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.

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Vongola ~~Vandalize property and annoy every person they find in Anchor with shenanigans~~ Fight!

"No you can't." It's not something he can just demand that Yamamoto prove. He's just being argumentative. The mood will pass, and Gokudera's grumpy disposition will give way to some cold inaccessibility.

"Sure you do. Like sushi rice, or..." Fresh cut grass, or the earth on a rainy day. He shakes his head. No, those sound good. "Sweat." Which could smell nice, but he's not going to admit something embarrassing like that.

"That's part of your suit!" Gokudera gasps, as though offended. A well-fitted suited is much more expensive and meaningful than a pack of cigarettes, and he will gladly let his sopping hair air dry. "Fuck that." And he shakes his head, sending water droplets scattering like a dog would. The hair sticks to his face and he has to peel it, then wring it again, but it's not bad.

Vongola ~~totally don't break anything or cause someone to have a heart attack~~ Fight!

"Watch and see." He will so keep his hands to himself for today; sometimes shenanigans require hands such as going swimming. But, it is too soon for that joke, so Yamamoto is not going to make it out loud. Other than keeping his hands to himself, he can't prove it, but he is going to try.

The mood isn't too big of a problem, Yamamoto is used to Gokudera, and he can keep his smile. He said his apology and everything will be fine. He's not worried. "But that would smell good." Of course, he has to point it out, at least he doesn't know about the other two, though they would smell good too. Then he laughs, "It's not my baseball uniform." That might smell like sweat; he's pretty sure his stuff in his bag is fine.

"Yeah..." he blinks, well okay, if Gokudera doesn't want to use it, he drops it into his bag and holds out the shirt at least "It's dry, if you don't want the jacket, you can wear this." He does not understand, it's a suit, but he actually would be more concerned about his uniform or practice clothing than the suit. Forgive him; he understands not what a good suit is worth.

"I don't have to watch. I can feel it every time you touch me, you know." Duh. Gokudera reaches a hand into his pocket, and- oh yeah... no cigarettes. The reminder he gives himself feels like getting smacked upside the head and he moves his hand back out, scratches at his neck, and starts chewing at his lip in irritation.

"Not to everyone." He remarks, aggravated that the other is right. Yamamoto is on a real winning streak with making good points. How irritating. "What, you don't sweat in your practice clothes?" For someone so active, Gokudera would think Yamamoto sweats an awful lot. Maybe he doesn't though... he's never actively seen him very sweaty.

"Look, just forget about it. I'll dry off on my own. I'm not catching a cold, and suits are not something you just... come by. It's fitted just for you. Custom." See... there's value.

"True..." He didn't think of that when he issued the challenge to watch him. But, still, watch him, he can do this. Yamamoto doesn't say anything, but he sees the lip chewing, he can bet it's because he ruined Gokudera's cigarettes. Forgive him. He can not bring himself to offer a solution to getting more; he worries about his friend's health. Not that he ruined them on purpose, he wouldn't do that.

"Huh, I guess, some people wouldn't like it, but I think everyone we know does." After all, wouldn't it be a comforting smell, kind of like home? Here he is on a roll, and he has no idea he is even batting a hundred at this point, shame. He does, but he is also a clean young man, which means he washes his uniform and practice clothing. Except, he is pretty sure he did not get his uniform taken care of before being dragged off, "I washed them, they were clean in my bag when I got here." Though he may not sweat as bad as some, his age and stamina help, his body is conditioned to go into high gear it takes a lot to get his blood pumping enough to make him sweat.

"Okay, if you're sure." He folds the items and puts them back in his bag. It's warm enough; he just spreads his tee out to dry and figures his pants can do the job of drying themselves on his body. It's not so bad; he isn't uncomfortable since he is in his casual clothes as it is. "I didn't think of that, sorry I don't wear suits." He laughs; it's just not his standard choice of attire. Even formal gatherings for his family was more about traditional than suits. He is a product of his father, and it shows quite often in the young man.

Gokudera knows smoking is bad. Oh, he's very much aware that he shouldn't, and that it's a nasty habit, that it could eventually kill him. But... as awful as it is, it is helpful. He's got an oral fixation, an overactive, stress-riddled mind, and would likely grind his teeth without something to vent out his frustrations. That, and the cigarettes are part of his weapons. At least he has money to replace them. He can probably buy something on the ship.

"I think that if I smelled like you, I'd smell like a sushi shop." Not bad, but not a very Gokudera scent. Home to him is like... smokey, bitter and spiced. Like coffee, cinnamon, and then a hint of cigarettes. As often as he is smoking, Gokudera always made it a habit to open windows if he smoked in his apartment. The smell of cigarette smoke isn't appealing, even for someone like him.

"I'm sure. Thanks." He seems less irritated, his lip a little more abused, and he watches the other boy lay his shirt out. "Yeah... I know. They're pretty much a necessity for any man, though, especially in the mafia."

Yamamoto will never like that the other does it, but he is not here to change Gokudera. He is here to be his friend and his support; he'll never pretend the cigarettes are something he likes. But he also won't complain or otherwise take them away. They are apart of the bomber and have been since the day he met him. He may gently encourage or do his best to distract to keep the other from smoking as much. But who can blame him?

"Like my old man's place, yeah, I guess that's more me than you, huh?" Of course, he smiles fondly; he can smell the shop in his memories. It is so ingrained in him. He does not have to say it, but he misses that smell, there are moments it feels like he hasn't been there in forever. So much of their time has been spent going back and forth it is a jumble in his head some times. There is nothing wrong with coffee and cinnamon. Both are delightful scents.

"I guess I'll get used to it one day, huh?" Or just tug himself out of his tie and loosen his shirt as soon as humanly possible because he'll feel constricted. Like a tied up piece of meat ready for the spit. Really, can he not have to wear suits, ah well, he'll do it for his friends, for his family. Everyone should know he will wear it as casually possible as it can, it is not likely to look perfectly neat.

Luckily, there are a lot of ways to distract Gokudera. He'll just keep on chewing at his lip until he needs to speak, gesticulate when he needs to get a point across.

"Yeah." Gokudera realizes that back home, he never had anyone over. He didn't live... well, but he wouldn't want his friends to see. He got by in Japan, and that's good enough.

"It's not like you'll have to wear a suit every day. Just when you're working." When Yamamoto's actions directly impact the family. No one wears suits as often as Japanese salary men, so there's no need for Yamamoto to worry about feeling constricted.

Yes, though, Yamamoto will aim for the ones that do not cause his lips to be so harrassed from chewing. It's a little worrisome but something he can gently work on rather than just pointing out. As for the gesticulating, Yamamoto has fast reflexes; he can dodge those gestures should they get too wild.

Maybe for Gokudera, it was; for all of them at the time it was. Even now, Yamamoto does not quite consider, he knows, knows more about Gokudera's past than the other probably wants him to. But one day, he is going to realize that in this sense, they all should have done more. Sure, Gokudera was used to having no one, but he has them. It's not the same as having a family to grow up with, but it is a family, and their homes are always open. Though it is probably not surprising, the bomber should know that they will be there.

"True, maybe Tsuna will let me get by without the tie?" Really if he could just lose the tie he could handle the pants and shirt, they aren't much different than his school uniform. Right, except Yamamoto was never set to be a traditional salary Japanese man. His eyes were on the major leagues with the same determination they are on protecting his family. Sure, he still hopes to someday have both, but the less time in suits, the better.

Gokudera won't be moving his hands enough to hit Yamamoto unless he's standing too close. In fact, he's less dangerous since he'll just be waving about his hands and no lit cigarettes. The hands are so much a part of how he speaks, the dodging requirements have to be high for anyone in close proximity.

He wouldn't like if anyone did anything to support him. Gokudera's expectation is that everyone is selfish to varying degrees. The Tenth has enough on his plate, the baseball idiot has a carefree life, and really... the one person he could relate to best is Chrome, though she wouldn't be safe to approach considering the company she keeps. At least she's safe. It is more than enough to have friends and family to support should he need it, but they're all relatively capable of staying out of his business. Sometimes.

"If we all have to and you don't, it won't look good on the family." Loosening it is something he'd expect. Going without it is blasphemy. "Wearing a suit without a tie is like wearing your baseball uniform and no shoes."

Considering he can be a space invader some times, it is bound to happen. Then again, he will just duck or move; it's not as if this has not happened before. Right, he will watch the space invasion when cigarettes are lit, save his eyebrows and hair, he is kind of attached to them.

For the most part. Some push their nose in more than others. Or at least as much as they are allowed; more as time goes.

"Tie it is then..." He is probably playing up his not wanting to wear it a little more than he would. Because it is distracting Gokudera, and he is calming down from Yamamoto's earlier antics. "Got it, suit equals tie till I get home" Then fuck the police, he is taking it off, and no one can make him wear it.

Yamamoto is more likely to get ash flung into his hair than sustain any kind of singe or burn.

"If you get into a situation and think 'would making this person angry endanger my family,' or if it's obviously a time where you meet with a different family... any kind of negotiation... that's when you put the tie on before hand. If we're here for a while, we're still representing the Vongola. Just," Gokudera rubs at his temples and shrugs. "Be mindful?" Considerate is the word he's looking for.

True, he can come out looking like he has gray streaks, very distinguished, of course.

"Good thing I've got you with me." He has no problem admitting; he may not always recognize the right situation to need his tie. All he knows is how to be himself and react to the case; accordingly, he may need help in the fashion department. Though if his current mood is anything, a lot of his time will be spent in practice clothing working on his skill to make himself stronger for his family. He can be considerate. It is natural to him; unfortunately, he is also honest and prone to saying what he thinks versus what is diplomatic.

It wouldn’t be enough ash to make a streak, which would be disgusting no matter how distinguished the swordsman would seem.

“Yes,” he grins and at the lack of modesty, blushes a little while shifting his weight. Gokudera doesn’t mind what the other wears for most of his stay on Anchor, and visiting this cruise ship is a leisurely activity, not mafia related.

He was trying to put a positive spin on it; really, he would instead not get ash in his hair. Or gray hair in general, he is not ready to be an older man yet.

Yamamoto notices the blush; not knowing what caused it, he figures he better leave it alone. He could poke at it, but Gokudera just calmed down from earlier, so he will wait. Look, he is even keeping his hands to himself. "You think we'll run into people we'll have to meet with like that?"

He did not think about it being here, but he supposes it could happen. Or they could get unlucky, and people from home they aren't hoping to see could show up.

For now.

"Maybe not any time soon. I bet there are alien mafia families. That would be so cool..." He's a bit starry-eyed at the prospect. "Then we could make them ally with the Vongola, and we'd be the strongest family in the universe."

There are a lot of people Gokudera would hope don't show up. He just got lucky and ran into Yamamoto first. Its familiar, comfortable, even if the baseball player tends to annoy him.

Yeah, eventually, he will grow old. It's a given, but he's like fine wine, he'll make dapper salt and pepper one day.

Yamamoto watches Gokudera and his starry eyes; it makes him smile. This is a good place as far as that goes, it gives Gokudera some cool things to focus on. The guy will have different species to geek out over, and it makes the baseball player happy.

"Good idea, I'd wear a tie for that!" Because recruiting alien families is worth the trussed-up turkey feeling he gets. He better never tell Yamamoto this he'll have an excited, grinning baseball idiot to know Gokudera felt lucky it was him he saw first.

There's probably no point in Yamamoto's life where he has been or ever will be unattractive.

"We should go buy some clothes and see if they have alien suits." He doesn't need anything but basics for clothing, but it would be interesting to see what kind of clothing aliens wear.

Unfair as it is, probably not. His father passed on good genes.

"Alien suits, you mean with like eight arms?" He saw an alien who definitely would need that kind of suit. But it sounds like fun and he reaches out, grabbing his now damp tee, giving it a shake before tugging it over his head. He has clothes but if he comes across another set of casual it couldn't hurt.

"Let's check it out."

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june 2020. welcome to the void.

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