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TDM 005: HAPPY SPOOKTEMBER
| TDM 005: HAPPY SPOOKTEMBER |
Arrival  This time, you come out of the water, the Nameless Island's own inherent energy drawing people in. It's like being suspended between realities and abruptly pushed from behind through a rift in dimensions. It may make you sick, or that might be the motion of the ocean, lifting you to the surface and carrying you to shore. Waterlogged and covered in sand, new arrivals will be greeted by robots who welcome them with towels and bracelet devices. The A5 card is already loaded up. Feel free to explore the Island, though there isn’t much to see. Most of the buildings are abandoned and in dire need of repair, and beyond the city lingers a thick fog that obscures much of the wilderness from view. Wander too far into this fog, and you will find yourself mysteriously looping back to where you began, your memories of what you were doing and how you got there erased. With that in mind, it may be wise to stake your claim on a rundown apartment, a tent on the beach, or a bed in the "comfortable" new barracks. Your inventory will be found a day later, wrapped up haphazardly and delivered to each person's makeshift home. I. Harvest Hunt  As the daylight grows shorter and the muggy heat of the island’s summer gradually shifts to temperate days and chilly nights, Erku’s accessible wilderness explodes with a colorful collection of tempting fruits, fragrant-smelling herbs, and nuts and seeds plumped and ready for harvest. With warnings to beware of monsters, the robots of Erku encourage Islanders to take advantage of the land’s bounty by distributing basic camping supplies to those who are interested in exploring, hunting, and harvesting. They strongly encourage making the journey with a friend! Any surplus foods that Islanders bring home with them can be exchanged for credits with cafeteria robots! Just be careful out there - some of these fruits have strange effects once consumed. For extra protection out there in the wilds, the robots have fashioned crowns of flowers or foliage to wear on their adventures. The sweet and herbal smells from the crowns will discourage most Erku-native monsters from approaching, they assure - this is ancient knowledge from the planet’s long-gone civilization, so it can’t be wrong! What the robots don’t know is that the crowns have a deeper, more ritualistic purpose: after a few hours, the scent of flowers or herbs begins to awaken primal instincts within the wearer. Those who are wearing the foliage crowns feel overwhelmed by an urge to hunt, while those who wear the flower crowns delight in every opportunity to tease, outrun, and outwit the hunters. What happens when the chase ends? Well, that depends on the personalities and the chemistry between the hunters and their prey. While the robots are very insistent on placing crowns atop the heads of any Islander they see, they aren’t stuck on in any way and they are easy to remove, which can prevent or break the hunting trance. II. seeds and sap  Of particularly high credit value, the robots explain, is an elusive flower known as the skull sunflower. It appears exactly as one might imagine: at the center of an otherwise innocuous, towering sunflower is the gruesome visage of an open-mouthed skull. Don’t worry, the flowers are harmless! Even if it’s strange how the empty-socketed eyes seem to follow your every move. And why is it that the teeth - which, on closer inspection, are actually the seeds of the flower - only seem to chatter when your back is turned? Any Islander who can withstand their heebie-jeebies long enough to collect the petals and seeds from the flowers will fetch a handsome reward in credits upon exchange with the robots. Beware the sticky, blood-red sap that seeps from the eyes of each skull, however. Those who absorb too much through their skin will begin to hallucinate, visions of frightening or emotional events from their past dancing in the shadows. One might even mistakenly imagine that another Islander is someone they recognize from their past, someone who meant something to them - no matter whether that person is alive or dead in the present. The hallucinogenic effects of the sap can last for hours, or they can be shortened by a dip in the public baths. III. Tarot  Night comes, and in the darkness, a robot sets up a table by the beach. A solitary candle sits in the center, illuminating a deck of cards. F̶i̴n̵d̸ ̸y̶o̸u̸r̵ ̵f̵o̸r̷t̵u̶n̶e̷?̴ The robot reveals tarot cards and will do a variety of spreads to tell your fortune. Each fortune can be distilled into one central theme, which characters will find pervades their life for the next 24 hours. There is magic afoot: it can be sensed, and perhaps even dispelled, if luck is on your side. Though most robots on the island show a capacity for greater-than-average artificial intelligence, this pseudo-psychic 'bot -- M.S. Cl30 -- is less advanced. It only has six interpretations prepared:
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Weiss Schnee | RWBY
[Exhaustion wasn't the issue. Not exactly.
Obviously, the fighting in Atlas had tired Weiss out... but she'd had time to rest as they made their escape, whisked away on Calavera's stolen airship. The sudden press of the sea, oppressive and unexpected, had certainly promised a fight for her life... but that fight had never come, as unseen forces ushered her to shore, depositing her neatly at the tideline, waves softly lapping at her heel-clad feet. The cold of the sea water promised to sap her strength, even now that she was on land, but--
...okay, no, that was actually still a problem. The robot's gift of a towel was appreciated, of course, and it helped, but she was soaked through; she needed fresh clothes, and time enough to air out and thoroughly dry her hair, neither of which she had.
Still, that was a problem she could muscle through, if need be; and, so, when she slumped over, sprawling sideways onto the (drier; she at least moved slightly inland) sand, it's not exhaustion, not physically. It's mental. It's... therapeutic dramatics; the nearest she could get to flinging herself onto her bed, in current circumstances. And who could blame her? Arresting her father had been a moment of triumph, yes, but an overwhelming one... and things had only gotten more harrowing from there. The knives that Ironwood had plunged into their backs - into the backs of every citizen of Atlas, and doubly so the underclasses in Mantle - burned still, made all the worse by her sister's stalwart refusal to admit that her beloved general was a fascist monster.
So she needed this. Just a moment of it.
It's not wasted time, though; even as she's laying there, she's evaluating her situation, setting priorities. Shelter was high on that list... food, too. Finding her team might well be higher, though, assuming they'd ended up in the same nonsensical arcane confluence that she had. Most of all, she needed to know where she was; the robot had been far from helpful, in that regard.
Information. Information was the key. She needed to explore, reconnoiter... get a feel for the place.
...which really left only one option, right?
Rising from the sand, eyes full of determination, Weiss draws her weapon - quietly thankful that it hadn't been torn from her waist by the rushing water into which she was so abruptly dumped - and, after raising it in a small, symbolic salute, turns its point groundward, driving it into the earth. A glowing white glyph spreads out beneath her, and from that glyph emerges the massive form of an enormous, monstrous bee... which she proceeds to mount as casually and naturally as if it were a pony.
Just another day in paradise, right?]
I. Catch You Catch Me
[A crown, huh? And covered in flowers, at that. It's pretty enough, she supposes, although not really in keeping with her traditional aesthetic; that clash, however, is not her complaint-]
...I guess an Ice Queen needs a crown...
[Weiss mumbles her complaint, silently praying to the Brothers and every demigod she could think of
except Ozthat nobody who knew that nickname saw her so crowned. There was only so owned that one ex-heiress could stand to be, after all.Shaking off the existential dread of being endlessly dunked on (albeit not the actual crown, despite that being an obvious solution to the problem), Weiss turns to another nearby crownee, and flashes them a kind smile; she had a duty here, as a Huntress and as a person.]
I had the opportunity to get a birds'-eye view of the island a little while ago, and there's a sizable grove of fruit trees due north of here. If you like, we could go together? [A small glint of mischief enters her gaze.] ...or even race there!
[...huh. Why did she say that?]
III. Cleanliness Is Next To Godliness
[The fortune teller was a lark, that's all; nothing to take seriously. Weiss believed in one thing above all else: that the future is what you make of it.
Predestination was an excuse for not trying to change things for the better, an excuse wheeled out by the especially privileged. People like her, before she'd gained some self-awareness. The fortune-teller was meant to flip its little cards, give its little prediction, and entertain the former heiress for a few minutes.
...so, why did it end up like this? Why had Weiss been camped out in the bathhouse for close to an hour, scrubbing herself down with soaps and gels?
Because she needed to clean her damn ears out, honestly.
This was getting ridiculous, though; SURELY she was clean by now. She couldn't tell for sure, of course - not without gaining the ability to crane her neck at impossible angles - but... she had to be.
Right?
With a frustrated sigh, Weiss turns to a fellow bath-goer, a slight blush on her face.]
Can I ask you a weird question?
[A weird favor, really. She turns around, and rises from the water, showing off her bare back... and her rear (small, like the rest of her, but certainly soft-looking), though she's not thinking about that right now.]
There's nothing, like... on my back, right?
[There is not. Weiss' back is clean, and nearly immaculate, but for a small, rough scar about halfway up her back. That can't be what she means, though, right?]
WILDCARD, BINCHES! SCHNEEHAW!!!
[Just fuckin' do whatever, she's cute and nerdy and likes helping people. F/F for smut or shipping, OTA for gen.]
Cleanliness
Thankfully the visibility was actually pretty low with people in the showers. Hot steam rose obscuring things enough that she didn't even notice the other figures as much as she washed herself.
At least not until she heard a very familiar-sounding voice speaking to her, though it sounded a touch more mature than when she last heard it.
Surprised she answered the question first.]
N-no it doesn't appear to be anything on your back.
[She focused her eyes on the white-haired woman in front of her.]
Weiss? Is that you?
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The moment she hears that voice, though, it becomes clear that that was a mistake.
She almost doesn't want to turn back around, honestly; doesn't want to let herself hear what she hears, think what she thinks. It's been two years now... two years since they'd seen each other, two years since the fall of Beacon, two years since--
...but she has to know. She has to. Unlike Ruby, she hadn't seen it happen... and, without a body, without the opportunity to grieve with her friends right then and there, she'd never had the closure she'd needed. So here, now, she was vulnerable, susceptible to horrible hope, to the impossible dream that the dead had truly risen.
Weiss whirls around, eyes wide, face full of a strange mix of hope and fear. When she speaks, her voice is quiet, uncharacteristically tentative, as if an improper word could shatter the illusion, return dust to dust.]
...Pyrrha?
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She gives a bitter-sweet smile as her eyes met Weiss's, any embarrassment she would have had gone in the moment. This was far more important.]
Yes, it's me.
[Only having this experience with Yang thus far she wasn't really sure what to say, what reassurances to give so she looked pensive as she waited for her friend's reaction.]
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But, finally, after moments spent gaping, something shone through: an urge. A need. Call it confirming things were real, call it years of pent-up guilt and grief being converted to relief, call it simple gratitude for a friendly face, a familiar face.
Weiss took one step forward, then another... and then launched herself at Pyrrha, leaping up and wrapping her arms around the taller girl's neck. She needed this hug, needed it more than she could possibly explain.]
Pyrrha...! [If her shoulder feels extra-wet... it's not tears, okay? It's just the moisture in the air!] Gods, I missed you so much-!
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Instead after her surprise she hugs Weiss in turn, all her focus on consoling her friend. She strokes the shorter girl's back just letting her get it all out.]
It's alright, I'm here now.
[Granted 'here' was the only place she could be, but they didn't need to get into that right this second. She wanted Weiss to enjoy this reunion.]
I'm happy to see you too. You can fill me in on everything I've missed, that is if you want to.
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But... had she?
Weiss pulled back slightly; she wasn't letting go, but she wanted to at least look Pyrrha in the eye.]
Well, yeah, of course I will... there's been so much. We've learned so much! But-
[Some of the relief fades from her expression, replaced by a cautious sort of concern.]
-that's my line, too. What... what happened? Where have you been all this time? I mean, it's been two years, Pyrrha! We all-
[She pauses, afraid of the question she had to ask... but there was no getting around it.]
Ruby said... she saw Cinder kill you! [Weiss' voice cracks slightly, as she struggles to regain her composure.] So how did you get away?!
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Pyrrha shut her eyes and gripped Weiss's sides a little tighter.]
I... didn't.
[She knew that needed more explanation. Pyrrha took a breath and looked down at Weiss.]
This place... doesn't just take people from different places, but different times too. The last thing I remember was fighting Cinder. I've only been here a couple months, but you and Yang are obviously older than me now.
[Her expression is strained now, she was holding back tears of her own.]
I only found out what happened to me from the others here.
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...but she couldn't. She couldn't let herself give in to that horror. Pyrrha's face said it all, didn't it? That she was near to breaking, herself. And, so, Weiss tamped down her fear and frustration, took a deep breath, and spoke, calmly and quietly.]
...I don't understand how this is possible. I don't understand a lot about this island, actually. But-
[Her arms unwound from the taller girl's neck, letting her hands move to Pyrrha's cheeks, gripping her gently, comfortingly. She tried her best at a soft smile; it mostly worked.]
-but, listen to me, Pyrrha. Just because that's what we remember... that doesn't mean that's going to happen to you. I - we - won't let it. I mean... look at you! You're here, now, alive, right in front of me!
[She brings her face even closer to the amazon's, until their noses are nearly touching.]
Nothing is going to change that. Nothing.
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i., catch you catch me zettaiiiiiii
Weiss! [ she wraps her up in a hug and lifts her off her feet, spinning her around in a small circle. ] Man, it's good to see you!
nice to meet you good to see you kittoooo
[All she wanted was a race, dude, she didn't ask to be crushed by strong tall wonderful tiddy beast. Out loud. Consciously.
Anyway, there's a moment of shock, and then a moment of understanding, at which point she returns the hug just as fiercely.]
Yang!
[Every time she's stuck, alone, in an unfamiliar land, this lovable goof shows up. Starting to seem like fate. Granted, this is only the second time, but that still means she's two for two.]
When I washed up alone, I thought I really was alone. [Well, as far as the team went, at least.] I'm so glad you're here-!
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Hey, we're a team, right? No matter what, [ yang gently puts weiss back on solid ground and gives her an extra tight squeeze before stepping away, ] we stick together.
[ even if it's on robot kink bingo planet. ] Blake's here, too, and a couple of other people from Remnant. There's a lot to catch up on.
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That affirmation just makes Weiss beam harder, by the by... but, before she has a chance to respond, the mention of others from Remnant reminds her of something much more pressing.]
I'll say! Yang-- [Weiss leans in, and speaks in an urgent whisper, as if the idea she was trying to convey was too preposterous for a normal tone. Exactly like that, actually.] --I think I met your mother!
[...er, wait. Technically, she's absolutely met Yang's mother.]
--Summer, I mean!
0 - BEEEEEEEEES
Wait, no, it's blue and white, not Grimm coloration at all. Still, that's clearly a Queen Lancer. Summer's eyes roam over it, but the second check isn't necessary. She got it right the first time.
So her eyes switch to the girl beginning to mount it. Run over her white hair, down her face...
And silver meets blue. Again, though Summer doesn't know that.]
That's... certainly a semblance.
this prompt brought to you by evil oprah
heh. Weiss finishes climbing aboard the Queen Lancer, seating herself primly atop it, before finally turning to Summer, a pleasant (if tinged with arrogance) smile on her face.]It runs in the family. [One of the few parts of her family's legacy that she can still take pride in, honestly.] And this is only part of it...
[But then their eyes meet - a far more meaningful moment for Weiss than for Summer. The ex-heiress' eyebrows narrow, as she cocks her head to the side; this is... surreal.]
...I'm sorry, have we met before? You seem... awfully familiar.
[It could just be the silver eyes; they were rare enough. But... there was more to it than that. A connection that her mind wasn't letting her make.]
You get stung! And you get stung!
But such are the costs of being fifteen years behind everyone else.]
It's impressive enough as it is... hmmm?
[Familiar? Wait. Most of the time when people say that to her here, they're talking about her baby. Curious, Summer tilts her head.]
I'd remember someone as striking as yourself, but you may be familiar with my dear Ruby. I'm afraid I'm about fifteen or so years behind the rest of you, but my name is Summer Rose.
[Your brain may now break, Weiss.]
Whiskey and bee-stings all around!
Weiss just. Stares. For a moment. There's so much to unpack there?
...except, in the end, she sort of decides not to unpack it. Weiss' stare turns stern, as she rises from the Queen Lancer's back, arms crossed.]
That isn't funny.
[She's not exactly angry, but her tone is clearly scolding.]
I don't know if you were trying to be... but, whatever the reason, don't let Yang or Ruby hear you talk like that. It would break their hearts.
[...of course, as much as she's trying to put her foot down, as much as she knows this shouldn't be possible... there's something that rings uncomfortably true about the introduction. Like she really can see Ruby staring back at her through those silver eyes. But... no. No, that's silly.
Isn't it?]
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Ah well, Rae'll probably respond the same way if she shows up. Assuming she doesn't check her kindred links to confirm.]
Yang already knows. Ruby isn't here, but I can promise you that if she took one look at me she'd know as well.
[Although, there are semblances that could cause things like that... and probably magic if Salem got involved directly. So it's understandable if Weiss is skeptical.]
If you really can't believe me, you can find Yang. She'll confirm it in a heartbeat. Though I have to admit... it was rather shocking to find my little Sunflower here, fifteen years older than when I saw her last.
[It still kind of takes her aback, but she'd like to think she's mostly gotten used to it by now.]
iii
the constant curtain of steam does a lot to help with any self-consciousness. but then... that voice. and WOW YEP OKAY THAT'S WEISS. she'd barely noticed her through the steam. ]
Weiss? [ her ears flick, and she's... looking, she guesses. you know, respectfully. ]
Nothing's there.
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Oh, thank goodness. It feels like I've been scrubbing for hours!
[Satisfied (ish), she drops back down under the water, rinsing off the last of the suds, before turning back towards Blake, and starting to wade over to her.]
I'm so glad to see you, Blake... it's been a long and truly bizarre day.
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You too. Yang and I have been here a few months, it's been... a lot.
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Not that it had ever bothered her, of course, just as it didn't bother her now. If anything, she felt a slight pinprick of disappointment when Blake sunk further underwater... but that gets pushed aside without deeper consideration.]
Tell me about it...
[Weiss slides into place alongside Blake, and cocks her head at her friend, a little grin on her face.]
I mean that: tell me about it. I heard some from Yang, and I've seen some strange things for myself, but...
[...but she'd love to hear Blake's take on the island. Or just what's been going on in her life, because she cares.]
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I've been on a sex island with Yang for three months. How do you think it's been? [ but... blake goes on, rising back out of the water a bit. ] Ilia's here, too. Reconnecting has been good, even if I think being around so many cute girls broke her for a while. [ she's just glad ilia's had the chance to explore things a little more. it's hard to imagine there was much time for that in the white fang. ]
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-but then she comes out and says it, more or less. Cue a little choking noise.]
--h-hah... yeah, I can just imagine.
[...she's literally imagining. White is turning red. Deep red.
Ilia, though! She's a safe topic, even if... it still leads back to drowning in pussy? That seems like an inevitability here, though.]
Poor thing. [Said with a little chuckle; there are worse ways to lose your mind, after all.] This is why people say you shouldn't go shopping when you're hungry, right?
[Because you end up on a hedonistic scissoring binge.]
...y'know, we left for Atlas so quickly, I never got a chance to thank her. I guess now I can.
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Yeah, she... [ blake lets out a breath, idly resting a hand on weiss's forearm, fingertips brushing her thigh. there's a slight hazy edge to her thoughts right now, but she dismisses it as the steam and how relaxed she feels. ] I think you two talking could be good. If it's not a disaster.
[ the depth of ilia's issues with weiss's family legacy, her father... none of that is blake's story to tell. and truthfully, she's not sure how much ilia might end up holding that—and the rest of the sdc's crimes—against weiss, even with blake vouching for her friend. ]
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