etcelsior | DANCING WITH MY HAPPY FEET

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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?

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[At least he's cute. And has a cute dog. The angel will do his best. Heaven help him. ...he'll take Hell's help too in this.]

Yes, before the Almighty created it. Before humanity was a spark in the apple of Her eye, so to speak.

[ It really takes a village. Who knows what the metrics are now that he knows what he really is.

Once again, he needs to take a moment to think about it. These are all very big concepts.]

How was it? Back then. Before Earth existed.

Quieter. Very... starry. Cosmic? Lot of space between things, various touches of creation happening all about. But honestly? Rather boring. Humans are much more interesting, the world they've, well you've, put together. For all its flaws, it's really lovely.

[An angel besotted by Earth and humanity. That's Aziraphale. And also thoroughly enamored by the creature comforts thereof.]

[ He watches the angel as he speaks, imagining space, full of stars, and a bunch of winged people floating around, doing...things? Like playing cards. Playing ball with stars. Taking trips to the moon.]

Were there aliens? [ He suddenly asks.]

Ah... none that I saw at the time, no. Though who is to say what the extent of the projects that the Almighty was involved in.

[Not Aziraphale. He's given up trying to puzzle out God's plans by now. They are what they are.]

They were still putting together the stars at the time.

Angels made the stars? [ Not that gets his attention. ]

They did in many cases, yes. Assisting the Almighty. Really, it's quite a feat of artistry.

[That hadn't been his department though.]

[ He instinctively looks up at the sky, even though it's a bright sunny day. ]

Did you make any stars?

No, I didn't. My assignments kept me a bit closer to the head office, as it were. You might ask Crowley about it, the star building that is. He had a hand in it.

[He follows the boy's gaze upward, bright sun and everything.]

There is a lot to see out there. There's also a lot to see on Earth of course.

[ He gives Aziraphale a confused look.]

Isn't he a demon?

Oh. Oh right, I suppose that may not be common knowledge.

[He actually looks sheepish.] Demons were angels, once. Before they Fell. Before they were cast out of Heaven.

[ Well, it might be common knowledge for anyone with an average knowledge of the Bible. But he is a little kid, who hasn't really gotten into that. He rather read about aliens and cowboys and superheroes.

But, all things considered, nothing like a very direct, verified source. ]

Why were they? Cast out, I mean. What did they do?

[Probably for the best really. Cowboys and superheroes and aliens are more straightforward than the way the Bible looks these days. But ah. There goes Adam. Asking the difficult questions again. Heaven help him.]

For defying the will of the Almighty. That's the usual given reason. Defiance. Rebellion. But I honestly don't know the actual details. [He hesitates before admitting,] Usually the details are more telling than the broad strokes. Things are too often simplified too much.

[ A child's curiosity should be nurtured, but no one's ever said it was easy.

Something about what the angel said sounds familiar. But not in a way Adam understands, so he doesn't bring it up. ]

Got to make the stars, at least. That sounds cool.

Yes, it does, doesn't it?

{Aziraphale thinks so too. Very... cool. That's totally the word he'd have used too, of course. He's hip with the lingo. Like the kids these days.]

Yeah.

[ There are a lot more questions he could ask. An infinite amount of them, if he tried. But they reach the Porter building, and his attention is drawn to the military personel.

The boy picks Dog up into his arms.]

Do you think other people from back home are going to show up?

It's possible.

[The angel admits, smiling at the Porter's guards and setting a hand lightly on Adam's shoulder. They're together. Fully normal traveling companions. An angel and the Antichrist. And his hellhound. All is perfectly fine and good and...

...it appears that it is since no one actually stops them. So Aziraphale continues talking.]

Especially given that you've arrived now. When it was only Crowley and myself, arriving at the same time, it may have been an anomaly. But It is difficult to say. Apparently the Porter can be capricious in its choices of who to bring.

[ Adam keep silently watching the guards as they move past them. Dog, in term, makes vague sound, much like any dog.

Why is he- why are any of them here? Why did no one else end up in this place? Too many questions, and they didn't really give him any answers the first time he asked. ]

How long do you think they want to keep us here for?

Edited 2019-08-07 11:43 (UTC)

[Ah well that. Aziraphale hasn't been worrying about it too much because the longest he's heard anyone being here is a few years -- which to him is a negligible thing entirely. A couple years happen all the time.

But Adam is human (...mostly human, these days) and things like months and years are not so easily dismissed.]

I wish I knew, Adam. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. People come and go, while others are kept here longer. The control of it is entirely out of our hands, and that's a bit daunting.

[Especially for someone who is used to having some modicum of control.] They do say that time waits for us where we're from, that we'll return as if no time has passed at all.

[ The first part of the answer rolls around in his head, a concept too big to handle right away. It wouldn't be the first or the only one in these weeks for the boy, but that doesn't make them any less daunting.

But he looks up when Aziraphale mentions time.]

You mean time stops, back there? For everyone?

[ He thinks of Crowley's move, back at the airfield. Different, and certainly under different circumstances, but it's the first thing that comes to mind. ]

Yes something like that. Or time passes differently enough here that we're dropped back in the next moment with no one the wiser.

[Aziraphale doesn't know the intricacies of how things like that would work. Not his specialty. Time flows in one direction for him, with the occasional pause courtesy of his favorite demon.]

But either way, at least it seems we won't be missed by those who might otherwise notice our absence.

[In his case? It wouldn't much matter. Crowley is here. His Bookshop is paid up. But Adam is a child with parents who love him so. They'd come back to "Have You Seen This Antichrist?" posters, and no one wants that.]

[ He thinks about it. If time stops back home, then his parents and his friends will never know he's gone. It's like time travelling, but you probably don't run the chance of changing anything.

For him, right now, that'll do. There's a lot of other things to consider, to try to understand. In the future? Who knows. ]

Weird. [ A subdued reaction is all he musters. ] Like that other place.

Yes, quite.

[He agrees. Weird is definitely the way of it. Weird like this porter business. But before they know it, they'll be in Nonah, so there's that.]

Hmm? Oh, ah yes. Precisely like that. Actually, perhaps Crowley may have some insight on that, come to think of it. We should ask.

[ He thinks about that other place, and that moment in time. How confused he felt. Most things have been a bit too confusing since then, but he's...handling it. Better than a normal human child would, probably.]

If he could do that back then, would he be able to take us out of here? [ Wherever here really is. Different dimension?]

No, I'm afraid not. Not that we've found a way to manage yet. This is another reality, which does seem to have an effect on what we can and cannot do.

[It's unsettling and strange, and he can't feel Heaven in this place. Which yes, he's had his falling out, but that doesn't make it any less strange to be cut off this way]

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perfectlyhuman - 2019-08-16 15:00 (UTC) - Expand

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