April | Event: Skybound Travelers

[jikan_mod]

Skybound Travelers↲ OOC Plotting

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As everyone settles into a routine in Nippon, newer refugees may find that visiting the Western Kingdom is something of an undertaking. Although considerably faster than traveling by airship or on foot, the underground train that connects Tokyo and Kyoto still takes at least five hours. And not everyone enjoys the roller coaster-like experience of the Sunday-only time surge that shortens that ride into ten minutes. But lucky for them, the NRL are finally ready to release a special new travel system!

Developed in part thanks to the refugees for gathering the necessary etherblossoms back in March, refugees will now find teleportation terminals available at the NRL in Tokyo and MRU in Kyoto. These terminals only connect to each other, with plans to expand to other cities in the future.

Or at least, that's what they're supposed to do.


Nippon Traveler

With the announcement of fast travel between kingdoms quickly spreading among the refugees, many of them are clamoring to be the first to take advantage. After all, the train is rather inconvenient for those with friends and family in both kingdoms, and even more so for those who wish to work in one while living in the other.

Thankfully, the NRL took this into consideration, and made sure to add additional platforms and a timed queueing system to make things run smoothly, essentially creating a small station on the top floor of the NRL's main building. And with exclusive elevator access on the outside just for traveling refugees, it's certainly built for convenience.

Ready, Aim... Kyoto, Western Kingdom
Despite the fact that the NRL has been using these teleporters just fine for transferring between Tokyo and Kyoto for the past few weeks, the sudden inundation of users is causing the system to overload ever so slightly. As a result, the teleporter hasn't been sending people where it should, occasionally redirecting them to random areas throughout Kyoto.

On the one hand, magic is so commonplace in the West that no one really thinks anything about the Refugees popping in and out of existence, with most natives just assuming they're teleporting using the local magic. But on the other hand, this assumption means the natives will think it's intentional, resulting in a large number of refugees finding themselves in both literal and metaphorical hot water after teleporting straight into a public bath, fully-clothed. Hopefully it's a mixed bath, or they might find themselves being carried away by the patrolling samurai guards for questioning.

In addition to becoming a public nuisance for the natives, some may find themselves teleporting into the homes of fellow refugees instead. They may wind up as an uninvited dinner guest, or perhaps they'll appear during a private or intimate moment between lovers. Some may even end up appearing in a closet, giving them ample opportunity to hide until they can make their escape!

Thankfully, this bug is discovered quickly enough that it only creates a few days of chaos -- so don't let that put you off the technology forever!

Here Comes a Thought Higashiyama, Kyoto
But of all the locations the teleporters are sending people to, perhaps the most common one is Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto's Higashiyama neighborhood. As one of the most famous temples in Kyoto, its already a popular tourist destination, with beautiful gardens, a veranda overlooking all of Kyoto, and is home to a magic school that specializes in the Mizu Element.

Those who are lucky may simply find themselves suddenly standing in front of a very tall pagoda, or overlooking the view of Kyoto. But most refugees will instead find themselves standing before the Tainai Meguri, a dark underground passageway beneath one of the many shrines in Kiyomizu-dera. Naturally, it'll be assumed they want to go in, and they may find themselves ushered down by a shrine maiden or two who don't want them holding up the line.

Blanketed in an inky darkness, the Tainai Meguri is composed of a single hallway and a rope along the wall to help guide visitors down to the lowest part of the passageway, where a mysterious stone can be found. Glowing with a mysterious power, the stone is the only source of light in the tunnel. And those who touch the stone with a clear mind will see the carving in the center change, showing which magic element they have an aptitude for: Tsuchi, Mizu, Hi, or Kaze.

However, those who touch the stone without a clear mind will witness something different. Because the stone in question is a Memory Stone, an ancient magical artifact capable to creating illusions of a person's memories. Once the stone is touched, the light of the stone will jump out into the darkness, projecting illusions of their past on the walls around them. Whether these illusions appear as text, an exact replica of one's memories, or something more abstract, varies by the person.

Those whose memories are being projected may find themselves completely overwhelmed by the emotions they felt at the time of that memory. For this reason, no one is allowed into the Tainai Meguri alone, so those affected better hope that their partner in the darkness is prepared to drag them out of it.

Into the Unknown

As the technology powering these terminals is still quite new to the scientists at the NRL, actually releasing these to the public is still a way off. Although there's zero risk of harm coming as a result of using the terminal, they have noticed that occasionally the terminal registers another point of travel, as if another terminal exists. A reverse transfer always brings them back just fine, but little is known about where these objects are ending up.

To that end, the NRL is asking brave enough refugees interested in exploring to take the teleporter to these unknown locations and report what they find. But don't worry, they're not asking they do this for free! All participants will receive a moderate sum of money, as well as a week-long stay at the Ōwakudani Hot Spring Resort in Hakone, to be redeemed whenever they like.

Cold Cuddles Sapporo, Hokkaido
For the first mysterious location, volunteers will be bundled up in warm clothes, as objects that come back always arrive very cold. And indeed -- upon teleporting, they'll find themselves in the midst of a snowstorm, an ancient version of the same terminal below their feet, and strange ruins all around them. And stranger still, the walls of the ruins appear to be covered in dark blue ice that won't melt no matter how much heat is applied.

It seems this teleporter is somehow connected to Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Nippon. Due to an ancient curse, the land is perpetually snowy and plagued by unmelting ice called everfrost. And while those who visited the region prior may recognize their surroundings enough to know they're actually very close to the city of Sapporo, others may not be so lucky, nor willing to take the risk of missing their return window.

Worse still, they're just far enough away from the city that their magi-comms won't work! With no way of activating the terminal from their side, and two hours before the NRL reactivates it on their end to bring them back, it looks like they'll need to huddle together for warmth to ensure they don't freeze.

Thankfully, the terminal is located in a covered area, and the remains of an old campsite nearby even has some blankets and supplies. And upon their return, they'll be given hot drinks and no shortage of apologies for not considering the risk of giving them such a long window to explore.

Party in the Dark Jigoku, Shitaya
The second mysterious location is by far the most intriguing, as it's clearly somewhere that people have access to, and yet no one has tried coming back through the terminals. Instead, empty cans and half-finished drinks sometimes end up on the terminal, with no explanation as to who was drinking them prior. And as this phenomenon only occurs late at night, that's when the volunteers will be sent.

Upon arriving, at first they'll find themselves blanketed in a perpetual darkness, surrounded by some sort of stone tunnel, with the sound of music echoing from further in. They'll still be able to contact the NRL, leading the scientists to suggest that they may be in Jigoku, the catacombs of an abandoned subway system below Tokyo.

Should they be brave enough to follow the source of the music, they'll stumble upon what appears to be a secret speakeasy in the dark, run by the Hanyo who live in the neighborhood of Shitaya. As many Hanyo still possess the Yokai ability to see more clearly in the dark than Humans, the lack of lighting is more a feature than a gimmick.

Still, for having made it all the way down here, they'll be offered free drinks and a playful atmosphere -- so long as they promise to keep their illegal supply of Uki-based drinks and snacks a secret from the authorities. A popular recreational drug in the West made from the naturally sweet Uki Weed, Uki is highly regulated in the East, and causes lowered inhibitions, feelings of calm or euphoria, and even functions as a mild aphrodisiac.

Which might just be why many patrons are taking advantage of the dark and inviting atmosphere for romantic trysts in the dark, with futons set up in nearby tunnels for all your sensory deprivation needs. The Refugees can contact the NRL to return at any time, so why not let loose and join the fun?

Castle in the Sky

After a week of using the teleporters, Refugees will discover a new warp point is now listed alongside Kyoto and Tokyo: Tengoku, the nation of Tengu, comprised of dozens of airborne cities that float high above Nippon. According to the NRL, the technology used for these teleporters was developed thanks to the Tengu of Skytower, as a much belated thank you for the refugee's help back in March 1921.

And while Skytower itself remains off-limits, the Tengu Capital of Miyazaki has decided to open its doors to outsiders for the first time in centuries.

Fly High Miyazaki, Tengoku
The Tengu cities are unlike anywhere else on Nippon, comprised of a single, massive amount of land that towers upward, and numerous smaller islands that float up and around the main part of the city. Mysterious magic-powered technology can be found all around the city, though the appearance is quite different from the more modern magi-tech.

But perhaps the most notable thing is that these cities are not designed to be very accessible to those who can't fly. Very few actual pathways lead upward into the city proper, and the entrance to most buildings are located on the top floor, with only a small balcony in front to land on. But thankfully, there's a means around it!

Upon arrival to the capital of Miyazaki, all Refugees will be offered a small backpack with a tiny pair of wings attached to it. Upon putting it on and jumping, the wings will grow larger, acting like a part of their body and allowing them to fly! These backpacks will only function in Tengoku, but they're welcome to keep them should they decide to visit again.

Of course, just because they have the power to do so doesn't mean they'll actually be good at it. Refugees may struggle to become airborne at all, or may find it difficult to control themselves in mid-air, flying into walls, other refugees, or accidentally hurling themselves over the edge of the city. Thankfully, there's patrolling Tengu who are always prepared to catch those who fall, but considering it always comes with a lecture, it's really not the best experience.

But those who persevere will be able to fly up to the very top of the city, where they'll find a beautiful garden overlooking the clouds. The flora here is far more alien than anything commonly found in Nippon, with plentiful etherblossoms, crystal-like mahougi trees, and-- is that a nuruname bloom? Maybe stay away from that one...

Liquid Happiness Miyazaki, Tengoku
Being so high up in the sky, completely isolated, meant that the Tengu cities were designed to be completely self-sustaining. Although they do conduct trade with the mainland below, almost everything they need is either grown or produced by the land itself. Which might just beg the question: where is the water coming from? Because nearly every level of the city is accented by canals and waterfalls.

But those who visit on a rainy day will get their answer. As high as they are, the Tengu cities are close enough that they can draw from the magic properties of the ring that circles the planet of Gaia, which is only visible at night. Thus, the rain that falls in Miyazaki has magical properties: in audition to a rainbow color, it can be infinitely multiplied, instantly heal wounds and certain illnesses, and seems to cause feelings of euphoria similar to Kizuna when one stands in it. For this reason, the rain that falls in Miyazaki is referred to as liquid happiness.

But for Refugees, these effects are even more extreme. Those who visit Miyazaki during a particularly rainy week at the tail end of April will begin to manifest severe Kizuna side-effects, especially the supernatural variety. While ordinarily these effects are only possible when feelings of love are present, the power of the rain will allow Refugees to share their thoughts and feelings with the people around them, whether they want to or not.

So strong are the effects of the rain that these effects will linger well after they leave, and may even become contagious to those they meet later on the surface. In the end, the NRL issues a warning for Refugees to avoid lingering in Miyazaki in rainy days until a more conclusive study on this "liquid happiness" can be conducted.

OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's April event! Please direct any questions to the Question Thread in the OOC Plotting post.

• Characters will not be allowed into the Tainai Meguri alone, and must descend in pairs.

• Sapporo is roughly a twenty minute walk away, and characters who are familiar with their surroundings will be able to go to the city proper. Magi-comms will also begin to work again. More information on Sapporo can be found on the Setting page!

• You are welcome to assume there is Uki-based incense in the underground party if your character would need an extra nudge to participate.

• Given their isolated status, the Tengu cities only contain Tengu Yokai, who range from entirely human-like with wings, anthropomorphic birds, and the traditional long-nosed variety! Although Refugees may be treated as a novelty by the people there, only elderly Tengu will treat them rudely for being outsiders.

• Characters will find that inns and hotels are both plentiful and cheap in Tengu cities, as the cities are very far apart from one another, and it's very common for Tengu to travel far from home. Miyazaki, for instance, floats above Kyushu near the Westernmost point of Nippon!

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Comments

[brilliantdiamond]

[Itto speed-running his ascension to playboy by building up his kissing exp, nice.]

[He all too easily allows Itto to lift him up, his legs wrapping around Itto's waist as he groans through the kiss. It feels incredible to be so easily moved around like this, the sheer different in size and strength between them that much more apparent. If he weren't already fully hard, he would be now.]

[With Itto holding him up, his hands are free to move up into Itto's hair, aiming for his horns -- which he already knows are sensitive. It's a shame Aether doesn't have the cat ears and tail anymore for him to retaliate against. But for now, Aether can spoil him, rubbing the base of both horns with his thumbs before gently massaging up the length with his fingers. This really was a great bad idea...]

[But say, you know what's an even better bad idea?]

[He pulls back from the kiss just enough to breathlessly speak into Itto's ear.]

Hey, Itto... have you gone all the way before?

[oneandoni]

[maybe a few more kisses and then he can totally call himself a playboy!*

* no one else will ever think about him this way ever.

It really is a shame that Aether no longer has the cat ears. Itto's hands had been sliding up, over the traveler's thighs and up his sides before they fumbled and gripped at his clothes. He's pretty sure Aether's the only one to have touched his horns this much, and they aren't any less sensitive then the last time. The somewhat embarrassing noise he makes is, thankfully, lost in the kiss before it's broken]

—heh? [gone all the way where?

. . .

Oh, right]

I, uh - no, unless that counts. [he tilts his head back towards the memory]

[brilliantdiamond]

Really?

[Something about that makes him feel a little special -- even if he can tell Itto's definitely had some practice kissing since last time.]

[He moves one hand down, resting it against Itto's cheek. The light provided by the memory is dim, but hopefully he can still see the smile on Aether's face, sweet despite the obviously horny mood.]

Do you want to? With me?

[oneandoni]

[despite getting into a fair bit of trouble since arriving in Jikan, a lot of has been the innocent kind - definitely not this kind of trouble, and really, most of it's been with Aether anyway.

Still, he flushes a tiny bit - not caused by the memory - at the question. Mostly, if he's being honest, because no one's ever come close to asking him anything remotely close to that. Heck, even the kissing was new at first.

Wait, no, he can't be embarrassed! He has to be cool about this, even if the memory is making it extra hard (hah) to do that]

It's kind of obvious I do, right? [that sounded cooler in his head, dammit] I mean - yeah. Yeah, I want to.

[brilliantdiamond]

[He smiles brighter then, a certain flutter twittering in his chest when Itto agrees. Sure it was obvious, but checking in was important -- and it was nice to hear all the same. Maybe somewhere else would be easier, particularly given Itto's lack of experience, but there was a certain appeal to doing it down here...]

[Eyes trailing over to the memory, and at Itto's size, he briefly wonders if he's actually been a size queen this whole time.]

[His hands have to leave Itto's horns for now, instead reaching between them to start tugging down Itto's pants -- they'd have to stay mostly clothed, but there's an appeal to that, too.]

Good -- because I've been thinking about it ever since that day on the train.

[oneandoni]

[oh, wow, not a lot of people smile at him like that. It makes him feel a little warm, honestly, in a good way - way different from the heat caused by reliving the memory.

Though - he has no idea how the logistics of them having sex down here would work. Or well, he can kind of figure it out, but then again - at least Aether probably knows what he's doing?? Maybe.

This is still a bad idea but now he's just thinking it to think it - ]

—that long? Really?

[brilliantdiamond]

What did you think I was thinking about while grinding in your lap?

[The real question is whether he was thinking about it even before then, when they "first" met at the Gala and kissed on the dance floor.]

[But now it was time for some logistics, and he's rather quickly discovering that this is really easier said than done. Especially when Itto still has him smooshed against a wall with his legs up around his waist. But it's fine, they just to move a little!]

Here-- can you put me down for a second?

[oneandoni]

Uh - I don't know?

[that's - well, that's a lot longer than he figured. If he had to guess, well, the memory playing would be where he'd put it, even if for him . . . yeah, the train had a huge part in jumpstarting his hormones.

But yeah, okay, he can do that. Despite the hurried motions of earlier, he's surprisingly careful when he steps back to set Aether down] Yeah, 'course.

[brilliantdiamond]

[Aether is still smiling up at him when he's set down, making sure not to pull his hands off Itto the whole time. But once back on his own two feet, he draws his hands down along Itto's chest -- and then starts kneeling down, just as he did in the memory, as he starts to open Itto's pants to get this started.]

[And hopefully Itto's paying attention. Not because he's definitely doing this slowly to give Itto a show -- but because when he does, he underestimates the pressure Itto's boner was under, and the moment it's free, it pops up and hits him in the eye.]

[Which of course has him pulling his hands back and grabbing his face because--]

--ow?

[He needs a minute, but mostly because he's starting to laugh.]

[oneandoni]

[oh man, as Aether kneels down Itto sucks in a breath - the memory is fresh in his mind, the feeling is fresh, and he holds his breath in anticipation, one hand bracing against the wall—

Wow he didn't know dicks could do that.

But also he can't help but start laughing himself, as much as he tries to stop himself at first] Uh, careful there -

[yeah no he's laughing again, what is even happening today]

[brilliantdiamond]

C-Come on, it's not funny! Your oni club almost put my eye out!

[He says this, and yet he's laughing too -- truly a goofy mood has bloomed between them. Perhaps that's why he stays kneeled in front of him, hand reaching up to wrap around his cock and start stroking him, to try and get them back on track. He really did want to experience this with Itto, after all -- and he hasn't yet given up on the idea of doing it down here.]

[oneandoni]

[oh my god Aether, he bursts into laughter all over again]

You're the one who started laughing first—!

[he was about to say something else, except there's a hand on his uh, oni club and that is very hard to ignore, given how hard he still is. He hisses out a curse and drops his free hand to slide his fingers through Aether's hair]

T-Try to be more careful while you're down there -

[brilliantdiamond]

I'll be careful!

[Though speaking of careful, they don't exactly have anything down for here for lubricant (remember this, it'll be important later), so perhaps he'll just have to improvise? If they're already this worked up from watching the last time Aether put his lips on Itto, then why not start with an encore?]

[As his hand reaches the base of Itto's cock, he leans toward and runs the length of his tongue over the head, before taking him into his mouth. He's careful this time not to attempt to deep-throat him as before, but he's also not taking into account that Itto is standing this time, meaning any little movement from Itto's hips is going to push him in deeper.]

[oneandoni]

[oh. oh, an encore is a great idea. At the moment he is, unfortunately, blissfully unaware that sometimes, you need more than just your mouth and hands to have a good time.

But for now - Itto braces his forearm against the wall and presses his forehead against his arm, and at least he knows to be careful too. Even if it's really, really difficult not to thrust into his touches or his mouth. It'd be really bad if, uh, they also had an encore of that, too] Hell.

[brilliantdiamond]

[The sight of Itto backing against the wall leaves him shuddering, growing excited just from the knowledge of how good he was making him feel. This wasn't the sort of thing he ever thought he'd come to enjoy, but now, he can say it's probably one of his favorite things to do.]

[It's a messy process, trying to leave him wet enough to hopefully make things easier. Perhaps if he weren't so worked up from the memory, he'd be thinking a touch more logically here -- but he's running on sheer horny brain right now, groaning around Itto's cock as he risks taking him just a bit further into his throat. Can he make him curse again, or cry out his name?]

[Of course, with just how worked up they are, maybe he shouldn't be trying to hard to please, lest Itto finish before they've even started.]

[oneandoni]

[he definitely gets another curse out of him, this one a little lower and more growled out than gasped. There's a lot of stuff to keep in mind - he's gotta resist thrusting into Aether's mouth lest he hurt him again, gotta keep his voice down so the shrine maidens don't catch them, can't dig his claws into the wall - oh wait.

It's just a little, but for the briefest moment he forgets his strength and the wall ends up with a few claw marks on it before Itto catches himself.

Instead he tangles that hand in the traveler's hair, but is careful not to pull. At least for now, it's just encouragement along with the curses that slip out]

[brilliantdiamond]

[At least this room is always dark, so no one will see the claw marks left on the wall. But Aether still hears them being made, and briefly, he can't help but appreciate that he grabbed the wall first and didn't do that to his head.]

[With Itto's cock hot and throbbing in his throat, he finally realizes they should move to the next step -- and he pulls off his cock with a wet sound. That seems good enough.]

[His eyes flicker up at Itto, just visible in the dim light being provided by the memory -- which just seems to be looping at this point. Hopefully it doesn't go out halfway through... they'll need that light!]

Ready to pick me back up?

[He's already sliding his own pants down, cock hard and aching from how much he's been ignoring it. He'll make sure to step out of them when he stands -- and probably accidentally kick them away into the darkness. This is fine.]

[oneandoni]

[that seems good enough, he says, and Itto just barely holds back a protesting noise as the traveler leans back. His claws flex against the scratch marks, briefly, before he takes a deep breath and draws bacK. Right, yes, the next part, this wasn't just a blowjob like the memory -

- which is playing again, and that's distracting, and really only makes his dick harder, dammit]

Yeah. Yeah, c'mere—

[as soon as Aether's on his feet and his pants are gone Itto is scooping one arm around him, lifting him with ease.

Surely nothing will go wrong now that they're moments away from finally doing it]

[brilliantdiamond]

[Surely nothing!!]

[Aether can't help the giggle that passes his lips when he's so easily scooped up -- being so small certainly had its perks. Resting a hand on Itto's shoulder, he hikes his legs up on either of Itto's hips to better situate himself. The light here is dim, but just enough to help get into position -- lowering himself until he feels Itto's cock against his ass.]

[Just feeling how hot and hard he is sends a thrill down his spine, eager to finally feel Itto inside him. And so, he reaches down to better angle his cock, pressing the head against his hole as he starts to shift lower and--]

[......]

[Yeah, it ain't going nowhere.]

Nn... here, try holding my hips? Then you can just-- pull me down.

[Spoiler alert, if he does this, Aether will yell for him to stop after about two seconds.]

[oneandoni]

[later, they'll probably laugh about this along with the rest of this. Itto will be, anyway, because boy is this a problem he never thought he'd have.

As Aether adjusts and lines himself up, Itto was going to do something like bite his neck or kiss him or something - but it doesn't get much farther than that. Now, he has an idea of how this is supposed to work and all, he's not that stupid, and that's . . . well, it's not supposed to uh, not fit, right?

He does try holding the traveler's hips, and immediately stops when he's yelled at]

Er. [wait should be embarrassed, don't guys want big dicks - ] I don't think that's gonna work either.

[unbeknownst to him, the memory has started over again behind him]

1/2

[brilliantdiamond]

[Meanwhile, Aether, tho.]



[THAT HURT?? Give him a minute.]

[brilliantdiamond]

Is it just-- not wet enough, maybe? It can't be the size. You're not that big.

[Things you shouldn't say to a man in the middle of sex??? Alas, he says it without thinking.]

[oneandoni]

[okay but things you should never say to another guy period?? He's not offended but wow]

You'd know better than me, man. [right? He's the one taking it and he's done this before, surely the traveler is the expert here]

[brilliantdiamond]

Well, I'm not usually the one-- y-you know, doing this part!

[He's a bottom, your honor.]

[Though he may have at least considered telling Itto to do it if not for the fact that he's acutely aware of the fact that Itto has claws. And he'd rather avoid such a risk given it's still rather dark in here, even with the light from the memory.]

[Behind them, the memory continues to play out. But with just how distracted they became, they may have missed something important. Up until now, the memory has skipped over the end of that scene, instead looping the blowjob. Which is good for them, because with the way the memory imposes the same feelings on the one watching it, if memory-Itto blows his load, so will present-Itto!]

[And guess what part of the memory it's about to reach?]

[oneandoni]

I just meant - in general, not this part specifically!

[yeah, uh, the claws are an unexpected concern when they've never been one before. If he knew what he was doing that would be one thing, but he doesn't and they're kind of deep into this and boy, what is concentration, all he wants to do is rail Aether against the wall.

He'd gotten used to the memory, though, and it looping before the end has prevented something embarrassing from happening. Heck, he'd almost forgotten about it, despite how hard he is because of it. Background noise! Enough light to kind of see what he's doing!

So when it keeps going this time, there's a brief moment of confusion, because that was new - hearing himself getting louder, remembering how it felt without the effect of the memory playing normally would probably be plenty to at least get him going - shut up, he's only recently discovered how great this stuff is, okay - it sure has a different feeling now. It doesn't help that in his brief confusion, he looks over his shoulder to look—

The startled, deep groan is the only warning Aether gets as Itto suddenly presses close, pulls the traveler's hips hard and tight against his as he abruptly comes just like that.

Oops]