TDM 010: PARTNER UP, PARTNER

[erkumods]

TDM 010: PARTNER UP, PARTNER

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” barracks. Your inventory will be found a day later, wrapped up haphazardly and delivered to each person's makeshift home. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● I. Laid Bare Basics There is a new addition to the scenery at the beach, and everyone is welcome! Especially new arrivals, who will be ushered to the recently-established Laid Bare Spa, where (provided they don't slip away from the bots' helpful grasp) their uncomfortably wet, sandy clothing will be stripped away and they will be lovingly pampered by the cold metal hands of the resident robots. Long-time Islanders and newbies alike are welcome to enjoy such amenities as hot and cold baths, sauna rooms, scrub-downs, thorough whippings with birch brooms, skin treatments, massage and energy work, and more! All rooms are thoughtfully decorated with tasteful murals of naked and disrobing bodies. Maybe you'll see someone you recognize?! (Maybe you'll see... you?) Islanders who happen to find their clothing mysteriously missing are welcome to borrow a Laid Bare branded towel to cover up with on their way home. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● II. Tattoo to You, Too The Augur understands that sometimes, it's difficult to find a partner to indulge you in those favorite Auspicious Acts - especially for new arrivals, but surely even long-time residents could benefit from a little assistance now and then. That is why ever-benevolent entity has gifted Her precious Islanders with tattoos which feature their most secret, urgent, and/or shameful of desires! (Even if that desire is to simply complete a Bingo.) The tattoo may be a picture or a word, and it can appear anywhere on the body. At first it is pleasantly warm to the touch, like a soft glow of light on your skin. It soon becomes apparent - through either robot advice or a notification on your communication device - that your task is to find a match for your tattoo and complete the depicted act with that person. The longer one goes without completing the act, the more the tattoo seems to heat up, until it feels like it is burning into your skin. Take too long, and the tattoo may become permanent. Otherwise, the tattoo will fade within hours of completing the Auspicious Act. [ For TDMers: feel free to select any favorite kink for this prompt! If you complete a kink that doesn't appear on your card, you may switch one square for the completed kink. For current players: by participating on (tagging into) this TDM, you may switch one kink into your card (it must be the kink in the toplevel prompt you responded to). ] ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● III. Creepy Crawly Caterpillar Crawl Are you on the hunt for credits? Then have the robots got a task for you! The 'bots of the Nameless Island are recruiting Islanders to go bug collecting in the caves, crevices, and hollowed-out logs of the wilderness. The quarry? The (shudder - literally, the robots will shudder) doom-summoning harbinger bug. They describe these creepy creatures as fat, fuzzy, and rainbow-colored, with long, fluffy antennae that look like rabbit's ears. The robots describe these critters as so dangerous that Islanders should only hunt them in pairs. Should your team return successful, you both will be rewarded very handsomely for every caterpillar caught! The bugs are typically very docile and seem to enjoy soft pets, judging by the cooing and squeaking noises they make (especially to scritches behind their "ears"). Poke or disturb them however, and they may bite! Body parts bitten by angry caterpillars will swell up cartoonishly, and can only be treated by having someone else suck the venom out. Good thing you're traveling with a partner! The 'bots strongly recommend against keeping these little buggies as pets, but they're not your dad. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

[deduety]

Your Fodlan. You imply that it is possible that there are other... variations, somehow?

[Does that explain the discrepancy of memories? Dedue frowns to himself, considering the idea. It certainly complicates things, but it also does explain why Linhardt said what he had.]

Is it important for me to know the differences between your experiences and mine?

[idratherbeasleep]

Yes. There do seem to be. I don't know how many; I've identified at least 3 major variances.

[But there have to be more, surely? But then how many? Which choices are significant? A question that's been weighing on his mind all too much lately.]

Not extremely. As I mentioned, there's a truce in place, so those of us who come from Fodlans under active war such as myself have no reason to attach one another. Oh, and that your presence may disconcert some people. You may be dead in the other Fodlans. I am in at least one.

[deduety]

[Honestly, it's more surprising to Dedue that he has lived this long. The idea that he has died in other times is less surprising, and he does feel that if it is under the service of Dimitri, then there is nothing to regret.

Still, this is a lot to absorb. Dedue is pensive, frowning to himself, but accepting. Linhardt's work ethic is difficult to cooperate with, but he is exceptionally intelligent. He has no reason to doubt him.]

I will bear it in mind should I encounter others with those experiences.

Will you tell me about this island we are on? You say there is a truce, which suggests you all have been here for sometime.

[idratherbeasleep]

[Okay. So talking to a Duscurian rock is preferable to speaking to a person. There's a lot more silence with Dedue. It's more peaceful to not have to constantly fill the air with small talk. Linhardt never would have considered them to have anything in common before, but he supposes they do both share a disdain for social convention if nothing else.]

I've been here for about a month. That is, Dorothea and I both. The others were here beforehand. The people here are Dimitri, Lady Edelgard, Ferdinand, myself, Dorothea, Seteth, Flayn, Ashe, Mercedes, and Lorenz. There are also people here that aren't from Fodlan at all, but other worlds entirely.

[Linhardt pauses to allow Dedue to absorb this information. He knows he's still wrestling with the implications of this.]

The island appears to be tended to by automatons, and what you were informed on your arrival is correct: We've all been teleported here under the assumption that we'll perform erotic activities for the Augur's benefit. And believe me, even I couldn't come up with this as a farce. It's too far-fetched.

[So please don't freak out. Or actually... Linhardt hadn't considered it before, but he doesn't know what a freaking out Dedue looks like. So actually never mind. Feel free. He kind of wants to see.]

[deduety]

[There are names that bring a great deal of concern to him. He already knows Dimitri is here from earlier, but there are others -- Ashe, Mercedes, and Flayn in particular weigh on his mind. They are people he would call friend, people he would rather be home and happy. Not here, which such bizarre expectations of them.

And then of course, the mention of Edelgard. Dedue's scowl deepens considerably, and he looks furious. If Linhardt is correct about different experiences and how Dedue has perished in those other moments, then it cannot rule out that Edelgard is indeed alive.

He would like to correct that. However, if Dimitri has not already...]

I do not doubt you.

[He's angry, but he does not take it out on Linhardt or anything. Dedue will keep his composure, despite everything. Alas, a freaking out Dedue is just more scowling it seems, at least at the moment.]

I will uphold this truce, so long as others are.

[idratherbeasleep]

[Whoa, okay then. Interesting. This is decidedly more awkward than running into Seteth and Flayn, who are dead. What precisely is Linhardt supposed to say here? "Oh, by the way, I'm actually Lady Edelgard's healer. And from what Ferdinand tells me, in my Fodlan we're just about to go kill you."

He's sure that would be received extremely well, and yet, at this point saying nothing would make it look like he started off relations here with a lie. Ugh. So he shakes his head.]

Actually, about the separate Fodlans. I sided with Lady Edelgard. Everybody here is being quite reasonable: If only we could have addressed our problems this way at home.

[Then again, a very key variable has been removed, hasn't it? Hmmm. Linhardt stows that thought away in his brain for further thought.]

[deduety]

A stark difference, then. You and many others from the Empire opted to join the Kingdom at the monastery.

[Were it anyone else, he would have a difficult time deciding to trust Linhardt, then. However, it's Linhardt, who has no real love for fighting to begin with.]

It would have been much simpler, would it not? And yet, it was Edelgard who made her choice to engage in war.

Regardless, I see no reason to consider what could have been. We cannot change what was.

[idratherbeasleep]

Yes, that tracks. In our Fodlan, there are some from Faerghus and the Alliance who joined our cause. It would appear loyalties are somewhat mutable in some cases, though I can't imagine you parting with Dimitri, nor Hubert from Lady Edelgard.

[He sighs and nods. Yes, much simpler. If only people could have been reasonable, realized they didn't have the information necessary to make a decision... so much could have been averted.]

Yes. And she did. I won't deny that, even if some things I've learned have led me to believe our timing and target were ill-considered.

That's a very logical way to look at it, Dedue. I quite agree. Regardless of how it ended, I am truly glad your war has ended, Dedue.

[Ah, that is another thing he appreciates about Dedue. He is not the type of person to mock Linhardt's distaste for war and instead understands it comes from a place of profound understanding of how much war costs.]

[deduety]

One could never expect the impossible to come to pass.

[If nothing else, he understands Hubert's unwavering dedication to Edelgard. He is no different for Dimitri. Nothing could ever sway him from His Highness' side.]

Lacking information will always brew misunderstandings and violent outcomes. Regrettable, but it will always occur.

Regardless, it is a shame your war has not ended, Linhardt. It is not something I would wish upon you, regardless of what side you are on.

[idratherbeasleep]

That's true.

[Which is all he'll say on that. Personally, Linhardt thinks both Hubert and Dedue's loyalties are misplaced, but he was raised by a pair of people who are, above all else, pragmatic. There's no room for blind loyalty in such a world.

He gives Dedue a distressed look. That's such a pessimistic worldview; how can Dedue function thinking that way?]

I can't imagine finding violence inevitable. I like to believe that people can improve and find other ways to solve our problems.

Thank you, I appreciate that. I feel more for the people who have no say in the matter. And the ones who die because of our mistakes.

[deduety]

Indeed. Which is why those who seek to improve will also look for the truth in things to help others. Ideally, in any case.

[Fighting can be inevitable, but he does want for a day in which there won't be. It is hard to hope, even after the theoretical end of a war.]

I understand your sentiment too well.

[idratherbeasleep]

It's nice to know that someone understands, though of course I wish nobody needed to.

[If only they could actually be allowed to understand each other in Fodlan. Everyone could talk to one another here; they understood that there were more important things to address than their disagreements.

But that is the point, isn't it? Linhardt is becoming very tired of feeling like he almost understands things. In response to this frequent irritation, Linhardt lies back down on his sun-warmed rock.]

Dimitri and the others are in the village. One moment, I'll draw you a map. It will be easier than making you use your bracelet.

[Linhardt pulls a pen and a piece of paper from his bag, then quickly sketches a serviceable map for Dedue, complete with a crown for Dimitri's residence.]

I'm sure he'll tell you if he wants you to do anything.

[That is how their relationship worked, wasn't it?]

[deduety]

...It takes time to sort out the truth. A longer time still for people to come to believe and accept it. It is not something that can happen overnight.

[Something he remembers more or less discussing with Sylvain, once. A man so capable of being clever and yet absurd at the same time.

The map is taken, and he tilts his head faintly as he looks at Linhardt.]

I am certain he will not. But I will attempt to determine it anyway.

...Thank you for your assistance, Linhardt. I will not keep you.

[idratherbeasleep]

It does. Too much time. If I'd just had more time...

[There had been surprisingly little Linhardt had been missing. But it had been enough. Just enough that he hadn't put together what was happening. Just enough that they made some huge mistakes.]

But, as you said, there is little point in ruminating on the impossible. I wish you luck, Dedue.

[And just like that, the conversation is over. Linhardt turns away, trying to quiet his mind down. It's not going well. He sighs and puts the pillow over his head, blocking out the world.]