Test Drive Meme - Autumn 2018

[thelostmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

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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?

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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!

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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?

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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.

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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

connor; detroit become human (psl/au)

[exigere]

iv: bulletin board


[ despite being written in crayon, the lettering and spacing is so perfectly lined up across the note that one could mistake it for being printed off from a computer. ]

Is there a particular reason the residents here make wishes for food and beverage items to grow on trees, rather than asking for the establishes that would serve these items in the first place?

[pleasereset]

Because it's cooler that way?

[exigere]

Presumably that's only an effective method of temperature control in the winter months.

[obeir]

[ Does someone seriously own a printer with crayon ink? ]

There already are several places that serve food and beverages, not to mention the fact Zephyr provides fully stocked pantries. I don't understand this tree phenomenon either, they seem superfluous.

-KD6-3.7

[exigere]

[ it wouldn't be that far of a stretch considering what the folks here tend to wish for ]

I feel like there were several, more logical conclusions the people here could've come to before resorting to these specific trees. A wish to simply stock their own pantries and refrigerators with these items seems like it'd be far more convenient.

Hello, K.

[obeir]

[ That's an odd response while leaving their note unsigned. ]

It would, wouldn't it. But I'm afraid you'll find logic rarely applies here. Particularly when it comes to conflict resolution.

Have we met? Sorry, I don't recognise your handwriting.

-KD6-3.7

[exigere]

[ oh whoops are they supposed to sign these things, what's the correct bulletin board protocol ]

I apologize. This is the first time I've ever had to write anything by hand. And I imagine it would be more legible with proper writing materials instead of children's crayons.

It's me, Connor.

[obeir]

[ ...Of course. Who else could have such impossibly neat, consistent handwriting that looks computer-generated? K suddenly feels quite unobservant for not realising sooner. ]

Oh, I'm glad you've figured out the messaging system here. A bit primitive but it makes more sense than the trees.

Why the interest in the trees, anyway? Thinking of trying some?

[ Just curious about why Connor would be investigating them — he's obviously aware that androids don't need to consume organic food, but isn't as sure about whether or not they can. ]

[exigere]

[ no worries K, he never would've known it was you without either the signature or some in-depth investigative analysis that probably would've disturbed the locals ]

Not having a reliable network in the area for faster communication is something to get used to.

I've no need to try anything in the trees. I'm just a little confused why they were asked for in the first place, instead of something more logical. Did one person decide to wish for one specific tree oddity, and everyone else followed suit? Or is this all because of one person who just has a fondness for trees?

[ he has too many questions about this pls help ]

[obeir]

[ Almost a shame K signed his first notes then, who wouldn't enjoy watching Connor delicately lick stuff? ]

It is. And I hope the lack of internet isn't going to bother you too much. There's at least a library.

Your guess is as good as mine. Could be that they're just an entertaining novelty for the locals and a reason to get out. Imagine a tree that produces bottled Thirium. Would you maybe enjoy the walk to get one as opposed to having it appear in your pantry?

I really don't know the reasoning behind them though.

[clowngirl]

Who are you, the whimsy police?

Harley Quinn | DC Comics | Snowblind

[clowngirl]

III. Pumpkin Maze Frights

Mazes are always fun. For the first five minutes or so, and then you're stuck with a task that's almost become a chore. Left, straight, right, right, left, left, right. It's ridiculous how easy one can get hopelessly lost, and not the good kind of ridiculous that Harley finds amusing.

Harley would be bored by now if this particular maze wasn't so darn creepy, the flickering lights giving her a little bit of the shivers as she makes her way through. Why didn't she just go bobbing for apples? She wonders if it's too late to turn around and try to backtrack her steps when she suddenly catches sight of a shadow on the wall ahead.

What luck! Another undoubtedly lost reveler to compare directions with. Someone to act as a guiding light in the darkness. Someone to lend her a hand. Someone to... JUMPSCARE THE BEJEEZUS OUT OF WITH A LOUD "BOO!!" AS SHE HOPS OUT INTO THEIR PATH.

Because let's face it, funny is funny and funny takes precedence over the little things like safety and sense of place. She'll ask the other person if they know the way out in just a second, if they haven't ended up wetting themselves.

[exigere]

[ let's not weird everyone out too much right out of the gate here ]

A library isn't quite the same thing, but it's something, I suppose.

Enjoying the walk is an added benefit, I can see that, but even that can't be the only reasoning behind it. Why specifically wishing for these specific items to grow on trees?

Am I overthinking this?

[exigere]

No. I used to assist with the Detroit police department, but they were far from whimsical.

[poisoninmypocket]

There's no wetting, but the noise that issues forth from Monty is not, perhaps, the most manful sound he's ever made. The young gentleman shrieks and leaps back more than a few feet, arms coming up to defend himself. When he sees it's nothing more than a petite blonde woman, fear turns to horrified embarrassment.

"I-I do beg your pardon, miss. I- whatever are you doing?" He's going to make an effort to smooth himself out. He's wearing a full, old-fashioned suit and cravat and his accent says upper crust and British.

[aigue]

Renart is mostly in the maze to see what this supposed grand prize is rather than out of any interest in being in a maze. Specifically, she's hoping the grand prize is a pumpkin pie, because she could really go for some pie right now. Other pumpkin-based pastry would also be acceptable, because her stomach is starting to growl.

She pokes around the maze, not bothered by the gradually dimming lights thanks to foxes having very catlike night vision. Her interested is drawn to the pumpkins themselves - they smell tasty and bring back memories of hunting in farmer fields, in Europe and the Americas - and the noises of crickets and other bugs scrabbling around.

So she isn't really prepared for an ambush. At all. She lets out a shriek that's more akin to a woman getting murdered, the fur on her ears and tail standing on end, and proceeds to try and tackle whoever it is that thought this was a good idea.

[clowngirl]

Sounds like you got that in common. How could you not love a magical chocolate tree?

[clowngirl]

There could have been no better victim of Harley's scaring than a fancy British gentleman, of that she is sure. She looks at him for a moment, as if readying to answer him, but instead just bursts into a fit of giggles. Thanks, Monty.

"Oh, I was just havin' some fun," she says eventually, wiping at her eyes. "Relax, Max, you'll live longer."

She leans to one side, trying to catch a glimpse of the way the stranger has come.

"Speakin' of, I'd like to get outta this thing by the time I'm a gazillion years old. You seen the way out yet?"

[clowngirl]

She yelps as the other woman lunges forward. This may not have been the brightest idea Harley's ever had. Caught off guard, she goes down, wrestling to get out from under her tackler.

"Hold off! Hold off! I'm a kook, not a spook!" she yells out, desperately. Although hopefully by now it's apparent that the blonde isn't some sort of pumpkin monster or angry ghost, she feels she could use all the help she can get to get herself out of this situation.

[aigue]

At least it doesn't take much for Renart to realize this isn't some kind of spooky Halloween monster, but an actual person. A fellow lady, no less. Her chittering is cut off as she blinks at the yelling.

"Wh - oh," she says, responding like an actual (French) person and not an animal. Holding her hands up, she sits back to show that, now that she realizes what's going on, she isn't a threat. "You shouldn't sneak up on me."

[termineur]

I'm guessing someone thought one up as a joke, and then everyone who wanted a particular type of food just decided to go with it.

I find them kind of charming, honestly.

[roomed]

Henry is pretty sure he should never have checked this maze out. He's getting himself worried for nothing- maybe it's a little darker in here, but that probably doesn't mean anything, right? But he keeps expecting some part of this practically candy-coated world will turn around and show its teeth.

He's certain that's what's happening as soon as he hears the loud noise. It makes him jump about a foot in the air and then whirl in place. His expression...well, that doesn't change much from his usual dazed look, although his eyes do widen a bit.

Unfortunately for Harley's hopes and dreams, he relaxes almost immediately when he sees Harley. "Oh...." he says quietly. "Hello. Are you okay?" As if she hadn't been trying to scare the crap out of him.

[exigere]

I imagine this is something those who can indulge in such delicacies have more fondness for than those who can't.

[clowngirl]

Harley brushes herself off a bit. "Yeah, I'm gettin' that. You got crazy good reflexes."

She's actually pretty impressed, now that she's not fending the woman off.

"I like your costume, too!" The ears and tails haven't gone unnoticed. "I'm still workin' on mine. I was thinkin' about goin' as Wondergirl but then I was like, does anyone around here even know Wondergirl? So maybe I'll be some sort of sexy dinosaur. Whaddya think?"

Yeah, she's just going to chatter away like she didn't try to give you a heart attack five seconds ago.

[exigere]

I guess if it started out as a joke, it makes more sense. It's still a very strange sight to see, but perhaps the charm will come in time.