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

[theidlemaiden]

[ Don't be silly. It's impossible to suplex him from this position.

Her eyes dart towards the warm fingers wrapped gently but firmly around her ankle and has to ignore the way her pulse jumps at the contact. They've never been this physically close so it isn't because of nostalgia. Then again, maybe it is. She didn't know when she'd see anyone from home again. With the way she rolls her eyes and pushes lightly against his chest again it would be impossible to tell that she feels any homesickness at all.

She offers him a smile that's all sweetness and no bite. There may be a little bit of dryness though. ]

Don't be silly. If memory serves me right, I'm the one that offends you. I'm surprised you even want to spend time with me considering how spoiled you think I am. 

[philancer]

[ He blinks at her for a moment, because he'd forgotten all about that. Even now, it takes him a moment to try and call up what she's talking about, and then he looks a little sheepish over it. ]

Don't tell me you're still mad at me over that? Hilda, that was years ago. We were dumb kids, and I definitely shouldn't have spoken that way to you. I didn't think you'd remember that, of all things. Will apologizing for it help?

[ It wouldn't be the first time he's had to grovel because of something dumb he'd said in the heat of the moment. ]

[theidlemaiden]

[ She lets out a quiet breath, the smile disappearing before being replaced with a wryness that had only been developed over the last several years. ]

Do I look mad?

[ He'd seen her mad, albeit at the time it had been spurred on by shame and embarrassment.

It's funny to her that he thinks she wouldn't remember being explicitly called out for behaviour that, at her lowest, she thinks is woven into her bones. There's no hope in curing her of her selfish, lazy, spoiled nature. Which is to say, he wasn't wrong then. Nor would be wrong to still think that of her now.

As much as the urge to run away had been so strong moments ago, it seems to have ebbed away the longer she stays trapped between his arms. Had she really missed a time before the war that much? ]

That depends on how you're going to apologize for it, I guess.

[philancer]

And what'll it take to make you consider forgiving me?

[ There's a playful purr in his tone, even as his thumb rubs teasing circles against the inside of her ankle, still keeping her foot trapped against him.

It's been a while since he'd seen a familiar face that didn't immediately fill him with trepidation. Past spats aside, Hilda had always been someone fun to hang out with. Except when she was making him run all her errands for her, but that wasn't an issue at the moment.

Besides. She was new. And she'd just downed an entire drink. Probably without checking to see what effect it might have first. It wouldn't be very polite to leave her to her fate before he knows she'll be alright. ]

[theidlemaiden]

[ The circles on her ankle are distracting at best, but not so distracting that she doesn't hear the obvious purr in his voice. It has her questioning what exactly is going on here before a voice asks if it's a touch that's really that unwelcome (and is it so surprising considering it's Sylvain)? Of course, the answer is no.

Because when was the last time she had really flirted for the sake of flirting? Sylvain had always been reliable for that because neither of them wanted anything serious, and she wanted a way to annoy Holst even if he never knew about it.

She takes a thoughtful sip of her drink this time through the curly straw. There are in hindsight probably more important things to figure out. Like what was the last thing he remembers and why he seems so at home and at ease here than she had ever seen him at the Academy. But asking those things feels like a way for him to turn and leave in the other direction.

And now that she's seen a familiar face all she wants is to not be alone. ]

I don't really know. There's no late library books to be returned and my drink is still fresh. Why don't you surprise me?

[philancer]

Oh, that is a dangerous permission to give me. [ He chuckles as his lips curve into a knowing smirk. ] I'm far more familiar with this place than you are, after all.

[ Surprise her, hmm? What would Hilda enjoy, he wonders? At least in what the resort here has to offer. While he's thinking it over, he waves down the nearest bartender and orders a refill of his own drink, something a noticeably different color than Hilda's. He takes a casual sip before stepping back and offering her his arm. ]

Why don't we go for a walk, to start?

[theidlemaiden]

I gathered as much. And if that's the case, who better to learn it from?

[ It's completely within the realm of possibility that she doesn't quite know what she's implying. At least not in the context of the resort. But if the pang in her chest is any indication she would have much rather learned about this place from him than a strange face.

Despite her previous panic, there's no hesitation as she she loops hers through his. The physical contact of someone familiar cuts some of that pang to a dull ache and making her think of a simpler, happier time. ]

So how long have you been here exactly?

[philancer]

[ He hums, trying to count back, because they didn't really mark time the same way here. Then again, with no real day or night in this place - not that they could ever see, anyway - that made it harder. ]

I'd say about six months or so? I think? Quite a while. At least it feels like that, in this place. It's been... an adventurous few months.

He tucks her hand in the crook of his arm, his other hand resting over it as he guides her up the beach. ]

Although you showed up just in time for this particular locale. Before this, we just had the gardens and the conservatory and the Vale - which is basically a big indoor jungle.

[theidlemaiden]

[ The light touch of his hand atop hers brings more comfort than she anticipates and she inadvertently finds herself drawing a little closer. His hand draws her gaze down before skipping back forward so she can take a sip of her drink and make sure that she doesn't trip over herself trying to walk on the beach.

Immediately she can't help but think that six months is a long time to be away from a war. And while she's mostly certain about what had happened to her, she doesn't want to extend the same assumption to Sylvain's fate. Just because he'd yelled at her once upon a time, it doesn't mean that she wished that on him.

The use of the word adventure draws a curious look from her. Hopefully it was a better "adventure" they'd embarked on at home. ]

If this place can change so easily then I'm not surprised you'd call it that. Did they also have really weird wildlife too?

[philancer]

Mmm. Not really. Honestly before this, I think there were really only the rabbits in the gardens. They have birds and some bugs and butterflies in the Vale. And fish in the ponds in the garden, too, I think. But otherwise, I haven't seen any others here.

Well. Except for some of the guests, themselves, anyway. not all of them are exactly... human.

[ he doesn't clarify on that just yet. Mostly because he doesn't know where to start and he's pretty sure there are also dozens of beings here that wouldn't call themselves human and he probably wouldn't know what to call a large chunk of them. ]

[theidlemaiden]

[ Her brow arches at that. ]

Sylvain, you can’t just say that and not explain. What is not exactly human supposed to mean?

[ Because frankly it sounds incredibly normal from everything he's described so far.

As they continue their way up the beach, they pass by a group of lifeguards with their strange seagull heads and rippling muscles. Instinctively she shuffles a little bit closer into Sylvain’s side like that would somehow put her out of eyesight of them. Could she have tossed one of them over her shoulder? Probably. But she’s not about to put on that kind of display for anyone. Nor is she so rude as to point or talk about them while they’re walking by them so she waits a little until they’re some ways away. ]

You mean like the lifeguards? Or something else?

[philancer]

I could, actually. Just to drag out the suspense, you realize.

[ He casts her a mischievous wink before laughing and giving her a little more context. ]

I've met a vampire or two. And there's a few people here that have... hmm, I don't know if they're part animal or if there's some other explanation for it in their world. People with tails or animal ears atop their heads or fur or... let's just say there's a lot of options.

[ And that's not even touching what's under their clothes.

He doesn't miss the way she tries to ease away from the lifeguards, however, and after a narrowed look in their direction, he switches sides with her, placing himself between her and them. Just in case. And if she wants to hide behind him, he can absolutely angle himself just enough to pull that off. ]

[theidlemaiden]

Tease. At least that hasn't changed about you.

[ It's punctuated with an indignant sigh. The levity in her voice however is a clear sign that it isn't that much of a hardship. In fact, it's comforting in some ways. Because if Sylvain seemed perfectly fine to be here then that had to be a good thing. Right?

Sylvain's pointed placement gets a bit of a look in return from the lifeguards but aside from following them with their beady little eyes they stay put. Caught up in thought about these almost humans, she allows herself to be herded in the direction he gently guides her in. When she realizes what's happening she blinks several times in surprise before offering him the briefest flash of a grateful smile and a squeeze of his arm before turning back to process what he's told her. ]

Right. Vampires and half animal people. Sure. Okay. [ This afterlife, this dream or whatever it was quickly tallying up to be something weird. ] But what would that have to do with options? Options for what?

[philancer]

[ He gives a snort of laughter at that, quiet and abrupt, even as he shoots her a wicked look. ]

Sweetheart. Not all their differences are visible outside of their clothes.

[ You did read the welcome memos, right> You should be aware what this place is all about by now. And if not, he's really starting this talk on the wrong topic. ]

[theidlemaiden]

[ Immediately colour rises to her cheeks. In an attempt not to splutter like Lorenz might she starts with an "oh" before immediately taking a long drought from her drink.

Only after she had figured out how to use the device on her wrist had she been able to find the welcome memo, but it had only left her with more questions. And frankly attempting to wrap her mind around this being some bizarre game and how she felt about it is still yet to be seen. Sex is fine. Sex is great - but a game of it with an ominous "or else" hanging above it?

Where she had tightened her grip on him earlier she loosens it now in an attempt to pull away. ]

I don't need you patronizing me, Sylvain. How was I supposed to know? And it's not like this place is anything remotely like Fodlan – all of this overwhelming and weird and I didn't even know anyone here until five minutes ago.

[ And while she might be quick to snipe about how she can continue not knowing anyone out of spite and frayed nerves, the dull ache in her heart stops her. ]

[philancer]

[ Her retort is enough to have his laughter fading away as quickly as it had come and he draws her back in close against his side as he keeps his arm wrapped around her. ]

You're right. And I didn't mean to be patronizing. Come here.

[ He spots one of those large sunbeds with the covered shades wrapping up over it. Enough to give them a little relief from the sun overhead. Guiding her towards it, he sinks down on it before gently dragging her down on his lap, letting her perch sideways on his legs. ]

This place isn't anything like Fodlan, you're right there, too. And it would be remiss of me to let you fumble through it blindly. Is there something specific you'd like to ask about, or should I just start talking and you can stop me when it gets too outrageous or confusing?

[ Which... could be five words in, with how this place is set up. ]

[theidlemaiden]

[ The squirming against his hold is half-hearted at best. There's still something inside her that craves the touch - his touch specifically which is a confusing feeling to have considering their relationship. Or lack of rather.

Try as her stubbornness might to dig in her heels and protest because she's practically at her limit of ridiculous things including ridiculous men making fun of her, she finds herself following him towards the sunbed and on his lap, ram rod straight at his presumptuous familiarity with her. It wouldn't normally have been such a problem were it not for the fact that she was out of sorts and still had no idea how or why she had ended up here. In spite of that, something keeps her there. After a moment of somewhat strained silence, she answers him. ]

I know as much as the welcome packet told me. We can start there.

[philancer]

Which is about as helpful as a bucket in the middle of the ocean.

[ He rolls his eyes, letting one hand soothe up and down her spine. It's impossible to miss how tense she is, even perched on his lap as she is, and he feels compelled to try and backtrack and help her relax again. ]

I will say, at the very least, this place is relatively straightforward in its aims. We're all assigned a rank after our arrival - it's similar to the playing cards we had back home, except they call them different things here. There are four suits and they number two to ten, with three - or possibly four? - higher cards they call the face cards. Jack, Queen, King... and Ace, which fits in there somewhere but I'm not quite sure how?

I know the introduction instructed you that to win the game, you had to collect all 52 of those cards. But they give us plenty of opportunities to do so, as well as increase the rank you were initially assigned. I was originally a four of Diamonds and I'm now a seven. [ And could be higher at any time, but that's beside the point. ] The higher the rank are, the more you're respected and the better you're treated. Think of it like the commoners and nobility back home. I would say a four and below are the commoners, five through... eight, nine, maybe? are considered middle class. And ten and up are definitely the noble class.

[theidlemaiden]

[ The hand against her back serves to both soothe and make her skin pebble at the same time.

It's difficult not to just react to how absurd all of this is but she stops herself if only because she doesn't want to come across like she doesn't believe him. Sylvain didn't have to do this at all. He could have walked in the other direction and left her to her own devices and while she would have been annoyed, she would have understood. Being from the same place didn't meant that there any obligation to tell her any of this.

A more paranoid mind would wonder what he wants out of this. But the ache of home, of familiarity, wears away at reminding her that this is a kindness he's showing her and that's something she shouldn't take for granted. ]

And you had to have sex with people to rank up? Is that right?

[philancer]

In one form or another.

[ He gives a one-shouldered shrug, as if that's not a big deal. For him, it really hadn't been. But everyone knew he'd been a bit of a slut back home. ]

I think they count it as "claimed" at the point of orgasm, so however you get there they leave up to you. I know one guy who manages it while still staying a virgin, but that's probably a lot more challenging in some ways.

They host events, though - some are like big mixers or parties while others are locales, like this beach. But even the normal shops and eateries are geared towards facilitating it. And there can be something in the food or drinks without warning - hell, I think there are some places that even have it in the air. Something to "encourage the mood", basically. Not like most people here need that, but it certainly keeps this... interesting.

[theidlemaiden]

[ The nonchalance whether it's related to sex or not, had always been something that she had come to associate with him. It was not so dissimilar to her own penchant to brush things off and take things less seriously which is partly why, she suspects, they got along the way they did argument aside. ...After which they hadn't spoken very much or at all after that.

It's hard to process everything Sylvain is telling her without feeling the suffocating pressure in her chest that comes from feeling like her choice in the matter is being taken away. On top of everything else she's experienced, she now has to go through this? Even she's surprised at how even her voice is despite everything she feels inside. ]

What happens if we don't? Play the game that is.

[philancer]

[ He makes a face, his gaze serious. ]

When you get assigned a suit and a rank, it'll show up somewhere on your skin, looking like a tattoo. [ he taps his left pec, where the diamond tattoo on his skin is currently faded and dormant. ] The longer you go without sex here, the more vivid the tattoo gets, and it starts coming with side effects. They differ depending on your suit, or so I understand, but they'll continue increasing and driving up your need to find a partner, one way or another. I wouldn't advise that method, honestly. We might not have a lot of choices, but at least we're given some. This place doesn't look fondly on abstinence.

[theidlemaiden]

[ The moment she asks it, she can't help but feel like it's a silly question to ask in hindsight. From everything she's learned so far she should have known that it wouldn't be easy. Until recently life had always been kind to her. But even at its cruelest, she'd had friends she knew she could count on to look after her to some degree. A safety net. Something comforting.

She tells herself that it's fine. That this is just one other game she didn't want to play but has to if it means survival. The irony of that word is almost too much for her to grapple with. Even if she knows that she'll steel herself and rise to the occasion in her own way, even if she knows that this is truly just a game that she'll have to rely on herself for, it doesn't make her feel any less helpless in that moment. And that alone is enough to finally make her choke out a little sob which in turn opens the floodgate to tears that she'd been holding back since waking up here. ]

[philancer]

[ He wasn't sure what reaction he'd get from that, but it certainly wasn't this one.

At the sight of her bursting into tears, he tenses, eyes going a little wide in a sudden panic. Oh, shit. he was so bad with crying girls. How did he get here???

Hands flailing for a moment, he's quick to drag her into a consoling hug, fingers soothing up and down her spine as he scrambles to try and calm her. ]

Hey, hey, come on now, it's not all bad. You're gonna be okay. You don't have to do this alone, Hilda, alright? I'll help you figure it all out, I promise.

[theidlemaiden]

[ The combination of Sylvain's reassurances and being pulled into a hug only serve to make her cry harder. It's a rare occurance for Hilda to cry out of helplessness that doesn't have anything to do with trying to garner pity or comfort. This isn't a broken nail, a split end or a chore that she doesn't want to do.

It's because she truly doesn't know what to do about this, about what this means for her in Fódlan, and about failing someone she cares so deeply about.

Of course she can't say any of that to Sylvain. He wouldn't begin to understand, nor does she feel particularly inclined to try and explain it to him. And not only that the last thing she wants is to burden him with this new found fear of hers.

It takes her a minute before she finally lets out another choked sob. ]

I'm okay. It's just...a lot to take in. You don't have to help me figure anything out I'm sure you've settled into life here.