Model Citizens: Unmasked (WIP - Update March 11, 2022)

I’m glad you had fun on your holiday! I 100% commiserate with you re waiting on the road on a long time when there’s an accident. I remember we were going back home from holiday once and my mum wanted to go one way while my dad went another…which just happened to be the road there was a huge accident on. I’m pretty sure we all held it over his head for several months.

I’m casting a vote for the “split it up” option.

Aaah, they were amazing! Especially Vincent’s because he’s the only one out of the three that I want to romance and he sounds even more amazing than he did when we met him (especially because we didn’t talk that much in the demo so far). Actually, it’s interesting 'cause I want to romance Ricky to turn his annoyance/irritation into #truelove, and then it’s like we’re playing from the opposite perspective when it comes to Vincent.

BTW, I noticed in your main post (Idk what it’s actually called) that you wrote down the post numbers for each drabble. But I think you’re missing Ricky’s? Which is post 857 (or at least…I’m pretty sure it is).

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Could Elder god be a background (lel) i mean while those backgrounds alright (they are perfectly fine) it just seems closer to home i mean im cthulhu of all people

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Ask V. They probably sell them.

Oh, geez! I mean, was there at least a chance to get out and walk? It’s always a li’l better when it’s such a dead stand-still that everybody just kinda is able to stretch their legs.

That’s what I’m gearing towards as well, but the problem would be finding a place to split it up without making everything even more messy.

Ah, well, I’ll figure it out!

Yay! I’m glad you enjoyed them!

I’m happy you like him! V is always a joy to write because they’re very… well, they’re very much an ‘id’ character, you don’t have to have any restraints with V because V essentially has no restraint themself.

Plus they have the whole mentality of ‘the bigger, the grander, the better’ so having any restraint is actually kinda against them. If they’re going to do something- then they’re gonna make a show of it.

Huh, I hadn’t thought about that but you’re right! That’s funny, whaddaya know!

Astute observation!

Oh, whoops! You are correct that his is missing. I’ll go ahead and add that right in!

Afraid not, sadly. Since the MC doesn’t have any powers and is just a normal citizen that would go against that fact quite a bit. :smile:

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Hmm…appearance-wise for me James Marsden (though not in his Enchanted role) would fit Ricky better. Only problem is that he wouldn’t be quite tall enough, imho.

https://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2014/10/james.jpg
This one even has the grey suit, tough Ricky wouldn’t normally have quite that much stubble visible, imho.

It’s a nice feature, but I also hope it is to a certain extent optional, as openly living with Ricky would be far too high-profile for my mc, when he actually needs his “Columbo” like nondescript, even somewhat shabby clothing and appearance to easily blend-in in most cases. Though of course my mc would like a nice and also fairly nondescript middle class apartment with showers and appliances that actually work.

And Vince, awww…if my mc didn’t have Ricky already. Heh, it seems he has a knack for always falling for the impossible or the crazy cute guys, doesn’t he? (Which isn’t really surprising considering who and what his own villainous meta-human alter-ego would have been, or is on an alternate Earth of course).

Yeah, I noticed that too, oh well it’s nice to be the pursued in at least one romance too. Whereas with Ricky, particularly in the beginning and much longer on the non-female path the mc would have to do most of the initiating.

Oh, then in a certain alternate universe I can just see Vincent complaining to the metahuman alternate of my mc about how awful that universe’s villainous Moriarty is, tied to how “dull” emerald bay is in comparison to Nickleport. Mostly because that Moriarty controls the city and it’s super-powered population fairly tightly and will let people like Likewise wreak only a minimal amount of chaos and havoc (he certainly wouldn’t let that Vince have his prime universe Likewise cult).

Alternate universe versions of some mc’s though. :sweat_smile:

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I must say that almost specifically because you said not in his Enchanted role I had to picture Ricky wearing this

Nickelport politics are interesting.

((Maybe he’ll serenade the MC??))

tumblr_lnkqustiUy1qjt9p1o1_500-1

It would be entirely optional (with no effect on the relationship with the MCs RO if they refuse).

I also think that certain ROs would definitely be more… hesitant to suggest living together than others. Whether it be lifestyle (i.e. Lucy, Raf, other hero/villain ROs), or some other reason (in Ricky’s case- being in a relationship with a reporter might be seen as trying to sway the media in his favor through more… publicly unsavory means, so until he could see a way to present the relationship to the rest of the press as not just ‘sleeping with the press’ (pun fully intended, of course) he’d be reluctant to be very public with his relationship to the MC- female or otherwise. Especially since his divorce was so public.)

Like I always say- that’s what multiple playthroughs are for! :wink:

Well, your MC is in luck, 'cause Vincent is both crazy, cute and crazy cute! (Or at least he thinks so.)

I can definitely see how Vincent would appeal to that inner villainous alter-ego.

There are definitely some romances where the MC would be the one more likely to be pursued (I.e. V, Yolanda to an extent, Lucy somewhat)

Some where the MC will have to do some of the pursuing (or at least start the relationship) (I.e. Raf, Ricky, Jacob, Yolanda if you want an actual emotional relationship)

And some where it might depend (I.e. Eileen, Informant, Finley)

Of course these aren’t set-in-stone for every relationship (save for few- such as Ricky, who’s a stubborn boy and doesn’t really like the MC at the beginning, so he’ll need to warm up some) but they’re a general idea.

This is so great and I love it even more thinking of that one weird alternate universe crossover theory of the MC meeting their alternative self- especially if your MC is going for a quieter profile even when dating Nickelport’s top young politician…

And then bam- here’s alternate MC, and an alternate Vincent.

Oh god. I just thought of a universe in which two V’s exist.
The chaos.

That is true! Maybe an alternate universe MC was a deity in a past life.

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Well now that would make a pretty picture, I admit. :kissing_heart:
But then Ricky always makes for pretty pictures, doesn’t he?

Well there could be a fancy dress or masked ball on the menu sometime I guess. Still the thought of Ricky singing, much less serenading the mc, particularly non-female ones would take some getting used to and that’s putting it mildly.
And a (slightly) taller version of mr. Marsden would of course fit Ricky perfectly appearance wise imho.

Oh, certainly, much like some mc’s, like mine, would prefer a l.a.t type of relationship and would be more hesitant, for whatever reason, or just simple personal preference to move in with the RO.

Particularly since the public face of the mc is an unsavoury “paparazzi” type of “reporter”, so I definitely get his concerns there.

Yeah, I can definitely see that too.

Well I suppose if Ricky got really stubborn about it, combined with finding a way to introduce the relationship in a way that plays favourably to the rest of the press, I guess my mc could rack his brain and if sufficiently motivated to do so could probably find a way to change his modus operandi to fit in with a more public profile, rather than risk losing Ricky over it.
He’ll give fair warning to Ricky though that it would probably mean letting his inner fashionista out again as my mc wears what he does currently purely for its ability to help him blend almost seamlessly into the background on many occasions and thus highly useful in his present line of work, not because it is his natural or even preferred style.

But then if and/or when we get to that point I suppose mr. Dempsey can be rather stubborn if he really wants the mc in his life at that point, eh? :sweat_smile:

Very true.

And from what little I know thus far this is also very true, even if like another poster suggested having a relationship with Vince, particularly if they adopt a kid, will be a bit like being the mother-hen (yes, even or perhaps especially for male mc’s who adopt a son with him) to two big kids.

Yeah, alternate mc really would have the super-powered potential to royally screw up my prime mc’s life. On the plus side even alternate Moriarty tends to prefer subtle and discreet measures, going out as a super-villain in public only as a last resort. In his own universe that means probably only when a particularly persistent and troublesome meta-human villain or hero tries to challenge him, once they even learn of his existence in the first place that is.
I imagine to date those occasions have tended to end rather unpleasantly and gruesome for the challenger.
Even then he’d take care to alter his public villainous persona enough between occasions that the world at large is kept guessing.

The main threat from my mc’s alternate popping up would actually be in his civilian life, having this very rich playboy “scientist” who talks, acts and indeed thinks very much like him and claims to have the same name going around the city.

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Do we get a ball or a fancy dress party (that’s not an undercover mission) where there’s more of a romantic undercurrent :))

Or maybe another undercover mission in fancy wear but this time with a romantic undercurrent O:

//plays So Close in the BG – because it seems very apt given what little I’ve seen so far

Oh my. Why do I feel the MC will be very much in trouble when their ex pops up for the first time in forever and complicated feels happen

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I will forgive you for not including Lucy this one time since the best are saved for last.

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That is true- he didn’t get to be known as Nickelport’s most attractive politician just because he’s good at speeches.

Let’s put it this way: The day Ricky serenades the MC is the day he’s blackmailed into doing it by the MC themself. Otherwise, I’m sorry, but Ricky really doesn’t… ‘serenade’.

Still, funny thought.

I can definitely see it. The grey suit makes it especially fitting.

Definitely. Which is why it’d only be an optional thing and, like any and all of the houses the MC can get, won’t really have an effect on the overall story save for how they participate in certain events (i.e. whether they live close or far from it) and some occaisonal flavor text when it comes to events within the MCs house.

Exactly why Ricky would have to keep the relationship mostly under wraps. Not good for his image.

And we all know exactly just how much Mr. Dempsey cares for that.

I will say that it would be a little easier to do because Ricky really, really values his own privacy (and, again we all know just how much he hates the thought of his private life being outed). So even if the relationship with Ricky went public he’d also be doing his best to keep most of the details about, well, everything fairly secret.

Hey, with Ricky your MC would have all the resources he’d need to make it happen.

That kinda connection goes a long way.

Let me answer that this way:

If the words ‘stubborn’ and ‘Ricky’ are in a question-
Then the answer is Yes.

Depends on the MC- if you can learn to let go or even enjoy V’s chaos then you’d have some kickass family road trips.

But if the MC is more on the ‘straight and narrow’ then…
Good luck.

Just…
Good luck.

Either way something is gonna blow up.
Literally.

It sounds like alternate MC would get along either really well or really horribly with Nickelport’s Sweet Sound. She also uses more discreet measures when it comes to dealing with… unsavory things. They’d either make scary powerful allies or some pretty interesting rivals, I think.

Somehow reading this my first thought was ‘Evil Batman’ but I’m not sure how well that fits?

Oh, geez! :scream: That would be very troublesome for your MC.

Hmm… I haven’t given much though to a less-time-pressured/case-oriented fancy dress party… But I can definitely see something like that happening to an MC who’s dating either Ricky or Yolanda. (And if it’s Ricky it could actually be a funny case of the MC originally there for a cover story while Ricky’s there just to make an appearance and the two bump into each other by chance and- whoops, well, this is awkward I guess it’s kinda an accidental date now. Better just roll with it to be safe.)

I’ll have to put this in my notes as a possibility…

Well… again, you’re not all that far off from what’s planned, my friend.

But of course! (Besides, she’ll have some more in-game-screen-time in the next update, too! You get the flashback ft. one of the few times you see an insecure Lucy.)

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Insecure Lucy? Did hell freeze over? I’d love to be able to be there for her and potentially cuddle up with her.

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Hell is still as fiery and cozy as ever, I assure you.

The MC does have a chance to be there for her, and cuddle up with her to help her feel a little bit better.

It’s admittedly one of the heavier moments of the entire book… Which is kinda ironic considering it’s with Lucy, imprevious, unshakeable Lucy. But… yes, it’s definitely something she needs some help with.

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As long as I can be there in the fiery hell that is called being in a relationship with Lucy and cuddle with her, I’m good.

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Well, you can.

And she definitely needs some (read: a lot of) cuddles. So Lucy will appreciate it, a lot.

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Well his public profile is that of an attractive young (yet somehow tenured) “playboy” professor and author of several popular science and fairly hard sci-fi books. And while he does live in a mansion it is one of the smaller ones around his public persona is still far from being one of the richest or most powerful people in the city, let alone the nation. So in that regard he’d still very much differ from mr. Wayne who is very publicly the head of Wayne Enterprises, one of the largest and wealthiest, if not outright the largest and wealthiest corporation in the alternate US and very possibly the world.

There is also deliberate tension between my mc’s evil alternate;s public face and his meta-human persona. In fact publicly alternate mc would likely be considered, if not an outright victim, them at least a target of the shadowy Moriarty*, as he would have been denounced by them a pretty-boy hack “scientist” whose main achievement is exploiting the work of his more dedicated, intelligent and professional peers for his own self-aggrandizement.
Of course while as far as the public persona goes there is a kernel of truth in that it is another bit of misdirection that if anything would have most mundane reporters and investigators looking the wrong way for the identity of alternate “Moriarty”.

*The main reason for altering the villain costume and persona, slightly every time he does go out in public, is to fool the public and other meta-humans into thinking alternate “Moriarty” is a group of at least four people, to this end using his telekinesis to harness and manipulate other people’s manifested abilities would come in very handy indeed.

He also doesn’t go out as much openly in his meta-human persona as Batman does, preferring to use his clandestine network of subordinated fellow meta-humans to handle most business.
Think more of how “Zoom” from the Flash used to subordinate and control the other meta-humans in “his” city. Although “Moriarty’s” organization would be less ad-hoc and have a slightly more formal mob-like structure, since he delegates more to semi-trusted meta-human lieutenants.
Though he does value a version of law and order and that is a trait he does share with Batman, of course his version of it also includes self-enrichment, though perhaps not so much in money for himself (though again he hardly lives like a pauper or even a middle-class individual) as in stimulating the scientific and artistic community in Emerald Bay.

So long as my mc gets to help Ricky pick his costume beforehand, cause left to his own devices that boy has a terrible sense of style. It could also be how the mc could easily recognize Ricky at that point.

Now don’t you go putting ideas in my head as to what my mc would do to blackmail Ricky on last time, before presumably destroying what evidence he has for good. Although to be fair at that point, since my mc would do it purely for himself he’d at least let Ricky do it in own backyard, instead of in public. :grin:

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O:

Oh no. I can feel the heartbreak.

Now if there was some other villain who figured out that the ex has a soft spot for you and wanted to exploit that…yikes

Bonus if this causes a temporary truce with them and a hero of choice (and the MC can influence whether it stays that way or not)

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The Dark Knights have risen again!!! Prepare for the dark multiverse!!

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Fascinating, so in a way he also has a bit of an anti-hero streak, then? Since even if it is based in ideologies of self-enrichment it seems to be helping out this Emerald Bay community as well?

I hope the MC bought something beforehand because otherwise it would more go down like the MC opening Ricky’s closet to find just grey suits. Maybe a blue one as well. But only one.

It’s for when he feels more colorful.

Ricky can just add it to the list of odd stuff the MC has asked him to do via blackmail.

Feels good, right?

Just gives the Exes more reasons to stay as far away as possible, right? :wink:

MC might need to fix that.

The important question is: do we include an all-pirate based Nickelport?

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Yes.

20 chars must be included.

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The start of prime and alternate “Moriarty” is rooted in the same cause, they both got fed up with the chaos, havoc and destruction the meta-humans so routinely cause. Only alternate one both has powers (and strong ones at that) himself and probably suffered some sort of incident during his (early) teenage years, whereas for prime mc the straw that broke the camel’s back came at least a decade later and he doesn’t have powers himself.

Any anti-hero streak alternate mc has is a very dark one though, he may have somewhat noble goals in that he values peace, prosperity and order but his methods of achieving them have been absolutely ruthless. But it is true that a lot of what the mc does helps keep the alternate city a more pleasant place to live overall and greatly stimulates the arts and sciences. The price of that is paid by the meta-humans who in the prime universe might have been wealthy heroes or villains in their own right and the ultra-rich “Moriarty” occasionally steals from.

One notable difference between prime and alternate mc in habits would probably be that alternate mc is very likely to be smoker (yes, by this time he probably had some gadget to scrub his lungs and otherwise control the damage) as it would be a habit he picked up to help deal with the triple stress of whatever the traumatic event was, having to carefully keep his own powers hidden and plotting his own rise to power all simultaneously.

Alternate mc and alternate Ricky probably built old Nickleport into emerald bay together, though like we discussed alternate mc’s methods were ultimately too ruthless even for mr. Dempsey. Which means alternate Ricky is probably the only one who knows even 90% of the truth about alternate mc. But even if they’ve split they probably still need one another professionally.

Well if this is after he has asked my mc to possibly move in, one of conditions of that would be that he’ll allow my mc to help him dress better, so he’d have more stuff by then. If its a fancy dress ball it would be a costume anyway. Ricky makes a good prince charming, I’d think.

Yeah, I guess he can. But now I’ll definitely remember it since Ricky probably has a voice that’s as lovely as the rest of him, so it would be practically criminal of the mc if he didn’t ask this of Ricky sometime.

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Give me the angst. Like all of it and NOW

//prepares self for the pain train

I am so ready for MC’s who are still so in love with the ex to be so close and yet so far. The ache is so real and fantastic I feel

And also the anger and frustration

And maybe a smidgeon of UST

And maybe a handful of black ones…if he wants to be extra fancy

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