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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
Diluc is indeed on his own here. Good luck!!!
Luckily though, he won't actually need that broom. Chuuya's gone quiet for a moment, staring at the swaying light in a daze, eyes unfocused and face a little too flushed.
And then his eyes roll back and he drops like a dead weight, his hold on his ability flickering out with his consciousness.]
no subject
The patrons more interested than others in what is going on near the bar let out a collective gasp as Chuuya drops, then another when Diluc handily catches him. It's a good thing the man is only small even if he does have a startlingly solid weight to him when he falls into Diluc's arms.
But now... what to do with him?]
Tch...
[At least he got his name, but Diluc has no idea if Chuuya knows anybody here yet, if anyone from his own world is here, and... he has no idea where the man lives.
He sets Chuuya carefully on a booth seat, holding him upright with a hand on his shoulder and lightly patting his cheek with the other.]
Chuuya... [Is he out cold? Diluc frowns.] What the hell am I supposed to do with you now?
[What he ends up doing, against all of his better judgement, is quickly handing over to the next shift and leaving with the unconscious Chuuya draped against his back. He can't very well leave the man in the street, and with the absence of anyone to come and fetch him and a place to take him...
There's a spot on Diluc's couch for him for the night.]
no subject
At some point along the way, he tucks his head into the crook of Diluc's neck, muttering a few unintelligible grumbles, but ultimately he'll be peaceful the whole way to his apartment. Just don't lose his hat, or he'll be quite cross later.]
no subject
It isn't too much of a walk from the bar to where Diluc lives. Convenience in commuting had been high on his priority list when he had chosen where to live, though it is still a mile or so of carrying the unconscious man and his hat and making sure he doesn't lose either of them.
The next morning, when Chuuya finally claws his way back to wakefulness, he will find himself in a strange living room with a blanket draped over him and a cat staring accusingly at him from a chair on the other side of the room. His jacket and shoes have been taken off, his collar loosened, and his hat set on the top of the couch cushions.
There is a glass of water and a couple of painkillers on the coffee table and a bucket by the couch, and beside the water... a familiar-looking knife.
The curtains are still shut, pale sunlight filtering in around the fabric, and from the other side of of the barely-cracked screen door there floats the sound of someone humming idly, and the sound of a spatula moving over a pan.]
no subject
So he can probably afford a few moments to collect himself.
When he finally opens his eyes, it's to the bizarre sight of a cat staring him down like his very existence offends it. He quirks a brow, voice coming out a rasp.]
What a warm welcome. You got a problem, take it up with your keeper.
[He takes in the room around him carefully before sitting up, rubbing at his face with a groan. Not the first time he's passed the hell out after going out drinking and far from the last-- usually his subordinates would handle it, but this isn't Yokohama.
Well, whoever had taken him home was considerate at least. He reaches for the glass of water, skips the painkillers... and chuckles at the knife just being left out in the open. It hurts to do so, but the amusement is plentiful.]
Heh, frisked me huh? At least they're smart.
[He takes his time pulling himself together. He's in no real rush to leave and his head is throbbing like his brain is trying to escape his skull, so he's perfectly content to take it easy. By the time he follows the sound of humming, he's fully dressed again.]
... so it was you, Mr. Bartender. I had a feeling.
no subject
Diluc tips his head towards the door, though doesn't turn around immediately. He chuckles softly, his bright hair swaying a little in its high ponytail as he shakes his head.]
You remain a very interesting man, Chuuya.
[Then he looks over at him with a reserved but not unfriendly expression, quickly appraising him with an up-down glance.]
Glad to see you awake. I hope you'll excuse my boldness in bringing you back here, but it didn't feel right to leave you on the street after you passed out. [After he... had to catch him when he fell down from the ceiling. He does need to keep reminding himself that he didn't imagine that part.]
And we were never formally introduced. You can call me Diluc.
no subject
Is that so?
[Most people would have tossed him out on his ass or at least hidden the knife when they found it, but not this guy. He was confident, and Chuuya liked that.]
Nothing to excuse, I appreciate it. Though I gotta say... not many people would take a complete stranger into their home like this. [He sets the empty glass down on the table, taking a seat. Diluc can probably tell he's still feeling last night: Face a bit too pale, eyes bloodshot, hair unkempt beneath his hat. His head is pounding, though the water helped. Pain is an old friend though, so he can deal... especially with something to occupy his attention.]
You disarmed me, but you didn't bother to hide my knife. I'd say you're a pretty interesting guy yourself Diluc.
no subject
Would there have been any point in hiding the knife?
[As he asks this he moves away from the pan to pull down two plates and to slide a few slices of bread under the grill. Given that he had seen Chuuya display some impressive ability even while entirely pasted off his ass, Diluc reasoned that when he was sober he could be fairly formidable if he had a mind to fight.
But that was only half of it.]
I didn't imagine it would make you feel at ease to wake up without it, and besides. [Diluc shoots the man a quick smile.] I didn't consider you to be an active threat. Was I wrong?
no subject
[It's just a fact. He doesn't remember many details after he was halfway through that glass back at the bar, but he does seem to recall being a little fast and loose with his ability. Not normally a problem, back in Yokohama.
But did Diluc have any idea of what he could really do? That is a question, ain't it. He rests his chin in the palm of one hand, watching Diluc work. Two plates...?
Ohho. Chuuya grins, in good humor now.]
You'd be right: I'm not an active threat. Don't have any reason to be. Still, not many people would be that considerate. Or is it confident?
no subject
The question makes him hum softly as he finishes making the food and plates up two portions, coming to the table with them and setting one down in front of the hungover mafioso. He refills the empty glass of water before he sits down himself, and he glances up as he replies mildly.]
A fair question.
[On the one hand, Diluc had already been open about the reason why he had brought Chuuya back here - rooted in concern for his wellbeing, and the way he had ensured the other man's comfort and privacy and offered breakfast without being asked surely said that much. On the other... Diluc's broad shoulders, calloused fingers, and the defined muscles of his scarred forearms speak of someone not unused to battle despite their apparent youth.]
Which do you think it is?
no subject
So that meant playing nice and not causing problems.
As he thought, Diluc carries one of those plates over to him, and Chuuya perks up a little at the gesture, reaching for some chopsticks. He doesn't take his gloves off to eat, interestingly enough.]
Considering you're feeding me too, I'd say it's a bit of both on your part. If it was just consideration, it would see me out the door soon as I woke.... and you look like you can handle yourself in trouble, for that matter. Not that I plan on starting any.
[There's amusement and intrigue both in his tone. A healthy dose of confidence was something he appreciated in people... and Diluc, while hard to read, seemed to have a decent amount of it.]
no subject
Diluc has a tendency to mirror, perhaps a subconscious way of seeking to make business partners and the like more comfortable with him during negotiations, so when Chuuya reaches for chopsticks he does the same. Time spent with Kazuha has at least made him quite adept at using them.]
If that's what you'd say, then you'd be right. [About it being both, and that Diluc can handle himself in trouble.] But you have me wondering, just what was that power of yours?
no subject
[He sounds pleased. Chuuya’s method of doing business also required a decent ability to read people during negotiations, though for somewhat different reasons than Diluc. And the man in front of him seems comfortable: a refreshing change of pace, from a stranger.] And thank you for the food, by the way.
[With that, Chuuya takes a bite of the food, humming in appreciation of flavor and intent both: a hot meal after a night drinking was more than welcome. His head was still pounding, but it offered a bit more clarity to the lingering fuzziness.] Ah… as for my ‘power’… it’s what we call an Ability, in my world. Mine allows me to control gravity.
[it’s said conversationally: usually you didn’t reveal such things to strangers in his world, but since Diluc had seen his anyway…]
no subject
It helps that he's a more than passable cook, too, and the portions he gives are plentiful.]
Interesting. I've never seen anything quite like it. [And gods know he's seen a lot of things... and even more since he came here.] Does it, uh...
[Diluc waves his chopsticks vaguely in Chuuya's direction.]
Does it often get a little out of your control when you've had a drink?
no subject
But Chuuya appreciates it. The food is good, and Diluc will find Chuuya has a healthy appetite for a man so small. By the time they're finished here, he'll probably have cleaned his plate.
At the admission that Diluc's never seen anything like it, Chuuya grins, a bit smug.] Not a lot of people have abilities in my world, and almost no one has one like mine.
[Only one other person, which was weird enough admittedly.
His grin drops a little at the question, however. He takes another bite of food to cover it up, shaking his head. Once he's swallowed--]
Not often no. I usually drink with colleagues who know what I'm capable of, though.
[It's an avoidant answer. He had excellent control of his ability...! But it was less so when he got emotional, admittedly.]
no subject
Hmm.
[He smiles a little, mostly to himself, and it seems like he's going to simply let the subject drop at that... but then he clears his throat and adds with a soft chuckle--]
So your colleagues are usually the ones peeling you off the ceiling? I suppose I ought to feel lucky that you didn't do any damage. [Since Diluc has been saving up for his own reasons for a while now, he really wouldn't have wanted to have to pay for that because he got a patron too drunk to control his own powers.] I'll have to remember to not give you a Death After Noon next time... your tolerance for alcohol is worse than mine.