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TDM #7
Welcome! Everything is fine.
Uploading. . . Complete!
The Lobby.
- When you open your eyes, there is quite a lot of beige to take in. The unassuming walls of the room you've found yourself in are barren save for a single motivational poster directly in your line of sight. An illuminated sign above an open door on the far wall reads 'lobby exit.'
"Welcome," chimes a polite, synthesized voice. "I'm happy you're here." A moment later comes the clarity of the situation: you have died and so has the world you came from. "This is Amani, your new reality," continues The Peacekeeper. "Everything will be fine."
At least you aren't the only one here, you'll soon find out, as others who are just as confused and concerned as you are mingling on the main hub's first floor. Hopefully, you find a familiar face among the crowd. If not, that's all right. You'll get to know quite a few people very well soon enough.
- If you're one of the unlucky few whose death required a bit more intensive re-coding to maintain stability in the simulation, you'll instead awaken on a bed in the infirmary. Everything is strikingly white save for the occasional string of vines with lavender growing in bursts to help keep people calm. Whether or not it works seems to be on a case-by-case basis.
While there is active medical staff, the voice of The Peacekeeper is also there to explain the situation in a more delicate manner to these individuals. It's already stressful enough having to have gone through such a violent death, after all!
If characters want more questions answered, they'll need to speak to The Peacekeeper directly. But first, it will encourage socialization in the main hub and hopefully, you'll find someone you recognize to make taking things in a little easier.
- Throughout the main hub where everyone congregates, a light chiming echoes through the first floor. "Hello, everyone," comes the synthetic voice from when you first arrived. "Please, seek shelter from the typhoon here. If you'd like, there is cake and some refreshments."
WHAT
The seventh Amani TDM!
WHEN
August 24nd, 2022
KINKS OF THE MONTH
★ Bloodplay
★ Sensory Deprivation
★ Rimming
★ Overstimulation
★ Sex-toys/Strap-on
★ Sensory Deprivation
★ Rimming
★ Overstimulation
★ Sex-toys/Strap-on
WHAT'S YOUR DTF STATUS?
If the main hub and its features don't appeal to you, that's perfectly fine. This is the perfect time to configure your Digitized Technical Friend or your DTF status. A DTF is similar to a dæmon from His Dark Materials in that it is connected to and a reflection of a character's soul. These DTFs take shape accordingly and are projections similar to the NPCs. Think of them as your own personal Clippy except less annoying. Hopefully.
Once that's set-up, there are other locations of the main hub to investigate! You can visit the training grounds, music lounge, library, and onsen. Also, feel free to leave an offering for the resident deity of sleep (Hypnos) at his shrine! You can even visit The Peacekeeper themselves on the second floor. They're always happy to have visitors! They're also conveniently where you might place a complaint about that status of the main hub and its amenities. Even if you do complain, The Peacekeeper will encourage others to set off and find their own place to live out in the simulation.
Granted, the housing market in the afterlife isn't exactly robust. It doesn't help that every place you find has a leaky roof or broken window. No, unfortunately that will need to be fixed the peaceful way. If you'd like more lighting or even cozier clothes, simulation inhabitants are reminded that 'peaceful interactions' are very important!
It might be a good idea to stick close to someone you know, for now, since even the smallest amounts of intimacy might see subtle changes occurring where they're staying. Perhaps that broken window is now fixed, the grime and dust seem a little less, or the floor doesn't creak quite as loud.
Larger changes, however, will only come after demonstrating the more powerful peaceful interactions. If you want new hardwood floors or a fresh coat of paint on the walls, you're going to have to demonstrate how well you 'get along' with others against them first.
A FOUL WIND BLOWS
For the last couple of weeks, The Peaceekeeper has been relatively quiet save for the mandatory greeting of newcomers. In fact, it doesn't even make the usual announcement that it has before to alert inhabitants of the sudden shift in weather. Blue skies and sunshine gradually begin to darken over. The wind picks up to a frightening gale that will see people likely needing to strap things down and fasten their shutters tight.
However, it's not anything physical that inhabitants will likely end up losing. The forceful rain, wind, and ensuing storm will instead strip away their inhibitions if they're unlucky enough to be caught in it.
What was holding you back, anyway? It's hard to remember or seems so suddenly trivial. It's not an issue anymore. that's for sure! Whether this is about something intimate, secrets kept, or things you know you shouldn't say for any number of reasons don't matter. Self-consciousness and doubt feel like a thing of the past and you're free to chase whatever whims you want!
Hopefully, you won't regret it when the effects wear off in a few day's time.
However, it's not anything physical that inhabitants will likely end up losing. The forceful rain, wind, and ensuing storm will instead strip away their inhibitions if they're unlucky enough to be caught in it.
What was holding you back, anyway? It's hard to remember or seems so suddenly trivial. It's not an issue anymore. that's for sure! Whether this is about something intimate, secrets kept, or things you know you shouldn't say for any number of reasons don't matter. Self-consciousness and doubt feel like a thing of the past and you're free to chase whatever whims you want!
Hopefully, you won't regret it when the effects wear off in a few day's time.
CLEAN-UP CREW
Although not everyone may be in the mood to buckle down and get to work after the storm blows through, the mess it leaves behind is literal as well as metaphorical. Time to get cleaning! The Peacekeeper has graciously provided a whole host of tools to assist inhabitants in clearing the debris littering the beach and floating in the ocean, including...
- ★ Inflatable Rafts » For those who would prefer to clean the water instead of the beach, these boats can comfortably fit two people in them--or one person, should they choose to lie down. Better grab a partner, unless you want to be rowing in circles!
★ Skimmer Nets » These long-handled tools can extend up to five meters, with nets strong and deep enough to scoop up a substantial amount of debris from the water--or capture most people from the waist up, should you feel more inclined to messing around than picking up the pieces.
★ Brushes » These broad brushes come in a variety of materials to help scrub mud and sand off any buildings that got blasted, from stiff nylon bristles, to soft silicone that might not feel bad being used for a massage. You've earned it after working so hard, right?
★ GET LAID » The state-of-the-art Liquid-Air Impulse Device boasts an impressive number of features, all in a handy dandy device you can wear as a backpack. Not only can its hose serve as a pressure washer, high-powered vacuum, or water gun, but it can also be used as a jet pack! The sky is the limit--just don't forget to land occasionally and refill its tank with water, or you may find yourself in free fall.
JUST KEEP SWIMMING
All your hard work hasn't gone unnoticed!
The mermaids that live beneath the waves of Taasunni Beach are extremely grateful that the inhabitants have taken the time and effort to clean up their home. To show their gratitude, they've decided to let everyone experience the beauty of the once-again pristine ocean for themselves!
Upon request, one of the mermaids lounging in the shallows will kiss inhabitants to fill them with magic. This gift will transform them into merfolk themselves for about 6 hours, allowing them to breathe underwater, swim swiftly, and explore or play in the depths to their hearts' content.
Those who indulge in this, especially repeatedly, may find themselves feeling unusually buoyant and free--as though a weight has lifted from their shoulders, and their troubles are simply washing away on the tide.
The mermaids that live beneath the waves of Taasunni Beach are extremely grateful that the inhabitants have taken the time and effort to clean up their home. To show their gratitude, they've decided to let everyone experience the beauty of the once-again pristine ocean for themselves!
Upon request, one of the mermaids lounging in the shallows will kiss inhabitants to fill them with magic. This gift will transform them into merfolk themselves for about 6 hours, allowing them to breathe underwater, swim swiftly, and explore or play in the depths to their hearts' content.
Those who indulge in this, especially repeatedly, may find themselves feeling unusually buoyant and free--as though a weight has lifted from their shoulders, and their troubles are simply washing away on the tide.
SEXY STAMP CARD
If you're wondering about these 'peaceful interactions' that keep being mentioned or what the kinks of the month are for... Here's your answer! Upon arrival, all characters will receive a digital copy of their very own sexy stamp card.
Completing peaceful interactions (i.e. kinks) will reward characters with stamps that they can turn in for re-gains and many other things! While the example one here is the standard issued card by The Peacekeeper, players are more than welcome to customize it how they see fit. Have fun with it!NOTES
Completing peaceful interactions (i.e. kinks) will reward characters with stamps that they can turn in for re-gains and many other things! While the example one here is the standard issued card by The Peacekeeper, players are more than welcome to customize it how they see fit. Have fun with it!
★ The effects of all the influences can, as always, be as heavy or light as you'd like! It can be chalked up to differences in resistance, non-humanity or not, etc. etc.
★ Please thank Love Bug Infy for helping out with this TDM!
★ Make sure to dunk your questions/feedback in the thread below!
★ The locations page is undergoing a revamp! While originally I wanted to have it done in time for this test drive meme, that didn't quite happen. But it is coming soon, I promise!
★ Due to moderator error meaning we are over the player limit already and repeated requests, the player cap has been increased to 50. We are currently at 47/50 slots taken! Anyone wishing to claim a character must have an invite and follow the proper rules in place to be accepted into the community.
★ Also in light of that announcement and since I totally forgot the monthly meme due to being sick... Why not check out the ATP/EMP Meme now up? See who others want to try out, enable your friends! Fun all around!
NAVIGATION
no subject
He still hurts like hell but he's spent the last 12 hours or so getting thrown through and off of buildings, run over, shot at, and stabbed repeatedly. So really, he'd be more surprised if he didn't hurt. The curaga helps more than Squall realizes, though, easing the raging pain in his belly even if it does nothing for the more visible damage of the Lucian magic.
"'m not gonna pass out on you, kid. Don' worry." A smirk and a huff and the sound becomes a cough that turns into him spitting blood on the sidewalk. Huh. Still probably better than just gradually bleeding out and having it replaced by magic. "And 'm not gonna be carried."
No, instead he's going to be a stubborn bastard and try to climb back to his feet, though the knee he'd dislocated earlier in the night gives out and sends him stumbling towards the other man, hopefully to be caught and not just eat shit.
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"Fine. I'm just trying to help you. You look like shit." He can be a little snarky too but something tells him that the man won't be too upset by his tone. That cough from Nyx sounds nasty and the proceeding blood isn't good either. He doesn't have anything to give him to wipe up so they just have to deal with it for now.
Squall is already standing before Nyx tries to and when he falls on him he is there to hold him up, unaffected except for the blood, dirt and who knows what else now staining his white shirt. He's going to have to clean that later. "Hey you need to take it slow. You don't want to be carried fine, but at least lean on me."
It's odd, had this been years ago this might have been another story since Squall back in the day very much was the same lone wolf 'do everything yourself' kinda man that Nyx seemed to be. He had learned over the years to trust in his friends and that he was stronger together then separate. It looked like Nyx was going to get a quick dose of that if he wanted help and to stop bleeding on the street. Squall shifted them so Nyx was leaning on him, letting the man rest his head against the fur of his jacket for some comfort as he held him around the waist, lifting him a bit to keep weight off the clearly bad leg. "Alright let's get moving."
no subject
For all that he says he will not be carried he does allow Squall to take the majority of his weight.
"That's what happens when you sign your death warrant." Looking like shit, that is. It's been a significant moment since Squall said that so he'd be forgiven for not understanding what the hell Nyx is on about. "Was fun while it lasted though..." A grunt as that second curaga rolls through him and this time when he coughs he staggers to a stop, choking for a moment before..... something truly horrible comes out of his mouth, hitting the concrete sidewalk and skittering away with a sharp, metallic clinking.
The broad, expanded shell.... of a hollowpoint bullet.
no subject
"....." He lifted Nyx a little bit more off the ground so he could practically carry him from his waist into the building. If this man was coughing up bullets then they needed to move quicker, hurt leg or not. He opened the door for them and let Nyx hop inside, pretty annoyed now at the stubbornness of the other for not letting him carry him but he'd dealt with stubbornness even worse then this unfortunately. "I need your name and you need to tell me exactly what is wrong with you or I can't help you and neither will the healer." It's a little bit of a lie, he knows the healer will still help Nyx but they won't be able to help him as well as they can with no information. "And you need to tell me if you are going to throw up another bullet. I....don't even know how that's possible."
no subject
"You want a list we're gonna be here all day. But... Luche put two more slugs in me. I dunno what the hell you did to make it come up but yeah there might be more. Main thing though, I guess, is uh..." He looks down at his burning arm, still not even realizing the lines of magic fissures in his skin have crawled all the way up to his face.
"You ever put too much juice in an old, small, beat-up battery just to watch it pop?" He flashes Squall a feral grin, definitely a little unhinged, and holds up his hand, flexing his fingers and watching ash flake off to flutter to the floor. Then he presses his lips together and makes a little popping sound as he spreads his fingers back out.
"Didn't exactly think the Old Kings had a plan for after that part."
no subject
"Curaga, a healing spell. I don't know if it's actually helping you but...I got maybe two or three more in me before I'm spent. I don't want to have to use all of them on you cause if I do that means you're worse than I'm imaging and I'm not going to be much help after." The grin is a little unnerving but he keeps them moving, needing to reach the infirmary. 'Why is it so far into the building? They need to fix this...' He sees more ash come off Nyx and stops them for a moment so he can cast another curaga onto him, adjusting his hold on Nyx. The last time he casted healing spells this much and this strong had been the 1000 heartless battle and that had exhausted him for a good day after. He really needed to get his stamina up for the drain healing magic pulled from him.
no subject
Fuck Drautos.
"Don't hurt yourself over me." He's too used to magic, especially powerful magic, being enough of a drain to knock someone unconscious. Or worse for some of the mages in Crowe's old unit. Those sorts of magics will eat through a person's body so fast. Healing is beyond not only the Glaives but the King himself, even now with magic literally burning through him, he couldn't heal.
"You some kinda oracle or some shit?" Not that even the Princess could heal this sort of damage. That was far beyond her ken. But with that last curaga Nyx's knee at least stops buckling every time he tries to put weight on it. He's able to take some of his own weight back, able to breathe without wheezing.
no subject
He does let him put more weight on his leg for now and isn't holding him as much as he was before. He can tell Nyx likes his independence and he isn't going to rob him of that.
"Not even close...Aerith could do better on healing you. Mine is just basic...I just happen to be good with magic is all." The pair is able to walk quicker to the infirmary thanks to it.
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There's something hot and painful in his gaze, unfocused for a moment. The betrayal, the foolishness of it all- it had burned but everything was so sudden, so immediate. Suddenly having a little bit of distance, speaking of Regis, so swiftly remembering the way that fierce determination had bled out of them and now with the knowledge that it was his captain that had shoved the man's body aside, likely left there to rot in the ruins of the Citadel-
For a moment he can't breathe. The agony of loss and betrayal and so many things he hasn't had time to process suddenly sharp in his throat and when he swallows it down, takes another wavering step, he snarls under his breath. His hand moves to his back, looking for a kukri that is no longer there, embedded as it still is in Drautos' heart. (He hopes.) A fact which only pulls another sound from him, fierce and full of rage, and, pain be damned, he turns from Squall's support to instead throw his fist into the wall across from them, lightning crackling around him as he does, blueish purple and sparking in lichtenberg lines up across the surface of the drywall.
His breathing is ragged, he's still in a great deal of pain, but there's so much that runs deeper than any healing spell could manage. For a moment it looks like he might slump, sink to his knees and give into it. But then he steps back, turns, and begins limping down the hall, unaided and somehow burning even hotter with the magic that is eating him alive.
no subject
Squall looked at the wall for a moment before going to catch up with Nyx and quickly surpassing him to stop him. He puts his hands on the others chest, mindful not to touch any of the burnt skin. "Stop. You're still limping and now you're burning. I don't know what happened in your world and it's not my business to know but let me at least help you now in the present." There is a fierceness in the way he speaks. He's not going to let Nyx move without his okay even if it means freezing him here, at least then he'd get to fix some of the burning flesh.
Looking at the torn clothing around Nyx's arm he tries once more to freeze it,if only to cool him off. The frost starts to appear on parts of Nyx's clothing but no where he actually wants it to go. Annoyed at himself for being unable to figure out how his magic is being blocked in those spots he gives up and just lets Nyx lean on him once more. At least now they can walk faster. "The moment you are healed I can show you the training area so you can get let loose. Sound like a deal?"
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"If your healers can fix this I'm either going to be dead or unconscious." Yes, he would consider being dead (properly dead, not like this place) a fix for what's happening to his body. Either way he will not be up for going to any training grounds for anything. "More magic ain't gonna do shit, though. What I need is to get of it, at least some of it, or there won't be anything of me left for it to eat."
Just like a fire goes dark when the fuel runs out... only right now he's the fuel.
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They walked more in silence for a moment before Squall spoke again. "If I have anything to say about it you'll get some rest and a full recovery." Squall gives him the smallest of smiles. "They don't just use magic either. They use science to heal you but...not exactly sure how they will help you. If anything I'll just use curaga on you again until you're not...well...half dead." It's an attempt to keep the mood up and maybe even distract Nyx from his sadness. "Whatever they do ill stay in case you need me."
no subject
If he hovers close enough Squall might hear a more detailed version of the battery analogy. A gift of power to overcome invaders and protect the future- at the cost of his life. That same power now recreated here in this simulation, devouring him alive. That is the complicated bit, the part the Peacekeeper itself has to get involved in, trying to quell the hunger in that power, at least, and being cut off from actually powering the Old Wall with his life force it is actually easier than he might have thought to temper the magic, slow it down so it does not come so readily or explosively.
The rest is more straightforward, curatives and a brace that immobilizes his right knee, iced and wrapped and he should keep it elevated and off it entirely for at least a few days. Even curagas and concoctions cannot force the tendons to remain tight enough that it does not become a long-term issue. Only time and rest will do that. They can knit together flesh and bone, stop the bleeding, but... the pain will remain. Pain he insists he will "deal with" rather than allow them to give him any medications.
It takes a few hours before they release him back into Squall's care and the list of damage is nothing short of impossible. And if he has stayed Squall will find a very large blue, horned coeurl sitting beside him rumbling and his barbels sparking occasionally, especially when Nyx is growling in pain. The giant cat nearly large enough to let Nyx ride him if the man himself wasn't so stubborn, instead released on crutches and strict instructions to rest. Though the fissures remain the glowing light beneath them is calm and the skin itself will be scarred but recover once the ash has all shed away like a bad sunburn.
"Didn't expect you to actually stay..."
no subject
He'd stayed in the room close for assistance if needed for as long as he could. He'd learned a little more about the man in the process and some of his story was making more sense though there was still way too many holes both in Nyx and his story to understand it all.
Once the peacekeeper themselves showed up it was time for Squall to leave the room and so he waited outside the infirmary for him. He had taken a nap in the meantime and even summoned his own DTF for a bit to keep him company. Griever was a lion, human, beast hybrid but the DTF was smart and could play card games. It was something Squall figured out pretty quickly and so while he waited the two played a few rounds of blackjack, Squall winning almost every game.
It was in the middle of another game, the giant beast holding little cards in clawed hands while Squall was in the zone ready to draw another card that Nyx finally emerged. Squall played his hand and forfeited, letting his Dtf disappear back into his necklace along with the cards. He stood and quickly made his way over to Nyx, just incase he needed to lean on him again.
The coeurl behind him definitely caught Squalls eye and he was going to totally ask Nyx if he could pet it later but right now he wanted to make sure all was in order. "You were on deaths door, I wasn't going to leave you. I take it you just arrived so have no where to sleep right? I have a room at the Tavern. I don't mind sharing it while you recover. You look better, but just a bit. Still kind of look like shit." He couldn't help but tease him a little bit, honestly he was just glad that Nyx had made it. For awhile he was wondering if he wasn't. He did have to admit though while he still looked very rough, he was a bit more patched up and had a really handsome face. Once Nyx was all healed he'd probably do really well here and maybe they could be friends but Squall wasn't going to get too ahead of himself.
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"You've done more than enough, not about to take your room too. I'm a helluva lot better off now than I was." A smile, a shrug, all very devil may care as he takes a step forward on his crutches. Does he know where he's going? No. Does he intend to just... go anyway? Absolutely..
no subject
"Nonsense. I'm not letting you leave my sight and if I have to I will use Griever." Squall stood then and easily caught up to Nyx, standing in front of him with his arms crossed over his chest. "We going to do this again? Just come back with me and I'll make sure you're comfortable." He paused a moment, reaching his own cheek to scratch after realizing what he was saying. "I'm not going to try anything on you or something. You're injured I just...want to help." Griever decided to rise to stand as well, having to crouch in the corridor in order to fit but stood behind Squall, matching the same expression on his masters face.