TEST DRIVE ∞ May 2025

[thediadem]

Test Drive ∞ May 2025

The First Collision

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Jump ⇅ :: Arrival — Panorama — Fringes — Invite Request

The Diadem is an invite-only panfandom game set in a retro-futuristic world where uprooted souls find themselves deep within an eerie wasteland of roads and highways frequently assailed by cosmic storms. Three united strongholds keep the population. Its capital is Panorama, a large metropolis at the planet's center.

Soon, you realize you aren't alone. Calling themselves fluxdrifts, the "locals" have similar stories to you, either for themselves or their ancestry. You speak to an old woman who claims she hailed from another star. You meet a young man who says his great-great-grandfather knew a strange language everybody spoke "back home." As you explore, you stumble across a coin you recognize or your sister's locket. How did it get here? What does this mean? That's for you to discover.

But first, you need to find a ride.

No invites needed to play on the TDM. Everyone's welcome! Use the Invite Request thread below to request an invite from another player.

∞ Summary ∞

IC-wise, arrivals are scattered throughout the month. Events described on the TDM are also ongoing throughout the month. If you'd rather jump right into the action, you're free to begin in media res with your character having already been on the planet for several days.

Post-impact, characters will wake up in a med tent by the Scrapyard. From there, they must accept a vehicle on loan and make the 2-hour drive to the nearest city, Panorama. If they refuse the car because they don't want the loan, they'll be in debt for medical bills instead...so just take the car. It'll come in handy.

Some things to keep in mind when bringing in your character:

• Pick an injury. At minimum, they got knocked out; at most, whatever they can recover from. Medicine is decently advanced so they'll heal faster if not painlessly.
• Decide items kept. Reasonable items on their person only: photos, keys, clothes, costumes. No pets or animal companions. Wildly out-of-place tech and personal cell phones will be damaged beyond repair.
• Select a weapon. Do this only if eligible. Guidelines about weapons and powers are on the FAQ.
• Choose a vehicle. Decide whether your character gets 2-3 options or if they're stuck with something they hate. Players can pick directly from our collection or source their own images. Anything under a similar aesthetic will work. If your character needs accommodations for driving, they can have them. Ask us for details.
• Get a phone. Characters have to obtain a phone (and a SIM card) themselves. If they've got one from home, it's damaged beyond repair. Phones are cheap. It'll only take a couple of weeks to afford one. You need to know the number before you text or call anyone. Read about phones and the Forum before you hop on it.

TDM threads can be canon if characters are accepted. Top-levels made to the TDM should be open to all.

TDM Questions? Here — Game Questions? FAQ

Setting — Taken — Reserves — Applications ::: ⇅ Top

Fluxdrift

Arrival & Introduction

Date: Throughout May

You've tumbled over a cliff. You were fighting for your life. You're on the cusp of death. You slipped in the shower. Whatever the catalyst, you struggle to cling to consciousness. As darkness overtakes you, a swirling vortex warps light and shadow in a way that defies all physics. A dark wail etches into your very bones. You couldn't describe it if you tried. You can barely comprehend what it is.

Then you open your eyes.

Through the figure's mask ©, you swear the face is grinning down at you. The tent you're in smells of antiseptic, and scratchy blankets line your cot. Injuries you've sustained have been bandaged. In the corner, you spot a MedBot that's fixed you up. Depending on the extent of your injuries, the doctor on duty might give you some painkillers before you go. Thankfully, your belongings are by the exit. Sorry if anything's damaged. Your landing was pretty rough.

You follow the figure outside. They are Yom Crook, here to lend a hand to fellow fluxdrifts like yourself. Their car's parked beside them. Actually, there are lots of cars around, but Yom Crook's stands out with its painted shark mouth. They explain they found you, unconscious, in a diffusion zone and brought you here. The nearest city is a 2-hour drive northeast. Forget about walking. You'll never make it. Also, you owe the doctor a lot of money for patching you up. But you're in luck: they've got some wheels for you and if you accept the vehicle on loan, Yom Crook will cover your medical bills. That's a good deal, right? It's not the shiniest car or motorcycle, but it'll do. If fortune favors, you'll get to choose between two or three options. Plus, if you need accommodations to drive—like adjustments to your seat height or modified controls—you'll receive all that for free.

Take the vehicle. (And the loan.) Yom Crook assures you that you'll have six months before collectors come around. Any time you're ready to pay a part of it down, return here to the Scrapyard. You'll get a receipt and everything. Paying off the loan in six months isn't impossible, but it will take a lot of work. Just don't get too lax. There's a good chance you'll be juggling multiple loans as you try to get by.

You either know how to drive, or you'll have a bare-bones manual to get you started. Road rules are more a suggestion than enforced, so just hit the pedal and go. The car has some basic features. The built-in compass will help you navigate.

OPTIONAL PROMPTS: a flat tire; a body on the road (is it a trap?); a fender bender

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Panorama

Explore & Settle In

Conditions: Warm spring temperatures, light showers

After 2 hours on the road, you find civilization. The largest of the strongholds, Panorama is where the economy thrives. Massive power plants glowing red make it visible from a distance. The city is divided into three districts. For now, you can access the Pavilion and the Blocks. Don't worry about the Sanctum; they're not letting you in.

You only need to know two things about Panorama: 1) it's big, the size of a modern metropolis, and you'll need your car to get around; 2) anything goes as long as you don't pick a fight with the wrong person. Street smarts will get you far. Despite its geographical size, the population isn't huge. With roughly a million people in a city designed for over twice that number, Panorama is far from deserted, but nor is it overcrowded. It's a good thing. Resources are limited as it is.

The Pavilion: Free Samples

©

Like any large city, Panorama features a couple of supermarkets. The stock's not as consistent as a proper supermarket. On occasion, shelves can remain cleaned out for a week or two. Regardless, the long tradition of free samples remains. If you're not already shopping, you'll notice the crowded parking lot and clusters of lines inside.

Try samples, push through the crowds as you shop, or give yourself a five-finger discount. If you're cautious, you can pocket a few small items without consequences. The Pavillion doesn't have the infrastructure for surveillance; unless someone sees you, you won't be caught. Steal from the store or pilfer someone's wallet. Maybe you even make a new friend if you bump into another fluxdrift. Or, start a fight with somebody who cut you off in the cheese line. Don't make too much of a ruckus, or you'll be thrown out.

As you look around, you'll see posters advertising temporary positions for the cash register or graveyard shifts in the warehouse. Seems they might've lost several employees recently (how'd that happen?), which is good for you! It's just a 6-week position, but it'll get you on your feet. The city has temporary positions like this all over. Permanent ones are harder to come by when you're new.

Samples include: steamed cabbage dumplings, synthetic cherry juice, cheddar cheese, and chocolate-covered alien eggs (it's crunchy and weirdly tasty). They're served in the usual throwaway paper cups with little toothpicks.

The Blocks: Power Outage

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Power's finicky in Panorama, especially in the Blocks. Saint Margery's Hospital, located in the same area, has priority for power so the first to go are the motels. Maybe you've been in your room for a couple of weeks, maybe you just got here—and by the way, every motel desk is happy to put the fee on your tab if you don't have the money upfront—but all the motels on the east side are in a blackout, leaving only the west side motels up and running.

What do you do? You have three choices:

• Risk leaving your room and head to the other side where there's power. Knock on some doors and negotiate with another to share the room. They might shut the door in your face, ask for a favor in return, or be nice enough to help you with no strings attached. There's no guarantee your unattended room will be untouched, though, and you'll be on the hook for any damages an intruder causes.
• Sit in the dark and deal. It's not the worst idea, but the TV's down, the vending machines are powered down, and with the entire place plunged into darkness, you risk getting robbed. If you struggle with defending yourself, you might want to find some trustworthy company. You can also sneak out of there and let them take your leftover pizza. It's not like you've got a ton of valuables, right? Plus, clobbering someone in the face with a frying pan sounds great until you realize you've gotta do something with the body. And what if this person's got a friend waiting?
• Get in your car and drive (or grab a friend for a road trip). If you scroll the Forum, you might notice reports on diffusion zones southward. Besides, these motels are hardly your forever home. The city can only provide so much. Why not go for a ride and see what you can find out there?

OPTIONAL PROMPTS: clean up on aisle 3 (what is that goo?); a knock at your door but no one's there; you hear screaming or a commotion down the hall

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©

The Fringes

Quad 3: Lockdown

Conditions: Stormy, with flooding roads

Felix Bjurstrom
> Date: 125-05-17
> Time: 02:15:57

> Emergency road lights have been reported in Quadrant 3! Please, can someone go see what's there? When last we chasers investigated emergency lights, a whole truck filled with sour candy had tipped over. Our stores were stocked for weeks! Oh, be careful - reception looks bad in that zone.

Whether you end up here on your own or you were following a tip on the Forum, the outcome is the same: you come to a stop in front of a 2-story office building that's flooded several inches deep. Emergency lights from a roadblock flicker through the stormy night. Stepping out of your car, you're soaked within seconds. When you check your phone, you don't have any bars. No calls in or out.

Through the open windows, a computer awakens and displays a cheerful smile. The lights inside switch on.

Pick your scenario role below. Your thread partner doesn't need to take the opposite role! They can join you in the same scenario (i.e. trapped together). Players are also free to create a generic NPC for the other side to facilitate the thread.

After characters escape, they'll find one bottle of antibiotics in their pocket or car, whether they remember taking it or not.

A: Sealed In
As you peer through the windows, you see crates of medicine floating around. Antibiotics in the diadem are valuable. Hospitals and doctors are always buying. You can keep it for yourself or make a quick buck. Or maybe you're compelled to help somebody back in the city who's in need. Whatever the reason, you decide to take the risk and step inside.

Water splashes around your ankles. The lock buzzes behind you. If you try to break the windows, you discover they're unnaturally resistant to shattering. With the whole place locked tight, the water begins to churn. Then the computer lights up again.

Warning, it flashes in large, bold text. Quarantine in progress. Release code required for exit.

• To find the code, you'll have to search. Duck under the water, go through sopping envelopes and sticky notes or pick the locks on the filing cabinets and desk drawers. You can also try hacking the computers. Use your computer knowledge or fall back on the age-old trick of seeing who wrote down their password.
• The files, notepads, and emails start innocuous, but as you look through them, disturbing phrases jump out at you—a dark thought you've had or a cruel taunt from someone in your past. The longer you're fixed on the terrible words, the higher the water begins to rise. Only another can break you out of your trance.
• With the rising water comes fear. And the more you're afraid, the more the water also rises. You begin to see faces in the water, bobbing like balloon heads. Do you recognize them? If you move to take a closer look, they will sink back beneath the surface as if never there.
• If you manage to swallow your panic, you can eventually find a triple-laminated binder with the release code and instructions. Bad news: you need someone on the outside to punch in the 6 strange symbols in order. The instructions explain that the code panel is located at the back of the building.

Let's hope a friendly face comes along.

B: Set Free
As you peer through the windows, you see not just the crates of medicine but someone trapped inside. They look like they might be in trouble, and from your vantage point, you notice that the water is bubbling strangely. It's definitely not normal rainwater. As you watch, the water rises unnaturally, stopping and starting. It's as if the water level is responding to an external stimulus.

• The glass is soundproof. You can't hear what the person inside is saying, so you'll have to communicate with each other another way. Try charades, typing on your phone, or whatever you think of. Eventually, you determine that they're stuck and that you need to enter some sort of code onto a pad located—according to your trapped partner—at the back of the building.
• Around the back, shadows swallow your surroundings. The panel must be pried open, but a slippery substance makes it hard to get a good grip. Each time the substance touches you, you grow uneasy. You swear you see eyes watching you, though when you turn around, nothing's there.
• You can't seem to keep the instructions in your mind. And those symbols...they burn into your retinas. Through them, you glimpse an incomprehensibly massive figure unfurling in the darkness, pulsing as if in a deep sleep. When you snap back to reality, you realize you've injured yourself, slicing your hand on a sharp edge or a bruise you can't remember getting.
• Once you manage to release the doors, the water inside the office drains upward into the sky as though sucked out by a giant hose. The darkness spreads. Get out of there fast before the shadows drag you or your partner into the void.

Of course, you don't have to help anyone. You can leave the individual there, make a deal, or outright extort them. But remember, you're not the only person on these roads. You might want to play your cards carefully, even if altruism isn't your first instinct.

Main Navigation ::: ⇅ Top

Comments

sanji | one piece live action

[mouton]

ARRIVAL — scrapyard

[ he can barely comprehend how exactly he'd ended up in this place, much less how he landed himself in this sudden debt he's supposed to pay out in six months. six months, which would have seemed like a lifetime back on the baratie, but these days, he's meant to be out on the open seas, swiftly heading towards the grand line without a second to spare outside the company of his crewmates. yet now, there isn't a drop of ocean in his sights, nothing but some old vehicle he barely understands that seems to almost mock the color of the very sea he hoped to be sailing across. ]

Luffy, where the hell are you? [ he mutters to no one at all, nothing but the heat of the open air as he peers around the collection of other cars scattered similarly through the scrapyard, seemingly prepared for anyone else meant to fall in this same bizarre predicament as himself, hoping that one of them might be one of his very own friends from home.

though he should probably try to learn how to use the car, he instead gives a hop to climb up onto its hood, long legs hanging over the side as he reaches into his jacket pocket. to his relief, a unique golden lighter still sits there, but with a few more pats, he realizes there's something else missing.

fuck.

lifting his head up just as someone walks somewhat close within the parking lot, he gives a wave to try to get their attention. ]

Excuse me! [ and if it's a woman, he'll definitely add a charming "beautiful" to the end of the greeting, of course. ] You wouldn't happen to have a cigarette on you, would you?

FRINGES — sealed in

[ not knowing a doctor means that there's plenty of value in medicine, not of the monetary kind since sanji's hardly interested in trying to make a berry — or whatever it is that people mean to exchange in these parts — but in making sure people he cares about are plenty taken care of, and it hardly seems like this medicine is getting all its use sitting forgotten in this building. but almost instantaneously, sanji meets the conflict of his own recklessness when the door locks behind him and the water begins to rise. good of a swimmer that he is, it'll hardly matter much once he loses all opportunity for actually breathing, once it reaches the top.

release code it says but hell if he knows the code as he tries to search amongst the scatter of notes and papers for some sort of writing that would indicate as such. most of it speaks of things that bear no interest to what he's looking for, talks of inventory and stock, shuffling through hastily, eyes glazing over each word in a rush — and halting suddenly as one seems to stab him in his very gut, as if he could feel its sharpness, digging deep into his inside.

VINSMOKE

he feels a lump in his throat, fingers beginning to shake as his eye lock into that single scribbled word, shaken by its simple legible placement on that piece of paper. his breathing falls shallow, and his knees grow wet as if the water has begun to rise past it, but his mind remains distracted, hand reaching slowly for that paper ...

and stopping suddenly, jolted out of the trance as he hears some kind of sound at the window — a tapping or banging or other noise — and sees someone on the other side of it. ]

WILDCARD — anything goes

( open to doing literally any kind of threads, in various locations at various times of the month. sanji is taken from the netflix live action version of one piece, directly from the end of season one. feel free to dm me for plotting or discussions, especially if you'd like to do something beyond the prompts above! ♥ )

arrival

[kingsroads]

[ Jonathan Strange, former magician at arms to the Duke of Wellington, a man permitted to perform magic on behalf of King George III, foremost scholar and magician of the age, is staring at his shitty little Mitsubishi minicab with a look of absolute confusion. There's a manual in his hand but from the completely overwhelmed expression on the man's face, he has no idea where to start.

The other man coming up and asking him a question serves as a wonderful distraction. Strange pats down his pockets, reaching in to his coat pocket to double-check...and winces slightly, before shaking his head. ]

I don't carry cigarettes normally, but I don't even have my snuff with me. Still, there should be something like that around here, right? This place might be... [ Confusing. Uncivilized. A bit scary. ] ...uncouth, but there should at least be a market here—or, as that gentleman said, one in the next town over.

[mouton]

[ sanji thinks he has a fairly good knack for spotting out a fellow smoker and, for a moment, his face brightens upon seeing the man patting at his coat as though it confirms he'd made the correct choice in asking. when he ultimately receives that shake of a head in response, he purses his lips together with momentary disappointment. ]

Yeah, that's what I'm hearing. That there's more out — [ he gives a vague wave of his hand out towards to endless openness of the field beyond. ] There.

[ he frowns a bit at the thought. it's not that he's necessarily scared of what's beyond, not when it's hardly as overwhelming as the grand stretch of the seas that he stares upon each day, but it does mean having to keep moving before finding the rest of his friends. ]

Wasn't in too much of a rush to get out there, but looks like I might, at this rate. [ he stares down at the car he's sitting upon, frown only deepening. ] You ever use one of these things?

[kingsroads]

Absolutely not, [ said with zero hesitation. Strange is regarding the car as one would a wild animal. There's curiosity in his expression, but there's also hesitation. He'd love to drive one of these things. He has no idea how. ]

My realm is far more horse and carriage than this—but when I mentioned the possibility of renting some horses to the man who runs this junkyard, he laughed at my face.

[ Which hurt Strange's feelings more than he'd like to let on. It's hardly his fault he doesn't know what a car is! [

[mouton]

Ah. [ sanji's lips press together in recognizing that he and this man aren't too off in confusion over their transportation situation. which may not exactly be the most comforting thing since it means relying again on that manual to get it figured out. ]

Yeah, they, ah, didn't seem like they cared too much about having their customers feel too comfortable. If you can even call it that. Pretty sure it's all a scam.

[ if sanji weren't a pirate, he'd probably feel a little more concerned about the whole thing. but his loan is the least of his current problems. ]

But don't feel too bad about it, hey? Least it's all on land. Me? I'm a man of the sea. Give me a boat and I can find my way around, but this — [ he gives a humorless laugh, patting his hand on the hood with a sigh. ] Not as much my territory.

[kingsroads]

A Navy man, I'm assuming?

[ You're assuming wrong, buddy. ]

I've worked with the Admiralty a few times myself—though most of my work has been with the Army.

[ Strange is leaping to some major conclusions in the hope that he'll have someone who's kind of in the same situation as he is. But so much of this world is confusing and aggravating...it would be nice to have someone in the same situation as him. ]

[mouton]

[ the mention of the navy makes sanji laugh. he can't help it, considering the irony. though as the man describes his own experiences, he wonders if he comes from a similar kind of world. ]

Really? Sounds to me like we're meant to be on opposing sides then, friend.

[ at least, in theory. in a place like this, he's still not quite sure what the sides are meant to be. ]

Actually, I'm a pirate. As far as I know, any navy or admirals aren't gonna like me much. Just slipped out of the Marines' hands not too long before ending up here.

[ which maybe he shouldn't brag about, but sanji doesn't tend to get too nervous about things like that, though he's sure if usopp were here, he'd probably be freaking out over the blond's willingness to talk as much as he is. ]

arrival (isn't he supposed to be in the kitchen?)

[kitetsu]

[ the goal posts for normal seemed to shift by the day, since taking luffy up on the offer to join his crew. they’d seen their share of weird shit during their brief time sailing together, but this? this was pushing it. sure, he’d woken up facedown in a few bars he didn’t fully remember – but there wasn’t enough alcohol in the east blue to explain how he’d wound up here, head clear and patience waning.

zoro didn’t like it – and he liked the idea of immediate debt even less, particularly for a service he hadn’t asked for in the first place. the lingering burn in his still-healing wound suggested they’d cleaned him up while he was out, his bandages freshly redressed. unnecessary and overpriced, considering he’d been handling it well enough on his own, even with the additional strain from the previous fight.

pretty sure a few strips of gauze didn’t add up to six months worth of debt.

luffy’s absence was the first he’d noticed. his captain wasn’t known for his restraint, much less his subtlety; had he been anywhere in the immediate area, zoro – and everyone else – would have heard him by now. the rest of the crew, he wouldn’t make a guess either way until he’d had a chance to properly look around. might not be so bad to have an extra pair of eyes watching his back, at least until he’d gotten a better idea of what they were getting into. and, more importantly, how they were getting back out of it.

which was how he’d ended up wandering the scrapyard, a hand instinctively rested on wado’s hilt, still keenly aware of the two other empty holsters at his hip. so far, just a whole lot of vehicles and not much else. not the type of place he’d expect usopp to linger for long, if he’d landed here on his own. nami would make her way just fine, likely already talking down that loan by a month or three, and the other guy-

zoro had been hovering near the outskirts, looking over one of the cars with half-interest when he’d caught the sound of his voice. recognition dawned with a twitch of the muscle in his jaw.

it would be the waiter he’d come across first.

turning around, he spotted him immediately, perched on a hood as he waved down someone beyond zoro’s view – not one of theirs, from the way he was talking. arms folded, he took the few steps out from behind a rusted truck bed, making no real effort to disguise his presence. ]

That line ever actually work, or did you hand those over with the rest of your berry?

kicks

[mouton]

[ there's plenty about this that's already immediately troubling, starting with that debt he can't even really confirm is valid in the first place. not that sanji is entirely too worried about it; there isn't a chance in hell he'd bring it up to nami once he sees her, despite her role on the ship being just as much berry bank as it is navigator, since he's hardly interested in sticking around long enough to make use of this loaned car anyway. but the missing presence of his new crew is what keeps holding most of his attention, to the point where only the soothing burn of cigarette smoke might be enough to calm the rise of those subtle nerves as he realizes there isn't even a dock in any visible distance to get him back to the sea.

unfortunately, even that comfort cigarette seems unobtainable at the moment as he waves out to a stranger with the hopes of finding at least one stick only to earn a regretful shake of a head instead. when he hears an actual familiar voice come up from nearby, sanji isn't sure if that makes things better or worse.

seeing any of his crew would bring a brightening smile to his face, because even if nami's presence would earn the widest smile of all, he'd be just as glad to know that luffy or usopp were around too. unfortunately, he hadn't accounted for what seeing zoro would do to his mood, feeling the impulse of a frown twitch at his lips instead. ]

Well, only an idiot would assume it's a line so I'm not surprised that's what you'd think.

[ he straightens up his spine, tucking the lighter back into his pocket since he knows the mosshead isn't going to have a cigarette on hand anyway. annoying as it is to see him anyway, it does signal a good possibility that he isn't the only one around. ]

The others with you?

[kitetsu]

[ the eyeroll didn’t need to be seen to be heard in his tone. ]

So that's a no.

[ leaving the words to hang for a moment, zoro turned his head away, expression pointedly neutral as he scanned the lot beyond once more.

it wasn’t that he needed the help; he’d operated on his own far longer than he had as part of a crew. yet, it wasn’t his own safety that was on his mind, like a persistent itch that couldn’t be scratched. the cook being accounted for wasn't nothing - but he wouldn't have been his choice to find first, either. while he had a knack for pressing his nerves, it wasn't so black and white as zoro actually disliking him. rather, sanji was decent in a fight; arlong park had proved as much. if shit went sideways - which it no doubt would - then he knew the blond could hold his own.

… not that zoro would tell him that.

eyes still fixed on some distant point, he shook his head. that answered one question – sanji hadn’t been any more successful in his search than he had. ]

Haven’t seen anybody else.

[ so far. the tight set of his shoulders betrayed the deeper unease, restlessness that came with lack of clear direction. the loan, the car – zoro still couldn’t put the pieces together on how they’d ended up here, and truth was, he didn’t really give a shit. the logistics wouldn’t change the fact they were separated, intentionally or not, and that they needed to figure out where to go next.

unfortunately, plans weren’t really his thing. if they found someone he could beat the answers out of, well… that part, he could handle.

shifting his weight, zoro let his hip rest against the scuffed side of the car, gaze running the length of it. he knew about as much about the vehicles as sanji did, if not less, but he could tell it wasn’t much to look at. ]

Hope they gave you a discount. This thing even run?

[mouton]

It's not a no.

[ really, he shouldn't even bother trying to put up an argument right here, right now, of all places and times, but somehow it's the first thing in all of this that feels like it gravitates him towards some kind of normal since he's arrived here. like in arguing with zoro, he could somehow pretend he's back on the deck of the merry, even when there isn't a drop of the sea around them.

unfortunately, he's snapped back towards disappointment with that answer. seeing no one else means, no nami, no luffy, no usopp. so where are they? is nami alright? is she in danger? does he need to jump in this car, figure out the methods to make it work, and race towards finding her as soon as possible?

the nerves of those possible answers makes him really ache for that missing cigarette. ]

Shit if I know. Haven't tried it yet. But I'll make it run. They didn't give you one?

[kitetsu]

[ zoro wasn’t buying it for a second - definitely a no.

there was a certain rhythm in their arguing, like falling back into a comfortable stride; the world around them couldn’t have been more different, but this remained a constant. a waste of time, obviously, but still a connection to the crew they’d carved out for themselves – even if zoro was still untangling what that even meant. normalcy? was it even that much, without the glue of luffy’s presence to hold it together?

close enough, for the time being – an anchor of familiarity amidst the chaos.

still leaned heavily up against the car door, zoro glanced down through the grimy film coating the window; one could almost believe he knew what he was looking at, with how he blandly appraised the steering wheel and upholstery. how hard could it be? ]

Left it near the entrance.

[ an offer accepted not without resistance. they’d already insisted that he owed for his medical expenses. rebranding it as a loan and a favour, pawning off some junk vehicle on him – not exactly winning him over. bullshit was still bullshit, regardless of the name they slapped on it. but what choice did he have? whether he took the deal or not, they still expected him to cough up the berry, or whatever they called money here. stubbornness wouldn’t change anything, so he might as well get something to show for it.

he looked back at sanji, brows knit, as he seemed to consider something. ]

Assuming you got the same speech I did.

[ unless he’d actually been in the market for a car. ]

[mouton]

You actually accepted it?

[ sanji's face scrunches at that answer, because despite the form of his question, his instincts said that zoro would be better off without the burden on one of these vehicles. what use is the debt of having that extra load to be responsible for when he probably wouldn't even know where to direct the thing. there's a very good reason, after all, why he isn't allowed to take the helm on the merry.

fully sliding himself off the hood of the car, a spot of wiped dusty sand now left where he'd sat (indicating that it'd probably now all gathered on the back of his pants, which he silently curses to himself over), he turns to face zoro there leaning against the door, his eyes peering over the length of the vehicle. ][ because they are getting out of here. ]

But there's no point in you having one. That's just more work for me trying to keep you on the road.

whatever i want

[carmesi]

( wanda should be used to blackouts by now, but every time it happens, something inside her feels unsteady, jolts her courage right out of her skin; blackouts in sokovia were plenty, and it always spelled something worse to come. when the buzz of electricity wanes and the world goes dark, she's halfway up the stairs to her motel room, holding her keys, which she drops.

metal clangs against metal, the keys falling. )

Shit.

( she mutters to herself, turning halfway to find them, knowing they fell down a few steps below her. but it's dark, some of these steps are uneven, and she feels herself slipping and taking a tumble the rest of the way down— )

♡ !!

[mouton]

[ he'd been enjoying a smoke just minutes before the blackout happens. ever since he'd finally found some cigarettes upon reaching panorama, he'd been smoking a bit more than he had even back on the baratie. a bit of a side effect from all the stress, for all that he doesn't let it spell obviously on his face, expression as casual and cool as the relaxed smile that matches his effortless charm when met with a stranger.

yet the longer he goes without seeing the sea, the more restless he feels without the salty breeze against his cheeks, his all blue seeming ever further out of his reach.

blowing out that last wisp of smoke, he taps the remaining cigarette stub beneath his shoe until the remaining embers fade out before he turns back to the motel, hands in his pockets as he walks the path to the stairs to return to his room.

and then comes that snap of silence as all the lights shut off, darkness enveloping his surroundings just as he approaches the foot of the stairs. nothing but the jangle of fallen keys and that mutter of shit from a woman's voice, quick to get his attention. continuing to listen, he can hear that stumble of footsteps, and even in the darkness, his instincts of a woman in danger seems to pulse, he braces his own feet firm at the foot of the stairs before the sudden barreling weight of the stranger's body collides into his own, acting as a solid barrier from a ground collision as he's quick to wrap his arms around her back, tightly securing her to his chest as the strength of his own legs maintains in keeping them both from crashing back. ]

Whoa, hey— I got you. [ aside from a brief backwards slide of his feet, he stays upright, head turning to her, his nose and lips tickled by from long strands of hair he isn't able to see in the dark. ] You alright, miss?

[carmesi]

( wanda expects to land on her hands and knees, earn herself some scrapes for her exhausted clumsiness, and maybe whiplash from the strain of the tumble. what she does not expect is to be effectively rescued, even if it happening at all is coincidental—he just happened to be here at the bottom of the stairs at the right place and time.

the last time wanda had been held like this, strong arms wrapped around her back, safely against a warm chest, had been with pietro. it feels forever ago, but it's barely been more than two years, and that is two years too many. there's the smell of nicotine vaguely on the shirt of her savior, but it's the entirety of this that takes her back to think of her brother and how much she misses him, how much she misses being held like this.

being in complete darkness like this, but for the reflection of lights in the distance, of the hospital a few streets away, of the moon shining down its pale light, helps wanda keep this illusion for a bit longer.

until he speaks, and it's definitely not pietro's voice.

wanda swallows hard, her throat feeling dry, and nods. )

—yeah, ( uhm ) sorry. Thanks.

( she peels herself away, hands curved lightly against his arms, as she catches her balance proper. she is reticent to speak much, mostly because she's not entirely the most talkative person around, but because she hates how strained her voice sounds.

(those waves again, crashing against her, making her feel like she's drowning; sanji misses the sea, and yet wanda can't seem to escape her unending ocean of grief, even here.) )

[mouton]

[ when he reaches to catch her, sanji isn't thinking of anything else but making sure she doesn't fall, that not a scratch of harm is earned by this unknown woman in the dark. yet even with the lack of an ulterior motive, there's still some minor depth of content satisfaction in the protective wrap around her, in being able to fulfill his own usefulness in the form of heroics. his sigh of relief is an honest one, when he feels her in the safety of his arms rather than the ground, a purpose achieved in keeping her from arm.

as he feels the slight movement of her withdrawal, he loosens his own arms at her back once he can sense her feet seem to be secure on solid ground, though his hands still graze light against her shoulders, simply to hover until he has full certainty that she can stand without trouble.

the dark remains, details unable to be made of her face, but as his eyes begin to adjust, he can just barely start to make the visual outline of her, about half a foot shorter than himself, hair falling straight over her shoulders where he can feel the strands brushing over his knuckles. ]

Yeah? That's good. Glad you aren't hurt. [ there's a genuine softness in his voice and if she isn't able to see his smile with the lack of light, it's certainly in his voice. ] Don't know what the hell happened to the lights, but — well, it's pretty dangerous now, walking on these stairs. Need some help getting to your room or something?

[carmesi]

( when he speaks more, it really does break the illusion; the accent is all wrong. wanda nods to his words, grateful despite the flooding memories that weaken her emotionally, and she's turning to glance around the stairs despite her eyes still not adjusting to the darkness.

(—and though she's separating herself from him, unconsciously, a hand remains holding onto one of his arms—as a point of reference, as an anchor, to just live in said illusion for a few seconds longer—) )

They're uneven, but I just moved here ( she's new ) so I haven't gotten used to them.

( hm.

realizing she's holding on to his arm, she lets go, brings arms closer to herself, clinging onto the strap of her cross-body bag. she'll start carefully making her way back towards the stairs, fishing for the phone she was given and hoping to use some of the light from the screen to catch the glint of her keys. it's no smartphone, but... )

—I need to find my keys.

( if he wants to help. )

[mouton]

[ for as long as he feels some physical connection of her fingers on him, he keeps his own hands where they are, steady at her shoulders assuming she needs all the assistance while readjusting her balance back to normal. even when she does withdraw her hand from his arm, he keeps his palms hovering close just to be ready in case she ends up tipping over as a result of unsteady ground or any lasting dizziness from the fall. ]

I'll have to sweet talk to management when I can then, get them to smooth those out. Shouldn't have to risk you getting hurt like that.

[ though if he could, he'd just as easily stand guard at the foot of these steps endlessly just to make sure young men like her don't face any risks in getting down these stairs, in darkness or light.

when she makes mention of her keys, the small subtle glow of the phone's light giving some shine upon the stairs, sanji is quick to step forward, carefully moving past her as he lowers himself on his knees on the bottom step, beginning to pat around on the higher steps. ] Don't you worry. I'll find them for you. [ he turns his head, his own face now visible in the gentle light, though still unable to see her. still, he gives a confident, easy going smile her way. ] You just stay right there and if you can cast that bit of light for me, I'll make sure you don't have to go through the trouble.

sealed in - pops in late with starbucks if u'll have me

[lessnosey]

[Usopp had been slipping into a bit of a scavenging role lately, but that's kind of what happens when you're dropped into a weird place with no support system while immediately owing money for a concussion you'd been treated for. What kind of B.S. is that, anyway? Point is, he's been on the road and on the lookout for anything particularly useful when the storm rolls in and makes riding on a motorcycle the absolute worst situation to be in. He drifts messily to a stop in front of the building in question with the sheer hope that it could provide a little coverage from the downpour.

Trying the door doesn't do anything, so he wipes at the goggles over his eyes and moves toward the windows instead. (Totally wasn't gonnna break and enter! He just wanted to, like, see if there was anyone inside. Pirate's honor.) He notices some kinda motion instead and knocks urgently on the glass.]

Hey! Anyone in there?

I just need a little break from this weather if you've got room!

[mouton]

[ the knocking on the glass is a good distraction, not solely from that jarring visual of a name, but as an alert to remind himself that he's not exactly in the best situation to be getting caught up in his own thoughts. plus ... ]

Usopp!

[ leave it in sanji to be a dangerous flooding situation and still finding a way to briefly grin at the relief in seeing a familiar face, particularly one of his very own crewmates that he'd spent far too much time separated from. whatever words usopp had called out on the other side though go completely unheard save for a muffling noise, which means his own shout is likely to be filtered the same on the other side.

still, he kicks through the water, trying to work his way closer towards the glass. ]

It's locked! [ he uses the motions of his hands to try to pair with the careful pronunciation of his lips in case usopp can decipher it, giving a point towards the door before vibrating his hand as if miming the jiggle of the handle being locked before crossing his arms to form an x. he works similar kinds of motions with the rest of his words, mouthing them slowly. ] It needs a code — from outside — to open.

[lessnosey]

The one and only!

[Does Sanji read those words on his lips? Either way, he's grinning and looking so pleased with him — for a moment, anyway. The smile slips when he realizes there's something totally off with the whole situation. Yo, is that water? And is it rising? And are you gonna drown in a hot minute? His eyes go comically wide behind his goggles before he locks in.]

It's — locked? Locked!

I know, I tried the door too!

[Okayokayokay, uuuHHH-]

What about — [He makes kicking gestures with his foot, then points at the window; surely just smashing their way out of things is a more Straw Hat way to make this work?! And not putting your life totally in his hands?!] Right?!

[mouton]

[ at least he and usopp seem to be able to find a rhythm of communication without the use of words, helpful enough to do with someone you've already grown accustomed to having on your own team, even with their limited time at sea together.

but right, the flood. with time of the essence, he focuses on usopp's suggestion, the motion of his foot being a fairly obvious one.

sanji considers it briefly looking down at his own leg and then back at usopp, giving a shrug of his shoulder and an accepting nod. technically, he could try that.

so he gives a waving motion to gesture for usopp to step a bit out of the way for when (if) the glass cracks and goes crashing out with the water from inside the room. then he gives a few bounces on the balls of his feet, preparing himself before he gives a strong powerful swing of his leg, putting in all his force down to the bottom of his shoe and collides it with the glass—

which doesn't break at all, and actually sends a brief ache through his leg from its toughness, mouth widening with that brief wince as he brings his leg back down, holding his hands up to usopp like well! ]

1/2

[lessnosey]

[...]

[lessnosey]

I thought you kicked a lot harder than that!

[All of those fancy flip-kicks, man. We're gonna have to help you bulk up... No, no, focus! Focus Usopp! He pulls his slingshot out from where it is snuggly kept in his overalls pocket, holding it up and pointing to the window.]

Never fear, Sanji! I got you!

[MOVE AWAY FROM THE WINDOW, BECAUSE THE GREAT WARRIOR USOPP WILL FINISH WHAT YOUR FOOT DID NOT EVEN START.]