TDM #003

[bequiet]

TEST DRIVE MEME
You wake, standing. A thick, muddy red dust coats your skin and clothes - it sticks to your tongue and blocks your vision. Inhale and it chokes you, exhale and your breath puffs out in front of your face in a transparent maroon cloud. It tastes of copper, tangy and harsh. Movement is difficult, every limb tingles and aches. Look to your left, your right. Evenly spaced in each direction stands another person indistinguishable in every way from the next. You're disoriented and lethargic, unable to grasp onto a single thought. A pinprick of light blooms ahead and grows steadily larger; a door has opened.

Hands grip your wrists, push at the small of your back and guide you out of the darkness into a room with four walls and a thin, sagging ceiling. The plaster is peeling, the air is musty, and the floor is slick. White plastic piping juts up from the center and curves into multiple spouts, clean water flowing in uneven streams. Those hands pull your clothes off and clear the dust from your body, redress you in handsewn jumpsuits.

A finger is pressed to your lips. Kind eyes meet your own and a single word is whispered - hush.

Led out of the room in a line, you’re taken down a short hallway and into another, much larger room. There’s a woman waiting for you there, a child hugging her leg, and a cloth bag in her hands. She reaches in and pulls out a device, passes one to each of you. Once finished, she begins to move both hands in graceful gestures, a language. One of the people who helped you lifts their device and the screen lights up, tracks the woman’s hands. Letters appear on the screen and you understand the device’s purpose. She tells you what she knows and it’s not much.

This world is haunted. Noise attracts them, so it is not allowed. Communication is through body language, soundless writing, and the device. She tells you that your feet must be light and your mouth never used. There is a community outside these doors, where you can survive together, but only if you agree to one thing: complete and total silence. You'll have time to talk it over. Acceptance allows you to journey outside. The ground is marked in pathways of sand, lining the paths to each building and everywhere in between. You notice that the locals hold their devices always, aloft and glance to it often. It will not vibrate or make a sound to signal a message.

Notices appear. Rules. Guidelines. Feet on the sand and never anywhere else. To open a door you brush your fingers along the hinges - oiled and you may enter. If not, take the brush from the can sitting nearby and coat the metal with the dark liquid. You're to settle into your new home.

Caught me unawares
Content Warnings: Confusion, disorientation
Themes: Survival, horror, it's like groundhog day

The ending of the floor has caught me unawares. This must be the reason why I’m falling down the stairs.

That night, when you fall asleep, you dream of your life before The Quiet Place. At first it's the happiest moments of your life played on repeat, over and over. Everything good and sweet and fun. The second night, it's much the same. You go to bed anticipating another restful and pleasant sleep. But on the third night it changes.

For everyone, it starts the same. There's a long hallway with a door at the end. You walk towards it with nowhere else to go. You twist the knob and when you step forward, the floor ends and you fall. Falling lasts for seconds, minutes, or hours and when you land, it's with a jolt and a cloud of red dust all around you. There's someone else next to you, stumbling, coughing and choking on that familiar dirt that coats your tongue and mouth. When your eyes meet, everything blurs and you're falling again - this time, when you land, it's inside that dream from the first night. Only you're not alone. They're with you. The only way out is to experience the dream together. And when you do wake up, for real, that same red dirt is on your hands.

Falling down the stairs
Content Warnings: Confusion, disorientation
Themes: Survival, horror, it's like groundhog day

The ending of the floor has caught me unawares. This must be the reason why I’m falling down the stairs.

That night, when you fall asleep, you dream of your life before The Quiet Place. At first it's the worst moments of your life played on repeat, over and over. Everything bad and sour and awful. The second night, it's much the same. You go to bed anticipating another restless and dreadful sleep. But on the third night it changes.

For everyone, it starts the same. There's a long hallway with a door at the end. You walk towards it with nowhere else to go. You twist the knob and when you step forward, the floor ends and you fall. Falling lasts for seconds, minutes, or hours and when you land, it's with a jolt and a cloud of red dust all around you. There's someone else next to you, stumbling, coughing and choking on that familiar dirt that coats your tongue and mouth. When your eyes meet, everything blurs and you're falling again - this time, when you land, it's inside that nightmare from the first night. Only you're not alone. They're with you. The only way out is to experience the nightmare together. And when you do wake up, for real, that same red dirt is on your hands.

OOC
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NAVIGATION

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Comments

[oorah]

[ as it starts, frank knows he isn't really there. it's becoming easier to sort the reality from dreams like these. he doesn't think he knows the girl, but she's younger than even his lisa was, or than leo is. but she carries herself like a woman already, and not just a woman but a soldier; an assassin. it makes his stomach roll tumultuously to see grown men come at her that way with abandon and without restraint. they're directed by one man who projects father as much as he does owner and that makes him sick too. he's frozen there, knowing he can't affect what happens next, but he already wants to snap the guy's neck.

when the scene refreshes, the girl is negligibly older but no less ruthless. if anything, she's more and the men are taunting her now. he knows that won't end well for them even before the fight begins, and he's still not sure if he can intervene but he's confident in the knowledge that he doesn't have to -- she'll survive. this time, he lunges at the old man, but the scene changes again before he can connect.

when the man reappears, frank is angry. furious even. his fists clench at his sides and he knows that she'll best her attacker. he hates that she has to when he wants to do it for her. but everything goes too fast and he's rendered useless again by the rapidly changing dream. he isn't even sure if she's seen him, if she knows he's there yet. but she will soon.

the cage is too much. that's enough. this is what he was made for, body and soul. he bides his time, but only just, waiting for the older man from before to kill the other. interesting, but not good enough. he's still defending an asset rather than a child. the second he unlatches the cage, frank bursts forward, tearing into stick like so much cray paper. he goes down in a sea of red, his heart spurting out onto frank's face and dark jumpsuit. he holds onto his shirt to keep him upright, breathing deeply through it as he watches the man die. like it's therapy for him, and in a way it is. he turns to the girl and they meet eyes for the first time. he knows she sees him, and he holds out his bloodied hand as her father hits the ground. he takes her some place she will be loved.

it's the lieberman's on some big holiday, everyone laughs and drinks and frank is the happiest of all. the murderous man from before is gone in favor of a happy-go-lucky family man. the weird uncle who would do anything for his friend's kids. and this new adoptee who reminds him of the broken kids in reims he tries to help. soon the happy scene is broken up by men in masks, and they gun everyone down. except for frank and elektra. he meets her eyes again and wonders why she was spared, but they're jumping again.

matt is there, and elektra is older now. he doesn't place her right away, but he's back on the sidelines like the film reel has started over in the middle of the movie. people think she's an object again, they want her to be who they want her to be but that's not how it works. they had done the same to frank castle and look how that had worked out for them. the hand. ninjas. he's starting to understand, but the scene disappears from under his feet this time.

he's on the opposite roof, his punisher garb hidden behind a sniper rifle. he hesitates the way he's never done before, and their eyes lock for the third time. because he's seen it before, because he knows which man is responsible, frank is able to take him out this time. his head opens up over daredevil and elektra, but she's spared again and he nods. he finally got something right even if matt is giving him the soap eye. fuck that, and fuck all of this. he mows down every enemy that comes for the pair until they lie in a jumbled heap of death. matt says it isn't the answer, but then why does he feel so righteous. he saved them, it's what he should have done the first time around.

matt and all the bodies melt away and it's frank and elektra on the rooftop alone now. he swallows and signs Sorry. this wasn't how it was supposed to end, was it? he's fucked everything up. daredevil said she comes back, that frank was never supposed to save her anyway. but he couldn't bear the thought of anyone hurting her again. ]

[blacksky]

[It isn't until the attempt on her life that she senses him the way she did that man. It's easy to dismiss when they were both radiating anger. The only difference was the direction it went in. It's outside the cage when she's positive the man she thought of as a father was readying himself to kill her that she really sees Frank. Ellie should stop him, she thinks, but doesn't. A part of her still recalls her father will do this again. It feels good to watch him die; freeing. He'll never cage her again. No one will.

She takes the stranger's hand and enjoys a moment of peace even if it's hard to fathom. The room is warm, the food is freely given, and David never has his children to fight. There's a woman present who seems friendly enough and looks upon her with sympathy she's unused to as she gives her an extra helping. Ellie smiles until the moment they die too fast for her to comprehend.

Only she and her rescuer are alive. Her eyes promise they'll take these men out together for robbing them of this when the scene changes. She forgets she was ever free as she replays her part until the bitter end... except it's not, is it? Nobu's head explodes. She's bloody again. She watches as this happens to the rest of the men fall too.

Her rescuer came back. She doesn't even hear what Matthew is saying because all she can do is think of how grateful she is to be alive and free at Matthew's side.

It all melts away again. This time she's left with conflicting memories and the nagging feeling she's seen him before. He's signing sorry to her and she shakes her head. What could he possibly be sorry for?]

I didn't want to die. [She explains. Elektra hasn't quite realized it's a dream yet. All she knows is he tried to save her as a child and certainly saved her know from the ending that should have come to be. She doesn't mind explaining herself to someone like that.] I had no choice. I couldn't let them kill Matthew. He's the only one who ever believed I could be more than this.

[She touches her face. The blood is gone, but he'll understand, won't he? The blood never truly comes off. She'll always be someone who belongs in it until someone like Matthew shows up to help her find a better way to live.]

[oorah]

[ he nods though his expression is strained, wishing he could have done more even now. but she's alive. matt's stupid rules couldn't contend with that. frank finds himself leaning towards her, studying her to make sure she's really breathing. he knows it's a dream-- on some level, but right now he's just in awe of her, and himself for saving her. his bloody clothes and the memento mori as micro had called it vanish and he's left once more in his black jumpsuit, tall scuffed combat boots and black beanie. ]

Didn't want you to die either. [ it's a low murmur, so soft she might not pick it up except for how close they are now, the breeze in the higher altitude carrying by them swiftly. he watched her die once, he wasn't about to do that again. to watch the shattered look on matt's face. he shakes his head, his hand coming up as if to touch her, but it falls away long before connecting. ] He's okay. Red. That's because of you. [ she saved matt and he tried to save her -- or succeeded, maybe, at least this time. he can sit with that if she can. ]

[blacksky]

[Elektra fully aware of his focus on her, but let's it be. She feels raw after three nights of reliving how it all fell apart for her. His actions to save her when only one other had ever tried before don't make her feel any less vulnerable. Elektra looks at him with naked surprise when he says he didn't want her to die.

His hand comes towards her only to fall. That only adds to the ache she feels. She can't give a voice to it; only sighing in relief as she hears what happens next. Matt's alright. It was all worth it in the end.] I'm glad.

[She opens her mouth to continue, but it takes time for the words to come out. She never knew how to openly and truly love anything. She tries to make an exception now. She is dead, after all. Why not be honest to someone who seems to give a damn? What else can she possibly lose?] I love him. Sometimes he even loves me back. All I want is for him to be alright. That's all that matters now.

[oorah]

[ she doesn't know, does she? how he always ends up being the bearer of if not exactly bad news than weird news?? at least there's an easy way out of this. it seems easy to him after being stuck in other people's dreams on loop anyway. ]

Do you wanna go see him? [ it's asked sincerely. frank extends his hand back out, this time to offer to take hers. ] Just click your heels like Dorothy.

[blacksky]

Yes. [Elektra's brows furrow together. Is it really that simple? There's only one way to find out. She takes the hand offered to her and shuts her eyes.] If you're mocking me, I'm going to rip that stupid beanie off your head.

[The threat has no bite behind it after what they went through together. She clicks her heels together and wakes up from her nightmare with red dirt on her hands. She's not sure whether to laugh, cry, or scream.]

[oorah]

[ he laughs softly like he isn't used to the sound, which was true enough even before this place. he wrenches his eyes open with some struggle and looks down at their hands, still joined below the surface of the dust. frank drops the contact, but locks their eyes even as the red particles travel along his airway and threaten to choke him. wouldn't be the first time and he knows it won't be the last, but the more often this happens the more palpable the relief is when he's back. how fucked up is that? ]

Sorry I ruined your dream. [ to his credit, he manages to sound sincere. he probably even is. what a dick. ]

[blacksky]

[Elektra stares at him in open disbelief as she does her best not to inhale anything, but for a different reason this time. God she thought Matt was stupid. This is a whole other level. She explains it slowly for him.]

You killed a man who tried to kill me more than once and then killed the man who actually succeeded in killing me. I can't believe you ruined my idea of a good night, you monster.

[She couldn't sound more sarcastic if she tried.]

[oorah]

[ all he can really do is smile, but it quickly breaks into a grin. an expression he doesn't wear often for how foreign it looks hung on his face. but he likes her already - he can't help it. he understands what matt sees in her. ]

I should've done it the first time. [ it comes out before he can edit himself, and the smile falters as he looks away from her, scrubbing a hand over his face though it leaves red dust on his cheek. he suppose it doesn't matter if she knows since his cover is well and truly blown anyway. but not saving elektra is as close to a regret as he has about his tirade in hell's kitchen. that and (depending on the day) shooting matt in the head. ]

[blacksky]

[The piece falls into place neatly after that. The symbol plus a man with that training. He was the Punisher. She'd been too caught up in her emotions to think it through before. Now that she's awake it falls on her like a ton of bricks. Perhaps she shouldn't be so chummy with the man Matthew had such a complicated relationship with.

She thinks back to Frank extending his hand and helping her out of that cage. He deserves absolution and her time for that alone.] It was our war. It was never your responsibility to save either of us.

[oorah]

I know. [ he gives a sputtering little cough and wipes his hands on the legs of his jumpsuit. he knows all about wars you have to go alone, but without micro he'd be dead. and if he had showed up a minute earlier or been a fraction luckier she never would have been lost on that roof. ] And I still don't get that whole ninja shitstorm, but I tried. Just need you to know that.

[ frank looks over at her, feeling like he knows her after the ordeal they'd just been through together. usually he would say trying doesn't matter if you still fail. but in this case, she's alive and well next to him so maybe that's not what matters just this once. ]

[blacksky]

[She coughs right after him. Even she can't go without breathing in forever. Elektra swears under her breath in French, but it doesn't throw her listening. Elektra finds it funny that even after a lifetime of training she can't explain what's really going on either. In the end, she's a stupid girl following a broken old man off a cliff. The details were never all that important.

The effort is if only because only Matthew had ever attempted to save her before this. It means something, everything, that Frank even regrets failing her when only her former lover ever bothered before him.]

I believe you. [She meets his eyes so he gets that. She may not get him as a person, but he knows her now perhaps better than anyone with the exception of Stick. There's no sense in playing games now.] Just don't fail him. Matthew deserves better than that war. He deserves a life. Don't let them take that from him.

[Maybe it's foolish of her to trust him, but honestly she's dead. Things aren't getting any worse for her. If he betrays Matthew, she'll just kill him.]

[oorah]

[ all he'd tried to do was help matt since he got here, but the man seemed more interested in the moral quandary of the punisher being mayor of helltown, go figure. he understands her point of view, but... ]

He asked for you. When he got here. Made it sound like you were there with him after-- [ after frank saw her last. he would have asked how, but honestly? there's only so much capacity in his brain for this freaky shit anymore. he's full up. better not to ask at all. ] Don't think I don't feel for you, though. Keeping that asshole alive is a fulltime job.

[ he manages to say it with fondness even as he slowly rises to his feet, offering a hand down to her. ]

[blacksky]

[She gives him an odd look. Elektra has no idea that Stick would be stupid or sentimental enough not to cremate or behead her when Matthew isn't around to give his opinion on doing the smart thing. She assumes he's confused because of course they were together until the end and lets it go. She smirks at the fond remark, accepting the hand up. It is good to know he still wants to see her, still hopes to even in this nightmare.]

One I should really get back to. He's always been a bit dull. I'm not sure he can avoid doing the stupid thing for long.

[It's said with a equal mix of fondness and playfulness.] Lead the way.

[oorah]

In his defense... [ words he never thought he'd say about daredevil. he gathers his thoughts while dusting himself off. ] I've already died once here -- it's hard to avoid. But try not to, alright? People come back, but we don't know all the consequences of that yet.

[ he pulls out his device from his pocket once he's sufficiently undusted and shakes it at her. time to do the lame silent game. he starts leading the way to house six, a place he's still inexplicably attached to. and not just for its occupents. ]

[blacksky]

[That visibly unsettles her. Frank has earned his reputation. If something can kill him, Matthew is pretty fucked. She tries to put that out of her mind for now by playing it off.] I'm not trying to repeat my swan song. It'll lose all its drama.

[She can take a hint. The device comes out even if she's not readily engaging in all the small talk just yet.]

[oorah]

Good. [ he's glad and similarly, he can tell she's freaked out. freaked out is good if it makes people behaved, but seeing a woman that powerful and ruthless thrown off her game isn't easy for him to process either.

the second they hit the cooler air just outside the room, frank lets out a long silent breath. here they go again. ] you get a room yet?

[blacksky]

[She's never questioned her ability to survive. Without Matt, she never would have stuck around long enough to end up in a situation like that on the roof. He's sentimental. That makes keeping him alive very difficult and therefore scary even to someone as terrifying as she is.

Elektra breathes in the clean air and immediately feels better. She'll clean up later. For now her thoughts are consumed with seeing Matt. She may have promised it wasn't the end, but she didn't expect to deliver on that like this.]

Second bedroom, in the eleventh house or as I like to call the home of forgotten children and that one woman who isn't smart enough to run for the hills upon realizing she's the only adult there.

[oorah]

[ house eleven was pretty kid heavy which was why frank had helped soundproof it. picturing someone like elektra trying to relate to them is a little funny. hopefully they don't scare the terrifying murder woman too much :') he'll check on her. ]

i'm in the big weird house just past 12. that's where fight club is too if you ever need to work something out. [ he still feels guilty which he knows is irrational, but that doesn't matter. after everything he's just seen, it doesn't make him feel any better about letting her down. ]

[blacksky]

[Elektra barely resists the urge to snort. He's seen some of what she's been through. If it had been anyone else, she'd be throwing around threats. Something tells her Frank will keep his mouth shut.] I'm always working something out.

[Her expression softens and she tacks on another message. This will eat her alive if she doesn't ask.] Is that family still alive?

[oorah]

[ he's about to extol all the virtues of fight club to her when she goes and asks him that. he swallows, clenching the fist still concealed in his pocket and slowly nods. ] they're safe

[blacksky]

[She nods, openly relieved before immediately hating herself. How pathetic is it that she got attached to the fantasy version of real people? She honestly disgusts herself sometimes. Elektra rushes to change the subject.] Tell me about Fight Club.

[oorah]

[ he's in the same boat, and he should use this opportunity to tell her david is here, and yet he doesn't. fight club is easy to focus on, so he starts there. ]

it's a safe place to learn teach and punch out your issues

[blacksky]

[That's fine. She'll just be shocked later and have a reason to beat up Frank.] Anyone there who can handle fighting someone better than Matthew?

[oorah]

[ if he could, he would laugh. as it is, he grins, pointing to himself then her. they both could beat matt obviously!! but he knows that isn't what she's asking. ]

sure there are. a bunch of women in there can kick my ass better than you i'll introduce you