Duplicity Game Mods (
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TDM #8
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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. ... 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. The hellish summer heat is finally starting to subside, and the cool breeze suggests autumn is approaching. |
![]() 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. |
![]() The weather’s getting cooler, and people have begun transitioning from summer clothing to the sweaters and jackets of early fall. With jackets come pockets, and with pockets come a bizarre uptick in robberies. Then again, perhaps the correlation is flawed. In the Down, getting robbed is a constant threat. Gangs of street toughs look for lone or inattentive people who look like they’ve got valuables on hand. Uncontracted Submissives are particularly easy to rob, since authorities have little time to bother with a lowly Submissive without a Dominant to advocate for them. One particularly nasty gang of young adult men, the Bulldogs, hangs out near the train, looking to ambush unwary Submissives fresh out of Orientation. They are prone to violent muggings and will simply beat up their target and leave them in a gutter when they’re finished robbing them. In the Up, the streets are nominally safer, but there have been reports of a group of college-aged Submissive women taking advantage of their designation to attack travelers. They, too, stand near the train and the orientation center, looking to seduce passersby into an alley where a group of them can beat and mug their victims, usually Dominants looking to capitalize on their pretty appearances. But you’re truthfully at risk anywhere in the city. The new arrivals are easy targets, and any brazen thief might get the idea to make some quick cash. The authorities are spread too thin to help, but perhaps LIErs can look out for one another? Or they might just get in on the thievery. Everyone’s out for themselves, after all. |
( CW: potential dubcon, drugs, BDSM/sexual torture, prostitution, public use ) Surrounding a large building near the orientation center in the Up, banners and fliers announcing the beginning of the inaugural Duplicity High Tech Sexpo, a trade show for businesses and manufacturers of adult novelties. Since this is the expo’s first year, admission is free and many excited volunteers are handing out vouchers all over the city. These vouchers can be exchanged for goods and services within the expo, but have no monetary value outside of it. Even if you refuse them, you’ll likely find two or three of them tucked into your bag or pocket. Inside the expo hall, there are dozens of booths pitching a variety of entertainments. Many offer interactive demonstrations, showing off their tech for the crowds of interested onlookers. Competition is fierce, and booths try to attract attention and customers through any means necessary. There are private rooms all around the expo for potential customers to try out the products. Booths will also happily accept volunteers for demos, or try to recruit them by bribing them with cash or free samples. There’s a nasty rumor going around that some are recruiting volunteers via more illicit means, like drugging and dressing them up, but surely that’s an exaggeration… Some of the smaller booths sell more traditional toys and accessories: leashes and collars, specialty lubes and massage oils, fetish gear, strap-ons, dildos and vibrators in myriad shapes and sizes, and other basic items. Others advertise apps for the devices, the most notable of which is HUGGR (which LIErs may recognize as a poorly rebuilt sex-themed version of a certain other app.) The closer you get to the big-ticket sponsor booths, the more elaborate and fantastic the products become. One of the most eye-catching demos is for the Climax VR Headset. You and a partner both wear a VR headset, which displays a collaborative virtual scenario. Both partners can alter the setting and surroundings however they like, and any sexual activity conducted in VR transmits real sensations to their bodies. You can come together without ever physically touching. Symphony Hydraulics have a large, loud booth where crowds gather to watch perhaps the most outrageous demo: a variety of fucking machines. Volunteers get stripped, strapped in, and turned on, brought to screaming orgasms in front of the whole crowd. There is a fifteen minute break between demos on each machine, as some poor intern hurriedly washes and sanitizes them between uses. In the interim, they offer smaller, portable versions for sale or rent at the expo. (Some may note that a few of the Symphony Hydraulics staff members look a bit familiar.) Does all this high-tech equipment have you overwhelmed? Wish you could go back to a simpler time? Sir Robert’f Bedroome Provifionf (sic) is helmed by historical reenactor Robert Plum, who has also created his own line of medieval torture device-themed sex toys. Need a chastity belt to keep your Submissive all to yourself? A rack with an attached spreader-bar? An iron maiden with soft vibrating silicone ticklers inside? All the stocks and whips and chains you could ever need? Sir Robert has you covered. Of course, everything on display is harmlessly altered for sexual novelty purposes, but one might also ask to see Sir Robert’s “special” merchandise in the back. Perhaps the most unassuming booth at the expo belongs to Grandma Hattie’s Snacks and Sweets. Grandma Hattie, a kindly old Submissive, has partnered with a tech company to produce what appear to be completely normal vending machines, stocked full of her tasty homemade bread, snack cakes, and other baked goods. Vouchers are good for a free sample of any treat from a vending machine. They taste amazing and have no apparent odd effects-- until 10 minutes after consumption, when you suddenly gain an insatiable craving for a random kink. Your craving will dominate your thoughts for three hours, or until it is appeased. |
![]() (CW: potential dubcon, objectification) By far the largest and shiniest booth comes from expo sponsors Sexy Metal Incorporated, who have set up a display of their incredible high-tech sexbots. These life-sized dolls are made of extremely realistic material that feels like warm human skin, and come with state-of-the-art mechanics that give them lifelike movement. Engineers show off how the bots can be plugged into a computer and programmed to act any way the buyer likes. They come in a wide variety of customizable appearances and eerily, some of the bots on display look exactly like people you may know. Booth staff encourage customers to buy these dolls, or to rent them and give them a try onstage in front of the fascinated crowds. If that’s not kinky enough, one of the engineers has purchased a VR headset from another booth, and programmed it to interface with the bot’s controls. Care to slip inside the silicone skin of another person? |
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: In celebration of our one year, pick whichever role you want for your character! » A Pocket Full of Pennies: Feel free to come up with any free-roving gangs or petty criminals you like for your characters to tangle with. » New Flesh Like A Glove: Characters can spend money on items at the expo, or may exchange vouchers for what they want. Each voucher has a value of about $5 within the expo and they may be acquired by finding them, having them handed to characters/stuffed in their pockets or bags by expo volunteers, or paid them in exchange for “volunteering” at booths. Characters may indeed try before they buy, either out in the open or using one of the provided private rooms with a partner. The expo has a staff of unpaid student interns tasked with cleaning and sanitizing products if they are used but not purchased. Grandma Hattie’s snacks can inspire characters to have any kink you may desire. » Perfection of the Digital: Sexbots can resemble any player characters, including brand new arrivals/test drive characters. They can also resemble characters that yours knows from home. The engineers have no explanation for this, and the one who identifies himself as the designer will shrug and say he gets inspiration from many places. The sexbots are hot-ticket expensive merchandise, so security is tight around the booth. Characters who attempt to steal or destroy a sexbot (for instance, one who looks like themselves) will be quickly set upon by guards, who are meant to eject them from the expo. However, many of the guards will take bribes from other booths to provide them model “volunteers,” drugged into complacency. If characters want to acquire a sexbot permanently, they will have to buy it or exchange a hefty 50 vouchers for it. Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have fun!! |
Claude von Riegan | Fire Emblem: 3 Houses | Submissive
[Claude may be more out of his element than he's ever been, but you wouldn't know it looking at him. In all of his strange life, nothing had been as strange as this place, but he still managed to pull off his usual unflappability with remarkable skill. Revealing how lost and confused he is would only make him more of a target, after all, and he's already a tempting prospect for thieves based on his looks and dress.
Unfortunately, the thieves who aren't deterred by his walking around the Down like he's lived there his whole life are exactly the type that are too dangerous for him to handle on his own. Particularly when he's without a bow.
Despite his wariness, one wrong turn is all it takes for a small group of men to corner him. They appear to be a mix of Dominants and submissives, and he spares a darkly amused thought that at least they were inclusive in that regard.
All he's been able to acquire for self-defense is a small, fold-able dagger. It's a handy thing, certainly not something he'd ever seen in Fódlan or Almyra, but definitely not enough. Not against five of them, all with weapons of their own, which they draw now that they've got him cornered.
One man has a small, strangely shaped bit of metal with no blade, but a barrel pointed right at him. He demands Claude drop anything of value he has and he "might not get hurt". Now especially wary that the man presenting himself as the leader is the one with the strange weapon he can't identify, Claude smiles, hands raised in surrender.]
Come on, gentlemen, let's talk this out. I know how it looks, but I've only just arrived. I'm afraid I don't have anything for you. [Shrewd green eyes take in his surroundings, potential weapons, cover, or escape routes. Even a distraction would be enough to make a break for it. He's certainly not going to let himself die here.]
2. bits and bobs
[Ever curious, particularly about the level of technology that was so much further advanced than what he was used to, of course Claude made it to the "sexpo". Looking around at all of it, though, he can't help but wonder what these people could have achieved if they weren't so focused on their sexual proclivities.
He charms his way from booth to booth, collecting vouchers and listening with especially keen interest as one of the vendors explains something called an "app" that he can apparently put on the strange box he'd been ordered to carry with him at all times. A couple pointed questions is all it takes to get a basic demonstration on how to use the device itself.
He smiles and winks at the man as the impromptu lesson finishes.] Thanks for the help. I'll be sure to [what was that word again] download your app. [He gives the vendor a friendly clap on the shoulder and walks off with a few more vouchers and very useful knowledge. And all it cost him was a bit of time and attention. Too easy, really.
The next booth over has what he understands to be the more common assortment of sexual toys. Claude picks up a dildo roughly as thick as his arm with amused horror, commenting idly to the person next to him.] I don't know what I'm going to do with all these vouchers. Surely no one needs that many sexual products.
3. sweet symphony (nsfw)
[At least some of the vouchers he's managed to acquire are good for something more practical: food. Sure, it's a little dessert cake, but it still puts something in his stomach, and there doesn't really seem to be many other food options about.
Ten minutes later, he's made his way to one of the larger booths, where there have clearly been very-- interesting and crowd-drawing demonstrations going on most of the day. Because of the crowds, he hadn't been able to see what exactly was happening, but now he's gotten a spot near the very front in between demos.
The woman running the booth does a short explanation on the machine as one of her assistants leads out a nervous but eager-looking naked young man. He's strapped down onto the machine, and Claude feels his face start to flush.
And then the machine starts and heat pools in his gut. It thrusts a dildo into the man's ass, fast and relentless, and within seconds the volunteer is crying out in pleasure, writhing as though trying to get away but the straps binding him keep him in place. Claude swallows roughly, unable to stop from imagining himself in that man's place, strapped down, helpless against something that won't ever stop until whoever's controlling it tells it to, no matter how overstimulated and desperate he gets--
Suddenly self-conscious that someone might see just how affected by this he is, he looks around cautiously, but of course, everyone is watching the demo with various levels of arousal.]
[ooc: coming from post-golden deer route. let me know if you'd like me to avoid spoilers! wildcard option also available, i'm flexible!]
a pocket full of pennies
Oh! A new guy! Welcome to Duplicity! [Some of the group turning around in shock. Where did this guy come from!? This strange guy with a large gun on his hip.] Could you use some cash? I might have a little I can spare if you need it!
[Vash may be acting dumb and clueless, but he just wants their attention mostly on him. This was his everyday life at home. Dancing his way around gangs of thugs after his sixty billion dollar bounty. These men may not know it, but they don't stand a chance. For the moment Vash is just deciding how to end this with the least amount of people getting hurt.]
is this...... the beginning of a beautiful friendship???
Distraction-man does his job well, and his attackers are either not very good at their chosen occupation or they think he's no threat at all, because they all turn to look at red trenchcoat guy.
Because discretion is always the better part of valor, Claude tries to stealthily move to the side to better give them the slip while they're distracted. It's been a while since he's had to make a strategic retreat, but it's also been a while since he's been on his own like this.
He does actually make it to one side of the alley before the leader of the group jerks his head back to look at him, and he keeps moving the weapon to aim at Claude and Distraction-man as though he can't decide who to attack first.]
"Alright, nobody move!" [He shouts, but Claude already stopped when he turned to look. He doesn't know what that thing does and he doesn't want to find out the hard way. The rest of the group is tensed and clearly itching for a fight. Chances to de-escalate are looking pretty damn slim now.]
Oh, I'd hate to put you out before we've even exchanged names! [Claude addresses the man who'd stepped in, still smiling so confidently.] But if you gentlemen [and here he nods to the gang of men] are so insistent, there is... something of value I can give you. [He heaves a heavy sigh, slowly unfastening the decorative sash from around his waist.] The cloth for this was handspun by the most talented weavers in the history of my country. It's a symbol of royalty. [He makes sure to look at it with an almost tearful wistfulness, his smile faltering.] It is... absolutely priceless. The stitching was done with pure gold thread. [He's certainly caught their interests now, he can see the mental math they're doing-- it is a very expensive (and expensive-looking) garment, after all, for all he's playing up its actual value.
He hesitates for a calculating moment before holding it aloft.] Take it, and let myself and this man go, and we'll forget this ugly business ever happened.
[The men look among themselves, a bit more reluctant to just attack him and take it-- and everything else he has on him-- with a witness. It's exactly the moment Claude has been waiting for.
He tosses the sash down the alley, the fluttering of the prized fabric catching their attention, and runs the opposite direction, grabbing the man's wrist as he passes him.] Come on!
I sure hope so. Vash could use more friends
[Vash stop and watches with interest at what Claude is up to. He eyes the garment and questions if it's actually made of gold thread or not. Vash in the end decides he doesn't know much about clothing to know for sure.
Not that it matters. Vash is more than ready to run before Claude takes his wrist. He only has the one with his left arm missing as he easily runs and keeps up with him.] Was that really made of gold? [He can't help but ask as they make a break for it. Possibly not the greatest time to be making small talk as they'll soon be spotted by someone in the group who has noticed their getaway.]
well claude doesn't have any friends here yet so that works out nicely!
Once they're a good enough distance away on a more public street, he slows to a walk, grinning. It's the question that sets him off, the ridiculousness of it all a strange relief in the wake of a war and then waking up in this absolutely insane place. He laughs, deep and full-throated, one hand rubbing over his face.] No. Don't get me wrong, it was quite expensive, but I may have overplayed it's value.
[He turns his smile to the other man, in pretty good cheer for a guy who was almost robbed.] Thanks for the help. I wasn't lying about being new, and-- [He makes a vague gesture at-- everything] Well, this is all very different from what I'm used to. What did you say that weapon he had was? A gun? [Strange word.]
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[And oh dear. It was so strange to Vash to know someone who didn't know what a gun was. On his world even toddlers knew how to use them.] Yeah, a gun and they're incredibly dangerous. They shoot a small projectile called a bullet with such force that it can kill a man instantly if it hits in the right place.
I could show you what I mean if we went to the beach and ocean. [Vash doesn't normally like showing off his shooting ability, but this seemed important.] It's the best place to have some distance so I can show you with no one getting hurt.
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His expression falls to something more serious as the man explains. The concept of it sounds like a feat of magic to him, but it was clearly a weapon, and one that common thugs could get their hands on.] And this is something anyone can use?
[He smiles again at the offer of a demonstration.] Do you have time now? I'd love a demonstration. My specialty is the bow, so projectiles work well for me.
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[Vash moves to start leading the way towards the beach.] Yeah, I do. It's a bit of a walk so let's get going.
pocket full of pennies
That thought was constant in his mind as he ventured through both the Up and the Down. It soured his mood and kept tension coiled tight in his muscles. His eye regarded every unfamiliar face he passed, watching hands that disappeared out of sight, and feeling his hand flex every time someone ventured a bit too close. He was certain most had no ill intentions, but after five years of being wound so tight, acting so violently and viciously, he wasn't able to shake the idea that he needed to be on his guard. He felt less so in his new home in the Up, but the types that he saw skulking around in the Down made him think of the bandits he'd crossed during his time hidden away in the Monastery.
Still, he found himself in the Down for the time being searching for familiar faces. The Up hadn't revealed any, and he hoped perhaps here there was better luck.
The sound of voices caught his attention, the demand for someone's belonging, the familiar threat of violence. Something familiar snapped into place in his mind, and Dimitri crossed the distance quietly to see the group gathered around someone he couldn't quite see, even if there was a thought that said the voice was familiar.
He reached out without a thought, a gloved hand closing tightly on the back of one of the men's heads. He squeezed hard, a promise to do far worse, and they cursed, dropping their weapon to claw at Dimitri's wrist and hand uselessly. )
It would be in your best interest for you and your band of scum to leave. ( Dimitri warned, one eye shifting to the men around them. Another flex of his hand, hard enough that Dimitri heard the crack of bone under his thumb, and the man cried out in pain, pleading to be released. )
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Speechless because that's Dimitri. Here, alive, and definitely about to crush a man's skull with one hand.
He'd seen the body, with his own eyes. And yeah, he's more than a little worried that this is out of the frying pan and into the fire because Dimitri hadn't exactly been in the mood to chat at Gronder Field. He'd been-- unstable, to say the least. And even though he's coming to Claude's rescue at the moment, it may just be him itching for an excuse to fight anyone at all.
Two of the men try to rush Dimitri, to free their compatriot. Muttering a curse under his breath, Claude shoulder-checks the thug nearest him, wrestling the metal bar he'd been wielding out of his hands. It was no sword, but it was something.]
Just go! There's no need for anyone to die over this. [His words are directed at the men that have been threatening him, but they're an attempt to reach Dimitri too. The war gave him more than enough senseless death for several lifetimes.]
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It was Claude.
The realization made his own anger spike, and it showed in the way that his fingers flexed again. The man in his grip was quick to cry out again, desperate for some salvation. And when the other two started to rush him, Dimitri was prepared to throw the man with no regard to what happened in the process. The force would likely snap his neck, but it wouldn't be the first man he'd killed in such a way. But Claude spoke before he could do just that.
There's no need for anyone to die over this.
Claude was right. There was no need for someone to die. That thought made him reach out, grabbing the back of the man's clothing to lift him, hand leaving where he'd grabbed onto his head in favor of tossing the man at the two rushing him. It might have been a comical thing to see had the force of the impact not knocked all three men so violently to the ground that Dimitri saw the way their heads bounced against the hard ground and their limbs smashed into one another.
His attention turned swiftly to the last man who rushed him as well, charging at him with a blade at the ready. Eye narrowing, Dimitri reached out - the blade grazing the edge of his glove, splitting the fibers, and biting shallowly at his skin - and caught clamped down tightly on his wrist. He hauled the man closer, grabbing the front of his clothing and snapping his arm back, making them cry out and drop the blade. )
He's correct. No one needs to die here today. ( But there was a warning in his voice, one that said a couple of broken bones was the least he would do if these men didn't retreat. )
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Claude huffs a breath of relief, lowering the metal bar but not dropping it just yet. For as little good as it would do him should he prove to need it. Once he's sure they're in full retreat, he turns his focus to Dimitri, looking the former prince over and cataloging all the differences-- both from their academy days, and from what he remembers of him in that battle.]
You're different from the last time I saw you. [Understatement of the millennium, considering he'd been-- no, Claude would rather not think of that. This Dimitri, the one he needs to deal with in some manner or other, is alive. And has already shown himself to be more willing to listen to reason than he'd been at Grondor Field.
Shrewd eyes catch the cut glove, the shallow scratch. A bandage certainly wouldn't hurt, but mostly to ward off infection. Not urgent.]
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He glanced over at the shorter man with a frown, taking in the way Claude looked him over. )
So I've been told.
( Claude wasn't the first person to say it, and he was certain he wouldn't be the last. Between encounters with individuals he hadn't seen since before the start of the war and even those who had seen him at his worst up until now, many had said those words in some form. Considering their last encounter had been at Gonder Field when he'd been less inclined to talk, he was sure he knew why those words had come from Claude's lips. )
Are you alright? ( He prompted from his spot, not venturing to move any closer but taking his own opportunity to look Claude over for any sign of injury. As he did, he lifted his arms, folding them over his chest and carefully hiding the split in his glove. )
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I'm fine. You showed up just in time. We should get that hand bandaged, though. [He nods pointedly to Dimitri's hand-- too late, he already saw it. Claude crosses the distance between them, an olive branch to make up for his initial wariness.
There's no black line down Dimitri's neck marking him as a submissive, so at least one of them is slightly better off in this place. All the more reason to make the best of this second chance.] How long have you been in the city?
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It's just a scratch. ( There was no doubt that he'd suffered far worse over the last half decade. A scratch on his hand was troublesome if only because how easy a task it would be to reopen it that wound doing the most mundane tasks.
Still, Claude stepped closer, and Dimitri unfolded his arms as he eyed the dark mark on the other man's neck. Not like him in that regard, then. )
A couple of days. ( Long enough to think he was alone without any familiar faces, but seeing Claude gave him a small bit of comfort. ) And you? Have you been treated well here?
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[Maybe Claude is just more mindful of keeping his hands in working order, being an archer.
He smiles wryly as Dimitri stares at the line running down his neck.] Oh, about a month. In some ways, this place is like any other I've been. No matter where you go, people are still people. For good or ill.
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( Though he supposed in hindsight, attending a few by Professor Manuela might have been ideal. There was no guarantee a healer would be around when you needed them.
He frowned thoughtfully at Claude's words. It had been more than a month since their encounter at Gonder Field, but he'd received an express messenger from Claude only days ago requesting his aid. How was that possible? )
I'd say I'm less worried about the people than I am other aspects of this place. ( The differences between this place and the kingdom were vast. The clothing and buildings were unusual, their weapons too. And some of the things he'd been told during "orientation" were... troubling, to say the least.
Curiously, he reached out with his uninjured hand, gently curving a couple of fingers under Claude's chin to tilt his head back and examine the mark further. ) Do you live nearby, then? ( Since Claude had one of those marks. )
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[Claude shakes his head, smiling wryly.] Things are just that, even if we've never seen anything like them before. Remind me to show you how to use your device later. As for laws and the rules of society... that's all to do with people too.
[He's honestly surprised at the gentle touch, looking up at Dimitri with an owlish expression for a moment before taking a step back, clearing his throat and reclaiming his lost composure.] My assigned housing isn't too far from here, yes.
no subject
Dimitri's eye lifted briefly to Claude's face, taking in the unusual expression before returning to the mark. There was a brief thought of how far down it went on the other's skin, but it was short-lived, abandoned as the other man took a step back. His hand fell back to his side quietly, not bothering to stop Claude from moving.
As Claude spoke about this society, the laws, and the people, he frowned and fought a sigh. People were inherently difficult. In a place like this where the laws and rules of society were so different... he wasn't sure how easily he'd manage to adjust. )
I will walk you home, if you have nothing else you need to do.
no subject
Claude may have drawn the short stick when it came to the roles they were assigned, but it's a safe bet he's adjusting better than Dimitri, especially with the extra month of experience under his belt.
Well, that and it's not the first time Claude has found himself in a land with a completely different culture than what he was used to, taking a crash course in how things work there while trying to appear as though it all comes naturally.
He smiles at the offer-- that's a bit more like the proper Prince he remembers from school.]
I was actually running an errand before I was interrupted... but as it turns out, I could use your help with that, if you don't mind?
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Of course. ( He nodded easily at the question. Accompanying Claude on an errand would be a much more effective use of his time than wandering, hoping to find a familiar face. If there were others from home here, he imagined they would happen upon each other in a way much like he had Claude - accidentally. Though he supposed it had been quite the faithful encounter, all things considered. He had no doubt Claude could defend himself, but he was certain his appearance had kept Claude himself from any injuries.
Glancing one way and then the other, he motioned for Claude to lead him along. )
After you.