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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I have, but I wouldn't call myself an expert.

Edited 2017-06-23 00:30 (UTC)

We mostly focused on the stories and gods of war but Freyja was a favorite.

"Utterly helpless," she sighs dolefully after a thoughtful lick to her somehow not at all melted blueberry ice pop. "I think the entire party would simply collapse without such useful accoutrements."

She makes a noise as another thought comes to her. "Or we would turn into animals ourselves, eating with our hands."

[1.) Hospital:

The hospital setting isn't new to Nanako, though it does confuse her slightly. Didn't she get to leave the hospital with her daddy months ago? Was all that happened after just some sort of weird dream she had while she was asleep, recovering from that spooky thing that happened with Big Bro and his friends? She's not sure, and she definitely know she feels fine now, sitting up in bed easily and looking around her room.

Maybe it's just her, but this room doesn't seem the same at the one she vaguely remembers. Did they move her to another one while she was asleep? The bed feels bigger, and the walls aren't the same color...there wasn't a window before, was there? Those questions pass through Nanako's head only for a moment, before an even bigger, more important one blares like a siren against her psyche--

Where is my big bro? Where is my daddy? I want my daddy.

Despite that, she keeps quiet and doesn't pester the staff too much, or move from her bed. She's a good girl, and does as she's told, though eventually the curious child in her does start to eat away at her conscience, giving way to her inquisitive side. Looking left and right to make sure there's no one watching or passing by her door, Nanako peels back the blankets of her hospital bed and slides off the mattress, peering around her room and through the crack in the door curiously, looking deeply bothered. She doesn't know exactly where she is, and if her daddy is okay - she really wants to see him right now - but at the same time her shy nature and reserved personality keeps her tongue in check.

Only when she's spotted does Nanako shy back towards her bed, but it's hesitantly. She's dying to go looking around to try and find her father - he should be here too, they were admitted together to the same hospital, after all - but she just can't bring herself to drum up the courage to ask. It's a little intimidating for a child of her age, and the nurses and doctors all look so busy, too... She shouldn't bother them...]
---

[2.) Into the Woods:

She heard it. The scream.

Nanako knows better than to wander off into the woods by herself, especially after what she's been through already - daddy told her not to do certain things, and he's a detective! - but it's eating her inside. She's scared, remembering all about the murders in Inaba, and that scary man that took her away...that weird world...and how hard it was to breathe--

Pursing her lips and walking the length of the path where the trees begin to draw closer together - the edge of the forest - Nanako peers into them, turning her head this way and that, looking around in hopes that possibly someone, anyone older might come along and investigate, or offer to help...something! She knows how terrifying it was to get kidnapped, and what if someone's really in danger? Or hurt? Shouldn't they do something to help? Isn't there a policeman or a detective here? Nanako still wants to find her family, but her attention span is still that of a child. She's curious, and has a strong sense of justice (living in a household where you daddy's job is to catch the bad guys does that, after all), and a big heart. If someone's in trouble, we should do something!

But...she's also just a little kid, and she does know better. Daddy said not to go looking for trouble. If you think something is wrong, you find a policeman, or someone older to help. That's what he said, but no one seems to want to listen to her...]

Mmnn... [Nanako licks her lips, and kicks a rock into the bushes, standing still and listening intently in case maybe she'll hear the yell again or something.] I dunno what to do...

[ John gestures to the bartender — two of his usual, he mouths — and then his hands fold on the tabletop in front of him as his attention returns to Brock. He's got a decent eye, but outside his initial inspection, he hasn't taken the time to try to pick apart this guy's life.

Strange as it is, he doesn't remember Rumlow and he thought he knew just about everyone in town. Of course, since his accident, John's memory hasn't exactly been doing him any favors, has it? One day he might have a complete set of memories, but that day is not today, apparently. ]

Joined up after high school, actually. Didn't see myself makin' a career of baseball, y'know?

[ Their beers show quickly, dropped off at the edge of the table. Blake distributes them, setting Brock's drink down in front of him, and then taking up his own. It's just a regular old beer, nothing fancy. ]

How 'bout you? What d'you do? Other'n criticize avocado toast as a breakfast replacement, I mean...

[Jesse, please, there are children in this hospital.

Meaning to say, one little girl got overly curious, bored, and concerned for her daddy who is supposed to be here with her and is very much not here with her. She wanders quietly and slowly through the halls, like a mouse afraid of its shadow - this doesn't look at all like the Inaba General Hospital - and her internalized anxiety only grows when she can't find anyone to help her find her father. Asking didn't seem to warrant much at all... None of the nurses seem to recognize the name Ryotaro Dojima, which is very upsetting to a poor little kid. Eventually, she takes matters into her own hands and begins to wander the halls, hoping to maybe find her father's room, because that's totally how it works, right?

She's just about to push open Jesse's door and peer inside, but instead yelps at the sudden curse. Nanako jumps a few inches in the air, scurrying past the door before peeking into it and apologizing.]

I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to--! I-I was looking for my da-- [Her voice catches in her throat, and she yelps again for a whole different reason, pale and panicked.] Aaahh! H-Help!! Help, he's falling--s...someone's falling out a window!!

[And this tiny little girl, no more than eight years or so, throttles toward the gruff and fully grown man, grabs at his clothes and arms, and tries t pull him back in with every ounce of nonexistent strength she can muster. Be gentle, Jesse, her heart's in the right place.]

[Nanako definitely can hear the big guy guffawing loudly from her spot at the table, and tries hard not to stare - because that's rude - but it's so hard. He's so loud, and she's never really seen an American before, hailing from Japan herself. Nanako is curious, are they really so loud all the time like that? How come she can understand him? Is he actually speaking Japanese - do schools in America teach that, too, like their schools teach English?

She picks at her food every now and again - having no dad around to tell her not to play with it is kind of liberating - but always seems to turn her head or her gaze at the blond man and his big smile and crow-like laughter. Any time she even feels their gazes meet, though, Nanako stares down into her place again and shoves a bite into her mouth, or picks up her glass of juice and pretends to drink.

Man, she really wishes her dad or big brother were here...or anyone she knew. These people are kinda scary...]

Well, it's not the least fun party I've been to, anyway. [ all in all, it's alright. especially if you can look past the confusing memories, the fact that she's far from anything she's ever known, and though it does in ways feel like a home there's always the feeling that things just aren't quite right.

but you can't spend all you time trying to solve the mystery of how you ended up in some place called Idaho. for now, some sweets and trying to unwind a bit will do.

she nods her agreement. ] People deserve to have a little fun.

[ a pause: ] I heard someone call this Independence Day, but they didn't say from what. Seems a little odd. With all the food and games but no one's given a speech yet. [ shouldn't someone be going on and on about brother again brother and motherless children and the like? ]

Edited 2017-06-23 05:04 (UTC)

[ being as she is not blind, she didn't miss the hook but thought it might be rude to ask. some of the victors are missing a limb or two, but if they get it replaced it's with something that looks like what it once was, not that. ]

It's a pleasure to meet you, Captain. I'm Cashmere. [ she does NOT want to hear a word about her name from some guy literally named Hook. the question is : is he very unlucky or is that a dumb nickname?

absurd names aside, they have places to be and beverages to drink. she leads them the way she'd come from earlier, having spotted a promising sign and happy noise in the distance. ]

What sort of drink do you normally buy the beautiful women in your company?

Wolves make the best fighters. Pure emotion and power.

[Which made them easy targets when he needed a good fight. But the last fight nearly killed him and it wasn't a fun fight. Not one he wanted or started and he did deserve the beating.

But he'd nearly lost Alec. No. He had lost Alec. At least, that was what he remembered. Looking at his parabatai now he doubted his own memories even if the emotions were just as strong.

It's probably best I stay out of the liquor cabinet right now, but I may need a few shots if I'm going to a party.

"A drink," she corrects. "I look like I need a drink." That's what she feels like, anyway, even though she knows it's a bad idea. Jessica doesn't do that kind of thing anymore, she knows, she knows, but it's something she has to remind herself.

Still, she seems willing to join him. In fact, she starts heading the way she just pointed. "I hope they don't really have beanie babies."

That is one way to put it.

Not me. Not you either, am I to assume? What have you taken a stand on?

I'm more of a doer than a gum flapper. I don't like standing around. As for a stand, I think we need to revamp the entire political system so we aren't leaving so many people behind. You?

[Rumlow liked to think one could tell a lot about a man by the alcohol consumed, much like one could get a feel for anyone by a handshake. His old man had impressed upon him the virtues of both of these concepts, and he hadn't entirely found much fault in the logic either. A bit of a life story here and there.

There are a lot of people he can't recall having much to do with, but apparently that was part of the injury that left him in the hospital. For him, it sometimes felt as if he were living two lives, which might not be so unusual in his line of work, but again, his line of work had clearly changed being in... Idaho. Whatever, it didn't have to make sense; he was looking into it.]

You'd have to have a wicked right on you to make it at baseball. And probably rich parents. What part of the force do you serve on?

[He took the beer pushed to him and took a sip of it, humming. Yeah, just regular shit, nothing too light, nothing too heavy. He couldn't complain since he wasn't buying.]

Used to serve in the military then the government and now I'm here retired and running a gym. [He smirked over his beer.] Getting on my high horse is just a hobby. It's always interesting to throw out those criticisms and see who shows up.

Before we continue this enlightening and absolutely fascinating conversation, I do have to ask: how much lockers were you pushed into as a teenager? You sound like the type that probably met with a fair share of jock-testosterone aggression. I mean, nothing wrong with info-dumping when asked, but it does make you look like a know-it-all jackass. Still, I have seen the light! Hallelujah! Avocados will keep me alive longer, prevent cancer (ha ha ha...), and allow me to be an all around better human being. Where have all these avocados been all my life where I missed all of these ground-breaking innovations stuffed into one green organic creature! However, you forget to break it down for us dumb-asses that avocado fiber just makes you have better shits. Sorry, aids in formed and normal frequency defecation. Oh no, daddy taught me all of my life lessons with a good slamming around. Dog eat, dog world and I better be a strong SOB or I'd be chewed up and spat out. Also, I'd be more than happy to provide links to the studies that I had read, but the internet is super borked here. But you know, what does that matter? We have you as an organic source of internet knowledge? Wow, your government is as useless as mine. Network fist-bump.

So obviously you need to take on an entire bar full of them.

[Despite the complaint, his tone is fond and exasperated. Where one goes, the other will follow... while complaining about how stupid Jace's idea is.

The comment about Magnus' supply of alcohol causes Alec to pause, studying his parabatai thoughtfully. They'd never really drank seriously. The only time Alec had ever lapsed had been because of nearly losing Magnus and Jace never had never needed that particular coping mechanism.]

Are you going to eventually tell me why you're a danger to Magnus' liquor supply or am I going to have to guess.

There'll be more than just shots for one of the shop parties. I didn't know there was that many types of mixed drinks until then. Or that people spiked milkshakes.

[Which Alec, technically, wasn't supposed to have but there are perks to having a magical husband.]

They're not, that's why they're so dull. But just a bit of magic can build on what's already there. Or...

[ with her clearly now-empty hands, she makes a short gesture, a flick of her wrist, and sends a little shower of colored sparks dancing through the air in front of them, fizzling out harmlessly on the ground. her grin just gets wider. the sparklers aren't the only part of the evening that have been boring, so it's nice to just talk to someone. ]

[Avert your eyes small child.

Jesse isn't quite sure what his plan was. Escape and then get dressed behind a bush? Go behind a tree? Just run around like a madman until someone explains what in the hell happened to him? Probably the last one. As if waking up in an unknown place was bad enough, waking up with a missing arm and no memory as to how he lost it was even worse. Maybe he just panicked a little too much, but fight or flight was a strong thing.

He's so close to leaving...and then that little voice is heard. He wasn't sure who or what that was. It wasn't a nurse that was for sure, it sounded like a child, and then he feels the pressure on his metal arm as he hangs onto the window a bit tighter. He looks up and sure enough, there was a little girl pulling on him with all her might. Of course she could pull until the cows come home, and she wouldn't get far. He barely budged. He sighed as he chewed on his cigar. He didn't have the heart to tell her to go away, so he pulled himself up and make it look like she really did help him.]

Ah...haha what a strong thing you are.

[He grins hard as he scratches his beard nervously. He's not about to tell a kid he was gonna jump out of a window.]

[Emotions were always a difficult thing for Jace. Feeling them and sharing them. His past was always at war with his present and everyone was always trying to get into his head and heart. Letting them was the hardest thing he'd ever done. Nothing in his training ever hurt as much or scared him as deeply.

Jace frowned and took a deep breath, working up the courage. He. Jace Wayland. Trying to find the courage to speak. It was laughable if it didn't make his chest ache.]

A bar full of werewolves nearly killed me. And I deserved it. But it nearly killed you, too. Drinking an entire liquor cabinet is far easier than facing my own demons.

[ Lois eyes Natasha briefly and then turns back to the wall, hands on her hips and a scowl in place. ]

I don't know. Just that it came from around here. [ She gestures to encompass the bulk of the shadowy forest and the wall looming in the distance. ] Do you know what's over there?

Please to see Jace taking the beer and seeming to enjoy it, he conjured himself one of the same. he didn't drink beer often, but there was something about eating grilled meat and making small talk with neighbors that gave him a craving for the stuff. He drank at a slower pace, though, and only hesitates a moment before taking the offered space. Though they'd lived together for a while, not to mentioned bonded over their protectiveness for Alec, Magnus is still learning how to behave around Jace.

"I'm sure something can be arranged," he said with a grin, snapping his fingers and sending off a miniature firework that sparked in the air between them.

The little firework display gets a small secretive smile out of Jace. The most important part of this mess of memories and nightmares is that Magnus truly does love Alec and he makes Alec very happy. And he's been accepting of Jace invading their space.

"Thank you." He looked down at his beer, but that was not what he was thanking Magnus for at the moment. "For being okay with...me. I know I'm not the easiest person to live with." He finished off the beer and wondered where he could find another.

[Alec had been expecting a joke about the party since he isn't usually the sociable one of the group or some comment about him drinking. Jace actually admitting his emotions while they were out in public isn't normal, but then the accidents they all had seem to change what is considered as typical for them all.

Twisting the glass between his hands, he considers how to respond to that his parabatai doesn't lash out or push him away, focusing on that instead of not remembering almost being killed in a werewolf bar.]

You could never do something that made you deserve that.

[Brushing his shoulder against Jace's as a sign of silent support, Alec keeps his tone low so no one nearby will hear.]

It doesn't work, Jace. I tried it once. It dulled the pain. It made it tolerable. I could deal with my fears, but it didn't make it go away. It made it worse when I finally had to stop and accept the past.

[What else had he forgotten? Alec in pain, suffering, and where the hell was he? Jace's first thought was that he had left behind everyone to be the son of a traitor, but he knew he couldn't say that to Alec. Alec wouldn't let him get away with thinking the worst of himself.

Even if it was true.]

Alec. [He shook his head.] I promise not to drink Magnus's liquor cabinet. [He leaned against Alec's shoulder and lowered his voice.] I'm sorry.

Jace. [His tone is fond, amused despite the memories of nearly losing Magnus. Alcohol had only helped for so long and Jace had been there for him... once he realized how deeply Alec was hurting.] I'm going to hold you to that promise.

[The apology causes him to go still, eyes wide as he tries to process what Jace had said. Apologies are rare for Jace. It was one of those 'weaknesses' that Shadowhunters were taught and those lessons had been even more strict for Jace. He almost says 'apologies are for Mundies' since his parabatai had reminded him of that so many times but instead he gives Jace a small smile.]

For what?

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