bumfuckidaho | TEST DRIVE MEME, APRIL 2017.

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TEST DRIVE MEME, APRIL 2017.

TEST DRIVE MEME

There was an accident. That's basically the only thing you know for certain. Maybe a car wreck - metal and broken glass everywhere, and the sirens and the screaming. Or maybe there was an explosion. Maybe your bike hit a rock and you careened uncontrollably off a mountain path. You can't can't quite make out the details, not who was at fault or why. Try as you might, the chaos is all you can remember.

It's also the last thing you remember from before you wake up here.

When you open your eyes, the accident is gone. Instead, you're in a hospital bed – the nursing staff greets you with a cheerful smile.

Welcome to Wayward Pines, they tell you. You'll make a full recovery here.

option one
WELCOME TO WAYWARD PINES

The hospital staff had seemed very friendly, but ultimately unhelpful when it came to answering your questions, insisting you shouldn't worry about such things, and that it was smarter to just rest until you'd fully recovered.

That was some time ago. You've since managed to leave the hospital – either via escape, or simply by waiting patiently and filling out paperwork until they finally agreed to release you. Now you've found yourself in the small but hearty town of Wayward Pines, Idaho. It's a charming little place, and the people there are all friendly enough, more than willing to greet you on the street, or give you directions if you need them.

Unless you're asking for directions out of town, of course.

Some will simply smile and give you a hearty pat on the shoulder and ask why you'd ever want to do a thing like that? Others will get quiet for a moment, and direct you to the nearest sign posted near the doorway of every building.

Don't bother taking the road, either. Whether you walk or get your hands on a vehicle, you won't get anywhere. The road simply takes you away from town for a short while before looping around and bringing you right back in.

There's no use questioning things, and it seems pretty useless to try to leave. So really, why not stay a while? Everyone's convinced that you'll find something to love in Wayward Pines.

(For the purposes of this test drive, you're welcome to handwave the existence of basically any local business or activity.)

option two
INTO THE WOODS

You've just heard a scream from the woods.

I mean, it could've been an animal. There's bound to be some kind of wildlife amongst the trees, right? But then again, it did sound awfully... human.

Though all of the locals nearby conceal a flinch at the sound, they'll assure you it's nothing, if you ask them. Why, you're probably just hearing things! (But with an anxious undertone of stop asking questions.) If you're curious, though, and brave enough to go see, they won't make any move to stop you from going into the wooded area surrounding the town.

The trees are tall, and their branches are thick enough to block out a significant amount of sunlight from breaking through the canopy, leaving the forest floor a little dimmer and cooler than the streets of town.

Whatever the source of the scream was, you won't be able to find it out here. An experienced hunter might notice some signs of a struggle, and a few faint boot prints, but they don't really seem to lead anywhere in particular.

What you will find, if you walk far enough, is a fence. A big one - at least 30 feet tall, made of metal and concrete. It goes on quite a ways in either direction as well; follow the wall far enough, and you'll see that it connects with the steep, sheer cliffs that surround the rest of Wayward Pines, effectively boxing the town in.

In actuality, you'll probably feel it before you see it. A full 500 yards from the wall, when it's hardly a shadowy smudge through the trees, you start to feel a little bit tired, a little bit weak. Trouble is, the closer you get, the weaker you feel - like the wall itself is sapping the strength out of you, and the closer you get, the worse it feels. Any powers you may have had grow weaker in kind as you make your way to the fence, but even ordinary humans will find their strength sapping away. By the time you're close enough to read the signs and to feel the crackle of electricity radiating from the thick wires criss-crossing the wall's metal surface, you're too weak to stand.

Do you crawl closer still and risk electrocution, or do you crawl away and assess the situation once you're far enough from the fence to be able to stand?

option three
PTA BAKE SALE

It's that time of year again. The time when everyone digs into their wallet, ignores their diet, and spends a little time supporting the local school bake fair. You know, for the good of the children. And it doesn't hurt that Linda's Blondie recipe is honestly to die for. The school PTA has pulled out all the stops this year in the hopes of encouraging a good community turn out, posters advertising the sale plastering every street corner and stuffed into every mailbox for a solid week leading up to the event, and today is finally the day.

There's at least two dozen different tables set up with all manner of delectable treats, even one or two offering vegan alternatives for those inclined, not to mention a few others catering to some of the townspeople's more... unique palates.

Maybe you've got your own table set up with your wares, or maybe you were simply lured to the park today by the appetizing scents wafting through the air. Either way it seems like the whole town has come out to show their support today and why wouldn't they? Children are our future, aren't they? Or maybe it's just Linda's Blondie recipe.

Yeah, that's probably it.

option four
ON THE NETWORK

Though it's not as high-tech as you might be used to (or hell, maybe you're ren faire and it's centuries beyond anything you've seen), but Wayward Pines does in fact have a network to accommodate its citizens.

Go ahead, post a network post! Just note that the network currently has two basic functions. The first is audio-only and can be accessed from the telephones in each character's home. If an audio-based medium doesn't suit your needs (or aesthetics), be sure to take advantage of the Wayward Pines Message Board from your brand new laptop for the chance to communicate with your fellow townspeople in a text-based format instead!

( a few notes )

Welcome to our third test drive here in The Pines! Just one important thing to note:

Upon arrival in Wayward Pines, characters find themselves struggling to remember entirely who they were or where they came from. Memories return progressively over the next two weeks. You're welcome to play with this mechanic in any of these prompts, but it's definitely not mandatory! For more details on this temporary memory loss, see our FAQ.

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One of many. [ Mistakes, that is. Bringing someone with Ibaraki's powers and temperament? Might be up there on the top.

Then again, Poe will probably have time to learn all about that. Not tonight, as he's said. ]

Finn? I think Finn can probably manage to soften Jyn's heart even a little bit.

As long as you don't try to sell it, I think you'll be fine.

And based on Jyn's reaction to that bit of information, they will never find out!

Cassian's eyebrows go up as if to say but you were thinking about it because he does know her. He knows her, and she can read him like a book, and it would be terrifying back home but they're here where it's comforting instead.

He'll worry about what it all means later (of course). For now he can relish the comfort. Somewhat.

"Alright then. Jyn Erso, I formally invite you to dinner. Tonight and any other; a standing invitation." He hopes she doesn't expect him to put it on embossed paper, or something.

I do love the ring that 'impeccable style' adds to my list of accomplishments. [He grins and smooths a hand over the deep red waistcoat he's wearing, fingers brushing against the black embroidered pattern. It seemed like the majority of the town had all conformed to the same fashion choices, but never let it be said that Magnus would fall into line for anything, especially drab clothes.

Frowning softly, he pats her hand where it's resting against his bicep. He'll have to refrain from asking her too many questions, knowing from experience how little that did to help the recovery process. At least she would have her brother to guide her through everything, and Magnus if he was able.]

Telling a Lightwood to rest is akin to telling the wind not to blow, but I'm glad to hear you didn't sneak out of the hospital before you were discharged. [Grinning, he guided her around a corner that would set them on a straight path to the house he shared with Alec.] You might be surprised how calming this town is, though. After all, it inspired your brother and me to settle down.

Edited (damn grammar rules) 2017-04-24 19:53 (UTC)

What's this? Has Cassian pulled a smile from the perpetually surly expression of Jyn Erso? He certainly has. It's a small smile, disguised almost immediately by the bite of cupcake she finally takes, but it's definitely there.

She takes the time it takes to chew in order to coax it away. "I accept your formal invitation."

They're distracting.

[ Which might be an odd thing to say, but if Cassian is assured of anything it is his own ability to suss things out about other people and there's this: this man in front of him understands the inherent risks posed by a large crowd of people, even in a peaceful and innocuous gathering. ]

Plus this is not...my type of thing. Too many politics. [ Cassian shrugs. ] Yet here I am.

Cassian tilts his head a little, eyebrows raised, before he pours Ash a coffee and hands him said brownie. "Coffee's on the house." This guy looks like he needs it, honestly.

There's snickerdoodle cookies and cupcakes, and for the sake of not carrying a bunch of discounted sun-exposed desserts back to the tea shop (and plus what else is he going to do with all this?) he gives Ash one of each.

"Did you just get out of the hospital?"

Yes, we've all woken up in the hospital. And yes, it's a rather odd rule.

Are you from overseas?

[ It's a rule she's fine with ignoring, obviously. ]

So you were like... nomadic. Huh.

[ There's a glance around the park that they're in. ]

So... not from around here, huh? That's new.

That's kinda where I was heading with that.

Poe Dameron. [When she repeats his name, it's slowly and carefully.]

Huh. Sounds pretty spacey. [She smiles just a bit, amused by it.]

Mia Allen. That's me.

"I mean monsters. Real ones. They come up from the ground, move through the trees..."

Her gaze wanders, her body following her head as it turns to get a better look at the trees she had just walked through herself. She quiets considerably, just staring at nothing, her lip trembling.

Talking about it's triggered something. At least - she thinks it has? The details are a little fuzzy for her. But it's apparent enough that the gears are turning in her head.

"Sorry not sorry."

The last word is punctuated with another swift kick right at the tree trunk the stranger's leaning against.

Then she lets out a rather defeated-sounding huff as she slumps to the ground, crouching on her knees and hugging herself around the middle.

"I fly through space." He grins at the very thought of it, standing a little straighter. Nothing can lift Poe's spirits like flight.

He keeps pace with Nyx, trying not to show how the effort wears on him. He's still not recovered from the working-over he got from the First Order. Everything ached to start with, but now it's hard to keep putting one foot in front of the other. "You wouldn't be from the only pre-flight planet I've heard of. Never been to one myself, but it happens."

[ Him and his big mouth. ]

Everyone's happier that way.

[ Why doesn't he just say "yes I was yanking your chain"? IT IS A MYSTERY. ]

[ Poe laughs, clearly proud of Cassian's observation even though he, personally, has nothing to do with Finn's ability to win over almost everyone he meets.

It's friend-pride. ]

That'll be something to see. [ A thought. ] Don't tell her I know her name. As far as I knew ten minutes ago, she was basket-girl.

[The house feels much too big when she steps into it, much too big and much too open. A vision almost seemed to superimpose itself over the big living room with it's large TV, and it's open concept kitchen that got very little use. The vision was of a smaller room, closer to the size of her office and a desk loaded with files and view screens and the air being colder than it was right now.

Still Leia shivers at the comfortable suburban temperature as if a ghost had walked over her grave.

One hand presses against her chest for a second, and silently she goes through the stages one might if they were having a stroke (her husband is older, after all, and one never knows. Finding that she doesn't seem to be having any of them, she just asks softly:]

Would you get me a glass of water? The kitchen is that way. [There's a vague gesture to where the kitchen is and Leia makes several steps in that direction anyway, because she's not normally one to ask people for things here.]

I think we're going to need to talk about that in private. I don't want to be accused of giving them what they're doing before time.

Nice to meet you, Dom. I'm Leia Solo. I'm the vice-principal at the school.

[ He reacts with disproportionate quickness. Because she doesn't. She doesn't ask for things, he knows this. It both lights a flicker of anxiety in him and gives him a chance to do something on her behalf.

Even if it's just a glass of water.

Even if he has to check three cupboards before remembering where the glasses are.

(He doesn't notice that remembrance. He will. It will hit him like a laser fire, how small and insidious the knowledge is.)

He fills a glass once the water is cold enough, bringing it back to her, whether she's in the kitchen or the hall. ]

"You too?" It's a joke, or it's said like one, but he meets her eyes for a moment in solidarity. A calm, unspoken promise he wouldn't know how to voice even if he could.

If you need to talk.

Then the seriousness is gone, banished with a cheerful whack at an overhanging branch with his walking stick. "At least I remember my job clearly. Starfighter pilot. Military, I think."

I get it. People aren't always the most reliable, but sometimes you gotta take a chance.

Or else you're stuck with all the shit memories of when people were jerks instead of the good ones where they surprise you.

That's very confusing. So, instead of getting paid in money you get paid in joy? Name makes sense. I guess. Catchier than Killmoney.

[ She opens her mouth to answer and information tumbles into place. She grew up here. She's left to go to school, came back to work as a nurse, has been here ever since.

It's bullshit, it's all bullshit, but it's dizzyingly real. ]

Um. Here since I was a kid, I guess. Sort of coming back slowly-- there was this accident, you probably heard.

Sharon Carter. [ She offers her hand, squinting just a touch. ] If I said we worked together, would that sound remotely right to you?

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