DANCING WITH MY HAPPY FEET

[maskormods]

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, Florida 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?

They are, however, in the middle of some awfully hot weather, so some good samaritans have gained the approval of the government to close off a few of the streets for some good old-fashioned fun. They've equipped everyone who steps in with water guns of varying quality, and there's also access to water balloons, a slip n' slide, and more! Why don't you grab an ice cream cone, watch the festivities, and cool off? But you'd better be careful - there's always a munchkin or two here to spray any unsuspecting onlookers they may find.

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! 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!

On this lazy summer day, the biggest buzz comes from a group of teens and tweens who are all taking part in a massive scavenger hunt spread via social media! What are they gathering? You! ImPorts are likely to be targeted and asked to pose for pictures in which they demonstrate their powers, video clips in which they share fun facts and secrets about their home worlds, and much more! If you're not interested, you better hurry home -- they're persistent!

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania has had its ups and downs since imPorts started disappearing. The city's political core now gutted with its mayor and supreme ambassador exported out, the streets have returned to the hands of the local people -- and incidental, the local criminal element. 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.

As your character walks down the street, they may find themselves thrust within what appears to be an organized protest and a smaller counter-protest. There's shouting, there are chants. You pick up rhythmic beats of THE END IS NEAR, GET THEM OUT OF HERE clashing against the clumsier counter-chants of IMPORTS ARE PART OF US. You probably don't know why, but there are sects of people who believe your kind is bringing about the end of the universe. You'll probably learn why, in due time. But given the scorching tension of the situation you have found yourself in, it's probably a good idea NOT to use your powers.

But even keeping your powers on the down low, you're of keen eye, or at least today you are, as fate would have it. You see a boring looking man, perhaps in his mid-20s, with a cluster of boring looking companions (three or four at most) wearing backpacks as they all uniformly step back and don black masks. The protests are crossing the street ahead of First National Bank. These men beeline towards the bank.

They are going to rob it, and people are going to get hurt, you're sure of that. They're probably armed, given their backpacks. What do you do?

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. You may find yourself in the midst of a few closed-off streets for some occasion or another - whether it be a food cart festival, no-car day, or something else! - and surrounded by the hum of people, the waft of food being served on the street, and plenty of attention

Today there's a big lemonade stand on one busy sidewalk, staffed by a group of industrious kids. Aww, isn't it sweet? Wait...is that a cookie stand a little ways down, also run by elementary-to-middle schoolers? Heck, the entire block is full of kid-run mini-businesses — a gathering of pint-sized entrepreneurs! And they have their eyes on you, hero, because as a celebrity imPort, your pockets are full of $$$, right?

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.

What's that sound? Why, the Church of the Ancient Web Mistress's choir is putting on a performance! A sizable contingent of the congregation's musically-minded members has gathered downtown, attempting to forge a spiritual connection through the power of song. Sure, these hymns sound a little spooky to your ears, but the sincerity is what matters, right? And the churchgoers, who are also handing out lyric sheets to interested participants, are sincerely interested in getting some imPorts to join in as temporary members of the choir. Never hurts to get a little more press and tithes, right?

Comments

[kid_flash_found]

"Keystone, actually. I know they're sister cities and all, but it was where I spent more time," Bart said, a slight furrow showing under the mask as he sees her reaction. Something wasn't quite right here.

"I haven't been there since the last family picnic, really. I spend most of my time at Titans Tower in San Francisco."

[eloquentness]

"Oh." Iris draws in a breath, steadying herself as she feels the weight of his words. Keystone was where Wally and Eddie grew up. Keystone wasn't home, not for her or Barry, but it was close. Too close.

"Then you're from the Blue Beetle's world?" Her question is more like a statement. "He's um - that's the only Earth I know of with the Titans."

[kid_flash_found]

"There's a Blue Beetle in my world," Bart said, thoughtfully. "But I couldn't really tell you one way or the other. I wasn't exactly around much, recently. Still playing catch-up on the stuff I missed the last couple years."

And he doesn't really want to go into why he hadn't been around. "I was in the thirty-first century for a bit. And the history books are not good reference material."

[eloquentness]

He's confirmed one thing, at least: he's from a world like Iris's and Jaime's. One where the Flash is a major superhero, and one where Iris West probably exists. Then he mentions time-traveling, and the color drains from her face entirely.

"Thirty-first century?" Jeez, and she thought she'd heard everything. "That's a heck of a leap."

[kid_flash_found]

"Not as much as it seems," Bart said. "Superman both inspired and helped found the Legion of Super-Heroes. Um, that century's version of the Justice League. So it made sense for me to come back to now when I had to."

Now-ish. He is still a few years behind, as near as he can tell.

"Is...that a problem?"

[eloquentness]

"Not exactly," she concedes.

In public, she can't exactly explain why the use of time-travel makes her uneasy, let alone why his costume alone invokes nostalgia and a longing for a world she hasn't seen in years. Iris knows that longing is written all over her face, even as she's struggling to hide it.

"Sorry, um... I didn't mean to make you feel uneasy or anything." She furrows her brow, wondering how she should explain this without giving away anyone's identities. Barry's secret isn't hers to give. So rather than go for his secret, she settles for throwing her ice cream away and holding out her hand. "I should've introduced myself earlier, Kid Flash. I'm Iris."

[kid_flash_found]

"Kid Flash, as I said," Bart said, taking her hand in his for a shake.

"I'm used to not fitting in. At least not with folks who don't wear costumes." It was just a part of how he'd grown up. Or rather, skipped growing up. "But my friends call me Bart."

It only seemed fair. He supposes that without people to protect, being out won't be the burden it is back home.

[eloquentness]

"As in... Bartholomew? Like, Bartholomew Allen?"

It feels like too much of a leap. Yet he's from a world like hers, wearing a costume like Barry's (and presumably wielding the powers to match). Iris knows that Zoom's tricked her before by pretending to be another hero, but she'll regret it forever if she doesn't ask.

[kid_flash_found]

Well, that was more than a little surprising. Other than Robin, nobody's come out of the blue like that. His eyes go a bit wide behind the mask, and he starts to pull back, just a little.

"How do you know that?"

[eloquentness]

So she was right. Iris doesn't quite know who Bart is in relation to her, but she has a sinking feeling that this is a future thing. Or an alternate-timeline thing.

Still, she swallows her breath as she meets Bart's gaze–

"Because I'm Iris West."

[kid_flash_found]

That makes him even more uncomfortable, because this just doesn't make a huge amount of sense without the multiverse. And knowing it exists is still different from having it shoved in his face. He's not quite sure how to take this.

"That's..." he starts, but doesn't really know what to say. "Um, aunt or daughter? Because I know two people with that name."

If she doesn't get that, it means they're even farther removed than he might expect.

"And, well, I've had some pretty bad experiences with people from other parts of the multiverse. For all I know, you could be from some place like the Justice Lords."

[eloquentness]

"Aunt, I think." Which is weird, considering she's only twenty-eight, but Wally definitely doesn't have kids. Or a wife. Or any sort of long-term relationship that she knows of to have said kids.

That said, his question's an odd one, and she can't help folding her arms at it.

"Also, I don't know what the hell a Justice Lord is supposed to be, but if Batman's involved, it's probably a bad idea."

[kid_flash_found]

Bart can't help gaping for a split-second, because apparently he's talking to an alternate version of his grandmother. Which is, well, strange, even for him.

"Earth, um, three I think it is. The world where UberMan and Batman and the others dominated the world powers and took over. And that's about all I know. Just because I can vibrate between dimensions doesn't mean it's a thing I do. It's too hard to control, and you never know who might get ideas.

"My world's Batman isn't so--" He stops, because, really, he can't honestly say that. "Well, he's Batman, but that doesn't make him automatically a bad guy. And I'm not just saying that because Robin's my best friend, or because B gave me my first codename."

[eloquentness]

Huh, Iris may have to re-think her whole Batman stance if he was (sort of) nice to her relative. Son, maybe? Tim did say she had a grandson at one point. A kid wouldn't be much of a stretch.

"Yeah, and I know he isn't, not after working with him, but he's pretty paranoid." She pauses, not really wanting to get stuck on this tangent. "Um, listen - I live pretty close by, and I know there's some stuff that we should talk about in private, so... would it be okay if we headed there?"

[kid_flash_found]

"Gotham breeds them that way. Although he does refine it to an art form," Bart said, shaking his head a little as he remembers the short times he's visited.

It might be easier to stay on the tangents than actually try to figure out just what he and this version of Iris were to each other. Telling someone they're not only going to have but also bury their children before they've even been considered would be beyond cruel. Even if it might not come to pass.

"I guess talking about...home would be something to do in private. And, well, what have I got to lose?"

[eloquentness]

Note to future Iris: if visiting Gotham, make it on business or not at all.

"Not much," she grins, turning towards the road that leads back home. "Plus I've got plenty of food. I can at least feed you for the trouble."

It's been a while since she's stocked up enough for a speedster, but she can make do. Especially when she can generate enough coffee and tea on her own to at least keep herself in high spirits. Though, if he's a speedster like Barry, maybe she's just slowing him down...?

[kid_flash_found]

Oddly, Bart isn't really having a huge issue with her speed. It's easier to match, since he still has a slight tendency to rush through things when he's not paying enough attention. The time he accidentally started his pencil smoldering during a timed essay comes to mind.

"If you know Barry Allen, you know how hard it is to make that statement truthfully," he points out. "Although when I'm not running, I don't have to eat as much. I sorta went a year without using my powers and could pass."

[eloquentness]

"Oh, I know. Bear and I were childhood friends, so his appetite post-you know was... well, something to behold."

Bart's statement gives Iris pause, though. If Barry's metabolism slows down when he's not using his powers, how come Caitlin didn't pick up on that? Maybe his body adjusts two or three years down the line...? Ah, well. It's not like she can ask any of Team Flash right now.

She turns the corner, already fishing for her keys as they approach her home, tucked among various businesses and restaurants downtown.

"So uh, how long have you been on this Earth?"

[kid_flash_found]

This whole situation reminds him of that time he had to go to the past and Max was there. All the things the elder speedster had interrupted to keep him from saying. It made far too much sense now, and makes him feel more than a little out of place.

"I'm pretty much fresh off the bus. A few days."

[eloquentness]

Only a few days... Iris knows she didn't know about Bart, but she feels bad for not paying closer attention to the Network. Maybe she could've welcomed him if she'd known.

"I bet this world must be an adjustment," she says, feeling her voice grow quiet as she unlocks the door and lets them in. "Or at least, not much like the other Earths I know of."

Her home is quiet, given that both her boyfriend and dog are out for the time being, but Iris ushers him towards the kitchen, already looking for leftovers or snacks that she could feed him with. She did invite him; she might as well give him something for his trouble.

She grabs an empty coffee mug, idly asking, "Do you prefer coffee or tea?"

[kid_flash_found]

"Not as big as you might think," Bart said, shrugging it off. It wasn't too hard to adapt. He'd done it more times than he'd like.

"There are parts that bug me, like the whole registration part. But I don't know enough to engage full-on Bat-level paranoia." The last is said with a wry smile. He could be worse off, but he'll accept the government strings long enough to see who or what is pulling on them.

Her question, though. "Not much of a coffee person. Caffeine doesn't really affect me, so I never saw the point. Herbal's fine, whatever you like."

He doesn't want to impose. It's awkward enough. Even his previous multiversal exploits hadn't ever come close to dealing with an alternate version of a direct ancestor who was so different. So he decides to bite the bullet, so to speak.

"So, if you're anything like the Iris West I know, you must be dying to ask questions. I can't say I won't hold back some details, but I have no intention of lying to you."

[eloquentness]

"That was my logic in registering too," Iris admits with a nod, reaching for another mug. "If there is a catch, I haven't seen one in two years."

Which feels like an eternity, especially considering she's the only one of Team Flash left from their initial arrival. It had been her, Barry, and Cisco at the beginning - and now it's just her. Oliver's here, of course, but his methods are more Bat-like than Flash-like. She can't say she was expecting family, even if Bart's presence is an entirely welcomed one.

It's also weird, hearing how he knows how much she's trying to hold back, but she nods, ignoring the blood rushing to her cheeks. She is a professional. She's handled weirder than relatives from other dimensions in her kitchen.

"Thanks, Bart." She wants to ask so, so many questions, but the most pressing one is - "I just want to know... how are we related?"

She has an inkling. Barry isn't egotistical enough to name children after himself, and Tim Drake had mentioned a grandson when they had briefly crossed paths. Yet she wants to hear it straight from him, rather than make an educated stab in the dark.

[kid_flash_found]

Bart frowns at that, mulling it over long enough that even at normal speeds the pause is noticeable. It's not that he wants to deceive her, but they're only tangentially related, if that.

"You had to start with the ones that delve into how you want to treat the nature of the multiverse. I'm the grandson of Barry Allen and his wife, Iris West-Allen. But you're not like her doppelganger or anything," Bart said, finally.

"I mean, if you grew up with your Barry, then your life differs pretty drastically on that fact alone."

[eloquentness]

So she was his grandmother. A version of his grandmother, anyway.

Iris leans on the kitchen counter, giving Bart her full attention as she sets the mugs aside for the time being. If he isn't calling her his grandmother's doppelganger, then he must be from the world where she (and Wally in turn) were whiter than the snow.

"I figured," she says after a moment, her voice filling with warmth. "We were there for each other's major milestones. First dates, prom, college... grad school... Barry getting hired at the CSI department, and a whole slew of things I've yet to experience."

Like their eventual marriage. Should that come to pass in her world, anyway. Iris still doesn't know how to feel about it being so set in stone, like a giant inevitability, no matter how much she loves him.

Still, Bart's unanswered question needs to be answered, so she flashes him a grin, "It's okay. You're still my grandson, even if other-me doesn't look much like... well, me."

[kid_flash_found]

"Well a lot can change in nearly a thousand years. Not that anyone lived all of it, but still," Bart said, shrugging. "I'd just feel a little weird calling you Grandma. I still remember the first time I met Grandpa Barry. He's still not used to the whole meeting his grandkid before he has kids thing, either."

Time gets a little snarled in their family. It's something he got used to, but it's still headache inducing at times.

"Grandma Iris is the family historian, not that she'll ever let me read her books. Spoilers."