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2.0 Test Drive Meme
2.0 Test Drive Meme
Premise & Arrival ֍ FAQ ֍ Apply ֍ Navigation
Welcome to Well! Characters arrive the same way every month. Your character arrives with only a handful of memories, clad in old west style clothes of your choosing, with no items from home. This month, there is a strong possibility that those old west style clothes include a pair of jorts or daisy dukes.
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 May onward, and can happen concurrently with other events during May and June. This will be the only TDM for April, May, and June.
Applications are open April 26th until May 1st, and May 27th until June 1st. Invites are available for friends of current players.
All-Night Diner
Content warnings: feelings of euphoria and mild intoxication, exhaustion
There’s banner over the diner's doorway reading Welcome!, with colorful flags drooping in the heat. Inside, the waiter greets you with a wide smile and an announcement:
“Welcome to the Stardust Diner! Pie’s on the house today. Have a seat.”
During the day, the diner is just that: a diner. You can get anything on the very extensive menu, including prickly pear lemonade. The pie is free, and everything else is put on the tab for your room that will never come due, probably. It seems like a shame to eat that pie all alone! Accepting a piece of pie makes you feel like you should share this moment with someone. Luckily all the booths are plush and open, and it’s easy to plop down with a stranger to share this special moment.
At night, the mood shifts. The diner’s neon sign is a beacon against the thick darkness, beckoning you in with blinking lights and a line of text reading FORGET YOUR WORRIES. Inside, country-swing music rolls in time with throbbing red lights. The tables have been pushed aside to make room for a makeshift sticky dance floor, and the atmosphere is intoxicating.
It’s as easy as anything to be swept along with the vibes, the dancing, the intensity of it all. When you start dancing, you really do forget your worries. You forget that you don’t know how you got here and that you don’t may not even know the person beside you; you forget that you’re supposed to be anywhere else except here. Everything feels briefly perfect and beautiful, meant to be, no matter what else is happening to you.
When you stumble outside, it will be dawn, no matter how long you think you’ve been there, and you’ll be exhausted enough to simply curl up right there in the sand and fall asleep. Hope you made a friend kind enough to drag you home, or that someone wakes you up!
tl;dr:
There’s banner over the diner's doorway reading Welcome!, with colorful flags drooping in the heat. Inside, the waiter greets you with a wide smile and an announcement:
“Welcome to the Stardust Diner! Pie’s on the house today. Have a seat.”
During the day, the diner is just that: a diner. You can get anything on the very extensive menu, including prickly pear lemonade. The pie is free, and everything else is put on the tab for your room that will never come due, probably. It seems like a shame to eat that pie all alone! Accepting a piece of pie makes you feel like you should share this moment with someone. Luckily all the booths are plush and open, and it’s easy to plop down with a stranger to share this special moment.
At night, the mood shifts. The diner’s neon sign is a beacon against the thick darkness, beckoning you in with blinking lights and a line of text reading FORGET YOUR WORRIES. Inside, country-swing music rolls in time with throbbing red lights. The tables have been pushed aside to make room for a makeshift sticky dance floor, and the atmosphere is intoxicating.
It’s as easy as anything to be swept along with the vibes, the dancing, the intensity of it all. When you start dancing, you really do forget your worries. You forget that you don’t know how you got here and that you don’t may not even know the person beside you; you forget that you’re supposed to be anywhere else except here. Everything feels briefly perfect and beautiful, meant to be, no matter what else is happening to you.
When you stumble outside, it will be dawn, no matter how long you think you’ve been there, and you’ll be exhausted enough to simply curl up right there in the sand and fall asleep. Hope you made a friend kind enough to drag you home, or that someone wakes you up!
tl;dr:
- The diner is open and the pie is free.
- If you get a slice of pie, you feel compelled to share it with someone.
- At night, the diner transforms into essentially a nightclub. The vibes are intoxicating and you can forget all your worries and dance the night away.
- You can only leave at dawn, and your body will be exhausted. Better get help getting back to your room!
Something’s Coming
Content warnings: blood, blood-sucking, monsters
A few hours after dusk, strange creatures begin to scurry from shadow to shadow, chasing after anything that moves: chupacabras. Large ones. They’re big creatures, the size of large dogs with spikes down their spines and tails, dark and hairless with fearsome teeth. They are everywhere, and they are hungry.
They are indiscriminate in who they try to bite: the biggest among you is just as at risk as the smallest, but the bigger you are, the more of them might come for the fight. No matter where you are, there’s a risk: they seem adept at making their way into buildings. You might find one looming over your bed, resting on your chest, getting ready to bite; one might slip into the diner while you’re dancing and latch on when you’ve forgotten to be concerned.
If a chupacabra manages to bite you, it will suck your blood, and it won’t stop until you’re completely drained unless you do something about it. Having your blood sucked by one is not a pleasant experience, it’s excruciatingly painful and the creatures will do their best to keep you prone while eating their fill. The more they drink, the more exhausted you’ll get, until it’s very difficult to fight them off.
They can be killed or scared off, but the further they are into a fight or into their meal, the harder they are to get rid of. If a chupacabra has latched on to you, you’ll need help escaping!
tl;dr:
A few hours after dusk, strange creatures begin to scurry from shadow to shadow, chasing after anything that moves: chupacabras. Large ones. They’re big creatures, the size of large dogs with spikes down their spines and tails, dark and hairless with fearsome teeth. They are everywhere, and they are hungry.
They are indiscriminate in who they try to bite: the biggest among you is just as at risk as the smallest, but the bigger you are, the more of them might come for the fight. No matter where you are, there’s a risk: they seem adept at making their way into buildings. You might find one looming over your bed, resting on your chest, getting ready to bite; one might slip into the diner while you’re dancing and latch on when you’ve forgotten to be concerned.
If a chupacabra manages to bite you, it will suck your blood, and it won’t stop until you’re completely drained unless you do something about it. Having your blood sucked by one is not a pleasant experience, it’s excruciatingly painful and the creatures will do their best to keep you prone while eating their fill. The more they drink, the more exhausted you’ll get, until it’s very difficult to fight them off.
They can be killed or scared off, but the further they are into a fight or into their meal, the harder they are to get rid of. If a chupacabra has latched on to you, you’ll need help escaping!
tl;dr:
- Chupacabras strike the town at dusk.
- They want to suck your blood, and are indiscriminate in who they attack. They will try and drain you completely.
- They can be fought or scared off. It's easier to get rid of them if you have a pal.
The Walls Have Eyes
Content warnings: eyes, trypophobia
There are eyes everywhere. They peer out of cracks in walls, the floor, the grout in your shower, an open cut in your skin. There are even eyes in the craters on the moon, staring down at you unblinking.
These eyes seem familiar, even if you don’t remember them. You feel like you do. You feel a heavy weight settle over you when you look at them, guilt curdling in the pit of your gut.
The eyes belong to someone, or someones, who you’ve hurt or let down. They belong to your greatest mistake, to someone who you left behind, to someone who you regret. The same eyes over and over again, or the eyes of many who you’ve hurt, watching you, judging you, pleading for you to save them or apologize or make up for the mistakes you may not even remember making. You just know that you made them. They eyes don't lie.
The more you ignore these eyes, the more they seem to encroach on you: appearing in the walls, following you around corners, in the creases of your knuckles, the fold of your sheets. They replace the eyes of the people around you, the same eyes staring at you from everywhere you look.
Your skin itches with the constant feeling of being watched. Your head feels tight, and your own eyes feel too full, like there’s too much of you inside your skin. You’d do anything to get away from this feeling.
Soon enough, the mounting pressure explodes: you have to confront them and your guilt and your mistakes, and beg for the forgiveness they’re asking of you. Even if you don’t remember what those mistakes were, or why you should feel guilty, you have to tell someone. If you don't, the feeling will only mount, until all you can see are eyes. Eyes, just eyes.
tl;dr:
There are eyes everywhere. They peer out of cracks in walls, the floor, the grout in your shower, an open cut in your skin. There are even eyes in the craters on the moon, staring down at you unblinking.
These eyes seem familiar, even if you don’t remember them. You feel like you do. You feel a heavy weight settle over you when you look at them, guilt curdling in the pit of your gut.
The eyes belong to someone, or someones, who you’ve hurt or let down. They belong to your greatest mistake, to someone who you left behind, to someone who you regret. The same eyes over and over again, or the eyes of many who you’ve hurt, watching you, judging you, pleading for you to save them or apologize or make up for the mistakes you may not even remember making. You just know that you made them. They eyes don't lie.
The more you ignore these eyes, the more they seem to encroach on you: appearing in the walls, following you around corners, in the creases of your knuckles, the fold of your sheets. They replace the eyes of the people around you, the same eyes staring at you from everywhere you look.
Your skin itches with the constant feeling of being watched. Your head feels tight, and your own eyes feel too full, like there’s too much of you inside your skin. You’d do anything to get away from this feeling.
Soon enough, the mounting pressure explodes: you have to confront them and your guilt and your mistakes, and beg for the forgiveness they’re asking of you. Even if you don’t remember what those mistakes were, or why you should feel guilty, you have to tell someone. If you don't, the feeling will only mount, until all you can see are eyes. Eyes, just eyes.
tl;dr:
- The eyes of someone(s) who embodies your regret appear in the cracks of the world around you.
- The more you ignore the eyes, the more of them appear, and the more you feel an intense, heavy sense of guilt.
- The guilt you feel can be based on things you remember, or things you don't. If it's based on things you don't know, your head will also hurt.
- The eyes will ease if you admit your guilt, to the best of your ability. Tell someone your guilt, and the eyes will recede.
- If you don't, your whole world will become eyes.
no subject
Drink this or press it to your forehead. It should help with the headache. [A Grey Valley sunset is a drink made from mixing juices to blend them together into a pleasant experience.]
Unfortunately, the answers are few. You've arrived just as we've found more questions. [He flicks his fingers, and candle flame blooms at the center of his palm.]
The laws of the worlds we remember don't match. When I first arrived with only memories of being a knight and sword fighting, I had no idea I could wield fire. When I got emotional...
[He shrugs as he rolls the flame into his other palm. His hands are unharmed.] I slept outside for some time.
no subject
after a few more swallows, he moves the glass to press it to his cheek and the side of his head. the chill was grounding, but nothing could fully convince him that this was reality while he listened to diluc—
especially not after the appearance of the small, controllable fire.
no that... wasn't possible. it wasn't possible, or the man was an expert circus performer or magician. maybe that was his Ultimate? was this whole experience some sort of screening for Hope's Peak before he even arrived at the school?
the ache in his head starts to return, and makoto is forced to shake the thoughts away. this wasn't fair... and made no sense... how could he not know, and why did it hurt to remember? ]
I-I'm sorry, but... this can't be real. It's... none of it makes sense. [ he stares at the fire in the man's hand and nods towards it ] Especially that! And worlds? Knights?... I-I have to be dreaming.
no subject
[He leans back in his chair and folds his arms over his chest. He gestures to the world around them.] Time and space are strange here. They bend and shift like the Ab- [Pain explodes in his head. He presses a hand to his temples and breathes in. Damn.
That word almost got out. If only he knew!] ...a place I've experienced before.
Things happen here to reflect pieces of the pasts we don't remember. The most painful pieces of them. [He straightens and takes a bite of pie. It's a good distraction.]
...this includes being face to face with yourself. They will say upsetting things. Hinting at who you may have been. I think they are distractions meant to bring more suffering. Even if this seems dream-like, be aware of these dangers.
no subject
and very unbelievable.
not in the way that means it's amazing—no, in the way that he just can't believe it. but then how could he explain the fire? how could he explain the gaps in his memory and the discomfort that followed when trying to fill them? denial would only get him so far... but maybe by then everything would make sense.
seeing diluc eat some of the pie reminds him of his own slice, which he idly takes a bite from as well. it's hard to stop gaping at the man as he's spoken too, but he manages to not embarrass himself by letting any food fall from his mouth. that would be a pretty silly first impression to give to someone who seemed very...
well, seemed really cool. maybe a little unhinged, based on what the man was saying, but the confident demeanor was calming in a way and made his words almost convincing (if they weren't so outlandish). it reminded makoto of—
a twinge of pain; he winces and swallows his bite of pie. ]
...I don't know if I can believe any of that... [ so he won't acknowledge it, for now ] If it could be a dream, it means we should be able to leave, right? But... you said we can't. [ he glances towards the windows of the diner, out at the desert town ] You said there's things out there that... kill people... but wouldn't that wake them up? [ he feels stupid trying to work alongside dream logic and make believes, but the fact that he really couldn't remember most of his life before arriving here meant that something was going on. if it was a lucid dream, he'd work with his subconscious to wake up; if it wasn't—
...he'd deal with that later ]
no subject
I don’t think so. We reappear here if we die. Recently a terrible storm raged and tore up this entire town. But just as it looked like it would reduce everything to ruins and sand…the next day it was all as it had been when we arrived.
[He rubs at his wrist and sets his hand down on the table. It isn’t hard to remember the state of his arm at the end.] Even our injuries. I know of a place that bends time and space like that.
But when I try to reach for the memory…[He tilts his head slightly and takes another bite of pie.] It is not within our reach. For now. Memories do come back. But there will be pain before they do. Always.
I’m terribly sorry to be the bearer of such tidings. Naturally, it is up to you what you decide to believe. And there is nothing wrong with deciding to search for the truth. We are all seeking it.
no subject
makoto idly eats another bite of pie, resting the fork against his mouth as he chews and swallows. he's not hungry but it feels grounding to do something so normal as eating some dessert. ]
...I guess, thanks for explaining things. I still don't know what to think... I'm just hoping when I sleep I'll wake up back home. [ he puts the fork down ] It just doesn't make sense that we can't leave.. and hasn't anyone noticed a bunch of people went missing? Maybe somebody's coming to help!—...i-if any of this is real, I mean.
no subject
I have slept here many nights and it’s still here when I wake. It does make some sense we can’t leave.
Whoever or whatever took our memories could have tied us to this town. As I said, there is something about this that feels familiar. Should I recall anything I’ll share it with everyone.
no subject
...how long have others been here? [ he almost regrets asking the question... but he has to know. even if this was just some sort of horrible, extended dream, he wants to know how long this had all been going on for. if it was a short period of time, the idea that help could come seemed more plausible.
if people had been here for months or longer... well, he could always just fall back on his delusions for comfort. ]
no subject
He shakes his head.] It sometimes feels like longer than that. But I have been regaining memories. I imagine that is the root cause of that.
no subject
but... there was also some hope, and makoto clings to it immediately ]
You said that before... that memories can come back. Is it random? Do you know if regaining everything could be what lets people leave? [ normally he'd feel a little embarrassed being so forward to someone he'd just met, but the situation was different from Normal, Everyday Life... fear was a big motivator of change ]
no subject
And the agony of it all.] I would advise caution on considering that an exit. What took our memories and is giving them back has an agenda. For all we know this may not be the first time we’ve met.
Memories come back at random. That I know of. It could be they come back at the worst possible time. This is how little we know.
no subject
...what...are we supposed to do, then? [ without his memories of the hope he's supposed to become, news like this was overwhelming. believing that it all is just a dream seemed like the only thing he could do to not completely lose it. ]