sure, jan

[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

[hypnotherapy]

I am always a data being. Back home. The internet...Everything is connected. [ How is he supposed to explain it? It's as natural as...well, breathing. ] That's...my world. Like this physical world is yours. I do those things...without thinking.

[ ugh, ugh, he's just reminded of how weird a human body is. ]

[audiofile]

[ Oh boy, you have no idea how familiar that sounds to her. Being reminded just gives her a whole host of mixed feelings. As far as he should be able to tell though, she's just fascinated with the idea.

Now that the commotion is over, she opts to move towards one of the booths, and offers a hand to help him should he need it. ]

You mean you were an AI, originally? One they made human?

[hypnotherapy]

[ He has a hard time reading people's cues when he's so off-balance, especially in a body like this.

But people being interested in the ability to enter the cyberworld isn't a new thing. He wouldn't find it worth more than a footnote in any case.

He follows, though he declines the hand. He has to get used to walking by himself anyway. And at least his migraine is easing up. ]

Yes. Pure data. A body like this is... [ He pulls at his coat collar with a grimace. ] Different. There are so many things. All at once. I can't...track them properly. My memory is...different. Worse.

[ Sensory overload, to put it succinctly. ] I don't know how...humans manage. But they're born into this world. They live their whole lives like this. So I must manage. As well. I have no choice.

[audiofile]

[ the plus side to the booth means they don't have a diner full of people listening quite as closely. Not that they seem like strangers to the imPorts and their oddities but still. ]

It's not so bad, once you get used to it-- I mean, I'm sure it will be. Why not look at it like an opportunity?

[hypnotherapy]

[ He appreciates the quieter environment, at least. Anything that lessens the pressure on his senses is very welcome right now.

He doesn't miss the spoken words. He can pick those up fine. ]

Your situation is similar. Yes? Or no.

I will get used to it. In time. I suppose there are upsides to it.

Though I have yet to find them. There is...too much going on. So much to track. [ Being experienced in netbattling isn't helping him; it's actually making the problem worse. On a field you pay attention to everything around you so that the opponent can't use it against you.

There's just a lot to take in. ] I need to learn. To close things out.

[audiofile]

Lets just say I can sympathize. [ You seem pretty nice, AI guy, but Aelita isn't so sure she can trust you yet. ]

If too much sensory input is a problem then try focusing on one sense at a time, maybe? The human brain doesn't process information like a computer does, trying to take everything in at once is only going to slow you down.

[hypnotherapy]

[ He'd say that would be a good way to approach interactions with him, if he knew her thought process. Nice doesn't mean trustworthy. ] Fair.

I am trying. [ His tone is rueful. ] Isolating one sense is hard, too. I can't. Compartmentalise, like I am used to. Learning how to use this new body is...part of the process.

[ A pause. ] Thank you.

[audiofile]

I'm sure your are. [ And she means it. ] It's a different kind of compartmentalization, and it will take some time and effort to learn, but you'll get there. I just wish I had some better advice.

[ After all, stint living in a computer or not, Aelita was originally human. That's more than he can say. ]

You're welcome. I suppose you could come to me again if you want to talk about it more, but I don't think I caught your name?

[hypnotherapy]

If I am here for a while, I will get used to it. [ He sounds resigned. At least trying to manage his new body keeps his mind off more pressing things. ]

My name...

Magicman is fine. [ It's his name. It was given to him, so why shouldn't people call him by it? Even if it does sound odd, by human standards, but he's not human. ] And you?

[audiofile]

Adjusting is as good a place to start as any. [ It's strange to her now, remembering back to when she was so sure she was just an AI; the mixed feelings of excitement and nervousness at the idea of leaving everything she thought she'd ever known. And here he was, tossed into it without even asking, no research done, no friends to be there when just 'adjusting' was too much... How different would things have gone for her, she wonders, if she'd been materialized that first day Jeremie found the supercomputer?

But that's neither here nor there at this point. As he introduces himself she can't help but think with a name like that he'll get a nickname from someone, she's sure, just not from her. ]

Aelita. Are you feeling any better now, Magicman?