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

[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."

[hand_of_judgement]

He didn't say anything in return to his father's words to begin with, but after a silence, Yuri softly murmured, "You've never lost my trust." Trust had never been an issue, well not that he'd been aware of, but it appeared as though his father had lost his faith in his trust. There was nothing that he could do for that, and if his father wished to attempt for such a thing, then he would not get in the way.

Yuri did, however, make the gesture to step away. Being this close to another was uncomfortable for him despite who he was currently close to. Dropping his hands down, the judge did what he could to turn his face away from Legend.

[i_am_legend]

He wasn't certain how he hadn't lost his son's trust after all that he had done, but he accepted Yuri's word for what it was. He nodded his head and released the grip he had on the smaller male so that his son could get away from the touch. He took no offense for Yuri's need to be away from it, and he instead slipped away himself.

Slowly, he eased himself back down onto the couch and rubbed at his bandaged forearm. It was the part that was healing the slowest and bothered him the most, but he had never made much mention of it to anyone, not even the doctors. "Then I hope to regain even a fraction of the closeness you and I once had," he finally murmured.

[hand_of_judgement]

There was a sense of relief, and he could feel his walls building back up as the grip around him was released. Stepping away as his father did, Yuri had to force himself to not obsess over whether his father was sitting without any problems.

The words the other man spoke weighed heavily within him. It wasn't anything that his father had done that had caused him to keep a distance. While he knew exactly what the problem was within, Yuri calmly brushed it aside.

"You've done nothing to lose it." His gaze lingered momentarily on his father before he glanced away dismissively. He had to go and put on the tea, after all.

[i_am_legend]

The couch was nice, and he didn't complain about being in this place. His eyes settled on the make-up still on the coffee table, reflecting on what had just happened previously. His left hand absently rubbed at the bandages on his right wrist, unaware of the permanent scar he bore.

Right now, he knew that he needed to give Yuri time. As long as they were here in this world, he could do that. He was dead after all, and he considered this simply borrowed time. Perhaps he was here to make things right?

"You've grown up," he replied simply. The Yuri he knew was still a teenager, and even then, he had stopped paying much attention then. "I know nothing about you anymore, yet you're still my son and have taken me in. I don't know what is involved in your job."

[hand_of_judgement]

Yuri took the opportunity to make his way to the kitchen. The room wasn't closed off, and was open to the rest of the living room, giving him a view of his father while he pulled the kettle from the stand. That didn't mean that he didn't hear the words the older man spoke. Words that left him feeling quiet as finished filling the kettle and placed it on the stand. Flipping the switch on, Yuri remained in the kitchen watching from just beyond the counter area to his father.

Reaching up to take the cups out of the cupboard, he asked, "The job I have here or back in Sternbild?"

This was something that he could talk about, even if he was still hyper-aware of the scar still visible on his face. It would be easy enough to head back into the other room, pick up his makeup, and retreat to the bathroom, but that was something that he didn't want to do. Not here, not now. Instead he would shift his attention away from the mark on his face.

[i_am_legend]

He didn't turn to look at what his son was doing, aware that seeing that scar would probably upset them both again. Besides, he knew that if he closed his eyes, he could imagine it perfectly in his mind. The damage of the end of his life was permanently marked on his son's face, and no amount of make-up would cover it for him anymore.

"Your job here, there, anywhere," he murmured, making it loud enough that Yuri could hear him. "Where you live in Sternbild? Do you have a wife? Children?"

All those little details he had missed out on. He was certain that Yuri could tell him all of it in a matter-of-fact way, but it wasn't the same as experiencing it. He had given up that right though, and he accepted that. Perhaps it was best that he didn't know at all.

[hand_of_judgement]

The kettle sounded softly in the background as he stared at his father from beyond the counter. He never spoke to his Mother about his work back home. The moments they spent together, she was stuck in the past believing he was a young teenage boy, or calling him a devil beyond those moments. Outside of her, he didn't have anyone else in his life. That was how he preferred it, and it was something he found comfort in here.

"I work at the Justice Bureau, both as curator of Hero TV and as a judge for the city of Sternbild," Yuri finally admitted while the water in the kettle began to bubble furiously within. At the mention of his living condition, he glanced subtly down to the side as he answered, "I live with Mama and take care of her."

He didn't say anything further on the other questions asked, since he felt that his statement answered them regardless.

[i_am_legend]

All those jobs? He tilted his head even as he stared straight ahead, allowing himself to just listen. The sound of the kettle reminded him of better days, but it also made him ache with loss for his Origa. "It's a wonder you have time for anything outside of work," he commented casually.

He supposed that his death had created some new need for living conditions, but it also meant that Yuri had taken on the job that he had once held. He felt bad for his son but good that the boy had felt the need to take in family even sacrificing other relations. However, that also meant that there was something... different. Origa had always been independent and enjoyed cooking.

"You said she took my passing hard. How is her health?"

[hand_of_judgement]

Yuri was silent for a while after his father's casual comment. Before he replied though, he thought better of it and simply decided to keep his silence. His work to rid Sternbild of evil would never be done, which meant that he couldn't rest. It gave him direction, a purpose, and allowed for him to carrying out his father's desires before the man was taken from him.

The kettle clicked off in the next moment, and he set about pouring it into the teapot even as his father asked the question he didn't want to answer. Because of his actions, he had turned his mother into what she now was... he would be nothing but a devil to her, one she feared beneath all of the delusions and anger she had towards him.

Nodding his head, he waited for the tea to soak into the water as he murmured, "There isn't anything wrong with her health." Which wasn't a lie. Physically she was well. It was her mind that had been damaged because of what he did.