DAD BOD MAKE WAY FOR TUXEDO BOD

[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. A snippy voice wonders aloud: "My taxes are going to their parties and other expenses? When are they going to do something for us for a change?" These naysayers may, however, find themselves hushed with a judgmental: "Didn't you hear about that attack? They saved all those puppies! I hope you donated to ShareTheLove too."

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 and an incident involving gas. "Biological warfare... we sure some of them haven't defected?"

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. On local newsstands will be headlines reading: "Maurtia Falls: Home To Vampire Infestations?", and people will be heard muttering fearfully about the vampires, though one or two can be heard saying, "But that imPort is taking care of her own, right? That pretty one, with the horns. Good on her."

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 mutter under their breaths resentfully about "vigilantes". However, not all locals turn the other way seeing imPorts; some of them will offer a polite enough smile and compliment them for quick thinking at the last Swear-In. They don't stop to clarify what they mean, though.

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. As the New Year approaches, advertisements are abound for imPorts to make appearances at various, televised celebrations, luring them in with promises of free food, festivities, and payment. ImPort action figures and merchandise are on sale now, and every corner's coffee shop is still serving festive peppermint goods of every shape and form.

Comments

[microbrobotics]

Awesome. I did pretty well with the prints Akito gave me, but it's not quite right? Lemme get it out.

[ He doesn't move, just sort of frowns a bit as his eyes defocus. Then spare parts come floating out of his backpack, including a mostly-assembled set of A-T. Tools follow it, until he's basically got a 3-D lab floating in midair between them.

Meanwhile the machine in his backpack purrs faintly. He definitely pulled more out of his pack than would normally fit in there. ]

[learntofly]

[She frowns in confusion, the look quickly fading into surprise and disbelief. How was he—was this real? Was she dreaming?!]

What the hell is this? Some kind of wire trick?!

[microbrobotics]

[ Oh. Right. New import. ]

-- Superpowers! I call it technokinesis. Pretty cool, right?

[learntofly]

It's super cool! Does it only work on parts and tools? Do you even need tools if you can move the parts around like this??

[microbrobotics]

Um ... depends? Not stuff like wrenches and screwdrivers, but it's pretty hard to solder things just by moving them.

And it's pretty much anything mechanical.

[learntofly]

I wish I had a cool skill like that. I would've been able to do so much more . . .

[Wait. Wasn't she supposed to be doing something now?]

Um. So, what is it you're still having trouble with?

[microbrobotics]

-- oh yeah, the core. Or well, the power source. I'm having issues retrofitting something to work right.

[ He pulls up the parts he's tried already. ]

-- I've got more junk in here too, so tell me if you just wanna start pulling stuff out.

[learntofly]

Retrofitting . . . Things here have really advanced that far?

[She reaches out for the nearest part, tapping on it with a fingernail and listening intently for the sound it makes.]

[microbrobotics]

[ Hiro gladly shifts more parts over for her to tap on until she finds something she likes. ]

Uh ... kind of? They have hover tech, which is sort of new to me? But they're way behind in other places. I'm from 2032, sooo ...

[learntofly]

[She continues working her way through the parts, reaching out now and then to tap the A-T themselves to compare sounds, but—]

—Actual hover tech? Like out of movies?!

[microbrobotics]

Ohhhh yeah. Here, lemme get mine.

[ He floats a hoverboard out of his backpack too for her inspection. A board and two hoverpads on the bottom, yep. ]

[learntofly]

[Holy crap. She's just got to abandon the A-T for a minute in favor of running her fingers across this piece of real life sci-fi tech in front of her now.]

Ikki is going to lose his mind over this . . .

[microbrobotics]

-- Is he here too? Akito's mentioned him.

[learntofly]

Yep. I found him diving off of a skyscraper earlier.

[She says that with about the same level of concern as she might say the sky is blue. And turns her attention back to the different A-T parts, sorting a couple of them out to consider more carefully.]

[microbrobotics]

-- he did what?

[learntofly]

Jumped off a skyscraper. He said it was some kind of training or something.

[microbrobotics]

............ is he dead?

[learntofly]

What? No, something like that doesn't have a chance of killing him. Not as long as he's got his A-T on.

[microbrobotics]

From a skyscraper though?

[learntofly]

It's basically kid's play for a stormrider at his level.

[She seems to finally settles on one of the parts, humming softly to herself and nudging it in Hiro's direction.]

I think this one might work best.

[microbrobotics]

Not gonna lie, that seems pretty cool ... I mean, I've been up that high too, but I had a robot to fly on.

[ Ooooh. He takes the part and works for a moment, fitting it into place. ]

[learntofly]

You have a flying robot?

[She's watching that intently. Definitely just to see how it fits in. Not at all worried she might have picked the wrong part. (She's pretty sure she chose right. 95% sure at least.)]

[microbrobotics]

Back home, yeah. I built him. Here I'm working on a flying suit.

[ Seems to be working well - Hiro seems pleased anyway, especially when he starts it up. The A-T still isn't done but it's closer now. ]

[learntofly]

That's amazing . . . There's a robot back home, but he's not able to fly. . . . I think.

[Lets out a little sigh of relief.]

[microbrobotics]

... Um. Is flying a bad thing?