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

[burningbothends]

I've been dealing with this brat for years; I'm used to the weight.

[Even if Edward was a little heavier than the last time Roy saw him. And then, more practically, he adds:]

I'm not as bad off as I look, anyway.

[Yes you are Roy.]

[vorbarra]

[ Did he know him before he'd joined up, or did they really recruit that young? Horrifying thought, that.

Gregor gauges him for a moment before saying bluntly, ] You look awful, so that's reassuring. If you need some assistance I'm not a complete lightweight. It's not much farther in either case.

[burningbothends]

[WELCOME TO AMESTRIS.]

Then I'll be able to make it.

[vorbarra]

[ He'd like to go back to Barrayar now. Which is not something Gregor often thinks. ]

Far be it from me to step on your pride. [ He sounds wry, not chiding. Gregor casts his mind back to think of what other advice he could give. ] Your first major decision will be whether you register or not-- that is, accept the government's support in return for promising to aid them.

If you're dissatisfied with that, you'll have to support yourself financially.

[ He's actually going somewhere with this. Give him a second... ]

[burningbothends]

[It less a matter of pride than responsibility--and common sense. Fullmetal really would take out the first person near him whenever he came around again. Better it be Roy than Greg. But Roy doesn't bother to correct him.

Roy was of the inclination at the moment to tell this government to go fuck itself, but for the moment he kept that opinion to himself, too.]

And how is that usually done?

[vorbarra]

[ Gregor's already distracted with making his pitch here. He comes off casual and confident, merely a (potential) friend making an offer. ]

Well, you can get any number of jobs, though imPort hiring discrimination can run both directions, for and against, depending. I've recently started a security company with a friend of mine, actually, that you'd be welcome to apply for if you wished. Miles feels strongly about attempting to offer an alternative to registration; we have an on-staff healer to offset their medical services.

[burningbothends]

[Ah...

Is he being recruited? How surreal. It was certainly unexpected, given the state he'd arrived in.]

An alternative to registration, hm. The government doesn't seem to be taking that personally.

[Since Gregor had been asked to escort Roy... Did the officials sense that Roy would be resistant to registration? Was this 'security company' a covert government alternative meant to keep the more rebellious imPorts under greater supervision, or was it sincere? Had the details of his file and Fullmetal's been leaked to Greg, and did that account for the quickness with which he'd made his offer, or was he just trying to help?

All of this and more runs through Roy's head, but he give away anything more than affable curiosity in his tone.]

[vorbarra]

[ The state he'd arrived in, nothing. Gregor has evaluated more than a handful of officers in his life already, and been tutored in how to do so personally by Aral Vorkosigan, infamous across the galaxy for his military acumen. Showing up in the state he did and promptly prioritizing his subordinate's safety, all while acting with composure despite what must be very dire circumstances to him and a recent blindness, have impressed Gregor already.

Character is much more important to him than ability. One can be trained; the other must be lived with, or more accurately sometimes, tolerated.

He can sense this lukewarm response and merely makes a speculative noise. ] It doesn't, no. As long as we don't commit any crimes, which changes our status from Unsettled to Criminal. They also allow you to change your status at any time; I stayed as Registered for a while initially until we got our feet under us, and to test the waters.

[burningbothends]

I see. So do you make a habit of going around collecting soldiers, regardless of what sorry state they might be in?

[It's asked lightly, wryly self-deprecating. Whether Greg takes that at face value or not... Well, it doesn't matter. The answer should be telling either way.]

[vorbarra]

Not at all. You could say I have a good eye for personnel. Miles and I both do. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you try to act with integrity.

Physical injuries can be healed; defects of character, not so much.

[burningbothends]

[Not a bad answer... He was making a good first impression for sure ]

I'll give your proposal some thought.

[After he talked to Ed, after he did some digging about this company, other options, the war, this country... He had a long list. Whatever he ended up picking, getting Fullmetal back home in one piece to finish what he started and finally achieve his goals was his sole priority. ]

[vorbarra]

That's all I ask.

[ Gregor's nothing if not patient, to the point that some others can find it infuriating. But sure enough they're approaching the house now, which he announces with, ] We're turning onto your front walk. They should've given you the key?

[burningbothends]

Ah, yes.

[Same pocket as the cigarettes. Roy digs it out and hands it over.]

If you could direct me to somewhere where I can lay him down.

[vorbarra]

[ Gregor accepts it, taking his hand from him to unlock and open the door. He steps in and then widely out of the way. ]

Straight ahead six paces and to the right three is a couch.

[burningbothends]

Thank you.

[Nice, clear instructions he could follow. It wasn't much but he did feel marginally less useless.

He's careful when depositing Edward on the couch, though the teenager still flumps onto the cushions with a curious sense of heaviness for someone of his short stature. Roy can't stifle another wince as he bends and rolls the teenager off his shoulder but he doesn't immedaitly straighten, instead checking him over. Temperature, breathing, pulse... and finally, so briefly Gregor might miss it, Roy touches his lower left leg and right arm.

Which confirms for him that both limbs are still metal, not that he'd had much doubt after carrying Edward that far. Roy can feel the anger coiling in his gut on the Elric's behalf. After having finally achieved the restoration of his body and his brother's, this country had snatched that away from him for another damn war...

His shoulder stiffen incrementally, bandaged hands curling briefly into fists.]

[vorbarra]

[ It still feels unfair to be scrutinizing a blind man, but truthfully, Gregor has always been remarkably astute on picking up on signals from those around him, so he consoles himself with the fact that it's not much of a difference. He misses anything suspicious about Roy's checking-over of Edward, distracted with considering the larger circumstance of their arrival and what he knows so far.

Watching these slow signs of anger prompts him to interrupt. ]

If it's urgent, I could have a healer here immediately, [ he says quietly. ]

[burningbothends]

[Hnng. Focus. Roy straightens, scrubs at his face briefly.]

I'm mostly worried they gave him too much... His vitals are good. I don't think he's in any danger, but I'd like a second opinion.

skip through actual healing visit?

[vorbarra]

I don't blame you.

[ Tactfully, Gregor doesn't remark on his lack of composure as he pulls out his comm and starts texting a few people to see who's available. ]

My troublemaker is actually shorter than him. I'm familiar with drug overdose as an issue.

[burningbothends]

[HEALING SKIPPED. Gregor's probably clued in to the fact that Ed has two metal limbs now, since Roy let the medic know. He is marginally more relaxed once they clear Ed, though he hasn't sat down the entire time and only isn't pacing because he can't without banging in to something. He refuses any healing for himself (and for Edward since he's not in any danger; it might have helped the sedative go a bit faster but Roy can already imagine Ed's reaction to Roy letting someone perform some completely unknown kind of technique on him. Not worth it.)]

... Thank you again, Greg. You've been of invaluable assistance.

[vorbarra]

It's no trouble. My own arrival was chaotic. If I can pass on some measure of reassurance, I'm glad to do it.

[ Gregor certainly hasn't missed his metal limbs, but he'd made, respectfully, no comment on that either. It's another curious almost-similarity between him and Miles, to the extent that he's now interested in seeing what he's like when he's awake.

He doesn't blame him for putting off the decision about his own major healing for later-- or he presumes that's what he's doing. Gregor himself would've opted to be both in full cognitive functioning immediately after his arrival, and to have Miles awake and aware to stand guard while the procedure was done. It's logical to him, in the way that paranoia is always logical to Vor. ]

[burningbothends]

You managed that much. You have my gratitude; I certainly owe you one.

... I don't want to keep you, but if you have time, I have one or two pressing questions left.

[He could limit himself to that much. Probably.]

[vorbarra]

[ Well, Gregor's not going to deny a debt from someone he's mildly interested in recruiting, though if push comes to shove he's not about to harp on it.

He gestures go on with his hand before he has to correct himself. He hadn't realized how many conversational cues rely on sight before this experience. ]

Please, go ahead.

[burningbothends]

Do all new arrivals arrive at the same location? Around the same time? And how frequently do they come?

[vorbarra]

The same location, yes. They come every month or so, it seems, for the period of the first week of each month, at varying times therein. At the end of it, the government hosts a swear in where you declaim your registration status.

[burningbothends]

[So there could still be more Amestrians coming in behind them... or some that had already arrived.]

... And what would the easiest way to locate any of my countrymen who have arrived here? The swear-in?