【 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 parking garage for all new arrivals. We aim to have all guests moved into their reserved rooms as soon as possible. We deeply apologize for any inconvenience!
All are invited to There Is No Tomorrow, a Phoenix Casino soiree to celebrate our beloved guests. The festivities will begin at 1800 hours on January 20th and end at 1800 hours on January 27th. Please look forward to 168 hours of delight.
In an effort to raise happiness and encourage better guest relationships, attendance is required. The house will assist guests that are too shy to appear of their own accord. Please note that black tie attire is mandatory. As always, we hope you enjoy your stay! 】
PARKING GARAGE
ANY CAR IN A STORM
PHOENIX CASINO HALL
WELCOME TO THE NEXT 168 HOURS
Phoenix Casino is a-flutter with activity and packed to the beak with guests. As a famously ever-changing space, the staff would be remiss if they didn't deck the crown jewel of the Golden Peacock out. The casino glitters from top to bottom, shining brighter than diamonds, rubies, sapphires, opals! Party-goers are shiny and glamorous with picture perfect makeup, fluttering gowns, and sharp suits. Card tables are packed and the slot machines are a-ringing as guests play, play, play! Prizes, luxury, booze, attractive people, it's the place that everyone wants to be at.
Those people being dragged inside by some invisible force...? Silly, they were so excited to come that their bodies moved before they realized what was happening. Those are struggles of joy and definitely not the casino's infamous ghost hands dragging unwilling guests to the party at the behest of the house. Look, they're literally hurling their bodies at the card tables with unrestrained glee!
All clocks indicating day hours and night hours have been removed from the casino. Once a guest has entered, their Watch will jam, making it impossible to keep track of the time. You don't need to worry about that tonight.
▶ 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 January event.
▶ 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. This month we also have an ongoing ATP / EMP where players can connect. Please feel free to utilize this for all of your peafowl needs!
▶ 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!
▶ 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.
Either that or getting struck with the curse to boogie all of a sudden. No guarantees it'd make you a good dancer, though... what if you've got two left feet? That'd be terrible.
[ With a sorrowful shake of his head at the thought of being that embarrassing without any say in it, Lighter follows course, skirting the technicolor heat of the dancefloor. Past the restrooms, the main soiree hall lets out into the lobby, which is an overall... less raucous affair.
Not for nothing, he's a good driver. ]
Now, whether or not you want to trust the food itself is another question, but food's less of an optional thing.
( only external. the illusion that harmony creates wouldn't come with a sensation that lies anywhere skin-deep. sunday's fingers feel longer, the width of his palm bigger, more secure than the portrait that his facade had created. but it's still solace. that they don't really touch for it to be familiar is... a thought she won't dwell on too critically when she understands what distance can create. for now, it's enough when it's rare for her brother to let anyone touch him at all.
what stings a little is that he's already pivoting towards damage control, and she's so used to his protection that it would be easy to fall back on it, to believe in the gold-spun illusion and let nothing change at all. it isn't distrust — even if his betrayal had hurt hardest because of her belief, but even now, it doesn't color her memories or any thought of him that she has. his intentions had been good. they will always be. no doubt he's already gutted enough for the both of them if he's still refusing to show his face.
... no. they'll have to... talk about it later. it seems kinder to let him assuage her concerns with his presence even if the words don't hold substance. it's a compromise she's willing to make as long as he won't let go. they'll deal with the suit, they'll find an exit, and she'll consider it gods' blessing that they can do it all together. )
I have faith, dear brother. ( simply, in that gentle, harmonic thrum. even after everything. because of everything, with perfect, unerring trust: ) Anything you request of me, I will do my utmost to promise you.
What if I am? Stalling is a legal play tactic, infuriating as it may be to you.
[As she speaks, she leans down further, bending until her hair and luxurious shawl cascade around the chair, forming a plush half curtain around them.]
It's only a bad technique if it's boring.
[There's the gentle pressure of her hand on the side of Red's head, pushing it to the side to make access to her neck. There are no teeth when she leans in to plant a kiss there - not even the hint of them - but the ghost of her breath gives the impression that she could if she wanted to anyway.]
[ There's a certain cadence to the Outer Ring's chaos that Lighter knows by heart. Sure, it's not a rainbow rush of fire or piglets flying at high speeds... and it's certainly no where near Steeltusk's offroad bellowing, of course. But squealing tires? Like music to his ears. (And utter torture for everyone else's in this enclosed space, rest in peace.) He barely flinches as the Mustang goes roaring past him in a cloud of tire smoke, the length of his feather boa whipping out behind him in its wake.
Turning on his heel, he huffs a laugh, the tilt of his smile a little softer, a little more grateful — blink and miss it in the clearing haze. ]
Yo, Burnice. [ His makeshift scarf flutters obnoxiously back down over his shoulder as he approaches the idling car, the scent of its afterburn stinging pleasantly. Between them... they've probably looked worse?! ] You're a sight for sore eyes.
[ Once he's at the passenger side door, he drops the flat of his arm on it, leaning over to get a look. Waow, cool guy. ]
Leave it to you to find the nicest wheels in this place.
[ Then that hair is definitely going to get ruffled... soon. Just give it some time. Next opportunity he gets, for sure.
And the back and forth is nice too. It's strange, being able to be so comfortable with someone he loves so much in a world so brand new and unusual. Like finding a bit of home, in a foreign land. He's grateful for Sizhui's presence.
Being taught technology by Sizhui would be something that Wei Wuxian would gladly brag about as well. Just boast so much — his A-Yuan, teaching him about how phones work! Look at how smart his A-Yuan is! Look at how bright! He loves him sooooo much! So, they'd both have a good time bonding over it. ]
Ha... ha, yeah! I wish I had been there too. [ For so many reasons. First and foremost, to just be there for Sizhui during all this. He needn't have to go through it alone. ] So, in a way, you've been to more than three worlds, but one of them had a bunch of different worlds within it. That's impressive. I wonder if I'm going to end up seeing a bunch of different worlds now that I've ended up here. Ah... but I'd miss everyone so much!
Better news, [ he intones with a slightly distracted cant of his head from his seated position in bed. ] There's fresh clothes in the closet over there.
[ Which he'd dutifully made use of as soon as she'd slipped into the shower, dressing himself in a plain black t-shirt and a pair of sleep shorts. ...There were things other than pajamas, but as far as he can tell, it's still early wherever they are, and having breakfast in bed fully dressed would defeat some of the charm surrounding it. It seems he's taking the term "breakfast" with a grain of salt, if the box of bon-bons in his lap is anything to judge by.
Otherwise, his attention is largely on his watch as he scrolls with a keen eye, trying to get the lay of the land now that he feels less like he got run over by a big rig. ]
Bacon's all yours. How are you feeling?
[ Probably like hell, much the same as him, but he wonders if she'll elaborate beyond that. ]
[ She laughs again, though it's less loud and more to herself this time. Her eyes crease, amused. ]
Such little imagination. You're not very quick, are you?
[ Pointedly, she lowers her hand and encircles it around the other woman's wrist — the same one that's still lingering near the crease of her thigh. Here she thought she was gonna trick her into realizing the implication she was laying down: that if she showed her a good time, made her feel good for bit, then she'd pass off the chips without complaint. Nonetheless, she doesn't have an interest in pushing someone further than they're actually willing, not in a matter like this. She pulls up on her wrist to put distance between her touch and her skin, almost chastising. Just like that, her voice loses some of the sultry silkiness it had had before, wading back into 'explaining something that's obvious' energy. It at least cuts some of the sexual tension that was starting to build, seeming unaffected in the face of her defiance. ]
I'll tell you this right now: you're not going to get very far in this place with an attitude like that. I was throwing you a bone, there, silly girl. You're supposed to pick it up.
[ The tips of her ears burn a bit, but she makes room for her. Her gaze goes forward and she presses her lips together. It doesn't muffle the little sigh that slips out of her when those lips brush her neck and her shoulders go a little stiff. ]
[ Red can be a bit dense, it's true. Also stubborn. When she has something in her head, it's hard to get it out - for better or for worse. She frowns at her, eyes narrowing a little as she seems to bristle a bit at being talked down to. Or what feels like being talked down to, anyway. ]
Quick enough.
[ She leans back and lifts her other hand to give her shoulder a shove, urging her right off of Red's lap. ]
I don't want your bones. [ Alas, she really is going to have to adjust to this place. ]
[ He had a feeling that maybe she would do something like this, but he’s a nice guy and is overly friendly, especially at first when he’s not really sure if his partner prefers someone more assertive in bed. Beowulf is more concerned about the impression he would have on somebody instead of having his way with them in bed. It just seemed easier for him to give full consent and see what she does.
Ishmael goes for it, though, right away, and he honestly couldn’t be happier. Although he’s probably not nearly as touch starved as her considering he used to be a celebrity back home, it’s still been awhile ever since he announced his retirement.
He allows her to take as much time as she needs (just like every ashu character, he is well blessed between the legs, rip) but he’s embarrassing by the time he can feel her full weight on her, vocalizing with wanton moans of his own. Playfully, he gives a slap along the thickest part of her thighs. ]
Phew! Baby, you’re hot! I’ll be as easy as I needa be for you. Let me fuck every orgasm out of you. I wanna see it.
[ As confident as his words are, he does sound a little hoarse and breathless, but his strength and stamina is ever so generous; they could probably do this for awhile. His hips follow her lead, one arm holding her secure and the other hand coming around the front to massage her vulva, wanting to send her over the edge multiple times whenever she is ready. ]
I'd say so. [ maybe that's why she's here, letting him brush his thumb over the marred skin of her back. the sensation is slightly dulled, but she feels the warmth of it still lingering in its wake. her own thumb brushes gently over the delicate skin of his right eye, brushing the backs of her fingers down the curve of his cheek. ] So, please... you don't have to worry. I won't look away.
[ she doesn't fight it when he nudges her, going down easily to lie on her back. mercedes has never been insecure about her body—she's never had to consider it in this context—but she has the sudden urge to... cover herself, in a way, unused to being so exposed in front of anyone. it's one thing to share the baths with a friend, but it's another thing entirely to do so with man whom she's just met, even with one whom she shares an understanding with.
but she trusts him, and that still holds true. she reaches out for him instead, fingers finding purchase on his forearm and wrist to tug him gently down to meet her. ]
( all of these emotions that she catalogues in her mind for later, and nothing that she dares to tune into a harmonious calm when it's at odds with what might be fitting at this exact moment. all of his wildly firing synapses and robin can still feel it under everything else: the hurt, real and deep, but worse is some kind of distrust in himself that she can't fully understand... and only recognizes in someone dear to her heart.
a chain of command. someone's marching orders. flickers of memoria that his feelings carry like a film reel that she doesn't have nearly enough time to watch or decipher. it just helps her somewhat. there is no real malice to his fiercely guarded looks. just a sharpened focus trained on the possibility of survival and —
what... kindness, maybe. when he doesn't push the subject any more than robin doesn't invade his thoughts. there's no longer the halo effect of light refracting through jagged glass; just the dimmed lights of the bar, the gilded sheen of a grand casino yonder, and the space still left between them. )
Oh. No, you didn't, I —
( oh.
and the couple that is definitely still fucking on top of the bar. which is somehow not nearly as funny as the bright pink prop comedy that aki is still cradling in one hand like a blade as he steps away.
she should be more acutely aware of how strange it is, or how he's giving her an easy out, to take the space and run, but alas. )
... I see. ( she follows at his heels, taking an easy step with his stride, no longer afraid for all that the color is only just returning to her face now, her wings curling out like a bird about to take flight. ) I've never been called a Devil before.
( simply, with lilting honesty. possibly to lighten the mood: )
[ Mismatched hues eye up an otherwise unassuming bottle of bubbly that's set on the table; no doubt it's to help facilitate the comfort of their respective guests. Ragna wasn't the type to drink himself into a stupor, but he also didn't have a very high tolerance either, surprisingly enough. One would think that his constitution would see him more immune to "poisons", but no. It behaves with him no differently than anyone else when it comes to alcohol.
Still, he's a pretty big guy. That has to help create a buffer, right? Especially when he squints at Mayou for calling him out on his "stick-in-the-mud" nature. ]
You don't think I can get down and cozy? [ Is that a challenge? ] Roll those dice, lady. I'll show you just how enthusiastic I can be.
[ Ragna, your penchant for making everything sound like a threat is showing...even if you're reaching for a sliver to pour some of that bubbly into because, screw it at this point. ]
[doesn't need to say anything. even that stoic impassive face flickers telltale signs of response. a twitch at the corner of his brow when his thigh skims along the inside of aki's upper legs. the curve at the back of his jaw tightening to set his teeth and keep a gentle breath in as his balls brush against his skin. hips subtly shift forward from his knee pushing just so at rounded glutes, whether from avoidance or sensitivity he can't tell. but he's not against it. paybacks for trapping his limb anyways. red eyes hood halfway under the shadow of his choppy bangs, wandering from one tell to the other. lips parted with a low exhale, unable to hide his own growing arousal as it lifts between aki's legs and reaches for his lower rung of abs. damn. something about seeing a composed and calm guy doing his damnest not to give away how turned on he is, when obvious proof's right there in front of him. as if he's gonna let him get away with this without his own damn orgasm.
he wants him to look. dammit. snapping into his mind when his words suddenly cock aki's attention out of vapid staring and into paying attention to him. wants aki to see him and look at what he's doing to him. the way his chest rises and falls with his breaths, abs hardening as a finger nudges towards its second joint in his clenching rim. wants to know he's the reason behind that impressive member standing fully hard against aki's adonis belt and their clothes lying all over the floor. he expected a response. didn't entirely expect the kind he got. blue eyes dropping, locking into his scar, an answer before he meets his gaze again. in response, his chest twitches up with ah flippant scoff.]
I've broken myself over and over and over. All to get stronger. So I can win. This crap's just one more step on the ladder. [telling aki he doesn't have to worry and treat him like a fragile cracked bowl. the man shifts, his hand twist, his finger pulls backwards, and--] ngh! [--he clenches around it stubbornly, surprised at how much he wanted it to stay in there. no time to snarl more than a quivering upper lip before aki's introducing two digits to his rim, twin uneven bumps prodding for a second until his body gives way and his chest arches with a harsher gasp.] -fuck! [they're in, both of them, stretching him open and pushing slicked velvet around him. nails, first joint, skin, second joint, skin, knuckles, slotted between his cheeks and pressing to his hole.
he grips at the bed, fingers twisting in the sheets, leg sliding back and forth between aki's thighs in a counterbalance of touch to touch. third finger! it burns and he pulls his head to the side, teeth grit and teeth bared in a snarl over his own shoulder. head flares in his cheeks, pink blooming under his eyes, and he instinctively spreads his free leg further on the bed to alleviate some pressure. balls dropping between his thighs and resting on he perineum as his body seizes up around aki's fingers. dammit, it feels this good already, this strange at the same time. those three things curl inside his tunnel and he arches his chest up, spine bowing from the bed with a sharper exhale. only falling down once he eases his fingers back out a bit. brows knit together, then lift as relief drifts across his face, a hard cringe easing into smooth.
at least until aki decides to ask that banger of a fucking question.] Who the hell asks that during a fuck?! Of course I'm not! [he is, he's human, but he hides it well.] Tch. Fear's admitting you might lose.
[ Weiss was the one who came up here to try and help Ragna, but he's the one more in control of the situation now. At least she picks up on having to summon a Glyph so that they can bounce to another part of the party or anywhere else Ragna may want to go. A safer place than here!
When it seems like the coast is clear, Ragna'd hear Weiss sigh softly. She did see Ragna use his Ars, but she hasn't quite figured out that those just made them invisible to the rest of the people. They had a few onlookers from below, but now she can hear some of her fans wonder where "the Queen" went. ]
I'm alright. [ She imagines that she can't let go of him otherwise she'll be visible to the others, so she tries to shimmy away while keeping their hands together. She wants to fish out a handkerchief from her purse so that he can wipe any remaining stickiness or grossness on his hand off. ] Here. Though maybe you should go to the washroom and wash your hands?
[ You'd better not touch her with that old lady drool, Wagna... ]
[ There sure was a little pause before his retort, though, because -- well. It's not like he didn't dream of that kind of stuff when he was younger: being told that he actually had magical potential or whatever, and discovering some amazing newfound ability of his. But he's older now, so he knows better.
A little of the venom's sapped out of his voice, replaced by a more weary, jaded edge as he crosses his arms and leans back against one of the table's legs, looking off under the hem of the tablecloth at the various pairs of feet trotting by in the distance. ]
There's no such thing as magic for me, or anyone else, where I'm from. Any talk of magic, or abilities, or -- cultivation? Whatever it is you have, that's all fiction. Fake, make-believe, stuff you only read about in books or see on TV. Anyone who says they can actually do that stuff is either a con-man or delusional. So, no. No magic for me.
Yeah, I know. You already did. [ Quick pause. ] Did you know your demonic cultivation kills you? [ Anyway, moving on. Anyone who deals with demonic cultivation knows that it will probably be the death of them sooner rather than later; Wei Wuxian shouldn't be too surprised, right?
The more Xue Yang talks the more animated he gets, clearly eager to finally get the chance to talk shop (and with his idol of all people). ]
I've already figured out most of how it works. It harnesses the yin energy that's seeped into the earth from battles and wars to raise fierce corpses without the user needing to channel any resentful energy themselves, right? And then it uses the collective consciousness of a tally to assert mass control and raise aggression. Anyone can use it because its two halves each serve as the other's master, so as long as they're together it'll activate.
The metal it's forged from has strong yin properties, but there's something particular in the refining process that made the Yin Tiger Tally even more powerful than normal. That part is all you need to tell me.
Considering the Holiday decorations they had up last month? Roughly a year.
[There's not much initial follow up. Rin's eager to get the food down. Hoping that the digestion process will not only encourage the medicine to dissolve and work faster, but also that maybe a full stomach will ward off whatever portion may be a hunger headache. Tohsaka should probably switch to water after her little dose of caffeine from the tea...]
The information on your watch probably gives you a good picture of this place, but I have a few theories of my own. Once you settle in your own suite I'll have you come to mine and I'll share what I know.
[She knows sometimes there will be brief encounters. Wildcards who don't stay. But there's also implication in her words: suggesting that even alone like this it might not be safe to just come out and say what she has on her mind.]
[Lacking in all manner of dignity, Rin yelps when Yae tugs at her hair. At first she has to stumble forward, but eventually she's following along just as Yae wants to the private alcove meant for the dominance and submission play that the game asks them for. At this point the young woman's face turns red as a tomato, and surprise is clear on her face. She did not expect such a lovely woman to be so... so... !]
A-ah! Yes, Lady Yae, of course Lady—
[Is the change in tune temporary, or has Rin learned her lesson? Probably the former. She cares too much about her appearance to mess with a woman who could take a chunk of her hair out.
Her skin is warm. Her heart beats fast. Is this excitement? She's not going to unpack that.]
[ it is a new request, although not a decision made consciously. in the pleasant, sticky afterglow tseng feels even more acutely his adoration and desire for clorinde, the trust he has placed in her that she has never once betrayed. he tilts his head up into the kiss she gives him, sweet, intimate, lips parting so their tongues can slide together. full of desire, but also full of emotion in a way that makes tseng's chest swell on the inhale.
even having climaxed only a minute or two ago, tseng finds that there's still arousal simmering hot in his lower belly. well, that should be no surprise, the two of them being who they are—when was the last time they got in bed together and were satisfied after one orgasm? but tseng is in no position to take control right now. all he can do is hum against clorinde's mouth and, when they pull apart, rock his hips up a little in suggestion. ]
Clorinde. [ her name tastes sweet in his mouth. tseng's cock, still half-hard and rapidly hardening again, slides against the wet heat of her cunt and makes him shiver. ] How do you want me?
[ It's okay, Hamel is a champ, those tears are not falling--I mean her eyes are incredibly glassy but she's also still trying to get her bearings and this really is the most incredible mental image if not for the Everything Else. ]
I should be the one apologizing, for not remembering and making you feel inadequate...
[ What a horrible performer she is...
Leave her to perish on the bed of flowers, actually-- ]
Kicking ass and being open about his kinks and sexuality with a stranger are two very different things. One of which he does with most of his time for work. The latter, he's only ever entertained in his thoughts. So the fact that Zoro plays along does help encourage him to loosen up. They're both here because it can't be helped, really, and so they both have some kind of incentive to pass their time as painlessly as possible.
"Yeah," he answers, his eyes combing over exposed skin before he glances at all of the toys at their disposal. He picks up an electric massager and sets it back down. Rude doesn't want to ask about the scar, but doesn't want to make things personal as he pushes Zoro to sit down on a chair he pulls closer.
"You look like someone I'd like to train with, if the circumstances were different." Rude's fingers comb through the front of his hair, gripping firmly but not enough to hurt in case Zoro isn't into that. "Does it still hurt? Your scar."
[ Even if Keita lacks practical experience with toys like these, he's certainly not uncomfortable with the idea. (Not least of all because a benefit of his clairvoyance is access to memories of learning how to use them in the future.) At Hilda's smile, Keita nods and then returns one of his own, a softening of his expression that indicates his willingness to play. ]
I'm sure we'll find ourselves quite capable, [ he says as they make their way hand-in-hand down a corridor in search of a more private space. As they pass by a handful of mostly-closed doors, Keita glances toward the rooms and then tugs at Hilda's hand to draw her back. ] In here—we should have some privacy, and more importantly a door with a lock.
[ They're very small bedrooms, perhaps used for a previous event—not decorated to the nines the way some of the other spaces are, but at least there's a bed, and when Keita turns the warm overhead lighting on the space is clean and well-kept.
Before closing the door, he turns back to Hilda as though to check that she's all right with his choice of accommodations. ]
[ there's not one ounce of her that is surprised—by his unclumsy movements, by the way he curves his back a little as he leans against the table, by the way that underwear doesn't actually look like it's the right size unless he's trying to impress someone. she is, however, maybe a little surprised that he seems to be filling out somewhat, probably without even having to try. the nature of the male body, creating muscle from nothing like they hold some ancient alchemical secret. ]
I might have more fun if I got to pick where.
[ but she's smiling again, cool but affectionate. because, in a small way, he's right. mostly because he's deserved something for being so annoying for all these years together.
crouching in the dress is still hard, but she realizes quickly that bending over feels worse. the dress itself fits like a glove, but she can't help the wave of self-consciousness as she pivots at her waist, the open collar feeling like it's likely to droop and show off more than she's ready to. to say nothing of the length, which rides precariously further upward the steeper her angle. in the end, however, the more she draws it out, the longer someone has the chance to look. and so, she simply bends, leans in, and chooses a spot closer to the top of his gluteus medius to sink a slow, purposeful bite. it's not hard, but it is deep enough to be noticed before she pulls back. the mental checklist finally has another mark. ]
Did you pick out that detergent scent or is that just what the upper crust gets around here? [ it's not quite floral, not quite fresh, but it lingers on her palate in a way that makes her nose wrinkle. ] Maybe I should've done it bare.
[ she doesn't exactly like the reminder—you're needed elsewhere. how many times has she already heard that? how many times will she hear it for the rest of her life? even this place seems to have drawn from that same pool in a twisted way, gifting her an office in the medical wing for her birthday of all things. as if that's all she was born to be.
but she doesn't address that, just leans in, grateful, for the light, and drags deeply. she does, at least, offer the second to him. ]
Just making sure. You all have more experience with this place, and there's got to be some kind of safety in numbers.
[ her voice is moderate, but the feeling behind it is one of uncertainty, blanketed in the smoke of her cigarette and the stonewall demeanor of nearly everything she says in the hopes of keeping that to herself for now. instead, she finds she is keen to dance, if only to forget a little bit of everything for the moment.
so she takes his hand, lets him lead so she might follow as always, in time for the high tempo of the current song to droop into something more moderately paced. just as well; her shoes are set to be excruciating to walk in an hour or two from now. ]
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