PRESENT TIME, IT'S A TDM

[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, 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.

Comments

[dendarii]

[ He's quiet a moment at that. Not because he wants to spill his backstory - oh no, he's thinking of something else. ]

Good, because I'm not either. [ A pause. ] It's a poor copy anyway. You haven't even gotten my height right.

[ And carefully - nearly imperceptibly - he knocks an inch off his own. ]

[lapwing]

[The other Miles stares at him, eyes narrow. So he did.¹

With a bit of a half shrug, Bartimaeus readjusts.]

Happier with a bit of eye level for once, then?

[dendarii]

[ Ha. Good. He takes a tiny bit of glee at getting to mess with someone right back, even if it can't last. He blinks at Bartimaeus as if confused by the question. And recedes another inch. ]

Er - yes? It's a rare occurrence. But as I said, you're a bit off.

[lapwing]

[Bartimaeus crosses Miles' arms, regards him, now a bit more warily, and then just cheekily shrinks half a foot. He actually looks up AT the original Miles.]

Oh. Right. I see the use of that step in your neck here. Convenient.

[dendarii]

[ Cheeky bastard. As with most of Miles' bad decisions, it only takes him a split second to hurl himself into it. He glowers down at the djinn for a moment, then - just as abruptly - matches him. If only because it is too damn weird looking down at himself for longer than a moment. ]

It has its uses. People tend to make very quick decisions about what sort of person you are.

[lapwing]

[This Miles' grin is positively shit eating when the other Miles drops down to his size.]

I don't exactly see how I've been wrong, yet.

[dendarii]

[ Damn. He was hoping to get one more surprised look out of him. Should have figured that a spirit like Bartimaeus would be well used to humans with unusual powers. Stubbornly, he stays at his current (smaller) height as if he hadn't even seen the spirit's grin. ]

You've made a mistake, though. I'd much rather be your friend than an enemy, given that Kitty is fond of you.

[lapwing]

[It's less the surprise, and more the confirmation that he DIDN'T flub a detail. Everyone has priorities.]

To what benefit of yours, Shorty?

[dendarii]

[ He twitches at the name. Goddammit, Kitty, he's doing this for you. ]

To be quite frank - I pissed off Nathaniel very terribly the first time we met. I'd like to not screw it up with her other best friend from home.

Otherwise? Nothing.

[lapwing]

[He pops back to a bird in surprise.]

What? Nathaniel? How...?

[dendarii]

[ Miles jolts back a step at that, started by the sudden change. Why is - oh. Right. ]

This place can pull in anyone. Even the dead.

[lapwing]

[The dead stay dead. There's no coming back.¹]

And he was going by Nathaniel?

[dendarii]

Oh, no. He called himself John Mandrake. But I had his real name from Kitty already.

[lapwing]

Huh. [Trusted this Miles character that much, or Nathaniel that little?

Best friend...?

Well, Bartimaeus had to suppose that near certain doom made humans feel weird things. (Mostly, it made spirits annoyed.)]

[dendarii]

[ Miles blinks down at the bird, still a bit confused. This name business just doesn't make any concrete sense to him. ]

I told you, we're very close. And as I understand it, the factors necessitating hiding one's name just don't exist here.

[lapwing]

[ HA HAAAA. No. ]

Right, back to disparaging you.

[dendarii]

[ Look, Miles doesn't know that. Probably best he continues not to know. ]

You've already called me short half a dozen times. I'd rather talk more about you.

[ Speaking of which, he's going to undo his little size shift. Just - hm. Give him a moment to wriggle loose of where he is ... He makes a bit of a face. ]

[lapwing]

[Did that bird just snigger at you? SURE DID.]

Stuck, o Beardless Lord of the Deeps?

[dendarii]

[ Miles swats idly at the damn bird. ]

Oh, shut up. It's harder than it looks.

[lapwing]

[Predictably, Miles' hand passes through empty air. With a flurry of beating wings, the spirit settles firmly on Miles' head.]

Seems easy enough to me.

[dendarii]

[ Well now he's never going to get his concentration right. Especially with his power automatically looping out to pull in whoever he's made physical contact with. He makes a supremely frustrated noise and swats at the bird again. ]

You are an absolute menace.

[lapwing]

[Even better when the bird ducks and... hangs upsidedown to stare him in the eyes. It's a REALLY ugly bird.]

I'm even being nice. [Sort of.]

Just in case Kitty actually decided to join some lordly harem.

[dendarii]

[ Incredibly, ridiculously ugly. Miles rolls his eyes just to keep them from crossing. ]

If anything I'm part of hers. Or perhaps we're both part of Gregor's.

[lapwing]

Oh yes, that makes the power dynamics SO much better.

[dendarii]

Well ask her if she's dissatisfied. And picture for a moment a Kitty who doesn't want to do something. I certainly couldn't stop her from leaving.