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

beach bunny

[belialedge]

[ Trust him. This place felt like some freaky weird dream when he first arrived. If anything, the House seeing fit to shuffle Ragna into the deck like this felt like a fool's gamble. What would have happened if they hadn't found a way to keep his Azure Grimoire in check? On its own, there was already a risk of harming someone by simply being in proximity of them. Touching them was even worse...if others didn't want to run the risk of having their life force innately drained due to the very nature of his right arm. Thankfully, with the months that have passed? That wasn't a problem. If anything, this has been the most "normal" he's ever felt at this resort.

On that note, Yor wasn't alone in the level of discomfort she felt getting all of this thrust upon her. It's still an adjustment period, getting curveballs thrown at him despite how long he's been here already. The upmost level of this sex casino being turned into some fake, gloriously expansive beach? Was just another instance of this place being more freaky than it was sexy sometimes.

Ragna, in comparison Yor who modestly covers herself up, is less concerned about showing some skin as he happens by the seemingly rattled woman. But it's the obscenely loud rumble of her tummy that gets him to stop. He doesn't keep tabs on everyone at this resort, more focused on his circle of those he knew. But those striking red hues and raven hair? He can't say he's spotted someone like her before. And she doesn't seem as listless as the various NPCs that litter the resort as if nothing was amiss.

Oh yeah. That's right...

This was around the time that prospective wildcards would get shuffled into the deck with the rest of them. Heaving a sigh, he steps up, hand on his hip casually as he regards her with a sunken brow. ]

Knowing this smuthole? The usual. [ Sex. Lots. And lots. And lots of sex. With people you may not even know! ] Lemme guess. You just got here?

[briarthorns]

[ s...sm...._"smuthole"...

Yor attempts to pretend she didn't just hear him say that. Unfortunately, she is a terrible liar. Her face immediately starts to grow red as she glances at the unknown man, momentarily looking horribly embarrassed about being Perceived, before she looks away again and clears her throat. ]

Ah, um... y-yes. I... guess? I woke up in one of those little beach huts...

[ Who is he. Is he going to try to hit on her?! She's a married woman! ...okay, yes, fake-married... But fake-married is still married.

(No. This is no time for freaking out. She's gotta be strong. Yor, be strong!!) ]

Uh, by "the ususal," do you mean... um...

[ It's obvious that's what he means, from everything else she's heard. But she doesn't know how else to broach a topic like that with a complete stranger. ]

[belialedge]

[ She's as ripe red as a tomato. Judging by that? Embarrassed as all hell and back. He's not even a flirt in the first place, and he already starts feeling bad just walking UP to her now. Be that as it may, she looks like she's doing her damnest to compose herself despite it all. Enough that it garners his attention to listen. Yup. This was going to become a pattern, it seems. Has this been monitored or assessed by the other guests already? Not that it was any of his business, but patterns were patterns, nonetheless. ]

Sounds like that's where everyone new is waking up this time...

[ "Uh, by 'the usual,' do you mean... um... ]

Sex?

[ Allow him to introduce himself, Mrs. Forger. Mr. Ragna the Bluntedge. But the instance he says it, there's a loose of a sigh that leaves his lips. ]



Relax. I didn't waltz by to pick up some lady outta the blue. [ A beat. ] You sound more hungry than anything else to begin with.

[ Sorry. He heard. He's pretty sure everyone heard that stomach of hers. ]

[briarthorns]

[ Ohhhh, he said it. The s-word. If he hadn't distracted her by immediately moving on, Yor may have been beside herself with embarrassment — but he did, and so, she can pretend to be more interested in that. ]

Mister Ragna!

[ Clapping her hands together, she faces him with wide, hopeful eyes. ]

Yes, I'm starving! I d-dont have any money, but — um, if you're willing to lend me some so I can eat, I'll find a way to pay you back! I promise!

jakdfls the "introduces himself as Mr. Ragna" was flavour text but we'll roll with it that he

[belialedge]

( OOC; akjsdhf the "introduces himself as Mr. Ragna" bit was just flavour text. he didn't say it out loud. sorry if I made it sound like that! WE ROLL WITH IT. )

Sad to say, but they don't just hand out physical cash here or anything. [ If she's new here, it's at least best he just set the records straight. ] Our accounts run off "chips" through our Watches for the most part.

[ Lifting his left hand, he taps his own screen as a gesture for Yor to see for herself if she so wished. But otherwise...sigh. Since she asked, quite earnestly and nicely at that, it would be about one of the nicer times that someone has begged to mooch from him. That and he'd probably get about three steps, hear another rumble of her belly, and defeat himself by succumbing to help. Thankfully, it doesn't come to that and his eyes match hers. ]

Tell you what, lady. You just order whatever you wanna eat and drink. I'll buy. [ Another beat. ] No need to pay me back, either.

[briarthorns]

[ It's okay, calling him "Mister" is still completely in character for her! ]

Chips? [ When he indicates to his watch, she blinks, and holds up her own as if mirroring his gesture. The Watch had popped awake at the same time she did, of course, and she heard its preliminary message... but it was just something about being a wildcard, and temporary accommodations, and... ]

...Oh. Right. This place is a casino...

[ Not that she's actually seen anything remotely casino-like so far, but she does remember that part from what the Watch said. Yor has gone on a few missions in casinos before — people have a strange willingness to put themselves in vulnerable situations while partying at a casino, and "clients" sometimes have an affinity for gambling away their money in the first place. If there's anything about this place that would be familiar enough to provide some kind of anchor, it would be the hotel and casino aspect... but sadly, she just had to arrive during the Beach Episode. Sigh.

Anyway. That's not important right now. What's important is what this Mr. Ragna just said! ]

I absolutely insist that I pay you back! Maybe not right now, but once I get some money of my own! Er, I mean... chips of my own.

[ There's a handful of complimentary chips already in her account, of course, but she doesn't know that. ]

But that being said... Thank you! Please wait right here.

[ And without giving him a chance to object, she hurries over to the counter of the barbeque booth to negotiate a large order of skewers, completely forgetting the way that running makes her large chest bounce around in a bikini top. Priorities. ]

apologies on the delay. been sick for the past few days. @_@

[belialedge]

[ For such a demure woman, she has a particular brightness about her when she mirrors his gesture and does her best to emulate him. Well, if nothing else, Yor was catching on quick. Chances were you were going to run into somebody who wanted nothing to do with this resort than those that were clicking their heels at this titillating prospect. She's reminded that this is indeed supposed to be a casino, and the taller white-haired man can't help but gently shake his head with a resigned cadence to his voice. ]

On the surface, anyway.

[ It wasn't Ragna's job to rattle off all the supernatural aspects of this world to people. But...hell with it. When in Rome? Was that the saying? Regardless, this had all been new territory for the Grim Reaper upon his own arrival. As well-travelled as he'd been, it was a matter of never having the opportunity or chance to experience this all in his own lifetime. The odds of him indulging like this (before sex even got involved) was close to zero back home. Unaware of this lady's own experiences in a casino environment, all he has to go off of right now is this more innocent air that radiates her on the surface. ]

You can always try your luck at the casino. That's how I started out. But, seriously, before you even check in... [ Before the attempt at just playing at the casino turned into small and medium payouts. Oops. 💦 ] H-Hey! Wait a damn second. At least let me finish what I'm...

[ Even when watching her from the back, Yor breasting boobily in ignorance catches his attention and clips his own sentence off in his throat. ]

...saying.

[ Sigh. Well, since this is going on his account, the special skewers were selling like hotcakes. He might as well grab a bite for himself whilst she's in his company. The staff member manning the grill, neutral to the wildcard as they were, is polite enough in accepting Yor's order while Ragna saddles on up beside her, rubbing the back of his neck with a subtle dusting of red in his face. It's only just hitting him again that this is...becoming way too common of a pattern for him. How many times was he going to say that he's not buying lunch for someone, only to crumble of his own accord and do exactly that?

...Since coming here, that number of times has already gone past one hand. asdlkjfg ]

Oh, and, you can just charge it all to me.

[ She told him to wait right here, but Ragna has to pay up anyway, right? The one taking Yor's order, whilst less enthused about a lowly 3 of Diamonds waltzing up, does acknowledge that he seems to be here with this stunner of a woman. "Very good, Mr. Bloodedge." The skewers are just getting a fresh glazing of that savoury, spicy sauce as he presents his left wrist where his Watch sits. Thankfully, it's not like the skewers cost a fortune per morsel. And Yor's manners soften the blow considerately on his wallet as his account is dipped into. She's grateful! And not insulting him out of the blue!

And thinking about it, a lady like her packing away all that food wasn't so surprising. He's seen an ungrateful little bastard(s) back home threaten to bleed his wallet dry by cramming their face and packing an alarming amount of food away. ]

it's ok!

[briarthorns]

[ Yor's mood has improved significantly at the prospect of finally getting some proper food in her belly. She's not even particularly food-obsessed or food-motivated, she's just really hungry. When Ragna tells the resort employee taking their order that he's paying, Yor announces her intent to pay him back for the third time — but with a smile on her face.

While they're waiting, she turns to her new acquaintance, still glowing. A smile suits her much better, bringing out her dainty, feminine beauty. ]

Oh no, I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? Please forgive me... My name is Yor Forger. [ she clasps her hands in front of her chest. ] The skewers smell really good. I haven't had rabbit meat since I was a girl! My brother and I used to hunt rabbits almost every day, before we moved to the city.

[ Four skewers are passed over the counter, the employee skipping the lowly 3♦️ who's paying and handing them to Yor directly. She takes them with a polite thank you and holds two out to Ragna. ]

o7

[belialedge]

[ Well, his Master did used to say that food was a nurturer for the soul. And seeing this lady brighten up the way she does is enough evidence of that. He relaxes in her presence, allowing a more relaxed expression to cross his features once more when she announces her intent to pay him back. Instead of calling her out on it, the thought rolls through his head, ]

(Yeah, yeah, I heard you the first two times.)

[ Having initially showed up on the beach both uncertain and weirded out by this faux vacation spot's idea of "protection", it goes to show that the kind of company you keep can do wonders for the mood. Namely Ragna's, who, by now would have been a glowering sunburn of a man today just based off disdainful interactions with staff, NPCs and the seagulls, is actually smiling. Back home, there was hardly time or the attention span to give admiration or appreciative gazes to women back home. Not when the grand majority of them were either afraid of him or refusing to get off his back for his bounty, his Azure Grimoire, free food, all of the above. But that didn't mean he was unmoving. He wasn't ignorant to what he likes to see.

And she does a damning good job of disarming him with that smile, her feminine beauty doing wonders in easing him into actually sticking around with the new guest. It's made all the better when it's someone who seems genuinely grateful for the help. ]

Whatever. Things slip the mind when you're hungry. I get it. Nice to meetcha, Yor. [ He should've asked sooner. But at least now he can stop just calling her "lady". Her fessing that she used to hunt rabbits when she was younger catches him by surprise, blinking with intrigue whilst the employee hands the skewers over to the assassin. ] Well how 'bout that? I used to hunt with my Master when I was younger too.

[ Since Steve skips over this 3 of ♦️s, his gratitude to him is far less courteous, only giving them a nod and a fleeting dip in that smile to shoot a half-frown at them before his attentions are fully on the woman offering him some skewers. They do look really good...so good that it slips his mind that they're practically flipping a coin on whether or not this was even "safe" or not to eat. His thanks to her is far more polite as he accepts them, mindful to swipe up a couple fresh napkins from the counter for them in case the sauce gets drippy on them.

Stepping out of line, they're free to hang around the shack or enjoy the tropical weather and walk! For now, he's content in standing to the side in Yor's company, back to their last topic. ]

When you train in the wilderness, you learn real quick how to turn nature into your pantry.

[briarthorns]

Your Master? [ She asks curiously as Ragna accepts the two skewers. The subtle interaction between him and Steve went over her head; she hasn't taken the time to fully digest everything the Watch has to say about Game 52 yet. One could say she needs to do some literal digesting before she can attempt to do some metaphorical digesting. In that sense, this food is just what she needs... and maybe, its currently unknown side effects will help her get her mind around certain other things.

But, that's a big maybe. Beautiful as she as, and as firmly in her adult years as she is, Yor has never even kissed another man before. What's going to happen when his horny rabbit meet his the immovable object that is her own inexperience? ]

When you say train in the wilderness... Do you mean, um... [ Following Ragna as he wordlessly leads her on a walk, her question trails off as she tries to think of how to phrase it. Her mind jumps straight to her own experiences as an assassin, but obviously, she can't say that. ] Oh! Are you... a forest ranger?

[ nailed it. ]

[belialedge]

Yeah. Keep it short and sweet, he took me in when I was a kid and taught me a lotta things. History, how to fight, survival, how to cook— [ And boy can that talking cat cook. A lot of that 5-Star Restaurant quality rubbed off on the white-haired man walking and talking with her too! ] —just about everything I could need before setting out for myself.

[ It seems that Ragna's little descriptor of what he'd been taught only fed into the unsuspecting Yor's imagination. She's an assassin? He's a criminal with a bounty that's literally worth a small country. They both have reputations best kept in the closet! For varying sakes. He's about to take a bite off the tip of his skewer when she quips up and finally lands on an educated(?) guess. ]

Forest ranger? [ Blink blinks. Shit. She asked so earnestly too. He can't just go off on her and ask her what kind of conclusion was that. Instead, the corner of his mouth quirks up with a smirk, loosing a sigh through his nose with a fleck of amusement. ] Not exactly.

I'd say I'm more of a traveller. Seeing the world. Taking it all in, yeah?

[ Technically that's...correct? ]

my turn to apologize for slowness now x_x

[briarthorns]

[ Yor follows alongside Ragna as she listens, allowing him to lead them closer to the water and nibbling on the end of a meat skewer as they go. The meat is crisp, but it'd be a bit dry if it weren't for the sauce that was generously slathered over it. Ah, rabbit always was hard to cook, she thinks to herself, although Yuri always wolfed down his burnt chunks so eagerly...

She turns to look up at him with a smile, her response delayed as she chews and swallows her mouthful of food. It wouldn't be good to talk with her mouth full. ]

A traveler... that sounds so wonderful. You must've been to all sorts of places if you travel for a living. Eating unusual foods, meeting different kinds of people...

[ It sounds so nice that it's almost dizzying. Yor's smile widens, almost like she's smiling to herself, as she takes another huge bite of meat off the skewer. You know, dryness aside, the taste is really starting to grow on her. ]

I guess, [ she begins again after swallowing, ] maybe it wasn't so scary for you to end up in such a weird place as this, then?