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

ii - hello again!!

[malpwactice]

[Aak has been minding his own business, having a great time at the beach. He's not intending to stop, either. He's going to grab something at the bar and then head off again to see if maybe he can splash an experiment on one of the mermen and see what happens. He's only been up at the bar for a few moments when a drink comes sliding towards him. Unthinking, he picks it up, starts to knock it back, then-]

[His senses catch up to his impulse and he spittakes, knocking over the drink and making a right mess of his part of the bar.]

[The resort was big enough to not worry too much about not seeing someone for a few days. There were some guests he had never even spoken to or bothered to commit to memory. This man, though, even out of his business attire, was the kind that lingered in his memory. That was the kinda guy who could be real trouble, a lord of his own slum, and apparently Aak didn't just make him up in a fever dream months ago.]

Ah Sir, what a- surprise- to see you again! [As if he didn't just spit alcohol all over the wood varnish. He didn't swallow any but the taste of blackberry lingers in his mouth.]

hello!!

[lieabilities]

[ Ah. ]

[ Familiar meat- ]

It's a pleasure to see you again as well.

[ It's not an unfamiliar reaction, the Istvan gang certainly had that sort of reputation and as one of the frontmen of the gang, Kleken's appearance was one that often gave people reason to worry when he appeared. But here, where the weight of the gang's name was nonexistent, to still garner that same reaction was, well. Endearing? No, not that. ]

[ Ah yes. Entertaining. ]

[ A tentacle reaches out over his shoulder, helpfully offering a napkin to Aak. ]

You seem to have spilled your drink.

[malpwactice]

[While Aak had made some friends, there was no one he was certain could be his defense. Who was to say if, one day, someone from one of the gangs he'd dealt with could show up? Who was to say he couldn't run into an enemy that knew his face when he didn't know theirs? It was bitter, like the taste of seaberry-gin.]

[He accepts the napkin, dabbing his mouth first and then rubbing a circle against the bar surface.]

Yea, you know, maybe a sign I shouldn't be drinking any more tonight!

[Ah, right, leaning over to right the fallen glass. It was an activity to give him a moment longer before he really needed to look over at the older man. Another moment passes. Aak's tongue briefly flicks over his lip as his thoughts get away from him.]

I, uh, [wouldn't it be nice to command that power?] hope you haven't run into any misfortune recently.

[lieabilities]

[ Other than offering the napkin, Kleken doesn't lift a finger (or tentacle) to assist in Aak's panicked cleaning, settled so comfortably into swirling his own drink as he is. And Aak's words let him think about other matters than odd mermaids, a distraction he's quite appreciative of. ]

Simply lost in a labyrinth for I believe months. The scenery was quite pleasant though.

[ If one could consider cold, dark, and dank sewer-like systems to be pleasant. Though it'd been a familiar kind of comfortable, Kleken wasn't particularly eager to go back anytime soon. ]

[malpwactice]

[The bartender at one point comes over to save Aak from some of his torturous wiping. The soggy napkin is taken from him as a cloth rag slides over and seems to somehow do all the work in a swipe. He'd be mad if he wasn't so grateful to not have to keep cleaning.]

A- A labyrinth? [Aak's not going to assume he's hit every inch of the resort. A lot of time exploring felt like a dead end and he had other places to be. Still, the idea that he'd missed a whole labyrinth that someone could get lost in for-]

Months? [Aak slides his elbows down on the bar. The bartender's slid another drink in front of him. He glances at it with the same kind of worry he views Kleken, like it might be bad for him but he's not saying no.]

So, wait, since the last time I saw you... you've just been, like- wandering!?

[lieabilities]

For months, yes. It's quite wonderful to see another living soul again.

[ It's a thickly laid comment, but Kleken's full of those. More importantly, Aak isn't a stranger to them, not after their previous interaction. And with Aak's general suspicions about him in mind, Kleken found it all the more fun to just be even more suspicious in turn. ]

[ But something was just a bit off right now. He hadn't gotten the impression from their last interaction that Aak would react to this information in this way. Intrigued by the ideas presented, perhaps, but not this hint of concern in his tone and looks. ]

[ It bore investigation. ]

I was so exhausted that I nearly collapsed several times.

[malpwactice]

You probably wanna lead with that one!

[Ignoring the fact that Kleken brought it up almost as soon as he possibly could. There were things about the hotel that Aak was curious about, sure, but all he can think of when he hears about being lost for months is... could that happen to him? He's lived rough in the city but the idea of wandering through a liminal, labyrinthine space is scary. He'd rather get knocked out from a punch to the jaw than collapse from exhaustion and hunger.]

[but, this guy was a victim to it, not the cause of it]

[And for acting so calm after being in a situation like that? Focus, Aak, not on the hypothetical danger somewhere else but the hypothetical danger right here.]

That's- astounding, Ah Sir! [he picks himself back up off the bar, his business face coming back on.]

Were you checked out by the clinic? Should you have any worries about your health, I'd be grateful to repay the favor you did for me before.

[It's funny how, despite his words being of concern for Kleken, none of that tone from earlier is there. His concern is wholly for himself.]

[lieabilities]

[ To swap right into a business professional tone and mannerism does gain some respect from Kleken. Business knows business. But unfortunately for Aak, Kleken's only all the more intrigued by the younger man. ]

[ What bad luck for one of them. ]

No, not yet. I didn't want to bother anyone.

[ Translation: He had no idea there was a clinic nor where the clinic was and honestly all he'd wanted was a drink by the time he'd gotten out of there. While he'd been in worse locales before, he'd also at least had alcohol to keep him company there. Running dry through a damp labyrinth was... unpleasant, to say the least. ]

[malpwactice]

[Aak can tell something's off about that answer but he has no insight into the depths of lies and lying. It's probably a lie about not wanting to bother anyone. That feels like a safe enough assumption.]

I may not be a professional but I do have many years of experience behind me. Should the clinic feel too, [ahh] clinical I'd be more than happy to offer my services.

[He manages his internal worries by thinking, at least, there was no way he would be revealing his room to this guy. It was too small for a proper examination room. That left either a safe third-party area or...]

[... well, maybe he shouldn't go to the other man's room. Does he have a room at this point?]

[lieabilities]

[ Aak is very unfortunately on his way to finding out whether Kleken has a room or not, especially with an offer like that. ]

Oh wonderful, you do house calls? I do find myself more comfortable with an examination when I'm in a familiar environment.

[ Never mind that a familiar environment doesn't actually exist for the man here, drifting as he's been for so long, but he did wake up in a shared dorm room this time and that's close enough by his standards. ]

Shall we go there then?

[malpwactice]

[It's the kind of thing people would say so naturally it doesn't even register as a lie. Some people were the type that got attached to their space quickly. The important bit was that apparently this guy did have a room and it could possibly be his watery grave.]

Right now? [a little startled blink, the crack in his his own presentation]

[He doesn't want to, but there is an itch in his mind thinking about getting that edge of indebtedness and getting to check out how this guy's physique compares to people back home.]

[lieabilities]

[ You offered, Aak, and it would be Aak's mistake in thinking that Kleken wouldn't take a free offer. ]

I don't believe I can reserve my exhaustion for another time.

[ Surely he wouldn't abandon someone in need of his services right at this moment? It doesn't seem as if Kleken's giving him much of a choice anyway; the man is on his feet and offering a hand in polite escort to the shorter figure. ]

Allow me to escort you there.

[malpwactice]

[Moving that quick hardly looked that exhausted to him. Still, Aak has to respect when his bluff's been called. He didn't specify, so of course it could be on the table right away. Shame on him to not specify.]

[So, with the hand being offered, Aak has to make a decision, and his mind snaps to go with the flow.]

[He takes the drink that was replaced on the bar and downs it in a big gulp. The ice clatters back to the bottom of the glass and he takes the blackberry off the little garnish skewer and bites down. It would either be liquid courage or a mild anesthetic if his organs got sold.]

Ah Sir, should you need to lean on my shoulder, don't hesitate to do so.

[he takes the hand, stepping down from where he was perched on the bar. He doesn't hide looking at the tentacles, though, as if challenging them. He said the guy could lean on him, not tentacles!]

[(That's the real problem with tentacles, wasn't it? They don't usually listen. Pretty sure he's seen movies here with that premise.)]

[lieabilities]

[ Kleken is just shameless enough to not even pretend to be physically weakened until he needs to, glancing back to watch Aak toss that last drink back as if he were about to step into the pits of hell. Which wasn't a terribly inaccurate assessment depending on one's point of view. ]

You're too kind.

[ And as if on cue, he will lean himself against Aak, tentacles rearing back as they're glanced at as if insulted that they were being left out. They should get free reign to touch if Kleken did, after all. They were the same being! And they are absolutely going to inch closer while Kleken starts leading them away, like a child who's been told no cookies inching closer to the cookie jar. ]

It's just a short walk this way.

[malpwactice]

[Let it never be said that Aak hesitates after making a bad decision. With his path chosen, he's resolute in offering that arm and heading in the direction Kleken points him.]

Ohh, so they've got you on beachfront property, huh?

[he keeps up his small talk, a little relieved to not be heading all the way back to someone's room within the main resort]

I imagine all the noise and hubbub can't be good for a man recovering from such a trial.

[The tentacles edge closer and closer but Aak's mind is being led astray by the effects of his drink. So, he was in this situation now. That's fine. Don't be a threat and just get yourself under any clout he may have.]

[lieabilities]

[ That's just the kind of spirit scammers people like Kleken enjoy. ]

[ And surely he won't noticed the tentacles that have taken to resting themselves on Aak's free shoulder, weighted as if Kleken had placed a hand there to avoid notice. The audacity of the crimes they're committing right now. ]

Yes, it's quite kind of them to be mindful of my condition, though I do hope they're mindful enough not to simply toss me back into the abyss.

[ He fully expects to be tossed back into the pit by the end of it, but at least he's gotten time to enjoy his favorite type of locale while out. ]

[malpwactice]

[There is that slight jumpiness, similar to the first time they met, at the contact. However, the tentacles attempt to be mistake for a hand seems to have succeeded.]

I can say that this place does have its punching bags. [Some people, it seems, end up on the raw end of the house's deal no matter how cooperative they are. He can't guarantee that a person wouldn't be put through the same ordeal again just for laughs.]

[Technically, it would be a benefit for him if this guy got tossed back. Why does he now feel like that would be such a waste?]

Well, if it happens, I'll find you again to patch you up. [The way he says it is a bit different from the customer service voice he was using before. There's a forming certainty in the idea that, no matter what, they would meet again.]

[lieabilities]

[ Infiltration: success. They'll take that win. ]

It seems I've become one such bag.

[ Though his tone is light and joking, in all actuality he hates it. Who would prefer an abyss to a cozy hotel, after all? And if there's a way to change his fate, he's going to be finding it this time around. ]

[ The tone implications by Aak aren't missed amidst his tones, and lightly amused eyes watch the other man with a hint of curiosity. That's certainly some unexpected confidence in man, particularly from someone he's had the impression would like to run away from him as soon as possible. ]

I'll hold you to that in the future.

[malpwactice]

[Who would like to be a punching bag? Aak thinks to himself. The lie of that one doesn't get deeply probed because of course it's a lie. He can't know the extent to which Kleken wants to secure his place, though. There was a hierarchy of this place over an endless labyrinth abyss but there was also the idea of getting back to where they came from safely...]

Well, you know, this place should hopefully be a lot more comfortable for you. Plenty of entertainment, some pretty funny people, oh, and even a seedy underbelly! I'm not too familiar with it myself but it's reassuring when a place is big enough to have its own shadow, isn't it?

[He chatters on with a similar pace to before, dropping little tidbits but keeping his tone airy. A part of him, the outside influence of the drink, really thinks that pushing the conversation this way is good. He didn't want to get too deeply entwined with those illegal dens, or the ghosts, or hidden areas, but having someone else to do it? And for him to catch the benefits from under a clever tentacle? That's not bad!]

[lieabilities]

[ It's a bit amusing, to have someone talk so openly about a 'seedy underbelly' with him. The lack of tact surrounding such matters was refreshing, in fact, and he rather welcomed it. Surely it had nothing to do with the idea that he looked and acted as if he belonged perfectly within such a place. No, not at all. ]

Oh, I had thought most didn't like to know about the existence of such a thing. Much less admit to it.

[ That had always been his impression, when amongst people who were loathe to admit the existence of Umbraton back home. He'd never really been in the position of 'the guy someone knows' with a connection to the underworld, mostly because most didn't want to know him specifically, but it could prove entertaining if approached right. ]

[ And Kleken was simultaneously easy and ridiculously hard to please. ]

[malpwactice]

[Talking about a seedy underbelly was sort of like talking about the "dark web." People immediately had reason to doubt the speaker had any actual knowledge. Still, Aak's confidence in how he speaks is unwavering.]

Ah, well, good and proper citizens may never have to come in contact with such things. More interesting people, though, [he draws a spiral in the air with his free finger,] can end up looking there.

I'll be doing a basic examination for you, Ah Sir, but the forces at the top limit how many medical tools us "guests" have access to! So I have to get a bit of dirt on my hands to properly practice my craft.

[He smiles, completely certain in his logic. A real goody two-shoes would still have to admit that wanting to practice medicine, help people, was a proper motivator. And anyone with a more selfish mind would be more aligned with him anyways.]

[lieabilities]

[ Aak's show of bravado was enough to impress Kleken in... some sort of manner. An entertaining one, at least. Not enough to call him out on how oddly he was referring to the whole matter, but certainly enough to tease him over it. ]

Ah yes, good and proper citizens like us.

[ One of them was definitely not a good and proper citizen. ]

[ The information Aak provides next only fuels Kleken's desire to tease, an itch he more than enjoyed scratching in the worst sort of ways. ]

I do hope I'm not the dirt in this case.

[malpwactice]

Eh? [he glances up, taking a moment to reply. The conflicting feelings of of course, I'm hoping you'll be the dirt and maybe it'd be nice if you were totally clean. A whole part of it could possibly be resolved if he were more direct... or it could be impossible if Kleken continues to dance around it in return.]

Well, [he decides, glancing aside coyly] if I were to ever get a gift from you, I wouldn't think of questioning where it came from.

[It could be the results of the drink he had that are warping his sensibilities. It could be, though, that he does just look so pleased at the idea of getting an illegal gift.]

But, nah, seriously! You can't be doing anything wrong as a patient! [he pulls his hand back as if to sharply smack the man's back- before thinking better of it and adjusting it to a light pat]

[lieabilities]

[ Dancing is Kleken's forte, unfortunately, and as much as he enjoys goading someone into being direct with him, his own desire to do so is... spotty, at best. Nonexistent at worst. The subtly unsubtle suggestions aren't lost on him in the least, but he's already made his decision on how to run with Aak's words. ]

Wonderful. I'll have to do some souvenir shopping later.

[ Whether that means figuratively or literally doesn't matter, there will be actual silly little beach souvenirs in Aak's eventual future. Likely when he least expects it, and likely just as annoying as the conman himself. It needed to be a most wonderful reminder of him, after all. ]

[ The pat pulls him out of his future plotting, smiling over once more as if he hadn't been deciding what sort of beach paraphernalia to get him. ]

That is a relief to know. Hopefully nothing is wrong with myself.

[malpwactice]

[Eventually he'll learn how Kleken likes to twist things around. Then, once he's learned, it can twist again. For now, though, he just thinks that any gift is a good gift and he can change his mind when some tacky figurine ends up on his desk.]

Somethin' could have slipped in under symptoms of exhaustion, sure, that's the nasty part of it. Considering how long you were wandering there, it might take a long time to recover anyways...

[At least from a visual standpoint it seems like most of the physical stuff was covered. And he was no good for the psychological damage of months of wandering.]

Might have to stick to more relaxed positions, [he grins, crossing his fingers back and forth to imply screwing] at least for a lil' bit.