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3.0 Test Drive Meme
3.0 Test Drive Meme
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Welcome to Well! Characters arrive a little differently this month (see the first prompt). Your character arrives this month in the middle of the formless desert with only a handful of memories, clad in old west style clothes of your choosing, with no items from home.
Anyone is free to play on the TDM, but you need an invite to apply. Feel free to use these prompts, and interact with the arrival or locations. NPCs are around, but only say a certain set of phrases. TDMs can be considered game canon.
This TDM takes place from the first week of August onward, and can happen concurrently with other events during August and September. This will be the only TDM for August, September, and October.
Applications are open July 26th until August 1st, and August 27th until September 1st. Invites are available for friends of current players.
A Little Lost
Content warnings: heat exhaustion, feelings of unreality
You wake up in a sea of sand. It’s hot, and dry, and it seems to go on forever. You don’t remember much about yourself except your name and a handful of memories that most likely aren’t useful right now.
The sand slip-slides under your feet with every step. Sun beats down heavy and hot on your neck and your head. You’re so thirsty. How did you get here? How long have you been walking? Where are you headed? You can’t know. You feel like you’ve been walking forever, but the sun stays high above you, like it’s always noon. It may have been hours, it may have been mere minutes. What are those things circling in the sky above you? Vultures? That can't mean anything good.
Eventually, you find someone else, another new arrival, maybe, or a resident of the town who may have wandered a little too far into the desert. Maybe they have some water on them? Either way, company is exactly what you need right now, because there sure isn’t anything else in this desolate place. Not a cactus, not an animal, not even hints of a town.
Once you’re together, it seems a little easier to move forward. Time starts to move, too. The sun dips in the sky, your feet tread through the sand, and together, eventually you find the town.
If you take too long after you find one another, and the sun sets, be careful. Cacti sprout up closer to town, and after the sun sets, the cacti start to move, and they seem hungry for blood.
tl;dr:
You wake up in a sea of sand. It’s hot, and dry, and it seems to go on forever. You don’t remember much about yourself except your name and a handful of memories that most likely aren’t useful right now.
The sand slip-slides under your feet with every step. Sun beats down heavy and hot on your neck and your head. You’re so thirsty. How did you get here? How long have you been walking? Where are you headed? You can’t know. You feel like you’ve been walking forever, but the sun stays high above you, like it’s always noon. It may have been hours, it may have been mere minutes. What are those things circling in the sky above you? Vultures? That can't mean anything good.
Eventually, you find someone else, another new arrival, maybe, or a resident of the town who may have wandered a little too far into the desert. Maybe they have some water on them? Either way, company is exactly what you need right now, because there sure isn’t anything else in this desolate place. Not a cactus, not an animal, not even hints of a town.
Once you’re together, it seems a little easier to move forward. Time starts to move, too. The sun dips in the sky, your feet tread through the sand, and together, eventually you find the town.
If you take too long after you find one another, and the sun sets, be careful. Cacti sprout up closer to town, and after the sun sets, the cacti start to move, and they seem hungry for blood.
tl;dr:
- This time, new arrivals wake up lost in the middle of a vast desert.
- There's too much sun, too much sand, vultures circling and too little water.
- Finding each other makes time start again, and lets you find the town.
- If you don't make it back to town before nightfall, vicious living cacti appear to attack you.
Face Your Fears
Content warnings: hallucinations, reality shifts
In this town, fear soaks the hot, dry air. It lurks in shadows and the corners of rooms, waiting for their moment. What is it that you fear? Monsters? Disappointing your parents? Maybe you’re afraid that everyone you love will leave you, or that you’ll end up alone. Whatever it is, right now, there’s a chance of becoming very real.
It happens suddenly. Your mind drifts. You lose focus on what you were doing, and when you look up again, the world around you has shifted. What was a nice lunch with a new friend or a fun visit to the saloon becomes a nightmare. What fear manifests is totally up to you, and it can be different every time. The person beside you could become a monster you think is trying to attack you, or you could be suddenly alone in a cold dark space, desolate and empty.
Whatever horror your mind conjures up for you, it will feel real in all ways and with all senses including, of course, your perception of pain. As far as you know, you’re trapped in a nightmare with no way out.
Except, of course, there is a way out: you just need to figure out that it isn’t real. Maybe you’re strong enough to do that on your own; maybe you’ll need help from a friend or a new pal, reaching through the illusion to pull you back. After all, these hallucinations are entirely in the mind of the beholder: to everyone around you, it sure just looks like you’re yelling at your pancakes!
tl;dr:
In this town, fear soaks the hot, dry air. It lurks in shadows and the corners of rooms, waiting for their moment. What is it that you fear? Monsters? Disappointing your parents? Maybe you’re afraid that everyone you love will leave you, or that you’ll end up alone. Whatever it is, right now, there’s a chance of becoming very real.
It happens suddenly. Your mind drifts. You lose focus on what you were doing, and when you look up again, the world around you has shifted. What was a nice lunch with a new friend or a fun visit to the saloon becomes a nightmare. What fear manifests is totally up to you, and it can be different every time. The person beside you could become a monster you think is trying to attack you, or you could be suddenly alone in a cold dark space, desolate and empty.
Whatever horror your mind conjures up for you, it will feel real in all ways and with all senses including, of course, your perception of pain. As far as you know, you’re trapped in a nightmare with no way out.
Except, of course, there is a way out: you just need to figure out that it isn’t real. Maybe you’re strong enough to do that on your own; maybe you’ll need help from a friend or a new pal, reaching through the illusion to pull you back. After all, these hallucinations are entirely in the mind of the beholder: to everyone around you, it sure just looks like you’re yelling at your pancakes!
tl;dr:
- You start hallucinating that the things you fear most are actually happening to you.
- These fears feel like real, concrete sensory experiences, even though they're only happening in your head.
- You can escape by recognizing that what's happening isn't real, either on your own or with help.
Bullrider
Content warnings: mild bovine coercion, alcohol
Come on, hot stuff. You know you want to.
Bet you can’t stay on for more than half a minute.
You don’t look too tough.
You think you can tame me?
In the saloon, you hear a voice in your head. It calls to you, the words seductive and enticing: you want to prove it wrong, you want to find out what it’s promising, you hate to lose. Whatever the motivation, you find yourself abandoning your drink and making your way to the new attraction at the back of the saloon: the bull.
It’s a big boy: a massive mechanical bull. Covered in spotted cowhide, with a bull head and big horns, this thing sits on a massive pedestal like a challenge. Around it is spread... relatively thin padding and a flimsy rope to keep the audience back an appropriate distance.
The compulsion keeps a hold on you until you’re on the bull. Maybe you’re on it with a friend, or a stranger, and it starts up with a mechanical buzzing. It starts to sway under you, and now you have just one job: stay on.
It starts easy, but gets harder as it goes along. It’s incredibly difficult to stay on for more than a minute. But during that minute, you feel amazing. You feel hot as hell, in whatever way that works for you: sexy, powerful, bold, in control.
Until he throws you off onto the padding or into the crowd! When you get thrown, there's a good chance you'll go flying into the crowd. Hopefully they're ready to catch you!
If by some miracle you manage to stay on for more than a minute and a half, the bartender slides you a bullrider special: a spicy whiskey cocktail with a hint of lime. Feel free to leave it up to pure chance, and have the mods roll a die for you to see whether you manage to stay on or not.
tl;dr:
Come on, hot stuff. You know you want to.
Bet you can’t stay on for more than half a minute.
You don’t look too tough.
You think you can tame me?
In the saloon, you hear a voice in your head. It calls to you, the words seductive and enticing: you want to prove it wrong, you want to find out what it’s promising, you hate to lose. Whatever the motivation, you find yourself abandoning your drink and making your way to the new attraction at the back of the saloon: the bull.
It’s a big boy: a massive mechanical bull. Covered in spotted cowhide, with a bull head and big horns, this thing sits on a massive pedestal like a challenge. Around it is spread... relatively thin padding and a flimsy rope to keep the audience back an appropriate distance.
The compulsion keeps a hold on you until you’re on the bull. Maybe you’re on it with a friend, or a stranger, and it starts up with a mechanical buzzing. It starts to sway under you, and now you have just one job: stay on.
It starts easy, but gets harder as it goes along. It’s incredibly difficult to stay on for more than a minute. But during that minute, you feel amazing. You feel hot as hell, in whatever way that works for you: sexy, powerful, bold, in control.
Until he throws you off onto the padding or into the crowd! When you get thrown, there's a good chance you'll go flying into the crowd. Hopefully they're ready to catch you!
If by some miracle you manage to stay on for more than a minute and a half, the bartender slides you a bullrider special: a spicy whiskey cocktail with a hint of lime. Feel free to leave it up to pure chance, and have the mods roll a die for you to see whether you manage to stay on or not.
tl;dr:
- There's a mechanical bull in the back of the saloon!
- There's a strange deep voice in your head, coercing you into giving it a shot.
- It's hard to stay on, but when you're on it, you feel powerful, bold and in control.
- The padding's pretty thin and you'll get thrown hard when you do. You might hit someone!
- If you stay on for more than a minute and a half, you'll get a fun little drink as a reward.
no subject
[ Apparently that statement was so unprompted that it manages to catch the girl by total surprise. At least she manages to not instinctively halt in the middle of the stairs, still moving up as she grows quiet for a moment to think, but she definitely didn't see it coming.
.. even though she should have, Olympia figures now she's actually thinking about it. Of course this sort of thing would be important enough to Alec to bring it up now. If their positions had been reversed and Olympia had been the one to accidentally use her powers, wouldn't she also worry about everyone getting to know that..? ]
You don't have to worry. I already wasn't going to tell anyone anyway. [ It's an area Alec has absolutely pegged her right on - Olympia would never just talk about someone's powers without their permission, especially given her own situation.
Maybe it's why her voice sounds a little more steady as she says it, because she really means it and truly believes in it. ]
No matter what happens.. I'll keep it a secret. I wouldn't want to do anything to change people's impression of you. [ She says, as if Alec isn't entirely capable of being a little gremlin and ruining people's impression of him all by himself.. ]
no subject
Yeah. Protecting my precious reputation, and all that.
[ Telling her he doesn't care about any of that is clearly not doing the trick. He's starting to get a better impression of what her problem is, though. All this preoccupation with other people, what they think, what they might find out, plus that damp drape of guilt still clinging to her when they've already worked everything out?
He goes quiet to do an exaggerated look around for potential listening ears before he looks back at her and rolls his eyes. She's taking this about seven degrees too seriously. ]
People are going to find out about my power. I just don't want the first they hear about it to be this. [ He'll give that a second to sink in, hopefully. ] I was talking about what you said, dweeb. Did they scoop out the self-preservation part of your brain while they were in there?
no subject
Not that it feels very important to figure out right now in the face of everything else he's saying. It's easy to shove that aside, right along with the sharper edges of Alec's words. Even if he's dismissing the potential side effects of people hearing about his powers, Olympia is still determined to keep them as secret as can be on her end. Even if he's not worried about what it could do to him or people's perception of him, she is worried about what it could do for him.
But while that's an easy internal decision to make while they're still climbing these stairs, it's the rest of it that gives the girl pause, not speaking for a moment as she tries to process it. ]
.. you're really willing to keep what I said a secret?
[ Even though she already clearly indicated she'd do the same for him.
Perhaps it's not the self-preservation part of her brain that got scooped out, but maybe it's the self-worth part, huh. If she's able to imagine keeping Alec's secret so easily, yet seems so surprised by the idea that anyone would care enough to keep her secret at all. (You know, without being so Douma-y about it, and Olympia doesn't even consciously know about that angle.)
There's a slight pause, like she's still processing it, but before Alec can speak up she does sneak in a: ]
You really are too kind.
no subject
Seriously?
[ His amusement isn't mocking, at least as far as he's thought it through. He's just tickled by the concept that he counts as too kind to the girl who's carrying his stuff after he twisted her nerves like spaghetti and yanked. ]
Sure. And yeah, really.
[ He could point out there's nothing it in for him if he spreads her secret around, or make a crack about wanting to see what happens the first time someone fucks with her, but he's not in a mood to mess with her further. The truth is that he just doesn't have any compelling reason to share her secret, so he won't. Call it parahuman solidarity, or more accurately, not wanting to be fucking bothered with unknown future fallout. ]
This floor, left. You know, not that it's any of my business, but you should maybe check if people will keep their mouths shut before you tell them deep dark secrets next time.
no subject
[ Her answer comes relatively quickly, like the girl didn't even have to think about his words or her own this time. In fact, she's still moving as she's saying it, following Alec's directions - no longer climbing the stairs further up once they arrive on the landing, turning left, glancing at the upcoming rooms.
Like all of this is so instinctive to her. ]
I wanted to make sure you didn't feel even worse because of your power. [ Which was probably obvious, given how quick she had been to reassure him back there, even with her arms hurting like crazy. But she can't help but repeat it here - maybe since to her, this fact makes it very clear why she told him her secret without thinking twice about it. ] That felt more important.
[ Sure, Olympia thinks life would probably become miserable for her if everyone knew about her powers here, especially when they wouldn't even know her aside from that.
But she knows she'd feel even more miserable if she had a chance to help someone and just completely ignored it. ]
no subject
He can't think of a better explanation for why she keeps insisting on acting like his theoretical emotional well-being is more important than hers. He wouldn't spill his secrets for the benefit of anyone else's feelings, he knows that much. ]
It's not.
[ Alec rolls his eyes unseen as they arrive at his room, then peels his arm off his stomach with a hiss. Before Olympia can offer to help, as he's now pretty sure she would, he digs into his pocket and fumbles his key out - right onto the floor, instead of into his palm. ]
Fuck.
[ He squeezes his eyes shut and thuds his forehead against the door, which at least provides a counterpoint to the shrieking spiralling up from his fingers. He could ask her to get it, but he guesses he doesn't need to - and he doesn't want to, either, so that works out. Instead, he shuffles to the side to give her room to unlock the door for him. ]
If I was going to feel shitty about my power, which I don't [ except in the very literal, physical sense, right about now ] I'd feel shitty about it whatever you said.
no subject
In fact, the way she bends down, moving his stuff to carrying it with one hand so she can hold the key in the other - it all seems so natural, like an automatic sort of movement. Olympia didn't even have to think about doing this for him, and a moment later - once she's sure he's at least not still leaning against the door, so he won't just.. fall right into the room.. - she's already unlocking the door and pushing it open with her body for him.
It's a good thing the actions are so automatic too, since the girl's mind is way busier with what Alec is saying than with what her body is doing right now. ]
I guess that's true. [ She admits. Sometimes feelings are hard. They don't go away so easily, even when other people try to help, right? ] But don't you think it at least feels a little bit better when someone is being kind about it to you..?
[ There's some guilt inside of her as she says it. What if she's just projecting? After all, Olympia thinks she would sure feel better if people were kind to her. And while it feels like a universal constant in her mind, what if she's wrong about that?
.. She bites her lip, but then stops, speaking up again. ]
Either way, I can't take back what I've already said. So.. I'll be relying on you. [ To keep her secret, that is.
If Alec says he won't tell people, she'll believe him. ]
no subject
Throw the stuff on the desk.
[ For the short time Alec's had this room, he's already made his presence felt. The closet hangs half open and a variety of the clothes that were once in it are draped over the back of the chair in the corner or just crumpled in a careless heap on the floor. The plush robe provided to every guest hangs off the corner of the bathroom door instead of the hook on the back. There's a small collection of bottled drinks and packaged snack foods on the desk.
There's also, if she happens to notice it, broken glass scattered across the sill of every window. It's the same greenish colour as the bottles. ]
...it's better than you freaking out about it. [ Alec says, quietly, and apparently to the ceiling he's staring at. ] I'm just saying not everybody is as 'reliable' as me. Got it?
no subject
[ Her voice sounds a little absent as she's saying it though. It feels a tad improper, but Olympia is just curious enough by nature that she can't help but glance around his room when she enters it - especially since this place already feels so lived in. It feels like seeing a little slice of Alec that she might not be able to hear actually come out of his mouth.
Still, she's at least dutiful in actually putting his things down on his desk. Not throwing though, instead she puts it down very delicately. The urge to clean up his clothes does come to her as she moves through the room, but considering she doesn't want to touch anything without his permission, she lets the clothes remain in piles on the floor.
Instead the girl wanders over towards the windows, perhaps wanting to check out the view from the boy's room, only to manage to nearly cut herself on the broken glass. Olympia pulls her hand away just before it could accidentally land on it, her eyes growing a little wider with surprise. ]
.. huh? What happened here?
[ Why would there be broken glass in his room? ]
no subject
He twists his head to look at her and the window, and it's too much effort to work up any kind of wry smartass answer. He half-shrugs on the bed, then rolls his head back to look at the ceiling again. ]
It's in case someone tries to get in.
[ No memory told him to do that. It just seemed like a good idea to put something in place, and he happened to have glass on hand. Which reminds him about setting up the door alarm (a rusty can full of old nails and rocks that makes a lot of noise when knocked over) when Olympia leaves. ]
Can't be too careful in ye olde shitshow town. [ He pauses for long enough it might seem like he's done talking. ] You can take some of the bottles, if you want.
no subject
You think someone would try to get in?
[ Apparently this is something she hadn't even considered before now. Something about her tone and the rising worry in it shows as much, and the girl bites her lip as she regards the broken glass for another moment.
Maybe she should take some of the bottles and do the same thing, if it's that big of a danger? ]
I didn't know there was someone here who'd want to hurt us. [ And it's not an idea she particularly likes, now she's thinking about it! It makes her chew on her lower lip a little, fussing on the spot. ]
no subject
Somebody kidnapped us. I'm pretty sure they don't have our best interests at heart.
[ Somebody who could let themselves in through their doors, Alec knows. If you're the one making the keys to the rooms it stands to reason you have keys of your own. But it's not just their unseen captors who figured into his preemptive measures. ]
Everyone there's people there's somebody who wants to hurt you. [ That's the way the world works. ] To get something from you. For fun. Whatever.
no subject
Olympia doesn't want to argue that right now, when their interaction has been heavy enough already, but it's certainly something she'll remember. Maybe if Alec thinks that the world is a scary and sad place like that, Olympia will just have to do her best to prove him wrong. To let him see there's good in the world too.
(She does take a bottle with her though. J-Just in case!)
After taking the bottle, she turns away from the window, moving a little closer towards the bed again. ]
Then.. if you're ever in trouble, I'll try to help you. [ Even if she's quick to add the disclaimer of-- ] Even if there's not always much I can do to help.. I'll try.
[ Then again, Alec probably already got that helpful impression of her, and it's not like she wants to impose, and maybe she can just check up on him later to see if his arms are doing any better, so-- ]
I-I should probably leave you for now though, right? I'm sure I've bothered you enough.. [ She laughs a little, though it's mostly without real mirth. ]
.. thank you for your kindness today. [ She bows her head. ] I'm glad to have met you, though I'm sorry for the circumstances..
no subject
It's not that bad now that he's getting used to it. She talks a lot, too nervously and too earnestly, but her voice is nice enough. She's not annoying to listen to as he half-pays attention to the stabilizing throb of his arms.
She takes a bottle, glass clicking a little as it comes off the wood. Good for her. She might have a chance after all. ]
You're not bothering me, dork. [ Alec lets his eyes slide shut and nestles down into the bed. ] And helping me is a stupid idea, but you'll probably try it anyway, so sure. I'll look out for you too.
[ It's not promising a lot. So far they're all in this together, and anything that gives Olympia problems will be Alec's problem too.
But it also seems like he might as well give in if she wants them to stick together so bad. She's not the most intimidating ally he can imagine, but she's probably the most willing one. And if she changes her mind when she doesn't feel guilty anymore, that's fine. He won't hold it against her. ]
Rub your arms before you go to sleep.
no subject
But then her facial expression slowly shifts. The no-mirth smile from a moment ago that was still lingering somewhere in the surprise seems to blossom into a smile that does very much look meant. Her very pale cheeks light up with a pink hue, seeming to breathe life into the girl's dollish face. ]
.. thank you.
[ She said it a moment ago too, but even though both times it sounded like she meant it, this thank you seems to come without guilt or apology - instead just filled with warmth all around.
Somewhere between him saying he'll look out for her, and even using an affectionate nickname for her - it seems that even though whatever is translating words here for them is very much working, it doesn't help when you have literally never heard anyone use dork or any equivalent of it in your language before - she's just so grateful. It feels so warm, knowing she met someone so sweet in an unsettling place like this.
It feels a little like getting blessed. ]
And-- I will, I promise!
[ She's definitely sounding more spirited than before. Apparently she doesn't even mind that the last bit of advice means she will still have sore arms for at least the rest of the day - because she just seems too happy, even as she heads over to the door. ]
Please.. take care, and I'll make sure to check up on you later..!
[ And with that, she's gone, making sure to properly close the door behind her - especially when Alec is so worried about possible intruders. ]
no subject
Fuck.
[ What a day.
And what a total dork. ]