undyingcourt | Test Drive Meme

Entry tags:

Test Drive Meme - New Blood

DEC TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to the Undying Court Test Drive Meme! This post will allow players to test drive their AU characters in the setting, as well as meet fresh faces or even connect with those they have preexisting CR with. As with anything involved in the setting, this post will likely contain: violence, enthrallment, torture, and sexual content.

Regarding continuity, all TDM threads can be taken as in-game canon if desired. Please keep in mind that the game proper will begin in mid December, in the Winter Season, so Students/Novices should create their prompts under the assumption that the TDM takes place during the season prior to the one they will be apping as. This means that students planning to app as first season novices will be visiting Castle Courtsheart prior to their Beginning. In other words, if you plan to app a student as a second season, the TDM will take place during their first, and so on.

Feel free to brush up on the Premise, Vampire Powers, and head over to the FAQ/Game Info page if you have any questions!

Make sure you are aware of the Rules when posting your top-level. (Content warnings are always welcome!)
Please format your Top-level in this format: Character Name (AU Name if different) | Canon | Teacher/Student | Court
As a reminder, a Test Drive sample is required in order to app.
If you have any questions specific to the TDM, ask them in the Questions thread below!

Top-Level Directory:

Chat with NPC: Revar
Ace Attorney - Apollo Justice (Student)
Alice in the Country of Hearts - Alice Liddell (Student)
Attack On Titan - Erwin Smith (Teacher)
Baldur's Gate 3 - Astarion (Teacher)
Baldur's Gate 3 - Halsin (Teacher)
Baldur's Gate 3 - Raphael (Teacher)
Batman - Bruce Wayne (Teacher)
Bridgerton (Netflix) - Anthony Bridgerton (Student)
Castlevania - Soma Cruz (Student)
Castlevania: Nocturne - Maria Renard (Student)
Cosmo Warrior Zero - Harlock (Student)
Critical Role - Percy DeRolo (Teacher)
Daria - Daria Morgendorffer (Teacher)
Devil Summoner - Raidou Kuzunoha XIV (Student)
Dragon Age - Fenris (Teacher)
D&D: Honor Amongst Thieves - Edgin Darvis (Teacher)
D&D: Honor Amongst Thieves - Xenk Yendar (Teacher)
Ensemble STars!! - Mayoi Ayase (Student)
Fate/Zero - Kariya Matou (Kariya Makiri) (Student)
FE: Three Houses - Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd (Student)
FE: Three Houses - Hilda Goneril (Student)
FE: Three Houses - Lorenz Hellman Gloucester (Student)
FE: Three Houses - Marianne von Edmund (Student)
FE: Three Houses - Sylvain Gautier (Student)
Final Fantasy XIV - Estinien Varlineau (Teacher)
Frozen - Prince Hans (Student)
Genshin Impact - Diluc Ragnvindr (Teacher)
Genshin Impact - Tighnari (Teacher)
Hanna Is Not A Boy's Name - Conrad Achenleck (Teacher)
Hannibal (NBC) - Will Graham (Teacher)
Jujutsu Kaisen - Gojo Satoru (Teacher)
Jujutsu Kaisen - Toji Zen'in (Teacher)
Lucifer (Netflix) - Lucifer Morningstar (Teacher)
MCU - Loki Laufeyson (Teacher)
Original - Aurinn Laurentius (Student)
Original - Bellatrix Bakhar (Student)
Original - Christine Delacroix (Teacher)
Original - Hanako 'Rosalina' Nurumi (Teacher)
Original - Jisu (Eden Woods) (Student)
Original - Karma D'Auvergn (Teacher)
Our Flag Means Death - Edward Teach (Teacher)
Our Flag Means Death - Izzy Hands (Student)
Persona 3 Portable - Kotone Shiomi (Student)
Persona 5 R - Goro Akechi (Student)
Persona 5 - Haru Okumura (Student)
Persona 5 - Ren Amamiya (Student)
Pride and Prejudice - Elizabeth Bennet (Student)
Return to Labrynth - Sarah Williams (Teacher)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - Snow White (Student)
Stargate: Atlantis - John Sheppard (Teacher)
Star Trek: AOS - James T. Kirk (Student)
Star Wars - Darth Vader (Teacher)
Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - Trilla Suduri (Student)
The Adventure Zone: Balance - Kravitz (Teacher)
The Adventure Zone: Balance - Lydia (Teacher)
The Adventure Zone: Graduation - Fitzroy Maplecourt (Student)

NEW ARRIVALS

New arrivals will be starting their first season in the winter, but they're welcomed to the castle early, under the watchful eyes of the Silver Court. Upon arrival, they will be shown to a room by a human whose eyes glow softly from within, with vacant smiles. Thralls. There, the human thralls will draw them a bath and bring them new clothes to wear to their first meeting. These are rich, expensive things made of high quality fabric. Whether it's a silk dress and a heavy velvet cowl, or a fine pants and a vest made from a brocade, the servants will provide. The new initiate's old clothes will be burned after, in a symbol of the life they are leaving behind. If they are hungry, they will be provided food. If they need anything at all, they need only ask their new servants.

Later that night they are taken to a grand hall, with high arched ceilings and candles burning in chandeliers. There are figures painted overhead, beautiful and entwined. Some have their eyes are colored to match the courts, others are gracefully placed in their death, with blood dripping from necks and wrists.

Balconies line the hall behind a forest of pillars, and vampires all watch as the group walk through (some more hungrily than others).

"Welcome to your first undying season, initiates," a pale, silver-haired vampire calls. They have silver eyes are clad in silver robes, but command the attention of everyone in attendance. They have a beauty that seems neither male nor female. They are standing at the center of a wide semi-circle of other vampires, "As the Silver Court's acting voice at this end of the Autumn season, allow me to introduce you to the Houses that will be your new homes."

The vampire, Revar, gives the newcomers an overview of all of the courts—Blue, Red, Gold, Silver, and Black—and then invites those already claimed by their Courts to join the vampires who will be their Makers.

Revar offers the Foundlings who are left a gentle, knowing smile, and then allows them to be chosen. They are like the last sheep left at the auction, and the vampires who take them may not be the enthused about it. Nevertheless, Revar waits patiently until all have found a maker.

Now that they are paired up it is expected—indeed, required—that the initiate drink from their maker. That is their Beginning. Only once they have truly begun can they can be considered novices.

AUTUMN NOX

Silver Court is in season and for the Autumn Nox it holds a large symposium, inviting all the best vampire minds from around lands nearby and far. The whole castle is abuzz with new activity. The stables are packed full of horses, carriages litter the grounds, but somehow the castle has enough rooms to house all the new arrivals.

Novices will find that some of these vampires have not seen a human-novice in a very, very long time. These vampires might see the human-novices more like specimens, curious about their every move. They won't bite, but novices may find themselves observed as they wander the castle and its grounds.

The symposium itself is open to anyone at the castle. Scholars can present on any topic at all. Novices will find that these range from the incredibly mundane (you've always wanted to attend a history of bottom-feeding river fish, haven't you?) to the truly fascinating (new insights into how vampire hearts work) to the downright strange (the symposium has a range of lectures very close to dawn about the sharing of vampire...fluids). Seasoned novices with their own Autumn classes to attend are expected to keep up with their studies, but some teachers may let them out of a session to attend the lectures and workshops of the symposium.

The Silver Court vampires are incredibly busy between running the symposium and trying to help the new novices get settled in. They may need some volunteers to lend a hand with setting up rooms or helping scholars find their way around. In fact, volunteers might find themselves leading scholars down to the second kitchen for a bite to eat, a strong reminder that even these demure learners are still monsters who must drink blood.

PUMPKINS-GONE-WILD

The symposium isn't all that the autumn season brings. The Silver Court’s talents are on display in other ways—sometimes not in ways another had particularly hoped. An overly zealous youngblood in the Silver Court tried to grow a few extra pumpkins for the occasion and ended up with a few too many! The pumpkin vines break out of the green house and start sprouting pumpkins everywhere. These are no ordinary pumpkins, they will sprout and grow and become fully formed in the course of a night. Better keep an eye out for those vines or else your room might become full of pumpkins! Luckily, the pumpkins aren’t rotting any time soon (they’ll last until winter, or so the Silver Court vampires are saying), but it can be pretty inconvenient for them to grow everywhere. Start cutting those vines to pieces, and hope they don’t try to entangle you in the process.

LIBRARY CLEAN-UP

Meanwhile, with all the scholars in town are making a mess of the library, much to the Silver Court vampire’s dismay. Books are being checked out and not checked back in, passed around from scholar to scholar. You might find those lost books just about anywhere. Who was reading in a tree? Anyone who collects the books and returns them to the library is sure to get a little bit of favor with the librarians, and it’s never a bad thing to have a bit of an in with a Court. If you’re worried about failing Silver Court, it’s time to get searching! Although how you’re going to convince a 300 year old vampire that time is not fake and that deadlines are real (and in fact were two days ago) is anyone’s guess.

UNETHICAL EXPRIMENTS

[CW: Torture, experiments]

Those who venture towards the basement might hear something a little different than normal. The thralls who spend their time down there are normally quiet, commanded to keep silent and pleasant for the vampires they serve. But with the arrival of the new scholars comes disquieting, inhuman screams from the darker reaches of the basement. Novices trying to catch a glimpse will be chased away, but teachers might be invited to watch as these vampires experiment on one another, all in the name of science. What’s a little torture, when you’re undying?

Thanks for joining us for our first TDM! For any questions regarding the TDM prompts, please comment in the thread below. For general game questions, please check the FAQ/Game Info. Remember that the game proper will begin mid December, in the Winter Season, so Students/Novices should create their prompts under the assumption that the TDM takes place during the season prior to the one they will be apping as.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[She's a little taken aback by his quick answer, and it has her turning to face him just as they reach the doors of the library.]

That's a little presumptuous, isn't it? You don't even know anything about me so how could you know what I'm good at?

[She is forced to admit, at least to herself, that most of the classes being taught are about things she doesn't know anything about. But to assume she couldn't learn is a little hurtful. Does she really seem that hopeless?]

And it's not like I won't study.

[ Vader paused, eyeing her again. ]

You are an ambitious one.

[ He said it more to himself than to her, but it was still probably the best compliment that she was going to get out of him. ]

I hope you have been warned of the danger. Such ambition would be wasted on the unwary.

[ By now, Ed's come to know better than to interrupt Tighnari at this time of year, or any time his fluffy little friend has stuck his fingers into one too many pies at once. On a night when he knows Tightnari's schedule is clear of lectures and classes, and likewise clear the next morning? Fair game.

With a little Blue Court trickery, Ed checks to make sure Tighnari doesn't already have a guest or is already asleep. And then he does the polite thing and slips back into the hall, dressed up in the mask most comfortable for him, and knocks on the door. He doesn't wait for an answer, though before calling just loud enough to be heard inside, just so he doesn't get ignored for being a wayward student or whatever. ]

Hey. Can I come in?

[ Good call. Surprisingly restrained for a potential member of the Blue Court, too. Could be useful to them someday, this one. ]

From stumbling in at all. Going down there won't do any good. Your effort's better spent putting it out of mind.

[ I had a thought and now I'm running with it. Xenk has met his fair share of unruly pumpkins as he walks the grounds (no class today? or is he between classes? Who knows.) Still, he never misses a chance to stop by Edgin's classes. Because... simply because. ]

Do you require assistance?

[ Xenk has his sword at the ready with ease. He may not be in the Red Court, but you can just tell he's good on his feet. ]

You must not yield to the plants, Edgin. Else they could injure someone, or worse, damage the castle further.

Edited 2023-12-05 05:22 (UTC)

A slight frown pulls at his lips, because it still bugs him, but... Apollo does have a point.

"No, none taken," he says quickly enough. He is generally a rather mellow guy, plus he was the one who was sort of side-eyeing the elders in the first place. "I have to agree. Unfortunately. I mean, it is good that certain vampires are reminded what they should do regarding basic hospitality when it comes to human beings, but... Yeah. Some of these lectures are either questionable or downright worrying."

There's a pause as he points out one of the nicer-sounding ones. "Cooking For Mortals... Now that has to be pretty informative or hilariously awful. Are you looking for any subject in particular?"

Though he only glanced at her briefly, Will noted the placement of her hand. Not just the placement, but the way she -intentionally or unintentionally- attempted to redirect his gaze with the movement of her other hand. He briefly considered whether or not to press the issue. Ultimately, he decided that as they weren't in an official class, and she wasn't officially his student, she could keep her secret.

He looked back, towards her feet rather than her face, giving her another brief glance over the top rims of his glasses before turning towards where the groups were mingling.

"Do you know which court you will be joining?" Experience suggested to him that she didn't yet have a maker. A maker wouldn't have allowed her out of their sight. Best to start with a court and narrow it down from there.

[ That stack of books that Edward looks up from isn't a normal stack. They're normal books, yeah, but the ones directly in front of them are forming a tower in an interesting, repetitive pattern. He's just about to add another from his modest messy pile to the top, too, when he's interrupted. He looks up at the human above him with wide-eyed concern, even guilt. ]

Oh! Hey, sorry, man. Still using these ones. I'll return them when I'm done, 'kay?

[ Will he tho? Anyway, Edward turns back to the tower, and is about to add another book to the top most layer, when he turns back again instead. ]

Actually, while you're headed back to the library, can you get me some more? Think I'll need... Oh, about two dozen more, or so. More is better.

How many could really give up all tokens of the life they've lived so far? Eden had heard someone arguing to hold onto a cloak of theirs. Still, sneaking it past the thralls made it feel like bringing anything from those times in would cause the person trouble. Which wouldn't be the best look before going through whatever education there was supposed to be in this 'transition period.'

"Not yet. It's really up to the potential Maker, right? If I had a choice, I'd see what was being taught first, go to a few classes and get a feel for it," though in reality that probably said more than what the girl realized. "I'll still take whatever classes I can, though. I heard it's quite unpleasant, but it's possible that what happens here won't match who I am at the end of the seasons. I won't mind any mistakes, and will take it as an experience to better my future self."

It's quite the way to look at it. Yet 'I'll figure it out along the way' was a common way of living in the lands the Red Court ruled.

[Spotting a student rooting through the trash is a little weird. Conrad isn't the type to shove someone in a garbage bin, let alone a student, but he could see someone who's a bigger asshole than him attempt it. Maybe he should say something, though, in case he's stuck?]

Uhm. Excuse me. Are you in need of some help or...?

[Seriously, what is this guy doing? Something really valuable would have to go missing for Conrad to even contemplate going through the trash to find it.]

Edited (sorry, I forgot the subject!) 2023-12-03 00:33 (UTC)

[At some point in his lecture Will had ended up leaning back against the front of his desk, hands set against the top to help brace himself. Akechi's voice was easy to identify and though Will canted his head forward, he cast his gaze overtop the rim of his glasses, in the student's direction.]

Expecting the need to manipulate a higher grade, Mr. Akechi? [Outside of the lecture hall Will would never crack a joke like this. He'd probably give a curt answer and scurry off as quickly as possible.

Leaning further back on his hands, he lifted his chin but was now taking in the lecture hall as a whole. His eyes never stayed on any one audience member for longer than a half a second, but at least he wasn't studying the floor. ]

Manipulation is going to require an understanding of the individual. No one tactic will work for multiple people, be they human, novice or mature vampire. In the case of a Red Court vampire, particularly a mature vampire, would involve allowing them to believe that they had manipulated you through [ brief pause as he quickly substitutes the word seduction, due to Akechi being a student ] their ability to be irresistible.

Let them believe they have control of the manipulation game. Get close, learn about the individual, then leverage what they unintentionally expose, as their hubris leads them to believe they all the have control in your interactions.

When in lecture mode Will was pretty conscious of making sure there were opportunities for people to ask him questions. Once the lecture was over, he tended to revert back to his awkwardturtleinhisshell persona. Conrad received a quick glance, before the teacher looked down at the small handful of notes he'd brought, and when he spoke it was down towards the desk.

"Thank you," he said softly to acknowledge the compliment even if it made his skin crawl. He recognized that his aversion to small talk was his problem, not Conrad's. He did shoot the man a quick side glance when Conrad continued and one corner of his mouth quirked upwards.

"Is that a polite way of saying; 'too much shock value'?"

Bless her, but those were a lot of words and more information than Will usually encouraged anyone to speak to him at any given time. But they were informative and he weighed whether or not to burst her bubble about being allowed to get a feel for the different courts from various classes.

What he did determine (just his opinion of course) was that she was one of those personalities to be redirected away from the Black Court. This meant he needed to get her handed over to Revar before someone got the wrong impression about him standing here talking with her.

Giving the room a quick, uncomfortable glance, he identified Revar's position and gave a small nod of his head in their direction.

"Follow me. You should present yourself to Revar. They'll be able to help you find a potential Maker."

Do what?

[ There's a hint of a smirk in Sylvain's tone as he purposefully comes to a stop and leans against the doorway Hans had just ushered the guest through. He's not a student here - not yet - although as he's visiting from Gold Court lands, he's still very much sporting their customary colors and look.

And his expression is one of amusement as he arches an eyebrow, leaning forward to peer through the door where the vampire had just vanished.

And then gives a low, barely-audible whistle. ]

Boy. He sure is... enthusiastic.

Edited 2023-12-03 00:47 (UTC)

Eden had well understood that Makers come before Classes, what with the ceremony. Yet as the teacher was looking around, Eden started to wonder if something was wrong with what she said. While not lingering behind, she stayed along Will's side.

"I guess I shouldn't be saying that I'd take those kinds of things as life lessons. Too weird to say, I'm sure," as she wondered if she was a problem being handed off to someone else. The thing was... The idea of hardship wasn't a problem. It was just the longer road to a path. Maybe being so easily ready for that was the problem.

Though another thought came to mind, theorizing as she kept looking to Will's eyes. Maybe he was just accompanying someone that was going to be a Maker. Like an apprenticeship, and this became too much. "Do you teach any of the classes?"

[ Every once in a while (read: a lot in a while), Raphael likes to check on his favorite little bond, make sure he's behaving himself and whatnot. After all, if he isn't, that reflects poorly on both the Red Court and Raphael himself as Master. Simply won't do.

Perhaps, also, he's a little bored. Either way, he's there in the office, giving an exaggerated sigh, a slump of his shoulders, and shake of his head as he's told to return a sloppy (sloppeh) pile of books. ]

Oh, Astarion. You know you have to ask me more sweetly than that.

The bow is offered with all the aplomb of someone well familiar with vampire etiquette - which Sylvain can recognize, being from the heart of the Gold Court, where things like that are of the utmost of importance. Survival skills, basically.

Although this is the first time he's had such a bow directed at him, because he is just a human and not even a full novice yet. So he's taken off-guard by the cheerful blond who looks at him earnestly, earning a bewildered blink or two before he laughs and rubs a hand against the back of his neck.

"Uhh, I guess so? Probably not as much as some. I'm not actually here to start today yet, just to observe. Are you here for your initiation?"

And then realizing he'd skipped a step in his surprise, he casts the boy a crooked grin and offers him a playful bow, with all the decorum one would offer a vampire Master.

...Hopefully that doesn't accidentally offend any vampire masters around here.

"Sylvain Gautier, at your service."

Conrad can be a little awkward, himself. And too often in social situations, he's not quite sure what to do with his hands. So he twines his fingers for a moment before stopping himself and crossing his arms across his chest.

"Well, no..." Conrad corrects him quickly but then continues after thinking about it for another second or two. "I mean. Maybe? I don't know. Perhaps I should just say you were very thorough. I just never even thought much on doing the whole... creeping, and pouncing thing." He was supposed to be seductive and beguiling, after all. Or that was what he was taught. It sounded simple enough, being a bloodthirsty stalker, but it'd also take some finesse and practice. Not that Conrad would want to get his meals that way, but still... The idea tumbled around in his head.

"Ugh, don't tell me you're already buying into the Obligatory Fancy Clothes Ethos," Satoru groans, clasping a hand over his heart like he's been mortally wounded. "That cloak's fine."

Says the guy in a kimono. In his defense, it's one of his more simple ones, a plain black in defiance of the social mores of typically wearing your Court's color. He just doesn't jive with brocaded coats, okay.

"Anyway, you'll want to keep that hidden, because if any of the other vamps find you with it, you'll probably get taken to the torture basement," he adds airily. "Or, even funnier, I will for letting you get away with it, if you snitch on me."

He slaps a hand down on the newbie's shoulder, and goes to start steering him toward the novice rooms. "Here, let's find your room, I'll give you the grand tour. I watched them being set up earlier, I can even make sure you get a good one!"

[ If there's one thing Edward has learned during his time as a teacher at Castle Courtsheart, it's that all the best lessons are found outside the classrooms. That's what brings him to the basement tonight, and not for the first time. Rather than partaking in the misery himself, though, he observes from the sidelines, taking up one of the many chairs that likely wasn't intended for sitting in a relaxed sprawl.

Most of what he sees tonight is different from the ush. The visiting Silver Court ancients are having their seasonal fun, and Edward does have to admit, they're a creative bunch, when they care to be. Weird as only people who've read too many books can be.

He does notice someone familiar, though, who's interesting in his own right. A fellow teacher, Black Court, that Ed's seen in the halls now and again. Nothing stand-out about the guy up there. But right now? Slicing away at a Silver bloke, speaking in poems with an absolute verve to him? He's fucking fascinating, and Edward finds himself watching the performance with equal intensity.

Once it looks like the restrained vampire has passed out (or is dead, hard to tell with the undying sometimes, especially when Dread Blades are involved), Ed snuffs out his pipe, pockets it in his blue leather jacket and approaches. His eyes narrow as he looks down at the mess of silver blood over flayed skin. Then his expression turns pleasant as he looks at the man holding the bloody knife, and his voice lilts somewhere between gently chiding and curious. ]

Little enthusiastic there, mate. Think you might've killed 'em.

Precisely.

[ He looks at her, watching as she pushes off of the wall to approach him. ] The more challenging, the better. We do not disagree.

[ As for why students are handling this and not the thralls, well Raphael has no idea. He can also think of better uses for students, but here they are!! Red Court could never, am I right ]

Tch. I don't know, getting an early start on overachievers for the season, I suppose. Perhaps we're short on thralls? [ He chuckles. That can't be it. ]

You may not know, but trust in the maker that chooses you, they likely know better than you believe.

[He can feel eyes on them, knows there are minds probing her very thoughts as they speak. It would be a lie to say he likes the attention, but if it gets her assigned to the right court than he's done his job as a teacher in guiding a student.]

Though not infallible, it is uncommon they are wrong about the court they see within you. I have seen enough beginnings to be sure in that.

[Although his own first court was wrong for him and he had to change in his 3rd season, it was fairly rare to see novices in his dungeons seeking a court change.]

[ It's true, such a shame.

What is not a shame is that this student does not shy away from his little game. That's lovely. It stirs a sort of hunger in Raphael that is probably equally as dangerous.

He chuckles quietly at the observations. ]

Yes, and no. I suppose you do get some credit returned for being self-aware. [ He taps his fingers audibly against the book's cover. ] Do you intend to seek favor with the library?

I practically wrote it, my dear.

[ He smiles at her like they're discussing the weather, eventually holding the book out to her. ]

It is most unbecoming of me to fluster you so, do forgive me. I found this book, next to the latrines. I can only assume someone left it behind accidentally.

Over-dramatic as always, Satoru slaps his hands together in a melodramatic thinking pose, and replies, gravely, "Exactly. And therein lays our perfect opportunity."

Fortunately for everybody, he's stopped doing the accent. He'll insist forever that Ed just has one of those rarely-heard accents that's difficult to mimic, but the truth is, he's just not very good.

"The Castle's crawling with stuffy scholars and I bet loads of them have brought their boring little science experiments with them. And all the others are probably holed up in the library or giving talks. The potential for chaos is extreme, my friend." He pauses thoughtfully. "Or you could just get drunk and rowdy and have the fun of watching all the Silver Court nerds get huffy about it destroying the atmosphere of their academic symposium."

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 21 of 93

Test Drive Meme - New Blood

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wildcard~

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changed my mind it's pumpkins

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library cleanup

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Library Cleanup

o7

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Autumn Nox

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Office Hours

YELLS!! hello :3 arrives at you

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unethical, any topic is fine; cw: graphic violence

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