memewara | 「 TDM 02 」

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. While it's not freezing outside it's still 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 words and 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. If your surroundings aren't familiar, that's to be expected; this world isn't the one you know.

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 a nearby dormitory, where they can find temporary housing - and maybe a change of clothes - before their faction assignments are finalized. 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.

Those that wander the city will find it a touch disorganized. Between the visible police patrols and half-repaired storefronts it's clear that something just went down. Asking around will net newcomers brief explanations about a recent epidemic caused by a strange drug with withdrawal symptoms that drove users berserk. They'll be immediately reassured that there's nothing to worry about, though. The police apprehended the dealers, so those that have just arrived should go and enjoy the parties happening throughout town.

ii. Hanami

After all, a little bit (or a lot) of chaos isn't enough to deter the residents from doing what they do best: charming their way into visitors' wallets. Hanami is the perfect excuse to celebrate, and this year's exceptionally beautiful and fragrant blossoms have drawn a larger crowd than usual. Picnics and parties can be found in all of Yoshiwara's parks, and while many of them are private a fair number are open to all comers. A few groups will be generous about sharing their food and drinks (though either may be spiked with apho, alcohol, or both), and there's always the option of simply playing games and making conversation with other partygoers.

But while the newcomers are encouraged to take it easy and enjoy themselves, there's limits to how much they can do for free. Luckily, someone has already taken that into account. Newcomers that want more food, drink, or excuses to socialize are encouraged to pair up with both established workers and other newcomers in order to put on a show for Yoshiwara's guests.

The shows don't have to be lewd, however. As a general rule, the guests are most interested in the new beginnings and blooming romances associated with early spring, so they're largely content watching Yoshiwara's workers play ice breaker games. 'Would you rather', 'two truths and a lie', and 'corrupt-a-wish' are all popular options and many workers can satisfy guests simply by indefinitely chatting with their partners.

Guests are free to make requests, however, and if two workers have good chemistry they may be encouraged to ramp up the flirtatious behavior. If it feels a bit demeaning that's because it is, but it has the potential to pay well. In addition to free food and drink, workers that put on good shows can expect to receive tips (and more than a few phone numbers) from their happy customers.

iii. Kiss Kiss Fall In Love

Of course, hanami itself is still a celebration, and newcomers and old arrivals alike are encouraged to take a break from work to relax and enjoy the flowers - but the longer someone sticks around, the more likely they are to experience some unexpected side effects.

At first, the scent of the sakura will simply lull someone into a pleasant, fuzzy sort of relaxed contentment. Eventually, the 'fuzzy' element of that relaxation can be identified as mild arousal underscored by directionless affection. It's the desire to touch and be touched, and it seems like the only way to rid yourself of that pesky warmth is to cuddle up to someone else. That's not always enough, however, and sometimes cuddling up will only intensify the arousal and affectionate feelings.

This effect is most likely to take hold from dusk to dawn, with the bright light of day chasing away the worst of the trees' aphrodesiac. The feeling will linger, regardless of contact, for up to an hour after leaving the area of the trees, leaving ample time for anyone to find a partner and make their escape to a more private location.

iv. Portentous Moments

Sex may sell, but that's not the only industry in Yoshiwara. Stores and stalls hawking a tremendous variety of goods and services can be found all over the city, and rather esoteric goods are no exception to this. Anyone wandering around the central district may stumble across a fortune teller, swaddled in a heavy cloak, sitting at a small table situated at the end of an alleyway. She calls any passersby over in a calm, soothing voice, inviting them to have their fortunes told for the low low price of free - no strings attached!

Anyone who approaches and accepts the offer will be handed a deck of tarot cards and told to shuffle, after which the fortune teller will take the deck back and ask her customer to draw a single card. But no matter when a character arrives, where they draw the card from, or how thoroughly they shuffle the deck, they'll only ever draw one of three cards - the Lovers, Death, or the Three of Cups. The fortune teller will offer no explanation as to what each card means, only promising that good things are to come before shooing her customer away. The fortune teller will vanish the second her customer departs, leaving said customer to figure out the effects on their own. That won't be hard, though. The effects aren't subtle.

The Lovers creates instant chemistry between strangers. Not just in a romantic or sexual sense, but in a platonic one as well. Hateful misanthropes will find themselves draw to and intrigued by other people, who will in turn find said misanthrope charming. Those afflicted by the the Lovers card may be aware of how strange this reaction is, but realizing that isn't enough to shake the attraction they feel for their new friend, crush, or lover. This effect can last for several hours before it wears off over the course of a few seconds. It may not wear off both parties simultaneously, however, leaving one party to wonder what they've done to make the other act so cold.

While the Lovers card draws people together, Death drives them apart. Those that draw Death will find themselves both regarding others and being regarded by others as a mortal enemy. It's just that the vehemence of those feelings doesn't always match the 'crime', and something like cutting in line at the grocery store may be treated with the same severity as burning someone's village to the ground. Arguments over the most minor of infractions are breaking out all over town and things are starting to look ugly, but no one will get hurt. As soon as the arguments escalate to the point of either personal insults or physical violence, both parties will suddenly snap out of their rage. Neither party will have any idea of why they got so angry, though whether they apologize for losing their cool or simply continue the fight is up to them.

The Three of Cups works a bit differently from the other two. Anyone who pulls it will be inflicted with 'wrong luck'; that is, incredibly good fortune that doesn't benefit them at all. Vending machines will dispense two cans of their least favorite drink. They'll win a free meal at an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet despite their deadly fish allergy. The cops decide to let them off easy after harassing them for crimes they didn't commit. The Three of Cups may also get stuck to either the Loves and Death cards, and thus the two effects can combine. That said, the Three of Cups' effect lasts until the character gets a solid night's rest, even if the paired effect wears off well before then.

While the Lovers and Death can't be drawn at the same time, they can interact. Should someone afflicted by the Lovers encounter someone afflicted by Death both effects may kick in for both people, leaving them with intense and complicated feelings for one another. Alternately, each person may only experience one of the effects, which won't necessarily be the same effect for both of them.

v. Rainfall

cw: mild gore, mentions of death
Did you know that underneath every cherry blossom tree a corpse is buried? The roots tangle themselves around the body and feed off its nutrients, and by absorbing its blood their pure white blossoms are dyed a soft pink color.

... That's the story, at least, but it's an easy one to forget in Yoshiwara. Even when the town's bright facade cracks and the seedier dark side shows through, such grim urban legends rarely take center stage. Newcomers that aren't already familiar with the story are unlikely to hear it before they depart the docks and start familiarizing themselves with the city.

Which is unfortunate, since knowledge of the story might spare them some trauma. As they go look at the town's various trees, some of them may be overtaken with a strange compulsion. It's as if the trees is calling to them, filling them with the urge to stretch out beneath the branches and take a nap. Of course, if they do make themselves comfortable they'll find it increasingly more difficult to wake up; even the sensation of being slowly but steadily buried under falling blossoms may not be enough to rouse them. If they can't work up the willpower needed to wake up and walk (or at least crawl) away they'd better hope that a helpful stranger stops by.

As for those that don't feel compelled to lay down, they may find that it's suddenly raining despite the clear skies. It only takes a brief look around to realize that rather than falling from the sky, the rain is falling from the cherry blossoms - and that instead of water, it's blood. The droplets well up from the center of each blossom, staining the petals red before finally falling to splatter against clothing, hair, and skin. The 'rain' is limited to the immediate area surrounding whoever happens to be watching, and it stops the moment they leave. While the rain can only be witnessed by the person being rained on, the blood does not conveniently vanish. Hopefully the observers weren't wearing anything nice, though there's no helping the alarmed looks they'll receive for their blood-splattered state.

vi. Wildcard

Hanami may be in full swing, but there's plenty of other things to do. Perhaps some newcomers will want to poke around the town's various locations, check out its assorted businesses, or even visit a legitimately haunted house. There's plenty of things to see and very few limitations to exploration, so there's no reason someone has to stay in the parks if they don't want to.

OOC

Hello, and welcome to the second 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've been accepted you can submit a thread of your character pulling people out of the river (Arrival) to gain bonus reputation with your starting faction. You can only submit one thread, and it must have five comments from you to qualify.

Reserves will open on April 3rd! Our monthly schedule 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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ ☼ — hanami ]

[ There's so much on Kazuna's mind it's difficult to focus on work, which is disconcerting to him in of itself as a professional in the entertainment industry. This work in particular is so lax and low-demand it should come as easily as breathing, but again and again he finds himself distracted by the present situation. Not just being transported to another time and place, but attacks on local businessses? Dangerous drug outbreak?

When the person he's trying to entertain shakes him out of his thoughts a third time, he apologizes and excuses himself to take a quick break, just a brief walk around the festival to get his head on straight.

Come on, Kazuna, get a grip. Focus on the things you can change, not the things you can't.

When he gets back, he's smiling again but can't seem to find the person he was previously entertaining. Ah, well. Straightening his shirt, he looks around for someone else looking a bit lonely or out of sorts. ]

Hello, I'm Kazuna. [ He greets you with a smile, giving a polite bow in introduction. ] How might I best serve you?

[ ☼ — portentous moments ]

[ Having just had his fortune read much to his own confusion, Kazuna shrugs it off as the Lovers card certainly can't be an ill omen, right? So he just gets on his merry way, mentally going over a list of errands he's going to need to get done before the night is out. Groceries, cleaning supplies, finish getting himself acquainted with the layout of this sector of the city, check on his neighbors, introduce himself to local establishments...

He's so lost in thought he walks into someone turning the corner, dropping his stationary and writing utensils all over the street. ]

Oh, excuse me--

[ ☼ — wildcard ]

[ Hit me! If your character knows Kazu already or you want to presume they know Kazu already or if you just want to jump straight into cuddles under the demon corpse eating sakura trees just hit me up! ]

[The loud clatter of writing implements upon the ground briefly kept Kieran from making eye contact with the individual who'd ran into him, his attention focused on crouching down and picking up what he could before it rolled or blew away. He didn't mean to steal a peek at the lists but, when he had, any thought he'd had of snapping at the clumsy oaf had vanished.

It was a cute habit some people had of recording things, a habit an old friend of his had that he'd always thought was a waste of time but no less endearing.

With a shake of his head, he rose to his feet and lifted his gaze, hands extended toward Kazuna and offering back the items he'd dropped. It should have struck him as odd then the way that he felt, but friendly as he was, Kieran didn't think anything of his own gentle expression or the soft reply he issued...]

S'alright, don't worry 'bout it. I think this is everythin'?

Yes, I think s--

[ Kazuna's voice falters on his lips as he finishes collecting the items that were in his immediate reach, looking up at the kind stranger he'd just gone and run into. He's not sure what it is except perhaps everything-- The kind look on the other's face, the casual roll to his speech, the sweetness in his voice. Kazuna finds his breath catching and his words halting with it, and it takes him several long moments to recover.

By the time he swallows down all that fluster and finds his voice again, he's been staring at the stranger offering him back his things an unacceptably long time, which only serves to fluster him further. ]

Yes, certainly. Thank... Thank you so much for your help, and your understanding.

If... If I may-- [ Come on, Kazuna. Get it together. You're an idol. Turn on some charm like your career depends on it. He takes back his things finally, then offers a warm, heartfelt smile in return. ] Is there anything I can do for you in return? Walk you to your destination, perhaps...?

[Kieran offered an apologetic shake of his head that sent his mess of dark hair swaying in the ponytail he wore.]

Hate t'break it to ya, but I ain't really headed nowhere specific. Jus' takin' in the sights.

[Because, for a newcomer like him, there was a great deal to see, especially with having never set foot in the country before now and having only ever absorbed anything about Japanese culture through classic 80s films.

But maybe this wasn't a lost cause? Or at least, Kieran found himself hoping it wasn't. They'd literally just run into one another, but he wanted to spend a little more time with Kazuna if he could. And since the other boy had offered so kindly...]

Maybe ya could show me 'round a bit, though? Ain't never had a personal tour guide before, could be real nice.

[ Listening to the way his new friend speaks, Kazuna feels a swell of both interest and fondness. Would that he could be so easygoing and carefree... There's admiration in his eyes as he nods, tucking his papers under one arm to gesture towards the part of town he's more familiar with to start. ]

It would be my genuine pleasure. I'm afraid I'm newly arrived myself, but I've done my best to commit the main districts to memory. Anything in particular you'd like to see...?

...oh! [ Giving a start, he feels himself blush as his smile takes on an awkward cast. ] I'm Kazuna. You are...?

[Easygoing and carefree was a generous description of the way Kieran spoke, his poor excuse for an accent what it might sound like if an Irishman, a Maritimer, and a hillbilly all vomited words simultaneously, each of them boasting the same unsophisticated sixth grade education. Needless to say, it was...something else, but certainly not something Kieran fixated on or was at all ashamed about. So long as people understood him, and most of the time they seemed to, that was all that mattered.]

Kazuna, eh?

[It was a nice name, if a little strange to Kieran's ear. He liked the way it rolled off his tongue, though, almost singsong and effortless. Not unlike the way it felt to be talking to the other boy, as if they'd known each other far longer than the few minutes they'd been speaking.]

M'name's Kieran. I'd shake yer hand, but...

[He nodded at Kazuna's armful and chuckled.]

Anyway, if ya know of a good place t'get a drink, I think that'd be a fine place t'start.

[ luckily, kazuna's run-in happens to strike someone fairly tall and sturdy. and more than that, familiar. with a low oop, kento catches his groupmate by the shoulder enough to keep from joining his array of items that have gone toppling to the ground. stationary, kazu? really?

good thing kento is already a tactile person, or the continued presence of his hand on his shoulder might seem weird. ]

What a lukewarm reaction, Kazuna.

[ "hello" is what he means. ]

[ Those words... just make him that much more room temperature. Or at least, that's his instinct until he looks up at Kento and all coherent thought vanishes. ]

Kento? [ There's really no mistaking this particular groupemate, not a hair out of place and smelling nice no matter how ridiculous the situation, and this situation is pretty outlandish even by B-Project standards. And he's tall, and firm, and self-assured, and it's almost as though the other two members of Thrive are cherry-picked to make Kento look better. Did he always smell this good? What is going on--

It takes him a moment to regain his mental footing, which leaves Kento's hand uncontested for several long seconds before Kazuna finally pulls away to gather his things, face red and a little wild-eyed with barely restrained panic. ]

What are you doing here?

[ he has absolutely always smelled this nice, you were just too busy trying not to smell tomohisa that you never noticed.

kazuna is one of the few people kento really seems to take note of every time he sees him, because kento of all people doesn't trust his emotional barometer to keep him out of trouble. much like goshi, just in the opposite direction, demeanor-wise. honestly it should also probably surprise kento to see another member of b-project here, but you know, they're from b-project. anything can happen. ]

Watching where I'm going, apparently.

[ he kneels to start gathering up the fallen items. ]

Distracted?

「 TDM 02 」

masunaga kazuna ☼ b-project

☼ — portentous moments

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wuv, twu wuv

WILL FOWOW YOU FOWEVA....

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