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

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Uh. [Chloe steps back once Max does, suddenly feeling awkward as hell cause...well, she was not expecting to see her again. Excited, thrilled, but awkward.]

Like...two days. They just dropped me off here a couple hours ago, been doing the walk around thing.

Uh.

[Hold on.]

Hang on. Why are you here? I mean...[A beat.] You fixed...everything. Did something happen?

Are you living anywhere? Like, did they put you in housing?

No. Well, yes. It's this place. I've heard of it doing shit like this before.

Uh yeah...they did. I haven't gone by or anything. [She shrugged. Hadn't really decided how she felt about being 'given' a place to stay, yet.]

I crashed with some lady named Sarah last night, she was pretty cool.

[A frown.]

That's not really an answer, Max.

Look, if you need a place to stay, come by mine. We'll figure something out.

Sarah? [She knows a Sarah. Well, not really.]

Yeah, something's happened. A lot. [She doesn't even know where to start.]

Uh. [Living with Max. She couldn't decide if that sounded awesome or not, which was a weird thought.]

Yeah. Uh...brown hair, older than us? Kind of a punk.

[Chloe thought she was really cool.]

Right. ...How long have you been here, Max?

At least until you figure something out, okay?

[She doesn't want Chloe to stay anywhere unsafe - which is pretty much the entire planet, but. Baby steps.]

Yeah, I thought so. I've spoken to her once or twice over the network.

[A pause.]

Since November.

...Sure, Max. That sounds cool. [She grinned. It did, really.]

[A grin that faded at that next bit. November. And it was January now...]

Huh. I guess comin' back from the dead takes hella longer or something...

[She looks like she wants to say something else, but ends up just smiling weakly and reaching up to kind of scratch awkwardly behind her head.]

Not really, from what I've heard. Who gets picked and when seems to be pretty random.

[Max adjusts her wrist straps. And look, one of hers matches Chloe's! ~~Spoiler alert: it is Chloe's.~~]

Mm. Maybe.

[At least Chloe had already figured out that it wasn't just dead people, which is why she wasn't freaking out that Max was here. Max just...had bad luck. And Chloe had good luck. Which...was a weird reversal.]

[And more than she was really prepared to deal with, since she was suddenly fishing a pack of cigarettes from her pocket and pulling one out.]

So, uh. Three months, huh? How's...Shit. Max. [She started, stopped, and just kind of stood there for a minute, cigarette between her fingers, looking at her best friend.]

I have no idea what I am supposed to be saying. Or asking. Or anything.

Yeah, maybe.

[Ew, she's smoking. ~~At least switch to e-cigs!~~]

You get used to it. Get this: it's still the Cold War here.

[Well, not so cold any more.]

[She is stress smoking Max. And it's not lit yet she just has it in her mouth.]

[Wait.]

...what like Russians and nukes and JFK and shit?

[Welcome to everything Chloe knows about the cold war.]

Pretty much. Except for JFK. It's all bullshit.

[And it's just starting to get terrifying.]

Well that's...that is hella weird.

[That's about the only way she can really process strange-ass news like that.]

So...uh. You okay? How's...living, I guess? Life? Whatever.

Hella weird doesn't even begin to cover it.

[A pause. She's a terrible liar, but she also doesn't want to worry over Chloe.]

I'm mostly okay. Crazy shit happens here, though.

[A lot.]

[Okay. Chloe is getting over her initial shock, which means she's starting to feel a bit more like herself, which means...being reassuring! When she's not mad.]

Hey, you should be great at that, right? Crazy shit's old hat for us by now, especially for Supermax, right?

Not crazy shit of this variety, Chloe.

Speaking of which, did you get superpowers when you arrived?

Pretty sure nothing is crazier than that tornado, Max.

[What? Oh right.]

They said I did. [She fishes her folder out of her back pocket. It's kind of crumpled and squished. She offers it out to Max. The superpower section lists 'Substance Abuse' and 'Butterflies'.]

I figured they were just makin' shit up.

Believe me, Chloe. There are lots of things crazier than that tornado.

They're not. You're super-powered, now. Just like me.

Huh. [Chloe can't help but grin.] "Super-Chloe', huh? I guess you couldn't keep the monopoly forever.

[She looks at the pamphlet again.]

So uh...any idea how to turn them on? Or what they mean? Or if it's just supposed to be insulting?

[Cause, 'substance abuse?' Really?]

And we're not the only ones, either. Everybody who gets pulled here gets them.

I don't, sorry. I got pulled in here with the same powers I've had, pretty much.

Well. Hopefully I'll figure it out in a less extreme way than you did, right?

[She tries to grin, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes.]

I hope so. And you've got to practice your powers, too. Remember how I had to get used to mine?

Yeah. How're those nosebleeds anyway?

[A quick, searching check of Max, as if looking for signs of her power. And then a beat.]

...And big storms here?

Not too bad. I've only gotten one once, so far.

[But it was a pretty bad once.]

None. Don't worry, I'm being careful.

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

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