THE SKY WENT OFF-WHITE.

[wastemods]

WHO: Anyone and everyone.
WHAT: Our inaugural test drive meme.
WHERE: Anywhere in the world core.
WHEN: Whenever your character arrives.
NOTES: Expect surreal horror and possible violence. Please use common sense when warning for other content.

Art by Basile Godard

THE SUNLIGHT SPLINTERED.

You reach the end of the ash-gray hall at a run, hands fumbling for an antique door handle. And then you stumble, fall, tumble—any number of adjectives, depending on where, exactly, the door opened—into a radio station.

The equipment is old and dusty, but devoid of cobwebs to the observant eye. And it's dark, save for whatever light makes it through the windows. They display disjointed locations; perhaps one shows an upside-down tower, while its neighbors frame the crumbling pavement of a rotting car park and the stripped out interior of a sewer. Whatever the case, peering through one window reveals a landscape that impossibly doesn't connect to the next.

The door is still there, the only exit to this grubby room. It opens somewhere, anywhere else in this distorted world. And once you leave, it no longer leads back whence you came.

Where do you go?

THE LIGHT, DIVIDED.

A sun on one horizon, a full moon on the other. They're luminous but unreal, like they were plucked from a sky and pasted to a flat, starless backdrop. You can see only one, depending on which side you entered; it's essentially random. Both "sides" overlap like alternate dimensions and you can't see anyone who isn't on the same side as you. Light or dark, you walk in the light of a muted sun or an overbright moon. It never feels quite real.

Neither star nor satellite seem to move from their position. The passage of time is at a standstill.

Regardless of which side you're on, you'll find signs that you aren't alone. What someone does on one side affects the other, so moving an item or writing something down will translate to floating items and mysteriously appearing letters. Speech doesn't travel...unless there's a radio. Radios may turn on and off, with voices audible through the white noise. And if you walk past a mirror, the reflection isn't your own. Instead, it acts as a window to the other side.

In-character observations:

• Anyone sensitive to time, space, and related dimensional shenanigans will feel they're distorted. And it isn't something they can fix, at least not with powers.
• It's possible to cross dimensions if a character has related powers, but they'll suffer backlash and significant stress from the transition. Successive jumps aren't gonna fly.
• If a character is affected by the sun or moon, they'll find neither holds sway over them here; e.g., vampires can walk in daylight and werewolves won't shift in the full moon.

TL;DR: Whatever this is, it isn't natural.

THE SHADOW REALM.

Outdoors, there are shadows on the prowl.

Silent and eerily insubstantial, they trail after you like blind spots given form. Staring at them too long is unsettling but, for the most part, they're content to watch you back...if they can watch. They don't seem to have eyes.

When that isn't enough, however, they attack. Stealing the shape of monsters from other worlds, they may lack special powers, but that doesn't keep them from being dangerous. When in doubt, you're safest indoors.

But maybe that isn't good enough for you. Or maybe you just fucked up. Either/or.

RADIO WAVES.

If you aren't wondering how you got here, you're probably at least asking why. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be anyone around who can answer your questions. Everyone else is as clueless as you.

But, some time after you arrive—whether it's days, hours, minutes, or seconds—the dead air stirs. The atmospheric pressure drops and playhouse lightning arcs across the facsimile of a sky. It's a storm that warns of what's to come, as an earthquake shifts the ground beneath your feet. Around you, buildings flood, and water pours out in falls only half aware of gravity. Wind hurls debris at such high speeds, it turns into shrapnel. Rain pelts you from above and below as the temperature plummets. It starts to snow.

Somehow, the sun and moon remain visible through the turmoil. A collection of mirrors scattered through the world don't reflect their light; instead, it passes through them and illuminates the other side. These specific mirrors, all set in ash-gray frames that match the halls, are untouched in the unfolding natural disasters, and standing before them will shield you as well. Consider them havens in the chaos, proverbial eyes in the storm.

In the dark, a radio turns on of its own accord. Is someone—something—talking to you?

INTO ALL OUR DARKEST FEARS.

Welcome to THE WASTEYARD's first test drive! Some quick things to remember:

• Our TDMs tie into the game plot. As such, any applicants can keep their TDM threads as game canon.
• The network is exclusive to in-game characters. TDM characters can only use radios.
• There is a language barrier, so please mention what language your character speaks somewhere.
• We don't have a fixed day ratio; instead, you pace yourself at your discretion.
• Characters may face backlash when using any powers.
• Mark if your character is on the sun or moon side of the divide. The choice is yours as the player.
• If you have any questions, please direct them to our FAQ!

And that's all, folks. So take chances, make mistakes, and get messy!

NAVIGATION.

PREMISE
RULES
FAQ
ACTIVITY
APPLICATIONS

TAKEN
HIATUSES & DROPS
CANON UPDATES
REWARDS
TPC CLAIMS

WORLD
EXPLORATION
DEVICES
QUESTS
INFORMATION

CALENDAR
SUGGESTIONS
MOD CONTACT
SETTING INBOX
CODEBOOK

Comments

[snikthatch]

[ He lets the short joke go. He's heard worse. She's reminding him more and more of Laura, and that's hard, but he pushes it aside.

He raises his hands, palms out to her. ]

Kid, I won't kill ya. I don't kill anyone who don't give me a good reason. I promise.

[ascocarp]

[That's more honest than she expects. I don't kill people who don't give me a good reason. That sounds like... well, it's the life she lives. It's the life Joel pretends to.]

[She shoves the knife into her back pocket.]

Fine, whatever. If you start shit... [She'll do what, exactly?] Whatever.

[She folds her arms, not a good position for combat. Subconsciously, she's trying to comfort herself.]

I dunno shit about this place. Whenever I think I got something, it changes. This wall used to be a staircase.

[snikthatch]

[ He watches her hug herself and try to put on a brave face. Gets shades of Jubilee, Kitty, Hisako. Too young to be so hardened. He wonders what happened to her, to create that shell.

Still. They've got shit to figure out, here. ]

What do you mean, used to be a staircase? [ He glances around them. The corridor seems to stretch back a ways -- was it longer than it was when he stepped in? Were those other doors there before? His head thumps queasily. ]

This ain't right.

[ascocarp]

I mean it used to be a fucking staircase! If I was lying, I'd come up with something that made sense.

[She shakes her head, looking at the wall- oh, for fuck's sake.]

It's a fucking hallway now? It was a wall! Fuck this shit, man! [She kicks a nearby door frame, angry her chance to run was squandered, angry she's making so much noise.]

[snikthatch]

[ Logan winces. His headache isn't improved by her yelling and kicking, though he can sympathise with the reaction. He holds out a hand, calming. ]

Hey kid, cool it. Think. How did you get here? Where were you before?

[ascocarp]

[She braces at that, more his words than his gesture. She'd get the same response from Joel, albeit more aggressive and demanding. Or maybe not; lately, he was really trying to be all nice and shit.]

[She doesn't want to think about that.]

[Shaking her head, she takes a deep breath and tries to calm herself, forcing herself to ignore the very real fact that this place tricked her into sticking around this guy.]

Fucking Colorado, [she says, voice hushed, or near enough.] And then I was here. I dunno the in between parts. You?

[snikthatch]

[ He admires the way she schools herself back from the edge. There's grit and steel there, under the bravado. ]

Colorado huh? [ He wipes a finger over the nearest wall, sniffs the dust that comes off on his glove. Same as before, as the whole place -- old. Dead. Not even enough left of what it was to give a hint of what's going on. ]

I was in New York. One minute steppin' outta my place, the next I was here, in some goddamn radio shack, feelin' like I've been dropped outta a plane. [ He glances back at the kid. ] You seen anyone else? Besides me? Any bad guys?

[ascocarp]

[She looks up at him, somewhere between curious and annoyed (what the hell's a radio shack?).]

'Bad guys'? What's that even mean, anymore. [She rubs at her face.] Nobody's tried anything yet. They're all too... [Weak? Stupid? Everybody had been surprised when she knew what she was doing, a few were angry when she didn't immediately trust them.] They're weird, but I dunno what that means to somebody walking around in... whatever that is. A football suit?

[snikthatch]

[ Logan looks down at himself, then back at her. Bristles a little, just enough to show the points of his teeth. The pain in his head and hands isn't getting any better and her attitude is starting to grate. ]

This ain't a "football suit", kid. The X-Men don't exist where you come from? Avengers? Anythin' like that?

[ascocarp]

[She can see him getting annoyed. She really wishes she had a gun... Her pulse speeds a little, but she tries to tamp down on showing any fear. That just makes people more likely to attack.]

If that's New York stuff, I've never been.

[snikthatch]

[ He hears her heartbeat pick up; smells her fear. It's harder to force himself to cool down again, this time. The weirdness of the place, the way it makes him feel, is eating away at him. It shows on his face as a flash of anger. ]

It ain't just -- [ He pushes out a breath, pulls himself himself back under control. ] Fine. You ain't from my reality.

[ He glances back down the hallway, then at the door he came through. Which is now apparently painted shut, the edges cracked and peeling.

He's never been claustrophobic and he's been in far worse places than this, but the sensation of being shut in isn't doing him any favors. ]

We need to get outta here. Come on, kid. [ He starts walking down the hall, not bothering to check to see if she's following ]

[ascocarp]

[She wants to say, why the fuck should I go with you, but the fact of the matter is, that will just make him angrier. She can tell she's pissed him off past the point of whatever. She should have been more nice, maybe, but that just makes people dangerous because they think they can do whatever they want. You have to show strength, right?]

[If he's dangerous, she can slip away when he's not looking. He's still the most honest person she's met so far. And, fuck, but she's curious-]

What d'you mean? Reality?

[She's read a few sci-fi novels, sure, but that's all make-believe.]

[Right?]

[snikthatch]

[ He pauses to glance back at her. The movement makes his head swim a little; he fights the feeling off, though he can't deny the fear that's bubbling in his gut. It wasn't so long ago that this was his reality, feeling sick and tired all the time as his body reacted to the adamantium slowly poisoning his blood. But his healing factor was restored now, wasn't it?

Wasn't it? ]

Reality. The universe. Or [ He rubs his forehead. ] universes. There are a ton of 'em, stacked on each other like plates. Ones where you're you, but different. Or where everything else is different.

[ He waves a hand. ] I never could get it figured out. Just trust me, kid, this ain't my first time doin' this. Though usually they don't make me feel like I'm gonna hurl.

[ascocarp]

[It's exactly the explanation that came from her books and comics, except, you know, delivered by a gruff weirdo in brightly colored tights. She shakes her head. Okay, fine. She'll swallow this load of crap.]

If you're sick, we should slow the fuck down.

[snikthatch]

How'd a kid like you learn words like that, huh? [ He keeps walking, though he's not going as quickly as he was a moment ago. ] I'm fine, I just gotta..

[ Thinking about it makes it worse, or maybe it's just the fact that the hallway doesn't seem to be getting any shorter. Either way, his world spins and heaves and he stumbles, catches himself with a hand on the wall. Pain rolls down his spine, thrums from his bones. Familiar. Too damn familiar. He feels warmth on his face; his nose is bleeding. ]

Damn it.

[ascocarp]

Books. [She rolls her eyes, but that's before she sees his face, and-] Fuck.

[The thing is, she knows how to take care of dying people. It's something she could almost be proud of, the fact that she pulled Joel through everything. She settles back into that mindset without realizing it.]

C'mon. Some of the rooms are secure, long as you don't leave 'em. [She begins searching the hallway, opening doors and shaking her head. Every moment is precise, as quiet as she can be, sneaking and creeping.]

[snikthatch]

[ He tries to staunch the bleeding with the back of his wrist and watches her, mostly because he doesn't trust his legs to try to move just yet. ]

Kid. [ His voice is thick, grating. ] What are you lookin' for?

[ascocarp]

[She doesn't answer until she's found it.] Here.

[She opens the door to a room with no other doors, but it's got a window and a fireplace and plenty of furniture.]

It's secure. You can wait it out.

[snikthatch]

[ He pushes himself off of the wall and walks -- carefully -- over to her. Peers into the room, then turns his head and spits blood onto the dusty floor. ]

Wait what out?

[ascocarp]

[She can't quite keep the worry from her expression as she gestures to the stain of blood on the carpet.]

I dunno what the fuck other options there are, man.

[snikthatch]

[ He studies her for a moment, then shows her a bloodied and very weary smile. ]

You know, you remind me of someone, kid. She never left me alone either, no matter how hard I pushed her away. Brave and tough as goddamn nails. Even look like her a little too. Just don't go phasin' through any walls any time soon.

[ He limps into the room as he speaks, heading to the window. ]

[ascocarp]

[Before she can stop herself,] Lemme guess, you've got a fucking daughter, too.

[She says it while looking out the doorway, keeping watch in case anyone's followed. And then, what scrap of sense she has for the shit she says catches up with her, and she shakes her head.]

...Sorry. That was shitty.

[snikthatch]

[ Her words, unexpected, hit him like blows. He can't help himself from balling his fists, faces flashing in front of his mind's eye as he watches the rain fall sideways outside the window. ]

Yeah, I did. More'n one.

[ He turns and walks slowly across the room to an armchair, threadbare and covered in oily dust. Drops into it and wipes more blood from his face. ]

Kid. I need your knife.

[ascocarp]

Shit. Sorry. [She wants to explain. She also very much does not want to talk about Joel. It's only that lump of guilt that leaves her considering handing over her knife, her most prized possession of the very few she has.]

[He's fucking dying.]

[She hands it over slowly, cautiously.] Just- be careful with it, okay?

[Who is she to judge him? Fuck. They've all got dead people. That was my mom's knife.]

[snikthatch]

[ He sees the hesitation, the way she holds it. This means something, and it means another thing that she gives it up without question.

If he didn't feel so shitty, he might've offered her more than he does. As it is, he takes it in the hand that isn't stained with blood. ]

Thanks. Won't need it long.

[ With that much warning, he puts his other hand on his knee and slides the blade across the back of his forearm, above the edge of his glove. It hurts, more than it should, and he bares his teeth. The cut wells blood, but as he watches, slowly closes. Heals. Disappears, leaving whole skin behind.

Relief rolls over him. He closes his eyes for a second, then holds out the knife to her. ]

Thanks again, kid.