larkers: (THE COMPANY)
MEADOWLARK MODS ([personal profile] larkers) wrote in [community profile] meadowlarking2021-02-23 10:13 am
Entry tags:

TEST DRIVE MEME #017

> TEST DRIVE MEME #017

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 dropped off behind a bar run by previous arrivals who then direct them 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.

Applications open every month on the 1st of the month at midnight UTC (00:00).


NOTE: The PCs have chosen to call themselves "the Displaced," and that's become the common parlance to refer to them.

All applicants can use threads from the TDM for their samples.

> SETTLING IN

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 of a local sports bar by the name of Red Wings. What comes next is relatively straightforward: you're found by the employees at the bar, all of whom were once left in a similar situation to this one. You're brought down to a safehouse across town that's hidden underneath a soundproofed garage that's been kitted out for training purposes. You'll learn that you aren't among the first that this has happened to here. 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 by the names of Gaby and El 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.

Gaby and El will also make their purpose clear if asked: they are a part of Morningstar, a group dedicated to fighting corruption, tearing the capitalist oligarchy down to nothing, and trying to help make a better world. 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 POWERS. 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. In the past year, 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 has now been among the Displaced twice).

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.

> RESOLUTION DAY FESTIVAL

The day of April 26th is known to all United Nations citizens: it's Resolution Day. To everyone around the world, it was originally thought of as the day that the burgeoning United Nations finally rescued humanity by eradicating the last known AI lifeforms. This act took place in 2101. However, recent circumstances have revealed that the United Nations had lied about this fact. For over four hundred years, they kept the AI Judas locked away in their military headquarters in New Beijing. During his enslavement, Judas was forced to create technology to serve the UN's purposes, helping turn their soldiers into a hivemind-like group that would always fall into line.

The Displaced know that there are more AI in the world. El, the Morningstar agent who helps create everyone's IDs, is one of them. This is a secret hidden away from the rest of Morningstar due to the massive anti-AI sentiments. The other is Cassius, a space exploration AI who brought chaos to the Displaced before switching sides to become their ally. None of this is known to the world at large.

Of course, El is linked to the war itself. El was formerly known as Elysian, the AI who accidentally kicked off the six-year-long Xelkoven War between humans and AI. Once a security unit, Elysian killed 50 households full of people as ze believed them all to be a threat. The war was ultimately 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 advised a method to put the AI down for good. Even though humanity lived on, artificial intelligence did not – save for the three aforementioned AI.

With all this coming out, people in this world aren't psyched to celebrate Resolution Day for the reasons they had been taught growing up. But they're still interested in a day to celebrate each other and humanity's survival.

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. These booths tell the United Nations' version of the history with zero reminders about what came out about Judas.

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. Even if they know the UN used Judas for centuries, it doesn't mean they're any less afraid of artificial intelligence: they've been raised to believe that all artificial intelligence was out to eradicate humanity.

> CRIMINAL ACTIVITY

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.

> A LIFE OF CHAOS

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.

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. Hell, we even have a bestiary of some of what can be found. 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.

SIMULATION. There aren't many AI left in the world, but the most notorious of them – Judas – definitely has an axe to grind. Once the leader of the AI effort as they sought to destroy humanity after countless AI were wiped out for humanity's "protection," Judas is now well aware that he's only one of three left in the world. Getting a little payback against people is only fair, isn't it? His favorite means was via a simulation, dragging people into a post-apocalyptic hellscape where humanity was forced to live underground and live out repetitive scenarios where they had no choice but to play along or feel like they couldn't survive. This stimulation interacts with the VR technology built into the neural implants, stimulating adrenaline and fear exactly when Judas wants it to do just that. Why? Oh, torture. Why not? Oddly enough, Judas doesn't create any facsimiles of other AI. He takes full ownership of what he puts people through once he takes control. Sure, Judas is a little screwy but after 400 years of captivity, no one can really blame him, can they?

LEAD A REVOLUTION. Just because a world has free health care doesn't mean it's working for all of its citizens. Thanks to a variety of screwed up things over half a millenia ago, this world ended up permanently corrupt. Corporations act as training grounds for political positions, and while nobility is a thing of the past, wealthy families continue on thanks to the oligarchical stronghold that controls the world. Time to change some things up. Either by working with Morningstar or alone because of an urge to create some chaos, this world is ripe for change. Are you going to be the one to bring it about?

> GO NUTS

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!

armd: (Default)

abby anderson, tlou part ii

[personal profile] armd 2021-02-26 11:24 pm (UTC)(link)
𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭—
(takes a long time for abby to shake herself out of the thick fog in her brain. it's such a foreign, unpleasant feeling, how she tries to make herself stand and finds that she can't. her feet slip and slide against the floor of the van and she knocks into the window with a grunt, her eyes half-open, a film across her vision. for a horrible, heaving moment she thinks that her arms are just– gone, some how. she only realises they're bound up behind her when the van door opens and sucking down a gulp of fresh air makes her lungs ache.

she brushes up against somebody else in the van while they're getting her out, and her mind explodes with the rush of feeling: dull, cloying panic, whatsgoingon and wherearewe, slurred, indistinct motion filled with bitter, sharp confusion. she winces away and thankfully that makes it stop and then she's on the ground, and her arms are back, and the van is gone.

and everything after that is like a blur. people keep moving her, keep touching her, and abby tries to fight them off a couple times but she's out of it and they all know. she can't land any hits, it's like trying to punch underwater. too slow, too heavy. they just wait for her to stop, and then they keep leading her on.

by the time they're at the storehouse she feels the most alert she has so far, but there's nobody left for her to fight. everybody here is just trying to help, or is in the same boat as her, and none of the explanations make sense. she's tired and haunted, and unwilling to check what she knows has to be true judging by the state of the other new displaced. her hair is gone, again, shaved too close to her scalp. it had just been starting to really grow back. what she'd had would have covered the nape of her neck, would have hid the surgical looking scar she must be sporting, too.

but she has much bigger things to worry about. she's asking the first person she comes across, voice hoarse. mouth dry.)


Seen a kid around here at all? With scars?

𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘥𝘢𝘺–
(with how different and strange everything has been out here, abby's longing for something familiar. the burrito she's scabbed off of a food truck is– so much better than anything she ever ate at the stadium though, and in fact, she's going to rejoin the line for the truck while she eats because she knows she's going to want another one. maybe two more. it's greasy, and delicious, and full of cheese. it might just be the best thing she's ever tasted.

and so the person waiting in front of her is absolutely getting a tip off, what the fuck.)


You gotta try this. (yeah, her mouth is full. yeah she's speaking anyway,) It's– the one with all the beans.

(abby. they all have beans)

𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬–
(she'd given her name up without really thinking about it, but it doesn't seem to have processed through yet when she boots up the network for the first time. honestly, it's a relief.)

anonymous: Has the possibility of us all being dead and this being hell been explored yet

𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘥–
(feel free to toss a starter at me! open for fighting, game cooperation, power exploration, information sharing.)
notathreat: (16)

Network - @ellie.miller

[personal profile] notathreat 2021-02-26 11:37 pm (UTC)(link)
I mean if so this is a super posh version of hell
With space travel
armd: (wait a moment)

[personal profile] armd 2021-02-26 11:50 pm (UTC)(link)
(ellie. miller.

what are the fucking odds. this isn't real, it's a cosmic goddamn joke that abby is fine with entertaining for five minutes.)


It's definitely hell if you're here
notathreat: (45)

[personal profile] notathreat 2021-02-27 12:14 am (UTC)(link)
[There is only one person who would react like this to her, only one person who would know the name she purposely put on the network for just this eventuality. She's been dreading it, but knowing, on some level, ever since Joel showed up.

It was always going to happen. She'd just hoped that she'd have more time.]


Abby.

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dreamkillers: nodamnorder | ij (011)

@joseph.kavinsky

[personal profile] dreamkillers 2021-02-26 11:38 pm (UTC)(link)
nah this place isn't shit enough to be hell
tho i am spose to be dead so lol
armd: (hrmphh)

[personal profile] armd 2021-02-26 11:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Dunno. Its been really shit so far
What do you mean supposed to be dead. Can you die here
dreamkillers: crayolaxsmiles | ij (007)

[personal profile] dreamkillers 2021-02-26 11:57 pm (UTC)(link)
it's shit but not torture shit
yet
i mean i fucking blew myself up back home
[ or.. he was supposed to. he was like.. a second away. ]
pretty sure you can die if you try hard enough

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incelligent: (105)

i. arrival

[personal profile] incelligent 2021-02-27 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
[Simon has no intention of speaking to anyone. The newbies are not his responsibility as far as he is concerned, and they haven't even taken to establishing themselves amongst the Displaced. She may or not be able to tell from the freshly grown out crop of blond hair atop his head that he, too, has not been here for very long. He remains cold, devoid of emotion until she mentions something interesting-]

No, actually.

Come to think of it... I haven't really seen any kids 'round here. Hadn't even noticed 'til you said that.

[There's an age limit? God, who are the people who brought them here, and just what are they planning-]

Just hopped off the welcome wagon, huh?

[His voice softens. Upon first glance, he doesn't look too much like a threat. Just a lanky, wiry young man with a sharp nose and a somewhat nasally Midwestern lilt.]

What a trip.

[She looks strong, fit.

Another survivor, possibly around the same age range. A useful ally.

Potentially.
]

How you feelin'?

[He sounds remarkably sincere. Caring, concerned, even.

Thankfully, he's well-versed in being a two-faced piece of shit.
]
Edited 2021-02-27 02:48 (UTC)
armd: (lurking)

[personal profile] armd 2021-02-27 10:30 am (UTC)(link)
Oh.

(it's all that abby can think to say in response to that. what else does she say? the information makes her dull, heavy with worry; if lev's not here, where did he go? or he is here, and she simply hasn't found him yet, which has its own host of problems.

she can't think about them drugging him. shaving his hair off, cutting him open. her stomach lurches.

the person who she spoke to either doesn't notice this, or just doesn't care. abby doesn't blame him any which way. she doesn't want him to draw attention to how unsteady she probably looks right now either, so it works out for her.)


Like shit. (emotional state aside, she's still working the rest of the drugs out of her system. she feels lethargic and slow, like her brain is struggling to keep up. she needs food, and solid hours of sleep, but she doesn't feel like finding either of those things right now. too worked up to slow down just yet.

she eyes the person before her. he seems nice. everybody here seems fucking nice. abby isn't buying it.)
Who are you.
incelligent: (24)

[personal profile] incelligent 2021-02-27 04:47 pm (UTC)(link)
[Her gruff demeanor doesn't bother Simon, who remains gentle, meek. If anything, it means she understands. This person knows the rules of the survival game, that much is certain.

And for that, she earns his respect.
]

The name's Simon! And, uh, no kidding. I wouldn't exactly call what they do to ya on the get-go a "fun-time."

And who do I have the pleasure of runnin' into toda-

[The fog. He notices.]

Whoa.

Your head's feeling pretty funny right about now, huh.

[Simon isn't typically one to volunteer information without some sort of price, but. Even with his inability to comprehend other people, and that stark absence of empathy-]

I can tell you more about it in a minute, but... Don't freak out.

[Shoot, a command.

Shoot, shoot, shoot.
]

Merp. Didn't mean to say it like that.

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braveoff: <user name="wonjae">; commissioned (18)

arrival;

[personal profile] braveoff 2021-02-27 09:36 am (UTC)(link)
[ It's time for new Displaced again, and they arrive right on schedule. Drake's taken to getting some stuff ahead of time -- basics for the kitchen, mostly -- and going to drop it off once the newbies are at the Safehouse. So that's what he's doing right now, unpacking some groceries while the new people sort through their clothes and toiletries, pick their beds. He remembers what it was like, so once they've settled a little he's going to go ask them if there's anything they'd like him to bring in.

Drake doesn't expect anyone to approach him first, but when he hears the question something tightens in his chest. It's the same kind of question he was asking desperately of everyone when he first arrived, and the answer he has to give her is the same as well. Unfortunately. ]


I've actually never seen a kid brought in, sorry. I'll keep an eye out.

[ And any kid would stand out just for their age, but it'd be better to have a description, right? ]

What kind of scars?
armd: (frank)

[personal profile] armd 2021-02-27 10:59 am (UTC)(link)
You're not the first person to say that.

(she's been asking a few people around here, but they all have the same, disappointing answer for her: children aren't brought here. abby's a complex combination of relief and nervousness; if lev were brought here, in that exact way that she was? that would fuck him up. she doesn't want that for him, not for a second.

she misses him, though. she's worried for him. and it's harder to parse her way through everything going on without him at her side as usual, asking questions, staying close.)


Like this. (it's fruitless, since he's said kids don't come here, but she gestures toward her face with both hands anyway. draws two lines, from her earlobes to the corners of her mouth.)
braveoff: <user name="wonjae">; commissioned (10a)

[personal profile] braveoff 2021-02-27 02:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[ Drake follows the motion and nods -- the kid could come from another point in time so if he sees anyone with marks like that, it's possible. ]

They might show up older, but I wouldn't hold my breath. It's pretty random who shows up.

[ His eyes are sympathetic. It's complicated having someone you know here but everyone misses someone, and it's possible this is her child. ]

I'm Drake. I was just bringing some stuff in for the newbies, is there anything you need?

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unkindled_madness: (Default)

resolution day

[personal profile] unkindled_madness 2021-02-27 02:34 pm (UTC)(link)
[Sephiroth turns with a look of vague irritation. He doesn't care that she's talking with her mouth full, Zack does that, too, but why is she addressing him as though they're friends? Just because they're both newly Displaced, in the same situation? That's nothing.

Although this might answer at least one question he has.]


...

Is that what a taco is?
armd: (actually)

[personal profile] armd 2021-02-28 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
What? No.

(she's peeling back the foil with her thumb and index finger, to make room for her next too-huge bite. she eats almost as if she's used to only having five minutes to do it.)

This is a burrito. A taco is like– a shell. That you put stuff in.

(but it's open ended on both sides, and all the shit can fall out of it when you take a bite, and that's why the burrito is superior. in abby's opinion, anyway, not that he asked for it.)
unkindled_madness: (confused)

[personal profile] unkindled_madness 2021-02-28 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
...I see.

[The way she says that at least indicates they're similar.

Also the speed at which she's eating means she got back in line almost immediately after her first bite. Is any food really that good?]


It's a long line. You can probably take your time.

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monomachy: wondie @ dw (lights)

resolution day

[personal profile] monomachy 2021-02-27 06:29 pm (UTC)(link)
[At this point in her life, Diana basically lives off the food trucks in New Amsterdam. She had hardly been able to cook when the food was made with familiar ingredients, so trying to adjust to what was available in this world (little dairy, hardly any protein aside from insects, no chocolate) had been a nonstarter, to say the least.

This particular truck is new to her, and she can't deny that she's excited to try it. When the suggestion comes from behind her, Diana turns to see who's speaking, and offers a smile.]


It certainly looks good. The one with all the beans, hm? This is my first time at this truck, so I'll take your word for it. Thanks for the recommendation.
armd: (welp)

[personal profile] armd 2021-02-28 09:07 am (UTC)(link)
My first time in general. But I'm– (another large bite. she's making short work of it, and they've got a while to go in the line for seconds yet,) a fan.

(abby's used to rations. at the stadium you could have seconds, but they took note of that kind of thing to make sure the system wasn't skewing in favour of the people hoovering their food; that, and the goddamn bulk meals. fuck. manny used to say all sorts of shit about how he'd almost rather go hungry than eat shepherd's pie for the fifth day in a row and abby snorts now, remembering it.)

Have you tried anything else yet?
monomachy: buckybear @ ij (guy what takes his time)

[personal profile] monomachy 2021-03-05 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
[Her stomach rumbles as she watches the other woman eat, and she wishes she'd at least grabbed a snack from one of the stalls a little further from the main celebration. But maybe that will make this particular burrito better.]

From other trucks, yes. [She points to one a few yards away, with a line just as long.] That one has what I would call the best burgers in New Amsterdam.

[Mostly because it's the only burger she can't tell is made of bugs, even if she really knows it is.]

I would even go so far as to say it's almost like eating real beef.
texas: (pic#14661078)

i lied (wildcard)

[personal profile] texas 2021-02-27 08:35 pm (UTC)(link)
for years after breakout day, joel's gut would seize and his heart would stutter every time he saw a little girl. children became rare after a while — at least outside of qzs and the like. but once in a while, back when he and tommy lived that life, he'd see a family struggling past with kids, and what compassion he hadn't quite killed yet would wish for just a moment they could stop.

tommy was always the bigger bleeding heart. he'd ask sometimes, and it was always sobering to have to say no. the day tommy stopped asking to help other people is probably the same day the last light in him felt like it died.

and then for the longest time after, he felt nothing. survival or death were the choices, and he preferred the former. spite, maybe. anger at the world that had taken so much from him. but the fact is, he's only felt that specific wash of terror and anxiety a few times since. almost losing ellie is really the only thing in his mind that stands out as comparable.

and then he sees abby, and it hits him again.

they're in the safehouse. joel's got a bag of food slung over his shoulder — he comes by now and then to stock the fridge and he's still got some leftover venison from when it was open season in the city. he sees her on a cot — not looking at him, thankfully — and the fear crawls over him like frost stealing over a lake. for one single moment, the span of a heartbeat, it's crippling. remembered pain comes back in a rush. the empty, hollow sound of blows he couldn't lift his arms to defend against. he's tortured dozens of men — he knows the score. knows, too, that it's just the way the world works.

he forces himself onward anyhow.

clickers never cared how much you hated them. the fight was inevitable.

joel goes to the kitchen, methodically unpacks everything he'd brought. then, he goes back out to the common area and approaches her in full view. he's armed, she's not. he's aware, this time, of her intentions, and god help her he won't be caught off guard again. he stops outside of arm's length, folds his and tilts his chin upwards.


You and I need to talk.

he's been here longer, clearly. hair almost the same length she'll no doubt remember. his expression is set, firm.
armd: (forest)

jesus christ dad

[personal profile] armd 2021-02-28 04:01 am (UTC)(link)
(seeing him again is like seeing an old ghost.

a rush of frantic adrenaline jolts abby up and onto her feet, and she crashes up against the cot in an attempt to keep the distance between them when he steps far too close, her heart hammering wildly in her ears. it isn't an unfamiliar feeling. when tommy introduced them both to her in the middle of all the panic it felt exactly like this. like missing a step, going downstairs. her chest heaves with breath she hasn't yet caught. the presence of him has knocked it out of her.

he looks just like he did that day. same as abby's memories, same as the nightmares that chased them, except this time, he's armed. and she isn't.

ellie.

who else could possibly be behind this. all of the new arrivals are shepherded into the same holding station, and she was new at some point too. she's sent joel in to do her fucking dirty work, and abby's an idiot.

she bares her teeth at joel; a wild animal, cornered. a wolf, daring him to come any closer, and trigger her bite. it's all that she can think to do. if he's about to put her down, she won't go cowering.)


I have nothing to say to you.
texas: (pic#14702404)

im sorry i just Had To

[personal profile] texas 2021-02-28 04:19 am (UTC)(link)
she's afraid of him. the awareness of it hits him like a battering ram, because of all the things he'd expected from her, fear wasn't anywhere near the top of his list.

she wasn't, then. not like he'd given her any reason to be. he'd helped her, for chrissake. and the thing of it is.

the fucking thing of it, is that he's looking down at her as she scrabbles backwards like some feral animal about ready to gnaw its own leg off to escape a trap, and he realizes — he doesn't regret that, either. helping her. because he was trying to be the man that ellie would want him to be. trying to live up to her goodness. every day, he woke up and lived in a way he'd hoped she could be proud of, and even knowing what he knows about abby now, he doesn't have more than an internal lingering glut of compressed fear and the flinch of a beaten dog to look at her.

a few years ago, he'd have dragged her off the cot by whatever hair she's got left and beaten her to death with his bare hands. but he's too fucking old, tired, and worn down for that now. he gets it. that's maybe the worst part. he gets it. he wasn't anywhere near far gone enough to have tortured the man who'd shot sarah, not back then, but if it'd happened later? after the infection was well and truly underway, and he changed the way he did? lord knows he'd have done worse.


Then you're going to listen.

makes it easy, really. he doesn't try to come in closer. doesn't posture. just stands, jaw set, looking down at her.

This ain't our world. Your grudge don't mean shit here. You're alone, outnumbered, and you are damn well outgunned. You had your revenge. Now leave it be, and I'll leave well enough alone.

understandable have a nice day

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unwings: (castiel00224)

un: castiel.winchester

[personal profile] unwings 2021-03-01 03:13 pm (UTC)(link)
Unlikely. Hell's never presented as a metropolis in the past, and we've yet to see find the queen anywhere.
armd: (snowy)

[personal profile] armd 2021-03-02 10:53 am (UTC)(link)
Of course. That makes perfect sense.

What happens when you find the queen
unwings: (castiel00191)

[personal profile] unwings 2021-03-05 11:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Usually, she opens a portal to return home.
Edited 2021-03-05 23:50 (UTC)

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