etcelsior | PRESENT TIME, IT'S A TDM

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, whatever the last year has brought, the holidays and the New Year has come and with it a renewed (if possibly temporary) sense of generosity towards the displaced imPorts. Part of this includes a special second ball drop in Heropa on New Year’s Eve, including festivities such as local bands performing, an ice sculpting competition, free food and hourly fireworks display over the water. Some people mutter it’s all being done to keep the imPorts away from real Americans at the Times Square ball drop, but surely that’s just a nasty rumor.

But when a small gang led by one of the new superpowered natives tries to steal this ‘imPort’ ball at 11:30pm, one has to wonder if keeping the powered community away from native crowds wasn’t a good idea. The (uncreatively) self-named ‘Ice Boy’ has ice powers and five non-powered followers trying to steal the New Year’s ball as their powered leader provides a distraction. They are going out of their way to not hurt any natives, but clearly have something to say about the government using up public funds for imPort events.

Enjoy the festivities, then stand and watch the newest native supervillain steal the ball or slip into your spandex and try and stop him. Or, if you’re the type, go and help him out. Whatever you pick, it’s going to be a New Years to remember.

02. De Chima, Virginia, is a large city with a healthy economy, and though it's quieter than Heropa, there are still large numbers of citizens to be 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 remains high here, 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, favorite foods, and more!

Given the rock star status of imPorts, it’s no surprise you’re especially big commodities around the holidays. Action figures, wrapping paper, it seems everywhere you turn there are products with imPort’s faces appearing on it. Not to mention the made for TV movie of ‘ImPorts and Santa Save Christmas.’ No one really knows why the Russians are riding pterodactyls to ruin Christmas, but does it really matter? Watch the show in a store window long enough and you just may see a (similar but legally distinct) version of someone you know riding Rudolph to help save the day.

Ah, the wonders of capitalism.

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania has had its ups and downs since imPorts started reappearing. Several imPort heroes have put focused efforts into cleaning up the streets of this somewhat infamous city, while others have swooped in to help the criminal industry thrive. More so here than the streets of any other imPort city, the battle between good and evil looks more like a war of escalation than a heroic tale. That might make the less than warm welcome imPorts are given in the city a little more understandable. The emergence of locals with superpowers is hardly helping. While some of these individuals have turned to crime, many locals seem more inclined to defend their native powered drug dealer than help the non-native hero bring them to justice. Who are you to tell them how to live?

So while that Salvation Army Santa on the corner might seem to be more serving as a look out for the shady bar behind him than collecting donations, is it really worth trying to sneak in and see what’s happening inside?

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. More so than any other city, Nonah has embraced every holiday available to celebrate this time of year. To be American is to be part of a melting pot, and that there’s more money to be made by the thriving local industries hardly hurts. Today is a large winter market place. Streets have been closed off and local merchants big and small have set up booths throughout the city to sell their holiday (and normal, who doesn’t need a new pair of wingtips for the New Year?) wares. While outdoors, there are enough heaters scattered around that you’d hardly notice it. Any imPort willing to say they bought their menorah, kinara, Saturnalia wine, or whatever else at a specific booth is in for a big discount from the managers!

Go wander and get your shopping in, folks. Any imPort willing to be interviewed about how they celebrate in December back on their home world is instantly surrounded by a small gaggle of people. Any jokesters out there should be careful to not make up too many fake holidays. The people here might just take it to heart this time next year.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Eh. He's too genuinely happy to care much about that, but he won't be obnoxious. ]

I am. But what about you? I don't think I've seen you around here before.

Just passing through, I'm afraid. Perhaps in time we should meet again, though. This place does have its curiosities.

... You're likely to be stuck a bit longer than that. This place is reluctant to let us go.

Mm. [He seems unconcerned.] Perhaps. But something tells me I won't be staying very long.

[He takes a sip of his drink again.]

I've never been much for captivity.

If you say so. Though I've found that intentions mean very little to this place.

[ A pause. ]

What's your name, anyway?

You may also find that intentions mean very little to me.

[A pause as he plays lightly with the stem of his glass.]

Lucifer.

[ Miles chokes on his drink. His posture instantly snaps straight as he stares at Lucifer, somewhere between wary and terrified. ]

You look different.

[Lucifer reaches down and pushes a napkin towards Miles. Clean yourself up, won't you?]

Do I? I've appeared many ways to many people. You'll forgive me for not remembering you.

[ Miles dabs at himself with it, still rather wide-eyed. ]

Perfectly fine. Let's start over instead, shall we? No hard feelings.

No hard feelings? [He repeats with mild interest.]

Perhaps you would like to illuminate further as to the nature of our relationship?

[ Rather bluntly: ]

You tried to kill me and everyone remotely close to me.

Mm... [He murmurs into his drink.] Well, I'm sure that I had a good reason.

Either way, you find yourself in a rather fortunate position. One not so often afforded, as it were. Seeing as I can't remember you or mister-or-misses loved ones, perhaps we can use this little reunion of ours as a bit of a parley, hm?

I - would obviously disagree on that point, but let's not dawdle there.

[ A twitch, but he's not going to belay that particular point. ]

By all means. Let's keep this civil.

Certainly. [He replies, placing his drink down.]

I can, of course, trust you to remember my discretion if the time comes in the future for you to do so?

[Say, if he needed a favor perhaps? If the situation ever arised that he did?]

[ Miles hackles go up ever so slightly. This is how the previous mess had started, after all. The other Lucifer had tried (and failed) to control him.

On the other hand, he really, really doesn't want to start another war. ]

I'll certainly recommend to the rest of my family that we should not continue our feud either. That seems fair.

Fair has nothing to do with it, Miles. I saw fit, in the past, to kill you and your family. I didn't, and in return I only ask that you remember my frugality.

[He pushes his glass away, done with his drink.]

Humans are so funny. You all think that everything is a negotiation. This is not one of those moments. There is no feud.

[As much as it would simply be a slaughter, really.]

[ Miles is quite certain it would be a slaughter too. That doesn't stop him from snapping his head up, spine straight. Or as straight as his crooked spine will actually allow. ]

Funny, it sounded like a negotiation. Me already in your debt for nothing. I've already been down this road with your predecessor, and I don't care to repeat it.

'There was a crooked man, and he walked a crooked mile...' [He repeats sing-song, watching Miles with eyes than burn like the sun.]

[The rhyme refers to the fact that the English and Scots had at last come to an agreement, despite continuing great animosity between them, who nonetheless had to live with each other due to their common border. 'And they all lived together in a crooked little house...']

[ Miles twitches faintly at that. He's familiar with the meaning - in a different context - but even so. He straightens up again as well as his crooked body will allow. ]

Words to live by yourself. I owe you nothing save a clean start.

I live by my own reason, and I am no man. But perhaps we'll see what the future brings for the both of us, hm?

Thank you for the drink, Miles.

[He smiles ever so slightly and stands up, placing a perfect, smooth hand on Miles'.]

And stop straightening yourself, will you? It rather suits you.

[He means that genuinely, actually. Trying to be something other than oneself because of perceived imperfections lowers you, and for one so defiant is truly a shame.]

PRESENT TIME, IT'S A TDM

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