy grins, because he likes chicken.]

[gadaboutdetective]

[Llewellyn can't help but stop and think about that, he hadn't really considered the idea before... Everyone seemed to keep them as beasts of burden or pets as far as he could tell. That was a lot of chicken though.]

Umm... I can't say I've seen them on the menu.

[doubled_speed]

[What? Why not? Tommy frowned at that. Come on, man, he deserves food of giant roast bird.]

Well, I'll see if I can't find somewhere it is.

[gadaboutdetective]

I suppose that just because I haven't seen it, doesn't mean it exists. [He knows that very well by now.] If you do, let me know.

[He might even be willing to try himself. Llewellyn was more adventurous with food than his colleagues back in Toronto ever were.]

[doubled_speed]

[I mean, that's logical to argue.]

I will, I know youd' want to try eating it. Admit it.

[But he looks nervous anyway.]

Hey, I'm sorry I missed the wedding.

[gadaboutdetective]

[He raised a brow, but Llewellyn wasn't the sort to lie without a good reason, so he shrugged.]

One can't help be curious, and I'd hate to miss it if it's good.

[The nervous shift in Tommy's expression, followed by the apology, gets a quick gesture. Hand waving a bit as if to dissipate something nonsensical. He'd missed seeing his friend there, yes, but Llewellyn couldn't blame him for skipping. The detective was too familiar with loss to not understand.]

Don't worry about that, Tommy. We understood why you weren't there. I'd never hold that against you considering what you were dealing with.

[doubled_speed]

[Tommy nodded and tapped his hands on the table. Quickly. He was getting nervous and didn't know how to fill the silence. He wasn't always good at people.]

I guess I've got a lot of exploration to go.

[gadaboutdetective]

[Llewellyn could see his friend's nerves were starting to get worse, and he knew it was probably soon time for Tommy to get moving again. The detective was the sort to keep on the move himself, even without any particularly special abilities. It helped, and there was a lot to see that might help distract him.]

That you do, I won't keep you from it either... Just finish eating, and we can catch up again later? I'll try to not lose my phone again.

wrap?

[doubled_speed]

[Tommy nodded.]

It would take a lot of energy to find you right now. So don't lose it and force me look for you.