PARTY AT MOM'S HOUSE

[maskormods]

TEST DRIVE MEME

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 anyone's thread, either!

And remember to have fun!

01. Your memory is hazy and you might feel increasingly frustrated or anxious, or maybe you're excited as soldiers march past, barely glimpsing you. One second you're somewhere underground, the next you're enveloped in blue light, and suddenly you find yourself directly under Flordia sun's bright and burning glare. A female soldier steps toward you with a wide smile on her face and directs you to a car, ready to debrief you. You realize you are not the only one, surrounded by equally confused or eager faces... and you're all sporting a digital tattoo on your wrist.

02. Welcome to Cape Canaveral, where the smell of the ocean is in the air and locals are more than pleased to see new imPorts roaming their streets. They wave, they cheer, they ask for pictures as politely as they can. The more inhuman you look, or if you're wearing a costume, the more likely locals are to approach. Hey, enjoy the moment! The popular malt shop is offering you a free drink if you need it.

03. The technology in this world is certainly something. The cars are clearly modeled after popular 50s cars, but they hover several feet above the ground as they drive down the street. There are digital jukeboxes in restaurants, motorcycles also hover through traffic, advertisements can be seen on a digital projector on the taller buildings. Even kids on skateboards appear to drift a safe ten feet off the ground while playing!

04. Wherever you are, you can hear the loud revving of an engine, distance at first before you finally see it: a hovercar bursting around the corner, going beyond the maximum speed limit and just barely making its sharp turn. It doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon, not with two police cars trailing it... and uh oh. Those skateboarding kids don't have much time to get out of the way as the car comes speeding down the road. You've been brought here for a reason Hero — so you better act fast.

Comments

Kristoff | Frozen | 2

[malodorous]

[ Kristoff has been too confused, beyond confused, to do much of anything besides let himself get directed here and there. He'd been plenty grumpy about it, at least, not that his short, demanding questions had gotten him any understandable answers.

So here he is, somewhere else all of a sudden with no idea how or why, and... It's hot here. That's really the only thing that registers in his mind amid all of the bafflement. Maybe that's because it's the only thing he knows how to fix, which he does by pausing on the sidewalk to start shedding the system of furs and warm clothing that kept him alive in harsher climates.

Finally, he plops heavily onto a bench and tugs off his boots, his discarded overclothes taking up the space beside him. Then he just settles for leaning forward on his knees and looking decidedly peeved. ]

I don't know what this is, but it's stupid.

[ His mind automatically cues up Sven's reply, but... No Sven. Just makes everything worse. ]

[iampretty]

[Fun fact: Hans has no idea who Kristoff is. But, he sees him taking off winter clothes and, as someone currently wearing a MASSIVE winter cloak and winter boots, he feels his pain. And then he hears Kristoff complain and feels his pain even more. This is stupid, so massively stupid, and the sooner he got home the better.

Besides, complaining about the heat could serve as a common ground-something which Hans was looking for among all these (confusing) people. So, he walks up to Kristoff and gives the other man a small nod. His winter cloak is in his hands, but he's still wearing a pair of obviously winter boots.]

Stupid is putting it mildly, [Hans replied, obviously annoyed.] This is ridiculous.

[malodorous]

[ He's pretty sure he's been approached by strangers more today than he has been for the whole rest of his life. It's odd, but not too hard to adjust to. His cocks an eyebrow at this new guy before settling easily back into a mild scowl. ]

"Ridiculous" isn't even a start, either. I mean, it's supposed to be summer anyway. I get that, just-- [ He lifts his arms, a simple gesture meant to indicate something along the line of 'You're seeing this place, right?' ] All of this. Where is this? What are all of these... Things?

[ Because he doesn't know what to call the numerous objects, big and small, that he can't actually identify. ]

[iampretty]

[Hans's face shifts into something a bit more grumpy, mirroring Kristoff's scowl. He wants things from Kristoff, be it information about this place or a potential ally should things go badly. And, reinforcing his grumpiness? Pretty good plan.

Besides, he also didn't know what all of...that was.]

Your guess is as good as mine. I can't figure out half of the things in this place!

[malodorous]

We're not in Arendelle anymore. That's for sure.

[ He pauses at that, looking Hans up and down. He's not dressed in an particularly weird way, which is the case for a lot of folks here. He could be from somewhere a little more familiar, even if it's not specifically Arendelle. ] That is to say... Well. I don't know where you're from. I'm not in Arendelle anymore.

[iampretty]

[...Arendelle? He was from Arendelle. What were the odds of that?]

I'm from the Southern Isles, [he remarks, still frowning slightly, before he continues talking,] but I was in Arendelle before I was brought here. Cold...snowy...eternal winter Arendelle.

[which, based on the fact that Kristoff had taken off winter clothes, he's assuming that Arendelle is still in eternal winter for him.]

[malodorous]

Yep. That's the place, but it'll be-- [ Kristoff stops short of launching into some sort of shakily-founded reassurance. He doesn't know if it's going to be fine, and he especially doesn't know when. That, and this guy's origin, formal wear, and all just clicked into place in his mind. ]

Wait. You don't happen to be Hans, do you? [ Er. ] Prince Hans? Of the Southern Isles?

[iampretty]

I am, [Hans replies, obviously a bit confused as to Kristoff knows his name. He was a prince, of course, but he was the youngest of thirteen. Also, his engagement to Anna wasn't technically public.]

Though, why do you ask?

[malodorous]

Well, I-- Lucky guess. [ The hows of it kind of take a back-seat in Kristoff's mind when they come up against the idea that Hans is here and not in Arendelle, not waiting at the castle. It's just fine, if Kristoff's not in Arenelle, and probably peachy keen if he's as far from Arendelle as possible, but Hans...

His on his feet a little suddenly, and he shifts back and forth on his feet as his mind tries to work. He's possessed by urgency and has no idea how to get out of here. No plan. ] Look. Anna told me about you. She's-- You can't be here. You have to be in Arendelle. We have to go back.

[iampretty]

[He knows Anna. How does he know Anna? As Kristoff gets to his feet, Hans backs up frowning slightly, hands in a position that totally implies 'whoa dude, this isn't my fault.']

I didn't choose to be here. Believe me, if I had my way, I'd be back in Arendelle. [He would easily take his soon-to-be kingdom over this place.] And if I could go back, I would. But nobody here seems to be helpful in that regard.

[malodorous]

Maybe we just have to find the right people. Or make them be more helpful. [ Not that he really knows how to do either of those things. He'll leave the sociability to the Prince, if they have to go asking around, and he'll just settle for looking relatively intimidating.

He sits down again just long enough to shove his boots back onto his feet, then he scoops up the rest of his discarded gear and starts walking, back towards where they came from. They can at least talk to the welcome wagon. They've got to know something more than they've said.

He realizes quite a few steps into it that Hans very likely has no idea what he's in a such a hurry for. The other guy had been confused just now, right? And how could he know, anyway? He looks over his shoulder and regards the Prince seriously, solemnly. ] Anna's in trouble. I don't know how much time we have, but I don't think it's a lot.

[iampretty]

[As Kristoff shoves his boots on his feet and grabs up his gear, Hans just looks in confusion. The confusion continues as Kristoff gets up and starts walking back towards their arrival area. What was he planning on doing?

And then, he heard his words. Inwardly, he didn't care whether Anna was in trouble or not. But, they hadn't officially gotten married yet, so he had to care for just a little bit longer, he had to keep up appearances of the loving husband, all of that, so he had to care a bit longer.]

In trouble? What do you mean, what happened?

[malodorous]

The queen struck her in the heart. [ Simple as that, right? Except that's not an adequate explanation of the situation, how it happened, and how Hans is going to help. Communication isn't exactly one of Kristoff's strong suits. Usually, he's okay with that, but it won't do here. He frowns and tries again. ] With her powers, I mean, and... And 'only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart.'

[ To quote Grand Pabbie. ]

So... Anna's back in Arendelle. You have to be, too.

[iampretty]

[Hans just looks devastated. Inwardly, though, he's more annoyed than anything. Why did Anna have to be so stupid to get her heart frozen? If she managed to die before they could get married, then his chance at the kingdom was gone. The dumb girl couldn't even die right.

Though, none of his inward annoyance shows. He still keeps up the facade of the loyal fiancee, absolutely heartbroken at the idea of his future wife's frozen heart.]

Because only I can thaw her heart, [Hans clenches his fists.] You're right. We need to get back to Arendelle as soon as possible.

[malodorous]

[ Kristoff catches a glance of that devastation over his shoulder, and it's somehow painful and relieving at the same time. See? People are too complicated. He turns his gaze forward again and picks up the pace, setting a hard, little frown in place almost determinedly.

He answers a little shortly. ] Yeah. There's gotta be a way.

[iampretty]

[Hans picks up his pace as well, matching Kristoff. Honestly...he isn't sure whether just talking to the people who brought them here would be enough to convince them to take them back home but hey, he's perfectly fine being moral support for Kristoff as he yells at people (at least, Hans assumes there will be yelling.)

But that brings up another problem...] So, what's the plan? [pause] You do have a plan, right?

[look at that hopeful face Kristoff, you better have a plan.]

[malodorous]

Uh... [ Yyyyep. That is an expression full of hope, alright, and less assured than Kristoff's trying to act. He doesn't really have a plan. Nothing elaborate, at least. He doesn't have a clever argument stored up or anything like that, he just... He just hopes he's bigger and more intimidating than whoever it is they've got to talk to. That's how he deals with most disagreements.

Granted, it doesn't always work, but he's not going to say that. He's basically a plan, right? It's something. ]

Yeah, sure. You just gotta know how to talk to people.

[ Which is actually the exact opposite of where Kristoff's skills lie. He amends: ] Or, you know, intimidate them. Whatever.

[iampretty]

[That was an immensely stupid idea. To Hans's credit, he isn't saying that out loud or changing his expression, but inwardly he's just disparaging that his newfound ally has come up with massively boneheaded plans. Why does he always seem to pick the most idiotic people as allies?

Time to change this around a bit.]

Well, I can't think of anything better, [said with a small shrug.] But I like that idea. I'll talk to them first, try and convince them that I need to go back home to my true love, then you can intimidate them if it doesn't work.

[Surely Kristoff could see the perks to this. He was a prince, he knew how to save face and be polite.]

[malodorous]

Right. That works.

[ The reply is a little brusque, but he tries to inject some agreeableness into it. Jury's out on whether it works. It's petty, he knows it's petty, but the idea of listening to an impassioned plea about Hans' ~true love~ makes his guts churn uncomfortably.

But, hey, if it gets the job done... That's all that matters.

He stops at the corner of a four-way intersection and looks around. Everything looks the same here. Which direction did they come from again? ]

[iampretty]

[At the intersection, Hans pauses, waiting for Kristoff's decision. It soon becomes obvious that the other man has no idea where to go. Unfortunately, Hans also has no idea where to go.

Well. This was going to be a very short journey.]

Perhaps we should ask someone?

[malodorous]

Yeah... [ He guesses that'll work. The people here are undoubtedly more familiar with the various people and places they need to be heading towards. Kristoff turns a little sharply on a man walking past with some kind of sausage-looking dog in his arms. ] Hey, you.

[ And, yeah. That greeting just earns him a wary, funny look (from both the man and his weird dog), and they don't stop to answer any questions he might have. Kristoff looks back to Hans, somewhere between agitated and apologetic. ] I guess you should probably do the asking.

[iampretty]

[As Kristoff turns towards the man and the sausage dog, Hans watches, wanting to see how he would do this. The answer? Badly. He winces slightly as the man walks away.

When Kristoff turns back to him, he mirrors that apologetic smile, though his obviously has an element of 'a for effort, f for execution.'] That would probably be a good idea.

[Looking around, Hans spots a woman in her twenties, scrolling through her phone. She'll do. Putting on an apologetic smile, he walks up to the woman, smiling weakly.] I'm really sorry to bother you, but can you direct us to the transporter that brought us here? My friend left something there earlier today.

[He put on the most charming smile he could-it worked. Smiling at him, the girl pointed down the road, giving directions. Hans mirrored her smile, nodding at her as she finished.] Thank you. [As she walked away, Hans turned towards Kristoff, giving him a little smirk.]

Keep going that way and then we'll take the second left.

[malodorous]

[ Kristoff can't deny that the prince is an effective conversationalist. He watches the exchange silently and, after its over, nods in understanding of the instructions and moves to cross the street. While he's waiting for a couple of cars to pass by (getting hit by one would probably hurt pretty badly), he's mulling over Hans' methods. He realizes that something about what just happened irked him, but...

Maybe it was just that casual conversation didn't come naturally to him. Maybe it was just Hans' weird smirk.

He's about to let it go when the bothersome point dawns on him, halfway down the next block. He frowns and turns to the other man. ] Hey, why did you lie to her?

[ He hadn't left anything anywhere, after all, and it wasn't like knowing the truth of their situation would've hurt the woman any. It just seems like a pointless thing to lie about, just... Why would you even do that? Genuine question. ]