ercookies | TDM 010: PARTNER UP, PARTNER

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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.

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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.

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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). ]

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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.

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N A V I G A T I O N

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

An hour ago... so he really isn't used to things at all, and now he's (mostly) naked. No wonder he's staring at Ashe like he's grown a second head.

Ashe looks over at said painting, and can't help but blush a little, because it really is an incredible likeness of Dimitri and maybe he shouldn't be staring.

He tears his eyes away, back to Felix.

"Ah... this place can be pretty jarring at first, but it gets easier, mostly!" The extremely casual and open sexuality has been difficult for Ashe to get used to, but he slowly is. Slowly. "Do you want me to help look for your clothes?"

Well, Ashe seems like himself at least. Felix can feel a little relief seeping in. This isn't just some weird sexy hellscape. Just weird.

"It gets easier?" He echoes, a little incredulous, "Just... how long have you been here? Didn't you go back to the capitol with Dimitri and Dedue? Dedue is also here, by the way, he arrived along with me. I... figure you'd want to know."

Oh Ashe, always willing to help. Felix hates to admit he's grown to more than just tolerate him, there's a tiny little Ashe-shaped soft spot. Not that he'd ever admit it.

"Yes, thank you."

Ashe understand that Felix has a lot of questions - it's a lot to take in! Also, Dedue is here, too... it's a surprise, but Ashe is glad to know.

"Let's start by finding out where your clothes are... I'll explain on the way."

He finds a robot not far away and asks about it; soon they are directed to the laundry. As they walk, Ashe talks.

"I've been here a few months now, along with several of the others. Some of our... classmates from other houses are here as well." He hesitates to say, "enemies." There's a truce now, after all. "All of us seem to remember different things... Including different sides winning the war. Though, for me..." He rubs the back of his neck. "I don't even remember the war ending. We were on our way to Fort Merceus."

He looks back at Felix. "You said I went back to Fhirdiad? With Dedue and His Highness?"

"What a perplexing place." Mismatched memories, different ones entirely. It takes a lot to wrap his head around it.

"Yes. You did, from what I remember. There was still a lot of work to be done, but it had been a few months and everyone was working on settling. One minute I was riding with Sylvain and the next-" He makes a vague sweeping gesture, "Ocean."

"The other houses mostly joined us, I assume that differs greatly though from what you've heard from the others? It's so strange. This place is too real to be a dream, but I have no better explanation."

"They joined us?" That's... a surprise. He doesn't remember many of them joining them at all - everyone stuck with their own homelands, for the most part. At least until Claude convinced the Leicester Alliance to merge back with the Kingdom, anyway, after which several of the old Golden Deer joined on in the fight against the Empire.

But, well, everyone remembers something a little differently. It's perplexing, like Felix said.

"But yes... I thought I would wake up from it too, at first, but it really is real."

"Oh Goddess." Felix mumbles, mostly to himself. "It really is real." Ashe wouldn't lie to him. Ashe wouldn't- he's Ashe.

"Am I going to have to-" Wait does that mean Ashe is also doing... things here? Not that he's not incapable, but it's just strange to imagine it. Why is he imagining it?

"I have got to get out of here." Like having to have sex is somehow the worst possible fate? It sounds ridiculous even in his own head. "Are you okay?" He looks okay, but who knows?

Yes, Felix, Ashe has been doing things here. Though maybe not as many things as he could be doing to actually get good rewards, but that's neither here nor there.

"Ah, yes, I'm fine!" he assures quickly, holding his hands up. "No one's made me do anything I didn't want to- well, sometimes there are aphrodisiacs, but... but everyone here has been very understanding, so don't worry!"

If Felix is really that repulsed by the idea, Ashe is sure they could find some kind of compromise. If nothing else, he could let the rest of them buy him things and make sure he gets food.

Ashe is cast a very concerned look before Felix simply accepts that answer. He doesn't seem harmed at the very least, which is more than Felix could really ask for in a situation.

"Well, I guess if you're okay." He has to admit feeling a touch protective. Repulsion isn't the issue for Felix, it's inexperience. "I guess if it has to be done, it's just strange how casual everyone is about it."

It was never something Felix held sacred, he never subscribed to those overly-romantic ideals, but he certainly hadn't gone out of his way to experiment.

And that protectiveness is exactly what Ashe likes about Felix. It's sweet, and reassuring - like the knight in the story! Except he's already told Felix that, so he doesn't again. Just... smiles, hoping he can be reassuring.

"It took some getting used to for me as well." He blushes, but doesn't turn away. "Everyone talks really openly about it here... at first it felt, hmm..." He frowns at that, searching for the word. "Irreverent, I suppose. Those sorts of things should stay between couples... but then, I suppose Sylvain never shied away from the topic!"

Which he's sure Felix knows even better than he does. Sylvain sure is... something.

"But that's what I meant, that it gets easier... everyone's in the same boat, so most people do their best to take it in stride."

Ashe is a good barometer for a lot of situations. He's pragmatic despite having a little idealistic streak every now and then. If he's not panicking, Felix can allow himself a little wiggle room perhaps. No immediate physical threats here. Just breathe.

"I'm not really one to get all fussy about those kinds of things. Not usually. It's just not really something I've ever had to consider. At all." The mention of Sylvain gets a soft snort. "Yeah he didn't shy away from much. He'd probably like it here." Sylvain was in a word, unrelenting.

"I guess that's all anyone can do, isn't it? Outside of trying to escape of course."

"Right. Though, I don't think anyone's figured out escaping, yet. Not for a lack of trying!"

Ashe has a feeling it will just involve reviving the city enough. So maybe completing these "bingos" will help, if they can.

Not that he would want to impose that on anyone. He worries about his friends, being here, far more than himself.

"But, I guess it's something you will have to consider eventually, being a noble and all..." Ashe remembers himself, biting his lip. "Ah, sorry, that's rude to say."

"Uhg. Yes, everyone loves to remind me of my noble duty." It seems that Felix himself isn't terribly keen on the idea of reproducing though. Whatever allowed him to not follow in his father's footsteps would be more ideal. "To be honest, I don't really care if the Fraldarius line ends with me."

Maybe that's terrible or selfish of him, but that has never really mattered when Felix opens his mouth before. He does however, feel slightly bad for almost snapping at Ashe.

"It's fine." He says, not sounding all that convincing, but he'd rather not scare the archer off. "I doubt I'd make a good father anyways."

It seems he overstepped. Ashe feels bad for dredging up something that would put Felix in a bad mood (well, worse than normal) - he doesn't want to do that.

"Ah, I'm sorry." He apologizes, even if Felix says it's fine. Even though he doesn't agree, that Felix would be a bad dad, necessarily. "It's not my business."

He worries his lip a little, and can't bite back the next part.

"It is sad, though... when a family line dies."

Goddess knows he tries, but it's incredibly hard to stay mad at Ashe. He's mild and gentle and far too cheerful, all of those things tend to annoy him in one way or another, but in the right combination he's simply no match.

"Is it? It's not like my ancestors are alive to care weather or not I carry on any tiresome traditions. If it weren't for the business of passing down Crests, nobles would be little more than lucky people who were born into fortune pretending to be better than everybody else."

Ashe has plenty of thoughts about the duty of the nobility to the common people, and their place in protecting those who have less and helping them prosper, but, well... he has a feeling Felix doesn't want to hear any of that right now.

Besides, it's not like Ashe really knows how it works. The fact that Castle Gaspard, and all the lands with it, will fall to him to care for is already daunting enough to think about.

"I suppose. Like I said, it's your decision... I'm sure someone else would take on the care of Fraldarius."

He still sounds... a little unsure. But they are coming up on the laundry now.

Maybe it's just that Ashe has a placating effect on him, or something else, he's really not sure, but he takes a deep breath and rubs a hand over his face.

"I don't know. I'm sorry. Things are just weird."

Weird, naked, and stressful. Not a combination he'd have ever expected, but at the very least, he has a friend here and that's more than he could ask for. As much as he hates to admit it, it's comforting. Ashe's voice doesn't grate against him like many he could name.

"Ah yes, they certainly are. But hopefully we can find your clothes!"

Ashe is more than willing to move on from that topic, especially since Felix seems... pretty worked up right now, in a bad way. Maybe he'll feel better once he's not wearing only a towel.

"Let's see..."

He's just going to ignore the robots and start looking through the clothes.

Felix follows suit, rifling through piles of clothes, none of them his own, but he holds them up to himself to check the fit, discarding them as he goes. He does find some boxers that fit comfortably enough, and a comparable pair of pants.

Ah- he already feels better having something covering his bottom half.

"Oh- hand me that shirt would you?" He points to a long-sleeved turtleneck in a pile near where Ashe is looking.

At last, a hooded jacket to complete things. He has to admit, they are comfortable, and the seams dont catch like they do with most of the clothes in Fodlan.

He does so, then pauses to watch as Felix pulls the shirt over his head. The clothes are foreign, though Ashe has seen more like it since coming here so it's not that unusual to him now, but seeing them on Felix...

He looks... good. Ashe feels himself flush, and he busies himself with finding his own clothes - he'd only come here wearing a pair of pants and an undershirt, but he'd still like to hold on to anything that is his here. Thankfully he finds them.

"Those clothes suit you," is what he says when he finally finds his voice again.

"Hm. I suppose they'll do." Which is Felix language for 'thank you'. "They're made very well it seems." He turns, testing out his range of movement, once he's satisfied he goes digging for a few changes of clothes as well.

"Aha-!" He pulls his own outfit from the bottom of a clean basket. "Finally!" He'll wear the new ones for now, but it's nice to find his own things at last. On top of that, he does manage to find his boots and leathers up on a shelf.

"Wow, they really did clean everything." Even the leather has a new shine to it. "Not that I'm going to let that butter me up. I appreciate you taking me here."

"Yes, it seems in the future people have more efficient ways of making clothes." It's pretty nice, actually! The fabric feels smoother than back home.

But he's glad Felix found his own clothes - it's good to have a couple changes here, in case something happens.

"It was no trouble; I'm glad you were able to find your clothes, and some new pairs as well."

He gets into his own clothes, discarding his towel into one of the "dirty" baskets.

"Yes, myself as well. I do prefer at least having a bit of myself preserved." He still wants to find his swords, but that can come later, he supposes.

"I won't trouble you further then, Ashe. I do... appreciate your help though." He winces like thanking someone physically hurts.

Ashe doesn't mind the wince - he's used to Felix's ~~tsundere~~ mannerisms by now.

"You're welcome! And if you need anything else, get in touch! I'll help where I can."

With... food and stuff, he means. Not necessarily... well, the other stuff. Not when Felix seems so put off by it...

"Of course." He assumes Ashe means food and supply. He can't imagine Ashe meaning anything else, and he hates that his mind even goes there. It must be this accursed place already infecting him, he decides.

"You as well. I will surely see you... later." Right. Such an odd situation to be in. Ashe is his usual mild self though, so Felix can't really direct any of his annoyance at the archer. He simply bids him farewell and strides back down the hall for the exit.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TDM 010: PARTNER UP, PARTNER

00. Arrival

I. Laid Bare Basics

II. Tattoo to You, Too

III. Creepy Crawly Caterpillar Crawl

Re: spa!

Re: spa!

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