test drive meme: november 2019

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Redshift: Welcome to the v͖͕̺̲̘̱̜͎o̴̦̣̠̦̘̹͞i̯̖d̛̪̬͈̱̦̝͍̕.

▶ Click here to read what characters will experience when arriving in Anchor.

▶ All TDM threads can be considered game canon, and current players are welcome to either top-level on the TDM so prospective players can tag them, or use the prompts for logs or network posts on the communities. All threads on the TDM can be used for Activity Check.

a. the truth hurts.

As though everything happening in the past month wasn't enough, there's been a minor explosion in one of the labs. No one hurt, if you don't count the hapless maintenance bot that caused the explosion in the first place.

But there are gases drifting through the laboratories, some of them making their way into the air vents, invisible to the purifiers in the system thanks to the explosion. And those gases are leaking into the air around Anchor, little pockets of danger waiting to be breathed in.

Those who breathe the gasses in might be the unluckiest Anchorites of all.

They're stuck telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth for the next five hours, give or take. Good luck with that!

b. retromedia.

Oblivious to what's going on inside Anchor, the shift rages outside, bringing shadows of things and places from other worlds, those things flickering into existence and out of it again.

The bad news is that the Whole Foods is gone.

The good news is the shift left something behind in its place.

A long, squat building, with cement walls painted over with stucco and punctuated by big windows. A flat roof with slanted sides, painted a deep blue. In bold yellow letters bolted to the roof, a sign:

BLOCKBUSTER
The sliding doors are broken, bouncing open and shut steadily, but the inside is clean and well-stocked with rack upon rack upon row upon row of VHS tapes, all of them neatly packaged in plastic boxes. Some of them have the movie covers on them, but most bear the Blockbuster logo and tiny labels running down the back, declaring the box's contents. There's a giant, somewhat busted up standee of Tim Allen as The Santa Clause, flickering holiday lights strung unevenly from the ceiling, and symbols of various seasonal holidays stuck up along the walls and windows.

Any movie you could possibly want lies within, or at least any movie you could possibly want that was released on Earth during or before 1994. And don’t worry if you can't find a VHS player in Anchor! There are whole shelves of VCRs tucked into one of the closets, apparently part of an aborted plan to rent out VCRs along with movies.

Poor Blockbuster. They were innovators. And now they're lost to the sands of the red shift.

c. sweet sweet self-care.

While sickness persists inside Anchor's walls, those in recovery seem to be getting better every day. And while the health bots have been working overtime, some of their processes have gotten a little borked up from all the work they've been doing.

Along with medical care, they're now administering lectures to their captive audiences about the value of diet and exercise, the importance of personal hygiene, and the healing properties of massage. Some of them are forcing massages on people just to prove their point, which, y'know, could be a lot worse. At least they're good at massages?

The spa bots are getting in on the action, nagging the healthy to come for relaxation and decontamination in one gloriously bubbly swoop. They've converted several of their spa pools into sweet-smelling antibacterial baths, so you can make extra-sure you got those visiting-a-sick-friend cooties off!

No, seriously, go with them. Before they drag you there and make you take a bath like an unruly two-year-old.

Believe them, it's worth it. If you complete a circuit of the spa, including the antibacterial baths and the fresh and zesty decontamination shower, you get a shiny sparkly holographic sticker that says "YOU ARE FREE OF DISEASE" in little cheerful bubble-letters. They designed them all by themselves, totally from scratch. Are you proud?

d. the network.

Need to get hold of someone, call for help, ask the city at large a question? Need to ask a friend which 1980s teen movie classic to watch at movie night? Maybe you need to hold your sat phone up to whatever crazy thing you're seeing and send out a recording to double-check if your eyes are deceiving you and what you're looking at is real?

Whatever the reason, the network is going strong, so feel free to include a post to it in your top-levels.

Navigation.

Comments

[benhargreeves]

[ Ben watches Allison, face soft as he sees her thinking hard, confused and quiet, and it dawns on him then. This wasn't some known, developed truth Allison had been keeping private from the press and her family. He's watching her making this discovery in real time, or at least being honest to herself about it, working on putting words to it for the first time.

And he feels so, so proud. Is this how Klaus had felt a few days ago, with him? Ben needs to give him another hug the next time he sees him. But for now, instead, he scoots close to Allison and drapes an arm across her shoulders, comfort and camaraderie, both. ]

You can do that thinking now, in this place. Figure out the you you wanna be. There's nothing here to stop you, or hold you back, and - and it isn't too late. If it somehow is not too late for me here then it definitely isn't for you.

[ Ben mirrors that smile from Allison; it's so much easier to talk to her about all this now that he knows she is still finding things out about herself. Hard to encourage her and shame himself for what a late bloomer he is proving to be. ]

And- if you wanna really be twins, maybe talk to Klaus? Honestly, he's ages ahead of both of us in that whole 'fuck it, just be who you are, no matter what people say' department.

[ But for the time being, Ben is the brother that's here with her, and he finds himself pouring his heart out: ]

It's not exactly like I've got it all figured out, now. I didn't even realize I liked him that way until Klaus sat me down and had a talk with me. I hadn't- really ever felt attracted to anybody before and I don't know if that is just a me thing or if it's because- because of my powers and how dad brought me up to think of myself as this repulsive monster that was a danger to anybody who got too close and who had to never... slip up or get carried away or all the evil inside me would just come pouring out-

[ Ben definitely knows that something is up, now. He'd been a little too honest before, but this is beyond the pale. He's never articulated any of this to Allison before, doesn't know how much of it she'd ever realized. It was one of Reggie's tricks, after all, isolating the siblings from one another. To control them better.

Best thing to do is just move on and pretend it never happened! He rubs at the back of his neck, cheeks flushing as he looks at all those question marks. A shy little smile comes onto his face as he says: ]

His- his name is Cole.

[hersay]

[ allison hesitates for a moment before scooting closer towards ben, actively accepting the touch rather than passively taking it. this isn't the truth gas acting, this time. this is allison, making the decision once more to be open, to be real, and to accept others when they do the same. she'd talked about starting over after the divorce, but now, allison finally feels like she gets the chance. ben is right -- she has the space here, away from the expectations of her fans and producers, and in this space, she can almost pretend that reginald's expectations don't weigh on her, either. that she's totally free to be her own person, here. ]

I'm glad I'm finally getting the chance. And that you're getting the chance. I do wish we got this sooner, but you're right, it's not too late.

[ when ben suggests talking to klaus, allison grins, mostly warmly, but there's a hint of sibling teasing in there, too. ]

Way ahead. Can't believe it's **Klaus** giving us the talk.

[ then ben brings up reginald, about why it was difficult for him to name his own feelings, and allison frowns, her gaze turning a little steely. it's not at ben, of course -- that's directed at reginald, that pathetic bag of bones who pretended to be a father for so many years. who made allison feel worthless, but did worse with ben -- made him feel like a monster, even though he's the least monstrous among them. ]

You're not a monster. None of us are, but you the least. I mean it. Whoever's got you is the lucky one, literally the luckiest.

[ then ben says, of all people, that the person he likes is cole. involuntarily, allison's mouth makes a little "o" of surprise, before she gets ahold of herself and shuts it. cole? mind-reading cole?? the one that allison could barely sustain a conversation with without crying? was that not ben's experience, talking to cole? it must not be, if ben likes the guy. how does that even work??

allison might be able to control her expressions, but her texts? that's another matter entirely. ]

Wait do you mean the guy with the big hat who reads minds? Or feelings? Did he not do the thing where he talks about the stuff that makes you the most sad? Because he did that to me and that made me feel awful and I don't want him to make you feel awful, because you've had enough of that in your life and I'm so afraid of Harold Jenkins part 2 and I know that it's silly of me to think that Cole would be anything like that. Are you happy with him? I'm happy if you're happy, I promise, please don't react like Vanya did when I got worried about Harold because like I said this is different

[ allison looks at what she just sent, horrified. that's too much, and not at all supportive. ben's here being vulnerable and now he's going to think she doesn't approve, when the reality is way, way more complicated than that. allison stuffs her phone in her pocket and looks back at ben, so afriad she's ruined everything. ]

I'm sorry.

[ she whispers, her voice hoarse. she swallows, letting that soothe her throat a little. her injury will be fine -- it's ben she's worried about, now. ]

[benhargreeves]

[ When Allison jokes about Klaus being more mature than them in this area, Ben raises his eyebrows at her in a look that just screams 'Right?!'. But he's also glad that she doesn't argue it. One of the good things about being alive again is that Ben can hopefully help his siblings - well, Allison - start to see all the good things about Klaus that she might not have noticed on her own.

Then she is telling him he isn't a monster - that none of them are, and him the least. That hits Ben hard, and it's clear to see, even though he doesn't say anything. He's been working so hard to undo that way of thinking about himself, and he knows it's something he has to do for himself. But still, to hear that from Allison, who knows just how many people he had killed, who had really seen the very worst of his powers and what he's capable of... it means a lot. Ben blinks rapidly, throat too tight to speak, and just nods gratefully. When he trusts his voice again he manages a raspy: ]

... Thanks.

[ But fortunately for him, it seems that Allison is familiar with Cole, and thinking about Cole brightens Ben's mood just about instantaneously. Allison is typing for a really long time after her look of recognition, and there's a whole lot there to answer, when the text comes. Ben takes a moment to read through it, but he's only halfway done with Allison is shoving her phone away and looking at him with those fear-filled eyes, whispering that she's sorry. A furrow between his brows, Ben looks down and finishes the rest of the text, wondering what horrible thing Allison had been compelled to say.

But none of it is horrible at all. So he looks up at her again and says: ]

Hey, hey, it's fine - don't worry, it's fine.

[ Then he looks down to reread the text because there are so many things to answer, and Ben goes through them in order, eyes flicking back and forth between Allisons questions and her face. ]

Yeah, he's the one with the stupid big hat that he loves so much, I have no idea why. He did do that when we first talked, yeah - talk about all this deep dark stuff I'd never said to anybody ever. Definitely freaked me out. I'm sorry, I know meeting him can be kinda intense. I should've introduced you first and - made it easier. He doesn't mean any harm, it's just - how he is. And I like how he is. He doesn't make me feel awful at all. He makes me happier than anybody ever has. You're not silly to worry about it, but he's not Harold Jenkins part two, I promise. I mean, yeah, he's killed people, but come on. Who hasn't? You have, I definitely have.

[ Ben looks away from the questions on the phone, now, because just answering them isn't enough. He wants Allison to understand, so she can be happy for him. Ben rubs a hand over his mouth, silent for several moments before the words start coming again, unfiltered and more honest than is entirely comfortable, really. ]

There's a lot of stuff I've been through that most people would never understand, I'm really shitty about talking about a lot of it and I might not ever get any better, but Cole has been through similar stuff, and even when he hasn't, I don't even need to talk and he just - knows. He's not afraid of me, not at all. Not even that little bit that most people are and try to hide but I see it anyway. It's not just me, either. He - can sense the - you know, my - the things on the other side of my portal. He helped me to see they're not bad, and I'm not bad for being connected to them.

[ Ben's face is going pinker and pinker, but he can't seem to stop himself talking, even though this is so many words, pouring his heart out. ]

And he's just. He's really... cute. People haven't treated him very well, and - and he deserves better than he's had, and whenever I can make him happy, make him smile or laugh - Allison it's just the best feeling ever. I didn't ever think I could feel like this. It's stupid and sappy and like I'm all full of butterflies and I don't know what to do with it.

[hersay]

[ allison relaxes a little, relieved that ben isn't angry, confused, or upset by allison's uncharacteristically long-winded and honest text messages. ben, it seems like, is actually listening to her concerns, not immediately dismissing them or taking them personally or turning them back on her. she feels, for the first time in a long while, truly heard, even though she isn't technically speaking. allison isn't one hundred percent convinced that cole isn't a danger -- ben's testimony, while usually reliable, isn't enough to make allison certain. vanya was usually pretty clear-headed, too.

but it's enough for now, enough to let allison smile a little when ben refers to cole's hat as "stupid big," enough to feel happy for ben, really happy, when ben says that cole understands him, that cole isn't afraid of ben or ben's powers, that he makes ben feel good. she wants ben to have all that. and she wants it to last, wants ben to have it in a way that doesn't end up hurting him in the long run. she knows what it's like to feel the need to be loved, to be understood, and how good it feels once you've finally gotten that love. and how bad it feels once it's taken away. ]

If he makes you feel good, then I feel good about him. Really.

[ that's the text that allison means to send, followed by the text that the truth gas makes her send: ]

But also like I'll probably ask around and try to get to know him a little better because it's hard to believe that someone is a good person until you see it for yourself you know?

[ allison grimaces a little, trying to just shrug off the fact that she just told her brother that she's going to run a background on his boyfriend. no big deal! that's totally normal, right? ]

Also wait what he can talk to the tentacles??

[ allison isn't just going to let ben say that without some follow-up questions -- she's always believed that while ben wasn't a monster, the weird interdimensional creatures definitely were, and that communicating with them was probably impossible. ]

[benhargreeves]

[ Allison isn't really wrong, to doubt Ben. In a lot of ways, he'd been the most easily manipulated, of her siblings. He'd been sweet, growing up, but gullible, easy to twist around, easy to bend. He isn't nearly as much, now, but those tendencies are still in him.

Not that Ben is thinking about any of that. He is just blushing, so hot he wouldn't be surprised if Allison could feel it coming off him, and beaming. Very quietly, and with a great deal of joy, he admits: ]

I, um. He. We kissed.

[ It feels so silly to admit that to Allison like it is huge. Allison, his glamorous movie star sister. Allison, who is a freaking mother. And yet, for Ben... it is a milestone. A first. ]

You can ask around. And you can ask me about him, too. I know he's still a stranger to you. I'm not afraid of anything you'll find. And he would understand completely, why you felt the need to.

[ Then she's bringing up the creatures on the other side of the portal and Ben squirms uncomfortably, that bubbly grin dimming slightly as he looks down at that glossy magazine, sitting half-forgotten. ]

He can talk to freakin' trees. He's the spirit of Compassion he can do all kinds of shit.

[hersay]

[ allison doesn't feel the heat, but she does see that blush. it's lovely, seeing ben this genuinely happy. ordinarily, she'd poke a little fun at him being tomato-red, but she doesn't want to sour ben's joy. he needs more of this in his life. deserves more. ]

Your first kiss???? Ben why didn't you open with this that's WAY better than cosmo!

[ allison is elated and absolutely beaming. the teenage her would have probably clapped a little, but allison's trying to keep it at least a little classy, so she settles for the wide, wide grin.

allison gives a slow nod of thanks, grateful that ben doesn't think it's weird that she needs to find out this information herself. or, even if he does think it, he doesn't show it, which allison is fine with, too. it's better than a fight, than hostility. much better than someone getting hurt. ]

Ok that's actually pretty cool? I could see how that could be romantic. [ allison is envisioning cole and ben having some picnic or whatever and cole leans over and says "the trees think you're beautiful" and it's very sappy and very cute!!

she doesn't press on the part related to ben's powers. she sees that squirm and feels a slight pang of guilt. there she goes again, not being as sensitive as she could be to how ben feels about his powers. ]

He's a spirit? What does that mean?? [ he must still be a physical thing, right? if ben kissed him? ]

[benhargreeves]

[ If he could, Ben would deflect right now, make up some slightly more flattering reason why he hadn't led with talking about that first kiss. In his enthusiasm over Cole, he's forgotten for a moment about whatever it is compelling his absolute honesty, so he opens his mouth to answer and what comes out is the whole truth, unvarnished: ]

I was worried I would sound stupid and too excited about something that shouldn't even be a big deal and I'm embarrassed because you're way more experienced than me, and I just sound like some stupid preteen getting his first crush, and it meant so much to me and I was afraid you were gonna laugh.

[ Ben shakes his head, as if he could jar those worries loose, let them fall off him. Now that he's brought it up, he is bursting to actually talk about it, so he keeps going: ]

But it was amazing, kissing him. It was so much better than I thought, and he's never been with anybody before, either, so I don't feel self-conscious. He said... we're courting, and I really, really, really like him, Allison.

[ He is even, right now, looking forward later to telling Cole that he'd told Allison. Wondering what he'll say. Missing him, even though he saw him so recently. He's totally infatuated, and he knows it.

From the sound of it, though, Cole hadn't explained to Allison what he is, or if he had, it hadn't been an explanation she could fully grasp. It had taken Ben some time before he understood completely - or at least as completely as he does now - and so he is all too ready to fill in the gaps for her. ]

Well, he comes from a world that's super different to ours. They've got elves and dwarves and demons and mages and stuff. There's this realm called the Fade, where people go in their dreams, and that's also where demons and spirits live. Spirits are like ... like different emotions, but they're living beings. So there's a spirit that's Justice, there's one that's Rage, you know, that sort of thing. Cole is Compassion. The spirits come through, sometimes - for lots of reasons.

[ Ben knows mostly about the circumstances around Cole becoming the Cole he is now, but there are other spirits that Cole has mentioned. He might only be giving Allison a tiny piece of the puzzle. But it's a start. ]

So there was a human, a mage, named Cole. He had this... this really sad, deprived, horrible, shitty life. And he got thrown in a dungeon by these motherfuckers called Templars, and they - forgot him. So he was starving to death, and all alone and miserable, and Compassion showed up to comfort him. And Cole, human Cole, wanted to not be forgotten. He wanted so badly to... have lived a life where he wasn't a mage, where he... where all this bad stuff didn't happen. And so Compassion... stayed with him while he died and then took on his memories and, sort of, parts of him. And Compassion made a body for himself to look like the human Cole, and took on his name.

[ The story had been tragic enough even before the shift had brought through a part of that awful place. Now that he's seen it, though, been inside that pit? Ben shudders, imagining what it must have been like. Locked up in the dark, alone, slowly, painfully starving to death. He shakes the thought away, finishes: ]

So... Cole is Cole, but he's Compassion, too. He's not really a human, but he's not exactly all spirit anymore, either. He's sort of... in between.