TDM 009: I'M IN LIKE WITH YOU

[erkumods]

TDM 009: I'M IN LIKE WITH YOU

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. STARGAZER On the first night that new arrivals wash ashore, the moon rises. It's full and beautiful and surrounded by stars. The robots quickly bring old, dusty telescopes out of storage and line them up on the beach to help people get a truly spectacular view. "Look to the heavens! Behold, the chicken, the cat, the owl, the donkey!" It's... the cock, the pussy, the hooters, and the ass. For the rest of the night, characters will become fixated on the specific asset associated with the constellation they've gotten an eyeful of. Whether this leads to some body worship or just casual appreciation is up to you. You can learn about the stars and constellations later this month in some of the rare, non-pornographic books in the library. (More info will go up soon, so please be patient!) ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● II. STIMULATING CONVERSATION An ancient courting ritual has been announced! It involves the give-and-take of candy hearts with slogans printed on them. Of course, since these hearts are being manufactured by robots, their sense of taste is a little... off? Or perhaps off-putting? "You'll do." "5/10." "Acceptable." "Sloppy Seconds." Receiving a negative heart makes one feel insecure, jealous, and submissive. "Be mine." "Nicest ass." "Swell bulge." "They're good lays, Bront." Receiving a positive heart will make one feel confident, boastful, and dominant. Your friendly neighborhood 'bots will give them out to anyone who asks - and maybe even those who don't. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● III. Eat Or Dare The robots have set up a stall by the beach with a banner that reads: Eat Or Dare. They have procured bigger candy hearts than ever before -- fist-sized and larger -- with actions written on them instead of derogatory slogans. "Take a dive." "Lick me." "Get handsy." The name of the game is to follow the instructions or forfeit the challenge by making the evidence disappear into your mouth. Delicious! Those who eat the candy hearts will feel themselves getting giddy and unreasonably invested in the love affairs of others. They will feel compelled to play matchmaker to spread the cheer. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

00. arrival - i cackled

[flurry_of_beaus]

There's only one creature that Beauregard knows that looks like that. He's one in a million, and the odds of another firbolg showing up with that particular shade of pink hair are slim to none. (She hasn't met your family yet, Caduceus. Forgive her.)

The monk starts walking down the beach from the treeline, wary at first that this is some kind of mistake. But then Cad sniffs at the seaweed and throws it around his neck again and it's like a sign.

"DEUCES!" Beau cries out as she sprints down the beach to him. "You're here!"

She slows to a stop beside him, suddenly looking distressed. "Shit, you're here."

My work here is done

[eyesofthegrave]

"Ah, hey there little friend- oh okay, sure that's fine, you just hang out there then." Caduceus was busy talking to a small crab that had scampered its way from inside the mess of seaweed, currently now dangling by a pincer from a long, floppy, grey ear, when the Monk caught his attention.

Coming to a stand and slowly dusting the sand from his body, he welcomed his friend with a wide, caring smile. "Beau, You're here, I'm here, um... We're where? Sorry, there was a crab, I wasn't paying attention." His calm, carefree demeanour carrying through that deep, soothing tone of his. A look of pure delighted confusion upon his face.

[flurry_of_beaus]

Beau takes a second, considering the cleric. She's happy that he's here, of course, but this also means that he's trapped on sex island with them. Which isn't great. Selfishly, she wants him here. Unselfishly, she knows he'd be safer and happier back home.

But he's here now and there's nothing that Beau or anybody else can do about it.

So she flings herself at him, wrapping her arms around his damp and sandy waist.

"It's good to see you."

[eyesofthegrave]

Caduceus was just happy to see a familiar and friendly face. The monk looked good, like she's been living well which is all he asks for. Oblivious as to where he was or why he was there, just happy to be.

As Beau wrapped her arms around him a wonderful hug, Caduceus reciprocated. Long damp arms enclosing around her, dipping his head down and bending his back so that he was able to rest his chin atop her head.

"It's good to see you too. I don't really care much for the sea but y'know, it wasn't all that bad this time."

The Firbold took a slow look around, his brow pulling into a confused frown. "Huh, where's everyone else?"

[flurry_of_beaus]

"You'll have to tell me about that," Beau murmurs, because the fact that they're from two different times, just as she's separated from Fjord and Caleb (and technically Molly) by months, is a bridge they're going to have to cross.

She lets go of him, now picking at her damp clothes, and makes a bit of a face, a slight wince.

"Yea, about that. We... didn't all come together. I don't know where you were before, but we're in a different dimension now. Like the Happy Fun Time Ball, but with different rules."

[eyesofthegrave]

Ah, that never occurred to him, Caduceus just assumed he had wandered off or got separated from everyone. Maybe finding out they're all from different times and now in a different dimension might make more sense.

Watching as Beau picked at her clothes, causing him to look down at himself and do the same, only, Caduceus pulled bits of broken shell, that starfish and other various beach debris, from out of his fur.

Learning that this was somewhat similar to the Happy Fun Time Ball, was a little concerning, sure, Caduceus took a breath at the thought, but so what if it was? They could handle anything that was thrown at them, right? "Well, let's see if I can't remember, shall we?" Smiling kindly, looking up at the sky, humming to himself a bit before adding. "Well, we were all together, uh... Down in the southern edge of Xhorhas." Big wide, bright smile. "Looking for my family, actually."

[flurry_of_beaus]

"Oh. Okay." Beau nods a little, like this is a good thing, like she's building up some kind of energy in herself.

"I think we were gonna do that. Sooner rather than later. See, in my head? We just saved Yasha from Obann and killed the sad, uh, twisted fuck."

Caduceus remembers that, she's sure. How could one forget?

"So we're not too far apart from each other, right?" That's what Beau wants to hear anyway. Molly comes from his death, obviously, but Caleb and Fjord and even Essek know things she doesn't. And there's no way to communicate all of it, blow by blow.

[eyesofthegrave]

Caduceus automatically smiles and gave a few little nods of his head in return to hers. Beau seemed at ease with his answer so, that was good.

Ah yes, Caduceus remembers that. His expression softens as he recalled the turn of events they encountered. "Nasty bit of bother that was. I'm just glad we got Yasha back safe and sound." Recalling how they never gave up on her and how relieved he was about that.

"Seems not. I'm sure we've all been brought here exactly when we were meant to." Another kind smile, happy to learn that he and Beau were from similar points in time at least.

[flurry_of_beaus]

She grins, because that last statement is pure Caduceus. She doesn't believe it for a second, that there's some kind of order to this beyond the Augur's mad plans for who knows what. But in this moment, it's good to hear it.

"Come on. I'll show you to the house," she says, nodding up the beach where there's a path. "There's a hot tub there too, so you can get some of the saltwater out of your ears."

[eyesofthegrave]

Beau might not have believed it but Caduceus did! Even when heavily pressed to come up with a good reason as to why destiny was playing them certain cards, Caduceus always believed it was the cause of a higher being. And technically that was true!

"Oh, you have a house? That's neat." Chuckling to himself, a hand turning to a lock of stiffened hair, pulling it across his face towards his mouth where he gives it a little lick before pulling a face. "Yea, I eh, I could do with a nice long soak in something better for my skin." That smile was only growing, the more he walked alongside Beau. Just happy in the knowledge that, even though they were lost and a long, long, way from home, they at least had each other.