QUIT RUNNING IN THE HOUSE

[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 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 Flordia 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.

Comments

[khajidont]

"Cool," he says, and it sounds like he genuinely means that. His natural sense of curiosity is mitigated only by the good manners beaten into him, which means he doesn't ask anything else - or at least, not yet.

He reaches out, accepting Jacob's proffered hand. "I'm Jaime. Nice to meet you." He throws a look behind him, though the kids are now nowhere to be seen. "It's a good thing for them that you were around."

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"Good meeting you too, Jaime." Jacob gives Jaime's hand a strong squeeze and a couple good shakes before letting go. "Yeah, we got lucky. I hope the cops catch whoever they were chasing. I'm gonna follow up at the station later, find out what that was about."

He shakes his head. It's technically not his problem and probably not his business, but Jacob is inclined to see this through. He wants to find out what the story is behind the near-tragedy he and Jaime just witnessed. "Whoever was in that car had to be desperate."

[khajidont]

"I guess. Or they really, really didn't want to go to jail. You think the cops'll actually tell you, though?"

Jaime's not so sure. The police were happy enough to cooperate with Blue Beetle, but he's pretty sure they don't just divulge that information to anyone that asks, even if they are branded a hero. He rubs his thumb against the tattoo a little absently, considering what it means.

"I feel like that'd be breaking some kind of confidentiality law."

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"Maybe." Jacob shrugs. "But the way I see it, I just did them a favour. It wouldn't have looked good for them if kids got killed during one of their pursuits. Hopefully that'll cut through some of the red tape. Besides, the tattoo says I'm part of law enforcement. That has to count for something."

He rotates his own wrist, flexing the skin the words are branded upon. Jacob is generally one of those people who firmly values the spirit of the law above its letter. Regulations that can never be bent are more likely to be part of the problem than the solution, in his experience.

"If I do go down there, can I ask you to vouch for me?" He asks. "You're one of the only witnesses to what just happened, besides the kids. It might help."

[khajidont]

"Personally, I'm hoping it doesn't," Jaime says, offering Jacob a wry smile. "I'm not sure how picky they were with who they brought here."

It would be a failed system if they let just anyone who got ported in here have some sort of authority over the people who had been living here their entire lives. Jaime's not exactly going to argue with anything that's going to be making his life easier, but in his heart of hearts, he thinks that a little more than a few superpowers and a tattoo slapped on you is needed to go out there and be a part of law enforcement.

"But sure, I'll vouch for you. I'm kinda curious myself."

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"Good point. They're not being too careful about it, are they?" Jacob frowns a bit and rubs the back of his head. "I've seen a lot of civilians around. Kids, even. You don't ask people like that to be heroes. It's not smart, and it's not right."

Jacob could write a paper about his issues with the Porter-military-registration system he's been exposed to here- at least, if he was the kind of person who wrote papers instead of just speaking his mind. The abductions, the danger, the branding... none of it sits well with him. But this is the situation he's in, and he just has to adapt to it. Part of that involves throwing around what weight he has here.

"I appreciate the help," he says. "I'll probably head down there in an hour or so. There should be more information available then. I'll let you know. You've got a communicator, right?"