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

[Not even the excited splashing of bare feet can drown the awe in Galo's voice, even if the young man is not quick to respond. For his part, robes bunched in his hands and pants rolled up, he's having too much fun sending silver droplets into bright arcs around him.]

Nope!

[He hops back shy of a playful jellyfish.]

This is the first time I've seen the sea like this! It must be welcoming you!

[ Galo can't help but feed off that excitement. It doesn't take much to get him going. There's an ardent presence of childishness that sticks to him even in his twenties.

He grins at his current company, some fish scales in his teeth. He is not consuming the fish like a human should.]

Hahaha! You think so? Really? Maybe it's a welcoming party for us new bloods here, yea?

This place does get better the more people join us around here.

[He cups a handful of water with both hands, seemingly entranced by the glittering ripples, then mildly disappointed how his skin doesn't glow in turn. He knows better than to taste it, however.]

There was nothing when I first got here! It's finally resembling a place someone might want to stick around for.

Aha, sounds about right! I like it better when a place has a lotta people running around. I'm too used to the city to be stuck somewhere too quiet.

[ he's watching him play around with interest. The guy's really having fun with it! He'd join but he's swallowed enough salt water today and doesn't want it ruining his snack time.]

Oh? Wait, what...? It looks different now? How long have you been here?

A month or two... Most likely two, at this point. You kind of lose track of time around here with no set schedule, you know?

[Just talking about work does enough to deflate him in no time, even if he's as far away from responsibilities as humanly possible. Shi Qingxuan changes the subject, promptly.]

You didn't miss much, though! Just the evil plants and the rainstorms and the really weird drug flowers. Other than that, you just got here when things were starting to get good.

'The more the merrier'?

[ Makes sense to him ! sure! This place isn't home but it doesn't mean it's bad! Right? ]

Hahaha! I got here in time for the party, then!

[There's disregarding caution in an entirely new place, and then there's only looking at the very bright side of life. Perhaps it's both, in this man's case. In his heart, Shi Qingxuan couldn't fault him for it.]

That's just about right. What do they call you, anyway? Where did you come from? Are you on your own? Is your party around somewhere? Why is your hair blue?

[ Galo has enough of a brain, usually, to process danger. But he's cursed with a deep root of optimism that keeps him from considering worst case scenarios. He's the tank, not the strategist. It will probably do him no favors here.

He counts his answers out in his fingers. ]

Aha, I'm Galo, Galo Thymos. Good to meet ya. I'm from Promepolis. Aaahh, I got one buddy here other than me! My workmates aren't here though. Uhhh, always has been?

Wow, lucky you! It must be nice arriving in a team, isn't it? I hope you guys have each other's backs.

[He sounds wistful, his cheer tinged by a recollection he obstructs from the surface. Letting his robes drop to the side, Shi Qingxuan steps away from the waves. He wonders if his brother would have loved seeing the glittering sea.]

Blue suits you quite well. I'm Shi Qingxuan, and it's also good to meet you.

Aaaaah, I wonder if we will ! We did the last time I saw him! I plan to have his back, even if he fights me about it!

[ they had their big bonding field trip adventure, right? So it only makes sense!]

Hehe, thank you. Hey, so, is it true we really can't like... Leave?

Especially if he fights you about it! That's what teammates do, right? [He points out, as someone used to dealing with ornery partners. Shi Qingxuan is starting to relax, visibly. A kindred spirit!]

Oh? Who told you that?

[He hasn't thought about that in what seems like ages...]

People leave all the time, but it's always without a warning. It just happens, I think.

Ah-- I guess so! [ Aina fights him on plenty of his great ideas, doesn't she? ]

I kinda heard people muttering about it. Didn't really ask about it, though. Hmm...

Oh! Well, that's not too bad. Maybe this is more like .. a vacation? Kinda?

TDM 003

sparkles

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