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etcelsior2019-07-25 03:27 pm
maskormods) wrote in etcelsior2019-07-25 03:27 pm
Entry tags:
DANCING WITH MY HAPPY FEET
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. Some of the locals might thank you for always lending your service to the nation, while others might not say anything -- but if you have something nasty to say, better not say anything at all, right?
They are, however, in the middle of some awfully hot weather, so some good samaritans have gained the approval of the government to close off a few of the streets for some good old-fashioned fun. They've equipped everyone who steps in with water guns of varying quality, and there's also access to water balloons, a slip n' slide, and more! Why don't you grab an ice cream cone, watch the festivities, and cool off? But you'd better be careful - there's always a munchkin or two here to spray any unsuspecting onlookers they may find.
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! 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. Their questions are likely to be fairly mundane, however; get ready for an interview about your taste in romantic partners, personal underwear choices, favorite foods, and more!
On this lazy summer day, the biggest buzz comes from a group of teens and tweens who are all taking part in a massive scavenger hunt spread via social media! What are they gathering? You! ImPorts are likely to be targeted and asked to pose for pictures in which they demonstrate their powers, video clips in which they share fun facts and secrets about their home worlds, and much more! If you're not interested, you better hurry home -- they're persistent!
03. Maurtia Falls, Pennsylvania has had its ups and downs since imPorts started disappearing. The city's political core now gutted with its mayor and supreme ambassador exported out, the streets have returned to the hands of the local people -- and incidental, the local criminal element. 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.
As your character walks down the street, they may find themselves thrust within what appears to be an organized protest and a smaller counter-protest. There's shouting, there are chants. You pick up rhythmic beats of THE END IS NEAR, GET THEM OUT OF HERE clashing against the clumsier counter-chants of IMPORTS ARE PART OF US. You probably don't know why, but there are sects of people who believe your kind is bringing about the end of the universe. You'll probably learn why, in due time. But given the scorching tension of the situation you have found yourself in, it's probably a good idea NOT to use your powers.
But even keeping your powers on the down low, you're of keen eye, or at least today you are, as fate would have it. You see a boring looking man, perhaps in his mid-20s, with a cluster of boring looking companions (three or four at most) wearing backpacks as they all uniformly step back and don black masks. The protests are crossing the street ahead of First National Bank. These men beeline towards the bank.
They are going to rob it, and people are going to get hurt, you're sure of that. They're probably armed, given their backpacks. What do you do?
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. You may find yourself in the midst of a few closed-off streets for some occasion or another - whether it be a food cart festival, no-car day, or something else! - and surrounded by the hum of people, the waft of food being served on the street, and plenty of attention
Today there's a big lemonade stand on one busy sidewalk, staffed by a group of industrious kids. Aww, isn't it sweet? Wait...is that a cookie stand a little ways down, also run by elementary-to-middle schoolers? Heck, the entire block is full of kid-run mini-businesses — a gathering of pint-sized entrepreneurs! And they have their eyes on you, hero, because as a celebrity imPort, your pockets are full of $$$, right?
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.
What's that sound? Why, the Church of the Ancient Web Mistress's choir is putting on a performance! A sizable contingent of the congregation's musically-minded members has gathered downtown, attempting to forge a spiritual connection through the power of song. Sure, these hymns sound a little spooky to your ears, but the sincerity is what matters, right? And the churchgoers, who are also handing out lyric sheets to interested participants, are sincerely interested in getting some imPorts to join in as temporary members of the choir. Never hurts to get a little more press and tithes, right?
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Keeping one eye firmly on the mischievous child, he locates an unused bucket of water balloons in the distance and 'ports it over, the bucket blinking onto the grass between them after a second or two.]
I could.
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He reaches out and nabs one of the balloons, and peers out from behind the tree again. He sees some of the kids doing the same from behind their own shelters and shields, and he hides again. He looks over at Judd.]
Ready?
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Yes.
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[ He quickly jumps out of hiding, one balloon thrown high, aimed to go above a trashcan some of the opposing group were using as a shield. It goes far too wide in an arch, but hits the rim of the can perfectly, causing the children to scatter out of hiding.
Dog barks at the commotion as Adam grabs more handfuls of balloons to throw, their enemies attempting to go around and flank the tree-based hideouts.]
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He's playing the long game, and that requires patience. Luckily, Judd has it in spades.]
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But it’s when he manages to push his damp hair out of the way that he manages to see one of the balloons flying in the direction of his face that something a little odd happens - it simply bursts midair before it ever hits him.]
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He stills at the sudden pop of the balloon--he knows that he didn't do it, and so that left one likely candidate. The boy seems innocent enough, but that didn't necessarily mean anything; Judd certainly didn't broadcast when he's about to use his abilities unless absolutely necessary. Running another surface telepathic scan, he notices the boy's abnormally strong shield for the first time. Some humans had natural shields, but this was beyond that--it was as if he didn't exist.]
You wouldn't happen to be Psy, would you? [Judd calls out in a moment of calm.]
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But he's broken out of his concentration by Judd's question, smile fading into a look of confusion. ]
What?
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[He pauses, unsure how to better explain himself--he's never had to explain his race to someone before.]
Born with mental abilities?
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He could play it off as a... What was the word? An imPort thing. Probably. ]
Why?
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Your... psychic signature is different than anyone else's that I've come across. [He's quick to add:] That's not a bad thing.
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He remembers a conversation with Anathema, his friend. She told him everyone has an aura, and that she could read them. She couldn’t see his, she said. He’d completely forgotten about that moment until now.
It’s not that he looks fearful. He’s not afraid. He’s just unsure he wants to be talking about it. It’s not something you can just throw into a conversation, even when he’s bound to go on ramblings that would confuse most adults.
But he can play it off. There’s an easy excuse.]
Different how? How’s it supposed to be?
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[Sascha would love to see such craftsmanship.]
Some humans where I'm from do have natural shields, but it's luck of the genetic lottery... and still looks different on the psychic plane than yours.
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All he thinks to ask is ]
Is that like auras?
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Auras, at least where I'm from, are more... mysticism than reality. But similar. Rather than around the body, it's around the mind. Psy can build mental shields to keep other Psy out of their heads.
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[ But not his, for some reason. It's an art and not a skill, she said then.
But he thinks about what Judd is saying. ]
They get to get in each other's heads?
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[He doesn't lie to children.]
But even if they aren't trying to on purpose, most Psy are some level of tp on the gradient. Some thoughts slip through shields and broadcast outwards, especially from young minds. Those that are improperly shielded would hear every stray thought.
[...And even then, for some, shields degrade over time, and they hear it all anyway. Like his sister.]
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So everyone can hear everyone? Or almost, I guess.
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I wouldn't want people just hearing my thoughts and stuff.
[ To be fair, if anyone managed, it might probablt ruin their day. Or worse. Or much, much worse.]
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[Key word being reputable.]
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Some simply rip through flimsy shields and take whatever information they can find. Some go a step further and wipe the information they stole from the original person's mind.
Some trap others inside their own shields and wear them down until they get what they want.
Some slip into shields undetected and leave nasty mental viruses.
Some, who have a significant amount of time and energy on their hands--[And he means that literally.]--will use mind control, typically for short periods of time. Any longer and they--the Psy, not the victim--might die.
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... Does that happen a lot? Are people just fighting each other in their heads?
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Like a typical bully.
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haaa pretend I didn't completely screw up that formatting
sssh no one has to know
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