rubycity_ooc | [March] Test Drive!

Entry tags:

[March] Test Drive!

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!

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[A]

[She'd been stumbling around the catacombs for a while now, chewing on her lip while she braced against the wall with one hand and turned her watch over in the other. Maybe it was stupid to come down here alone, but people would have just talked to her like she was a kid! They wouldn't have treated her the same way Miss Gwendolyn or The Brand did. Still...]

Of course it was stupid, [she mumbles to herself, then sucks her breath in sharply as she hears something from...further down the tunnel? The next tunnel over? Everything was so hard to judge in here. Sophie adjusts her glasses, giving her lip one last uncertain bite before she flips the watch open.]

Um, hi. Hello. So would there maybe be a map of the catacombs somewhere, or someone who can come find me? If not, my name is Sophie and it was nice meeting you.

[Imminent death of a child was a good way to gather up some forces, right? And hey, maybe the tunnel noises were actually something harmless!]

[B]

[I forgot what my other idea was, so throw your own scenario here!]

[Julian had believed he knew quite a bit about the city already, but he'd only been here for a week. Thus, he was relatively unprepared for ending up in the catacombs. People had mentioned it in passing – that you were best off getting out as soon as possible and that any deep exploration would lead to numerous encounters with highly dangerous creatures.]

Dammit. Why did I go down that alley?

[He was moving warily – he had his F-S knife out – but ignored the indiscernible noises. Strange noises in dark areas were bad things. Then he heard a distinctly human voice. When he saw them he knew they were completely lost.]

Hey. Behind you.

[He sheathed his knife so as to not seem threatening as he spoke.]

Edited 2016-03-07 03:11 (UTC)

a. arrival

[Elena doesn't walk away from the train with a smooth gait. Her steps are uneven and shaky at best. She simply moves from the train over to one of the pillars to a wall in what someone might consider a drunken stupor as she takes in her surroundings with eyes half-lidded.]

[Elena never knew it was possible for every muscle in your body to ache this much and feel exhausted at the same time, but it's not a bad feeling. Not really. All the times Damon had been crawling around in her head, he'd made her whole again in a way she wasn't in the waking world. The difficulty she has in moving is proof that all of this is real. She knows that even if she does end up conceding and letting her eyes fall shut, she'll still see sunlight when she opens them again. The air won't morph itself back into the musty and earthy scent of the Salvatore's pit of a basement.]

[She leans heavily against a wall, nearly out of the train station itself. It occurs to her that taking this moment to pause may mean that she won't keep moving forward and she'll be stuck waiting, but it occurs to her a moment too late because she's already making a slowed descent to sit on the ground. Elena's tongue darts out to wet chapped lips as she considers her options. Except there aren't really any options. She needs to feed. That's the beginning and that's the end of it. Elena heaves another breath before adjusting herself to sit with her back against the wall.]

[Elena closes her eyes and despite how weak and tired she feels, she smiles.]

[A few minutes. She just wants a few minutes to bask in being free and then she'll be ready.]

b. the clinic

[Elena's had a chance to feed by now and without leaving a mess behind. Before anyone can accuse her of compassion, however, it's out of necessity that she didn't just drain and leave them for dead. As far as Elena can tell, she's on her own here. Not that she particularly needs anyone from home to look after her or is all that interested in making friends, but dead bodies with bite marks are going to lead to more questions than she's prepared to not answer right now. She doesn't know how she got here, which means she doesn't know how to go back and this could be for a long haul. Elena has to play this smart if that's going to be the case.]

[Looks like those little lessons with Damon paid off after all. Whatever.]

[The point is, Elena didn't just dine and dash. Elena took what she needed to get some color back in her and be able to stand upright, and then she moved onto the questions round before altering any memories of any of it happening in the first place. So, here she is at the clinic. Except she's not looking to get patched up. There's probably enough people here that if she's careful, she can feed as much and as often as she likes. But it wouldn't hurt to have back up supplies all the same.]

[So, she takes the time to try and find where exactly it is they keep the blood bags around here.]

c. network

[Elena hesitates to do this. She hesitates and hems and haws over it, worrying her lower lip. If she says nothing, then she can remain anonymous and unknown. That seems the safest option for her. But on the other hand, she's going to be left paranoid if she doesn't. In the end, she opts not to have things hanging over her. That's the whole point of all this, isn't it? Nothing has to hang over her anymore. And even if someone does answer and it is a threat, she can manage it. She's not going to be a scared little girl, cowering over what might happen anymore.]

Anyone around here ever heard of Mystic Falls?

[The thing is that empathy isn't totally dead in her. That's the thing, the one thing that's most likely to get her killed again one of these days. She's a survivor, she is, but she's a survivor who hasn't cut her heart out entirely, and that's hideously dangerous.]

[She knows it, too. But that doesn't mean she can just turn it off. She's not that lucky.]

[So she sees the girl weaving down the street, with her chapped lips and her exhausted eyes and her smile, and--]

[She thinks if that were me it would be a lie. At least half a lie. But she stops anyway.]

Hey. Are you okay?

[It's a small delay, only half a heartbeat before Elena's eyes flutter open again and she tips her head to the side a little to look up.]

I think you can probably figure that out for yourself. [Elena's almost startled by her own voice. It's hoarse already from disuse and the words all feel thick and heavy. It doesn't sound like her at all.] Try another question, if you want.

[She winces a little.]

Yeah. That's fair.

What about: do you need help?

[That could almost be considered clever, if she'd thought about it more. If she'd planned it. As it is, it's probably just reckless.]

[Elena looks away from Abigail for a moment, letting her head shift back to a more neutral position to stare ahead with a thousand-yard stare. She's still and quiet just for a few seconds before she looks back up at Abigail.]

Couldn't hurt.

A white horse jumped from train to platform, tossing head and mane back with a wicker, hooves clipping cement as he was turned in a slow circle by his rider, an elven woman with long black hair, pale skin and a hunting bow and quiver on her back. Aredhel frowned, grey eyes darting around as she kept turning her stallion about before on with an encouraging word.

Down the streets they went at a brisk pace, a mixture of confusion and interest and wary alert warred for attention in her face, but she didn't stop. Not til they were back under trees did she pull her mount to a halt just long enough to leap off, loosing the reigns so she could inspect the ground. The breaths of her mount were too well known to be a distraction as she listened and observed, seeking to learn all she could from ground and foliage as possible.

The flash of white caught his attention. There were times when Fingon thought he saw his younger sister and brother. Ever since Turgon arrived, he had yearned to see Aredhel and Argon more each passing day. Perhaps he had simply imagined that she had just ridden past in the distance.

Even if it was his imagination Fingon had to follow. It could be an illusion, someone who simply looked like Aredhel but he had to know for certain.

"Sister-" his breath caught as he finally caught sight of her. This was his sister, there was no mistaking that.

"Aredhel!" That's when he finally began to run towards her, tears in his eyes but a smile upon his face.

She wasn't a dream, though perhaps her brother was! Aredhel jerked up at the voice, then smiled, starting her own run to meet him. "Brother!"

He'd have a bundle of she-elf in his arms seconds later! Strong arms wrap around him, unashamed to cling to him. "I had not thought to find you here!"

"I did not to think to see you here either!" He caught her up into his arms. Ever since the day she had been born he had loved and adored his younger sister. She was so vibrant and full of life. He could not imagine a world where she could ever die.

That thought was pushed to the back of his mind though. "Are you alright? Did you just arrive? Turgon is here as well- he'll be happy to see you!" He felt as if his heart could burst. He was so fortunate to have so much of his family here.

Nope. She wasn't about to let go now! Aredhel leaned against her older brother, unaware of her future pains. Her? Die? Naaaaaaaaaaaaah.

She gave a lock of his hair a playful little tug before wrapping it around fingers, though she gave him a little pout at the mention of Turgon. "He was not so pleased to let me go! Will he try and restrain me again?" Key word being try. "Where are we? These woods are even less familiar than Nan Elmoth!"

"You know I wouldn't let him do that!" His sister deserved to run free. "This place is called Ruby City. There are many of our kin here. Maglor, Maedhros, Artanis and her daughter. Finrod was here for a time. Glorfindel and Ecthelion are also here."

And he was certain that they would do what they could to protect his brother and sister. "You can stay with me if you don't mind sharing the space since it's a full house."

She smiled warmly at him and kissed his cheek - even if she did have to bend a little. Only for the smile to turn to a bit of a grin. "Nelyo's here?" Innocent tone inserted here. She noted Celegorm hadn't been mentioned, nor had Curufin, but tucked that aside for now.

A wince ran through her and she leaned her head against Fingon's shoulder, a breath huffing out. "Turgon's captains, they are well? I fear I lost them." ...That sounded bad. "On accident! I promised they could come with me and I would not purposely leave them behind!" Which led to another reason for that outing.

"I won't live in the city. I have had enough of city life for a while!"

"Yes, Nelyo is here." There may be a faint flush to his cheeks but his smile never faltered.

"They are very well and still protect our brother," he assured her before laughing softly. He knew his sister and how stubborn she could be. He could have guessed why she had left them behind. "I know you would never do that." But yes, yes she would.

"How about a forest then? If you don't mind that Nelyo lives there as well," he said, wanting to warn her. "We have a house there amidst the trees."

A tease glinted in her eyes at the faint flush she spotted, but she let it pass.

Aredhel smiled, relieved to know Turgon still had his faithful captains to protect him. "He needs all the protection he can get." She had to tease her brothers. It was bratty littler sisters' prerogative!

Fingon earned that poke to a side! "Why would I mind staying with you and Nelyo? As long as he does not hurt you, I do not hold a grudge against him." In that, she was like her eldest brother.

"He has no intentions of hurting me or anyone else in this city," Fingon assured her with a laugh when she poked him. He adored his bratty little sister.

"Then it's settled! We will have to stop and see Turgon- we have all been parted for far too long," he said with determination. He may be shorter than his sister and brother but he would still hug them both so he could reassure himself that they were really here with him.

A grin. "Good. If that changes let me know, I will help you sit on him." Not...really...an idle threat from her.

Aredhel hugged him tight again before pulling back and tugging Fingon with her to where her stallion waited. "He can take us both easily. Come! You know the way. I will even let you guide the way." Such a nice sister she was! She had his promise to not let Turgon try and restrain her again, and that was enough.

And she did miss the grumpy brother of theirs.

"You and Turgon will be first in line after me," he promised as he hugged her tight in return before letting her lead the way. Aredhel was not a delicate Elven lady who rode a mare but her stallions were the equal of any mount he had ridden into battles.

"Oh you will? Well, thank you very much, little sister!" At least he didn't need any help to pull himself up on the horse before reaching down to help Aredhel up. "Turgon will be happy to see you. And I made him promise not to build anymore secret cities."

The stallion nudged his nose to Fingon's chest in greeting before standing still and sturdy. Aredhel laughed and hopped up after him, consenting to lean against her brother to give him full control over their path.

"Good. We do not need another one!" The stallion's ears flicked back and he was clearly waiting for instructions, utterly still in anticipation. Hopefully Fingon remembered to hold on tight...Aredhel liked riding fast and her mounts all knew it.

"No we definitely do not." Fingon took the reins, remembering to hold on. Aredhel was always rather reckless when she was riding. Even more reckless than he tended to be. But he was concerned.

"Are you ready?" he asked though he knew the answer to that as the horse suddenly lurched forward. He barely was able to prompt the horse in the right direction. He was still learning his way around so it took him a few moments to remember the right way to the house.

Arms looped around Fingon's waist and the she-elf rest her chin on her brother's shoulder to watch where they were going, legs well accustomed to holding on and a laugh spilled out at the power her mount used in propelling them forward. She wouldn't let her dear brother fall off either!

"My steeds do not move a hair if I am not well seated," she claimed proudly to Fingon. The stallion tossed his head in agreement, following the guidance.

Fingon let out a loud laugh at his sister's confidence. She was so full of life and it was wonderful to see that after all he had learned of. "I hope you like it here, sister!" And he would do all that he could to look after her happiness and well being.

"We're almost there! Hopefully Turgon will be in!"

She squeezed him playfully, glad to hear his laugh. He deserved to be happy! "I think I will! I can go where I want." Smugsmugsmug.

"He had best be in," bemused. "If not, we will simply have to hunt him down!" Which could be fun.

"I know you would find him. You always managed to when he tried to hide away in Tirion." How his sister managed it, he never knew and he had decided just not to ask her. If she was able to find their brother, he was happy with that.

"You can go wherever you want. I just don't want you to get hurt though," he said with a note of seriousness. "I didn't look after the three of you as I could have before but I will do my best here."

Her secrets were hers to keep~ "Just as I will always find you." When she was actually looking for him. Aredhel stretched just enough to kiss his cheek fondly.

"You have always been a good brother, Finno. I never made it easy" and that wouldn't change now "but you always tried."

"I won't go anywhere you can't follow." Not again. He smiled fondly, putting his hands over hers as they came to a stop in front of the house Fingon knew Turgon stayed with Glorfindel and Ecthelion.

"I won't let either you or Turgon down, that is a promise," he said solemnly. "I'll always keep trying."

"Sister!"

Turgon calls to her the minute he spots her. "Little Írissë is that you?"

"Brother!"

Don't mind the bundle of little sister flying at you, Turgon. Aredhel flung herself at him, arms coming up to wrap around him for a tight hug. "I am not so little!" A laugh. "Even if you are monstrously tall." She was the bratty little sister, of course she would tease him!

"Well considering that Artanis is taller than you, and only Fingon is shorter... yes, little sister...you rather are!" Teasing can be mutual!

But there, he'll open his arms to catch an Aredhel shaped comet.

A pout, spoiled by a laugh and she snuggled into his arms. "Jerk. At least I am taller than Finno." Though not by much...

"These woods - where are we? And why are you here? You did not come to find me did you?" SUSPICIOUS BITTY SISTER IS SUSPICIOUS

"True." Turgon wraps his arms around her and spins her a little. "Maybe one or two of the others."

He frowns at her in confusion. "Find you? Why would I come find you? Where did you go? ... Apart from here, obviously. Ah.. and this is... apparently some place called Ruby City, which is not in Arda."

Aredhel let out a bright laugh at the spin, utterly fearless of being dropped. Turgon wouldn't let her go.

Have an abrupt shift to concern and she raised a hand to cup his cheek, suddenly serious grey eyes staring into his. "I went to visit" Feanorians "Fingon - do you not recall? How we argued! You tried to make me stay in Gondolin!" Which might have been the right idea but...oh well. She wasn't angry with him just then though, far more concerned with the apparent memory lapse.

"Well it seems better than Nan Elmoth, though why and how we were brought here is something to look into." Which she wouldn't admit just then that she'd begun to get lost in...

He would never dream of dropping her!

Turgon blinks at her in confusion. "Went to visit... but... you said that you wanted to stay? We've only just begun...." A frown "And where is Nan Elmoth?"

Good big brother.

Her frown only deepened. "I stayed for two hundred years after the city was finished." Which for Aredhel was an eternity. Be proud of her! "I missed the woods and wide open spaces, I had to leave."

"Two... oh. This is... that time thing. Írissë... I am only just building the walls. But... but I thought you thought it was a good idea? You said that it was a good idea, and you agreed to stay...."

Enjoy your broken hearted puppy dog eyed brother.

"Time thing?" Have a bewildered baby sister. "Only just begun them?!"

Her frown didn't last long in the face of that cheating look and she hugged him tight again, leaning into his strong arms. "I thought it was! I did not expect to miss being outside walls as much I did. Don't pout... I tried to stay, believe me I did!"

"Time is strange here ... people are from before, and after... why Glorfindel is from the Third Age! I did not even know there were going to be more than one!"

He wraps his arms around her and holds her close.

"I just wanted to keep you all safe... "

"If you were one to jest in such a way, I would not believe you." Third Age indeed!

But there were more important things to think about and do. Aredhel rest her cheek against Turgon's chest, letting him hold her close without protest.

"You do! The years in Gondolin will always be dear to me. I just needed some time away, I will come back!"

"But once you go, you are not supposed to come back - that was the agreement, I thought? Just in case, you know."

He holds her tight and frets.

"I do not want you to get into trouble..."

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[March] Test Drive!

Sophie | Saga

Regarding [A]

elena gilbert | tvd

a, because obviously

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Aredhel | Tolkien

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