fishesoutofwater | TEST DIVE #3

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test dive

TEST DIVE #3

PREMISE & NAVIGATION ✦ RULES ✦ MOD CONTACT
TAKEN ✦ RESERVES ✦ APPLICATIONS ✦ HIATUS & DROPS
FAQ ✦ BASE ✦ BIOMES ✦ URSULA ✦ URSULA CONTACT

TEST DIVE MEME

Reserves open on the 17th
Applications open on the 24th
Check out our ATP/Enable Me meme!

NOTE REGARDING THIS APPLICATION CYCLE

For information about the animals and locations, be sure to check out the BIOME and BASE pages! Note that TDM threads can be used for game canon and several prompts are based on crew contributions to the base that are being worked on this month!

A: There’s a Storm on the Horizon
A brainstorm. On advice about the ingenuity of multi person parties, and from admitted lack of understanding of many needs of organics, URSULA has selected you and a partner (or partners) to go to one of the observatories with food, beds, and recording devices to have a jam session for ideas about missions.

You are not to leave the room until you have some good ones. So get cracking! Start suggesting to one another what the base needs to do.

Or get horribly, horribly sidetracked and possibly a little crazy at being locked up together with the ocean staring at you. Judging.

B: The Abysmal Sea
You’re stranded.

One of the planet’s troublesome signal-interfering pulses has just made your communication devices 100% nonfunctional. No matter how you try to call URSULA for help, she isn’t able to respond. The database strapped to your wrist is just a useless chunk of metal now, leaving you without a useful library of knowledge to survive off. If you were driving any underwater vehicle prior to this point, it’s broken down. And unless you’re a mechanic, it’ll be pretty hard to get it jumpstarted again.

Don’t fret! The communication systems always come online eventually, so if you stay put, it’ll boot back up and give you directions straight back to base so you can finally get home. But can you really afford to stay put? The sunlight’s slowly streaming out of the sky, leaving the waters darker and darker with each passing second. Soon, you won’t be able to see five feet in front of you, and the only warning you’ll get of any approaching threat is through sound, if they even make any.

You have a few choices: take a daring risk and try swimming back to base, but on the off-chance you don’t remember the directions correctly from before you were cut off, you’re going to get even more lost, in the darkness of the night no less. Or, you could huddle in, with any friends if they were unfortunate enough to be with you, and start focusing on getting warm. Because spending the night out here in the vast oceans with the entire world against you is becoming a very, very real possibility.

C: Test Drive Test Dives
The Robotics section of the laboratory needs your help! Whether you were a poor sap who got dragged into it or love working on robots, this is your time to shine!

A few suits need testing to get the kinks out of them. And you know, figure out how they work in general. So be a dear and get in one so the others can watch you flail around and discover how it works.

If you're not into being a crash test dummy, you can help do repair work, analyze blueprints of various underwater vehicles, bring in scrap metal to work with or maybe just try painting the Seamoth neon pink.

D: Camping Trip
Floater Island is the only real land around so even if it's a longer trip, it's nice to volunteer for an overnight mission there sometimes. Who doesn't want to camp out under the stars when you've been living under the sea this whole time? Attempt to make s'mores out of plants and that chocolate bar you have left! Play with Birdogs! Go for a swim in the lake! Try very hard to get some sort of emotional response from a Light Frog!

Well, sure, you're here on a mission but it's okay to goof off and enjoy yourselves with some campfire stories and freshly cooked Chomper kebobs sometimes. Just grab a few samples from the abandoned farm at least so it looks like you actually worked.

E: THE AURORA
Quiet except for the creaks and rumbles as the ship settles and shifts, the sound of Reapers screaming in the distance every so often, the Aurora is a creepy place to visit for a mission. The remains of those crew members not buried, and the belongings of many others, still litter the ship's halls. It might be nice to remove any skeletons you find.

Of course, their misfortune is your opportunity to catch up on some reading, browse whatever video games they left, get medical supplies and enjoy the comforts they no longer need.

But is it possible the Aurora is haunted? Surely not. Except sometimes you might hear voices from far away. It might just be the people you came on board with, unless they're with you. Or it might be a Cave Crawler knocking over some recording device. You're not too scared to check, right?

F: Farmville
Time to tend to the crops! That's right, the underwater farm needs your help. Some trees and plants rest on the seabed under protective covers that allow them to grow their leaves and fruits while the roots firmly keep them in the sand. Harvest some apples, more apples, oranges, strawberries and other delicious produce that sounds much, much better than a regular diet of fish.

And once you've helped get a basket full of crops for the base, it's time to cook them! But what are you going to make? Apple stuffed fish? Orange stuffed fish? Nah, get creative with what you have! Everyone is counting on you for dinner!

BASED ON CODE BY TESSISAMESS AND SUPERSUITS

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[Jake hesitates before putting a hand over hers. He's still getting used to the fact that they're physically around each other. Hopefully it still gets the point across.]

Why, Roxy, you're real swell. I'm happier than a clam at the bottom of the sea to be called your friend. And I'm starting to know a lot about happy clams, let me tell you! [It's a joke. He knows it might not be the time but he doesn't like Roxy sad.] ...I know I'd be a goddamn hypocrite to tell you not to feel that way... But uh... If you need a spiffy gentleman for a hug or two, my arms are ready for the embrace of a lovely gal.

[It's not much. And he's not good with words. Or even physical gestures yet. But he really does want to hug her.]

Or, by gum, I've got two ears just as good as my two arms. So... the same as you'll listen to me, I want to hear how you are, too.

[That... is probably an acceptable answer? He thinks. It seems acceptable. But only if he does as much of the work as he can. He won't rely on Dirk to take it or let Dirk take more than he should. Right. Okay. He can do this.]

Cool, dude. Then, uh, I'll look into how much it takes for what I want to do and tell you when I plan to go out? [Quickly:] With advance notice of course.

[Dirk gets as much notice as possible so there's no schedule conflicts for when he wants to do other things with other people.]

[Dirk doesn't trust his mouth not to immediately say something stupid so he elects to first give a thumbs up. This buys him the necessary time to make his mouth say things that aren't awful.]

Cool.

[nailed it]

[Well shit they completed a topic. Jake hesitates before gesturing at the farm.]

Did you help with all of this?

[ Like hell Roxy is going to turn down a free hug, especially a good hug from a good friend. She hugs him no problem, because that much she can do? It's the actual talking about herself that will be the real issue, because... well, she embarrasses herself enough already with her stupid feelings, she doesn't want to add more fuel to the fire.

She so badly wants to just "that's what she said" to the happy clam comment, but she lets it go. It's hard (that's what she said!), but she lets it go. ]

Just peachy keen, tangerine. [ Before she breaks away from the hug, she gives him a friendly smooch on the cheek. She's just. So happy he's here. She's missed him so much! Him and his Egbertian smile and his silly way of speaking. He's clearly capable of affection, so she has no idea what he's going on about thinking he's not emotional! Silly boys.

If one were to pay close enough attention, however, one might note she's looking a little rough around the edges, lately. Despite her laid-back and otherwise cheery disposition, it's obvious she's feeling a little worn out lately. Maybe not enough sleep? ]

Just missin' my pals and feelin' overwhelmed in this underwater fish bowl with all these peeps. You probs feel me on that one though, huh?

[ That's... not really it. But it's something she can give in return, she guesses. Why are feelings so hard to articulate without sounding like a complete dumbass? ]

[Oh. Okay. So they're still having this conversation. Jake doesn't want him to go away.

Hmmm.]

I mostly focused on building the defences. [Wait until Jake meets Rapplejack. A pause.]

I know you were sleeping and I woke you up. Do you want to go back to that, or do you want to hang out for a while?

[Wait. Was that too much also? He really doesn't want to put Jake in a position where he has to keep pushing him away. Dirk rubs at the back of his neck, sighing.]

I'm asking that because we agreed to try, like, spitting in the face of all of our philosophical forbearers and inventing an entirely new ideological school based on communicating clearly. So I'm doing my best here, and I know you are too. I want to—[no, rephrase. Don't put the burden on Jake to confirm or deny, find a way around it]—make sure you get exactly as much post-nap Strider hang time as you want.

[Another pause.]

This is way harder than it should be.

[But they both want to make their friendship work, properly this time. And that means a lot.]

Edited 2016-06-16 09:14 (UTC)

[Ah yeah that sure is a thing still isn't it. Though he smiles slightly at the philosophical bit. It was a really, really nervous bundle of stupid but it's still kind of funny.]

Yes, apologies— I mean no I'm— [Goddamn it. He pinches the bridge of his nose.] —I meant to say I appreciate the concern being voiced. [And he does, he's making sure to tell Dirk that he's glad he said this.] But I can let you know when I'm all tuckered out for the day? Or rather that is something I would like to hope I can do now.

[It seems so small but in reality, it must be huge if he's unable to say a little thing like 'I'm tired now.' Really how bad is he at this boundary thing?]

So, what I hope will happen is, we can keep talking, unless I'm causing you to dillydally with my meaningless shenanigans. If you have something else to do, then I'll stop flapping my gums in a jiffy. But if you don't, then... we could talk until I'm tired or you have to go?

[It feels way good to hug Roxy, especially knowing she feels down. Maybe because they both feel it, the hug carries more weight than he expected. But it's fine, if it cheers her up even a little bit.

And he really is trying hard to pay more attention to his friends. In that respect, he does catch how tired she seems. Is the stress of other people also keeping her up? But she didn't seem as shy as him back on the platform with everyone else. On the contrary she was doing good. He thinks? Maybe she wasn't.

Shit this is hard.

But it's a start. Even he knows he can't be perfect, not now or ever, but it's no excuse to give up trying. It just means a lot more mess-ups but... if she knows he cares, maybe it's a start.]

I would be remiss not to tell you that I, too, am rather done with the underwater scene. But... is that all of it? It's terribly unkind to tell a lady she looks tired but you kind of do.

[ When her arms drop, one of her hands drops to the hem of his shirt and hangs on so tight that her knuckles turn white. ]

Boy, sure can't get anything past you. [ He probably sensed it from the get-go. Let's face it, all of them are kind of walking trainwrecks anyway, it's really no shocker that they're still dealing with Feelings and Problems. ]

I'll let that slide too, because I'm a total babe no matter what and I know it. No one pulls off the tired look like ol' Rolal.

[ She sighs. ] It's just same shit different day kind of shit with me. I'll live, I just wonder if everyone who has to endure my smothering won't.

[ Dirk in particular. She's been a pain in his ass as usual. ]

Edited 2016-06-16 09:36 (UTC)

[The fact that they have to have a game plan for their conversations is pathetic. But from a certain perspective, it's... actually really hilarious? Ironic, even. Several layers of irony.

A little bit of a smile gets onto Dirk's lips.]

Damn, English. You're fuckin' mastering the art of the game plan. I'm going to have to retire my puppetkind deck 'cause you're the chief marionettist here.

[...He really hopes that's an okay joke. But holy shit, does he miss just joking around with his best bro.]

[Jake understands. At least now he does. When he was back thinking he was the only one with problems, he thought the others were pretty put together, even if they had flaws. Now he knows they're all kind of messes and his internal mess he'd repressed pretty damn well decided to manifest all over the place. And now he too worries about smothering anyone with it.

God, but it isn't fair the others have to feel like this. They don't deserve it.]

Your everyday shit is still something I'm happy to hear you spill. For just a simolean, I'll listen to everything you say! But the first one is on the house.

[Okay she already did that joke but it made him smile.]

I know I might be something of a sap but I would never razz you when you're opening up. Goodness knows I'm fucking terrible at things.

[That actually gets him to laugh.]

Too much? Maybe a conversation strategy is a tad overdoing things. [He's not offended in the slightest. It really is stupid they had to pause and say all that.] I just miss punching the bag with you like old times.

Me too.

[He decides it has to be okay to sit down, because Jake already invited him to converse, so having a minor fit over whether or not that's appropriate would just be ridiculous. (He still pauses a second before he does.)]

Have you had the time to figure out what you like doing around here?

[Jake does his own mental worries before sitting next to him.]

...I've had the time but maybe not the gumption. I don't have anything special to crow about like the rest of you. So trying to figure out a skill I have that's useful isn't going smoothly.

[ Roxy's glad he enjoyed the joke enough to repeat it, at least. It's lame but totally adorable! So she lets it slide, like so many other things. Why are Harleyberts too cute for words? ]

I know you wouldn't. I trust ya, Jakey. Like you, I just don't wanna bother you with my problems. But you asked? Just like I did. Maybe I'd be a total pill if I just brushed you off, huh.

[ She smiles. ] I think. getting a taste of what it's like being surrounded by so many awesome friends, and then coming here... I don't think I'm handlin' it very well. I've been unloading on Dirk a lot, and like. I thought maybe we could do the moirail thing like the trolls do? We jam on piles and all that, it's hella fun but I worry 'bout smotherin' him with my... neediness.

[ She backs up quickly, because whoa, wait a minute, please don't take it like that. ] Uh. I just. worry about oversteppin' boundaries, because I love him like a brother, but I'm also still trying to get over him? What if I make him uncomfortable, like I did when I forced myself on him back in the Medium? Uhm. Like I know we were high on juju majyyk back then but what if that was just me with my inhibitions gone like usual?

Are you going to sing for me? I don't want to have any nightmares later on.

[ only the slightest bit teasing. but fine. giorno looks through josuke's collection, not necessarily answering his question as he tries to decide, rather, on which one looks like it'll be good enough for background music while they work. sort of. josuke's a nice guy, despite goofing off every once in a while. he can't be bothered to put up a stern front if he knows they'll get back to work eventually; he'll just have to get used to the other teen's pace for now.

he'll pick "the best hits of madonna" album from his collection as well as one of josuke's sweets. might as well, if he's offering. ]

[Pillows he can do without, but the blanket he accepts gratefully, wrapping it around himself and settling back in the sub's seat.

And then offering Crowe a bit of a bemused blink, because stories? Him?]

I don't know, I'm not much of a storyteller. Aren't you like... a space captain or something? I'm sure any stories you have are way better than anything I could come up with.

...I think taking all day to get this done is kind of the point...

[SIGH. He presses his fingertips against his forehead as if to ward of a headache before glancing to her baskets.]

If I do a tree-climbing race with you, you promise to go back to work after that, right?

Oh, I see. Sorry.

[Well, assuming nothing big enough to eat the entire submersible is headed their way, just waiting for contact seems to be the best option. He nods along with her observation, bringing a hand to his chin as he tries to think of anything else they could possibly do.]

But yeah, I think you're right. In the meantime... do you think there's something we can work on? I'm just concerned that with us just drifting here, something might take interest in us that we'd really rather not deal with without being able to run away.

[ what the fuck is a disney world

he's about to say as much, but then dirk mentions flying and karkat just groans. god, he hates being god tier carried. it is such bullshit that he can't fly just because he never got around to dying on a rocky bed somewhere. ]

Sure, I love being carried around like a useless princess who keeps getting kidnapped the second you set her down. It's my favorite thing to do, so let's buckle up and do this, Strider.

[ he just stares blankly at her at first, because literally all of these references are going right over his head and this is why humans are so awful because they always. do this!!! at least trolls usually explain their obscure references whenever they do make them!!!

and then his expression changes from one of confusion to complete horror when it looks like roxy is about to mention his relationship with dave? like, you can actually see his brain slowly short circuiting from that close call but then she just keeps fucking going and what the fuck is. she. talking about. what the fuck is a grandma!!!!!! ]

No. I have decided that I am not the fucking grandma, this is no longer a thing. We are banning this particular word from any and all conversations, past present and future. If you even so think any of forming any of those letters into a word that even remotely sounds like grandma, you're done. I will dump all of those video games out into the ocean, Roxy. Do you want that? No I don't think so but this is an evil I am willing to do for the sake of the greater good. Are we agreed here? I am not, and never have been, a goddamn grandma? You haven't said anything yet but I am taking it as an agreement. We have both signed this metaphorical contract, have zipped our plump lips, and are moving onto a different, less aggravating topic.

[ he doesn't know what curry is but fish is indeed something he is used to. so. maybe he'll like this? this... it really does not look appetizing. but everyone thinks he should make more friends so that is what karkat is going to attempt to do. be friendly. and that requires eating this thing.

rest in fucking pieces, karkat. ]

Obviously not if I can't tell what the fuck it is. [ ok maybe he needs to work on the being friendly thing. ] Are you sure I can try it?

[ Roxy just rolls with this, because whatever. This is actually the most fun she's had in a long time! What does that even say about her, she wonders. ]

Okay, okay, grandma, calm your tits. Oops, I mean not-grandma, since being kickass is apparently not your thing anymore.

You think my lips are plump?

[ Because she only focuses on the important things. ]

Edited 2016-06-16 14:17 (UTC)

I refuse to believe grandmas are any form of kickass. Why hasn't anyone brought them up sooner then? No, I am pretty sure you are just fucking with me. I've got my eye on you and will not fall for any of your tricks.

[ wait. what did she say? when did karkat call her lips plump? he thinks back over what he had just said and

fuck. he immediately covers his face. ]

Nooooo. Nope. You are just imagining that, I made no mention of your soft looking lips or any other body part. Maybe we've been out here too long? Perhaps the air in here is contaminated? We should leave and report this to the others right away while also never mentioning what we just spoke about to anyone else!

[ to be fair, it's not like karkat knows shit about fixing these kinds of things either. they probably should have brought someone along who actually knew what to do in case of an emergency like this, but that would have required foresight and being able to admit when you need help.

so. ]

Maybe if we kick it, it'll just start working again? I kicked shit all the time and that always fixed it.

[ or it broke it. karkat doesn't want to actually go out into the ocean though so ugh. ]

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TEST DIVE #3

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