revivalprojectooc | Fall Test Drive Meme!

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Fall Test Drive Meme!

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Application FAQ | Taken Characters | Reserves | Application

Welcome to the Fall Test Drive for The Revival Project!

For those who do not know, this game is a spin-off from the closed The Drift Fleet game. For more information about what this game is about, please check out the FAQ here or the premise here.

Starting on the 7th, the TDM will be required for all applications. Please view the FAQ for information about how this works. Any questions about the game please direct to the comment section of the FAQ as well.

If you are a Drift Fleet alumni, please label your character as 'DFAU' on your top level so we know. Also, keep in mind you have complete flexibility on how your character comes here. They could be taken before endgame, after endgame, two years after, one year before, etc. It's up to you! The only option not allowed is to completely restart your character (because then it's not DFAU, is it?)

So go! Explore Agra 10! And, as always, HAVE FUN!

Please use either the first event or the previous TDM for prompt ideas!

code bases by tricklet

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Fun with Data Points

[ It's a bit of a rude awakening, coming to next to an unfamiliar glowing thing like the Data Point, but that's nothing compared to said Data Point dumping in a bunch of information that wasn't there previously.

It comes as a shock to Zuko, who's never experienced anything quite like it before, so for just a few moments, he stays seated on the ground holding his head, as if that'll help settle his thoughts down a little. ]

What- What was that?

[ Okay, so maybe his thoughts aren't quite settled down just yet. ]

That was weird.

[ "Weird" doesn't even begin to cover it, but Zuko's not even sure how to process what's just happened, so he's just going to stay seated for another minute or two and get his brain to settle down. ]

Don't Play With Fire...

[ Sometime after his nerves have settled down after the run-in with the Data Point, Zuko can be found near the hotel doing something that might look odd to those passing by.

He's doing a series of movements that looks similar to kung fu, but unlike that specific discipline, he's also producing small bursts of flame from his hands. And for some reason not immediately clear from just watching, this frustrates him. ]

Come on! Come on, why isn't this working?

[ After several more minutes of this, he stops his movements, letting his hands fall to his sides in defeat. ]

Or You'll Get Burned...

[ Still later, Zuko can be found at the hospital, running full tilt down one of the hallways, hands waving like he's trying to swat away a pesky fly.

In between coughs, he manages to shout: ]

Don't go down there, it's dangerous!

[ He may or may not have inadvertently broken a canister and gotten hit by the swirling gas contained inside. ]

[ ooc: Prose or brackets are fine, and if you want to do something else not covered here, hit me up at

starkravinghazelnuts or on discord @ starkravinghazelnuts#4249! ]</small.

She hears him before she sees him. There's no mistaking the staccato beats of his feet scuffing the ground, or the little exclamations as he jabs and punches his way through his katas. Even though they haven't been companions for very long, the Fire Prince has a way of leaving an impression on people.

Following the sound of his voice, she spots him when she rounds a corner. Her joy is immediate and overflowing; Zuko is okay, and he's here! Which... the latter bit might not be so great for him, but Katara won't complain over his appearance.

"Zuko!" she calls for him, running up excitedly and grabbing him by the shoulders. Her face is radiant. "I can't believe you're here!"

Honestly, being here really isn't all that great. He still hasn't managed to convince Aang or his friends that he's changed, and that he really genuinely wants to join them and help teach the Avatar firebending. That's partly why he's so frustrated as he puts himself through his paces, but until someone figures out a way out of this mess, he's basically stuck.

At the exact moment when he's given up what he's deemed a failure to adequately perform, he hears someone running up to him. Raising his arms in a defensive position, he looks to see who's coming. As soon as he realizes just who she is and that, for some reason, she's grabbing him, his jaw drops open in surprise. "Uh- You can't?"

That's just one of many questions he has, because the last time he saw her, she definitely didn't look that happy to see him. "Are you sure you're not thinking of someone else?" That doesn't quite make sense, but neither does the way she's looking at him.

Katara's happy grin shifts into an expression of confusion, but instead of letting him go, her grip on him subtly tightens. "Who else could I be thinking of? Unless there's a different Fire Nation Prince Zuko that you're aware of."

She squints at him, examining him to make sure his pupils aren't dilated, or for any other sign that he's hurt. "Are you okay? Did you hit your head? Is your lightning wound not healing up properly?" A look of real concern passes over her face at that question. Zuko had risked his life to save her and she'd only had a few moments after defeating Azula to work on healing him before the Agrii swept her up to their world.

Letting go of his shoulders, she instead takes him by the hand and starts to pull him towards the fountain. "Let me have a look at it and we'll do another healing session."

I ▹ WELCOME TO AGRA 10

[ It is not often that Garak allows himself to be taken by surprise.

But let's understand this: no one person out there can be expected to be perfectly calm and composed all the while when they are on a ship one moment, and find themselves on a completely new and foreign place the next. Even the most stoic of men would show a sliver of surprise, no matter how slight, and for Garak that means a few slow turns of his head, eyes darting from one side to the other, hands held up as though he expects someone to come at him out of nowhere.

The first thought to come to mind is that this must be the Dominion's doing. How, or when, or why, he can't truly say, but who else would do this? Why else do it to him, even? Of course, it prompts the immediate question as to who else might be stuck here, but it is odd that he should be completely alone when he opens his eyes.

As he inspects his surroundings, it's difficult to ignore the glowing orb near him, and when he stands, it nearly calls to him. Normally he wouldn't so readily touch something so strange without knowing where it is, but somehow the suspicious part of his brain seems to shut down, and he gives into that urge to reach out, hand stretched out as his fingers brush over the surface.

The light engulfs him, and he gasps, air kept in his lungs for a moment as the wrecked city vanishes around him, and all the information about this place is poured into his mind.

When it's done, Garak is left standing with too much information to process at once, his mind spinning. He reaches to rest a hand over his own temple and forehead, eyes wide, and looking around he immediately seeks shelter in a darker nook leading into a nearby building. ]

II ▹ EXPLORING

[ It seems both foolish and dangerous to be out in the open when he has no idea where he is, or who might be lurking. So as soon as he gets his bearings and doesn't look quite so confused anymore, he starts moving. It's not long before he's already regaining his composure, even as he lurks into strange buildings and peers inside, looking around corners just in case someone is on the lookout.

The longer it passes, and the farther he goes, the more confident he looks. He acts as though he's been here for a while, as if he recognizes every turn and corner, even as all of it strikes him as incredibly foreign. As he runs into someone, he will simply lift his ridged brow, a pleasant smile that somehow inspires a certain level of discomfort aimed at whoever he happens to cross paths with. ]

Ah. Excuse me, my dear, I seem to have taken a wrong turn.

[ Information is welcome, after all. He won't discard the possibility that whoever he talks to might be at fault for what is happening, but he can still play the fool. That has worked in his favor plenty of times before, and he sees absolutely no downside to trying to make use of it again. ]

Julian of course has been busy exploring the medical campus, looking at the different equipment, examining the different samples of who-the-hell-knows-what all morning. It's warm and he's needing something to drink and he heads to the fountain, knowing that water is okay to drink at least.

But as he approaches, a very familiar figure stands in front of the Data Point and Julian is left frozen in place trying to comprehend. Garak? Here?

And when the other comes back from likely the same information overload that he's experienced, and seeks shelter, Julian goes after him. He's not foolish enough to call his name across the square but ensuring he's closer before loudly whispering, "Garak!" and slowly approaching. He's not stupid enough to crowd an (ex?) Obsidian Order agent when they're in an unfamiliar environment.

If Katara looks confused, it's nothing to how Zuko's looking right now. He looks down at where her hand is resting on his shoulder, but then he glances back at her as if wondering how she can even stand to touch him. "Well, no, there's just me, but- You sort of hate me, don't you?" There's no "sort of" about it. He knows Katara loathes him, and she has every right to do that. As a prince from the Fire Nation, he represents everything she ought to hate.

But there she is, inspecting him, looking into his eyes, and he has no idea what's going on. "What are you talking about? What lightning wound? I don't-" And then something clicks in his head. "Did Azula find you? Did she attack you?" Maybe somehow Azula followed him to the Western Air Temple, in which case it's all Zuko's fault.

Before he knows what's happening, though, Katara's got him by the hand and she's pulling him along. "I don't understand, you want to heal me?" Never mind the fact that he's uninjured; he can't begin to understand where this is coming from.

As careful as that approach might be, it still startles Garak. His mind is just too full of all the jumbled information, still trying to sort through it all, and he neither sees nor hears the approach, not until the voice comes from right behind him, low enough not to draw any unwanted attention, but loud enough to nearly ring in his ears.

He turns abruptly, with a surprised grunt, hands held up in front of him. It's but a second before he recognizes the face, and he heaves out a breath. "Julian," he utters, closing his eyes and allowing himself to relax. It's a false sense of safety he gets, but it's one he welcomes nevertheless.

"I... you were taken as well?" Unaware that Julian has been here for longer than he has, he goes on to add. "Have you found anyone else?"

Julian keeps his arms in front of him to show that he has nothing untoward on him--only his on-the-fritz tricorder. His uniform is filthy from going through all of the dust and dirt around the medical campus but otherwise he's unharmed.

Garak must be very disoriented to show how disoriented he is. Especially to open with "Julian" instead of "Doctor". It keeps Julian on high alert to ensure everything is okay with the other--he's not exactly sure how any of this affects humans, let alone Cardassians.

"I was and before you ask, no, I don't know who's behind this. Jadzia was brought here as well."

He very carefully steps closer to Garak to put a hand on his shoulder, perhaps to steady him. "Are you all right?"

He can practically feel the concern oozing from Julian, and it incites him to gather himself, which he does. He swallows in the back of his throat and shifts his posture, into something more guarded, or more prepared. More like himself, either way.

"I should think not, Doctor, as you can't have been here for much longer than I. How long ago did you awaken? And where?"

His eyes dart to the still glowing orb, a low sound spilling from under his tongue. His tone is dismissive at best as he waves a hand between them. "Yes, yes, I'm perfectly fine. I would advise you not to touch that, however. That is, assuming you haven't yet."

Ah there it is. There's Garak putting his mask back on with "Doctor". To be expected, really, he's just surprised how quickly it happened.

"Actually, I've been here for a few days. I appeared right over there," he points over to where the fountain is. It seems like everyone has appeared there, at least from the data he's gathered.

Julian still gives Garak a look up and down to ensure there's nothing obvious he can see wrong with the Cardassian. When he's satisfied, he removes his hand from Garak's shoulder.

"Too late. It's...irresistible from what I can tell. Everyone I've met so far has felt the urge to come in contact with it. I believe...the species that put it there made it that way. To convey their message."

"No, that can't be," he tilts his head, looking Julian up and down like he was the one who has just hit his head against something. "Unless you're telling me I was passed out on the floor for days, I am sure I've only just seen you back on the ship. And I've been here for... minutes, hours at best? But certainly not days."

His mind will eventually catch on to the time differences, the intervals between the people here. Right now he thinks they all ended up here from the same point in time, and landed here in the same point in time. A rather linear thought process, that's his mistake.

"But it's no longer affecting us now," he observes, looking between Julian and the orb, approaching it cautiously. It has no sway over him now. "I wonder if it has told us all it was meant to."

So many questions seem to have been left unanswered still, but Garak suspects that was no accident.

"I don't hate you!" Katara insists, a little taken aback that Zuko could even think that was still the case. Had she hated him once? Absolutely, and she felt entirely justified in her sentiment at the time; Zuko had betrayed her after she'd poured out her heart to him. She thought they'd come to an understanding, but he turned around almost immediately and helped Azula attack them.

In spite of all that, things had changed. He had changed, and he had worked hard to regain her trust. Eventually, he'd won her over. Why is he now acting like he can't remember any of that?

"Yeah, Azula found us. Then you fought her off to buy the rest of us time to escape. And of course I want to heal you. You're only hurt because you took a bolt that was meant for me." She glances back at him, tugging him along like it's the most natural thing in the world for her to be concerned about his well-being.

She urges him to sit on the lip of the fountain once they reach it, and steps back a pace, crossing her arms. "Okay, let me see the wound. I need to make sure it's closed up the right way or it might get infected."

It's around this time that Zuko figures out something weird is going on. Actually, that's not so unusual for him, but this is something much weirder than just the usual funny business. For one thing, he doesn't remember saving Katara from anything, and for another, he definitely doesn't have a wound. That has to mean something, doesn't it? "But- Hang on a second. What if I said I don't remember a thing about saving you?"

And to further try and prove his point, he stops walking so he can pull at his clothes, revealing plain bare skin and no injury.

"I don't think whatever you remember happening has happened for me yet, and yes, I know that sounds completely crazy." It doesn't even seem possible, but he can't argue with the facts. But then he smiles in that awkward way of his and rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "If it means anything, though, I wouldn't just stand there and let you get hit."

Even if he barely knows her, and even if he used to be full of hatred and the need for revenge, now he thinks he wouldn't be able to just stand by and watch. And then another thought occurs to him, and a flush of red can be seen creeping up his neck.

"Uh, thanks for wanting to heal me, though." Even if there's nothing for her to heal, the thought still means a lot to him.

When Zuko opens his shirt to reveal the smooth, unblemished skin, Katara steps back with a look of wide-eyed befuddlement. "That's not possible," she says. "How..." He looks just the same as she remembers him from the moments before she was pulled away. His hair is the same length, his clothes are the same; it's just the wound is gone.

"What's the last thing you remember?" she asks, a hint of defensiveness edging into her tone. "Are you saying that... that we aren't friends?" She knows that, realistically, if what he's saying is true, then he can't be more than a few weeks behind her. She has to be sure about it, though--he didn't look so different when he sided with Azula in the crystal catacombs under Ba Sing Se.

His word of thanks makes her cross her arms, her head lowering sheepishly. The situation is becoming almost unbearably awkward now. "You saved my life. I couldn't let anything happen to you."

[The man Steve sees walking around is a new face. He doesn't recognize him from the Fleet, nor does he remember seeing him at the Whale Comb or in the days following. It's a disquieting thing to realize, then, that more people might be getting stolen away from their universes as time goes on. Just like the Fleet, there could be people coming and going at the whims of the Agrii. It's unsettling, but it is also a concern for another time. Right now there is someone clearly lost.

He puts on what he hopes is a friendly smile and walks over to greet him. Him? Maybe a him. Hard to tell with aliens.]

Hey there. [He extends a hand but keeps it close in case that's not a gesture the other will recognize.] New here? My name is Steve Rogers.

"You weren't. I checked and you weren't there earlier this morning." On his way from where he'd been sleeping to the medical campus of course.

His brow furrows at Garak's reference. "Ship? The Defiant?" The last time he remembers being on a ship with Garak, it involved a charge of attempted genocide. Not something he wants to be reminded of right now. There's so much going on now, he isn't sure where to start.

"I was on the station before I came here a few days ago. I think...however we were brought here, time has been violated. Jadzia and I seem to be from different points in time," he tries to explain while also following Garak over to the orb.

"There seems to be others around as well. I found one in the old medical complex over there," as he points to the seemingly pristine white buildings. "Different messages. That one has given me invaluable information on the medical equipment in there, plus the old medications and specimens left."

Arrival
Having been alive for a very, very long time, it takes a lot to get a genuine surprise out of the being known as the Grandmaster. This might actually achieve it. He finds himself somewhere he's quite unfamiliar with, someplace he had no desire or designs to be.

Lost.

And it has been oh so long since he declared himself found, so no, he doesn't like this one bit.

He frowns at the orb, but there's a curiosity he can't fight. He never was particularly good at fighting that impulse. And then at least, once he's touched it he understands.

Agra 10.

Another sad little world, with another sad little population, lost to time like countless others.

Maybe it was time to build a sister world to Sakaar?

Contagion
It has been ages since the Grandmaster experienced an illness, or really anything that causes...discomfort. Millenniums, really. Not a fan.

And so finding himself hobbled by this simple, prehistoric bug is almost humbling. Almost.

With no ~~slaves~~ Prisoners with Jobs™️ to entertain or distract him, he's left to suffer through the heat and the incessant itching, with no sign of relief, making the former ruler quite irritable. Lucky for everyone he doesn't have his melting stick.

Choose Your Own Adventure
[Happen upon him in a place/time of your choosing!]

[ooc: Brackets or prose is fine, I will follow suit.]

Zuko just stands there for a second or two, staying silent while Katara gives him a good looking over. Clearly she's surprised by this turn of events, but he doesn't have a good explanation for it. "None of this makes sense, but- I'm fine, see? Obviously what you said hasn't happened to me yet." And that's really a weird thing to think about.

"Well, I kind of followed your group to the Western Air Temple, because I knew Aang needed a Firebending teacher, and I didn't think he had one." Zuko's starting to ramble mostly out of nervousness, because he's afraid of messing this up, but he's glad that Katara's talking to him and not drenching him in water again.

"You weren't happy to see me, of course. Why would you be, after everything I've done?" His shoulders drop a bit then as he remembers how many times he attacked Aang and his friends, and how many times he wronged Katara as well. "The last thing I remember is you not letting me join you, so... I just kind of left." He sighs then and straightens back up. "We're not friends, at least, not as far as I can remember. I won't blame you if you want me to keep my distance around here."

A small part of him hopes she'll let him stick around and try and redeem himself for his past failings, but he's trying not to let his hopes get too high. And then, when he hears her words, it's his turn to lower his head, a slight tinge of red creeping up his neck. This situation really is awkward, and not at all what he expected. "I- I don't even know what to say to that, but... It means a lot?" And it's more than he deserves.

Edited (fixed a redundant sentence) 2019-09-04 05:33 (UTC)

It's funny how much a few weeks can change someone's perspective. Even though she'd been the one to ask, Zuko confirming they weren't friends makes a lump form in her throat. Katara clenches her fists, thinking back to the way she'd rebuffed his request to be taken into the fold, and while she felt entirely justified at the time, it's upsetting to think of that being his most recent recollection of her.

They never got to fight alongside each other. He hasn't yet helped her find some small measure of closure regarding her mother's murder. He hasn't yet chosen her, out of all their companions, to help him fight Azula on the day of Sozin's Comet.

This boy had turned his life around to do what was right. He'd lost everything. Now, they were friends. They were supposed to be friends. She'd been so excited to see him there--that someone else here would understand her history without having to rehash everything.

But her friend hasn't arrived yet. He's weeks away from being that person, if he ever will be now that he's on this world instead of theirs. A strange feeling bubbles up in her chest, and to her horror, Katara sniffles once as tears well up in her eyes.

"Don't be stupid!" she says, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace. "Just because you don't know it yet doesn't mean we aren't friends!"

Garak’s expression turns contemplative, as he rounds the orb, gaze flickering to Julian as he speaks again. There’s really no way to tell whether what the Doctor tells him is surprising or not, but it’s not good news, that much doesn’t take a genius to figure out. Different points in time means different memories, only more things to keep secret, an imbalance of power even when among friends.

“Interesting,” he hums, unclear whether he means the second orb, or the fact that Julian and Jadzia don’t come from the same point in time. He presses his lips thinly, holding a hand up, then turning away from the orb.

“And what is the last thing you remember?” No point in talking further about the Defiant (or the war, for that matter) before he knows where Julian comes from.

[ He is indeed very much a he, although he would have appreciated the man keeping that option open were he to know. Humans often like to assume— well, people in general tend to. Still, if anything some Cardassian women might pass for men, but not so easily the other way around.

Nevertheless, now that he knows a little more about this place, it’s easy to offer a friendly smile, even if it might cause Steve just a hint of vague discomfort. ]

Mr. Rogers. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, [ He says like they’re meeting at a fancy gathering rather than a desolate world, his own scaled hand reaching out to grip Steve’s in a firm shake. The gesture is not lost on him. ] My name is Garak. I’m not lost, however I don’t think that I could fool you— I am a recent arrival here.

( Jean knows what it's like to be on a strange planet with no idea how you got there. This is what, the third time now? Fourth? Who is even counting at this point. The place she's in now looks like a hospital and she's trying to be careful about touching things - this is where telekinesis gets handy, pun intended.

Of course, she's not the only one in here and it looks like someone has gotten into something he shouldn't have. Uh oh. Jean guesses it's time to play hero and so she metaphorically suits up. )

Didn't your mother ever tell you not to touch the stove when it was hot?

(Mother? The Grandmaster blinks, as though the concept is something he's almost unfamiliar with, though he does give a curious hum when he thinks back far enough.]

Heh, I'm, uh - pretty sure we didn't have stoves then, so...

(He flashes a toothy grin and shrugs. He's an Elder of the Universe. This sort of stuff is supposed to be beyond him.)

( Uh huh. Jean knows that she'd been raised mostly by a funny professor and a house full of mutants but everyone has a mother even if it's only in the biological sense. Everyone has someone to make sure they're not dead before they turn eighteen, right? )

Well, let me tell you, I think you shouldn't have messed around with that. You needed to call the local telekinetic before messing with things that can screw you up.

( Jean manipulates the canister to put it far away from herself and the man in hopes she doesn't get exposed to whatever is leaking out of it. )

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Fall Test Drive Meme!

Zuko | Avatar: The Last Airbender | Midway through Book 3

Don't play with fire...

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garak » star trek: ds9

Welcome to Agra 10

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Exploring

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The Grandmaster (En Dwi Gast) | MCU

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