JANUARY TDM

[monstertruckers]

code

((OOC: Hello, and welcome to our first TDM! This month, Reserves will open on the 10th and Applications will open on the 25th! We hope you enjoy the game launch!))

After tumbling through shadow you find yourself in a shrouded, ruined garage. It’s full of shattered windows and broken mechanical equipment; watch out for shards on the floor, in between the strange symbols scrawled into the ground. Outside the daylight is fading; night is rolling in, and there’s just a few dying lights flickering on and off. It’s going to be hard to see in here and avoid bumping into things and people, if you don’t get outside soon.

Beyond the rundown garage is an overgrown gas station surrounded by thick, wetland forest. Starlight is streaming through the trees, along with light from a broken moon. The one thing that isn’t overgrown with plants is a large Convoy of vehicles, parked right underneath the station canopy.

01: START UP

The Convoy looks like a cross between a semi truck and a train; there’s no one at the front, but there’s still power humming through the entire Convoy. It’s also the most hospitable thing in sight. Why not make yourself at home a little? You just have to chase that eerie, empty feeling since there’s no one else present.

Alternately, there are the cars scattered around the Convoy; all of them in better shape than the gas station. And some of them looking and feeling almost like they might belong to you. That feeling is only increased, when you see there’s a key to the car nearby. Perhaps the key is already in the ignition, on the dashboard… It may have even been on your person, ever since you woke up in that garage. Either way, you have the keys to the vehicle now.

…But there’s a few rough edges on these vehicles. Flat tires, cracked windows and mirrors, maybe some stuck doors and locks; all of them the sort of thing that requires two pairs of hands and supplies. The garage can take care of the supplies… Now it’s just a matter of finding some extra hands.

02: RUIN EXPLORATION

The ruined gas station and garage are the only man-made structures around, and have seen better days. The store still holds packaged food, and tepid drinks of all sorts. The garage has old mechanical equipment for working on cars, along with that strange summoning circle.

There's also a giant tree bursting through the gas station roof. And clinging to its branches, half melted into the surface, are metallic bodies. Graffiti is spray painted onto the tree, reading ‘avoid the Husks.’

Those who ignore the warning and get closer hear a faint hum coming off those bodies. It’s almost like whispers, though it’s impossible to make out any clear words. Some Husks are clutching supplies in metal fists. For a few unlucky new arrivals, those Husks might even be holding the keys to their vehicles.

Making direct contact with the Husks intensifies the hum, and the whispers begin to form into pained cries, and give the impression of something rummaging through their thoughts; trying to pry out things that hurt Drifters, and reflecting those hurtful things on the bodies of the Husks for anyone to see.

03: MONSTER ATTACK

The night grows darker, and the shadows grow deeper. And from those shadows comes the glint of something moving across the Husks, rippling over the metal… And breaking it apart in a flurry of too sharp claws and teeth. That’s when the radio chooses to come on in another mess of static.

Be careful- Keep your fear and rage in check- Calls the monsters- We need the shield up-

The warning comes too late as monsters arrive. Some human-like but with razor teeth mouths that stretch from face to groin; others resembling alligators with bloated proportions and jaws that spit lightning; and still others where the vegetation has come to life, sporting thorn covered appendages.

The Pisaca monsters act as shock troopers, wearing the Convoy down with venomous bites and debilitating howls, before the heavy and brutish alligators bull in, using their bulk and electric attacks to obliterate what’s left. The capparwires scurry in the periphery, taking cheap shots with thorny vines and sparking electricity where they can. It’s a task to keep the monsters at bay until the generator fires up. Especially when one last enemy makes an appearance…

03-A: MIRRORMIC

There's as a metallic shiver along one of the remaining Husks, and a strange ringing whisper in the ears. The next moment, the Husk breaks open in a gleaming pool of quicksilver. That quicksilver catches reflections, and molds itself into a darker copy of a Drifter.

The mirror monster whispers faults and secrets at the reflected Drifter, and anyone close by. It tries to goad Drifters into an attack. And when struck, the mirror monster plays its second trick; whatever damage it takes is reflected back onto the Drifter as a transformation. An injury to the arm transforms the Drifter's arm, and so on.

It's possible to banish this monster through direct lights shone on it from a car, flashlight, or magic… But such action needs to be swift, before the Mirrormic completely changes its Drifter.

03-B: BOMBADGY BOMBARDMENT

Before, during and even a little after the monster attack, there’s an extra presence scurrying around the vehicles, snuffling and barking when startled. A band of chunky, raccoon-esque monsters known as the bombadgy are raiding anything that looks like it could be food storage… And this includes vehicles!

The bombadgy’s claws are deft and sharp with tearing through windows and door seams. These creatures are a touch skittish and won’t attack unless provoked. They also can expel a flammable gas… And this means they can explode if sufficiently spooked or stressed. This also means that they can be treated as living bombs, and be lobbed at other threats if needed.

04: WIND DOWN

During the monster attack, there’s changes gripping the Convoy, and especially the people in it. It might feel like your control is getting worn away by the second… At least until something in the trucks starts to whirr to life. It’s a soft enough noise, little more than a hum as something blooms out of the engines. It fast turns into a shield that envelops the Convoy in a shimmering, glowing dome.

And while it might not be enough to reverse those changes, it can at least stop them from growing any worse. Give you a moment of breathing space to adjust to everything that’s happened, and give you some measure of clarity and control. There’s time to breathe and mend now. Take stock of one’s injuries and changes.

But there’s a few strange surprises still waiting, it seems. Because the corpses of the monsters begin to disintegrate, like they are bleeding out motes of sickly light. Light that you quickly absorb; it has the side effect of lessening pain, even mending wounds… Though it might make you feel a bit off. Maybe a little more excitable, maybe a little more irritable, or maybe expressing a certain odd psychological quirk. Still, that sudden surge should pass in about an hour or so; just need to keep it together until then. Perhaps with a little company.

05: CAMP

A screen in the Convoy flickers to life. The image isn't visible through a snowfield of static. Same with the audio:
“Still… Alive? Good. Connection- Can’t hear you. Can't talk. Convoy will- take you closer to Nirvana.”

After that, the connection is dropped, leaving a collection of text:
I’m sorry. I have no answers for you. But you’re still alive. You’re not as broken as the rest of the world. When the sun rises, this Convoy and all the cars around it will start moving North towards Nirvana. If you want answers, and to stay as close to human as you can… I suggest you stay with the Convoy. Good luck.

A last alert flashes across the screen: “TESTING LOCAL NETWORK CONNECTION.” And then… Music starts to play on the speakers. Mellow guitar and brass music that’s at odds with all the weird that’s happened recently, but perhaps just the thing to relax to.

MICRO ENCOUNTERS:

PLEASE NOTE! These are small bits of set dressing for players to include in threads if they wish, rather than full fledged prompts or events. You may handwave your exploration of these areas, or thread them out.

Race Track: There’s a race track that winds around the gas station! It’s a bit threadbare in places and little more than a mossy and muddy trail. But it’s still a race track that weaves under and over trees, and seems like a good place to test new wheels.

Gone Fishing: The gas station area eventually turns into the start of a swamp; that explains where the alligators came from. It may be possible to do a little bit of fishing, though the fish are just as weird as everything else. Still edible though. Swimming in the swamp is not advised. The alligator monsters and fish tend to bite back.

Spray Paint Messages: The paint on the trees and gas station is starting to fade and wash out, but can still be legible; most of it contains messages warning about the end of the world, prayers to the heavens for mercy, and dire warnings about husks and something called “moon warps.”

NAVIGATION || RESERVES || APPLICATIONS

Comments

Viktor | Arcane

[becomerobot]

[OOC Note: Playing him from an end of S1 canon point! I'm fine with S2 spoilers, but please make a courtesy comment header note for others if they come up.

Also, content warning for Cybertruck.]

01: START UP

What a piece of over engineered waste- [an accented and very annoyed voice mutters loudly from half inside a particular eyesore of a vehicle. Okay, let us all be honest, Viktor thought the Cybertruck looked cool. At first. It was definitely striking, completely different from the sensibilities of his world. The boxy shape, the sheer size of it, the raw metal coating- it all must have some practical use! Simple. Inelegant.

Absolutely a mess. In small part because Viktor couldn't find the key (what is a FOB?) nor the door handle (doesn't have one). Turns out, even his scrawny arms could pick up a rock and smash the window with a half hearted throw. Viktor's trusted, Talis forged crutch could break the rest of it out.

So, he's crawled beneath the center console with his legs hanging out the driver's side door. Having disassembled as much of it as he could to access the electrical wiring within, he's not too impressed by what he's found. This cannot possibly run well. How does it even turn on? Can it even turn on?]

I need a soldering iron... or perhaps a blow torch.

03: MONSTER ATTACK

[This is not Viktor's strong suit. Scientist! Not a soldier! How is he supposed to help with any of this? Stay out of the way, sure, but... no, he is not a man to go cower and hide. There has to be something he can do to help-

That stupid truck. He hadn't made much progress in getting it to actually start, but he had gotten the brake system unlocked. He's not strong enough to push the damn thing on his own- or is he? His hand and his leg are... changed... he's just not limit tested them much- but the truck is up on a hill.

Viktor looks to whoever might be charging by to help with the monsters or is likewise keeping themselves tucked away for safety.]

Assist me with this..! If it gets rolling, it isn't about to stop. [damn heavy truck that it is, once it's going, it's going to tear an absolute path down through some monsters. Something of offense and something of a distraction in one... and nobody will miss it!]

0666: WILDCARD

[Hit me up with your own starter! DM this journal or throw me a private plurk danceintoastruggle if we're already familiar.]

03

[solitarysoul]

I-I can try to push it?!

[Levi's doing more defensive work in the battle than going after the monsters, so when he sees Viktor doing something with the...car or whatever he assigns himself and his blade to keeping the beasts away from the other man. Viktor may or may not have noticed the boy with the rifle and the long, curved blade since he hasn't spoken up until now.]

[becomerobot]

[Viktor takes one look at Levi and presumes immediately that this haunted looking young man must also be from the Undercity. Just has that vibe. He would trust him to help even if he had some choice in the matter. So what if they are both clearly on the malnourished side? They have adrenaline and the raw fucking desperation to not die to monsters.

Viktor also has his crutch for leverage. He angles it into the ground beneath the tailgate, pushing into it with both arms to try and tip the damn vehicle just enough forward to get the wheels moving. Absolutely kills his back, but he can angle onto his "better" leg, which he feels spark with odd energy beneath his clothing. If Levi shoves along with it, it might just work-

... or they'll just end up wheezing as a 3 ton vehicle refuses to so much as budge even with the breaks unlocked, leverage, and gravity on their side.]

[solitarysoul]

[If Levi'd been from Viktor's world he'd definitely be part of the Undercity. He had lived in his own home town's walled off slums for awhile anyway. He had that desperation to stay alive either way.

Once Viktor started pushing Levi puts his blade down and joins in. He may be scrawny and malnourished, but Levi was stronger than he looked. It didn't happen immediately, but the pair was able to move the truck far enough for gravity to kick in. Once it does Levi almost stumbles but keeps his balance. If Viktor's not kept his, he'll offer a hand to help the other man up.]

[becomerobot]

[They can be vaguely-czech-accented buddies.

Gravity definitely does the majority of the work here, but what fine work it is! The monstrosity of a truck goes rolling into the other monstrosities. The carnage is impressive, Viktor watching it carve a path downward and through any creatures it hits. Promptly rolls over, in most cases, even the more explosive ones.

He managed to not fall forward, but it's because he can balance himself on that crutch he has. Fantastically sturdy thing. Viktor will wave away any offered hand, but with a look of gratitude all the same. Levi gets his focus after... there are still more monsters coming, after all. He looks to the rifle Levi has,]

Are you good with that? [Viktor wouldn't doubt it, people learn to use such weapons where he's from at a very young age, too. He wouldn't know how to fire it worth a damn, he's no soldier.]

[solitarysoul]

Very, but I only have one round left.

[He goes to pick up the tree-pruning blade turned weapon that he put down.]

But I know how to use this to fight pretty well.

[becomerobot]

["Saving that for yourself?" No, don't say that, Viktor. Don't let the intrusive thoughts win. Not funny, just harrowing. Focus on up.

They need to survive this.]

I can unlock another vehicle up here, if you cover me. Nothing should be as difficult to get moving as that steel abomination.

[Viktor can't fight worth a damn, but he has ingenuity... and a few more cars parked at the top of this hill!]

[solitarysoul]

[He's been in situations like that before, but this wasn't one.]

No problem. That seemed to work pretty well.

[He grips his blade tighter and watches Viktor. Whichever car the man picks to use next he'll follow. Or pave the way, since a few monsters seemed to be interested in the cars themselves.]

[becomerobot]

[The nearest car will do, though it is a far more reasonably sized one that Viktor won't need to crawl himself up into, some boring sedan. Does he have keys? Of course not. He has a very sturdy crutch and he's going to bash the window in it.

The noise is definitely going to attract monsters back towards them, though only the very attentive ones on the fringes. Most are chasing after the rogue cybertruck, presuming it's being driven by something they can attack. If they send another car down that way, it's going to hit quite a few of the swarm-

Viktor is unlocking the door from the inside before crawling in for himself. He fumbles around looking for a way to disengage the brakes. Shouldn't take him all that long, but Levi definitely needs to keep him covered while he focuses on the task,]

monster attack 👀👀👀 spoilers for arcane s2a3

[hexrot]

[ jayce tolerates the dark because he must. he knows he has, despite making the most intimate parts of himself feel crammed, solitary and remind him of too-fresh nightmares welcomed into the empty crevices of his thoughts and spinning into his greatest sins. after doing what he could assimilate and situate, finally fill his stomach and quench his thirst with something that wasn't radioactive or filthy, jayce is on the move, as much as his leg complains. he had a directive to return to. he was well in need of a wash after all that several-month old grime and crusty blood build-up on him, slightly rinsed from rainwater at most, but that all will have to wait. figuring out what the hell happened so he could be rebound to where he needed to be was his only goal right now.

he's learned from the herald's porcelain dolls that he doesn't need to frighten himself over little to nothing. jayce doesn't attack the creatures of the night unless they attack him, moving about with a golden, twister hammer that might as well be a walking siren for danger and the reason he couldn't be stealthy (and yet he still thinks he is? the loon). the bloated raccoons don't take interest in him, so they don't pique him either. it's the pisacas and alligators that become an active problem. he manages to completely dessimate some that get too close to him with only a few scratches and scrapes in exchange, and this man he chooses to aid because his heart can't blatantly ignore someone in need—

a migraine splits through his head and tears a cry through him that makes him stumble on the way over; he sounds like viktor. in jayce's haste, he looks like viktor. his fractured thoughts seem to want to remind him, painfully, to stay on course. his overtaxed mentality is unwell, playing tricks on him; bringing a desire so deep to the very surface of his eyes so, perhaps, he could work beyond the limit he's already breached.

jayce unloads the weight of the mercury hammer at his feet with a nasty thunk, digs his good leg to the earth and crashes his side into the vehicle's backside with a sharp snarl to get the damn thing moving, and keeps his wild eyes off the hallucinated features he'd dare give this stranger. his damaged leg sharply disagrees with the brief shift of weight even with his brace, to which he jumps off it and throws his remaining weight forward to avoid its use at all costs with a painful yelp. the fear of breaking it again would always haunt his thoughts, and that causes jayce to fall forward face first into the overgrowth and muck, as the cybertruck makes it's unstoppable descent toward a self-made trail of monster gore. ]

[becomerobot]

[What a helpful stranger.

Really, though, Viktor absolutely does not clock Jayce in the moment. His ragged appearance and overgrown hair is too different at a glance, but especially a panicked one. The Mercury Hammer also looks completely foreign to how Viktor knew it and he didn't know it all that well. The Talis forged piece he spends everyday with is still with him, the crutch Jayce made him after his cane was broken during their first proper experiment-

Jayce can recognize the colors even in the dim light of the garage, Viktor using it to help leverage the truck from its resting place and send it rolling, mostly thanks to Jayce's brute strength. Once it is going, oh boy does that truck go, rampaging through anything in the way. Offering the two men a huffing to catch their breath moment of calm. Viktor tucks the crutch beneath his armpit and grips it tightly, watching the truck absolutely collapse a few monsters...

A short moment to admire the carnage, before he looks to the man collapsed in front of him next and... nudges Jayce with the end of that cane to get his attention, before offering a hand down-]

Thank you, si- [... sir? Sir?? Viktor blinks to recognize an extremely familiar golden eyes. His voice is incredulous to ask,]

-Jayce?

[hexrot]

[ overgrowth tickles his face past his beard, dirt dusts his brows and doesn't make him any dirtier than he already is. he has half the mind to stay there, the hoax of his mind likely difting off on its own if he waits long enough. but metal nudges him. he plants his hands and rests on his knees.

he'd been afraid to look up, but he does. he looks.

and his entire face falls with shock.

the colors of house talis paint a more than familiar crutch, forged by his own careful hands— they are the very same colors that dawn his brace, made from the hammer that crippled him in every way possible since he fabricated the damn thing. viktor's painstakingly pale complexion and the bags under his eyes meet jayce's shaking stare, and a rather quickly escalating whisp of breathing through his chipped mouth and split lips. his chest rises and falls under the same rhythm as his startled palpitations. viktor's eyes were honey gold with life. his limbs are firm as they offer him a hand, unlike how they were so limp and lifeless when jayce carried him into the lab in panicked haste. the memory makes his sunken eyes water. he doesn't know what to do. he doesn't take the hand out of sheer distress.

he can't say a thing for a moment. maybe two. he is— out of touch with reality, isn't he? something is wrong. something is terribly wrong with him, he . . . he's been in the chasm for too long. he's already fractured. he was expecting to find viktor, just as the mage had told him to, changed and metal and unlike himself. but not this way. not in this circumstance. it's wrong, and at the same time so right.

he can't . . . keep his promise like this.

jayce feels his heart collapse. had this been the viktor he was fated to confront, he'd failed horribly. he tries to swallow, but his mouth just runs dry; his voice, just as much, a bare whisper in the night. ]

V— Viktor—

[becomerobot]

[Since Jayce isn't taking his hand to lift himself up to Viktor, he is quickly crawling himself down to meet Jayce. An awkward and wobbly lowering to his knees, using the crutch as an anchor so he doesn't just fall like a ragdoll. One hand wrapped around the upright staff and the other reaching for Jayce tentatively.

If he's not bat at or flinched away from, his hand will reach out to cup Jayce's beard with a curious touch, rubbing his thumb through the hair. If Jayce won't let him touch, Viktor's hand just falls to his own lap, palm up and half curled with odd defeat. He leans in with his head tilted, shrugging both shoulders with bafflement and voice stern with outraged concern-]

What happened to you? You're a... a mess! [So kind, Viktor, real nice of you partner.

It also isn't like he's one to talk. The runic scars he's dug into his own skin and the hexcorification of both his hand and leg still linger. Those are hidden beneath his clothing, at least.

Jayce's changes? Very much visible! Viktor's never even seen the man with so much facial hair. He can't just grown that overnight... what could have even occurred?]

[hexrot]

[ this is a dream jayce tells himself, he repeats it over and over. thin fingers thread through the overrun brush and jayce can only follow with his eyes, of which blink, harshly, but do not flinch. he blinks because maybe he'll stop seeing things that way (he doesn't, and his inner mantra wavers). he feels touch, the hairs being stroked. his shoulders sink and hitch with his frightened breathing— it's his turn to extend touch, half expecting for viktor to disappear from the hesitant reach for his shoulders. they cup viktor's upper arms, the entire circumference of his fingers clasping around from underneath, all of which pull from him the quietest of gasps.

it's not a dream. he's a mess! a mess. that was viktor. that was the viktor he'd lost. he's still— so wonderful. jayce feels he doesn't deserve this. he doesn't deserve him. he looks like the viktor he'd so carelessly abandoned for too long.

jayce makes a sound he's only ever made in the company of his own solitude. it's wet. raw. aching. painful like being stabbed in the chest. clearly teary eyes search viktor all over and he squeezes his hold on him— all until yanking viktor forward to throw his arms around his neck and bury himself there. his shoulders shake uncontrollably, and the sounds that come, albeit muffled, strangle a squeak that drags too long.

has viktor— ever heard him sob? ]

[becomerobot]

[No. Nope! Viktor definitely has not heard that one before.

He's also not been pulled into so desperate a bear hug. His shoulders jolt up and his back stiffens, but he doesn't struggle nor pull away. Hand just flutter his fingers into the open air a moment, letting his crutch go to fall to the ground, before veeery tentatively letting both arms curl around to touch Jayce. Uh. There... there? There there. Pat pat...

What is happening!?]

Jayce... Jayce, [what should he even say? "It will be okay"? It won't be! Not if they get swarmed by monsters because the man is loudly sobbing-]

Please, get a hold of yourself. It's not safe in the open like this. [the monsters are chasing down the very distracting cybertruck for the moment, but when they don't find anything inside, what then? Viktor tugs on the man's jacket, a token gesture of trying to lift him up even if Viktor's tiny arms absolutely cannot do that, especially not while down on his knees in the mud.]

We need to find better shelter- to wait until this dies down. [Viktor can't recognize the twisted Mercury Hammer for what it is at a glance, much like he couldn't know this scrappy looking fellow was the esteemed Jayce Talis... he presumes they're defenseless, and they are, if Jayce cannot compose himself enough to use the unknown weapon he brought with him,]

[hexrot]

[ please, this is all too much for him! he barely wants to let viktor go— practically melting into a pile of useless progress goop at the sensations overwhelming him. he locked the fuck in and all it took was the viktor before it all to snap him into a soft mess. the tensing muscle under his arms, the little bolts under his shirt lining viktor's spine, the awkward patting his partner tries to give on his thin back, he's lost a lot of weight and probably isn't so hulking despite still being pretty, ah. large.

but viktor is right, and that starts jayce's rapid blinking. heaving through and strangling the noises, jayce can hear him, trying to nod to let him know that he's listening, he's still listening. it's not safe. get it together— get it together. he's has not stopped crying, a mess of sniffs, snorts and groans to bite through it. at last, jayce let's go, forcefully, bashing the side of his head with the inside of his wrist. his head hurts, but it doesn't split like it had earlier. any watchful, arcanic eyes still on him might be losing its grip. ]

Augh—

[ it takes him a moment, but once jayce has shoved necessity into light, he's the first one to get up; he uses the grounded bar of the hammer to hoist himself up and keep the weight off his leg. with his hands having unraveled from viktor but still close, he claps the underside of viktor's arm to help pull him up.

he nods, tear stains and grime mixing and running down the most angular slants of his face, but— he's functional. he has to be.

he can't fucking let viktor down again. that's the only thing that makes this manageable. ]

I'm— Right behind you. Go.

[becomerobot]

[Viktor grabs back up his crutch when Jayce releases his hold on him. He stands up remarkably quickly on his hexcore leg, surprising himself briefly. Hoping Jayce doesn't notice can be a later thought, what matters now is moving as quick as they can. What Viktor notices is that it is Jayce who has a more difficult time than he does.]

Your leg- [that is sure a brace, in the Talis colors no less. Something more familiar to it, but again, the parts of the Mercury Hammer making it up aren't pinging him just yet. He reacts with tucking himself beneath Jayce on that side, wanting to help him. The cane can support Viktor and he can support Jayce.]

-let's go. I think I saw a... a caravan of sorts? [What he saw was a normal, modern van. It looked large enough to hide in the back of and had doors they could slam behind themselves. Running and hiding is a bit pathetic, but with Jayce in this state of distress, Viktor wants him to be safe above all else.

Pride is set aside immediately when his partner is on the line. He moves them that way, leading Jayce from beneath his arm, it shouldn't be far from where the stupid cybertruck was parked.]

1

[pomnilievable]

[Idle musings and random wanderings to gathering her bearings caused Pomni to see many number of sights around the convoy. Most of the vehicles seemed like PoSs so the sight of a Cybertruck of all things particularly stands out. What was a high-tech piece like that doing in a place like this?]

[Her musings did not last long when she heard the mutterings of the occupant within. Curiously she moved around the side and found the mousey-haired man leaning into what looked liked the exposed insides to start the thing. Uh.]

Uh... w-well... I was overhearing some people saying they've been finding keys and clickers around. There's also the gas station which looks like it might have a repair garage on the far side?

sorry for the delay! busy month!

[becomerobot]

[A testament to Viktor's focus, he's so locked in on his task that he does not realize a literal clown is the one talking to him,]

It does not appear to have a gas tank, hexstone, nor a steam driven engine. My current assessment is it is purely electrical, which means I only need to spark it to life.

[In theory.]

it's fine~ I'm glad I wasn't forgotten ;w;

[pomnilievable]

Sounds like you're going to need a jump. There are a few folks that got their cars running. Does the car have any jumper cables?

[becomerobot]

That is a good idea. Though, I first need to find where the battery is, in order to facilitate a jump...

[He adjust himself away from having his head basically inside of the dashboard, talking as he moves-]

The front is a storage trunk. ridiculous placement for- [He cuts himself off, looking to... this person talking to him.

A clown. A literal clown. Huh. Well.

Runeterra is full of oddities. While Viktor cannot guard his surprised expression, he does quickly move past it.

Yordle. Some kind of Yordle. Moving along.]

-cargo holding. The engine core should be more accessible. For maintenance work.

[pomnilievable]

[She notes the pause and looks up at him. The fact that he still looked human was a bit overwhelming, but perhaps there was something about the game that was trying for a more realistic setting? Kind of strange for Caine to do that, though.]

[She looks over the back.]

Well... I've heard somewhere that having the engine in the back means that more of the power goes to the back wheels. It might make it go faster and make it swerve more into turns?

[becomerobot]

[Viktor grunts to fully straighten himself up, sitting on the floor of the passenger side seat. His back creaks like it has metal parts, which it does. Urgh. He needs to watch it, or he's going to stuck half way in this monstrosity...

That suggestion he does take into consideration, humming around it,]

More like an airship then, relying on rear propulsion. Not very common in a land vehicle, as I've known them. Not improbable, though.

[pomnilievable]

Where I'm from I think sport vehicles use it to make it go really fast. But seeing as the car is electric, I think it's trying to make the most use out of it's own energy.

[And considering the thing is electric, that might limit its range...]

Are you sure this is your car? It may be a pain to try to find a way to charge it up.

[becomerobot]

My car? Absolutely not!

[It is.

He will be stuck with this horrible thing, much to his dismay. Viktor just doesn't know it yet.]

I am merely tinkering with it. Out of a sense of... morbid fascination! [He's going to have to drive the cybertruck, sing a song to his lamentation]