etcelsior | time to put your face on

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test drive

time to put your face on

T E S T D R I V E M E M E

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 ON THE TEST DRIVE MEME!

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.

The current craze sweeping the city and social media is getting people on their feet: the Camp Midnight Challenge! Based on a popular video game, the goal is to get the funkiest, silliest, most eye-catching dance sequence on video—with a twist! Successful completion of this challenge requires getting an imPort to join in a duo dance that incorporates their powers! Swarms of eager teens, tweens and would-be BlueTube stars are out and about on the sidewalk looking for newcomers to join in. If they spot you, you better come up with a good excuse or put your dancing shoes on!

02. De Chima, Virginia, is a large city with a healthy economy, with large numbers of citizens waiting to be awed by your very presence. Look at you! Organic wonder! Synthetic wonder! Whatever you might be, those words have meaning here. 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 or recently published PLoS papers. 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.

Today in De Chima, there's the unveiling of a brand new invention in the convention centre park! With a simple scan, it will print out your Closest Love Match of the other individuals present, along with your percentage of compatibility and a free coupon to get lunch with your new date if you match 90% or higher!

A little odd that it seems that nearly every couple has 90% or higher, isn't it? What's the probability that the scanner is broken?

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania has carried a reputation for ups and downs ever since imPorts began reappearing again, just those few years prior. Several imPort heroes have put focused efforts into cleaning up the streets of this somewhat infamous city, while a handful of others had 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. Everything from the classic bank heist to brutal bloodbaths can happen around the corner. You have to keep your eyes open and your mind sharp when you live in Maurtia Falls, and hostility against imPorts can spike. The emergence of locals with superpowers is hardly helping...

Local resistance to superheroes has made the city a popular gathering place for experimental engineers and scientists whose methods are misunderstood by the establishment, aka 'mad scientists.' Today, the latest creation of a former food scientist who used to work for Yell-O Desserts, is rising up in gooshy style!

From the canal that bisects the city rises a giant, gooshy, uh....thing. The blob slowly begins to ooze through town, growing larger as it consumes anything it comes across, absorbing it into its gooey depths. It's slow, but relentless, and doesn't have any obvious weak spots. Will you attempt to fight back and arrest its gelatinous progress, help the slow runners get away or make a break for it yourself? Or maybe see how good a dessert it makes?

04. Nonah, North Carolina, is the liveliest of all cities; loud, busy and there's always some kind of energy in the air that gets everyone buzzing with excitement.

This month there's the release of a hot new movie about imPorts themselves, though in order to evade copyright, it seems that the imPorts on screen are simply amalgamations of several different imPorts through the years instead of staying faithful to one true story. They've got everything! Action! Romance! Death! Desire. It's a whole load of hooey, in other words, but it's hooey with a big budget. What this means, however, is that even the newest imPorts are being roped into this red carpet affair. Even if they're simply passing by on the street, an eager reporter may well step up to you, saying, "Oh, are you an imPort? Please, you must come in! No, I insist!"

If you succumb to their pushy ways, you'll find yourself in a gala, likely unprepared and underdressed for the flash of the cameras and an endless torrent of questions about what you want to do here as an imPort, whether or not you feel you'll find love in this place, whether or not you fear an inevitable port-out (despite the fact that you may have just gotten here!) and will be plied with food and, if you're of age, with plenty of booze.

05. Jeopardy, Nevada by all rights shouldn't exist. A glowing neon city smack in the middle of the desert, the only reason it's still here is that the central nuclear power plant has tapped half a mile down into a subterranean lake for its water supply. So though the desert around it may be barren, the occupants of this small city are happily self sufficient. Those weird figures you see out of the corner of your eyes? Don't worry too much. Probably just weird radiation after effects. Jeopardy has a lot of those.

You're in luck! You're just in time for Jeopardy's traditional Valentine's Race!

The premise of the race is simple: hogtie your lover, throw them over your shoulder (or back, if needed), and carry them from the bank of the train station (it's actually not a train station, it's a non-functioning movie set that's been turned into a museum, but it's still called "the train station.") While the tradition says "lover," as long as the person you tie up has consented to it, it's allowed!

At the end of the race, the Mayor gives a short speech about love, and movies, and tradition. She's also baked thousands of Valentine's and heart-themed desserts for all participants and audience members! They just happen to all be... shaped like the actual heart organ, rather than the symbol.

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[ Of course they're friends. And his mocking tone is making this worse. She's not even going to honor him with an answer to that question.

She fights through the fear and shock of his face, moving to try to get to her feet, and summoning her Keyblade to her side in the process. She has to be strong. She can't give in. ]

What did you do to him?

[ Because she can't be sure he's hiding anything, with that bratty tone he answered her in. And if he has Sora's face ... something must've happened to him, right? How else would that happen? ]

[ A Keyblade that he easily knocks aside with a swing of his own. ]

Who said I did anything to him? Why would I want to?

[ In truth he doesn't fully care what happens to Sora. Ventus is the one he well and truly wants. Sora is a means to reach Ventus. The only reason Sora is of any importance to Vanitas is because he wouldn't be who he is without the brat. ]

[ She gasps when he does that, as it's knocked right out of her hand and onto the ground, dissipating moments later. And she takes a few deep breathes, trying to keep herself calm and collected, as best she can, but still looking at him with a mixture of fear and determination not to give in. ]

Then ... Then how ...

[ How is his face like that??? That doesn't just happen! ]

[ Does a girl who has barely held her weapon and doesn't know how to use it even stand a chance against someone like him? Come on now, Kairi. You had to know that it is a pointless endeavor.

His Keyblade is pointed at Kairi. Like he could fire off a spell at any moment. Or run her through. ]

Now that, princess, would be telling. I won't share all my brother's secrets.

[ Being called that makes her heart jump a little into her throat. It's not often she's called that, and it's not a welcome thing when it's from someone like him. Someone who would have all the reason in the world to do something to her right here and now.

She tries not to, but she can't help but let her eyes flicker downward at the Keyblade once or twice. It's uncomfortable, having it there.

But okay that last part is especially confusing. ]

... Your brother? Sora?

[ That's the only person she can think it would be, after all. And she's never met any brothers of his, or even knew he had one. ]

[ Vanitas has no intentions of actually doing anything to Kairi. There's no need to go that far. Besides. She's kind of a wreck as is. That's the important thing here, to him.

He tilts his head to the side. As if considering answering her question. Nah, he isn't. Obviously. ]

Something like that.

[ What the heck does that mean? "Something like that"? Like ... ]

Like ... a Nobody?

[ That's the only other thing possible. She thinks. Maybe? Did something happen to Sora that she wasn't aware of? ]

[ A Nobody? Really? Does he look like some heartless husk? Wow, now Vanitas looks mildly offended. ]

Not even close.

[ Look, it was her only other guess as to what he is! And he's not exactly very nice, maybe he is heartless —

But okay then she doesn't know and she's not going to get any answers out of him, she can already tell. So. ]

Well ... whatever you are to him, you'd better leave him alone.

[ You tell him, Kairi. ]

[ His heart might not be complete, but he does have one thanks. So sad that no one really knows everything, huh? Vanitas knows enough. But then again he's kind of always known about Sora from day one. ]

Can't do that. You see... I need him. He has something that belongs to me. If I have to rip it out of him, well. [ Vanitas shrugs. ] Then so be it.

[ That is not the answer she was hoping for. That is the very opposite of what she would've liked to hear. And it lights a renewed fire in her — she can show plenty of concern for herself but her friends are where she very much draws a line. Especially Sora.

She takes a half step forward, not far enough to touch his Keyblade or anything, but enough to emphasize her feelings. ]

Then you'll have to go through me first! I won't let you hurt him!

[ There will be nooooo ripping things out of him. Whatever it is. She'll gladly throw herself in the middle of this if it means Sora can be safe. ]

[ It is kind of a half truth. No matter what there is going to be a part of Sora within Ventus. Sora's filled the void that Vanitas left. If he and Ventus were to merge, then maybe Sora would get that portion back. In the end it might help the brat more than damage, but forcibly removing a heart? Yeah well who knows what would really happen.

Still, the girl has spunk. Vanitas is almost impressed. ]

I will if I have to. You may be one of the seven we need, but you can always be replaced.

[ She's really not having any of this. She doesn't care what he has to say, or the fact that he really could easily kill her. ]

Fine then! Whatever it takes, I'll make sure you don't lay a finger on him! Not that you could even take him on, if you tried.

[ She has unending faith in the boy. ]

You don't think I can?

[ That's probably not the wisest thing to have said, Kairi. Because now Vanitas pulls back. ]

Maybe I should track him down and find out.

[ That. Is so far from okay.

Her brows crease in concern and some anger, before she hovers a hand near her black pouch she keeps around her waist — it's where she keeps her phone, here. She can't recklessly take it out in front of him, but she can be ready the moment she has a chance to use it. ]

I'll warn him. And then we'll both be ready for you.

[ She'll call him the second Vanitas leaves, and she'll make sure he knows, so he can't catch him off guard. She'll tell Riku, too. And then she'll join them. Yeah. That's probably the most sound plan she's had this whole time. ]

You both will? [ Vanitas laughs. ] Just what can you do? You're powerless and clearly have no skill even if you have a keyblade. You'd just slow him down and get in his way.

[ That is not very nice to say, Vanitas. But she can't argue against the fact that she has no skill with her Keyblade. She knows as much, and it's why the others are going to be helping her train here. But she has a long way to go before she's even halfway decent.

And it's a bit of a soft spot for her, the way they've always had to save her in the past.

Still ... ]

Don't act like you know me ... Even if I can't help with my Keyblade, I'll find another way!

[ She's always done that, even if she hasn't fully realized it sometimes. The ways she's helped him. ]

You'll find another way... By what? Calling on your friends? That seems to be the only trick you guys ever pull.

[ It works though. Vanitas has to at least, begrudgingly, acknowledge that. The power of Light certainly grows stronger when hearts that are bound to each other empower one another. Maybe Vanitas hadn't understood that back when dealing with Ventus. ]

Then maybe I should take out all your friends. One by one.

[ Gosh, at least she has friends, Vanitas. ]

You couldn't. They wouldn't let you. I wouldn't let you.

[ Yeah, she's still insisting that. Kairi would do anything in her power to keep her friends safe, even if it meant her own destruction. And she believes in their power, too. No one would lose to this loser. ]

Oh you wouldn't really have a choice. You could barely stand up the moment you saw my face. Even now you have no hope of beating me.

[ Maybe the others are stronger. Who knows. Right now Vanitas knows that this little girl doesn't stand a chance. ]

[ Mmnn. She wants to be impulsive and dumb — summon her Keyblade and probably do something she regrets. But she keeps herself from doing that. She can get through this. She's stronger than him, at least when it comes to her heart. ]

There's always a choice. No matter what some knock-off like you says.

[ Yeah your face is a knock-off. There's only one Sora. And you're not it. ]

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time to put your face on

SURE IS

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