HE TOLD ME SEVERAL TIMES THAT HE DIDN'T LIKE MY KIND

[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, deeply masculine 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!"

"That's just what Ronald Chump says!" Exclaims a young woman. She raises her fist in anger at the imPort-hating individual. "We're not going to tolerate bigots here!"

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. Science and technology are the lifeblood of this city, so you're likely to come across a good many locals taking your picture with the newest of devices. Be forewarned: since FanPort happened, imPort fandom is at a new height. Don't be surprised if people start following you just to see if you'll do anything TMZ-worthy.

The trick is to stay calm, and don't wig out if someone asks what you think about imPort shipping.

03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania, is having a rainy day. The streets seem to be running with water, the sky can't seem to stop crying. You might want to check out some consumerism-inclined shelter, be that a smoky and dart-eyed bar full of grumbling locals, or a grimy and industrial coffee shop (full of grumbling locals). Watch your step, newly minted imPort, because if you let on that you're fresh meat then you're likely to attract a posse of two or three sharp knuckled no-good-dooers. This is the criminally exciting part of town, so beware.

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. There's a baseball game going on in one of the parks amidst all those tall buildings, and you're welcome to watch! It's not an official game in the season, it's more like a friendly skirmish between local baseball teams. Midway through the game, the umpire might take note of you new imPorts -- assuming you're standing out in the crowd. He'll welcome you to throw a pitch if you'd like! Of course, the opposing team isn't too keen on the idea. Better look for more imPorts to play ball!

Comments

[dirtyredneck]

Daryl was just extracting himself from another gaggle of people that had swarmed him after he asked about Carl and Enid when he heard the soft tease of Rick's voice behind him.

"Yeah, and no help from you," he huffed as he turned around, though there wasn't any real bite to it. He moved the picture to his left hand and reached out to take Rick's arm with his right. Clasp his wrist and pull him into a psudo-hug with their shoulder's hitting each other somewhere around the middle of their chests before he leaned back and put some distance between them again. This, of course, did not go unnoticed by the crowd and more than a few cameras were snapping up pictures of Rick and this new guy smiling at each other and damn-near hugging. Daryl tried his best to ignore the whisper of boyfriend or lovers speculation from the peanut gallery.

"Man, I been in town all of a day now and I got people pulling the weirdest bullshit on me," he held up the 8x10 of Carl and Enid taken some time at FanPort "You know some of these assholes are selling pictures of all'ya'll? And what the hell is going on, anyway? I ain't even sure I'm not hallucinating right now. 'Cept that I ain't never seen shit like this before and not for this long."

[biteouttagrimes]

"Hey now. I didn't have no help when I first got here. Was only lettin' you have the real experience." For the moment, the crowd was forgotten in favor of their reunion -- the half hug, the grasps, the assurances that each other were real and not, in fact, some dream or power gone wrong. And considering this was the only man Rick got handsy with in all of his time here, no doubt those rumors would fly through the fiction and fanart community pretty damn quick.

Rick nodded his head forward so they could continue this conversation without an audience and as he walked a few steps, he tucked his thumb in his pocket -- the other hand at his side and ready to draw his gun at a moment's notice. Old habits died hard.

"It's a lot to explain an' take in. But this whole thing is real an' just a weird as you're givin' it credit for. The fans, you can learn how to avoid 'em when you need to. But we're a li'l bit like celebrities in this world. I even got a band named after me. Rick'n'Roll." He smiled with a tinge of pride. "They ain't so bad, you know. Did a cover of Carry on my Wayward Son."

[dirtyredneck]

"At least they got taste in music," he snorted, lips twitching up at the corner. Daryl's distinct distaste of Rick's preferred down-home-country-boy shit was pretty well known. All that hollering and yollering. And of course there was the music Rick sang along to as well.

He fell into step easily, matching Rick's pace and stride without thought, "Met a girl earlier. Said she knew you. That you lived in Heropa." He left the words as an open invitation for Rick to spill all the details. How long he'd been there, what was really going on, everything. Or not. He trusted Rick's judgement on how safe it was to do so. And as surrounded as they were, it might not be that safe.

[biteouttagrimes]

He reached over and gave Daryl's shoulder a playful shove at the insult. "Don't make me pop on some of the music I got when we get back home." There were a lot of presumptuous things Rick said there. One being that Daryl was coming with him and two that Rick's home was going to also be Daryl's home. But Daryl was free to correct him if he was wrong. The smile faded some and he squinted off in the distance.

"Yeah. She told you right. Me, Carl an' Enid. We all live out that way. There's this school that Carl attends. An' it ain't my ideal place to live. But it gave us our own space for free. We'll leave once I can save up enough money to get us all someplace decent." And more than that, he knew that Daryl needed the rundown on this place. Rick would tell him, of course, but he also thought it might be best for them to sit down as a group together and talk about this -- the way he and Carl did with Enid.

He could at least give him the basics for now. "The biggest thing you should know about this world is that once we're here, time pretty much stops for us back home. So I've been here for almost a year now. But you wouldn't even know I was gone back home 'cause when I go back, it's like I never left. We don't remember what happened here, it's like this place never even existed. Carl's been here for even longer. An' Enid only arrived a couple months ago. That bein' said, we can all come from different points in time, too. What's the last thing you remember back home?"

[dirtyredneck]

"Leading the herd away from the quarry," he said, frowning. That time shit talk was one of the things the lady who'd done some explaining hadn't made much sense over. And here Rick was repeating it. That was probably going to take the longest for him to understand and accept. The rest of it, with Rick here and Carl and even Enid, Daryl could adjust to.

"Government gave me a house, a job," he went on to say with a questioning tone. He wasn't sure if that was normal if Rick and the family lived elsewhere and were looking for a new job. Which was not to be confused with a refusal to go 'home' with Rick. Just trying to figure out if he'd been singled out for a reason.

And then an offer: "A little spending cash."

[biteouttagrimes]

Wow. That far back. Rick couldn't talk about what he experienced back home. While he had taken a few weeks to swallow it down and get back to his routine, it still haunted him -- every time he went to sleep at night, every time he had a moment to think freely, every time he didn't distract himself. Even now, his expression faltered a bit and he had no doubt Daryl would notice it. But Rick offered no explanation. No words about where he was from. And instead took the way out Daryl was offering him -- talking about the government.

"The things they gave you are legitimate. Can keep the job if it ain't a shit job. Mostly, it seems like they jus' give you these things as jokes. Still workin' mine though. For now." He paused, hesitated. And then: "They made me a mall cop."

[dirtyredneck]

Yeah, Daryl noticed the face. Something Rick didn't want to talk about further from the looks of it, too. Daryl wasn't going to push it.

"Mall cop?" he asked incredulous and pretty sure he was hearing this wrong. "Thought you were a Sheriff's Deputy 'fore it all went down. Mall Cop's just insulting."

[biteouttagrimes]

"Yeah. Mall cop. And you got that right about the insult. But it happens to a lot of people who get here. Wouldn't be surprised if the job they gave you was more of a joke than anything." But Rick was pretty grateful that Daryl didn't laugh. Because really, it was hard enough to get used to doing the whole job thing again. But being an unsettled imPort made it nearly impossible to find clean work.

"This place. It ain't really a home. We can't guarantee how long we're gonna be here. But it's not so bad for what it is. An' the good thing is it seems a li'l bit of home is comin' here to us." He glanced over at Daryl with the faintest trace of a smile. It was damn good to have his brother here with him.

[dirtyredneck]

Daryl refrained from saying anything about the job he'd been given, instead meeting Rick's eyes and letting himself smile just a little for a moment at the sentiment. Ain't home, but could be more than a stop along the way.

"How 'bout you show me to the house, then?" He went with, instead. "See how much of a home it can be." And let him figure out sight lines for when he stayed up at night on watch. Because no matter where the family settled down, he was going to do that.

[biteouttagrimes]

He knew Daryl would come with him. There really wasn't any other way it could be. And while that would surely fuel all sorts of rumors with the fans, Rick couldn't imagine letting family live apart from him. Their kind needed to stick together.

Reaching out, he clapped Daryl's shoulder lightly. "It's more like an apartment. Or....a dorm. Ain't the best place, but the school's pretty solid an' protected. Most importantly, Carl feels safe there. Enid's right across the hall, too. It's a good way to keep us all close without havin' to fork out a lot of money. Not exactly workin' the most high payin' job."

With a laugh, Rick led the way to the porter. "You go through this thing yet?"

[dirtyredneck]

"School dorm?" When he'd said they lived at a school, he'd been thinking more along the lines of on campus housing, like they always showed fraternities and sororities having in the movies back before. Something detached but technically on grounds and affiliated. Actual dormitory, though? Probably nicer than the prison- and he's just going to cut that thought short before he spends too much time on what they used to have. Who they used to have.

Daryl jerked his head in a nod to shake those thoughts and answer Rick at the same time, "Yeah. Came here through it. From Heropa. They did a lot of explaining yesterday when I found myself on my ass in the big room. Already gave me the tattoo I didn't ask for, too."

Which he was not happy with. Daryl had plenty of tattoos, but they were his choice. That new one had not been.

[biteouttagrimes]

He merely nodded after Daryl's question. Yeah. It was a dorm. It was nicer than having to live with people they didn't want to live with -- because at least they were separated. But they still shared a building with others. It was more like an apartment complex. Suited their needs for the time being, but if Daryl's arrival kicked off anything, it was the reminder that Rick wanted to find something better for them. For all of them.

"It changes, too. When you decide what you're doin' about registering." Rick pulled up his sleeve to show off his tattoo, only instead of saying REGISTERED it said UNSETTLED. "But shit. The porters, they're weird, ain't they? Remember the first time I went through one." He felt a pang as he thought of Verity, his first friend in this world and the first friend he lost by means of the main porter -- the one that took people from this world for good.

But like all the people they lost along the way back home, Rick swallowed his pain and kept going forward. "An' how about those cars, huh? Still ain't used to seein' 'em fly around. Bet you could get a hoverbike if you really wanted one."

[dirtyredneck]

"Hell no," Daryl laughed at the suggestion. He definitely liked the bikes, but at the same time... "I ain't falling on my ass off one o'those things. You drive George Jetson's car around and I'll think about it. If you can handle one of them, then they're probably safe enough."

The smile got smaller, though it didn't fade outright, "You think I shouldn't register?"