TEST DRIVE MEME #4 - The Arboretum/Ten Forward

[ten_fwd_mods]

Option 01: Aboard the Enterprise, The Arboretum: In exploring the Enterprise, you end up on Deck 17, section 21 alpha: the arboretum. Instantly upon entering you can tell this room is different from all the others. For one thing, you're now standing on grass. It's no illusion, no simulation; it's real grass, leading up to a small pond in the center of the room. All around you grows a variety of plant life, trees and bushes and hanging plants, flowers and herbs and even what one might consider weeds. The arboretum is, for all intents and purposes, a botanic garden, used both recreationally for passengers to relax and enjoy, and scientifically for research and study. After all, the scope of alien plant life is impressive, from the Cyprion cacti down to the Earth variety roses.

The room is well lit and large, with benches to rest on and small walking paths. Children are grouped off in one corner working on botany projects, while some passengers are seen kneeling in the dirt carefully tending to their garden patches. There are even windows along one wall, allowing for a view of space while the room itself gives the illusion of daylight. It's the perfect spot to relax, read a book, or grab a spare spade and dig in the dirt. Or perhaps you've been looking for the right moment to say hello to the passenger standing off by the venus flytraps.





Option 02: Aboard the Enterprise, Ten Forward: Or maybe not. You've just arrived, and you have no idea what just happened. One minute you were somewhere else, and now you're in what looks like a spacious, well-appointed bar. The hum of the crowd is inviting, and the drinks look invigorating. There are people eating and drinking, some in uniform, others not. Some are clearly aliens.

Try to find out why you're here, or catch a drink at the bar; there's always something happening here.

Comments

02 - Wakana Sonozaki - I can't app her but I can no longer resist shenanigans

[natural_claydoll]

Just when she thought that she'd made a good choice. She'd made something actually good come from all the pain the Family Chosen by the Earth had caused, it had gone wrong. She never had a guarantee it would work, and she was only going on what the Library had told her.

She looked down at herself. She was no longer in that hospital gown, but something more like she would usually wear. And this would be a kind of place she wouldn't mind having a party with people from the radio station at. Distress showed plain on her face.

Wakana balled her hands into fists at her sides. Hold it together, Wakana. She turned in face and saw the windows. Her eyes got big and her hands came up to her mouth. "It can't be..." She wasn't on the Earth at all? What had she done?

drop shotaro pls (no)

[decideformyself]

Philip was on his way over to a table, taking a sip of a beverage he'd ordered, when he saw the woman standing at the windows.

He spat his drink out.

He stopped in his tracks and just stared at her. There was no way -- it couldn't be.

R u sure

[natural_claydoll]

She hadn't yet taken notice of him. Even after that spittake. She strode slowly up to the windows and pressed her hands up against them. How had this happened? This didn't make sense. It was time for some answers. She closed her eyes, and spread her arms wide, not minding how weird it looked. Maybe... just maybe...

[decideformyself]

He wouldn't let her have the chance, though. He managed to regain his composure and stride toward her, but he paused about a meter behind her, unable to move forward any further.

"Wakana," he said, but he couldn't get any words out beyond that.

[natural_claydoll]

Her body stiffened when she heard him. She brought her arms in to her chest, and turned. Her body moved before her eyes came to meet him.

The shock on her face was plain. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught on a lump in her throat. She swallowed hard and tried again. "Raito..."

[decideformyself]

"This isn't possible," he said, his eyes searching her face desperately for some indication of what was going on. Could Q's power really make this possible? Sure, there were strange things going on with the timeline -- Haruto Sohma and Gentaro Kisaragi were proof enough of that -- but to go this far?

[natural_claydoll]

Finally, her feet were moving all on their own. She closed the gap between them. She grabbed hold of his clothes wherever her hands landed and buried her face into his shoulder. "Raito!" She couldn't keep the tears away now. "I-I'm sorry!"

[decideformyself]

Philip's arms moved on their own, embracing Wakana and holding her close. He shook his head. "You have nothing to apologize for." That wasn't true, strictly speaking, but she'd more than redeemed herself in his eyes, and that had been an entire year ago.

[natural_claydoll]

She brought her arms around his waist, and held him tight. "I tried to-- I wanted--" She took a deep breath to get her thoughts in order. "I don't know if it worked, but..." She pulled away slightly. She brought her eyes up to his. When had he gotten this tall? "I wanted to give my body to you."

[decideformyself]

"I know. You--you succeeded, Wakana." He rested his hands on her arms, smiling despite himself. "I never expected to see you again after that."

[natural_claydoll]

There was another shock for her. "What? I-it did? But then--" she cast around at the lounge. "This isn't a dream?" Or. Whatever it could be classified as.

[decideformyself]

"It's not." Philip shook his head. Pulling away from her, but keeping one hand on her arm, he gestured to a window. "This is the doing of an entity called Q who appears to be capable of bending space and time. We are in the future, quite possibly in another universe, on a spaceship called the Enterprise." He grinned at her. "Go ahead, try and look it up. You'll find absolutely nothing about it."

[natural_claydoll]

His smile was certainly infectious. Even through her confusion as she tried to process everything that was going on, she smiled back. But she answered his challenge. She didn't bring her arms up, because that would require letting go of Raito. But she tried to focus nonetheless.

Her look of focus turned to consternation after a long moment. "No, it's not there... Or this Q person. Because they're not from Earth." She smiled, somehow. It felt like a burden being relieved. Raito was safe, and whole, and while it was a little scary to be this far from home, she knew everything was going to be okay. Somehow.

[decideformyself]

"Precisely. Isn't it fascinating?" That grin on his face was the same as whenever he found some subject he couldn't wait to throw himself into -- except now he was smack-dab in the middle of it and it didn't look like that would be changing. "We've met people from other points in time. Kamen Riders from our future included, as well as people from the near past." Therefore Wakana's presence was completely precedented. Not that he'd have expected her to show up, not in his wildest dreams.

[partofaplan]

Guess who's found the bar?

Peter Quill is leant casually, back against the bar, a glass of something bright and purple in his hand. What's the point of being somewhere different if you can't test the local cuisine, right?

Still, after about five different drinks, he's not feeling any effects of alcoholism. The bartender mentioned something about Synthehol, which, he's assuming, is fake alcohol. He doesn't mind. It tastes just as good.

As he's looking around, his eyes lock onto the young woman by the windows. She seemed distressed, so, naturally, he took it upon himself to go offer comfort.

He pushes off the bar and ambles over. "Hey. You just arrived here, too?"

[natural_claydoll]

When he approaches her, she took a few steps back. "Stay away from me!" Nothing personal, but if she doesn't know you, she's going to assume you're trouble. It's safer that way. She doesn't yet summon up any energy balls, because there's a lot of people around and she doesn't want to hurt anyone she doesn't want to. But her hand is up, palm out, ready if she needs to.

[partofaplan]

And his hands go straight up to show he's not a threat, backing off a step.

"Woah, woah. Hey. I ain't gonna hurt ya."

[natural_claydoll]

She didn't back down, but she didn't escalate either. "Who are you? What is this place?!" While sure, the Gaia Library might have answers, she'd have to take her focus off him in order to get them. And that wasn't going to happen.

[partofaplan]

Hands up, eyes meeting hers, because, dude. Chill. Seriously.

"My name's Peter Quill, and I'm just as lost as you are." He says, partly the truth. "I've heard that this is a starship. The USS Enterprise, part of some Federation of Planets."

[natural_claydoll]

She shook her head. "No way! How could I be in space? I was on Earth before, and--" No, that wasn't any of his business. But her fingers curled down and she dropped into a sobbing mess on the floor.

[partofaplan]

Oh, crap. Crying girl. At least it wasn't his fault this time.

He's torn, because she said she didn't want him any closer, but he can't exactly leave her there. He's going to take a few more steps.

"H-Hey... Hey, don't cry. It's... It's not that bad?" He ventures. "At least you're safe here. Ain't nothin' attacked yet, and I've been here a few hours."

[natural_claydoll]

She didn't make any moves against him anymore, and she shook her head against his commentary. "No, you don't understand! I was trying to save him! But he--" her breath caught in her sobs.

[partofaplan]

He hesitates, because... Yeah, he couldn't just stand here and do nothing.

"Crap..." He mumbles, moving forward and kneeling down on one knee beside Wakana.

"Hey, look. We... We'll sort this out. See... If we can get you back home and get you back to savin' who you're supposed to." He hesitantly reaches out and puts a hand on her shoulder. "I know how much it takes to try and save someone else."

[natural_claydoll]

She didn't seem to mind that he wasn't doing what she'd asked him to do anymore. She only had one thing on her mind for the time being. She looked up when he touched her, still looking upset, but not as alarmed by his presence as she was. But she ran out of things to say.

She tried taking a few deep breaths to get herself under control. Panicking and falling apart wouldn't do any good.

[partofaplan]

"C'mon. Deep breaths, yeah?" He asks, hand still on her shoulder. "You're too pretty to get this upset." Trying his luck? Trying his luck. "We'll figure this out."