SLAY BELLS RING

[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 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.

Although even Florida can get chilly during the winter, they won't let that spoil the fun. It's not beach weather, but it's time for a palm tree decorating contest to bring everyone into the holiday spirit! Note that isn't technically Christmas decorating. Pick a theme, any theme, from holidays to puppies to capitalism and have at. The natives will judge and vote for their favorite- so really, there's nothing wrong with a little pandering. The winner will get both the honor of having defeated their rivals, and a free lifetime supply of Italian frozen ice and hot dogs from the sponsoring local stand.

Those who just aren't interested in competing might be called in to judge another competition down the beach: a youth sand-sculpting contest! Only one team can walk away with the grand prize of a laser tag package, but can you bring yourself to be harsh on those wide, hopeful eyes?

Speaking of that Italian ice, there are some free samples being offered to tempt you into competing for the prize. And, shocking to no experienced imPort, someone has meddled with it just a bit. Each of the three flavors will have a different effect and, fates help us, they can be stacked, though the effects only last about an hour. Strawberry with fill you with team spirit, encouraging you to decorate a tree in a group or spontaneously form a new rock group. Even those that usually Only Work Alone will want to form a team. Lemon will spike your competitive nature. You're not just going to win, you are going to wave the severed heads of your competitors before their weeping mothers-, er, that is, win by a lot. Finally, lime flavor with up your silliness factor. Everything's fun and happy at the Holiday season, right? Why not pull a prank or two while you're here, or just enjoy a nice knock-knock joke with friends. Hopefully you didn't get that lemon-lime mix and now must pull the most epic prank ever or show that you are the single happiest person on this or any other world. That could get complicated.


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.

With Christmas coming, the producers behind a guerilla new reality show are hard at work getting new footage—starring you! Areas of the city with the most foot traffic have been absolutely blanketed in mistletoe. If you happen to pass beneath a sprig, you might find a small camera crew jumping out of nowhere, urging you to give the person next to you a smooch—and thanks to the strange radio waves coming out of the unit on the executive producer's wrist, you'll feel a little compelled to do so!

...except the compulsion isn't that strong, so those who don't kiss on the first meet can easily break out of it. Your next choice: give the camera crew a piece of your mind, or ask the would-be kissee out for coffee? They are pretty cute...

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...

The downtown mall is tilting the balance solidly toward welcoming to imPorts with a Winter Welcome Festival. All the storefronts and many temporary kiosks occupied by local vendors are holding special sales, and newly arrived imPorts are given a coupon book to make the most of them. The food court has some free goodies for participants to mix and mingle.

Unfortunately, a local rogue with the alias of Klone Kringle is here to spoil the fun. After a small boom echoes throughout the mall, everything dissolves into chaos as dozens of copies of a man dressed in a polyester Santa Claus costume begin looting the retailers! The guns they wield that shoot snow and ice might not be lethal, but they can certainly slow you down (and give you a cold). Will you be the hero and help take down Kringle(s), or will you seize the opportunity to do some theft of your own?

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.

Although Nonah sees milder winters than some imPort cities, it's strangely snowy today, with icicles hanging everywhere. They definitely weren't there this morning, and no storm has passed through, so what gives? A downtown disturbance makes it clear: a would-be supervillain calling himself THE ABOMINABLE SNOWMAN has attacked. Is he some kind of mutant, a scientifically modified human, or is there just a lot of arctic-tech stuffed into his snowsuit? Whatever its source, he's spraying ice and snow far and wide from his hands, turning the area into a winter wonderland and absolutely ruining sales for local businesses that depend on foot traffic! Also, some citizens have been frozen in blocks of ice. That's bad.

Come, heroes, and defeat this icy menace! That, or build a really cool snowman. It's your call.

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.

Saturnalia is just around the corner and Jeopardy is in full festive swing! The seven-day marathon of festivities includes a parade, with a ((cw: arachnophobia)) very special float from the Web Mistress's church; a day long city-wide paintball game; an attempt to break the world record for largest bingo game with everyone playing in dead silence; and a feast!

Usually the feast focuses on the symbolic ritual sacrifice of a giant chocolate Santa Claus, but this year is a little different. In an effort to display their gratitude for imPorts keeping their city from being ground zero of the apocalypse, they are making an entirely different set of effigies: you! Instead of one Big Chocolate Santa there are over a hundred 1/6th scale chocolate humans, each lovingly recreated in the visage of their favourite imports. Whether or not that loving visage is accurate may be up for debate, but... Hey, want to eat a chocolate rendition of your own head? Now you can!

Comments

chairman rose / pokemon swoosh / extremely mild story spoilers in this tl, expect more in comments

[steelenergy]

de chima

[there is... a very strange creature floating around near rose. while in this new world -- he's lucky he has his team with him -- klinklang had decided it wanted to protect its trainer. rose has no problems with this; he's checked in with the rest of them and while copperajah is her usual slightly cantankerous self... they're happy to stay in their balls. they understand the situation, understand that they can't just pop out here. it's not as accepted as it is back home.

klinklang though... it's the youngest member of rose's team. he ended up giving it what it wanted instead of arguing.

if you come too close, you'll get this floating set of gears coming close, delicately chirping:] Link... lang... klink... Klinklang...

[it's looking you over. don't know for what. rose is watching with a bemused expression.]

Indulge it, please, [he says, seemingly interested as to where this is going to go himself.]

network

[while the framing of the video implies inexperience, the man speaking is clearly used to it; his expression is sanguine and lucid-- a tired smile and a calm voice, though his tone belies his somewhat scatterbrained nature.]

Good afternoon, my fellow imPorts. My name is Chairman Rose... though I suppose right now it's just Rose. The only thing I'm a chair of right now is... my actual chair. [he smiles a little at his own stupid joke.] I've done some research into the awful hardship that was suffered here a month ago. The heroes who helped stop the calamity have my most sincere thanks; it seems like if left unchecked then they would've become a multiuniversal problem. I may have only just been Ported into this world, but please. If there is anything I can do to lend assistance during this recovery period then don't hesitate to let me know.

[seems he's... taking this quite well? there's a moment before his expression drops.]

Ah... speaking of being new here, I must also apologise to the residents of downtown Maurtia Falls. It would appear that one of the powers I have received involves sapping a great deal of energy from my surroundings, something I wasn't aware of and couldn't control when it activated. It goes without saying the brief blackout was not my intention. I've been informed of power dampeners and I'm looking into them.

[that's a half-truth, but it doesn't matter right now what he's not being fully forthcoming about.]

What else is there to say...? It would be nice to know what your homes are like. My home region of Galar is a beautiful place [that he owns most of] that's very structurally similar to Nonah with many unique Pokémon. It's hard not to miss.

[there's a beat, then he cuts the video after one last look at the camera.]

:) there will definitely be uh MANY SPOILER in this thread for passerby as a warning

[champleon]

[He hasn't been here for very long. And, truthfully, if modern-day America were a country that existed in the same as Galar...with how easy it is to just take a taxi to anywhere these days, Leon wouldn't have been that shocked to find he just got that lost. But it's not, and he's definitely not in Kansas anymore. It's stressful to say the least, being deposited somewhere unknown outside of the region he's spent so much of his formative years keeping an eye on.

He's meant to be a hero here, he's been told. While he wouldn't have at all argued that statement before, it's not really his story anymore, is it?

He still feels a strong sense of responsibility in Galar though, especially after everything that's happened. It's why he'd been working so hard to pull things back into order and restore some sort of normalcy to the region that had suddenly undergone so much change.

Leon goes still upon hearing a very familiar cry, and it's enough to startle him into looking over without pause. His expression shifts through a few emotions in a single second: confusion, surprise, settling into an uncertain sort of...calm, even though he has every right not to be. He also doesn't hesitate to reach out, letting the backs of his knuckles gently brush over one of Klinklang's gears. His own team still rest in their pokeballs with Charizard at the first notch on his belt, ready and able to be released in an instant if need be. But not right now.]

Looks like it remembers me.

[If it were anyone else that response may have been a little more confident- "Of course they'd remember the Champion", or something- but...well he's really not sure what to say, otherwise.]

Tony Stark | MCU

[doesntpaint]

De Chima

[ Tony's not really a mistletoe kind of guy. He's more the spontaneous type who swoops in and- well, actually, that's less true of him now, considering the whole wife and kid angle but back in the day, he definitely wasn't above having flings.

The first couple of times he passes by and spots the mistletoe, he just laughs at the camera crew that literally jumps out at him from nowhere and goes on his way. The second and third time, though, it's a little bit harder to resist. One, they're definitely persistent, and two, they're really annoying.

Tony's not really in the habit of indulging annoying people, but right now, he's considering just doing what they want and hoping they'll go away after. So he addresses the first person to pass by: ]

Look, they're really getting annoying. Mind helping a guy out? I'll get you a coffee or whatever your poison is after.

Network/Action

Okay, so, there happens to be a gigantic rampaging snowman stomping around down here.

No, that's not a joke.

Anyone around want to get in on putting this guy down?

[ If anyone says yes to that, they'll find Tony scoping out the situation and figuring out when to make his move. If he gets no response, he'll be doing the same anyway. Self-preservation? What's that? ]

De chima

[tricksterofasgard]

[ Having his attention dragged away from his phone by a dreadfully familiar voice belonging to a dreadfully familiar face, Loki plain stares at the human for a prolonged time, mentally going through the various options of just how to respond to this.

Obviously he picks the presumably least preferred way to reply. ]

Well. Peter would approve and Quentin would be upset, so... Sure.

[ Yes, he offers a little shrug of nonchalance. And no, he won't bother to explain his reasoning. Spoiler: He's just making stuff up again. ]

[secondjade]

Jeopardy

There's a strange figure in town, and among the revelerie he stands out like a sore - if elegant - thumb. Lan Zhan Wangji has somehow found himself to the saturnalia feast in Jeopardy, but what he actually thinks about it is anyone's guess. His face is utterly impassive, almost stony, as he walks slowly and deliberately through the hall. One hand is balled in a fist behind his back, the other carries a white and silver sword in its sheath at his side. He wears long, elegant robes, a thin headband with a cloud crest in the centre, while his hair is tied back into an elegant top knot before flowing down his back in a perfectly dark wave.

He looks like he belongs a thousand years ago, or on a modelling shoot, not... Well. Doing what he's doing.

So what is he doing, exactly? Well, it looks like he's somehow gotten himself surrounded by a gaggle of children, all incessantly laughing and giggling as they keep trying to give him chocolate effigies of various imports. They keep shoving half-melted chocolate at him, and he stands there looking a little bit like he's trapped, his impassive face showing just the barest hint of concern as he tries to decide how best to rid himself of his assailants.

Someone help him? Please??

[[ WILDCARD: throw whatever at me, Lan Zhan will probably just wander around the world looking stoic and silent lmfao. ]]

Jeopardy

[yilingdaddy]

Wei Wuxian is...doing his very best to hold it together. He still looks pretty terrible, all things considered. Robes torn and slashed in various places (though they have been washed), and while he is physically clean...There are dark circles under red-rimmed eyes, and a sense of despair that clings to his heels as he lurks along the edges of one of the strange cities he's found himself in.

He freezes when he catches sight of the first person he should expect to see, but the last one at the same time. He sees the children converging on poor Lan Zhan, and normally it would be enough to make him laugh. But normally, he wouldn't be under threat of being torn apart by angry spirits, or his own shattered heart.

But. Children have the knack for finding people who need them, and dragging them out to play until they can't help but join in. Even the most awkward of people- just look at Lan Zhan! And a couple more children startle him by latching on, earning a startled yelp as he lets himself go down.

What's one more broken thing?

Sophie Amundsen | Sophie's World

[ficcion]

De Chima

No.

[ The meaning of mistletoe isn't missed on Sophie, but she honestly didn't expect to be... assailed by a filming crew the moment she walked under one. Worst still, another girl also passes by, and now Sophie is somehow being pushed against the wall by both the camera lens and a rather enthusiastic young woman. ]

No.

[ Even worse still is the fact that Sophie can't help but think that the girl isn't bad looking at all, but she knows herself well enough to know that those aren't her thoughts. At all. Still, she feels somehow weakened by them, just enough to keep her from charging her way out of the impromptu pincer maneuver. ]

I said no.

Please?

[ She could use some help here. ]

Nonah

Oh, come on.

[ Sophie's looking for a quiet place where she can collect her thoughts, but apparently even the ice cold downtown of Nonah isn't the place for it. Instead, she finds that some sort of supervillain is freezing people and what not. Just where has she been dragged to? This feels like a cheap adventure novel, one she can't just jump out (she's tried). An (appropriately) ice cold ray shoots past her, freezing a man standing where she was a moment ago. She has to do something, but can she? ]

According to the file...

[ Sophie produces a notebook from her backpack. It's a rather sizable one, being more "book" than "note". It's also completely blank. Sophie rises it, open in half, and something curious happens.

All the snow, the ice, the cold air, it all gets sucked into the book. It's relentlessly pulled from the streets, the walls, even the frozen people. In a matter of moments, the downtown looks very much like it did before the villain had started causing trouble.

This causes two things, mainly:

First, the frozen people run away in a panic, as well as everyone else that was still around.

Second, it draws pretty much all the attention to Sophie, who is now holding a book with many pages suddenly full of text. It also makes the so called Abominable Snowman turn towards her, face red with ire (or maybe it's due to the cold, Sophie can't tell). He shouts 'YOUUUUUU' before he charges at her.

Someone save her... please? ]

Some bench, in some park

[ Sophie is sitting down, alone. In silence. Writing.

Seriously, she could stay like that all day.

The park itself is more or less crowded, with people going on about their businesses, kids playing with the snow and dogs making a complete mess of themselves, as any self respecting dog would. It basically means that the diminutive blonde sitting by herself on a secluded bench doesn't stand out, which is exactly what Sophie wants. A stranger in a stranger world, yet again. Is she the unwilling pawn of a new writer? Are the people around her fictional? Yes, she can tell... it's like a feeling on the back of her head. This is all custom made, even though she hasn't been able to find much reason behind it. Whoever is putting the work to bring all this into being is seriously working overtime.

Sophie sighs, looking up at the sky with a defeated expression. She's even alone this time around. No help to escape but only that of the rest of people stuck here with her. Other fictional characters, and apparently not even self aware of what they are.

Her little sulking is interrupted when she hears a little girl crying, having stopped next to her. It doesn't take her much to notice that she accidentally let her red balloon go, and it's not quickly vanishing on the sky. Sophie smiles at her, ripping an empty sheet from her notebook and writing 'RED BALOON' in it. A moment later, the letters glow and vanish, along with the sheet as a bright red balloon emerges from them. Sophie hands it over to the girl, who thanks her loudly before running away. ]

At least she'll have a good day...

Network

un: sophie

what would you do if you found out you are a fictional character, someone else's creation?

do you think that would make you more, or less than others?

would you even want to know?

nonah

[notyuvan]

[Okay, nope. That was unexpected. While the Tenno couldn't really use Ember, since that Warframe was stored safely on her Orbiter back home, she'd been doing her best to find other solutions to the snow problem.

Up until it was all just sucked away and left people running. And the person responsible for the ordeal turning on some girl with a strange book. That? That's not okay. So the warframe-clad Tenno kneels and bullet jumps towards her instead, sliding and rolling to a stop in front of her and bracing herself to take the blow.]

Go now!

Declan Lynch | Call Down the Hawk | OTA

[dauntless_son]

De Chima, Virginia

Christ.

The blasphemy sits comfortably in his head, sharper at both ends than any of his other readily available supplications. Declan Lynch has spent an entire life avoiding this kind of attention. He is still trying to avoid this kind of attention, preferring to just disappear into the background of this mirror world in which a place like De Chima could feel familiar when he'd never seen anything like it before.

The last few months have been far more interesting than he likes. He had been more interesting. I'll go back to being dull in the morning, he'd told himself, sitting for a portrait and talking about himself without talking about himself with a girl whose name was not Ashley.

This feels like an appropriate punishment for that kind of slip. He's gone right past interesting and into full on delusion. Stepped sideways.

Christ.

"No," he says when someone asks him for a picture. And then, "I'm looking for someone."

It's a lie and it happens effortlessly. Declan manages to walk an entire block before someone just ahead of him is assaulted by a camera crew excitedly pointing out the mistletoe above them. A camera pans to him.

Why?

There's a great deal of fuss and vaguely less-than-friendly pressure for the person caught to kiss the nearest person - Declan - to satisfy the crew's desire for footage for some new reality something. The argument feels compelling even if it sounds stupid. Maybe it would just be easier to allow a quick kiss on the cheek or something to make this all go away.

Declan can go along to get along. No one will remember him when he walks away anyway.

"Your call."


Wildcard
Find him wherever, seeming dull and decidedly unbewildered.

de chima; hi declan sorry friend

[inclinatory]

Your call.

That was a voice he recognized. A voice that belonged to someone he knew distinctly, someone who he wasn't entirely familiar with but entirely familiar with. Adam turns to face Declan, brows raised first in shock, then in recognition. Then the realization that dawns on him.

Oh no.

"You don't have to do this."

It's low, low enough for Declan to hear, but low enough for the camera crew to not hear. They don't have to give in to the pressure of the cameras. Don't have to give them what they want but -- how much would they be hounded if they didn't? Of all the people it could be, why is it Declan Lynch?

Piers | Pokémon SWISH | Bound to be spoilers of some sort

[obstagloom]

Heropa

[Bright and cheery is definitely not Piers' scene, yet here he is! He looks entirely out of place, not only in his attire (which is some weird mix of glam rocker and sports uniform??), but his hair is something else with its black and white stripes, the wild nature of it, and that he has almost entirely too much of it. A mercy it's tied back into what looks like three ponytails. He's also awfully frail, and while he's roughly 5'8, it does his size no favors. It certainly helps nothing that his skin has a sickly pallor—he isn't ill, it's just how he looks, but the jury's out on whether or not that's better or worse.

As for the contests going on, or the Italian shaved ice...any of that? Piers isn't interested, and while others have tried to sucker him into it, he's rejected it all. His Pokémon however...well, that's a different story. You see, how can he possibly get involved in some contest when his Obstagoon ate one of the lemon flavored Italian ices that was previously offered and has been acting...accordingly competitive.

The 5'3 bipedal badger monster seems fit to be making everyone's life harder with the amplification to its competitive nature. Even for a competition that neither it nor its trainer is a part of, much to Piers' chagrin. Whether it comes over to disrupt people's tree decorating by barking out its name at them till they look, rewarding them with the cross of his arms over his chest to make that iconic X they're known for back in Galar; or literally obstructing people from getting to where they need to by bodily blocking them. He might even try to snatch more of that tasty, tasty shaved ice!

They could be decorating, trying to get somewhere unrelated, or merely trying to enjoy a treat—they'll find themselves being badgered by this strange Pokémon who seems to be delighted in getting in the way in any means possible. At least his trainer seems to be sluggishly tailing him. He could recall him to his ball, but honestly the overactive Pokémon may very well release himself and go at it again. So for now Piers has resigned himself to tiredly apologizing for him instead.]

Oi—sorry about him...he's got himself in a real odd way after eatin' some of that flavored ice...

[Obstagoon doesn't seem sorry even in the slightest, instead standing proud as if Piers is complimenting him.]

De Chima

[Somehow, Piers has found himself in a situation. Which is terrible, because Piers never wants to be in any situation. Yet here he is, a camera crew on top of it, and some...mistletoe?

Well, there was some, but seeing as his Toxtricity made it into a quick snack, lazily mashing its jaws together as it chews the sprig without much awareness of what's going on... That doesn't deter the camera crew trying to push Piers and the poor hapless person who was caught under the mistletoe for those few seconds to kiss for the camera.

Piers glances between the camera crew and his partner in this unfortunate moment of existence, looking both tired and miserable. He is totally and utterly both of those things. Fortunately for Piers, one of those powers he's been given upon arrival seems to be blocking out those strange waves that're fueling people's desire to snog each other.

But who's to say his company's been similarly spared? Leaning over, his eyes on the crew, he whispers:]

What say we leg it? Persistent or not, their equipment outta keep these blokes from matching our tempo.

De Chima

[darudeludon]

[And Raihan is a total natural in front of the cameras. He waves placidly, turning to look at Piers with mild confusion]

Huh? Haven't you ever dealt with paparazzi before? Just let them get their pics and they're be on their way. Besides... Do you really think you could jump a fence safely?

[And that's all Raihan. But he does feel a little tug, a little fondness for Piers anyway.]

What's the big deal, it's just a kiss. [He shrugs in his easy manner. He turns to the camera and winks, then leans down to give Piers a peck on the lips. Unless he's interrupted, of course.]

lio fotia | promare

[burnishingmad]

1. Maurtia Falls

[The whole mall is... a lot. It's so much indulgence and overwhelming everything. Lio thought maybe coming here would help him get acclimated to the place, and maybe a more populated area would make him easier to find by his seconds-in-command or Galo, but. Maybe that was wrong. Maybe he was enticed by the smell of foods in the food court and the lights and actually... being allowed to exist somewhere.

He's still on edge; he can't not be. But he does stop when a kiosk offers him a random sample.]

Is this some sort of trick? What is this?

[NOTHING IS FREE!!! Also seriously what is it?


It's only downhill when the attack happens and there's ice being shot everywhere. Lio's instincts kick in and he's immediately running towards the fight. Pink geometric looking flames spark and he's throwing up a wall of flame to block off the shots from bystanders.]

Of course they show up here. [It's not like he knows the difference between Klone Kringles and Freeze Force. If anyone sticks around, they'll see someone in large black armor stepping forward to fight them.]


2. De Chima

[Lio doesn't know what mistletoe is. He isn't sure how he even got to this city beyond that porter and he's sure that wasn't one of Foresight's creations. He's doing his best to avoid anyone trying to get his attention as some sort of celebrity. Do these people even know who he is? Do they understand his history here? If they knew, they wouldn't be so happy to see him.

But then there's mistletoe. And a camera in his face. Flames sizzle at his fingertips in agitation as they try to encourage him to kiss the person next to him. Yeah, Lio Fotia is a little too willful for this.]

Excuse me, but I will do no such thing. I would suggest you step aside and let me walk.

Galo Thymos | Promare |OTA

[myburningsoul]

De Chima

Galo Thymos is...an idiot. Which meant he hadn't really taken stock of much since he arrived, up to and including how he had ended up in this city. He zoned out during much of the government's explanation, more concerned with trying to figure out the likelihood of anyone he knew being here--and if he could tell Lucia her aim with the drill had been off by whole universes. 

This also meant he wasn't quite paying attention to what was going on around him until he had a camera shoved directly into his face.

"Wait--what?" He blinked owlishly at the camera crew as they ran through their prompting again. An eyebrow raised, he turns to the person caught up in this with him and offered a friendly grin and a shrug of his shoulders.

"Could be fun. If you're up to it."

Maurtia Falls

He's starting to think he's getting used to this portal thing. At least enough to make a jump to another city with the promise of a welcoming festival, and the warning of potential crime. He laughs off the second one--what crime could measure up to terrorists that were literally on fire and a crazed governor?

Galo was also enjoying the holiday spirit a bit too much. Enough that the initial snowball lobbed into his face has him looking for snow to throw back. And he would have done it too if he hadn't noticed that the snowfall was a cover for a much of jolly Santas to loot the shops around the mall.

"Hey!" He grabs one of the looters by the back of his bright red suit. "Aren't you supposed to be giving gifts? Not taking them?"

Wild Card

Want something not here? Feel free to drop a starter here. Or hit me up at Plurk (likeredgold).

maurtia falls

[burnishingmad]

[He can sense it. There's a tingle in the back of Lio's head that screams Galo is doing something stupid and very close by. He looks around quickly, spots the big blob of blue that is Galo's hair.

Okay so maybe coming here wasn't the worst idea but Galo is so fucking stupid. He makes a b-line to him.]

That's not Santa. You do know that right? [Please he needs Galo to know that's not the real Santa.]

Karrin Murphy | Dresden Files |

[murph]

Nonah, North Carolina

Snow.

Lovely.

She’d faced worse, Arctis Tor for starters, and she grew up in Chicago. The windy city holds its own when it comes to chilly temps, but that did little to make her bike handle better. Should have gotten something with four wheel drive she though and the rear drive wheel slipped and the bike fishtailed on the incline of a hill.

Karrin was a good driver, she was cautious but not timid and she did not lose control. Actually that might describe her pretty well in all respects. Five foot nothing, one hundred nothing blonde with a nose that had been called cute…though never to her face, Karrin Murphy was not what one would think of when they thought Chicago city cop. New city didn't make her less of a cop, and this wasn't so much different than Special Investigations.

She also didn’t appear to be making much of an impression on the behemoth turning the world a whiter shade of pale. “Oh come on!” She groaned as a mass of snow blasted her and brought her to a dead stop.

“Put your hands behind your head and stand down.” She reached for her gun and cupped it in her free hand. She didn’t want to use it and frankly she wasn’t sure how well it would go down, but sometimes a show of force was all you needed.

Re: Karrin Murphy | Dresden Files |

[iminthebook]

There are some things that can be counted on, in some worlds. And one of those is that when someone Harry cares about is in trouble, he comes. Period. And lets nothing stop him.

It is no surprise, really, then, that with Karrin facing a very deranged and animalistic looking Bigfoot knockoff, Harry was somehow not just in the area, he also was close enough to hear her voice.

Which led to the man doing some very late shopping to look up, confused, and then for him to suddenly have a very bad feeling. "Excuse me," he muttered to the salesclerk, and walked outside.

"Hell's bells." Stepping out of the store he had been in, and staring down the hill, he spotted Karrin, which made him smile, and the... monster? Person. Thing. Which did not.

"You have got to be kidding me!"

And he swore, and then grinned and muttered a word to a spell entirely new to him here, and vanished with a popping sound. A moment later, after a pit stop in another store, he appeared a few feet back from Karrin's shoulder, and took several loud steps to let her know he was coming, rather than startle her.

"Hey, Murphy. Did my talent for finding trouble rub off on you or something?" He was holding in his arms the world's largest lollipop, and sighing.

Second Sister | Jedi: Fallen Order (no spoilers included)

[thingtwo]

De Chima, Virginia

[It was a long, long ways from Kashyyyk, but that didn't mean the plant life here couldn't be dangerous in the proper hands. Specifically, in the hands of a member of the Inquisitorius who didn't appreciate being so disrespectfully spoken to on any topic, let alone demands for physical affection for entertainment. She doesn't much consider the other person- imPort- involved until she's done with the camera crew, sending the mistletoe, sharp stem first, driving into and through the camera lenses with the invisible power of the Force, then crushing what remained of the equipment, microphone and all, for good measure afterwards. One hand goes to her saber, just in case additional encouragement is needed, but it seemed her hint was taken. The pushy TV employees can suddenly no longer be found.

It's only then she looks to you, person that happened to walk in the general vicinity of mistletoe at the same time. And blame it on the nice feelings the bracelet had imparted, but she waits for a moment for some kind of reaction rather than simply leaving. In silence. With her mask on and cape lightly billowing behind her in the cold.

The Empire doesn't really encourage developing people skills.]

Nonah, North Carolina

[Second Sister was watching. It was a strange feeling, not having a particular mission on hand, but simply because she lacked direction didn't mean she had the urge to simply dive in to the first action that presented itself. That the leaders of this world had allowed such technology run free was on their heads. It would have been clear to any and all such disorder would inevitably lead to this kind of chaos. It wasn't her duty to blindly serve a crumbling power and stop what was occurring.

Yet the snow blocked her way. So she watched. Who knew. She may learn something from watching the self styled 'heroes' do their work- or meet another soul simply looking to avoid the mess until it was resolved. She sat at the table of a (for the moment closed) outdoor cafe, the ice blasts and whatnot always Force diverted if they managed to reach five feet in front of her, snow pushed aside to form a semi-circle guard around her as she waited for all this bother to clear and her path to the Porter to open again.]

Wild Card Me

de chima!

[fettchquest]

[There are many things baffling about this situation. There is the ludicrous custom being insisted upon that any two people standing under a certain plant must kiss. There is the even stranger notion that filming the results of this practice would make for quality entertainment. And finally and perhaps most of all, there’s the fact that the two people currently being harangued into such a public display of affection are both wearing full-face helms—not exactly ideal targets for this kind of harassment.

It makes no matter. Fett reaches for the blaster at his waist, intending to make his feelings on the situation very clear—when he’s interrupted by the sharp sound of breaking glass. He stills, watching with curiosity as the camera crew’s equipment all spontaneously crumples as if suddenly crushed by an invisible weight. It’s an impressive display, and one that quickly convinces the locals that they’d be better off bothering someone else. Fett watches them flee briefly, before turning to the figure at his side.

The first thing he notices, naturally, is that her hand is on a weapon at her side—a lightsaber. And yet, if her earlier behavior hadn’t already been a dead giveaway, this woman is clearly no Jedi. The Imperial insignia emblazoned on the shoulder makes that plain enough.

A Sith, then? Her helmet certainly puts him in the mind of Vader.

He takes a discreet step to the side, putting some distance between them. Still, something causes him to feel slightly more sociable than usual.

The woman gets a nod of acknowledgment and two whole words.]

Efficiently done.

Will Byers | Stranger Things (post-s1)

[orshouldigo]

Heropa

Ever since coming here, Will has been in... kind of shock, probably. He'd just been released from the hospital a few days ago, finally able to come home with his mom and Jonathan, and suddenly he's lost in another dimension again, alone. And okay, this is a much better place to be lost in than the Upside Down, but it's still not home.

He wants to go home.

He finds himself wandering aimlessly through the streets of Heropa, only vaguely paying attention to the festivities. At some point, someone - recognizing that he's a new imPort, maybe, or just recognizing that he's a child who looks lost and upset and unwell - pressed a free cup of hot cocoa into his hands, so eventually he finds a bench to sit down with it. He hasn't actually taken a sip from it yet; he's kind of wary of drinking liquids in another dimension, even if this looks much better than the gross water he'd forced himself to drink in the Upside Down to stay alive. But it's warming his hands, at least, which is especially nice since he's not exactly dressed for chilly weather. People check on him periodically because of that, actually, or maybe because he still looks sick and his short sleeves are not only inadequate for the weather, they're unintentionally showing some bruises from both the Upside Down and the hospital.


Maurtia Falls

Will doesn't intend to get involved in anything superheroic - not anytime soon, at least, he's had enough adventures for now - but he happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, shopping for new clothes seeing as how he didn't get to pack for this kidnapping, so here he is. When the fighting starts, he doesn't try to join in or anything (he's not even sure how he would - what kind of power is Shining? does he glow in the dark or something?), just finds a relatively safe place to hide, but then he just - he just spots the original guy, somehow. He's not sure how, he just knows, he knows who it is and he knows that taking out the original Kringle will stop all the others, so he finds himself ducking out of his hiding place, skidding a little on an icy patch, and searching for the nearest Actual Hero to explain what he knows to.

network

i just want to go home please

Maurita Falls

[cantaffordme]

He's familiar with other worlds - Lyra Belaqua opened up the Borealis and how in His name do you miss that. Serafina sang of it too but he and Hester ending up in another world? Who would have thought it.

"Lee!" the man with a hare by his side cuts a strange figure, but it's even stranger when the hare talks to him and there are quite a few locals who stare but then he hears it -

(Hester's rabbit hearing is going to take some getting used to still. There's a click and he drops behind a wall just as one of them starts blasting that ice and snow.)

"Gun?"

Hester's eyes narrowed, a sign only he would recognize, "...Yeah. Gun. You know you'd think having your soul split between me and you would be a super power in and of itself but..."

"Not the time!" A gun is drawn before Hester shifts into a wolf. Large and gray, it's like looking back at his childhood and he feels a familiar rolling in his chest the same way he used to when he was a child.

This place.

The wolf snarls and he aims and shoots at the nearest man with his six shooter before Hester snarls and goes for the man's arm, throwing him aside. He jerks, "Dammit Hester-! Don't make me miss my shot-"

He hears something twist and squeak before Hester gestures, "The boy!"

The wolf shifts back into a Hare as Lee ducks behind the wall to sit next to the kid, "...Scuse' me kid. I need cover. You all right?"

He talks casually, calmly, firing at enemies as Hester shifts back into her wolf form, teeth bared.

Lee Scoresby | His Dark Materials

[cantaffordme]

De Chima |

[If you had asked Lee Scoresby if he'd end up in other worlds, he would have called you a liar and asked if he could give you a lift home for a modest fee. Instead here he is in a "technological paradise" some say, and others say it's just the way the world is but there's things here he and Hester have never seen before.

That said, Hester drew an eye. The daemon was stalking along in one of her old forms, a wolf, but every person who gave him a weird look got one back until the freakin' film crew...

And now he's facing someone and he shrugs anxiously. It's the wolf that speaks in a feminine voice.]

Don't mind him. He's a little shy. So...coffee? Maybe something with a little alcohol?


Nonah |

I still can't believe we're doing this for free.

[Hester is hunkered down in the snow as it blows about with Lee looking for people to save. The rabbit hops and disappears before she shifts into that same wolf form.

He used to do this as a kid when he was nervous or scared and Hester shrugs her shoulders before he finds somebody in the snow and moves to tap them on their shoulder.]

Be nice!

[The wolf moves forward toward a person with a concerned look.]

Excuse me sir, are you okay?

De Chima

[curriculum_fictae]

[ That's. A wolf. That absolutely a wolf, isn't it. And it talked. Martin - has technically seen much worse, but he hasn't seen that, and so he skips back a pace or two, making a distressed noise. It's maybe a bit odd coming from him - he is a tall guy, pretty large on the whole, with a London accent. ]

I - I - I think I've had enough. Alcohol. Already.

Martin Blackwood | The Magnus Archives | OTA (no spoilers in toplevel, potential spoilers in tags)

[curriculum_fictae]

De Chima

[ Well here's an odd situation. Martin Blackwood passed under multiple sprigs of mistletoe without notice or comment from the spectators, but for some reason, when he's here under one with you, the paparazzi abruptly comes out of the woodwork. It's like they didn't even notice him until you were there to interact with him?? Weird.

Also, distressing and annoying, and this tall ginger Brit is making so many faces. This might be an improvement from home but that hardly means he needs to like it. ]

N-no, I'd really - really rather not, thanks. I thought Americans were only like this on television.

Nonah

[ Wow, this sure is fun!! Turns out Martin's nanite-induced pseudo-invisibility isn't that helpful when it comes to a villain running around. He stares up at the rampaging Mr. Freeze wannabe, mouth open and body frozen in place (metaphorically) as he looks way more horrified than he really ought to be by some C-grade wanker with a snow machine. (Magic is bad, okay, and none of the entities he's used to properly fit here, which is frankly kind of distressing.)

Then this guy comes closer, and Martin finally decides to run at that point. Too late, though - the ice beam clips him, freezing him in place (literally) by way of one of his feet. He struggles with it, trying to pull his foot out without, y'know, breaking something. He's really, really not having a good time here. ]

What the hell is wrong with this place? And who in christ's name is that supposed to be!

De Chima

[itsttlygonnahappenagain]

[how do you feel about legal(ly insane) teens? How about metal arms? Well, too bad you got one. Also she’s like 5’3” so height differences. Gaige barely seems bothered by the situation they’re in, waving excitedly into the camera, then making devil horns with her hands and sticking out her tongue until she hears the guy speak. The last bit catches her attention and she looks over at him curiously.]

What’s an American?

[guess who only listened to the parts of the debrief that included superheroes or science? Still, his reluctance doesn’t sit well with her. Gaige puffs herself up and uses her very loud voice to yell at the crew >:( ]

Doesn’t matter! There’s no way I’m kissin’ a guy who isn’t into it! That’s sooo uncool! Ever heard of consent, people?!

[buuuuuut he is pretty cute....]

General Amaya | The Dragon Prince | no spoilers for S3 in starter, let me know if they’re ok!

[clypeus]

De Chima

One of the advantages to being Deaf? Amaya doesn’t even have to try to ignore the reporters hassling her. Yes, she sees them, but they’re all talking at once and no matter how good her lipreading is, she can’t catch all of them at once. Occasionally, she’s passed someone standing under mistletoe and surrounded by reporters and felt a weird desire to kiss them, but she’s shaken it off. It’s just been a very long time since she’s kissed anyone, that’s all.

Until she gets caught under the mistletoe herself and the reporters surge. She takes a step back but there’s nowhere to go. She looks around wildly and signs at the reporters.

Stay back! One at a time! I can’t understand you all!

If any of them know sign language, it isn’t enough to get them to move back or get anyone to give her breathing room. Finally, she draws her sword. She doesn’t want to harm anyone, but it’s a threat the hearing and the Deaf can understand equally.

Maurtia Falls

Amaya doesn’t know anything about Christmas or Santa or the local supervillains. She thinks this man’s got poor taste in thieving strategy and costume, but that’s not unusual around here. She narrows her eyes and draws her shield, catching a big blast of ice against it, then holding it in front of her as she approaches. She can feel the cold through the shield and her armor, but it’s not enough to stop her. She’s draws her sword and she’s about to attack when she catches sight of another person hiding nearby. Unfortunately, the Santa clone catches sight of them at the same time.

Amaya dives in front of them, holding her massive shield in front of her to catch the blast. She glances over her shoulder and gives a comforting smile, but then she turns her attention back to the fight at hand. She doesn’t really have time to explain, and she needs both hands.

Wild Card

[Choose your own adventure!]

Bucky Barnes | MCU

[sidearmed]

Maurtia Falls

He's really not fond of the winter, especially when snow and ice are involved. It doesn't matter if the cold is natural or artificial, either. He's had it up to here (chin length) with both in the relatively recent past. So most of his attention on reaching the downtown area is avoiding anything that looks like a large snowdrift - and snowball fights.

The Kringle copies are unexpected. Much like the Inquisition and just as unwanted. For a minute or two, watching the chaos unfold around him, the former soldier is tempted to just walk away. This isn't his business. But then one of the copies shoves a kid out of the way on his quest for loot ... and nope. No harming kids, dude. He's across the street in what feels like a matter of seconds, shoving the looter away from both kid and store - his cybernetic arm held out like a shield while he reaches up with his flesh hand to try and wrestle the storefront security gate down manually.

"Hey, asshole. Pick on someone your own size." God, this feels uncomfortably familiar.


Network - Text

I'd like to think 10 AM is a little early for caroling. Is there anyone I can complain to regarding a roving band of chucklefucks who won't stop singing? Some of us are trying to sleep.



Wildcard

[ Have an idea for encountering Bucky? Toss it here. ]

Maurita

[cantaffordme]

[There's a wolf that leaps at the thing even as a man in a duster and what could almost be a union soldier uniform except made of leather and straps appears. Hester lets out a snarl that he mimics before he moves to help him tug down the gate.]

Hester! - go for the throat!

[The wolf turns back and one of the kringle clones goes down. The wolf rolls on the ground even as the other man appears to struggle.]

Shut up Lee!

[The wolf shifts into a hare, a large hare, before bounding beneath the security gate as Lee moves to help Bucky with a nod.] Hope you don't mind us ducking in with you friend.

Dipper Pines | Gravity Falls

[krmvgivv]

Heropa

Dipper is, in fact, a youth, and thus eligible for participating in the sand sculpting contest. Unfortunately for his team, his idea of participating is... unique. He has a stick and a patch of wet sand and he’s very carefully drawing out a plan for how best to apply science and architectural principles to sand castle building. He’s been at this since the competition began. Finally, his expression lights up.

“I’ve got it! All we need to do is—”

A wave splashes down, drenching him and erasing his carefully made sand calculations. Dipper stares at the now-blank sand in stunned despair.

Maurtia Falls

Dipper has never believed in Santa. The combination of being excessively logical, agnostic, and Jewish means the concept never really took hold, even as he believed whole-heartedly in other mythical concepts. Ghosts? Cool. Bigfoot? Definitely real. The tooth fairy? Why do you think he always surrounded his bed with iron every time he lost a tooth? He’s not risking getting kidnapped by the fae! But Santa? Naw.

So this is kind of a shock, seeing all these Santas swarming and stealing and causing chaos. But Dipper is just standing there in the middle of the fray, staring wide-eyed.

“It all makes so much sense!” He clutches his hat, looking around wildly. “He’d need to have clones, that’s the only way he’d be able to get everywhere at once in one night, and if he wasn’t stealing, he’d probably go bankrupt after one Christmas. Oh my gosh, I can’t believe—”

Someone should probably stop him before he gets hurt.

Network

HL SLD NFXS WL DV GIFHG GSZG GSV TLEVIMNVMG RHM’G NLMRGLIRMT GSVHV WVERXVH?

Maurtia Falls

[sidearmed]

Someone is going to try and extract Dipper from impending doom. Mostly by virtue of a highly useful (and currently camouflaged beneath sturdy denim) metal arm, as Bucky spots the not-quite-teenager babbling what sounds like nonsense and clearly not paying attention to the danger. Or maybe he already knows and doesn't care.

"I can't believe you're trying to get yourself hurt," is how he helpfully finishes that sentence, trying to secure gloved fingers around the collar of Dipper's jacket (shirt?) and yank him out of harm's way and into some semblance of safety.

Mick Rory / Heat Wave || Legends of Tomorrow

[hyperthermic]

|| De Chima ||

[ The camera crew has made a Terrible Mistake.

Mick Rory does not believe in mistletoe, definitely doesn't kiss on command, and recognizes pretty damn quick that the compulsion to act against instinct isn't his.

Which is why two of the cameras have ended up smashed, one boom mic set on fire with his newly-acquired pyrokinesis, and he's now holding the executive producer up by the front of his coat with one hand. Fire dances in Mick's free palm, which he raises until it's hovering dangerously close to the producer's cheek. ]

Bad idea, messing with people like that. Should give you a lesson that lasts.


|| Maurtia Falls ||

[ Mick is all about the chaos.

And all about trying not to feel homesick while this guy blasts ice and snow everywhere and endless versions of him loot the stores. The ice is Leonard's shtick.

It's hard to tell whether or not he's on the side of the angels. Yeah, he's taken out a few of the Klones, broken some noses, laid some of them out flat. Set some of their polyester costumes on fire. But he's also setting fire to decorations and helping himself to cash from the tills of the stores being looted.

Mick Rory's DnD alignment is Chaotic Chaotic and he's living his best life. ]


|| Wildcard ||

[ Mick has found himself a little bench in a park in one of the cities, playing with his pyrokinesis. Summoning little balls of flame, rolling them across his palms. He's not sure how he feels yet about being fireproof himself. He can touch fire now, be part of it, in theory. But fire consumes. That's what it does. It destroys or clarifies.

He can touch fire now. But he can't be part of it. Not without the burns.

So there's a weirdo on a bench in the middle of a park holding a palmful of fire at eye-level and staring into it like someone might look at their significant other.

Maybe he'll heat up your lukewarm cocoa for you. ]


|| Network ||

why do u people work for the goons who brought us here ?

De Chima!

[constantdick]

[It was probably only a matter of time before the Porter brought in one of the Legends, but all in all, John would've rather seen Sara Lance or Leo Snart than Mick Rory even if it is nice to see a familiar face who's not technically a demon.

He watches the rampage for a few moments, mildly entertained, but when Rory threatens to set the poor producer on fire—he probably should do something to stop that, shouldn't he? Not that he's planning on trying especially hard.]

Oi, simmer down there, sweet'eart. It's more the season for chestnuts roasting on an open fire than the putrid smell of burning 'uman flesh.

K-2SO | Rogue One

[reexamined]

Jeopardy

There is a droid. A tall one of over seven feet tall, gunmetal in color, and limbs like someone was trying to design a spider and decided to make it humanoid-shaped instead.

Said droid is inspecting the glowing lights of Jeopardy, where the contrast of hating sand seems to be fighting against the interest in how these lights aren't projections but rather glass filled tubes of chemicals. Very primitive technology masquerading as something better than what it is. He taps it one of the higher up signs, but given his advantage on that front, it doesn't pose much of a problem to him. What does pose a problem is that he mistakes how fragile the glass is, and it shatters, leaving the fluid to rush out of the fixture and onto the ground. He quickly looks over his shoulder and around himself to see if anyone noticed.

[bespin]

Someone did notice. A certain sly someone who remembers this particular droid from his last visit. ...At least, he hopes it's the same droid, and not a KX-series droid still loyal to the dead Empire.

"Don't worry. I won't rat you out."

Lando Calrissian | Star Wars

[bespin]

Heropa

[ Lando isn't typically one for these sorts of contests, but after sampling some lemon and lime Italian ice, he's getting in the spirit of the season, wrapping lights around a palm tree, using his power of a levitating cape to reach the uppermost fronds. He's giving a jovial laugh all the while, trying to make his tree the best and brightest one of the bunch. When he sees someone admiring his handiwork, he stops to call them closer. ]

Hey there, friend! Come to see the pretty lights? What do you think, this one's definitely the best, right?

De Chima

Lando doesn't particularly mind being caught under the mistletoe, nor does he particularly care who he's caught under it with. He remembers the tradition from his last visit to Earth, although that was years ago from his point of view. If you're the lucky (or unlucky) sap to be caught with him, he'll take your hand and look deep into your eyes with his soulful expression, and lowly say, "Come on. Let's give them something to write home about."

Nonah

[ Lando's reunion tour of Earth wouldn't be complete without visiting the city he used to call home. Nonah was, and is, his favorite of the Porter cities, with the bright lights and bustling action reminding him of Cloud City in its finest days. He's taking a walk through the downtown square, when all of a sudden he slips and falls on a patch of ice, recently laid down by this "abominable snowman" character. Do you laugh at his misfortune? Or do you help him to his feet? ]

Network

Well, well, well. We meet again, Earth. This is the third time the Porter has seen fit to bring me to this dustball, and I got to say, I'm a little disappointed that I apparently missed all the action? What's this I hear about an apocalypse?

At least I'm here just in time for the holiday season. So tell me... Am I still on anyone's gift list this year?

[ ooc: Lando's new canon point is post the Last Shot novel, and he has memories of both his previous stays in game. ]

network

[carbonfrozen]

no

didn’t make one at all on account of the fact that I just got back here

good on you for FINALLY remembering though what’s the last thing you know from home

Gaige / Borderlands

[itsttlygonnahappenagain]

Jeopardy

[ever since someone shoved a paintball rifle in her hands, Gaige has found herself either in the middle of a firefight, cackling as she lands shots, or riding Deathtrap’s shoulder. So far he’s been enough to intimidate anyone thinking of taking a shot on her, but her gaze searches the shadows just the same. If not for assailants, then for targets. She’s been blindsided before and those psychos can really pack a punch. Occasionally, she’ll hear a shot and an answering call of more gunfire or a resounding “dead!” over the festivities but it isn’t close. Gaige motions for the two of them to follow the sounds.

DT’s mechanical whirr is soothing to her though, and she starts up a conversation with him as they float through the streets, her paint rifle resting against her shoulder.]

Y’know, dad used to make cocoa on Merc’s Day. I kinda miss it. Think we could find some here?

[Deathtrap makes a mechanical hum of affirmation, but then stops mid-float to tuck back into an alley. At the other end, Gaige sees someone with their back to her. She can’t tell if they’re participating in the game, but it doesn’t matter to her.

She jumps down, signalling for her bot to stay back. The teen shoulders the rifle and slowly approaches the person from behind until she’s only ten feet away.]

Hey! Surrender or die from paint inhalation!

[then, as an afterthought:] Unless you know where a girl could get some hot cocoa.

Caspar von Bergliez | Fire Emblem Three Houses

[genuinewrestleboy]

01! HEROPA!

[ It's a good thing the palm tree decorating isn't technically Christmas related, because Caspar has no idea what that is. But this is a contest and by goddess he's gonna win!
Or at least, that's his intention - his tree so far doesn't really have a theme so far as "whatever Caspar thought was neat", but it certainly has energy.

He spots someone and points to them (you?). ] Hey! You! Your scarf! Lemme borrow it!

03! MAURTIA FALLS!

[ Caspar is 16 years old and 5'2" and wearing some kind of fancy school uniform with a cravat, but that's not going to stop him from fighting as many Klone Kringles as he can. He runs up to the nearest one, completely unarmed, holding up his fists. ]

Stop right there! I dunno what you think you're doing or why you're dressed so weird, but you're obviously the bad guys so you're going down!

[ He clearly has the energy but can this kid really fight off these weird santa villains on his own? ]

04! NONAH!

[ Much like with the Klone Kringles in Maurtia Falls, Caspar has every intention of personally fistfighting the villain, but this time as he tries to run towards the Abominable Snowman he slips on some ice -- ] Whoa! Hey! Watch out! [ ...And falls flat on his face. ]

Ugh, that's cheating.

00! WILDCARD

[ Bring Your Own Prompt ; or just assume he's getting into a fistfight with someone ]

W-W-WILDCARD

[burlyboy]

[ Caspar has always been the sort to protect the innocent.

And, well... it looks as though there are innocents to be protected, even here, even now. Not so terribly far away is a monster of a man, tall and broad and hairy and scarred as any impressive bandit, cloaked in what seems to be a massive bearskin, an axe at his side and a menacing grimace twisting his expression.

His hands are raised up, nearly clawed as he takes a step towards a gaggle of children. They all stagger backwards, shrieking in what must be terror, mysterious papers clutched in their little hands.

This may, in fact, be a time to rush in. ]

Galen Marek | Star Wars: The Force Unleashed

[forcelightning]

heropa

[ Galen would usually consider such a thing beneath him. Consider it a waste of time when he could be doing something, anything more important with his time. But ever since trying that lemon whatever he's just felt... inspired. Like a burning deep within his very being.

He looks at the teammate he's been shoved at, a weird intensity burning in his eyes. ]

I don't understand the point of this frivolous completion but we can NOT lose.

de chima

[ When you live almost your entire life in a set of secret rooms on a starship with only a droid for a companion you end up not being the most social of people. Give Galen an army of robots to blast, a duel with someone POWERFUL... he ran into such things headlong. Ask him to interact with normal people in normal ways and he just kind of.. flounders. He's gotten better at faking it. He can put up an appearance of being social. Even, if the occasion suits it, friendly. IF he has time to prepare.

Ambushed with shrubbery on a pedestrian bridge by a film crew did not give him ample time to mentally prep himself. So he did what any normal person would do.

Jump off the bridge.

Using just a smidgen of telekinesis to slow himself, he lands lightly on the roof of a car stopped in traffic below, and hops off onto the sidewalk, and attempts to casually walk away like he didn't just. Jump off a Bridge to escape an unwanted social interaction. ]

jeopardy

[ Being handed a miniature effigy of himself is.. weird. Not the weirdest thing that's ever happened to him. But like... okay maybe it is the weirdest thing? Certainly the weirdness level is increased when someone encourages him to bite his own head off.

He kind of doesn't want to. He's positive there's some ancient Sith sorcery somewhere out that that probably involves a similar set up... but after some encouragement he hesitantly breaks off a bit and pops it into his mouth.

His eyes widen almost comically. ]

What... what is this called again?

[ He grew up as a Sith apprentice under a cruel master. His experience with food was likely just what he needed nutritionally to survive. Despite what popular opinion said, the Dark Side had no Cookies. At least not for him. This... this is his first time actually experiencing a sweet. ]

jeopardy!

[fettchquest]

[Fett isn’t here for the festivities—not to celebrate them, anyway. Call him paranoid, but after the near-apocalypse that had occurred here only a few weeks prior, large gatherings of people performing strange rituals in Jeopardy tend to breed mistrust. If anything, he’s come as an observer, making sure that this celebration is merely that, and not another harbinger of planetary destruction.

So far, many of the practices seem strange, but harmless. Take, for instance, the chocolate miniature suddenly being pressed into his gloved hand. He looks down at the effigy, only to frown when he sees that it’s shaped like him. It even has tiny chocolate weaponry. Fett is… grudgingly impressed. Doesn’t mean he’s going to eat it.

A voice of another imPort standing nearby causes him to look up. This stranger also has a chocolate miniature in his hand, though a piece has been broken off. Now, the man is staring wide-eyed with a look of shock on his face. Fett feels further vindicated in his decision not to partake himself.]

It’s chocolate, [he says, eying the man warily.] Supposedly.

Caleb Widogast | Critical Role

[ausgebrannt]

[ 1. Heropa ]

[Something is wrong. Something is terribly wrong and Caleb is aware that something is wrong, but he can't seem to do anything about it regardless. It all started with the free dessert. He should be smart enough to know that free things are never free, really, but he'd been distracted and a bit hungry and now here he is. No one who has ever met him would describe the scruff, shabby wizard as friendly -- more socially awkward disaster loner -- yet here he is.]

You, yes right you, [The soft accent sounds vaguely German. It isn't, technically, but it sounds it.] you look... decorative. And unattached.

[Okay so the awkward thing still applies.] We could win, I bet. As a team. With teamwork. [And then, half to himself.] Even if I don't know why I've decided to care and I probably shouldn't be playing at a time like this.

[Maybe this is a nightmare.]


[ 2. De Chima ]

[Maybe you run into him while he's trying to keep to the outskirts of any crowd, trying and failing not to look skittish, trying further still not to draw attention to himself. There's a cat padding along at his feet, occasionally darting about only to return a few moments later. This city is large and strange and some unsettling mix of terrifying and fascinating.

It takes a turn when he suddenly finds himself caught on camera, not that he knows what a video camera is, mind, but he doesn't like any of it. He especially is not fond of the 'Give the person next to you a kiss! That's the rules! Don't be a grinch!' prompting, and he turns to whatever poor soul happens to be caught beneath the mistletoe with him.]

No, I promise that is a terrible idea. Very sorry. [Except it feels less like a terrible idea. Caleb knows enough spells to recognize when something is trying to mess with his head though, and that isn't going to fly.]


[ 3. Maurtia Falls ]

[Somehow he's found his way to this market, which is way more than he expected it to be. Then someone thrust a coupon book in his hands, and as he flipped through it, he's found the coupon for the bookstore and now, well, he's a man with a mission.

And no clue how to navigate a mall.]

Um... hello. Excuse me. Could you remind me, perhaps, which way to... yes, Page Turner's?

[A bookstore! His day is getting better!

Then there's an explosion.] Scheisse. [Nothing is ever easy.]


[ Wildcard ]

[Feel free to find a lost hobo wizard wandering about anywhere else.]

maurtia falls

[thecacophony]

[He's asking the right person—Sal's got a bag with books slung under one arm herself. It's too bad for the timing, however. She's about to answer him when the explosion goes off. More annoyed than surprised (she's lived in this city long enough to expect this kind of birdshit), she offers a glare down the corridor.]

Shit. Well, the shop's down that way.

[She gestures over to where the other shoppers are now running away from, seemingly being chased in the pairs' direction by... something. The temperature begins to drop dramatically.]

Aayla Secura - Star Wars

[aaylasecura]

De Chima, Virginia

A blue hand rose to ward off a flash and then another. People were excitedly taking her mage on small recorders but she could not fully understand why. Aside from the fact that she appeared to be the only Twi'lek here.

A small child approached her, big eyes and curly brown hair, the girl held up a bundle of flowers and urged Aayla to take it. The jedi knelt and, confused as she was, accepted the bouquet. "Thank you, little one. But, what are these for?"

"It's Christmas silly! And you look like an angel on a tree." With a giggle and a skipping step the girl rush off and vanished back into the crowd leaving Master Secura as bewildered as she had been before. This was certainly one of the stranger places she'd ever seen, though the lack of war erupting around her was a pleasant change of pace.

Aayla wondered on, hearing whispers and snippets of conversations about this Christmas and something called egg nog. She was about to step into a shop to find out just what that was when she found herself frozen to the spot, she wasn't paralyzed but her body seemed to be less than inclined to move. "What is happening?" She wrenched her foot and took a step, though she sense no malice there was something strange here.

The strange little girl scampered up again and giggled, her tiny hand over her mouth. "Mistletoe got ya! Now you have to kiss someone!" This seemed to delight the child who clapped and grinned before vanishing once more into the passersby. Aayla sighed, a lekku twitching in irritation.

"Hello? Could someone be of assistance?

omg an aayla hello!!

[loyal_soldier]

622 was never entirely fond of crowds. You couldn't feel relaxed around them, especially when he was alone--clones weren't meant to operate that way. Even though he was slowly getting better at tamping down the nervousness and just bearing the discomfort, it sill wasn't his favorite way to spend his time. He was always watching for signs of something out of the ordinary, something that might take a turn for the worse. Or another imPort, getting accosted by locals. He was plain enough that he didn't have to deal with it often, but others couldn't hide it, or they were new, and therefore notable by default.

Some were both. He spotted the knot of people around a twi'lek from almost a block away. He started moving toward her, but by the time he made it, she'd... stopped. And she seemed confused about that. She was under one of those missile-toe things, but that was just a tradition, you didn't have to--

Then he spotted the camera crew. "You lot--" His voice was the no-nonsense, clipped tone of a displeased sergeant. "Do you have a permit for what you're doing here?" The answer didn't matter, because that wasn't the point. "No permit gives you the right to be a public nuisance. Clear off, and leave her be." He wasn't budging an inch, leveling a stony glare at them until they retreated. Locals. They could get so pushy about their traditions, sometimes.

He turned to face the twi'lek. "Are you alright, ma'am?"

jongdae lee | oc

[itsjiaheng]

↳ {de chima};

[ now this was living, or at the very least the novelty of celebrity hadn't worn off yet. he'd just posed quite willingly for his umpteenth picture, standing close and throwing up peace signs while they took a selfie. ]

Hey, tag me on Insta-.. [ what kind of apps did they use here again? ] Just tag me!

[ skipping off to.. wherever, he found himself in one of those heavily mistletoe'd areas. not that he knew what mistletoe was, seeing as they didn't cover holiday traditions of the world where he'd grown up. he walked under the first sprig, surprised and not at all dismayed to be ambushed by a camera crew. no, he was eating this up as well, combing his fingers through his hair and trying to turn so they'd get his good side.

he really wasn't like this usually, but given an opportunity... why not?

it took him a little while longer to realise the cameras weren't just there to film him taking in the beauty of the holiday decor. hard not to, when he felt that weird compulsion in the direction of the next person he'd pass by. and he didn't get weird urges to kiss people. that was not a thing.]

Oh.

You know.. I-.. pass. Nothing against any of you or anything..

[ he offered an apologetic smile to the kissee in question, because maybe it was rude to take a hard pass on kissing someone? he hadn't exactly been smooth at any point, but he'd slid into awkward, deer caught in the headlights now. it looked kind of pathetic and he could probably use an exit strategy right about now. ]

↳ {nonah};

[ admittedly, jongdae had been itching for a little action for awhile. he hadn't exactly gotten to use his abilities for anything other than experiments in a perfectly controlled laboratory setting, after all. this was exciting! he'd heard something about.. nanites? he wasn't sure. a lot of what he'd been briefed on had gone by in a blur. honestly, how did they think anyone would be able to absorb information like that?

he didn't rush right into a confrontation, but sees a golden opportunity to make himself look good and play the hero. being frozen in blocks of ice cannot be a pleasant experience.

this was child's play, simply placing his hands on the ice blocks and letting the magic happen. there didn't seem to be any heat but the ice simply melted all at once. if you were looking right at him, there was probably a flash of light and then a puddle where the ice used to be.

now he's making a show of it; melting snow with a wave of a hand or a stomp of a foot was not strictly necessary but it looked stylish though! did he just take a video of himself melting some guy out?]

I got you! [ the shocked local who had just gotten thawed out on video was now given finger guns as jongdae ran by, on to the next. if he was supposed to reassure the victims, he never got that memo and if the snowman was going to be handled today, someone was probably going to have to remind him.. ]

↳ {network};

so like
i've never been to america
or done christmas or whatever
so
taking suggestions for food to try