TDM 011

[goldmods]

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

We are thrilled to announce that the Golden Peacock will be embracing autumn with a special outing. Current and new guests are invited to join us for a refreshing outdoor experience where participants can unplug, unwind, and connect with nature. During this time, all Watches will be disabled to the most basic functions (texting, calls, checking chip account) in order to encourage guests to disconnect.

Please look forward to two weeks of finding yourself amongst the trees. We hope you enjoy your stay, and have a fan-CAMP-stic time. 】

CAMPING

GETTING OFF THE GRID

As the resort moves into what it claims is autumn, the days grow shorter. The projected sun in the Vale sets in the afternoon, after which a faint chill falls. Then there’s the most excessive transformation of all – a portion of the Vale has transformed into a campground complete with a scenic lake, seemingly overnight. Statues nearby have been dressed up with flannel jackets and suspenders. Folksy banjo fills the air without any discernible source.

A section of the campgrounds have been reserved for tents. These tents vary in size, shape, and supplies. All tents, regardless of quality, are supplied with sex toys and lube. Staff and long-standing guests all agree — pretending to live in the wilderness and 'rough it' for a while is thrilling. This is what the peasants feel like all the time!

NOT ALL TENTS ARE EQUAL

► High-rank guests are allocated spacious and luxurious tents. These elaborate mini-homes come with TVs, beds, heaters, and plenty of supplies. Provided camping gear is high quality, ranging from state of the art flashlights to designer backpacks. It can't quite be considered roughing it in these tents, but glamping is camping too!

► Mid-rank guests are allocated moderate tents that comfortably fit up to three guests. These tents come with cots or sleeping bags, as well as standard camping gear to make their time living off the land fairly comfortable. While these tents lack the bells and whistles of the high-rank accommodations, they are more than enough for a comfortable but realistic camping experience.

► Low-rank guests are allocated the shabbiest tents. These sagging accommodations can shield one guest comfortably, but that doesn't stop staff from pairing low-ranking guests together in order to save space. Their 'sleeping bags' are a single blanket and hay bale pillow. There are no other included amenities aside from sex toys and a single lantern.

► Last but certainly not least: our Wildcards! All Wildcards have been randomly assigned. Whether they end up in a glamping tent or sleeping beneath a propped up sheet is left to chance. Wildcards also may find themselves waking up beside a current guest or another new arrival.

► Guests that "go camping" will discover that the door connecting the Vale to the rest of the resort has mysteriously vanished. Uh oh! Looks like there's no going back to the comfortable life anytime soon. Don't worry, the door will return when it's time to pack up and head home.

LET'S GET CRAFTY

► New characters still wake up naked save for a robe, as is standard for the Golden Peacock. This round’s robes are flannel gingham to embrace camping and autumn aesthetic. Some of these robes are much shorter than others; watch out that the lake breeze doesn’t reveal more than you wanted.

► Unlike the standard, there are no racks of clothes waiting for new arrivals outside of their tents. You're roughing it out in the woods, remember? Instead of clothing, Wildcards will find an assortment of raw materials to make clothes.

Fabric rolls, hemp, buckets of leaves, leather, and other assorted goods are waiting to be cobbled into something new. The staff have been kind enough to leave some small hunting knives and wooden needles to make crafting a bit easier. Of course, they won't stop anyone that wants to embrace the wild side and strut around naked.

HOME ON THE RANGE

Welcome to the Peacock Campgrounds! Nicknamed the Stomping Grounds by long-standing guests. Rustic and right off a sparkling lake, guests will find everything they need to live in the wilderness. Staff have expertly set up fire pits, benches, hammocks, and a wooden shed to act as a tool depository. There's even an outhouse, which is a real novelty to many of the long-standing guests. Do they just... squat over that hole and do their business? How wild!

Unlike previous resort-sponsored excursions, guests are expected to manage without the help of staff. That pile of wood won't be replenished once used; guests will have to go chop down trees and split their own. Food won't magically appear in their tents regardless of rank. Camping is all about living off the land. Though staff make themselves scarce to make the experience feel real, they lurk in the shadows, discreetly providing necessary tools and fixing broken equipment so guests won't struggle too much. It isn't fun if it's real hardship, after all!

DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW TO COOK?

► On the first camp morning, guests will find barrels of ingredients and cooking utensils left beside the central fire pit. These barrels are stocked with fruits and vegetables that won't spoil quickly, many of which are seasonal to autumn. They have also been left a few protein options like eggs, jerky, and canned ham. These ingredients are communal and limited. Once they run out, guests will have to hunt and gather in the Vale to collect more.

► Guests must prepare their own meals while camping. Not even the high-ranks are given any special treatment on this! While oil and firestarter are included in the initial supply, these too are limited and won't be replenished after use.

► Staff would never let their precious guests go without a sweet treat. A generous supply of hot cocoa and all the fixings for s'mores has been left behind as well. While none of the other food will be replenished, the hot cocoa and s'mores goodies seemingly never run out. A night around a campfire without roasting marshmallows or sipping cocoa would be too cruel to subject guests to.

SUPPLIES RUNNING LOW

► Guests will have to hunt and gather once ingredients dwindle if they want to eat. The wooden shed is home to a selection of tools that can be used to hunt: bows and arrows, hatchets, axes, fishing poles and line, etc. All tools are rudimentary and can break if not taken care of.

► The Vale is lush with wild fruits and vegetables. However, much like in reality, not all vegetation in the Vale is safe to eat. While some berries and mushrooms are consumable, others are toxic or psychedelics. One must also not forget that they're in the Golden Peacock: some unusual plants that grow in the vale may trigger arousal. Watch out that you don't eat something funky by accident!

► Before 'leaving', staff will explain that guests can fish or hunt small game running throughout the Vale. One particularly enthusiastic staff member will suggest guests track down the snoggleboffs, as they're extremely delicious after roasting on an open fire.

ACTIVITIES

TWO WEEKS OF ROUGHING IT

Camping can't be all about survival. Where's the fun in that? Before 'leaving', the staff arrange activities and events for guests to enjoy. A wooden bulletin board outlines times for group hikes, camping experiences, and wilderness delights. Adirondack chairs line the edge of the lake and a few tire swings hang over the water, tied to strong tree branches. For the first week and a half the weather is pleasant and sunny. Perfect for camping.

At night, acoustic guitars and other wooden instruments come out so that guests can make music around the bonfire. Projected stars dapple the night sky, forming various constellations sourced from guest worlds. The moon enters a different phase each night, shining a gentle silver across the campgrounds. Why not pull your sweetheart in and cuddle beneath the night sky? It's so romantic.

IN CAMP

► Guests that don't want a cold shower should make their way over to the shower stalls quickly. These outdoor showers hold very little hot water and run cold after about five minutes. First-come first-serve!

► A wood-chopping competition begins around lunchtime. There are two goals: to split as much wood as possible and looking sexy while doing it. Guests that chop wood unsexily immediately fail! Alternatively, sexiness with a pathetic number of chunks is more acceptable, but still a loss. Those that achieve both goals will instantly win a large payout. Failing to sexily cut wood won’t have any penalties associated with it, and you can always try again tomorrow!

► Bear hunting is a popular activity that even the spoiled long-standing guests are getting in on! No, not hunting real bears. That would be insane. Peacock's version of bear hunting involves hunting down bear-like guests and capturing them! Any guest that fits the criteria of big, thick, and strong may potentially be assigned the role of bear. Hunters who manage to tie up, handcuff, net, or otherwise 'capture' a 'bear' will instantly receive a large payout.

THE LAKE

► This sparkling lake is rich with fish. Enjoy sitting back on the long pier with a fishing rod or take one of the wooden boats out for a row around the lake. It's also safe to swim in, for guests that would like to take a dip and rinse off the sweat of camp living! Don't mind the random swim trunks or drink umbrellas that pop up now and then. This water is definitely fresh and not recycled from the summer beach extravaganza.

► Guests that do decide to take a dip may encounter a familiar friend. Fernando the tentacle monster is camping too! This randy tentacle monster is as horny as ever, eager to embrace guests and stick slippery tentacles into any reachable orifice.

► Once the sun goes down, many of the long-standing guests strip off their shoddily crafted clothes and sprint into the water for skinny dipping by moonlight! What's a camping excursion without a lake-side orgy? The best way to drown out those erotic moans from the lake is to head to the central fire pit and join in on some campfire songs.

OUTSIDE CAMP

► Those that head out of camp for a hike or hunt can enjoy any of the Vale's usual wonders. With autumn, shiny apples dangle from the trees and pumpkins pepper beneath their protruding roots. Along with autumnal fruits and vegetables, canned beef and ham have been mysteriously left in pockets close to the campgrounds. A little act of kindness from the staff; not everyone is cut out to hunt their own game!

► For those interested in hunting down some fresh game, walking around the forest in the morning may come with a stroke of luck. Strange little creatures the size of an adult's fist are active during this time. These hairy beasts come in brown and white, and screech, "Scrun scrun screeee!" when agitated.

Yes, these are the alleged snoggleboffs! Don't feel bad about hunting them, they're an invasive species that are unfriendly and eager to steal from unsuspecting guests. Their main strength is their speed, but once caught, they don't put up much of a fight.

► Guests that explore deep into the Vale may find a dark cave mouth that leads downward into a damp chamber. The ceiling glitters with stalactites and, along the wall, they'll find a horizontal crease with what seems to be... hair? If touched, this crease will creak open, revealing a large eye that darts back and forth before focusing on whoever woke it. Black pupils and iris bleed into one endless abyss.

Those that gaze directly into the eye will freeze. Their mind will remain active while their body locks in place, not unlike sleep paralysis. This trance will break once the eye blinks, which it will do after some time... but it can also be forced into blinking by force if there's someone who hasn't made eye-contact around to help. Frozen guests will be overwhelmed with the fear of abandonment for the duration of their paralysis. This fear will fade after the connection is broken, as if it wasn't their fear at all.

Like a regular eye, dirt or debris can force a blink. If this route is taken, the eye will go bloodshot and shut, refusing to open again. Any guest that inflicts damage to the eye may find that their suite, upon return, has been trashed. As if someone or something threw a big tantrum in there while they were gone. Wonder why that happened...?

HOWLING

CALL OF THE WILD

Temperatures drop drastically at night as the camping excursion nears its end. Nights become so chilly that morning dew frosts over, crunching beneath guest feet. Every day the light and its warmth set a little bit earlier. Staff remain elusive and do not provide warmer blankets or clothes for guests, leaving them to cuddle for warmth or find other ways to sleep comfortably during nightly cold snaps.

The moon hits its apex on the final night of camping. Unlike the other nights, this full moon shines blood red. The Vale stills under this ominous sign, silent. Snowflakes begins to fall, spreading an endless clean sheet across the campgrounds. That reflected pink hue is inescapable.

THE WEATHER TURNS

► Along with chilly nights, the last few days of camping feature inclement weather conditions. Clouds overtake the sun and rain falls, alternating between light mist and heavy downpour.

► Winds pick up, with speeds threatening to whip away the less stable tents. Guests that don't hunker down and add additional support to their tents may end up chasing them into the storm. Other loose items around the campgrounds may end up blown away as well.

BLOOD MOON

► Wild instinct rises with the blood moon. As crimson moonlight beckons, some guests may begin to feel ... strange. As if they need to claw their true selves free. Those that answer the call to bathe in the light of the blood moon will undergo a transformation.

► Basking in the light of the blood moon triggers a were-transformation. While the standard were that the blood moon inspires is the classic werewolf, guests may transform into any kind of were. Along with hybrid transformation, the blood moon stirs mating and sex impulses in these new weres. Remaining humans are at risk of being eaten... in the sexy way.

► Transformation into a were is not mandatory. Other guests may step into the blood moon's light and not experience any kind of transformation or impulse. These guests are now actors in a sexy horror scene, given the task of surviving the night surrounded by monsters! At least they're sexy monsters? Giving in and fucking on the wild side may be more fun.

PACKING UP

► After the crazy weather and horny werewolves, the staff judge that it's high time to wrap this excursion up. Guests will once again openly see these diligent workers the morning after the blood moon. They come flooding into the site with clothing, snacks, and other comforts while praising everyone for surviving for so long without the resort's usual luxuries.

► A first aid tent and cleaning station are swiftly erected. All guests that volunteer to treat injuries sustained over the course of the camping experience or help clean up the site will be compensated with a large payout.

► Every guest that participated in the camping event, regardless of whether they help wrap things up, will be issued a spa voucher. Go relax, you've earned some pampering after all of that hard living!

OOC NOTES

INVITES | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

▶ BLANKET CW: altered states; eyes (descriptions only, incl. eye injury); exhibitionism; hunting (incl. hunting fantasy creatures); orgies; public sex; survival; temperature play; tentacles; transformation; violence

▶ 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 September event. Camping will ICly begin September 15th and end October 3rd.

▶ 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.

▶ 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

Comments

[blastedass]

[He spent the first day mainly focused on getting his campground set up and exploring the area looking for available food and mapping out the surrounding areas. Esikko arrived later, so he doesn't have to worry about going out hunting with Bakugo and handling the gory bits of food prep.

Bakugo returns inside the tent after a few minutes, carrying the scent of smoke and wood with him as he pulls open the small fridge door. A quick scan through bags and bags of red and pink meat and he pulls out a packet of venison chunks. Esikko's handling salad and Bakugo swipes a few metal skewers from the wall nearby before turning to the tent entrance.]

This place isn't gonna make people rough it. [It's far too encouraging of people getting together, so of course it would make sure top guests are well stocked, and thus bring others to them for care and bonding. Fucking place.]

Do you want your meat rare, medium, or well done?

[loosestrifes]

It certainly felt like roughing it to me, until now...

( Granted, that was the whole point, right? To force him to either snuggle up with Kirma, or find someone with better materials, or wait until he couldn't take it anymore and had to crawl to Bakugo for help. He frowns to himself as he thinks about it, and answers that meat question without really thinking about it. )

Medium rare?

( That's changed over time for reasons he should be suspicious of, but he's not thinking about that at all. Right now, all he can think is that it sounds good as he chops some parsley. )

[blastedass]

Then ask around faster next time.

[He pushes open the tent flap and leaves before its corner's able to snap his heel on the swing back. Cool air breathes into the tent from its entrance, left open for the time being so they can talk while separated. Esikko was probably shved into the shit campsite so he'd have to get with someone else. He could choose not to snuggle up, enabling the hotel to keep its illusion of free choice, but they both knew the reason for this social hierarchy.

Medium rare. Bakugo takes a seat beside the campfire and feeds it more wood. Flames lick and crawl across the logs, taking time to catch and begin feeding. More than enough time for him to start running small chunks of meat, potatoes, and carrots down the skewer's length. Once full, he shoves the end into the ground and anchors it with stones, angling the stick of food over the fire to cook.]

If you want tea, there's a kettle under the sink!

[loosestrifes]

...I was trying to handle it myself.

( He mutters it, a little, as he swipes some of the parsley to the side and works on some carrots. Stubbornly, yes, and stupidly, yes, but he wanted to try all the same. Still, he ended up here in the end, so he can only frown down at the vegetables and try to focus on at least giving genuine effort into this.

It's a little like the effort he put into those not-great chocolates he made. Still rather new for him, to try so hard for others.

The call from outside gets him to glance over and then down, and he ducks to find the kettle and get it set up with some water. Tea sounds great with how cold it feels outside, even if the inner part of the tent itself is warmer. )

Do you want some, too?

[blastedass]

Yeah? What'd you do to handle your campsite?

[Genuinely curious to know how Esikko attempted to make things work for him. He's not asking interpersonal issues; he's asking if Esikko tried to make a fire, reinforce his shitty tent, hunt for food by himself. If he's gonna be stubborn and attempt to go solo, then he should expect to tell people about it. Bakugo would've given Esikko room and board anyways, but he's curious.

Once he has all the shishkebabs set up around the fire, he takes a quick soujurn to the lake to wash out the bag of meat juice. Then heads back inside the tent and gets to washing the bag in the sink quickly with a tiny bead of soap. Esikko's already started on the tea. Figures.]

Yeah, I'll have some. Don't over-steep it.

[loosestrifes]

What, you mean the shitty tent they assigned me to? I gathered rocks and tried to use them to support the stakes after they popped out the first time.

( He had tried more of a technique for snowy weather, but it's not like he's gone roughing it very much, so he just did what he knew. He frowns as he fills the kettle. )

They kept getting knocked over despite that, so I moved the tent to a different spot and pinned as much as I could with rocks. Then, the fabric itself tore at the first bit of wind, so I tried to patch it with the cloth left behind for us. I think my attempts were making it tear more, though, so I gave up and stayed out by the campfire if I got too cold.

( Because it was so shitty, that material. )

You saw that I foraged, already, so. Just that, I guess. But I lasted this long, didn't I? ( He pauses as he moves the kettle back, then tries to fetch them mugs for tea. ) I avoided traveling out far while alone, after I realized I was falling asleep at random.

[blastedass]

What else would I mean? [Matakku! This guy can be a pain in the ass sometimes. Bakugo momentarily hovers around Esikko's shoulders as he scans his progress on the greens and salad. Chopped fine and skilled without major chunks of leaf and strips of stem or tough skin. Not bad. Esikko knows his plants. Didn't expect a "pampered" prince to know much of roughing a campsite.]

Tch, those bastards. Expecting someone to survive with shit supplies. [Alternative being taking shelter in the cave, and Esikko already mentioned something alive hunted intruders within its depths.] The resort normally drops people into each other's rooms when their events come around. This was different. [Bakugo's woken up in beach rooms, garage cars, slave galleys, and woodland tents. Usually with someone else waking at his side. Ugh.]

Uh-huh. [If Esikko's expecting a shiny gold medal, he's not getting one from Bakugo. Only acknowledging he hasn't rolled over and become compost in the woods. Bones and muscles shift as he crouches in front of his fridge and scans inside for an orange. There. Yoink.] You can stay here for the rest of the event.

[loosestrifes]

...Thank you.

( He knew Bakugo would be kind enough to offer, so it's not really a surprise, but it does still feel nice. Even if he ends up dealing with those feelings of being a burden more, it just means he'll have to focus on being useful, right? )

I'll take notes on any useful tips you give me, in the meantime~

( So that he can do things around the place too, and help where he can. He just hopes people like Dodger don't drop by and cause weird trouble... But, at the same time, he's sure Dodger is already harassing Bakugo anyway. ...Whatever, he's sure he can handle himself with that guy. So, he focuses on pouring the boiling water, calling out as he does. )

Do you like any sugar or anything?

[blastedass]

'rusei. [Doesn't need the thanks either. The tent flap swings against his ankle, marking his departure to check on the fire and their roasting kebabs again. Careful fingers turn each one, presenting another side to the heat. He should be out here rotating the damn things and ensuring their juices stay, but without a proper spit, they'll have to make due with smoked and drier fare.

Done, he returns inside, licking his thumb to get juice from his skin. Anyone who wants to drop by and cause trouble are going to find it in explosive spades. Bakugo doesn't pull his punches when it comes to someone trying to piss him off. Smart people will keep that bullshit elsewhere. No plates. They'll eat over the fire like normal outdoorsmen. With tea.]

Lemon or mint. [He only uses sweeteners if he's in the mood, and that's usually honey.]

[loosestrifes]

I have some fresh mint.

( Another one of his foraged things from earlier. He takes a moment to unfold his packed away herbs and take out a sprig for this, ensuring it's clean before tucking it into Bakugo's mug. And while Esikko is normally a sweets fiend, he seems to be just fine with having tea as it is, since he adds nothing to his own.

When it's properly steeped and the tea leaves have been removed, he scoots the mugs over and sorts his little veggie side dish, ready to help take it out to wherever Bakugo seems to be wanting them to eat. )

It smells good~ For such a prickly person, you're so good at domestic things like this, you know?

( It's a light tease he can't help. He expects to be yelled at for that. Worth it. )

[blastedass]

Put it in. [He'll leave foraging for herbs and vegetables to Esikko for the rest of the week while Bakugo handles hunting meat and fishing. Easy way to divide the chore between them. If Esikko wants sweets, there's some honey and sugar packets in the cabinet, but unless he asks, the information remains silent. Bakugo swipes the mug on his way back out to the campfire.

Fall weather, chill air, brisk breeze, all of it clashes with a warm flame and hot cup of tea in his hand as he stands beside the fire, red eyes keeping watch and making sure it behaves itself while the food cooks.]

Bring the salad out when you're ready. These are gonna come off the fire at the same time.

[He doesn't mind if they eat the greens first, then the kebabs afte-]

WHO'RE YOU CALLING PRICKLY?! DON'T ACT SO SURPRISED, DAMMIT!! Cooking isn't hard!

[Called it.]

[loosestrifes]

( Esikko laughs from inside the tent, popping out a moment later with the salad. )

Right, right. Here you are.

( A simple, light salad with fresh ingredients, highlighting some mushrooms that are edible raw. He can manage this just fine, it seems. It really is heating the food that's his weak point, it seems... )

Ahh, it feels so nice here. ( Next to the fire, he means, as he helps himself to a seat, setting salad aside so that he can pick up his own tea with both hands. Between the hot tea and the warmth of the fire, Esikko looks content. ) Fire is the best~

[blastedass]

Tch! [Not even gonna look at him. Jerks his head to the side and grumps into the forest. All the while blindly finishing another kebab revolution for each stick. Without burning himself. Good at this shit.]

At least you don't suck with a knife. [Bakugo cups the side of his plate in hand, thumb anchoring it to his palm, and slips his chopsticks beneath the greens. Some lighter with a fainter flavor, others dark with a robust kick, accenting the mushrooms' chewiness and hint of savory within. Esikko managed a sauce as well from what he had on hand in the tent. Nice.]

Your world ran on fire in the winters. [No electrical heating and furnaces pumping through pipes.]

[loosestrifes]

I've used knives plenty before.

( Not always for the best reasons, but it does mean he can cut some vegetables. Humming over a sip of tea, he sets his mug to the side to pick up his salad, instead, eyes watching the flames lick up. )

We used stove fires, mostly, to keep buildings warm. The kitchens were normally sunken lower, and so the warmth from them would heat beneath the flooring of the rest of the building... The palace had more than just that, but as soon as I had to survive off of old cabins, that was all there was.

( It feels different to be able to watch the fire openly, rather than inside a stove. He likes it, is all. )

It's prettier like this.

[blastedass]

Gonna brag about it? [He doesn't need to hear your knife-laden murder mystery capers, Esikko. Bakugo crunches on another green, tongue playing over the stem a few times. No random straggles, tough parts removed, washed and rinsed. Of course Esikko knows how to handle plants.] You learned for your magic, not for meals.

[How to prepare plants. He can't see the prince cooking for himself back home. Too much freedom given to someone normally on such a tight-bound leash.]

This place's tech must've blown your head open. [All the technology advances, fires purely for entertainment rather than survival, ready food without much preparation needed, stores instead of markets, the list goes on.]

[loosestrifes]

( He smiles knowingly as he pops a mushroom into his mouth. No, he won't brag— but is it so wrong, to know something for the sake of his interest? His passion, if you will? Hehe.

It's the mention of tech that earns a breath almost like a laugh, chopsticks dropping back to poke at the leaves of his salad a little. )

It did. It still does, sometimes, honestly. There are things I still learn here and there and wonder how I ever did it before. Like, the fact that I can message you so quickly!

( Calling for help, saying hello, sending his thoughts. All of that used to be done by letter, take days, or weeks, or months in some conditions. Not to mention, when he was on the run, there wasn't any way to check on if his family was truly all gone or not... He hums thoughtfully. )

Is there anything convenient you have at home that isn't here? Hiyori once told me about "cell phones" as something similar to the Watch.

[blastedass]

[Esikko should be proud of his accomplishments and skills. Fuck knows he's experienced so much negativity in his life, external and internal sourced. As long as he can back up his pride. Bakugo's ironically not one to brag unless it comes through a challenge, or implied by taunting someone else who failed. Most of the time he simply finishes first and best, then moves onto the next time while growling at someone praising his accomplishments. Go figure.]

Hmph. A lot of technology was created trying to replicate magic and fiction with science. [Enchanted mirrors allowing two people to communicate over long distances. A handheld spellbook producing information on demand. The intense desire to somehow relegate monotonous chores and actions to some magical device instead. Esikko can probably appreciate the comparison.]

Aa, we have mobile phones in my world. We also have robots and holograms, but they aren't common items. These watches are similar to smart watches in my world.

[loosestrifes]

Hmm...

( There's a long pause as Esikko hums in thought and considers that information. Technology replacing or replicating magic— he can understand that fairly well. In the middle of a kingdom going through quite a bit of violent modernization, it was a little hard to get behind the idea of technology. But it's convenient, he can't deny, and there are parts of it that benefit everyone. He's aware of that much.

After a long stare at the fire while eating some salad, he lowers his plate to his lap, chopsticks still tucked between the fingers of his left hand. )

That sort of rapid increase in technology was being shoved down our throats, where I'm from. At the expense of tradition, or memory, or culture, or land... Plenty of other kingdoms were crowding around my family and urging us this way and that. I hated the sort of changes I saw, back there.

But here, it's just convenient. ( He tilts his head a little. ) I suppose it helps that I wasn't here to see what was lost for the sake of this change, right?

[blastedass]

[Bakugo hasn't met anyone whose world had magic replaced by technology. Though even in his own world, technology is rapidly improving, to the point where it easily eclipses several Quirks. The irony being much of that progress is due to people with Quirks helping them push through normal human limitations. That one chick could grow smarter by drinking tea, until it left her system and dumbed her back down. Hell, U.A.'s principle is a genius even though he's an animal thanks to his Quirk.

He finishes his salad and sets the plate on his knee in perfect balance, then leans forward and tugs one of the skewers from the fireside. Hot, but not enough to burn his fingers. Then again, he has some resistance. Esikko's going to either get the pieces Bakugo pushes off the skewer or he'll be given a hot pad if he wants to grab his own from the firepit.]

Aa. Technology doesn't usually have room or need for sentimental stuff. [Tradition, memory, culture, land, all of it gets sacrificed in the name of progress and innovation.] Most people in my world don't write letters anymore unless it's tradition. [Their U.A. letters were printed on paper and delivered rather than handwritten. Understandable, since hand writing so many letters would be crazy.]

Haa? Bullshit! If we knew how this place changed, we'd have more information on how it works! [Always looking to stick it to the resort.]

[loosestrifes]

( A slow eater and small eater, he sets his salad aside for the time being to pick at throughout the night, and he'll wait for Bakugo to help him with the meat. He doesn't trust himself to not burn his fingers, or to make sure the meat's in any good state, anyway. Besides, he picks up his tea again, eager for the taste of it. )

I meant that it's less personal, to see technology here, you know. ( Calmly, over the rim of his mug, he glances over. ) Of course I'd want more information.

( There were those letters, a while back, he recalls... Information on people who had been in the resort for quite some time. Then there was that eyeball he just saw in the caves, and that heart that a handful got to see, and the roots he yanked up himself... But it's true they don't have much "history" to work off of here. )

Do you think this place is in a real "space?"

( It's a question out of nowhere, he realizes, and so he watches Bakugo carefully, fingers of one hand running around the edge of his mug. ) I always imagined it as some sort of "in-between." Though perhaps that's because we've rarely ever seen true outdoors, here.

The boat may have been different, but I was too busy being seasick to really focus on if it was anything real.

[blastedass]

[Rather than shuck the meat and root vegetables with his fingers, Bakugo slots a metal two-pronged fork over the skewer, between two pieces of food, and pushes a chunk of veal, potato, and carrot from the spine onto a separate plate. Then passes it to Esikko, holding the fork between his fifth and fourth fingers like an absent pen.]

Huh? Why the hell's it any less personal seeing it here? [While the resort's technology is more removed from Esikko, he isn't seeing his own world changing due to technological advances, he's witnessing result and evolution to the face. And interacting with it constantly. Pretty damn personal.]

Aa. [Always ready to talk about the resort, as much as he hates it. He's used to having his beliefs challenged, though no one has any concrete evidence to prove their theories over his own.] This thing exists in its own dimension, world, realm, whatever the fuck you wanna call it. Even that damn ocean was created by the resort.

We're inside it. And some day, we're gonna rip it open and leave this fucking place whether it wants us to or not.

[loosestrifes]

( He decides not to explain his personal feelings on watching his own culture be stamped down compared to the technology of this place and whatever it had to crush in the process. Same technology, different circumstances. It's too complicated, too personal an issue to bother anyone else with, especially when they wouldn't get it. How would they? He was the one born specifically to be the symbol of that change being erased— mixed solely for the genes of his mother being prominent enough to make him look foreign to his own people.

He accepts the plate with a quiet thanks, considering the House, instead. This, he thinks, anyone can understand. They're all stuck here, and even the ones who don't want to go back home can agree on a mutual enemy. He's sure he imagines the burning feeling at his neck where that transgressor mark lies, but he rolls his head a little all the same to address it, picking up a piece of meat. )

We're in the belly of some beast. ( So, he agrees. A different realm is what he's always thought, too, from what he's found. But the realm... does it expand past the House? He can't tell. )

But we haven't been dissolved yet. So, you're right. ( With a little curve of his lips that almost hints at a smile, he pops the meat into his mouth. And after: ) I can't wait for the chance to get back to a real plan.

Mm, but don't worry. I'm laying low, for now.

[blastedass]

[With Esikko's portioned out, he brings the spit to his mouth and bites a steaming potato from the metal line. Just enough for it to hold on as he chews the rest. Not quite mushy enough to be weird, just right in texture of a firm give mealing in his mouth. He presses the potato to his teeth, breaking it into a dampening fluff within his mouth. Barely seasoned, at least the wood imparts a distinct flavor from the smoke and heat. Could use more salt... next time.]

Aa. It uses us for sustenance and entertainment. [He spits the last word in annoyance before swallowing down his bite. And chomps the rest of his potato chunk from its clinging place. Pretty damn sure the resort isn't hanging out in someone else's world. Likely residing in its own to avoid getting noticed as it pilfers from other dimensions and worlds.]

But it keeps sending people home and bringing in new victims. [Suggesting it's picky or has some reason to throw perfectly good "food" away. Most people do what it wants; getting rid of someone who refuses to cooperates the only way ditching someone makes sense.] The heart was the last big piece of information we got.

[loosestrifes]

Mm... I haven't been able to find any sort of pattern in the ones who are sent home, either.

( Some are sleeping around actively before they vanish, others fade out. Some are problematic and full of digging into things, others behave like good little guests. Some feel satisfied, others hate it here. He's tracked details on as many disappearances as he could get notes on in that journal of his, but all it's told him is that it's up to some sort of invisible fate, or random choice, which irritates him to no end.

He frowns around a bite of meat, eyes steadying down on his own plate. )

That troubles me the most, you know. Not being stuck here, in my case— being sent back, when I want to stay here and find a path elsewhere.

( Or turning into a statue, being made worthless. It's why he wants so badly to get back into poking around, but he knows well that Dabi's caution about it is warranted. He's already got a branding, and he doesn't want to lose too much. )

Annoying...

[blastedass]

Aa. Fucking place's whimsy. The only ones it sends back for sure are those who don't play its game. [Willingly refusing to sleep around or entertain the resort by sex and bonding ultimately results in a petrified statue and a boot to the ass. But it doesn't offer any explanation for those who are complying with the resort. Why send home someone fucking around without a problem? Even if people plot against the House, time and time again shows what a monumental task victory is. Not something they can reach so easily. Does it really feel threatened by random idiots? No, because people like him and Esikko remain. Their disappearance makes no sense, and some even reappear, sometimes the same as before they left, others from different places and versions...

They won't get an answer unless the fucking bird decides to speak.]

I don't think the House is going to send people different places. [Again, Bakugo knows it's not an answer or thought Esikko wants, but there are far too many people here from the same world who haven't seen anything like random show-ups from other worlds or dimensions. The resort doesn't seem to go about messing with worlds in detectable ways... As much as he wants to break the place open and rip out its secrets, he also doesn't want to get himself wrecked, or those he cares about either.]

As long as we get home...