Test Drive Meme #1

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✦ TEST DRIVE MEME ✦

... And when my good dream came to an end, I woke up more than ready to bend ... Game Navigation

✦ Directions A few rules for the TDM: 1. Pick a prompt 2. Comment with your thread start, with your character name and fandom in the subject line. 3. Tag into other's threads. 4. Have fun! 5. And what happens on the TDM stays on the TDM (it's not taken in game). **If you have questions, ask the MODS ✦ PROMPT ONE – Déjà Vu This may not be the first time it has happened. You really wouldn’t have any way of knowing, would you? You’ve just been living your life as a citizen of the city you live in New York, the city, they say, that never sleeps. It’s a place you always wanted to live in, hearing about it as a child, and it sounded exciting to you. Or maybe it was the place you wanted to get to in order to become something more, something interesting, something that would bring you up in the world. You wanted to be there more than anything. But anyway, right now it sure seems like the first time it’s ever happened. You experienced a sudden flash, a rending of unreality from reality, the way a person would rend a piece of cloth in two, but this is the world, and you don’t know what to think at first. Because this isn’t your life. Except it totally is. You know it is, like you’ve never known anything. This is your memory and when you come out of it you know that was your life you were witnessing. This is known as the Event, and it will change everything for you. Those around you notice one thing about you during the time you’re experiencing this memory—you’re frozen, as if you’re frozen in time. And it’s catching. ✦ PROMPT TWO – Network Life before the Event and after are a study in contrast. Before, you thought you knew who you were and what you were doing here. Now, all of that is in turmoil. Especially after your encounter with the man from the Bureau. Now, you don’t really know whether to trust the man from the organization that came to talk to you. Something about him seemed...off. Something that was enough to, perhaps, even make you feel suspicious. But now you know...you are one of the Different. You feel like it, too. Members of the Different, the man from the Bureau told you, have their own special Network to communicate on. Will you post to it? Will you relate your memories to the others among the Different—or will you come up with something completely different to say? ✦ PROMPT THREE – Support Group There’s a generic spread of food on a table off to one side of the room: donuts and muffins, coffee and lemonade. Maybe you’re hungry enough to try it—it’s free after all. Or maybe you can’t stomach anything, given the event you’re attending. The space is a local rec center, reserved for the evening. The beige-painted cinder block walls and the fluorescent lighting are a terrible combination. The meeting was interesting—who knew there were so many people like you, receiving memories of a past life? The group was led by someone from The Bureau—the Department of Medical Services. Some people are staying in their chairs and chatting—they must know each other from previous meetings. Some of them are gravitating towards the food. How do you feel about tonight? Has it helped you come to terms with the dream of memories you’re having? Maybe it’s time to talk to others, get an understanding of their experience. ✦ PROMPT FOUR – Crime wave New York City has grown increasingly more safe over the last decade or two—statistics bear that out, as well as the experiences of the people who live here. But something seems to have suddenly broken in the hearts and minds of your fellow-citizens here in the last day, ever since the sun has come up. People are being incredibly opportunistic about carrying out their wildest dreams, or at least, as long as their wildest dreams include attacking people around them to try rob them or to kill them. The longer the day goes on, the more and more people seem unable to resist giving into their bases desires. Bank robberies are happening right and left. The strangest part of it all, though, is that anyone who is defied by their victim seems to snap out of some reverie they couldn’t control. That’s right, this whole crime wave seems to be some kind of brain sickness. Maybe this means the people around you need to be cured by having someone fight back. Or maybe it means you catch the sickness yourself, before you know it. ...Maybe it’s time to hide and ride the whole crime wave out somewhere where you won’t become collateral damage. ✦ PROMPT FIVE – Zombie Universe Bleed Over - the crack option (Third person log or First person Network response are both encouraged.) One week ago you were living an average life. You were trying to make New York City work for you, a place to call home. Were you in a rough patch? Were things just starting to pick up? Or was life swimming along as you expected? Today, you are running down the street with a lumbering hoard of the Undead ambling after you. They have caught the scent of your living brain and it is a tasty snack to them. You have a weapon in hand - a pipe? a crowbar? a bat? but there are too many behind you to take them all out before they get you. You’re only option is to run, find help. (Power mode – along with your memories you’ve started getting back powers, what if you tried them out against the zombies?) When you were told that different universes bleed over into this one, did you believe it? Do you believe it now? ✦ PROMPT SIX – Wildcard What are you doing around NYC?

... What dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause ...

( return to top | Last updated: January 23, 2020 )

Comments

[faucon]

When they've found a pretty decent clip, Clint makes the mistake of shifting his weight too far and he does fall. There's nothing graceful about this either, but he doesn't flail or panic--too many falls throughout his life for that. He will, however, be very grateful to be caught and very bloodied if he's not.

[neverjedi]

Obi-Wan is not a large man. He is, however, very, very solid on skates and even a few years out from his competitive career is damn strong and fit.

Also that his last time was in pairs means that he is pretty used to grabbing and lifting and throwing. Which is a lot harder than just catching.

He catches Clint, albeit somewhat awkwardly and rather than let his face hit the ice hauls him back up. Then drops Clint on his ass before Clint can pull him down.

"Perfect," he says, happily!

[faucon]

He doesn't go down as hard as one would think. Ben catching him and redirecting him provides enough of a change that he barely even oofs when he lands.

"You're supposed to do a somersault at the end?" Clint teases. He's a perfectionist--Ben will realize that later when it's too late--but he's laid back enough to enjoy the mistakes, too.

[neverjedi]

"Spin, not flip," he says, like he isn't going slightly wide-eyed in absolute horror of the idea. Does he need to put a helmet on Clint before he lets the man back on the ice? Maybe full goalie gear and padding? Because he will. "Flipping is bad. Ice is hard. Keep your head off it." Please.

[faucon]

"Roger that. I'm a real downer when I have a concussion anyway." Getting up to his feet sounds trickier than it ends up being, and he feels distinctly pleased with himself when he manages it. "You look nervous, teacher."

[neverjedi]

He could have probably helped make that easier with some instructions, but - nah.

"I am suddenly very concerned about my liability insurance premiums." He is joking, but - "You're a bit of a daredevil."

[faucon]

Clint grins. "A bit," more than a bit. "But you know how to do triple axles, you've got some dare in you, too, huh?"

[neverjedi]

"Maybe a little." But also he knows how to do the - Okay, fine, he fell down a lot, and it was worth it for the success. "I'm just impressed you know what a triple axle is." Not even specifically. Just enough to know it involved some risk.

[faucon]

"Olympic skating was a big thing in my house when I was a kid. All the sports I guess, but the skating was what I'd sit down for." If he's self-conscious it's not because he's a fan; it's just uncomfortable to think back to when he'd been a kid, and realize those nights around a blocky, grainy TV were some of the best. "There are some weird names for the moves, though."

[neverjedi]

That....

That is really endearing, Clint. The discomfort maybe not so much, but just the memory and willingness to share it.

"A lot of the names come from the person who invented them, rather than anything descriptive, and just as many of them the only major differences are which direction you're facing or what part of the blade you take off from. I have no idea how anyone not in skating follows it at all. Anyway, super easy spin if you want it?"

[faucon]

"More reason to get in it, right?" He straightens up, more than ready to try. "How do I do it?"

[neverjedi]

"Depends on how important it is for you to be able to tell an axle from a toe loop from a lutz," he said, with amusement, but -

"I'm going to give you the six year old version first. Don't be insulted.." He hoped, because this was a bit beneath Clint's current ability. "Left arm in front of you, bent at the elbow. Twist to the right and reach behind you with your right arm. Then pull it in fast and hard, bring your arms together." Just centrifugal force. "Keep your feet together."

[faucon]

Physics can be relied on to do certain things, and in this case it gets Clint to spin.

"I should've come to the six year old class, I could show 'em all up with this," he grins, doing it again, trying it from the other side.

[neverjedi]

"I don't know, Clint, I've seen some impressive six year olds.... You might have some competition." He watches Clint with a little grin, because seeing him have fun makes him really glad he issued the invitation.

"Great, now add your right leg to the mix. Push off, bring it in, watch your center of gravity." He demonstrates once he's finished speaking slowed down.

[faucon]

The first two times, Clint is careful. But after that he pushes himself, seeing how many times he can spin, figuring things like dizziness won't matter. He's wrong on that but he doesn't fall...he nearly does, but he catches himself.

"How different did my spin look from yours, be honest," he's betting it was very.

[neverjedi]

Ah, there's the perfectionist. Enough so that Ben actually goes quiet and tilts his head at Clint in....

He's not sure if he is impressed, or amused, or mildly horrified.

Maybe all of the above.

...probably all of the above.

"I've been skating for twenty-five years. It looked different. It also looked damn good for someone who couldn't do a turn fifteen minutes ago." He is not joking about that. "You've got really good balance."

[faucon]

"You'd get a better tip if you lied," Clint teases with mock severity. He is visibly, genuinely pleased with the praise though. He doesn't get a whole lot of it, living the life he's lived.

"Yanno, playing the drums in front of the whole city maybe sounds nervewracking but none of them get to stand there and hand me a score. You must be pretty comfortable in front of a crowd, huh? You ever want to punch a judge?"

[neverjedi]

"I have never lied for money, and I don't think I've ever wanted to punch anyone, much less a judge." He sounds more amused than offended or confused, though. It's just not his nature. He is really, really not particularly aggressive most of the time. Not with people, anyway and not that way.

He shakes his head a little, smile turning wry at that question from Clint. He resumes skating backward, albeit slowly to encourage Clint to keep moving. "Between you and me? Performance was my least favorite part. I just love skating. And training. And eating." But the eating part was just him leveraging what he loved.

[faucon]

Clint had been skating but he brings himself to a quick halt, feigning shock. "Eating's a big part of this? Heck, I might give up drums and work on this instead."

He glides after Ben again, but he's studying his teacher--as much as he can will also trying hard not to waver or fall. "I can't tell if you're serious about not wanting to punch anyone ever."

[neverjedi]

"I hear eating's an important part of staying alive. Though there is likely going to be pizza up front by the time we're finished here." Which is more direct feeding than just earning money to eat.

Then he looks quizzical at Clint's apparent confusion - like he just doesn't quite understand. "I've wanted to yell at people. I've certainly gotten angry. I've never had any particular desire to hit anyone. Maybe throw something?"

[faucon]

Clint's expression is thoughtful, befuddled, like he can't quite get his head around the idea of never throwing a punch. As foreign as the concept is, there's also a part of him that's something like jealous over it.

"I try to stay out of trouble," he says, in case the question has Ben thinking maybe Clint is a violent nutjob. "But you know how kids can be, it just started early for me. Thank God adults don't pick fights over nothing, huh?"

[neverjedi]

He shakes his head, slightly, but there's a smile to go with it and it's all meant to be reassuring. He doesn't think Clint is inherently violent.

"Adults don't pick fights over nothing," he says, by way of partial explanation.

His skating backward is still happening, though he switches to crossovers which is... lazier, actually than what he'd been doing, even if the footwork was more complicated.

Then elaborates. "I was being home schooled by eleven, taught by tutors by 14, and didn't get back to being in any kind of in person classroom until college. When I was around kids my age we were all... career focused and the environment was really structured. Kids were still assholes but physical fighting wasn't really a factor."

[faucon]

It takes a second for him to realize why Ben was homeschooled, that something like this sport took its toll early and not just on the knees.

It would probably come as no surprise that Clint had no structure, that he's always been around people who had nothing much in common with him. Even if he'd had a talent like Ben has, his parents wouldn't have been able to afford to nurture it. Assuming they would have wanted to try, which...well. Barney had talents. Barney is a bum in worse shape than Clint now.

The thought of his life lined up against Ben's doesn't make him feel bitter or morose or jealous. It's just interesting to meet someone who had the drive and the opportunity to succeed.

"I never went to college," obviously. "But I bet it was an adjustment, huh?"

[neverjedi]

And he, in turn, does not pity Clint but does recognize that he had an enormous amount of opportunity and privilege that Clint - and most people - do not.

"It was a slow entry and there was a lot of distance learning until about six months before I graduated, but I loved being around people who were more diverse. I still do. It's part of why I love teaching little kids." And people like Clint, when he can rope them in. People like Clint being people not like him.

[faucon]

"I'd lose my mind if I didn't have people around," different kinds of people, a hundred varieties and more. He practices a spin and this time he's pleased with how it turns out. "I'm never around kids much, though. Which is kinda too bad. They always sound like they're having the time of their lives even if what they're doing is throwing a tantrum."