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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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Jeanne the Hellfire Witch | Case Study of Vanitas
[While more than happy to escort out the little, more friendly critters, Jeanne takes it upon herself to start trying to relocate as many as possible. But as she ascends the floors some of them start getting... bigger. More aggressive.
Until finally she's at the top floor, screaming, because she's not sure if this is just an aggressive pet or something she's allowed to vanquish.]
Stop this right now! You will be moved out and back where you belong! Do no make me hurt you!
[As if it can understand what she says as she dodges that mouth of fluff and fang.]
Flower Power
[Jeanne, a very curious creature, will unfortunately find herself kissed by plenty of flowers. And that's not including the free flowing pollen in the general air! Sorry, but you may have a short, stocky (curves and muscle, she's nearly a brickhouse) woman nuzzling against you much like a cat would.]
WILDCARD (Vampirism Included)
[Either tag Jeanne with your own prompt, or feel free to PM me to work something out and I can create a personalized starter for you! As a fun fact, Jeanne is a special type of vampire. And while she doesn't need blood to survive sometimes she does get a debilitating craving for it. Let me know if you'd be interested in this, or would rather avoid it.]
Flower Power <3 (I couldn't resist)
What had mattered was that he was still a bit tired, but at least properly dressed so he had some level of semblance of self back again after everything that had gone down that night. He'd at least taken to wandering around aimlessly, though it was when he found someone nuzzling against him that Vanitas prepared to quip something at them until he realized it was Jeanne.
It took every shred of his will power to manage to throw on that calm, cool facade the best he could, but it didn't diminish the soft pink clear along his cheeks. ]
Ah, my dear Jeanne! Aren't we surprisingly affectionate today?
[ This was fine. He could handle this. ]
RIP JEANNE (haha i'm thrilled)
Though perhaps instinctively she knew? Perhaps she craved something familiar in a strange place. Jeanne's expression twists into a frown, and she nuzzles into him once more, though this time it's more like she's smearing pollen on his top.]
Vanitas, I suggest you closely observe one of those flowers and see how you feel afterward.
[Was that essence of pout in her voice? Surely not.]
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It had been all fun and games until he'd realized he loved her. This was the first time he'd been around her since said realization so that certainly was... a thing he had to deal with. ]
Seeing what it's done to you, are we sure that would be a good idea?
[ Vanitas really didn't at all want to think of what kind of side of him it'd bring out, so he intended to try and avoid them the best he was able to. Unless she somehow dragged him to one, since he didn't have the strength to match hers, naturally. ]
no subject
Perhaps I should go indoors until this wears off.
[And yet... she cannot seem to peel herself away from him.]
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[ Something twisted in his chest and it took every shred of considerable willpower to not have his expression shift to reflect this. He just didn't like the idea of someone else getting to have Jeanne be so cute like this with them. ]
If you would like, we can go to my place and remain there until the effects wear off.
[ Totally not saying that for any selfish reasons. Of course not. ]
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M-m-maybe you could escort me to mind instead?
[That way if she has the strength she can just kick him out! YEAH!
Who is she kidding this is going to backfire hard either way]no subject
[ Sure he might be flashing that usual smile of his but it doesn't at all seem malicious or teasing. If anything, one could argue he actually looks happy. ]
Lead the way and i'll gladly follow, Jeanne~
no subject
So Jeanne presses her lips into a thin line, takes him by the hand, and storms off to her place without another word. She's just going to take this time having a silent, absolute meltdown in her head. He's welcome to interrupt it, though.
A part of her worried that the way back to her place will be riddled with flowers and pollen. After all... it's how she got here in the first place.]
no subject
Okay so maybe his cheeks are still a little pink but he's going to deny it if asked. ]
You know... it really is quite fortunate to run into you here.
[ There's a bit of logic and a little less playfulness to his voice, but not much. ]
If you end up craving any blood, you need not worry about harming any innocent people and can still drink only mine to your heart's content.
no subject
That's right.
[She's curious about his wording. Would he be considered not-innocent, then?]
Have you been here long, Vanitas?
nyanyagumo
That one he learned quickly as he's been sitting here calmly with his arms curled around his legs and his dirty boots on a nice fancy wood engraved table, just out of reach. ]
Oh! I was beginning to wonder when you'd come up here.
[ Now that Jeanne's gotten the attention of the angry nyarachnid, Volo seizes his opportunity to swing his legs over the table and finally stand again. He's misleadingly tall as he rises and there's an unnerving calm if cordial air about him. Wisely, keeps a respectable distance as the feral Nyagumo continues to jump at or threat posture at Jeanne. ]
That thing's quite the nuisance. You're not going to have any trouble taking care of it though, will you?
nyolo
Trouble? Maybe! But you should probably stay back. I've heard the bite is terribly unpleasant!
[When the nyagumo lunges for her again she tries to draw it to a window. If she can't herd it out, maybe she can force it to make a mistake.]
no subject
Despite trying to keep his distance it leaps and hisses at Volo too. Once is too close for comfort enough for him. He supposed he could throw out one of his Pokemon but maybe they could try something else first. ]
This thing really is like trying to herd an eight-legged Purugly. [ He moves back to the wood table and with a quiet strained grunt pushes it over. It lands on the ground with a heavy thud. That was the easy part; using it as a solid barrier to push towards the nyagumo will require another set of hands. ]
Won't you help me with this?
no subject
So Jeanne unbuttons her dress and hurls the fabric over its face to confuse it. She's still wearing a slip underneath, so it's not like she's bare-assing the fight. With reflexes like lightning she's next to Volo, and lifting the heavy wooden table with ease. Most of Volo's responsibility will be to help her steer.]
Ready?
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Clever distraction technique.
[ Peering over the table edge the creature seems so small and helpless now. For all the trouble it caused it'd be incredibly easy to overshoot this table and squish it. Wouldn't that be less cruel? He thinks about it, for a moment. ]
Stop there.
[ They've funneled the nyagumo into a safe space. When it finally flings her dress off it skitters to the corner where the table and the wall now meet and... it... just stays there! The window is right there right above it! ]
no subject
[The nyagumo makes a few noises of complaint as it tries to skitter around in the small space they've barricaded it into, but it doesn't jump out just yet. As if it's too upset to consider its options, it circles a bit.
Meanwhile Jeanne goes to retrieve her dress. It's stained with a bit of venom, and has some web strands attached, but it's fine! That'll all wash out!
Right?]
Thanks for the help.
no subject
Unfortunately Jeanne's dress suddenly whips up into the air behind it, still connected by some sticky silky strands. The nyagumo panics because now the dress is "chasing" it and skitters down the side of the building and out of sight. Volo leans over the table and peers out the window. Jeanne's dress appears to be floating around in the air erratically, like a kite being pulled by a ghost. How many people are going to see this? ]
Ah, that's unfortunate. At least it's out of the building now.
[ Probably it will snag on something, but if she wants her dress she'll have to go down and get it now. In her slip. ]
no subject
I regret everything.
[She's just going to have to stay in this room forever or risk the shame of leaving practically naked!!!!]
no subject
No need to be so dramatic. I'm sure it couldn't have gotten far, especially compared to that speed of yours...
[ He considers for a moment and looks her over, then back out the window again. If she's just going to sulk like this, then... He shrugs and makes a humming sound. ]
Here— [ He unbuttons the merchant style apron at his front and holds it out. ] Consider it thanks for helping me out.
Of course, I expect it back.
no subject
I will ensure it's washed properly before it's returned to you.
no subject
I could tag along again. [ He offers it to her and offers to turn it sideways, loosely hooking his arms around her hips. The height difference is all the more pronounced as his whole body ghosts over her back like a shadowed cloak. His wrists bounce playfully with the apron in this position around her hip, silently suggesting she use it like a sash before letting it go in her hands. He'll let her decide what she wants to do with it but perhaps that's the best consolation for modesty reprieve. ]
Any good merchant knows two pairs of hands are better than one, and it'd do me no good to lose a potential customer. [ He figures this might be the best time to introduce himself. ] I'm Volo of the Ginkgo Guild. [ He points to the yellow crossed ginkgo leaf emblem on that apron. ]
Those are some curious abilities of yours, by the way. I was watching you take care of those other Nyagumo. I didn't think you'd have any trouble with that one, but... I suppose even the smallest beast shouldn't be underestimated. [ There's something cloyingly sweet in his smile and tone, but the way his eye narrows into a cat-like slit looks far more appraising, even scrutinizing, as if he could just as easily be referring to her instead. ]
1/2
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flower power
[She was walking without purpose, lost in thought, until someone suddenly nuzzles against her. Her surprise is short lived before she's looking at her new companion with wide and earnest eyes, wrapping her arms around the other woman loosely.
Even if she hadn't been leaning to get a sniff of the flowers, the pollen has gotten to her regardless. Even without any of that, she's someone who's done bold physical contact before with people she barely know.]
Hehe, cute. You're like a cat~
no subject
S-sorry.