jikan_rpg | April | Event: Skybound Travelers

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April | Event: Skybound Travelers

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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Duo's arm moved, hand sliding up Wufei's chest when he arched against him, resting against his neck to feel the muscles tense and his pulse racing. He kept moving, driving himself deep and hard into his lover, groaning from how Wufei had clenched around him. And it was just that little extra friction that finally sent Duo over the edge too. A few more thrusts and he buried himself balls deep, face pressed into the side of Wufei's neck to muffle the sound of his own orgasm.

Without meaning to he'd pushed Wufei forward into the door, pinning him there with his hand, now covered in his lovers release, still wrapped around his cock. His hips bucked and he grunted, giving everything he was to Wufei until he was left panting.

Normally Wufei wouldn't have put up with being pinned like this, but ordinary was three zip codes over, and right now his brain was a pile of mush. He panted heavily, eyes closed as he tried to memorize the sensation of being held like this, trapped in a most blissful way, body throbbing in time with their heartbeats.

"Fuck," he whispered, when sense started to return. He was pinned to the door, Duo deep inside him, spent and exhausted and happy. He'd never imagined he'd ever have sex with a man, let alone Duo, nor that he would enjoy it so thoroughly. He reached a hand back, sinking it into Duo's hair, his own ears flicking as he touched one of Duo's, and realized quite suddenly that he was not quite as human as he had been an hour or two before, but to sated to be nearly as worried about it as he probably should've been.

Duo sighed when his ear was touched, but more for the fingers in his hair. He wanted to lean into that hand, wanted to nuzzle at the fingers and kiss them. Wanted to kiss Wufei all over. Now that he was coming down from his natural high, things were beginning to come back into focus. Including the position they were in.

"Let's...move." He said with a low chuckle and eased back, his arm lowered to hook around Wufei's waist and gently pulled him away from the door. Duo pressed a tender kiss to his lovers shoulder before he slowly pulled out of him. Walking like that would have been difficult. "And get you cleaned up."

Wufei groaned as Duo eased him away from the door, bracing his palms against it because he didn't trust his legs to keep him steady. He shuddered as Duo pulled out, groaning again and taking a moment to look down at himself. "And the door," he replied, carefully shifting all of his weight onto his feet and turning around so he could pull Duo in for a proper kiss.

And make sure they had to clean him up, too. He had no idea what'd come over them, but he was going to cling to it for as long as he could, his whole body humming with a quiet, contented pleasure.

Duo caught Wufei when he turned in his arms, smiling into the kiss. The door could wait. His focus was going to be on Wufei for a long while. "Don't think this is the end... Can't get enough of you."

With that in mind Duo began walking backwards, pulling Wufei along with him toward the bed. Once close enough he broke the kiss to bring Wufei down onto the bed with him, immediately moving above him to continue the kiss, his hands moving over the beautiful body below him.

Wufei hummed happily into the kiss, following Duo to the bed with a little smile. "Then I guess it's a good thing you're keeping me," he murmured. He dropped into the bed with a little laugh, leaning into every touch Duo gave him, tugging him down impatiently for that continuation of their kiss.

He didn't give himself the space to start thinking, he didn't want to, and he knew that if he let himself start it would just end up ruining things. So he went with his instincts instead, sliding his hands down Duo's back, pulling his lover down flush against him. This was everything he'd ever wanted, right there in one little moment.

So much for cleaning themselves up. He moved himself right back between Wufei's legs as if he belonged there. And like Wufei, Duo wasn't bothering with things like thinking. Who needed thoughts when feelings were so much more intense?

He was keeping Wufei. Wufei was his. Duo moved his kisses down to the side of Wufei's neck, kissing and sucking at warm skin. "You taste so good... I love your hands on me." Praise and encouragement, something he knew the both of them had lacked over the years.

He did belong there. Wufei had decided, and he wasn't one to waffle once he'd made a decision. He groaned happily as Duo's mouth moved down his neck, and he couldn't help grinning. "Did you mark me?" he nearly purred, dragging the tips of his too-sharp nails gently across Duo's skin. Cleaning up could wait. Getting messier was on the menu right now.

"I want everyone to know I'm yours," he murmured, legs curling over Duo's hips to keep him from sliding too far down. He knew what he wanted, and rolled his hips up towards Duo's. It wasn't going to take him long at all to be ready for another round.

Mark him? Duo raised his head just a little to glance at the other side of Wufei's neck, at the red marks and the rather visible bite mark... "Heh, yeah... Think you could say I marked you." And he would do it again, too. The other side of his neck and... Before Duo could even think of marking the rest of Wufei's body, legs wrapped around him to lock him in place. And he laughed.

Well, that told him. Wufei knew what he wanted and who was he to deny that?

He moaned against Wufei's neck when nails ran down his back. He shivered, the touch just light enough to feel good but ticklish. It felt really good. Behind him his tail swayed, a deep purr rumbled within his chest as he went and sucked at Wufei's skin. Focusing on marking him up some more even as he let his own hips grind down against his lovers. Give him a minute and round two would be well underway.

"Good," Wufei replied lazily, tipping his head aside so Duo could have access to as much of that smooth, tanned skin as he wanted. He groaned as Duo latched on, and something about the connection made warmth spread through his body as that need rekindled itself from a faint glow to a roaring fire inside him.

It was like his lust for battle, but in an entirely different direction. He was never, ever going to get tired of this, and just that thought had him laughing warmly as he dragged his nails up Duo's back slowly. "Claim me, or I'll run away on you," he teased, grinning to himself as he tried to goad Duo into marking him more, harder, darker, anything. He wanted to see Duo as on fire as he was right now.

Had he not already laid claim to Wufei? Had he not shown him just how hot the fire burned within him? Duo supposed it couldn't be helped. When you were starved for affection, more was never enough. And Duo had no intention of stopping until they were both too exhausted to move another inch.

"You think I'll let you run?" He asked, voice soft but there was the hint of a growl to his words. A possessive sound over that of warning. Duo wouldn't make that kind of threat. Not to Wufei. Never to Wufei. But would he cling? You're damn right he would. He was smiling though. More for that laughter than anything else. Duo loved the sound of Wufei's laugh. Knew there was teasing in his lovers tone. And then he gave him what he wanted.

First there was a lick, slow and firm, lapping at warm skin and purring at the salty taste. A soft kiss followed. Playful and teasing before Duo let his teeth graze skin. A light scratch at first, lips moving, tongue stroking... and then Duo bit down. He found a soft, delicate part of Wufei's neck and latched on hard. And in the same moment he shifted his hips up and buried himself once more deep inside of his lover.

Wufei was just trying to rile him up, and it seemed that he was rather successful. He shuddered when Duo asked that question, letting out a low chuckle. "Not for a second," he agreed, that possessive sound doing things to him that he couldn't quite articulate, but wanted to encourage as much as possible.

He let out a soft sigh as Duo's rough tongue slid along his neck, his eyes fluttering closed as he let his mind focus on that sensation. He was so focused on it, he didn't even realize what Duo was about to do.

Which meant that he let out the most sinful sound as Duo bit down and filled him at the same time, digging his nails into Duo's shoulder without meaning to as he did. Yeah, that was exactly what he wanted. He was all Duo's.

Fuck, he loved the sounds that Wufei made for him. If just being near his lover wasn't enough to get him hard then those sounds would sure have done it.

He reached down and grabbed one of Wufei's legs, hooking it under his knee and hiked it up. The new angle allowed him to thrust up hard into him. Wet and still tight, how Duo didn't damn well know, and didn't damn well care. He fucked up into Wufei and groaned against his neck, teeth digging into skin as nails dug into his own shoulders. It should have hurt. Maybe it would later. But right then it only caused him to shudder and drive himself deeper.

He felt like a wild animal, driven by instinct and need and offering no resistance at all as Duo repositioned him. The next thrust drove his voice higher and louder, and maybe later he'd worry about how many people overheard, but right now there was only one thing his mind had room for, and that was Duo, marking him, filling him, claiming him.

He shuddered as he arched his back, ears flattening against his head as he curled his toes, everything in his body tense as he gulped down breath after breath. The only thing he could do was hang on for the ride, there was no leverage at all from this position. He was entirely at Duo's mercy.

And he'd be damned if that didn't make it even better. Duo's name fell from his lips, desperate and wonton and grateful all at once.

Wufei could be as loud as he damn well pleased. If anyone had any complaints they could come to him. Besides, he was pretty certain they wouldn't be the only ones making noise that night. Not if anyone else was caught in that rain. This world seemed to want people to do this! And who was he to deny what the world wanted? Sure, Fate could go and fuck herself, but if Wufei wanted him to fuck him then Duo wasn't going to say no.

His thrusts were powerful things, hard and deep, angled to brush Wufei's prostate as much as he could. He was relentless, groaning his lovers name once he'd let go of his neck. It was the only word he could say, the only word his brain could focus on. All he wanted was more. More of the man below him. He couldn't get enough of him, the way he felt and the sound of his moans and cries echoing within his ears. Duo was addicted.

It didn't take long for Wufei to go tense again, grabbing onto Duo as much as he could with the given position as orgasm rolled through him. He let out a sound closer to a whimper than a scream as he came, Duo's name following it as the sensation seemed to drag out forever, even though it was surely only a few seconds long before he went limp again, sucking in a deep breath as his heart tried to pound its way right out of his chest.

"Fuck," he whispered, when his brain was functioning again.

Duo fucked Wufei through his orgasm, intent on drawing it out for as long as he could for the both of them, since he wasn't more than a few seconds behind his lover. Once more he came within him, buried as far as he could go, a need to be as deeply connected with Wufei as humanly possible driving that need. And then waves of pleasure that stole all ability to think or speak, only to feel.

He half sagged against Wufei, not wanting to crush him under his weight he did his best to balance it out by leaning on his arms some. But, like Wufei, he was feeling very limp limbed.

"Yeah... fuck." Duo replied with a low, breathless laugh. He raised his head and softly kissed his lovers jaw all the way to his chin, and then found his lips. "You're amazing, Wu..."

He groaned happily as Duo kissed up his jaw, returning the kiss to his lips with an exhausted smile. "Me? You did all the work," he laughed warmly, reaching up to toy with Duo's braid a little with one hand, the other sliding along his lover's back. "I've never felt so good in my life," or so loved, but he was still a little shy about that word. So instead, he kissed Duo again.

"Didn't feel like work..." He teased with a grin, eyes half closing at the hand that travelled the length of his back. He near arched into it like a cat, a soft sigh leaving him. He could easily echo that sentiment too. He'd never felt so good before. Never felt more... alive. More real. More like he was finally home.

Duo bent to cover Wufei's lips with his, his kiss tender, full of the love neither of them were quite ready to admit to, but was clearly there for the world to see.

Wufei returned the kiss with a warm chuckle, his hand sliding up to cradle the back of Duo's neck gently. "Mmm, so that means we'll do this again? Hopefully sometime soon?" he grinned, ears twitching a little atop his head.

Duo's own tail was waving behind him in a slow, lazy way. He was feeling very pleased with himself. Sated in a way he had never known before and happier than he had ever been. So his answer was easy and seemingly obvious to him. "Do I seem like the one night stand type to you?" He asked before he dropped his head to Wufei's neck and nuzzled into it. "... I want you to be in my bed every night, Wu. Every damn night. I wanna fall asleep with you and I wanna wake up to you."

Wufei chuckled warmly, shaking his head to the question, and as Duo nuzzled his neck and said the rest, he turned absolutely crimson, and a pink, sparkly cloud engulfed them both. He was pretty sure his heart had stopped beating, that he'd died and ascended immediately to heaven. "Really?" he whispered, afraid that saying it too loud might convince Duo to answer him. He simply could not fathom that someone wanted him that much.

"Really." He breathed, smiling as he pressed warm kissed up the length of Wufei's neck to his jaw. "Really really. There's nothing I'd want more." No one he'd want more. Wufei was it. He was The One. The one he wanted over anyone and everyone else.

He kissed one of those warm cheeks and smiled even wider. "C'mon, can't deny we make a good couple... It's just the next step." Though those sparkles were going to start driving him crazy if they kept getting in the way. Duo had found them cute at first and a good way to tell Wufei's emotions... But when they covered him as well. Duo laughed softly and levered himself up so that he could look down at Wufei. "Say yes?"

Wufei let out a sound that was probably a giggle as Duo kissed up his neck, humming happily. "Yes," he replied warmly, smiling up at Duo like he was the happiest man in the whole world. He was pretty sure he was, after all. Duo was a close runner up, though.

Duo caught Wufei's lips in another kiss, a happy one, the joy was beyond anything else Duo had ever felt before. Sure, he'd had moments of happiness. Lots of them since he had found himself here with Wufei. But this? This trumped them all. It was indescribable. Overwhelming. And Duo loved it.

"Mine..." He breathed against Wufei's lips once he came up for air. "Stay with me... I don't ever wanna let you go, Wu. Not ever."

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pilot05 - 2022-07-08 01:31 (UTC) - Expand

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