Test Drive Meme: August-September 2017

[undergroundmods]

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Welcome to the Underground test drive meme! This is where you can try out the AU version of your character, start some potential CR and get a feel for the world of the game. Choose your character's species, read up on the available factions and you're ready to go. Put your character's name in your subject line when you post, tag out, and have fun!

Note to potential players: Looking for an OOC space to brainstorm your AU? Head over to our permanent character workshop post to ask for feedback and share ideas.

Note to current players: Activity in this meme counts as game canon! So you can use it for activity check. If you end up playing anything that you can't or don't want to use as game canon, it's fine to ignore it. (In that case you shouldn't submit it for activity check.)

Here are some prompts to inspire you:

1) WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE. Welcome to London! It's time to introduce yourself to your faction, to your fellow supernatural citizens, would-be friends, potential enemies... Will people quake with fear or awe when you enter the room? Or are you some nobody trying to make a name for yourself? Either way, gotta start networking.

2) THE RACE IS ON. The competition within your faction is even worse than the competition outside. That guy over there has turned sucking up to your boss into an art form. What about the woman who works out at 5am every morning and can probably punch through a wall? If you want to climb the ladder, you'd better start working harder.

3) THE WRONG DIRECTION. It's a big city and it's easy to get lost. Normally that's not such a big deal, but this time you've taken a wrong turn and ended up in hostile territory. If you're spotted by the wrong person, you could be in for a seriously bad time. Is there anyone around who can help?

4) NEVER LOSE CONTROL. You had one drink... or two... Maybe it's almost the full moon, or maybe there's some magic in the air messing with your hormones, but you're this close to going all out with your fangs or your claws or your magic. You need to get out of here, fast.

5) SWING IT, SHAKE IT. You've got a disco ball, a killer outfit and music so loud you can feel it pumping through the dance floor. Show the humans how it's done.

6) KARAOKE. It's karaoke night in one of London's favourite supernatural bars and that tone-deaf werewolf is hogging the mike again.

7) RUN AROUND. It seemed simple, right? One errand to run, just one. And yet the world seems to be conspiring against you. Your alarm didn't go off, you missed the bus or train, you got caught in traffic, someone spilled their drink on your brand new leather jacket, you tripped over and literally fell headfirst into a dumpster... Oh, God. Could this day get any worse?

8) CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE. Anything goes.

Comments

[ranchor]

Max's voice is like a knife at her throat, makes Anne's back stiffen and her body still, adrenaline surging and mind searching for an escape. It's always like that, the first moments, moreso when Max shows herself unexpectedly. By evening she'll have relaxed, by night she'll be in love again, but in the moment she's ready to be hurt again.

Through that, it's impossible to want anything other than to be close to her right now. To focus on much other than beautiful eyes and soft lips and how she wants to go away from her, rest her head on Max's breast and be wrapped up in her arms.

How much of that is true? She never knows anymore. How can she be sure when Max has her heart hidden away? The reminder to herself to be wary makes her twist the arm of the man under her, hisses a sharp "leave" in his ear once he's stopped his whimpering, and she turns to lean on the bar. Taking his discarded drink for her own, silently watching the other woman, Anne waits to hear if she has anything to say.

[succoeur]

The man runs off; Max glances at him, following his retreat through the bar until he's lost in the crowd. For the moment she's quiet. She has things to say, but there's no rush. Not between them.

Perhaps there would be, if there was something new to add. Perhaps one day Max will find the thing, the way to explain her choices or to apologize or to undo what she's done, and some new sense of urgency will come over her. But today, today, Max is just taking the next step in a long, slow dance.

When the man is gone, Max moves to the stool beside her and orders a rum and coke. "I could get you something, if you like," she says finally, glancing at the drink Anne appropriated when its owner fled. "Something better than that."

[ranchor]

"I'm alright with this, thanks." It's all bluster, of course, a final show of defiance. The closer Max is, the more Anne's expression seems to soften, as if proximity is all it takes to remind her of how happy the two of them can be when certain things don't weigh heavy on her mind.

The dance is shorter and shorter each time, as are her departures. Something Jack makes fun of her for; that perhaps she's getting soft in her old age. If it were possible to punch a ghost, she'd remind him how soft she is.

Still, Max is here and Anne feels something call to her. Magnetic and impossible to resist. Pulled by a string that would be tied around her heart, were it still in her chest. (Bitterly, she reminds herself, perhaps it's the heart she's tied to and not Max at all.)

"How've you been?" Anne forces herself to ask after another long moment, "been a little while." Fifteen years at a push, maybe. Anne doesn't keep count anymore.

[succoeur]

"It has been a while. Longer than I may have liked." She studies Anne's face. There is sadness in Max's expression, on her delicate features, but no regret. Instead it is certain mix of sorrow and resignation. She knows as they both do that even if she had the chance to do it over, the course of events between them would go no differently. It pains Max that she betrayed Anne. She hates that she hurt her. But it is something deeper between them, something in her nature, that compelled her to take her lover's heart. It is the same foible in her constitution that prevents her from giving it up now.

And yet somehow, she continues to hope that one day Anne can forgive her.

"But perhaps it had to be that long? The years continue to treat you kindly."