【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.
It has recently come to our attention that many of our guests have not been focusing on their health and wellness. In an effort to encourage healthy living and help our beloved guests get in shape, a grand sports festival will be held in the Golden Peacock. This sports festival will include many small games and four large games.
Prior to the festival, guests will have the opportunity to train and prepare for the games with our expert coaches.
We hope you are as excited as we are! And, as always, we hope you enjoy your stay. 】
BEAK
MEET THE TEAM
♦ DIAMONDS GAME ♦
OMEGADOME: HUNTING GAME
A cheerful pair of game managers stand outside the conservatory doors and block all guests that try to enter. They quickly explain that a special Diamonds game is taking place inside and only guests that agree to participate may enter. This game is a physical exercise that riffs on "Hunting", which is a popular sport in many different countries and civilizations. Of course, it is one hundred percent safe, and all guests that play are eligible to win massive chip prizes, store vouchers, fabulous prizes, and more.
Details about the game? Those can't be shared outside of the conservatory. Only the brave and those willing to risks will reap the benefits of this Diamonds game. So step right up, dear guests, and sign this waiver before stepping into the flourishing beauty of the conservatory for a brand new adventure.
♥ HEARTS GAME ♥
DOUBLES' THERMO: SURVIVAL GAME
Chickadees is sparing no expense on advertising their e-sport games over the course of the sports festival. Posters, notifications, stickers, fliers! Come one, come all. Sports don't need to be physical. Guests that duck into the arcade will find a variety of e-sport games to enjoy, but the real showstopper that every single employee is aggressively promoting is the new immersive VR game, DOUBLES' THERMO.
A large swath of egg-shaped pods have been installed in the back half of Chickadees. Any guest that shows an iota of interest will be assaulted by employees encouraging them to give it a try. They will offer vouchers for a free session, encourage with mentions of prizes that can be won from the arcade's coveted prize wall, and persuade by praising how high tech and immersive the experience is. Some employees are desperate enough to trick or push guests into the pods if they aren't willing to go in themselves.
However they've ended up inside the VR egg, guests will find themselves submerged in strange fluid as the lid closes. Everything fades away into darkness as the game loads...
♣ CLUBS GAME ♣
QUACK AND COVER: SHOOTING GAME
Cloaca & Dagger has temporarily outfitted itself as a neon-bright paintball course. Gone are the wild sex setups in exchange for series of obstacles and obstructions for guests to navigate while in pursuit of paintball championship. This high intensity game of strategy and physical fitness promises to exhilarate! Welcome to Quack and Cover, a game where your shooting skills and ingenuity will be put to the test.
So say the game managers at the door before following up with a few disclaimers. Cloaca & Dagger is not responsible for any physical or psychological trauma guests may incur while inside. Guests that join the game will then be outfitted in tight black underarmor and supplied with a paintball gun and protective mask before being let loose on the course.
♠ SPADES GAME ♠
PECKING ORDER: MMA GAME
During night hours, many long-standing guests make their way through Talon toward the gym’s creaky basement stairs. Three floors down and then through a desolate hallway with littered with abandoned equipment. Double doors wait at the end, unassuming until they’ve been opened…
Flashing lights, jeers, and the thick odor of sweat. You’ve found the Pecking Order, a late-night mixed martial arts event where guests show their prowess in the ring. Spectating guests shout and messily eat snacks on make-shift bleachers while fighters clash inches away, using only their bodies to fight for dominance and win. Pecking Order is very informal; guests only need to sign up in order to get added to the docket. Anyone can watch, though they will be vaguely warned at the door that even spectating comes with risks.
LOCKER ROOMS
YOU WASH MY BACK, I'LL WASH YOURS
Every training and game location has a door labeled LOCKER ROOM right outside the entrance. These doors all connect to the same massive locker room. The magic of these locker room doors goes one way. Trying to go back to the place you just were by backtracking will not work — you’ll just end up in Beak! All guests will be advised to finish their games before hitting the showers.
The Golden Peacock is proud to present our upgraded and extended locker room. Please come in and enjoy the facilities, catch-up with your teammates, and enjoy some healthy drinks provided by our favorite resort convenience store, Cock-a-doodle-doo’s!
▶ 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 March 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.
▶ 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.
[ now normally, manuela would not pay much mind to someone laying face-down on the floor, regardless of where they are or what the context may be — she knows the code, for one mess to let another mess continue on messily without interrupting one's messy vibe. that's just good manners.
unfortunately, chobe makes the mistake of equipping himself with an alcoholic beverage. and just as unfortunately, manuela's mess of choice is a good (or, hell, even a bad one works) drink.
pausing by him on her way over a sauna bench, she leans forward to inspect the martini in his hand. ]
Now there's a drink. Wherever did you manage to find that?
[ all she's had luck with so far are generic red bulls... if you can consider that "luck." ]
[He was having such a good time soaking in the warmth and blocking out the madness of this glorified prison. Chobe's adaptable, able to roll with the punches and do what needs to be done, but even he can tired of endless nonsense. Track and field but make it sexy? It'd be funny to watch if weren't part of the entertainment.
But right now, hearing the voice, he groans and manages to roll on his back, all while not spilling the drink. It's a basic gin martini with your classic olive garnish. Not what one should be drinking in a sauna but is anyone going to stop him?? Fuck no. He raises it to the stranger with a lazy huff.]
That sports bar place. Amazing what they can cook up if you apply a little pressure.
[Which is to say he just threatened to choke out the employee til they produced something with alcohol. Normal shit!!]
[ the woman standing just a little off to his side lets out an audible hmph, arms crossing under her towel-covered bust as a truly impressive pout twists up her lips. ]
I knew I ought to have twisted some arms.
[ not literally, mind you. ]
If you aren't too busy later, I might ask you to coerce something out of them for me.
[At that he cracks his good eye open to get a good look at her. Older, probably confident, and used to getting what she wants, given that stance. He sits up to sip at his drink proper.]
Bold of you to ask a complete stranger for a favor. I got important business going on.
[That business being laying here on the floor. He pats at the ground for emphasis.]
Ya seem pretty well versed yourself though--a sophisticated woman can't charm some grunts into sneaking a drink?
[ used to getting what she wants? oh, if only. the other side of perfectly a pout like this is the sheer amount of times it never works.
hence, ]
If it were a mere matter of charm, I would be drowning in my wine right now.
[ no, but let's not further bruise her ego, alright? she huffs her way over to the wooden bench lined up against the wall, finally settling down so she can soak in the sauna instead of getting herself all riled up again. ]
What could possibly be so important you can't take a few minutes to help out another player?
Fancy way of sayin' ya got a shit personality? Color me surprised. But sorry to say, I ain't much of a team player. More of an "every man for himself" kinda guy.
[Well, he's talking now, so he'll force himself up, standing and adjusting and tying his towel to make sure it stays on. And then--maybe surprisingly, he reaches over, offering her the remainder of the drink. ]
Besides, beat 'em down too much and they realize I won't actually kill 'em. I got a rep to keep up--and I rather not get another night in jail for breakin' wrists.
[ her lips twists, briefly, from that pout to something a little more sour. she can't tell if he meant to insult her (shit personality? excuse you—) or not (but that would surprise him? so does he mean to say she's pleasant even like this???) but she doesn't really get a chance to dwell on the matter before she becomes too surprised by his wordless offer to do or say much else of anything.
she does reach for the drink, though. instinctively, of course. ]
You don't want the rest?
[ maybe that would be a new low for her, to take someone's half-finished drink because it's the only one available. can she suffer such indignity?
....what is she saying, of course she can. what dignity does she even have left to speak of?
still, she'll wait to see if he is only teasing her before actually taking her first sip. ]
[Could be both! Not a tease though, and once she takes the glass, he flops down on the wooden bench near her. The floor is still inviting, but he can sit like a normal ass person for a bit. He gives her a lazy wave of his wrist.]
I can get stronger shit later when we're let out of here. This clown show ain't the norm--a prison's a prison by any other name, but usually the activities are a liiittle bit classier.
[As much as he'd rather not be here, most of the time? Chobe can't complain about the environment. The casino aesthetics, clubs, and many methods of indulgence make it difficult to get bored. But this. . .sports festival, as they call it? Not his scene at all, even if he is a violent thug. He cracks a grin, glancing her way.]
You definitely look like you'd be more at home in a real bar than a cage match. Bad luck for you.
[ feasibly, manuela could also find the "stronger shit" once these ridiculous games are over (and frankly she probably still will) but the fact she hasn't had anything since the games began has already worn her thin, so once he makes it clear she's got free reign with the rest of the drink, she's tossing it back with a seasoned snap of her head. the glass clinks audibly on the bench beside her, where she sets it. ]
I've been fortunate enough to avoid the ring, [ she mutters. she is a marginally better mood now that she's had something to dull the buzzing beneath her veins that constantly begs for more, more, more, but that just means she's more sullen than angry. ] But that game with the paint... What awful weapons.
[ truthfully, she would be littered with bruises from that game alone, were it not for her healing abilities.
with a sigh she tips her head back against the wall behind them, trying to finally seek that relaxation this portion of the events keep encouraging. ]
[Okay damn, it's not that strong of a drink, but he doesn't see many women that can throw back like that. Respect.]
It ain't awful, nah. Most folks goin' for massages and shit, but I don't feel like anyone layin' hands on me. Personal space ain't really a concept here.
[For better or worse. Mostly worse! Chobe overall has little issue with the "goal" of the casino, but when it fucks with your head to keep one going for days, even he has to hold up a hand and try to find some alone time.]
And ya think the paint is bad? I was more disappointed they weren't real bullets. If yer gonna do that, might as well put some high stakes in there! Folks wouldn't care about strippin' then.
[ her eyes had fallen shut not long after she had sought to relax, but they're quick to snap back open again when he mentions real bullets. guns were simply not a thing in her world; she shudders to think about the amount of destruction real projectiles would inflict in that sort of weapon. ]
Now how would that put anyone in the mood?
[ then again, the other game was a literal fight club. so she supposes there are simply some people who... certainly could find that sort of situation thrilling enough to be arousing. not manuela, though.
she sniffs lightly, drawing one leg over the other and delicately rearranging her towel so that it doesn't part so much in the new position. ]
You've been here a while, then? What other sort of activities should I expect from this place?
Hah? The danger doesn't do it for ya? Guess it makes sense--ya don't strike me as a freak.
[A snicker, showing off his jagged teeth. Her attitude and manner of speech still strikes him as the wealthy type, or at least upperclass. Maybe she'd be more at home sipping wine on the balcony of a western style building rather than being forced to share a space with his kind. Ah well.
He thinks for a moment, and then holds up two fingers.]
Just a couple months. Apparently some folks are pushin' a whole ass year, couldn't imagine it. Most of the shit I've seen is folks hooking up in clubs and bars, but they'll set up little bullshit blind dates and the like. Got all sorts of restaurants and shops though. If it wasn't for the whole "here against our wills" thing, you could call it a resort.
[ she can understand enjoying sex when the circumstances are especially exciting — the thrill of fucking outdoors, the potential of getting caught, things of that nature. in this case, she can be "freaky," but in terms of actual life-or-death... well. ]
I'm a physician, you know. [ well. she's a great many things, often out of necessity. but if she had the choice between harming and healing, it will always, always be healing. ] I think any in that field would find that sort of danger unappealing.
[ seems he's of a different opinion. that makes sense — everything about him screams of "rough" and "tumble." normally, manuela might find such crassness off-putting, but there is something to be said of how refreshing his candor is. he doesn't seem to care about putting on any airs, and that kind of freedom is inarguably appealing.
another long, drawn out sigh. no, she isn't of the wealthy class. but she is a performer, and oftentimes the class she affects as the latter can give off the impression she's the former... except to those of actual wealth themselves. they can always tell when one is faking it. ]
Unconventional as this place may be, it's a marked improvement from where I was. So I suppose I can't fully complain.
[A raised eyebrow. Ever since he arrived everyone he's met has been yapping about escaping, or finding the kidnapper, or whining about going home. What's with this attitude?]
Hah. I ain't heard one person ever say somethin' like that. What, were you in trouble? Loan sharks? Runnin' from debt collectors? Spill it.
[He leans over, arms resting on his knees. He's locked in, he's gotta know what this lady's deal is.]
A physician ain't nothin' to sneeze at--and most tend to make decent livings, yeah? So what the hell?
[ she tuts at him, though it lacks any kind of bite. ]
So quick to assume my sorry state is of my own doing.
[ she sounds mildly chiding but — if one were to really break things down, it's not exactly untrue, is it? they have all made their choices, after all, regardless of how unavoidable some circumstances are.
she sighs, closing her eyes. ]
It has nothing to do with money. There's a war, and it's gone on for too long. Last I remember, the opposing forces were marching their way to the stronghold I was ordered to protect.
[We're all the harbingers of our own downfalls, he believes. But her answers just spikes more curiosity , and he cocks his head in confusion.]
Hoooh. So ya see this place as a shelter of sort? But why the hell would anyone put a doctor in charge of protecting anything? Your lot heal and say big words, you ain't fighters.
[As far as he knows, anyway. There are some combatants that might come in clutch taking care of others, but typically you want to put your medical team out of the line of fire.]
[ manuela makes a soft sound of agreement, her lips twisting wryly. ]
I'm a physician, but I know my way around a sword.
[ she opens her eyes then, seeking out chobe's in the faint lighting of the sauna room. ]
I don't look it, do I?
[ the softness about her, the way she carries herself like she would have no place near a battlefield. that's all on purpose, of course. ]
Any woman who has ever had to claw her way out from the bottom has had to familiarize herself with violence. Fighting is never my preference. [ and her side is, technically, the aggressor. ] But with a war going on, it hardly matters. Whether I'm the one cutting someone down or saving them... they all still bleed the same.
Poetic! But yeah, could've fooled me. Ya hold yourself like the lords and ladies I used to rob.
[He's from the 1700/1800s, so she very much throws him off. Less so because she's able to defend herself though; he's crossed paths with many deadly women. Cannibals, swordswomen, ninjas, the surprising part is her choosing to walk the middle path between healer and killer. Jack of both trades, master of none, he supposes.]
So then, you're okay running away from that duty? Or at least, most folks would call it their duty. You're hiding out here and get the opportunity to ride out all the danger that might be shapin' your home. Most folks would be up in arms about that.
[ for the first time since their conversation began, manuela takes a good look at the other man. most certainly a rough-and-tumble type, evident in his general demeanor and that scar across his face (along with any other littering the exposed parts of his body). hearing he had a history of thievery doesn't surprise her in the least.
perhaps she should be worried. but it's very obvious she doesn't have anything on her person but a towel to take, and he's already got one of his own. she thinks if he had any aims at all to harm her, he would have already.
and besides... she of all people can understand that there are circumstances that lead people to less than savory means. perhaps he had his reasons, perhaps he didn't. for the time being, he's hardly bothering her.
so she remains relaxed, sighing out a humid breath and readjusting her legs so the other one crossed over this time. ]
I am far from a good person. [ she tries. sometimes that's enough, most times it isn't. ] I'm sure the guilt will eat at me soon enough. But even then, what could I do? You're strong, aren't you? I imagine you must be. If even you can't return, what hope do I have to even try it?
[Her assumptions are correct. Chobe doesn't shy away from his rep, and he acts exactly how one would expect. His scars, attitude, and generally the way he carries himself acts in the reverse way that plumage might for an exotic bird. It's a clear signal he's bad news, and to stay away unless you want to feel some pain. An effective intimidation tactic that's served him well so far. . .though, it helps that he can back up his looks with actions, too.
Now though? He just wants to lounge, soak in the heat, and not worry about fighting or fucking. Stamina isn't a problem for him, but even he needs a moment or two to clear his mind. She's in no danger, even if he throws some verbal jabs her way.
Leaning against the heated bricks, he breathes out a laugh.]
Sometimes it's real funny hearin' normal folks lament about not bein' good people. Probably a saint compared to most I know. [And being a doctor to boot? Whatever guilt is on her shoulders, he reckons helping to save people evens it out.]
I'm strong, yeah, but I also ain't really fussed about getting out. All the time in the world to worry about that. A lotta others need to fight and struggle and plot to get out, even if it's futile. Keeps 'em sane, I guess. But guess yer more of the practical type.
[ she doesn't offer any protest at his comment, though the urge had been strong; from what she has presumed of him, thinking her a saint compared to the sort of folks he's used to probably isn't that much of a stretch at all, though it still makes her balk internally to hear it. the guilt she has been trying to ignore since she arrived here simply will not allow her to hear a word of it. thankfully, he continues on, offering other things for her to focus on. ]
Have you got nothing pressing waiting for you, or are you simply the type not to be so bothered even if you do?
[ he is refreshing, to say the least. she knows quite a few people who fall into the sort he just described, and though manuela doesn't often think of herself as pragmatic (she's far too sentimental for that, but that's the artist in her) she won't deny that she tends to accept the grim reality far easier than many of her peers. ]
I don't mind hard work, no matter how grueling or difficult. But I suppose I'm too shrewd to devote my time to something I can't see a clear outcome for... and there's far too much about this situation I don't know or can't understand.
Time ain't really an issue for me. Would prefer to get the hell out of here, but I can pick up from where I left off way easier than you folks.
[Always be able to adapt. Bide your time, do what needs to be done. He's worried about his brother, but it'd be a disservice to even consider he couldn't survive without him. He brushes his bangs back, along with some sweat.]
Makes sense. It's just been a couple months, and so far no one's got any idea what the point of all this is. For all we know we're fuckin' for the greater good or some bullshit. Could be worse, all things considered.
The greater good, [ she echoes, voice riddled with clear derision. not towards him, of course, but the very idea of it makes her laugh. ]
But you're right. There are worse fates. And certainly worse realities.
[ she leans back onto the hot stone; the shock of it, however pleasant to her weary bones, makes her skin prickle with electrified nerve endings, and her hands curl into little fists on her lap in response. probably best to move onto less depressing thoughts. ]
What's your name? I'd like to remember you after this. Mine is Manuela.
Hah. [A disbelieving snort.] Most folks would rather forget me. Let alone give me a name so I end up sniffing ya out again.
[For as many allies he's made, he's accumulated just as many enemies and an ever expanding blacklist. But he obliges--she can just try telling him to fuck off later if she finds the details of his rep too unsavory. Keyword being try, but still.]
But if yer sure. . .Aza Chobe. I'll have to wonder how long it'll take ya to wanna bury that name.
[ her lips twist into something humorless and wry. already, she wishes she had another drink to chase that bitter taste down with. ]
Some would say the same of me, you know.
[ oh, she's sure he's a brute. he may well be little more than a thug. but she has seen little of anything truly unsavory about him, so who is she to hold that against him? after all, the whispers that follow her all call her disgraceful. maybe they're far more similar than they aren't. ]
I assure you, I have a far stronger stomach than you'd think.
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peacockstop2025-03-15 09:00 pm
sauna
unfortunately, chobe makes the mistake of equipping himself with an alcoholic beverage. and just as unfortunately, manuela's mess of choice is a good (or, hell, even a bad one works) drink.
pausing by him on her way over a sauna bench, she leans forward to inspect the martini in his hand. ]
Now there's a drink. Wherever did you manage to find that?
[ all she's had luck with so far are generic red bulls... if you can consider that "luck." ]
no subject
[He was having such a good time soaking in the warmth and blocking out the madness of this glorified prison. Chobe's adaptable, able to roll with the punches and do what needs to be done, but even he can tired of endless nonsense. Track and field but make it sexy? It'd be funny to watch if weren't part of the entertainment.
But right now, hearing the voice, he groans and manages to roll on his back, all while not spilling the drink. It's a basic gin martini with your classic olive garnish. Not what one should be drinking in a sauna but is anyone going to stop him?? Fuck no. He raises it to the stranger with a lazy huff.]
That sports bar place. Amazing what they can cook up if you apply a little pressure.
[Which is to say he just threatened to choke out the employee til they produced something with alcohol. Normal shit!!]
no subject
I knew I ought to have twisted some arms.
[ not literally, mind you. ]
If you aren't too busy later, I might ask you to coerce something out of them for me.
no subject
Bold of you to ask a complete stranger for a favor. I got important business going on.
[That business being laying here on the floor. He pats at the ground for emphasis.]
Ya seem pretty well versed yourself though--a sophisticated woman can't charm some grunts into sneaking a drink?
no subject
hence, ]
If it were a mere matter of charm, I would be drowning in my wine right now.
[ no, but let's not further bruise her ego, alright? she huffs her way over to the wooden bench lined up against the wall, finally settling down so she can soak in the sauna instead of getting herself all riled up again. ]
What could possibly be so important you can't take a few minutes to help out another player?
[ is it a dick appointment..... ]
no subject
Fancy way of sayin' ya got a shit personality? Color me surprised. But sorry to say, I ain't much of a team player. More of an "every man for himself" kinda guy.
[Well, he's talking now, so he'll force himself up, standing and adjusting and tying his towel to make sure it stays on. And then--maybe surprisingly, he reaches over, offering her the remainder of the drink. ]
Besides, beat 'em down too much and they realize I won't actually kill 'em. I got a rep to keep up--and I rather not get another night in jail for breakin' wrists.
no subject
she does reach for the drink, though. instinctively, of course. ]
You don't want the rest?
[ maybe that would be a new low for her, to take someone's half-finished drink because it's the only one available. can she suffer such indignity?
....what is she saying, of course she can. what dignity does she even have left to speak of?
still, she'll wait to see if he is only teasing her before actually taking her first sip. ]
no subject
I can get stronger shit later when we're let out of here. This clown show ain't the norm--a prison's a prison by any other name, but usually the activities are a liiittle bit classier.
[As much as he'd rather not be here, most of the time? Chobe can't complain about the environment. The casino aesthetics, clubs, and many methods of indulgence make it difficult to get bored. But this. . .sports festival, as they call it? Not his scene at all, even if he is a violent thug. He cracks a grin, glancing her way.]
You definitely look like you'd be more at home in a real bar than a cage match. Bad luck for you.
cw: alcoholism implication ...
I've been fortunate enough to avoid the ring, [ she mutters. she is a marginally better mood now that she's had something to dull the buzzing beneath her veins that constantly begs for more, more, more, but that just means she's more sullen than angry. ] But that game with the paint... What awful weapons.
[ truthfully, she would be littered with bruises from that game alone, were it not for her healing abilities.
with a sigh she tips her head back against the wall behind them, trying to finally seek that relaxation this portion of the events keep encouraging. ]
At least this heat is pleasant on the skin.
Re: cw: alcoholism implication ...
It ain't awful, nah. Most folks goin' for massages and shit, but I don't feel like anyone layin' hands on me. Personal space ain't really a concept here.
[For better or worse. Mostly worse! Chobe overall has little issue with the "goal" of the casino, but when it fucks with your head to keep one going for days, even he has to hold up a hand and try to find some alone time.]
And ya think the paint is bad? I was more disappointed they weren't real bullets. If yer gonna do that, might as well put some high stakes in there! Folks wouldn't care about strippin' then.
no subject
Now how would that put anyone in the mood?
[ then again, the other game was a literal fight club. so she supposes there are simply some people who... certainly could find that sort of situation thrilling enough to be arousing. not manuela, though.
she sniffs lightly, drawing one leg over the other and delicately rearranging her towel so that it doesn't part so much in the new position. ]
You've been here a while, then? What other sort of activities should I expect from this place?
no subject
[A snicker, showing off his jagged teeth. Her attitude and manner of speech still strikes him as the wealthy type, or at least upperclass. Maybe she'd be more at home sipping wine on the balcony of a western style building rather than being forced to share a space with his kind. Ah well.
He thinks for a moment, and then holds up two fingers.]
Just a couple months. Apparently some folks are pushin' a whole ass year, couldn't imagine it. Most of the shit I've seen is folks hooking up in clubs and bars, but they'll set up little bullshit blind dates and the like. Got all sorts of restaurants and shops though. If it wasn't for the whole "here against our wills" thing, you could call it a resort.
no subject
[ she can understand enjoying sex when the circumstances are especially exciting — the thrill of fucking outdoors, the potential of getting caught, things of that nature. in this case, she can be "freaky," but in terms of actual life-or-death... well. ]
I'm a physician, you know. [ well. she's a great many things, often out of necessity. but if she had the choice between harming and healing, it will always, always be healing. ] I think any in that field would find that sort of danger unappealing.
[ seems he's of a different opinion. that makes sense — everything about him screams of "rough" and "tumble." normally, manuela might find such crassness off-putting, but there is something to be said of how refreshing his candor is. he doesn't seem to care about putting on any airs, and that kind of freedom is inarguably appealing.
another long, drawn out sigh. no, she isn't of the wealthy class. but she is a performer, and oftentimes the class she affects as the latter can give off the impression she's the former... except to those of actual wealth themselves. they can always tell when one is faking it. ]
Unconventional as this place may be, it's a marked improvement from where I was. So I suppose I can't fully complain.
no subject
Hah. I ain't heard one person ever say somethin' like that. What, were you in trouble? Loan sharks? Runnin' from debt collectors? Spill it.
[He leans over, arms resting on his knees. He's locked in, he's gotta know what this lady's deal is.]
A physician ain't nothin' to sneeze at--and most tend to make decent livings, yeah? So what the hell?
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So quick to assume my sorry state is of my own doing.
[ she sounds mildly chiding but — if one were to really break things down, it's not exactly untrue, is it? they have all made their choices, after all, regardless of how unavoidable some circumstances are.
she sighs, closing her eyes. ]
It has nothing to do with money. There's a war, and it's gone on for too long. Last I remember, the opposing forces were marching their way to the stronghold I was ordered to protect.
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[We're all the harbingers of our own downfalls, he believes. But her answers just spikes more curiosity , and he cocks his head in confusion.]
Hoooh. So ya see this place as a shelter of sort? But why the hell would anyone put a doctor in charge of protecting anything? Your lot heal and say big words, you ain't fighters.
[As far as he knows, anyway. There are some combatants that might come in clutch taking care of others, but typically you want to put your medical team out of the line of fire.]
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I'm a physician, but I know my way around a sword.
[ she opens her eyes then, seeking out chobe's in the faint lighting of the sauna room. ]
I don't look it, do I?
[ the softness about her, the way she carries herself like she would have no place near a battlefield. that's all on purpose, of course. ]
Any woman who has ever had to claw her way out from the bottom has had to familiarize herself with violence. Fighting is never my preference. [ and her side is, technically, the aggressor. ] But with a war going on, it hardly matters. Whether I'm the one cutting someone down or saving them... they all still bleed the same.
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[He's from the 1700/1800s, so she very much throws him off. Less so because she's able to defend herself though; he's crossed paths with many deadly women. Cannibals, swordswomen, ninjas, the surprising part is her choosing to walk the middle path between healer and killer. Jack of both trades, master of none, he supposes.]
So then, you're okay running away from that duty? Or at least, most folks would call it their duty. You're hiding out here and get the opportunity to ride out all the danger that might be shapin' your home. Most folks would be up in arms about that.
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perhaps she should be worried. but it's very obvious she doesn't have anything on her person but a towel to take, and he's already got one of his own. she thinks if he had any aims at all to harm her, he would have already.
and besides... she of all people can understand that there are circumstances that lead people to less than savory means. perhaps he had his reasons, perhaps he didn't. for the time being, he's hardly bothering her.
so she remains relaxed, sighing out a humid breath and readjusting her legs so the other one crossed over this time. ]
I am far from a good person. [ she tries. sometimes that's enough, most times it isn't. ] I'm sure the guilt will eat at me soon enough. But even then, what could I do? You're strong, aren't you? I imagine you must be. If even you can't return, what hope do I have to even try it?
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Now though? He just wants to lounge, soak in the heat, and not worry about fighting or fucking. Stamina isn't a problem for him, but even he needs a moment or two to clear his mind. She's in no danger, even if he throws some verbal jabs her way.
Leaning against the heated bricks, he breathes out a laugh.]
Sometimes it's real funny hearin' normal folks lament about not bein' good people. Probably a saint compared to most I know. [And being a doctor to boot? Whatever guilt is on her shoulders, he reckons helping to save people evens it out.]
I'm strong, yeah, but I also ain't really fussed about getting out. All the time in the world to worry about that. A lotta others need to fight and struggle and plot to get out, even if it's futile. Keeps 'em sane, I guess. But guess yer more of the practical type.
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Have you got nothing pressing waiting for you, or are you simply the type not to be so bothered even if you do?
[ he is refreshing, to say the least. she knows quite a few people who fall into the sort he just described, and though manuela doesn't often think of herself as pragmatic (she's far too sentimental for that, but that's the artist in her) she won't deny that she tends to accept the grim reality far easier than many of her peers. ]
I don't mind hard work, no matter how grueling or difficult. But I suppose I'm too shrewd to devote my time to something I can't see a clear outcome for... and there's far too much about this situation I don't know or can't understand.
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[Always be able to adapt. Bide your time, do what needs to be done. He's worried about his brother, but it'd be a disservice to even consider he couldn't survive without him. He brushes his bangs back, along with some sweat.]
Makes sense. It's just been a couple months, and so far no one's got any idea what the point of all this is. For all we know we're fuckin' for the greater good or some bullshit. Could be worse, all things considered.
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But you're right. There are worse fates. And certainly worse realities.
[ she leans back onto the hot stone; the shock of it, however pleasant to her weary bones, makes her skin prickle with electrified nerve endings, and her hands curl into little fists on her lap in response. probably best to move onto less depressing thoughts. ]
What's your name? I'd like to remember you after this. Mine is Manuela.
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[For as many allies he's made, he's accumulated just as many enemies and an ever expanding blacklist. But he obliges--she can just try telling him to fuck off later if she finds the details of his rep too unsavory. Keyword being try, but still.]
But if yer sure. . .Aza Chobe. I'll have to wonder how long it'll take ya to wanna bury that name.
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[ her lips twist into something humorless and wry. already, she wishes she had another drink to chase that bitter taste down with. ]
Some would say the same of me, you know.
[ oh, she's sure he's a brute. he may well be little more than a thug. but she has seen little of anything truly unsavory about him, so who is she to hold that against him? after all, the whispers that follow her all call her disgraceful. maybe they're far more similar than they aren't. ]
I assure you, I have a far stronger stomach than you'd think.
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