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

elsa | ouat

[dendrites]

( one )

[ there's a feeling of helplessness that follows her release. a nasty concussion, she assumes, considering all the murmurs about "the accident." strange – she thinks she is normally a careful person. what on earth would she have done to cause such a terrible thing that covers her in bandages and has nurses fussing. though a part of her suspects that this has more to do with her series of questions than anything else.

elsa wanders for a while, combing her fingers through her too-long hair down in waves before unfolding the sleeves of the faded denim jacket they had given her; she drowns in it, really, though it compliments the lavender floral dress. she wanders until she stops almost meaningfully in front of an ice cream shop, peering into the window with her hand up to her eyes to see inside. this ... seems familiar, in a way.

or perhaps she simply has a craving for chocolate. she remembers that much about herself. ]

( two )

[ well, this looks fun. by nature, she lingers on the sidelines, preferring to be an observer in the cheer section rather than a participant. it's warmer out today and she's tied a blue kerchief in her high ponytail, her bangs brushed away from her eyes.

she tries to stay out of the way really, but that water balloon toss does look rather intriguing. she might want a partner. or maybe she's just going to scurry away and accidentally bump into someone on her way out instead. ] Oh! S- my apologies.

( four )

What is your ideal comfort food?

Favorite ice cream flavor?

(that second one)

[allfornothing]

Hey, it's all right. You okay? Did somebody push you?

[ What. Crowe might not be that much bigger, and she's definitely still adjusting, herself, a mix of real memories still filtering in and fake ones, but.

She can worry about a fellow woman, right?

And maybe smile a little as she steadies her. Just a little. ]

[dendrites]

Oh, no I – [ elsa laughs nervously, wringing her hands together as she looks over her shoulder. ]

I'd thought perhaps – but then I decided to go back to watching, that's all. A stumble I caused myself. [ her smile is genuine, closed-lipped. ]

Thank you for asking.

[allfornothing]

Of course.

[ Crowe blinks slightly, at the unfinished words. After a moment's thought, she considers where they are, then she shakes her head, shrugs, and just asks. ]

Looking for a teammate?

[ What. The worse that can happen is being told 'no.' She's a big girl, she can handle that. ]

[dendrites]

You'd like to – [ enough of the nervous laughter, girl. be an adult. ] Certainly! If you'd like to play, I'd be happy to.

[ somehow, it feels better to be asked than to try to find a partner all on her own. funny how that works. she clears her throat. ] I was hoping for a teammate, hadn't thought of where to start.

[allfornothing]

[ Well, it was halfway a guess as to what the other woman left unfinished, but Crowe doesn't mind it being taken as an invitation, either. The nervous laughter makes her think that, usually, a lady such as this one would not give her the time of day, not back home, but - well. They're here now. People here, people who've ended up here, might be better, after all.

Ha.

Anyway. ]

Game seem familiar to you? Just so we can see what our strengths'll be like before we get out there. [ Because memories can be very tricky, and, well. No need to press. ]

four!

[mierda]

What's next, astrological signs? Favorite color?

[dendrites]

Do forgive my eagerness in latching onto a memory I have received. I was also curious, making conversation.

What is your favorite color?

[mierda]

Black. Never go wrong with a classic.

Your turn, Miss Teen Magazine.

[ Makes completely sexist assumptions, nbd. ]

[dendrites]

If you're looking to find the best prom dress for you, I'm afraid you're responded to the wrong message.

I'm fond of blue.

[mierda]

Cute.

Did you wake up with that one, or is that one of your precious new memories?

uno;

[dadiolus]

( there is something incredibly disorienting about being told that one, you were in an accident — even if you're ultimately okay, that's some damned jarring news — and two, that you're home even when you can't remember what that's supposed to mean. everything is fuzzy, and very little makes sense, especially when you hear something like do you remember how to get back home when you're pretty sure that shouldn't. be.

but again, everything is fuzzy. and everything feels like it might be susceptible to the sort of realism that seeps in from the edges as something plausible, and while it's been long enough since gladio's own accident that he might have started to believe some of the memories that are slowly coming back to him, it's not complete, and he can't help but wonder.

but that's neither here nor there, now is it?

he still takes to wandering around town when he's got the time, he it doesn't pass beyond his notice that there is a small, blonde, denim-and-floral clad thing standing just outside the ice cream shop, looking in like she doesn't quite dare go in herself, and he. has to stop. because it brings about the stirrings of memories that he's not entirely sure belong, but maybe they might, but that's neither here nor there, either.

he clears his throat upon approach, cocking his head to the side with a small grin. ) You can go in, y'know. They like it when you do.

( gladio. ffs. )

[dendrites]

I – [ her hand drops and she returns to being self-conscious, curling her fingers around themselves to press her joined hands to the front of her skirt. her eyes eventually leave the window to look up ( up, up, up ) at the man grinning down at her. ] Oh.

[ elsa. words.

but actually, she pauses not just because of ... obvious physical reasons ( she hasn't forgotten that she is a human lady with eyes, basically ) but because he's begun to get those wheels turning in her head, just as this shop has for reasons she cannot put her dainty finger on just yet. that kills her a little bit, but she supposes that there's nothing else to do but take it one step at a time. ]

Are you certain? [ she wrinkles her nose and cants her head to the side, subtly playful as her hands relax at her sides. a small giggle escapes her when she swings them back to hold behind her back instead, rocking on her heels. ] The food inside might just be for show.

[dadiolus]

( sorry that you have to look up ( up, up, up ) so far to see the one that's so amused with the way you've got your face pressed against that glass, but that doesn't quite stop his amusement, even when she schools her composure back into something more … well, composed. polite.

and not more enamored with the idea of chocolate than she is anything else.

though, maybe he isn't quite expecting the drastic shift in her demeanor — not so quickly, anyway — but it's enough to have his grin cracking just a bit wider, gaze shifting past the tiny ( yes, tiny ) shadow her form leaves behind her and through the window displaying all of its ( supposed ) offerings. ) Only one way to find out, then, I guess. ( he makes a vague, noncommittal but genuine motion in the direction of the door with one hand. ) Wanna check it out?

( this is how you make friends and influence people, right? )

[dendrites]

[ gulp. ]

Well, I – [ you go into a coma once and suddenly you've forgotten how to sp– oh. well, maybe that's part of it. elsa hops onto her toes because these shoes feel a little too flat on her feet and she tries to see if there's anyone else inside. no use in lingering out here like a creep, especially when there is now an invitation on the table. ]

Why, that would be nice, [ and she has to laugh at herself and her own silliness. ] You'll have to forgive me. I've forgotten myself, it seems. [ in more ways than one! though she's learning that this is a very common thing. a thing that should not be as common as it is, considering that she was just released from the hospital. ]

[dadiolus]

( finding that you've fallen into a coma, awaking from it and finding that you don't remember much ( if anything ) of yourself is certainly grounds for a bit of oddness on any part, and even though she might be fumbling her way through, if pressed, he'd say she was doing a good job of it. he remembers how odd, how fucking awkward some things had been until he'd settled in, and even if those same handful of things don't quite feel as right as it's impressed they should, what else can you do but roll with it?

but, no. no use hanging around outside like a creep if you've been invited inside, and while gladio has a tendency to prefer salty over sweet, there's nothing wrong with the occasional indulgence, especially if it's accompanied by a pretty woman with eyes the color of a sky he might just remember.

( poetic, ain't it? ) ) No forgiveness needed, unless you've forgotten your name, too. ( a pause, and damn, he might just go for it. ) 'Cause I might just have to call you 'beautiful' 'til you remember. ( FOR FUCK'S SAKE. )

Mine's Gladio, by the way.

one

[blaiiines]

[Blaine has a destination in mind once he leaves the hospital. He just doesn't really know where it is in relation to anywhere else in the town. As he wanders around, he looks for a place that might sell maps or a helpful citizen who would give him directions.

That is what's on his mind when he passes by the ice cream shop. But then he spots the woman with white-blonde hair and he changes directions. Hair like that is pretty unusual. Time to investigate. He approaches her, also peering into the window]

Too many flavors to choose from, eh?

[dendrites]

[ too caught up in her own thoughts, she's startled when approached, someone else's voice mingling with her own internal monologue. but she doesn't jump back, thankfully, though she does curl her hands into loose fists that she keeps close to her stomach, turning to face the man who has joined her at the window. ]

Y-yes, [ elsa laughs nervously, shaking her head. ] I'm wondering if I ought to try an old favorite or try something new.

[blaiiines]

[he gives this woman an assuring smile]

Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. [he turns his attention back to the window] Why not get two scoops, one of each kind?

[dendrites]

[ it's difficult to talk herself down from this anxious state when the hospital has given her very little information before releasing her with a smile and a pat on the shoulder. but she hopes that the other residents understand. ]

It's alright, [ elsa shakes her head. ] I've a lot on my mind. I do like how you think, regarding my ice cream dilemma, however.

[blaiiines]

It's been a pretty weird day for me, too. [he moves to open the door, turning to her] I think I could go for some ice cream myself.

Four

[panzersoldat]

I...do not know why. But I think it is something called Curry Wurst.

As to ice cream. Every flavor is good, but the German chocolate flavored one is the very best!

What is yours?

[dendrites]

Curry Wurst? I've never heard of such a thing! Is this a sausage?

Oh, another chocolate fan. That is my favorite as well. :)

I'm figuring out what my favorite comfort food is.

[panzersoldat]

Yes. It is a kind of sausage. From my country! It is a curry sausage fried in oil and then covered with curry ketchup. It is very good. I would eat it all the time if I could!

Oh! That's wonderful! Maybe we can enjoy some ice cream together sometime?

Oh? And what have you figured out?

[dendrites]

I'm figuring out that I have much food sampling to do! Such as start with trying your Curry Wurst.

And perhaps have ice cream after?