TEST DRIVE MEME #02

[metamods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

Welcome to metaheroes! As the game is invite-only, please bear in mind that new players must have an invitation from a current player to apply. Interested players who do not know anyone in the game can reach out to the mod team HERE to request an invite for the March app round. These invitations will be processed the day before reserves open. However, no invitation is necessary to play on the this test drive.

Threads from this post can be made game canon if players agree upon it. To facilitate this, this log has no new arrival prompt. Please see the PREVIOUS CONFLUENCES for general ideas as to how characters may have arrived. New characters will be arriving with the March 27th arrival log.

For players who do not want to thread out an arrival, they may backdate their characters' arrival to a previous Confluence. These characters were not picked up by the transportation spell used by the Alliance. These characters will have been living on their own for the last few months, so please address this in the 'Brainstorming' section of the application.

01. METASTRAVAGANZA — everywhere.

Things haven't been the same since Confluences started again. The last two months have been more exciting than the last twenty years! The skies are full of new heroes, the day is saved and threatened by unfamiliar faces, the media is having a field day trying to report on every single new face while companies try to snag them for brand deals.

But not everything in this world centers around costumed combat. Today is a perfectly normal day and you're tasked with the most dangerous mission of all - leading an every day life. Maybe you go to a perfectly normal job to maintain your secret identity - or maybe you've already abandoned that, living full time as your metahuman self.

The sun is shining, and even in the early hours of the morning, parties in the DOWNTOWN STREETS of those CITIES STRUCK BY THE RECENT CONFLUENCES are disrupting the reconstruction efforts that have gotten well underway. These parties celebrate meta efforts to save the day! The streets are full of booths selling food and hastily made knock-off toys of the newest heroes who haven't yet put a copyright on their costume.

But not everyone looks so thrilled about this celebration. Many people look disgusted at this celebration of metahumans interrupting their commute to work, muttering under their breath about what a pain in the ass metahumans are and how much destruction they've wrought in these few short months.

Meanwhile, school-aged metas board the bus to LOFTY HEIGHTS META SCHOOL, hidden somewhere in the sky. There, in-between learning about grammar and punctuation, they are trained to use their new abilities ... Notably, when powers training arrives, the new arrivals outshine the metas native to this world. Very few seem to have any powers on par with the new comers.

Later in the day, the Student Council holds an assembly dedicated to the responsible use of powers. They award any students who have helped save the day with accolades — as well as detention for skipping class to help out as an unlicensed hero. Whoops!

Maybe you should just skip today.

02. SEEDY UNDERBELLY — central city.

Central City is a hard place to live. The city is in almost constant peril, with constant power vacuums in organized crime and city government being filled by worse and worse people. Despite having the Guardian Alliance stationed at its center and doing their best to uplift the people and their citizens, the city suffers from a corruption so deep that it seems to be baked into the very concrete.

The Alliance does what it can to make the city a better place but it's a bandaid over a bigger wound. Because the nigh constant metahuman-centered destruction is the source of so many of Central City's problems - meta organizations are often the last resort for its people. Still, the Alliance makes sure to keep heroes on hand to punch muggers as well as run soup kitchens. Their healers provide healing free of charge, and many of their psychics are trained therapists who use their powers to soothe the citizens' many traumas.

But the real power in the city is held by people like FRANK KAFKA, a crime lord with a finger in every pie. Both guilds leave Kafka to his own devices because he officially possesses no metahuman abilities and he avoids any dealings with them. Tonight, his goons are running their favorite extortion scheme with a twist. A group of them marches through a run-down street, shaking down vulnerable families and businesses for protection money. If an individual resists, the gang threatens to bring the spectre of newly created metahumans down upon their head. Though Kafka himself is not present, his goons will give up his location under enough pressure.

03. NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM — excelsior.

With how often the city is destroyed, one wouldn't expect the MUSEUM OF EXCELSIOR to get much in the way of priceless artifacts, but the museum's basement vault is one of the most well guarded facilities in all the country. Practically impenetrable, it stores every conceivable relic of value. But today, thanks to some villainous meddling, there's a lapse in their security that aligns perfectly with the planned time for the changeover of an art exhibit, affording some enterprising thieves a chance at millions of dollars in priceless artwork.

Heroes affiliated with the Guardian Alliance are asked to patrol and keep these relics safe, while the members of the Society of Villainous Reformation are called upon to pay favors forward by getting in their way. As the untested new kids on the block, player characters draw the short straw and are sent in pairs to complete their task, regardless of whether it's to steal these artifacts or guard them.

Villains, now's the chance to get rich quick! Heroes, protect these treasures from falling into the wrong hands!

04. DINOTOPIA — excelsior.

Confluences are back.

And that means new unaffiliated supervillains are running rampant in the streets, causing the kind of directionless, clumsy chaos that the Guild typically frowns at. A little mischief is good if it serves as distraction for a heist, but this is...

Well...

This a very large velociraptor with human arms standing in the middle of Excelsior. If anyone asks, he calls himself DINO DAN. But why would you ask when he's busy transforming people into dinosaurs - or partially into dinosaurs - using his aptly named Dino-Ray? The people of Excelsior are used to a lot of chaotic shenanigans, but this is a little much even for them. The newly transformed dinosaur-people are losing themselves to their instincts and charging at bystanders. Of those that retain (or regain) their senses, some appear strangely delighted to have this new experience, while others wail in horror at their lost humanity.

As heroes line up to stop him, he'll tell anyone who listens about his displaced rage and the revenge he seeks on an unfair world that let him turn himself into a dinosaur. Not surprising, out of an Excelsior local. However, confronted by metas who can stop him, Dino Dan hooks the Dino-Ray on his belt and grabs a second ray-gun. Anyone he shoots with this one disappears with a comical POP!

Those unfortunate enough to be hit by this ray will find themselves standing in a land before time, right beside a research station. Those clever enough to pull out their cell phones will notice that they still have reception, and rule out time travel.

In addition to clippings of ancient and extinct plants, characters who venture inside will find a half dozen prehistoric humans have apparently been displaced through time and held captive in Dino Dan's remote island research station. If that wasn't obvious enough, his research notes suggest the use of time travel — though like all other dimensional travel, it stopped working in January.

Characters may trigger a trap in the research station and find themselves also temporarily transformed into reptiles, or they may take it upon themselves to rescue the poor folks this mesozoic maniac has been holding hostage! Whatever the plan: if he's causing havoc in the city, that has to mean there's there's a teleporter in his lab to get back. But there's no shortage of Guard T-Rexes blocking the path.

Comments

[ikols]

[ He tips his face into Billy's hands, lashes skidding his cheeks as Loki sighs. He knows wisdom when he hears it (and he knew all of that before, but it is endlessly reassuring to have someone else voice it for him). ]

I don't often do well with patience ... [ Green eyes flicker up, holding brown. ] For the most part.

[wordiness]

[ he makes a soft noise of agreement. ] I know. But if you can wait a lifetime for me, you can wait a little while for the man you love in this lifetime.

[ he brushes his thumb gently over loki's mouth, then withdraws his hands. ]

And you never know.. if Peter loved this girl, you may find you like her quite a bit, too, and you're worrying for no reason at all.

[ikols]

[ It will hurt, is all. He wants to say, I don't want Peter to hurt me of all people, but it sounds too close to pathetic even in his own head, so instead he gives a huff and slumps back to swig his drink. ]

Well, [ he declares loudly, breaking the vulnerable air surrounding himself, ] I hope she has all the comeliness of a goat and the grace of Throg, I said it!

[wordiness]

[ he smiles, unfolding his legs so he can cross his ankle over loki's to keep some amount of contact between them. it seems to help, and he knows this is a conversation the god has struggled with. ]

You're not good at sharing. [ that's not news to either of them. ] I hope you wind up being smitten with her if she shows up, and I hope it's mutual. For Peter's sake.

[ikols]

You might as well hope for Galactus to go vegan.

[ With a hmph, Loki folds one of his ankles over Billy's in return so their legs are a tangle under the stools and hopefully no one has to rise in a hurry. His gaze trails back up to Billy's face and Loki reaches out, hesitating a moment, before touching the new fade behind an ear that leads up to warm brown curls. ]

Tired of the floppy fringe?

[wordiness]

I guess we'll see, [ he says with a little laugh, and tilts his head into the touch of fingertips. ]

I needed a change, I guess. Do you like it? [ he grins. ] I was growing it out for a while. Started growing my nails, too, but it was just too much to maintain in the long run.

[ikols]

I do. The fringe was cute, but this makes you look ... older. More about yourself.

[ It fits, although complimenting Billy frustratingly leaves Loki tethered up in his words in a bid not to be too effusive. ]

Do you want me to do your nails? Mine are, uh, [ naturally black, they always have been, ] dull, but you could add some colour right back, if you like.

[wordiness]

Thanks. I guess as the emperor's husband, it's probably a good idea to look my age. [ he already has a tic against him just being human.

he offers out his hands, wiggling the fingers. ] If you want to. And yours aren't dull, I like them.

[ikols]

Flatterer.

[ Loki takes Billy's hands in his, covering up the tips of his fingers with a gentle squeeze, and after a moment of warm green light (with a pensive stare down at his work) he releases Billy's hands to reveal lavender nails with gold constellations speckled across them. Josh had reminded him of summer fields of flowers when dressed in a hoodie of the same shade, but Billy is as ever a prince of dusky stars to match his costume when he wears it. ]

There, that's better.

[wordiness]

[ lavender and gold. pretty. it makes him wonder if loki was thinking of his earlier comment about josh when he chose the colors. ]

Maybe I'll have to add more color into my wardrobe. [ it's changed a lot since he was an insecure fifteen-year-old, but he still tends toward dark colors, mostly black. ]

[ikols]

You do wear galaxies, let's not call you dreary just yet. Whereas Stark looked like he was in the twilight zone when he entered my apartment. You would think a man who wears scarlet would be less opposed to other people enjoying colours.

[ He offers up his nails, demanding some similar attention for them. ]

[wordiness]

I'm very stylish, I just stick to certain palettes. [ the idea of tony stark in loki's apartment is absolutely wild, honestly. ] I'm a little surprised he even stepped foot in there.

[ he presses loki's palms together, then his own hands against their backs. blue sparks crackle over loki's skin, almost ticklish, and his fingers curl in a teasing stroke as he pulls his hands away. the nails beneath are left mint green, dainty flowers painted along the borders. ] There we go, ready for spring.

[ikols]

You are, and he despises me.

[ The new nails have him delighted, expression brightening in surprise as he admires his nails. ]

Mint green for the season, mmm? I've taken note now.

[wordiness]

[ he taps his index finger against one of loki's nails. ] And very nearly both our colors. [ loki is emerald and billy is red, but mint and pink are just the pastel versions, really.

and he's not surprised that tony hates loki, given the avengers' experience with loki's former self, but this isn't that loki. ]

Tony's loss. That just means more of you for me, I guess.

[ikols]

Almost like we're nearly being ourselves.

[ Pale versions of more intense shades to come, lips twitching as he shoots Billy a wink. He leans back to finish his drink and order another, inspecting his new nails. ]

He's from another world, the same as David, got hurled here from it. I suppose that explains away half his shitty mood. As the sort-of leader of the former Young Avengers, can't you tell him to Iron-up or something?

[wordiness]

We've never spent much time together, [ he says, flapping a hand dismissively. ] Not one on one, anyway. [ and tony's never exactly loved his powers. considering what they can do, he supposes he doesn't really blame him, but it does mean that there are other avengers billy's closer to. ]

I should probably get in touch with him, though, and see if everything's okay with him.

[ikols]

I'm fairly certain he stole my map instead of asking if he could have it, give him shit over having no manners.

[ Laughing over his drink, Loki gives a careless wave when it comes to Billy's concern of Stark. ]

Tell him Jean Grey is in charge of the Earth-616 folk, see how fast he blows a gasket.

[wordiness]

Oh no, I'm not telling him that, the last thing I want to deal with is some kind of pissing contest.

[ he rolls his eyes and runs a finger over the rim of his glass. ] .. Who else is here from Krakoa? Do you know?

[ikols]

[ But he wants to see Tony VS. Jean, that would be epic ... ]

I honestly don't have a fucking clue that Kracky-Toes is, besides some kind of sentient island that agreed to host mutants. I've never been. If someone other than Josh is from there, they aren't telling me.

[wordiness]

It's a little creepy, honestly. [ krakoa, he means. ] Beautiful, but there's something off there. [ on the other hand, god knows mutants deserve a place where they can be safe, where they won't be hurt by humans.

he signals the bartender for another drink, sighing. ] Mom seems happy there, at least.

[ikols]

I wouldn't want to live on Ego the Living Planet, wouldn't want to live on a living island. Call me crazy, I like my realms floating in space on a giant tree like a normal person.

[ Laughing, he signals the bartender serving Billy for shots. Shots!! It is 10am. ]

[wordiness]

Completely normal, [ he agrees on realms in trees in space, looking like he's a half-second from laughing.

and then loki orders shots, and he does laugh, shocked. ] Loki, it's ten in the morning, I'm not doing a shot!

[ikols]

Why not? What are you waiting for? [ He gestures around the empty bar and to the sunny day breaking outside the windows. ] No one is coming for us and there are hundreds of superheroes eager to take on whatever danger strikes the city next.

Billy, [ Loki plants a hand on his shoulder, ] it has been an aeon since last we met and now you are of drinking age. Will you not celebrate this reunion with me?

[wordiness]

[ he narrows his eyes, then reaches up to poke loki in the nose. ] I know what you're doing, and I want you to know that I know what you're doing.

[ a pause, and then he rolls his eyes, lips twitching. ] But fine, one shot.

[ikols]

[ His nose must be the guiltiest part of his face. ]

There is nothing wrong with day-drinking. When I tell Fandral you declined my request he will be here within minutes to ensure I am not left alone, I assure you.

[ Shots in front of them, he takes one of the pink glasses and waits for Billy to pick a colour. ]