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

[jardinnoir]

[The sight of friendliness puts Haru more at ease, and her uneasy smile becomes more relaxed.] I suppose that'd be the first thing to do, then. [May as well not worry about the why until it's no longer around her neck.]

All I remember is they kept saying something about 'compatible Eros energy' being the key. I didn't feel anything like a lock or a latch around it... [She runs her thumb along the base of the part around her neck, just to be sure.] So I guess it's the only way to remove these, if they are telling the truth.

[swordsense]

[Adora colors slightly at the statement. Not because she's particularly unwilling to help out all of a sudden, but because the robots have made it clear what 'Eros energy' is on several occasions. And the lack of a latch is a pretty good indication of what will actually unlock this.]

Um. Yeah. Let's...maybe get off the street?

[Adora gestures further down, towards a building in relatively good repair.]

My little hideout is right up there, if you want to follow me? We can try a few things to get it off. And I can hopefully explain some stuff. Unless the robots already told you what makes Eros energy.

[jardinnoir]

Oh! Yes, let's do that... [She starts to follow Adora, trying to avoid pulling at the collar anymore.]

I'm fine with that... they haven't really said anything about what it is. They just kept repeating those words as they put the collar on me. I tried to call after them and ask, but they never looked back...

[Honestly, it's pretty alarming to her that they could be doing this to others - and yet, not to everyone. Adora doesn't seem to have one, so what are they looking for to force these collars on?

Oh... that's right. "You are new organisms." It's because she's new...]

I appreciate the help. I guess they're collaring new arrivals like myself... Oh! I should probably introduce myself. I'm Haru Okumura - it's nice to meet you, miss.

[swordsense]

I'm Adora. It's nice to meet you too, Haru.

[Adora leads the way slowly, her long legs making long strides that she slows for Haru's benefit. She kind of feels bad for the girl, and that she's probably going to have to be the one to explain is hella awkward. But she can be clinical.

Probably.]

The bots are jerks. And their programming seems way off. But there's a few things we can try.

[Heading into the building, a much more intact looking structure with a bed in one corner and a couch against the wall, Adora makes for the couch.

The floors are in good repair, there's a door that clearly leads to a bathroom, and even working lights.]

Okay. Have a seat. I'll go get my scissors.