TEST DRIVE MEME (9)

[trainmasters]

test drive meme

Your character wakes up in a neat bedroom in their team carriage, in nondescript underwear. They might be missing their memories, or their special abilities, or they may just feel a little queasy. Next to them is what seems to be a smartphone, which they know how to use even if they never had before, even if they don't know if they have before. On the screen is a simple message:

Welcome aboard the Aurora!

You have been selected by the Star Prince as a potential hero, tasked with saving the universe from Malice. As a passenger I, your Construct and Conductor, will attempt to provide you with quality lodgings and safety. In return, we ask that you join your fellows in making bonds and doing your utmost to bring joy back to the Stars.

Due to the process of restoring your body, you may find some things are missing. We apologise for the inconvenience and hope to return them to you as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation.

★ One
Upon investigation, you'll find some basic clothes matching your team's theme in the storage provided in your room. Or, perhaps, you're wandering out of the room still undressed. Either way, downstairs you'll find someone has left a tray of cups of hot tea on the living room table. Drinking it may be simply pleasant, or it may cause you to feel a sudden need to warm up to the others in your carriage -- emotionally or physically. Welcome to the team, newbie!

☆ Two
Shortly after your arrival, you find yourself wrapped up in some monster NPC's Game. You're inside what appears to be a stone temple, with a massive golden scale on one wall. Suddenly, on one side, a heavy metal weight is dropped. As the scales tip out of balance, the floor begins to slowly disappear, brick by brick, ready to drop you -- and whoever is with you -- into an abyss. Your only hope comes in the form of an inscription on the altar:

How much do your secrets weigh?

Every secret you tell causes a weight to fall onto the other side of the scale. The bigger the secret, the bigger the weight. If you can collectively tip the scales, the floor will quit dropping bricks and a door will appear to allow you back to the train. If you can't, you'll fall, seemingly forever, til you pass out. When you wake up you'll find yourself unable to lie.

★ Three
You've been on the Aurora for awhile, but you've never heard this kind of noise. It's just dawn, and the backdrop of chirping insects and singing birds is smashed through by the screeching of microphone feedback and the twang of an electric guitar being thoughtlessly strummed. After a moment it goes silent, but when you exit the game you find yourself facing a trial. The setting: a dirty dive bar. The goal: serenade the next person to pass in front of you. You have a stage full of rock instruments, and sparks on the line. The more you emotionally affect your target (any kind of emotion -- laughter included) the closer your team gets to winning!

☆ Four
Wildcard. Make up your own prompt! Check out the setting and team pages for info on the train. If you have any questions, ask on the q&a page. Otherwise, apps open on August 8! In the meantime you're free to join us on Discord.

Comments

[voreaciously]

I do not disagree. We can play for easy secrets. Facts we do not know about one another, if you would prefer.

[80H wants to win and will play to win, but she hates this sort of game terribly much.]

[dereban]

. . . would that actually count?

[ she doesn't mind doing that because semantics is actually her kind of thing. ]

[voreaciously]

Yes, they simply would not "weigh" as much as per the game rules. I have played this one before.

[dereban]

The rerun games. . .

[ frowns. then again it isn't the first time that she's dealt with a 'game rerun'. ]

Alright, I guess I can work with that.

[voreaciously]

[The fact that she's said "game" and not "trial" catches 80H's attention.]

You have done this before.

[It is not a question.]

[dereban]

Similar, but not exactly the same.

[ she doesn't consider it a secret herself, given how many people actually saw that, back in the world she was in. ]

At least none of them were 'secrets' based.

[voreaciously]

Would you tell me about them, please? That can count as your secret.

[dereban]

Sure.

[ seemingly unbothered as she shrugs her shoulders. ]

Basically a lot of the games I played were based off of game shows-- Wheel of Fortune, Family Feud, The Price is Right, and even the Weakest Link. Although one of them was more like a board game. Battleship. A lot of them looked safe at first glance, but had a chance of death in them.

[voreaciously]

[80H has barely seen game shows so many of these are lost on her, but she can understand from the context.]

And I take it the deaths would have been horrible.

[dereban]

Some of them were.

[ she speaks those words a little wistfully ]

[voreaciously]

I see. [She accepts this calmly with no shock, disbelief, or apparent disgust. Her tone remains polite, her face that can be seen neutrally blank, however--]

I am sorry.

[She does sound it.]

[dereban]

It's okay.

[ she tugs her lips into a small smile. ] They came back, in the end.

[voreaciously]

[She does not look relieved nor surprised to hear it.]

No. It is not. Even if they come back they still--nevermind, pardon me. I am speaking out of turn.

[dereban]

No, you're right in some ways. They still exeperienced it, so even if someone can die and come back to life-- whether it's once, twice, or multiple times.

It doesn't make it right. I was just simply relieved that they did come back at all.

[voreaciously]

Still, I apologise. These are your lived experiences, you are free to find positives where you will, I did not have any right. I imagine it must be something of a relief that they returned, yes.

[dereban]

It's fine.

[ her words are rather calm and she's seemingly unbothered. ]

And it was. Because there were so many people I cared about.