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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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[ Truly sad! But it can't be helped. Ayaka won't dictate what these shrine maidens and other people should do. Though she's even more determined to have her own garden here, though. She'll start off small and get some small plants to take care of in her shared apartment with Ayato. When things take off and she has more funding? She'll explore other options.
Ayaka pauses when she hears something unusual. The more jovial mood disappears instantly, concerned that a threat may be nearby. Is she paranoid? Not really, but she's expecting the worst when in a foreign place. ]
Do you hear that?
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[He asks a bit louder, waiting to see if someone reveals themselves. They're still in the city, so while an ayakashi is possible, it shouldn't be a dangerous one... right?]
[In any case, when no reply comes, he slowly approaches the source of the sound and pushes away the foliage to see--]
[...]
It's... a flower.
[There is indeed a very weird flower, its "lips" pursed as it audibly grumbles at them. Why does this feel so on-brand for Nippon?]
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[ It sounded more like a bigger... threat. Ayaka peers over Aether's shoulder to properly see. ]
I'm not sure I get it.
[ And why does it look like that? ]
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["Be careful" he means to say, but alas, he is cut off when the flower abruptly begins to make very strange noises.]
[Which is quickly followed by at least a dozen more throughout the hill screaming... i-in harmony. Is it beautiful or is it terrifying? Hard to say.]
[Aether, for his part, is trying not to bust up laughing.]
....I can see why they don't use this path anymore.
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Or try to, anyway. ]
Oh— they're— [ She's doing her best not to laugh, but she's giggling behind her hand. She tugs on Aether's arm gently. ] They're adorable, but it seems we've angered them.
[ Maybe they should go, she figures! ]
1/2
Hmm, they do seem to be a little mad... so maybe we should sing back? Who knows, they might appreciate it?
[...]
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[ She doesn't want to assume that Aether is bad at singing!!! ]
Or maybe they didn't like the song.
A magical typo
[Whopperflowers have bad taste, clearly!!]
But what about you? Can you sing?
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Me? I sing along to the music of the dances I practice, but that's about it.
[ She doesn't dance for a living, so she can't say she's good or bad at it! But if she had to judge herself? Maaaaybe... she'd be okay at singing overall. ]
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I remember hearing you sing that night you danced for me, but to be honest, I was more focused on your dancing at the time. So maybe this time, you could just sing something? I'd love to hear it!
[As if Aether egging her on wasn't bad enough, the flowers actually seem to stop yelling, their strange "faces" pointed towards Ayaka in anticipation.]
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[ Dammit, Aether. What a dirty enabler. The more he talks, the more Ayaka wants to take a leap and do it. A part of her is feeling shy, though, but... ]
Alright. Please watch me and listen, then.
[ No dancing this time! Her eyes close and she begins to hum a tune at first, a few bars of an introduction before she begins to sing an Inazuman lullaby. It's something her mother used to sing to her as a child, something to soothe and make an angry child calm. Ayaka wasn't as reserved as she is now compared to when she was a child, after all. She had spirit and spunk, but now, she's grown more contained. ]
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[He's immediately pleased when she agrees, nodding and watching as she starts to sing. It's a different tune than last time, but no less pretty -- she really does have a nice voice.]
[But once she's sung the main melody, she'll find her song quickly becoming a duet, as the first flower they saw begins to hum along with a harmony to match alongside her. And as the song goes on, the other flowers join in, seemingly crafting unique measures to create a full a cappella. Though they can't replicate lyrics, they don't really need to.]
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The lullaby isn't a very long one, and when she's done singing? She's laughing, finding the situation she found herself in a little too weird, but fun all the same. ]
Oh, if only you'd sung along too, Aether.
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Maybe I'll try and practice a little, first... but it sounds like they really liked you!
[He leans down to give the flowers a closer look. While the singing flowers appear to be bigger, smaller ordinary flowers that look similar can be found growing around them. But even among the singing flowers, some look entirely different -- mimicking a different species.]
But these really must be ayakashi. I've only heard of a few types that are harmless, so these are probably... sakebana?
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[ Ayaka bows to the flowers, too! It's only fair she shows them some gratitude for not attacking them, right? ]
Ayakashi, hm? You seem to know so much about this place. What other ayakashi are present in Nippon?
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Well, ayakashi are pretty important, especially if you like traveling through the countryside like me. They're something between a plant and an animal, and they can use magic like Yokai. But since they're not as intelligent, it can make them dangerous.
There's one that just looks like a blue flower, but if you pluck it, it'll steal your memories. Another that looks like a rock with a face, that can petrify you if you accidentally kick or step on one. And another-- it just looks like fire, but if you try to get warm around it, it'll slowly steal the warmth from your body until you freeze to death.
[There's a reason he was worried this flower might have been something more dangerous! You can't really fight against a curse with physical strength.]
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[ Those are all rather scary! Ayaka can't even imagine being cursed that way, and she would much rather keep it that way. No thanks! ]
Let's say goodbye to them for now. I prefer to err on the safe side of things.
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[But more importantly, without even thinking about it, Aether reaches out to take Ayaka's hand as they walk down -- the effects of the flowers from before still going strong. He's even sparkling a little!]
I guess this explains why they don't maintain the greenery up here. Unless someone's been coming up here to teach them how to harmonize.
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Now, though, she can't help but point out— ]
Oh, you're sparkling. Are you alright?
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Kizuna can appear in strange ways sometimes, so... sometimes it makes people sparkle when they're happy! I've had my hair and eyes change color, and-- I spent a few months with cat ears, too. But usually they only last for a little while.
[For now, and only because the one who caused them left Nippon.
But seeing as they came back recently, the cat ears will likely return eventually.]no subject
Cat ears? [ oh... her eyes grow wide as she stares at him, then looks up at the top of his head. Nodding, she says: ] That sounds cute.
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...wanna see a picture?
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If you don't mind sharing, I would be happy to see it!
[ ... she sounds way more excited than she should be. ]
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I did look like this for a few months, so I don't mind.
[But the photo is just a selfie of himself and Paimon, in typical sepia tones allowed by the phone's tech, standing in front of an absurdly large tree with crystal-like leaves. But the real focal point here is the cat ears -- the same color as his hair, with an especially fluffy tail juuust visible to the side.]
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wraps this thread up with a bow