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November | 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 a laboratory, surrounded by the unfamiliar yet worried faces of people in lab coats, speaking in a foreign language that doesn't sound so foreign to you anymore.
Nanjikan Research Laboratory
There isn't much time to process what's happening before characters are ushered out of the arrival room. They're passed between a medical and a psychiatric team, checking them for injuries and psychological trauma. Their every need is met: food is offered, injuries are tended to, and questions are answered. "You're in the Eastern Kingdom of Nippon on a planet called Gaia," they explain. "You were brought here because you became aware of the timeloop... we'll explain everything."
Orientation Nanjikan Research Lab, Tokyo
Everyone is brought to a large auditorium, where dozens of other people looking similarly out of place are seated around them. The scientists and doctors from before file on stage, thoroughly explaining the situation. 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 in collaboration with the neighboring Western Kingdom, 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 they find the means of resuming the flow of time back in your home world, the refugees will just have to make due with this one. But not to worry, because Nippon is fully committed to taking care of everyone!
A Place to Call Home Tokyo, Kanto
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 Kingdoms 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, with express routes connecting the two kingdoms. Additionally, teleportation terminals exclusively for Refugees can be found at the NRL and MRU, allowing instant travel between Tokyo and Kyoto. While this TDM and its prompts are focused on the Eastern Kingdom, you are welcome to have your character arrive in the Western Kingdom instead.
For those traveling through Nihonbashi, be careful not to board the train too late at night. Because on Friday nights, the Loop Line's final train of the night is a party train! Every train car is set up with its own theme and decor, with this week featuring a sexy maid cafe in the rear of the car! Dress up in a surprisingly demure maid outfit (this is 1922) and take customer orders, or have a seat and peruse the menu. There's no actual exchange of currency going on here, so it's all in good fun! The train will loop endlessly past the same station until sunrise, so hopefully they weren't planning on an early night's sleep.
In Little Edo, a certain park is experiencing a strange phenomenon. The trees here are already red year round, after being contaminated by the pollen of an ayakashi called a Jubokko tree, which can induce madness. As a result, these trees seem to be manifesting a similar affect. Upon walking under the falling leaves, Refugees may experience hallucinations, seeing things and people who aren't really there. And those with a weak constitution may even find themselves growing anxious and impulsive, acting on certain urges without thinking. Thankfully, the effects will disappear upon leaving the area.
At the Refugee dorms in Yoshiwara, a kagebi has been reported to be living in the stove for the past few days. Known as the false-fire Ayakashi, it's believed that many refugees may have been cursed unwittingly. As such, residents are asked to be alert for strange symptoms involving an inability to become warm. Those affected will be offered a potion to remove the curse, but will also require body heat from another to avoid developing a fever as their body temperature abruptly rises. Volunteer to be someone's cuddle buddy for a night? They could certainly use it!
NRL Time Refugee Support Network
Once they've received their housing assignment, all refugees will be given small handheld devices called magi-tech communicators, 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. Now available with limited sepia-tone color, and video cameras! 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.
Into The Woods
Autumn is in full swing, and with the dangers of the Sakumi festival behind them, many Refugees are hoping to coast through the rest of year without conflict.
For some, this takes them back to the East, where the Adachi Ward in Tokyo is celebrating the fall season with an Autumn Harvest Festival. Located north of the bustling downtown districts, Adachi is known for its numerous parks and orchards, and ties with Little Edo as one of the more peaceful areas of Tokyo. Those hoping for a little rest and relation are certain to find it here.
Still, this is Nippon, and as the Refugees have learned by now, this world is as fantastic as it is unpredictable.
Applepalooza Adachi, Tokyo
As part of the Harvest Festival, Adachi is celebrating everything apple, as they celebrate this year's successful crop. At the Furusato Orchard, guests are welcome to pluck fruit from the trees and eat them to their hearts content while exploring the grounds, and even offer fruit baskets and bottles of cider for purchase to take home as gifts.
As Refugees from another world, many of the cultivars here will be unfamiliar to them. At the end of the day, an apple is still an apple, but the flavors they contain may be surprising. In addition to basic red, green, and yellow apples, there's a curious variety of orange apple that tastes like a strawberry, an apple with smooth fuzz like a peach, and one with so many seeds it's virtually inedible -- but deliciously juicy nonetheless.
But chief among them are the Gacha Apples, bearing a vibrantly colored skin that gives off a holographic sheen when held to the light, giving them a rainbow-like appearance. These apples can only by found in Adachi, and though their flavor is second to none, the secondary effects of eating them have earned them a curious reputation.
Each apple is ranked according to a special system of quality, with higher quality apples bearing a more delicious flavor, but stronger secondary effects.
The 3 star apples will cause the eyes of those eating them to shift into a rainbow hue, growing more holographic the more excited they become. However, eating more than one or two comes with the risk of temporary blindness that may linger for up to an hour.
The 4 star apples will cause the one eating them to produce glitter and sparkles based on their mood, appearing as illusions around their head, or physical manifestations over their body and clothing. Occasionally, these spots of glitter may appear as handprints or kiss marks, leaving evidence of places they've been touched over the past few days.
The 5 star apples are among the most prized, causing all of the above, along with feelings of euphoria and drunken delight, said to be more potent than any liquor without any risk of a hangover.
Unfortunately, local children seem to enjoy mixing the varieties together to play pranks on tourists, so take care when choosing an apple.
Forest Out of Time Adachi, Tokyo
Those looking to explore the natural world need look no further than Kohoku Park, a small forest known to contain peaceful wildlife and unique plantlife, sitting at the junction between two rivers. With various trails and paths winding through the forest, it's among the most popular spots to visit in Adachi.
However, Kohoku Park has been strange these past few days. Unrecognizable plants and animals have been reported by locals, ranging from butterflies the size of a dinner plate, to willow-like trees with aggressive prehensile branches that seem keen on getting a bit fresh with anyone who walks under them. But so far, nothing truly dangerous has been discovered.
But all of that is going to change. On a particular day, those in the forest will witness something bizarre, as the trees and plants around them begin quickly cycling through seasons. Leaves and flowers bloom in an instant, only to wither, fall, and grow anew once more just as quickly.
Thankfully, neither the people nor animals seem affected by it. As word spreads, the NRL is sent to investigate, and concludes that the forest is experiencing a time surge. A unique phenomenon in Nippon, time surges cause time to flow unnaturally in small spaces, and range from harmless to catastrophically dangerous. As such, the forest is quickly evacuated.
But alas, those who were present when the time surge began will begin experiencing side effects in the days that follow. Some may see their hair seemingly grow and shrink in length, while others may struggle to eat as the food in their hands decomposes or reverts back to base ingredients.
But the truly unfortunate will experience changes in age, suddenly growing older, or very young. And it seems to be random whether or not their memories are effected as well. Thankfully, these effects will only linger for a few days, during which the NRL will recommend bedrest and minimal travel.
Coffeeshop AU Adachi, Tokyo
Of course, Adachi is still Tokyo, and civilization is never very far. Refugees roaming the streets of Adachi's downtown district will find posters advertising Moonkicks, a Refugee-owned coffee shop chain that's been growing larger in the timer since they opened last year.
Coffee is actually rather hard to come by in Nippon. Due to a lack of international travel and trade, coffee imports have ground to a halt, with the remaining stock being heavily regulated by the Port Market in Yokohama. But thanks to the owner's unique ability to grow seemingly any plant from his body, this chain boasts genuine coffee at a reasonable price! But how exactly does co-founder Shailesh grow coffee beans from his body-- look, don't ask questions you won't like the answer to.
But Moonkicks offers more than just good coffee. With a refugee as one of its founders, every location aims to serve as a community outreach center for fellow refugees, offering services provided by and for refugees only. And after facing the horrors of the Sakumi Festival last month, this month has continued their special afterhours refugee support group. Free coffee and snacks are provided, as refugees new and old are given a space to mingle and an opportunity to talk about things that have been bothering them with their peers.
Although some may not be keen on the open nature of these discussion forums, there is one side effect of attending. Regardless of whether they actively participate or not, all refugees who attend will leave with a temporary feeling of euphoria, as well as a lingering sense of familiarity and comfort whenever they visit a Moonkicks Coffee House. It seems gathering that many Kizuna bonds in one place can have a positive effect on people. Who knew?
OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's November 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. 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.
• As a reminder, there will be no TDM in December. New players are welcome to use this TDM for the month of December, but please keep in mind that these events ICly occurred in November. New players may handwave their characters arriving earlier to compensate.
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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"Um, well, how do I put this? This place can be a little strange about time. He's an adult now... just as you were until recently." They glance back at him to see how he reacts to that.
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He doesn't feel like they're lying. He is generally able to tell when someone is outright lying to him.
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They pause, frowning a bit. "I'm not sure how much I should say, honestly. But I didn't want you to be surprised when we find Hythlodaeus."
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"I understand. Can we go find him now? Please?"
He tries not to let his voice waver.
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"You know what? We don't have to go to him, I can bring him to us." They grin at him before standing and pushing up their sleeves.
Should they send a text to Hythlodaeus first? Probably.
Are they going to? No.
Azem's glyph flashes in front of their face a large magic circle spreads out from them. Just before them one of the circles glows and awaits a response from their dear friend.
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Then the summoning light fades and he's faced with a perfectly safe Azem and...and...
"Hades?!"
Gaping, he rushes up to his friend, dropping down to his knees. This is - this is exactly how Hythlodaeus remembers him, of course, except that it's been literal ages since they were children. He blinks to shift briefly into his soulsight, but yes, that's the same too - just, you know, in a littler form.
He's not sure whether he should be panicking or laughing right now. What ends up coming out of his mouth is, "why are you so small?!"
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"Why are you so big?" he fires back mulishly. "You grew up without me. That's not fair."
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They're quick to cover their mouth and swallow the laughter, however. "Sorry." Though they don't sound that sorry.
"I believe he got himself caught up in a time surge," they explain as their amusement passes.
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He glances up at Azem and nods in understanding - not that he knows exactly where this time surge came from, having not been to the orchard, but he supposes such things...happen here? apparently - and then turns back to his now-tiny friend. Stars, it really has been a long time since they were so young...what were they like back then? What would help in this situation?
"I'm sorry," is all he can say. "Would it help to know that you grow up to be taller than me?"
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"I suppose," he replies grudgingly. "I just wanted to find somewhere to practise using magic. But while I was walking through the park, I ended up here. If I go back to the orchard, will you shrink again?"
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"I'm not sure we can go back. By now I'm sure they have the place locked down, but perhaps we can find someone to answer a few questions about what's happened." Though it may be easier if only one of them goes back to the park.
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But even as he says it, his mature brain knows that the 'responsible' thing to do would be to keep out of it and not attempt to get aged-down on purpose. He hugs little Hades tighter and sighs. With great regret in his voice, he adds, "Or I suppose it would be best not to poke around too much..."
(When you get big again, Hades, you'd better be proud of his self-control.)
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"You should listen to Dionysos," he tells his friend sternly. "They're clearly more grown-up than you."
Oh, if only little Hades knew...
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Hearing Hades say they're clearly the more grown-up of the two they snort, biting back a bit of laughter.
"Anyroad, it may be better to split our attention. I can go to the park and take a look and perhaps you two can ask around elsewhere. Hades can't be the only person affected."
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(There's something very sweet about hearing Hades call Azem by their true name. He's known it for a long time, of course, but doesn't use it often...perhaps this will help the two of them grow even closer...he hopes so.)
"You're right," he admits, trying not to grin too much. He knows that Hades doesn't appreciate his carefree attitude - even when Hades himself is a child. "Let's split up and see what we can find."
Alas, after a couple of hours of searching, they discover naught but that Hades is indeed not the only one affected and that the authorities expect things to settle down 'in a few days'. Hythlodaeus and Hades return to Azem's apartment to await their friend and determine what their next steps should be.
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"I'm sorry. You probably want my adult self back," he tells Hythlodaeus while they wait.
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And it does give them the chance to gather some potentially embarrassing material for later.
When they return to their apartment they flop against Hythlodaeus with a sigh. "I don't suppose you came up with anything useful?"
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"Of course not. I like having you around regardless," he says sincerely. And then, because he has to, he adds cheekily, "you're much more portable like this anyway!"
Sorry, tiny Hades.
To Azem, whom he nudges back when they flop against him, he says lightly, "we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Have a bit of a sleepover, I suppose."
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Gazing up at Dionysos while clutching Hythlodaeus' hand, Hades says, "'Daeus said that you're good at using aether too and that we studied together. What magicks are you good at?"
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"Oh, a sleepover sounds wonderful. It feels like it's been a long time since the three of us did that."
As for the little Hades' question, Azem peeks around Hythlodaeus and raises a brow. "Did he now?" They lean back, tapping a finger against their chin. "Well, I do have a custom spell I created that allows me to summon my friends to my side. Aside from that, I suppose I'm pretty good at transformation magic." That might be underselling themselves a bit.
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He hesitates suddenly and glances at Hythlodaeus. Then away. In his own magical forays, he has discovered he can change his hands. But mentioning that knowing of his best friend's lesser ability would be extremely insensitive.
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"Yup! Not just into a big strong form, but my physical sex as well. Not a particularly practical use, I suppose, but I find it fun." They don't see a reason to explain beyond that.
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"You and I have always been able to spot Dion, of course, with our sight. But I remember a few times when they surprised other acquaintances by switching things up."
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"Just...fun?" he asks. "That's all?" He glances between the pair and his eyes slowly widen, scandalised - almost comedically so - then quickly narrow. "You're not supposed to transform in front of others. Showing off is rude."
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