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

like, hard to starboard matey

[belialedge]

[ If Ragna were twisted by the arm to pick between which locale he liked better, it wouldn't take much to get an answer out of him. He'll take the calmer waters of Nami's "beach" any day of the week. But he won't lie and say that it wasn't impressive that they managed to jam pack such a huge looking shoreline up atop the whole resort. The Cloud Dwelling Gardens really was an illusory front to whatever phenomena the House deemed fit to slap up here, wasn't it? It's impressive.

Impressive and...unsettling, if you spent too much time thinking of everything else that preludes the shift. But last month's chaos was behind them. Ahead of them now are glistening waters and crystalline, pure sands that feel warm to the touch beneath your feet as your toes sink through the grains.

New swimwear for Ragna wasn't needed, declining any new outfits that could replace his usual wears of red and black for a more appropriate ensemble. The addition of the open red hoodie helps in making him feel comfortable— no need to strip down and get questions for a shoulder-long black sleeve covering his right arm as if it was a fitness tensor.

"Come on, get in." ]

Huh? [ Passing by the boat rentals while idling out in his own thoughts, his attention is grabbed two-fold. First, the familiar voice of the pirate that lifts his mood just about instantly. ] Oh. Hey, Nami—

[ Second, if he thought she filled out her swimsuit the first time they bumped together at Talon? That little black two-piece, the cups of them covering just enough that he imagines it's gotta be comfortable and just supportive...while the bottoms of those big breasts swell invitingly to the eyes. Blink. Blink blink. Blinkblinkblink- COUGH AHEM! Back to her eyes. He's got a fair complexion, himself, but. It's the sun. That's why his face is red, okay? Don't question it. Shut up. ]

You're seriously thinking of sailing out on that "ocean"?

[ That's not a "no"! Judging by the way he's already making his way across the pier to close that distance between them. He's already in without even saying it. ]

[cartographie]

I haven't sailed anything in almost half a year now. [ Which is to say– ] Yeah, I'm definitely going to sail out on this ocean, to put it your way.

[ Because the resort giveth, and the resort taketh away, and before the casino robs her of yet another scrap of something that feels normal and good, Nami intends to enjoy it to the fullest. Rafting around on the small rivers in the Vale is fine for a quick break, but this? Manufactured, a fake just like the waterfront she was given upstairs after ranking up, but closer to being on the water than she's been in too long.

The way Ragna looks at her as he approaches doesn't escape Nami's attention, favoring him with an amused eye roll when he finally brings his gaze away from her body and back to her face. ]

Never gonna shake the cumslut reputation like that, Ragna. [ One corner of her mouth lifts in a smirk, one hand keeping hold of the line that unfurls the sail as the other stretches out to touch his arm briefly. ]

Hurry up, let's get out of here.

[ Even before both of his feet leave the pier, Nami's pushing off, willing to risk any staggering Ragna might be subjected too having his balanced toyed with as the boat glides swiftly awayr from the dock. ]

[belialedge]

H-Huh?!?

[ Cumslut!? Off the jump like that?! ]

Come on, Nami. It's impossible NOT to stare!

[ At the very least, he doesn't grow heart eyes or start drooling at the sight of her. ...His mind, however, is going to be running amok with a myriad of thoughts regarding the buxom pirate, flirting with the end of his arm as she motions by. She doesn't even give him time to prepare or think about it for another second! It was, in truth, a formality and inevitability. He was going to board that boat and set sail no matter what. With one foot in the boat, she's pushed off and the boat is gliding away from the dock, the tree of a man wobbling as he attempts to hold his balance against the mast with a swing of his other leg now that he's on proper. ]

Phew... I'd question if this is how pirates operate all the time, but, I guess I know a thing or two about always being on the go.

[cartographie]

[ The combination of getting a rise out of him like that, and being on the water after so many months away from it, has her smirking and openly pleased with herself, favoring Ragna with a knowing, and admittedly fond grin in response to his protests. ]

It's how pirates act after being stuck on land for a while.

[ She can't speak for every pirate, but Nami's known enough to know there are few that hesitate when the time comes to take to the water.

The rest of Ragna's remark has her tilting her head, making her realize that as much as she knows about him in the physical sense, she doesn't know too much about Ragna, the person. It's precisely the kind of relationship that's easy to cultivate here in the casino, and while Nami is most comfortable when she keeps the inner workings of herself to herself, she doesn't want to keep things shallow with Ragna after everything that's already gone on between them.

It's kind of rude to call a guy a cumslut, no matter how affectionately, and not have any idea of what's waiting for him back home. ]

Were you on the run or something?

[belialedge]

The high seas are just calling your name, eh?

[ As Ragna gets situated proper, the two of them slowly sailing out into the open waters, Nami asks him a more personal question. Before, it might have been rejected...but the months have done more than temper the Grim Reaper. While he was no open book, he's of the same mind as the younger pirate. They could joke about him being her "cumslut" all that they want, but he's not so cheap as to see her as a hot pair of tits and ass. In truth, she helped him out a lot, even during the Hunt despite the impromptuness of their romp. But that was a conversation for another day. Another time. ]

Without acting coy about it all? Pretty much. [ A beat. ] Guess there's no point in sugarcoating it. I've got the highest recorded bounty in history back home. Frankly, I've gotten numb to the whole "vigilantes after my ass" shtick.

[cartographie]

Would if I could listen to them.

[ Nami's lips press into a thin line, her expression darkening briefly as she looks towards the water. It's a good thing he takes her up on that question, distracting her away from how unmoored she's been left feeling in the wake of her crew's absence, her aspirations of making it to the Grand Line still present, but feeling dimmer than ever. ]

Highest bounty in history? You'd win over at least half my crew with something like that. [ She tilts her head and decides to press her luck. ] Do you deserve it?

[belialedge]

Heh. [ He looks up from where he's currently seated back at her. ] Lemme guess. A high bounty is bragging rights for some?

[ "Do you deserve it?" ]

...

[ "That's him!! The guy from the wanted poster!" "Isn't that Ragna the Bloodedge?" "We have you completely surrounded! Surrender your weapon and put your hands above your head!"

... .... .....

"Oh my god. What the hell IS he?!" "H-He's not human!!" "YOU BASTARD!! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY COMRADES?!?" "DIE, GRIM REAPER!!"

"YOUR AZURE GRIMOIRE IS MINE, RAGNA THE BLOODEDGE!!"

... .... .....

"Ragna..." ]



Yeah. For better or worse. But I can't take back what's already happened.

[cartographie]

[ Tilting her head at the question, Nami rolls her shoulder in a light shrug. ]

We're pirates, aren't we?

[ Having the highest bounty in the East Blue had been a point of pride for Arlong, and while he's a terrible measure of anything, Luffy, too, had been delighted when his own bounty surpassed the now thoroughly defeated fishman.

For Ragna, however, she gets the sense his bounty is tied to something more significant than bragging rights. Nami doesn't call attention to the way he seems to be turning her question over in his mind before answering, though there is the slightest hint of interest creasing the corners of her eyes. ]

Hard to imagine. I've met a lot of scumbags, you're not one of them.

[belialedge]

[ He's not one of those scumbags... Okay, he wasn't expecting her to come out and just start calling him the worst because he has a really high bounty and has likely done some questionable things on his own journey. But hearing it now in comparison to before, when he'd get called "Good Guy" or something because he decided to buy food, or not being as terrible as the wanted posters or NOL would have the public believe... The otherwise pensive expression on his face lifts some, ebbing away into a more relaxed smile as the gentle rocking of the 'ocean' carries them away.

Huh. So this is what it feels like, huh? Being seen as something else. Somebody else. Someone that he thought he'd buried along with the rest of the rubble and ash. Nami is rewarded for it with the deep yet more relaxed tone of his voice as he looks up at her. ]

You know...before I mighta shrugged that off. [ Not since coming here. Not since he's had all this time, so many months with the Azure Grimoire no longer a liability as much as it was a necessity. Calmer now. ] But...that feels good. To hear, I mean.

Thanks, Nami.

[ That deserves grace in turn. It's not obligatory, but if she's going to speak her mind... ]

If you're a pirate, there should more people like you then.

[ Neither of them were "saints", but he also knew when a person's heart was in the right place as well. ]

[cartographie]

[ here! ]