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

[expereiment]

[sorry, hilda. this is all real. though perhaps she would be one of the lucky wildcards to disappear by the end of all this. especially at her reaction to what this place has in store for her. god, who allowed him to be the one to tell newcomers about all the sex? he's like the least qualified due to his general lack of sympathy.]

When you're officially admitted to the resort, you get assigned a rank and suit. [he'd show her his tattoo... but he kinda can't without being indecent.] Like a deck of cards. You go around fucking people of different ranks and suits until you get a full deck of metaphorical cards - and then you get to go home.

[a shrug, as if it's no big deal. and to him, it's really not. but who knows for her... ah- he should warn her.]

And you need to have sex every so often, or the resort finds a way to punish you until you do. Either your suit mark will inject you with an aphrodisiac or you slowly turn to stone.

[theidlemaiden]

[ It's true. Rei's delivery leaves little to be desired but there's also a part of her that has to appreciate the straightforwardness of it. As much of a proponent of sugar coating things as she is, there's really no sugar coating that. ]

I'll turn to stone? Is that even possible when I'm already –

[ Dead. The word hits the back of her teeth and quickly forms into a lump in her stomach. She catches herself before she can speak the truth that has been plaguing her since she woke up. But if she's dead and playing the game means she can go home, then what does that mean for her?

Her mind reels as the fruit churns in her stomach. ]

What happens if you play the game but don't complete a deck?

[expereiment]

[well. at least she can get her pussy worshipped like the princess she is here? the silver lining in this bizarre situation she's found herself in. it must truly be wild to come from a war-torn world to one full of sex. in which the woman who started the war is here.

he raises an eyebrow when she stops herself from finishing her sentence. he doesn't bother to press her, though. he wouldn't want anyone prying into his business, after all, so he reciprocates by minding his own.]

You just stick around, I guess. That's been my intention, anyway. Stay here until I exhaust all my research, then focus on getting back home.

[though, he'd be extremely interested in knowing what does happen if a dead person collects a full deck...]

There are also games every now and then the resort uses to encourage us to have sex. I'm not fond of them, but sometimes you don't really have a choice but to participate.

[theidlemaiden]

[ Okay fine, pussy worship doesn't sound all that bad. Kind of hard to be excited about that though when she's still trying to process that she might turn into stone.

Not to mention that there’s a 10% chance she isn’t dead, okay? Let’s not perpetuate any rumours here. Gossip is her domain, not his! And second of all, so long as she doesn't think, talk or speak to Edelgard, then she may as well not be here. Because that's the mature way to go about avoiding things. And she's a mature adult with absolutely no silly bones in her body.

To be honest, her recovery isn't the smoothest she's ever done. So when no follow-up or press comes from someone who clearly enjoys recording information of some kind down, she's surprised. So surprised that she can't help but say – ] 

You sound like someone I knew at home. 

[ It's not the time to be reminiscing though. Her eyes turn heavenward. ] 

So the choices are turn to stone or have sex? Great. Great! It's not, but I guess it could be worse. [ As she turns to look back at him again she looks more weary than panicked. ] Were you this level-headed about it when you arrived here?

[expereiment]

[just give it some time hilda, soon you'll be thinking of nothing but the pussy worship! after processing the stone thing along with the sex resort thing. they're both pretty big things to be told all of a sudden... he can get how they'd be alarming for normal people.

and honestly? good for her. live your best life, queen. honestly she kind of deserves to be "immature" considering the whole... you know... war and dying thing.]

Oh yeah? That's a new one - but sounds like I'd get get along with them.

[he's not often told there are others with similar interests in academics and sciences like he is. he doesn't know many himself - sane ones, anyway. the ones in his world were either extremists who took it too far, crazy stalkers, or both. long story...]

Yeah - I had to have a lot of sex back where I'm from, so I'm used to it. [a shrug. he supposes, though, there's a different nuance to sex for women... he doesn't envy them for that.] If you find one person you like, though, you can probably just fuck them forever if you're not in a hurry to leave. It's not that bad aside from the random games they host every so often.

[theidlemaiden]

[ She's only 90% certain she's dead!!!! Out of sight and out of mind had always been one of her go to methods of dealing with things whether that be chores, Holst's overbearing nature, the mess she'd let build up in her room. There were few things that she'd encountered that couldn't be dealt with - war aside of course. Maybe it would work on her fate at home if she tried hard enough.

Far better to think about a run in between a certain green-haired sleepy scholar and the man before her. She had no ill-will towards Linhardt even after the war had begun. They had gotten along well for the most part despite his odd tendencies. But once you shared a napping spot together you were cemented as napping buddies for life. ]

You probably would.

[ There's an odd sense of affection in her voice. She thought she might have caught a glimpse of dark green hair on the battlefield, but it's hard to say if that was the truth or if it was just nostalgia speaking. Nostalgia can wait though. She can't help but splutter a laugh in her next breath, not at his blunt recounting of how much sex he'd had (and honestly? Good for him!), but at the statement about liking someone. ]

I don't think me liking someone is a very good idea. [ Not in a place where she'd apparently have to have sex with multiple people. Not when she could probably, maybe be dead. ] What sort of games are we talking about exactly?

[expereiment]

[if he knew she was referring to linhardt, he'd perk up in interest. because that would not only mean that she has one of these crests linhardt told him about... but that she was friends (?) with linhardt as well. he'd gotten along quite well with linhardt, held a sort of fondness for him as someone who understood his dedication to science, research, and experimentation, including self-experimentation.

but, well, he left. and there went rei's science bestie.

he huffs a small laugh.]

Just a suggestion, in case you're one of the shyer types. [she definitely doesn't seem the shy type, but someone's personality doesn't always translate to their preferences in bed.]

Well, one of the games was putting one of the suits in heat, and the other suits had to fuck them in order to gain points. [he personally hated that one, as it affected someone important to him.] Another, people had to find switches after playing other games - like truth or dare and dodge-the-sex-toys.

[theidlemaiden]

[ Maybe some day they can talk about it. Linhardt and her Crest that is. Although Rei will undoubtedly be disappointed in her lack of Crest knowledge which pales vastly in comparison to the green-haired scholar. Their preference for napping instead of doing most other things and distaste for fighting are where the similarities end.

So while he may have lost a science bestie, he may have gained an annoying pink one instead? Maybe?

As for being called shy, or rather, perceived as such, she can't quite tell how she feels about that. It's really only a part that she enjoys playing when there's a reason to. These games might not necessarily make her shy but the description of them is certainly enough to make her balk for a moment. ]

Dodge the sex toys? [ Her brow arches as she simultaneously has to stop herself from laughing at how absurd it sounds. ] Was someone throwing them at you?

[expereiment]

[it's fine, as long as she allows him to study her crest, he's content with that much. he doesn't understand the napping habit, but whatever. they can enjoy their naps as he enjoys his research.

annoying pink bestie is definitely a plus. let's go shopping (he'll carry her bags and pay for her things), get cocktails, ogle hot men, and bully the fuck out of sylvain.]

Yeah - and yeah. It was a whole thing. Some kind of internal power struggle that I don't really care about, so watch out for that. There are more devious things at play than just dodging sex toys. [god he kinda worries for her. will she survive. is she going to be okay in this world full of sex and mind games? she's so tiny and so sweet and seemingly to him shy about all the sex.

he gestures to some seemingly innocent chairs under a large umbrella.]

Like those chairs - if you sit in them, you're drawn to sleep if anyone is nearby, and the two of you end up in a sort of dream plane.

[theidlemaiden]

[ Napping habit? Rei, napping is a way of life. It takes some real skill to nap effectively and comfortably. If Lindhardt ever returns they can give him a TED talk on it. She may have a problem admitting that she's capable of things but napping isn't one of them.

But a lack of appreciation for the art of napping will not stop her from absolutely adoring her new goth bestie. Especially if he's going to do all the above with her. ] 

Power struggle? 

[ The amusement from before persists. The power struggles she's used to have resulted in a full scale war over ideologies and a nation. A power struggle in a resort? That notion seems hard for her to take seriously and it reads clear as day on her face. There's no need for decorum when Rei doesn't own this place. Although even if he did, she'd still probably be type to be ballsy enough to be outwardly sassy. Her gaze follows his towards the seemingly innocent looking beach chairs. ]
  
Okay...noted. But what's so bad about that? [ There's a pause. ] Oh. It's a sex thing, isn't it? 

[expereiment]

[napping gets in the way of researching... if he could not sleep, that would be ideal. but alas, the human body has its needs, and his body forces him to sleep when it needs to.

he is going to be an easy target for her big teary eyes despite his grumpy and dour disposition. he's just fond of women and genuinely nice people, okay.]

Uh huh. Some sort of usurpation attempting. I don't know - I'd ask someone else regarding that. But it does disrupt living here significantly.

[well, at the very least... full blown war is unlikely? maybe? probably? the resort took everyone's weapons, after all. can't exactly recruit soldiers to fight a war without them. even though magic is still allowed...]

Oh yeah - definitely a sex thing. Probably to allow you to dream up any nasty kink your heart desires without worrying about the logistics of it in reality.

[theidlemaiden]

[ What is it with the men she knows not enjoying sleep? Lindhardt was a real one for that.

An usurpation attempt is still an attempt. Regardless of whether or not this place is real or she continued to stay here after, it's something that she knows she'll have to keep in the back of her mind. If a fight came to them, she didn't want to fight. Not when she's still reeling from the fight she had just left.

The very comfy, very inviting beach chairs are given a long hard stare from her before she presses the heels of her hand into her eyes and lets out a somewhat despairing noise. ]

How does anyone do anything normal around here knowing that there's stuff like that?

[ It's more a rhetorical question than anything else but it betrays the bubbling frustration that - and helplessness - that's bound to surface eventually. ]

[expereiment]

[sleep gets in the way!!! yall can do all the sleeping. rei will be over here trying to chug caffeine to stay awake for an extra hour.

sorry, hilda. even the most innocent activity can turn steamy in this place.]

You just have to accept that this is your new 'normal.' At least for as long as you're here.

[he doesn't know about her maybe-dead status. honestly, he doesn't even know that dead or maybe-dead people can even come here. that could be an interesting future experiment though...

he also doesn't know how to make this place more... palatable for her. it's clear she's not exactly thrilled to be here, but he doesn't know anyone who can resist the curse of turning to stone. for the first time, he's at a loss for words and lacking knowledge.]

Did you at least lose your virginity before all this. [bluntly because sometimes he lacks or ignores social grace okay.]

[theidlemaiden]

[ Listen there's a time and place to chug caffeine and sleep procrastinate. The jury (read: Hilda Valentine Goneril alone) is very much in agreement however that research and other similar boring chores are not worth it.

The answer he gives her is clearly one that she hadn't wanted and she meets his gaze with a somewhat miserable look that typically comes when there's an answer she doesn't like. That look however is short lived, quickly morphing into something wide-eyed at the bluntness of his question.

She's hardly a prude but she hadn't been expecting that and from a stranger no less. ]

What - yes? I guess that would make this experience...worse somehow if I hadn't.

[expereiment]

[man... he feels awkward that he can't do literally anything to help her. it's just a feature of the resort, and he hasn't found out how to slow the process of turning to stone. perhaps he should focus his research on that, since he met another young woman who didn't seem as pleased at the whole sex aspect of this resort.

well. at least she already lost her virginity. he never cared for the sanctity of 'virginity' but he imagines it's more important to women at the very least. he doesn't know. he has barely talked to a woman since his dearest mother passed.

he sighs.]

Yes, at least you know what to do.

[scratches his head. then taps at his watch.]

Here. I'll give you my contact information. If I can find a way to bypass the sex requirement, I'll let you know. And if you ever need me to pull my rank for anything like now, call me.

[she has no way of knowing that he would never, ever offer this to anyone else aka all the men that he knows. that this is a special side of him that only women know.]

i think we can wrap here/on yours? 💕

[theidlemaiden]

[ The offer takes her aback and for a moment she doesn't quite know how to react much less react. The cheerful ding! sounds from her own watch as Rei's contact information comes through and is deposited directly as the one and only record in her contact book. 

All at once her situation hits her. As far as she was aware she was alone with no familiar face to help or comfort her. Whatever had happened to her is a mystery to solve for another day (or maybe a reality that she just has to learn how to accept). And while that feeling of loneliness had begun to creep its way back into her chest, it was comforted some, knowing that at least someone was here willing to look out for her.

Her eyes water some despite herself but after another beat she looks up, offering him a teary, but grateful smile. Without thinking she reaches out, lightly taking a hold of his hand and giving it a squeeze. ]

...Thank you, Rei. This means a lot. And if there's any way I can repay you some day I will.

sounds good to me!! <3 <3

[expereiment]

[oh god don't cry. oh god please don't cry. if there's one thing he can't handle it's kind, good people crying. even if it's happy tears. he simply just freezes and doesn't know what to do other than maybe awkwardly pat them on the back, shoulder, or head.

luckily, though, the tears don't spill over. but she does grasp his hand and despite himself he gives a squeeze in return. he doesn't know what the fuck he did to make her smile like that, but regardless he's glad he did because her smile definitely lifts his mood. kind people are truly a different breed, man. his smiles only inspire trepidation.

eventually she'll run into sylvain and feel that solidarity one feels only with people from the same world. but for now, he's happy to be the only contact in her contact list and keep her company all the same.

a shake of his head. he figures there's no arguing with her whether she "owes" him in any way, so he'll just accept it. no use fighting an uphill battle.]

Come on - I hear there's a particularly good place for drinks here. My treat.

[he tugs their clasped hands and nods his head toward some food stalls. he'll simply have to watch after her for the time being until those "lifeguards" all fuck off. but as he walks along with her, probably listening to her chattering away, he figures it might not be the worst way to spend his time after all.]