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

[halforc]

"Three months, the longest."

He sinks down to sit next to her, tapping the telescope to make it sway. When he looks back at Veth, he arches a brow.

"Molly arrived the same night I did."

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

"--Molly," she echoes, still surprised to be hearing his name dropped like that after all this time. "Haven't seen him yet."

Scratching the back of her neck, she settles down onto the sand, glancing from Fjord to the stars and back. "So you're an old-timer is what you're telling me, huh?"

[halforc]

"Oh, you will. You ... will."

Hard to miss him when the Neinhaus is only four floors including ground-level, it's starting to get packed. There is also the factor of wherever Fjord is, Mollymauk is sure to zone in on him eventually these days, and vice-versa.

He huffs a laugh, looking between his hands in his lap and Veth.

"Yes, I suppose so. Have the others filled you in on this place?"

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

"Yyyyeeeees," she says slowly, and lifts her wrist to jangle the bracelet. "Sure is a ... relatively undangerous place?"

And also, an awkward one for a married woman! And, she presumes, for a guy who puts call girls on layaway because he can't seal the deal!

[halforc]

He turns his left forearm over, showing his own bracelet. Looks like he's figured out how to strap it on, ostensibly for whenever he wears his armour, unlike now in clothes pilfered from the empty houses (knitted sweater and corduroys).

"Not dangerous, no. Kind of ... stressful? Yes." His eyes widen at nothing, remembering the events of the past few months. "Definitely yes."

It would help to elaborate, so he drags his gaze back to Veth and shrugs.

"It hasn't been as hard to deal as I originally thought it would, I've met some good people. I bet you'll go nuts over Peter."

With a teasing nudge at her side!

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

"Stressful in what kind of way?"

She narrows her eyes at him and pokes him in the side, just on the principle of bothering Fjord whenever possible rather than out of any real annoyance. "Who's Peter?"

[halforc]

"Peter Quill, he's a friend."

How is it stressful here? Oh, let him count the ways! No, he should summarise.

"The Augur is the ruling entity of this island, sort of like Vokodo. It took all my spells. I've earned back my sword by doing what it wants, but it's ... unreliable, as otherworldly beings go. Fanciful.

"And it runs on eros energy."

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

"Peter Quill. No-ted."

Now, though, her frown is one of genuine concentration and concern.

"So you can't do spells? Not even ..."

She puts out a hand in an Eldritch Blast kind of gesture. C'mon, Fjord, say it for her.

[halforc]

"Not even ..."

Pew-pew mime returned, he huffs.

"I think it takes more than one auspicious act to regain that sort of power, it's not like giving us more clothes or remodelling the Neinhaus we've set up to accommodate more people."

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

Veth is disappointed!!! She wanted the Blast! Fine, whatever.

"Auspicious acts is the most pretentious word for fuckin' I've ever heard," she mutters. "I guess I'm not casting any spells any time soon, then, either."

[halforc]

No blasting until he can go blasting, it's a sad life without any spells. He may have gone mad with panic without Molly to help that first night.

"It's pretentious as hell, but you might have something left. Caleb still has some of the spells he knew and Molly has everything." Eyeballing Veth, he gives her a Which is weird look. "The Augur either couldn't or didn't take anything off him, spell-wise."

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

That is weird. She cocks her head curiously.

"That's strange. ... Can you still, uh, like, talk to the Wildmother, here?"

[halforc]

"No. I can't feel her, can't speak with her, nothing, and I know she wouldn't refuse a Commune if I was ... desperate."

Scared.

He lowers his voice to a hush so the robots can't overhear him as they pass by.

"The Augur needs to be taken down, Vokodo-style. First though, we have to regain our spells."

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

"Oh, good, you remember that."

There's no hint of joking around now. They've been through a lot of fights together by now, and she takes his assessment seriously.

"Wouldn't mind getting my hands on some explosives, too," she mutters. "Do you know where it lives?"

[halforc]

"Caleb and I seem to be from the same point in time, we were in Eiselcross when we were brought here. I think the Augur is staggering our timelines so we're less organised or trusting of each other, the mix of people on the island is already eclectic."

It's hard to get along with people when you're always second-guessing whether they really like you or want to use your body for an A5.

"If you want to speak to the Augur you have to head to the hospital. But, Veth, I don't think any of us should go there alone if we'll be pissing them off."

hello sorry fjord I regret that she's like this

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

"Eisel-which? --I guess that's what you mean by staggered timelines, huh."

She shakes her head and reaches out to pat his knee. (Her gaze drifts past his crotch again. Ah, jeez, Brenatto, is now really the time?)

"Fjord, buddy, trust me, I'm not going anywhere without one of you any time soon. And if you need someone to watch your back, I will. Wouldn't want anything to happen to you in your weakened state."

oh u vethhh

[halforc]

"Oh, that's just great. Still just the two of us from ..."

Wowww, so much to unpack!!

"My weakened state? I'm not — !!" Why are her eyes drifting down, gods why. He flattens his voice. "Veth, are you staring at my dick? Did you eat anything off the robots?"

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

"What?! No!" she squawks, yanking her hand back from his knee. "I'm a married woman! Are you saying I should be staring at your dick?"

[halforc]

"You're the one with wandering eyes!"

He takes her by the shoulder to give her little shake.

"Did you eat or drink anything? They lace that shit with drugs, so tell me if you need to go cool off because you're being weird. I'll take you somewhere you can ... figure it out. Alone!"

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

"No! Wait. Maybe!"

She thwacks at his hands. "C'mon, I'm fine, Fjord! You've seen me high, do I look high? You're all one color, it's fine!"

[halforc]

All one colour?

"You're high. Shit."

What does he do, what does he do!

"Okay, fuck, hold on." Digging around in the Bag of Holding he's been carrying around whenever he heads to the beach on newbie searches, he ferrets out a bottle of water and thrusts it at Veth. "Drink that to flush out your system!"

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

"Well now how am I supposed to trust this" -- she shakes the bottle at him -- "FJORD."

[halforc]

Incredulous, he yells back.

"Because I'm giving it to you, Veth!"

[chemistrysgoodbabe]

"And where did YOU get it from, FJORD? IF THAT IS YOUR NAME!"

[halforc]

"You know what, no water for you. Drugs all day long."

He takes it back, stuffing it in the bag.