I BELIEVE I CAN FLY (but i'm not sure how to get down)

[maskormods]

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?

They are, however, in the middle of some awfully hot weather, so some good samaritans have gained the approval of the government to close off a few of the streets for some good old-fashioned fun. They've equipped everyone who steps in with water guns of varying quality, and there's also access to water balloons, a slip n' slide, and more! Why don't you grab an ice cream cone, watch the festivities, and cool off? But you'd better be careful - there's always a munchkin or two here to spray any unsuspecting onlookers they may find.

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!

Should you manage to escape these reporters, however, you may find yourself swept up with the preparations being made for the 4th of July. Everywhere you look will be covered in the good ol' stars and stripes, the red, white and blue. Want flag shaped cakes? How about swimsuits covered in the American flag? Crocs? Nachos? Napkins? Glue-on nails? Flasks? You got it! While this may be the norm for some imPorts, non-American imPorts may find this display of pure American pride to be a little off-putting. Even so, they may find themselves face to face with one of the vendors, saying, "You're an imPort, right? Take one! You're an American now!"

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?

Despite the lack of gratitude that's in it for you, you may want to step in once you see a very, very sad supervillain wandering Maurtia Falls' streets. Dressed in a cape that appears to be a large swath of fabric purchased from a nearby sewing store, galaxy-themed leggings and no shirt is a man who runs right into your vicinity before striking a pose and yelling, "Everyone, stop before me and my wrath! I am Mister Mars, and provided you give me what I ask for, nobody needs to get hurt!"

At which point Mister Mars snatches an old woman's purse, loudly laughs in her face, and begins to float upwards. By the time he reaches the height of the tallest building in the area, he's beginning to look slightly panicked as he fails to really be able to move anywhere but up. Meanwhile, the old woman has begun shaking her cane at him and screaming quite an assortment of alarming expletives.

Maybe you should help one or the other out? If not, just lean back and enjoy the show.


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!

While imPort fever is always in the air, in Nonah, it's even hotter than ever! FanPort - the annual convention celebrating everything and anything to do with imPorts - is being hosted by Nonah this weekend, and the city's packed with people both attending and hoping in vain to buy a ticket off of a scalper. You'll see plenty of artists in the area, cosplayers, and a whole lot of merchandise for your fellow imPorts. There's nothing as appealing as meeting an imPort on their first day or week here, however, so any imPort that's visibly an imPort may find themselves swarmed with admirers, hoping for autographs and pictures - some artists may even want to draw them in hopes of getting them on the market early so they can make a bit of extra cash.

Not into the admirers? Try checking out some of the local businesses instead! To celebrate FanPort, many of them are offering free drinks, meals and goods to any imPorts that come their way - and the people there are even dressed like imPorts, to boot! It looks like escaping this event is awfully hard to do.

Comments

Melanie | The Girl with all the Gifts

[fungirl]

DE CHIMA

There's a little girl in filthy clothes, but she seems more than eager to not just answer all questions, but is perhaps even more curious in return.

"My name is Melanie, and I'm eight years old. It's very nice to meet you. Yes, I like school. Don't you like school? My favorite subject is stories and biology."

Her smile is bright and her manners are impeccable. It's no wonder she has the cooing crowd wrapped around her finger so quickly. One of the onlookers (easily recognizable as a gossip blogger) wants to know her favorite animal. She thinks for a moment, before answering confidently, "Cats. They're very, very clever."

Another asks her what her favorite food is. Her smile turns the tiniest hint mischievous, and she answers again, just as confidently, "Oh, still cats."

NETWORK POST

[ When the feed cuts on, there's a young girl of about 8 looking into the camera. Her mouth and face are smeared with blood, like she's ripped out something's throat with her teeth. She peers into the camera, clearly moving the phone closer and further away. She seems delighted. ]

Hello? Hello everyone, please come in! Over!

[ She laughs like she has just made the best joke she's heard all week: she's bubbling over with childish glee. The feed cuts off.

When it comes back on her face is at least a little less bloody, it seems that she has done her best to wipe the blood onto her already filthy shirt. ]

Hello, Internet! This is the Internet! Miss Justineau told me that it was like the radio but also it has pictures and everyone can be on it at once.

My name is Melanie and I'm a second generation symbiosis between a person and Ophiocordyceps unilaterali. [ Each syllable enunciated proudly. ] I'm really alive and not a friggin abortion. Dr. Caldwell even said so. It's very nice to meet you and I just wanted to say that I'm only hungry sometimes, so it's OK if you want to be friends with me.

Over and out.

[ Despite the contents of the second broadcast, her genuine smile never falters. She doesn't stumble over any of the words, and does indeed sound like she's trying her best to be reassuring and friendly. Clearly this is a wholesome and trustworthy child. ]

Network

[bindsthedead]

[Continued from here

Sabriel smiles, noting the evasion- or possibly a joke?]

Have people here explained about the nature of this world, and our situation here?

[Still, it's easy to fall back into the role of a quasi-prefect, helping new people get oriented.]

BLUE OAK | Pokemon Sun/Moon

[halloflamer]

HEROPA

Blue did just move to a tropical paradise of a region, so the heat and sun is something he would have had to deal with anyway. But even then, he's from Kanto- he is not used to this kind of sunshine in addition to the sweltering humidity.

It's a good thing he's in possession of a Water-type Pokemon, then; Gyarados, huge and serpent-like dragon it is, hovers undulating over the ground, looking quite pleased with itself as little kids squirt it with their waterguns. They just better hope they don't get Hydro Pumped in return- this Gyarados is quite an active one.

"Hey, don't overdo it, you little brats!" Blue calls where he's sunbathing from atop its back, fanning himself with one hand, ice cream in the other. "It ain't called the "Atrocious" Pokemon for nothin'!"

DE CHIMA

Luckily for the reporters, Blue loves talking about himself. He soaks up the limelight like a tree soaks up the sun, flashing a wide smirk for the cameras as he fields yet another confused question about his Pokemon. "Yeah, that's right- they can shoot fire. Electricity and ice and beams of energy, too. There's even some that can summon weather, enter dreams, cause volcanoes- all sorts of stuff."

"Huh? Dangerous? Well of course not! That's what you got trainers for. And wild Pokemon leave people alone, mostly. There's really nothing to worry about."

"Me? Well, I'm a Champion of Kanto, of course! I'm like, basically the strongest trainer in the world! Hahaha!" Good thing there's no one around to call him out on that.

mae borowski • night in the woods

[bassackwards]

ACTION Δ somewhere in heropa probably but honestly time and space are meaningless

[ It's hot as balls today (that's an official scientific measurement), and Mae has taken refuge inside the nearest convenience store to escape the merciless scorching gaze of the day star. She'd already tried scrounging up change off the sidewalk, but that didn't do much except burn her hands. Apparently metal gets hot or something? Point is, she needs a drink and she needs a snack and she has zero dollars and five cents to her name. Shoplifting is a victimless crime, right?

She likes the pointy corn chips. She likes to wear them like little witch fingers.

Her hand hovers over them, but — no, those are loud, and more importantly probably can't fit in her pants. To the left, where the candy bars live. Sweet sweet life giving sugar. She glances over at the clerk. All clear. Time to... very slowly... reach for... the candy...

If anyone happens to look directly at her, she'll freeze, her thieving hand trembling and a candybar jammed halfway into her pocket as she makes direct eye contact. Does she really think she can't be seen if she's holding still? Yes, yes she absolutely does. ]

NETWORK POST Δ #deep

so hey is anyone else super weirded out by like
your home not existing here
your town not existing here
I mean what do you even do with that kind of info
it's enough to give someone an existential crisis
or maybe this is that crisis?
#makesuthink





aaaanywaaaaaaaay


ever noticed how golf is the only sport with a miniature version?
what's up with that???
OMG can you imagine miniature MMA
guys all beating the sweaty crap out of each other inside of like a giant musical clown head
all other sports are officially cancelled forever

ACTION Δ

[greggrulzok]

[ The cashier may not be able to see her, but someone else has spotted her. There's a blur of flailing arms as someone tackles her straight into the candy display. ]

MAE!

network

[coppelganger]

[ Ohhhh god it's a small child with blood all over her face. Sarah is already Concerned. She's not sure what a second generation symbiosis between a person and Ophiocordyceps unilaterali is, but whatever. She'll deal with that when she has to. ]

Somebody called you an abortion? That's—you know that's not okay, yeah?

nill . dogs: bullets & carnage

[wingsit]

HEROPA help?;

[ good old fashioned fun is all well and good, and usually she'd be in complete support, but that was before she stepped into the burning abyss of hell's own circles. a.k.a this particular part of America. where the sun wants her in either puddle or char-grill form.

so instead of fun she's sitting in the slim shadow of a building, well within scope of everyone else's spare spray, intermittently shooting jets of water directly into her own face from a tiny handheld water gun that's going to need filling up fairly soon.

Help. ]

NONAH help;

[ the crowds are out in full today, and in one little corner of FanPort paradise there's a bit of extra bustle in the centre of which can be found Obvious ImPort: Angelic Lolidoll edition.

this is... a lot of attention. she's used to attention but this is really quite a lot of attention. a lot a lot. and it's crowded and she's not quite sure where she's supposed to go to get away from all these people and her little wings are vibrating like she's some kind of hummingbird but really it's just the aftershocks of her frantic attempts to silently communicate with the hordes around her to get them to maybe think about going away/assure them she's not trying to be rude she just doesn't have the physical capacity to use her words and the whole endeavour looks pretty useless and oh my God? oh her God. help. help??? ]


NETWORK POST also help;

HELP??? HELP

[flightforfreedom]

01. Heropa

[Someone has given Poe a watergun, and Poe - without bothering to be too concerned about why he has been given fake weaponry in an alien city, and told to shoot random pedestrians with water - has taken to his task with a gusto. The fact that the top of his bright orange flight jacket is tied around his waist, and his brand new tattoo is nice and visible on his arm might be why he has manage to enlist a band of children into his 'platoon' and may be ambushing unlucky citizens who happen to turn the corner.

He raises a finger to his lips - a thankfully universal code for 'quiet' - and the troop of them wait until just the right moment before jumping out of the shadows and screaming 'FOR THE RESISTANCE' as they spray everyone in range.

This may result in a far-too-pleased-with-himself Poe, grinning from ear to ear.]

Sorry Bud, looks like we've won this one.



04. Nonah

[Poe has somehow managed to get himself a small crowd, and is all too happy to regale them with stories of a giant egg and other misadventures, none of which are at all important and all of which are missing any particularly sensitive details, but are more than enough to entertain the throng. Someone's even managed to smuggle him a decent drink in a paper bag, and after giving it a good sniff, he has been politely pretending to enjoy it.]

- Suddenly a second one appeared, and boy was it massive, and they started fighting, so in the confusion I - Hey, hey now, my nose isn't that big. There you go. Much better.

[fungirl]

[ Well, she's eight, so. ]

The soldiers told me about the porter and imPorts and how there are seven-point-five billion people.

[fungirl]

Frigginabortion.

[ She corrects, as if it is one word, and one she's pretty damn unclear on the meaning of. ]

It's alright. No one will call me that here, I think.

[ She seems fairly unconcerned about the whole thing. ]

[hardedged]

[ help is on the way, but in the form of a grumpy asshole. sorry, nill. jessica jones is also walking through nonah, and instead of trying to silently communicate, she's a bit more vocal. ]

Move it, assholes.

[ one of the passersby bumps into her shoulder, and jess shoves back with a scoff. suddenly, she's face to face with a young stranger with wings. huh. her eyes widen. ]

Hey. You alright?

NONAH

[nightmarist]

[The crowd parts quite suddenly as Ronan approaches, partially because he's a tall and intimidating figure who's always styled like a supervillain and partially because he's a known TV star. The flash of wings catches his attention and he pauses beside Nill, briefly scrutinizing her appearance. To the crowd, he says:]

She's with me.

[And to her, he offers his hand. He can't tell if she's deaf or just mute, but either way, communication's a problem.]

[wingsit]

[ Hey. You alright? a glance at the stranger who's just disappeared from in front of her face, eyes back on the one who's taken their place

...fate. fate has brought unto her a benevolent asshole, and she's absolutely not going to let that opportunity pass her by. it starts slow, a little shake of her head— then she catches up with herself and the head-shaking grows emphatic, hands reaching out to take whatever they can find - a hand if one's handy, the fabric of a sleeve if one's not.

please please please please please ]

[wingsit]

[ it's a sign she knows, that offered hand, a symbol. safety. help.

there's no hesitation, not a bit. the tense hold of her frame resettles itself, shifts into something braver, a little less swamped as she reaches to take his hand. to squeeze it with silent gratitude and step closer to him, strengthened, staring out at the faces of strangers that now seem less like they might somehow swallow her. ]

[hardedged]

[ the frightened girl reaches for her hand, and for a moment, jess turns cold. she's not used to physical contact, always felt uncomfortable by it. however, she has enough sense to push past that anxiety. nill's in trouble, for whatever reason, and she can't quite silence the impulse to help. even if she's the world's worst savior. ]

Come on.

[ jess starts to lead her through the crowd. with her free hand, she's far from gentle, pushing back against anyone near them. there are a few angry glares and curses thrown her way, but she's not bothered in the least. once they're alone, she finally stops and releases nill's hand. ]

[bindsthedead]

And do you have any more questions? I'll do my best to answer them.

[nightmarist]

[Once she's got a good grip on his hand, Ronan starts moving again. He sweeps past the fans and the gawkers as if he owns the place, with all the air of a boy who grew up exceedingly rich and powerful. The hall near the conference rooms is far less crowded now that panels are in session, and he takes her there to let her catch her breath. As soon as they're alone, he releases her.]

Can you understand what I'm saying?

[wingsit]

[ the farther they travel, the easier it is to breathe. the relief of having someone close who's willing and able to get her out of a situation she hadn't meant to be in is huge— but so is the gently rising concern of having needed the rescue.

she didn't get herself into that crowd on purpose, but it could still likely have been avoided. and she should probably have been able to walk herself out. by the time her hand's released, she's looking vaguely sheepish. but there's a smile for a woman who saved her. small and apologetic, but very there.

she rubs her hands together, awkward where she stands for a second... then clasps them in front of her chest (something between a prayer and a plea). shakes them there, attention focused on her saviour. if it's anything, it's probably thank you. ]

[wingsit]

[ it's a relief. it's a huge relief to be out of the way of all those people. she's never seen a gathering quite like it, nothing that big - the congregation, yes, people on the street... but that's about as busy as her daily life gets. got. this is above and beyond, the claustrophobia of it bordering on something else she'd rather—

he asks her a question and she snaps to attention. a nod, brisk, yes.

in an attempt to clarify, one slender finger raises to point to her throat, punctuated this time by a shake of the head. ]

Steve Rogers | MCU

[backin_theworld]

[De Chima]

Steve Rogers had been through a lot. Never one to shy away from challenges, this particular one seemed to be right out of a dream. Sort of. While the setting itself seemed familiar enough to his own world, the circumstances of “why” he was there was more than a bit baffling. Then again, he had been frozen in ice for 70 years so.. was this really that outrageous?

Yes, yes it was. Now he could really say he'd seen - and done - it all.

After arriving in the new world and being there for a good few days, things still didn't feel right, made worse by the up and coming holiday and the overboard of red, white and blue. He’d learned after waking up that it didn’t seem a day where people celebrated their freedom, rather the day off of work, or school and the metric tons of meat that people cooked up on their outdoor grills.

To make matters worse, he walked through De Chima that day with a duffel bag that held his uniform in one hand and his shield in the other. Making himself a target for those overzealous mobs which had Steve quickly searching an out.

Desperately.

[nightmarist]

Good. That's easier.

[Ronan takes another look at her wings, leaning over subtly to better assess them. Definitely not a costume piece.]

Those are attracting a lot of attention. It'll be easier if you cover them. You can blend in with the humans.

Etta Candy | Wonder Woman | may have spoilers

[useourprinciples]

[de chima]

[Honestly, between the reporters and the Fourth of July preparations, Etta's having a very rough go of it. The future is not all it's cracked up to be, she thinks sourly, and she's half-tempted to turn down the next flag-covered freebie thrust in her direction out of principle, or slap the next reporter who tracks her down and asks her what color her bloomers are.

Really, the nerve of some people. Who raised them, animals?

This resolve lasts for all of ten seconds before someone selling flag-covered cupcakes calls her over and offers her one for free. Etta stares down at the cupcake for a moment, as if debating with herself whether to take it or not, before she sighs and takes the cupcake. To the vendor's enthusiastic declaration that she's an American now, though, she replies:]

I'm English. [She nibbles at her cupcake, swallows.] But these cupcakes are quite good. They'd go better with a spot of tea, I think.

[nonah]

[Guess who hasn't bothered to change out of clothes visibly from the early 1900s and is pretty obviously an imPort? Yep, it's Etta.]

Oh, it's getting a wee bit crowded here—could you let me through, please, I do have other engagements I need to be getting on with, I can't stay around here very long—

[Let's be honest here, it's an engagement with some of the free foods being offered to imPorts in this city. One of the artists waves at her, asks if she can stand still a moment so he can draw her picture. Etta blinks at him, briefly surprised by the offer, before she huffs out a breath and tries to move through the crowd of fans in order to get to them.

It's a bit slow-going.]

Excuse me, pardon me—oh, sorry if I stepped on your toes—

de chima

[mansplane]

[ At least there's one friendly face among all these strangers. Steve's gotten himself reasonably more modern clothes by now, in the form of jeans and a decent shirt - mostly because what he came in was all but unsalvageable. Also, summer in a winter German uniform? Not comfortable.

Anyway. He's here looking at the vendors himself when he hears a familiar voice. Turns with a delighted grin, glad to see that his first impression wasn't wrong in the slightest. Man, he has missed her. Diana a little more maybe, but Etta too. ]

-- Etta? That you?

Johnny Cade | The Outsiders

[hoodorhero]

Heropa
[Given the weather, it might seem an odd sight to see Johnny still clad in his thick denim jacket and blue jeans, what with the company around him donning tank tops, bathing suits, and, in some cases, not much at all. But, ever since arriving here, the heat just hasn't seemed to bother the boy or, he's noticed, affect him much at all. Surely, that must have something to do with one of the new powers (Powers! Can you believe it? Pretty tuff, huh?) that he has apparently be given.

[Heat resistance. Now, that might have come in handy a time or two while he was alive, and not just for cigarette burns. The thought brings out a somewhat bitter laugh from the boy, but he doesn't linger on it for very long.

[Now, what's even tougher than heat resistance? Lighting your smoke with a snap of a finger, that's what. He's only tested it out about a hundred and a half times now, but the neat little magic trick just doesn't seem to get old. Seating himself a fair distance away from the festivities surrounding him (water, he's found, he's not so fond of these days), Johnny pulls out a cancer stick, sets it between his lips, and pulls up a finger. He should be ready for what's to come next by now, but when the short little flame bursts upward from his fingertip, the boy still jumps. Then, with a giddy grin, he takes a drag, lays his back against the burning brick wall behind him, and lets it out with a contented sigh.]


De Chima
[At first, De Chima had seemed just the place for quiet little Johnny Cade - not as overstimulating as he'd found Heropa to be, at least. However, one turn down the wrong street and suddenly the little runt of a teenager was being swarmed by...reporters? "Fans"? All the poor kid knows is that one minute ago he was walking along peacefully, sucking on a cancer stick, and now he's being crowded by flashing cameras, excited shouts, and some highly personal - some would even say rude - questions.

['How does it feel to be a real superhero?'
'What are some of your new powers?'
'Have you ever had to kill anyone before?'
'Hey, imPort! How did you get all of those burns?'

[It doesn't take long for Johnny to start folding in on himself, arms instinctively raising to cover his face as he tries desperately to push his way out from the crowd.]

I-I don't know! I don't want--

J-just leave me alone-- !

[And with that and a loud 'oomph!', the poor boy falls back, landing hard on his backside and eventually curling up there on the ground to be taken over by the overzealous crowd.

[Help a greaser out?]


Network Post - Text

[It's taken Johnny quite a bit of time to work up the courage to actually post something on this so-called "network", especially given his lack of experience using anything akin to a smartphone. But, after a slew of what he'd consider to be quite traumatizing events (for example: enduring a slow and painful death only to be woken up and told that he is now going to be a superhero), the boy's nerves are all but shot. If it weren't for that, maybe he would have gone his entire life here not saying a word. But, unfortunately, the boy has needs, and some of them are pretty hard to meet if you never leave your house. So, not without an exceptional degree of hesitation, the boy's shaking hands finally manage to type out one feeble line:]

Does anyone know where I can get myself a cigarette?

[useourprinciples]

[Etta freezes in place for a second. Then she very slowly puts the cupcake down and turns around and.

Just. Stares at Steve for a moment, jaw slack like she can't quite believe he's here. Then:]

Steve? [Oh, that's it, no more flag-covered cupcakes for her no matter how delicious. Not if Steve Trevor is standing in front of her like nothing happened. She looks at the vendor, who is now trying to push a cupcake at him, then at Steve again.] How are you—how?