safety first

[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 someone else's thread, either!

And remember to have fun!

01. Your memory might be a haze still and you might even feel frustrated or anxious by the sudden news that you are no longer in your own world and that the Porter scientists and military cannot send you back. You don't get a chance to linger long in the underground Porter lab, but something is clearly amiss; light patches on the floor indicate something else used to sit in that spot in the room. Parts of the wall, floor and the tables look as if they have been refurbished in the past few months -- something happened in here some time ago. Something big.

You're ushered out quickly and then suddenly, you're enveloped in a faint blue blue light before you find yourself under the bright Floridian sun. Another soldier steps toward you with a smile, directing your attention to a car near a large gate. She mentions she'll be debriefing you soon, handing out a brown folder and a pamphlet. You don't see the digital tattoo on your wrist, but it's quickly explained on your way over to the car as you realize there are other confused faces nearby, all holding files of their own.

02. The city of Heropa is what one might expect from a small, bright and cheery place. The locals are friendly enough and local shop owners might offer a free drink to help cool you down in this awfully nauseating heat. Some of the locals might thank you for always lending your service to the nation and others might not say anything. In fact, some people might back away from any imPort who quite obviously looks like they aren't from around the neighborhood. Once in a while there's a look of disdain on someone's face and hushed voices. Something about "the outbreak" and "the government's gotta crack down on their medical files". "Some of them can't be right in the head" says another.

03. De Chima, Virginia, is a large city with a healthy economy, and though it's quieter, there are just as many citizens awed at your presence. Heavy winds have people grasping at their newspapers and constantly brushing hair out of their faces, but that doesn't distract them from crowding you in excitement if you're obviously from a different time or world, or just let it slip that you're a newcomer. Children and young teenagers are especially likely to ask for an autograph and a photo.

Some locals seem less enthused to see you. They never make an approach, but they can be overheard scoffing and muttering something about cameras. "Who do they think they are?" or "I don't like it... it reminds me of the government corruption back in the eighties." What could they be talking about?

04. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania, is normally known for being a little more on the apathetic side, but there's been tension in the atmosphere lately. Nobody will outright state what it is that's rustled their jimmies, though you might find a newsstand with articles on recent and aggressive vigilante behavior within the city. "ImPorts: loyal to the cause of their own?" reads one newspaper article.

People are not as friendly in this city and go out of their way to avoid walking down the same sidewalk as the more obvious looking imPorts pass through. Local cops say nothing, but they scowl at those imPorts and utter something about "no badges" and "acting like authority figures".

05. Nonah, North Carolina, is the liveliest of all cities. It's loud, busy and there's some kind of energy in the air that gets everyone buzzing with excitement. Anyone who they come to determine an imPort is bombarded with all sorts of offers; job offers, advertising gigs, spokesperson for advocating children stay in school, etc. Anything and everything! You name it. Shops offer discounts for food and clothing, whatever they need. People flock in droves with questions, but they all say the same thing. Thank you for your service to this country, Hero. You saved a lot of lives. Wow, feels great to be a hero, doesn't it?

Comments

Wasabi | Big Hero 6

[neatniks]

2.

[ Frankly, Wasabi's about three inches from a panic attack, but he's trying to keep everything locked down tight. He has no idea how this could have happened, and his mind's reeling with attempts to reason through it, like he might be able to figure out teleportation where Krei's team had failed. And not just that! Not just teleportation, but full-on world-to-world oh my god there are seriously other worlds teleportation!

(The theory is there, you know. Physics is a field that stretches far, far into the realms of possibility, but theory and experience are two very different things.)

He has to cling to familiarity, has to hold on to some piece of routine or he's going to lose his mind, so he takes a local cafe up on an offer of a free drink. He drinks drinks every day! He can handle lemonade, no problem. He's seated by a window, and he organizes the condiment tray and sweeteners a little frantically (just because it makes him feel a little better) before his glass arrives. Then he just stares at it, and out of the window, and at the wall. He takes deep breaths and small sips and tries to figure this out. ]

[maglevflash]

[Gogo doesn't live in Heropa, but Jaime and Aunt Cass both do. Not to mention Steve, who was now teaching her how to fight and hold her ground. Kickboxing was a great hobby, but it wasn't going to help when everything had superpowers.

It's after one of these sessions that she's entering the cafe for something cold to drink. She's dressed for exercise, in a sports bra and leggings, and she'd probably look just as he remembers her if it weren't for the old, yellowed bruises decorating her midriff.

She's texting on her comm as she waits for her order, popping her gum, and doesn't notice him sitting in the corner. After two months she'd stopped expecting to see him or Fred every day. The only excuse she has for missing him there.]

[neatniks]

[ Wasabi doesn't even register the bell at the door chiming again, and it's only on another nerve-wracked scan of the shop around him that he sees Gogo. He almost passes her over, too, but then the realization snaps into the correct place and he double-takes. He's honestly not sure for a moment if it's her, because her stance is too casual for the situation. Maybe it's just another girl who looks kind of like her.

Maybe it's Parallel Gogo.

But then... Maybe it's just Gogo. Not that it'd be just anything, because a familiar face would be the best thing right now. He plays it carefully, though. He's gotten a couple of weird looks, and he doesn't want to stand up and make a scene. Instead, he decides to stage whisper in her general direction. ]

Gogo! Please tell me you're the real you.

[maglevflash]

[It is fortunate her name is so distinctive.

But also his voice. Absolutely no one in this world stage whispers quite like Wasabi can and it cuts right through the background chatter of the cafe to her ears. She pauses, blinking, halfway through a text. A part of her imagines for a moment that she was hallucinating; a product of overworking herself this week and with everything that was happening all at once. But then she looks up and around the cafe.

Wasabi is impossible to miss, and the look on her face upon seeing him is almost vulnerable in her surprise, but then the barista calls her name and she pulls herself together.

Grabbing her drink, Gogo casually strolls over to him as if she hadn't gone two months missing him every day.]

So, it finally grabbed you, too? [No, Gogo. Just tell him you miss his face. You haven't been here long enough to be this casual.]

[neatniks]

Yes? [ He's obviously not sure about that answer at all, because there's a whole pile of implications that comes along with it. The doubt shows on his face, a wince that shifts quickly to an open look of concern. Togo's already been here for an unknown amount of time, which seems impossible, but-- Well, so is all of this.

There's also the bruising. ]

Gogo, what's-- What is all of this? Is this real?

Are you okay?

[maglevflash]

It's hard to believe, but yeah. It's real. You've been kidnapped to another dimension.

[She slides into the chair across from him, reaching across to grab a napkin from the tray nudging it out of place, and wipes the condensation off her cup.]

And of course I'm okay. [She's not. She can't sleep, and can't get her brain to calm down long enough to figure out what's bothering her. She's uneasy.] Took a bit of getting used to, but I've been here a couple months. It gets easier.

[She learned about Tadashi right away. Everything after that was a breeze.

...oh god. He didn't know about Tadashi yet.]

[tadeadshi]

[Tadashi's taken to checking out locations of other coffee shops and cafes to get an idea of what could work for his aunt's. And the walking is helping settle down his mind after everything else happening around him. Maybe a chai tea will help. Or latte. Or something with caffeine at this rate.

He pokes into the more unassuming cafe. This should be fine right? Totally fine. Just order the drink and sit and everything is fine. He's a little distracted with all the recent events that he doesn't even notice someone big and familiar a few feet away.]

[neatniks]

[ N O P E.

This is where Wasabi flat out refuses. This is the point in which he can no longer scramble to ground this situation in reality. He can almost feel his mind grinding to a halt, and even the nagging in the back of his mind about the tiles on the tabletop being crooked goes silent.

When he speaks, it's not to the supposedly-familiar figure just out of physical reach. He's half afraid that it's a figment and half afraid that it's real, and he doesn't know which one would be better, and he doesn't know if he's ready to figure it out. He feels like he needs to say something, though, just to break the silence that's growing more and more oppressive around him. This place is busy. It shouldn't be quiet. ]

I-- This can't be happening. This really can't be happening. It doesn't make any sense.

[tadeadshi]

[He stops mid-pay when he hears the voice. Six months and he's fine tuned his hearing for any voice that sound remotely familiar and Wasabi's is no exception to that rule. Tadashi turns looking for him and there he is, staring at him like --

Like...

Ah.

His face softens from surprise to an almost sad understanding. Six times now, he's seen that look on a friend or family's face when they see him. He already knows what it means. Tadashi finishes paying and then comes to take a seat in front of him. Not settled though, just to sit in case Wasabi decides he can't deal with This along with all the other things happening to him right now.]

...If it means anything, it really is happening.

[neatniks]

Oh, man.

[ And, yeah, he has no protocol for this. No amount of preparation can really prepare somebody for something like this, so... He takes a deep breath. This is fine. He's just got to work through it.

Okay, so it's not fine and he has no idea how to work through it. He lifts a hand to set it to his head. ]

Did I hit my head or something? And how hard?

[ Is this some kind of head injury thing? Is he dead? ]

[akito]

[ there isn't enough sugar in his smoothie.

Granted, it was given to him for free so he can't really complain, but when you're trying to keep yourself from falling victim to your crippling fear comfort food is pretty helpful. It just so happens that Akito's is a strawberry milkshake, not a smoothie. But the café only had smoothies, so he accepted one as the next best thing.

But it's not sweet enough, or creamy enough. It's very... strawberry-y, but doesn't calm his nerves like a milkshake would.

Akito will make due though. He always does. A bit of sweetener and maybe some added cream might help the taste and texture. The tables with what he's looking for are all occupied, which is just his luck. However, he notes that many of the patrons will sneak glances at the man near the window in much the same way he's been glanced at throughout the day.

Silently debating whether the cream and sugar is worth it, Akito's stomach eventually wins out, leading him over to the stranger's table. The man is big but still much smaller than one of Akito's closest friends, meaning that at least his stature doesn't make him nervous.

It's basically just everything else about the entire situation he's found himself in today. ]

Um... Excuse me?

[ he's not about to snatch what he wants without asking first. His manners may not be the most developed, but he knows how to be polite. It hasn't escaped his notice that the man has been compulsively organizing his table. Not that Akito can blame him. With everything feeling out of his control, Akito thinks that creating your own order - even with something so insignificant - would make even him feel a little bit better. ]

Could I borrow your cream, and two packets of sugar?


((ooc: hope this works alright! I thought I would mention, for reference, that Akito is 4'8" - so the same difference in height between him and Hiro as there is between Hiro and Gogo! p.s. your wasabi is amazeballs aaaaaa ///// ))

[neatniks]

Huh? [ Lost in his own thoughts, he almost misses the question when he's addressed. The request is easy enough, though, and, ever polite, Wasabi reaches for the cream and sugar housed at the edge of the table. ] Sure. Of course.

[ He sets them down on the opposite end of the table, side by side, and smiles a quick, uneasy smile at the small stranger. After that, his eyes scan the whole of the cafe around them. Is this kid here by himself? ]

There you go. All right?

((ooc: That's fine and dandy! And thank you. o/ Sorry my reply's a shorty. ))

[akito]

[ Akito gives a short, casual bow of thanks that is more an incline of the head than a true 'bow'. He is quick to tear the sugar packets open, neatly and evenly, with sharp teeth and dump the contents into his drink. ]

Thanks.

[ he offers a smile that, though small, is one of the first honest ones he's given so far since his arrival.

Akito takes more time with the cream: places his drink on the table to carefully pour a satisfactory amount in. Once that's done, he uses a napkin to double check there isn't any spillage from the cream pitcher or his own beverage, then stirs the added ingredients in with a straw.

...Much better. Still not a milkshake, but it's much closer to one than it had been before. ]

It's still not a milkshake, but it was free, ne? It's hard to say no to a free drink on a hot day!

[ a thoughtful pause. ]

...Is it your first day as an 'imPort' too?


((ooc: quality over quantity! No worries here!))

[neatniks]

[ He watches the care taken with a somewhat curious expression, and he's almost tempted to make an almost-joking remark about it. ("You too, huh?") It's not really his place, though, and he settles for replacing the cream pitcher back in the additive stand.

To the first statement, he gives a gentle hum of agreement, and the next question... Wow, so this is really going to be a thing, huh? ]

Yeah. I guess it is.

[ Also, where are his manners? He gestures to the seat across from him in the booth. ] You wanna sit down?

[microbrobotics]

[ It just so happens that Hiro's in this café too - he's a coffee fiend, same as his brother and same as always, and this place was convenient. He's got a backpack that clinks with various tech pieces and tools, because he likes to work while he drinks. Today is no different - he has a small halo of spare parts floating around his head which he is idly assembling into a bot while he drinks.

He's kind of absorbed in that, in fact, so he doesn't quite notice Wasabi for a moment. Until he makes eye contact and ... oh. Huh. He knows that person. ]

Wasabi?

[neatniks]

[ Sorry if he's staring, Hiro, because those floating parts are not right. It's not too hard to justify the hovering vehicles as a work of advanced tech, but that? That's something else. ]

Yeah. [ He's perfectly dumbfounded, and it just keeps getting worse. For some reason, his automatic response here is to attempt a casual tone, but his pitch to too high and his inflection warbles when he speaks next. ] What's up, little man?

[microbrobotics]

[ It takes him a moment to realize what Wasabi's staring at. And then his expression turns just a little bit wicked. ]

You look like you've seen a ghost.

[neatniks]

No, just a physical impossibility.

[ Probably close to seeing a ghost, really, and at least nearly as unsettling. He'd really been hoping that the superpower talk going around was just talk, but... Of course. No such luck.

And he knows he's not going to get a satisfying answer before he asks, but: ] How are you doing that?

[elleacious]

BOO!

[elle do NOT sneak up on a giant man and scare him no matter how terrified he looks and how funny you think it would be to see him yell]

[neatniks]

[ Well, yell he does, and it's probably the most hilariously undignified yell and too high-pitched for a man of his size. He even pitches forward in his seat and grips the edge of the table. When the immediate scare is over, he turns sharply to find... A little girl.

Okay. ]

What--? What would you do that?!

[elleacious]

[heh heh that was awesome]

You look kinda nervous, little buddy. [She climbs up into the seat across from him and starts picking out all the pink sugar packets.] Whatcha so scared for?

[neatniks]

I'm not scared. [ He might be pouting a little bit, because wow. Wow, he just looked really stupid, and here's this collected little girl who's mission in life, for reasons unknown, is to ruin his attempts to stay calm.

He's not little, either.

And oh geez what is she doing with all of that sugar? Is she going to use it? Or is she just messing up the pristine place-setting for giggles? ]

Why are you doing that?

[honeyxlemon]

[ Honey was actually heading back the porter after visiting a friend within the area when she approaches the cafe. She almost strides right by it, but a mass of green catches the corner of her eye. With an abrupt stop, she sharply turns her body back around, hair whipping behind her from the quick movement. It takes just a second for her to process that that is who she thinks that is. In another swift motion, she heads towards the inside of the cafe. ]

Wasabi! [ Being in a public place, she attempts to contain her enthusiasm by speaking in a normal tone, but she cannot keep herself from practically skipping over to where he sits. ]

[neatniks]

[ Wasabi looks up and around at being suddenly addressed, and he's instantaneously relieved (at least a little) to find a familiar and cheerful face. If there's anybody who can keep an awful, awfully confusing situation positive, it's probably Honey Lemon. ]

Honey! Thank goodness! [ He doesn't try to hide the discomforted look on his face as he spreads his arms to indicate the space around them. One might think he's about to question the existence of the shop itself, but really it's the whole world that he's calling into question. ] What the-- Just-- What?

[honeyxlemon]

[ Her wide smile drops into a lopsided one as she gives a slight shrug. What, exactly, is the most accurate way to describe this world without inducing even more panic on top of what Wasabi is currently experiencing? ] Well...

[ She moves to take the seat across from his, and when she speaks, her voice is steady, calm. ]

We definitely are in another dimension, but it's not that bad here. I mean, we're mostly all together! Me, and Gogo, and Hiro, and- [ Tadashi. She pauses briefly, but quickly continues without leaving Wasabi much of a chance to question it. ] - Cass are here. Professor Callaghan and Krei are here too, but they're fine. [ As in not causing too much trouble. Not on purpose. ]

People also get sent home all the time, so it probably won't be permanent for us.