cursedcontent | TEST DRIVE MEME #1

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TEST DRIVE MEME #1

A Blood Offering

You wake up cozy in bed at the Saturn Motel. As you observe the room you may realize that it looks a little dated. Or, perhaps from your point of view the lamp and TV are wildly futuristic. Or, like Goldilocks, it may seem just right: close to the world you just left behind. Either way, you just had a very strange dream (see the arrival scenario) and now you're here. And you're not alone: there's a bed next to yours and someone else is waking up just like you are.

You can chat for a while if you like, but if you try to leave you'll find the door is firmly locked and no amount of kicking, punching, or hitting it with an object will do you any good. Instead, there's a letter on the nightstand which reads:

"Good morning and welcome to your new home!

You may be wondering why you're trapped in this room. Fear not, the door will open easily if you offer a bit of blood. More than a few drops but not enough to be a serious wound. A handprint's worth will do, let's say, and it only needs to come from one of you.

I'll let you sort that out yourselves. See you on the other side.

Sincerely,
The Mayor"

And indeed, a handprint's worth of blood pressed against the door will unlock it and let you out into the world. Do you volunteer your own blood? Do you take it from the other person by force? It's up to you! But there's no food in here, so you better figure it out eventually.

Roller Rink

As a celebration of your new lives here (and an apology for the whole blood offering thing - they were just testing something out, really) the Mayor has invited everyone to the Crazy Eight Roller Rink for a private, after-hours party.

Attendance isn't mandatory, but it is heavily encouraged so that you can meet your fellow Cursed and know who's in on the whole secret. It'll help you down the line at some point if your Curse gets out of control and you need someone to wrangle you.

As a reward, everyone who shows up and completes at least one lap around the roller rink (you must be wearing skates, but you can crawl the lap if you can't get the hang of them) will receive a free walkman with a mystery tape inside. The color, style, and mystery tape your character gets are up to you.

Mallrats

Everyone loves the mall! Right? Right! And this group of newcomers is lucky enough to be here for the White Pines Mall Grand Opening celebration! Feel free to walk around the mall and partake in sales galore, check out the attractions, or just get to know the layout of the place.

The Mayor has given everyone a gift card for $100 that can be used anywhere in the mall as long as they attend the Grand Opening.

They also strongly suggest that you familiarize yourself with the mall and its layout, just in case you ever get stuck there for a while and have to compete with others for food and resources. But that probably won't happen.

Extra Info

The test drive meme and the IC intro log will have the same prompts, and threads between two accepted characters can count as game canon.

The first prompt is flexible: technically you're supposed to be with one other person, but if you want to do larger groups that's fine.

Rooms at the Saturn Motel initially contain two beds for the prompt, but upon leaving and returning characters will find that they all have their own rooms with one bed. If you want a roommate, someone better be ready to sleep on the floor or snuggle up! The room doesn't have to look exactly like the reference image as long as it's not too fancy and suitably dated.

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[ The young woman shoots up and Daryl leans away— thankfully his instincts have been honed to a fine point by now, and he can tell the difference between an undead corpse surging out to try and eat him and a living body reacting in fear even unconsciously. He makes no move to attack her, and instead takes a step back. Girls, weird man in a room with them. He's got some sense about him, even if it's clumsy. ]

'Dunno who Bill is, [ he says flatly, his voice as scraggly as the rest of him. ] Only shit I've heard was from the voice in the darkness, whatever the hell that was.

[ If he turns out to have dreamed that, well, tough shit, he looks nuts. (He already looks nuts, let's be real.) ]

We're stuck in here and the note says it wants blood to get out. Don't worry, m'gonna use mine. Just don't want you to get trapped behind me.

Edited (an tpyo) 2022-08-22 23:52 (UTC)

[ Steve has absolutely no idea where this guy came from, and he can't help the way a bemused sort of laugh comes out of him. Who even talks like that? ]

Yeah, you fit right in.

[ It's not really a lie. This place is full of all sorts of them, all pulled from different places, all trying to make sense of what's going on with them. And not everyone's having a good time on the rollerskates, so, you know, Steve's not lying about that, either. ]

I'm Steve.

[ He figures, hey, he's already here, he might as well help the man make it around a lap. ]

"Whoa, hey -"

Steve looked behind him, ready to get annoyed at whoever it is running into him and let them know a little something about roller rink etiquette, but he ended up with an open mouth and no sound coming out.

"Mrs. Byers?"

Steve's surprise turned into delight, and he couldn't help but laugh. Seeing Joyce was easily the best thing to happen since he got here, because Joyce was just good at getting shit done and figuring shit out. If anything, seeing her was a massive relief.

"Oh my God - This is amazing!"

You... don't?

[She looks at him cautiously. Well, he doesn't sound like someone Bill'd know. She's not sure what the accent is, exactly.]

The dream, you mean? [She removes the blankets, revealing the anachronistic dress she wears.] I had it, too.

Of course, thank you. Uhm, are you going to be alright? I can bandage it, after, if you'd like?

[ Their similarities began with them both having died before arriving here. V liked to tell himself that he gave himself up so that Johnny could have a second chance - it had nothing to do with the exhaustion of years working their hardest to grind him down. Perhaps this was why he hesitated to stir.

He was supposed to dissolve in the digital sea that the netrunner formally known as Alt was but he was waking up in some shitty motel instead. This place was dated, sure, but this bed he was wrapped up in was the nicest he'd ever been in, and the place didn't smell of booze, and drugs, and sex. He was comfortable and he felt like he'd actually slept for once. Maybe this was the second reason he didn't wish to wake up.

He stiffened at the voice of a stranger behind him but made it a point to act relaxed as he sat up and looked at his roommate. V was examining him, taking stock of if he seemed to be a threat or not. ]

'Pparently a good night's rest. You?

[It's not like Wren is without caution, but it's not at all the same kind common in a post-apocalyptic zombie world. It's the caution of not wanting to accidentally upset someone who has clearly been through enough already rather than the caution of 'I'm trying to avoid being bitten'. They watch as Daryl tosses the slurpee cup towards the garbage, and since they're closer anyway reach out and tip it into the actual basket. Don't need to give other careless people more excuses to not care about getting their garbage in the proper place.]

Um. Okay. Dealing with the weirdness of being here, but at least where I'm from isn't too different in the ways that matter. Uh … what about you? What's your name?

— a blood offering

❰

it takes robin longer to wake up than most. she's asleep, suddenly feeling much more well-rested than usual. waking up, it's evident why: the motel bed is much more comfortable than her usual mattress, that hasn't been switched out in probably close to 10 years, pulled out of the back of an old van and who knows how old it was from then.

groggily, she blinks at her surroundings. this is in line with her own time period but...she's been in a hotel before for traveling band competitions, but it's been a while. her parents weren't in any position to be vacationing folk...so when did she show up here? how? sitting up straight, totally awake now, the atmosphere isn't threatening. nothing feels off except her switch in setting. after a cursory glance around for clues, robin spots the letter, reads it...

oh. hmm. nevermind, something is super off.

testing the theory espoused within the letter, she jumps out of bed and tries to open the door. pushing, pulling, jiggling the handle. nope, nothing. robin turns and leans against it, breath catching in her throat. so it is locked, which means that the rest of the letter has a high probability of being true.

❱

❰

her laugh is nervous, flipping her letter around to showcase it's what she's referencing. robin isn't typically claustrophobic, but suddenly the walls seem to be pushing in ever so slightly...

❱

— roller rink

❰

you might think that clearing a lap around a roller rink seems easy...and for most, it is. despite previously being involved in sports, robin isn't at all the most coordinated person in the world. even standing in roller skates is a chore, so her attempts at wobbling around the rink are...pathetic. most of the time is spent holding the bar around the side, pulling herself forward on shaking legs.

during one attempt to free herself from being stuck on the sidelines, she pushes herself off from the wall with all the confidence she can muster. it's a success!!— for about two seconds. robin is propelled forward a few feet before either:

a) tripping over someone, potentially causing a pile-up
b) tripping onto you and shouting:

❱

fuck

— mallrats

❰

is robin still completely lacking in trust as to what's going on here? yes. is she going to say no to a hundred dollar gift card? absolutely not.

left to her own devices, robin has slid into the alternative clothing store, oblivion. she doesn't know anyone here...but people are still people, and it doesn't mean her guard can be completely down. she's found a wrack of clothes that's far enough in the store that anyone who's actively shopping wouldn't think twice about her being there; no on-lookers from the outside can see her to cast judgment.

one hundred dollars is quite a bit of money, even for alternative clothes, and it's hard to choose something to buy...or maybe she won't buy something, but looking is nice too. one particular selection is a plaid pair of pants in red and black, long enough to just hit the floor on her and tight in the waist with some movement in the trouser legs. robin pulls the option from the wrack, admiring it. she's never worn anything so bold, but god would she like to.

❱

Sick

❰

it's whispered to herself as she flips the hanger around in her hand, admiring how it has both front and back pockets. pretty sick indeed.

❱

[ Steve isn't the one nearest to Billy. He's actually on the rink, long past his one required lap because what the hell else is he going to do right now, going around the corner when his eyes catch sight of Billy. It's enough to make him double-take. The last time he'd seen Billy Hargrove had been at Starcourt, then he'd stood at Billy's grave while trying to keep his sister safe from Vecna.

In the midst of his rapid fire thoughts, Steve's forgotten about skating. Someone nearly trips over him and pushes him, his skates coming out from under him as he hits the floor. Fantastic. He mutters an apology, then something a little more annoyed than that as he pushes himself back up. The good news (bad news) is that he ate it close to the entrance to the rink, close to where Billy is, and he skates to the sideboards just to make sure he's not seeing a literal ghost. ]

Hargrove?

[ Sleeping decent is the first shocking thing to happen, choosing to believe the dream is something still being worked through, but Billy's got a hand in the sheets, thumb and pointer rubbing against it, feeling the scratch. It feels real. He does too.

He took the guy for a punk, but now that the last vestiges of a solid sleep are drifting off, he's taking a closer look. Billy doesn't have any qualms about staring. It might be fucking rude. What had he asked him? ]

'Bout the same. First one in a while.

[ He's still staring, blinks sleep and new life out of his eyes. Are those tattoos? He swings his legs over the side of the bed, doesn't sit up, still assessing. After the shit at Star Court, he's not sure if he should be assessing danger. He needs to jumpstart his brain. ]

Those tattoos?

It might've been the wobble.

[ There's no judgment though, honestly. He smiles in response and lets go once she seems to have regained her footing. He'll hover around in case she still needs a support-guy though.

He's helpful like that. ]

There was a little wobble. But otherwise, it's really not bad.

[ He hears the commotion while his ass is sat on one of those benches, trailing smoke through his nose and lacing up the skates, but he doesn't look up. His motions are pretty rote, his brain elsewhere. Stuck on curses and second chances and how fucking bullshit that sounds. Like he'd get to go home. Like he'd be able to face Max or any of them.

He hears his name and his head jerks up, blue eyes sharp and glaring. And it is — well, Steve Harrington. Who crashed into his Camaro with a Cadillac. Yesterday? For him, yesterday.

Billy throws his head back and laughs. He's so screwed. But he stands, skates toward the divider, looks at Steve like he's a ghost even though Billy's the ghost. He hasn't checked yet. Maybe they're all ghosts, that's why he's screwed. ]

Shit, Harrington. Did I get you killed then?

[ He looks out into the rink. Then back. ]

You fall on your ass?

Don't flatter yourself.

[ That's definitely Billy. There's no mistaking that look in his eyes or that manic laugh, and the way he comes over makes some part of Steve instinctually defensive. Nevermind that they stayed out of each other's way and that Steve, while not being much older, is certainly a little bigger and looks slightly more grown up these days. ]

Last I checked I was still alive. [ And Billy's death had meant nothing in the long run after all, and Hawkins is literally on the edge of total destruction, but Steve doesn't think he's dead. He doesn't feel dead. ] Somehow.

[ And, yes, he fell on his ass but he's sure as hell not going to admit it. ]

[Wren might not be more than a couple years older than Deuce but they're very familiar with training others - and moreover, Deuce hasn't failed, thrown a fit at Wren for the failing, and proceeded to stop trying. It doesn't matter if he learns slowly, he's already one of the better people Wren's had to train for anything just because he's clearly making the effort. It's downright pleasant.

Wren also might no longer have their super strength or other heightened abilities - but they still have all that martial arts training and the like. It isn't like they're helpless, so holding on to Deuce while he regains his balance hasn't knocked them over too. Not yet anyway, though there's been a few wobbles.]

It is, isn't it? Not exactly natural movements people do when we don't have wheels strapped to our feet. You're doing really great.

[ Steve holds out his arms, as if to ask does it look like I know how to pick a lock. ]

Not really a skill I've ever needed. Knock yourself out.

[ He leans against the wall, crossing his arms while he watches her. He figures this is going to work. She clearly knows what she's doing, and Steve's feeling cautiously optimistic. But don't think he hasn't noticed the state of her. ]

Did you, uh. Get into a fight or something?

[ Would he be flattered? The thought is jarring enough that his thoughts stutter a little. It's still unique having his brain at all, knowing it's his. But he forces himself to grin wolfishly, a little mean. It's what Steve expects, isn't it?

He's having trouble telling if Steve looks different, but he's sure he fell on his ass. Billy had kept his distance after the night in the Byers, when Max told her to leave her friends alone, including Harrington for some fucking reason. Why a senior was friends with little kids never made any sense to him, but now that he has some context, a sliver of it from his perspective, he guesses it has something to do with fucking monsters. Not that they told him. ]

I dunno. You sure about that, man?

[ He keeps staring, eyes hard. ] I'm dead. [ It kind of sounds like a question. ]

Uh. Queen.

[ Steve shrugs a bit, deciding not to dwell on the idea of physical media. The guy seems a bit odd but that seems par for the course here. He goes back to looking through the tapes, then he pulls one out with a triumphant sort of a-ha. ]

Keep Passing The Open Windows. The song sort of got me through a kind of shit time, feel like maybe it'll help with whatever ... This is.

[ He gives his hand a bit of a wave, insinuating the general everythingness of what's going on. ]

V couldn't complain too much about the mystery tape he'd received but it would be a lie if he said he didn't want to see if there was something in LP's that he was familiar with. He'd love to get his hands on a vinyl player and some SAMURAI records, or maybe something from Bea Sting. He just wanted something familiar.

He stopped at the question when it was asked and had to take a moment to look for who asked it. At first, he wasn't sure what to make of the question, but then he realized that they were asking about two albums. He'd never heard of them so they likely weren't an artist that he knew but even he listened to the radio and didn't have an encyclopedic knowledge of all music ever made. Anymore, at least.

"Don't know, never heard either. Who's the artist?"

[ That's sort of the problem. Steve isn't sure. He survived the demobats. He survived facing Vecna. He'd remember dying, wouldn't he? He's made it through way too much to just die in his sleep or something like that, but that doesn't mean he didn't.

He stares back at Billy, less intimidated and more ... Sorry. Guilty a little, too, maybe. ]

Yeah. You're dead.

Huh. [ That's interesting. A shared dream? Or just a convenient thing he's hearing from a stranger ... in a renfaire dress. (Or something. Daryl is not exactly well educated.) But whether or not the girl was at a costume party or not before this is low on his priority list of mysteries to solve. ]

I'll live, [ he assures her, which almost sounds like a joke. A pause, then, and, ] Sure, if you want.

[ Daryl then unceremoniously nicks the back of his right hand with the knife. He knows better than to give himself any extremely painful, slow-healing palm wounds, but this'll do a lot of superficial bleeding quick enough. ]

C'mon and get behind me in case there's some stupid shit on the other side.

"Yes it is. I mean we have a mall... had a mall but this..." Joyce shook her head as she looked around before turning toward the other woman. Young woman, a face she wasn't prepared to recognize. Not like that.

"El? Oh my god, you are here." A rush of maternal concern pushed her to the girl and Joyce folded her arms around her. "Are you OK? You're not hurt or anything?" Half hugging, half checking her for injuries.

So what if she was some uber powerful anomaly of science, she was a girl who had lost too much and seen too much and Joyce was a mother.

[Wanda wouldn't consider herself graceless, but she's clumsier without her powers. Slower, she thinks, even if it's not so. Still, she's out here on skates, attempting to keep herself upright with one hand on the side of the rink until a body collides with her and she tries to not go down. This might mean a comically slow fall, between her trying to hold onto the railing and maybe holding onto the person at fault for this.]

Watch out.

[No harm, no foul, but Wanda's not exactly in a great mood.]

Depending on who you ask, Wren has never been a teenager. When straight from twelve to thirty-two types. Except, right now, that look when faced with someone missing a reference that you find utterly crucial? Only teenagers can get that specific mix of shock and mild horror at the overwhelmingly trivial.

"It's Queen. Freddie Mercury? Brian May-?" okay this is clearly going nowhere. Scanning the setup, Wren manages to spot one of those listening stations built in and loads up the first Queen song they find before holding the headphones out to V. Of course the song they find first is 'Another One Bites The Dust' - not on either album, but it's a solidly popular song.

[The comment about the Avengers makes her mouth twist. She hasn't been an Avenger for a long time, but she can't really say much about the sacrificial play. Better not to say anything at all, then, and she lets her lips simply purse together in absence of comment.

When he approaches, she motions to the befallen lamp with a flourish of her hand. She was planning on him being the brawn.]

Be my guest.

[He can do the work and she'll do the cutting. It's fair, right?]

"Sorry, it's been a while." Joyce hauled herself upright with apologies to whomever she'd run into.

Her look of contrition melted when she heard her name and saw who'd said it. "Steve Harrington?"

What was going on?

Wait...

Her hands leap from the rail to grab his upper arms, her grip tight. "Have you seen my boys? El? Anyone else?"

Yeah.

[ Dead. He's still trying it on for size, like a jacket he isn't sure he likes the cut of. It's just sort of crazy, but the whole thing was, and he sort of wants to yell about it, but his thoughts trail over to Max and Sue instead. But he still hasn't clocked there's time missing between them. Steve might have a sharper jaw and he's not wearing a sailor suit, but there's still no reason he didn't come straight from Starcourt. Right?

If Billy woke up in a sailor suit, he'd find something else to wear. ]

Yeah, I guess so. [ Back home at least. Here he's...

He slips around the barrier, skates hitting the wood with a smooth, easy glide. He still has his cigarette because as far as he's concerned, he can smoke wherever he likes. But it's pretty douchey to flick the ash at Steve instead of finding the ashtray on the barrier's end. ]

Well, welcome to hell then, Harrington. Wouldn't be hell without you I guess.

Edited 2022-08-23 03:16 (UTC)

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Page 13 of 31

TEST DRIVE MEME #1

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roller rink!

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blood offering

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robin buckley ▶ stranger things

roller rink;

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mallrats :>

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roller rink

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