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maskormods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
etcelsior2017-05-25 08:16 pm
maskormods) wrote in etcelsior2017-05-25 08:16 pm
Entry tags:
WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE
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?
Today it's not just imPorts that are making a scene. Given the relatively high approval rating imPorts still pull in here, maybe it shouldn't shock locals and imPorted arrivals alike that new native metahumans are using the city to debute their new spandex and catch phrases while they try and take their own bite out of crime. You know what they say about those darn kids these days though, too much time watching TV instead of say, oh, learning about martial arts or surveillance techniques. Or that the world doesn't actually pause when they start their dramatic entrances like it does on the small screen. There are five teenagers today, each one dressed in elaborate costumes modeled after different birds of paradise (click one of these if you really need examples). And you better believe each one has a dramatic entrance speech concerning truth, Justice, and the American Way, a dramatic pose, and a polysyllabic name to go through before they all strike a team pose and shout 'Birds Of Prey, Uncaged!'
During this time the lone criminal they had swooped down to stop has long since stared running away. Early in the morning, they did this whole production to stop a litterer. Mid-afternoon, a jay walker. Finally, in the evening, they actually try stopping a mugging. Of course the thief and the stolen goods are busy getting away during their intros, a fact the robbed citizen keeps shouting at them through the whole two minute long affair.
It's up to you, dear imPort, to catch these escaping misdemeanors or thief and bring them to actual justice (or, if you're really kind, hand them over to the birds), to stop and tell these kids to get off your darn lawn, to give them hero-ing tips or a real villain to fight against, or to just keep walking and pretend this whole mess never happened. The choice is yours.
02. De Chima, Virginia, is a large city with a healthy economy, and though it's quieter than Heropa, there are still large numbers of citizens to be 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 remains high here, and you may find yourself cornered by overzealous imPort fans, media wannabes and opportunists alike, shoving cameras in your face. Their questions are likely to be fairly mundane, however; get ready for an interview about your taste in romantic partners, personal underwear choices, favorite foods, and more!
These questions are better asked inside, however, as a tornado warning has been released for the county. No, they haven't had one here since the 90s, but you can never be too careful! With the torrential downpour currently hammering the city, some enterprising business people have taken to offering storm themed sales of food, drinks, and appliances. Is there any better way to send the rainy day than on nickle shot night at the local bar, where you cannot only get dangerously intoxicated but also ride the newest in fun and games, the Freudian Mechanical Bull? Come one come all and see how long you can stay clinging on as the bull bucks you physically and emotionally, spitting out catchy psychological phrases like 'do you think this will make your father love you?' or 'riding me for five minutes will never fix what you've done.' The bull will detect which sentences seem to get the best effect and keep barring down on that path. Sensitive about your mother? Better believe the whole bar is about to hear a lot about it.
Or if you're not up for that much fun, you can aid worried citizens in securing their homes and businesses against the possible storms. Help them board up holes in roofs, cast wards on their windows, or just point them towards the nearest insurance agent. Surely you wouldn't take advantage of them and sell them devices they don't need or learn where they keep their valuables and how to reach them at a time like this would you?...would you?
03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania has had its ups and downs since imPorts started reappearing. Several imPort heroes have put focused efforts into cleaning up the streets of this somewhat infamous city, while others have swooped in to help the criminal industry thrive. More so here than the streets of any other imPort city, the battle between good and evil looks more like a war of escalation than a heroic tale. That might make the less than warm welcome imPorts are given in the city a little more understandable. The emergence of locals with superpowers is hardly helping. While some of these individuals have turned to crime, many locals seem more inclined to defend their native powered drug dealer than help the non-native hero bring them to justice. Who are you to tell them how to live?
Today is the semi-annual (that no one can quite seem to remember ever happening before) balloon festival. From dawn until well past midnight imPorts and natives alive can pay a small fee to ride in a beautifully colorful hot air balloon solo or in pairs. There is also wonder fried food and face-painting for the whole family. If this seems all a little too innocent and family friendly, don't worry. This being the Falls, there's always a chance for the morally flexible (or horribly naive) to make a little extra money. Some balloons are offering special, 100% totally free in no way catch-possessing deluxe rides to certain 'winners.' Strangely, it appears to 'win' all one has to do is agree to ride the hot air balloon over to another city, drop off one of the 'sand bags' attached to the side at a designated place, pick up a few new 'sand bags' and fly back! Those that can pilot their own balloon rather than needing a guide will be paid extra- they mean, win an extra special prize.
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. To be American is to be part of a melting pot, and that there's more money to be made by the thriving local industries hardly hurts. Natives may gather around new arrivals and ask both personal and broad questions about life as an imPort, what they are looking forward to, what their favorite article of underwear is. A few night clubs offer free entrance - just this once!
But you'll have to excuse the mess. See, a little while ago the city was a real zoo. Animals running everywhere, smashing store windows, eating aquariums, you know how these things can go. In fact, there are still a few stay old world monkeys jumping around, and maybe a baby gator or two in the sewer or prairie dogs in the parks. A small reward is still being offered for their rounding up.
no subject
He's got a hole in his pants at one of his knees... and that's the extent of the damage taken. ]
What do you mean before?
[ He mutters that without even really looking to Duo, trying to get a sense of where he is before he brushes some of his hair out of his face. ]
Are you following me now?
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Right now, buddy? You're puttin' me HERE-- [His voice raises into another high-strung shout as he raises his hand in the air, before dropping again, grin easily back in place--] And that's not good for my health. Hypertension becomes an issue with age, y'see.
...You're not even listening to me. [And with that, Duo heaves a heavy sigh, dusting his knees off as he stands.] Yeah, well, I figured once I saw you floatin' off to Oz in your little balloon there, you must've had some kinda plan going. Emphasis on had.
no subject
I was looking for something but then I ran into this storm.
[ As if that wasn't obvious enough. But, he begins to move then, feeling that getting out of the pouring rain might be better than standing around in it and with a few of the establishments seeming to be open to the public, well, that's a start, even if he's soaking wet. ]
Don't you have a place nearby?
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In De Chima? Not really, though I've been here a few times. [Not that he planned to tell Heero any of that unless it was necessary. He points back at a nearby cafe, then shoves his hands in his pockets.] Dive in, warm up? It's not me that'll be wanted for this mess. [Duo beams a cheerfully schadenfreude grin at Heero.] My treat!
no subject
The mention of the apparent mess being left behind by him doesn't even cause Heero to look back at the hot air balloon that's tangled up in the telephone wires and sprawled out all over the middle of the street. He's... left things in worse condition... much much worse and so this is really nothing compared to what could have happened... you know, if they had their Gundams here and all.
The offer to 'treat him' to something that might just warm him up in the cafe pointed out has Heero consider it for a moment before he starts to head off in that direction, not even bothering to hurry since he's already soaked to the bone. ]
What are you doing here now then?
no subject
Seriously, what were you looking for? If you wanted a good vantage point, there's less obvious ways. Drones, hacking satellites, that sort of thing. You know they have this thing in this era, Google Earth, real nifty...
[Pushing into the cafe, he orders himself a nice hot coffee.] And for you, Mr. Around The World In 90 Minutes?
no subject
[ In regards to his hot air balloon ride... which, no, he hadn't wanted to simply go for a ride but he can't exactly say he had been against being so high up like that again.
Heero stands there and takes a look at all the offerings scribbled on the board before he settles on a hot chocolate, not even bothering to look to Duo as he says that before he's wandering off to sit somewhere... soaked, yes, leaving Duo to foot the bill as he had said he would. ]
no subject
[Sorry, give him a minute, Heero.]
Hoo boy, haha, oh man, I haven't laughed like that in ages! [Duo wheezes, reaching to pull a bill from his pocket for the cashier. Still giggling quietly to himself, he meanders along after Heero with his coffee in hand, grin still beaming, and flops himself into the opposite seat.]
Okay, but seriously seriously.
no subject
When his hot chocolate is ready for him, it joins him at the table that he's chosen for them which is a little ways off from the other tables. It's more out of habit than anything else, Heero quietly taking a sip of his hot chocolate then with some small hope that it might just warm him up, if even a little.
Duo's question has those blue eyes of his flick their gaze up towards him before they drift their way off to the side, staring out the window at the rain that continues to pour down outside. ]
I can communicate with artificial intelligence. [ He murmurs, lips pressed at the brim of his cup. ] Depends on the make of it and how self-aware it is. [ There's another pause as he blows a little on his drink before taking a sip. ] I wanted to know some things about this place.
no subject
[The priest looks thoughtful as he sips at his coffee slowly, then hisses and blows on it.] Technopathy? You're sure? Well... That's a new one. [Now what could that mean?] But not really surprising, considering... [He waves his hand vaguely in Heero's direction--] You know.
[He didn't really like talking about the ZERO System, these days. Too many bad memories.] Preventer developed it further while you were asleep. That's what we used to wake you up, since it's a requirement to restore the consciousness and memories. And the files can be viewed without having to directly connect the System through VR glasses. That's all top level clearance stuff, of course.
--I'm not officially with Preventer. But I still do them the odd favor now and then. Gotta keep Wufei on his toes. [He grins at Heero knowingly before hiding it behind his coffee cup.]
no subject
[ From the ZERO system he means. It's... similar in some regards-- from what he's seen and felt at least but it's not the same, not from what he can tell at least. ]
It's like talking with you right now. [ He pauses, a slow sip taken from his hot chocolate before he licks over his lips. ] But less loud.
[ A pointed look given to Duo, Heero glances around the cafe, looking to the different sorts of people sitting and minding their business, wondering idly which ones happen to be Imports like themselves. ]
I have to physically touch the computer or else I can't communicate with it.
[ Never mind the whole manipulating electronics and all, he's talking more about communicating for now. ]
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...Not that it seems like that's possible now. [His voice goes low, even though he's muting himself to the other patrons of the shop, and he shoots Heero a glance.] That's a real long story, though. Another time.
[He blows on his coffee some more.] It's good to figure out all the 'rules' of your power quickly, though. Sometimes you get some nasty surprises. Sometimes some nice ones.
no subject
Talking to the Porter?
[ There's a look that crosses Heero's face which shows mild interest and yeah, maybe you shouldn't have put that idea into his head Duo. Too late now but he doesn't bother to go into much. ]
If I can handle the ZERO system, I should be fine with this.
[ This is him assuming, of course. ]
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I'm serious. Actual AI's and natural technopaths have tried and been knocked out, and frankly were lucky not to be killed. The Porter-- Lachesis isn't someone to screw around with, considering the sorts of beings she's been able to hold against their will.
...Besides, I hear she's not in there anymore, anyway. [Duo sighs out, a bit of frustration, as he sips his coffee again.] Ask Tony Stark about it, if you're that curious, but he'll tell you the same thing as me. He's that imPort posterboy in the red-and-gold armor suit. Inventor. Has a technopathic nanite in his bloodstream. We've ...met.
no subject
Don't worry so much.
[ And it's said with that Heero Yuy smile, soft and small, which goes to tell that yes, you should worry, even if he more or less does have it under control. ]
How long do people end up staying here before they're sent back to wherever it is they came from?
[ Changing the topic? Maybe. Actually curious about such a thing? Also maybe. ]
no subject
[Duo is worrying a lot! It shows on his furrowed brow, which miraculously had escaped the pattern of wrinkles that instead followed where his mouth and eyes crinkled under his grins.] Why do I feel like I'm gonna have to pick your fried carcass up after you try to interface with some kinda super aggressive AI.
[Probably because he will. Sigh.]
[He turns his attention to the question instead, which was interesting, and which he didn't quite have the answer to.] Mm, it's hard for me to say. You see... [He half-glances at Heero over the table] ...The last time this happened to me, imPorts had only been there for just over a year tops. So when I left, I had been there almost as long as one could. But coming here, I've heard that some people were there for as long as... six, seven years. And some are still here.
Stark's one of 'em, by the way. He's the only one I remember from ...back then.
[Shrug] That's definitely not the average, though. To me, it looks like a year is pretty close to average, though. Maybe... the majority stay somewhere in the ballpark of 6 months to two years, but that's still a pretty wide range. The ones that have been here for multiple years are really the outliers.
I've actually been planning to gather more information about this, so whenever I have some kind of conclusive data, I can tell you. [Ah, an intel guy's job was never done.]