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]

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. ]

[lapwing]

[The answer from Aral was calm, cool and warily interested. There was no way to mistake the effervescent feeling of Miles rushing on ahead. It was just satisfying to get called BEFORE Miles got there and past.

In the mean time, the cat has narrowed its eyes at Miles. He has no idea what this twisted midget has in mind, but Bartimaeus hasn't been kicking around several millennia without getting a bit of a knack for when things are about to go pear shaped.

The cat crouches, muscles tensing.]


Oh? And what do you mean, Tiny?

[dendarii]

[ Miles is here to be a considerate son, jeez. Or ... okay really he just wants to stick it to Bartimaeus, and his father showing up with a golem and some power nulling would be rather satisfying. Either way - practical to have his location broadcasted before he does something real dumb. ]

I mean try me. Lay a finger on me. See what happens next.

[lapwing]

[An ear flicks back, slit eyes focused on Miles. It's a little too open of an offer.]

You don't have enough meat on you. Stringy. Put on a couple of stones and we'll talk.

[dendarii]

[ He'd be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed, but - well, that's not a bad outcome either.

Doesn't stop him from continuing. ]

Don't tell me you're scared of someone as small and frail as me.

[lapwing]

Scared? [The cat snorts. Which is a peculiar sound from a feline. It doesn't move, but the tail begins to twitch and lash. Hackles raise gently along its back.]

Oh, wary. You're going to have to get up earlier than that to get one on a spirit as wise as me.

[dendarii]

[ There we go. Miles is satisfied by that. And ... a bit alarmed too. Time to take a plunge into the unknown...

Physically, he holds his ground. ]

I don't believe you. For someone supposedly as powerful as you, you sure are just a lot of hot air.

[lapwing]

I see you heard a little about my world but not nearly enough.¹

[The cat rises, eyes beginning to glow red. The smell of brimstone begins to wash through the air, and the world warps around Miles. Nearby buildings start to shudder and crowd over around the two of them, cutting off paths of escape.

Around them, passersby begin to choke and collapse, clawing at throats and faces.

Bartimaeus' voice booms, shuddering and echoing around Miles.]

I, Bartimaeus of Uruk, architect of Giza, scourge of the battle of Quadesh, he who crowned the great ageless priestess of old, should not be little trifled with.

[dendarii]

[ That, at least, has most of its intended effect. Miles has no way of telling that what he's seeing isn't real; his only saving grace is the thought that Bartimaeus can't possibly be that powerful here. Even Lucifer had had limits ...

Limits that he hadn't needed to exceed in order to hurt Miles very badly. Maybe that's not such a great thought after all.

Fear surges in Miles like a rising tide, but there's no spike of pain to match it; he is scared, oh yes, but not injured. And if it's just fear he can make it work for him. He lets the feeling buoy him up, rising with it like a boat caught by the tide.

What can he do? His eyes dart frantically between Bartimaeus and his surroundings. The civilians are the biggest problem; he can't let them get hurt. So despite his fear, Miles forces himself to lock eyes with Bartimaeus and take a step closer. Focus on him. ]

Sounds more like you're old and out of touch. You think a few fireworks are enough to scare me?

[ They totally are. Miles is trembling, faintly. ]

[use_everything]

[It didn't have the same view for Aral Vorkosigan. Like most of those passing by, there was simply a shaking small man approaching a rather large, tufted cat. It drew its own set of stares, but was little to show the small showdown of wills going on below the surface, or what distorted, menacing hell Miles was seeing.

Aral didn't need to. The first taunts traded (Miles. Miles pls.) Aral had left the Lucky Cat immediately, found the scene not far and sought out the best vantage, just in case.

There wasn't the place to get a good shot, not with all of the crossing traffic. He was a smart shot, but stunners are meant for a reasonably wide range... which meant, that while this newcomer's attention was soundly on Miles, he picked his way over with quiet determination.

The terror electrifying the link between himself and his son was more than enough to explain that there was something going on... some power he couldn't see.

Time to put an end to that.

His hand drops on the cat's fur, sinking deep into the ruff and the knot ties down.]

[lapwing]

[The illusion snaps clear to Miles' eyes. The people he saw collapse are actually pausing in their shopping stroll, looking over with curiosity. The buildings and street shift back to where they had been, and the air clears of its lung burning qualities...

And there is Aral, holding what is suddenly a small child by the back of the neck.

Bartimaeus was only vaguely aware of a hand on him at all. Human nerves were inefficient, erratic, and lets talk about processing. All of this useless mucking about with all of these coordination properties and silly things like breathing. Chemicals and electrical pulses everywhere, surrounded by all of these delicate bits of meat and tubes, growing and dying and rotting around him all at once. He would be horrified on several simultaneous lines of thought if his vast intellect wasn't shoved down into a tiny little human container.

The sound that came from the uncoordinated child was, frankly, of pure horror.]

No, no NO!

[dendarii]

[ Just like that, the inferno is gone. Miles drops to his knees like a puppet with his strings cut, panting slightly from the terror and the strain of it all. A glance around him confirms that no, nobody's hurt, nothing's even on fire here. Was it all an illusion here? Apparently so.

Miles' emotions quickly slurry into a mixture of relief, gratitude, and straight up adrenaline rush. That got his heart pumping all right. He wobbles back up to his feet, shooting a relieved look at Aral - as if the link weren't enough - before approaching Bartimaeus carefully. ]

You have the most excellent timing, Da. Thank you. [ He tilts his head down at the djinni. ] I did warn you. Perhaps now you see my point?

[use_everything]

[Aral nods, a brow raised. He didn't know who or what he had in his hands, but as disconcerting as it was to have a panicking child in his hands, Miles' surge of reactions was certainly enough to stay those questions for now.

He shifts his grip to one a little less mortally threatening, and one a bit more of a sound joint lock.]

[lapwing]

[In the mean time, Bartimaeus was doing his best to be calm.¹ The whites of his eyes showed all the way around, and his hands trembled, even through the strange, uncoordinated movements of trying to brush the hair out of his face. (Hit himself once, nearly poked his own eye the second time.²)]

Yes, absolutely you win, completely and utterly. Undo this!

[dendarii]

[ That's a bit stronger of a reaction than he'd expected. He'd reached out to Aral out of sheer practicality - on multiple levels - not out of any intent to torment this guy. Well, okay, maybe a little torment. But he does curb the urge to be incredibly smug about this. Leave it just long enough to let the message sink in, but not so long that revenge is sworn... ]

Not enjoying the sensation of being normal, Bartimaeus?

[lapwing]

Oh, it's just peachy. Best time I've ever had.

[How did it go... oh yes. Bartimaeus' great rebellion involved kicking Aral in the shin a few times. It didn't actually do anything, but it made the djinni feel better.]

Fine. Whatever. What do you want. Riches? A palace? A better haircut, because seriously, you need one of those.

[dendarii]

[ Miles just rolls his eyes a bit at all of that. ]

I don't need or want any of those things. Except maybe the haircut, but I think I can handle that one myself.

I truly do want to be friends. Or at least not have you threatening to make me disappear. As you can see, that would be inadvisable.