TDM #1

[duplicitymods]

« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »

« « « OUT OF CLUTTER FIND SIMPLICITY

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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.

» » » LIES TRAVEL IN COMPANY

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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

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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

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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

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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. For characters with a birthday falling in the months of January to June, their designation will be Dominant. For characters with a birthday falling in the months of July to December, their designation will be Submissive. For characters with an unknown birthday, their designation will be Dominant. Arrival into Duplicity has not been used as a prompt as it is a rather large part of introducing the game and will be saved for the first in-game log. But feel free to thread it on the TDM. Also, any locations throughout Duplicity are available for TDM prompts as well! Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have fun!!

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» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

Comments

[sealeted]

[She's still and silent against him, well-versed in the importance of hiding too, until he breaks the silence.

She looks up at him, still breathing a little hard; her cheeks are flushed from the sudden exertion, her bangs are mussed, and her smile is probably as bright as he's ever seen it this evening.]

I'm good at working under pressure. And I won't say no to a bonus, either.

[killful]

[He sees her smile and he wants to snuff it out. Maybe if he wraps his fingers around her neck, he can stop this mistake before she makes it. Didn't her mother tell her not to talk to strangers? A ruffian is hardly the sort of friend she should be making. There is more to him than his lust for blood. He licks his lips. Instinct: what leads his eyes to her flushed cheeks and unkempt hair. What would happen if he took her then and there? His heart races at the thought. After all, to steal was in his nature. That's what they said when they left him to the dogs.

But Hakuno... won't do that. Will she? Of course not. She barely knows him.

And yet his eyes are trained on his lips. Instinct. He is so parched.]

Haha... What kind of bonus you want?

[sealeted]

Before that, are you all right?

[The adrenaline and victory surges are dying down, and she can feel his heart beating hard in his chest, pressed together as they are. Her entire life, she's always had to be well-attuned to the health and wellness of the Servants around her, and now is no different.]

I don't know how fast mana expends itself in this world, but I don't mind topping you off, if you need it.

[He... sort of helped her?

Well, no, he dragged her into trouble along with him, but she can't say it wasn't a fun little thrill.]

[killful]

Don't you think you should say something smarter?

[He doesn't need a refill yet, no, but does he want it.]

I might do something you'll hate.

[sealeted]

It's not like I'm facing down another extinction level event. I think taking a little time to make sure you're okay is fine.

[She tilts her head to one side.]

How do you know I'll hate it?

[killful]

[She doesn't understand. Almost no one ever asks if he's okay. Yan Qing tries not to shiver in delight, but he can't help it.

He shoves her back hard against the wall.]

Sometimes I don't ask for permission.

[The pain doesn't matter. She's not his Master.]

[sealeted]

[Oh, she thinks as her back hits the wall, and her perceptions of this situation abruptly shift.

She looks up at him, thoughtful but without any apparent apprehension.]

No, but you certainly do like to give warnings. It's pretty nice of you to make sure people know what they're getting into, Yan Qing.

[killful]

[He traps her against the wall with one arm at her side, keeping her from slinking away. Nice?

His tone remains even.]

You got a lot of guts, saying my name like that. I'm just nice 'cause I like you. Everyone else can go to hell.

[sealeted]

Hey, I worked hard to figure it out.

[She bumps her shoulder against his arm, playful and calm even now.]

...wow. Now I feel kind of special. That's sweet of you...

[She pauses, and looks him in the eye, still smiling.]

Yan Qing.

[killful]

[Between her earnest efforts, her candid smile, and the nostalgic sound of his name, he snaps.

His lips seize hers, prying them open as he moans and drinks in her taste. Hakuno is no Ritsuka but she says his name so sweetly and he can't help it. It's like a spell all on its own, intoxicating him with a dream that will never come true. But fleeting as dreams are, he prays they never stop. His tongue dances against hers, licking the hot underside in the hopes he'll coax out a moan before she says it again. Maybe he'll burn the name into her throat when he's through. ]

[sealeted]

[Something finally connects in her brain, a little oh, right sort of realization. Something about him had been familiar, beneath the posturing and preening, and now, pinned and kissed breathless, she understands what that was.

He has a bit of Tamamo in him, this Assassin.

It would make sense, if she had the time to really remember his story and the type of Heroic Spirit he'd logically be. That desperation for acknowledgement, that question—do you have a preference—the clear and present desire for monopoly and ravenous need for attention. It's all so very, very familiar to her.

It softens her, and she can't help but let her hands slip up to cradle his jaw, urging him closer as she sighs, soft and pleasant, against his mouth.]

[killful]

[Foxes are the sly sort. For anything, they will lie, steal and kill. Hakuno certainly has a Servant to go back to and Yan Qing has a Master to serve, but when both are not here, he can't stop his mouth on her mouth so clever with its words, so smart as she coaxes him in. She is gentle and giving and he is desperate in his taking. Did she need this like does? His voice and affection pour into her like honey as hips pin her to the wall and fingers thread through her hair as if to keep her there, keep her. The temperature rises and he's tempted to melt her down and mould her to his shape, a shape that fits him. She makes it so easy.

But it shouldn't be.

A string of spit forms and breaks as mouths pull away with a smack. He's breathing hard, feverish, but he's sober. The mind forgets but the body remembers and he thinks he remembers himself a little better.]

Thanks for the snack.

[But they are inches apart, his collar is gone, and he can't stop a hunger with much else.]

Let's do this again sometime. You know what to call me, don't you?

[sealeted]

...

[She blinks up at him slowly, her eyes large, dark, and endlessly hungry.

One hand idly shifts from his face to hers, touching her lips as if to press the memory of what he's just done there, pinned and preserved. There are large, calloused hands in her hair for once, a frame more than a head taller than her pinning her down, her mind is fogged over with nostalgia and exciting new experiences, and perhaps that's why the first thing that actually comes out of her mouth is:]

So that's what it's like with a man.

[She blinks again, a tiny bit more rationality trickling in, and tries to actually focus on what he's saying instead of the lines of his face and the warm, sweet way his breath puffs against her lips as he speaks.]

...oh. So that was just a 'snack'?

[She smiles again, and pretends her knees don't feel like they're melting. If Tamamo were here, she'd be dragging her away.

If Nero were here, she quite possibly might cheer Hakuno on, in favor of indulging in all things beautiful.]

The bonus I've got coming must be something pretty stunning then, huh, Yan Qing?

[killful]

[What, so he's her first? He cracks a twisted smile. Oh, he's forgetting again.]

Not here.

[A Heroic Spirit still has secrets he needs to keep. He brings his lips close to her ear, his voice like smoke:]

If you're gonna say my name, it'll be for me alone. Got it?

[sealeted]

[A shiver dances down her spine and she leans in a little, running on pure instinct. She nestles her mouth just as close to his own ear, obediently softening her voice even more. It hasn't been so long that she's forgotten the anxiety of having to his a Servant's identity, banter aside.]

...is this the part where I'm supposed to invite you somewhere private, then?

[killful]

Haha, someone's excited.

[He rewards her words with his lips on her ear, then his tongue, pulling and tracing the edge of the shell.]

Only if you can handle it.

[But judging from the state she's in, he's sure he's left her with one option.]

[sealeted]

[She has rarely, if ever, been completely prepared for anything that has ever happened to her, in her entire life. Hakuno knows this, under normal circumstances, but she also knows that she has somehow survived despite it, so her response is simple and reasonable.]

W-well, there's certainly one way to find out.

[...as reasonable as she can be with his mouth on her.]

[killful]

[He cackles.]

Oh, I really like you.

[What happens next is without compromise. He sucks on her skin hard enough to leave a mark on her neck—his. Then he lifts her over his shoulder, grip tight as he begins his ascent up the city skyline. He knows where to take her and how. Instinct: doesn't it feel good to say yes? He hopes she doesn't change her mind.

He might get mad.]

[sealeted]

[Her mind reels at the sudden one-two punch of events, but luckily she has her own instinct to fall back on, staying loose and relaxed in his grip. There's an undertone of experience as well; she's been hauled around by Servants at breakneck speed before, though usually for a much more unpleasant reason.

Her heart is thundering in her chest—

Is she going to do this?

Is this happening?

Does he really like her?

—but she's never had much time to bother with regrets, and now seems like a particularly poor time to start. Instead, she runs her finger over the damp, tender skin he had marked, just beneath the line of her choker, and tries to keep her wind-swept hair from completely obscuring her view.

It's a strange city, but beautiful when blurred by speed and distance.]

[killful]

[ The weight of a word depends on the audience, but does anyone think about what the author meant? He is a word up for no interpretation; his thoughts are his and his alone—or so he wants to think. So his "like" can be as deep as the sea or as light as an instant's caprice. With all the people in his head, it's hard to tell at any given moment. But if anyone asked, he would err toward the answer that benefits him the most.

He likes her, but only for tonight. Smart as she may be, there is no telling when she will close him for a better book to pick apart. In the meantime... Aren't there more important things she should be worried about?

Like how he enters his own room through the open balcony window, or how he shoves her onto the bed in one fluid motion. ]

[sealeted]

[She spills onto the covers in a flutter of hair and skirts, bouncing slightly with the haste of the action. A part of her wants to laugh, wants to to tease, but she catches his eyes in the dark of the room, sees him backlit by the evening vista, and her cheer dries up, leaving something smaller and trembling in her chest instead.

She shifts onto her elbows and takes a moment to breathe. To think.]

Well... now who's excited?

[killful]

[Yan Qing answers with his shaking breath. He crawls up her body, each step sinking into the mattress, and he hopes tonight's lesson will do the same. A servant usually obeys his master, but his Master isn't here, and Masters should learn how to listen.]

Oh, I'm doing just fine.

[His grin is like the crescent moon, bright against the dark of the night. He said he had enough of power, but she trembles under the way he pins her down like a specimen to observe, preserve, dissect. He can't help it.]

But Hakuno, don't you think you said yes a little too quickly?

[sealeted]

Quickly...

[To be fair, he has a good point. He's a man she hasn't even known for an hour yet. He's a Servant possibly from an active Grail War. He's an Assassin by class and by skill, and this is the second or third time he's warned her off since they met. All things considered, no, this is not the wisest choice she has ever made.

But it's not the dumbest, either. The thought settles her, and she smiles again, faint and shadowed by his silhouette.]

It was quick, but in the end I think it's up to me whether it's 'too' quickly, don't you think?

[For the first few months of her life, survival wasn't guaranteed past the next seven days, if that. She's used to making quick decisions, and living with the consequences.

Still, a thought pops into her head, concerning him.]

...Yan Qing, are you having regrets? We don't have to do anything you don't want to.

[killful]

[Yan Qing smirks. She says a lot of interesting things, this magus. This stupid magus. Doesn't she ever think things through? His gauntlets disappear into stardust as he runs his fingers up her chest.]

Oh? Why are you being so nice to me? You know what I am, don't you? A servant.

[They wrap around her neck.]

A Servant.

[sealeted]

Yes, you're Yan Qing.

[There is little that can compare to being in the crushing, overwhelming grasp of a titan, but that isn't to say that Hakuno doesn't notice the danger she's in at all.

Assassin. Throat. It doesn't take a genius to see how this could go wrong, though Hakuno discards the probability for the moment. She reaches up herself, the fingers of one hand ghosting over the edge of his jaw.]

I'm being nice because I want to be nice to you. Do I need another reason?