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

Perhaps not the strangest thing he's seen. Ghosts can technically do a number of strange maneuvers in the air, but nothing so charming. He himself spent a number of years weakened and stuck in the form of a firefly.

Having a human form with the addition of wings would have been nice instead.

Without the wings she does look like a normal enough girl, and he bows his head politely in return at the curtsy. The question has his expression tightening as he hums thoughtfully in a way that doesn't sound all that reassuring.

"It's nowhere I was aware of before today, and if Asgard is nearby I wouldn't know. I've never heard of it either."

Maybe he should meet cuter ghosts. There have to be those out there, right? It's still not as convenient as being an angel, at the times where that's been a benefit to her, though. Just a shame that becoming one was... a bit awful.

"That's strange..." It's not important enough for everyone in the world to know its name, sure, but she wasn't that far away. Anyone that close should've heard of it, even travelers from afar.

How did she get so far away? "So you just arrived here from the sea as well, without knowing how it happened?"

Ironically not unlike the process of becoming a ghost, though the similarities may begin and end with being a bit awful.

And coincidentally during this short exchange Chung Myung will give a few surreptitious looks to the area right above her shoulder, as if the wings will reappear at any moment.

He'll at least look at her face when he answers with a tight smile that doesn't reach his eyes, and a short nod.

"I have my suspicions, but I could be wrong. It's certainly not where I thought I would be going."

The wings CAN reappear at any moment - but she doesn't need them if she's not flying, and there's no need to fly when she's just chatting with someone. "I wasn't even near the ocean, so I would've had to... fall in a river and float all the way down, maybe?"

...she's pretty sure she would've woken up or drowned by then.

"This doesn't look like any sort of place I've seen before, though. The buildings are pretty strange." Some of them would fit in Tethe'alla's cities, but the lack of infrastructure, the small number of people, and the inconsistency... "And there's this fog that I can't see through either."

"I wonder... is that what happened?"

It's an oddly worded question that sounds more like he's genuinely unsure about her ocean theory, but in all honesty he's applying it to himself. Prior to thrashing his way unceremoniously out of the water here, he had been just about to take his first step onto the bridge to the after life. While Chung Myung certainly doesn't remember falling off the side, he does know what the process is supposed to be like for departing souls, and it's certainly not...

Whatever this is.

Besides, he was well aware of what it felt like to lack a body before, and he's already determined he's solid flesh and blood again at this point.

"Did you already talk to the... robots?" He hesitates as he tries to recall the right word for them, having had very little reason to hear people discuss robotics during his tenure as a spirit.

"They seem to know a good deal more about this place."

Really, it's a poor theory for most people here. It's not terribly surprising, given how her life has gone, that she might fall overboard and wash ashore on a strange island, but certainly she should be a little closer to the ocean to make that happen, right?

"They were helpful, but not very informative." And Colette's been distracted by toweling off and that odd bracelet they gave her. "And I think they're busy with others like us, if there are more people washing ashore, so we should wait before we bother them."

The comment has him letting out a short laugh in disbelief, his head canting slightly to the side as he tries to decide if she's for real with this. It seems like she's serious though, so maybe those angel wings of hers are apt.

"What a considerate person... Still, telling us a little about where we are right now is the least they could do, don't you think?"

If anyone deserves angel wings...

"It would be a lot more convenient than just leaving us standing around." Oh well, though. "I guess we'll just have to wait, or see if someone else shows up to help out though."

He nods his head slowly, as if he's giving that thought some real consideration.

"Mmm... We could do that." The pause he takes after this statement is more for effect than anything. "Or we could go find the answers for ourselves right now."

"Do you think we should go exploring?" She can protect him if there's anything strange, she knows that much. Of course her first thought is that she might need to be the one doing any fighting.

"That might be a good idea. Before I forget, my name's Colette." You can't just stand around and wait for your problems to be solved. On the other hand there are reasons to stay put... but maybe not this time.

Though he's thinking the same thing in this case, she might be more correct. Chung Myung is a skilled fighter by normal standards, but he's out of practice, and he certainly doesn't have any other skills to bring to the table other than what he can do with a sword.

"Colette? It's a nice name. I'm Go Chung Myung. Ah, since we're not where I'm from anymore is it Chung Myung Go? Either way, you can speak casually to me and just call me Chung Myung."

As if they two of them weren't already speaking casually, but it seems as good a time as any to make it clear he's almost overly comfortable with familiarity between near strangers.

"Since I suggested the idea, why don't you pick the direction of this journey. I'll follow your lead."

Colette can summon beams of light from the sky to smite her foes! Hopefully she doesn't need to smite anyone here, though. She'd much rather have a more peaceful adventure this time.

"Thank you. I can remember whichever order you would prefer, but I'll also call you Chung Myung for now." It doesn't quite sound like a name from anywhere she can recognize, but the world's a big place. "I suppose we should start by heading inland, right?"

Here's to hoping the trip will be largely uneventful. Though it's hard to say after how they were brought here in the first place.

He smiles at that and points in the direction directly opposite of the sea. "This way then."

In the direction of what looks like buildings. Definitely seems like it could potentially be enlightening.

Maybe it will be calm. Colette can't actually find her chakram, and she's not much for throwing more than a sloppy punch. Aside from, uh, the angelic magic and stuff...

"There are lots of buildings and people over that way, so that's a good idea."

"You've been already?" He hums thoughtfully as he starts to make his way forward, trying to examine the buildings the best he can from a distance.

"Things look a little old..."

It's the nicest way he can put the state of some of these buildings. Even from where they are it's not hard to tell.

"There are definitely people there though?"

"I could see it from here!" she says cheerfully. Because she can see it from here, and she'll probably hear other people long before Chung Myung does too. "Quite a few people are already here. I wonder if they're like us?"

He laughs at that, as if she's telling a joke, but she seems so genuine that it has him doing a quick double take. He definitely can't make out any people...

"You can really see them?"

"Not in any detail but definitely. I have... very good eyes." No bright flashes please. Or really sudden loud sounds. Strong flavors are fine, though.

Loud exhales are fine, right? Because that's the sound he's making as he looks at her with disbelief.

"More than just good..."

He cocks his head to the side, even squints a little as if that's going to help him make out what she can see, before he gives it up with a small shake of the head.

That's fine! And very reasonable.

"...very, very good. My hearing as well." And her physical strength. "It's helpful sometimes!"

"I can imagine..."

He frowns to himself as he studies her carefully.

"You're not human, are you?" There's no judgement in his tone, though it might not exactly be the most polite question to ask.

"I... certainly was human for most of my life." She's thought about her humanity a lot, actually. "I became what was called an 'angel' about two years ago. I like to still think of myself as human, but there's no denying that am also different."

They've got a bit of a walk ahead of them, and this is certainly an interesting conversation. Chung Myung studies her for a minute trying to gauge how guarded she might be about this topic, but she seems to be fairly open about discussing it.

"How exactly did you become one?"

Colette's very good at walking. "The whole story is long, but..." she presses her hand lightly to the gem right around her collarbone. "This Cruxis Crystal is the key to it."

"That crystal made you something other than human?" He's very careful with his word choice to not suggest anything negative or positive about the change.

00. Arrival

I. STARGAZER

II. STIMULATING CONVERSATION

III. Eat Or Dare

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