redmarsshit | june 2020. welcome to the void.

june 2020. welcome to the void.

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. welcome to paradise.

What at first appears to be an odd glint in the sky over Anchor slowly broadens and brightens into a truly enormous...cruise ship? Yes, that's a cruise ship, and it's coming down to rest just outside of Anchor's exit doors. The ground shakes as it lands. A bubble forms over the ship and connects to Anchor's exit, and there's no two ways about it: the ship comes with its own radiation shield.

This sucker puts the Titanic to shame. Nearly as long as Anchor is wide, it's more like a floating city than the cruise ship it resembles. Little satellite ships hover and dart around it, occupied by alien lifeforms with too many arms to quite fit the Hawaiian print shirts that they're wearing.

The Daisy Darling Interdimensional Cruise Barge has come to Anchor.

b. anchors away!

And it's quite accessible to residents of Anchor. In fact, the people (of every shape, size, and coloration that can't be considered human) on board will be delighted to host the creatures they've been watching for the past few months as they orbited the planet. Not only will Anchorites find themselves accosted for photos, but they can also find figurines, keychains, and small novelty items of themselves in almost every knick-knack store on the promenade deck. The souvenir shops will also come heavily stocked with red shift-themed items, including toys and decorations featuring some of the monsters that have appeared from the wastes. You always wanted a slinky sand worm, didn't you?

Anyone who can sing, dance, play music, or otherwise perform will be encouraged to do so and showered with gifts - both useful and useless - by the vacationers. Have an instrument, or a good voice? Go busking! Sell your art, give lectures about your home worlds, teach salsa dancing. The vacationers are just waiting to give you money for helping them have a good time.

There's an alien casino, with machines both familiar and very very not. It's a rollicking place with neon signs, free-flowing drinks, and even more free-flowing money. You might not have any use for alien currency in Anchor itself, but it couldn't hurt to check out the shops with a little extra cash from the poker tables, could it? At one side is an all-you-can-eat buffet of everything under the sun, from alien fruit and vegetable platters to...is that a whole giant squid? I never knew they came in quite that color...

You can sneak around the casino without too much effort, stealing from pockets, tables, and platters, but that could get you caught and thrown in the brig, which. Well. We'll get to that, but you don't really want to go there.

The uppermost level of the ship is a beach and water park. There's sand, palm trees, a wave pool, water slides, and a lazy river with inner tubes big enough to support even the heftiest alien. Oh, and a regular old pool, over there. Where all the old aliens are hanging out and playing hover-shuffle-board. Swimming gear is required in this area, but not to worry! There’s an automated booth that will supply you with just the suit you need.

In addition to these places, there's a whole ship to explore, with all the amenities a weary traveler could want. A spa (manned by real (alien) people!), jacuzzis, restaurants that actually function with food the bold can actually eat, clothing stores (though not much of it is designed with humans in mind), deck chairs on sunny promenades, gardens full of alien flowers, and an enormous library filled with books that are checked out based on the honor system. So, y'know. Be honorable. Or something.

c. the first rule of daisy darling.

For those unentertained by the above-board offerings of the upper decks, there's the ship’s more hidden amenities. A fight club filled with creatures of every shape, size, and level of power. A drug den with everything from euphoria-inducing cigarettes to hallucination-causing body paints. A thriving black market, though the offerings are comparatively innocent - bootlegged episodes of Anchors Away, mostly. What's that? Oh, just the reality show of your lives over the past six months. Let's hope no one comes across any awkward vids showing things you don't want people to know about.

Attached to the fight club is the brig. Can you see where this is going? People who get caught breaking the rules on the Daisy Darling can expect to face the music by being put opposite some of the ships more powerful monsters, or its more powerful and reckless vacationers. Who wouldn't love to test themselves against a giant robot or an honest-to-god cowboy? Don't worry! If you get too badly hurt, there's a repair suite on the medical level that can fix up almost any injury. Just don't die before you get there.

If anyone asks about staying on board, escaping the planet with the ship, or tries to convince an alien to help them stow away, they'll be told it goes against both the prime directive and the Daisy's petting zoo rules. Try to stow away on your own? Well, if you're lucky, you'll get caught by a benevolent guard and booted back to Anchor. If you're unlucky, get those boxing gloves ready, because you're headed for the brig.

d. the network.

Need to get hold of someone, call for help, ask the city at large a question? Need to ask a friend to back you up and tag team in the fight club? Maybe you need to hold your sat phone up to whatever crazy thing you're seeing and send out a recording to double-check if your eyes are deceiving you and what you're looking at is real?

Whatever the reason, the network is going strong, so feel free to include a post to it in your top-levels.

Navigation.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Yamamoto would argue that fact because yes, every one of those sticks misses him. However, water and explosions mean waves. Granted they are not typhoon size but the water throws his stride off. He is amused, most people would be against the idea of dynamite being used in a game of water tag. Yamamoto, he thinks it makes it more fun. More of a challenge.

He is caught up in the backlash, his body turning in the water as he goes under. His attempt at escape halted for the moment. All he can do is ride the friction, rolling this way and that to keep himself from going too far.

This should be a water park ride, it is way more fun than it has a right to be. If he was not currently rolling underwater occasionally he would be laughing.

Gokudera can totally ride these waves, but he’s doing a better job of swimming under them, and swimming up from under Yamamoto and just... keeps going. He’s getting a bit swept away and ends up nearly eating sand.

Ultimately, he’s skinning his chin and coming out of the water nearly crawling and feeling like a drowned rat. Okay dynamite wasn’t a great idea, but yes it was fun. A lot. He coughs and falls down, rolling onto his back and just resting in the sand.

Yamamoto is lucky enough to not eat sand, he surfaces a few moments after Gokudera. Seeing his friend relaxed on the sand he laughs, swimming his way to shore he steps out of the water near Gokudera.

Running his hands over his hair to free it of water droplets and any bits of sea life they may have to in there.

"That was fun." In the end, it looks like Gokudera has the right idea and Yamamoto is going to drop back onto the sound. Irritatingly enough he just looks like he had a really good time.

"I hope there is somewhere to swim here all the time." His way of saying let's do this again when we can.

Gokudera opens one eye to look up at Yamamoto, and has to look away.

Then he's wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, and inadvertently smearing sand there. There's a growling noise to accompany his efforts to wipe his face free of the granules and then he turns his head and looks over when Yamamoto is on the sand, too.

"Yeah..." Definitely going to look back on this fondly. Gokudera stretches and pushes himself to sit up. There's sand everywhere on him and he frowns at it, carefully trying to brush it off the scratches on his sides without causing too much discomfort. It's pretty unavoidable.

Yamamoto had closed his eyes as he was lying there with his hands behind his head. He hears the growling noise, it is not unusual for Gokudera so he does not see the attempt to rid his mouth of sand.

He does open his eyes when he feels the shadow of Gokudera sitting up next to him, there is sand everywhere. And those scratches, that is not a good thing.

"Hold on, don't use your hands." Yamamoto rises in one motion, paying no mind to the sand on his skin as he jogs to his school bag. Opening it he shuffles around till he finds the shirt he wore in the choice battle. He does not see himself wearing a suit around Anchor. He also adds in some of the bandages and antiseptic he had left after fixing his own injuries on arrival. Back he trots, holding the package of the shirt, bandages and antiseptic out to Gokudera as he drops back to the sand.

"Here, you want to get the sand out, they don't look healed all the way yet." They aren't bleeding so they aren't brand new but close enough by Yamamoto's standards, infection is real Gokudera. The soft fabric of the shirt should hurt less than Gokudera's sandy fingers.

Gokudera pauses, confused. If not his hands, then what exactly does Yamamoto have planned? He watches him go through that school bag, then blinks at the offered shirt as he takes it.

"Oh... thanks." Yeah, it will help a lot. Gokudera's used to tending to his own wounds. That's likely why the scars are so prominent. The scratches sting as he moves to clean and bandage them, hissing annoyance under his breath.

"Stupid Hibari..." Why couldn't the guy do a single thing without trying to hurt him all the time? Once he wanted to inquire about brainwashing and memories of Namimori being replaced by those of Amoi and he earned himself a broken nose via tonfa. Come over for tea with Gokudera's roommate, have a fight by the front door. Any and nearly very scenario they interacted resulted in Gokudera getting beaten down, and Hibari upset that his opponent could not legally fight back. Sure the scratches would have been nice given the scenario he received them in, but did there have to be so many?!

Gokudera moves over to return those supplies, and to gather his clothes, shaking the sand off and out.

Yamamoto would offer help but he knows Gokudera would ask for it if he needs it. Or if he sees him struggle too much he'll offer, best to let the bomber tend to it himself as long as it seems like he can.

Which he does, Yamamoto in the meantime is relaxing back on his elbows in the sand. Stretching out with his face tilted upward. Sure those scratches make him curious but they are not deadly, they are just, different than any injuries he has ever seen.

Wait, did Gokudera just say Hibari? His head turns to look from the view above to the Guardian next to him.

"Hibari?" Okay, yes Hibari can be a violent guy but why would he scratch Gokudera? He has threatened to bite them all to death at one time or another but usually, he is prone to attacking Mukuro and acting indifferent towards the rest of them.

"Why did Hibari scratch you?" His hand freezes where it had reached for those supplies, hanging there in the air as a visible sign of his confusion. That is not exactly a normal place to get an injury from Hibari's fighting style, is it? Not when Gokudera's fighting style is considered, something does not add up for Yamamoto.

"Yeah, Hibari," Gokudera confirms and pulls his shirt back on, grabbing the material and shaking it gently to dislodge any more sand that could still be clinging to it.

"Because... he liked to? Bites and scratches and bruises... We used to fight a lot on that world, but it was illegal. There are other ways to relieve tension aside from fighting." It's a roundabout way of saying he got intimate with Hibari. True to form, it was always very detached. Hibari was not ever a lover, but he'd enjoyed creating red in Gokudera with the same care a painter would take sumi to parchment.

"Oh" Well, he is going to lay here and let those words ping around in his head. Yeah, not taking the bundle offered or moving from where he is laying in the sand. It was like he knew but he did not know. For some reason there is a moment of him thinking that Hibari should not be with Gokudera, he does not like it.

He knows it's not because they are his friends (Or at least Gokudera is, Hibari being more distant) or both guys, he would want those he cares about to be happy. He tells himself it must be because it's Hibari and he knows how detached he is. For an emotional person like Gokudera, that doesn't seem the best fit. Hibari would have no patience with outbursts and he enjoys violence. Yamamoto respects him, believes in him as a fellow Guardian, he just doesn't imagine Hibari is built for anything more than things that leave scratches. And for him, those things should have something more than a desire to leave marks on someone.

Yup, definitely has to be the reason because there can not be another and he realizes also, he has lain here too long thinking without saying a word. He takes the bundle, flashes a smile as he lays it next to him. He is going to stay laying there for the moment because, well yeah.

One thing he never realizes is through all this he flushes a little. He has never thought about any of his friends doing that sort of thing and instinct means picturing things in your head is far too easy, even when he doesn't want to.

He is going to focus on what he can without having to think through his feelings on all of it. He can go for a run later to do that.

"I bet he hated a place like that." He can only imagine Hibari living somewhere that people could not fight back, he's surprised the guy didn't tear the place apart with his bare hands. Yes, that is Yamamoto Takeshi changing the subject as best he can.

Gokudera and Hibari don't exactly get along. It's a good point to imagine that they should not be together. However, there is a certain balance to their relationship, always a give and take with neither wanting to owe the other anything. Hibari's currency is violence, and Gokudera knows how to take advantage of that by steering him in when support is needed. He'd outright told the mongrel that no one else could kill him, because he wanted to be the one to do it. In that oath, not even the cruel system of Amoi could keep Gokudera down, because Hibari would pick him back up in order to fight him.

Being with Hibari was never complicated. During sex, it was just a battle for dominance, again more give and take. Outside of sex was just violence, and it never got too bad. It was always enough to leave them aching and banged up.

"Yeah, but there were places we could fight, and technically he could hit me without touching me or getting his hands dirty. The slums by the wastelands was the only place no one would report me fighting back. It was full of other mongrels, and most of them were criminals, anyways."

It makes sense, all of it right down to the scratches. Yamamoto's brain just refuses to let him process it here and now. For some reason this piece of information is being stored, he never forgets but he can think of something else till he has time to figure himself out. Being young can be fun but it can be hard, it is the way a person grows. He is bound to learn something about himself from everything he goes through here. Even learning that his friends had been intimate.

Yamamoto chuckles, he can not imagine Hibari wanting to fight in a way that did not get his hands dirty. He would have chosen a different weapon than the tonfa if that was his style, in the swordsman's opinion. Good, at least Gokudera got his licks in. Yamamoto does not like the thought of one-sided fights. Though he knows, Hibari doesn't like them either. It is easier to think of the two of them fighting than the other part.

" You two would be able to find a place to fight... " The twist of his lips, the glint in his eyes, and the fondness in his voice say it all. The rest of it may confuse him, this part, the pair fighting each other to release their pent up energy, that makes sense and sounds like the two Guardians. Mr. Middleman over here knows all about Guardians fighting.

Gokudera had spent a great deal of time and energy with a lot of different people. It's part of why adjusting to Amoi may be a bit difficult. He's not exactly got the perverted mindset of Shamal, nor the libido of most young men his age, so it won't be too difficult. It's more of a struggle to mask his emotions, to think that whatever he eats isn't going to be laced with something. That people aren't going to look at his deactivated collar or suddenly scan his eyes to turn him down for a job, or to kick him out of areas because he's worth less. Anchor will help him, and he's unaware of how Yamamoto may feel about him bringing Hibari up in this regard. There is no romance to what he says, but he certainly was not an unwilling party if he was with the other Guardian.

"That's how I came up with a new strategy, so even if I lost... it wasn't all bad. Felt like training, and no one bothered us." Heaven help them if they did.

"Hibari was well off, and there was even a holiday dedicated to fighting." It also included whipping mongrels, but Gokudera kept away. "So he got to beat up a ton of people. If anything, I think he was bored until the brainwashing kicked in... He was on Amoi much longer than me."

Yamamoto sits up finally, leaning forward he starts to brush the sand which is dried against his skin from him. Not thinking about the sandy shirt within arms reach of him as he loosens particles from dusky skin. It's understandable that Gokudera would find himself thinking or even wanting those things despite not being on Amoi. It is a natural response once someone's desires are awakened.

Unfortunately for Gokudera, it is quite possible that having an obliviously attractive friend could be problematic in this regard. The fates will be cheering for him.

Whatever he thought of his friends together, it is clear by the way his shoulders shift he feels sympathy even for Hibari who would not appreciate it. That place really did make them all suffer in some way.

"They had to be strong to control him." And Gokudera, and Tsuna and himself, what kind of power would it take to stop them, it is kind of scary to think of. Not enough to change his mood though. He well, he got some of the sand off, rocking forward he does a quick squat to wake up his leg muscles before rocking back to sit beside his friend.

"Too bad we couldn't put a tent up and stay here." This has to be his favorite place on the ship. He will always carry fond memories of this beach with him.

Gokudera is very firmly not staring at Yamamoto. They've had their fun and he doesn't intend to spoil this good time. He's not wearing pants, so he's not staring, nope... just gonna look out over the water.

He's got a strong will and closes his eyes. Focus, Gokudera. You can do this.

"They didn't control him!" Gokudera remarks, but it is kind of true. He'd stuck up for some mongrels during a riot, and so had the Tenth. There'd been plenty of violence and of course, as an Elite, the Tenth didn't face any difficult consequences.

Gokudera, however, had his powers restrained, had been drugged and taken in for questioning. He doesn't even know why they'd done that. There were no answers, honestly... he was just doing what he thought was right.

"Just... after being there a year, even I started to have my memories changed. I don't know how or why... but everything I could remember, there was no Namimori. Hibari forgot, so of course," he's proud of himself. "I had to make him remember. How fucked up is that... a Hibari not knowing Namimori..." Gokudera chews at the filter to his cigarette in mild irritation. "He broke my nose, but I'm pretty sure I convinced him."

"Yeah, just take a trip through space? Eat a bunch of food and hang out with aliens..." Gokudera sighs in comfort and folds his arms laying back on them while they pillow his hair.

Yamamoto considers gathering their clothes but it is warm and he does not feel uncomfortable sitting there in his boxers with Gokudera. Not realizing that his natural movements and comfort could be causing any discomfort for his friend. Someday, someday the young man may be aware of what he is capable of. Today my good sirs is not that day!

That is the only answer, why would these young men throw themselves into battle time and time again, because it is the right thing to do.

He looks disconcerted at that a Hibari who does not remember Namimori? Namimori is Hibari's lifeblood, more than anything that chills him a little, a few goosebumps dancing across his arms as he thinks about it. "He must have appreciated it." Yamamoto chuckles making a joke that if all he got was a broken nose from Hibari that is getting off lightly.

He folds up one leg, leaning his chin against it with a smile and nod. "Yeah, maybe dock on different planets and get to check them out." Even take a ride by earth and pick everyone up, why not?

If Yamamoto were aware, Gokudera would need more than just this bit of willpower. Luckily, staring at the ocean and talking about Hibari is keeping him pretty far from humoring whatever part of him wants to stare.

"Sure? I mean, he wasn't happy with me, but it's Hibari." Shrug, "what else is new."

Gokudera could have approached better, but ultimately, Hibari loves fighting. A broken nose isn't the worse damage he's ever taken. And... he convinced him pretty well, he thinks.

"That would be cool. I still haven't seen much of Anchor yet, so I'm not ready to leave." He stands and shakes out his pants before stepping into them. There's sand. It's uncomfortable, but not enough to stop him from sitting back down.

Hopefully, no one teaches him of this superpower of his any time soon.

"He got to fight, that's what makes him the happiest." Other than that and being left alone with no conflicts affecting the school Yamamoto can't think what else would make Hibari happy.

In the end, they are such vast opposites in their outward personality that it may have been inevitable to end up that way.

"Me either, it'll be an adventure." It almost seems like a tame adventure in comparison to what can happen on a daily basis in their lives back home.

He's attractive enough when he's not trying. His fan club back home is testament to that.

"Yeah." Not a Hibari from his world, but still very much a Hibari. Most of the Guardians share that same kind of passion for a challenge and battle, though. It's not odd.

"It'd still be fun to stowaway." Which he's definitely done before, but it's been a while. "Or to at least explore some..." where they aren't supposed to. Gokudera wants to check out every inch of this space cruise ship.

"Ah, but I don't want to piss off an alien." Which he still feels a little bit guilty for grabbing whoever/whatever that was in the water earlier.

What would the Tenth do? Probably just relax. Gokudera's going to do just that and enjoy the sound of the water and the warmth of the sand.

Fan club? What is Gokudera talking about, the girls are just really nice, he doesn't know it's his fan club. Besides, he is not the only Guardian with a fan club of giggling girls behind him at home.

Nope, to them it is natural, they wouldn't be who and what they are if it wasn't. Regular teenagers are not something they could be, they are a different breed that exceeds their years in many ways.

"Yeah, maybe we can explore before it's gone?" Or before they make their way to Anchor to find a way to turn it into a home for the two friends.

"I think they throw you in the brig on a ship, maybe we shouldn't risk it?" Would aliens have a brig, that does not sound like a good idea, maybe it is better to not do anything to piss any more aliens off. He'd rather not have sudden screeching and teeth again thanks.

The girls are annoying and noisy. Gokudera definitely doesn't find them or their attention nice. The gifts aren't bad, but he's completely baffled by their attention. At least with Yamamoto it makes sense. He's part of a sports team! Girls go for those kind of guys.

If the constant eagerness to fight and train weren't enough to make them weird, there's also the mafia superpowers. That's definitely not something any other teenager can claim.

"Sure. But I think I might stay here for a bit." If only he could sunbathe here, he'd love to. Instead, it seems Gokudera is about to fall asleep. "I'll get some milk later..."

"Mmmhm, so then just what isn't locked up... that should be fine."

They are nice Gokudera, they give them gifts and are always smiling, what's so bad about that? Then again, beyond thinking it's nice how they give him gifts he never thinks of any of the girls, ever. Maybe that's it, most people see him and like him for the cheerful jock, maybe he'll think about someone when they see him as more.

Nope, they got a lock on overpowered teenagers doing jobs way above their age level and they do it like bosses.

"Okay," Yamamoto hops up, trotting over to his clothes he dresses, not caring much about the sand, it washes out. He sees Gokudera being to doze, there is a bit of worry because well Gokudera is paler than Yamamoto, quietly he releases Kojiro, the sparrow understanding what his partner wants he takes flight, he'll use the rain flames to negate any negative effects and of course the sparrow makes a good sentry. He thinks he'll take a short run with Jiro down the beach, letting Gokudera have a few moments to rest. He won't be gone long and he is bound to take a seat there next to his friend when he does return. Ten minute tops, if only because he won't leave his friend sleeping in a strange place without someone having his back.

Obviously they get in the way of him protecting the Tenth! It's like they're trying to make his life difficult with the way they swarm! Confessions outside of the classroom are even more uncomfortable, and he remembers always turning them down. There's just no one he respects more than the Tenth, and he does not have enough time to begin to focus on girls. If getting a relationship were to ever come up, he'd just want to work on getting his boss Sasagawa-chan's attention. She seems nice and comfortable with the idea of her brother in the mafia, and it's not like she could avoid being in the mafia.

Gokudera hears Yamamoto get up and move, but doesn't pay too much attention. He's comfortable and well armed, and completely capable of taking care of himself. Except that as he's dozing, some alien child comes up and starts to bury his legs in the sand. Maybe he noticed and was too tickled with the strange company, or maybe Gokudera is actually asleep. If the little bit of drool at the corner of his mouth means anything, it's a safe assumption that Gokudera is completely oblivious. That sand is piled on and shaped like a fish tail, and the kid pats it on before they run off to collect some shells or rocks, or whatever else would make this human look silly.

His legs feel heavy. Did someone put a blanket on him? How nice...

Yamamoto knows Tsuna likes Ryohei's sister, Yamamoto would be on board with a plan to get the two of them together. They would make a good couple after all, since anyone who gets close to any of them is bound to be connected to the family and she is already part of said family. Gokudera has the right idea. And the swordsman is going to remain blissfully unaware that the rest of the girls are anything more than friendly.

His run takes him longer than he thought, working through this while his feet dig into sand is cathartic and by the time he and Jiro make it back Gokudera has been turned into a fish. Yamamoto would laugh except he sees how peaceful Gokudera looks and for a moment he just stands there smiling down at the other. When he sees the alien child approaching with shells in his hands the swordsman has to cover his mouth to not life, he searches at his feet, finding one he gets the idea of what the kid wants to do and begins to help him with a finger to his lips. Indicating they should not wake Gokudera up yet.

He is getting something thrown at him for this he can almost bet, but if that mischievous smile of his says anything with its boyish charm, he does not mind.

If Gokudera is going to sleep this deeply, he'll likely end up with a sandcastle around him. The alien child is stacking shells, accessorizing the tail, and then actually placing them as high as possible on Gokudera's chest.

The teen makes a soft, mumbled remark and wipes at his face, knocking the stack of small rocks and shells over. It's not loud, but it's not easy to ignore, and slowly, his eyes open. Ugh... why does he feel so heavy?

"Wh-what's going on?" He yawns and moves to sit, then notices that it's a bit difficult because WOAH WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN?! "Ack! Go away!" He waves his hand and the young alien scampers off, making a very happy sound. It's probably a laugh, and Gokudera looks over at Yamamoto, picks up a shell, and throws it nice and hard almost point-black at his forehead.

Yamamoto struggles hard to keep from chuckling in fear of waking Gokudera before they are finished with their masterpiece here. Then Gokudera wakes up and Yamamoto laughs his heart out, waving at the kid as he scampers off.

It's too good, Gokudera's expression, especially when he finds himself stuck. It only serves to make Yamamoto laugh harder. It is reflex and that he expected it from the start, when the shell flies at him he reaches up and catches it, it stings a little but does not stop his mirth.

"Your face, amazing.." He is so amused, really what a lovely mermaid Gokudera is.

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