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Support Admin ([personal profile] supportadmin) wrote in [community profile] academyooc2014-01-20 08:39 pm
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test drive meme

Test Drive Meme

The Pan Pacific Defense Corps was usually offered any of a variety of local buildings to set up their testing centers. For reasons of access and availability, most testing clinics were set up in central areas for any given community. Those of the PPDC staff on hand vary in their personal intensity. Some of the men and women wearing Strike Group insignia seemed overly serious, to the point of frowning with intensity at some of the youngest checking in for this testing round. Those from the K-Science division are tight with nervous energy as they direct prospective cadets through various activities. Everything was meant to measure potential, looking for that spark that meant they had somebody who was Drift Compatible.

The majority of people were turned away after the first series of seemingly random tests, officials looking in eyes, placing odd looking contraptions over heads, asking for people to play a series of short games, one even in a virtual reality set-up.
 
( SCENARIO ONE )

If you are still here now, you've made it past the first cut. You'll be sat down in a room with the rest who have made it this far, then systematically led into smaller interview rooms as pairs. If you came with a partner, they're your first interview candidate. If you came on your own, all your interviews are random assignment.

All who have been asked to stay are required to sit through and conduct a series of short peer to peer interviews. The questions are straightforward.
  1. What is your least favorite color?
  2. Which tool in a standard toolbox is most useful to you?
  3. What time of day do you accomplish the most?
  4. Do you have children?
  5. What do you believe the Drift is like?
Peer to peer interviews last for half an hour to an hour, and each person is asked to participate in at least three peer-to-peer interviews. There is no punishment for going off script. There is a one-way mirror looking into each interview area, and one door leading into the room with a small panel of glass located on the door. There is a clock on the wall in each room. The time they report is odd, when examined. These are not digital clocks, but timers, counting up time since the last Kaiju attack.
 
( SCENARIO TWO )

Congratulations! You have been judged Drift Compatible, and sent home to pack after giving a definite yes to the Pan Pacific Defense Corps. The next thing you face down is the flight into Santiago, Chile, and the subsequent drive in to Valparaíso's Shatterdome.

You and the rest of the crowd of soon to be PPDC Ranger Cadets have been gathered together to wait for the old bus scheduled to take you to the Shatterdome. While waiting in the open air, those from any Northern Hemisphere countries may find the summer weather strange. Today's high is going to be in the upper 80's, and there's not a cloud to be seen that's not clinging to the distant mountains.

Welcome to Chile. When the bus arrives, it's another hour ride out toward the coastline to get to the Shatterdome. Even better? The bus Air Conditioner is broken.

Safe travels, Cadets!
 
Please set up your own scenarios as you like. The above two scenarios are suggestions. Anything goes!
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Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] heliokleptic 2014-02-03 12:16 am (UTC)(link)


Somehow Luke doesn't take the back handed compliment as an actual compliment, but he can at least appreciate it wasn't a full on insult? His standards are pretty low. His smile is a little sheepish, a little surprised.

"Surprised me, too."
protagerrant: (45)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] protagerrant 2014-02-03 02:25 am (UTC)(link)
Good, because he hadn't mean it as a compliment in the slightest. "I told you you had nothing to worry about." He kept his tone mild, almost non-committal.

"But you are going to have something to be concerned over if you don't start making some friends."
heliokleptic: sigh tsun dere chill derp (pic#871743)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] heliokleptic 2014-02-03 02:52 am (UTC)(link)
"I didn't buy my way in." He says, not forgetting why Yuri had said he didn't have to worry.

He shifts, from foot to foot, wondering if he shouldn't still leave but not willing to turn away from Yuri's... well. Attempts. "And I have a friend. I'm more worried about making enemies."
protagerrant: (07)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] protagerrant 2014-02-03 03:57 am (UTC)(link)
"That wasn't what I meant..." He ran a hand through his hair again, then went ahead and out it back up to stop himself from doing it again.

"You're going to have enemies, that's a given. Avoiding them isn't going to make them change their mind."

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] heliokleptic 2014-02-03 04:19 am (UTC)(link)


"I know that, but if I avoid them they won't have to deal with me as much?" That was half an offer, not very subtly made. But it also came out genuine, not bitter. If he could make someone else's day easier by giving them a wide berth, why wouldn't he?
protagerrant: (07)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] protagerrant 2014-02-03 02:40 pm (UTC)(link)
This kid...

"If you become a jaeger pilot, everyone's going to have to deal with you." He almost left it at that, but he figured Luke would take it exactly the wrong way, so he elaborated. "If you can't earn the respect of your peers you have to face every day, how are you on going to make it? "

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] heliokleptic 2014-02-03 03:27 pm (UTC)(link)


"Oh man..."

Yuri's right, Luke does take it exactly the wrong way, eyes widening with concern and then turning to look slowly back toward the compound. When he turns back to Yuri, his expression is guilty. It takes him a second to respond, feeling out his words.

"I can... deal with people hating me. I've gotten pretty used to that. But... I just don't want to bring up anyone's bad memories, so I figured I'd avoid people." A pause, and then with a slight nod at Yuri. "Especially if they made it clear they know who I am."

"But..." He adds, rushing into the next sentence so Yuri lets him finish, then pausing when he isn't sure where to go. After a moment he sighs. "I guess you're right. I didn't really think about what it would be like if I actually make it."
protagerrant: (40)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] protagerrant 2014-02-03 03:58 pm (UTC)(link)
Yuri let's him get it all out, not in a rush to butt in. He's not exactly thrilled to be having this conversation. Luke may not have killed all those people, but he stood for everything Yuri had hated for a long still. Still hated. If it wasn't so obvious that he was trying, Yuri would have been more than happy to leave him to the wolves.

“You can't just walk the walk. Jaeger pilots are heroes--That's the PR. If you can't make that work for you, they'll never put you in a machine, doesn't matter if you're the best pilot of the whole crop." He arched a brow. "And there's no guarantee you'll be drift compatible with this friend of yours."

The last statement was probably unfair, but he didn't want Guy to drift with Luke, him being an ex-spoiled rich kid the least of those reasons.
heliokleptic: /// chill derp (And I cannot stop pacing)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] heliokleptic 2014-02-03 05:16 pm (UTC)(link)
Luke winces mildly, knowing that Yuri's saying the truth. "Actually, I'd be pretty surprised if I was." With the way things had been with Guy lately... Maybe in the past, but now a days he never knows what Guy is going to do or say. They definitely wouldn't be compatible that way.

"I guess I was hoping I'd just... meet someone who doesn't know or care about my family. Or... what dad did." He pauses, then reaches up to finger the back of his hair, tugging idly at the short strands. "But that was pretty stupid. No way my luck is that good."
protagerrant: (02)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] protagerrant 2014-02-03 06:04 pm (UTC)(link)
"Everyone here is going to care about what your father did," Despite the emphasis, he tried to keep his tone level. It was a fantastically stupid and insensitive thing to say anyone could forgive his father, but Yuri tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. Luke was obviously bad at expressing himself along with being outstandingly naive. "But not everyone is going to hold that against you."

Would he himself have held it against Luke if he hadn't had his spiled lifestye shoved into his face so often? He didn't know.
heliokleptic: tsun derp chill sigh /// (I've felt the same as you)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] heliokleptic 2014-02-03 06:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh shit. "I didn't mean that!" He sighed, but he was grateful that Yuri hadn't yelled at him for that, it came out a lot worse than he intended. "I just meant..."

But it didn't really matter what he meant, did it? If he'd learned anything from having so much of his life abruptly in the spotlight, what he intended, how he'd wanted it to come out, wasn't important. All that mattered was what he actually said. "Sorry, it doesn't matter. I know everyone's going to care."

He also knew it was true that not everyone would hold it against him, but how to explain... "And I know not everyone will hate me as much as they hated my father but... I guess." He pauses. "If you got to pick between someone whose the son of that guy, and basically anyone else, what would you do?" He doesn't wait for Yuri to respond. "Basically everyone is going to think the same way. And it's not like I can blame them."
protagerrant: (20)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] protagerrant 2014-02-03 06:48 pm (UTC)(link)
"That's not a bad point." Very mild praise, but praise nonetheless. "But if this is what you want to do, you have to find a better balance between giving people space and facing them head-on. It's alright to try and change a person's mind about you, but only your actions can do that."

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] heliokleptic 2014-02-03 07:01 pm (UTC)(link)


Luke opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. Looking off with faint of embarrassment. He had been about to say he'd been trying, but looking back on it, had he really? Sure, he'd tried to argue his point a lot back in the beginning, and no one had listened. But hadn't he also kind of been an asshole? And had he ever not given up on it almost immediately? The only reason he was even around Yuri right now is because Yuri had made a point to invite him to stay, and then still spoken to him even when he tried to leave.

Maybe he'd be focusing so hard on how understandable it was for everyone to hate him he'd completely given up on the idea that maybe some wouldn't. Maybe just a few would think he was worth something other than being his father's son.

But he didn't really know how to put that into words, and the idea of it made his flustered blush increase, so he just manages, after a long moment to work out; "Okay. You're right..." And then, rather quietly. "Thanks."
Edited 2014-02-03 20:17 (UTC)
protagerrant: (47)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] protagerrant 2014-02-04 03:58 am (UTC)(link)
Yuri watched Luke turn this over with a raised eyebrow, almost, not not quite, smiling at Luke's obvious reaction.

What the hell was he getting himself into?

"You're welcome." He pauses, looking out over the compound as he starts putting his uniform back to rights. "We should head back. Tuck in your shirt."

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] heliokleptic 2014-02-04 04:20 am (UTC)(link)


"Huh?" Luke blinks, he'd gotten lost on his thoughts for a minute there, but when Yuri pulls him out of it he starts off, away from the fence. Looking down at himself he automatically starts doing as he was told, straightening his clothes.

And then once his clothes are straight, which doesn't take long, he hadn't undressed far, he continues to fiddle at it unnecessarily, looking anywhere but at the other man.

"Hey, Yuri?" He paused... it sounded strange to call someone else by their name. He didn't have a lot of conversations that got that far, lately.

The pause went on a little longer than he liked as he tried to find the right way to arrange his words, and in the end he just forced them all out, flustering, but not wanting to lose the opportunity. "Thanks. I know you don't... I mean. ...just... thanks. You're a really nice guy."
protagerrant: (02)

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] protagerrant 2014-02-05 04:40 am (UTC)(link)
"Hm?" He says, half-distracted un-rolling his sleeves and making sure his jacket is straight. When Luke's statement catches up with him, he grimaces, biting back the immediate retort that comes to mind: Your father wouldn't say so.

Though he had certainly tried to appeal to Yuri's better nature, just before he'd killed him.

Mouth set in an neutral line, he looks back at Luke, jerking his remaining sleeve down and buttoning it with brisk annoyance. "Just keep what I told you in mind." Dammit, he had to have something more than that. He'd killed this kid's father; he didn't have any business making nice with him. He should have left him alone to start. Now... now he would have to figure something out. Later, though. For now, he gave Luke a curt nod, and used his longer stride to out-distance him back to the compound.

Re: Yuri Lowell | Tales of Vesperia

[personal profile] heliokleptic 2014-02-05 05:05 pm (UTC)(link)


Apparently he'd said something wrong... Luke sighs, not exactly surprised, but not particularly bothered either. Whatever, he hadn't been looking for anything, he just wanted to tell Yuri thanks. He follows along at a deliberately slower pace so that Yuri doesn't feel like he has to jog to get away from him.