flawedmemes | TEST DRIVE MEME

Entry tags:

test drive

TEST DRIVE MEME

01. ARRIVING IN PELEA
A cold wind singing down from the white-capped mountains which hang blue-black in the distance stirs your cheek, the tall grass all around you. A bough creaks as the wind makes it tremble, and the dappled shadows drift over you, leaves rustling. As you blink awake, you hear the quiet hiss of water over stones. You are not where you once were!

You and a large group of strangers are blinking awake, pulling yourselves up off the dirt, grass, and rubble near a small wooded stream. There is no evidence of civilization in sight, and as you exchange stories you realize that you must decide what to do.

Will you head past the trees and towards the mountains? Deeper into the forest? Stay put and wait for help to arrive? You might even try to meet everyone else, and either convince them to band together... or head their separate ways.

02. CITY SLICKER
There are many cities throughout the world of Pelea, and in most player characters, the Flaws, are welcomed as curiosities. From the pastoral villages or bustling, grand cities of Shousal to the massive, sprawling bureaucratic centers of the Empire, your characters will find a wide variety of cultures and races to interact with and investigate. They could be seeking empoyment, answers to the mystery of their arrival, or a quiet place to drink away their worries.

03. WILDCARD!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

i. scouting the city

It was hardly the sociable thing to do, but sometimes it just didn’t matter what people thought. He only hoped it wasn’t somehow illegal, the prospect of private property mattering significantly less if it wasn’t. Regardless, it wouldn’t change the fact that the easiest way to scope out any area would always be high up.

So climbing buildings it was. Whether on the ground examining the best way to scale a building, in the middle of actually ascending the side of one, or leaning out over the side of a roof to mentally map out landmarks, Bucky was going to keep at it until someone stopped him. If anyone bothered to. It was probably difficult enough for most people to question a handicapped man anyway, especially in his far-too-modern clothing. All he knew was that if someone looked remotely like a government official or some kind of guard, he was high-tailing it out of the immediate area.

ii. drinking the night away

Recon was all well and good so long as everything was familiar. Given everything wasn’t—damnit—Bucky knew better than to trust himself to remember every last detail without conflict.

Somewhere in the middle of trying to make sense of where the hell he was, he’d nicked himself a blank book (a simple, ratty one, so hopefully it wouldn’t be missed) as well as a bottle of ink. A makeshift quill was also easy enough to fashion with his combat knife as there were all manner of twigs and reeds when one really looked for them. The only downside was the inefficiency of the whole process, so even though he’d manage to work out how to do it, satisfying the why felt far less gratifying than usual, especially since it had become a habit.

At least the ale helped. Not that it was anything fancy or tasted amazing, but it worked insomuch as he was able to alleviate the headache he was getting from how absolutely primitive everything was. He could make things work, sure, but Bucky couldn’t escape the feeling that he was in some fantasy dime novel. That he was tucked away in a tavern—not a pub, not a bar, but a proper tavern, Christ—with a makeshift note-taking system and where people were wearing far simpler things than were normal even in the 20s made the reality really hard to swallow. It seemed like something in a Hollywood movie, but he knew he was awake, and he was stuck here of all places without an arm and without a clue how to get back to where he should be. At least there was no Red Book here. He hoped.

Some flaws were easier to make out than others. Some blended in nearly perfectly, almost like Legolas himself, others stood out in their dress style or bearing or simply displeasure at where they were. That last one, however, was something that became apparently only to the others sharing the circumstance. The natives took it for nothing more but a sour mood and unpleasant demeanour, but it was something entirely different to the eyes of one who... well, felt much the same, or at the very least similar.

Granted, Legolas didn't suspect to find others like himself everywhere he went, but it happened often enough. And every time he would approach, if for no other reason than to offer help, should they need it.

A smile, a little mirthful teasing, and not only did Legolas get his drink for free, but he got the owner to bring out his best wine. What had happened once by sheer accident, now became something Legolas had to abuse, much to his dismay. Back home, coin was of no issue to him, here matters were different and more difficult in this difference. Underhanded, unfair, but in the end his survival mattered just as much.

He joined the one he suspected to be a flaw, hunched over a notebook and focused on writing. He did not look, made no effort to, for he was not here to spy after all, but simply sat on the opposite seat and relaxed, setting an extra lamp on the table as he sipped his wine. "I think you may need this more than they do," he glanced towards a couple drunks sitting by another table, the exact same one Legolas stole the lamp from. Two already dozed peacefully, the third argued with someone only he could see.

Though the sound of someone approaching and taking a seat across from him had caught his attention, it was the light that bobbed over and now illuminated his scratchy reed-work that actually made him look up. Catching the glance, Bucky made his own as well and snorted quietly at the sight. It was now that he was reflecting on the last few minutes of writing that he realized he had been squinting quite ferociously at the page from the dim lighting.

“Can’t say I disagree.”

Looking back toward his new acquaintance, Bucky took a moment to glance him over, wanting to gauge the man’s intent. His casual mannerism made it clear that he meant no threat to Bucky by his arrival, but also, as much as Bucky hated to admit to it, the fact he looked like some goddamned prince on his wedding night with how immaculate he looked helped significantly.

“You from around here, I take?” He could only guess from the man’s clothes and pointed ears. He looked down briefly to finish the sentence he had been working on, before it could slip away from him, before setting down the reed to offer the man his full attention, not wanting to be rude after being so generously acknowledged by the stranger and offered better lighting.

Legolas looked back, and met the stranger's eyes with an effortless smile. The question made him chuckle and click his tongue, as he considered his response. Though surrounded by drunks, and folk engrossed in their own conversations and things, some things were best not to be addressed directly. Himself being what he was, or them both probably, was one of those. You never knew who was truly listening, and there were spies everywhere, as they learned the hard way.

"For the time being, you may say so," not yet a full turn of the moon, but he did linger in the city, listening for secrets, hints and guidance for what to do next. "But I am a traveller at heart, a restless spirit that must always remain on the move and learn of all the world has to offer, until a time comes that I may wish to return home."

Subtle, perhaps too subtle, with himself looking like he belonged right here, in Pelea.

"What of yourself?" He nodded at the journal, "A scholar, or a trader, or simply one to take pleasure in writing?"

The click made it evident enough to Bucky that there was something wrong with his question, that maybe it was not such a simple thing to answer and needed more than a moment’s thought. Curious as it was, the ease with with the other man continued answering and the way he answered it marked it a subject that clearly warranted discussion in another place and time.

Keeping his gaze even as he processed the rest of the man’s words, his arm slid back from the book and reed to a more guarded position. He nodded slowly as the veiled implication became apparent. The careful wording was enough to hint at something, even if what that was was not clear for him quite yet, but Bucky sensed gentle caution that came with it, a realization he had not yet made of this world but was beginning to dawn on him now.

Damn. Clever on top of a looker. If Bucky wasn’t so distrusting, he probably would have handed over all his secrets already.

The suggestions the stranger offers for Bucky’s position do win him a dry smile though. It’s rare for anyone to speak so highly of him, even if only through flattery.

“A historian of sorts. I archive the truth of the world and make sense of its secrets. Not here, mind you,” he said, gesturing at the book. “Up here.” He tapped his finger to his temple. “The stuff in the book makes little sense for anyone else.”

As it should since it was encoded with Bucky's private cipher.

It was only here that Legolas learned to appreciate true secrecy. What he learned too, by necessity, was to sate his curiosity in ways different than direct questions, because curbing his curiosity period was turning out to be wholly impossible. It sparked now — the world's truth and its secrets — and Legolas couldn't help but wonder what he had learned so far, and, more importantly, if he was willing to share. They were of a kind, he still suspected, it was in their best interest to share.

But, indeed, most certainly not here. In the cities, Legolas always felt eyes on him, so it was on Pelea, so it was in Middle-earth, an elf — of his kind especially — always drew attention, and sometimes it was difficult to gauge what exactly was the reason behind the stares.

"Ah! Clever," he nodded his head, impressed and understanding both, "To keep your knowledge yours alone until you are ready to share it, or find another worthy to speak of it with."

He sipped his wine, his interest natural for an elf. "Have you recorded many stories, many secrets, yet?"

Now came the time when he needed to decide how much to keep and how much to give away, if he should admit that here he had yet very few secrets to keep. It was always dangerous to give such information away to anyone, even to friends. Weakening one’s position knowingly was a foolish thing. Though being a stubborn smart-ass came with being Bucky too, despite all the emptiness that had been forced into his head over the years.

Of course, blatantly lying wasn’t such a good thing either. The book was only about an eighth filled. That it was new and he had only recently begun recording was something that any keen eye would pick up, especially given the fresh state of the reed and mostly filled bottle of ink. With that given, the circumstances called for some misdirection.

“I’ve filled dozens of books already, but they were taken from me not long ago. The people who took ’em didn't even need ’em, but they weren’t in the habit of returning things to begin with.” That was the government for you. “But I’ll be damned if that stops me from writing.”

As if to prove his point, he picked up the reed, dipped it smoothly, and began writing again, not to dismiss the man in front of him but to show him how quickly the words flowed onto the page. The guy seemed clever enough, so it likely should have been clear how much Bucky was capable of writing, even in the span of minutes. There was no way he could have lied about filling books, even if they weren’t physically there as evidence.

“Thankfully,” he started again, still scrawling quickly and easily onto the page. “...I don’t need books to remember.” Because even though he had only started writing to make sense of his past, the fact that he had written it down solidified that knowledge for him, regardless of how little those details mattered now.

Those who took them were here or elsewhere? Legolas wondered, but the question stayed where it belonged, in his thoughts alone. It could have been a dangerous thing to go missing here, even when written in code.

"Determination is always a commendable trait," until it bordered on stubbornness, though it wasn't like Legolas could begrudge any other that, either, himself apparently as stubborn as even a dwarf, "And the passion for writing, even when the need is minimal. I am like you, in that I remember it all," very nearly from the day of his birth, over a thousand years ago, to the right here and right now. The memories were ever within easy reach, and the happy ones brought him much needed peace. "Yet I do not think I could do as you do, sit with patience and record it all, when— there is still so much to see all around us!"

Elves, ever renown for their patience, yet Legolas never thought of himself as such, not very much. He often lived in the moment, and oft a very, very intense moment.

Then, smiling, he dipped his head in a polite nod as he introduced himself, "I am Legolas, son of Thranduil."

He wanted to laugh at the supposition that he could remember all of it naturally. He wanted to tell the man—Legolas—how frail his memory had been only a few years before, that it was only afterward that remembering had become a skill so that the guy could appreciate the irony of it with him now. But the information was too close, and this wasn’t the place.

At the introduction, a casual smile slid onto his face, a pretense more than anything genuine as they were both still strangers.

“Bucky.” The word, now his own, felt so satisfying to say. He offered his own nod of greeting before continuing, “And it’s not that I ain’t dyin’ to see what all is out there either, but there’s no sense rushing in blind.”

This held especially true when everything was new. Though his book still had a way to go before filling up, the information that was there was more than just facts; it had all his plans encoded with it, a double cipher that most would miss even if the rest had been decoded.

"Well met, Bucky," a strange name, it felt even stranger to speak it out loud.

And... true enough, that, though Legolas himself had found it required far more preparation to come into cities and among the peoples of Pelea. The nature out there, the beasts and trees and plains, these he had found recently far less dangerous, no matter their size and nature, than all the folk. He had not known of bloodcats or basilisks before running into them, but he had come out unscathed, meeting the people, on the other hand, time and again turned out poorly for the flaws.

Yet none of these thoughts were appropriate for this time and place, so he just smiled, chuckling and feigning sheepish naivety and he shrugged, though his gaze remained fixed on Bucky and sharp, "Wisely said! I have ran into many a beast already that could easily spell doom to those coming unprepared." Another sip of his wine, and Legolas sighed— it was the best the tavern had, but it still left much to be desired. "Though I cannot boast that I was prepared at the time, myself."

It was not in his nature, nearly none of it that he was forced to do here, but it was either the pretence, the theft, the killing, or it was to be slain.

He couldn’t help but feel a bit patronized at the praise since he was sure Legolas already knew of the advantage of being prepared—only a certain kind of person was capable of seeing ahead enough to disguise their true words to begin with. It didn’t help that Legolas’ attention was very clearly several paces ahead of the things that came out of his mouth either. Still, Bucky had been through enough to know that playing the fool was necessary at times. Whether it was him or Legolas, it didn’t really matter which as long as Bucky ended up getting what he needed out of it.

Pretending to be flattered, he gave a shy smile and a dismissive shrug. He wasn’t lauded often enough anyway, so he may as well ham it up enough to try and convince himself he was worth someone’s praise. Not that it ever really convinced him, but that came with knowing who and what he was, even when Steve refused to see it.

“What’s life without a little excitement though?” As if he hadn’t had enough for several lifetimes. “It’d be boring as hell if everything was already laid out in front of you.” Even his plans never stretched that far into the immediate future. Preparation only went so far, even in the best of circumstances.

A dance of words and hidden meanings, pretence that seemed all too natural for all that watched. While Legolas could feel they had the attention on them from some other patrons, the more attentive kind, knights or similar, it waned now into disinterest when the conversation seemed inane at best. The longer they kept this up, the more they would be of interest, though it would hardly give them the space to discuss the truth of their acts.

Legolas hummed his agreement, took a sip of wine to wet his lips and throat, before speaking up. "For the elves, boredom is as much a threat and danger as a great, powerful beast," he offered as some form of explanation, "And yet we do not like to take risks too great either. It is... a fine line to thread."

“Hm.” Bucky took a moment to scribble something else on the page real quick before dropping the reed again.

“Well, the risky life isn’t for everyone. I can get behind the idea of safety being more important.” Not that he would practice it himself willingly. He thrived on surviving, and if that was taken from him, then his use may as well have worn out entirely. It was what he was built for, and escaping it, even if only to try and find happiness for himself, seemed so utterly treacherous without paying for his sins. Keeping the status quo when you were new to an area was the easiest way to get by though.

“Just making do isn’t too bad anyway. Rather be safe than sorry, especially when strange things are happening.”

With that, he flipped his book shut and reached over to recap the ink bottle. If they were going to keep talking, it was probably better to move somewhere else. Bucky didn’t like prying eyes even on the best of days, and at this point, the two of them may as well talk circles for hours without getting anywhere.

(no subject)

parkourprince - 2016-07-27 07:29 (UTC) - Expand

Venturing into the city wasn't Korra's first choice, but she had to get information somewhere. She kept a wary eye out as she navigated the streets, until movement from the corner of her eyes drew her attention to the rooftops. The figure up there looked familiar, though it took Korra a few seconds to place why.

Rather than disturbing him immediately, Korra waited at the bottom of the building for him to climb back down. Just as she recognized him from the group that had woken up near the stream, Bucky might recognize her strange attire and the polar bear dog at her side. "Hey," Korra said as soon as he was in range. "You were with the group in the woods, right?"

He was surprised to hear someone calling out to him as he was heading back down, which frankly made him look much more clumsy than when he was heading up, but it hardly sounded like a call of alarm, and if there was time to spare, he would spare it. Bucky paused after regaining his footing to see who it was and what they wanted. It was the bear-thing he recognized first, but of course, the strangely dressed young woman he had seen earlier with the others was also recognizable. She just wasn't as large and noticeable as the bear-thing.

He nodded at her and turned back toward the building to reset his grip, to drop down the rest of the way. It took a few seconds before he was sure he was ready to drop, and then he did, with a steady thump to the ground as he landed in a crouch nearby.

“I was. You were the girl with the...” He gestured at the bear-thing as he stood straight again, not remembering what she’d called it earlier. “Um. Don’t think I caught your name earlier. The name’s Bucky.”

"Polar bear dog." Korra supplied the words with a slight smile, remembering how confused the others had been when they first saw her. Apparently, polar bear dogs weren't common in other worlds. Who knew? "Her name's Naga, though. And I'm Korra. I don't blame you for not remembering--I mean, we kind of had a lot on our minds then."

Naga's tail wagged when she heard her name, but she kept a dutiful watch on the street while Korra and Bucky talked. "You're the first person from the group I've seen since we all split up." She crossed her arms, eyes watching Bucky curiously. "What about you?"

“Right. Polar bear dog,” he repeated to remember it better. He would probably have to write it down later regardless. Polar bear dog was Naga. Korra was the young woman with the kickass pet that subbed as a mount. Yeah, definitely needed to be written down.

“Not surprising. I think some of ‘em went further out instead of coming into the city. You’re the first I’ve seen since earlier, but I haven’t exactly been looking for anybody.” He ran his hand through his hair and shrugged.

“While that wasn’t the first roof I’ve been on, I was trying to get a lay of the city more than see how many people I could spot. Did you need something?”

"Not...exactly." She didn't lose the smile, but there was hesitation in her demeanor that wasn't there when she first called out to him.

Korra shoved her hands into her pockets, one boot scuffing at the ground. "I was just thinking that maybe some of us should stick together," she said slowly. "I mean, we're all stuck in this place for now, but we're all trying to figure out the same things, right? Why we're here, how to get back home--all of that. I didn't think of it until we'd all split up, though."

Her blank honesty would likely prove dangerous in the long-run here, but for the moment, Bucky did appreciate her candid suggestion. At least someone trusted him enough to ask, even if that someone was doing so a tad naively and without regard for self-preservation. God knew no one back on Earth would have had the balls beyond Steve.

Still, she was clearly young. He remembered a time when he probably would have made the same mistake. Better that she asked him than someone else.

He offered a small smile and pressed his hand, the one, into his pocket.

“You’ve got a point. But how do y'know everyone wants to get home?”

Personally, he wasn’t sure he wanted to, considering all the trouble it caused everyone else when he had been.

Her mouth dropped open slightly, obviously taken by surprise. "It was what I heard the others talking about before we all left," she replied, this time more contemplative than hesitant.

Despite what his words implied, however, he wasn't turning her away. That made Korra wonder if Bucky didn't mind having a companion for the time being, even if his goals were different than hers. Besides, he was skilled, if his climbing was any indication--with one arm, no less. Korra wasn't naive enough to believe they wouldn't run into trouble at some point; while she wasn't a stranger to combat, having a companion who could look after themselves in a scrape would be one less thing to worry about.

"So if you're not planning to get home, what are you planning to do here?"

He didn’t bother pointing out that he didn’t hate the idea of going back, if at least because it was familiar and there were some people—well, one person—worth going back for. But what was the real point if he was just going back to go under anyway? He may as well be elsewhere not causing harm and making something out of it.

Regardless.

“Good question.” He didn’t have the answer to it though. “Guess I’m still figuring that part out. I can make do even without knowing, though.” Hell, he could probably make a map of the city by this point, albeit crude and not extremely detailed.

“Doesn’t mean I can’t help. No rest for the wicked and all that. If it could do some good, I’d rather help anyway.” So long as it was welcome. Obviously in most cases, people could care less about a stranger’s opinions, and typically, most were right to be wary of Bucky anyway.

She smiled at him. His words, in her opinion, made it clear she'd made a good choice in approaching him. "I feel the same way." Then, Korra sighed and frowned down at the ground. "Besides, I get the feeling we'll have some time to figure it out. As much as I don't want to admit it, finding a way out of here might be more complicated than we want."

Not wanting to sink down that depressive hole again--she'd wallowed enough earlier--Korra abruptly changed the subject and tried to inject a bit more cheer into her voice. "What were you doing up there, anyway? Anything I can help with?"

Ah. He knew that particular feeling well, even if in his case the situation tended to be more along the lines of entirely hopeless. Even so, he did feel rather sorry for her. From the way she spoke, Korra obviously had a lot waiting for her where she’d come from.

Wanting to keep the cheer rather than linger on what clearly upset her, he threw on an easy smile, the fake one that came too easily and used to woo way too many dames.

“Just figuring out where everything is. The view’s a lot better up there. From down here, everything kinda blends together, y’know?” Or maybe she didn’t, but for Bucky, even the 20s had more variation in architecture than this place. “As for help, well, can’t think of anything for that. Unless you’ve got something you’d like to do that y’might need help with.”

If she couldn’t join him, then he might as well join her. With the polar bear dog, he doubted climbing more buildings would be the best choice though. Even assuming Korra wasn’t going to drag Naga onto the roof with them, she wouldn’t exactly be safe to leave behind on the ground either.

"Getting the layout of the city?" Korra turned her gaze back to the rooftops, contemplative. "It is hard to see anything when we're down on the streets like this."

"I can join you up there and map out the place, if there was something you were looking for." In this, at least, Korra was confident in her abilities, and she wasted no time in offering her help.

"Naga could wait for us somewhere," she added a second later, giving the polar bear dog's side a fond pat. "She'll come when I whistle for her."

Not that he needed any help mapping the place, but there was something enjoyable about climbing up high places and looking far out into the horizon regardless. If Korra didn’t mind sending Naga off somewhere safer to wait for them that wasn't just in the street, then it was a feeling Bucky felt was worth sharing. At least, one person came to mind in that regard, and with how earnest she genuinely was, like Steve tended to be, he figured she might appreciate too.

“Well, if she doesn’t mind waiting somewhere inconspicuous. It’s always better not to stand out too much, y’know? At least in a place you’re likely not welcome.” It was supposition at this point for him still, but most places were hardly ever keen on outsiders regardless.

He offered her a small, cheeky smile and cocked his head to the side. “You ever climb buildings before?”

TEST DRIVE MEME

james buchanan "bucky" barnes (mcu) | action/prose, whatever floats your boat

ii!

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

i

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

help i can't with these two

I can't either tbh

(no subject)

(no subject)