January 2024 Test Drive Meme: Our First!

[sweetmod]

Welcome to the Simulation: Our First Test Drive

Taken | Reserves | Application | Activity | TDM Questions | Premise | FAQ | Calendar Full Navigation Reserves open 01/27/2024 @ 12:00 AM EST Reserves close 01/31/2024 @ 11:59 PM EST Welcome to our Test Drive Meme! Our Test Drive Memes are considered game canon and are open to current players and prospective new players alike! It is completely optional to keep your TDM threads as canon to your character's experience in the game, so feel free to play around and enjoy the flexibility before applying! All TDM threads can be used for samples for your application and activity proofs. All TDMs come with an additional greeting message from Daisy in addition to her typical Welcome Message. This is her message for newbies for this month: "Hi there, Sweet Subjects! Congratulations on being the Very First Batch! That also means you're the first friends I've made for this whole project! Isn't that exciting? Unfortunately, I have to already apologize to you. You see, I wasn't expecting you quite so soon! My math was a little off and well...There are a few kinks in the system I'm working out. But don't worry! I'll take care of everything. You can trust me. After all, we are friends, and it would be very rude to not trust your friends! Why don't you just stay inside this little house while I fix things up? You'll be safe! P̴̥̾̉r̸̢̋́̓̀̏ó̵̧͖̈́̏̋͊̅̋̕͘b̵̛̺̞̦̳̙͒͘͜ä̸͓̗̯̺̰́̿̆͘͠b̶̭͔̯̆̒̐l̵̨̬̬̱̱̙͔̻̊̾́͠͝y̶̰̺̲̝͙͈̝͙̟̖͑̆̾̀̀͒͝!̶̱͚͙͉̠̓̒́̌̽̌̚͝ Remember: Don't open the door to strangers. Anyway! In the meantime, get to know your fellow Sweet Subjects! After all, you're going to be spending a lot of time together! Thank you for understanding! Good luck! Prompt One | Prompt Two

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Summary: 🌼 Content Warnings: Optional light alcohol, isolation, bad weather via thunderstorms, feeling of being watched and taunted, false information, mental manipulation, memory manipulation, memories or depictions of murder and torture 🌼 Characters wake up in an unfamiliar house during a thunderstorm. They hear Daisy's broadcast on the TV. There is a persistent knocking at the door, but you know you shouldn't open it. 🌼 Another character (or more) is in the house with you. Pictures of you both begin to take up the walls. Of memories you either really experienced or false memories. They increasingly become more violent. 🌼 A radio broadcast warns Sweet Acres residents about an escaped criminal. Paranoia grows between characters. Violence out of deluded "self-defense" may occur. 🌼 The true escape from this prompt is to just open the door. Outside, all is well and you realize the house was one giant mind fuck...Or hopefully, you realize. Your memories might be a little scrambled now. There is a knock at the door. You mustn't answer the door. It has been a long, long, long day, hasn't it? You don't even remember sitting on the couch and you certainly don't remember dozing off. But that strange broadcast certainly woke you up and now...You are here. In an unfamiliar house with outdated wallpaper and dirty carpet. The weather outside seems frightful. Torrential downpours with clashing thunder and flashes of lightning chase even the most persistent shadows in the house. Was the lady on the TV serious? Did you just have to wait in this lousy place for the storm to blow over? Or, wait, how did she word it? Wait while things finish configuration. Damn, your head is hurting and you could use a drink. Hopefully, the tacky yellow kitchen has a stocked fridge. Luckily for you, it's filled with fresh food and some fresh booze. There is a knock at the door. You mustn't answer the door. Unluckily for you, there is another person in this house with you. They might have woken up on the same couch as you or are bumping around upstairs. Either way, the freak in the polka-dot dress wasn't wrong: You're not alone here. When you and whoever else in this house finally join up, you will notice that the house seems to become a bit more lively. The pictures on the wall change to feature you or your companion. Some of the pictures are genuine from back in your homeworld, but others...Not so much. Others look like false memories of you with families you don't even remember or at a school you never attended, but they are all so real you can't help but think maybe Daisy is telling the truth after all. There is a heavier knock at the door. You mustn't answer the door. There is a radio in the house that suddenly begins to declare an emergency announcement: "At this time, we urge all residents of Sweet Acres to seek shelter immediately. The wind is picking up and we anticipate this storm to last the rest of the night - Oh? This just in: a convict has managed to break into Sweet Acres. We are told that they were last seen in...Oh, oh my...Whatever you do, make sure your doors and windows are locked. And remember: don't answer the door. And remember: don't trust strangers." A heavy booming knock lands three times at the front door. Let. Me. In. The pictures around the house begin to change. Now it shows you and whoever you're sharing the house with doing some...terrible things. Maybe some of it is true. Some of it may be completely false. Will it matter when the pictures seem so terrifyingly real? What happens when the TV glitches on and starts to play sketchy home videos of one of you doing something terrible? What happens when the radio starts to play terrifying audio of you confessing to an atrocious crime? What happens when the person you're stuck in the house with might just be the stranger the radio warned you about? Or will you have the sense to realize that something is very wrong here and that you're both being played a fool? The knocking at the door is only getting louder. So loud it cracks the door. The storm worsens. What should you do? The madness will only worsen the longer you stay. You may even be driven to defend yourself from each other, you may come to develop false memories of crimes you didn't commit. You may just... Decide to open that damn door already. It turns out, that's what you needed to do the entire time. Because the moment you do? You open the door and see a beautiful, sunny day outside. No rain. Not a single gray cloud. Certainly no horrifying stranger either. But now you're left with whatever you did or thought from the house. For some people, the terror may slip away as easily as the rain, but for some of you, you might be stuck with paranoia and suspicion. Welcome to Sweet Acres. back to top ⤴

[ The Bot Problem ]

Summary: 🌼 Content Warnings: Forced sexuality, optional sex, aphrodisiac style computer virus, dubious consent, hunted by machines, use of bombs, guns, and shrapnel. Possible character death or maiming 🌼 Sex Bots are spreading a virus to those that touch them that will cause player characters to go around flirting with others. They can either get rid of the "virus" by having sex or meeting someone who can hack it out of their system by asking grounding questions (or any other creative means a player may have). 🌼 Characters are hunted down by violent little metal boxes known as metal dogs. The metal dogs are extremely resilient but can be destroyed by extreme measures. These metal dogs are intent on killing and maiming characters and plants. You will notice that there are still some errors in the system as you go out and about exploring your new town. There will be an occasional glitch that opens up a screaming void of bottomless darkness before it blinks out of existence. Those are unsettling enough, but at least they don't seem harmless. The bots, on the other hand, are a different story. They glitch into the town, cracking through this carefully structured reality like breaking through a window. It seems like Daisy has a lot of work to do on the external firewalls of Sweet Acres! In the meantime, you're going to have to deal with her incompetence. The Sex Bots A lot of the bots can easily be mistaken for other residents in town. These are model-gorgeous women and men who almost seemed like caricatures of stereotypical beauty conventions. Big lips, huge hips, large muscles, chiseled jaws, perfect hair, pearly white teeth. These beauties flounce about and no matter who or what you are, if they look your way, they are immediately approaching you. "Hey, sexy. I'm single, horny, and lonely. I just turned 18 and I've got my daddy's credit card." "I've never seen a person more beautiful than you. I'm the CEO of at least three different six-figure income businesses. How about I take you on a night out in my Ferrari?" There isn't a single thought behind those eyes or in those smiles. If you have the thought to rely on your Daze, you can just block the Sex Bots and they will blink out of existence. Alternatively, you could probably just smash them out of existence with a good punch or the swing of a weapon...They will just vanish into a cloud of corrupt coding. But if you're a bit more gullible and still catching up on the strangeness of this place or can't figure out Daze, you might make the mistake of responding to one of these bots. The Bot will immediately scan you for all of your information and warp its features into something that you actually would find to be the ideal beauty. "This is better, right?" It's hard to deny...They even sound like the ideal beauty in your mind. A gentle hand on your arm and then they are leading you away. Except they aren't leading you anywhere. You watch helplessly as coding goes up your arm and begins to consume your body. You can't feel anything but a prickling sensation. The Bot vanishes, but you are left rewired. Now it is you with the dramatic features emphasizing your most attractive parts. Regardless of your personality, you suddenly feel the urge to walk up to just about anyone anywhere and flirt with them. Whether stupidly or sincerely. It's hard to remember yourself with the bot's virus wreaking havoc on your Daze. Worst case scenario? You wind up sleeping with someone because of this bizarre virus, but you will also ironically get it out of your system this way and feel completely normal after. Alternatively, you can find someone who is a bit more tech-savvy with the Daze and who might have an idea of how to hack into your system and get rid of the virus for you. This might involve some personal line of questioning, but hey, at least you're not walking around asking for sex from total strangers anymore! The Metal Dogs The Sex Bots are a dream compared to the other virus attacking the system of Sweet Acres. One will begin to see small metal robots trotting about, no bigger than a backpack, with lethal determination. These metal dogs scour their surroundings for anything organic or anything that doesn't belong in the space. This means they are actively ripping up plants and destroying trees, which is tragic enough, but just be glad they haven't seen you yet because it turns out that Daisy's Sweet Subjects are the metal dog's top priority. The moment they notice you, they will begin a neverending chase. These robots can catch up to a speeding car and resist an enormous amount of damage. They are waterproof and run on their own network completely disconnected from the Daze, so good luck trying to hack into them- it won't work. They can see just as well in the dark as the light and have sensors that allow them to pick up on body temperature as well as any vibrations you might make. They are not gentle creatures: their goal is to terminate all organic beings and Sweet Subjects in the area. If they catch you, they will immediately attempt to blow your head off with a small gun they can form. Alternatively, they will expel a shrapnel bomb if you catch them off guard. They also have paralyzing fog bombs. Metal dogs can be destroyed, however. With large explosions, armor-piercing weaponry, people with extreme super strength. Or you can get creative! Maybe you know a spell that can turn them into a stuffed animal or melt the metal. Maybe you have control over metal beings. There are ways to destroy these things. But don't worry. If worse comes to worse, Daisy is going around to destroy them for you. But do you really want to owe her your life? back to top ⤴

Comments

[kobes]

[Koby immediately blushes, cheeks and the tips of his ears turning the same color as his hair.] O-Oh, I...I don't know. I just. I know what it feels like, not having anyone to keep you safe. And there are so many people who have it way, way worse than I ever did and...there's not enough keeping them safe.

[Then, tilting his head to one side, those big solemn eyes intent and knowing:] You realize it though. Right? How it's...really important to be able to make your own choices. You understand that?

[dead_tongue]

That? Is both kind and noble. The world would be a better place with more people like you in it.

[Iggy nods.]

Yes. I do. I spent a long time not really in control of myself.

[whatam_i]

"Which lies?"

[enduresurvive]

"Well, you're doing fucking fantastic," she says. There's a little sardonic note in her voice because that's how she is, but she is impressed to see a whole functional robot out here kicking other robots' asses.

She grins, lopsided, at the explanation.

"Yeah, I've seen that one," she says. She's seen as many old movies as they could scavenge from wherever, DVD and VHS both. She does especially like space movies, though.

"So…you're not like them. Are you, um, more like me? I'm not from here either."

Something in her head keeps telling her she is from here, that she grew up in Sweet Water with a regular family. But it's bullshit. She knows that can't be true. The evidence is emblazoned on her skin, scars beneath the tattoo on her arm, Joel's watch shoved in her pocket like a secret protection charm. It's too big for her to wear, but it makes her feel…more grounded, maybe.

[enduresurvive]

In a made up life, maybe they're siblings. There's some faint sort of recognition she feels, now that she's (slightly) calmed down from the shock of waking up. But…no, that can't be right. She's never met Koby before. Hell, she's never met anyone with pink hair before, though that apparently used to be a thing people could do before the whole fucking world ended.

Man, it would be cool to have pink hair.

She nods.

"Yeah. That's exactly how I feel."

The knocking resumes and it causes her shoulders to tense.

"So, listen. This is going to sound totally fucking insane, but…this isn't the first time I woke up somewhere weird. People from all over the fucking place did the same. But I don't mean, like, from another country. I mean from different worlds." Even as she says it, she knows what it sounds like. She can feel her cheeks get hot; this is embarrassing. Why is she telling (her brother?) this guy any of this? Why should he believe her?

"Mathias was the name of the place we were trapped, but none of us were from there."

[enduresurvive]

Ellie stands there staring at Audrey for a moment. There's a sense of deja vu, maybe like she knows this girl, or…she's not sure. She's still going through some internal struggle of what memories are real.

The knocking at the door stops for a few seconds before resuming.

"Ellie," she says, still tense. She doesn't really want to throw down here in the living room, but if it came to it, she could and would. So far, they're just sizing each other up. She can stand that.

"Clown-faced weirdo is a good way to put it," she answers. "Yeah, I got some message about, I dunno. A simulation?"

[snakesona]

I've been around long enough to know many stories.

[chuanifrinn]

Right vampire! Are you one of those vampires that ages out of the need for blood?

[dead_tongue]

Iggy frowns. "We were stuck in a house and the photos on the wall were of us, but doing things we've never done. And the radio said there was a storm, but when we opened the door it was beautiful out."

[kobes]

I-I try to be. I mean. I want to be.

[Koby frowns, scooting a little closer on the couch, brow furrowed deeply.] That's terrible. I'm...really sorry. Are you now?

I mean...outside the whole, uh. Clown thing.

[kobes]

Koby keeps his arms crossed, giving the girl cautious, sideways looks. He certainly doesn't feel like he's anyone's sibling -- but they must be, right? She looks about his age, so maybe a twin? Or maybe they're...no, they can't be dating. Koby can't be that wrong about himself.

The renewed knocking makes him cringe, full-body, instinctively moving a few more steps away from the door. He thinks: Alvida, her club, blood on the deck. He tries to make himself stop thinking.

At least the girl understands, feels that same sense of unreality, of wrongness. More than that, she launches immediately into a description of something that -- yes, it sounds absolutely absurd, illogical, impossible. But Koby's best friend is made of rubber, so. Maybe not that impossible. "What happened, there? Was it anything like this?"

[dead_tongue]

Trying matters.

[Iggy smiles, a little sadly.]

Aside from the clown, yeah. It was really frightening, at first, to be able to do whatever I wanted. You know?

[cheapdivorce]

Yeah, sizing each other up, they can do that.

"Same here. As well as her claiming that she made us." It feels...weirdly believable to Audrey, for some reason that nags at her mind. "And that we have to stay here for some reason. Any of this ringing a bell for you-" She sweeps a hand at the wall, then blinks when she sees one of the pictures, squinting.

"Is that...us?"

[kobes]

...yeah. [Koby does know, more acutely and painfully than he ever thought he would. Daydreaming about freedom all those long, hot, thirsty days swabbing decks and mending sails and peeling potatoes, Koby had never once thought that he'd be even more scared once he was free. He'd thought it would come so, so easily.

It hadn't. It still doesn't.] How long did it take you to get used to it? To start living for yourself?

[dead_tongue]

[Iggy thinks, giving the answer serious consideration.]

I think... at least a year. A year before I really started believing that no, nobody was going to just show up and stop me. But even now I sometimes feel like I need to ask someone permission, or a weird sort of guilt? And I've been on my own about five years.

[kobes]

...wow. [Koby leans back against the couch cushions for a moment, letting out a slow, measured exhale.] I...guess that makes sense. If you lived like that for...nineteen years?

[As long as Koby himself. it's sort of ironic.]

[dead_tongue]

Yeah.

[He smiles brightly.]

But hey, I don't want to give the impression that I'm miserable or anything. I'm not.

[kobes]

That's good. [As if Koby's going to be able to do anything about it if he isn't, but...]

I'm sorry you're stuck here too, but it's nice to meet you all the same.

[dead_tongue]

Same to you.

...hug? [Arms open!]

[kobes]

[This time he'll scoot over and accept it. Very awkward hugger, but it's only his like...second time. Ever.]

[dead_tongue]

[Iggy, by contrast, hugs like a champ.]

I'm glad you're here. Even if here is creepy.

[snakesona]

No. To be a vampire is to be ruled by thirst.

Sometimes with age comes clarity. An understanding of the longer view of life. But the thirst remains.

[chuanifrinn]

Have you thought about how you're going to handle that thirst here?

[doublycursed]

"She called us subjects," Izutsumi recalls, because of course she remembers the stupid clown thing talking from the magic box. "She said... she was fixing things up, but we'd arrived earlier than expected, so we should stay inside the house."

Pfft. Yeah. Like she was going to do that.

But she doesn't get why the stupid clown thing had told them that, because... it seems fine out here. Sunny, calm. The entire tree did just change right before her eyes, but it seems stable now. Izutsumi pokes the bark as well, scores it with a claw, and nothing else weird happens.

"The clown thing is a liar," Izutsumi decides then and there with a scowl, arms folded uncomfortably over her chest. "And it didn't explain how we're even here . So we need to find it and make it answer our questions."

[doublycursed]

Izutsumi may not know who's calling out, but she knows a combat direction when she hears one, so she rolls out of the way, abandoning her grip on the metal dog and tumbling across the street to land in a crouch.

She's never seen a sword like that, but it does the trick, easily impaling the metal dog's head and killing it dead. Izutsumi ignores the woman's struggles with retrieving her sword, and instead scampers over to poke at the dead metal dog, moving its limbs this way and that as she examines it.

"Have you ever seen something like this?" she asks, nose wrinkled. "Because I haven't. There must be something in it making it move, but I don't smell anything other than metal."