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

[prearcadian]

[his boot scuffs to a halt at that. he can't go six feet without a greeting, can he? this is probably the longest he's gone in public without a bar fight or a bounty hunter chase. very very weird.

not her fault, though, right? so wipe the confused look off your face, Harlock.

he smiles crookedly, slowly lifting a hand in reply.]

Lost. You?

[selfequipped]

Not lost. But despite everything, I can be a surprisingly good tour guide.

[Memorizing a map hadn't been difficult, so the next step had been knowing the markers. She's done a fair bit of getting around so she can know escape routes and do what she can as a hero, but she hasn't done everything.]

At least ... around here. [The clarification seems important. She's not selling herself short, but she doesn't want the guy to get to that one burger joint that was at the border of her knowledge and find himself lost. That wouldn't do.]

Headed somewhere specific?

[prearcadian]

[thank whatever-active-stand-in-for-God she didn't start asking for pictures after that tour guide line. double thanks for Harlock actually catching glimpse of her wrist before she stops waving, catching the telltale tattoo. good. someone more on the same page is better.

as for specific? his eyes roll up as he thinks...and then he casually points up, as well.]

Ideally, that way. [glancing back down at her, eyebrow quirked.] That an option?

[selfequipped]

I wish. [She does fall into a more serious stance, tensing up a little. Kate's recently done her time in space, and while it eventually led to a break-up, she has a feeling she'd feel a little more useful (even if she's just tricking herself) by being out there.

Then again, there's a chance that whatever's out there isn't that interesting. The whole superhero-and-other-odd-things community seems a bit limited here.] Guy I know who'd hook us up isn't here. [And while they are broken up, she's fairly certain Noh-Varr would be on board for it. It beats the alternative.]

[prearcadian]

And the guy I know better not be here if he thinks avoiding me is hilarious. [lies and fallacies, but it makes him feel better to say that. life's tough when you're short one short bestie...and also your godmodding pirate ship.]

Guess I'll have to settle for the next best thing. [alcohol. that'd be alcohol. alcohol al] Know how to get to an airfield from here?

[selfequipped]

Are you gonna try to hijack a plane?

[After that opening bit, it seems worthwhile to ask. No one just shows up at an airfield (or port) without planning in advance, not these days.

Of course, this world is different, so maybe it functions differently. It still seems good to ask, at least to stall to make sure she's not pointing someone somewhere they shouldn't be headed.]

[prearcadian]

[he smiles, somewhere between a harmless flash of teeth and a grin. he can't decide.] Dunno. Maybe. Gotta see how things pan out first, right? Hell, with the fanfare I get just turning a corner here, I could just show up and they simply give me one.

[selfequipped]

Fanfare that comes with a price. [Kate's pretty easy-going about some things, but being registered as a superhero? That isn't one of them.

(Of course, being "easy-going" is also a way of making herself seem more okay with things than she really is. She likes to seem much more on the low-stress side of things.)]

But let's go see what they do. I'll try anything once. [Let's because she knows where to go, if she's got it right, and she might as well see how it is. Why not? She's already counting about fifteen different ways this can go wrong with the list going up, but she's also a superhero.

They're basically licensed to do stupid things, aren't they?]

[prearcadian]

[license schmicense, Harlock's got no time for paying dues on promises he never made on his own terms.

that indecisive mouth settles on a grin.] Let's. Price or not, it's worth scoping out the options.

[he gestures broadly with an arm as he sidesteps:] Lead the way, tourguide.

[selfequipped]

[There is, however, one immediate flaw to this plan: airfields aren't exactly this close to populated areas. They keep them some distance away for a reason. She takes a step forward and then pauses, turning toward him.]

You wouldn't happen to have a ride, would you? Though we could always ... call a cab. [She really misses New York. She misses it a lot after the many-dimensional journey she was just on, but not being able to wave a cab immediately really makes that a sudden, pressing concern.

(Then again, she also just misses her car. ... Cars. She misses vehicles she owns.)

It doesn't matter if it makes them less cool for not being able to just drive there without hesitation.]

[prearcadian]

That sounds like an awful lot of bothering and possible paying where there's no need. [hands on his hips, walking a few paces still until he can stop and lean forward to catch glimpse of a parking lot.

looking her way, he jerks his thumb lot-ward.] Let's just borrow one not being used right now.

[selfequipped]

Where you're from, do people ever have a problem when you just "borrow" something not currently being used? [Kate has to ask, if only to stall. She's not in this to steal a car, but she has a feeling that he might cause more havoc without someone going along with the ride.]

[prearcadian]

Sure. Some people are more attached to their things than others are. Like, say...[hrm. he frowns a little.] Well, I can't really make a direct comparison; I have no reason to use anyone's ship but my own. And then again, you'll never catch me too far from it to be taken in the first place, unless my buddy's gone ahead and borrowed it himself. [heh.

a few strolling steps, and then:] But, more to the point: Yes. I'm going to steal a vehicle. It'll get us there faster and help me familiarize with what passes for transportation around here on my own terms.

[a beat and a step.] Then it goes right back where I left it, and should the owner be around, I pay my dues then. It's a promise for them, regardless of how well they take it.

[selfequipped]

[It's a good idea in principle, but maybe not in practice. His flippant approach to things makes her willingness to throw caution to the wind a little less willing. Are they really going to go steal a car? ... No, borrow it. His approach, as oddly charming and noble as it might seem, isn't something that will work.

Is this how she wants to establish herself?

Then again, she's committed. Ah, doing stupid things is one thing, but there's always taking it too far.]

If you steal a vehicle, I'm driving. [Because she's good at it, and she'll feel better about getting it back in one piece. He might be great at driving, what does she know, but she's taking control of that aspect of things.

After all, barring stopping him through physical means, it seems like he's not going to give up on this idea.]

So, pick one, and we'll get moving.

[prearcadian]

[wow what hey. he pulls a bit of a face for a beat.] If I steal a vehicle, I'm driving. It's half the point of this.

[selfequipped]

[Kate rolls her eyes. Really, that's all she has motion wise, because it says enough. (She thinks, anyway.)]

I'm not barking orders over to you while we head over to the airfield. And you need me.

[prearcadian]

[his mouth twists a little, finding this reasoning hard to chew, let alone swallow. i wanna drive the caaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrr.]

You're saying this like giving directions is a complicated thing. [IS IT.]

[selfequipped]

It is here. [That's a blatant lie, but she's going to drive. She's decided. That's the end of it.]

[prearcadian]

[squint.] Then far be it from me to put you to so much trouble... [he'd rather drive around in circles than not get to drive.]

[selfequipped]

We're at an impasse.

[And she's too stubborn to let up.]

But you're not putting me out. You could just ask someone else ... [She waves at other people strolling by.] I just doubt they'd let you steal any car.

[prearcadian]

[PSH.

he starts walking, waving over his shoulder.]

I'll make it harder for myself, then.