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sweetmod ([personal profile] sweetmod) wrote in [community profile] openacres2024-01-22 05:38 pm
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January 2024 Test Drive Meme: Our First!


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Reserves open 01/27/2024 @ 12:00 AM EST
Reserves close 01/31/2024 @ 11:59 PM EST


Welcome to our Test Drive Meme! Our Test Drive Memes are considered game canon and are open to current players and prospective new players alike! It is completely optional to keep your TDM threads as canon to your character's experience in the game, so feel free to play around and enjoy the flexibility before applying!

All TDM threads can be used for samples for your application and activity proofs.

All TDMs come with an additional greeting message from Daisy in addition to her typical Welcome Message. This is her message for newbies for this month:
"Hi there, Sweet Subjects! Congratulations on being the Very First Batch! That also means you're the first friends I've made for this whole project! Isn't that exciting?

Unfortunately, I have to already apologize to you. You see, I wasn't expecting you quite so soon! My math was a little off and well...There are a few kinks in the system I'm working out. But don't worry! I'll take care of everything. You can trust me. After all, we are friends, and it would be very rude to not trust your friends!

Why don't you just stay inside this little house while I fix things up? You'll be safe! P̴̥̾̉r̸̢̋́̓̀̏ó̵̧͖̈́̏̋͊̅̋̕͘b̵̛̺̞̦̳̙͒͘͜ä̸͓̗̯̺̰́̿̆͘͠b̶̭͔̯̆̒̐l̵̨̬̬̱̱̙͔̻̊̾́͠͝y̶̰̺̲̝͙͈̝͙̟̖͑̆̾̀̀͒͝!̶̱͚͙͉̠̓̒́̌̽̌̚͝

Remember: Don't open the door to strangers.

Anyway! In the meantime, get to know your fellow Sweet Subjects! After all, you're going to be spending a lot of time together!

Thank you for understanding! Good luck!

Prompt One | Prompt Two
[ Please Wait While Your Surroundings Are Loading! ]

Summary:
🌼 Content Warnings: Optional light alcohol, isolation, bad weather via thunderstorms, feeling of being watched and taunted, false information, mental manipulation, memory manipulation, memories or depictions of murder and torture

🌼 Characters wake up in an unfamiliar house during a thunderstorm. They hear Daisy's broadcast on the TV. There is a persistent knocking at the door, but you know you shouldn't open it.

🌼 Another character (or more) is in the house with you. Pictures of you both begin to take up the walls. Of memories you either really experienced or false memories. They increasingly become more violent.

🌼 A radio broadcast warns Sweet Acres residents about an escaped criminal. Paranoia grows between characters. Violence out of deluded "self-defense" may occur.

🌼 The true escape from this prompt is to just open the door. Outside, all is well and you realize the house was one giant mind fuck...Or hopefully, you realize. Your memories might be a little scrambled now.


There is a knock at the door. You mustn't answer the door.

It has been a long, long, long day, hasn't it? You don't even remember sitting on the couch and you certainly don't remember dozing off. But that strange broadcast certainly woke you up and now...You are here. In an unfamiliar house with outdated wallpaper and dirty carpet. The weather outside seems frightful. Torrential downpours with clashing thunder and flashes of lightning chase even the most persistent shadows in the house.

Was the lady on the TV serious? Did you just have to wait in this lousy place for the storm to blow over? Or, wait, how did she word it? Wait while things finish configuration. Damn, your head is hurting and you could use a drink. Hopefully, the tacky yellow kitchen has a stocked fridge. Luckily for you, it's filled with fresh food and some fresh booze.

There is a knock at the door. You mustn't answer the door.

Unluckily for you, there is another person in this house with you. They might have woken up on the same couch as you or are bumping around upstairs. Either way, the freak in the polka-dot dress wasn't wrong: You're not alone here.

When you and whoever else in this house finally join up, you will notice that the house seems to become a bit more lively. The pictures on the wall change to feature you or your companion. Some of the pictures are genuine from back in your homeworld, but others...Not so much. Others look like false memories of you with families you don't even remember or at a school you never attended, but they are all so real you can't help but think maybe Daisy is telling the truth after all.

There is a heavier knock at the door. You mustn't answer the door.

There is a radio in the house that suddenly begins to declare an emergency announcement:
"At this time, we urge all residents of Sweet Acres to seek shelter immediately. The wind is picking up and we anticipate this storm to last the rest of the night - Oh?

This just in: a convict has managed to break into Sweet Acres. We are told that they were last seen in...Oh, oh my...Whatever you do, make sure your doors and windows are locked. And remember: don't answer the door. And remember: don't trust strangers.
"

A heavy booming knock lands three times at the front door. Let. Me. In.

The pictures around the house begin to change. Now it shows you and whoever you're sharing the house with doing some...terrible things. Maybe some of it is true. Some of it may be completely false. Will it matter when the pictures seem so terrifyingly real?

What happens when the TV glitches on and starts to play sketchy home videos of one of you doing something terrible? What happens when the radio starts to play terrifying audio of you confessing to an atrocious crime?

What happens when the person you're stuck in the house with might just be the stranger the radio warned you about?

Or will you have the sense to realize that something is very wrong here and that you're both being played a fool? The knocking at the door is only getting louder. So loud it cracks the door. The storm worsens. What should you do?

The madness will only worsen the longer you stay. You may even be driven to defend yourself from each other, you may come to develop false memories of crimes you didn't commit. You may just...

Decide to open that damn door already. It turns out, that's what you needed to do the entire time. Because the moment you do? You open the door and see a beautiful, sunny day outside. No rain. Not a single gray cloud. Certainly no horrifying stranger either.

But now you're left with whatever you did or thought from the house. For some people, the terror may slip away as easily as the rain, but for some of you, you might be stuck with paranoia and suspicion.

Welcome to Sweet Acres.

back to top ⤴



[ The Bot Problem ]

Summary:
🌼 Content Warnings: Forced sexuality, optional sex, aphrodisiac style computer virus, dubious consent, hunted by machines, use of bombs, guns, and shrapnel. Possible character death or maiming

🌼 Sex Bots are spreading a virus to those that touch them that will cause player characters to go around flirting with others. They can either get rid of the "virus" by having sex or meeting someone who can hack it out of their system by asking grounding questions (or any other creative means a player may have).

🌼 Characters are hunted down by violent little metal boxes known as metal dogs. The metal dogs are extremely resilient but can be destroyed by extreme measures. These metal dogs are intent on killing and maiming characters and plants.

You will notice that there are still some errors in the system as you go out and about exploring your new town. There will be an occasional glitch that opens up a screaming void of bottomless darkness before it blinks out of existence. Those are unsettling enough, but at least they don't seem harmless.

The bots, on the other hand, are a different story. They glitch into the town, cracking through this carefully structured reality like breaking through a window. It seems like Daisy has a lot of work to do on the external firewalls of Sweet Acres! In the meantime, you're going to have to deal with her incompetence.

The Sex Bots

A lot of the bots can easily be mistaken for other residents in town. These are model-gorgeous women and men who almost seemed like caricatures of stereotypical beauty conventions. Big lips, huge hips, large muscles, chiseled jaws, perfect hair, pearly white teeth. These beauties flounce about and no matter who or what you are, if they look your way, they are immediately approaching you.

"Hey, sexy. I'm single, horny, and lonely. I just turned 18 and I've got my daddy's credit card."

"I've never seen a person more beautiful than you. I'm the CEO of at least three different six-figure income businesses. How about I take you on a night out in my Ferrari?"

There isn't a single thought behind those eyes or in those smiles. If you have the thought to rely on your Daze, you can just block the Sex Bots and they will blink out of existence. Alternatively, you could probably just smash them out of existence with a good punch or the swing of a weapon...They will just vanish into a cloud of corrupt coding.

But if you're a bit more gullible and still catching up on the strangeness of this place or can't figure out Daze, you might make the mistake of responding to one of these bots. The Bot will immediately scan you for all of your information and warp its features into something that you actually would find to be the ideal beauty.

"This is better, right?" It's hard to deny...They even sound like the ideal beauty in your mind. A gentle hand on your arm and then they are leading you away.

Except they aren't leading you anywhere. You watch helplessly as coding goes up your arm and begins to consume your body. You can't feel anything but a prickling sensation. The Bot vanishes, but you are left rewired. Now it is you with the dramatic features emphasizing your most attractive parts.

Regardless of your personality, you suddenly feel the urge to walk up to just about anyone anywhere and flirt with them. Whether stupidly or sincerely. It's hard to remember yourself with the bot's virus wreaking havoc on your Daze. Worst case scenario? You wind up sleeping with someone because of this bizarre virus, but you will also ironically get it out of your system this way and feel completely normal after.

Alternatively, you can find someone who is a bit more tech-savvy with the Daze and who might have an idea of how to hack into your system and get rid of the virus for you. This might involve some personal line of questioning, but hey, at least you're not walking around asking for sex from total strangers anymore!

The Metal Dogs

The Sex Bots are a dream compared to the other virus attacking the system of Sweet Acres. One will begin to see small metal robots trotting about, no bigger than a backpack, with lethal determination. These metal dogs scour their surroundings for anything organic or anything that doesn't belong in the space.

This means they are actively ripping up plants and destroying trees, which is tragic enough, but just be glad they haven't seen you yet because it turns out that Daisy's Sweet Subjects are the metal dog's top priority.

The moment they notice you, they will begin a neverending chase. These robots can catch up to a speeding car and resist an enormous amount of damage. They are waterproof and run on their own network completely disconnected from the Daze, so good luck trying to hack into them- it won't work.

They can see just as well in the dark as the light and have sensors that allow them to pick up on body temperature as well as any vibrations you might make. They are not gentle creatures: their goal is to terminate all organic beings and Sweet Subjects in the area. If they catch you, they will immediately attempt to blow your head off with a small gun they can form. Alternatively, they will expel a shrapnel bomb if you catch them off guard. They also have paralyzing fog bombs.

Metal dogs can be destroyed, however. With large explosions, armor-piercing weaponry, people with extreme super strength. Or you can get creative! Maybe you know a spell that can turn them into a stuffed animal or melt the metal. Maybe you have control over metal beings. There are ways to destroy these things. But don't worry. If worse comes to worse, Daisy is going around to destroy them for you. But do you really want to owe her your life?

back to top ⤴


kobes: ([neutral] interrogation)

[personal profile] kobes 2024-01-24 03:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[It's only temporary -- that's what Koby's telling himself, even now, even as he absently tucks the handkerchief into his pocket, rather than giving it back. He fully anticipates that Mihawk is going to get bored or annoyed and just -- vanish. That's what happens in their world, after all, with a thousand horizons to chase. Everyone seems to be born with wanderlust in their veins. Nobody stays.

Koby’s fine with that. Truly. He's just relieved Mihawk's here now. The future can wait.

Now that the metal bots are thoroughly dispatched (for the moment), Koby turns his attention to where the metal shrapnel had shredded his shin and arm and, worst of all, his shoulder. The adrenaline is fading and it's starting to actually hurt. And Mihawk's -- teasing? Is that what he's doing? Whatever it is, it has Koby's face as pink as his hair.

Huffing in annoyance, Koby turns slightly away, starting to unbutton his shirt.
] You don't know me. Just because I'm a Marine doesn't mean I just -- blindly follow orders. [Not anymore, at least.

Back facing Mihawk, Koby tugs his shredded sleeve off, baring his bloodied shoulder and arm. He's wearing a sleeveless shirt underneath -- habit, layers upon layers, even now -- so he's less awkward than he might normally be. In fact, he glances back over his shoulder, arching both eyebrows at Mihawk.
] I think I got most of the metal out, but -- can you check? [A beat, then:] Please? I don't want to wrap it unless it's all out.
kobes: ([up] ACtually...)

[personal profile] kobes 2024-01-24 03:20 pm (UTC)(link)
-- oh. [Well. It was a dumb attempt at a weapon anyways. Koby looks at the two broken halves for a moment, then sighs, tossing them to one side.] No, it's -- it's fine, I think they're slowing down anyways.

[Hopefully. He cannot handle being propositioned that many times in a row.

Then, almost sternly:
] Nobody's dying. Nobody's going to die here. [That -- isn't what that meant at all, but Koby's spent the past several hours in a state of "oh god I'm gonna die", so maybe he's just trying to reassure himself.]
bringingdowndisaster: (manhua • attractive)

ii

[personal profile] bringingdowndisaster 2024-01-24 04:28 pm (UTC)(link)
[ This place is fucking weird. Xue Yang feels incredibly out of place, and he has no idea what to believe. He's so busy taking in his surroundings that he doesn't even notice the strange interaction going on near him, not until someone falls right into him.

His eyebrows immediately raise once he takes in the sight of this... creature. What the fuck? Xue Yang chuckles a little, intrigued and bewildered all at once. ]


I don't pay for that anyway. [ He tilts his head in question. ] What the hell are you?
gripper: i've done so much for you (25)

OMG IZUTSUMIIIII making me want to break out my marcille journal...

[personal profile] gripper 2024-01-24 04:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"If we were really trapped, she'd say we can't leave."

Semantics, but that's what's worked in her favor and others' back in the City. Kromer takes careful stock of the other girl--Izutsumi--easily spooked, or maybe just cautious. She puts away the dilemma of do people with cat ears count as equals for another time, or maybe never, depending on how quickly they could get out of... here, though her own next steps aren't something she's considered quite yet too. If she's dead, and the scar sure seems to say so, then going back serves no purpose: she'll probably still be dead. On the other hand, being the subject for a Corporation's experiment isn't really her idea of a good time... She shakes her head and turns her face just enough to watch the door, for the both of them.

"You're not from the City, are you? You'd know what I mean then... Haha, interesting." Interesting as in strange, the tone implying it all. Maybe she's from the Outskirts? Supposedly all types of monsters live out there-- Kromer turns sharply as the radio crackles to life, and a voice full of static pours out.

"In the town of Calw... Nest K's holy land of prosth... the Sinclair family... only one survived, but remains missing."

Oh. Oh, that's fun, and her nail-like sword moves from its sheath to quickly pierce the radio with the strength of her throw, silencing it as it starts on the next news bulletin--something of Izutsumi's, maybe, but it's difficult to tell with how swiftly the words are dispatched. A few other photographs change: a mansion on fire, robotic bodies torn to shreds; a pleasant Christmas dinner with a happy, human family; a pair of teenagers sharing a kiss, their fingers shyly tangled together. Not all of these are true. One is just wishful thinking, even.

Kromer saunters over to retrieve it, her look settling on one of the pictures before she turns back to her new companion. The smile has stayed, but it's relaxed into one a little more placid. She shrugs, sheathing her sword. "But we could try ditching this hovel anyway, if you want. I'm capable."
dead_tongue: (bruh)

[personal profile] dead_tongue 2024-01-24 05:18 pm (UTC)(link)
"No sense of humor, huh?"

He looks at the photo carefully, then nods.

"Makes sense... unless your previous simulation was just to make you think you were an AI, I guess. But that seems redundant."

A smile. "Thanks for believing that I'm not a murderer. Oh, shit! That broadcast! It said there was a killer on the loose. Do you think that's true? It does sound a bit... urban legend-y."
dead_tongue: (smiiiile)

[personal profile] dead_tongue 2024-01-24 05:22 pm (UTC)(link)
Iggy snorts. "That's so stupid," he mutters. But he lets Ed hide behind him and faces the bots as they advance.

"You can't have my credit card information," he tells them dryly. "I know there are no hot singles in my area. Mark as spam. Block."

The bots freeze, aside from a few jiggles, then glitch out of existence.

Iggy claps his hands happily and turns around.

"Isn't that neat?!"
fabrications: (ᴡʜᴀᴛ we are made of)

Goro Akechi | Persona 5 | Spoilers for P5R true ending

[personal profile] fabrications 2024-01-24 05:25 pm (UTC)(link)
( 1. please wait )
[ As far as first thoughts upon waking up go, you could do a whole lot worse than You've got to be kidding me.

It's still not an amazing first thought to have upon waking up, however. Especially because Akechi was not expecting to wake up, and he's not really happy that he has. It prompts him to jerk upright from where he's been laid out on the couch, swinging his gaze around, furious—

Only to discover that he's not anywhere he expected to be. It's not his apartment, not Leblanc, not even that stupid guidance counselor's office. So where...?

Finally, his gaze lands on the other people in here with him. Akechi stiffens, then slides off the couch and onto his feet with tense, deliberate movements. He could go for charming and polite, and he can even acknowledge that such an approach is more likely to get him a positive response... but frankly, he doesn't feel like it.
]

Where are we?

[ His tone is blunt, harsh, and somewhere on the spectrum between 'unimpressed' and 'furious'. ]

( 2. bot problem )
[ Physically speaking, it probably would have been easier to deal with the sex bots. The metal dogs are strong, aggressive, and incredibly durable. Emotionally, though? Not a chance. The metal dogs are giving him a lot of trouble, but he'll take them any day.

They really are giving him trouble, though. He's figured out that no matter how hard he hits his physical attacks don't do much, and Hereward isn't fairing much better. Akechi's had to make a strategic retreat to high ground, though the highest 'ground' he's managed to find is the roof of a delivery truck.

Anyone that happens by at the right moment will be treated to an unusual sight: Akechi on top of the truck, with a massive black-clothed figure hovering above him. The figure lingers long enough to deliver a powerful blow to one of the dogs, sending it sailing off the side of the truck and plummeting to the ground with a satisfying crunch. Then the figure above Akechi flickers out of existence, and Akechi himself drops to one knee.
]

Damnit... stay down, you piece of shit!

( 3. wildcard )
[ Request a custom starter, or hit me with one of your own! ]
whatam_i: (point_out)

[personal profile] whatam_i 2024-01-24 05:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Edward is relieved when the jiggling stops but when the bots glitch out of existence his curiosity is piqued and he carefully peeks around the scrawny ginger kid to watch.

".....that's it? No explosion?"

He almost sounds disappointed.
whatam_i: (pale skin sexy)

[personal profile] whatam_i 2024-01-24 05:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Ed isn't above letting other people fight his battles so he is happy to let this strange person take on the jiggly sex bots, crouching behind a nearby car to watch the massacre. The fact that the bots just whisper away on the wind is interesting but what's more interesting is this young ladies fighting skills and claws.

"Yes, I'm fine." He says as he carefully comes out from behind his hiding spot, looking at her curiously.

"You've seen these things before?"
whatam_i: (wonderful)

[personal profile] whatam_i 2024-01-24 05:42 pm (UTC)(link)
Ed slowly stops running when he sees the bots flicker out of existence, turning to face the young man who saved him with a frown.

"Yes well, had I know it was that easy I would have just hit them with a tire iron." Not that he has one, but if this place is going to be as weird as Gotham perhaps he should find one just in case.

"How do you know so much about them anyways? Did you send them?"
clipon: (009)

[personal profile] clipon 2024-01-24 05:50 pm (UTC)(link)
"Giant stick up his ass."

He considers the next series of thoughts carefully, then shrugs. "I don't think before this was a simulation. The memories are way too vivid."

Then: "you don't look like the murdering type. That said, I don't believe the message. If these photos are fake, why should I believe there's a murderer? The odds of the warning being genuine are 17.4652% repeating."

But there is that sliver of doubt in the back of his head. 17.4652% isn't negligible as far as statistics go. He gets lost in his thoughts for a moment, then shakes his head like he's clearing out some cobwebs.

"This is all so stupid."
dead_tongue: (profile curious)

[personal profile] dead_tongue 2024-01-24 05:53 pm (UTC)(link)
[The hug is there if you want it, Koby.]

Dunno.

[Iggy examines the photos. He finds one of himself as a child outside his family home, curly mop of hair and missing teeth. A dark shadow stands behind him. He frowns.

The next photo shows him apparently digging a grave in the woods. He taps it.]


This didn't happen, either. No way. Look at me, how could I haul a corpse?
clipon: (008)

[personal profile] clipon 2024-01-24 05:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"A tire iron would work. Touching them directly seems to have a negative effect, but only if the contact isn't violent. I'm not sure yet how permanent it is."

At the accusation, he crosses his arms over his chest, expression still flat.

"If I sent them, why would I be destroying them? Besides, if I were to make some minions they'd be more advanced than 'fuck me, daddy.'"
dead_tongue: (bruh)

[personal profile] dead_tongue 2024-01-24 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)
"What? No."

Iggy looks at him like maybe he's a little dumb.

"They're like, pornbots. You know? They're not like... actually, I dunno how it works. I just figured you treat them like real ones.

"Did you want them to explode?"
whatam_i: (serious_lookup)

[personal profile] whatam_i 2024-01-24 06:55 pm (UTC)(link)
"It would have been more satisfying." He says and clears his throat, adjusting his rumpled suit a little.

"I've never heard of living pornbots before. Interesting."
whatam_i: (edward_confused)

[personal profile] whatam_i 2024-01-24 06:56 pm (UTC)(link)
"What do you mean negative effect? What happens if they touch you?"
fullgauntlet: <user name=michrure> (pic#16341631)

[personal profile] fullgauntlet 2024-01-24 07:20 pm (UTC)(link)
[The confusion is palpable. Yet, with Katsuki close enough that he can physically see him breathing somehow calms Izuku down. It's like just the very fact that this blond boy is here and well in front of him is enough to make his brain keep turning and for him not to melt down into a panic attack. He doesn't know why, though. Or why he keeps thinking about spatters of Katsuki's blood and how that makes his stomach turn. Just focus on here and right now and that Katsuki's alive and that's enough.

He doesn't let go of the other boy, either. Holding on with a semi-tight grip like he doesn't want to let go unless that calm he's managed to hold on to gets disturbed. He once again glances at the broken television set and frowns.]


I ... Don't think I've ever liked clowns all that much. That has to be a real memory.

[A small certain sentence because. YEAH. What kind of creepy clown girl takes them to a place like this and says all that? Is this a circus? He didn't ask for a circus.]

Memories about lives that we've never lived. But... Kacchan, that doesn't make any sense whatsoever. You're Kacchan.

[Then again most of this situation doesn't make sense. He glances at the photos on the walls.]

Those are pictures of us, aren't they?
kobes: ([neutral] i'm like 5'5)

cw: idek misgendering via magic photos

[personal profile] kobes 2024-01-24 08:44 pm (UTC)(link)
[He's been hugged exactly once in his life, so it doesn't register that that's what Iggy's trying to do. Still, he moves closer, unconsciously preferring the company of another person to the creepy TV clown.

The pictures get a thoughtful frown, eyes flicking between the smaller version of the stranger beside him and the real one. The shadow is noted quietly, filed away.
] So it isn't just me. The pictures start out true, and then they get...strange.

[Another one for Koby, this one showing him the same age he is now, but...definitely not the same person. His hair is long, pink curls and loops all pinned up and back, and he's in a veil. And a white dress. And he looks thoroughly hollow, dead inside.] That...also never happened. [It could've, but it hadn't. He'd gotten out. He was himself, not -- that.

The next photo has the alternate universe version of Koby -- veiled and pale and tight-lipped -- talking to a version of Iggy, which definitely never happened. And then they're stabbing each other and -- well, there's a theme here, clearly.
]
kobes: ([down] unimpressed megane)

[personal profile] kobes 2024-01-24 08:52 pm (UTC)(link)
[Koby's not one to critique assistance, especially of the life-saving variety, but he does look more than a little exasperated at the floating stranger.] I did duck. And they shot me in the shoulder.

[Huffing in annoyance, he keeps his head low, avoiding more annoyed little robot projectiles.] Could you -- make them all go to sleep, please?
clipon: (015)

[personal profile] clipon 2024-01-24 08:52 pm (UTC)(link)
"Oh, you turn into a sex fiend. A real 'casanova' type." He makes literal finger quotes as he says it, and seems oddly pleased with himself for doing so.
whatam_i: (bitch_pls)

[personal profile] whatam_i 2024-01-24 09:24 pm (UTC)(link)
"How distasteful." Edward says while making a face. "How did you find that out? Were you touched or have you just been observing others?"
clipon: (009)

[personal profile] clipon 2024-01-24 09:43 pm (UTC)(link)
"Just watching others. I haven't touched any of them, I'm being extra cautious because I want nothing to do with it."

He shrugs one shoulder, expression back to flat indifference.
doublycursed: (003)

if you did i would tag her in a heartbeat lmao

[personal profile] doublycursed 2024-01-24 09:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Both cat ears swivel sharply as a voice starts coming out of a strange black box, and Izutsumi barely gets the chance to comprehend what it's saying before Kromer is throwing a sword like a spike through it.

"Seems a bit overkill," she remarks, standing up from her crouch. She can't quite do her cool, disaffected thing in this situation, so even as her face naturally wants to trend toward resting uncaring face, her tail puffs up to twice its size when another knock rings out.

The pictures are still changing around them, more realistic than any painting Izutsumi's ever seen. The one with the fire catches her eye, and she can't help the bleh face she makes at the one with two teenagers kissing. Gross, PDA. Affection. Ew.

She picks up the remains of the black box. Things like strings are hanging out of it now, broken metal pieces held together with strange internal stuff. She's never seen anything like this, but Kromer doesn't seem to find it unusual, so she must know about this kind of stuff. Izutsumi would ask, but... getting out of the house is by far the more important thing on her priority list. She did not gain her freedom just to get trapped in this stupid house, okay!

"Whatever or whoever is knocking, we can make them shut up," she agrees, determined. "And-- it's storming outside, so we'll need shelter. But somewhere we're not trapped in. Somewhere that stupid clown thing can't talk at us." Her stomach chooses that time to rumble, and Izutsumi scowls in even greater determination. "Somewhere with food."
swordlord: (𝕸𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖎𝖆)

[personal profile] swordlord 2024-01-24 09:59 pm (UTC)(link)
(He notices his handkerchief being tucked away but says nothing about it either. Like Koby, he didn't expect this fraught alliance to last in the slightest. Particularly if others from their world showed up. And like Koby, he didn't suspect he would have much reason or interest to stay around for long either. He was the only pirate without a crew and that had always been for good reason.

Solitude had suited him just fine for the last forty or so years of his life.

Protecting someone else was a foreign concept to Mihawk, but taking care of someone even less so. He never even had to take care of wounds of his own since he never got wounded. He watches Koby silently, making no move to help because it simply doesn't occur to him why Koby is even taking his shirt off.

Instead, he merely admires the slope of Koby's neck and the sharp angle of his shoulder blades. He really was a small cadet.)


Whatever you say. (Ah. That's why. His eyes drift to Koby's bloodied shoulder. It's not the worst injury he has seen, but it probably did hurt.

Then he's looking at Koby and gives yet another dramatic sigh.)


Fine. (He moves forward and rests one hand in the center of Koby's back. His palm is warm, fingers long, and it's as if he swallows the entire space whole with ease. He curls his fingers over Koby's uninjured shoulder and gets to work.

There isn't much shrapnel left, but what is left, Mihawk carefully removes with deft fingers. He doesn't tell Koby to brace himself, doesn't warn him. Just methodically removes one sliver of metal after the other. All in all, there isn't much, but enough that there's more blood.)


Give me your uniform. This will need to be wrapped properly. We'll have to try and see if we can find any water. (A beat.) Or preferably alcohol.

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