Lies a place that few have seen.

[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? 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!

Comments

[dendarii]

[ Aha. That's the piece he's missing. Miles leans forward with a shit-eating grin. ]

But you do know about them. I never said anything about Mother, after all.

[adhaerent]

It's just common sense, Miles. [ that much is true. ] He obviously loves her a great deal, so I sincerely doubt he'd do anything that would hurt her. And she's Betan, so I'd assume she'd be at least nominally involved in any.. extramarital relationships. She'd be aware of them, at least.

[dendarii]

[ Oh no, you're not getting away that easily. ]

That's not what most Barrayarans would assume. You know her well too?

[adhaerent]

I know her well enough to know that one doesn't cross her.

[ but wait-- more importantly, in his shock he hadn't addressed the biggest question here. ]

--You seem remarkably accepting of the idea that your parents have.. partners.

[dendarii]

[ Miles makes a bit of a face, temporarily distracted from his own sleuthing. ]

Ah. Well - Mother and I had quite a long discussion about that.

[adhaerent]

I.. see. [ that's good, isn't it? surely it's a weight off her shoulders. what had aral thought of it, though? he's so private. but.. if anyone should know, shouldn't it be their son? ] Well, it's good that she did, I suppose, given your apparent tendency to interrogate.

[dendarii]

[ A faint snort. ]

Forgive me. I've known just about everyone else who's come here. You're an exception.

[adhaerent]

Somehow, I think it's just a part of your nature.

[dendarii]

... It can be both.

[adhaerent]

True enough.

[ now what? miles knows about cordelia and aral. he.. thinks he knows about jole. it's all so confusing. what does he want? a confession?

has someone told him and he's just waiting for jole to admit it? who, though? (is cordelia from a different point in the timeline..?)

he sighs, uncurling his hands and bringing one up, rubbing it over his eyes tiredly. ] Your particular brand of tenacity is very uniquely you.

[dendarii]

[ Sorry Jole, even Miles doesn't really know what he wants. Other than to pick at this interesting thing set before him. ]

You've heard stories, I suppose. Watched me from afar?

[adhaerent]

Your parents talk about you. Their brand of tenacity is different.

[ this is a bad idea. whether cordelia's talked to miles or not, jole shouldn't say anything. but if miles is really going to keep pushing this, if he's going to keep looking for something, then.. isn't it better to do this on jole's terms?

he digs the heels of his palms into his eyes until they ache, then heaves a sigh and lowers them, sitting back up again, back straight and stiff and clearly uncomfortable. ]

.. Yes. [ that's it. it's up to miles to interpret what he's agreeing to. ]

[dendarii]

[ It's either that or wait for Miles to eventually worm himself all the way down to the bottom of things. At the worst possible moment, of course.

For now he blinks slowly at Jole, distracted even from that implied compliment. ]

Yes? Yes what?

[adhaerent]

[ he stares at him for several long moments, reluctant and unhappy.

at last, he glances away, jaw tight. ]

Your parents and I.

[dendarii]

[ He blinks again. Now that Jole is actually sort of confessing, Miles has, of course, suddenly become rather thick-headed. ]

Yes, you know both of them. I'm aware of that.

[adhaerent]

[ he could almost laugh, it's so ridiculous. here miles has sat for the better part of an hour trying to get him to say it, and now he's going to force him.

he can't look at him. he shouldn't have to say it. he's not ready to say it. he has no idea if it's something aral and cordelia want miles to know. (it is, quite frankly, none of miles's business.) ]

For heaven's sake, Miles.. [ a breath, then a sigh. ] We're lovers. We have been for years, now.

[dendarii]

[ Whatever Miles thought he was getting at just now, it's not that. He stares at Jole for a moment, his mouth working but no sound coming out. His parents? With Jole?

(He gives Jole another, more appraising onceover. Okay, he can't fault his parents' taste in men.) ]

... How many years? God, you're barely older than I am.

[ That's kind of the weirdest part here, although even that is blunted somewhat by having slept with the same person as hi parents, himself. ]

[adhaerent]

[ his fingers clench against the table-top, embarrassed beneath the stare, still incredibly uncomfortable. ]

I'd been working for Aral for a few months, I suppose.

[ he glances down at his hands, realizing they're white-knuckled. ]

It was.. well. Cordelia's the one that had to sort us out.

[dendarii]

Ah. That's no surprise. I don't think Da would figure it out even if it hit him in the head.

[adhaerent]

.. It's not that. [ he's not getting into details. he's flustered enough as it is. ] It's only that he-- we both had some things to work through, I suppose. And at the time, I had no idea that Cordelia was so open-minded, so I spent a fair amount of time panicking and furious with myself for being so attracted to a married man. I am not the sort of person that interferes in marriages.

[dendarii]

[ That makes him relax most of all. Not that he thinks Jole was trying to wreck his parents' marriage - clearly that would have failed anyway - but knowing it was never even a thought is comforting.

Wait. Back up a moment. ]

You were attracted to Da first?

[adhaerent]

[ he cannot believe he's having this conversation with his lovers' adult son. heat floods his face at the question. ]

Yes. I'm still-- [ god. ] I love Cordelia, but Aral is the one I.. [ fell in love with. he clears his throat. ] Anyway, who isn't attracted to one or both of your parents. They're forces of nature together or separately.

[dendarii]

[ Very dryly: ]

Well. I'm not.

[adhaerent]

You don't count. You're related to them.

[dendarii]

I don't think everyone else is attracted to them either.

[ A beat. ]

But they do make a pair of hurricanes, I suppose. If you're into hurricanes.