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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.
Romantic hot air balloon date time
Seeing another teen in the basket, his curious expression lit up because this was a chance to make a new friend here, far from Japan and his criminal record(expunged though it might have been). He definitely looked like a nerd in comparison to this guy though, wearing large, plastic framed glasses and his old school uniform, all buttoned up properly.
Akira gave the stranger a smile and a wave with one hand, the other stuffed into his pocket as he got into the basket. "Ever been in one of these?" he asked, leaning into the other side. You're stuck with him now! Might as well get to know each other.
ummm a Good Boy would have brought flowers tbh i want a refund
He smiles, a touch sheepish, but still pretty relaxed and easygoing. Honestly being in an entirely new place and meeting all new people is strange, but a little fun! He's lived in the same small town his whole life, he's used to knowing everyone and everyone knowing him. "This is my first time. I already got the flying lesson though." This might be a disaster. Fair warning!! He holds out a hand to shake even though Akira already waved, look, don't question him. "I'm Archie, hi."
He's saving up for a pretty necklace ok geez
Looking at that hand with some amount of surprise, it takes a moment for him to grasp it, giving him a very firm handshake, but only because he'd seen it done before. "Ah, I'm Akira, a pleasure to meet you." At last he seemed... nice? So he'd die in a hot air balloon with a nice person.
"Anything I should know about flying, you think?" He's never even been on a plane, but he was pretty excited despite singe nervousness.
not even gonna offer dinner?? (perhaps a tuna samich?)
"Um," Archie looks painfully thoughtful for a moment, trying to dredge up something professional sounding to put this guy at ease and coming up blank. "Don't lean too far over the edge?" He flashes a grin and tugs at the heat release, blowing a roaring plume of fire up into the balloon to heat up the air in it, just like they'd taught him all of 20 minutes ago.
A thrill runs through him as the balloon starts to lift up off the ground, and he lets out a laugh. Turns out that hot air ballooning feels a lot more exciting than one might think, when one is actually inside the precarious little basket floating gently through the air.
"Alright? So far so good."
A Fancy Tuna Sammich
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, he supposed? But still, they didn't have a professional around to do this? That seemed like an oversight. "You know how to land this later too, right?" How and where or something? Like yeah, the getting off of the ground was exhilarating, and Akira couldn't deny that, and maybe the thrill of dying in an air balloon was something, but also that would really suck.
"Is it really okay for us to just take this on our own?"
there's no such thing as a fancy tuna, u can't fool me i've met him
Too late to do anything about it, anyway.
One look tells him he ought to find a way to distract Akira, though. He seems nervous, and maybe Archie doesn't always Notice Things, but when he does he generally does try to help. He leans off the heat valve for the moment and suddenly they're just peacefully floating. "Hey, what's the craziest thing you've ever done?" He's guessing something like skydiving isn't it based on the earlier question, but.
sure there is, maybe he puts on a lil bowtie
It was too late to stop this, though, despite the way Akira glanced over the side, thinking about how bad a fall could possibly hurt from this distance. Ah he debated it internally, the amount increased until he was certain he would die. That was kind of a way of talking yourself into doing something like ride a hot air balloon with a guy who he is unsure can bring him back down without killing him dead.
The question does manage to catch him off guard, as well as catch him once his panic is over. He's not quite resigned to his fate, but he is silently thinking on ways to get out of it.
"The craziest...?" Boy oh boy was THAT a list. But since he's trying to vy for the Normal Teenage Boy angle, telling him about punching out God was off the table. "Mmmhh... I... once broke into an empty flat to call a maid service."
"And my teacher ended up being the maid." It was awkward for everyone.
bowtie pasta?
Maybe maid service means something different here than it did at home. Oh! Or maybe Akira isn't from here. Maybe he's a comic book character. Or a movie character. Or maybe he's just from the real world, like Archie. He gives Akira another look-over, trying to see if he can tell just from that, but coming up blank.
Sure, make it tuna salad
It had been advertised as something like a cleaning service. Something like one.
"Uh, I mean...! My friends and I just..." They had heard they tend to your every need and almost hadn't expected it to work, but it did and it was pretty awkward for everyone involved. "You know. The maids with the cute outfits, and they call you Master, and they... give you massages..." It wasn't weird! It was a little weird.
At least his embarrassment at having to explain why he and his friends called a maid service had taken his mind off of the fear of dying in a freak hot air balloon incident.