etrayamemes | TDM 003

Entry tags:

!tdm

TDM 003

⏵ arrival ⏴

NOTES\WARNINGS: Space horror, existential horror, clown horror, potential graphic violence & psychological trauma. Please add additional warnings as needed within threads.

Your arrival does not go as anticipated.

While most Etrayans wake up in the hospital, you find yourself somewhere else entirely. Not within the city bubble, not on the planet, but in a desolate room aboard a space station. There’s an endless mechanical whirring that can be heard from anywhere from just behind the walls, although the cause of the noise itself is difficult to discern.

Instead of Aurora’s voice telling you of your situation, you are greeted by a man running past the sliding door of your room, opening it, and potentially a couple of others along the hallway. He stops just at the edge of the hallway, a hesitant smile on his lips as he raises a hand to the back of his hair.

"Hey! Sorry about the uh–unexpected vacation? Trip? You can call me Alex, I’m one of the hands here aboard the Titan Eight. I’m sure you’ve noticed, but you don’t really belong here. Aaaaand neither do we! Haha, so at least we’ve got that in common. Right? We’re uh, stuck in the gravitational pull of a black hole of some sort and haven’t found a way out yet, and we keep getting random people pulled aboard." His hand smacks the wall next to him, and it opens up - revealing small handheld communication devices lined up behind it. "As you can probably tell, we’re getting used to it. Anyway. Feel free to take one of these, and read up a bit on the ship if you want. There’s a map, you were given a translator—" With a hand dropping to his collar, where a small button rests, "soon as we found you down below. Didn’t want you waking up and freaking out, did we? Just don’t break anything, please? Or don’t break it worse than it is. If this thing gets a big enough hole in it, or we run out of oxygen, or it, gods forbid, explodes, we’re all dead. I’ve got a thing I’m on the way to, but our AI, Aria, can lend you a hand with whatever. Just click her little icon on the comm. She's a bit basic, but she gets the job done."

With a little salute, Alex turns himself around to run further down the hallway, leaving new arrivals to themselves and their little communicators.

Looks like we’re not on Etraya anymore, Toto.

For new arrivals, they will find themselves waking up in the sleeping quarters of Titan Eight, a space station that has found itself trapped just outside of what looks like it must be a black hole. The station is running low on supplies, but it has been for a very, very long time. Or at least, the crew seems to think it has. They’ll say they have two weeks' worth of supplies left for those currently on board, except every time they go back to their supplies, it’s still two weeks left regardless of the amount of time it’s been since they’ve last checked it. Even the crew seems to think it’s odd, looking at one another in confusion every time they’re counting their stock only to realize that it’s still drastically low but never too low. How long have they been here? Years, some seem to think. There are numerous children on board, some as young as nine, but no one on board is aging either. They have tried to track how much time has passed before, but it seems they’ve never been able to track it successfully. Journal entries all carry the same date even as crew members try to mark them differently — marks made on the ship and on bodies fade after midnight as if they had never been there to begin with.

This is where the mission, and Etrayans comes in: remove the space station from the black hole’s gravitational pull. There are no further instructions, no limitations on how to accomplish this, and they are not given a time frame. Newcomers will not have this mission information on hand until someone who has stepped foot on Etraya proper can inform them. All of those who drop onto the ship were originally meant to be brought to Etraya and similar city bubbles, but the same pull that keeps the ship by the black hole seems to be preventing whatever method Echo and Aurora are using to get people to Etraya and is instead pulling them here.

Titan Eight is not just an average space station. It was built by residents of Caerys 2, and used to serve as a vacation home for those who can afford the luxury rooms in the fourth quadrant. The first quadrant houses a carnival of sorts, the second hosts numerous vendors, and the third is where the crew, and unexpected guests, can be found during their off time. The fourth quadrant houses some of this galaxy's richest families. A mother and her two sons walk through the hallways, carrying umbrellas despite there being no natural light on board, but a closer look at them might explain it: they're so pale, their skin looks clear, dark black veins visible through skin. Their sclera are black, and their 'hair' isn't hair but long black feathers. Numerous guests aboard the ship don't appear to be human; rather, species' of all kinds. An engineer is more dragon than anything else: his long body extends throughout the engine facility, taking up a significant amount of space, but given the dragon himself seems to be leading all efforts to keep the ship running, everyone else tries to work around him.

⏵ whirlwind whimsy ⏴
During the daytime, Titan Eight is fun.

Numerous rides are strewn about the wide open area: a massive carousel, ferris wheel, bumper cars, and various others. A seer will offer to tell your future, and performers gather in the big top, showing off their ability to bend themselves into unnatural shapes, or their lack of fear as they balance on thin wire high above the ground without a net to catch them, should they fall.

One popular ride is the Tunnel of Love: a small boat that only fits two and steers itself through a tunnel that goes under the carousel. Soft, serene tunes play as various images play over the tunnel walls. While those who have been aboard Titan Eight for a significant period will likely see hearts, short videos of people holding hands, watching the sunset while swinging together - it's not the same for those displaced onto the space station.

Instead, they'll see doorways into other worlds: an underwater city full of humanoid beings, a city bubble that looks like a small suburban area, a city built out of trees, or perhaps their own worlds: images of what they may be missing out on, or what could be.

The House of Mirrors is also popular: a carnival worker will tell those passing by that it shows you other versions of yourself - who you could be, what you might become, who you once were, or the person you wish you were. Rumor has it the mirrors will whisper to you, telling you what you can do to avoid certain outcomes, or how to achieve others.

There are also numerous carnival games set up: Balloon Darts, Ring Toss, Rifle Ranges - anything you could imagine at a carnival is set up somewhere. And given this is meant to be a luxury ship, everything is free of charge.

⏵ midnight entertainment ⏴

Titan Eight being stuck in the pull of the black hole doesn't seem to be the only problem.

When the clocks onboard read 0000 hours, everything shifts. The fun carnival feels eerie. Children's laughter can be heard bouncing off the walls — sometimes sounding bright and cheerful; other times sounding downright sinister. Crew members and carnival workers suggest staying out of the first quadrant. After 2230 hours, they exit their workstations and find other spaces to hunker down in for the night.

No one wants to be around when the excessively tall clown walks out of the House of Mirrors, dragging other clowns of various shapes and sizes right through the mirrors themselves. Carnival workers will explain they have tried breaking the mirrors but given how the ship resets at midnight, attempts to destroy everything have proved futile. The clowns themselves are odd. The tallest one has a smile filled with blood and a laugh that sounds like it belongs to a young child rather than the creature it is. It carries around a bloodied carving knife but doesn't reach for anyone who goes near it.

Some clowns cry and sob, ripping fingernails from their nailbeds as they claw at the door leading into the central hub. Others laugh and scream, wandering around the open carnival area to cause damage wherever possible. Some hurt each other, or the other creatures wandering the carnival area. Most of them will attack on sight. During the nighttime hours, this is their area.

And yet many remain around the House of Mirrors, guarding it, as if there is something inside of it that they must protect. Getting past them is near impossible: when one clown falls, two more rise out of the mirrors. When the mirrors are destroyed, the tall clown drags its hands against the broken pieces of glass, helping it to reform.

By 0500 hours, the clowns have made their way back into the mirrors, taking along with them whatever they had been so protective of.

⏵ toucan play that game ⏴
While the fourth quadrant is generally reserved for guests who can afford to pay for the space and the staff who manage it, with the station stuck, they've opted to open the area to allow others to come and go during the day.

In the center is a massive aviary, filled with birds of all shapes, sizes, and colors. Some of them have no feathers yet still manage to fly, some look as if they should have gone extinct thousands of years ago, and others are - completely unidentifiable, alien. Most of them are peaceful.

But not all of them. Off in the far Southwest corner is a bird with three eyes, a long black tail, and a beak full of massive teeth. While it will not attack others, it will open its beak and speak in a voice that mimics one familiar to those wandering past it: a friend, a sibling, or someone who had long since passed, and says the last thing they remember that person saying to them, repeating it over and over again as long as they stay close to it.

Outside of the aviary, there are exercise facilities, sunning rooms, a massive swimming pool and hot tub, areas for pets to rest and play with one another, and a large ballroom where dances are thrown once weekly. Residents dress up in their best gowns and suits, don masks, and dance away the stress of their situation. Staff and displaced are invited to join, although staff are encouraged to come to every other dance, so there are still enough to man the ballroom.

⏵ current player notes ⏴

Aurora approaches those currently stationed on Etraya individually, informing them of the mission at hand. She tells them that she is capable of releasing them much in the same way Echo originally pulled them onto the planet, but with a 'tether' still attached to keep them from getting lost too long. Time does not function the same way on the ship as it does on the planet; she suspects their time being on the ship won't register as any time at all to those remaining on Etraya, and that when they are pulled back, it will likely be as if they never left to begin with.

Current characters are not pulled to Titan Eight during missions happening in game but in the downtime between them.

Small rescue ships are docked at the Southeastern island, and she will send individuals off a few at a time. The ships will pass through the barrier without issue, but won't travel far at all outside of Etraya before they blip out of existence, and reappear in Titan Eight's orbit. They will also get a friendly introduction speech from Alex, and a ship communicator for any network-related needs while aboard Titan Eight! Earpieces will not work aboard the ship.

When characters are pulled back, it will not be on rescue ships. Instead, they will find themselves suddenly dissipating at midnight, as the rest of the changes aboard the ship shift back to how they had been originally. The rescue ships disappear at midnight, along with the player characters.

⏵ NOTES ⏴
This TDM covers June to September.

The TDM is game canon, meaning everything happening above is occurring within the game properly, and threads can be kept as game canon even if a character does not app.

Time does not function the same on Titan Eight as on Etraya! Characters can be brought onto Titan Eight at any time and stationed there long before any of the Etrayans arrive to assist.

For any questions relating to the contents of this log, please reply to our mod queries comment. All other questions can be directed to the FAQ.

This is going to be an ongoing plot, which characters are welcome to try and solve, even if they aren't yet in the game!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ He gasps. ]

That's what I said! [ About this being a school test and all. Sure, Fabian didn't show up first in this place - he'd even say his own situation was a little stranger, especially since it was entirely impossible to straight up skip the explanation there if you're as impulsive as Fabian is - but he felt the exact same way.

It makes him go from surprised to looking extremely vindicated. ]

And all those people thought I was weird for thinking that! [ He's making a dramatic hand gesture. The usual. ] I was right all along!

[ Of course Gorgug would prove him right. Fabian can truly only depend on his friends.. The opinions of random strangers SUCK and are UNTRUE.

-- that little thing aside, he seems to calm down a bit to shake his head and add: ]

It isn't, though. I guess it just kind of seems like the sort of thing that'd happen at Aguefort. We were actually just.. drawn into a different world entirely. [ Because that's clearly more normal, right.

To be fair, with the kind of stuff they regularly go through, it's not that weird. ]

[ Fabian, you'll get a shoulder pat in the middle of your victory as Gorgug nods, encouraging. ] You were.

[ Because Fabian is a pal, and validation is surely what he needs for being correct. This is what Gorgug is here for (nevermind the actual important stuff that should be priority).

Unfortunately, not everything can have a positive result. Gorgug's disappointed at the actual answer to his question, mouth pushing into his cheek, but it's only for a second. Okay, well, so they're somewhere else than they should be, and maybe this will all make sense once they figure out what's going on. That's how it usually goes for them: find the big boss battle, defeat it, and go back home.

And Gorgug trusts in his friends to have their shit together with a problem that needs to be solved, that he knows what makes sense to think about right now: the problem. ]

I talked to some people. The time loop isn't something the ship can do, and--you know about the killer clowns? There's killer clowns.

[ For emphasis, he must repeat, in a tone of Can you believe we're dealing with killer clowns this time? ]

[ The pat does help. It helps so much more than Gorgug could ever think. Sometimes all Fabian needs is a little compliment. Or a shoulder pat. Or being told he was right. He's getting two out of three here now, and it's helping bolster him, reminding him of why exactly it's so important to have their complete party here. Sure, they're still missing Kristen and Fig - unless they're hanging out somewhere around here too? - but Gorgug's presence already makes things feel more complete, somehow. More natural, despite being somewhere Fabian has never been before.

Then again, they've been to all sorts of places together at this point, haven't they.

If there's anything that could shake Fabian out of those thoughts though, it's that latter mention. He's seriously nodding along to the first part of Gorgug's statement, which seems to make sense to him, but then-- ]

Killer clowns? Seriously?!

[ Fabian should probably look scared.

But instead - maybe because he's not actively facing said killer clown, or maybe because Fabian is by its technical definition a killer clown himself - he just sounds kind of exasperated. ]

Is that what people were warning others about when they said to not stay out too late? Why are they being all weird and mysterious about it when they could just say, 'hey, don't fucking go out there, there's killer clowns!' [ Sorry, Gorgug. Bro.

He just needs to unload about this one. ]

[ It's okay, Fabian. Gorgug is right there with you on the exasperated angle in response to the killer clowns. Like, why killer clowns? Why. It's a joke.

Only, Gorgug doesn't need to voice any absurdity when Fabian Seacaster is on the case. Which, sure, it's not about that exact problem, but let's let a bro get mad and loud about it. ]

They should just make posters about them. [ And let's encourage it with practical ideas here. And, while Gorgug's thinking about it-- ] And about everything else. That guy keeps running to new people and then running off before they can ask anything. --See?

[ And what do you know, Gorgug points, and Alex is doing his thing to some other poor unfortunate soul. You see how hard he's making this for himself, Fabian?

We should totally focus on how poorly executed the arrival info-dumping is and nothing else. ]

[ .. dang. It's true that this sort of thing just happens anywhere, huh. Fabian realises as much when he looks over at what his friend is pointing out. It kind of reminds him vaguely of Aguefort and how little he likes explaining absolutely anything ever either.. ]

At least there's someone here explaining it at all. The other place we were in before this one didn't even have that. [ Sorry, Gorgug. This mention likely only makes things weirder for you, but Fabian is still kind of wrapping his brain around how exactly Gorgug fits into this situation at all too.. ] It's just.. "Go figure it out yourself!" "Yeah, just totally make your way through this murder maze for fun!" "Oh, by the way, there are killer clowns we never mentioned anything about!"

[ It keeps happening!

At least it does sound like he's kind of running out of steam as to the whining for now, instead letting out a sigh.

And a half-concerned glance at Gorgug with his one eye. ]

You didn't have to deal with the killer clowns yet, did you? [ Sure, Gorgug is strong. He could probably handle killer clowns. But that also - ironically enough, given what they are - probably wouldn't be a very fun situation for anyone. ]

[ Gorgug would like to know more about this apparent other place, but he's also not going to interrupt Fabian about it. Even when he has the chance to speak, the detail is one that's tucked away for later, because: killer clown talk is now. ]

People say they don't stay down if you keep bashing at them. [ So it's been a no for him, but... ] Do you think we should? I can kill killer clowns.

[ That's really not the problem here, even if killer clowns being a foe is the sort of level of exasperation that seems--so absurd, it fits their lives. Why not bash in some killer clowns? Whatever. ]

[ This is just how their lives go now, huh. Somehow do you think we should kill killer clowns is just a normal question at this point, even outside of their own world. It's like they somehow fall into this pattern all the same. The Bad Kids being sent in to deal with some of the world's weirdest opponents.

And though the admission that they apparently don't stay down when you bash them is a little concerning, Fabian does believe in Gorgug's strength. Even if they'd get stuck in a tough battle, the two of them together would manage to make it work somehow, surely.

It's not really a question of courage as much as it's a question of motivation, considering-- ]

Do you think it'd help?

[ Sure, it would keep people safe, but.. on the other hand, at least everyone has had a vague warning to not approach the clowns?

Ugh, why can't the crew on this dumb thing give out better warnings, then Fabian wouldn't even have to consider this in the first place!!

He still sounds a mixture of frustrated and exasperated as he said: ] Somehow I didn't think killer clowns were what was wrong with this ship. But maybe we should just give it a try and see if it fixes anything.

[ It's true, that even Gorgug doesn't think the killer clowns are a main problem, so he isn't any more enthused over the idea as Fabian is. So the idea of beating on clowns is tucked away for later (because regardless of what they do, they won't show up until night), and as for the real question of what's wrong with this ship-- ]

I really think we need tools to make this ship move away from the black hole. [ Kind of the main objective on the tin.... ]

This other place that sent you here didn't give you anything to do that with?

[ But really, this is the main issue. This Etraya place sent a bunch of people and no tools?? What's even that about? Does anyone know anything about spaceships in this place? ]

[ He shakes his head. ]

I mean, even if they had, I wouldn't have much of an idea how to use them. [ Fabian definitely is not the spaceship repairman of the group. At least it makes Gorgug being here a little bit more sense - did that place also draw him in, but initially to this place because this is actually way more Gorgug's speciality than any of the others'?

.. but then again, it sounds like Gorgug didn't arrive here with tools either. Which kind of sounds like it's defeating the purpose.

Fabian considers it for a moment, but then just sighs as he shakes his head. ]

You know what? Don't think about it too hard. This place makes absolutely no sense.

[ Like that weird maze they were all sent in for no reason. Or the plushes. It's all just weird, and at this point Fabian doesn't really expect anything logical from this place anymore. Doing so feels like it'd just set him up for disappointment. ]

Plan of action! [ He says instead. Dramatically. Like he's announcing it to the world, rather than just telling it to his friend. ] First we go and find some tools somewhere here. They've got to have some mechanic, right? [ Worst case scenario, they steal that guy's tools.

Whatever. Gorgug needs them more. ]

Then we see if maybe you can do something about the ship. And if it gets too late, we'll just go smash some clown ass!

[ The dramatics lessen a touch - though he was definitely smashing his fist against the palm of his other hand at that last statement, okay - when Fabian turns back to his friend to ask: ]

Does that sound good to you?

[ You know what, honestly, that's how their adventures have (as of late) been going, so it sounds like a good course of action for their usual adventures. And maybe it's for that reason that Gorgug's nodding, even though- ]

I've been working with the engineer of this place. He's been letting me borrow tools. [ Oh, should he talk about the engineer? Actually- ] He's a dragon. Not an evil one, though. Not like Goldenrod.

[ Said in the most just so you know kind of info-sharing. Not All Dragons. ]

I have to prove myself before he'll let me start working around the engine, which is fair. [ Honestly, he can't grumble about that. ] But we can always kick clown ass if we've got nothing better to do. I think-- Adaine can figure out what's up with the clowns. Or Riz. They're really good at that.

[ Fabian's jaw does drop a little, leaving his mouth hanging slightly open when Gorgug admits that he's already got an in with the engineer, apparently. And that must mean he likely approached that guy all on his own! Dang, Gorgug, truly moving up in the world.

But before he can remark a single thing about it, Gorgug continues on. His own engineering feat, and then talking about Adaine.. and Riz.. being good.. at figuring stuff out...

... ]

H--Hey, Gorgug.

[ Fabian smiles. It's that sort of smile Fabian always gets when he's either bullshitting or getting real nervous, yet smiles anyway. ]

I think you're forgetting something. [ Or. You know. Someone? Pal? Bud? Good friend? ]

[ He's forgetting something?

Unfortunately, Gorgug isn't the best at guessing--not correctly. And there's no need to make a guess here when Fabian seems to know what it is, so he looks to him in a way that's earnest. ]

What's that?

[ There's nothing malicious or teasing about it. There's just that hint of Gorgug confusion. Please tell him, Fabian. ]

[ Apparently he momentarily forgot that Gorgug is just about the worst person to say this sort of thing to. Of course he wouldn't know what Fabian is getting at, even though he's pretty sure it's so obvious..

But that puts him at a crossroads. An embarrassing crossroads. Because either he attempts to drop the entire matter which has awkward potential since maybe Gorgug won't let it go so easily, or he does answer the question.. But that's embarrassing! Compliments aren't nearly as great when you have to fish that hard for them!

Please don't mind the way Fabian's cheeks grow just slightly darker. It's nothing! Stop!! DON'T LOOK! ]

Well, as you said, you are on your way to working on the engine. [ Pause. ] And then you mentioned that Adaine or The Ball could figure out what's up with the clowns. [ Pause.

Look, Gorgug, he's explaining it so slowly for you. Now you get it, right? ]

.. it does feel as if there is something missing there, right?

[ RIGHT????? ]

[ It's at least a very genuine sort of lost that rests across Gorgug's features, that possibly last longer than the other might like; even as he spells it out for Gorgug, despite him walking the half-orc through the issue... ]

--oh! [ Except, there, behold: the lightbulb has turned on! ] Wait, I mean, do you think you can figure out the clowns? You can do it if you want to--we all can. [ Technically. As a team. Nothing is stopping them, and it might even prove more useful. There's no reason why Fabian shouldn't get involved if he wants to.

(That's what this is about, right? The clowns, and being engaged with them, even though that doesn't make sense to Gorgug with how Fabian frames it, but surely, that's it.) ]

Unless you want to do something else. You're good at talking to people--I haven't asked around about what happened when everything got stuck like this. [ There's a pause, awkward, as he admits: ] It's not as easy as the rest of you make it look.

[ Talking to random strangers continuously, and not feeling out of place. ]

[ God, is Fabian ever glad that Gorgug seems to have caught on to what he meant on time, before all of this got even more awkward by Fabian having to point it out too directly..

But just as he's getting ready to puff out his chest with pride over being acknowledged, Gorgug keeps talking, and.. well, it feels a little less appropriate to brag in the face of what his friend says next. He doesn't even ask whether it's hard, because even though talking to people feels pretty natural to Fabian and wrapping his head around the concept of it being difficult for someone is hard, it's not like he's going to trample all over Gorgug's words like that.

Not if he can help it, anyway. ]

Do you need me to come with you to talk to people? [ He can help you, Gorgug! Sure, Fabian could go and do it by himself, but that includes Being Alone (a thing Fabian does not like!) and also doesn't help Gorgug learn this a little bit better. Because it doesn't have to be hard, surely! ] Trust me, it's probably just the beginning part of it that's hard, right? I'm sure you can talk to people just fine once you get the conversation going-- and as you know, I am a true conversation starter!

[ Okay, fine, maybe he did give himself a little compliment there after all. ]

[ Some small part of him wants to relay his effort at talking to people ("I asked a guy if he worked here and he looked at me like I was a dumbass"), but Fabian's offering his help, and how can he be negative in the face of that? Even if what compels Gorgug more about the situation is letting Fabian do all the talking while Gorgug is simply there.

Yes, that's nice. The way Fabian talks like it's as easy as a running river is one of Fabian's appeals--it's why he's one of the popular kids at Aguefort Academy High. He draws people to himself. That's what running water does. ]

Okay. [ Thus, he gives his friend a little smile instead, sheepish in its look. ] Should we talk to Adaine and Riz first and see if they have any ideas? Unless you know what to ask, [ he makes sure to add this time, a small and serious nod. ]

You can tell them you came here to help them.

[ That's a better opening than anything Gorgug had. He was too busy sighing about his schoolwork...... ]

[ He huffs, though it sounds less offended and more overconfident.

You know, the usual Fabian hubris that happens two seconds before he flips off a table and nearly breaks his back doing so. ]

Come on, do we really need guidance on what we can ask?

[ It probably wouldn't hurt.

But that'd mean trying to find Adaine and/or Riz in this huge space station, which is going to be a pain in the ass. Especially when Fabian is sure that Riz must be sneaking around the place to try and get more information, and god knows that neither of them is going to roll a perception check well enough to actually be able to spot him while he's doing that.

Which means they have to go for the next best option - one that Fabian seems confident enough in, this time actually puffing out his chest proudly. ]

That is the beauty of a conversation! We can go to these people and ask them anything we want! And as many questions as we want! [ Fabian, don't treat the NPCs on the ship like NPCs..

Even if that is what they are. ]

Surely you must have thought of some good questions already too! Come on, I know your instinct's got to be on point!

[ Oh no, Gorgug has to think? He is going to do that since Fabian figures he has ideas, and so he's going to look aside as a thoughtful (distracted) expression takes place of whatever was there before.

...

...

...it's now being twisted into a grimace. Oh no.

But at least it's a face that Gorgug turns to Fabian, and instead of staying silent (and taking psychic damage on himself), he suggests, weakly: ]

We can try asking them if they remember anything strange around the time they got stuck?

[ Was.

Was that good, Fabian. Did that sound good. Help. ]

That's a great one, Gorgug!

[ Here, pal. Have a reassuring pat on the back. Gorgug may be grimacing over there, but Fabian is still all encouraging smiles.

Look, he can celebrate a lesser socially gifted friend's achievements. Even when it just is - in this case - coming up with the most basic question ever to ask under these circumstances. ]

See? It's not so hard! A few talks like that and you won't even need me anymore!

[ Fabian is fluffing him up, isn't it....

But--it's okay. It's nice. It's not like Gorgug can't appreciate the intention, even if he's smiling sheepishly in the face of it (it still looks like a half grimace), it's better than when he receives it from his parents. ]

You're still best at it. [ There's no note of self-pitying. Rather: ] I like it better with you around.

[ Instead of....not...and having to do this by himself!! He knows what that's like--he's been here for days. ]

[ ...

Oh.

Oh...

It's a really simple compliment. Fabian feels like Gorgug probably doesn't even think all that much of it - it's likely that he's just saying it without any real intention behind it, especially from Fabian's actually-kind-of-low-self-esteem's sort of perception. And yet, despite thinking Gorgug probably doesn't mean anything by it, Fabian still feels a warmth spreading through his chest anyway.

I like it better with you around. Maybe he's just been waiting to hear something like that from anyone.

He ducks his head, trying to hide the way the very tips of his pointy ears are starting to darken. ]

Y-Yeah?

[ It's cool. He's cool! He's reacting in a SUPER COOL WAY, do not misunderstand! ]

Well, I can't refuse coming along with you if you want me to be there so badly! And I do suppose I should put my expert abilities to work here.. [ He's already starting to walk. Fabian's suddenly got ENERGY. ] Come on, Gorgug! Let us immediately proceed towards the first person we see!

[ Woe to that person.. No one wants to be that person.. ]

[ Gorgug's perception isn't always the best. There's moments where he can read something about another, where he tends to get the right idea, though that doesn't always mean well: he knows he upsets the principal at times, but doesn't understand why, for example.

Yet for a second, Gorgug thinks he sees something in the way that Fabian ducks his head, or the second after it. What, he can't put a finger on, though his brain nags at him that there's something peculiar to it, as brief as it is as Fabian wraps up his mind instead on what they were actually discussing--gathering intel. Or is it the other's walking that distracts Gorgug? Because he's moving, and Gorgug starts to follow, but even then, he's stopped, eyes narrowing as he suddenly thinks--he realises something. ]

Fabian? [ Wait, he shouldn't be stopping--he should be catching Fabian up, coming toe to toe with him and looking down at the other, sneaking between fabric down to collarbone, and-- ]

You've got something on you.

[ ~~it's time, honey~~ ]

On me?

[ Of course Fabian has no idea what Gorgug is talking about. He doesn't know that the other is from an earlier point in time than him, for one, and then there's the fact of Fabian not really thinking of his tattoo as something on him either.

That, coupled with his brain already having set itself to talk to people mission mode means that he blinks at Gorgug like he has absolutely zero clue what the other means.

The alternative was him freaking out about there maybe being a bug on him or something though, so this might be the better option.. ]

What do you mean? What's on me?

[ His gaze does move down after looking up at Gorgug, sure, but even as he pats himself down, he can't find anything he has.. on him..

Is Gorgug okay? ]

[ Fabian's patting himself, looking down, and Gorgug puts a hand to his own neck in indication. ]

No, here--is that a tattoo?

[ Because now that he's looking at it, that looks like a tattoo, but there's some quality to it that's almost--moreso? Extra, bedazzled, in a way that not even Garthy's tattoos had looked, and he's eyeing it with more interest now, pretty sure he didn't forget Fabian getting or having a tattoo.

Is that a recent thing? He has to think so, that he got this at some point during--well, all of this Etraya stuff. What else could it mean? ]

.. huh?

[ The surprise almost makes it sound like Fabian doesn't know the tattoo is there. Except of course he does. It's far too big and too golden for him to not know it's right there.

No, the surprise is just the fact that Gorgug doesn't recognize it. Though the pieces slot together in Fabian's mind a moment after his initial surprise, because.. well, it's not like he's the only one who mentioned it. None of the other kids had recognized his tattoo, in fact. At least him knowing it's some weird chronomancy shenanigans means he can pass up on the whole 'no, you were there??' talk. ]

Oh, papa gave that to me. [ Casually. Like it's normal.

Then again, if anyone would brand their child with huge golden letters, it would be Bill Seacaster, right.

Besides, it's not the important part. Or.. well, Fabian does think his tattoo is very important, but he can also imagine the next question that might be on his friend's mind after being told this much. ]

You have to know that there is some strange chronomancy thing going on here. None of us seem to come from the exact point in time. In fact-- The Ball is from all the way back when we hadn't even dealt with the Nightmare King yet. [ That's so long ago, Gorgug!!

It's almost a full year for him at this point! ]

TDM 003

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