PRESENT TIME, IT'S A TDM

[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, whatever the last year has brought, the holidays and the New Year has come and with it a renewed (if possibly temporary) sense of generosity towards the displaced imPorts. Part of this includes a special second ball drop in Heropa on New Year’s Eve, including festivities such as local bands performing, an ice sculpting competition, free food and hourly fireworks display over the water. Some people mutter it’s all being done to keep the imPorts away from real Americans at the Times Square ball drop, but surely that’s just a nasty rumor.

But when a small gang led by one of the new superpowered natives tries to steal this ‘imPort’ ball at 11:30pm, one has to wonder if keeping the powered community away from native crowds wasn’t a good idea. The (uncreatively) self-named ‘Ice Boy’ has ice powers and five non-powered followers trying to steal the New Year’s ball as their powered leader provides a distraction. They are going out of their way to not hurt any natives, but clearly have something to say about the government using up public funds for imPort events.

Enjoy the festivities, then stand and watch the newest native supervillain steal the ball or slip into your spandex and try and stop him. Or, if you’re the type, go and help him out. Whatever you pick, it’s going to be a New Years to remember.

02. De Chima, Virginia, is a large city with a healthy economy, and though it's quieter than Heropa, there are still large numbers of citizens to be 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 remains high here, and you may find yourself cornered by overzealous imPort fans, media wannabes and opportunists alike, shoving cameras in your face.

Their questions are likely to be fairly mundane, however; get ready for an interview about your taste in romantic partners, personal underwear choices, favorite foods, and more!

Given the rock star status of imPorts, it’s no surprise you’re especially big commodities around the holidays. Action figures, wrapping paper, it seems everywhere you turn there are products with imPort’s faces appearing on it. Not to mention the made for TV movie of ‘ImPorts and Santa Save Christmas.’ No one really knows why the Russians are riding pterodactyls to ruin Christmas, but does it really matter? Watch the show in a store window long enough and you just may see a (similar but legally distinct) version of someone you know riding Rudolph to help save the day.

Ah, the wonders of capitalism.

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania has had its ups and downs since imPorts started reappearing. Several imPort heroes have put focused efforts into cleaning up the streets of this somewhat infamous city, while others have swooped in to help the criminal industry thrive. More so here than the streets of any other imPort city, the battle between good and evil looks more like a war of escalation than a heroic tale. That might make the less than warm welcome imPorts are given in the city a little more understandable. The emergence of locals with superpowers is hardly helping. While some of these individuals have turned to crime, many locals seem more inclined to defend their native powered drug dealer than help the non-native hero bring them to justice. Who are you to tell them how to live?

So while that Salvation Army Santa on the corner might seem to be more serving as a look out for the shady bar behind him than collecting donations, is it really worth trying to sneak in and see what’s happening inside?

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. More so than any other city, Nonah has embraced every holiday available to celebrate this time of year. To be American is to be part of a melting pot, and that there’s more money to be made by the thriving local industries hardly hurts. Today is a large winter market place. Streets have been closed off and local merchants big and small have set up booths throughout the city to sell their holiday (and normal, who doesn’t need a new pair of wingtips for the New Year?) wares. While outdoors, there are enough heaters scattered around that you’d hardly notice it. Any imPort willing to say they bought their menorah, kinara, Saturnalia wine, or whatever else at a specific booth is in for a big discount from the managers!

Go wander and get your shopping in, folks. Any imPort willing to be interviewed about how they celebrate in December back on their home world is instantly surrounded by a small gaggle of people. Any jokesters out there should be careful to not make up too many fake holidays. The people here might just take it to heart this time next year.

Comments

amaterasu | the wicked + the divine

[sunbathed]

— ＨＥＲＯＰＡ

[ From one New Years' party right into another. It's a transition easy enough for the sun goddess to make but perhaps there is a little less drinking involved this time. Just a little less because there is something hard about avoiding the whole of the festive spirit blooming around her.

Night falls but it is not enough to slow Amaterasu down. In fact there is something exciting about the appearance of Ice Boy and his gaggle of armed friend. Perhaps it is because they were always held back so much back home but that simply isn't a issue here in this curious world. If anything they were so much more open to their use and the miracles that were born from it.

And so, she appears, a flash of sunlight in human form to briefly chase away the dark. Stepping by starlight was still such a strange sensation but it did not feel so terribly odd as it did back home with Woden's machine. In fact, it felt almost familiar and just as simple as stepping by sunlight. ]

Shall we stop them? [ She asks the person nearest her, colorful and bright with a smile on her face that could remind someone of a sunny day. ]

— ＤＥ ＣＨＩＭＡ

[ The craze over imPorts is a familiar (almost welcomed) sort of craze as are the eager questions that they beg to have answered. She has always been the sort that happily sat with the fans, the journalists and disbelievers to speak candidly and sweetly. It is no different here. She smiles, poses for pictures and answers questions with a laugh that could part the clouds to bring out the sun.

Of course there are some questions that are avoided, ones that she shakes her head over and holds a finger to her mouth. ]

It's no fun if I tell you everything now is it? Even Goddesses must have their secrets.

[ Mostly she seems most in her element in the flash of a camera. At one point she even reaches out to a passing face, jewelry glittering just as brightly as her in the sunlight. ]

Hey, let's take a picture together. [ The fan let's out a sound, somewhere between a sob and a scream, in agreement. ]

— ＮＯＮＡＨ

[ The liveliness of the city is hard to ignore not that Ammy would ever consider such a thing. Exploring the winter market leaves her with a smile on her face as she peeks at every little trinket that each booth has to offer. It is hard not to want to buy up everything but she manages to control herself, picking out little things that reminds her of the Pantheon. A hair clip in the shape of an owl, jewelry with pomegranates craved into the surface and a pendant shaped like a star with purple gemstones.

For herself it is a scarf in every color of the rainbow which does wonders to further bring out the colors already splashed across her face. She spins, white gown billowing out around her with a laugh before she stops and addresses whomever might also be standing at the booth with her. ]

What do you think? It's just perfect for the chilly weather.

— ＷＩＬＤＣＡＲＤ

[ For anything else not mentioned! Feel free to find Ammy around any of the cities. ]

Heropa HEY GURL HEY

[pummelgranite]

[ Amaterasu is here. Amaterasu wants to go play hero wrangling a local. Only one of these things is even slightly a surprise. But true to her style, Persephone barely lets the shock or confusion of her sudden appearance keep her tongue tied for long. She takes a long, unimpressed look at the Ice Guy. ]


Nuh uh. Not interested.

HEEEY

[sunbathed]

[ And true to her own style, Ammy doesn't let the decline from Persephone bother her. If anything her sunny deposition only grows. ]

Oh come on now, Persy. It'll be fun.

[pummelgranite]

It won't be fun. They're just mortals with a little power.

[ Not to mention that any second now, half a dozen Registered Heroes in absolutely hideous costumes will be pouring out of the woodwork for a piece of the action. Getting involved means getting involved. But, she won't be saying any of that outloud, of course. Heaven forbid she ever imply that she's making a decision based on prudence or practicality.

But that light is, as always, hard not to be dazzled by. Amaterasu could have smiled like that and suggested they stick their hands down a garbage disposal and make it sound like it might be a little fun, at the very least. She splits the difference, grabbing another two flutes of champagne off a passing tray and passes her once. ]

When did you even get here?

[sunbathed]

And I'm a Goddess with new powers. I'll make it fun.

[ But she happily reaches out, accepting the champagne with another smile and a sip. Her eyes scan the crowd, watching as party goers begin to point out the activities but it is hard to miss that they seem a little excited? With some seem to even be considering just who might show up to stop them.

It was rather like being inside one of those made-for-television movies about saving Christmas but its a new year dropper ball instead. ]

Earlier in the day. I thought about looking for everyone but... I got a little caught up in all the activities.

[pummelgranite]

[ EVEN THE WAY SHE DRINKS IS BEAUTIFUL. Fuckin sunbeam why is she perpetually this gay. Persephone doesn't reply to the bit about fun. Maybe if they change the subject she'll just forget? ]


Everyone, huh? You came alone, right?

De Chima

[purple_reign]

Do you think I could get a picture after her?

[Welp. Here's Inanna, being the exact opposite of subtle as always. To be fair he had spent a little while watching Ammy from down the block while he tried to think of the best way to gently announce his presence. Unfortunately there just wasn't any easy way to do that in his situation. What was there to say? "Hey, it's been a while! How are you? Me? Turns out I'm not dead anymore. Crazy, right?"

That wouldn't have been any better than turning up at her side this way, smiling that familiar star-bright smile of his like nothing had ever happened. At least this way might be slightly less awkward. Maybe. Just barely.]

[sunbathed]

[ It is a good thing that she managed to snap the photo because things are about to get sappy. And by sappy we mean there is going to be tears. A lot of tear.

In fact the tears almost immediately appears but Ammy manages to keep them from spilling over long enough to smile at the girl. When she looks back at Inanna though it is almost too much because it is like nothing bad happened. He's here smiling that smile, shining like a star and most definitely not dead. ]

Inanna? How...

[ As she's learned this world is a strange, strange place even for them. So Ammy reaches out, not touching him but sort of hovering as if she's afraid he might just be some illusion. ]

[purple_reign]

[Inanna closes the distance for her by taking her hand in his. It's a warm touch, a steady pulse, solid. If it's an illusion then someone's gone all out and then some on it.]

I haven't been able to figure that out. The stars haven't been any help when it comes to that question. All I know is that I...am here now.

[sunbathed]

[ Ah. He's real, he's real and alive. She wipes her eyes but it does little to help and all she can do is squeeze his hand, sniffing sadly like child. ]

I'm sorry, I wish we could have realized everything sooner. [ Before they lost Luci, him and Tara. ] I've really missed you.

[purple_reign]

It's... [Not okay. There isn't anything about it that's okay.] ...It isn't anything you have to apologize for. I didn't realize either even though I spent so much time consulting the stars.

[He hesitates briefly before continuing.] I've missed you too. All of you. ... I suppose it's too much to hope that you brought anyone else along? [Anyone like Baal, he only just manages to keep from saying.]

OH NONAH

[sincendiary]

[ Honestly. With the gently upstanding, idealistic narrative this setup provides? She's surprised it took Ammy so long to show up. But here she is now, laughing and twirling like she's right out of a picture taken the year before—when those Hazel and Eleanor girls were both rushing at the starlight behind their screens, or when Amaterasu still had her literal fifteen minutes of embracing her own glow without sitting pretty at Ananke's feet. This same time of year, wasn't it?

And here Luci is in the exact damn sentimental Holiday Nostalgia trap she'd hoped to avoid. ]

Warming away the cold with a psychedelic explosion? You wouldn't have it any other way.

[ She keeps standing tall there as if out of nowhere, expression vague and hands in her pockets as she waits for the other shoe to drop. Suddenly being alive again is nothing if not improvising, and all. ]

quietly sings unbreak my heart

[sunbathed]

[ And suddenly her world is engulfed in red. It's not the sort of red associated with fire and brimstone but with blood smeared on cold cement. She remembers kneeling there holding the hand of a woman, a friend, that was growing colder by the minute. She remembers mornings and nights filled with tears but recently it had changed as things came to light.

Now there was regret in those tears. Regret for being so blind, for letting Luci be the start of this madness that almost ended in them losing Mini even if it had been too late for Inanna and Tara. ]

Luci?

[ Are you real? She wants to ask but instead just steps forward, resting warm hands against a warm (alive) face and can't hide the tears anymore. ]

You're here, you're real, you're alive. I... I... [ Stop her before she starts to sob and babble. At least the babbling because it might be too late to stop the first. ]

emerges from the holidays blasting running up that hill

[sincendiary]

You're what? Here for telling me I've disobeyed the ninety-year rule this time? Good to know.

[ It's an instinctive reaction at first as she cuts her off—to pull defiantly backwards from the touch with venom and betrayed trust written all over her face, eyes narrowed. Does she think that with enough tears she can magically earn it back, not a single question asked? Breaking news, that's not how any of this works.

Breaking news update, there is one massive line between communicating that and literally just being hurtful for its own sake and she knows it. Here come the sunshowers right on schedule. Now that they've both let something out of their systems, Luci is visibly wincing at herself and kind of... lamely takes Amaterasu's hands to put them back on her face where they were to begin with. Hasn't quite made it past avoiding her gaze yet, but at least she's still a healthy hell-approved warm. ]

... Ammy. I'm here. They caught me up well enough. Inanna, and now our Persephone.

[sunbathed]

[ Ah... she deserves that. She absolutely does deserve that but Amaterasu cannot hide the hurt on her face when the words come out. Her eyes water but she does not cry, holds it in and stands there with hands still outstretched toward Lucifer but now simply cradling cool air where warmth had been barely a moment before.

There is a shake in her bones but she shifts, lowering her gaze and letting her arms slack when suddenly her hands are back against Luci's face. Ammy can only look at her with wide eyes, fingers flexing slightly and making a sad sappy sound. ]

I shouldn't have been so blind. I shouldn't have been a coward.

[ She shouldn't have been afraid of breaking the rules and of dying. ]

But I've missed you so, so much. [ Ammy says softly, taking away one hand to tiredly rub at her eyes. ] I'm glad they were here for you, and Persy... she's something else, isn't she?

NONAH / sliding into ur dms

[heckblazer]

[ Bollocks. Not another one.

John was minding his own business at a booth which sold liquor and tobacco, all apparently crafted with spells and enchantments. He was doing some practical field tests on a gorgeously-aged rum which was infused with luck when the sing-songy voice floated up past his shoulder to his ear. Christ, even the sound of their everyday chit-chat voices could poke at his brain something fierce.

He pivoted - reluctantly - to the next booth over only to see the girl, twirling in a hardly weather-appropriate gown. ]



Dunno, luv, I think I prefer more fun ways to warm up.

[ To make his point he downs the shot, letting the burn run along his throat and chest. Even if the luck was clearly a bust, he still needed it. Especially if another goddamn divine teenager was showing up to badger him. ]

[sunbathed]

[ And in turn Ammy just offers a smile to his display. It's some brilliant little smile that is more like watching sunlight break through the clouds after rain than just a tiny 18-year-old in weather inappropriate clothes and a rainbow scarf as bright as the markings around her eyes smile at a stranger.

Another divine teen, indeed. ]

I'm sure everyone has their preferences. Yours isn't a bad one either.

[heckblazer]

[ Before John answers, he awkwardly shoves a fistfull of bills at the booth vendor, takes a full-sized bottle of vodka - apparently charmed to boost charisma, which seemed redundant - unscrewing the cap and taking a long, deliberate pull right from the bottleneck before deigning to answer the girl. ]


How'd'you lot manage to be so goddamned nice?

[ Well, except for Lucifer. ]

[sunbathed]

[ She watches with a careful eye, her face neutral but still smiling as she approaches with a few careful steps. The display and question gets moment of pause from her before she twirls again, red hair shimmering in the light before she stops to face him. ]

What would it offer us to not be so? We are here to bring light, and keep the night away.

WILDCARD BRO MY BRO

[magnitudes]

( Sarissa has fallen into a dumpster.

This, actually, could be used to describe her life rather more metaphorically, but right now it's entirely literal. She's pretty sure she's going to be smelling of the memory of Chinese take out that once was for hours, or until she can boil the dumpster fragrance off in the shower. She makes a sound of Great Anguish, which doesn't sound that different to the sound a teenager makes when they're being told it's time to get up for school. Her hand slips in something as she tries to push herself up, and the only thing worse than falling into a dumpster? Is falling further into the dumpster. And also the fact that she technically jumped into a dumpster, but at least she didn't jump into a dumpster of recycling, or something. That might be worse.

The second time she surfaces, she holds up the cat victoriously, and leans over the side of the dumpster. Oh, sure, that building behind her is on fire, but she save the cat.)

Mate. ( Yes, random stranger, she means you. She sound breathless, and yet? Still aggressively Australian. ) We should probably get goin'. Odds are there's gonna be a fuck-off huge as explosion soon, hey.

[sunbathed]

[ Congrats, child of the trash.

Who knows just what led Ammy down this path (perhaps the sudden fireball of a building?) but now she is looking in surprise at this sudden person and cat, hair shimmering despite the night and seemingly glowing as well? It is hard to tell but she seems to be glowing in sunlight that is just not there.

She steps forward, almost gliding in her weather inappropriate dress and sandals. Looking to the cat first, she runs her finger under its chin before looking to Sarissa with a dazzling smile. The building, of course, gets a small glance too. ]

Let's go then.

[ For a moment her eyes seem to brighten and illuminate the colors marking her face as she reaches out, touching both trash children. Welcome to traveling by starlight, it's quick but probably feels funny because it's full of stars but soon enough, they are solid and standing along a stretch of road full of diners and bars. ]

Is our little friend okay?

[magnitudes]

( She ASCENDS.

And like, okay, in a few minutes she'll need to take some time to be surprised by this person's appearance, but right now she is focused on cradling the cat child, who is actually a very large calico female with a belly that suggests kittens. Or possibly gremlins, but probably kittens. Sarissa has her mouth open to ask the stranger to take the cat, but instead there's just—

Radiance. And she's not aware of something awkwardly sticking into the back of her leg, or quite as much of am ambient garbage smell, and she just blinks and takes a second to catch her breath, wordlessly opening and closing her mouth as she looks along the row of cafes and such. She looks back to the woman, and she is a little bewildered, maybe understandably. )

You're like a walking opal, ( blurted out, helpfully, and it's weird because opals are on her mind because she was getting them for her sisters earlier, but she really is. Bright colours and light and—

Okay, focus. Sarissa looks down at the cat in arms, who is purring despite everything. ) How you goin', princess? You okay? I think she's okay. ( And, back to... the Opal Lady. Rainbow Brite, whatever. ) Thanks for that.

Heropa

[disguarded]

[For a long moment, it's questionable whether Twice heard the question at all. She doesn't answer, she doesn't look, she doesn't acknowledge Amaterasu at all. She just continues staring at the villain and his goons with a slightly curious expression on her face (even taking the time to have a slow sip of her cocoa).

Then quietly, politely:]

No, thank you.

[sunbathed]

[ Thankfully, Ammy has the patience of a saint or rather a goddess. She stands (rather floats) and hums thoughtfully with her gaze focused upwards on the bumbling group far above them. ]

Aww. [ She says in an almost sad response but looks over with a curious look and a sunny smile. ] Is the cocoa good, at least?

[disguarded]

[Huh. That finally gets her to look away, turning a thoughtful gaze down to the drink in her hand.]

Yes. Fairly at least, I think.