saveyourbrain | Test Drive Meme

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test drive meme

Test Drive Meme

HEL-LO, EARTH'S NEW HEROES.

Test Drive Meme!

Scenarios:

> Cleanup of downtown Locke City still has a ways to go. It looks like that shop you were planning on another trip to this week is closed for the time being. Or the entire block is trashed and you'll be needing an alternate route to work. Or your workplace is trashed, if not some real estate you had in the area, and you'll be needing a helping hand - or are trying to offer one!
> Help, help, I've been robbed - your bag or wallet's just been snatched, or is in the process of being snatched. Catch the snatcher or rough them up - you may or may not be surprised, if you come to blows or a chase, to find on throwing a punch that they're much quicker and/or sturdier than you'd have expected. Maybe someone will dive in to back you up.
> Monster encounter! The above or you were robbed (or, for all you could tell, misplaced something) a while ago, and one of the objects you lost seems to have come back to you, if not the way you recognize it. Ayup, getting backup might be a good idea.
> Transportation/travel. You're at an airport or train station, whether to escape or take a tour to a strange-events hotspot, or plain go on an innocent vacation. Mix up your bags or timetables, grab a pre-ride snack, chat up those with the same destination, get or give directions, find yourself receiving an ill-timed item Echo in front of security - whatever you can think up!
> Say - is that one of those superhumans you've spied on the street? Yes, I do believe it is - you've seen them on the news/read about them, that or their looks give them away! Go on and ask questions of them, be it for serious answers or an autograph, depending on who you are.
> ...And it looks like you're a superhuman yourself. Looks like that hollowed-out feeling you got was followed by a mutation, or some strange thing in your brain. How're you going to come to grips with it?
> Wildcard/Etc. Make up your own!

Prompts suggested by Alec and Zero.

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[ NO VIDEO FOR YOU, HOT TEENAGER. ]

I'd probably be listing it as a charity offer on my site, without the 'Numbers Club' thing. That'd just out me, and I'm not ready for that yet.

[He frowns a little, leaning forward.]

Oh, you have a site that people go to? What's your site called? Maybe I know someone who knows it.

[ A momentary pause, like he doesn't know whether to answer this right away.

After a moment: ]

I have a webcomic named Orpheus Contract.

[ He jots down a website address. ]

[He thinks for a moment, then smiles more broadly.]

Wait, I have heard of that comic. The girl that runs the anime club has a t-shirt. Didn't you do a kickstarter?

[He looks moderately impressed actually.]

You must be good, then, if your kickstarter was funded. I mean, the girl that runs the anime club is obviously the queen of the nerds, but she's a tastemaker in that circle too. That's pretty cool.

[Well, cool for a nerd. But if Lucas is anything, it's charming.]

I've heard paypal is weird about donations that come too quickly and labeling stuff as charity, so you ought to read the terms and conditions first.

[ Anime club. Hisssss. The comic nerd in him nearly rebels, but as always it's cooled by if she's a fan, she's a fan. And he's being complimented!! First things first: ]

Nerds have good taste, you know!

It was a littler closer than I'd have liked, but yeah, I got funded. It helped I wasn't looking for a huge first run... I'd like to do another one, but it's not looking like I'll have time until next summer.

[ His honor secured, he moves on. ]

I sell through Redbubble, so I'd just be making a mass donation after everything shipped. I deal with Paypal as little as possible.

[ He's feeling a little patronized, being offered wisdom by a high schooler who talks about his stuff being popular with nerds. ]

Sure, sure. As a nerd, I'm pretty sure you're contractually obligated to say that, but I'll check it out. I'm not super big on comics, but hey, if you're doing your part, I'll do mine.

[He sticks his tongue out between his teeth, teasingly.]

Well, good luck! Maybe I'll keep an eye out and buy one. I didn't do any fighting in the big battle, but I thought some of those guys were pretty cool from what I saw. Maybe next time I'll get a pulse back that gives me cool powers too.

Then you can draw me.

[ His face isn't on video, so no one can see him pulling a series of annoyed faces, or the flustered way he bangs out on his keyboard when he types next. ]

Where'd me being a nerd come from?

[ Not that he can deny it. ]

But uh... if you wanna read it, now's a good time. It's on hiatus until June. I hope you like it, I work real hard on it.

I only draw on commission. No matter how cool or good looking you are.

[ WAIT SHIT ]

[He blinks at the screen for a moment, then a shy, awkward, and to some degree actually natural smile steals over his face.]

Well, most people who do webcomics are nerds. Most people who do comics in general, really.

I'm sure I'll like it all right! I mean I've read some comics. Watched a lot of comic book movies. Etc etc.

But to the latter, I'd like to say... Thanks.

[Then he clears his throat and retools his smirk to something a little more sarcastic now.]

I mean, I'm not a bigot or anything. I'll take a compliment from anyone. Even people who are probably dudes who refuse to show me their faces.

[ Oh fuck him that was cute. He rubs at his face for a minute, bright red and hot to the touch, and then types again. ]

If you like comic book movies, I think you'll like this.

[ They're one of his favorite things, after all.

There's disappointment in him, at the not a bigot spiel. Should he even bother? This kid seems full of assumptions, and they chafe, correct or not.

It feels like a challenge, though. After a moment, the screen changes, and he looks into the video camera. He looks a little messy - someone needs a haircut, or at least a hair brush - but he went to school today. He looks... pretty much presentable, attitude writ on his mouth. His apartment's living room, visible behind him, not so much, but whatever. ]

You're just full of assumptions, aren't you, Your Highness? [ A beat. ] You're welcome. As an artist.

[His eyes widen just slightly, and his face goes stony for a moment. Outside, he looks fairly neutral, but inside he's cursing, because this guy's really cute. The kind of artsy guy who's not usually his type... He tends to go after cocky jock-types, guys who are so sure they've got everything in hand that they barely realize that he's the one topping them...]

[But this guy's got that unassuming, scruffy sort of relaxed style that he's always been kind of jealous of, given that he's not really allowed to be himself in public, whether he's allowed to be scruffy or not.]

[Anyway, he finally cracks a smile, a half-smile that plays at the corners of his mouth.]

So you're saying I'm a work of art, Mr. Webcomic Author? I'll pass that along to my creators. I'm sure they'll be pleased.

But what does this have to do with comic book movies? Are you a superhero, then?

[ At first, he's nervously silent. Maybe he shouldn't have turned on the feed after all. Finally, the other guy smiles, and talks, and he settles, just a little. He rolls his eyes. He can't believe this guy. ]

No, I meant my comic, you...

[ That cold feeling he's learned to associate with Echoes freezes him. He stares at the screen, uncomprehending, recalling a young man with a now too-familiar face in all white talking about being like a gun. He clears his throat, when it's been far too long to pass it off, and speaks, subdued as he processes. ]

Don't tell your creators some guy on the internet thinks you have a nice face. I don't need the cops on me...

[ His brow furrows. ]

Have I seen you somewhere before?

[He laughs a little.]

Don't you worry about that. I think my dad might be liable to call them.

[At the question, he rolls his eyes.]

Does that kind of pick-up line even work on anyone? I mean-

[He cuts off as he feels his own echo come on, an image of the guy on his screen - in a suit and a fedora that suit him... surprisingly well - hitting unsuccessfully on a woman. He recalls standing at a distance looking on with some distant level of amusement. His expression changes to a quiet, thoughtful one.]

Oh... Uh. Maybe... Maybe. Weird.

[ Steven scowls. ]

It wasn't a pick-up line--!

[ He breaks into a wordless grumble, and notices the change in this guy's demeanor. So his memory hadn't been wrong. He's not sure if he's relieved or not. ]

I'm Steven. [ Then, because he can't resist some dramatics: ] Steven Huguenot. [ He tips an invisible hat, just like the one shoved carefully on a shelf across the room. ]

[The invisible hat-tipping gives him another pulse. This time it's just a name...]

Shotaro...

[He flushes and shakes his head.]

Uh, I'm Lucas Evans. Sorry, that was weird. Nice to meet you, Steven.

[ A shiver runs through him. Lucas' voice, saying that name...

It drops into his head naturally, a young man with binder clips in his hair. ]

...Philip!

[ He points at the screen with a snap. They know each other. They knew each other. This is all so crazy. ]

But let's not get too caught up on... past lives. It's... nice to meet you, Lucas.

[ He looks up at the feed, heart suddenly racing. He swallows. ]

[He's changed, at this point. The look on Steven's face, the feeling flowing through him. He was Philip. Shotaro was important to him. He shivers too.]

Uh... Right. Yeah.

[He runs his fingers through his hair. Something... is different now. He can't keep up his distant mask in front of Steven. Even in that quiet glimpse of Shotaro, he felt this overwhelming, strong emotion. Philip's feelings for Shotaro were so intense that they overcame everything else. He had seen glimpses of his past life before, knew that the strange young man he once was had a different way of living life. He focused hard in on everything, and the focus on Shotaro was warm and fond... loving. He flushes.]

Yeah uh. We should meet up sometime to sort of... hash stuff out. See how we bounce off each other. With these pulses! Get some memories back. Whatever.

[ Yeah, that attempt not to let this get to heavy worked real well. Should he even be surprised, at this point? He reaches up to rub at the back of his neck, looking away with a sigh.

This isn't something he was prepared to be dealing with. The pulses of his past life have been surface, thus far, memories of a detective who took refuge in words where Steven had found art. He wishes he had that now.

He looks up, the irritated challenge he'd been holding onto before gone from his expression. ]

I think that'd be a good idea. The less mystery there is, the better.

[ And then maybe he can get whatever his brain is doing any time he so much as looks at Lucas to stop. He doesn't want whatever attachment Shotaro had. It isn't his. ]

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