maskormods: (Default)
Mask or Menace | MODERATORS ([personal profile] maskormods) wrote in [community profile] etcelsior2019-03-25 02:05 pm
Entry tags:

what are we here for again?


T E S T D R I V E M E M E
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 ON THE TEST DRIVE MEME!

    01.The city of Heropa, Florida 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. Heropa isn't right on the beach, but who cares? A local community center and pool complex is hosting a sand sculpture contest with loads of shipped-in sand, water and all the sculpting tools any beach artiste could want. Are you interested in winning a free season pass and a gift certificate for dinner for two at a top nearby restaurant? Then step right up and build your best beach castle!

    Of course, with many imPorts nearby as inspiration, entries include sandy versions of many of them, new or old. Do you recognize your face, or that of a friend? Take a selfie with it, and maybe sign an autograph for the star-struck sculptor. Food and drink kiosks are scattered around for those who just want to tour the sculptures, making this a lovely day out for anyone who comes by.

    ...at least, at first. About halfway through the day, a would-be supervillain named The Shrinker bursts onto the scene out of nowhere, blasting people left and right with his powerful shrink ray. His aim isn't so great, so only about half the attendees are struck, but if you're one of them, those small-but-fancy sand castles now look like mighty fortresses. If you're not, then you better watch out—accidentally stomping on another imPort is a terrible way to make friends.

    02. De Chima, Virginia, is a large city with a healthy economy, with large numbers of citizens waiting to be awed by your very presence. Look at you! Organic wonder! Those words have meaning here. 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. If you let yourself get cornered, beware! Anything from personal questions about romantic chances to bedroom habits to dietary queries might be come up!

    On this crisp Spring day, crowds are out in droves as researchers, inventors and musicians are out showing off what's new and great in music technology innovation. Out on the tables displaying their wares, imPorts and natives alike are welcome to test out what's in store for what they swear up and down is the future of America's music industry. From warbling guitars plugged into synths meant to recreate the approximate sound of every other instrument they can think of (who needs an electric piano when you can do it on a guitar?) to rows of theremins to bagpipe-accordion amalgamations to electric dulcimers, it seems as though some of these won't necessarily be catching on anytime soon.

    Up on the provided stage, any intrepid musicians are welcome to go up and take these instruments (and perfectly ordinary instruments) for a whirl, though do take care to keep an eye out for any side effects - the people developing this are natural showmen who really want to create the next big thing, whether that's through extravagant light shows, guitars that spit sparks out of their necks, horns that shoot bubbles and flowers and so much more.

    Once evening falls and everyone's had their fill of the various musical themed food items for sale (boy, this world really loves their puns, don't they?), the tables and food trucks are cleared and mats are put out for a swing dancing competition! A blessedly professional band begins to play, a far cry from the chaos of unpracticed musicians trying their hand at experimental instruments this afternoon, and dancers trot onto the dance floor to strut their stuff. Why not go out there and show them what you can do?

    And hey - enough of this swing dancing stuff, right? Why not see if you can scandalize a soul or two?

    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?

    It's not quite spring yet, but already flowers are popping up—in the form of seven-foot sentient musclebound daisies! A local criminal known as Flower Power has set them on the city, and they're going on a rampage, but a number of citizens have taken advantage. Do you go after the bushwhacking blossoms or the local looters?

    04. Nonah, North Carolina, is the liveliest of all cities; loud, busy and there's always some kind of energy in the air that gets everyone buzzing with excitement.

    Baseball season is now open! And what's more American than America's favorite pastime? For new imPorts and registered imPorts, you can get in to watch the game for free! (If you aren't registered, sorry bucko, no freebies for you.) Take a seat, order some peanuts or a hot dog, and enjoy the game! Or, ask the citizen next to you what the heck is going on, if you have no idea what baseball is.

    Midway through the game, the umpire might take note of you new imPorts -- assuming you're standing out in the crowd. He'll welcome you to throw a pitch if you'd like! Of course, the opposing team isn't too keen on the idea.

    05. Jeopardy, Nevada by all rights shouldn't exist. A glowing neon city smack in the middle of the desert, the only reason it's still here is that the central nuclear power plant has tapped half a mile down into a subterranean lake for its water supply. So though the desert around it may be barren, the occupants of this small city are happily self sufficient. Those weird figures you see out of the corner of your eyes? Don't worry too much. Probably just weird radiation after effects. Jeopardy has a lot of those.

    Today, the annual Jeopardy Pet Show has locals in fine spirits. Whether they own a cat, dog, lizard or ant farm, resident pet owners are encouraged to groom their pet pals to look their best and show how great they are in a blocked-off section of main street. The event kicks off at 11 a.m. with the pet parade, which is followed by a pet fashion show (how did the ant farm owners manage to sew such tiny outfits?) and a talent contest. Attending imPorts are encouraged to evaluate each pet and share their thoughts as guest celebrity judges.

    One contestant of note is Paul the African Grey parrot, owned by an engineer at the power plant. Not only is Paul a chatty fellow, he's liable to provide unsolicited advice and criticism to any person who happens to pass by his table at the show. On the plus side? He's right about his fashion advice--Paul has impeccable taste.
knaval: (then it turns into something)

[personal profile] knaval 2019-03-26 09:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah? Captain anything is cool! Unless it's Co-Captain. Then it's lame.

[sry, megatron. anyway:] Riptide! Because I turn into a boat!
chilladelphia: (15.)

[personal profile] chilladelphia 2019-03-26 10:35 pm (UTC)(link)
[Is he Co-Captain with his siblings? That's a question for them probably, and not something for him to dwell on right now.]

Okay, that's legit. Can you do it right now?
knaval: (oh)

[personal profile] knaval 2019-03-26 10:44 pm (UTC)(link)
I mean there's no water, but I don't see why not.

[AND SO with the iconic tschu tsche tsche noise, riptide's body shifts and changes, practically exploding in a flurry of metal and reforming into a huge futuristic looking speed boat.

when he speaks, it's not clear where his voice comes from. just Within.]


See? ...This would be cooler on the water, you know.
chilladelphia: (15.)

[personal profile] chilladelphia 2019-03-27 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
Holy shit.

[Everyone's going to be so jealous of him.]

No, dude, that's really cool. Like... even without water, it's awesome.

[Wait he's a giant robot so...]

Hey so this is gonna sound like a weird question, but I've got... a science report. On imPorts. An imPort report. Are you powered by electricity or something else?
knaval: (yet somehow familiar)

[personal profile] knaval 2019-03-27 03:14 pm (UTC)(link)
Weirdly specific, but no. Energon.

[he transforms back into his root form-- exactly the same process but in reverse.]

Why? You want a ride, or something? I'll do that.
chilladelphia: (11.)

[personal profile] chilladelphia 2019-03-27 07:37 pm (UTC)(link)
Damn.

[He's 90% sure Shazam can't control energon, whatever the heck that is. Buuuut forget about that because Riptide's offering him a ride?]

Wait, for real? I- yeah, of course I want a ride!
knaval: (ticket in my hand)

[personal profile] knaval 2019-03-27 08:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Done deal.

[so that thought he bad about riding in a robot hand? maybe it's not as cool when riptide is reaching out a truck-sized hand to pluck him off the ground.]
chilladelphia: (07.)

[personal profile] chilladelphia 2019-03-27 10:48 pm (UTC)(link)
[He really wants to turn into Shazam right about now because at least then he knows for sure he won't be crushed by giant robot hands. Instead, he closes his eyes as if that'll help and braces himself.

He won't say this out loud, but why does he have to pluck him! Why couldn't he just walk onto his hand!]
knaval: (Default)

[personal profile] knaval 2019-03-28 01:15 pm (UTC)(link)
[because riptide is absolutely terrible at just about everything he does. at the very least, he's surprisingly gentle, in a way that's clearly practiced as he nudges billy onto his hand and lifts it up... and up... and up...]

I won't drop you. You can put in your report that I'm way cooler than Captain Marvel, even if his name is better than mine.
chilladelphia: (09.)

[personal profile] chilladelphia 2019-03-28 09:09 pm (UTC)(link)
[It takes him a second to realize Riptide's talking about him, or well Shazam, or Captain Marvel...? Whatever.

Also he's definitely been up higher as Billy, and even jumped from higher, but it's somehow way worse when he knows he can't transform right here and now.]


Thanks? [At least he's opened his eyes.] I don't know if that's true, though. The you being cooler part, I mean. Since he definitely wouldn't drop me. And he's got super strength. And he can fly.
knaval: (then it turns into something)

[personal profile] knaval 2019-03-29 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
Jeez, you his friend, or something?

[he carefully cups his hand, then raises it up so billy can climb onto his shoulder.]

'Cause commendable, but also slightly weird!
chilladelphia: (11.)

[personal profile] chilladelphia 2019-03-29 12:40 am (UTC)(link)
No!

[And that was way too quick of a response, but he's going to carefully climb up now... Although he's gotta say sitting on the shoulder of a giant robot is freaking awesome. He's just still getting used to going from nothing can hurt him to absolutely anything can.]

I, uh, did my last report on him. And he seems like he's one of the cooler ones, of you imPort guys, I mean.

[Without Freddy here, he's become the weird kid who talks about superheroes.]
knaval: (so deep inside yet)

[personal profile] knaval 2019-03-29 08:12 pm (UTC)(link)
Wow.

[riptide stops in his tracks. turns his big ass head to look at billy.]

That's cold. [he turns literally.] I'm gonna find him and you're gonna tell him you don't think he's your friend. You're gonna make him cry, probably!
chilladelphia: (13.)

[personal profile] chilladelphia 2019-03-31 02:04 am (UTC)(link)
Good luck finding him...

[He mutters under his breath. Hopefully robots don't have super hearing?]

What I mean is- I don't think I'm his friend because I'm just some kid. He probably doesn't even know my name.
knaval: (oh)

i thought i tagged this....... rip feel free to drop if u want

[personal profile] knaval 2019-04-11 06:59 pm (UTC)(link)
Probably. So, not to be creepy but my cool technology scans show that you have that janky imPort tattoo.

[he holds up his own massive wrist where, even in robot mode, it seems faintly clear in the paint.]

I didn't know they were snatching tiny human children now. That's messed up. You okay, bud?