neosapienooc | TEST DRIVE MEME #1

JANUARY TEST DRIVE

1: SPRAWLING WASTELAND, GLOWING IN THE DARK

No sunlight reaches the Underground, but there is rain: grey, oily droplets that slowly trickle down from the city above, seeping through layers of concrete until they drip from broken light fixtures onto the aptly named black markets below. The glow of neon signs keeps the shadows at bay, just barely. What was once a system of utility tunnels and basement bunkers is now a warren of tiny shops offering reprogrammed ID chips and back-alley cybernetic upgrades, where hitmen and slave traders operate with lawless impunity. But someone is always watching... the eyes of Yakashbah, graffitied in bioluminescent paint, stare unblinking from the walls.

People come to this place for only two reasons: they're either looking for something, or they're trying not to be found. Whatever your reason, the Underground welcomes you.

2: A MIND OF DARKNESS, A HEART OF LIGHT

Outside of manicured parks and glass-enclosed vertical farms, green space is rare in New Gate City, so the elites flaunt their wealth in private rooftop gardens. Fragrant, exotic flowers bloom amidst strings of lanterns, and real grass - an extravagant luxury - carpets the ground beneath partygoers' feet as they sip champagne and admire the dark cityscape below. Tonight, one of the Douman Zaibatsu's myriad charity organizations hosts its annual fundraising gala... but this year, the special guests attract even more attention than the celebrities and fashionistas in attendance. Representatives from the Neo Sapien Organization have been invited to speak on the topic of Human/Meta-human relations, and to raise money on behalf of job placement programs for impoverished Metas in the Last Ward. Of course, most within the Douman Zaibatsu would prefer that these "job placement programs" send Metas to the farms far outside New Gate City (or better yet, to the lunar strip mines), but at least for tonight, members of both factions hide behind false smiles and false words.

3: AS FEAR'S REPLICATING, YOUR WORDS RESONATING

Someone gasps, and everyone looks up. Arcadia's central shopping district goes silent, save for the distant sound of pop tunes played over tinny speakers, as a massive black banner unfurls down the side of a building. A crudely drawn eye fills the banner, bisected by a line of white paint... the unofficial symbol of the Meta rights movement. People start to whisper, and somewhere, there's a cheer. Police drones buzz through the air above.

Meta rights protests aren't uncommon in this part of New Gate City, even though they're soon dispersed by local security forces. This banner, too, will be quickly taken down and destroyed, but the photos and videos of the event will be harder to suppress. Already, the bystanders are murmuring to each other, some in support and some in fear. Others keep their heads down, wary of expressing their true feelings about the rising numbers of Meta-humans. And as security forces move to block off the area, others are frantically trying to disappear.

4: A NEW HOPE GLISTENS OFF THE STREETS

The blocks surrounding the Neo Sapien Organization's headquarters in the Middle Ward are like an oasis at the center of an otherwise inhospitable city. Old buildings have been renovated into bright and cheerful apartments that accommodate a variety of Meta-human physiologies, Meta schools and Meta-owned businesses are flourishing, and Meta-friendly shops and cafes line the streets.

The best coffee in the Middle Ward can be found at The Mean Bean, just across from the NSO building, where the shop's fire-breathing Meta owner personally roasts every batch. NSO employees and and other patrons of the popular cafe congregate to discuss local news and gossip: a proposed Meta registration and identification law, rumors of vigilante gangs near the border with the Last Ward, and rivalries between NSO university sports teams. Arguments occasionally grow heated (especially when it comes to sports), but overall the atmosphere is friendly and congenial.

5: WITHIN THE CHAOS, I KNOW I'M NOT ALONE

The Last Ward's electrical grid is reliably unreliable, but blackouts on this scale are rare. Half the ward has been dark for the past three days, save for a few emergency generators and dwindling battery backups. As winter winds batter old, drafty concrete apartment blocks, the residents grow restless and frustrated. Police have already put down several riots, but there's no stopping the spike in looting and other petty crimes.

In the Parish, many people have opted to barricade themselves inside their homes until the blackout ends, but others are taking advantage of the chaos. Most, though, have chosen to band together to protect each other throughout the long nights. The people of the Parish may not have much, but at least they have a sense of community.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

John never did like going to these sorts of things. But seeing as his father was sort of doing the whole single-parent schtick and couldn't always find a proper babysitter, John sometimes just ended up getting dragged along?

What a traveling street-side performer was doing in a fancy high-class party like this though he had no idea. Maybe his dad was really that good? Although he really didn't see him anywhere since the party started. He was just told to enjoy the food and events for a few hours and then his dad would come by one he was done with his work.

Well, whatever. He was sure he would run into him again eventually.

Which is exactly how this preteen boy ended up in the here and now, currently staring up in awe at a girl who seemed to be boasting about her fox ears?

"Shapeshifting... So like, you made those on your head on purpose?"

This is so strange and yet kind of cool!

"Sort of," she admits. "You ever heard the one about how if you hold an expression for too long, your face will stay that way? That's... kind of where these are at. My talent awakened while I was playing Legends of the Mages Adventuring Order as a kid, and I mained a kitsune, and well."

She wiggles her ears, since she can do that, smiling at the kid.

"...but they are really good at hearing, and can swivel around, like so," she says, demonstrating. "And the tail helps me balance; I can walk tightropes with it."

"Isn't that just an old wives tale that suburban housewives tell their kids to get them to stop making faces?" At least, that was what he had always assumed was the case. It never stopped him from doing just that while growing up. Wait--

It that why his face is naturally kind of doofy looking!?!

"Hold in a second-- LotMAO? You mean the MMO? Like the old MMO from back when I was a baby? Dude! What was it like?! I heard the raid system in that game was top notch! What was your class type? Did you play it for a while? Oh and do you still game?"

Because he is always open for making more online gaming buddies!

She smiles. Yep, connection made. She crouches down to the kid's eye level.

"Oh, it's an old wives tale if you don't end up with biokinesis, I was just making a joke. And yes, I still game. My main was a Weihu Monk, but I also had a Pixie Evoker, a Human Paladin, and a Ubast Rogue in that game that I had a lot of fun with. These days I play Vanguard and the Star Aria CCG and battle arenas; I can give you my gamertag later."

Okay, this lady was actually kind of--

"Cool!" He spoke out loud, an obvious sparkle in his eyes as she mentioned how she was still an active gamer. "Do you ever compete? And do you ever chill out in Arcadia? If so what places are your usual joints? I definitely want to hit you up! Oh! Hold on!"

Reaching up, he tapped a small button along the side-rim of his glasses, only then pulling out a small portable box from his pocket and twiddling it around.

"Alright, shoot. What's your user handle?" Oh how useful it was to be a wearer of glasses in this day and age. They were much cheaper than the cybernetic enhancements that you could otherwise get and yet you'd still have your own portable and consistent internet access at all times!

She laughs.

“If you’re considering a get-together in Arcadia I need to talk to your parents, but it’s doable.” She smiles but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. “I don’t want to get you or myself in trouble just for playing games, so they need to know it’s okay, maybe drop you off and pick you up.”

She shrugs in a this is bullshit but it is what it is way.

“That said, I get my dollar-muncher fix at Neon Phoenix and rent a VR rig at the Titan Ex Machina to run dungeon-crawls. Maybe I ought to stream it. And let me just...”

She takes out her phone and lets the kid know her handle is VixenPunch. Her icon is a fennec fox with boxing gloves drinking a bright red soda - presumably the namesake beverage.

Okay, that definitely just got like -2 points off of his 'cool adult echeladder'. Asking for his parents to supervise him? In Arcadia of all places!? Was she intentionally trying to give anyone who knew him bait to make fun of him in school later? Bleh.

"Gosh! I just wanted to see if you did public livestreams, not asking you out on a fancy night about town!" He couldn't help but playfully stick out his tongue and make a face, the very type of face a parental figure would chastize about getting stuck that way if he held it for too long. "You just seem like someone who would be super cool to follow and watch later. It's not often you hear about older MMO livestramers. Especially not any good ones! And, not going to lie, I'm kind of a classic-games buff. It would be cool to see something relating to LotMAO out there in Arcadia. Here--"

With that he sets up a message, sending it over to the handle she just gave him.

-- ectoBiologist wishes to add you to his friendslist!--
here!
now you have my handle too! :)

It’s an ‘adult suffering from a triple marginalized reacharound of Trans Metahuman Boobhaver does not want to be accused of corrupting a minor’ situation, kid. Don’t take it personally; she’s just covering her ass.

Also, not ‘supervised by your parents,’ but ‘parents know he’s supervised.’ There’s a difference. She’s sympathetic to his Coolness Aspirations Echeladder grinding, honest, but she needs to make sure

“That’s a relief to hear, no offense,” she says playfully. “But I livestream LMAO on Wednesdays, Staria Fridays, Vanguard Mondays. Sunday I do my own thing.”

And with a button press, she is now a Friend of ectoBiologist; enjoy your Judgement social link, kiddo!

"None taken, I can definitely see how that would come off kinda weird and creepy," He could just internally hear his online friends screaming at him for wandering off with some random old lady he met at a meta-human party. "But seriously, let's keep my dad out of it. He already gets super protective any time he hears that I'm making a run for Arcadia."

GOSH DAD! HE'S ALMOST 13! HE CAN HANDLE HIMSELF!

"Are you popular? Like do you already have a following or is it still small? Is that why you're at a place like this? Like, are you some sort of meta-human pseudo-celebrity or--" He suddenly gasps out loud at the thought. "Are you someone famous!?"

This boy has so many questions.

TEST DRIVE MEME #1

1!

Jessica: Fondly regard the kid from Homestuck.

John ==> Continuously blast people with nostalgia of the early 2010's

no subject

no subject

i made up so much of this off the top of my head also LMAO is LOL

shhhh, it's okay! We're WORLDBUILDING

Talia: grumble absently about needing to make another LOL joke for Jess’ MOBA.

Sorry For The Late Reply! Life Suddenly Got Crazy XP