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Welcome to the Test Drive Meme for

escordvi! Anyone can participate in the test drive, regardless of invite eligibility. Just keep in mind that only those who have received approved invitations from the mods and players can actually reserve on December 25th and apply on January 1st. Our EMP/ATP can be found here.

For your toplevel, please include the following: Character Name | Canon | Armada Choice | TDM (IF TDMING). Current players can use the same header, just without the "TDM" label. We do require those who are TDMin'g to include the label so other players can distinguish between others.

For everyone's convenience, TDM threads can be carried over in game if you wish! If you are still unsure which armada to place your character, you can play it a bit loose and vague in the TDM and make retroactive changes if you carry over the threads. The log itself is set to cover starting from December 13th until the end of the month. Characters will appear at random intervals during this time rather than all at once, so players have some more flexibility on how much more adjusted they are for someone else.

If you have any question about the TDM, comment here. If you have questions about the game in general, please comment to the Game Info.

TOPLEVEL DIRECTORY (Updated December 23)

GETTING STARTED

This section can be timed for any time after December 13 until the end of the month, which includes during the current event. These prompts are to benefit those TDMing, but this portion can be handwaved instead and be served as a reference for players to know what their character will have experienced and learned on arrival.

STARTER SHIPS

There are two ships that serve as starting ships for each armada: Stormbringer for the Corsairs, and Royal Fortune for the Paladins. There are various ways new arrivals—or riftfarers as they will be called, among other creative names—will appear on or by these ships.

🚪 Random room. It could be empty, filled with crates or supplies; down in the hull where the livestock are kept; have the luck to awaken in a bed...or the misfortune of that bed already occupied; somewhere in the kitchens; in the bathroom—any room! Now let's hope the doors can open or someone may have to try and ask for help. Or jump through the porthole if there is one and it's above water.
⛵ On deck. If not in the ship itself, another possible spot to wake up to is somewhere on the maindeck. If they're lucky, they're on the deck itself. More unfortunate souls may find themselves caught in the sails or netting, the crow's nest, or on the top of the masts. Someone should be able to help, right? Or catch.
🌊 In the water. The most unlucky sods will find themselves appearing in mid-air just past the ship and plummeting straight into the water. Good news, there's always someone on the look out for such a thing and calls for help to throw a lifesaver get the rowboat will be made. Are there sharks? Well... ...Are there?

However the new riftfarers arrive, they will be poorly clothed, practically rags or loose uniforms depending on the ship. Fortunately, veteran crewmates will guide them, escorting them to a room with a strange typewriter in it. After typing their name, the typewriter will magically continue and type by itself at a fast pace until it dings and rolls out the paper. This paper will have the following information:

• Name and Shellphone ID (journalname)
• Armada (Corsair or Paladin, will match the starter ship)
• Cabin Number for their personal cabin on the starter ship
• Apartment Address for their personal address at their base armada location
• A basic map of the starting locations in Eltrut, including written directions (continued in the Eltrut section)
• A basic map of where they can find a chest with their original clothes and belongings (this will be different for every person and will be anywhere either on the starter ship or on Eltrut—players can be creative here).

After that, the crewmate will do their best to explain the basics of how they got here, what's going on, and what they'll need to do to live in Escordvi while they are here, giving them a small leather pouch with money. They will be reaching Eltrut soon, so the crewmate will suggest they look around, meet the others who have arrived. Even from their distance, they will be able to see the giant sea turtle that serves as Eltrut's leviathan.

ON ELTRUT

Once in Eltrut, the new riftfarers will be greeted by several birdfolk who will be happy to give tours to those who may need them. Otherwise, anyone is free to roam as they please and will have a map for the following main places they should visit.

🐚 Microshell. The first stop that is encouraged will be Microshell, the main store to acquire their own personal Shellphone. The paper they received on their starter ship will have their ID and the staff at the store will set them up, explaining how the device and the network works.
✒️ Inkwave, Tattoo Parlor. The next stop is Inkwave, a tattoo parlor run by a very burly but friendly octopus, Knistej. Here everyone receives their own unique magic tattoo, allowing anyone to cast specific single element spells and other magic. Note: tattoos are required before anyone will be able to use their original magical abilities.
📜 MANTA office. The final stop is the MANTA office, where all the request, mission, and task notices are posted. Each armada has their own branch office for armada specific notices as well. A great place to find jobs to earn some cash so they don't stay a hobo forever.

WINTERSTIDE

As December continues on and, in some places, the cool air of winter starts to blow through, many are preparing for Winterstide, a time where the islands practice an array of tradition depending on where they live. And to help herald its coming, The Frostsinger soars through the skies on her sleighship pulled by jackalope and singing a song. Wherever she passes, even the grumpiest of grumps will feel a bit more cheerful—if for just a few minutes.

As part of her gift, since the leviathans are situated in warmer waters, all leviathans will have large sections of snow deposited in a designated area, along with special winter clouds to keep it falling throughout the month. It's enough to create small ice rinks, build snowmen, and just enjoy the experience of having snow in an otherwise relatively warm location. Some innovators have also tried to create snow machines to spread the snow around town…but there are a number that will malfunction and either produce wet sludge or dump way too much snow in a small place.

But even so, everyone is enjoying the season, and local traditions are going in full swing. While each leviathan has their own unique traditions, there are a few that are shared between them all.

🦇 Mistletoe Bats. While there may be some sprigs of holly hanging around doorways, there is a special species of bats with wings of mistletoe leaves and cute little red heads. They will fly around and bite people, making the bitten want to either kiss or fight others. How severe the effect is up to the player. Some might want to "kiss" to the cheek (either by mouth or fist) or some might want a full "passionate" session.

🎁 Gift Giving. Although the Frostsinger will deliver gifts herself later in the month, anyone can give a special gift to friends and loved ones at any time. The Corsairs in particular will be on a "mission" to try and regift items from obnoxious nobles to those more fitting or in need of it (or pocket it for themselves—it counts). The Paladins will be on charity work, making and crafting toys and needed goods to hand out to those less fortunate.

🍭 Candy Cane Dare. A special challenge targeted towards couples, but can be played by anyone. Each person takes one side of the candy cane and starts biting off a piece each turn. Will they meet in the middle? Or will someone break away before?

🎀 Ribbon Dance. Little birds will randomly attach a colored ribbon to an individual and should they decide to participate, they must find a partner with the same colored ribbon. Multiple individuals will be in a color "group" so there will be more than one option. Once partnered off, they must bind their wrists with the matching colored ribbon and dance together until the ribbon falls off. For those who may be shy, the magic ribbon may just choose the partners for them.

🏖️ "Sandmen." Although the Frostsinger provided some snow, most will take to the sandy beaches and make their own snowmen and sculptures—with sand. Who can make the biggest one?

🥘 Food Contests. Both Nogard and Elah have their own version of food competitions, and are both vastly different. In Nogard, participants can only use the meat they hunt and gather their own ingredients, and are tasked to create the wildest dish possible. In Elah, ingredients are provided, but their dish must have impeccable and elegant presentation.

🦢 Boat Parade Competitions. There are numerous boat competitions held throughout the month, as well as the opportunity to parade one's boat with all the decorations fitting for Winterstide. Some will go all out, with decorative lights, ornaments, and streamers. Others will try to build a boat themed specifically Winterstide. Whether they are seaworthy or not, eeeh.

In Nogard, one particular fun tradition they like to do is to cover a large number of buildings with snow and race over them, carrying a bag of "gifts" and using their skills to avoid obstacles in the way. Participants can try to intervene and even steal the bag, and those who succeed can keep the goods inside (mostly low quality gems, basic equipment accessories, discount coupons, and doubloons, but hey free stuff is still good stuff). Scrimshaw is another tradition that, while done throughout the year, becomes more popular during Winterstide as there is an abundance of bone and makes for good gifts for anyone. Some even hold contests to show off their skills, and there are several whale bones standing by the ports where anyone is encouraged to carve their own design as part of a larger mural.

As for Elah, they have paragliding kites, where one is challenged to not only craft their own paraglider kite, but then fly it over the air streams produced by Elah. A successful flight will reward them with a nice pocket of doubloons. Another tradition they enjoy is to gather in the center of the Plaza Fontea where the water fountains will be dyed various colors that can be used to paint murals and canvases all over. It's a wonderful way for anyone to express themselves and perhaps even create a special gift.

Finally, all leviathans receive special offerings provided by the locals, usually various foods or random trinkets that can serve as decoration for the temples designated for each one. In Eltrut, one simply has to sail around its shell to a special pier and follow the mossy ridge up to a carved in ridge where the building is to leave the goods. In Elah, a ride on the sky gondolas which will carry visitors directly to the temple where caretakers will collect offerings. In Nogard, a more arduous task of entering through a guarded and sealed door and traversing through the leviathan's cavernous underbelly must be taken, walking all the way to the temple in its gut to deposit the goods.

YOTELSIA: TOY ISLAND

[note: all threads featuring Yotelsia prompts are worth 4pts due its special quest-like nature.]

Midway through the month, reports are coming in of lost contact with various ships that have sailed out to Yotelsia and have yet to return. This is an island known to belong to the Frostsinger, and every year during Winterstide she allows access for those to "harvest" toys and materials for the increased sales. The Frostsinger herself is too busy to investigate, so she makes a formal missive requesting those willing to investigate.

Those who venture out and near the island will notice the changes almost immediately. The once fluid water becomes choppier…and blocky to the point where most ships must either use equipment similar to ice breakers to get through, or stop completely before risking damage from the strange green and blue blocks that now float and fill the waters surrounding the island.

🌉 Building blocks. The blocks are large enough to carefully hop and cross over, even able to connect the blocks to form pathways and bridges to get to the shore. Some might even try to make rafts out of them to float through the gaps.

🚢 Empty ships. Previous ships can be found anchored…and mysteriously empty. Investigating the ships will find no traces of the crew. Only random toys littering the deck. Wait—did one just move?

📦 Toy collection. Those who do not want to venture further can start collecting the toys on the ship or try to figure out what happened to the crew. Later, once the curse is revealed, those unaffected by it may try to gather the curse stricken sailors to put them in a safer place.

As they near the shore, they will see lots of random toys scattered across the beach, as if dropped without a care. However, something seems to be…hopping? A plush rabbit?

"No!!" a squeaky voice tries to shout out, frantically waving its small arms as the words barely carry over the wind and the sound of blocks bumping against each other. "Go back!! The curse—!!"

At that precise moment, the sound of a xylophone rings through the air, and whether people made it to the shore or are still on the blocks, they will find themselves surrounded in a strange mist. And in the next moment…

They have taken the form of a toy.

With some despair, the rabbit plush will reveal himself to be the captain of one of the most recent merchant ships to have arrived. He explains there is a curse on the island, changing everyone into living toys but only for a limited time—two hours. The rest of his crew and some others are scattered across the island trying to find a way to reverse the curse, but the grim consequences of what would happen if they don't can be found by the motionless toys gathered on the beach. Living or dead, they don't know, but everyone has stiffened up to become completely inanimate, colors completely dulled, and with only sometimes a twitch here and there. But even as he feels his own body starting to stiffen, Captain Rabbit (Robert) has been trying to gather those unfortunate enough to be trapped to try and keep them relatively safe.

"There's a rat in there, we've seen him. Used that damn xylophone on us and hid somewhere in that tower. Find him and break this curse before it's too late!"

The island itself is made completely out of "toy materials"—fabrics, felt, wood, metal, cotton. There is nothing "living" here, including the plants. Felt trees, plastic bushes, popsicle stick cliffs, building block hills. It's a mishmash of everything with no rhyme or reason. And usually there is nothing living here, just plain toys. But the curse has "breathed some life" into everything.

🕷️ Hostile island natives. There are "animals" and "monsters" that could harm them (but not kill), so beware. That plastic spider with the silly string webbing will happily wrap anyone caught in their web, even if they won't actually eat anyone. Or that plastic tiger might want to pounce, though lack of actual claws and teeth won't do much more than rip a few seams or leave scratches. Good news is, a nice whack will stun them or even fall apart.

🛹 Getting around. It's going to take a while to trek through the island on foot. Not only that, but all abilities and magic are reduced in effect, even modified to fit whatever toy form they have taken. Perhaps those who are more creative can try and build a vehicle from the materials around. Or tame a toy animal to get around. There are even race tracks that could help speed things up. Assuming one can stay on it.

🐇 Free the Jackalopes. The Frostsinger's trusty jackalopes had tried to investigate the situation but were caught and trapped in various places across the island. Find and rescue them!

🧸 Rescue fallen dolls. Captain Rabbit (Robert) has asked those going through the island to find others who have already succumbed to the curse and bring them to the shore. They can be recognized by being the only toy on this island not moving and will have a grayish tint to their color. Some may twitch a little, but not often.

The tower itself is instantly recognizable, standing tall in the center made of giant wooden blocks and with a giant clock face whose eyes seems to roam around, as if watching everything happening. Once inside, everyone will need to climb up and try to find the one who made this curse—the Pirat King.

The tower is fairly straightforward, with several floors that is only accessible by various flights of spiraling stairs and "magic lifts." Pass through the challenges and mazes—or even face the Pirat King or his minions as they appear at random throughout the tower.

🎹 Musical Ascension. There are various "musical" challenges scattered throughout the tower. From floors and steps made out of piano keys that need to play the correct highlighted pattern tune, to playing with a ~~Bop-It~~ "Dance-It" toy and follow the pattern, to using a karaoke machine, to picking up a toy instrument and free styling—some paths or doors won't appear or open until that correct tune is played.

🃏 Card Games. Some floors will have varying card games that must be played. While some are simple as sitting at a table and playing poker or Old Maid, some are more complicated, such as the memory games where one must step on tile sized cards on the floor to clear them away. There is even a floor where one must ride giant playing cards like carpets to cross a giant chasm.

♟️ Chess Match. One floor is a giant chess board, and those on it are assigned a piece. Rather than playing the game properly, they just have to try and get across the board while limited to their piece's movements (pawns can only move forward one space or diagonal if taking an enemy, knights have the L jumps, bishops diagonal, etc.). Just be careful of the other pieces—they will try to knock them out. The spaces will also flash and will disappear, making those not fast enough to move to fall back to a random lower floor.

Every so often, mechanical toy rats in pirate outfits will appear to try and fight or capture those trying to ascend the tower. Fortunately, they only wield toothpicks and plastic weapons, but they can still hurt! If caught, they will be taken to the lower dungeons where others who tried to get through lay listless, the curse already taken them. Those who try to break out can also try and rescue those caught, or leave them behind. Corsairs may try to negotiate or even work with the Pirats, but results will be a roll of the dice (literally, a small d20 dice will appear and roll how well they do before disappearing).

As for the Pirat King himself, he will try and harass and accelerate the curse on those he encounters in the tower. The key to his powers is the magic xylophone he carries strapped to his chest, which will not only momentarily "freeze" any who hear it, but can also make them dance for a short time. Damaging the xylophone will reduce the curse's effects and will free at least one person who had succumbed to the curse completely. However, that Pirat King is a slippery bastard and will disappear in a puff of smoke after taking a few hits. It'll take a concerted effort and everyone taking shots when they can. At the very least, breaking the xylophone completely will release the curse and fix everything.

QUESTS

The current MANTA Board is available, but we have a couple of additional quests that are specific for the event! Teaming up is of course encouraged, no matter what the affiliation. You can assume they acquired some kind of ship for the quests out at sea, either the starter ship or some other ship heading out there. All quests will be worth 4 points.

Frosty Finesse

Eltrut

A large pad of ice has appeared in the center of Eltrut. No one is sure where this pad of ice came from, but a new challenge has appeared to see who can traverse across it the fastest. Using all manners of skills or magic, whoever can get to the other side without crashing might just get a nice reward. Race your comrades, challenge someone from the opposite armada, or just enjoy a leisurely skate across the pretty glossy ice. If you can make it across the fastest you will be rewarded with a scarf and pair of mittens that always stay toasty warm even in the coldest of nights.

Mischievous Minis

Everywhere

Tiny creatures have appeared and have been annoying the locals, always wisping around their heads while trying to get them to do something. There has been a demand for travelers to get rid of these pesky and nosy things before someone loses their patience. The tiny creatures themselves seem to be trying to whisper something in people’s ears. Maybe if you listen you’ll hear something good. But maybe they’ll tell others your deepest desires. All anyone knows is that they’re known to lie. Get rid of them by capturing them with nets, shooing them away with your hand or … burning them with fire. You do you.

An Order for Jadis

Atnam

A local bakery is requesting help in creating a large batch of turkish delight as fast as possible for a client who claims that she is a witch. So long as you can lift heavy bags of sugar or work with your hands, you’re more than welcome to help. Team up with someone to get as many batches of this sweet delight made as possible and as fast as possible. Just beware that making turkish delight can be a little messy. The sweet dessert is sticky and goopy. It requires boiling, mixing, cooling and shaping. So it won’t be an easy task!

An Eggstraordinary Harvest

Eltrut

A ranch has reported that they have miraculously found a massive batch of golden chicken eggs in their chicken coops. They say this isn’t normal so they are requesting others to come and investigate these special eggs. The eggs themselves do seem to glow a pretty golden colour and are solid and warm to the touch. But are they really gold? Investigate the golden eggs and find out if they are actually made of gold or if they are normal edible eggs. What makes them golden? Why are they glowing? Are they poisonous? Taste pretty good? Can they be sold for crazy amounts of dubloons? The results will be up to you to find out.

(Note: The outcome of the eggs is up to you. Choose what would be best for your scenario.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

꩜ — GETTING STARTED

( a, in the water ) [ for one, it's not even the first time he's fallen into the ocean. the thing with being a pirate in his world is that it's almost essential to be a good swimmer — mostly. that is, save for the selection of some such as his captain and some of his crewmates who had taken a bite of devil fruits, which had granted them special abilities but had deprived them of being able to swim. sanji had never bitten into one of those fruits, which meant he had been designated one of the frequent rescuers of those ocean sinkers and was actually one of the best swimmers in this crew. it also means falling right into the ocean now isn't the worst fate he could end up with.

but he's no fish either, especially after suddenly crashing into the water from above, leaving him to cough it off from his lungs the moment he rises back up to the surface, hacking it up out of his mouth as he catches his breath. by the time he's able to pry his eyes open, he's looking around on all sides, trying to somehow catch sight of the thousand sunny, confused when there isn't a ship bearing a giant sun-beaming lion for a figurehead.

best to make do with what's available. good swimmer or not, there's only so long he could be floating out here which is while he settled on the ship he does spot, swimming his way through the waves to get closer. ]

Oi! [ he shouts at the faint figure he sees at the railing, as well as his watery-blurred eyes can manage. ] Throw over a rope ladder?

( b, on deck ) [ once her finds himself on the ship, he becomes more acutely aware that he's not even in his own clothes. hmm. strange. however he ended up in these terrible rags, they're soaked to hell, which is why he yanks off the shirt and begins wringing out the water from it, splashes of it slapping down against the deck. ]

Hey, you. [ he calls out to whoever he spots walking by. or, if it's an attractive lady, the "you" might be more of a sing-songy "my lady~ ♡". ] Can you tell me where I am?

( c, on deck deux ) [ or, alternatively, he's been patting the pockets of his trousers, realizing something seems to be missing from these mystery set of clothes and instead asks, ] Are there any cigarettes around?

꩜ — WINTERSTIDE

( d, mistletoe bats ) [ sanji himself has actually done a fairly good job at dodging the bats due to some decent defensive instincts. if he's kicking them when they come flying his way — well, that's entirely the bats' fault for trying to attack him. ]

Try that again and I'll make a bat stock out of you! [ he pauses, fingers to his chin as he considers the potential of the recipe. ] Some boiled water, mixed with lemon grass, galangal, kaffir leaves, vegetables — it's not a bad idea.

[ of course, not everyone might be so lucky with avoiding the bat attacks, affected by its bite in seeking out a smooch or a fight, with sanji none the wiser which of those his approaching company is looking for. ]

( e, ribbon dance ) [ at the prospect of a dance, sanji is all too agreeable to jump at the chance of participating, if only because he has a particular image in mind of what that dance would consist of. there's only the matter of discovering whether or not his partner proves to match that little fantasy that bounces in his head, hearts bouncing in his eyes (or as his eyes, depending on how anyone chooses to survey the absurdity), as he waits for them. ]

( e-1, ribbon dance, women ) [ if all goes precisely how he wants it, there might be an attractive woman who finds him, making his heart beat even faster, a gaze of instant love in his eyes, giddiness in his expression as he looks at her. ]

I'd be honored for this dance, my lady! ♡ [ even his voice seems to suggest there's hearts dripping in every sound, as he gives a bow and holds out his hand. ]

( e-2, ribbon dance, men ) [ knowing sanji's luck though, there's ever the chance he ends up in a scenario he's probably dreading, which he gives away the moment he and his chosen partner make eye contact, his expression left with no amusement and all the disappointment. ]

No. [ he says flatly, waving his hand to emphasize his refusal. ] Not you.

( f, food contests ) [ something greatly suited for him, regardless of the other participants involved, are the food competitions, the ears of this chef instantly perking up the moment word reaches him about it. unfortunately, being in nogard means that he has to hunt his own ingredients. not the worst thing, really, since he's used to the work, having wandered plenty of islands where he and his crew have had to figure out what would actually be deemed as edible.

the same holds true here, and once he's told about nogard's forests, he begins to wander into one without a shred of fear or hesitation in his eyes, instead just calmly smoking a cigarette as he starts to mutter out possibilities of dishes to serve up in the competition. ]

꩜ — WILD CARD

( open to trying out other scenarios! for quests, i'd be interested in doing mischievous minis or an order for jadis, which i can do a starter for if anyone would like to specifically pair up with sanji for one of them. otherwise, shoot over a pm if you'd like to discuss anything! canon point will likely be end of wano. )

( strange things happen sometimes when zoro's taking a nap. case in point, this time: someone ( or something ) tied a red ribbon around his wrist. he sits there and stares at it for a few moments, then a few moments longer. he's pretty sure he didn't put it there himself ( why would he?? ), so someone must've gotten the jump on him while he was snoozing.

he doesn't like that.

in fact, he hates it quite a bit that this sort of thing has happened twice since he's been in this weird ass place.

but, it's just a ribbon, he should be able to just untie it and go about his day. except, of course, he can't get get the damn thing off. he sits there for a few moments rubbing his chin, thinking, shifts his gaze to wado's hilt, curls his hand around it, but then thinks better of it. whatever, he'll deal with it later.

or, sooner rather than later. the ribbon seems rather insistent to ""guide"" him where he needs to be. of course, when he reaches that destination and sees who's at the end of it, he stops and a frown cuts deeply on his lips and he glares at sanji.

when the fuck did this asshole get here? and why's he gotta be on the other end of this stupid fucking ribbon? )

Not like I want to, either, shit cook.

[ if sanji's going to land himself stuck somewhere far away from the sunny (yet again), his ideal company would be either a whole lot of beautiful women or nami-san or robin-san (preferably both or all). unfortunately, he often ends up with the worst of options, this time granting him the presence of the actual most undesirable member of his crew for him to come across.

he grimaces when he sees their matching colored ribbons on either of their wrists, feeling the instinct in his belly that wants to pull him forward, as he puts all his efforts into keeping his feet planted firmly on the ground. ]

Then get the hell out of here, Marimo. Before I roast you to burn that ribbon right off of you.

[ clearly, it's the exact sweet reunion of crewmates that's to be expected. ]

( first of all, that's just rude.

second of all, it's not like zoro wants to get stuck with him, either. in fact, he was doing just fine here by himself, and it was pretty nice not having to listen to some blond idiot farting hearts all the time. it was a nice break from him ( again ).

zoro narrows his eye at sanji, clearly annoyed beyond belief as he typically is when it comes to this idiot, and contemplates his next move. he knows already from being caught up in the stupid shit of this world that some stuff you just can't fight. and that's really fucking annoying. so, he knows that they're going to have to do something ( he's not quite sure what, yet, because he's not been paying attention to other's with ribbons — his tunnel vision is embarrassing when it comes to sanji ) in order to get free.

but, well. no one said they can't fight about it first.

that's why, without much thought or pause, he unsheathes wado and kitetsu, his body already in a stance to fight sanji; familiar, rote. )

I'd like to see you try.

[ zoro shouldn't be much of a stranger to sanji's rudeness when it comes to him, having been the primary target of it long enough for it to be considered routine. finding zoro should actually be a good sign, making contact with the first of his crew which could suggest he could eventually find the rest of them and they could all join back together to get out of here. but as always, sanji is left blindsided whenever he's with the swordsman, annoyance overtaking logic in an instant. ]

Ehh!? [ oh, is that the ol' siren call of a threat?

without a single bit of consideration in being more observant of their predicament, sanji answers those words like a reflex, sliding forward towards zoro in a way that could either be a further tug of the ribbon or just a natural impulse from the boil in his blood.

slamming his forehead against zoro's, he raises up a leg, a flame beginning to burn around his foot. ]

What did you say, you moss demon!?

[Seems fate has a funny way of both making Sanji's ideal image come true, while also putting a lens cap on it.

The lady he found a perfect match for his ribbon was a very short, about a foot off from him, redheaded pigtailed girl who was a little drenched from water, but not by much. Said lady looked... less than thrilled by the blonde's advances. When Ranma had used his curse to save himself the embarrassment of being seen dancing as a guy, he forgot to take in account of sleazeballs. Fan-fricking-tastic. A whole new world, same old Casanova-wannabes.

Her face sneered with annoyance, moving to slap his hand away.]

Get bent, jack-

... Ass?

[Mistakes have been made.

Because when she went to slap Sanji's hand away, the ribbons bound themselves together.

Why can't luck ever be on her side?]

[ sanji's not picky with his options, just as long as he gets an attractive girl to dance with, and from his perspective, that's precisely what he gets with the redhead that appears in his sights, leaving him with a fit of doki dokis within his chest. it means he's left oblivious to the girl's protesting outrage since the the apparent slapping of hands ultimately leaves them entangled together.

of course, sanji is nothing but overjoyed. ]

Ahh! ♡ We're soulmates! [ heart pounding, a wave of sparkles seem to radiate from around him, as he reaches for the girl's hand. ] It looks like we were fated for this dance, my love.

[Give the blonde guy a wooden blade, dye his hair brown, he'd be a deadringer for a guy from back home. Even without those two features, the head-over-heels admiration was all too familiar for Ranma. It was something she could've left back in Nerima and be content with. Sometimes it feels like luck has it out for her specifically. What'd she, or more likely her old man, do to someone to piss off the wrong person enough to make her this unlucky? Though the hypothetical pricks can wait, the actual prick needs dealing with.

Sanji would take Ranma's hand without much issue... If he didn't have an issue with her squeezing it tightly, tight enough that it felt like he stuck his hand into a vice clamp.]

Listen blondie, let's get three things straight. One: We're not soulmates. Two: I'm not your love or your lady or whatever. And, make sure you're listening cause this part is very important, three: I'm a guy! Now...

[Normally she wouldn't blurb that out for the whole world to hear, but it usually got unwanted men off her back from trying to hit on her. And even if it didn't, that wasn't stopping Ranma from raising her leg, planting her foot on Sanji's stomach for support, and...]

Stand still so I can get out of this stupid thing! [Pulled back, trying her damnedest to slip her hand out from the bind or tear the ribbons. She's danced with one too many dicks tonight, thank you very much!]

[ leon prefers to leave the matters of the kitchen to those far better suited to the task than he, but he still wanders the forests of nogard upon hearing of the competition in equal parts boredom and morbid curiosity. having acquired for himself a decent bow and quiver of arrows, he thought himself prepared enough to venture out and see what exactly these lands had to offer.

after all, an octopus man was offering to put some ink on him, and last he'd known those were served on platters, too.

and so, sometime in the middle of sanji's wandering and muttering, he'll hear someone suddenly pipe up, ]

Oh, that sounds divine. Perhaps with a little cream sauce on top?

[ leon is perched on a branch of a nearby tree, one leg hanging off and swinging idly as he ruminates on the last time he'd had a proper meal. ]

[ the reward for the competition ultimately won't matter, even if sanji does actually enjoy bragging about his own mastery techniques when it comes to food. really, there's every chance that some kind of cute maiden might give him a kiss to the cheek for his hard work, which alone would be worth all the effort, a thought that makes him giggle to himself by his lonesome as he ventures further into the forest.

the important thing, really, is that he's able to make himself useful in the best way he knows how, even when he's far and away from his crew, separated for however long he's meant to be, since one way or another, he always finds his way back.

rather than any concern, he's only considering his options for meal possibilities, contemplating the various sour and sweet tastes of the berries he's been tasting from the bushes, occasionally picking up fallen fruit to smell it and debate how its juices could contribute to the dish. ]

Eh? [ halting when he hears the sudden voice, he raises his eyes up, plucking the cigarette from his lips to raise a curly brow to the strange figure upon the tree. ] Oh? And who're you supposed to be?

[ leon spares another few moments to imagine the dish, complete with that savory cream sauce he suggested, before turning his full attention to the man below. he swings both legs over the branch, steadying himself with hands on either side of himself and leans over just enough that sanji isn't in any danger of blinding himself with the overhead sun as he stares up at leon.

(nothing can be done of leon's own radiance, of course.) ]

"Supposed" to be? No one but myself, of course.

[ there's a playful lilt in leon's tone, and it really is sanji's bad luck he happens to be the most interesting thing he's come across in hours. ]

Why? Would you like me to be someone else? A damsel in distress, perhaps? You seem as heroic as you do adept in the kitchen.

[ whatever radiance is meant to be there, sanji doesn't see it. or, at least, he'd deny its existence since he's very strict on the kind of company in his sights that he'd actually consider to be radiant in any form. right now, all he really sees is some man loitering about in the trees, interrupting his task of gathering ingredients. ]

Ehh? [ the confused noise is even more disgruntled now than it had been the first time, brows stitching together a little more puzzled, peering up at the stranger as if he's somehow missed something. ] Sorry, but the only damsels I'm saving are cute maidens and you don't fit that bill.

[ not that he'd never save a man, if it came to it, but he has a reputation to preserve.

though he doesn't necessarily get a satisfying answer, sanji's shoulders still relax some as he brings his cigarette back to his mouth. ] Besides, you don't look the least bit distressed.

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« december: winterstide (test sail) »

GETTING STARTED

WINTERSTIDE

YOTELSIA: TOY ISLAND

QUESTS

sanji | one piece | corsair | tdm

e-2 😌

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e-1, i just had to (also 1/2)

(2/2)

sobbing

;v; (sorry for making you wait until next year whoops)

f for fu— 🫢

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