TEST DRIVE MEME #1

[inthenightmods]

TEST DRIVE MEME #1

Hello and welcome to the In the Night test drive meme for June! Thanks for your interest in our game! Reserves open on June 20, and applications open on June 22.

While you're here...

• Take a look at our rules and faq pages to familiarize yourself with the game.
  
• Note that we have a reserve/application cap of 20 apps per month (this has been waived for the first month!).
  
• TDM threads can become game canon if both players wish. If the situation isn't something that could happen in-game, you're free to chalk it up to some strange hallucination, a shared dream, or other mysterious circumstance.
  
• Note that this is not limited to new characters threading with characters already in-game. If current players wish to thread out the TDM prompts as canon events, they are welcome to do so.
  
• Though threads can become canon, they cannot count toward AC.
  
• If you plan to apply, please keep in mind that we do require at least one sample thread on the application to be from our TDM (though it doesn't need to be the current TDM).
  
• You're welcome to use the provided prompts or come up with something on your own, but we do ask that all threads take place in our game's setting.

Thank you again, and we hope you'll choose to join us!

log prompts

YOU'RE DEAD, JIM

You haven't been in Beacon long when you find yourself in Bonfire Square, staring into the flames and thinking about how you ended up here. Maybe it was an accident, a sudden freak thing that you never saw coming until you woke up on the ferry, or maybe it's a miracle you made it as long as you did. Maybe death was a relief. Maybe it was just your time. Whatever the case, you can't help but reflect on your final moments as you linger in the firelight.

But however you died, it's behind you now, and you're here, stuck in this little town with just a few buildings and a smattering of other people. You're going to be here a while, so you may as well get to know your neighbors, but... Would it be cathartic to commiserate about your deaths? Or is your time better spent stocking up at the general store? Then again, you've got plenty of time, so why not catch a drink or two (or three) at the Invincible? Pretend you're unaffected by your death, and, well. Fake it 'til you make it, perhaps.

Point is, you have options. You're dead, you died, and this is your "life" now. Better get used to it.

AND THEY WERE ROOMMATES

Currently, there's only one place to live (technically speaking) in Beacon: the Invincible, a tavern and inn located in Bonfire Square. Luckily, the place has working amenities (minus light), and the forest spirits don't charge anything for your stay. Unfortunately, it seems there may not be enough rooms for everyone. Guess you'll have to get cozy!

Maybe you'll try to pick a roommate from around town or in the bar downstairs, or maybe you'll just walk into the first room you see and choose that way. Want a room all to yourself? Get ready to fend off any potential intruders. And the fun doesn't end there.

The Invincible's rooms aren't all created equal. Some may have had their furniture stolen or become a dumping ground for unwanted pieces, resulting in a single bed, five dressers, and other equally distressing situations. Will someone sleep on the floor? Will you nail two beds together to form bunk beds? Maybe you just want to make this room into something more like home— potentially to your roommate's chagrin. Whatever you decide, this is where you're staying for now, so you might as well get comfortable.

network prompts

HACKER VOICE: I'M IN

In order to use the network, you have to register a username. Er, at least, that's how it's supposed to work. For some reason, new users have recently been able to bypass that requirement, allowing them to post anonymously. Time to troll strangers on the magical internet!

Eventually though, you'll need a username in order to use the tablet's other functions, like the direct messaging system. So hey, why not take advantage of the ability to source opinions, and workshop your potential usernames on the network? Share ideas, get feedback, steal ideas, critique others, and figure out what you want everyone to call you.

TURN ON YOUR LOCATION

When you wake up, you're in the woods. An iron shackle complete with a chain leashes you to a tree, and the only light you have is your lantern. You've never seen this area of the woods before. You certainly didn't go to sleep here.

Hm.

But, all is not lost. You find your phone in your pocket, as well as a scrap of paper covered back to front in cryptic scribbles. Are these clues to your location? They must be. You also spot a key dangling from a branch, though it's hanging from a tree you'll never be able to reach from here. Perhaps someone on the network will be able to lend you a hand...

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Comments

number five | the umbrella academy

[fogey]

YOU'RE DEAD, JIM.

[ as it turns out, the afterlife is shit.

five can't say he's surprised.

klaus never said anything either way about it, but that's not entirely surprising given his brother's attitude towards his powers. and who can blame him? seeing the dead isn't exactly a fun power, and their father handled klaus's training with all of the delicacy he showed any of them: which is to say, none. there's a part of five that wonders if his brother will try to summon him, and when, and another that -- well. the other is the tired old man he doesn't look like anymore, but still is down to his bones. not surviving long enough to complete his life-long mission was moronic of him, but he gave his siblings the lead they didn't have before. they know the apocalypse is coming, now. they know when, and they know who does it. their combined power will be enough to stop the end of the world this time around. has to be.

so he heads to the invincible, pausing outside the door just long enough to read the inscription. he gets to the end of that and scoffs, eyebrows raised. well, we'll see about that. if you're inside, you might notice him either:

i. getting into an argument with the forest spirits (fucking forest spirits) who seem a bit concerned about someone his age ordering a drink. you might overheard him saying, hotly, "i'm not a goddamn child" or threatening to -- oohh. threatening to hurt forest spirits is probably a bad idea. someone should probably intervene.

ii. having ordered a coffee instead, holding a mug with both hands as he raises it to his mouth for a sip. except as soon as he tries some, he pulls a face, shoving the mug back on the table like it's personally offended him. which, let's be honest, it has.

disbelievingly, ]

How hard is it to find a decent cup of coffee?

AND THEY WERE (NOT) ROOMMATES.

[ five hasn't had a bedroom since he actually was thirteen, really, hardly knew what to do with having one again when he jumped in time back to his siblings' present day. not a single building was left standing in the apocalypse, not fully. the academy had gone up in flames so badly only bare bones of the structure was left, and everywhere else was shattered buildings, rubble, most ceilings caved in or caving in, present tense. he never stayed in one place for long. there wasn't any point to it, and no place was safe enough either. with the commission, it wasn't any better; he just went from one mission to the next mission to the next mission, an endless blur of shitty motel rooms and ever dwindling per diem to cover expenses. he's humored the idea of staying at the inn just enough to come upstairs and have a look at the place, but that's about all he intends to do.

if someone asks if he'd like to stay in a room he's lingered near, he shakes his head, says, ]

Don't bother.

[ or maybe you run into him as he turns to go and heads towards the stairs, having had enough of this idea. ]

The place is a shithole, if you were wondering.

[ just fyi. ]

WILDCARD

[ feel free to hmu about any of the other prompts or something on the network! also for those unfamiliar with the canon, five is actually 58 years old but recently got stuck looking 13 because of [Plot Reasons]. he does not always remember how he looks when he's talking to people. ]

dead i

[withsadness]

Hey! Be nice!

[Mary's likely been sitting around coloring elsewhere in the bar, but she can't help being curious when she hears raised voices. And raising voices isn't a very friendly way to behave.]

The polite words are "excuse me" and "if you please", you see?

[The little girl plants her hands firmly on her hips.]

[fogey]

[ christ on a cracker.

five hasn't actually been around children since he was a child. and even then, good old reginald hargreeves didn't believe in letting the umbrella academy mix with other children, so -- just his siblings. point is, being scolded by a child is at least bizarre enough to quell his temper for the time being. he gives the forest fairies a last scowl but lets it go, turning towards the little girl instead. ]

...Sure. Must've forgotten.

[ THROUGH HIS TEETH, but not even number five is going be mean to a little girl right off the bat. ]

[withsadness]

[Oh! That's much better! Not that his tone is particularly pleasant, but that doesn't seem to bother her. Smiling, Mary's expression becomes much more delighted, and she curtsies.]

I've read a very good book about making friends, so let me know if you ever forget, and I'll remind you! How do you do? My name is Mary!

[fogey]

[ a little girl is smiling at him, and curtseying, and she's talking about friendship. and manners.

he always knew he'd end up in hell. ]

Nice to meet you. [ still....gritted....but he's trying, okay. ] You can call me Five.

[ -- jesus, but is this girl dead too? the commission shows no mercy to temporal disturbances: not on the basis of innocence, not even on the basis of age. the idea that she might've died too doesn't quite shock him, but it's still sickening. ]

dead ii.

[vereor]

[ Have a 9 foot tall troll casually enter the scene like he's not put off by the stares from forest spirits and other worldly persons alike. He seems used to it by now and, well, he doesn't seem to mind. He might roll his eyes at Five's question before he finds himself a seat. ]

That is what you humans drink to retain energy, isn't it?

[ They're so weak that they need all the help they can get to keep themselves afloat? Strickler had offered him some at some point but he never tried it. ]

[fogey]

[ five doesn't turn to look at angor till he speaks, and then...yeah, there's a brief stare, eyes narrowed, before he shrugs. sure, why the hell not. ]

When it's good coffee, yes. When it's bad coffee, no. Then it's just an insult to everyone involved.

[ the forest fairies have out for him, s2g ]

[vereor]

[ Just have a scoff and a shrug of his shoulders. ]

I believe there are more pressing matters than whether you can find this coffee.

[ I mean not that Angor is really freaked out about it but...he's been through worse. ] You are surprisingly calm for...a human child in this situation.

[fogey]

And I believe you're wrong.

[ god help him as he takes another sip of this gross coffee. ugh. as he sets the mug back down, ]

That'd be because I'm not a human child. I just look like one.

we're all dead jim;

[preseance]

( see.

he's from a dry county. mostly, folks abstain from anything they can't smuggle in, an' his pa was never about that life besides. but gene's been to war. he's seen kids in france who ain't any older than this fella strung up in the streets. age don't discriminate in war.

an' they're all dead anyhow.

so while the boy argues away, gene makes a polite request of another (different) spirit and negotiates for a couple of beer. one of which he then uses to tap against the kid's shoulder in a clear offering. )

Lay off 'em, son. They're just tryin' to do their job. Ain't sure they understand about age.

( sorry, five, the 20 year old medic is definitely... trying his best? )

[fogey]

[ there's definitely a moment where he almost says something about son; if he were anyone's son, it wouldn't be some kid barely out of his teens. but then five's eyes flick to the drink, the unspoken offering, and...

yeah, he'd rather have a beer than get into it. says, ]

Fine.

[ and steps back from the counter, taking the proffered glass with one hand. before gene can have any second thoughts, basically. ]

Don't call me "son" again.

[ there it is ]

[preseance]

( whole load of attitude in a comparatively small package. all it gets outta him is a low noise of amusement. gene's got three younger brothers back in alabama, an' one of them's surly as a housecat. he ain't fussed. )

Gotta have a name before I can make that promise.

( is it patronizing. is it just congenial? maybe it's maybelline. who knows. he's definitely calling a spade a spade, treatin' the boy like how he looks. )

[fogey]

[ he's going to take a sip first, then, ]

Five.

[ as if that's a normal thing, offering a number as a name. then again, it was in the hargreeves household ]

dead i!

[ultimatums]

[ raylan, from his little corner of the bar, watches the fight break out, sitting on the line between amused and genuinely interested. at least he isn't the first person here to start a bar fight, even if the first person turns out to be a kid with a serious complex. the only reason he reasons it's fair to intervene is because if this kid turns out to be some sort of weapon-wielding maniac with mad kicks, then raylan might not be able to get a top-up on his drink. he calls over another forest spirit whatsit for a few extra inches on his own bourbon, and another glass besides, which he slides in front of this troublemaker once he's shuffled closer down the bar and attempted to get his attention with a two-finger pat on the shoulder. ]

Here. Calm your ass down before you get yourself kicked out, hm?

[ it's not good bourbon, but if five really wants alcohol he's going to get it. that's how raylan was raised and look how he turned out. ]

[fogey]

[ later, five's going to look back on this, and possibly be concerned at the number of people willing to help ostensibly a thirteen year old get wasted. like, he's an old man, but they don't know that.

in the meantime, however, he looks from the glass to raylan, then picks it up and just. downs it. look, he's apparently dead, he needed this. puts the glass back down and makes a face. ]

Jesus Christ. That's awful.

[ thanks...bro... ]

[ultimatums]

[ well, that was brave of him. raylan tries not to laugh and manages it, though that's about as much as he can manage to temper his reaction, since he's wearing a pretty shit-eating grin. ]

Ain't that the truth. Can only imagine it got here by way of a sewer. [ he lifts his own glass and skulls it, baring his teeth as he swallows. ] Still. Better than a juicebox?

dead ii

[hardwearing]

[ Wash is halfway through a mug of his own terrible coffee when he hears someone bemoaning their own, and glances up to see... a kid. Only about 12 or 13, and just as dead as the rest of them.

Of course. Why should the universe ever be fair?

It's an odd thing for a tween to say, though, especially with that tone. Wash can't help but wonder what's up with him. So he speaks up, drawing Five's attention if he hadn't noticed the guy in shredded metal power armor already. ]

Depends on what part of the galaxy you're in. I think right now we're a long way from the tropics.

[fogey]

[ ironically: five finds it deeply goddamn depressing, the number of people here who are his siblings' age and younger.

and yeah, wash is hard not to notice. but five hadn't, truthfully, paid him too much attention until he answered. ]

The galaxy?

[hardwearing]

[ Yup, Wash is about the same age as Five's siblings too, but he doesn't think he's too young to have died. In fact he's cheated death so many times already it feels like this is just him running out of lives, or death catching up. He hasn't really processed it yet. Is actively trying not to think about it not out of grief for himself or what he's lost, but because he's worried about the people he left behind. Every time he passes someone he's almost afraid to look at them, in case he'd find a familiar face... it's easier to distract himself with trying to figure out how this place works than the existential crisis end of it all. Easier to sip shitty coffee and tell this kid about space colonization. ]

Yeah. Some of the outer colonies and hubs aren't developed enough to have real agricultural settlements, and nothing grown in a tank is ever as good.

[ He makes a face down at his mug. ]

This is only barely better than the sludge on my home planet.

totally not roommates

[evocation]

[Kyna nearly plows into the kid, though they're almost the same height, so it isn't nearly as catastrophic as it could be. She wrinkles her nose at his observation, lifting her lantern to see his face better.]

Dude, yeah. I've been in some bullshit places, but this one definitely wins.

[fogey]

[ whoops. he takes a step back, frowning, but luckily they manage to avoid a collision there. ]

I've seen worse, [ he says, then adds contemplatively, ] but not by much.

[ on a scale of one to apocalypse, this building: still blows! ]

[evocation]

[She frowns at that.]

What's worse than being dead?

roommates;

[originallutece]

Shocking.

[She glances him over, a quick sweep of her eyes that examines him top to bottom, taking in the schoolboy shorts (hm) and the surly curl of his lip (hah). The cursing is a bit of a surprise, given his age, but people mature in different ways, she supposes. Or not, as the case may be.

Rosalind pauses on the stairs. She's all rigid posture and severe expression, her entire bearing screaming out Edwardian and no-nonsense. So that's fun.]

But what, precisely, is the alternative? Camping outside? Excuse me if I find the idea repulsive. At least a bed can be improved upon.

[And indeed: she has a lot of things in her arms. Not proper technology, but she can at least pass the time by improving a few things behind the bar. It's likely the forest spirit does not know about this, and indeed, is going to be pissed if and when they find out Ros just straight up took some shit to alleviate her own boredom.]

Then again: I suppose anything is exiting at your age. Have fun.

i'm sorry....for him....lmao....

[fogey]

Don't worry, [ he says, eyebrows raised, ] no one's asking you to.

[ camp outside, that is. a big part of the point, as far as he's concerned, is to not be around everyone else. a feature, not a bug.

she says, have fun, and he shrugs. answers, dry, ]

Thanks.

[ and he's gonna continue on his way around her. hopefully he doesn't accidentally knock anything in her hands over... ]

my god never be

[originallutece]

[And that might just be that, really. Oh, they'll meet again, in no small part because they're far more similar than they ought to be (yall both need to stop messing with time, do you want paradoxes, this is how you get paradoxes), but this might have been it. In another universe, another timeline, she might have just gone upstairs and that would be that.

But he knocks into her, his elbow into her ribs, and it's accidental, but still all her things fall. Gears and a screwdriver and a weird-looking thing that might have once been a coffeemaker, but more important than any of that: a book. A notebook, more specifically, with so many equations written within it that the ink blurs together. Numbers and letters and little illustrations, and they all of them add up to a certain woman being very, very intent on tearing the universe apart and stepping through a doorway of her own making.

It's easy. She's done it before.]

Oh, damn it--

[She hisses softly and kneels down, grabbing things quickly. She isn't exactly worried about an infant stealing her things, but on the other hand, she was murdered by a man who stole her work, so, like. She has issues.]