revivalprojectooc | Opening Test Drive Meme

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Opening Test Drive Meme

TEST DRIVE
Application FAQ | Taken Characters | Reserves | Application

Welcome to the first Test Drive for The Revival Project!

For those who do not know, this game is a spin-off from The Drift Fleet game, which is shortly closing. For more information about what this game is about, please check out the FAQ here or the premise here.

The TDM for the first round of applications is NOT required but is highly recommended. Really this is to see the interest level in the game as well as to have everyone interact on the new planet and with the new experiences offered here. There will be a post in the TDM where questions can be asked regarding the prompts/settings. We're keeping this loose though so go ahead and have fun with it. Any questions about the game please direct to the comment section of the FAQ.

If you are a Drift Fleet alumni, please label your character as 'DFAU' on your top level so we know. Also, keep in mind you have complete flexibility on how your character comes here. They could be taken before endgame, after endgame, two years after, one year before, etc. It's up to you! The only option not allowed is to completely restart your character (because then it's not DFAU, is it?)

So go! Explore Agra 10! And, as always, HAVE FUN!

*ATTENTION! RESERVES ARE NOW OPEN!*
*ATTENTION! APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!*
*GAME OPENS AUGUST 19th!*

WHALE COMB PARTY

In the square near your arrival point, one building seems to be in fairly good repair. It’s large and stark white on every wall. Unlike the other buildings, all the lights are on and the windows looking out are intact. That alone would make it remarkable but it’s hardly the most noticeable thing once you step inside the open doorway.

Hanging against one wall is a piece of fabric that has ‘WHALE COMB!’ painted on it in drippy, fluorescent pink letters. A smiley is painted underneath it right on the wall with three eyes and long fangs. The fangs drip down all the way to the floor and the eyes are just a blob of paint, but whoever left it seems to have been trying, here. ‘US THANK THEY!’ is written beside it, barely legible. On every other wall is ‘EAT’ in various sizes and colors. They thankfully don’t drip as much as the smiley since, beneath them, are tables upon tables of food.

There are meats, fruits, root vegetables, and even what might be a sweet dessert of some sort as well. Bowls are full of them, apparently a welcome dinner for the Agrii’s new heroes. At the very least it will give everyone a quick crash course on what is edible around here. But some of it might have … adverse effects:

- People chomping down on the striped meat all seem to get very drowsy a few minutes later.
- The red fruit that looks like a giant cherry is the equivalent of a few shots - the more consumed, the more drunken this party is getting.
- There is a bowl of weeds that have small, daisy-like flowers all along the stalks. This tastes like chicken and gives the eater a sudden burst of energy that will have them running around the room like they’re being chased.
-There are a collection of drinks, some made from the red fruit, some that are clearly water, some that taste like a less-sweet lemonade with no effects, and then there's a blue one that tastes like an especially dark beer. People drinking this will find themselves incapable of lying for a half hour.

Of course, no way to know any of this before you chow down. So dig in and enjoy the show!

LOST AND ALONE

They said don’t go into the forest. If the noises there weren’t deterrent enough then the thick trees and lack of paths should have been. Yes, you’ll need food. Yes, both meat and many fruits are in the forest. But maybe you should have gotten some more information before heading in.

Congratulations: you went into the forest and are now lost. You can’t hear the murmurings from town, nor can you see any of the lights that might be flickering on and off in the city. How are you going to get back into town? How do you make sure that the creatures here don’t attack you? You probably don’t have any weapons, so you’d better figure something out quick.

Or, maybe you’ll get lucky and run into another foolish person wandering around out here. Try not to attack them - unless they attack first.

MILES TO GO

The first thing every survivor needs to find is shelter. Not long after your arrival at the fountain, it’s getting darker now and, even if the night is short (you’re about to find out it’s not!), you don’t want to spend your first one out on an unfamiliar street. Distantly you can hear a sound like a wolf howling through an elephant’s trunk. It’s loud and alien. Maybe you want to find somewhere to sleep a little more quickly.

Right away there are two pretty solid options that will do nicely for the night: an abandoned hotel-like structure and some empty stores.

The hotel structure seems to be the most popular option for others. Its large, overgrown lobby leads you to the staircase and over a dozen floors of rooms in varying conditions. Despite it looking as though no one has set foot in here for decades, the stairs and floors all are secure. The rooms that have doors on them open up to dusty rooms that all have a bathroom (of sorts) attached and long, narrow bed frames. Figuring out a mattress will be a challenge but at least this is a safe place to sleep. As long as no animals laid claim to this room before you got in...

But let’s say the room in the hotel doesn’t work for you. Maybe the room is too small for you. Maybe you don’t like the stairs. Maybe you want someplace private to separate yourself from the rest of these strangers and to think quietly about what to do next. Either way, the other option is any number of abandoned stores lining the block where you arrived. The glass doors and windows of many are broken but there are just as many intact as well. The rooms are all large and empty, as whatever wares inside were either taken or dissolved over the years. There may be a counter or two that will get you off the ground, though. With all this space, you’re bound to find something to sleep on.

Unless someone else got there, first...

code bases by tricklet

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"Depends what you consider a threat." She crosses her arms, businesslike as she runs over what she's seen so far both here and in Drift Fleet. With all that considered Natasha is comfortable with a little paranoia. "No people, no dangerous wild animals. The food isn't exactly what I'd call safe but it hasn't hurt anyone either."

Natasha had taken a little nap as a result of her choices, but other than her pride no harm done.

"But we've been kidnapped. The people mind it, if they are people, don't seem to have a great read on our needs and we're on our own in some kind of abandoned city. I'd say there are some hazards to account for."

"The Chitauri. Loki." That name is daid with some bitterness. "Thanos." He doesn't actually expect to see any of them, but they wre what he considers threats. If they're dealing with threats of that magnitude, he wants to know about it.

But it sounds like that's not the case and he lets out a short sigh of relief.

"Yeah, and I'm not a fan of that. Kidnapping in general is a no go with me, and if you factor in being dumped here without anyone giving a crap, that's just even worse."

He crosses his arms and his frown deepens as he mulls over these ramifications. "That aside, how have you been?"

"I haven't seen Loki, but if he does show up we probably don't have to consider him an active threat." There's bitterness in her own tone too, but if the Loki who showed up here was the one from the Fleet, they'd have Cap acting as advocate for him. Natasha agreed he wasn't likely to stir something up, but she can't entirely trust it. "Probably."

A deep breath, because there's a lot to explain. Natasha isn't sure where to start. She doesn't want to give a report. Not with Clint. She wants to tell him it really is okay.

"There's a lot to tell. I don't know how much you've heard already, but... it's been a while for me. Most of it's good."

"Natasha, you're kidding." Clint hasn't been gradually relaxing or anything, but at those words, he very visibly tenses. "Not an active threat?" Obviously he doesn't know what Natasha knows, but to him, Loki will never be someone he can trust. There are some things that can't be forgiven and what Loki did is one of them.

He lets out a long breath that he didn't know he was holding in, and he tries to will himself to settle back down again.

"You could start at the beginning." Unless of course she really doesn't want to give him what information she knows. He doesn't want to be left in the dark, but he'd rather hear about things from her, who he knows he can trust without question. "I guess that whatever it is can wait," he says, reluctantly acquiescing. He's only just arrived, after all.

"I'll start at the beginning," she offers, nodding slightly. She owes him that much. She owes him more than that, for everything he's done for her over the years. For trusting her when he really shouldn't have. For leaving him alone on Vormir.

"How about we sit down. You can keep an eye on the door, and I'll get a little rest while we catch up." It's the best Natasha can do. "I think we're safe enough here for that, for the moment."

"Yeah, okay. Sounds good." He can't help but sound relieved that she agreed; yes, he wants to know what she knows, but also, he just wants to listen to her. In the world he's from, no one will ever hear from her again, and whether it causes him hurt later, he doesn't care. He'll take what he can get.

And he's tired too, so sitting down sounds like a great idea right about now. "Sounds like a plan. You take a load off and I'll keep an eye on things for awhile." He owes her just as much, perhaps more than he'll ever be able to repay.

Natasha exhales, not quite a laugh but there's a sort of rueful humor to it, the absurd mental image of them dancing around each other because of their mutual regrets, the choice they'd both tried to make for the other.

It's almost funny.

Or maybe it's something else, some other emotion she doesn't want to put a name to that's trying to escape.

She takes a deep breath and sits on an empty window sill. She didn't expect it to be this hard running into her best friend. "I guess the beginning is that this isn't the first time I've been kidnapped like this. Aliens taking people from different places, different times. Apparently that's something that happens."

Clint gets it. He didn't expect to have this conversation with her, because how could he have predicted any of this? He's no god, he has no magic abilities. Communicating with the dead is not something he can do, no matter how much he's wished he could. But he also knows better than to look gift horses in the mouth. If he can have a second chance with Natasha, he's going to seize it and not ask too many questions. Neither is he going to waste it.

He looks around for somewhere he can sit as well, but despite the tiredness that's dogging him, he decides that for now, he's just going to just lean against the wall closest to her. "That's what I've been hearing." It doesn't particularly please him, but very few things in his life right now actually achieve that. "Okay, so you've been snatched before. Straightforward enough. What kinds of things have you seen?"

He's fully aware that the answer to that could be a long one, but he's just looking for the rundown here.

Long didn't even begin to cover it. She shouldn't tell him the whole thing. They didn't have the time. Even if they did—even then, she wasn't sure that was the best use of it. There had to be more than that. She wanted to ask the last thing he remembered.

Did he know they did it?

Natasha tells him what she can, though, to get started. "You wouldn't believe some of it if I told you. We were on this reality show." There's a slight catch in her voice as she says it, because she knows how ridiculous it sounds. "Travel the galaxy. Drama. Romance. See your friends how up and leave again, then come back without remembering any of it.

"Every so often I guess the ratings needed a boost because something catastrophic would happen. In one system we saw a planet destroyed by an asteroid. We barely had time to evacuate it."

She's still not convinced that the Atroma hadn't been behind that too, somehow.

He wants to tell her what little he knows, but what would that even be worth? He doesn't know yet how everything will turn out. It's still anyone's guess, and Thanos is still a fairly big threat, not that Natasha needs reminding.

"Reality show? You're kidding, right? You got brought all the way to wherever this is to be on a reality show?" Clint shakes his head, feeling incredulous but knowing Natasha isn't the type to just say things. But when she mentions that catastrophic things would happen, his expression darkens again. "That's messed up. But I guess it's good to know what I have to look forward to. I don't like not knowing what's what, you know." He knows that goes without saying, that both of them feel that way. Better to have knowledge, however grim, than to go in blind. At least that's his take on things.

"What else have you seen?"

"Don't know that it will be the same here." She's not sure what's going to happen here at all. They have information available. But this is different. It's also very new. It could look very different around here a month from now, two months, a year.

Who knows how long they'll be here?

"I saw Steve get married at one point. Another Steve. It's been a ride." Natasha nods slightly, her eyes shining. "Not all of it's bad. I've had time here. It's been months since I remembered... Since I remembered Vormir. I've been okay."

That's not entirely true. She's had good moments, especially with James, but she's also had hard times. How is she supposed to process her own death? But she's been alive, and she's had the chance to have more good moments. That's all they can ask for right?

Clint nods, knowing that as far as he can tell, anything's possible. It bothers him a little, because he does like to be able to know what's coming as much as possible, but he clearly doesn't have that luxury here. Still, when he sees Natasha light up like that, all thoughts seem to fade to the back of his mind.

And the news that an iteration of Steve got married also adds to what he's currently feeling, namely happiness on behalf of his friends. "Well, I'm happy for both of you."

He really is. Knowing what he knows, it's good to hear that people out there can still find happiness and good things. It's not all bleak and hopeless in every corner of the world. And yes, he considers it nothing short of a miracle that she's here and alive. There might be hard times but at least there's good things still happening too.

"It'll be all right, Clint. Everything will." Because she believes in them. Because she knows them. The Avengers are her family. She knew they wouldn't let her down. She did what she did so she wouldn't let them down too.

The hard part is not being able to see it.

"You should know, sometimes—at least in the fleet, sometimes we would remember things from home. One moment everything would be normal, then the next we wake up and we have two sets of memories. I was there for years. At the same time, I was home. When I showed up in the fleet, the last thing I remembered was Ultron. Then not long after, the accords. You might find that happens here. That we remember things."

Well, that he remembers things.

He desperately wants to believe that, because if everything isn't all right, if they don't win, then Natasha died for nothing, and there's no way in hell he'd ever be able to live with that. So, he tries to put on a smile for her, but to him, the effort just feels flat and uninspired. "Of course it will," he says, trying to inject as much confidence into those words as he can. Maybe if he says it confidently enough, he'll start to believe it, and it'll actually happen.

"I know I don't have to tell you there's a lot of determined people on the job." Hard-headed people, too. They'll need that if they hope to even have a chance.

"Sounds like a trip." He shakes his head, trying to make sense of what she's telling him. "You're sure whoever's doing this isn't spiking the water?" Or whatever this planet has.

"You will." She sounds confident. She might have heard something before, in the Fleet, from Thor. She doesn't have enough details to pass it on. Not really. But it's enough to know they win.

"You know, I can't rule that out? Especially considering the way the food around here will mess with you." If he hasn't learned that lesson yet, then the sooner he finds out the better. Natasha is anticipating more of that. Maybe unfair, considering, but her experience with situations like this is both limited and clear that the kinds of beings that do this to people don't hesitate to make things strange in different ways. Possibly just because they find it entertaining. "It would explain some things."

He's been holding back a question, because Natasha, of all people, should be allowed to be confident and to know that the Avengers are going to win, no question. He doesn't want to cause her to doubt, because what she deserves is certainty, but he's struggling with that idea himself. "How can you be so sure?" The words almost burn coming out, as if telling him he should never have given them voice, but it's either say them now or hold them back and let his internal wrestling match continue.

"Personally, I don't think I can trust anything they offer. I mean, yeah, I tried those weird plants, but compared to the other options?" He shakes his head, knowing that plants can be every bit as dangerous as other foods, perhaps even more. There are poisonous plants, of course. "So basically, we should be prepared for the worst." They basically are anyway, given their backgrounds, but it's all about having the right mindset from the start.

"Because I know. I wish I knew more. I'd tell you everything, but..." But he knows why the information she has is limited.

Natasha sighs. It's complicated. Every bit of it is a mess of emotions and partial narratives. She should have learned more when she could, but here she is. When she'd been able to speak to Thor, it had been enough to know they did it.

"Doesn't seem fair, does it? You'd think at this point they'd let us kick up our feet. Take it easy."

"Nah, it's fine. If you know, that's enough for me." It always has been. He's always been able to trust her implicitly, and that's not about to change.

Clint also sighs, because everything about this is complicated and difficult, and it's more or less out of his control. And there's nothing he dislikes more than being at the mercy of other forces or even other people.

"No, it doesn't, but isn't that how it goes for us? And I don't know what I'd do if I had the chance to take it easy." He laughs humorlessly, because it really is true. Even when he's with his family, there's always some commotion going on. Not that he'd ever change that or swap that for anything.

"Seems that way sometimes." Her smile is a little sad, maybe more than a little, but she's still smiling. "Maybe it doesn't have to be. Kidnapping aside."

It would be nice to believe Clint could have a normal life, normal family catastrophes. Maybe one of the boys breaks a window sometime, or Lyla breaks an arm falling off a bike. Not the things they've had to deal with.

She has to believe that could happen.

"I've had something here," she admits. Natasha has been open with Clint about some of the worst things she's seen, things she's done and been through, but she hesitates when it's good news. She's not sure what to make of that. "Me and Barnes. It's unexpected."

"It doesn't have to be. I think it's about time the universe gave you a better hand." It'll never make up for what happened on Vormir, but it's something, at least. Present circumstances not withstanding, Clint's had it pretty good. His wife is amazing and he loves his kids, so what does he have to complain about?

Natasha has had a rough life and he wants nothing more than for her to find happiness somehow. It eats at him, knowing she can't have that back at home, but here, maybe she has a chance. If he can do anything about it, he means to make sure she gets every opportunity.

"You have?" He lights up a little at that, the most he has since arriving. It's a little hard to envision her and Bucky but given what little he knows about the other man, he thinks it's not too difficult to imagine that he and Natasha might have come to an understanding. "That's great, Nat." And now she's going to be on the receiving end of a real, truly genuine smile.

It's unfortunate that they've had so little good things to share with each other, but Nat was there when Clint told her about his family, so he's glad he can be here for her to tell him about what she's found. It eases some of the weight he's carrying with him, knowing that it's still possible for people to be happy and find love.

Edited 2019-08-09 03:14 (UTC)

It had been based on understanding. They both knew what it was to be controlled, used. To be someone else's weapon. Things Clint knew a thing or two about too. Natasha considers in passing they could start a club—they all hated that shit. The thought gets a snort out of her, though she doesn't explain what's funny.

"You should be able to meet him. Actually meet him." She hopes he will. They're two of the most important people in the world to her at this point. Clint saved her life years and years before she saved his. He was the one who gave her the chance to be a hero. "You might like each other, once you get the chance to warm up. Takes a little while to win guys like you over."

Clint's considered it in passing too: it's a club no one ever wants to be in, but once it's happened, it's easier said than done to leave the experience in the past. It's not impossible, because the two of them are still carrying on, but neither is it for the faint of heart.

"I'd like that." He knows a little about him, but hearsay and information in a file isn't knowing someone. "He must be pretty great." Clint can hear it in Natasha's voice, how important he is to her, and that just makes him want to meet him more. And then he chuckles, because isn't that the truth? "You'd know the first thing about that, wouldn't you?" Natasha got past his defenses and got to see the real him, but it wasn't easy.

He supposes that must be true about this man who's clearly making her happy. And, well, if she's happy, that's good enough for Clint.

"I might have some experience in that arena." And the observation might apply to her as well. She knows that. It's hard to get close to people in their line of work, people who've learned to protect themselves and hide their feelings, how to disguise their vulnerability behind misdirection and professional stoicism.

They understand each other that way, though. Speak the same language, even if that language means circling each other like stray cats sometimes.

"Don't tell him I told you, but I think he's pretty soft on me." She says it with a teasing air, mostly because it's funny to imagine the Winter Soldier soft on anyone. A little bit because it's true. Clint's her best friend; it makes her heart lighter to be able to share that tidbit with him.

"I'll say you do. You're good at it." They both have some experience in those areas, but Natasha's done it before with Clint, and also with Bruce. Actually, she kind of worms her way in with everyone, whether they realize it or not. With the two of them, it was different. There was that first assignment of his, in which he made a different call, going against orders. That was just the start of things for them. He saw something in her, something more than just a dangerous assassin that represented a threat to national security.

And she saw something in him, too, when he didn't want to see it for himself.

"Your secret's safe with me, Nat." The corners of his mouth turn up, unable to stop smiling. It feels good to have something to smile about, especially when it's something like this. In spite of himself, in spite of everything, his heart feels lighter too.

They deserve something to smile about. Clint, especially. A stab of guilt hits her for telling him her good news, thinking of what he's lost. What he's not sure he'll get back. She doesn't apologize for it, or try to turn the conversation to darker topics.

But it seems unfair somehow to tell him about James when he doesn't have Laura back yet.

Her smile is strained, even if it doesn't falter completely. "You know, this is our second time in space." She lifts her brows, glancing toward the broken window. "Even if it's a little less dramatic this time. Sure is something, considering where we started. Catching up, and we're a million miles from everything."

She licks her lips.

"I'm glad to have you here."

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