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April | 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.
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.
For those bound for Nihonbashi, be careful not to board the train too late at night. Because on Friday nights, the Loop Line's final train of the night is a party train! Every train car is set up with its own theme and decor, with this week featuring the return of the ever popular sexy maid cafe in the rear of the car! Dress up in a surprisingly demure maid outfit (this is 1921) and take customer orders, or have a seat and peruse the menu. Aside from a small bar, there's no actual food service or exchange of currency going on here, so it's all in good fun! The train will loop endlessly past the same station until sunrise, so hopefully they weren't planning on an early night's sleep.
In Little Edo, a Great Nippon Salamander has been spotted wandering the streets in search of clean water. While this may not seem like a big deal, these creatures range in size from that of a large dog to that of a large house. To subdue the creature, the local hunting clan, the Hanzaki, are searching for volunteers to help coax the salamander back out into the swamplands of the Tokyo Outskirts. While the safest method is to lead it using a hose or another source of water, those looking to get the job done quickly may instead choose to fight the creature, causing it to flee in whichever direction they point it in. Careful, they move faster than you think!
Over in Yoshiwara, the Tokyo branch of the refugee-owned nightclub, Club Hexxx, has finally opened its doors! Enjoy a dark and spooky atmosphere while listening to the latest jazz hits. And best of all, refugees will be offered a free glass of Club Hexxx's signature drink: Kinklist, a coffee-flavored drink that turns white after one sip, and causing the drinker's deepest sexual desire to appear written on their cheek in black ink. The text will remain until they finish the rest of the drink.
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 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.
Springtime Flowers
With the changing of the seasons, the cherry blossoms have finally bloomed, painting the landscape with dashes of pink and white on nearly every corner. Not even the busy citizens of Tokyo can resist stopping to smell the flowers, or even enjoying picnics underneath them!
And those looking for the best place to view the flowers need look no further than Little Edo, a suburb in south Tokyo that borders the vast wetlands that separate Tokyo from Yokohama. And between the lush parks, interesting shrines, and mysterious ruins, there's no shortage of things for those settling in to explore!
A Very Special Festival Kanayama Shrine, Tokyo Outskirts
While most residents are celebrating the spring season under the cherry blossoms, a different sort of celebration is taking place at the Kanayama Shrine, located just south of Tokyo on a tall, narrow hilltop that juts out of the flooded landscape. Once more, it's time for the annual Kanamara Matsuri, and all refugees will find themselves invited to the little island to see the festivities. And what sort of festival is it, you may ask?
Why, it's the Festival of the Steel Phallus! According to legend, there was once a plague of a type of ayakashi that was known to live in the genitals of humans, whose vicious bite caused the birthrate of a certain city to drop down to zero. To combat this, an afflicted young woman asked a blacksmith to forge a steel phallus in order to break the ayakashi's teeth, freeing her of the curse. It's said the original phallus remains enshrined in the innermost chambers-- and in honor of this most venerated dildo, a festival is held every spring to celebrate sexuality and fertility, all leading up to a procession in which a giant steel phallus is paraded around the island.
(And no, I didn't make this one up.)
Refugees visiting the shrine will find no shortage of phallic-shaped foods and merchandise. Outside of the wide array of oddly shaped dildos to choose from, in terms of food, there are stalls selling lollipops, popsicles, sausages, grilled squid, octopus balls, cream-filled dick waffles-- but there's more at work here than a simple theme. Those who choose the popsicles will find themselves with a temporary oral fixation, causing an urge to have something between their lips at all times. Now, is this a naughty trick, or merely a marketing ploy to sell more popsicles? It's hard to say.
But the real treat is inside the shrine itself, where a single dildo stands tall among gilded offerings and flowers. The inner chamber is only ever put on display once a year, and for good reason. Anyone whose eyes fall upon the majestic phallus will become overwhelmed with a desire to fill or be filled - which might just be why viewings are done in groups of two or more, with the outer doors of the shrine closed behind them for privacy. There's a nice pile of pillows and no shortage of lubricating oils available, so why not get into the spirit of the season with a friend or two?
Flowers of Evil Little Edo, Tokyo
Festivals aside, many people are coming out to Little Edo to enjoy the array of cherry blossom trees for Hanami, or flower watching parties. Of these, the refugees will find themselves invited to a special gathering, taking place under the shade of a massive cherry blossom tree that was planted in their honor the year before. And yet despite it's young age, it's the largest tree around, continually growing since the initial growth spurt when it was planted. Although most understand that it was likely Kizuna that caused its sudden growth, locals have begun treating it as something sacred, leaving offerings and making prayers beneath its branches.
And should the refugees decide to take part as well, they may be surprised to find that whatever they wish for comes true. These wishes are rather limited, and some may only exist for a few minutes. But for those wishing to meet someone from home, the may be surprised to find that the person in question will appear beside them in Nippon... (See notes below for details!)
But while everyone else is enjoying the cherry blossoms, a certain park in Little Edo is drawing crowds for a different reason. After last year's outbreak of jubokko ayakashi, the cherry blossom trees in this area were permanently stained by the jubokko's red pollen, causing the pink petals to develop distinct red veins.
However, unlike the jubokko's pollen, these petals carry a very different effect. Anyone who stands under the shade of these trees will feel an irresistible urge to confess something. This can be something minor, like a strange food combination they are particularly fond of, or something major, such as the name of the last person they had sex with. This urge will linger even after leaving the flowers, until they've either confessed enough to appease the tree, or until the trees go bare when the blossoms fall.
Underwater Mysteries Tokyo Outskirts, Kanto
Those who are familiar with some version of Nippon may find the changed landscape to be rather confusing. Due to a massive time surge many decades ago, the entire region of Kanto was flooded, leaving many cities underwater or transformed into swamplands. As nature took over, the flooded region surrounding Tokyo came to be known the Tokyo Outskirts.
Ordinarily, exploring this area can be rather dangerous, given both the presence of dangerous Ayakashi and the unstable landscape that's peppered with the ruins of drowned cities. But this week, those looking for a little adventure can take part in special boat tours exploring the ruins and viewing the cherry trees from a unique vantage point.
Up to four people can fit in a single steamboat, which is preprogrammed to follow a path that will take passengers past the top of a large hill that's almost completely covered in cherry blossom trees, with the ruins of a few old buildings just barely visible beneath the overgrowth. But beauty aside, the real marvel is within the water itself, which is clear enough that one can look down and see roads, trees, and even entire buildings still mostly intact beneath the surface. You'd think the water just appeared one day, given that nothing seems to have been destroyed when the flood occurred.
But not every trip will go as smoothly as planned. Hidden beneath the pink petals that pepper the surface of the water, unlucky refugees may spot the long, long body of an Ikuchi, the sea serpent ayakashi. Thought to be the longest Ayakashi to exist in Nippon, these thick, snake-like creatures may take entire minutes just to pass under a boat. Spotting the body is simply distressing, and thankfully not of much concern. But should someone make eye contact with the third eye on top of its head, the Ikuchi will climb over the side of the boat and coil around it, attempting to drag it beneath the surface. And for the one who initially made eye contact, they'll find themselves affixed with a curse that temporarily makes it impossible to float in the water.
Thankfully, this ayakashi isn't interested in attacking those who fall overboard, and there's plenty of spots where the water is far more shallow. But those who fall in will have to wait until another tour comes by to ferry them back to shore.
OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's April 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!
• For this month only, please include in your top-level if you are a new player without an invite! Those seeking an invite can do so here!!
• 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.
• Despite everything, Kanamaru Matsuri is considered an all-ages event!
• Wishes can be anything, from food items to items from home. All characters in the game will be allowed to redeem one item, magical or otherwise, from home using this prompt! However, for new character apping into the game, you have the option to have your character join the game by being wished into the setting. The wish can be anything from a direct plea to see a certain castmate again, or even just a wish for more friends that goes awry. These characters will still remember a time loop, but will not remember seeing a door, instead appearing in Tokyo after hearing the wishing-character's voice call to them. These characters will then be encouraged to visit the NRL for orientation, and will be offered an explanation that Kizuna saved them from the timeloop directly.
• While characters may attempt to fight the Ikuchi, it will not fight back, and cutting its body will cause it to grow another head and become another separate Ikuchi. This new head is also capable of cursing people, so it's probably best to leave it alone.
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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They may be on opposite sides, but he can't imagine it was for a stupid reason... Regardless, Cloud's still focused on the job at hand, even as they finally make their way out of the streets and towards the outskirts. Into the outskirts. ]
?!
[ And into the large body of water that the beast lumbers straight into, seemingly diving straight after the Turk. Skidding to a stop at the water's edge before he can fall in, the name leaves his mouth before he can even think. ]
Reno!
[ ... best that he keep that one a secret. What with the kneejerk reaction of worrying about the other's safety. They'll have plenty of time to throw down again. For now, Cloud scouts the mossy surface, now that it's been disturbed by the two splashing right in. Gritting his teeth, he lets out an aggravated huff. Who knows what that Salamander was going to do now that they were in its home turf?! He doesn't like it, but he's prepared to go diving in, finding hopefully Reno first and then that slimy bastard before he winds up getting eaten or something. ]
Damn it...
[ Deep breath. Aaand— SPLASH! The Great Nippon Salamander surfaces! But it doesn't look panicked. It doesn't even bother looking back at Cloud as it casually floats over the mossy surface, slowly but surely getting farther away. ...that still leaves Reno. Look for the prickly red patch if it sprouts up...
Don't make him come in there. ]
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And without much air in him it didn't take long for him to want to get to the surface ASAP. When the pull of the water finally softened to the extent that he could control his own movements, he placed his hand over his mouth and breathed out what little air he had.
The bubbles went up. He heard them push through the water and pop out of the top.
With that small hint he swam that way, dragging his clothed arms through the water. It was like trying to push through mud. But he needed air. Now.
When he broke through the surface he took a quick gasp, but swimming fully clothed was a pain in the ass, and he was covered in dirt and moss from the water. He wiped as his face with the back of his arm, but all he could do was smear more dirt and moss on himself. He needed to get it away from his eyes.
He could only imagine what it'd done to his hair. Thankfully his baton had a strap that he could wrap around himself to keep from losing it.]
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SPLOOSH~
Reaching for the back of Reno's suit, he grips tight, pulling and keeping him above water, while powerfully kicking towards the nearby water's edge, with the Buster Sword on his back. If he had a platform to jump off of, he would. These SOLDIERs were beyond absurd. At least Cloud doesn't just yeet the guy out of the water, pulling him to the grassy, wet shore before letting go. Dragging himself out, he shakes his head, spikes drooping with bits of moss and water.
He doesn't look impressed. adsfkjh
And as he sits there, not even bothering to look at Reno for the moment... ]
I ain't saying shit if you ain't.
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He heard a splash somewhere behind him and shortly after he was being dragged in a direction. It was rather hard to swim right next to another person without one kicking the other, so he focused on just staying afloat. When the damp shore was under him he rolled himself onto his hands and knees and got up.
Finally he wiped enough away from his eyes to peek out. Everything was sopping wet and it made for a rather pathetic-looking picture.
He was going to take a shower and a bath tonight.]
I want 75%. My socks are wet.
[Which was clearly the worst thing they experienced that day. As he started trudging forward, his shoes let out a wet, squishing sound.]
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Your socks are wet?
[ Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. Squish. ]
50, for bailing your ass out.
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[Not that he hadn't participated. Reno lived for the thrill. He just hadn't expected it to come with that sort of ending. Would it be better to walk barefoot...? He was considering it.]
70, for guiding your ass on your... first day?
[They weren't doing so bad financially due to Rude, but more beer money was more beer money.]
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[ Dot. Dot. Dot. ]
60.
[ AH, HE BUDGED, RENO. ]
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[Hey, he'd gotten something more. More money for beer and business.
He looked out ahead and grumbled.]
Fuck, we have a long way to go back.
[That's it. He sat down, pulled off his shoes and stripped his socks off, wringing them out. It'd be better just to walk barefoot even if he'd have to deal with dirt and little rocks.]
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[ At least Cloud is patient. Toughing it through the wet socks and boots as he waits for the Turk to wring them out. Tempted as he is to keep sassing him...he's actually starting to get curious now. Of course he's got the same attitude about him. But...something's different. And it's about the least assholish thing Cloud might say for a while. ]
So what's the last thing you remember?
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[He suspected Cloud was from the past and it would be meaningless to him, but it'd be an indicator at least of how many years might be between them. Rufus had been sick for a while.
Knowing he was healthy now was a big relief, though, because where Reno was from they were still dealing with something incurable. It definitely let him be more at ease to speak.]
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[ And neither name when mentioned seems to trigger anything in his mind either... Considering all the strange things that started happening to him (especially when the Whispers got involved), that's a bit of a surprise. He hasn't experienced it yet. ...the question was, would he still? ]
I just left Midgar.
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[So much stuff happened. So much. How was he supposed to even try to summarize it all?
The answer was: he wouldn't. Too much effort, and he honestly wasn't sure he could keep everything straight even if he tried.]
Let's say I've got a couple of years on you and things go really, really downhill. ...But we'll survive. At least, some people do.
[He couldn't really brush off how many people had died. A lot. The world was in a disastrous state, and part of the blame was on his shoulders. It was one of the few occasions where he put away the snark.]
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Biggs, Wedge, Jesse...people he couldn't protect from their fates. Then he thinks about everything they went through to obtain "freedom", and the road of uncertainty that lied ahead. And Cloud's answer is a surprisingly resolute one. ]
We'll just hafta try harder along the way.
[ He won't feed Reno some cheesy line about "determining his own destiny" or anything, but. The sentiment is there. ]
To think a couple days ago we were throwing down...
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[Which, they hadn't exactly been on a team, but they had basically the same goal so they'd be sort of helping each other. Rufus and the Turks had known they couldn't do it alone. Not with them being short on manpower and Rufus being sick.]
We haven't fixed stuff up where I'm from yet, but based on what Rufus says, we'll do alright.
[That and the fact that Rufus was healthy.]
You're in for a hell of a ride, though.
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[ Just what exactly happened so far in the future that two years later they were dealing with that alien? But it's when Reno brings up "fixing stuff up" that he can't help but slow his pace, watching the Turk he walks back up the street with from behind. Observing...or rather, taking it all in. Adjustment period didn't even begin to cover what Cloud was feeling right now. What he would be going through in the future. ]
Feels weird...knowing where I'm going but not at the same time.
[ "You're in for a hell of a ride, though." With a huff, his expression doesn't quite soften up, but the smirk that lifts the side of Cloud's mouth? Wasn't out of some sense of goading either. He catches up to Reno again. ]
I'll keep that in mind.
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I don't even know if we're breaking time 'cause I'm telling you stuff.
[Now there was a question. Were they going to somehow fuck up their future even more because they were meeting from different times?
Well. If that was going to happen anyway...]
Fuck that. You wanna secret cheat code to deal with me if you go back? One that past me would understand?
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[ Though his next proposal does strike him...well. Honestly suspicious. But at the same time, damn it why the hell was he even humoring it. While they walk, he fixes Reno with a stare before granting him permission(?) ]
Shoot.
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[At least, he was fairly certain he'd have quite the reaction. He'd probably be amused enough to skip the fighting.]
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...it's gonna sit in his brain if he ever goes back, isn't it. Don't ask where he got the blue napkin from or why he's holding onto it, Barret. Still, that earns a short, amused little snort from the Ex-SOLDIER. ]
That some secret Turk code you're leaking?
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[Although navy blue seemed pretty easy to get. Wasn't that far off from Cloud's outfit.]
We got our own shit to get done anyway, so past me shouldn't have a problem with it.
[And they finally got down the small paths back into the main portion of the city. His feet felt like crap, going barefoot like that. Still better than wet socks - at least they were dry, unlike the rest of him.]
Damnit.
[Forget that. He paused to peel off his jacket and shirt so his torso could dry off, wringing those out before tossing them over his shoulder to carry them back. Not like he was shy about the goods.]
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[ Whether Cloud remembered and used this secret to their advantage if they encounter one another again? Well, that'll depend on if he even makes it back. Sooner or later, he was going to get to the bottom of these time loops... Until then, ]
S'just a little water. [ He says completely soaked and still wetly squishing in his boots like ew. Cloud's not all that surprised by the Turk's physique either. In his profession, you have to keep in shape. Especially if you planned on keeping up with a SOLDIER. ] ... Need a sec?
[ Taunting? Or consideration. ]
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Nah, I need a beer and a bath.
[His poor hair was Christmas colors now.
And they would show back up to the Hanzaki in that pathetic condition. The little place they had set up was clearly just for communicating with people they were working with and not any sort of permanent residence for their clan. It was practically little more than a counter and a receptionist.]
Hey, we dealt with the salamander thing.
[He placed an arm on the counter and leaned over it.]
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[ He wasn't so sure about joining the Turk just yet. In his eyes, things were...strange. And mayhaps too soon to be getting chummy with the enemy. The rest of the trek is uneventful, at least, to Cloud when they were already so close to the Hanzaki clan's office.
Lo and behold, when the two arrive, the receptionist looks up from his paperwork to the front entrance. Two mossy Shinra reps, one former and one current, have arrived to declare their heroics!
...for a price.
Cloud stays back, arms crossed as he prepares to settle into "negotiation mode" as Reno takes charge. And when he declares that they dealt with the salamander? The receptionist lowers their glasses to make sure he wasn't seeing things when the smell of swampy water fills the immediate area. It's not that the two reek, but...it's noticeable.
"Yes, we are aware." And just how were they aware? "We're also aware of the damage that was caused through the streets."
Uh oh. Cloud can see where this is going a mile away. He steps forward, brow furrowed. ]
Collateral. You wanted that thing gone? It's gone.
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[Perhaps less eloquently, Reno argued with the receptionist, bringing up the hard work, preventing collateral damage on a kid, getting it to the water, and he pointed out their sorry condition, particularly his wet hair.
They were there for a bit arguing back and forth, until finally they settled on half the price and Reno stepped away.]
What a rip-off. And I get 60% of that. [He reminded Cloud.]
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Fine.
[ At least the bounty for actually getting the damn thing was still high. So...beer money acquired? Cloud, meanwhile, thinks he'll pocket his just in case. Being new and all. ]
Next time you go head over ass in a swamp though? I'm takin' double.
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