not in my 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

[needsairtime]

[No escaping. No forgetting.] You're still young! You can rehabilitate yourself, cast aside your old poor habits and become a productive member of society, if you give it your all! I'll help you!

[sugoooi]

[ Be his guiding light of justice, Discipline Man. ]

I'm sixteen...! [ HE'S JUST SHORT OKAY. 5'3"... He's still growing. One day he'll hit that spurt and become a tree. ]

[needsairtime]

No one is too old to better themselves! It's a constant process that everyone should strive towards. Besides, I'm seventeen! [Probably. Wait, that doesn't even have to do with--] I'll be your mentor, to becoming a proper, contributing member to society!

[sugoooi]

[ ....No.....he can't be. ]

Are you...like, one of the Heroes they mentioned? [ Is his power detecting crimes. Is that why he's accusing him of everything. Does he grow up to be a hooligan??? ]

[needsairtime]

Don't be ridiculous! I'm nothing like that! It does no good to rely on special powers or abilities to make a difference. It takes ordinary people, like you and me, working in order to overcome the problems facing ourselves and our community! [Not like those LAZY BUMS always off saving the day, UGH.]

[sugoooi]

[ Sam would wonder about that logic. Like how it makes sense to sit back and work on community problems without actually stepping in to save the day when it needs it.....

Also. He holds up his wrist mutely with those funky imPort tattoos. ]

[needsairtime]

[WHAT SOCIETY NEEDS IS REFORM AND IMPROVEMENT, OKAY, NOT FLASHY SHOWS OF SOLVING TEMPORARY PROBLEMS.

After a second of blinking at the markings, he huffs and crosses his arms because of how stern he is and not at all to hide his own barcode.]

My point remains! You shouldn't be placated just because you've been granted some special ability!

[sugoooi]

What's wrong with thinkin' that's kind of cool?? [ LET OUT YOUR INNER HERO???? Maybe you will relieve some of the stress in your Everything. ]

Wouldn't you like a superpower if you could have one?

[needsairtime]

[OFFENDED SCOFF]

Absolutely not! This hero-inundated city glorifies effortless accomplishments by those who haven't needed to work for their goals. It encourages the misguided notion that geniuses and natural talent will handle the greatest issues we face, rather than spurring on people to try their hardest and become the best they can be with their own blood, sweat and tears!

I've worked all my life to prove that study and effort will always overcome lazy genius. Being here will only be one more challenge to overcome!

[sugoooi]

[ Are you sure you wouldn't rather pursue a career as a drill sergeant instead... ]

...Well, I mean...yeah... I guess if you say it like that... But if you have a power, shouldn't you also be encouraged to try your hardest with it?? If you only encourage the people without it it's still the same sorta thing. [ ish?? Sam's not really sure where he's going with this, pushing two fingers together and avoiding eye contact. Talk to this guy is like being in math class. He sucks at math. ]

[needsairtime]

[Nah, he wants to go into politics. Surely, he'd be a fair and just person to have in charge, don't you think?]

Hm. A power granted at random upon entry cannot be trusted. A person need only rely on their own capabilities to accomplish whatever issue they face.

[The argument does give him some pause, at least.]

[sugoooi]

[ All hail Overlord Kiyotaka. ]

Well...then what if they're born with them? What do those people do?

[needsairtime]

Naturally, in that case, they'll have to improve upon the base abilities given to them! Being born with an ability does not free a person from the needs of practice and accomplishment!

Still, one can never use that as an excuse to rely on. They should branch out into learning more talents, separate from such powers!

[sugoooi]

You really don't like superheroes, do you?

[needsairtime]

Nothing good comes of misleading children to trust in fantastical heroes to fix everything that's wrong.

[Wah wah my childhood sucked.]

But that was a rousing round of debate! Hah hah hah, you put forth a couple of good arguments!

[sugoooi]

I did? [ Whoa now is this approval he's getting here? After all the lecturing? ] You had an answer for everything though...

[needsairtime]

A successful debate is nothing without a ready rebuttal! You've got to be ready to argue to the last!

[sugoooi]

What about if you're wrong though? Do you argue even then? [ Not that he means to suggest this guy is wrong!! It's a hypothetical. ]

[needsairtime]

Eh? [Are you making fun of him, bro. Do you think he's not studied this topics thoroughly and made the best choice?] Naturally, it's important to keep an open mind for all sides of an argument, in order to grow! But you can't balk at every hole poked in your argument, only seek to improve it!

[sugoooi]

[ IT'S JUST A POSSIBILITY. ]

Well yeah but what if it turns out you studied everything super-hard but it turns out you were wrong? Like all the people that thought the sun was the centre of the universe!

[needsairtime]

Don't resort to such extremes to make a point! That's like leaving a hungry baby on a dairy farm! [That makes no sense AND does not address the question.]

[sugoooi]

But that's history...! And what do babies and dairy farms have to do with each other?? I don't get it! [ YOU'RE JUST SAYING THINGS NOW AREN'T YOU ]