Test Drive #1

[haibanemods]

Test Drive Meme #1

Prompts Waking up: You wake up in a bed that is not your own, in a room that is not your own. But the more you think about it, you can't remember what your room looked like. In fact, you can't remember anything at all! But hey, at least you're not the only person around. Reach out, find someone, and get some answers. The Dream: Haibane enter this world without most memories, but they do remember one thing: their cocoon dream. But it's not so easy to understand, is it? Maybe talking through it with someone else will help you figure out just what your dream means. Wings aren't easy to use: So, you're a Haibane. Awesome. But you know what's not awesome? Getting used to these darn wings, that's what. Suddenly having two extra limbs that you're not sure how to control isn't easy, and they're liable to bump into things and just plain get in the way. Actually, you might want to apologize for unintentionally hitting that person in the face, or help clean up that lamp you knocked over. On the town: Glie is a beautiful city, and there are a lot of places to explore! So why not check some of them out? Everyone seems friendly enough, and the townspeople are more than willing to help anyone who gets lost. Check out the setting page, pick a spot, and go check it out! Wintertime: It's wintertime in Glie, which means snow, snow, snow! And even though it's cold, the sun is shining, so the cold is bearable today. What are you going to do? Go sledding? Have a snowball fight? Make snow angels? Well, that last one should be a lot easier to do now. Player choice: Don't like these prompts? Come up with your own! The city of Glie is quite large, and there is a lot to do.

Comments

sunako kirishiki | shiki

[fearfactor]

[The snow is all fun and games until it gets in the way of everyday life! Which is why she can be found outside the Old Home with broom in hand. Luckily, someone else has done the real heavy lifting since the last major snowfall but that doesn't stop the wind from scraping the top layer off the drifts and covering the walkways. Hence the broom. It's only prudent to keep the courtyard more or less clear.

She's diligently sweeping away when she hits a slick spot hidden beneath the powder. Even though she's bundled up against the cold she is hardly wearing snow boots - were those mary janes? - and the lack of traction takes her away.

There's either going to be a yelp and a very significant snow angel in the closest snow drift...

or a kind passer by assists the poor girl. Or they can get hit in the face with the broom head.

Honestly, it's all up in the air.]

[freeasabook]

[Yep, that's a snow angel. After a moment Nageki comes, shoes crunching on the snow. He keeps his wings folded most of the time so they're not visible from the front, but the halo's pretty obvious.]

Did you hit your head?

[fearfactor]

[Sunako is struggling to get back up but every time she tries to push herself up her arm just crunches further into the snow. It would almost be easier if she was bigger and heavier instead of slowly sinking further into the drift.

She lifts her head up enough to flash a quick smile.]

I'm fine!

[Pomf. Bye again, the snow has claimed her.]

[freeasabook]

You're not.

[he's quite small himself. Carefully he casts around and finds the broom, and a reasonably good place to stand nearby. He proffers the end of the broom at her.]

Here, miss. Take this.

[fearfactor]

[Okay... She grabs the broom handle and is pulled back to the safety of the sidewalk. Powder flies off her hair as she shakes her head.]

Thank you. [Brr... Brushing more snow off her jacket and skirt.] That was silly of me. I'm going to have to sweep all over again...

ice cold (alright alright alright alright alright)

[loosetongue]

[Snow isn't much fun and games at all when you've been handed a shovel and told to go do some menial labor with it, Alois thinks, and quietly resents the assumption that just because he's a boy of this age that he's accustomed to snow shoveling. Terrible, frankly... He'd rather not.

And so here he is outside, fortunately bundled up but wearing equally impractical shoes - and even more fortunately, not moving a muscle. He's moved some snow, honestly, but if his job includes taking the point of his shovel to the ice to crack some of it up before girls slipping on it and into snow drifts--well. Who assumed he could do this well in the first place?

He looks up from resenting the snow at the sound of her falling, and picks his way over the ice to lean on his shovel and peer down at her.]

Well, this is a flattering display.

no.

[fearfactor]

[It's a damn shame that he wasn't in range to get hit in the face with a broom.

Sunako takes a moment to just sit in the snow and think about the folly of man. No, not really but seriously it sucks that someone saw that display. There's crunching noises from her hand breaking through packed snow as she tries and wiggles her way out of the drift and back onto solid ground. Trying to keep a hand on the broom handle is not helping this endeavor.]

You don't have to watch it then!

[Huff. She sounds more indignant than anything.]

excuse me

[loosetongue]

[Next time, next time.

Alois still just looks down at her for a moment, somewhere between amused and kind of pitying. He wouldn't want to fall in the snow, but someone else doing it is maybe a little funny.

But not that funny. He still laughs, but digs his shovel a little harder into the packed snow closest to the ground to brace himself from falling as well as he leans over.]

Too late for that now, isn't it? Come on! [And lo! he holds out a hand.] I'm supposed to be working here, and I'm not going to shovel up clumsy girls.

[fearfactor]

Were you working before?

[That's a dubious claim. She doesn't remember anyone else helping her.

He's laughing at her but he is also offering a hand. There's a tiny split second where she thinks he might be doing this just to let her go and watch her fall again... Then reaches up to take hold.]

It's a good thing you don't have to shovel me then.

[loosetongue]

Of course I was, [he says, and grips her hand. It's a sure hold; he's really not going to let her fall again (the novelty has worn off). He pulls, still holding onto his shovel with the other hand and digging his heel into the ice to prevent any more dumb slapstick.]

In any case, you're much too big. [alois you can't just say that] Why've you got a broom and not a shovel? Silly.

[fearfactor]

[It takes a second but she is pulled out of the snow. And instantly proceeds to brushing the loose powder off of her hair and dress, beating her wings so they shake off any extra as well. Welcome to an impromptu snow shower.]

I didn't see you before. [and finally shakes off the extra snow that has clung to her very useful broom.] It's for brushing off any loose snow from the walkway.

[Does this look like a face that does heavy lifting? There's no way she is going to shovel actual amounts of snow.]

[loosetongue]

[Okay, must she? He frowns at the loosed snow that falls onto his shoes, kicking it off lightly like it's unpleasant to have snow on his shoes at all.]

You were in a pile of snow. [duh?] And no wonder, if you're trying to sweep up all this. You may as well get on your knees and blow on it, for all the good that will do.

[Like, he's not really doing anything productive with this shovel, but he knows a broom isn't going to help all that much.]

[fearfactor]

[If he has managed to keep his shoes snow free up until this point then he must have some magic. Which he is gonna need to use right now because Sunako grabs the broom firmly with her little gloved hands and sweeps at the fallen snow. The aim is to get as much off the sidewalk and back onto the grassy area as possible but she won't feel too guilty if some blows off towards Alois's legs.]

It does well enough. I'm just making sure the most used paths are clear.

[You know... barring the occasional ice slick.]

[loosetongue]

[MUST she, again?? He definitely does get a legful of snow, and because he's more inclined towards warm coats than proper leg attire and because these shoes aren't waterproof or boots, the snow hitting his legs doesn't bother him - but when it sinks down into his shoes it does. He steps back from her with an annoyed yelp, wobbling on the ice as he lifts one foot at a time to try and get the snow out and not fall over.

Horrible... horrible??]

You did that on purpose!

[Just so we're all on the same page about that.]

What's your problem? I didn't leave you in the snow!

[fearfactor]

[...Okay, maybe she feels a little bad about that. Still.]

You laughed at me!

[So she had to get even. This is a logical jump when some blonde boy makes fun of your predicament. The subsequent sweeping of any left over snow is neat and controlled and no more flies into the air.]

And it wasn't wholly on purpose.

[loosetongue]

[Huffs??] But I didn't push you in!

[That's an important distinction that Alois, at least, cares about. He's not denying that he overtly laughed at her... at least...

And she doesn't do it again, which seems to placate him down to a low grumpiness.]

My socks are going to be wet. I'll freeze.

[fearfactor]

So will mine.

[Just so he knows. Tights, even nice wool ones, are just as prone to freezing form snow melt as any socks. And she is just as ready to pout about it as he is!]

[loosetongue]

[Girl, he is already pouting. Look at him. He gives her a look apparently struggling with his sock gambit not working out in his favor, then shakes the handle of his shovel back and forth a few times, bothered.]

This is ridiculous! You've got a broom and I've got this stupid shovel that's as big as I am-- it's like they've set us up to fail on purpose!

[fearfactor]

[Kids pouting about having to do house chores is probably the realest thing ever and they are feeling the pain. Sunako actually stops her sweeping and gingerly skirts around the ice to where she knows the path is safe.

It would help a lot if the broom wasn't as tall as she was.]

It is a bit silly... [and yet] I would feel bad if I wasn't helping out at all though.

[loosetongue]

[Seriously... these people aren't his mom. He shouldn't have to do this at all!]

Hmm. Really.

[A flatter look than before. Hmm.]

Well, I don't have any interest in rubbing my hands raw out here.

[fearfactor]

[His opinion on helping out was clear from the start. Sunako looks him up and down once again, he definitely hasn't done anything past helping her up, and then around at the courtyard once more.]

We all have to support each other. This is as much your home as anyone else's.

[loosetongue]

[Oh, god, is she going to lecture him? He really, really does not feel like listening to a lecture from a stranger, especially one who can't stay on her feet.

It's this thought that gets him to sigh and wave at her to step back, then, which is all the warning he gives before he grips the shovel's handle with both hands and lifts it to bring it down swiftly on the ice. There's a clang and a tiny crack that starts to spread through this particular bit of ice--

He's going to whine about his sore hands later, but it seems he's willing to beat the hell out of some ice in the meantime.]

[fearfactor]

[The lecture on family and helping out is cut short by Alois smashing a fucking shovel against the ground.

There is literally no reason she would have assumed that is what the little hand motion meant so she is thoroughly surprised. Actually yelping and jumping back surprised, arm raising quickly as if she needs to defend herself from the menace of loud noises. She drops the broom.

She realizes that the motion was supposed to be warning enough so 'You could have said something!' dies on her lips. Instead she is just glaring. Feebly. It will be more menacing after he heartbeat calms.]

[loosetongue]

[Ah, so he was too subtle. He pauses midway through lifting the shovel again to look at her owlishly, like he's surprised by this outcome too - he kind of is, honestly. He thought he was being clear.

So. With a disapproving click of his tongue,] Look out? Why don't you sweep and I'll do this.

[it's teamwork]

[fearfactor]

[He is making points and that is so frustrating. She can't even find something to subtly pick at. So, she picks up the broom and turns away to start further down the path to sweep. She's keeping an eye out for ice this time.

That's not going to stop her from talking though.]

You didn't have to do it like that. [It's pure whining even in her opinion.] Anyway, working together we should be done faster and then we can go inside.