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Royal Decree Mod Account ([personal profile] royaldecreemods) wrote in [community profile] royalooc2026-04-07 12:19 pm
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Test Drive Meme #4: Season of Ripening

TEST DRIVE MEME
Welcome to the Royal Decree Test Drive Meme!

If you're new here – hi, hello, welcome! This is your chance to give your potential character a little test run and see how they might fit into the world of Rosavelle. You can find all the relevant info over on our Navigation Page, so take a peek if you need to get caught up on the setting, rules, or just want to gnaw on the worldbuilding a bit.

This TDM is non-canon to the game overall, but feel free to treat individual threads or CR as canon between characters if everyone involved agrees. We've included some prompts and locations below to help spark ideas, but as always, feel free to go off-script and go ham!


The shift in weather Ripening brings to Rosavelle is impossible to ignore. The air grows heavy and thick with humidity that clings to basically everything and unlike the passing showers of earlier seasons, rain now arrives in frequent and stormy bursts - sudden downpours that sweep through the streets and canals with little warning, soaking everything in their path. It rarely rains without pause, but clear skies offer little relief. As the weeks pass, the rising heat turns each shower into lingering mugginess, leaving the whole island feeling stifling. Hope you enjoy being overhheated and damp all the time!!!

It's not all doom and gloom, thankfully. True to the season’s name, fruits begin to swell and sweeten on their branches, with the first harvests ready by midseason - a sure sign that Ripening is well underway.

By now you've likely found your footing in the ebb and flow of island life and you know how things go around here: when someone needs a little warmth, a little effort, or a little magic, the people of Rosavelle come together - and that includes you!
PROMPTS










Honey Downpour
    The beekeepers of Primavain are in a panic: the relentless rain has driven their hives into overproduction and now thick, golden honey is starting to pour from the combs in a tremendous waste of hard work and delicious treats! The bees themselves are docile (if a bit reluctant to exit their homes), but the situation is rapidly getting out of hand. Volunteers are needed to help harvest excess honey, redirect curious crowds and maybe convince a few stubborn bees to relocate. Or, if you're less helpful, you could always sample a bit… purely for quality control purposes, of course.

The Drip-Drop Duel
    Somewhere in the Castle Grounds, an extremely niche and equally petty disagreement has escalated. Two scholars, both convinced they have perfected the superior rain-deflection Bloomcraft, have taken to demonstrating their work in increasingly dramatic fashion. And now there’s a localized "dueling" ground where rain refuses to fall normally, instead redirecting itself in arcs, spirals, or suspiciously targeted torrents. Spectators are gathering, bets are being placed, and volunteers are being roped in to test the limits of each spell. Step in to assist, sabotage, or simply survive the increasingly creative ways water is being weaponized.

Puddle Predictions
    Something odd is happening in the streets of Bellvine Hill: certain rain puddles have started reflecting things that aren't actually there. A clear sky where there should be clouds, a stranger standing just behind you when you’re quite certain you’re alone or fleeting glimpses of moments that haven’t happened yet but will do in just a few moments. Naturally, this has drawn a crowd. Some are treating it like a game, trying to find the strangest reflections, while others are attempting to interpret what they see. Pair up to compare visions, test which puddles are the most reliable (if any) or dare each other to act on what you glimpse. It’s probably harmless. Probably.

Runoff Relay
    With the heavy rains feeding into the canals, the water flow through Marelys has picked up speed, carrying with it all sorts of debris from upriver-driftwood, stray fishing gear, and the occasional very confused fish. The dockhands have organized a cooperative effort to intercept anything useful before it's swept out to sea, forming a chain of volunteers along the canal's edge to catch, grab, and pass things along. It's efficient! It's practical! It's also turned into a slightly competitive relay, with different teams trying to outdo each other in speed and quantity. The victor doesn't seem to get anything more than bragging rights, but isn't that what competition is really about at the end of the day?

Canal Critter Convoy
    The rising waters have displaced more than just goods - small canal creatures have started turning up in all the wrong places. Tiny fish in fountains, curious crustaceans in market stalls and at least one very indignant waterbird refusing to vacate a bakery doorway. A coordinated effort is underway to gently relocate these wayward critters back to their proper habitats. You can help catch and carry them, guide them along flooded pathways, or simply keep them calm (easier said than done) until more help arrives.

Leaky Greenhouse Blues
    The Everbloom's Greenhouse is not supposed to leak. It is, in fact, famously not supposed to leak. And yet, with the relentless rains of Ripening bearing down on the glasswork overhead, a series of suspicious drips have begun appearing in the most inconvenient places possible. Now the gardeners alike scrambling to catch the leaks before delicate plants get overwatered (or worse, offended). Volunteers are welcome to help patch things up, hold buckets in increasingly awkward positions, or attempt to soothe particularly dramatic flora that have decided this is a personal slight. Just try not to track mud everywhere - some of these plants hold grudges.

The Overripe Affair
    The Season of Ripening means abundance but someone may have gotten a little too enthusiastic. A Primavain orchard has produced fruit so perfectly ripe that it's started to… burst. Not rot, not spoil - just gently (and sometimes not so gently) popping open under the pressure, releasing sticky-sweet juice and an almost intoxicating fragrance into the air. It's drawing crowds, insects, and more than a few opportunistic snackers, and the orchard keeper is at their wit's end. Help harvest the fruit before it explodes, find creative ways to contain the mess, or just brave the chaos and see how many you can catch mid-pop. Fair warning: you will get sticky. There is no avoiding it.
peacewithouttyranny: (feline invader)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-09 05:50 am (UTC)(link)
[.....?

What does she mean by that? Is she messing around, or is there something truly ominous about those terms he's ignorant of? Soundwave is left even more confused.]


Ah, you did well, too. [Honestly, he doesn't know how much work she did. He was on auto lifting the panels and harvesting.] I....... Had fun talking to you, too.

[Even though it's mostly Yuno doing the chatter. Long pause aside, he does enjoy the company while working. He may not look like it, but he does like a chatterbox... It reminds him of his friends, even if the topics they tend to talk about were eye-rolling worthy.]

I am curious to see what food this place may offer. [Maybe something like honey? Thankfully, he's resisted the urge to gobble up some more.] Aside from that, I may simply explore, for the most part.

[There's a long pause, then he looks at Yuno.]

It may be... Enjoyable exploring with a friend?
Edited 2026-04-09 05:52 (UTC)
relativezero: (UMBILICAL 33)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-09 06:00 am (UTC)(link)
[Oh?]

My, my... [Yuno brings a hand to her chin, teasing, despite the initial surprise.] Mister Soundwave, are you perhaps asking Yuno out on a date? You know that I charge money for those, right?

[...That might be too much. She decides to dial it back some more.]

Just kidding! Friendly dates are free... for now! [A carefully timed, light-hearted laughter, if to cheer things up some more.] But, I'd be happy to! It'd be nice to see you eat outside of work, specifically more so when you are skin and bones at the moment being.

[She hasn't forgotten seeing Soundwave gobble down all that honey.]

You might have a sweet tooth. We could always go to a bakery or something of the like~
peacewithouttyranny: (when you pet her slimy fur)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-09 06:19 am (UTC)(link)
[A date?! That gets an immediate reaction out of Soundwave, cheeks immediately flaring a healthy bright pink and some sputtering as he tries to get some comprehensible noises out of his mouth.]

A date is not my intention.

[Oh ... oh, she's just teasing him. His expression drops to a his hardest lineface yet, but the blush stays for a few moments longer. What a way to rattle him...]

For now... Does that means I will have to pay you to go out with you in the future. [.......] As friends.

[J-just to clarify that.

He won't deny that he has a sweet tooth, though]


A bakery should be good start... I think. We should treat ourselves to something delicious after some hard work... I'll allow you to pick the food for me, Yuno.
relativezero: 103123928 on Pixiv (FA pony)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-09 07:07 am (UTC)(link)
[She'd feel bad for teasing him, were it not for the fact this is deeply entertaining to her. Patting his back, she shakes her head, trying not to laugh outright at Soundwave.]

Aw, Wavey, you don't have to take everything I say seriously... [Yuno sighs, fond.] You don't have to pay me! Asking for money is just like, one of Yuno's charm points, you know?

[She brings her index finger, bringing it to her cheek in a girly gesture.]

Gotta keep people on their toes, after all!

[Soundwave is really, really good to her. It feels as though her cold, frozen heart starts to thaw, bit by bit, and the thought makes her near manic.]

Have you ever had strawberry shortcake? [She settles for, instead, not letting her inner thoughts show on her face.] It's really good! Oh, and there's also fruit sandos, though I don't know if they sell those over here...

[She's rambling yet again...]
peacewithouttyranny: (Holomatter! Never Surrender)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-09 07:45 am (UTC)(link)
[That's a charm point... Really? Soundwave is realizing that himself, honestly. He's taking everything she says seriously, and he's already made a fool of himself thrice to her.

And Wavey...? Well, he doesn't mind the nickname.]


I'll keep that in mind.

[With that, Soundwave regains his composure, as lets out a small sigh. Despite his pouting, he chooses to stick with Yuno, still.

Soundwave lets her ramble on and on while they walk. But once there's an opportunity to interject, he speaks up before she goes into another tangent.]


I can't say I had anything you mentioned. But perhaps, we should stick with a few things for now. We should start with a... A strawberry shortcake? I do not know what that is, admittedly.
relativezero: (Splash art 1)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-09 07:57 am (UTC)(link)
[Yuno's eyes shine at the mention of the dessert, hands behind her back, before rushing to walk before Soundwave, walking backwards as to look at him on the face.]

A strawberry shortcake is a fluffy cake filled with whipped cream, and it has strawberries! And, granted, given the sort of produce I've seen in Rosavelle—I am sure their berries must be top notch as well!

[She brings her hands to her face to shield herself from the sun, but her cheer doesn't diminish one bit.]
peacewithouttyranny: (alien crater)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-09 08:11 am (UTC)(link)
Sounds tasty.

[As they walk and talk (mostly Yuno talking), Soundwave pulls out a grape juice box out of his hoodie pocket that he's kept hidden in his hoodie pocket, taking a sip through a straw, looking out behind Yuno as she walks backwards. He's still not sure what strawberries are, but he can gather that it's a fruit of some sort. He'll find out once they got their hands on one or two strawberry shortcakes.

The rest of the description, however... It does sound tasty. While he's in a human body, he might as well experience things he's unable to do with his real body - mainly eating the food here.]


I heard from the locals that this season is where produce are ripe, I believe. If it's anything like the honey, we may even be looking at an overabundance of fruits.
relativezero: (TEAR DROP 17)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-09 08:21 am (UTC)(link)
You know, [Yuno brings her fingers to her eyes, a closed circle, immitating how a detective would wield a magnifying glass.] I wonder what Rosavelle does with so much produce this time of the year! It must be quite the task to keep them from spoiling and going to waste...

[Their walk come to a pleasant stop as they stop outside a cozy looking café, and Yuno enters, making sure to hold the door open for Soundwave.

She offers an exaggerated bow, too, before giggling. She's so very unserious.]


And, it is tasty! Lookie! They really do have Strawberry shortcake and fruit sandos...
peacewithouttyranny: (Condemn)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-09 08:35 am (UTC)(link)
Wouldn't surprise me if magic helped with protecting the produce.

[He shrugs. He's not exactly sure, and it's not like he knows much about growing and harvesting regular fruits, either. Entering the café, he turns to look at Yuno after her exaggerated bow, expression unchanging. She is so unserious... She's making him feel unserious, more than this colorful world does. In fact, she's already broken through his icy exterior. not even giving it a chance to thaw.

Silly Yuno aside, Soundwave is quick to take a closer look at the variety of colorful desserts on display. Even though his flat face still remains unchanged, his eyes sort of twinkles with interest as he scans the fruity desserts.]


There's so much. [Without Yuno, he'd be at a loss on what to pick. There's a lot of option. But for the fruit sando-] Ah... That looks appealing.

[He points to the fruit sandos with slices of strawberry, grapes, and kiwi.]
relativezero: (TEAR DROP 3)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-09 11:43 am (UTC)(link)
Oho~ Good choice, sir Soundwave! [Yuno smiles at his selection, finger guns brought to her chin.] You have a really good eye for this sort of stuff! I can tell you'll make it big, out there in this wide world of ours!

[There's no end to her antics, is there...]

And, yeah. I suppose magic helps with everything, if you have it. [Yuno tilts her head.] And- Hai hai! Yuno wants a slice of strawberry kuchen!

[Once they are sat down, poking at their desserts with their designated forks, Yuno marvels at the sweet treat.]

It looks so good... I almost feel bad for digging in, but...

[...Her hunger wins out, in the end, as she looks absolutely delighted by the piece of tart in her plate.]
peacewithouttyranny: (VCR)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-09 11:50 am (UTC)(link)
[He gives her a flat look.]

You're exaggerating.

[Antics aside, he gets himself said fruit sando and a slice of strawberry shortcake. He's not greed for sweets, perish the thought. He wants to try out new stuffs.]

Why would you feel bad? Aren't these meant to be eaten, anyway?

[They do look pretty... But like her, hunger wins out, and he'll dig in his sando first. Remember that expression he had when he tasted honey? He's basically having the same reaction upon his first bite.]
relativezero: (UMBILICAL 14)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-09 12:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Have you ever seen those cakes that look like puppies, and then you have to decapitate them in order to eat it? [What a morbid way to phrase it...] It feels like that... And it's not like I can take a picture and upload it to SNS, either.

[Yuno pouts, as if the prospect is terrible and life ruining. Alas.]

Do you like it?

[Her chin comes to rest on her hands, as she smiles at Soundwave.]
peacewithouttyranny: (a broken heart for sure)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-09 12:15 pm (UTC)(link)
....... No, I haven't. Why would they make cakes that resemble puppies and have them be decapitated? Is this what they call... cuteness aggression?

[Morbid phrase, sure. Soundwave is hardly phased by morbid, but that is still a strange image to conjure up in his head.

But he understands why she felt that way, even if he still doesn't agree.

That aside, he looks like he's seconds away from gobbling the rest of the sando, only to stop himself when Yuno speaks.]


Hm? Ah.... It's delicious.

[Underselling it a little, especially given his monotone voice. But it's incredible. He loves it. He takes his next bite calmly.]
Edited (added some words!) 2026-04-10 04:11 (UTC)
relativezero: (Minigram 8)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-10 08:27 pm (UTC)(link)
Something like that! But I feel bad, having to do that sort of thing... Sometimes, things are so pretty, that you can't bear to tousle it...

[A pause.]

...Well, depends on what it is, I suppose. Sometimes, the appeal of pretty, pristine things rely on ruining them later.

[That's scary. She says it with so much conviction, too.]

I am glad you think so! [Yuno smiles, happily.] Isn't Yuno's recommendation wonderful?
peacewithouttyranny: (a way out)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-11 12:54 am (UTC)(link)
Is that so... I can't say I know a single thing where ruining them later is the appeal.

[What she said isn't scary to him, but it still causes his brows to rise up anyway because he pegged her as a normal, human girl. No, there are small hints, here and there, that she isn't entirely normal. Or maybe it's just a quirk of hers. Either way, it may appear that Yuno is more than meets the eye.]

It is. I think I will rely on Yuno for food recommendations. [A pause. He'd like to try out the shortcake next, but Yuno's kuchen looks delicious, too.

So, he holds his sando towards Yuno.]
Here. You may take a bite.

[If she does take a bite, then he's going to take one spoonful of Yuno's dessert because apparently asking is too hard and had to be done in a roundabout way.]
relativezero: (Minigram 8)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-11 05:08 am (UTC)(link)
Have you ever unwrapped a gift before, mister Soundwave? [Yuno's mouth affixes to a small 'o', head tilted.] The fun always lies in destroying the wrapping paper. I've known people who like to unwrap it carefully and keep the wrapping paper... But I've never seen a point to it.

[Don't even worry, Soundwave. Yuno is very, very normal. Surely. All these hints are perhaps a mirage, or an afterimage of something imaginary.

Surely. Don't worry about it.]


Yunyun is the best~ [Yuno giggles, straightening in her posture.] Yay~!

[Blink. Woa!] M-mister Soundwave... [She exaggerates the nervous stutter, like that of a anxious schoolgirl, batting her eyelashes...] Don't tell me... You are intent from getting an indirect kiss from Yuno!?

[...Swing and a miss.]

Kya~ That's so forward! [She giggles some more, if only at Soundwave's expense.] But that will be 5000 yen, if you insist~ I am not a cheap girl~

[She's joking. Don't worry about it.]
peacewithouttyranny: (been so long I'm losing my mind)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-11 05:28 am (UTC)(link)
I don't think I've ever received a wrapped gift before.

[Which probably sounds pretty sad. Don't worry about it. He... Probably won't worry too much about what was going for with this analogy. Yuno is certainly a "normal" girl.

Anyway, putting aside her odd view on "destroying appealing things", when he hears the word kiss, his eyes widen slightly in a panic. Though it's a short-lived one as he soon realizes Yuno is teasing.

Soundwave gives her one of his usual deadpan faces at her teasing and performance, still holding the sando towards Yuno. His cheeks are flushing bright pink once again, but she should ignore that.]


.... Very funny, miss Yuno.

[Hey, he didn't take her words literally this time. That is an improvement.]

How about I take a bite out of your dessert in exchange?
Edited 2026-04-11 05:28 (UTC)
relativezero: (UMBILICAL 17)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-11 05:59 am (UTC)(link)
I could wrap one for you if I find something nice! [Grin grin.] Do you have a birthday, mister Soundwave?

[It does sound sad... But that's what Yuno is here for! Merrymaker and moodmaker for the ages, someone give her a prize already!

...Not. As if.

Smiling innocently at Soundwave's brief panic, she has to try her best not to laugh outright at the poor guy. It's a close thing, but she has enough composure as to make up for the fact.]


Guilty as charged! [She sticks out her tongue, playful.] If you wanted to try my shortcake, you don't have to bribe me—you could have just asked, silly. I don't mind it.

Here, [She takes a big spoonful, cake upon the spoon, cupping the undersides as to not let it fall back onto the table.] say, aah~
peacewithouttyranny: (a broken heart for sure)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-11 06:14 am (UTC)(link)
[Birthday... As with most human things, he doesn't know what a birthday is, but he can guess what it is about by the name. So, he answers:]

I do not remember the date of my birth.

[While memories and past events may deteriorate over time, especially with long-lived Cybertronians, his being four million years old is not the reason why he can't remember the date. It's because all of his early memories were destroyed by his inability to control his telepathic powers. How he came to be, the circumstances of his birth, the date... He isn't sure if he had a name before he was known as Soundwave. However, it doesn't bother him much.

He knew the reason why his memories were destroyed, but he had no interest in pursuing his lost past.

Back in the present, the embarrassment on his cheeks flares brighter than before, face slowly turning red, especially when she calls him out on his attempt to bribe. Seeing the big spoonful, though, it honestly has him salivating just a bit. Soundwave groans quietly, then opens his mouth, eyes closing. No "aah~" from him, though.]

relativezero: (UMBILICAL 16)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-11 06:41 am (UTC)(link)
Hm...

[How lonely, Yuno thinks. How very lonely. To not even have a birthday...

Most adults older than her would go on and on about how the date loses meaning as you grow up, and it's not like she disagrees. She had no qualms as to her own birthday, after all: it's not on an existing festivity, nor was it particularly lucky, either...

But it's hers.

And she'll be damned if she ever were to hand that out to anyone else.]


Do you want one? A birthday, that is.

And, most importantly—[she smiles, near smug, despite her momentary lapse in expression, returning to form with a cheerful smile.]—is it good?
peacewithouttyranny: (Union)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-11 07:24 am (UTC)(link)
[Give him a moment to chew and swallow the cake first before he speaks. The texture, the consistency, the taste... Everything is so unfamiliar to him that he has to take it slow. Then, finally, he swallows. The first thing he says is-]

Very good. I like it.

[He'd ask for more, but he's not the greedy type. As for her earlier question, he hums for a moment.]

A birthday is... An important celebration, correct? If so, I suppose I wouldn't mind having one.

[Is it a big deal for humans to have a birthday? He's not sure, really. As brief as it was, he's noticed Yuno's expression changed earlier, and he has a feeling that it is something important to human, if not important to her.]

You should take a big bite of mine, as well. [Once again, he holds the half-bitten sando up at her. While she's said that he doesn't need to bribe her, he feels it's only a fair exchange that she gets a bite of his deliciously sweet dessert, too.]
relativezero: (Splash art 1)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-11 07:36 am (UTC)(link)
I am glad! [Her smile is warm, at that.] I'd give you the rest, but I am quite hungry, hehe...

[Even as she offers occasional, mousey bites when Soundwave doesn't look that hard. She's not a big eater, to be honest, but she's quite greedy herself...

As she freely admitted.]


What date would it want to be? [Mouth in a quick v, she shoots Soundwave a barrage of questions.] Want it to be a holiday? An important date, to the world at large, or maybe yourself? Maybe not Christmas, so you don't only get one gift a year... Ah, and it shouldn't be days like April 1st and February 29th! Those would be quite unfortunate, too...

[She really can talk in circles, if allowed to run freely. It's one of her charm points.

Or maybe not. Some prefer her to be quiet. It's a matter that can easily be fixed with money, really.]


I am fine~ [Yuno waves her hand, dismissive.] You did all the hard work back there, after all.

[She doesn't like the idea of eating something someone else has already touched. That's... gross. And whilst childish, the thought of the indirect kisses were not comforting, either.

She'll cross that bridge if she ever gets there.

Outwardly? No-show. All sunshine and sparkles on her face, perfectly seamless.

She could do this all day.]
peacewithouttyranny: (feline invader)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-11 07:48 am (UTC)(link)
[Gosh, she sure can talk in circles. He's used to it by now, but it's hard to interject when she's chattering nonstop.]

If you say so.

[He'll enjoy the yummy sandwich, then. The thought of it potentially being gross or that it's an indirect kiss doesn't cross his mind, even when she teased the latter to him earlier. Though he probably won't ask for more bites of her dessert... And she said she's hungry herself, so...

While he enjoys his fruit sando, he is trying hard to think of a month... An important date, huh.

His eyes turn towards the window beside him, looking up at the gray sky. Looks like it's about to start raining, huh... Ah.]


July. [He turns back to Yuno.] July 30th. It's the date when we began constructing a space station. A commune for those who feel displaced due to conflict or lack a sense of belonging.

[The start of the Decepticon new home for peace.]
relativezero: (Minigram 2)

[personal profile] relativezero 2026-04-11 08:15 am (UTC)(link)
Yuno, indeed, does say so!

[Yuno smiles at that—gentle, kind. Tilting her head happily, she nods, a hand against her face.]

Is that a nice occasion? I hope so. Now, every time it is July 30th, you can treat yourself and reminisce over that day fondly!

Huhu.
Edited 2026-04-11 08:19 (UTC)
peacewithouttyranny: (a way out)

[personal profile] peacewithouttyranny 2026-04-11 08:23 am (UTC)(link)
It is. To me, it is.

[Not everyone sees it as home as he does and other Decepticons, but it is a start.]

What do you do during a.... Birthday?

[Guess who's never been to one.]

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