prismaticrap | ▶ TDM .014

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You awaken amidst the darkness with only a faint light to greet you. Your body is hemmed in by shards of crystals, gently sparkling and possibly pricking your skin. The surrounding landscape is dyed in the pinks and purples of the dusk filled with crystals protruding from the ground, some as large as a skyscraper. After an hour or two of wandering through the crystal wilderness, a group of people find you worse for wear. They are the gallant Moon Knights from the planet of Prismatica. Because of the strange phenomena during the past months when scientists observed the sudden appearance of rainbow crystals in the sky, the government has been feverishly combing through the moon for more Moonblessed to be rescued. You’ll eventually be brought into Iris’s moon government center.

You all may have your usual inquiries — Where are we? Who are you? What's going on? — and the Prismals are almost too eager to answer. They tell you about their world and about the first appearance of the Moonblessed as the medical staff give you an examination to make sure you’re not carrying any viruses or biological hazards. If you react violently, you may be restrained and nerfed with a specialized neurotransmitting gun that releases a numbing agent through the top of your spine. Once the examinations are over, you’re informed that you will be provided accommodations on their planet during your stay. You will then be escorted to the docks, and led onto a large transport vessel that makes frequent trips back and forth between the Iris moon and the planet. Faces onboard vary from both old and new Moonblessed as well as the local Prismals.

The next destination: Prismatica.

▶ Welcome to the Jungle
Iris Moon, Government Center (Arrival) and Planet Prismatica, City of Lunatia | top

Welcome to Prismatica’s hub, Lunatia, the city of your dreams! A bustling metropolis lush with bright lights, vibrant colors, luxuriant plant life, and all the conveniences of technology absent from your own world… It seems like paradise to all the uninitiated. After a quick tour of the city, new arrivals can find themselves getting cozy in their new homes.

A Settle in your new home at Level 2 to find new roommates and say hello to your neighbors! City officials will give you directions to the designated districts across Level 2 and instruct you to pick out a unit. Each apartment complex has a different aesthetic, some may look cozy, some stylish, and some bizarre. The free accommodations have a basic living space that can only fit two or three people at most in one unit.

Starter Chromaspace furnishings are provided which can be controlled with the touch of a built-in panel. Examples are color-changing curtains, transforming sofa beds, cabinets turning into tables, etc. Customizing your apartment or moving out will have to wait until you earn more chroma. Until then, why don’t you check out your new neighborhood or explore the city levels? Maybe your new roommates or neighbors can give you a “hand” with allowance for dinner.

▶ Rock Your Body Right
Lunatia | top

Oh my god, they're back again. After taking more than a year-long hiatus, *BTSB (Backstay Sailor Boys) takes the planet by storm once more with their latest single, Anybody (Yeah). With an album out and a concert on the way, the five-man fox Prismal group from Amegahara has been busy with promotions. Their appearances on billboard ads, magazines, TV shows, et cetera make their worldwide handsome faces pretty hard to miss! Everyone and their pet robot in Lunatia can be found jamming to their songs, and every teenager on the street can tell you who their bias is and why.

B Be a part of *BTSB's Prismagram campaign and get a chance to win a physical copy of their album and backstage passes to their upcoming concert! Simply take a picture of you and your friends with official merchandise and post it on Prismagram with the hashtag #WeAreBTSB. Be careful, though: touching *BTSB merchandise tends to make people crush on the first face they see. The posts with the best pictures and stories will get their prizes in the mail on the 24th.

Why would a Moonblessed want to meet them, you ask? Community spirit! A sizable portion of the locals will start singing or dancing with you and your friends! “I want it another way. Tell me why? I never want to hear you say, I wish it wasn't that way. Don't be that way!” Play along and they’ll be willing to pardon your unpaid meal tab for one time or offer an incredible discount for one item you really wanted at the mall. The boys are also considered talented magic users in their own right. They might have some spells and magic tools to add to a Moonblessed's arsenal!

▶ What’s the Deal With This Pop Life?
Lunatia | top

Before you meet these foxy boys, you'll want to do your research on them. Thankfully, their ridiculously huge fanbase (who refer to themselves as NAVY) has already done the work for you.

Suzaku is the leader and the brains of the group. Both his witty, rapid-fire raps and lightning-fast spinning breakdances are known throughout the planet. He is also a newscaster and likes making informative but interesting Prismagram posts. His brother is also an idol, albeit a washed up one-hit wonder.

Kaya is the group's down-to-earth mom friend and soulful vocals. He is the most responsible of the boys and handles their meals and laundry. A former delinquent in his youth, he now spends his free time cooking for schoolchildren and advocating fox rights. He does not support fox pelt products and owns an animal shelter for strays.

Lecter is a dancer who oozes with sex appeal. If not in the studio, he is always hitting up the gym. Once a member of the Little Moonblessings Club in his childhood, he has grown out of his boy-next-door image. Currently, he is #2 on Prismal Magazine's Top 100 Sexiest Men Alive for his well-built frame and photogenic looks. Contrary to his cool appearance and reserved demeanor, he is surprisingly personable. He is also a prolific actor. He likes cats.

Tarn is the baby of the group who maintains a gaming channel. He often does spontaneous livestreams where he does Let’s Play sessions, live Q&As, and encourages people to make memes of his face. He jokes about playing more LmaO than going to practice but he’s got clear and strong vocals.

Rasha is a narcissistic man who can’t get enough of his fans and himself. When hanging around his fans, he tends to ask if they have a mirror to look at himself with. Don’t let his vanity fool you! He’s funny, incredibly easy to be with, and willing to treat people to drinks. He writes most of the lyrics for the group’s songs.

C Every hour, you will receive a text from the official *BTSB fanclub with a link to a poll. The texts will not stop unless you answer the poll. Please answer it ICly, as the answers will affect the event later this month!

Upon voting on the poll, you will be redirected to a video and text chatroom where you will be connected to a random stranger who has also answered the poll. Both you and the stranger will then need to answer the following questions:

Do you think the other person in this chatroom can be your fire? One of your many desires? Tell me why. Be honest.
Among the Moonblessed, who do you think is tasty? The tastiest?

Until both questions are answered truthfully, it will be impossible to switch apps, close the app, or delete it entirely.

▶ Questions

If you have any questions regarding this test drive meme, please ask them in the Questions thread below.

WHO CAN POST? ▶ Test drive memes are for new characters only. Existing players may not post starter threads in the test drime meme. However, current players are more than welcome to use these prompts for their own posts in the IC communities, personal inboxes, catch-all posts, etc.!

IS THIS CANON? ▶ As our test drive memes are game canon, feel free to keep any threads that happen here as canon for your character should they be accepted.

PRISMAGRAM CAMPAIGN - The mods will not will not be picking any winners for this contest OOCly. Feel free to assume your character/s won (or lost terribly).

PLAY ALONG - The gifts you can earn from playing along with the locals, as mentioned, includes free meals or drinks, a good discount for a high-end shirt, and so on. Feel free to come up with your own prizes OOCly this as long as it’s reasonable. You may not have won the lottery, but you could get a small token of appreciation!

NEW SPELLS AND MAGIC TOOLS - Details of these will be released in the next event!

POLL - Please answer the poll ICly, as the answers will affect the event later this month!

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[That voice.

Dedue turns without hesitation, eager to see the face attached to the voice as soon as possible. To be sure that he's not just imagining things. What he sees reassures him quickly. The clothes might have changed but that is the man he knows. The man who will change things.

The man he's placed his faith in.

Abandoning the thoughts and confusion about the room he's standing in, he takes a step closer to Dimitri, looking down at him and studying him. Making sure he's not injured, that he's healthy.]

Your Highness...

[A pause as he takes in the clothes. Not armor or uniforms of their world...]

I apologize for being late again.

[ It's difficult to not be emotional in that moment. How long has it been since he's been without Dedue's presence? Even back home, the amount of time he believed he'd been dead— when so much of him had been haunted that Dedue had become part of the hallucinations he welcomed into his head—

Even his return never quite felt like anything short of a miracle, a dream that was too good to be true. Even if that's all this is, for a few moments— if that's all the reality he gets, then he wants to live it.

His chest clenches tightly and before he can stop himself, he's stepping forward, arms going firmly around his dearest retainer and friend's body with no reluctance or hesitation— his strength may make this a little surprisingly insistent, but Dedue can pull away if he wants.

He just needs to hold him, just for a bit, to remind himself that he exists. That even here, he's no spectre from his memory. ]

Dedue.

[ Even his name feels like a prayer, relief in every syllable. ]

I missed you.

[ Enough time has passed here that he can say that with absolute honesty, and he doesn't intend to hold his tongue now. ]

[The embrace he receives is surprising. It takes the large man a moment to figure out how to respond to it. Perhaps some of it has been living a life without all of these affections. Perhaps some of it simply is his reserved nature. Perhaps it's something else. In the end it doesn't matter because he lifts his arms to return the embrace.

There's something inside him that says Dimitri might need this. He doesn't know if he deserves to be the one to give this to him but he can offer. For now.

In truth, it warms something inside him too. Makes this man who is so important to him that much more real. Closing his eyes, he lets himself have a selfish moment to just have this. This warmth. The intensity of it might harm another but he can handle it.

Even if he couldn't, he would still take it if it were Dimitri delivering it.]

...

[What words are appropriate? He doesn't know. But he will try.]

I am here.

[ Relief floods through him at Dedue's returned embrace, a choke of his emotions clenching his breath as he pushes his face in his friend's shoulder. That familiar scent is all it takes for him to be lost in a memory he'd almost forgotten here.

But he isn't unhappy— his fingers press against his back, breaths steadying before he finally draws himself back when it's proper— but his arms move so that his hands remain on Dedue's shoulders firmly, as though to keep him from disappearing.

His single eye is narrowed, filled with emotion— it's some kind of discipline to keep himself from wanting to shed tears in relief, but he manages. ]

You are.

[ He's finding it difficult to express himself, but that's normal for him, isn't it? ]

Forgive me for such an emotional display, Dedue. It's been far too long since I believed we would ever be reunited. Are you alright?

Yes.

[Confusion and displacement aside, of course. But he feels that information is obvious and doesn't require being stated. So he settles for the singular word instead. Just one to encompass it all.

Far too long...

Dimitri has been here too long without him. That...disturbs him.]

I will do what is within my power to remain at your side, Your Highness.

[It's a solemn vow here and now.]

[ The words settle around his heart like a warm embrace, similar to the feeling he had to telling Byleth he loves him. He brings a hand up to touch the side of Dedue's face, taking in the sight of him as best as he can.

It's still so difficult to believe that he's here, and doubly more difficult to want to let go of him. ]

Even when you aren't with me, I believe it to be so, Dedue. Come. We can speak in my assigned quarters with the Moon Knights here.

[ He draws back, stepping to his side to lead him. He teaches combat here to trainees, so he does have decent standing and a private office to work from. ]

There's a lot to take in about this place, isn't there? If you've any questions, you may ask. I'll do my best to help you.

[ The thought is warming- to think he can do something for Dedue now... ]

[His eyes close as he feels that hand on his cheek. It's warm. It's real. He cannot bring himself to believe he deserves such contact but a part of him wishes for it anyway. So he welcomes it rather than ask it to end.]

As you wish, Your Highness.

[Dedue's eyes open again and he gazes down at him. There's a nod that follows. There's really...so much to take in. He honestly doesn't even know where to begin to even ask. Is there a beginning at all?

He simply cannot say.]

[ He can only imagine, seeing as he was just as confused when he arrived here. He was just fortunate that he arrived with Byleth-

The walk to the Moon Knights Academy isn't too far, at least, and he's greeted with respect when he does enter. He ought to let Byleth know Dedue is here, but he has a feeling he'll find out soon enough.

Once they have reached the comforts of his personal office, he turns, motioning to Dedue to make himself comfortable. ]

... perhaps it'd be best if we started with what you last recall, prior to your arrival here. This place is... strange about that.

[ It's the best way to explain it, not that it's an explanation at all. ]

Please sit. I want you to be at ease.

[ He just wants to make sure Dedue has no discomfort here as most of them endured on arrival. ]

[It's odd to be asked that but he doesn't intend to question Dimitri. If this is the information that he requires then he will make sure that he gets it.]

The Empire has been defeated.

[And Dimitri is the King. Byleth the new Archbishop. Things are as they are meant to be. As they'd hoped for. He knows that Dimitri wanted to reason with Edelgard but...

He doesn't bring that up.

He also doesn't sit. He just moves to stand nearby. This is fine. Dedue doesn't mind standing nearby to be close to him.]

So you as well...

[ It's what he recalls, and what Byleth recalls... and hearing that from Dedue is such a relief that he feels emotional just thinking it.

Seeing Dedue stand like this, though... it brings back memories of home, and the comfort he feels from it makes him warm within, so he opts to stand with him too.

Like this, their positions are quite like how they used to stand and talk together... ]

That is what I recall, too. As does my- ah.

[ He feels his face heat up, a hand going under his mouth for a moment. ]

... As does Byleth. He's the Archbishop, and I've become King. Dedue...

[ He looks up at him, meeting his gaze squarely. ]

Do you recall a conversation you and I had... about us? About calling me by name, and not my title?

[He notes the color of his face, the way he hesitates to say something. But he doesn't comment on it. Instead, he settles on answer the questions presented to him. In the end, they matter more.

To the two of them.]

Yes. I treasure that conversation you and I shared. I couldn't go a day without thinking on it because it meant a great deal to me. And I know it means a good deal to you as well. A day when I can truly call you my friend.

[There's a pause.]

When I can simply know you as Dimitri.

[ That brings a smile to his face- and an abundance of relief. He knows it might not be all that easy for Dedue to slip into treating him as as much of a friend as he wants him to, but-

It's a start. And the fact that their memories line up is more of a blessing than he could ask for. He moves a hand to his shoulder, gripping it firmly as he gives him a quiet smile. For a while, he says nothing, simply letting that speak for them, before he meets his gaze. ]

While I wouldn't wish for anyone to be trapped here and away from home- despite this world being far more open to our needs... I'm glad you are here, my friend.

[ His gaze softens as he brings his other hand up to Dedue's shoulder, now holding him in a way that lets him be certain he's present. ]

You'll meet the others soon enough, but I would have you by my side for now. There's also the matter of-

[ He smiles a bit bashfully, turning his head for a moment. ]

I have proposed to our Professor. It... took a bit of time to admit, but for now, we have acknowledged our feelings, despite... the needs of this place. I...

[ He sighs, lowering his arms by his sides. ]

I wish our arrangement was better than what it is now, but- for what it is, it is acceptable. We're keeping things open until we return home and fully commit ourselves, but until then... we are handling things as best as possible. Especially when some of our closest friends may need the chroma.

[ Ah- ]

You have learnt about how to generate it, have you not?

Edited 2020-04-14 22:38 (UTC)

[Proposed? That's somehow a newer development than arriving in a strange place where apparently he will turn partially into an animal. He's not sure if they had such a relationship in their world and he feels a fool for not spotting it. But he doesn't disapprove. Far from it.]

Congratulations, Your Highness. You will make each other very happy.

[Of that he is certain. There can be no doubts in his mind as to the validity of that statement. He will do all he can to protect their relationship now that he is aware of the fact.]

I'm not currently aware.

[There's a lot he hasn't quite learned yet. He'd been in a bit of a rush to find his companions. And when he hadn't been able to immediately...to find suitable dwellings to make sure that he could stay here until he could find them.

The most important person to him has now been found. At least he can be settled in that.]

[ If it helps, Dimitri himself didn't quite acknowledge it until he came here. He imagines there were circumstances back home that would have kept him from doing so, but it's made him all the more determined to not let it slip away from his grasp.

Though, having Dedue's approval warms him thoroughly- he knows he will forever want Dedue to be by his side, together with Sylvain, Felix and Ingrid. After what he put them all through, a lifetime isn't going to be enough to make up for it. ]

I'm grateful to have your support, Dedue. It means more to me than I can express.

[ Though as for the matter of chroma... ]

As for chroma, it is generated through physical contact and intimacy. It seems as though the "Moonblessed" - as we are known, are able to generate massive quantities of it. And during the phases of the moon, our desires to generate it are influenced as well.

[ He extends his hand to him, which isn't gloved at the moment, adding- ]

Here, hold my hand and see for yourself. Our embrace earlier may have generated some chroma but- this will help you see it.

[ Whenever Dedue decides to make contact, he'll see the warm golden glow, sending a wonderful, euphoric feeling between them- though Dimitri watches him with a quietly fond look. ]

It's also a means to make money here. There is a lesser currency called Demichroma as well, but- I would not have you earn any less than you deserve. If you will have my assistance, I will ensure you are lacking for nothing, my friend.

[It's definitely harder for him to tell while he has all that armor on. But the warmth from when Dimitri touched his face earlier... He looks at his hand then at his own before removing his glove. Without hesitation, he extends it towards the other man to take, eyes widening slightly when sees and feels the rush that comes from the contact.]

I see.

[The offer though? That throws him and he has to shake his head.]

I can't take up that time, Your Highness. Not when the others need it more than I. Not when you need it more than I.

[Taking his hand back, he gazes down at him. While he's grateful for the kindness, the thought of him taking what could so easily be given to the others who needed it more was out of the question. Especially when Dimitri also had a future spouse to consider as well.

No. Far better the others received this generosity instead.]

I will find a way to manage. I'm not wanting for anything as long as you will have me at your side.

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▶ TDM .014

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oh gosh I never hit enter on this I'm sorry

it's all good! I'm still here.

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