TDM #17

[duplicitymods]

« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »

« « « ALL ON DISPLAY

---

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: Prolonged erections Lactation in both men and women Size enlargement of breasts or genitals Copious amounts of ejaculate or sexual fluids Sudden interest in previously unexplored kinks While others might find their own reaction to be a little more severe: Shrinkage of breasts, genitals, or entire being Inability to cum Uncontrollable hair growth or hair loss Temporary loss of one or more senses Spontaneous weeping 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!!

---

» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

Comments

SCP-073 / Cain ( scp foundation ) dominant

[scp073]

( rain rain go away )

[ maybe you got caught unexpectedly, trapped in a store or other building as the rain starts falling. umbrellas are hard to find right now, and the rain ruins clothing, so why risk running out into it? it's fine, because there's suddenly a young man some distance away, clear plastic umbrella held aloft. he's of dubiously middle-eastern descent, though his eyes are a bright glowing blue, and there's a strange symbol the same color apparently carved into his brow. he's wearing a wool suit and leather gloves, and the hint of his wrists between cuffs and gloves are of odd metal prosthetics. he's also, despite being a dominant, wearing a metal collar with a blinking light in it.

he offers a mild smile, crooking a finger in invitation. though if you choose to approach, he halts you some distance away. ] Apologies, but you're not carrying groceries, are you? Particularly fruits and vegetables and the like..? [ what an odd question. ]

( network | un: cain )

Good afternoon. I don't suppose anyone would have recommendations about where to obtain necessities that are not plant-based? Sheets and the like, I mean. I'm afraid that I can't use cotton and other, similar materials. (And silk is currently above my budget.)

In addition, I'd like to begin employment immediately. For some decades now, I've worked in archival storage, and I have an eidetic memory, so jobs that make use of such things would be greatly appreciated. Although I can't be within a certain range of living plants, it's perfectly safe for me to handle by-products such as paper and wood so long as I wear gloves.

Thank you for any assistance that you can provide. :)

un: thearchivist; text

[compellingstatement]

Why, exactly, can't you be around plants?

[scp073]

An unfortunate effect of my curse, I'm afraid. All living plant-life withers away to dust near me, usually within a 20m radius.
It's been smaller since arriving here, though. Convenient, as I'd rather not kill anyone's houseplants.

[compellingstatement]

[That is fascinating.]

Provide me with answers to the questions below (and any others I can think of) and I'll purchase you a wool blanket for your bed.

Why were you cursed?
Who cursed you?
Is it anything transferrable?

[scp073]

[ how abrupt. it's not all that different from his years under the foundation's care, though. ]

- I was cursed because my offering displeased my creator. And I killed my brother.
- My creator.
- No.

Why are you asking?

[compellingstatement]

A professional interest.
I deal with cursed objects and paranormal activity here and at home.

- Why did you kill your brother?
- Who or what is your creator?
- Are you a synthetic lifeform?

[scp073]

[ .... ah, another one. ]

I see. "Deal with" in what manner?

- Rage. I didn't understand what I'd done. We were new things.
- Yahweh.
- No. I was human a very long time ago. One of the first.

[compellingstatement]

If it's actively hurting people?
Attempting to burn it.
If that doesn't work, sinking it in concrete and burying it.
I have associates who deal with the creatures that might be attacking people.
Sometimes it's just investigation to sort out the details of what's going on.

[The next question is a bit in coming.]

Oh, god, you're not going to tell me you're Adam from the Garden of Eden or something.

[... No. Wait.]

Or that your brother's name was Abel?

[scp073]

I see. I'm familiar with similar organizations.

I suppose you got your stories about us from contemporary religion. Gardens, serpents. Woman made from man. They're only the latest in a dozen similar religions, all tailored for the civilizations that have risen and fallen with them. I walked the earth long before the current human experiment.

And I'd prefer the blanket to be a cool or neutral color.

[compellingstatement]

What organizations?

Expand upon the "human experiment."
An actual experiment you're claiming to be aware of?
Something like the LIEs program with a different function in mind?

How aesthetic of you.

[scp073]

There are always such organizations. I've belonged to one for some decades now.

Humanity has risen, populated the earth, died out, been replaced by other beings, which were then replaced once more by humans, over and over again.
Yahweh is no benevolent father. Nor are any of the other gods or monsters or things that have dabbled in creation since.

I may as well have preferences here.

rain rain go away

[coffeeandsmokes]

[Pretty. Very pretty. Very exotic. Also, a little weird with the glowiness, but not too disturbing to stop him from considering the possibilities. Umeda scowled at the man as he crooked his finger. Sometimes that was appealing, at the moment, not so much. He wasn't quite out of the shelter yet when the man spoke but he gave the guy a look holding up his empty hands.]


Do I look like I have groceries? What kind of asinine question is that? Are you gonna share or what?

[scp073]

[ his lips quirk up in a mild smile, evidently not bothered by the rude response. given his age and the things he's lived through, that probably isn't a surprise, though. ]

I try not to assume what you might have in your pockets or in some dimensional space. Or elsewhere. [ the small smile widens at the corners, and he tips the umbrella invitingly. ] I have an unfortunate effect on plant-life, [ he adds by way of explanation. ] I wouldn't want to ruin something you've bought.

[ the hand not holding the umbrella spreads slightly to indicate the rest of the city. ] Where were you heading?

[coffeeandsmokes]

What kind of effect?


[Giving out information wasn't Umeda's first choice, so when he could ask a question instead of answering one, he did. Plus, that was a seriously weird question. And he was suddenly happy he didn't have any cigarettes. They weren't strictly plants, but if they counted . . . He'd be pissed if his cigs got ruined somehow.

He hurried over to share the umbrella even though he wasn't sure he'd be staying. Might as well get a nice close look at that pretty face after all. The glowy effect was even more obvious up close, but it wasn't scary. It was weird, but also sort of beautiful. The guy really was gorgeous.]


I don't currently have any plants on me, so I think we're both safe. But what happens if I did?

[scp073]

They would rot away to dust, most likely.

[ he's not ruling out the notion that there may be things here not beholden to the effects of his curse, but he hasn't encountered them yet, and why take needless risks?

he allows the stranger to stare to his heart's content, well-aware of the oddity of the mark, his eyes, the biolights in his prosthetics. or perhaps he's more interested in the face and body those things belong to, or the person beneath the face and body. he can't say, and doesn't intend to question it too closely at the moment. ]

My name is Cain, [ he adds after a few moments, because sometimes it helps make something less strange, to have a name to put to it. ]

[coffeeandsmokes]

Well. That's unusual. Why do they do that?


[He wasn't being rude, not on purpose, and he wasn't trying to be insulting either. The guy was just lovely. It was hard not to stare. And he didn't notice anything terribly inhuman, not that Umeda thought to look for that kind of thing. Back home, a lot of students were into cosplay so unusual features and random lights weren't all that odd to him. He just assumed it was makeup or something.

Probably. Maybe. It helped him cope to assume that things were easily explained away at the moment. His lips twitched up into a smile and offered a faint bow, a slight dip of his head really.]


Umeda. Nice to meet you, Cain. Are you new too?

rain rain!

[extent]

( something about this guy makes nick's senses very unhappy indeed. he doesn't look particularly unpleasant, actually he seems very polite, but there's something that rubs him entirely the wrong way, a base level sense that something about this guy is oil to nick's water.

despite all this, he still answers. )

I think these are off brand Oreos. ( he squints at the packet, at the rain, at the stranger with an umbrella. he squints internally too, trying to work out if it's worth a sprint in the rain because of some inexplicable vibe he's getting from this guy's energy. ) Do you want one?

( he eyes the umbrella again. he'd naturally ignored the storm clouds rolling in earlier, assuming he'd make it back home in time, and now he's caught between waiting in the store front or risking the rain. or....talking to the weird stranger that actually hasn't been all that weird, so far. )

Don't suppose you feel like taking a walk to the beach?

[scp073]

[ he blinks at the offer, then smiles, shaking his head once. ] Thank you, but I don't eat much. [ and while most junk food is, indeed, junk, a great deal of it is still plant-based, which means his curse prevents him from so much as touching it.

a walk to the beach in this weather, though..? it's not exactly warm enough for a swim, is it? but then, maybe this young man lives out there; he's heard there's a small beach community in the city.

he shifts, tilting the umbrella to give the boy room beneath it. ] Gladly. [ he offers out his other hand, clad in a short leather glove, metal gleaming darkly where neither glove nor cuff covers it and a blue glow spilling from between the joints of his visible wrist. ] My name is Cain. I only arrived a few days ago, so I'm afraid you'll have to navigate. [ that's not exactly true-- he'd taken a glance at a map of the city and knows it very well as a result. but his memory tends to alarm people, so he doesn't often volunteer that sort of information. he's alarming enough without it. ]

[extent]

Oh, that's sad. ( it's not really, it's just a fact, offered without any emotion one way or the other. nick eyes the packet he's holding anyway and then pops a whole cookie into his mouth, before reaching his hand out towards this strange stranger.

he hesitates just short of taking the man's hand, wonders briefly if that's rude. decides that it is, and shakes his hand firmly, the right way, just like his parents taught him. they didn't teach him to talk with his mouth full, but really he can only be expected to pay attention to so many rules at once. )

Cain, I've got the directions covered. You just worry about the umbrella and we will be all good. ( he smiles himself, trying to make himself at ease as much as he is trying to seem friendly. ) I'm Nick. Be careful, I think the rain does weird shit.

[scp073]

It is, isn't it? [ the current version of humanity was still using stone tools in caves the last time he was able to feel sadness for his situation, but he does have to acknowledge that it is, even logically speaking, a terrible fate to have. not that this boy knows that, of course; he's being flippant about oreos.

the hesitation doesn't offend him. he's aware of what he must look like: the strange marking on his brow, his prosthetic limbs, even the collar ringing his throat that he hasn't bothered to remove yet. he still isn't entirely convinced the foundation won't show up to retrieve him. given the priceless information they keep in his head, it's doubtless one of their top priorities if they even know he's missing.

he waits, patient, as the boy--nick--finally takes his hand, returning the shake with a short, friendly squeeze before releasing him. ]

It's a pleasure, Nick. And yes-- [ a glance up through the clear plastic at the rain falling as they walk. ] --I noticed about the clothing. And the.. amorous urges that resulted. I think I'm a bit too old for that sort of desperation.

[extent]

( nick claims to have the directions covered, but nick cannot be trusted to have the directions covered — because more or less as soon as they start walking he's focused entirely on the curiosity next to him, and not at all on the streets that they're taking. )

It's kind of their whole thing here, you've probably gathered. ( casually, like it's a fun fact about the city, a weird little holiday custom and not habitual aphrodisiac dosing.

maybe the glow is the root of his strange impression from the guy. it'd be rude to ask, just like it's probably rude to eye the blue hue he can see below the wrist of cain's glove. nick doesn't do either of these things, difficult as it might be, and things don't exactly change but it certainly doesn't feel as jarring to be walking next to him after a few moments as it did when nick first approached.

good thing, too. it's not like the umbrellas are massive. )

You don't look old. Anyway, I don't think the city minds. Good thing you don't eat, I guess, feels like half the food is laced. Sorry, how old are you?

[scp073]

[ it quickly becomes apparent that nick either has no idea where he's going, or he's too distracted to pay attention, so cain begins to subtly guide them to turn where appropriate. he'll send them to the main boardwalk and hopefully nick can figure it out from there. ]

I have, [ he murmurs, and chooses very carefully not to think of the years of his youth. .. well, relative youth. the first rise and fall of humanity.

his lips part to respond again--he eats occasionally, to keep up his strength, his diet is just very particular--but the boy is easily distracted and jumps from the subject before he can address it. he finds himself smiling again, amused and a little charmed in spite of himself. people are never so easy with him anymore-- but then, he's one of the foundation's artifacts, not technically considered a person. and foundation personnel are the only ones he gets to speak to any longer. ]

Very, [ he says at last, when it seems as if nick wants the answer to this question. ] Millions of years. Billions, perhaps. One has a way of losing track of years after long enough, even with my memory being what it is. Are you familiar with the story of Adam and Eve? [ he doesn't really like using it as an example, given how terribly inaccurate it is, but it's technically correct about some things. ]

[extent]

Um.

( it's not that he doesn't believe the man exactly, because he has no reason to lie to nick, and it's not even that his overly complex belief system doesn't allow for the possibility of some truth existing in the garden of eden story. it's just that it's one thing to think about things in theory, and it's another thing entirely to be talking to a person claiming to be more or less as old as existence.

and nick offered him an oreo. )

Oh, shit. Cain? Cain. ( nick had never attended a school with a particularly dedicated world religion department and as such doesn't remember a whole lot of the story, but he knows enough to raise an eyebrow at the man.

as the story is told, he murdered his brother. now that story could be wrong – the man is awfully polite, after all – but if it's rude to stare at a glowing wrist then it must be rude to ask about...that. it absolutely kills him not to ask. ) Dude, you're probably the oldest person here. That's– wow, I would have thought you'd be like...insane after being alive all this time.

[scp073]

[ he hums a laugh at the stare and the following exclamation, twirling the umbrella handle absently, a shoulder lifting in a small shrug. ] I suppose I might be. [ it's possible that there might be older beings here. gods, seraphim and the like. but if there are, cain hasn't run into or sensed them here yet.

as for insanity-- ] My curse prevents me from losing myself that way, [ he admits, reaching up to tap the mark on his brow with his index finger. ] Though admittedly, I've disassociated for centuries at a time, out in the wilds. [ with nothing to do, no way to occupy his mind, eternity stretching out before him in all its infinite dread. ] I prefer cities when it's safe, although it usually takes a long time after civilization falls for humanity to advance itself significantly enough for cities that large.

[ and he's seen humanity develop and rise and fall.. more than once now. ]

.. Why the beach, by the way? Do you have a home there?

[extent]

Mark of Cain, very biblical. It actually works?

( that part he actually knows a lot more about, though it's by virtue of the witch thing and not the history knowledge thing. he's certainly not going to test it, but that's as much about nick not being a jackass as it is the curse.

still, it's all very curious, interesting stuff, that absolutely puts into context the enormous amount of strange that he's unable to ignore from the man. it probably explains why something about his magic itches in the presence of him, at least. nick can't even begin to fathom that kind of time passing, so he doesn't even try. he just eats another cookie and points the packet emphatically at Cain as they walk.

he realises that he hasn't paid a lick of attention to where they're going, but in a stroke of pure 'luck' it seems, they're going in the right direction anyway. )

Oh! Yeah, I don't visit the beach in the middle of horny rain downpours. Well it's not my house, I just live there. Can't own property. But you could, maybe you should scope the market while you're there.