Mask or Menace | MODERATORS (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
maskormods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
etcelsior2019-03-25 02:05 pm
maskormods) wrote in 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.
no subject
I've got you.
no subject
There had been no steady bedrock in the London Underground, only unseen gravel shifting underfoot. No protecting embrace of kevlar wings, just claws and teeth and utterly pointless death. ]
Oh god, Cass, I missed you. I missed you.
[ There's a pang of guilt in her gut, coiling fear of what Cassandra will think of her once she knows what Laura was like left to her own devices. How much less she was. Less caring, less careful, less brave, less kind. Less of everything that had made her feel worth anything. ]
I missed you so much, I can't- . . .
[ She cuts herself off again, partially so she doesn't just repeat it ad nauseum, but also to try to keep from breaking down entirely in front of downtown Lachesis, downtown Maurtia, and everyone. Instead she pulls back before Cassandra can say anything else catastrophically comforting. she wipes at her face perfunctorily with her hoodie sleeves. ]
Shit. We should- we should get off the street before the vultures start circling.
no subject
Missed you too. I'm... parked around the corner, come on.
[ and cass just. starts walking. ]
no subject
no subject
Door's open.
no subject
[ the word comes out only slightly above a mumble as she slides into the passenger seat, but leaves her hood up. She's struck by an urge to apologize: apologize she's such a mess, apologize that she's Like This, apologize "This" is maybe at an all time fucked.
But then another part of her knows that appreciation for Cass's help is more important than groveling for her own inadequacy. ]
Uhm, anywhere's fine.
no subject
We can... talk there. If you want to.
no subject
Yeah. Food’d be OK. Manor too.
[ There was a time when she would have turned the simple touch into held hands, but that memory feels like it belongs to a different person. A person she could have been but definitely isn’t. But the touch is still nice. ]
Thanks.
no subject
Anytime. You know that.
no subject
This is all such a mindfuck. A couple hours ago I didn’t even know you existed.
no subject
[ she lets out a breath, keeping her eyes on the road. ]
Sorry, I--talking and driving. It's hard. I can listen, but...
no subject
Even I'm not shite enough to dump on a captive audience.
[ . . . ]
Silence is fine, Cassandra- Cass.
[ she punctuates that last comment with another squeeze, least she seem insincere. The companionable silence was one of the best features of their friendship. ]
no subject
Welcome back. [ aaaaand heading for one of the living room-ish...spaces. houses like this are weird. ] Tim's... probably in his room. A lot's changed.
no subject
Who's Tim?
no subject
[ robin #414135156161. you know. ]
no subject
Yikes?
[ She takes an awkwardly long moment picking a seat, and then sits down. She's still pulled in on herself- defensive and nervous. She doesn't think she belongs here, but is trying to hide that feeling. As always, Laura Wilson is fucking terrible at hiding her feelings. ]
no subject
Laura.
You're... always welcome, here. You know that, right?
no subject
I'm not... I'm not the person you thought I was.
[ and then, a hoarse whisper: ]
I'm not the person I thought I was.
no subject
Have I ever called you Persephone?
no subject
no subject
but she's here, and she doesn't plan on going anywhere. whatever laura's lost--it's not how cass understood her. it never was. ]
no subject
It wasn't- it's not just that. That was never real, I was never- never really - [ she can't even quite make herself say the name. ]
I lied so much, I lied to everyone. What am I going to tell Nico? I let some kid think I'm his mum!
[ But Nico's not "some kid." Nico was the kid who stayed with her in Hell, just so she wouldn't be alone. Nico, who stood up to his hero for her. Nico who'd already been used and abused by the divine dickheads who should have protected him. Nico who deserved so much better than to be used for his usefulness in necromancing stage props. ]