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ɢᴏʟᴅᴇɴ ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴏᴄᴋ ᴍᴏᴅs ([personal profile] goldmods) wrote in [community profile] peacockstop2024-06-15 12:00 pm
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TDM 04





【 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.

    NAVIGATIONLOGNETWORKOOCMEME
    counterblowing: (8)

    rahu | path to nowhere

    [personal profile] counterblowing 2024-06-16 08:27 pm (UTC)(link)
    ✦ I. THOSE WHO POUND SAND;
    ((sfw, some bird-targeted violence))
    [The birdbrained lifeguards had precisely one early run-in with Rahu, and since then, they’ve mostly given her a wide berth. Wildcard or not, they don’t seem very enthusiastic about messing with her after the first time she chased them off, minutes after they saddled her with a blue bikini and started circling. A cursory survey of the beach is enough to tell her that others are suffering where she was fortunate. She can witness only so many descending swarms of bullying birds before she’s forced to intervene.

    It’s not a very high number.

    Someone being menaced by the cruel flock might suddenly find their number of tormentors decreasing, very suddenly, by one—and then by all as the others scatter in the wake of a dark, darting shadow. Bystanders who aren’t currently being henpecked might find themselves equally caught up in the action when the missing lifeguard literally flies past them, hurled from several yards away toward the water.

    Either way, Rahu follows shortly after, pinning her opponent in the shallow tide and smashing his face into the water. Her head is swimming. The air around her is a heavy, heat-spiked haze. She keeps holding, holding, holding, holding— the flailing limbs and a cloud of feathers doing little to deter her.

    Onlookers and former pigeon victims alike are welcome to intervene, but she will eventually free the lifeguard, still relatively intact, and withdraw quickly from the water to approach a nearby person, be they bystanding or bullied. Her breath is so hot it seems like it might be steam in any other environment.
    ]

    Were you hurt?

    [Just a menacingly tall, aggressively glaring woman who almost drowned a pigeon lifeguard asking after your wellbeing. No big deal!]
    ✦ II. DAYDREAM PARASOLS;
    ((nsfw; unreality; altered states; corruption and combat trauma possible for dreamscape flavor))
    [How Rahu came to be in these paired beach loungers is a mystery to her. She doesn’t remember sitting down. She doesn’t remember sleeping. She doesn’t remember waking. Things feel as if they’re happening to someone who isn’t her.

    In this dream beach, Rahu's immediate vicinity looks exactly the same. However it was before the napping, it’s that way now. The water on the horizon wasn’t so lucky. The shore may be relatively unscathed, but the deeper the ocean backdrop becomes, the darker and more debris-riddled the sky, the water an ugly, writhing bowl of red and black. Purple light shines from the torn sky, casting the crumpled remains of buildings in vague shadow.

    A low, pulsing groan from that direction seems to be the thing that jostles Rahu back into consciousness and brings her fully into the dream, as though she’s stirring from one dream into another into another, a cascading disorientation.
    ]

    I was asleep? I don’t… For how long?

    [The confusion hits her first, well before the rest of it settles in. Rahu gestures to sit up and feels something heavy and electric dig into the pit of her stomach. As she doubles forward, she doesn’t mean to lean across the table between the two pool chairs and wrap her fingers around her partner’s wrist, half-anchor and half-protective gesture. But she does.]

    ((My vision is to try out a couple of different suits for funsies while she’s a wildcard, but if you take this option and have something you do/don’t really want to play with please do let me know!))
    ✦ III. BBBB;
    ((open to sfw OR nsfw; the world is our oyster))
    [By the time she can’t ignore the overpowering smell of barbecue luring her to the skewer stand, Rahu still hasn’t sorted out the boundaries between those senses that can be trusted and those that can’t. It would be smarter not to accept any food until she has more information, but maybe it’s her sensitive nose that has other ideas. In the end, she can’t stay away from the barbecue hut. She leans forward, tapping her knuckle to her chin, as she tries to investigate what's on offer.]

    … The meat on those is rabbit; I can tell. But I don’t get what the rest is. Some kind of aquatic fruit, I guess?

    [Whether she’s found a fellow customer who’ll lead her down the correct path, one who’ll set her astray, or a fellow newcomer who doesn’t know the difference between all of this foreign fruits is simply up to fate.]
    ✦ IV. TWINKLING CURRENTS;
    ((open to sfw or nsfw if it goes that way; alcohol, maybe hallucinations; timeloss))
    [The beach may be (a facsimile of) a wide-open space, but Rahu is as good as a dog crated in a too-small cage here. She’s tried to keep a clear head during the day and failed spectacularly; come evening, there’s a certain resignation is how she comes home to roost at the swim-up bar—a certain “this might as well happen, too.” At night, under this projected sky, the blur between dream and reality becomes easier to accept. The fuzziness becomes more pronounced. Was it still raining the last time she slept? It is summer, so everything sounds right. Has she attacked anyone or gotten lost in thoughts of the past?

    Even before she’s ordered a drink, Rahu can be caught staring out at the deeper water in deep contemplation as if tempted by it, the knuckles of her right hand pressed hard to her temple. She has a headache. Anyone sitting nearby might notice that she seems in pain, her temples throbbing when she receives her order. The agitation spurs her to finish half the glass in one go and move with uncharacteristic speed to order another.

    And you? She’ll wave the mer-tender down for a refill on yours, too. It’s sheer courtesy; there’s nothing flirtatious about how she does it, though Rahu might be blissfully unaware of how silken and assured her movements seem, how eager she seems to share a drink with another. She’ll be having whatever the other person ordered last (for stacking effects, hooray), so her drink is dealer’s choice, though ordering the mango star does run about a 75% chance of her violently lashing out at the person she thinks she sees.
    ]
    ✦ V. WILDCARD;
    [New character, new player! Rahu’s permissions are here, and her still-in-progress kinklist is here. In short: late 20s government soldier who gave herself aggressive corrupting powers; 18+ for smut and ota, though women might have an easier time. I’m happy to explore other prompts if you’ve got ideas or chain one into another, like drinks into fireworks or skewer into parasol dreamscapes!]
    Edited (sometimes u change your mind about formatting...) 2024-06-16 20:47 (UTC)
    philancer: (013)

    III

    [personal profile] philancer 2024-06-17 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
    [ She's unfamiliar, which is enough to have Sylvain's smile turning kind and understanding as he swivels on his stool to face her where he's been sitting watching Steve work at the grill. He'd indulged in a little earlier, and his tongue was still burning a bit from the spices, but he was trying to wash it down with one of the fruity drinks. ]

    Don't ask me what the names are, because I honestly don't remember. And they're not exactly aquatic. The gardeners were experimenting with combining some of their fruits a little while back, and these were the results. They're not bad, but just about everything here, food or drink-wise, has the chance to not be simple sustenance. Just so you're forewarned.

    [ Of course, it's not like any of them can just stop eating and drinking, so his outlooks is basically embrace the chaos and enjoy the weird food. And all that comes along with it. ]
    counterblowing: (10)

    [personal profile] counterblowing 2024-06-18 01:56 am (UTC)(link)
    Even the food, huh? That lines up.

    [Rahu makes a distasteful noise in her throat, though her expression remains distant and stern. It is distasteful—the more she sees of the place and its staff and longterm guests, the less favorable the picture painted of them is. They're content to toy with anyone as they please and manipulate the stakes to their whims, manipulators like the worst of Eastside and more than that.

    She pushes her hair, by now gathered up into a low and long ponytail at the base of her neck, back over her shoulder, mulling over his answer and the implications.
    ]

    You're still eating them, though, so you must've resigned yourself. [It isn't you must have given up. Everyone needs to eat; a hunger strike would be a stupid way to get results. Her stern mouth turns up just slightly into a careless smirk.] Or you don't have a problem taking the gamble. What'd you get?
    philancer: (036)

    [personal profile] philancer 2024-06-18 11:55 pm (UTC)(link)
    I've been here for over six months now. [ His lips quirk into a wry smile as he tips his head slightly in acknowledgement. ] I'm not sure 'resigned' is the right word, although I suppose it's as good as any. Then again, I've never been afraid of a gamble, if the risk was worth the reward.

    At the moment... [ he holds up his glass with a chuckle. ] I'm more interested in cooling my tongue back down after the spicy skewers. I'm not sure which will get me first, honestly - the rabbit, or whatever this particular fruit does. Maybe I should be taking wagers.

    I'd offer you some, but you still look understandably suspicious, so I'll understand if you're still interested in abstaining.

    (no subject)

    [personal profile] counterblowing - 2024-06-21 03:00 (UTC) - Expand

    (no subject)

    [personal profile] philancer - 2024-06-22 21:41 (UTC) - Expand

    ....yes. ;)

    [personal profile] philancer - 2024-07-04 18:53 (UTC) - Expand
    bleakdecember: (moody)

    ii

    [personal profile] bleakdecember 2024-06-17 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
    [There's something here making his head all fuzzy, like too many drinks or a bad status effect. Ah, well. He's powered through both before.

    He's not going to be able to power through the gnawing emptiness his suit leaves him with, though. Hearts for a lonely boy, which makes him more eager than ever to watch the every move of the person sitting across from him. He doesn't recognize her. It doesn't matter.

    When she grabs his wrist -- his hand covered by a glove in the dream, at least -- he flinches briefly and jerks back. But not enough to pull free, as he relaxes at the sensation of physical contact a moment later. But some days he's still a wild animal.]


    What's the matter? [He sounds annoyed, but really, it says a lot that he's not bothering with the pleasant and charming false persona he usually has.]
    counterblowing: (11)

    [personal profile] counterblowing 2024-06-18 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
    [What came first? Did her startled bolt awake set the agitated backdrop to this otherwise humid, idyllic dream space? Is it jolting into the fantasy that triggered her wildcard suit to register as Clubs, or was that somehow already ingrained?

    She's strong, but Rahu lets herself be pulled forward when he jerks back, hair curtaining her shoulders. Arousal and Mania might not burn exactly the same way, but they do both burn. Rahu's struggling to untangle them, but it's like trying to pull blood out of a pool of water. Even with the glove between them, there's something about the anchor of his arm in her hand that buffers her urgent heart.
    ]

    ... You should probably get behind me. [She exhales. It's heavy. The breaths between her words slow her speech down.] I don't know if I'm gonna be able to hold it together. [Rahu isn't even sure what collapsing would entail. Her grip tightens]

    Unless you're the reason...we're both here.
    bleakdecember: (tv smile)

    [personal profile] bleakdecember 2024-06-22 03:06 am (UTC)(link)
    [....Get behind her? His brain swirls thinking it's some sort of very forward flirting, but then he realizes it's a threat. The kind that's done out of a fear of lack of control. He leans back, a bit, his survival instincts just barely surfacing under the blanket of his own suit.]

    You'd need to let go of me for me to do that. [He smiles, reassuring.] Though I'd prefer to stay like this.

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    theidlemaiden: (pic#16006940)

    iii - gen or nsfw, dealer's choice!

    [personal profile] theidlemaiden 2024-06-17 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Hilda doesn't have quite the self-preservation that Rahu seems to have. Running away from seagull-headed lifeguards works up an appetite and she's not about to say no to food. Especially when it smells as appetizing as it does. She had never quite understood Raphael's insatiable hunger but she was beginning to understand.

    Or maybe that's just the nostalgia talking.

    Whatever the reason, she's joined the dark haired woman at the barbeque hut peering at the selection before them. They're practically spoiled for choice. And while she'd err towards the familiar (the rabbit), her eyes can't help but be drawn towards the colourful fruit on offer. ]


    Your guess is as good as mine. [ She has to look up to look at the woman. ] But if you're open to it, we could share them and figure it out together?

    [ The idea is that if one of them doesn't like it then the other might and nothing would go to waste. ]
    counterblowing: (3)

    oh boy! well, when on the sexy beach at the sex casino...

    [personal profile] counterblowing 2024-06-18 06:23 am (UTC)(link)
    Share?

    [It's repeated in a tone of mild surprise, almost as if that's something Rahu isn't hardwired to think someone will offer her. The thought of sharing a meal with someone scratches out an old vision of a dinner invitation long passed—something—some promise and some determination slipped so far away.

    ...She's spacing out a little bit, maybe. Rahu shifts her weight away from the counter, that small expression of surprise flitting away.
    ]

    Sure, I don't see the problem with that. After all, they've only extended us so much of their hospitality. [The "vouchers" she'd been given were very limited. They won't last long; Rahu isn't certain she wants them to. There's a part of her still clinging to the dogged hope that this can be broken, that she'll hunt down the way and smash free.] I don't want to stay in that kind of debt. I can get us something.
    theidlemaiden: (pic#16006933)

    it's in the name we gotta

    [personal profile] theidlemaiden 2024-06-18 03:49 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ Call her easy to please or just happy to be sharing the simple companionship of someone - even that of a stranger - but the smile that spreads across Hilda's face is one of joy. The surprise, however mild is noted, but not something that she feels the needs to bring up at this particular moment. And while she's never had a problem accepting gifts, she's not about to let the woman's kindness go unpaid. Not when it's very apparent to her that they both probably have the same number of vouchers. Who would have thought a day would come when she'd have to think about running out of something? ]

    We can use one of my coupons too. That way we get a little more. 

    [ After sliding her coupon over to the vendor who hands her a couple of skewers; both have rabbit but whereas one is mixed with a bright citrus looking fruit, the other has a fruit that isn't familiar to her at all. Before she can extend one of the skewers towards her, stomach gives a little embarrassing growl. Colour immediately blooms across the apples of her cheeks. ]

    Just pretend you didn't hear that.

    [ And then with the most graceful recovery possible she smiles, fanning the skewers for Rahu to choose. ] 

    You first! We can trade after.

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    armwriostle: Credit to <user name="brokiloen"> (pic#16799341)

    II.

    [personal profile] armwriostle 2024-06-17 10:45 am (UTC)(link)
    [He doesn't recall falling asleep at all. He had sat down on one of the lounge chairs and he doesn't recall anything else.

    Wriothesley is sure that he isn't awake though. Why is he so sure? Well, he believes strongly in his instincts, but he also finds that the horizon that he's staring out was looking more bleak than a summer paradise should be advertising. He jumps a little as he feels a hand suddenly grab his wrist and he tears his eyes away from the derelict scene to who had grabbed him. His fight or flight has adrenaline course through his veins and it does a lot to mask the feeling of his suit, his senses too honed on the moment than his feelings.

    His other hand immediately moves to rest atop of hers.
    ] Hey, are you okay?
    counterblowing: (7)

    [personal profile] counterblowing 2024-06-19 01:02 am (UTC)(link)
    [At the very least, the dark zone on the horizon looms static and waiting; it's not making any attempts to break into the pastel aurora enveloping the now strangely private beach. It's as if it's natural for it to be there - like it always was there and always will be regardless of the accompanying feelings from anguish to longing to anticipation, all of which she seems to be feeling now. It's as if something pried open a crack in the sky and moved in there permanently, unrelenting.]

    I'll be fine. [She croaks her lie. It's unstable and uncertain; her attempt to save face will be easy to catch. Her eyes narrow in on the hand covering her own as some focal point of connection between the two of them.] I don't know what's happening to me.

    [Rahu grits her teeth. She isn't stupid, she isn't ignorant about her body, but the sudden waking and the free flow of everything crashing into her like a tidal wave makes a mental inventory seem impossible. If there's any singular thing she can hone in on feeling, it's lonely.]
    armwriostle: <user name=t000riy0 site=twitter.com> (pic#17033600)

    [personal profile] armwriostle 2024-06-19 04:45 pm (UTC)(link)
    [Wriothesley's gaze is no longer on the sky, but on the woman he seems to be here with.]

    Hey, deep breaths. In and out slowly... [He tries to keep calm, and maybe the scenery changes as the man seems to conjure what might bring him calm. The skies unaffected by the dark zone changes to something more aquatic. Like they're underwater despite not being so. The gentle hues of blue and the way that the waves gently wash above them.

    His concentration on her wellbeing does a lot for him to not realize the flush of his face or the warmth of his body, his diamond suit flaring, but ignored as he's more focused on her.
    ] Explain to me what's wrong.

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    snakelace: (Because they have little patients!)

    iv!!

    [personal profile] snakelace 2024-06-17 03:17 pm (UTC)(link)
    Please, let me help…

    [ There’s no sense in asking her if she’s all right when she clearly isn’t, so he’s just reaching out to her, drawing as close as she’ll allow, his hand aglow with soothing healing magic.

    Whether or not that’s actually going to be effective for her condition remains to be seen, but he can just as easily draw her headache into himself if he has to— ]

    counterblowing: (14)

    [personal profile] counterblowing 2024-06-18 02:58 am (UTC)(link)
    [Though she doesn't retaliate, Rahu does startle, lifting her head away from her hand—and his—when Baizhu reaches into her periphery.]

    What is that?

    [The glass remains in her hand, an easily improvised weapon if she needs it. Another Sinner? is her first thought, the ingrained response to anyone exuding that kind of power and an immediate reason to be defensive. That's a stupid assumption, she realizes a moment later. There's much more to this place than meets the eye. She can't assume they suffer from any of the same problems.]
    snakelace: (It asp to be this way)

    [personal profile] snakelace 2024-06-18 03:51 pm (UTC)(link)
    Healing magic.

    [ He draws back, pulling his hand away to gesture at a nearby floral display that’s looking a bit wilted. A moment later and the flowers start perking up, leaves and petals opening up to a nonexistent sun. ]

    I’m a doctor, you see…

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    affectare: (pic#17247672)

    iii

    [personal profile] affectare 2024-06-17 06:56 pm (UTC)(link)
    [ furina glances over from where she stands a few feet away, her usual troupe hat traded in for a sunhat that shields most of the sun away from her eyes. she hasn't the faintest what any of the skewers might be comprised of, and only knows that after a long day she's hungry and these smell good.

    the woman speaks in much the same way clorinde does, quiet but self-assured. it's almost comforting, in this sea of otherwise complete unfamiliarity, and she inches closer. ]


    ...How do you know? Is it something about the color?

    [ She's never had to lift a finger to cook for herself until recently; the subtle differences between meats and vegetables may as well not exist to her, not until they're plated and introduced. now, cakes, on the other hand.... ]
    counterblowing: (15)

    [personal profile] counterblowing 2024-06-18 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
    [For a second, Rahu looks a little self-conscious about her answer, hesitating before she speaks again.] I just have a good sense of smell. This is different from other meat, even if it's subtle.

    [Furina's scooted in closer than she expected, and between the shorter distance and the difference between their heights, it's difficult to catch a full glimpse of her face or eyes when Rahu glances down. She clears her throat and turns her eyes away, her tone almost comically serious given the subject matter.]

    ... I also heard them referred to as "Flamin' Hop Skewers." [Heh. Maybe she should have led with that. It's a much more plausible explanation.] Unless it's something really unusual, that's probably what we're dealing with.
    affectare: (Default)

    [personal profile] affectare 2024-06-19 01:59 am (UTC)(link)
    [ girl what else is she smellin' with that keen nose of hers—

    but oh! how fascinating. perhaps this is something similar to neuvillette's refined palate when it comes to water? they've always tasted the same to her, of course, but to each his or her own.

    her gaze sweeps from the woman to the skewers. flamin' hop, huh? whatever they are, they certainly do smell good. her mouth waters a little. ]


    Well, I suppose there's no harm in trying one and finding out. We wouldn't want all of this gentleman's hard work to go to waste, now would we?

    [ is this just a subtle cover-up for how hungry she is right now? don't call her out on it. ]

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    orobashi: (35)

    i :)

    [personal profile] orobashi 2024-06-20 04:00 am (UTC)(link)
    ( Usually, Kokomi is perfectly capable of protecting herself. But with her vision only a decoration in the moment, with nothing there to call on, she's caught off guard by an attack— a gullguard pulling at her hair. Before she even has the time to react, she's being swarmed by a few others, and just as quickly as that, someone comes to save her.

    The heat of combat is always so incredible, isn't it? Still, as she runs her fingers through her hair to save it from the tangles, she watches as this mysterious woman deals with the threat. Kokomi steps to cross the sand, grateful to see that she releases the birdman before she has to say anything about it. Alive.

    She didn't take it too far, then, but it appeared to be close. )


    I'm fine, now; you have my thanks. ( Politely, she folds her hands in front of her and offers a little bow in her thanks. Despite the kerfuffle, her overall demeanor is still calm, focused, analyzing— and she points that at Rahu as she stands back straight. )

    You have excellent form. Speed, precision... I'm inclined to think it must be a profession of yours.
    counterblowing: (4)

    [personal profile] counterblowing 2024-06-21 03:56 am (UTC)(link)
    ...It's nothing. I could only let them get away with that for so long.

    [Without her mask, it's difficult to restrain the flow of violent emotions still torrenting within her. The cloudy aura of her breath billows, even invisibly, a miasma of dark feelings gradually drawing out of her. He was just a small fry. Rahu wasn't in the heat of things long enough for this to linger.]

    I'm with the FAC. Rahu. [She returns Kokomi's bow of thanks with the standard salute, though she doubts this woman knows anything about it. Rahu rolls over the thought of providing more information; she'd give her credentials if they hadn't been taken along with her clothes and shields. It doesn't seem necessary.

    The tension stays deeply wound in Rahu's muscles, and she stands stiff and tall even as she glances over her shoulder to where the other gulls are picking up their coworker.
    ] Luckily, these guys are just bullies, not monsters. I can handle myself even without my usual weapons.

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    schmisse: (✧ praise)

    ii

    [personal profile] schmisse 2024-06-21 12:34 am (UTC)(link)
    [ Weiss' Huntress instincts are on maximum right now given where she's woken up in. This doesn't feel like the resort anymore and she has to be on guard. Who knows if monsters could end up in this place, too!

    It doesn't help that her suit seems be on full blast right now, the insecurity and paranoia she feels of being alone awake and heightened without her consent. Before she can try and say something to the other person nearby, the woman catches herself with the table. Weiss is already up to try and help catch the fall, her worry about everything present in her expression. ]


    I have no idea how long we were out for... Are you okay, though?
    counterblowing: (10)

    [personal profile] counterblowing 2024-06-22 07:32 am (UTC)(link)
    I'm fine. [The answer comes quickly, a kneejerk rejection of the concern. Rahu pushes worry away under normal circumstances; now, she's compelled more than ever to offer that strength and reassurance. Rahu retains her grip, but her free hand moves to stroke the crown of Weiss' head, a tender comfort that's unusual for her.] There's no need to be worried about me. [But it's nice that you are, the tone of her voice seems to imply.]

    This place feels different. [She feels different. Rahu braces her knee between them, letting it take her weight where she's still too uncoordinated to stand. Never mind about the control she's still struggling to regain over her body and its sensations; Rahu is driven to draw closer and ask.]

    Are you hurt? Frightened?

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    schorl: (pic#17147442)

    wwwwwwwwildcard :)

    [personal profile] schorl 2024-06-26 08:19 pm (UTC)(link)
    ( seagulls. they pluck, and squawk, and flex, and crow— a throng of them surrounds shalom, who stands there, ever placid. her sun hat is knocked off, the string of it digging into her throat as a guard pulls; the sarong, loosely tied, threatens to pull free under beak and muscle. for all the harassment, there is no real harm being done, and perhaps that’s why it’s so easy for her to remain perfectly still, the breeze flowing through her hair just so, and to lock eyes with rahu across the sands. an almost imperceptible tilt of the head follows: one single degree.

    and then, shalom smiles.

    it’s a beacon, an entreaty to come over, to whisk away this ailing damsel. in truth, somewhere deep down, there is the tiniest wellspring of relief— that she isn’t alone, that she doesn’t need to completely start from scratch, to find someone new to use and rely on. maybe, behind her sunglasses, there’s an equally slight crinkle of her eyes to make the expression approach a genuine sentiment, well hidden behind tinted lenses. maybe. who’s to say— it fades long before rahu can even think to actually approach, which is no easy feat, either. )
    counterblowing: (4)

    [personal profile] counterblowing 2024-06-27 01:27 am (UTC)(link)
    [Shalom may not be in immediate danger, but that does nothing to dispel the uncanny cruelty of the image. From a distance, she looks breakable, as if she'll fall to splinters if the attackers pull at her too hard. The gulls might as well be attacking a mannequin instead of a woman. Her stomach roils; Rahu can feel the chance she'd been given slipping through her fingers, as long as they're both here.

    The ghost of her declaration sizzles in the back of her brain and brings her into immediate action. She would not allow Shalom to die, and even if there's no danger of death from the bullying birds, it is as she has been told before: the one you're to protect is hurting. She resumes her "job" seamlessly.

    For that tiny wrinkle of expression to disappear in the time it takes Rahu to rocket across the sand, faster and more dangerous than any normal person, it could have just been a hallucination. The shadow of her placid smile is forgotten, anyway, by the time Rahu collides with the sarong-tugging pigeon and lifts it from the sand with her hand on its throat, leaving a shower of feathers in its wake.
    ]

    Back off.

    [She's scared off enough beachbirds by now that this will be neither a long nor a fair fight.] ...You should be more careful, [she says over her shoulder, still holding the lifeguard along.] I'm not armed like I usually am, and I haven't been able to fully inspect this location.

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