OCTOBER 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

shin-ah | yona of the dawn

[jingled]

[It's snowing. Just a little bit; not terribly heavily, not enough that Shin-ah is worried. But snow is unfamiliar, as most things are unfamiliar to him. He walks through the falling flakes with an expression of muted curiosity--or at least half of one, given that only his mouth can be seen under his mask.]

[The instinct of play doesn't come naturally to him, so he doesn't stick out his tongue to catch snowflakes. Instead, he holds out one hand palm-up to net a flake as it falls, only to stare perplexed at it as it melts in the palm of his hand.]

[He gives up on it quickly. It's clear that holding snow in his hands is one of those things that, were he not so ignorant, he'd never have even tried.]

[Everywhere is different here. It isn't his caves, nor is it the seaside, nor is it the open plain of his first few years. Something about it is different, although he can't quite put his finger on what. It looks like home but not.]

[He misses his friends, he realizes gradually as he wanders the city. That's strange and new as well; he's never before had friends to miss.]

[The bells dangling off his mask chime as he makes his way to the center of the city. He wanders in and out of shops, considering the goods in total silence. Food fascinates him, but he doesn't attempt to ask for any, assuming no one would give it to him. Books (in the library and the bookshop) worry him; he can't read, so he looks at the spine while being very careful not to touch in case he gets yelled at.]

[the_human]

[There's a guy with a story.

You learn to see it, when you're a top-notch adventurer such as Finn. Some people just have the look of adventure on them, of a story and a quest and maybe a burning need for some heroic assistance. It's like a firefighter being able to suss out which houses burn the quickest; Finn looks at some people and just knows.

Either that, or he's just really interested in the guy with the mask. Who can say? It hardly matters. He catches sight of Shin-ah as he walks through the snow, but it's only when he sees him at the market as well that Finn attempts to make conversation.]

Hey!

[He grins. It's a grin missing a few teeth, but such is life. Finn offers a wave.]

Need help? They don't have any money here, which is super weird. Totally threw me for a loop at first.

[jingled]

[At the market, Finn finds Shin-ah examining an apple. What he's thinking about--although it's not apparent at all by the utter lack of expression on his face--is how, if Ao were here, the apple would already be mostly eaten and Shin-ah himself would have to be content with a slice or two.]

[And then there is a boy there. Younger than him, he thinks, although he isn't sure by how much; he isn't good at judging ages, or much at all about a person. This boy is talking about money. Behind the solid eyeholes of his mask, Shin-ah blinks.]

. . . Help?

[This boy is offering him help. He looks down at the apple resting in his palm.]

Help to buy food. [It's sort of a question.]

[the_human]

Yeah! Like . . .

[He grabs a second apple and waves the seller over. It's a fairly short negotiation-- Finn offers to work the counter for half an hour tomorrow, and the man agrees. And thus they have two apples, all their own. Finn bites into his with a grin.]

'S 'ike 'at!

[Boy, don't talk with your mouth full. It's like that was what was meant.]

[jingled]

[After watching all of this go down, Shin-ah watches Finn return and bite into the first apple with some concern. This is mostly because he's not totally sure Finn's other teeth won't fall out upon biting, but it doesn't seem to happen.]

Like that.

[Soft and a touch curious.]

They let you take food? Don't chase you away?

[the_human]

Nope! I mean, you gotta do some junk for em in return, but they definitely don't chase you away.

[He grins again.]

It's pretty good! Wanna try it?

[Finn, he has his own apple, don't . . . offer your own . . .]

[jingled]

[This does not register as weird at all to Shin-ah, apparently. He just looks at Finn's apple curiously. Or, well, maybe curiously. It's hard to tell.]

It's better?

[the_human]

Uh. Maybe? I dunno. It tastes good, though. And no worms, either!

[jingled]

[Hm. All right, well . . . food is food, in his opinion, so he holds his hand out for the apple.]

Want to try it.

[Which he would do even if there were worms. Worms have protein. Science.]

[the_human]

Kay!

[Sharing is caring, yo. And as he hands the apple over, he adds:]

I'm Finn, by the way! Finn the Human!

[jingled]

Finn the Human.

[He takes the apple in both cupped hands, examines it, bite mark and all. It's a very nice apple, equally as nice as his own. He takes a bite himself after a moment's observation, although his is small and polite, leaving plenty for Finn still.]

I'm . . . Seiryuu. Ah. [His lips go flat and thin.] Shin-ah? The . . . Dragon.

[the_human]

You're a dragon? That's so cool! Is that what the mask is for?

[Casually, without really thinking about it, Finn reaches for the apple and takes a bite. It's carelessly large, but there's still plenty left as he offers it back to Shin-ah.]

Ahh you--

[Swallow.]

--the only one where you're from too? That's why I'm called the Human, cuz I'm the only one around!

[jingled]

[This . . . he identifies shortly as Sharing. He is vaguely familiar with it because Yoon lectured him on it once, and he listened, because of course he did; Yoon knows everything. Sharing is important for friends to do, so he takes the apple back, bites it, and hands it to Finn again. Chew, chew, swallow.]

To hide.

[Is what the mask is for, he means. Although whether it's to hide something, some feature, or for him to hide behind in general, it's not clear. He's quiet for a moment.]

Four dragons. And . . . the fifth, the princess. Five dragons. That's all. Lots of humans, though.

[the_human]

Ohh.

[Well, that sounds far less lonely. And a princess, which makes him perk up.]

We've got a bunch of princesses! The best is Bubblegum, but there's Flame Princess, Slime Princess, Breakfast Princess, LSP, Muscle Princess, Raggedy Princess . . .

[He's gonna list them all.]

[jingled]

A bunch?

[Jeez. That's so many princesses. He can barely handle one. He listens, slightly slack-jawed, as Finn lists the princesses.]

What is a Princess Princess Princess?

[the_human]

Oh, she's got five heads, so.

[THAT? DOESN'T EXPLAIN ANYTHING?]

[jingled]

[Shin-ah . . . frowns . . .]

So: Princess Princess Princess Princess Princess.

[the_human]

Yeah! But that's way too many names to say, so we usually just stick to three. It's like a middle . . . compromise thing. Anyway, I'm pretty sure one of the heads doesn't understand us anyway, so she doesn't care.

[jingled]

Oh.

[That sort of makes sense. He takes another bite of the apple.]

My princess is . . . red. [He touches the fur on the back of his mask, then pulls it back slightly to reveal his own darker hair underneath.] Like fire, here. Just one, though. Not so many.

[the_human]

She sounds . . .

[Pretty, but he bites back the word. Instead:]

What's her kingdom like?

[jingled]

Big.

[For the first time, his spine straightens a little. He has a presence, suddenly, although not much of one--still more than nothing. Thinking about Yona does that for him.]

Dangerous. Complicated. Confusing. But also beautiful.

[the_human]

Huh. What do dragons do there?

[Which means what do you do there, yeah, but it's also a general question about his other dragon bros.]

[jingled]

Dragons protect the princess.

[That's an easy answer, at least.]

And . . . maybe more things. I don't know.

[the_human]

Oh, cool! Me too! Except we're knights, me and my brother. And just general adventurers. But a huge part of that is protecting princesses. Do you breathe fire?

[jingled]

[Um.]

No.

[And then he is quiet for a little while, looking at the ground. Or at least tilting his head toward the ground.]

The dragon is--here. [He points to his eyes. Or lack thereof: the black circles where his eyes would be, if there were holes in his mask.]