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

[Thomas nods as if everything Barry says makes perfect sense, but inwardly, he's marveling at the doubtlessly odd reaction he's had to all this. Even if Thomas was one to fret about upsetting his stomach - which he most certainly is not - he certainly wouldn't be sharing that tidbit with a complete stranger.

Is this man truly an open book, or does he simply act that way?]

Your main fear about this sort of thing, [he echoes.] Do you mean to say that you have feared that this would happen prior to now?

Yes -- no -- well, not exactly like this. [ His voice goes a little lower: ] Usually I-I would assume aliens were behind this kind of abduction, but I haven't seen or heard from any since I've been here.

[ His brows furrow mildly as if he's troubled by that, but then his expression clears into something more friendly and he offers out his hand. ]

Hi, I'm Barry. What's your name? It's nice to meet you, by the way. Circumstances being what they are even, but at least we got some company.

[For a moment, Thomas simply stares, his gaze level, his mouth in an unmoving line as his assesses what he wishes to do in this situation. At home, he would call the man a loon, and be on his merry way, secure in the knowledge that he had better things to do and far more pleasant - and attractive - people to spend his time with. Here...

His own smile matches Barry's, mild and friendly, and he shakes his hand with the firm grasp of a businessman.]

It's Thomas. A pleasure to meet you, Barry, and a pleasure to at least be in this quandary with someone else. I believe you have me at something of a disadvantage, however - I have never, in my life, feared an abduction such as this.

[As his lies go, it's a small one. He has been trapped before, but usually for concrete, rational reasons, and usually by people with very large guns who enjoy waving said guns in his face. Thomas would have preferred that. He knows how to deal with guns.]

Perhaps you can tell me about it sometime.

[ As Barry withdraws his hand, his eyebrows raise and his expression lights up probably as much as it's possible for it to -- the look of someone happy to share his "expertise" on what is definitely a very narrow, specific subject. ]

Not much of an advantage, r-really, see, I even keep a bag packed-- [ He indicates the messenger bag he's holding under his arm. ] For example, normally I keep about four or five packages of pens in here so I'll be ready for anything, but i-it's just my luck something would finally happen when I'm down to one without any spares. Isn't that crazy?

B-but I don't know what they'd want with me, or us, I've never met any to ask that I can remember... so I couldn't tell you for sure if aliens are behind this one or not. I'll be taking notes, though -- if I learn anything, I'll let you know.

[ He nods his head assertively. ]

Thank you, Barry. I'd appreciate that that very much - and you can expect me to return the favour, of course.

[Who knows, maybe he'll be able to find something that Thomas cannot? He heartily doubts it, but he likes having an ace in the hole every now and then. For now, however, they have new ground to tread.]

Let me get this straight - in the case that you are abducted by aliens - or the government, as the case may be - your first priority is to ensure that you have an adequate supply of pens?

[ He offers Thomas a helpful thumbs up to acknowledge their agreement, his grin lasting only for a moment or two more before his expression becomes more thoughtful again (which in Barry's case means also rather uneasy). ]

W-well, not the first one, but I need something to write with, you know? I write down everything that happens to me or that I think about happing so I can look at it later, it's, uh... very useful. I got just about everything else, though -- water, snacks, batteries, a flashlight, a change of clothes, medicine, toothbrush, an extra notebook, a camera, money, some magazines... you never know w-where you'll end up, so I tried to think of everything.

Do you want something to eat? I got some stuff. Or water. Do you want a bottle of water?

[Assuming that Barry's fears are well-founded - and in this case, they certainly are - food, water, clothing, a light source are all exceptionally reasonable supplies, and one who travels as much as Thomas is quick not to discredit the value of carrying entertainment with him. Barry's train of thought is sound, even if it doesn't come from a wholly reasonable source.]

I'm fine, thank you. Luckily for us, it seems that we will be provided for, at least where food and water are concerned.

[There is one more curiosity that Thomas has, and it's an important one.]

I can't help but notice that though you have kept yourself well stocked, you're missing something to protect yourself with. Did you not anticipate that you would be abducted by those with less than benevolent intentions?

[ Barry smiles faintly, nodding his head and putting his hand on the strap to his bag, adjusting it in his arms. Thomas has a point, of course; it isn't like they're stranded in a waiting room, there's restaurants and grocery stores and just about anything you could expect to find in any city available to them now by the look of it. ]

Uh, w-well, it's not that I haven't considered it, b-but I'm not really good at fighting. They would probably be better, and I'm more of a, uh, non-violent kinda person. [ Also a coward, but he is self-aware at least to know putting a gun or knife in his hands would probably not end well. ] Do you think they wanna hurt us? Here? Maybe I could stick by you, you look like a guy who can handle himself okay.

Ah, a pacifist! Nothing wrong with that, of course - though that may not be what our captors are looking for, [Thomas says jovially. He rather gets along with pacifists, provided they don't nose into his decidedly violent line of work. They're less liable to start fights, at least, which is always a positive.]

But I don't believe that they wish to hurt us, not here. They've invested far too much time and money into us to wish to simply do away with us, don't you think?

now don't be rude

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