Uncertain if this is a game for you? Curious to see how your character would act in it?
Testing the waters?
Then take them on this Home Tree Test Drive!
directions
❀ Don't forget to read the Introduction , our Rules and the F.A.Q ❀ Post with your character with their name and canon in the subject line. ❀ Use the prompt(s) given here or make up your own! ❀ Both prose and comment spam format are welcome. ❀ Tag around! Make friends. Don't be afraid to discuss OOCly while tagging. ❀ The Test Drive Meme can be used for your application's first person sample. ❀ This meme is is considered as OOC and not part of the game's canon.
prompt
Night of the Fireflies!
It is late at night after you have gained your wings, and the tree is surprisingly dark. All the fireflies have gathered outside, flying around the tree in a display of glittering stars. It is almost as if they little critters are dancing with joy to see the new friends joining the Tree.
On the first floor's branch, the glow worms have settled, illuminating the whole bark like a shining band of Christmas lights - and they, too, are reveling in the joy of new adventurers.
Explore how your new gem works, try put your leaf clothes and join the critters in their dance - or simply watch them imitate the starts in the sky. It's a nice night to meet new friends. Just bring a squirrel fur or two, it's still cold outside.
[There's a worried look on Illya's face as she watches him tumble; she doesn't even laugh or make fun of him or anything like that. And she seems to be holding something behind her but is kind of hiding it secretly because Shirou doesn't need to know. . .]
[the voice that called to him wasn't one he hadn't been expecting to hear so soon...let alone ever, for that matter. his eyes were wide with both shock and disbelief at what he was seeing in front of him. she was the same girl that had tried to kill them the first night he became a Master, the very same that he suggested they go to for help in order to take Saber back]
[There was something wrong with the way he looked at her. While there was definitely a sign of recognition in his expression, there was also that shock and disbelief written across his features. Which causes the worry written in her expression to grow even more.]
Are you sure you're okay, onii-chan? [She's definitely concerned for his safety. Honestly worried that he might have hit his head, or perhaps something even worse. But at the very least, he seemed to still remember her, which was a good sign.]
[crawling forward just enough to grab his gem he'd dropped earlier, Shirou finally managed to get back on his own two feet again, his gaze unable to bring itself away from her as he tried to rationaliz the reason she was here. unless it could bring people back from the dead...
she looked so worried for him. something wasn't right about this, and yet the way that she continued to call him her brother- it was just like that night he brushed into her before the war had begun]
Uh...
[he had to say something. anything. this was his first time talking to her directly]
[Blinking her eyes once, then twice, Illya tilted her head to the side, taking a few steps closer to him. There was something strange about him--
Of course, she hadn't taken into consideration that this wasn't the same Shirou she knew; that this was another one, just like Miyu's brother was. But she couldn't help but worry for him, even so.]
Of course! [Clenching her fists in sheer determination - allowing Ruby to just idly float behind her so Shirou couldn't see - smiling brightly.] Who else would I be, onii-chan?
[there was always that sinking sensation that he could feel when he knew that he was about to die. when he was faced down with a killer intent and had split seconds to decide what his fate would be... yet as Illya took a couple of steps closer to him in kind, he couldn't feel any of that radiating off of her. it was when she asked him such a plainfully obvious question that he couldn't help but be taken aback.
a dream? surely that fall to his face would have told him otherwise... but here she was, calling him her brother as if nothing was wrong. she was energetic too, beaming when her smile was otherwise thin yet calm back during the war.
he couldn't understand...but would contradicting this make it all the worse? did he chance ruining an opportunity to get to know the young girl that he'd felt he and Rin could reach for help? ...was she the same girl after all?]
Ah... I guess you're right. [could he tell her that she was dead? was it the right thing to say right off the bat?] Uhm...Illya, what's the last thing you remember before showing up here?
[it was a vague yet safe question to ask, if it was a dream anyways]
[it was painful to recall, but when she said that she was going to school, it was all he needed to hear. if he lied to her any further now or kept any secrets from her, it would only cause more problems for them. she wasn't the same Illya that he...well, could he even say that he knew the girl he saw get her heart torn out?
was this what she would have been like if it weren't for the Holy Grail War? there were so many things he didn't know about, but one thing was certain. she was alive, in this existence at least. and she knew him more personally. had he seen Ruby, this would have been even easier. ...or possibly drum up more questions. details details]
Sorry about this. I don't know if this is real or not, but I'm going to say something crazy.
[no, Illya. not that kind of crazy]
The last time I saw you, you died. [he swallowed a nervous lump that built in his throat as he admitted something so brutal. but how else was he supposed to clear the air? he felt his body tense as he expected some kind of reaction from her. what, he wasn't certain yet, but...]
[Silence washes over her as she stares at her older brother with a deadpan look in her eyes.]
Is this a joke, onii-chan? You're not planning on saying "April Fool's", are you...? [Because what he was saying didn't sound like a funny joke at all. It made her stomach turn uneasily, making her feel almost sick.]
[now he felt bad for saying it, even if anything less would have stirred up even more confusion. he didn't think he could bring up the details of how he lost her no matter how much she wanted to ask him though. so thankfully Illya was spared that gritty detail. Shirou struggled to find the right words for her without making her feel terrible. he just had to use his intuition to figure out what was going on now]
It's a little too early for April Fools, isn't it? [winter was just ending when he'd been pulled here, he thought... maybe the date was different here?] Sorry, Illya. [he really meant it as he turned his gaze back to her]
I'm just confusing you now. But...I don't think I'm the same person you know. [that helped? kinda? sorta?]
I don't know. [Maybe it was, maybe it wasn't. She didn't know how time worked in other worlds. But when he apologizes to her, she feels her heart sink somewhat. He's not the same person she knows--
Ah.
That suddenly made her a little upset, that he was the big brother that she knew, but at the same time, it made her slightly relieved.]
Oh, I see-- no, I'm sorry! [She fiddles with her fingers sheepishly, her cheeks flaring red in embarrassment as her bright eyes lower, ashamed.] I mistook you for my onii-chan. . . I'm really sorry!
[And she bows deeply as she tries her best to be polite. But he might notice with how she's bowing that Ruby's just floating idly by; the kaleidostick is actually laughing awkwardly at this development, even.]
[now that they were apologizing and getting things sorted out, perhaps the two of them could start over. at least until he was alone again and could try and rationalize everything that his brain was trying to process. he nervously smiled as she'd bowed her head and apologized as profusely as she did]
I-It's okay, really. You're a lot more spirited than the Illya I know. That's for sure. [as if she was a normal elementary school student... what happened to the girl he'd seen during the war in his time? what caused these two to be so different?]
...mm?
[he can't help but point at Ruby, curious as to who...or what, that was]
Really? [That statement makes her grow curious. What was the Illya from his world like, then, she wondered... If he truly was from a different world, and he wasn't lying, that meant that the Illya of his world died.
That made her kind of sad, really. But when he gestures towards Ruby's direction, she peers over her shoulder rather curiously before flailing her arms in a panic, putting her hands over Ruby in an attempt to shut the damn thing up as she replies hastily with a cracked smile]
[There's a confused hum of her lips as she freezes up, realizing that he's definitely different if he knows about magecraft. But then again, Miyu's brother knew about it too, didn't he?]
Ah... well... [She scratches the back of her head rather sheepishly, if only because ha ha she feels so guilty now that she was caught] Y- yes.
[with a soft sigh, he pocketed his gem, not realizing that it caused his dragonfly wings to disappear behind him in a flash of orange sparkles while he closed the distance between himself and the young girl. she kept calling him 'onii-chan'... both she and the Illya he'd known did the same thing. he never got a proper chance to understand what his relationship with her was supposed to be. but he could ask about it all later]
It's alright, Illya. You were probably only doing the same thing I'd do if I was in your shoes. [whatever that stick was, the fact that she was fighting so hard to hide it from him at first must have meant it was important to her. ...definitely a less intimidating companion than the hulking Berserker, that much was certain]
A magus is supposed to keep their abilities a secret from the regular world, right?
[magical girl. but ah, he only had what his own reality showed him to go off on for now]
Edited (adding "right?" to the end of the sentence was important damnit.) 2015-04-07 07:09 (UTC)
Ah... [Twiddling her thumbs together idly as she lowered her gaze she clutched onto Ruby as if it were a precious thing; she felt a little uncomfortable, if only because he looked and sounded so much like her big brother.
Maybe it was just nerves, but still, there was just something about him that felt comforting.]
I-I'm not a magus, I'm... [Hitching a breath, she manages to murmur in a small voice] I'm a magical girl. A-And this is Ruby!
[Who seems to prompt itself as such before floating towards Shirou and taking a long, hard look at him, causing Illya to get slightly nervous yet again, flailing a little. Ruby wasn't supposed to be checking Shirou out...!]
[things really were different between this Illya and the one he'd met. unless she was some kind of magical girl too and he didn't know about it. by this point he was prepared to expect the unexpected]
Ruby? Ah- [and there it was, getting right up in his face as he let a nervous bead of sweat roll down his back. he was more weirded out than he was afraid of it. after all, it looked like some kind of wand a magical girl would use in one of those TV shows. he'd caught Taiga flipping through the channels and skipping past some of those kinds of shows before]
Uh...hi. I'm Emiya Shirou. [nice to...meet the Kaleidostick?]
[Illya just laughs awkwardly as Ruby swerves left and right as it nods, saying that it knows his name already, seeing as he's Illya's "precious onii-chan" in her world, which causes the young girl to bring a finger to her lips in a flustered 'shhhh, shhhh!' way before laughing it off]
I-- I'm sorry about Ruby, onii-cha... Ah, is it okay to call you that?
[It would be bad if he didn't like it, after all.]
[she was an eccentric little mystic code, wasn't she? anything about the implications of being her "precious onii-chan" flew over his head. ...as per usual. when Illya asked if it was alright to call him by that, her bright nature was almost contagious as he couldn't help but smile. what a strange turn of events... but he wasn't going to make things worse right now]
It's okay. I don't mind if you call me onii-chan. [what better time to ask, even if their circumstances may have been different though!] How did I know you where you're from?
[Definitely caught off guard by how he easily gives her the okay to call him her onii-chan; her big brother. Even if they weren't related, or even from the same world... That much made her happy. But when he asks the question, she hums a little inquisitively, before answering]
We were living together under the same roof as siblings. Mother and father aren't usually at home since they're always travelling, but there was always Liz and Sella..! They're family too, in a way.
[Which was never truly explained but Illya sees them as family so that's all that matters, honestly.] Was the Illya from your world different, onii-chan? How did you meet her?
[at the end of the day, he knew that there must have been a reason that Illya called him that in his world. it was unfortunate that he'd never had a chance to try and get to know her better. she was just a little girl (or so he'd thought) in such a terrifying war. as he listened to her story of how they knew one another, it started to make sense how she would think of him as her brother. although in his life, he'd never been associated with the Einzbern family, living a normal enough life as a child before the great fire changed everythinhg. to Emiya Shirou, being a hero of justice was his path. so many possibilities out there though...]
Ah, I guess that makes sense how you're so fond of me. [at least, he hoped that she was. he didn't want anymore enemies] Oh...well... [how did he say this?] The truth is, I never got to know the Illya of my world well. I saw her one night before I summoned Saber.
The night the Holy Grail War started though, we became enemies.
[It sounds like everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked this Holy Grail War started. She's heard of the term before from other people, but this Shirou was involved in it..? She frowns a little in frustration, creasing her brow as she folds her arms together before--]
Hm? Did you say Saber? [Because that definitely sounds... familiar... even though she never heard about actually summoning a Heroic Spirit before.]
arrival because fight me....
[There's a worried look on Illya's face as she watches him tumble; she doesn't even laugh or make fun of him or anything like that. And she seems to be holding something behind her but is kind of hiding it secretly because Shirou doesn't need to know. . .]
round 1
I-Ill..
[the very same girl he saw...]
Illya?
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Are you sure you're okay, onii-chan? [She's definitely concerned for his safety. Honestly worried that he might have hit his head, or perhaps something even worse. But at the very least, he seemed to still remember her, which was a good sign.]
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she looked so worried for him. something wasn't right about this, and yet the way that she continued to call him her brother- it was just like that night he brushed into her before the war had begun]
Uh...
[he had to say something. anything. this was his first time talking to her directly]
Yeah. You're...really Illya, right?
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[Blinking her eyes once, then twice, Illya tilted her head to the side, taking a few steps closer to him. There was something strange about him--
Of course, she hadn't taken into consideration that this wasn't the same Shirou she knew; that this was another one, just like Miyu's brother was. But she couldn't help but worry for him, even so.]
Of course! [Clenching her fists in sheer determination - allowing Ruby to just idly float behind her so Shirou couldn't see - smiling brightly.] Who else would I be, onii-chan?
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a dream? surely that fall to his face would have told him otherwise... but here she was, calling him her brother as if nothing was wrong. she was energetic too, beaming when her smile was otherwise thin yet calm back during the war.
he couldn't understand...but would contradicting this make it all the worse? did he chance ruining an opportunity to get to know the young girl that he'd felt he and Rin could reach for help? ...was she the same girl after all?]
Ah... I guess you're right. [could he tell her that she was dead? was it the right thing to say right off the bat?] Uhm...Illya, what's the last thing you remember before showing up here?
[it was a vague yet safe question to ask, if it was a dream anyways]
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[Shuffling nervously, she glanced away, wondering if she should actually tell him about the story of how she kind of went to another world and fought.
So instead she opted to lie, tapping her chin, deep in thought before laughing awkwardly, giving him a rather sheepish grin.]
Ahaha, well, I went to school, obviously! I thought you already knew that, onii-chan.
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was this what she would have been like if it weren't for the Holy Grail War? there were so many things he didn't know about, but one thing was certain. she was alive, in this existence at least. and she knew him more personally. had he seen Ruby, this would have been even easier. ...or possibly drum up more questions. details details]
Sorry about this. I don't know if this is real or not, but I'm going to say something crazy.
[no, Illya. not that kind of crazy]
The last time I saw you, you died. [he swallowed a nervous lump that built in his throat as he admitted something so brutal. but how else was he supposed to clear the air? he felt his body tense as he expected some kind of reaction from her. what, he wasn't certain yet, but...]
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[Silence washes over her as she stares at her older brother with a deadpan look in her eyes.]
Is this a joke, onii-chan? You're not planning on saying "April Fool's", are you...? [Because what he was saying didn't sound like a funny joke at all. It made her stomach turn uneasily, making her feel almost sick.]
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It's a little too early for April Fools, isn't it? [winter was just ending when he'd been pulled here, he thought... maybe the date was different here?] Sorry, Illya. [he really meant it as he turned his gaze back to her]
I'm just confusing you now. But...I don't think I'm the same person you know. [that helped? kinda? sorta?]
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Ah.
That suddenly made her a little upset, that he was the big brother that she knew, but at the same time, it made her slightly relieved.]
Oh, I see-- no, I'm sorry! [She fiddles with her fingers sheepishly, her cheeks flaring red in embarrassment as her bright eyes lower, ashamed.] I mistook you for my onii-chan. . . I'm really sorry!
[And she bows deeply as she tries her best to be polite. But he might notice with how she's bowing that Ruby's just floating idly by; the kaleidostick is actually laughing awkwardly at this development, even.]
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I-It's okay, really. You're a lot more spirited than the Illya I know. That's for sure. [as if she was a normal elementary school student... what happened to the girl he'd seen during the war in his time? what caused these two to be so different?]
...mm?
[he can't help but point at Ruby, curious as to who...or what, that was]
What's that supposed to be?
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That made her kind of sad, really. But when he gestures towards Ruby's direction, she peers over her shoulder rather curiously before flailing her arms in a panic, putting her hands over Ruby in an attempt to shut the damn thing up as she replies hastily with a cracked smile]
I-- It's just a toy! [TOTALLY NOTHING SUSPICIOUS]
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[time for the bomb drop that this ain't your average
he's so average stillonii-chan in 3...2...1...]Is it some kind of magecraft?
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[There's a confused hum of her lips as she freezes up, realizing that he's definitely different if he knows about magecraft. But then again, Miyu's brother knew about it too, didn't he?]
Ah... well... [She scratches the back of her head rather sheepishly, if only because ha ha she feels so guilty now that she was caught] Y- yes.
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It's alright, Illya. You were probably only doing the same thing I'd do if I was in your shoes. [whatever that stick was, the fact that she was fighting so hard to hide it from him at first must have meant it was important to her. ...definitely a less intimidating companion than the hulking Berserker, that much was certain]
A magus is supposed to keep their abilities a secret from the regular world, right?
[magical girl. but ah, he only had what his own reality showed him to go off on for now]
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Maybe it was just nerves, but still, there was just something about him that felt comforting.]
I-I'm not a magus, I'm... [Hitching a breath, she manages to murmur in a small voice] I'm a magical girl. A-And this is Ruby!
[Who seems to prompt itself as such before floating towards Shirou and taking a long, hard look at him, causing Illya to get slightly nervous yet again, flailing a little. Ruby wasn't supposed to be checking Shirou out...!]
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Ruby? Ah- [and there it was, getting right up in his face as he let a nervous bead of sweat roll down his back. he was more weirded out than he was afraid of it. after all, it looked like some kind of wand a magical girl would use in one of those TV shows. he'd caught Taiga flipping through the channels and skipping past some of those kinds of shows before]
Uh...hi. I'm Emiya Shirou. [nice to...meet the Kaleidostick?]
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I-- I'm sorry about Ruby, onii-cha... Ah, is it okay to call you that?
[It would be bad if he didn't like it, after all.]
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It's okay. I don't mind if you call me onii-chan. [what better time to ask, even if their circumstances may have been different though!] How did I know you where you're from?
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[Definitely caught off guard by how he easily gives her the okay to call him her onii-chan; her big brother. Even if they weren't related, or even from the same world... That much made her happy. But when he asks the question, she hums a little inquisitively, before answering]
We were living together under the same roof as siblings. Mother and father aren't usually at home since they're always travelling, but there was always Liz and Sella..! They're family too, in a way.
[Which was never truly explained but Illya sees them as family so that's all that matters, honestly.] Was the Illya from your world different, onii-chan? How did you meet her?
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Ah, I guess that makes sense how you're so fond of me. [at least, he hoped that she was. he didn't want anymore enemies] Oh...well... [how did he say this?] The truth is, I never got to know the Illya of my world well. I saw her one night before I summoned Saber.
The night the Holy Grail War started though, we became enemies.
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[It sounds like everything changed when
the Fire Nation attackedthis Holy Grail War started. She's heard of the term before from other people, but this Shirou was involved in it..? She frowns a little in frustration, creasing her brow as she folds her arms together before--]Hm? Did you say Saber? [Because that definitely sounds... familiar... even though she never heard about actually summoning a Heroic Spirit before.]
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Saber was my Servant during the war.
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i swore i tagged this and then found out i didn't