sixthiteration | Test Drive 20 (August & September)

→ Holds and applications are always open. Holds are required for all applications.

→ Choose one of the scenarios below or make up your own. Feel free to try multiple scenarios.

→ Write LOGS or TEXT prompts, or both.

→ THERE ARE ONLY THREE RULES FOR THE TDM:

1. It has to take place in the 6I universe.
2. It cannot be the character's arrival into the game.
3. Please only test new characters who do not have a version in the game. Our cast list is here.

→ TDM threads cannot be used to meet AC, but if the character is accepted into the game and both players agree, you may keep the CR.

→ Character want ads are here.

Prompts

Happy anniversary, villagers! Buckle up!

HEAT WAVE - Poor you. All you were trying to do was get yourself a little something to eat from the kitchen at the inn. Maybe you cooked it up yourself (The inn does, after all, have an electric stove — FANCY!), or maybe you just grabbed some leftovers. By accident or on purpose, you ended up with way more RED SALT in there than you maybe should have, and this is no ordinary seasoning. Whether you like things eye-wateringly spicy or not, it's August, you're sweating buckets, and it's only getting worse.

SKUNK DRUNK - Isn't that just the way? You're out and about, minding your own business, and you get sprayed by a BROWN SKUNK. The good news? It doesn't stink like a normal skunk. The also possibly good news, depending on who you ask? You're now in for about 5 hours of being very, very friendly. (Just remember to keep the test drive PG!)

BRAIN CANDY - Whether you made it to the anniversary party or not, you've gotten your hands on a piece of leftover candy from the big bash. Careful, though, these treats are more than meets the eye: Whatever COLOR it was, you've now taken on the associated personality traits. (Not the power, just the traits.) At least it only lasts 10 minutes.

WILDCARD - Choose your own adventure. Maybe play powers roulette.

Texts

All characters are fitted with a smart watch-like device on their left wrist, which they can use to send text messages to other villagers.

- Texts may only be 140 characters long
- No video or voice, text only
- Display names may be changed by characters on the fly, but anyone can tap to see someone's real full name

Please list your CHARACTER NAME, CANON & PROMPT in your SUBJECT LINE.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The potatoes had calmed the salt, that's what Cougar had learned in his time lurking and lingering. When you eat the salt on its own, you die of fire. When you put it together, it's tasty. As far as Cougar is concerned, maybe the spice is a little too much in the salt, but nothing he can't handle.

He nods to Jake, coaxing him to eat it, and then to tell him how clever and smart he is, because of course he is, but that doesn't mean he doesn't like hearing it.

"I'm eating. I'm eating," he says, though the words are more than a bit muffled as he speaks around the food. Somehow he manages not to be gross about it. Not entirely. He is mostly a grown up.

After a bit he lowers the bowl, sighing as he closes his eyes. "Okay, what the hell kind of prank was that," he demands of no one, leaning back against the counter and looking at Cougar. "Thanks, Man."

Cougar gives him a curt nod of his head as a 'you're welcome', because the last thing he needs is Jake taking off for the water every time he adds salt to his dish. He doesn't have the time for that shit, which is why he's more than happy to show him.

Also, maybe he doesn't think that anyone else should see him running to get naked like that. He doesn't have enough sedatives to work with to take them all out.

"Red salt," is what he says. "Only with potatoes."

In fairness, he could take off by hi... okay, let's all be honest. No he can't. He can't be trusted like that and everyone who knows him knows that. Which means poor Cougar, given they're the only two there.

"Why would anyone use that? What is the point?"

Yeah, nope. He just can't see it.

Cougar shrugs, because he's stopped questioning what people like to put in their food a long time ago, having been to too many countries where genitals and the animals used for work are the ones who are being prepared and on a plate. He dips his finger into the potatoes again to suck it off, thoughtfully, but then settles on the counter.

"Cook something else," is his wise suggestion, if Jake doesn't like what it is that the people here have figured out for them. It's not like he likes it either, but Cougar can survive on anything put in front of him. He knows Jake can too, but there's so much more complaining when he has to do it.

Eating where they've been, that's one thing. Burning yourself from the inside out just seems dumb. "That is beyond curry level crazy." A curry that had left him red faced and sweating for hours. Not like that though.

And there is. SO MUCH COMPLAINING. Not like he isn't going to talk through the whole thing as it is.

So he heads to the fridge, pausing half way there and then turning. "Right. Clothes. I should have clothes before cooking. Underwear is for hacking," he says, because it's a logic that works for him as he turns to look around for his jeans. Mostly for the sake of anyone else that came in. So he grabs then, tugging them on with little care and not caring about a shirt. His temperature is still not great and his skin feels hypersensitive.

Cougar shrugs, lifting one shoulder like maybe it's not so bad, but then, he's also eaten some insane shit in his life. What's a little bit of red salt that burns so badly, your mouth goes on fire and you start hallucinating? Or maybe that's just what he experienced.

He lets his attention linger on Jake a moment longer, which is his way of commenting that he doesn't need clothes, but he doesn't say that because it wouldn't be appropriate. Instead, he grabs a spoon and keeps poking at the potatoes as he watches Jake move.

"What?" he demands, when Jake still seems fidgety.

He catches the look, but he also has a habit of misreading those looks. Not because he can't read Cougar like a book, but because of the fact that he has to be misreading those looks. He's seen them given to others, to women, but he figures he has to be misreading it. Because it can't be for him.

So he is looking through the fridge, trying to find some leftovers from the daily meals when he stops, glancing back at Cougar.

"What?" He echoes back, frowning. "Oh. It's just my skin feels all... I don't know. It's all the energy, I guess. My skin feels sensitive. Probably all in my head."

He keeps eating absently, because if there's a bowl in front of him, he'll take what he can get. He's learned not to assume that there will always be food, which is why he's staring at Jake without flinching or blinking as they talk.

Cougar coaxes Jake towards him with his fingers and a nod, wanting to do a few quick tests to make sure the red salt didn't do something severe to his idiot friend, but he'll need hands on him to do it.

It's ideas like that which got Jake in trouble in the first place. Remember that Cougar. And while Jake knows he should eat, he's agitated and cranky. Both from what happened but more than that? How he reacted. The only saving grace? No cameras in this place.

He moves to step closer, shrugging as he shakes his head. "It's no big deal. It'll pass, you know? A good night's sleep and all."

When Jake is close enough, Cougar reaches out to yank him the rest of the way with a leg before he relents and lets him go, holding up a spoon of mashed potatoes like it's normal to have to feed your teammate who forgets to do it for himself.

With Jake, that is the truth. "Eat," is all he says, his other hand pressing flat and cool to Jake's neck to test his temperature. It's come down, he's fine, but he doubts that he'll actually feel it for a little, so better to eat something first.

Jake yelps, a playful shocked sound. Not that he isn't used to Cougar putting Jake where he needs him. Doesn't mean the sound doesn't come with it. He makes a face, but takes the bite though he looks fairly petulant about it as he eats it.

"I'll be fine. I was an idiot. I acted stupid. I'll be fine. Just in my head," he says, figuring that is probably true. But he doesn't move away, waiting for another bite to come.

Cougar digs the spoon into the potatoes again, a heaping portion what he holds out next, which is probably too much for anyone, but he's watched Jake eat things before. He knows exactly how big that mouth is, exactly the shape of it, and exactly what it can do.

It's definitely given him an idea or two, he'll put it that way. "Not your worst," is what Cougar says instead with a smirk, seeing as it had definitely been far from it.

Jake does have a talented mouth! For eating food that isn't meant for single bite consumption, and taking faster and longer than is likely okay for anyone. So he takes the bite, though it does stop him from talking for a bit.

Especially with that comment.

He makes a face, eyes wide and glaring. Kind of glaring, at least the best he can.

Finally swallowing, giving him a look. "No recounting my greatest hits, thank you." It isn't even his top one involving nudity so... "Also, you're lucky I was hurting or you would have been so taken down in the river. Just saying."

Cougar's not an idiot, he knows this. Nodding, he has to think that if Jake were at his full fighting capacity, he'd have been put down in a way that would have him maybe slapping the ground for mercy. Lucky for him, Jake hadn't been at full strength and now he gets to sit on the counter and feed him potatoes.

Not a bad day, even if the entertainment had been Jake stripping naked to get into the river. "Prove it," Cougar says instead of something wise and cautious, because maybe he likes living on the dangerous side.

Course there was that challenge, and he can't help but to smile at that. Leaning in, all bravado and attitude that he didn't really have entirely but could play at with Cougar. When he felt comfortable and happy.

"I don't need to prove it. It's known," he says, smirking crookedly. "I mean, unless you want me to take you down."

Cougar thinks that if he played dirty, he could get out of it.

Then again, this is a man who cheats to win a card game, so would he sink so low to also cheat and win something as small and little as a brawl with a friend? Yes, obviously. His smirk says it all and he gives Jake a nod of his head, like he's daring him to try.

"You can try," he offers, but the implication that he might not like what happens next lives in those words.

"Oh. Well then." Smiling then as he shifts, just a half step back before reaching to take the bowl and spoon from Cougar's hands. "You won't be needing these, right? Wouldn't want to break them."

He set them on the counter, considering his options before glancing slightly up. "Want to get rid of the hat now or take your chances?" He's hedging, and he knows it, but he's not backing down.

Cougar raises his brows when it looks like they're going to be fighting right now, which is more than he expected. Shifting to adjust his hat (not remove it), he thinks this is a pointed enough comment on how he thinks his chances will go.

Bowl set aside, he does think that he's taking a chance, but pries himself off the counter to get himself on the floor, smirking at him. "Okay," is all he says, making a 'come at me' gesture that he knows won't be mistaken for anything else.

Jake rolls his head on his shoulders, giving his body a shake as if trying to loosen himself up. Then that hat goes nowhere, and he kind of stills. Nodding though, moving to brace his feet, making a huge show of getting ready to take Cougar down.

Except, as he kind of feints forward, he stops. Close, almost pressed against Cougar, and it's as if his mind utterly catches up with him and where he is, who he is against. His mouth suddenly goes dry, eyes widening.

"It wouldn't be fair, you know. In case I hurt your hands." Yep, that's it.

Cougar has never flinched against anything and he doesn't start now against Jake, waiting until the man is inches from him, coming at him, and only then does he flick his eyebrows up just a little like he isn't impressed at all. He smirks, even, and raises both hands between them, as if to say 'these hands?'

He's not wanting to get beat down, but he's also a little too stubborn to give up without at least a bit of a taunt. "You're sure?" he asks, when Jake seems convinced that Cougar is going to end up mauled if they keep going.

And there are no words for Jake to explain it either. Here he is thinking about the water, Cougar's body against his own, imagining what is about to happen and realizing that while his motives to play may be good, the thoughts he's suddenly having are not. They're wrong, and it's not fair to Cougar.

Because no matter how Jake is starting to realize how he feels about Cougar, he knows Cougar. He knows the man he is, and the woman he finds attractive. Jake doesn't qualify in any way, shape, or form.

He manages a smile, that's tight and crooked and wrong though he's trying and snorts as he rolls his eyes. "Look man, it's not right of me to obliterate you. In the kitchen of all places. Others could walk in," he points out. Sure, that's it.

Cougar lets his gaze slide over Jake and he thinks maybe he knows where this is coming from. Does he want to let Jake run wild with it forever? No, but there's also no point in changing anything right now, so he gives a simple nod of his head and thinks that he can let this go. He can let Jake save face.

Later, he'll correct him about some issues, but for now, he can play along. "I think yes, it would be rude," he agrees, deciding to use these 'other people' as a reason. "No fight today. Tomorrow, though..." He gives Jake a determined nod of his head.

It will happen, he knows that much.

In the end, it's not even thinking about losing that bothers Jake, and he knows he would lose. He would lose because the moment he felt strong hands on his wrists and Cougar's body against his own, there is no way he's going to do anything but wrap himself as best he can around Cougar. And probably beg. Begging may be the least embarrassing sound he might make.

"What? Right. Sure. Tomorrow. You got it." He nods, smiling widely. Yep, this isn't going to get awkward, not at all. "Besides, you helped save me today. I owe you," he says, nodding as if that answers that.

Cougar gives Jake a dubious look. He really doubts the red salt would've killed Jake, but then, he also has a bad habit of getting very hyperbolic about the things happening to him, so maybe he would have worked himself into a frenzy where he did think that he was going to die.

It is Jake. Stranger things have happened. "Owe what?" he prods, because he's curious what Jake might offer him in exchange for saving his life. This could be good.

Test Drive 20 (August & September)

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