etcelsior | WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

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?

Today it's not just imPorts that are making a scene. Given the relatively high approval rating imPorts still pull in here, maybe it shouldn't shock locals and imPorted arrivals alike that new native metahumans are using the city to debute their new spandex and catch phrases while they try and take their own bite out of crime. You know what they say about those darn kids these days though, too much time watching TV instead of say, oh, learning about martial arts or surveillance techniques. Or that the world doesn't actually pause when they start their dramatic entrances like it does on the small screen. There are five teenagers today, each one dressed in elaborate costumes modeled after different birds of paradise (click one of these if you really need examples). And you better believe each one has a dramatic entrance speech concerning truth, Justice, and the American Way, a dramatic pose, and a polysyllabic name to go through before they all strike a team pose and shout 'Birds Of Prey, Uncaged!'

During this time the lone criminal they had swooped down to stop has long since stared running away. Early in the morning, they did this whole production to stop a litterer. Mid-afternoon, a jay walker. Finally, in the evening, they actually try stopping a mugging. Of course the thief and the stolen goods are busy getting away during their intros, a fact the robbed citizen keeps shouting at them through the whole two minute long affair.

It's up to you, dear imPort, to catch these escaping misdemeanors or thief and bring them to actual justice (or, if you're really kind, hand them over to the birds), to stop and tell these kids to get off your darn lawn, to give them hero-ing tips or a real villain to fight against, or to just keep walking and pretend this whole mess never happened. The choice is yours.

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!

These questions are better asked inside, however, as a tornado warning has been released for the county. No, they haven't had one here since the 90s, but you can never be too careful! With the torrential downpour currently hammering the city, some enterprising business people have taken to offering storm themed sales of food, drinks, and appliances. Is there any better way to send the rainy day than on nickle shot night at the local bar, where you cannot only get dangerously intoxicated but also ride the newest in fun and games, the Freudian Mechanical Bull? Come one come all and see how long you can stay clinging on as the bull bucks you physically and emotionally, spitting out catchy psychological phrases like 'do you think this will make your father love you?' or 'riding me for five minutes will never fix what you've done.' The bull will detect which sentences seem to get the best effect and keep barring down on that path. Sensitive about your mother? Better believe the whole bar is about to hear a lot about it.

Or if you're not up for that much fun, you can aid worried citizens in securing their homes and businesses against the possible storms. Help them board up holes in roofs, cast wards on their windows, or just point them towards the nearest insurance agent. Surely you wouldn't take advantage of them and sell them devices they don't need or learn where they keep their valuables and how to reach them at a time like this would you?...would you?

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?

Today is the semi-annual (that no one can quite seem to remember ever happening before) balloon festival. From dawn until well past midnight imPorts and natives alive can pay a small fee to ride in a beautifully colorful hot air balloon solo or in pairs. There is also wonder fried food and face-painting for the whole family. If this seems all a little too innocent and family friendly, don't worry. This being the Falls, there's always a chance for the morally flexible (or horribly naive) to make a little extra money. Some balloons are offering special, 100% totally free in no way catch-possessing deluxe rides to certain 'winners.' Strangely, it appears to 'win' all one has to do is agree to ride the hot air balloon over to another city, drop off one of the 'sand bags' attached to the side at a designated place, pick up a few new 'sand bags' and fly back! Those that can pilot their own balloon rather than needing a guide will be paid extra- they mean, win an extra special prize.

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. 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. Natives may gather around new arrivals and ask both personal and broad questions about life as an imPort, what they are looking forward to, what their favorite article of underwear is. A few night clubs offer free entrance - just this once!

But you'll have to excuse the mess. See, a little while ago the city was a real zoo. Animals running everywhere, smashing store windows, eating aquariums, you know how these things can go. In fact, there are still a few stay old world monkeys jumping around, and maybe a baby gator or two in the sewer or prairie dogs in the parks. A small reward is still being offered for their rounding up.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Meanwhile, Jacen immediately brightens. Even if his uncle looks kind of unhappy and way too young too. Eventually he'll think harder about why that is, but for now ... ]

Uncle Luke! You're here too?

...uncle?

[ UNCLE!? Leia, how many children do you have?! How peaceful were things that her and Han could-- he was just going to stop that thought right there. Right now his reaction probably looked awful, and he needed to explain himself. ]

Ah... I'm sorry, the porter doesn't really respect timelines when it pulls people in.

[ Jacen is a bit taken aback. Was he supposed to call him Master Luke or something? They're not at the Massassi Temple, so ... He frowns a little, looking completely confused. None of that made any sense to him. ]

What are you talking about? What timelines?

[ No, uncle is fine! He's just... twenty-two, just found out the princess he had been crushing on was his sister, and now had two nephews. No big deal! ]

The porter doesn't just bring in people from different worlds, but also from different points in time.

[ He smiled a little sheepishly. ]

Your grandfather is here, and barely older than I am.

[ Jacen's mouth drops open at that revelation. ]

Grandfather? But - how -

[ And should he be worried about Darth Vader walking around? No, he can't ask that outright. He's not that stupid. ]

Then - wait, how old are you then?

[ He understands the shock, believe him; it was a nasty surprise for him. Luke managed a soft smile, though it was a bit strained, and not that hard to understand why. ]

I'm twenty-two.

[ So Anakin Skywalker in is twenties, then. And twenty-two is way closer to sixteen. More like an older brother at that point than an Uncle ... Jacen's head is swimming. ]

So that's why Dad looks funny.

[ Blurted out all of a sudden. ]

[ Luke snorted out a laugh at that one. ]

Yes; Han-- your dad and I are from the same point in time.

[ That was so weird to say. Han as his brother-in-law. That just seemed like a bad life choice for Han. ]

[ It probably is a bad life choice for Han. Just less of one in Jacen's version. ]

So ... Jaina and Anakin and me haven't been born yet. And - um, I guess you haven't met Aunt Mara.

[ ...Jaina and Anakin? ]

[ ... ]

[ Was there more children?! ]

[ And who was Aunt Mara?! ]

[ Luke had to take a step back, a look on his face that was torn between, "I need to sit down," and "I need a drink." ]

Ah... no.

[ He can sort of feel that radiating off his Uncle too. Wincing a bit, he bows his head. ]

Sorry. I guess this is harder for you than it is for me.

[ Luke flashed a weak smile. ]

It's okay, really. It's just a lot to take in.

[ Jacen manages a lopsided grin in return. That's the Solo smile right there. ]

Yeah, I bet ...

[ How can he make Uncle Luke feel better? Oh, he knows. ]

You wanna hear a joke?

[ ...oh yeah, this was definitely Han's kid; there was no question about that. He was about to comment on such, only to pause, raising an eyebrow at the offer of a joke. ]

G'head.

[ Here goes nothing. ]

You fought the Empire, right? What's the difference between an AT-AT and a stormtrooper?

[ ...this was going to hurt his brain, wasn't it? ]

I don't know; what?

[ All Jacen jokes hurt people's brains. ]

One's a an imperial walker ... and the other's a walking Imperial.

[ ...OW. ]

[ Luke at least managed a weak laugh at that. It looked like Jacen inherited his father's sense of humor too. ]

[ HE SURE DID. He grins a bit at that grimace - good, that's about what he expected. ]

See? There's way worse things in the world than time travel.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

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