etcelsior | OH MY GOD YOU GUYS

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OH MY GOD YOU GUYS

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 to 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 and others might not say anything. In fact, some people might back away from any imPort who quite obviously looks like they aren't from around the neighborhood. Once in a while there's a look of disdain on someone's face and hushed voices. An upset voice wonders aloud: "More of them, when we already know they can't protect us? That's just painting a bigger target on the city's back!" However, they're quickly hushed with a judgmental: "They helped save the cities, and it's the Soviets you should be angry with anyway! The imPorts are here to protect us!"

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 presence. Many people are out and about taking care of their regular business, but that doesn't distract them from crowding you in excitement if you're obviously from a different time or world, or just let it slip that you're a newcomer. Children and young teenagers are especially likely to ask for an autograph and a photo.

Some locals seem less enthused to see you. They never make an approach, but they can be overheard scoffing and muttering something about spies. "How can we trust any of them now?"

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania, is not as friendly and its citizens tend to go out of their way to avoid walking down the same sidewalk as the more obvious looking imPorts pass through. Local cops say nothing, but they scowl at those imPorts and mutter under their breaths resentfully about "vigilantes". However, not all locals turn the other way seeing imPorts; some of them will offer a polite enough smile and thank them for their help in overthrowing the trespassers. They don't stop to clarify what they mean, though.

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. Anyone who they come to determine an imPort is bombarded with all sorts of offers; job offers, advertising gigs, spokesperson for advocating children stay in school, etc. Anything and everything! You name it. Shops offer discounts for food and clothing, whatever they need. Advertisements are abound for imPorts to make appearances at various, televised celebrations, luring them in with promises of free food, merchandise, and payment.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That's what I've heard. I guess times don't change that.

[She sighs and folds her arms behind her back.]

So, where are we headed?

For coffee!

[There is, perhaps, slightly too much delight in that tone. But they've reached a small coffee shop, standard in design of hole in the wall coffee shops everywhere]

Though they have very good sandwiches too.

[Look, Aerith's from a place where people live in literal holes in the wall. To her, this is a pretty nice place, so expect no complaints. No visible roaches and none of the windows are busted. There's a roof that isn't just a sheaf of tin nailed in place. Nice.

She goes ahead inside and spends five minutes looking over the menu, ordering a small black coffee (finally) and a ham sandwich. It's at that moment she realizes she has no money.]

Um...

[And cue her looking back at Kel, smiling sweetly.]

[Kel grins and waves her on]

Don't worry, I'll pay. The same was done for me when I arrived.

Thanks!

[She smiles wide, much more genuine than before.]

You go ahead and order, okay? I'll get us a seat.

[Aerith bounces off to grab a seat towards the back of the shop, where it's empty and they can have some privacy. That way she can work out what all of this is. without anyone overhearing.]

[Since she has no notion of Aerith's tastes and preferences, Kel gets herself a coffee and Aerith a green tea. Who wouldn't like green tea? Plus two ham sandwiches. Kel isn't entirely sure what turkey is, and isn't going to try it without being forced yet.

She comes back with the food while waiting on the drinks]

So, forgive me for saying so, but you seem to come from a very different world than this one.

So you've noticed.

[She'd paused mid-bite to answer that, and eats a bite of her sandwich while thinking of how to proceed.]

But so do you, right?

[She nods]

Makes it easier to spot, I think.

[Welp. It's not like she had any cover to blow. Still, she doesn't like how exposed just being here leaves her. She wishes it had been more of a choice. She ends up staring down at the table, lips pursed. Is everyone at home even safe without her?]

What are we doing here? What is this all for?

[Their drinks are called out, and Kel gets up to fetch them, giving her time to think the question over some. Handing the tea to Aerith, she stares into her own drink]

Everyone gives a different reason for that. We're here as an accident, we're here as protection, we're here as weapons...

[She blows on it and takes a sip, staring out the window]

Mostly, I think, it's a lot of human bad luck happening at once.

[Oh good, another object to awkwardly fiddle with. Just what she was needing. She takes a sip, of course, but mostly the tea's just gonna be there to stare into and swirl around.

What about being a weapon? Why do people always think they can use her like this? She wouldn't mind being a hero, and she wouldn't mind helping people, but this... This just leaves her feeling like a pawn. Again. And she's not. They should know that, if they know who she is.

She looks across the table at Kel, sizing her up. Aerith can... probably trust her. She seems nice enough, and she has done nothing but help her out so far.]

... What did you like about being a knight? Did you like fighting?

[Kel gives a tiny shrug]

I became a knight to help people. That means fighting most of the time, and if I'm not good at it, I won't last. But-

[She grimaces, slightly. The memory of her blade cutting into a helpless enemy, Blayce....]

-There are better things. Training other people to defend themselves is...it feels better. It's what I did most of the time.

[Aerith lets herself relax after hearing Kel's answer. She eats a bit, thinking of the soldiers back home. She loved Zack, but not that part of him. She knew how the other soldiers could be. Zack wasn't as bad as some of them. Cloud hadn't been like that at all. Kel, at least, seems normal, and she's thankful for that.]

Some people... like to fight. They like it too much. It's always scared me.

[Suddenly she realizes how she sounds and laughs at herself, embarrassed.]

I can handle myself, though! I'm not helpless. I can fight when I have to. I'm sure you understand.

I doubt there's any fighting ability that takes away being scared.

Probably not.

What's your home like?

[Kel digs into her sandwich while she thinks on that. Really, where do you start]

My most recent posting was up in the mountains. It's a new town, housing refugees.

[Well. That's. Sort of what she asked.]

That does sound nice, but I meant your planet. It's certainly not this one.

Not in the least. For one thing we use horses, not floating machines to get around.

And the cities are smaller...and not so paved.

Running water everywhere is nice though.

Horses?

[Silly Kel. Everyone knows horses aren't really a thing.]

Yes, they're.....four legged animals? Can get about-[She lifts a tree trunk arm above her head]-that tall at the shoulder? Grass eaters though, we ride them into battle.

[EVEN THIS WEIRDASS WORLD HAS HORSES]

[SHE KNOWS WHAT THEY ARE, JUST. THEY. NO.]

No, I...

I've seen one, but--

One.

No one has a real horse but Odin.

Um.

He's a god. And his has six legs.

[DEAFENING SILENCE]

...

[Slowly, Kel drains the last of her coffee]

Well....you'll see a few here...

Really?

[She's practically doing the Steven Universe starry-eyed thing.]

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i thought i'd never need this icon.

I WIN

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