ercookies | 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

[All right, she's got a point there. Being dead does make for interesting desires, after all.

There's a little discomfort in Raven's expression when she hears 'and care for' come out of Summer's mouth, but it's nothing compared to the visible frown when she hears who else is around. Raven exhales.]

That's none of my business anymore. They're capable enough of dealing with this on their own.

[She says, in a tone of voice that indicates she is trying very hard to convince herself of it.

Summer, some shit went down after you died.

Raven turns the fish over to begin cooking the other side.]

You honestly think your paths aren't going to cross? This isn't a large place.

[There's nowhere for her to run.]

But that's not the point, regardless. I just thought I'd spare you the shock when you do see them.

[Could she go on for hours about Raven's treatment of Yang? Of course, and she barely knows a quarter of it. Would it help anything? No. Or at least, not now, not while Raven's putting all of her stubbornness into insisting that her brother and daughter aren't her concern.]

I just wanted to see you again, Rae. Is that so hard to believe?

[She snorts air out through her nose, but doesn't answer Summer directly.

She's very good at evading people when she wants to be. And those are two people she really wants to evade.

She brings the now-charred fish to her mouth and takes a bite. How ladylike.] There aren't a lot of people who look forward to seeing me, Summer.

...things aren't like they used to be.

[All things Summer already knows about her. But she doesn't think it's going to help her this time. Qrow's too good at finding people, and Yang's too stubborn.

Being on another continent helped her before. Now? She's got no advantages.

But she won't say that. Let Raven find things out for herself. They have other things to talk about.]

I know. But I'm not most people now, am I? If threatening to cut my head off half-a-dozen times the first day we met didn't scare me off, what do you think would?

[She takes another large chomp of the charred fish, leaving bones dangling where she rips the meat off with her teeth.] The difference is I didn't mean those things then.

I'm not like I used to be, Summer. You're better off with Qrow and the girl.

If you've a second lease on life, don't waste it.

Well too bad for you, I'm the same old Summer. If anything raising two little hellions has just made me more stubborn and harder to scare off.

[If that's even possible.]

So you're just going to have to deal with me until I feel good and ready to leave. Nyeh.

[Yes. Yes she is sticking her tongue out.]

[She sighs.] I see you're still an idiot.

[She takes another bite of fish, then tosses the remains and the skeleton back into the sea.] You never could leave well enough alone, could you?

[It's why you died.]

Maybe my definition of "well enough" just isn't the same as yours. Or most people's, for that matter.

[She sighs, taking a couple slow steps toward the water, and not so coincidentally closer to Raven.]

Maybe I do expect too much. Or... not expect, but hope for. But I won't apologize for that. And I won't stop.

[She chuckles, looking into those wine-red eyes.]

You ought to have gotten use to that much, at least.

[Raven doesn't meet her eyes. How can she? Summer was the the bright star of their team. She'd bene long gone from STRQ when she'd heard of the woman's passing, but it had still struck a nerve.

Never care about anyone. That's just a weakness.

Raven looks away.] ...honestly, you're ridiculous.

"Getting used" to something doesn't make it any less annoying, Summer.

I know I am. Our entire team is ridiculous, Rae, you included. We're just ridiculous in different ways.

[It's why they all need each other. They have to be balanced out somehow, after all.]

As for me being annoying... well, maybe you're just to easy to poke at, Angry Bird.

TDM 003

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