Mask or Menace | MODERATORS (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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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.
Cheryl Blossom | Riverdale
[Anyone with common sense might run into shelter from the rain but Cheryl was not known these days for her clear thinking. It's not as cold, she thinks, as being trapped under ice. She cannot drown like this and yet she feels suffocated all the same.
Still, eventually she gets tired of the wet and makes her way into the bar, wringing out her hair as she does so. Her mascara is running and her makeup is usually a mess from it's usually beautiful Cover Girl perefection but it can't be helped. She orders a drink and makes her way towards the mechanical bull, looking at it questioningly.]
Do people actually expect us to ride that?
Nonah
[Eventually Cheryl starts looking for things to lose herself in, anything to drown out the noise in her own head, anything that will make her feel less alone, and a club feels as good of a place to start as possible.
She'll be spending most of her time on the dance floors, trying to lose herself to the music. But eventually she makes her way off to the sides to catch her breath and maybe get something to do drink]
What would you recommend around here?
DE CHIMA.
I mean, that generally is the idea, yeah. But here-- at least have a drink first. [ He offers her one of his shots. ] You look like you could probably use it.
[ Which is nicer than saying you look like you just got dragged out from the bottom of a lake.
Maybe too soon for that, after all. ]
no subject
Thanks.
[She takes the shot from him with a smile that's mostly genuine, or as much as she can genuinely smile these days.]
I wasn't expecting it to storm like that out there -- but I guess I didn't know what to expect here.
[Which is strange, Riverdale was so familiar and predictable (or had been, until Jason's death) that to be in an unknown place was particularly jarring.]
no subject
So, all that in mind, he moves over slightly to make room for her if she decides she'd also like to sit. ]
Yeah, it is pretty stupid. Or... I dunno, just weird, I guess. But it's whatever, right? [ He shrugs, seemingly just as nonchalant as ever. ] You really need to invest in some waterproof makeup, though. How long were you actually out there?
no subject
Which is why she takes up Reggie's offer and sits down next to him.]
Too long, I guess. I lost track of time. [self preservation hasn't exactly been on the top of Cheryl's to-do list lately and it was easy enough to lose herself in wandering around this new place, trying to figure it out, when suddenly she was soaked to the bone.
she really should look into waterproof makeup though. she's been needing it a lot, lately.]
How long have you been here?
nonah!
He feels sober again in a flash, and a touch guilty, because he'd just been having a good time and seeing her is a very stark reminder of how not good her times have been lately. He wants to reach out and touch her to make sure she's actually real, but he doesn't, partly for the immensely illogical fear that if he does she'll be as cold and wet as the last time he held onto her.
But if anything right now she looks hot. Er, warm. Like she just worked up a sweat dancing, though Archie has a hard time believing that Cheryl Blossom sweats. Shimmers, maybe.]
Cheryl??
[Hopefully she didn't expect intelligent conversation right off the bat.]
no subject
She wants to start new.
And maybe that's why she put herself out in this club and tried to force herself to have fun, even if fun isn't something she totally knows how to do anymore.
If she could fake that she was okay maybe eventually it would be true.
But Archie knows the real truth, that she isn't okay, and she feels suddenly exposed at the knowledge. Vulnerability has never been something she's known how to wear well.
(The Blossoms aren't supposed to be so weak)]
Archie. I didn't realize it was you.
[Which was the truth and maybe she should have, the only other guy their age she knew with such bright red hair was Jason --
And Jason isn't going to be anywhere, now.]
nonah
She looks up and sees Cheryl, and shrugs, raising her bright blue cocktail up.]
I can talk them into making you a Blue Hawaiian.
no subject
There are some perks to this messed up situation, she supposes.]
Sure. That looks good.
[It's pretty to look at, if nothing else.]
no subject
[She turns to the bartender, gesturing to Cheryl and lying through her teeth: she's with me, I'm treating her to a night out—tests, y'know? The bartender doesn't need any more convincing beyond that, save for Veronica sliding an extra twenty across the counter, and in very little time at all there's a Blue Hawaiian just for Cheryl.
The second the bartender's out of earshot, Veronica huffs out a rueful breath.]
So what brings you to this corner? There's a conspicuous lack of dancing here.
De Chima
…besides catharsis. Seeking clarity. Doing penance/feeling masochistic. Wanting to hit bottom to start climbing top. …Actually, it was psychologically fascinating.
For anyone who didn't have an utter hardwired scorn reaction to giving away free information. Especially personal.
(Scorn, envy, depended on the mood and the company. Or—)
…Or perhaps disgust. At himself. For hearing about the thing and promptly deciding he had to stay in the room with it in case any of the people he was currently banging his head against walked in and, counter to every last iota of their respective natures, for some reason took a turn on it. It would be great to hear some things on Dooku that didn't come from his own mouth. —But augh again: though in the case of Dooku, or Hux or Grievous, would the bull really have much to say on the things Cassian would be most interested to hear, since its only metric was personal discomfort/shame/guilt…? Cassian's take on the worst things Hux had done might be Hux's own proudest…
So anyway. He hated everything about this thing. But found it too infuriatingly fascinating and fraught with potential not to be glued to its vicinity for hours.
He looks down his shoulder at the redheaded human. Whether or not she'd been speaking to him, his reaction was probably self-selection.]
I didn't think anyone would. But there seem to be many takers.
[He raised his own drink to her in a wry salute]
Not planning on being one of them.
[Statement on himself or question about her? —Or self-selecting, for her this time]
no subject
No, she wouldn't be getting on that thing anytime soon.
She can't imagine why anyone would.]
They must be stupid to think that would be fun for them
[In typical Cheryl Blossom fashion she falls into the familiar stance of the mean girl.]
I'm glad at least you and I know better than that.