TDM 04

[goldmods]

【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.

Due to a high volume of check-ins, temporary accommodations have been made on our brand new beachfront for new guests. We will endeavor to have all guests moved into their reserved rooms as soon as possible. We apologize for any inconvenience. Affected guests may convene with the nearest lifeguard or reception for a complimentary swimsuit, at their earliest convenience.

Please remember that beach-appropriate attire is mandatory. Guests found breaking dress code may be escorted off the beach until they return in proper swimwear. We hope you enjoy your stay, and have a beachy keen experience. 】

BEACHFRONT PROPERTY

A BRAND NEW DEVELOPMENT

As the resort moves into what it claims is summer, the days grow longer. The sun is projected well into the evening, the heat of its warmth dialed up to a level some guests complain is unreasonable. Then there’s the most excessive transformation of all – half the Cloud Dwelling Gardens have been transformed into a sparkling beach of white sands and blue waves, seemingly overnight. Statues nearby have been dressed up with wide hats and stylish sarongs. Upbeat music fills the air without any discernible source.

A section of the beach has been reserved for a collection of bungalows. These cute pastel homes open straight onto the sand, and are comparable in size and amenity to a rank 7 or 8 suite. All screens within these bungalows are fixed to a channel that airs reruns of Boobwatch around the clock, a classic TV series about blue-footed boobys running in slow-motion across the beach. Staff and long-standing guests all agree — there’s no better summer programming than this!

IT’S FREE REAL ESTATE

▷ Thanks to a classic move called “overbooking,” new arrivals are being checked in to all this wondrous new property that’s just opened up. The catch? Why, characters are stuffed up to 4 in a room, of course. Don’t worry, that’s what the bunk beds are for!

▷ Characters still wake up naked save for a robe, as is standard for the Golden Peacock. This round’s robes are a light and breezy linen, patterned with tropical flowers and colorful designs. Some of these robes are more sheer than others. Watch out that the gentle breeze on the beach doesn’t reveal more than you wanted.

▷ Existing characters are welcome to temporarily take up residence in any empty slots in these homes. The staff understand that sometimes you want to pretend to be a brand new guest again, all bright-eyed and ready for adventure. They can even lock you out of your real room for an extra bit of authenticity. No need to ask! It’s all taken care of already.

THOSE WHO POUND SAND

▷ Several lifeguards have been newly hired to protect the beach and its visitors. These burly fellows and lasses all have three things in common: skimpy swimwear, rippling muscles, and seagull heads. They spend most of their time hanging out in groups, flexing and gossiping loudly. If characters approach them for their complimentary swimwear, they will provide whatever they’re currently wearing for them to use... by force, if necessary.

▷ Characters who seem particularly vulnerable or are holding something particularly tasty may find themselves surrounded by these lifeguards out of nowhere. The seagulls are relentless, pushing and shoving and pulling hair until they get what they want. Hope you didn’t like your sand castle very much. Those on the lower end of the rank scale will suffer the worst harassment, and they may even go out of their way to harass wildcards, 2s, and 3s just for the heck of it.

▷ Being new hires and fairly low on the resort staff hierarchy, these troublemakers can be easily chased off by someone of a high enough rank, or an assertive enough presence to pass as one. T-they’re not scared! They just remembered they have a mandatory group cawing session to get to! Buzz off!

FUN IN THE SUN

DON'T FORGET TO OIL UP

What’s a beach without fun and games? Dreadfully boring! That’s why all of the beach classics have been expertly set up by staff, including strip volleyball nets, giant boob-shaped beach balls, and plenty of floaties for use in the shallower areas of the temporary ocean. A row of parasols with paired lounge chairs underneath them are placed in some prime viewing areas for festivities. Any time you get thirsty, there’s always a cooler full of canned drinks conveniently nearby, courtesy of Cock-a-Doodle-Doo’s. Sometimes you can hear the staff whispering to each other, “What if it’s too perfect? We won’t be able to deal with the ratings dip once the beach ends!”

Seashells have been arbitrarily scattered along the shoreline, coming in both natural shapes and ones a little more... erotic. The sexiest ones of all are conch shells that let you hear the moans of another guest when held up to your ear; supposedly, if you hook up with the person on the other end of the shell, you’ll be extra lucky in the casino for the rest of the summer. All in all, it’s a carefully tailored creation that can be called nothing short of paradise.

THE BEACH BUNNY BARBECUE BONANZA

▷ This booth constantly has smoke billowing out the top and is manned during the entire day by one man – Steve, formerly from reception. It seems this is his punishment duty for be-bathrooming all of the arrivals, last time. Those willing to lend Steve a sympathetic ear will be entreated to bring him water, since the sweltering heat of the booth dries him out like nobody’s business. No matter how characters try to help him, though, a tragedy always occurs and the water always ends up spilled across the sand. That curse really is something, huh?

▷ The signature item at this cookout are the Flamin’ Hop Skewers. Made due to the current overpopulation in the Conservatory, these spicy-sweet — emphasis on the spicy — glazed skewers temporarily grant those who consume them the soul of a rabbit, including their insatiable desire to mate. Any rabbits that resort-goers have formed an attachment with have not been culled, so don’t worry about your precious buns!

▷ The booth also boasts several other exotic meats and vegetables that are considerably safer to eat, for guests who find themselves unable to overcome their attachment. Some of these skewers also feature fruits, including the hybrid ones from the previous gardening collab with the Dizzy Pigeon. Characters are free to revisit any of the Orchard prompts under the Smoky Nectar section of our PREVIOUS TDM.

A SHOW OF STRENGTH

▷ When the projected sun is at its highest, staff members will start bringing out tarps and watermelons, fresh from the gardens. What’s that, you ask? Oh, of course these were donated willingly! What a strange question!

▷ The goal is to smash the watermelon the staff give you until the succulent red fruit inside is splattered all across the tarp, perfect for falling comically into or... eating, if you’re into that. The rules are that you must use your buttocks to do so, and you only get two tries. Successfully cracking open the watermelon on the first try will earn characters a large payout, and if it’s on the second try, a medium payout.

▷ Failing to bust a watermelon at all won’t have any penalties associated with it, and you can always try again tomorrow! In order to keep their watermelon supplies steady for the duration of the beach festivities, the staff do ask that guests attempt this no more than once per day.

DAYDREAM PARASOLS

▷ Every umbrella set up on the sands has two lounge chairs set up underneath it, with a shared table between them. The chairs are padded and oh-so-comfy — sitting in them for too long while another person is present will result in both characters falling into a deep sleep.

▷ While asleep, characters will discover they’re sharing a dream with their umbrella-mate. The dream is always set on the same beach as the waking world, but there are floating clouds and sparkles in a range of pastel colors. Other beachgoers are faceless, if not entirely absent. It’s just the two of you.

▷ Anything the characters think of can drift in and out of the dreamscape, including but not limited to items from home, scary monsters to dramatically rescue your partner from, and strange abilities to fly or float through the air. However, characters will also be at full suit activation in the dream. Once both characters orgasm or they naturally wake up from their naps, they’ll find things are entirely back to normal, as much as they ever are in the resort.

NOTES

▶ All new arrivals have been issued four food and four clothing vouchers. These vouchers are as good as money around the resort. The staff will strongly insist on characters picking out "summery" attire with it, though.

▶ Existing characters may be booted into the bungalows or locked out of their room against their will. We leave it up to player discretion if this happens and the degree to which they're removed from their normal suite.

▶ For the Daydream Parasols, wildcards may be afflicted by whichever suit their player prefers for the duration of the dream. This will have no bearing on their suit selection when applying, and suit effects should not manifest once back in the waking world. It's just a dream, after all!

▶ The dreamscape has no explicit time limit, so feel free to make them as long or as short as desired. Dreams should also be sexy first and foremost. While you can include your mom dying in the background if you'd like, you have to be horny about it too.

TWINKLING CURRENTS

THE PARTY NEVER STOPS

As the sun sets in a cascade of colors over the water, lamps are lit and floating lights surface from the depths. Stars twinkle in the sky, and Steve is finally released from his smoky shackles. Though the daytime amenities have gone to sleep, the night promises its own set of beachy wonders sure to please even the most distinguished of vacationers.

Flyers posted in the lobby and in the hallways promise of a bar ran by the most enchanting mermaids you could ever want to fuck, as well as a fireworks show in every color, including ones you’ve never heard of. With the seagulls gone to bed, peace settles across the sands, tinted blue, yellow, and pink from the myriad of lights. For those seeking a more subdued, romantic air — this is the beach for you.

SWIM UP TO THE BAR

▷ While the advertisements promised mermaids, they were careful not to include any photos or illustrations. Wading out into the sea to the floating bar quickly illustrates why: these merfolk are fish on top, not the bottom! If asked about this configuration or accused of being unsexy, they’ll lift their elegant legs out of the water and exclaim, “How else would you be able to fuck us if not for these!” Though a few guests seem unsatisfied by this clarification, there are no complaints about the drinks themselves.

▷ HOLDING ON TO SUMMER. This cocktail brings seaberry-gin, limoncello, white crème de cacao, and freshly squeezed lemon juice over pebbled ice, wrapping you in decadent flavors accenting the season. Drinking this cocktail can cause you to be overcome with the desire to lean back and sink into the ocean itself, but fret not! It also grants you the wonderful ability to breathe underwater, no gills required! And it’s topped with a yummy little ball of white chocolate.

▷ MANGO STAR. A delightfully bright drink in a highball glass, the combination of elderflower rose syrup and seaberry-gin floats a summery pink over the orange mixture of mango juice, lime juice and honey syrup on the bottom. On top are two cute little stars cut out of mango, accented with mint leaves. Guests who drink this cocktail report some confusion in the identity of other guests, as just one drink is enough to shift perception of others. Other characters may appear to be different guests of the resort, or familiar faces from home.

▷ SEABERRY FLORADORA. This is a vibrant cocktail made of seaberry-gin, ginger beer, lime juice and raspberry syrup, highlighted by floral ice cubes and edible flowers. Despite its bright pink color indicating a level of cheerfulness for the summer, this flavorful cocktail causes guests to be quickly overwhelmed with a sense of loneliness. The longer this sensation goes on, the more guests will try to seek out company to aid in the ache, even if it means appearing quite desperate in the process. Each successive drink will increase the severity of the effect.

▷ BLACKBERRY ROSEMARY GIMLET. Blackberries, rosemary sprigs, simple syrup, and a combination of seaberry-gin and lime juice make this aromatic cocktail. It’s double strained over ice and garnished with a blackberry on a pick, giving it a regal appearance. Drinking this cocktail causes obsessive and possessive behavior, however — sometimes to extreme levels. Should your partner choose this cocktail to drink, you may not want to mention anything that could make them jealous. Each successive drink will increase the severity of the effect.

▷ JUST SOME SEAWATER? Questioning the mermaids and mermen on how they came to be the way that they are will result in them offering you an item off the sea-cret menu. Taking a glass from the bar, they dip it into the ocean and offer it right over to you. Drinking the seawater does, in fact, turn you into a very sexy reverse merman or mermaid. This occurs whether or not you drink it from the glass or take in a gulp while swimming, so watch out!

ACROSS THE NIGHT SKY

▷ Where else could you get a perfect view of the stars? Despite the sea of lights below, the artificial nature of the skies in the resort means that all guests get an unrivaled view of the galaxy. Which galaxy? Why, any of them — characters will see a shifting range of constellations from night to night, including ones they don’t recognize, ones shaped a bit like something you might find in Love Dove, and ones that are identical to those from their home. Happy gazing!

▷ A fireworks show is held every night, from 10PM until 1AM. The noises are just loud enough to block out a whispered confession timed correctly, but aren’t quite enough to inhibit conversation. Most of the fireworks are from a design series known as Matteo’s Masterpieces, and range from the standard burst to abstract shapes to... well, you know. Unlike the sloppy doodles found in the margins of books while Swan Lake was decaying, all of the boobs and dicks blasted across the sky are very well rendered. For fireworks.

SANDY SCAVENGING

A GAME OF BEACHES

It wouldn't be the Golden Peacock without a game for guests to play! All guests that wander into the beach area may find themselves receiving one of two Watch messages. Some very special guests may even receive both challenges — or continuously receive a new challenge when the last 24 hours is up. The resort just wants you to have the most fun possible!

SCAVENGER HUNT: EASY MODE (SFW)

Hello, dear guest. You have been randomly selected to play our EASY MODE: SCAVENGER HUNT! You have 24 hours to complete this hunt. Once completed, please submit your collected items to the nearest SEAGULL LIFEGUARD to claim your reward of Great Tit! Dessert Vouchers and a large payout.

Guests who do not complete the hunt in 24 hours will be hunted down and then publicly spanked by a SEAGULL LIFEGUARD.

Please note that items scavenged may not be personal items. They must be collected from other sources. Good luck!

1. Collect one unfinished drink.

2. Collect two kisses.

3. Collect three pairs of sunglasses.

4. Collect four sets of sandals.

5. Collect five feathers from a lifeguard.

SCAVENGER HUNT: HARD MODE (NSFW)

Hello, dear guest. You have been randomly selected to play our HARD MODE: SCAVENGER HUNT! You have 24 hours to complete this hunt. Once completed, please submit your collected items to the nearest SEAGULL LIFEGUARD to claim your reward of Naked Yolk Kink Vouchers and an extra-large payout. Winners will also be given a limited edition WINNER pin. Any guests wearing a WINNER pin will be treated as kings and queens of the beach, and be permitted to command any other guests as they see fit.

Guests who do not complete the hunt in 24 hours will be hunted down, stripped, and then strapped into the fuck pillory by our SEAGULL LIFEGUARDS. Losers will be free game for other guests to use for their pleasure.

Please note that items scavenged may not be personal items. They must be collected from other sources. Good luck!

1. Collect one cup of cum.

2. Collect two bite marks.

3. Collect three pubic hairs.

4. Collect four nudes (nude images).

5. Collect five bathing suit bottoms.

NOTES

▶ All effects from the swim-up bar last around 2-3 hours, but may be extended by having another drink.

INTO THE DEPTHS

IT'S HIGH TIDE WE GET OUT OF HERE

Though the beach experience is perfect on the surface, things are less elegant behind the scenes. Wave-making machines pulse and rattle down below, shaking the ceiling of the basement suites. Water leaks from pipes, streaking across walls and pooling on the uneven floors. The maintenance levels are abuzz with staff setting out buckets and pans, shooing lost guests away with a heightened level of urgency. Someone got a little too enthusiastic with mopping, they claim. Nothing to worry about at all!

Even the ocean itself isn’t without its issues. Despite appearing as a boundless expanse from the shore, the walls of the Golden Peacock are a very real factor. To avoid any undue damage to the screens that comprise the sky, the sea stops abruptly before it reaches them, cascading into a waterfall all the way down to the depths of the resort. Gentle currents become swirling vortexes and choppy waves, sure to pull down any guests that aren’t careful about where they swim. A few gull-guards patrol the line of buoys that mark the end of the safe swimming area, but the primary line of defense the resort relies on is the utter disinterest most of its guests have.

TUMBLING DOWN

▷ Characters who stray past the line of buoys out in the far sea will find themselves caught in a riptide that sucks them straight over the edge of the water. This applies both to characters swimming, or characters in some sort of vessel, such as a small rowboat borrowed from the staff.

▷ Feel free to make up any sort of vehicle rentals in general, as long as they’re reasonable in size — they should be able to accommodate 1-2 characters at most. A waverider would be okay, but a yacht would not.

▷ While falling down the waterfall, characters will temporarily black out before hitting anything solid. They will resurface anywhere there is standing water, whether that be a flooded hallway, in the Crane’s Respite, or even in someone’s open toilet bowl. There are no limitations on where in the resort the resurfacing can happen; even the bathrooms at Roost aren’t safe from this teleportation.

A RISING FLOOD

▷ Drainage is a difficult aspect to manage. Though the majority of the seawater is recycled to maintain the ocean above, enough of it is siphoned off for deeper filtration that the resort’s plumbing systems simply can’t handle the volume. Leaks are happening on all floors below ground, increasing in depth the further down into the basement characters go.

▷ Characters living in the rank 2, 3, and 4 suites may notice that in addition to having leaks in the hallway, their own rooms are also flooding. This can range anywhere from a constant, unpleasantly damp floor, to having an entire cascade of water blow them and any other unsuspecting guests down several hallways the moment their door is opened. Life vests are recommended.

▷ The flooding will intensify as the event goes on, culminating in some of the maintenance levels being entirely underwater towards the end of the event. Once the event is over, the flooding will recede within about a day, leaving only a few water stains here and there as evidence of their presence.

NOTES

▶ Any amount of standing water is a valid target for a character’s resurfacing, even something as minor as a glass of water. For situations where a character would not actively fit into the source of their arrival, they will be violently flung out of it, knocking over or spilling it in the process if that’s possible.

▶ As always, players are free to control the level to which their individual characters are affected, and being flooded out of their space is not mandatory.

---

OOC NOTES

INVITES | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

▶ BLANKET CW: alcohol; altered states; aphrodisiacs; breeding urge; delusions; forced clotheswearing; hallucinations; harassment and bullying; jealousy; thalassophobia; transformation; unreality

▶ All 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 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 June event. The beach will ICly be present from June 15th - June 30th.

▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. 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 prioritized and receive attention!

▶ If you aren't satisfied with these prompts, please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort! There are recent additions to the locations page as well, for those who have yet to see them!

▶ 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 regardless!

▶ 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.

▶ Don't forget your sunscreen! We'd hate for any chicken wings to come out burnt.

NAVIGATION • LOG • NETWORK • OOC • MEME

Comments

Prompto Argentum | Final Fantasy XV | New!

[silversunshine]

I: THOSE WHO POUND SAND

[There’s sun! SUN! Last Prompto checked the nights were getting longer now there’s a beach, he’s somehow managed to trade his scandalously sheer robe for a pair of short orange swim trunks and he’s really trying to stop his panicked thoughts from going 60 mph. Seriously if that creepy clown of a chancellor hadn’t already shown he can’t perform illusions past voices and bodies Prompto would be sure this hallucination is totally his fault.

As it is Prompto stumbles forth from the room he arrived in and raises his hand to shield his pasty freckled face from the bright summerlike rays. Those can be deadly for poor pale Promptos! It takes a minute for his eyes to adjust so he can take in his newest environment and MAN he wish he hadn’t.]

Ohmygod I’ve finally lost my mind! [His voice cracks and yep, there’s the panic erupting like a volcano because there’s a friggin seagull head on those hunky beefcake lifeguards.] Will somebody PLEASE tell me if I’m hallucinating?! When I said I wanted seaside supermodels this is NOT what I meant!!!

II: THE BEACH BUNNY BARBECUE BONANZA (NSFW option)

[Now that his panic attacks have fallen to the wayside Prompto is feeling a little more courageous. Or at least less likely to run into the nearest closet to hyperventilate. He slaps at his cheeks to pep himself up, putting on a smile, before he trots off to check the cool seashells he saw on the beach.

…Except those seashells are looking… hmmm. Red rushes to his cheeks and he bends down to pick up a sort of normal looking conch. At least it doesn’t look straight out of a bachelorette party. He smiles and lifts the conch up only to drop it like it’s on fire when a moan escapes. With a tomato-red face he looks around guiltily even though it’s totally not HIS fault some seashell was moaning in his ear!]

You know what? Nope, not doing this. No more porn-shells!

[He quickly backs up and looks around for something else to do.]

Way-hey, are those skewers? Oh I am STARVING. Just... Please don’t be penises, pleasedont’bepenises.

[With that mantra he grabs a couple Flamin’ Hop Skewers to chow down on. They look normal enough. He sniffs carefully. Okay, smells normal too. Prompto takes a bite and lets out a happy moan at the flavor. It may not be Iggy’s cooking but for once he’s content to relax with his new food. He spies another person nearby and smiles in greeting.]

Heya! You have got to try these!

III: SWIM UP TO THE BAR

[After the whole seagull baywatch thing Prompto realizes he should have expected that the mermaids would be…. Off. Instead he finds himself staring at a fish-person with enormous breasts, his hand on his chin as if he’s lost in thought. He’s really not. The day so far has completely fried his brain and he’s starting to roll with the weirdness. That’s probably not a good thing.]

Somehow…That makes perfect sense.

[He shakes his head, a small smile on his face, and continues to meander on to check out the spectacular evening scenery. He would kill to have his camera here and feels it like a missing limb. To make up for its loss he raises his fingers to form a snapshot frame, his body twisting this way and that like he’s aiming for the perfect shot. There’s just so much to see!

Prompto’s so focused on trying to capture a pic of the bar with its delicious looking drink with his ‘camera’ that he almost mows somebody down and stumbles himself.]

Shi-Sorry sorry! [He does a half bow before looking up with an embarrassed smile.] Are you alright?

IV: WILDCARD & OOC NOTES
Kink list here but essentially no scat, vore and gore. Prompto is open to all 18+!

swim up to the bar

[experiment01]

[A startled chirp escapes her mouth when she is almost mowed over, red eyes wide with surprise. She wipes water away from her face, peering up at the stranger with an easygoing smile. Sae taps on the watch on her wrist, already tapping away on the tiny holographic keyboard that appears for her.] ..I'm okay! [He might be in for a surprise because the voice that speaks to him doesn't come from her but from the watch itself. There is a robotic tint to it in the way most text-to-speech functions work. The tiny black wings on her back spread out lazily, the surface gleaming with water droplets which she shakes off with a rustle of the appendages.]

I think even if I did fall over I'd just.. fall into the water. haha at least it won't hurt, yea? [She peers up at Prompto curiously, head tilted to the side.] Are you here to get a drink? I was looking at the list on the menu before I almost got bowled over. [Sae is teasing though and it's obvious in the playful glint in her eyes.]

[silversunshine]

[Prompto's first thought is: Cute girl!!! Followed shortly after by 'is that a holographic keyboard???', a stutter when he sees the wings on her back and then finally the whole voice to text thing. Oddly after the weird day with eagle-people and fish-people popping up everywhere the whole Wings thing is just, well, water off a ducks back really. The voice to text makes him think sadly of his friends back home so he puts on a deliberate bright smile and amps up his excitement. It's really the cool tech that breaks him.]

O. M. G. Forget the drink, did that keyboard just pop up out of nowhere? Is that like tech or just a you thing? Uuuuh... that wasn't rude, right?

[Dammit Prompto stop sticking your foot in your mouth around the cute girl!]

I am so sorry.

[On multiple levels. He rubs the back of his neck and gives her a bashful smile to hopefully lighten his rudeness. Maybe, since she's been teasing, she won't mind. She seems nice enough.]

[experiment01]

[Her first reaction is to laugh: a soft little giggle that was a bit on the hoarse side. The sounds that leave her would indicate that her vocal cords worked but she chose not to speak, for whatever reason.] No, it wasn't rude. And don't apologize!

I'm pretty sure it's available for everyone here at the resort. I had to fiddle with the thing for a bit to figure out how it worked. Have you not tested out the watch on your wrist? [She motions to the fancy watch on her right wrist, her smile friendly and reassuring. This guy gave her major golden retriever vibes and it was very endearing.]

I don't know if you've noticed but.. we can't take these off. I already tried to do that earlier, to no success. I think this is how we communicate with others at this casino. [Sae pauses to wade closer to the bar, climbing up on the stool to sit on it. She lets her feet dangle, the soles of her feet brushing against the cold water.] ..I assume you are new here like me? My name is Sae. It's nice to meet you.

[silversunshine]

Nice to meet you, Sae, Prompto Argentum at your service! You can call me Prompto.

[He graces her with an exaggerated bow, his arms flourishing about that seems more than a little awkward with the water about. He falls back, his water kicking in the water.]

Thanks for the heads up about the watch! I only made sure it wasn't gonna kill me then just started scouting the area. Figured I'd have more fun spending the night playing with it than checking out just where we are. This place is.. [He whistles.] Something else. Hey, what are you thinking about all of this?

[experiment01]

What I think...? Hm.. [Sae looks contemplative here, tapping her chin with her fingers as she thinks about it for a moment. In the end, she shrugs her shoulders, her smile still relaxed and friendly.] ..It's interesting! [Then again for Sae who used to live in a pretty run-down apartment back in her homeworld, having to look over her shoulders in paranoia and wondering when the White Coats might try and snatch her away, the Golden Peacock was a godsend to her. She didn't need to worry about that anymore or have to hide her wings.]

Just think of it as a new fun adventure! Whatever happens, happens. I live by the philosophy of "living life to the fullest!" and doing whatever I want. [Sae laughs as she spins a little on her stool, wings rustling on her back. One of the merfolk bartenders behind the bar shoots Sae a disgruntled look and she pauses to send the person a sheepish grin before looking back at Prompto.] ..That's what I think, anyways. You are free to think differently. Wanna get a drink with me?

[silversunshine]

I like the way you think, Sae! [Prompto laughs at both the spinning and her bright cheer. It's pretty easy to talk to her, robot voice and all. It reminds him that he had been getting a bit maudlin so he lets himself keep smiling, deciding to fake it 'til he makes it, and pulls himself onto a stool to imitate her spin. It goes a little far and he almost topples over because somehow he went too fast but omg it cheers him up!]

Whoahoho, that was pretty fun! Drinks! Bring on the cute cocktails!

[Prompto makes grabby hands, leaning over to check out just what assortment of delicious drinks are on display. He hesitates, blinking and tilts his head left. then right. Then looks perplexed.]

Okay so I know NOTHING about whatever these things are sooo... [He smiles at her.] Adventure time! Eenie, meenie, minie, YOU! [He sings out the last part and waves the weird server over to place their orders.]

I'll have the lemony one! Uh... "Holding onto summer"? Laaaame. Who named these things? Total missed opportunity for "Lemon Lagoon" or "Tart Treasure". Whaddya thinking about, new friend?

[experiment01]

Hmm.. I'll get that one too! It looks interesting.. [She beams as one of the bartenders slides a Holding On To Summer cocktail over to her. The first thing Sae does is pluck the white ball of chocolate from the drink which she pops into her mouth to chew on, wings happily rustling at the burst of flavor on her tongue.] Tasty!

[And now here is where Sae takes her first gulp. The taste is refreshing and sweet and it's enough to help loosen the bit of tension that had been left in her shoulders. The more she sips her drink, the more she gets the inexplicable urge to just sink into the water below them. She pauses to tilt her head, wings perking up. Hm..] Is it just me or do you suddenly want to get into the water? [Sae pauses to give the bartender a suspicious look and in return, she gets a look back. Her red eyes flicker to Prompto, head tilting to the side.] Enjoying the drink?

[silversunshine]

[Prompto carefully removes the white chocolate from his drink before taking a tentative sip. Not bad! With a happy hum he spins around as he drinks on, his feet already dipping into the water without realizing it. There's something super soothing about sea. It's almost like it's calling him to slide back in. Sae's words jolts him back into the here and now. He really needs to be more suspicious of food and drink in this place.]

What? Oh. Yeah! To uh... all of it really. There's something fishy ghoing on here.

[Now that she's pointed it out he surveys the waters carefully to make sure no enemies are going to pop out if they glide back in. What he would give with a good gun right about now. Heck he'd even take a knife! He frowns as he side-eyes Sae.]

I don't see anything dangerous. Roll with it?

[Without waiting for a response he slides back in, rolling onto his back to look upwards with a carefree smile.]

Those who pound sand... :)

[stormangel]

[This... is better than her room underneath the lobby. Especially after the entire crawler fiasco. Honestly, she should work on getting those damn cards only so she can move from there. She doesn't want more bugs crawling around suddenly when she sleeps.

That being said- Prompto's not the only one startled by the odd-looking lifeguards. They are not humans, but not aaracockra either, nor do they resemble harpies. They are...? Her mind is trying to fill in the blank as she stands on the beach, hand on her hip, wearing the gifted outfit that covers everything and nothing at the same time (no top of swimming outfit was provided, thanks Hotel). She doesn't seem bothered by it though; after six months, she's used to this.]

Um... unless we're both hallucinating, you're not.

:)

[silversunshine]

I mean if it's a gas break or something maybe it's like one of those shared hallucinations? Because there is no way I am seeing this. It's just... how?

[He can't move his eyes from the weird bird-people. It's so not fair they have better abs than he does! Sheesh they could grind meat on those things... Wait, wrong phrasing. He forces himself to jerk back and give an embarrassed smile to his new partner-in-delusions.

Only to catch what she's wearing and jerk his head back, looking up at the sky with bright red heat spreading across his freckles. What is with all these hot people around?!]

Uuuuh, I uh... [He clears his throat awkwardly and decides to try looking past her face. Ok this works better. Just don't look down. ] You are WAY too calm about the bird babes.

[stormangel]

I've seen something similar before. Just not with fully human bodies. They had talons and wings and such. This is... mildly upsetting.

[She can't even enjoy the view of how ridiculous it looks. She's doing her utmost best not to be rude and judgemental but... it seriously looks way too funny, like some kind of joke, someone's spell going awry and transforming people's heads into that.

She catches him become red in the face, and she remembers what she's wearing. Right. Most people aren't used to this, even if they are here for a while. She does her best to cover the 'offending' areas with her top, but there's only so much she can do.]

Anyway, better babes with seagull heads than venomous spiders size of dogs.

[silversunshine]

[He releases a relieved breath when she covers up. It's not that he wants to ogle her but she's hot, everybody is running around scantily clad and he's a walking bag of hormones so frankly it was just bound to happen! Hell the only reason he's not a stuttering mess when talking to her is because he needs information and his options for that are limited.

Speaking of ogling... Prompto turns back to stare at the big boobed birdies, his head tilting to the side like maybe he can block out the whole bird bit just before her words about giant spiders has a chance to really sink in. When it does his entire skinny frame whips back in her direction so fast he stumbles, catching himself before his eyes dart around with more than a bit of paranoia. He is NOT a fan of bugs.]

Spiders? Who? What? Where? HERE? Please say they aren't around here! [Terrified eyes are pleading in her direction and his voice breaks off. He's only exaggerating his fear a small amount this time but he bites his lip for maximum sad wobble affect.]

[stormangel]

[She wouldn't care or mind even if he did; at this point, she's sure that half of the Hotel's 'guests' saw her naked at some point. The novelty of it lessens over time. Unless you have a crush on someone- then you're excited to always see them naked.

But right now, she just wants to make sure the guy doesn't get a heart attack because so many naked people at once CAN be a bit too much.]

They aren't here.

[It would probably be hilarious if she said that bit in actuality the crawlers remained. To be fair, she's not sure if all of them were exterminated or not, just that they aren't scuttling around the ground and underground floors anymore.]

The Hotel staff finally managed to get rid of them a week or so ago. We tried to help, but seeing as our weapons didn't come with us, most people resorted to hiding on the upper floors. [...not her. She likes having a weapon, but she's one of the rare ones who can rip these things apart with bare hands. So she was on standby to get the stragglers to safety.]

[silversunshine]

[A relieved sigh escapes before she can even finish saying they're gone. No weapons and giant bugs? Yeah he feels like he dodged a bullet there. Speaking of dodging bullets he feels like there's a much more terrifying thought to fret over in the immediate future.]

Wait wait wait, you mean there's no weapons at all in this place? How the hell does that happen? I mean I get there being civilians around and if there's giant bugs I'd be hiding too but how often does that sort of thing happen? Like should I be worried about the birdy beefcakes over there going homicidal?

[stormangel]

[She shakes her head, eyes darting back to the lifeguards that are bickering now and following some poor soul.]

No. At least my sword didn't come with me. There are rumors that they were confiscated from us when we got brought here, while we were knocked out. But aside from this weird guy J that's going around making deals, which includes giving out weapons, there are none.

Umm, [her head tilts a bit,] not homicidal. Annoying, yes, by trying to coerce you into having sex with random people at random times. They whine and cry and complain. There were enchanted pictures that did that.

barbecue bonanza

[bedroll]

[ He'd been told already that it was a fool's errand, but Gladio is stubborn above all else sometimes. Pilfered from an abandoned sand castle dig site, he's carting a bright, plastic bucket (cleverly premolded in the shape of a tower) filled to the brim with cool tap water from one of the beach houses. The plan seems relatively foolproof, then, since even if some of the water spills, as all the other glasses have before, there's likely to be plenty to still spare for Steve while he sweats over the grills.

With a sly grin on his face, then, Gladio approaches the counter and meets a welcome sigh of relief from Steve, already reaching out for the bucket. And then, that unmistakable voice, chipper, excitable, and full of the kind of grating naivety he's actually sort of learned to appreciate over the years. His smirk slips off his face entirely, however, when he watches too late as Prompto takes an eager bite from the skewer. Of course he couldn't be expected to know better or to observe others eating the food first. And of course he would immediately begin upselling the taste to others around him, though the wary look of one of the other guests tells Gladio all he needs to know.

The bucket is all but thrown at Steve in favor of moving quickly—and Steve, for his clumsy part, not only fumbles the catch but manages to spill the water over one of the grills, ruining the next batch of skewers. He laments, loudly, as Gladio pushes through the small crowd around the booth to meet Prompto. But he doesn't say a word of greeting, instead, reaching to pull the skewer from his hand first. ]

You shouldn't eat that.

[silversunshine]

[Prompto shrugs, mumbling 'more for me then' at his neighbor's look and raises the skewer to take another bite only to be chomping on air. What the hell?! He spins around, a disgruntled look on his face before the familiar rough voice has a chance to sink into his sun-fried brain. Just who does this guy think he is stealing his food!]

Hey watch the meat man, get your own! There's more than enough to share! Waaaaait... Gladio?! [He yelps in surprise but the frown fades fast and his normal carefree smile is back. Great, another witness to make sure he's not hallucinating big boobed birdies! Now if only he can get his food back from the big guy. Normally it's Iggy being a killjoy but obviously Gladio's in Grump Mode to be denying him delicious delicacies! Good thing he has an idea.

With an energetic bounce in his step Prompto circles his friend, his finger tapping his chin as he exaggerates a very thorough once over of Gladio's beach-bod. He finishes his surveillance with a whistle.]

Man are you a sight for sore eyes! Hey important question did you see any big boobed birds around here? [Distraction distraction and now... Attack! He suddenly ducks into Gladio's personal space, jumping to try to grab his food back.]

[bedroll]

[ It's a surprising amount of ferocity, one he can't exactly say he's used to but wants to commend nonetheless. He's been trying for years to get the guy to come out of his shell a little bit. Of course, he does have to wonder if this place has anything to do with the change, considering the kinds of effects it's even managed to have on him over the last few months.

At the very least, they meet each other's smiles eventually, though Gladio's is half-cocked and maybe just a bit too sentimental after so much time on his own, without even another hint of any of the others. Of course, that doesn't mean he's quite about to let his guard down, especially knowing what the food is capable of. ]

Birds?

[ There are at least half a dozen questions he could provide in answer to that, while he mind reels for some grasp on just what Prompto might even be talking about. They're cut short, however, by a sudden, quick-footed tackle.

On any other ground, it would be an easy win for Gladio. On sand, however, and coupled with that tenacious spark, Prompto does manage to best him—probably for the first time ever—and the pair of them topple like a brick wall, with Gladio taking the brunt of the fall as he lands square on his back. His breath leaves him in a choked heave, and instinct has him actually wrapping his other arm around Prompto, to make sure he lands safely on him instead of under him. The skewer, however, is a casualty, for better or for worse; the sticky sweet coating of sauce is a perfect trap for the briny sand of the beach as he drops it.

His smile is gone now, and while he isn't so much grumpy as irritated, his brow is low and stern enough to warn of far worse than he actually means to promise. ]

We can talk about tits later. Did you take a bite of that?

[silversunshine]

Huh? That worked? Seriously? And of course it's when Noct and Ignis aren't around to see it! A flash of longing and sadness mingles on his face for the briefest of moments before he reminds himself that Gladio is here. He's not alone and he can put off the negative thoughts until he is. With a split-second of visible effort he builds up his emotional wall and falls back into his well-practiced part of Prompto the Clown. Between the sun and the frenzied heat building up under his skin it's pretty easy to fall back into role for once and he decides not to think about that too much. His inward battle lasts mere moments before he focuses on taking advantage of his new position on top of his favorite tank. It comes with a pretty good view after all.

With a smug grin Prompto whistles a victory fanfare even and he rolls his hips up to sit on Gladio's lap. If he wants proof to eventually show the guys he's going to have to act QUICK. Luckily he explored his Watch early, familiarizing himself with the camera shortcuts so he can snap photos on the fly. He uses this new skill as he sits back, straightening up and taking a burst of pics before his buddy can stop it. Once done he crosses his arms over his chest, tilts his head and answers the former question with an eyeroll.]

Nah man, I go round aaaall the time promoting stuff I don’t ever try. Seriously, dude, of course I had some. It was a juicy and delicious spiced meat extravaganza on my taste buds. It’s not like it’s poison. [He hesitates and raises an eyebrow, looking worried as he registers that maybe there's worry in that question. That tone say he did something wrong.] Oh em gee, please tell me it's not poison!

[Maybe it was ‘cause it’d explain his pulse picking up in a way he knows isn’t his anxiety spiking. Anxiety has never felt this good and usually didn’t come with the urge to rub his hands over his hot friend's abs, and dammit maybe he really should move off the guy but the feel of the Shield underneath him is just too comfortable. He squirms to try to get some of the nervous energy out but it's. just not. going.away.]

If it's all the same to you, Gladio, if I die here tell the others I died doing something awesome, would ya?

[bedroll]

[ The loss is misery enough, but the gloating on top of it earns a soft groan of annoyance and disapproval. Not just the fanfare—one he's heard hummed a hundred times if he's heard it once—but the photoburst to commemorate this. One wide hand comes up to block his face, as if it won't be obvious enough from the tattoo scrawled along his arms and chest. At least it's over relatively quickly; small favors that come alongside Prompto's penchant for photography. Unfortunately, though, the relief is short-lived when his suspicions and, indeed, concerns are validated. ]

It's not poison.

[ His tone is dismissive, in lieu of hands that want to bury the skewer before shoving Prompto off in the other direction. It's also defeated in a way that becomes clearer as he elaborates, the explanation coming reluctantly. He's trying to find a delicate way of putting things since the last thing he wants to deal with is panic alongside the side effects, although he knows that's sort of a hair trigger for Prompto either way.

Instead of burying the skewer or rolling him into the sand, however, Gladio simply grabs his wandering hands at the wrists, holding his arms steady and aiming to lock eyes with him. ]

This isn't a normal resort. You can't trust the food and drink here without seeing what it does to other people first. [ A sigh, closed eyes, and a glance toward the water, behind Prompto, at a pair of guests without a care in the world. One on all-fours in the sand, the other behind her on his knees, neither of them with a lick of clothing or shame to be seen. ]

A couple months ago, there was some shitty "game" that had everyone running around acting like idiots because they were assigned different animals. Some of them were rabbits...and needed to do what rabbits do best.

[ He hopes the message is clear enough, though he's been a bit delicate with the explanation. Mostly because he'd been unfortunate enough to have been one of the rabbits, and isn't exactly keen to relive some of his most embarrassing moments. ]

[silversunshine]

[Uh-uh, nope, Prompto does not like Gladio’s serious tone and eye contact. Nothing good ever comes of the Serious Business attitude and confining his hands like that? This has Prompto primed and ready for something he knows he isn’t going to like.

And there it is! Shit. Prompto takes one deep breath, biting back the oncoming panic, before glancing over his shoulder to see what‘s caught his friend’s interest. Unfortunately that’s what sets him off.]

Oh come ON! They’re just gonna fuck right there?! Seriously? You did something like that?! Have they no shame?

[His voice cracks into a whine as he whirls back around, redness blossoming onto his cheeks. Unfortunately the aroused heat coursing through him is joined by the fluttering of his heartbeat, his pulse picking up as he realizes just what a mistake he's made.

Shit. He messed up. He messed up bad. Visions of the fruity drink from earlier, swimming underwater, and the forgotten warning from the woman just this morning has him swearing that Gladio must never know what has happened this day. At least his luck was with him until this part of the day and he has a familiar face to have his back. All of this could have turned out way worse.]

Hey Gladio? [His head falls forward so his forehead is resting against the big guy’s chest. His body is still trying to decide between panic, arousal and panicked arousal so he decides hiding is the better part of valor.] I hate this place. Please tell me there's a private bathroom somewhere nearby because if I have to go all the way back to that room I crashed in I... don't think I won't do something stupid.

[bedroll]

[ He can't blame Prompto for falling for the siren call of the smell of a grill and the promise of a simple, spiced skewer. It's inoccuous enough that even veterans of this place have surely fallen victim, too. So rather than harp on how he's spent his few months here growing increasingly skeptical of everything, he figures it's better to focus on the worry at hand—one he has first-hand experience with. (Though he'd give just about anything to erase his memories of that week, and of the places and things he'd been caught doing during it despite himself.) So even though the heat of the day is only just cresting, he releases Prompto's wrists, to wrap a firm arm around his waist. The familiar sticky sheen of sweat, one that likely has little to do with the temperature, tells him he's doing the right thing. One thing he's sorely missed since his arrival is having someone even trying to hold him back. While he doesn't think his friend is so inclined to leap up and run into someone's, anyone's arms, he hopes the gesture gets the real point across. ]

I get it. But I also know you have more self-control than that.

[ Maybe something of a bluff; he had barely had enough self-control himself. But he tries to sound as convincing as he can, even as he turns his gaze to the too-blue sky overhead. Time to swallow just a bit more of his ego, as this place manages to chip away another piece of it. ]

But there's dressing rooms, by the shoreline there. Probably deliberately big enough for two.

[ Not that anyone would bat an eye if something happened here, in full view. Not that he's yet lost himself so much as to outright offer the help he's pretty sure Prompto might need, let alone want, with what he's in store for. And what's probably going to start nudging against his thigh any minute. ]

1!! those who pound sand

[timebun]

I don't think we are...

[ Prompto isn't the only new arrival out of sorts. Finally having found a swimsuit to change into instead of that gauzy, see-through linen robe, Qiao Ling had finally exited the bungalow and hit the beach, similarly dumbfounded. Lost her mind? Yeah, she's on that boat with him, and she inches a little closer since he seems both harmless and like another new guest. There's a sense of camaraderie in that. It helps that he reminds her of a small long-haired chihuahua, too.

She does throw him an arched-eyebrow look, though, at that last bit. Yes, the seagull heads are really weird, but?! ]

Supermodels are what you're worried about right now?

[ BOYS.................. 😔 ]

[silversunshine]

[Wait did he say that out loud? Inside thoughts are supposed to stay inside dammit. Whatever he can work with this.]

Hey, I can either bemoan the sorry lack of babes on this beach or I can sit back and think about the possibility that we’re all suffering under some mass hallucination because of some freak gas leak or poisoned with tainted food. I’ll take the beach babes, thank you very much!

[He spins to face the newcomer, fighting off the urge to shuffle back for more space between them and he smiles to assure her that he's teasing. He may be a boy but even he isn't bad enough to be seriously disappointed over the lack of fully human hotties.]

Soooo... [He tucks his hands into his pockets and bounces with anxious energy.] Are you as lost here as I am? [Muuuch better than the 'come here often' jibe that wanted to slip out.]