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SPRING TDM.
● ● ● T D M . 0 8
The words ring in your ears as in the darkness of your dream, a teal glow pulses, slowly enveloping you. It is not a feeling of comfort that surrounds you, though — as a distorted voice whispers in your ear, you feel it: cold dread, and a sudden certainty that everything is about to be irrevocably changed.
It is to this daunting realization that you wake, and as your heart slows into something resembling a normal tempo, you notice something you should have noticed immediately: you are not in your bed.
1.0 White walls, clinical yet clean, sparsely-furnished rooms. You may wake in one of three rooms: a room with only one bed, a room with two beds, or a room with four beds. Those waking up in rooms with more than one bed notice that they are very much not alone. Perhaps the other occupants of the room are still sleeping, dreaming the same dream as you just did, or a regular one after returning to the station just a few days ago … or perhaps you wake to the other person in the room watching you.
What you do is entirely up to you: yell in surprise when you wake to someone staring at you? Or maybe you’ll try to sneak away before anyone notices you...
2.0 Those with life-threatening injuries find themselves awakening in the infirmary, in a regular hospital bed. Most of their injuries have been treated, and any lingering illnesses or conditions will have designated medicine bottles on the table next to the bed.
White curtains surround the bed on both sides, giving an illusion of privacy. But is that a rustling sound you hear? Some footsteps? Perhaps you’re not the only one in need of some medical attention... or you've attracted the attention of those with experience in medical aid, and they rush to your bedside, surprised about this sudden new patient.
It is not just for your injuries that you may want some company, but also for leaving the infirmary — you can’t stay there forever, after all, and will have to make your way through the hallways of the station to the living quarters, and claim a room and a bed there.
Once you’re up, you may notice there’s something in your ear: an earpiece that, when you become aware of it, quickly runs you through the instructions for how to use the network, a recorded message by a female voice that explains exactly why you’re here… and leaves you with a map of the station.
So what else is there to do but to explore? Best get to know what is now your new home.
3.0 When trying to decide where yo go, you may find your way to the armory, where you can try to work the machine there to make yourself a weapon — perhaps to replace one that didn’t come with you to the station… or maybe you want to be prepared for the future. The recently-returned team members will surely recommend having a functional weapon with you.
4.0 After you’ve exhausted yourself training, it’s time to grab a bite. For that, you should head to the kitchen, which is equipped with all the basic appliances you might need, and ingredients for most regular dishes.
5.0 A welcome reprieve to the cold, dark space that surrounds the characters can be found in the sunlight room. A skillful illusion surrounds anyone who steps inside the room: you can hear the trilling of birds, feel a light breeze caress your skin as you walk through a grass field. It seems that the illusion reflects the season — the leaves have fallen, a layer of white covers the ground, and the air is crisp and clean. If you follow the path, it leads to where a bridge rises over a brook that has now iced over — but maybe don't try your luck walking on it, as the ice may crack underneath your feet and you'll find yourself plunging into the freezing water.
With an illusion so authentic it may leave you longing for some hot chocolate, it is easy to forget you are in space at all. Perhaps that gives you comfort, or just makes you miss the real nature all the more.
6.0 If you’d rather choose tinkering over nature, the lab is guaranteed to provide you with some entertainment. Glass vials and jars of chemicals sit on shelves in a surprisingly beautiful display of colour on one side of the room, while the other side of the room contains stacks of boxes containing assorted equipment: cords, bolts, panels, buttons, gears, gadgets, gizmos, and thingamabobs. The downside is that the parts available seem to have no apparent method to their sorting. So get digging, and you may just find exactly what you need to make what you’ve always wanted to make!
7.0 As you wander back towards the common areas, you may notice a room off to the side. The room takes up a chunk of the common area, and on its unassuming door is a little plaque that reads, 'The Ximusic room'. Should you enter, you will find a sound-proofed practice room that contains — yes, you guessed it, band equipment that even the most musically inclined should be satisfied with. So pick up an instrument, saunter up to the microphone to belt out your favourite tunes, or take a seat at the side of the room and enjoy others' playing.
8.0 If it’s items you’re lacking, though, some time after your arrival, the earpiece alerts you to a new message.
As you make your way to the platform, you'll see there is nothing amiss in the neat piles of items on it. There’s clothes, shoes, dishware, skincare, books… even a couple of CDs, and a few cute stuffed animals. So sort through what there is and grab what you want, before someone else does!
(CW: POTENTIAL BODY MODIFICATION)
Whether you’re a quick study and you’ve become settled into life on the station, or you want to get the full lay of the land (in a manner of speaking) first, if you decide to explore the hall past the control room, you’ll eventually come across the simulation room.
Step past the threshold and the doors will slide shut with a quiet woosh. Nothing suspicious; nothing to worry about. But before you can really get a sense of your environment (a grey, large-ish empty room, no furniture, no discernable objects to provide markers), the room goes dark, and then … there’s really no other way to describe it: the room transforms.
You find yourself in a club. The music is upbeat, loud, but not too loud. Down a short flight of steps flanking the bar and seating is the open floor with more tables and booths bathed in a warm, dim glow of light, and at the very end of the room is a stage with its bright spotlight showcasing its performers — though, at the moment, the stage is empty.
9.0 When you take a step forward, you’ll feel a presence gently push at your chest or your shoulder — a tall and jovial man resembling a well-dressed bartender from the top up (the rest of him appears to move along wheels) approaches with a tall flute glass in hand. Its contents are sparkly and blue.
Will you proceed? Please respond ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.”
There’s something a little strange about his voice, a cadence that doesn’t sound quite natural even when the simulation is so realistic otherwise. Once you’ve given your consent, the bartender continues.
10.0 It seems the bartender wasn’t lying. Once you’ve allowed the drink (tasty, sweet-but-not-too-sweet, effervescent, with light notes of your fondest childhood memory) to settle in your stomach you might experience a myriad of effects on your body, ranging from a change in skin colour (pink? green? blue with spots?), an additional limb or two (or three), a tail or wings, or cybernetic parts such as lie-detecting eyes or a tongue that can uncover truths and lies in others. If you happen to find another Orber within the room and both of you have consumed the offered drink, you might find yourself experiencing a full bodyswap.
None of the changes are painful; if anything, they might not even be noticeable until you look into a mirror, look down at your limb-in-question, or your companion points it out.
11.0 The moment you approach the stage, a performer will appear as if out of thin air and begin to sing, her voice strong and smoky and melodic. Her enthralling performance could put you into a trance, but you have an orb to find and a personal task to accomplish, so it’s time to put your best foot forward and do a little investigating.
Talking to some of the patrons might prove fruitful as some of them are convinced that the stage has never sounded or looked so good, like there’s something giving performers that extra oomph that no one can explain. It might be wise to wait until that last performance before you sneak up there — or maybe you want to do a little snooping around now, you know, while everyone’s distracted. Strategize with your fellow Orbers and uncover the location of this hidden orb.
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N O T E: The effects of the drink and the level of changes your character experiences is entirely up to you. Patrons of this fine club won’t bat an eye if you look a little like them.
Additionally, there are three personal tasks provided to each character as they enter the simulation. In-game, each character will be given one task. For the purposes of the test drive, we’re leaving it to players to pick a task for their character and run with it.
A Say the opposite of what you mean during the simulation.
B Create a scene with an unsuspecting teammate.
C Get up on stage and put on a performance during the simulation.
F Y I
• TDM threads can be used as samples for apps. In fact, we encourage it!
• Reserves open February 19!
• Apps open February 24.
• For any questions regarding TDM, please direct them here. For questions about the game, please refer to the FAQ.
FOR SOME FUN:
Have a clue about the upcoming mission—
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…you know, I noticed that too, [hard to miss that that people here didn’t wear hats pretty much ever] but I haven’t actually asked. Everyone’s world is so different though…more different than I would have thought possible. I guess…they don’t do hats. [He shrugs, suddenly looking over at Jake.] It’s weird that everyone is human though, isn’t it?
[ Finn’s tone was neutral, more interested in Jake’s opinion of that than revealing his own. especially because he really wasn’t sure how he felt about it. It was complicated, stirred up a lot of complicated feelings in him. ]
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[It would make some sort of weird sense, wouldn't it? Every human Jake had ever met, Finn included, had more baggage than a five star hotel. Musing on that a moment, Jake sprouts a few extra arms and begins gathering ingredients for the basting sauce.
He glances briefly at Finn's birds, then even more briefly at Finn himself, before returning his gaze to the small bowl in front of him.]
How's that been for you, bee-tee-dubs? You feeling good about it?
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It’s…different than the humans back on the islands. The people here are… [ He hesitates, looking for the right words, not wanting to speak too poorly of the humans back home just because they were so different from himself. Their circumstances - the world they lived in - weren’t really their fault, after all. Everyone was shaped by their environment to some extent, Finn knew that. Maybe now more than evere. ] I think I just relate to the humans here more. There are a lot of people who do things like we do…saving people. Being heroes.
[ But there were plenty of people who didn’t quite fit that category either, and Finn was finding himself connecting to a lot of those people too. Or at least, they were broadening his definition of what it meant to help people.
He wasn’t saying much, after a moment, biting his lip and staring at the birds. He looks up, finally snapping himself out of it. ]
Yeah. No, it’s good. I like being around them. I’m learning a lot about…me, I guess. And I’m learning a lot from them.
1/2
He could already tell from the way Finn spoke, thoughtful and measured and soul-searchy the way he always got with other humans, that whatever this adventure was wasn't going to come to a speedy end. What's more, Finn didn't seem eager for it to end. He almost seemed to... need this?
The thought lodged oddly in Jake, glad and concerned and some undefinable third thing.]
2/2
That's great, brother. Seriously. [He goes back to whisking the sauce, tasting it appraisingly.] Now c'mon, keep the peep-profiles coming! I'm pretty much done with this, I think.
[He holds out the spoon for Finn to taste, as was custom.]
NATASHA & YELENA
Okay. How about…Natasha! [Finn takes a brief beat, because despite having spoken to Nat a decent amount, he knew precious little about her that felt concrete. She was an expert evader, always giving the smallest of breadcrumbs, but never the whole slice. It was hard to convey in words why he liked their conversations so much. ]
She’s some kind of hero back in her world too, but I don’t know that much about it. She might be…a spy, or something like that? Maybe? She’s definitely good at keeping secrets. [ There was maybe the tiniest touch of annoyance in his voice at that, a minor frustration at being kept at arm’s length by many of the people he wanted to know better. ] But, she’s been really nice ever since I got here…we’ve talked a lot. Oh, and she’s got a sister here too! Yelena. Yelena’s younger, but trust me, you can tell when you meet them. [ No self awareness there. ] Yelena’s funnier, but you can’t tell them I said that.
[Take that secret to your grave, Jake.]
Also, Yelena likes dogs. Nat’s…kind of weird about it. Just a head’s up.
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...Natasha. Dang, I think I met her actually. [He promptly stretches his head into a quaint little hair style, mirroring the one he'd seen her with in the armory.] Hair like this, but red?
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We mostly talked about you, dork.
NEWT
You meet Newt? Newton. He’s…well, my height. Glasses, loads of tats? [ If Jake had met him, there’d be no mistaking him. ] He’s like, kinda if you mashed PB and Marcie into one person, actually. Like, big time mega-nerd…but also into cool griz too, like music and monster movies?
[ Finn nods approvingly to himself, grabbing a third napkin, unable to sit idly for more than a couple minutes. This paper bird was going to be the best one, he had a good feeling about it. ]
Anyway, he’s one of the science guys on the ship. Builds stuff, fixes stuff, invents stuff. That junk. He’s making a robo aquarium? Since we aren’t allowed to have a real one. He also does all kinds of fun stuff too, hosts movie night…you just missed the last one. [ Snacks and naps was very much Jake’s scene. ]
I think…he’s one of the guys who’s been here the longest though. Like, since their first mission. He’s all smiles and jokes most of the time but…that’s probably pretty lonely, right? [ It felt weird to bring that up; maybe too personal. Finn quickly pivots. ]
Oh! And he said he would take me to get a tattoo next time we’re someplace that we can do that.
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That dude is taking you to get a tattoo? [His tone should communicate everything Finn needs to know. Truthfully, Jake actually quite liked the guy, but there were just some friendships your little brother didn't need to be included on. A dog needed to interact with adults once in a while.] Bud, your body's not even done growing. It's gonna get all mad stretched out.
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[Someone’s brain isn’t done growing either.]
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HELEN
Helen! You would definitely know if you met Helen, she’s like…crazy beautiful. Pretty short…compared to the other humans here, anyway. Dark hair, dresses like she’s going to war? Kind of makes you wanna drop everything and do whatever she asks? [Maybe that was just him. ] But like in a spiritual sense.
[ It was clear that there were complicated feelings swirling around Finn’s thoughts around Helen. Or perhaps people that Helen made him think of. Others that surrounded her, drawn to her flame without even knowing why. Finn smiles, a touch sadly. ] We arrived around the same time, and she kind of…reminds me of home. She was a Queen or something similar in her world, and it seemed like she needed…people. Around her, I mean. Or…maybe I needed someone like her to be around.
[ Jake would get it. Not that he would relate directly, but because he understood Finn to a degree that few people understood another person. It meant Finn didn’t have to walk him through the thought process here. He didn’t have to say all the things that he knew Jake would simply know. ]
Anyway, head’s up, bro, I did swear an oath to her.
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He smiles, bopping him on the head with a stretched fist.]
Yeah, well, what else is new? [Leave it to Finn to get a second job when they already had one as Orb Cops.] Guess that means I can finally retire.
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Anyway, you’re too young to retire, brother. And we’re just getting started here! Do you know how many times I coulda used your backup on that last mission? [ There was something forced about his cheer; an insistence to his optimism that he clearly expects to be reciprocated. ]
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This wasn't the time for that conversation.]
Oh yeah? [He leans on his paw, curious.] Why, what happened?
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Oh, nothing. I mean, usual stuff. Monsters, bad guys, etc. Just could have used a stretchy dog, that’s all. [ That’s all.]
And quit changing the subject, we’ve got ground to cover! [Finn gives him a mocking frown of disapproval. There was a lot he wanted to talk to Jake about from that mission. And a lot he didn’t. And a lot he couldn’t. But he needed some time to pick that apart, and figure out his approach. Not right now. Not when Jake had just arrived on the station and all Finn wanted to do was hang out with him and cook, and tell him about all the great people he’d met, and help him settle in. There was plenty of time for talking about everything else later. ]
Well, what about Wei Wuxian? I bet you’ve seen him around…long black hair, pale, very handsome, and very friendly?
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Besides, if Finn wanted to tell him, he would tell him. The kid could take his own time with it.]
Nope. No dice on that dude. [Jake stands, moving to the stove to check on the meatloaf. As soon as he opens the oven door, the familiar aroma that had been filling the kitchen doubles. Tail wagging, Jake pumps his fist in celebration.] Heh, still got it, Jakey. Dried herbs ain't got nothin' on this dog.
WEI WUXIAN
I think you guys will get along! [ he forges ahead with talking, hoping to distract himself.] Wei Wuxian gave me a whole tour of the place when I got here, and he always checks in and made it really easy to feel at home, you know?
[ There was fondness to his tone and it was clear even without stating it aloud that this was one of the people Finn was most comfortable with among the crew. There was no anxiety or hesitation in how he spoke. ]
He’s a fighter…he said he used to use a sword but these days, mostly a bow. And he makes these talismans that do all kind of things…kind of like magic, but it’s not magic? I think he calls it- [ A beat while he tries to recall the exact word.] cultivation. That’s it. It’s cool.
[ There was some mild hesitation now, and Finn taps his fingers unconsciously on the table. Many of his interactions with Wei Wuxian, many of the reasons he’d become such an important figure in Finn’s life here on Ximilia, were things he hadn’t told Jake about yet. And they were related to things he didn’t even know if Jake knew. His regret, his whole reason for being here. ]
I had kind of a hard time with the mission…just personal stuff. He…helped me a lot. Kind of the way you would help me…talking me through some stuff. [ Finn’s hesitance here seemed to again stem from not wanting to overstep boundaries, both with his new friend, and with his brother. It was a strange thing, figuring out how these two separate pieces of his life were supposed to fit together. ] I’m doing some training with him, actually. Learning some different ways to handle things in a fight.
[It was as much as he wanted to say without getting too deep into the glimpses of Wei Wuxian’s personal life that he had seen, small as they were. It was almost more a sense, than a concrete assessment. Like many people here, whether it was age, circumstance or just personality, there was something of a wall surrounding Wei Wuxian, shielding much of him from Finn’s view. It could be frustrating, and at times it made him angry. But it wasn’t unfair, and he was learning to accept that.
He rests his chin on his hand, looking at Jake across the counter.]
I just think…you guys will have a lot to talk about.
1/2
Which makes him standing there now -- oven door open, listening to Finn recount this relationship in perhaps the vaguest terms he's used all night -- all the more notable. The room fills with warmth and good smells and coziness, but Jake just feels worry start gnawing around his guts.]
Heh, yeah. I bet we will. [About you.] He sounds like a good friend, dude. Maybe I'll sit in on a few of your training sessions sometime.
2/2
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[ Finn smiles hopefully, craning his neck to watch.]
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FELIX
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GWEN
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GWEN, CNT’D
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ZIGGY
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ITACHI
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