OH MY GOD YOU GUYS

[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. The city of Heropa is what one might expect from a small, bright and cheery place, where 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. An upset voice wonders aloud: "More of them, when we already know they can't protect us? That's just painting a bigger target on the city's back!" However, they're quickly hushed with a judgmental: "They helped save the cities, and it's the Soviets you should be angry with anyway! The imPorts are here to protect us!"

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. Many people are out and about taking care of their regular business, 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 spies. "How can we trust any of them now?"

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania, is not as friendly and its citizens tend to 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 help in overthrowing the trespassers. They don't stop to clarify what they mean, though.

04. Nonah, North Carolina, is the liveliest of all cities; 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.

Comments

[notsheepish]

[Fun fact: The casualness may or may not be feigned.]

Yeah, definitely. But I didn't have much choice in the matter most of those times, so...

[She just shrugs.]

[storyseeker]

Elena Fisher.

[She just picks a direction and starts walking. If this is as much like the America she knows, there will be a Starbucks within a couple of blocks. If it isn't, better to know now what seriously uncharted territory she's in.]

So what's your story? Got any secret yearning to be a superhero, or is this whole thing as inconvenient for you as it is me?

[monster_san]

[Ah, good--as she'd guessed, he was more willing to shake off the crowds to help someone else than for his own sake. Fuu restrains a smile, gotta be believable.]

Thank you, Mr. Sky High--[she bows politely.]--it's this way! [She leads him away with a brisk pace, not running but clearly urgent, towards the best place she can think of: a library. Because, well, that's not a place for huge, noisy gatherings.] In here... this should be better, the librarians are quite strict with noise.

[skyhiiigh]

My John is loyal and diligent! He would come if I called him. He's a good boy.

[He's been trained quite well, for a dog, in any case. Manolo seemed to be quite the upstanding fellow, was he a HERO or was he just another ImPort like himself? Keith of course couldn't make that determination.]

[skyhiiigh]

Miss Fisher it is my pleasure, and my pleasure again to meet you!

[Despite the odd quirk in his speech of repeating himself he took her cue and began walking alongside her, looking over at the quaint cheery town. It was pleasing to the eye, but he's not exactly keen on making a life here. Not to say it wasn't nice enough, but he was reluctant if only because he already had a life back in Sternbild. But the downtown area, at least, had a good many locally owned stores, restaurants, and other businesses, that lent sort of a tourist-like but charming atmosphere. In fact, the coffee shop they might have been searching for appeared to be on the corner.]

Oh. Well. I live in Sternbild, it's a city of Heroes but there are many people there who...are NEXT, and have their own powers. Unfortunately many of them don't exactly put them to good use. So, you might say, I'm sort of...used to this. But never like this, before!

[He can't abide by war, but the protection of citizens came as a priority. If he was asked for help, and mind you, of course he was, he would say yes with conviction.

His smile indicated at least that even if he might have found the circumstances inconvenient, he could remain positive in the situation. He'd help them no matter what.]

[skyhiiigh]

You're welcome, and you're welcome again!

[Putting everyone else's needs above his own came as second-nature to him, which was exactly the reason why, aside from escaping, he was making this his number one priority. It was certainly a welcome excuse to fly away from the demanding crowds in order to help someone in need!

He salutes her and steps forward, his long stride at least helping him keep up with her until they reach the entrance of the library. He thus held the door open and waited for her to go in first before stepping inside, the thankful hush of the building washing over him.

Compared to the crowd who'd been bombarding him from every side, this was definitely a welcome change.]

...Mmm. I see! Then into the library we go!

[vorbarra]

[ A stratocratic government with a false draft that spurs such phrases as 'dog of the military'. It's sounding better and better to Gregor. Yet military governments are a fairly personal topic to him, so this is less abstract than it would be for most people. ]

There hasn't been any repercussions that I've seen for declining, but I'm very much of the view that there's no ducking war, if that's what you mean.

[ This flagrant grumpiness just makes Gregor look at him mildly. ] I'm sure you were the soul of cooperation upon arrival in a strange world surrounded by armed men.

Nonah!

[skyhiiigh]

[Evidently Keith himself was one of those refugees similarly trying to find a quiet place, but given that Hughes was literally next to his table he can't help but want to try and see if he can't get friendly and greet the man. When in Rome, right?

He himself had asked for lemonade rather than coffee, but at least it would seem they had a similar sweet tooth for pie. He'd gotten the cherry.

Evidently the waitress who'd been serving Hughes smiled and happily asked what kind he'd like, penning down his order. The dessert would be free for them, of course. But that was the nature of this fanfare, wasn't it?

Keith smiled at least from his table, seemingly genuinely interested in some form of getting-to-know-you conversation, at least.]

Oh! Hello, and hello again! I'm sorry if I'm disturbing you, are you new here too?

[protects_the_small]

[Well maybe that's only funny when you don't consider horses a mystical creature]

In any case, I don't think you need to worry about being squashed.

[planschange]

Me, I woulda just killed him.

[The statement sounds utterly banal coming from him; there's no trace of anger or pleasure in the thought of murdering a teenager. For him, it's a day that ends in y.]

[He leans over, his arms still crossed.]

But you're the sort of person who finds that sort of thing distasteful. I understand.

[rathercommon]

Nope, sorry.

[ She sounds absurdly cheery. Which probably just makes the process of waking up even worse. And, to add insult to injury, she reaches down and tugs lightly on his tail, like he's a cat and she's some...well, someone pretty unafraid, evidently, since you don't typically want to tug on a cat's tail. ]

You've got to get up. Sorry, sorry. Come on. I've got to chain up the tables. C'mon.

b.

[notsheepish]

Whoa, hey.

[Ruby takes a quick step backwards, eyebrows raised and hands slowly lifting as well in a placating sort of way. She certainly seems surprised, but not particularly concerned about any potential whackings, oddly enough.]

Sorry. We are close enough right here. Message received, loud and clear.

[burningbothends]

[Though Greg hadn't given him a military rank. Doubtless a foreign military rank meant nothing here, but the omission was curious for a presumably life-long officer talking to another officer... Perhaps he'd just been here long enough to drop the habit. It would certainly take Roy a while.

A trained and armed upper class—that likely didn't bode well for the lower class, but Roy had too many problems with his own government to be casting stones. And more pressing concerns in general.]

I wouldn't mind hearing more about it later. For now, if you have any other information you'd find useful for a newcomer in this country, I'd be grateful to hear it.

[irassible]

--Gh!!

[ It's all there: the sudden leaping, the ears all the way back, the puffed up tail. The table-occupier nearly vaults out of his seat, stumbling around the edge of the table to cling to the other side. The mask kind of ruins it, but there's hissing involved, and presumably teeth.

Which is excessively over-dramatic, considering she didn't even pull hard. ]

How dare you! Don't touch me!

[ There also might be some hurt pride involved. ]

[burningbothends]

[YOU'RE RUDE!!

Clumsily, carefully—his hands hurt and he's still reeling hard—he follows the uniform up to Maes's face, feeling the scant beard and the lines of his jaw and his broad cheekbones with another harsh hitch in his chest.]

Damn it—how am I supposed to know it's really you if I can't see you shoving pictures into my face!

[burningbothends]

You can wait ten minutes, unless you want it all splashed across the morning paper!

[burningbothends]

Tch. What absurd, cruel nonsense.

[morethan084]

Well I can't help you in the clothes department since we aren't the same size...

[Daisy trailed off, smiling in amusement at her own stupid joke.

At his offer for her to tag along, Daisy did debate it.]

I'm not sure how welcomed I'll be in there.

2!

[roshambo]

[ Yayoi's going about her business, trying to find out more information about this place, as well as just what sort of superheroes are here to begin with (please have Sun Man, please have Sun Man, please have Sun Man). As such, she's about 75% caught up in her own little world...and doesn't realize that Stocking isn't yelling at her.

So, as Stocking yells at some poor person, Yayoi assumes it's for her, spins around and, with the air of someone who just really doesn't wanna be here and really doesn't wanna do things, starts apologizing. ]

I'm sorry! Um, I don't know what I said but I'm sorry about it anyway!

[deaddy]

[That definitely confirms his suspicions, so he lets Roy feel his face without saying anything. He does smile at the complaint, though.]

Speaking of. Apparently this place gets you special powers when you're brought here. Three guesses what one of mine is--first two don't count.

[rathercommon]

Oh!

[ She jumps back, startled at the sheer sudden ferocity of that response. A hand comes up to her lips; her eyebrows rise; she stares, wide-eyed. A moment, though, and her eyebrows settle back down, and her hand leaves her lips. ]

Sorry. Would you mind letting go of this table? I need to tie it up so that it doesn't get stolen. We're closing for the afternoon.

2, he's not even in this game but /slams into

[galvanist]

[ Why hell yeah Dr. Whale is signing autographs, he's Dr. Whale: apparently a hero now and look at all these people who like him for doing absolutely nothing. Granted, most of them are kids but kids have older sisters (or single mothers, he's not going to be picky). And look at him being so charming with children, maybe those older sisters or single mothers might want to grab a drink or something later.

He's just enjoying lapping up all the attention when who should show up but Regina. Great. Abandoning the small child he had been signing an autograph for, Whale walked over to Regina ]

Well, look what the cat dragged in. [ a small shrug, before he just continues talking. ] This is what, the third time I've been shoved to a different world with you? It's getting old.

[ At least he knows that this isn't Regina's fault this time (though let's be real, he spent the first ten minutes thinking it was somehow Regina's fault). ]

[irassible]

[ One ear twitches reflexively at the word imperial, but he goes on without a change, responding: ]

Call me Six.

[ A pause, and then he good-naturedly gives Yuu a sharp salute, with four fingers parallel to his forehead. ]

Second Storm Lieutenant with the Maelstrom, for what it's worth in this gods-forsaken realm.

[burningbothends]

Just a step below the rank of General.

[irassible]

[ A certain someone lifts his chin, one hand on his hip. He gives his TV partner a look up and down, then goes on, confidently: ]

Your size, and a head or three more.

[ Not to boast, buuuuuttt.... ]

And as big as this building.

[ He makes a careless hand gesture toward the shop itself, a respectable three-story with the store on the bottom and likely apartments on top. ]