fortiscor | TDM #1

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TDM #1

"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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No. This is something different. I sensed it in Soul Society.

[ Not that he told anyone about it. It was no real danger and they might need him again one day, after all. ]

It is? Tell me all about it.

[Ichi's a little bit tipsy already, he's young and hasn't got much in his stomach other than that first drink, after all. So he reaches over and put a hand on Aizen's shoulder.]

A futile attempt at resurrection by a dead man. I wouldn't worry.

[ They had already defeated him and would do so again if needed. Aizen only continued to grow in power and he had raised Ichigo into his equal in this at least. Maybe that would last forever and maybe it wouldn't. Either way, Aizen had achieved his goals. He was immortal and here was, finally, at last someone who understood him. He'd felt it in the clash of their blades. To think that everything had come together so perfectly...and they thought him defeated. It was laughable, really. He didn't mind though. He wanted to stay in Ichigo's good graces and if that made it easier for him, well, Aizen would permit it. He wanted to continue to raise him well. He had no intention of letting him turn out like Urahara. No, Ichigo had seen how terrible Soul Society was and the false god holding it all together. How that man could permit it, Aizen didn't know.

Distaste curled in him and he reached for the last of his drink to wash it away. Was it the drink or this place making him tell the truth? He still didn't know. He'd have to experiment further. ]

[Ichigo scowls a little and raises a finger so he can almost poke Aizen in the cheek.]

You're not my dad, y'know. I'm raised already. All growed up.

An' Hat 'n Clogs isn't bad. Not always honest, but not bad.

[ Aizen's gaze finds Ichigo and then his head turns to follow it. He has the full weight of Aizen's consideration and there it remains for a moment before dropping down to the drink in Ichigo's hand.

This is unexpected. Very unexpected. Did he just--? And he doesn't seem to have realized-- Is it the drink, after all?

Aizen uses some of his immense self-control to limit his thoughts and it is from there he replies. Because even he has to verify this for himself.

You are quite young in Shinigami terms, Ichigo. You still have much to learn about our world.

And how awful it is and the lengths one must go to to change it. How determined one must be. Aizen has no regrets. Not a single one. He'd do it all again because it's worth it. He is already immortal and one day he will be the god everyone relies on. Time is nothing to him.

Ah. Aizen realizes he's spiraling into unwanted thoughts again and stops himself. ]

[Ichigo scowls.]

S' what if I'm young? Wha's that matter? 'N so what if I have shit t' learn? Some o' that shit needs unlearned.

[ So it is true. How interesting. How...dangerous.

Aizen can't help but be amused. He decides he likes this game.

You will understand in time.

Because they have forever. ]

[Ichigo scowls.]

I fuckin' hate that saying. I'm not a baby.

[He hates being told he'll understand later, it's usually an excuse to never give an explanation.]

[ To me, you are. My son. And I intend to raise you right.

Aizen blinks and clears his thoughts. It appears those are also affected or perhaps he simply isn't used to this game yet because he certainly didn't mean to convey that.

Speaking of, he should probably cut Ichigo off but hey there is always the chance he won't remember this... ]

Told you. 'M not your kid.

[Ichigo sways in his seat, clearly edging closer to unconsciousness with now two alcoholic drinks in his system on no food.]

[ Perhaps not biologically and it is true I didn't always think of you this way, but now...how could I not think of you as mine?

He had become something much more than an experiment in a relatively short amount of time. Or maybe it was his achievement over Aizen that sealed it for him. Either way, those were his innermost thoughts. ]

I never do things in half-measures, Ichigo.

[ Aizen pushes the remainder of the drink away from him and finishes his own. He doubts he will have long to wait now, and when Ichigo does pass out he will carry him to one of the empty houses and put him to bed. ]

[Ichigo's eyes narrow as he sways. And anything he wants to say is cut off, mostly from his head dropping forward as he sags like a puppet with cut strings. He has officially blacked out.]

[ Aizen's hand snaps out and he catches Ichigo's head before it meets the bar. It wouldn't have hurt him but he does have his reputation to maintain. Indeed, Bert laughs and makes an offer for transportation which Aizen rejects. ]

That's kind of you, Bert, but I have my own way.

[ He picks Ichigo up, bridal style, and strolls out of the bar. Aizen is about to use shunpo when he realizes that this does not bode well for the boy's head and so he switches to carrying him on his back. ]

[Ichigo is a dead, drunken weight on Aizen's back. But he's also still woefully skinny aside from the lean muscle covering his frame, so he's not really that heavy. He grumbles a little in his unconscious state.]

[ Aizen takes Ichigo to one of the uninhabited homes with a more modern layout. He divests Ichigo of his outer shihakusho and weapons and lays him in the bed before going to fetch a glass of water for him. The toilet makes a chirping noise and lifts its seat in the adjoining room when he passes it and Aizen shakes his head the tiniest bit.

Soon he's back with the glass and a pitcher too. He sets the tray he was carrying these on on the table to the side. ]

[Ichigo staggers back into the room, his sclera bleeding black. He plops onto the bed and looks at the water like he doesn't know what it is. The glass and pitcher are just...sitting there. Not filling itself. He pouts.]

[ Aizen chuckles a little. ]

Is this what you want, Ichigo?

[ He pours him a glass of water and extends it to him. ]

[Ichigo takes the glass on the third attempt to grab it.]

Thanks.

[Single syllable, nice and easy. He drinks it slowly, trying to sit upright as the world seems to spin.]

Where?

You're welcome.

[ Aizen stands casually to the side and waits and when it looks like Ichigo is having trouble sitting up he moves to support him with an arm behind his back. ]

A nearby home. I presume you haven't used your key yet.

[ He knows Ichigo hasn't because he has plans for them to live together. ]

Are you hungry?

[Ichigo kind of sags into Aizen.]

Food? Yeah. Carbs?

[He distantly remembers that carbs are important when drunk, but that was a lesson from his father from a few years ago. His stomach growls.'

[ Aizen gently lowers him to the bed. ]

I'll be right back.

[ He finds a loaf of hard bread in the kitchen and some cheese. It isn't much, but that isn't what this is about. Aizen slices the bread thinly and melts the cheese on top. He's about to leave the kitchen when he notices some pickled daikon in a jar. That is the more familiar otsumami and so he slices some of these for Ichigo as well.

Aizen resumes his place by Ichigo and sits him up. He grabs one of the slices of bread and cheese and offers it to him. ]

Here.

[Ichigo reaches for the food, though he goes slowly. He chews slowly, too. But he sways less as he chews.]

Thanks. 's good.

[He blinks up at Aizen, eyes slowly focusing.]

You're welcome, Ichigo.

[ Aizen watches over him as he chews, making sure he doesn't choke. ]

...much did I drink?

[Ichigo mumbles between bites, getting more stable the more he eats.]

Too much.

[ Apparently. It's said without judgement. After a moment Aizen relents and offers a real answer. ]

Two drinks.

TDM #1

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