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peacockstop2024-08-15 09:00 pm
goldmods) wrote in peacockstop2024-08-15 09:00 pm
TDM 05
【 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 in our KING SUITES for all new arrivals. We will endeavor to have all guests moved into their reserved rooms as soon as possible. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience.
As a token of our gratitude for your understanding, front reception has arranged for a GRAND FEAST to welcome our newest guests. The attendance of all guests is required. The house will enforce compliance.
Please note that rank-appropriate attire is mandatory. Guests found breaking social code may be disciplined. We hope you enjoy your stay! 】
ARRIVAL
DIVINE AWAKENING
All King suites have been set to the Heavenly setting for the comfort of these new Wildcards. To call this place a room feels like a misnomer; all of the senses scream that this is a real temple at the top of a crisp oceanside mountain. The only clue that this place isn't what it seems is the door in the distance. It stands dark against light, a stark rectangle distinctly out of place.
New arrivals aren't waking up alone. Reception would never expect their guests to wake up in a cold bed. All new guests will be waking up next to another Wildcard or a current guest snatched up from the hallways. Guests waking up in these heavenly King suites will wake dressed in sheer white tunics and togas that leave very little to the imagination.
GILDED CAGE
AN ENDLESS FEAST
Rugs and cushions have been laid out for low rank guests. All high rank guests have thrones and benches covered in crushed velvet and delicate linens. Wildcards have a seat of honor amongst it all, each fresh new divine lead to the grand dais for their own semi-private tent with daybed and eager servants.
Low ranks are carefully watched by security and wait staff. Some low rank guests may even be dragged in by resort staff to assist serving high rank guests and Wildcards. All high rank guests and Wildcards are revered and catered to during the feast. Low rank guests are expected to feed them, rub their feet, and comply with any whimsical demands. Any low rank guest that defies a higher ranked guest is at risk of being shackled, forced to scrub chamber pots, and other humiliating punishments.
PHOENIX CASINO
ALEA IACTA EST
The game tables are abuzz. Special games have kicked off in honor of the new godlings that are waiting to check in. Even here, those of different ranks are distinct from one another. The lowest ranks wear small slips of clothing. Some are even collared to show they belong to a particular royal or Wildcard. Royals and Wildcards dress luxuriously in thick robes and golden jewelry.
Game managers clap and encourage guests of all ranks to join in on the fun. While there are numerous card games, slot machines, and raffles happening around the casino, staff are promoting three events in particular.
BEAK
ENTERTAIN YOUR BETTERS
Beneath the open arena is a smaller closed arena and the warrior’s bunk. Warriors will find cold showers, rustic wooden benches, and training weapons available for their use. Deep in the earth is a grimy prison where servants who refuse to battle are thrown to wait for their turn. There are also cages where the hungry “animals” wait to go out and entertain the masses.
A long track rings around the perimeter of the arena. Gone is the standard green fuzz and white lines, replaced with stone and dust to elicit the real feeling of running beneath the hot Grecian sun. Foot and chariot races take place throughout the day.
TALON
SHOW OF STRENGTH
Servants that appear too fragile to handle mud wrestling have been conscripted into the oil bearer role. Their job is to slather the warriors in oil from head to toe, and otherwise prepare them for their matches in either the arena or in the pit. This includes styling their hair, tending to their wounds, and wiping the sweat off of their bodies if so desired.
The locker rooms that connect Beak and Talon have been fully stocked with first aid kits and luxury bathing supplies. Warriors that have won their matches get first pick, leaving the dirty towels and shampoo that smells like ass for the losers to sift through. Those sneaky ghost hands are having a field day, snapping rat tails at unsuspecting bathers and locking naked warriors together in the supply closet. Guests lacking vigilance may find their bottoms unexpectedly pinched.
INDULGENCE
DESIRES FROM THE VOID
Things begin to move around the resort. The forgotten and the old exhale a dusty breath. Like the hunger that the Wildcards woke up with upon arrival, as its heart begins to beat quicker, there is a tension in the air of those things hungering to feed. To join in, and indulge. To get what they want.
And they’re coming out.
OOC NOTES
▶ BLANKET CW: Alcohol; aphrodisiacs; battle; blood; bondage; compulsion; costumes; discipline; dominance; drowning; dubcon; fears; fighting; food; hierarchy; humiliation; indulgence; kidnapping; noncon; paranormal; power imbalance; roleplay; servitude; stalking; submission; supernatural; terror; violence; weapons
▶ All characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. Suits will not manifest until characters are accepted into the game.
▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's August event. Changes to the above locations will ICly be present from August 15th - September 1st.
▶ 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 would be interested in a game invitation, you can note that in your comment header.
▶ If you aren't satisfied with these prompts, please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort!
▶ 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!
▶ Wildcard tokens from the GILDED CAGE prompt may be redeemed even if the newbie(s) in question do not join the game, but only for the small item reward; the token does not carry over to Game 52.
▶ 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 to relax and enjoy the end of your summer! ♥
▶ All characters on the TDM are WILDCARDS, which means they have not yet been assigned a card value. Suits will not manifest until characters are accepted into the game.
▶ All TDMs are game canon. This TDM acts as the game's August event. Changes to the above locations will ICly be present from August 15th - September 1st.
▶ 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 would be interested in a game invitation, you can note that in your comment header.
▶ If you aren't satisfied with these prompts, please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort!
▶ 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!
▶ Wildcard tokens from the GILDED CAGE prompt may be redeemed even if the newbie(s) in question do not join the game, but only for the small item reward; the token does not carry over to Game 52.
▶ 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 to relax and enjoy the end of your summer! ♥
no subject
It does seem rare. Which makes me wonder what it is that made him special. But if even one person can come back, then that means there's hope for the others. And I have to assume he's not the only one in this place.
[He needs to meet Midnight at some point, too. But he doesn't know about him yet!
Hiyori doesn't address the bit about Weiss, who it doesn't sound like they're going to for help anyway. But in response to the wheelbarrow thing:]
Nope, no clue!
[As though that inspires confidence.]
But there are stores selling just about everything around here. And if not a wheelbarrow, a cart should work. You see staff pushing those around at some of the shops and restaurants. All I need to do is ask if I can borrow one ♪
[Will they really let him at his rank...? He's not bottom of the barrel, so maybe. And when in doubt, he can always just grab one without asking!
He's not upset with Bakugo for missing the showcase. He does tell him,]
If you haven't been using the Network much, it's honestly a good source of info. I much prefer talking to people in-person, though. My wrist has been absolutely killing me from typing messages lately. These tiny little screens are so inconvenient.
[They'd be hurting less if he could only be brief. Even over text messages, he's a real chatterbox!
But Bakugo's next words get him to drop the frivolous complaints. His expression sobers up and he looks contemplative.]
They looked different, too, huh?
[Well, that's a new one. Rinne and Leo looked the same as usual to him, but if the people from Bakugo's world look visibly younger—or they're missing something their future selves have, like battle scars—then it really can't just be a case of missing memories, can it? And if it's not missing memories, then what is going on? He thinks about what Bakugo said a moment ago, about their current selves not mattering to the selves in their home worlds, and he frowns.]
I guess that makes as much sense as anything. I can't say I like it, though. I don't like the thought of my world moving on without me and Jun-kun, of course. But now it feels like we're in some sci-fi novel. And if there are different timelines, then what does it mean to go back?
[It's a question he knows Bakugo can't answer. But it's yet another thing that's bound to weigh on him, muddying their situation and contributing to his stress.]
no subject
This place is fucked up.
[Grumpy, tired, annoyed, and trying to juggle multiple notions in his mind. Guilt, relief, disgust, hope, curious, exasperated, to name a few. Should they just focus on the damn wheelbarrow so he can put his brain to a physical, immediate, and defined task? ]
Dammit, Parrot! [Don't be so fucking useless! And admit it so confidently! Bakugo's about to mention buying a damn wheelbarrow is also stupid, but then Hiyori mentions a cart and he quiets. Yeah, he's seen plenty of those.] All right. I'm marking this location on the map.
[So they can get back to it. If they don't let Hiroyi borrow the cart, Bakugo's just... not going to look if the guy swipes one. So long as they bring it back. Or at least return it to some establishment. He's not a damn thief.]
You know you can project the screen, right? [Bakugo finishes putting the statue in a neater pile, lumping like pieces together such as the arm and and chest. The head and legs were pretty much intact, considering Bakugo blasted its chest.] Tch, I don't wanna wade through all that crap just to find some decent information.
[But now he might have to. Damn.]
Aa. I have scars they don't know about. [For example. He won't talk about them because that's not his business to reveal information about those guys. But seems Hiyori can put the pieces together Bakugo's presenting. In one way, it makes him feel better that their being here doesn't have an affect on their own worlds. In the other, it fucking sucks. What are they, shades of their real selves? Or does this place have the power top pause entire fucking timelines, then wipe out all memory of it once everything goes back to normal... Unfortunately it also makes the explanation the Peacock is some eldritch monstrosity with magical abilities the most "logical" explanation.]
It means once we're done here, we go back home, right where we left off, with no memory, as if it never fucking happened.
[Contrary, he does have an answer. The only one that makes sense.]
no subject
You're still calling me that silly name? If I have to have a nickname, I feel like it ought to be something cute!
[Which "Parrot" isn't. But his tone conveys lighthearted complaining rather than serious offense.
Bakugo decides to mark the location on his map, and he says,]
Great! Then it's settled!
[And now they walk. Away from the statue-lined hall and towards the Nest, or whichever shop or eatery comes up first and seems like it'll have carts. Despite their dreary situation, he seems to be in relatively high spirits. Perhaps it has something to do with Bakugo's aborted freakout—he doesn't want to give the kid more anxiety, so he'll try to keep the mood light. In response to the thing about the Network:]
Well, if you ever want someone to give you the highlights, you can always ask me. Not that I spend all day checking that thing. I'd much rather live my life without staring at a watch or a holographic screen all day.
[And then, in response to the news about Bakugo's scars, he goes quiet momentarily. It's a bit sad to him that someone Bakugo's age should have battle scars, but he supposes that's part and parcel of being a hero. He does frown a little, however, since he's not really sure how Bakugo having scars the others don't remember would prove anything. Couldn't that just mean their memories are missing? He hates to think of it, of course, but the House and the suits seem perfectly capable of messing with people's minds, and he knows he doesn't remember his own kidnapping. What's to say they couldn't wipe memories?
But he's assuming wrong. Bakugo's next words make it all too clear he does believe the House can wipe their memories. Except he suggests something else—something Hiyori hasn't really thought about.
He stops in his tracks.]
With no memory?
[He echoes the words, looking upset and almost horrified.]
no subject
Did you say something? [Hell yeah, that's the immature route we're going right now, bitches. He's not calling Hiyori anything but "Parrot" because that's exactly what he reminds Bakugo of. Even has the greenish hair to go with it.
Leaving the statue behind is bothersome. A bad feeling creeps at his chest the further they step away from it. He can't tell if it's guilt over abandoning "someone" he killed, or a wary caution about what they might return to. The urge to glance behind him, repeatedly, is stuffed down with a grumpy scowl. Dammit, he's not going to let this place weigh on him like that! Whoever that statue was carved to look like will be fine once these stupid resort brings them back! It's a shitty magic creature!]
Hmph. Fine. If you find something interesting, shoot me a message and I'll look. [Of course he's not going to be at a beck and call, but a heads up won't hurt either of them. If Bakugo misses something Hiyori points out, it's not going to come around to Hiyori's butt. Though he agrees 100% about not wasting time on the network...
Bakugo's had a very sordid history with scars, his opinion on them changing 180 due to his experience in his first year at U.A. But that's a story for another time. Hiyori's not wrong about heroes risking and gaining scars in their work. The guy's frowning contemplation and further question prompts a hard exhale from the blonde and Bakugo runs his hand through his hair in frustration. Less at the other boy and more at their situation. Guess he'll have to explain this.]
One of the people from my world was taken a few hours before me, on our timeline. If he had really been gone for a fucking month and a half in this place, we would've heard about it on the news. But that never happened. He didn't suddenly start asking if he was back, or what just happened, either. As far as my world goes, his time here never occurred.
[Endeavor was never interrupted in his battle. Hawks didn't say anything to anyone about vanishing into the resort for several weeks. He's pretty sure the same goes for the villains. Their existence in this world doesn't mean shit in their real worlds.]
no subject
[If Bakugo is going to be immature, then Hiyori will be immature right back. Even though, as the older party here, you'd think he'd be inclined to take the high road.
Hiyori isn't too worried about the broken statue they abandoned. He doubts it'll have pieced itself back together by the time they return. And if it has, well, next time they ought to run. There's no sense in trying to fight an enemy who can resurrect itself as many times as it wants. Hiyori doesn't know much about being a superhero, but surely knowing which battles to pick is part of the job.
But never mind the statue. Or their quest to find a cart, or Bakugo's battle scars, or any of it. Bakugo stops to talk about the memory issue and the time discrepancies some more, and Hiyori stands there with his face all twisted up, mimicking the way his guts tie themselves into knots.
Of course nothing Bakugo's saying is news. Rinne and Leo had supposedly been in the resort for two months before him and Jun arrived, and there was no disappearance he could recall, nor any resulting manhunt. It's possible time is frozen outside. Possible the House leaves no trace of their kidnapping. And if they ever do send people back home, and they don't want to leave behind any trace, well... wouldn't it make sense to erase those people's memories?
But he hadn't thought about it like that. At this point, he doesn't like to. It's sad to think he'd be forgetting all the people he's met here when he goes home, all the experiences he's had and topics he's learned about. But the thought of forgetting everything he's shared with Jun here? That's not just "sad." That's almost unbearable.
And so he frowns, trying to conjure some other explanation, even though he knows what Bakugo's saying makes all too much sense.]
We don't know what happens when someone goes home. You said that person was taken from around the same time as you, but there's no reason to think he got kidnapped, went back to your world, lost all his memories, and then got kidnapped again, right? No one who's gone home can talk to us about it, so we don't know for sure whether you lose your memories of this place or not.
[But as he speaks, his words sound hollow to his own ears. If the House wants to keep its secret illegal operation going forever, why wouldn't they erase people's memories before sending them home?
If they even send people back home at all, mind you.]
no subject
[Someone's going to be petty right back at him, apparently! Then he's gonna get grrred at for it! Ugh, this guy has a rapier wit on top of his annoying cheerfulness. No wonder he's an idol back home. The news probably love him for it. He's like a more chipper Kaminari without the cowardice.
Honestly, if the statue has pieced itself together when the return, Bakugo will be even more pleased. That would erase his guilt completely. Though he'd probably contest it with that binding or locking decision rather than blowing it up again. An enemy who can regenerate is one he doesn't need to feel guilty about breaking. Something he saw Endeavor do when he had to contend with Hood and the Nomu's super regeneration Quirk. Someday he'll tell Hiyori about that.
When the idol stops to start, Bakugo walks right past him, one hand coming up and plastering to the side of his head in a claw that drags him along beside the blonde. He's not gonna stand here and do fuck all while Hiyori has his own mental/emotional blue screen. They've got a damn cart to find and a statue to scoop off the ground.
Memories erased, souls returned, bodies blinked out, copies deleted, whatever the resort has to do in order to make sure the person here has no bearing on the real world they come from. It's likely this creature can only do this kind of hunting if no one in the dimensions it pulls from knows about it. Like siphoning energy off a created "ghost" of each guest's real body.
That makes a lot more sense in Bakugo's mind, even if's fucked up completely. Hiyori can't argue it either, right? If they did keep all their memories, experiences-- hell, even their ages --what sort of world does the idol think he'd return to if people came back with extra knowledge, memories, strength, abilities? The villains from Bakugo's world could return with detailed knowledge about what will happen in the future! ... And while that might be a good thing in some aspects, it'd be disastrous in another. No, the only way for this to make any kind of logical sense is for all of this, everything here, to vanish like a bubble on the needle's eye.]
The others from my world would've mentioned someone showing up here twice. [They haven't. And Endeavor nor Hawks had any memory of this place that he knew of.] Maybe when you return here, you regain your memories of this place. But if you remember going back home, living even longer, then coming back, you'd know if you said anything about it or not.
[And he's pretty damn sure no one who's gone back home, for a time or permanently, is remembering this place, much less talking about it. Like unplugging a computer; it has no memory of the time the power's out.]
no subject
[His frown deepens along with his headache. As always, he doesn't get this. He doesn't get any of this.]
You mean someone from your world came here, disappeared, and then reappeared?
[But they presumably didn't turn into a statue when they disappeared, since Bakugo was shocked by the whole statue thing. Unless they did and he just didn't know it?
But the rest of what Bakugo's saying—what he's proposing as an answer—makes sense. And that's rather horrible, since it would mean two things are possible.
1. The House can send people home and kidnap them again afterwards.
2. Nobody leaves with their memories intact.
The former is obviously terrifying. But the latter...
He thinks about waking up beside Jun in their shared bed. About celebrating their birthdays and receiving Jun's handmade gift. About holding each other at night and getting breakfast or late lunch the next day. About performing together at Weiss's soirée, and about pledging their loyalty and professing their love. And then he imagines forgetting all of it. Living out the rest of his life oblivious, like it never even happened, unaware that there's a piece of his heart missing.
His eyes completely cloud over.]
..........
[For once, the parrot is silent!]
no subject
[Bakugo didn't know about the statue thing because he's barely a month old here and has no fucking idea how this place works! Hence the semi-mind-break when he thought breaking a statue meant killing a world-napped guest. Luckily that's managed to slither the majority of the guilt out in a convoluted manner.
But yeah, the two notions Hiyori's bringing up in his mind are what Bakugo's suggesting. No one remembers their time here back home, because no one technically left their home, and the house can yank whoever it wants whenever it wants, screw time and place. On the one hand, of course that's horrible, if you make a bunch of good memories here. On the other hand, do you want to remember being kidnapped and forced into a sex game with semi-torturous results half the time? Bakugo spent his first week waking up each morning hoping it'd all been a fucked-up dream. No such luck...
He's not been here long enough to consider the memories he's made currently worth keeping in the grande scheme of things. Give him some more months and he'll change his mind.
From the silence and expression on Hiyori's face, the same can't be said for the idol.
...
A small huff.]
Unless we find a way to beat this damn bird down and make it change its shitty mind.
no subject
Still. To lose all his memories...
He's quiet for another moment, his head swirling with dark thoughts. Those aren't going to go away anytime soon. But the conspicuous silence on Bakugo's end, followed by him talking about beating up the House or whoever, snaps him out of it. Bakugo shouldn't have to be the reasonable one here. He picks his head up, schooling his expression into something more neutral.]
First we have to actually get home. That other stuff won't matter until we find a way to accomplish that.
[He's telling himself this as much as Bakugo.]
But even that can come later, since right now we need a cart! So, let's take care of that first of all.
[And then he starts to walk again.
He seems to have regained his usual energy. Still, he's sorry he showed the other boy an unpleasant face.
It's not like anything is confirmed. They do still need to find a way home. And he can even see where it might be beneficial to lose his memories of this place—that way, his friends and family and fans won't notice anything amiss when he gets back. He'll be the same "Hiyori Tomoe" he was before, completely unchanged, like one of those statues frozen in time and then brought to life again.
But he thinks about his partner, up in his room, and he can't help the tugging on his heartstrings or the tightness in his throat. It's almost suffocating. Are they just toys to be played around with...?]
... you know. Someone told me they brought us here to "change our fate."
[He speaks up again after a moment. Although he's the one who suggested moving on, he ends up bringing the subject back up again anyway.]
By meeting people from other worlds, whom we never would've met otherwise, our fate supposedly changes. I don't know what that means exactly, but it does make me wonder what point there is when we're bound to forget in the end.
no subject
If there's any consolation, it means their lives back home aren't moving on without them...
Hiyori's not fooling anyone with that drawn-up general expression. His words and rationalization hit the guy hard. Tch, that's what happens when you get attached to something or someone, then risk being torn away from it. He can't blame the idol for it. But he should have thought about what this place meant first... Who the hell is he kidding? People form bonds no matter where they are or what's happening. Not even Bakugo's immune to that.]
Find the nearest store. We should be able to locate a cart in that.
[He'll leave Hiyori to deal with his feelings in private. There's a small piece of hope if they can gain control of the resort, but pushing such a thing right now is foolish. They have something physical and current to focus on instead.
If the idol thinks Bakugo sees less of him for showing his emotion, he's wrong. Despite the blonde's abrasive attitude and irritation towards people's emotional outbursts, he's not cruel. People have emotions. So does he. Hiyori's done enough for now. The entire hour's been an emotional roller coaster. It's not like the idol didn't see Bakugo's shell-shocked horror back there...]
Hm? [He glances to Hiyori, red eyes narrowed but not in the sharp expression he usually wears; it's blunted. Not a topic so easily left behind. Bakugo's quiet or a while before he focuses forward again. His rough voice carries a gentle resolve in it. Something for both of them to think about.]
Just because you forget something in your mind doesn't meant the people who touched your heart can be erased.
[Even if their presence becomes little more than a sliver within, unrecognizable but there when you need them most, can it really be said you've forgotten them? A ghost of encouragement during a rough time, a nostalgic feeling of happiness... Memories can be messed with and erased, but bonds aren't so easily severed.]
no subject
Bakugo definitely has a heart. He's just clumsy about showing it. Hiyori knows his type. Or so he thought, but...
Those last words catch him by surprise. He throws Bakugo a look, blinking slowly.
Before, at last, a smile spreads on his lips.]
Those are some nice words.
[Deep, heartfelt, and sincerely meant. So of course Hiyori can't help but lightly tease lightly.]
I didn't expect you to start talking about hearts. Baku-kun has more than just heroics on the brain, hm~? ♪
[It's cute.
He's not sure how he feels about the sentiment, though. It's not that he disagrees. He just deeply dislikes the idea of his memories being erased. Still looking at the other boy, he asks,]
You're not talking from experience, are you?
[There isn't some villain back at Bakugo's home who attacks people's memories... is there?]
no subject
But Hiyori's not wrong about him in the other assumptions. He's got a good heart under all that crappy attitude and he has every intention of making sure everyone in this resort is able to go home safely. One way or another. Whether it's a skillful victory wish or taking down the being holding them here.
Now stop looking at him with your big purple goo-goo doll eyes, ya gay little parrot.]
Urusei.
[Don't make a big deal about it. There are people here Bakugo would rather not forget either. Not for the same reasons as Hiyori. Also being able to keep some memories, even if nothing more than slivers in your heart, would be a fun middle finger to this shitty peacock on the way out.]
I said shut it! You wanna die?! I'll rip yours out!
[And back to being the explosive grumpy bear Hiryori's more acquainted with. He bristles at the suggestion he's gone through something like this before. Mostly because of how incredulous the suggestion is.]
Hell no! [...] But someone else had something like it happen to them. [The way his tone quiets suggests the story is not a pleasant one.]
no subject
But he definitely does not appreciate Bakugo threatening to rip his heart out, even if it is just an empty threat (which it had better be). He turns up his nose in the air.]
Nope! If you want to win my heart, that is not the way to go about it! So I'll just have to keep my life, my memories, and my heart all for myself, thanks! ♪
[Even if it sounds increasingly like keeping the second thing might not be possible.
... he's not going to come to terms with that right now. It's too early, and he and Jun are going nowhere close to getting out, anyway. Still, that feeling of dread lingers, until suddenly he remembers a conversation he and Jun had. "I'm sure we would've ended up the same, even if it weren't for this resort. Things might've gone a bit differently, but I won't give this place all the credit."
His hand slowly curls into a fist at his side. He still hates the thought of surrendering his memories, but for now, he grasps onto that idea like a lifeline. The idea that he and Jun would've ended up the same way they are now—it just would've taken some more time. (And involved less animal transformation.) (... probably.)
But back to Bakugo's life. He denies that he's ever had his memories stolen, which is good news. He does, however, say he knows someone who had something like that happen to them. How exactly did that turn out? He's very tempted to ask.
Something about Bakugo's tone tells him that would be straying into dangerous territory, though. So in the end, he doesn't.]
Is that so...?
[He says vaguely.]
Well, I'm glad to hear your memories stayed intact. For as long as possible, try not to forget that there's an idol called Hiyori Tomoe, alright?
[His voice sounds casual, but it's a sincere wish. And after imparting that wish, he starts to pick up the pace towards their destination again.]
no subject
Like hell I do! [Hiyori has way better options than Bakugo going after his heart! The blonde hasn't even thought about dating in the first place, and trying to do that here?! What a shit idea... He only scoffs at the latter part. At least Hiyori's determination to keep his trio is admirable.
Bakugo's sticking to logic rather than dreams, but if there's a way to somehow keep their memories, he won't begrudge the idol for choosing that route. It'd be nice to keep his own if he learns something advantageous or helpful about his kin worldmates, but that's unlikely to happen.
Yeah, don't drag him into your love-life woes, Hiyori. Bakugo's not a sympathetic person even to mushy stuff. While he could give some talk about the memories, the story's more from his teacher's side of view about a friend. It would be third party source. Beyond that, however, and Shinsou's Brainwashing Quirk, there's no much in the way of mental assaults or manipulations in Bakugo's world. He should be thankful for that.]
Hmph. Who could ever forget you? [Grumbled like that's a problem, despite the grumpy reassurance he won't forget him. Even if it's only a sliver in his heart that comes if he ever watches and idol group in concert.] To your right.
[Another hallway, then some venues they can hunt a cart down at.]
🎀 unless there's something else you want to thread?
But then he, too, has threatened violence when he's been in a really bad mood. So perhaps he has no room to judge. Still, that's how he is. "One set of rules for me, another set for thee!" In any case, once it becomes clear that Bakugo is not about to retaliate with explosives, he just laughs to himself.
He's not laughing when Bakugo says that last thing, though. That gets him to slow his walk and swivel his head around, and he looks genuinely surprised. It's one thing for Bakugo not to launch a grenade at him, but to actually say he won't forget him? That's unexpected. But nice.]
...~♪
[He hums cheerfully before nodding, in response to Bakugo's directions and to his other words. Who could forget him indeed? He's Hiyori Tomoe.]
Yep, got it!
[His worries haven't gone anywhere. But his steps feel lighter as he skips off to the nearest eatery, barging right into the establishment and voicing his request with plenty of gusto.]
Excuse me! ♪ I have some heavy things to carry, so I'd like to borrow a cart, please! To be more specific, I'd like to borrow that one, since it looks conveniently empty! Mind handing that one over for a bit?
[He'll attempt to sweet-talk the staff and promise to return it later. Hopefully that'll be enough. It's all he can do: split the burden with others, and try to make it a little less heavy.]
wanna handwaive the statue wasn't there when they return? ...dun dun dun...
DON'T JUDGE HIM FOR THREATS OF VIOLENCE WHEN YOU DO THE SAME, DAMMIT!! Take ye forth thy rules and deposit them forcefully upwards within the place where the sun shineth not. (Says Bakugo never.) He's apparently only going to grumble to himself rather than follow through on the dangerous promise.
Bakugo shoots him a glare, daring the other boy to open his mouth and say a damn thing about the comment. No one said being unforgettable meant it was in a good way. Some people are so annoying, they forever stain your brain like an unwanted ditty!
Hiyori says nothing so there's no further grenades. This entire event has been turbulent from the start to the end. He's no fool enough to think a few nice things and some talk will lift Hiyori's (or his own) worries away. There's a lot for them to think about going forward.
As for the cart... Bakugo stalks right in while Hiyori's sweet talking the staff and promptly commandeers the cart with a crushing grip on its handle. The reason? SHUT UP AND DIE!! YOU WANT THE STATUE TO BREAK IN HERE NEXT?!
*yoink!*
Alas, Hiyori's going to have to sweat drop this off and try to sweet talk a whole new deal. Bakugo leaves it to the idol and his silver tongue. Isn't that what idols are meant to do? Good luck.]
actually we can just thread that if you want, since it'll only take a few comments
It's not a pleasant thought. But there are a lot of powerful people here. People with downright terrifying abilities. Sorcerers who can burn people to ash with a murmured incantation; gods who can do seemingly anything; part-human, part-monster types with teeth and claws that could cut through human flesh. Hiyori has been going out of his way to find guests like that, since it benefits him to have strong people on his side who can protect him. The ones he's forged relationships with are good, at least as far as he knows. But there are bad people here, too—people who would definitely fall on the "villain" side of the heroes-versus-villains equation.
It's not just the House or some enchanted statues they have to worry about. He wonders if Bakugo knows that yet.
But now isn't the time to talk about the murders he's heard about. Now's the time to grab a cart! Which he's just on the verge of getting the staff to give up, although at first the restaurant employees don't seem too sure—the person asking isn't a face card or anything. Is it alright to let a Rank 8 borrow one? But he flashes them his most winning smile and says,]
Not to worry! I'll be very gentle with it, and won't leave so much as a single scratch ♪ I just thought I'd use it to deliver gifts to people! Specifically, I have some fancy gifts to deliver to my high-ranked friends.
[That should do it, he figures. If he says it's for the sake of the higher-ranks, they'll approve. He doesn't respect the hierarchy here, or his place within it, but he knows how hierarchies work. And this wouldn't be the first time he's used the rank system to his benefit.
However. These words don't have the magical effect he intended, because Bakugo appears behind him and just grabs the cart without saying a word! This sends the staff into a tizzy, with some of them calling out after him. It looks like a low-rank thief stole the restaurant's property! A frowny, delinquent-like thief!
Hiyori, meanwhile, glares after Bakugo's back for a moment, before smoothing over his expression and turning back to the staff.]
Sorry about him. He's not very good with words. But he's actually the servant I hired to deliver those gifts to the higher-ranks! I tell him which presents to load on, and he pushes the cart for me~♪ That's the deal we have. I'd better go keep an eye on him, though. He'd be absolutely hopeless without me.
[And then he rushes after Bakugo before they can say another word. Once they've left the restaurant and re-entered the hall, he chides him gently:]
Baku-kun, Baku-kun! You almost un-did all the work I did! You know that good kids ask before borrowing things, right? I bet heroes are supposed to ask, too! Not that I have much respect for the property here, either...
[Well, whatever. They have a cart now, and so he'll walk quickly with Bakugo back to where those statue pieces should be waiting. (Keyword being "should.")]
sounds good to me
He's well aware of the kinds of people here. The villains from his world and two heroes make it obvious this place is capable of handling all kinds. Even with ridiculous power. Bakugo might consider allying himself with people he meets, provided they pass his high standards and he actually wants to work with them. Hiyori's notion to ingratiate himself with strong allies isn't a bad idea. So long as he's careful and knows who he has connections with.
Anyways, they've got a damn cart now! If these people need proof they're doing what they say they are, he'll bring the pieces right back here and dump it into the fucking store! That or lead the next statue assault right through the kitchen door. Are the statues even going after the staff or only the guests? Who gives a shit. Hiyori's left to deal with his blaze in/blaze out actions as Bakugo hauls the cart through the swinging doors and into the main area once more. He sizes it up, deeming it able to carry the statue pieces.
Good thing he's not there to hear what Hiyori said about him. That'd get the sparks flying.]
Haa? [Bakugo twists his head on his neck when the guy comes yapping after him. Why the fuck is he talking to him like a little kid?! Then simmers into normal Hiyori and the blonde glares at him in response.] It's called commandeering. You don't fucking ask.
[Technically you're supposed to have a badge and reason though. Bakugo's already shoving the cart down the hall, getting the hell out of there while they have the chance. Back to the statue so they can stash it away.]
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I'm pretty sure "stealing" is what most people would call it! Heroes don't just take things without saying a word to explain themselves. I'm amazed you haven't gotten in trouble for that yet, considering your rank. People at your level usually can't get away with the sorts of things the so-called higher ranks can get away with. Though I guess the standard "punishment" around here is just an overnight stay in that cushy jail. The food there is surprisingly fresh! It does get boring after a while, though.
[But with Bakugo's powers, he could probably break himself out. And any angry staff members who come chasing after him can most likely be blown away by his explosions. Yep, it's no secret why he doesn't behave himself! Still, Hiyori wags a finger and continues the lecture.]
Anyway, I'm not saying you should have begged them, but there are other ways to get what you want. Someone needs to teach you the art of sweet talk! There's a saying that goes, "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar." As long as you know what to say and how to say it, you can easily get what you want from people~♪ Or at least I can. I'm sure it helps that I'm charismatic and cute, though. But you never know. Maybe people would find you endearing if you smiled more! ... hm?
[They're approaching the hall they were in before. He doesn't see any statue debris up ahead, though. He squints his eyes.]
That's odd. This is where were before, isn't it?
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I'm not explaining shit to these people. They're the ones who treat everyone like crap based on rank! [From what he knows that Hiyori's told him, a 3 of Spades wasn't going to be loaned a cart by some snooty restaurant manager. Beside, he DID explain why he needed the cart: statue attack! Not his fault those idiots could parse the warning from his threat. He grits his teeth when Hiyori brings up the punishment. Yeah, there is that, and Bakugo doesn't like getting marks on whatever record he's got. But for a place that bases its "livelihood" on kidnapping people, he has zero respect.] You've been there already, huh?
[Jail. He could break himself out. Bakugo already nuked the fucking lifeguards twice during the beach event. And he's avoiding any of that "enslavement" crap from this one. He's more than willing to obey the rules when the rules aren't made by fucking villains! Which is exactly what he's calling the resort and its staff, who go along with it. Still, he's listening, not happily, but listening.]
I blow flies up! [That or kills them with a flyswatter like an absolute badass. Hiyori's prattling on and on, grating down Bakugo's tolerance the more further they go. Sweet talk? Fuck that! Trying to change his personality and image!] Shut up! You're like a gaudy version of Denim Hea-
[Urk. The yell cuts in his throat when they round the corner into the hall again. It's... it's gone. The statue's gone. He sweeps the area with his eyes. No chunks. No pebbles. Not even dust. Everything's completely vanished as if the battle had never taken place.] What the hell!? Of course this is where we were! Look, the plant's still turned from the blast.
[Did someone take it? Did the resort relocate it? Or did it reform and run off like a freaking monster?]
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[For example, he knows all about the jail. (And, after this TDM, he'll know all about the Punishment Room, too, though for simplicity's sake we can say that thread hasn't happened quite yet.)]
Yep, together with Jun-kun! We didn't commit any real crime, before you ask. We're not villains, so there's absolutely no need to punish us~♪ ... We just got caught looking around "forbidden areas." I know people here have gotten away with actual crimes before, though.
[Up to and including murder. Which he doesn't want to talk about. Or think about.
He doesn't want to think about flies getting blown up, either, thanks, and his nose wrinkles at that mental image. But before he can retort or ask Bakugo who this Denim person is, he notices the floor in front of them is clean. Conspicuously clean. No rubble here. Baffling.
At least until he remembers what happened during his other encounter with a statue this week.]
Either someone came and cleaned it up really quickly, but left the plant for some reason, or...
[He remembers what that other statue had said before it crumbled away, and he shudders.]
Or it dissolved into nothing.
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Che! Fine! Next time, I'll wait while you talk it out of them! [Is that the truth? Probably, unless Hiyori takes too long and Bakugo loses his patience. He isn't forgetting that "not human" comment either, in case he ends up having to battle those assholes. Could've guessed as much from the gull-headed lifeguards...
Bakugo doesn't intend on going to jail in a place that already kidnapped him and now wants him to obey some shitty hierarchy rules. He'll return the cart without a problem once they're done with it, dammit! Hopefully without running into another one of those stupid statues.]
What are the forbidden areas? [The way Hiyori says the words makes him suspicious. If there are places the guests aren't supposed to go, that instantly makes him think those areas are vulnerable. (Or dangerous.) Something worth knowing about when it comes to taking the Peacock down. It's a pipe dream, but he has to focus on something.
No, he's not surprised about people getting away with actual crime. They've got fucking villains in here.] This place doesn't have shit to say about people committing crimes.
[Since their very presence here is a crime: kidnapping.
That can be dealt with later, when he's not distracted by the statue-less area in front of them. Bakugo leaves the cart at the mouth of the hallway and cautiously walks in, noting the lack of debris and evidence of the previous battle. He's on alert, in case the statue lurks nearby.]
Or reformed. [Since that was an option earlier, if the resort wants to keep the statues around for other purposes.]
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Anything with a sign that says "Staff-only," pretty much. I wouldn't recommend poking around in those halls, since you can get lost for hours or worse. But there's a supply room at the back of the first floor with some stuff inside. I asked someone who can shapeshift if he could break in there for me, and he did it in a flash! ♪
[Thanks, Loki.]
He said he found something that belonged to someone who'd disappeared here. Once they clear out the person's room, that's where their stuff goes, apparently.
[Which he supposes is better than just incinerating it. Still he wonders why they're holding that stuff. In case the person reappears? In case they come back from being a statue, like that Eiden person did? Does this mean the House doesn't intend for all those people to vanish? These are questions he has to wonder about.
But first there's the question of what's in front of them (or rather, what's not in front of them). What happened to the statue? Did it disappear? Or, as Bakugo suggests, have the pieces already put themselves back together somehow? He thinks about the dissolving statue from last time again and explains a little more about what happened.]
The one I saw before said something about "just wanting to feel alive again." Then it shed a tear and slowly crumbled into dust. You didn't hear that one say anything, did you?
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Is that so... [Hiyori, you're talking to a guy who jumped down the back of the waterfall during his first week here. Avoided getting caught in the gears and shit behind the water, but definitely went past the "Do Not Cross" barrier in his efforts to escape this place. He's seen some "Staff Only" signs before without broaching an entrance. What the hell are they hiding back there? Likely not a way out, or else people would've already made that a priority.
Bakugo frowns at the rest of the information, more out of interest than upset.] They store people's belongings in the back rooms? [Since no one arrives here with their shit, it's technically all "resort" property they forced the newly kidnapped to buy. Why not reuse it once people are gone? Question is... how do you get "gone" in the first place?]
It said the same thing. [Why the hell does Hiyori think Bakugo almost had a breakdown from destroying it? It was a vicious (albeit unintended) one-two punch to his moral stomach. While he's still not quite sure what to think about that, everything he's talked about with Hiyori now and theorized during the discussion tilts towards the statues being made in the likeness of past guests, but not technically their real bodies. Or what "real" their bodies are in this alternate reality.
Even if they are real, the fact someone came back suggests the bodies repair themselves once needed again. Puppets with a soul placed inside. It's creepy as fuck, but alleviates the idea of "murdering" someone here. All three of the villains from his world mentioned a certain futility when it came to killing someone in the resort. People came back.] If people can't die here, only return to their world, we should be able to find the statue again.
[Damn right he's suggesting they hunt this thing down. Later. Not now.]
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Apparently so!
[Then he adds,]
That includes current guests' stuff from home, or so they say. But I heard those things were locked inside a safe somewhere. That person who broke into the storage room found some items in bins, but I'm guessing those were just from people who'd disappeared.
[That was Loki's conclusion, anyway.
He could break in there and check for himself now, perhaps. He has a feeling his birthday gift might allow him to get away with that. The last time he wore the suit Jin Mingming made for him, why, it was like a spell fell over the resort staff. They were absolutely head over heels for him, and they let him get away with all sorts of unreasonable requests, even though he's just a so-called Rank 8!
But back to the statues.
Bakugo said he heard the same words from the statue before it died, which takes Hiyori by surprise.]
You never mentioned that.
[But then he failed to mention what he saw until now, himself. And it does explain why Bakugo was so quick to believe the statues might have been real people.
People can't die here. That was what he told Bakugo after hearing it from someone else. It means they don't have to worry about the statue either way. Still, the idea of "finding it again" causes his forehead to wrinkle.]
You're not suggesting we look for it right now, are you? I don't know about you, but I'm not sure what exactly it looked like. And is it really a good idea to chase down those things when we know they attack people?
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