【 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. 💕
[After flicking the rose petal out of her hand, causing it to shoot off a bit before fluttering to the floor, Rin walks over to the bed proper and drops her weight on the foot of the bed. She's petite so she doesn't cause a huge upset, but a bunch of the petals do fly up and land in her lap or get caught in the ends of her hair.]
While I think there's something else going on with this resort other than its Game 52, I do still think there's merit in attempting to complete it. Do you have any idea of what you want if you win?
[ Archer blinks once at the question. Of course, he's heard of this 'Game 52' already and what they're supposed to do to win it. Knowing all of that doesn’t mean he has any interest in it, however.
He lets out a quiet sigh. ]
I don’t have a wish, Rin. That they decided to bring me here in spite of that is their folly, not mine.
[ There was personal business he had wanted to attend to during the Fifth War, of course, but he made the decision to put it to the side given the gravity of the situation. He knew when he made that decision that such an opportunity would never come again, but even he wasn't so pigheaded as to put the entire world at risk on account of his own burning desire to destroy himself. That foolish boy needed to die - but instead, Archer had to save him. Fate, unfortunately, often has a cruel sense of irony. ]
What wish do you think they can grant you that you cannot grant for yourself?
[If Archer has no wish and has no need to get her out of the way to win... she can relax. Just as she did when they were teammates. She can trust him.
With a sigh she allows herself to fall backwards. Her shoulder blades hit the mattress and cause the bed linens to bounce when she collides. More of the rose petals fly up into the air, and the fall upon her dress. Against the white they look striking... though they could also look like splattering specks of blood. They tangle in her locks more — her brown hair splayed out behind her like dark tendrils reaching out in all directions. Dotted with lovely shades of pink and red. Her eyes focus up on the sheer canopy. It reminds her a little of her own room back home, actually.]
A way to solve the shadow problem without killing Sakura. Winning just to win in a game like this doesn't inspire much pride, so might as well get something useful out of it.
[ Archer has no wish because any wishes he did have were fulfilled in his own lifetime. The only selfish desire left in him was his wish to destroy that boy - and now that too is lost to him. That he has no hope for anything better is simply a side effect of how long he's been a prisoner of foolish choices made when he was young and high on his own nonsense.
When she names her wish, though, he considers her for a long moment. Briefly distracted by the scent of upset petals that fall in a delicate pattern across her dress and hair, he looks at them and then at her face. Can she truly mean such a thing? But of course, she does; Rin wouldn't say it if she didn't.
There's a pause as he weighs this - and he knows he has no right to judge the content of this wish of hers, much as his harsh, pragmatic nature demands he should.
Instead, he responds quietly, and his tone is not unkind. ]
There is no reason to think the powers-that-be, here, have any intention of keeping their promises.
[ Rin must know that. That she might be play this game and receive nothing in the end. ]
The way I see it is that the issue is incredibly simple.
[Oh no. Here she goes into her Explanation Mode again. Is he feeling the nostalgia yet?]
In order to survive in this place you need the currency to buy food and other items. A person gets paid via sexual activity or participating in the little games or special parties held around here. In fact a lot of those lead to sex too. So... if you're already having sex, why not try and complete the 52 as well? It would be a complete waste not to, but I can see where you're coming from. Learning the true nature of this resort is also important, and I've already started investigating on my own. Multi-tasking is important both for keeping cover and making sure you have plenty of options on the table should one be taken away from you.
[In fact Rin seems pretty pleased with herself on that bed. Holding her index finger out in her iconic little "know-it-all" pose despite the way she's laid out on the bed. In fact she looks incredibly comfortable and in her element while yapping about stuff she thinks she knows well.]
[ …she really does look very pleased with herself on that bed, doesn’t she? It wouldn’t be so unsettling if the reading on that slot machine didn’t keep flashing briefly in the back of his mind.
He’s trying not to think about it.
Refocusing on what she’s actually saying, he does his best not to make a face. ]
One has to be motivated by all of those things to be willing to pursue them.
[ Archer, on the other hand, has no personal sense of purpose or direction. If anything, he is more prone to a profound sense of ennui. He’s already lost his chance to do the one thing he actually wanted so he doesn’t see a point in anything else. He doesn’t trust this place to deliver on its promises, and truthfully, if he could disappear tomorrow, that would be a preferable outcome.
The only thing that makes him hesitate on that point is the fact that Rin is here. And even though his story is finished, hers is not. ]
[Hm. Is that how it is? Rin sits up a bit in the bed and turns to face him. The skirt of her dress hikes up quite a bit, but her hand smooths it out over her thigh.]
I see. So then what is your intent? You hope to wither away like a cut flower and disappear into the ether? I'm sure leaving us all to the whims of the resort wouldn't hurt, would it? I can still use my magic offensively, but there are no weapons here. It should be safe, right? Leaving me to my own devices.
[She knows who Archer is now. She knows where to needle and prod. He may be embittered and broken, but he's still the same man stuck in a loop of vowing to protect others.]
[ His expression shutters at those words from her. They strike at the core of him, at the heart of a man who once cared enough to want to save everyone. Who bled and pushed his own body to the point of breaking so others could have a future. He is far too bitter and jaded now to think of those ideals as anything but trash now, but…
The thing is, Rin is not just anyone. And even though not a single word has been said about his True Name, he’s certain that she must know.
His eyes flicker briefly at the sight of her dress riding up over her thigh, but then that sharp gaze of his is settled on her face. ]
Was my life and my arm not enough for you? Rin.
[ He poses the question softly. He sees her point — but he doesn’t want to be blackmailed, either. ]
[A frown tugs at the features of her face. She hadn't meant it like that. True, thinking back on her words it was definitely her trying to guilt him into staying around, but not because she felt like he owed anyone for it. She simply didn't want to be alone again. Despite all the sex and "connections" she has been making lately, Rin still feels "alone in a crowd". Her own learned tendencies as a mage combined with the wild array of personalities (and moralities) make it so she really doesn't feel all that close with anyone. But... she knows she can trust him.]
—Mm. I suppose I have no right to say such things. I couldn't even see you to victory. As a partner and as a Master, I failed you.
cw: discussion of character death and some suicidal ideation
[ There is so very little Archer has had the liberty to exercise self will over since he walked himself to the hangman’s noose. A man who smiled when he died only to curse himself for an eternity afterward, he gave everything he had and more for others, only to end up regrets. As such, it stings to feel like he’s being scolded to want freedom in this one thing — in whether he continues to exist here or not.
Because he is tired. An old worn out corpse that has had enough of being a tool, a weapon, in the hands of others. At least he knows the hell he will inevitably go back to. This one…everything feels like a lie here, no matter how lovely it might seem on the surface.
In spite of himself, though, his expression softens a little when she speaks. ]
It was not your failing. Given the opponent…my death in battle was inevitable.
[ He might have been able to tolerate some exposure to that black mud, but the Shadow itself was a Servant killer. There was always going to be a limit to what he could in those circumstances.
After a moment of silent contemplation, though, he draws a little closer and brushes a few rose petals out her her hair. She smells like them…or perhaps, it’s the entire room that does. ]
I regret…that there was no time for proper goodbyes. But if anyone can succeed…I know it will be you.
[He... he wanted to say goodbye?! Goodness, how much did she actually miss while she was out cold? A bit of color rises to her cheeks as he brushes his fingers through her hair to catch a few of the petals. Her own perfume usually smells of roses, jasmine, and bergamot, so her typical scent (not the one she hides) is one that fits in quite perfectly with the rose petals and sensually floral candles that burn setting the mood.]
So I was still a good Master? Despite all that?
[It takes a lot of effort not to sound desperate or worried. She put a lot of her self worth into her behavior in the Holy Grail War and her participation in it. After all, her father was very insistent on letting her know it was one of the most important focuses of her family's work and a part of their legacy. She wants to — no, needs to — know that she wasn't an embarrassment or a disappointment as a Master.]
[ The scent is…overpowering. It occurs to him, briefly, that such a thick perfume in the wedding suite is cause for suspicion. This place had made no secret of what it’s about, and if there’s anyone he absolutely should not be in a compromising position with…it’s her.
He watches her face, though, listens to her question, and he just…cannot bring himself to walk out the door. The fact that she would doubt herself like this because of what happened to him…
His fingers linger briefly on her cheek before he lets them fall. ]
Did I not tell you in the beginning? No one could have been better suited to be my Master.
[As Archer's hand falls away from her cheek, Rin catches it. In comparison her hand is small, soft, and pale. Though in general she's a wild contrast to him in nearly every way.]
Then, out of respect for our previous contract, allow me to help you. I can give you the mana, which will give you the time, to make up your mind. Afterward, no pressure for which ever path you choose. How does that sound?
[Big blue eyes look up at him with more sincerity than she has shown her entire time at the resort, and a squeeze of his hand reassures that she means it.]
[ Archer has done well masking his emotions up to this point. He isn't a particularly demonstrative man, in general, and he tends to be more guarded in situations that make him uncomfortable. But the offer coupled with her sincerity clearly disarms him and takes him by surprise.
He looks down at the fingers wrapped around his, then back up at her face, and it's obvious that he's struggling to find an answer. Because as much as some part of him wants to accept her kindness, there is also something so very daunting about the prospect of it that he wants to disappear.
So he stares at her, his mouth dry, a jumble of words cluttering the back of his throat. He takes a breath…and lets it out. ]
[Her hand holds steady to his the other, free one lifts to her chin in contemplation. Yeah. Yeah, that has to be it. After all, they've seen glimpses of each others past. The fires in which each of them were forged, and the emotional turmoil they both had to go through.]
[ The silence is…concerning. He watches as her thought process plays out in her face, and he feels a sense of trepidation without knowing why.
When she actually presents her conclusion, however, all he can do is…stare. And for a brief moment, Rin may catch a glimpse of the boy he had been. Total, guileless confusion. ]
[a puzzled expression returns to her face for some time. What could possibly be the reason if he doesn't dislike women? She's hot, he admitted she was a good Master, and it's not like they can't trust each other.
Maybe she brings up too many sore memories? Maybe he had always preferred that Saber with the golden hair and the voice as clear as a bell. Or perhaps he, too, had been harboring feelings for her sister. In the end, though... the most likely reason is Tohsaka herself. She had revealed her true self. Sour, cranky, and unapproachable to Emiya Shirou, and at home? Archer had seen the worst of her.
A disaster in the time between waking up and preparing for the day. Her room always a mess, and the mage workshop even worse. Her fridge barely stocked because she was frugal and cared little for her own well being. Any piece of her that was desirable was a mask. Any piece of her that was repulsive was the truth. Of course, in the end, this is the simplest and easiest way to put her down.]
I see. If it would be easier for you to pretend I am not here, well...
[She'd do the same to Shirou Emiya, after all. Tohsaka wouldn't be able to bear seeing him here. Unlike Archer, who had already split from being the person who could make her sister smile, Shirou Emiya could still do so. And to take that away from Sakura would be like carving the poor girl's heart out herself.
And perhaps at one point Rin might have been able to do it. But not after coming this far.]
[ …how. How is it possible that she keeps misunderstanding every honest attempt he makes to explain?
He gave his life for her. He took a blow meant for her and left behind his arm in the hopes that useless boy might somehow manage his powers well enough to protect her. And here she is saying he…he doesn’t want her??
The cool, collected facade cracks. Maybe it’s her behavior, or maybe some of it’s that sweet aroma that’s making the blood rush to his face and neck. Either way, when she says she’ll go get someone else, he can’t help the frustration - the hurt - from spilling out.
He pushes her back down on the bed without thinking, and he is obviously angry. ]
[Ah. Her body goes rigid in surprise. It's clear on her face that she doesn't actually feel threatened. There is no fear or concern here — she trusts him, and that hasn't changed. But there sure is surprise! Because she has no idea what has gotten into him.
The blow he took? His death? She chalked that up as pragmatism, or helping them all as a group, or his duty as a protector of the world. Besides, what's the problem? She propositioned him and he didn't take it. No matter what his reasons, why is there a problem?]
Ah... haha. Archer, you don't exactly make yourself all that clear when you talk.
[He might have noticed a pause before his name. Small, but there. Rin attempting to avoid calling him, "My Archer," yet again. Their contract is complete. So why all this complication? Well, probably because of his True Name. The time he remembers of them together that she doesn't. She has her own nostalgia, and he has his.]
[ He didn’t take it because he can’t look at any sort of sexual liaison between them as a simple transaction. Yes…once upon a time, when his hair wasn’t dyed white from the use of magic, he had loved. From the moment he first summoned Saber, he had loved her. Wanted her. And yet, in the end, he had failed her in an entirely miserable fashion.
And then there was Sakura. If the Fifth War revealed anything, it was how blind he was to the struggles of the girl who came to his house every day just to be with him. It’s one more thing to be laid at the altar of his conscience. Another failure.
He looks down at Rin, and even though he doesn’t feel that sense of failure, per se, what he does feel is tangled enough to be complicated. Compromising. And he’s tasted enough of defeat where the people who matter to him are concerned that he doesn’t want to start something where he knows he will inevitably fail.
But he can’t say any of that. He doesn’t know how. And even if he did, he couldn’t admit to it.
Instead, he looks down at her, flustered, frustrated, and …something he doesn’t dare name. She says he isn’t clear, and for some reason, that statement tips him over the edge.
He kisses her — a raw, passionate thing that speaks to the furor of emotions he’s been trying so very hard to hide. To explain without the mess of it roaring out of him like a torrent of flames. Except he can’t hide it, and he doesn’t know any other way to try and make her understand. ]
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goldmods) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
peacockstop2024-02-10 11:29 am
no subject
While I think there's something else going on with this resort other than its Game 52, I do still think there's merit in attempting to complete it. Do you have any idea of what you want if you win?
no subject
He lets out a quiet sigh. ]
I don’t have a wish, Rin. That they decided to bring me here in spite of that is their folly, not mine.
[ There was personal business he had wanted to attend to during the Fifth War, of course, but he made the decision to put it to the side given the gravity of the situation. He knew when he made that decision that such an opportunity would never come again, but even he wasn't so pigheaded as to put the entire world at risk on account of his own burning desire to destroy himself. That foolish boy needed to die - but instead, Archer had to save him. Fate, unfortunately, often has a cruel sense of irony. ]
What wish do you think they can grant you that you cannot grant for yourself?
no subject
With a sigh she allows herself to fall backwards. Her shoulder blades hit the mattress and cause the bed linens to bounce when she collides. More of the rose petals fly up into the air, and the fall upon her dress. Against the white they look striking... though they could also look like splattering specks of blood. They tangle in her locks more — her brown hair splayed out behind her like dark tendrils reaching out in all directions. Dotted with lovely shades of pink and red. Her eyes focus up on the sheer canopy. It reminds her a little of her own room back home, actually.]
A way to solve the shadow problem without killing Sakura. Winning just to win in a game like this doesn't inspire much pride, so might as well get something useful out of it.
no subject
When she names her wish, though, he considers her for a long moment. Briefly distracted by the scent of upset petals that fall in a delicate pattern across her dress and hair, he looks at them and then at her face. Can she truly mean such a thing? But of course, she does; Rin wouldn't say it if she didn't.
There's a pause as he weighs this - and he knows he has no right to judge the content of this wish of hers, much as his harsh, pragmatic nature demands he should.
Instead, he responds quietly, and his tone is not unkind. ]
There is no reason to think the powers-that-be, here, have any intention of keeping their promises.
[ Rin must know that. That she might be play this game and receive nothing in the end. ]
Is it still worth it to you?
no subject
[Oh no. Here she goes into her Explanation Mode again. Is he feeling the nostalgia yet?]
In order to survive in this place you need the currency to buy food and other items. A person gets paid via sexual activity or participating in the little games or special parties held around here. In fact a lot of those lead to sex too. So... if you're already having sex, why not try and complete the 52 as well? It would be a complete waste not to, but I can see where you're coming from. Learning the true nature of this resort is also important, and I've already started investigating on my own. Multi-tasking is important both for keeping cover and making sure you have plenty of options on the table should one be taken away from you.
[In fact Rin seems pretty pleased with herself on that bed. Holding her index finger out in her iconic little "know-it-all" pose despite the way she's laid out on the bed. In fact she looks incredibly comfortable and in her element while yapping about stuff she thinks she knows well.]
no subject
He’s trying not to think about it.
Refocusing on what she’s actually saying, he does his best not to make a face. ]
One has to be motivated by all of those things to be willing to pursue them.
[ Archer, on the other hand, has no personal sense of purpose or direction. If anything, he is more prone to a profound sense of ennui. He’s already lost his chance to do the one thing he actually wanted so he doesn’t see a point in anything else. He doesn’t trust this place to deliver on its promises, and truthfully, if he could disappear tomorrow, that would be a preferable outcome.
The only thing that makes him hesitate on that point is the fact that Rin is here. And even though his story is finished, hers is not. ]
But I can see you’ve thought this through.
no subject
I see. So then what is your intent? You hope to wither away like a cut flower and disappear into the ether? I'm sure leaving us all to the whims of the resort wouldn't hurt, would it? I can still use my magic offensively, but there are no weapons here. It should be safe, right? Leaving me to my own devices.
[She knows who Archer is now. She knows where to needle and prod. He may be embittered and broken, but he's still the same man stuck in a loop of vowing to protect others.]
no subject
The thing is, Rin is not just anyone. And even though not a single word has been said about his True Name, he’s certain that she must know.
His eyes flicker briefly at the sight of her dress riding up over her thigh, but then that sharp gaze of his is settled on her face. ]
Was my life and my arm not enough for you? Rin.
[ He poses the question softly. He sees her point — but he doesn’t want to be blackmailed, either. ]
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—Mm. I suppose I have no right to say such things. I couldn't even see you to victory. As a partner and as a Master, I failed you.
cw: discussion of character death and some suicidal ideation
Because he is tired. An old worn out corpse that has had enough of being a tool, a weapon, in the hands of others. At least he knows the hell he will inevitably go back to. This one…everything feels like a lie here, no matter how lovely it might seem on the surface.
In spite of himself, though, his expression softens a little when she speaks. ]
It was not your failing. Given the opponent…my death in battle was inevitable.
[ He might have been able to tolerate some exposure to that black mud, but the Shadow itself was a Servant killer. There was always going to be a limit to what he could in those circumstances.
After a moment of silent contemplation, though, he draws a little closer and brushes a few rose petals out her her hair. She smells like them…or perhaps, it’s the entire room that does. ]
I regret…that there was no time for proper goodbyes. But if anyone can succeed…I know it will be you.
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So I was still a good Master? Despite all that?
[It takes a lot of effort not to sound desperate or worried. She put a lot of her self worth into her behavior in the Holy Grail War and her participation in it. After all, her father was very insistent on letting her know it was one of the most important focuses of her family's work and a part of their legacy. She wants to — no, needs to — know that she wasn't an embarrassment or a disappointment as a Master.]
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He watches her face, though, listens to her question, and he just…cannot bring himself to walk out the door. The fact that she would doubt herself like this because of what happened to him…
His fingers linger briefly on her cheek before he lets them fall. ]
Did I not tell you in the beginning? No one could have been better suited to be my Master.
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Then, out of respect for our previous contract, allow me to help you. I can give you the mana, which will give you the time, to make up your mind. Afterward, no pressure for which ever path you choose. How does that sound?
[Big blue eyes look up at him with more sincerity than she has shown her entire time at the resort, and a squeeze of his hand reassures that she means it.]
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He looks down at the fingers wrapped around his, then back up at her face, and it's obvious that he's struggling to find an answer. Because as much as some part of him wants to accept her kindness, there is also something so very daunting about the prospect of it that he wants to disappear.
So he stares at her, his mouth dry, a jumble of words cluttering the back of his throat. He takes a breath…and lets it out. ]
You are…kind, Rin.
[ He folds his other hand over hers. ]
But I cannot accept.
1/? i'll let u know
And why the hell not? It's just a simple transac—
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okay i'm done but i'm sorry about her
I see. I just don't fit your "preferences," is that it? I had a feeling you were the type, considering...
[You know. Considering the battle with Lancer, and all—]
It's fine. You can just say you grew to dislike women. I understand.
1/2 smh Rin
When she actually presents her conclusion, however, all he can do is…stare. And for a brief moment, Rin may catch a glimpse of the boy he had been. Total, guileless confusion. ]
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No. No, it is not that.
[ He can’t wrap his head around what his ‘preferences’ even are, it’s been so long. But that’s beside the point.
He takes a breath and releases it. ]
It...would not be so simple. For me.
[ If he has to be more explicit than that, he might actually die. ]
1/2
Maybe she brings up too many sore memories? Maybe he had always preferred that Saber with the golden hair and the voice as clear as a bell. Or perhaps he, too, had been harboring feelings for her sister. In the end, though... the most likely reason is Tohsaka herself. She had revealed her true self. Sour, cranky, and unapproachable to Emiya Shirou, and at home? Archer had seen the worst of her.
A disaster in the time between waking up and preparing for the day. Her room always a mess, and the mage workshop even worse. Her fridge barely stocked because she was frugal and cared little for her own well being. Any piece of her that was desirable was a mask. Any piece of her that was repulsive was the truth. Of course, in the end, this is the simplest and easiest way to put her down.]
I see. If it would be easier for you to pretend I am not here, well...
[She'd do the same to Shirou Emiya, after all. Tohsaka wouldn't be able to bear seeing him here. Unlike Archer, who had already split from being the person who could make her sister smile, Shirou Emiya could still do so. And to take that away from Sakura would be like carving the poor girl's heart out herself.
And perhaps at one point Rin might have been able to do it. But not after coming this far.]
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I'll just find someone else! Feel free to use this place however you like. I'll just ask for one of the others when I find someone more willing.
[Rin starts trying to climb off the bed, but that also means trying to slip by him because she yanked Archer so close earlier.]
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He gave his life for her. He took a blow meant for her and left behind his arm in the hopes that useless boy might somehow manage his powers well enough to protect her. And here she is saying he…he doesn’t want her??
The cool, collected facade cracks. Maybe it’s her behavior, or maybe some of it’s that sweet aroma that’s making the blood rush to his face and neck. Either way, when she says she’ll go get someone else, he can’t help the frustration - the hurt - from spilling out.
He pushes her back down on the bed without thinking, and he is obviously angry. ]
No. You are misinterpreting everything I say.
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The blow he took? His death? She chalked that up as pragmatism, or helping them all as a group, or his duty as a protector of the world. Besides, what's the problem? She propositioned him and he didn't take it. No matter what his reasons, why is there a problem?]
Ah... haha. Archer, you don't exactly make yourself all that clear when you talk.
[He might have noticed a pause before his name. Small, but there. Rin attempting to avoid calling him, "My Archer," yet again. Their contract is complete. So why all this complication? Well, probably because of his True Name. The time he remembers of them together that she doesn't. She has her own nostalgia, and he has his.]
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And then there was Sakura. If the Fifth War revealed anything, it was how blind he was to the struggles of the girl who came to his house every day just to be with him. It’s one more thing to be laid at the altar of his conscience. Another failure.
He looks down at Rin, and even though he doesn’t feel that sense of failure, per se, what he does feel is tangled enough to be complicated. Compromising. And he’s tasted enough of defeat where the people who matter to him are concerned that he doesn’t want to start something where he knows he will inevitably fail.
But he can’t say any of that. He doesn’t know how. And even if he did, he couldn’t admit to it.
Instead, he looks down at her, flustered, frustrated, and …something he doesn’t dare name. She says he isn’t clear, and for some reason, that statement tips him over the edge.
He kisses her — a raw, passionate thing that speaks to the furor of emotions he’s been trying so very hard to hide. To explain without the mess of it roaring out of him like a torrent of flames. Except he can’t hide it, and he doesn’t know any other way to try and make her understand. ]
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