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TDM 010: PARTNER UP, PARTNER
| 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 |
no subject
It's...bearable.
[By his relatively skewed standards.
But since it has now been acknowledged, Xiao allows himself to lose some of his bravado. He doesn't give into desire to clench his fists as he had earlier, nor does he vocalize the pain beyond a barely audible groan, but he does lose his composed posture, dipping his chin and pulling his arms tightly to his side.
This conversation, at least, offers him a point of focus that keeps his attention off of the increasing sensation of burning, so when he answers, it's with more patience than he might otherwise afford.]
I am acquainted with [a hint of a pause as Xiao maintains control over his reactions to the tattoo] all who pass through Liyue. No monster can survive my spear, no [another pause, longer this time] demon can withstand m-my -
[Xiao has a flair for the dramatic and would love to regale Diluc with a speech about how Seen he and the rest of Liyue truly is, but it's remarkably difficult to elucidate at length when the tattoo is only getting more painful.
So he clips his lengthy explanation and instead finishes with:]
No one escapes the watchful eye of the adepti.
[Not even you, Diluc.]
no subject
The pieces aren't all quite there, but something approaching understanding clicks in the back of Diluc's mind. He knows of the ruling archon and divine servants of Liyue—there is no secret to the rich history of the country, readings which Diluc has done long before ever stepping foot in the land.
As to which of the adepti this young man might be ("man" now being used to refer to his appearance moreso than his metaphysical makeup), his speech and attire are something of a hint. (A warrior that vanquishes demons...) Nevertheless, this is well enough outside Diluc's expertise that he refrains from crystallizing a conclusion right away, on so little basis.
More urgently, there's a shift in this stranger's demeanor, fractures in his composure as the pain seems to best his demonstration of stoic restraint. (Again, all too familiar to Diluc.) ]
It seems no one is able to escape the clutches of this island, either.
[ Human, Visionbearer, adepti... Forgive his bluntness, but he's now deeply contemplating how they've all been swept up and stranded, without prejudice, on this scrap of rock, mist and ocean. ]
I'm afraid your affliction will only grow worse should you choose to ignore it. If you're inclined to trust me, then know that I've already tried.
[ He pauses, but not for too long, because simply talking at him isn't going to resolve anything. And while he ought to be careful where he extends his help, Diluc is not so heartless that he'll ignore a plea (however unspoken) right in front of him. His father had not raised him to be that way. ]
—What is it you need? Or rather, what does your mark indicate.
[ What could a powerful immortal possibly desire...? Diluc doesn't exactly have the confidence he can be of any service at all, but it would be remiss of him not to offer it. (And from a purely practical standpoint, it would be better to help an adeptus than to potentially make an enemy of them.)
...Though, from the way this one behaves, Diluc wonders if he'll cause affront all the same. ]
no subject
Trust is irrelevant. [Though he can, at least, recognize that this man is offering assistance whereas others might expect the opposite, such as a blessing or some other form of adepti guidance.] There is nothing you can do for me.
[As though his desire is something ethereal, unattainable, impossible for a mere human to accomplish. He bolsters this statement by standing there unmoving, staring at Diluc as though there is some fault in his offering, as though he is behaving loftily for even considering he could provide what the tattoo purports to understand about Xiao's basest most desires.
It's rather dramatic of him.
Especially because once he decides to brandish the mark on his arm with a put-upon sigh - thinking that once he shows it off, the man's curiosity will be satiated and he will cease with the well-meaning advice - he reveals it to be the incredibly simple image of one hand atop another.
Xiao doesn't want for much. He doesn't need food or sleep. He doesn't desire human comforts. He is content with his role, regardless of the toll it takes. He needs nothing beyond his ability to fight - and the duty he must perform.
And yet...
But that is not for this human to concern himself with. And to make that abundantly clear:]
Humans are not meant to stay in the company of adepti for long.
[Let alone touch them.
Of course, those are the rules of their world, not this one - and even back in his own world, there were exceptions that did not result in catastrophe. Specifically, his time with the Traveler, and his time spent at Wangshu Inn. But exceptions are merely that: exceptions. They are not meant to become the norm.]
no subject
He won't presume to know which it is, nor will he be deterred in the slightest by his extravagant claims. (Guess who else is needlessly stubborn... This guy right here...) ]
I haven't found reason yet to believe the "Augur" makes such discernment.
[ They've been gathered here for the same purpose, and so Diluc speculates the same rules that apply to him apply to all arrivals.
He holds out his hand, beckoning the other to take it. ...He's curious, after all. (Perhaps a little overly confident in himself, but surely he's survived worse?) ]
Regardless, I'd like to see the results for myself. If you'll indulge this human a simple experiment.
[ His fingers curl out, fully revealing his open palm. ]
I assure you I'll be on my way soon enough.
no subject
But can he be blamed for his resistance? To have spent lifetimes avoiding contact, existing merely to fight through darkness, only to have all of that nullified? At least, back in his world, the breaking down of his barriers had been gradual, careful, the Traveler worming his way into Xiao's presence with almond tofu and thinly veiled requests for protection.
But this?
He looks at Diluc's hand with disapproval.]
You should not be so eager to cast aside the old ways merely because you are in a new land.
[Despite his words, he moves to take it.
It feels like giving in, when he forces himself to reach out his hand. It feels like an acceptance he doesn't want to offer - an acknowledgement that he isn't bound to his duty here, that the ways of the adepti hold little worth. When his fingers brush against Diluc's palm, a sense of loss settles within him.
But - no half measures. Xiao has conquered countless threats to Liyue's safety; this is a small hurdle in comparison. He fully commits.
And for better or for worse, as he curls his fingers around Diluc's hand, he feels a little less alone.
It feels warm.
And to avoid further thought on the subject, he speaks again.]
How long before you are satisfied?
[It is easier to glance at his tattoo in expectation than it is to look Diluc in the eye.]
no subject
So perhaps he's a little surprised himself when the young man finally relents, when he realizes the hand placed in his is that much slighter than his own, lighter than what the weight of an immortal's burdens should be.
...It isn't that he touches something divine, but something human. Vulnerable, almost fragile—something to be hidden behind a mask, guarded behind a sharp edge. (He grazes a mirror, a self-projection, and for only a moment he's the one who wishes to withdraw.)
Diluc relaxes instead, bows his head and prudently keeps any observations to himself, his eyes also trained on the tattoo tucked against the crook of the stranger's arm. He may not have familial ties to Liyue, but he'll offer a certain respect just the same. ]
That is dependent on your condition. If your symptoms are not abating, I won't detain you here. You may need to seek another to undo the— [ curse? spell? ] mark.
[ Which... may be difficult given his state. He won't offer to carry him—he has no doubt how terribly received that suggestion might be—but if he has to... he will. ]
no subject
They are —
[Xiao falters. The pain may be fading, but so too does the impulse that led to him to take Diluc's hand in the first place. Xiao feels progressively restless, and stiffens past his initial bravado, especially once he makes the mistake of looking up at Diluc's face rather than keeping his stare trained on his arm.]
Fine. Improving.
[One might expect Xiao to relax as a result, but the slow ebb of painful distraction means his judgement is no longer quite so compromised. He has no choice but to acknowledge what he has done here — what he is still doing — and the simple yet startling fact that he doesn't mind it. That a part of him does want this — an act of comfort, the feeling of being handled with care — when it shouldn't.
Not because of the rules of their world, nor because of the threat that his energy might have posed, but because Xiao's hands are tarnished with lifetimes of slaughter, covered in so much karmic debt that he should withdraw immediately, before subjecting this human to more of it — regardless of any actual consequences (or lack thereof).
He would pull away, but the mere consideration sends a fresh jolt of pain through his tattoo, as though it chides him. So instead, he squeezes Diluc's hand a little tighter, caught up in his internal struggle. When he speaks again, he looks away entirely, off toward the water.]
I will not forget this.
[It's spoken tersely, but he is referring to Diluc's kindness and understanding, for he has been more intuitive and respectful than Xiao would have expected. Were it not for his small sacrifice, Xiao would still be suffering.
Perhaps because those words are yet another step toward accepting this island and its expectations, the burn of the tattoo lessens further.]