test drive meme, may 2017

[officialnotice]

TEST DRIVE MEME

There was an accident. The details are hazy and obscure, but it's still the first thing you remember. Maybe a car wreck — metal and broken glass everywhere, and the sirens and the screaming. Maybe your bike hit a rock and you careened uncontrollably off a mountain path. Maybe something less mundane, even impossible seems to have happened to you. You can't quite make out the details, not who was at fault or why. Try as you might, the chaos is all you can truly remember.

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

When you open your eyes, the accident is gone. Instead, you're in a hospital bed, and the nursing staff greet you with cheerful smiles.

Don't worry, they tell you. You'll make a full recovery here. Where is here? Why, home in Wayward Pines, of course!

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

TRACK AND FIELD DAY

With the current school semester coming to a close and summer vacation on the horizon, school administrators have elected to end the year on a high note with an invigorating Track and Field Day at the park, in order to better foster fitness and health in the children (outside of their government mandated physical education classes, anyway).

The event is, of course, open to the community at large, whether you have a current affiliation with the school or not. Because, well, everyone could stand to get up off their couches for an afternoon of running around in the sun. Or, in the case of residents with a particular sun allergy, under the shaded tarp canopies that dot the field here and there with healthy snacks, drinks, and some of the less expansive games available today (such as, oh, a nice sedate beanbag toss).

Wayward Pines thrives on the inclusion of all varieties of people, after all. Even those that aren't, strictly speaking, people at all.

All of the most recognizable games are available, of course: sack races, relay races, three-legged races, any sort of race you can think of, really; flag football and dodgeball with soft spongy balls to keep anyone from getting too competitive (the school nurse is on hand just in case though); a massive tug-of-war rope that spans nearly the entire field; and water balloon and blanket tosses. If you're not too sure what the latter is you can ask Linda at the makeshift juice bar and she'll be all too glad to explain for you.

Actually, on second thought, don't ask Linda anything. Don't give her the satisfaction.

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), 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!

( a few notes )

Welcome to our fourth 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.

Comments

Alice Quinn - That Magical People Fucking Shit Up Show

[fuckthelookingglass]

Option One

She has to resist tugging down at the edges of her hospital gown as she walks. It's not the length, really, that's not it. She doesn't think that's it. Of course what does she know! She knows nothing, that's what she knows, and it sucks.

This whole thing really really sucks.

But she's pretty sure it's not the length. It's the. The. The sheerness. It's indecent, and why they couldn't have her things at the hospital is entirely beyond her. It would make more sense than forcing her to walk across town in what amounts to a bedsheet with ties at the back.

Still. She makes her way through town with the brisk walk of someone who doesn't want to be bothered and doesn't plan on speaking to anyone who gets in her way. It's undermined, somewhat, by the way she has to stop and squint at the directional signs.

One thing now known: she needs freaking glasses.

breathes into a paper bag

[sybaritic]

Eliot is on his way to work, which even walking takes him all of about twenty seconds, so he's pretty sure he's going to be early, and that is just. Grotesque. It's bad enough he feels compelled to continue participating in the farce that is employment at all, let alone bother with punctuality. Punctuality plus, even.

But today he is blessed! (That's a word for it, sure, although like. Probably not from Alice's perspective.) Meaning he all but literally skids to a halt as he rounds the corner, automatically throwing up a simple spell meant to pierce illusion magic. It wouldn't hold up to anything too complex, but he sees nothing different through the frame of his fingers, and that's--it's really--

"Alice?"

No, Eliot, her identical mostly naked twin.

...anyway. He strides across the street to her, eyes huge, mouth doing this slightly wobbly uncertain thing, though it only lasts a second. Uncertainty is for other, less fireproof people! As such, his most recognizable dry, laconic indolence flows back in almost at once. "Leeeet me guess. You've heard the word 'accident' recently."

Also. Uh. He shrugs off his jacket, which will almost certainly be longer on her than the hospital gown.

[fuckthelookingglass]

When she sees the gigantic human sapling tree-walking her way, Alice backs up. One step, two step, slightly tripped step. There's a children's rhyme in there somewhere--

She squeaks at the application of his jacket to her shoulders, automatically grabbing at it to keep it from falling even as she twists her neck at what must be near a ninety-degree angle to get a better look at his face. He knows her name, which is more than she would know if not for her hospital bracelet. All she's got right now is a diagrams and sigils and hand motions and their magical results.

"Um. That would be, you would be right about that. Thank you. For the-- I'm sorry, I d-don't know you. I mean I don't know if I do. I mean I obviously, I must, because you just." She makes an exasperated noise and moves to adjust glasses that aren't there. "Sorry."

[sybaritic]

Eliot experiences just a tiny beat of 'oh right,' because he's so used to it being utterly unnecessary to intimidate anyone when he can, you know, immolate them with his mind. It's been a long time since someone looked at him like that for being tall, let alone Alice, who's been through such a laundry list of terrible things with him surely she isn't--

"Jesus deepdicking Christ," he says, hilariously longsuffering for such a delightful choice of words. Of course this is what's happening. He attempts to dial down uh, being himself, audibly gentles his voice. There is an attempt to put a hand on her shoulder as well (Eliot only touches people when he or they are in crisis), though he'll back off if it looks like she'd rather have space.

"You...probably hit your head in the accident." Feeding her the party line as a shortcut just. Seems easier. Ridiculous fuckery later!

"I'm Eliot. We're--friends. And it's tremendously boring here," for the most part, "so you don't have to worry about being safe." Uh. Yet. He doesn't know if she remembers magic, that she's the most powerful Magician of their age he's ever met, but really, questions of safety are a moot fucking point if she does.

"Did they tell you your stuff's at the sheriff's station?" Presumably yes. "Come on, I'll walk you there."

He offers her his arm, like the loon he is. Basically: friendliness like a steamroller, which is generally how Eliot acquires people, aaaand how he pretty much did in their actual lives, as well.

SCREAMS LOUDLY

[hedgebitch]

Julia should probably be more concerned about the nightgown, all things considered. It's a hassle and it's revealing but it's the only thing transparent about this place. Everything else is confusing. She can barely remember anything and the nurses wouldn't answer her questions and that puts her on edge.

The signs say to not ask about the past. To just accept this place --

How is she supposed to do that?

She doesn't remember Alice when she runs into her, but she sees how the other girl is squinting to read the signs and it's concerning. Why would they send someone into the wild of the city without at least glasses? Or is she blind? The squinting suggests some vision but who knew. Either way she's curious and it might be good to have an ally here. So she approaches the other girl.

"Do you need help?"

bonnie bennett • the vampire diaries

[bonnfire]

three;

[ Ah, field day. Bonnie remembers the ones Mystic Falls Elementary had way back when, and she can't particularly say she misses it. A big giant excuse for kids to run around and play sports all day, and yet - she finds herself volunteering for it anyway. Call it her goody two shoes instinct, or her desire to nurse some fruit juice, or something else altogether.

She'll be here, casually suggesting and offering drinks to whoever passes by, or maybe you've caught her stuffing her face with those cute pigs-in-a-blanket. She laughs it off, ] What? They were super yummy.

[ Later on, she'll drag someone else to help so that she can re-live her glory days and play a rousing game of capture the flag. Did you want to play? Did you NOT want to play?? Too bad, she's in search of teammates and you happen to be closest. ]

four;

I'm bored, and boredom doesn't exactly lead to good things, so: who wants guitar lessons?

I can't promise I'll make a professional out of you, but I can at least guarantee you fun. And to make it even easier, payment can be in the form of future favors or the old-fashioned bartering system. Make me an offer, and I'll probably roll with it.

wildcard;

[ Thought of an idea that doesn't fit either prompt? Slam it down here and let's get going. ]

[chocolateries]

[ silena holds up her hands, smiling easily as she steals her own pig in a blanket, using it to gesture aimlessly. she's loitering by bonnie's juice booth because silena is enamored by the older woman because bonnie is The Coolest. (and also because silena is ferrying juices to the students finished relay races or getting hit out during dodgeball games.) ]

Hey, I'm not going to judge you. You do you. [ especially when they're right there in front of them. ] If they didn't get eaten I'm sure Linda would be so disappointed, you're just making sure she feels good about herself.

[ silena beauregard, making your pig out seem like charity since always. ]

[bonnfire]

True, but I'm already judging myself a little.

[ Bonnie laughs, though her expression more than betrays her relief. She can live with judging herself. She's eaten way too many for it to be remotely healthy, and she's not exactly dragging herself out there to play.

She will later, once the dodgeball madness dies down. She has very, very vivid (real) memories and she's not keen on re-living them.]

Thanks for helping me out, by the way. It's been a huge relief.

Devi D - I feel Sick/Johnny The Homicidal Maniac

[artistwithasickness]

One:
Devi hated hospitals. She hated hospitals like she hated green plaid, or like the stupid questions that she was used to getting. That is to say, she hated it with the fire of a thousand suns. Left sitting on her hospital bed, successfully urged by the nurses to not arbitrarily check herself out, Devi sighed. It didn't feel like the first accident that she'd ever gotten into, but if asked directly, she wouldn't be able to recall. There were a slew of questions, slowly mounting in the back of her head, and, after nabbing a second gown to cover her backside and tie up front, Devi slipped into her big black, half laced boots and started to meander around the hospital.

Nothing felt right. Her limbs all worked the way they should, her hands were whole and had its senses but the slender purple haired girl found herself stopping at nearly every window that overlooked the little working town.. Ever the realist, Devi tried to run through what she knew and was left more empty handed then she had been when she started. The nurses were no help, shushing the tall woman with all the silencing skill of a mother and telling her to not worry about it. Which of course, meant she worried about it. Any itches to escape from the pristine, bleach smelling environment was promptly scratched with the reassurance that her release papers were coming and a gentle rush to get dressed.

Waiting outside her room, leaned against the wall, Devi sighed and looked to her left at a clipboard. Glancing at the nurses who would, no doubt, fuss at her for doing so, she nabbed the board and pulled out the pen, helpfully adding a little, elaborate skull on their chart.

"If this takes any longer, I'm going to die of old age or sheer boredom; fuck. Give a girl a paddle and a ball or something.."

Two:

Finally. Released from the hospital and let out into the streets, Devi takes in a deep breath and starts walking into town, taking in the strangely familiar damn air, the colored shops and the quaint feel of the place - it felt like something out of a book which was just as strangely comforting, until the scream pierces the air. Jolting at the sound, Devi looked around with wide, worried green eyes. Was that human?

Looking up the road again, Devi bit her lip and the proverbial bullet. "Fuck. I know this is going to be a bad idea. 'Just walk into the woods you heard a scream from D, I'm sure it's just the local bears prepping their dinner'," she muttered sarcastically to herself as she started into the woods. "I'm sure they love a little Mexican around here..."

The sarcastic commentary was going to keep her company all the way through, as she unknowingly headed for the wall.

1

[kon_el]

Conner wasn't entirely sure wandering around was a great idea, as he still felt weak from whatever accident had happened, but he was determined to do so, and so he was slowly moving, dragging a support pole(and possibly leaning on it) that held a drip of half a dozen medicines he apparently needed.

He did not like this feeling of weakness, and he recalled only a very big explosion and something like... satisfaction or contentment? He had no clue, really, and he sighed as he walked along. He wore only some hospital pants that were too tight and too small for his size, and he smiled, a little as he saw another patient.

"Hello, stranger. Come here often?"

His voice was a little thready and weak, and he had a greenish cast to his skin, a little.

[artistwithasickness]

Looking up from her graffiti, Devi gave a crooked smirk in greeting to the shirtless beefcake as she stuck the pen behind her ear and pulled the clipboard against her.

"Only every day that ends in D," she said, smirk tugging a little broader. "To be totally honest, I think the answer is both yes and no - I hate hospitals but I've been in them before..." Her brows pinched a little as she tried to confirm that in her memory. "Accidents are the best way to ruin everything."

She looked him up and down again. "What about you? Your IV buddy looks pretty familiar with you."

Was he... green?

[kon_el]

"That's a fact. My brain pan and my body both seem a little all shook up, but that might just be the company." He offered her a smile that tried to be a smirk, but was a little weak yet.

"Yeah. I don't think they expected me to be awake yet. Still need lots of fluids, and still tired." A nearby window let a simple pool of sunlight spill over a nearby chair and he slumped in it, unwillingly. But that sunlight made him slowly feel a little better, the green shade fading a little more...

2

[geomagnetically]

Woods exploring: not the best idea, but Lorna is doing it anyway again. Whatever.

She came across Devi shortly into her walk into the woods and looked over at the other woman. "Buddy system is overrated for you too, huh?" Said with a half smile. She can do sarcastic but friendly commentary as well (well, not that'd she'd heard Devi's own commentary).

[artistwithasickness]

Seeing someone who wasn't obviously distressed was not what Devi was prepared for and Lorna's appearance got it's own little jolt of a jumpscare that had her moving back a half foot.

"Me and the mouse in my pocket have bets for who's going to outrun bears," she said lamely, green eyes wide and sharply nervous. "Did you hear that scream?"

She must have, right? That's the only good reason for someone to be out here... But then again.. Devi's mind was quick to supply Texas Chainsaw Massacre levels of paranoid, alternate suggestions.

silena beauregard | riodan mythos

[chocolateries]

ｗｅｌｃｏｍｅ ｔｏ ｗａｙｗａｒｄ ｐｉｎｅｓ

[ it is impossible, but silena makes a loose, unflattering hospital gown look hecka chic, she is, however, so sweet and friendly that she talks her way into grabbing a spare pair of scrubs instead-- too big, too loose, but still impossibly adorable on her like they were made for her on the set of grey's anatomy.

it's much easier to make her way to the sheriff's office with pants on, except silena realizes very quickly that she is incredibly out of her depth and lost. she feels like she's going in the wrong direction. ]

Excuse me. [ take pity on her, she is sweet and young and charming. ] Where is the Sheriff's... office? Department? Building. [ she puffs a sigh out that makes her long, dark curls fly away from her face. ] Thingy. Station! [ her ridiculously bright blue eyes light up at figuring out the right word. it's the little things, y'all. she's had a tough day. ] Can you tell me where the Sheriff's station is? They have my clothes.

ｔｒａｃｋ ａｎｄ ｆｉｅｌｄ ｄａｙ

[ while she may not be dressed as a cheerleader, there is a definitive cheerleader-esque quality to her sideline cheering and bouncing curls. she doesn't want to participate, unless the school surprises her with suddenly having an equestrian team, but she is more than happy on the sidelines. ]

Go, go, go, go, go! [ you're doing great sweetie.jpg silena will be there to offer anyone juice when they get knocked out in dodgeball because she a good friend, even if she doesn't... actually know you.

when she does get roped into flag football, she turns out to be freakishly agile and quick and maybe a little too competative. #demigods ]

jughead jones | riverdale

[whoopee]

【 wild card, glug glug's

[ He was an observer. There were plenty of things that went on in this town that were, in no better term, suspicious. The entire Stepford Wives aura has always been a giveaway from the start and he knew that whatever was going on in this town, it wasn't the sort of secret that anyone could slip so easily.

It'd been difficult to remember everything that he should, but he knew there was something missing. Something important, which was another clear hint that things weren't as they seemed.

Jughead had gotten the old typewriter for a few bucks and some voluntary hours in cleaning up storage at the pawn shop. It was a rusty aged thing with a few sticky keys, especially the "S" but it was the only thing that brought any sense of comfort amongst the thriller aura of the town. It's a heavy weight but he carries it in his bag with him whenever he goes into Glug Glug's, the town's local and most decent shoppe of sorts.

When he's there, he's in one of two places, really. Either seated in the main floor at a table looking out the window with a coffee getting cold beside him as he types with salty fingers from the fries, or overlooking the balcony up on the second floor, his heavy typewriter on his lap.

For either one, he does what he does best: observe. And though usually keeping to himself, being in a public location, anyone can come to interrupt at any moment. ]

【 message board

[ The typewriter is better for personal use than the laptop. It's hard to trust the technology when he hardly trusts anything else. But it is decent for research purposes. ]

( username: j )

Kind of neat that us kids get to roam around freely without any parents, right?

[ Posed as an innocent question, of course. ]

[corby]

u dotn have parents?

[whoopee]

A lot of people don't have parents here.

[corby]

and alot of people do whats ur point
some peoples parents are gone
ether on vacation or in the ground
some peoples parents are just terrible parents
its not like big brother isnt watching us anyway

glug glugs

[perfectible]

[ Betty arrives later than Jughead does. And the whole experience is more than disorienting to her. Memories are faded, things feel foggy and the gash on her head is only making matters worse. Discharged from the hospital and reunited with her clothes, she wanders.

This doesn't feel like home, this place doesn't feel right but she can't remember what is supposed to feel right. The things she does know are her name, that Jason Blossom is dead, that she trusts three people: Archie, Veronica and Jughead. When the rain starts to fall, she takes shelter in the nearest shop she's by.

Which happens to be Glug Glug's.

If she'd glanced up as she walked in, she'd have seen Jughead sitting there, all settled in with a coffee. No, instead, she reaches up to pull her ponytail tighter on her head, a nervous tick, before she sits at the counter and asks hopefully for a cup of tea.]

[whoopee]

[ In the real world, things happen by coincidence. Rain falling is just a usual path of the weather, just some clouds getting heavy and the natural course of precipitation. But in Jughead's mind, there's little space for coincidence. Things represent auras and omens, and even with the few falling drops he can see outside the window, he feels an instinct that there's something significant in it.

The bell of the front door rings, something he's heard on repeat throughout the afternoon since this is a popular spot in an all too small town. But between locals and people too insignificant towards Jug's own curiosities, it hasn't prompted much interest.

But the swing of a wet blond ponytail makes him alert, eyes rising from the typewriter, ceasing in the midst of a word, narrowing his sights on the girl who steps in and make her way to the counter.

He's been cautious and a spectator throughout all his time in this town, but there's always been something quite particular that's known to drop his guard. Chair sliding back, screeching against the floor, he stands, marching his way to her, wondering, hoping, that he isn't wrong. ]

Betty?

un: cub

[00nothing]

Neat?

[whoopee]

Yeah, we can all run wild without parental surveillance.

glug glug's

[spideys]

[ In a matter of moments, a young man wearing glasses and an army-jacket over an over-sized hoodie will slump into the seat across from Jughead's. He leans in to pinch a fry off of him in a way that only very close friends can do.

In any other circumstance with any other person, Peter would be a whole lot more polite. But Jughead is much more than just any other person. He's basically family. ]

I knew I saw you as I was passing by. [ Hi Juggie. ] I've never actually been inside before though. [ He readjusts his glasses, making a show of studying their surroundings. ] It's - uh. It's kinda cool.

[whoopee]

[ At a quick glance when the teenager walks through the door, Jughead doesn't think anything of it. Just a stranger, his mind tells him, his eyes floating back to the paper in his typewriter. But then the seat across from him is suddenly filled with a body, prompting him to jolt his head back up and —

Huh. He knows him. A second ago, he didn't. He was sure he didn't. But no, he knows this kid. Of course he knows — ]

Peter Parker. Weird to see you here, out and about and not formulating science experiments in your head. [ His fingers remain on the keys, but he sits back in his seat, raising a brow at the boy. ] And I thought the anti-social stereotype was supposed to fall on me.