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May | 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 front of a mysterious stone shrine in the middle of a forest, surrounded by the unfamiliar yet worried faces of fox-like humans in red and white robes, speaking in a foreign language that doesn't sound so foreign to you anymore.
Maryouku University
There isn't much time to process what's happening before characters are transported to the nearby Maryouku University. All injuries are completely healed, and those under mental duress will have a powerful soothing spell cast on them to calm them down. Their every need is met: food is offered, and questions are answered. "You've arrived in the Western Kingdom of Nippon, on a planet called Gaia," they explain. "When you became aware of the timeloop, we... well, let us explain."
Orientation Maryouku University, Kyoto
Everyone is brought to a large auditorium, where dozens of other people looking similarly out of place are seated around them. The Kitsune Yokai from before filter on stage, as well as a number of humans and other Yokai in labcoats. And after a brief introduction, they begin to explain. 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, 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 a means of resuming the flow of time back in their home world is found, they'll just have to make due with this one. But not to worry, because Nippon is fully committed to taking care of the refugees!
A Brand New Home Kyoto, Kansai
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 cities 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! As of the beginning of May, 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.
Over in Higashiyama, the Love Festival is in full swing at Jishu Shrine. In addition to typical festival foods and fare, visitors may be inclined to try the koiuranai-no-nishi, a pair of stones ten meters apart bearing a legend that says anyone who can cross from one stone to the next with their eyes closed will have all their relationship dreams come true. Unfortunately, some troublemaker has decided to curse one of the stones, causing anyone who attempts the challenge to temporarily fall madly in love with the first person they see when they open their eyes, whether they know them or not!
Over in Gion, a certain movie producer is seeking refugees for minor roles in a dramatic retelling of the mass-kidnapping that took place last year in June. Probably not the nicest way for new refugees to learn about such a traumatic event, but hey-- this guy pays well! Those auditioning will be placed in pairs where they'll need to recite a love confession between two refugees, as one lay dying in the other's arms... which never actually happened. For all the injuries, no refugees actually died back then. But those who can prove themselves with their acting skills might just find themselves invited to be part of the main cast, or even land future roles and enter the realm of showbusiness!
In Uji, preparations are underway for a special ceremony to be conducted later this month, put on by the Emperor himself! Of course, typically "ceremony" is just another way of saying "lavish party" where the Western Emperor is concerned. Regardless, volunteers are needed to help spruce up an old villa for the party itself, where it seems a colony of nyagumo have taken up residence. Thankfully, most appear to be the domesticated variety and can simply be carried outside, but those in charge of the top floor better look out for the wild one, since it's nearly five times the size and venomous.
NRL Time Refugee Support Network
Once they've received their housing assignment, all refugees will be given small handheld devices called magi-tech comms, 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. 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 Lovers
As flowers bloom in the countryside, over in the Western Kingdom, it's time once again for the month of love. Traditionally, it's the month where marriage proposals are made, weddings take place, and couples decide to settle down and start a family.
And in celebration of this beautiful season, numerous festivals and events can be found taking place all over Kyoto. In particular, the Ukiyo district, known for it's patronage to the arts, seems to be intent on drawing in refugees this month.
Archive of our Own Ukiyo, Kyoto
Art has always been known to flourish when times are peaceful, and Nippon is no exception. But one such art is finally gaining a foothold in the west: doujinshi, fanworks based on existing properties and media. And to that end, a special doujinshi festival is taking place at the beginning of the month.
But this is no ordinary doujinshi. This is refugee doujin, which stars well-known refugees and their friends. With thousands of refugees scattered across Nippon, telling tales of worlds far beyond anything the people of Nippon have ever heard of, it's no wonder they've become an object of interest in the eyes of the native people. And while most of the doujin changes names and places around, some are a bit more blatant, borrowing names and appearances wholesale.
But what kind of stories will they find? Perhaps the dramatic exploits of the refugees who were swept away to the land of Bakeneko this past March? Or maybe a steamy romance between a wandering samurai and the son of a powerful shogun? Or maybe the ever present tragedy of being forever separated when one side is forced to leave Nippon? Or, for true connoisseurs, they may even find the booth selling a magical book that automatically illustrates the reader in a random genre of manga, be it romance, fantasy, or pornography.
Honestly a good case could be made that all of this is more than a little invasive and could pass as sexual harassment. There's even some cosplayers! But it's all in good fun, and also thoroughly protected by Nippon's freedom of artistic expression laws. And for those who have just arrived, they'll be able to learn the "true" history of the refugees lives in Nippon so far!
Just be sure to keep an open mind when wandering through the 18+ section.
Fortunate Feelings Ukiyo, Kyoto
Although typically not the most popular tourist destination, as the oldest temple in Kyoto, Koryuu-ji is holding a special exhibition of rare ancient artifacts said to posses fortune telling abilities. Perhaps in a world of magic, this may not seem like a big deal. But this one is rather special -- because in nearly a thousand years, it's never been wrong.
The artifact is actually comprised of a set of small statues: two bodhisattva posed in deep thought, their faces expressionless. But upon being asked a question, a positive answer will cause one statue to smile, and a negative answer will cause the other to cry.
Naturally, there's a limit to what people are allowed to ask, as a power like that could potentially be used to sow chaos. But given the season, most people visiting are doing so for matchmaking purposes: should a pair approach the statues, the response they give will reveal whether or not the pair is compatible. Of course, whether or not this is romantic, familial, or platonic compatibility is rather open to interpretation.
And as a special deal for refugees, they'll each be allowed to ask one question, in addition to having their compatibility with whoever they came with assessed. This could be a friend they've brought along, or a fellow stranger waiting in line who may just be a fated to be with them someday!
But please don't blame the statue for the inevitable messy breakup that it predicts.
Flower Power Ukiyo, Kyoto
With spring in full swing, flowers are blooming all across Nippon. But for those who were present last year, they may see a rather distinct flower they don't recognize. It can be found blooming just about everywhere in Kyoto, with natives occasionally commenting that they've never seen anything like it. And perhaps the most curious thing about them is they only seem to bloom when someone is nearby, the bulbs otherwise snapping shut when they step away.
But for the refugees, they'll notice an additional effect: when giving the flowers a sniff, the petals will gently close over their nose as if giving them a soft kiss. And they smell delightful -- how charming! Surely there's nothing suspicious or dangerous about such cute little flowers, right?
Of course there is, you know where you are.
Upon inhaling the pollen of these pretty little flowers, the Refugees will feel a little light-headed -- but also warm and happy. It creates within them a desire to share that warmth and happiness with others through physical affection. They may find themselves leaning on a stranger's shoulders, gently holding the hand of an acquaintance, or peppering the cheeks of a dear friend with soft kisses. This effect grows stronger the more pollen one inhales, and with just how windy it can get in the city, there's no need to get quite so close to inhale the pollen.
But what it is? Plant, ayakashi, some strange mutation of both? The locals genuinely don't seem to know, and soon, Exorcist clans from across the West begin pouring into the city to better study these strange new flowers. But overall, the general consensus appears to be that they're rather harmless.
Still, just make sure the flower that you sniff isn't actually a Sakebana in disguise. They're known for being a little on the loud side.
OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's May 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, in both Kyoto and Tokyo. 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.
• Incoming characters are welcome to find doujinshi about castmates not currently in the setting, with the implication that they may have been in the setting before. Make sure you have permission before finding doujinshi of characters currently in the game.
• The statue's predictions are 100% accurate, but open to interpretation because of how limited the answers are. For instance, the statues are capable of both crying and smiling at the same time for complex situations. That said, please do not intentionally write the statues being wrong.
• The severity of the flower's effects is entirely up to you!
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
Strange, with all things considered.]
Mm. That's been a matter of personal debate. [But no need to get into that now. He's more concerned with her quite apparent fondness of him and how it goes against what he knew of her so far. She was with the Abyss Order, wasn't she..? So how does she know him? Is she from a point in time further ahead still?]
How... is it that we've met before?
no subject
...Kaeya told me what's probably the case...so I know this will likely sound hard to believe, but we met back when Dvalin was still corrupted by the Abyss Order. [Her smile was a bit less bright than it had been, but she would persist.] Where Kaeya said that Aether was Mondstadt's Honorary Knight...that's what I was, before coming here.
[She sighs a bit, fingers curling against her palms.] Where Kaeya comes from, I'm the one Aether is trying to find...but where I'm from, I'm still trying to find Aether and get him away from the Abyss Order.
no subject
So you've seen Kaeya already. [And, just as when Lumine had come across Kaeya, there is a certain bitter edge missing from Diluc's voice when he says the other man's name.
Diluc sighs softly and nods, leaving his hand on her shoulder while the other lifts up to pinch briefly at the bridge of his nose.]
I see. [Nippon just gets more ridiculous by the moment.] I'm sure you won't mind, though... if I ask you to tell me something that you know about me that only Aether would know.
[He can think of a couple of things...]
no subject
Oh... something she knows about him that only Aether would know, back in their Teyvat. Well, there was one thing in particular that came to mind immediately, and Lumine can't quite help but look around to make sure nobody else is within earshot.]
...something like your certain activities as the Darknight Hero? [She had even lowered her voice a little speaking of it, the action of trying to keep it secret practically a reflex considering it was a secret back in Mondstadt.]
no subject
As soon as Lumine looks around herself like that he knows what's coming. He raises his hand as if to stop her but not quickly enough, and as she says that ridiculous name he presses that same hand to his lips for a moment and closes his eyes, letting out a soft grunt.]
All right. [Consider him a believer.] If you know about that, then you don't need to convince me further.
[A sigh. He drops his hand.]
Why don't I... Let me buy you a drink. I know a few places here where all the drinks are clean of the ridiculous drugs they use in the West.
no subject
She felt a little bad that her mood boost had come at the cost of Diluc having to hear that name...hopefully he wouldn't mind all that much that she seemed a bit happier for it.]
Sorry, it was the first thing that came to mind. [Her arms, previously folded and a bit stiff at the base of her ribs, finally relax a bit, lowering to her sides.]
I'll take you up on that offer, I think. I can imagine you know somewhere here with decent tea or coffee? [Diluc didn't drink and she knew that, and while drinking was something she was relatively indifferent toward she thought that a coffee shop of some kind matched Diluc a little better.
The mention of drugs isn't one she really expected...it was something to keep in mind if she got food in the West, so she could avoid that.] ...and maybe I'll ask you for a list of those places.
no subject
Maybe it isn't so difficult to see after all.
He doesn't miss that she knows he doesn't drink, and nor does he miss that she doesn't try to pretend she isn't aware of it. No joke about him changing habits, or something ridiculous like that. His expression softens, losing some of the stern edge that she would no doubt be so used to, and he gestures off down the path towards a busier area where they might find somewhere to sit down.]
I'd be happy to provide it. [Another person who prefers to keep a clear head? How can he not be pleased with that?
As they walk he keeps his hands clasped behind his back, but he doesn't seem to make a point of putting too much distance between the two of them.]
You, ah... how much did Kaeya tell you?
[How much does she know..?]
no subject
While she doesn't do much to keep too much distance between them as they walk, she does clasp her hands in front of her, keeping at least some space between them physically so she doesn't brush against him on accident.]
Kaeya told me... mostly he told me that everything I experienced with you all back in Teyvat, and the memories I have...they were all things the people here experienced with Aether instead. [She laughs softly, and it's an honestly helpless sound.] It didn't seem like he'd thought there was even a possibility a timeline like mine could exist, so I'm trying to expect that people don't really know me.
[There hadn't been anything direct about interpersonal relationships, but she'd noticed the softening of mannerisms at least.]
no subject
And he would have to tell her, because while he did keep his relationships private as a general rule he could not keep everything from everyone. At least this gave him some time to work out the best way to explain...]
I don't think it's a timeline any of us would have considered. [Diluc murmurs thoughtfully.]
And I have to wonder just how closely it mirrors the one I know. [Clearly some things had been the same. Both she and her brother had apparently assisted him in keeping his night-time activities a secret from the Knights of Favonius, so he can only assume that he trusts her in her timeline as much as he had trusted Aether then.]
But we will find out. It's just up here... are you hungry?