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]

Sorry? Why? [his tone is a little teasing, but he means no harm.] It's certainly not your problem, and it looks to be less of mine if I'm gonna be suck here.

[fishbreath]

I am sorry because it sounds very sad. [ and she hates to think of someone living in a sad and depressing place; but if he's not looking for sympathy, she'll end it. ]

But... "stuck here". You think that is true?

[prearcadian]

Only as true as anyone makes it. [he starts pacing around the car, tilting to peer inside, and up past the dash to catch glimpse of her.]

If the technology exists to bring us one way, then there's the chance to go back. If you want it bad enough, or side with someone who does.

[fishbreath]

[ She watches him as he moves, a little puzzled by the interest in the... machine. But okay, she can keep up a conversation with a guy studying a car. ]

Yes... that is true. [ She frowns. ] Earth is very far from my home, and if I tried to go the way the humans have come to us, I think that everyone I know will have died of age. And so I hope very much that this technology can be found or shared.

[prearcadian]

[he drums his fingers on the door handle thoughtfully before rocking back on a heel, straightening up and looking her way.]

How far's very far? Are we talking star systems or entire galaxies?

[fishbreath]

[ That earns a sort of a blank look. Sorry buddy, space travel is a strange and mysterious thing to denizens of that planet. ]

I... do not know the difference.

[prearcadian]

That's alright. [a beat. he gives the handle a yank to see if it's–

locked?

apparently not. his eyebrows lift as the door opens. huh.

looking back at miss fish:] If stuck is the right word, then there'll be time to figure that out.

In the meantime – [stepping around the open door, ready to climb in.] – Wanna come along?

[fishbreath]

[ hang on what. She eyes the car, then eyes him. She's... pretty sure that this machine isn't his. He hasn't approached it as if it were a belonging.

...But she is pretty curious about it. Her hand drifts toward the handle. ]

Where are you going?

[prearcadian]

[he climbs in, fidgeting and glancing at the door opposite before reaching over and popping the handle and giving the door a little shove.

grinning.]

Dunno. But I know what I'll be getting.

[fishbreath]

[ She steps hastily back to allow the door to open, and leans over to be able to address him inside. ]

You are stealing this. [ Her eyebrows arch, a little incredulous. ] Yes?

[prearcadian]

Pretty much. [:)] Didn't you hear our lovely welcoming party? "Make yourselves at home."

[fishbreath]

[ She considers it a few seconds, watching him thoughtfully all the while. This is a terrible idea, stealing is always a crime, in every nation, and it's unwise to make friends with people who engage in it. Not only could it get Maria in trouble by association, but what if he turns on her?

And despite all that, she folds her legs carefully to plant herself in the passenger seat. Better to keep someone like this closer, in range of being watched. ]

But you do not know who owns it. What if they see you in this?

[prearcadian]

[atta girl. he closes his own door and repositions himself in the seat so he can start to take stock of the interior, this weird blend of old and new. hmmmm...]

Well, they're welcome to complain. I'm sure we can work it out. [poking at the LED panel, tilting his head to read the markers on the steering wheel levers.]

Considering how absolutely thrilled everyone's been so far, I bet he'll even hand me the spare keys.

[fishbreath]

[ There's a little huff of breath, and the look around her eyes has softened a little, like maybe there's a smile under this veil or something. ]

That is very true. The natives here... are very happy with us. Much can be done with that.

[ Did that sound scheming? Surely not. She keeps her eyes on the instrument panels around them, running her clawed hands curiously over surfaces here and there. ]

Can you make this work?

[prearcadian]

I'd...like to brag that my experience with interstellar vessels gives me an edge, but a lot of this looks pretty primitive...or downright wasteful. [he finds the switch to push the chair back so he can peer down at pedals.] See if there's a compartment with some kind of key, or code...

[fishbreath]

[ She follows suit, and her curious investigation of the car becomes an earnest one. She checks pockets in the door, stumbles upon the glove compartment for some rifling through, then glances up to spot the sunvisors. Nothing behind hers, but when she reaches to try his — something metallic and jangling falls generally Harklock-wards. ]

Ah — there, is that — ?

[prearcadian]

[that grabs his attention away from his own side-door compartments.] Oho. Lookit that... [plucking the keyring off his lap, turning the insert-key to peer...and, leaning, peer in turn at the ignition.]

Good find. [in it goes. the control panel lights off, offering everything from on to just...kinds of on. radio? news? lights?

nah, just on, buddy. tap, tap.

the engine rumbles to life, and Harlock grins at his partner in actual crime.]

I think we're just about in business.

[fishbreath]

[ The worry is back in her eyes again. She glances around them, shifting in her seat to check out the back windows as well. There isn't anyone... running toward them and shouting angrily, so that's a good sign, but she doesn't feel much easier about it. ]

Then I think that we should be... somewhere else. Very soon.

[prearcadian]

That's been the intention from the start, friend. [testing pedals, listening to the growl of the engine as he presses the accelerator. right, that...and then these...

things get more intuitive from there, and he's quick to get out of park. look at all these handy safety sensors to keep him from backing into the car behind him!

he is at least cautious leaving the space, if only because he doesn't want to wreck his free ride so soon. but once he's out of that narrow space, gloves are off. he chuckles to himself, enjoying this really...tactile kind of drive.]

You only get this if you're in a single-double cockpit... [VROOM VROOM. to the streets we go!]

[fishbreath]

[ oh lord what has she gotten herself into. She keeps her eyes on the road ahead once she sits back straight again; it's not so different from the ships back home, but different enough to keep her on edge. ]

I have not... [ She takes a breath, gripping the edge of the seat. Surely he knows how to do this. Surely he won't kill them both. ] ...Asked your name. I am Maria del Andallo.

[prearcadian]

Harlock.

[surely he doesn't typically ram his vessel into things as big or bigger than his own out in deep space so it's not like that compulsion will hit him out here in such foreign territory. please.

maybe she should end the questions here; ignorance is bliss, etc.

he's dicking around with the door panel array and finally gets a window down, which makes this even better...until having to interact with traffic. he slows, not that inclined to just barreling into and through people without knowing how his own ride'd handle it.

just before the next intersection:] Alright, Maria del Andallo. Which way do you think's gonna get us some more open road? [squinting and catching a car going hover mode a street away.] And up...

[fishbreath]

[ She catches the same sight of the same car, and then leans forward to check the sky above them. Sure enough, cars. So they're a little more like the crafts from home than she thought. ]

That one — up. [ She frowns at the cars already in the air; they look to be following patterns. ] There will be... restrictions? Rules. That neither of us know — for keeping flying crafts safe from each other. It would be wise to watch and learn those.

[ Not that she necessarily thinks he will, by this time in their brief acquaintanceship. Just layin' it out there. ]

[prearcadian]

More's the reason to get the hell out of the city proper to avoid bringing anyone to harm, right?

[besides those present in the vehicle, obviously. but how can they possibly be at risk.

he takes a left a bit too sharply, making the tires squeal, and laughs, speeding up to pass more conscientious drivers on the way down to the next light.]

[fishbreath]

[prearcadian]