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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John. How kind of you to contribute.

I suppose if we were savages we might have this conversation via two dozen short, typewritten messages, but I must say I prefer simple conversation.

Democracy is the way of the age, is it not?

[ Under feudalism, he'll be a lord. Here, this. ]

[Option One]

Max was one of the people who waited until he got released, not sure of what else to do. He doesn't think it's very helpful to just send someone out into the streets when they couldn't remember a lot of things, but when he brought that up, people didn't really want to talk about it.

He's wandered around for a bit, seeing if anything around might help him remember something, but no such luck. He does remember a few things though, one of them being he likes to read, so he eventually decides to find the bookstore. If he reads a lot, maybe being in the local bookstore would help trigger something.

You can either find him tapping you on the arm to get your attention and asking, "Do you know where the bookstore is...?" Or you can find him standing in front of the bookstore, looking up at the sign with a frown because it's still not bringing anything back.

[Option Four]

[Max knows people might scold him for talking about this, but that's still not going to stop him from asking, curious if anyone might know about one of the things he recalls. Hopefully he can just mask it by saying he read about it in a book if anyone does ask.]

Has anyone ever heard of nephilim fighting demons before?

[Nico also heard the scream and went to investigate, looking around for anyone who might be in trouble. This... kind of feels familiar, wandering around in woods that feel riddled with danger. He wishes he had some kind of weapon on him, but his sword's been confiscated. He doesn't even remember learning how to fight with a sword but if he has one, and a real one at that, then he must know how to use it, right?

He hears someone calling out and heads in the direction their voice came from, but once he comes across whoever they are, they don't look like they're in trouble. He frowns as he approaches the guy.] You didn't scream a minute or so ago, did you?

Yeah, nothing savage about you.

You want to start by answering your own question, maybe? What's got you thinking that all of this is going to have to undergo this great change you're on about? It's all been working just fine. You got some secret insight the rest of us don't?

Clary wasn't good with younger kids and yet the small boy staring at the book store drew her attention.

Unfamiliar memories forcefully flooded to the surface giving Clary a very sharp headache. It was of a different boy but they looked like they were the same age, with glasses that were too big for their face. The boy in her memory was grinning at a manga while trying to explain the reason why the characters were fighting. Another memory replaced the first where the two of them were sharing a blanket with a bowl of popcorn between them and cartoon figures running at each other on the screen. Most anime and manga plots were too convoluted for Clary to really understand them but then she remembered watching things in Japanese with Chinese subtitles, neither of which were languages she knew.

Pulling herself from her memories she stepped forward, looking between the kid and the store. "Hey. What are you looking at?" She asked a bit awkwardly, wanting to both talk to and run away from the young boy.

Obviously we need to sing The Cure's "It's Friday, I'm in Love". Or is that too obvious?

Welcome to Wayward Pines
After the initial shock of waking up in a hospital with no memories wore off-- and it wore off surprisingly fast-- Blaine went off to check everything out. He found himself looking for directions to the police morgue. Or a local funeral home. Did one of those missing memories include someone who died? How depressing, if that was the case.

Except he felt more like going to the morgue for a second opinion. Like people who worked with the dead would understand memory loss better than a hospital.

Somewhere in his exploration of the town, Blaine found his way to a music store with a piano on display. He invited himself to sit down and start playing. He probably wasn't supposed to do that, but something about playing a piano felt right to him.

Pita Bake Sale

Feeling like food might help with his memories, Blaine found his way to the bake sale. Everything looked good there, except the more he browsed around the more he got the nagging feeling he should've brought something. It didn't make much sense. It was a little fuzzy in his mind but he didn't get the sense that he knew anything about baking. No, the feeling was more that he was just supposed to supply the food, not make it.

Well. Better than nothing. Maybe if he wandered around the bake sale long enough, someone there would recognize him. Or the food would help clear some of the fuzziness. Whichever came first.

It sounds like somebody has been reading something in the fantasy section that incorporates specific theological/biblical imagery. Why you asking? Looking for a book buddy?

[Izzy isn't sure why her initial reaction to this is to...try and not talk about it in such an open and realistic way, but there you have it. That is her gut reaction. Followed very quickly by the curiosity: who is this and why are they asking? Where is this coming from?

Either way her instinct is to trivialize and to head this off. Weird.]

(ooc: Alec is book canon but I want to check on canon points first? Where is Max from in the series?)

A book buddy would be fun. I like to read.
I remember my family fights things like demons.

[Actually just... straight up demons but that probably sounds weird so he says 'like' instead.]

[OOC: Right before his death!]

What are your favorites? You've got to have one or two, right?

So you're from a family of cops? [Because this is sounding a little bit too familiar to her, eerily so. In a bad way, considering the posters not to talk about the fast and the Stepford-ness.] What's your name, who is this?

I like to read folk tales and fairy tales the best. I just started reading some manga too.

I guess you could say that.

I'm Max Lightwood.

Alec had closed up the shop for lunch, deciding that he needed a cup of coffee before tackling the dusty classical section that was gathering cobwebs in a corner of the storage room. As he walked toward the bookshop, he saw a boy staring up at the sign. His chest ached, grief tightening his throat. His memories were still fragmented but he finally understood why he felt such a profound loss when he thought of his baby brother.

From a distance, the boy looked like Max. As he drew closer, Alec expected to find some detail that was wrong but instead, he had to stop, almost shaking as he realized that the child didn't look similar. He was Max.

Strange, incomprehensible thoughts kept him frozen. Demons and hearts' desires and... This can't be real.

Slowly, he moved toward the boy that shouldn't be Max but looked so much like him that Alec couldn't understand how it could be possible. Swallowing hard, he told himself to be calm. Keep his voice steady so that he didn't frighten the boy. "Is your name Max?"

Max, this is Izzy! I think it's time to get off here, don't you think?

Where are you?

[By the angel, child, why are you talking about that in a public forum?]

[His smile broadens and brightens and he tips his head in a sort of bow at her introduction.]

Napoleon Solo, at your service.

[It feels strange, somehow, just introducing himself normally, interacting with others without a narrower purpose. But his smiles look sincere, and he's for all intents and purposes enjoying himself.]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Isabelle. Do you think there's anything I could improve on?

[He waits a moment before gesturing to the cupcake, just in case she had any other ideas...]

[It's been an interesting struggle, living and breathing his way back from amnesia without any cues to go on beyond a name, short of the odd muscle memory and habit. Some memories war with each other to such a level he has no choice but to accept both and see which will eventually override.

For example his strong inclination toward an absence of a father-figure from as early as he can remember. And the memories of his father being here, in Wayward Pines, maybe estranged but not absent entirely.

Solo opens the door with a smile that freezes in place, but he gestures inside, the picture of hospitality, if hospitality was presented by a robot, maybe.]

Well this is... [neither unexpected nor a surprise, and not entirely unpleasant. Maybe:] good timing. Come in.

I suppose.

Changes though. [She hums in contemplation.] I'm more curious what you think you could bring to the table. [What? She needs to know if he'd be advantageous to align herself with.]

You planning on diving head-first?

[that is not helpful Blaine]

Napoleon....interesting name for what very much seems to be an interesting man. [Izzy surmises with a grin that she can't quite banish at the moment. He's attractive, bakes, is wearing that suit, and the way he's carrying himself....

Izzy likes! And she's definitely curious now.]

Definitely a pleasure. [With the prompting, the petite woman takes a dainty bite of the cupcake, tilting her head and moving her eyes upward thoughtfully as she chews. It tastes great. Once she's finished, she runs her tongue over her lips to be sure that she hasn't made a complete mess of herself.] I don't have any points to improve on, but I'm also not a very good baker.

[She laughs and grins at him.] They're tasty and they look good...can't really go wrong with that. You could spruce your table up so it matches the cupcakes and your impeccable sense of style a little more, but other than that.... [Izzy trails off purposefully and shrugs, taking another tiny bite of her treat.]

Who, me?

[ asks the boy who absolutely could not scream like a girl, even if he wanted to.

But no, really, Percy shakes his head in response, a little too concerned with the possibility of someone needing his help to worry about the possible jab implied at his manliness. ]

I think it came from up there.

[ He turns to give his newfound companion a better look. First impressions demonstrate that he doesn't fit in to the cookie-cutter shapes made for the local townies; for one thing, he's a little too gaunt, too sallow, too haunted. But there's something else, something Percy can't put his finger on - there's a strange tugging in his stomach that veers close to the edge of uncomfortable. He's not sure what it is. It's probably not important. ]

I was about to check it out. Someone might be in trouble.

Edited 2017-05-06 04:16 (UTC)

yeah

yeah I'm a demigod

[ The way he sends the text, you'd think he was typing it up for himself, and not just Charlie.

It's a kind of confirmation of the fact. A reassurance. ]

also known as half-blood

most people don't know we exist.

[ The smile is awkward, more than a little unsure, but there's a lot of caring in there behind the trepidation. And part of the trepidation is that there's caring there that he's not sure is welcome. ]

I saw the light and I thought it might be nice.

[ He steps in and there's a shift towards pulling him into at least a half hug with one arm. ]

Izzy? Like my sister Izzy?

[That's another of the very few things he does remember - his siblings' names and faces.]

I'm in the library.

[He was trying to find anyone who might know what he was talking about! He also remembers he's nephilim and that his family hunts demons so he was wondering if there might be any other shadowhunters here.]

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