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]

[There is the small, selfish part of him that does wish he'd been present for when Dimitri had been healed of those things, naturally. But more importantly, he's glad for him. He doesn't fight the small, warm smile that forms on his face.]

Forgive me. There is much I would like to ask you, but it is a relief to know you have been well taken care of, Your Highness. Knowing that your suffering has been lessened makes this situation more palatable.

[He'll put up with that much more, knowing that Dimitri has been healed to some degree. The mental scars will always be the hardest to adjust to, but he does look much improved in so many ways.]

Will you allow me to cook for you soon, then?

[madjesty]

[ Cook? Normally, Dimitri would be against that, because it sounds too much like immediately rushing into serving, but he understands that's not the case-- or at least, not entirely. It's simply how Dedue shows he cares.

Allowing him to do so is how Dimitri returns the sentiment. ]

Of course. [ Said with a nod, his smile wide and just as warm. ] If that is what you wish to do, then I will be happy to properly taste your cooking, my friend.

[ And he really means it, genuine as always. Who wouldn't call themselves fortunate to be able to eat a meal made by someone of such famed skill? ]

Ah, but we should probably discuss whatever other questions you have elsewhere. Or were you intending on heading inside the spa...?

[ That... sounds like a worse idea, please let's just go somewhere else!! ]

[deduety]

Then it is a day I look forward to.

[And everything else can just be accepted. Truly, Dimitri looks much better than he has in sometime. For all that Dedue has endured, it suddenly feels as though it's been worth it.

If Dimitri can even have the slightest peace of mind, then so be it.]

Wherever you wish to be, I will follow. Before I saw you, I'd had every intention of leaving in any case.

[madjesty]

[ Ah, guess it is too much to ask that Dedue doesn't immediately resume his servitude to him even under these circumstances, isn't it? Dimitri is no king here, and even back home, he would rather be seen as a friend, but... well. For now, he doesn't mind leading. ]

We will leave for the moment, in that case. There is a mural inside that is... in quite poor taste, as it is.

[ Does this just make Dedue more curious than offer proper answers? Maybe. And if he asks, he'll tell him. But for now, he'll start leading them the heckie away from there and towards his manor! ]

That aside, I hope you have not run into too much trouble while on your own. I tried to find you as soon as I could.

[deduety]

[It is a comfortable thing for him to immediately fall into line. To him, this place would be much, much harder to endure without Dimitri's presence.]

Hardly surprisingly. I would not force you back inside.

[omg a whole manor]

Not terribly. Most were quite informative and helpful.

Do not feel responsible. If anything, I apologize for not finding you sooner.