TDM 008: A WALK IN THE THEME PARK

[erkumods]

TDM 008: A WALK IN THE THEME PARK

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. SIX FLAGELLANTS Welcome, one and all, to a thrilling new location! Robots have worked tirelessly to build, from the ground up, what can only be recognizable as an amusement park. You are just in time for the grand opening of Six Flagellants: Great Advagtures! The Ferris Wheel routinely stops when lovebirds reach the top, waiting for a kiss - or something more daring! - before it starts up again. Robots warn of the scary Haunted House: a dark building with wall-to-wall creeps, and hot and cold running chills. Flickering ghosts roam the halls, and you may find an eerily realistic Headless Horseman -- who bids you, "Come closer. Give me head," while pointing to yours. Hey, get your mind out of the... Nevermind. The Carousel is a two-story affair. Nude figures with familiar faces lounge about, waiting to be ridden, and closer inspection proves that they have the faces of your fellow islanders. Hop on your favorite person and take them for a spin! There are even Bumper Cars, which have the interesting effect of making one feel more aroused with every bump and impact. (It's randomized each time, so don't try to guess based on car color!) What should be a similar ride, the Teacups, has the robots' madness written all over it instead. They have misunderstood the gentle spin-cycles for dangerous, dizzying loop-the-loops across a wide track. Some would swear that the ride has a supernatural invocation for fear. Others are simply man enough to admit they're afraid. Lastly, the Tunnel of Love is not what you expect. Although flavored lube and guides to cunnilingus are on each fleshy-log-shaped boat, the motion of the ocean is quite soothing, and there's a pleasant floral scent in the air that causes a light intoxication. Don't forget to try the food! Similar to the Street Kiosks, there's a ton of faire food: cotton candy, corn dogs, and the like. Mascot outfits are available and those who wear them will be rewarded generously with credits. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● II. LIKE A FIREWORK The next morning, you receive a message on your device: You are cordially invited to a celebration of skinship at the House of Worship. Please do not dress for the occasion. If asked about it, the robots will confirm that is not a specific holiday, but a simple joyous event. If you pry, they may even say that the Old Ones often made merry and partook in the pleasures of the flesh - and so too should you. For an hour, there will be food and drink - alcoholic and aphrodisiac. Then, at the designated time, once the sun has gone down, clothes will be shed and a revelry begun. As fireworks explode overhead, the different colors send the naked senses reeling: Red: You are amorous towards the people around you. Yours is a joyous celebration. The Auspicious Acts you offer are happy and lighthearted, full of kisses and sweet nothings. Orange: You feel bold and adventurous, eager to try something - or someone - new. Your preferred Acts may be dangerous or exciting, perhaps with more than one person. Yellow: You feel reverence when you watch the fireworks, reverence when you look at your fellow people. You feel blessed to be part of the celebration at the House of Worship, and you make the Acts you complete into Acts of worship. You are all about the spirit of generosity. Green: You are not here to celebrate. Jealousy is your lot. Uncover a new side of yourself, full of bitterness and resentment, and try an Act that treads the fine line between light and dark. Indigo: You are proud to celebrate! Those around you are lucky to bask in your presence. You have a newly-minted domineering attitude that makes itself known, and your Acts are likely to be something where you'll come out on top. Violet: These fireworks make you feel unusual - the opposite of yourself. You are different in all that you want to do, preferring Auspicious Acts that you may not have thought twice about before. A group shower will be provided after the festivities wind down. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● III. MISTLETOE Many cherub dragons can be found gathering together in the Greenhouse, working together to finish the cultivation of a new plant. They spend an exhaustive night decorating the island with the new greenery, which can soon be identified as mistletoe. You may think it's sweet of them, but don't get caught underneath one of these sprigs! Standing under the dragon's mistletoe will cause sensory deprivation - and of course, the only way to regain what was lost is to indulge in an Auspicious Act. (You may choose whichever sense you like, or even choose to be figurative, such as "the sense of reason" or "a sense of purpose.") ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

— arrival

[thebeats]

[ As Makoto is in the middle of asking, Jaylah's head emerges from the flap of the tent. Her attention snaps to him quickly, and, while the robots might be able to be passed off as some sort of strange joke, it's immediately apparent that Jaylah seems distinctly inhuman. True, someone might be able to pull off the look with make-up but it would require a lot of time and skill to make it look so realistic. Even her eyes are alien, the iris a bright gold with a dark stripe running through it that mimics the markings across her face.

She's got a bed-roll tucked under her arm, and a small but heavy knapsack hanging from her other hand. ]

Yes, I have taken several things from here.

[ Her accent is peculiar, the words clipped but nothing about it betrays where she might have learned to speak. Jaylah steps further from the tent and looks Makoto over — takes in his soaked suit, the standard towel that the robots regularly give out to new arrivals. ]

You are new, and will not want to stay in this tent. It will not protect you from the cold if the snow comes back.


[ ooc: Hi, hi, hello, welcome back to RP from the lj days of old. I sure do enjoy Makoto, excited to see you here. ]

[edamamepon]

[ Makoto nearly jumps out of his skin, more due to her sudden appearance than how inhuman she looks. He can't help but stare for a moment, lingering on all the details that are different from anyone he's ever seen. At first, he's wondering why someone would go to all the trouble to wear movie makeup on the beach. But there is something about the way she carries herself and the level of detail, not to mention the impracticality of wearing that much makeup on a beach, that makes him question everything. There's no way, right? He's in no way brave enough or rude enough to ask though, so he averts his eyes instead. No need to be rude. ]

W-Well, sorry to disturb you.

[ He puts both hands, palms forward in a placating manner, hoping this person doesn't plan on eating him or anything. But then she speaks again, and his hands fall back to his sides. ]

Yea, I am. I was hoping for a place to dry off for now.

[ He tries to adjust his still soaked suit, but it's still just as uncomfortable. ]

Snow? So, have you been here a while then?

[thebeats]

[ Jaylah comes from a merchant family, and is accustomed to seeing all sorts of species, but has come to understand that is not a common experience amongst many here. So, when Makoto looks away from her, she doesn't bristle or jump with offence. Instead, she feels sympathetic to how he must be feeling particularly out of place, though her solution of how to help that doesn't involve leaving him be. ]

This place will be no good for drying. Come, and I will show you somewhere better.

[ She doesn't approach him to force his hand, but does shuffle her bag over her shoulder so it would be easier to walk with. ]

I have been here for some time. Enough to know where there is safe shelter for new people. There are houses to share which do not need fixing, and many that are broken but will give you space.

[edamamepon]

[ Well, she doesn't seem dangerous. And now his mind is going a million miles an hour trying to guess how many different types of people could be on this island. If this is all real... then what else could be here? He shakes his head, displacing those thoughts. It isn't the time to dwell on that. He has to solve his first problem of being here. And if she actually leads him somewhere more protective than a tent, it should solve his second problem as well. ]

Oh, okay. You really don't have to, but I'd appreciate it. [ He says, though he moves towards her like he means to follow her anyway. His socks make a squelching sound inside his shoes with every step but it's not like he can help it. Everyone can probably hear him coming a mile away at the moment. ]

So, what those robots told me. Do you think it's all true?

[ There's some hope in the tone of his voice, like he's expecting there to be a chance that they were just poorly programmed liars or something. In his gut though, he is starting to get the sinking feeling this whole thing is more than a trick. Or maybe he's just gone insane? ]

[thebeats]

[ She's quite dangerous, even has a few weapons strapped to her back, but the good news for Makoto is that she doesn't lash out against anyone or anything undeserving. So far, aside from a few monsters she'd made a point of going out and hunting, Jaylah's had a relatively peaceful time of things here. ]

If I do not do it, you will stay wet for a long time.

[ So, sure, she doesn't have to, but offering help to someone new here is the right thing to do. If he insisted against it, she wouldn't push to make him follow, but since that doesn't seem like what's happening, Jaylah turns to lead the way towards the city proper. It might be easier to navigate around in those wet shoes once he's off the sand, at least. ]

About the acts card? It is true. I do not know what the robot said, because some tell more than others, but you will hear often that everything in this place is focused on making sex.

[edamamepon]

[ Makoto's gotten a little too used to being around delightful lowlifes to worry too much about a gun that isn't being pointed at his face. Especially when it's strapped to someone that seems genuinely helpful. It might be a little optimistic, but it's not like he is overflowing with options. ]

Well, that's probably true. But I still appreciate it.

[ Makoto follows her, attempting to match her pace as best he can as he fights against the sand and his soggy shoes. He loosens his tie a bit as he trudges along, unbuttoning the top couple buttons of his dress shirt. It all feels like too much still, too formal and too waterlogged to be walking behind... an alien? If it's not makeup, he supposes that's what she is probably, or maybe from another dimension? Do other dimensions exist? He's staring again, though this time it's the back of her head so he feels a little bolder about it. ]

Why would they be focused on that, anyway? How does that even help an island?
[ Makoto is caught off guard by that bluntness of hers and his voice cracks slightly, tone derailing into more of a grumble. Clearly, he'd been hoping that at least that part was a joke and it's still a lot for him to wrap his head around. ]