memesinthenight | TEST DRIVE MEME #03

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!tdm

TEST DRIVE MEME #03

Hello and welcome to the The Next Night's test drive meme for August! Thanks for your interest in this GPSL! In an effort to streamline our application process and avoid future confusion between incoming and existing players, we do not have a reservation period. Applications will be judged on a first-come, first-served basis.

While you're here...

Take a look at our rules and faq pages to familiarize yourself with The Next Night.

Note that we will have an application cap of 10 apps for new players, and that the game has a player cap of 60. An accurate count of current players will always be available on the taken page.

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 top-leveling is not limited to new characters! If current players wish to post a starter, they are welcome to do so. They are welcome to make posts in the main comms for TDM events as well. Please note, however, that actual plot clues or happenings will not occur in TDM prompts.

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.

As we no longer plan to have a bimonthly game-wide HMD meme, we require that all new applications going forward must have a HMD post somewhere on the journal and we will ask for this as part of the application process.

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

log prompts

ARRIVAL: A WATERY GRAVE

Slowly, your surroundings come into focus. You can hear the soft lap of waves on a beach. The air is warm and humid, and somewhere not too distant is the murmur of conversation. A wave breaks and races up the beach - and it's cool, and very wet, and that's when you realize you're lying face-down on the pebbles, soaking wet. And aside from the lantern just ahead of you, which is thankfully out of the water's reach (so far, anyway) and a few dancing lights in the distance, everything is dark.

Wherever you were before, however it is you died, you've woken up somewhere new. But you might want to get moving fast. The next wave might reach a little farther and put out that lantern, which seems to be your only nearby source of light at the moment. What's more, you swear that when the water raced back into the lake, you felt it grasp at your clothing, at your ankles, at your feet, and try to drag you down with it.

The longer you wait, the stronger each little wave pulls. Try to dive under, and you'll find your eyes covered with hands, your torso wrapped with long, flexible arms. The lake laughs as it tries to drown you. Hopefully someone sees you struggling.

IN A CARNIVAL WITH SIGHTS TO SEE

Once you've made your way off the beach and acclimated to your new surroundings, you'll find you've arrived at a very fortunate time - there's a carnival that's been set up for the residents of Beacon. You'll find all the trappings of your typical carnival - booths for cotton candy and funnel cake, various rides (including a roller coaster and a ferris wheel).

Beyond the rest of the festivities, there lies a Fun House, which holds a foreboding air around it, though there's still something somewhat alluring about it, even as you're warned away by spirits. If you ignore them and start heading inside in spite of that, you'll notice things are fairly ordinary at first - a little creepy, with its flashing lights and eerie music, but that's to be expected in a fun house, isn't it?

As you continue down the mirrored hallways, however, you may start to notice that your reflections aren't behaving as they should - instead of moving with you, they appear to be staring at you. As you start reaching the end (or what you think is the end, at least), you start hearing movement behind you, as if something's trying to get closer. You whirl around, trying to find an opening between the panels of glass, and come face to face with your doppelgänger, who begins to chase you as you try to find your way out.

[This is a miniature version of our upcoming event, Cotton Candy Hearts. Feel free to create and control your own spirits as needed!]

network prompts

SONGBIRDIFY

For characters that are musically inclined, they are likely happy to know that a music app is preloaded on every device. Songbird has a huge variety of music, from many different worlds.

There is a slight blip in the system, however, as the app has suddenly started pre-sharing songs. Hey, check out my favorite song on Songbird! The pick might be the character's favorite, to the T... or even one that would be their favorite, if they'd had an opportunity to listen to it. Or, it can be the silliest, most ridiculous song known to man. Either way, it's going to play all the way through, no closing the app or turning it off.

Is it a surprising pick? Did you just have to listen to 3 minutes of rhythmic chanting? Perhaps a song about bidets? Maybe you like that song too? Might as well chat about it!

MIRROR MIRROR

There's a strange post on the network, with a garbled username and title. Clicking onto it provides a video feed. Who is on the video feed? Well, funny you should ask. It's you.

There's nothing you can do about the doppelgänger, that swans a little closer to the camera with an eerie smile. That's all they seem to do, breathe quietly and stare directly through the screen, endlessly. For hours.

The only thing on the tablet that seems to function is the chat feature. Maybe you can ask yourself some questions? Or just see if anyone else can see the monstrosity that smiles unblinkingly back at you. Maybe warn them that shadow isn't actually you... especially as they reach for a sharp hunk of mirror from beside them and finally disappear from the screen.

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i. arrival

[ Claire gasped as she gained consciousness, acutely aware of her last memories of pressing blackness, ocean water closing in around her. It's enough to drive her up the beach on her stomach a few feet, digging in with her hands and elbows, pulling herself away from the water until she reaches the lantern. Coughing because of the water she still feels in her lungs she sits up, looks around. It's dark, she has no idea where she is, but she hears voices.

Knowing that might not be a good thing, if she's still on Sushestvovanie, she fumbles for her gun, blessedly still strapped into the holster on her side, as she slowly picks up the lantern. Moving towards the voices she looks around for anything familiar. It doesn't look like Sushestvovanie, but the island had been bigger than it had seemed. She knows she didn't see all of it, and it's hard to tell in the dark. ]

ii. carnival

Well, this is creepy.

[ Is the first thought Claire has upon walking into the carnival. She hasn't liked places like this in a long time, too many unknown variables. But this is almost worse, a carnival surrounded by pressing darkness. Her stomach growls as she walks by the booths with food, but she hesitates to touch anything. This all feels like an elaborate dream, somehow. Still, it's been God knows how long since she last ate, and the hot dogs are probably a better choice than the funnel cakes... ]

[It's not a patrol exactly. Danse doesn't go looking to get into trouble around here. He's still finding his way around the town and the surrounding forest, working to memorize how to get from his garage to the junkyard, and to the common places people tend to gather for practical reasons.

If he happens to run into any spirits on the way and they happen to pick a fight, he'll just smash their skulls in with his bat.

It's been quiet so far, until he notices the woman, soaking wet, washed up on the shore, and her lantern sitting nearby. He draws closer.]

Ma'am? Are you all right?

[ Given what she's just been through, when she hears someone speak she snaps her gun in their direction immediately, finger resting alongside but not on the trigger.

She hesitates, as the rest of the situation registers, he wasn't infected, and his accent wasn't Russian. Lowering her gun slightly, though still keeping it raised she presses her lips together, brow furrowed. ]

Where am I?

Ugh, isn't it?

[ one of the most irritating quirks of mystic falls had been the constant celebrations, both back in 1864 and more recently. katherine loves a party, but there comes a point where they get egregious, and she's never been a fan of carnivals. ]

I know this isn't technically hell, but they definitely got the atmosphere right.

ARRIVAL:

What? No. [ Shadow groaned at the feeling of the beach under him. Was he… No. There wasn’t a beach in Deerington just the lake that he stayed far away from after the stint in Rapture. Was he back with the old gods in—A wave rolled up and prompted him to get up. Something felt as if it tried pulling his legs.

It was so dark. He squinted and reached for the lantern as he stumbled to his feet. ] Hello? Jessica?

[ He’d gone to try and talk to her, dealing with the rumors out there on top of finding out his once wife had shown up in Deerington. There was a lot to talk about. Something seemed to think differently as he found himself in the dark on a shore of pebbles without a familiar sight in the very little he could see. ] Is anybody out there?

IN A CARNIVAL WITH SIGHTS TO SEE

You’ve gotta be kidding me. [ He mumbled to himself as he trudged in wet clothes with a lantern in hand to find a carnival out of all things. Shadow grabbed one side of the lapel of his leather jacket and adjusted the outerwear in an effort to straight up himself as he approached the first booth. The funnel cake smelled delicious but he wasn’t about to put anything in his mouth.

His eyes panned over the carnival in search of a familiar face. He looked over the crowd and missed where he was walking, clearly knocking something out of the person’s hands. ] Sorry!

[ It wasn’t as if he could offer to pay for another one, not having anything like a wallet on him. Or did he? His free hand grabbed at the pockets of his jacket and jeans in search for something personal that might help him repay what was lost. ]

[ After the heatwave oppressing the town of Deerington, Jess could lie in the water forever. The stones were cool against her face and arms, smooth from erosion. The lake felt as welcoming as she ever imagined the ocean to be in her youth, when she fantasized about walking into it and never walking out. She deliberately entertained no thought but lying there and letting the water climb up and claim her. Like it could sense her childish whim, it lapped higher and harder.

By the time she started to fight it, its strength had doubled. Jess scrambled onto her hands only to be knocked back onto her chest by another wave. She raked at pebbles that gave no purchase. Her boots had become hooked in plants or large debris, preventing her from moving forward. Toward the lantern, all that she could make out in her panic. A final wave overtook her and dragged her from the shore. Arms lashing, she broke the surface and sputtered; a coil around her body weighted her down and water rushed into her mouth as she tried to cry out. ]

[ it's fortunate that what gets knocked over is not anything important (like, say, her lantern), but elektra still tenses upon getting knocked into, especially since the arm he's jostled is her injured one. she's irritated, but immediately takes the man in - she's been here long enough to recognize when somebody's new, and in addition to that he's soaking wet, as if he'd just come from the lake.

so, the ones in charge of the portal are still figuring things out, it seems. ]

It's fine. I can get another soda. [ she looks at the state of the man's lantern before looking back at him - good, whatever had gotten him all wet hadn't reached that. ] I don't suppose anyone's explained things to you yet?

Hey! [ He had looked around as his eyes tried to adjust to the low light. The lantern in hand didn't help much unless it was in his immediate proximity. Shadow saw another lantern nearby, thrashing suddenly near it. ] Shit!

[ Quickly, he set his lantern away from where the water had ebbed then rushed toward the other lantern. Shadow had no idea who or what was the source of the thrashing due to the limited light but knowing who or what didn't matter to him. He had felt the water pull him and immediately believed someone was in trouble.

His arms reached in and grabbed hold of what appeared to be thrashing, only realizing in the close proximity that what he saw was a 'who' and not a 'what'. Shadow was only certain who she was once pulling her out of the water, her only partially obscuring her face. ]

You're okay. Come on. [ Shadow tucked Jessica into his side, a strong arm holding her as the other reached for the lantern on the walk away from the water. ]

[ Sometimes his stature was a serious hindrance. He hadn't meant to be a wall for anyone to walk into, especially with how it seemed like everyone walked with one hand occupied carrying a lantern. Shadow looked at the woman sheepishly then curiously. ] No.

[ He wasn't sure if she meant how things work in town because he'd knocked the soda out of her hand and she was the mayor or someone that anyone walked into, or less sinister, maybe offering to explain what part of Deerington he'd just found himself in.

Shadow craned his neck a little, stretching it in an unconscious move to rid some of the tension he was carrying. His brown eyes didn't leave her face. He was trying to assess if she offered an alliance or the opposite. There wasn't an immediate defensive posture, preferring to give her the benefit of the doubt and watch her studiously.

He was, even after everything, hopeful. His size and features didn't give him the appearance of a pushover but anyone who could remotely read a person might see more of a passive man than an aggressive one. ]

[ Jess fought instinctively against the second set of arms around her, batting at her rescuer once before realizing their aim. Then she held on as she spat out lake water. Once her feet slid along solid ground, she struggled to right herself and ease the burden on her savior, whose voice she distinctly recognized. Having to be fished out of a lake by anyone was fairly mortifying. By this man? Cosmically so. ]

Shad--?? [ Her voice pitched up inquisitively, incredulously, before a wet cough overrode it. She stood tremulously on her own, braced by his arm. Slick, sticky hair coated half her face and she squinted through damp eyelashes to make out what features the lantern light half-cut out of the dark. ]

[ she's not sure when she became one of the people qualified to break people into this situation. (probably when most of the past citizens had died.) she can tell she's being assessed by someone who's been tricked by circumstances in the past, so she waits for the none-too-subtle onceover to conclude before moving forward with this. ]

Well, for starters, you're in the afterlife. Or a form of it. That - [ she gestures to the lantern ] contains your life force, so you're lucky that it didn't get as wet as you did.

[ ordinarily she could point to the tablet to inform him further about the finer details, but she can't currently tell if he'd been bestowed one or not. worse comes to worse, she can pull the information up on her own tablet and let him read it. they might want to find him some dry clothes, though.

hey, maybe those lounge clothes she got will come in handy after all! ]

[ Her struggle against him wasn't the easiest to handle but Shadow used what strength he had left to keep Jessica secured. He immediately thought it was because of the darkness and her hair that she didn't recognize him. In truth, his heart sank for a second at the possibility that she didn't know who he was at all.

Deerington often had people who'd suddenly left and returned with no memory of their time in the nightmare town.

However, Jessica started to say his name and finally walked with him. He took a breath, not realizing until the moment that he'd been holding it. ] Yeah, it's me. Guess this is Rapture number two or some shit. [ Shadow kept an arm around her until getting to where he set down his lantern. ]

I heard voices but can't see shit.

[ His chest rose and fell with breaths from the slight struggle but evened out after a moment. He looked to Jessica, comforted that she was with him again in whatever this was that Deerington might be doing to them. ]

[ As her breathing evened out, she collected herself and pushed the hair from her face. Jess patted his arm so as to indicate he could let go of her, or that he at least no longer had to worry about supporting her. She looked over her shoulder to the lake, a blacker than black hole in the dark night.

Her gratitude for the rescue would continue to go unspoken. He knew her well enough not to have to hear it, anyway. ]

Normal voices or psycho tweaker voices?

Afterlife? [ He repeated in a knee jerk reaction. How did she know that? Who was she?

Shadow listened carefully without any prejudice. She hadn't offered any information that was any detriment to him or that she could profit from that he saw. ] This isn't Deerington? ...Or a place they sent us to?

[ His body was tense, fighting off from shivering. His knuckles were close to white with how they clenched the lantern in hand. Shadow didn't think about the cold as he gave thought to what she informed him. Life force? This gave all new meaning to what his mother used to say about his light. ]

Normal conversation. Distant. I called out but nobody said anything. I only heard you splashing in the water. At least, that's the only sound other than the waves coming in.

[ Shadow gave Jessica a long look before shrugging out of his jacket and offering it to her. ]

I think we each get a lantern. [ He uttered casually while waiting for her to take his jacket then the lantern in hand. His was just behind where she stood. ]

[ Well, that was something. Barely. It could still present a threat but a slightly less aggressive one, maybe.

She was wringing water from her hair and shirt while he removed his jacket. It was off before she could argue against needing it. She accepted it with a sharp stare, implying it wasn't needed or even appreciated. Chivalry was just the least insidious thing afoot at the moment.

Jess bent to grab her lantern. Lifting it, its sphere of light spread and illuminated the messenger bag she'd had slung over her shoulder in Deerington. Approaching it, she picked it up and rifled through the contents. Within were her camera and flask, as well as an unfamiliar tablet. She checked her jean pockets for her Fluid device and found nothing. ]

Do you have your Liquid thing?

[ all right, now it's her turn to be confused. ]

Deerington? [ she's never heard the name before and the confusion is written on her face. ] I can tell you this isn't whatever that is, but as for whether or not they sent you here...

[ well, she can't really answer that, either. she's already mentioned that they're in the afterlife, beyond that she's not sure how where he was connects to where he is, but clearly that place had already sent him somewhere he wasn't supposed to be. she's about to continue, but then realizes how cold he is. ]

Well, first, let's find you some clothes. It'll probably be easier to talk if you're not worried about getting hypothermia.

The fluid? [ Shadow set down the lantern in hand and checked the pockets of his jeans before the ones on the outside of his jacket. ] Unless it's in the inside of the jacket, no.

[ He bent down and picked his lantern back up. ]

You think that means something?

[ Shadow glossed over her look of disdain when he handed her his jacket. If they did encounter others, he considered himself lowering the risk of injury to anyone who might be brazen enough to make a comment over a wet t-shirt to Jessica. He was more protective than possessive. ]

[ She didn't know of Deerington and didn't seem like a new arrival. He apparently was the new arrival. The only question remained of where. She already told him this was the afterlife but did that make Deerington Purgatory?

Shadow shivered involuntarily again. He gave her a quiet nod, ready to follow where she went. ] I'd appreciate that. ...Even if hypothermia shouldn't be a concern under the circumstances.

[ How did that work? Could he get sick and die in the afterlife? What was the point of the carrying a life force?

There was one way of really telling if this had anything to do with Deerington; the tattoo should no longer be on the expanse of his back. ]

You'd be surprised. [ death is a factor here, and there's only so many times you can be brought back from it without a permanent consequence. and getting sick after death isn't any more pleasant than it was in life. ]

Come on, this way. [ she starts to head from the carnival grounds towards the landmark hotel; she'd been meant to meet with matthew but she's sure he'll understand the emergency once she sends him a message about it. ] What's your name?

[ Ugh, Fluid. Worst name ever. Jess couldn't remember if she deliberately estranged herself from the proper name or it was her brain doing it unconsciously. ]

I don't know. We had them in Rapture. [ It seemed no less possible for them to have them here. Jess patted down the jacket and fished out a small tablet, alike to the Fluid in technological capability but different in design. ~~Don't ask me how it fit in the pocket, don't ask anyone.~~ His, however, was waterlogged and might be on the fritz. She put it back. ]

I need to see if I have my powers. [ She didn't want weakness to take her by surprise. It would be unkind to ask Shadow to help her test them by bruising her, so she went off in the direction of the deepest darkness in search of a tree or surface to hit, or large rock to heft. ]

What's that? [ He asked about the tablet she pulled out from his jacket. ~~Simple: big guy has big jacket with big pockets! Moving on...~~

Whatever it was wasn't working. The question remained on his face but Shadow didn't utter anything further.

Until she started walking off. ] Jessica, stop. Just shove me. Or throw me. --Away from the water.

[ He really didn't need to say that last part. Shadow trusted her. It was a gentle reminder to be mindful about the water and the darkness. ] Who knows what you're gonna find in that direction. We shouldn't split up.

[ Shadow set his lantern down and patted his chest twice for her to come at him. ]

[ Jess didn't have a good answer for him about the tablet. He saw exactly what she did. Once she answered her own questions, she'd pull out the presumably functioning device in her bag.

The urgency in his voice stopped her and she turned back toward him. She looked him over from head to toe, noticing no visible injuries. That didn't mean she wanted to give him some. ]

All right. Give me your arm. [ She put it over her back and bent to drape him over her shoulders. Straightening her knees, Jess hefted him off the ground with relative ease, then set him down. Raking loosened strands of hair behind her ears, she offered her arm to him, hand up. Jess tugged the jacket sleeve back, bunching it at the elbow. ] Last thing. Squeeze my arm, hard as you can.

[ Her strength was intact. Her durability wasn't necessarily guaranteed. Deerington proper taught her that during the orc invasion. ]

Th-thanks. [ He shivered and gave her an awkward smile when she told him to follow her. Circumstances seemed to emphasize the point she'd been making. ] Shadow Moon.

[ His name left his lips with ease, wrapping his free hand around himself. Shadow looked around as they walked. Nothing stuck out. It was difficult to believe that she didn't know Deerington. This was how the town worked, dumping people from one existence to another. ]

What? [ He questioned yet gave her his arm. A surprised laugh left him at being hoisted on her back. Her body was a welcome warmth under his drenched state. It ended quickly as Jessica set him back down. The question returned to his face as she pushed up the sleeve of his jacket on her arm.

Shadow didn't like what she wanted him to do but couldn't think of a better alternative so he only hesitated a second before doing as she asked. With a huge breath that he held when he started. One eye squinted in a wince, using all his strength to squeeze. ]

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TEST DRIVE MEME #03

Claire Redfield - Resident Evil

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Shadow Moon | American Gods | CRAU

arrival (cw past suicide ideation)

in a carnival with sights to see

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