test drive | 1

[unplug]

test drive

Welcome to the first test drive for Systemwide! We are excited to have you. All prospective players are welcome to tag in and test out their characters, be they unplugged or free born. We would like to offer a range of scenarios that can be expected during gameplay, which are also useable prompts for app samples, and of course, if something else about the setting strikes you, feel free to come up with your own!

Please put your character name and canon in your subject line, and indicate which prompt you are launching from.

simulation | maybe this is your first time. perhaps you've been here countless times. it's a room, as confined as a boxing ring, as expansive as a battle field, whatever you need it to be, whatever you're here to train for.

1.

Before you is a city of rooftops, empty of human life. This is a safe place, because while it may hurt you, at least it won't kill you. Perhaps you are practicing your influence over reality, leaping from rooftop to rooftop. Are you successful, or are you failing to free your mind? Perhaps you're helping someone else overcome their fear of heights.

And of course, an operator can always load up some Agent-like training programs to make it interesting.

2.

Congratulations, you know kung-fu, or maybe some other system of combat, like crazy parkour archery, cartwheeling with guns, or sword fighting on horse back. Perhaps you're trying out something even more fantastic, a magical skill or a superpower.

Show me. Or a friend.

mission | whether on board a ship or with your mind sunk deep into a Matrix, you will have to join the battle eventually. sometimes things go terribly wrong. what are you gonna do about it?

3.

Something's gone wrong with this extraction.

There's a lot of information to process. Your target's been extracted, and that's the good news -- your ship, in reality, is heading to their location now -- but the bad news is your team has been scattered. You could be anywhere within this Matrix, deep in the jungle, or lost on a subway train, or staggering out of the crashing waves of a night time beach, and the operator needs a minute to figure out your exact location before they can direct you to a port out of here, or send another operative to collect you.

All you have to do is stay alive for that long. Easy, right?

4.

You were warned of this. You've been prepared in endless simulations, with a dozen cautionary tales, training sessions with the EMP. Still, it's nothing like you imagined, when the operator shouts: "Sentinel closing in at seven o' clock. It's gaining."

And then the shriek of metal.

reality | as much as many Matrixes are designed to be a comfort, you have to face the real world sometime. or maybe this is the world you have only ever known.

5.

Annual celebrations are rare to come by, but the anniversary of Neo's Truce is one that always draws in the crowd. The event takes place in a massive cavern in Zion known as the Temple, and there is music, and there is dancing [a little NSFW].

Everyone is there.

Where are you?

6.

The wind on your face, up here on the desolate surface, tastes bitter, different to what it feels like in a simulated reality. It's freezing cold and always dark, but sometimes, you need a reminder about what it is you're fighting for. Or maybe you're seeing the wasteland of Earth for the first time.

Either way, you shouldn't be out here for too long. The machines might find you.

wildcard | choose your own adventure.

7.

Perhaps you're riding with the Dothraki, or sitting under the Sorting Hat for the first time. Maybe the pleather bodysuit is pinching under your armpits as the traffic of the 90's roars by, or the Nova Empire's sprawling city glitters, towering above you. Maybe you're showing someone around the place you called home for your entire fictional life.

Or perhaps it's nothing as fantastical as that: the Council meeting droned on for two hours, and you're just happy to be home, even if it's a tiny enclosure with rust-edged furniture. Maybe someone's coming over for lunch, and there are real greens in the protein slurry today; maybe you're about to ask to join a crew.

There are infinite worlds to explore, but try to remember that only one of them is real.

Comments

Dean Winchester → Supernatural

[righteously]

simulation;

[Alright, so, the thing is, Dean's had time to process this whole... virtual reality the matrix is real thing, sure. He's been through the denial and the angst and the disbelief or whatever, that's all well and good, and sure, he's buying it. He's on board. Cheat the system, yeah, great, awesome.

But when you're standing on the edge of a ten story building looking down at a plummet to the death and somebody's asking you to jump that bitch?

...]

Nope.

[He declares, holding up his hands and backing away. His head shakes back and forth firmly, adamantly denying the entire prospect.]

No, no, no, nope. Not happening. Nope.

reality;

[If you're in a communal dining area, best prepare yourself for Mr. Winchester, because he slams his tray down at the table without preamble or introduction, taking a seat with a disgusted look on his face.]

Seriously? Seriously? They've gotta be kidding with this crap, right?

[Is he even talking to anyone, or is he just yelling at his tray? Probably mostly the latter, to be honest, considering the way he's staring at what this crap-hole reality calls food.

Spoilers, he's completely unimpressed by it.]

This looks like a yeast infection on puppy chow.

reality;

[hacker]

Well, that's a colorful and disturbingly specific way of saying … exactly what I was thinking.

[ Summoning up a distasteful look, Skye pushes her tin bowl away, leaning back. Hungry, yes. Not that hungry. ]

[righteously]

Right?

[He agrees emphatically, like he hasn't just disgusted her even more than the food managed to do. He picks up a fork, that grossed out look never leaving his face even as he pokes it into the goo.

Lifts it from his plate.

It oozes between the prongs of his fork, and grossed out becomes straight up horrified.]

For the love of-

[hacker]

Oh, god …

[ For a moment, she's sure she's going to puke, and in the next moment, she has to wonder if that's where they got this stuff in the first place. That, in turn, only makes her feel worse, and she ollies off the bench faster than you can say protein shake.

Raising her hands in a gesture of surrender, she takes a step back. ]

I'm not doing it. If they wanna eat rehydrated boogers, they can do that, but I am not putting that anywhere near my mouth.

[righteously]

[The way she so firmly bounces the hell outta the situation catches him off guard, and he actually tears his eyes away from the vomit soup to shoot her a surprised look. Man, that is a level of done even he finds impressive.

Kinda makes him rethink the whole thing to be honest, so he glances back down, poking at it a little more with the fork.

Rehydrated boogers has him gagging and glancing away, because it's probably an even more accurate description for it, and that's...

Alright, this is not doing them any favors. He clears his throat. Shakes his shoulders out.]

I'm gonna do it.

[He declares finally, like he's amping himself up. He pops his neck like he's getting ready for a fight. Shakes his head.]

I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna try it.

[He repeats firmly, because this is all they've got. This is the food for, like, ever, and Dean's got a long standing relationship with food. That relationship can't be ending, can it? No way, he's so not ready for that breakup, so he shoves his fork into a big ol' fat lump of goo and breathes out slowly, bracing himself.

Alright. Here we go. Come on, baby, don't let him down.]

simulation;

[retrofire]

[ Peter gives him a friendly slap on the back that's as much about the friendly as it is halting that backpedal mid-step. ]

Come on, man, it's just like riding a bike. Or maybe it's like falling off a bike. Either way, easy.

[ Once you get over the theoretical certain death. ]

Would it help if we got something really scary to chase you? What's your poison? It's clowns, right? It's always clowns.

[righteously]

[The good news is that firm don't run away bro-slap accomplishes at least half of what Peter's aiming for, so. You know. It's not quite up to Meatloaf standards, but at least there's that.

Evidently it's not up to Dean's standards either, because he pulls an almost comically incredulous face at the metaphor.]

Yeah, no, I remember the last time I was chased by a clown and fell off my bike two miles to the ground. Yeah, no, that was good times.

[He responds, like Peter's out of his goddamn mind.

He holds his hands up.]

How about we just- I don't know- go back to that... karate chopping simulator one, that one was a lot less... worst thing ever.

[retrofire]

Yeah, I guess some bikes are bigger than others.

[ Did he say bikes. Maybe he meant spaceships, because he's fallen out of a few of those a few too many seconds after take-off.

Peter raises his hands in a mirror gesture, placating, but the smile on his face implies he's amused at Dean's expense. ]

You gotta earn your karate chops, my friend. One jump, then you can get right back to your dates with Mr. Miyagi.

[righteously]

[Thanks for your amusement, you're a great friend.

Jerk.

His lips purse unhappily, considering the offer. He does like those karate chops...

He breathes out slowly and, after a hesitant beat, finally gives a decisive nod.]

Okay. Yeah, okay.

[He claps his hands together, rubs them absently. It's fine, he can totally do this. It's totally fine, he's seen people do this. And besides, it's not like he's gonna die.

It probably doesn't even hurt.

...Probably.

He licks his lips, then glances at Peter again.]

So, what, I just- jump? This is gonna work, right? If you're screwing with me, so help me god-

simulation

[bigfloppyhat]

[Suddenly, perched on the ledge of the building next to Dean, there's a teenager wearing an enormous hat. He's sitting casually, gently swinging his feet, as if it's the most natural thing in the world to be doing. How and when did he get there? Who can say? Maybe he's always been there. Were you looking for him, before?]

It can't hurt you, you know. It isn't even really there. You aren't really even there.

[Thank you, Cole, that was super helpful and not at all unsettling.]

[righteously]

[The sudden voice at his side nearly startles him off the damn building. It has him jerking backward, arms coming out automatically as though to catch himself, even though he's headed in the opposite direction of the drop. Hard not to over-correct when the alternative's a fifty mile faceplant to splat town.

Rather than acknowledging that the sudden stranger has a point, he opts instead for a frustrated glare. Clearly, this guy's the source of all of his problems.]

Gee, thanks. That's very reassuring.

[Except it's not, because it all feels pretty damn real.

Like, impossibly real. Like the wind on his face, the way his heart races when he peers down, it's all... real. He's not so sure he's ready to let go of that.]

[bigfloppyhat]

[But he's still not jumping! Try again, Cole.]

Only your mind is real, so only your mind needs to jump. You just have to believe that the rest of you will go with it.

[There's a pause. Maybe this is the wrong tactic. Dean seems agitated, maybe Cole should speak a little more gently?]

The jumping doesn't hurt, if you don't want it to.

[righteously]

[It's probably definitely the wrong tactic. It's about as effective as Mr. Miyagi trying to teach the wax-on wax-off method to a blind, elderly horse. It's about as effective as Yoda trying to jedi-train a slightly hollow tree stump. Telling Dean he just has to believe will never get him further than a foot off that ledge.

On the other hand, sheer stubborn tenacity and annoyance at the poetic speeches just might.

That last little piece of information is both comforting and incredibly disconcerting, and he whips his head back toward the stranger in disbelief.]

Why the hell would I want it to hurt?

[Who would?]

That's not some kind of... hippy philosophical round-about way of saying if I think it's gonna hurt it's gonna hurt, right? Because I've had it up to here with this mind game bullcrap, seriously.

simulation;

[goesdown]

Scared?

[ Crowley is to, but you wouldn't know it by the sharp, pointed grin he gives Dean. He's not the sort of demon to just show all of his emotions. Of course, he's not any sort of demon, is he? Maybe that's why he's not as scared of the drop. What's more terrifying than losing everything you've spent hundreds of years building up? Compared to all of that, heights are like a cakewalk. ]

They should have just dangled a pie in front of you. I'm sure you'd jump for that.

[righteously]

[He huffs unhappily, shooting down Crowley's grin with an unimpressed look of his own. Not so big and bad here in the "real world", is he? Turns out he's not even a demon, just another jackass plugged into the system like the rest of them, and that makes things... weird. Complicated. Who the hell knows where Crowley's decisionmaking ended and the matrix's began?

All of which are thoughts he's not planning on chasing today, and instead he flicks his eyes toward the ledge before them.]

You do it then, jackass. Like it's so freakin' easy.

[goesdown]

I would, but you're supposed to go first.

[ Flimsy semantics, he knows, but he's sure as hell not going first. What if he dies? His life is the only thing he has left! ]

Or we could hold hands and go together like some sort of lovers suicide pact.

[ His shark-like grin morphs and settles into more of a smirk. ]

Lovers in league against the computers.

[righteously]

[He's unimpressed by the excuse, it shows as much on his face, a sort of ironic, deadpan expression that practically has you're so full of shit scrawled across it in digitally looping letters.

Whatever. Figures. Besides, he'd hate to let Crowley have that over him, the little victory of knowing he took the leap when Winchester couldn't.]

Sounds like the title of your first crappy book. Better get to work.

[He replies absently, turning his attention back toward the drop again.

Yeah, no, if one of the two of them's gonna pull this off, he'd rather not look like the coward of the pair. He sighs, gives his head a resigned shake, and peddles backward a few steps.]

Alright. Fine. What's a ten story drop anyway?

[He asks darkly, directed more at himself than the other man, and claps his hands together.]

You wanna count me off? On three.

[ex_spins462]

[ Wow, what if she was saving that seat for a friend?

(She wasn't. Spoilers: Natasha doesn't have any friends.)

Natasha doesn't even flinch at the slap of the tray against the table, but her eyebrow lifts. ]

At least it's guaranteed not to be made of people.

[ Unlike every other thing they've ever eaten in their lives. For that reason alone, she's practically relishing it. She puts a spoonful in her mouth with deliberate slowness. Mmmmmm. Puppy chow. ]

[righteously]

[Well then her friend's gonna have to go find another table because the Cool Kids Table is totally full.

If by Cool Kids you mean friendless losers. Population max: 2.

His own eyebrow lifts and her statement, lips tugging down into a frown.]

You think? Seems like body farm's the only kinda farm around, as far as I can tell. This could be long pig.

[He argues reasonably, only to stop when she takes a bite. His face goes from thoughtful to disgusted in .2 seconds.]

How can you- ugh.

[ex_spins462]

Mmmmm.

[ She actually makes the noise, the one that no one ever really makes outside of commercials and pornography. Takes another spoonful. It's gross, but she's eaten worse even in the Matrix, and it's worth it just for the expression on his face. ]

It's synthetic. Totally vegetarian.

[ Because Natasha makes a point of knowing what she's putting into her mouth, wouldn't feed herself the first day they took her off IV — not that long ago. Not until she was sure what was in the slop. But there's no hallucinogenics, no sedatives, no special serum, just good old-fashioned protein bonds infused with the recommended intake of vitamins and minerals for all their dietary needs.

It's still disgusting. ]

I take it this is your first solid meal?

[righteously]

[Dean thought this woman was an attractive human being. Aside from being across from one of the only empty seats in the dining facility, she also happened to be super hot.

Consider that gone now, all passion deflated, goodbye magnetic attraction and true love. She killed it dead with her taste test approval, and then shot the dead horse a few more times when she said vegetarian.

He goes from grossed out to appalled, because how dare they? He's a hunter, he's a grown man, he has needs.

He needs meat. Beef, pork, chicken, hell, he'd settle for ground turkey, but for the love of God, anything but vegetarian.]

Nope.

[He answers her question, pushing his plate forward.]

First off, it's liquid. Second off, my first solid meal in this dump's gonna be actual food or I'll die trying. You mark my words.

reality

[punned]

[ Ellie isn't a picky eater. While the food here is kinda gross, she's eaten far worse just to stay alive. This sloppy stuff? Is nothing. It's edible. Edible is good enough for Ellie.

Seated on her own as far away from other people as possible, she's shovelling a forkful of the stuff into her mouth, eyes darting here and there with a subtle kind of nervousness that she's being careful to keep at bay. This place gives her the creeps. It gives her the creeps because Joel isn't here. She feels so fucking lost without him.

She probably doesn't come across as nervous or frankly scared out of her fucking wits, though, not with the way she's eating the food like she hasn't eaten in a year. Ellie is good at pretending she's not scared. It's the only way to survive back where she's from.

Although, she nearly jumps out of her fucking skin when something metallic is suddenly slapped on the table. She instinctively takes hold of the fork in her hand, wields it like a weapon, ready to stab whatever the fuck that's just sneaked up behind her, probably with intent to kill her--

It's just a guy slumping down on the seat next to her. Bitching about the food, comparing it to-- what now? An infection? Puppies? ]

Fuck.

[Ellie lowers the fork, which she was seconds away from stabbing at the guy out of pure instinct to defend herself, but she keeps it held tight in her hand. A burst of nervous anger flares within her. ]

Jeez. A little fucking warning would've been nice.

[righteously]

[ That first fuck has his brow wrinkling, has one eyebrow tugging upward as he eyes her incredulously. That's a whole lot of fuck to be coming out of a girl her age. Buuuut then again he was stabbing faces and dropping f-bombs since around that time anyway, so what the hell does he know. Kid's been through an existential crisis already, he figures she can talk how she wants.

Instead, he gestures vaguely around them at all the commotion, the talking people, the moving lines. ]

...What, you want me to ring the doorbell?

[ He responds flatly, before shoveling his fork into goop. ]

I didn't exactly stealth my way over here.

[punned]

[ The guy gets a guarded, pissed off side-eye at that doorbell remark, but then Ellie makes herself draw in a deep breath. Sets her forearms on the cold metal dining table, fork clutched tightly in her hand, shoulders slightly hunched and tense as she stares down at her food. Okay. Fuck. She's okay. Nothing to worry about. She's just a little jumpy, is all. Hard not to be when, back in her world, anything that approaches you from behind like that is more than likely going to kill you.

Being in this weird fucking place doesn't help. Trying to wrap her head around everything really doesn't fucking help. Existential crisis is putting it lightly. ]

So? Shouldn't sneak up on people like that.

[ Because as far as Ellie is concerned, he totally sneaked up on her.

Ugh. Whatever. Her racing heart is starting to calm now, anyway.

She takes proper hold of her fork again, stabs it into the goop. ]

What the hell is a yeast infection, anyway?

[ She sure as hell knows what an infection is, but yeast? What the fuck is that? What the hell kind of infection would look like what she's eating?

Have fun explaining to her what a yeast infection is, dude. ]

[righteously]

[ He recognizes this. He recognizes the way she's acting, the way her hand grips that fork like she wants to plunge it into someone's neck, the way her shoulders go tight now that she's not alone. The way she seems jumpy and agitated. It's more than just existentialism, it's more than just new surrounding, unfamiliar people. It's not just discomfort. It's probably ptsd, but he's no damn doctor.

It's something he can sense because remembers feeling it.

He can see every kid hunter in her posture, every Krissy Chambers he ever met. He can see himself.

She's from a fucked up situation. His lips part a little as his eyes flick over her, that understanding rushing through him for a second before his face blanks out again. The only thing worse than agitating her further would be letting on he can see through her, he knows that from experience, so he covers it up quick. ]

Moldy bread.

[ He deadpans, a blatant level of sarcasm coating it that he doesn't bother hiding. In other words, if you don't know he's not gonna be the one to tell you, kid. He's sure she can pick up on that, because kids her age are fucking smart about that kinda thing. ]

What the hell are you doing running around alone anyway, pipsqueak? What are you, like, twelve?

[ He's antagonizing her not because he particularly means anything he's saying, but he figures riling her up a little about something other than whatever's eating at her nerves might take her mind somewhere else. Give her a little distraction to help her get a grip.

Crowded public places ain't exactly the best way to get reintroduced to reality if everything you knew before it was violence. ]