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

Lexa smiles, very slightly, and raises an eyebrow. She'd been watching all of that with amusement, though most might not pick up on it immediately, and decided to approach when the poor woman stopped for breath not too far from her.

"Not always," she answers, whether or not the question was meant for her. "But often enough. You get used to it, or learn to avoid it."

She hadn't needed rescuing, thank goodness, that would have been embarrassing, but it's still a relief to find a friendly face that doesn't look like it wants an autograph, or to ask her questions about who she is, who she really is, and stuff that was everything from way too personal to just bizarre, why would anyone want to know things like her shoe size?

"One of them asked what I have for breakfast," she says, a little bewildered as she edges a little closer. Strength in numbers, is that a thing here? "I haven't been here for breakfast yet. I haven't even been here long enough to find out where the best bear claws are."

"Maybe you should offer to reach out to her again tomorrow then," she manages to suggest with a straight face. She's quite good at it, to be honest. It's very possible that's Lexa's real superpower. "I'm sure she'd appreciate it."

"...should I? Is that...do people do that here? If she's really interested, I suppose I could try and find her again..." It's a really good straight face okay, and Kara doesn't want to start off on the wrong foot.

"But first I need to figure it out. Okay, if you had to choose, what's the best bakery in town? Oh, I'm, um, I'm Kara, by the way," she adds a few seconds late, holding out a hand with a beaming smile. They still shake hands here, right?

Well, they don't shake hands like that where she comes from, but she's seen it done enough here that she can copy it. "Lexa," she answers, with a small return smile. "And I believe my housemates are fond of a place called 'Do or Donut.'"

The tagline of course: 'There is no try.'

Gasp. "That's hilarious." She is delighted now, all the weirdness of the crowd in the street behind her totally gone in the wake of discovering a pun-tastic new bakery she needs to visit. "And that sounds like they know what they're doing. Hi Lexa, nice to meet you."

Her knowledge of pop culture is still pretty lacking, but this one at least had been explained to her, and apparently with good reason if this reaction is anything to go by. She gives a small nod. "And you as well, Kara."

Yay, introductions navigated successfully once again, she doesn't even have to think about the differences between Earth and Krypton anymore, and now she's looking up Do or Donut on the comm this place had given her, and oh look, it's close. "Ooh, it's only a few blocks away, okay let's go." You're coming, right Lexa?

Well, she hadn't intended to, so there's a moment of surprise and consideration before Lexa nods. "If you like."

"Well, how are you going to know what this place is like if you don't try it out?" See, flawless logic, and Lexa's hand is still right there so grabbing it and starting off in the direction of Do or Donut seems like the best plan right now. "I don't know who your housemates are or anything, but you should find out for sure. Just in case."

Shockingly to most people who've met her before, Lexa puts up no resistance to being pulled, though she does seem pretty baffled by it. "I trust them," she manages after she's had a moment to get her wits about her again. "But it can't hurt to see it for myself, I guess."

"You definitely should." The bakery is only a few blocks away, and Kara does drop Lexa's hand eventually to point out a cute dog. In her enthusiasm, Kara sometimes forgets people can just walk on their own. This is not the first time. It will also probably not be the last time.

She's an enthusiastic person. It's probably a natural consequence of moving to a new planet at thirteen and having to learn as much as possible as fast as possible to blend in, and then realizing the new planet was really fun.

Lexa, on the other hand, took a more suspicious stance on this world when she was first introduced to it. Still, she follow diligently, listening and nodding whenever Kara points something out to her.

"How much of this place have you seen so far?"

"Not much! I fl—um, I wandered around when I first got here," totally didn't fly around, who does that, not her, "but it's pretty different from what I'm used to. I'm from National City, do you have a National City where you're from? It's pretty big too, but the military isn't quite so." Nose wrinkle. "Close by all the time."

"This place is very different from my home as well," she says. "But not always in bad ways."

She thinks for a moment, then smiles slightly. "Donuts for example. I had them for the first time here."

WAKE UP IN THE MORNING FEELING LIKE

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