【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-Star Resort and Casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.
Due to unprecedented high demand we are temporarily unable to check you in to your reserved room. We apologize for the inconvenience. We have arranged for a temporary room while we work on processing your reservation as quickly as possible. We appreciate your understanding.
As a special wedding gift from us, we have arranged for you and your new spouse to stay in one of our junior penthouses while you wait. Congratulations on your new marriage. We are so pleased you have chosen our resort for your honeymoon.
You will be notified as soon as your official reservation has been processed. Your comfort and happiness are our utmost priority. We hope you enjoy the provided amenities and lose yourself in marital bliss. 】
EVENS
EVENS: NEW CHARACTERS
Music plays. Instrumental, the tune gentle enough not to disturb peaceful rest. The sudden insistent beep of the Watch is a cutting cacophony across an otherwise sweet lullaby. Upon opening their eyes, new arrivals will quickly discover that something is wrong. The quilt snug across their body is weighty. Crystals glint in a weave of embroidery and cotton shimmers with threads of silver. Dozens of decorative pillows surround the bed. The gauzy curtains of the canopied bed are drawn, obscuring the rest of the room.
Extravagant for a kidnapping. Too extravagent. What’s more, these new guests will find something even stranger than this new diamond-studded suite tucked into bed beside them. Someone else. Who are they, what are they wearing? What happened last night?!
Guests are encouraged to explore the resort from here! There are paper maps available for those who would like and staff are happy to recommend locations if they have any preferences. Enjoy your honeymoon, you lovebirds!
ODDS
ODDS: SPECIAL RE-ARRIVAL
Never trust a hallway in the Golden peacock.
Cross the wrong threshold and time begins to slow. A short hallway becomes long, sheds its doors, only leading to turns without end. Guests too eager to explore the resort have gotten lost before. For how long always varies, dependent upon capriciousness of the resort. Hours? Yes. Years? Yes. Every guest caught in the winding hallways has reported the same thing: time is different there and too difficult to discern.
Some wayward guests have been caught in the endless hallways since the FIRST TDM. Weeks pass before a single doorway appears in the distance. It creaks upon opening before everything goes topsy-turvy. These guests have been let out of a trap door in the depths of Crane's Respite.
All water corridors will eventually lead back to the populated areas of Crane's Respite. The waters are warm, the scent of bath salts returns, and staff are wild with joy at finally finding all of you. They have been beside themselves searching ever since you vanished!
NOTES
PROMPT NOTES
▶ Because we love all of the new characters premiering on this TDM, we kindly request that our Evens prompt be top level exclusive for new characters. Current characters are encouraged to tag in to these prompts with the caveat that they’ve been picked up from their assigned suite (or wherever else they were before) and dumped into the new arrival’s bed. We would like for new characters to have this prompt unique to their top level comments!
▶ Players are welcome to have their current character riff off of these prompts in the log community with the exclusion of the new arrival element. This request is just for TDM top levels.
▶ Current characters and new characters are both welcome to freely mess around with the Odds prompt with the exclusion of the arrival element. For new characters, players may participate with the idea that their character is exploring Crane’s Respite after their unique arrival in the Evens prompt. The Odds arrival element may also be utilized by current player characters who may have been on an unofficial hiatus in January and did not tag as much as they would have liked, to explain any long IC absence.
▶ Octopi may be killed. If a character decides to eat one of the octopi they may find themselves taking on some of its traits. Which traits are up to player discretion.
ELEVATORS
ELEVATORS
The house has recently ordered a full changeout of art in all high traffic areas. The elevators in particular have received special attention with many different famous artworks and portraits studded to the walls for guests to admire. These artworks are treasures of the modern world that one would typically see behind glass at a museum. Guests may even find works from their own world hanging in the elevators. Even famous works that maybe have been lost to time. So this is where they ended up. Is that Vermeer's The Concert?
Guests may find their elevator suddenly stopping without warning. The portraits on the wall stir, curiously studying them, but there are three main portraits calling the shots. The portrait that controls that particular elevator will make their demands known with the threat that, if they are not obeyed, you will be trapped forever.
Elevators will function after the portrait's demands are met. Guests that hold out and refuse may find themselves trapped upwards of twelve hours. Guests with the ability to do so may crawl out of the top emergency door, free to go wherever they want from there.
GREAT TIT!
GREAT TIT!
Great Tit! is the Golden Peacock’s popular dessert bar and cafe. With its bright pops of color and whimsical treats, guests simply can’t resist stopping in for a butt shaped cookie and hazelnut coffee. After catching wind that the resort has decided to celebrate a dessert shop's most lucrative holiday, Great Tit! is ready to impress the masses. Advertisements for limited edition drinks and desserts rain the main lobby; one can’t go three steps without slipping on a neon pink coupon for 10 percent off nipple buns. Guests that decide to pass by the cafe will find themselves assaulted with confetti cannons and eager employees ushering them inside.
Guests will find a temporary communal shower room upon exiting Great Tit! where they can wash off after a fun day of rolling around in sugar. All guests will be gifted a tee branded with a, CHOCOLATE IS MY LOVER logo.
NOTES
PROMPT NOTES
▶ This portraits prompt has been triggered by several characters expressing interest in and investigating the lore of the resort paintings. This is just dipping a beginning toe in, but congrats to all for poking around!
▶ Portraits in the elevator should not be destroyed, purely for continuity’s sake. If a character would go far enough to attack one of the portraits, the portrait will slap them back with ghostly power.
▶ Characters may also figure other ways out of the elevator if they have specific abilities to do so. While the portraits can control the elevators, they cannot control your character(s). Any destruction to the elevator itself is liable to result in a rush of security dragging the culprit(s) away to the Iron Net.
▶ Great Tit! is running a massive sale! Even characters who are on the broke end of the spectrum will be able to afford to join in on the fun and indulge in sugar at these prices.
▶ Players are encouraged to make up any other elements for the Hall of Chocolate. If it’s a dessert and edible, it’s there. Enjoy your sugar coma!
▶ While the chocolate boxes are ICly limited due to Alessandro’s skills as a chocolatier, this is only an IC mechanic. There is no OOC limitation on this prompt as far as chocolate rarity goes.
THE NEST
ALICE AND THE PARROTS
Fashion boutiques are a dime a dozen in the Nest. The shopping hub is massive, lined with stores all trying to aggressively appeal to guests. A challenge in itself — but the guests of the Golden Peacock are no ordinary people. Used to being pampered and fed excitement, if these boutiques don’t bust their bottoms to appeal to the fickle nature of their patrons, they won’t be in business for much longer! One particular boutique, Alice and the Parrots, is riding winds of romantic thrill and churning out a couple of brand new fashion lines sure to draw in loads of chips.
Guests are welcome to try on clothes in Alice and the Parrots' dressing rooms. These dressing rooms are small and can only accommodate two people sharing at a time. Such is the life of a small boutique store. Sharing is no big deal, right? And there’s no way you can buy clothing this expensive without giving it a test first.
NOTES
PROMPT NOTES
▶ Players are encouraged to make up whatever cute outfits they would like for this prompt.
▶ Wedding clothes do not have to be cute and frilly; this section accommodates tastes of everyone.
▶ Alice and the Parrots is more expensive than Love Dove. Their clothing quality is excellent but their price tags are high. Staff may watch low ranks extra diligently to cut off any stealing. Thieves will be chased by NPC security! Anyone caught gets a day in the Iron Net.
CASINO CHAPEL
CASINO FLOOR
A Pop up Chapel has appeared in the Phoenix Casino. Guests are delighting in playing out weddings and pretending to get married — and a few guests are even tying the knot for real. They aren't worried about the sanctity of marriage; they can divorce tomorrow if they get bored of each other. And everyone knows that getting married doesn't mean you can't fuck whoever you want!
Since the resort isn't keeping track of how many marriages a guest has, all guests are encouraged to marry as many people as they would like. The more the merrier!
Wild wedding events will continue all throughout the month of February, until the guests find it's gotten stale. A divorce rush will round out the fun at the end of the month.
NOTES
PROMPT NOTES
▶ Weddings are not legally binding. Birdvis is not registered as a real officiant, but he does have an excellent beak and pompadour.
▶ Prizes from easy mode slot machines are automatic and do not require mod thumbs up to claim.
▶ Chip prize from difficult mode slot machines is automatic. The special prize is 5 reward points to add to your bank on rewards. Players who wish to claim the special prize should link the finished thread (the kink in question has been completed) under their rewards header with the header, Wedding Slot Machine. If you do any combination of 6/6 (finger hand lol) we ask you somehow make this sexy or involve a climax in order to claim the points.
BLANKET CW: Aphrodisiac; Compulsion; Costumes; Dubcon; Entrapment; Foodplay; Gambling; Lingerie; Matrimony; Tentacles; NSFW Images and Language; NTR; Nudity; Roleplay; Sacrilegious Themes
▶ All new characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. The house is still observing and deciding. As rank and suits are assigned upon acceptance your new character's suit will not manifest until they are accepted into the game.
▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's February event.
▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. Please make sure to review the arrival prompt notes! Any current characters posting to the TDM should note they are current in their subject header.
▶ The top level directory is for new characters only. We want to make sure new characters are priority and receive attention!
▶ If you aren't satisfied with the prompts on this TDM please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort.
▶ Smut threads that take place on this TDM can be used for rewards. If both parties in the smut thread join the game, you may retroactively apply the character's initial card values to your 52 bank. If one character does not join the game the thread will not be applicable toward rewards (as that character would not have a card value). The character that does join would still receive a small payout for the encounter. Hopefully it was a fun thread anyway!
▶ We ask you to kindly add content warnings to your threads as appropriate.
▶ If you do not currently have permissions and kinks listed in your character’s journal we suggest leaving a note in your top level of any limits or boundaries for other players to reference.
▶ Thank you for spending Valentine's Day with us! You're our sweetheart this year. 💕
[OOC: Adding this note at the very top due to the nature of her canon, but Shequraso's background makes it difficult to completely gloss over these topics and they may come up during threads: prostitution, murder, misogyny, discrimination, assault, sexual assault and violence, underage sex, violence against women. I will avoid mentions as much as possible though. To avoid discomfort, I'm opting to just keep a toplevel here instead of tagging around. Please keep this in mind if tagging her. Thank you!]
i. EVENS
[Waking up in bed with another person wasn't the strangest thing, even if it happened rarely for her. No, what was strange was the dress she wore, one she's never seen before, and one she definitely did not get from Madam. It was in a style she liked, flowing and soft, but it was not particularly helpful in well...
And the person next to her, with their arms wrapped around her and effectively trapping her? She didn't recognize them. It makes her wary, and she tries to recall if anyone last night might fit the features of this person. She didn't drink, not that she can recall, and certainly not enough to forget her work. Oh no, this won't do.
And that is when she notices her surroundings.]
H-huh? Where is this---?
[Her voice sounds raspy from sleep, but the volume is fairly loud. So loud, it might actually wake her companion up. Hope you don't mind your new bride.]
ii. GREAT TIT
[One might find this young woman trying her best to hide from sight despite having to eat in public. Her dress was still the same wedding gown, but now she's made use of a blanket for a makeshift cloak, doing her best to hide her features. Can you still tell she is a woman from this distance, hiding her face and hair and looking awkward? She seems nervous being alone, looking around as though she is committing a heinous act.
She's clutching a package in front of her, hiding it close as she approaches you. Ideally male, but she would pick anyone at this point, smoothing her expression into something sweeter, calmer, than she feels.]
Hello there, would you be willing to accompany me?
ii. COSTUME LINE: EROTIC ENCOUNTERS (NSFW option)
[The clothes were cute. She doesn't get to shop for clothes often, but even if she didn't have money, they said that she could try them out. They looked like something Haru would have, and in a way that makes her look much more relaxed, even as she sifts through the racks for an outfit. Maybe she won't need them here? She seems to debate on a few outfits, looking quite uncertain, and maybe in need of assistance.
And if that's not up to your speed, maybe she ends up accidentally opening your unlocked dressing room, right when you're halfway through changing. Oh dear.]
Oh! It's taken. I'm sor---
[She doesn't get the chance to apologize, not when the sales staff insists on pushing her in, saying it's fine! They can help each other dress up-- or maybe dress down. Shequraso is still in that wedding gown and makeshift blanket-cloak after all.]
Ah, wait!
iv. WILDCARD
[Feel free to make your own prompt!]
[ooc: OTA, 16+. No preference on ages or genders, but right now no non-human anatomy please. She's not used to that. PM to plot!]
[Added to his growing list of complaints about this place: the bad behavior from guests. They might seem high-class, but it's all just a charade. There's nothing noble about their behavior; they're crude, they're rude, and they get into fistfights over chocolate! He'll pass on wading into that mess.
Which means no box of gourmet chocolates for him. It's fine—he doesn't need any for himself, and there's no one here he'd want to give them to. ... He just hoped that maybe he could bring something back to Nagisa when he gets out of here, that's all.
There's still other food around, and he's weighing his options when he gets approached by someone: a woman, polite and beautiful. He blinks, noticing the box of chocolates clutched to her chest, recalling an advertisement he heard earlier; something about them being the "perfect gift to seduce that special someone." But if that's what she's requesting, "would you accompany me" is an awfully vague way to phrase it...
No point in jumping to conclusions. He gives her a smile.]
[Honestly, it feels awkward asking. It was against the nature of her work to be the first to approach, unless it was for a customer at the brothel, but to ask for them to assist her...
Still, she had no choice. She couldn't just hide away forever, and though it does seem women here are... freer, reminding her of her free-spirited friend, it was hard to ask to eat alone here. It felt taboo.
So to ask a man to do this was hard. He seemed harmless enough, no muscles on his lanky frame, so she thinks it's safe to ask.]
Ah, if you don't mind, would you be willing to accompany me to eat these? I am happy to share them...
[She can't do it alone. A woman dining alone in public still feels taboo, even if it is with her own money. She isn't as strong as Haru.]
[He always knew his lack of muscles would come in handy someday. There's absolutely no need for an idol to have those! Jun may disagree, but as the leader of Eve, Hiyori knows best!
Not that he understands that factored into why she approached him. Or, indeed, why she's approaching in the first place.]
You want to share?
[He blinks when she says that last thing, raising an eyebrow. Is this an attempt to seduce him? Eating chocolates together is innocent by itself, of course, but he can't figure out why she's willing to share them with a stranger. Especially when these boxes are so coveted, guests are willing to fistfight over them! He's curious about trying them, but he'd rather not walk into some trap.
Still, what harm could this woman do? She doesn't seem like a bad girl. And he has excellent judgment (in his opinion). It's just an invitation to eat somewhere, so in the end, he puts a smile back on and accepts!
... it's not like his unit is here to eat with him instead, after all.]
Sure, that's fine, I suppose. Though it seems rude to take from you without giving anything back in return, so how about I buy drinks? Some of the Valentine-themed ones do look cute.
[Oh, thank goodness, her judgment was right. His clothes were unusual, but he brought himself up like a noble. She doesn't meet much of those, rare as they are in their part of the country, but they were dignified beings, correct? As long as she keeps on his good side, it should work out. She may have to sacrifice a few bits of chocolate, but this is already too much for her to try on her own.
It just looked really tasty. If it was, perhaps she could bring it back for everyone. Dear Haru and Lupe would be happy.
Drinks is easy enough, so she offers him a sincere smile.]
I would love that, thank you.
[With a man nearby, she feels a little more confident to shrug off the blanket until it acts more like a shawl than a cloak, revealing a calm smile.]
[ ooc: i'm actually familiar with this canon so i'm fine with whatever canon-relevant mentions of those warnings come up, as well as spoilers! for the prompt, your choice on how nsfw you'd like to go—or not at all. tomura has his own set of warnings here, and although they're probably unlikely to come up in this scenario, i totally understand if you'd rather not engage! ]
[ The employees in this place are pushy. He's well aware of that now, and accustomed to it to some degree, but that doesn't mean he has plenty of patience for their tactics nor their merchandise. It's about 50-50, whether they turn out useful or nothing more than a bother, and in this case... It's not as though he has a vast wardrobe here, nor does he particularly want one, but laundry can be difficult to manage between roughly four articles of clothing. That said, he eventually proves to be unimpressed with the boutique's offerings—what's the point if you're not gonna do a promotional sale? no thanks. 'Oh, but please just try them out!' coaxes a salesman, shoving a bundle of clothing into his arms and gesturing him into a changing room.
Well, it occurs to Tomura he could just steal an item or two if he finds them decent. Once the curtain is pulled shut, he starts going through the items pushed into his care: the suits are okay, but he doesn't prefer formalwear, and they're a pain to take care of; the sweaters are chopped into strange patterns; and... a distinctly lolita-style dress that may or may not have been intentionally included in the pile. Well, one of the sweaters is not terrible, bearing only a slanted cut over the collarbone. He'll try it on for size, but before he can change completely, the curtain opens again and the salesperson more or less shoves another poor miscreant inside.
The sudden company is a young woman. She has the kind of face Tomura associates with an actress, open and attractive, and she's dressed in a draping, lacy affair, with a blanket(?) draped over her head. He's unoffended at the intrusion—at least not with her—though he gives her outfit a doubtful look that's probably undeserved considering his own state, standing there in sweatpants. ]
[ooc: awesome! i'm also canon-familiar so as long as no erosion or death occurs, i'm good. open to anything else.]
[Trying the door was futile, considering it was completely locked from the other side. They were told to continue on their business and they'll come back to assist them afterwards. That was that.
His looks catch her by surprise, but Shequraso is a professional and whatever she feels about it doesn't really show on her face. No, the surprise she ends up showing is more due to the shock of being shoved in a small room with another man.
She shakes her head, trying to smooth her expression to her customer service smile, because she doesn't want trouble. Men... can be unpredictable, especially outside the walls she's comfortable with.]
Ah... No, not at all. This was the clothes the hotel workers had provided me.
[A wedding gown, one that did not look like it to her. It was beautiful and pure, and she had dreamt of wearing one-- but to think it would be in such a weird situation.]
I did not mean to get in your way. If you don't mind, we could always change together? That seems to be what they want.
[ ooc: sounds good, i will usually plan out scenarios with more than basic tetchiness on his end, so we'll keep sher safe.😌 ]
[ If she's looking for someone safe, he probably doesn't much look it. The scars on his face are always plainly visible, but being shirtless exposes a thinly muscular frame and more traces of healed wounds—though they're less than what they should number since he'd received the ability to regenerate. Still, he has particularly little love for the proclivities of the resort, so woman or not, delicate or not, he has no intention of roping her in for the game unless it's to their mutually-agreed upon benefit. If she'd made a break for it, he could've easily broken down the door, but she doesn't, and suggests instead for them to stay together. He doesn't particularly care either way, accustomed enough to less-than-ideal living conditions, and a lock would be no obstacle for him when he was ready to leave. ]
Why? Do you need help? [ Apparently that's his definition of "changing together," otherwise it's more like changing in the vicinity of each other. He turns away and finishes pulling the sweater over his torso, glancing into the mirror. He doesn't seem quite happy about the clothing—but then again, he never really seems happy in general. ]
This place wants a lot of things from you. If you go along with everything, you'll probably end up worse off.
[ How unusual of him to give advice, but perhaps the nature of it isn't unusual. He's long pressed people to grow out of what he would consider naiveté, which seems doubly as necessary in this gambling den. ]
Mmmhmm, you're right. They seem to be saying a lot of strange things here.
[At first she had thought this place was also a brothel, a much higher end one than what they have back home. She had been confused at the things she found, like that thing called an elevator that she thought she had been trapped in. She had been assisted by the workers of this place called a 'hotel', where she had been sleeping in. It was a much nicer inn, from what she understood, except it came with a lot of rules and this 'game' that looked... more like a list of people she was required to sleep with based on some sort of number and symbol.
Well, she does get paid in 'chips', which was why she ended up here. Apparently, these 'chips' acted like money she can spend on things like nice clothes. She didn't expect it to end up like this.
She presses the tips of her fingers together, smiling gently at him. He looked scary and dangerous, if she were honest, the scars on his body sending a shiver down her spine. She hopes he is not a bad person. His advice seemed to be good-natured, so that gives her hope.]
I do not know how to remove this dress. There seems to be something keeping it closed behind me but I can't move it properly.
[A clasp and a zipper. Her outfits in the past were more like slip-ons and bikini strings level of easy, given it was necessary for her work. And well, Shequraso just found them more comfortable.]
[Ah. Well, he's been in here for quite some time, marvelling over calf-length socks and sock garters, so it makes sense that he might get interrupted or ushered out of the dressing room already. What doesn't make sense is the whole 'shoving the poor girl in' bit.
Pardon him for blinking, foot braced on the shelf for bags or whatever that bit's called in changing rooms, but it's probably understandable, right?]
...Hello.
[Rui's eyes linger on Shequraso's dress for a few seconds, before trailing back up to her face.] Well, I suppose I can help. Do you really want to change out of that dress, though? It's quite lovely on you.
[Ah... They were locked in. A cheerful chime from the staff telling them that they should take their time to try on all the outfits, as well as the sound of a lock clicking alerts her. Trying to open the door... doesn't work.
Well, this was a problem.
She can't hide into the blanket. She did not know this person, but being trapped with another man was always a hit or miss experience. Generally, it was smarter to go for the predictable plan rather than to break the mold.
So when escaping was a bust, smiling at him and pressing her fingertips together in a loose apology becomes her strategy.]
Thank you. I am fond of this dress, but it seems we should listen to them. Would you be a dear and help me out of it?
[Thankfully, Rui's still of the soft kind of man, not yet shaped into something greedily cruel; he averts his gaze, foot once again on the ground (despite his sock garter not being fully clasped yet) and slips around behind her to assist.]
...I'm Rui. Sorry about this. I can fold the dress and blanket for you to make up for this, and I'll help you with those outfits you're holding if you like. I'm going to move your hair a little now, to get to the clasp at your neck.
[Which he does, after a second or two to let her absorb that information. He's absolutely helped his friends in and out of costumes in a pinch, and there's a certain discretion and need for permission that comes with zipping your friends up in stage costumes.] ...Actually, I don't suppose that you know how to fix garter belts up? I've never worn one before.
[There should be more important matters to tend to when one is whisked away to another dimension against one's will, but Elphelt justifies playing dress up as an attempt to fit in with the locals. Besides, she can't just keep wandering around in her wedding dress! She is over that phase.
[Just as she manages to button the final button of her vest with some effort, she jumps as the door to her dressing room opens.]]
Occupied! Occupied! Okupita!
[Well, that does no good, as now she now finds herself sharing the dressing room--barely big enough for one person!--with a new friend.]
[Why won't they put her in dressing rooms that are actually empty? This seems to be a particular issue that happens with her, since everyone else seems to have been led to empty ones. She even witnessed it, and had been hoping this time is different.
This time, rather than a wedding dress, she had a toga on, the material soft and flowing, her dress... lost in the abyss at this point. So was her blanket.
On the plus side, she finally got paired with a cute girl. Still, she should apologize. At this point, the issue seems to be her.]
Ah, sorry about that! I tried to tell them not to put me in when someone is already here but they just wouldn't listen.
[Oh no, this poor lady. Elphelt didn't mean make her feel guilty! This is clearly not her fault, after all.]
Treating a lady like this! Oooh, I'll give them a piece of my mind after, don't you worry.
[She will ask for the manager and everything! She'll protect this poor, nervous lady's honor. And maybe get her a gift card in the process! Ooo!]
Ah, this is really cramped for a meet-cute, but might as well make the best of it!
[This is far too cramped to curtsy (not that she can in pants, anyway) or bow, so instead she takes one of the lady's hands between both of hers and looks her in the eyes!]
Elphelt Valentine, at your service. It's a pleasure to meet you! Oh, oh! Can I help you try something on?
[ there's only so many novelty t-shirts that sanji could stand wearing, considering he's the kind of man with a large preference for nicer fitting clothing, particularly well-fitted suits that better match the gentlemanly interior he works hard to maintain. but the t-shirts have served their purpose on account of being free, and now that he's managed to get a bit more money, it's time for a wardrobe change.
he's currently in the dressing room now, standing in his boxer briefs as he works on buttoning up his new dress shirt carefully, when suddenly he hears the sound of the door behind him, causing him to spin on his heel.
before he could even say a word back to the woman, she's suddenly nudged forward from behind, directly into his arms where he's quick to step forward to catch her, bending at his knees and bringing his arms around her to keep from falling. ] Whoa, there, miss — are you alright?
[She's normally much more dignified than this. She's not the type to lose her temper easily, especially when she was used to holding back even in other situations, but the number of times she's been shoved into changing rooms at this point is ridiculous. "A lovely figure" they say, "Enviable curves" they gasp, but what is the point of that if she can't even leave this place?]
Aaaah!! I'm so sick of this!
[She doesn't even care who catches her this time, though having such a handsome man do so helps, because she buries her face into his chest and hugs him withoutt question. She's so frustrated now.]
[ sanji doesn't have much of the slightest clue what's happening here, only that he's half undressed and, without much warning, he has the warmth of a woman held in his arms. really, all he had meant to do was catch her to make sure she didn't stumble to the ground, since he'd rather die than let even the teeniest possibility of injury happen upon a woman. but when she's suddenly bringing her arms around him to hug him, face hidden in his shirt, he's left wide eyed and confused and ... plenty satisfied with the chain of events, actually.
whatever the scenario here, he isn't about to question it, not when his luck seems to be in his favor, and he merely brings his own arms tighter around her, one hand stroking along her back in a comforting gesture. ]
Hey, it's alright. I've got you. [ he even gives a gentle side to side sway of his body, as though the soft rocking can help to soothe her. ] Did someone hurt you? I can take you back to your room, if you need me to.
[Akira waking up is not an immediate thing - sleepily, he burrows into the softness of the bed underneath him and the warmth that he's holding. He's already hard to wake, but he hasn't slept anywhere this comfortable in over a month...
The volume is at least enough to make a fluffy head rise and a pair of gray eyes to tiredly blink open, half-heartedly investigating whatever the source of the noise is... But it's the fact that he's in bed with someone he doesn't know is enough to make him snap awake, that investigation no longer so thoughtless. He takes in the sight of her, and himself while he's at it too - a bed more lush than anything in his Rank 3 room could ever compare to, this young lady in a lovely white gown and himself in a sleek black tuxedo...
Like a pair of newlyweds.]
...You're at the Golden Peacock, a resort and casino. [He adverts his eyes for just a moment to glance at his watch, seeing it reflecting back at him the same thought he'd figured out himself a moment before. That's... he can't say it's unexpected, but it's certainly jarring.] Do you remember what happened before you got here, or seeing me before?
[He's suspecting there might be a chance she's woken up here like he did quite some time ago, but that still doesn't explain why Akira is also here... Is she a guest he just hadn't run into yet, and but they'd somehow both gotten wrapped up in this?]
[She's not familiar with the kinds of outfits they're wearing, small blessings, or else she'd panic even more. At least, not his suit. Her dress was all white, enough to give the impression of a wedding, but it wasn't one she's familiar enough to have to think about. After all, she can only dream about weddings.
Still, the calmness of this man confuses her enough to stop panicking, but she shakes her head frantically. It's too fancy, too bright, too colorful in the way their small wooden rooms cannot compare. Did she end up with a noble? Is this why they are together? Is this--]
You're not one of our patrons, are you? I'm sorry, I try to remember everyone who comes to us, but...
[No, in the first place, she's not in the brothel. How did she end up here?]
[There's a sense of wrongness that flits through his mind as he softly says it, a sense of foreboding like a warning, but Akira pushes it from his mind. There's no reason for that; whatever that thought is, he doesn't have anything solid to back it up with.
In any case, she seems a little distressed still... He should try to get her some water at some point, maybe, but he doesn't feel like he should get up just yet. Not until he knows she's settled down.]
From the sounds of it, I don't think I am. I'm not sure what you were doing before, but... A group of us have woken up here before without any memory of how we got here, and it sounds like that might be happening to you, too.
[He doesn't say "kidnapped", even though that's probably not far off... But that feels like the last way he should phrase it.]
[She's having one of those mornings where it looks like she'll be asleep until just before the store opens. There's no specific reason; it's not like she had a particularly wild night last night. She just feels like catching some zzz's.
It's a more comfortable sleep than usual: more warm, more restful. Her night is free of horrible dreams, free of anything at all. No soldiers, no cruel customers, no silver-haired man, no friends or family she won't see again—none of them come to visit her. She hasn't had a sleep this peaceful since the night she dreamed she was bouncing in a bouncy castle and eating pudding with Sumo.
So, when she hears a voice all of a sudden, it sends a jolt right through her. She has good alertness and keen hearing, one of those skills she absorbed from some guy or another. She wakes up at once, only to find her face buried in something pillow-soft. Which doesn't make sense, since she still has just the one lumpy pillow. Even at #3 in sales, she still has almost no personal wealth to her name. But she's starting to accumulate some! She's just gotta save, and then—
... wait. Those are two "something soft."
Her eyes fly open. She pulls back.
She realizes immediately that one, this is a person, and two, this is a woman—dudes don't smell that good, not even the Bard, and those were definitely boobs in her face just now. Which on the one hand is a huge relief, since customers aren't supposed to spend the night, and the idea of one of them breaking into her room is seriously disturbing. She must've fallen asleep hugging one of the other girls, but how'd that happen? Lupe-chan obviously isn't this springy.
Those are the thoughts running through her mind as she hoists herself up. Under her knees, the soft, springy mattress moves—proving she's in a real, actual bed, one with soft, fluffy bedsheets. That's different, and what's even weirder is her clothes. This is not the old shirt she goes to sleep in. There's all this fabric bunched around her legs, and the chest feels uncomfortably night—
But none of that matters when she sees who she's in bed with.]
..........................
[Her mouth falls open but no sound escapes. Her eyes go wide, her entire body frozen. That's how she is for a long moment: just sitting there in silence, half-straddling her dead friend.
Slowly, she reaches out a hand. It trembles slightly on its quest towards Shequraso's cheek.]
[When she sees short brown hair and a peaceful sleeping expression, a stark contrast to the bright cheerfulness she witnesses at the brothel everyday, she can't help but relax. It was just Haru, dear sweet Haru, and that was enough to calm down the worst of her anxiety. She still doesn't understand what is going on, where they were-- Madam wouldn't be able to carry them so easily to another room, and even if she could, it would have surely woken them up. Shequraso was a heavy sleeper most days, but even she isn't so dead to the world that she wouldn't noticed being changed.
She reaches out to brush the hair out of Haru's eyes, smiling in relief at first at the sight of her. She has seen her sleeping before, the few times she had to come in to wake her up-- it was rare though, because Haru wasn't the type to sleep in the way she does.]
Haru dear, I'm glad you're---
[The words drop off from her lips when she sees that haunted expression, a stark contrast to the whites and reds of the room that seemed soft and inviting, like she had seen a ghost instead.]
[She grazes Shequraso's cheek not knowing what to expect: whether she'll be warm, like the friend she ate her lunch with, pressed knee-to-knee on that bench outside the shop, or cold and clammy like a corpse. Maybe it'll be neither and her hand will simply go through her. With a poof, the illusion will disappear.
But her friend doesn't disappear. Even though they buried her and Haru remembers the funeral. The skin beneath her fingers is warm. And Shequraso, with that gorgeous face she's always envied, smiles up at her, mirroring the gesture and brushing her bangs aside gently.
She's real. She feels real, she can talk. Her face is the same and so's her voice, just as pretty as the rest of her. Haru can sing pretty well herself now, having stolen that ability too. But she's still no match for Shequraso. Her friend was the real deal.
[Haru's mouth closes. She clenches her teeth, her lower lip trembling.
Then she bursts into tears.]
Waaaaahhhhh—!
[Her face reburies itself in Shequraso's chest, wetting the fabric of whatever fancy dress she's wearing. She cries harder than she did at the funeral, harder than she did that day in the rain. Her hands clutch Shequraso's shoulders, her body shaking with sobs.
She'll... recover eventually! But probably not anytime soon.]
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peacockstop2024-02-10 11:29 am
Shequraso | JK Haru is a Sex Worker in Another World | OTA
i. EVENS
[Waking up in bed with another person wasn't the strangest thing, even if it happened rarely for her. No, what was strange was the dress she wore, one she's never seen before, and one she definitely did not get from Madam. It was in a style she liked, flowing and soft, but it was not particularly helpful in well...
And the person next to her, with their arms wrapped around her and effectively trapping her? She didn't recognize them. It makes her wary, and she tries to recall if anyone last night might fit the features of this person. She didn't drink, not that she can recall, and certainly not enough to forget her work. Oh no, this won't do.
And that is when she notices her surroundings.]
H-huh? Where is this---?
[Her voice sounds raspy from sleep, but the volume is fairly loud. So loud, it might actually wake her companion up. Hope you don't mind your new bride.]
ii. GREAT TIT
[One might find this young woman trying her best to hide from sight despite having to eat in public. Her dress was still the same wedding gown, but now she's made use of a blanket for a makeshift cloak, doing her best to hide her features. Can you still tell she is a woman from this distance, hiding her face and hair and looking awkward? She seems nervous being alone, looking around as though she is committing a heinous act.
She's clutching a package in front of her, hiding it close as she approaches you. Ideally male, but she would pick anyone at this point, smoothing her expression into something sweeter, calmer, than she feels.]
Hello there, would you be willing to accompany me?
ii. COSTUME LINE: EROTIC ENCOUNTERS (NSFW option)
[The clothes were cute. She doesn't get to shop for clothes often, but even if she didn't have money, they said that she could try them out. They looked like something Haru would have, and in a way that makes her look much more relaxed, even as she sifts through the racks for an outfit. Maybe she won't need them here? She seems to debate on a few outfits, looking quite uncertain, and maybe in need of assistance.
And if that's not up to your speed, maybe she ends up accidentally opening your unlocked dressing room, right when you're halfway through changing. Oh dear.]
Oh! It's taken. I'm sor---
[She doesn't get the chance to apologize, not when the sales staff insists on pushing her in, saying it's fine! They can help each other dress up-- or maybe dress down. Shequraso is still in that wedding gown and makeshift blanket-cloak after all.]
Ah, wait!
iv. WILDCARD
[Feel free to make your own prompt!]
[ooc: OTA, 16+. No preference on ages or genders, but right now no non-human anatomy please. She's not used to that. PM to plot!]
ii
Which means no box of gourmet chocolates for him. It's fine—he doesn't need any for himself, and there's no one here he'd want to give them to. ... He just hoped that maybe he could bring something back to Nagisa when he gets out of here, that's all.
There's still other food around, and he's weighing his options when he gets approached by someone: a woman, polite and beautiful. He blinks, noticing the box of chocolates clutched to her chest, recalling an advertisement he heard earlier; something about them being the "perfect gift to seduce that special someone." But if that's what she's requesting, "would you accompany me" is an awfully vague way to phrase it...
No point in jumping to conclusions. He gives her a smile.]
Depends! Where am I accompanying you to?
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Still, she had no choice. She couldn't just hide away forever, and though it does seem women here are... freer, reminding her of her free-spirited friend, it was hard to ask to eat alone here. It felt taboo.
So to ask a man to do this was hard. He seemed harmless enough, no muscles on his lanky frame, so she thinks it's safe to ask.]
Ah, if you don't mind, would you be willing to accompany me to eat these? I am happy to share them...
[She can't do it alone. A woman dining alone in public still feels taboo, even if it is with her own money. She isn't as strong as Haru.]
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Not that he understands that factored into why she approached him. Or, indeed, why she's approaching in the first place.]
You want to share?
[He blinks when she says that last thing, raising an eyebrow. Is this an attempt to seduce him? Eating chocolates together is innocent by itself, of course, but he can't figure out why she's willing to share them with a stranger. Especially when these boxes are so coveted, guests are willing to fistfight over them! He's curious about trying them, but he'd rather not walk into some trap.
Still, what harm could this woman do? She doesn't seem like a bad girl. And he has excellent judgment (in his opinion). It's just an invitation to eat somewhere, so in the end, he puts a smile back on and accepts!
... it's not like his unit is here to eat with him instead, after all.]
Sure, that's fine, I suppose. Though it seems rude to take from you without giving anything back in return, so how about I buy drinks? Some of the Valentine-themed ones do look cute.
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It just looked really tasty. If it was, perhaps she could bring it back for everyone. Dear Haru and Lupe would be happy.
Drinks is easy enough, so she offers him a sincere smile.]
I would love that, thank you.
[With a man nearby, she feels a little more confident to shrug off the blanket until it acts more like a shawl than a cloak, revealing a calm smile.]
May I know your name, sir?
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iii.
[ The employees in this place are pushy. He's well aware of that now, and accustomed to it to some degree, but that doesn't mean he has plenty of patience for their tactics nor their merchandise. It's about 50-50, whether they turn out useful or nothing more than a bother, and in this case... It's not as though he has a vast wardrobe here, nor does he particularly want one, but laundry can be difficult to manage between roughly four articles of clothing. That said, he eventually proves to be unimpressed with the boutique's offerings—what's the point if you're not gonna do a promotional sale? no thanks. 'Oh, but please just try them out!' coaxes a salesman, shoving a bundle of clothing into his arms and gesturing him into a changing room.
Well, it occurs to Tomura he could just steal an item or two if he finds them decent. Once the curtain is pulled shut, he starts going through the items pushed into his care: the suits are okay, but he doesn't prefer formalwear, and they're a pain to take care of; the sweaters are chopped into strange patterns; and... a distinctly lolita-style dress that may or may not have been intentionally included in the pile. Well, one of the sweaters is not terrible, bearing only a slanted cut over the collarbone. He'll try it on for size, but before he can change completely, the curtain opens again and the salesperson more or less shoves another poor miscreant inside.
The sudden company is a young woman. She has the kind of face Tomura associates with an actress, open and attractive, and she's dressed in a draping, lacy affair, with a blanket(?) draped over her head. He's unoffended at the intrusion—at least not with her—though he gives her outfit a doubtful look that's probably undeserved considering his own state, standing there in sweatpants. ]
And what are you? A runaway bride?
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[Trying the door was futile, considering it was completely locked from the other side. They were told to continue on their business and they'll come back to assist them afterwards. That was that.
His looks catch her by surprise, but Shequraso is a professional and whatever she feels about it doesn't really show on her face. No, the surprise she ends up showing is more due to the shock of being shoved in a small room with another man.
She shakes her head, trying to smooth her expression to her customer service smile, because she doesn't want trouble. Men... can be unpredictable, especially outside the walls she's comfortable with.]
Ah... No, not at all. This was the clothes the hotel workers had provided me.
[A wedding gown, one that did not look like it to her. It was beautiful and pure, and she had dreamt of wearing one-- but to think it would be in such a weird situation.]
I did not mean to get in your way. If you don't mind, we could always change together? That seems to be what they want.
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[ If she's looking for someone safe, he probably doesn't much look it. The scars on his face are always plainly visible, but being shirtless exposes a thinly muscular frame and more traces of healed wounds—though they're less than what they should number since he'd received the ability to regenerate. Still, he has particularly little love for the proclivities of the resort, so woman or not, delicate or not, he has no intention of roping her in for the game unless it's to their mutually-agreed upon benefit. If she'd made a break for it, he could've easily broken down the door, but she doesn't, and suggests instead for them to stay together. He doesn't particularly care either way, accustomed enough to less-than-ideal living conditions, and a lock would be no obstacle for him when he was ready to leave. ]
Why? Do you need help? [ Apparently that's his definition of "changing together," otherwise it's more like changing in the vicinity of each other. He turns away and finishes pulling the sweater over his torso, glancing into the mirror. He doesn't seem quite happy about the clothing—but then again, he never really seems happy in general. ]
This place wants a lot of things from you. If you go along with everything, you'll probably end up worse off.
[ How unusual of him to give advice, but perhaps the nature of it isn't unusual. He's long pressed people to grow out of what he would consider naiveté, which seems doubly as necessary in this gambling den. ]
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[At first she had thought this place was also a brothel, a much higher end one than what they have back home. She had been confused at the things she found, like that thing called an elevator that she thought she had been trapped in. She had been assisted by the workers of this place called a 'hotel', where she had been sleeping in. It was a much nicer inn, from what she understood, except it came with a lot of rules and this 'game' that looked... more like a list of people she was required to sleep with based on some sort of number and symbol.
Well, she does get paid in 'chips', which was why she ended up here. Apparently, these 'chips' acted like money she can spend on things like nice clothes. She didn't expect it to end up like this.
She presses the tips of her fingers together, smiling gently at him. He looked scary and dangerous, if she were honest, the scars on his body sending a shiver down her spine. She hopes he is not a bad person. His advice seemed to be good-natured, so that gives her hope.]
I do not know how to remove this dress. There seems to be something keeping it closed behind me but I can't move it properly.
[A clasp and a zipper. Her outfits in the past were more like slip-ons and bikini strings level of easy, given it was necessary for her work. And well, Shequraso just found them more comfortable.]
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costume line!
Pardon him for blinking, foot braced on the shelf for bags or whatever that bit's called in changing rooms, but it's probably understandable, right?]
...Hello.
[Rui's eyes linger on Shequraso's dress for a few seconds, before trailing back up to her face.] Well, I suppose I can help. Do you really want to change out of that dress, though? It's quite lovely on you.
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Well, this was a problem.
She can't hide into the blanket. She did not know this person, but being trapped with another man was always a hit or miss experience. Generally, it was smarter to go for the predictable plan rather than to break the mold.
So when escaping was a bust, smiling at him and pressing her fingertips together in a loose apology becomes her strategy.]
Thank you. I am fond of this dress, but it seems we should listen to them. Would you be a dear and help me out of it?
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[Thankfully, Rui's still of the soft kind of man, not yet shaped into something greedily cruel; he averts his gaze, foot once again on the ground (despite his sock garter not being fully clasped yet) and slips around behind her to assist.]
...I'm Rui. Sorry about this. I can fold the dress and blanket for you to make up for this, and I'll help you with those outfits you're holding if you like. I'm going to move your hair a little now, to get to the clasp at your neck.
[Which he does, after a second or two to let her absorb that information. He's absolutely helped his friends in and out of costumes in a pinch, and there's a certain discretion and need for permission that comes with zipping your friends up in stage costumes.] ...Actually, I don't suppose that you know how to fix garter belts up? I've never worn one before.
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COSTUME LINE
[Just as she manages to button the final button of her vest with some effort, she jumps as the door to her dressing room opens.]]
Occupied! Occupied! Okupita!
[Well, that does no good, as now she now finds herself sharing the dressing room--barely big enough for one person!--with a new friend.]
...Um. Hello.
elphelt... you look so adorable
[Why won't they put her in dressing rooms that are actually empty? This seems to be a particular issue that happens with her, since everyone else seems to have been led to empty ones. She even witnessed it, and had been hoping this time is different.
This time, rather than a wedding dress, she had a toga on, the material soft and flowing, her dress... lost in the abyss at this point. So was her blanket.
On the plus side, she finally got paired with a cute girl. Still, she should apologize. At this point, the issue seems to be her.]
Ah, sorry about that! I tried to tell them not to put me in when someone is already here but they just wouldn't listen.
she does! ❤️
Treating a lady like this! Oooh, I'll give them a piece of my mind after, don't you worry.
[She will ask for the manager and everything! She'll protect this poor, nervous lady's honor. And maybe get her a gift card in the process! Ooo!]
Ah, this is really cramped for a meet-cute, but might as well make the best of it!
[This is far too cramped to curtsy (not that she can in pants, anyway) or bow, so instead she takes one of the lady's hands between both of hers and looks her in the eyes!]
Elphelt Valentine, at your service. It's a pleasure to meet you! Oh, oh! Can I help you try something on?
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👗 costume line
he's currently in the dressing room now, standing in his boxer briefs as he works on buttoning up his new dress shirt carefully, when suddenly he hears the sound of the door behind him, causing him to spin on his heel.
before he could even say a word back to the woman, she's suddenly nudged forward from behind, directly into his arms where he's quick to step forward to catch her, bending at his knees and bringing his arms around her to keep from falling. ] Whoa, there, miss — are you alright?
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Aaaah!! I'm so sick of this!
[She doesn't even care who catches her this time, though having such a handsome man do so helps, because she buries her face into his chest and hugs him withoutt question. She's so frustrated now.]
I want to get out of here already.
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whatever the scenario here, he isn't about to question it, not when his luck seems to be in his favor, and he merely brings his own arms tighter around her, one hand stroking along her back in a comforting gesture. ]
Hey, it's alright. I've got you. [ he even gives a gentle side to side sway of his body, as though the soft rocking can help to soothe her. ] Did someone hurt you? I can take you back to your room, if you need me to.
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i
The volume is at least enough to make a fluffy head rise and a pair of gray eyes to tiredly blink open, half-heartedly investigating whatever the source of the noise is... But it's the fact that he's in bed with someone he doesn't know is enough to make him snap awake, that investigation no longer so thoughtless. He takes in the sight of her, and himself while he's at it too - a bed more lush than anything in his Rank 3 room could ever compare to, this young lady in a lovely white gown and himself in a sleek black tuxedo...
Like a pair of newlyweds.]
...You're at the Golden Peacock, a resort and casino. [He adverts his eyes for just a moment to glance at his watch, seeing it reflecting back at him the same thought he'd figured out himself a moment before. That's... he can't say it's unexpected, but it's certainly jarring.] Do you remember what happened before you got here, or seeing me before?
[He's suspecting there might be a chance she's woken up here like he did quite some time ago, but that still doesn't explain why Akira is also here... Is she a guest he just hadn't run into yet, and but they'd somehow both gotten wrapped up in this?]
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Still, the calmness of this man confuses her enough to stop panicking, but she shakes her head frantically. It's too fancy, too bright, too colorful in the way their small wooden rooms cannot compare. Did she end up with a noble? Is this why they are together? Is this--]
You're not one of our patrons, are you? I'm sorry, I try to remember everyone who comes to us, but...
[No, in the first place, she's not in the brothel. How did she end up here?]
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[There's a sense of wrongness that flits through his mind as he softly says it, a sense of foreboding like a warning, but Akira pushes it from his mind. There's no reason for that; whatever that thought is, he doesn't have anything solid to back it up with.
In any case, she seems a little distressed still... He should try to get her some water at some point, maybe, but he doesn't feel like he should get up just yet. Not until he knows she's settled down.]
From the sounds of it, I don't think I am. I'm not sure what you were doing before, but... A group of us have woken up here before without any memory of how we got here, and it sounds like that might be happening to you, too.
[He doesn't say "kidnapped", even though that's probably not far off... But that feels like the last way he should phrase it.]
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several days later..... (also spoiler warning)
[She's having one of those mornings where it looks like she'll be asleep until just before the store opens. There's no specific reason; it's not like she had a particularly wild night last night. She just feels like catching some zzz's.
It's a more comfortable sleep than usual: more warm, more restful. Her night is free of horrible dreams, free of anything at all. No soldiers, no cruel customers, no silver-haired man, no friends or family she won't see again—none of them come to visit her. She hasn't had a sleep this peaceful since the night she dreamed she was bouncing in a bouncy castle and eating pudding with Sumo.
So, when she hears a voice all of a sudden, it sends a jolt right through her. She has good alertness and keen hearing, one of those skills she absorbed from some guy or another. She wakes up at once, only to find her face buried in something pillow-soft. Which doesn't make sense, since she still has just the one lumpy pillow. Even at #3 in sales, she still has almost no personal wealth to her name. But she's starting to accumulate some! She's just gotta save, and then—
... wait. Those are two "something soft."
Her eyes fly open. She pulls back.
She realizes immediately that one, this is a person, and two, this is a woman—dudes don't smell that good, not even the Bard, and those were definitely boobs in her face just now. Which on the one hand is a huge relief, since customers aren't supposed to spend the night, and the idea of one of them breaking into her room is seriously disturbing. She must've fallen asleep hugging one of the other girls, but how'd that happen? Lupe-chan obviously isn't this springy.
Those are the thoughts running through her mind as she hoists herself up. Under her knees, the soft, springy mattress moves—proving she's in a real, actual bed, one with soft, fluffy bedsheets. That's different, and what's even weirder is her clothes. This is not the old shirt she goes to sleep in. There's all this fabric bunched around her legs, and the chest feels uncomfortably night—
But none of that matters when she sees who she's in bed with.]
..........................
[Her mouth falls open but no sound escapes. Her eyes go wide, her entire body frozen. That's how she is for a long moment: just sitting there in silence, half-straddling her dead friend.
Slowly, she reaches out a hand. It trembles slightly on its quest towards Shequraso's cheek.]
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She reaches out to brush the hair out of Haru's eyes, smiling in relief at first at the sight of her. She has seen her sleeping before, the few times she had to come in to wake her up-- it was rare though, because Haru wasn't the type to sleep in the way she does.]
Haru dear, I'm glad you're---
[The words drop off from her lips when she sees that haunted expression, a stark contrast to the whites and reds of the room that seemed soft and inviting, like she had seen a ghost instead.]
Haru? What's wrong? Are you hurt somewhere?
1/2
[She grazes Shequraso's cheek not knowing what to expect: whether she'll be warm, like the friend she ate her lunch with, pressed knee-to-knee on that bench outside the shop, or cold and clammy like a corpse. Maybe it'll be neither and her hand will simply go through her. With a poof, the illusion will disappear.
But her friend doesn't disappear. Even though they buried her and Haru remembers the funeral. The skin beneath her fingers is warm. And Shequraso, with that gorgeous face she's always envied, smiles up at her, mirroring the gesture and brushing her bangs aside gently.
She's real. She feels real, she can talk. Her face is the same and so's her voice, just as pretty as the rest of her. Haru can sing pretty well herself now, having stolen that ability too. But she's still no match for Shequraso. Her friend was the real deal.
She's real.]
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[Haru's mouth closes. She clenches her teeth, her lower lip trembling.
Then she bursts into tears.]
Waaaaahhhhh—!
[Her face reburies itself in Shequraso's chest, wetting the fabric of whatever fancy dress she's wearing. She cries harder than she did at the funeral, harder than she did that day in the rain. Her hands clutch Shequraso's shoulders, her body shaking with sobs.
She'll... recover eventually! But probably not anytime soon.]
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