TDM #1

[fortiscormod]

"Well, good morning, Sleepy Head,"

The voice was sweet and pleasant on the ears. You open your eyes to find a smiling face looking down at you. A face that looks human enough. Two eyes, a nose and a mouth, all in the right places. But something feels off about it... "We've been waiting for you to wake. It's about time!" The nurse, for now that she's moved away you realise that she is indeed dressed how you would imagine a nurse would be dressed, continues to talk and fuss about the room. In doing this, she explains:

❝You've been asleep for such a long time! Several years ago there was an Event that caused many people to fall into deep, deep sleeps. Some woke within days or weeks of their fall, but there were some, like yourself, who have been asleep for so much longer. It's hard to tell just how long you have slept, and I fear the world you remember is very different now, but we are here to help you through your transition from Dream World to the Waking World.❞

The nurse leaves and you are left alone. You will find that even though you have been in a coma for years, you are as physically fit as you remember. Any injuries you believed you had are gone now, as if they were never there. At the foot of the bed are clothes and any items you own. Take them. Go. The urge will take you. Once you leave, you will find you can not enter the hospital again, nor can you quite remember how you got out in the first place. All you can remember is the strangely haunting nurse and her words...

---

Welcome to Williamsburg!

The town before you is a hodgepodge of colour and style. No two houses are exactly the same. Some made of wood, or brick or even strange metals. Some are no more than holes in the ground. But all are warm and welcoming inside and not many are inhabited. In fact you'll find that the town itself isn't that populated at all. The busiest place is Main Street. Here you will find all the shops you need. From food to beauty and fashion and furnishings for home and garden, there is a café selling the most delicious of sweets and a pub that never closes. The Main Street is the place to be, if there is something you are lacking. And it is only a hop, skip and a jump from the Hospital and around the corner from everywhere else.

● [The Nowhere Inn] is the local watering hole where you can come and share a drink with a friend. Or, if just passing through, spend the night. Here you will be greeted by Bert, the owner and bartender. A seven foot tall bear of a man with a magnificent beard and a loud, booming voice! And a desire to one day create a cocktail that will take the world by storm. It's just a shame that not all of his little experiments hit the mark... Newcomers to the town will be offered a drink on the house. Choose wisely, as some of these drinks can often come with side effects, both good and bad.
✦ Apricot Smash: A refreshing glass of fruit squash. Made from the concentrated juice of a sour and sweet type of apricot, this is a simple and thirst quenching kind of drink. If asked nicely, this can also be made into a slushie! Anyone who tries this deliciously fruity drink will find themselves enjoying a chance to dance and/or sing at any given opportunity. (Side effect: It can cause insomnia.)
✦ Lemongrass Twilight: Made from spicy and sour lemongrass syrup, this mildly alcoholic drink is served in a tall glass with round, purple coloured balls of ice. The drink is a swirling green, yellow and purple colour. Those who try this drink will find themselves feeling very mellow and warm and more inclined to feelings of affection. (Side effect: It can cause headaches.)
✦ Mint Blast: Pale blue-green with light swirls and served in a wine glass. The drink is heavy on the mint and light on the alcohol, with even a little sprig of it resting on the rim of the glass. Drinking this will leave you feeling a chilled and shivery. A nice cuddle should soothe those chills away. (Side effect: It causes sleepiness in the drinker.)
✦ Blue Smooch: This drink is a deep blue with white, creamy foam atop. The drink smells like chocolate and tastes wonderful. It leaves the drinker feeling happy and optimistic, almost childlike. (Side effect: It is rumoured to cause truthfulness in the drinker.)
✦ Burning Wine: Pale gold with yellow-orange swirls, this mulled wine is served in a clear glass mug and tastes like cinnamon and oranges, with a hint of chili. It has a nice, warming burn as it goes down. This drink will put a fire in your belly and keep you toasty and warm through the cold nights. It may also make drinkers a little more amorous than usual. (Side effect: It can sometimes cause tingling and numbness in the extremities.)
✦ Frosted Starlight: Sapphire with silver flecks and glittering sugar around the rim of the glass. This is an intoxicating alcoholic drink that is only served in the evening and at night. The drink itself smells like coconut yet there is no coconut within the drink. The taste is almost floral, with a slight hint of grape. Those who have tried this drink often find themselves with the brief ability to touch another and see their surface thoughts. (Side effect: It can cause blackouts.)

● [Sugar ‘n Spice Café] is a peculiar place. From the outside it looks like any other store front, but as you enter and the little bell tinkles, you will find the interior to be bright and open. Warm colours and bright lighting, and from somewhere soft music is always playing. A very modern sort of café selling a wide selection of handmade sweets and pastries as well as an espresso machine.
For the next month, if you come in for a hot drink you can have your choice of their specially made, homemade cheesecake free of charge. Subject to availability, of course.
✦ Roasted strawberries and cream cheesecake: Made with a chocolate biscuit base, sumptuous strawberries and homemade cream.
✦ Coconut cheesecake with lime and passionfruit sauce: This zesty citrus cheesecake has a buttery base, creamy coconut filling and fruity lime and passionfruit sauce.
✦ Triple choc upside-down cheesecake: The name may say upside-down, but this cake looks right side up to us! Juicy raspberries give it a fresh bite and for the chocoholics - oozing sauce.
✦ Gingernut cheesecake tart with sticky maple pears: A creamy cheesecake with high visual impact for that special dessert finale to your dinner party.

● For those looking to add a little something extra to their wardrobe, they'd be best heading to [Dreams Come True Boutique]. For the month of April the clothing store will be offering all new arrivals free vouchers for up to three new outfits of their choosing. Within reason, of course. But most all of the clothes here are decently priced with an odd array of fashions from the very old fashioned to near futuristic.

● [Linlae Botanical Gardens] resides not far from Main Street. Part of the gardens are covered, housed within a large green house, but most of the gardens are outside and easily accessed. There is much to see here, from the [Hedgemaze] with the secret gazebo at it's centre, [Hanging Gardens] and the weeping willows reaching into the waters of a large koi pond. If you're lucky you might see a large white carp, said to be 2,000 years old by the name of Etherus. Who knows how long he'd lived in that pond, but they say if you catch sight of him it's a sign of good luck. And if you manage to see him during a full moon, he may grant you a wish.
There are benches all over, places to sit and take in the peace. But don't expect much quiet, the twittering of birds is a near constant companion within these gardens.

● [A Home]. As you explore you will realise that you're going to need somewhere to stay the night. Of course you could always go to The Nowhere Inn and wait until morning, or you could just... open a door.
87% of the houses within the town of Williamsburg is vacant, and well maintained, for many years. These houses wait for someone to come and bring life into them. Inside your pocket you will find a key. If your key doesn't fit the lock, that house is occupied, so find another. When you finally open a door, you'll notice that the key has changed subtly. That key is now unique and can be used only for this house. It is yours.
Some houses come fully furnished, some might need some work. You might even be surprised to find that the house is one that looks vaguely familiar...

---

A Familiar View

It may have been immediate or it may take days for you to notice, but when you do...

The memories of your Dream World are coming back to you. It doesn't feel much like a dream at all. Those things that happened, those feelings you had, all seemed so real!

And then you find it.

It could be something as simple as a book, or as large as a building. You know this thing. This thing has been pulled directly from your memories, whether those memories are good or bad is entirely up to you. But there it is, as large as life, right in front of your eyes. What does this mean? Which world is real and which isn't? How did these things from that other world make it into this?
This is your chance to explore this new addition to Williamsburg. Maybe you will find the answers you seek? Or maybe you will be left with more questions. Just know that you aren't alone. It seems that almost everything in this world was pulled from another, brought here by 'others', and left here.

Maybe this new landmark, or item, leaves you with a warm feeling and questions are the last thing on your mind? Perhaps you would like to share with your friends, or even a perfect stranger, the joy that this thing brings you? Tell them your story. Share with them it's the history. Or maybe the feelings attached are feelings of anger, of horror and fear? Misery does love company, so don't go through with this trip down memory lane alone.

---

Down the Rabbit Hole

It starts with something small shifting around you. Maybe it’s a door or window, but as you walk down the street things take a turn for the bizarre. It’s far too late to escape by the time you notice the buildings themselves bleeding into the sky or folding back onto themselves.

You are stuck in The Corridor now.

And you appear to be alone. Or are you? As the buildings creak in protest you seem to hear footsteps. Is that a fellow waylaid traveler?

Before you can determine the direction of the sounds, one thing becomes clear to you: these homes and businesses, all that brick and mortar, seem to be closing in on you…

It is a gradual squeeze but you can tell that if you don’t get out of there you’ll eventually be crushed. As you explore this place where time and gravity seem to have lost all meaning and your senses may even betray you, you search for a way out or an end to this madness and that is when you finally realize that the buildings are taking shape according to your will. The more you panic, the more claustrophobic and chaotic things become. But if you remain calm and focus your attention you find you can tame the buildings back into their original shapes and places. Of course, it helps if you have a partner.

Comments

[strawberryprotector]

Boutique:
[With only the clothes on his back to wear, Ichigo goes to the boutique. He knows vaguely what he wants, and the wide and wild variety blows his mind. So he picks up two different shirts, a pair of skinny jeans, some traditional work pants, and even a nice looking kimono.]

A home:
[There's a small traditional looking house on a large plot. It looks perfect, he can have a vegetable garden and try to create something instead of just being a tool of destruction. The key turns in the lock, then changes in his hand.] Huh. That's new. Guess I live here now?

Boutique

[kingcat]

Somewhere in the back of the store, there is a low growl as Grimmjow yanks open a door and steps out in a positively surreal outfit. Straight-fit jeans, a belt with a heavy, ornate buckle, a black tee with a faded-looking strawberry printed on the front. The back can't be seen because he paired it with a black leather jacket with a snakeskin pattern and some big combat boots.

He stomps over to the closest mirror and glares at himself in the mirror, turns and does it again, huffs.

And then he catches sight of red hair, and his eyes narrow. "KUROSAKI!" It's nearly a roar, and startles the poor workers in the store as he storms over to Ichigo. By some small miracle, even though Pantera is held by his belt, it stays in the sheath. For now.

Re: Boutique

[strawberryprotector]

[Standing in front of a different mirror, Ichigo takes a look at the kimono he's thinking of buying. He wants to make sure that it looks good. But his head whips around toward Grimmjow when he hears his name screamed. And between the pants and the leather jacket, he likes what he sees.] Grimmjow, wow that looks good. Didn't expect to see you here.

[kingcat]

[Grimmjow snarls, storming right up and into Ichigo's personal space.]

I'd already have my head in your hand if I had my fuckin' way. What the fuck are you doing here, asshole?

[He's extra grumpy today and has apparently decided it's Ichigo's fault.]

[strawberryprotector]

[Ichigo just raises an eyebrow.]

I woke up in the hospital here, went to have a drink, then decided I should get some new clothes. What are you doing here?

[kingcat]

[Grimmjow snarls.]

Aizen's here, the fuck you think I'm doing? Killin' whoever the fuck he tells me to. [Obviously. He gives Ichigo a shove, because he can, and he's angry. As if he's ever not angry.]

[strawberryprotector]

And he and I called a truce earlier over drinks.

[Ichigo isn't sure if this place is real or not, maybe some figment of his imagination as he dies at Yhwach's hand. And if that's the case, then fuck shame and shyness.]

He tell you to buy those pants, too? They make your ass look good.

[He tries not to look affected by the shove, fixing the kimono before looking in the mirror again.] I think I might get this one, I like how it looks.

[kingcat]

[Grimmjow actually jerks backwards like he was slapped when Ichigo compliments his 'assets'.] The fuck?

[It even gets him to take a step back, glancing at Ichigo in the mirror and... nope. Nope. Not thinking those thoughts, even as his cheeks go pink.]

Shut the fuck up, asshole. That ain't fuckin' funny.

[And he looks away, growling under his breath.]

[strawberryprotector]

I wasn't trying to be funny.

[Ichigo is trying not to grin at the strawberry on the shirt.]

The jacket looks good on you, too. Better than it would on me. I'm gonna try on some pants, I'll be back.

[Ichigo disappears into the changing room just on the other side of the mirror, followed by the sound of rustling fabric.]

[kingcat]

[Grimmjow scowls but, surprisingly, he's still right there when Ichigo comes back out.]

Those look dumb.

[He hasn't even looked, he's still too busy trying to figure out what all this means.]

[strawberryprotector]

Mm, yeah I suppose the bagginess is weird. But the material is really durable for manual tasks.

[Ichigo is expecting to need to do such things since the house he has is on a large lot. And he kind of wants to give growing things a try. Better to use work pants while farming than skinny jeans, after all.]

[kingcat]

[Grimmjow looks over then, grunting softly as he actually looks at them.]

The fuck you doing manual tasks for? You should be worried about fighting.

[He folds his arms over his chest with a huff.]

[strawberryprotector]

Why? I literally either just won a war and passed the fuck out to end up here or lost a war and all the realms are being torn asunder as we speak. Just because I'm good at it doesn't mean fighting is the only thing I like to do.

[Ichigo squats down in the work pants to see how they feel.]

Maybe I wanna try growing things for once.

A home

[godzen]

[ Aizen is just. There. Sitting seiza with a calligraphy brush in his hand. There is a large square of mostly empty paper in front of him with all the accoutrements arranged neatly at his side.

He looks up. ]

Welcome home.

Re: A home

[strawberryprotector]

[Ichigo blinks in surprise at Aizen and sheds his shoes in the genkan. Stepping farther inside, he leans on the door frame.] I had a gold key, I put it in the door, and it changed into a regular house key. Was that your doing? or this place?

[godzen]

None of it.

[ He puts brush to paper and continues his work with a light hand. ]

You will find that I simply get what I want here.

[ Oh, not always. Far from it. But Aizen does have more success than most at bending this place to his will. He is not about to admit to this though.

In this case, he simply entered a house he thought Ichigo would favor and willed that it should be so. Even he can't say whether that had any effect at all on the outcome though it does benefit him for Ichigo to think it did.

Aizen completes another stroke and waits for the inevitable questions. ]

[strawberryprotector]

Yeah? Well you better want some manual labor. I wanna try gardening on this big lot. It'll save money to grow vegetables here and then only need to buy rice and meat.

[And curry seasoning, but Ichigo doesn't mention that. He does see a smart home device on a shelf, though.]

Do you know what the activation is for the smart home system?

[godzen]

[ And once again Aizen is amused. His brush stops, leaving an uncharacteristic blot on the page. It's the only sign of surprise he offers. ]

Gardening?

[ Cues up one more thankless assignment for his Sexta.

He tells Ichigo the code. It's a cipher for his name with the honorific. ]

[strawberryprotector]

Yes, gardening. We have so much land, what else would we do with it.

[Ichigo rolls his eyes a little before speaking to the the smart home hub.]

Shinra, turn on the kettle.

[godzen]

The possibilities are endless.

[ The smart home device chirps and in a voice with a bit of an English accent it informs them that it has completed the requested action. ]

Hm. Do what you like.

[ He very carefully did not agree to help. ]

[strawberryprotector]

I'm gonna make some tea, want any?

[No sense being rude, after all. And Ichigo can totally have good manners.]

I'll get you out in the field.

[godzen]

I would, thank you.

[ Aizen responds in kind. No sense wasting an opportunity for tea, after all. ]

Convince me and I just might help you out.

[strawberryprotector]

[Ichigo heads for the kitchen, rooting around as he looks for the tea, a pot, and some mugs.]

You wanna eat my cooking? You'll help out with the gardening. Unless you plan on footing the bill for all the meat, spices, and rice.

[Surely that would be a fair compromise once the garden started to produce vegetables, right?]

[godzen]

[ Well, that would be convenient and potentially interesting. Aizen completes several more lines in silence. ]

Very well.

[ He has plenty of money but...this arrangement will bring them closer together, will it not? And perhaps indebt Ichigo to him in some way. Notably though, he doesn't say how he's going to help. ]

[strawberryprotector]

[While he waits for the kettle to finish boiling, though it's nearly there, Ichigo pokes his head out of the kitchen to narrow his eyes at Aizen. That didn't sound as amenable as he'd hoped, after all.]

Black, green, or herbal?