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

[glowsferatu]

[ she wrings her hands warily, thinking it may be best to keep her distant in case of a recurrence. maybe she needs a nap. maybe she needs to talk to her psychiatrist about her medication. ]

It's a lot of things, but "okay" isn't really any part of it. You can, uh, keep the pamphlet. You might find some use from it anyway.

[siriusly]

[trying to brush off the hit is harder just looking at her; if she's that ruffled, shouldn't he be, too? but that seems mean. even if it did hurt a little. and was completely uncalled for, and...

and his expression twists into confusion. pamphlet?]

What? [looking about, and down.] ...Oh. That? I was just trying to... [trying to give it back. he looks back at her, frowning.] I-if you don't want me handing you things, it's alright to just say so. I didn't know.

[glowsferatu]

It isn't that at all! [ she puts her hands back up, but close to her chest. ] It was my fault, my...misunderstanding.

[ god don't take responsibility for what her fist does to you, it's too surreal. ]

It's just that you're a new arrival, yes? That's. What the pamphlet's for.

To help you acclimate.

[siriusly]

[while she explained, he bent back down to pick it up, grimacing at it. that was a lot of words for a title, all smashed in there together like that...

his voice is lower, musing his reaction aloud rather than speaking directly to her:]

This seems...mean...

[glowsferatu]

[ she purses her lips, leaning in slightly as she answers. ] "Impolite" would be a better term for it. Mean wouldn't give the accurate answers at all.

But when you have the same bad questions asked of you repetitively, one tends to lose patience for answering them politely.

[siriusly]

[his eyes wince at her correction, looking back up at her. while letting the rest of her explanation settle in, he straightens up, giving the pamphlet a second glance.]

I don't think you're wrong about that stuff, but...I don't know. I guess something just straight-up saying how everything someone thinks is ["totally and embarrassingly"] wrong takes it a bit too far...

But I guess in any case, [he sighs, shoulders going back up.] if it is useful at all, I should be grateful for that. [he guesses. it just feels like a real bummer, especially as a follow-up to that punch.]

[glowsferatu]

Well, it's something they'll need to understand sooner than later. This is a completely different universe, and yet...maybe eighty-five percent of imPorts--whichever amount could be said to be based on a contemporary Earth--all arrive with that expectation.

To let them know what the situation is, first you must debunk their misconceptions about what it isn't.

[siriusly]

[that...yes, it makes sense, but it still brings Manabu down.

if he keeps looking at that title, he's going to be super bummed out. he checks himself, straightening, pushing a small smile on his face. it looks a little queasy, but he tries all the same.]

It sure is a lot, huh. I guess I'll figure that out one way or the other.

[glowsferatu]

I suppose so. And hopefully have a better welcoming, while you're at it.

[ from someone saner perhaps. but then they'll accidentally punch him in the face, too. ]

It can be a lot to grow accustomed to, if you're from somewhere not well reflected in the current culture.

[siriusly]

[he gives her a dubious look. from his perspective, she practically fit the bill herself, and not just because she still looked a touch frazzled from their unfortunate first exchange.

a frown.] Um, I'm...sure I'll manage alright. Even if everyone's too tired to help people out. [that's what she's getting at with these mean papers, isn't she? he's a little bummed at the thought.]

[glowsferatu]

[ she shakes her head, managing to give him a smile. ]

Don't look so defeated! Just because some of us may have grown impatient with the same repetitive questions doesn't mean we're all opposed to helping.

[ because he's definitely going to look for help from the girl who just punched him. ]

[siriusly]

[he tries to smile, somewhat chastised, and ducks his head briefly.] I don't mean to assume anything mean, but I guess I've already got a pretty weird impression of everything right from the start...

[glowsferatu]

Well, I... [ she flusters, her limbs pulling inward. ] I suppose I haven't really helped that.

But I'm hardly representative of the whole of our community. You'll find better kindness to account for my lack.

Sorry. Again.