2.0 Test Drive Meme

[wellie]

2.0 Test Drive Meme

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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:

• 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:

• 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:

• 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.

Comments

The Curious Cat | RWBY

[curiouslycursed]

[1. Arrival]

[The Cat is sitting on the Receptionist's desk in the lobby, with their tail curled around their body, and their paw on their room key.]

Well, yes, I know you have my reservation, but the question is, who made it? It wasn't me. Or, at least, I don't think it was me.

[The tip of their tail flicks in agitation as the Receptionist once again, welcomes them to the hotel and gives them their room number.]

But you've told me that already. Along with not to worry about the storm, the time breakfast is served, what there is to do here, that the town isn't what it used to be and that you hope I enjoy my stay. All perfectly wonderful things to say, I assure you, but none of which answer my question about who made the reservation.

[The Cat heaves an unhappy sigh, and regards the Receptionist regretfully.]

I see. You've left me with no other choice, then, I'm afraid.

[They stand, and arch their back as they stretch, then walk across the counter to the bell and place a paw on it. Their eyes never leave the Receptionist as they flick it off the top of the desk.]

Oops. How terribly clumsy of me.

[2a. Diner - Day]

[They didn't think they wanted a piece of pie, and really, they don't care for the lemon base, but the meringue is quite tasty, they have discovered, and they're on their third plate.

The other two are shoved off to the side of the table, nothing but crust and lemon filling left as the Cat is perched in the booth with their front paws on the tabletop as they lap at the light whippy pie topping.

They pause when they notice someone nearby, looking up, and licking their lips.]

Well, hello! Would you care to join me?

[2b. Diner - Night/Dawn]

[Once the tables are pushed aside and the music starts, the Cat is easily swept up in the joyous atmosphere. They didn't even know they knew how to dance, but they can't help but find themselves up on their back legs, spinning around to the beat of the music. At least until the lights catch their eyes, and they give up the dance for a game of chase instead, pouncing on the light as it reflects on the shiny checked floor of the diner. Hope they don't trip you!

It's a long night, a busy night, but a fun one. Still, once they stumble out of the diner come dawn, the hotel feels too far away to bother. The sand is warm and inviting, so they simply curl up in a sunny spot to sleep.]

[3. The Walls Have Eyes]

[The eyes are everywhere and they hate it. At first, it just seems like a novelty, and the Cat is aware they don't even look the way eyes should. Two sets, one gold, one purple, both just plain orbs, but they know. They know they are eyes, and they know those are the eyes of whoever it is that has left them.

At first they simply sit and stare back. They don't feel guilty. They don't. They didn't do anything wrong. They didn't leave anyone behind, or send them to this godforsaken place with no memory of why they're even here to begin with. If anyone should feel guilty, it's them. Yes, of course, it's the eyes' fault.

It's fine.

Sometimes they swipe at the eyes to try to chase them off. Maybe that's the solution, and maybe that's how you find the Cat - trying to scratch out a pair of eyes that have appeared in the wood of a tree, or on a rock, tail lashing as their skin ripples down their back as they try to fight off the eyes they resent and don't understand as though that's the solution to their problem, and not going to result in even more cropping up around them as they let out a yowl of fury.

They do not feel guilty, they tell themselves. Not about any of it.]

1

[goldenscarred]

[Hunter's got some questions of his own as he waits next in line, but this cat seems determined to cause a scene, so now he's sighing loudly and tapping his foot. Once the bell is knocked to the floor, he sighs again and picks it up, putting it back on the desk.]

If you don't want to stay here, then don't.

[curiouslycursed]

[Wow, rude. The Cat is trying to provoke a response from the Receptionist, not this upstart. How else are they supposed to get their questions answered from a completely uncooperative subject aside from threaten to destroy their workspace?

The Cat turns their back on Hunter, and sits back down on the desk with a flick of their tail as they settle in to lick the same paw they just used to knock over the bell. One has to stay clean, after all.]

I didn't say I didn't want to stay. I was merely trying to get answers to what I thought was a fairly simple question. Just some people - [there's a pause as they give the Receptionist a very pointed stare] are not being terribly cooperative.

[goldenscarred]

Yeah, and you're not going to get more answers. He's said the same thing twice now, to everyone. It's clearly a... puppet-person, or something. Or an illusion.

[Even he doesn't know what he means by that, but it's what comes to mind.]

I didn't get this room for myself either. I'm returning my card key. So either take yours, or don't.

[curiouslycursed]

Well, that much does some apparent. Look at him, he isn't even ruffled. Hmph.

[An ear flicks around as the Cat decides to take an interest in the idea of the newcomer returning their room key, and they set their paw back down on the counter.]

Oh really? Found better accommodations, have you? Or are these ones so unacceptable that you'd prefer to sleep outside in the desert?

[goldenscarred]

No. But I don't trust this place any more than you do. So I'll manage something.

[Taking one look at the bags under this kids eyes and it's easy to tell he's probably never slept more than 4 hours consecutively. Sleeping in a comfortable bed is clearly not something he prioritizes.]

You can probably sleep anywhere, right?

[Since you know. Cat. Which he doesn't find odd at all that they can talk.]

[curiouslycursed]

[The Cat turns to face the boy and studies him silently for a moment. It's not unreasonable to be suspicious of their apparently free accommodations, but they are more than confident that they can handle anything this place could possibly throw at them without much issue.]

I could, but if someone offers me a comfortable bed, then I'd feel rather disinclined to refuse. Besides, it doesn't look like there is a particularly wide range of alternatives, unless, of course, you have a particular fondness for rundown, abandoned spaces, diners, saloons, or general stores.

1

[mediaphobic]

[Sorry, Cat.

You're getting scruffed.]

The staff has limited responses. Good luck getting anything useful out of them.

Try someone with dynamic dialogue options instead.

[curiouslycursed]

[The Cat lets out a howl of protest as they're scruffed, and their ears flatten against their head and all four paws and tail curl up against their body.

Their one weakness exposed right in front of the Receptionist!]

I was testing that theory already! Now unhand me, you fiend!

[mediaphobic]

[In fairness, he did look like a fiend. Unkempt hair fell in his face, not at all hiding an eyepatch with obvious scarring and the dark circles that lingered under the one remaining with the weight of a thousand and one sleepless nights. His scruffy chin was covered with a dusty black handkerchief that matched his wide brimmed hat and all of the other sand-worn gear that screamed both 'cowboy' and 'this is uncomfortable'. He clicked the hard soles of his leather shoes for a beat, studying the cat--

and promptly dropped them on the floor.]

For a cat, you're not very cute.

[curiouslycursed]

[The Cat lands deftly on their feet, and their ears stay flat against their head as they glare up at the stranger with a surly look. How dare this man.]

Well! The same could be said about you. You aren't very cute either. Who are you?

[mediaphobic]

Eraserhead.

[... What?

He didn't bother questioning his impulse at that moment. His personal name could easily be found, but in that moment he knew that he needed to play hard and fast.

Something told him that he would have a hard time if this Cat went rogue. ]

And I'm not here to be cute. However, I am here to find answers.

Who are you?

2a

[rustedknight]

Cat!

[ The blonde man who slides into the booth seat in front of the vividly coloured feline has an expression warring between frantic and relieved, and frantic is winning dramatically. He leans forward with his hands flat on the table, the white fringe of his buckskin jacket sweeping forward like the long fringes of his dishevelled blond hair. ]

Am I glad to see you!

[curiouslycursed]

[The Cat wasn't sure who they should expect to find here - they certainly weren't expecting to find anyone they remembered, given how little they seem to be able to recall.

Still, they are quite pleased to see a familiar face.]

Jaune! Well, aren't you a sight?

[They look around the table, and slide one of the plates of merengue free pie towards him with one paw.]

Have some pie. It's very good.

[rustedknight]

This isn't the time for -

[ - although, then again. Jaune's stomach perks up at the sight of the pie with an interested growl. And the Cat is a guide, right? And if a guide leads you to a slice of meringue pie, you probably should eat it.

Jaune picks up a fork and stabs it into the pie, carving out a huge piece from the end he shovels into his mouth. Crumbs are left in his beard as he chews avidly, swallowing in a gulp. ]

- huh. That is good.

[curiouslycursed]

See? Adventuring is far better on a full stomach, and the pie seems to be quite harmless. I watched plenty of others eating it before trying it myself, and no one seems to be suffering from any ill-effects.

[Regardless, the Cat seems to have lost interest in their pie for the moment, and instead just watches Jaune across the table. Straight down to business, since they have no idea what this place is or why, or how, any of them are here.]

So! What have you learned about Wellstone so far?

[rustedknight]

I guess if anybody would have checked that out...

[ They are the Curious Cat, after all. Jaune shovels in another forkful of pie, although a slightly less exuberant one. (Does it bother Jaune to be eating pie licked topping-free by a cat? Not particularly.)

He sighs at the question, mouth still full, and holds up his hand palm out to stall for a moment as he swallows. ]

Less than you have, I can tell you that much. I was hoping you'd have some answers for me, actually.

Like - who am I, exactly? I know my name, I think, and I know what I do, but everything else is...

[ He tips his head to the side and knocks his temple with the heel of his hand, like tapping out an already empty wastebasket. ]

2b

[toteninsel]

[ The music makes Ariane wants to get up and dance too, and so she does, swaying and twirling among the crowd, her black denim skirt moving with her. But she gets so winded so easily, these days, and often has to step outside for a break.

That's when she finds the cat, resting as the sun rises. She takes a seat beside him, knees curled up to her chest, and pets them gently in the morning glow. ]

[curiouslycursed]

[The sun is warm on their fur as they doze, with their tail curled around them. If they hear either the approach of the stranger, or her settling in next to them, they don't show any signs of it.

The feel of someone's fingers against their fur is enough to rouse them, though. They're warm, and cozy, and someone is touching them, so before they're even truly aware of what they're doing, there's the soft rumble of a purr rising in their throat.

They stretch and yawn before tilting their head up to look at Ariane.]

Oh. Well, hello.

[toteninsel]

[ Oh! This cat speaks. Ariane assumed that only happened in stories, but then again, this all feels like a very strange dream, so she takes it in stride. Maybe talking to cats will be easier than talking to people. It certainly can't be any more difficult. ]

Hello. [ Ariane stops petting, briefly. ] Is it all right if I pet you? I'm sorry I didn't ask you before, I didn't know you could speak my language.

[curiouslycursed]

[The Cat puts in a good attempt at maintaining an air of indifference, but there's a spark of interest in their eyes as they glance towards Ariane. They will absolutely not admit they like being touched.]

If you like, I suppose I can allow it.

[They uncurl, and with a stretch, sit up beside her, wrapping their tail around their paws.]

Hmm. It seems everyone here speaks the same language, regardless where they are from.

[toteninsel]

[ Well, that's not a no! Ariane switches to little scritches behind their ears now that they're sitting up. ]

It seems like it. This place is so strange. [ She looks up at the sunrise. It's beautiful. She hasn't seen one of these in about two hundred cycles. ] Where are you from? I'm from a moon called Rotfront, but I'm supposed to be searching for new worlds.

3. no one has ever deserved this more

[goldenrod]

[ From behind the Cat comes a deep, frustrated huff. There is the dragging rasp of scales over desert dirt, and a horse-sized dragon sits back on his haunches.

Among the tedious number of humans, there are few magical beings in town. Looking at this one, he doesn't have the first idea what he's seeing. Probably some sort of fey. Only fey would want to look this gaudy on purpose.

He can take an opportunity to ally with the fey, or at least to feel a little superior to it. ]

That won't work.

[curiouslycursed]

[A swipe of claws through a purple set of eyes makes them vanish, and the Cat is about to glance over their shoulder at the newcomer to gloat when when the eyes come right back with another set right along with them.

They howl with frustration, and whirl around to face whoever dares approach a furious cat.]

Then how do-

[Wait.

Is that. Is that a dragon? That looks like a dragon - a small one to be sure, but still. If the Cat wasn't so outraged about being beset by multiple sets of staring eyes, they would be far more intrigued.

They huff. Their back arches, and their cyan and purple checked fur puffs up as they put in a good effort at making themselves look big enough to take on a horse-sized dragon if need be.]

Then how do you get rid of them?

[goldenrod]

[ This is all a great deal of noise and bluster from a very small thing, but that's probably to be expected. Kalvaxus tips his great horned head, his tone long-suffering. ]

Almost certainly by magic. But whatever god or wizard has cursed this place didn't leave many clues as to how it can be dispelled.