duplicitymemes | TDM #4 ( revised )

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TDM #4 ( revised )

« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »

« « « HERE WE ARE AGAIN

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.

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.

Oh, and one more thing. It's fucking cold. Better bundle up.

» » » LIES TRAVEL IN COMPANY

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.

« « « END IN THE DISCORD

While the societal climate between Dominants and Submissives remains somewhat neutral throughout Duplicity, there has been the occasional whisper of defiance and call for equality. Yet, demonstrations and visible proof of this unhappiness spreads faster by word of mouth on a day exactly when you need it most.

Welcome to Autonomy, a "traveling" nightclub that is never in the same place twice. People wanting to attend only learn of its lucrative location and password hours before it opens for business. Tonight, I choose the third door will get you inside and into the temporary freedom club Autonomy has to offer. In this circle, there are no assigned designations and no consequences for taking a role that isn't the one given by society. So, a Dominant may become the Submissive they've always wanted to be—or vice versa. Dominants and Submissives alike are able to mingle without repercussion and be themselves. Food, drinks, and private areas for more intimate – or if your preference is sexual – encounters are provided. Donations are accepted at any point during the night to further Autonomy's attempts of spreading the fulfillment that comes from being untitled.

On the night you choose to visit, Autonomy is holding a random lottery for temporary connections. When entering, you have the choice of submitting your name into this drawing to be paired with someone else in the club regardless of designation. A short while later, a message will pop up on your device with the name and information of your partner, and whether or not you choose to meet them is purely at your discretion. Having more than one connection isn't completely unusual either.

» » » TABLE IT FOR LATER

Gratification of being a successful Dominant or Submissive isn't necessarily simple. Learning curves are to be made, and mistakes will happen. Led by a Dominant and Submissive couple – Miriam and Victoria, who have been paired for twenty-two years – a monthly meeting for unattached Dominants and Submissives is held in the conference room of Morning Wood motel in the Down. The meeting starts a few minutes after nine and has no designated end time. The couple introduce themselves and explain the purpose of the meeting: learn the proper method for a new kink and possibly find your perfect partner. The space is intimate and well-stocked with refreshments.

To begin, Victoria, while blindfolded, balances on her hands and knees with her back perfectly level. Her partner, when ready, places various items on the level surface–a full cup, a plate. The Submissive is meant to hold the items until the Dominant believes she's reached her limit. The exercise is one of trust and understanding. The demonstration is a short one, followed by Miriam removing the blindfold and soothing her Submissive. The words are whispered low and with care, clearly a method that is specific to this couple. The process is concluded with the pair handing out workups, videos, and answering questions. Anyone wishing to practice Purposeful Submission can do so in the open room with a random volunteer, aided by the couple, or can find someone to take to one of the rented rooms. Sex may follow any scene but is not necessarily included. Experimenting with unattached Dominants and Submissives allows for new relationships to form.

« « « MOD & OOC NOTES

Please read carefully.

On each Test Drive Meme, there will be a section noting character roles based on birthdays; these will vary each TDM. On an IC level, character 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 chose "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 characters who have blue eyes or one blue eye and another color are Submissives. All characters who have brown eyes or one brown eye and another color are Dominants. Characters with any other color eyes are Dominants. To use this TDM as a door pass please link this on your app and place whether it is Dominant or Submissive.

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

» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ To be fair, her drink was pretty small, and it wasn't like she had been drinking it constantly. She had been more focused on looking around. It was probably easy to miss.

She sits in the booth across from him, smiling as she does so.]

So, I guess we should probably get some of the major questions out of the way. I'm Videl, and I've been in this city for a little over three months now.

[She's friendly, that's a good thing. He's pretty good with acclimating to people's personalities-- after all it's a necessity as a good leader. So while he'd usually give an intimidating air, he actually does what he can to ensure that whatever conversation they have will be a pleasurable one.]

I'm Eizen, and I guess I'm a new arrival. Can't say I'm happy with how thing have turned out, but we'll see where my actions lead me.

[In other words, he's already going to be a troublesome submissive for this place and he's going to get in a lot of trouble.]

[ Videl's not really sure what she should say in response to that. Mostly because as a dominant she doesn't want to come across as trying to actually enforce this place's stupid rules.

On the other hand...]

Well, if I were you, I'd try to at least be a little conservative in any actions. That mark of yours means that the idiots in charge of this place aren't going to be lenient if you end up breaking any laws.

Good. I appreciate the challenge.

[There's also the small problem with his curse and how it may affect those who try him and those he'll come to care for, but that's a problem he'll figure out how to deal with another day.]

As a pirate, I don't intend to follow by the rules of society imposed upon me. [Hmm, he also realizes that people don't seem to know he's not human, either. Unless they can sense his distorted domain or the magical energy he's emitting.]

... Is that really something you should be so open about?

[ Because wow, just claiming you were a pirate was probably not smart. Unless he wasn't actually one and was just trying to impress her. If he had shown up with her three months ago, she might've been a little more wary about him, but, well, she has no love for the assholes running this place at the moment.]

But I don't really blame you for not wanting to follow the rules here. Heck, I've worked with law enforcement back home, and even I don't really want to follow this place's rules.

Why not? It's unlikely I'm the one that's going to get hurt in the end.

[He smirks, but it's not a cocky one, but one that's confident. He knows his trade and he knows it well. However, it's not just that either as he downs his drink and places the glass back on the table.]

After all, I'm the Reaper.

[He's not sure what kind of reaction that will get him here. Back in his world? Reapers are feared due to their distorted domain and Eizen's definitely made a name for himself and the fact that his domain has caused quite a huge amount of misfortune to those he loves, his peers, and even those he's simply bumped into.]

Take that as you may, however, just know that by associating with me your very life could be in danger. [Calm down, edgelord!]

So that's my stance on this place. [Tl;dr-- bring it!]

[ She was about to response to his first comment, but pauses at him calling himself the Reaper. Usually she would assume that he wasn't being literal... actually, considering he just said he was a pirate he almost certainly wasn't being literal.

Which means that it was a nickname. Likely because he killed people. Probably a lot of people. She tenses a bit, but doesn't make any more to get away from the table just yet.]

... Mind elaborating a little on why you got that nickname?

It's not a nickname. It's what I am.

[He raises his arm in a shrug. It's something he feels he has to continually explain himself, but it's better that people know and are aware of his cursed existence instead of finding out the hard way.]

People refer to me as a spirit of sorts-- most of my kind give blessings, but sometimes there's someone, like me, who has a distorted domain. We're called Reapers. You know, Gods of Death, Shinigami, those things. In essence, my existence is a curse to others.

[He explains it so nonchalantly. It's not as if he's threatening or boasting, but he's also not afraid of who he is either.]

[ Videl blinks, because that certainly wasn't what she had been expecting. She doesn't know what a distorted domain means or anything, but she's able to understand the gist of it, and she actually relaxes a little. ]

Okay, so it's not because you outright murder people...

[ She shakes her head, before letting out a bit of a sigh. ]

Well, hopefully you'll get lucky and that type of thing won't actually be in effect here? Though from what I've heard, dying isn't exactly as permanent here as it is in other places...

[As soon as she says the word 'lucky' he laughs. It's as if he's heard a joke, a bad one, but one he still reacts to.]

I don't think you understand-- I'm as unlucky as they come.

[He takes a gold coin out of his pocket, and flips it. As soon as he catches it in his hand he shows her the outcome: tails. He didn't even have to look as he speaks:]

It's still in effect here. No matter how many times I flip this coin, it will always land on tails. And the fact that death isn't permanent may be a nasty curse. It could just mean my domain will kill those over and over again, which sounds far worse than death itself. [Really, there's only one thing that scares him more than that, and that's becoming a dragon, but best not to mention that. It's clear she's already confused by everything he is.]

Edited 2019-01-13 20:33 (UTC)

[ At first Videl's not sure what she said that was so funny, but once he actually explains it it does make a sick sort of sense. Though she's not sure what the coin always landing on tails means as far as luck is concerned.]

So, for the coin, what would happen if you decided that you wanted it to land on tails?

[ She's not going to comment about the dying over and over thing since, well, that does sound like it would suck. A lot. It hadn't been that long since she had died, and even though she was mentioning it not being permanent it's not like she wants to die again anytime soon.]

It would still land on tails.

[He flips it for her again and it lands once again on tails. It's almost as if telling her as if he has a decided fate that can't be overturned by anything he does. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't. It sucks, but he's accepted it and lives life to the fullest as a result.

However, to prove his point, he hands her his coin.]

If you flip it, however, it will land on whatever with the normal fifty-fifty chance.

[And if she flips it, she'll see it does land on heads periodically.]

But if you want it to land on tails, wouldn't it still landing on tails then be good luck?

[ She does take the coin when it's offered to her though, looking over it for a moment before going ahead and flipping it. Sure enough, it does land on heads. Then she does it a couple of times for good measure, and while it's not at fifty percent see remembers enough of what she learned in school to know that she didn't flip it enough times for that to be accurate.

Either way, it's definitely hit both options at least once.]

...Okay, so there's not anything weird going on with the coin.

Well, there's plenty wrong with it. It's one of the few suitable items to be my vessel.

[As a result it's a cursed item, but not as badly as he's cursed other things, like you know boats. That didn't end well for quite a few crews of pirates when they became convinced the ships he possessed were haunted.

Well, they were haunted in a sense so...]

Just another thing that goes with my kind. We need vessels in order to not corrupt and become daemons.

[Though in his case it probably helps his curse from spreading further than need be...]

[ Okay, but there didn't seem to be anything wrong with it as far as it being a coin was concerned. Either way, it doesn't really matter at this point. The point was was that he was apparently the least lucky person on the multiverse. ]

... Do you need it to be near you for it to stay as your vessel? Or does it not matter anymore now that it is?

[ She doesn't know what would happen if he did become a daemon, but she's pretty sure it's not good.]

In a sense, yes. It's why I always have it on my person otherwise that connection could end up being severed.

[Yeah, no one wants him to become a daemon. If he does, he'll become a very large and mindless dragon and no one wants that whatsoever. In any case, he grabs his coin and pockets it as if proving his point.]

[ Yes good take the coin back what were you even thinking letting her touch it?]

You won't turn into that daemon thing immediately if something does happen to that coin though, right?

[ Because there's no guarantee there will be anyone around to stop him if he does, and she doesn't want to try to see how she would stack up against some sort of magical monster. She's pretty sure she isn't strong enough yet.]

The likelihood is pretty low right now. Even if my coin were taken or broken, I could use something else as my vessel.

[Just that 'something else' would be cursed and haunted. Oops.]

I could very well use you if I wanted to.

[Okay, so that's not actually true and he's joking, but the fact he has a straight face and sounds completely serious makes it seem like it's not a jest at all. He needs to work on his comedy...]

[ Okay good that's a relief because even if she doesn't know what exactly a daemon is if it's bad news then it'll be nice to not have to worry abou...

Wait a second WHAT!?]

How does that even work?!

It was a jest. You would need to have a sort of resonance, I suppose, to actually be my vessel. Not any human could do it.

[There's no smile, nothing as he reveals he was joking. Just a shrug of his shoulders as he pours himself more alcohol and takes a drink from the glass.]

And I'd never force someone to be my vessel anyway. I may be cursed, I may be far from a pleasant being, but needlessly cruel is far from what I am.

[ Videl let's out a sigh of relief at hearing that, though she's actually not entirely sure that he was joking about that. Especially considering all the other things that he had added on to it.

But still, it was good to know that he wouldn't just do that. At least, if his words could be taken at face value. ]

Please don't joke about something like that again. Unless there are people from the same place as you here, you might end up causing a panic. [ She's not sure how likely that actually is, but it's definitely still possible. ]

[Whether he acknowledges her words or not is unknown as he takes another sip of his drink. He's gotten a lot of backtalk from people and really, he's used to it. Between his curse, his terrible sense of humor, his bragging, well, he's just found it easier to ignore it and move on than acknowledge it.]

Trust me, there are many other things people should be panicking about here.

[Like the place in general.

Also his curse, but to him, it's a moot point once he's brought it up and warned people at least once.]

Okay, you're not wrong, but there is a difference between the people running this place and someone who claims they can use magic to possess people.

[ Even if that's not what's actually happening, that is what what he said sounded like.]

Using someone as a vessel and possessing them are two totally different things.

[Though he's seen Laphicet overpower his human vessel and possess her, in a sense. Even then, one would have to be an insanely strong greater malak to attempt that.]

I can only curse people, and not intentionally.

[He says it like no big deal, but he really does think it's a big deal. Just... yeah he's tired of it all.]

That doesn't matter. The point is that when they hear you joke about it, that's what their mind is going to jump to.

[ It's certainly where her's went, anyway.

She'll just... not comment about the cursing people part. Since well, it's not like he's trying to do that part. And part of her is still a little skeptical about him actually being able to do that.]

TDM #4 ( revised )

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