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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.
lmsfoa! "later, raven would toss and turn wondering why clarke's forehead was so crispy."
she’s not freaked by the glowing blue chest ( someone told her and she hadn’t believed them until now ), although she does sort of want to stop what they’re doing, rip her shirt off and examine herself. hello, for science! but right, right, right. focus. the second passes and while she’s dissecting what that was, how it happened, what’s hers and what’s clarke’s, she’s unfortunately staring like a fixated weirdo.
raven breaks it with a nod, sniffing, and not exactly pretending like her eyes aren’t wet but not full-on crying either. it's a lot, okay, and she already wears her heart on her sleeve without someone else being able to leech that. )
Lead the way. ( whichever direction she picks, raven joins her on her right. when she finds the nerve to speak, it's softly at first. ) You seriously want to hear about that? ( not judgy, just. her confidence is muted temporarily. it's probably a good thing they're not touching anymore. ) Everything we worked for, everything I planned, it never would have worked without you. You saved us, Clarke.
( time and place for truth bombs—what's that? she levels clarke with a determined look. try fighting her on that. and while she isn't changing the subject, she doesn't know what levee may break with that discussion or if clarke's just going to blink owlishly at her and cover, pretend it doesn't matter and that she's above things like receiving gratitude. she's throwing levity into the dire conversation and giving her options on how to progress is all. )
But I was pretty freaking awesome up there. I flew a rocket ship. Me. I finally got a repeat on that spacewalk. ( a beat, smile giving way to regret. ) You should have been there. You would have been proud of us. I guess all those 'united fronts' lectures paid off. Even Murphy helped keep us all alive until we got the life support up and running.
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So, when Raven tells her she saved them, she looks distant. Much like Raven, Clarke is a crier—she's not as boisterously emotional as Raven or Bellamy, but her eyes are glossy with the recognition that her friends lived. She knows it was hard for them to leave her behind. Earlier on, Bellamy couldn't do that when it came to getting the hydro-generator, but Clarke was proud of the fact that he made that decision. He did what he needed to, just like she did.
(Clarke had resigned herself to dying there, so the fact that she didn't still feels like something was left unfulfilled. Not in a good or bad way, just—unfinished. Like she had set herself up for an outcome that was never meant to be.)
She inhales deeply, inaudibly, picturing Murphy being the one who saved the day. Not surprising given that he pumped a heart to keep her alive, but she offers Raven a wry smile.] That's because Murphy knows he wouldn't survive two days up there without the rest of you.
[The first remark, and not the only one. Is it obvious she didn't say anything about being the one to save them? Probably. Clarke still doesn't know what to say. She did what she could, and feeling resigned to where that would end felt—well, it felt like she was the only one who could.
She reaches out to take Raven's hand while they walk. Okay, so they're glowing, and it's muddled, and Clarke's mixed up emotions are going to come into play here and make things messier. And okay, she knows this is a grand way of exposing herself, but the clear amount of affection shooting through the link? That's important here. She tugs Raven to a stop and pulls her closer, looking across at her. While Clarke is tactile with most people, she and Raven don't usually get up to handholding. That's reserved for other people in Clarke's life—but Raven is who's here, so it comes naturally. Plus, while they're going somewhere, she can't wait. She's driven by the need to say this.]
I want you to know that I am proud, Raven. I needed you to get them up there, and you did. And I know—I know that it isn't about me—[as being here has constantly reminded her, even if she can't really lose that Clarke Griffin Self-Importance]—I'm still ... relieved. I'm glad they're there. Thank you. [Glad. Proud. Grateful. Appreciative in every way.
But still guilty—this time because she doesn't want them to feel bad about leaving her behind. They did what they should have done.]
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Don’t give him all the credit. It took every single one of us to get on board and get the oxygen going. ( and maybe some night soon ( when they’re not in broad daylight in public ), raven can sit on the floor in clarke’s room and lean up against her bed and hash out the details from start to finish, leaving nothing to the imagination. she intentionally doesn’t label him as a cockroach in the moment, though she does take notice of the inflection in clarke’s voice and how she states her deduction. she’s right but she also doesn’t know that murphy is the one that tried to keep her from losing her mind down in becca’s lab and that he’d been the last one to leave her behind.
she turns her face to study clarke; she can’t help it. that and to look at their hands. raven doesn’t resist her. she’s not one to recoil from the touchy-feely unless she’s trying to work or it’s someone that has no right to put hands on her. neither of those things are applicable here. it’s. what is it? raven bites the inside of her lip, not worrying it totally, but like she’s stretching her arm to grab something that teeters just out of reach. clarke’s fondness is met with raven’s — she may not always be on board but she respects her, stands beside her, and believes in clarke unfailingly.
raven feels concern and relief, parsing through those easily. she’s perceptive enough on her own merits without a handy empathy link to confirm her suspicions. on her side, from the second clarke takes her hand, there’s a plain curiosity that she tries to suppress. a warm rush of pride at being acknowledged, intertwined with survivor’s guilt, and then a brief sadness. don’t worry, she squashes it with a tiny spike of mild irritation at the end. she nods once, hearing it ( hoping it doesn't go in one ear and out the other ) while she attempts to absorb it. coming from clarke, the gratitude packs a heavy punch. she hasn't heard a ton of thank yous in her life, despite all the seemingly impossible tasks she's accomplished in record time.
it isn't being underappreciated so much as it's the fact that there is always something more pressing going on. her mom chose alcohol, finn chose clarke, clarke left all of them ( and has been trying to atone ever since ), and sinclair's just gone — so yeah, raven feels vulnerable. )
You don't have to thank me. ( but thanks for saying it anyway. ) They're my friends, too. I wasn't about to let them die if I could do something to stop it.
I pushed them. ( made them all strap-in, except for bellamy, until the last possible second. ) Bellamy. He wanted to wait. ( and no, that's not right. it's true, just not the whole truth. softer, not because it's a secret, ) I wanted to.
( she squeezes clarke's hand to emphasize; it should be weird but it's a contact they both need. )
I would have if I thought you wouldn't kick our asses on the other side. ( she laughs, a sudden and ruptured sound because if she doesn't, she might start crying. )
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What will happen here, in this world? Showing up in that bus with Murphy and Bellamy meant that Clarke barely had time to assess their world versus this one. Eventually, Murphy laid low, and eventually, they both disappeared. One after another. Clarke has fancied a lot of things when it comes to her people, both wishing to see them again (on her birthday) and maybe thinking that she could find a way to bring them here. To preserve this world. It's hard, because she can have thoughts, but she's not one to spiral into imaginary territory.
Raven standing in front of her, though? That changes things. Grounds those thoughts and helps her see them as something that could be real. Could potentially be real, anyway.
She squeezes Raven's hand, not able to let go.
Clarke won't tell her that she didn't expect to make it up with them once she took that final mission. Bellamy knew where Clarke's head was that day. Maybe anyone could have seen the distant look of resignation in her eyes. It means everything that Raven got them up there, and maybe now, here, Clarke can help them find a better life.
For the first time in ages, she lets herself hope—however fleeting it is. "Hope" didn't survive long on the ground. Maybe it won't survive here once things begin to escalate.]
So, [she continues, finally following up,] I'm glad. I would have. I don't know how, but I would have. [She smiles, a shot of warmth being injected into the empathy bond. Clarke loves her friends so much and missed them just as much and damn it hurts a lot, but feels good to acknowledge. To let herself feel it.]
Now that you're here, though. We have a lot of work to do. I need to get you caught up. [Clarke isn't directly entering business mode. There is a hint of seriousness to her tone, to be sure—some of that flat evenness when she has a plan and idea that needs to get done. But there's some levity to it, helped along by the connection between their two hands.
Her eyebrows raise and lower, smile still present, all while her head tilts even more to the side.] We can focus on catch up first. There's ... a lot here. [People. Things to do. Things to explore. Ways to catch up and educate themselves. There's so damn much, a whole world of possibilities.]
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what other choice did she have?
clarke doesn’t need to sprinkle some gratitude around because it almost implies that raven wouldn’t have done it without being asked and she would have. she would have tried, anyway. the truth is that without the continued support and belief, and the pressure of demands to keep her busy, raven may have faltered somewhere. the margin for error was slim, perpetually closing in, and anywhere along the way raven could have failed like her leg did. so if she sniffles, it’s only because she has to thank clarke for as much ( if not more ), for never giving her the room to give up. a fact that she sometimes resented, although she wouldn’t go back and do it differently now. every loss and sacrifice they've made has built her up into the person she is now, for better or for worse. )
Straight back to the grinding block, huh? ( that's predictable at least. where annoyance might have lived once, endearment overrides it. ) Some things never change.
( when she breaks the moment to look around at everything, there's a sense of wonder. it's not possible for a city to encompass something more vast than space but it seems like it, standing there with clarke, being unable to absorb it all at once. )
What should we do first? Work or play? ( she thinks she knows which way that's going to tilt but she's been wrong once before. ) Not to toot my own horn but I give great multi-task. ( and yes, entirely to brag about herself. )
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Getting down to Earth was treated as a five year problem, one that Clarke doesn't know how they'll figure out. But that was without resources, and Clarke knew they'd do it. (Of course, it's not like she knows the future—her faith in Raven wouldn't change regardless. She would somehow believe she'd find a way.)]
But I think what lies ahead can be a little bit of ... both? [She cants her head to the side, looking off at Raven.] I can't begin to wrap my head around it, but the technology of this world is beyond anything we've known before. Possibly beyond anything Becca could ever dream of. [She cites Becca for a reason: Clarke knows that she admired the woman's ingenuity in some way. A fellow genius.]
And now? That's all available to you. I want to help you get started. And not with a specific project in mind. [The truth is: she doesn't have one. Not yet.] Just ... so you can do everything you might want to do with all of it.