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July | 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! Thankfully, 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 as they please. 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.
In Nihonbashi, the lingering rainy season means the streets are consistently rather wet, causing an increase in accidents as people slip and slide all over the place. Which is dangerous enough on any busy street, but Nihonbashi is completely elevated, with only waterways and the streets of Shitaya below. Thankfully some areas are equipped with nets to prevent people from getting seriously injured, but even so, refugees might just find themselves being called over to help pull someone out from the water!
Things are a little more frustrating over in Little Edo, where some streets have become so waterlogged, they've actually flooded. None of the flooding is too bad, but some refugees might be unfortunate enough to wake up and find a little pond has formed in the genkan, causing their shoes to float away! Better hope your neighbors are proficient in Mizu magic to get rid of all this water!
And over in Yoshiwara's dorms, predictably, the ceiling leaks. Which wouldn't be such a big deal if the rooms were big enough to place a bucket or two. As it is, many should expect to wake up with a soggy futon. Thankfully, certain rooms seem to be entirely unaffected, so refugees will just have to share those rooms until repairs can be done! Just think of it like a bonding exercise.
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
All refugees who see this message will receive a giftbox of Japanese snacks delivered to one of their residences. Strangely, it's not a snack that exists anywhere in Nippon, so this is the only way they'll be able to try Pocky!
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.
Tanabata Festival
As the new month rolls over, most of the refugees have now physically recovered from last month's ordeal, in which a criminal organization from the Western Kingdom held over 100 refugees hostage for nearly a week. Most of the criminals were caught, but the scars of the incident still linger, with many refugees feeling uncomfortable in public and wary of the native population.
In response to this, the people of Tokyo wanted to do something for the refugees, to let them know the majority of the people in Nippon absolutely love and appreciate them. And Tanabata is the perfect time for such an occasion!
The Wish Weaver Nihonbashi, Tokyo
According to legend, back before Nippon was two distinct kingdoms, a human empress by the name of Orihime fell in love with Himeboshi, the Princess of a distant Yokai clan. Aware that bonds between Human and Yokai were forbidden, Orihime attempted to elope with Himeboshi. But she was caught, and Himeboshi was exiled to the furthest reaches of Nippon. Orihime is said to have wept endlessly, and soon, the people began praying for her happiness. Through the power of their bond, the wishes of the people came true, and Orihime's tears became a long river, which Himeboshi was able to follow to reunite with her. For this reason, Tanabata is held at the end of the rainy season, when Orihime's tears have dried and Himeboshi can safely follow the river to return to her side.
Clearly the legend is a little different from what some refugees might be familiar with, and many natives insist there's historical precedent for it being true. In any case, on Tanabata, it's customary for people to make wishes and hang those wishes on stalks of bamboo. While many make wishes for their own happiness, wishes made for the sake of others are said to have a higher possibility of coming true.
All around Tokyo, little displays of bamboo can be found set up on nearly every corner, where people have been writing wishes on rice paper and hanging them on the bamboo. Refugees are sure to notice just how many of these wishes are explicitly for the sake of others, with the bulk of them focused on wishing for the refugees health and healing. But actual wish granting isn't unfamiliar to many refugees by now, as incidents of wishes coming true have been reported since as early as January. And this month is no exception, with one important detail: any wishes read out loud by a refugee will eventually come true, in one way or another. This effect will only last until the festival's end on the 8th, by which time rumors will begin to circulate about the refugees holding some sort of sacred power.
Fire Flower Tokyo Outskirts, Tokyo
Tanabata is a bit wetter than usual this year, but that isn't stopping people from enjoying the brief sun breaks that occur throughout the month. One week in particular sees crowds headed for the Tokyo Outskirts, the name used to describe the flooded region between Tokyo and Yokohama. Once a bustling and busy city, a time surge caused the land to abruptly shift hundreds of years ago, well before it was understood what time surges were. The result is a large expanse of water that stretches like a river through Kanto, connected to much of the flooded areas up north.
Over the years, the artificial Tama Beach was built just south of Little Edo, allowing for some sandy shores. Here, small stalls selling fireworks can be found, which are all offering special deals for refugees. They mostly sell just sparklers and the occasional ground dancer, but one firework in particular has an interesting effect. They're small, slow burning fireworks that take the form of a small fire flower held on the end of a thin string. As it burns, the petals fall based on random timing. And this timing is what inspired a game: The first one to lose all their petals has to tell an embarrassing story!
Refugees may find themselves being corralled into playing this game with children and young adults alike, eager to share their culture and maybe get a funny story out of it. But they should be careful, because while most flowers burn red, those that burn blue burn much faster, and come with a small truth-telling spell to encourage honesty. Just make sure to keep the stories G rated if playing with local kids.
Bamboo Wishes Tokyo Outskirts, Tokyo
On July 7th, the Tanabata Festival begins properly, with festival food and games set up along the Tama Beach. Those who attend are encouraged to wear their brightest kimono, to match the colorful strips of paper used to make wishes. But this year is very special, as for the first time in a very long time, the emperors of the East and Western kingdoms are set to make a symbolic appearance together on a ship crossing the Tama canal, in honor of Orihime and Himeboshi's reunion.
As such, the crowds are larger than usual this year, with a higher number of Yokai attendees than ever seen in Tokyo. With this in mind, security at the festival is much stronger, with Exorcists from the West in attendance to prevent any suspicious magic or spell activity. Powerful Yokai magic users, the Exorcists are the Western equivalent to the East's various Hunter clans, specializing in taming dangerous beasts and ayakashi. While taking their job very seriously, many have also brought familiars to entertain the crowds, including a strange nekomata with an odd, bus-like appearance, allowing passengers to go on high-speed rides bounding across the tops of buildings and trees. Care to take a ride? They promise he doesn't bite!
The festival runs late, well until midnight, when all the bamboo wishes around Tokyo are collected and brought to the water. Here, the bamboo is sliced and cut in half, creating little boats for stacks of paper wishes to sit on. The paper is lit with a match, and the boats are sent out into the water, creating a beautiful display of hundreds of little lights that slowly flicker out as the paper and bamboo burns together. Refugees will be asked to set out the first boats, with the hope that their wishes are granted.
But come the end of the night, only Katsuragi-no-mikoto, emperor of the West, will be seen briefly aboard the royal vessel, looking a bit forlorn as he waves to the people on the beach. Were they not able to meet after all?
OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's July 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.
• For current players apping a second character, you have the option to have your character join the game by being wished into existence during Tanabata through the power of Kizuna. These characters will be encouraged to visit the NRL immediately to be examined. They will remember a time loop, but will not remember seeing a door, instead appearing in Tokyo after hearing the wishing-character's voice calling to them. How they appear is up to you, so feel free to get creative or silly!
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
Right. [He says, since she's behind this, since she seems to think she knows him somehow. He steps towards her, one hand raised as a sylph settles above it, the little demon spinning in a whirl of light, like a circular saw blade made of fresh air.]
Why don't you start talking. [If he's smiling, it's just because his face tends to stay like that. This smile is just bared teeth, tense jaw, blue eyes sharp under the fall of his bangs.]
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"Why don't you start talking."
-- and that sharpness -- ]
You don't remember.
[ He doesn't remember and she swallows with that realization, but her feet don't quite move, not immediately. It feels like her head plummeted down into her heart and heart into her stomach, her mind racing a million miles a minute. He doesn't remember and she isn't certain where to start amidst too many thoughts abruptly stopped and starting. If he was returned to Assiah and he didn't remember, then -- then --
It's pointless to ask. Looking at him, it's obvious he doesn't know her and if her heart could fall any farther, it has with that realization. Somehow, it feels like she's swimming and her vision is starting to blur -- ]
Put that away.
[ -- and yet, there's a clear command in her voice. Where the wind had mostly settled in that moment of relief, it gathers around her. A swipe of her eyes and she levels her gaze at him. The terms of their initial promise might have been satisfied, but she learned a lot about him while it was in place, how to handle him. ]
I'll answer anything you ask of me, but I am not your enemy. Don't you dare treat me like one.
no subject
He doesn't put anything away even while his mind sifts through the rush of new data. The sylph blade whirs over his gloved hand.]
Ma'am, you've done nothing that makes me want to listen to a single word you say.
But why don't you start by explaining what you just did, and why.
no subject
She hates that. She loves his voice, that big, thick accent. It's some strange sort of balm against her senses even now, but that title cements an utter lack of familiarity, a distance that feels to her like it's stretching some impossible length.
He doesn't put away that blade and she doesn't call hers. ]
I summoned you here from Assiah for a number of reasons. The spread of corrupt Time across the various universes is one of them. Assiah has been affected and I couldn't be sure you were safe.
[ But more than that, at the root of it -- ]
I wanted you here with me, but [ ha ] you have no idea who I am.
no subject
She knows him, and she summoned him, and there's a lingering sense of familiarity gathering in him that he does not trust.
He lets the sylph settle out of her circular saw spin, but the demon stays close. There are a few, actually, pulled with him as he was pulled across the universes, and they come to loop and dance around him as he considers the woman in front of him.]
I don't.
But you should probably tell me why you think you know me.
no subject
[ Or is it? She can't be sure. She has no knowledge of any precedent concerning someone wished into Nippon recovering memories from a prior world that isn't their homeworld and she needs to look into it. She... needs to make sure he gets to the NRL to be properly bonded with the country or else she's his only tie to this place, for that matter.
Maybe Shigure will have answers for her. Maybe he can tell her if this is, in fact, her Leaf, but she'd been so careful, worded things properly.
And if it's not a month's wait for him to recover those memories, what does that mean?
What does it mean that he looks so filthy and exhausted? She doesn't quite catch the scent for the barrier of quickly moving wind currents encircling her, not that her sense of smell is the sharpest thing, but she has a guess having lived with him. That doesn't bother her. It's his appearance, how roughed up he looks, the number of demons that arrived with him -- just what was going on that he should arrive in that state? He was in he middle of something like she thought he might be and while the sylph is settled out of her circular saw spin, those demons remain and that tells her something, enough.
She has some small idea regarding their weight, strain on a Tamer. ]
I met you in another world where we were summoned by demons to clean up the mess they made of their planet, but you were presumably returned to Assiah before the job was done and the promise that the memories of those brought to Prismatica would remain intact was made.
[ She won't tell him what he is to her. After all, he didn't ask. ]
no subject
He brightens, grins, shrugs off some of the tension.]
But it sounds crazy enough that you're probably not making it up!
no subject
Before I called you here, did you experience any discrepancies in time?
no subject
Yeah. Reckon I went through five or six time loops, 'bout five minutes long, before you summoned me. That sound right to you?
no subject
It's different for everyone, but I've never heard of anyone arriving here who experienced more than ten time loops.
[ He's smart. She knows he'll follow what she's saying. ]
The scientists at the Nanjikan Research Laboratory will explain the situation more thoroughly and get you set up here. You'll come with me, won't you?
no subject
You summoned me, after all.
no subject
Yes, I did. I don't imagine you'll be quick to forget that, hm?
[ The wind whipping around her calms marginally, but her control of the currents remains as she exhales softly.
She doesn't want him to forget that.
Turning her head a moment, she pauses. What's the quickest way to the NRL? ]
no subject
That odd feeling of familiarity lingers, but not enough for him to grow something concrete.]
no subject
I'd wager I summoned you at a bad time with as many demons came with you and your state.
[ There's a question there, but she'll leave it to him should he choose to answer. Truthfully, that had been a concern, but given what she'd learned upon summoning Mephisto to Nippon, it had no feet to stand on. ]
no subject
But I guess the time loops didn't have much to do with you, so it's not like you could have stopped that from happening. [And that's not quite casual, the sharp edged hint of "isn't that right".]
no subject
[ She says after a moment. She didn't miss it, after all, that sharp edged hint. ]
Are Rin-chan and Yukio-chan okay?
no subject
no subject
[ She turns her head to look at him. ]
Define "trouble".
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You must not be completely exhausted if you've got the energy for this kind of thing.
no subject
Oh, I've always got energy to spare.
(no subject)