TDM 003

[erkumods]

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. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

I

[conjobs]

[John sort of catches her with all the awkwardness and clumsiness of something uncoordinated despite the scene playing out like the first ten minutes of a romcom. That's definitely a bruise going to form on his shoulder come tomorrow morning but he seems to be in a chipper mood, shrugging it off.]

No worries mate. You alright? [He flashes her a tight-lipped but warm smile. He looks like he stepped out of a detective noir film rather than like he'd dressed for the beach, but praying at the AI wishing well for some beachwear wasn't high up enough on his list of wants and needs.]

[allthetimekept]

[Miranda's primary goal is not landing on her satchel, because damaging Time Record would be devastating, but that does mean she lands so very awkwardly in John's lap. She quickly gets to her feet, face beet red.]

I'm fine, truly. I didn't hurt you did I? [She barely weighs anything, but she worries nonetheless.] I should have expected something like that to happen.

[conjobs]

Just a wee bit of sand, no harm done. [And she's free to treat his lap like a landing zone at any time. He loves joyrides and all sorts of people grabbing his joystick.]

Do you want to take a seat? [He pats at the vacant spot next to himself. He's close enough to the water to stretch out and get his feet wet every time one of those rogue waves attack but still be dry enough to sit and enjoy the gradually less balmy night.]

[allthetimekept]

Well that's good to know. [She lets out a sigh of relief. Sitting next to him is much preferable to sitting on his lap, in her opinion. She gives him an embarrassed smile, brushing some hair back away from her face.]

Ah...yes, if you don't mind. [She sits down, bringing her satchel into her lap and tucking her feet under her.] Thank you for the offer. Are you new as well?

[conjobs]

Ish. [He was actually one of the first few to arrive but he doesn't know that, and he still feels like he's getting his bearings.]

Haven't been here long. It's not been too bad though. You getting used to it?

[allthetimekept]

Ah...well...I'm in the progress, of it. Best to see as much as you can as soon as you can, is it? New worlds can be so confusing if you don't get right on to it.

[But she'd gotten a bit distracted, hadn't she? Seeing so many people enjoying the beach, she couldn't help it. And just at that moment a robot comes by trying to offer them drinks on a tray. It's very persistent! Please acknowledge their efforts and try one!]

[conjobs]

[He would be a terrible alcoholic if he didn't clear half the tray in hopes of finding something strong, but since he has company he'll be polite and just pick two, sticking one in the sand to save it for later.]

Cheers. [He can't quite manage a polite sip but at least he doesn't drink half of it in one go.]

So, you travel often? [To new worlds, apparently. Or was that proverbial?]

[allthetimekept]

[Miranda picks just one for herself, not sure what it is, but it doesn't smell strange and that is always a good start. The robot scurries away before she can thank it, so she stares after a moment, bemused.]

Oh, yes, um...Cheers! [She takes a sip herself, and is pleased to find she likes it.]

Travel? I guess not as much as I was becoming accustom to. [She stops herself from taking another sip to think.] ...Or more than I was accustom to? It's strange really, when you end up in a place like this.

[conjobs]

Aye, 'tis. [This wasn't what he was expecting when he signed up to a crazy ride through time with a bunch of misfits, but this probably wasn't part of the plan.

Neither was how that fairytale of a joyride came to an abrupt end, but that's neither here nor there. He does thrive on the chaos somewhat.]

Might as well make the most of it while you're here, eh? [He gives her a suggestive raise of his eyebrows before cracking a smirk that just screams trouble.]

[allthetimekept]

[Should she be worried about that look? Miranda feels like perhaps she should be. But she continues being polite.]

It is the best you could in any situation, I agree. I'm sure there are many people here who are pleasant and friendly. Like yourself.

[conjobs]

Yes I'm- very friendly. I also don't mind walks on the beach and I happen to be a Taurus. [He leans in a little closer and his smile widens as he gives her a small nudge with his elbow. Yeah that didn't take long at all.]

[allthetimekept]

[Miranda gulps down more of that sweet drink, allowing it to warm her body, even as she tries to understand exactly what he is trying to hint at--she can be a bit oblivious at such things.

What does being a Taurus have to do with anything? What about that elbow nudge. It was usually a sign of jest among friends, wasn't it? Was he offering to be her friend? In his world were zodiacs important to friendship?]

Well I'm a Capricorn! I've read that Taurus and Capricorn are very compatible friends, so it looks as if we've both lucked out.

[She leans and nudges him right back with her own bony elbow.]

[conjobs]

[He rests a hand on her knee and leans in close, encroaching on her personal space.]

Would you like to get friendly tonight? [If she's not too busy flirting with everyone else along the beach, of course.]

[allthetimekept]

[The hand on her knee and the body so much into her space...he could probably feel the little gasp of breath that escapes her when she finally Gets It and recognizes what he's up to.]

Oh...um...you mean the other kind of "friendly." [Her face is flushed, cheeks hot and the thing keeping some distance between them is the drink in her one hand.]

I--Um--Well, I've never had that kind of friend before so I wouldn't know if it's something I'd like or not. It's hard to say you like something you've never...done.

[What did she say that? She isn't sure, but for some reason she feels to need to share. Maybe it will let him know how completely unsuitable she is for any of this. But telling him seemed very important at that moment.]

[conjobs]

[He's thinking it's safe to assume she's referring to having casual sexual relations with almost strangers rather than being completely oblivious.

He takes the cue to lean back a bit, give her some of her space back. Though his hand doesn't wander anywhere just yet.]

I wouldn't mind being your first. While you figure out what you like.

[allthetimekept]

[Oh my, that's quite a forward offer. The hand on her knee may as well be burning in how warm it feels to her. Miranda's mind blanks for a moment, unsure how to proceed. How does one approach this type of situation??]

You--um--You haven't even told me your name. It's a bit rude to ask so boldly when I don't even know your name.

[Yes! Perfect response, Miranda, good job.]

[conjobs]

[But what happens after he shares his name? There's only so much stalling she can do before she tells him no to the face and ask him to go get fucked. Preferably with someone else, presumably.]

I'm John. Constantine. [She can feel free to use either one when he gets around to pinning her against the wall and humping her brains out.]

'Oi, you' and 'oh, Jesus' is fine with me as well.

[allthetimekept]

[She's a tomato by now, but also trying hard not to let herself become too worked up. It's difficult to look composed when you're blushing that hard, but she tries, oh she tries.

Because this is what this is all about, isn't it? The idea that they must engage in these...acts, and doing so will help this world. Miranda has no belief that it will get her home because where home is has lost some meaning to her over these years. But helping this devastated world...it's something she can do here, at this time. Even if it's utterly mortifying to talk about all of this so openly.]

W-Well, Mister Constantine... [She's a bit stiff, but she raises her chin a bit at him.] My name is Miranda Lotto. An-And perhaps we should discuss what that would entail in a more...private location.

[conjobs]

[The ambient lighting isn't that great but he can see that she's a little flushed. Was it something he said? He hasn't gone in full flirtation mode just yet.]

There's hardly anyone else here, but. [His smile widens as he leans in closer.] If that's your way of asking if you can come over, of course you can.

[allthetimekept]

[Hardly anyone isn't no one. But Miranda realizes now he's inviting her back to his home, and she's actually nodding in agreement. Somewhere with a door they could shut. Hopefully.]

It is. We should go. Before I forget why I'm agreeing to this.

[Why did she say that? She hadn't meant to and yet she had. She didn't want to lie to Constantine. She scoots back away from him so she can push herself to her feet and shake the sand off of herself.]

[conjobs]

Don't worry love. It'll be fun. [Famous last words.

He gets to his feet and goes through a similar ritual of shaking and patting sand off his coat and trousers. He's facing her trepidation head-on with a healthy amount of enthusiasm and smiles that hopefully don't give off any serial killer vibes.]

This way. [To the shag pad!]

[allthetimekept]

[She shakes the last of the sand from her satchel and follows along, body already warm and her heart pounding in her chest. Trepidation? Excitement? Horror? She has no idea but none of it is enough to make her stop.]

I hope you have a door.

[She's seen that not all of these buildings do, and she's lived in collapsed apartments before, so she would not be surprised.]

[conjobs]

[Actually his place is quite nice. He picked out a half-decent loft to begin with and, well. He's gotten a headstart in terms of sprucing it up a bit. New bed, working fridge, functional stove - apart from the mess of him collecting various random items from other vacant dwellings in the vicinity, it's not looking too bad.]

I've a few doors. Decent kitchen, and shower. [He's not homely enough to want to put out for curtains and paintings for the wall or whatever but maybe curtains and towels are next on the wishlist. For now he's just draped old blankets over the windows.]

Found a place you like yet? [It's mightily convenient that they don't need to shell out piles of alien currency for a bit of food and shelter.]

[allthetimekept]

[A shower! Miranda actually perks up at that because a shower is a lot more private than the communal Bath House. But this is someone else's home and it is very rude to be thinking of their shower so covetously!]

Ah...no, not as of yet. It's fine really, I'm quite used to worse accommodations than they are providing us here.

[She remembers when the apartment spiral collapsed in Haven and her apartment was the one cut in half, leaving only one side with a door.]

Do you live alone?

[conjobs]

[Honestly if she asked, he wouldn't care if she wanted to use his shower. He'd probably even have a spare shirt he could give her, though she might feel weird about leaving his place wearing his shirt thinking it might imply something more than, well. A taken or borrowed shirt.]

Yeah. Bit of a mess. Don't get along with roommates type. [That's the understatement of the year, but he likes his self-imposed loneliness privacy.]

It'll just be you and me. [He raises an eyebrow and grins. That should sound a lot less menacing than it does.]