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meadowlarking2020-04-22 11:35 pm
TEST DRIVE MEME 012
Welcome to the Meadowlark test drive meme! After waking up in strange and rather worrisome conditions, characters will need to begin to live their lives in this new world. All TDM threads take place after the arrival process, so please assume that the initial adjustment period has passed – in which the characters were found after being dropped off in a random part of the city and had to live in a safehouse for four days before hitting the streets. Now it's time to see the bright sights and sounds that New Amsterdam – and beyond – has to offer.
All Meadowlark test drive memes will not be game canon because of the nature of our arrival logs. Please feel free to carry on relationships that make sense, but please keep in mind that the TDM may not reflect current circumstances in game.
This will be Meadowlark's last Test Drive Meme until we hit 50 players.
NOTE: The PCs have chosen to call themselves "the Displaced," and that's become the common parlance to refer to them.
There is very little that can smooth over the experience of your arrival in this world. Coming to your senses in a van, drugged and restrained, only to be carefully helped out by the unknown guards and nurses and then abandoned in an alleyway. What comes after is relatively straightforward: you're found by others and taken back to a safehouse that is hidden under an old hover bike shop. You aren't the first group that this has happened to: there are others not from this world who have experienced the same, with no recollection of how they came here. Like you, they have few answers about what's happened to them. Maybe this knowledge brings you a growing sense of futility, or perhaps it inspires a deeper determination in you. But even as you begin to think on what to do next, life has to go on.
All of the new arrivals will be given a fake ID and a background that will lend them access to entry-level jobs. It may be overwhelming, but their fellow Displaced have found their footing enough to be able to help the newcomers. Two Morningstar agents will be around to take care of world integration and IDs – the rest will fall to the Displaced who arrived before. It would take at least a month's wages to put down a deposit on even the smallest apartment in the city, so everyone has a grace period before they have to leave the safehouse – and then some, depending on the kindness of who's running the show.
Morningstar's veteran agents will also make their purpose clear if asked: they are a group dedicated to fighting corruption and righting the wrongs of this world, though they're in the process of rebuilding the organization's branch in New Amsterdam from scratch, and they know that the people in charge of those efforts wouldn't mind a little help. It will be made expressly clear that this entire arrangement to get the Displaced situated in the world is meant to be kept a secret, and that especially includes Morningstar's assistance. Letting the world know about their involvement could cause big problems.
> EXPLORE THE CHANGES
Despite the lack of answers about why you're here, your fellow Displaced will be able to give you a rundown of the changes they've recognized in each other. Anyone who had powers before will find them gone. Anyone who was once an AI or in a completely artificial body will find that their current body is now fully human. Those with cybernetics will find that they've remained mostly untouched, though any primitive ones may be replaced with temporary ones that are improvements on the previous models.
◉ NEW ABILITIES. In the place of any powers that were lost, there is now a new power. These abilities are unique to each of the Displaced and seem to update over a certain period of time, with the changes appearing thanks to critical emotional events. One thing that's apparent is that the power seems to be linked to the Displaced individual's personality or life before this one, shaped according to who they happen to be. When this power appears, their chest glows with a blue light that shines from their sternum, and it can be triggered by anything: natural inclination or a moment of great stress. If someone's out in public when this happens, they might want to duck under cover lest the blue glow from their chest and the unusual power's appearance draws unwanted attention.
◉ EMPATHY BOND. No matter the circumstances or the conditions, every skin-to-skin touch of the Displaced triggers this empathy bond. Whether they touch hands, brush cheeks, or knock into one another on accident, they'll be met with the emotions of the person they've touched. Every instance of skin-to-skin contact will trigger an immediate empathic bond, letting you feel the other person's emotions and vise versa. While there's nothing that can be done to completely prevent this, someone can either decide to hold on and continue sharing that level of emotional intimacy, or let go and end the shockingly vulnerable exchange. If someone is particularly tactile but not fond of sharing their emotions, they might want to invest in a fashionable pair of gloves.
◉ MEMORY SHARE. Through a recent event, the Displaced unlocked the ability to share memories similarly to how they can share emotions. While unknown at first, the Displaced soon learned that they could share a memory with each other the same way they could share emotions. All they need to do is focus on a memory and touch the skin of their fellow Displaced, and then they could pass this experience along. These memories are shared through the eyes of the giver, granting the receiver a unique insight into the thoughts, feelings, and sensations during a specific moment in their life.
◉ DREAM SHARING. Once one, two, or five Displaced fall asleep, they may be able to find each other in their dreams. These dreams lead to the dreamers themselves feeling lucid and somewhat in control of their surroundings—though the control itself is ultimately dependent on the dreamer and how well they come around to understanding what's going on. Dream logic applies with the flow of time, but no one is able to spend their entire lives there. Lost powers are still gone for any of the Displaced, but they can use their dreams to practice any new ability that they've received. Memory shares and empathy bonds are just as possible within these shared dream states—if anyone doubts that another Displaced is really there, they can test the empathy bond to see if it activates.
◉ POWER SHARES AND UNIONS. The Displaced can share something of themselves with another Displaced by offering them an object that comes out of their chest. This object is meant to be symbolic of the person it comes from and significant to them in some way. When someone else takes hold of this object, they will get a sense of the owner's essence, along with temporary access to their in-game ability. Only when they give the item back do they give up the power in question. In addition, the Displaced are able to act in unison and create a fusion of their powers, making it so they can fight someone else with them at once. This ability is there from day one, but the power's ability will only ever present at its current stage.
> THE NETWORK
When the Displaced first showed up, Morningstar set up a private network for all of the Displaced to use in order to communicate. Most of the veteran Displaced are old hands at using the implant now, and will be happy to provide any necessary information on how to utilize this new tool and understand its application in daily life.
Early on, every newcomer receives access to the encrypted network, only available to you and the others like you, making contact between you easy and safe. Familiarize yourself with this network and dig in. Perhaps you're hoping to find some bigger answers, ask about the current nail polish trends in New Amsterdam, or want to play a game of "hot or not" among the Displaced.
◉ IDENTIFICATION. Everyone who gets set up with an ID gets access to Morningstar's network. In order to ensure that none of the Displaced stand out like sore thumbs, Morningstar's agents El and Gaby ensure that everyone has a name that makes it so they fit in among society. All usernames are thusly formed as firstname.lastname, with some room for creativity (Ziggy Stardust had a brief cameo, after all).
◉ PRIVATE COMMUNICATION. There are private, one-on-one modes of communication available as well, though without the security of Morningstar's encryptions, they're much less safe. You can make calls, send texts, make videos, and even interact with others in a VR simulation—however, it's made very clear that the government has a means of tracking this communication. Big brother is always watching.
The day of April 26th is known to all United Nations citizens: it's Resolution Day. To everyone around the world, it's the day when the last known AI lifeforms were completely eradicated in 2101. While some might say that it's the day that the UN claimed victory over the AI, to people the world over it's the day that humanity managed to keep themselves from being wiped out. Little will be said in detail about the holiday itself, but a remedial bit of research will cover the six-year-long Xelkoven War between humans and AI. The war itself was started when the home security unit AI Elysian killed 50 households full of people, and the war itself was named after the largest artificial intelligence distributor at the time: Xelkov. Ultimately, a billion humans died in the war, and there was the very real risk that the rest of humanity could have followed if they hadn't devised a method to put down the AI for good.
The citywide celebration of Resolution Day starts early and finishes very late, so whether you choose to join in the fun, learn more about the history of the festival, or take advantage of the revelry for other, more nefarious goals, you'll have plenty of time.
As the festival sprawls wildly throughout the streets of New Amsterdam, it gives even the most desolate parts of the city new life with bright lights, noise, and plenty of food. Most businesses are closed for the day, but not all of them—if you've gotten yourself a restaurant, street cleaning, or corporate PR job, you might find yourself stuck on a double shift. Better snatch what small moments of enjoyment you can!
> ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES
Anything you'd think would be at a festival in the year 2512 is definitely at this festival. Food, games, dancing, alcohol, free stuff? It's all there for your enjoyment. While the city streets will be full of people, this isn't a bad day to try networking. Want to get a new job or find a way to pry some information out of someone when they're least likely to remember you? Try to butter them up—or use the powers you've been granted to get your way. If anything goes badly, at least you can slip back into the crowd.
◉ GAMES. Care to play a game? All attendees can play for free. Some games —like the hoverblade racing, the augmented reality fightboxes, and the street-wide bouts of laser tag—require a partner or a competitor, so you better hope someone's willing to do you a solid or bring out your competitive side. For anyone who's interested in something a little less hands-on, all of the city's biggest VR arcades will have setups with all the latest games. Hoping to get noticed for your gaming talent? This might not be the day to try to stand out, but anyone's down to try.
◉ FOOD TRUCKS. It's time to try the delicacies of New Amsterdam. Hundreds of food trucks have turned out today in droves with high hopes that they'll come away turning a profit. Down for some Mexi-German fusion? Or perhaps you're hoping that pad thai still tastes the same with grasshoppers? Share your food – or give away whatever you don't like. Food trucks are the hub of activity, and the busiest ones might be worth the time, but you'll be standing in line for a while.
◉ NETWORKING. There are other opportunities with the city being flooded with festival-goers. Whether someone is on a mission to try to test the current sentiments toward Morningstar or simply wants to charm some corporate execs, this might be the time to get it done. Whatever your cover story is, make it good. Whether you claim you're hoping to pitch an idea for some new tech or are more interested in seducing – or squeezing – some information out of them, following them into the next bar or karaoke booth may give you the perfect chance. But you might want a lookout to watch your back, a co-conspirator to keep them plied with drinks, or maybe you'll need a voice of reason to stop you from squeezing too hard. Discretion is the name of the game. Everyone can agree upon that.
> HISTORY LESSONS
Aside from your typical booths of free samples, charitable causes, volunteer applications, and white chocolate-covered beetles, you'll find an opportunity to learn about Resolution Day’s history. There are various stands available where—thanks to the augmented reality application of your neural implant—you can view videos about the origins of the festival and the reasons for celebrating. If you haven't done your initial search yourself, you'll be able to buff up on it here.
◉ VR SIMULATIONS. If you'd like to feel like a hero, the UNA are running several virtual reality simulations where you can be taken to the battlefield to fight alongside fellow soldiers, working to bring the outwardly robotic AI to submission. The virtual reality simulation interacts with your neural implant to give you the most realistic experience possible. If you don't ground yourself enough, you'll be certain that the sights, sounds, and smells around you are real as you march in formation toward the brutality waiting up ahead. Feel free to team up with a partner on a side mission, or maybe try to keep someone from plugging in for what could be a traumatic experience. Eerie, heart-wrenching music plays when you die, but is promptly followed by the image of several corporate logos reminding you that they sponsored this day and this event.
◉ SYMPATHIZERS. If you're uncomfortable with the concept of eradicating all AI, no one will understand why. AI sympathizers are not present among the native population. Everyone in this world has been raised with the understanding that AI only wanted to destroy humanity, and that everyone is lucky to be alive in spite of it. They have a deeply ingrained fear, and anyone claiming to formerly be an AI or android won't receive a very friendly response.
Traveling down from the hectic main city streets reveals a different side from the gloss and promise of New Amsterdam. Economic disparity runs rampant throughout the city, and many people are pushed to desperation, looking to find other ways to make ends meet. In the darker shadows, many illegal activities thrive, out of view of the authorities—or perhaps known and supported by corrupt individuals. Maybe you're out exploring, completing a task for Morningstar, or working a job in the place you excel. Whatever brought you to the rougher parts of town, you may want to watch your step, or else find the city eating you as it has so many others.
> ORGANIZED CRIME
Organized crime still has a strong foothold in the world, with gangs and more established families working with drugs, weapons, property, and black market cybernetics, to name a few. These organizations are sprawling units that regularly recruit new members into their ranks, so long as they can prove themselves by passing the intensive hazing. While there are two main mob entities in New Amsterdam—the Riverstone Mob and the Petrov Family—there are a handful of gangs that otherwise roam the streets. Some are loosely sponsored by the mob, while others are fledgling groups trying to gain clout. More than anything, these groups know they don't have the power of the corporations or government, and do everything to seize more power when they can.
◉ JOINING UP. Catching the eye of the mob is difficult, but not impossible. Getting into the larger gangs is less difficult, but they're still wary of anyone who doesn't know the ins and outs of how to duck surveillance, traffic drugs and supplies, and intimidate people without catching flack from the NAPD. The best way to start getting attention is through their clubs, casinos, and illegal gambling dens. Getting inside isn't always easy: it might take a few weeks of legwork to get an invite, but someone could try to strongarm their way inside or use some chicanery to make it a smoother endeavor.
◉ ESCAPE PLAN. Whether you went in to cause trouble or accidentally caused it by breathing the wrong way, it's good to have an escape plan in place. Does that mean fighting all the goons available? Maybe. What about stealing a hover bike and getting away? The good news is that hover bikes can fit where hover cars can't.If you've got the skills, you'll be able to weave through the chaos of the city and make a clean getaway. Just don't let the chase run for too long, or you'll have law enforcement on your ass as well.
> FIGHT CLUB
No matter the occasion outside, New Amsterdam's fight club events are held every evening. The bouncers at the door don't have too many scruples on who they let inside. All they care about is whether someone has the money to pay the cover charge.
The interior of the fight club reveals the sophistication of a business that's used to uprooting itself regularly. All the fights take place in a large cage in the center, and you remain on your feet while you enjoy the show. There is a special VIP section if you've been lucky enough to receive an invite or bribe your way in – just keep in mind that these invites are scarce, and you will have to have done something spectacular to earn the attention from someone high up the food chain. Regardless of where you end up, there is one rule: what happens in the fight club stays in the fight club. This tenant is law, and everyone's heard stories of the different (and sometimes extreme) lengths that have been taken to maintain it.
◉ FIGHT. It's time to sign up and test your chops against other fighters. Many of the fighters boast illegal cybernetic enhancements, so it would be a really good idea to have someone on hand who knows some first aid. Fights can either happen in duos or in one-on-ones depending on the signups for the evening.
◉ RINGSIDE CHAT. You might just want to enjoy the show, or use the opportunity to grill the bartenders for information. Just be careful not to make a fool of yourself. Asking too many questions might catch the wrong kind of attention – the kind that might find you being thrown into the ring, whether you wanted to be there or not. For all the blood spilled, these fight clubs thrive on discretion, so whatever you do, try to keep it quiet.
Life in New Amsterdam was once all festivals and people avoiding association with organized crime. Life in New Amsterdam these days is full of drama, citywide disturbances, and everything else that might be expected of an action film in progress. While there aren't many answers for what's happened to the Displaced, there is enough chaos going around that it seems like it may be connected to their arrivals.
The worst part is that New Amsterdam seems to struggle. Rather than being an anonymous backdrop to those action films, New Amsterdam is a bustling city full of life that never asked to be at the heart of this. When trouble hits, most repairs and restorations focus on helping those with money, while others are left forgotten living in tents and hoping for a helping hand. Recent circumstances have called for improvements in this area—there is more charitable work than ever before in New Amsterdam—but it's still a trying time.
Where the Displaced stand in all of this varies, but it's hard to ignore a city in trouble.
◉ DISPLACED VERSUS DISPLACED. Whether it's by manipulation of an outside force or through inhaling weird monster gas, sometimes the Displaced are at odds with one another. When some of these few heroes are fighting, it means that the city can be left in even greater danger. Other times, the Displaced might not be able to control themselves. Feeling a sudden surge of vengeance and hoping to follow through on it? That monster gas might be the cause. Want to finish out a nasty deal to get something back important? The monster gas won't be an excuse, but maybe someone can pretend it was. Life as a Displaced is wild sometimes.
◉ THE UNITED NATIONS ARMY. In fact, it's so wild that sometimes they come up against the extremely dangerous soldiers of the UNA. These soldiers are the military arm of the United Nations government. They aren't the average soldier, however. Dressed in thick black armor that acts as an exoskeleton for their bodies, they are basically invulnerable to any and all attacks. When fighting as a unit, they work perfectly in unison, making it so that they can quickly move to deny almost any and all attacks. They're also extremely resistant to any mental or emotional compulsion or manipulation, making them hard nuts to crack. Ready for a bossfight? They're the soldiers for it.
◉ MONSTERS. As for unconventional threats, there are the monsters. These creatures first turned up in giant form when the first batch of Displaced arrived, stomping all over New Amsterdam. The less unique version of the monsters are around 400m high, have lizard-like features, and tend to show up by tearing down a portion of New Amsterdam's city wall And that's the less unique version. More unique monsters vary in size and make, seeming to be an amalgamation of a number of different creatures. Half-snake, half-dog? Seems odd, but it happens. The one consistent feature of all these monsters is they all have golden irises. Suffice to say that running into these creatures could be a problem.
Feel free to branch out and explore! Visit a doctor about some advanced cybernetics. Sneak through the city checkpoints and set out into the wilderness. Try to hop on a train bound for one of the world's five spaceports to see one of the colonies—though bear in mind the cost and difficulty of one of these joy rides. Experiment with some insect based versions of your favorite recipes. Perhaps you'd prefer to engage in some illegal street racing, spend some time getting used to the technology, or try to become a social media celebrity. Use the SETTING for inspiration and choose your own adventure!
Ian Fowler | OC
The Network
Wildcard
memory swap
... Are you the guy?
(dumb question, but whatever, he says it anyways as he walks inside the apartment.)
no subject
If you're here to swap some memories, I'm the guy.
[ He agrees, flopping his book closed and sliding it off to the side. His knees come up, and he settles his elbows onto them. Although this whole thing might give off hippy new age vibes, there isn't all that much about him that suggests he's one of them aside from the cushions on the floor and his calm attitude. Aside from that, his apartment's tidy, more or less modern, even his clothes are just standard jeans an t-shirt combo. Might be hard to get a concrete beat on him.
Doesn't matter too much anyway. He gestures toward the cushion next to him. ]
You hear to learn or to share?
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he does say he's the guy, so he approaches and sits down where it's offered.)
Honestly, it's my first time and my memory is a-, uh, a mess, so maybe you go first?
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He holds out a hand, but before allowing Qi to take it, prefaces the experience with a question. ]
Do you want something calm or something scary? Sometimes people come here to see something interesting, so calm sometimes means boring. Depends on what you can handle.
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... We just met and you want to hold hands??? You could at least pay me some dinner, you know??
(it's true indignation, but he gets distracted by the question.)
Show me whatever you want to show me, I guess?
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It's all touch-based, so. Skin to skin. Holding hands is probably the least weird way, but if you've got other suggestions...
[ Butt to butt maybe? Just kidding.
He holds it out again, and when Qi takes it, the first thing he'll get are Ian's emotions. They're calm, collected, peaceful. A little curious, a little excited to teach because that's his thing.
A second later, he gently pushes a memory through the bond. He opts for safe, for easy, because he doesn't wanna overwhelm someone's first time with the chaos and fear of an alien invasion unless they make it clear they're cool with it.
Instead, Qi's getting a memory of a workshop. Sunlight streams in through the windows, illuminating the dust that softly fuzzes up the atmosphere. It smells like engine oil and wood, and he'll look down from Ian's eyes to the engine he's got settled on top of his worktable, hands methodically screwing something into place with sureness and ease.
And that's it, just something simple and calm and easy to get them started.
He pulls his hand away, gauging for impact. ]
no subject
(like it should have made in the first place, but qi is... well. qi.
he had already experienced the empathy bond, but a memory share... it could definitely be an exciting thing for him to explore, seen he lacks way too many of those. so far, that's the core of his entire journey - recalling past two years ago.
he takes the hand, and as he expected, there's a light that shines from his chest and he feels good, relaxed and even at peace. from his own side, curiosity and doubt should be the norm for this encounter - it's far too important to him, not to be nervous and hopeful at the same time would be impossible.
the memory is a little underwhelming in itself, but it does open qi's mind to how incredibly cool it is and he's still processing it when the hand is taken.)
... So you made... Technology?
no subject
Brain things are sacred, you know? You err on the side of caution with them.
He smiles a little at the question, tipping his head forward into a nod that sends his hair cascading a little over his forehead. ]
Something like that. I, ah- I was an engineer. Taught it, mostly, before my world got... complicated.
[ Which he still... isn't sure whether or not it turns out to be this world, he's not caught up on the history. He'd be incredibly happy if that were the case, though, because as trashed as this place is... It's come a long way from the one he knew.
But anyway- ]
What d'you think? Pretty cool, right? You want another one, or you wanna share?
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bc i miss ian :<
[ he likes how dean sings it ]
or Who Are You, The Who
or Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones
no subject
How bout golden oldies?
cw: casual suicide mention??? thx emmy
dean says kurt cobain is too uppity and if he has to hear smells like teen spirit one more time hes gonna blow his brains out
or get courtney love to do it
[ he doesn't know who courtney love is. he didn't ask. ]
What bands are golden oldies?
ur welcome
I'm guessing Dean is someone influential in your life, and I'm also guessing you get all of your music experience from him, right?
I'm sure he's great and all, but you're really missing out on a lot if that's the case.
Nirvana's good. It's not golden oldies, it's more like grunge.
Golden Oldies might be like The Penguins, The Beatles, Jerry Lee Lewis, Otis Redding. Any of this sound familiar?
no subject
he's family
and driver picks the music so Dean always picks the music
But don't worry about unpacking him, he doesn't like it
Oh I know the Beatles!
Like Let It Be and Hey Jude
I haven't heard the rest
I did hear something a group of teenagers were listening to once, but it was... weird
Like if robots made it?
I don't know if I like it yet
no subject
You have to be careful that you don't make their identity your identity, though. You're allowed to explore and learn and grow, and have things that you like that Dean doesn't like.
Here, try some of this:
mp3_attachment_1
mp3_attachment_2
mp3_attachment_3
mp3_attachment_4
no subject
but who I choose to be hasn't been so great so
What Would the Winchesters Do is safer
[ which is a little more honest than he wanted to be, and jack's staring at the text for a second, wishing he'd thought that through a little longer. well, that's kind of his problem, isn't it? he needs to remember, it's not just sam, dean or cas he's talking to now. ]
Thank you for the music
I haven't really gotten out much, in my life
It's nice, having something different
the first one is good so far. Emotional, but kind of soothing too
i like it
no subject
If you want a little more upbeat, try the last one.
[ ANY EXCUSE TO GET SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO PAT BENATAR. ]
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memory swap
for instance, no one at WICKED had a beard. dudes with beards are usually pretty trustworthy, right? that's what he's telling himself to calm his nerves, anyway. thomas doesn't take a seat, just kind of stands a bit awkwardly for a second, a few feet away from the closest pillow, glancing around and eventually, back to ian. ]
How exactly is this supposed to work? You get to pick the memory, right, it's not just random selection?
[ there's a whole lot of nightmare fuel in thomas's head, and honestly? not a whole lot of it is worth sharing, and not much is stuff he's happy with strangers knowing about him. the questions rattle on. ]
What if I don't wanna give up any memories, but... I'd like to see another world.
[ because that's what this comes down to - curiosity. it's too incredible of an opportunity - to see someone else's life, where they've been, what their world's like, how different it might be from the miserable wasteland thomas came from. maybe it's better, maybe it's more of the same or worse, that part doesn't matter so much as the fact he could know.
which is usually a mentality that gets thomas into a lot of trouble, but watching other people's memories seems relatively harmless. he hopes. ]
no subject
But like. Don't trust all dudes with beards, that's an absolutely terrible blanket statement, some of them live in a van down by the river. Jesus Christ.
Anyway, meanwhile, down here in adult land with sensible decision-making and no cult-like intentions, Ian's watching this kid with some mix of curiosity and amusement. He's about the right age for one of Ian's classes, give or take. Seems high-strung, wary, mistrustful.
Ian knew a kid like that once.
Just gonna. Ride this suspicion train out while taking a long, totally not judgmental drink from his mug o' tea.
He swallows after the question, lets out a little bit of an exhale following it, then settles his elbows on his knees. ]
You don't have to give up anything. Nobody's gonna force it out of you. Just kind of a culture-sharing thing. So.
[ A little nod at a nearby cushion. Pop a squat, youth. ]
no subject
anyway, the man's easy natured enough to make this a little more comfortable, even if thomas doesn't really look comfortable, but let's be real, he rarely does. somehow the tea drinking is both reassuring and ominous. can't decide yet. ]
Culture-sharing. [ multidimensional medical miracle brain sharing but yeah sure, culture too. ] 'Kay.
[ shut up about semantics, thomas, he tells himself and only eyes the offered cushion with suspicion for a few seconds before clearing his throat and shuffling over. he should probably take his boots off, but he doesn't. should probably take his hands out of his pockets and try to relax a little more too, but that's not happening either. ]
There anything I should know before this starts? I'm not gonna wake up with a killer headache or blind or something, right?
no subject
But hey, he doesn't know your life, so. He's not gonna say a word about it. Instead, he's just gonna hold out his hands - but not let them be touched yet, he'll reel them in a little if Thomas goes for them. ]
It works through the empathy bond. They tell you about it when you first get here, but it does more than just feelings. It does mean there's gonna be a feeling swap anyway, no getting around that, it's just something you can't really turn off.
[ Which Ian doesn't mind, because unless it's a really bad day his surface-level emotions are pretty level. Level enough to withstand someone else's onslaught, too, usually. ]
So no, no hangovers. No missing limbs, no losing your sense of smell. But I gotta know first - how much can you handle? You wanna see the good parts and the bad parts, or is your mental state a little more conducive to the former right now? Be honest.
[ He won't judge - and he seems to communicate that with one earnestly raised eyebrow.
Trusting you to be mature enough to know yourself right now. ]
no subject
it's a demonstration. right, the empathy bond and the touching, it's a package deal. he's not a big fan of it, and there's a spike of anxiety in the back of thomas's head, worried about what kind of ugly things could come crawling to the surface at the wrong time. but he doesn't mind it so much that he isn't willing to deal with the discomfort for a little while.
the question into his mental state has thomas blink rapidly a couple times, a subtle look of surprise. he isn't often asked that, least of all by adults. even if thomas's kneejerk response is to look for insincerity, there is a bit of relief in hearing it, nonetheless. honestly, though, at this point? it's kinda funny, and thomas lets out a soft huff of a laugh. ]
Lot more than most. Don't worry about it. [ after the scorch, after denver, thomas thinks there isn't much left that could turn his stomach worse. there's a certain point where you've seen the extent of carnage, and of brokenness in the world, that you stop feeling it so much. that's probably not a great thing for his mental wellness, but that would be the least of the things in thomas's life that have been bad for his mental state. he doesn't want to see just the shiny parts, he wants to see the truth. ]
Show me all of it.
[ besides, he can't watch the good parts without being paranoid about the other side of it. just the fact he knows there's bad, now, and isn't seeing it would drive thomas nuts. no, better to just do it all. it's just memories anyway, they can't hurt him (easy to say in your head). letting out a slow, resolved exhale, thomas rolls his shoulders, tries to relax the tension in them a little, and finally pulls his hands free from his pockets. they hover a few inches from ian's before he glances up to him, one brow arched pointedly. ]
Hey. I wake up one kidney short, we're gonna have a talk.
[ after a beat, the small upwards corner at the curl of his lips says that was a joke, but for real, if he's going to be flopped over on the floor here, he better be left right the heck there, thanks. there's nothing more jarring than waking up somewhere you didn't fall asleep, especially with new and unexpected surgical scars. ]
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[ He agrees, and when their hands touch he'll find nothing malicious behind it. Amusement, curiosity, the drive to teach coupled with the drive to learn, maybe just a little bit of trepidation at what he's about to show, but...
It can't all be good.
He closes his eyes, and he finds the things he wants to push through. The memories are told through his eyes, through his perspective, and by virtue of the empathy bond Thomas will also get snatches of emotion as they unfold - not full-fledged feelings, but glimpses that are more like echoes Ian's re-experiencing by remembering. First person camera angle, but with smell and taste and stereo sound.
Sixteen years old, Weaverville California, flying down a hill at the top of town on a bike going way too fucking fast - but the view's nice. A mining down, very rural-america, brick buildings and all things pleasant.
Twenty-two, music festival, a thousand people all jumping at once to the sound of pearl jam, where Ian was admittedly rolling on a shitload of ecstasy - but it was good, and bright, and brilliantly happy.
Thirty-one, and he stands with his hands in his pockets leaning against a wooden desk behind him, a classroom of thirty or so students looking down at him. One student raises their hand to answer a question, it's incorrect, his TA scoffs an absent irreverent, "wrong," without looking up from the papers he's reviewing. He's doing his best not to laugh, and he glosses over it by mildly explaining it in a way that helps make things make more sense.
Thirty-three, standing in the middle of a sidewalk feeling distracted and nothing particularly significant one minute - but a sudden cacaphony of murmurs and then yells drag his attention up to the sky. A ship the size of four city blocks eases down from the clouds so painfully slowly it's almost difficult to tell that it's moving at all. It lands irreverently on buildings and cars and people. Two or three or four or six people shoulder-check him in their frantic fear, their drive to escape the city, but Ian's stunned to stillness with his mind blanked out, disbelief, shock, numb, unable to process it.
Thirty-three, watching from the treeline as what looks like a magnet the size of an apartment building rips an entire store out of the ground, concrete and detritus rain down from it, and it's carried away leaving a vacant hole where it had been.
Thirty-three, and they've been walking for four days straight, and he's exhausted, and a little girl behind him stumbles as he knees give out. He scoops her up despite the fact that his back is fucking killing him, exchanges a silent look with his TA, and they keep walking.
Thirty-four, they're in a small camp made of four or five cabins. There's a fire pit and some crops growing, there's a workshop across the clearing, there are six or eight people with guns milling around while one person cooks under a pavilion probably meant to house cookouts. The new normal.
He peels his hands away, and he studies Thomas's face. ]
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thomas doesn't remember rural america. it's like flipping a switch and changing a black and white movie to color. he knows it, somewhere in his mind, somewhere in the back of his head. knows sidewalk and mailbox and bicycle, but there's no details, no source to trace it back to. bizarre. it's always such a bizarre feeling. through the bond comes keen interest, tied with confusion, almost frustration, and somewhere deeper, a vague nostalgia.
the music festival is an explosion of color and sound and sensation, and if anything, this is that part that threatens to overwhelm him. weirdly enough, thomas maybe doesn't have a memory for riding a bike, but he sure does for being drugged out of his mind. the experiences in ian's head with it is a lot more pleasant, joyful, people milling around and pushing against each other and the word alive on repeat. his chest feels light for the first time in a long while, and thomas kind of wishes he could stay in that one, but he won't.
a classroom, rows of chairs filled with young adults, not in the cold, white rooms of the WICKED compounds where thomas learned things not terribly different from what's on ian's board. it's warm here, people talking, smiling, even that laugh ian's holding in. it's another world entirely to him, and part of him wants to stay and explore there too. but we haven't gotten to the bad, and he needs to know about the bad.
there it is, a massive structure crushing down on homes, on people. death and panic and fear, shock and chaos. it's not something thomas is unused to, and his mind snaps back to Denver without him meaning to. ian might pick up on a spike of tension, fear, and an aching despair. he pushes it down rather quickly, focusing on what he's seeing. thomas drinks in as much detail as he can, before the channel changes. a huge magnet, like the city is just a junk yard and it's compounding day. the destruction and ease of it is chilling, and he tries not to think about people that may have been inside.
a group of survivors on a trek. yeah, thomas knows this one too. he sees the little girl and thinks of chuck. wonders, sadly, if she met the same kind of end. a dull sadness throbs somewhere deep in his chest, muffled like it's coming through walls. oh hey, sassy TA made it. good for him.
and the end, well. the end looks eerily like the glade, but built by adults with life skills and not traumatized amnesiac children desperate to survive. there's a lot of similarity he's seeing in those last few scenes, and he wonders for a second, if there's any version of earth that hasn't rocketed towards annihilation already.
when their hands part, thomas has a careful frown on his features, brows knit in concentrated thought. it was intriguing, definitely worth the discomfort, but it left him with more questions. then again, it's thomas, so who's really surprised that he has questions? ]
What the hell was that? That thing that crushed the city. [ he never saw anything individual, just those massive objects and all they destroyed. whatever happened to ian's home, it was a disaster, but what was it? ]
What were you running from?
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Sorry, kid.
He blows out a soft breath, his brow wrinkles, and as earnestly as he can manage he says: ]
Aliens.
[ In a word, to sum it up concisely. ]
First contact. They showed up, they decided we didn't deserve what we had, and they started ripping it away from us. You fight, you die. You submit, you go to a work camp that's almost worse than dying. Survivors live on the fringes, rural areas. Trying to just... keep going.
[ For as long as they could, until the invasive species took everything that made the planet habitable and - who knows, torched the rest? He hopes he never finds out. ]
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