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TDM 012: SLINGING IN THE RAIN
| TDM 012: SLINGING IN THE RAIN |
00. Arrival 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. If you don’t manage to get away from them quickly enough, they may even usher you toward the Laid Bare Spa, where new arrivals will be offered free massages, a sauna, hairstyling, and their clothing may come up permanently missing. But you will be given a complimentary towel to leave with if needed! Feel free to explore the Island, though there isn’t much to see beyond what arrivals before you have helped to rebuild. 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 place to live in the now, whether a rundown apartment in the City, a tent on the beach, a bed in the barracks, or your own space at the House of Worship. Your inventory will be found a day later, wrapped up haphazardly and delivered to each person's makeshift home. I. THUNDERBOLTS AND LIGHTNING Erku's new arrivals may not be the only residents left dripping wet. Although the weather on the Island is almost always dreary, clouds begin to multiply and darken over the days before that first arrival, turning ominous shades of purple and blue which may look familiar to Islanders who have been around since Erku's beginnings. Perhaps robots will advise Islanders to fortify their shelters and get ready to accept refugees, and they hope their charges take the warnings to heart! When the rain finally falls, it is a non-stop torrent. Even though the weather is warm, the rain itself chills to the bone. Shacks and beach tents won't stand up to the downpour for long, and the shabby apartments may leak and flood. New arrivals who aren't handy enough to make quick repairs may be forced to take shelter in the homes of current Island residents, or else huddle together in the 12 rooms of the barracks for the full week that rain falls on the Island. Cats, dogs, and little dragons will also be begging Islanders for a warm place to stay! Beware of lightning strikes, too, because the skies rumble with thunder throughout the storm. Buildings and residences are frequently damaged by strikes. They say what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and that's very true on Erku - Islanders who are struck by the lightning might find themselves temporarily blessed with god-like super strength. Such power might not always be a good thing for those who aren't used to wielding it, so please be careful not to damage your friends or property! Islanders may choose to keep their new powers, but a bingo square can be used to wish them away. II. A TASTE OF ERKU In need of shelter and credits? Then the robots have a task for you! Erku's robot population has taken note of how much Islanders seem to love the humble potato, and they want to contribute! Ready as always to please, the robots have filled the hospital cafeteria with mountains of potatoes in every imaginable variety and color: russet, red, gold, purple, chartreuse, sweet, savory, spicy, and so many more! But wait, there's more: they have provided knives, cutting boards, and peelers too, and are eager to see Islanders work their magic in their open cafeteria kitchen! Robots will monitor every dish produced, as they are eager to improve their food replication repertoire. No worries if you aren't culinarily skilled, however. Islanders will be rewarded in credits for whatever they can contribute, whether it's a gourmet meal or simply a basket of peeled potatoes. Robot-provided potato preparations are also freely available to snack on while you work, though as always, they're liable to be spiked with something to encourage Islanders to get more "friendly" with one another. Of particular note is an invention the 'bots are quite proud of, sure to delight your organic tastebuds: the potato cocktail, which packs quite a punch and - strangely enough - tastes just like a hearty steak dinner? III. NOSTALGIA FOODS Seeking a bit of refuge and some comforting food to warm you up? Signs and flyers are out informing residents of the Straight From Home Special going on right now at the Flashbang diner! Come In For All The House Favorites! For the next few days anyone can walk in and receive a free meal (or two if you’re really nice) from the robot cooks behind the counter! And it just so happens that they know exactly what you want. You will be served a meal of your favorite foods from home just the way you like them. Did you tell them? No. How did they know? Don’t bother asking, they’ll just say that the Cook Always Knows. The robot waitresses will make sure your drinks are topped up and you have everything you need, just like any hometown diner or pub you may have heard of. Eating any of the foods will bring out such nostalgia. Feelings of fondness, sadness, longing, anything when you think about the memories of your past and even of recent events. You won’t be able to stop yourself from sharing those thoughts and feelings with those around you. You’ll want to talk about your life, your opinions on the weather, the sex you just had last night and in great detail. The waitresses are listening and so is everyone else nearby. When you leave the diner you might just have to keep on sharing your thoughts about anything that comes to mind. Walk by someone you think is attractive? You’ll have to tell them. Don’t like someone’s outfit? Definitely have to tell them. Suddenly remembering having sex on the beach? Maybe the person next to you on the trolley won’t mind hearing all about it! The effects of the nostalgia will last for half a day or until the completion of an auspicious act. N A V I G A T I O N |
no subject
[He's familiar, but certainly not the same person. Nobody ages in reverse, after all. And the air about him is rather different as well, isn't it? There's a sort of..... lightness to this man, an air of energy he's unaccustomed to. He must just be a poor judge of faces from this particular culture, unused to picking apart the subtle differences in features.
Given the lingering look he'd given Huaisang, it's only fair that the man stare in return, he supposes? Green hair seems to be something of a rarity in many people's worlds here. Even so, he can't help but wince a little at the clear danger of this distraction; Seteth reaches for one of the peelers on the table, offering it over handle-first.]
You may find these more agreeable to use.
no subject
[Huaisang puts down the knife and takes the peeler, holding it up and turning it this way and that to examine it more closely from different angles.]
....What is it? It looks too dull to cut anything.
[Still, he tries anyway, holding the peeler at an awkward angle, and only managing to scrape off just a little bit of peel.]
I'm not sure how to use this.
no subject
[Seteth holds his own up to demonstrate. Just watch his hands and try following along, Huaisang, you'll do just fine.]
no subject
After watching a moment, Huaisang readjusts his grip on the unfamilar tool. It's still not quite perfect but it's much better so when he makes an experimental scrape, more potato peel comes off.]
Oh! I see. That wasn't too hard. This does seem much safer to use than a knife.
no subject
[Seteth nods encouragingly at that. He's surely just as guilty of droning lectures as Old Man Lan, but in this field, at least, demonstration is obviously far superior. Just how long can one talk about the right way to hold kitchen tools, anyway? Now if he were talking about, say, a dagger instead.....]
Indeed. I daresay you'll have plenty of time to practice; if you want your food to be safe, you'll need to spend either time or money on it, if not both.
no subject
[It's a little daunting being on his own like this, honestly. He's lived a pretty sheltered life and never had to really work much for anything.]
I was always too busy learning other things anyway and Brother was pretty strict about me focusing on my studies.
[As he chatters on, Huaisang's peeler moves with growing deftness, finetuning his grip on the tool as he goes. He's always been pretty good with his hands.]
no subject
[What an odd position to be in. The second son of a noble house, as this young man seemed to be, should theoretically have fewer duties they're expected to master. Caspar, for example, had far more freedom than Ferdinand ever did. Or did his brother simply expect him to remain within the family, and help govern their land? Was he the current lord of the house, or did their father have some opinion on the matter?]
no subject
[Huaisang gives a little shrug. He finishes the potato he's peeling then moves on to the next but not before a shadow of sadness dims his easy smile like a cloud blocking the sun. There's a slight frown and a serious, melancholy expression that would be familiar to anyone who'd spent even a few moments with Sect Leader Nie.]
So it fell to me to inherit the sect. There wasn't anyone else so...
[He trails off then sighs.]
I probably shouldn't be telling you any of this. We don't usually talk to outsiders.
[Honestly, the shroud of secrecy all sects seem to accept and follow is kind of stupid. What's wrong with a little cultural exchange? They might even learn something new from each other!]
no subject
[The look is familiar in more than one way, after so many years of overseeing the Academy. This work, at least, isn't urgent; Seteth sets it down to rest an encouraging hand on Huaisang's shoulder.]
no subject
[It would explain how the man seems to know how to approach him. Huaisang doesn't think he's done anything in particular to advertise his station but now that he thinks about it, he supposes his unfamiliarity with this kind of work gives it away. And well, he has been talking somewhat freely about his life at home to pass the time.]
Are there a lot of different people here then? H-How do you talk to them? I don't talk much to people who aren't like me so I don't know any of the usual customs people have. I'm not sure how to address others by rank.
[Hierarchy is important where he comes from and shy, nervous boy that Huaisang is, he stumbles easily sometimes when he socializes, with girls in particular. He doesn't wish to offend but from what he's observed, others seems to do things differently than he does.]
no subject
[He hums thoughtfully at the sudden rain of questions. How to describe this island in those terms?]
Let me put it this way--although our puppet friends acknowledge one known as the Augur as their ruler, we who the Augur spirited away here do not. For us, this land is a lawless one--people here are from too many different worlds for your rank to be honored by everyone.
You may not receive the deference you are accustomed to, but that lack of ceremony comes with a great deal of freedom, as well. People here speak to each other familiarly, but with respect, as equals.
no subject
That sounds like an uncomfortable way to live. And a little frightening, to be honest. How do you ensure others do not take advantage of those smaller and weaker than them without law and order? It seems a little naive to assume that everyone would share the same values and view each other as worthy of respect. And it seems a little foolish to disregard the rule of a being powerful enough to bring so many different people here.
[He's not typically this blunt, especially with an elder, but he might as well test this theoretical freedom, familiarity, and equality right away so see if it holds water.]
no subject
[Seteth can only shake his head at that, his own expression sobering a little; if nothing else, here's one person he doesn't need to stand on formality with. He wishes he could trust everyone to share such noble ideals and good intentions. But he's seen the wickedness Nemesis had turned humanity to during his reign, hadn't he?
Theft, assault, murder, betrayal, unchecked cruelty. Chaos and destruction at every turn. A wanton corruption of all that was good and pure in human nature. Just the thought of those days is enough to turn his stomach. This is a different place, with different people--it's entirely possible the outcome would be different. But how can anyone ever truly know? What reason does he have to trust in something better? And yet, what choice does he have but to pray that he's wrong?]
But there is little choice in the matter. The only one here with enough power to enforce their will is the Augur, and most do not appreciate such tyranny. Anything else could only be accomplished through persuasion--including bringing such different people together to create structure out of whole cloth.