MOM CAN YOU DROP ME OFF? (IN RUSSIA?)

[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! If you'd like, take a look at our ATP post!

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. 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 welcome you to their fair city. 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? Why if they weren't around, I bet the Soviets--" These naysayers may, however, find themselves hushed with a judgmental: "You couldn't do what they do even if you had powers. They don't have to help us, you know!"

02. 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?"

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania, is normally known for being a little more on the apathetic side, but there's been tension in the atmosphere lately, contrasted by headlines broadcasting petty, unimportant local news and no worldly news.

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 thank them for their hard work. They don't stop to clarify what they mean, though.

04. 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. Advertisements are abound for imPorts to make appearances at various, televised celebrations, luring them in with promises of free food, merchandise, 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

[coppelganger]

[ Oh. Yeah. Suddenly that makes perfect sense. ]

Hey, I get it. Speaking as a fellow fuck-up and all.

[ She really, really gets it. Even not knowing the details. ]

[helladoomed]

[That gets a chuckle from Chloe, and she doesn't speak for maybe twenty seconds, just walking along.]

Well then, sister in fucked-uppery, I'm Chloe.

[coppelganger]

Sarah. Nice to meet you.

[helladoomed]

Sarah, cool. Gonna be here honest here, I just kind of followed you cause you helped me out.

[She smirks.]

So where're we actually goin'?

[coppelganger]

Oh, uh. I actually live around here.

[ Sarah points to what looks like an apartment complex up ahead. ]

If you want a drink or something, you're welcome to come up.

[helladoomed]

Oh. Shit. Uh.

[Well, Chloe wishes she could say 'I followed someone home' was the a first for her but, well, she had a bad boy phase...]

You sure? I doubt you were plannin' on picking up a stray today.

[coppelganger]

Hey, if I wasn't sure, I wouldn't have asked.

[ She probably would have offered to buy Chloe a drink at an actual bar instead, since she has a feeling she could use one after what sounds like the weirdest week ever and then getting dumped in a whole new universe, but she's not sure about the bars around here serving someone underage, even if they are an imPort. ]

[helladoomed]

[Chloe seemed to think it over for a minute, then shrugged and grin.]

Sure, why the hell not. Better than standing around here waiting for someone to offer me another job.

[coppelganger]

Oh, trust me, that's never gonna stop.

[ Sarah leads the way up to her apartment and unlocks the door. It's pretty spartan in its decoration, but there are a couple pictures hanging in the living room—one of Sarah and her daughter and an autographed picture of Joe Strummer. Priorities! ]

[helladoomed]

I guess there are worse things to be than employed. Probably.

[Not that she could think of any. She flicked her cig onto the ground and stomped it out before she followed Sarah inside, and once she was inside the apartment she paused in the doorway, surveying the place. Sarah seemed cool, but Chloe had been in enough unfortunate places that she had her usual 'check the place for signs of murderhole.']

[It was the picture of the kid, more than the rock god, that settled her nerves, and she stood in front of it for a moment, smiling to herself.]

Cute kid. She yours?

[coppelganger]

Yeah. That's Kira.

[ Sarah smiles at the picture as she passes it, but it's a sad kind of smile. ]

So I've got juice, beer, water... [ She also has bourbon, but there's a limit to her hospitality. ]

[helladoomed]

Beer! Long as you don't mind corrupting a young and impressionable woman.

[Biggest smirk ever. But that sad smile has her hesitate, and she turned back to the picture of Kira.]

...So she's not here, I'm guessing?

[coppelganger]

I've got a feeling you've already been corrupted by worse shit than this. [ She says this as she goes to the fridge and grabs two bottles, then walks back over to Chloe and hands one of them to her. ]

No, she's not. [ She's not even at home-home, either. She's in Iceland, safe from all of Sarah's crap. ]

[helladoomed]

I don't know what you're talking about, of course. [Chloe puts on the most innocent expression she can, which isn't innocent at all, as she takes the bottle and turns back to the picture.]

That must be so weird. I'm sorry.

[coppelganger]

It's... [ Well, she can't say it's okay, but... ] She's better off.

[helladoomed]

[Chloe doesn't know enough about any of this to know what to say, really. Which has never stopped her before.]

Yeah maybe but it sucks, right?

[coppelganger]

Yeah. It sucks.

[ Sarah sits down on the couch and props her feet (boots and all) up on the coffee table, eyeing Chloe. ]

[helladoomed]

[Chloe doesn't follow, just looking at the picture still, trying to sort through her thoughts as she takes a swig of her beer. Her turn from the picture was abrupt, boots thumping as she carried herself across the apartment to the window, then halfway back, not quite pacing. Okay.]

So like...[She starts, stops, groans, then sighs and takes another drink.]

You gonna throw me out of I ramble about shit for a second?

[coppelganger]

What? No, go on.

[ She takes a drink of her beer, waiting. Sarah's not going to kick some kid out on the street, especially after she's the one who invited her back here in the first place, and especially not when it sounds like she's been through a lot. ]

[helladoomed]

Right. ...Okay. [Give her a second here. Also more beer apparently, that bottle is clearly half-gone already.]

So like, when I woke up those scientist chumps said that their machine had brought me here from home, right? And they didn't know how to send me back, but they were working on it.

And I thought...[She shrugs.] You know, humoring the dead girl so she doesn't freak out. Clearly they're hella nicer than me, right?

But. I heard other people, like us, uh...imports...out on the street talking about wanting to go home. Home. And you.

[She points at her with the beer bottle.]

You've got a kid you're clearly hoping to see again. It's in the eyes when you look at the picture.

So. [Another swig.] It's just me, isn't it. You're all still alive. Chloe Price pulling the shitty hand again.

[coppelganger]

[ Oh... shit. Fuck. She gets to her feet and then stands there awkwardly holding her beer, not sure if she should try to approach Chloe or not. She knows when she was that age (and let's be real, even today) she'd probably try to punch anyone who got too close to her in a situation like this. ]

Hey... no, listen. It's not just you. I swear it's not. [ She sets her beer down on the table and takes a step forward. ] Yeah, I'm alive. But there are other imPorts who are... at home, they're. [ You know. Dead. ]

[helladoomed]

[Chloe visibly tenses up when she steps near her, but doesn't move away, just frowning with this tired, slightly angry look.]

You're just-

[She was going to say Sarah was just trying to make her feel better, but the girl didn't seem like the type to sugar coat it. Not so far, anyway. Not that Chloe was the best judge of people.]

Fuck. So it's not just me...but it's mostly just me.

[coppelganger]

Mostly. I'm sorry.

[ Sarah scratches the back of her head, still not sure what to do. ]

I don't know what happened back home, but... you've got options.

[helladoomed]

[Chloe's anger faded as she looked at the older woman, who clearly wanted to help and couldn't. Rather than snap at her, the teen sucked in a breath, then drank the rest of her beer in one gulp.]

Options sound nice. Let's start off with another beer, if that's cool?

[She offered what was probably a tired grin.]

[coppelganger]

[ Well, okay, that's a better reaction than Sarah had been anticipating. She nods and heads to the fridge to grab another beer. ]

Sure. So, uh. If you need a place to stay the night, or—I dunno. I know they give you assigned housing, but that shit wasn't for me. S'why I moved in here.