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

[Tim's brain seems to skip the first option, straight to the dirtiest possibility. He's still a teenage boy in some respects.]

A private room? [to practise?!] Has anyone ever told you that you're very forward?!

[Ah! Shit, that. That's right. Her face heats up like a furnace and she looks like she's swallowed a whole frog right there.]

...no...but I meant to talk...and wait them out...[She practically croaks, looking back at the teacher and trying hard not to.]

[Tim quickly picks up on the mistake and takes Makoto's wrist and actually does pull her into a private room and shuts the door behind him]

Breathe, don't panic. Sorry, I just presumed. We're so surrounded by so much [He indicates around him] and my brain went in the wrong direction.

[Flustered, Makoto just sort of rolls with that, letting him pull her into that private room to escape the teacher and the class. Once the door shuts, she leans back into it, arms crossed, breathing out finally.]

We...yeah. You're right. We are surrounded by so much crap. It's fine though.

[Looking back over her shoulder at the door like the teacher's going to follow, she pushes off and walks over towards a big hotel-style armchair and drops into it with a thump.]

I'm Makoto, by the way.

[Tim decides not to think about what activities might have been performed in that chair and he's certainly not telling Makoto]

I'm Tim. It's nice to meet you? Better circumstances might have been nicer but we work with what we've got hey?

I'm presuming you've never um- done anything like this before?

[Let her keep herself in the dark...yeah. That's probably better, even if they do clean them.]

Yeah, it's nice to meet you too. [Her look is appraising, her smile relieved that they're finally on the same wavelength and somewhat amused.]

And no. Heck no, I don't make it a habit of being kidnapped and pulled into another dimension. Or...make people into tables? I don't get it, what even is the point?

It's just weird.

[Cleaned or not, it's his own imagination which is the enemy here]

I've actually had the kidnapping happen before, although not to this scale of um.. distance? or organisation? It was just a regular kidnapping basically.

Well, the point of it is different for everyone, or at least from what I know of it back home. Some find it sexually thrilling but it doesn't even have to be sexual, some people just want to relinquish control for a little while, put the responsibility of their happiness and well being into another's hands for a while. It's an act of trust.

This though, well I don't really know how to think about this.

Sorry...to hear about the kidnapping.

[Guy really deserves a break.]

And yeah, I get that some people might like it? BDSM stuff I mean. I don't think I'd be able to accept it, or make someone do it unless they really, really wanted to.

But that whole thing out there was beyond the stuff I've heard about. It was really uncomfortable.

[He shrugs off the whole kidnapping thing. He doesn't seem concerned by it]

I guess that's the point though, you're not supposed to do it with someone unless they're really want to, with you specifically. That's what made that out there so uncomfortable. You hadn't consented to be part of it even if they seemed comfortable with each other and were okay with you seeing.

Right. No, you're right. But...

[She looks at him with a touch more concern.]

What about you? I mean, you didn't consent to it, and you're talking like it's just me. Are you okay?

The same situation that allies to you, applies to me. It's just easier talking about it as if it's only happening to other people I guess?

Or I just compartmentalize everything perhaps.

I'm fine though. Well as fine as one can be when kidnapped into a sex society.

I guess that's fair.

[She snorts a tired, disgusted breath.]

I really don't like that whole angle either. Have sex or get punished, or whatever they were talking about. I had a hard time focusing in that orientation meeting. Kinda makes me want to punch something, just thinking about how creepy that is.

I can go over the rules again for you? Basically, you have three months to gain a contract with a person of the opposite orientation from our own. On top of that, we're expected to have sex at least three times a month although that need not be with the person we're contracted to.

[You didn't ask but he's doing it anyway unless stopped]

Subs have temporary housing in the Down and will likely stay three until contracted as you can't really purchase most things or work anything but the lowest level jobs without permission of your Dom.

[He'll go through the whole description of Duplicity unless stopped]

[Makoto snorts and shakes her head, listening to it all over again rather than asking him to stop. She has to remind herself of that. Remind herself just how fucked this all is.]

I got it, Tim.

[If he continues, she'll probably chuck a cushion at him or something.]

It's stupid, gross, and ten kinds of messed up. But we'll get through it. You included.

[There's a slight pause.]

How old are you, if you don't me asking? Not in like, a forward way. I'm curious.

[He'll catch the cushion and finally stop spouting out rules]

Yeah, we will, even if we don't find a way out, it's just a year, right? Then they just put us back home. That's just 36 acts of sex under pressure. No problem?

and I'm 17, yourself?

[The business suit can either make him look younger or older in some person's eyes. It's a perspective thing.]

Yeah. Just...36 sex acts.

[That's hard to put into words, but it's getting easier.]

I'm nineteen. About to turn twenty, though I guess that depends on the date here.

You...go to a private school or start college early or something? That's a pretty sharp suit.

[Sorry, Tim is a bit of a downer sometimes. He looks down at himself.]

Ah no, I wear this to work. I may not go to high school anymore.

What about yourself? The fact that you have a uniform usually means a private school.

It's just what I woke up in. I'm Japanese, though. All high schools have uniforms.

[She shrugs, running a hand down the familiar brown skirt.]

I graduated and started running my own business, a florist's shop. Just...kinda getting by.

[With a little help from her friends. Really she's just sort of waiting for Usagi's wedding and some changes her friends are going to bring about on Earth.]

What's your job then, if you're not a student.

[She's out of high school but when LIES bought her here they put her in her school uniform. There's something really gross about that but Tim is keeping his mouth shut]

I'm currently the CEO of my adoptive father's company.

You're the owner of your own company though straight out of school. That's very impressive and a florist is a lot of hard work too. I'm terrible at keeping plants alive.

[To be fair, it's only been a couple of months.

She perks up at the compliment, and takes it at face value. Tim comes across as a pretty genuine guy, after all...]

Company might be a strong word. Small business. But I'm hoping to grow.

Not half as impressive as a CEO though. Is it a big company?

It's still really impressive though, I'm sure once you're back you'll do well. You seem like you've got a good head on your shoulders.

I do have help from people my father trusts so I'm not on my own and you could say it's big. [He smirks like he's got a secret]

What kind of person do you hope to find here? So you can get through this year relatively unscathed.

[Well she's curious what kind of secret but his question derails her train of thought completely. Yeah, she's blushing. She certainly has met a lot of really handsome guys and really gorgeous women, here. Her thoughts sort of run down the list but nothing sticks out as any defining trait, and she answers with her customary blunt honesty.]

Just...someone who's nice? Not a creep, I guess. I haven't put much more thought into it than that, yet. There's plenty of nice people around, though.

What about you?

I haven't talked to many people yet but I hope you're right about the nice people and that you find someone.

Me? Someone, I can trust I guess. It's such a nebulous request but I honestly do not know what else I want?

[After how things ended with Steph, his trust issues may be on high alert]

I wonder if I'm going to become one of those people who just hooks up with strangers to get through this year. I never thought that would be me but picturing who I would look for I keep coming up blank.

I would want something meaningful but am not going to force it you know?

[Makoto nods. She gets it, definitely.]

I feel you. I mean...I don't think I'm a prude or anything, but I want something more meaningful too.

[She stands up suddenly, hands slapping against the arms of the chair to push her standing, and walks over to stare out a window.]

Maybe it'll only be random the first couple of times till you figure out what you do and don't like. You'll make connections. We both will, Tim. I'm sure of that.

[He smiles at her, the optimism is nice. He wishes it was contagious. Still, he smiles at her]

I wish you- both of us the best of luck.

If I had a drink I would toast that or something...

Re: Table it for later. also poor Tim

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sorry I passed out and then DW wouldn't let me reply :(

I hope you mean slept and not passed out passed out. DW has been a bit wonky lately.

slept, of course.

Re: slept, of course.