TEST DRIVE MEME FEB 2012

[soul_mods]

Test Drive Meme

For the reserves period between December 16, 2011 to February 15, 2012.
[App Form] [Reserves Page]

This meme is here to let prospective characters mingle ICly with the characters already in the game and each other. It helps us introduce various scenarios that you're likely to encounter in Soul Campaign and the different places used in the game. Hopefully, this helps you figure out if the game is really suited to your needs or not -- otherwise, just have fun!

The scenarios for this cycle are:
1. Shibusen has run out of free residential units! You are now stuck in one of their dorms with three other people. There's no privacy at all!
2. You find yourself trapped in the Holocaust mall during a blizzard. It's not as nice as you might think when there's a kishin egg or two prowling about.
3. There's a disease spreading that gives any meister or weapon who doesn't have a partner boils on their faces. You have exactly three hours before it reaches you -- time to make use of partner activities to get one. Please indicate if you're a meister or a weapon on your subject header.
4. It's mission time! You're suddenly thrown into a mission with a stranger (or several strangers). Do you flee or fight? (Current mission board is here.)
5. Your character was brought into Shibusen with a big problem. It seems that the BREW thought it would be funny if guys were girls and girls were guys. You have to race up the Shibusen steps to get the antidote, but you have to drink it with one or more people. Apparently, BREW likes company?

Just choose any one randomly, or make up your own, we don't mind! To make things simpler, please follow this subject line:

[CHARACTER NAME | CANON or FANDOM CHARACTER IS FROM | MEISTER OR WEAPON | SCENARIO# (or indicate if it's a new scenario)]

For example: [SPIRIT ALBARN | SOUL EATER | WEAPON | #1]

For OOC discussions and generally just chatting around, please head over here (for DW) and here (for LJ). For the LJ mirror of this post, please see over here.

Here's the Soul Campaign Navigation Page for all the other information you need.

As an extra note, you may add your TD threads to your application although it is not a requirement to do so and will not count towards activity checks. Please place it under the Notes section if you do.

Comments

[i_am_legend]

Legend waited and watched as Yuri moved to sit down, and he knew in that moment that the man was still very much his son. His eyes flicked over the perfect skin exposed, and he wondered if he was making a big deal out of nothing. No, he knew in his heart that something was not right, that there was a very precise reason Yuri had turned to make-up products like these.

Only when the other man sat did he sit back in the couch himself. God he wanted a drink, but he fought with himself to remain calm and cool. He couldn't do such things in Yuri's presence; he was the adult here still.

"I spent most of today trying to figure out why a sensible and driven young man such as yourself would need such things," he murmured, his eyes shifting from the make-up to his son's face. Was it there? "From what I've seen of your life, and I admit it's not much, there is a reason that you do anything. You don't act before you think thoroughly."

Reaching out, he picked up one of the one item and held it up, making note it appeared to be Yuri's skin tone. "A scar, is it?"

[hand_of_judgement]

He could feel his father's gaze on him, but his expression remained as impassive as it always was. Inside, however, was a completely different story. The only other person who knew of his secret was his mother, and there were times when he had no doubt that she didn't remember that particular detail of the incident. Half of the reason he hid it was to hide it away from her. While he was an entire world away from her presence, the echoes of her screams and hysterical sobbing remained loud within his mind.

Hiding his scar meant that he was hiding the monster he was, but he wasn't just hiding it from his mother or from the world. His face suddenly twinged with pain at the thought, but Yuri forced himself to ignore it, to not grab it, as his scar seemed to want him to do.

Instead he subtly inhaled a breath to calm his mind even as his father worked through his deductive reasons. While his father may have become blinded from everything but himself during the last few months of his life, it appeared as though the sharp man he was once was returning without the blanket of alcohol covering his mind.

The question asked of him pulled the judge away from his thoughts. Shifting his gaze over to the item his father picked up, he regarded it quietly for a long while before he neutrally murmured, "Perhaps, but I do not see why it is any of your concern."

[i_am_legend]

His fingers eventually set the casing of make-up back on the coffee table, and he found himself raising the ridge where his eyebrow was only starting to regrow. He found a flash where his temper was, but he pushed it down and away. There was no way that he could allow himself to go back to acting like that ever again.

Instead, he folded his mending fingers together to rest on his knees, patient but determined for his answers. "I'm your father, and your need to hide such things concerns me."

Slowly, as if trying to decide if this is the right course, he gestured at his son. "Will you show me?" He had to give Yuri the option of more or less willingly showing the scar he knew deep inside of him was there. Flashes of memory and burnt flesh not his own... it was a horrible memory.

[hand_of_judgement]

His mind supplied him with the answer, but Yuri kept it locked within as he sat there as calmly as he could. He couldn't allow himself to react in any way, to show that this topic made him more than a little uncomfortable, because to do so would be to admit that there was something wrong. It was just a scar, nothing of any real importance when he thought about it, but that was only after ignoring the significance hidden behind the mark hidden on his face.

The question had his attention fixating solely on the other man. Eyes narrowing subtly, he tried to think of a logical reason to not grant the man's wish. Yet as his gaze roamed over the recovering flesh, the judge found himself unable to look any further when his memories threatened to crash through the walls he'd placed around them.

"You do not need to see such things," Yuri murmured instead as he diverted his gaze away from his father. The words were spoken to protect the man, and in doing so to protect himself as well.

[i_am_legend]

He had always considered himself above the other Heroes, not because of his power entirely but because he didn't need to be led by the hand to each criminal. He could look into things himself and make a judgement call. Certainly near the end all the sponsorships made it difficult to do as he pleased, but by then, he had other reasons for living his life as a hero.

And it was clearly that trait that had him staring at the other man seated nearby. The subtlety of the expression change didn't escape his notice, and that was sometimes all he managed to get out of Yuri. Otherwise, the boy was an emotionless wall of logic and cool-headedness.

"Show me," he requested again. "It was me who gave you the scar, wasn't it?"

[hand_of_judgement]

Yuri couldn't bring himself to look back at his father as he felt the man's gaze on him. It was heavy, and he felt the memories within threatening to break free even while he attempted to keep them locked tightly inside.

Show him. Yuri didn't show anyone the scar he had, least of all those who witnessed the event. He could refuse to show the scar, just walk off and ignore that this conversation ever happened, and yet he was unable to move. His limbs had suddenly refused to work, and as that question was asked, Yuri couldn't stop the reaction as he gritted his teeth and glanced sharply over at the recovering man.

"What does it matter who gave anything to me," he said calmly, but the sharp look in his gaze spoke of the emotion locked away and hidden beneath the surface. "It is my burden to bear, not anyone else." Not yours... never yours.

[i_am_legend]

Legend was bothered more by that fact that Yuri was evading him but not directly refusing. It only confirmed his worst fears when it came to the need for make-up in the first place as well as he being the source of it. From his hazy muddled memories, he simply knew that somewhere on Yuri's body there would be evidence of some abuse. Perhaps he would never truly get a second chance.

Yet, he had to try. For one, Yuri was all that he had and was so different from the boy he remembered and raised. Second, he had to know what he did and attempt to take some responsibility for his mistakes. He knew it would be painful, but that was why he had suffered through the burns in the first place. He had to be better here than he had been at the end of his life in Sternbild.

"It does matter, and that look you're giving me says so," he murmured softly, keeping his gaze fixed on Yuri as if the man might jump up and run off to escape the line of questioning. "So you admit to having a scar," he responded logically before rising from the couch and moving into the kitchen. He wet a clean cloth and returned, holding it out to Yuri.

[hand_of_judgement]

He had hoped that his father would cease with the line of questioning. While it would be easy to end the conversation and simply leave the apartment, that would be giving away far too much emotion than what he'd want. He was damned if he did, and damned if he didn't.

Yuri said nothing further as his father stated his thoughts and got up to head to the kitchen. No matter how much he would have wanted to deny it, the judge new what was to come. That was why he wasn't surprised when the older man returned to the living area with the damn cloth and held it out to him.

There was nothing but silence for a long while as he debated his course of action. The last thing he wanted to do was to expose his weakness, but refusing the man would do the exact same thing just in a different way. Eyes narrowing lightly, his silence remained even as he reached up to take the damp cloth.

Yuri didn't say anything as he brought the cloth up to his face and began wiping away the makeup. There was something inside of him, a tightening in his chest, that made his heat pick up in beat. Had he not been so in control of himself, Yuri had no doubt that his breath would have been coming out much faster. As it were, his breath remained even and his expression calm as he finally lowered the cloth. Glancing up, he regarded his father levelly as he displayed the large hand-print that scarred his face.

[i_am_legend]

He stood there in silent waiting for Yuri to make the decision on the matter. He would have liked to push more and more, but he wasn't certain that it was in either of their best interests for that to happen. He also suspected that deep down, Yuri was very scared and looking for help. It was just that help was impossible to find when one was forced to be the man of the house suddenly.

He released the cloth when it was taken and returned back to his seat on the couch. There was nothing that he could say when the other man began washing the make-up from such an obvious spot. He was also keenly aware of how his burning hand had pressed against that skin in a kind of drunken victory just before he had been consumed by that burning agony.

And there it was, a perfect imprint of his hand in burnt scarring. He reached out, pushing aside the long tresses that hung on the side of Yuri's face, removing all obstacles from obscuring his view of the damage he had caused. "...Yuri..."

[hand_of_judgement]

Yuri's gaze remained fixated on his father while the older man regarded his scar. He'd never felt so exposed before in his life, and it was difficult to keep his emotions in check. The steady increase of his pulse wasn't helping, especially when his father shifted in closer. He wanted to pull away, to put distance between them again and re-apply his makeup, but Yuri forced himself to remain exactly where his was.

Watching as the hand reached out, he barely managed to hold back the flinch he felt within as the long platinum blonde bangs were pushed to one side. He forced his expression to remain neutral, and as his name was spoken, Yuri couldn't help but pull away to allow his long bangs to cover most of his face.

Half turning his face away, the judge tried to maintain his cool as he muttered, "As I said, it's of no importance."

[i_am_legend]

He realized after staring at it for a little while that it wasn't a perfect impression anymore. Yuri had grown some, features sharpening and losing the details of youth after his death. It didn't detract from the fact that there was a huge scar across his son's face or that he could sense how much the boy wanted to pull away from his touch. Regardless of calmness, he could tell that Yuri was as tight as a chord about to break.

His fingers dropped away when the other man pulled away, and he set his hands into his lap to contemplate silently. He was the cause of that scar, and even without realizing it, there were moments (little flashes) when he could remember doing it. It was so fleeting that he wouldn't have believed them unless that scar was so exposed to him in the first place. He had certainly left his mark on Yuri, but he wondered how much of his mark remained unseen.

"I failed you," he murmured softly, "and you're permanently marked with my final failings forever." He rose to his feet, troubled by this revelation. How could he have done this to his son, his proposed pride and joy? His hands clenched tightly at his sides, threatening to break open newly formed fragile skin. "There is nothing I can do to make amends for the pain I caused you and your mother."

[hand_of_judgement]

There was an urge within him to pick up his makeup and head to the bathroom. He hated looking at the scar, loathed what it stood for with him, and barely had it visible even to himself. The scar in question seemed to throb at the thought, and he had to force himself not to grasp at it. Yuri knew that he couldn't leave though. Doing so would only further expose his distaste for having his mark visible.

The words had his eyes narrowing, and he watched as his father stood. The misery the many was feeling sparked something within him. He felt a flash of anger welling within, one that was reminiscent to what he'd felt that day, but he forced it back down.

"You've already atoned for your sins, so there is nothing that you need to make amends for," Yuri attempted to say in a calm tone, but if Legend listened closely enough, there was almost a slight edge to his voice.

[i_am_legend]

There was a moment when he thought that he had no right to being called Yuri's father for no good one could ever do that to their child. Yuri had been his and Origa's pride and joy from the first moment their son had made an appearance into the world. He had held Yuri within minutes of his birth, and he had experienced no greater joy than working with his beautiful Origa to raise Yuri up right.

Yet, he couldn't help the nearly overwhelming guilt at causing such permanent damage to his son's face. His misery was obvious he knew, but how could he hide it like Yuri did? He realized with revulsion that he watched to drown himself in drink to prevent having to think about it, and even worse, he felt almost physical ill thinking about alcohol.

The edge was heard and he turned to stare down at Yuri who was still seated and attempting calm. "Atoned for them? I haven't atoned for them at all," he replied, again clenching his hands until some of the skin over his knuckles broke open. "I don't even remember what I did, so there is no atonement aside from the fact that you bathed me in fire to prevent further harm to yourself and your mother." He was angry but it was at himself.

"All the ideal that I held dear, that I told you... and I broke them," he hissed, slamming a fist into his own thigh. It hurt, but he didn't regret it. "I broke them... as I scarred your face and hurt my Origa."

[hand_of_judgement]

His father had atoned for his sins in Yuri's eyes. There was nothing more final than death, and the man had suffered enough as it was. Yuri's sharp gaze didn't miss the damage the man was doing to himself, and he stood up while glaring in warning at his father.

"You've nothing to regain in my eyes," Yuri said before his eyes flashed open at the memory of what he'd done. The image of that moment broke through his well-placed walls, and he gritted his teeth as his hand snapped up to grab at the scar as it exploded with pain. He had to regain composure of himself. All of the walls he'd carefully constructed to protect him were beginning to crumble, but his sheer stubbornness would never allow them to fall.

Forcing his hand to drop down to his side at his father's hissed words. He reached out to take hold of the older man's wrist. "Stop," he said in a tone far sterner than he'd ever used. Now wasn't the time for such things, and focusing on seeing to his father's health would help distract him from his own thoughts. Yuri released his hold before stepping away. "I'll make us some tea."

[i_am_legend]

He barely glanced when Yuri stood, too consumed with his own thoughts on the subject that was between them. He paused though at the words and stared searchingly at Yuri's scarred face before noting the way that the burnt flesh bothered his son. It only made his guilt deeper. "Yes... I have nothing to regain because I lost it all already. There is no going back."

What he saw on Yuri's face was just a small selection of the pain he knew that the other man experienced. He forced himself to stop creating greater injuries at Yuri's request, and he stood silently miserable as he tried vainly to remember more details of that day. That tone demanded attention, but he was still miserable.

Before Yuri could get far, he grabbed the slim man and pulled Yuri back to him forcefully. Without a word, he pulled his son into a great bear-hug, squeezing as if letting go would mean his death again. "I'm sorry, Yuri."

[hand_of_judgement]

Yuri hadn't meant his words in the way at all, but there was no point arguing with his father. He had learnt long ago that no matter what was said, the man would think what he wanted regardless. He'd watched too many conversations between his parents that ended up with broken bottles and bruised faces because his father had gotten an idea stuck in his head and wouldn't see to reason. Yuri wasn't about to fight a losing battle especially not when his father's health was already questionable as it was.

Walking around the coffee table, the judge hadn't expected the sudden grasp around him before he was pulled in for a large hug. His entire body tensed with surprise as he stood there stiff as a board. Eyes wide, Yuri couldn't bring himself to decide what to do. The last time either of his parents hugged him was well before the day that his father had died, so this was all entirely unexpected.

"Papa," he quietly muttered while glancing at his father in shock. The hold was tight, almost desperate in nature. It had been so long that he wasn't quite certain how to react. So instead he softly reminded, "--Your injuries."

[i_am_legend]

This was the first time since the hospital that he had come in physical contact with his son. They kept their distance from each other, and he wondered if Yuri didn't like to be too close to his burns. His bandages were changed at the clinic, and he repaired any that loosened or were dirtied in the apartment.

He came to realize how slim his son was. He had been a big man even in his prime, and he had put on weight later in his career when life at home was hectic running from one activity to another. Yet, Yuri was all around smaller than he was, a fair combination of himself and Origa. He also felt like the boy wasn't eating enough though was well-muscled.

Perhaps he was just squeezing too hard, but he didn't care about his injuries. "Leave them be," he murmured against Yuri's shoulder, his arms not loosening one bit. "My injuries are not nearly as important as you are to me. You're all I have, Yuri."

[hand_of_judgement]

He wasn't certain what to think as he remained there within his father's tight embrace. Even with his suggestion to let him go, Legend showed no signs of releasing him. The thought left him frowning subtly, and he had little choice but to relax within the hold. While he didn't return it just yet, there was no attempt to break free of it either.

The final statement had his breath catching in his chest, and he felt his heart clenching at the words spoken. There was a foreign sensation felt within, one that he would never allow himself to identify, as those words washed over him.

"...even after all that I did...?" He found himself asking in a voice barely above a whisper.

[i_am_legend]

And because Yuri wasn't putting up any resistance aside from being tense, Legend convinced himself that it was alright to continue to hold on tightly. In some ways, it was the first expression of care that he had given since he had arrived here, and it felt like some first step to feeling better. He wanted to feel better, so that was why he clung to this sensation as his son.

He pulled his face back enough to look at the large scar that made up most of Yuri's face, but he looked beyond it to the expression his son wore. His olive coloured eyes studied the smaller man, heard the words and wondered how much guilt Yuri had carried since that day.

"How could you have stopped what happened, Yuri? You awakened without control over your powers," he murmured as logically as he could. He should have never put Yuri in that position in the first place. "You were... protecting your mother."

[hand_of_judgement]

There were no signs that he was going to let him go anytime soon. Yuri wasn't certain what to make of this situation. The shift made him momentarily think that his father was about to pull away. Oddly enough, there were mixed emotions hidden within, causing confusion to flourish within his mind, but he remained where he was.

He had been haunted for so long by the images of his father. The words, the disappointment, the knowing smile, that same question over and over again. Every thought that ran through his mind caused the most subtle of trembles through his body. His scar ached again, but he gritted his teeth and ignored it.

Yuri couldn't find the words coming to him despite his thoughts, and while he didn't want to confirm or deny his father's words, his hands slowly reached up to grab onto his father's shirt in a poor attempt of a hug.

[i_am_legend]

He had no reason to yet let go, given how much time had passed where he hadn't taken the time to appreciate the family that he had been blessed with. In recognizing that Yuri was all he had, he hoped that such an embrace would ease some of the guilt that he felt inside. That mark stood glaring on his son's pale skin, and his guilt didn't decrease any.

When he thought that things might have gotten to the point of being uncomfortable, he considered letting the embrace end. He couldn't tell what Yuri was thinking, and he wasn't comfortable forcing the younger male stay close if all his son wanted was to get away from him. He couldn't expect to rush things either; Yuri would come back in time.

He froze from actually going through with his retreat when he felt hands grasping his shirt. One arm tightened to an almost bruising degree in response before he released one arm to lift his right hand up to run his fingers along the scarred skin marking Yuri's face, and he managed to keep his inner agony from showing as he traced the imprint of his own hand.

"I don't blame you," he whispered hoarsely.

[hand_of_judgement]

The gesture was almost non-existent when it came from his end, but the reaction he got in return was something he hadn't expected. He tried not to let himself think over the fact that his father was looking at the scar he'd half created. Yuri hid it for a reason, and being so exposed made him more than a little uncomfortable.

Yuri flinched when the arm around him tightened and the other came up to touch at the scar. Eyes widening lightly, there was no way for him to escape without injuring his father even as his fingers brushed against the scar. Flashes of the moment it happen bombarded his mind, and the judge was almost deaf to the hoarse words his father whispered.

Glancing down, his silence continued while he attempted to regain control of his wayward emotions. All he had been doing was trying to do the right thing. He had been tormented for years by his father contradicting his beliefs, but was it that he truly didn't? "I was trying to punish evil..." he muttered before his voice trailed off.

[i_am_legend]

Legend wasn't actually certain if the flinch was because of his tight hold or because his fingers were against that scarred skin. While he could suspect, there was no way of really knowing because Yuri wasn't about to give up that information willingly. No, he had to feel and see for himself, another selfish endeavour on his part.

His fingers passed over the Yuri's forehead and then down the bridge of the boy's nose and finally to the right cheek where his palm had made the greatest impression. His fingers felt as if they were on fire again just touching it, and he wondered if the little memories he had would fade with time.

In a purely paternal gesture as if Yuri was still the little boy he remembered, he set his right hand on the back of his son's head and pressed it to his shoulder not caring that it hurt. "You did the right thing by stopping me. I... was out of control; you dealt with me as I had taught you to, Yuri. The blame rests solely with me."

[hand_of_judgement]

His skin was hyper-sensitive along the path his father's fingers took as they traced along the length of the scar. Yuri had never allowed anyone to touch it, how could they when they knew nothing about the scar's existence. His cool green gaze followed the path as best as it could until fingers brushed against his cheek - where his father's palm had been.

Eyes widening when the hand came to the back of his head, he felt his chest tighten when his father pulled him in to press his face against his father's shoulder. Yuri felt his breath hitched lightly at the words, but he didn't allow any further emotion to slip out from beyond his walls. Closing his eyes, the gesture growing tighter with each word his father spoke, before he softly murmured, "Mother misses you, Papa."

No other words came out despite them being just beneath the surface. This was all too much for him, and there was a growing panic within that made him want to withdraw.

[i_am_legend]

It was a wonder why the other man didn't resist him in some way, yet it was more the lack of response that worried him more. He was only glad that there were still hands grasping onto his shirt, but he had his doubts that it would continue for long. As soon as Yuri dealt with the surprise, he knew that the moment would be over.

Still, even for selfish reasons, it felt good to have this contact with his son. Yes, it was probably prolonged, but the feel that he could be affectionate to Yuri was a good one. He hadn't yet lost all hope that they would never be anywhere close to each other, and that was very important to him.

"I miss her too," he murmured softly in response, though he understood that there was quite a difference on his end. He knew Origa lived. He gently patted Yuri's head, drawing what comfort he could from he embrace. "I hope that some day you can regain your trust in me, Yuri."