ercookies | TDM 012: SLINGING IN THE RAIN

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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N A V I G A T I O N

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It's a very good kiss, no matter that it seemed clear to Gen that Senku had no experience. That wasn't important at all - it's still Senku. Someone who Gen had concluded must have been utterly uninterested in romance, and he had decided to be okay with that. Except now, he was confessing in turn, and there was this, and.

... It still sucked that they'd both been kidnapped, obviously, but Gen still selfishly felt better. Would've done so even if Senku didn't return his feelings, because together, they could tackle anything. But knowing Senku felt something for him in turn was phenomenal.

His smile was bright, and he laughed softly. "Hello, Senku-chan. How long have you really been waiting? I've only been -"

The wet clothes he was in made him shiver involuntarily, beating out his urge to suppress them, and he winced. "- Ah, perhaps we should get inside after all."

"Few weeks." Senku said as he beckoned Gen inside, getting the door for him and letting him come where it was warm and dry.

"I'll get you anything you want." Senku promised.

"Grab a seat. I'll take a break and sit with you." His tail was still twitching, that fluffy ball betraying what a good mood he was in.

With the huge bombshells of Senku being alive and then Senku returned his feelings having hit Gen, leaving him scrambling a bit after that explosion - well, he had a few braincells free now to appreciate the little bunny tail.

And the ears.

Senku was cute. Help.

"Anything?" Gen couldn't help but ask cheekily, but then looked confused all over again. "A few weeks? You couldn't have been abducted too long before I had been, though? We were just ..."

Did he have to say it?

"We were just...?" Senku asked, tilting his head a little bit, encouraging Gen to continue, while also pointing at the menu.

"And yes, anything you want." He said with a bit of a teasing smile. He had a bracelet on just like Gen likely did, so he had been through a similar process as Gen.

He'd at least adapted to the outfit he was wearing by the time Gen arrived.

Perhaps someone (like Ryusui) would've been able to take all of this in stride, especially given the confession. That sort of shameless flirt would be able to just say, 'but you're not on the menu.'

It rattled around Gen's brain instead, a comment he discarded as he looked at the facts. Senku had adapted to the outfit and the heels and at least had done enough networking or interactions to get a job here, willingly or through coercion. His body language seemed relaxed enough, though, so perhaps it was willing. Hm. When in Rome, perhaps? What other jobs would be available on an island like this, after all?

"What's the last thing you remember?" Gen prompted Senku, instead of answering his question.

"You didn't answer my question." That didn't escape Senku's notice and he leaned against the table.

"You should tell me what you want so I can take a break." He tapped his toe a bit on the ground.

"These shoes are brutal." He said, straightening again. "Want me to pick something for you?"

"And now you're avoiding mine, my dear," Gen said, and decided - things were weird enough. What would really be the worst that would happen, if he said this and Senku didn't know what he was talking about? What would it even mean? Another mystery they'd have to solve together.

"Mmm, very well. The last thing I remember was almost being petrified, again, but at least it would've stopped the Americans, hmm?" Gen smiled innocently. "Seemed rather dark to talk about on our first date. If you've been here for a little bit - I'll trust you to pick out a tasty lunch for me, Senku-chan."

Edited 2021-04-19 06:07 (UTC)

"Hm." Senku commented without really commenting on Gen's report and he nodded. "Give me a minute."

He disappeared behind the counter for a few moments. He could suppose that the Americans were still a problem but the petrification was new. Meaning his trip to Manaus, which was where they were heading was at least somewhat fruitful.

Senku moved about, making them both a green tea latte and put in an order for Gen. He went back to his table to drop the drinks off and disappeared again.

Manaus, and then what? They'd need resources. Araxa? Maybe. At some point the Americans caught up though, but the petrification...either they found a Medusa that worked, or they fixed one. Interesting.

He finally came back, a thick piece of chocolate cake that he set in front of Gen and a plate of omurice. He set it down and pulled out the ketchup bottle and drew a little bunny on top, adorable whiskers and all.

Senku sat down across from him, slid out of the shoes and sipped his latte.

Gen looked at him as he - for the uninitiated - appeared not to react at all, focusing on work. But the Mentalist's eyebrows raised. No rolled eyes, no sarcastic little quip. No, 'is that all?'

"That's news to you, then," Gen realized, informing him of this as he came back with his lunch. "And you can't be from my future, somehow, because you clearly haven't been petrified. How am I from yours?"

... He couldn't help but giggle a little at the ketchup bunny. Gen supposed he'd be good and eat his main course first, before dessert, like a boring person. He dug into the omelette. "You've got hidden talents I never knew of~"

"You're from my future, clearly." Senku hummed. "And likely more than a few weeks, I should think." He sipped his latte.

"I just built the motorcycles, we took off across the desert." Senku informed him, because it was only fair and he didn't keep secrets from Gen anyway.

"So I can guess our trip to Manaus is fruitful in some way...and as an educated guess I can suggest we'd go to Araxa next, but I am sure I'm missing details. The Americans caught up." He summarized.

"I'm not that surprised." Of course he wasn't. His brow furrowed though, he was worried about it.

"Petrification..." He turned the cup in his hands and looked at Gen suddenly. "Accident, or last resort?"

"You just built - a lot more than a few weeks," Gen agreed, surprised.

He bit his lip, his performance as the cheerful Mentalist dropping completely for a time. It wasn't a laughing matter, really. There's a reason he had gawked at Senku, relieved to see him alive. And, fine, every time travel movie or book he'd ever seen said that telling someone the future never ended well. Ever. But ...

... How could've things gone any worse?

"Last resort," Gen said, quietly. "Again, you can understand then why I thought it was a rather dire topic."

He was expecting that to be the answer but he couldn't help the way his shoulders slumped. The frown was likely familiar, in those moments before everything would go to shit in the future, Senku was wearing this very expression.

He looked tired. He looked miserable. He looked his age for a change, like the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

Senku sat back a bit and took another sip, letting it relax him. Things around here had various effects.

"Got it." He responded finally. He didn't really need further details. He could only imagine what would cause them to pull that drastic trigger.

"In the meantime." He said, while they couldn't do anything about that, or continue their game of four dimensional chess such as it was. "We're trapped here. It's an unusual place."

"In the meantime," Gen agreed, because - as much as he ached for Senku, as much as he was worried about his friends - about the entire world - about - there's nothing he could do about that here. Hell. There's nothing he could do about it there, either. He had been dying, and he was about to get petrified. Which would at least solve the dying part.

Gen gave him a wry little smile, just, going to not focus on any of the impending doom at home. "In an unusual place - with unusual work, and animal features, my friend."

There was nothing he could do about it right now. He'll remember, though, for when the future comes to pass.

"I needed a job." He commented. "This whole island is like a sex-based theme park." Senku sighed lightly.

"And the ears come from a parfait I ate. It's kind of a little fun, I guess. I was a fox for a bit too."

"I imagine being a waiter at a maid cafe would be a lot better than other options given at a sex-based theme park," Gen mused, alluding to what he easily imagined people would do for pay here. Not that he was judging. But he did think that would make things rather messy for some people.

Didn't these robots know anything about human psychology?

Dumping heavier things entirely behind him, his little smile turned into an outright grin. "You're awfully cute like this, Senku-chan, but I think you'd be cuter as a fox."

Senku's eyes widened and he blushed darkly. "I was not cute!" He flailed. "People had to adopt me and take me out of the zoo and I had this collar and it wasn't cute at all, and I totally did not enjoy having my ears and tail scratched."

He seemed to be flailing a little bit.

"A-And apparently you could get by without sex, but that's how you get decent living space or whatever. I have an abandoned place...probably flooded but you know, weather, what can you do?"

Gen felt like he was grinning so hard his face hurt. "Oh, I see. So you totally wouldn't enjoy having your ears scratched now, right? Absolutely, positively no chance? I think we'd need to test that. For science."

Sorry, Senku, you've opened yourself up to this.

He blinked. "Err. Well. I suppose I'll need to ... I'd say 'get to work' but that has unfortunate implications, doesn't it?"

Though, honestly, this whole goddamn place was filled with unfortunate implications. Gen wanted to throw a few books at the robots, seriously, educate yourselves. They were going to take perfectly normal people and give them complexes.

He still looked a little flustered at the thought of Gen petting his ears and they twitched, betraying his curiosity to the idea while he huffed. "I don't think you need to do that..."

Senku hummed. "Well I mean...I suppose there's benefit to exploring and someone's suggested we can go home if we fill the card so I suppose there's a need to get on with it, as it were."

He isn't sure what to think about the whole thing.

"I didn't say I needed to. Perhaps I'd like to. And perhaps you'd like to, if only to gain more data," Gen cajoled. "After all, you might want to discover if there's a difference between the magic, hm?"

His eyes went wide. "The robots I spoke with never mentioned that. Hm. You'd think they would? But perhaps they thought I'd want to stay once I was here that long."

Gen considered, even if it was with a little trepidation. "I wonder how quickly I can fill mine, then ..."

His ears twitched again and he blushed lightly. "Fine, if you want to touch them, go ahead. Just don't pull them, they're actually attached to my head." He commented.

He shrugged helplessly. "I don't know why they didn't. Someone told me that. I don't know if they are right or not, but it seems as good as any a way to try at least."

Except that for Senku that was going to be a herculean task, he figured. He sipped his drink.

"I don't know, perhaps you can proposition everyone you meet?"

"I promise to be very gentle with you, Senku-chan," Gen said, teasing but entirely sincere.

Gen hummed. "I suppose it's a good experiment, if nothing else. Though, we'd need to make sure we're filling both our cards so we'd both get home about the same time ..."

Which is why he blinked at Senku. "Ah, my dear ... while I doubt it's entirely practical to remain, ah, strictly monogamous in a prison like this one ... if we both like each other, why not help one another out with our captors' requests?"

"No, I understand the practicality of it." Senku responded easily, sipping his drink again. "It would be entirely unreasonable."

He was less worried about that and more about the fact that Gen would probably have no problem filling his card and he would inevitably drag his feet about it.

"I can't see any reason to decline your assistance."

"Good!" Gen said with a good deal of cheer, despite being in straggly wet hair and soaked-through clothes. And likewise ignoring how not-imposing he was now - he fixed Senku with a look. "Because if you think I'm going home without you, my dear Senku-chan, you're nuts."

Senku chuckled lightly. "That's a matter of debate." His ears were twitching again as though he were a bunnyperson.

"But I appreciate it. I'm going to try, at least, and I know that they reward you if you do what they want. Like improving your living space, that sort of thing, so I've heard."

Edited 2021-04-25 05:10 (UTC)

“That’s how the robots explained it to me,” Gen agreed brightly. “So. Since I’d prefer to live somewhere with a bit more creature comforts - at least something to the standard of the observatory ...”

His expression didn’t change much - cheerful and confident despite his bedraggled appearance - but. He still hesitated.

00. Arrival

I. THUNDERBOLTS AND LIGHTNING

II. A TASTE OF ERKU

III. NOSTALGIA FOODS

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