( tdm 9 )

[hownkai]

T E S T D R I V E

ABOARD THE MOIRA Whether adjusting to space travel has been difficult or not, there is always something to be done. From working to leisure, the Moira offers a multitude of opportunities to get to know your crewmates a bit better. Exploration of the ship is highly encouraged, but as another planet grows closer to being docked, things start to get a little hectic. You'll notice a slight change in the artificial gravity as the Moira is pulled into a gravitational field; however, more noticeable changes can be found in the overall morale as you prepare to descend. ☄ on your own There are plenty of other communal areas on the ship to explore! Pick a place, and see where it takes you. ( These scenarios can be used as in-game canon. ) C R O M I A While exhibits or museums exist to commemorate people or objects, planets like this are designed as a memoriam for certain eras across the universe. Welcome to Cromia—a one-of-a-kind place set in medieval times. Sort of. Most technology on Cromia isn’t particularly advanced, and the fashion leaves little to be desired. However, one thing is very noticeable about this planet once you decide to explore: there are no organic people anywhere to be found. Cromia is inhabited by a race of intelligent, humanoid robots who tend to and care for the environment as well as live peacefully with one another. Yet, some have been programmed to show a certain disdain for those who are, in some way, living, and their hostility ranges between hurling insults and vegetables to reporting trespassers to the authorities. Besides that, all seems well and prosperous on Cromia. ☄ the emperor’s new servos The Royal Family of Cromia has extended an invitation to join them for festivities, food, and drink beginning when the first sun sets. This night is a way to relax and perhaps romance that special someone in your life with a little song and dance. For those who sample certain drinks, they might find themselves doing just that without being able to help themselves. Or perhaps that delicious wine you've heard so much about is actually a very oily concoction meant for the robots of Cromia. For others, a little cheese or venison might instill the need for fisticuffs. Could the desserts hold the same sort of enchantment? Do you dare to find out? ☄ catch-a-riiiide The fastest way to get around is via carriage in the city, and each city is pulled by a large insectoid cyborg. Their handlers assure you they’re quite tame, especially since their silly organic minds have been implanted with a control chip. They’ll take you to whatever destination you program in without a hiccup! What could go wrong? Except on the way, that ever-so-important control chip happens to malfunction. Your once docile bug-stallion is now running amok down the streets. Do you jump out before you meet a sticky end? Or do you take control and force it to stop? Either way, you aren’t likely to be getting your deposit back from this. ☄ taste the rainbow Archery. Bugback riding. Jousting. These are the typical leisure activities suiting the time period you now find yourself in, which is what you might assume when you see the banners denoting a competition. Anyone can enter. Anyone can win the prizes. When you ask what sport you’ll have to play, they just say one word: skittles. Similar to bowling, this sport is played on a long, flattened field, and the point of it is to use the wooden ball to knock over the "skittles" that are set up in increasingly complex patterns for each round. These skittles are also made of wood, exactly ten feet high each, and the balls used vary from the size of a golf ball to a canon ball (dealer’s choice on ball size). People are usually split into teams, but for the sake of the competition, everyone plays alone. Whoever gets the most points moves forward in the competition, and hope that there are no accidents mid-throw! OUT OF CHARACTER INFO FAQ | LOCATIONS | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS | NAVIGATION For mature or graphic content, please label. For questions, please direct them to the FAQ. As always, be kind and have fun!

Comments

[disarmin]

Oh. I hope I've been brought here because of what I can offer as a soldier, and not the other things I know how to do.

[Sensing Armin is still distressed, Liza mews for his attention (flicking Eggsy a rather offended look) until Armin pets her. She once again start licking his hair. Armin puts up with it.]

Um, I came from a place a little like this. Where people were just plucked away from their lives and homes. People from all different worlds, forced to do awful things to pay off a supposed debt.

[Armin knows he should lie, but Eggsy's always been good at seeing through him. Armin promised him he wouldn't conceal his feelings. Even though this Eggsy probably never asked him to make that promise, it feels wrong to break it.]

I knew you there. For a moment I thought I wasn't here alone. We were close friends, Eggsy. I know your real name is Gary, but you prefer Eggsy. You're from London. You have a mother, Michele, and a little sister, Daisy. And a dangerous job.

[Technically saying they're 'close friends' isn't a lie. But Armin realizes too late Eggsy will probably put together who his musical-loving boyfriend is. Armin still can't look at him.]

[commontype]

Sounds like a fuckin' shitty place. Would've probably hated it there.

[Eggsy snorts at the look the cat gives him, like this is all his fault, but then all of the sudden he thinks it just might be. Somehow. He can't move, his eyes locked on Armin's face, willing him to look up.]

I.. Um, I.

[He swipes his hand down his face, shoulders sagging. Eggsy is confused and shocked and overwhelmed, his first thought is to say something snarky and leave, but Harry's been helping him work through all of those gut reactions.]

Knew me there. In this other place where they made you do awful things to repay a debt. You've got to understand how mental this all sounds. [And then the rest catches up to him. Eliza. My Fair Lady. He knows so much.] Armin, was we together? Was I him?

I ain't sayin' your lyin'. I'm pretty good at tellin' when someone's lyin', and it don't feel that way now.

[He swallows roughly, extending a hand palm sized up. It was a lot to process, and he had no idea how he felt about it, but he wanted to know more.]

Tell me somethin' only I'd know. If you knew me, really knew me. If we was that close, tell me somethin' only you and me would've known.

[disarmin]

If I knew how to make it sound less bizarre, I would. I can't. [Armin says apologetically.] I can answer your question, but I think you should really consider whether or not you want to open that door. I won't demand anything of you. I knew we'd lose each other eventually, we're from different worlds. Whatever you've been to me in the past, I don't expect that to mean anything to you now.

[It hurts. It hurts so much that Armin thinks he might actually be sick over it. But Armin makes himself look up at Eggsy, into those green eyes he's learned so well.]

I'm happy enough just to see you're alive and well. I hope JB is too. [Armin struggles to keep a single thing about himself steady. His gaze, his voice, his damn posture.] I'm glad you don't remember anything that happened there, even if it means you don't remember me. You're better off.

[Armin looks away. He's on the verge of tears again. This might be it, after all. This might be the time he successfully pushes Eggsy away.]

[commontype]

[Eggsy's lips press together into a hard line, and he folds his arms over his chest. None of this feels right and he doesn't know what he's supposed to say or do. He tries to picture another him, a him that was dating Armin, a him that had a cat and lived in a place like the one that had been described to him.]

Was that me in love with ya, Armin? Did we love each other?

[He tips his head to the side, curious. Eggsy's never been in love, crushes and attraction, he knew plenty of, but not falling in love. His mind wanders to Gregor, and then he shoves that far away, as far away as he can. This was important, and he had to do this right.]

Cause if I was, if I had feelings for ya. I'd disagree with everythin' you're sayin' and if that was me, then you know that's true. I'd tell ya that, if I loved ya, I wouldn't be better off. So.

[Eggsy raises a brow.]

Tell me the truth.

[disarmin]

[Tell me the truth. That's so typical Eggsy, so much like something he might say to Armin during an argument that there's this moment that Armin almost forgets. He extends his hand, wanting to reach out and twine his fingers with Eggsy, begging for the tiniest comfort. He stops before touching him, and draws his hand away like he's almost touched hot stove.]

Yes. We were.

[Armin's voice is a tiny thread, ready to snap with the slightest tug.]

You would say that.

[Armin wants to harass him with questions, ask him why he is so accepting of this news, why he isn't disgusted. But he knows how Eggsy is. He knows why.]

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about this.

[And he knows that Eggsy hates these kinds of apologies, but Armin just doesn't know what else he can say.]

[commontype]

[We were. His other self loved this person and Armin loved him back, loves him still. Eggsy doesn't know him or the other version of himself, but he does know himself. He wouldn't let someone he loves suffer and he can't do it now.]

Don't apologize, ain't your fault.

[Eggsy has a million questions of his own, but he doesn't want to ask them here. It feels too personal, somehow, and he feels a little raw and exposed. He only knows he doesn't want to make it worse, and that they can't avoid this.]

We got a lot to talk about, yeah? Things I wanna know, things I'm sure you do.

[He believes Armin, though, and that's the most important thing.]

How about we go somewhere else and you tell me more. We can talk this out, cause all I know is that I wanna know you better. Ain't ever been in love. Kinda like to know the person who made me feel that way.

[disarmin]

It was probably partially because of the situation we were forced into. Life sort of kept throwing us together. I'm really nothing special on my own, though obviously we got along well enough. [Armin shrugs, sniffling.] I'll tell you what I can. That's only fair. [It might be easier to treat this as some mutual problem, instead of Armin trying to manage the equal parts grief and happiness he has at meeting Eggsy again like this. Armin scoops Liza into his arms, rubbing her head. With some kind of plan in place he's calmed a little, though he has no idea where their story even starts.]

[commontype]

[Eggsy didn't know if he believed that. Sure, life had thrown Armin and other him together, but he must have been special to his other self if he loved him. He didn't have to know the other Eggsy to be confident in at least that.]

We'll go to the vet's office. Since I ain't workin', nobody'll be in there.

[He starts them on the way.]

Would go to m'room, but I've got like four roommates so there ain't privacy.

[Leading them around a corner, he gives Armin a sideways glance.]

Um, how old are ya, bruv? [Age wasn't a huge factor for Eggsy, it was always about consent, but he had to admit he was curious. He wondered if his other self had felt the same.]

[disarmin]

At least we don't have to bunk up. [Armin isn't much for complaining, but he'll miss his big bed and the privacy of a bedroom he filled with things he liked - the bed he shared with Eggsy. Roommates he can deal with, even if he's not a fan.] When I was training there were dozens of us packed together in a room, sharing bunks. For two years, if we weren't out in tents doing survival training. But yeah, no privacy. You got really good at ignoring some of the things you heard.

[Crying. Snoring. Masturbating. No one complained much in the morning, except sometimes to tease Bert about his weird sleeping positions.]

I'm sixteen. [Armin says a touch apologetically.] Like I said, there were extenuating circumstances.

[commontype]

Ain't ever been a solider, so I don't know what that's like, but I've been cramped up before. This way.

[Not quite the same, fuck, nowhere near the same, but he was trying to connect with Armin somehow. He gestures to the right, they're pretty close now.]

Sixteen, yeah? Look a whole lot younger than that, but not really. Like, you come across as young until I look ya in the eyes. Been through some shit. But you's bein' sixteen ain't so bad.

[It was something that had given him pause, and he felt bad for Armin being so young and having had gone through whatever he had. He presses his thumb to the pad, stepping aside so Armin can go into the office.]

[disarmin]

I keep waiting for a growth spurt to happen, but it seems unlikely since I didn't get a lot to eat when I was younger. I've always been small for my age, and weak.

[Armin steps into the office, giving it a once over. He makes sure to sit somewhere the exit is readily accessible. Liza mews, wanting to be put down, but Armin continues to hold her. He doesn't really trust this place, and he can't lose her. Can't.]

But I beat you in a sharpshooting contest. You were running a hustle, taking bets, and I turned it around on you. [A faint smile.] About... hm... six months ago for me.

[commontype]

You gettin' enough to eat now? Food here ain't the best, but it's still food.

[Eggsy shuts the door, and then pulls a chair up close. They're sitting in the waiting room area, but he doesn't have a lot of stuff yet, so it's pretty bare.]

Hope ya put me in my place, then. If I was tryin' to hustle ya.

[He scoots forward in the seat, balancing his elbows on his knees.]

Will ya tell me about myself? Was I happy? Was Harry there, too?

[disarmin]

Yes, I get enough to eat. I don't really care about the taste, so long as it's not filled with things that mess up my head or my body. [Wine and sweets were the biggest offenders, so tempting one could hardly resist. Armin is fine with bland, strange food. Better than days-old bread soaked in water any day. Still, how typical of Eggsy to be concerned.]

Harry's here?! [Armin is so overwhelmed by the news he slaps a hand over his mouth. This gives Liza enough room to wiggle free, which she promptly does, sniffing around the room. Armin's eyes fill with tears.] I'm so glad, Eggsy... I know how much it hurt losing him... I'm so glad you've been given more time... he - he wasn't, and you wouldn't have wanted him there, no matter how you miss him. We were happy, though. Happiest I've ever been, in a lot of ways.

[commontype]

[Eggsy's brows shoot up in surprise, though he shouldn't be. If Armin really knows him, he would know about Harry, too.]

He is, yeah? Works as the ship's tailor.

[He swallows, looking away for a moment. It was hard losing Harry, harder to believe that this Harry wasn't a fake or a trick. They'd worked through it, but it had taken time.]

Can you tell me why I wouldn't have? What sort of place are you from, Armin?

[He isn't sure he's going to like the answer, but he wants to know.]

We were. [Eggsy says it almost reverently, like he can't imagine another him that was so happy. He's usually happy here, has good and bad days like most, but it's a work in progress.] Then you can't like seein' me, can you? Lookin' like someone you love, but not bein' him. M' so sorry.

[disarmin]

[Armin wants to stop this conversation - wants to ask Eggsy what he does on the ship, who he is here.

(If he has another lover.)

Armin wants to push the attention away from himself and the happiness which is so clearly in the past.

But there are certain things which are inevitable.]

...It was like a brothel. There were always drugs in the food and drink to make us in the mood. Lower our inhibitions. Make us want to do things we might not normally. If we had sex, the witches who kept us there gained magical power, and they were happy. If we didn't go along with it, or we made the witches angry, there were punishments. They also made us take clients sometimes. [Armin doesn't directly describe the humiliation and disgust he feels at it, but it drips from his voice like acid.] They made it clear we were their property.

[His tone softens.] You're not that different, always worrying about me for no reason. When we met after our first time together, without our heads foggy, you were very concerned for my well-being.

[commontype]

A brothel.

[When Eggsy had first arrived here, he'd been pretty pissed off. He'd wanted to go back home, but over time, he'd come to like it here. He had friends and family on the ship, and he was going to get home eventually, or say they say.

But hearing that his other self had been stuck inside a whore house, being made to fuck and given mind altering substances against his will, makes him sick.]

Then I'm glad you ain't there anymore, even if the me you love isn't with ya.

[If other-Eggsy had truly loved Armin, he knows he would have wanted him away from all that, even if it hurt to be separated.]

I can see it, yeah? Worryin' about ya for no reason. We just met and I already feel that way.

[He smiles lightly, leaning back and stretching his feet out.]

Let's talk about somethin' else. Anythin' you want.

[disarmin]

[Armin hops off the chair, searching around for Liza. She's still exploring the room. Armin lets her, crouching near her to pet her now and then. He feels a little bit better making himself smaller and facing away from Eggsy.] We knew we'd be separated eventually. The truth is I tried over and over again to cut you out of my life, but you convinced me it was worth enjoying it while we had it. I just thought I'd go back to my world, and the war. In that way, it's kind of nice to see you alive and well since I never thought we'd meet again.

[In a way. In a way it hurts so badly Armin is pretty sure he's still at risk of getting physically ill.]

So you take care of animals here? Is JB around?

[commontype]

[Eggsy figures that's enough emotional trauma for the day, even if he has more questions. Hopefully the guy would stick around long enough that Eggsy could get to know him better.]

That's my job, yeah? Ship vet.

[He leans forward again, oddly antsy and unsettled. Probably from meeting someone that knew him, without being able to reciprocate that. It left him uncomfortable and a little bit heartbroken for Armin, for his other self.]

He's here, little thing though. Was he there, too? Or did I just tell you about him?

[disarmin]

I believe he was sent to you as a reward at some point. So long as we remained... on our witch's good side, presents would turn up. Things from back home, like movies and DVDs for you, money and clothes for me. [There's precious little Armin actually wanted from back home aside from people.] I have to admit I didn't really understand why someone would keep an animal just as a companion, but he won me over in the end.

[Armin remains facing away from Eggsy. It's not a real solution, Eggsy still sounds like Eggsy, with that accent that's different from the way Armin is used to words sounding, the funny slang.]

It's funny that a vessel like this has room for a tailor or a vet. Do we encounter many combat situations?

[commontype]

[Eggsy gives Armin a look of disbelief, which quickly turns into a nod of satisfaction.]

Just like JB to win someone over. Bet this one will, too, yeah? He's a pup again, don't ask me how, so I've got to train him all over, but it's kinda nice. Almost feels like m' back home.

[He wants to ask Armin to turn back around so he can see his face. It's still a lot to take in, but he also knows that he's not really the one that matters right now.]

I don't think these rooms were meant for any of that. Guess cause there wasn't anybody here, they just let us do whatever with them. Sort of? Like on planets we get into trouble and there's fightin', and some of the crew fight each other. No real wars or battle though.

[disarmin]

Planets. [Armin has had these described to him before, but it all seems so impossibly large.] That should be exciting, at least. Seeing new places. Where I come from, my real home, humanity is imprisoned.

[Armin speaks in a hush.] Someone is always trying to put us into cages. [A pause.] What is the strictest punishment for insubordination here? Have their been any cases of desertion?

[Armin remains on the floor as Liza pokes around. He seats himself with his back to the wall and a good view of Eggsy and the exits. But he still won't meet Eggsy's gaze.]

[commontype]

Imprisoned? S' that why you were at war?

[Eggsy's always curious to know about the other people that show up here. Very few come from the same place and they're always so different.]

Ah, see that's the thing. People do all kinds of stupid shit here an' the captain's don't seem to care. They only really get pissed if someone kills somebody.

[At that, he tips his head, raises a brow.]

You thinkin' of runnin' off?

[disarmin]

One of the reasons. [Armin does not further explain his situation. He is not looking forward to telling Eggsy about it. He assumes someday they might be good enough friends for that. But Armin doesn't want to relive seeing Eggsy go through all that care when his face is already worn with so many.] War is messy like that.

[Liza goes to sniff at Eggsy's feet. Armin shrugs.]

I don't know. But I won't waste my time here. I've been away from the war too long as it is.

[Armin hates himself for getting involved with Eggsy, falling in love when he knew the risk of losing him. Armin hates himself for caring for someone enough to consider staying in a place like Eros. It's easier to hate himself, to numb himself to the reality of the loss this Eggsy and this new location represent.]

Do the captains like boys? Maybe I should one or both of them a visit.

[commontype]

Hey, there.

[Eggsy stretches down to offer the kitten his fingers, petting her if she allows it.]

Most of us are tryin' to get back home. This place ain't nothin' like I seen and I figure if I were to try and go out by myself, I'd never make it home. I dunno if the captains are bein' honest, but they're offering us a way back.

[He glances up sharply, the word stumbling out of his mouth before he can stop it.]

No.

[Clearing his throat, he leans back, eyes narrowed. He's about to overstep his boundaries, he knows it, but he's always run hot and been more than a little opinionated.]

Well, they might, but that's not what I mean. You ain't gotta do that. I won't let ya.

[disarmin]

[Eliza Mewlittle seems to be warming up to Eggsy a little until he speaks sharply. She darts away, weaving herself between Armin's legs before he pulls her into his lap.]

You'd stop me? Why? We're strangers.

[Armin knows he's made a mistake. He shouldn't have brought up his idea in the first place. Eggsy is always thinking Armin is better than he is, and needs protecting. He's asking a question he knows the answer to. Because this Eggsy may never say he loves him, but he does care. And Armin needs that a little, maybe. Since he's got no one else here.]