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

[impostersyndrome]

[Idle conversation as a distraction from panic is one of Prompto’s go-to tactics, so he has no problem with this.

He nods.]

I’m Prompto Argentum. And yeah, I just kind of washed up here... I think it’s winning for weirdest thing to happen to me this month.

[edamamepon]

[ Good, because Makoto relaxes a fraction just by focusing more on the conversation than their elevation. ]

Yea, I'd say this is weirdest place I've ever woken up in.
[ But definitely not the first time he's woken up somewhere unknown. ]

If you don't mind me asking: where are you from?

[impostersyndrome]

I’m from [The barest hint of hesitation, then he plows on.] Lucis. Insomnia, actually. You?

[edamamepon]

[ Makoto blinks. He's sure that's not an actual place. But there are aliens on the island, so who knows. Though he's eying Prompto a little more curiously now, looking for any signs that he might not be human ]

What kinda place is that? I've never heard of it.
I'm from Japan. [ And as an awkward afterthought, since it isn't something he's used to having to clarify. ] It's a country on the planet Earth.

[impostersyndrome]

[Earth? Huh. Now Prompto is wondering if this person is not human also.]

Earth, huh? My planet’s called Eos... guess it’s pretty different.

[edamamepon]

[ Makoto seems to have forgotten where they're at and how high up they are now, in favor of looking pretty darn fascinated right about now. ]

Yea, I guess so. What's Eos like?

[impostersyndrome]

Uh, normal? [Wait, that doesn’t mean anything.] I mean... Well, Insomnia was this huge city, kind of like this one used to be.

[And it’s a ruin like this now... bummer.]

It was pretty great. Me and my buddies ran all over.

[edamamepon]

[ It's a weird name for a city, but it's still interesting. The idea that so many different worlds exist is shaping up to be both exhilarating and humbling for Makoto. ]

It didn't have the same, uh, focus as this place does, did it?
[ Makoto shifts in his seat just a fraction. ]

[impostersyndrome]

Uh, no, definitely not. I mean, maybe in the seedier places, but...

[He shakes his head.]

What about Earth? I’m guessing it’s not like this either...?

[edamamepon]

Not at all.
I mean, there are red light districts on Earth too. But it isn't anything like this place, besides some of the uh, activities.

[ A pause. ]

... I'm sorry if this is rude, but are you human?

[impostersyndrome]

[The question makes Prompto flinch involuntary. Wow. Wasn’t expecting that.

It takes him a moment to remember that he’s basically an alien to this guy and there’s nothing deeper to the question. He’d wondered the same thing, after all...

He quickly pulls a smile back onto his face.]

Why, do I not look it? [A laugh.] Yeah. I mean, that’s what we call ourselves. Guess you’re a human, too?

[edamamepon]

[ Makoto's expression softens at his reaction, turning to face him a little more fully. ]

Sorry, it's just -- Well, before today, I thought Earth was the only place with humans.

You look perfectly human to me. And yea, I'm human too.

[ The tone is genuine just like the reassuring smile he's wearing. ]

[impostersyndrome]

Hah, yeah. Guess humans are common, or something.

[He is reassured! Not that he isn’t human, but... it’s complicated.

Too complicated to get into on this Ferris wheel. Speaking of...]

I think we’re near the top. Don’t look, though.

[edamamepon]

Seems like it. But there are definitely nonhumans here too.

[ His smile falters when he brings up getting near the top, and he's trying not to look that uncomfortable. ]

How long do you think it will stop?

[ Makoto looks calmer than he is, with some tension in his expression and the way he is sitting. He's actually very concerned about being stuck up here forever. ]

[impostersyndrome]

I’m not sure... hopefully not long!

[Reassuring! Or, trying to be.]

Just stay focused on me until we start going down.

[edamamepon]

[ That's easier said than done when it comes to a stop and Makoto can almost sense how high up they are even without looking out the window. But he tries, nodding and fixing his seemingly genuine smile on the blonde while trying to relax. ]

Well, I guess this is better than being stuck up here alone, right?

[ Although after he says it, he suddenly has the sinking feeling that this island is already playing another trick on him. Wasn't being deaf earlier enough for his first day here? ]

[impostersyndrome]

Yeah, it is.

[Although that also makes him wonder if there's some reason they had to be paired up, even if he got in line alone. Almost like the robots want something from them.]

What'd you do back home?

[edamamepon]

Oh, actually I was at a job interview before all this. Just starting out, you know?

[ Makoto gestures at his suit, still crumpled from the beach and with his tie and a few of the buttons undone. It's almost lying by omission, but he isn't eager for everyone to know the more illegal things he's done. ]

What about you?

[impostersyndrome]

[Whisked away to another world in the middle of a job interview, huh... That sounds rough.]

Me? Well, normally I'm a minimum wage slave, but more recently I've been traveling with my buddy to get him to his wedding.

[Which is also a lot of lying by omission, but even if people here don't know what Lucis is he thinks he probably shouldn't advertise that he works for the prince.]

[edamamepon]

[ Makoto blinks at him, since he didn't expect such a mundane answer. There's a small laugh though because he sort of can understand the feeling of minimum wage slave. And now he's considering that maybe Eos isn't so different from Earth? ]

What, like, a road trip?

[impostersyndrome]

Yep. You should see his car - it's a sweet ride.

[It's weird to miss a car, but he does.]

Traveling around the country in that was pretty great...

[edamamepon]

Whoa. I guess Earth isn't the only place with cool cars, then.

[ Makoto leans back, though when his back touches the window it only serves to remind him where they are. He tenses before shifting suddenly forward, more towards the center of the seat. ]

Sounds like the plot of a movie. [ Another laugh. ]
I never got the chance to go on one like that, though, so I'm a little jealous.

[impostersyndrome]

Yeah, it was pretty great. If I had my camera I’d show you the pictures!

[Alas, he still isn’t sure where his belongings have gone to since washing up on the beach.]

But if Earth has cars too, we must not be that different.

[edamamepon]

Camera, huh?
Well, if you ever see it again, you owe me some pictures.

[ Makoto grins at him. ]

I guess you're right.

[ And then Makoto falls silent. The feeling of dread starts creeping up on him again to remind him they are still at the top of a Ferris wheel. How long have they been up here? He takes some deep breaths, closing his eyes for a moment to stop himself from panicking. ]