progress city test drive #3

[progressmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Here You Leave Today And Enter The World Of Yesterday, Tomorrow And Fantasy. Welcome to Progress City's second test drive meme! This game is a panfandom jamjar set in a flux dimension inspired by Disney Theme Parks (particularly Walt Disney World in Florida) and the original concept for EPCOT (a city that would connect to the theme parks). Whether you're looking to join us or are just here to play around for a little bit, we have a few prompts below for you - but you're also free to come up with your own! Reserves are always open!

Prompt A Whatever you're doing, wherever you are, you find a vintage-looking ticket. The next time you blink or close your eyes for any reason, you open them and find yourself somewhere else - Progress City's Ticket and Transportation Center. You have no idea how you got here, and definitely don't know how you got this weird thing on your wrist... You'll learn, eventually, that Progress City and it's world-class themeparks are a popular tourist dimension across this universe. People can get in here very easily, but for some reason, that unremovable band on your wrist isn't allowing you to use their transporters to get home. To compensate, you'll be offered a job in the parks and free housing for the duration of your stay. Is that something you're willing to take?

Prompt B While you're here, you might as well spend some time around the theme parks in your downtime. It's easy enough to get to them - the city offers free 24/7 monorail and peoplemover transportation to each park, and you also get a free annual pass for yourself with your stay (lucky you)! If you're at all familiar with Walt Disney World, these four parks will seem...remarkably familiar to you. But there's little subtle differences here and there that that make this seem different - and the ones in charge will seem confused by the concept of a "Walt Disney World". Must be a thing about different dimensions. Nevertheless, you're still going to have the occasional bit of free time here, so there's plenty to see and do here across all four areas. Go ride some rides and eat some Dole Whip, you crazy kids.

Prompt C With the housing, you also get offered a job by Progress City's mayor. Maybe you decide to take it, maybe you don't, he's not gonna kick you out of your apartment unless you deserve it. But this poses a good way to get some actual money. You'll be matched to a job around the resort - hopefully one you enjoy. You could end up working in the parks as a ride operator, serving food, managing a shop, working security, or ending up as a pool lifeguard. There are a number of possibilities here, and you can always change your job later on if you find one that may suit you more.

Prompt D Over time, the thing on your wrist changes. Namely, it'll start taking on new colors, designs and occasionally icons that reflect your character's personality and appearance. You'll find that by concentrating you'll be able to utilize your band to... cast magic spells, of all things. These also seem tailored to your character - summoning weapons, creating projectiles, putting foes to sleep? It seems that no two bands are alike when it comes to this. ...Occasionally, you'll spot one or two small ink blot-like creatures scurrying about the city or the parks, creating an inky mess and leaving a small amount of chaos in it's wake. Those don't seem advertised. Perhaps they'd be good to try out your new abilities on, or maybe you'd prefer to practice a little bit first.

Prompt E Every now and again, the city will host a Festival! Progress City prides itself in making festivals with great food and drink, and will happily let its citizens enjoy it for a nice discount! You can either look up examples of Disney festival treats or make up some yourself, but rest assured, everything you order will be simply amazing. If you're not too busy getting drunk to stand, there are also other events you can participate in! There are also small events your character can participate in! In this hypothetical festival, your character can take a cooking class, attend a seminar to learn basic magic tricks (with real magic!), or try out a fancy new VR game where you fight against other players as giant robots.

Wildcard As always, feel free to come up with your own scenario if none of these inspire you!

Comments

this is so much

[midnightcowboy]

Alright, that's it.

[He steps forward to jab a finger up at Bunsen, as if that adds any sort of intimidation factor at all. He doesn't know jack shit about chemical nonsense but all-in-all he feels like he's got a decent bullshit reading on the situation anyways.]

Now I know you're just makin' stuff up. That didn't taste anything like fruit! Tasted like... like garbage. Garbage and sand.

[muppetlabs]

I'm not making it up! Durian's a real fruit, and these formulas should check out. Here, see for yourself and triple-check my equations. [BUNSEN IS JUST THAT BASTARD. He starts going off about complicated scientific bullshit jargon.] According to my calculations, the Insta Growth Pill should kick in...about right now.

[midnightcowboy]

[He wants to yell that he doesn't give a damn about equations, he just wants to argue about what is and isn't a real fruit, but he doesn't get the chance because however shitty Bunsen is at predicting side effects he's pretty good at predicting timing.

The change isn't... wildly drastic, he's not Larry-sized or anything (he genuinely thinks he wouldn't have been able to handle that) but it's still more than slightly disorienting and hey he should probably get off the table because he actually feels slightly dizzy-- but first he kind of stares at his hands in order to avoid looking at anything around him, and then looks frankly at Bunsen.]

Kinda hate this.

[midnightcowboy]

Yep. Sure am.

[He's spent the last year or so pretending to be some sort of technology for the night tours, so. Sure? He's fine with bullshitting this guy about it. But he doesn't really get what either of those things are so he doesn't really confirm one or the other. They're probably interchangeable things anyways.]

What're you supposed to be? 'Cause ya look like a clown from where I'm standin'.

[ur_1]

[...

Simon sneers, laying one hand on the back of the bench. The handcuffs connecting his hands are in full view.]

I am a prosecutor, and a murderer. I suggest you cut the bull and tell me truthfully where I must go to leave this place.

[midnightcowboy]

Anybody can slap a pair of handcuffs on and call themselves a murderer. Shoot, I bet half the people here are murderers. You ain't special.

[He's so fuckin unimpressed but he'll give him a straightforward answer anyways, or at least as much as he knows (which isn't a lot). The news is accompanied with an understated shrug.]

Can't leave if you've got that band on your wrist. Portals don't work right.

[He raises his own arm to indicate the magic band.]

[ur_1]

[For better or for worse, Simon's best form of "diplomacy" is to try to intimidate everyone around him into submission. Even when it doesn't appear to have any effect whatsoever. He chews on the feather in his mouth, scowling.]

I slaughtered my own mentor in cold blood with a samurai sword. And I was barely a week away from my execution date when I found myself in this place.

Now, while I doubt your "portal" story is accurate, I will believe that these bands have something to do with this. I had never seen it before entering this place. How do I remove this accursed thing.

Bill Cipher | Gravity Falls

[abnormalsoon]

Prompt B

[If, for some reason, you decided to end up in the Hall of Presidents in the Magic Kingdom section of the park, you'll be presented with a conundrum. You may not know all the presidents, but you are pretty sure one of them was never a small, little triangle man with a top hat, cane, and single eye.

Still, he moves like a robot as he speaks, moving his arm and cane up and down robotically.]

Hi! I'm a terrifying representation of a long dead guy who was elected to office! If it isn't terrifying enough that they'd make a representation of me to scare your four year olds, maybe you'll be terrified by the fact that it's a lie the country is a republic and all members of government are actually selected by a shadow council of a race that've evolved into alligators!

Prompt C

[When you ordered a hot dog at a stand, you really didn't expect the small, triangle shaped server to actually bring you a dog. You're not even sure how the thing might have found it.]

Here! This is sort of a self-serve operation, because I can't get it into the boiler by myself. Besides the food you makes yourself is what tastes the best! That's what I've been told, I don't really eat like you do! If you saw how I ate, it'd reduce you to a mound of screaming, crying terror! Just like when anyone watches you eat champ!

Wildcard

Heeeey who's the wiseguy around here?

[The little triangle man is having a hard time walking about on his little stubby legs. He keeps falling down as he walks, even when he tries to use his cane. It's kind of the problem when you're used to teleporting or levitating everywhere.]

I love watching a guy fall down as much as anyone but buddy this is ridiculous! You could at least let me break a leg or something, come on.

"Jappleack"/Applejack | Ask Jappleack | My Little Jamjar CRAU

[caneattheseapples]

Prompt A

[Look at the funny cartoon pony that has just shown up at the transportation center, ticket in...hoof. How the pony is managing to hold the ticket is a mystery. What is more of a mystery to her is where she might be. The pony blinks her eyes once, twice, before looking to the left, then the right of her. It's cute in the way only an overly cute cartoon horse could be.

And then she speaks.]

What the fuck is this shit?

Prompt D

[At first, Japple had been kind of annoyed as hell at the band around her leg, close to her hoof. She didn't know what kind of weird ass shit this was at first, but now that she's getting the hang of it

It helps that one of the spells is summoning apples. Which she is just chucking at anyone who passes by.]

Here! Have an apple, dumbass!

[Head's up.]

Pokey Minch | Earthbound/Mother 2 | Mayfield CRAU

[ceasetoexist]

Prompt B

[He supposes that this beats a town that was trying to torture him every month or so. At the same time, after two years of being trapped in a single town, it's weird having this much freedom. The place seems way bigger than Mayfield at least.

It also looks way to perfect, just like Mayfield. There is, in fact, apparently a friggin' castle in the middle of this place. It's like some kind of terrifying kid's movie. Which means that this place has to be some kind of trick.

Right now, the kid is going around looking into every building he can, looking through everything he can. Turning over trashcans when he has the chance.]

Alright. There's gotta be something.

[No way is this place safe. At all. He refuses to believe that.]

Master Shake | Aqua Teen Hunger Force

[themicruler]

Prompt A

Whoa...what's this? This is cool.

[Excuse the giant walking, talking milkshake that is just looking around at all this new stuff around him.]

I mean...of course it is. I did make it, it's mine. Welcome to my home! Mi casa es tu casa! ...As long as you paid you did pay to get in here right? We're making money off this?

Prompt C

[Congrats. There's a new ride mechanic in the city. Excuse him as he fixes this ride with his specialty: hitting the side of it with a hammer.]

Work! You better start working you mother! Oooooh boy, you better....if you don't get moving your ass is going to be refurbished into car doors, and won't that suck!

[ilovepuppies]

[Every building, you say? Because if he pokes his head into Fort Langhorn he's going to find himself staring down the barrel of an actual cannon manned by a teenager cosplaying as a pirate.]

Y'arrr! State yer business!

A aka i'm sorry

[ilovepuppies]

[GASP A PONY]

You're so CUTE!

[ceasetoexist]

[Sure. He wasn't expecting what he's coming in to see, but he can go with it. The twelve year old just smirks.]

My business is that you need to move over because I'm taking over.

[caneattheseapples]

[That answers something at least. There are humans here who are still allowed to BE human, so she definitely isn't someplace in an Equestria somewhere. Could still be in Waverly. The same planet. Universe. Maybe.

Either way, there's a teen girl just starry-eyed ogling her.]

Cute? Cute? You think this shit is cute?

Does this look cute to you?

[And she just looks at Star.

When Japple is just staring, not talking, she is, indeed, capable of being cute. It's kind of something she can't help here.]

[ilovepuppies]

Yes.

[Hey Japple guess what

you're gettin' a boop

right on the snoot.]

[ilovepuppies]

[Puts her hands on her hips and does her best PIRATE CHORTLE.]

Oi, landlubber! You'll have to do better than that to beat me, Star the Scourge!

[muppetlabs]

Presto! Science!!! [He does some wiggly jazz hands at that] Not to worry, everyone does! At least, a big chunk of those who's been in my experiments before. [e n j o y]

wildcard!!!

[tibet]

[Coop doesn't mean to be, well, mean when he finds the sorry sight before him to be the tiniest bit cute, and he hopes thinking so doesn't veer into an uncomfortable territory of sadism. But what else are you supposed to consider the picture of a little triangle cyclops with a dapper tie and top hat trying to hobble around on a cane?

Unnerving might be a good contender, but that's what all of Cooper's dreams and visions are, so by comparison, this is a pretty good change of pace.]

Looks like you're having a hard time using that. [Said as he crouches down in front of Triangle Man to get a better look at him and his adorable little cane.] Was it just for show before? If you don't mind me asking.

[abnormalsoon]

[Cooper might, perhaps, want to readjust what his conception of cute is. It would save him a lot of trouble and difficulty later on down the line.

For his part, the little triangle man is just pushing himself back up off the street with his cane.]

Isn't everything for show? Suits and ties, personalities, formalities, your face, the sun. I've got a spoiler for you: none of that is real!

[And then he falls again.]

The ground though is pretty real. You can thank me for that tip later when you're resting in it.

[tibet]

[Coop's lips, already thinly flattened, quirk awkwardly as he watches Sir Triangle grapple mightily with gravity. He...kinda feels bad for him, nonsensical babbling and all.]

Mm. Noted and appreciated. [Look at this dude, dodging thinly veiled threats Matrix style.] You're getting a little too well acquainted with it for comfort. Would you like some help?

[abnormalsoon]

Heeeeey buddy, enough with the charity case!

[Finally the little triangle lifts himself up, leaning an arm on the cane.]

Just because I wasn't born with two feet doesn't mean I can't stand on 'em. Help isn't something I need, it's something I give, and buddy, trust me. You need help.

[He snaps his fingers, as if to stress the point.]

[tibet]

That's a very bold claim to make to a person you've only known for a few seconds.

[Aaah, he doesn't care. Risking the loss of a finger or two is something Cooper just takes in stride as he reaches out promptly helps straighten Bill's form out. He hopes that being as gentle as possible will help convey the "I come in peace" sentiment well enough.]

But, just so we're clear, were you planning on offering any? Or is this more of another helpful observation?

[heh]

[abnormalsoon]

Time is an illusion bub. Just a way to avoid the fact that the only thing reality is flowing towards is endless, indescribable chaos and car loans.

I'm full of observations pal! Name's Bill, Bill Cipher! Not to be confused with any Barrys or Bennys. And especially not Bobs.

[And he extends his little hand for Cooper.]

Put her there, hombre!

[tibet]

Actually, I was thinking the opposite right now. As far as extradimensional realities go, this place seems fairly peaceful, chaos and all.

[It would have to be, knowing what he knows now about the dark pockets of the universe.]

Bill, then. Wonderful name for a triangle. Admittedly you struck me as more of a David, or Larry, but still. Wonderful. [And he takes Bill's little hand delicately. See, now they're getting somewhere!] But you didn't answer my question. Were you offering to help me?