TDM 013: BARING IT ALL

[erkumods]

TDM 013: BARING IT ALL

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. THROW IN A TOWEL? Erku's new arrivals may be encouraged to seek out the Laid Bare Massage & Spa for some specialized attention and relaxation, but they and long-time inhabitants will also be offered a chance to earn credits. Anyone interested in earning robot wages will be tasked with being the resident towel person! You’ll stand inside of the room while the patrons are receiving their massages, hot scrubs, or relaxing in one of the saunas holding towels for them should any be requested. Or you may be asked to help with the regular cleaning of the Spa, wiping down all of the tasteful nude statues to free them of the grime and filth (or… other things) that builds up over time. You might even be asked to help lovingly clean the murals of nude patrons (that is to say, fellow Islanders) all over the Spa. But this is a job that requires a very specific uniform. Robots will provide you with your very own chiton or toga. The chitons happen to be very short, not covering nearly as much as they reveal, but the togas might be entirely too long. They brush or drag along the floor and what with being barely held together with the thinnest and most fanciful of ropes, who knows how often they might be untucked? Take care, please, or else the robots might pull you into being the next model for their latest mural portrait instead. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● II. GRIN AND BARE IT Erku’s resident mental health professional, Dr. D. Love of Healthy Body, Healthy Mind Therapy Center, has taken a keen interest in ensuring that the relationships of you Islanders are progressing in a productive, healthy, and open-minded fashion. And to ensure this, he’s tasked his robot staff to pay close attention to anyone who looks like they are having trouble with relationships with other people on the Island. And after months of so few (none) clients, these robots are very motivated to seek out people in need of their therapeutic assistance! Arguing with a friend? Telling someone to stay out of your life? Being a hermit who refuses to come out of your apartment? Accidentally bump into each other on the street? Make a joke at your friend’s expense? Playfully punch someone in the shoulder? Walk by someone you don’t know and not tell them hello? Well clearly all of you need help in repairing whatever may be damaging your relationships! Before you know it, you’ve been bundled off by the robots right to Dr. D. Love’s office and sat down to talk it all out. The fact that you may not even know the other person the robots think you need to work your troubles out with doesn’t matter. Dr. D. Love is here to make sure everyone goes home happy and satisfied. You may have to play along with this confusing farcical situation, even making up wrongs and slights you claim you have done to one another before finally coming together in reconciliation. The more you deny there is anything wrong, the more the good Doctor will insist you need even more help than they first thought. They might even have to send you into one of their Privacy Rooms and work out your frustrations with each other with their wide array of therapeutic sexual devices and supplies. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● III. BARE NAKED AMUSEMENT TOUR The trolley is making its rounds as usual with announcements echoing from the loudspeakers that it’s Bare It All Week at Six Flagellants Amusement Park and to kick it off there will be a grand concert at the Loudinus Outdoor Amphitheater that lasts all week long! Not sure what that means? Well, come to the concert and enjoy hours and hours of music played by robots who seem to have taken their songs right from the pop rock crazes of old. Whose old? Who knows. The music may not be completely to your taste, but something about it may make you feel energized and overly dressed. You might even feel the need to strip down until you’re not wearing anything at all! But don’t worry, the robots performing on stage will give you new clothes to wear by throwing skimpy, sexy underwear and lingerie right at you! How did they know your size? Don’t ask questions, just give into the urge to put it on while you rock out until it’s time for the trolley to take everyone right to the gates of the amusement park! Anyone dressed in less for this week will receive free entry, rides, and food and might even receive special prizes at various booths of sex toys, candies that act as an aphrodisiac (meant for sharing of course), stuffed animals, or even a free sex doll! Those are super hard to win from the ring toss, so you should really take advantage and enjoy all the perks of baring yourself for everyone’s viewing pleasure. ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

Wildcarding this

[unimpeachable]

When he'd decided to take a walk along the beach, it had been to take some time to think about things that had been happening, but finding a young woman in white robes standing on the shoreline, water dripping from her hair has him removing his outer robe to offer her a dry layer to cover herself with.

"Have you just arrived?" Given his own arrival the previous month, he's assuming yes, but the people here do have a tendency to be odd sometimes.

[souperjie]

She gasps and coughs out more of the seawater. Yanli shakes as the white robes are wrapped around her. She nods.

"Yes, I've...I've just arrived."

Her son. A-Xian. A-Cheng. She looks back out at the sea, over the horizon and just keeps herself from running into the water.

"How do we leave? I have--"

She turns to him and confusion crosses her features. Forehead band but it's...different than what she's used to.

[unimpeachable]

"I'm afraid leaving isn't a choice we make ourselves once we've arrived here." He offers a proper bow though, before straightening.

"I can take you somewhere to get warm and dry though."

[souperjie]

She bows back, remembering her manners. Warm and dry was probably a good thing. She can't return to her family with a cold or pneumonia. Reluctantly, Yanli nods. She still looks back over the ocean, her heart breaking at the prospect of leaving her family behind.

"My family needs me. I can't leave them alone back there."

[unimpeachable]

He's quiet for a moment before speaking again in response to her statement to hopefully allay her concerns. "I've been told that those who come here do not actually disappear from their homes. Those I'm familiar with have no memory of my disappearance at the time I arrived here. I don't know if that will help, but it seems to be the way of things."

[souperjie]

She looks back at him. He's a Lan. Which one, she isn't quite sure. But Lans cannot lie. Yanli nods stiffly and follows him, reaching up to wipe at her face. It's hard to tell if the salty wetness on her cheeks are her tears or leftovers from the ocean that spat her out here. She shivers and pulls the white robe around her more tightly.

[unimpeachable]

He pauses at the edge of the beach, turns to look at her for a moment. "May I ask your name. There may be those who would recognize you here and it would make it easier to locate them."

[souperjie]

Those who would recognize her?

Zixuan? Her heart beats a little faster at potentially being reunited with her husband.

"Jiang Yanli," she replies. "And yours, Lan-gongzi?"

[unimpeachable]

That has his expression turning confused, appraising her for a long moment before actually registering her question.

"Ah, you're...Jin-furen?" Because he needs to verify this.

[souperjie]

"...my husband is--was Jin Zixuan," she says quietly. It still makes her heart clench. It hadn't been long since his body had been brought back. A fresh wave of tears slip down her cheeks. She sniffles and reaches up to dab at her face. "Your name, gongzi?"

[unimpeachable]

"..I'm sorry for your loss." Because what else can he say. He remembers that incident, remembers what it led to and he takes a moment before responding. "I apologize for my delay in answering your question but I am Lan Xichen, although I may not resemble the one you're familiar with, given the Jin-furen I remember was rather different in appearance."

[souperjie]

Lan Xichen? She looks him over again. He looks...somewhat similar to Zewu Jun but not...exactly like him. She gives a small bow.

"Thank you for your assistance, then, Zewu-Jun," she says. "How are you...like this?"

[unimpeachable]

"I arrived a month ago. So far everyone I've encountered from where i come from looks exactly as expected but there are those who've been here long who may have encountered others." Xichen explains quietly.

"This place is strange, though, so it seems anything may be possible."

[souperjie]

Anything might be possible...Yanli mulls that thought over for a moment or two. Depending on what kind of palace this is, maybe she could make a case for a-Xian to be brought here...he's lost his way back home, this may be the new start he would need. Or perhaps she would see her beloved here again.

[unimpeachable]

"There's a cafe near here that has a teleportation array that will allow me to transport to the Unclean Realm. You may also be able to borrow some dry clothing there until yours can dry." Xichen offers as he starts walking again, glancing over his shoulder at her.

"And we can...discuss other matters when you've had some time to settle in."

[souperjie]

"Other matters?"

Cafe? Teleportation array? The Unclean Realm is here as well? Her head spins a little at the information that he's providing to her.

[unimpeachable]

"It's a restaurant that serves desserts and drinks. Some of the people who come from home work there and i thought the teleportation array would be simpler than walking you all the way across the city." Xichen explains quietly.

"Most of what you may find familiar is within the boundaries of the Unclean Realm's area, though."

[souperjie]

"Does that mean that Chifeng Zun is there? How...how is the Unclean Realm here?" she asks.

Her head is swimming and Yanli feels sick. She takes a few deep breaths and presses a hand to her forehead to make everything stop spinning. There's so much information.

[unimpeachable]

"We can address that after you have a chance to sit down and rest." Xichen's voice is quiet, although he's not touching her without permission, even if he falls back beside her to offer an arm before pausing.

"Would you allow me to carry you? You might feel better that way."

[souperjie]

She shakes her head but takes his arm all the same.

"Carrying would be improper, Zewu-Jun," she reminds him.

it's true that she needs to sit down to understand and cope with what is happening around her.

"A-Cheng? A-Xian? Are they here?"

[unimpeachable]

Xichen merely nods before addressing the question as he matches his pace to hers while they continue toward the cafe. "I'm afraid not, although Jin Guangyao is present as well as myself, Nie Huaisang, and Da-Ge, at least of those you'd be familiar with, Jin-furen. The others you'll meet later."

[souperjie]

"Will they be different like you?" she asks.

Yes, his presence is familiar but it is different enough that she would not be as familiar with him. The names would be familiar. And perhaps their personalities would be familiar to her.

[unimpeachable]

"They're the ones I know on sight, so they may not be as familiar to you but you'll meet A-Yao when we reach the cafe. He will..probably be in unfamiliar clothing but he retains the mark of the Jin sect." Xichen guides her down the street, gesturing ahead to the approaching cafe.

"He works to help out Xiao Xingchen daozhang."

[souperjie]

She keeps the robe tightly clenched around her.

"Xiao Xingchen is here too?"

She'd never met him but she had heard of his reputation.

[unimpeachable]

"He is, yes. Are you familiar with him?" Xichen glances at her.