play nice

[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

[controlledvariable]

Sure thing, I wanna find out what you've got.

[She holds up her hand like she's trying to demonstrate something, but nothing happens and Steph just makes a face instead.]

Mine said I can control light.

[nonverbal]

[Oh, that makes her smile.]

Light? That fits. Mine is-- um, on a roof. We can go?

[controlledvariable]

You left it on a roof.

[There's laughter in her voice, though, as she slides out of the seat and wiggles her fingers, offering her hand for Cass to hold.]

Lead the way.

[nonverbal]

No one would look.

[SHE HID IT VERY CRAFTILY OKAY no actually she's just terrible at anything relating to paperwork. Don't mind her, la la la. But she does take Steph's hand and, abandoning that milkshake on the table, heads for the door with the other girl in tow.]

How long have you... been? Here?

[controlledvariable]

I'm sure they won't.

[She's teasing just a little, but she does know Cass would hide something well enough that no one could find it.]

A little less than a day. Just enough time to buy a new outfit.

[And she thinks she looks very cute in her new romper thank you very much.]

You?

[nonverbal]

Same.

[More or less. Also it is a very nice outfit Steph, gosh. Suitable for rooftop activities? Maybe not quite so much. But Cass doesn't seem concerned about it as she pulls Steph into an alleyway and shifts her stance, ready to boost her up a fire escape. Because obviously Steph needs her help, right.]

[controlledvariable]

[She bought sensible sneakers to go with her hella cute romper, okay.

But she still accepts the boost from Cass, even though she doesn't need it. The same way she then offers a hand down to Cass, despite knowing she doesn't need it.

Teamwork.]

[nonverbal]

[She does take Steph's hand, pulling herself up easily. It almost feels more natural to be above the ground, after all this time. From there it's up the stairs to the roof of the building, and then she balances on the edge of it. She misses her grappling hooks. Though there are, of course, other ways to get around. It does make things easier.

She wrinkles her nose, and then points off in the direction she'd left the files.]

This way. C'mon.

[controlledvariable]

Race you.

[It doesn't matter that she doesn't know exactly where she's going, all that matters is that her and Cass are together.

So she runs, heading towards the direction Cass pointed and knowing that she won't win. But that won't matter either.]

[nonverbal]

[That gets a smile, genuine and wide as Cass nods once and bolts. Steph seems... different, a little. Stronger. Cass studies her every opportunity she gets, if they're side by side or she has to somersault over a gap. It's nice. They haven't spent enough time together since...

-- Black Mask.

She trips, recovers, and still ends up on the roof before Steph gets there, though not by as wide a margin as it may have been once. Cass holds up a finger for silence and then shifts aside several roof tiles to get at the file she'd hidden. Then she holds it out for Steph to take.

Somewhere in the file it says that she's now capable of shadow manipulation but shhh symbolism.]

[controlledvariable]

[Even as Steph goes quiet, she's still making the appropriate disappointed face at having lost, like she didn't know it was going to happen.

Anyway, knowing she's going to lose isn't a reason not to try anyway.]

Very well hidden.

[Just saying.

Then she's accepting the file, flicking through it, and trying very hard to muffle her laughter with a hand.

Hold on she'll explain in a second it's just too perfect.]

[nonverbal]

[Cass gives her a critical look, trying to decipher the cause of that laughter. Something in the file? She wouldn't laugh if it were something bad, so Cass just peers over her shoulder at it, trying to make sense of it all. In vain, because after a moment she gives Steph the biggest pout known to Batkind.

Share with the rest of the class, you miscreant.]

[controlledvariable]

[That pout is so adorable that Steph just has to gently bop Cass on the nose with a finger, if she can get away with it.]

Shadow manipulation, Spooky.

[nonverbal]

[Of course she can get away with it, there's no ill intent in the gesture and even if there was, she trusts Steph. She does go a little cross-eyed looking at that finger, tho.]

Um. Opposites?

[Shadows and light. Tell her that's not a metaphor for bats and birds.]

[controlledvariable]

Opposites.

[She wiggles her fingers like ~ooh spooky~]

I think every criminal in this city just got a cold shiver and they won't know why until they run into us.

[Two Batgirls with complementary superpowers: a criminal's worst nightmare.]

[nonverbal]

[Steph is obviously pleased by this development, and it's an infectious feeling. Cass mirrors the little finger-wiggles as if trying the gesture on for size.]

Does it... say anything else? About me?

[Maybe this won't be so bad after all.]

[controlledvariable]

[This is a little less great, but her smile just twists into something a bit wryly amused, trying not to worry Cass too much.]

They seem to know a bit about us. They've go your skills listed, fighting and all that, they had the same for me.

[nonverbal]

Oh.

[Hmm. That's not good. Unless...]

Our... identities?

[controlledvariable]

Considering I showed up in my Batgirl suit and my file had my name on it...

[Which sucks, but she's trying not to take it too hard. It isn't like there was anything that could be done about it. She just needs to be careful now, when dealing with the government.]

[nonverbal]

[Definitely not good. But... at least here they don't have to worry so much about other members of their family being hurt to get to them, right? Looking after civilians is just part of the job, but no one can use who they are as leverage so far away from home.

Maybe.]

We'll just be careful. Are we, hm-- the only ones?

[controlledvariable]

[If Crystal were here, Steph's reaction would be different. But she isn't, her and Cass can look after themselves, so it's alright.]

I haven't run into anyone else yet, but there's a whole network to sift through.

[nonverbal]

[She makes a bit of a face.]

Not my area. Wish Oracle were here...

[Or Tim. They'd know what to do. Steph is better with technology than she is, but unless she's gotten better at that too, Cass doesn't think she can compete with them.]

wow i thought i'd hit enter

[controlledvariable]

What, you think I can't handle it?

[It's mock offence; she knows she isn't on par with Oracle, but she can try.]

the worst thing ever

[nonverbal]

[She shakes her head.]

We're better at other things.

[Steph has always been a light in dark places. That's what it takes to be Robin.]

im trash

[controlledvariable]

Like punching bad guys and being relentlessly cheerful?

[Well, the latter is more Steph's skill than Cass's, but that's okay.]