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

y'all ready for this

[belialedge]

[ Frankly, Ragna might have been a little bit worried if it wasn't some kind of strip game. ... HEAR THIS NARRATOR OUT. When things don't take a sexual turn, they usually take on a more creepy, haunted and supernatural twist. And if this beach was hiding some dark secret beneath the surface of the water or more sinister? One Grim Reaper in particular was not in the mood to handle that right about now. Even unwinding on the beach was an ask for someone like him, but if the months have done one thing? It's tempered his formerly brick wall of a personality that vehemently refused to do anything. Here's here, dressed for the part, and now in a sticky predicament alongside a familiar face.

The number of times that Ragna has played volleyball can be counted on zero hands. Luckily, however, he's heard of it. Seen it played at Talon a couple of times. You get three hits before it has to go to the other side of the net, right? Simple enough. In concept. Once he's done his best to dispel how freaked out he was at the unreasonably buff birds, Ragna shares a look and nod with Yu, cool as a cucumber in comparison. ]

[ "AAAND WE HAVE OURSELVES A SCRAMBLE ON THE BEACH, LADIES AND GENTLEBIRDS!!" ]

[ Suddenly, various NPCs and guests alike are now standing on the sidelines to watch, along with a couple more Seagull Lifeguards who screech and holler. Except for one. The one that's calling the game seemingly out of thin air from a commentary table! It's a seagull-headed announcer! And they speak fluently and coherently which defies all logic! ]



Where the hell did that table come from?? [ A beat. ] Whose playing this freakin music—?!

[ "Who is going to walk away with all the glory?? And who is going to wind up...STRIPPED...of all of it?? It's the Golden Peacock's finest of the flock, versus the SS-Class Duo of Yu Narukami and Ragna the Bloodedge!!" ]

God. Just...

[ "We've got this. Ready?" ]

Whatever. No falling behind to these feathered freaks. Got it?

[izanagis]

[In moments like this, it's almost kind of a shame that Yu isn't from a later canon point, because right now, he's absolutely not used to having an audience like this. They're cheering, they're whistling, they're practically foaming at the mouth, and they're all clearly hyped up to see whatever show these four are about to put on.

It's... Look, he'd be lying if he said it wasn't intimidating. But you can't let them see you're afraid, either. Isn't that how you're supposed to deal with bears?*

(*advice not recommended when dealing with bears)

As much as Yu is neither an expert camper nor a Bear Whisperer, he can recognize a setup when he sees it, and putting the spotlight on them like this? Definitely a setup.] Ignore them, [said as an aside to his partner.] They're trying to rattle us with all the attention. Not like it'll work, right? [... Whether he's feeling that confident or just bluffing, it's not unconvincing.

(Boy, does he hope he doesn't screw this up by not knowing what he's doing.)

Oh. He's got the ball. When the hell did he get the ball? ... Doesn't matter, looks like he's up.] Leave it to me. [And just like that--

BA-BA-BA-BOWWWW!!! goes the DJ airhorn as the music pumps louder, bass thrumming, and for some reason there's party strobe lights going off too, which isn't distracting at all in the slightest, now is it? Only marginally less distracting is the announcer, who --I guess this is appropriate-- announces:

"LLLLET'S GET READY TO RUMBLEEEEEEEEEEE--"

Which sounds fine and good, until one of the other lifeguards sidles over and goes, "Dude, really? What is this, the 1980s? Can we even SAY that? I thought it was, like, SUPER trademarked--"

--Which is all just an aside and not at all important to the main action, which is that Yu serves the ball. What, that's it? Really? Yeah that's it, what, do you think I know anything about volleyball? Boy hit ball, ball go whoosh. Their opponents may look like they'd get distracted by something as simple as an errant french fry (in fact, one of them has to tear their eyes away from someone rather distractingly eating a hot dog) but they both snap to attention as the ball flies in their direction. Looks like the game is on!]

[belialedge]

Like hell it'll work. Now then...

[ Ragna's locking tf in right now, regardless of just how zany the game was about to become. It's a game where a maximum of three strikes per side are allowed before it has to pass over to the other side. Simple enough in concept. One catches the oncoming onslaught, the other sets it up, and the final one is spiked down for a point. Or in this case, what they can hope is the articles of clothing on the seagull lifeguards. For the one that conventionally looks(?) like a man, he's dressed similarly to Ragna; the "tank" of the team, as it were, with a tropical and open-hanging shirt, shorts, sandals that somehow manage to stay on despite the chaotic scramble that's about to ensue.

The "female" gull lifeguard? Matching bikini top and bottom. She's the glass cannon of the pair. This means that Ragna and Yu have an advantage by default! ...Right? ]

Let's go!

[ When Yu serves, Ragna is already bracing himself in the back as the seagulls get distracted for a fleeting second by someone cramming a hot dog in their face. ]

Hah! Dumbasses! [ Aaand they're snapping to attention instantly. ] Aw crap.

[ One...two...three! The beefier of the two lifeguards spikes it between the two of them with considerate force. ]

Got it!!

[ Just don't knock it out of bounds. Send it UP, Ragna! He dives for it through the sand, successfully popping it up. ]

Yu!

[ Time to call for the assist! Ragna's already shoving himself to his feet, kicking sand up beneath him as he rushes towards the front of the net. ]

[izanagis]

I've got you covered!

[And indeed he manages to keep the ball from hitting the ground, hitting it over the net. It's not as much of a spike as any of them would like, but that's what happens when you roll a 12; perfectly fine, average, but not the point-earning gimme that a higher roll would be.

But hey! They're just warming up!

It's the bikini lifeguard who defends as the ball soars across the net, and she rolled a 7, unfortunately. It doesn't necessarily mean the ball hits the ground, but when she dives to hit it, it pops up wildly and the other lifeguard has to chase it down. Unfortunately, he rolled mind-blowingly well, and manages to get to it in time, sending it back over the net.

The crowd is going wild; the match is intense, full of ups and downs. Yu is currently wondering, quietly, about the merits of using a well-placed Garudyne to knock over bags of chips. Do they need to resort to that? Probably not. But he puts the chaotic in chaotic good, so the option is always there.

Anyway, the ball is coming for them.]

All you, Ragna!

[belialedge]

[ Kicking sand up with each step he takes, he takes his partner's cue as if they'd been doing this for a long time. ]

Right!

[ An easy catch for Ragna, the volleyball hitting the backs of his forearms as he aims it towards Yu so he can set him up. And oh...oh shit is about to get real out of the freaking blue right now. Because that first roll is an 18. A black and crimson aura envelopes Ragna's body as a chill washes over the shoreline, rendering the feathers and skin of the crowd ruffled and riddled with goosebumps. Was it even possible for seagulls to sweat?

Because that's exactly what is happening should Yu set Ragna up for the imminent spike (a spike that rolled fucking 20 help HELP WHAT IS HAPPENING) ]

HERE IT COMES, SHITHAWKS!!

[izanagis]

[Electricity crackles through the air. Everyone can feel it: the audience shudders, holding their breath; the announcer goes quiet, waiting with unblinking eyes for the next move; even the competitors feel the chill. Yu lets that chill wash over him like a wave, riding through it and coming out stronger in the end.

Stronger as in he rolled another motherfucking 20, and that's how we're setting this up.

So here's what happens:

The atmosphere is thick with tension. The pause between songs played over the loudspeakers seems to stretch on and on, and when the birds finally hit the ball over the net, that's when it all changes. Ragna, surrounded by a black and red aura. Yu, the power of his Personas blazing like wildfire, sunglasses glinting in the light. The music changes to something appropriately badass and a moment later, he serves up one hell of a shot for Ragna to bust across the net.

It's spectacular. The birds don't stand a fucking chance.

The ball practically blazes as it surges across the net, leaving thin trails of fire in its wake, shaking the ground as it hits with catastrophic fury. The crater left there in the sand will last for a long, long time, serving as a reminder of this legendary match.]

[belialedge]

DEAD SPIKE!!

[ If it weren't for the shroud of black and red, the head of a beast manifesting from the Grim Reaper's hand, one might have been able to visibly see the sonic boom that upheavals the very sand beneath their feet in wake of the strike. The audience is damn near blown back as two players that have never lost a game of "Whose the Protag?" come together for what's effectively an Astral Finish of a spike. The volley that had been set leading up to this hadn't been very long, but at the same time...neither Ragna or Yu were keen on losing their clothes. Any of them. In fact, as the pair of cocky gulls they were contesting on the other end of the net can only scream as the volleyball miraculously retains its shape upon being spiked so mercilessly...

Sure enough, all that's left in the wake of the cataclysmic smash was a crater of sand, and the twitching, spasming muscles in the lifeguards' legs as one of them lies half-buried. Sure enough, with a cool huff, he'd be stabbing his weapon into the ground at the end of a hard and heavy battle by now. What's left of the audience that wasn't startled and rattled by their combined strength and teamwork suddenly flips, disregarding their ranks as the cheers start roaring in. They've created quite the commotion on the beach! And...frankly, Ragna wasn't prepared for things to end so quickly. But he's also damn glad that they did, because...is that a pair of red swimming trunks that one of the lifeguards was wearing? Literally blown away in the wake of the spike?

Yup. It most certainly is. And all that's left is a duo of jacked, silvery-haired protags. ]

Not bad. You've got some serious moves.

[ Turning his back to Yu to strike a pose with a flourish of his hand, a crimson wing manifests in the arc of his motion and disappears just as quickly, his back to his partner as they look on to the crowd cheering. ]

[izanagis]

[Have you ever seen a volleyball match end in a one-hit KO? Well, now you have. Their avian foes have been utterly defeated, brutalized, humiliated, all thanks to the power of luck and an online d20. If this were a video game (this is irony), the win would come with an Overkill EXP bonus and maybe some cool exclusive item or something. As this is not a video game (more irony), mostly what they get is Legendary Cool Points, which really have no power or value, but add generously to their already-significant stats of Swag and/or Rizz.

Somehow this situation might make records as both the shortest volleyball match ever seen on these sandy shores, and also the most epic.

For his part, Yu was prepared to accept any consequences brought about by the outcome of the match, but there is no end to the relief he feels at having it end this way. I mean, the whole cheering crowd bit is a bit much for him, in a way, but at least they both kept their clothes, and now the tension of the match is done with.

... Besides. It was pretty cool.

If this were a fighting game (again, irony, you get the idea), he'd probably have some slick finishing line like "they didn't stand a chance." But even though it's apparently true, he does not actually say that. Instead:]

You too, [he says with a slight grin, putting a fist out for a bro to bump. (Don't leave him hanging.)] We make a good team.

[belialedge]

Yeah. Guess working with others can't hurt after all.

[ The cheering ruckus around them appear to also wait with bated breath, the taller Ragna flashing a grin of his own before raising his right fist in kind.

Bump.

The crowd goes wild. THEY'RE SO COOL!! THEY'RE LOW RANK BUT GOD THEY'RE SO COOL!! ]

[izanagis]

Are you more used to working alone?

[His tone is light, still riding that satisfying victory wave. And speaking of that victory wave: he'd love to chat, or maybe go their separate ways, but they're both about to encounter the flipside of such an epic win. The darker shadow, or maybe the gray cloud behind that silver lining.

Fans. I'm talking about fans.

Several of them divebomb the poor deflated volleyball that took the brunt of Ragna's hit. A couple of them charge forward empty-handed with cries to sign their chest or take a picture with them or "pound them like that volleyball" and-- look, Yu isn't necessarily used to dealing with fans, that was always more of Rise's thing and he's certainly not royal enough to have them here, but he gets the feeling things will only get worse from here. So, leaning closer:] Might want to make our escape now, while we still can.

[belialedge]

For better or worse, yeah.

[ Luckily, Ragna also keeps his own tone on the lighter side too. Working alone and being alone are two different things. And he's never really been one to kick himself for having to handle something by himself. That's just what big brothers are supposed to do. But before the two of them can get further in on this conversation, the Grim Reaper all too keen on sticking around with Yu now that he's got a familiar face and so he can delay retiring to a bungalow to get smacked by an idol, they are suddenly accosted by a myriad of fans that have suddenly become ravenous for them. So much for their low ranks.

He's not used to having fans period. Dude's literally the most wanted for an entirely different reason! Yu leans closer to him whilst Ragna just looks put off by the fans all jutting their chests (man and woman and all inbetween) to have them autographed or goaded for anything more salacious. How about some real fun in the sun, you two. Come on! They can take 'em! At the same time!! Hey, don't hog!! ]

...yyyeah I got this one.

[ Why is he getting the strangest case of Déjà vu right now. ...Oh right. He literally had to do this with Misturu when they first met. Sigh. This is a blatant abuse of his training, but surely Master won't mind. He ain't here. Ragna turns his attention to the onslaught of fans awaiting their affections, grimacing awkwardly. ]



Oh yeah, sure thing! Just, one at a time. Now whose rack do I gotta sign firs— WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!

[ It's so abrupt that the crowd can't help but be alarmed and jerk around to where Ragna is pointing. Look everyone! It's absolutely NOTHING! But it's just enough time for Ragna to clap his hand on Yu's shoulder before quickly breathing: ]



Ars: Camouflage, activate.

[ And with a single step backwards through a manifested magic circle, nothing will have changed for the two, but to the outside world? It's like they weren't there at all. Or rather, the two have quite literally become invisible. Their physical bodies were still there! And their footprints would still be there in the sand as they walk away shortly thereafter, but as long as Yu sticks close to Ragna for a bit, all life signs will be cut off from everyone else.

It's cool. He'll just shut it off once they've gained some distance and start walking down the sidewalk along the beach or something. ]

C'mon.