Test Drive Meme #1

[bocadelmods]

A Choice to Make
 

In the midst of your mundane existence, amidst a meal's consumption or perhaps amidst a desperate struggle for survival, you find yourself teetering on the precipice between consciousness and oblivion. Whether it's the mundanity of everyday life or the shock of an unforeseen revelation, the next chapter in your tale is etched in the unfathomable tapestry of destiny. Abruptly, a shimmering azure tear in reality wrenches you from your reality, hurling you into the depths of a foreboding cavern. Within its shadows, two sinister whispers assail your senses, each vying for control over the path you must tread. One beckons from the left, promising dominion and power under the aegis of an enigmatic ruler, while the other lures from the right, pledging a noble crusade for justice and salvation. With each step, the choice you make echoes with the weight of eternity, determining the very fabric of your existence

As you stand at the crossroads of fate, the air thickens with anticipation, suffused with a palpable sense of ominous uncertainty. The leftward passage glimmers with an otherworldly allure, hinting at the seductive allure of authority and supremacy. Yet, the rightward path beckons with an ethereal glow, resonating with the righteous fervor of a hero's quest to vanquish darkness. Each voice, a siren's call to divergent destinies, casts its spell upon your soul, weaving a labyrinth of moral ambiguity. For in this twilight realm where the veil between worlds grows thin, your decision is not merely a choice but a covenant with forces beyond mortal comprehension. Whichever path you elect to traverse, know that the consequences shall echo through eternity, shaping the very essence of your being in ways unfathomable to mortal minds.
 

1. Evil

 

Emerging from the left tunnel, you step into a labyrinthine city carved from the very bones of the earth, illuminated by flickering torchlight that casts eerie shadows upon the twisted visages of its denizens. Monsters, grotesque and malformed, roam the streets with a purpose that sends shivers down your spine. It becomes chillingly apparent that within this infernal metropolis, your destiny lies entwined with a bid for power at the side of a shadowy sovereign. Amidst the clamor of preparation, the temple to the enigmatic entity known as the First Evil looms ominously, its dark allure drawing in supplicants like moths to a flame. Should your throat grow parched from the fervent chants of devotion, the Cantina offers solace in its crude embrace, a sanctuary that exudes an aura of ancient malevolence amidst its clay and stone walls.

 

Yet, amidst the sinister ambiance, whispers of knowledge beckon, promising insight into the machinations of this unholy realm. Seekers of truth may find guidance from well-intentioned demons or delve into the esoteric depths of the Stacks, where secrets lie entombed within dusty tomes of forgotten lore. As curiosity compels you to explore further, the Bringers, sinister heralds of the impending darkness, stand ready to lead you to your abode, a cold stone sanctuary where dreams are haunted by the specter of impending conflict. And for those who prefer the solace of steel and the embrace of weaponry, the armory awaits, a chamber resonant with the echoes of impending strife, offering a grim reminder that in this realm, even sleep is fraught with the specter of violence.

          2. Good

Venturing through the right-hand tunnel was a pact, a commitment to a harrowing struggle that now unfolds before you. Emerging into the realm beyond, you are met by a spectral figure, a girl whose countenance shifts with each passing moment, a testament to the legion of vampire slayers that populate this accursed domain. She, like her brethren, is both warrior and guide, leading you through the labyrinthine streets with a cryptic explanation that betrays the gravity of the task ahead. Together, you traverse the shadowed avenues, passing landmarks cloaked in enigma, such as The Odeon, a den of debauchery where the echoes of revelry mingle with the cries of the damned. With a sardonic grin, she points towards the gym, a crucible where the art of combat is honed amidst the backdrop of impending doom.

 

As you journey further into the heart of darkness, the Resurrection Cemetery looms ominously, a sepulchral sentinel guarding the threshold of a towering edifice—the colossal teaching hospital that casts a pall of dread over the surrounding streets. Amidst a labyrinth of silence and apprehension, you arrive at your destination, standing before the facade of the Doubletree Hotel, its ostentatious glamour a stark juxtaposition against the encroaching shadows of desolation. Yet, even as the hotel's opulence beckons, a lingering sense of foreboding whispers tales of recent upheaval, hinting at secrets buried beneath layers of opulent facade.


A Grave to Dig – Resurrection Cemetery

Patrol, it's the nightly routine for slayers, a dance with darkness amidst the tombstones, where the soulless minions of evil lurk in the shadows, ever loyal to the malevolent machinations of The First Evil. A cemetery of this magnitude, its layout intricate and labyrinthine, serves as the perfect battleground for the eternal struggle against the forces of darkness. But it is patrol, right? Surely you're not taking a detour to The Odeon without your trusty stake and crossbow. Strange choices in these perilous times, indeed.
 

This graveyard pulses with the heartbeat of vampiric activity tonight, more undead rising from their graves than ever before. Will you recruit them into the fold of darkness, their loyalty pledged to The First? Or will you stand as their nemesis, driving a stake through their unbeating hearts? The choice looms before you, a decision that could tip the scales of this eternal conflict, determining whether you become their savior or their midnight snack.


A Party to Crash – The Odeon

Amidst the haunting melodies of an otherworldly band, The Odeon pulsates with the feverish energy of revelers seeking solace in food, drink, and a hell of a time. At the jumpstart of the bash, there’s no doubt you'll get to soak up some of that vibe. But lurking amidst the revelry, there's more than just party plans brewing.

If you've been getting those Slayer senses tinglin' 'bout the graveyard gig, hold onto your stakes 'cause The Odeon's gonna be jumpin' too. Within the shadowed halls of The Odeon, a palpable tension lingers, as The First Evil's malevolent design looms ominously over the unsuspecting patrons. In this twilight realm where the line between good and evil blurs, the clash between opposing forces is inevitable, and it's here, amidst the haunting melodies and whispered secrets, that the true test of one's training and arcane talents shall unfold.

 

Comments

[freddikins]

"The term 'Odeon' actually has its roots in Ancient Greece, and it's... well, it's quite fitting, really," Fred bubbled with enthusiasm, her eyes sparkling with scholarly delight. "It means 'singing place'," she explained, her voice carrying a hint of laughter as she savored the linguistic tidbit. "Funny, isn't it? Though, I can't say there was much singing going on when I was there," she admitted with a happy sigh, her grin widening. "Just some warm-up DJ action. But I reckon bands from all over must've flocked there to perform," she mused, reminiscing about similar joints back in her Texas hometown, where the nights were filled with a different kind of rhythm—more boots scootin' than ballad croonin'.

"The science center? Oh, it's a bit of a trek, but worth it," Fred chimed in, her tone brightening as she recalled the location. "It's by the lake, you know, where the portal is!" she added, her smile warm and inviting as she glanced at her companion. It was a rare treat to encounter someone genuinely interested in her scientific musings, someone who didn't see her solely as a puzzle to solve or a means to an otherworldly end.

In Fred's world, where dimensions collided and the line between reality and the unknown blurred, finding someone who shared her passion for knowledge without ulterior motives was akin to stumbling upon a rare gem in the desert.

[ironrider]

"Speaking of roots," Ash starts with a half cocked smile. "Got that country girl thing going on. Never spent much time in the South myself but listening to you talk makes me wish I had." He flirts as easy as breathing. Half the time he doesn't even mean to. Right now it is very intentional.

"First thing you would show me at the science center?" A portal. Is that how they got here? "A portal? Like a worm hole?"

[ironrider]

"Of course I am sure!" He said with a deep laugh. "I have all night. Let's hear it. What is it about cars for you?"

Ash love vehicles. Any type really. Well, not boats and big ships. He loves to surf, loves the water but he's a land animal. Too much time on the water and he starts to feel off, disconnected. But cars? Nothing like a roadtrip in the middle of the night. Music loud, windows down, someone's legs draped over his lap, engine purring as you tear down a desolate two lane highway with nothing to look at but the stars.

Tilting his head toward Kavinsky he gave a playful snap of his teeth. "Good."

Up ahead he could see the park. There were swings. He may be an adult in the sense that he is of a certain age, an entrepreneur, and pays his bills but when it comes to most everything else? Big kid at heart. With a grin he ran ahead.

When he reaches the swings he lands on his belly across the thick, black plastic seat shooting himself into the air as he rides it like he's Superman.

[freddikins]

"Well, shoot, Texas sure does pack a whole heap of goodness into its borders," Fred mused, her attention drifting past Ashley's flirtatious overtures, which sailed right over her head. She might have been sharp as a tack when it came to books, but navigating the subtleties of romantic interaction wasn't exactly her forte. "Sometimes I find myself hankerin' for home, you know? Missin' the little things like a proper chicken-fried steak or them county fairs, or just the wide-open spaces." A wistful sigh escaped her lips, accompanied by a broad smile that spoke volumes.

"But I ain't gonna lie, I took a real shine to Los Angeles too," she continued, her eyes alight with reminiscence. "Somethin' 'bout bein' by the ocean, all sparkly and pretty when the night sets in... reckon every place's got its own kind of magic if you look for it. Even here. Never seen snow 'til now, though it ain't been stickin' to the ground none."

Her enthusiasm bubbled up anew at the mention of the science center. "Oh, they switch up them exhibits so often, who knows what wonders they got in store for us in 2024! But that wind turbine, now that's a keeper. Powers the whole dang computer system, can you believe it?"

Portals. That word hung heavy in the air, impossible for him to just brush aside. Fred's smile faltered just a tad, a shadow crossing her features. "Y-yeah, portals..." she murmured, her hands twisting uncomfortably as memories of past encounters flooded back, chilling her like a sudden plunge into icy waters. "Can't say it's my first rodeo with 'em, truth be told. Seems like I always end up somewhere I ain't supposed to be. Ain't that somethin'? Don't get me wrong, bein' with you is... well, it's nice, but..." Her voice trailed off, uncertainty tainting her words as the specter of Pylea loomed large in her mind once more.

[burnyoudown]

Kavinsky took a breath. "It's the freedom." It was an immediate answer, no need to think about it. The month he'd been without his car had been the last straw that'd pushed him to make sure it never happened again. That month had dragged, and riding with his friends hadn't been the same, though Proko had let him drive his car now and then, and that had at least taken the edge off. "The sound of the engine, the lines of the body..." He sighed, fond and...a little bit of something else. Thinking about cars being aesthetically pleasing reminded him of every fantasy he'd ever had about pressing Ronan up against his Mitsubishi.

"And the speed, the adrenaline," he continued, corralling his thoughts. "Racing's about the only fun thing to do besides partying, back home." But racing, or even just driving, settled his mood in a wildly different way than partying. They both made him feel alive, but parties and everything they involved were more of a distraction. Racing was...peace, in a way.

Laughing, he made no attempt no keep pace--he could probably be paid to run, but nothing short of some sort of reward (or emergency) would motivate him otherwise--but he did lower himself into a swing seat next to Ash. "The best part of any park, right?" He hadn't really had a whole lot of opportunities to appreciate swing sets while growing up, but he was a firm believer that you were never too old for something like this.

[ironrider]

He holds his hands up in mock surrender. "Don't get upset but I have never had chicken fried steak in my life. Never been to a county fair either." There is an easy, lopsided smile that makes a dimple in his right cheek appear when she sighs.

"My family home is in LA. Grew up on the beach. Favorite place to be. Hear the closest we're going to get around here is a lake maybe?" Ash is a city boy but he still feels the call to nature. His kind need it because it is magic. Recharges them. "Bonfire on any beach, even the shore of a lake, is a thousand percent magic."

He grins when she gets excited about the wind turbines. One day maybe he would get to the point where he could tell her who his grandfather was. Right now, he couldn't just drop bombs about how old he really is or what he is. Not just yet, but he has a feeling she could be someone he could trust with it. "Wait until you lay your eyes on a solar farm. They power cities."

Ash's eyes drop to where her hands are. The uncertainty, the discomfort, rolls off of her in waves. "You've gone through a portal before?"

[ironrider]

Tilting his head back he laughed at the night sky and shook his head. "You could be describing a car or a person." He glanced at Kavinsky still smirking. "Then again, cars are very sexy."

He couldn't agree more with what K had said. Ash loved a car that sounded like it was dangerous. That let you know there was a monster under the hood. He also loves deceptive cars. Pull up next to a 1990's era Honda with a spoiler and tinted windows late at night in the middle of summer and prepare to get your ass handed to you. Even in an exotic import like he favors driving.

"I love a good road trip." He says as he flips over and rights himself on the swing. Using his legs he pushes off the ground to keep himself swaying at a steady pace. "Driving for hours through the middle of no where with no one around. Let the engine open up and take off."

Reaching out he held on to the chain of K's swing to keep them swinging together. "I like a good slide too. Can't be a grown up all the time."

[burnyoudown]

Kavinsky couldn't help but laugh. "You only say that 'cause you've never heard me describe someone I'm into. But yeah, cars are sexy." There was an appeal to them, to the aesthetic and the power and the ability to just go wherever the fuck he wanted. He hoped still, that some day 'wherever the fuck he wanted' would take him far from Henrietta.

"I wanna road trip sometime, this summer or after graduation. Bring my boys with me." He wasn't a big fan of 'the middle of nowhere' honestly, but he thought it would be more bearable if it wasn't Henrietta. Some place with a stretch of highway where they could race, just for fun, because they could. "Wouldn't even mind dealing with some shitty cheap motel."

He couldn't remember the last time he'd been on a slide, and while he wasn't particularly interested, he couldn't deny that swings were still pretty great. "I feel like people put too much pressure on being a 'grown up' anyway, like- the fuck does it even mean? Put on a suit and tie and fucking forget everything you used to love?" But at the same time, he didn't really remember what being a kid was like, or if he'd ever really been a kid.

[freddikins]

A dimple in his cheek, too? Well, isn't that just the cherry on top? He sure is cute, and Fred isn’t one to tumble head over heels all that swiftly. Of course, that isn't precisely what's unfolding at the moment. Fred reckons she's nursing a little crush, and she's willing to own up to that much.

"Well, I reckon it might be a tad challenging to stumble upon a county fair smack dab in the city proper, and as for the steak, well, who knows? Maybe we'll uncover what makes the Midwest so darn special," Fred chirps, her face lighting up with enthusiasm. She's certain Cleveland must boast its own set of charms.

"Oh, goodness gracious!" Fred claps her hands together eagerly. "That's a marvelous notion! Picture this: a Springtime bonfire right there on the coast of Lake Erie. We'll just have to scout out a public beach."

Her eyes widen ever so slightly, mirroring the spread of her smile. "I've never laid eyes on a solar farm. They must be positively breathtaking," she muses aloud, her mind painting vivid images of those neat rows of panels angling toward the heavens. It must truly be a sight to behold.

Yet, her shoulders sag just a fraction when he brings up the portal. "Ah, yes, the old portal," she murmurs, a tinge of melancholy creeping into her voice. "My professor, well, let's just say he had his own reasons for shoving me through one. Seemed he wanted to eliminate the competition." She leaves out the part about her own hand in orchestrating her professor's downfall; some stories are best left buried in the past.

[ironrider]

"You just did! The sound of the engine, the curves." He says back with a laugh teasing with Kavinsky. "Obviously from a purely physical standpoint. And, at least for me, I'm not only into curves." No, he doesn't think cars are people. Cars are easy to figure out. People are far more complicated. As much as he might make jokes or comments about physical appearance, that's the least important thing.

"What does a dream road trip with the boys look like? Where would you go?" For as much as he travels he still has a huge bucket list of places to go. Including several road trips. A lot of his travel is work related and the time consumed with meetings. He needs to get back to traveling more for fun.

"Who the fuck knows what that means." He shakes his head. "Being grown up should be about finally getting to do the things you really love. Buy the shit you want. Wear what you want to wear. Finally figure out who the fuck you are." Hell, he was still working on that. From the time he first shifted at eleven his life was shaped by what everyone else told him he needed to be. Once he found a pack and moved to New York he finally started to feel like he could figure out who the hell he is.

[ironrider]

She isn't alone in that. Ash would be a liar if he said he wasn't already crushing on Fred. How could he not? That smile, her enthusiasm, those pretty eyes. He wouldn't say he is a sucker for a pretty girl but a smart and pretty girl? Yes, absolutely.

"Sounds like a date in the making, Fred." He could picture it and it kept that smile on his face. "Maybe a couple of them, if you're up for it." Ash paused and quickly added. "By date I don't mean it has to be anything romantic. For the record." He cleared his throat. Usually he would come on very strong, never correcting or amending something like saying date. Ash doesn't want to scare her off though. Or come off like some kind of creep.

His heart sank a little when her tone changed. Damn. He should have left it alone. Making her talk about something that hurt her wasn't his intention. Ash also wasn't expecting the spike of anger he felt when she explained what had happened. "He still alive?"

[burnyoudown]

He inhaled slowly, mulling things over. There were layers to that, really, about curves. Things he was still grappling with, that he hadn't really talked to anyone about. As if his attraction to Ronan was some sort of secret back home, as if his friends hadn't probably picked up on it. The only one who'd seemed to be in the dark about it was Ronan himself. "Yeah...I know what you mean."

Mmm, that was a good question. "I dunno," he admitted. "Just...going anywhere, through the countryside or whatever. Doesn't have to be somewhere special. Maybe some scenic routes in the mountains. Anywhere that's not where we started from would be good." And he imagined his boys felt the same way. He couldn't picture any of them wanting to hang around Henrietta after graduation, not unless something damn good happened.

"Exactly. Like, no one can tell you that you can't buy something or wear something when you're an adult." Barring certain circumstances, of course, which he was well aware of. But aside from that- "Man, I've been trying to figure out who I am for most of my life, and I still don't fuckin' know." He'd been struggling with it since the first time he'd ever pulled something from his dreams, when his father had entirely lost his shit over it. When Kavinsky had began to realize the world wasn't kind and his family was no exception.