【 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.
[ It's not as if Aerith has never seen a car before. But when she wakes up, it takes her a moment to realize that she's inone. The first few moments of her life in the Golden Peacock Resort are spent looking around the inside of the place, peering out of the windows until she feels comfortable in deducing that yes, she's in a parking lot somewhere, which means that yes, this is some kind of incredibly fancy car. Far, far too fancy for a girl from the Slums, at any rate.
The second things that draws her attention is her clothing—or lack thereof. While the material of the robe is opaque from the waist up, it's otherwise sheer, lacy, and it's entirely too noticeable that she's not wearing anything underneath.
At least it's a cute color, she thinks. For now, she'll do what she can and nab a cloth napkin from the bar, laying it over her lap as she tries to figure out what exactly to do next.
It's only then that she finally realizes she's not alone. Aerith blinks, and then offers a smile to her surprise companion. ]
Hi! Do you, um... happen to have any idea where we are?
[ Given that their state of dress is just like hers, it's a long shot. But she has to try, right? ]
❀ 2. Welcome to the Next 168 Hours
[ Okay, so it's not exactly the most comfortable dress she's ever worn. The lace and the gems are all scratchy, and it seems like they want to attack her every time she so much as moves, especially if she makes the mistake in drawing a bare arm in front of herself, or to her sides, or pretty much anywhere. Plus, hair hair feels like it's pulled back a little too tightly—she'll no doubt have a headache, later on. But... well, she also feels like she can't really complain. The only thing she's ever worn that was even close to this fancy was the lovely dress that Madam M provided for her, and just like her favorite hair ribbon, she's entirely without that, here. And if she's going to be a part of this party, then she needs something proper to wear, right?
Right.
That's why, despite the apparent discomfort of the thing, she finds herself moving around the place with a smile, greeting people and indulging in the various foods and drinks the place has to offer. ]
2.5. It's Getting Bubbly [ She even goes so far as to try the special champagne, laughing in surprise as it carries her off into the air—and then gasping with the same laughter as she's unceremoniously dumped right in someone's lap. ]
Oh!! I'm so sorry! [ she exclaims, and then another warm, bright peal of laughter escapes her, part-shocked, part joyous at the absolute silliness she has just experienced. ]
❀ 3. Sex Toy Roulette
(( OOC note: to make this more random, please spin the wheel to determine what Aerith ended up with! if you want, I'm happy to spin the wheel for you too. ♥ ))
[ Well, if she's going to be here for however long the resort has determined she will be, she may as well have some fun, right? At a quick glance, the sex toy roulette looks like it might just be the safest place to start. No awkward dice rolls to contend with, no probing questions, none of the difficult dynamic changing that might come with the 1 or 11 game. All she needs to do is spin a wheel, win a prize—and sure, it may be something embarrassingly kinky, but she can deal with that later.
What she doesn't expect is the message that shows on her watch within moments of winning.
Aerith's head tilts, and she considers her prize. ]
Oh. Hm...
❀ 4. Hangover Aftercare
[ Later, Aerith will argue that she didn't drink enough at the party to suffer a hangover the next day—and yet, when she wakes up in bed once the party is over, there's a dull ache at the back of her head as if she did.
Entirely naked—her dress from the night before draped haphazardly over a nearby chair—she sits up, groaning slightly; one hand lifts the sheets to her breast for modesty, the other goes to her head, cradling it against the light and the pain. ]
Ugh.
[ She sits like that for a moment before she straightens up, finally allowing herself to take in her surroundings. A tray of breakfast, a bag labeled with "Hangover Kit"—
and of course, another hotel guest sharing the bed with her.
Aerith likes to think that she's pretty good at dealing with awkward situations, but then again, she's never had to deal with this...
Still, she offers a smile, reaches for the tray and tugs it a little closer to them. ]
Are you feeling okay? It looks like there might be stuff here to help.
❀ NOTES & WILDCARD.
I'm totally open to any wildcard starters using any of the other prompts, including the other games and even the high-ranking lounge. if you have questions, feel free to hit me up at denouements. PM, or on Discord!
as of yet I have not completely decided which canon-point I'll be pulling Aerith from; it will likely be somewhere during the Remake/Rebirth series but as to where exactly I'm not sure. the answer may naturally unfold itself during prompts with castmates, or I may decide later. ♥
[RNG gave me 28 - riding crop LMAO. They'll probably ask if she wants them to roll so if we get there pls do roll for me hehe.
at least the game is amusing. watching people, win or lose, get their "prizes" and so often make such funny faces, of course they've been sitting here for the entertainment alone. in fact, they're sitting quite close to Aerith when she takes up her prize, head tilting in their hand as she hesitates.]
What's the matter? Is the game not fun now?
[amusement drips from their voice, light and playful. granted, they do think she looks somewhat less scandalised than some of the players have thus far, so that's kind of fun too.]
[ She looks up in surprise at the sound of the voice, not having noticed anyone looking at her in particular—although, given that she's dressed up like cotton candy and holding a riding crop in her hand, there's probably a few more people looking her way now than she would like to admit.
She's quick to recover as ever, though, offering the blonde stranger a friendly—and somewhat embarrassed—smile as she shakes her head. ]
It's not that. I just didn't realize that we'd be expected to use these things. More fool me, I suppose!
[ She lifts her hand up, plays with the stray ends of her hair. ]
This might sound strange, but have you been here for long? I'm sure there's some kind of consequence for refusing to follow through, but I can't begin to guess what it might be...
It's easy to think a game is harmless when they only supply half of the rules, of course.
[devilishly brilliant, actually. They're kind of impressed. But her question amuses them too, for much the same reason...]
I've been here for a day or so. [They definitely know that's probably not the "here" she was actually asking about... the game itself hasn't been going on that long, either.] But I'm sure there's some kind of penalty, yes. What it is just depends on what they've hidden in plain sight.
Where I'm from, if it were a trap to ensnare a victim, the penalty would be to push you into compliance. Probably a curse, at least temporarily.
[ She tilts her head, a finger tapping against her jaw as she listens to him, a soft hum on her lips. A day or so, but where they're from... cursed into compliance... Her lips purse as she recalls a conversation had earlier over food, and she sighs out a long exhale. ]
You might be right. An acquaintance from home warned me that many of the foods here are laced with aphrodisiac drugs... maybe something like that is at play here too?
[ She's less sure how it would work with a riding crop and a timer on this strange watch, but...
She shakes her head, and offers the stranger a smile. ]
Are you intending to play too? [ It's something of an invitation, isn't it. ]
(while one wasn't used to this, the other is too used to it. aerith's movements did catch the knave's attention and cause her to frown. a fish out of water in the face of a party, then? that's nothing shocking. some weren't used to these things and, almost certainly, arlecchino can admit that she wouldn't fault the other woman for needing a break from the persistent barrage. drugs aren't her own thing. she's avoiding twig for that reason (not her kind of indulgence) since it didn't seem like a good idea. which left the champagne the two of them were drinking.
her own suit was nothing to sneeze at. it looked fantastic down to those dagger heels she's wearing, how she can move in them was a bigger mystery to the party guests. they didn't care enough to ask, though. that was better in the long run for her whenever noticing aerith coming over at her own direction. her turn, then? right. she'll help this woman learn to navigate better before the night ends, perhaps. they had plenty of time in that regard once she takes a sip of her champagne with a cordial smile.)
I take it that we both are new?
(rule number one of high society, always be cordial enough that pleasantries remain pleasantries. barbed words and sharp tongues were better left for fools that were being idiot enough to push their luck. that is a given, but not one necessary in this exchange they'll be having.)
[ Unfamiliar with parties like this though she may be, her smile in the face of a stranger is warm and friendly, and to the woman's question, she nods, lifting her champagne flute in greeting. ]
Well, I definitely am! I wouldn't have guessed you are; you seem to fit in kinda perfectly, to tell you the truth.
[ A strange assumption to make, perhaps, but she's honest about it at the very least. ]
Buuut... I don't exactly come from a place famous for parties, let alone extravagant ones like these. So, you know, maybe that's just my inexperience showing.
[ A light laugh as she shakes her head. ]
Anyway, my name's Aerith. It's nice to meet you—and you said that you're new too?
[Rude has been behind the wheel of many types of cars in the past, but none this nice and never as a passenger.
He was once dressed in all black, but as he looks down at himself he's realizing he's half naked. Rude sits up and feels the sheer material of the white harem pants he has on, unimpressed with how easily he would be able to see through the material in better lighting.
He notices the motion in the car straight away, watching Aerith as she seems to come to the same realization about her clothing, not saying anything until she notices him first. She should have stayed home and stayed put.]
Not a clue.
[He moves into the light, then regrets it, realizing he doesn't have his shades on and blinks a little to adjust.]
This doesn't look like one of Shinra's.
aerith focusing on all the things that don't matter
[ Admittedly, Aerith was so busy paying attention to the issues inherent in her situation that she didn't entirely notice exactly who it actually is in the car with her. It doesn't help that he's shrouded in the dim lighting, either. In fact, she gets as far as asking her question and hearing his response before it actually clicks, his voice more than anything else signalling to whom she's talking.
Admittedly, she's a little relieved.
She smiles up at him, the expression touching on sympathetic when he blinks under the light. ]
I was gonna say I didn't think so, but... [ A small shrug. It's concerning, sure, but at least she's with someone she knows, so... ]
You look different, you know. Without your glasses.
[Relief is not a feeling he has when he sees that she’s also dressed strangely. It means whoever put him in these new clothes did the same to her. Uneasiness is the predominant feeling for him, but he is glad that she’s not alone—just in case.
Her remark catches Rude off guard and he stumbles to find a response, the temptation to push his shades up is there but his face is naked.]
I do?
[He’s curious if she means a good different or bad different but doesn’t ask. Rude has already checked the driver seat, and there’s no one else inside but the two of them. He awkwardly clears his throat.]
Don’t know how we got here, but I’m glad you’re okay.. I’ll try to keep you that way.
[ She smiles. ] Mmhm~! [ And then, as she watches him just stay there for a moment until he clears his throat, she laughs, as brief a sound as it is warm, lit with a gentle amusement. She may not have quite the sixth sense that she often seems to have back home, but she does understand feelings, and the slight hesitance is written all over him. ] Good different, Rude. I like it.
[ With that said, she shuffles over to investigate more of the space. She has no reason not to trust him—after all, he's always kept her safe before, in his own way—and if anything, she feels safer with him by her side. She may not have a pole or a chair in hand to fight with, but all his needs are his fists. ]
Then—Should we try and see what's outside?
[ Maybe not, when they're both so flimsily dressed, but as far as she's concerned, they don't seem to have a lot of options right now. She reaches for the door handle and—
frowns as it fails to give under her touch. ]
That's strange...
[ A jiggle, and another, slightly firmer than the first. Then, frowning, she looks up at Rude. ]
[ This is the first time since arriving here that Hilda can recall having this bad of a hangover. The nature of this place means that she's been subtly cautious about partaking in too much of anything in public but apparently the resort, as it seems want to do, has other plans.
The shock of pink hair beneath the covers and dress hung up with care on the door of the wardrobe are proof that someone is in the room with Aerith. Whether or not the owner of the dress is awake is still up for debate. But it isn't until she's addressed that the pink hair stirs letting out a muffled, somewhat pained groan. ]
Does it have something that will dim the lights so that we don't have to get out of bed? I don't remember them being so bright.
[ Either she's slow on the uptake that she's in bed naked with a stranger or she's used to this by now that it doesn't quite matter. Regardless, there are apparently more pressing matters. ]
Edited (hit send too early :') ) 2025-01-16 19:32 (UTC)
[ Awkward, but she can manage. Right? Her smile in her companion's direction is sympathetic—even if she can't full see her yet, buried under the covers as she is—and she reaches for the bag to open it, flicking quickly through its contents.
Her face turns pink.
...Well. Some of these things are very much not meant for helping with hangovers, but that's beside the point.
She's able, at the very least, to resurface with a water bottle and a packet of aspirin. She takes two of the pills for herself before recapping the bottle and sliding it and the packet under the covers, approximately where it looks like the other's head must be. ]
Here. This should help. As for the light... give me a moment, okay?
[ She slips out of the bed, trying to ignore the fact that she's completely naked, and crosses the room to close the blinds and dim the lights until they're no longer burning holes of pain into her eyes. ]
There.
[ And she'll cross back to the bed once more, sliding under the covers. Somehow, being naked seems like a lesser evil than the discomfort of that beautiful dress... ]
[ The covers shielding her from the light also means that Hilda misses the rifling through the bag and the subsequent blush that colours her bedmate's cheeks. The jury is still out on whether or not she'd have similar reaction but maybe they'll get to that point eventually.
A grateful little noise follows the passing of the pills and the bottle of water and it's only then that Hilda slowly begins emerges. It's not like her to be in front of a stranger without some sort of attention paid to her appearance but these are extraordinary circumstances. She only catches a glimpse of Aerith's ass as she hurriedly shuts her eyes to shield them from the light and it's only once her companion returns to the bed and is sufficiently covered that she opens her eyes again. ]
Thank you. [ And as she pops the aspirin other more pertinent matters surface. ] ...You wouldn't happen to remember anything from the night before, would you?
[ She smiles at the stranger, although compared to her usual brightness, there's a certain strain to the expression. At any other time, she might cheerfully compliment Hilda on the beautiful color of her hair, but as it stands right now her thoughts are on other things entirely—
Namely, the same thing which Hilda asks about in the next moment.
After a moment, though, Aerith is forced to shake her head. ]
There was a party, and there was that horrid dress, and there was champagne. Honestly, I don't think I even drank enough to feel as bad as I do now, you know? But... well, since I arrived here yesterday, it seems to have been one thing after another with this place, so maybe this is just how things go here.
[ She offers the other an apologetic wince of a smile. ]
How about you? Any memories that could help us out?
[Tseng's Ancient cleans up nicely, and it doesn't suit her at all.
It's funny; the last time he'd seen her, she'd been out of costume, too — trying to remain inconspicuous beneath the armor and helmet of the drill team at his parade, and that disguise had almost worked for her better than this one does. There's a certain security to wearing armor; that dress, she wears like a cage.
He's familiar with that feeling, too. He remembers back when bowties felt like leashes, when they weren't doing double time as nooses. He remembers sitting stiff next to a father he was never good enough for, frantically going over table manners and silverware placements in his mind in the hopes of at least not making a mistake that would embarrass him. Then he learned how to wear style like he was going to battle in it, be it in boardrooms or on rooftops, and made the nooses expand to let him breathe rather than trying to struggle desperately through them.
Pretty and imprisoned. Oddly appropriate, for Aerith Gainsborough.
And whether she remembers that they're right on the cusp of agreeing to be allies or not, either way her life and care has always been a matter of Shinra's business, and he doesn't see any reason for that to change now.]
I'd skip the fruit gelée, if I were you.
[He says, easy and casual, as he corners her near one of the dessert tables.]
Unless you're so eager to get out of that dress that you're willing to let someone take it off you, that is.
[ Aerith's attention is so set on the enormity of everything that she hasn't stopped to take in the specifics. There's food, and there's drink, and there's so many people, and she recognizes these things in the collective whole, not really stopping to admire them for their individuality just yet.
It's strange, like an out of body experience—kept in body only by the constant discomfort of this stupid dress.
In a way, then, she's glad when Rufus draws his attention to her by commenting on the spread of foods, because it gives her something on which to focus, even if—
Well. They've never exactly been friends, have they. ]
Rufus.
[ Her voice makes a statement of surprise, with no inherent positivity or negativity attached to it. On one hand, she's quite sure that any discussion between the two of them will never be anything but awkward, based on their shared history. But on the other... well. When it comes down to it, at least for now it doesn't matter where they are and what their relationship is back on Gaia, does it?
Right now, she's a fish out of water, and it sounds like he's offering help. ]
The fruit gelée?
[ Her head tilts, and she's about to ask "what's wrong with it?"—but then he goes on, and her brows raise. Surely he's not implying... ]
I'm sorry, are you saying it's laced with something?
[Well, she's neither attacked him nor run screaming into a crowd at the sight of him, which is progress, to say the least. That's good; maybe she remembers the peace offering he'd extended. The thought reminds him idly that he'd never actually heard Cloud's answer, before being whisked away here — but it's a mutually beneficial arrangement. They'd be fools to refuse, really.]
Most things at these types of events are. The fruit in particular.
[Not that he's learned that the hard way, through personal experience. Of course not.]
Though if you don't believe me, go ahead and try it for yourself.
[ Perhaps it will surprise him, the way that Aerith not only listens to what he has to say, but seems to consider it—and then, how she shakes her head when he suggests she try it herself if he doesn't believe her. ]
No... I have no reason to try it if you say it's dangerous. [ For as many as their differences may be, he has never sought to hurt her. ] It would be stupid of me to eat it out of spite alone, right?
[ Something about the way he said it, though, makes her frown, tilt her head in curiosity as her lips purse. ]
[ it's fortunate, how things work out — just seconds before aerith should find herself dumped into marco's lap, he had had the sudden urge to grab a seat. it was a strange urge, and stranger still to given into; it wasn't as if he were particularly tired, and even so he wouldn't have chosen such a spot to linger, out here in the open like this. but no sooner than his butt has touched the wood of the chair did he find himself with a sudden armful of pink and lace. ]
I'm—!
[ an apology catches in his throat, cut off by her peal of laughter. it's a light, airy sound, and feels so decidedly foreign in his life all the chit-chat clamoring around them. he finds himself struck speechless for a handful of seconds... before his expression (and the rest of his body) eventually relaxes. ]
[ She's stunned for a moment after her peal of laughter ends, admittedly a little unsure of what to say. She has, after all, just fallen out from mid-air and into this poor man's lap; under the circumstances, a simple apology doesn't seem like quite enough to make amends.
But he seems to be understanding—he's concerned, and that's enough to make her relax, to have her smile. ]
It might seem strange to you... but I feel perfectly fine. It seems that the champagne made me fly in the first place, so maybe it also helped me fall? [ She tilts her head, and she laughs. ] That's a really weird theory, now that I think about it. But then again, I've never been the one falling on people.
[ She reaches out one hand, as if to shake (or perhaps to high five). ]
I'm Aerith, by the way! Aerith Gainsborough. Thank you for catching me!
[ the concern quickly melts away into relief when she confirms she isn't any worse for the fall. he's only been here for a little over two months, and though he's surely seen a lot of what the hotel has to offer in terms of hijinks, "drinks that make you float" is certainly a first. all things considered, there were definitely worse ways to meet. ]
Well that's a relief. I'm Marco. Adriano, [ he adds in afterthought, since she'd given him her full name. her hand he gently takes into his own, offering a small shake. ]
You're welcome, though I don't think I did anything more than just sit here.
[ speaking of, surely she wouldn't wish to sit on a stranger's lap for longer than she has to. after a quick adjustment of his legs, he moves to gently help right her back on her feet. ]
Do you feel a little steadier now? No risk of floating off again?
( I rolled 18 for you and Ragna got the insta-prize HELP )
[ Meanwhile, as Aerith is entrusted with her oh-so-luxurious fleshlight, streamers and fanfare galore blare in the immediate vicinity as one of the lucky INSTA-PRIZE receivers is stuffed into the money box and showered with bills of numerous amounts, worlds and cultures. Catch a Gil? Perhaps! He should be happier that he didn't get strapped with some embarrassing toy or something that would no doubt have to get put to use, least he was punished yet again for his rebellion.
So the staff best count their blessings that as the crowd cheers and celebrates their 10 of Diamonds Grim Reaper's just reward, that he's...
...got a serious case of resting bitch face, arms raised in the most half-assed "yipee" way while money rains down on him. All Hail Wagna. ]
...??
[ Only, the resting bitch face doesn't last for long before his mismatched gaze lands on a familiar sight. Funny how Ragna would be the first to say his memory blows, but there were some faces that were difficult to forget. ...Not that he wanted to with this one. She wouldn't remember. He doubts she remembers how she helped him before when he first arrived here. Having not registered her own luck yet, Ragna sputters as bills flap in his face, and he knocks on the door to get out, shoving away as faux money piles blow out across the floor.
They made eye contact... He'd just seem weird if he didn't say something, right? Ahh, dammit. ]
[ If she doesn't notice the stranger immediately, it's only because Aerith is staring in private mortification at the message that has come through now that she's holding her brand new fleshlight, instructing her to use it with someone. Of course, given the kind of place this is, she shouldn't have expected the game to be quite as simple as "spin a wheel, win a toy"... more fool her, right? Now, she has a problem to solve...
It's only while she's mulling over it that she finally notices the man standing with his arms up as cash rains down on him, paying no attention whatsoever to it because his eyes are on her.
She smiles as he sputters—not laughing at him, though unfortunately the timing may make it seem as if she is—raising her free hand in greeting. She's never met him before to her own knowledge, but there's something about the way he looks at her that makes her wonder if actually, she has— ]
Hi there~. [ She tries not to think about the fact that her other hand, resting at her side, is cupped around a particularly fancy-looking fleshlight. ] I saw you getting showered in money just now! I guess congratulations are in order, right?
[ And frankly? Ragna wouldn't blame her in the slightest. Even with his longer tenure here, he has to double-take and reel at the prospect of getting sex toys hurtled his way. ...Like the time that Kazuya decided to teleport an extra large dildo in to land on his head. (Don't try and deny it you son of a bitchIKNOWITWASYOU-! cough...ahem...) ]
[ Aerith's smile does a good job in disarming him, random bills draping his shoulders whilst some get stuck in his hair. Any other time? He might have growled and asked what the hell she was laughing at. ...If he hadn't just been stuffed in a money box and showered with it in a cheesy fashion. But she not only looks friendly enough, but to him? He makes the critical mistake of assuming that she remembers him after all. Dismissing the game staff now that his turn to spin the wheel is done and he's earned his juicy payout, he pads over towards her as she greets him back with a wave. ]
Heya. [ If she's not going to talk about her fancy-looking fleshlight for now, he's not. ...Yet. Congratulating him, his face lightly flushes whilst ruffling a hand through the side of his white hair. Doing so causes more fake money to spill out. ] I think I got plenty of "congratulating" with all the blaring lights and sounds in the box. ...Still, it could be worse.
[ Is it time to mention her prize? No? Well, he's at least looking at it with a fleeting glance to her occupied hand. ]
I gotta say, Aerith, I wasn't expecting to see you get shuffled back in with the rest of us.
[ Ah... Well, no one could say that Ragna was never the direct type. There's an answer to that little wonder she's been having. ]
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peacockstop2025-01-15 09:00 pm
aerith gainsborough | final fantasy vii
3
at least the game is amusing. watching people, win or lose, get their "prizes" and so often make such funny faces, of course they've been sitting here for the entertainment alone. in fact, they're sitting quite close to Aerith when she takes up her prize, head tilting in their hand as she hesitates.]
What's the matter? Is the game not fun now?
[amusement drips from their voice, light and playful. granted, they do think she looks somewhat less scandalised than some of the players have thus far, so that's kind of fun too.]
I'm howling
She's quick to recover as ever, though, offering the blonde stranger a friendly—and somewhat embarrassed—smile as she shakes her head. ]
It's not that. I just didn't realize that we'd be expected to use these things. More fool me, I suppose!
[ She lifts her hand up, plays with the stray ends of her hair. ]
This might sound strange, but have you been here for long? I'm sure there's some kind of consequence for refusing to follow through, but I can't begin to guess what it might be...
Ehehe
[devilishly brilliant, actually. They're kind of impressed. But her question amuses them too, for much the same reason...]
I've been here for a day or so. [They definitely know that's probably not the "here" she was actually asking about... the game itself hasn't been going on that long, either.] But I'm sure there's some kind of penalty, yes. What it is just depends on what they've hidden in plain sight.
Where I'm from, if it were a trap to ensnare a victim, the penalty would be to push you into compliance. Probably a curse, at least temporarily.
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You might be right. An acquaintance from home warned me that many of the foods here are laced with aphrodisiac drugs... maybe something like that is at play here too?
[ She's less sure how it would work with a riding crop and a timer on this strange watch, but...
She shakes her head, and offers the stranger a smile. ]
Are you intending to play too? [ It's something of an invitation, isn't it. ]
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her own suit was nothing to sneeze at. it looked fantastic down to those dagger heels she's wearing, how she can move in them was a bigger mystery to the party guests. they didn't care enough to ask, though. that was better in the long run for her whenever noticing aerith coming over at her own direction. her turn, then? right. she'll help this woman learn to navigate better before the night ends, perhaps. they had plenty of time in that regard once she takes a sip of her champagne with a cordial smile.)
I take it that we both are new?
(rule number one of high society, always be cordial enough that pleasantries remain pleasantries. barbed words and sharp tongues were better left for fools that were being idiot enough to push their luck. that is a given, but not one necessary in this exchange they'll be having.)
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Well, I definitely am! I wouldn't have guessed you are; you seem to fit in kinda perfectly, to tell you the truth.
[ A strange assumption to make, perhaps, but she's honest about it at the very least. ]
Buuut... I don't exactly come from a place famous for parties, let alone extravagant ones like these. So, you know, maybe that's just my inexperience showing.
[ A light laugh as she shakes her head. ]
Anyway, my name's Aerith. It's nice to meet you—and you said that you're new too?
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He was once dressed in all black, but as he looks down at himself he's realizing he's half naked. Rude sits up and feels the sheer material of the white harem pants he has on, unimpressed with how easily he would be able to see through the material in better lighting.
He notices the motion in the car straight away, watching Aerith as she seems to come to the same realization about her clothing, not saying anything until she notices him first. She should have stayed home and stayed put.]
Not a clue.
[He moves into the light, then regrets it, realizing he doesn't have his shades on and blinks a little to adjust.]
This doesn't look like one of Shinra's.
aerith focusing on all the things that don't matter
Admittedly, she's a little relieved.
She smiles up at him, the expression touching on sympathetic when he blinks under the light. ]
I was gonna say I didn't think so, but... [ A small shrug. It's concerning, sure, but at least she's with someone she knows, so... ]
You look different, you know. Without your glasses.
she’s so cute 🥰
Her remark catches Rude off guard and he stumbles to find a response, the temptation to push his shades up is there but his face is naked.]
I do?
[He’s curious if she means a good different or bad different but doesn’t ask. Rude has already checked the driver seat, and there’s no one else inside but the two of them. He awkwardly clears his throat.]
Don’t know how we got here, but I’m glad you’re okay.. I’ll try to keep you that way.
so is he, protective as always ;;
[ With that said, she shuffles over to investigate more of the space. She has no reason not to trust him—after all, he's always kept her safe before, in his own way—and if anything, she feels safer with him by her side. She may not have a pole or a chair in hand to fight with, but all his needs are his fists. ]
Then—Should we try and see what's outside?
[ Maybe not, when they're both so flimsily dressed, but as far as she's concerned, they don't seem to have a lot of options right now. She reaches for the door handle and—
frowns as it fails to give under her touch. ]
That's strange...
[ A jiggle, and another, slightly firmer than the first. Then, frowning, she looks up at Rude. ]
I think we're locked in here.
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I finally return!! ♥
4
The shock of pink hair beneath the covers and dress hung up with care on the door of the wardrobe are proof that someone is in the room with Aerith. Whether or not the owner of the dress is awake is still up for debate. But it isn't until she's addressed that the pink hair stirs letting out a muffled, somewhat pained groan. ]
Does it have something that will dim the lights so that we don't have to get out of bed? I don't remember them being so bright.
[ Either she's slow on the uptake that she's in bed naked with a stranger or she's used to this by now that it doesn't quite matter. Regardless, there are apparently more pressing matters. ]
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Her face turns pink.
...Well. Some of these things are very much not meant for helping with hangovers, but that's beside the point.
She's able, at the very least, to resurface with a water bottle and a packet of aspirin. She takes two of the pills for herself before recapping the bottle and sliding it and the packet under the covers, approximately where it looks like the other's head must be. ]
Here. This should help. As for the light... give me a moment, okay?
[ She slips out of the bed, trying to ignore the fact that she's completely naked, and crosses the room to close the blinds and dim the lights until they're no longer burning holes of pain into her eyes. ]
There.
[ And she'll cross back to the bed once more, sliding under the covers. Somehow, being naked seems like a lesser evil than the discomfort of that beautiful dress... ]
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A grateful little noise follows the passing of the pills and the bottle of water and it's only then that Hilda slowly begins emerges. It's not like her to be in front of a stranger without some sort of attention paid to her appearance but these are extraordinary circumstances. She only catches a glimpse of Aerith's ass as she hurriedly shuts her eyes to shield them from the light and it's only once her companion returns to the bed and is sufficiently covered that she opens her eyes again. ]
Thank you. [ And as she pops the aspirin other more pertinent matters surface. ] ...You wouldn't happen to remember anything from the night before, would you?
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Namely, the same thing which Hilda asks about in the next moment.
After a moment, though, Aerith is forced to shake her head. ]
There was a party, and there was that horrid dress, and there was champagne. Honestly, I don't think I even drank enough to feel as bad as I do now, you know? But... well, since I arrived here yesterday, it seems to have been one thing after another with this place, so maybe this is just how things go here.
[ She offers the other an apologetic wince of a smile. ]
How about you? Any memories that could help us out?
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slides back in here too!
2
It's funny; the last time he'd seen her, she'd been out of costume, too — trying to remain inconspicuous beneath the armor and helmet of the drill team at his parade, and that disguise had almost worked for her better than this one does. There's a certain security to wearing armor; that dress, she wears like a cage.
He's familiar with that feeling, too. He remembers back when bowties felt like leashes, when they weren't doing double time as nooses. He remembers sitting stiff next to a father he was never good enough for, frantically going over table manners and silverware placements in his mind in the hopes of at least not making a mistake that would embarrass him. Then he learned how to wear style like he was going to battle in it, be it in boardrooms or on rooftops, and made the nooses expand to let him breathe rather than trying to struggle desperately through them.
Pretty and imprisoned. Oddly appropriate, for Aerith Gainsborough.
And whether she remembers that they're right on the cusp of agreeing to be allies or not, either way her life and care has always been a matter of Shinra's business, and he doesn't see any reason for that to change now.]
I'd skip the fruit gelée, if I were you.
[He says, easy and casual, as he corners her near one of the dessert tables.]
Unless you're so eager to get out of that dress that you're willing to let someone take it off you, that is.
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It's strange, like an out of body experience—kept in body only by the constant discomfort of this stupid dress.
In a way, then, she's glad when Rufus draws his attention to her by commenting on the spread of foods, because it gives her something on which to focus, even if—
Well. They've never exactly been friends, have they. ]
Rufus.
[ Her voice makes a statement of surprise, with no inherent positivity or negativity attached to it. On one hand, she's quite sure that any discussion between the two of them will never be anything but awkward, based on their shared history. But on the other... well. When it comes down to it, at least for now it doesn't matter where they are and what their relationship is back on Gaia, does it?
Right now, she's a fish out of water, and it sounds like he's offering help. ]
The fruit gelée?
[ Her head tilts, and she's about to ask "what's wrong with it?"—but then he goes on, and her brows raise. Surely he's not implying... ]
I'm sorry, are you saying it's laced with something?
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Most things at these types of events are. The fruit in particular.
[Not that he's learned that the hard way, through personal experience. Of course not.]
Though if you don't believe me, go ahead and try it for yourself.
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No... I have no reason to try it if you say it's dangerous. [ For as many as their differences may be, he has never sought to hurt her. ] It would be stupid of me to eat it out of spite alone, right?
[ Something about the way he said it, though, makes her frown, tilt her head in curiosity as her lips purse. ]
...How long have you been trapped here?
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2.5
I'm—!
[ an apology catches in his throat, cut off by her peal of laughter. it's a light, airy sound, and feels so decidedly foreign in
his lifeall the chit-chat clamoring around them. he finds himself struck speechless for a handful of seconds... before his expression (and the rest of his body) eventually relaxes. ]Are you alright? That looked like quite the fall.
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But he seems to be understanding—he's concerned, and that's enough to make her relax, to have her smile. ]
It might seem strange to you... but I feel perfectly fine. It seems that the champagne made me fly in the first place, so maybe it also helped me fall? [ She tilts her head, and she laughs. ] That's a really weird theory, now that I think about it. But then again, I've never been the one falling on people.
[ She reaches out one hand, as if to shake (or perhaps to high five). ]
I'm Aerith, by the way! Aerith Gainsborough. Thank you for catching me!
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Well that's a relief. I'm Marco. Adriano, [ he adds in afterthought, since she'd given him her full name. her hand he gently takes into his own, offering a small shake. ]
You're welcome, though I don't think I did anything more than just sit here.
[ speaking of, surely she wouldn't wish to sit on a stranger's lap for longer than she has to. after a quick adjustment of his legs, he moves to gently help right her back on her feet. ]
Do you feel a little steadier now? No risk of floating off again?
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3
[ Meanwhile, as Aerith is entrusted with her oh-so-luxurious fleshlight, streamers and fanfare galore blare in the immediate vicinity as one of the lucky INSTA-PRIZE receivers is stuffed into the money box and showered with bills of numerous amounts, worlds and cultures. Catch a Gil? Perhaps! He should be happier that he didn't get strapped with some embarrassing toy or something that would no doubt have to get put to use, least he was punished yet again for his rebellion.
So the staff best count their blessings that as the crowd cheers and celebrates their 10 of Diamonds Grim Reaper's just reward, that he's...
...got a serious case of resting bitch face, arms raised in the most half-assed "yipee" way while money rains down on him. All Hail Wagna. ]
...??
[ Only, the resting bitch face doesn't last for long before his mismatched gaze lands on a familiar sight. Funny how Ragna would be the first to say his memory blows, but there were some faces that were difficult to forget. ...Not that he wanted to with this one. She wouldn't remember. He doubts she remembers how she helped him before when he first arrived here. Having not registered her own luck yet, Ragna sputters as bills flap in his face, and he knocks on the door to get out, shoving away as faux money piles blow out across the floor.
They made eye contact... He'd just seem weird if he didn't say something, right? Ahh, dammit. ]
i'm dying
It's only while she's mulling over it that she finally notices the man standing with his arms up as cash rains down on him, paying no attention whatsoever to it because his eyes are on her.
She smiles as he sputters—not laughing at him, though unfortunately the timing may make it seem as if she is—raising her free hand in greeting. She's never met him before to her own knowledge, but there's something about the way he looks at her that makes her wonder if actually, she has— ]
Hi there~. [ She tries not to think about the fact that her other hand, resting at her side, is cupped around a particularly fancy-looking fleshlight. ] I saw you getting showered in money just now! I guess congratulations are in order, right?
we all are
[ Aerith's smile does a good job in disarming him, random bills draping his shoulders whilst some get stuck in his hair. Any other time? He might have growled and asked what the hell she was laughing at. ...If he hadn't just been stuffed in a money box and showered with it in a cheesy fashion. But she not only looks friendly enough, but to him? He makes the critical mistake of assuming that she remembers him after all. Dismissing the game staff now that his turn to spin the wheel is done and he's earned his juicy payout, he pads over towards her as she greets him back with a wave. ]
Heya. [ If she's not going to talk about her fancy-looking fleshlight for now, he's not. ...Yet. Congratulating him, his face lightly flushes whilst ruffling a hand through the side of his white hair. Doing so causes more fake money to spill out. ] I think I got plenty of "congratulating" with all the blaring lights and sounds in the box. ...Still, it could be worse.
[ Is it time to mention her prize? No? Well, he's at least looking at it with a fleeting glance to her occupied hand. ]
I gotta say, Aerith, I wasn't expecting to see you get shuffled back in with the rest of us.
[ Ah... Well, no one could say that Ragna was never the direct type. There's an answer to that little wonder she's been having. ]
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