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January | Test Drive Meme
Jikan Test Drive MemeYou'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 a country called Nippon in a world called Gaia," they explain. "You were brought here because you became aware of the timeloop... we'll explain everything."
And they keep their word.
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, 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.
"Ultimately, the reason all of this happened was because of our world. By decree of the emperor, we at NRL have been chosen to speak on the behalf of all the people of Nippon when we say... we are sorry."
Down the line, each one bows deeply at the waist, some going so far as to kneel to the floor. And they continue to explain: their own world was trapped in a year long loop for decades, if not longer. When they finally found a means of progressing past the loop, they realized that time was corrupted at a far greater scale than they could have ever imagined. Until they can find a way to truly undo the effects, all they can do is save those who've become aware of it on other worlds, so that they won't suffer.
And you, dear refugees, are the first wave to be rescued.
A Place to Call Home Tokyo, Kanto
Once orientation is over, characters will be given one of three options for housing. Housing will be paid by the government of Nippon until they decide to move elsewhere, with NRL providing a stipend for food expenses. Click here for some ideas and examples of what their housing might look like.
Most of the refugees will be placed in one or two bedroom apartments on the edge of Nihonbashi. These rooms come fully furnished, and are scattered around the district in clusters to encourage intermingling with the native populace. They're a little small, but fairly luxurious considering the location. If you're lucky, you might even snag one with a western-style bed instead of a futon!
Those who've decided they wish to live in groups of three or more will be provided old homes in Little Edo. It doesn't take more than a glance to realize these homes must have been abandoned at some point before being used for refugees, with some odd furnishings sometimes left behind. While the buildings could use some heavy TLC and have no built-in heating or cooling systems, there's plenty of space, and even a private little garden!
And those who think they might struggle with settling in (or who simply aren't so lucky to get an apartment) will be assigned to a dormitory in Yoshiwara. One or two people share a small room with communal kitchens and living areas, and a private toilet with no bath. There is, however, a public bathhouse nearby that residents can use for free. These dorms are strictly for refugees, and are by far the most run down. But surely getting to live in the exclusive Yoshiwara Entertainment district makes it all worth it, right?
Characters will be provided transportation to their new accommodation. Those in the apartments will be encouraged to introduce themselves to their neighbors. The shared houses are going to need a bit of cleaning and sorting of old furniture to make it more livable. And the dorms, well... they let you pick your own room? Though given how small some of these are, it seems a bit unfair that you won't even have it to yourself.
NRL Time Refugee Support Network
Once they've received their housing assignment, all refugees will be given small handheld devices called magi-tech comms. 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.
Happy Actual New Year
With the refugees showing up on New Year's Day, it's no surprise that they're immediately met with new years activities. But even those familiar with a Japan-like culture might find some of the excitement to be a little extreme. The streets are so packed, many have been closed to anything other than pedestrians. Fireworks light up the skies for hours on end every single night, well past New Years Day. And some people can even be found openly sobbing as they make their way to the various shrines around the city, seemingly overwhelmed with relief. As the scientists at NRL are happy to explain -- this is the first real new year since their world was freed.
"I know that many of you might not feel like celebrating right now, but please understand...
It's been 1920 for a very, very long time."
It's been 1920 for a very, very long time."
Bridge Buffet Nihonbashi, Tokyo
By far, the most lively celebrations will be in Nihonbashi. Located at the heart of Tokyo, Nihonbashi is home to a large bridge comprised of many intersecting paths, standing as a crossroad to every neighborhood in the city. Rather than simply connecting two sides of a waterway, the designers sought to make Nihonbashi a hub for all of Tokyo, with pathways going across the water, down underground, and even high into the sky, allowing pedestrians to walk alongside tall buildings to get to where they need to go. And with all the foot traffic, it's no surprise that many shops, restaurants, and food stalls chose to build on or around the bridge.
With all the celebrations, food stalls selling traditional Japanese new year's food currently make up the majority of business on the bridge. And thankfully, the stipend provided to refugees includes money for food as well! But while the food may look delicious, it seems something strange is going on right now.
Characters may bite into some freshly made mochi only for the mochi to turn into raw grains of rice in their mouth. Hot cups of ozoni soup will be steaming hot one minute, and ice cold with raw vegetables the next. And the most egregious: their food disappears entirely, leaving them with a full stomach and no memory of just how delicious the food was. When asked, the food sellers can only apologize, explaining that a time surge, lingering aftereffects of their world being suspended in time for so long, had settled on the area a few days ago, causing the odd occurrences.
But even with the odd occurrences, there's no denying that Nihonbashi is the best place you can watch the evening fireworks. It's still rather cold this time of year, so why not find someone to curl up with and watch the show?
It's Symbolic 🎵 Yoshiwara, Tokyo
For those looking for some entertainment, they'll be swiftly pointed in the direction of Yoshiwara, the entertainment capital of Tokyo. Surrounded by tall stone walls, with entrances at each compass point, Yoshiwara almost feels like it's own city. Buildings vary wildly between very old and very modern, with some bearing more exotic architecture as well. Naturally, the people here are eager to ring in the new year, too.
The Shinbashi Theater has been preparing for this day for a long time. Ordinarily, tickets can be rather pricey. But for the first week of the new year, all shows will be free, playing all day with the cooperation of every acting and performing troupe in Yoshiwara. The performances very greatly from one to the next, ranging from Bunraku puppet theater, to action-filled Kabuki plays. But the refugees might find one play in particular to be of interest: an artistic re-telling of how the world was saved.
It starts with an ordinary scene. Two people greet each other on stage, have a simple conversation about a show they watched the other night, and then exit. The scene then replays three more times, before one of them suddenly appears to snap, screaming in anguish as he falls to his knees. But almost immediately after -- they exit, and the scene repeats once more. From there, the same man who snapped is shown again, after years of reliving the same day over and over, utterly convinced he'd simply lost his mind. Finally, it's not until a young woman sees him on the street and reaches out to him with compassion that something changes -- and then, the next day finally comes. The play ends with a monologue, preaching the importance of fostering bonds between one another, so that no one is left behind in an unending past ever again.
Strange. Is that really how they saved their world? Or was there more to it than that?
In Memorium Little Edo, Tokyo
And for those looking for a more quiet or somber affair, look no further than Little Edo. Seemingly preserved as a slice of ancient Japan, the quaint, wooden houses and dirt roads stand in stark contrast to the metropolis that is Tokyo. But it wasn't always this way. Despite the celebrations going on, their world isn't exactly fixed yet, and Little Edo stands as a testament to that. A rather large time surge is to blame for the buildings of Little Edo look as though they were build hundreds of years ago. Because they are, in fact, buildings that only existed hundreds of years ago, having replaced the modern neighborhood that once stood in its place.
Those who visit will be encouraged to leave incense and prayers at one of the many shrines or temples located there, in honour of those whose bodies and minds couldn't handle the anguish caused by the time loops. "You're the lucky ones," they say. But there's no resentment in their words. If anything, refugees will be treated with more kindness here than anywhere else in Tokyo. Individual families may welcome them into their homes for a free, homecooked meal, or offer to give them a tour around Tokyo. And all shrines will be offering free cups of amazake, a sweet and creamy fermented rice drink, served hot.
But for those patient enough to wait for a chance to visit one of the many crowded temples, they'll have the opportunity to make an offering. Whether it's a stick of incense gifted by one of the families in Little Edo, or a five-yen coin they found on the sidewalk, in return, they'll be given a fortune. Ordinarily, one wouldn't need to put much stock into these sort of things unless they strongly believed it. But for the refugees, unbeknownst to them, the Kizuna magic surrounding them will cause those fortunes to come true. Characters who drew "small blessing" might just find a ¥500 coin on the ground. "Curse" might cause one to trip on their way out of the temple. You'd better hope it has something nice to say about your love life!
OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's first TDM! Jikan is an invite-only game, and you must be invited by
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!
• Please note that characters do not know what Kizuna is at this point in time. This will be revealed in the first event!
• 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.
• Time surges on the bridge can affect more than just food, but cannot effect anything living! For example, fabric can be returned to raw cotton or piles of loose thread, but people can't suddenly become younger. More powerful time surges in the future may have these effects!
• The effects of the fortunes can be immediate or long-term, but will be nullified if a new fortune is drawn.
Please leave any questions about the TDM prompts in the thread below! General game questions can be directed to the FAQ!
Reserves are open, and Apps will open January 1st at 12:01am EST!
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Mipha | Legend of Zelda | ota
[While there was a slight urge to want to be alone, she's self-aware enough to know that she only wants it for her own grief. She was used to communal living, so choosing one of the shared houses seemed the best bet.
She certainly wasn't expecting it to look so... run down. But it's sort of quaint, in a way. She stares up at the building and the driver that delivered her there gives her a slightly nervous look. Uncertain if it's because of what she is (clearly not human) or because he's worried she'll disapprove, Mipha gives him a reassuring little smile and speaks gently.]
It's perfect. Thank you.
[She turns back to the home and goes in search of picking a bedroom for herself, propping her trident in the corner, before she goes out to explore the rest of the home. There's... sure a lot of work to be done, but Mipha takes a deep breath and begins to clear out some of the debris from one of the sitting areas, determined to get things cleaned up.
And to take the time to sort through her thoughts while she works. As such, she might not be totally aware that someone else is coming in until she turns and sees them in the doorway or something, making her drop what she's holding with a soft] Oh! [of surprise.]
[B. Bridge Buffet]
[Mipha's taken to the waterways with gusto, ignoring the bridges entirely in favor of using them to get around. Which is all well and good until she pops up out of the water and climbs up onto the bank, startling several people in the process.
Mipha pauses, looking just as surprised when a man yelps in alarm at seeing her suddenly emerge. He even throws his mochi at her as he takes off. She fumbles to catch it, staring down at the food now cupped in her hands with a slightly furrowed brow.]
I... apologize. I didn't mean to startle him... [She trails off, looking embarrassed as she looks around, but most people seem wary and ignore her, rushing off uneasily.
Mipha sighs deeply, then squares her shoulders and lifts her chin, determined to not let it get her down. She couldn't hold it against these people, knowing how different she must look.]
I suppose I shouldn't travel by water much more tonight.
[C. In Memorium]
[While she's grown a bit nervous about how humans will react to her, she's very moved by the kindness of people around Little Edo. She plays with the children and tells them stories, she patiently answers questions and offers her blessings.
A child falls and scrapes their knee up very badly and wails. Mipha pauses in whatever she's doing and goes to him, kneeling down]
There, there. It's alright. Shh... [She speaks in a soothing voice and holds up her hand to the wound. There's a brief glowing before the wound is suddenly healed, making the little boy gape in shock for a few seconds before he jumps up and hugs her, babbling thanks and running off.
Mipha just laughs and waves after him, though she seems doubly shocked when he returns a minute or so later with his mother and a bundled up package of homemade taiyai.
The two converse for a bit, with Mipha politely declining and invitation to dine with them, citing that she has somewhere else to be, but she stares wistfully after them as they leave, clutching the package close.]
...The generosity and boundless love people can have even in the darkest of times is such a shining beacon of hope, it brings tears to one's eye. Even though they're forced to deal with this sudden influx of people, so many have been so kind to try and open their homes to us and make us feel welcome.
[D. Wildcard!]
[Obligatory wildcard!!]
B
[Easily startling people solidarity from the skeleton in pajamas. Even though he's nervous approaching Mipha too, that's on him.]
Th-they're just not used to - all of this.
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Besides, he seems intelligent enough if he's actually speaking and all.]
I understand that, at least. I don't think any of us are. [She smiles sadly and shakes her head.] We're all just trying our best to adjust.
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[He hasn't been around this many people in a millennium.]
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Have you been having difficulties?
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...One person did threaten to attack me, but he stopped when he realized I could talk?
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I suppose that's better than continuing to attack you anyhow. [She sighs, shaking her head] I'm terribly sorry that happened to you. Hopefully with enough time, people will grow used to seeing people who look as different as you or I.
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C
All it takes is one good person and an act of kindness to make a difference.
[Her tone is all warm wistfulness.]
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And that one kind act will turn into another and then another, until it's spreading all over. I've often found that kindness can be wonderfully contagious.
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Yeah. I've seen the effects of that first hand.
[She pauses a moment as if soaking in whatever memory she's conjured up -- all the stories she had heard, the effects she had seen first hand, the change she herself had experienced.]
It's very humbling.
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I'm glad. I hope you've encountered some of that good will here as well.
[She turns fully to face the girl and then bows her head a little in polite greeting.] Forgive me, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Princess Mipha, of the Zora. Though I appear to be the only of my kind here so far.
Wildcards u
[The children, immediately guilty, decide to scatter instead - leaving just Mipha behind to deal with the aftermath.]
[For his part -- Ranpo is going to whine. Loudly. Another child, it seems.]
Heeeey! What's the big idea! That hurt!
gasp!!
Children were the same no matter what world they were in, apparently.
The young... man? Boy?? (Mipha was quickly finding she was terrible at gauging the ages of humans) seemed to be in need of help, though, so Mipha approaches, one hand out in a placating gesture one might use on a wild animal.]
I'm terribly sorry about that. Are you alright?
1/2
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[And scratched them up while he was at it, because Ranpo has weird fashion choices. He doesn't move to stand, instead shifting into a sitting position to get them off the ground.]
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I see. [She looks at his knees sympathetically and holds her hand out over them.] Allow me to take care of it, since I'll take responsibility for them.
[Her hand glows briefly and, since it was quite the shallow wound, in a few seconds the scratches are gone, good as new.]
1/2
[His reaction comes off a bit muted at first, just kind of watching the wound painlessly disappear. With an emphasis on painlessly.]
[...]
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[THIS, WITH NO CONTEXT]
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?????]
St-stab? [She echoes with a slight stammer, bewildered. It's hard to keep feeling like it's a job well done with that kind of shock, though she supposes the sentiment still stands. It was a job well done partially because... no stabbing. Sure.]
I feel like...Stabbing would worsen the problem, not help it...
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C.
[If Mipha looks up a bit, she'll see a young, teenage girl smiling at her, wearing a rather nice looking kimono. Ochako doesn't seem at all bothered by Mipha's appearance - these sorts of things are common in her world, after all. People with quirks that alter their physical form, like Tokoyami, Shoji, and even Mina, slightly. It's just so commonplace, that she never thinks twice about it, though Ochako has certainly seen how natives here treat people that appear different from the norm. Hell, even regular people with different faces, hair colors, or even just clothes get stared at. Herself included, when she first arrived in her hero costume.
It was only out of the great kindness of an elderly woman that she was given the kimono in the first place. Ochako had only done her duty as a hero - rescued a child that had climbed a high tree, to fetch a stuck kite, and fell on his climb down. Using her Zero Gravity quirk, and some quick reflexes, she had caught him before he fell and truly injured himself, floating them both back down to the safety of his grandmother's arms. Refusing the woman, who was in tears clutching her grandchild seemed rude, so...she happily accepted the gift, and the warmest hug from them both.]
We're outsiders here, and they really don't have to do anything for us at all, but... [She claps her hands together, tilting her head to one side.] I think it's better to be accepting of everyone, and kind to anyone you see or meet. You never know when someone could really and truly need it, mm?
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Either way, she takes a moment to appreciate the normalcy inherent in just being accepted without thought.
Mipha listens and smiles warmly, looking like Ochako has just passed some kind of test with flying colors and Mipah was oh-so proud of her for it.] Yes, exactly. One kind word or helping hand could change someone's entire world. Though it seems a small gesture to yourself, to them it could be everything.
You're very wise, miss.
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Ehehe, exactly. What you just did, miss...I'm sure that was one of those times, too, for that little one. [Someone to care, to comfort, to reassure...that's a form of saving people, too. Ochako has grown up to realize this - being a 'hero' and 'saving people' can be defined in many, many ways. Superpowers don't always have to be involved.]
Aa? Eh, ehehe, n-no...I-I'm not, r-really, just...I was taught by very good, strong, wise people. B-But thank you, you're very kind.
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[Her tone is gentle though even if it might sound a bit like she's scolding Ochako. Mipha giggles slightly and smiles warmly.]
Thank you. We'll both have to just keep trying our best, yes? They may be wary of us right now, but I think in time through our good deeds we can help slowly change their minds.
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I suppose you're right - ehehe, you're quite wise yourself, miss. [She moves aside, to be out of the way of most of the foot traffic at the temple, and invites Mipha to join her as well. There's a small bench they can sit on a few paces away.] I can most certainly understand the peoples' viewpoint - we are strangers to them now - but...I'd like to keep doing what I was doing back home here. And that's still working for the populace. Supporting, protecting, and saving them as a hero.
I hope that I can be someone that can make them smile, over time.
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With a determination and optimism like that, I'm sure you will be.
[She turns her head to look at the people coming and going around the temple.] Do you know what they're all doing here? Are they praying?
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