JANUARY 2019 TEST DRIVE

[sodder]

JANUARY 2019 TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to January’s Test Drive Meme! This month's Test Drive's theme is: NEW YEAR'S.

All Test Drive Memes contain at least one clue to the Deerington's upcoming in-game events for the month! Keep your eyes peeled! But...not literally.

Characters may die during TDMs, but you do not need to count it towards a game-canonical death unless you want to. Consider it a freebie. All TDMs can be considered game canon as TDMs introduce minor aspects about the world of Deerington that can be revisited by characters later on in the game. You may also use TDMs for your application writing sample as well as AC.

CW: Mind alteration, alcohol, options for self-harm, knife violence.

Don't forget to tag content whenever necessary. Have fun!

Prompt One
Prompt Two
Character Arrival
Master Navigation

YOU BETTER GET THIS PARTY STARTED

It's party night at the Grady Hotel and the hosts are pulling out all the stops. Champagne, funny hats, pictures, great music, and a wonderful countdown clock that let's everyone know just how much closer they're getting to the end of what has probably been a pretty crazy year for everyone. The glasses never seem to empty themselves and the citizens serving them out to people seem to be making extra sure that everyone has one for themselves. Regardless of whether or not you usually like champagne, anyone with a glass in their hands will eventually be tempted to take a sip, especially the closer it gets to midnight - the bubbles make you giggly, friendly, talkative in a way that you may never have been before. It lifts up just about anyone's spirits, no matter how rough of a time they've had before (or during their time in) Deerington. It doesn't seem to get you drunk, no matter how much you drink, but it definitely makes you more euphoric. Enough so that you might start to think you can do anything; tell someone how you really feel about them, compliment whoever you've had your eye on all night and see if they want to spend more time together, make up with someone you've been fighting with lately, do a magic trick you never were able to master, or even something as drastic as fly when you know you can't. Hopefully you start off trying to jump from a chair, but there is definitely roof access for those who are a little more daring - maybe someone a little more sober will have the wherewithal to stop you before it's too late.

There is also plenty of entertainment happening in various parts of the room. A table with beer pong for the adults who never outgrew their college days, a dart board, card games in the back, and a game called Guess the Candy for those who want to test their sweet tooth. Anyone who wins a round of any game will get rewarded with a small gift from home (no bigger than a toaster). Unfortunately will disappear once you leave the party, so make sure to enjoy it while you can.

The dance floor is also lively, the music upbeat and easy to move to no matter what your personal tastes might be. If you want a random dancing partner, take a dance card! Each one has a random, glowing number on it and it's your goal to find the person who matches. Once you do, no matter who it is, you'll find yourself literally stuck together (hopefully just by your hands, but it can be any body part) and will have to go through an entire dance (or maybe even two) with them before you come unstuck.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Everyone starts to gather around the countdown clock as it nears midnight, and when it's down to ten seconds, obviously you've got to start counting too! Everyone seems to be having such a good time as they shout out each number (10! 9! 8!) and you might not even notice the way some of the people around you have started to get a little... twitchy? (7! 6! 5!) Or the way some are starting to get more handsy, pushing themselves up close to whomever is beside them. (4! 3! 2!) And it isn't until they all shout 1! in unison that the room seems to shift in two very different moods.

If you're lucky, the person next to you will just have the urge to kiss you - and you might even have the urge to kiss them back! After all, sharing a kiss at midnight is supposed to bring you good luck for the rest of the year. And with the way everyone else is starting to act, you might need it. For some, the urge to kiss might be stronger than just a chaste peck. For those who find themselves wanting to get a little more intense, it might be best to try to sneak out the back and head back to your place. The moment you step outside into the cold air, though, the urges seem to disappear - unless, of course, you were in the mood all on your own.

If you're unlucky, there's a murderous rage that runs through you, and there seems to be a table of weapons near by to help encourage a messy time. Various knives, swords, machetes, and other blades are laid out, enough for almost everyone. You might find yourself driven to plunge your weapon into the closest person, or maybe someone you've hated for a long time, and even more - maybe someone you've loved. Whoever it is, the image of their face will be burned into your mind and you'll do everything you can to try and make them bleed. Hopefully they can fight for their life - or at least evade your attacks until they can trick you into going outside. Like the desire for love, the desire for murder will also disappear the moment that someone steps outside, regardless of whether or not they did so on purpose or just to try and hurt whoever they're after.

Character Arrival

You can read how all characters arrive in Deerington here.

There is not a collective "all these characters showed up at the exact same moment" occurrence in Deerington. Since characters fall asleep, die, or pass out at various times throughout all their worlds, it wouldn't make too much sense if they arrived in game all at the exact same time. There should be some discrepancy between character arrival, whether by a couple minutes, hours, or even days up to a week.

The players are entirely in control of how/when they want to play their characters arriving in Deerington. For TDMs, you can play it like your character has just arrived and that can be maintained as your game canon, or you can wait until game events for that moment. Or you don't need to acknowledge it at all. The flexibility for character allows a bit more of an organic feel to the character arrival situation, so please play it to whatever feels right for you.

If you are interested in having an "arrival" introduction for one of your TDM prompts, you are more than welcome to explore that option.

Comments

Kara | Detroit: Become Human | will match format

[mamabot]

new year - cw possible violence (a) or risque content (b)

(a)

[ Kara knows fear, its chilling grip and phantom closeness. Its breath against her synthetic skin, the tight hold of machines meant to take away her consciousness, the nervous energy that always, always as her considering violence as an option.

There's a knife in someone's belt. The countdown keeps going, and her fear turns to resolute anger against everyone who ever tried to hurt her, Alice, or Luther.

Two! One!

She steals the knife and swings it at you. ]


(b)

[ It's affection she feels, warm and uplifting, sunlight on her skin, wind in her hair. Kara is free, the cold air of Canada like a soft embrace, like Luther and Alice in her arms on the other side of the border. They're free, and she'll get back home eventually.

The countdown ends, and a tiny blond very human-looking android cups your face and kisses you, smiling, like she can share the joy she feels just through that. If you're an android, she'll even interface for just a second, a rush of warm golds and yellows, sunshine and butterflies, laughter and spring. ]


wildcard

[ come at me ]

a

[weakman]

[ Steve can't fight. She swings and the knife cuts. He dies immediately. ]

a for real

[weakman]

[ Steve isn't prepared for the attack.

He has no training or abilities. He leaps backward and stumbles over his feet, hitting the ground and landing on his elbows hard. The wind is knocked out of him but it inspires two things. A bout of rational thought and the will to put space between them. He didn't want to die. ]

Please, ma'am.

[ Steve's arms come up to shield his face as he kicks his legs back. ]

[metanoias]

( hiii would u like to do an arrival type thing w/ connor? c: )

A

[brickbat]

[ We're going to say the fact that North is even present here has something to do with Markus, because .....look, we want to do this prompt and otherwise attending a New Year's party surrounded by a bunch of sweaty humans is not near the top of North's list. It's probably right below a root canal she will never actually need.

S...o, lady androids always considering violence, party of two?

She flings up an arm with all the ease of another person breathing, knife taking a chunk out of her sleeve but not quite making it down to skin. Honestly, this atmosphere probably makes a lot more sense to her than the previous celebrations, chaos a comfortable rhythm dependable as the tide. The hand not shielding her face and neck arcs out, aiming for maybe the eyes, maybe the nose; it will forever remain a mystery inasmuch as between those two motions she catches sight of the face she's about to dismantle.

..... ]

Kara?

[ Who we're going to pretend encountered North for at least like, twenty seconds on Jericho; it seems fairly unlikely she wouldn't have?? Unless she didn't, in which case at least there's the LED to give the other woman away? Good times! ]

b

[killcounting]

<sub>[10K doesn't even know why he's here. He's not one for parties--not a lot of opportunities to attend living in the middle of nowhere, and after that, in the insane state the world was left in after it went belly-up--and this is a party. Each way he turns dancers laugh and spin, uproarious cheering by enthusiastic beer pong players almost threaten to drown out the music in their side of the room, and every ten minutes or so a server tries to push a glass of champagne at him.

Seeing how some of the guests are acting? He'll pass on the refreshments for now; he compromises with a hat, one shoved unceremoniously on his head by a pair of hands quickly lost to the crowd before he can see who did it.

Strangest of all might be the reason for all this. Keeping track of time to mark a new year? There hasn't been a point to that in a long while... unless the point is to remind yourself how long you've been struggling to stay alive. And such a thing isn't really worth celebrating with music and dancing.

Regardless, he's here, half-wondering if this is going to turn into another Stacy's thing with that rack of weapons by the wall... He's certainly not expecting someone to take his face between her hands and go the full mile with him. He blinks, surprised, but doesn't resist the gentle direction--or the gentle gesture that follows.]</sub>

Oh... um.

<sub>[What's the appropriate response when a woman (though "woman" becomes slightly more circumspect with a closer view of her LED) surprise kisses you? "Thank you"? You'd think he'd have some experience, after Red and Sarge.

What comes out instead is:]</sub>

Watch it!

_{[And a hand on Kara's waist to steer her out of the path of a party guest charging toward that weapon rack, where people are already beginning to fight. Called it.]}

Terra Branford | Final Fantasy 6

[mogglesbestfriend]

YOU BETTER GET THIS PARTY STARTED

[Her steps slow as she makes her way into the grand hall of the hotel. Terra isn't sure what had brought her here, only that this is where the crowd had been going. Her red dress and glittering adornments blend in with the cheerful event while her bright sea green hair stands out among the crowd. A glass of champagne is pushed into her hair and Terra is left wondering.]

I don't understand... [She looks down at her glass.] What are we celebrating?

[Terra looks around for something familiar but everything in this place feels strange or out of place.

Eventually she begins to take little sips of the bubbly drink. Terra isn't used to drinking and perfectly fine without a drink but she can't bring herself to stop taking those innocent little sips.]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[The countdown begins and Terra continues to look unsure. Her bright azure blue eyes follow the gaze of those around her and in a chorus she listens to the final count near its end.

3... 2... 1...

The urge that follows is sudden and surprising. She steps towards the person standing next to her and presses a chaste sweet kiss to their lips. Terra's cheeks warm as a blush crawls over the bridge of her nose.] Please excuse me. [She doesn't know what had come over her but it'd felt nice.]

YOU BETTER GET THIS PARTY STARTED

[justbeingknife]

It's New Year's Eve.

[ Majima had a champagne flute in one hand, and for once his formal tux didn't look particularly out of place among the revelers dressed to the nines. ]

Out with the old, in with the new and all that. Didn't think I'd be back in this ballroom anytime soon.

[ He looked reasonably relaxed, but watchful -- kind of like he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. ]

Party Starters

[onerthes]

[Vira-Lorr smiled at the question that came from the pretty green-haired woman nearby. She twirled the glass in her fingers and took a sip before shrugging, her three eyes amused.] A holiday I can at least understand. It is the dawning of a new year here. The cold of winter passes and slowly gives way towards the spring.

Humans always like milestones like these. [She extended a hand and grinned over at Terra.] You must not be from around here. I am Vira-Lorr. A pleasure.

party started

[vermillon]

Heavensturn! Or the eve of a new year, for others from other worlds. [X'rhun has had a bit of champagne already, but the Miqo'te is always... bubbly and cheerful despite his age.

His tail has taken a pronounced curl at the end of his tail as it waves to and fro in his amusement.]

Here in Deerington, it's called New Year's Eve, and we are celebrating the coming of the new year.

Kylo Ren | Star Wars

[letoldthingsdie]

I. Get This Party Start

He wasn't one for extravagant parties such as these, having spent much of his younger years learning the finer points of political schmoozing from his mother. It hadn't exactly caught on. He wasn't a fan back then and he wasn't one now. And so he finds himself trying to be as scarce as possible - not an easy task when you were six foot plus and wearing all black. Even in a nicely pressed suit, he most likely stuck out like a sore thumb with the jagged scar across his face and the way he avoided speaking or acknowledging people.

After a while it got easier for him to bear, two or three drinks later. He could feel his spirits lifting. He found himself wandering towards the card tables, more than apt at a game or two. It wasn't sabaac but he picked up the basics after watching a few rounds.

"Deal me in." He tells the person giving out the cards, taking a seat and setting his drink on the table as he settles in.

Happy New Year

The clock was counting down and his euphoria was slipping through his fingers. It was steadily replaced with bubbling anger that crept up like a dark cloud. He didn't want to be here. The angrier he felt about that fact, the more he wished he could just throttle every person in this room. Why should they bother being happy? Weren't they like him? He was in some unknown place - trapped for all he knew - and he already regretted the copious amounts of alcohol running through his veins.

He eyed the weapons, conveniently laid out for him, and found himself reaching for a blade. First he twirled it in his hand and then scanned the throng of people, looking for someone to take out his anger on. He was like a caged beast, searching for prey.

"You." He reaches for them, attempting to channel the Force and choke his victim into submission. He'd done it so many times before, what was one more? His blood boiled and his ears rang, that familiar darkness burning inside of him like a boiling pot threatening to overflow.

Wildcard

[Hit me up on plurk wishuponthenightskies or pm Kylo's journal if there's something else you want to do!]

Happy Family Day

[conflictresolution]

Reopening himself up to the Force had not entirely been pleasant, only because it made him realize how much he had missed it on some level. It had been a sign of his failings, of the control that he had lost. Rey was such an annoyance, but she had one or two good points to be made with her persistence with him and stupidity with Ben. So, he had let the Force back in.

Which meant he sensed it as he remained on the periphery of the crowd, the strength of it. So, it was true. Ben was here. So much for investigating what the heck was going on in this strange dream world and why everyone was celebrating moving from one year to the next.

He eased forward, taking a long knife from the table as he went and made certain to nudge more than a few over enthusiastic individuals out of his way to give him direct line of sight to his troubled nephew, even if he kept well out of knife range.

"Ben," he called. "I know your mother taught you better than that when it comes to introducing yourself to people." He extended himself to knock the boy with his own Force. "Remember your manners."

Happy New Year!

[onerthes]

[Three, two, one! Happy .... hrk?!?

She was being raised up in the air just as she'd been about to go in for a coerced smooch, which set alive the other side of her emotions. Desire slipped away, replaced with anger and she stared, glared at Kylo Ren. In that moment, she didn't have her rapier, but she didn't need it. She didn't need to reach for a knife. She could conjure magic without that.

The grip on her throat was painful, and she was writhing for air, but one hand reached out towards the sith, her third eye glaring at him as her fingers fanned and electrical current shot out straight towards him. Not lethal force, but she was a little pre-occupied and that kind of pain would hopefully break his hold for a second.]

(OOC: How about kicking each other's but right outside where they can come to their ... kinda senses?)

romelle | voltron: ld

[quizzak]

an altean walks into a bar...

[ romelle is a very curious girl. give her the option to try something sparkly, like a glass of champagne, and she simply can't resist. earth food is very hit-or-miss for her, though she's also probably very spoiled by hunk's cooking. so...she drinks more than she should for her first time tasting such a drink, and she makes a face in disgust. it's a weird mix of a bitter and sour taste, accompanied by some carbonation. she's had worse, but this isn't what she was expecting from such a sweet-looking drink. ]

Yuck! What kind of quizzacking drink is this supposed to be?!

[ she looks at it like she wants to throw out the rest...except a few moments pass, and she finds herself feeling (and looking) a lot happier. despite the strange taste of the champagne, romelle is suddenly having an exponentially better time at this party. she starts trying more of of the food, and can be found picking up one of everything that's available. having more of that champagne, and most of all, she's getting urges to walk up to people and hand them compliments. ]

Oh! That outfit is very flattering on you--could you tell me where you got it from? I've been looking to change my attire since I've arrived here.

[ the garrison uniforms aren't exactly the most...fashionable, after all. ]

happy new year

[ it's a strange feeling, wanting to kiss someone. a new deca-phoeb--year, as humans call it--is the mark of a new beginning, and for some reason, it feels like a kiss is the proper way to start things off right. that is far from something romelle believes in. but something about tonight...

she turns to the nearest person. her eyes linger on their lips, longer than they should. it isn't until she realizes it that she lets out a quiet gasp before turning away in embarrassment. ]

F-Forgive me. I...I don't know what's gotten over me.

wildcard

[ ota! hit me up via pm or amplitude ]

bar -

[shiro2hero]

[He's going to blame the town for this one. Blame it for why he's here at all. But hey, if he wasn't here, then that voice wouldn't have his attention-- What kind of quizzacking drink]

[Okay, so the voice isn't familiar, but the word is. Sort of. Close enough. He turns, out of reflex, trying to figure out where it came from, or why one of the team would be using that word or--]

[Why there's... an Altean in the bar.]

[Please excuse him, Romelle, he's never met you before. As... far as he knows.]

oh shit coco, it's ax from rec. Also New Years?

[incandescentfaith]

[Rei wishes she could say she's surprised by the way the tall blonde woman is looking at her, but she's increasingly aware of just how pretty she is. It's hard not to stare right back at her, gaze lingering just a touch too long too. Long enough to notice the markings on Romelle's cheeks.]

It's...quite alright.

[She steps closer, smiling warmly.]

I think I feel the same way.

barrrrrrr

[patternseeker]

It's what I got here in.

[ The sour mood Kate's been in since waking from that nightmare goes away the more she drinks. In the light, the champagne reminds her of the Pattern, but even though she misses it, she's not feeling the sadness so much. It's all so... distant. And this party is so much fun. ]

We could go look for new outfits together later if you want.

BAR

[princessences]

[ Allura, unfortunately, had been ignorant to the existence of other Alteans when Romelle arrived. But the news? Obviously a good one. She'll need to have a serious discussion with her teammates regarding what information they're choosing to keep due to timeline discrepancies

But that's not a burden that Romelle needs to carry. She's happy to take the opportunity to get to know another Altean again--especially one with such a different set of circumstances. Colonies? How had things changed over so man years? ]

I believe that's "Sex on the Beach"?

[ Which makes Allura frown slightly. ]

...An odd choice for a name. [ Romelle's reaction doesn't garner much positivity for either ends of the name. ] Would you like to try mine instead?

veronica lodge . riverdale . ota

[ronnied]

[ let it be known that veronica lodge is still VERY on the fence and VERY confused about literally everything that's happening to her life right now. she's not buying into all of this, she refuses to just accept she's been ..mentally kidnapped in her sleep and brought to some dream world. and she's certainly not buying into the fact that she has a tattoo that she never okayed. no. all of this is completely insane. right up there with the g&g obsession going on in riverdale right now.

that being said, there's a party going on up in here, and she's not about to miss that. obviously.

so she throws together a stacy's department store new years eve outfit, somehow, and heads there. with purpose.

if this is a dream? then so be it. let's see what you've got, deerington. ]

better get this party started

[ she's got a drink in her hair pretty much immediately after she arrives, downing one of the flutes in one sip because that's how she's feeling tonight. like she's going to need some booze to help her make sense of all of this. sure. but all it really does is make her feel kind of silly, and giddy, and that's what leads her to taking a number to be matched up with a dance partner. ]

Seventy-four? I'm looking for lucky number seventy-four!

[ she seems pretty excited about it, at least! ]

happy new year! ( locked to jughead jones )

[when the countdown starts, veronica's already been through- a bunch. being stuck to people, literally, in a horrifying way, until a full song played out? not great. well, later on she'll realize it's not great. right now she's just kind of riding the high of the happy-bubbly-champagne. the countdown happens, and then it's over, and then she's kissing... reggie..? which was confusing and something she's very sure she shouldn't have done, but she can't bring herself to care. she actually feels pretty damn pleased about it. but the party's insane at this point though, in the worst possible way - people are running around screaming with weapons and

some part of her knows she should be scared, but she just can't feel it. it's only around now that she's realizing there was something seriously messed up about that drink. but again, realizing it is different than actually feeling the panic of what the hell did i drink? she can't seem to feel anything negative right now, despite the chaos and the rushing train of thoughts that are all pretty damn negative. she's heading out though, rushing past people who're fighting and screaming, which should be horrifying? but she can't really feel any of it. she just needs- what does she need? why does she still feel so jittery? excited? like she's waiting for a big surprise?

oh ]

Jughead!

[ she clues back into the real world right around the time Jughead shoves by some of the people fighting, and there's that- rush again. the same rush she felt before. only... it feels different this time, because she's more aware of herself? but that doesn't stop the overwhelming need to kiss jughead jones. this is so.. not.. good.

which she realizes right around the time she's crashing into him, having rushed to meet him halfway, her hand reaching out for the front of his shirt to drag him in close faster. man, she sure is.. kissing jughead right now. her best friend's boyfriend and her ex's best friend.

and it's awesome. ]

[ ooc totally down for wildcard/random party cr starters too, doesn't have to be a scary dance. she's drinkin' the bubbly, so talkative first meetings are a GO ]

happy new year!

[digests]

[ jughead unfortunately did not have the good fortune of drinking a happy-bubbly-champagne, so his current mood is anything but amused. aside from pulling poor peter into a kiss, he has now traumatically locked lips with reggie mantle and he can't even begin to describe how he feels about that, except for, you know, literally any negative adjective that can come to mind.

he has an entire list of them with both bone chilling and stomach churning at the very top, except he still inexplicably wants to kiss him more. actually, he just really wants to kiss someone in general right now. it's like the desire for it becomes increasingly more prevalent with each break in turn.

honestly, if it wasn't for the sudden disruption, he might still be with reggie at this moment and the thought is compelling him to fight his way past the chaos towards the door as quickly as he can. he needs to get out before he makes another mistake.

unfortunately, he runs straight into it. ] Veron— [ annnd there we have it. another mistake. mistake number three. to be fair, it isn't of his own volition. in fact, he didn't even have enough time to register or react to her sudden appearance before he feels her mouth on his and, honestly? it feels... great. his mind has blanked. all he can sense is her. her lips, her warmth, her scent — it's an intoxicating blend. so, he's kissing her back with an innate need he can't explain — deep, passionate, and yearning.

he is no longer thinking of escape. just one simple word: more. ]

nicolas brown | gangsta

[batteredog]

i. Party

[ Amid the festivities, there stands a small boy tugging on your shirt looking out of place in his tattered clothes that haven't seen a wash in some time. There's a katana hanging from his shoulder that slides down a little when he holds out a flute of champagne up to you. The glass is smudged by dirty fingers, but the liquid inside is pristine. He hasn't touched it. But he does grip the glass by the stem in what looks like a closed fist as he pushes it at you again. Take it. ]


ii. Murder

[ One minute he's a silent little lamb, the next he's got his katana out aiming to kill. Weather he attacked you by random - he's very persistent - or you deem it prudent to interfere in his attack of another, you better be ready to take him down by force or kick his scrawny butt outside because Nicolas won't hesitate to aim for the heart or the head. ]


iii. Wildcard

[ ooc; make up your own scenario, I'll go with it! ]

II

[portraitor]

[When the other boy swings his katana at her, it's pure luck that Mary manages to move in time to avoid it. However, despite being afraid, she's now also angry. How dare he attack her, she didn't do anything wrong to deserve it!]

Stay away from me! Stay away from me or else... or else...

[Her palette knife doesn't compare to a katana, but it's better to be armed with something here as she tries to look for an exit to run away toward.]

archie andrews — riverdale

[overarches]

𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝. | ( cw: underage drinking )

[ about fifteen minutes into the party, archie stops asking people to pinch him. they can’t hear him over the music anyway. he stops debating if this is one huge fever dream because the truth ceases to be quite as important with a flute of champagne in one hand and a noisemaker in the other. it starts with a sip—and why the heck not? if he’s dreaming, then breaking the law doesn’t matter. where deerington fall on a map is irrelevant. how to get home, how badly his side aches, whether or not his bandages need changing, if bambi was a carnivore — everything stops.

one glass turns into two, then three, and before too long archie’s practically grinning from ear to ear. he aims to be contagious when he leans to the side and announces gleefully: ] I love this song! Want to dance?

[ somewhere between four and five he absconds with three beer pong balls cradled tightly against his abdomen and between his hands. attention, please! this idiot is climbing onto a chair, a table, a couch. any surface will do. just know with the latter, he will step over people until he snags an empty cushion. ]

Watch this. [ haven’t you seen a ginger juggle before? it’s slow, like, at a turtle’s pace. truly. but the way he’s beaming ( and gradually picking up speed ) may be hard to crush. or maybe, you’ve caught him riffing an air guitar solo somewhere in the crowd and you want to rock out together, it’s all fair game. ]

𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫

[ getting a little handsy after too much to drink? it’s practically in the watch-me-rebel handbook that nearly every teenager takes out of their back pocket at some point. everyone has at least one golden screw it moment. archie’s no stranger to the warmth in his cheeks and the impulse rising in time with his heartbeat. the excitement gets tied in with the countdown and that’s not unusual either — the tradition of grabbing someone and kissing them at midnight is no secret.

but it’s different somehow. instead of searching for that special someone or staring into the bottom of his flute ( tongue pressed to his teeth because he beat that dead horse into the ground ), he finds he’s just looking for someone.

( 3, 2, 1! )

that’s right around when he recognizes it isn’t desire, it’s a desperate need. archie feels like he’s underwater, sluggish almost, in the few steps it takes to stride for whatever poor soul has caught his eye. there’s no warning. no apology before he sets his hand on the back of the nearest person’s neck and yanks them into an unrelenting kiss. the chaos, the shouting, a likely knifing nearby, and the stampede ought to make him break away but he's going for it like a champ. ]

( wildcard it up if there's another scenario you're into. )

mid-happy new year

[digests]

[ jughead has made one (or, more accurately, three) too many mistakes for the beginning of a new year, but at least he has finally come to his senses. the clarity does not bring much relief though; in fact, it's making this entire night all that much worse for him. he is not going to have a fun time processing everything later.

but for the time being, he has pushed aside whatever trauma or guilt he has experienced in the past... however minutes it took for him to find his way out of the building to venture back inside for the sake of locating reggie mantle.

yes. reggie freaking mantle. as much as he hates the guy and as much as he doesn't want to see him right now, jughead can't exactly leave him inside a party that has turned very much violently out of control.

—except who he finds instead stuns him to the point where his legs freeze in the middle of an ongoing bloodbath. jeez, snap out of it, jughead, but also— ] Archie? [ who is he even making out with? does it even matter? he must be under the same influence he was in not too long ago. ]

Sorry, I'm going to be taking him. [ don't mind him while he separates archie from whoever he's locking lips with. ] I strongly recommend you step outside for some fresh air though.

Miguel Rivera | Coco

[corazon]

[ arrival ]

[ Miguel is pretty sure he's never been so cold. Even in the middle of November he could usually walk outside in a tank top, and he's woefully under prepared. His hoodie is zipped up tight as it will go, hood tied tightly around his chin and his hands are shoved into his pockets to try and keep them warm. He's confused, for sure, but after having just been through the land of the dead barely a year ago, some things are getting a little easier to put up with.

He'd tried to read the letter, but really he got bored halfway through and was much more interested in finding someone - anyone - who could tell him the way out. An adult he could go to, cry about being lost, wanting to get back to his Mamá and Papá and maybe throw in that he didn't mean to end up... wherever he was.

So he's been walking around the streets and the moment he sees someone else in front of him, he walks a little faster to try to catch up. ] Ah - excuse me?

[ party ]

[ He's pretty sure he's not supposed to be at a party like this, but the invites hadn't been age restricted, and he couldn't say he wasn't curious to see if there were any music or good food around. He took a small sip from the drink he'd been given, pulled a face and went to dump the rest in a plant pot when he thinks no one was looking. ]

Gross.

[ He's really thinking he should've just stayed in town. ]

[ new years ]

[ Not particularly happy to be stuck in this countdown, he was trying to sneak out just as soon as he saw the first set of people kissing. He'd rolled his eyes and gone to duck towards the door, only to find himself ducking the swing of a knife instead. Not towards him, maybe, but definitely there, and it made his eyes widen in some definite fear.

He made for a bit more of a panicked move and instead bumped right into another person on his way out. ] Ahh! [ He held up his hands quickly as he looked at them, hoping they weren't effected by all this crazy nonsense. ] Uh - hola. I was just - you know - leaving, so ...

party - why is he like this i am so sorry

[clussy]

If you drink enough of it, it tastes less gross.

(Eddie is a lot more cheerful today than he's been in literal months. He's got a golden party hat on top of his head that's completely lopsided and there's confetti sprinkled across his cheeks and shoulders. He's had two glasses of the champagne and, having figured what it is, is a little surprised that the world hasn't gone soft and twisty.

Instead, he just feels really amped to be here. To be alive. To be at this party- even if he doesn't know anyone here, even if his friends have vanished or died lately, even if he's been miserable mostly. Right now? He doesn't care: right now he's just grinning broadly at this new kid he's never seen before.)

So. Virgin here?

closed to henry

[nojockey]

[ as it turns out, parties are no more sean's style in deerington than they had been on thisby.

granted, parties on thisby had mostly been in the weeks leading up to the races, and had been equal parts revelry and pagan rituals for the racers—sean is glad no one is walking around dressed as epona with a severed horse head on—and parties in deerington seem more like people getting drunk and having fun in a room with friends. but the principle is more or less the same.

it's a lucky thing henry's around. somewhere, anyway—they'd arrived at the same time, but had spent most of the evening splitting up and coming back together. henry to do whatever it was she does, sean to linger on the fringes of the party, talk to people he knows, drink.

the next time he runs into henry it's near a table set up in some back room, with red cups and what sean thinks is beer, and people with small white balls tossing them in each other's direction. ]

Hey. [ he salutes her with his glass. the alcohol content must be low—sean doesn't feel any drunker, although he does feel in a better mood than before. ]

[nakedsingularity]

<sub>[It wouldn't surprise her to see someone with a severed horse head on--it's been that kind of month.

After several holiday debacles, common sense might dictate that when this place sees fit to celebrate an occasion, you run the other way. Had she been present for the masquerade at the hotel, maybe she would have.

But after Laura's appearance and Chloe's death, the snow and the homesickness, she's feeling brazenly death-defying. Unfortunately for Sean, that means convincing him to tag along to the hotel party, with the disclaimer that if (or when) things get sketchy, they bail in a hurry. For one thing, she's not sure Sean would think to deviate from his routine of home-school-work without a push.

And she hadn't wanted to go by herself. That's the other reason she prods him to investigate with her, and she holds that one furtively close to her chest. She'd rather dress it up as a mutual snooping endeavor than that she'd feel more comfortable with at least one familiar face in the crowd.

Having taken stock of the room and the guests in attendance, she doesn't expect Sean to stay glued to her side, nor she to his; at intervals she looks for him across the room and finds his eye, wordlessly acknowledging the entire... Deerington-ness of the whole affair. They feel like comrades in a cold war against the lightweight drunks who keep stumbling around trying to drag people into dancing or New Year's photos. Hard pass.]</sub>

Hi.

_{[The beer pong table was the last place she was expecting to catch sight of him again, and the discovery--on top of the jolly greeting--elicits a smile. Poor guy. He's short, so every now and again he gets swallowed up in the crowd and she loses track of him. Had the beer pong players abducted him when she hadn't been looking?]}

Don't tell me you play.

_{[It really doesn't seem like his scene.]}

Cullen Rutherford / DA:I

[knightcommander]

Let's Get This Party Started

Cullen doesn't know how he got here. He was in the woods, there were Halla, of some sort. They dragged him through the leaves and mud, and then... then he was here. He doesn't remember, but perhaps that's because of the glass in his hand. He doesn't drink, not usually, not unless he trusts those he is with, but he also hates parties.

At least he knows he isn't in Orlais, as no one is wearing a mask. The clothes are unfamiliar, but he can't say he's visited every corner of Thedas.

That's why he's stood against the wall, watching the happy crowd. It reminds him all too much of the Ball at the Winter Palace, although here he sees no familiar faces. But sooner or later, and without realising it, he finds himself sipping at the fizz in his glass. And again, and again. Until he feels like he's floating on those bubbles, and he steps out to socialise.

He must be a little drunk to do so willingly, but he'll never discover where he is or how he got here if he doesn't speak to people.

Happy New Year!

Cullen doesn't know what is going on, having had... well, the glass isn't empty, so he can't have had very much to drink. He feels like he has had a lot. But not enough to completely dull his senses, and he knows something is wrong. The atmosphere is choking, despite the air of excitement as the crowd shout numbers. What they are counting down to, he has no clue, but it can't be good. There are too many people, suddenly, too many creeping and there's a flash of a blade.

He need to be armed, quickly, but his sword is not at his side and as the crowd scream "ONE!" he feels a searing pain in his back as a dagger is buried between his shoulders and then pulled free. He's a trained soldier, enough to know how to turn and get the bloodied weapon from his attacked, twisting their arm and using his greater bulk and strength.

Then he feels himself turn the blade on them, plunging it into their chest, feeling it nick bones before it punctures the heart. The blade is drawn free and the body crumples, and then Cullen turns, the party now a battlefield. He can feel the blood hot and wet sticking the clothes to his back, and he needs to escape.

Lets get this party started

[nottevintersoldier]

The Mage finishes a dance with his assigned partner as they sweep across the room til the song changes. He'll bow as they disconnect and he'll immediately toss the card with a glowing number to a table or something to be rid of it. It was fun at the start but when he kept being passed from one person to the next for hours he needed a break. He'll be crossing through the crowd towards the table with drinks when the shock of blond and the flash of a familiar maned, red cloak catch his eye.

At first he's certain he's seeing things because Cullen would not be mingling... How cruel would it be for this place to play such a game on him. Letting him see ghosts of his friends from back home. His curiosity gets the better of him and he's quickly slipping through the bodies until he spots him again.

He has to be real.

"Cullen!" The Altus quickly catches up to him and out of reflex puts a hand on his shoulder if only to prove to himself he wasn't a mirage.

"Maker's breath, Commander...I have such mixed feelings over seeing you here." He missed having familiar faces but he doesn't wish this place on anyone.