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meadowlarking2019-05-18 03:12 pm
TEST DRIVE MEME 005
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 dropped off 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. 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.
NOTE: The PCs have chosen to call themselves "the Displaced," and that's become the common parlance to refer to them. Additionally, the "What Dreams May Come" prompt does not reflect any situation in game, and will change on each TDM.
There is very little that can smooth over the experience of your arrival in this world. Coming to 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, hidden under an old hover bike shop. This has happened before. There are others not from this world who have experienced the same, with no recollection of how they came here, bearing signs that they've lost months of their lives, but unfortunately, no more answers on how or why than you do. There are theories, crossed realities, a very real sense of immense violation to one's self. 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 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, their fellow Displaced have found their footing enough to be able to help newcomers. Two Morningstar agents will be around to take care of world integration and IDs – the rest will fall to the Displaced who came 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 things 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 started 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 massive problems.
> 001: EXPLORE THE CHANGES
You have been changed, and unfortunately your fellow Displaced don't have a whole lot of answers for you. They'll give you a rundown of your changes: no powers, empathy bonds and a new ability that'll pop up sooner or later. Still – what that means is specific to you, so it's down to you to figure that out.
Most of the troubling changes will be what's happened to each person's physiology. Every aspect of this situation is already enough to make someone feel scared, stressed, confused, or even angry at what's happened to them - having to navigate a new, crowded and noisy world could easily provide enough stimulation to make it worse . Unfortunately, strong emotion could be just the key to triggering your new power. To get things under wraps, you'll want to duck away to somewhere more private or hidden. Thankfully, there are numerous underpasses, dark corners, and currently-empty shops, but you'll need to be quick to avoid raising any eyebrows – or avoid hurting anyone.
Otherwise, you might prefer to play it safe and avoid striking out before you have more answers. As much as Morningstar has been helpful, you know that the others in your situation may have more information. But be careful that you don't end up sharing more than you intended. 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.
> 002: THE NETWORK
Months before catastrophe hit, Morningstar set up a private network for all of the Displaced to use in order to communicate. This is due to their familiarity with the neural implant. 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 latest weather or nail polish trends in New Amsterdam, or want to play the latest game of hot or not among the displaced.
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, there it's made very clear that the government has a means of tracking these. This definitely isn't a place to be careless about your communication
One day a year, everyone the whole system over participates in the annual celebration of Resolution Day. It's not explicitly stated what Resolution Day actually is; there's no reason to declare what everyone already knows, and characters may find themselves experiencing some intense culture shock as they stumble into the festivities. The celebration starts early and finishes late – 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. Recent circumstances have left New Amsterdam in a constant state of rebuilding, but the festival adds gloss to a lot of the damage – though most of the festival strays away from the most ruined architecture so that it doesn't serve as a constant reminder. Most businesses are shut for the day, giving their workers the time to enjoy the celebration, but some might consider this one of their most profitable days of the year – if you've gotten yourself a restaurant, rickshawing or corporate PR job, you might find yourself stuck on a double shift. Better snatch what small moments of enjoyment you can!
> 003: ENJOY THE FESTIVITIES
Anything you'd think it would be at a festival in the year 2511 is definitely at this festival.
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 – involve a partner or a competitor, so you better hope someone's willing to do you a solid or bring out your competitive side.
If having fun involves less competition and more opportunities to feel emboldened, there are karaoke setups all over the city. Most of the songs will be unfamiliar to anyone who's new to this world, but like any music in any era, they're catchy enough. There are some jingles that have managed to survive several hundred years, and you might stumble across a gaggle of teenagers declaring that "All You Need is Love." To encourage letting loose, most of these karaoke booths have bartenders available to help someone find the courage they need to reach the stage.
Or maybe 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.
> 004: 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 video about the origins of the festival and what, exactly, everyone's celebrating. These videos will play for you and you alone, and you'll soon learn that this is the day, 410 years ago, that humans successfully ended the AI war.
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.
If you're uncomfortable with this information, no one will understand why. AI sympathizers are not present among the native population. Will you risk trying to change their minds?
> 005: USING DISTRACTIONS
There are other opportunities in the city being flooded with festival-goers. For Morningstar, this is a prime opportunity to test new recruits when it comes to charming corporate execs and getting in good with them.
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. Morningstar values discretion – and so does everyone else, for that matter.
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 here exploring, completing a task for Morningstar, or working a job in the place you excel. Whatever's brought you here, you may want to watch your step, or else find the city eating you as it has so many others.
> 006: GETTING IN
Organized crime still has a strong foothold in the world, with gangs and more established families working 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.
Maybe you'd like to have a role in such a powerful organization. Or maybe you'd like to use your relative anonymity to burn it all down. One way to get an in is through their numerous clubs and illegal gambling dens, where to get past the door you have to know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy. Don't know a guy? Feel free to try to use brute force or some chicanery to make them believe that you belong among their numbers.
Just don't get caught doing anything they don't like – which could be breathing the wrong way, if you're unlucky enough. Best to have an escape plan in place, like perhaps stealing one of the many hover cars or hover bikes parked outside the establishment. 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.
> 007: 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 which have been taken to maintain it.
Maybe you're here 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.
Maybe you'd prefer to just enjoy the show, or take 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.
Not everything in New Amsterdam is a festival or invading the local fight club to dig up some details. Sometimes the unexpected hits out of nowhere, unsettling circumstances and causing everyone to react. Depending on what it might be, these situations can be catastrophic on a larger, unnatural scale, or a smaller, more localized event. Many of the previously displaced have already undergone them, but there is always the chance that something like that can happen again.
> 008: A MONSTROUS ATTACK
Late in the night, while many are heading home or safe in their beds, ground-trembling quakes begin to wrack the city. Loud sirens begin to cry, alerting citizens to follow quake protocol and head to the nearest shelter or safe area, of which there are many around the city. Everyone seems to know what to do in response. Earthquakes are nothing new to these people.
However, it quickly becomes apparent that this rhythmic shaking has little to do with an earthquake. News feeds begin to report on a huge creature, standing roughly 400m high, approaching – and then breaking through – New Amsterdam's outer city wall. The reptilian creature has a tough, scaled hide, four legs, and a rather large tail. In contrast to its dark coloring, the creature's eyes, mouth, and many vein-like cracks along its body glow a bright gold.
In response to the attack, the UNA and NAPD attempt to unleash an assault on the creature. Unfortunately all this seems to do is cause it to erupt with yellow colored pustules all over its body. As this happens, three different types of creatures pour from its body, taking on new life as they hit the ground. Some are dog-like, while others are like crabs, filled with a dangerous venom that acts as a numbing agent on anybody that makes contact with them.
There are a lot of options: stand and protect, moving throughout the streets to protect New Amsterdam from yet another monstrous attack. Or take advantage of the opportunity, using the broken storefronts to loot and help pad your pockets in a world where you're most likely without a lot of what you'd like to have on hand.
> 009: WHERE THERE'S SMOKE
Around midday, vents open up throughout New Amsterdam to let smoke rapidly filter up into the foreground of the city. The reason why? A fire sparks in the underground portion of New Amsterdam, spreading quickly between two apartment buildings. The cause is unknown, and while firefighters are on the scene, they could use an extra hand. Numerous people suffer from the effects of smoke inhalation, and there are likely more inside the buildings themselves waiting for an assist.
For anyone who's been here already, this may feel like a familiar sequence of events, but going into the fire puts anyone at risk for being infected by the smoke itself. The infection is far from contagious and doesn't spread from one person to another - but it's highly unpleasant, leaving someone feeling mild nausea and headaches, irritability, vertigo, feverish … and vengeful. As the sickness takes hold and worsens, anyone impacted by this infection will feel the need to take revenge on people around them. This retaliation can take any number of forms from violent to non-violent: pick countless fights, or manipulate your friends into fighting one another for your own satisfaction, just to prove that they will turn on one another.
Thankfully, there is a cure for this righteous anger – unless you're inclined to feel this normally, of course. Any of the player characters who didn't stage a rescue in the burning building will be able to cure others by making skin-to-skin contact and holding on to it for a prolonged period of time. This contact will lead to their chest glowing blue for the entire duration, an increasingly burning sensation for both parties involved which eventually culminates in a sense of peace before giving way to a deep, pervading sense of sadness.
Throughout New Amsterdam, there will be countless people impacted by this infection thanks to their close proximity to the fire itself. It's up to you to help them – or leave them hanging, if that's what you prefer. But the only existing cure appears to be anyone with the strange blue stuff in their chests.
> 010: A VISIT FROM THE UNA
In an effort to get New Amsterdam's chaos under control, the officials in charge of the United Nation's Army send out their soldiers to try and smoke out any individuals who appear to be dissidents within the city. Whether they're Morningstar – or a similar uprising – they want to try to get things under control. They don't know why a monster attacked the city, or why a seeming bout of biological warfare hit many of the citizens and turned them against one another. What they do know is that they want to make a statement: if they can't control these events from happening, they'll ensure that the city is safe from people who want to undermine the government that maintains the world order.
It's futile, but the soldiers in question have no way of knowing this. They're ordered to do what's expected of them, and they act with fierce brutality and certainty as they enter homes and change the lives inside of them. When word gets out – and it does get out – there are only a scant few with the resources and powers to truly undermine these soldiers. They act as if they think in unison, clad in thick black body armor as they move through the halls, their heavy footsteps announcing their arrival. But that announcement may not matter, not for anyone unknowingly awaiting them – or anyone who may hope to stop them.
The best anyone can hope for is to mitigate the efforts of these seemingly unstoppable soldiers. Attempt to fight them or slow them down, and try to help the people who never asked for their lives to be changed.
Intervene to save lives – or use the situation to your advantage. These soldiers are heavily armed and armored. In order to help, everyone will have armor and guns of their own, but nothing on the same level or grade as what the UNA soldiers utilize. Try to get what they have on hand, and see if they're carrying around anything new.
It might help in whatever mysterious fight lies ahead.
> 011: WHAT DREAMS MAY COME
Fatigue hits when everyone least expects it, making it so that they can't keep their eyes open. No amount of caffeine is going to keep anyone awake. They'll soon find themselves drifting through a blue haze, as if they're drifting deeper and deeper into an ocean that swallows them. Once they find themselves upright, they'll see they're somewhere familiar – New Amsterdam, to be exact.
This version of New Amsterdam is like a nightmare. UNA soldiers march the streets to maintain martial law. There are paper posters on the walls everywhere dictating a specific set of reminders. Don't stay out too past 9PM. Don't participate in vigilantism. And despite the UNA soldiers seeming to act the same as they march in formation, much of the tech that propels them in reality doesn't exist here. Even so – they act in unison, thoroughly trained and as if they're in each other's heads, calculating what should be their next step. They are wordless as they move, one step in front of another.
This version of New Amsterdam isn't real, but instead reflects some fear that likely lies in the heart of all of the Displaced. Morningstar acts as a rebel organization here, with more traction – but there's little they can do, especially since the United Nations appears to have the monsters on their sides. They deploy them with the aid of the UNA, beckoning them forward from the shadows to hunt down any insurrectionists.
Previous experience will tell the Displaced that they can change this reality – or it might be someone's nightmare. Either way, there's no real reason to risk this dream coming true. This version of New Amsterdam doesn't hide its corporate influence, as the governing body is made up of the three CEOs from the city's main corporations: Pulsar, Vyonation and Giles Bell. Corrupt and self-serving, they do little to help people, and numerous individuals are forced out of their homes in order to advance the CEOs' agendas.
The upside? Everyone gets a power up in these dreams. Anyone who had powers before will get them back – except they're likely to glitch. It may be better if you don't rely on them. Their blue-toned power can branch in any direction someone might hope for, granting them the control they lack when they're awake.
If someone wants to enact change, this is the place to do it. And if they just want to see what might happen and stir up a little chaos? Everyone will know they're asleep and experiencing a lucid dream, though people's level of familiarity with what came before will be up to them. What actions they take here may not be reflected directly in the real world – but perhaps that should be motivation enough to keep this dream from becoming reality.
> 012: SPACE
Whether you're desperate for a reprieve from Earth after getting a taste of some unwanted righteous fury or curious about this century's space exploration, there are a number of opportunities available to let someone blast off. Most people will find that the process of getting into space is tedious, but also one that occurs regularly from day to day. The opportunities are there for anyone seeking a job out in the colonies, but first you'll have to get hired, or have approval for subsidy granted by the government. Journeys to the colonies are long and arduous, and what people find when they show up isn't any better. Most of the facilities are in poor condition, with food and water far more strictly rationed than back on Earth.
If you'd rather just take a trip out to space without having to worry about a job, you have a number of options. Anyone can book a trip to go off planet, if they have the capital, or perhaps you'd prefer to work towards some proper credentials and join a crew. Of course, someone wishing to skip to the front of the line can always just stowaway on the back of a ship – or steal one for themselves. Just be wary of the fact that the hangars these ships are in come with increased security to match their price tags. They're hard to steal, but not impossible. As long as you know to skip the hacking and go with brute force, it should work out fine.
> 013: GO NUTS
This isn't all there is to explore, so feel free to branch out! Visit a doctor about some advanced cybernetics. Sneak through the city checkpoints and set out into the wilderness. 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 make a bold declaration to become a llama farmer. Use the SETTING for inspiration and choose your own adventure.
no subject
he glances at stefan’s hand on his arm, eyebrow raising in question. he doesn’t remain curious. he remembers the agitation when he woke up. how the entire world felt sharp around the edges and like it was closing in on him, how small one room could feel when the singular thing he could focus on was the glorious sound of hearts pumping blood through all of the warm bodies around him. the thing about not knowing how long they were kept at that facility that changed them is that they don’t know the last time they fed. recently enough not to dessicate but not in the quantity that prevents that insistent desire to drink and never come up for air.
that concern flies from him like a pebble in a slingshot, sailing through the air, barely in sight. )
Caroline. ( he averts his gaze to the side because he’s perfectly aware of who he means without clarification. he’s not tiptoeing—he doesn’t tiptoe! apprehension doesn’t grip him like a vice. stefan’s the good brother. he doesn’t go off the rails without encouragement. his mouth twists into something distasteful then, carrying on like it’s nothing. ) And Klaus. You remember Klaus, right? About this tall, accent that puts random r’s in people’s names? Makes me look like a freaking saint?
( sorry, what? stalling? is damon dragging this out? oh. absolutely yes. the amount of energy it'll take to keep his brother distracted is unsustainable, particularly where elena gilbert is involved. he gives in whether he's pushed to or not, admitting quietly ( and a little forlornly ): )
She's not here.
no subject
The realization that Klaus is here falls like it's own blow, but it barely registers while Stefan tries to work through his reaction to Elena's absence. It's a good thing she isn't here, surely? Good that she wasn't in that van, that she wasn't made a test subject alongside the pair of them. It's good that she isn't in the place with Klaus. She's suffered enough, and yet—
Stefan breathes out hard. ]
Alright.
[ Finally, slowly, the word ringed in barbed wire. ]
I want to find those people, Damon.
[ It's not about revenge. It's about the calculation Stefan isn't going to share with him just yet: what if Elena is with them and she hasn't turned up? Damon and Caroline are here and they hadn't realized Stefan was. The calculation is clear to Stefan, even if he knows it isn't so easy.
And he'll need to talk to Klaus. But that's not something he'll discuss with Damon either. Stefan needs to watch his step there. ]
cw: for mentions of decapitation/vampirism
and truthfully, the times when he’s enjoyed stefan’s suffering are few and far between. down to one hand and it's not even the entire five fingers.
damon’s aware of that theory even if stefan doesn’t utter it out loud. it’s one of the first things rey said to him when explaining this planet. she believes that their friends and family have all been taken and that when people leave, they’re seized — that there isn’t any going home. )
I know. I'm working on it. ( he doesn't like it but it's a team effort. ) We all are. We're going to figure this out. ( we being the two of them, not these freaks they're trapped with. ) Together.
But enough about you. I'm starving. ( no, he's fine. he's gauging stefan's actual hunger level. on a scale of squirrel-bites to oopsy-daisy, her head just came right off like a doll's. )
cw: vampirism etc.
His mouth waters. He feels the pricking of fangs, as if summoned by the suggestion running through Damon's words. (Stirring in the back of his mind: a body in his arms, blood in his mouth, Damon's voice murmuring I knew you still had it in you.) There's no way to avoid the topic, but Stefan is hesitant to enter into this particular discussion. He has to eat. He knows this. But he doesn't want to discuss it, especially not when there's a whole crowd of liabilities around them. ]
You should see if there's a hot dog vendor, [ flatly, as Stefan's hand falls from Damon's arm. ] You might be able to get something for free if you're quick enough.
[ The conundrum of how he's going to eat has weighed on Stefan's mind constantly. He can starve down to nothingness, maybe, but he already knows how Damon would react to that proposition. With that off the table, there's nothing to do but try to tread a line Stefan's repeatedly fallen off of. It feels like a gamble no matter what he does, and the hunger doesn't abate in the meantime. ]
cw: vampirism etc.
this is a lesson that damon can’t teach him.
and yet, as far as he knows, stefan’s been sipping human blood to gradually build up some semblance of tolerance. he wonders if that’s still true. is he wrong? is he even from then? klaus isn’t. he and caroline haven’t really dug deep into that but he wonders what specifically she remembers as her last moment in mystic falls. in the grand scheme, damon can’t bring himself to care when stefan is from because it’s stefan and not drinking human blood, or vampire blood, is not an option. )
That’s not a bad idea. ( can he hear the alarms? damon’s smile is downright mischievous. he doesn’t want a freaking hot dog but finding a vendor does give him an idea. ) Hold that thought.
( his chest doesn’t light up like the fourth of july when he disappears because enhanced speed isn’t a gift from this place ( he’s convinced he was robbed and he doesn’t have a shiny new power ) and flits on over to the nearest street vendor with disposable cups to snag one. when he returns, it’s to snatch stefan by the arm this time and drag him into an empty and most likely abandoned building nearby. it’s in his best interest not to fight him, not to anchor his feet and yeah, he totally counts on stefan being weak from hunger.
damon will do the same thing right there with his back turned to the public if he has to though. ) You have to eat. If you don't, your little problem is going to become a catastrophic one that you might not be able to stop. You know it. I know it. Pretty sure you don't want to take out billboard space so everyone else knows it, too.
( if stefan doesn't stop him or storm away, damon raises his palm to his mouth and tears into it with his fangs become more prominent and the dark veins appear under his eyes. he makes a fist with his hand and lets it drip into the cup he'd stolen. not a lot but enough. he doesn't look happy about it. this isn't a good time for anyone! )
Drink up, brother. Try not to think about it. Close your eyes, plug your nose — I don't care. Whatever gets you there.
cw: vampirism etc.
Whatever else he might be, Damon is his brother. A century's worth of memories always come down to the simple fact that they share everything. Damon is his blood. All his earliest memories are of him. All that they've put each other through, all that they've survived together, all that history that's bound them together from the moment Stefan took his first breaths.
It leaves him here, in a dark building watching his brother tear open his palm to give Stefan his blood. Stefan feels his mouth fill, fangs snicking forward as his face contorts to match Damon's. (He hates it. He can't stop it. He's never able to stop it.) He doesn't reach for the cup, trying to assess the white-hot kick of need that bubbles at the scent of blood in the air. ]
You know it's not that simple.
[ The memory of Elena comes to him so vividly it stops his breath. The two of them in her bed, Elena digging a pin into the soft skin of her palm and offering it to him. (She's not here.) Damon's palm is tacky with blood, wound already healed. Stefan wants to slap the cup out of his hand as badly as he wants to take it. ]
I'm going to need more. That's the problem.
[ And they both know that too. ]
cw: vampirism etc.
When has anything ever been simple?
( more than anything, he wants it to be. he wants for love to be as easy as breathing, for stefan to be as comfortable in his own skin as a vampire as the rest of them are ( regrets aside ), for this place to simply not exist and be a prison that they’re trapped in. )
You have to eat. It's non-negotiable. And I don't mean that in the way I've always meant it. This isn't about being stronger or faster, or more prepared. This is about survival. Bambi and all his friends have taken a long trip straight off the planet and don't think you'll find Cinderella's handmaidens scurrying around, either. They're gone.
( in short: it's the cup in his hand or straight from the source, which stefan has a rocky relationship with mastering. )
Snatching, feeding, erasing — forget it. We can't. So if you have a better idea, please. Share with the class.
cw: the salvatores etc.
Let him starve. Stefan thinks it would be agony and he thinks it might save Damon and Caroline a lot of trouble. But he knows that Damon won't accept that option. And he knows it's too much to put on Caroline's shoulders. And he knows that the option beyond all of this, where he walks into the sun, would take a toll on his brother that Stefan is unwilling to inflict.
It leaves him here, trapped, with his brother bleeding to keep him alive. Stefan almost takes a deep breath, before he thinks better of it. He doesn't need to do that to scent the blood in the air. ]
Nothing you'll want to hear.
[ is all Stefan says finally, at last, acknowledging what he knows his brother has already intuited. He won't propose any of it, but he won't let it pass. ]
You can't feed me forever.
[ This is a stop gap. They both know it. What happens after?
Stefan doesn't reach for the cup. Damon's palm is sticky with blood. The tangible signs of Damon's love, after all these years, after all they've inflicted on each other, it inflicts a very specific kind of agony. His brother, who Stefan had dragged headlong into this life. His brother, who had sworn to torture Stefan for eternity. His brother, who has opened up his own veins to persuade Stefan to survive. It's overwhelming, particularly with the knowledge of the stakes hanging over their head. ]
cw: the salvatores etc.
Sorry, viable solutions only. No cop-outs allowed.
( he envies stefan for being favored but it’s damon that’s been willing to be a scapegoat when necessary, completing the cycle. money disappears and damon takes ownership when neither of them took it. he sees mud tracks on a hardwood floor and purposely digs his heels into a puddle to cover them with larger footprints. it’s the same in the face of odds like katherine and klaus; he can hurt his brother. everyone else has to take a number. )
Watch me. ( words like can't and won't are the fastest way to make damon prove the opposite. it isn't perfect. people that are willing to be fed upon are limited. caroline is the kindest among them, the most likable but stefan would be a close runner-up when lined up with damon and klaus ( and kol ). the math isn't complex. what if there are more mouths to feed than food? when it comes to equations — oh, screw it. let's be honest here. if damon has to consider whether good people get to live or stefan does, there's no contest. does he have to spell that out? he would bring ruin and chaos to a city for his brother. he hopes for a more manageable solution but hope's useless.
hope won't fix what ails them. )
You don't get to give up. ( does he need to hold him down? ) Drink.
cw: the salvatores etc.
And that is important here, where people may willingly open up their veins to him. Stefan is kind. He cares deeply for the people around him. And that remains true up to a point, when the dark, vicious thing that lives in him stirs and the thirst drowns out every lick of self-control Lexi seared into him. When Stefan loses control of himself here, how long will Damon spend trying to hide the bodies? How much will his brother risk to protect him here, when it's so much more difficult to hide than in Mystic Falls? ]
Damon.
[ It's not a protest. What more can Stefan say? They both know he's out of options, at least for the moment.
The Salvatores choose each other every time. Over the well being of everyone else, over good sense and strategy. Is it any surprise Damon won't let him lay down and desiccate into a husk? ]
I need to know you'll be able to stop me.
[ But maybe Damon wouldn't need to make any promises. Stefan's struggle is written across his face, in the darkening veins beneath his eyes. The slash across Damon's palm hasn't closed. The scent of blood in the air might do the job for him, if Damon were ruthless about it. Stefan isn't in a position to flee. To where? To do what? He draws a step closer, arms uncrossing. ]
cw: the salvatores etc.
i need to know you’ll be able to stop me and it is soft but striking.
( because you’ve failed in the past. you left because of this twice; once in disgust, then again after nurturing it. forcing it to happen, kind of like now. because when stefan’s needed the support of his brother, damon has been nowhere to be found. he knows what his brother thinks of him and he's let him think it because lexi convinced him that was the best gift he could give. )
it twists in his gut, in spite of the fact they both know the truth: the only way damon can help stefan is by staying far away from him — and it worked, for a time. would have kept working, except that love and codependency is a two-way street and damon needs him, too. )
Am I going to be able to tear you off of some poor schmuck? Sure. Hold you back by the scruff of your neck like a wild animal? Weird but okay. ( he shrugs. ) Throw you in a cell, lock you up, lose the key? I've done it before.
But if you're asking me to stop you in a more permanent way? No. I'll kill everyone you're about to first ( so that he can't bear the guilt ) and I won't lose sleep over it. ( he can't promise anything else. he can't vow to run stefan through with a stake if he veers into lost forever territory because even as a thrill-seeking murderer who writes names on a wall and stacks heads like jenga pieces, he's infinitely better than anyone else. as far as the blood in a cup goes ( sticky on his hand, tear in his palm stitching over albeit slower than usual ), he made stefan drink once before. didn't end well. this time, he has to choose. it's apparent damon wants him to pick life, pick sacrificing others to go on surviving — he wants stefan to pick him because he's the only person that has. )
cw: the salvatores etc.
The sentiment is still there, ghosting beneath Stefan's plea. There is no one else who can do this for him; there's no one else who could hold Stefan back. Elena isn't here. It's too much to set on Caroline's shoulders. And what Damon offers is the best that Stefan can hope for. The Salvatores have always been this way. There is nothing they wouldn't sacrifice for each other. Even in their darkest moments, neither of them had ever been capable of striking a killing blow.
Stefan watches Damon's face for a long moment, trying to decide to push harder, drag a more binding promise out of him. But what else can he draw out of Damon? This is who they are. Stefan can't ask any more of him.
His brother, who he made into a monster. His brother, who would bleed and kill to keep Stefan alive. He breathes out shakily. He takes the cup. The blood is warm. Stefan wants to stall, wants to throw the cup onto the floor, but he understands the pact they're making in this moment. Damon will keep Stefan in check. And Stefan won't leave his brother.
He lifts the cup to his mouth, and drinks.
He feels his face twist, feels his mouth grow full and heavy with fangs. It's just a cup. If he weren't so hungry, he'd have been able to handle drinking from it without any change at all, but it's been too long. He comes up gasping, mouth wet, shuddering through the immediate, ravenous need for more. (And shame. He's ashamed of that reaction; it cuts even more deeply than the kneejerk hunger.) The cup crumples in his hand as he raises his eyes back to Damon. ]