TDM 002

[erkumods]

TDM 002: IF FOUND PLEASE RETURN TO

( 1 ) Around mid-morning, a message from the Augur appears on bracelets all across the city. "New organisms discovered. Domestication in progress." The wark of a chocobo rises up from the outskirts of the city. Several more join in, forming a charming chorus. And, strangely, this is when new arrivals begin to show up. Beamed in one at a time, scanned en masse, they are processed just as the first wave was. There's one major difference: whereas the old guard was given their bracelets and ushered into the City, the new folks are also given... collars. Buckled, snapped, or otherwise fastened around their necks, a variety of colorful collars with some rather unusual novelty pet tags. (These are just a few suggestions. The typical “If found, please return to ____” is also very much acceptable.) "You are new organisms. Domestication in progress. Compatible Eros energy will complete domestication." No matter how hard they try, characters cannot take the collars off by themselves. They need a partner's help - but not just anyone will do. It very well might be the first person they find, or it might take several tries. The robots grow bolder as the day grows on, targeting characters who aren't new, as well. "Y̶o̶u̴ ̸a̷r̸e̷ ̵o̵r̵g̶a̴n̷i̷s̶m̸s̶.̶ ̶D̷o̶m̴e̴s̶t̶i̶c̵a̸t̶i̸o̴n̸ ̷i̵n̸ ̴p̸r̶o̵g̷r̵e̷s̵s̷." Their antics die down by nightfall, but for the next day or two, the occasional malfunctioning 'bot may accost someone in the street, so stay on your toes! ( 2 ) An abandoned racetrack lights up the night. That's right: place your bets, folks, because these birds are about to run around a track while robots sell synthetic, overpriced aphro-popcorn. ...Did you say priced? That’s right! If you participated in the orgy earlier this month, you'll find you have a stash of credits accessible in your app. You've fucked money back into the world, so why not waste it? (Opportunities to earn credits will come up periodically and won't always be sexual in nature, so don't worry if your character wouldn't have any yet.) And if you don't have credits to bet with, why not get creative? ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● N A V I G A T I O N

Comments

Matt Murdock | DDS2 & The Defenders | OTA

[lawyerbyday]

1) Collars

[The whole process was disorienting for him. From the lift and rise of being taken from the middle of New York to the sudden buzzing of electronics and the sensations of a new environment. It smelled wrong. It felt wrong. The city was in ruins, if it even was a city. The tech running around didn't have the quiet humm he'd come to associate with Stark's armorbots. Everything was off.

And then there was the collar that he couldn't find the latch for to release. It was around his neck and he didn't remember quite how it had gotten there. Part of that blur of winding up here without a building on top of him and without his suit. Well, he had a suit on, but it was of the business variety, not the red leather type. One hand clutched his cane, the other reached up to try to feel what was on the dangling tag. It wasn't recessed enough for him to pick it up, so he sighed in frustration and started tapping the tip of his cane, like a good blind man would do in a strange environment. By the sounds around him and the outcries and confusion, he wasn't the only new arrival, nor was that group the only one there. Interesting.]

Does, ah, anyone have any idea where we are?

2) Raceway

[There's one place where there seems to be a lot of bodies congregating, and by the smell and sound of it, it's a sort of track. Not horses, though. He knows what horses smell like. These are... if the outline and scent is anything to go by... giant chickens. Great. Just great. He was in a run down city with giant racing chickens, and he still hadn't figured out how to get out of here. Because here was definitely a long, long way from home.]

Betting on chickens. Or are they some mutant ostrich?

[Muttered to himself as he continued to try to figure out just what the heck were lining up to take off.]

3) Network

username: murdock (audio)
Hello. Matt Murdock here. Anyone from New York?
Not sure anyone's going to need the services of an attorney here.
I'd be interested in finding out what's been established.
Also very interested in general details of where we are, exactly.
Any help is appreciated.

4) Wildcard

[Got another idea? Want to run into him somewhere else? Please feel free. PM me to discuss, otherwise go nuts.]

3; username s.wilson

[samerica]

[Sam squints at the message for a few minutes before replying. Sure, she knows the nature of the multiverse, but that doesn't keep her from being wary of anyone named Matt Murdock. In spite of her unease, her voice sounds normal and reasonably friendly.]

Originally from Alabama, but New York's home right now. As much of a home as I have, anyway. Far as I can tell, we're a real long way from New York in any universe. Basically, a busted teleport dragged us all here, and now the robots want us to fuck to generate energy - and your guess is as good as mine as to how that works.

[lawyerbyday]

They want us to-- ah. I, ah, I thought I'd heard something like that, but...

[His lips pressed in a thin line. That couldn't be right, could it?]

It's a joke, isn't it? A really bad one? Forced and indentured service of, a uh, lewd nature? Some form of, of, of-- prostitution?

[His lawyer-hackles rose at the idea.]

[samerica]

Mm. Nobody's forced to do anything against their will - although I'll point out that some of the food sources can be, uh, tainted - but it's strongly suggested and encouraged, especially if you want anything beyond the bare minimum to survive.

[a beat]

Totally off the wall question here, but if I say overpriced fancy coffee, what comes to mind?

[You know, just checking that this isn't evil murdeous Matt Murdock. As you do.]

[lawyerbyday]

Tainted? How, exactly...?

[No, Sam, he had no idea about actual aphrodisiacs. Those were just 'Spanish Fly' bottles sold in sex stores that did absolutely nothing.

He also had no clue about alternate universes, the possibility of alternate universes, or anything regarding evil versions of himself.]

... Starbucks? Or were you referring to that kind that's been... passed through some kind of South American cat?

[samerica]

[Oh, good, no mention of Starkbucks (yes, with a k, yes, Tony Stark owns a coffee chain in her world). He's safe.]

Tainted like full of aphrodisiacs. Enough to get you all revved up. The rations the robots make might have it, some of the fruits growing outside have it - kinda like Russian roulette, only you just get horny, not dead.

[Look, she's a soldier. She's blunt about things.]

[lawyerbyday]

[He may or may not feel good he passed a test he had no idea about. Give him a gold star.

The explanation has his brows rising, and anyone nearby will see a surprised blind lawyer.]

You're serious? As in... an actual aphrodisiac and not just... adolescent male wishful thinking and good marketing?

3; un: rom

[slimepuppy]

Pretty sure you're not barred on Boner Island, anyway, buddy.

But put a pin in that, 'cause if we get judges I'm gonna hire you in a second and sue everyone in sight--though, oh my god. [Sudden face-turn from snide to barely suppressing a giggle.] Can you imagine what a nerd you'd have to be to literally fuck courts into existence?

[And then, slightly more serious (maybe):]

Imagine Staten Island, but society collapsed and all the people got replaced by soulless fuck-robots. So, like twenty percent better.

[lawyerbyday]

Fair point. Not entirely sure there's a statute or declaration of any systemic laws here, anyway.

[A smirk, because okay, fine, he could sort of see the humor in that statement.]

Doesn't sound idyllic. From what I can tell, the city's in a sort of shambles- ruins, almost? Is that right?

[slimepuppy]

Yeahh, I'm betting not. Jury's still out on whether it's full "Lord of the Flies" or just "shoplift, and RoboCop shows up and fists you to death."

[And then a beat, because that's a...slightly obvious question. Please hold while Roman's two brain cells try to get some friction going.]

So, you're like literally blind, right?

[lawyerbyday]

[The end of the comment had him stifling a snort, and Matt had a feeling that this was someone that would remind him of a certain female alcoholic detective he knew.]

Ah, yeah. I guess the cat's out of the bag. Blind since I was nine, but I make do.

[Okay, he cheated, but no one else knew that. And it wasn't like he hadn't had to learn how to read braille. He also couldn't watch tv. Gave him more time to do other activities. Like knitting? (not like knitting).]

[slimepuppy]

Oh. That...sucks.

[With the slightly strained awkwardness of someone trying not to immediately make a crack about the subject. He's trying to cultivate an air of maturity lately.]

So, did you get, like, a braille list of the various debaucheries you're supposed to perform here, or what?

[That one doesn't count, because it's also a serious question. Loophole.]

[lawyerbyday]

It has its downsides.

[But he wasn't going to weep over them when he had gained so many upsides. He'd be able to feel Stick's judgment if he did.]

A-- no, I can't say I did. I have the bracelet monitor... phone thing? It has a text to speech option, which at least phones I'm familiar with have. But no braille. What, ah... what list of exactly what are you talking about?

3 | @ctemple (she's post dds2)

[sutures]

Yes. I'm still trying to figure out the rest.

Hey, Matt.

Oh dear ♥

[lawyerbyday]

... Claire?

[That's almost hissed out, but he's more surprised to hear a voice he knows than who it is.

Then he's surprised that his former almost could have been was here as well.]

Are you okay?

my thoughts exactly ♥

[sutures]

Interdimensional kidnapping aside? I'm okay. Still trying to wrap my head around where we are and what they want us to do.

What about you? [ her voice reflects concern. he hadn't exactly been doing great the last time she'd seen him. ]

I'm taking him from just as/during the Midland crush. So more fun.

[lawyerbyday]

Ah... from what I've heard, it's along a more adult themed tract. Still trying to work out the specifics of it, but the, ah, robots aren't too forthcoming.

[His hand lifted up to the collar, and he shrugged, not that she could see it.]

I have a new piece of jewelry. Did you get some kind of new necklace too? Seems to be a trend. [He'd been alive, Claire. Sort of. That counted. He was totally cool.]

hahaha oh noooooooooooooo

[sutures]

Yeah, I'm not getting a lot of answers from them, either. I do keep getting told to look at my card.

[ she is absolutely not buying that and she also notices that he avoided answering her question. at his, she laughs without any humor fingering the charm on her own collar. ] Yeah, I did. This place has a sense of humor, I'll give it that.

He's so broken and still stupid. Love him anyway.

[lawyerbyday]

They mentioned a card, but I... well. I know I have this bracelet phone thing, but I can't exactly, ah... you see my problem.

[Text to speech and vice versa were awesome, and so was audio, but the bracelet wasn't exactly blind-friendly in terms of perusing it. He's just a blind boy, nobody loves him.]

I don't know what mine says, but judging by the look someone gave me, it's probably not good. [Still not answering. He's the king of evasiveness.]

3. jjones, audio

[underachievement]

[ she'd love to respond with a dry, unaffected "Go, Knicks," but the last time she saw Matt he was about to be buried under a 30(ish)-storey building. naturally, she's rattled. her voice still comes out dry, except it's because her mouth and throat have gone brittle. ]

Matt? It's Jessica.

[lawyerbyday]

[He's quiet. Very quiet. He can feel his breath caught in his chest, his head suddenly pounding. The scream of metal echoed in his head, the sound of rock grinding against rock. A voice cutting through the air 'We're not going to leave you hear', and that moment that he wished he could have just gone with them. Gotten in the elevator. But he'd had something important to do. He'd had to die.

His fingers fiddled as he tried to get his head back on track, and he answered, his own voice cracking.]

Jessica? What- how are you here? Is this because of Midland? Did something... did something happen?

[underachievement]

[ She expels a long breath. ]

Yes-- I don't know. [ Something happened in that she's also been teleported against her will, but he might mean something else. ] It's not a purgatory situation, if that's what you're thinking. Or hell. Midland was months ago and I'm... fine. [ Medically speaking. ]

I've been here a few weeks. So far, it's what it says on the tin, not that that makes any sense.

[lawyerbyday]

Months? I just got here... Jesus. Has it been months?

[Now he had more questions and concerns. And some of them gravitated towards her. How to delicately bring up a seemingly forced sex situation on someone who'd been Kilgrave's obsession... Shit. That wasn't going to happen.]

Ah... Are- uhm.

[Clearing of the throat.]

Are you okay?

[underachievement]

[ He's the dead one. Why are they talking about her?

After a beat of silence, ]

Take however okay you think I'd be and I'm a little worse than that. [ Well, she was. Now it's closer to "a lot worse". Who's gonna show up next, Hope? Her damn family?

Even her glibness sounds strained. ] Three weeks sober. [ Hufuckingzzah. ]

[lawyerbyday]

That can't be good for the general population.

[Hey, she had bad jokes for days that he thought were hilarious. This was his off-kilter attempt. He rubbed a hand over his face, lifting his glasses to rub at eyes that felt tired.]

I'm sorry. For-

[Fuck. For everything.]

I'm sorry, Jessica.