WAKE UP IN THE MORNING FEELING LIKE

[maskormods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Considering apping into MASK OR MENACE? Want to dip your toes into the setting and get a feel of whether your character will fit into it? Or maybe you're just cruising and want to play around? Then you've come to the right place!

Pick any of the following scenarios below or feel free to make up your own, but don't be afraid to throw yourself at someone else's thread, either!

And remember there's only one rule in Test Drive Meme Club: have fun!

01. The city of Heropa is what one might expect from a small, bright and cheery place, where locals are friendly enough and local shop owners might offer a free drink to welcome you to their fair city. Some of the locals might thank you for always lending your service to the nation, while others might not say anything -- but if you have something nasty to say, better not say anything at all, right? But on closer inspection of these Silent Stanleys and Stellas, you might notice that some people actually back away from any imPort who quite obviously looks like they aren't "from around the neighborhood". Once in a while, you may hear a voice raised:

"Did you see how visible their elections have become? They're just trying to grab power! Have you seen the homes they live in?

Of course, for every claim, there's a rebuttal; you may well hear a competing voice arguing, "They deserve to have a say in things too! You know it's different for them!"

ImPorts are a divisive issues, even in pretty Heropa.

02. De Chima, Virginia, is a large city with a healthy economy, and though it's quieter, there are just as many citizens awed at your very presence. Look at you! Organic wonder! Science and technology are the lifeblood of this city, so you're likely to come across a good many locals taking your picture with the newest of devices. The imPort craze is at an all-time high, and considering the ambition of many of De Chima's residents, you may find yourself cornered by overzealous imPort fans, media wannabes and opportunists alike, shoving cameras in your face.

Their questions are less politically charged than they are mundane, however; get ready for an interview about your taste in romantic partners, personal underwear choices, favourite foods, and more!

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania, is having a rainy day. The streets seem to be running with water, the sky can't seem to stop crying. You might want to check out some consumerism-inclined shelter, be that a smoky and dart-eyed bar full of grumbling locals, or a grimy and industrial coffee shop (full of grumbling locals). Watch your step, newly minted imPort, because if you let on that you're fresh meat then you're bound to find a few people who decide that the only proper welcome for an imPort is a nice set of knuckles to the face.

One or two more cowardly locals may hesitate before giving you such a greeting, however, with a muttered, "Wonder if the new guy in office is gonna do more than the last one."

Ouch. Look at the political savvy on this guy!

04. Nonah, North Carolina, is the liveliest of all cities; loud, busy and there's some kind of energy in the air that gets everyone buzzing with excitement. You may find yourself in the midst of a few closed-off streets for some occasion or another - whether it be a food cart festival, no-car day, or something else! - and surrounded by the hum of people, the waft of food being served on the street, and plenty of attention

Look there -- someone's demoing a VR roller coaster! Won't you give it a shot?

Comments

4

[23wishes]

[Aerith had been trying to lead a normal life recently. She'd never gotten much chance to do that on her own world, but here, she could. She thought so, anyway. Then Riku was killed, and, well, that hadn't done wonders for her emotional state. Where before, she'd gotten better at keeping her powers stifled in her day to day life, now she doesn't bother. The loud, endless chatter of the people of Nonah's souls and the soul of Nonah itself echo in her mind... But this is the life she's used to leading, so on the outside, she looks perfectly normal.

At least until she senses... What?

Something...

An abnormality?

Aerith focuses on it, singles out the one feeling that's more and more erratic by the moment from the rest of the crowd. It's not long before she catches up to the man, who's now isolated himself. She's still listening in when she finds him. Gingerly, she steps up beside him, gently touching his arm.]

Sir? Are you okay?

[He's new here, and new to his powers, from the look of it. Is he psychic, maybe? Just in case, she calms herself down, and cuts off from reading him. She'd hate to create a negative energy look between them or something.]

oooohhhhh boy!!!

[hitsujikai]

[ His gaze snaps on her as quickly as his arm flinches from her touch, and while his expression is kind of pinched and distasteful it's honestly no comment on her - it's pretty much always like that.. that, and he's surprised; not many people in his world actually approach one another with touch, and least of all him.

His sharp eyes scan her face quickly and when they're sure she's nothing but a harmless stranger, he exhales and straightens up. He realises now that he was making a scene of himself getting so worked up but the ache in his chest is still staggering nonetheless, like he's just been stripped away from something close to him, that he held dear, and he genuinely struggles to clear his throat around the feeling to nod a little woodenly. ]

Mm. I'm fine. [ Fine enough to do that megane thing with his glasses, which probably only makes it clear that he's not fine at all. He glances at the crowd over the frames. ] I'm just not used to this atmosphere. [ That's putting it lightly. ]

[23wishes]

[Quickly, instinctively, Aerith's hands are up to show she's not a threat. Afterwards, she lowers them, laughing softly. See, how silly it would be to think she was a threat? She's so small. She's not even armed.]

You're an imPort, right? I am too. I've been living in this city for a few months.

[Mind like a labyrinth, she thinks, like Tetsuo taught her. She won't risk opening a channel between them until she knows he's stable.]

You seem like you should be sitting down. Want to get some coffee with me?

[hitsujikai]

[ He doesn't fail to notice how small she is - the same height if not just a little shorter than Tsunemori, with the same kind of look in her large eyes and the same kind of defiance in her stance that had Gino certain he wouldn't like to be caught on her bad side, armed or not - and therefore doesn't miss the ridiculousness of his actions. Here he is, this six-foot stretch of awkward, flinching like a teenager in the face of a woman who barely comes up to his shoulder.

He nods at the question, feeling an odd sort of something settle in him at the confirmation, like there's truly no escaping the brand now that he's admitted to it. ]

You don't have to do that. [ He answers, able to tell that she's only offering because of the state he'd gotten himself in. He straightens the cut of his blazer, perhaps a little self conscious. However..... coffee does sound like a good idea, he can't deny that, so he makes no more effort to dissuade her. ]

[23wishes]

[Good, that's exactly what she was going for. Cute and mostly harmless. It would mess everything up to scare him more.]

That's not a "no," right?

[She laughs a little to herself. This guy's really straight-laced. He says that all stern but then waits there anyway for her to take the lead. It's almost cute. She doesn't see guys like that often. He's probably shy too.]

I know a nice, quiet cafe around here. You can come with me if you want.

[And in fact, she's already starting to walk away, because she's pretty sure this guy's gonna come with her.]

[hitsujikai]

[ That immediate understanding, the uncanny ability to be able to identify exactly what he needs and precisely how to apply it so as not to spook him is almost frightening in it's similarity to Tsunemori's growing comprehension of his ways. He can remember the look she'd given him after her memory scoop, when she'd told him not to worry even though he hadn't said a thing... Either he's obvious with his emotions, or she's special, like Akane. Some part of him - the part that still feels like an anxious child - hopes it's the latter.

Of course he follows her. His head dipped, he mutters a quick thank you. ]

[23wishes]

[He'll probably find out himself before the day's done. Well. There's no better way to get out of one's comfort zone than pushing yourself relentless into the deep end of the pool, right? Right?? She'll keep telling herself that.]

You're new to your powers, right? It's like that with some people. Some of them, like me, had powers before we got here. But the Porter gives them, too.

[He'd been pretty obvious about it, after all.]

I'm Aerith, by the way.

[hitsujikai]

Ginoza. [ He nods to her, a short semi-formal bow since there's no time to do it properly or shake her hand. He wilts, just slightly, at her question though. ]

Yes. [ He must have been obvious, he can't help but be embarrassed. ] In my world no-one has powers. [ Unless you count those criminally asymptomatic people he'd only just had his eyes opened up to, but that subject is still something he's keeping close to his chest despite this new - free - world. ] I.. don't quite understand why I have the ones I do, or how to use them. I'd rather not have them at all.

[23wishes]

[It's okay, she catches that he's trying to bow and nods her head politely too.]

They don't usually make sense. I know a boy who sneezes kittens. [She laughs, but she's not kidding.] What are yours? They looked kind of like telepathy.

[Tetsuo, a telepath/telekinetic is one of her close friends here. He's the one that taught her the mind labyrinth trick. If she's right, she might be able to set the two of them up... Help this guy get some control over himself...]

[hitsujikai]

Kittens... [ He repeats, his expression falling dumbfounded for a moment before he lets out a helpless laugh. He can't help it, the mental image her description conjures up is just too hilarious. ] I see. Do they force their way out of his nose, or...?

[ He can't imagine that would be too pleasant, but it's nice to worry about someone else's problems rather than his own, however fleeting the break may be. ]

I suppose it's something like that, but I can't read minds.. It's more like I can read... feelings? [ He's lowers his voice. ] I thought perhaps it would simply make me feel a little sad or angry when around certain people, but it's... suffocating, and loud. I felt like my world had fallen apart walking through that crowd, like my heart had been shattered.

[ His expression firms, and he looks resolutely at the ground before grumbling the next part. ]

I can also take in those... auras, I suppose, onto myself. I can clear the mood of anyone who might be feeling scared or paranoid or manic, and bring them back to a safe middle-ground by taking on whatever they were feeling at the time. [ And he's the most sour about that, because of course he'd get a power useful to everyone but himself, when arguably he's someone who needs it the most. He'd kill to be at a safe middle-ground. He dreads to think what the mess of feelings he's just waded through in that crowd has done to his already shaky hue. He sighs hard through his nose. ] But I can't control it, so I have no say in what I take from whom.

[23wishes]

I have no idea!

[She ends up laughing, too, and it's nice to see this guy loosening up a bit already. He must be feeling better. She's glad. It's bound to be scary for him...

At first Aerith thinks the powers he's describing sound a bit like her own. Of course it's some wishful thinking on her part, but it would be nice too - then she'd be able to help him. Hearing too much, the world being suffocating and loud... She's been there. That was most of her life. She could handle it.

But, no, then he mentions the auras. She definitely can't do that. It would be useful though.]

That sounds tough.

[She sighs, thinking it over as the cafe comes into view.]

... Do you think you could focus it on just one person?

[hitsujikai]

More than likely, but it'll need work.

[ However, he's not sure how he feels about the prospect of practising this power... Who would he go to for guidance, if anyone? And how would they be able to help him if all powers in this world are different? Though, the alternative is living with the screaming sounds of intense emotions all battling for a place in his skull, of leaving himself vulnerable to what those around him are feeling.. and that thought is much more frightening.

He looks up at the cafe as they come close, and his expression firms. ]

I'm not accustomed to being abnormal.

[23wishes]

["Abnormal..."

Involuntarily, she flinches when he says it. Just that single word hits Aerith deep. She's gotten used to being normal here over the last few months. She's relaxed. She's always aware she's different, but it's not a huge deal here. All of the imPorts are weird. She told herself before that she was going to get over this.

Still, it takes her a moment to recover.

In that few seconds, her hand hovers over the door handle a bit too long.]

--Anyway, Ginoza, there's lots of people here with mental powers. You're definitely not alone. Someone will be able to help you. For instance, my friend Tetsuo's powers are only a little like mine, but he's helped me learn ways to control them.

[With a smile, she leads them to the counter and orders a small iced tea for herself.]

[hitsujikai]

[ He might be able to feel emotions more keenly, but that doesn't mean he can understand them any better than he could before. For a second he feels a dull and faint kind of thump hit his feel-o-meter, sending the needle quivering close to delicate for a couple of seconds, and then it's gone again. Weird, he thinks, and brushes it off. He's been feeling delicate since he got here, so he thinks nothing of it. ]

I don't much see the point in fine tuning it or learning to focus on a single person, like you mentioned. [ The way he says it almost makes it sound like he's blaming her for something, belittling her idea. He doesn't mean it, that's kind of just the way he talks. The idea of powers is so difficult to wrap his head around that it's much easier to sweep it under the rug and stomp on it. He orders a strong black coffee. ] All I need to know is how to turn it off entirely. I don't have any use for it.

[23wishes]

[Wow. What an asshole.]

You can't. [A bit of the softness is gone from her voice.]

This is what the porter gave you. You're abnormal now, like the rest of us, and you're going to have to get used to it. You should be nicer to people who are trying to help you.

[His intent means little when he's already hurt her feelings twice now.]

[hitsujikai]

[ He pauses at that-- well no. A better way of phrasing it would be to say that he stops dead, right where he is, because for all his faults Gino is definitely not used to people commenting on them. His team are the ones who see it in great detail, but they know that calling him out on it is a waste of time and would probably only make their jobs more difficult. Everyone else is his superior, and therefore gains his immovable respect.

When he says hurtful things, they often get overlooked... but perhaps this girl is even more like Tsunemori than he'd previously assumed. The way her voice dropped, the way she bluntly shot him down.. It was harrowing. ]

For the record, I didn't ask for your help. [ The words are out of his mouth before he can stop them, so it's all he can do to elaborate, albeit a little awkwardly. ] But I appreciate it. I'm sorry that I made it seem like I didn't. I'm just.. overwhelmed.

[ He knows it's no excuse, so when the server places her order on the counter Gino waves his hand to catch the bill for her. He's nothing if not professional, even in his rare moments of remorse. ]