spacedragons | AUGUST TDM.

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!tdm

AUGUST TDM.

➛ Welcome to Last Eden's TDM for August! Threads here can be counted as game canon.
➛ Feel free to use the prompts to test out a new character or to try out the game's premise!
➛ The TDM can be used for your application sample, though it is not a requirement.

A DREAM, OF A SOUL AWAKE.

You are asleep. The dreamscape ripples, resolves into a vision of a foreign land, and then a world of pure white. There is the sensation of rising through deep water, and then you find yourself in a room of white marble. Your items may be set on the floor around you, or you could have arrived bare-handed - whichever it is, you'll soon be addressed by a couple of tired-looking people in white coats. It seems they're as confused as you are.

A ➛ After getting a brief introduction to the White Moon and choosing a faction, you will be allowed to leave. It's a whole new world, after all - so why not look around? The architecture of the Administrative Zone is very formal, in high contrast to the Free Market which is practically a riot of colour and wares. Merchants from all four nations peddle their wares here - have a look around, but also keep a watch on your purse. Some things can be quite expensive.

B ➛ As you head out of the Administrative Zone's gates, a flash of light catches your eye. The sun-crystal is reflected quite brightly in the window of a nearby building, almost dazzling you - and in that instant you see someone behind you in the street. A youth with white hair and grey clothing, oddly familiar. You blink, and he's gone. Maybe he was never there at all.

TO THE STARS, WE ENTRUST OUR DIRECTION.

The money given to every new foreigner is limited. It seems you will be expected to earn your keep from now on, either through tradecraft or through offering your services to the populace. If taking on small contracts isn't your thing, each faction also has bounties up for the taking. After all, you carry a surprising resistance to the miasma that lurks outside the city walls. Why not put it to use?

C ➛ Fancy taking a ride on a dragon? The roostkeepers of the Ice faction are friendly and will allow you to interact with their charges as long as you're respectful of their boundaries. The older dragons will merely gaze at you pensively, but the youngsters are always up for a game of catch or two. There's also the option of dragon taxi if you wish to travel between regions. If you can fork out the coin, they'll send you across the Moon in the fastest time possible.

D ➛ The inland Sea is abuzz with activity at this time of the year. While the seasonal variations are dampened inside the Moon ship, that hasn't stopped the natives from hanging out at the beach. The Blood faction's side has plenty of revelry, with fireworks set off at night and grilled fish stalls set up along the waterfront. Some of the food on offer may carry potent effects, however - the shamans are used to ingesting enhanced wines, but are you?

E ➛ If you've let slip the fact that you're from another world, you may soon gain some fans. Some natives will be curious and wish to interview you, but others may have more shady intentions. It can be hard to distinguish well-wishers from kidnappers - if you're being cornered by a few very earnest folk, it might be time to run.

F ➛ The roostkeepers will let you ride one of their older dragons if you are going to the Badlands on an exploration mission. It's a desolate landscape barren and devoid of all plant life, but such rocks might hide valuable treasures. Strange ores and crystals jut out of rock formations about a mile or two outside the city walls. Even map information will fetch you some reward from your faction. But don't venture out too far, or your resistance may wear off and leave you at the mercy of the elements.

G ➛ Wildcard! Feel free to utilize minor NPCs if needed. If you have any questions about the setting, direct them towards the FAQ.

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[Nothing.

Not even some form of recognition.

He holds back a sigh, rubbing the back of his head.]

Yeah, that's my name. Anyway, nice meeting you, Hibiki.

--Wait.

[ She's not dumb. She hasn't endured this world of lies and falsehoods just to be incapable of identifying someone who's not showing their hand.

So she steps up and looks him right in the eyes (er, her eyes, his eye). What is going on here...? What is the piece she's missing...?

Her onlookers ooh and aah. "Look at me next!" somebody yells. "Stare me down!" ]

[ A ]

You there.

[ Yes, you. You are the lucky individual selected, out of this whole bustling market, to be approached by Shikyoin Hibiki! She'd been hoping for an official or someone who looked a little more like they knew what they were doing, but such conveniences appear in short supply.

Which bodes ill, but she's trying not to focus on that. ]

Direct me to the nearest employment agency, please. My household is insufficiently staffed.

[ D ]

[ By the time you encounter Hibiki at this refreshments booth, it's too late. She's in a corner, holding her head and wincing. A half-finished cup of...something...is held between shaking fingers in her free hand. ]

Noisy...

[ That it is. Somebody lets off a bunch of handheld fireworks. Hibiki winces, growing blue around the temples. She looks like she's going to be sick. ]

[ E ]

[ The crowd that Hibiki's attracting seems to skew towards a certain giggly, giddy demographic. And why shouldn't it? She's passing out purple flowers, tucking them behind people's ears, smiling at them and waving to others. ]

Commemoration. [ She smooths out the latest recipient's hair to make room for the stem behind her ear. ] Emblazon on your memory the day you witnessed the dawning sunbeams of revolution.

[ "Who is he...?" someone whispers. "They say he was a Prince in another world!" somebody else replies. "We'd be doing so much better with a Prince like that in charge!" a third party agrees.

Hibiki just soaks this all in. Here. You get a flower, too. ] Just for you.

[ The air is now raining purple flower petals everywhere she walks. Prince or not, somebody's got quite the special effects repertoire. ]

[ G - Light Faction ]

Regular hours?!

[ Hibiki is gaping in disbelief on the steps of a technology research facility. Frowning down at her is a supervisor - the same supervisor who'd appealed to her skill with computers, claiming they'd needed one of her genius to help them improve their world. ]

Absurd! I'm doing you all a favor! You'll permit me entrance and egress as I wish.

[ She does not appear to be making much headway. In fact, there are some police heading down the street, wondering what all this fuss is about... ]

[ There is something in how he says that... Something in how tragic the once Hero King's—King in more sense than one—own expression is. So gentle and calm, yet something saddened there as well. So very much how Sion ever was, and yet..

You don't remember him, do you? Sion, who Allen had once forgotten... and who Allen had promised to never forget again.

Somehow it never occurred to Allen—forgotten as he had been back on Earth by both Lux and Lavi, who was used to never being remembered by anyone these past three months since last they were in Enprise... it never occurred to him that Sion might also forget him.

So when the other man lays his hand so gently along his jaw, with such familiarity even though it's obvious he doesn't truly recall him.. Allen's expression is slack and even if Sion doesn't cry, it's certainly enough to cause his own eyes to well. Ever the same. Even if you forgot him, you still—

He makes a bit of a choked sound, something that's covered up as a weak sort of laugh as he scrubs for a moment at the side of his face Sion didn't touch. ]

Isn't it obvious? [ Don't you dare tease him for sounding so raw even as he huffs..! Because though he ruffles in response to the light tease, the sobriety of what Sion said isn't lost on him. That chilling reveal:

"When I feared the monster I would become, and abandoned my closest, dearest friends in the hope of shielding them from path I was destined to walk alone--..."

It almost sets him back a pace, dry-mouthed, how he speaks of that. And for a moment Allen isn't sure if he's speaking of himself... or him. Yet.. it makes him all the more certain in his response, his gaze lifted to meet Sion's own gold ones squarely, even as bright with what's unshed as they are—

And to respond in kind, with yes, heartache—but such a truly glad if cracked sort of smile as well. ]

You're still the idiot I promised I'd save.

The motorrad obviously couldn't respond to the scrutiny—besides his ability to speak, he was otherwise completely inert, relying on the pact that he had made with Kino to continue to move both of them forward. Kino keeps an eye on Stone, however, relieved that he didn't seem cross. It wasn't enough to make the traveler relax—truth be told, they never fully let their guard down—but it makes things continue a bit smoother.

"Mm," the kid wonders aloud, pausing as if to mentally count. Keeping track of the days was important to Kino. As a rule, they never remained in the same country for more than three days. It was important for a traveler to continue moving, especially if they wanted to see everything they could—and Kino knew first-hand the dangers of growing too attached.

That wasn't a possibility here, though. They were stuck, and the change in pace was something they were still grappling with.

"I believe we have been here for around the same time." Kino offers no correction, so it certainly seems the kid and motorrad had stuck together. "Keeping track of the days is a little different, after all."

The massive crystal that acted as the "sun" certainly simulated nights and days, but neither of them were used to that yet.

[Kino's expression grows a little more grave. Hermes, for a motorrad, was a little... vain, if they had to put it into words. He certainly took offense to being thought of as just an object (which had happened quite a number of times already, with no sign of it abating in sight). It just gave them additional damage control to do, as he could get rather mouthy when frustrated.]

Maybe for you...!

[He probably would've continued, but Kino stepped to his side and placed a hand on his handlebars.] Where we're from, it's not something anyone questions.

[Here's where one would usually put an explanation for such a thing, but Kino's world was strange, almost abstract in a way. Some strange things were simply understood, while other banal things were called into question.]

Please forgive him. He's not used to people... doubting him like this.

[As Kino gives the level-headed apology, the dragon they had briefly entertained sidles up beside them and begins to try to gently tug the aviator-style cap from their head.]

Not really. Everyone acts like they're as baffled as we are. Though usually less annoyed.

[While Stone is trying to make the best of the situation, he's still grumpy about not being with his court, where he belongs.]

Probably means we just haven't found the ones responsible yet.

[Or so he hopes.]

Stone could understand that, if Kino ever articulated it. While he had a home, as it were, he spent a lot of time away from that home exploring. Here, there's only so far he can travel, and even then he needs his dragon nursemaid along or people get nervous about it.

So he nods, and looks up to squint suspiciously at the crystal. "Can't even find south here," he admits. "Usually I feel it in my bones, and always know which way it is. There's no south here."

They should swap travelers' stories later. It was one of Kino's favorite pastimes.

"Oh." It reminds Kino of something they had observed earlier. They turn to rummage around in the pocket of a bag saddled onto Hermes, soon bringing out a small circular device: a compass. They carefully show the crystal surface to Stone, where the needle seemed... confused, in a word. It would point in a certain direction, spin around a little, then point in another.

"I've had a similar problem," the kid says, just a touch despairingly.

"In your bones, though? How do you do that, huh? Hey, Kino, can you learn how to do that? It seems a lot more convenient!

[...Did he offend the thing?

Lavi's honestly not sure what to expect, so he simply shifts his gaze to the other person.]

...Sorry if I offended... him. [He says that a little unsure, still trying to wrap his mind around it. He knows that in their vessel forms, shinki can talk, but that's only to their gods.

This is different.] It really isn't something I'd expect to see.

[Ah, but the dragon is coming over now and his attention is caught by it.]

What is it?

[This isn't his Hibiki, that's what he knows for sure.

Lavi isn't going to keep up a conversation with a Hibiki that he hasn't gotten to know ~~and who doesn't use him in return~~.

But at the same time, he still owes a bit to his own Hibiki to stick around long enough and wait to see what she wants.]

[He lets out a soft huff.]

If we haven't stumbled across any one of them by now, who knows if we'd get to find them at all.

[Stone's eyes narrow a bit, and he says grimly:]

I don't give up easily. I'm sure there are people here higher up the hierarchy that we haven't met yet.

It just so happens it's one of Stone's favorite passtimes, too. Lay it on him, kiddo, give him all those stories of countries he's never heard of.

"It's just part of what I am," Stone answers the machine, after eying the compass with interest. "You have to be born with it. Sorry. Suppose we'll both have to rely on maps and memories to get around this place."

[That gets Lavi to smile grimly.]

There are, plenty, I'm sure. The knowledge of the four factions aren't exactly something to miss either.

[Aerich generally projects an attitude of... well, of cool deliberation, as if he does have a plan for the fact he doesn't know why he is in this curious, unsettling place. That may be good enough to look official.]

[He glanced down at the young person. Given he was in a foreign land, he was having trouble making inferences about their place in society, save for relative age and that if they weren't the same race as the Easterners from his home world, they at least looked like it. Though the lilac hair was a bit novel; Aerich wasn't an expert, but he was led to believe Easterners were just shorter and hairier than his own race. The level of ornamentation was perhaps suggestive that this person wasn't the equivalent of a Teckla... however, could he really be sure of that considering the Light District had been full of technology that was beyond what his own home had produced.]

[well, he would have to be polite and ask for an introduction later.]

I regret that I am newly arrived, and cannot offer you directions.

[Not that he was even sure what an employment agency was for. Didn't one (or one's steward) just ask around to see if someone knew of someone who was qualified?]

[OOC: Sorry, wasn't sure if Hibiki was dressed in male or female clothing, since I read her background, so I am covering it with culture shock.]

[ Hibiki's eyes narrow. She can't place it. She can't place that look on his face. She, the actor! She, the genius!

Inexplicable. ]

You're a man who keeps to himself, aren't you.

[ or you could

ask, hibiki

that is a thing that you could do ]

[Lavi stares back at her.

He's almost amused; he's been a bit of a better actor of her, not that he'd ever admit it, but:]

What makes you think that?

[Just. Ask.]

[[ ooc: No worries, I should have specified! Hibiki is no longer openly claiming to be male, but she does still wear men's clothing (and her voice is super deep). She'll answer to whatever, though. ]]

[ Another new arrival, then. And nothing prepared for them. Hibiki sighs. ]

This has hardly been arranged to inspire confidence.

[ She's not averse to continuing to converse, but she does look around. Ideally, wouldn't they have had staff prepared for everyone here...? She had understood her needs would be provided for.

Hibiki might have more needs than the average transplant. ]

[ Hibiki is a "good actor" in a universe that considers the height of culture to be little girls singing J-Pop. Standards vary. ]

My memory is impeccable.

[ That she can say with certainty. Foolish to have wondered if he'd just escaped her notice - she's Shikyoin Hibiki. Things do not, generally, do that.

Be labeled unworthy of said notice? Absolutely. But the initial impression? Gets made.

So can she cow him into admitting what that reaction had been about? A fan wouldn't have just said "Hibiki". Only colleagues, only equals, do that. ]

Your memory might be failing you this time.

[He can't resist teasing her a bit, but at the same time, he can very well cause himself to be ranked down on a scale lower than friendship.

Probably.

But he's always been used to calling her "Hibiki". That won't change now.]

What do you mean?

[ Who are you?

And why do you look like you're halfway having fun? ]

Mn. I wholeheartedly agree.

[ For it would be unfair, wouldn't it—a grievous disservice to them both. To Lavi, who did not deserve to bear the burden of a life which he did not (and would never) know; and to Sion, who could not afford to further entrench himself in the past (in the memories of the hundreds of lives he'd lead, the joys and sorrows, the triumphs and regrets of so, so very many 'Sion' assimilating with his own), lest he lose himself in the undertow.

But none of this Sion readily conveys, his expression so serene, so gentle, and so open that it seems impossible, the notion that he could ever waver or falter.

(That, like Lavi, his heart is guarded, too.) ]

Let it start in the present, then. Whatever it is you wish to speak of, whether it concerns the White Moon or otherwise, I will gladly lend you an ear, because--...

[ Earnestly: ] There are no guarantees, save for one: every day that I am present here, I will work toward finding the reason behind our displacement. How it is we've so easily been uprooted from the lives we lead, and what it will take to return to them.

I owe this to you and others, and I will pursue these answers relentlessly with the resources which I have been given, however... [ Here, his eloquence breaks, and Sion speaks freely, perhaps boyishly when he admits: ] I know I cannot do it alone.

I am but a single person, and on my own, I am unsure of what I will be able to unearth, or what I will have the power to change, and that's why--...

I hope we can work together, Lavi. Finding strength in one another, it is what makes us human. [ Human … that beautiful, enduring thing which Sion (the Director, the Hero King) is no longer. ] And even if that bond cannot precisely be called 'camaraderie'... it is something worthwhile, all the same.

What I divulged to you... it was in good faith, so that you might be able to better understand me.

[ And perhaps think on accepting the hand which still remains outstretched, guileless and true. ]

Oh, gladly.

But for now.

"Ohh..." The motorrad pauses, thoughtful. "I guess I understand that." He has a frame of reference, of course, knowing some of the intrinsic differences between himself and Kino due to what they were and therefore how they relied on one another. The traveler, without natural way to travel, giving balance and direction to the vehicle without the power to do so alone.

Regardless of what they relied on to get around, this world seemingly eschewed everything. It was fortunate enough that it was difficult to get lost, since they seemed to be pressed to the inside of the surface of... something. Kino was still wrapping their head around it, being able to distantly see land sloping on the other side of the crystalline star.

"Stone," the traveler begins, "May I ask you a question?"

[Hermes could be haughty at times. It certainly wasn't unique of Lavi to do such a thing. He would cool off in a moment—the motorrad tended to not dwell in such things.

Kino shakes their head.] Don't let it concern you. That it's something surprising in this place is something we both need to get used to.

[The kid angles a sharp glance down to the motorrad, who decidedly stays silent.

By this time, the dragon bothering Kino had fully tugged both their cap (and goggles) free, dangling it a few feet above them in the air. They give Lavi an amused expression as they turn calmly to the creature.] Like we'll have to get used to these creatures.

[Then they start to try convince the beast to give them their stuff back, patting it on the neck and asking very politely.]

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AUGUST TDM.

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Hibiki Shikyoin ♔ Idol Time PriPara

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