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.)
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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bumfuckidaho2017-04-17 06:22 am
TEST DRIVE MEME
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"Earlier-- oh, earlier. Don't worry about it." Poe slants a smile at him, both ironic and good-humored at once. "Don't do it again, but don't worry about it."
He chafes one wrist lightly with the opposite hand, remembering the feel of oversized cuffs sealed around his forearms. "So, you'd know better than me. Which way do we go?"
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Nyx glances around. It's easy to get lost in a place like this if you're not careful, especially when the sun start going down. The trees are thick enough that mid-afternoon starts to get a little gloomy, but he's not too concerned. They've got time yet.
"So long as we've got the chance, we might as well keep going." He nods in the direction they'd been walking, moving to lead the way. "So what do you remember, if you don't mind my asking?"
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Those facts and the images that come with them aren't it. They aren't even the most visceral of his memories. But he's not about to spill about torture and escape to a stranger. He's not going to spill about it to anyone but those who require him to make his reports. "And I know those things are true."
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"You woke up with more than I did. I had faces, a name, and a title. That's it." Well, that and the fact that he should have died, but funny how that's a bit difficult to bring up in conversation. He knows the events that lead up to it now. It makes sense, for all that it doesn't, but when he woke up? It had been an unnerving certainty that made that world off center for awhile. If he hadn't had Jack...
Sometimes he's grateful for the memories he's been given. Dangerous.
"Pilot? Like an airship?" There's genuine curiosity on his face when he looks back.
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What he wouldn't give to have a flightstick in his hands right now. It would make the world feel a little less sideways.
At least he's got BB-8.
"I'll count myself lucky, then. Didn't remember my own name before they told me what it was, but it's starting to feel right again."
They haven't been walking long enough for him to start feeling tired from it. Unless he's more drained from that infirmary stay than he thought, weaker from whatever happened than he thought.
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Exhaustion's been almost a comfortable friend to Nyx since he woke up in Pines, so he doesn't notice it right away, but the longer they walk the more he feels like he's been worn down. Like he's cast too much magic at once and his stores are low.
"Where I'm from doesn't have anything like that."
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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."
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They don't need to dream about the existence of other planets. The death toll would be unacceptable.
Nyx pauses, taking a moment to study the other man. He should have recognized the signs of exhaustion sooner. If Poe's anything like the rest of them, he probably was in the hospital until recently. He's going to have to remind himself that this isn't the Glaive. He has to step back. "Are you hurt?"
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He flashes Nyx a smile. "And good ones."
Poe is ready to change the subject, ignore the question, when his legs give out under him and he hits the ground on his knees with a wince. "Maybe a little."
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"I've got a..." Brother. Son. "...friend who can fix you up when we get back. I should've thought about it before we came out here." He digs a bottle of water out of his pocket for him.
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The thought of being repaired like an X-wing is perversely amusing. Poe hauls himself back to his feet, stubborn to a fault, before he accepts the water. He takes a swig and dribbles a little more over his face before offering it back to Nyx. "Thanks. I'm all right. It would've taken too much time. Whoever was screaming might still be out here."
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But there, Nyx's reaction tells Poe he's not the only one feeling off. He lifts a hand, planning on steadying the man, and then realizes he might just take Nyx down again with him. "What about you? You all right?"
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But often there's more going on than they'd otherwise realize, and it wasn't all that long ago the whole town was laid low by an infection that could have killed them. "Something's wrong. I didn't do anything today to feel like this."
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"Wait here."
Then he keeps going, slogging on in the direction they'd been going. He can see a wall between the trees, massive and humming with electricity, but that's all he sees before he crumples again onto all fours. His arms shake just holding him up. He could lay down right there in the dirt, he could, but he probably wouldn't get up again. "Stay back! Some kind of... energy field, I think."
Now he has to figure out how to get back to Nyx. Get his limbs to move. Get himself to do something.
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He edges sideways around a couple more trees until he can see the other man again. He might have an idea, but he can already tell it's going to cost him.
"You wouldn't happen to have a weak stomach, would you?"
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He first thought is that Nyx had spotted something in the woods, perhaps the result of the screams.
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But when has that ever stopped him?
Instead of being wary and unsure, confidence settles over Nyx like armor. He's finally starting to feel like himself again after two goddamn months of drifting like a ghost. The man who was a soldier. Who took risks. Who saved lives. This might not be anything on the same scale, but that didn't change anything in his mind.
He takes a breath and makes a break for Poe, jumping over the foliage to drop onto the dirt next to him. The change is almost dramatic. He can hear the electricity buzzing; glances up long enough to see the stretch of wall. It reminds him starkly of the walls that Niflheim favors. Tall and intimidating. Nothing like the broad, open expanse of Insomnia with its protective dome. Much less inviting. The sound of the power coursing along it was such a stark change compared to the quiet, rural town that he's a little surprised he hasn't heard it before. It seems obvious in hindsight.
Nyx pulls his kukri out of its sheath at his back, the curved blade clearly well cared for. "Sorry about this, it won't be pleasant." His pulls on Poe, gets an arm around him to make sure his hold is secure and calls on his magic.
It almost burns. For a sharp moment all he can see is fire. He feels a flash of fear that he's gone too far. His other spells were okay, but maybe this is what brings the kings' wrath upon him. It pulls on his bones and he gasps, but arcs his arm back to throw the kukri between the trees as far away from the fence as it'll fly. He counts twice and reaches out. Prays.
The magic clicks and they break down, pulled in a shower of blue sparks helplessly towards his anchor and materializing in a heap in the dirt.]
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There isn't a lot to heave, but boy, his body tries. He can't even consider the change in their surroundings right away, or the fact that he's able to stand again.
Poe coughs, then presses the back of his hand against his closed mouth.
"Well," he croaks. "That hasn't happened since basic."
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"Don't... don't take it personal. That's normal."
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"What was that? It was. I mean."
He looks around, marveling a little. "How'd you do it?"
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The exhaustion's real, though. He might as well have warped twenty times, not just the once. The landing had been less than graceful, too. Normally he can see where he's going, but that's not really an excuse. He's not just rusty, though. Whatever that wall was really took it out of him. If they'd been any closer...
"Call it a rare talent. Usually reserved for the royal family and occasionally borrowed by their soldiers." A severe understatement and hardly the case anymore.
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Poe sits down in the dirt, resting his arms on his knees. "So are you royal or borrowing?"
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It's easier to draw on the magic this time, now that they're out of immediate range. Doesn't ache quite as much as he feels it course up his arm, and electricity sparks between his fingers light tiny lightning bolts leaping over his skin.
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He glances at the shimmer of lightning bolts, then shakes his head. "You're half-way to being a Jedi. Maybe all the way. That or a human arc welder, one of the two."
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