ercookies | TDM 015: IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PARADISE

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TDM 015: IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PARADISE

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. Beach Episode

Welcome to your beautiful and sunny island paradise, Erku! ...wait, it's sunny? That's right! For about two weeks, the Island will enjoy unusually warm and clear weather, just perfect for enjoying the cool waters of the beach. Don't swim out too far, however, lest you stray into hazardous choppy waters or get lost in the fog that still lingers beyond the peaceful cove. Just stay close, and you're golden! Once again, friendly robots have erected beachside food stalls for grilling fish and crabs, and encourage any enterprising Islanders to help hawk foods for credits.

If gutting and cleaning fish isn't your forte, however, never fear. The robots are recruiting for a very important task! You see, they have very thoughtfully set up swimming and snorkeling lessons for any Islanders who are doubting their skills at staying afloat, or who just want to have some fun in the waves. There is only one complication: the robots are too heavy to swim.

Enter, you! Earn credits by instructing your fellow Islanders in the marvels of the ocean. Not just swimming and snorkeling, but also fishing, clam digging, and sand castle art - among other things - are valuable skills you can sell.

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II. Sand Sport

For the more competitive sort, the robots of Erku are happy to share a bit of culture from the planet's ancient past: wet sand wrestling! Volunteers (or any innocent Islander roped off the beach by an enthusiastic 'bot) don their skimpiest swimwear and duke it out for dominance in the wet sand by trying to throw their opponent outside of a ring. Knock-outs count as an automatic lose, so be careful! Oh, and no worries if you aren't particularly strong. Before the match, competitors are offered a a special drink - simply named "The Creamy" - an ancient recipe which is said to temporarily increase your strength and vitality. One shot of this, and anyone could take on Goliath! (And not just in a fight.)

By the way… those who lose the competition are mysteriously compelled to accompany the victor for the day, waiting on them hand and foot, anticipating and fulfilling their needs before they are spoken. Did the 'bots forget to mention that?

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III. Graciously Given Gifts

While swimming in the nude is completely acceptable on the Island, the robots know that many residents still (for some reason) value their modesty. That is why they are happy to encourage beachside revelry and communion by making sure scanty swimwear is readily available to Islanders who are in need of something to cover up with - while still showing off your assets, of course. Islanders may purchase for themselves, but they are especially encouraged to gift swimwear to their fellow Islanders... in fact, any swimwear to be given as a gift is free! Not only is it a lovely gesture to let a friend or lover know you appreciate their body, but also, swimwear received as a gift is said to be very good luck in wet sand wrestling competitions.

Naturally, the robots are sensitive to the emotional needs of their organic charges, and thus they wouldn't want any new, recent, or less personable arrivals to the Island to feel left out for not receiving gifts. That's why some Islanders will find surprise swimsuits in pretty gift wrap sitting on their literal or metaphorical doorstep… addressed with love from a random Islander! With thoughtfully written messages included, of course, usually complimenting the recipient's figure in graphic and/or poetic terms.

If you have any manners, surely you'll find these mystery admirers and thank them for the lovely gift! (If you're really a person of culture, maybe you'll even show it off for them.)

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N A V I G A T I O N

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I see... So they are robots," It was not as if society did not have advanced technology where Hakkai had been from in some regard. In fact, robotic sciences were a very active field. At least, they were until the calamity. But they were hardly at the stage to produce fully functional and self-operating robotics that could act so freely. And that was what made the confirmation so fascinating to Hakkai.

These were humanoid in shape and seemed to act without a source of power or any direct control point.

How utterly fascinating!

"And this watch is like a miniature computer. So that's saying it has some form of internet or network system in place? And it's holographic. It really is like a sci-fi novel then!"

Computers were a thing, cell phones used to be a thing before his world decided to collapse in on itself metaphorically. But this-- This was definitely far more advanced than the technology he was used to.

"So am I to assume most technology in this land is on a similar level to that computerized wristwatch you have?"

"There's a network... but a shoddy, outdated one. You'll know what I mean when you see it." It's uh... really something one has to see to believe.

"The tech is hit or miss."

"... Oh? Is something wrong with it?" So sorry, Noiz. Little would anyone expect that the technology of his world is the closest set to a divergently advanced version of the late '90s. This was normal for him. This was probably the fanciest online layout he had ever seen.

So instead, he stared curiously at the screens as they displayed themselves. He was mostly fascinated with how it projected itself from the small display of the watch. "It looks absolutely fascinating to me. How did they manage to project the light particles without a surface to display them upon? What prevents the lighting from shining directly into people's eyes and causing a hazard? Ah, may I?"

It looked as if he was about to reach out towards Noiz's watch to examine it, but he stopped just short. Suddenly realizing that he should probably ask before just casually prodding at people's things.

As if Hakkai's intuition were spot on, Noiz leans back and pulls his arm away. "Use your own. What time period are you from?" It would be easier to tailor his response if he had that information. Noiz comes from around the 2040s, where things are fairly futuristic compared to people from closer to the turn of the century. He's going out on a limb and assuming the guy knows Earth.

"Time period? Um, well, it was considered the Tang dynasty era as I was traveling. Although with the current state, how much of a dynasty remains, I'm not really sure," He hesitated with that. He knew through his cultural studies that various parts of the world portrayed their comparison of time differently. But that was also based on one's own origins, so he really had no idea if answering the question helped Noiz in any way.

Time is a concept. The comparison of said time was hard to estimate, especially when the concept also involved interdimensional travel.

"Why, what time are you from?" Regardless of those thoughts, Hakkai could not help but be a little curious himself.

His brow furrows as he tries to recall his history lessons. As the elder son of a rich upper class German family more of his education revolved around Europe than other continents, so his knowledge base of Asian history is lacking. That sounds familiar, though. Whenever it happened it was after the unification of China but long, long before his time.

Two fingers reach up to rub at his nose bridge piercing as he lets out a sigh. "More than a thousand years after that dynasty ended." That's the closest guess he can come up with. "No wonder the technology fascinates you."

"A... thousand...?" Not much had managed to take Hakkai off-guard in his life. He had experienced a lot of strange and surreal things after all. But to suddenly be told that someone was from a thousand years in one's own future-- The concept had been enough to take his breath away, if not at least for just a moment. "So you're from the future? Like, super-science strange-contraptions and the sort?"

Goodness, he felt like he needed a second to think. His eyes were wide, blinking only occasionally as his mind raced about the possibilities of the situation.

"Huh, so I guess I really am that far away from Shangri-La," It looks like the concept was finally starting to settle down in his mind a little.

"It looks like I overshot my travels a bit then..." His voice took an oddly melancholy tone as he said that, his smile remaining but his gaze sinking just slightly.

"From the future, yeah. The technology only seems "strange" to you because it won't be developed till long after you're dead." At least, Noiz assumes so. He presumes people are human as long as they look human, and this guy definitely passes for human.

That's when he frowns. "Wait... if you're from Tang Dynasty, why do you know about computers, internet and robots at all?" Is he from someplace anachronistic?

"Ah, that..." Hakkai was surprised, he had assumed that within a thousand years that the communication boarders between continents would have opened up more. By Noiz's reaction though it became fairly apparent that that was not the case.

"Shangri-La had always been slightly more developed in terms of technology compared to the outside world. At least, we have been as far as my research goes. There was once a point where we made huge developmental strides. Although, due to our closed boarders and the inability to expand open communication past India it has been difficult to share such information with the outside world."

Hearing that, Noiz can only come to one conclusion.

"Whatever version of Earth you come from, isn't the same as mine. In mine, that technology's only been around for a couple hundred years."

This brings to mind something he recalled reading on the network the other month. Ienzo had asked about scientists and researchers. Without a word Noiz pops open a window on his comm device for the network and scrolls back till he finds what he's looking for. Once he does, he finally bothers to roll into a crouch, then rise to his feet.

"Read."

The browser window is shoved Hakkai's way, allowing him to read the conversations therein. "Those people would explain shit to you better."

Hakkai had so many questions swirling through his mind at that moment. His eyes seeming to light up at the display that presented itself. Scooting in a little closer, he began to read through the communication logs and the topics those involved had brought up.

"How interesting, rather than a messaging or telecommunication platform it acts more like a network hub. Like a quick messenger that many can access at once," The power of the internet, at least this version of it, was something that seemed absolutely intriguing to him. Spending a few seconds to carefully read through each of the conversations with active interest as he took note of each person's introduction and what information they had managed to share. Only taking a moment to sit back as he finished processing what he did and did not grasp from it all. A soft smile forming as he looked towards Noiz with amusement. "I didn't realize I was speaking with a fellow academic. No wonder you're thrown off by this system, considering you seem to specialize in such futuristic technology compared to most.

Can you really project the internet virtually through your mind where you're from?"

The future seems so cool. Even if it is an alternate world version.

"I'm not an academic. Just someone skilled with computers."

A premier hacker, if you will. To him, being an academic implies a lot of formal study. Unlike others, Noiz was just someone who had a lot of time on his hands and nothing better to do than develop those skills. It interested him a lot more than the other topics in his textbooks and forced on him by the tutor he only spoke to through a door.

Once Hakkai appears to be done reading, he closes the window. "The mental connections are reserved for things like virtual gaming, or making your Coil or Allmate more efficient."

"Hnn, gaming with 'coils' and 'allmate'..." He took the foreign sounding words to note. Surely adding it to his lost of growing questions. With the opening of many new worlds worth of information, he had a sudden urge to build whatever wells of knowledge he could.

"Still that's more than I can say for myself. I've had plenty of studies in the sciences but technological programming wasn't ever something I have come to specialize in."

Not that he wasn't willing to try given the oppertunity.

"Academic or not you seem to be quite capable, Mr. 'Ruffestrabbit'."

He had yet to get a name from his new guide, so hes just going to borrow the username he caught while reading through the network for the time being.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TDM 015: IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PARADISE

00. Arrival

I. Beach Episode

II. Sand Sport

III. Graciously Given Gifts

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oh no. you've awoken his not-so-inner-nerd.

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