duplicitymemes | TDM #36

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TDM #36

« « « 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 LIEs 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 LIEs 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 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.

Submissives are provided with a plain black pleather collar to wear and Dominants are given bracelets made of the same black pleather. The simple design is an immediate visual indicator that they have not yet signed a contract and they will be informed that more elaborate or personalized styles are a privilege reserved for those who do.

Enjoy your free time until Orientation! Participation is mandatory for all new and past arrivals.

Spring rains are in full force. It's wet out there.

» » » 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.

« « « RAIN RAIN GO AWAY

(cw: clothing destruction/public nudity, altered mental states, suggestibility)

While the pleasant spring weather has finally taken hold of Duplicity, this also means there's rain in the forecast. A rather large storm is on track to hit the city, and, in preparation for the deluge of water that will be hitting city streets, LIEs has decided to provide all new Submissives with their very own umbrella to use at Orientation. There's just one catch, however — to use these umbrellas, Submissives must share them with a Dominant.

The timing is quite fortunate, too, for as soon as Orientation wraps up, the rain begins. Those who have been in the city long enough will remember that these storms have a way of lingering longer than initially predicted. The rain is also a bit on the acidic side, with the unfortunate side effect of dissolving any fabric it comes into direct contact with. Better use that umbrella unless you want to walk the streets wet and in the nude. Fortunately, the umbrellas are just big enough for two people to fit underneath together — so long as they're willing to cuddle in close.

Pairs who deign to share their umbrella will find that, the longer they huddle together beneath it, the more amicable to one another they'll become. More than that, however, each designation will be affected in a distinct way. Dominants will begin experiencing a stronger instinct to be more spontaneous, making spur-of-the-moment suggestions or shirking off the remainder of their responsibilities for the day. For Submissives, however, this means greater suggestibility, especially those who are often quieter, more reserved, or even more repressed in nature. Deciding to do something spontaneous, especially something you'd never choose normally, seems a little less daunting when someone else has come up with the idea. Maybe today is a good day to let the rain wash away the rest of your plans so you can spend as much time as possible with your umbrella partner before the clouds retreat.

» » » PLUGGING LEAKS

(cw: altered mental states, suggestibility, increased libido)

Thanks to the rain, the Down is uncomfortably wet, and much of the shoddy and crumbling infrastructure is especially prone to leaks and even flooding. The city-provided Submissive housing isn't immune to these issues, and LIEs, being ever so "helpful," are handing out free buckets, duct tape, and an assortment of varyingly useful tools to patch up the leaks and clear out water. It's up to newcomers and other LIERs who might be living in the Down to deal with the problem themselves.

Chatter begins to swirl in the Up — it's that time of year again, where those who are looking for an easy contract should take advantage of the desperation of those dealing with less-than-ideal living conditions in the Down. Whether these good samaritans wish to go into the Down to help out is up to them, of course, but the rumors aren't unfounded. Prolonged exposure to the runoff water in the Down, courtesy of all that flooding, leaves Submissives feeling particularly desperate and keen to please, unable to help throwing themselves at the first Dominant they see. Willing to do anything is an understatement, and those under the influence are incredibly susceptible, perhaps even easily manipulated into going along with whatever a Dominant may suggest, even if it's something they would normally object to. It also doesn't help that Submissives are needy in other ways too, as if a switch has been flipped for their libido. Some may even find themselves physically wet and ready to get it on.

« « « SLEEP UNDER THE STARS

(cw: potential transactional sex)

With the provided Submissive housing being rather miserable and soggy, despite attempts to patch leaks and keep things dry, LIEs has taken pity on the newcomers and provided them a drier alternative.

On the edge of the woods in the Up, there are a series of tents that have been set up for uncontracted Submissives to use if they wish, but the conditions there aren't much better by comparison. Amenities are, understandably, meager, with each tent only containing one sleeping bag and pillow apiece. There are a few old pots and utensils available if individuals want to attempt to cook over a campfire, but beyond that they're on their own.

Submissives in search of a nicer place to sleep for an evening or two have the option to perform acts of service for a Dominant, who, in return, will be permitted to purchase them a stay at a nearby hotel at a discount. Dominants are encouraged to offer their services for Submissives who wish to comply. If Dominants are feeling extra generous, they can invite these soggy Subs to stay with them instead for a short duration — although the expectation from LIEs is that a contract will be signed by the end of this temporary sleepover, of course.

» » » 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 the assignments are OOCly 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:

All new arrivals on this TDM are 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 tag on 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

And steady hands.

There's an archery range at the Community Center in the Down.
I'd advise keeping your skills sharp.

Thanks! I intended to regardless but an archery range is a welcome surprise.

I don't supposed you'd know where I could buy more arrows?

[ She'll figure out the money part eventually, but knowing if and where they're available will be good motivation. ]

I would. I run it.

The Dreamforge, also in the Down.

Seriously? That's great!

Can I come by? Is it pet-friendly?

[ Half a minute passes, then: ] By pet, I mean animal. Dog. Apparently you have to clarify that here.

Of course. Pets welcome, as long as they're well behaved.

No free samples, however.

[ Kate blinks. In her excitement, she forgot capitalism as only someone raised rich could.

(In her hurry to recover, she forgets again that it's actually capitalism with a twist now.) ]

Oh! Yeah, of course.

I'll just get to distributing some resumes and we can circle back on that soon. Hey, do you think it'll count against me if all my references are in a different realm?

Not if you stick to LIERs-owned businesses, which will pay you better anyway.

Are you familiar with any arms besides bows?

Oh nice, that's a much better answer than I expected.

I am, but you wouldn't ask me that if you knew how good I am with a bow.

[ Lorca will remember that. ]

I'm asking because I'm hiring.
I'm looking for someone to man the counter and it'd be nice if they had some idea what they were talking about.

Then look no further because I absolutely know what I'm talking about. I know bows, I know swords, I worked for a security firm up until, well, today, so I know tasers and guns too.

Is that so.
What kind of work did that entail?

We're a one-stop shop, so background checks, private investigations, surveillance, security staffing, pretty much anything and everything.

[ She uses the parts that are useful and omits the rest: the fact that the company is Kate's family's enterprise, that they were laundering money for the Kingpin, that the CEO— Kate's mother— was arrested last night on a tip from Kate herself. The irony that he can't run a background check of his own is not lost on her. ]

[ The forge is concerned with weapons and ammunition. The bar attached is a hub for coordinating mercenary work. The potential in her skillset is appealing, if she's not woefully scrupulous. And if she is, he can just have her work the front. They couldn't get away with their shadier dealings without doing a hell of a lot above board, too. ~~i am so sorry kate~~ ]

Come in for an interview.
We'll see if you're a good fit.

[ Kate is frowning at her screen. Was that not the interview? (She has never had to job hunt in her life.) ]

What's the vibe like? Business caszh?
Strike that, I don't know why I asked, I have one outfit
Okay I'll be there see you bye!

[ Uh. He — okay. Conversation over, in a manner that's somehow both rambling and succinct. He's reminded of Tilly. Hopefully Hawkeye is less mousy.

They haven't set a time but he assumes she has nothing else on her plate, being new. Lorca's there when she arrives, dressed casual in navy blue and black. A bespoke bracelet indicates his contracted Dominant status. He clocks the dog at her side with an, ] Ah. [ and rounds the counter to extend his hand to her. ]

Gabriel Lorca. Welcome to the city.

[ If it weren't for the fact that in her so-called housing, everything that isn't actively crumbling is actively flooding, Kate might have left Lucky behind. She may be new to securing her own job but even she suspects that taking a dog to an interview might be pushing her luck. But the circumstances are what they are and she did get the go ahead to bring him along, so here they are, Kate in her black and purple Hawkeye suit, Lucky looking particularly shaggy with his rain-frizzed coat. ]

Kate Bishop. [ She reaches for his hand but pauses, her arm hovering in midair. ] Just to be clear, handshake is the move here, right? Because it just occurred to me that it might not be wise to assume social customs are the same across the the multiverse.

[ That's a very reasonable question, amusing mostly for the fact that it's the first time he's heard it. It's less a custom than a play, in his case. On a starship, Imperial or Federation, he wouldn't bother to greet a subordinate as an equal. With a new Submissive, it's a subtle, effortless way to ingratiate himself to a potential contract partner. ]

Handshake is the move.

Great! [ She goes in for the shake, her grip firm not out of any intention to assert herself but just because she doesn't half ass anything. She's not consciously aware that as a play the handshake works just as intended. The quickest way to earn goodwill with Kate is to treat her like she is on the same level, especially now that she has to survive within a social construct where that is by legal definition not so. ] So Dreamforge, huh? Is that, is there a history behind that name?

[ Lorca matches her pressure and lets his hand fall. He shakes his head at her question, not a fan of the name himself. No story, no matter how interesting, could change that, so he hasn't asked. The one good thing about it is that its fanciful tone hardly screams "under the table arms dealer." ]

Before my time, if there is. [ He gestures at her suit. He might take it for a matter of personal taste if not for the shoulder guard. ] That looks like good gear. They must have grabbed you in the middle of something important.

Oh, thanks, it's new! [ Kate is very excited about it; she makes her own gesture at the suit, a flick of wrist directing the eyes up and down. It was commissioned from her own design and she shows it off with pride. ]

It was your run-of-the-mill Christmas Eve firefight at 30 Rock. Light work. [ She shrugs like it's nothing, like she didn't fight a Black Widow and the Kingpin by herself, like she didn't have her mom led away in cuffs. Like she does this every day. ] Oh, but I did get to shoot down the tree!

[ 30 Rock doesn't mean anything to him, but he gets the gist. He's more interested in what happened than where, and she's not shy about that. Could have just as easily told him she came from a competition. ]

Sounds like field work. [ Why sweep that under the "anything and everything" rug when it's by far the most impressive of her skills? ]

[ Kate looks up as if her eyes are physically following a thought traveling across her mind. She wouldn't have called it field work, if only because there are so many cooler ways to express that you've been fighting off the mafia with an Avenger. But what's an Avenger to someone who didn't even move when she mentioned shooting down the world's most iconic Christmas tree? ]

Yeah, you could call it that. [ She finally agrees, nodding. It certainly sounds better than vigilantism. She points at her face: the bright crimson cut across her nose, the purpling around her left eye. ] I mean, it'd be kind of embarrassing if I looked like this from sitting at a desk.

[ He concedes that point, nodding his head. It might be a misuse of her abilities to stick her behind a counter. There's certainly room for growth if she can prove herself trustworthy. In the meantime, it'd be a hell of a boon to have the front of the forge handled by someone who can defend themselves and the business. ]

I've got something for that. [ He heads back behind the counter, leans to grab something, then places a first aid kit down in front of her. The white metal is thickly coated in scratches and black smears. ] You don't get marks like that from keeping your distance either. Is close combat another one of your skills?

What? Oh! Oh, no, I can see why you'd think I'm just engaging from long range, with the whole— [ She lifts her bow ~~that was there the whole time but only just now mentioned oop~~ up in demonstration. ] —but yeah, I've been training in martial arts since I was five. Been all over the competitive circuit, too. I usually default to aikido, maybe judo, but I've dabbled in just about everything.

Thanks, by the way. [ She sets the bow down on the counter and moves to open the first aid kit but stops short, looking up. ] Don't suppose you have a mirror around here too?

[ From age five? She's trained like a Terran. Or a Vulcan. It's challenging to reconcile that with her excessive candor. For someone who claims to be highly trained, she seems to lack discipline.

At the request for a mirror, Lorca clucks his tongue. There's the bathroom, but he's not keen to hover in the doorway while she leans over the sink. ]

This way. [ He jerks his head towards a closed door in the adjacent wall. Heading there, he fishes a set of keys out of his pocket to unlock it. It leads into a hallway, the end of which opens into the neighboring pub, Vein. Daylight pushes dimly through the tinted warehouse windows. The building's facade is shabby and stained; the interior is richly decorated and well-maintained. ]

Behind the bar. [ The entire wall is a mirror. He escorts her there and flicks on the light. ]

TDM #36

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