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

III - (Not) Tumbling Down

[molotovmoustache]

[Each moment spent in this 'resort' wills another mystery into the back of his mind. These swirling questions lead to fewer answers - especially with the general sense of deference found amongst many of the resort goers. Such a blanket of condonation is a vibrant Red Flag Number 1 in the supernatural hunter's handbook, for those keeping score. Nevermind the more obvious red flags such as curses, aggressive birdmen, and the lingering touches of specters..

These strange circumstances leaves Baptiste to lean on his more foundational lessons: Don't Be Obvious(as supernatural beings tend to hate whenever humans try to blatantly pull back the veil of trickery and influence) and Absorb Everything. The recall of even the smallest detail could save a man's life - and so Baptiste explores, participates, and intermingles in hopes of flying under the radar while he finds his footing.

And thus, the spirit of inquiry is what pushes him past the line of safety in this vast 'ocean.' A quick dip under the surface to avoid the prying eyes of power-tripping gullguards before he would crest the surface once more an continue his observations of just what might be worth hiding in this place that had so clearlty spirited him away. Or rather, that was the intention. Yet as Baptiste's head breaks the surface of the water, there is a rush of power around him that begins to pull him in the direction of the depths. Sea water forces its way into his sinuses as the man quickly turns to try and swim against the increasing rush of a riptide towards... The water continues its pull as if Baptiste wasn't attempting to tear his way out of it. Limbs attempt to swim in a way to cut the current, and yet with each intention to change direction - the rushing tide tosses him like a rag doll.

Overexertion begins to settle in the man's muscles as he chokes against another wave of water that overtakes his head. His own thrashing and fighting keeps him from registering the roaring sound of tumbling water or the drop until it is far too late. The sea water overtakes him, sending his body plunging over the edge. Darkness quickly begins to overtake from the corners of his eyes and Baptiste grits his teeth as he prepares for impact.

He won't die. He can't die. Not just y-

The downward trajectory of his body is suddenly stopped not by a violent collision in the dark - but instead something incredibly inhuman grasping him at the waist. Just as Baptiste's body begins to wrench, ready to fight against whatever monster came out of the dark to grasp him - he hears a gentle voice that dampens his fight response. Aching muscles comply with the request before he speaks.]

That. That makes two of us I think! [His words are tinged manic, his smile not yet one of relief. Instead his smile is interrupted by a violent sputtering as his body rejects the very notion of talking just quite yet.

It is clear by the look in his eyes that he's fighting for consciousness - having been so gently plucked a black-out. He squints to get a better idea of just what had saved him (and if he were truly saved) - yet his swimming vision makes it an impossible task for the moment.]

[wingbeats]

( whatever entity behind this place has already committed the most capital offense that getian could consider sustaining in his long life: it has taken the wind and sky away from him, and these imitations that the resort manages on the upper levels might be convincing to many—like those that throng the shorelines of the simulated beach—but they can’t be convincing to him. this last of the miemeng birds has spent the majority of his long life in seclusion, and those many years spent in seclusion were for the most part spent in personal reflection and the exploration of music and song. this is to such an extent that it is essentially the lens through which getian understands the world. there is a rhythm, beat, and melody to the world, be it the thrumming and pulse of the planet’s molten blood moving sluggishly beneath its crust, the slow melodic movements of the wind as it travels across the land, the breathing of the ocean, and the brisk accompaniment of every living creature under heaven. it took him less than ten minutes after awakening in this place to realize that the music here is all wrong, and it’s not just the cacophony that blares over the loudspeakers on the shoreline. the heartbeat of this resort is a strange, alien, rotten thing. he doesn’t know what he’s going to do here, cut off from the freedom of the sky and the music of the wind. he hasn’t managed to think that far yet, still moving through a culture shock just as strong as the one he had received when he had joined vertin and her many allies in the wilderness stored inside her suitcase.

he does know one thing, though. even if it slowly, he will continue the change that he began when he left his mountain to enter the human world—he will no longer be a silent observer to the misfortunes of others. it’s hard to break an old habit, and especially one reinforced by hundreds of years, but it’s made slightly easier when he recalls the headstrong bravery of his newly-made friends, strangers to his land, and a young half-lushu who had risked herself to deliver the wishes of a whole town. in comparison to their strives, it’s not so hard to pluck a stranger out of the air, shaping the dead wind beneath his broad wings to take them once more over the pelagic shelf and back toward dry land. getian breathes a sigh of relief that the human heeds his instructions. he does not struggle and fight, and so the miemeng does not drop him back into the abyss. )

Do your best to relax. ( even if he’s saved him from toppling into the unknown, he’s still concerned about his wellbeing. he once again feels the absence of his bone wand. he is not skilled with healing arcane skills, but at least with his wand he might feel he could do something. the next best option is, ) I will put you down shortly.

( it does take some time to get back to shore, but certainly not as much by air as it had taken by sea. getian overshoots the beach, wary of the crowds and noise; he lowers in altitude in the gardens a short distance away, where there are fewer prying eyes and agape mouths. his wings pound the air as he hovers for a moment, doing his best to deposit baptiste as gently and carefully on the ground as he can. there’s a further beating of wings before he settles down a short distance away on a low stone wall, wings folding as his talons grasp into the masonry. getian wears the same thin robe all of the newcomers had woken up in, though he has also apparently stolen a very brightly-colored beach towel to wear over his head, spilling down onto his shoulders.

he stands up a little from his perch to lean over, mismatched eyes inspecting the stranger, assessing his health. worry and uncertainty creases his brow. ) Should I find a healer? ( you know, assuming he’s conscious enough to make a reply… )

[molotovmoustache]

[Do your best to relax.

Hilarious. Especially when said by something with talons big enough to pluck Baptiste out of the abyss, which could only serve to assume that there was a beak of proportional size that could make an easy meal of him.

Yet the swimming darkness in his head wins out over any sort of doubt in his heart, forcing the uppity man to comply. His head lulls as the ring around his vision slowly dissipates. Sea shifts to sand below before it gives way to landscape he was utterly unfamiliar with.

He chokes. Coughs. Shakes his head as his lungs force water back up. With it, he holds up a hand at the creature that had saved him.]

No, no.... No need for a doctor. I'll just need a sec- [A sputter ends that sentence prematurely. Baptiste wipes at his face, fingers lingering at the burn scars that kiss the tip of his nose and chin before his chest seizes once more. Every step of the way, it's clear that he fights his own body - an attempt to force it into compliance instead of patiently waiting for its recovery.

As his shoulders shake, Baptiste's eyes dart to catch a better glimpse of his savior - just in case he would have to jump into the throes of an escape plan any second.

His sharp eyes catch Getian's and there is a visible pause in Baptiste's demeanor.

This creature was the polar opposite of the gull-guards that had given him trouble before. Wings and talons - yet there was no beak ready to make him prey. Instead, the man embodied soft, inviting humanoid features. Like a harpy or siren of old lore, and yet Baptiste had yet to meet one that wasn't the product of some twisted force.

His mind reminds him that this could still be the product of some twisted force, yet Baptiste smiles despite himself. His intense blues meet those mismatched eyes with awe.]

You're... actually not a part of this place either, are you my friend?

[Baptiste no longer wears his robe, having set it aside before beginning his investigation of the waters. Never the less, he slowly gestures at his own bare shoulder - referring to Getian's own attire.]

[wingbeats]

( despite the raptor-like qualities of getian’s lower limbs and curving, predatory talons, the miemeng bird (perhaps ironically) prefers meals of fruits and grains. it’s the sort of fact that would be hard to believe when being carried off in the claws of a large, potentially dangerous unidentified creature, but… it is the truth.

to getian’s eyes, the man is still for what feels like an eternally long moment after he’s placed him on the ground. worry makes its transformation into tension, causing his expression to fold and his plumage to ruffle. he’s very nearly about to lift back off to conquer his wariness of crowds in search of someone who might have a better hand at human first aid when movement shakes him. coughing, spluttering—it seems he inhaled or swallowed some water. wings half-outstretched, getian freezes, watching, only beginning to ease back down onto his perch once a hand is held up in his direction.

the concern on getian’s face is painted plainly enough that he doesn’t seem quite convinced by baptiste’s words, but he remains where he is. he is immediately tempted in this moment to peer closer at the man, to try to detect the unique shapes the events of his life left behind on his bones. this is one of the inherent arcane skills of the miemeng, and something he has grown accustomed to doing out of curiosity alone. but—he catches himself and ceases his prying. he has started to piece together that such things are considered “rude” in human society.

the question seems to puzzle the miemeng bird at first; in his mind, he is as different from the gull-headed lifeguard as oil was to water, so he doesn’t immediately make the connection. but once the gesture is made toward the gossamer robe he still wears, he understands. ) No. I have no relation to those… ( his mismatched eyes, one pale and one dark, track slowly toward the beach, ) creatures.

( the word is low and dull, implying derision. it’s not that he finds them particularly strange—there are some arcanists, arcane creatures, and those of mixed blood whose appearances intermingle between human and beast, much like getian himself. he also doesn’t look down on them based on any feeling of superiority. no, he’s mostly just still upset that they had chased him around earlier, adding to the many reasons he had removed himself from the beach.

his eyes return to baptiste. ) I have been brought to this place. The same as you, I presume.

[molotovmoustache]

[The particular shade of concern that rests on Getian's features is one Baptiste is well familiarized with. Doc would often wear a similar look whenever he finished treating Baptiste following their latest excursions. Granted, Baptiste meant what he said when reporting on whatever condition he felt he was in - but that didn't mean he was a reliable reporter. His own overconfidence and tendency to chase danger meant that it took a truly dire circumstance for him to even begin to admit that he couldn't continue.

The brief peek that Getian could have read from Baptiste's bones would share in some of that insight: a human body that had been patched together time and time again.

Yet any prying the miemeng bird manages flies under Baptiste's recognition - as the man is far too curious in piecing together what Getian is in the first place to notice.

And it is quite the relief to find that this bird bore not relation to the gull-headed men that were running amuck on the beach. A smile plays at Baptiste's lips. One leg rests on the ground while the other comes up so that he could wrap his arms around the leg and hold it. His head tilts before he slowly begins to nod.]

Right... right. Sorry about the confusion. Where I'm from we don't really get bird men as a norm. And if we do get some kind of bird hybrid it's rarely a good thing. [A pause.] But seeing as you'd pluck a guy - that you don't know, mind you - out a dangerous situation without a second thought... I can see that it was definitely a good thing today. So, thank you. It would've been a shame to die before even making it 24 hours-

[Does he know he would have survived such a fall? Absolutely not.]

I've met a few people in the same boat: Waking up in a beautiful beachside home, bullied by bird-faced guards, all of our personal effects mysteriously unaccounted for... and we're just supposed to uh. roll with it, I've heard. [Another pause of consideration before he leans forward, the tip of his tongue moving to wet his bottom lip.] So is that how you're choosing to roll with it? By saving menaces like me from a tumble? And... by avoiding the beach?