ercookies | TDM 003

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TDM 003

TDM 003: #BEACHBUMS

I. BEACH

Welcome arrivals, new and old! The skies on Erku may be perpetually gray, but the weather has taken a sudden turn to summertime heat. Fortunately, soaring temperatures have chased away more of the strange fog that conceals so much of the island, unveiling a charming, sandy cove dotted here and there with rustic love shacks. These shabby little lean-tos are dusty and sparse, but they provide everything one (or two, wink wink) might need for a little relief from the sun. Just don’t wander too far... that fog has memory-loss properties.

II. DRINKS

The 'bots are very apologetic about the whole fog incident, and they are trying to get on the new arrivals' good sides by giving out fancy drinks. Of course, they still haven't mastered the art of making things properly, so each drink has a little something... extra.

Geloso: Has a slightly bitter, yet refreshing herbal taste... and it will make you feel inexplicably envious of virtually anything, to a petty degree! Be it someone else’s shoes or their incredibly muscular physique, you’re jealous enough to tell them about it!
Colpito: Fruity and sweet like candy. If you drink this, you will feel hopelessly infatuated with the very next person who catches your eye!
Vivace: Delightfully tart, with a flavor somewhere between citrus and raspberry. This summery drink will fill you with bubbly energy. Whether you’re feeling flirty or just mischievous and playful, you’ve never felt more alive!
Verace: Creamy, earthy, and a little nutty - the flavor is hard to describe, but delicious. After drinking this, you’ll feel strangely compelled to spill something you’ve been keeping a secret, no matter how incriminating or embarrassing.
Conoscere: The robots are especially excited about this flavor! They’ve heard organic beings enjoy chocolate, and hope you like their first attempt (it’s a little bitter, but it is chocolatey). Those who drink this will feel incredibly confident and sensual. Better yet, if you share it with a partner - which the 'bots encourage you to do - you’ll find that every touch is enhanced, and every sensation is shared between the two of you. A lucky few may even be able to sense one another’s thoughts!

III. SNACKS

Lo! As you ask, the Augur shall provide. Thanks to the efforts of your organic predecessors in restoring the planet’s Eros energy, edible fishes and seaweeds have returned to the ponds and the shores of Erku. If you fancy yourself savvy to basic survival skills, why not fashion up a fishing rod and catch yourself dinner? Just be careful if you happen to hook one of the octopus creatures from the deeper waters - they can be quite forward with their tentacles!

Or, if primitive angling isn’t in your repertoire, you can always trade some credits for a tasty catch from one of the food stalls along the coast. Most stalls are manned by 'bots, but there’s nothing stopping an enterprising arrival from setting up shop. No credits? No problem! The robots have also provided a bit of entertainment, and any volunteers to man the kissing booth, get dunked in the wet t-shirt dunk tank, or grill up some fish - among other opportunities - will find credits automatically loaded onto the payment app of their bracelet devices. The 'bots are recruiting especially hard for participants to work in the gloryhole tent!

IV. SPARKLES

As dusk descends, the white sands of the beach suddenly come alive with glittering lights. It’s as if the darkened waters have carried a thousand shining stars from the depths of the sea to the shores of the cove. In actuality, each little twinkle is a bioluminescent plankton or jellyfish! Feel free to wade among them and admire their shine; even the sting of the jellies won’t hurt you... though they do pack a different punch. The tentacles of the jellyfish elicit a powerful aphrodisiac response, which gets the heart racing and the blood pumping for an intimate touch. The effects come on within a matter of minutes, and last for a few hours. Only time will relieve the symptoms, but a partner will help to make it more bearable.

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N A V I G A T I O N

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[It's almost like dying and being born again, except Suzaku is certain he's just dead if he isn't dreaming. The robots are up to their usual nonsense, but never before has that nonsense included bringing back the dead.

For a good, long while, Suzaku appraises the kissing booth from a distance. That's absolutely Euphy at the helm. It takes only a moment to ascertain that she's appeared on the island, and so much longer to will enough strength into his legs to stand and run over to her.

And for a good, long moment, Suzaku can't even speak. He is no longer Euphy's knight, and the pin he'd clung to as proof of his dedication to her is languishing in that empty grave along with his father's pocket watch. He's no longer her knight, for that matter, and yet.]

...Euphy. Is that you?

[ why do you look so angry, noodle ]

Suzaku!

[ euphy, on the other hand, brightens at the sight of suzaku and it's really only her promise to help the robots (and their insistent tugging on her skirts) that keep her rooted behind the booth. she would've otherwise gone to him, happy to finally see a familiar face. and here she thought she was all by herself, alone to deal with the demands on this island. ]

Yes, it's me. [ does she not look like her, she wonders? is that why he's asking if it's her? what a strange question coming from him. and if anything, he seems to be very unsettled to see her.

she keeps her smile in place, however, well-trained in the art of keeping up appearances and issuing reassurances. perhaps the only indication that she's noticed that something's wrong is the brief fading of her smile at the corners and her hands upturned and held out to him, offering them to suzaku. ]

Who else would it be but me?

[you died and he had to stan lelouch instead, why wouldn't he be angry

Of course it's Euphy. The only one who had an urgent need to verify was Suzaku himself, because never in his wildest dreams had he imagined he'd ever see her again. Naturally, he's ill-prepared, unable to take her hand when he otherwise would have. Pensive, he hangs his head.]

I'm surprised to see you again, Euphy. That's all.

[Suzaku considers it only briefly– playing along and letting Euphemia believe that he's still her knight, that Lelouch hadn't made an unforgivable mistake and ended her life while taking so many more in the process. Suzaku won't lie to her any longer, raising his head and enveloping that hand in his own.]

You've been dead for a long time. I never thought I'd see you again.

[ someone had to get fridged ok, it happens

the revelation certainly surprises her, her eyes widening for a moment and whatever else she wants to say dies in her throat. the last thing she remembers is offering lelouch a truce and denouncing her claim to the throne, her one proposition that she had hoped would allow her to be with him and nunnally again.

her gaze lowers to suzaku's hand in her palm, her fingers gently curling around his. he doesn't seem to have changed, though there's a bit more melancholy in him. would she have prevented that if she didn't die? ]

I see, [ is really all she can say about it. she doesn't ask how she died or the reason behind her death, somehow able to put the puzzle pieces of her circumstances together: lelouch's baffling plans, the ceramic gun in his hands, the crowd waiting outside for them.

she looks up at suzaku once more, her lips pulling to another smile and her fingers squeezing his hand. ]

Did you continue your studies, at least? [ did lelouch? ] I hope you did. You have to tell me how school was while we're here.

[Euphy has always been understanding in all the ways Suzaku struggled to be. Had he been in her position, told he'd died without any expectation of dying, he wouldn't be so quick to accept it as fact. Even if Lelouch had been the one to tell him, even if Euphy had been, he'd struggle to embrace the truth so wholly right from the outset.

That's what makes Euphy so amazing– rather, what had. Though she's tangible in his hands, Suzaku can't allow himself to slide back into his old ways. The Suzaku who was so quick to blind himself to everything but his own foolish ambitions is dead, after all, though maintaining distance between who he is and who he was may always remain a work in progress.

Abruptly, he tightens his hold on Euphy's hand and tugs her away from the booth. Come, they're leaving.]

Unfortunately, I didn't. Quite a bit changed after you passed away. Lelouch is here as well, you know. He may be able to shed some light on all the things I can't.

[May as well dump more oil on this tire fire, yes?]

[ euphy didn't sign up to clean this mess tyvm ]

Ah, wait— [ like any word of protest from her would make a difference, suzaku determined to drag her far away from the booth.

she looks over her shoulder, waving at the robot that she's leaving behind as she tries not to stumble on the sand while walking after her former knight. ] I'll do my best to return.

[ no, she probably won't return for the foreseeable future.

not when suzaku's just mentioned that lelouch is also on the island, who, she assumes, must be from the same timeline as him. which would mean that she's also dead to him. euphy lowers her head to their hands, several questions running through her head. but she asks none to suzaku, unwilling to burden him with any of her concerns. instead: ]

How is Lelouch? Is he well?

[Fuck the robots, they're not coming back. Suzaku does slow to a reasonable pace once they've gotten far enough away from the robots fussing over the now abandoned kissing booth, but only just reasonable enough.

Where he takes Euphemia isn't far. They stop along the shores of the beach, and because most aren't adept at wandering the sands in heels, Suzaku takes her no farther. There's a bench here with room enough for them both, and Suzaku motions to it, willing Euphy to sit.]

Lelouch is well, all things considered. Some time after you left, I became his knight. [Cough.] Knight to Britannia's 99th emperor, but I no longer serve him in any meaningful capacity.

[Your knight is no longer yours, Euphy. What a terrible human being Suzaku is.]

[ now that is very surprising to learn, lelouch becoming the next emperor. and it's not because she had any doubts; she knows for a fact that her brother is more than capable of becoming one, gifted with talent and intelligence that she, unfortunately, did not share. the surprise is more tied with the question of how—but she supposes that there's really only one answer to that question, and she's aware of what it is.

after all, that's the only way for him to become the emperor after their father.

she folds her hands over her lap as she fixes her gaze towards the sea, silent for a moment. but she soon turns back to suzaku, her smile unwavering as she reaches out for his hand once more, cradling it in hers. ]

Well, I'm glad that you've decided to support him. You know I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

[ does she lament losing suzaku as a knight? a bit, but if she's died, then she can't really hold onto him, can she? she's lost him as much as he had lost her, and perhaps her only comfort is that he's found his place beside lelouch, meaningful capacity or not.

laughing: ] I hope he didn't make things too difficult for you.

Edited 2020-07-19 03:06 (UTC)

[Sat beside her, Suzaku entrusts his hand to her. A mistake in the making. He can't afford to get too comfortable in Euphy's presence again. For as much changing as Suzaku has done, he isn't so strong a man that he can forget someone he loved– someone he still very much loves.

So he shouldn't be giving her anything, much less his hand, yet Suzaku's fingers seek out the gaps between Euphemia's and nestle between them, one puzzle piece fitting into the other.]

Frankly, life has been a bit difficult in general lately, but you don't need to worry about that. [Don't worry for me, he'd say, but Suzaku knows Euphy well enough to keep those words off his tongue.] ...you believe me, I can tell. But why? Isn't any of what I've told you difficult to believe?

[ esp when this cr will be very short-lived, i'm sorry for your loss suzaku

hm, well. perhaps it is a little strange to believe in everything he's said so far—from her death to lelouch becoming emperor to suzaku becoming his knight. but suzaku's expression and the look in his eyes, much of it different from what she remembers of him, are enough to convince her that they're not made-up stories simply to make a fool out of her.

euphy stretches her legs, kicking off her shoes and letting her toes dig into the sand. ]

If it were a different person, then I might've had doubts. [ she's a princess. she knows how two-faced people can be, especially in front of royalty. ] But since it's you, then there's no reason for me to have doubts, is there?

I know you won't lie to me. [ even if he's not her knight anymore. ]

[just like euphy!

I know you won't lie to me.

Suzaku never had any intention of lying to her, no. At the time he served as her knight, he'd only ever been lying to himself, so by proxy, he's been far from truthful with her. It's a thought that lingers as he tugs their joined hands into his lap, staring down at the spaces where their fingers interlock.

This conversation doesn't feel real. Suzaku fears that, should he so much as close his eyes, he'll open them to find himself alone on this bench. For every worry that plagues him, he doesn't allow his grip to tighten.

Euphy is no longer his to hold.]

...you really are special, Euphy. There's something I've been meaning to tell you for a long time– an answer I never gave you. When I was your knight, I never felt I had the right to say it.

[ suzaku has far too many worries, and she feels with from the way his hand shifts against hers, the obvious tension and hesitation in his fingers even as her own encourages him to let up. to let go, even, if he's so uncomfortable with her touch despite drawing her hand closer. she wonders if she's at fault for any of them, if her death had anything to do with those worries.

if her arrival on this island has anything to do with those worries.

she wonders if things would have been different for him if she had not died. if she had not left him. she wouldn't know, only aware of the present circumstances she's left behind in area 11. ]

Oh? [ euphy glances at him sideways, openly curious. ] Was it because I was a princess?

[ was. yes, you heard her right. ]

[...he's holding her hand hostage, isn't he? That's Suzaku's bad. He loosens his hold, but he doesn't pull away entirely. Much as he should, when he'd never allowed himself such a simple indulgence in the past as holding onto her hand, it's difficult to deny himself of it now.

Maybe he really hasn't changed. With Euphemia present, Suzaku does wonder.]

Was... [Keep talking like that and he won't let you leave this island, Euphie. Suzaku shakes his head, turning to look her way.] No. What I've been meaning to tell you is this– I love you too.

[And he has for a very, very long time.]

I'm sorry it took me this long to give you my answer.

[ was, because she decided to step down and renounce her claim to the throne. can you not!!

you know, euphy's imagined something else when he said he wanted to tell her something. she's always wondered if she's placed his shoulders a huge burden when she's chosen him for his knight. a part of her believed this when he had resigned from his duties, but it's been briefly alleviated when he had returned to her side. now that he's no longer hers, she isn't entirely sure.

so colour her surprised at his confession, her cheeks faintly turning pink when she realises he's serious about it, torn between feeling elated and feeling out of sorts. perhaps to her, it's happy news, her feelings for him returned. but what about to suzaku, who's endured her death and had changed so much? ]

Not at all, [ she says quietly, looking down at her lap with a faint smile on her lips. ] It wasn't that long ago for me, so it makes me very happy to hear it. [ when she had asked—sorry, ordered him to love her. ] But I imagine it's different for you.

So, thank you for still telling me. You should know that my feelings for you haven't changed, and I don't think they will change even if I die.

[was, because she's dead! thanks lelouch!!

That bit of color in her cheeks is all Suzaku could ask for, really. He never had any reason to doubt her, knowing full well that stubborn very much runs in her family.

If she hadn't loved him, the words would never have left her mouth. She'd never have insisted on pulling him into her heart and keeping him there until the very day Lelouch had fucked up quite spectacularly and ended her life. Though there's no need to confirm what Suzaku knows well, he's relieved by the sight of reddened cheeks, however faint.

Perhaps, then, he does deserve her love after all. Certainly, he'll no longer run from it.]

...you know, I'm thankful your feelings haven't changed.

[But Euphemia knows him, doesn't she? Though she's yet to see the very worst of him and surely never will, the right reserved for her unlucky brother, he'll share a little more of himself with her and take advantage of the blessing that's allowed him to do so. Thanks, sex island.]

But I want to hear you say the words. Just one more time.

[ she hasn't died yet in her timeline yet!!

what a tall order to ask of her, suzaku, especially after declaring that you're no longer her knight. if anything, it's conceited of him to even ask her of such a thing. not that that euphy holds it against him, understanding his reasons for doing such. but to ask her to repeat her words that day when she's decided to follow her instincts and nothing else—it's embarrassing enough to have to order him to love her. ]

Oh, er ... [ aah, what should she do? where did her confidence go, her boldness as a (former) princess? does she need a life-or-death situation before she can declare her love for him again? it's so much different now that she's no longer driven by impulse. euphy briefly averts her eyes, her cheeks flushed from mortification and embarrassment.

but that would be unfair for suzaku, wouldn't it, who found the courage to express his own feelings towards her. ]

I— [ whatever else she's about to say is cut off by a robot suddenly showing up in front of them and tugging at her skirts, offering her a drink. ] ... O, oh my. Thank you.

[ sorry not sorry, milky ilu ]

[Right. Maybe he'd asked for too much, allowed himself to be too bold, too presumptuous. Suzaku loosens his hold on Euphemia's hand, should she want to pull it back. He wouldn't blame her if she did.

Sitting back against the bench, Suzaku draws in a breath– deep and slow, steadying the nerves that'd rightfully tried to undermine that confidence. He'd spoken too soon.]

I'm sorry. Don't worry about it, Euphy.

[Here, she'll need both hands to tend to that drink. If Suzaku backpedaled any further, he'd be halfway across the island.]

Anyway, if you need help finding shelter, I'd be happy to assist you later. The island is in much better shape than it was when I first arrived here, but I wouldn't want you to have any difficulties.

[ oh suzaku, you disappointing summer child

euphy turns back to suzaku after the robot practically shoves a drink that matches the colour of her hair, her other hand instinctively grabbing onto the sleeve of his shirt. a terrible reflex, she knows, but she's known a knight with a tendency to leave her side and there's only so much she can do to keep him pinned down.

a moment later, and her fingers release his sleeve, gently brushing against his arm. contrition in touch. ]

No, I should be the one apologising. [ he must be disappointed, and she wouldn't find it unusual if he is. after all, all he's asked for is a confirmation of her own feelings in words and she couldn't even give him that, even when it should've been so easy to say.

i love you, too. four words, and yet she's stumbling over it like a newborn fawn.

she offers him a faint smile, holding out the drink to him. are you in pain yet? ]

Would you like to share?

[Something else comes to mind when Suzaku notes the color of that drink, but he isn't saying it. No, he's too busy pouting internally to think anything remotely vulgar aloud, especially in Euphy's company.

Boo hoo, his Euphy doesn't love him anymore. Suzaku considers asking that robot for a drink to drown all his troubles in, but he refrains, eyeing the one in Euphy's hands instead. When it's offered to him, Suzaku merely shakes his head, his smile just that side of wry.]

Go ahead and enjoy it. You can let me know if it's good or not.

[His heart hurts. His everything hurts. God damn it, Lelouch. Everything is always Lelouch's fault.]

[ ... :(

that's a polite rejection if she hears one. perhaps not as bad as her pin being returned to her, but it stings nonetheless, euphy drawing the drink back and cradling it in her hands. she doesn't attempt to taste it as she tries to gather her thoughts and her composure at the same time, fixing her gaze on the sea.

since when did talking to suzaku become difficult, anyway? she's not entirely sure, but she wonders if it's from the time he's told her that she died, that things have changed. ]

... I'm sorry, Suzaku, [ she says quietly, watching as the ice in her drink shifts, clinking against the glass. ] For leaving you.

[ for dying. she wonders if she can return home and apologise beforehand to suzaku. before she leaves him. ]

[you did this, you made this happen, take responsibility for your tags

Ah yes, the ocean. It's about the only thing Suzaku can stand to look at without getting more frustrated with himself than he already is. What an idiot he is. Euphy didn't need yet another burden on her shoulders, yet here Suzaku is, continuing to do nothing but add to that pile.

Eyes trained on the waves, Suzaku shakes his head slowly.]

Don't apologize. Please. [Apology not accepted, because it isn't the least bit warranted.] You didn't choose to die. I'm the one who should be sorry– after all, I failed to save you.

[ but no one's crying yet :c

it's her decision to carry that burden, not suzaku's. if anything, she's grateful that he did not hesitate to tell her the truth about her. otherwise, she'd probably still be wondering about the sadness that plagues his eyes, the weight that burdens his shoulders. ]

Your expression doesn't tell me that I died a natural death. [ which only means that something happened to her. otherwise, the look on suzaku's face earlier would've been different. ] Like what I told Lelouch, I've given up my claim to the throne to make sure that he and Nunnally can live together, and that decision will have consequences.

[ if that had something to do with her death, then wouldn't that mean that her death was her own volition? because she chose to do something that's against the ideals and beliefs of her family. ]

There's no saving me if I become the enemy of Britannia.

[ guess who's looking at this the wrong way. ]

[give it time

The enemy of Britannia? No, that's– that's not it at all. Perhaps it would've been best not to tell Euphy that she'd died. Perhaps it would've been better to continue lying to her, but Suzaku knows it wouldn't be right to obfuscate the truth, especially when he considers who he's talking to.

No matter how Euphemia feels about him now, he'll always continue to love her. Loving someone means sparing them from the grief that lies cause, no matter how painful the truth is.

So have it, Euphy. Have the full, unvarnished truth. Suzaku turns to her, sets his eyes on hers.]

You were no one's enemy, Euphy. The man who killed you was Lelouch.

[ :c

lelouch ... her fingers close tightly around the drink, pressing against the glass. so that conversation took a turn for the worse, then. she supposes that if lelouch can pull the trigger on clovis, then he can do the same on her. after all, his voice held disdain the first time they've spoken again in japan.

but no, she shakes her head. that doesn't make sense at all, not after their conversation in kaminejima. she had hoped that she could find common ground with her brother, working hard to get schneizel to approval her policy proposal. ]

Something must have happened, [ she says quietly under her breath. to trigger lelouch to kill her when what he wanted was the exact opposite. she's unfortunately not as smart as lelouch to figure out what it is, but it's the heaviness in her gut that tells her anyway. ]

What happened to Nunnally and Lelouch after I died? And the Special Administrative Zone?

[Wont as Suzaku is to throw Lelouch under the bus with extreme prejudice, this is Euphemia he's talking to. There may never come a day where Lelouch is willing to talk about what forced him to pull that trigger, and that's something Suzaku has to live with.

For such a long time, Suzaku had dismissed that unwillingness to speak as Lelouch's pride refusing to let him own up to his wrongdoings, but that isn't the case. With reluctance, plenty of it, Suzaku has had to admit that Lelouch is so severely hurt by his own grave mistake that it pains him just to think on it.

Yet that doesn't excuse his lack of answers, nor does it justify Suzaku's unrelenting grudge. He could tell Euphy that Lelouch killed her because his pride would allow for nothing else, or he could turn to her and offer them both mercy– show them both love in all the ways he can't show it to himself.

For the people who love him despite all his faults, Suzaku owes them such a kindness.]

To this day, Lelouch regrets killing you. He can't bring himself to tell me what happened, but I know that's only because he'd never wanted to hurt you.

[And it's been burdensome, carrying around a grudge and refusing to loosen his hold on it. If Lelouch would be truthful, I would forgive him, Suzaku'd tell himself. If only he'd stop lying and tell me what happened, then I could forgive him for everything else.

But it's not that simple. Nothing is.

Instead of nursing that grudge any longer, Suzaku relents, loosing a sigh and curling his fingers loosely around her wrist.]

Lelouch loves you very much. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him for the sins he's committed. If you did, I'm sure you would lift that terrible burden from his shoulders.

TDM 003

smoochy smoochy

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