don't stop me now

[herotypical]

the luceti test drive meme

Reserves have just opened and apps are right around the corner. But are you still on the fence about any of your would-be characters? Well -- here is your chance to take them out for a spin!

▣ TAG IN or reply to others with characters you would like to test drive for Luceti.
▣ ONLY add top-level comments for characters who are not yet in the game. You're free to reply to others with Luceti characters (because that's half the fun) but remember that the whole point of this meme is for potential characters.
▣ PLEASE do not post duplicates of characters already in Luceti.
▣ GO AHEAD and give us a brief description of your character in the top-level comment, along with one or two possible ways to run into your test-driven character around town.
▣ YOU MAY use these threads for your first person samples on your app -- just make sure that you link threads of a goodly length (i.e., threads with at least ten comments from your character).

Need a little help getting started? Remember, you needn't post here as though your character is still brand-spankin' new. It'll probably be more fun for all involved if this isn't a simple dress rehearsal for showing up. Here are a few scenario ideas:

o1. The grocery store is out of food. What do you do?
o2. Wing injury! Call for help or stagger your way to one of our fine clinics.
o3. It's a busy evening at Good Spirits, one of Luceti's local bars. Do you dare try the drink specials?
o4. Have a talent for playing music? Try Cloud Nine's open mic night!
o5. Beach party? Snow party? Leaf-raking party? Gardening party? YOU DECIDE.

Okay. So my examples are pretty non-exciting. But they're really just suggestions. I'm POSITIVE you kids can come up with more creative things.

Above all? HAVE FUN. Oh. And don't forget to RESERVE your characters.

Comments

[twodragons]

[As absorbed as he is in his routine, Zuko doesn't even notice the tiny dragon watching him.

He finishes up another few moves and then stops, letting his hands fall in front of him, palms downward. When he slowly exhales, a puff of smoke and ash is breathed out, quickly dissipating into the air.]

[skysung]

[He can breathe fire! She has never seen a human do that before, and Kitten shows herself immediately, her curiosity always far greater than her sense of caution. At least Zuko isn't in the middle of his training anymore; hopefully he won't take the intrusion as a threat.

Kitten chatters at him, a series of chirps and trills that make her excitement quite obvious. She approaches at a quick trot, stopping just short of his feet and peering up at Zuko.]

[twodragons]

[Finally noticing this particularly odd intrusion, Zuko stares down at the creature, eyes widening slightly.

That... has to be a dragon of some sort. A young one. It isn't much like the large ones he and Aang encountered, but there are definite similarities. It had to have been the fire that attracted it.

He glances around, making sure there's no mother in sight to swoop down and swallow him up for messing with her young, before returning his attention to the small winged lizard at his feet. Small animals are Aang's department, but he should probably address it somehow.]

Uh...

[Eloquent.]

[skysung]

[Kitten can be talkative enough for both of them. He won't understand a word she says, of course, but she'll work with that.

The dragon chirps a friendly greeting, bowing her head briefly to make the meaning clearer. She will introduce herself to Zuko if he does first, but not otherwise just yet. It would entail gesturing, whistling, and waiting for him to guess, a tedious process that Kitten still has not entirely gotten used to. Usually her family or friends are around to make introductions.

Subjects of interest provide much more incentive to convey ideas past the language barrier. Kitten mimes breathing fire, flame conspicuously absent. Then she gestures to Zuko and whistles a series of notes that follow the same pattern as any question, rising in pitch at the end. How can he breathe fire?]

[twodragons]

[It's definitely trying to communicate with him. Apparently whatever method it uses to communicate with isn't considered enough of a language to go through Luceti's magical translation system.

He watches the miming, brows knit into a slight frown. He notes the pitch - a question? What does it want? Was it mimicking his own breathing of fire, trying to do it itself, or both?

Will it even understand him if he responds verbally?]

I don't understand you.

[And this irritates him a little.]

Is it about this? [He breathes in slowly, then exhales a small plume of fire - more than the ashes before, but just barely.]

I'm not a dragon, if that's what you're wondering.

[skysung]

[She nods and then tilts her head in a gesture reminiscent of a shrug. Kitten is well aware that he won't understand, and trust her, she is every bit as frustrated. Everyone else's language is translated here, even the animals! It's been like this her whole life, though. The dragon's mother was killed just after her birth, and her adoptive human family is just as incapable of understanding her words. She loves them anyway, and she's long been used to the lack of verbal communication.

Another nod, quick and decisive, accompanied by an appreciative whistle at the fire.

She shakes her head in immediate denial. Zuko is obviously human, but the uncertain chirps that follow this imply that she isn't sure what to make of a human with such abilities. They're impressive, certainly, and she's delighted by the discovery. Kitten didn't know that there were worlds where mortals had this power over fire.]

[twodragons]

[So it does seem to understand him, at least. It seems interested in his ability to use fire, and he has to wonder if it's from his own world or another (still a confusing concept). If it was another, that would explain how it's unfamiliar with the concept of humans using fire.]

It's, uh... firebending. Some of the humans in my world can do it. It was originally taught to my people by dragons.

You are a dragon, right?

[skysung]

[She is more fascinated than ever at this revelation, delighted by "firebending," which from what she can tell is a combination of martial arts and flame. The division between warriors and mages is stronger than it should be where she comes from. Most battle mages are only skilled in combat with their magic, and few warriors have a strong Gift and are trained to use it. That the union of the two was handed down by dragons in one world seems only fitting. She looks up at Zuko in rapt attention, her chirps of response surprised and interested.

As for the question, she answers with a big, emphatic nod.]

[twodragons]

Did... you want to see more of it?

[He feels a little silly showing off for this small creature, but what else is he supposed to do? It is a dragon, after all, and those are noble beings worthy of his attention no matter how old they happen to be.]

[skysung]

[That hadn't necessarily been a goal of Kitten's, but she is intrigued enough by firebending that she has no intention of declining such an offer. An enthusiastic trill is her answer, the dragon's support of the idea evident in her tone.

Still, she gestures expansively with her forelegs, palms and claws up, in deference to Zuko. Only if he wants to. She'd be just as happy hearing more about dragons or firebending as she would be observing it in action. He has already done his daily training, after all, and may not want to add to it.]

[twodragons]

[That's a lot to convey in a simple gesture, and suffice to say Zuko only gets the most basic gist of it. He thinks. That could mean any number of things in dragon culture.]

Well... fire energy comes from the breath. That's where you build it, and controlling that helps control your bending. ...A lot like a dragon, I guess.

But you also need your limbs to shape it into the proper form.

[He shapes a small sphere of fire between his hands, then snuffs it out.] See?

[skysung]

[She listens in rapt attention, quiet chirps of interest accompanying the explanation and demonstration. She nods her understanding, takes a deep breath, and huffs out a tiny bit of smoke. That's as close as she can get to flame at this point.

Kitten nudges Zuko lightly with her snout, the gesture obviously affectionate, and whistles her thanks for his indulging her.]

[twodragons]

[...Hm. Could he even help instruct a dragon on how to make its own fire? Humans may have learned how to do it from them, but their physiologies are still completely different.

He places a hand over his stomach.]

You have to build it up with the chi in your stomach. My uncle used to say it was like... uh... a big pond. In your stomach. [Or some body of water. He can't quite remember, but that has to be close enough.] And you have to form the chi on the surface like... a canoe!

[...]

Ugh, never mind. I don't know what I'm saying.

[skysung]

[Sitting up on her hind legs, Kitten looks down her snout at her stomach for a moment, directing her focus there as per Zuko's advice. Once she has her attention firmly settled there, she looks away from herself and Zuko, just in case she is successful in the attempt.

Kitten isn't certain what chi is, but she thinks about fire and she tries to feel her stomach. Using her will, similar to the way she would gather energy for a spell, she pictures a pond. Why a pond? It's fire. Fire coming from water?

A canoe? At this point, Kitten's focus vanishes, and a series of clicks and chirps that bear some resemblance to human laughter is her only response for a moment. She will try to follow Zuko's advice in a minute, but for now she is simply going to laugh at the image of building a canoe to navigate the pond in her stomach.

She does stop laughing when Zuko expresses frustration, though, giving him a friendly nudge of her snout in consolation. It's alright, Zuko, at least you tried to explain. And the little dragon really will do her best, just watch. She settles onto all fours, breathing in as she focuses on her stomach, gathers her will a second time. She isn't sure what canoes have to do with flame, but Kitten tries to build one. She huffs out the air she took in, a puff of black smoke from her nostrils. Well, smoke is something, at least.]

[twodragons]

Yeah, yeah. Laugh it up.

[He grumbles, but he doesn't seem genuinely upset. It's hard to get upset with a dragon, especially one this tiny and adorable.

Her attempt is impressive, though, if not a complete success. His eyebrows (well the one he has left) go up in appreciation.]

Hey, there you go. Don't let it build up too much. Once you feel that heat rising up within you, you have to let it flow out naturally. And you can't panic - you may burn yourself if you do.

It won't become a true flame until it reaches the air.