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]

[ A hand flinches towards the dagger on his belt. No ... he's not going to welcome a friend of Kitty's by stabbing them. Not to mention the fact that he'd probably stab his own neck doing that. But instincts die hard. ]

Oh for the love of - I don't enslave anyone. Would never. Much better to have friends and allies.

[lapwing]

Uh huh. I got a bridge to sell you, too.

[dendarii]

I'm serious. I've a silver tongue, not an iron fist. And as I said before, I'd rather be friends with Kitty's friends.

[lapwing]

[He's serious because that's the options available to him, as far as Bartimaeus was concerned.



On the other hand, Bartimaeus DOES know Kitty. The tail uncoils and whips back up around Miles' head, like a spiky crown.]

We'll see.

[dendarii]

[ Better than his neck, but still not great. Miles sighs heavily. And decides that he's had enough of lizards.

In the blink of an eye, he turns into a kestrel. And immediately uses his much smaller size to flutter free. ]

Good.

[lapwing]

[ WHAT THE HELL?? This kid is definitely human on all of the planes... AND YET, sure is a falcon right now too... somehow.

Illusion.. oh so casually, the lizard reaches up a claw, feeling for any edges of the spell to undo.]

There's a fancy little trick there...

[dendarii]

[ However he's doing it, it doesn't appear to be magic. Something else, something human and scientific and utter bullshit, but not magic.

Miles hops back a few inches, head cocked. ]

Do you like it? I'm very fond of being a bird, myself.

[lapwing]

[The lizard stretches... and stretches...

The sand cat has a nice, folded pair of bat wings on his back. Just for that little edge touch of style.]

I'm partial to them as well.

[dendarii]

[ A cat vs. a bird, eh. Miles hardly needs to do much to read into the implications of that. He hops back a bit more, ready to fly. ]

Why don't we have a little flight together then? I'll show you around.

[lapwing]

I know how that one goes. Lets see what else you can turn into.

[dendarii]

[ Miles just stares flatly back at the djinni. His first instinct is to preserve the element of surprise, to keep some weapons back ... but this is Kitty's friend, dammit. Even if Miles doesn't like him very much right now. ]

You didn't care for that form much, as I recall.

[lapwing]

[What? With his charming personality and winning people skills?]

Bird and a toad. Got it.

[dendarii]

[ The little bird's eyes flash a bit at that. ]

I'll give you one thing. You might be the first one here to actually dig at me for my physical body. Everyone else is entirely too polite.

[lapwing]

Oh sure, out loud. But I'll bet there's those careful stares a little to the left, or a bit too fixed on you. The trying to be casual and not care, just a bit too hard.

Frankly, I'm just doing the favor of being someone you can yell back at. You're welcome.

[dendarii]

[ Fuck. That hit entirely too hard. Because as polite and considerate as everyone is to his face, many of them have also done that. Even Kitty ... Miles twitches bodily - and then, he shifts back to human in the next blink. ]

Somehow it's lost its charm.

[lapwing]

Here I am, being helpful. [The cat takes a moment to lick one of his paws.] For free, even.

[dendarii]

Oh, no. Not free at all. This is entirely at my expense.

[lapwing]

Oh, I suppose you can look at it that way. But it's not at mine and that's the important bit.

[dendarii]

You're very determined to have everything you can from me. I've not even done anything except be friendly.

[lapwing]

I'm being positively friendly. I'll have you know I have never treated a king better than I am doing right now. [Fact. Historically, that has been a painful and dangerous fact.]

I mean, I haven't even tried eating you, despite having a bang on good reason. [At least until he can double check his story with Kitty's.] I'm even fairly sure no one would notice.

[dendarii]

[ On that last point, at least, Miles knows Bartimaeus is dead wrong. It removes some of the sting from that particular jab. ]

The reason being ... what, that you don't like me?

[lapwing]

More on the point of it's a quiet street.

[dendarii]

[ Ah. Miles' expression turns entirely smug. ]

Is that what you're judging it by? I assure you, my presence would be missed immediately.

[lapwing]

Oh? More of that Emperor story.

[dendarii]

Oh, he's not Emperor here. That's not what I mean.

[ Gently, nonchalantly, he reaches out to Aral with a location. Not a distress signal, more a "hey, pay attention just in case" ping. ]