WAKE UP IN THE MORNING FEELING LIKE

[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 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?

Comments

[tautness]

[ He just kind of shrinks back under that icy glare. Thankfully, he manages to sort of buoy up enough courage to make a half-assed attempt at defending himself. ]

Well, we're celebrities here, right? I mean, I saw some magazines with imPorts on the cover... [ technically they were tabloids. ] So, uh, the soldiers said we're imPorts so it only makes sense that we'd have paparazzi bugging us about...things. I mean, it's what they do. They gotta get paid somehow.

[holdmysunsword]

[ That he summons the courage to make excuses for his rudeness over apologizing earns him even less leeway than before with her. Her brow furrows, even if only just slightly. That and the pursed line her lips have become are the only shift in expression, from disapproving to even more disapproving. ]

No, it does not make sense to us at all. Please explain why we must endure this to us, clearly it is beyond our understanding.

[ Yes, Barry, please continue talking yourself into a hole. She's holding the shovel out for you and everything. ]

[tautness]

It's not beyond my understanding.

[ Talking himself into a hole and getting confused by the royal we, that's just Barry's life. There's a pause, and a frown, as he decides to keep talking because his self awareness is apparently at an all time low. ]

It's just stuff that people do. I mean, the paparazzi stuff is a bit more intense now than it, uh, was in the past, but there's always been people nosy about celebrities. [ He thinks. People were always nosy about the president, right? That counts! ]

[holdmysunsword]

[ Less royal, more formal, but that would be just as confusing an explanation. One she wouldn't be kind enough to offer him, in any case. ]

Just stuff that people do. [ Csethiro repeats slowly and incredibly doubtfully. "Just stuff". Really. ] Even the gossipers at court have more subtlety and manners than you and your people, then. But as one who is not of your people--

[ And then she turns to the two who had been hassling her before, still lingering there, taking in the conversation between imPorts. To the camera man, she offers a suddenly bright smile. ]

We do not understand what you are holding. May we have a closer look?

[ This... may not end well for the hapless cameraman. ]

[tautness]

[ Behind her back, Barry just fervently shakes his head, making a slashing motion across his throat, trying to tell the cameraman "yeah I don't know her either but this is a BAD IDEA." Time to try and change the subject. ]

Uh, why're you using plural? Is this some sort of Queen of England royalty sort of thing...cause, uh, I don't know if she still does that now.