now don't be rude

[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 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.

Comments

Wanda Lehnsherr | Marvel 1610

[doesthemath]

02.

[Pietro would laugh if he could see her now. Besides being in Florida of all places, she's sitting on a shiny silver stool with a red cushion, sipping from a tall glass of chocolate milkshake. There are people looking at her and smiling which is entirely unnerving, and small children don't seem wary of her but actually anxious to get up the courage to speak to her.

It's a drastic change from the furtive, suspicious looks she's used to getting from the locals of New York when she walks down the streets. This strange mish-mash community that seems to be from the mid 1900's and some vision of the future appears to truly welcome anyone and everyone that's been imPorted. Even a former terrorist of the mutant variety in a tight leather bustier and matching pants seems as welcome as any obvious hero-in-spandex obviously prepared to save the day. The entire vibe leaves Wanda feeling like the other shoe is sure to drop sooner rather than later.

Still, she sips at her milkshake and examines the patrons of the room with a critical eye.

Maybe they're robots or something.

They look way too happy.

Or maybe there's something in this shake?]


04.

[Wanda may not have signed on as a hero officially; it's unlikely that she will considering the fact that she understandably does not take kindly to being kidnapped. Also, she may have some residual prejudiced feelings against the human race as a whole. Still, her time with the Ultimates has taught her that while the human race is capable of horrific things (mutant-hunting game shows, anyone?) there are some individuals worth saving. Mutants may be the next step in evolution but the humans they've surpassed aren't always as terrible as she's been raised to believe.

They've been enough of an influence on her to regard the population at large as people who ought to be saved when they're in danger not of their own making. It doesn't even require thought or debate.

The moment she sees three cars speeding down the streets in the direction of those oblivious children on their hoverboards, Wanda shifts into action. Rushing into the street, she positions herself between the cars and the kids. Intense, pink light grows at the hand she raises in the direction of the kids. She sends a hex at them which quickly engulfs them and in a flash relocates them to the park just off the sidewalk, a much safer fifty feet away from the street.

The cars approaching get her attention next. Not enough of an amateur to risk getting hit by them, she rises up in to the air and sends her next hood at the car of the pursued car. It hits the hood and stalls the engine, causing the vehicle to sputter and die. She shoots off a third hex to try and hit the breaks, but it's not until the fourth that she manages to engage them. The car slows despite the drivers attempts to keep it moving, and as Wanda slowly lowers down to the ground, she watches the cops surround the car to apprehend the driver and his passenger.]

number twoooooo

[brushoff]

[ Somebody's also in the malt shop. Dorian can't help but idly look over Wanda. She's gorgeous, obviously. She's got a look to her that some would call exotic, but Dorian could call fucking smoking. Though, what's interesting for him is that outfit. Leather in Florida was horrifically hot--although, Florida itself was horrifically hot.

So, grabbing his drink, he walked over to Wanda. In contrast, Dorian's wearing a loose oxford and a pair of very expensive slacks. Thank you, summer sales. ]

I've got to ask--did you get lost on the way to the club? That outfit's great, but not exactly something you'd see in Florida.

[doesthemath]

[Due to the logic of comics, Wanda wears leather in New York, Florida, the Middle East, and yes, even the dense jungles of the Savage Lands. It's horrifically hot and it's only by the power of magic (we can only assume) that she manages to look cool in it instead of a somewhat literal hot mess.

She glances up from her questionably delicious milkshake to Dorian, takes in the shirt and slacks and--recognizing quality at a glance--offers him a faint smile.]

You mean it's not the American way to dress like this to stop off for a milk shake before going to the sock hop? [The corner of her mouth lifts at once side.] It's a uniform.

[brushoff]

Not any Americans I've met, [ Dorian responds, with a shrug. ] Of course, as you can probably tell, my reference pool of Americans is limited.

[ 'As you can probably tell' meaning 'wow that is a British accent.' Without waiting for Wanda to tell him otherwise, Dorian slips into the seat in front of her, setting his drink down across from hers. As he takes a sip from it, he can't help but raise an eyebrow at the word 'uniform.' ...really. He was not expecting that. ]

Alright, you've piqued my curiosity. What kind of uniform is that?

[doesthemath]

It's mine.

[She lifts a brow at him, taking a sip of her own milkshake while giving him yet another assessing glance. She's quietly thanking whatever powers exist in the universe that she's not the only European stuck in this hellish swamp state.]

I'm part of a team back home, my uniform is made of the same material my brother's is. [She shrugs slightly.] It's the best suited for traveling at high speeds which we do often, both during missions and between.

[brushoff]

[ A team, where she travelled at high speeds. Really, at least in Dorian's mind, that offered him three options: some sort of search and rescue type mission, black ops, or superheroes. She didn't look black ops. And that was hardly the type of uniform for search and rescue. So, superhero it was.

And at that moment, Dorian briefly thanked God for superhero ladies. ]

Let me guess: you've been brought in by the porter and, unlike most of us, you're already an actual superhero?

[doesthemath]

I wouldn't call myself that, but I have experience with this sort of thing, yes.

[And experience on the other side, though she's not about to advertise that to anyone who doesn't know. She's earned her place on her team, and the last thing she wants to do is inspire any feelings that she's not trustworthy here.]

I assume that isn't the case with you?

[brushoff]

Of course not, [ Dorian remarked, with a laugh, as if the idea of being a superhero was utterly laughable. ] My world never had anything like superpowers or superheroes.

[doesthemath]

[A world unevolved. The idea is interesting to her distantly. As a concept. The idea of being human and powerless, however, evokes a feeling of unease in her, one she covers with a smile.]

A shame, but if that wasn't the case, what powers would you choose. Assuming you had the picking of it, of course.

[brushoff]

Oh, you didn't know? They stick you with powers here if you don't have any. [ said with a small shrug. ]

Apparently a healing factor and enhanced reflexes fit me.

[doesthemath]

Interesting combination. Enhanced healing and reflexes are formidable, depending on how enhanced they are.

[She tilts her head to the side and gives him a meaningful look.]

But I am aware that there are powers given here. The question was what would you choose. You can tell a lot about a person based on the choices they make.

[brushoff]

[ Oh, he knew the answer to that one because he did choose: immortality. However, here he was Dorian Gray: the eccentric banker, not Dorian Gray: immortal playboy of Wildean fame. So, once again, he swapped back to lying. ]

If I had to pick...I won't lie, healing factor's pretty good. But if I had to pick, I'd go with teleportation. It'd certainly take the time out of travel, at least.

4.

[genoshan]

[ He would have stopped the car himself, but it appears that he's a moment too late. The flashes of pink cause him to pause in his steps, watching the younger woman's work with raised eyebrows and a faint expression of approval. ]

Well done.

[ With the urgency removed from the situation, his posture relaxes, and he gives the other imPort a considering look... and tries to hide his surprise when he feels a pang of familiarity. He doesn't recognize her, exactly, but he can't deny the uncanny resemblance to someone he was convinced he would never see again. ]

[doesthemath]

[No doubt Pietro would be suppressing the urge to comment in a dry tone that he's so glad they have his approval to the stranger on the street. Wanda's half tempted herself except that the man's tone seems genuine and she remembers that she doesn't need to make up for her brother not being there by filling some imaginary quota of sarcasm and at times just general unpleasantness.]

Thank you.

[Blinking, she notes that he seems somewhat familiar, but she can't quite put her finger on why that is. Used to the concept of alternate universe by now, she wonders if perhaps he's simply another version of someone she's run across back home, but the resemblance nags at her.]

You look as if you meant to step in yourself, am I wrong?

[genoshan]

[ He gives a small shrug at that. ]

I certainly would not have stood by as children were run down. But it would seem you have a handle on the situation.

[ He has to put a conscious effort into not staring. He doesn't want to unnerve someone that he just met, after all. ]

[doesthemath]

[She nods, glancing back to the cops as they arrest the driver, then to the children who seem to be talking and staring at her. There's no horror in their faces, however. No disgust at what she is. It's unsettling to be so easily accepted by this population.

Wanda turns back to Erik, expression showing some curiosity.]

I'm Scarlet Witch, by the way.

[She's been hero-ing, which means she gives her mutant name, not her given one. There's an implied "And you are?" in her tone.]

[genoshan]

[ He's not able to hide his surprise. His eyes widen somewhat, and he looks as though he is about to speak but then reconsiders it at the last moment.

Between the time he's spent with Billy and Tommy, and the helpful run-down on an alternate version of himself that Emma provided him with, he definitely recognizes that name. It certainly explains the resemblance. ]

I had not thought I would meet you here.

[doesthemath]

[Now there's a reaction closer to what she's been expecting all this time. Surprise. Recognition. It still lacks the somewhat obvious negative attitude, but it feels like home, almost.

What he says speaks of a different kind of connection, however. Finding him familiar and hearing him refer to her specifically instead of members of her teams gives her pause. She's trying to place his face but it's difficult, almost like having a word on the tip of her tongue that she can't quite remember.]

And I had begun to think that no one here was familiar with any version of me. Are we acquainted in your world?

[genoshan]

[ He pauses for a moment before giving a small shake of his head. For all he knows she has already been born, though he has not had the chance to meet her. ]

No... Not yet. But I was brought here from the year 1962.

[ There's a peculiar degree of emotion that is beginning to seep into his eyes, into his voice, though he is trying to hold it back. ]

[doesthemath]

[1962? She's aware that people are pulled from all manner of universes and times, but she finds it difficult to reconcile the man in front of her with anyone she might know from that long ago.

It occurs to her only after that despite his being from an earlier timeline in which they haven't met yet, he still knows her by name. Which means someone else must have told him about her--but why? Combined with the expression on his face that seems to be growing slightly strained, Wanda can't help but feel apprehensive.]

I see. Perhaps you'll enlighten me then because I confess while you seem somewhat familiar to me, I can't quite place you.

[genoshan]

[ He hesitates for a moment. He hadn't imagined his first encounter with his daughter going like this-- then again, he's not really sure how he had imagined it. ]

I am... your father.

cw: mention of abuse/violence? /)_(\

[doesthemath]

[Wanda hears nothing.

She feels nothing. Smells nothing. She's aware of the way her mouth tastes terrible suddenly, dry, and how she can't see anything beyond this man who can't be more than a decade older than her, telling her he's her father.

And he looks like him, sort of. She can see the resemblance now for what it is, and understands now why she defaulted automatically to caution. She'd known something, known him somehow at the back of her mind.

She's too well schooled to back up, to show fear or weakness in front of this man who would no doubt berate her for it. But it's hard to push the teleportation spell out of her mind when it would take her away from here, take her anywhere. It's hard not to think about the last time she saw her father, the fear that had been so intense it was palpable. His words had rang louder and longer than the sounds of the shots as he'd used S.H.I.E.L.D. guns to cut Pietro down at the knees.

"Oh, but your punishment is quite straightforward, my little Wanda. You get to watch."
He's from before all that, before everything went badly, but Wanda pales all the same despite her efforts to not give this man any reaction at all. She speaks before she knows what to say, words that come easily to her lips to stall as she tries to think of something of substance.]

I see.

[Her mind races as she tries to make sense of this.]

That explains...why you seem familiar. [She takes a slow, quiet breath, and fights to avert her eyes.] What do you know about me so far?

[genoshan]

[ Emma has given him the run-down on the version of himself that she is familiar with in her own universe. She doesn't know everything about his life there, but she's known him for years and has been in his mind there, so she knows more than most.

He knows that he has not been an ideal father, but would never imagine committing such crimes as he was responsible for in Wanda's universe. In fact, he would be appalled to hear of them.

He wants to be a good father. He likes to hope that he would be, if given the chance, though he has his doubts-- he knows that he has a tendency to become too preoccupied with his other goals. ]

Only what Ms. Frost has told me. And... I know your sons. I have been... getting to know them, that is. They're good boys.

2

[sniktpup]

[Jimmy found it strange to be back in Florida of all places. Not that he didn't miss it at times, but it was odd because this place felt like his Florida, but he knew it wasn't. It was just a feeling that he couldn't shake. One thing that there wasn't a lack of here was crime, and at least that gave Jimmy something to vent his frustrations of wanting to get home on.

He shows up at the front door of this particular establishment. Just minutes ago, he had foiled a crime in progress. It ended with him and the criminal flying through a window and onto a side walk. Jimmy was still picking glass off of his hat. Speaking of, he stopped at the door and took off his hat and shook the glass off of it before placing it back on his head. There were bullet holes in his shirt, and some staining from blood. Fresh, but he looked completely fine. He grumbled something about really liking this shirt before continuing into the establishment.]

Apologies for the delay!

[doesthemath]

[Wanda's still giving the occupants of the shop a critical look when movement by the door catches her eye. The newcomer doesn't seem like the others. For once, he's not smiling. Of course, the bulletholes in his shirt and the glint of a couple stray pieces of glass he missed might have something to do with that as well.

Taking him to be another imPort like herself, Wanda watches him a moment. There's something familiar about his features that holds her gaze longer. He looks familiar but she can't quite place his face.

There is, however, an empty seat next to her. Maybe she'll luck out and he'll sit so she can strike up a conversation without having to be the one to approach him. She's curious but not quite enough to go out of her way to chat him up.]