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

[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.

[there's a great big sigh from her, one that shows a deep exhaustion.] Lloyd, I asked you when the last time you saw me was for a reason. The last time I saw you was- [when i broke things off] -right before I started doing the weather. And that, for me? Was almost four years ago. [there's a small smile for him, offered as an apology.]

I won't bore you with the details, unless you want them, but before I came here today, I was on a crystal planet. And before that? I was on a space station. I was pulled from Britannia, then from one to the next, just like how you got here. [this is probably no help to him, but now it's all out! ta-da!] I'm sure this is all very confusing. [it sure was for her, and she lived it!]

Four years? And three different places... [ What does that mean for the rest of them? Are they going to be trapped going from dimension to dimension, too? For years? ] I suppose the silver lining is that you must have gotten over being homesick ages ago, although both of those places sound, ah, somewhat better than here.

[ He would also like to go to space, okay? Dear Augur, please give them a space station, somehow. ]

Well, assuming, that is, neither of them ran off of... well... [ Wait, is this how Kururugi felt when he had to inform Lloyd about the whole sex bingo thing? Reluctant to be the one to discuss this? Since when did he even care about something as mundane as talking about sex? Ugh. ] As I mentioned before, trading with the Augur, it's really only interested in... [ Vague gestures as if trying to find the right word in the air and pull it out but there's nothing. Fine, he'll just be straightforward, as per usual. ] The bracelet the robots gave you have a card of actions that you can do in exchange for just about anything, really.

I don't think I was ever homesick, but I was peoplesick. I missed everyone from the settlement so, so much. [and there's a pointed look at lloyd, because while she doesn't want to admit it (and she most certainly won't aloud!), she missed him. there were so many discoveries-- like new worlds, new means of power, new technology-- she had wanted to share with him, just because she knew he'd appreciate them more than she did. he'd know what to do with spaceships and crystals and all these fancy communicators...

what he doesn't seem to know is how to finish a sentence, though, and with each attempt, her eyebrows just raise higher on her forehead.]Run off of what? Interested in what? [come on, man! spit it out! but then it registers that he says "card", and she wonders, if maybe, just maybe...] What actions? [reluctantly, she lets go of the robots to search her bracelet for this card, flipping through the apps quickly in search of something particular.]

[ He'll rally to the final, actual point after her series of questions. If he's already getting pointed looks — likely translating them wrongly, as in perhaps he's already done something wrong — then how much worse can it get, anyway? ]

Acts of intimacy. [ Good lord, man, just say sex like a normal person, but there it is. Now's a great time to idly take his glasses off and busy himself with cleaning the lensing of smudges. They aren't imaginary ones, at least. ] Although how some of what's listed on them relate to such in... some cases, I wouldn't be able to tell you.

[UGH. why is the universe so horny?]

Acts of intimacy. [she's still flipping through, frantic as she skims the apps, eyes darting from one side of the screen to the other, then moving on.] The Augur wants us to be intimate with each other, it runs off that energy. [oh gee, doesn't that sound familiar. there's a huff of frustration, but she finally finds what she's looking for: the a5. and there it is, a little bingo card, blank of any marks, just like she thought it would be. her eyes flicker to lloyd, her gaze rather intense. she's not angry, not with him, not with the augur, not anyone, but she is getting exhausted.]

Hmm. That's...

And fixes the world, supposedly. Apparently, everything here was much more dead when people first began arriving. It's where the chocobos came from, for example. It's ridiculous, I know...

[ He has no idea how it works and it's driving him up a wall. ]

Doesn't sound that strange to me. [she closes the app on her bracelet after a moment, sighing deeply, but pulls herself together and shrugs with a half smile, clearly in on a joke with herself.] We put out for the Augur, and we're rewarded for it. I'm surprised more of the world isn't fixed, though. Do people not like each other here? Or is everyone just too shy?

[she's betting the second one; looks like the island needs a little push from someone already out of their shell.]

Because people make more personal requests than island-wide ones, I imagine.

[ Lloyd knows that he isn't likely to go around fixing things for the greater good but everyone else? Milly would have to ask them herself, so he's left shrugging and turning to start walking again. ]

Or they're shy. That could be it!

But let's keep moving. You'll see more fixed up buildings eventually, the ones that have people living in them, or whatever else they've since added to the city. I know someone did add electricity, for one, and fixed the water, I assume, at some point.

I can understand that. You've got to take care of yourself before you can help anyone else. Don't light yourself on fire to keep others warm, or something like that.

[there's no hesitation following him, making sure the robots are still in tow. she's going to get them back to the house(???) no matter what. what's gonna happen? they run away? she'll just try to get new ones. but it is getting more difficult to pull them away from the beach...]

So what have you requested so far? Was your lab something you asked for?

[ Those poor robots. They just want to get back to their job and find themselves being robo-napped instead. ]

Well, I had planned on requesting a lab eventually but Kururugi beat me to it, actually. Easier to do that than risk my finding trouble without one, I suppose.

[ Or Suzaku just wanted to give him something nice. A gift of that size, considering how it was paid for, was a little difficult to acknowledge at first but now? It's hard not to admit the origin without sounding a little fond. ]

I did ask for this computer, however. [ He taps the folded tablet tucked under his arm. ] And some general supplies. Canned food and toiletries and such.

[suzaku got him a laboratory? and it wasn't even christmas? how generous, considering the price to be paid here. still, she's glad they're taking care of each other in the ways they know how. knowing that they've got each other is comforting to her.

she makes a mental note, though, that lloyd himself has made requests that were granted. he did all the work himself, and the thought of him getting down and dirty with someone (with all the visuals to go with it) is plastered to her mind's eye. it's nasty, in several ways, and now she has that image stuck in her brain for longer than she'd like.

but enough about his personal life! there's another question for him.] Do we have to earn everything here? The Augur doesn't help keep us alive? [which seems counterintuitive. if it needs help rebuilding, why wouldn't it make life for its prisoners easier?]

TDM 009: I'M IN LIKE WITH YOU

00. Arrival

I. STARGAZER

II. STIMULATING CONVERSATION

III. Eat Or Dare

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