bumfuckidaho | test drive meme, june 2017

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test drive meme, june 2017

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
FOURTH OF JULY

If there's one thing to be said for Wayward Pines it's the town's resilience and staunch refusal to give up on the image of a picturesque little town, and July 4th this year has the community putting it's best foot forward in this regard with its annual 4th of July picnic and fireworks spectacular.

To hear anyone (Linda) familiar with the town talk (complain), this year is a much more sedate affair than any of the years prior, but in a lot of ways today is a very good opportunity for people to reconnect with their neighbors; chat quietly at a table, share a recipe, play some catch, or argue with Jerry over the proper way too cook a burger. Jerry never listens, of course, but thankfully the whole event is a pot luck so there are plenty of other, far more edible options for those with a more... discerning palate.

The day passes pleasantly, and the night? The night brings the fireworks. A beautiful cascade of bright colors and lights in the sky. Sparklers are handed out like party favors while everyone is strongly encouraged to play safe by a long-suffering and weary looking sheriff. After all, the town has had quite enough excitement by this point, don't you think?

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 fifth 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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Yeah, that's still not very helpful. [what is little havana??? is there a big havana??]

[he looks over when she does, not meeting her gaze so much as following old instincts and awareness of his surroundings. which is when people look at him, apparently. he raises an eyebrow at her.] Pretty sure I'm breathing all right on that front. Think I'm just stiff from - however long I was in there, whatever reason it was.

[the second shout more than the initial yelp is what startles finn, but at least it makes him relieved that he's not the only person concerned here. he watches the couple scramble away and frowns thoughtfully.]

Everyone I've tried to get to help so far doesn't seem to care. It doesn't make any sense. [unless it's empire related.] You - wait, you think it's some kind of monster out there?

[he's not expecting much in the way of responses, and this one has finn looking up, curious despite the frown still on his face. before he even gets the chance to ask what she's talking about, she does - something. it's not really like anything finn's ever seen before, not in memories or feelings.]

[he's drawn to the explosion in spite of himself, even if he's still watching with crinkled eyebrows.] How did you do that? I didn't think they were designed for more than a quick little spark.

[ Of course she had gone into the woods. Lois' memories might be slower than most to come back, but this has not changed her or slowed her down in the slightest. If there's trouble, you can bet Lois Lane is headed straight for it, if she isn't already in the middle of it.

There's something wrong, though. Lois normally tears around in her fashionable, but sensible heels without breaking stride, but now she feels almost out of breath and a little wobbly. Weird. So weird that the woman she comes upon catches her off guard. Lois throws up her hands and wobbles a little precariously. ]

I'm Lois Lane. [ She almost says with the Daily Planet reflectively, her voice out of breath, but still with the same snap to it. ] Who are you?

Yeah, dude, they totally stick to that 'don't ask, don't tell' bullshit and--[except, wait, what?? He blinks, frowning at Finn now in confusion] What? [what brought up the monster---oh.] No, I was talking about bullshit I've heard before in my world, not here. But I mean...[Newt trails off, glancing at the woods] ...maybe? I dunno, man. It might be a monster? I haven't actually gone in there before.

I've read about them and the Gods of other cultures.

[The motorcycle...he remembered having it. But when he tried to remember past that one thought he couldn't visualize it. He couldn't remember....anything. He knew who he was. He knew who Alec was. He knew things, important things.]

I honestly don't know, Alec.

[The food wasn't as appetizing as it had been a moment ago.]

I haven't exactly been home. Maybe it's there.

[It was Jace's turn to covertly check for potential eavesdroppers.]

Nothin' saved for me, no.

[ John wouldn't be a regular much of anywhere in town outside the diner, despite his history in Wayward Pines. If anything, he tends to roam like a ronin, never quite favoring one place over another.

He picks a booth and gestures for Brock to take a seat across from him. Once seated and settled in, he offers his hand across to the other man. ]

It's Blake, by the way. John Blake.

[ She thinks about lying. ]

Natasha Romanov. [ Natasha looks at the woman, trying to get a read, taking it all in. The way she wobbles in her heels, the fact that she's wearing heels in the first place. But enough of Natasha is missing that she doesn't know how to put the pieces together, just that she ought to be noticing things. ]

Do you know what made that scream?

I suppose this is fun, isn't it?

[ deceptive, manipulative fun. Tink would never say it isn't appealing; she fits into this town well, thanks to fake memories that align to everyone else's. they've all been told enough of the same lies to feel a certain connection to each other, or to find common ground when they don't. she's a business owner, a cheerleading coach, a friend to many people in the Pines. it's more than she had in Neverland, and if it was real she'd love to keep it.

but it isn't, which makes all of this a little hollow, no matter how she badly she'd like to find a home again.] Some people say it's not the same grand affair it's been in recent years, but everyone seems to be having a nice time. [ everyone who doesn't know any better, Tinker Bell included.]

Things have been... hectic, lately. I think we all needed this.

t h r e e

[ Major is used to large crowds and the noise of them, and while it's certainly not the large, looming network of a city she's used to, the life the celebration has is a small comfort, a reminder of the place she was before, even as she feels adrift and alone, with no net or Section 9 to connect to. It helps, in it's own way. She stalks through the crowd like a tiger, lingering here and there to listen to conversations, but mostly taking in the buzz of the background noise of dozens of voices melding together into one pleasant (to her, anyway) sound.

At one point, she lingers around the tables piled high with dishes brought from almost everyone in town, but she doesn't take a plate or try to eat. Most of it smells delicious (although there's a plate of burgers she makes a face at — she hopes no one is eating those), and she even reaches out at one point to grab a piece of fried chicken, holding it up to her nose to smell it before putting it back. ]

[ Later that evening, she can be found making her paces through the crowd gathered to watch the fireworks; she's a police officer here, a pale imitation of the field leader she is back in New Port City, but that, too, is a familiarity she'll grasp with both hands. A lot has been taken from her, and if she can keep it, then by whatever, she's going to do it. Mostly she's keeping an eye out for rowdy kids, but she's not adverse to stopping to chat with someone, if they're inclined. Unless you're Linda or Jerry — she's really tired of listening to them complain about having to trim their neighbor's bush.

She does stop when the fireworks start, staring up at the sky with a faint smile on her face. ] Beautiful.

f o u r

A public service announcement: The police station will no longer be taking calls about flower beds possibly spilling over into a neighbor's yard and demanding arrest of the individual in question. Please resolve neighborly disputes in a calm and rational manner.

Thank you.

[ she's not saying it's jerry but — ]

Edited 2017-06-21 06:24 (UTC)

[ if he's going to play it up, he's found a willing participant. Emma turns away in mock disgust, covering a laugh when she ducks her head. veggies on a holiday? who would ever opt for healthy when you could drown your vegetables in dip?]

The mac n' cheese bites have jalapeno in them. I'm hitting all my food groups.

[ they're also, you know, fried mac n' cheese. this is what people do on the fourth of July, Emma is a patriot.]

What did you bring?

Edited 2017-06-21 06:24 (UTC)

We'll figure it out. The three of us got through the amnesia. In a few weeks, you'll be better.

[He hoped that was true and if it isn't, then Magnus can take a look at Jace and figure out what's wrong.

Grabbing one of the chips, he munched on it while giving his iced tea to Jace. He might complain about sharing food but he always ended up giving things from his plate to Izzy and Jace. Or stealing them.]

It was never home.

[Not in the ways that either one of them needed or the way that Wayward Pines is becoming home to Alec.]

Maybe we should get one since we can't find yours.

Nah, I can eat anything, but it depends on my mood if I bother to. Living hard means I got no reason to turn anything that is actually food down.

[Rumlow couldn't recall being someone who stayed much in one place either, but then again, since the accident, his memory hadn't been what it used to be. There were missing pieces and haziness that was curious as much as it was frustrating. Thankfully, he knew he hadn't hung around this place much, since it very recently opened its doors to the public.

He followed the cop to a booth and casually set his items down atop it before sliding into the seat. He arranged his items so that he could easily unroll the paper and get started into the apparent meat of why they were here. He paused to take and shake Blake's hand, a good firm handshake.]

Rumlow. [He took the banana off the table to set it beside him. That was for later after they potentially played pictionary.] But I guess since you seem like a fine and upstanding citizen, you can call me Brock if you like.

I don't know, Bill Nye, can you tell me more about the benefits of avocado nutrition? Clearly I didn't learn enough in school while I was putting my chewing gum on the underside of my desk and ignoring the bashful looks of girls. Where did I go so wrong in my education? None of the studies that I read indicated that unless the punishment was out of context of the need for reprimand or the punishment was too severe for the misdemeanor. And Hell, my hide was tanned a whole number of times and I turned out just fine. Though let's be clear, if one needs an application to own a dog, they should have to submit an application to procreate too. Aren't they? With their jobs that go no where, low pay, no benefits and having to rely on their parents for longer because of all the other factors in the lives leaving them with less and less certainty. Those Millennials always were up to no good.

I can get that. Living hard, I mean.

[ Carl's memories are a little fuzzy, but he did remember traveling to a group, and food and hunger was almost always the most immediate concern. ]

I don't know what you mean by millennials but it is weird how some people take weird priorities in food. Like organic.

It's true because when you think about it: isn't everything organic? It's grown, isn't it? It's just a gimmick to convince people to buy their product.

I guess. They look the same to me. I just go buying the cheapest stuff since organic is so expensive.

[ He knows Rumlow disappeared for a while. He knows because he cased the town after Kenzi left her 'husband.' But after a while, it became apparent that the HYDRA agent simply disappeared, like several others before him. So that was one threat down, one less reason to look over his shoulder (and Steve's and Natasha's and Kenzi's) for while.

And then, a couple days ago, he spotted Rumlow for the first time in over a month. Something was different, though, in his bearing from the last time Bucky saw him. Not just one thing, but a number of little, subtle differences. So... he might have channeled the Winter Soldier more over the next few days with the stalking and surveillance, keeping quiet and hidden.

Today, though, Bucky's out in the open, making no effort to stay off Rumlow's radar. He watches as the other man pulls away from the crowd, and finally, he approaches. ]

Haven't seen you in a while. [ A neutral comment spoken in a neutral voice, not betraying if he's speaking as the real Bucky Barnes, or the Bucky Barnes of this town. He is, however, watching Rumlow closely. ]

[ No, no, no, no, no. Even if his eyes widen a little, betraying the fact that Rumlow asking about someone else is hitting closer to the truth, Jefferson has no intention of budging and letting Kenzi's name slip out of his mouth. So he recovers, doubling down. ] I can't think of anyone who'd want an insincere apology.

[ Time to back up another step. ] Good, then. You go about your business, I go about mine. [ He's hoping the implicit promise that he'll leave Rumlow to his own plans and devices will be enough to win some kind of truce. Let Rumlow be a problem for others, as long as he and his people are left alone. ]

fucking jerry

[ HE KNOWS IT'S JERRY. ]

Edited 2017-06-21 14:00 (UTC)

Noticing the change in expression, Alec waited for the comments or at least the disgusted look. After years of hatred, he still expected the same treatment in town. When there was no comment about his husband, he began to relax. This wasn't New York or Idris. No one here thought it was strange that he was married to Magnus.

"There's a lot of accidents here." Alec kept his tone casual, but he was suspicious of it. The odds of everyone in his family, and every one of his friends, ending up in the hospital is strange.

"Music sounds better on vinyl." Especially considering the level of tech in town. Giving Harry a curious look, he focused on that partial word. "Around your...?"

( if you aren't a prissy old man that prefers unprocessed food, then the food is probably fine, Cashmere. doesn't matter that he lived on hard tack and salt pork for weeks at a time when he was out at sea, apparently Hook can still turn his nose up at mayonnaise. he can eat it, but he sees no reason why he should do so gracefully.

the mention of a drink with extravagant colors and sparkles of all things breaks through the charismatic veneer to flit across his features in literal horror. if the things this place did to salad were horrific, it's certainly worse to do it to alcohol. )

Savages, ( he mutters, though he does stand up so they can go after alcohol anyway. he's dressed in a dark shirt and leather pants, he should be sweltering, but no it's the food he is complaining about. it takes little to no observation skills to note the hook in lieu of a hand on his left arm, especially when he extends it in an overly dramatic bow in greeting. ) Captain Hook, by the way.

( yes, the fictional pirate captain just called people savages for putting glitter in their cocktails. that happened. )

And which do you favour most?

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