duplicitymemes | TDM #24

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TDM #24

« « « TEST DRIVE MEME » » »

« « « ALL ON DISPLAY

It's discouraging to think how many people are shocked by honesty and how few by deceit. Yet, solace is found in the lies we tell each other, comforted by the peace of knowing that we're not alone in our depravity, and once on this path, sin itself becomes the lesser of two evils masked in a cloud of normalcy.

This is how Duplicity has functioned since the beginning. The divide of power and social standing is overt in that Dominants influence the decisions made both publicly and privately while Submissives cater to the rules presented to them. It is the way of Duplicity to assign random designations at birth with no leeway in altering what has been given. Climate in the Up is far stricter than that of the Down; violating outlined personas for a Dominant or Submissive while in full view of others is punished by degree of infraction. In the Down, many tend to turn a blind eye to these sorts of offenses.

To counteract the discovery of the deceit gene – a natural "negative" response to all stimuli – the LIEs program was founded. The program had been designed to introduce new subjects to the current environment and test for the deceit gene through immersion in Duplicity's standing society. Sexual impulses and encounters increase the chances of detecting the gene within these individuals. Participants are typically released from LIEs after a year; however, results have remained unsatisfactory and testing still continues.

... and you're here! Finally! Welcome to Duplicity.

After choosing a door and stepping through to the other side, the first thing that greets you are the enthusiastic faces of people in medical scrubs and pristine lab coats. Their enthusiasm translates to eagerness as they strip you of your clothes to perform a thorough examination—you will be healed, bathed, and given a paper gown to wear until your items can be processed and delivered to your residence later in the evening. You are also given a device that accesses the network as well as the time and location of Orientation.

If you enter Duplicity into the Up, congratulations! You're a Dominant, which means you are immediately picked up by a limo after processing and taken to your high-rise. Here, it is two Dominants per floor with separate apartments. If you enter Duplicity into the Down, congratulations! You're a Submissive, which means you are directed towards public transportation with the address of the motel you'll be living in. Here, it is two Submissives per room with a shared common space for all rooms.

Enjoy your free time until Orientation! Participation is mandatory for all new and past arrivals.

Skies are clear and the weather is warm.

» » » ALL ABOARD

After stepping through the door and participating in Orientation, LIERs are assembled together in the Up for a tour of Duplicity in its entirety. Seats are in pairs and randomly assigned to Dominants and Submissives alike. Traveling from Fiddler's Square, the train journeys through various parts of the Up, showcasing society and examples of lifestyle. Along the way, frequent stops are made; a variety of passengers can be seen exiting and entering the doors. A Dominant with a kneeling Submissive takes a seat near the front of the train at one stop. A small group of Submissives board and sit closer to the LIERs at another, all seemingly content in their roles. As the tour continues through the Up, the train passes close to the Market and White Wall Bridge and zips by North Park before heading into the Down and bypassing Red Wall Bridge and South Park.

The train makes a "final" stop at Riddler's Square, where inhabitants of the Down are instructed to return to their temporary housing. Those who live in the Up are permitted to stay on the train and revisit the same locations while returning.

« « « REACTION MECHANISM

(cw: sensory deprivation, coercion, dub-con/non-con)

One of the workshops at this month's Orientation pairs Dominants with Submissives for an exercise in blind chemistry. Literally — they'll all be blindfolded before meeting their partner and the blindfolds must stay on! They will be encouraged to explore with their other senses, such as touch and taste. Kissing is the bare minimum of what's expected, though no one will stop them should they want to take things further…

Each pair will get around 10-15 minutes together (unless they really hit things off) before switching to a new partner.

Some participants may also be tapped for a secondary exercise in which Submissives remain blindfolded, while Dominants are not. Dominants may do as they wish with them and may choose whether to keep their partner or swap blindfolded Subs back and forth with other Dominants.

« « « COMPANY PICNIC

(cw: aphrodisiacs, drugs, altered mental states, public nudity)

With the arrival of good weather and sunny skies ahead in the forecast, LIEs has decided to sponsor a post-Orientation BBQ in North Park. Picnic blankets and picnic tables are set up for use around the park and there is a main food station handing out catered food, as well as a few small charcoal grills available for those who wish to grill themselves. Sausages, burgers, and kebabs (vegetarian options available) are either ready to go or laid out to be cooked, along with stuff to make sandwiches (did someone say PB&J?). All the usual sides and condiments are available as well.

In addition to flavor, many of those condiments contribute a little something extra to one's meal. Does the jelly in that PB&J make you feel a little more jealous than usual? Does that mustard get you all hot and bothered? It just might. Perhaps most nefarious of all is that a few batches of the condiments have truth serum mixed in with them, making people open up about their true wants and desires. See someone you wouldn't mind kissing? Feel like baring it all? Maybe you should tell them — or simply go for it. Inhibitions are lowered and tongues loosened so stuff that hotdog down your throat and get ready for some fun.

There are a few different games being played in the park that LIERs can join in on, such as three-legged and wheelbarrow races with Dominant and Submissive pairs, capture the flag, and something that resembles a raunchier version of Twister.

If games aren't your thing there is also a hot yoga class that is taking place, open to anyone who wishes to join. Some people are fully nude as they pose and stretch while others wear workout gear that seem more scandalous than those who are naked. Of course aside from your traditional yoga poses the instructor encourages Dominants and Submissives to practice what are clearly Kama Sutra positions with one another. Hope you're flexible!

« « « FEELING SUPER

(cw: transformation, body modification, drugs)

There's a lot of buzz surrounding a store from one of Duplicity's sister cities, Insincerity, setting up a temporary pop-up location in Fiddler's Square. The store in question is the Supermarket and they deal in temporary upgrades, enhancements, and all things extraordinary. You can sample what it's like to be super at the Supermarket!

Staffed by enigmatic Insincerity natives, the mini market is open to Dominants and Submissives alike. In order to entice buyers to visit their home location, the wares on offer make up a limited selection of their full stock — a carefully curated selection of the Supermarket's best-selling products and seasonal specials. The staff won't elaborate too much, but there are rumors that something big is happening soon in Insincerity. This month they've come to you; next month you may be coming to them.

Products fall into three broad categories: power-ups, transformation/body modification, and sexual enhancers. The most common form they come in is a colorful glowing syringe, but potions, pills, and topical creams are available on request. The menu is as follows:

Something Super:

Invisibility

Super Strength (2-3X average human)

Fire/Ice/Electric Touch

Transform:

Wild Side (grow animal ears and/or tail)

Tongue Twister (tongue lengthens and becomes fully prehensile)

Flutter (sprout wings; limited flight capabilities only, more like hovering)

Enhance:

Shiver (increased sensitivity)

All Night Long (enhanced stamina)

Multi-O (frequent, cascading orgasms)

Effects can be mixed and matched with the application of multiple products — though the Supermarket employees caution that buyers do so at their own risk — and may last up to one full day.

« « « MOD & OOC NOTES

Please read carefully.

On each Test Drive Meme, there will be a section noting character roles; these will vary each TDM. On an IC level, characters will still have gone through the doors but the assignments are OOCly randomized. When applying, there is a section of the application that denotes whether the character chooses "left" or "right." When participating on the TDM, there will be a third option. Players may link either a top level or a thread (five or more comments from their character) from the TDM and title the link as "Door Pass." This means that the player is choosing to take the designation that they were randomly assigned on the TDM, rather than taking the designation of a door. If the player decides to select a door rather than use the pass, then they are trying their luck; they may get the same designation they had on the TDM or the opposite. Once the application is submitted, players can't change their choice.

To assign roles to characters for this TDM, use the following guide:

If your character prefers jelly, they are a Dominant. If your character prefers peanut butter, they are a Submissive.

To Note: Characters can only swap their designation for one of the following reasons: an event occurs that allows it or there are OOC reasons that make it a necessity. Any swap always requires mod approval and each character can only ever switch once. Characters that are being reapped will keep their previous designation but players can choose to use new TDMs with different designations for fun!

Test Drive threads can be used as activity proofs for characters currently in-game.

Please remember to mark any necessary content, and have fun!!

» » » MAIN NAVIGATION « « «

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He gives Paul a long, assessing look. Carver's been out in the woods too long for any part of human nature to surprise him anymore - people are, as a rule, uniquely shitty to each other when they think they can get away with it. But this place is something else, even by his standards.

"They'll find out. And then you'll get drugged and after a few hours it won't be a choice anymore."

His first instinct is to fight it. But he can see by looking around that it goes nowhere. If there was a chance that just ignoring the quota worked, this place would have fallen apart already.

And if Carver is saying it, and saying it like that, then he knows someone as used to survival as they both are didn't fare any better.

"Well, I guess we can't expect things to be any better here than anywhere else. Just different." So, fine. He'll do what he has to do. But that means he'll still break into the warehouse and scout out the arsenal.

"...Are you treated well?"

"Mhmm."

It's a different sort of fight, that's true. But it's still a fight and complacency is a fast way to get dead and useless. Carver doesn't trust this place with its softness and all the food, electricity, all the hot water. It's a trick to keep people quiet, to keep them in line. He knows better.

He shrugs at the question. What does it matter, really?

"It's all relative. Nobody's tried to kill me for my boots, so that's a nice change. Rest just is what it is. I've had better. And I've had a whole lot worse."

He's helped fight a war based around how people should and should not handle each other, and he ended up fighting his own people about how to treat prisoners. Even in a softer place like this one, he gives a good goddamn about how people get to live.

But he does care a little more personally how Carver is treated, solely based on their shared experience with an apocalypse.

"I meant what I said. It's still us against them." The living versus the dead. "If we're both here just trying to keep from dying, I'm on your side."

He gives Paul a narrow look, not bothering to hide the suspicion. People, in Carver's experience, fall into two distinct categories: his family, and everyone else. His family is good and honorable, strong, and everyone else is either an afterthought or actively doing awful shit to each other. Usually just because they can. "Uh huh."

Cool story, bro.

"You want a second pair of eyes scouting out the warehouses, I'll come with you," he says after a moment, because why the hell not? It's worth another look. He might get some new intelligence out of it.

Since most of his initial interactions with people involve him stealing from them, the suspicion Carver gives him feels almost as familiar as a handshake. He's not worried about it.

"I'm ready whenever you are."

Hmm. Carver gives him another assessing look, then just spreads his hands out and shrugs. "What the fuck. I got nothing better to do."

Sure, why not? They can just go now.

Edited 2022-05-30 20:43 (UTC)

If Carver hadn't said yes, he would have gone anyway. He needs a project while he tries to process all of this.

Which means he also, uncharacteristically, doesn't want a lot of empty space until he needs to be quiet to work. "How old were you when your world fell?"

Well, apparently they're doing this. Carver just shrugs and starts moving away from the picnic. It's a walk, but what else is there to do around here except gather intelligence, steal food, and stare at all the naked people. "Don't remember."

He stopped counting years a while ago.

"About twenty-six," he says after a moment. Ten years back. Sounds about right, anyway. "Something like that. You?"

"About that." He doesn't pay strict attention to the years anymore, but he and Carver appear to be about the same age, which is another odd parallel.

He doesn't miss a step when they pass a couple engaged in some very enthusiastic exploration of each other, but he does shake his head a bit. One hell of a learning curve ahead of him.

Interesting, Carver thinks silently. In all likelihood, he and Paul are from the same world. Approximately the same time and location, even. What are the chances of that? It happens, he knows. There are sailors from the same goddamn ship who ended up here. But it's strange.

He shrugs again, glancing briefly at the couple to check their hands before moving on. Always, watch the hands. "You get used to that. The locals like it when people fuck in public. The place pretty much runs on porno rules, which sounds a lot more fun than it is."

"I have noticed there are a lot of attractive people running around." More than the average, and not just because he's used to people being half-starved and filthy.

Carver snorts at that because yeah, there are. Not just because everyone's clean and fed, either. "For all I know they pick people just for that. Who the fuck knows, right?"

Why not, if you're going to design a society around forcing people to get down and dirty with each other? Might as well enjoy the view.

"Smart," if that is deliberate. "Shallow, though. But I guess this isn't the place to meet a soulmate."

Soulmates. Hah. Carver rolls his eyes, scanning his corners as they move. Just in case. "They like to pair people up. You'll need to do that sooner than later. Capitalism's a thing again and nobody will sell you anything with that line on your throat. Not unless a Dominant vouches for you."

It's real fun.

He smiles a little. Yeah he's not into the notion of soulmates, either.

"It wouldn't be the first time someone wouldn't sell to me. I get by." But in the long-term he has doubts. "How do you pair up?"

There are ways around it, of course. There always are. Carver took jobs under the table for a while, robbed people in the Down. He had to be careful about it, but he knows what it means to survive. But long term, he doesn't want to get stuck in jail. So, he made a contract. Thus far, he's survived it.

He shrugs. "I made a business arrangement. We don't fuck."

So far, anyway. It keeps things simple.

"Had a choice. Pick somebody I could beat the shit out of, or pick somebody I could maneuver around. I went for the second."

Beating someone isn't his first choice but if it comes to that, he'll do it.

"If you aren't sleeping together, what's your end of the arrangement?"

Carver's eyes flick to him. For a moment, he doesn't say anything. Then he just shrugs, spreading his hands out. What does it matter if he holds this part back or not? "I do him favors. Run down information on people. I did that before the world ended. I'm good at it."

One of these days he'll probably do more than that, but Carver knows contracts. He'll make sure he's compensated for the effort.

He can live with that. If he can find someone willing to make a similar arrangement, he can make that work. It will at least give him some sense of control over his life, some sense that he's not losing his skills.

"How did you find your contractor?"

"They toss this thing up every few months. Like a dating service except you don't sign up and they'll make up all kinds of shit about you for the fun of it."

And if he's still pissed about that, well, he's still pissed about that. Carver's jaw works before he swallows that shit down.

"But I got to talking with people. Found a couple who needed work. Favors, shit like that. One of them ended up needing a contract."

"Remember when people competed to be on shows that did the same thing?" he sighs. 'Reality TV star' was miles from any job he'd ever wanted. The thought of people paying that much attention to him, whether or not the facts are made up, makes his skin crawl.

"I remember."

He flashes Paul a grin. It shows his teeth.

"Never watched. Have a feeling this kind's more pornographic. Then again, I didn't watch TV much."

He shakes his head; neither did he. "If the world hadn't fallen as fast as it did, someone probably would have come up with it. It's a good distraction from the real problems."

Which is why he suspects there's a lot more going on here.

He laughs at that. A genuine laugh. "What, you think people would've chilled out if they had some porn? I mean, sure, maybe. Everybody's wound real tight these days."

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