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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.
no subject
I love you too, Diana.
[ Perhaps that's less of a statement coming from him, given it's been minutes since he saw her, but - no less heartfelt. He lifts his own hand to cup her cheek, to thread his fingers through the loose strands of hair framing her face. ]
What do you wanna learn about first? [ A practical question on a couple levels; he needs to acclimate to the world around them, but he also would not mind skipping straight to finding a little peace and quiet. Something catches his eye, though, and he can't help a bit of a grin. ] How's the ice cream here?
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And yet, here he is, talking about ice cream, and it makes her laugh as she remembers.
It's been a long time since she's thought about it. ]
More flavors, bigger cones, but about the same.
[ Oh, and then her eyes light up. ]
There's a lot I have to show you about 2017.
[ All the good things. She'll get to host this time, walk him out of traffic, show him how to text, get him a pumpkin flavored everything... ]
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Your turn to explain everything, huh? You're gonna get your revenge on me.
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[ She clutches his hand, and then touches his collar where it's a bit... well. ]
If I promise not to make you wear fake glasses, will you pick something new out to wear quickly?
[ Though she thinks she would like to keep the clothes he's wearing now in a box somewhere for safekeeping. ]
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[ He holds out his arms for a moment, looking down at himself for the first time he stepped out of the Porter. It's ... pretty bad, yeah. The coat is hanging off him in shreds and likely destined for a garbage heap; the clothes underneath are just gross, though salvageable with a thorough enough cleaning. Mostly everything is scorched badly, smelling of burning and chemicals and no small amount of blood. There are still bits of shrapnel stuck in the fabric that presumably got that red stain by going through him.
Also? Florida is super hot. It's that last bit that convinces him more than anything else. ]
All right, it's a deal.
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And are you alright?
[ She tries to inspect his wounds, make sure they've all healed up like the burn marks. ]
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[ He hasn't quite even registered that A/C is a thing given his complete unfamiliarity with it, save for hearing about its use in some factories; he's just assuming the relative shade is enough to cool the room they're in. One more mundane miracle he'll look kind of cross-eyed at.
As she looks him over, he carefully shifts his clothes to see for himself if there's anything hiding under that wreck he's wearing. All of his injuries are healed, though, and as with the burns, the only thing left of them now are the scars. He frowns a bit as he unrolls one sleeve, finding a spot he'd remembered being quite painful. ]
Huh. I could've sworn that was bloody an hour ago.
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Come on, before your jacket falls off of you.
[ Then, she squints at him, thinking. ]
Someone mentioned that all the people who are placed here from other worlds gain powers. Like Gods.
What do you think yours might be?
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He follows her lead, taking her hand gladly as he stands. And ... blinks a bit at the suggestion. Powers? Him? ]
You sure it's everyone? I don't feel any different.
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[ But... well, she's not exactly base human. That can be discussed later as she drags him to the nearest nice-looking menswear store that sells casual clothes, laughing slightly to herself for a moment. ]
I never imagined our roles would be reversed like this.
[ Maybe she should tell him that men of the twenty-first century have taken to corsets... ]
no subject
[ Echoing her thoughts there, not unkindly. He does gape a bit at the menswear once they arrive at the store though - that's a hell of an array of colors and styles he's never seen before. Though thankfully not quite as far off as they would be if he were looking for women's fashion. He gravitates awkwardly to the jeans section, which he's at least seen if not in this exact style. He can't really go wrong with practical work clothes, can he? ]
Me the fish out of water, you guiding me along? Or just the clothes shopping?
[ Don't be mean, jeez. Tight jeans will be enough of a surprise. ]
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[ And she's not going to forget all those dresses she tore or all the bustles she was made to wear. But she will be nice, handing him a pair of straight-cut jeans to replace the skinnies in his hand, and a nice polo. She also hands him a pair of smart shorts to let him know this is now an acceptable thing to wear in public for men, not just boys, and he might like to take advantage of it in this weather. ]
Let me know if you need help.
[ In the case one of his wounds really didn't heal, he shouldn't go peeling his clothes off his sores. ]
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[ He's really not sure about the shorts just yet; just jeans for now until he's a little less overwhelmed. But he accepts the substitution in his jeans choices gladly, and the shirt nearly looks normal. Good enough to work with for now until he can figure out what he wants to wear long term. ]
I think I can take off my clothes by myself just this once.
[ With a bit of a grin, he moves into the dressing room. ]
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She throws some hangers over his door. ]
How's the fit?
[ She was definitely taking mental measurements. ]
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He moves to staunch the bleeding after, and has to stop again. Watching with morbid fascination as the open sore closes up right in front of his eyes. ]
Uh - give me a minute.
[ Tearing his eyes away from his own now unfamiliar body, Steve hurries to put on that first outfit. ]
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Are you sure you don't need help?
[ She presses her ear against the door to listen to what's going on. None of these clothes are too different form what he's used to, all things considered. ]
I could get a salesman, if you prefer.
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[ True to his word, it only takes a moment more to exit the dressing room. The clothes do fit him nicely, and he admits he doesn't mind of the look of himself in them. A little strange, but not so far removed from his own sensibilities that he can't wear them.
But he's still unnerved from having watched his body do something unexpected. ]
How do I look?
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You look good.
[ And then her smile is a little meandering, a lot affectionate. ]
You look amazing.
[ That has nothing to do with the clothes. ]
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[ He leans in gently, letting her hold him close. Resting his forehead against hers. And not thinking too hard about the hole that just healed itself a few moments ago. ]