The power is in your hands

[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

[microbrobotics]

[ They have a way of making massive, immediate pains of themselves, that's for sure. And who knows what other tricks the kid might have up his sleeve. ]

Same time. Infected zombie dragon trying to burn down the whole city.

You don't sound super surprised.

[timeshares]

[The infected bit actually seems to get quite a bit of his attention. Usually monsters didn't really HAVE undead counterparts... Normally he'd ask what someone did to piss of Hades THAT much but... well. Not like that's here.]

It wouldn't be the first time I've fought either of them, though it's sounding like things work by different rules...

Hey, mind if I grab a seat?

[microbrobotics]

Little bit, yeah. Way different from where I come.

[ He's well past the point where he has much to say on that specific point; it's hard to get by in a place like this without adjusting. As for that second question, he nods cheerfully enough and sweeps his hand over the parts. They realign himself neatly to only take up half of the table, all without him having to touch anything. ]

[timeshares]

[That's impressive, actually. A half smile tugs at his face, watching that a moment, before he grabs the seat opposite Hiro.]

Name's Luke.

... So where you're from, zombies and dragons are out, but magically controlling robots is a norm?

[microbrobotics]

Hiro Hamada. Nice to meet you.

[ He grins a little more at that comment. He's never one to resist showing off a bit, especially to someone obviously brand new like this guy ... ]

Nah, that part's new too ... or at least, doing it without a neuro-cranial transmitter is. Because we have those. I invented them.

[timeshares]

[He really can't help reaching out and poking at one of the bots.]

So. Telekenesis. You invented a super power.

[microbrobotics]

More or less, yeah.

[ With more limitations, but the theory is roughly the same. He sure does love being able just have a superpower instead though. ]

You sound like magic's more the norm where you come from.

[timeshares]

Eh. I wouldn't exactly call it a norm.

...

Though automatons aren't exactly unknown either. Knew a few kids who could just put their hands on a machine and know everything about it. Make, model, how to work it. [Mimics Hiro's earlier gesture. Of course, nothing happens.] Pretty impressive stuff.

[microbrobotics]

Automatons? What, robots?

[ Even he can't just put his hands on something and know everything about it here ... That's what his brother's for. So he looks sufficiently awed by Luke's description. ]

And - what, no poking around? Just touching? C'mon, they've gotta at least take it apart.

[timeshares]

I'm not even lying. Though you can hardly keep one of them from taking it apart anyway to improve it.

Usually with extra fire.

And traps to keep people from playing with it. That part's fun, anyway.

[microbrobotics]

[ Look at this kid's face light up. He's already coming up with ideas for the next time he leaves StarkTech for a while. That'll teach Wally to put all his stuff in jello ... ]

What kinds of traps are we talking here? ... what kind of tech?

[timeshares]

[This is such a bad idea.

Luke leans forward, both hands gesturing.]

Depends on what you want to do.

I mean, if you just want to catch someone, there's plenty of things that can do that. The trick is to have it coming from an angle people don't expect.

Someone touches something they know they shouldn't, they look back around them, to the sides, even the thing itself. Which means something that locks their feet in place or grabs them is pretty effective. Then hey, just paint them glow in the dark with indelible ink, toss in some glitter for panache and enjoy the show.

Of course, you'd have to account for a variety of size and speed... but hey, what's a project without a challenge.

[microbrobotics]

Challenge? Pffft, that's barely a challenge. I could do that in my sleep.

[ He says, never having tried it. But the blueprints are practically drawing themselves in his head now. ]

I can build just about anything.

[timeshares]

Anything?

[microbrobotics]

Oh yeah. Lay it on me. Bet I can do it better than your magic dudes from back home.

[timeshares]

I don't know, I've seen one guy build an intelligent, fire breathing dragon automation. It lives on motor oil and Tabasco sauce, apparently. We weren't allowed near it after the first incident....

That's gonna be hard to beat.

Invisibility out of your range?

[microbrobotics]

That's just a robot. A fancy robot.

[ That he's impressed wtih all the same - maybe he'll make his next version of Baymax with dragon armor like that - but the invisibility question arrests his attention. ]

Well, yeah. There's material that can bend light back home, so you mostly just need enough of it. Or you can manage it with cameras.

[timeshares]

That's back home. Back home I could get someone to curse you into only being able to walk on the walls and talk in iambic pentameter.

What about here?

[microbrobotics]

[ He looks confused for a moment. Iambic what now? ]

Didn't I just tell you? It's totally doable. Same concept as a hologram, just with different processing. You're lucky I've got my equipment for that with me right now.

[timeshares]

[Messing with Apollo's kids is always fun and games until you get caught.]

I'll believe it when I see it. I've never seen it without magic.

[microbrobotics]

Luddite. Gimme a sec.

[ This time, he doesn't even move his hands. The robot in pieces on his side of the table starts to reassemble itself seamlessly, each piece sliding back into place like snapping into a groove. Within a few moments, there's a tiny robot skeleton with various module plugged into it ... which abruptly shift into a whole, rather squshy-looking white robot. Holograms with a physical weight to them. It's even squishy if you poke it. ]

Gimme a minute to adjust some things. And don't mess with anything or you'll regret it.

[timeshares]

[So he MIGHT have been reaching out to touch it.. the warning is heeded immediately and automatically. Both hands lifted into the classic "surrender" or more accurately "Who me? Couldn't be," pose.]

... Oddly cute.

[microbrobotics]

[ Smooth, Luke. Hiro shoots him a glance like "I'm watching you" before shrugging. ]

My brother's design, originally. I like 'em more streamlined.

[ He adjusts something invisibly - and the bot's form changes to something hard, armored, and red, with wings on the back. ]

[timeshares]

So there's two of you mad mechanical scientists. Good to know.

[.... Something that can look like anything. Frankly, this is WAY more useful than invisibility.]

Definitely cooler looking.

[microbrobotics]

[ Anything, as long as it's been pre-programmed and built in, anyway. These were two presets Hiro had set up already. For anything else... He studies the bot for a moment, thoughtfully. ]

'course. There's a whole company of us, really. StarkTech collects the best and the brightest.

[ Yep, definitely a question of programming. He sweeps everything that isn't the bot into his backpack for safekeeping, using that same technokinesis trick from earlier. ]