ercookies | TDM 006: SPECTRAL SPECTACLE

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TDM 006: SPECTRAL SPECTACLE

00. 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.

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I. The Dragon's Matchmaking

Welcome to the Island, cherub dragons! The auspicious actions of your fellow Islanders have foreseen the reintroduction of dragons to the world. Unlike the hulking, possessive creatures of ancient lore (and recent hot springs), these well-meaning little critters love to help. Their small size and roly-poly frames make them unsuited to laborious tasks, but they will be the perfect companion to any residents who endeavor to pick up a small item, wish for their lunch to be delivered to an absolute stranger, or need a fire started from a tiny, flaming sneeze in their drafty homes. If a cherub dragon sees an Islander they perceive in need of their assistance, they will zip right in and refuse to scram until they’ve done the job!

No visible struggles? No problem! The little dragons also love to play matchmaker. Persistent dragons will gleefully nudge together Islanders they believe will have chemistry, and sometimes they aren’t wrong! Of course, even if sparks fail to fly, the dragons’ trilling songs are known to kindle romantic feelings between strangers and long-time lovers alike.

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II. Ruins

While the Islanders have been enjoying their autumn relaxation, the ‘bots of Erku have been hard at work clearing the surrounding forests of dangers for their guests’ safe habitation. If you are of deft hand with monster slaying, forestry, or even just hauling debris and weed picking, the robots will gladly exchange credits for help with reconstructing the recently unearthed mountain temple grounds from the rubble that remains there. Just follow the path of gently glowing mushrooms to the site of the temple ruins. Beware of lurking creatures, grabby plants, and falling rocks!

The temple ruins are tall and breathtaking, despite the eerie chill of the fog that lingers just beyond. Or is it the fog that sends a shiver up your spine? After all, this place was very spiritually important to the original inhabitants of the Island, the robots say to anyone curious enough to ask. Although their own programming does not include religious worship, the Augur believes the restoration of this place to be vital to the continued augmentation of Eros energy.

When questioned about the strange shadows that seem to slip from tree to tree, or the unsettling feeling of ghostly hands that seem to nudge volunteers deeper into the grounds, the robots respond with nothing but bafflement. Their sensors detect no unknown organic presence afoot.

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III. Ritual

Islanders who chase those mysterious shadows may find themselves particularly drawn to a structure that lay deeper within the ruins, beyond where the robots have made the most progress. Three sets of crumbling, moss-covered stairs join to form a central platform, which - despite the overcast skies - seems to emit a soft glow. Those who step onto the platform may begin to hear a quiet, compelling voice, which urges them to be free of their inhibitions and to offer their energy to the spirits to be multiplied hundredfold. Visions of naked bodies in the throes of carnal worship dance before the eyes. Those who are especially spiritually sensitive - or perhaps, just lucky - may feel as if possessed by a consciousness that is not their own, and that consciousness is filled with a burning sexual desire.

Leaving the platform is an option if alone, but the intense and overwhelming urge to seek companionship will persist until an Auspicious Act is completed. Those who are fortunate to be joined by company within the temple will feel compelled to worship right then and there, no matter the risk of being seen. Within the walls of the temple, Eros energy is enhanced such that any erotic act - big or small - will be enough to break the spell.

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N A V I G A T I O N

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[The casual way with which she leaned on him to grab for the food was what had him smiling. It was familiar to him in the way that his kind had; casual touch and just lack of concern for personal space. He didn't comment on it or reach to touch her in kind, just enjoying that comfort in touch before she sat back with her bounty. And dear gods, it was a pleasant sort of game to watch her try to sort out what the little lizards had brought.]

Is any of this familiar to you?

[He didn't want to come off as condescending by pointing out anything, as she seemed to have a sort of irregular grasp on what he was used to from Earth and her own experiences. Not that he blamed her. Space was likely a strange place, as were other planets, and she was clearly not human. For all he knew, she could be more interested in eating air or sunshine or him. But he was, by nature of his species, designed to adapt and go with the flow. Adapt or die was their motto.

As she prepared her spread, the dragon with the second bag seemed to be waiting for him to do the same as she had; that or it wasn't sure he wouldn't eat it. He gave it a lazy, slow blink and it seemed to understand that well enough to flit in and drop it on his lap.]

Some.

[ She answers quickly, still looking down at the food with a critical eye as if it might explain itself should she inspect it for long enough. When it fails to do so, she gestures to the few things on her right side — sandwiches, meats, foods that are more fresh and easily prepared, rather than anything baked. All the more processed goods are to her left, some of it spreading out towards him when she ran out of space; there's more of those than there are of what she recognises. ]

I do not know it all, but these ones are most familiar to me.

[ She picks one at random, bringing it up to under her nose, and trying to see what she can smell from it. Even if she's had something similar before, it smells mostly new, a variety of unique scents that she can pick out if she focuses but nothing in particular she can describe as being off.

Eventually, she determines nothing, and holds it out for Lucas to inspect. She's not sure how close he needs to be, but keeps it up for him to take as needed. ]

What is it you smell from this, Lucas?

[He noted what she seemed familiar with and what she isn't. Simple things are generally more customary across cultures, even in his world. Simple things that vary across regions. Gods, let him count the varieties of dumplings and stuffed foods he's had. Not that he's complaining, mind. He has a very healthy appetite.

She holds the food out and he leans in, not that he needs to, but it's more to show her that he's taking his duty of testing food for her seriously.]

Nothing amiss. Meat, ham specifically. Freshly baked bread, yeasty. Mayonnaise. Dijon mustard. Swiss cheese. Lettuce. Tomatoes. And as far as I can tell, no aphrodisiacs. This is from the diner and they generally label what they put it in. That there- [He pointed at a pink cupcake covered in vibrant neon pink icing with candy pearls and hearts.] -that's got aphrodisiacs in it, and is also from the diner. I'd have to sniff some of the rest of it to guarantee what's clean and what isn't.

[That prompted him to open his sack and take a look in. Ah, bless the little dragon. Chicken. And a nice wrapped up roast beef sandwich. They certainly knew how to tempt his stomach, if not his heart.]

[ The way he picks everything out with such ease makes it easy for her to understand just how effective a nose he has, and she's made more certain of it when he catches a whiff of the aphro on something she didn't even offer for scenting. She eyeballs the cupcake, knowing she could see what she can determine from it, but instead brings the sandwich back to herself.

Look, it's been deemed free of unwelcome properties, and she's not about to turn away food that's been delivered directly to her. ]

If you have tricked me about what is safe, Lucas, I will be very cross with you.

[ Should he feel any need to confess a lie, Jaylah takes a bite before he's given the time to do so. She actually does trust him well enough to take him at his word on this, even though they have just met, and her words were far less of a genuine threat than they sounded. Jaylah holds herself with no unease towards him and chews her way through a second bite, speaking once it's gone down. ]

Is the tampered food always the same at this diner, or does it change?

[Oddly, he found this part of the conversation almost familiar to him. He traveled quite a lot, and in his travels, he came across a variety of cultures that ranged from highly technical to still living in huts in jungles. Having to explain certain things in ways that someone unfamiliar could understand was just par for the course. But he smiled when she took a bite, pleased that she trusted him- even if maybe she didn't entirely. He pulled out his own roast beef sandwich and took a hearty bite himself, waiting until his mouth was clear and he'd swallowed to answer.]

At the diner and in the bar, anything with the aphrodisiac is labeled. If it's something you're purchasing or looking for, they seem to be rather upfront with what's been messed with and what hasn't. At the diner, that cupcake would be on a pedestal with a written sign about what was in it, and it would also be on the menu when ordering. A sort of 'extras' section, if you will.

[Another bite, and Lucas dips into his bag to pull out a bottle of water. Opening it, he took a testing sniff, out of habit more than anything, then nodded and washed his food down.]

I'm doing my best to avoid you being cross with me, Jaylah. I'm certain your fury is a fearsome thing.

[He managed that without a smile, but oh, he wanted to. She was quite adorable.]

But it does change, to answer your other question. If you're here long enough, I'm sure you'll see it. They'll often have 'specials', both of aphrodisiac food and clean food. The things you really have to watch for are whatever the robots give you. Unscrupulous walking toasters. That and anything new. New around here seems to come with a catch.

[ Jaylah follows along as he talks, continuing to eat her sandwich heedless of all the other things she's got laid out, two bites at a time. She likes this, and Jaylah isn't one to dally with her food once it's ready for eating — she's had too many experiences with predators coming around at the smell of cooked meat. She could see herself making her way back to the diner for more of it, down the line. ]

To eat at this diner, I would need... [ Hold on, she knows the word. ] Credits, yes?

[ Ah, currency. She knows of it well enough, but has not needed it for most of her life. Her family had largely handled their trades, when they were still alive to do so, but occasionally gave her some to spend on herself when they'd gone to markets. ]

I do not trust these electronic men already, but I will not take anything from them from now on. The dragonor lizards are new here too, are they not? That would explain all their trouble.

[ She shoots a sour look at a nearby cherub dragon, distrustful even after they'd brought her food. Were they helpful, and even cute? Of course, but sometimes that wasn't enough. That sour look softens as she turns to Lucas, giving a smile of her own, oblivious to a piece of lettuce stuck between her teeth. ]

You are doing fine, Lucas. I will let you know if I become mad at you.

[It was as good a moniker for the currency here as any, so he nodded and took another bite from his sandwich.]

Some nights there seem to be free for alls from the establishments that generally require currency, and often you can find a way to get for free what you might otherwise pay for- like we did with the little dragons fetching for us. But it's not a bad idea to have a stash of credits if you can manage it for when you need it. You seem capable of foraging. There's plenty to sift through in terms of buildings and outer areas to make do without needing to pay for things. I've gotten along well enough.

[Lucas also hunted, and once the geese came and offered their fat little feathery selves up for snacks, it had gotten easier for a meat-eating predator type to live off the land. He nodded at her assessment of the dragons.]

They're new, yes. You should have been here when the cats showed up. The Augur, or whatever it is that's actually lording over everyone here, gave most of the inhabitants matching ears and tails.

[He'd thankfully missed that as he'd likely been in a feline form when it happened and had his own already. He'd stood out for a bit after that. Then he remembered she might not know which ones were the cats.]

Ah, the little furry things on four legs with long tails and pointed ears. Those are the cats. The feathery loud honking nuisances are the geese, and they're rather delicious when roasted.

[The smile aimed his way had him biting his lip to keep from grinning. Yes, he liked this alien woman and her guileless behavior. He lifted a hand and pointed to his teeth in the matching place to hers.]

You've lettuce there, lov-- Jaylah. Here.

[He handed her the bottle of water he'd been drinking from to let her wash it down with.]

[ She nods as she puts a name to the different animals he's describing, having seen most of them at this point. ]

I enjoy the cats. They are a pleasant creature to touch.

[ Jaylah scratches at the spot he'd indicated with the nail of her thumb, then takes the offered water to try and clear it for good. After a swig and a swish, she hands the bottle back to him, cleared now of any stray greens.

The sandwich, mostly gone at this point, is put down in lieu of picking up the aphro-cupcake, which she samples a smell of. It smells... sugary sweet, even more-so than anything she'd picked up in her travels with her family, and that's about all she can make of it. It's unfamiliar enough that it is, at least, not remotely tempting to try a taste despite knowing it's affects. ]

I am uncertain if I can smell the tampering of this. It is... too fragrant, with other things. What else here has it?

They are indeed. Perhaps if you ask me nicely, I'll let you see my other form that likes to be pet.

[Belatedly, he realized how that sounded, biting his lip.]

I'm not human. I'm a shifter. I turn into something like the cats, only much larger.

[Being able to be free with that information was new to him, but it came easier to those that were definitively not human and less likely to judge.

At her question, he looked through the items that they'd been served. He supposed if she hadn't seen or had a cupcake before, it might be difficult to pick out the additives to it. A poke here and there and he came up with wrapped bit of cornbread, one of the rations that had been handed out earlier on. It came with a pat of butter, and he lifted that and handed it to her.]

The bread's fine, but the butter's got an extra to it. Since cornbread is usually rather dry, I suppose they expected people to happily slather the spread on without checking. If you're familiar with the scent of butter or milk, scent past that to the odd sweet and spicy tang under it. That's what I tend to pick up.

[ She stares at him for a moment for the other form comment, not quite interpreting it as innuendo but knowing it was a strange comment. The clarification earns a nod of understanding, however. ]

In this form, can you rumble, as they do?

[ Purring, she means. The fur of the cats was soft, but their affectionate headbutts and gentle purr was what solidified her attraction to them.

She places the cupcake down none-too-carefully beside herself, and doesn't chase after it when it topples over the edge of the fence and down onto the ground below them. Instead, she puts the butter below her nose and takes a deep whiff, contemplating the plain smell of it and ultimately deciding: ]

Hm. No, I do not think I am able to find these scents as well as you, Lucas.

I can in all three.

[To prove his point, there was a deep rumbling that started in his chest, becoming a little louder when his mouth opened as he smiled. Purring crossed all forms, as it helped with healing as well as just showing utter contentment.

He watches the cupcake tumble, not trying to catch it as he had no desire to force affections on either of them, or change the way he was feeling artificially. Watching her all but inhale the butter was much more amusing than the splat of the icing on the ground and the disgusted and disappointed looks the dragons gave them.]

That's part of my other nature, darling. Felines are predators. We rely on our sense of smell for tracking. Humans senses are dull in comparison. I'm not certain about where your kind stands in that.

[ The purring surprised her, and she nearly dropped the butter over the edge in her efforts to lean forward and hear it a little better, though the small container found it's purchase instead of toppling.

She reaches forward, pressing the back of her knuckles against the side of his throat, feeling the way the purr reverberated through it. It brings a smile to her face, and she holds the spot there, touch gentle against him. ]

I have not been with humans for long to compare. We are similar enough, and I have learned their language from my house, but I did not meet any until just before I came here.

[Her reaction almost makes him laugh, and he doesn't mind the touch at all, letting it stay there as he purrs. He's able to mostly talk through it, though it colors his words with the trill and rumbling noise.]

Physically, you seem similar, aside from that lovely coloring of yours. Your scent is different, but not in a bad way. Just enough to tell me you're not a human wearing paint.

[She seemed so curious about everything, but he supposed that had to do with winding up in a new location and being able to access new things. He'd gone poking around himself when he'd first arrived here. Curiosity was part of his nature, after all.]

How did a house teach you language?

[ She holds the hand there still, feeling the vibrations change up as he speaks, which is definitely something none of the cats could do. It's fascinating to her, and oddly calming, though she does eventually pull back once she's had her fill. ]

There were books, and videos, and files. [ She smiles a bit more broadly, because she really likes this one: ] And music. I learned so I could use the books and tools to fix my house.

[ To make the ship she'd taken shelter in fly again, and get her off the planet. She nearly did it alone, too, fixed it all up as good as anyone could hope for, but wasn't able to fly it alone. ]

You're a music fan, mm? Perhaps I'll have to play for you sometime. I managed to have a couple instruments from home, but guitar and violin isn't to everyone's tastes.

[And what tastes could an alien female from another reality that learned English from a house have? It was anyone's guess, really. He sipped from his water again, then finished the sandwich as he watched her face light up when she spoke about learning and her home and her apparent self reliance. Happiness was a good look for her, but he had a feeling she'd look just as lovely at the height of her rage.

Silly thoughts that a predator had.]

My music came with me, also. I would like to hear what you can play, and see if it is to my tastes.

[ She's been told that her taste is considered classical, as the music she prefers is a couple hundred years old, but Lucas may find himself surprised when she presents a speaker often used to blast the Beastie Boys.

Jaylah turns her attention back to the food, sniffing at the butter once more as if a second check will help her suddenly pick up on the scent of the aphrodisiac. No dice. Instead, she rips a corner of the cornbread off and chews it. ]

If you do that, I will share the beats I enjoy with you.

[She reminds him of some of the children he met in a very closed off village in Thailand. They were very curious of all the things he'd brought with him, poking through his packs with a thoroughness that surprised him. They were careful with his instruments, once he told them what they were, but the rest of his things had been fair game. He imagines that's what inviting her into his home would be like, and it's not an image that bothers him.

He nods, finishing off his water.]

I'd like that very much. Perhaps that can happen during another meal. Food's a necessity, and it's more fun when you've company to enjoy it. Another day, we could meet up at the diner and I can bring my guitar? They have music there, and it's not too far a walk to mine if you'd like afterward.

[Nothing too presuming there; an offer of company that didn't have to lead anywhere else. Despite where they might be, Lucas' first thoughts didn't always delve into the nature of the city.]

[ Likewise, her thoughts don't immediately stray to any implication for more between them from the offer. In time, she may learn to assume innuendo, but Jaylah's still new yet to the island and has not gotten into the habit of assuming sex at all turns, even with the warnings Lucas has given her. It's something she'll need to learn for herself. ]

Yes, I would enjoy that. I do want to see the diner with you, Lucas. And for you to make some music with your guitar.

[ The way she says it, you best know she's got no idea what a guitar is by name. She's certainly heard an electric one, but can only recognise one by the sound it makes. ]

Lovely. Then let's say I give you a call on your device in the next little while and see if you've got time for a bite? Or, if you feel the urge, you're welcome to call me first. I'd be happy to make myself available.

[It was a mix of reasons, really. Partly because he was a dominant male of his species and took on a protective role. Partly because she was a newcomer and he wouldn't want anyone accidentally slipping into something that might hurt them in deeper ways later. And yes, partly because she was an attractive female and he wanted to keep that avenue open.]

Yes, then I will use this device to reach out to you if I do not hear from you first.

[ And so it went, the two of them hanging out for a while longer, Jaylah finishing off her sandwich and asking Lucas to point out which of the remaining foods she could safely bring with her for later consumption, before they parted ways. Turns out that the cherub dragons had been helpful in a way, bringing the two of them together, even if it wasn't what they'd anticipated when they first began pushing Jaylah towards Lucas. ]

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TDM 006: SPECTRAL SPECTACLE

00. Arrival

I. The Dragon's Matchmaking

II. Ruins

III. Ritual

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