MOM CAN YOU DROP ME OFF? (IN RUSSIA?)

[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! If you'd like, take a look at our ATP post!

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 to have fun!

01. The city of Heropa is what one might expect from a small, bright and cheery place. The locals are friendly enough and local shop owners might offer a free drink to welcome you to their fair city. Some of the locals might thank you for always lending your service to the nation and others might not say anything. In fact, some people might back away from any imPort who quite obviously looks like they aren't from around the neighborhood. Once in a while there's a look of disdain on someone's face and hushed voices. A snippy voice wonders aloud: "My taxes are going to their parties and other expenses? When are they going to do something for us for a change? Why if they weren't around, I bet the Soviets--" These naysayers may, however, find themselves hushed with a judgmental: "You couldn't do what they do even if you had powers. They don't have to help us, you know!"

02. De Chima, Virginia, is a large city with a healthy economy, and though it's quieter, there are just as many citizens awed at your presence. Heavy winds have people grasping at their newspapers and constantly brushing hair out of their faces, but that doesn't distract them from crowding you in excitement if you're obviously from a different time or world, or just let it slip that you're a newcomer. Children and young teenagers are especially likely to ask for an autograph and a photo.

Some locals seem less enthused to see you. They never make an approach, but they can be overheard scoffing and muttering something about cameras and an incident involving gas. "Biological warfare... we sure some of them haven't defected?"

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania, is normally known for being a little more on the apathetic side, but there's been tension in the atmosphere lately, contrasted by headlines broadcasting petty, unimportant local news and no worldly news.

People are not as friendly in this city and go out of their way to avoid walking down the same sidewalk as the more obvious looking imPorts pass through. Local cops say nothing, but they scowl at those imPorts and mutter under their breaths resentfully about "vigilantes". However, not all locals turn the other way seeing imPorts; some of them will offer a polite enough smile and thank them for their hard work. They don't stop to clarify what they mean, though.

04. Nonah, North Carolina, is the liveliest of all cities. It's loud, busy and there's some kind of energy in the air that gets everyone buzzing with excitement. Anyone who they come to determine an imPort is bombarded with all sorts of offers; job offers, advertising gigs, spokesperson for advocating children stay in school, etc. Anything and everything! You name it. Shops offer discounts for food and clothing, whatever they need. Advertisements are abound for imPorts to make appearances at various, televised celebrations, luring them in with promises of free food, merchandise, and payment. ImPort action figures and merchandise are on sale now, and every corner's coffee shop is still serving festive peppermint goods of every shape and form.

Comments

James T. Kirk | Star Trek (2009)| 01

[overemotionally]

[Well the place was definitely bustling--not anything close to San Francisco though. He would take this place over Delta Vega any day of the week so he can't complain too much.

What he could complain about was that he was not aboard the Enterprise and he was convinced that there must have been some minute difference in either the equation the future Spock had provided or else there were slight differences in the physics between their two universes that made the equation for transwarp beaming incorrect. Either way, Kirk was in a mood.

The negative comments that floated by none-too-subtle certainly weren't helping him either. There was that crackle of electricity right underneath his skin that made him clench and unclench his fists to release some of the tension; it was the same itch he used to get when he wanted to fight.

He turns into a local bar and accepts a shot as a welcome. Kirk wasn't gonna turn down a free shot, but he certainly wasn't feeling welcome. He had a lot of things to sort through, but first he needed to get a re-do on today. A couple of drinks would relax him and get him ready to look into what the hell was happening around here and what, if any, differences in the physics of this universe differed from those of his.

He sits down next to you at the bar. He motions at you.]

I'll have what they're having.

[morethan084]

[Skye hadn't quite grown used to the constant stream of new people showing up in this town. It felt like the moment she had started to become familiar with people, more popped up.

Like this dude for example, he had to be new. Her eyes flickered over him quickly as he took a seat next to her. No outward signs of what his powers were, which only made it more interesting to try and figure out what it was exactly. Not that hers were obvious from the outside either.]

New guy in town I take it?

[So suave, Skye.]

[overemotionally]

[He turned back to her and looked her up and down, not nearly as subtle as she was. This at least was familiar territory--in a bar, hot chick. He could handle this. His lips quirked into a small smile.]

What gave me away?

[morethan084]

[Her eyebrow shot up at the way he openly checked her. However she was more amused than anything else.]

The fact that I've never seen you before was a pretty big indicator.

[overemotionally]

You sayin' you've met everyone around here then?

[He indicates to the bartender that he wants scotch on the rocks.]

What're you having?

[4thdimensional]

[Doc, rather unusually for him, is at the bar. He's usually not one for crowds, but if you're nursing a drink and look sufficiently irritated with all of humanity you usually won't be bothered. And the watering hole's always good for news and rumors.

He sighs and tips back his glass, only for the first spark of amusement he's felt all day to arrive courtesy of the young man dropping in. He turns to his left and smiles apologetically.]

I'd recommend asking for something harder unless you have unusual tastes. This is water.

[overemotionally]

[Well ain't that just par for the course for James T. Kirk today?

He lays his forehead down on his folded hands on the bar for a second to gather himself--just to come to terms with the fact that the universe--this one and apparently the last one too--was just not on his side today. And he had to laugh. At himself, at the guy next to him, at the cute bar tender now giggling at him.

He sits up straight again and rubs at his face then up through his hair.

He clarifies that he does indeed want something alcoholic--scotch.

Kirk grabs the glass and drinks the whole thing in one go after raising it in the new guy's direction. He puts the now-empty glass back on the bar and orders another.]

That figures for me. What are you doing in a bar getting water?

[4thdimensional]

[Doc feels almost guilty for a minute, but he'll press on. He figures the guy's had it rough, most of them have.]

I'm here to keep an ear on the community. For every few hundred rants and ramblings there's something useful.

[He chuckles a little.]

I'd join in the merriment, but I tend to drink myself under the table with a single shot.

[overemotionally]

[He receives his third drink and picks up the glass, swirling around the liquor a bit.]

Taking advantage of drunk people's tendencies to run their mouths at louder-than-normal volumes doesn't seem underhanded to you?

[He's smirking a bit. He's teasing really. He doesn't disapprove. If people are dumb enough to talk in a public place like this about whatever, hey it's on them.

He chuckles at the next comment as he puts back all of his drink.]

That's no fun. You gotta build up tolerance somehow.

That or tell everyone you're drinking straight vodka or a G and T.

[vorbarra]

[Fortunately for Jim, Gregor is having a very standard and inoffensive whiskey sour, which he sips at before answering.]

You must get some interesting drinks that way.

[He sounds mild past the polished Russian accent; despite being a man drinking alone at a bar, he's utterly composed, posture upright. Gregor is tall, lean, and carries an air of gravity to him. But there's still a hint of receptive humor in his eyes as he looks at him sidelong.]

[overemotionally]

[A whiskey sour is placed in front of him and he picks up the glass, swirls it around a bit and then downs the whole thing in one go. Not bad.]

Makes the nights themselves more interesting.

[Meanwhile Kirk is slouched over the bar not bothering with posture at this point. The way the other's back appears ramrod straight unfortunately reminds him of his dear captain who he would rather not think about at this point. His brow furrows slightly as he orders a straight whiskey on the rocks.

...Although the accent reminded him of a young--and talented--ensign he had spoken to a couple of times. Russian, he believed.]

You know it's the start of an interesting one though when you realize the person whose drink you also wanted? Is a "Four Horsemen".

[vorbarra]

[One go? Drinking is an old Vor coping mechanism, or as Gregor likes to think of it, the less painful alternative to therapy. But he's too polite to pry on what's bothering him, if indeed anything is and he's not just a lush.

Gregor, meanwhile, is instantly and strongly reminded of a distant cousin of his named Ivan, a Lieutenant who likes to dodge commitment in order to pursue his favorite things, namely liquor, women, and leisure time. He's a friendly sort, though, and good-hearted, and Gregor has an immense amount of fondness for him, even if the family nickname is Ivan you idiot.]

I... sorry, if that's a reference to something, I don't get it, [he says, apologetic to have missed what was clearly a joke.] I'm not really from around here. [Despite sounding Russian, he's really, really not.]

[overemotionally]

[He takes a big gulp of his scotch and looks at what remains before sitting up a bit straighter to face his conversation companion.]

That makes two of us.

[More true than the other could know.]

You take four shots at once--bourbon, Tennessee whiskey, Irish whiskey and scotch. The rest of that night was uh...interesting. [To say the least.]

[hostage]

Good choice.

[It's a bourbon neat. Simple. Mostly something to keep his hands occupied. Jesse's waiting for a business associate and he likes to show up an hour or two early for such meetings, keep an eye out for anyone looking suspiciously like an undercover cop.]

[overemotionally]

Doesn't always work out in my favor like this when I do that.

[He wasn't in the best of moods but he spared this guy a small smile. When the bartender gave him his drink, he promptly picked up the glass and drank all of the bourbon at once. He asked for another.]

Makes things interesting.

[hostage]

[Jesse's eyebrows lift a touch as the guy tosses the whole thing back. There are cheaper liquors to waste if he's not looking to savor it. But Jesse won't lecture.]

Kinda wish I ordered an appletini or some shit just to watch you suck that bitch down.

[dendarii]

[ Miles absolutely needs a drink after all that bullshit. Russians and kidnapping and - his shoulder is still bruised, a faint trace of purple peeking out from under the collar of his brown t-shirt. He's a very short fellow, though his diminutive 4'8" frame is perhaps less noticeable when he's seated at a bar instead of standing. Still. Obviously slim, with a bit of a hunchback and head slightly too large for his body.

He grins a bit when Jim sits, and raises his glass of bourbon. Well this looks like a fun character. ]

New around here, eh?

[overemotionally]

[Kirk's been going to school with non-human types the past 3 years. Shorter humans don't bother him.]

How can you tell? Good taste by the way.

[The bartender gives him his bourbon and Kirk seems to contemplate the drink a bit, swirling it and looking down at its contents before promptly knocking the whole thing back and asking for another.]

[dendarii]

Because you're doing the same thing I did when I showed up. Get drunk immediately.

[ He grins a bit at that and does much the same. Tonight is a night for drinking, oh yes ... ]

So what is it that you're missing most? The people? The planet? The century?

[courageandtenacity]

[really? you're going to ask for the same drink as the military-posture woman who, up until now, had been given a wide berth for fear she was some sort of cop or the like?

have a flat expression, Kirk.]

This is supposedly the strongest thing they have.

[overemotionally]

[Hell yeah he is! He's used to people looking like they have sticks up their asses (particularly his Captain) and authority or the illusion of never scared James T. Kirk.

Not to mention he's in a military-like position himself.

He can't help the smirk as the drink is put in front of him. He holds it up towards her.]

Cheers then to my luck finally changing for the better for the first time today.

[And with that, he downs the drink in one go, cringing a bit at the burning sensation all the way through his chest and into his stomach. Yeah that stuff was pretty potent. He ordered another.]

[courageandtenacity]

[hmh. she watches him without raising her own glass, then looks back forwards towards the bar - specifically, towards the mirror, using it as another way to scan the rest of the bar. she really shouldn't be here at all, but...means to an end.

when she does take her drink, it may as well be water for how she reacts- no, that's not quite true. there's no wincing, but she does work her mouth after lowering her glass, scraping her tongue against her teeth.]

[failureisntachoice]

[ She's been in Heropa for a several months now. The whispers are something she can easily ignore, especially in a bustling bar like this one. She's in her own little space, stools around her empty until Kirk sidles up.

At his words she glances from him to her shot glass of very strong tequila. Was he seriously ordering himself a mystery drink that a stranger was having? ]

Yeah, you don't want to do that.

[overemotionally]

[The bartender puts a shotglass full of the tequila in front of him. He needed to get drunk and fast after the unbelievably hellish day he had.

He holds the shotglass up in her direction.]

You saying that means this is exactly what I'm looking for.

[And he holds eye contact with her until he needs to tilt his head back to finish the shot. He winces as he gets the rest of it past the point at which he can feel burning.

And he orders another.]

[failureisntachoice]

[ She's not sure if she should be impressed or roll her eyes that he's ordering another one. She catches the wince though refrains from commenting; she of all people shouldn't remark on the drinking habits of others. ]

You're either stupid or you had a crappy day.

[ There's no hurry on her end to down her shot, though when his second one is poured out in front of him she throws hers back. Any feeling of drunk is the placebo effect, one of the few annoyances of being an android. ]

So, which is it?