TEST DRIVE MEME

[theflaws]

TEST DRIVE MEME

PREMISE PLOT ARRIVAL SETTING NAVIGATION

01. ARRIVING IN PELEA
A cold wind singing down from the white-capped mountains which hang blue-black in the distance stirs your cheek, the tall grass all around you. A bough creaks as the wind makes it tremble, and the dappled shadows drift over you, leaves rustling. As you blink awake, you hear the quiet hiss of water over stones. You are not where you once were!

You and a large group of strangers are blinking awake, pulling yourselves up off the dirt, grass, and rubble near a small wooded stream. There is no evidence of civilization in sight, and as you exchange stories you realize that you must decide what to do.

Will you head past the trees and towards the mountains? Deeper into the forest? Stay put and wait for help to arrive? You might even try to meet everyone else, and either convince them to band together... or head their separate ways.

02. CITY SLICKER
There are many cities throughout the world of Pelea, and in most player characters, the Flaws, are welcomed as curiosities. From the pastoral villages or bustling, grand cities of Shousal to the massive, sprawling bureaucratic centers of the Empire, your characters will find a wide variety of cultures and races to interact with and investigate. They could be seeking empoyment, answers to the mystery of their arrival, or a quiet place to drink away their worries.

03. WILDCARD!

Comments

[braavado]

"Not...exactly." She didn't lose the smile, but there was hesitation in her demeanor that wasn't there when she first called out to him.

Korra shoved her hands into her pockets, one boot scuffing at the ground. "I was just thinking that maybe some of us should stick together," she said slowly. "I mean, we're all stuck in this place for now, but we're all trying to figure out the same things, right? Why we're here, how to get back home--all of that. I didn't think of it until we'd all split up, though."

[lefthandfree]

Her blank honesty would likely prove dangerous in the long-run here, but for the moment, Bucky did appreciate her candid suggestion. At least someone trusted him enough to ask, even if that someone was doing so a tad naively and without regard for self-preservation. God knew no one back on Earth would have had the balls beyond Steve.

Still, she was clearly young. He remembered a time when he probably would have made the same mistake. Better that she asked him than someone else.

He offered a small smile and pressed his hand, the one, into his pocket.

“You’ve got a point. But how do y'know everyone wants to get home?”

Personally, he wasn’t sure he wanted to, considering all the trouble it caused everyone else when he had been.

[braavado]

Her mouth dropped open slightly, obviously taken by surprise. "It was what I heard the others talking about before we all left," she replied, this time more contemplative than hesitant.

Despite what his words implied, however, he wasn't turning her away. That made Korra wonder if Bucky didn't mind having a companion for the time being, even if his goals were different than hers. Besides, he was skilled, if his climbing was any indication--with one arm, no less. Korra wasn't naive enough to believe they wouldn't run into trouble at some point; while she wasn't a stranger to combat, having a companion who could look after themselves in a scrape would be one less thing to worry about.

"So if you're not planning to get home, what are you planning to do here?"

[lefthandfree]

He didn’t bother pointing out that he didn’t hate the idea of going back, if at least because it was familiar and there were some people—well, one person—worth going back for. But what was the real point if he was just going back to go under anyway? He may as well be elsewhere not causing harm and making something out of it.

Regardless.

“Good question.” He didn’t have the answer to it though. “Guess I’m still figuring that part out. I can make do even without knowing, though.” Hell, he could probably make a map of the city by this point, albeit crude and not extremely detailed.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t help. No rest for the wicked and all that. If it could do some good, I’d rather help anyway.” So long as it was welcome. Obviously in most cases, people could care less about a stranger’s opinions, and typically, most were right to be wary of Bucky anyway.

[braavado]

She smiled at him. His words, in her opinion, made it clear she'd made a good choice in approaching him. "I feel the same way." Then, Korra sighed and frowned down at the ground. "Besides, I get the feeling we'll have some time to figure it out. As much as I don't want to admit it, finding a way out of here might be more complicated than we want."

Not wanting to sink down that depressive hole again--she'd wallowed enough earlier--Korra abruptly changed the subject and tried to inject a bit more cheer into her voice. "What were you doing up there, anyway? Anything I can help with?"

[lefthandfree]

Ah. He knew that particular feeling well, even if in his case the situation tended to be more along the lines of entirely hopeless. Even so, he did feel rather sorry for her. From the way she spoke, Korra obviously had a lot waiting for her where she’d come from.

Wanting to keep the cheer rather than linger on what clearly upset her, he threw on an easy smile, the fake one that came too easily and used to woo way too many dames.

“Just figuring out where everything is. The view’s a lot better up there. From down here, everything kinda blends together, y’know?” Or maybe she didn’t, but for Bucky, even the 20s had more variation in architecture than this place. “As for help, well, can’t think of anything for that. Unless you’ve got something you’d like to do that y’might need help with.”

If she couldn’t join him, then he might as well join her. With the polar bear dog, he doubted climbing more buildings would be the best choice though. Even assuming Korra wasn’t going to drag Naga onto the roof with them, she wouldn’t exactly be safe to leave behind on the ground either.

[braavado]

"Getting the layout of the city?" Korra turned her gaze back to the rooftops, contemplative. "It is hard to see anything when we're down on the streets like this."

"I can join you up there and map out the place, if there was something you were looking for." In this, at least, Korra was confident in her abilities, and she wasted no time in offering her help.

"Naga could wait for us somewhere," she added a second later, giving the polar bear dog's side a fond pat. "She'll come when I whistle for her."

[lefthandfree]

Not that he needed any help mapping the place, but there was something enjoyable about climbing up high places and looking far out into the horizon regardless. If Korra didn’t mind sending Naga off somewhere safer to wait for them that wasn't just in the street, then it was a feeling Bucky felt was worth sharing. At least, one person came to mind in that regard, and with how earnest she genuinely was, like Steve tended to be, he figured she might appreciate too.

“Well, if she doesn’t mind waiting somewhere inconspicuous. It’s always better not to stand out too much, y’know? At least in a place you’re likely not welcome.” It was supposition at this point for him still, but most places were hardly ever keen on outsiders regardless.

He offered her a small, cheeky smile and cocked his head to the side. “You ever climb buildings before?”

[braavado]

Thrilled that she'd apparently made a friend of sorts, Korra returned the smile with one that was equally cheeky. "Guess you'll find out now."

To Naga she turned again, ruffling the fur at her neck fondly. "Go back to that little garden we saw and wait there, Naga. I'll call you when we're done.

Once Naga had trotted off, Korra propped her hands on her hips. "Ready when you are."

[lefthandfree]

His smile broadened into a grin at her remark, and he shook his head in amusement. Watching for a moment as the polar bear dog jogged off, Bucky raised a brow in wonder at the creature. Korra’s instructions had been fairly specific, so having understood, Naga was far brighter than most pets back on Earth. Pretty cool. He had to wonder how common they were back where Korra came from, but maybe that was a question for another time. For now, he looked back toward Korra.

“Right. Did you wanna see the top of this building first? Or are you okay with us goin’ on to the next building?”

[braavado]

"Let's move on," Korra decided, after a pause. "You've already scouted this one, right? No point scaling it again."

Perhaps it was simply knowing that she'd found someone to stick with, but Korra felt better than she'd had since the tear had first swallowed her up. Even if she'd wanted to be alone when she'd left her family and friends with Katara in the healing hut, leaving her world altogether wasn't exactly what she'd had in mind. The relief she felt now took the edge off her lingering frustration and sadness, allowing her playfulness to return.

She propped her hands on her hips as she studied the next building over--made from the same material, but slightly taller. There was a hint of challenge in her eyes when she looked at Bucky again. "Wanna race to the top of this one?"

[lefthandfree]

He nodded in agreement with her decision to move on and eyed her silently for a moment before following her gaze. Even if he didn't really know her, it felt good that he could still help take her mind off things. She didn’t seem like a bad kid, and none of them really deserved being stranded in this crazy place. As far as he knew, anyway.

At her challenge, an oddly warm feeling permeated through him as Bucky grinned back in her direction. There was something so familiar to it that also made his chest ache.

“A race, huh? Are you sure you’re ready to lose to a guy with one arm?”

[braavado]

She laughed, rolling her shoulders with exaggeration. It was all for show, really. She didn't actually need to warm up.

"You keep telling yourself that," Korra returned without missing a beat. "Just don't be too bummed out when I win.'

She tensed, leaning her body forward slightly as she prepared to jump into motion. "Ready on three, two..."

help i can't with these two

[lefthandfree]

As if anyone should actually be proud of defeating someone who's handicapped. His eyes twinkled with mirth regardless, and when she seemed ready, he scoped the next building quickly, planning his route in an instant. While she certainly had an advantage with both arms, it didn't change that Bucky had already been up several buildings by this point without an arm, so it was only becoming easier with each climb.

He ducked down as she started counting off and drew his left leg back in preparation to launch. When she sounded off with two, he waited a second before breathing out, “One,” and flew forward in a rush. His feet quickly found the siding, the balls of his feet dipping into the makeshift footholds he'd noted moments before, and he leaped skyward, left hand poised to grasp the edge of the teir above.

I can't either tbh

[braavado]

Anyone should be proud of defeating someone who's badass in spite of his handicap, as Korra would have said. She almost missed the cue, faltering just a second as Bucky practically flew into motion.

"Shoot!" She exclaimed, half laughing as she leaped into action herself. It didn't take long for her to scale the building, but it was still a couple seconds too late to beat Bucky to the finish. As she pulled herself up onto the roof after him, she grinned, not even winded by their race.

"Geez." Korra shook her head. "If you can climb like that with just one arm, I'd hate to see how fast you are with two."

[lefthandfree]

If she’d watched him the first time he’d leaped a building since arriving, she would have seen him struggle to pull himself up due to being unused to his new center of gravity. Thankfully, she wasn’t around that time and instead got to see him stabilize himself gracefully, throwing his weight forward with his arm such that he could land on his two feet with ease. Piece of cake. ...after the nineteenth try.

“You sure you even woulda’ seen me?” he lilted playfully, unable to wipe the grin off his face. He didn’t know if he was pretending anymore, but it came so naturally. Did it even matter at this point? Korra was hardly anyone Bucky would deem an enemy, especially not with the way she laughed and teased back. It was comfortable, and he liked it.

[braavado]

"Hey now," she laughed, pointing at him with mock-anger. "Just because you won this time, doesn't mean I can't beat you later on. Just you wait."

Still smiling, Korra turned her head slightly to study the streets below. It was odd, watching people go about their business as if nothing was wrong, when she knew otherwise. She shook her head. "You think any of them even know that people like us are just...getting dropped into their world?"