November Test Drive!

[rubycitymods]

Thinking of apping a character but not sure they'll fit in the city walls?

Have no fear, a meme for you is here.

Directions:

• Use an RNG to choose a location and prompt, or wait for someone else to tag.


• Post with your character with their name and canon on top!


• If you'd like, leave contact info for people to get in contact for plotting and other such shenans.


• Tag around! Make friends. Don't be afraid to chat OOC while tagging.

Locations

1.TRAIN STATION - The place where everyone gets dumped off at. Your first view of Ruby City, complete with informational posters telling you all about where you've ended up.
2. THE BEACH - Lovely year-round, though in the winter months, you're probably not likely to dip your toes in.
3. THE BLACK STALLION - A rather quaint bar. Supposedly, the burgers are great, but you don't see anyone immediately who's willing to serve you. Maybe you're meant to get it yourself.
4. THE OBELISK - The tall monolith in the center of the city marks the gathering place of many events, though right now it seems to be cold and dark.
5. THE CLOCKTOWER - Offering an impressive view of the city, several residents come here to clear their heads, if they don't mind braving the narrow staircase.
6. THE COFFEE JOINT - the front windows are warm and welcoming, and it seems there's always someone friendly enough to fix you a cup when you wander through.
7. THE CATACOMBS - Intrepid, aren't you? Those weird holes may beg exploring, but go too deep and you're going to be in a lot of trouble, considering the viciousness of the creatures held within.
8. THE CITY STREETS - All told, Ruby City is a lovely place, once you get past the fact that several of the buildings look derelict and on the verge of falling down. There's no harm in doing a little sightseeing.
9. THE PARK - You thought it'd be a lovely stroll, but the park is anything but friendly, if those approaching wolf-like creatures are any indication.
10. CHOOSE YOUR OWN - Don't like what we've come up with? Feel like picking your own place? There's a whole host of lovely locations to choose from in the City.


Scenarios


1. NEW ARRIVAL - Step off that train, walk down the street. People usually latch on to newcomers to try and help them out. Even if you look shy, the other residents probably won't be!
2. WATCH TALK - Feeling lost? Disoriented? Don't worry, everyone feels that way on their first day. Fortunately - if the signs at the station are to believed - the watch in your pocket can be used to talk to whoever else might be here.
3. BAD WEATHER - Aw, man. Whether it's snow, or rain, or just plain cold, today was definitely the wrong day to get dumped off in a City in the middle of nowhere.
4. A RUN-IN - Maybe you weren't watching. Maybe they weren't. Either way, you just bumped into someone. Perhaps apologies are in order?
5. HELP, IT HURTS - Clumsy, aren't you? Perhaps wherever the train brought you from wasn't so friendly, or you just tripped and twisted your ankle. Either way, you're in a bit of pain. Hopefully someone will notice your booboos and help patch you up.
6. HUNGRY - It isn't very obvious sometimes that restaurants are what they are, especially in a place like Ruby City. Where can a person go to get a bite to eat around here?
7. MISTAKEN IDENTITY - Hey, there's someone you know! --Or maybe not.
8. BEING FOLLOWED - Maybe you're just being paranoid, or maybe you've got a reason to be afraid. Whatever it is, it feels like there's eyes on you...
9. EVENTS - Feel free to look through our event tag!
10. CHOOSE YOUR OWN - Don't like any of these ideas? Feel free to come up with your own!

Comments

;u;

[volare_via]

He could be nonchalant all he wanted. He could be cool and do whatever, look away, glance back, but the one thing he ought to do was glance up.

Narancia got bored often, even if this place had a ton of things to do, mainly because he wasn't doing what he wanted to do: a little less mafia, a little more kid. It wasn't entirely a choice he had. Giorno was in charge now, but Buccellati was still Narancia's boss, and he took this polite middle ground in not really listening to anyone half the time, just to avoid conflict of emotional interest.

That meant a lot of sitting. Today, it was atop the front steps of their sizable house, the one everyone congregated in, a house full of Stands and their users, many of which would be known to the newcomer.

He was too far out to be seen with the naked eye, but Narancia could still see him on his radar as Aerosmith passed over the unknown man's head.

"Alright... let's see... Down a little..." And he let the Stand buzz low by Fugo.

feelings incoming

[purple_haze]

And glance up he did. That buzz was too familiar. His mouth went dry. A panic washed over him.

"No way...You're dead," Fugo said in disbelief.

Narancia was dead. Maybe he was dead, too. Maybe this is why he was seeing this. Maybe he didn't survive the fight with Volpe after all. Maybe this was all a product of his dying mind.

He stopped dead in his tracks and scanned the area, looking for any sign of Narancia. Fugo's heart was beating so hard he feared it might burst out of his chest. Aerosmith was long distance, so he could be anywhere.

It could be a trick. It could be a lasting hallucination. Maybe he never survived the fight with Kocaqi. Maybe he was still trapped in Rainy Day Dream Away's power. He didn't care now. There was a chance.

HERE WE GOOOO

[volare_via]

Narancia thought the same thing, too, maybe this was heaven, maybe it was hell. Abbacchio was here, so it was a safe thing to ask, but to see the others... And then to learn of Bruno's death? He wasn't sure. Hasn't been. But things like this that kept him occupied were good stuff, and helpful.

The target didn't move. Good. Aerosmith dropped down low again, skirting dangerously close to the target, then swooped up and away, back toward its user. Maybe he was just toying with him, being a brat. Who knew? But as it flew off back toward Narancia, its path led toward a large, distantly visible house.

[purple_haze]

A hint. Narancia probably didn't know it was a hint -- maybe it was subconscious or maybe he was just being dumb. Fugo didn't care, either way. It was a chance to see his friend again.

He didn't bother walking, he took off running after Aerosmith in a full sprint. His legs and lungs could burn all they wanted; Fugo wouldn't stop until he found out where that plane was going. He didn't want to risk losing sight of it, either. It was a glimmer of hope he could see, one he could grasp at. It was tangible. It was all that mattered.

[volare_via]

The path was deliberately indicated, Narancia open to bugging whoever was intrigued enough to follow Aerosmith back ot the house. Nobody here had been an asshole entirely, so he wasn't too shy about at least talking to folks. The figure came into the very speck edge of his view, and he swooped Aerosmith back for a moment before calling it back once more and setting it circling lazily around the front entry. There was something oddly familiar about that run... And that person... And that hair...

No.

Not processing things was as good as processing them, and Narancia was very good at not dealing in the heat of the moment. Fugo had technically... not been a traitor, per se, but certainly not part of the group. Narancia both understood, and refused to comprehend.

He stood, slack-jawed, watching. And when Fugo came within a few meters, Aerosmith practically dive bombed him, Narancia pointing accusingly with a shaking hand.

"DON'T COME ANY CLOSER!!!"

A fair bluster, and Aerosmith circled once more before his user bent slightly, put his arms out and bid the thing land, and disappear.

"What're you-- I mean how-- I... um."

[purple_haze]

Fugo ducked instinctively. It was taking all his control to not release Purple Haze, but that would be very, very bad for everyone around him. That voice, though...Fugo felt a lump grow in his throat and he tried to swallow it away. It was useless, though. It wasn't going anywhere and neither was the burning feeling on his skin.

"You're supposed to be dead," he said, softer than he meant it.

His voice wasn't strong. He wasn't strong. Powerless. Confused. He just stood there, unable to lift his head to look at Narancia. The ground was safer. The ground wasn't supposed to be dead.

[volare_via]

"Yeah well, you're... Supposed to not be here!" Because it made things complicated and complicated was bad. Complicated again was bad, bad, bad, and Narancia still wasn't handling his own arrival too prettily. Sleepless nights spent face down in tears, or in the kitchen shooting the breeze until he woke people up with laughter.

"You're not supposed to be here!" Because it hurts. He tried to stand up tall and be a little more aggressive, but his head already hurt and his hands shook as he balled them up into fists and walked a little closer. Close enough to reach out and punch him, if he really wanted to.

[purple_haze]

Fugo finally raised his head and looked at the older boy. Tears welled in his eyes despite his efforts to remain strong. He bit his lip to choke back a sob. It hurt to see him again. He felt responsible for Narancia's death. If only he'd gone along or if only Narancia had stayed behind...The former, they'd both be dead. The latter, maybe they'd both be alive.

Silence. Nothing but silence for a long while. He tried desperately to compose himself before he spoke.

"Hit me if you want," he said finally, "I deserve it."

[volare_via]

Good idea. Very good idea. Narancia squared himself up, hauled back, and went to punch Fugo, but his nails pressed into his hand and he couldn't. He just couldn't. It was too much and maybe he was...

No, he had to punch him. Right in the shoulder, much less hard than he would have had he done his original impulse, right to the man's face. It contacted, and he staggered forward, then again, another step, and with it his other hand hit Fugo's other shoulder. Fingers curling against his jacket, then digging into the fabric, Narancia teetered on the edge of completely losing it.

"You're... I'm not dead. I'm dead, but I'm not dead. So stop saying I'm dead. I don't want to be dead!" Because addressing his own lack of life was easier than addressing Fugo's presence.

[purple_haze]

Fugo didn't flinch. He let Narancia hit him. It didn't hurt as bad as the feelings he kept inside. The tears finally fell and, of all things, a smile slowly formed on his lips.

"You're acting like I would. You don't want a temper like mine, do you? You've already got a short fuse, don't make it shorter," he said, his voice on the verge of cracking. It quavered from the emotions he tried to keep in check. It didn't make sense to cry, but here he was.

[volare_via]

Narancia couldn't conjure up a smile, but the second he saw the tears, well, that he echoed, shoulders shaking in a sob as he shuffled in a little more and put his head on Fugo's shoulder. His tone was soggy as his tears spilled over and he gripped is friend's upper arms.

"You didn't go with us." An accusation, a fact.

[purple_haze]

Fugo raised his arms slowly and cautiously embraced Narancia.

"I didn't. I stayed. I didn't understand why the hell you went."

He did now, though. He finally did. After all he went through, he finally understood why Narancia went with. Fighting alongside Sheila E. made him understand a lot more. He couldn't say any of this now, though. It was just frustrating crying. Unable to coherently express himself.

[volare_via]

The caution was't needed, after all, and as soon as Fugo made the gesture to hug him, Narancia threw his arms around his friend, holding him far too tightly, dangerously close to knocking him over.

"Because Trish needed us, and nobody was gonna help her if we didn't. I couldn't let her die or be lonely like that. Wouldn't want anybody to do it to me again."

Now he sobbed, recalling their first meeting, knowing that Fugo was as much his heart as Buccellati was, even if in a different way. Fugo was an asshole, Fugo was his best friend, Fugo was his tutor, Fugo was important.

"I shoulda made you come with us."

[purple_haze]

Fugo stumbled, but didn't lose his balance. Someone had to be the strong one here.

"You can't make anyone do what they don't want to. You almost drowned getting to their damned boat, anyway. It was my decision to make...wrong or right."

Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. That word just echoed in his head over and over. He'd fought with his demons about the decision daily. It was still his choice. Known or unknown to everyone else, he'd made his amends. He'd dealt with the narcotics team. He'd dealt with more than he should have.

... Narancia dealt with more than he should have. They all dealt with more than they should have.

Finally, finally...Fugo allowed himself to cry openly. A choking sob escaped him and he hugged his friend tighter.

"I'm sorry."

[volare_via]

"I'm never--forgiving--" He sniffed, then stopped his speech, clinging to Fugo as he let stupid, too long-held tears fall. And it was undignified, but wasn't he always? Let people call him a crybaby. They'd all made him cry since he arrived, and now all that was left was Trish. It made him cry harder, knowing that out there somewhere she was totally alone, now. Fugo had stoked the fire Buccellati lit, had made Narancia learn when he was often unteachable. He kept the faith even when they had it out. Being without him was devastating.

"I missed you. I don't want you to leave again." Because he was clearly real, and right there, and crying just like Narancia was.

[purple_haze]

Fugo took a step back and tried to make it so Narancia was at arm's length. There was sure to be a face-shaped teary mess on his jacket, but he couldn't mind. Unlike his Stand, he wasn't nearly as fastidious about cleanliness. And there was no time to worry about that anyway.

"I missed you, too...I don't think I can leave again," he trailed off.

He had questions, but there would be time to ask them later. His friend was here now. As much as they squabbled, fought, and threatened each other with bodily harm, they were still friends. Even after Fugo felt he'd been abandoned by them...the bonds were stronger than that feeling.