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

kitty winter | elementary

[alsogood]

a. wherever you are

[ There's a young woman standing on the doorstep to a home, an apartment, it doesn't matter. It might be your door, it might not. She's staring intently at the knob. Or is it the lock? In her hands, she's playing with what looks like a hair tie. Maybe a rubber band? She's rotating it around her forefingers, snapping it with her thumb every few seconds. It's methodical. Two rotations, snap. Three rotations, snap. Two rotations, snap. Three rotations-- ]

I can see you there.

[ She doesn't turn her head, but it's pretty clear she's addressing you. Innocent bystander? Poor soul who just wants to get back into their home? Whatever the answer, she's not moving. ]

b. on the street, any city.

[ So, this is pretty much insane. Full-on bonkers. In more familiar vernacular, it's mental. She's mental for buying into it. And, she's forced to admit, she'd be climbing the walls if she stayed in and thought about it too much. So, she's wandering the streets and thinking about it too much, if the intense look on her face is anything to go by. She makes for an interesting image in her leather jacket and tattered jeans, clutching the handle of her bag in both hands.

You might not even get that close, but if you come within a range she deems to be too much so for her comfort and don't have super-speed or enhanced reflexes of some sort, there's a chance you're going to come face to face with Kitty and her telescoping baton. ]

Don't come any closer. [ It's possible she's bluffing and she won't whack you with the baton. It's also possible that she is not. ]

c. here and there, any city.

[ Kitty chooses out-of-the-way locations for her observations. Experiments. Whatever you want to call them. She's not really sure what to call them herself. All she knows is that it's vital she become more familiar with herself and her surroundings. Seems she's taking quite well to her mentor's training.

So, hey, you may walk down an alley or round a corner or find yourself on a rooftop and be met with the sight of a young woman walking in circles around... herself... while reading from a file folder that also contains the informative pamphlet all imPorts receive on arrival. ]

d. wildcard

[ Want something different? Hit me! Also: Permissions for Kitty. ]

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.

[alsogood]

[ Kitty remains very still for a moment, eyes traveling up and down in assessment of her would-be "attacker." Cautiously, she takes a half-step back, though she does not lower the baton immediately. ] You weren't following me.

[ It's not a question. It's an observation. Now, she lowers the baton. ]

It's on me to apologize. I'm sorry. I guess I'm a bit-- [ She purses her lips for a split second. ] jumpy.

[notsheepish]

[As she lowers her hands and slips them into her back pockets, Ruby laughs the whole thing off, but the sound is wry and more an attempt at laughing with her than at her.]

It's fine. I think maybe this place brings that sort of thing out in people.

[There's a pause as she raises an eyebrow and glances around briefly.]

Unless you think somebody is actually following you? Does that sort of thing happen around here often?

[alsogood]

[ Kitty remains still another short moment, then, with a flick of her wrist, she collapses the baton and it disappears into her bag again. Her body language does not noticeably relax. However, she does offer a cursory sort of smile. ]

Tailing someone is a good way to get information about them. [ She lets her eye follow the path Ruby's took. ] I wouldn't expect it to be exclusive to here.

[ Something about the way she says 'here' implies a definite 'there.' ] I don't think, per se, but I try to always be open to the possibility.

[ Yes, says everyone, that explains the baton. ]

[notsheepish]

[She may have only spent about five minutes as a detective, but Ruby has years of experience as a tracker. In contrast to her casual demeanor, there's something keen in the way she looks around and which details her gaze pauses on briefly... at least to those with the eye for such things.]

Yeah, I guess. It's not hard to get used to looking over your shoulder.

[She shrugs, moving past that particular memory lane.]

But stuff like that is less necessary in some places than others, and I'm still trying to figure out what kind of place this one is. Especially with an entrance like that one, right?

[alsogood]

[ Kitty's mentor would've noticed that right away. Kitty has the benefit of his training and superpowers, but both are relatively new to her, so it'll take longer for her to put any relevant pieces together. She has her hands on her bag again, apparently at the ready for anything else that causes... jumpiness. ]

No, it's not. [ She is decidedly open to the idea of not lingering there either. ]

You've not been here long? [ That one is a question. But it's also another observation, too. Kitty tugs on her bag, looking around again. ] It's a lot to take in.

[notsheepish]

It definitely is.

[She takes in a deep breath, then shakes her head as she slowly lets it out.]

To be honest, this is the biggest city I've ever been in. Like, in my whole life. Is that embarrassing?

[alsogood]

[ Kitty's brows rise slightly, but then relax again shortly afterward. ]

Not embarrassing, no. A little unusual, maybe. I can imagine that'd have the potential to be rather disorienting.

[ A beat, then she raises a hand and taps her chest. ] Kitty. Kitty Winter.

[notsheepish]

Ruby. But my friends call me Red.

[She's grinning now, one eyebrow cocked teasingly.]

And I saw that. You're totally judging me for my small-town-girl-ness. That's not very nice, you know.

[alsogood]

A pleasure. [ Her smile grows fractionally, more good-natured than not. ]

I'm from London, living in New York. I could easily be judged for just the opposite: big-city-girl-ness, as it were. [ Now her smile has been brightened up a notch, her physical demeanor shifts downward incrementally. Somewhat more relaxed, but still alert. ]

[notsheepish]

[Well, it's enough for Ruby to feel pretty pleased with herself!]

Nice. I always wanted to go there someday. I mean, I've done a bit of travelling, but not as much as I'd hoped, and never to any big cities like that.

[alsogood]

Lucky then, that it's pretty easy to travel here? [ She gestures vaguely with her forefinger, though her hand is still holding onto her bag. The gesture seems to indicate the larger world around them, rather than the immediate boundaries of the city they're currently in. ]

Once you find your feet, might not be a bad thought.

a

[pawdonnemoi]

[She's not in front of Adrien's door but he does find it odd that she's just standing there, staring at the door. He's not sure if he should approach her or walk away. Her notice of him, however, makes up his mind for him.]

Ah... Did you forget your keys?

[alsogood]

[ Kitty draws her hands together, thus collapsing the structure of her rubber band into one of her hands. She closes her fingers around it momentarily and turns her head to face the person observing her observing the door. ]

No, I've got mine. This isn't my door. [ She's not outwardly tense, but she has become more alert in the past few seconds. Like she might be ready to use that rubber band as a weapon somehow if need be. ]

[pawdonnemoi]

[He gets the feeling he should have left when he had the chance. Maybe he should have come back at Chat. Well, too late for that.

He tilts his head a bit as his eyes narrow.]

Then, what are you doing? [Contemplating breaking in, he suspects, but he wants to give her the benefit of a doubt. Maybe she knows whoever lives there is just nervous and trying to work up the courage to knock on the door.]

[alsogood]

[ The rubber band appears again and she resumes her rhythmic turning and snapping routine. ]

I was thinking about whether or not this door has a chain lock.

[ She says this factually, without any special emphasis on one part of her statement or the other. If it helps, she has precisely zero intention of breaking in, but she's 100% making it sound like that's exactly what she's planning. What to do with that information? ]

[pawdonnemoi]

[He glances at the door then back at her. For a few moments he's quiet, carefully going over his options. How is he supposed to react to a situation like this? Most people would probably jump right into accusing her of attempting a break in. Heck, if he were Chat he would probably do just that. But it's not right, it's not proper, and it's certainly too hero-y for him as he is.]

Is that some sort of a hobby, trying to determine the type of locks on various doors?

[A less confrontational approach is probably best.]

[alsogood]

[ This comment apparently provides her some necessary context and breaks her out of her thoughts enough that she returns all her attention to the person who has approached her, rather than the door.

Bracing the rubber band on her forefinger, she turns to face him properly. ]

It's an exercise. I'm not a thief, I promise. I'm a private investigator.

[ One of the good guys, promise! ]

[pawdonnemoi]

Ah! Here I thought I'd have to call the police to report someone acting suspiciously. [He flashes a smile, charming, before moving closer to her and the door.]

So how do you determine that, the type of lock, from this side?

[alsogood]

[ She offers a sort of unreadable smile. It might be apologetic, her way of expressing contrition for the misunderstanding. It might mean something else. ]

Not today. [ Does she mean 'I'm not acting suspicious today' or 'you didn't run across someone suspicious today?' Hmmm... ]

Technically, you can't. You'll have to pick the lock first to see if the chain is on the door. [ ... ] Which I wasn't planning on doing, by the way.

[pawdonnemoi]

[It's probably a good thing Adrien's interactions with people has mostly been limited to seemingly emotionless adults, until recently. He's still not that good at reading complete strangers. So he takes the smile as just a smile.

As for 'Not today', he decides to let that slide.]

Unless you had x-ray vision. But I'm guessing you don't. [Although with the way she'd been staring at that door one would think otherwise.]

[alsogood]

[ Kitty wraps the band around her wrist and leaves it there, crossing her arms in a manner that's more contemplative than aggressive. ]

No, don't seem to have developed that overnight. [ She cocks her head. ] And you?

[pawdonnemoi]

Would be pretty handy if you had.

[But then she could probably see Plagg hiding in his shirt and that could potentially be bad.]

Me? No. Nothing as cool as that.

[alsogood]

[ She hums thoughtfully. ]

It would be. It'd make my job a lot easier sometimes. [ Looking pointedly at him now. ]

"Nothing as cool as that." But something, is that right?