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Entry tags:
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
[ as they approach, and the stalls come into sight, thoma can see some of the people dressed up. there's the raiden shogun and a too-tall version of aether and even a kazuha with hair that isn't quite the right color to actually be him. he wonders if all of them have seen these counterparts as he leads ayaka closer and starts to eye the stands. ]
We did. It was worth it. I'm looking forward to eventually getting home and seeing more people come to visit Inazuma now that they're open to.
[ it's a big change and one thoma's looking forward to, both because it means people can visit and that he can perhaps take ayaka, and maybe even ayato, to visit mondstadt some time.
thoma decides on a stand and approaches it, flipping through some of the books at it and smiling over at ayaka, offering her a couple that seem like fantasy and romance without any signs of things beyond kisses. ]
How many do you think you'd like today?
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It should be shorter than a novel, yes? So maybe 3 should entertain me throughout this week and the next.
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his focus returns to ayaka and he nods, collecting the couple of books in his arms and then skimming more, putting three in a row down and glancing at ayaka as he does. each time, he recites 'spicy' as he notes the book, just in case she returns on her own and wants to know which to avoid.
after a few more books, he finds another one that seems interesting and adds it to the set, smiling. ] Okay, these three seem good to start with. Would you like me to pay for them and we can keep looking around?
no subject
[ He says he'll pay for the books, but she hopes it's to do the act of paying, not necessarily using his own money for it. Ayaka pulls out the small purse she's placed the money she's received upon arriving and hands him a couple of bills. ]
This should be enough.
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I wonder if they have a place to get a snack. [ with some distance from the flowers, and some time after smelling one, there's less urge to take ayaka's hand, feeling a little more like he might when they're out and about together at home. ] Ah, have either of you been cooking for yourselves? Or have you been buying your meals?
[ whether they're living together or not, thoma's already considering how he'll cook for them and likely show up to help tidy things up, knowing it'll help with a sense of normalcy for all of them. ]
no subject
[ She has been cooking for the two of them, Thoma. That's the answer.
Books in hand, she nods in agreement. A savoury snack, perhaps? Ayaka would prefer that right now over something sweet. Of course, she'll follow Thoma's lead, prioritising his own needs and wants over hers at this time. It's just food! ]
Ayato hasn't tried to cook anything yet, though. But we do buy meals sometimes, too. It's much more frugal to cook at home, though.
no subject
[ it's a relief, if he's honest, to know that ayaka has been cooking and not ayato. he vastly prefers the thought of the two of them being well fed than the two of them likely being sick.
which is perhaps a rude thing to think, but he knows ayato's skills lie in many other things and cooking just... isn't one of them.
he begins to lead the way in looking for any stands selling food, spotting a couple near each other and starting toward them, grinning over at ayaka as he does. ]
It might be best that he's not allowed to try to cook for you, my Lady. And it's good to think of it that way! It's a step toward saving money.
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I'm going to tell my brother you said that.
[ What? She can have her own brand of fun, too! This, first. Food right after. ]
no subject
and he can already see the bowl of food that will be placed in front of him as a result. ]
It might be best if that's kept between us, right? [ please, ayaka, for his sake... ]
I'll cook dinner for the next month.
[ as if he wasn't intending to do that anyway. ]
no subject
I was just joking. Of course I'll keep it between us.
[ But she's still expecting dinner every day of the month, Thoma. Thank you! ]
no subject
Thank you, my Lady.
[ it's said with a gentle, playful sort of bow and a soft exhale of relief before he turns to look at the stands, both offering a variety of options, mainly savory. ] Would you like anything to eat?
no subject
What about okonomiyaki?
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Would you like to share or to have your own? [ the size seems rather large, but if ayaka is feeling more hungry, he knows it might be best if they each have one. ]
no subject
[ So she would prefer to share! Ah, but that means— ]
Or would you like your own? I can just take what's left of mine home, then.
[ Street food is easy to carry, anyway! It's all good. ]
no subject
We can share one. I'm not that hungry right now, so it's really just a snack.
[ he orders and then waits with ayaka, realizing something as he does. ]
Ah, if it's close, you should show me where you two are living. If it's a longer trip, maybe you can send me the address?
no subject
[ She sounds rather excited just thinking about it. Now, she's going to share it! ]
Why don't we plan that you visit and we'll have hotpot instead? I don't know if Ayato is there right now, so it's likely you wouldn't be able to meet him today.
no subject
Ah, I think that's a much better idea! [ normal hotpot to start. as much as he enjoys the hot pot game, he realizes he probably needs to screen ingredients so there are no awkward side effects involved, depending on who ends up playing. a list of off-limit ingredients definitely needs to be made.
but he's still excited about the visit. ] If we plan it now, I should have an easy time preparing for it. I'm really looking forward to being able to have dinner with both of you, it'll make things feel much more normal.
no subject
[ Ah, she's excited! It only doesn't show because she's usually so contained, but it'll be a blast when it finally happens. ]
Thank you for agreeing to my request.
no subject
[ thoma's own excitement shows easily, as does his amusement over the thought of ayaka finding something to ask that he might consider refusing.
with the okonomiyaki finished and offered to them, he moves to pay and then smiles at ayaka. ]
Why don't we find a spot to sit and share this?
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[ ... not that she would ever do that, but Thoma!! You also get a say in things.
She looks around for a nice spot. There are so many stalls, and to the back are various tables and chairs for festival goers. ]
It looks like there are some empty tables there. Hopefully it will be quiet.
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How about this? I won't fulfill any requests that bother me, should you ever make any like that.
[ it's essentially the same as saying he won't turn down any of her requests because, as far as he can remember, ayaka has never been the type to make requests that thoma would even consider turning down.
taking a seat across from her, he offers a set of chopsticks. ] Are you planning to start on your light novels after this?
no subject
[ Someplace quiet, but still within the confines of nature, where she doesn't truly feel alone.
For now, though, that's not her priority. She takes a seat, ironing out her skirt with her hands before truly letting herself be comfortable. ]
Let's wait a little bit, else it might be too hot.
no subject
[ while things are generally pretty busy where they are, he's sure they'll be able to find a quiet spot near enough.
a thought crosses his mind as he nods at the suggestion. ]
I don't know if anyone's told you, but I've heard you shouldn't go too far out into the wilderness without letting people know where you'll be. The communication device doesn't work as well out there.
no subject
[ So she'll do that by herself! And show Thoma her reading spot once she finds one. It'd be important for her friends to find her if and when she's needed, after all. ]
Ah, I hadn't heard of that. Are there creatures more dangerous than the Salamander out there?
no subject
[ thoma is well aware that ayaka can take care of herself, so he feels no qualms in knowing she'll be exploring on her own. but the door is always open for the two of them to do so together, too. he enjoys his time at her side. ]
The... Salamander? [ he's almost cautiously curious, wondering what kind of things she's already run into in nippon. ] Did you have to fight a salamander before I got here?
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