etcelsior | KEEP THE MUSIC DOWN

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 Florida 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Chop's the first to snap his head towards the man. He stares, mouth tightly closed. A few seconds pass... then he's back to happily panting.

Frank looks up at the new voice second. He almost jumps. Not used to this place, he's not sure who's going to act or think what. He almost snorts a laugh.]

Well, I'm still tryin' to figure out if I'm dreaming or not. So it might as well be. [He stands up and looks back at the car.] Yeah. Yeah, it is.

[His words aren't much, but the fact that Franklin can barely keep his eyes off it could be sign enough for Harvey that he's still fascinated.]

[ It's a sign to Harvey, all right. Anyone that's more interested in a car than his own face definitely has a specific set of priorities.

The cars are nice, though. Harvey's never cared much about his own wheels as long as they could move and suited theme to his own satisfaction, but he can admire aesthetics. And especially symmetry. ]

None of us are dreaming, but we might all be crazy. [ He smirks halfway as he says it, possibly suggesting a joke. ] No one ever said that couldn't have its perks.

[Oh, yeah. Don't worry about that. He'll notice it soon enough. Normally, Frank was pretty astute. But there were about 600 new things pulling his attention in 600 different directions.]

Yeah? What does that mean?

[But Franklin could multi-task, at least. There's genuine curiousity to his question but as he leans down to look through the windows, he's paying just as much attention to the car.

Chop leans in and gives it one more sniff. Then he turns around and shuffles over to Harvey. Nope. Chop didn't care about the car. But maybe the guy with the weird face would pet him.]

[ He isn't complaining, man. Harvey just stands there watching the guy, then looks over at the dog as it approaches and smirks down at it. Sure, he doesn't mind scratching behind the dog's ears. ]

Good dog.

[ Harvey wonders if this guy is just looking or planning to steal the car, in which case he thinks time is being wasted in not just smashing one of the windows open. But Harvey's finesse is very situation-dependent. ]

Means there isn't much stopping us from going after what we want. Not when the consequences don't matter.

[Chop gives Harvey a happy bark and tilts his head in the direction he's being scratched. The rottweiler was used to strangers. But if Franklin gave the word, or if something ever happened to him--he'd be chomping on someone just as quick.

Meanwhile, Franklin was thinking about taking the car. Not here and not now, though. Not with this guy looking at him. But Chop's barking regained his attention. He looked over his shoulder.]

They didn't matter much where I came from eith--

[OH WOW HE JUST NOTICED YOUR FACE

SEE ICON]

[ Harvey gives the dog another scratch, though with halfhearted attention. He likes dogs well enough, but he doesn't care about the dog that much so long as it's well-behaved.

OH HELLO.

Well. He smiles, like nothing's wrong, nothing's different. ]

They didn't matter at all? Or just not to you?

The hell is going on with your face.

[what question]

[ Well fine then. ]

Impolite to stare, you know. [ He holds out his hands. ] Had an accident. But I think it healed up real nice, you can barely tell.

[ He walks closer to the car, leaning his palm against the hood. ]

So. The car. You want it or what?

I noticed. You got a funny definition of 'barely', though. What the fuck'd you do?

[HE WANTS TO LOOK AT HARVEY'S FACE BUT HE ALSO WANTS THE CAR.]

Uh. Yeah? [WHICH IS TRUE BUT, jesus, what does he answer first.]

Nothing. It's what was done to me. Listen, it isn't catching.

[ But he's casual about it, nose only wrinkled in slight irritation. He moves closer to the side window and raps his knuckles against the glass. ]

Glass is for breaking.

Call me fuckin' curious anyway.

[Welp. He stares for a moment.]

You got a pin or something? [Because Frank had ways when it came to stealing cars quietly.] Why you want me to take it, anyway?

[He wanted it, definitely. And he would have taken it. But for all he knew, cops here were creepy-looking, two-faced dudes (HEH).]

Comes a point where it's less being curious and more bein' nosy. I ran afoul of some competition.

[ He thinks on that question for a moment. ]

I didn't say I wanted it. But we're both here, and you want it. Chance is pointing to me giving you a hand. Which I got two of-- [ He holds them up; see? ] Don't need a pin.

[ He is less subtle, clearly. ]

I'll settle with nosy.

[STILL INTERESTED THO

also see deadpan icon]

Just tell me you got something else.

[Hey, just because he steals cars on a regular basis doesn't mean he's not smart about it.]

Workplace injury. [ He squints his good eye, then somewhat begrudgingly adds: ] Acid. Don't recommend it.

[ He looks at the car, then Franklin. He doesn't see the issue here, really, but again: Harvey's not much of a car thief. Procedure isn't his priority so much as results are. ]

What, like a knife? ... Crowbar? Since when do you need fancy equipment to break a window now?

[Franklin looks at Harvey like he has two heads. Faces. Whatever. Then he snorts and, with a slight smile, shakes his head.]

Man, you must be an amateur.

[He digs into his pockets and - oop, turns out he had what he needed after all.]

Well, look the hell at that. [Beckoning Chop to come with him, he walks up to the car - checking all around him as he does. Then he bends down and gets to work.

He hides what he's doing. But if you want to go by the sound, you could probably tell that Frank knows what he's doing. A few clicks later, and the door is unlocked.

The younger man blinks in near-surprise.]

Man, shit didn't change much.

[ Harvey sneers in response, shrugging his shoulders. ]

I don't steal cars. Never exactly been my style unless I was in a hurry... and no one gives two damns about technique in that case.

[ But he watches what he's able to see -- not much, but the guy's experience is evident enough from the careful way he seems to be maneuvering and the sounds of something turning over. Unlatching, maybe. The process reminds Harvey of cracking a safe. ]

What do you do with them after? Drive it or sell it?

Nice to know.

[His deadpan expression combined with an overly-fake politeness. Translation: I don't care.]

Why?

[Frank didn't peg the guy for someone who was gonna tell the cops anymore, but he didn't trust him enough to tell his life story either. He opens the door and beckons for Chop.]

C'mon, boy, get in. Let's try this thing out.

Just curious. Got to wonder what the appeal is if you don't need a getaway car.

[ But in the end, it doesn't matter too much. Harvey steps back, repocketing his hands and moving out of the way so that the dog can pass him. If this guy's going to take off, then Harvey might as well get going himself. ]

See you around, I guess. If you don't get caught your first day.

KEEP THE MUSIC DOWN

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