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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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[He takes a breath as if to speak, but when Childe holds up his bloody thumb and gives the order, suddenly everything around him feels like it's frozen in time. The last person to say that to him, the last person he drank from... was this okay? Could he really lean on something like this again?]
[What would One think if he saw Shell right now? What would he want him to do?]
[The hesitation seems to last forever, despite only being a few seconds long. But ultimately, that's all it takes. Gingerly holding on to Childe's wrist, Shell leans forward and presses his lips to the blood, licking up the few drops he's offered.]
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It's perhaps unfortunate that Childe doesn't have anything proper to work with, but he does toy a little with the sensation of a tongue lapping at his thumb, gently pressing it against the other's mouth. His fingers come up to cup the side of his face at the same time, and his free hand goes to sift through those pale blond strands to pull them away from his face. Is he crying again?
He wonders what it tastes like. It would probably just taste like blood to him, but to Shell he wonders if he can tell just how many people Childe has killed. He wonders if there's some remnant of the Abyss in his blood.
Maybe it's this thought more than anything that has him pulling his thumb free so he can properly cup Shell's face, pulling the man in abruptly to kiss him. ]
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[The taste is so different from any blood he's had before. Still human of course, but nothing like the selectively bred humans back home. The flavor was fuller, and had a quality that quickly made him want more than that the measly drops he's been offered.]
[And there's something else, which he can't quite place. A flavor he's never tasted in blood before. How would he describe it...?]
[With his mind elsewhere, he's completely blindsided by the sudden kiss. And yet for a moment, he returns it, a pleasant tingle running down his spine--]
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[The look on his face is hard to describe. He's blushing, certainly. And tears from moments earlier are still there. But while he's pushed Childe back, he doesn't push him away, one hand still holding his wrist while the other keeps holds of his shoulder.]
Childe, what-- what was... that?
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A sheepish look overtakes his face, and he actually laughs a little, sounding less embarrassed than he looks. ]
Ah - did I read the mood wrong? Sorry.
[ To his credit, though, he doesn't continue, but he doesn't pull away, either. His thumb stings a little from where he's pricked it, but the blood beading onto his skin is slower this time around, like it's already started to slow down. He uses that hand to gently brush the tears threatening to spill from Shell's eyes in a gesture that's probably more affectionate than it should be. ]
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[Shell still doesn't pull away either, his grip relaxing, but still very much present. The taste of blood is still on his lips, now mingled with something unfamiliar. He feels like he doesn't know how he should feel right now. Guilty, maybe?]
You just... surprised me, is all.
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It's not the worst reaction. And Childe, to his credit, isn't put off by it, not enough to pull away, so he lingers there in that weird limbo and lets his hands slide from Shell's face to his shoulders.
Eventually he speaks, and the question he poses has several meanings: ]
Do you want more?
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[...]
Maybe... we should talk about it first?
[He doesn't know which thing Childe is offering?? But his answer would be the same either way. The hand would be a terrible place to try and drink blood from, and... well, it's not like he didn't enjoy that kiss.]
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But at Shell's words he lets out a thoughtful hum and cocks his head a little to the side. What was there to even talk about? ]
All right. I'm all ears.
[ It's clear from the easy tone and the relaxed posture that he has absolutely no issues with either, be it serving as a source of sustenance for Shell or else just casually making out with him (as friends do). ]
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...w-well, I've only ever done this twice. So... it might not be a very clean bite? And it's going to hurt. And you might be a little anemic after, so we should be sitting down...
[The concern is legitimate but this is like 75% stalling.]
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Childe rolls up his sleeve to a manageable degree, remembering the last time they were in this situation. It didn't seem all that long ago, really. ]
I've been chewed on before, it's fine. Your teeth are a lot smaller.
[ The pain comment hardly gets him to bat an eye, though he knows from experience how badly anemia - and by extent, overexertion - can affect him. While he's pretty sure he's recovered from his last stint in using Foul Legacy, it always took a lot out of him and it wouldn't be too unlikely that he ended up feeling fatigued from losing a little blood. ]
I'll be disappointed if you don't make it hurt a little. [ He teases, and casually just sits himself on the floor. This probably isn't helping the masochism image Shell has of him. ]
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I'm not going to chew on you.
[He sits down in front of Childe and reaches for his arm, quickly reminded of the last time they tried this. And that had just been a dare to bite him. This time, he would actually be drinking from him. And yet somehow, he doesn't feel quite as anxious as before -- though he's still going to cry while he drinks. There's Trauma there okay.]
...but if you start to feel dizzy, tell me, okay?
[And with that last warning-- he bends down and bites into the upper flesh of his forearm. It's clearly not strong enough the first time, despite how sharp those fang will feel against Childe's skin. Which is why the second ends up more like a full-on bite, ensuring the fangs get deep enough, while likely bruising the skin around it.]
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As soon as he feels fangs pierce his skin Childe lets out a long, drawn out hiss, his legs shifting under him. He's still got a hand free, and he uses it to gently thread fingers through Shell's hair, pull it away from his face so he can watch the way the blond drinks from him.
He's always thought Shell pretty, for a man, from the first moment he saw him. It had been a passing thought then but now, with the blond knelt before him with his mouth latched onto his forearm, Childe can take a moment to fully appreciate him. Long lashes and pale skin and bright eyes; perhaps he has a type. ]
... how does it taste?
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...it's delicious. It tastes a little different from the blood I've had before... I don't know if I can describe it.
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So he remains as still as possible, the fingers in Shell's hair squeezing a little in encouragement.
The prick of pain has started to fade away, and he wonders if he'll have a scar there to join the rest of the markings scattered on his skin. ]
It almost makes you wish you'd taken me up on my offer sooner, right?
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[It was only this easy because of how comfortable he feels with Childe now. A far cry from their first meeting, certainly.]
[But he's quick to resume drinking, savoring the flavor on his lips. It really does have a curious flavor. It's no surprise it's different -- the humans in his world were selectively chosen with flavor in mind. And certainly, there are no humans who look like Childe back in his world. But even beyond that, there was something else. A quality he couldn't place, almost like a spicy aftertaste. It wasn't bad, but... strange.]
[But also-- he's getting to the point where he'll need to stop soon, not wanting to take more than he needs, nor too much and risk hurting him. At least that much is something he can measure. Which means Childe might start feeling a bit of dizziness.]
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Ah... I think I'm at my limit. [ But there's a small part of him that wants to see how long before he actively passes out, but since he's not sure if he's staying the night or making the trip back to his shared apartment, it's probably best to stop here and discuss his plans for the night.
He wouldn't mind staying. Shell's apartment is cold and nostalgic, and it's much more preferable. ]
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H-Here. Keep pressure there, I'll go get a first aid kit.
[Unlike before, there's no unsteadiness at all when he stands, though it would take more than a single feeding to improve his complexion.]
[He'll have wiped his face a little when he comes back, but he'll need time to actually wipe the stains off -- which can wait until after Childe's wound is treated.]
There's no risk of infection, by the way. Our... er, saliva has antiseptic properties. The bleeding should stop soon, too. But I'll clean it anyway.
[This is headcanon but there is no other explanation for why they can chomp humans in the jugular and not make them die of sepsis or bleed out okay.]
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The comment about it tasting different has him curious, but he'll wait until Shell gets situated before he says anything. ]
That's very hospitable of you. Instant improvement from my past experiences.
[ Childe will shift again, long legs moving to give the blond ample room to come in close and doctor him up. Admittedly, it's a bit of a new experience for him; the rare occasions Childe did get stabbed he tended to see to his wounds himself. Having someone take care of him like this was different, but not in a bad way. ]
So, kind of like a dog, then? [ His hand comes down upon Shell's head without invitation, giving him a few pets. ] Good boy. Very good.
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[The fact that he's still pale makes the blush all the more extreme.]
J-Just how often are you getting bitten...?
[He starts with a damp towel to pat against his arm, gently cleaning the extra blood off. Then some actual antiseptic, and some cotton to rest against it under a bandage. It's not something he has much experience doing himself -- but he's watched One do it to him often enough to know how it goes.]
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I suppose it's enough that it doesn't really affect me anymore. I mean.. you've seen the scars. [ He pulls his hand back to gesture at his shirt. ] I'm not winning any beauty contests any time soon.
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[He's a bit more hesitant than Childe when he reaches out, gently brushing a fingertip through a lock of his hair in turn.]
You know, I'd never even seen someone with hair that was this color before I came here. And... I've only ever met one other human with blue eyes. So you look beautiful to me.
[This fucker saying this shit with a straight face.]
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He'd never been called beautiful before. He's called others that in the past, so to hear it applied to himself makes him laugh a little in that careless but not unkind way of his. ]
You're one to talk. [ If there's any lingering tears on Shell's face it's probably noticeable, how they suddenly lift off of his skin, coming together in the air to coalesce into something pointed and circular. It's very small, but the shape is distinct.
It's a sunflower. ]
Since it's so cold in Snezhnaya, the things that grow there have to struggle to do so, often with failed results. But - outside of it, in the sun and the warmth and under clear blue skies, I've seen some lovely things. You remind me of one such thing.
[ Maybe he can't wax poetic like Zhongli does, but there's earnestness behind the statement all the same. It's in the smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, in the way his fingers come up to caress over Shell's cheek before cupping his face, pulling him into - another kiss, yes he's going for it if Shell will let him. It's a soft melding of their mouths together, a honeyed glide of lips over Shell's (nevermind the blood he might taste) that's insistent and probably infinitely more soft than expected of Childe. ]
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[But how should he feel when he hears something like that? Why does it cause his chest to ache, tightening up and making it hard to breathe? Was it because he wished One were here, saying these things to him instead? He's not sure. And that confusion was why he pushed Childe away earlier.]
[But he won't push him away this time.]
[This time, his arm wraps around Childe's shoulders as he practically melts into it, a certain thrill fluttering in his chest as the feeling of Childe's soft lips against his own. And while Childe will no doubt taste the iron-tinged flavor of his own blood on Shell's lips, it's easy to ignore with how much stronger Shell's natural rosey-scent becomes when he lingers this close to him.]
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Childe doesn't stop kissing him and, if anything, Shell's response only fuels him on. The kiss shifts from something soft and sweet and placating to a more aggressive, dominating thing; Childe pries his mouth open, lapping at the sharp point of fang before he devours him utterly, hands on his hips sliding up to grip the back of his head and tangle his fingers into blond strands in the process.
He's not particularly fond of his own flavor on Shell's lips, not the blood, at least; but it'd be hard to tell given how he's kissing him. ]
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cw smut btw.... belatedly
i can't believe we're smutting on the tdm
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