peacockstop | TDM 009

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TDM 009

【 Thank you for choosing the Golden Peacock, 5-star resort and casino. You are currently registered as a WILDCARD in our system.

We are pleased to announce that several films have begun production in the resort! All guests are encouraged to participate as actors and crew during this time. Two highly anticipated blockbusters are part of the filming block and will have an opening night premiere at the newly renovated Hatchbox Theater.

We would also like to extend a gentle warning to all actors. New tabloids and journalists have snuck into the Peacock alongside production, so please be cautious of aggressive reporters. We would hate to see our beloved guests embroiled in public scandal.

Please look forward to your debut on the silver screen and all of the new artistic content soon available for your viewing pleasure! 】

HONEYWAGONS

A STAR'S WELCOME

WELCOME TO THE LOT ► All of these new stars are being welcomed to the Peacock in style. The Nest, the resort's premier massive shopping complex, is now lined with dozens upon dozens of trailers, each with a glittering gold star on the door. While unassuming on the outside, the inside of these honeywagons are pockets of luxury in tiny square footage. The catch? Why, characters are stuffed up to 4 in a trailer, of course. We're sure you'll figure something out.

► Characters still wake up naked save for a robe, as is standard for the Golden Peacock. This round’s robes are a mixed bag of gaudy glitz and old money velvet, reflecting the dual faces of Hollywood. Whether you're sporting some classic luxury with a pipe or draped in cheetah faux fur, these robes are skimpy, potentially giving a raunchy photoshoot to those pesky paparazzi!

► Existing characters are welcome to take up residence in any empty slots in these honeywagons. Just because you're not the newest ingenue on the block doesn't mean you're forgotten. Besides, we need you experienced actors close to set for quick costume changes and touch-ups. No need to ask to be moved! It’s all taken care of already.

HIRED HENS ► Several security guards have been newly hired to protect the actors from paparazzi and potential threats. These burly cocos and hens all have three things in common: tight black suits, rippling muscles, and owl heads. These heads aren't just for show; this elite group of guards can swivel their heads 360 degrees to provide the utmost level of surveillance.

► Unfortunately for actors, these owls are both nocturnal and way too into their jobs. They particularly like doing rounds during night hours and staring into the windows of the honeywagons to watch the actors sleep. Some owls will creep into the trailers to watch over their charges by sitting at their bedsides. An owl may be there, staring, where you least expect it. However, their diligence may not necessarily be a bad thing!

► Alongside owl security, actors may find themselves bombarded by paparazzi. These photo-hungry tabloid journalists are all after shots that will fetch a high price, willing to do anything for a scoop. The majority of these new paparazzi, in contrast to owl security, have hummingbird heads. They're just as quick too, zooming in and out of both backstage and the sets in search of a scandal.

► Be careful, because hummingbirds aren't the only paparazzi. That's right — guests, new or existing, may find themselves scouted to play ball with the tabloids. They may not be as obvious as those aggressive hummingbird reporters; some may even be working undercover in search of a scandal to sell to the highest bidder. All actors are at risk of embarrassing or defamatory photos being published in resort magazines or posted to the bulletin boards.

ACTOR RESUME

WELLA WARBLER


Height: 4 inches
Weight: 5 oz 
Age: 3 years (24 in bird years!)
Eye color: black 
Hair color: yellow
TYPECAST & SUITABLE ROLES

• animal sidekick 
• emotional guide 
• damsel in distress 

KINKS & FETISHES

• berry licking 
• mating dances 
• hardcore bdsm

SPECIAL SKILLS

• singing 
• flying fast 
• speed sudoku 

ROLE REGISTER ► What better way to get to know your colleagues than to check out their resume? All guests will have access to the actor registry, which provides an overview of actors and basic information about them.

► The registry, with the help of the Golden Peacock's AI, can also flag complementary resumes. An actor that may have good chemistry, match the requirements for a particular scene, or has unique experience relevant to an upcoming job may reappear at the top of the search several times.

► Actors can communicate through the registry. There is a general messaging board where everyone can see what is posted and personal inboxes for private correspondence with an actor. Actors are encouraged to collaberate because many of the scenes in the available movie projects involve intimacy.

COPYABLE CODE

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COSTUME DEPARTMENT

GET INTO CHARACTER

PICK OUT YOUR DUDS ► The trendy clothing boutiques of The Nest have been transformed. The walls between these small stores have vanished to create a vast costume warehouse divided by department, seemingly overnight. Actors may freely browse the racks to select suitable costumes for the roles they've been cast. The directors aren't picky about how their actors dress as long as it suits the part, allowing guests creative freedom as part of the process.

► Actors that choose costumes that are extremely unsuitable for their roles will be forced to change into something chosen by costuming staff. These mandated costumes will be on theme but will always be slutty, sexy, and enhance an actor's unique "assets". An actor blessed with a bountiful bosom may find themselves wearing a tight little lace bra while an actor with a thick ass may end up in assless chaps. It's all about giving the people what they want, you know?

► All articles in the warehouse run the risk of being possessed. There are no clear-cut signs as to which pieces are cursed and which are not before putting something on. Possessed costumes come in two flavors: Type A and Type B.

Type A possessions are straightforward. The actor wearing a Type A costume cannot remove it alone — they will find that no matter how many times they grab a button or tug on that zipper tab, nothing will unfasten. Someone else must remove the costume for them. Good thing there are a bunch of changing rooms just big enough to fit two people inside around, huh?

Type B possessions are unique. The actor wearing the costume will begin to feel influenced by it. They may feel inspired or compelled to act out the role it embodies. This possession will not be satisfied until some level of resonance between actor and role is achieved. While the possession isn't satisfied the costume cannot be removed. But hey, you're an actor headed to set, so surely this is only gravy for your performance!

DOLLED UP ► Done getting into costume? Head over to hair and makeup! After all, clothes are only half the battle. Whether you need to get glammed up or slapped into some monster makeup, the makeup artists are here to help. Mostly. Actually, they're super understaffed, and there aren't enough makeup artists to meet demand. Though they hate to ask, could you guys potentially help each other get ready?

► Actors confident in their makeup and hair styling skills (or just confident) will be allowed to use any tools to help get their fellow actors ready. However, any actors kind enough to jump in and assist will be warned that many of these products are made at home in the Golden Peacock. If not used with discretion, they can potentially make the actor being worked on ... extremely horny! Like a game of Russian roulette, one in five of all beauty products are created with aphrodisiacs. Ironically, this isn't even for the sake of getting guests into the Game 52 spirit — their supplies are just like that.

► Fill-in artists shouldn't fret too much. The majority of those products only have aphrodisiacs in minuscule amounts. When applied carefully they typically cause minor arousal or sensitivity. Artists that spray and paint with reckless abandon, however, may find a new problem on their hands!

GRAB A GIG

FIND YOUR BIG BREAK

GETTING TO SET ► The Golden Peacock is buzzing with excitement for two big blockbusters that are currently in production: LORD OF THE WINGS and STAR WARBLERS. Both of these films come from movie franchises that are adored resort-wide for their iconic blend of story, romance, porn, and action.

► Directors will be filming dozens of scenes with different actors in lead and supporting roles. Actors are given creative freedom on how to approach their roles, with barebones scripts that offer a general idea of where the scene should go and some spicy lines here and there. One actor’s take on a role may be different than another’s.

For example, three different actors portraying the Dragon Lord in Lord of the Wings may take their portrayals three different ways. A lonely Dragon Lord, a villainous Dragon Lord, and a misunderstood Dragon Lord are all fair game. Supporting characters such as the elves and faeries the warriors meet during their travels are completely free game within the bounds of “elf” and “fairy” in classic movie tropes.

► Two new floors have appeared in the ever-changing Peacock, each dedicated to one of the films, due to their massive and comprehensive sets. Guests will discover two new buttons on every elevator’s operating panel. Actors and fans are invited to enjoy these sets even when the camera isn’t rolling — this blend of high-tech VR and real world elements comes at a very high budget, so guests are encouraged get their fill while they’re available!

INDIE HITS ► In addition to the two massive blockbusters, several spin-off series and porn shorts currently casting and underway. The directors of these major motion pictures have kindly permitted the filming of smaller projects using these unique movie sets when they aren’t already in use. Smalltime directors and film enthusiasts are eagerly pitching their porn scripts in hopes that they’ll get made!

► Several smaller sets can be found around the Peacock for these homegrown productions. While some scripts utilize locations that can already be found in the Peacock, other long-standing guests have pooled their money together to establish a handful of sets not already available in the resort. These sets are open for use at any time.

► Unlike the large production crews of Lord of the Wings and Star Warblers, these smaller porn projects do not have a big budget for staff. Some projects utilize AI and drones to film, so actors that are shy about getting down and dirty around a physical cameraman need not worry! Both the producers and the Golden Peacock staff want their stars to be as comfortable as possible to fully enjoy the experience.

SPIN THE WHEEL ► It wouldn’t be the Golden Peacock if there weren’t some kind of game-like twist! While actors are encouraged to go out for any roles or films they find interesting, those looking to win large and extra-large chip payments can spin the fetish wheel to up the ante. Actors that spin the fetish wheel must incorporate what the ticker lands on into their next role.

► Can’t manage to work it into your scene? Those that fail their fetish task will find a huge chip deduction from their bank account and a punishment waiting for them. Any actors that fail the game must dress up in sexy costumes and go around the Golden Peacock handing out fliers for the premiere of Lord of the Wings and Star Warblers, with strict instructions to dance sexily for anyone that accepts a flier. Hey, the directors have spent tons of money on these movies, they’ll take free advertising however they can get it.

► SPIN THE WHEEL HERE!

LORD OF THE WINGS

AN EPIC (AND SEXY) JOURNEY

【 Once upon a time, in a magical land far, far away...

The Lord of the Wings, a massive dragon with no equal, demanded a bride tribute from all of the kingdoms across the continent. Every month each province was required to send their most beautiful men and women to become the dragon's next bride(s). Ever greedy, the dragon was not satisfied with having one bride. Not with twelve brides, nor two hundred brides. The dragon always demanded more. The number of hot people around to bang dwindled. Things were looking grim.

Soon, a group of brave warriors gathered to travel the lands and slay this dragon. They enjoyed adventures of fucking their way through sirens, fucking their way though the faeries, and fucking their way through the mage school and beastmen tribes. They reached the dragon's crystal lair where the dragon, who took beautiful humanoid form, approached them.

The dragon promised that if any warrior could satisfy them sexually, they would return all of the brides to their homes. Each warrior took a turn trying to satisfy the dragon — but only with their efforts combined in one massive orgy was the dragon finally satisfied.

All of the brides were released and the warriors moved into the crystal lair to live a loving polyamorous relationship with the dragon. All was well. The end. 】

A FANTASTICAL SET ► Guests taking the elevator to the new floor labeled 'LORD OF THE WINGS SET' will are greeted with a cool, damp breeze as soon as the doors open. Unlike any other area of the resort, this set evokes a very real sensation of stepping out onto the earth to embrace snowcapped mountains, lush forests, and wide-open sky. The size of this set is massive with different climates depending upon where filming is happening. Towns, villages, and tribes can also be found.

► The set is teeming with background actors that have been instructed to stay in character at all times. Actors may encounter both friend and foe while exploring the set, regardless of whether or not the cameras are rolling. Lord of the Wings features a wide range of character types ranging from humans and elves to monsters and beasts.

► Key locations in The Lord of the Wings are: human villages; siren's cove; fairy's forest; Beastmen wilds; Elven mountains; and the dragon's crystal lair. But these are not the only locations in the set! Actors will find a fantastical range of areas to explore and enjoy.

MAGICAL DANGERS When it comes to movie magic, the Golden Peacock is more magic than movie! While sets are generally safe and violence is simulated, there are elements of the film that can affect actors for real. If guests aren't careful, they may really find themselves in a sticky situation and need a clever Hollywood way to get out of it. Or maybe they'll need to live out a classic trope for real.

► LIEBERRIES: Found in the Elven mountains. Delicious but cursed: you can only lie for 20 minutes after consumption. Beware misunderstandings!

► SNUGGLEBLOSSOMS: Found in the Fairy forest. These charming blossoms produce an immense amount of pollen. Breathing in snuggleblossom pollen is lethal. The only cure is to fuck within two hours of inhaling.

► THERAPANGO: Found in the Siren's cove. Anyone eating it will spill their emotional baggage to the nearest object (tree, statue, enemy soldier). It's cathartic, if not dignified.

► RAINBOW CRYSTALS: Found in the dragon's crystal lair. Contact with a rainbow crystal will increase endurance but delay/deny orgasms. No wonder the dragon was so hard up!

STAR WARBLERS

A THRILLING (AND SEXY) SPACE OPERA

【 Once upon a time, in a galaxy, far away...

The Palm Warblers and the Pine Warblers, two different legions of the massive Warbler fleet, began to battle. Whenever their ships would meet in space they would fight with the winner taking prisoners of war. After one such battle, a captured Captain of the Palm Warbler legion held in prison met a Lieutenant of the Pine Warbler tribe. After some rivalry, the two fell deeply in love.

They had a ton of kinky prison sex. However, the two were not satisfied with fucking between prison bars. They wanted to properly marry. But how could they with their two legions at war?

They each gathered friends and more sex was had between all. More matches between the Palms and the Pines happened, leading to even more kinky space sex. Bolstered by friendship and newfound fetishes, they gripped their laser guns and seized the science lab where some important keystone gemstone was being examined and researched by space scientists. This stone was very important for the future breeding of the Warbler race.

By holding the lab hostage, the ship's Commander put down their weapons and handed over the keys. The Palm Captain and the Pine Lieutenant held hands as they steered the ship off to find a new planet where they could live in peace together. The war between the two tribes ended because of good sex. All was well. The end. 】

A TASTE OF OUTER SPACE ► Guests taking the elevator to the new floor labeled 'STAR WARBLERS' will greeted with the ethereal hue of stars and planets outside of crystal-clear windows. While the set of Star Warblers is smaller than Lord of the Wings, it's far more detailed, completely imitating a starship traveling through the vastness of space. All of the elements of the spaceship are dripping in high-tech science fiction.

► The set includes background actors that have been instructed to stay in character at all times. Actors may encounter both friend and foe while exploring the set, regardless of whether or not the cameras are rolling. The background actors of Star Warblers are primarily Warbler Troops wearing helmets, highly ranked Warblers in sharp military uniforms, and white-coat clad scientists.

► Key locations in Star Warblers are: the prison hold, the ship's bridge, the command deck, and the ship's research laboratory. But these are not the only locations in the set! Actors will find a range of futuristic areas to explore on the ship.

ALIEN THREATS Why keep the science fiction fictional when the Peacock can provide the real thing? While sets are generally safe and violence is simulated, there are elements of the film that can affect actors for real. If guests aren't careful, they may really find themselves in a sticky situation and need a clever Hollywood way to get out of it. Or maybe they'll need to live out a classic trope for real.

► 'TORTURE' BOTS: Found in the prison hold. Robots programmed to 'torture' prisoners into revealing information. These bots are equipped with dildos, vibrators, pussy pocket hands, lube jets, feather ticklers, etc. These bots can be controlled by the wardens for more intimate 'torture' sessions.

► SPACE RATS: Found in various locations. Small, neon rats that run around the hallways and in cargo areas of the ship. If bitten by a space rat, their bite will continue to swell until the bitten person has sex.

► GREEN GOOP: Found in the research labs. In syringes and in massive bubbling pods. When not watched, the goop will move on its own and try to absorb anyone around into it.

► GEMSTONE EGG: Found in the research lab. The gemstone egg that the scientists are evaluating, important for the future of the Warbler race. Any physical contact with the gemstone egg will inspire the sudden urge to mate and breed.

SHORT FILMS

THE GOLDEN PEACOCK SUPPORTS THE ARTS

【 Ladies and Gentlemen!

Peacock Productions is pleased to announce the following short erotic films. Actors interested in participating in filming are welcome to arrive on set to shoot at any time. Various accommodations are available depending upon actor comfort.

FILMS
• ALIENS PROBED ME!
• ARRANGED MARRIAGE WEDDING NIGHT
• BIG TIDDY NUN NEEDS PUNISHING
• BIRD IN THE BUSH
• EXORCIST KIDNAPPED BY DEMON LOVER
• FELINE ATTRACTION
• GUARD TOPS MASTER IN BED
• HORNY NERD CREAMPIE
• HOT FOR TEACHER
• INCUBUS SEDUCES SLUTTY PRIEST

FILMS
• JEALOUS SPOUSE DISCIPLINES LOVER
• LONELY TENTACLES WANT LOVE
• MAGES GONE WILD
• PIZZA DELIVERY BOY IS HOT
• PLANTS HUNGER FOR SEX
• SAMURAI PLEDGES AND SERVES
• THEY WERE BOTH BOTTOMS
• TOP ON TOP ACTION
• VAMPIRE’S AROUSING BITE
• VIRGIN’S FIRST TIME
• WHOLESOME COUPLE MAKING LOVE
• WOLFMAN TAKES A MATE

… and many, many, many more! We look forward to working with you. 】

BOX OFFICE BOOM ► "And many, many, many more!" is no exaggeration. Smalltime directors and long-standing guests are producing dozens of pornos and these pornos are in need of actors. The above is not the extent of possibility. Players are encouraged to make up any kind of porno scene they want! Characters may take advantage of open sets to make videos or take photoshoots for their personal use, general public release not required.

► These pornos typically lack story and focus more on fetish and kink. The plots are loose, the lines are ad-libbed, and if there are any crew around it's one guy in a hoodie eating a donut. However, the cameras available for rent are just as high quality as the ones used on Lord of the Wings and Star Warblers. If that's not your style, all Watches have the capability to connect via bluetooth to film through standing cameras.

► Actors that participate in filming will receive a large payout per role. The more jobs you take, the more money you'll make! Alternatively, actors that don't fill any roles may find their bank accounts suddenly plunged deep into the red, no matter how rich they may have been before.

EXTRA SETS Current Peacock locations and all of the Lord of the Wings and Star Warblers sets may be used for pornos. However, the world of kink is vast and variety is the spice of life. Several smaller open sets not usually available have appeared around the resort for actor use.

► CASTLE(S): Sets featuring the aesthetics of historical castles. Numerous versions are available, each influenced by a different culture (eg, English; French; Italian, Spanish; Russian; Chinese; Japanese; Korean; etc).

► CHURCH: A church stylized after Catholic/Christian aesthetics. Includes a confessional, pews, altar, and worship room.

► MANSION: A luxurious mansion designed to evoke high-class old money. Includes a servants' quarters for clandestine cross-class affairs.

► BEACH: An enclosed set with powdery sand and an artificial ocean. Includes grottos, a lifeguard station, and a large rubber shark.

► OFFICE: A plain work office lacking any particular unique qualities. Includes cubicles, copy machine, manager's office, and conference rooms. Smells like soul-sucking capitalism.

PREMIERE

YOUR BIG DEBUT

WALK THE RED CARPET ► We’re rolling out the red carpet! Lord of the Wings and Star Warblers open the same night. All actors that participated in any film, be it one of the blockbusters or a smaller project, are invited to dress to the nines and blow kisses to their adoring fans while strutting their stuff. Actors will have the chance to take fabulous glam photoshoots and share their thoughts about filming with reporters. Be careful, anything that happens on the red carpet can become tomorrow’s hot new gossip. Some of those pesky hummingbird journalists are so eager for a scandal that they’ll make something happen, sneakily!

► The Golden Peacock has upgraded its formerly dinky little theater into a grand multiplex for the occasion, so actors and audience can enjoy these films in delicious IMAX. The multiplex is lush in red velvet and fabulous “bed” seats — each seat is designed to couple two guests together. You won’t be lonely during the screening since cuddling up with someone else is mandatory to enjoy the movie(s).

► All premiere attendees will be gifted expensive swag bags upon entrance to the theater. Inside each bag guests will find a bottle of champagne, chocolate truffles, gourmet popcorn, trendy sodas, gummy candies … and one random sex toy. No harm in spicing up a special premiere, right?

The note included with the sex toy explains: 【 Get your seat partner off with this toy before the film ends for a special prize! 】 What’s the prize? Those that get their seat-partner off during the film will be given a Golden Globe. This exclusive gold statue comes in two styles: penis with balls or vagina with breasts. Congratulations!

OOC NOTES

INVITES | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

▶ BLANKET CW: cameras; compulsion; costumes; dubcon; nudes; pornography; roleplaying; recording; sex tropes; stalking; video

▶ 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 May event. Since April's event was a bit serious, we're leaning in the opposite direction and going full camp for this meme.

▶ Current characters may top level on the TDM. Any current characters posting to the TDM should note they are current in their subject header.

▶ The top level directory is for new characters only. We want to make sure new characters are prioritized and receive attention!

▶ If you aren't satisfied with these prompts, please feel free to check out our LOCATIONS to explore more of the resort!

▶ 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.

NAVIGATION • LOG • NETWORK • OOC • MEME

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I — RESUME

gětiān


Height: 200cm | 6'7"
Weight: Surprisingly light
Age: Centuries Old
Eye Color: Yin & Yang
Hair Color: Chestnut Brown
TYPECAST & SUITABLE ROLES

• Reclusive hermit.
• Mysterious fortune-teller.
• Harbinger of calamity.

KINKS & FETISHES

• Praise & devotion.
• Skillful wordplay.
• Experienced partners to take charge.

SPECIAL SKILLS

• Playing music & singing.
• Calligraphy, art, & poetry.
• Geomancy & Feng Shui.
• Bone-reading & divination.
• Said to grant wishes.

II — PAPARAZZI

( catching like blood clots in the flowing veins and arteries of the Golden Peacock’s hallways and corridors, small mobs of paparazzi—both of the hummingbird-headed and the conscripted guest variety—can be found crowding around the guests both new and old who now find themselves shouldering the mantle of stardom and glamor. some handle the indignity of such flagrant encroachments to their personal space and privacy with far more grace and aplomb than others.

on that scale of best handling the paparazzi, getian would find himself at the very bottom.

he does not handle attention well. after countless years of largely-unbroken solitude spent living on his mountain peak, even listening to a few concurrent conversations happening around him can sometimes feel overwhelming. so when crowds of paparazzi descend upon him, pelting him with questions and blinding him with flashes of light from tiny machines he doesn’t understand, he reverts to an almost animal instinct. he will not fight these people. getian prefers to avoid fighting at all costs. so, as passersby might notice a particularly feverish knot of paparazzi in the hallways and galleries, pressing in on what seems like one individual, one of two things might happen:

a) getian, fearful and overwhelmed, hides. this miemeng bird can tower over an average person when standing up to his full height, but crouched down on the ground with his legs bent and his wings pulled up defensively over his head, he would scarcely come up to someone’s waist. the odd, harpy-like creature occasionally gives a shudder, seemingly too frightened and/or overstimulated to do anything else.

b) or… he’s had— )

Enough!

( there’s a small burst of energy that explodes as a shockwave out from the location at the center of the paparazzi, the air whistling and rippling with aftershock gusts. getian stands up to full height, spreading his wings to their full span and snapping them in several quick flaps to ward away the crowd that had clustered around him. his first cry had been impassioned, loud enough for the usually soft-spoken bird that it had hurt his throat. now, glowering at all those around, he speaks in a more level (yet no less seething) tone of voice: ) Stay away from me.

( then he takes wing—something that’s not very easy to do, inside this cavernous building, full of dead air and constricted spaces that rob him of wind, sky, and sun. once aloft, he flies over the heads of the others in the room, perhaps going to the very opposite end of the larger space or squeezing into another hallway to try to find a more quiet room to calm down.

for any who might think to not listen to his scathing words (they hadn’t necessarily been directed at them, after all!), he can be found perched somewhere higher in the resort architecture, perhaps on a low wall or ledge or support. his chest moves rapidly with breath, and his feathers prickle and fluff out with distress. )

III — THE LORD OF THE WINGS

( apparently, getian was a remarkable find, an incredible actor to play a part in the lord of the wings! he himself, however, has no idea what they’re talking about. he goes through the horrible procession of hair, makeup, and costuming before the even more horrible ordeal of being forced into the tiny space of the elevator. claustrophobia preses in on him from all angles, causing his breathing to pick up sharply and his dual-colored eyes to fly wide with panic. when the elevator actually comes to a halt and the doors open to the immense set, getian wastes no time. he flings open his wings and bursts free, wheeling with joyous, wild abandon into the endless expanse of the simulated sky. it might not be real (there’s a piece of him that can feel an edge of falseness to it, even if he can’t explain it to himself), but he doesn’t care. it is still wind in his feathers, sun against his back—these are the only things he cares about.

a) the miemeng bird is impossible to wrangle. a few overworked production assistants are sent after him to try to get him back to the parts of the set they’re meant to shoot scenes at, but he either flies away from them or wards them off with arcs of sharp, scattered bone fragments. it’s possible that you are sent to bring him back to set, if you can track him down from where he flies through the skies over any of the various regions. if confronted, he will perch on a tree branch and flare out his wings defensively, eyes set in a fierce glare as he lifts his chin to demand your intentions.

b) or perhaps you haven’t been sent after him at all. this would actually make him far more amenable to approaching, especially to those ranging close to areas he’s noted are more dangerous than others, such as the Fairy’s Forest. the wind picks up, accompanied by the rhythmic thudding of wingbeats, and the miemeng bird comes to hover in the air nearby, observing the other travler coolly. )

The path ahead is treacherous, ( he speaks in a gentle, accented voice, though something in his mien remains as of yet guarded, ) Tricks and illusions; I have seen even animals wander for hours without sense.

( of course, the other path that he hasn’t paid as much attention to lies in the similarly-treacherous (but in a different way) path of the snuggleblossoms… but getian doesn’t know anything about that. )

IV — SHORT FILMS (CASTLE)

( does he know what this set is meant to be used for? no. does he even understand at this point what a movie is? no, absolutely not. at first, he finds himself onto this set only because, due to the fluctuations of demand or perhaps a rotation of cast and crew, it was presently empty at the time that he came across it. and what fortune that was for him, given that this carefully-crafted depiction of an ancient Chinese castle is one of the most familiar-looking things he’s seen since arriving here—even if it is far more lavish than the zhici of pei city had been.

familiar surroundings are of passing interest, but the thing that keeps him here rather than continue on his pressing search for peace and solitude is some of the props. the set is constructed as a large, luxurious personal bedchamber, complete with doors flung wide to a sizable balcony, and though they may have been an afterthought, getian’s heart trembles with excitement when he comes across several instruments arranged in a corner. one of the most terrible things about this place are how his most precious possessions have been taken from him. his bone wand—carved from the wing of his departed friend. the jade talisman—the symbol of his own change, his decision to leave his mountain and learn more about the people who lived beyond it. they were gone, along with his flute and his other instruments. his instinct in the moment is only to pursue that which is familiar to him and brings him joy—music has always been first and foremost to him in that.

anyone passing by in the vicinity of the currently-unused set might hear the sounds of music drifting through the halls, and if they follow it to its source, they will find the miemeng bird in the center of the set, his wings held out to either side of him as the flute and strings of the guqin move and pluck according to telepathic suggestion, weaving together the tune.

of course, he wouldn’t have thought far enough ahead, that his momentary diversion would draw attention to him once again… )

OOC —

( as stated above, getian’s age is not confirmed but is at least 100+, if not centuries old. no restrictions on age or gender. anyone interested in anything nsfw with him should be comfortable with xeno/inhuman anatomy, as he has typical avian anatomy (meaning: a cloaca and no penis). )

Edited 2025-05-17 04:01 (UTC)

[ well. dan heng wouldn't have expected that his recently trained power of transformation would come in handy for something like this. he can easily imagine the preceptors' hair curling at the very idea of draconic transformation being used for something so mundane and blasphemous as fetching someone from the heights of a porno set.

a good thing, then, that he hardly gives a whit what the preceptors think.

so getian will soon find himself approached by a sinewy dragon that weaves through the air toward him, and while it is clear that this dragon is coming for him and not here for a casual fly about, there is nothing aggressive in its body language. in fact, the dragon flies quite smoothly, relaxed and unhurried, and when he is within shouting distance he stops, hovering in the sky, long tail flicking. ]

Excuse me. I have been sent to fetch you.

[ he says, whiskers twitching as his bright teal eyes move over getian. ]

Do you plan to come down any time soon?

( the bones will tell.

since descending from his mountain to the world of men, getting caught up in the strange mystery that was taking place in pei city, and then ending up safely sequestered away from the rain that fell upwards into the open sky in a “suitcase,” of all things, getian has tried to train himself not to look. for a miemeng bird such as himself, it is instinct. the way that his people cataloged their history was to inter their bones in a temple on the mountain, where any of their kind could read that individual’s experiences—their triumphs, joys, struggles, failures, and sorrows—to better learn of the world outside. to read the bones of other creatures was not so extensive nor so detailed, but the structure of one’s skeleton tended to contain indicators of their personalities and the lives they have lived.

he has also had humans come to him in disguise, spinning illusions over their appearances to make them seem as someone he knew. a trick that might fool some, but a miemeng bird can always tell—when the bones do not match the face, the body, the way it moves… there is a wrongness.

to be polite, he tries not to look. but sometimes he finds himself doing so regardless, not yet having learned to fully trust.

getian has seen and heard dragons depicted in human art, poetry, and literature, so he recognizes what approaches him immediately, pale and dark eyes going wide as he maintains his perch. what interests him more than the mythical form, though, are the bones. yes, bones can change—changing one’s fate usually requires it—but they change over a long period of time, often through extended periods of trials and strife. but the strange creature’s bones now seem to radiate with change itself, present, active, alive; nothing like the falsehood he’s seen before. it’s fascinating. even the men turned into striped horses in pei city hadn’t appeared the same.

the miemeng bird spreads his wings and takes to the air, approaching dan heng before wheeling around him in a large, lazy loop, its orbit changing based on whim. he gives the creature enough of a berth that he hopes it does not seem aggressive. he’s merely curious, observing him from all angles.

ah, but he has asked a question, hasn’t he? surprising, that he asks the same as those children that he had scattered earlier. )

Why should I? ( a bird is meant to be free, and even in these false skies, he’s found the only shred of freedom he could since arriving in this strange, confounding place. he comes to hover, wings beating rhythmically, a distance away from the dragon’s face. ) Why do you?

[ a curious creature, this bird who sails around him, watching him with bright, sharp eyes, as if taking the very measure of his being, and dan heng remains still save for the gentle undulations of his sinuous body, hovering while he is examined. his eyes, however, are also sharp, also watchful, and while there is no defensive tension in his body language, dan heng nevertheless never entirely lets his guard down around those he does not know.

but he allows the thorough measurement without complaint, waiting for the bird to finish and address him again before he speaks. ]

A fair question. By all estimations, you shouldn't.

[ he says, voice smooth, reasonable, his tail swaying smoothly behind him as he contemplates his answer. ]

.. but this place has ways of forcing one's hand, and making you comply. [ the power the house wields.. it is great, and more than a little terrifying, all things considered. ] Of course, that's not reason enough for many, I suppose.

[ as a nameless, after all, it is in dan heng's nature to fight against oppression, but he is a little more discerning when it comes to others. he'd rather not see them struggle needlessly, if it can be helped. ]

( he is more than happy to give the dragon time to consider, personally gratified that his questions are being taken with enough gravity to warrant the time and thought. it’s laborious to keep himself hovering in one position, though, so he shapes the air beneath his wings to begin lazily circling around dan heng’s head. he appreciates the way the air feels more alive in this place, even if he knows it’s a false life. an artificial, manufactured one; getian is from a time in antiquity that virtually all modern technology is like magic to him. an almost blasphemous thought, given the world that he comes from—one where the bold innovation of human design and technology has finally begun to eclipse the ability and intuition of arcanists. these things should be oil and water. but he surely understands that to an extent, thinking of it all as something beyond arcane skill and ritual. as an arcanist himself, he would intuit it greater, if that were the case. no, this place is something else; a great birdcage hungry to entrap him, and getian is currently doing all he can to ensure that doesn’t happen.

how dan heng replies to him, then, is disheartening. for a few moments, only the sounds of his wings fill the air as he sifts for his reply. )

You capitulate, then, to inevitability?

( the words… there is a bit of challenge to them. he’s aware that this could be dangerous, but… perhaps he wants to believe that such a creature wouldn’t fold so easily. )

Or do you have something to gain?

Not necessarily. Just because that is my choice in this occurrence does not mean that it is always my choice.

[ and the path of the trailblaze certainly dictates that he should move forward in the face of conflict, and never back down when it is important. but even still.. dan heng chooses his battles carefully. and, well - ]

I suppose I also tend to worry more for the safety of others than that of myself.

[ where he may fight against constraint to his own detriment, he will not ask or expect the same of any other, even if it means asking them to make a choice that will submit them to bowing their head, for the moment. still, the bird has certainly stirred his thoughts, and for a moment dan heng lowers his gaze. has he been too compliant, here? his goal is to return home as soon as possible, which means playing along with this game, but.. perhaps he has been selfish. even isolated and alone as he is here, dan heng shouldn't abandon the path of the nameless. shouldn't capitulate easily. ]

I take it you're choosing to remain here, then?

( he has to wonder if the answer is wise or merely… uncommitted. not that getian is one to judge such a thing; he had lived apart from the rest of the world for centuries, fully aware of the floods, famines, fires, wars, and storms that plagued humanity (as he could either see them for himself from his vantage point or he listened to the prayers of those who occasionally came to his mountain in pilgrimage). even as his people had slowly begun to depart, one by one, to curse themselves to mortal lives all just so they could help the lives of humans that they’d never met, he remained. he sang. he watched. he slept. many could call his decision to remain in seclusion a selfish one, and he would have no rejoinder or argument for it.

if this dragon had acted to come to him, however, he doubts he was so passive. he is making this decision of his own complicated accord, then—something he only reinforces as he continues. safety? getian has not felt particularly unsafe. alarmed, disoriented, discombobulated, and out-of-sorts, to be sure, but if there are dire consequences for refusing the demands of this place and its staff, he has not yet seen them.

(of course, many of those “consequences” were from within rather than without, but, as a fresh-faced wildcard, he wouldn’t know anything about that.)

just as dan heng is made self-aware and inwardly searching by getian’s questions, so too is the miemeng bird by the dragon’s own words. “i tend to worry more for the safety of others than that of myself.” his heart constricts as he thinks of the words. he thinks of what is lost to him—items so precious that they were worth more to him than his own life. his bone wand, gone; one carved from the wing bone of the last of his people to go on before him. a jade pendant, mended by his own efforts, which had represented his resolution to try to understand humans in the way he’d avoided for so long. is he choosing to remain? to continue to avert his gaze, deflect, and avoid? he thought he’d been trying to take a different path. he, too, was trying to change his nature, even if it was so stubbornly written into his bones.

his lazy orbits around dan heng’s head come to a halt as he hovers a short distance away from him again. ) No. ( perhaps a surprising response, given the stance he has taken thus far? but, ) Before I was brought to this place, I decided I would stop being one to flee and look away. …I see now, I have returned to old habits.

( a little more hesitantly: ) But, still…

( okay. now he might be blushing a little bit?? )

…From what I heard those humans say, I believe they expect too much from an old bird such as me…

[ a surprising response indeed, and it shows as much on the dragon's features. dan heng is not a terribly expressive young man no matter what form he takes, but even still, it's clear that he did not expect this creature to yield to his request, had thought he would return to the ground with his claws empty while a contented bird wheeled about freely in the skies.

his reason, too, surprises. ]

My apologies. I had not meant to imply that you were fleeing anything.

[ it seemed less like cowardice that kept getian here, and more a yearning for freedom, something that dan heng can deeply understand. he had spent too much of his life in chains to ever submit to them again so easily. so if the bird prefers to fly, then fly he shall.

at the blush that colors his cheeks, however, dan heng hesitates. ]

That said.. they do expect a great deal.

[ casual sex is one thing. casual sex in front of a camera is quite another. were this occurring during dan heng's initial days here, he can't be sure that he would have agreed, either. ]

You don't need to participate, however. It isn't required, though there are certainly incentives to motivate. Of course, you'd need to leave the set, most likely, if you choose not to get involved.

[ Fleki's had one hell of a past twenty-four hours. Waking up in some utterly bizarre place, with a strange bracelet around her wrist, and soon getting swarmed with people aiming weird devices at her face the moment she left her caravan; they'd shoved her into a hall full of clothing, which she'd snuck out of after arguably selecting the most garish available ensemble—after all, she has no coin, and no warden around to take charge. So this is fine, right?

After thinking on it for awhile, she comes to the conclusion that the only explanation that really makes sense is that she's been trapped within the trickery of some dungeon. She doesn't remember setting foot in another dungeon after that mess on the island, but it wouldn't be a stretch to imagine that her memory had been jumbled by magic somehow... Dungeon or not, however, she's swayed by the information about an elven settlement in the mountains, and so duly finds herself setting off into the region known as "Lord of the Wings" (weird name).

The problem: she's isn't wholly prepared for a journey. Though she's used to sleeping rough in the dungeons and has had the foresight to bring food and clothing for all weather (all of it stolen and stuffed into a backpack), there had been no one who could give her directions. And once she steps into the Wings, early in the morning to make the most of daylight, she also realizes that most of the vegetation is unfamiliar to her, resembling neither plants found in the dungeons nor on the Continent. Is she really that far from home?

She makes decent progress, trekking through the undergrowth, though she takes frequent breaks to refresh and complain. Just not too long, because if she starts thinking about her situation too much, she can feel her brain start turning into mush. However, directions and flora and confusion soon become the least of her worries when she hears the flap of wingbeats overhead. Fleki's head snaps upward to find the source, her experience in these places stoking her instincts to fear the worst. Would it be a giant bat? a griffin? a dragon..? ]

Ch-chimera?!

[ It speaks to her, which is weird, but her mind is on an overdrive. The last chimera is still fresh on her mind, and though they'd nearly gotten rid of it, she can hardly manage that on her own! She's just a scout! There's no telling what would happen to her body if she summoned her familiars here and now!

She tries to shuffle several steps backward, and near-immediately trips on a rock. ]

Oh shi—

[ She's sooooooo dead. ]

( for hundreds of years, the number of mortals he had seen had been negligible. occasionally, they came to his mountain, drawn there by stories of creatures that might be considered xiángruì—guardian beasts that could see the future, change fates, and grant wishes. he and his people were not Goumang, however; they were merely a different species of arcanists, albeit one with their own allotments of strange power. decades had passed, and getian had watched his people depart from their mountain, one by one. it was a sacred yet depressing procession. any among them were free to decide, but to descend to the world of men and help them to build their civilization and thrive was to give up what made them immortal. eventually, they would die, and one of the miemeng remaining on the mountain would depart to gather their bones and bring them home.

the first time getian himself had left it, it was together the bones of the last collector. his last friend—the only other remaining miemeng bird. he is all who remains of his people now, and while he might have thought that would only make him more resolute to never venture in the world of men… he had, regardless. he had heard a rumor of mystery and trouble in pei city, and he had responded to it—the following events resulted in his mountain being lost to him forever, and now he finds himself fully immersed in a world of mortals he doesn’t really understand.

as overwhelming as it can be, it is also fascinating. his people had also studied man from afar, learning their methods of art, music, and literature (even if it was largely only mimicry). he is not immune to the longing in his heart which draws him, like a siren’s song, to that which would eventually end his life. he could choose to hide indefinitely, but there is still something which draws him out to help, even when he only knows marginally more about their situations than the other.

indicators of age, race, and species are still things that getian struggles to quantify and qualify for humans. he wouldn’t even be able to identify that fleki wasn’t human at all, having never met an elf before. he also wouldn’t have been able to anticipate her reaction to seeing him, though it’s not as though all humans treated miemeng birds as good omens. they have been feared in the past, blamed and chased and killed for calamities they came to warn about. those had always been sad, troubling stories to read from their broken bones.

as fleki startles and stumbles in her attempt to get away, getian lowers in altitude until he alights on a nearby fallen tree. he folds his wings to his side, tilting his head with curiosity and just a tad of confusion wrinkling his brow. one innate arcane ability of all miemeng birds is communication, understanding. it’s not that he speaks and knows all languages, but all language is music, and that is the language he knows perfectly.

this word… he doesn’t understand it. strange. that almost never happens.

he’s aware she’s afraid, but he’s hoping that his non-threatening presence will reassure her more than his clumsy attempts at comforting her might. ) That word… ( he blinks, shifting where his talons grip into the bark of the log, ) I have never heard it before. What does it mean?

Oof!

[ Down she goes, onto her ass on the forest floor. In her mind, she's fully about to be torn apart within seconds, and so she really has no other option, does she? Practiced as moving a muscle, she brings a familiar to the surface, coalescing its form out of magic until a bird the size and look of a raven sits on her arm. She'll have to put her mind into it to control it further, which is a suboptimal choice at the moment if something else targets her body, but surely it's better than immediately rolling over and becoming monster chow?

Despite her expectations, however, the chimera doesn't attack. It lands on a downed tree nearby and eyes her, head tilted, which is honestly also kind of unnerving! Is it sizing her up?! Is it trying to determine how many monsters she'll feed?!

Apparently it's curious too, but she really doesn't know if it's better when it asks her things like that. Are human-based chimera self-aware? The last one she met didn't seem to be able to talk, but maybe that was just an exception? Augh—she totally missed it if the Captain ever covered it, but since she's usually surrounded by people well-read on all the magic aspects, she just let them decide how to deal with the complicated situations!

She'll talk, if only because it seems she isn't dying immediately. ]

They're... monsters, made by a Dungeon Lord using magic to fuse together multiple beings.

[ Usually animals or other monsters, and differentiated from beastmen by their unusual anatomy and inability to transform, and, of course, their loyalty to the Lord of the Dungeon. But those are technicalities Fleki has no mind to explain right now, being much more concerned about her immediate survival. ]

L-look, I'm not gonna try and mess with your Master or anything, so maybe you can just... let me go?

[ That would probably be treasonous if any Canaries were around to hear her say it, but she's only saying it because she's completely alone in the first place! No backup, no one to even revive her if she dies! If she gets out of here in one piece she swears she'll make a proper report, so please just let her make it out, okay? ]

( getian’s mien of cool, cautious observation cracks open into open fascination when fleki conjures the familiar out of thin air. in his mind, this makes her an arcanist—he has seen several with arcane skills that allow them to create or animate familiars, though he is used to them being something like jiu niangzi and her wooden puppets. it has always seemed more common for arcanists to find or create objects with which they imbued their skill, giving them movement and limited thought. to create something from nothing… it is not unheard of, but it is certainly far rarer (and, to him, more impressive) than what he’s seen before.

though… even after she makes it—a large, black bird which he assumed was a raven—it doesn’t move from where it perches on her arm. strange. is that the consequence for conjuring a familiar from nothing? that one crafted can move, but one created cannot? surely not… there wouldn’t be much use for them, if that were the case…

consternation crosses over getian’s face like clouds across the sun at her reply. he would bristle at being called a “monster,” though it wouldn’t be the first (and certainly not the last) time that a mortal would hurl such a word at one of his kind.

all in all, her assumptions are completely off. this, he’s gotten used to. when he’d left his mountain, there had been some who knew stories of miemeng birds, but since being removed from his time, that recognition has dwindled to nothing at all. he is accustomed to being a unique oddity among strangers. but he will set the record straight. )

If you would call me a “monster,” that would be your own prerogative. But I was not created by arcane skill the same way that bird on your arm was, and I have no “Master.”

You can call me Getian, and that is what I am. Though, humans have called us “miemeng birds.”

( the moniker does not bother him. it is like a word in another language—different sounds, yet they create the same musical note, the same meaning. still, “getian” is the surname by which all of his people referred to themselves, and it is how he prefers most call him. it makes him feel close to them still, even if he knows where all their bones were interred (assuming it had not been washed away in the “Storm”). )

You can leave if you wish. ( he lifts his wings towards his face; with the rounded peaks of his “wrists” held near his face, the gesture looks rather shy. ) I have no desire to harm you.

[ it's not difficult to spot someone or something in distress; a rookie officer like seth should have his eyes wide and his ears alert at all times, just in case he's needed. whoever's being surrounded by the faceless and oppressive crowds needs space. it doesn't matter how famous they are or not, seth's job doesn't stop just because he's not holding his shield and baton or wearing the obvious clothes of a public security officer--- ]

Hey!

[ forcing himself through bodies so he can get to the center of attention (literally), he puts as space in between them and the huddled, crouching winged being that is clearly not okay with this. ]

Get out of here, can't you see you're all bothering him? I'll give you all to the count of three to leave.

[ does he seem that intimidating? even baring his teeth and his tail bristling with anger, seth isn't particularly sure whether he might even spook the one he's protecting... ]

One... two...

[ and when he's about to say 'three', all the cameras go off at once. the bright flashes are blinding. ]

( at first the shout only blends into the other calls and questions that are being hurled either directly at him or all around him; he wouldn’t think to assume that it heralded anything that would change what is happening, what has been happening inescapably for the last few days. a miemeng bird, as rare and strange as it is, is likely to draw attention, but he had never thought that he would be able to find focuses of attention that were worse than those he had read in the bones of his deceased kin. he doesn’t even know what they want from him. the didn’t know the answers to any of their questions, could barely see through the flashing of the devices in their hands, and why would he want to show his face to those who couldn’t even respect his space?

it’s not until something brushes past the feathers of one of his wings (a tail?) that he gets the sense that someone has imposed themself between him and his ring of tormentors. he still can’t bear to look, but he does listen; the voice seems young but impassioned, commanding a surprising amount of authority as he laid down his ultimatum and his countdown.

not enough authority, it seems, to actually convince the paparazzi to move on, though.

simultaneous with the sound of the synchronized flashes of the cameras, getian rises up and stands, wings unfolding and spreading out and then forward, coming to meet together just above seth’s head. held out like an umbrella, a shield between the two of them and… well, at the very least the cameras in front of them, it’s a paltry effort to intervene but one getian felt compelled to make regardless.

amongst the clamoring and renewed wave of shouts and calls, the miemeng bird’s voice is soft: ) They do not seem inclined to listen. ( a beat. ) Do you want to leave this place?

( something about this brave stranger being interjected into the situation has given getian enough confidence to act. he should just be ready for what might happen, though, should he say yes… )

[ he's already in the process of raising an arm, trying to shield himself without actually having something to protect him. yes--- an exercise in futility and surely if he were exposed to the simultaneous flashes of light that he would be spending more time trying to rub his poor eyeballs with the back of his hands, unable to keep the one at his rear properly guarded from both prying eyes and prying lenses... ]

Huh?

[ there it is. the touch of something light and fluttery that ends up brushing past as it rises over and above him. the flashes of the cameras are still there, but he doesn't feel the need to cover up when the wings end up doing just enough. undoubtedly the picture would be pretty interesting, two pairs of legs and one of which being much more... uncommon than the other. it's only now that seth realizes there are no arms either. is he gawking? turning his head, he can't hide the surprise. not when they're this close. ]

Oh, yeah. I agree. They're really getting in your business... it's none of theirs, either.

[ he's not used to this level of scrutiny from the media. actually, any at all tends to be pretty negative--- so he rather just get this poor bird away as quickly as possible. ]

Of course I want to leave. I can think of like, five other places I'd rather be!

[ he has no idea what's in store. ]

( unfortunately for the two of them, what is happening before the cameras now is only eliciting an even stronger response. those photos of the miemeng bird desperately covering his face with his wings, cowering and shrank down to a mere fraction of his actual height? worthless. what kind of story could you sell with a photo like that? but photos of a conspicuously feline young man stepping in to try to defend him, followed by the strange creature suddenly bursting forward to endeavor to shield his would-be savior in return? oh, what a beautiful and delicious story of camaraderie and fledgling devotion! surely they can needle more photos out of them, right? perhaps some of them closer, more intimate, staring longingly into one another’s eyes? the noise is, to getian, little more than a singular voice, a wordless roar from one throat, but these are the questions and interjections that are suddenly being hurled their way as the situation slowly unfolds and changes.

it’s just too bad for those opportunistic paparazzi that neither of their subjects are listening.

for how terrified he had seemed a moment before, getian’s face is impassive as he watches seth turn to face him, answering. there is some paleness to his complexion, perhaps a small trembling to his wings and shoulders, but it is so much easier to focus on the solution to this problem when there is someone before him being troubled rather than when he had been the only victim of the troubling. one thing that has consistently surprised him about this place is how the sense of others’ words occurs to him without having to cast his arcane skill. there must be some other, grander arcane ritual this place that is performing the same function. he nods, expression troubled. clearly, the brazenness of this invasion of privacy bothers him.

but they needn’t put up with it anymore.

getian nods, as if seth’s reply convinces him of something. )

Don’t move.

( and then it all happens at once: the green-sheened wings part and open above him, feathers contouring to gather up the dead air beneath them as his powerful legs bend and then launch him upwards. his wings beat, he begins to rise, and his legs once again extend toward seth, grabbing him none-too-gently (but as gently as he can manage!) around the middle. then they are up in the air, clearing the heads of the stars, guests, and paparazzi below, soaring through one hallway and then another until they emerge into one of the larger areas that getian has found in this place as of yet: the casino hall. he wings them up, rather than down, eventually finding a wide enough ledge overseeing the fields of slot machines and dealers’ tables that he can set his catboy charge down on without too much risk of him falling.

he does so, hovering in the air for a moment before taking a perch on the ledge himself. he folds his wings to his sides, eyeing seth cautiously. )

I hope heights do not trouble you. ( his head tilts. ) I can return you to the ground, if they do.

( his eyes search out over the casino floor; several have taken note of them in their lofty perch, but most don’t act on it or are simply too drunk or engaged with what they’re doing to care. ) They won’t be able to follow us up here.

( actually, people can still get pictures of them from the ground, but… well, getian doesn’t even know what cameras do, so he doesn’t know that. )

[ the last thing he wants to entertain is any kind of tabloid-esque speculation among anyone in this resort! he has a name, of being the younger brother of a higher up in the force, that can't get tarnished in any way. so if any of those pictures end up coming back to the commander, there's no way seth will be able to live it down. especially during those tense family dinners... it'll be held over his head time after time again, even if he's been spotted with quite the unusual (and interesting) companion? with wings trying to wrap him up in some kind of protective layer, one might say the rookie police officer is the one being shielded and not the other way around.

but upon that command, of course he's not going to budge. not when he's got a strong foot like that wrapped around his waist? if anything it's even more imperative that he doesn't do anything to potentially cause him to fall! he might be a cat thiren, but that doesn't mean he'll land on his feet. or have multiple lives. he doesn't share those qualities with cats... maybe he'll wish for that later, if he survives the brief flight!

though it feels like as soon as they took off, they're already landing. far above the rowdy crowds, of movie enthusiasts, people looking for a quick and fast time with a star... ]

N-no. I'm good, I'm good.

[ as long as he doesn't continue to stare at how far they are from the ground, then seth can breathe. easy? hardly. but he's not gasping for breath, paralyzed with fear. ]

I doubt anyone will want to come up here. You're probably the only one who can. Comfortably, anyway. But... um. Thanks.

( fortunately, the young man does not squirm. that’s for the best for both of them. getian very much doesn’t want to drop him, and he’s sure the stranger doesn’t want to be dropped as well. he tries to find a good balance, grasping seth strongly enough that he wouldn’t slip away from him but also not so strongly that it would risk his talons biting into his skin. all in all, it’s likely a way one wouldn’t jump at the thought of traveling again, but it probably wasn’t traumatizing either. it’s the best that he could hope for. miemeng birds aren’t exactly known for their prowess at transporting passengers.

getian sees that seth is anxious at being up as high as they are. fear of heights is such an interesting thing to him, but he can understand it, for one who does not have wings to fly. )

Don’t worry. If you do slip, I will catch you.

( perhaps he sounds a little more confident than he actually is… he’s pretty sure he’d be able to catch him before he reached the ground. but hopefully it will not come to that. )

I should be the one thanking you. ( he dips his head slightly in gratitude. ) Even if they did not listen, it was courageous to do what you did. Interjecting yourself to help someone unknown to you.

But…

( he looks over to seth, and his eyes can see clearly the shapes of his bones beneath flesh and skin; they are unique to each person, their shape, strength, and wear indicative of their backgrounds, struggles, and triumphs. this is where he gets the indication of it. )

This runs in your family, does it not?

[The vessels of Golden Peacock's circulatory also had plenty of invaders. If the paparazzi are a natural part of it, blood cells meant to fill it, then Aak doesn't mind being a pathogen for a bit. He can't spot who they target is, he can't seen over the waves of people, he just knows they're in his way and annoying.]

[The sound of breaking glass hardly registers under the waves of camera flashes and exclaimed questions. He's targeting other senses. As the liquid hits the ground it produces a thick, foul-smelling gas that quickly spreads from its place of origin. It rides up on the warm air and into the waiting nostrils of the camerapeople. Slowly but surely the questions give way to coughing, or gagging, and they're left to consider if harassing the curled-up bird was worth staying in this unexquisite torture.]

[It is not. The crowd starts to scatter in every direction. The ones with stronger constitutions just act like they found something better to do elsewhere. The weaker ones are flat-out bolting away. When the hallways is left it's just the ball of feathers and Aak with a handkerchief held neatly over his own nose and mouth.]

Here, an extra. [he tosses a bright, patterned cloth at the wing. He's helping.]

( getian had met a young woman in the Timekeeper’s suitcase, an arcanist who tended to wear extravagant outfits and even more grandiose hats. her specialty, he had found out, was alchemy. this was an arcane art he had been aware of even in his own time, but the potions and poisons she was able to concoct on the fly engineered a broader array of wild results than he would have previously thought possible. it was fascinating to watch her work, and even more fascinating to watch the effects that her experiments had on those she asked to try them. getian himself had never been brave enough to approach and help; he had typically watched from afar, curiosity brimming but his timid nature holding him back.

in general, however, sotheby’s alchemic experiments had tended to have a more… whimsical, kinder-hearted intention—nothing like what aak flashbangs onto the floor to begin to clear away the pestering crowd of paparazzi. with the immediate effect that it has, he might as well have been an inspector clearing out a nest of marauding insects. they quickly begin to disband and scatter one the foul miasma begins to fill their sinuses and choke up in their throats; the only trouble is, the same thing begins to happen to getian. the huddled mound of feathers begins to quake more violently, though this time with coughing rather than shuddering.

he hears the sound of hurried footsteps, hacking, coughing, wheezing, gagging, and sneezing all around. and then, after a short time of this, all is quiet. getian occasionally coughs himself, eyes watering, though he also slowly lowers the barrier of his wings to look to see just who had unleashed this “attack.”

truthfully, he has never seen someone like the young man. getian was of course personally familiar with his people, and he had met many humans and arcanists since leaving his mountain. many appeared human but were more than what they appeared—like jiu niangzi, whose blood was mixed with that of a lushu, a xiangrui—and more still had unique appearances that could not be accounted for by human logic. getian himself would be considered one such creature. so he is not necessarily shocked to see a Feline such as aak, but it is certainly a novel experience.

his eyes, mismatched dark and pale, move from the young man’s cat-like face to the motion of his hand. getian doesn’t even move his wings from where he holds them at his side; instead, his brow furrows, and the cloth freezes in mid-air. it is not impossible to cast arcane skills without his wand, but it is harder. he is deep in concentration as he maneuvers the cloth to his face, molding it there just as aak had done his own. )

…Thank you. ( his tone and the mingling tension and wariness in his eyes shows that his gratitude is not so pure or simple, though. ) Though, this alchemy of yours is foul.

( he stands up a little straighter and stretches out his wings, beginning to flap them up and down—just to generate enough movement in the air to push the gas away from where they stand. )

[Aak would argue that his own concoctions are plenty whimsical. Every single one was according to his whims! He couldn't own kind-hearted, though. Even if he was trying to be kind to the bird-man on the ground he was enacting suffering on his assailants. No amount of good intentions would push his actions over to kind. He was fine with that. Sometimes, in order to get things done, kindness must be set aside and placed back in the kit for later.]

[He got the job done and that was what really mattered.]

[It was rare to see a Liberi born completely without hands- not that this was likely a Liberi. Likely it was some other race from some other place with some other rule about their anatomy and physiology. And a technique to get around the lack of fingers.]

Cool trick. [praise given idly, while the other stands and starts to disperse the gas with movements of those wings.]

It's supposed to be foul, you know. If it was a nice smell I'd have to make it like ten times stronger to make people run away from it!

[Because a scent was a lot like medicine- if you included enough of it you could overwhelm the senses. Something that was pleasant in a small dose becomes painful and harmful that stings the nostrils. This putrid odor did the trick without needing to be nearly as refined.]

[ The man beneath Getian’s hover is tall, for a human, with hair the color of sunlight drawn back into a patterned headband. Colorful robes adorned with exquisite feathers and beads sway in the breeze, tinkling lightly as they knock together. It’s an article that had reminded Quincy of the tribe and the ceremonial robes they wore on ceremonial days—seeing him emote for a second upon finding it, the costuming staff had shoved him straight into it. This, at least, he doesn’t mind, finding small comfort in the familiarity of this style of clothing and the apparent freedom of the set’s forest. It’s all fake, he knows, but the rough bark beneath his palms and the mountain’s crisp air in his lungs are enough for now.

The crew hadn’t expected their tribesman to vanish between takes. Quincy had slipped away at the earliest opportunity, adept at moving silently through the forest, even though this forest is not the one he’s guarded for many years. He knows how to read the stones and moss, how to judge the trees that grow here, and how to move as respectfully through the brush as possible. He has nothing but the utmost respect for nature—it’s in his blood, his traditions, his character—so he is reluctant to startle anything that does not need to be startled. That respect extends to the creatures of the forest: he looks up at the shadow overhead before offering a polite nod in greeting.

Yokai of the forest are not surprising to him. He has know them for a long time; an old bird isn’t much different from an old fox, if potentially less mischievous by nature. ]

I see. [ he gazes down the pathway that Getian is referring to, quiet for a moment before speaking, ] Is the other way the same?

[ He turns his gentle gaze back to the bird’s figure, resting a hand against the trunk of a large tree. Pale lips move, about to say something else, when in the far off distance the echo of some of the crew searching for Quincy drifts. They aren’t especially close, but those of the forest know how to listen for upset—and the crew members traipsing through aren’t graceful as they swat their way through bushes and groan about having to come off the beaten path.

Ugh, why did he leave set… John, stop slowing down, you just slipped in mud, it isn’t like you slipped in shit. Deb, he wasn’t the only actor that’s gone missing either, right? Maybe a few got lost out here. Let’s bring anyone we find back, or else they’ll be a wandering out here for hours. Ugh… what did I step in now? I’m not paid enough for this job…

Quincy’s eyes narrow in the direction of the noise before he turns his attention back onto the bird above. ]

Don’t let them find you. They’ll bring you back, too. They’re … aggressive.

[ He says, though he’s of the mind that this old bird is native to the forest and not another absconding actor. Playing around on set is troublesome and he doesn’t expect a yokai to enjoy getting captured and dragged into some role. Quincy, similarly, no longer wishes to tolerate it—so he steps onto the other path and begins to head down it, not wanting to get caught either. Illusions and tricks are too risky with pesky crew members on his tail. ]

( to getian’s eyes, nearly all manners of dress that he sees the other “guests” of this place wearing are odd, but that was not altogether novel. he is not new to being adrift in time, plucked from his own age so to avoid the “Storm” that washed away eras, and sheltered within the suitcase of a young arcanist named the Timekeeper. her quest, her companions, and her struggle were largely abstract to him; he was counted as one of those companions, yes, and he aided when called upon, but it had been hard to contextualize his own place in their story. this “casino” is just as discombobulating to him as that impossible slice of wilderness had been, so he suffers from much the same here. the infringements upon his freedom here have been far harsher, though. told where to stay, where to sleep, when to wake, when to eat, what to wear, what to do—the harshness of the lights on him paled only in comparison to the frightful amount of attention he seemed to garner wherever he went. he wanted none of it. he accepts that it had been his own choice to leave his mountain, but oh, how he wishes he could return. to sleep amongst the boughs of his tree, play music, and keep watch over the temple—the final resting place of every other miemeng bird that had ever lived.

if he understood correctly, it was all gone now, washed away in a rain that fell upwards into the sky.

when it had come to getian’s costume, less had been more. they’d actually taken off the robe he had found for himself, permitting him a band of cloth around his waist and a matching shawl to wear over his head and shoulders (mostly because he’d gotten far too agitated and fearful when it had been taken away). otherwise, his torso was kept bare, painted in colorful and intricate designs—this apparently had to do with his “role,” that of a sympathetic beastman who had joined the brave warriors on their quest upon being sufficiently impressed by their sexual prowess (a detail that’d been enough to make him blush). he is neither a fool nor some spring chicken; he had a general idea of just what sort of “plays” (he has no idea what a ‘movie’ is) these people were trying to force them to perform. he was not particularly thrilled by the idea of such wanton, casual bawdiness. call him old fashioned, but hey, he’d seen miemeng birds court for years if not decades before actually settling in as mates…

he is just as intent on continuing to evade them as quincy is, though he believes the human far more poorly-equipped, for his lack of wings. still—getian is impressed by the way he handles himself in the forest. he didn’t even need to see him do so to know it; he could read it in his bones, the gentle curves of one with great respect for nature, as strong and graceful as the boughs of a tree. it makes him feel slightly more at ease around him, even if he is a stranger. )

If it is treacherous, it is not in a way that these old eyes of mine can see.

( and the eyes of a miemeng bird can be a powerful thing, but usually only those with bones to read. the landscape and flora he knew less about, though the path hadn’t looked difficult when he had scanned it from above.

quincy begins to head down the other path, and, after a moment’s thoughtful hesitation, getian begins to accompany him in his own way. he flies low beneath the canopy of the forest, scouting ahead and regularly circling back toward the human to check on his progress. it’s on the first of these returns that he replies, ) They have already sent people to bring me back several times. I do not believe they account well for one who can fly, however.

( when he’d either flown away or sent them retreating with warnings of his arcane skills, that’s when they’d really started complaining about “not being paid enough for this.” )

[ As if on comical cue, the voices in the distance travel through once again:

Oh, Deb, what’s that thing you’ve been carrying this whole time but I’m conveniently only noticing now? A net launcher? Good idea! Any of the actors that give us trouble can be caught in that projectile net and forcibly dragged back to the filming location. There have been a few stubborn ones that we haven’t brought back yet, huh? Hahaha! Also, I never noticed how muscular you are before? You wanna grab drinks after this?

Quincy is silent for a moment before turning his gaze back up to the old bird. ]

It sounds like they’re better prepared this time.

[ Since he does not see troublesome illusions and traps, Quincy is emboldened by Getian’s conjecture, continuing along the forest path without hesitation. It doesn’t mean that there aren’t dangers—he expects that this ecosystem is delicate and strange—but the matter of evading their would-be captors is simpler without having to navigate tricks. Whatever lies beyond the thicket can be handled when they get there.

What he doesn’t expect to find is an innocuous field of flowers. They’re as thick as a quilt with green peppered between their cottony petals in soft shades of purple and pink. Extremely alluring, especially to a man that lives in a state of perpetual tiredness; they look like the perfect place to snuggle up and doze off into some sweet dreams. Their pollen, likewise thick as cotton, floats in the breeze and clings to the trees on the border of the field. Birds chirp happily, making their nests with both petals and pollen. By all accounts, it’s extremely peaceful and welcoming.

Quincy is deeply familiar with plants. However, these are brand new to his eyes—which, along with the fact that there is no other way through than to go straight—draws him into the sea of snuggleblossoms. He pauses before turning his attention back to the bird hovering overhead, ]

Are you familiar with these flowers?

[ As he stands solid a tree himself, pollen builds on his shoulders and catches in his wavy blonde hair. He brushes it away from his bangs and studies his fingers, rubbing the strange texture of the pollen between his thumb and middle finger. Very strange. It clings too much, as if prepared to pollinate whatever it touches. ]

[ silk, black with gold accents, embellished with a Chinese-style dragon on oversized sleeves, Getou suspects the look is intended more for flash than substance — or accuracy. he couldn't place the dynasty of its inspiration any more than he could point out what, exactly, is wrong with it, merely sports the cultural zeitgeist understanding of what happens in the entertainment industry, even more egregious when it comes to pornography. the script he barely skimmed proudly tells him he's an EXCORCIST KIDNAPPED BY DEMON LOVER... is that what this is meant to be? he's an ancient sorcerer, a cultivator? hell, he supposes it's not that far off; maybe the director is going for that touch of authenticity in Getou finding it relatable and able to pull from true experiences. ]

[ you know, right up until his dick's in something. ]

[ there's nothing inauthentic about the song he hears adrift in the jagging hallways of various sets. following it leads him to an empty one — and perhaps to the co-star he's supposed to be greeting on their own set in fifteen minutes or so. it almost seems like a recording at first, something pristine and unflattened by the act of transcription, unlike everything from his own time. it isn't until silent footsteps draw closer does he note the vibrating dance of the strings all on its own, difficult to assess with the angle chosen in case absolute concentration hasn't caged this particular bird. ]

[ some strong curses are gifted with speech, some of it even sentient. somehow, music doesn't seem like a far reach, especially not this mourning thing, sonorous and sinewed by Golden Peacock's supernatural acoustics. maybe that's just the nature of strings. Getou hasn't been particularly industrious about collecting spirits in spite of the resort's plethora of them, little concerned with power when the relevance — and, perhaps, meaning — of it has been left behind... ]

[ but if this one's playing music, it's strong. and beautifully unique, sporting near-human features. his palm opens towards the miemeng's back and stygian darkness bleeds from an invisible cut. were Getian a level 1 curse or lesser, he'd simply feel the gravitational pull of Getou's power like an invisible flexing of muscles all around being pushed down an esophagus and consumed, condensed into something a fraction of its size. who knows what those of real flesh and feather feel. ]

[ nothing happens. he isn't surprised. ]

[ but perhaps Getian can feel the lull of power all the same — or, barring that, the malicious wind-up of a stealthy blow to the neck, intent on ending it quickly. no need for such a lovely thing to struggle. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

TDM 009

OOC NOTES

getian | reverse: 1999 | current player, new character

iii - a;

lmk if you're not ok with some bone-reading, i will change it!

definitely okay with it!

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iiib

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ii-a

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ii.a.

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3 b/a combo!? Grabs this bird

grabs quincy

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iv