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February | Test Drive Meme
Jikan Test Drive MemeMinimize
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.
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.
Over in Nihonbashi, refugees living in the apartments will be met with colorful gift baskets at their door, courtesy of their native neighbors. Each basket contains a variety of rice crackers, sweets, and winter fruit. But one in particular will have a little note wrapped around it: wine fruit, for the grown-ups. True to its name, it's a very juicy fruit with a wine-like aftertaste. The reason being that it's naturally fermented in a way to make the entire fruit very alcoholic, causing drunkenness with only a few bites!
In Little Edo, a very strange phenomenon is taking place, as legged-Kaoseki seem to have found their way into the neighborhood. Sporting cheerful grins, the living stones run on two legs and tumble about all over the place, leaving chaos in their wake as most scramble to avoid them. While this variety seems disinterested in cursing anyone, those who are able are asked to assist with sweeping them out into the countryside so they can do whatever they're doing in peace?? Curiously, should one bow in greeting to the bizarre little creatures, they'll follow suit and utter a strange noise that almost sounds like "hello".
And for those living in the Yoshiwara dorms, the renovations have been completed! Not only do all rooms now come with advanced heating and cooling systems, each dorm block will now have a small shared bathing area! No more walking across the street to a public bath just to take a shower! While the showers have privacy curtains, the bath itself is akin to a public bath, and is a small pool that can be shared by up to five residents at once. And what better way to get to know your new neighbors than to enjoy a little skinship together?
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
Use this website to generate random quotes for your own character (for new players/characters) or their close CR (for current players/characters)! These will be posted to the network automatically under the name of the person it's pretending to quote (e.g.: Naruto clicks the link, and a post appears on the network under Sasuke's username that says "I heart boobs".)
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.
A Diverse New Year
Culture shock is something many refugees in Nippon have likely had to face at one point or another. The culture of Nippon is very distinct, and for some, very different from anything they've known in their home worlds. But Nippon is far from the only country on Gaia, and the time refugees aren't the only ones stuck in place.
With unknown time surges in the ocean making international travel too dangerous, many visitors from neighboring nations have also found themselves stuck in Nippon since the time loop ended. While some have settled in areas throughout Nippon, most tend to stick around the city of Yokohama, whose diverse blend of cultures makes it easy to carve out a little home away from home.
Stray Cat Kannai, Yokohama
Aside from simply taking the train, one of the more popular ways of getting around Yokohama is by renting a steam-cycle, which come in single and tandem bikes. Unlike a traditional tandem bike, both passengers must work together to pilot it! And "pilot" is the right term to use here. Upon reaching a certain speed and pulling a few levers, a pair of wings will extend from the wheels as the bottom release a large amount of steam, causing the steam-cycle to become airborne.
But there's definitely something of a learning curve, and even the locals have trouble steering once in the air. And while passing by, refugees will come across what appears to be a child stuck high up in a tree after losing control of their steam-cycle. The child is a Bakeneko Yokai, no more than three feet tall, and poofed up twice his normal size from how terrified he seems to be. With no one else around, it'll be up to them to save the day!
However, some careful driving and maybe a few cat scratches later, they'll find that this child isn't a child at all -- that's just how small some Bakeneko tend to be when fully grown. The man will introduce himself as a diplomat from Shikoku, visiting the east as part of an important business trip. Though he has nothing on his person to offer in gratitude, he swears to repay the favor someday, as a true Bakeneko never forgets those who've offered them assistance.
Lunar New Year Kannai, Yokohama
Over in Yokohama's Zhongguo Town, celebrations for the Lunar New Year are in full swing! Located in the Kannai Ward, Zhongguo Town is named for the neighboring nation of Zhongguo, a vast and powerful nation whose international influence can't be understated.
As the Lunar New Year is the largest and most important holiday celebrated in Zhongguo, it should come as no surprise that the entire district has been outfitted with bright red banners and glowing lanterns at every street corner. Things kick off on New Year's Eve, where a firework show takes place over the waterfront, with the displays big enough to be be seen all over Yokohama, and even from the coast of Tokyo! And in the days that follow, parades featuring lion dances and traditional performances can be found happening throughout the neighborhood. While this isn't the first new year celebration since the time loop, the fact that it's a second is just all the more reason to celebrate, as it further cements the reality that time is moving forward.
Of course, for many visitors, the food is one of the biggest draws to the festivities. Stalls selling dumplings, fresh spring rolls, and sticky rice cakes called nian gao can be found on nearly every corner, and many restaurants are offering special deals on those dining during the New Year... assuming you can even get a table, with just how many residents make reservations in advance.
But while little could ever possibly put a damper on the celebrations, some may find that a time surge has settled on a certain street. While seemingly harmless, should anyone walk through carrying food, they'll find their food has spontaneously spoiled, or reverted back to its base ingredients. Thankfully, most stalls will happily offer replacements, and perhaps a map with a detour on how to avoid letting it happen twice.
Eigo o hanasemasu ka? Isogo, Yokohama
But Zhongguo Town isn't the only neighborhood celebrating the Lunar New Year. Located south of Kannai in the Isogo Ward is a small string of shops and restaurants owned by natives from the distant country of East America. Those who come from worlds where English happens to be a language they're familiar with may recognize the bold letters used for their store fonts, as well as the language spoken by many of those who live and work in this little neighborhood.
One such place is a popular speakeasy called Antenna America, which offers all-you-can-drink happy hours and unique dishes from across the Pacific. Their claim to claim to fame is being the only place in Yokohama where you can order a burger and fries with your beer, and then finish off with a slice of pineapple upside-down cake, using only the freshest pineapple imported from... say, how do they get the pineapple here? Isn't international trade impossible right now?? If asked, the owner will suddenly pretend not to understand the language and flee the room.
In honor of the Lunar New Year, Antenna America is offering an exclusive dessert just for couples: a massive bowl of ice cream and fresh fruit, topped with chocolate, whipped cream, and a pair of sparklers to give the whole thing a festive appearance. Ordinarily the cost is extravagant, but should a couple manage to eat the whole thing in one sitting, it'll be free!
There's just one downside, of course. Honey is used to sweeten the fruit, and every one in ten bowls will contain honey contaminated by the sweet-love bee, whose honey works as a mild aphrodisiac. While the honey is supposed to be heated to negate the effects, it seems the chef can't read the packaging and simply uses it as is. Oops! At least there's an inn next door if customers need to excuse themselves for a few hours?
OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's February 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.
• For the network prompt: please make sure you have permission from the other player before using incorrect quotes under their character's IC username.
• As all characters become Bilingual in Japanese upon arrival, those who spoke English in their canon (or a fantasy equivalent assumed to be English) will be able to understand the workers at Antenna America, but will find they make extensive use of 1920s slang, so they may be difficult to parse regardless.
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!
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no subject
I've been here for a while...
[now he feels even more awkward; what is he supposed to follow with that? he's pretty sure Asch doesn't care, and he's almost certain that he'd start yelling at him again about being in Nippon]
...How are things back home?
[maybe that'll be a good question to ask]
no subject
"A while"? How is that possible, when Asch had seen him shortly before he was forced here? He stares Luke down, as though that will provide the answer instead of him asking for it]
How long is a while? [he'll address the other question after, maybe]
no subject
Luke does take a moment to recollect the past weeks, trying to convert their calendar to Nippon's and... his poor brain is working into overdrive]
Um...
[give him a second, Asch, he'll get there eventually]
The months here are shorter than back home... I dunno, maybe a couple months?
no subject
He huffs to himself as he waits, just barely holding back the urge to snap at him. He'd paid attention to the information provided on his arrival, but admittedly a lot of it hadn't made much sense to him.
. . . ]
How is that possible when I just saw you? [there isn't disbelief in his voice, per say, but rather he's. Trying to make sense of it] Even if you had gone missing right after that, I would have known.
no subject
except he absolutely will because Luke's a motor mouth to the very end. Luke shrugs, picking at the food he's holding]
I dunno... I'm still trying to understand the weird time loop thing here. But it has something to do with that... Maybe we were taken from different times? So maybe the me from your loop is still on Auldrant and that's why you didn't feel anything?
[for all that Luke is a whirlwind of dumb boy energy, there are those times where he can be intuitive. he's using his big brain here, Asch
for once]no subject
At least it slows the countdown on the ticking timebomb that is Asch's patience]
It makes about as much sense as the rest of the nonsense here. [...] You asked how things were back home - what was happening before you were brought here?
no subject
We got rid of the miasma. Like, for good.
[he doesn't mention anything else about the aftermath of his own body, not wanting to alarm Asch in any way (though, really, can he hide it? maybe the magic here will interfere with that...)]
no subject
I see. [a few fireworks go off in the distance and Asch glances towards them, an excuse to look away from his replica]
I'm past that. We were on Eldrant before the time . . . loop, or whatever brought us here started. You and I had just parted ways, so that you could go confront Van.
no subject
but what worries him the most is the fact that the both of them didn't make their way to fight Van. why? they both were on Eldrant, right? then...]
...What do you mean we parted ways? Why didn't you come with us?
no subject
He glances at Luke from the corner of his eye, frowning and crossing his arms. Simple, basic answers are probably his best choice right now, the better to avoid details Luke doesn't really need to know]
You - we fell into a trap. [he presses his lips together] And one of us had to stay so that the other could escape. I'm the one who stayed behind.
no subject
[that doesn't make any sense. and for Asch to let him go on ahead... just what had transpired between the both of them for it to lead to that conclusion?
but, Luke supposes, that isn't the important question. no, there's a more pressing matter at hand]
What happened next?
no subject
[he had lost their little fight, it hadn't mattered who the original was. And while it had angered him - still did, as so much with Luke tended to do, he's not so prideful not to realize it probably had been the right choice.
He huffs quietly, glancing over at Luke with a frown]
I can only assume you met up with the others to go stop Van. The rest doesn't matter.
no subject
[ugh, he hates when Asch tries to skirt the issue, and while he's not surprised, it still draws a small frown on his face]
What happened to you?
no subject
[as vague an answer as it is, he's sure that even Luke can pick up on what he really means]
I don't know what happened after that.
no subject
[Luke can't help but feel just a bit of panic rise in him; he can't help but press the question, even though he's almost sure Asch will shut this train of thought down quickly]
no subject
[honestly, does he have to spell it out and everything?]
no subject
[sometimes it's so hard to get a straight answer out of his original, and that it's so annoying when he dodges the question like this.
but maybe it's because he doesn't want to believe what his mind is thinking, that Asch had died or something. maybe he wants some sort of confirmation that he managed to get out of Eldrant alive, and that, for some reason, he just doesn't want to tell Luke]
no subject
[he is absolutely shutting this down before he has to explain any more. For a lot of reasons, mainly that he doesn't have to explain himself to his failure of a replica, but also because . . . he's not sure he wants to say it.
It's one thing to know; he isn't denying it. But saying it out loud is different.
So he's gonna do what he does best and walk away] Figure it out.
no subject
[Luke grumbles to himself, before following Asch. well, more like stomping after him, not intending on leaving him alone until he answers his question.
or until Asch blasts him off into the stratosphere. whatever
But I'm not dropping it until you tell me!