etcelsior | Lies a place that few have seen.

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? This month has been a rocky one, and locals are beginning to eye imPorts with renewed scrutiny; if people like them can get superpowers, are imPorts really that special, after all? Some people usher their children away from anyone clearly not 'from around here,' while other natives may be brave enough to directly approach obvious imPorts and ask their thoughts on the war with Russia and what the imPort ambassadors are planning to do about it.

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 you may find yourself cornered by overzealous imPort fans, media wannabes and opportunists alike, shoving cameras in your face.

Their questions are likely to be fairly mundane, however; get ready for an interview about your taste in romantic partners, personal underwear choices, favourite foods, and more!

Also, as the Halloween craze is reaching a fevered pitched, more and more children are running around in costumes of their favorite imPorts! Do you recognize any of these masks? Perhaps one of these costumes mimics YOU!?

...

Isn't that kinda creepy?

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania is populated by a whole lot of people who are having awfully bad days. With the emergence of locals with superpowers, many seem to have latched onto their new supercharged identities with an incredible amount of gusto. As your character walks down the street, they may find themselves accosted by a large man in his mid-20s, dressed in an ill-fitting spandex suit of orange and yellow. As he thrusts his finger into an imPort's face, the spandex rides up, turning into more of a crop-top, which he duly tugs back down before shouting, "You're not the special ones anymore, imPorts! Feel the wrath of Heartburn!"

Stupid name aside, he does seem to have superpowers as he breathes a large plume of fire. His aim still isn't great, though; it could hit the imPort in question, or be sent in the direction of a nearby local, or even a particularly flammable building.

What will you do, Hero?

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. This fine day, pumpkin spice seems to be in style, to the point at which you happen to be crashing an open pumpkin spice festival. From drinks to sweet treats to some other things that really, really shouldn't be pumpkin spice flavoured (pumpkin spice flavoured vodka, anyone? It tastes like regret!), everyone seems to be in the mood for the upcoming season.

Taste test a few samples and take in the hustle and bustle of the city, everyone! And hey, if just gorging yourself isn't enough, why not try your hand at the pumpkin carving contest going on? The competition is fierce!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Non-locals were easy to spot in this cute little town. It was almost quaint, the way people here were still stuck in a time where they'd cross the street to avoid something like a man in a leather jacket. It also gave John the distinct concern that folks would scurry back to their little suburbs and return with all-American-wood baseball bats if they noticed a man making eyes at another man.

In John's defense, he was curious. He wasn't a great detective, but he made an honest effort, when he wanted to. He wondered what about this new fella would have everyone so shook. It wasn't stalking if you're investigating, right?

Perhaps the boy has noticed the blonde head of hair or the trenchcoat-wearing silhouette nearby, checking out adjacent storefronts and glancing through the windows. ]

[ He noticed. He's trained to notice this kind of thing, after all, and a couple years of being an actual criminal and assassin have given him plenty of practical experience.

So he's being tailed by some guy. There are a lot of ways he could deal with that, honestly. He could lose him, of course, but it might be hard to find him again, and he wants to know why he's being tailed, and by whom. He could act normal and hope he loses interest, but that's the same problem as running, and it's not that likely to work. He could confront the guy directly -- pick a fight, ask why he's being followed, drag him off somewhere and get answers out of him hard.

Could be satisfying, but probably not that smart.

So he doesn't do any of those things. He comes out of whatever bank he's looking at, and there's trenchcoat guy. Jason doesn't keep walking away, though. He heads towards the storefront that John has been loitering in front of, like he wants to look at whatever crap they're selling too. And then he's just standing right the hell next to John, very intently looking at the window display. Body language casual, expression relaxed, doesn't seem bothered by you, and yeah, he's definitely not a local -- the Jersey accent would make that clear even if the rest of the package didn't. ]

You've been here a while. See something you like?

[ You know. In the window. ]

[ John doesn't visibly react as the bloke saunters over. But, he got his attention. Good. Insofar that he hasn't been dragged into an alley and got the snot kicked out of him, yet, things are going well. John grins, still staring at the display. He retorts, his Northern, Liverpudlian accent practically overwhhelms what he's actually saying. ]

Yeah, mate, Just not in the window.

[ Although he does finger at a bouquet of carnations on a shelf curiously, liberating a wilted-looking flower head to stick in the lapel of his trenchcoat. ]

Edited 2016-10-27 15:06 (UTC)

[ Wow. It's actually sort of amazing how much easier it is to flirt when you think of it as a stealth reconnaissance mission. Jason will have to keep that in mind for if he ever hits on anyone seriously. Haha, just kidding! He can't do that because he is a disaster who is incapable of having positive relationships with people. Still, though. ]

Is that so... Where's that accent from, huh? Across the pond and next universe over, that right?

[ human dumptrucks incapable of good relationships, party of two. ]

That's about the size of it, bruv.

[ John does his signature move of patting through the pockets on his coats in search of his cigarettes. He eventually finds a crushed box , pulling out two along with his lighter. He sticks both in his teeth with more panache than the gesture really needs. ]

Still pretty damned sure this universe might be a new circle of hell in disguise, though. S'too nice. Nobody innerestin' to talk to. 'Til now, 'least.

Lies a place that few have seen.

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