ON MY WAY

[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.

WOOF WOOF! This Friday is National Take Your Dog to Work Day, and everyone seems to be out with their pooch, enjoying the summer sun! (At least until they start to sweat and have to make a beeline for someplace with air conditioning.) However, the thing about superheroes is that their work can take them anywhere, and with the Top ImPort contest leading the news, EVERY imPort is a hero in the minds of the public!

Got a costume on? Here's a corgi. In line for an iced coffee? Come kiss this old lady's schnauzer. Allergic to dogs? Have a Claritin...and then brace yourself as this Great Dane tries to sit on you. And be sure to smile! Can you imagine how many likes a pic of the coolest new imPort cuddling man's best friend will get?

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. The imPort craze remains high here, and you may find yourself cornered by overzealous imPort fans, media wannabes and opportunists alike, shoving cameras in your face.

Today, a company that manufactures tech-based educational toys—"Where Science Meets Fun!"—is running a demo of its latest project, Quincy the QuizBot. Filled with information taken from the curricula of many grade levels, Quincy is whirring through the streets to conduct pop quizzes! Answer a question right, win a prize, ranging from a coupon for a free soda at the local fast food joint to a $100 gift card, based on difficulty!

Except...something's gone wrong with Quincy's programming. An hour or two into the demo session, he starts to approach passersby and demand answers. "WHAT IS THE SQUARE ROOT OF 47284? CAN YOU LIST THE PHARAOHS OF EGYPT IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER? ANSWER-ANSWER-ANSWER-ANSWER!"

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...

Despite the lack of gratitude that's in it for you, you may want to step in once you see a very, very sad supervillain wandering Maurtia Falls' streets. Dressed in a cape that appears to be a large swath of fabric purchased from a nearby sewing store, galaxy-themed leggings and no shirt is a man who runs right into your vicinity before striking a pose and yelling, "Everyone, stop before me and my wrath! I am Mister Mars, and provided you give me what I ask for, nobody needs to get hurt!"

At which point Mister Mars snatches an old woman's purse, loudly laughs in her face, and begins to float upwards. By the time he reaches the height of the tallest building in the area, he's beginning to look slightly panicked as he fails to really be able to move anywhere but up. Meanwhile, the old woman has begun shaking her cane at him and screaming quite an assortment of alarming expletives.

Maybe you should help one or the other out? If not, just lean back and enjoy the show.

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.

Welcome, everyone, to the sugar fueled festivity that is National Hot Fudge Sundae Day. The celebration is taking place on two closed down city blocks, with a market in between them selling all the pun filled souvenir shirts and stuffed ice cream cone toys, fudge bottle body pillows, and every kind of craft fair knickknack in between, that you can imagine. The powers that be in Nonah have clearly tried to divide the celebrations up into the ice cream and ‘normal’ food sides, but this is America. They can’t tell you what to do. Go try those meat and potato ‘fudge sundae’ monstrosities or cover your ice cream in wine from an adult beverage cart. Dip your deep-fried cheese in hot fudge. Disgusting food choices are in the constitution (somewhere).

But on the pure ice cream side, there are certainly enough choices to make ‘real’ food not super necessary. In addition to your normal food flavors that range from the tame you’d see in any ice cream parlor, or the slightly more hipster flavors like ‘lavender’ or ‘bacon maple,’ there are existential flavors. Yes, inspired by some previous imPorts, these flavors induce a specific emotion in the person while they eat it, which lasts up to about 10 minutes after the dessert has been consumed. These range all over, from ‘full cell phone battery’ to ‘the bitter-sweet satisfaction of vengeance against your sworn enemy.’ Maybe try a ‘puppy love’ and ‘first day of autumn’ twist covered in fudge for a true moment of contentment. It’s all in your hands. Careful though, things like ‘moment you first realized your parents were only human’ or ‘pain of failure’ are also available, though obviously not as popular. Hopefully, you don’t create an emotionally devastating mix out of curiosity (or a prank on another imPort).

In addition to ice cream, there are all kinds of family fun activities to pick from. Traditional carnival themed games have been set up, with the normal employees yelling at the crowd to attract attention. Throw a ball in a milk can, get a goldfish in a an (empty glass) ice cream cup! Pop balloons with dulled darts, get a sprinkles themed pair of sunglasses. This is Nonah, though, which means hard work deserves a reward. The bigger prizes for big point getters are a little insane: genetically modified fish that can breathe air, stuffed animals the size of a minivan, a free years worth of ice cream (to be taken home all at once now). There are also some bounce houses and slides that kids and adults alike can enjoy, just no ice cream allowed inside the rides

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.

Welcome to the Church of the Ancient Webmistress' annual cookie sale! To raise money for a variety of community organizations, card tables line the street where the church is located, and boy, do these baked goods look delicious! Cookies, brownies, pies and more are all for sale for very reasonable prices--and to help out such a good cause, you're definitely going to buy some. Right, hero? The watching crowds certainly expect you to set a good example (when they're not busy purchasing tasty treats themselves.)

It seems there's been a mistake, though--mixed in with the cookies frosted to look like spiders are, er, a tray of someone's special brownies. Edibles, as it were (though everything here is edible--and delicious!) Just try to keep it together, okay? After all, there are kids here, and you're a role model! Or possibly not, but if you end up feeling the need to stare at your own hand for an hour, maybe find a side street. Or at least purchase some extra munchies to support any number of charities.

Comments

[curriculum_fictae]

HEROPA

[ This might end up being a hallucination. Or another Spiral trick, or - or maybe he's just dead! Maybe he's just dead and this is some sort of purgatory. Martin isn't bloody well ruling out any of those options, and he regards most expressions of superpowers with suspicion and/or dim terror.

But. That all fades for a moment when he catches sight of the most adorable little spaniel, currently yipping and looking exceptionally lost. He kneels next to the little creature with more certainty than he feels. ]

H-hey there, little guy. You're lost, huh? Me too. Why don't we both get back to - to somewhere we belong?

[eyediot]

[Jon isn't entirely thrilled by all this. Another domain, maybe? But one this sprawling would have to be the Vast. But no, he doesn't get the sense of that here. Just that this is... an ordinary place. As ordinary as a place with superpowers can be, but there isn't the rampant fear that the Apocalypse encompassed in all its existence. No, it was possibly much worse: America. Christ, he wasn't sure if he ever wanted to see this country again and turns out? Not a fan. Again.

The sound of dogs gets him though. And despite having just agreed to not look into Martin's head, well. He was worried when he arrived. Martin wasn't with him. And that was potentially very, very bad. So he was trying to not run, but find him.

And there Martin is, with a...dog. It's like deja vu, that very first day all over again. Wasn't it a spaniel then? It was. Jon stands there marveling at it a bit before stepping closer.]

Martin! Thank god. Come on, we-- I've been looking for you. [It's such a casual hand to Martin's shoulder, like it's familiar. Belongs there.]

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Somehow, it's not Jon's voice that gets to him. You'd think, given that Jon is sort of dead last Martin remembers, that that would be the issue. But frankly he's heard Jon's voice before when it wasn't there, so that's just regular misery talking, really.

No it's that casual, warm hand on his shoulder that gets him to whirl like he's been struck, brown eyes wide with disbelief. That's - no, it can't be - ]

J - J - Jon?!

[ Jon touched him? On purpose? That's almost stranger than the "suddenly being alive" part. ]

[eyediot]

[Recognition, okay, so Martin remembers him. This isn't some weird domain of phantoms or loneliness where he's a shade or something. That's a plus. He leans a bit, one arm wrapping around Martin's shoulders and kissing at his hair softly.

Relief.

All relief and the tension he'd been holding lets go. Martin is safe, Martin is here, he has Eyes on Martin.]

Sorry, it-- It took a while to find you. But we can... Try to figure this place out and keep moving.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Oh god. That gentle hand on his shoulder was already new enough to him, but that casual little hug and - and - god, a kiss? That was a kiss, wasn't it? Light and casual, yes, but somehow that's even worse. It's everything he's ever wanted and that means it can't possibly be real.

Martin makes a strangled, unhappy noise and shoves Jon back. ]

Helen! Helen, this isn't funny! Or - or Nikola, whoever! I-I'm not falling for it!

[eyediot]

[Jon takes some care not to step on the poor spaniel when he's shoved back, brows knot in concern and... well, clear hurt. After everything...

Okay, maybe after everything it's a fair assumption that Jon could be some kind of illusion or something. After all, Martin can't see the way Jon can.

He holds out one hand, meant to placate, kneels down to help calm the poor dog.]

Martin... I-it's not Helen. And it's not Nikola, Nikola's gone. It's me.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Puppy is not having a good time here. It yips unhappily, not sure if it likes Jon or Martin. Sure, Martin is soft and cuddly, but he's also incredibly agitated, staring at Jon with a mixture of hurt and anger. How dare they use Jon against him. That's just uncalled for, really.

He takes a step back, shaking all over. ]

No, it's not. I'm not stupid. Jon's - Jon's dead in a hospital bed, and he certainly doesn't kiss me.

[eyediot]

[The look on Jon's face is probably one Martin's never seen. A mixture of panic and hurt, worry. Confusion while he tries to figure this out.

Would it be all right? If he just... knows? He swallows thickly and carefully lets the spaniel sniff his hand. Keeping his voice forced steady.]

Martin. That happened over a year ago. I woke up seven months ago.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ That elicits a different kind of horrified surprise from Martin. He stares at Jon, utterly disbelieving. ]

Wh - what? What do you mean?

[eyediot]

Exactly what it sounds like?

[He rubs at his face, hands covering his eyes while he thinks. This place is... wrong, in some way. People and beings from all different worlds and.. times.

He blinks, eyes back to normal looking up at Martin again.]

This place can pull anyone from any point in time. Even people from same same world don't have to be from the same point. It's... It's a mess.

[curriculum_fictae]

So - so what. You're from a future where you're alive again and - and what, w-we're dating or. Or something?

[ God, he looks desperately miserable for a moment. ]

I don't buy it. I - I've never had anything that good happen to me in my life.

[eyediot]

[Meanwhile, Jon is struggling. He sits right where he is, lets this spaniel climb on him and lick his face, his chin, his hands. But his eyes stay glued to Martin.]

Yes? It-- A lot happened. It wasn't good and. And... [How much should he even tell him?]

How can I help you believe me?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Algric laughs bitterly. A thin little curl of fog frosts the ground by his feet, leeching the slightest bit of colour from his already faded trainers. ]

You can't? You can't. Because - because I don't believe it. I won't believe it. There can't p-possibly be a future where you actually like me.

wild card; text;

[involved]

Martin Blackwood, it's good to see you ...well user name? Text icon?
You.
What are the chances you'd be here?
Lovely place, isn't it?

Tell me something.
Are you getting Web vibes from the church in Jeopard?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ UM.

Well it takes Martin a while to respond due to the fact that he's busy staring at his screen. That username - it can't be anyone else, right? And yet. ]

Who is this?

[involved]

Martin, darling, I'm hurt.
But to answer your question. It's Helen.
Do you know how hard it is to text?

[curriculum_fictae]

With those fingers. Right. Um.

Yes, whatever's going on in Jeopardy is absolutely Web.

[involved]

Want to get a closer look?

[curriculum_fictae]

Oh my god, Helen. I've barely been here a few hours. Give me at least a day before trying to tempt me into a door.

[ It's not an angry tone, though. No, it's nearly pleasant in that funny way of theirs. ]

[involved]

It could be fun~
We could make it a date.
This way, if Jon shows up, we already know the spider problem.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Ah. That last part makes him stop dead. ]

What do you mean, show up. In his hospital bed?

[involved]

If he shows up in a hospital bed I'll eat my door.
No darling, in the flesh! Alive and well.
Pre-death.
Or Post-death, either way.

[curriculum_fictae]

[ Martin screams internally, wrestling with his phone. ]

There's a big difference between those two states of being!

[involved]

Oh.
Oh, now this is interesting.
What is the last thing you remember, Martin?

[curriculum_fictae]

[ This is getting stranger by the moment. ]

What sort of question is that.