duplicitymemes | TDM #22

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TDM #22

« « « 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 paper gown 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 highrise. 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.

Winter is here and snow flurries are common in the Up while the slush collects in the Down.

» » » ALL ABOARD

After stepping through the door and participating in orientation, LIERS are assembled together in the Up for a tour of Duplicity in its entirety. 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.

« « « WINTER WONDERLAND

As a particularly heavy snowstorm blows across the city, Duplicity finds itself blanketed in white. The morning after the storm, many citizens seem to be in a particularly mischievous mood and snowballs are a common sight flying through the air. A projectile meant for someone else may hit you square in the face if you're not careful — and then it's on. Joining these impromptu snow battles is encouraged, no matter a person's designation, and even Submissives teaming up to pelt unsuspecting Dominants with snowballs is generally taken in the spirit of good fun. Not everyone is throwing snow, of course — some are rolling much larger balls and shaping them into lewd snow figures.

Those feeling chilled after playing in the snow may experience the urge to warm up with someone else, skin to skin. Whether they're a stranger or a familiar face, holding hands, kissing, or getting down and dirty with the nearest willing partner is invigorating. It might even be the only way to really feel warm again.

« « « DUBIOUS DELIVERIES

(cw: aphro, humiliation kink)

Want to make some quick cash? After exiting the train in the Down, there seems to be a questionable character hanging about the station. Dressed in a trenchcoat and looking more like a flasher than the businessman he claims to be, this shady recruiter offers easy money in exchange for a simple delivery. Just take a package and drop it off at the address on the label. Really, that's it! Stop asking questions.

Should characters decide to open the package themselves instead, they'll discover one of the following: glitter — so much glitter, lube (appears normal, but actually contains hot pepper and will cause more than a mild tingling sensation if used anywhere sensitive), a package of flavored condoms mysteriously labeled "every flavor" (none of them taste good), candy or perfume containing an aphrodisiac that, in addition to the usual libido-boosting effect, will also cause an intense craving for humiliation.

It seems to be one of those services that allows one to send anonymous prank gifts, and they're hiding behind LIERs as couriers. There's no return address or company information on or inside the package, except for a card marked Encoded Sin Corp — which does not seem to be a real company if the name is searched.

Whether characters end up delivering the package — maybe even to a fellow LIER — or get into some trouble along the way, someone is getting a nasty surprise.

« « « SURPRISES FOR SALE

(cw: aphro, dubcon, excessive fluids, exhibitionism, public use)

A small winter market has been set up along one of the major streets in the Up with stalls selling a variety of goods ranging from knitted hats and scarves, soaps, scented lotions, candles, jewelry, artwork and assorted crafts to hand-dyed bondage rope and kinky leather accessories. Food and drink stands are plentiful as well. Strings of lights crisscross the street between the roofs of the shops, providing a cheerful glow, and there are tables set up in the street itself for people to sit and chat while having a snack — if they can stand the cold.

Some of the most popular treats being sold are hot chocolate, eggnog, marshmallow snowmen, and sugar cookies decorated like snowflakes. Of course, their popularity may have something to do with the effects they produce when consumed.

• The hot chocolate simply gets one all hot and bothered.
• The eggnog may cause heavy production of sexual fluids, a desire to be filled or covered with someone else's cream, or all of the above.
• The marshmallow snowmen will make those who eat them want to invite others to use them as they please, desiring nothing more than to be molded into the perfect fucktoy.
• The sugar cookies seem to induce all sorts of different cravings — after all, no two snowflakes are alike!

These effects tend to last at least an hour and may, in some cases, last up to a full day.

One of the jewelry shops sells an unusual selection of compass pendants and bracelets. The compass arrows spin round and round lazily while the pieces are on display. Once worn, however, that changes. The arrow will settle on a direction, but instead of pointing north it will lead directly to another person. Perhaps you should speak to them? You may even begin to feel magnetically drawn to them yourself… In the event that two people have compasses that point them at each other, the attraction will be even stronger — nearly impossible to deny.

There is another shop which sells intricately designed pocket watches and small clocks. When these timepieces are stared at for an extended length of time or picked up and handled, characters will feel a brief but strong connection to their past and experience a vivid flashback to some moment that was, in whatever way, meaningful for them. After reliving the memory, they will feel compelled to speak about it to whoever is nearby.

« « « 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:

If your character likes it hot, they are a Dominant. If your character prefers the cold, they are a Submissive.

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!

Test Drive threads can be used as activity proofs for characters currently in-game.

Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have fun!!

» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Yeah. That’s a thing, too. All kinds of pain, not just the kind carried in the body.

Ephemera watches Kazu for a moment, then nods. ]

A few. Some friends.

[ He hesitates. Then: ]

My partner.

[ Kazu's expression softens at that and he nods in understanding. They're just two dead soldiers on a roof, commiserating about moving past awful shit to be with people they care about. ]

Then don't doubt that living with it to live at all is the right thing. We've gotten a second chance... there's so much we can use it for.

It's something. Even on the hard days.

[ He taps his fingers against his helmet. He's suited up. Ready to go, even if he's not in as much a mood to spar anymore. ]

Out of curiosity, how bulletproof is your rig?

[ Hmm. There's a question. Kazu takes the change of subject easily, but has to think a moment. ]

It was described as near bulletproof. I wouldn't want to rely on it at point blank range, but I also haven't had to.

[ He taps the pauldron on his left shoulder and trails his fingers down to the attached bracer, bending his forearm up like a shield. ]

This is completely bulletproof.

Damn. That's impressive.

[ Doesn't look like it's sacrificed strength for mobility, either. Ephemera tips his head to the side. ]

No helmet?

No, but I'm also not usually... exactly...? My body is not meant to be in the field. I've fought in this before in emergencies, but we wear them for a separate purpose. They just didn't downgrade the materials.

[ Why bother? The more perks the better! ]

[ He nods slowly. Kazu mentioned that, with the holons. It's a neat trick, though Ephemera supposes there are downsides. Limitations when you're not putting your physical body in the line of fire. Otherwise, everyone would be doing it. ]

Bet it comes in handy. I'm not bulletproof - not really. Everyone's using armor piercing arounds these days. But it helps. I can take a lot of damage before I go down.

You mean back home, though. I'd bet no one here is using armor piercing rounds, not that would get through...

[ He reaches out and taps Ephemera's armor curiously. As if he could determine what kind of alloy it is from that. (He can't.) ]

...what is this, even?

You’d be surprised.

[ Though Felix never uses a gun against him anymore. Hasn’t for a long time time. Ephemera shoves that thought away before it can spiral. ]

It’s a titanium alloy. Holds up pretty well.

Would I? Should I be worried?

Hmm? No. People don’t use guns that often around here, anyway.

[ He shrugs dismissively. He doubts it’ll be an issue for anyone else. ]

Right, that's what I thought...

[ Which means something isn't adding up here. :|aaa ]

I’ve had some run ins with people from back home. Don’t think it’ll be an issue for anyone else.

[ Mostly just Felix, actually, but he’s been operating on the assumption that all the Freelancers arrived with their gear. ]

[ Hold on, he's putting the pieces together. The mission to let go of, and people from home.... those enemies are actually here. And they have armor piercing rounds. ]

It's still good to know. Especially now that we're acquainted.

[ Ephemera’s remaining eyebrow goes up. ]

You’ve just met me. What if I had it coming?

Well, you did, you were trying to kill them. Now you're not. That could change again, but until it does?

[ Kazu shrugs. ]

It was war. I'm sure I'll meet them eventually and get to form my own opinions directly. I have never fought just because someone tells me so.

Huh.

[ Its not how Ephemera would have approached it, if their positions were reversed. Sometimes, people just tear each other apart. There isn’t always a good reason.

But they have a second chance here. That’s worth something, isn’t it? ]

That’s a good way to move through life, I think. Decide for yourself.

[ If people are tearing each other apart for no good reason, they aren't the type Kazu wants to be around. But either way he'll find that out for himself. As it stands he likes Ephemera fine and by his own admission the others aren't hurting anyone, so Kazu's just going to hope they're decent people outside of their world's conflicts.

He does have to laugh bitterly at that assessment, though. ]

Not in the military, it's not. But I've been making my own life difficult for the better part of two decades, why stop now?

[ Ephemera does laugh at that because no, it's really not. ]

Fair point. You and I got that in common, I think. Never did move through the ranks much. Had one of those attitude problems.

[ That, and he wasn't willing to cross that one last line. ]

Oh no, I moved. Straight to the bottom!

[ He's proud of it, honestly. Especially now that he's returned triumphant and given orders to General Anno himself. ]

Nobody wanted me to be their problem. I got bounced around for a few years until I'd pissed off every officer in Japan who'd take me, then they gave up. I was demoted to kitchen duty until the ESU found me.

[ Another chuckle, and Kazu tilts his chin up and puts one hand on his hip, almost posing. ]

We're all Polity, but relations with the Vanguard are terrible. I'm pretty sure if it was a request for anyone else Anno would have refused, they were just so happy to get rid of me I was in America two days later.

[ There are pieces Ephemera doesn’t quite understand, but he can follow along easily enough from context. And he grins, because he’s known soldiers like that. The ones who wouldn’t take it on the chin, who never lost that spark. ]

You know, I like you.

[ It's really just the names that would be unfamiliar -- the point is how he's a rebellious pain in the ass and that comes across loud and clear.

He'd probably be getting in trouble here constantly, if not for Val. ]

Of course you do. What's not to like?

[ Said with the tone of someone who knows there's plenty, and is actually very happy to hear otherwise. ]

[ Ephemera smiles at that. Yeah, he likes Kazu. His energy, how he sees the world. It’s rare that he can have a conversation with another soldier that doesn’t inevitably spiral back toward the awful they survived. And there were pieces of that here, but not all the time. ]

You wanna spar? Or just get some food? My partner’s teaching me to cook.

Hmm, you're wearing a half ton of metal. I would only break my fingers if I tried to punch you.

[ Doesn't seem fair, does it? He's curious about these cooking lessons now, though, that sounds very cute. ]

What can you make so far?

True.

[ Ephemera shrugs, tapping his fingers absently against his helmet before he motions for Kazu to follow him and heads for the door. Might as well, right? ]

Pancakes. Pasta. Working on stir fry. And I tried cookies once that weren't completely terrible.

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