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

There are plenty of buyers, but plenty of sellers too. This era might be a tad conservative for your brand, though. You ought to tone it down a bit.

No. [The response is immediate and firm.] I'm not going to pretend to be anything other than what I am.

Oh? But you know, it's much easier to get converts that way. Trying to change human culture to fit your needs is like trying to push back the tide with your hands. You're better off adapting yourself to it. Becoming what other people want is how you increase your worship.

I am Inanna, The Morning and Evening Star, Queen of Heaven. Boundaries are meaningless to me. I break roles. I go where I wish, and I do as I like. I will not temper myself for this world.

It may take more time, but I'll build my followers without compromising myself.

[ Her smiles shifts a little, like she's laughing at some private joke. More rueful than condescending, somehow. ]

Isn't that contradictory? You say boundaries are meaningless to you, but you've bound yourself by refusing to compromise. Being unwilling to change, locking yourself into a certain nature -- that is by definition allowing yourself to be defined by boundaries. This is true even if these boundaries are self-imposed, or if you think they're self-imposed.

Regardless, if you believe in the importance of what you represent, you should be willing to do whatever it takes to gain power. You need power if you wish to shape the world, and not be shaped by it.

[Inanna can't help but roll his eyes, somewhere between amused and annoyed.]

Why do I think you'd give a similar speech if I agreed and bound myself to the rules of this world?

I have power, and I know that I'll gain more. It might take me longer this way, but I don't want to do it any other way.

[ She absolutely would have, but fuckin' rude, Inanna, don't call her out like that. ]

I don't really know what you mean. Well, I don't have any reason not to give you sincere advice. It's not as if you and I are in competition. Rather, we're in different markets altogether, aren't we?

[What do you expect to get from playing banter with the rule breaker??]

Sincere advice doesn't mean you can't still tease me while you're doing it. But no, I don't think we have an overlap unless I've misread you completely.

I'm sure you understand me completely. But regardless, whether I'm teasing you or not, what I've said has merit. You should take it to heart.

I didn't say I know you that well. Just enough to make some good guesses. It'll be fun to find out how close to right I am.

Really, there's no need to guess. Since we're friends, I'll happily tell you anything you want to know. I'm an open book.

[Inanna isn't sure how much he believes all of that, but the banter has been enjoyable so far. There's no reason to cut it off yet.]

Alright. What would you say is your favorite part of your domains then?

Oh...? Isn't that sort of a difficult question? It's like saying what part of your personality you think is best, or what part of your life you most prefer. I'm the youkai of boundaries, after all. That power encompasses nearly everything, under the right circumstances, seen from a particular angle. I have power over all things and I enjoy all things, to some extent or another.

But my favorite things are probably drinking and sleeping.

It is a hard one, but I think that just makes the answers you get even more interesting.

[He pauses, tilting his head curiously.]

Ah... So you set the boundaries?

More or less, I suppose I do.

How interesting. It just so happens that I love pushing boundaries. I think we could have quite an interesting time together.

Edited 2016-12-25 02:08 (UTC)

[ She laughs a little, a little bit charmed and a little bit skeptical. ]

Oh, is that so? A goddess consorting with a monster is pushing it awfully far indeed, I'd say.

[Inanna, on the other hand, is completely at ease and enjoying themself.]

That just means it'll be more fun.

[ I mean. The polite thing to do would probably be to explain to this very nice boy/goddess that I am actually a dangerous and unpredictable monster in a world that means nothing to me full of people that are not my people, and therefore are, as far as I'm concerned, basically a bunch of toys who vary only in how fun they are to play with.

But that just seems like the sort of thing that will come up naturally at some point anyway, so why bother, right? ]

At any rate, I'm certain it'll be interesting, won't it?

[This will surely all turn out fine and no one will be hurt in any way.]

I'm looking forward to it.

PRESENT TIME, IT'S A TDM

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