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

[hitsujikai]

[ He might be able to feel emotions more keenly, but that doesn't mean he can understand them any better than he could before. For a second he feels a dull and faint kind of thump hit his feel-o-meter, sending the needle quivering close to delicate for a couple of seconds, and then it's gone again. Weird, he thinks, and brushes it off. He's been feeling delicate since he got here, so he thinks nothing of it. ]

I don't much see the point in fine tuning it or learning to focus on a single person, like you mentioned. [ The way he says it almost makes it sound like he's blaming her for something, belittling her idea. He doesn't mean it, that's kind of just the way he talks. The idea of powers is so difficult to wrap his head around that it's much easier to sweep it under the rug and stomp on it. He orders a strong black coffee. ] All I need to know is how to turn it off entirely. I don't have any use for it.

[23wishes]

[Wow. What an asshole.]

You can't. [A bit of the softness is gone from her voice.]

This is what the porter gave you. You're abnormal now, like the rest of us, and you're going to have to get used to it. You should be nicer to people who are trying to help you.

[His intent means little when he's already hurt her feelings twice now.]

[hitsujikai]

[ He pauses at that-- well no. A better way of phrasing it would be to say that he stops dead, right where he is, because for all his faults Gino is definitely not used to people commenting on them. His team are the ones who see it in great detail, but they know that calling him out on it is a waste of time and would probably only make their jobs more difficult. Everyone else is his superior, and therefore gains his immovable respect.

When he says hurtful things, they often get overlooked... but perhaps this girl is even more like Tsunemori than he'd previously assumed. The way her voice dropped, the way she bluntly shot him down.. It was harrowing. ]

For the record, I didn't ask for your help. [ The words are out of his mouth before he can stop them, so it's all he can do to elaborate, albeit a little awkwardly. ] But I appreciate it. I'm sorry that I made it seem like I didn't. I'm just.. overwhelmed.

[ He knows it's no excuse, so when the server places her order on the counter Gino waves his hand to catch the bill for her. He's nothing if not professional, even in his rare moments of remorse. ]