memewara | 「 TDM 01 」

Entry tags:

* tdm

「 TDM 01 」

i. Arrival

There isn't any strange feeling or sudden blackout to warn someone of what's to come; it simply happens. One moment they're in their own world attending to their own business, and the next they're underwater. Specifically, the dark, cold waters of the Sumida River. With air temperatures in the high 40s it's not a pleasant experience and the sudden shock leaves new arrivals at risk of drowning.

Luckily, they aren't alone. The crews that constantly patrol the river are quick to fish the newcomers out, dry them off, warm them up, and explain the situation. Maybe the names mean something to said newcomers, and maybe they don't. No matter the case, they're the same for everyone: you're in Yoshiwara, near the city of Tokyo in the country of Japan, and you're here to stay.

New arrivals that feel up to the task are encouraged to help with retrieving other newcomers. Those that don't welcome to huddle under blankets until the boats return to docks. Once there everyone is given directions to their faction headquarters, where they can receive their housing and job assignments - and maybe a change of clothes. Those that still feel overwhelmed are permitted to mingle on the docks. There's not much to do but sit around and shiver, but at least there are friendly locals that are willing to answer any questions for them.

ii. Loose Change

It's easy to drop things in crowded areas and hard to retrieve them. Luckily that doesn't seem to be the case this time. The sound of a coin hitting the ground is quite clear and the coin itself is easy to locate. Considering that single coin likely represents a distressingly high percentage of any given newcomer's wealth, picking it up is highly advised. The supernaturally inclined might sense the faint magical buzz around the coin, but nothing significant.

Maybe two people reach for the same coin at the same time. Maybe one of them realizes it's not theirs and turns it over. Whatever the case, the second they're both touching the coin they find themselves stuck to it. No amount of tugging or prying can get it to detach, even though there's no sign of any sort of adhesive holding them in place.

Upon closer examination the coin isn't a real one and is instead inscribed with the words 'Pinky Swear', along with an image of the act in question. And that's the only clue to the method of escape: the two parties must link pinkies and make a solemn oath to one another before they can let go of the coin. Fortunately is seems any oath will do, even one as simple as 'I solemnly swear to give you a high five'. They shouldn't take their newfound freedom for granted, however. Breaking the oath or leaving without trying to fulfill it will result in the two being stuck together again and a new oath will be required to escape a second time.

iii. Hot Chocolate

Despite their reputation the people in Yoshiwara can be generous. Anyone who looks appropriately cold, bored, or just plain unoccupied will find themselves approached by attractive young men and women bearing sample cups of hot chocolate. The beverage is rich, warm, and expertly crafted, and even comes in dark, milk, and white varieties. If someone wants more, they're in luck: the cafe Lazy is running a special promotion in which all newcomers can receive a full serving for free.

Anyone who accepts will find themselves whisked into the cafe, seated at one of several kotatsu (which are all partitioned off with thick curtains), and presented with a tall mug of the hot chocolate of their choice. They won't be alone, either. Everyone is seated with at least one partner and encouraged to make idle chatter while they drink. The socially awkward might find the small book labeled 'conversations starters' helpful, and if that doesn't work there's also a small box of goodies on each table. It sure is a friendly atmosphere.

Perhaps too friendly. It turns out that the hot chocolate is laced with aphro, a variety that causes both arousal and mild giddiness. The thick, nearly soundproof curtains might make more sense now: they're clearly meant to muffle the sounds of lovemaking from other patrons. Visitors don't have to mingle so extensively, of course. But the 'conversation starters' book goes from fairly innocent subjects to ones likes 'describe your ideal sexual partner' in a hurry, and the box's goodies consist of lubricant, sexual position guides, and bullet vibrators. Sex is clearly the intent here.

On the way out customers will be told that the whole process is an advertisement for the cafe's 'couples service', thanked for their participation, and sent on their way with a smile. Maybe it's a good idea to accept Yoshiwara's generosity with caution from now on.

iv. Later That Night

No one would call Yoshiwara safe, but the dangers are predictable. An actor might end up with a stalker, a prostitute might have to deal with a violent client, and a business owner might have to deal with a criminal extorting protection money. There aren't really surprises when it comes to the sort of threats one can expect to face. The rigid control exerted by the four factions ensures that.

But there's money to be made in Yoshiwara, especially when it comes to visitors from off world. For some groups the reward outweighs the risk. Newcomers in particular tend to be disoriented and there's rarely anyone to miss them, which makes them ideal targets. Any new arrivals alone on the streets after dark run the risk of being kidnapped by a group of shady individuals prowling the town. Their methods range from snatch and grab tactics to luring targets into dark alleys, but once caught everyone is given the same treatment: gagged, hands bound, and left in a dimly lit room to wait until they can be removed from Yoshiwara and sold to a third party.

But the kidnappers are hasty and prone to mistakes. Victims may get a chance to shout before they're subdued. Their bindings are often loose. The rooms they're left in often have one or more other occupants. Escape is quite possible, especially with a little teamwork. The police are on the case, as well, and they're not picky about the help they'll accept. Newcomers can assist the cops in tracking down and freeing people as well, and help from already escaped victims is especially valuable.

But not everyone is opposed to this operation. Sufficiently motivated newcomers may also be recruited to assist the kidnappers. It's dangerous work, but the profits are high and the connections one makes in the process are invaluable.

Between the police and the assistance from newcomers most victims will be freed shortly after they're kidnapped. For those that aren't, the kidnappers will be stopped as they try to leave town and any remaining victims will be rescued at that time.

OOC

Hello, and welcome to the very first TDM for Yoshiwara Nights! Use this post to voice test characters, decide who you want to app, and get a feel for the game and your fellow potential players.

Events of the TDM may be kept as game canon. Once you're accepted you can submit a five comment thread of your character pulling people out of the river (Arrival), assisting the kidnapping victims (Later That Night), or assisting the kidnappers (Later That Night) to gain bonus reputation with your starting faction, the police, or an unknown third faction, respectively.

Reserves will open on February 3rd! Our schedule for the next few weeks can be found here. If you haven't already please make yourself familiar with our information pages.

If you have any questions about the TDM prompts please direct them here. You can also follow us on Plurk at

yoshiwara for further updates.

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[ Ky is effectively knocked backward. He stumbles to catch his balance after the sudden collision and fails terribly. There's a stunned pause after he lands quite firmly on his rear. He didn't expect such sudden strength from her. ]

I— it's all right. [ He says once his senses return. Ky takes her hand and hoists himself up. ] I should apologize for startling you.

Do you fear your armor is still in the river?

[Maybe if LB weren’t so disoriented, she would genuinely laugh at the scene before her, but for now she still seemed a bit too dazed to process much of what was going on. She at least looks a little relieved as he didn’t look too angry at her for the accident, or anything like that. Coming off the battlefield, people didn’t tend to be so patient, unfortunately.]

It’s, ah, it’s fine. Haha, I probably should have watched where I was going.

[A deep, worried sigh passes as he asks her the question, causing her to cast a gaze at the river again. This time without crouching over.]

The last thing I remember was still having it on — eheheh — though it might have been dysfunctional?

[Her head tilts to the side thoughtfully as she tried to recall the rather strange turn of events.]. You haven’t seen any tentacles or anything of the sort?

[ Her laughter continues to confuse him. He briefly wonders if it's a sign of nervousness of some sort. He couldn't blame her if that's the case. Arriving here was shocking to him as well. For many, many reasons.

Thoughts pressing on, his brows furrow as he tries to imagine a set of armor with tentacle-like features. It's incredibly difficult to imagine. Incredibly. After a moment, he ends up shaking his head at her question. ]

I haven't seen anything like that, unfortunately. This river seems to produce more people than objects.

[He wouldn’t be entirely wrong in his speculation about her laughter, but it was unfortunately a lot more severe than that. She’s aware of how crazy it might make her seem, but as much as she wanted it to stop, it just didn’t seem possible.

She watches him try to remember what she described, but ultimately looks disappointed in his response. Not that she really expected him to have actually seen it, but LB was grasping for straws here. It had been a very long time since she last lived outside the suit and it was intimidating to think about being without it.]

Oh... I see. Eheheh... [She frowns a little, her hand raising to rub at her neck briefly.] Have you been here long?

[ She looks so disappointed. He gives her an apologetic look, feeling sorry for being the bearer of bad news. He's not too certain she'll be happy to hear what more he has to say, either. ]

No, [ he answers, shaking his head. ] I was pulled from here earlier today. I'm afraid I don't have many details about our situation, either.

[ He had time to dry off and change out of his damaged uniform, but that's about all he's done. Once they let him wander about the town, he ended up right back at the river. It's probably not the most productive thing to do, but his emotions are still in turmoil right now. He doesn't know what else to follow but his heart. ]

Have they mentioned anything to you? [ He gestures vaguely towards the crews patrolling the river. ] Any instructions?

They— haha, they told me a little, but even that small bit seems like... a lot. [Particularly because she was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she was actually human and not a literal beast. To wake up from some battle in a fucking river in a country she’s never even been in before made things a lot more confusing. Closing her eyes, she sighs, before looking back to him.] I guess I’m indebted to some people?

[That part didn’t bother her as much as it might others — somehow that still seemed better in comparison to what she was used to. Though LB still worried what they wanted from someone like her. But she supposed it was at least better than possibly dying in battle.

Hugging her arms around herself, LB starts to feel the cold set in around her. The nanos in her body and plug suit did a surprisingly good job of keeping her from freezing to death, but it still didn’t make her completely immune to the chill either.] It’s the same for you?

Yes, [ he answers, nodding.

Noting her chill, he looks around for a blanket to offer her. Ky remembers receiving one when he was first fished out. He's sure there's one somewhere— there. He steps away to grab a thick, dark, scratchy-looking blanket from the docks. ]

It's almost too much to take in, isn't it? [ His voice is gentle, hopefully comforting. He understands how confused she feels. ] Here, please take this.

[ He reaches over to drape the blanket over her shoulders. ] Whenever you're ready, I can escort you to where you need to go.

[LB nods quietly, in response to his question, smiling in a bit of an awkward fashion. When he offers the blanket, she’s initially a little startled as she’s unsure of what was being given and tenses her shoulders until she feels the comforting pressure of the material around her.] Hmm? Ah— thank you.

[Glancing over to him, LB tries to read if he needed the blanket more than her (as she could definitely survive, at the very least), but decides that he seemed fine walking around and relaxes a little. Still, his next offer has her in speculation again, arcing her head to the side as she looks directly at him.]

Why— eheheh, why are you helping me? [He seemed nice, but it had been a long time since anyone had done anything for her and not expected someone in return.]

[ Ky tilts his head to the side, looking a bit puzzled by her question. It takes a moment before he realizes she's sincerely asking. Helping someone is second-nature to him, a part of himself that never changes. By all means, he should be more hardened and cynical due to his own experience in war.

But he doesn't have it in him. Others have called him naive and weak. Yet still, he can't stand the thought of being the opposite. He wouldn't have it any other way.

Ky gives her a small smile in sympathy. ] Because you seemed like you needed help.

[ And that's it. His only reason for helping her. His words are as honest as ever, without a hint of underlying meaning. ]

Oh... I suppose you’re not wrong.

[Though she’s not actually that good at reading people, LB is further perplexed when she felt that he was being genuine with his words. Or maybe he was just good at appearing that way? But LB supposed that either way, she probably actually did need the help, even if she was expected to do something in return later. So, while the suspicion on her face eases up, she’s not completely comfortable either.]

What are you hoping for, in return? Eheheh? [She is just trying to be prepared, rather than be hot with a surprise later. Even if his intentions were actually good.]

[ Ky shakes his head, gently insisting. ]

I don't expect anything in return. I'm content with helping you as best I can.

[ He can't imagine what she's been through to cause her to mistrust people so, but he doesn't hold it against her. It's understandable and possibly safer to be cautious in a new city like this. That doesn't help him ease her concerns very much, though. Ky takes a moment to think. ]

If you feel indebted, then may I ask for your name? We can consider that an equal exchange.

[It still seemed strange to her that he still insisted that he merely just wanted to help and was about to just settle with that. However, his question actually made her think more than it would for most people. It was actually a lot more confusing than it had to be, since she was more used to being referred to as Octopus or Laughing Octopus, but that wasn’t suitable without her armor, was it? She supposed her former superiors had another codename for her too, when she had modeled in that one magazine with the rest of her unit, did she go by that now?

Yes, she was born under a different name, but it didn’t seem right to go back to that now. For better or worse, she wasn’t that girl anymore.]

Um, ahaha... I guess it’s Laughing Beauty now. [She says it in such a thoughtful manner that it’s obvious that even she’s not completely sure of what to go by either, considering that this was the first person to ask her name since she started to pull herself out of her psychosis. Feeling embarrassed about having trouble over a simple question, she’s quick to add:] And what do I call you?

Ky Kiske. A pleasure to meet you, Miss Beauty.

[ 'Laughing Beauty' — it's more of an apt description rather than a name. Perhaps that was why she seemed so flustered about replying? He'd thought he asked an inappropriate question at first, but she eventually came through with a response. It does bring up another question that's been in the corner of his mind, however. ]

If I may ask, is your name a reference to your... laughter?

[ "Is it normal?" is the underlying question beneath his words. He thought it was nervous laughter, but he's never seen it last this long before. And if it is nervous laughter, he wonders if he's truly making her that uncomfortable. ]

[LB quickly notes the formality in addressing her, smiling politely as she responds back.] It’s nice meeting you too, Mr. Kiske.

[Because she figured the laughing thing was probably making him uneasy enough, so the least she could do was match the formality. His question, though, gives her a momentary frown. It was a pretty touchy subject for her, even if she was well aware of how much that aspect of her must stand out in a crowd. However, it’s not long before she covers it up with a forced smile.]

I’d assume so, just as the Beauty part likely references that I’m attractive to most, haha! [Though that laugh was a bit more genuine, LB quickly catches it, covering her mouth to try to quell it. Looking more concerned about it, LB continues in a cautious tone.] Why? Does it make you uncomfortable?

[The laughter was unfortunately a thing that never seemed to go away, as much as she really wished it would. It’d actually be worse if she felt like she was in any sort of danger, even if the situation in coming to a new place was pretty overwhelming in general.]

No, it's all right, [ he answers promptly to ease her worries.

Ky's expression visibly brightens at her light-hearted response. He regrets being so forward with his question — especially after seeing her cover her laughter in such a self-conscious way — but he truly wanted to know if it was something to be concerned about. ]

I inquired because I didn't know what to make of it. If it isn't something that causes harm to you, then I won't question you about it any further.

[ She's but a lady, after all. He'd be rude to demand anything more as an answer. ]

How are you feeling now?

[Her expression lightens a little at Ly’sinitial response, relieved that he at least seemed like he wasn’t that bothered her something she didn’t have control over. His reasoning, though, puts her in a contemplative pause. It certainly didn’t bring her any physical harm, but it was directly linked to a really traumatic experience that she desperately wished she could get over.

It wasn’t like he could do anything about that, and she especially didn’t want to talk about it. So, after a couple of moments pass, she forces herself to smile (to try to avoid further questioning), attempting to appear as casual as possible about it.]

It’s — haha — it’s fine. Don’t worry about it, really. Just a more annoying nervous habit than most, I suppose.

[She raises her shoulders in a shrug, humming a little in thought as she assesses how she felt, at the moment.] A little better, I think? It’s... it’s going to take a while to get used to this place, though.

[ He takes her word for it with a nod and doesn't inquire further. They both have only just found themselves here, the last thing they need is an interrogation session. More than enough has happened already. ]

I understand how you feel.

[ As if punctuating his point, he glances around at their surroundings. The tall buildings in the distance, the Japanese writing he can suddenly comprehend, the lights and glimpses of technology around them. It's what one would read about in a history book. Nothing he's used to seeing. ]

I still don't know what to make of this area. [ Especially considering what happened before he arrived here. His expression momentarily falls at the reminder before he forces his thoughts to move past them. ] But I suppose we have no choice but to accept these circumstances. I only hope the individuals we owe will be merciful with their requests.

[ But even Ky has some doubts whether that will actually be true. ]

[Seeing Ky taking a look around, LB is similarly fascinated that she’s also able to read the writing on the building. Of course, she thought it was a little strange that she could suddenly understand Japanese, but she wasn’t sure if that was something she learned as a soldier (where her memory was pretty hazy) or if it was an effect of this place somehow. Already having knowledge of a few different languages, that aspect was pretty helpful, even if she had no other knowledge of the country. Either way, she supposed this was at least better than maybe dying, she had to take what she could get.]

I suppose it’d be a lot for most people. [She turns her glance back to him, forming a faint smile in the process.] I’m guessing that you’re not from anywhere near here originally either. But what can we do? It— heehee, it seems like we’re at their mercy.

It certainly does seem that way.

[ Ky brings a hand up to curl it at his chest, expression pensive. Her words more accurate than she might've realized. Not only is his kingdom nowhere near here, but this place also seems to be from another time. Ky is so out of his element that he can hardly comprehend it.

His words don't entirely reflect his uncertainty, though his tone of voice betrays his feelings somewhat. ]

But we shouldn't lose hope so soon. Once we better familiarize ourselves with our situation, I'm certain we will be able to improve it.

[ The least he can do is hope. Hope to find his footing in this city and hope to find answers — to know if he's here because he was too late to save his own life. ]

I think I am hopeful, ahaha... [Or at least more hopeful than what she came from. She was still a little scared to try to figure out how to blend in the world again, without her tentacles to fall back on. But at the very least, any wars going on here wasn’t quite as obvious as what she was used to trying to deal with. LB wasn’t sure how long she was stuck here, but maybe a break would be nice.

Regardless, by watching the turmoil in Ky’s expression, she wasn’t so sure if it would be as much of a possible reprieve for him. So, to try to make some sort of distraction for him, she tries to fall back on an area she’s more confident in, to lighten the mood.] I’m very good at familiarizing, heeheehee! So it shouldn’t be long, right?

If that is so, then you may be right.

[ He gives Beauty a small smile, trying to join her in lifting the mood. It's only partially helping, and he's terrible at attempting to hide his feelings like this, but he's trying. He can't give her a reason to worry about her own situation if he's so worried about his. He can drown in his thoughts later. ]

You might prove to be better at it than I.

[ Which is admittedly easy to do, but that says more about him than anyone else. ]

I guess we’ll have to wait and see, hmm?

[She’d also likely be consumed by her own thoughts later, but she really didn’t like appearing weak in front of others either. Even if she often failed at that aspect. But at the same time, she didn’t want him to question his own merits when he was being pretty nice to her — or at least seemingly so.]

Maybe I’ll wind up helping you, eventually.

Edited 2019-02-11 18:52 (UTC)

[ The smile warms, becoming more genuine. His spirits are lifted to hear her suggest aiding him. Not because he's selfish, but because he finds hope returning to his heart in knowing someone is willing to extend a hand to another in a foreign land like this. His inner turmoil momentarily subsides as his thoughts return to peace. ]

I would appreciate that, [ he responds earnestly. ] Until then...

[ He offers his arm to Beauty. ] ...may I guide you?

[LB stares at his arm for a few seconds, uncertainly in her expression as she wonders if she should take it or not. Not because she thinks he’s going to try to do anything bad, or anything like that, but more because she’s not completely certain if she’s able to control her touch-based powers or not (though she actually just needed the intent to kill, to activate it). She hadn’t really had the luxury to test if she could not kill someone over a prolonged touch or not. At the very least, though, that particular power of hers took time to work — if she noticed him starting to lose energy, she could break contact immediately. So, it wouldn’t be bad just to make sure... right?

Feeling a little more at peace with it, she tries to cover up her dubiousness with a forced, awkward smile before gingerly taking the arm offered to her.] Ahahaha... ah, um. Of course! Lead the way.

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「 TDM 01 」

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