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 Too bad most of their cosmetics are fifty years out of date and the closests they’ve raided either had another resident’s clothes or moth-eaten dust-covered rags.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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Haha what is this "kind older sibling" of which you speak. Also she has no idea he's having trouble reading it, so there's that. ]

Kinda! Cho's helped out a ton. You know her, right? She's the one who makes everybody breakfast and stuff. It turns out she really goes all out for parties! Like, she helped me deck the place out, and she's also making most of the food. But it's also a potluck, so you can bring something you made, too, if you want!

[You know, the kind of older sibling that does nice things for a younger sibling! The whole good family thing! Ami totally knows what that's like, right? Right???]

Oh, yeah! Yeah, I met her. She's real nice.

['Real nice' in that she didn't yell at Kieran for his terrible cooking skills (in fact, she was very encouraging!) and also made sure to feed him the first time they met.]

[Speaking of...]

I ain't much fer cookin', but I can help you carry stuff there and clean up after. How's that sound?

[ Well... her parents are nice.......... ]

Sure, that'd be fantastic! Many hands make light work, haha. The party starts at five tomorrow, so... wanna meet at the mess hall around 4:30?

[...oh...]

Sounds good! I can do that.

Mind if I keep this? Just as a reminder.

[He holds up the flyer.]

Yeah, of course! And show your friends, too! The more the merrier.

[ We're gonna rock this party right!

So, uh. What was next. Fishing, right? Fishing and not being attacked by anything in the process, that sounds good. ]

[Oh. Oh crap, he actually has friends he can show something to now!!! Friends that aren't horses!!!]

I can do that!

[Kieran grins and then motions for Ami to follow him towards the barn.]

There's a spare rod in here if you wanna use it. I'm not sure how good it is, but it'll do fer now.

[He opens the door and points to a corner with some tools and other supplies. Branwen is chilling out in one of the stalls, chewing on some hay while Eavan is nearby, nibbling on some grass. It's a picturesque scene, looming sense of foreboding notwithstanding.]

[There's an unfinished saddle propped up on a separate table near the fishing rods, and some other riding equipment in various stages of completion. If nothing else, Kieran's definitely been keeping busy making sure the animals are taken care of.]

Okay! Sounds great.

[ Ami follows him inside, but doesn't make a beeline for the fishing equipment or anything, just kind of moseys in and looks around at the setup, her hands clasped behind her back. When she spots the horses, though, she gives a little gasp of excitement and Lass Scampers over there, climbing onto the bottom rail of Eavan's stall to get a better look at her. ]

Oh my gosh! Where did you get a glowy horse?

[Kieran follows Ami over to Eavan and leans against the rail. He clicks his tongue to get the horse's attention, and she steps on over, close enough to pet. He gently rubs at her nose and along the glowing marks on her face.]

I think it was during the first couple of weeks that I was here. She just kinda showed up around the ranch. I got close to her the first chance I could. I guess she didn't mind too much, since she stuck around.

Been workin' with her ever since. Haven't had a chance to ride her yet with a saddle, but I think she's ready fer some trainin'.

You can pet her if you want. She ain't nervy around people anymore.

[ Oh my gosh... Ami reaches out and gently pets Eavan's nose, following Kieran's lead. She feels just like any other horse - warm, slightly fuzzy. It's nice. ]

She's beautiful.

[Kieran beams like a proud dorky horse dad when Ami compliments Eavan.]

She’s one of a kind, fer sure.

I can’t wait to get a saddle on her all proper. Once she’s settled with it, yer welcome to ride her, too.

[He pauses.]

We can start ya on Branwen, first. That way if ya fall it won’t hurt.

[ Ami stands up on tiptoe to look over into Branwen's stall, then grins wryly at Kieran. ]

I have ridden a full-sized horse before, Kieran! I'll be fine.

[ Anyway, fishing! She hops down and heads over to check out the corner he indicated earlier. ]

[Kieran waves his hand as if shooing away Ami's comment]

I can't make heads or tails of who knows what about horses, here. Half of ya think yer experts and the other half ain't never seen a horse in yer whole damn lives.

[Despite his bellyaching, a good-natured grin spreads across Kieran's face. When Ami goes to visit the fishing equipment, he gives Evan's nose one more pat before he follows her.]

There's a tackle box here, too. I'll grab that while you get the rod.

[And that's exactly what he does. It's a small box, but it's heavy with all of the odds and ends needed for a round of professional fishing.]

[ Meanwhile, Ami can successfully differentiate between a fishing rod and a broom! Shit, she's practically a pro already, someone get this kid a blue ribbon. There's a little finagling involved in getting the rod(s?) separated from the other tools, but she figures it out before long. ]

Hey, have you ever heard of a chocobo?

[Just the one Old Rod! There's another chilling out there, too, but that's the Good Rod. We can't risk breaking that one. Not until we find the Super Rod, at least.]

[Kieran tilts his head at that.]

Don't think I have.

What's a chocobo?

[ All righty! Having extricated the Old Rod, Ami starts trying to get the Good Rod as well - they're both fishing, after all, so she's assuming they'll need two. ]

They're these huge birds, even bigger than an ostrich. Though they look more like giant yellow chickens. But they're domesticated, and you can ride them just like a horse!

[WOOOAAHH!!! Giant birds?!]

[That's exactly the look Kieran has on his face. Enough that he doesn't stop Ami from trying to grab the Good Rod. He just wanted to use the Old Rod at first, but hey, she's right in that they're both fishing. He'll just have to make sure to take good care of it during their little trip.]

Yer kiddin' me!

How come I ain't never heard of 'em before?

[ Ami hands him the Good Rod, aaaand with that I think they're ready to head to the ol' fishing hole! LEAD THE WAY, COWBOY. ]

I'm... not sure? I think maybe they're not supposed to exist on Earth. Or not every Earth. Something like that.

[He does!!! Lead the way!!! Except hang on he's going to open up the stalls for Branwen and Eavan to get out and stretch their legs first... OKAY now they can get going.]

Isn't there just one Earth, though?

[It was enough of a doozy to learn that people came here from different times and from space, but now there are other different Earths out there???]

...Please say there's just one Earth.

Ummm...

[ Oh, shit, that's right. Ami hadn't told Kieran anything about Recollé prior to this, and that was largely deliberate. This is a guy who a toaster blows his mind, and here she goes about to start rambling about the multiverse and alternate timelines and why her world has chocobos and how everybody forgot horses existed for months?

It's not that she thinks he can't handle it or anything, she just didn't mean to tell him right away. Maybe it's selfish of her, but ... there's something nice about being a couple of normal humans doing normal human things. Once her horns come back in - and she has no reason to think they won't - there'll be no hiding what she is anymore. Shouldn't she take advantage of being human while she still can?

... Oh no, she bummed herself out. And she still needs to say something. ]

Nnnnot exactly? It's hard to explain...

[ But what do you know - she may not have to answer that one. Because there's an odd rustling coming from a thick stand of trees nearby. Why would the trees be moving? They're indoors, so there's no wind... ]

[Kieran's about to press Ami a bit further, curiosity winning over his hesitation towards learning about different Earths and alternate dimensions and all that fun stuff, but then the trees start rustling. His attention snaps to the sound and he loses that good-natured air that he carries whenever he's around people he can truly call friends. His stance stands straight, and Kieran's eyes grow sharp.]

[Living and traveling rough comes with very specific hardships and very specific instincts that are honed with those hardships. While not as accomplished a survivalist as his fellow outlaws, Kieran's learned a few things over the years--particularly when a situation is about to get dangerous.]

[He could very well be overreacting. He's not immune to hyper-vigilance, after all, but he'd rather make a big deal out of nothing than the opposite. Not when there are lives potentially on the line, and especially not when one of them is a kid.]

[Kieran's not the best shot or the most violent person, but he still keeps his revolver on him at nearly all times out of habit. He's thankful this is one of them. He places his hand on the ivory hilt and speaks to Ami without looking at her, slowly stepping backwards while maintaining his focus up ahead.]

Get behind me. Now.

[ Just like that, the whole mood has changed. This is actually the first time Ami's seen Kieran get serious, and it's jarring enough that she does what he says without question, scooting behind him and trying to follow his gaze, see what he's looking at. She lowers her voice to a whisper. ]

What? Is something there?

[ Oh geez oh geez. It was only like a day or so after she first got to Anchor that she and Poison got stuck in here together, and were nearly run over by some kind of glowing two-headed bull. And this zone isn't by any means safe yet, everybody knows that.

Please don't be a monster please don't be a monster please don't be a monster. ]

Dunno. Keep movin'.

[Kieran's voice is barely more than a whisper and while his words aren't unkind, they're definitely far more stern than anything he's ever shown before. He continues to step backwards, quickening his pace but making sure he doesn't run into Ami.]

[The trees shake a bit more and, sure enough, a really messed up looking bear snout peeks out, sniffing around for something. The rest of the bear (are those antlers?!) soon follows, its gait unsteady. For now, it doesn't seem like it's noticed them, but that kind of luck isn't bound to hold.]

[Kieran waves behind him, wordlessly gesturing to Ami to move faster. The priority here is to get her out of harm's way.]

[ Ami catches on to the increasing pace, and tries to move quickly and quietly backward without getting in Kieran's way, trusting him to keep watching the brush. But she does look back at some point, and sees the creature, huge and gross and horribly mutated and infested, and... its actually kind of cool, aesthetically, but like a lot of cool things, it would definitely kill and eat them. She gulps and keeps moving.

Just as it seems they might get away without being seen, Ami happens to glance over toward the barn, and - oh no. Branwen and Eavan are still outside!

She taps Kieran urgently on the shoulder, trying to keep her voice down. ] Kieran, the horses!

[The horses!!!]

[While Kieran trusts them to know to head into the barn should danger rear its ugly, antlered head, he’s also not sure what this big weird bear is capable of. A regular bear, although usually discouraged by walls and doors, could easily break through them if it wanted to. Something like this, an animal with a temperament that Kieran doesn’t know (and frankly would rather not learn about), is an unknown factor in a gamble that nobody here wants to lose.]

[There’s still a bit of distance between Ami, himself, and the bear, so there’s probably time for the horses to run over to them if he calls for them. But that would require making a very loud, very distinct sound that the bear is absolutely going to want to check out.]

[First: find a place where Ami can stay safe. As much as Kieran loves his horses, a kid’s life is going to trump theirs in every scenario.]

[Second: gather the horses]

[Third: ?????? Don’t get eaten maybe??????]

[Fourth: Profit? With their lives?]

[It’s as good a plan as any, and they don’t have the time to try and come up with something better. So, Kieran scans behind them quickly, spying a log that he and Pratt haven’t cleared out just yet. Maybe out of laziness, maybe for general aesthetic, but either way, it’s going to come in handy here. He then turns to Ami and whispers:]

Get behind that log there and stay down. No matter what you hear, do not move unless I tell you to, got it?

[ Oh, okay! Kieran's going to go get the horses by himself. It's incredibly dangerous, which he clearly knows, since he's trying to keep her out of it. And "no matter what you hear" calls to mind an abundance of terrible things she might end up hearing. Oh geez. Kieran's gonna get eaten, or the horses are gonna get eaten, or possibly both, this is so bad...

If she just had her powers! She's fought monsters like this before. She's killed monsters like this. And even though she abhors violence, even though the faint tactile awareness of tearing apart a living thing never fails to disgust her - to protect her friends, she'd kill as many monsters as she has to.

But for now, she doesn't have powers. For now, she'd only get in the way. So while she instinctively opens her mouth to protest, after a second she closes it and nods. He's a genuine cowboy, he knows what he's doing. (Probably.) But she does give him a quick squeeze around the chest. ]

Don't get hurt.

[ And then, if there's nothing else, she'll go and tuck herself behind the log as instructed. ]

redshift: tdm #4

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