leave it to the professionals

[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

[andaway]

To be honest I don’t mind all that much if it makes them happy.

[He lets the kid down, letting him go on his merry way as Kal smiles to himself. It’s different back home, where ‘Superman’ is already a thing- in here he’s just another import with a funny costume. It’s kind of refreshing, in a way.

He then looks at Conner.]

Though I guess it’s going to get old pretty fast. I’m fresh out of the teleporting oven so this is all pretty new to me.

[projectkr]

It gets distracting when they stare at you when you're at work or when they do things like pretend to commit a crime.

[Conner has seen that happen, some kid pretends like they stole a candy bar but they actually did put money down on the counter. All just for the attention of one of the imPorts.

Maybe it would be better this time around. Already he's figured out that this isn't his Superman because if it was, then the big guy would be trying to leave already. Saying there was something going on somewhere else in the world. Maybe he's the one from Power Girl's world.

Still, he's tense. Waiting for this Superman to turn his back and leave him behind just like the one he does know. And maybe the other Kryptonian's ears won't pick up the increasing pounding of his heart yeah right.]

The more you stick out, the more attention they pay. Still, it isn't too hard to ignore them.

[andaway]

I really hope they don’t start doing that, but I’ve been told I’m pretty good at blending in once I’m not wearing a suit in bright primary colors. [He smiles, as if grinning a private joke. He still has to figure out if he’s going to be able to live as Clark Kent while he stays here, or even under another human alias. Being Superman 24/7 never ends well for anyone.

And it’s while he’s musing that that he picks up the increase on the kid’s heartbeat, like something’s making him nervous. He’s making him nervous? Why? He’s just a new arrival. Did he know Superman before?

…His face is oddly familiar.]

Had we met before?

[projectkr]

I'd believe that. [And he does because he doesn't know who Superman is without the cape.] Other people are probably better at it than I am. Of course, none of them have a giant wolf for a companion either.

[Motions to where the animal in question is letting some kids climb on his back. It's a good thing this doesn't happen a lot otherwise Wolf might not put up with it as well as he is.

Now he shrugs casually, like this isn't a huge moment for him. It's not often that a clone meets his DNA donor from a parallel world.]

That might depend. We are dealing with both parallel worlds and time traveling here. I met you in my world.

[He could say his name was Conner Kent - the Superman of his world didn't know it as far as he knew. Or this could almost be like the first time he ever really met his 'father'. If he didn't speak up now, would Power Girl do it for him?

Conner takes a moment to steel himself against another possible rejection before turning to face Superman.]

I'm Superboy.

[andaway]

[He’s about to say “no, you’re not” but luckily he bites his tongue in time. Back at home he’d just gotten Conner back after the crisis, he’d been brought back to life after he’d died saving the world and he isn’t going to let anyone toss his name around like that because the kid had more than earned it, more than earned the shield of his house in his chest… but this isn’t just some kid trying to take his place, is it? He does look like Kon- like himself- but there’s obvious differences; otherwise he’d have picked it up right away.

He’s also talking about parallel worlds and time traveling. He could be from another Earth altogether. And he’s very nervous as it is, Kal doesn’t want to make things worse.]

And I’m Superman. [d’uh.] I know… there’s a Superboy in my world. Kon-El is his name. But you’re not him, are you?

You really are from a parallel universe.

[projectkr]

[Part of him is dying to know what's on Superman's mind - to know what the guy is thinking about. And yet, it's also petrified. This version of Superman could walk away (well, fly more likely). Another one he's disappointed maybe? Honestly, he's not sure how his version feels about him. Just that their interactions are short and usually ended as quickly as possible by the older one. It's not like he asked to be created, like he wanted to be a clone of Superman in the first place. No one asked him before using the Kryptonian's DNA to bring him into existence. But he was here now.

Here and feeling slightly rejected.

Power Girl made him a little hopeful though, moreso than Batman ever did.

Right now they're both struggling - struggling to not put the other in the shoes of the versions they know. For different reasons but still.]

I know. [The giant "S" sort of gave it away.] That makes you the second person who's said they have a Superboy in their world. Or maybe you're from the same one. [Kon. It's what that one man said to him on their first day here, Alfred. Did he know or was he just shortening Conner like Wally? There's no stopping the frown.]

I'm not. [It comes out heavily. That person, that Superboy with the strange name wasn't him.] I'm just Conner.

[A name he chose for himself, sort of anyway. But it was his name.

Of course the simple seeming words may mean more to Superman. This isn't a kid who's ever been Kon-El before.

His arms cross over his chest almost defensively.] From what I got from Power Girl, I'm younger and active in the world earlier than what she knows. It's possible that Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad found me before Cadmus could let me go.

[You know, in the event of Superman's death or whatever the Cadmus' in other worlds planned for.]

[andaway]

Conner Kent, right?

[It’s said with a bit of a smile. He’d given Kon that name, just like he had given him the name Kon-El. The fact that Power Girl is also here doesn’t escape his notice, and he’s already looking for her heartbeat in the middle of the crowd. That will come later, though- right now he has to focus on the boy in front of him.]

The Superboy in my world… he hated the idea of living a normal life where he wasn’t Superboy all the time, at first. At least that’s the impression he gave. So looking back to my family’s root I gave him a Kryptonian name- Kon-El, the name of someone who’d done great things for Krypton and the House of El.

I guess it was very different for you, if your name is ‘Conner’ first. [And he’s definitely not going to bring up the death of Superman thing. It was a very sore spot in his relationship with Kon, so he isn’t going to play with fire in case the kid doesn’t know that part.]

I’m sorry I’m not the Superman in your world, then.

[projectkr]

[Now he looks at Superman curiously. Sure, the one in his world could have heard it but he didn't think it would be a universal thing.] Yeah, for Kent Nelson.

[Conner has no idea that the name M'gann picked out wasn't really for Doctor Fate. His girlfriend is like that sometimes.]

I didn't want a normal life either, not after breaking free of Cadmus. So I don't. I live in Mount Justice, have a Martian girlfriend and go on covert missions for Batman with my team. The only normal part is that I go to school.

[For the human relations because he came of the pod surly and with poor people skills.

But it's strange, hearing things about this other version of himself. Power Girl didn't really say much and instead just let him vent. His other self, Kon, was definitely someone he's not.] Then he can be Kon and I'll be Conner.

[Yeaah, no one's told him about Superman's death in another world.

Now he looks away.] Don't be. You're actually sticking around to talk to me.

[Maybe if he knew the circumstances of Kon and Superman's first interaction, he'd be jealous. Hell, he already is. This Superman accepted Kon - gave him a Kryptonian name. Right now all Conner is getting is a good look at his Superman's cape fluttering in the wind.]

[andaway]

[There’s a lot of information to gather from what he’s saying. The first and most obvious one is that he doesn’t know who Clark Kent is, which is… interesting. It means he hasn’t gotten close enough to Superman for that yet, so when he implies the Superman in his world would have simply walked away Kal isn’t really surprised. And he isn’t even surprised Superman would do that, either since he the only difference is that he liked throwing a bone at Kon before he turned his back on him, to clean his conscience.

But that was before he got to really meet the kid.]

Can we talk somewhere private? There’s some things I’d like to share with you that I can’t share where someone might listen.

[projectkr]

[In all honesty, he's not expecting that. To have Superman want to continue the conversation somewhere private. Then again there is a lot he's wasn't expecting about this situation that's already happened.

There is still a crowd around them, though most are focusing on Wolf at the moment. It isn't really private. So he nods.]

At the south end of the street there's an apartment building, it's the tallest building in Heropa.

[Which isn't really tall considering this is a small mom and pop store kind of town but it will give them the privacy they want.]

[andaway]

[He nods, about to fly off when he realizes that even though he’s assuming the kid, like Kon, can fly… the big white animal currently distracting the crowd can’t, unless he’s like Krypto. (He doubts it, he doesn’t have a cape.)]

Will Wolf [That was the name he used, right?] mind being carried there, or should he wait here?

[projectkr]

[That makes him frown and look over at Wolf. The genetically altered animal doesn't mind riding around in the bioship or on Sphere but the two of them are a lot alike. If Superboy wouldn't want to be carried, then chances are Wolf won't either. (Conner would never try to get him to wear a cape and Wolf would never approve of it.)]

Wolf can find his way home. He has to go check on my alligator anyway. [Yes, he said alligator.

But for now he whistles, a two-note whistle and Wolf looks at him to signify he heard.]

Let's go.

[Conner doesn't know that this Superman doesn't know. He suspected that Batman told his Superman everything he couldn't do but not that there could be power differences between two worlds.

Besides, he can keep up anyway.]