etcelsior | The power is in your hands

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

[ It doesn't hit the vendor right away. What it's like rather than a sudden flood of nullification is a slow drop winding down, where the vendor comes to his senses slowly, and he's still got a short, flirty boy whispering salacious things in his ear in exchange for free food.

And hey, whatever the last thing Jinseok whispered to him must've been a good one, because the vendor goes beet red--though whether it's with anger or embarrassment nobody can say. What is clear is that he's definitely not happy about it, and that becomes even clearer with the way he claps Jinseok over the back of the head, yelling and pointing for him for him to get the hell out of here while he steps out of view into the back of the stall to compose himself.

Which leaves Jinseok free to scoop up all his waffles and rub his head, turning around abruptly to almost walk straight into Hazel, stopping himself before she gets a chest full of syrup and berries. ]

I think he liked me a lot. You want [ A moment to count-- ] seven waffles?

[~~as if she's tall enough for them to hit her chest~~ Hazel doesn't take a step back, but she does actually out her phone away which is essentially the same level of consideration. her tone is still pretty flat but watching him get smacked around was satisfying enough that she's not going to be outright antagonistic.]

Sorry, not even my friends are big enough fatassess to need that many at once.

[she thinks. how many waffles could a teenage boy of Josuke's size eat in one go?]

[ ~~Like he'd be tall enough to hit any higher.~~ Now that she's stopped playing around with her phone and has actually looked up at him, Jinseok's interest wanes quite visibly. Ah, he thought she was going to be really pretty, but her face is all ruined with scars.

He clutches his armful of waffles in closer to himself, gesturing to her with one, then shoving a bite of it into his mouth. ]

Then I'll help you out by not giving them to you.

[ A real saint, that petty, shallow, passive-aggressive Jin Jinseok. She's already ugly, at least this way he can save her from being fat, too. ]

That's awfully thoughtful of you.

[ah, there's that dry tone again. good job on making her nominal goodwill evaporate even without voicing all those unkind thoughts about her appearance, dude. even if she can kind of figure it out through his expression - and it still stings, even if it's understandable. Hazel can barely look at herself most days.

she considers once again just letting this drop, but she's never been mature enough for that. instead Hazel immediately goes for the highest form of escalation and gives him a good sharp kick in the shin, hoping that he'll be startled enough to drop most of those stupid waffles.]

[ Hey now, that's totally uncalled for! He may have been thinking horrible things about her trainwreck face, but at least he didn't say them!

Yet.

The kick to the shit doesn't have him dropping his waffles, but he does jolt enough to accidentally smash the one he was eating into his face, getting a whole lot of cream just a little bit... well, everywhere. For the moment before he wipes it off with the heel of his hand, it looks kind of filthy. ]

Yah, isn't it already enough to be ugly on the outside? Nobody will ever love you if you're ugly on the inside, too.

[Hazel's pretty skilled in small victories, and that stupid mess of a face is enough to elicit a chuckle from her. she flashes him a saccharine smile, completely dripping with false innocence.]

I have no idea what you're talking about. You looked like you were holding way too many, so I thought you could use some help!

[ Why are the ugly ones always so terrible? This is why he sticks to the flawless, pretty ones. Nobody pretty has ever been horrible.

Her smile does nothing to make him dislike her any less or go any easier on her; he still looks at her like she's disgusting, with the added bonus now being that he also looks at her like he hates her. Which he does. A lot. ]

Then you are stupid, too?

[ Goddamn. How can one person be so wrong in so many ways? What kind of help is kicking him in the shin, anyway? Also, now his shin just hurts??? What is he supposed to do about this???? ]

Well, I'm not going to argue with the professional in the field.

[she puts her hands up in mock surrender, that facetiously beatific grin slowly sliding into more of a smirk. if he's going to give her those looks she might as well do something to earn them. after all, since when has Hazel ever made smart decisions about escalation?]

[ She thinks she's so clever... He gives her the flattest look imaginable, clearly not impressed by her staggering wit and ugly douchesmirk. ]

I don't want to look at you anymore. You are making my eyes sore.

[ He only wants to talk to the pretty ones, not the ruined ones. He does toss a waffle her way though, because that's what she wants, right? What a charitable boy. ]

Take this and go away.

[she catches it, less because she wants to take handouts from this shitbag and more because she might try and cram it down whatever the nearest available body part of his is later. it's certainly the most weaponized grip anyone's ever had on a waffle, that's for sure.]

Sorry, I only haul my ass out of the way for people who can actually sling some real insults. Or do you think you're actually being clever?

[ Damn, if only it'd hit her in the face and covered that thing up with something more appealing looking. This whole situation is so exasperating. Why can't she just leave already?

He does wish he didn't give her something to hit him with, because he's not a fighter, and he doesn't like to get messy. Fighting people on his behalf was what his security detail was for; he's too much of a coward to do anything but run from his own battles. ]

You are pretty, but your face is ruined. I don't want to see it. Go away. You are ruining my appetite.

[ With shooing hand motions. ]

[she mimics the shooing motions facetiously, staying right where she is. the worst thing to do with Hazel is to let on that you're exasperated, especially when she doesn't like you, and Jinseok has basically ticked all the boxes. at this point she'd probably walk out with him if he tried to leave, just because.]

Nah. I think I'd rather see you barf.

[especially since if her cover story was true, all these stitches would eventually heal up. does he not realize that? christ.]

[ It's tough when you're so handsome that even the uggos won't leave you alone. Clearly Hazel has developed a giant crush on him, and she can't bear not to be around him for even a second. ]

Ah, that's the way it is...

[ It all makes sense now. What a burden his handsomeness is.

How he got that out of her wanting him to throw up, who knows, but clearly his ego is an unstoppable force, and he only hears what he wants to hear. ]

I'm not interested. You can go.

[ Who cares if they'll eventually heal? He'll pursue her then when she's pretty again, as long as there are no marks, and her skin is smooth and soft. ]

I know.

[well, if that's how it's going to be, she might as well play the game of seeing how long she can talk around him before having to spell things out. he seems about as bright as a black hole, so she imagines she can get a decent run out of this.]

The power is in your hands

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