ercookies | TDM 009: I'M IN LIKE WITH YOU

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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.

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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!)

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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.
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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.

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N A V I G A T I O N

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Oh, he can definitely hear her. Lloyd isn't really one to head down to the beach around this time, when more people begin washing up, overall uninterested in, well, actual people. His presence there today lends more to cataloging the common behaviors of the robots running around and bothering the new arrivals than anything else, which means he's sitting far up on one of the dunes further back, making notes on his tablet when-- ]

Who...?! [ A whole Milly comes tripping over rocks right behind him. The spray of sand from the stumble has him cringing away and flattening the computer tablet to his chest, saving it from any stray debris. That done, he turns to look up, to stare, only to look away again and adjust his glasses and then... turn back to stare some more?! ] Milly?

[ He sounds as though he isn't even sure it's actually her. ]

What are you doing here?

[ Like she had any choice? Logically, Lloyd knows she did not. It doesn't make this any less of a surprise! ]

[oh shit.

if this had been anyone else-- literally anyone else-- she would've had the good sense to apologise, to perhaps take a towel from one of the several robots behind her and offer it to the stranger. but she knows that voice, knows that face, knows that... devotion to technology. always saving the computers and not the people. good old lloyd! well, it's not like she actually fell, so he's safe from a tongue-lashing for now.

besides, there's more important matters at hand, like what is she doing here? and what is he doing here too? just her luck, it seems, that some otherworldly being has brought them back together across space and time. it would almost be romantic if it wasn't so odd.

brushing the sand off her legs, she glances to him, then smiles slyly.] Oh, I was just in the neighbourhood, thought I'd drop by. And what are you doing here, Lloyd, hmmm~? [play it weird/cool until the total shock wears off, that's the idea here!]

[ It's the only portable computer he has, Milly, surely everyone would understand if he guarded it against nefarious scratches from grainy sand than, say, seeing if the tripping or potentially falling person was alright or anything normal like that, gosh. At least, it makes sense to him, which is all that ever really matters in the end.

But that's a topic for another time -- or perhaps no time at all, depending. The more important one right now is that Milly is here at all and Lloyd hasn't the faintest idea what to do with that.

Nothing? Likely nothing. She's quite capable in her own right. ]

No one is ever 'just in the neighborhood' here...

[ Robots are chasing her with towels and she dripping water, so. ]

I can only presume from your little entourage that you've only just washed up but that one was obvious, wasn't it? [ Well, he may as well get to his feet, tablet tucked carefully under one arm as he climbs up to them and whirls about to face her properly. ] I was only down here to see if the robots act any different from month to month around this time but they don't. [ Which is very disappointing! ] Seems to be always the same when new people begin to drag themselves out of the ocean, though they should break away and find new ways to be a bother once it clears up down here.

[ah, he's doing some science-y work, as usual, as expected. not that it isn't interesting, of course-- milly is listening intently as she grabs the towels from the robots, wrapping her hair with one, draping another over her shoulders-- but she doesn't really care about the monthly programming of her little metal friends. still, good to know that they do this monthly, and that people come out from the ocean all the time. it nixes her theory that she's aphrodite reborn, but better to have some answers than none at all.

and, since he's been here long enough to notice the robots have monthly patterns, she's certain that if anyone knows what's happening here, it would be him. he's certainly not her preferred tour guide, but he's a familiar face. it makes learning about a whole new world just a bit easier.]

They seem sort of charming. I wish I had one of them back home... festival planning would have gone smoother! [patting one on the head, she smiles, looking out to the ocean and scanning the sea for more driftpersons.] Do they bother you? Get up in your business while you try to work? Or do they get into other kinds of trouble? [either scenario sounds like fun to her, and she glances back to lloyd, eyebrow raised.]

Charming? They won't even let me disassemble them. I'd only need one or two...

[ He could still try, grab one out on its own and just deal with whatever wrath would be rained down upon him for it, but that they won't just let him is the thing that annoys him here, apparently. They're robots! They should be fine with it! Anyway, he sighs after taking a few seconds to squint down at the nearest of the little 'bots, but he won't make any threatening motions towards them.

Behold, an attempt to behave.

It'll likely be short-lived. ]

I'm also fairly certain they helped vandalize my lab several weeks ago. Well, if you'd call waking up to the entire place done up like a bachelorette party vandalizing, I suppose. It was funny at first but the glitter... [ The glitter is still coming up everywhere. ] Otherwise, they're the ones out pestering people to get on with the, ah... Augur's whims.

[aw, he can't get ahold of one and they ruined his lab? good. give him a little hell. she laughs lightly and coos at a robot, rubbing its shiny metal head before looking over her shoulder at lloyd.] You should try asking them nicely. I'm sure they'd be appreciative of whatever upgrades you give them. [in the back of her mind, a plan to steal a robot for him starts to form, but he's got to help her first before she decides to get into trouble on his behalf. tit for tat!]

Augur? Is that who is in charge here? [sounds like a fancy title, so it must be.] And what do they want with the people? Does the Augur demand sacrifices? Throw huge parties? What are these "whims", hmm?

Nicely? But— [ His gaze wanders down, away from Milly and to the robots that followed her up. They look back. There's a short, silent staring contest and, inevitably, they kind of shuffle behind Milly to... hide? Gee, it sure looks like that. ] Hm. I could... try.

[ And back up again, he'll end whatever thoughtful scowling he was doing at the poor tin cans and look up at Milly again. ]

I suppose the worst that could happen is the Augur gets upset at me again. [ Yes, again. Is anyone surprised? ] As for the Augur, ah... it's an AI. It controls everything here, including your little friends there. You could say they throw huge parties. Sometimes.

[ Oh no. Oh no, does he have to be the one to tell her about the island? Why him?! ]

[lloyd really isn't all that imposing, but the robots must be able to sense that he's a bit of a danger to them. smart things, they are, and she wishes she had the sense to hide from him all those years ago. would've saved them a lot of trouble! and look at them now, getting in trouble together again.]

Hmm, an AI... Wonder what it knows... Maybe our new companions can help tell us! [sure, she's talking to lloyd, but she's also doting on a little bot, then another, and another.] I bet these little guys won't mind that. Maybe they'll tell us when the next party is! [another glance to lloyd over the shoulder.] Or maybe you could tell me. You seem to have done your research here.

[ He really shouldn't be surprised she's treating the robots like cute little pets. Maybe that is the better approach. If only more people on the rest of the island shared it! ]

Only if you know morse code. I had to get Princess Cornelia to translate for me the last time I got anything out of them. [ So it is possible! As for parties, well! ] That aside, I'm afraid you missed out on the masquerade ball they threw recently to ring in their new year. It may be some time before the next one now, though the Augur seems to be fairly unpredictable in what it inflicts upon the island overall.

[wait, wait, wait.] Cornelia is here? [colour her surprised. and it sounds like she's been here for a while. oh no... someone get her a corkboard and some red string to help her make sense of all of this. it'll make understanding just a little bit easier, but not by much!] Who else from-- [not home] --Britannia?

[and to make things worse, she missed a masquerade ball! of all things! truly, insult to injury. still, if that's all it's doing, why does he not like the augur?] "Unpredictable", hmm? Sounds like fun, if you ask me. I can't imagine someone that throws a ball for an entire island is all that bad.

If it were only balls and parties, it might be fun, but before that, the island had a blizzard that could make you blind or worse. Although if the weather was directly caused by the Augur, well...

[ He wants to imply that it was. He's seen some pretty bizarre things since ending up stuck here but could it summon a horrible blizzard? Possibly but he'll shrug and turn partway, away from the beach and towards the island, gesturing off towards the ruins. ]

The princess, obviously, as well as a few others. Let's start walking back. There's a house you can stay at. It has enough guest rooms. [ And if it's somehow an important point to add, ] I stay in my lab, though. It's off in a far corner of the grounds.

[ So Mr. Weird Scientist won't be lurking around the house in question. ]

[a ball and a blizzard. she's seen entities, gods and monsters, just as temperamental as this augur, so whatever this island throws at her, she's not afraid. worried, yes, but not exactly for herself. there are others that don't have her same experience and tenacity-- the augur must be a little frightening to them. she wonders if that's how lloyd feels...

grabbing the metallic hands of the robots, she follows his lead and drags her new companions along. not all of the robots follow her-- they have a task to carry out, after all! but she's got two in tow, comforted slightly by their presence.] A house? Is it yours? Or does it belong to someone else we know? [she wants to know who those "few others" are, and soon. it'll help with that mental corkboard.]

[ Lloyd wouldn't call the Augur frightening. Annoying and unpredictable, as far as he's concerned, though he's yet to find it, specifically, a scary concept. The wildlife on the island, on the other hand— well, that's a completely different subject and, with luck, the hike through the ruins will be uneventful.

He is sticking to the streets in better repair, though, since it's a bit of a hike back. ]

Oh, no. It isn't mine. [ He shoots a look back her way, over a shoulder, and eyes the two robots she's decided to drag along. Why... ] Ah, I hope you won't be too upset but... it's Suzaku's.

[ Who should "technically" be dead, at least to Milly's knowledge or, more accurately, to what he expects her knowledge to be. ]

Lelouch lives there as well. I believe he was also one of your classmates? [ And Zero and an emperor and who even knows what else. Also technically supposed to be dead, he realizes. ] I haven't the faintest idea where Gottwald lives, though, but he's around somewhere.

[she will follow wherever he leads, even if it's into harm's way. she can't imagine that he would ever do that, but who knows what this island has done to him. still, he's sticking to easy pathways, ones that look well-worn and safe, and aren't too difficult for robots to navigate.

she slows down, though, when he gives a list of names from their homeworld, then stops entirely. suzaku, lelouch, and cornelia made it, but--] Is Princess Euphemia here too? [she needs to be sure of what she's stepping into. the island can be whatever it wants, and she'll handle it with as much grace as possible. the augur can be the very same. but the people? that's something much different, and much more difficult to predict.] How long has everyone been here?

[she's not sure she's prepared for his answer, and she grasps the hands of the robots tightly, eyebrows furrowed as she stares at the back of his head.]

[ It's not as though he's ever had the greatest sense of self-preservation but it's not so far gone that he'd knowingly walk into danger. As it is, he won't do any off-road wandering with Milly in tow. ]

Princess Euphemia? Why would she be here? [ Lloyd doesn't realize she's slowed to a stop immediately, meaning he goes a few steps further away before glancing back again. ] Ah.

[ She stopped. Meaning he, too, stops, turning around to eye her thoughtfully. ]

I thought you'd be more shocked about who was already here. [ But that doesn't seem to be the case to him. Curious. He shrugs to her other question, however. ] I never did ask for those specifics but Suzaku and Lelouch have been here the longest. Princess Cornelia and Gottwald second longest. Until you washed up today, I was the latest arrival and that was... hmm... nearly three months ago now, by my count.

[three months... but everyone else has been here longer? of course it's possible-- she's learned that anything is possible, and things that made sense in one world didn't make sense in another. this is no different. what it is, however, is immensely frustrating, though she doesn't let that show on her face. lloyd is helping how he can; he's given her information she trusts and can count on without expecting anything in return. it's not him she's upset with, but of powers far beyond her control.]

I thought she'd be here because we were just together for about seven months. [and she was her friend-- of course she'd be worried about her.] If I made it here, and everyone else I've seen recently made it here, then I just assumed... [bad idea, girl. assume nothing.] Well, there's still time for her to show up. It's not like the ocean is going to disappear. [she sounds dejected, disappointed in what she's learning, and she knows that her many questions will have similarly disappointing answers. she wants to ask them all, to make sense of everything, anything here, but that's too much of a burden on lloyd. still, one more question.] It's good to see you, though. How long has it been since we saw each other last, hmm?

[ They were together for seven months? Everyone else she'd seen recently? That doesn't add up and Lloyd's quick enough to put it together. Something isn't right here. ]

Milly... the princess is dead, as was Suzaku and Lelouch. [ One of those is a lie but he's not going to let on that they faked Kururugi's death, not unless she reveals she already knows all on her own. ] While it's possible she may wash up here, considering how bizarre this island is, there's no way you could have spent that much time with her beforehand.

[ Forget how long since she and Lloyd last saw one another. It's been... awhile? Not since the engagement was called off, anyway. That strikes him as less important right now. ]

I know they are. [if he expected her to be shocked, he was wrong. of course she knows they're dead! this isn't news to her.] But that doesn't exactly matter. [that seems very much like something that would matter, and she says it plainly as if it an undeniable fact. and there's more to say than that, but it sounds so crazy, always has. but if anyone will know what to do or what to make of her transdimensional adventure, it's surely lloyd.

still, she doesn't want to share everything so soon, to confuse him any more than he already is, and sorting out how both of their statements can be true is going to take time and energy milly doesn't want to expend yet. after all, she was just spit up from the sea!] The house isn't too far off, is it? If we don't get there soon, I might just have you carry me the rest of the way.

How doesn't it— [ Lloyd begins to question her further but he already knows it won't go anywhere. She's already being vague and she's a stubborn woman, isn't she? If she doesn't want to tell him, all he can do is sigh and throw his hands up in the air oh so dramatically. ] Fine, fine, tell me some other time.

[ He turns to start walking again, just having to hope Milly will actually start moving again once he gets far enough away. ]

It's about five miles, I'm afraid. We'll simply have to stop and rest if you get tired.

[ aka uh no he isn't going to carry her, does she see these noodle arms??? ]

[hey, only one drama queen allowed at a time, and milly isn't giving up her crown so easily.] Well! I would but I don't know if any of it will be helpful to you. Or if it would make any sense... [a huff.] It's not like your specialty was stuff like this. [or was it... oops.

five miles is an awfully long way. another huff, but she follows him without complaint, still dragging her robots along.] Doesn't this place have cars? Or public transport? [she can clearly tell that this world isn't ready for anything like that, but one can still hope.] Or horses! I can handle a horse.

[ Let the fight for top drama queen begin, Milly. ]

My doctorate is in engineering and robotics, that much is true, but you have no idea how many other science courses I had to sit through to get that. [ A lot. A lot a lot. ] And some just for fun... but [ And there's a huge sigh to go with that 'but'! ] if it's a complicated matter, I won't argue over it until we've reached the house.

[ And five miles is long. At least he can claim he's getting his steps in these days, stuck walking everywhere.

Doesn't mean he won't whine about it, though! ]

And no, it's awful! No public transit, no easy access to vehicles unless you get the Augur to cough on up for you! I wouldn't mind getting the truck back but fuel is the real limiter here. [ Ah, but horses. ] And don't hope for horses. Everyone seems to have settled on these giant... birds... or something. Chocobos?

So did you take a course on quantum physics? Or science that honestly sounds like sci-fi? Or the possibility of multiple universes? [they're a little snide, those questions. but she didn't get a doctorate. she's just got her high school diploma. so what does she know about what classes they offer at university! maybe they have intro to timeline hopping, who knows. really, she shouldn't be sassing someone as qualified as he is.] Because that's what it is.

[ugh, this is going to be a drag after coming from a magic city and a luxury space ship and, you know, the holy britannian empire. still--] If the Augur can give you a car, why do you not have one? Asking politely isn't that hard. [but enough about cars, and even about horses, because--] Oh, chocobos? Aren't they so cute? They're easy to ride too! So we don't really need horses.

Tch, quantum physics. That's just something movies blame for everything because it technically is everything. [ Don't trigger the nerd, Milly, c'mon. Still, he isn't going to ignore that elephant in the room — or in the road, right now, with how they're outdoors. He slows down some, glancing back uncertainly. ] But I can hardly rule out the existence of multiple universes at this point. There are... quite a few oddities here.

[ Case in point, chocobos! ]

...cute? I wouldn't know. I've avoided them thus far. [ Yeah, he would. ] I'm not sure how I feel about riding around on what's essentially an ostrich but I do admit it's wiser than trading for a car—

[ Wait, wait, hold up, he stops dead in his tracks, whirling around to point accusingly at her and her two robotic tagalongs. ]

You've done this before! That's what you meant? [ How else would she know what a chocobo is? Enough to have an opinion on cuteness? ] Did you really only just show up here today?

[it's easy to let lloyd talk, when he has so much to say. he knows what he's talking about, too, which means she doesn't roll her eyes as hard as she could at him. (but she still rolls her eyes because of course he has opinions on quantum physics. silly her for thinking otherwise.) and she really is trying to listen to him, instead of letting the words bounce off her. he can get behind the multiple universes idea? good. then the rest of her explanation won't sound as crazy.

but she says nothing, humming to let him know she agrees, that she's paying attention, nodding as he speaks, but that all stops when he turns to face her, and she freezes, wide-eyed as he asks his questions.] I promise you, I have never been here before, and I really did just get here. So I've never done this before. [they're so close to getting it out of her, but she still holds back, pressing her lips together tightly.] But what exactly do you mean by "this"? [just to make sure they're on the same page...]

[ He's a man who loves to talk, that's true enough. At least, this time, all that talking it bringing him around to Milly's particular dilemma. ]

If not here, then the whole... different world bit. Dimension, universe, whichever it is. I'm not entirely certain, to be honest. [ He waves around at all the ruins as if to imply all of it, all of this, which, when you get down to it, he does. ] Ridiculous as it may be, that you know what a chocobo is at all is suspect enough.

00. Arrival

I. STARGAZER

II. STIMULATING CONVERSATION

III. Eat Or Dare

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