diademooc | TEST DRIVE ∞ May 2025

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TEST DRIVE ∞ May 2025

Test Drive ∞ May 2025

The First Collision

Jump ⇅ :: Arrival — Panorama — Fringes — Invite Request

The Diadem is an invite-only panfandom game set in a retro-futuristic world where uprooted souls find themselves deep within an eerie wasteland of roads and highways frequently assailed by cosmic storms. Three united strongholds keep the population. Its capital is Panorama, a large metropolis at the planet's center.

Soon, you realize you aren't alone. Calling themselves fluxdrifts, the "locals" have similar stories to you, either for themselves or their ancestry. You speak to an old woman who claims she hailed from another star. You meet a young man who says his great-great-grandfather knew a strange language everybody spoke "back home." As you explore, you stumble across a coin you recognize or your sister's locket. How did it get here? What does this mean? That's for you to discover.

But first, you need to find a ride.

No invites needed to play on the TDM. Everyone's welcome! Use the Invite Request thread below to request an invite from another player.

∞ Summary ∞

IC-wise, arrivals are scattered throughout the month. Events described on the TDM are also ongoing throughout the month. If you'd rather jump right into the action, you're free to begin in media res with your character having already been on the planet for several days.

Post-impact, characters will wake up in a med tent by the Scrapyard. From there, they must accept a vehicle on loan and make the 2-hour drive to the nearest city, Panorama. If they refuse the car because they don't want the loan, they'll be in debt for medical bills instead...so just take the car. It'll come in handy.

Some things to keep in mind when bringing in your character:

Pick an injury. At minimum, they got knocked out; at most, whatever they can recover from. Medicine is decently advanced so they'll heal faster if not painlessly.
Decide items kept. Reasonable items on their person only: photos, keys, clothes, costumes. No pets or animal companions. Wildly out-of-place tech and personal cell phones will be damaged beyond repair.
Select a weapon. Do this only if eligible. Guidelines about weapons and powers are on the FAQ.
Choose a vehicle. Decide whether your character gets 2-3 options or if they're stuck with something they hate. Players can pick directly from our collection or source their own images. Anything under a similar aesthetic will work. If your character needs accommodations for driving, they can have them. Ask us for details.
Get a phone. Characters have to obtain a phone (and a SIM card) themselves. If they've got one from home, it's damaged beyond repair. Phones are cheap. It'll only take a couple of weeks to afford one. You need to know the number before you text or call anyone. Read about phones and the Forum before you hop on it.

TDM threads can be canon if characters are accepted. Top-levels made to the TDM should be open to all.

TDM Questions? Here — Game Questions? FAQ

Setting — Taken — Reserves — Applications ::: ⇅ Top

Fluxdrift

Arrival & Introduction

Date: Throughout May

You've tumbled over a cliff. You were fighting for your life. You're on the cusp of death. You slipped in the shower. Whatever the catalyst, you struggle to cling to consciousness. As darkness overtakes you, a swirling vortex warps light and shadow in a way that defies all physics. A dark wail etches into your very bones. You couldn't describe it if you tried. You can barely comprehend what it is.

Then you open your eyes.

Through the figure's mask ©, you swear the face is grinning down at you. The tent you're in smells of antiseptic, and scratchy blankets line your cot. Injuries you've sustained have been bandaged. In the corner, you spot a MedBot that's fixed you up. Depending on the extent of your injuries, the doctor on duty might give you some painkillers before you go. Thankfully, your belongings are by the exit. Sorry if anything's damaged. Your landing was pretty rough.

You follow the figure outside. They are Yom Crook, here to lend a hand to fellow fluxdrifts like yourself. Their car's parked beside them. Actually, there are lots of cars around, but Yom Crook's stands out with its painted shark mouth. They explain they found you, unconscious, in a diffusion zone and brought you here. The nearest city is a 2-hour drive northeast. Forget about walking. You'll never make it. Also, you owe the doctor a lot of money for patching you up. But you're in luck: they've got some wheels for you and if you accept the vehicle on loan, Yom Crook will cover your medical bills. That's a good deal, right? It's not the shiniest car or motorcycle, but it'll do. If fortune favors, you'll get to choose between two or three options. Plus, if you need accommodations to drive—like adjustments to your seat height or modified controls—you'll receive all that for free.

Take the vehicle. (And the loan.) Yom Crook assures you that you'll have six months before collectors come around. Any time you're ready to pay a part of it down, return here to the Scrapyard. You'll get a receipt and everything. Paying off the loan in six months isn't impossible, but it will take a lot of work. Just don't get too lax. There's a good chance you'll be juggling multiple loans as you try to get by.

You either know how to drive, or you'll have a bare-bones manual to get you started. Road rules are more a suggestion than enforced, so just hit the pedal and go. The car has some basic features. The built-in compass will help you navigate.

OPTIONAL PROMPTS: a flat tire; a body on the road (is it a trap?); a fender bender

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Panorama

Explore & Settle In

Conditions: Warm spring temperatures, light showers

After 2 hours on the road, you find civilization. The largest of the strongholds, Panorama is where the economy thrives. Massive power plants glowing red make it visible from a distance. The city is divided into three districts. For now, you can access the Pavilion and the Blocks. Don't worry about the Sanctum; they're not letting you in.

You only need to know two things about Panorama: 1) it's big, the size of a modern metropolis, and you'll need your car to get around; 2) anything goes as long as you don't pick a fight with the wrong person. Street smarts will get you far. Despite its geographical size, the population isn't huge. With roughly a million people in a city designed for over twice that number, Panorama is far from deserted, but nor is it overcrowded. It's a good thing. Resources are limited as it is.

The Pavilion: Free Samples

Like any large city, Panorama features a couple of supermarkets. The stock's not as consistent as a proper supermarket. On occasion, shelves can remain cleaned out for a week or two. Regardless, the long tradition of free samples remains. If you're not already shopping, you'll notice the crowded parking lot and clusters of lines inside.

Try samples, push through the crowds as you shop, or give yourself a five-finger discount. If you're cautious, you can pocket a few small items without consequences. The Pavillion doesn't have the infrastructure for surveillance; unless someone sees you, you won't be caught. Steal from the store or pilfer someone's wallet. Maybe you even make a new friend if you bump into another fluxdrift. Or, start a fight with somebody who cut you off in the cheese line. Don't make too much of a ruckus, or you'll be thrown out.

As you look around, you'll see posters advertising temporary positions for the cash register or graveyard shifts in the warehouse. Seems they might've lost several employees recently (how'd that happen?), which is good for you! It's just a 6-week position, but it'll get you on your feet. The city has temporary positions like this all over. Permanent ones are harder to come by when you're new.

Samples include: steamed cabbage dumplings, synthetic cherry juice, cheddar cheese, and chocolate-covered alien eggs (it's crunchy and weirdly tasty). They're served in the usual throwaway paper cups with little toothpicks.

The Blocks: Power Outage

Power's finicky in Panorama, especially in the Blocks. Saint Margery's Hospital, located in the same area, has priority for power so the first to go are the motels. Maybe you've been in your room for a couple of weeks, maybe you just got here—and by the way, every motel desk is happy to put the fee on your tab if you don't have the money upfront—but all the motels on the east side are in a blackout, leaving only the west side motels up and running.

What do you do? You have three choices:

Risk leaving your room and head to the other side where there's power. Knock on some doors and negotiate with another to share the room. They might shut the door in your face, ask for a favor in return, or be nice enough to help you with no strings attached. There's no guarantee your unattended room will be untouched, though, and you'll be on the hook for any damages an intruder causes.
Sit in the dark and deal. It's not the worst idea, but the TV's down, the vending machines are powered down, and with the entire place plunged into darkness, you risk getting robbed. If you struggle with defending yourself, you might want to find some trustworthy company. You can also sneak out of there and let them take your leftover pizza. It's not like you've got a ton of valuables, right? Plus, clobbering someone in the face with a frying pan sounds great until you realize you've gotta do something with the body. And what if this person's got a friend waiting?
Get in your car and drive (or grab a friend for a road trip). If you scroll the Forum, you might notice reports on diffusion zones southward. Besides, these motels are hardly your forever home. The city can only provide so much. Why not go for a ride and see what you can find out there?

OPTIONAL PROMPTS: clean up on aisle 3 (what is that goo?); a knock at your door but no one's there; you hear screaming or a commotion down the hall

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The Fringes

Quad 3: Lockdown

Conditions: Stormy, with flooding roads

Felix Bjurstrom
> Date: 125-05-17
> Time: 02:15:57

> Emergency road lights have been reported in Quadrant 3! Please, can someone go see what's there? When last we chasers investigated emergency lights, a whole truck filled with sour candy had tipped over. Our stores were stocked for weeks! Oh, be careful - reception looks bad in that zone.

Whether you end up here on your own or you were following a tip on the Forum, the outcome is the same: you come to a stop in front of a 2-story office building that's flooded several inches deep. Emergency lights from a roadblock flicker through the stormy night. Stepping out of your car, you're soaked within seconds. When you check your phone, you don't have any bars. No calls in or out.

Through the open windows, a computer awakens and displays a cheerful smile. The lights inside switch on.

Pick your scenario role below. Your thread partner doesn't need to take the opposite role! They can join you in the same scenario (i.e. trapped together). Players are also free to create a generic NPC for the other side to facilitate the thread.

After characters escape, they'll find one bottle of antibiotics in their pocket or car, whether they remember taking it or not.

A: Sealed In
As you peer through the windows, you see crates of medicine floating around. Antibiotics in the diadem are valuable. Hospitals and doctors are always buying. You can keep it for yourself or make a quick buck. Or maybe you're compelled to help somebody back in the city who's in need. Whatever the reason, you decide to take the risk and step inside.

Water splashes around your ankles. The lock buzzes behind you. If you try to break the windows, you discover they're unnaturally resistant to shattering. With the whole place locked tight, the water begins to churn. Then the computer lights up again.

Warning, it flashes in large, bold text. Quarantine in progress. Release code required for exit.

To find the code, you'll have to search. Duck under the water, go through sopping envelopes and sticky notes or pick the locks on the filing cabinets and desk drawers. You can also try hacking the computers. Use your computer knowledge or fall back on the age-old trick of seeing who wrote down their password.
The files, notepads, and emails start innocuous, but as you look through them, disturbing phrases jump out at you—a dark thought you've had or a cruel taunt from someone in your past. The longer you're fixed on the terrible words, the higher the water begins to rise. Only another can break you out of your trance.
With the rising water comes fear. And the more you're afraid, the more the water also rises. You begin to see faces in the water, bobbing like balloon heads. Do you recognize them? If you move to take a closer look, they will sink back beneath the surface as if never there.
If you manage to swallow your panic, you can eventually find a triple-laminated binder with the release code and instructions. Bad news: you need someone on the outside to punch in the 6 strange symbols in order. The instructions explain that the code panel is located at the back of the building.

Let's hope a friendly face comes along.

B: Set Free
As you peer through the windows, you see not just the crates of medicine but someone trapped inside. They look like they might be in trouble, and from your vantage point, you notice that the water is bubbling strangely. It's definitely not normal rainwater. As you watch, the water rises unnaturally, stopping and starting. It's as if the water level is responding to an external stimulus.

The glass is soundproof. You can't hear what the person inside is saying, so you'll have to communicate with each other another way. Try charades, typing on your phone, or whatever you think of. Eventually, you determine that they're stuck and that you need to enter some sort of code onto a pad located—according to your trapped partner—at the back of the building.
Around the back, shadows swallow your surroundings. The panel must be pried open, but a slippery substance makes it hard to get a good grip. Each time the substance touches you, you grow uneasy. You swear you see eyes watching you, though when you turn around, nothing's there.
You can't seem to keep the instructions in your mind. And those symbols...they burn into your retinas. Through them, you glimpse an incomprehensibly massive figure unfurling in the darkness, pulsing as if in a deep sleep. When you snap back to reality, you realize you've injured yourself, slicing your hand on a sharp edge or a bruise you can't remember getting.
Once you manage to release the doors, the water inside the office drains upward into the sky as though sucked out by a giant hose. The darkness spreads. Get out of there fast before the shadows drag you or your partner into the void.

Of course, you don't have to help anyone. You can leave the individual there, make a deal, or outright extort them. But remember, you're not the only person on these roads. You might want to play your cards carefully, even if altruism isn't your first instinct.

Main Navigation ::: ⇅ Top

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ So they're in Panorama now. Sprawling city, much bigger than even the winding streets of the Court of Fontaine, with buildings rising far taller than he's used to. And with any big city comes....well, a certain amount of crime. It's not really his job to take care of things - they have Gardes for that, or as the locals call them, 'Enforcers' - but it's hard not to notice the occasional purse swiping here or the suspicious figure in the shadows there when so much of his life had been spent in the company of exactly that.

It's only when he catches sight of a well-dressed gentleman leading a little girl away from her parents that he bothers to intervene.

'Intervene' but it's more of a redirection of his original path, his afternoon sweet treat forgone in favor of following this odd pair that no one else seems to think twice about. Casually, hands tucked into his jacket pockets - his ostentatious coat and vest combo has since been swapped out for a much more unremarkable red hoodie plucked off the rack of an unassuming thrift store - he follows them, waiting until they merge into the shadows of a small back alley to make his presence known.

Except, as it turns out, he is not alone. ]

[ In the blackest shadows of the alley, a van is parked. White. Unmarked. ~~Cliche.~~ The well-dressed gentleman is guiding the girl toward it, speaking to her in sugary sweet tones. And then, he slows. Sensing something off. He drops the child's hand, eyes darting, survival instincts awakening.

Black hands emerge from the shadows and slowly, tenderly, place themselves over the child's eyes. The little girl startles slightly, but the voice that fills her ears is utterly calm, gentle. Soothing, if it weren't so cold. ]

Now, child. You've played for long enough. But before you go... would you like to see a magic trick?

[ The well-dressed gentleman is frozen now, shocked to silence by the well-dressed gentlewoman suddenly in the alley with them. But Arlecchino doesn't look at him; instead, she turns her head to look at Wriothesley, her eyes bright crimson in the darkness. ]

Our friend here is very good at disappearing.

[ Tendrils of baleful black and red seize the well-dressed gentleman's head completely so that he can't make a sound, no matter how he tries to claw the tendrils apart. ]

He may even vanish, as if... he was never here at all.

[ "That doesn't sound like a very good trick," the girl complains.

Nevertheless, Arlecchino invites Wriothesley with her eyes. Every magician needs an assistant. ]

[ Some would say that a life lived on the ocean floor might lead a person to become cut off from the rest of the world. But Wriothesley has always liked knowledge, even chased after it where his predecessor had been happy to sit and lounge on his throne, and it's that knowledge that leaves him with a precise awareness of just who it is that appears before him, despite the unfamiliarity to the even keel of her voice.

No time now to grapple with the questions of how and why The Knave might also be present in this strange new land. Between "magic trick" and the pointed glance she sends his way, he can put two and two together.

With his hands still in his pockets he crouches down until he's closer to eye level with the little girl, adopting a friendly smile that scrapes off only a little bit of the intimidation that comes with a larger build and visible scars on his person. ]

Well, you haven't seen the whole trick yet, now have you? Everything takes a little bit of patience and a whole lot of belief, magic included.

[ Stretching out one hand, he motions for her to take it. ]

Why don't you come stand here with me and close your eyes? And then we'll see if we can't make a bit of magic happen.

[ Apparently childish whimsy is enough to overcome her doubt; after a few moments, she does as instructed, migrating over to his side and dutifully closing her eyes. That's his cue to glance back at Arlecchino. Time to pass the metaphorical baton back to her. ]

[ Let it be said that she offered Wriothesley the opportunity to dispense justice himself. Though he clearly isn't associated with the law in this world, he must surely have an opinion on how charlatans should be handled: with severity or sympathy, in due time or with prejudice. The Knave certainly has her own strongly held beliefs.

And while normally she'd like to take her time with these things, she does have an audience. She can't profess to have Lyney's showmanship — why, she might even profess to being stage shy — but she can still manage a little something.

Crimson crosses pierce the darkness. Before Wriothesley's very eyes, the well-dressed gentleman takes flight. Shoots straight in the air, disappearing in the blink of an eye over the neighboring rooftop in complete silence. (The eagle-eyed might glimpse silken flashes wrapped around the man's neck in the moment before he disappeared.)

The Knave grants her audience of one a jesting bow and a smile, a crueler shade of Lyney's proud stage bows. ]

And... voila.

[ As promised, a vanishing act without a single trace left behind. ]

[ The smile fades from his face as he watches The Knave perform her little trick. Such a disappearance might not have been his preferred method of 'disappearance' but he's realistic enough to know that words, no matter how sternly delivered, aren't always enough to turn someone off their chosen path.

With Arlecchino's magic trick performed and done, the little girl opens her eyes—and then boggles at the realization that the strange man really had disappeared—without a trace or a sound. There's an oooooh of awe and a roll forward onto the balls of her feet as she excitedly asks how it was done. Since he is just the assistant here, Wriothesley keeps his mouth shut.

Mostly. ]

A magician never reveals her secrets, right? Though maybe this one will be kind enough to tell you on the way back to your guardians.

[ They're going to be the suspicious looking ones if they loiter in this back alley any longer. ]

[ Ah, the satisfaction of a job well done. Of course, Lyney might take umbrage with her calling that a magic trick when she hasn't bothered to make the disappeared party reappear... but this is why he's the professional, and his "Father" merely the amateur.

Arlecchino's expression mellows to neutrality as she addresses the little girl. ]

As the gentleman states, a magician cannot reveal her secrets. But hurry quickly enough, and I may just perform another trick for you.

[ The little girl's disappointment is quickly supplanted by an excited, "Okay!" Off she trots in the direction of her parents. Arlecchino passes Wriothesley an expectant look before following after the girl at her own pace. ]

[ And so they follow the little girl, a mismatched pair of adults casually sauntering their way back to society after a quiet disappearance. Wriothesley lags behind just enough to keep pace with Arlecchino. ]

Nice magic trick.

[ Well, maybe "nice" isn't the right word for it, but he can appreciate a job well done even if he himself would have preferred different methods. Pitching his voice slightly lower: ]

Why don't I buy you a drink as payment? There's a cafe nearby that actually seems to know how to brew their tea leaves instead of passing off cups of colored water to its customers.

[ It's an offer that's been a long time coming, and one she won't be able to squirrel out of despite how casual he keeps his tone. Though without a certain Mr. Lyney present, maybe things will be a bit more smooth sailing. ]

[ A low chuckle, though her lips don't part. Immediately, the tea. He certainly doesn't betray expectations. ]

I defer to your expertise. I look forward to a delightful engagement.

[ Her tone is casual to match his, or as casual as she ever gets. But first, the child. When the three of them emerge from the shadows of the alleyway, the girl's distressed parents make a beeline for her. There are hugs, admonishments, the typical things. The parents express their gratitude to both Duke and Knave, but before they can all go about their business, the little girl demands the promised magic trick.

The Knave gravely steps forward, and the parents finally begin to realize they should feel a little uncertain. Even moreso when she slowly reaches out with a cursed hand and all those pointed nails of hers, headed for the child's face... only to reach behind the girl's ear and produce a little wrapped candy. ]

Your trick.

[ Severe. No pizzazz. She deposits the candy in the girl's happy hands. If the parents have any sense, they won't let the child eat it.

Arlecchino looks at Wriothesley. ]

I think we're done here.

[ Lead the way, sir. ]

[ Listen. He has an Image™ to maintain, and the more people reduce him to simply being That Tea Guy, the easier it'll be for him to amble around without drawing too much attention.

Such as....right now! The happily-ever-after (?) reunion between girl and guardians occurs, The Knave performs one last magic trip for the road, and Wriothesley waves genially at the family with a farewell of 'Stay safe!' before they all go their seperate ways. And then it's just him and The Knave, and he's waving for her to follow as he sets off.

But they're both adults and competent, which means they can engage in a bit of chit-chat as they head down the street towards their destination. ]

I have to say, I didn't expect to see you here. [ He glances around them, though more for dramatic affect than any actual investigation. ] Should I be expecting to see anyone else show up in the next few minutes?

[ Just because he hasn't seen a hair on a single recognizeable head doesn't mean the same goes for her. ]

[ She follows, the crisp, measured tapping of her heels marking her presence behind him. Should she maybe get more appropriate shoes for a motorcycle? Yes but also don't be silly. ]

Who can say? Not so long ago, my own expectations were proven quite naive. I wouldn't want to give you an answer that I can't guarantee and risk seeming... deceptive.

[ Now that they've entered chit-chat territory, her voice has slowed to a leisurely pace, nearly a purr. ]

But it stands to reason that if there are two, there very well may be more. Perhaps we'll round a corner to find Monsieur Neuvillette at odds with a glass of local water.

[ He snorts. Always with the water. (As if he's any different.) ]

Wouldn't that be a sight? Our esteemed Chief Justice dressed in full court regalia, sipping away at a goblet of water without a seeming care in the world.

[ He'd have a good laugh about it, that's for sure. And then very quickly come to very sobering terms about the ramifications of what it means to have Neuvillette here instead of there. Even now he sobers at the thought, some of the cheer fading from his voice. ]

As nice as that would be, I hope for all our sakes he doesn't find himself here any time soon. You and I may be [ hmmmmm ] important in our own ways, but it's quite possible the entirety of Fontaine would fall apart without him.

[ Literally. Why did Fontaine have to pick such an unstable power source to run off of?

True to his word, they veer off the main sidewalk and towards the entrance of a storefront. It's small but clean, and despite the few windows that dot the walls the interior is brightly lit. ]

[ It's only right that Fontaine would base its workings on an unstable, dramatically produced type of energy. Fontainians loved their archon, and who else embodied that spirit better? ]

Certainly food for thought. That can be the topic of my next audience with him. Snezhnaya has more than enough technology to spare. Perhaps intellects of both nations could join hands in pursuit of progress and stability.

[ That's almost certainly not going to happen for a number of reasons. At least, not for a long time. No, she's referring to something else — really, to two specific people.

She studies the storefront, notes its features and construction. While the Duke has an amiable personality, she'll be the last here to underestimate him. Since he's the one who vouched for the place, she'll let him handle the arrangements: where to sit, which tea to drink, whether or not they'll partake in snacks. The little choices are what interest her about people, as they sometimes turn into little betrayals. ]

[ Good thing that's really not his problem. Will he keep an eye on things should they ever come to pass, almost certainly, but more to satisfy his own curiosity (and to ensure the safety of all those in the Fortress) than any desire for control.

There's not much of a line in the cafe at this time of, so it's not long before they're at the front of the line—or more accurately he is, with the Knave standing somewhat off to the side. The distance seems like enough of a silent hint for him to order for them both so he does, rattling off his tea orders (TBD) as well as an order for two of the almond croissants still in the display case. He wouldn't be Fontainian if he didn't have something sweet with his drink, after all.

The plates he takes with him as he leads them both to a table, one in the corner by the window, allowing them a view of the goings-on outside. ]

Our drinks should be out momentarily.

[ In the meantime, she can get croissant flakes all over herself, if she'd like. ]

[ A quaso....... He hates her dignity and flake-free clothing, clearly. If they were in a properly formal setting, she could take this as an act of aggression.

Instead, they're in a quaint little hole-in-the-wall having a "casual" chat. For now, she will give Wriothesley and his treacherous croissant some grace. She leaves the pastry alone for the moment, settling into her chair and elegantly crossing her legs. ]

You have my thanks.

[ He spent his precious cucumber money... The Knave breathes the rich air of the cafe in before exhaling luxuriously. And then she levels her gaze on him once he's seated as well. ]

It's a pleasure to finally have our chat, Your Grace. [ The title is lightly sardonic on her lips. ] It's only a strange twist of fate that it had to take place so far from home.

[ They're plebs here? They may as well act like it. Sorry he isn't Furina and laying out a spread of the finest cakes and desserts known to Fontaine-kind. Speaking of their plebian nature— ]

Just Wriothesley is fine. [ It's a quick correction, said firmly but without malice. ] It's not as though our titles mean much here, after all.

[ And the less other people know about his prior history the better. As easy as it would be to brush off any titles as a joke, it'd be easier if he didn't have to brush them off at all. But that's a concern for the future. For now, he should take advantage of the opportunity he's been given. Even if it would have been nicer to have this meeting sooner, he's not about to look a gift horse in the mouth. (Gift Harbinger? Whatever.) ]

Indeed. But I suppose better late than never. Your children are quite protective of you. I've had more luck trying to schedule meetings with officials in the Palais Mermonia.

[ Wriothesley it is. The Knave neglects to make a reciprocal offer — not because she'd be offended by a lack of title, but because obfuscation is ever her friend and habit.

She huffs lightly at his very inside joke and rests her hands neatly on one knee. She could talk at length about her children, but first things first. Her demeanor smooths, only her strange pupils cutting into her features. ]

Then allow me to make up for lost time. I already know quite a bit about you, Wriothesley, and I imagine you know quite a bit about me. Our organizations have stepped on each other's toes in the past, but we are now heads without limbs to entangle.

So let me be frank. I'd like to reach an accord — a partnership, if you will. I believe it would be to our mutual benefit.

[ Oho?

He'd been thinking about taking a bite of his own croissant - straight into his mouth, no fuss no frills, sure to get pastry flakes everywhere - but reconsiders at her proposition. Instead, he sits up a little, the casual lean-back in his chair serving as nothing more than a faux front of indifference. In reality, he's probably as invested in this as she is.

With a wave of his hands, he gestures at her to continue. ]

Sure, I'm listening.

[ He has his terms, of course, but he'd like to hear hers first. ]

[ He looks casual, he sounds casual. In every way, he appears the polar opposite to The Knave's ingrained intensity. Again, she knows better. ]

First, I'd like to ensure that our goals are aligned. Are you, or are you not, invested in returning to Teyvat?

[ Most people would want to return home, but most people aren't managing a prison deep beneath the sea. She couldn't be surprised if he said he preferred a life aboveground after all, even if it was in this shanty of a world. ]

I am.

[ No hesitation, conviction in his eyes. Other people might love being free of a job that keeps them away from sunlight and social engagement 95% of the time, but he's never been the sort to abandon his goals partway through. And he still does have goals he'd like to achieve, for all that he rarely speaks of them to others. ]

I assume you are as well? Neither of us are exactly the type of people to leave our work half-finished.

[ Just a(n educated) guess. ]

You assume correctly.

[ Calm as can be. She raised the children of the House of the Hearth to be self-sufficient, but this is far too early a juncture to part ways with them permanently. ]

Then my first proposal is simply this: henceforth, we will share with each other any and all new information that may reasonably yield fruit in relation to Teyvat. It may be as small as a rumor, or as direct as sighting someone familiar. Timeliness may be left to discretion, but no secrets on this topic shall be kept between us.

[ Something simple to start. A bit vague, but simple. ]

[ A fair enough ask, and one he would have suggested himself if she hadn't gone first. And while he might normally take advantage of any excuse to hold a weekly tea party (literal and metaphorical), the wonders of modern(ish) day are not lost on him.

More specifically: ]

In that case, you don't happen to have a phone, do you?

[ Listen. He's all about leveraging technology if it proves to be useful. ]

Ah, one of those communication devices. It just so happens that I do.

[ She slips a tiny red cellphone out of her pocket. The color conveniently matches her crimson nails, while being small enough that she's forced to peck at the buttons with her nails to avoid fat-fingering. ]

Quite the charming little device. Shall I take this to mean an exchange of numbers in order?

[ Imagine being so dedicated to color coordination. Actually I can't even joke about that because when your color scheme is monochrome shot through with red, it's easy to accessorize. Case in point: the ugly little nokia he pulls out of his own pocket, barely able to do much more than call, text, and play a few rounds of Snake. ]

Only if you're willing. But as much as I enjoy a good tea party, this is quite a bit faster in case of an emergency.

[ And he's not naive enough to assume that things will be only smooth sailing for them here. ]

If you're concerned about your privacy, I'm happy to limit communication only to what's strictly necessary.

[ IE. business. ]

[ Getting shunted off to a different reality is no excuse to look uncoordinated. Good job, Wriothesley...

The Knave studies him for a couple silent seconds. When people try not to bother her unnecessarily, it's usually out of fear for her displeasure. In this case, it seems like Wriothesley is genuinely trying to be considerate. Finally, a mild shake of her head. ]

You need not censor yourself. If I find excess conversation undesirable, you'll be the first to know.

[ What is proper phone number exchange etiquette... She decides to start a new contact page and place her phone on the table for Wriothesley to take. He can fill as much or as little info as he pleases. Meanwhile, their tea finally arrives. ]

Of course, I wouldn't mind a bit of tea now and then as well. The more complicated life becomes, the more one must stop to appreciate its pleasures.

[ i need to abandon captcha ]

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TEST DRIVE ∞ May 2025

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