achates | [DAY 0] TDM.

[DAY 0] TDM.

Error in final launch sequence:
Failed to execute MI command:
target remote localhost: 01633
Error message from debugger back end:
Cannot access memory at address 𝟹͚̽𝚡̰̍̂𝟸̠̯̘ͭͧ𝚌̭͉̺͖ͥ𝟿̳̰̒̇ͅ𝟷̦ͣ̉͌̅𝚋͓͎̈̒̀𝟻ͭ̌͂𝟷ͩ̓𝟾̦
Failed to execute MI command:
target remote localhost: 01633
Error message from debugger back end:
Cannot access memory at address 𝟹̖͇͕̃𝚡͉̹̯͇̻̉̓̂𝟸͚̹͈͓̩͚̲̼͒̾𝚌̱̠͙̝̪͇̈̌̂̃̄ͭ𝟿̱̜̪͓̳̹ͤ̊̈́ͦͥ̑𝟷͖̱̝̀̒̇̂̄̈́̓̇ͅ𝚋̥̯͉̹͛͛̊ͤͦͩ𝟻̬̮̈́̋ͯ͛̉̐𝟷̋ͩ̔̔𝟾̼
Waiting for debugger connection...
Debugger connected
Debugger connection lost.
Waiting for debugger connection...
Debugger connected
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Target is not responding, retrying...
Debugger connection lost.
Shutting down...
Rebooting
Download in Progress:
File download complete
Time elapsed during download operation: 00:12:33.131
Rebooting
Launching Demon Summoning Program. . .

You open your eyes to the end of the world, but you do not see it.

Instead what rouses you is screaming and crying, blood and tears: all around you are signs of life. Inside the overturned train, people begin to awaken, sprawled on the ground as if thrown violently from their seats, broken bones and bleeding wounds struggling to rise from the carpet of shattered glass from the windows at their feet. Emerging from the wreck, characters will find themselves at the edge of a dense forest, a towering stone wall at their backs. Bright eyes peer out from the shadows of the foliage, more and more blinking into view like stars in a darkening sky, but despite being drawn to the scent of blood that hangs heavy in the air, nothing steps out of the forest. Not yet.

None of the passengers can recall what happened, what they were doing on a train, where it was going- there's more they can't remember, but overshadowing the gaps of memory are things they have gained in return. A familiar item that is not theirs. A gemstone that feels lighter than it appears, as if hollow inside. And a device that wraps around their wrist (or rests on their head, or hangs around their neck, or however it presents itself to each character) that starts up on its own the moment the character turns their attention to it, as if waiting. Each character's COMP has a "navigator" selected at default, either "A☆L☆A" in bright neon orange, or "K5" in cool slate blue, although the presiding navigator can be freely switched between them.

Heya, boss! My name's Ala, your new navi!

You wanna know something really funny? Go ahead and touch the map on the corner of the screen to enlarge it. See all those little red dots? Those are demons out to kill you. Haha! You're surrounded!

Heya, boss! You can call me Keigo, your navigational AI.

If you touch the map on the corner of the screen, you can enlarge it and see the positions of all your allies. Looks like some of you are already heading out: see those little blue— oh. That one just disappeared. ... Try to stick together.

Along with providing a map with enemy/ally positions, the navigators will walk characters through the demon interaction, recruitment, and summoning processes, with advice varying between the two navigators (click to expand)

Just beat 'em up and force 'em to join! They can't say no if they're dead!

Nobody is immune to bribery, not even demons. What do you even have, though...? No matter what, don't let them get that life stone.

More demons incoming! Ooh, you're screwed. You'd better run! Don't worry, I won't tell.

Let's hide here. We'll wait here until that demon passes, then move!

Look, a body! Are they still alive? Wonder what's in their pockets...?

It's already too late to help. But better them being demon food than you.

Or, you could stay. There is nothing forcing anybody to leave the relative safety of the train. Those who stay behind will find the conductor's cabin empty, save for a small black cat perched on the headrest of the driver's seat that peers out with bright golden eyes at those who enter. Otherwise, there are no signs of a fight or struggle inside the cabin. Elsewhere, there is unclaimed luggage in the overhead compartments with an abundance of clothing and blankets, although characters will not find any of their own clothing except what they're already wearing. The dining cart is still stocked with enough food and beverage to last each passenger at least two days— maybe longer, if people keep leaving/dying... But at the same time, maybe shorter, considering the pervasive hunger that gnaws at the pits of everybody's stomachs, an emptiness that yearns to be filled by something... more.

As minutes stretch into hours, it becomes painfully clear that nobody is coming to help. Everybody only has each other, this town, its inhabitants. The forest is dark and unforgiving, near impossible to navigate even with a map. Strange creatures jump out from the shadows, eyes bright, mouths salivating, hungry. Strong hands claw through the dirt underfoot to grab at people's feet, pulling themselves up, mouths wide open, hungry. Sharp talons swoop down from the skies above, snatching characters up into the air, crushing skulls and snapping spines. Hungry. The demons here seem delighted to see such a feast wandering right into their home; those who are stopped for attempted conversation express surprise that characters are able to see them, but ultimately the hunger wins, and hunger does not listen to reason.

Casualties are inevitable. Blood mist permeates the air, and follows even as characters break out of the forest and across town, all the way to the fraying end of the world. Out in the open, however, the sun rays beat down bright and harsh, and those hungry eyes shy away from the sunlight to remain in the shadows, inside husks of buildings and thickets of overgrown fields. Characters will be able to find refuge in the greenhouse and the church, and some of the standing houses are truly vacant (as opposed to "surprise! there's actually a demon inside!" vacant); the only eyes that follow you are those of photographs hung crooked on the walls, of familiar strangers and forgotten friends. Look, there's a picture of you too.

Other locations require more caution to explore:

The sound of crying can be heard from the upper stories of the school building, thin wails echoing up and down the deserted halls, and human-like shadows peer out from the broken, unboarded windows, as if watching. A barricade inside the front doors makes it difficult to enter from the main entrance, and with most of the windows boarded up, the hallways inside remain dark even during the day. The smell of rot is prominent, heavy and cloying, especially in the auditorium-become-mausoleum that is littered with crushed bones, thin and brittle, every last scrap of flesh already nibbled away. A flock of demons crowd around outside principal's office, where a blizzard blows through the entire hallway, rendering visibility near zero and temperatures below that.

The hospital is also deathly cold, breath visible in puffs of mist that sometimes form into screaming faces, and when all is still and quiet, you look up and see yourself. Shadows form into mirror images of the characters who enter the hospital, silently approaching others and attacking once the person's guard is down. If a demon borrowing your face isn't bad enough, Phantoms go a step further and take the form of people who are close to your character: friends, family, foes. Exploring the hospital may or may not be worth the potential backstabbing, considering the fact that the supplies found are maybe not the most sterile, half the equipment is rusted or corroded, and a lot of the medicine is unlabeled tablets and capsules inside unlabeled bottles (essentially, take at your own risk). Moreover, hordes of all sorts of demon ghosts will bar characters' way down to the basement, gathering in massive numbers anytime somebody tries to descend. Electricity bounces around the top of the stairway down, while bright flames lick the bottom of the stairs; particularly unlucky characters may be hit with a confusion spell, liable to throw themselves headfirst down the stairs to be consumed by the waiting demons below.

Hauntingly beautiful music can be heard from within the concert hall, and listening to their song puts you fast asleep— possibly in the middle of the street if you're not careful— while those who manage to make it past the front doors are immediately frozen in a hunk of ice or electrocuted to a crisp before being kicked to the curb. The concert hall appears to be actively guarded, and it's clear that strangers are Not Welcome. Even the other demons keep clear of this building, drawn to the music but lingering far enough to not be overwhelmed. Characters may have an easier time of initiating conversations with demons from around town or inside the houses nearby the concert hall.

The crackle of electricity can be heard from inside the power plant's upper stories despite the blackout, and the entire building shakes from time to time, as if caught in a thunderstorm, or an earthquake. A slow drip... drip... drip... can be heard throughout the building, of amorphous demons clinging to the walls like mold and leaving puddles of caustic acid Everywhere. Anybody who enters the power plant's front entrance is met with a massive agglomerate of black Ooze that has expanded to fill the entire first floor from wall to wall, floor to ceiling, preventing anybody from going upstairs while it remains. Arms and legs poke out of the demon's body in places, desperately clawing and kicking, weaker, weaker. done.

OOC

Welcome to Day 0! What better meet-and-greet is there than everybody being tossed into the fray to fight for their lives? ('': For convenience, here are the game info, locations, and demon compendium pages; please use these as reference for what more can be found in the setting.

The characters' COMP will turn on only after they notice and focus on it. If they do NOT activate the COMP, they will not be able to see the demons or interact with them in any way other than being killed. Activating the COMP will allow characters to see demons and somewhat understand their language, with an added effect of allowing physical attacks to harm demons, and mitigating the damage taken from demons.

For characters who app and are accepted, please report demon recruitment here. Characters who are just tdming do not have to report. Recruited demons are inclined to listen to their summoner, but are not necessarily friendly at the beginning: if your character shows weakness, the demon may be just as likely to eat them as they are to protect them.

There will be no NPCs in this game other than the two navigators and some key demons. You're on your own for now!

This first event/tdm is open to the public, and can be used for test driving at any time after the game starts. I'll be keeping a pulse on threads for when characters have gotten their bearings and seem to have a general idea of how they want to proceed into the next day, and we'll go from there.

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[Yuri slows down - takes things step-by-step - and it's appreciated. Armin inclines his head, earnest gratitude thick in his expression.]

Thank you. [Sometimes, that's all that needs to be said.

[He takes a moment to observe the blue clusters on the map. The overwhelm hasn't eased in the slightest - is, in fact, only building, but Armin doesn't break down and sob anymore when he starts to get nervous. He tries to determine where he and this woman are on the map, but there's too thick a cluster of blue by the train. It's good that others are staying put...

[They can't wait here forever.

[Ah, but. He offered a return.

[Taking a step back from Yuri, he turns to better display his gear. He wonders - hopes - that it will be just as incomprehensible to her as this device is to him. He can't guarantee the same honesty if she begins asking too many questions.]

A mobility device from my world. [He taps the holsters on his hips, which are not how the device moves. The blades are still inside, only the handles visible. They could be anything. The guns aren't strapped to his wrists, yet, either.

[He hasn't lied - just not given all that he can.]

Grappling hooks and a motor allow one to propel themselves onto high surfaces. Unfortunately, it's low on fuel. I'm not sure when I'll be able to get more, so...it might not be of much use. [There's plenty of fuel. It's nearly full. Armin did most of his fighting on the ground (and fifty meters up). No one needs to know that he has that resource, precious as it is. He needs to save every drop.]

Edited 2024-08-29 22:30 (UTC)

[ The person Armin picks up offers zero resistance to being picked up- just mild surprise at finding his feet being lifted off the forest floor, at the blur of trees that leaves him breathless. ]

Um. [ Minato had just been wandering, truth be told, taking the long way to town by trying to keep the wall in his sights and following the curve, banking on the idea that the train tracks follow the wall and therefore he could always find the train if he follows the tracks. ]

The end of the forest, I guess... How deep have you gone?

[Akechi watches.

The guy's stinky fingers catch his attention with luggage moved in the corner of his eye, backpacks zipped and opened every time he turns away from it. There are people wandering the trains, but no one claims ownership over the items available. It makes sense to loot. Logical. Survival is necessary. He doesn't plan to be here long enough to need senseless shit like a blanket.

Food, water - that is needed. A requirement for even a dead man walking. The uneasy ache in his stomach and chest permeating the longer he watches this guy work.

Before the rando can shovel everything into that backpack, he plucks a small bottle of water directly out of his hoarding path. Nope gamer. Not today.]

Do you plan to carry the whole train out of here?

Nothing good, that's for sure. It's certainly the kind of situation that'll result in a dead body or two.

[He says it so calmly and matter-of-fact, his warm smile not faltering in the slightest. It's just facts, and he sees no reason to entertain delusional idealism about their situation. Of course, he didn't want anyone to die, but you learned to temper your expectation when it came to demons. Besides:]

Not that I have to worry about that. This scenario is my bread and butter, in a way. Speaking of...

[He lifts the COMP, its blocky, gun-like shape cumbersome as he slowly tilts it from side to side, letting the light glance off its metallic frame.]

You know what this is, miss?

[Armin reaches the kid he shouted orders at, palms pressed firmly over his own ears. He sees Akechi eyeing the concert hall and tries to duck to meet his eyes, gaze laser-focused, deadly serious. He shakes his head, jerking it back in the direction he came from. He mouths as clearly as he can: Talk with me first.]

[Alice glances at the gun.] Sure, [she lies. No sense in telling him that she's even easier pickings than he might think. (Alice is actively choosing not to interrogate why she's been able to keep calm and think straight when by all rights she should be panicking.)]

I'd like to say that I've gotten what I came here for and you couldn't get me to touch this discount theme park Halloween attraction with an eleven foot pole, but... [Her brow furrows.] Something's bothering me about the demons here.

[Shun'ya isn't even offended by the water snatcher. He just turns to him with a shameless smile, shoving a package of what looks like angel delights into his backpack - all while maintaining eye contact.]

That'd be the ideal, admittedly.

['ZIIIIIIIIP!' goes the backpack, as he neatly closes it up, his ill-gotten gains secured.]

But alas, I'm just one mortal man. Taking what only this backpack can carry will have to do for now.

[He slings said backpack over his shoulder, resting his hand casually on his- holster. Yup, that sure is a glock pistol attached to his belt, with a tanto on the other side. There's also a holster strapped across his chest containing strange looking tubes...]

You should do the same, young man. We might be here for a while, depending on how things shake out. Better to have and not need, than find yourself wanting, eh?

[Smile, smile, smile. That is one- dazzlingly warm smile, all while saying such... ominous things.]

[ Minato just wanted a quiet place to close his eyes without the danger of being mauled by demons... A church wouldn't have been his first thought for where to seek refuge, but it's proving to be a good option, if it weren't for Shun'ya staring up at the angel statue and Minato staring up at him, as if waiting for it to start moving.

It does not.

Maybe if they take their eyes off it? He'll go ahead and do that, then, shifting his gaze off the stone face and over at Shun'ya instead. Brief wave of the hand, as if to say hi, but also to say please help him if the statue suddenly springs to life and bashes his head open.

It does not. ]

Not far. [And he's not wasting any more fuel than necessary, so they're stopping wherever the tree line ends - and that's dictated by the other demons trying to snatch at them in the air. Luckily, ODM is fast, and Armin is adept.]

We're going to try to make it past the treeline there ahead. Hold on as tightly as you can. [The boy is oddly calm, given the circumstances. Armin can't help but wonder if he'd truly have been able to handle himself without help. Maybe he has experience with this sort of thing, or maybe he's just hard to shake.]

Are you alright?

[He interferes.

Not to save her - he's no hero. Erratic, desperate, wild - she's holding her own, maybe.

Maybe she's not. He doesn't care. They need numbers for whatever shit is happening. Need people alive, battle ready, not food for a fucking shadow.

It's thrilling - hunters becoming hunted. He refuses to be prey.]

Hey genius - take a step back and heal yourself. You look terrible.

[First aid - whatever. Back away from the blood soaked creature he's got an eye on. It's so fucking weak now that she's slashed it up. Not even worth his time and will take seconds to dispose of.]

[Shun'ya is mostly curious to know if this was a legitimate statue endowed with Holy power - he has encountered such things in the past - or an actual petrified angel - which he has also encountered. Both were effective tools at repelling demons, yet knowing if it was an inanimate object or a demon held in stasis was an important distinction to make...

And if it was the latter, then perhaps he can replicate that effect via spelltag? His current batch weren't working - perhaps the mechanism that brought them here had soured the magatushi within them - but maybe if he made some fresh...? That required blood and ink, though, but-

But he's distracted from his musings by a young man waving at him. He immediately turns towards him with a warm smile, not looking bothered by the interruption. The statue can wait, it's not going anywhere anytime soon.]

What's up? Need something? Food? Water?

Ohhh~?

[Shun'ya immediately looks intrigued. He crosses his arms, shifting his weight onto one leg and jutting his hip to the side slightly - a casual, relaxed posture.]

What's bothering you? I may not look it, but I'm something of an expert when it comes to demons. Maybe I can help?

Are you shopping for a second head wound to match your first? [Alice snaps when Akechi leans on her... but for some reason that she can't name, she doesn't want to push him away, which is even more frustrating than this loser deciding to use her as a pillow in the first place.]

Edited 2024-08-29 22:57 (UTC)

[Yuri knows blades—but she’s never seen anything quite like this. Metal straps onto buckles strap onto metal, a solution intricate as it is elegant; to what, she has to take his word. If anything, the handles resemble the notches of a gun, triggers and all.

[It seems excessive for mobility alone. A smartwatch and a cell phone exist to do more than answer the beck and call of two so-called AIs. It’s wise to keep one’s cards hidden.

[She tries not to stare.]

It looks… complex.

[After what I’ve done for you, you can’t even state the obvious?
[She’ll leave it at that.

[Eyes dragged from the straps across his body, out the window. A red haze permeates the air, tainted.]

Will you be using it outside?

[ They aren't— shouldn't be— but Minato stares back at her anyways like are they?? It's very possible. He's not the best with faces, and tends to keep to himself, and on the flipside there is very little that stands out about him either. ]

I- maybe...? [ ARE THEY ] ...Not too familiar, though, I guess. [ Apparently. considering the fact that he doesn't know her name, or who she is.

His COMP takes the form of a music player hanging on a lanyard around his neck, its screen with the faint orange glow of the other navigator, but the map zoomed in on the train so that the screen remains blank. ]

( ooc: PLEASE take a look at my opt out! it lists a couple of things in elmer's backstory. )

1. train

[ when elmer wakes up, he is not smiling. it's almost impossible to maintain a smile while you're unconscious, after all. though part of him can't help but wonder if it's possible. would people be happier if they smiled through their sleep?

but this is no time to focus on that. the smell of blood that is mostly not his own, the crying of the other passengers, and the item in his hand-- a thin, metallic stiletto. he has no way to hide it or pocket it, but he sees no issue. if anyone is afraid of him, then surely a big warm smile and a few words of reassurance will help clear the air and get them back to smiling.

he takes note of the wounds on himself, and the fact that he's not healing from them. strange, but that hardly puts a damper on his plans. stepping over the dead, he'll go up to anyone that is not smiling and stop them. ]

2. hospital

[ and so it seems like something has stopped his immortality. and though it's both a shame and a chore to have to be more careful with his own body against the creatures prowling for what seems to be their next meal, he seems to have very little problem making his way to the hospital.

in there he sees the faces of those he's formed some sort of connection with. sylvie, felt, czes...even huey and monica. but they don't seem to affect him, as he makes his way to an area with a series of medicines. as an alchemist of 300-something years, it'd be silly to say that he didn't keep up with the advances of modern medicine. ]

[ he pockets a dubious looking bottle of ibuprofen, and then turns towards your character. ]

[ he makes the motion of going to hand another bottle to your character...and immediately pulls back. ]

3. church

[ the church has always been an odd place for elmer. having been rescued by the spanish inquisition, it was obvious that he had received their teachings; their precious miracle child. nonetheless, this didn't stop elmer from growing up an atheist and blaspheming against the very hand that fed him by deciding to become an alchemist, but he held no grudges. would've been nicer if they had smiled a little more for him, though.

still, he's in the graveyard of the church, taking a break as he sits down on the tombstone of one of the graves.

(does he notice the names of the tombstone, and how it says 'Huey Laforet'? does he even care?) ]

4. Wildcard

[ idk just make something up or hmu on

odasaku! i'm very flexible! ]

I took a wrong turn and found a whole swarm of them by the stairs down to the basement level. A few peeled off from the main host to harass me, which is why I had to make my own emergency exit, but the rest all stayed behind.

[She crosses her arms. Based on what she's seen of demons so far, the behavior didn't make any sense—Alice figured she was dead meat the moment they saw her and the entire horde would tear her to shreds, but instead...]

It's almost like they're protecting something down there.

[ That somebody new who turns the corner stops short at the sudden motion, poised for fight-or-flight with an inclination towards fight, despite the fact that his hands are empty and no demons (friend or foe or otherwise) accompany him.

He could leave... In any case, he does not come any closer, opting instead to just glance around and take stock of what he can see. Pills. capsules. old printers with dried up ink. ]

...Do you need help?

[ She wasn't asking him. but he offers anyways, in exchange for permission to approach. ]

Me? I... [She's still not a hundred percent sure if this is Da'at or not, so it might be a bad idea to talk openly about Bethel. After a moment's hesitation, she just smiles and shakes her head, opting for a vague:] Not exactly.

[He's armed, though, and she has no idea what to make of it.]

If you can fight, can-- can I make a selfish request and come with you for a little while? There are people out there in trouble, and it will be easier to reach them in a group.

You're probably right. No offence, miss, but you're a prime meal for a demon - only things like contractual obligations or a powerful compulsion would make them hang fast...

[Hmmm, but now he's very curious. What's in that basement down there? Normally, he wouldn't hesitate, but as it was he's... very disadvantaged, right now. His main three demons - powerful and well-trained - were sealed in their summoning tubes, and the local demons he recruited were utter weaklings in comparison. His spelltags, too, were inert, and while his very mechanical pistol functioned fine, he only had 90 rounds. He didn't want to waste them on something that may ultimately be a dead end.]

But it'd be reckless to go poking that hornet's nest without a proper plan, especially if we don't know if it'd be even worth the risk.

[ ...THAT IS A GOOD QUESTION, THOUGH. why is Minato here, arms wrapped around himself in a failing attempt to maintain warmth and circulation. There is no demon with him, not even a weapon. Just a music player— his COMP— that hangs on a lanyard around his neck, the faint orange glow being the largest contrast in all this icy white. ]

I thought... [ the cold claws at his throat, but he has to speak up if he doesn't want to get drowned out by the howl of the wind. ]

...Thought I saw someone.

[ Maybe it was Akechi? maybe it was somebody else, as Minato does still glance around them, trying to see if there are any other bodies in the hallway that aren't chunks of ice on the ground. ]

Hmm...

[Shun'ya doesn't immediately agree, carefully weighing the pros and cons. Not for himself, but for the young lady. It may be safer for her to stay on the train, since he hadn't seen hide nor hair of any lurking demon along its length, but... it may be safer for her to stay by his side, even if he was going to poke about outside. He can actively fight off demonic threats, after all, and he had basic survival skills, thanks to his mentor insisting he knew how to survive in the wilderness for at least a week (thanks, dad).

Decisions, decisions. Which would be in her best interest?]

...alright, you can come with, but you need to stick close to me, alright?

[A brief pause, and he added slowly:] And... don't try any crazy heroics. If there're demons out there, well... they're good at luring in those types. Faking human cries for help, that sort of thing...

[Despite being the one to ask for help in the first place, Alice almost has to bite her tongue to keep herself from telling Minato that she's fine, thanks.]

Why not. The sooner I can get out of here, the better. I'm starting to get a headache from the flashbang that goes off every time Frankenbun down there casts Trafuri.

[Alice hesitates before actually clarifying what she's looking for. Though she'd never admit it (not even to herself), she's a little embarrassed.]

...I'm looking for teal powder tablets, about this big. [She spreads her index finger and thumb to illustrate.] Most of these bottles are unlabeled, but if you find any that have "estrace" or "estradiol" on them, those fit the bill.

[Ah, so he knows about demons after all? She nods.] Thank you. I'll be careful, but I don't want to ignore anyone in danger, either.

[Which may or may not entail crazy heroics. Sorry!]

Whatever happens, I won't be a burden to you.

Why not come this way? I'm not going to find anything by standing around.

[ The answer is low and listless, as he has little and less interest in shouting over the wind. The freezing cold causes him to shiver, his face is pale and likely frostbitten, bits of snow cling to his hair, but he's managed this long already. The trenchcoat on him still a bit too big, but he's buttoned it up and stuffed his hands into his pockets. ]

The only room worth exploring is blocked, so I'm going back for now.

[ He continues on as though he were talking about something as dull and mundane as a normal school, albeit an empty one. ]

Edited 2024-08-29 23:37 (UTC)

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Page 2 of 111

[DAY 0] TDM.

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rescue

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YOU ARE A KID YOU FUCKHEAD

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iii.a

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under the light

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wrong track

elmer c. albatross | baccano! | i'm still making icons gomen 🧍🏻‍♀️

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school

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school