Test Drive 19

[sixthiteration]

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Test Drive

→ Holds and applications are always open. Holds are required for all applications.

→ Choose one of the scenarios below or make up your own. Feel free to try multiple scenarios.

→ Write LOGS or TEXT prompts, or both.

→ THERE ARE ONLY THREE RULES FOR THE TDM:

1. It has to take place in the 6I universe.
2. It cannot be the character's arrival into the game.
3. Please only test new characters who do not have a version in the game. Our cast list is here.

→ TDM threads cannot be used to meet AC, but if the character is accepted into the game and both players agree, you may keep the CR.

→ Character want ads are here.

Prompts

July is going to be wet and wild, villagers. Keep an eye to the sky and hold onto your hats!

1. SAVING FACE - Look at you, trying to save that goat or dog or ZALPACA that's gotten stranded in a particularly nasty storm! You're a regular hero, trudging up that cliffside or swiming across that creek! Unfortunately, the sky didn't get the memo about your heroics, and it's just opened up even more. Finishing this job just got a heck of a lot worse. Good thing someone else just showed up to help both you and your animal pal. You hope. It's possible they're just there to laugh at you.


2. PANTS ON FIRE - You know what's great? When the storm breaks, the skies start to clear and everything looks sunny again. You know what's not? When the weather pushes the LYING MIST down from the mountainside while you're out trying to clean up. Hope you don't have any whoppers you're trying to keep secret!


3. SINK OR SWIM - The days when it's not storming are just beautiful, and the village river is running high. There are spots out of the current that are perfect for a cool dip or lounging on the shore, but take care you don't go out too far and get swept away. Oh, and watch out for the RAINBOW CRABS, those claws are sharp.


4. WILDCARD - Choose your own adventure. Maybe play powers roulette.

Texts

All characters are fitted with a smart watch-like device on their left wrist, which they can use to send text messages to other villagers.

- Texts may only be 140 characters long
- No video or voice, text only
- No usernames, everyone is listed by their name

Please list your CHARACTER NAME, CANON & PROMPT in your SUBJECT LINE.

Comments

[epundemic]

She almost drops the load in her arms and runs. This sounds crazy enough that she thinks she might want to believe it, because its better than the reality of what she's been through back home. She hasn't told him much about it, only the survival parts and some things about Joel. She hasn't directly said what he means to her, but she thinks it's probably obvious enough. Family is a weakness, and Joel's all she's got left. He's not here, but he never stops being a sensitive issue.

Responding to what he's said is the right thing to do, but there's the sound of twigs and grass crunching beneath her feet as she starts to walk again. She'll lead the way now, because she's a little concerned he might actually be dehydrated and crazy. He's cornering her right now, telling her things that she doesn't know how to process. He's creating ties to her, anchoring her down to him. It cements the fact that she's trapped here for the time being, and reminds her that she's cut off from the one person that makes her feel safe. Frank is getting close to making her feel the same way. That alone scares the hell out of her and makes what he says feel magnified.

She hesitates in hurrying ahead so she can turn to face him. Caution is written all over her face. Don't get close to people, that's how she survives. How does this keep happening to her?

"Bullshit," she croaks out, tears in her eyes. Is he fucking with her to get a reaction? He looks too earnest and it makes her shift uncomfortably. "Prove it. Tell me something I would've told you."

[oorah]

He doesn't blame her for not believing him. He'll try to prove it as best he can now that the cat is out of the bag, though. Frank casts a glance her way but keeps moving forward, hoping this fog is about to lay off soon. He can't be entirely positive they're going the right way it's so thick now. They should have brought Aretha.

"You told me about Joel," he starts, and she had mentioned him briefly here too. Not what he's about to say, though. "That he protects you because he lost his daughter."

He has to tear his gaze away again with a swallow, arms starting to ache where they're wrapped around the branches. It'll be worth the nostalgia, he thinks. Or not, whichever.

"And I told you I lost my daughter, too."

[epundemic]

It's like he punches her right in the gut. She visibly deflates, turning and refusing to look his way. She doesn't want to talk about Joel. It's hard thinking about him, knowing she has no idea how he's doing. He could be dead and she wouldn't ever know.

"You know what?" She sounds like she might cry at any second. It's a blessing that she refuses to cry in front of him. "Fuck you for bringing that up." There's no venom in her words and she regrets the fact she doesn't have the free hand available to punch him on the arm. The further they walk into the fog the less likely it seems like they'll be getting back to his place anytime soon. They're probably lost, having an intensely emotional conversation while carrying wood.

Cool.

"What was her name?" Her curiosity serves as proof enough that she's softening to the idea of trying to talk about this with him. "Joel's daughter was named Sarah. She was twelve when the outbreak happened. I don't think she even made it through the first night."

[oorah]

Blowing out a long breath, his eyes are watery too, but just like her he's too stubborn to cry. He knows it was a deep dig, but there was nothing else he could've said to prove it to her. People like them weren't defined by mundane facts like favorite movie or color. It was as close to a touchstone as either of them had.

"Yeah, sweetheart. Fuck me."

It sounds dull, like he's exhausted suddenly. Mostly because he is. Frank hangs his head and watches his boots through the mist instead of trying to pick out the path ahead. Maybe they'll get lucky and this is the way towards town anyway.

"Lisa. My little girl. She was 14 goin' on 42." He sniffs but it's just the wind, that's all. It isn't because his heart is breaking all over again. "I had a son, too. 12. Frank Jr." It's something he would never tell anyone, here or otherwise, usually. But maybe Ellie's earned it.

[epundemic]

This is some heavy shit. She doesn't want to know about it because it means she'll think about it later when she's trying to sleep. She'll try to picture what Lisa looked like and wonder if Frank tolerates her because it means they resemble one another. She'll try to remember what it was like being twelve and wonder if she and Frank Jr. would've been friends, or if she would've beat the shit out of him. Frank's heart is breaking, and despite her best efforts to remain neutral he sucks her in and she can feel her heart crumbling along with his.

As much as Ellie tries to remain aloof and independent, it's not hard for her to connect to others. Her empathy and concern for others is one of her greatest strengths, up until moments like this one when it feels like a huge weakness.

"I don't even really remember my mom. I don't even know who my dad is." Which might explain some of her issues, but hey. Every kid has similar ones where she's from. "Everybody knows that I'm an orphan, which sucks and everything, but there isn't a word to call parents that lost their kids. And I guess that's pretty shitty because...it has to hurt more, you know?"

She's getting at an apology here, without actually ever saying the words out loud. She'll do them both a favor and not make things more awkward than they already are.

"Yeah." There's a pause and she sighs, drawing it out so he won't fill the lapse in talking. "It should have a name."

[oorah]

He wonders the same, if he didn't remind her of Joel would she even still be here? Would he be getting through at all? But it doesn't really matter, a fool's errand to show Ellie a simple comfort like birch beer has now spoiled their night and if they don't find the road home soon they might really have to abandon their bounty. Frank smiles wanly, knowing what she means even if he hates it. Even if he wants to go back and shake her parents for not valuing the precious life they'd made enough to stick around for her. It's hypocritical anyway, how many times had he jumped on the grenade, sometimes not even hypothetically, when his family was waiting for him back home? Maybe, in the end, he had reaped precisely what he'd sown.

"It's like losin' a limb. A part of you, except... even more fundamental than that. Even more important." He told Karen he'd trade his arm to fight with Maria again, well he'd trade every one of his damn extremities just to look at his kids again. Even just for the thought of it. Ellie has always been wise beyond her years, but this especially is cutting him deep. Finally, he just nods. "Yeah... yeah. You're right, sweetheart. It should have a name."

[epundemic]

She sees the look in his eyes that looks like she's just ripped his heart out of his chest and is holding it in her hand. One little squeeze could send him running and keep them both safe. It's probably better if they don't get too attached. But the fact is Ellie's afraid of being truly alone, and she doesn't want to be here. She can take care of herself, but this isn't about survival. This is about companionship. It's about staying sane when the world has done everything in its power to ensure you break down and give up.

It's also about to become whether or not they're lost in this fog, but she's determined to act like everything is fine. Even if her arms are tired and her legs are ready for a break.

"I think it's easier for kids like me. It's not like losing a limb. It's like never having an arm in the first place." She slows down and glances up him. Maybe it's not a great idea to just leave it like that. "But you learn to live without it."

[oorah]

It makes sense even if he doesn't like it. That she was alone. He doesn't want her to ever be alone again but thankfully is able to tamp down on the thought before he says it aloud. The urge is there but something else takes precedent.

"I wish it had been me."

[epundemic]

Ellie's faced with the dilemma of attempting to navigate whether or not she should indulge him and allow him to wallow, because while she sympathizes with what he says, she can't say that she fully understands it. She's never wished that it had been her instead of her mother, but his situation is different. He's not alone here, but in some ways he may as well be. When you lose people that you love, it builds up a wall that keeps other people at a distance. If she has one built up after Riley, she can't imagine how high his must be.

"Yeah, but it wasn't." Her voice is tight and awkward, apprehensive about having this conversation. "You survived. Now you make the most out of it."

[oorah]

"Yeah." She's not wrong, and he's done enough wallowing in this lifetime to carry him into the next, probably. Still, his efforts never seem to be good enough, do they? "All I ever seem to do right is survive." Even when he really doesn't want to. Barring that one incident with a certain sunny superhero who shall not be named.

He feels bad for bringing the mood way down, and now his arms are really starting to ache. He thinks the greenhouse is down this path, though, now that the haze is thinning some he can almost make it out in the distance.

"I've tried, sweetheart. To make the most of it, to change. To move on. Hell. I ran for freaking mayor of that place and won. Don't worry, you didn't vote for me." In case she was worried about it. Though honestly, now he just feels like he's babbling.