TDM 007: ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED? (Sorry, No Refunds)

[erkumods]

TDM 007: ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?

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. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● I. Entertainment District Old and new arrivals alike have likely been enjoying(?) the Island’s one day of sunshine per week - and so have the robots! The energy they are able to harness from the sun has increased their productivity exponentially, and a colorful multi-level entertainment district has sprung up to surround a few of the city’s familiar locations. Here you will find the forge, the clothing shop, the Full Moon(ty) Theater, as well as a freshly upgraded Ticket to Ride: an all-purpose arcade where tickets won from skeeball and Whack-a-Woody can be exchanged for sexy, colorful prizes! Admission is free, and the robots especially encourage islanders to check out the following arcade additions: Lurid Laser Tag: Slip into a full-body laser tag suit and arm yourself with a robot-provided laser gun before you go into this spooky and maze-like laser tag arena, which has been designed in the fashion of an abandoned, post-apocalyptic city overrun with creeping, squirming, and sometimes grabbing plants (which may look and feel very familiar to the earliest residents of the Nameless Island). Avoid these obstacles and try to spot the enemy before they spot you! The laser guns issued by the ‘bots have three graduated settings, chosen by the shooter, to alert you when you are hit: 1. vibration, 2. sweet caress, and 3. deep massage. Any part of your laser tag suit may activate, depending on where you are hit. Islanders may choose to play 1-on-1 with a friend, or can be randomly assigned to an opponent or team. VR Rooms: Pull on a shiny new headset and enjoy an immersive virtual reality experience like none other available on the Island thus far! The technology is still somewhat limited, however, in that the rooms can only replicate settings and environments from the current users’ memories. Whether you’re looking to train your battle skills on your old stomping grounds or simply want to share the experience of your favorite hometown noodle shop with a friend, these new VR rooms will literally open up new worlds of entertainment to you. VR Rooms can be enjoyed alone or in pairs, and they are fully private. GundamPods: A scaled-down version of the newly installed mobile suit simulation cockpits which can be accessed in the hangar at the outskirts of the city, these side-by-side pods allow users to recreate the experience of piloting any mobile suit that has been brought onto the island, in PVP format. Scant and form-fitting clothing is recommended for the most seamlessly realistic piloting experience, as this allows the technology to interface with your sensory system. Wear a bikini and you’ll feel it right down to the G’s! ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● II. Sexscape Room Looking for the latest opportunity to earn credits? Look no further! The robots are researching the problem-solving capabilities of organic lifeforms, and they are seeking the Islanders’ help. The offered reward is very generous, and the ‘bots say the time commitment is no more than two hours. No manual labor required! Participants will only be given a puzzle to solve within that time limit. Those who agree will be led to a spacious, if dark, room... but not alone. When the lights turn on, two volunteers find themselves trapped together in an escape room! Written clues lead participants through a series of steps to find the trick that will unlock the doors that hold them captive. However, what kind of room they find themselves in is entirely luck of the draw. Some rooms are perfectly normal, with almost absurdly easy puzzles to solve - a tip of a bookcase or a key hidden beneath a pillow might just be the ticket out. Others may be outrageously difficult, with clues taking the form of cryptic riddles and assigned tasks requiring partnership and teamwork to complete. What kind of tasks, you may ask? Well, for some rooms it’s fairly obvious what volunteers are expected to do in order to earn their escape. That riding crop says it all, does it not? Those who fail to solve the escape room within two hours will be released without incident, the promised credits loaded to their devices. Islanders who successfully escape the room will be additionally rewarded with a goody bag of cute and colorful BDSM gear! ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● III. Speed Dating at the Limp Noodle So many renovations have occurred thanks to the efforts of those on the Island and the robots have decided a grand opening of the new Limp Noodle Shop! This robot-run shop has three small tables and a long counter for serving customers. It caters to various noodle foods and soups from any world and their menu changes regularly, but Wednesday is All You Can Eat Ramen Day. Try the Special Spicy Fishcakes to get a free drink, but they might make your noodle anything but limp and you'll need some help to calm it down. Effects can last up to three hours. But that’s not all. To promote the grand opening of the Limp Noodle the robots have added more seating and opened up the week for Swap Meet Speed Dating. That’s right, speed dating. Anyone who takes part in the 10 minute rounds of looking for your next Auspicious Act partner will receive all-you-can-eat snacks. Couples who hit it off will receive a free meal at a small two-seat table in a more secluded area. Questions are provided on note cards with a fine print reminder: “Eye contact supports sexual intrigue, please maintain at all times.” ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

Persephone | Lore Olympus

[ragingnature]

❀ ARRIVAL

[ This isn't the first time in so many days that Persephone has awoken, fully clothed, in water. Though this time she's wearing a lovely dress that Hecate bought her. Not to mention the thin blanket she had around herself to keep warm in the cold of the Underworld. That gets lost in her endeavor to fight her way to shore.

Between her soaked hair — that's possibly longer than she is tall — and the dress she feels like she weighs an extra hundred pounds or more.

Once on land, she sinks to her hands and knees, gasping to catching her breath. ]

What...what the heck?

[ She balks at the sight of the robots, having never seen anything like them. And while they clearly seem to be helpful she's not sure what good the towel is going to do for her, still, she takes it with a smile and a soft 'thank you'. ]

❀ A LITTLE EXPLORATION

[ It doesn't take Persephone long to realize that she's going to have to find somewhere to settle in. From what she can tell there's no way home. And to make matters worse she feels disconnected from the earth. She feels as if she's only half herself.

She does her best to push all of that to the back of her mind before she has a breakdown, focusing instead on finding a place to stay.

She'll occasionally stop at the door of an apartment, sometimes she'll knock, other times she'll push the door open. ] H-hello? Is anyone home?

❀ SEXSCAPE ROOM

[ She's not sure how important credits are, but it seems as if she might need them for something. Plus, solving some puzzles ounds like a fun way to earn some money. After a quick introduction to her partner she's quick to begin searching the room for clues.

She starts with a bookcase that filled an alcove from floor to ceiling. ]

I'm sorry, but are you able to check the higher points in the room. They're a bit out of reach for me and it seems I've lost my ability to fly.

[ She would climb, but that doesn't seem very safe. ]

❀ SPEED DATING

[ Persehone has never heard of speed dating before, in fact, she's never been on a normal date. But the whole idea seems delightful and it's not a bad deal if she gets free food out of it.

So she sits, cheerfully eating as she glances down at the list of provided questions. When someone joins her she smile brightly and introduce herself, ] Hi! I'm Persephone, you are?

❀ WILDCARD

[ If you have an idea for something, toss it at me or feel free to HMU at rubberspaceducky or shoot me a PM for plotting.

Will match style. ]

arrival.

[halforc]

[ Pacing his way down the beach in search of any of the Nein, he spots a soggy pink woman gagging as she stumbles to her knees, freshly surfaced. Fjord ought to have a greater self-preservation instinct by now but he heads over at a jog until he can slow down his approach without scaring her, taking in the drowned appearance and long trail of hair. ]

Hey! Hey, miss. Are you alright?

[ragingnature]

[ She coughs a couple times while nodding. After a moment she pushes the mass of soaked pink hair out of her face as she can lift her head and look up at the source of the voice.

She blinks at him, surprised to see someone as colorful as herself, before smile and giving a nod. ] Y-yeah. Just a little, erm, waterlogged.

[ She looks back down at herself with a frown before gathering up bits of the dress to wring it out while muttering, ] I'm sorry Hecate. You picked out such a lovely dress and this happened to it.

[halforc]

Don't worry, everyone seems to arrive this way. Here, [ he sweeps off his cloak, holding it up for her to wear, ] you can use this to dry off a little.

[ She's not exactly wearing a lot of ... thick layers. Ahem. ]

[ragingnature]

[ It's a long-sleeved, floor-length dress meant to help keep her warm, but it's certainly not layered. Looking at the offered cloak she smiles. ]

Oh, um, thank you. [ She takes a moment to gather her skirt so she can stand before taking the cloak and pulling it around her shoulders. ]

I had a blanket... I suppose it's been lost to the waves? [ She glances around to see if she can spot a pastel pink mass on the beach, but doesn't see it. ]

[halforc]

I don't see it, I'm sorry. It might wash up later, some personal items tend to once the sea calms down.

[ Hand on a hip, he looks her over curiously. ]

My name's Fjord, I arrived much the same as you only last month.

[ragingnature]

[ She busies herself with drying herself off as much as possible by wringing out her dress and hair. Her gaze drifts around the beach to take in other arrivals in hopes of seeing someone she recognizes. ]

Persephone. [ She responds as she turns her attention back to him. ] You said everyone arrives this way?

[halforc]

They did last time. I woke up in the sea over there, [ gesturing to the opposite side of the beach, ] thought I was drowning at first. Plus the ... machines weren't exactly helpful.

[ The automatons going about their business on the beach get a sidelong frown from him. ]

If they give you free food, ask if it's drugged first.

[ragingnature]

I see. [ She frowns, looking in the direction he points before turning her attention to the robots. ]

I've never seen anything like them before. [ She wants to inspect on up close but at the same time they seem pretty intimidating.

And then what he has to say about the food sinks in. Her head snaps back to him, squinting at him. ] Wait... Did you say drugged? How so?

[halforc]

Let's just say I couldn't walk straight after some bacon they gave me in a 'welcome to the island' pack.

[ Not going to specify why he couldn't walk. ]

Would you like to sit down up on the grassier dunes? I have some water with me, if you're thirsty.

speed dating! a nicer than for perse...

[expiry]

[Snacks are, like, whatever; Thanatos' sleepy brother is the one more likely to go for such things, but it's not like there's much to do on this island. Thanatos certainly can't do his job, so—here he is! Awkwardly settling into the chair across from this (very pink) stranger, as dour as ever. But, ah—]

Persephone?

[It's repeated more for his own benefit than anything, because—huh. Huh. A somewhat awkward beat, then, as he carefully studies her face before offering:]

...Thanatos.

[Only a handful of people have recognized him, in this world, but if she shares the name of a familiar goddess...]

:D

[ragingnature]

[ His name causes her to pause just as she's midbite. She squints at him before sitting upright. ]

You don't look like Thanatos. [ He has the hair, sorta, but he's entirely the wrong color. Unless...

She leans forward and speaks in a volume best described as a stage whisper. ] Or are you in disguise?

[expiry]

[Well! It's nice to be recognized, in a way, but Thanatos' brow furrows all the same. He's never paid attention to, like, the various ways mortals describe him; half the time they confuse him with Lord Hades, anyway, and yet here he sits, wearing the same ol', same ol'...]

I have no reason to hide. My form remains unchanged.

[Some Olympians may change their shapes for nefarious purposes, but Thanatos is a professional, thanks! What you see is what you get, so:]

What form did you expect?

[ragingnature]

[ She finds the response a little confusing. Her brow furrows as she looks him over. Looking more closely he definitely doesn't look like Thanatos, even if he was trying to disguise himself. And she supposes he sounds different. And then there's the fact he's even speaking to her to begin with...

Look, sometimes it's fun to change one's form to hang out with mortals. Not that Persephone would personally know as she's never been allowed that kind of freedom. ]

Well... The Thanatos I know is usually a pale grey-blue.

[expiry]

[Pale blue is not Death Incarnate's color! Or: None of this tracks, and thus Thanatos sits back in his chair, a quiet hmph escaping him. He's not annoyed; he's just... once again out of his element, thanks to this strange, strange world. His immortal life was so much easier when he was doing his ding-dang job...]

The Persephone that I know is not... pink. [She's only pink-ish, in that sort of ruddy, healthy way? Whew.] But you are not the Queen of the Underworld. You are... unfamiliar to me.

[He generally remembers those he's taken to the Underworld! Ma'am...]

[ragingnature]

Queen of... [ Her cheeks instantly flush. As if Hades would... Well, maybe he would. They've grown closer, but she doesn't think they're in any place to decide anything so long-term. They aren't even dating! ]

No, I'm most certainly not the Queen of the Underworld.

[ She turns her attention from him back to her meal, stirring the noodles in her bowl. ]

So you're Thanatos, but not the Thanatos I know. How is that possible?

Exploration

[waswrongtoo]

Just a minute!

[The home she's come up to is pretty obviously inhabited, and seems rather inviting with how it's been fixed up. Much different from the ramshackle ruined buildings surrounding it.

The result of months of work and... favors from the bots, not that Persephone could possibly guess that.

As the door opens, the woman inside seems just as welcoming, offering her a warm if rather curious smile.]

Good afternoon! What can I do for you?

[ragingnature]

Oh! [ Persephone pauses when a response comes. She smiles at the woman that opens the door as she takes a step back. ]

Apologies. I was looking for unoccupied accommodations for myself. I didn't realize— [ She quickly cuts herself off before she can truly begin to ramble. ]

Sorry to bother you.

[waswrongtoo]

[Ah, right. Newcomers. She should really go down to the beach and start helping welcome people...]

I see, you just arrived, didn't you? You'd figure they'd be a little more accomodating, those hosts of ours... Well, it might take a bit of looking, but I'm sure there are still plenty of places you can take over, probably at least a few nearby. I can help you look...

[She glances over at her kitchen, pondering for a moment, before adding:]

If you're willing to wait on my cookies.

[ragingnature]

[ She nods. ] Yeah.

[ She's still not completely dry despite the time spent trying to dry out. Her floor-length dress and long hair are still damp, though she managed the wrangle latter into a braid so it no longer drags on the ground behind her.

When the other woman glance back Persephone glances past her in the direction as well. ] Oh, um, no that's okay. I don't want to be a bother. I'm not sure if I'm even going to stay in this area.

[ If she still had her abilities she'd find somewhere out of the way and cause the area to overgrow so it feels a bit more like home. ]

[waswrongtoo]

I wouldn't precisely call it a bother... but, reasonable enough. The places around here aren't particularly sturdy before they get fixed up anyway.

[She definitely took the best one for herself even before she got it repaired.]

Well, I'll give you a bit of advice, then. There's a patch of wild plants several blocks away from here. [She points out the direction.] Be very careful around those. They're mobile, and very territorial.

That's the biggest threat I can think of, outside of the forest and the mountain regions.

[ragingnature]

[ She files that little bit of information away. She's not exactly skilled at repairing structures so she might want to look elsewhere if that's the case.

The advice, however, results in giving the other woman a confused look. ] Moving plants? That's, um, well not entirely new, plants do move a lot more than people realize.

What about in the forest and mountain regions?

[waswrongtoo]

Perhaps, but I don't often encounter plants that entangle people's limbs with vines and throw drugged thorns at them.

[And Remnant is exactly the sort of world where you'd expect to see that kind of thing, honestly.]

Those regions are wild... which might not be so bad in and of itself, except we appear to have inadvertently affected them when we were brought in. Every so often out there, you'll encounter monsters... creatures from our own worlds, presumably brought in when we were, somehow.

[She grimaces.] Me and those from my world should probably apologize particularly for that. The creatures from Remnant are... utterly horrible.

[ragingnature]

Oh, that's, um, that's certainly new. [ She wonders if she could control them...if she had her ability to do so.

The mention of monsters receives a concerned look before she nods. ]

Thank you for the information. I suppose I won't go frolicking through any forests any time soon. [ Her tone takes on a sarcastic lilt toward the end. ]

[waswrongtoo]

If it wasn't, I'd ask how you deal with it. I've gotten pretty good at avoiding the things, but the thorns in particular have a tendency to make things awkward if you don't avoid them properly.

[To understate things rather heavily.

As for the frolicking...]

Not until we figure out a way to clear things out, at least. Which would usually be my job, but apparently these things just show up out of nowhere, which isn't conducive to a good hunt at all.

[Lousy monsters cheating by just popping up out of thin air.]