etcelsior | DANCING WITH MY HAPPY FEET

Entry tags:

test drive

DANCING WITH MY HAPPY FEET

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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Flint looks around and reacts instantly. His form shifts, his right fist growing in size and losing its colour until it's a great big sand hammer. But he doesn't raise it or swing it - he makes no move to attack with it. He'll fight if he has to but he doesn't really want to. ]

Aw c'mon, Spidey, you here too? Gimme a break, I ain't even done nothing yet!

[ At least hassle him AFTER he's robbed a bank or something, jeeze. But then he pauses, squinting. ]

Wait, you get a new suit?

[ Whoa. Peter flinches viscerally for a second there - in his experience, people dissolving is a bad thing - but as soon as Flint’s fist reforms he actually relaxes. ]

Oh good, you’re made of sand. That’s actually pretty amazing? Like, how does that even happen?

[ Focus, Peter. The man asked you a question. A confusing, weird question. ]

I - uh, yeah, it is, but - have we met?

Have we met!? Have we met!?

[ Why wouldn't he know he's made of sand, either? A more astute man may have clued into the fact that if there areoother worlds there may be other ones with other Spider-Men. He does not. ]

You can't 'new phone who dis' me, it's not funny!

[ Okay, this is. New. Peter can’t pretend that he remembers every bank robber or bicycle thief he’s ever stopped, but he’s pretty sure he’d remember a man made out of sand. Like. 100%.

He drops down from his perch to land in front of Flint, hands in the air. Look ma, no jokes. ]

Look man, I wouldn’t mess with you on this. This is just as weird for you as it is for me.

[ At least he's getting the idea that this isn't going to turn into a fight. Flint shifts back, hand a normal size again. He folds his arms, looking down at the webhead. ]

You really don't remember me? Sandman? [ He pauses, reluctantly adding: ] Flint Marko.

You are Spider-Man, yeah? Not some nerd in a costume? 'Cause if you're some poser playing me for a chump - -

[ No fight, no jokes. Also no recognition whatsoever to any of that. ]

Sorry, dude. That's ringing exactly no bells. I've never even heard of you.

[ And as for the proof, well. He does a casual backflip up onto a wall and sticks there. Good luck finding a nerd who can do that. ]

Huh.

[ You can almost see the gears grinding in his head. He can't tell if this is a good thing or not - an advantage or just annoying? ]

So's just to be clear - you're not trying to throw me back in the clink?

Um, no. I never threw you anywhere to begin with. You could've told me you were a superhero and I'd believe you.

[ Maybe a little bit bitter about that. But he's also confused? Given the situation, he's assuming this is some alternate universe thing, except for real this time? But the last time he (sort of) dealt with that, it went super wrong. So what the heck is he supposed to do with a guy pretty much admitting they've fought before. ]

[ A long pause. ]

Aw man, that woulda been a good idea. Shoulda thought of it - you're gullible like that.

[ Hey. He's a little offended at that, mostly because he knows it's true. ]

Too late buddy, I'm onto you. Whoever - uh, you are? Sandman?

Sandman.

[ This was weird. He's decided: it's annoying. How do you talk to your kinda-sorta nemesis when he doesn't know who you are? ]

So it just me you're forgetting or is it the rest of us too?

[ It makes the banter weird, that's for sure. Peter is more curious than particularly threatened, even if he is wary. ]

The rest of you? How many sandmen are there?

[ Don't blame him, he's only personally fought two supervillains so far. And both of them arguably hated Tony Stark more than him. ]

Nah, just the one of me. I mean, y'know, like my buddy O'hirn - Rhino? Or, uh, the Big Man. [ Who else would he know? Flint tries to remember who was on the Sinister Six with him, that'd be a start. ] Doc Ock? Vulture? Uh... Electro? Mysterio? Shocker? Wait, what about that other guy, the Goblin freak...?

[ Nothing but blank looks until Flint gets to Vulture, and he's opening his mouth to say something but - oh. Mysterio. Now he's suddenly all tensed up. ]

You're friends with Mysterio? And Vulture?

Edited 2019-07-26 23:19 (UTC)

I wouldn't say I'm chummy with 'em, but -- hang on, why those two? That's so unfair, you was ruining my day way before Mr. Fancy Pants fakey magic fishbowl-head jumped on the bandwagon!

[ Not that it's a contest, but he's a little offended. ]

Look, man, I already told you I don't know you! I also don't know most of the people on that list. Except Mysterio and Vulture, and - yeah, Mysterio's way more of a dick than you are. So far.

[ That's not an invitation to prove him wrong. ]

Well yeah, duh. Most of 'em are. [ The criminal world isn't known for nice people.

He's having a hard time wrapping his head around this, but he's finally pinged that maybe this isn't his Spider-Man. ]

That's messed, though. We're on the same page about that, right? That this is some weird bullshit?

This is absolutely some weird bullshit. I'm all for a truce or whatever until we figure this out.

[ Not that Peter had any intentions of attacking this guy? Seems all right even if he does hang out with Mysterio. ]

Truce sounds good.

[ Honestly a bit of a relief, not that he'd admit that. ]

S'long as you don't get up in my business, I don't got no problem with you.

Dude, you haven't done anything wrong yet. At least as far as I'm concerned.

[ Not that he isn't wary. After Mysterio? He's gotta be. But he's not gonna just throw the guy in jail for no reason. ]

Not much to do.

[ He shrugs. He's relaxed a lot, contrary to Spider-Man. He never really had much of a personal problem with Spidey. He mostly just wanted to be left alone (to rob stuff, admittedly). And since he's not in a rush, it's no sand off his back. ]

But you'll be doing what - stopping crooks and saving people or whatever it is you do?

[ He rubs at the back of his neck. ]

More or less? Yeah? Unless there's something bigger going on. But I just got here, so honestly I have no idea what I'm doing.

[ And given everything that's happened, he has some things to work through. ]

[ Flint nods. He feels much the same, just from the other direction. ]

Gotta get a handle on the scene. Figure out the weird spider cults they got going on. Full offense, they're freaking me out.

[ Hmm. That gives him an idea. ]

Wanna investigate this one together? Temporary team-up.

Y'think?

[ He considers this for a moment - he's not entirely sure what's in it for him but he also can't really think of a good reason not to. And maybe if he knew the spider-people's deal he could either be reassured or know to stay the hell away from them. ]

Yeah, alright. But don't tell nobody, I got a rep to uphold.

(no subject)

made_up_names - 2019-07-27 20:44 (UTC) - Expand

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only