November | Test Drive Meme

[jikan_mod]

Jikan Test Drive Meme

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You've seen this before. The thought strikes suddenly, during whatever it is you were doing. Having an important conversation? Running away from home? Dying in the midst of a fierce battle? Where ever you are, one things is true: you're certain this isn't the first time you've lived through this. But upon realizing this, that's when it happens. Like someone hitting rewind on the VCR, you're back where you were ten minutes ago. And it happens again. And again. And again--

Until finally, something is different. A door stands in front of you. Will you go through it? Nothing else seems to be working, so this might be your only chance.



Upon opening the door and heading inside, a strange feeling overwhelms you. It's comforting and warm, like being enveloped in a soft, heavy blanket. You hear a voice murmuring in your ear, but it's unintelligible.

And in the next moment, you've appeared in a laboratory, surrounded by the unfamiliar yet worried faces of people in lab coats, speaking in a foreign language that doesn't sound so foreign to you anymore.

Nanjikan Research Laboratory

There isn't much time to process what's happening before characters are ushered out of the arrival room. They're passed between a medical and a psychiatric team, checking them for injuries and psychological trauma. Their every need is met: food is offered, injuries are tended to, and questions are answered. "You're in the Eastern Kingdom of Nippon on a planet called Gaia," they explain. "You were brought here because you became aware of the timeloop... we'll explain everything."

Orientation Nanjikan Research Lab, Tokyo
Everyone is brought to a large auditorium, where dozens of other people looking similarly out of place are seated around them. The scientists and doctors from before file on stage, thoroughly explaining the situation. What they experienced back home was a timeloop. While the loops in their home worlds are smaller and likely to resolve on their own, the fact that such a small amount of time is being repeated is what makes them so dangerous for those who become aware of it. And they've been working around the clock in collaboration with the neighboring Western Kingdom, checking adjacent universes for others who've become aware. While the technical explanations may go over the heads of most, that's not the reason they were all brought together like this.

"In order to bring you here, we used the very same magic responsible for freeing our world... Kizuna."

And they continue to explain: their own world was trapped in a year long loop for decades, if not longer. Through the use of an ancient form of bonding magic, they bound their world to the present flow of time, allowing it to progress past the timeloop. Or at least, that's how they thought it worked. In truth, Kizuna is very powerful reality-warping magic. And thanks to the powerful bond all refugees now share with the country of Nippon, the magic surrounding them will only continue to evolve.

Until they find the means of resuming the flow of time back in your home world, the refugees will just have to make due with this one. But not to worry, because Nippon is fully committed to taking care of everyone!

A Place to Call Home Tokyo, Kanto
Once orientation is over, characters will be allowed to choose housing in both Kyoto and Tokyo, enabling them the means of easily living between both Kingdoms if they please. These housing options will be fully paid for by the government of Nippon, with the NRL and MRU providing a stipend for food expenses in Tokyo and Kyoto respectively.

In lieu of providing transportation, all refugees will be granted an unlimited rail pass that they can use to travel all across Nippon! Thankfully, express routes connecting Tokyo and Kyoto will be running at all times of day, allowing refugees to freely travel between the Eastern and Western Kingdoms as they please. While this TDM and its prompts are focused on the Eastern Kingdom, you are welcome to have your character arrive in the Western Kingdom instead.

In Nihonbashi, the latest invention by a well-known inventor is taking the neighborhood by storm: Heelie-wheelies, a hybrid boot/roller skate that pops out at the push of a button, and is powered by a pair of small steam rockets. In addition to speed, the rockets provide a burst of air that allows for mid-air tricks and long jumps. A section of the street has been closed off just for those wishing to test the new shoes, with a race planned for later in the day. Just make sure not to fall off the edge of the road, as Nihonbashi is an elevated neighborhood on an ever expanding bridge that stands atop the neighborhood of Shitaya-- and it's a long way down.

Over in Little Edo, things are getting a bit sticky, as a recent surge in Namekujira, the whale slug, has been frustrating residents and gardeners alike. Ranging from 5 inches to 5 feet long, with large bulky bodies, this is no ordinary pest problem. Trails of slippery and sticky slime can be found in streets and homes alike, though how exactly a 200 pound slug sneaks into a house is a mystery. Help with the clean up, or help the resident Hanzaki Hunter Clan try to relocate the slimy sluggies to greener pastures outside the city! Either way, just be careful not to step in it, or you might just slip-'n-slide your way into a stranger's arms.

For those living in Yoshiwara, they may start to notice a sudden surge of people, as performers from all over Nippon gather for an annual music competition that hasn't seen new talent since before the time loop. Naturally, refugees are welcome to view the shows as well at Yoshiwaras's Shinbashi Playhouse Theater. But for those living in the refugee dorms, they may find that the public bath they normally use is now extremely busy, forcing them to go far out of their way just to take a shower. Commiserate with fellow refugees on the way? Or maybe lament that the only bathing options not full of boisterous performers are the mixed baths? Either way, don't forget to bring a towel.

NRL Time Refugee Support Network
Once they've received their housing assignment, all refugees will be given small handheld devices called magi-tech communicators, or magi-comms for short. They're heavier than a conventional smartphone would be, but far sturdier, and powered by the ambient magic that flows through the city. Now available with limited sepia-tone color, and video cameras! They don't need to be charged, but they won't work outside of cities at all. Upon booting it up, they'll find a message linking them to a special channel for refugees.

#nrl_time_refugee_support - online

Inbox

Text

Audio

Credit

nrl_support: Hello time refugees!
nrl_support: Welcome to your channel!
nrl_support: This is your exclusive contact channel hub for everyone who's been brought to Nippon.
nrl_support: Neat, huh?
nrl_support: Why don't you try out the new video feature?
scienz_rulz_1899: well
scienz_rulz_1899: looks like it's almost time for us to meet
scienz_rulz_1899: you've been paying attention, right? :)
scienz_rulz_1899: because you better remember who i am :)
scienz_rulz_1899: your buddy, scienz_rulz_1899 :))))
scienz_rulz_1899: see you soon

Use the following code for your top-level if you'd like! This is how network communication will look for characters in the game until more advanced magi-tech comms become available for characters.
<raw-code><div class="container" style="width: 506px;margin: auto;border-width: 3px;border-style: solid;border-color: #C1272D;border-radius: 3px; max-width: 100%;"><div class="header" style="width: 500px;background: linear-gradient(#EF7E87, #C1272D);display: inline-block; max-width:100%"><div class="headertext" style="font-family: 'courier new';color: #F7F7F7;vertical-align: middle;padding: 5px;font-weight: bold;display: inline-block;"><font color="#F7F7F7">#nrl_time_refugee_support - online</font></div> <div class="headerbutton_container" style="display: inline-block;float: right;vertical-align: middle;margin: 2px;"> </div></div> <div class="chat_container" style="background: #DDDDDD; width: 100%;"><div class="chat_options_header" style="margin-top: 3px; display: inline-block; padding-left: 5px"> <div class="chat_options_button" style="color: C1272D;font-family: 'courier new';font-size: 12px;margin-right: 10px;display: inline-block;text-align: left; margin-left: 5px;"><u>I</u>nbox</div> <div class="chat_options_button" style="color: C1272D;font-family: 'courier new';font-size: 12px;margin-right: 10px;display: inline-block;text-align: left;"><u>T</u>ext</div> <div class="chat_options_button" style="color: C1272D;font-family: 'courier new';font-size: 12px;margin-right: 10px;display: inline-block;text-align: left;"><u>A</u>udio</div> <div class="chat_options_button" style="color: C1272D;font-family: 'courier new';font-size: 12px;margin-right: 10px;display: inline-block;text-align: left;"><a href="https://isopods.dreamwidth.org/2311.html"><u>C</u>redit</a></div></div> <div class="chat_messages" style="background: #F7F7F7;color: #C1272D;font-family: courier new;font-size: 14px;border-width: 2px 0px 0px 0px;border-color: #EF7E87;border-style: solid;border-radius: 1px;text-align: left;overflow: auto;margin: 5px;padding: 5px;"> <!---PUT MESSAGES BELOW THIS LINE--> <b>USERNAME:</b> message here<br/> <b>USERNAME:</b> copypaste for each new linebreak<br/> <b>USERNAME:</b> note: this code is designed for comments only and may break if put in entries!br/> <!--PUT MESSAGES ABOVE THIS LINE--></div></div></div></raw-code>

Testing Testing 1, 2, 3...

Following what can only be called a rather disastrous month, the NRL has decided they need to take a much more proactive stance in protecting the refugees who currently call Nippon home. While various projects are already underway, some with the help of refugees themselves, there was still one question that desperately needed to be answered: what exactly is Kizuna?

To this end, new and old refugees alike are being asked to spend some time at the NRL this month to assist with additional testing on figuring out the nature of Kizuna, so as to better inform future new arrivals and hopefully predict (or even prevent) possible magic mutations in the future.

"So. Last month was wack, huh? We didn't really expect anything like this. It beats frying your brain in a time loop, sure, but none of you asked to become freaky Yokai hybrids-- hey, I'm a hanyo, I can say this shit."

While most of this testing will be done at the NRL itself, some may be conducted throughout Tokyo. All who participate will receive financial compensation for their time, so it's a good a way to help out and make a little bit of extra spending money!

Speed Testing Nihonbashi, Tokyo
As the resident Kizuna specialist, Goro will be handling most of the Kizuna testing. Despite looking no more than ten years old, he speaks with a gruff voice and is frequently seen attempting to sneak a cigarette or two on his breaks. Truly chaos in human form.

Notably, these first tests will be between recent arrivals and older refugees only, in order to test whether the time spent in Nippon has caused the manner in which Kizuna manifests to change. Those who have been in Nippon for less than two months will qualify as "recent". And all participants will be fitted with a wristwatch-like device that measures Kizuna in order to give the scientists reliable data.

The first test is simply about making bonds naturally, in this case, through speed-dating. Participants will be seated at a table with one other refugee, and must converse for twenty minutes or until a bond is formed, whichever happens first. The table between them will have a list of randomly selected questions as conversation topics. What questions will they be stuck with? Hopefully not the sort that gets people heated. There are some who feel very passionately about whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich.

The second test will involve Kizuna's ability to manipulate reality, something that the scientists believe is the cause of most of the problems associated with Kizuna. To do this, two refugees will be instructed to throw a coin into a small makeshift fountain and make a wish. For new arrivals, this may seem like a rather silly way of testing anything, but older refugees may recall instances of wishes coming true in the past. And indeed, that will be the case here. Any wishes made by any refugee has a 50% chance of coming true, regardless of what it is they are wishing for. However, in most cases, these wishes will appear to wear off or disappear after just a few minutes. Want super powers for a few seconds? Granted. Want beautiful long hair? Granted. Want to end world hunger? Gran-- oh god, where did all these cheeseburgers come from!?

Naturally, they'll be instructed to keep these wishes tame to avoid anything dramatic happening. They really don't need to deal with 5 billion cheeseburgers appearing out of nowhere. However, for some of those wishing to see someone from home, they may find that the person in question will appear, in the flesh, and may very well stick around! Players are welcome to have new characters or auxiliary-NPCs arrive in the setting using this mechanic for this prompt.

Depression Speed-run Nihonbashi, Tokyo
The second round of testing involves a certain application of Kizuna that the scientists actually learned from the refugees themselves: a method that allows bonds to be created and removed at will, regardless of whether any truly emotional bond exists at all. Naturally, upon hearing this, it was theorized that this must be the same thing used to bond the refugees to Nippon, but on a smaller scale.

But the scientists already have plenty of data on creating bonds. As such, what's being tested here is both removing and breaking bonds. Refugees will be warned that those who volunteer to test the breaking of bonds are doing so of their own volition. This is because breaking a bond is said to extremely painful, causing sharp chest pain, depression, and feelings of emptiness that may linger for up to an hour afterward. However, as they have very little data on this phenomenon, it's necessary that they test it.

First, the refugees will work in pairs to create a bond between them, which for most will only take a brief conversation for a bond to form naturally. Then, those in the removal group must perform a specific spell: uttering a word that holes great meaning to them, pressing a hand to their own chest, and visualizing the bond as a physical object being pulled out from their chest. If successful, they should feel nothing happen, but they'll be able to briefly view the bond with their own eyes, taking the form of a small ball of light before it disappears.

But the real challenge is those in the bond breaking route, because the scientists don't have a specific method for breaking them. As such, participants will be asked to write a thorough list of their emotional weaknesses and sore spots for their partner to use against them in the hopes of forcing the bond to break. For some, even creating such a list is challenging enough! Thus, participants may be forced to brainstorm ideas with a group, or even partake in therapy-like sessions with fellow refugees to work out what their weaknesses even are.

In the end, somehow this is more efficient in breaking bonds than the actual experiment... well, at least they have their data?

Love Is Blind Tokyo, Kanto
But perhaps the most involved testing is the third round, which won't take place under the NRL's guidance at all. Equipped with bands that measure Kizuna output, refugees will be randomly paired up to go on blind dates over the course of a full week. While some will be assigned a new date every day as a control, others will be assigned the same person all week to serve as the basis of the test, to see how much Kizuna output varies over time.

Participants will be given funds for a week's worth of dinner dates, as well as an additional stipend for one extravagant date of their choice. All of this in the name of science, of course -- how else are they going to ensure their subjects have the proper means of bonding together?

Of course, for all that it's being referred to as a blind date, there's no actual need for romance. However, those whose date ends up being decidedly platonic must be sure to specify this when recording their data afterward. After all, testing whether or not Kizuna is different in a platonic or romantic context is just as important as testing the general output.

But, uh... feel free to keep whatever happens in the bedroom between you and your date. They aren't look for that data yet.

But just what sort of things are there to do in Tokyo? Why... plenty, actually! But for those feeling a little stuck, worry not, because Goro has supplied everyone with a helpful list of date ideas full of fun things to do around Tokyo! Of course, it only takes a glance to surmise that Goro has probably never been on a date in his life. But hey, props to him for trying.

Explanations for all locations mentioned here can be found in the Setting page!

OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's November TDM! The TDM is considered game canon, and also serves as the intro log! That said, whether you choose to carry threads over to the game or not is up to you!

• Current players are more than welcome to top-level, or take prompts from the TDM and use for their own logs! This may change in the future depending on how busy TDMs become.

• CRAU characters may start regaining their CRAU memories one month after the TDM. However, vague feelings of familiarity are allowed between previous game CR! For more on this, please read the FAQ!

• You do not need to sign-up for housing! Choose whichever style you prefer. Roommates can be chosen by the characters or can be random. If you want to switch housing later, your character has the option of moving at the beginning of each month.

• Players are welcome to have new characters wished into the setting by a castmate, or through less direct means, such as from someone wishing for a new friend or for a hot date. These characters will not see a door before they arrive, but will have still been made aware of the time loop in their home world before being brought here. You can assume they will be given the same orientation and assistance given to all refugees who arrive normally.

• The level of discomfort felt when breaking a bond, as well as what severity is necessary for it to break, is up to you. Typically they are more fragile than they seem, but can be instantly reformed when the two afflicted make up. A reformed bond may cause intense feelings of euphoria, and may temporarily induce severe kizuna side effects. Please see the Kizuna page for more information!

• Those wishing to have their character do the week-long blind dating test with multiple characters are welcome to have them participate multiple times throughout the month!

Please leave any questions about the TDM prompts in the thread below! General game questions can be directed to the FAQ!

Apps are always open!

jikan_rpg ⌛ jikan_network ⌛ jikan_ooc

Rules ⌛ FAQ ⌛ Apply ⌛ Taken
Auxiliary ⌛ Hiatus/Drop ⌛ Activity Check ⌛ Bonus
Game Timeline ⌛ Code Directory ⌛ Contact

Setting ⌛ Housing ⌛ Businesses ⌛ Kizuna ⌛ Flora/Fauna ⌛ Magic
NPC Database ⌛ NPC Contact

Comments

Questions?

[jikan_mod]

Re: Questions?

[bloodyroses]

Because I absolutely do not need enabling, can other wishes stick around if they're not to see other people?

I'm specifically thinking about mundane changes to a character's appearance (height, weight, hair color, etc.)

Although I guess like, if you only wish for one cheeseburger that also counts

Arietta | Tales of the Abyss

[liger]

1 | Bathtime
[Picture this: you've been wandering Yoshiwara for what feels like an hour before finally finding a public bath that's not too crowded. In fact, it seems downright deserted! Great! So you go in, strip down, get all washed up for some time to relax in the bath--]

[And standing in front of the bath is a giant cat monster.]

[What will you do?? Unfortunately, it seems it's too late to run, as the monster is already looking over and stepping closer...]


2 | Bondbreaker
Our weaknesses? Uhm. I don't really want to write this down...

[So says the gloomy looking girl in the corner, frowning down at the paper she's been given. While this one certainly sounded better than bonding with strangers, she didn't really stop to think about what she was getting into. She lets out a small sound of frustration, speaking aloud to no one in particular.]

If we're just supposed to hurt each other, wouldn't it be easier to fight? I don't like being teased.


3 | A Petite Date
[Arietta didn't really have an interest in all this dating business, but she needed the money. While her food budget covered herself just fine, feeding her Liger friend was more expensive than she thought. And after eating an ayakashi made him sick, she'd rather avoid just letting him hunt until she knows this world better.]

[Which is why she's here for her blind date, dressed in an outfit definitely lent to her by one of the scientists. She's not really sure how she's supposed to stand in this, but its less restrictive than the kimono they offered her initially.]

[Of course-- for all that Arietta is 16, given she stands at only 4'10 and her body is pretty well hidden by the bulk of her clothes, her date might just think they got set up with a child.]

Uhm... are you the one here for a date?


4 | Wildcard
[Arietta can also be found: participating in the first testing trial as a new arrival, walking through the halls of the dorm with her liger friends,

[**Please note that Arietta is 16 but can easily be mistaken for younger! I will assume all threads are gen unless otherwise specified!]

1.

[chichichi]

[ There's a bath at home and Setsura is fond enough of using it, but in the days before the Kennel's grand opening, there's work to do and she wants to be on hand. That's what brings her to this particular in Yoshiwara. It's proximity to the Kennel means she can save valuable time, enough to soak for a minute.

That was before Setsura, pleasantly surprised and reasonably suspicious of the apparent, unusual lack of bathers, laid eyes on the giant cat monster in the bath.

She stares for all of a beat, and then -- ]

Nope.

[ She says it aloud and scoops down to pick up her clothes. She is walking naked toward the exit. No cats, not today. No. Goodbye. ]

3; i'm sorry in advance

[re_sonate]

[if anyone were to ask Luke exactly where he was and what was happening, he, honest to Lorelei, would not even begin to be able to explain. all he could remember was repeating the events at the Tower of Rem over and over again (which... rattled him more than he let on, but he'll try to ignore that, for now), before arriving in this strange place and having all of this information dumped on him. where was Jade or Guy to help explain things when he needed them...

and then, in an attempt to be helpful, he gets stuck in a strange outfit; uncomfortable layers that has him so sorely missing his regular jacket and crop top, and is told to go on a date. how is this helpful...

but what's worse about this situation isn't just being set up on a date with a stranger. oh, no, he'd rather that be the case, but instead, he spins on his heel to look at Arietta, of all people, when he hears her voice]

--Arietta? What are you doing here?

[his tone is more inquisitive than accusatory, with a look of something akin to regret]

bathtime

[awwwyeeaah]

[ Being the head researcher back in Hyrule means Purah is used to a certain amount of privacy when it comes to shared spaces like hot baths. Not that she wants them all to herself, but definitely not crowded.

So yep, she's here, and there's this cat-monster approaching her, and her frame of reference for big cat-monsters is a Lynel, and Lynels are terrifying hahaha. ]

Yeep!

[ It won't follow her into the water, right? Cats don't like water??? She does her best to rush around it, tossing aside her robe and sliding into the water as far in and as fast as she can because what. WHAT. Why this. Why not a silly little Bokoblin??? ]

Aether (Traveler) | Genshin Impact

[brilliantdiamond]

1 | Twenty Questions | New Refugees Only
[After everything that happened in the West last month, Aether isn't exactly in a hurry to go back. So it's an easy choice to hang around in the East for a little while before heading home. Which is how he finds himself participating in the NRL's testing trials.]

[He's an older refugee himself, though only by an extra month. But it's enough to qualify, so he sits at a table with someone who's new and looks down at the questions offered to them. There's about a dozen to choose from, but one catches his eye immediately--]

"If you were arrested with no explanation, what would your friends and family assume you had done"...? That seems kinda weirdly specific.

[Alternative questions he may ask about include: "What set of items could you buy to make the cashier the most uncomfortable?" "What is something you just recently learned that you're embarrassed you didn't learn sooner?" "What is the sexiest and least sexy name?" "What is the most embarrassing thing you've ever worn?" or choose your own!]


2 | Love Is Blind
[When Aether signs up for the dating trial, he ends up being placed in the group that dates multiple people throughout the week. Which he had no problem with, and was kind of looking forward to. He didn't have a lot of experience dating, so many something like this would give him a better idea of how to go about it?]

[While he intends to just wear his usual clothes, at the insistence of a certain scientist, he ends up in something more suited for Nippon, lookin' snazzy. But he does ditch the hat not long after -- mostly because it made someone mistake him for a schoolboy.]

[If his date is a stranger--] Hey there! You must be the one I'm here to meet today, right? I'm Aether.

[But if his date is someone he knows--] Oh! What a coincidence-- did you sign up for the blind dates, too?


3 | Network un: Paimon | replies from emergencysnack
[A day after the first round of testing involving wish-making, a strange video pops up on the network. There's an extreme close-up of what looks like a little girl's face, her arms too short to hold the device any further back.]

--is it recording? Ugh, finally!

Paimon's wondering... does anyone know a traveler with blond hair and weird clothes? Who's really nice, and is probably running around doing errands for people?

Paimon suddenly showed up here, and the people at the NRL said he might be the reason the why... but Paimon can't find him anywhere in this place!

And-- Aether? If you're there-- just answer your phone already!

[Time to publicly shame Aether for leaving his magi-comm on silent.]


4 | Wildcard
[Aether can also be found: skating around Nihonbashi in heelie-wheelies, attempting to wish for something in the first Kizuna trial, considering whether to attempt the bond-breaking trial, and looking sour on the train home after a very poor date experience.]

[Additionally: if any previous CR would like to end up assigned to be his date for a week-long test, please let me know!]

3

[icepatch]

Well, speak of the devil! I was wondering when you would show up, Paimon. It was strange seeing Aether without his companion around, after all. When did you arrive?

Allen Walker | D.Gray-man

[whitepierrot]

A Wheelin’ Good Time

[ After the chaos of that ‘festival’ he’d needed to spend some time back in the east and after some exploration? Found himself in Nihonbashi and somehow the owner of one of those ‘heelie-wheelies’ and they didn’t really seem all that bad, having taken them to that specially designated part of the street to test them out.

Putting them on was easy.

Then he’d pressed the little button and the little steam-powered rockets turned on and sent him down the street with a yelp and arms flailing around a bit. He started to find some balance and even dared to do a decent jump, though it was as he landed that he started to laugh. ]

…Why can’t Komui’s inventions turn out this w– EH???

[ Oops. The things really do keep going and it throws him forwards, right off the edge of the road. Damn it.

He quickly pivoted in the air and grabbed onto the edge of the road with his left hand, preventing his plummet off the edge while one hand reached down to press the button to turn off the steam rockets. The problem was getting back up, to which he hadn’t the faintest idea how he’d get up without activating his weapon.

At least until he spotted someone nearby and he waved his hand around frantically. ]

Would you be able to help me out for a second? Please?


Speed Testing

[ Sometimes he was just too nice. He liked helping people, but this was almost a bit much. The wrist-watch device reminded him of something else Johnny had once put on him and he could only hope it didn’t shock him or anything like that.

Either way, the whole point of this is to bond with someone using those questions on the table? Allen sighed, brushing a hand through his hair as he found one and frowned slightly. ]

“If life were a video game, what would some of the cheat codes be?” [ Pointed stare, then he shook his head. ] I’d answer that if I even knew what a ‘video game’ even was…

[ Some other ones there were just as ridiculous but this one stood out the most to him. It didn’t help coming from a more victorian era where those things didn’t even exist yet. ]


Love is Blind

A

[ Later on, when it came to this… weird third trial? He didn’t know what the hell he’d gotten himself involved in.

Namely he didn’t ever remember signing up for some kind of blind date thing, or if he did, he’d missed it completely. He’s never dated in his entire life, and at first he’d been ready to just shoot it down until they’d revealed that there was money being given for these ‘dinner dates’ for a whole week and that was all that was needed.

So here he was, meeting up with someone to…go to a mixed bath together?

Allen tried to dress nicely, his hair kept in it’s usual neat ponytail and dressed in a casual light blue kimono that had some darker details along the sleeves in the shape of stars and clouds. He wasn’t versed in wearing this kind of fashion but here he was, trying it out because hey. He didn’t have any other clothes and this seemed like a nice, casual date outfit of some kind.

It was only as someone approached that he flashed them a smile. ]

Oh. Uh… hello! My name is Allen. You must be my date for the evening.

[ This hopefully wouldn’t go horribly as he hadn’t been able to think of his own date idea and was going off of one of those that had been on that sheet Goro gave him. ]

B

[ However, if you happen to be someone who’s NOT a stranger, his approach is a little less stiff and much more casual. ]

Hey! I didn’t think you’d be here doing this, too. Nice to see someone I know, actually.

[ Which means the whole bathing thing will be MUCH less awkward and invasive. ]


Wildcard

[ Can’t click with the other prompts? Throw something at me and we’ll go from there! :D ]

Speed Testing

[afoolshope]

Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A.

[Minato couldn't help himself. He decided to try this out because he was curious as to how these bonds really worked compared to the social links in the Velvet Room. But it was a little awkward as this hardly felt organic. Most of the speed runs had ended with him timing out.

Maybe this on will work out? Then again...]

Oh, I guess you wouldn't know what that is if you don't know what a video game is...

[He supposed using the Konami Code was a bust.]

Baku | Original

[dreamvour]

Speed Testing

[Baku knows what dating is, but speed dating is a new one, even for someone who tries to keep very in touch with humans and their goings on. It isn't that it doesn't exist in Japan, but rather, the friends she had were never interested. Not to mention most of them weren't even eighteen yet.

So she gets it, but only in that she figures it's just a really quick date.

To be fair, she isn't wrong.

So here she sits, pouring over the list of questions with an confused expression. She's really only doing this to meet more people and indulge in yet another weird human thing that seems entertaining]

What secret conspiracy would you like to start?

[it really isn't a surprise that that's the question she starts with.

Or maybe you end up with her at the well. And being the occasional gremlin she is, asks:]

Should we wish for something ridiculous or something tame?

Depression Speed-run

[what do you mean she has to list her emotional weaknesses? That's a little difficult, when you aren't very emotional in the first place. So really, you'll just find her sat somewhere, arms folded under her and over the paper as she tries to think of a real answer.

Or an escape. Whichever happens first.

Mostly, she just looks like a disgruntled cat who has found a table to sprawl over]

Wildcard

[or maybe you want to take her on a date! Speed dating is the only real dating she's attempting so you're in for - well, something. Or maybe you want something completely different, feel free to hmu!]

Speed Testing

[kokuryuu]

[Souma leans in towards Baku and whispers, his golden, slitted eyes bright with impish glee:]

To start a feet rebellion! After Nara, I want to walk around barefoot on green grass all day long. So, the streets shall be replaced with lovely soft grass. And then I will just wander about as I please!

What about you, Baku-sama?

[rgbvalues]

1. intro

HERO!

[that's not loud like a human voice is loud, that's loud like an old television with volume turned up to the max is loud, fuzzing at the edges with straining speakers. it's very attention-grabbing, and the reason for the odd quality becomes instantly clear the second the speaker skids around a corner, running full-tilt through the streets.]

HERO! WHERE ARE YOU?

2. speed dating
[well, sure, speed dating is a fine way to build some bonds with people quickly. probably. the striped bands of color at the bottom of rgb's screen bend up at the corners in what's probably a smile as he takes a seat across from a stranger and picks up the question card in front of him.]

Is cereal... soup...? [update: he hates this question. he's still smiling though. hide the pain rgb.]

3. heelie-wheelies
[rocket powered roller skate shoes? an excellent invention, in rgb's opinion. he's taken to them like an absolute natural, moving through the closed off section of nihonbashi with the skill of a figure skater.

that doesn't mean everyone else knows what they're doing, but that's fine. he can dodge around the clumsier skaters without a care. it's the people who have no idea what they're doing who get too close to the edge that are stressing him out. if you find yourself falling off the edge, you might find yourself caught by the curved end of a bamboo cane under your arms, and hauled back up to safety.]

My goodness! [oh he's not just british, he's insufferably british] Consider taking a bit more care not to throw yourself off the precipice, someone could end up seriously injured!

intro

[awwwyeeaah]

[ That sure is a shout.

Purah looks up from her magi-comm, looking pretty calm for someone who just walked into a whole new world. ]

I've been wondering that myself! [ With a finger to her chin, she hums a single note, thoughtful. ] If anyone would find themself in this situation, it'd definitely be Link. Or the Princess! Or Robbie...

[ She starts walking as she thinks aloud, and that's when she collides with RGB.

Purah falls right on her backside, fumbling (but not dropping!) her magi-comm. ]

Whoa! Give a little warning next time!

[ She's not fazed by how he looks. Guardians look weird. Terrako looks weird...ish, but cute. And then there are Chuchus. She's not here to judge. ]

What's the rush?

Korollan/"Koro" | Original

[infernaltouch]

A Slippery Little Situation

[Of all the days to visit Little Edo, Koro chooses today. A desire to explore and people watch, Koro finds himself walking the streets, watching people slip and fall on the slime trails the apparent snails seem to be leaving.

And just as fate seems to have it, an unlucky refugee is victim to one of these slime trails, and will soon find their way face first into the strong chest of a tall man. Immediately, Koro's instinct will be to embrace them to keep them balanced.

Or perhaps they'll fall face or ass first into the ground. In that case, Koro will hold his hand out. Either way, he's concerned.]

Hey...you okay?

A Bubbly Little Encounter

[The demon visits his old home in the Yoshiwara dorms one last time, checking it to make sure he didn't forget anything. As he walks outside from his old dorm for the final time, he can hear other refugees lamenting about the busy public baths.

Curious, he approaches one that is walking alone.]

Hey. What's this about a busy bathhouse?

A Wild Little Card

[ooc: have any other ideas? Hmu!]

slip n slide

[lyingstars]

[Scaramouche isn't supposed to be in Little Edo for long, a simple do what he needed to and leave, but the trails of slime have put a damper in that. Navigating was significantly more difficult and a better idea seems to be to simply leave and return when giant slugs weren't running amok in the area.

Leaving is precisely what he attempts to do when he finds himself losing his footing against the slime enough to careen directly into another.]

I'm fine... sorry. Didn't mean to bother you.

[The sorry is spoken almost whisper quiet as he pushes back against the man's chest, like he's got some aversion to touch of any kind. The Harbinger definitely seems ready to bolt as soon as he's let free, though the slime covered ground is unlikely to make that easy for him.]

Ashley | Original

[zarrow]

1. Orientation

[We'll take care of everyone, don't worry! The idea made him sick to his stomach. People who said things like that never did so without a reason, and their reasons were never worth giving the benefit of the doubt. As Ash exits the auditorium, the urge to crumple tugs at his senses, weight pulling at his center of gravity.

It's not that he misses home - home's a shitshow and a half, but there's something missing, and that something is practically non-negotiable in his mind. Fingers close around a pack of cards and he's quick to unbox them, the familiar waxy edges sliding against his skin in soothing motions.]

... Sage, where the hell are you?

[Fingers flick cards from one hand to the other, shuffling them smoothly while pale eyes dart from place to place. He has to be here, after all. He has to. Until Ash can find him, he'll be skirting around people unless specifically stopped.]

2. Speed dating

[He's gotten his bearings somewhat, at least. Maybe that's enough - it's certainly enough to get him moving, thinking about how to move forward. Sure, the NRL says it'll pay for most everything as long as they're working toward Kizuna and such, but...

Ash's worries don't show at all as he settles down in the chair across from someone, offering a smile that's... well, it only looks a little performatory.]

Well then, hello there.

[His voice is smooth and cool, fluffy red hair pulled back into an untidy tail. He looks fairly unassuming, wearing a baggy shirt and pants that aren't much less so, and his slouch is pretty prodigious.]

3. Love is Blind

[Blind dates... well, for Ash, they aren't much different from a lot of things he used to do. He's a little less... messy, this time, than meeting him otherwise. His hair is still fluffy, but it's pulled back into a much tidier ponytail, and his shirt is tucked in to look a bit more... well, nice. He probably got some help, but don't call him out.

When he spots someone waiting at their designated spot, he'll wave and offer a wan smile, one hand still in his pocket as he approaches. He looks more comfortable than he feels, anxious energy curling in the pit of his stomach the same as it always does before any show.]

Hey. Hope you weren't waiting too long...

3;

[heliotropium]

Oh, no, not long at all.

[Or so he says, anyways. Ash knows him better than most, at least, so he’s well aware Sage really would have left if he felt his date was running behind. He had better things to do with his time!

Well, most of those things he can’t do here quite yet, but he’s still not going to sit and twiddle his thumbs on the off chance someone interesting will show up.]

You look much better. It’s a shame nobody else will get to appreciate that today.

[He says, with absolutely no sincerity. Sharing Ash is… An unfortunate reality of theirs, but he will gladly take all of his undivided attention while he can.

He reaches out, smoothing his hands down Ash’s chest, fixing any wrinkles there might be.]

Law | Tales of Arise

[wallbuster]

1 | Speed Run Dating

[ truth be told, the only thing he heard come out of Goro's mouth was date before he was already agreeing to the test - because while he wasn't really in the market for a girlfriend more money was always good, right? right - and getting paid just to hang out and make twenty-minute conversation with someone was a cakewalk. he could do that. he could do that for free, even, and that's how he finds himself here now, seated at one of the empty tables and looking over the list of questions while he waits for this thing to start.

today he's chosen to forego his sick-ass wolf's head pauldron and instead dresses in something more native to the land. the sleeveless tunic is long in the style of his usual shirt and has the added bonus of showing off his biceps, the pants slimming but also not overly tight.

he doesn't really understand the whole "bond-forming" thing but he can definitely hold a conversation with someone.

even if the questions are kind of... well. ]

What the heck is a wiffi? [ he ponders aloud, squinting down at the question reading WHAT'S THE BEST WI-FI NAME YOU'VE SEEN. ] Is that supposed to be some kind of animal? How the heck am I supposed to know?

2 | Blind Date Baby

[ Law certainly won't complain when it turns out that even more testing is needed; whatever keeps him away from his roommate the longest is perfectly all right with him, even if he does feel a little bad that Dohalim is probably moping and getting drunk while Law's out having the time of his life.

and yes, he'd absolutely seen the network post but chosen to ignore it, because anything he's sure to say will probably result in a "leave me alone" or something similar and he's really not too keen on going out on a date with a black eye or another lump on his head

it feels like abandonment, in a way.

sighing, Law debates over whether or not he should just call it quits and go on home. Dohalim is the kind of bougie rich bastard that would enjoy some fancy cheese or something, right? right.

he's considering how to break it to his date that he might have to bounce when he hears footsteps and perks up, steeling himself with a mixture of excitement and anxiety over who it might be and whether or not he'd have a harder time breaking it to them to get out of it. ]

3 | Wildcard

[ COME AT ME WITH ANYTHING! as a note Law is on the young side at 17 so perfectly platonic non-romantic dates are just fine with me! ]

here have this stupid idiot

[re_sonate]

[after the disaster that was the blind date with the one and only monster mom Arietta (which was a bit of an unsettling situation all on its own considering the last time he saw her), Luke almost wasn't looking forward to his next blind date.

who thought blind dates were a good idea to begin with? it sounded stupid and he's beginning to dislike them.

when he spots Law, Luke blinks for a moment, mind racing. a guy? not that he minds, he finds himself thinking, but... a bit unexpected. then again, this entire situation of being in Nippon is unexpected in the first place, so should he really be surprised?

he looks friendly enough, at least. Luke offers Law a soft smile]

Um, hi! You here for this blind date thing?

Fukuda Tamotsu | ID: INVADED

[holeful]

[Obviously I have to do a heelies prompt]
[Fukuda has a enthusiastic curiosity of a man half his age, so he is all about trying out this new invention! The problem is that he has the coordination of a man who has spent the better part of the last twenty years inside.

This means you will most likely find him, in the testing area, either in the midst of falling over, or rocketing into a wall. He doesn't seem too put out though! But maybe he could use a hand.]

[Bond Removal/Breaking Research]
[Sort of two options here;

a) Removal: Fukuda is chill with this part, even after the warning? He's quite chipper as he faces his fellow test subject/imminent new friend;]
So we have to form a bond first, right? First off, I guess I should say you can call me Fukuda.

[b) Breaking: Conversely, when it comes to the breaking experiment, he's clearly vastly more uncomfortable, though is it really just because of the threat of pain? He's not even making eye contact with his partner this time.]
This part... surely it isn't necessary for me to write anything down, is there?

[???]
[Fukuda is just approaching anyone who looks remotely magical/non-human and asking them;]

Say, you wouldn't happen to have regenerative abilities, would you?
[AN OMINOUS THING TO ASK SOMEONE, ONE MIGHT SAY.]

(B)onds

[quizpersona]

[The grinning man sitting across from Fukuda leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees to better examine that uncomfortable expression. Gogol is here obviously because bond breaking sounds like just one way to prove the existence of true free will. He was already going to do something similar before he arrived in Nippon so why not? In this way he looks way happier about what's about to happen.]

But out of both experiments it's the far more interesting option! I think you should.

jean gunnhildr | genshin impact

[dedicatedwinds]

a slip-n-slide prompt because ouji asked for it
[Cleaning up after slugs is, arguably, better than cleaning up after Dvalin attacked Mondstadt. There's far fewer things on the roof, for one, and the damage is... Well, it's mostly just slime everywhere and some trampled plants.

Cleaning and relocating the slugs isn't especially difficult, and it makes her feel like she's actually accomplishing something, and everything is going great! This is easy mode!

And then, of course, her heel meets slime and Jean's feet go out from under her.]

flip a coin;
[Jean looks down at the makeshift fountain, coin in hand. A wish - a tame one, as they've been instructed - shouldn't be all that difficult to come up with. There's a lot of things one could wish for, after all!

But...

Jean's mind has gone completely and utterly blank. Most everyone she could bear to see in Nippon is already here - she refuses to consider Amber or Barbara showing up for even a second - and... She's not really someone who wants for much for herself, typically.]

This test seems kind of frivolous, doesn't it?

[What do you mean there are people who aren't taking this so seriously...]

blind date;
[Whether it's just for one day or one week, Jean is mostly prepared for this. It'll be an interesting way to get to know people, or to further her bonds with those she's already familiar with, and she can help with research. It's a win-win-win.

Except for one drawback. Sort of drawback? Jean might not have gone on many dates in her life, but she has a vague idea what a nice date would be like. It's all those romance novels she reads in secret.]

This list is...

[Ridiculous? Terrible? Has to be a joke?]

Interesting.

[Nice and diplomatic, there. She looks over to her companion, a wry smile on her face.]

Maybe we should decide what to do for ourselves.

wildcard;
[what it says on the tin!]

BLIND DATE

[brilliantdiamond]

Interesting is one word for it. But-- we should definitely avoid the second one.

[Alas, poor Jean may not be thinking of romance at all, given her date ended up being Aether of the Ambiguously Aged. But it's fine-- they did say not all of these dates would be romantic!]

[...not gonna stop Aether from trying though, he's taking this very seriously!!]

Why don't we just take a walk downtown and look for a place to eat? I know a few places in Shinjuku that are pretty good?

Rean Schwarzer | Trails of Cold Steel II

[reanbean]

#nrl_time_refugee_support - online

Inbox

Text

Audio

Credit

Schwarzer: Hello, this is Rean Schwarzer.
Schwarzer: If anyone is from Thors Academy, please respond.
Schwarzer: Specifically, if anyone from Class VII is here, please respond. Thank you.

Wishes

[Rean stared at the handful of coins in his hand. They certainly weren't mira, that's for sure, but called yen. And the people here wanted him to throw it into a fountain to make a wish? He supposed even across multiple universes, the concept of throwing a coin into a fountain for a wish was universal. But how was this supposed to help with this kizuna stuff?

He sighed and thought about what he could wish for. Would this even come true? Being in a new, foreign place without his friends or family but he also didn't want to force them here so...]

Heed my call, Valimar, the Ashen Knight.

[Normally, he would shout this, but as he was in public and he really wasn't expecting to come true, he simply said it to the coin and then tossed it into the fountain. At first, nothing happened and what little hope he had seemed to disappear. He sighed... ]

Acknowledged.

[That is, until he heard a familiar voice. Some people gasped and backed away in fright. Why yes, that was a very large mech flying in and landing carefully amongst the folk.]

What?! It... It actually worked?

Love Is Blind

[Rean wasn't exactly keen on going on a series of blind dates like this. He could just hear it from his former classmates, especially the girls. Hopefully, if any one of them also arrived, they wouldn't get the wrong idea this time since this was apparently experimental. He looked at the band on his wrist.]

Well, let's just make the most of it, I guess. Nothing has to come of it, right?

[And as the resident gofer, he supposed he shouldn't have been surprised that he got roped into something like this. Rean made his way over to the meeting place for this blind date. He hoped it was someone nice.]

Wildcard

[Anything else? Hit me up!]

Noé Archiviste ✨ Vanitas no Carte

[friandise]

Speed testing

[ It would be a lie if Noé said he was paying close attention to the things being told to him, but lbr he’s not the type to do such a thing. His awe and wonder over his surroundings was so very tangible. So when he was finally sat down for this experiment he took this moment to realize that he was very much supposed to be doing something here.

Taking up the paper he’s eyeing the questions. ]

… But why would I want to make a cashier uncomfortable …?

Monsiuer… monsiuer? Excuse me… is there really a sale going on somewhere?

[ Of course he’s trying to flag down the one who had seated him. Whether someone is coming to join Noé for speed dating or they’ve been seated across from him already are matters he wouldn’t have noticed right away. ]

Love is Blind

[ A date is set and the only thing Noé had to do, but even this much was something of a task. This world is completely different from what he’d seen before and it took everything he had to try and keep himself on the path as opposed to following the path to some stairs up to a shrine, and beyond that? Who knows!

Of course though, it would be too good if he didn’t get distracted. He was close, so close in getting to the goal. Close enough that if anyone were watching out for him it was very clear where he was headed and how sudden the last minute turn toward some steps was. ]

Wildcard

[ Wanna tag, but with something completely different? Go for it! I’m pretty open to anything and everything. ]

Love is Blind

[anindomitablewill]

mon dieu, can't you just stay on track for once?

[ If anyone knows exactly what Noé was like and his easily-distracted self? It was Vanitas.

Never mind that he was positive somehow this white-haired man child was the one who ended up as his date for this whole mess. He'd just been running a bit late as it was, and turns out that it was good he had been or he wouldn't have been able to reach a hand out and snag Noé by the back of his coat.

Whatever was closest in that area that he could latch onto. ]

If you keep this up, you're going to be late for your engagement aren't you?

[sorcel]

1. Speed testing - wishing well
[standing outside of the makeshift well, they find some amusement in the prospect of kizuna truly, earnestly granting wishes. it's a strange thought, given their standard understanding of the world and reincarnation, but all of this is. a timeloop is only slightly less reasonable than their life as a whole.

ah. but that's not what they're here for, is it? fingers curl around a coin, and with a mild flourish, it's flipped into the well. their most fervid wish, within the limits of perpetuity and relative tameness... well. as it turns out, it doesn't matter. moments pass, and the tall stranger exhales a breathy noise, offering a wry smile to someone else nearby.]

It seems my luck is not to be. Care to give it a shot?

2. Love is Blind

[the concept of blind dating isn't unreasonable, they think. it's no different from an emperor or other ruler deciding on a concubine or a partner for the night. granted, Veil is never in the midst of all of that - but these are certainly differing measures. so, here they are, dressed in a beautifully fitted suit and tie, long hair tied back into a tail that sways behind them. though they wear no watch, their date needn't worry about the time - Veil's internal clock has ever been exceedingly timely. indeed, even if their date is running late, there's not an ounce of concern on the dark-haired person's face; simply a warm enough smile and an extension of hands, as in greeting.]

It is a pleasure to meet you today. Shall we exchange names before deciding on a destination?

3. Network

#everschade - online

Inbox

Text

Audio

Credit

everschade: well, this is a rather new method of communication.
everschade: i don't suppose there's some sort of instruction on how to better use these, is there?

2;

[monostich]

[The person before it is - tall. That's the first thing that stands out, with them standing a full foot taller than Kaede. Its not used to people being that tall, and they're even taller than Ace was. How do you even talk to someone this tall?

It takes it a moment to catch up with what they're saying, and it blinks owlishly at him for a moment.

Name. Right. It has one.]

Ah.

[Give it a moment.]

...Kaede.

[That's the name Ace told it to tell people, at least.]

And... You're?

Kujou Sara | Genshin Impact

[purposively]

1; slip-n-slide

a. a moment of weakness

[you would think that a graceful, proper Tengu would have no trouble with something as simple as a trail of slime on the ground. for the most part, you would be right; Sara is observant enough to avoid slipping for the most part, but as they say: all it takes is one tiny moment of weakness for it all to come crashing down. So it is, then, that someone just might find themselves as the stopping place for one tengu warrior.

sure, it's not the worst impact, as her wings extend to slow her movement, but she'd miscalculated the timing so probably still an impact.]

b. everybody do your share

[Kujou Sara is not someone to sit idly by while any amount of danger threatens her people. or... the people she's around, she supposes. without the Tenryou Commission to guide, it's easy to fall in line with whoever will work with her.

and given Sara's habit of firmly barking orders, that's... probably a surprising number of people. as a result, maybe you've been bullied into helping clean up the slime in the streets. maybe you're just watching idly when she calls out - if you've time to gawp, you've time to assist! - or maybe you're even here to offer your assistance... willingly? in any case, you won't be alone in the cleaning.

the Tengu seems quite content to do at least as much work as anyone else.]

2. Speed Testing

a. speed-dating

[for a long time, Sara is quiet. her attention, rude though she knows it is, remains firmly on this... list of questions. it's just that they're so patently absurd that she's sure someone is playing with her. she'd blame Yae, except the guuji is nowhere to be found...]

... Why in the Archons' name would chickens kill an elephant? There is no circumstance where this question makes sense.

[oh yeah.

she's a spoil-sport.]

b. i wish, more than anything...

[the small yen coin pressed into Sara's palm feels similar to mora, she thinks, though it looks nothing like it. still, if all they want is to try this Kizuna of theirs, it hurts her nothing at all.]

... A reasonably sized wish, something simple to manage. It shouldn't be difficult to decide upon.

[and yet she glances to her companion, lips pursed in contemplation. do they have anything to add?]

3. Wildcard

[something else in mind? hmu or just throw a starter at me!]

1-A

[formyeternity]

[ Honestly how could they have let things get out of control like this?

Ei had been careful to avoid the trails of slime up to this point, steps careful as she walked as to avoid any accidental collisions. Yet it didn't stop someone else from doing so, and as soon as she caught movement of someone coming closer? Her first instinct was to try and brace for the impact, which didn't quite end up as bad as she thought with her hands grasping onto the other's shoulders.

It took a couple seconds after that to which she had a chance to take in exactly who it was who'd run into her. ]

Ah. Are you alright, Sara?

[ Okay, so she'd had a little time to 'loosen up' some since her arrival here, so she's not quite using formal titles. ]

Fleur | Alchemy Stars

[hommefatal]

SPEED TESTING ||

[ if it wasn't obvious at first glance that the "date" wasn't from this world, the moment one happens to sit down he opens his mouth and speaks. heterochromatic eyes of green and red practically sparkle in excitement as the overalled lad launched into a big spiel about... well, a bunch of odd, otherworldly jargon. there was the mention of Allen wrenches, something about the time loops and Eclipsites and Aurorians, mechanisms and gears and meshing and clockwork and all other assortment of things (what was a prism? and a colossus core, on top of that? and a mech? Rediesel Wrench?) as he launches into a tirade that one might surmise was related to said topic. he's probably well-past the ten minute mark by now. ]

-- been a long-standing dream of mine to build a mech, but when I was in Illumina I didn't have the resources to be able to do it - which is funny, because it's supposed to be this really top-tier place as far as the factions go, like if you take it in terms of oil there's your synthetic, and then your basic and your premium, and this would be your premium's premium, if that helps put it into any perspective at all, but I wasn't exactly the sharpest tool in the shed but it wasn't my fault, people just can't help but be drawn to my horns and tail, especially the girls for whatever reason, so they kicked me to the Undercity and let me tell you life in the Undercity is waaaaay different than life above, and it just didn't sit right with me at all, so anyway I left Illumina altogether --

[ and so on, and so forth. it seems that he has no actual intention of stopping any time soon. who needs conversation topics, anyway? ]

LOVE IS BLIND ||

[ did he happen to lose the overalls for this blind date? absolutely not. those familiar with what a mechanic looks like will know exactly what they're looking at when they turn up for their date, oil spills and all. perhaps the only saving grace is the sick tribal-looking tattoos covering his forearms and the base of his throat, because who doesn't like tattoos, right? right.

it probably helps matters that his tail immediately flicks into a sway that's not unlike a dog's wagging tail when he sees his "date" approaching, and he makes to run off - right past his actual date, to accost some poor passerby with the sort of reckless enthusiasm one might expect from a dog greeting its master on their return home.

when it becomes apparent that this is not, in fact, his date, he's left to stand there a little dejectedly with his tail hanging limp behind him. now's your chance to escape. ]

WILDCARD ||

[ HIT ME UP WITH WHATEVER FAM I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M DOING ]

Love is Blind

[purposively]

[Kujou Sara does not back down from a challenge. be it a simple showing of skill, a full-blown uprising, a blind date - she is serious and prompt in all matters. of course, not knowing what to expect from said date was always a question, as was simply not knowing what they might look like.

even still, it would be a lie to say that some part of her doesn't hope against hope that she's wrong. the meeting location had been clear enough, but... as the strange man skitters off to accost some poor fool, she finds herself expecting the worst. maybe he won't be as thick-headed as he appears.

the other stranger finally convinces Fleur that they're not his date, and perhaps he'll feel the eyes on his back. the scent of oil is strong - a little too strong for her liking, but it's hardly her place to judge whatever he thinks is dateworthy. be nice! she reminds herself.]

... I take it you're Fleur.

[her tone is firm and rigid, but her expression is a little softer - she's trying, at least.

besides, the poor man looks like someone stole his candy, tail hanging behind him like that. is he that excited to have a simple date?]

albedo piazzolla | xenosaga

[reassume]

[oh, it's hilarious, getting exactly what he wants, only to have it ripped away a moment later. Over and over, and he laughs louder and louder each time until the door appears. It's lucky that all of this is too damn funny to him that he doesn't automatically kill the scientists staring at him to make himself feel better.

The laughter stops, after a while, but the amusement remains. He listens to the explanations and it only makes it funnier, this time loop nonsense. He almost wants to experience it again and even says as much to one young scientist, in great detail, only to laugh at their horrified expression and walking off. He'll behave now that he has the option to, even if that's no fun]

Speed Dating

[he doesn't care about the financial compensation, because he's never had to care about such a thing. He's here because he's vaguely interested in this "bonds" nonsense and he has nothing better to do.

Of course, when it comes to the questions, he finds one that caters to his . . . uh, sense of humor]

A shiver down one's spine is their skeleton trying to escape the trappings of their body. [he taps the paper, lips curling in barely contained amusement] I've heard that people believe it's because someone's walked over their grave but - that's so boring.

Depression (?) Speed-run

[now, breaking bonds - he's intimately familiar with that, and that it causes pain, an empty feeling - well, he's familiar with that, too. His head may be a little more solidly screwed onto his shoulders, but old habits are hard to break - and pain has always been a good, good friend of his.

Really, you totally want to pair up with this guy, look at how pleased he is to participate!]

Wildcard

[have something else in mind? Go wild! Or feel free to hmu to plot things]

coming in like a wreckingbaaaaallllll

[omission]

[ Keeping his distance to observe is, of course, second nature. Don't engage right away. Bide time, consider all options, carefully weigh the pros and the cons of the next action. (Ha, fat lot that's gotten him.) Always so careful. Always invisible until needed.

Or at least wait for his own emotions to stop simmering. Nigredo folds them all up in their neat little boxes, tightly packed away. Controlled. ]

Causing trouble, are we?

[ Nigredo's tone is mild and soft, off to the side. He knows Albedo. Taller or not, older or not, Nigredo would know him. And what a blast from the past it must be-- fourteen years young staring Albedo down with the same tempered expression Nigredo always has. But there's apprehension if one knows where to look. Shoulders drawn, mouth a thinner line than usual, arms crossed over his small chest as if trying to look casual. A caution that Nigredo isn't used to having around his brother.

These are strange times, however. ]

You got taller than I'd expected.

alphen | tales of arise | ota

[sincleavers]

i. speed testing
[Time loops and bonding and testing... On one hand, this is all a little bit too much, and Alphen is overwhelmed. On the other hand, he saw it, didn't he, just before arriving, and this is clearly not on Dahna...and if astral energy can be real there, why can't this "kizuna" be real here?

And it sounds as though it's saving them from something terrible.

So he's determined. If not to do this speed-dating thing (after all, he's not really in the market for dating right now, not exactly, not unless you're--) ...anyway, if he's not going to do this speed-dating thing, he can at least help with their tests. So the expression on his face is earnest and determined as he looks at the suggested list of questions.]

Let's see. [Let's just pick one at random.] "Is a hotdog a sandwich?"

[Saving the world through small talk? Is...is this actually going to work??]


ii. love is blind
[Alright, he's starting to get it. They're testing how easy it is for people to form bonds to create new forms of power. It's an interesting idea, for sure, and considering his experiences with Shionne and the Blazing Sword, it doesn't sound totally improbable, either...

...But why does so much of it have to be about dating?

This whole "blind date" idea seems like a lot -- toying with peoples' emotions goes a little too far, doesn't it? But it's true that he and his companions were all strangers before they started travelling together. Maybe it won't be so bad. In any case, he's here, and he perks up a bit when he hears footsteps coming this way.]

I'm not sure how I feel about this list. Most of it is a little... [Is there a nice way to put this at all] Over the top.

iii. wildcard
[i'm open to basically anything, so have at it!]

ii. also YELLS

[ilqaras]

[honestly, that wasn't much of a thought that passed through Dohalim's mind when the idea of creating bonds through romance, but then again, he may or may not be enjoying the experience. as someone who'd gone the last several years without those kinds of bonds, it's not much of a surprise when Dohalim agrees to the testing.

also, the promise of an extravagant meal out of it goes without saying. you can take the person out of nobility, but sometimes, you just can't take the nobility out of the person.

clad in not his normal regalia, but rather luxurious looking yukata (so much more comfortable, and he can actually. you know. put it on himself), the white hair and voice perks him up as he approaches Alphen]

Perhaps... However, I think it might be fun to do with familiar company.

Dominique de Sade | Vanitas no Carte

[aristocratique]

The king of wishful thinking

[ Speed testing was not Dominique's idea of a good time, in fact she may have come off as less than ideal candidate for this study. But now looking down at the coin in her hand she looks to the well.

These humans seemed more primitive than she was used to, but still she knew she wasn't in a position to rebel given the circumstances.

So what could she do? Gripping the coin in her fist she raises it very dramatically, as if she really was just going to throw it out... but then just ends up dropping it in. ]

... Wishes are useless to have.

[ That final conclusion with a sigh. ]

Can I go already? These exercises are pointless.

Turn around bright eyes

[ Date. Date?

DATE!

This was new territory no matter how competent the young aristocrat presented herself to be. There was a lot of mental back and forth on whether she should be going on this or not.

For one she didn't know who the suitor might be, and second of all... she didn't quite understand what to do on a date. Sure the manchild gave her a list of sorts, but it read as vague concepts. They said it didn't have to be romantic, but that didn't make it easier.

So yeah, of course she turned up early, but also was already judging her would be date for not having the same courtesy. She wasn't so sure she wanted a date with a suitor that thought it would be okay to arrive late (on time).

Standing up, sitting down and then standing up again. Could she really justify doing what she really wanted at this point in time? Probably. She certainly is working at it in any case. ]

Bright Eyes

[bloodandsweets]

[ While completely being unused to the idea of an actual date, he'd at least gotten the important parts of why this was being done and had picked up a box of chocolates and a rose because that seemed like the right thing to do for his 'date'.

Noé had been making good time, even with his distractions here and there with finding everything utterly fascinating on the way. There was just so, SO much to look at. How could he not?

It was as he rounded a corner that something caught his eye. The note had said his first date was with a pale young woman with dark hair... and the woman just down the street from him was most definitely that, violet eyes widening. Immediately he pushed off from the ground with his speed, racing forwards. ]

DOMI!!!

[ Noé stopped once he was within a couple of feet of her, taking everything in with a concern written all over his face. ]

How long have you been here? Are you alright??

Ekko ⏳ Arcane

[firelightings]

A. Network

#nrl_time_refugee_support - online

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firelight: what the fuck?
firelight: has anyone heard of zaun?
firelight: ...or piltover

B. Wildcard

(Hmu with anything else you might fancy!!)