etcelsior | we begin with an airing of grievances

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we begin with an airing of grievances

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 anyone's thread, either!

And remember to have fun!

01. Your memory is hazy and you might feel increasingly frustrated or anxious, or maybe you're excited as soldiers march past, barely glimpsing you. One second you're somewhere underground, the next you're enveloped in blue light, and suddenly you find yourself directly under Flordia sun's bright and burning glare. A female soldier steps toward you with a wide smile on her face and directs you to a car, ready to debrief you. You realize you are not the only one, surrounded by equally confused or eager faces... and you're all sporting a digital tattoo on your wrist.

02. Welcome to Cape Canaveral, where the smell of the ocean is in the air and locals are more than pleased to see new imPorts roaming their streets. They wave, they cheer, they ask for pictures as politely as they can. The more inhuman you look, or if you're wearing a costume, the more likely locals are to approach. Hey, enjoy the moment! The popular malt shop is offering you a free drink if you need it.

03. The technology in this world is certainly something. The cars are clearly modeled after popular 50s cars, but they hover several feet above the ground as they drive down the street. There are digital jukeboxes in restaurants, motorcycles also hover through traffic, advertisements can be seen on a digital projector on the taller buildings. Even kids on skateboards appear to drift a safe ten feet off the ground while playing!

04. Wherever you are, you can hear the loud revving of an engine, distance at first before you finally see it: a hovercar bursting around the corner, going beyond the maximum speed limit and just barely making its sharp turn. It doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon, not with two police cars trailing it... and uh oh. Those skateboarding kids don't have much time to get out of the way as the car comes speeding down the road. You've been brought here for a reason Hero — so you better act fast.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[...jfc jon, r u ok?]

Sorry, why? You didn't do anything.

[looking a little tense there, which is making josuke a bit tense, too. did he say something wrong?]

Edited 2014-12-29 05:37 (UTC)

I can't - I think I may have heard you wrong.

[right? right??? he has no idea what else Josuke couldn't have meant to say, but it couldn't possibly be that.]

No, based on your reaction...I'm thinking that you heard me correctly.

[He's gonna give his dad an earful for this one of these days, holy shit. He's known his great grandfather for like ten minutes and he's already broken his heart? THANKS A LOT, JOSEPH.]

Look, I... [He shifts the books in his arms.] I don't want you thinking he was horrible about it or anything. I mean, nobody's perfect.

[Unless your name is Jonathan Joestar.]

No, of course not... [this is more of a mumbled thought than a real reply. Jonathan runs his free hand through his hair distractedly, pulling himself together a little bit with the thoughtless motion.] I'll have to talk with him about it later.

[and kick his ass, probably. there isn't a lot that can get Jonathan riled up, but disrespecting women (and Joseph has done that to not one, but two ladies) is a guaranteed way to set his blood boiling.

he fixes Josuke with a solemn gaze, face more collected and serious now. there's still some things to clear up here.]

Please don't think that any of this will have any bearing on my opinion of you. Even if I never expected this sort of circumstance...I'm very happy to meet you.

[and he means it. there's no need for Jonathan to mull this part over in his mind, because even in the middle of his bluescreen that had never changed. family was family, and he's as thrilled to meet this great-grandson as any legitimate one who might stumble into Heropa.]

[There Jonathan goes again, pointing out the silver linings. He finds himself in the midst of another situation that's a little undesirable, and he manages to look on the bright side of things!

...Josuke admires that.]

You don't strike me as the kinda guy who'd hold anything that was out of someone's control against them.

[In other words, don't worry about it, great gramps.]

Anyway, can you maybe wait to talk to him about it? For just a little bit. That is, if you don't mind. I mean, I kind of feel like I'm meeting him all over again for the first time! He's so...young here. And it's weird! And...what if telling him means he won't meet my mom later? Isn't that the kind of thing you gotta worry about with time travel?

I've been told that once you return, you don't remember your time here. But if you wish for me to remain quiet for a time, I'll do so.

[it gives him more time to formulate exactly what he wants to say, anyway. and more time to just get to know his newest addition to the family tree. it's not a promise he minds making.]

It's a bit strange, this place. I was alone before I arrived, and suddenly I have an entire family! But I'm still getting to know them all, so it's - bizarre, I suppose you could say. In the best way.

I'm certain you two will get along wonderfully once everything is cleared up.

Yeah, just for a bit, okay? I mean, I'll tell him everything eventually, I don't plan to keep it secret or anything. But I don't want the timing to be all wrong, either. Things were hard enough back home, and now it sounds like more family is involved this time.

[Bizarre. Yep. You can say that again.]

As for this place, I guess that's good, but then...doesn't that mean that doing all this reading's kind of for nothing? You won't remember anything when you go back home!

[Which, while Josuke can see the reasons for that being necessary, still seems kind of cheap to him, too.]

It's no reason not to further my education when I have this wonderful opportunity. And...

[he hums a little thoughtfully, silent for a moment or two]

I'm hoping to find a way to keep these memories.

Don't you think if you do that...others might want to do it, too?

[Then they're right back at square one. Worrying about fucking up time lines and people not getting born and goddammit Jonathan, he likes you, you've got a really easy presence about you, but the stuff you're saying right now is worrying him, however unlikely it is to ever happen!]

I've kept it to myself, to be perfectly honest. I don't want to upset anyone.

[it's a little selfish, and he feels badly, but the way things are now it doesn't feel like the sort of thing he should tell the rest of his family. somehow he isn't entirely certain they'd take it well.

(but if he did find a way, could he really keep quiet about it? likely not.)]

[PROBABLY NOT CONSIDERING HE JUST TOLD JOSUKE ABOUT THE IDEA.]

That might be for the best. [He's not gonna go blabbing it, that's for sure. Well, he won't do it on purpose.] Anyway, what are you, like...the oldest one of us here? [god that sounded less rude in his head.] I mean, technically! Like, if anyone deserves to remember, I guess that'd be you, yeah? Or is that backwards? Maybe the youngest person should so they can't go changing history?

[Wow, how about they talk about something else. Something less complicated.]

...We taking these books to your place? How much farther?

[NO THAT'S DIFFERENT he's mostly keeping this from Joseph oops.

Jonathan's shoulders shake in quiet laughter as Josuke tries to work out some set of 'rules' for the hypothetical memory retention. when the topic shifts he gestures with his free arm to some abstract place around the next corner.]

It's just a few blocks more from here.

[a thought occurs to him, and he cants his head to the side]

...I'm sorry, I've completely forgotten to ask. Are you comfortable with dogs?

[wow nobody wants to tell joseph anything]

Hm? [The teen glances at Jonathan and his eyes light up a second later.] Yeah, I love dogs!

[They're not reptiles or anything gross, you know? Plus they're dogs. Who doesn't like dogs?!

Besides Dio.]

You have one? A couple? How old?

[it's revenge for him ringleading literally the entire cast into telling Jonathan nothing tbh.]

Just one - he was a gift from my grandson for Christmas, but I'd been visiting for a while in the shelter before then. He still has quite a bit of growing left to do, but he's wonderfully friendly. I'm sure he'll love to meet you.

[leaving out that he's already fucking gigantic because this is a complete nonissue in Jonathan's mind, whoops.]

[then it's earned comeuppance.

...joestar family secrets, tho. there's a lot of them. and none of them are easy to talk about.]

I'd love to meet him, too!

[His step quickens a fraction. You're not imagining that.

Also, big's not really a problem for Josuke. In fact, he'll probably feel better about being around a large breed. The small ones can be cute, but they're also pretty delicate. At least with the bigger dogs you can play a little more freely!

But...that reminds Josuke of something.]

Oh, right...I guess the holidays just passed here, huh? I wonder if I should get anybody anything as a belated gift.

[yeah, he sees that. this time Jonathan doesn't cover up his chuckle as they round the corner and the government row of houses comes into sight.]

I don't think that they'd hold it against you if you refrained. You should focus on getting yourself settled in first.

[he says as if Jonathan wouldn't have done the exact opposite if he'd been thrown in here just after Christmas. gentlemen live hard lives.]

They probably wouldn't, but I might hold it against myself. They're family!

[Josuke might not be an actual gentleman, but he's a good guy. And family is super important to him.]

Anyway, gifts don't have to be expensive. It could be the kind of thing that helps with settling in! Like...oh, I have an idea of a gift for you! I can be your dog walker for a week!

[He says that like it's not totally a selfish idea.]

[god Josuke that's so fucking transparent. but he grins all the same as he turns into the walkway of one of the houses and reaches for the keys in his back pocket.]

Is that so? Well, I'd certainly appreciate a thoughtful gift like that! But only if you stayed for a cup of tea after bringing him back every day.

[as Jonathan's fussing with his keys and door unlocking, there is the sound of clicking paws and incessant whining on the other side. someone misses their buddy.]

[It really is, and he doesn't make any attempt to hide the fact, either. Not as Jon grins at him, not as he goes to open that door, and definitely not as the dog on the other side can be heard eagerly trying to get at its owner.]

You bet I'll stay!

[Actually, that reminds him. He wanted to ask...]

Oh yeah, about before. When I almost ran into you...did you study martial arts too, or something? The way you dodged, that was pretty awesome!

Ah, I suppose you could say that. A very dear friend of mine at home taught me a unique way of fighting. It's greatly improved my reaction time.

[among other things. but the conversation is briefly forgotten as he gets the door open and a very big, very ugly black dog tries to fling itself at home. the dog is stopped in its tracks by a firm:]

Hyperion, wait!

[and amazingly, the dog does so. he's obviously unhappy about it, as he continues to whine and shift in place, but he obediently remains in place as Jonathan makes his way in and places the books in his hand on a nearby table. he motions for Josuke to come in as well with a tilt of his head before turning back to Hyperion and holding out his arms.]

Alright, you can say hello now.

[with a cheerful bark he leaps up, showering Jonathan's face in slobbery kisses as his owner easily catches and holds him beneath his front legs. they both look very stupid and very happy.]

[Impressive! Josuke will have to ask him more about that unique way of fighting some other time. He may already know how to throw a punch, may be a decent enough strategist when he's locked in close quarters combat with somebody or finds himself with his back to the wall, but he's never had formal training of any kind. And, like any good JoJo, he's not especially satisfied with the idea of simply being good at something and never trying to improve upon it.

For now, he marvels at how obedient Jonathan's dog is (not to mention how silly it looks) and follows his great grandfather inside a minute later. The books he's carrying are set down next to Jonathan's stack, but after that? All he can do is laugh at what a great big softy this guy is in the presence of...what was the animal's name? Hyperion!]

Are you sure he's still growing? He's pretty big!

I know it's hard to believe, but he's still rather young! He has a little bit to grow into before he's full-sized.

[he laughs freely, then gently prompts Hyperion to sit back down. the dog almost immediately makes his way over to Josuke, tail working overtime as he snuffles at his pant legs in a manner that makes it clear he's looking for affection from the stranger as well.]

But he's already very friendly with strangers, so don't worry about saying hello. He won't do any harm.

[Setting his hoverboard down, Josuke kneels and, as Hyperion comes over, lightly scratches the dog behind its big ears.]

I'm not worried!

[Honestly, just watching the dog with Jonathan is enough to erase any question in Josuke's mind pertaining to how the dog might receive him. And even if Hyperion didn't like him for whatever reason, the dog listens well enough to its owner that the teen's pretty confident no harm could ever follow any interaction, at least not while Jonathan's around.]

So, is it just you and Hyperion here?

[He means living in the house. It's a pretty big place by the looks of things! ...suitable for a big guy and a big dog, though.]

[awwww yiss, motherfuckin head skritches. the dog practically bowls Josuke over as he tries to shove as much of his head as possible underneath his hands. pet him more, love him more.

meanwhile, Jonathan simply leans against the edge of the table and watches the two with a contented smile on his face. this is the kind of thing that he loves most of all.]

No, there are two others assigned to this house as well. I seem to have rather poor luck with keeping housemates, so I can't say I know them particularly well yet.

Oh, right, I saw that—

[oops, flat on his ass as the dog bowls him over, but Josuke doesn't mind, he's enjoying it as much as Hyperion, chuckling as hard as the dog's tail is wagging!]

—ahaha! I saw...I saw that we're just thrown in random housing here? Is that just if we register or whatever?

[Because he's not sure he likes the idea of registering or not and he's not sure yet if he's gonna do it. There are obvious perks, buuuuut...well, that kinda commitment doesn't come without a catch, you know? Besides, it seems kinda sketchy to have to sign contracts just to help people. Of course, at the same time, Josuke's pretty young and he's not so sure he'd be of much help to anyone anyway if he had to hold down multiple jobs just to support himself.]

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