Mask or Menace | MODERATORS (
maskormods) wrote in
etcelsior2016-06-25 01:14 pm
Entry tags:
WAKE UP IN THE MORNING FEELING LIKE

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 there's only one rule in Test Drive Meme Club: 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, while others might not say anything -- but if you have something nasty to say, better not say anything at all, right? But on closer inspection of these Silent Stanleys and Stellas, you might notice that some people actually back away from any imPort who quite obviously looks like they aren't "from around the neighborhood". Once in a while, you may hear a voice raised:
"Did you see how visible their elections have become? They're just trying to grab power! Have you seen the homes they live in?
Of course, for every claim, there's a rebuttal; you may well hear a competing voice arguing, "They deserve to have a say in things too! You know it's different for them!"
ImPorts are a divisive issues, even in pretty Heropa.
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 very presence. Look at you! Organic wonder! 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. The imPort craze is at an all-time high, and considering the ambition of many of De Chima's residents, you may find yourself cornered by overzealous imPort fans, media wannabes and opportunists alike, shoving cameras in your face.
Their questions are less politically charged than they are mundane, however; get ready for an interview about your taste in romantic partners, personal underwear choices, favourite foods, and more!
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 bound to find a few people who decide that the only proper welcome for an imPort is a nice set of knuckles to the face.
One or two more cowardly locals may hesitate before giving you such a greeting, however, with a muttered, "Wonder if the new guy in office is gonna do more than the last one."
Ouch. Look at the political savvy on this guy!
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. You may find yourself in the midst of a few closed-off streets for some occasion or another - whether it be a food cart festival, no-car day, or something else! - and surrounded by the hum of people, the waft of food being served on the street, and plenty of attention
Look there -- someone's demoing a VR roller coaster! Won't you give it a shot?

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[ He sat down, and gestured across the table, more interested in this curiosity. He leaned forward, still looking him over. God, he wasn't even British. ] You don't have an accent, either. American, this time? [ Ticking off the differences on the "what world is he from" list, which was always a fun little game he liked to play with other people from other worlds. Eventually, he'd run tests, and confirm, but there were a few worlds in particular he could be from.
Here was hoping it wasn't from the bad one. Just the vaguely incompetent one. ]
What'll you have? [ A beat. ] Then we can get started. I'm curious.
[ Curious and Tony Stark were two things that probably shouldn't be. ]
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An accent? Christ. Justin is abruptly lifted from the whole human zoo vibe, glancing aside as he shifts in his seat to get more comfortable. He is probably not going to make it to anything truly comfortable this time around, but by God, he's trying. Which includes crossing his arms as though he's waiting out this Studying Justin Hammer Time.
Until the real question hits and he realizes, wow. He hasn't had anything to drink in a while. Not a real drink, nothing that didn't come from places better not asked after. The last thing he needs to do is get stone cold drunk after two shots in front of giant Tony Stark.
This is a personal hell.]
Curious? Yeah, sure. Mimosa'd be a great start. [And if that isn't doable he will happily take orange juice. Orange juice! Not from a tiny box! Imagine that. But he couldn't let it slide forever, so:] What do you mean this time? Accent? I've always been American. Jesus. Can't imagine being anything else. What were you expecting? French?
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British, actually. [ He said, as if it were automatic. The man he'd known, Justin Hammer... was a hell of a thing of the past, and unlike some people's foes, didn't come back from the dead with increasing regularity. (coughSpider-Mancough) He could only tip his head when he leaned back, still watching him.
Studying him, for certain. In a lot of ways, this taller, beefier, blue-eyed Tony Stark was pretty similar to his own, for sheer intelligence. What Stark had here was a combination of experience, intelligence, and a penchant for cold calculus -- the kinds of things that made him act a bit less than human. He watched, and then paused, before he piped up again. ]
You like stealing from me?
[ He asked, bluntly. ]
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Of course, beyond that line of thought, was the maddening fact Justin wasn't quite good enough. Wasn't quite smart enough. He hadn't wanted to steal. He'd wanted to understand, to know how it all worked. He'd wanted it more than anything for so long, that when he couldn't and finally had the chance to do so with less than legal means, of course he took it. Being second best wasn't comforting or comfortable. If he had to go the back way, learn from inside by using a crazy bastard's schematics, well. So be it. He'd unlock the basic thing that was blocking him if it meant losing everything.]
Nope. [He didn't like it at all. It led him to a prison sentence, who would like that? Jealousy's a bitch. So are the consequences said bitch doles out.] You're still a dick. That's good, seeing a constant in action.
[They're not around reporters, they can be blunt and honest, this is fine. More than fine, really—Tony Stark the Dick was the Tony Stark Justin knew best. The one guy at the party he knew exactly how to grate and knew how to grate on him right back. For how insulting it all could have been, there wasn't anyone else he could play ball with the same way. The rest were just so...boring.
Justin is also a dick.]
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A healthy sense of self, maybe. Propensity to be selfish...
[ He leaned back, comfortably. This was comfortable. This was easy. Businesspeople were often the sorts that could give in, could say things like that and feel at-ease with doing it. It wasn't like they couldn't just do it in public, but in private? Yeah, they could, and Tony honestly felt like they should be allowed to do it more. The way his grin was, easy and relaxed, he kind of appreciated the honesty. ]
Good, because the you I know liked to steal my technology and then turn it into manufactured weapons -- [ There was a pause, then. ] Good old corporate espionage.
I'd prefer not to go back to those days, if it's all the same to you. It gets tiresome.
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...and wow that sounds like a future where Justin didn't go to jail. Not that he's going to. Share. His interest in this, particulary with the continued use of "steal" (science is for everyone!!!!) but he'll ask about it later because wow that sure does sound like a neater role than "fucked up really big once, in jail forever, but at least his boyfriend is supportive."]
Sounds like it. Yeah. Especially with the whole British thing. What's up with that? Loki's fucking British and he's from... [He pushes up his glasses and then waves one hand vaguely up and to the right.] ...Planet God. [Look who doesn't really appreciate maniacal aliens spreading shit about magic, it's Justin Hammer, it's him, right here and now, he's not even bothering to hide it.] He's not here, right? Is Fury?
[Who he's not asking about but also wants to know: Natasha. She broke his glasses. A man needs his glasses. A man does not forget his vision being impaired in such a way just because he used a mean word. A man does not forget Natasha Romanoff.]
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[ He corrects, offhand, before he waved it off. ] No, he's not here. Fury isn't here. Mind, they've been here before. [ He made a face, then. ] Loki showed up in his female skin -- let me tell you, he makes a fetching woman, but it's not exactly the kind of thing you feel proud of being attracted to,.
[ Says the straightest man in the room. who definitely did get bought at a date auction by femme!loki at one point. Truly, he suffers. ]
Let's see, from some of the amalgamations of my world, we have Scarlet Witch, Hulk, Red She-Hulk, Spider-Man, Professor X, Magneto...
Not a lot of the Avengers happening, here. A Shame.
[ Wow, he sounds almost dismissive. Being around for seven years does that to a guy. You stop worrying about if your friends are around, because they're going to probably leave immediately after arriving. ]