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duplicitymemes2021-03-09 06:59 pm
duplicitymods) wrote in duplicitymemes2021-03-09 06:59 pm
Entry tags:
TDM #17
« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »
« « « ALL ON DISPLAY
» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «
It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit. Yet, solace is found in the lies we tell each other, comforted by the peace of knowing that we're not alone in our depravity, and once on this path, sin itself becomes the lesser of two evils masked in a cloud of normalcy. This is how Duplicity has functioned since the beginning. The divide of power and social standing is overt in that Dominants influence the decisions made both publicly and privately while Submissives cater to the rules presented to them. It is the way of Duplicity to assign random designations at birth with no leeway in altering what has been given. Climate in the Up is far stricter than that of the Down; violating outlined personas for a Dominant or Submissive while in full view of others is punished by degree of infraction. In the Down, many tend to turn a blind eye to these sorts of offenses. To counteract the discovery of the Deceit Gene – a natural "negative" response to all stimuli – the L.I.E.S. program was founded. The program had been designed to introduce new subjects to the current environment and test for the Deceit Gene through immersion in Duplicity's standing society. Sexual impulses and encounters increase the chances of detecting the gene within these individuals. Participants are typically released from L.I.E.S. after a year; however, results have remained unsatisfactory and testing still continues. ... and you're here! Finally! Welcome to Duplicity. After choosing a door and stepping through to the other side, the first thing that greets you are the enthusiastic faces of people in medical scrubs and pristine lab coats. Their enthusiasm translates to eagerness as they strip you of your clothes to perform a thorough examination—you will be healed, bathed, and given a clear plastic top and pants along with clear plastic boots to wear until your items can be processed and delivered to your residence later in the evening. You are also given a device that accesses the network as well as the time and location of orientation. If you enter Duplicity into the Up, congratulations! You're a Dominant, which means you are immediately picked up by a limo after processing and taken to your high rise. Here, it is two Dominants per floor with separate apartments. If you enter Duplicity into the Down, congratulations! You're a Submissive, which means you are directed towards public transportation with the address of the motel you'll be living in. Here, it is two Submissives per room with a shared common space for all rooms. Enjoy your free time until orientation! Participation is mandatory by all new and old arrivals. The weather is rather wet and rainy. Very, very rainy. |
» » » ALL ABOARD
 It's time for the monthly Duplicity train tour. Seats are in pairs and randomly assigned to Dominants and Submissives alike. Traveling from Fiddler's Square, the train journeys through various parts of the Up, showcasing society and examples of lifestyle. Along the way, frequent stops are made; a variety of passengers can be seen exiting and entering the doors. A Dominant with a kneeling Submissive takes a seat near the front of the train at one stop. A small group of Submissives board and sit closer to the LIERS at another, all seemingly content in their roles. As the tour continues through the Up, the train passes close to the Market and White Wall Bridge and zips by North Park before heading into the Down and bypassing Red Wall Bridge and South Park. The train makes a "final" stop at Riddler's Square, where inhabitants of the Down are instructed to return to their temporary housing. Those who live in the Up are permitted to stay on the train and revisit the same locations while returning. |
« « « RAIN RAIN GO AWAY
 (cw: aphro, dub-con, violence, marking)Ice and chilly weather have begun to give way to rain instead, with overcast skies and dark clouds a seemingly constant sight. While the overabundance of rain is an annoyance and comes with the usual series of problems, such as leaky ceilings, mold growth, and gutters or storm drains overflowing, this time the rain carries with it another problem altogether. A weather advisory warning is broadcast to every device, as well as on news networks and radio. The rain, at least for a few days, is not ordinary rain. Whether you're in the Up or the Down, when the water hits clothing it eats away at it. The more water it absorbs, the more the material disintegrates until the wearer is left naked. When the rain comes in contact with skin (or is ingested) the effects seem to differ depending on where you are in Duplicity. In the Up, it's relatively harmless and merely has an aphrodisiac effect, leaving individuals feeling hot and bothered, more sociable and touchy feely. Those in the Down, however, are not so lucky. As the rain seeps through the soil from the Up, it ends up laced with toxins, causing a range of less pleasant side effects for anyone unfortunate enough to come into contact with it. Aside from the aphrodisiac, those who get caught in the rain may develop an uncomfortable, itchy rash, leaving them looking rather spotty for a few days. Those who can't resist scratching at themselves will find a newfound pleasure to the relief it brings and start to crave the feeling or sight of similar marks. In worst case scenarios, individuals will become addicted to marking themselves and others, perhaps even to the point of breaking skin. Effects may last for several hours after exposure and will stack with repeated exposures. In all cases, getting off will bring temporary relief but will not alleviate the symptoms entirely. Plastic coverings seem to be unaffected by the rain and, as word spreads, the Natives in Duplicity form a mad rush buying up umbrellas. Unless a character is lucky, they may find themselves unable to purchase - or even borrow - one. Theft of umbrellas becomes widespread in the Down, often escalating to violence, and even the Up isn't safe from thugs trying to steal and resell this suddenly hot commodity. There's another side to all of this, however. Due to the shortage of umbrellas, it isn't uncommon to see Dom/Sub pairs sharing umbrellas together. If anything, it's encouraged as a means to strengthen their bond. Enterprising Subs and Doms alike may even sell their "services" to escort individuals who would otherwise end up soaked. |
« « « SUPPLEMENTAL INCOME
 (cw: substance abuse, altered states, coercion, fluids, physical body changes)A new "holistic" pharma company named SQuIRT is opening up in Duplicity and is paying a pretty penny for people to trial run their new line of supplements. These supplements are supposed to increase a person's vitality and energy levels, but the side effects are what the company is really looking out for. Some of the side effects aren't so bad and could include:
While others might find their own reaction to be a little more severe:
Subjects must take the supplements for at least a week, otherwise they'll receive no compensation for their troubles. All new arrivals will find themselves automatically enrolled in these trials, whether they want to be or not, and expected to report to the clinic. Of course they don't have to take the supplements, but the payout is certainly enticing, especially for those unfortunate enough to be branded Submissives. |
« « « STICKY FINGERS
 (cw: violence)Crime runs rampant in the Down as always but now, with the nastier side effects of the rain creating an ongoing problem, some unsavory types are sneaking their way into the Up where the effects aren't so hazardous. The result is an uptick in crime in places that are usually considered safe. Be careful how you carry yourself - and your valuables. Those who look like easy pickings may find their pockets empty. Cameras in public areas are being vandalized as well, while homes and businesses are seeing a rise in graffiti. Most of the graffiti is merely obscene, but some is outright seditious. Good luck explaining the latter to the authorities if you happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. One of the smaller gangs that has a presence in the Down is taking particular advantage of the rain's disruption to expand their territory into the Up. Known as the Bulldogs, their members are young men and they have a reputation for violent muggings and assaults - mainly targeting Submissives. They loiter in groups near the train and the elevator between the Up and the Down to ambush the alone and unwary. At night, they also prey on those walking home from bars or clubs who may not fully have their wits about them. In addition to beating up their victims for money, some of the Bulldogs are engaging in an informal competition over who can steal the most umbrellas - with bonus points awarded for whatever else they feel like. LIERs are worth double points by default, so watch out! |
« « « MOD & OOC NOTES
Please read carefully. On each Test Drive Meme, there will be a section noting character roles; these will vary each TDM. On an IC level, characters will still have gone through the doors but assignments OOCly are still randomized. When applying, there is a section of the application that denotes whether the character chooses "left" or "right". When participating on the TDM, there will be a third option. Players may link either a top level or a thread (five or more comments from their character) from the TDM and title the link as "Door Pass". This means that the player is choosing to take the designation that they were randomly assigned on the TDM, rather than taking the designation of a door. If the player decides to select a door rather than use the pass, then they are trying their luck; they may get the same designation they had on the TDM or the opposite. Once the application is submitted, players can't change their choice. To assign roles to characters for this TDM, use the following guide: Players can choose whether to assign their character as a Dominant or Submissive on this TDM for the Door Pass for March Applications only. For May's Application round, threads started here may be used as samples however they will not be eligible for a Door Pass in May. Characters will need to use a thread from May's TDM, using those Door Pass rules, for an application after the March round. To Note: Characters can only swap their designation for one of the following reasons: an event occurs that allows it or there are OOC reasons that make it a necessity. Any swap always requires mod approval and each character can only ever switch once. Characters that are being reapped will keep their previous designation but players can choose to use new TDMs with different designations for fun! THERE WILL BE NO APPLICATION ROUND IN APRIL Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have a good time!! |
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Was that all a lie? A deception? What did "timeline thing" even mean in this context?
She looks up at him and that's when the nods become negative shakes of her head.
"No, there's-- Who was I with? Who was my Guerin? Back home. If you were here, who was that?"
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He glances around again.
"Okay. Come sit."
He keeps her hand, and brings her over to an empty one. They like Dominants and submissives to sit together on this thing, so it'll give them more cover than not, and besides which, he thinks she's going to need it. He takes a breath.
"I have theories. I don't know if that's the best thing to hit you with right off, your first day here's already gonna be a lot. I'm me, though. I prop up your bar every night, I drive you crazy. I was with you in the desert. It's me, Deluca. Just younger."
Which gives him some pause, for other reasons. That might be a thing he has to cycle back to.
For now, though:
"The guy at home? He's me, too. I'll...we'll come back to that. I've been here eight months, and when I got here, Alex and Kyle had been here nine. Liz is here, too. And Max was, but he vanished, last month. Near as I can tell, we're all from different points in our own...timestream, let's call it. I know that's weird as hell, but it happens here. Kyle's a Dominant like you. Alex and Liz are both subs, like me. Luck of the draw."
And honestly, no one should be surprised that Michael drew the short straw, because what else is new?
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She needs him, even if right now his words are scaring her a little.
She's getting real tired of feeling scared though. Give her a minute.
"Oh, God," she exhales, thinking of Liz and Alex, both submissives in this terrible place. Her hand tightens minutely around Michael's.
"So..." She frowns, trying to parse timelines. "So you were on a trip with Kyle and Alex... to Caulfield?" A twinge of sadness is plain in her eyes. "But you never made it?"
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And now she's acting closer to him than she ever has, and she's saying things that...
Things that hint at more understanding from her than he would've thought possible. His eyebrows come together and his head tilts.
"Yeah, to Caulfield," he says, carefully. "We made it. We were on our way back. How do you know that name?"
And if she knows that name, and has that kind of look when she says it, what else does she know?
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She looks up and around, because this is an awful place to be doing this, having this conversation. But they've just left a stop; they've got a little distance to go before the next. And even then, if they were off the train, she isn't about to leave him hanging for some undefined period of time.
She squeezes his hand.
"I know, Michael," she says, looking him in the eyes lest he interpret her any other way than the real way.
"I know all of it. And I know so much more, too. Because you're looking at me like I'm not a part of your secrets and I am.
Not because you told me, I might add," she says, a little testily. It stung for a long while, and she doesn't want Guerin thinking everything was sunshine and roses when she found out.
"But because Rosa Ortecho showed up in my fucking store room one night trying to steal booze and there was no where else to go after that but toward the truth."
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For him it's like the train disappears. Nothing else is really important. He's watching her intensely, and then she says Rosa's name, and he rolls his eyes and looks away. Of course, they were never going to keep that genie in the bottle. Max was an idiot to do what he did.
But he'd also saved that girl's life. Michael places value on that, it's just that in so doing, Max had risked himself, and by extension, all of them.
He lifts his head, turning back to Maria.
"I'm sorry," he says, with a shake of his head. "It's not that we didn't want to. I lived my whole life with that secret, Deluca. We swore we wouldn't tell anyone, and that just...got away from us this last year."
That's not true. It didn't get away from them; Max spilled it, because he was in love. Once the beast was out of the cage, it wouldn't go back in. They all should've known that.
"So you know." He looks at her, and despite everything, it's like there's a weight off. He takes a breath. "Max told me about Rosa. About dying, about how we saved him. For what it's worth, I'm glad you know. I wish it had been me who told you. It should've been."
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"I get why you kept it secret," she says. "But you're right. You should have told me. Or Liz should have. I was owed that much."
Her lips part as she nearly spills what else she knows, but the train comes to a halt and she's already made a decision. She's on her feet and still holding his hand, hasn't let it go in all this time, and she's tugging him to his feet.
"I don't want to have the rest of this talk here," she says. "Come on. Back to mine? Or yours. I don't care. I just... I need some quiet."
Some privacy. Some normalcy. Some chance to let it just be her and Guerin and nothing else for a little while. If she can't have that, she'll survive, but that's what she prefers.
no subject
There's a lot here, though. It's not just the way she's talking to him, it's how she keeps looking at him, and certainly the way she's still holding his hand. He doesn't pull away, and when she gets up, it's natural to go with her. Again, because their designations match, no one bats an eyelid.
He steps off with her, into the Up's familiar streets.
"I'll go where you want," he says, and shrugs. "I live with Kyle, and this other kid he contracted, so if you want quiet we should go to yours."
A beat.
"How far apart are we? Timewise."
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"Months. A lot of months," she says, frowning as she answers only because she's trying to figure out where she is relative to where she wants to be. Finally, she picks a direction and heads in it.
"We're, ah, much closer now." She smirks faintly as she lifts up their joined hands like a demonstration of their relationship, like she's not simply holding onto him for comfort and dear life.
"Lot's changed, Guerin."
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He thinks about how much he likes her smile when it's pointed at him like that. He likes the hand he's still holding even more. He keeps an easy pace with her in the crowd, which doesn't really acknowledge them because they're fucking societally compliant, and that's the weirdest part about all of this.
"I'm okay with that change," he tells her, with a little smile of his own. "Okay" with it, like it hadn't been exactly where he wanted to go.
"Kyle's place, it's on the beach. Liz lives nearby, too, she and Alex are both with his boyfriend, Bass. I can show you later. They're gonna be real glad to see you. They'll feel bad about it, but they'll still be glad."
no subject
She's going to need to tell him, because he hasn't lived through it. She's going to need to love him all over again because she can't let Michael Guerin not know how much he means to her. Even if it's for the best that they break up and he can be with--
"Wait, boyfriend?" she sputters. "You mean, you two didn't...?"
It seems like a foregone conclusion in her mind. She's not there; Alex is. Therefore, Michael is with Alex. Unless they had some kind of fight and falling out or something else got in the way.
no subject
God, him and Alex. It always comes back to him and Alex. It's forever been complicated, and it's been no less complicated here. For months, Alex had been with Bass. Then he said he still loved Michael, and Michael said, if you want to do anything about it, let me know.
Since then, silence. Which is answer enough, as if they hadn't always had answer enough. Michael's so tired of being bitten in the ass by love. Whether it's Alex Manes, or Damon Salvatore, he's just tired of it.
"No, we didn't. He's been with Bass since before I got here." Which was eight months ago, for those keeping track. "They're committed. I was with someone else, until he left and forgot who I was, and now...it's complicated. Me and Alex, we were over a long time ago. I don't think that's gonna change."
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And then he mentions someone forgetting who he is and Maria has to come to a halt, stopping right in front of him.
"Fuck that," she says, annoyed and a little angry on his behalf. This place is fucked up beyond belief already; this is just the cherry on top.
"You are a lot of things, Guerin. Good and bad, you are unforgettable, okay?"
no subject
"You say that, but here you are. You remember things that I don't. And I can tell you, for nothing, I don't want to forget you. I don't want to not be part of this, Deluca. I don't want it to hurt you when you see me."
Seeing her now, it takes him back all those months. It takes him back to the desert, where they'd danced and then fallen into the sand together. That night had been fresh air in his lungs. And after it, chasing her had felt like he was in new territory, where nothing had been written yet. He'd wanted that feeling then, and he still wants it now.
It's not the same for her. Some things have been written, and hell, he probably screwed up half of them.
He takes a breath.
"Will you tell me about it? The good and the bad. I want to know, even the rough parts. Cause I know there were rough parts."
no subject
Or have they? The only reason she broke up with him was because she thought someone else could make him happier. That she would be fine on her own and Michael would find Alex again. She needed some space, too, of course, to work through everything she had discovered and gone through. But none of that changes how she feels about him.
Feelings that she cannot put into words right now. Not in the middle of the street, steps away from the apartment complex she's going to have to call home. Not right now when he hasn't so much as seen her in months. It's too much to put on him, no matter how much she wants to pick up where she left off.
She nods. "Everything," she promises. "It's a lot. Might take some time." Her lips quirk into a faint smirk. "And some whiskey."
no subject
"Well, we got time. And Kyle has whiskey."
His hand squeezes hers. This is important. He doesn't want to be her Damon Salvatore. And he does want what's between them. He'll catch up with her, one way or the other.
Now, he glances up at the apartment building. Weird as it may be, in eight whole months, he's never been to this place. He only contracted with Max after he got the house, and Kyle had already had his own place. He has no idea what to expect.
"So, this is where you live? Step up from the Pony. I'll give you one guess where I'd rather be."
no subject
"It's so... cold," she says, then shakes her head and shoulders, like she's fighting off a shiver.
"And they gave it to me. I'm either going to redecorate the whole thing or move out as soon as possible. After I find myself a hustle or five first."
They step through the front door and head to the elevators. Maria still does not recognize that their pairing is something approved of and appreciated, though she does notice that she feels less watched the second they're in the lift.
"You moved your Airstream to the Pony," she says, unable to help a warm little smile at the memory. "For a little while, anyway. I'd rather be back there, too."
no subject
"You mean I parked in your lot?" And she let him park in her lot.
Michael's been here for some time. He'd been belligerent about it, at first. He hadn't wanted to be here, he'd been angry with Alex and Kyle for seeming to have settled here. Over time, though, he'd thought less and less about Roswell. It was never home for him. This, he realizes, is the first time in months that he's wanted to go back, actively.
"I work in a bar, here." There's mischief in his voice. He's thought, many times, about how she'd react if she knew about that. "Turns out I had some experience pulling pints. Knew how to pour. Don't know where I picked that up."
no subject
"That's exactly what I mean," she says with a sly smile. "And you made me breakfast." She refrains from pointing out that it was an angst omelette, as that joke doesn't travel, but it's clear from the teasing arch for her brows that she's comfortable laying on innuendo. Especially when it's truth, too.
She tilts her head and tuts her tongue softly as he goes on. "Now that's something," she says. "Almost like you've been watching a master at work."
no subject
Good enough to remind him why he'd been so into her in the first place.
He's leaning against the elevator wall, but when she talks about breakfast, he comes closer.
"I did watch. And you know what, I'm not half bad. You should come there with me. Drinks'll be on me, I think I owe you by now."
And you know, if that leads to him having drinks with Maria Deluca, who is he to complain?
no subject
She glances away and down for a brief moment before she looks up at him again, decision considered and made in a heartbeat.
"You owe me," she agrees, gently, without any kind of annoyance in her emphasis. "Things are different back home, but I think that, yeah, you need to buy me drinks."
For a couple of reasons, really. Mainly because she needs them, and as her friend with a hookup he should be providing. But also because she realizes, despite her stupid heart, she cannot dive back into Michael Guerin the way she might want to.
no subject
He's really damned taken with the way she's smiling at him.
"I'll make them, and everything," he tells her, with a smile of his own.
The elevator stops, and he glances out of it. This is a damned sight better than the motel in the Down. Michael gestures for Maria to go first.
"Guess I finally get to see how the other half live. You have a roommate?"
no subject
"Uh, no..." She says it uncertainly; she thinks she knows how things are laid out here, but she could be wrong.
"I think that--" She points to the other door. "--is for my neighbor, but I've got this all to myself." She fits the key into the locket and opens it for them. "Really gotta lay it on thick, don't they? The differences."
Which Michael will probably notice the moment they step inside and Maria flicks on the lights. It's not at all her style, but it is classy and sleek and clean. It's the kind of hotel room/slick apartment that not even Roswell the city would put up. There's not a single cowboy or Native American motif anywhere.
"I hate it," Maria says without inflection as she tosses her keys on the coffee table. "I mean, I'm not complaining. I just-- I'm gonna need to get out of here."
no subject
"I get it," he says, shrugging. "Kyle has a mansion on the beach. So did Max. It's a long way from an Airstream."
He gives her a little half smile. Michael had never wanted to live the high life. He'd never aimed for it, had never tried. Places like this aren't where he's comfortable. They're not where Maria's comfortable either. He knows that as well as anyone.
"There's other places. Apartments, houses. I had a friend who bought a warehouse, turned it into a garage with a studio on top. I'm glad you're here, though. I wouldn't want you in the motel."
It's not a good place for anyone. Maria deserves better than that.
no subject
"I want the Pony," Maria admits as she half-follows him. "But I guess I'm going to need a job to start. Or five. Do you think any of the native Dominants around here would like that white lady spiritual magic?"
She smiles and resists the urge to reach out and touch him.
"Is the Down really that bad?"
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