redmarsshit | redshift: tdm #4

redshift: tdm #4

Redshift: Welcome to the v͖͕̺̲̘̱̜͎o̴̦̣̠̦̘̹͞i̯̖d̛̪̬͈̱̦̝͍̕.

▶ Click here to read what characters will experience when arriving in Anchor.

▶ All TDM threads can be considered game canon, and current players are welcome to either top-level on the TDM so prospective players can tag them, or use the prompts for logs or network posts on the communities. All threads on the TDM can be used for Activity Check.

a. the red shit.

There are rumblings in the deepest, most overgrown part of the agricultural area, where until very recently there was a lingering pocket of red algae. The good news is, the red algae is gone! The bad news is, it all got eaten by a mutated bear-thing with giant antlers. The algae did a number on the poor thing, doping it up and confusing it to the point where everything is an enemy.

What’s worse? The algae has adapted, colonizing the creature’s entire body. The algae has mutated in the process, releasing a protective cloud of toxins that causes severe hallucinations, as well as some of the protective and euphoric qualities that the red algae originally possessed. Which means the mutated, antlered, bear-thing is accompanied by a small army of other creatures, from large to small, who are all very invested in its survival and also are being driven crazy by its presence.

Prepare yourselves for one hell of a hunt. These animals can pop up almost everywhere in the agricultural zones, and when they do show their paws it’s to go on a rampage.

b. fashionista.

It wouldn’t be Anchor if the bots weren’t fucking shit up.

This time, the spa bots have gone full stylist coach, chasing down residents and trying to do their hair, nails, makeup, or change their clothes. In some cases, they're literally sweeping people off their feet and carrying them to the hot springs, massage rooms, and spa areas to be pampered. Too bad most of their cosmetics are fifty years out of date and the closests they’ve raided either had another resident’s clothes or moth-eaten dust-covered rags.

Is that the jacket Idris Elba was wearing in the introductory video? It kinda looks like it.

But it’s not all bad! The bots actually give great massages and fantastic mani-pedis. They also have a small stash of fresh cosmetics and clean clothes that got left behind in the spas. They might not fit great, but they look pretty good!

If your character doesn’t practice proper self-care, well. They’d better watch out. These bots have a particular eye for the sad, the filthy, the tired, and they’re going to make sure you get some damn fine pampering.

c. whole foods: 2.0.

Remember that whole Whole Foods grocery store thing that happened? Well, the grocery store and the zombies are still there. Only now there are more zombies, and two giant supply trucks have shown up, one behind and one in front of the store.

The one at the rear of the store can be accessed fairly easily. It’s painted to look like a giant United States flag, with a dramatic crying eagle emblazoned across the back doors. Inside, there is beer. Lots and lots of beer, and a bunch of semiautomatic rifles. Also some skeletons. Seems like the guns and booze didn’t help them.

The one in front of the store is thickly surrounded, the creatures clawing at the plain white sides of the semi like there’s something precious inside.

If Anchorites can make it through, if they can fend off the monsters and keep from getting torn to pieces by a hoard of bloodthirsty beasts, they’ll find out what that precious truck contains.

It’s twinkies. A semi full of twinkies. We hope you’ve got a sweet tooth, Anchor.

Navigation.

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Oh hell, did that thing just say something? Rey's attention snaps towards it, eyes widened for a moment. She's definitely not catching memory echoes from past selves again, or so she hopes...

Before she does anything else, Rey first takes advantage of their distance. Sending bursts of heat in front of her, blowing back scorched corpses several feet and knocking into one other like bowling pins. The ones not thrown to the ground will have a harder time shuffling over the bodies of their myriad fellows, slowing down at least some of the hoard.

"That works," she comments to herself, kicking off onto the direction of the animal.

Rey's burst of power does not go unnoticed: Elleru cannot help but stare as the husks fall one on top of the other, blown back by a force unseen. Was it magic? No, it doesn't feel like magic, but her experience is so limited, that she could be mistaken. Her immediate impulse is disdain, to distrust anyone who would use such tactics; however, this woman came to her rescue, and for that, she should be grateful.

And so, she finds herself conflicted... and intrigued. She can navigate her instincts once they are out of danger. She takes the lead, heading toward Anchor, out of sight and out of mind of the flaming husks.

It's definitely not magic... But Rey's already had one guy mistake it as such; she wouldn't be surprised if it happens again.

Right now, her priorities are on getting the hell out of there. Forget the guns and whatever is in the truck. If what she's heard is true, there aren't that many people here to take everything, anyway -- and that's assuming they can make it over the bodies of living dead. She can just grab that shit later.

While the animal is fast, Rey keeps up well enough on her own merit, able to run and travel long distances for a long time. She's barely out of breath by the time they reach the city.

Is that where this thing is really going? Its self-preservation instincts must have detected it being the safest place in the area, but does it even have access?

Rey's speed is more than enough: she might not be out of breath by the time they reach the colony, but the vibrant creature she saved sure is. Her limp is more pronounced as she bleeds steadily from the cuts, scratches, and claw marks down her sides; the sand pelting her injuries does her no favors, every grain irritating her wounds. She'll need to find somewhere private to wash them out, she decides -- not just for her health, but because she cannot stand the thought of being so bedraggled. It'd be easier if she shifted into her upright guise, but doing that now would not only reveal her to her scarred rescuer, but might also trap some of the particles in her wounds. A shifting body is a wondrous thing, but something that must be treated with care.

Reaching the door well after her companion, she struggles to remain standing, gasping as she waits for the door to open -- or for someone to open it for her.

Edited 2019-09-24 23:23 (UTC)

Once they're a safe distance and the dead are far behind, Rey catches up to notice the animal limping along.

"Hey. You okay?" A beat, and she pauses. Was she really expecting an answer? She shakes her head at herself. "Ugh, never mind. Of course you're not."

This thing looks badly hurt. Rey's no veterinarian, though she doubts anyone would know the first thing about... whatever the hell kind of animal this is. She suspects that anyone else would be just as clueless as she is about how to properly treat it. At least Rey has some first aid skills to get by on the battlefield; she may be more durable than most, but she still gets hurt.

The doors open, and she steps inside, hoping that the animal takes the hint to follow. Inside equals safe.

Elleru almost considers answering that question, but the other woman continues during her hesitation, and so she remains silent. She'd called to Rey impulsively earlier, only when her back was turned; however, she realizes she might be able to shift into her upright form later, once her rescuer has departed, and maintain her secret. After all, so many view her kind as nothing more than beasts. No one has to know, though one could certainly guess her identity if the voices of an upright woman and a kaulahren were a match.

Remain natural it is, then. She follows Rey into the facility and into the decontamination area, trying to look her over for any injuries. It seems that, despite the scars, she handled herself fairly well. Were those scars even from battle? Or were they markings meant to represent a story or identity?

She would have bitten her lip if she had one in her natural form. Staying quiet is so hard when one has so many questions.

Edited 2019-09-25 07:32 (UTC)

The decontamination process takes a little longer than expected. Probably because one of them got more chewed up than the other. Other than some scratches, Rey came out of that situation relatively unmaimed. It's more than she can say for her hobbling companion.

Casually peeking over at the animal during the routine, she gives those injuries a once over. Much like the current people, it's unlikely that the medical robots would have physiological knowledge of whatever species this is. Not that Rey needed more reasons not to trust the machines here, there's that as well.

"Guess we should patch you up or something." There's a notable nonchalance to Rey's tone. She doesn't need to pretend to be anyone or anything else; doesn't see a need to. It's just an animal, after all.

Which means there's no reason to pretend not to be a real person, herself.

She scratches the side of her neck as she thinks, trying to plan out a mental list in her head on what to do. When the decontamination finishes, she steps out, staring at the empty space in front of her. "Mn, let's just stop at the first place that might have a first aid thing."

So eloquent, but who the hell is paying attention? Not this big bird monster next to her.

Though decontamination cleans up some of the grime and grit in her wounds, there's only so much they could do when their ward isn't exactly cooperative. The little machines do their best, but Elleru screeches and hisses at them, more annoyed by their prodding than relieved for their help. By the time she gets out of there, she's in marginally better shape than when she went in, but infinitely more irritated. She's nearly as unhappy about the blood and dirt still caking her fur as she is about the injuries themselves.

Her scarred companion addresses her, though from the sound of her tone, she still doesn't expect an answer. Do uprights speak to lesser beasts this way? Or is this just something she does? Elleru finds it doubly curious that she does not seem to recognize what she is. Perhaps it is that ignorance, combined with her obvious physical prowess, that accounts for her lack of fear when faced with a being as great as a kaulahren.

Elleru holds her breath as they make their way down the Anchor, nearing the spa. She wants to know, but she must be patient. Perhaps she can find this woman later, once disguised as an upright. How then could she ask? Hello, we have not met, but I noticed that you are not afraid of kaulahren. Why is that?

No, too obvious. She vows to do better once she just has a moment to think about something other than the ache in her back and the dirt clinging to her legs.

As expected, the process helped with the cleaning but not so much the healing. At least they don't have to worry about contamination from getting bitten and scratched by those dead things, but it won't do anyone good -- let alone this creature -- to die from infection. And they've gotten this far from that mess, so Rey might as well do what she can to avoid allowing that to happen.

She sighs, not at all happy with the fact that she now has to return to the city empty-handed. Not that she has anyone she is trying to impress or make happy; it was just something Rey wanted to do for herself, and instead her plans went the total opposite. Leave for supplies, return with some weird and injured giant animal that might die on her or something.

"Oh well, nothing I can do about now," she mutters under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose moving forward. "Let's hope we can find a place that's actually open that can help you."

Unlike the former thing she just said, that one seems directed at her new 'friend'. She glances over towards it.

"Coming or what?"

Oh yes, she's coming. Her companion calls, and Elleru follows with a low warble, a natural grumbling to herself about her injuries. The cleaning got the grit out of them, but they bleed anew, staining her usually pristine fur. She's used to neither the pain nor the filth, and she's clearly displeased with both.

As they pass the spa, one of the robots near the entrance approaches her, offering her a towel. Despite her distrust of the machines during the decontamination process, she figures having something to soak up the blood is better than nothing at all. Clasping the offered towel in her beak, she tosses it across her haunches, hoping to keep at least some of it from caking her hide.

And that's when she gets an idea: if there are towels, there might be a bath. She lets out another soft call to her companion, trying to draw her attention to the spa.

Edited 2019-09-26 08:15 (UTC)

Surprisingly, the creature follows. Rey's brows shoot up a moment; she's not sure what she was expecting, other than that it would more likely turn tail and flee another way now that they found safety than stick around.

Looks like they're actually doing this now.

She pauses abruptly when a robot approaches them, ready to pummel it if it came near her... only for it to just offer a towel for the animal's injuries instead. Rey blinks as she notices the wounds bleeding again, and she knows a towel won't do.

The quiet noises the creature makes doesn't go beyond her attention, either. Maybe that's normal for the sound its species makes, whatever that might be, but it's weird as hell to her.

"All right, we'll check this place out. See what they got." She visited the spa before, but didn't linger long enough to really enjoy it as intended. There has to be some kit of the like in case... someone slips and cracks their head open or something. Right?

Elleru seems pleased Rey is going with her idea. Is she smiling? Can bird monsters smile? The answer to both of those is a resounding yes.

She follows her companion inside, dipping her head so she fits in the doorway. The moment they're both in, the robots emerge, helpfully offering them towels, soaps, robes, and a myriad of other products they've deemed necessary for the full spa experience.

And oh, Elleru wants to try it all. Unfortunately, she only has so many ways to carry things in her natural form, and so, after taking one of the bottles in her beak, she gives Rey a nudge in the shoulder to draw her attention to the little robots and their offerings.

Her mouth twists into an uncomfortable expression as the robots approach. While she's over her first instinct to punch and dissemble every automaton she sees, their presence (and the lack of human ones) leave her with a sense of unease. She hesitates a moment at the machines' items.

"Nng, should clean the wounds..." Rey mutters as she grabs the soap and some towels. "For the record, I've never done this before. Fixing up animals and... this, that is."

Her eyes dart towards the spa. She's been here before, sure, but she wouldn't know the first thing about indulging in this kind of thing.

It's also clear that she's still not expecting an answer from the animal. It's so quiet here, though. And lonely. She hasn't run into that many people you would expect to find in a place this big. That's... so daunting.

Rey mutters, and Elleru notices her hesitation. Despite being unaware she can be understood, she continues to talk as though justifying her discomfort. Again, Elleru cannot help but wonder: do all uprights chatter to lesser beasts like this? Or is she doing so because she is more comfortable speaking to that which she thinks might not speak back? Is she alone by circumstance, or by choice?

Such a strange upright, one she cannot help but feel is a lonely soul -- one she may be able to help, even if she is hiding her intelligent nature. Elleru chirps quietly to her, tugging on the edge of her tank before heading into one of the private rooms, determined to show her companion how bathing is done.

Limping her way to the water's edge, Elleru dips her head toward the surface of the bath, taking in the steam. It looks safe enough, and truly enticing. How it will feel against her wounds, however, is another story.

"What, you want to take a dip in?" She watches as the animal shows interest in the hot water. "Can't really blame you."

Rey feels gross. Even after passing through decontamination, she's still got her own scrapes and cuts that she's going to feel tomorrow. Not to mention the usual tension in her muscles that go along with such stunts.

On the plus side, at least she isn't going to have to coax this thing into cleaning up in the water. It seems to be doing that on its own.

Rey won't have to do any coaxing, but Elleru can see that she will. She takes a couple of steps into the steaming water, hissing audibly as her wounds make contact with the surface. The gritty sands still clinging to the strands of her hair loosen in the water, drifting toward the filters on the far end.

The bath stings, but it also feels undeniably good, the heat relaxing her sore muscles. It's so good that Elleru cannot help but smile, a laugh rattling its way out of her throat as she dunks her head under, sending water everywhere when she surfaces and gives her great neck a shake. Despite her form, her laughter almost sounds human in some ways, a giggle more akin to an upright than an animal.

With her longer tufts hanging in her eyes, she cocks her head to one side. Come on in.

Oh good, looks like she won't have to cowtip this thing into the water in the end after all. Rey just stands there for a moment, watching. Even if the animal does slip and fall or whatever, could she even carry it to somewhere more suitable for this? Most likely, awkward bulk and all.

...

Rey balks at that voice, though. She's heard that rats can laugh, but they didn't sound anything akin to humans. Has she been talking this whole time while it plays mute? She recalled the voice that called out to her outside, though there was no one there...

No one but this creature, who sounded undoubtedly female. Rey wasn't so uncouth to check for any signs of its gender, and it hadn't really occurred to her to look. While it was feminine in appearance, you never know with certain species.

As she stands there, she realizes that the creature seems to be communicating something with its facial features and gestures. She squints.

"Um." What do? "Fine, whatever. Only for a little bit."

She moves to the strap of her tanktop, then pauses.

Holding up a finger, she moves for the changing area. "Be right back."

Hell if she was going to just throw her clothes off right then and there. It's less about propriety and more about oh god what is she even doing?

Elleru waits to be joined in the bath, only for her companion to leave to undress. Uprights are so peculiar when it comes to their bodies. Clothes is fascinating, and certainly an interesting way for them to express their individuality, but wearing them took some getting used to for a being who went without them for most of her life. A kaulahren in clothes -- how absurd.

Letting out a quiet hmph to herself, she has a seat in the water, keeping just her head above the surface as she waits for Rey to return -- and that's when a bottle of bubble bath sitting at the water's edge draws her attention. By the time her companion comes back, she'll find the room has a very different atmosphere: still steamy, still hot, but now featuring a bath full of bubbles, the only clue to where the kaulahren is within a tinge of lavender among the suds.

Rey's no prude; she has been naked in front of others before, no problem. As it is, she so rarely interacts with critters, least of all any as alien as this one. Whether she's in the company of people or animals, however, the undressing process is not something she takes comfort in being watched. The other way around? That's different.

...She thinks.

After a few brief moments, Rey retrieves a towel and a cozy bath robe wrapped around her. She'd be loathe to admit, the fabric is actually cozy.

Upon her return, her bare feet stop, and she stares through the thick and aromatic steam in front of her. And there is the animal, sitting among the bubbles.

"You enjoying yourself, there?" Rey carefilly steps around the pool of water, dipping a toe in to make sure it's even safe for her. She doesn't detect anything amiss, but can she trust it? Or anything here?

The water is warm an inviting, enough so that Elleru has almost forgotten about those deep scratches along her sides and back. She will get them taken care of later; for now, she's enjoying hiding among the growing mountain of bubbles. She hunkers down as best she can, the buoyancy of her fluffy coat easing the pressure off her injured limbs. She lets out a playful thrum from beneath the water as she tries to circle around to Rey's backside, the vibrations making it fairly obvious where she is. Her vibrant coloration does her no favorites, the bubbles shifting in color as she passes behind them.

As she moves, the tip of her tail floats at the surface, swishing left and right, gathering bubbles as she goes. She will show this upright how to enjoy the moment and not be so shy, and if it takes an attack of bubbles, then so be it.

What is it doing now? Rey steps back with a huff, able to see the tail moving around among the bubbles. Is it trying to hide, or...

"Hope you're not trying to drown yourself now, after all that shit. Or passed out or whatever."

Because that would be an even bigger pain when she had spent that time making sure the animal got to safety instead of going for those guns. Something that probably would have been useful to her in the long run.

This just seems like a waste of time now. Rey steps into the shallow end, robe still clinging to her shoulders as she moves to investigate the state of the creature.

Elleru circles Rey, the bulk of her torso breaking the surface of the water as she enters the shallow end, her vestigial wings like the dorsal fin of a purple shark. She's got a little mountain of bubbles on the tuft of her tail now, and with a flick, she sends them cascading in Rey's direction.

And if that didn't get her drenched, the fact Elleru starts vigorously shaking her head and neck back and forth at the top of the water, flapping her useless wings to douse herself beneath all her plumage, just might. She's never gotten to experience a bath like this, one with warm water and bubbles clinging to her hair and feathers -- just cold baths in the nearby river and lake at best, as all the natural hot springs are in upright lands. She's going to take full advantage of this while she can, and she sees no reason she and her newfound upright companion can't have a good time while doing it.

Before Rey can move to respond upon realizing that the creature is coming up to surface, it's too late. Water is everywhere. Bubbles, fucking everywhere.

She can only make a couple stumbling paces back, throwing her hands up over her face to block some soapy water from splashing into her mouth. "Wh- HEY."

Even for someone with her prowess, she loses her balance. Slipping back and landing flat on her ass, splashing strong waves of her own out of the pool. Her expression just twists into what she would be remiss to call a 'pout' as she leers at the animal.

"Wow, rude."

And there's that nearly human laughter again, something between a girlish giggle and a melodic chirp as Elleru prances in the shallow end, getting behind Rey again to nudge her to her feet. She dips her head under the water, aims her head for Rey's back, and dives forward gives her a push—

And wow, is this upright much heavier than anticipated. Her head collides with Rey's back with a muffled thunk beneath the water, and it's nearly like hitting a wall. Her neck twists awkwardly as she trips over Rey herself; she's grateful she's floating a bit on the surface and thus drifts to one side, or she would have stepped right top of her new companion. It probably wouldn't have hurt, given the water and the fact this strange upright is as immovable as a mountain, but it certainly would not have done either of them any favors.

As it is, it takes Elleru by complete surprise, so much so she forgets herself. "How sturdy you are!"

Oh fuck, oh fuck! Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck--

"WHAT," is all that comes from Rey's mouth before she kicks herself away. Water splashes everywhere, even more so than before, as she floats towards the steeper middle of the pool.

That voice definitely wasn't in her head, and it sure as hell didn't sound anything like her previous selves. Which means either she's hallucinating, or...

No. Nope. Nyet. Nein. What is today, other than officially insane. She's insane again. Yes.

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