collectedmemes | TEST DRIVE #2

TEST DRIVE #2

Hi shoppers! Welcome to the second Test Drive Meme for COLLECTED. A few things before we get started:

» This TDM is open to any players who are interested in applying. Collected is an invite-only game, meaning that invites come from being on the mod plurklists, but for this round, our TDM is open to anyone who has an interest. If you are interested in applying but do not have an invite, please PM our mod account (

collectedmods) with a link to your toplevel on this TDM and we will extend an invitation to you! Please note that you can only reserve and apply if you have an invite.

» As was the case in the first TDM, TDM threads are not canon. Because of this, feel free to assume CR for the ease of threads.

» While we’ve listed out some prompts here, feel free to make up your own prompts using the setting, or use any of the prompts from our last TDM as well!

» If you have any questions about what you can and can’t do (or about anything else) reply to the QUESTIONS comment below, and we’ll get back to you soon.

Most importantly, have fun! And thank you so much for your interest in Collected! 🧡

PROMPTS

Have you ever been to a parking lot circus? Well, they exist, and you’re in luck - the circus has come to town! Or rather, it’s come to the mall. For a limited time, a big top has appeared in the dusty, desolate parking lot of the mall. You’ll find a big tunnel vacuum sealed to the front doors of the mall that allows access to and from the tent, so how much could it hurt to go inside?

The tunnel and tent seem to have been crafted with the same skill as the mall was - it somehow keeps the toxic air from outside out. The only difference between the mall and the tent is that the big top doesn’t do as good of a job of keeping the blistering heat out - it’ll protect you from burns, but it’s going to be pretty hot in there underneath the summer sun! Be sure to bring a cold drink on your way in.

Inside the tent, you won’t find any staff or performers, unfortunately. Everything inside the tent seems to be in mint condition, though, strangely enough, as though restored to its former glory - not unlike how some of the stores in the abandoned mall revert back to their pristine states sometimes. While there’s no performance to catch, there is plenty to look at and experience:

I.

Right after coming in through the fun tunnel, the first thing to your right is a collection of popcorn machines, the same kind you’d see at an amusement park where kernels must be poured in. You’ll find several unmarked bags of popcorn right near the machines, and they look decidedly not rotten, unlike most of the food in the mall.

Things are never that easy and simple here, though! Pop a bag of these bad boys and consume some of it and you’ll find yourself with one of the following afflictions:

A. Caramel corn flavor: Loss of sight. Hopefully you trust your companion enough not to attack or steal from you, because you’ll need to navigate to somewhere safe until this one wears off!
B. Extra butter flavor: Loss of hearing. No matter how hard you try, it seems you can’t hear anything around you anymore! Learn to communicate non-verbally with your companion, and quick!
C. Cheddar flavor: Literally just food poisoning. You won’t be feeling so hot!

The only saving grace of these cursed popcorn bags is that there’s an antidote to be found if you have a careful eye: an inscription on the popcorn machines appears once they’ve been warmed from use, and it says, in the case of illness, have a taste of each flavor to get back to square one! You’ll have to suffer a bit more to get back to normal quickly, but.. it’s better than waiting out the effects, right?

II.

While there are no performers to be seen, their costumes can be found in the wardrobes in the back of the circus. They are typical of what you’d expect of a circus: colorful, frilly, and easy to put on, given their stretch. There are even props and accessories lying around like clown noses, jewelry, hula hoops, juggling balls, the whole nine yards. Given the horrible state of all the clothes and other fun items inside the mall, it might be tempting to take some of these outfits and items to repurpose them for your own wardrobe and use.

But be careful: donning these clothes or taking these items will give you the abilities of that circus performer. Wear or pick up anything belonging to a:

A. Clown, and you’ll feel like you need to make your companion laugh. Whether that’s through corny jokes, physical comedy, or other means, you won’t be able to resist.
B. Trapeze artist, and you’ll be blessed with great flexibility, and feel utterly fearless. Maybe that translates into being unafraid to speak your mind, or maybe you’re feeling brave enough to walk the tightrope - either way, nothing’s scaring you anymore.
C. Animal tamer, and you’ll want to train your companion to do tricks and follow your will (and not in the fun way, unless you’re into that).

Costumes of all kinds are here, though, so feel free to find anything that might belong to a circus performer and have the costumes possess you!

III.

All good things must come to an end, sadly. Whatever material the tent and tunnel is made of is not completely as sturdy as what the mall is built of - and after a fun day of activities, the tent and tunnel will begin to deteriorate and be destroyed.

Due to the radioactive sun outside, the top of the tent and tunnel will start to burn and get holes in it eventually, which will let in toxic air and harmful rays - not only that, but fires will start catching inside the tent as well. You’ll need to high tail it out of the circus and head back to the safety of the mall unless you want to fry in the horrible conditions outside. Exposure to the sunlight from outside will give you painful burns and welts, and it’s near impossible to inhale the thick, poisonous air from outside without keeling over.

While you’ll be able to survive limited exposure, it’s not wise to get stuck out here. Besides, you’ll find that upon returning to the mall, your wounds will mysteriously begin to heal, slowly and painfully. So, run quickly, and make sure not to leave anyone behind!

NAVIGATION

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Popcorn

[Gwendolyn has never seen popcorn before, but she's somewhat of a glutton given the opportunity. Right now? This is an opportunity, because she's hungry and it does smell appealing despite the fact she doesn't know what it is. After a few popped experimental kernels are tested, especially given that cheddar flavour really is tasty, she ends up pouring a lot of kernels in afterwards to make more.

Way more.

Jesus that's a lot of popcorn.

But it's likely you come across Gwendolyn in the aftermath of her having eaten it, with a dropped bag on the ground and a (admittedly, small) pile of spilled popcorn trailing out of it. She's hunched over next to the machine, a hand clutching her stomach.]

Poison...how foolish...

[She shouldn't eat so recklessly, yet here she is.]

clown emoji

[Gwendolyn's wearing a little black bowler hat with a rainbow rim, three daisies tucked in between. When she does see you coming, she doesn't really emote beyond her usual stoic demeanour, but she does hold the bottom of her spear towards her mouth like it's a microphone on a stand.]

How do you heal a sick bird?

[She extends the bottom of that spear towards you, awaiting an answer.]

Escape

i.
[With the situation requiring immediate action, Gwendolyn's more interested in helping other people escape to fulfill her Knightly Duty, no matter how hurt she might get in the process. If someone seems like they're seconds away from being exposed to the heat of the sun above, she suddenly whips her spear in an arc overhead, a trail of ice following the tip of her spear and creating a makeshift cover of thick, solid ice above them extending from the ground, like a little archway.

But it really won't last long, a few seconds at best, which also tells her just how deadly the sun must really be. Gungnir's ice withstood the intense heat of the inferno king's lair, so for something to make even that look like nothing...

Well, there's no time.]

I shall create a path towards the building! But you must move with me, and quickly!

[DON'T TAKE YOUR TIME ANSWERING.]

ii

[Sometimes there's no time for caution, so in this scenario you're suddenly scooped up by a woman with wings and princess carried all the way to that entrance. Unfortunately it's speed over safety, meaning as the door is breached (slammed through) she drops you and drops to the floor herself, her exposed shoulders covered in burns even from that brief exposure.

It'll be a very rough landing, so sorry if you landed on any burnt skin.]

Uh.

I dunno, did you... find a bird or something?

[BRUH. Abby has the worst sense of humor ever (even though she wishes she were funny).

Endure and survive.]

[Usually, Gwendolyn would be right there with her. She's a fairly serious and sometimes just a little bit of an awkward person, but something's compelling her to be otherwise right now. Something hat shaped.

Unfortunately, it hasn't affected her general demeanour at all, so she delivers the punchline earnestly and totally flat:]

Tweetment.

[TA DAH.]

[OOF. It's bad. It's so bad, but she kinda smiles anyway.]

That's... so bad it kinda goes all the way back around to being funny. I'll have to tell that one to... Well, I'll keep it in mind to tell someone back home. Maybe work on the delivery though.

Unfortunately, comedy isn't what I would consider something I excel at.

[She sighs, but she isn't really down about it. Gwen doesn't care about being funny or not.

Still feeling compelled to do it, though.]

But I will take your advice. Should I smile more, perhaps?

Yeah, me either. So maybe don't take any advice from me.

[She likes to try to make Lev laugh. It rarely works. She waves a hand.]

Nah. Apparently that means you're laughing at your own joke which is an egregious joke telling sin.

[The fact that the weapon is being pointed blunt end first detracts considerably from the potential implications. Still, Connor's eyes narrow slightly.]

I'd recommend a handgun.

Give him a big hand, folks. He gave it a shot.

[THERE IS NO AUDIENCE. THERE IS NO APPLAUSE.

But with how earnestly she says it, it could be easily misinterpreted as sarcasm.]

Unfortunately, sir, that would be ill-eagle.

[You can tell the moment Connor realizes what he's walked into. You can tell, because the faint boredom of his neutral expression goes considerably flatter.]

Hilarious.

TEST DRIVE #2

Gwendolyn | Odin Sphere

CLOWN TOWN

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