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

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"Lucky for them, I guess. They get to miss out on all the smoke and mirrors." Once Shepard's back on his feet, Jacob steps back and looks him over. The Commander looks good, if wet and a bit less buff than when he and Jacob were running around the Galaxy taking down Collectors. "Can you believe this tattoo crap? It's like they're drafting us. And the people here treat us like celebrities for some reason."

Jacob looks at the glowing blue words on his own wrist as though he could burn them off through the force of his glare. When that doesn't work, he looks back at Shepard. "Guess a draft could be a step up from house arrest, though. Heard they grounded you back on Earth." His tone of voice indicates just what Jacob thinks of that. Whichever politicians and bureaucrats decided to rake the first human Spectre over the coals for his heroic actions are now squarely on Jacob's shit list.

[sassguard]

There's a joke to be made about waking up to unexpected tattoos not exactly being a new thing for him, but Cerberus wiped that history off his skin. Now you know what I felt like, is a quip that almost comes out of Shepard's mouth, even if a tattoo is nothing compared to finding out practically your entire skeleton has been refurbished... but whatever grievances he has with Cerberus, it doesn't necessarily extend to its personnel. Making it to the other side of a suicide mission and a blown-up Collector's Base together means Jacob deserves more than cheap shots, so Shepard just shrugs, exhaling his frustration.

"They did." He'd known that would be the score, but it hadn't stopped him from pointing the nose of the Normandy to head right back to the Alliance -- though he hadn't expected anyone else to come along for the ride.

"At least this place has better better beds than the Alliance. Real food." Yet the way his lip curls suggests he doesn't exactly see that as a fair tradeoff.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

"Silver linings, huh?" Jacob snorts gently. "A break from the mess hall is always nice." He would gladly take a lousy situation in his own universe over the odd butt-kissing ImPorts get from their 'hosts' here, and he knows the Commander would do the same. The battles they fight back home may be impossible, but at least they are their own battles. Being able to choose what he fights for is non-negotiable for Jacob. A conscript with perks is still a conscript.

He looks over away from Shepard, further up the beach. "Why don't you walk with me for a bit? I'll get you a hot dog or something. I saw a cart nearby." A mild smile starts to slide over his face. "It might be risky. Lots of volleyballs around here. But don't worry Commander, I'll keep you covered from any more crossfire."

[sassguard]

"You know me. Always looking on the bright side," Shepard deadpans. At the prospect of food, though, he noticeably perks up at the prospect of food, enough to let the comment about volleyballs slide. Food's still the fastest way to get on a biotic's good side, and even if Shepard hasn't exactly been burning up the calories on charges, his metabolism hasn't slowed down any.

He's already on the move, taking point comfortably even if it was Jacob's suggestion in the first place. It wasn't really like Shepard to let someone else lead, even when there weren't any hostile to take out in front of them.

[darkpants_warmfeeling]

Jacob falls in behind Shepard out of deep-ingrained habit, adopting the same kind of rear flanking position he would have if they were on reconnaissance on a hostile world. He's good with following, comfortable with it. Supporting and protecting others, backing them up- that's what Jacob wants to be all about.

"You know, we'd better hope the Reapers never find out about that ball. If it took you out, imagine what they might do with it. Could be a superweapon."

Even if he has a somewhat special way of displaying it, sometimes.

They're coming up on a hot dog cart now, gleaming under the sun. Jacob jogs ahead of Shepard to place an order for them both. The biotic appetite is one thing they share, even if Jacob's body doesn't require nearly as much fuel as a Vanguard's walking battering ram. The ImPorts' tattoos aren't as visible in bright light as they would be in the dark, but they're still apparent enough that the vendor tells them their hot dogs are on the house- anything for new heroes. Jacob shakes his head and pulls out a couple bills (money made of paper- another adjustment to this strange century).

"I appreciate the gesture, but I'm paying full price. I insist."