TEST DRIVE MEME #4

[penancemods]

ARRIVAL

You remember a dream.

Or maybe nightmare is more accurate.

It was full of hellfire nipping at your skin and a sensation of being pulled down no matter how much you struggle or cry for help. There's a voice that feels like it's coming from all around you at once. Contrasting with the nightmare unfolding around you, it's smooth as silk. It makes you want to listen with every bit of attention you can muster in the moment.

"Judgement has come upon you, but not to worry. It can still be undone."

The voice promises you redemption for your sins. It promises you a better life and everything you could ever want, if only you just stop struggling so much.

And so you do.


Everyone wakes up in the same room initially. The room is done up in red with a cushy bed, a window, an old TV in the corner on a desk, and a few Hieronymus Bosch paintings lining the wall. There's a bathroom to clean up in and any belongings will be sat around the room to be gathered later. There's a duffel bag provided for your convenience.

After feeling a sensation of falling or dropping onto the bed, characters wake up feeling like they've just slept for a week. Their body will feel heavy and stiff, they'll have a massive headache at first.

They'll quickly notice the list of their sins written with their blood on a bedside table on an old piece of parchment. This will mean the list is tied to them and can't be changed or tampered with. They'll also receive their device to connect with others and the network. It won't be anything terribly fancy. As a matter of fact, it looks like a very old Blackberry type phone.

Once characters are ready to leave the room, they'll head down long, winding halls. They're dimly lit and ominous feeling. They may encounter fellow sinners or demonic staff that will direct the newcomer down to the lobby to get their actual room key to settle in. They may be pushy, they may border on courteous. It really just depends on the mood of the staff at the time and how they're treated in return. Eventually, everyone comes to stairs that lead downward.



Once down to the lobby, you'll notice the front desk manned by a demon who looks bored out of its mind. To the side of him is the door to the kitchen where guests may help themselves. To the right is a small duty free shop that seems to have a surprisingly normal, expected stock of items. Look around a bit further, there will be a tiny bar tucked in through a corner door. It seems pretty well-stocked and best of all, self-serve if you want to get away from your demonic hosts for a bit. Of course there's some seating, bar games, and a jukebox tucked in the corner if you'd rather stay and socialize a bit.

Please note that all the songs on the jukebox are appropriately hell-themed. Hopefully Sympathy for the Devil is universally loved.

STAND YOUR GROUND

Prompt I

It seems like not long after everyone has either returned from the maze or arrived fresh to hell that the storms started yet again. A bit more sporadically and not the constant downpour of the previous month, but it's still blood and fire raining from the skies, along with claps of thunder and lightning strikes that seem far too close for comfort. Fortunately, there's not as much flooding this time. Unfortunately, a particularly loud clap of thunder and lightning that strikes close to the hotel seems to leave it and surrounding establishments in the dark. Quickly, the hotel becomes a cold place, urging all guests to to move to the lobby for some warmth.

A roaring fire will be going and there will be hot drinks and snacks kindly provided by the staff while they try to work on correcting the problem.

Eventually, some rather panicked goblin-like demons come rushing up from the basement. They're half-singed and dirty looking from their adventure, so it doesn't seem to bode well for the power returning any time soon. Guests who listen closely will hear the demons apologizing profusely for 'letting them escape' and much more worrisome than that, about how it looks like there might have been some tampering going on down there. The staff is quick to tell the demons to hush and go, not to worry the guests or let word get back to Lucifer.

Once that whole scene is squared away, the staff will be urging guests to volunteer and pushing them into a drafty, creepy basement with nothing but candles and flashlights to lead the way.

It's okay, they reassure, it's not that bad down there! The lights provided all seem to flicker dangerously though, almost completely going out at times, as you descend creaky stairs to a lower level. Apparently the demons are tired of risking their hide to get the power back on, but they're quite happy to risk all the guests'.

The basement is slightly flooded in some areas, bloody rain making its way through cracks in the foundation. It reeks of dampness and mold. There are things that skitter in the corner of your eye as you venture in further. Rats, bugs, and a few smaller beasts.

No one will be given more to go on than they're looking for a breaker box to reset, and hopefully, that'll get everything back up and running again. Unfortunately, there are so many twists and turns that it gets confusing after a while... How come the basement looks much bigger than it has any right to be anyway?

The basement is also jam packed with boxes just begging to be gone through. Most of them just seem to house an odd amount of clothing and what may be personal items left from previous guests, others hold decidedly more satanic and occult items. But if there's anything you're looking for in particular, from jewelry to a coat to a rad new walkman, you'll probably find it down here.

Keep going and you'll come across a room with a heavy steel door. If anyone should venture inside, they'll see a dungeon inside. There are demons chained to the walls in various ways, strung from the ceiling, or caged up that seem to be wasting away and forgotten. If they notice you, they'll try to plead with you to let them out, bribing you with information on Lucifer that no one else knows, but it's probably for the best you don't. There seem to be a few free spaces waiting for new additions after all... and besides, they've got to be locked down there for a reason, right?

Let them go against all better judgement and they'll most likely just rattle something off while they take off running as quick as they can.

Listen closely enough and you might hear tortured screams as they're presumably killed upon reaching the main floor of the lobby. It was probably inevitably, so don't blame yourself.

Anyway, moving on you keep going past the dungeon, and you'll finally find the room with the furnace and breakers to reset. It shouldn't take long to flip them back, but they'll continue to trip on and off for a while and may require multiple groups to make a return trek down to reset them until the demons finally correct the issues with the wiring that is causing these outages.

Speaking of issues with the wiring and what may have caused them... Hang around the bar or lobby enough, or around any area of the community, and you may hear muttering of something called The Veiled Order from beyond the gates. Some of the demons seem excited, others seem nervous. If asked, the demons may brush guests off. If drunk enough or given proper incentive, they may tell a story about a group of rebellious demons that Lucifer tried to cast out. They were damned to live in the burnt forests outside the gates, but sometimes, they still cause trouble.

Apparently, they thought they could be better rulers than Lucifer and were quite discontent with how he maintains Hell.

Some may say they're worried the Order is causing mischief by messing with the hotel, having had ample opportunity to sneak back within the gates. Others will laugh heartily and insist that it's a dumb tale to scare young demons, nothing more. Certainly nothing to worry about.

Another thing guests may overhear or bribe out of demons around the bar or club is talk about the call of infernal nightmares. If pressed for more info, the demons won't give much beyond the fact that it's a miserable thing, entirely miserable.

Prompt II

Apparently what the goblin-like demons accidentally set free are strange demons that possess fungi, dust, and dirt. They don't seem to quite be from this world, but they're called Coal Tars apparently. They're harmless creatures for the most part, but they do have a love of following around people with dark or sinister natures.

The staff will be offering a reward of a gourmet dinner of the guest's choice if anyone around the hotel will help to capture these little pests and bring them to the front desk. Afterwards, they'll be returned to the basement and locked away again.

Otherwise, people are free to ignore them or laugh at the people who can't seem to shake the little creatures following them around.

Careful though, breathing them in can make your lungs rot. Nasty way to go probably.

REACH UP HIGH

Prompt I
Warnings: cutting, blood, torture.

Whether you've been here for months or you're freshly arrived, your demonic overlord expects some participation. You can try and shirk the responsibility, of course. You can bargain your way out of it for a while. But eventually, you may find yourself trapped in a room just off the gym that's been fondly dubbed the torture room. It has all manner of equipment in there, along with an iron maiden even.

But don't worry about any of that right now. It probably won't be used.

You can try the door, but even with super human strength or every lock picking skill in the book, you won't be able to open it.

It soon becomes apparent what you're supposed to do soon enough when someone else is eventually shoved in with you. Both of your lists of sins will appear on a table that's been placed in the center of the room with two handy knives. You can choose to guard these or not care at all that they're on display.

"Know that honesty is a good place to start on your road to redemption. Sure, it can be terrifying at first, but that's why you've been given a partner in this journey. Pick up your knives and carve at least one sin into each other's flesh. Help in the journey to be candid with everyone you should meet here!"

The voice echoes all around you again, just like in the nightmare, and once again there's the pull to give in. This voice really does seem like it has your best interests at heart.

"If you need a bit of encouragement, we'll be giving it shortly."

It isn't a lie or idle threat either. The longer you wait to do what's been requested of you, the more shallow cuts that will appear on both of your bodies. Are you really prepared to endure this pain when giving in would be so much easier?

And more than that, are you willing to let another suffer along with you?

Eventually, the cuts will stop if you suffer them long enough, but you'll have failed this challenge and sustained more damage than if you'd just gone along with it. Satan will also be very disappointed in you.

Prompt II

"A generous nature is an important part of being a righteous person. Greed is a sin my Father frowns on quite a bit. What I ask you to do today is to go out and find a gift for that special someone or friend of yours and give them something to smile over."

With the items available in the basement and the shop in the hotel carrying a few new items, Lucifer would like to spread the good will of gift giving. It doesn't matter if you're not well acquainted with each other yet. You don't need to be! Anyone can spread cheer by giving a gift.

And if you don't, expect to be in excruciating pain for a few hours, and struggling for a breath. If you can't share a gift, then you don't deserve to share all that oxygen, do you?


FOLLOW ME DOWN

Prompt I
Warnings: Alcohol and drug abuse, potential non-con/dub-con.

With all the sinners, new and old, the bar will be lit up with activity and absolutely bustling with guests and demons alike. Food and drinks will be readily available and provided by hotel staff (although they might not always know what humans eat. What do you mean, you don't like fried kitten?), music will be blaring, and overall, there will be an energy to the atmosphere that's absolutely contagious. Even if you aren't typically inclined to linger at these sorts of events, there will be a certain pull to stay and have a bit of fun.

You may not get much of a chance to have that in hell after all. So one drink won't hurt, right? Nor will one more after that.

There will also be every sort of party drug available that might tickle your fancy. There's no harm in experimenting, is there? You're already in hell and the staff is handing it out and so helpfully showing you how to use it, or recommending a type that would suit what you want.

You've presumably done your atonement for the day, yes? So cut back a bit, let loose. Hell might be pain and torment, but it's also a nonstop party in the bar.

There's even a brand new stage and a karaoke machine for those feeling brave!

Ask the staff demons very nicely and you may even get less scrupulous drugs as well. Things that will convince your fellow damned souls to tell only the truth for a fun prank, or perhaps even potions that will make someone so enamored with you, they won't take their eyes, or hands, off you. How dare they give you the cold shoulder earlier, right? You've got them now.

There are also tables set up for all sorts of gambling and various bar games to entertain yourself with. Since currency as most are familiar with it doesn't quite exist down here, most of the demons seem to be accepting bits of your soul, if you're in a gambling mood. You may also get pulled into a fun game of strip poker against one of your fellow guests for a few succubi that are having a night out.

Relax and enjoy your night. Coming here and facing your sins is the hard part, so surely you deserve to have a little fun, right?

Prompt II
Warnings: sex, aphrodisiacs, potential dubcon/noncon, potential kinks.

The club within Penance has always offered many options for debauchery, but now it seems they're stepping things up a bit. There are themed rooms for sex machines (the same that were present at the carnival) that can be controlled by a demon or a partner. If asked, they'll gladly set you up on stage to put on a performance for the entire club.

They won't side eye you for any other kink you ask for either, however depraved it is.

But the succubi are handing out potions again, that can be taken willingly or not. The purpose of them is to strip away all of your inhibitions... or in certain cases, your mind as well as your will. It will leave those who take the potion as a perfect little pet or slave for someone.

It doesn't matter if you're generally strong-willed or not interested in submitting. You'll find yourself wanting to please someone until it's the most important thing on your mind. Maybe until it's the only thing on your mind. It doesn't even matter if you generally hate or adore the person you've attached yourself to, you'll find yourself sinking down on your knees anyway.

This is the perfect time to play out all those daddy kinks, domination and submission scenes, or perhaps a bit of pet play. It doesn't matter what theme of the game you choose, you're suddenly all for it no matter what.

Because you just want to make someone happy, even if what makes them happy is hurting you as much as pampering.

MISC.
Thanks for joining us for our fourth test drive meme, sinners! Reserves are now open for the upcoming app round on August 1st

If you want to speak with Lucifer, you're free to text or pray to him right here

If you let a demon loose in the dungeon, reply here to see what tidbit of info they revealed!

If you have a comment, suggestion, etc. please go here!

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Comments

[spacebebop]

( Jet shakes his head, he would agree with Faye. It was one of her careful behaviors, a good one really, taking care of herself and all. Spike did the same - though the lot of them were always a bit underfed.

Jet pulls in a breath and straightens his back before he sighs. His eyes lower to the hot cocoa which he soon takes a sip of. Afterwards he lowers his hand and nods to Faye. )

So, what's the catch, why am I drinking some delicious hot cocoa in Hell and why are you looking fine as you ever did in Hell..?

[bountyhead]

I don't know, Jet, why are you drinking delicious hot cocoa in Hell? [ Why are you here?? ] Were you being a naughty boy?

[ She can't help but feed into the temporary insouciance as some form of escapism from the gravity of the situation. She had all but done her fair share of mulling over the what-ifs and whys and hows for the past two months and she wasn't prepared to go through it all over again with another person she cared about. But nothing lasts for long, does it. Not even her attempt to keep things light because eventually Jet would have questions that she'd have to answer. He already did.

She sighs and casts her gaze out the window. ]

To be honest, I haven't figured out what the catch is. I'm not even sure how I ended up here. [ Finally, she'll ask. ] Can you remember anything? [ She turns her head and faces him once more, this time with a curious but rueful look in her eyes. She's not expecting him to know. ]

[spacebebop]

( Her sassy response was expected, and considered. Jet looks away as his thoughts lift themselves back onto the Bebop. Pretty sure he was anxious as hell and waiting for some word or sight of Spike. The last time he'd seen him the man wafted into his ship like a bad smell. Made a small stink and left. Just like the both of them, actually. Faye and Spike.

Damn, Ed too.

Jet looks back to Faye as she speaks up again. He knew that expression, it was the same damned one he wore when he looked at himself in the mirror earlier that night. Did you die, you dumb son of a bitch? Yeah, that's about right. )

We were on the Bebop. We were fine. Pretty sure we decided to chase Ed and Ein.

[bountyhead]

[ A tinge of heartache warms across her chest from his answer. ]

No, what I meant was-- [ She pauses. There's no other way to ask it so just spit it out! ] Do you remember... dying?

[ That wasn't something she's asked anyone yet, and she feels bad that it's Jet who is the first. She couldn't have been the only one and she's hoping that included him. It was one less heavy thing that weighed on her mind, in spite of how often she wondered about it. Faye wanted it to be one less thing to weigh on his as well. ]

[spacebebop]

We were fine.

( He repeats, his answer comes at no hesitation and he looks at her with the weight of his conviction. No one died on his ship. As for Spike, ... Jet pushes the thought from his mind and instead focuses on the strength of his expression. His thoughts circle back to the last bit he remembered; being left in space alone with Faye. Spike's stupid cat story nipping at the hair on the back of his neck and a strong will to ignore the likelihood of the stray wondering back home again. )

[bountyhead]

[ Faye's silent. The last thing she could remember was lounging on the couch, listlessly thumbing through a magazine while Jet tended to his Bonzai in the other room -- same as it ever was. She recalls the numbing quietude that often swept through the ship when they weren't talking, or bickering, or she was flipping through channels while he cooked or tinkered with some parts.

The same ache from before seems to swell to an extreme before it finally relents. She missed having that little bit of normalcy, in spite of the lingering pain they both shared in the wake of there only being half a crew then. It's a pain that has since morphed and splintered off for a number of reasons. But at least there were the three of them, together again. She could find comfort in that much. ]

But we're not fine anymore, Jet. We're in Hell. For every moment that isn't terrible, there's a multitude of shit waiting to counteract it. Spike will tell you.

[spacebebop]

( Jet brings his hand up to his face and gently scratches at his left cheek then up to the side of his eye. She was right about that, they weren't fine, not anymore. But, just what could they do about it but reconnaissance in the moment? There wasn't a multitude of shit on the horizon, as far as he could see, well - save for the blood-fire rain that was coming down outside. Jet thought that would be as normal as any day down in this place. Course he was new and ignorant, which is why he'd look to Faye and Spike for some much needed leadership.

At least for a little while, until he gets his feet hot down here.

He huffs finally and lowers his hand to his side before he brings the other up to sip at the hot cocoa in his mug. Once again, the hot chocolate seems so bitterly out of place but he's also pretty sure it's the best damn hot cocoa he'd ever had in his ... life.

He lowers the mug down from his lips. )

Yeah, I'm sure he will. But.. what can you tell me about this place? ( Faye's intuition should spark something than Spike's clumsy resolutions. Although, who's he to really split hairs at this point? The two of them were a lot alike. )

[bountyhead]

[ She watches him closely, assuming it was reality sinking in that induced his silent pondering. Ignorance was to be expected but he was just so casual about it. It was weirdly refreshing, if only because it made things feel a bit more... homely. Like they were still on the ship. Just the two of them. Typical Jet and his line of thinking.

Faye notices the gradually drying hot cocoa that had spilt on his cybernetic arm and walks over where there's conveniently placed napkins and grabs some. She returns and starts gingerly cleaning up the small mess. She has to wonder if he even felt that.

After that small act of kindness, she looks up at the taller man with an arched brow. ]

There's a lot about this place I could tell you. What do you want to know?

[spacebebop]

( He clears his throat and settles for allowing her to dab the mess up from his arm. It was a nice gesture, a real nice one, in fact - he can't quite remember the last time she went out of her way to do something like this for him. He could definitely remember her sarcasm and attitude; some of which he thought was funny after the fact and some he's still a bit bitter about but he couldn't possibly admit that to her.

Her question sparks his interest to the conversation once again and he nods toward her. )

Well, from a woman's perspective, what's your theory about what's going on here?

[bountyhead]

From a "woman's perspective"? [ She cocks a brow at him; a smirk to follow. There's a playful air to her voice. Jet often liked to act as though he had women figured out but the fact of the matter was, he didn't. And it showed, like in the way he worded that question. Her smirk breaks into a smile as she finishes cleaning up the mess, then crumples up the napkin in her hand. ]

I might have a theory. [ Or was suspicion a better word for it? She reaches into her jacket for a cigarette before offering one to him. ] We're in Hell, doomed to stay here for all eternity until we redeem ourselves and maybe get to leave. [ The short version. She shrugs. ] Except I think that's just what we're made to believe. [ She lights her cigarette and then hands the lighter over to Jet. ] Lucifer is not as gracious of a host as he tries to make himself out to be.

And -- [ A quick drag brings thick curls of smoke to dance between them. Her gaze locks with his and a sort of earnestness highlights pools of emerald suddenly. ] I don't think we're ever meant to leave this place.

[spacebebop]

(What he said, Jet thinks, was a nice way of implementing that women and men have "different" ways of thought - especially Faye. She was more keen to be outspoken on the theories and treachery she thought was happening around her. It was all about navigation. His years on the ISSP helped him fine tune that skill of navigating through different people; though, that's not to say he doesn't mess up from time to time.

He takes the reception of his inquiry and her response to be feedback that he navigated this carefully and effectively. So he thinks. Jet gives a small smile to Faye. However, the smile dissipates soon enough to her words. He takes the cigarette and props it between his lips. He takes the lighter in his hand, his fingers absently fondling the device a moment before he lights his own cigarette. She's brought up something he's thought of before, and he's happy to share those ideas with someone, with Faye in particular. For as far as he can recall about "Hell", nobody was meant to leave it. The only comfort, although selfish, was that he was here with both Faye and Spike. Their presence here was a familiar one, a welcomed one. Jet inhales, holds the smoke in his lungs and exhales first through his lips then through his nostrils. The burn is another familiar comfort.)

Then we'll stick together here, for as long as we're all here.

[bountyhead]

[ Her gaze follows Jet's movement as he ignites the end of his cigarette; the flame flickering and drawing attention to the details of his face in its brief illuminance. When he inhales, the cherry glows bright red and then dims, spilling thick ribbons of smoke. She centers on his face once more and gives in to a smile. ]

That's all we have now, isn't it? Each other?

[ The question beckons forward a snippet of a past conversation she had with Spike. He had helped her feel grounded in the camaraderie that connected them. And now with Jet here, that meant the feeling doubled and provided a small sense of security for her. But it also amplified her fears. She refuses to think about that right now. ]

So... where's your room? Have you gotten acquainted with your roommates yet?