etcelsior | now don't be rude

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 anyone's thread, either!

And remember to have fun!

01. Your memory is hazy and you might feel increasingly frustrated or anxious, or maybe you're excited as soldiers march past, barely glimpsing you. One second you're somewhere underground, the next you're enveloped in blue light, and suddenly you find yourself directly under Flordia sun's bright and burning glare. A female soldier steps toward you with a wide smile on her face and directs you to a car, ready to debrief you. You realize you are not the only one, surrounded by equally confused or eager faces... and you're all sporting a digital tattoo on your wrist.

02. Welcome to Cape Canaveral, where the smell of the ocean is in the air and locals are more than pleased to see new imPorts roaming their streets. They wave, they cheer, they ask for pictures as politely as they can. The more inhuman you look, or if you're wearing a costume, the more likely locals are to approach. Hey, enjoy the moment! The popular malt shop is offering you a free drink if you need it.

03. The technology in this world is certainly something. The cars are clearly modeled after popular 50s cars, but they hover several feet above the ground as they drive down the street. There are digital jukeboxes in restaurants, motorcycles also hover through traffic, advertisements can be seen on a digital projector on the taller buildings. Even kids on skateboards appear to drift a safe ten feet off the ground while playing!

04. Wherever you are, you can hear the loud revving of an engine, distance at first before you finally see it: a hovercar bursting around the corner, going beyond the maximum speed limit and just barely making its sharp turn. It doesn't appear to be slowing down any time soon, not with two police cars trailing it... and uh oh. Those skateboarding kids don't have much time to get out of the way as the car comes speeding down the road. You've been brought here for a reason Hero — so you better act fast.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Uncertain as she is about the board, Ellie still can spare Riley a look.]

Funny looking, maybe.

[So clever and original. Ellie smiles and sticks out her tongue. She's been in Heropa for a few months, and unlike back in Boston, she's gotten along with some of the teens in the city. It's a slow march, but every day she's a little more comfortable with having fun. Realizing it's okay to have fun and not look over your shoulder every five minutes.]

Eh. It's [not like anything bad could happen. It's what she wants to say, but it rings a little too familiar to things said in the past.] not like it'd be a big deal or anything. Just no free laughs at my expense.

Ha ha.

[Flattest delivery every, accompanied by Riley making a face right back at Ellie. There's a kind of careful optimism about things like this because yeah, it's great now, she's having fun with Ellie now, but they've seen in the past how fast that can turn.

It doesn't stop her, though. She's as determined as ever to get in all the time with Ellie that she can and it honestly doesn't matter if they're working on homework or sneaking out at night to explore on their own, no matter what they're doing Riley is happy.]

I make no promises. Hold on, though.

[She starts to jog backwards now, checking over her shoulder to be sure no one's in her way as they speed up.]

[Play comes easily, once the overwhelming guilt is dealt with or buried deep. Ellie's knuckles go white as she grips Riley's hands, the board wobbling under her feet. How the hell does that thing even work, anyway?]

Ooohhhhh boy... you do know I don't know how to stop this thing, right?

I'll run you into a bush, it'll be fine.

[It's entirely likely she's kidding, and the quick grin she shoots Ellie implies that's the case, but they're really not going that fast.

They are coming up to that intersection pretty fast though. That could be a problem.]

Riley... [She can't sound as exasperated as she wants, eyes focused on that intersection.]

[She's got it handled Ellie, keep your pants on. Once they get up to the intersection Riley stops, but she uses her being still like a fulcrum to swing Ellie (very slowly, very carefully) into the turn. Once the little pivot action is done, they're still on the sidewalk, rounding the corner and still very much not dead in the street.

Ellie's a little bit in front of her now, so Riley lets go of her hands and for one brief second the only one keeping Ellie on the board is Ellie. It doesn't last long though, Riley grabs for the other girl's waist and starts to push, running along behind her and keeping her steady.]

See? You totally did not eat shit, I'm the best.

[She might be saying "oh shit oh shit oh fuck" under her breath all the while. It's not like getting hurt is an issue, but Ellie can still feel pain. It's not something she's excited about.]

Yet.

[Her hands clamp around Riley's wrists. Ffffffffffuck.]

How the hell am I on this thing when this was your idea?

If you want off you just gotta tap out, you big wimp.

[She does slow them down a little, though. The idea is for this to be fun, not to freak Ellie out.]

I'm not a wimp! I'm just saying, this was your thing. I think you need the practice.

Alright, alright.

[Riley drags her to a stop, then lets go of Ellie's waist.]

I got this so we could both use it, though.

[And Ellie hops off. Solid ground.]

Yeah... I know. But hey, if you ever wanted to get a bike or something, I'm sure Joel would fork over the cash. It's not like he doesn't have a ton to spare.

[That earns a laugh from Riley, though there isn't much actual amusement in it.]

Yeah right. I'm not asking him for shit, Ellie. You know exactly how that'd go.

Then I'll ask.

Leave me out of it, then. He'll do it if it's not something for me.

Right. So I'll just ask him to buy two bikes because I need one for each leg. Not sketchy at all.

I can get my own. I got along fine without his crusty old ass getting all over my case.

[Ellie sighs. This isn't the first or the last time they'll have this sort of chat.]

He's not crusty. And he just needs some time to warm up to you, that's all. Took him a long time to not be an ass to me, too.

Ellie, he hates me. He's not gonna warm up.

I'm pretty sure he used to hate me, too. [She got his partner killed, rooted him up from his life in Boston. She wouldn't blame him.] He's got a lot of issues, but I swear he's not as much of a dick as he makes you believe.

So what do you want me to do, wait around for him to stop treating me like shit just because I want to be around you?

--no, no. I just--look, I'll try talking to him. [Because that always goes well...] He'll back off sooner than later, I promise. He's pretty cool once he's not an asshole.

Yeah? Has he been not an asshole more than once? Once doesn't count.

Riley. [She knows what she means.]

Ellie.

[But then Riley sighs, goes back to being serious about it.]

You shouldn't have to keep talking to him about it.

What's the other option? Let you guys just continue your weird little... I don't even know what it is.

now don't be rude

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject