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

"Charles," Erik says, firmly but sympathetically. "I need to tell you something. There are more of us out there," he says. "There are universes where we meet as teenagers. Universes where I die in the place of my children. You have to understand that we are not unique, we almost seem to be a constant."

And then, he smiles. "I think, in all of the universes so far, that we were friends." Once, anyway. He seems to fight Charles most of the time.

Erik's words make him no less agitated, but the end manages to soften the hard look in his eyes. "Erik..." he says quietly and leans back against his chair, eyes closing. "I'm sorry. I'm trying, I truly am."

He rubs his eyes for a moment and then pulls himself upright again. "Did you and I meet as teenagers or under the surface while you tried to lift a submarine?" Are you his Erik or another Erik that he needs to learn to know, too?

"I don't think there will be a universe where we aren't friends," he says quietly to top it off.

He goes to get the tea in the meantime, while Charles asks his questions. "I don't know; I've only heard of them existing," he replies, and then sits down with him. "But you're right. If there's a universe with either of us, I imagine we'll find each other or one of us will be quite lonely." He offers Charles his tea.

"Do you want to have a lie-down?" he asks, not trying to sound patronizing or anything, but maybe he could use some nice calm sleep to ease his mind.

"So much of my history is tied together with yours, I can't imagine what I would be today without you." It's not some kind of confession of devotion or anything of that sort. It's just a statement that Erik has had an awful lot to do with big decisions in Charles' life.

"No, I'm fine," he says a bit sharply. "I'm just..." There is the frustration again. Erik is Erik. He's familiar. Jean is familiar. But the rest of this is completely new to him and he doesn't know what he is supposed to do with it.

"I can't finish your sentences, Charles," he responds. "Nor read your mind." But he sits down with Charles, and looks him square in the eyes. "But... I know you're having a hard time adjusting to this. Believe me, it took me months to get used to the fact that we weren't in any sort of imminent danger." And then they were in fact, in some sort of imminent danger, so, that backfired.

"But when I first came here, I didn't have anyone to talk to. And I think if I did, it would have gone a lot faster. So you don't have to tell me, but I promise it will be better if you do."

Of course Erik is right. He can't read Charles' mind and it's unfair to expect him to do that. Not that Charles does. He absolutely hates feeling helpless, though. And it shows.

"No, of course you can't, and I don't expect you to," he says quietly and just stares at Erik quietly. For so long that the moment of saying something almost passes. But then he draws in a breath and seems to reach for words, forcing them out.

"I don't forget things, Erik," he says quietly. "I can't control this... " He makes a vague gesture towards the lower part of his body, unresponsive as it is. "But I can control this." Tapping his temple briefly. "Except now someone else did and... I feel helpless. If they can do that, I have nothing to put against it." Kind of like a certain ancient mutant that he doesn't even want to think about.

"I know," Erik says, and he looks on sympathetically. He knows what it's like to be here and have everyone know you, except you. He also knows what it's like to have nothing, to start from scratch. He's done it three times now-- once, to start over in America and get away from the haunting of the War. And once, an idyllic rest stop after chasing Shaw for seventeen years, believing his life could start again. Once, in Poland, where he felt like he'd been dead inside so long and finally he could breathe.

"I think you should take my room," he says. It won't remind him of how he was here before, when he wakes up, because none of those possessions are his. Instead, he can be surrounded by all of Erik's things. "I'll ask Tony to keep the deeds," he adds. "I don't think there were any other projects waiting on you."

And, of course, he'll buy a whole lot of stiff drinks.

Suddenly Charles sucks in a sharp breath and his eyes look definitely misty as he swallows and presses a hand to his mouth. I'm so sorry, Erik. I shouldn't complain like this. The mere idea of Erik ending up here, alone, after losing his family makes Charles want to give himself a kick for saying anything at all.

"I couldn't put you out of your own room, you know that," he says, his lips twisting into a smile as he reaches across the open space between them to take Erik's hand and squeezes it firmly. "But than you for offering. I don't know who this Tony is but thank you for everything."

It's still an adjustment to reel back from the idea that just a few hours ago Erik had been standing just a few feet from him but not hearing a word Charles was saying, hell-bent on letting El Sabah Nur destroy everything humanity has ever built and now he's there, calm and collected, trying to make Charles feel better.

"Just give me a little bit of time. I'll sort it out."

"I'll take yours," Erik responds. "Or one of the new ones upstairs. It's not a big deal, Charles." He passes around a thought that he's used to moving around quite a bit anyway, maybe he'd enjoy a change of scenery, even if it's in the same house. It's not the displacement that ever worries him; that's something he sees as a constant in his life.

"I want you to be comfortable," he adds. "It's a tall order," he admits, "but if you tell me what you need, I promise I'll at least try to make it happen." And by that he means be reasonable but be honest, he wants to know what's on Charles's mind, he wants to be able to help him settle back in.

Charles has taken care of Erik more times than he cares to count. And when it came down to it, he's the one who convinced Erik to step off that ledge and stop trying to seek personal vengeance destroying the earth and cleansing it anew.

Helping rebuild Charles's life is the least he could do.

"Maybe for a couple of nights," Charles finally agrees. He knows already that he's going to feel more comfortable living surrounded by what is Erik's than what is supposed to be his. But he doesn't want to make it permanent.

"But I need to get used to it eventually. So, just a few nights."

He sighs and rubs his face for a moment, the heel of his palm in his eye socket, pressing down.

"I just need a little bit of time." He needs time and patience most of all from himself.

"Thank you, Erik."

"I know." He gets up then to fuss around and get more tea-time snacks for them, maybe a book or two for Charles to read while Erik goes out to stock up for his extended stay. He's allowed to stay in Erik's room as long as he likes; Erik built most of the house so he doesn't feel unwelcome in Charles's room.

He supposes now it's his house more than it's Charles's house, despite the obvious.

"And you're welcome." He means it.

WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

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