etcelsior | WAKE UP IN THE MORNING FEELING LIKE

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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[02; DE CHIMA]
[... So not the cafe. So not what he expected when he stepped out to try and deal with the aggressive, bat-wielding problem outside. He honestly has no idea where this is. Heck he shouldn't even be a human being right now. But here he is. On two legs. In a strange place. With no cafe, no backup, nothing but himself and the seam ripper in his pocket.]

[No panic. He's not going to panic. Magic, right? Just turn around, open up reality and pop back home again. Save the day.]

[When he's dropped off, he just sort of stands there, on a street corner. Looking around for an escape or a familiar face or... an alleyway. Dodging onlookers, the kid ducks into it, pulling his "weapon" out. That's what you'll find him attempting -- magic. Except it looks a lot more like waving around a seam ripper in the air. Every so often, the air in front of him crackles, ripping apart to reveal... nothing.]

[Which just leaves him trying to throttle back what look like tears. Crying? Him?? Absolutely not.]

[03; MAURITA FALLS]
[Much later, once he's gotten the hang of things, he's gone off to do what any good teenager does. Explore.]

[And get into trouble.]

[Stepping into the wrong shop to get out of the rain has net some... problems. In the form of glowering locals about his age. Given Reese's... lack of vertical stature, this is A Problem.]

[Now he's back out in the rain, standing his ground with a handful of rough and rowdy types, hands balled into fists.]

You have a problem? Say it to my face now!

[Reese no.]

Edited 2016-06-25 22:39 (UTC)

[ suddenly, there's something rubbing against reese's ankles. if he happens to glance down, there's a black cat with very familiar heterochromia purring loudly at his feet.

graves steps daintily away, then settles back on his haunches, peering silently up at reese as he waits for the young man to compose himself again. while he's just as new here as his student, he's considerably less disturbed about it. he's been through a lot in his thirty-nine years, after all, and honestly, at least he's neither seen nor sensed nacht here yet. small favours.

the seam-ripper and new knack is interesting, though. the last he checked, reese was still trying to use his father's. .. is it a timeline issue..? ]

[Now is so not the time for a cat, dammit. Yes, cats are great, they're precious and all, but now is not the time! He's ready to step over it and gently nudge it aside -- because even emotionally compromised, you be nice to animals, dammit.]

[Except--]

Graves-!?

[Isn't he supposed to be -- ]

[Nope, not thinking about it right now. Now it's time to attempt to scoop up the cat and hug the poor thing because he's not a pile of rust holy shit!!]

[ maybe some people would be offended at being picked up like this (like reese, for instance), but graves is enough of a feline at heart that he simply settles easily into the teen's arms, paws kneading soothingly at his arm. ]

I'm very pleased to see that you've broken your enchantment.

[ they're stuck in an alternate universe with no way home, but look-- reese really coming into his power like this is a Big Deal to graves.

he shifts, butting his head up beneath the teen's chin. ] I was beginning to wonder when you'd properly find your knack.

[He has no idea what to say to that, at first. How are you supposed to say "Oh well I'm only human because you're pretty much rust"? You don't. You just huff and cling a little tighter -- because this isn't rust under your fingers, this is fur, and everything's okay.]

[Sort of.]

Y-yeah, well. It's me. I always was going to be first.

[Okay. Breathe. Deep breaths. That's good.]

Had to. Nothing else was working -- [Against that asshole...]

[ goodness, reese really is upset, isn't he? but he hasn't told him yet, so it can't be about-- well. he has to wonder, a bit. still, reese is practically family, he's known him since he was an infant, and so the urge to comfort him is instinctive and strong. he rubs his head against the teenager's chest, a purr rumbling up in his chest to help soothe whatever it is that has the young man all but shaking. ]

Well, now perhaps you understand why I was being so evasive about your lessons.

[ he's quiet for a few moments more, still tucked neatly in reese's arms. ] Reese.. [ he trails off, ears flattening back uncertainly. ] You're not this upset because we're here. What's wrong, truly? [ has he.. guessed? no, surely not. ]

I guess.

[Except, not really. Maybe if he'd been more up front, none of this would have happened. They wouldn't have needed to have a magical cram session or whatever Avery called it. Wouldn't have needed to defend the cafe with a bunch of amateurs...]

[He can't be mad, though. Not after hauling a corpse down the street.]

Huh? It's... [Two can play this evasion game.] ... nothing! It's nothing.

My magic's not taking me back to the cafe, that's all.

WAKE UP IN THE MORNING FEELING LIKE

Reese | Hustle Cat

slides on in here (de chima)

!!

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