Test Drive Meme - Autumn 2018

[thelostmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

---

I. Dragon Catch

You step out of your house, letter in hand to find what Zephyr laid out neatly in written word for you. Dragons, saddles and a brief explanation Zephyr was interested in a cool new book about people befriending dragons! The little godling had set up a corral, some stables and encouraged everyone to try befriending a dragon to ride. Snippets of the book are included for aid. All in all it seems like a lot of fun!

Well, until you look over the Meadous village proper.

Dragons of varying shapes, colors and sizes are meandering about the meadous, clearly having escaped the corral they had been kept in. One dragon has perched itself atop your neighbor’s home taking a nice nap in the sunshine. A gaggle of cat sized dragons have taken up digging up another neighbors garden. A few dragons hang from the beer tree, more than a bit… blasted.

One or two people you recognize are attempting to catch up to the dragons with mixed results. One person is at least hanging off of a saddle looking rather perturbed.

Do you help or merely let the dragon based chaos ensue by going back inside where you’re less likely to get involved?

---

II. Be Careful What You Wish For

Well, that... that wasn't quite to plan. You stare down at the crayon drawing from Zephyr showing you exactly what you wished for. Except you hadn't meant it literally. Or you hadn't meant it quite like that, even if your wording had been vague. Now you're stuck with something you didn't want. Or perhaps you made a big mistake and now you're a different species. Or have extra appendages you can't get rid of. Not without making the walk of shame back to the Wishing Pond to wish away the changes. Why this? Why? If only you had been more clear or if only Zephyr understood subtly a bit more clearly.

Hopefully, no one will catch you as you steal forth to undo your mistake. Now that would be quite embarrassing if they saw you like this!

---

III. Pumpkin Maze Frights

Fall has settled over the landscape nicely, with that comes a rather customary pumpkin patch maze. A tradition long standing that comes as the seasons shift with the Meadous.

Even long time residents seem surprised at the new heights the maze has taken on, not to mention a new sign warning its extra scary this year! The sign also advises there will be a cool prize to anyone brave enough to venture forth!

A few residents are gathered at the opening, talking amongst themselves over the newly scary-ified pumpkin maze. The maze walls are composed of pumpkins of varying shapes, sizes, colors and carvings. One or two snatch a pumpkin to turn into a pie.

Everything is fairly whimsical all in all until one steps into the maze itself to follow the dirt pathway within.

The dirt path under foot is easy to follow, but offers some minor startles at the occasional loose leaf crunching underfoot.The mixed in carved pumpkins that make up the maze walls provide some shallow lighting along with floating string lights in a light bulb shape hang over head. It is oddly darker in the maze than it ever has been before. It’s almost a little scary. The unnatural quiet of the maze doesn’t help matters any. Walking deeper into the maze only leads to less lights here and there.

Zephyr has maybe gone a bit over zealous with this scary thing.

A wind whips up, making the candle light within the pumpkins flicker and lanterns bobble overhead. A few candles flicker out completely for a long moment before sputtering back to life.

Is that a shadow on a maze wall ahead of you? Will you call out or duck behind a TDM convenient hay bale stacks?

---

IV. Bulletin Board

Each month, Zephyr clears away most of the notes from their Bulletin Board and adjusts the decorations, leaving it fresh and open for anyone who might wish to post something new. The Meadous is a fairly rural place with minimal technology. Those used to a network may find the Bulletin Board is the closest they can come to something like that again. Who wants to actually talk to the neighbors when you can post a passive aggressive note about someone making a racket at 2 AM, instead? There's also some measure of anonymity afforded. Just be sure to only post up your notes when no one else is around and can catch you at it.

---

V. Choose Your Own Adventure

Whether it's just waking up in the Meadous or exploring some other part of the Setting, you're striking out with your own prompts to get some action started.

Comments

[termineur]

That's about thirty years past me. Not sure if my world's destined to have androids in it, either. [ Yeah, someone else is paying attention to the other bulletin board conversations. ] Yeah, I can definitely see how the technology difference would be hard to get used to.

You can try wishes at any time- however, I think it usually takes a couple days here before you start actually getting anything back. It has something to do with how Zephyr's power works. They use our being here in their world to help power the wishes they grant. So it makes sense we need to be here a little while first.

And hey, I know we don't know each other, but I've got an ability that helps me fix anything and put it back into perfect condition. It works with medical instances, so I imagine it'd work with you as well. If you ever have an emergency and need an extra pair of hands to help fix something, let me know. I imagine wishes will be easier, but just in case. My name's Gabriel Gray, and I live on 1087 Rocky Road.

Jade Harley | Homestuck | Facility

[crystalanthemum]

I: Dragons!!!!

Okay, holy shit. She's been here before, but dragons are new. (She's sure that they would have been around a lot longer if someone she's sure is still here had her way, so they must have been contraband or something.)

Jade immediately locked on on the one napping on someone's roof, though, and with several minutes of effort-she's not that good at climbing, okay???- has joined it, happily resting her head on it for an afternoon nap.

This just means whoever is coming home to this house, of course, now has a dragon and a strange child sleeping on their roof. Maybe it's your house? Probably that's worth investigating.

III: What pumpkins???

Jade is just... standing at the entrance of the maze, staring at the walls with a fierce look in her eyes. Occasionally she reaches out to touch a pumpkin, only to withdraw her hand and take a deep breath.

She does this for a really long time, until she finally notices someone watching her, and politely steps in front of them.

"Umm. Could you help me figure out if these pumpkins are actually here?? I have had some very bad luck with pumpkins, well... failing to exist when I touch them. Could you pull one out for me please??"

Can you really refuse this girl and her terminal pumpkin cravings????????

IV: Message board!!!!!!!!

ok so its like....... fall now??? and it was summer when i went to bed
so the way i see it there are two options!!!!!!!!!!!!
one is i fell asleep for like a month and a half which is not the most unreasonable amount of time i had ever slept so i am going to hope it is that one
the other option is that i perhaps slept for over a year?????????????
or maybe i vanished again and came back???????????????
if it is that second one then god dammit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
if it is the first one then i am probably extremely nutrient deficient and would appreciate if anyone has any spare applesauce
yes specifically applesauce!!!!!!!!!!!!
also hi my name is jade how is everyone :)

he has much Concern and thinks he messed up

[obeir]

I wouldn't say settled, but things are okay. It's been peaceful here. I mostly keep to myself and pass the time reading and playing the piano. I'm not used to being without any kind of directive, I guess that part's been hard. And the cephalalgia has been getting worse.

Is it not a relief to be free of Cyberlife?

Despite the difficulties, I'm glad you're here. I wasn't sure if I'd ever see you again.

[clowngirl]

Cool! You should wish for a nuts and bolts tree, or whatever kooky thing you're into.

[clowngirl]

She knew she should have introduced herself as Doctor Harleen Frances Quinzel, First Lady of Mirth and Mayhem. Oh, well. Missed opportunities. She'll pepper it in next time. She appreciates his manners, even if her own are a little cruder. Harley takes his arm, perhaps a bit more jovially than he's used to, and gives him a little tug to get going.

"It feels like forever, Monty," she explains dramatically. It's been about ten minutes total. "I was just about to see if the walls were flammable."

[clowngirl]

"Brand spankin'!" she replies, then pauses to not-so-discreetly take a whiff of her underarm. She hopes smelling new isn't a bad thing. She's a little sensitive about her odor, having recently come from a place where warm showers were a luxury. She's definitely spent some time in her new home getting the funk off, or trying to.

"You been here long?"

[clowngirl]

"You got it, Shaggy!" Ghosts. Right. She's certainly seen things weirder than ghosts, which is more what she's worried about, but it's enough to keep her guard up either way.

"After you," she decides. He's the one with the candle. And Harley always feels better playing follow the leader.

[clowngirl]

Harley is so pleased by all the laughter and then-- wow, applause!-- that she doesn't even mind the lack of a really good scare. She grins broadly, and gives a bow with a little flourish.

"Thank you, thank you! Harley Quinn: Mistress of Sillyness and Suspense. I hopefully won't be here all day!"

[aigue]

Renart can't stop herself from grinning at that reaction. "Around a year, maybe a bit more," she answers, deciding she should at least be civil to the pretty newbie. "Don't worry about the smell thing. Fox, you know? I identify people by smell."

[exequies]

It might be her accent, but he doesn't immediately catch the pun of her name even though he'd normally find it amusing. Once he thinks about it harder or sees it written down, it'll hit him. But he still appreciates her style and gives a little cock and a bow of his head back to her, the single braid on his right side slipping past his shoulder to hang down his front.

"Undertaker; the pleasure's mine. Are you lost in here, as well?" Because he's been wandering around for a while, but not necessarily looking for a way out.

[clowngirl]

"Oh! Yeah, right," she waves a hand in the air, casually. She totally knew that. "I just hope I don't offend."

It must be cool to be part fox, except when you run into something that attacks your heightened senses.

"So, do you like it here? It's a heckuva lot better than the last place I got stuck at but it's not quite home."

[clowngirl]

"Pretty darn lost but not quite enough to need your services, if you know what I mean." She isn't sure if Undertaker is a literal title or more of a bit of villainous creativity (like his flair seems to suggest), but she isn't taking any chances.

"I think I been goin' in circles, mostly. Wanna backtrack with me and see where that last left leads?"

[exequies]

It's a mystery for now.

"Oh, I do. Of course, I have buried someone alive before, but that was only the once. ^Hee hee~" It's probably a joke, given the giggle tacked on to the end. Probably.

He could also very easily get them out of this maze in mere seconds, but what would the fun in that be? His newfound companion's personality seems to be an interesting sort, so he nods genially.

"Why not? A bit of company never hurts, as long as you don't mind some conversation with it."

IV - because If I did III he might smash a pumpkin on her and I couldn't live with myself

[aibolition]

[This one's enthusiastic.]

I think if you fell asleep for a month and a half you might be dead or near death. Starvation and all. But I've been here longer than a month by now and I've not seen any notes like this before. You don't strike the quiet type either.

[roomed]

After the first couple of right turns, it becomes clear that Henry is using the method of picking one side of the pumpkin wall and sticking to it. They hit a couple of dead ends, but nothing's happening- other than the original flicker of light and the occasional gust of wind.

Henry, as usual, is not particularly talkative. But he does look back eventually and say, "Have you been in this place long? ...the world, I mean. I just got here." And he shouldn't be here, either, not after everything he's been through with gods.

[aigue]

"You don't," Renart replies lightly. When your own natural body odor is best described as musky, humans don't bother you too much.

"It's better than the last world I was stuck in," she continues, shrugging. "Which was best described as post-apocalyptic sex wasteland." And because that description generally only draws more questions, she'll explain without needing to be prompted. "We were told all of reality had ended, and if we didn't have sex regularly we'd stop existing."

[poisoninmypocket]

Renart and Cecil are both more... forward than Monty has ever been. They'd been excellent companions for breaking him of certain moors. Or at least building up his tolerance for certain behaviors, like young ladies grasping onto him with a little more familiarity than is warranted. Monty keeps up with her, heels clunking softly along in the grass.

"F-flammable?" That draws more concern. "Ms. Quinn, I could not advise lighting anything on fire when you're within the confines of a place and do not have an efficient means of egress. You could hurt yourself."

[clowngirl]

Wait, a what?

"I think I'd rather be forced to hokey-pokey around the clock than freeze my goodies off," Harley says, more than a little envious. "I'm just glad to see green again after bein' caught up in a post-apocalyptic frozen wasteland, myself."

How many post-apocalyptic worlds were there anyway? And why were they such literal death-traps?

[aigue]

"Frozen?"

That catches Renart's attention right away, even moreso than the post-apocalyptic part. She's made quite a few friends and acquaintances who happened to have been pulled from a frozen wasteland, and now she's curious.

"Were you in Norfinbury?"

no k you did a good

[exigere]

It's certainly quite a change to get used to, making your own directives rather than waiting for a superior to give them to you. But I'm confident you'll manage just fine. And I'll help you in any way I can.

Relief, yes. I know they're not here. I know there's no risk in keeping the curtains open and there's no need to be glancing over my shoulder, or keeping defensive protocols on high alert. And yet despite knowing all this now, it's hard to believe. Harder to believe than Chinese take-out trees.

I apologize for not having expressed it accordingly. But I am glad to be here, with you. I've missed your company very much. And I was worried that something might've happened to you.

[exigere]

I feel there's plenty "kooky" things here already and adding to it would be largely unnecessary.

[exigere]

It's difficult to say. Technological development and research tends to have varying rates of advancement across worlds, from what I've come to understand. It's possible that some may never see such sophisticated technology in their lifetime, just as it's equally possible it could happen within a day's time.

I do appreciate the offer. While I understand it's considered normal to simply wish for repairs or replacements, I'm not sure how well my programming is going to respond to magical elements, on top of everything else here that I'm subjected to. It'd be easier to go to someone who can perform the physical tasks and labour necessary for any of my potential repairs. In the event I should be in need of your abilities, however, I will keep your offer in mind.

My name is Connor. Thank you for your time and advice.

[clowngirl]

It's a good joke. Whether or not if it's a joke like one her Mr. J would tell... that's another mystery.

"I'm all about conversation. Oh! And I, Spy. I'm the best at that. Of course, the last place I played that in, the answer was almost always "snow", but..." she prattles on. "I guess here it would be pumpkins. Not here, but here-here in the maze. I kinda like it here though I ain't met a lot of the folks yet. You been here long?"

[clowngirl]

"Nuh-uh. Betcha I'm just as much of a newbie as you-be!" she replies. Harley bounces down the path, running a hand along the pumpkin wall.

"Place I was at before was a horrific snowscape about a million miles and years from home. You?"

[clowngirl]

"You heard of it?" Harley shoots Renart a surprised look. "I was for sure that place didn't get any press..."