etcelsior | you don't scare me, huge ackman!

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?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Of course I would. [His hands are up on his lapels again, when did this happen.] Creating a stable portal in the first place, that's the hard part. Comparatively, collapsing one is simple. [Especially if, you know, you have direct access to the thing stabilizing it.]

[... Wait a second.] What do you mean, "in your experience"?

I see.

[He doesn't, but it's clear to some degree that the Kaiju 'portal' and this man's technology differ. Unsurprising, but it was an avenue worth exploring. Hermann leans back with a wry twist of his lips]

In my 'dimension', a rift formed at the bottom of the Mariana Trench. The monstrous species that emerged raged war on the world for twelve years. I studied what we called the 'Breach', charted it and predicted attacks, spent years studying its structure so that we might understand how to close it. And in the end, the only way to access it was with the genetic code of those monsters. Not quite the definition of a simple endeavour.

... Interesting. [What Qubit's envisioning is more like a literal portal to hell, but he gets the general idea.] A genetic lockout... clever, that's very clever. And the depth must have made it virtually inaccessible.

[Disturbingly clever, for an alien species]

Difficult to locate for quite some time, yes. Getting there wasn't as much of an issue. We built great machines.. But I'm getting off topic. Powers?

[Aww, but great machines are his jam! A little reluctantly, he wrests his attention back to the subject.]

Right. Powers. That one might be better served by examples. [He points generally to Hermann's file, twin to the one in his own hand.] Apparently, everyone they drag through their portal gains supernatural abilities in the process, if they didn't have them already. Should be on the second or third page with the rest of the dubiously obtained personal information.

Edited 2015-07-27 00:45 (UTC)

[~~You don't want to ask him about the Jaegers. He will literally never shut up.~~

Hermann glances back to his file, strangely hesitant because part of him doesn't want to see any sort of additional proof of how he's been altered. So it's time for a delay tactic]

And this is normal where you're from?

[Another dimensional Earth if the man is familiar with the trench. Confusing, to say the least]

I wouldn't call it normal, per se, but it's become a well-known phenomenon in the last few years. I'm guessing that's not the case with your Earth, though.

[The hesitance isn't lost on him. He can understand it to a degree; for the uninitiated, this must be a lot to accept at once. But you seem like a smart guy, Dr. Gottlieb, surely you can handle it.]

Go ahead and open it. Can't hurt to get it over with.

[A tight nod, and Hermann turns his attention back to the file in his lap. He flips it open and skims through the pages, making note of sections to reread in particular detail until he reaches the appropriate section, then stops. Two lines, two powers, and he barely glances past the first]

Neural Synchron- [He inhales sharply. The pull, the drift.] Newton.

[The file snaps shut and Hermann struggles back to his feet. Sitting down had been a terrible idea in hindsight, but the jolting realization that he's being drawn to Newton of all people is motivation enough]

Of course. That imbecile.

[Not quite the reaction Qubit was expecting. He can take a guess what that power descriptor means, and it sounds interesting, but-]

Newton? Who's Newton? [He's pretty sure you don't mean Isaac.]

[Absolutely not, and the fact they share a name bothers him to this day. Hermann secures his footing and removes his glasses, then grabs up his file]

I should say, Dr. Geiszler. [Although Newton has yet to return the favor except perhaps in mocking sarcastic tones] My.. [Drift partner] colleague.

[Friend, his mind whispers traitorously. As ever, he valiantly ignores it and takes steps in the direction he's being pulled to- like an awareness of something he should be paying attention to]

This is his fault. [Okay, that's uncharitable, but it's 40% his fault, it's sufficient enough]

[Qubit follows along, already running through inferences in his head. Also, out loud.]

A psychic link, then. He's been brought here, too, and that's what you're sensing.

[A wince, because that makes it sound worse than it is. Granted, he doesn't know the full extent of it, can only assume it's like the Drift]

Yes, it's.. not quite strange. There's technology in our world that was developed.. a rather long story, I'm afraid. But in essence, Newton and I used it to arrive at the answer to destroying the Breach.

Something to do with your great machines, I assume?

[And actually, it vaguely reminds him of what he'd had to do to Modeus to stop an apocalypse scenario of his own... Speaking of which (or close to which), how far has his decryption program gotten on locating the Porter lab? He takes the handheld he was using before back out of his pocket ~~god only knows how it actually fits in there~~, checking it as they walk.]

I'd be interested to hear the full story, if there's time later on.

Precisely.

[If nothing else, he's grateful for this man's capacity to keep up conversationally. The pull grows stronger as they near and he can almost see Newton now]

I'm sure it will make for an interesting exchange. Now give me a moment, then perhaps introductions..

[If Qubit sticks around that long, but either way, getting to Newton takes priority]

you don't scare me, huge ackman!

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so when he actually finds Newt, do we want to just cut away and resume at a second meeting or sthg?

up to you! Hermann could introduce him in their thread if Qubit wanted to meet him

oh, sure! if thats cool with his mun, i'd like that :D

okay yes! so Herms'll gesture back to him in the thread with Newt then feel free to tag