TDM 12

[goldmods]

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

As a token of appreciation to all of our guests, the house and resort have worked in collaboration with the all powerful system that transmigrates souls between worlds to bring you a special excursion! All are invited to participate in our limited time event, Tits out! A Sex Dungeon! where guests can shop, craft, adventure, treasure hunt, and battle.

During this event, sexual encounters with WILDCARD guests are worth double the payout, so please keep an eye out for our new arrivals! Other supplies, such as typically banned weapons, are also available.

We appreciate our low rank guests temporarily adjusting their living quarters to accommodate this delightful experience. Extra thanks to you for your generosity! 】

WINDING MARKET

A ROOKERY COMES SPRAWLING

A CHARMING MARKET

► The Rookery floods the main lobby and begins construction on the eve of November 15th. This wandering group of merchants has decided to set up shop! From November 15th through January 1st, the Rookery will be operating a marketplace on the ground floor of the Golden Peacock. This marketplace operates at all hours and does not close.

► This once luxurious lobby has transformed into a rustic market. Wooden shops line the walls where eager merchants promote their wares. These little stores are stocked with handcrafted goods, specialty products, and artisanal treats. Unlike general Golden Peacock establishments, shops in the marketplace are willing to haggle and trade.

► Not all of these booths are occupied. Guests interested in selling their crafts or services are welcome to open up shop. The merchants of the Rookery will also hire resort guests looking for work.

CEDAR AND PINE

► This simple marketplace embraces small town charm. The scents of wood and pine meld with freshly baked bread and leather. The echo of a blacksmith striking metal resounds through chatter and laughter. Shopkeepers call and wave from their booths to lure in potential customers.

► Weather simulation has been introduced to the first floor. Snow falls from an artificial sky dotted with lights. This snow looks, feels, and tastes like the real thing. The temperature correspondingly drops to a brisk chill, so bundle up!

► Merchants decorate their shops with winding ribbons, baubles, and bells at the beginning of December. A massive pine tree graces the central square and patrons are invited to decorate it with sparkling ornaments.

Rumor of a gifting tradition spreads, with merchants jumping on board to offer gift wrap with every sale. If you don't give someone you care about a thoughtful present then you must not really like them at all!

SPECIALTY SHOPS

LIMITED TIME WARES

PREPARE FOR DUNGONEERING

► One of the biggest stores in the marketplace is the armorer's shop. It isn't safe to go adventuring in an unexplored dungeon without protection! Come one, come all. The best armor in town is here. The marketeers in the armorer's shop swear their supplies are the best in the business. Well-crafted! Quality materials! Enchanted to ward off the elements!

All available armor is extremely slutty. Every piece has been styled to emphasize the wearer's assets and barely covers anything. Tight, sexy, and functional. Isn't it a win/win for all? Let those tits battle and breathe!

► Guests that follow the sound of clanging metal will find the blacksmith. The front of the shop offers a basic selection of knives, swords, and shields for purchase. While the quality of these weapons is mediocre at best, guests may not want to pass up the opportunity to purchase a weapon while the house is allowing it.

Weapon aficionados may meet with the blacksmith to discuss enhancing the current selection. Special materials can be found in dungeon chests or collected from monsters to improve weapon quality. Guests willing to collect these materials and have the chips to spare can commission superior products.

► Several leather shops are competing for business. One specializes in enchanted leather pouches, another focuses on offering high quality boots. Leather journals make beautiful gifts. What lasts longer than leather clothing? Nothing! Or how about a leather hair accessory for that person with long, flowing locks?

Those browsing through these many leather shops best keep their wits about them. Not all of them are selling real leather! Some greedy merchants are trying to pass off plastic junk as the real thing. A few bold charlatans willing to lie about enchantments to customers that appear uneducated about magic. Do your best to not get swindled!

DRIED AND BAKED SUNDRIES

► The dried goods shop is the most popular amongst adventurers. Those preparing to head down into the dungeon can't leave without supplies, after all! One can find a broad selection of jellies, jams, preserves, cheese, jerky, nuts, and seeds. While they aren't the tastiest, they'll survive for several days in a backpack, which is exactly what every adventurer needs!

► The universe-renowned baking mogul, Mama Brot, has opened a shop selling her famous pretzels. These soft pretzels, nicknamed breastzels, come in both sweet and savory variations. They are deliciously plush and melt in the mouth. It's said that one bite of one of her pillowy breastzels will send you straight to heaven. Dessert and bread connoisseurs cannot miss out!

Guests eager to get their hands on some of Mama Brot's breastzels have their work cut out for them. The shops restocks with fresh breastzels every morning, but the line to purchase starts queuing two hours beforehand. Supply runs out quickly every time Mama Brot decides to whip up a new batch. Good luck!

► Small bakeries peppering throughout the marketplace kick off December with a flurry of decorated cookies. Guests will find cookies and biscuits cut into different shapes, painted with icing, smeared with jam, and drizzled with chocolate. Hot chocolate booths also pop up, their baristas encouraging guests to gather and enjoy the snow by the center market tree with a cozy drink.

JOBS & QUESTS

A MAKESHIFT TAVERN

CALLING ALL ADVENTURERS: A SLAYER QUEST AWAITS!
Are you looking to make big coin? Do you have the strength and endurance to take on the dungeon? Then we want YOU to join our guild's quest to sLay!

The dungeon is teeming with sexy monsters that need sLaying. All you need to do to sLay is to fuck them real good! Once satisfied, these sexy monsters may drop quality loot. Join in the hunt to sLay and consolidate drops with our guild! We're happy to make trades or buy.

Yaaassss sLay all day!

JOB POSTING ONE! BIG PAYOUT FOR EASY WORK!

I am a pharmacist looking for some brave adventurers willing to go down into the dungeon and collect dongle flower milk for me. I need at least 10 bottles! This is an important ingredient in one of my popular prescriptions. I am not athletic enough to go get it myself and my supplies are running low.

Please deliver all dongle flower milk to the medical shop in the northwest corner of the market. Please note, I need FULL bottles. Do not skimp or I won't pay!

JOB POSTING TWO! HELP A WOMAN'S GROWING BUSINESS!

I am a young lady looking to expand my make-up business. I heard rumors that there's water in the dungeon that could make an AMAZING base for make-up products. But it sounds like it's super scary in there and I don't want to go. Please, someone, help!

You can bring all bottles of dungeon water to the make-up booth in the southeast corner of the market. I'm willing to pay in chips or trade some of my current products. My face masks and nail polishes are really good!

JOB POSTING THREE! PLEASE DON'T ASK WHY!

Hello. I need many dungeon slime cores, so I am looking for everyone and anyone willing to go slime hunting and gather some for me. We can negotiate pay based upon the number of slime cores brought. Do not inquire what the slimes or their cores are needed for.

Please bring all slime and slime core deliveries to back door of the Dried and Baked Sundries shop. Thank you!

JOB POSTING FOUR! I WANT COLLECTABLES!

If you're going into the dungeon, I want collectables. If you find that fabled treasure room, bring me back something cool and shiny. I'm willing to pay good money! I don't care what it is as long as it's hard to get and I can brag to my friends about it.

You can find me drinking in the tavern. I'll be wearing expensive velvet and a tiny hat with a feather.

PULL UP A CHAIR

► As a watering hole for adventurers looking for a place to kick back and relax with a hot beer, the tavern is a hot spot at all hours. Crude and sticky, there's never a dull moment at this establishment! Fights break out every night, drinking competitions are the norm, and it's the best place to gather information.

The tavern doubles as an inn, offering a dozen rooms above the bar for adventurers to cool their heels. A night's stay is relatively cheap and costs only a handful of chips.

► Guests can pick up jobs and quests from the tavern's request board. Postings vary in difficulty and payout. Anyone is welcome to pick them up and they can be completed for as long as the dungeon is active.

► Jobs and quests can be completed through the dungeon prompts below. They may be done multiple times. These job posters need a lot of supply!

► Guests can also list their own jobs and quests to the tavern's request board. While the board is typically meant to attract adventurers for hire, guests can advertise their own services this way. The bartender really doesn't care what goes up. She's too busy breasting boobily behind the counter in a corset that hikes her cleavage against her throat.

A WHOLE NEW BASEMENT

GOOD LUCK, NEW ARRIVALS

A TRENDY RENOVATION

► Low rank guests will be delighted to find that the basement has been completely renovated! Basement and maintenance floors have been converted into a realistic dungeon complete with gray stone, torchlight, and the echo of crawling monsters. Low rank suites have been temporarily adjusted to match the aesthetic.

► The communal bathroom has also been styled into a medieval latrine. Low rank guests can now enjoy bonding together over a communal trench and chamber pots. A helpful sign has been posted on the door advising guests to be wary of slimes coming up through the piping.

► Low rank guests that aren't happy with their living arrangements can check out the rooms above the tavern. They need only chat with the bartender and pay a fee for each night they wish to stay. It's up to them whether or not they think a dungeon filled with monsters or a raucous tavern is better for their beauty sleep.

NEW ARRIVALS

► New arrivals find themselves waking in various locations throughout the dungeon. Unlike low rank guests who have dungeon suites, new arrivals wake randomly in the upper and lower levels of the dungeon. Anywhere is fair game.

► New arrivals are considered dungeon monsters. In fact, wildcards are the number one hunted monster for the extremely popular sLaying quest! They'll have to keep on their toes if they don't want to be sexily sLayed.

► Stepping away from resort standard, wildcards wake dressed to embody their role as an erotic dungeon monster. The house knows that its guests have eclectic tastes, so monster costumes range from skimpy strategically placed furs to full body suits.

► What are dungeon monsters without drops? Wildcards will also wake with a pouch of valuables for adventurers to collect. These items can vary from useful ores, gemstones, and chip vouchers to random items like condoms, vegetables, and shiny rocks.

UPPER DUNGEON

START THE DESCENT

FLOOR 1

Heading down the stairs from the marketplace leads to the first floor of the dungeon. This is where all low rank suites have been condensed. Corridors are generally dry and well lit, with twisting ivy and torches lining the walls. Some guests say that it’s an improvement over the previously dreary, dirty basement.

Only a handful of monsters are brave enough to come close to the surface. The ones that do have low IQs and are easily defeated.

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► Barrels, crates, and chests can be found in corners and intersections. Low value materials, like perishables and basic clothing, can be found inside. This may or may not include the personal items of low rank guests misplaced during renovations. Whoops!

Watch out! Mimic chests love to hide amongst these crates. Opened mimic chests chase nearby guests, desperate to thrust their slimy tongues into any reachable orifice. They’re also quite dumb, happily repopulating areas where other mimics have been beaten. It isn’t uncommon to find a new one where an old one had been just yesterday!

► Sprigs of mistletoe grow over doors and dangle from the ceiling. Nothing happens when someone passes alone. The enchantment is only triggered when two or more people intersect. Those who cross under the mistletoe may find themselves unable to leave its proximity. As if an invisible bubble has appeared, attempts to leave will be rebuffed.

The mistletoe enchantment can only be broken by kissing. Some mistletoe may be satisfied with a brief kiss while others may require its victims to use tongue. Get ready for some smooching!

FLOOR 2

Multiple stairways across the first floor lead down to the second. As guests head down, they will find the temperature dropping and light dimming. The stairwell opens up to a reveal crumbling archways, staggered levels of ruins, and rich moss blanketing over stone.

This dungeon floor has several gaps between ruins and multiple pockets of open space. Old wooden bridges creak in the wind. Leaves flick across, carried on steady breeze. Treasure chests and harpy-like monsters can be found throughout the ruins.

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► Adventurers need to cross multiple bridges to make it to the next portion of the dungeon. However, they will find that they cannot cross these bridges alone. All bridges in this area vanish the moment someone steps out solo. Luckily, falls to the ground are cushioned by a thick blanket of moss.

Adventurers must step forward together, hand-in-hand, in order to cross. Guests that stop holding hands while crossing, hesitate, or mistrust one another will find the bridge vanishing from beneath their feet.

► Wind speeds spike dangerously at random intervals and send the floor into sub-freezing temperatures. During these times, it is advised that adventurers take cover, because they might end up blown away. There are sporadic abandoned campsites in caves and alcoves where guests can wait out the wind.

These campsites serendipitously offer a cozy bedroll. One cozy bedroll. With howling winds knocking out torchlight, the only way to keep warm is to cuddle up and share body heat. Oddly enough, the furious winds only calm down after adventurers snuggle. Weird!

FLOOR 3

Lush vegetation dominates the third floor. Pathways are challenging to follow beneath overgrown flora. Ancient trees twist between crumbling pillars. This dungeon forest is teeming with sexy floral monsters that blend with the brush and provoke adventurers with sensual whispers. Isn’t it amazing how accurate they are in pinpointing your kinks?

Monsters on this floor love to tease and fondle guests passing through. Adventurers cutting through the forest may end up groped by branches, leaves, and flowers. Or more! These floral monsters can get very handsy.

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► Treasure chests can be found throughout the dungeon forest. The floral monsters will try to protect them, but none of the monsters in this area are particularly strong. Wood nymphs seduce guests away from chests and vines will lash out to slap their hands. Chests on this floor are valuable, offering high-quality potions like elixirs and panaceas.

Not all potions are good. Some bottles are decoys that cause unwanted effects. The three most common decoys are love potions, hatemance potions, and flora potions.

LOVE POTION: A magical liquid designed to make the person who drinks it fall in love with the first person they see.

HATEMANCE POTION: A magical liquid designed to make the first person who drinks it fall into hate, coupled with passionate sexual desire, for the first person they see.

FLORA POTION: Liquefied chlorophyll designed to temporarily transform anyone who drinks it into a sexy monster. Monster need not be plant-based.

► An invasive species, the dongle flower, can be found in large number in the center of the forest. This flower’s fleshy petals phallically cone into one another and stand erect from a small cluster of leaves at its base. This flower is mostly known for its milk, which can be collected by pumping its petals. Those unfamiliar with this breed of flora may mistake it for a human penis, but closer investigation will confirm that it is indeed a plant.

Getting to close to the dongle flower comes with risks. This flower is notorious for ejaculating its milk when stimulated. Dongle flowers in close proximity may trigger one another and cause a chain of milk ejaculations. Dongle flower milk has analeptic properties that heighten virility, sensitivity, and sex drive. The more milk, the more potent.

LOWER DUNGEON

HALFWAY DOWN

FLOOR 4

A slope leads the way down to the fourth floor. Adventurers must be careful with their footing to avoid taking a spill because the path is steep and uneven. Why are these stones sticking up so much, anyway?!

Guests not watching their step may end up triggering a trap. After a trick stone sinks beneath their weight, a rumble echoes throughout the dungeon. This echo the ominous prelude to a giant boulder crashing down and rolling after them! (There is a nipple painted on the boulder.)

Those that don’t want to get squashed by the boulder may have to throw themselves off the ledge. Depending on where they decide to jump ship, they will end up in a different chamber designed to test their mettle.

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► CHAMBER ONE: An unfurnished room with no windows or doors. This chamber is deep, making it difficult to try and scale the walls back up to the path. Lone adventurers will end up stuck until someone else joins them, because the trap will not trigger until two or more guests are inside.

Once at least two guests are trapped, spikes spring from two opposing walls. They slowly begin to close in and a booming voice declares: BE EMOTIONALLY VULNERABLE OR DIE!

The floor will give way for guests that comply. Those that do not and cannot get out of the room on their own will be spiked. They may escape with injuries or die. If the latter, they will revive in the Broken Wing clinic.

► CHAMBER TWO: This chamber is divided into multiple parallel rooms. These rooms are designed to facilitate a specific kink between the guests trapped inside. They might be furnished with toys or vacant with only a gloryhole in a partition. Regardless, every room has a door locked shut with a bulky padlock.

After two guests have entered a booming voice declares: EXPLORE KINK OR REMAIN TRAPPED FOREVER!

Padlocks will drop and doors will open for guests that comply. Those that do not are doomed to be trapped forever… or figure a way out through demolition. That disembodied voice is going to be really salty when adventurers realize that last option exists.

FLOOR 5

Water commands the fifth floor. Adventurers must tread through dark and damp tunnels that lead into flooded chambers. Pools and rivers run throughout, with some areas reaching depths of 50 feet. Treasure chests are submerged but are worth the effort, offering ores, metals, and rare stones that can be used to enhance weapons with the blacksmith.

Reverse mermaids live in these waters. They enjoy swimming alongside adventurers and spreading their legs to show off how good they are for fucking.

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► Slimes ooze along the ceiling and plop into the water. They float along like jellyfish, but will direct themselves toward adventurers they sense nearby. Slimes vary in size and color, though the majority are small enough to cup between two hands. The mother slime, a giant slime hidden deep in the depths, occasionally appears to absorb adventurers into her gelatinous body.

Small and deceptively cute, these little monsters are attracted to adventurers and eager to ooze all over them. Different colored slimes and their secretions cause various physical reactions. Slimes can be mixed to create combination effects.

CLEAR SLIME: Clear slime is an aphrodisiac that can also be used as a lubricant.

PINK SLIME: Pink slime amplifies shyness and embarrassment.

PURPLE SLIME: Purple slime triggers sexual aggression and sadistic tendencies.

YELLOW SLIME: Yellow slime may enhance dominate or submissive inclinations.

MOTHER SLIME: Secretions from the mother slime trigger a breeding rut/heat. The more contact one has with the mother slime, the more intense the rut/heat.

► The water in this dungeon has unique properties. Adventurers that soak for long periods of time may find their skin clearing up, their hair becoming shinier, and their features becoming dewy and radiant. This water is imbued with beauty magic that intensifies the sexiness of those who drink or bathe in it. Everything they do, even sneezing or scratching an itch, will be tinted in a pink glow of attractive glamor.

Guests that soak for too long run the risk of becoming powerfully distracting. Beauty can be bewitching, so take care to not charm other adventurers into becoming obsessed admirers, lest you become an unwitting Helen of Troy!

Drinking the water comes with an additional potential side effect. The drinker's voice has a 25% chance of becoming hypnotic. They may be able to entrance others or cause them to orgasm through dirty talk alone.

FLOOR 6

Drying off won't be a problem after getting down to the sixth floor! The temperature jumps to a sweltering degree and light glints off silvery glass. Orange and red flicker and dance. Stepping into the yawning mouth of this massive floor reveals a giant pit of blazing fire beneath a twisting mirror maze.

Muscular minotaurs prowl, prepared to kidnap adventurers and whisk them away to their dens. This maze is also equipped with traps and enchantments designed to redirect guests back to the beginning entrance. Adventurers will need to use creativity and ingenuity to navigate this labyrinth while battling intense heat.

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► Guests can take cover in small chambers at maze corridor intersections. These rooms are also sweltering but, happily enough, there are magical air conditioners available! Two plates on opposite sides of the room must simultaneously be stepped on in order to activate the ice enchantment.

Comfort comes with a price. Something strange happens when magic sparks: the adventurers standing on the activation plates have swapped bodies! They won't be able to switch back immediately, either, because the ice enchantment has a cool down period. Their options are to either wait it out or go find another room with an unused ice enchantment!

► Adventurers that successfully navigate their way through the maze will find a long corridor leading to a massive shining door. They've found the exit down to the treasure room where riches upon riches are waiting. Money, money, money!!

Guests that let their guard down while walking to the door may end up shot with an arrow! In classic dungeon fashion, holes in the wall open and launch arrows all the way down to the entrance of the treasure room.

Getting shot by an arrow will trigger lust at first sight! Forget about everything else and look at your fellow dungeon crawler. Aren't they so erotic? Don't you really want to fuck them right now and forget about all that treasure? Or perhaps they're still rocking around in your swapped body. Isn't it suddenly tempting to fuck yourself?

TREASURE ROOM

IT DEFINITELY ISN'T CURSED

FLOOR 7: THE BOTTOM FLOOR

The final floor of the dungeon is a massive chamber glittering with precious gems, metals, and enchanted valuables. Piles and piles of gold coins are stacked as far as the eye can see. Treasure chests line the walls, overflowing with sparkling jewelry. Anyone that’s ever wanted to swim in piles of gold can finally make their dream come true.

Guests can take whatever they can carry. They have to make their way back up through the dungeon with it, so hopefully they came prepared!

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► Brave adventurers that managed to come this far deserve worthwhile gains. Those who enter the treasure room are welcome to pick up special treasures from the following selection. None of these items are game breaking, so players can pick up multiple or mix and match.

ECHO STONE: A small stone that fits in the palm of a hand. When tapped, it sends out a soft pulse that outlines nearby exits, hidden passages, or alternate routes in shimmering light.

EARRINGS OF FATE: A matching pair of diamond studs. If shared between two people, the wearers can sense each others’ location all times.

CLOAK OF INVISIBILITY: Shimmering silver fabric as smooth as water. Wearing this cloak grants invisibility.

THONG OF BRONZE: A bronze thong. Wearing this thong increases power, endurance, and speed, but only when worn alone.

RING OF PROTECTION: A simple gold ring enchanted to protect the wearer. While this is useful during battle, it also can act as birth control and prevent sharing diseases.

CLICK LOCK LOCKET: A simple golden heart-shaped locket. The wearer can open the locket and give themselves temporary body modifications for up to two hours at a time.

MECHANICAL MOUSE: A mechanical mouse that registers its master with a drop of blood. A little friend that can scout, transport small items, and fit into tiny spaces.

BRASS COMPASS: A small brass compass with delicate gears. It doesn’t point north. Instead, it points to the carrier's deepest desire or the object they seek the most.

FEATHER OF FLIGHT: A delicate feather that feels lighter than air itself. Grants the ability to fly for a short period but the user must have it in their possession and activate it. Works in bursts, such as allowing them to jump across wide gaps or avoid a deadly fall.

HAND OF LUCK: A small, silver broach shaped like a human hand, fingers outstretched in a gesture of good fortune. The hand grants increased luck to the user, influencing dice rolls, odds, or even the outcome of risky decisions. However, it only works once per day. When it activates it may make other things worse.

► An iridescent door glitters at the back of the treasure room. Written on an aged scroll pinned to the wall is an explanation that this door can send adventurers home. They will have abandon their companions for this opportunity, because one who uses the door must pass through alone. The scroll explains that the door will only work once within a span of several hours, making it impossible for anyone else to immediately use it. There is also the risk that it will never work again.

Of course, the door isn't really sending anyone back to their world. Guests that decide to take the leap will find themselves walking straight into their suite upstairs. The scroll didn't specify which home!

OOC NOTES

INVITES | RESERVES | APPLICATIONS

▶ BLANKET CW: alcohol; altered states; anonymous; aphrodisiacs; BDSM dynamics; body swap; breeding kink; classic tropes; costumes; cum play; dubcon; death; enchantments; erotic plants; erotic monsters; entrapment; hypnotism; noncon; temperature play; traps; weapons; violence; voice kink

▶ 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 November event and is designed to provide content for players through the mods' December break. The marketplace and dungeon will ICly conclude on January 1st.

▶ 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!

▶ 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

kajiyama fuuta | MILGRAM | A♦️ ( current character )

[pyrolyzed]

i. specialty shops ( probably gen )

-- are you kidding me?!

[ An unfortunate visitor to the armorer's fine establishment might be greeted by the sound of that indignant yowling. The cause of which becomes fairly apparent after rounding the corner and laying eyes on the main store floor -- where Fuuta appears to be fighting a losing battle with the proprietor. There's no missing the mortified flush to his face, after all, and the fact that he's wearing an extremely lurid chestplate. Even if he's wearing a T-shirt under it, the fabric does little to hide the way the metal hugs right against his torso and frames the slightest tent of where his nipples hide. Practically metal lingerie, not armor. ]

There's no way anyone's actually going to wear this someplace dangerous! What's this even supposed to protect, huh?! [ The store owner sounds incredibly unimpressed as he crosses his arms over his chest and grumbles, 'Don't see what you're complaining about. That's one of my most popular pieces, and you're free to go elsewhere if it's not to your liking.' Fuuta, of course, sputters, ] Come on! You've gotta have something better than this!

[ And here, he turns to his unfortunate victim: whoever's been unlucky enough to walk into the store at this moment. (Read: you.) Despite the irate furrow of his brow and the growl of his voice, there's a desperate, pleading, and extremely embarrassed edge to his voice as he spits, ]

You agree, right?! This doesn't even count as armor! This is ... it's false advertising!

[ 'Please agree with me,' the look in his eyes says. 'Pleaaaaaase, please, please agree with me.' ]

ii. upper dungeon | mimic + mistletoe ( gen or nsfw )

[ Hi. Sorry, were you enjoying your time in the dungeons? Maybe that stops now -- because there's suddenly the sound of hurried footsteps crashing through the underbrush, wheezing breaths, and a panicked shout of -- ]

Move!!!

[ Right before Fuuta comes scrambling around the corner, running like his life depends on it. Sheer happenstance has him sprinting (poorly) right in your direction ... only to smash face-first into an invisible wall that appears to stop him mid-step and bring him crumpling back down to the floor, fabulously discombobulated and dazed. Clearly, he didn't see the mistletoe hanging right above you? That's his fault, not yours.

At least the reason for his panic becomes clear very soon: a mimic coming hopping around the corner in hot pursuit, tongue lashing wildly in search of an easy target. Fuuta still needs a second to gather his scattered wits, but he does stiffly try to crawl behind whatever character he's unfortunately trapped under the mistletoe with him ... to use them as a human shield against the mimic. Sorry not sorry. ]

iii. lower dungeon

a. chamber one ( gen )

[ This is not the sort of glamorous dungeon exploring he imagined from his beloved MMOs. And Fuuta certainly isn't being the glamorous knight of his dreams. Because the moment he's dropped into the mystery chamber, only to have the spiked walls start rumbling closer moments afterwards, accompanied by the declaration of, 'BE EMOTIONALLY VULNERABLE OR DIE!' -- he gives a loud yelp in very obvious panic.

His visible eye is huge in clear distress as he looks to his unfortunate trap-mate and yowls, ]

-- the hell does that even mean?!

b. chamber two ( probably nsfw but open to demolition option )

[ Well. At least this chamber's better. Or is it worse?

Either way, Fuuta's already been waiting a few minutes in the chamber when he's joined by his unlucky trap-mate, and he gives a visible flinch when that unseen voice bellows, 'EXPLORE KINK OR REMAIN TRAPPED FOREVER!' There's a pause before he mutters, ]

... hate this fucking place. [ And only then, turns to whoever's unlucky enough to trapped with him. Clearly evaluating them with a look over before he growls, ] Well. You heard them. Guess we gotta ... [ ... y'know. ]

c. slimes ( probably nsfw )

[ It is to Fuuta's meager credit that he's even made it all the way down to floor five! But maybe this is where he's hitting his limit -- because those trudging through the shallows might chance upon him struggling to crawl his way out of a deeper pool, stumbling and flailing under the weight of a slime or three attached to him. ]

Help --

[ Splash, gurgle, flail as he wildly windmills an arm in search of purchase. The slimes are making it just so hard to find his footing. And ... unfortunately for anyone who might be generous enough to reach out a hand to help him -- the slimes slithering over him also make him unexpectedly heavy and cumbersome to pull out of the water.

Which is to say, he might also be dragging your character down into the slime-infested pool with him. Oops! ]

[ ooc ; Can do any of the slime effects as requested, but will otherwise RNG any two of them for Fuuta, and would be happy to play off your character being affected by any combination of them! ]

iv. wildcard!

[ ooc ; Open to anything else! Especially interested in any sort of monsterfucking scenario (either character transformed into a monster via flora potion, or being boinked by the dungeon's monsters together), or body swap scenarios, but would prefer to write custom starters for those; please just let me know if you're interested and I'd be happy to set up a starter for us! Feel free to hit me up through PMs or at databomb if you'd like to do something and we can figure something out, fingerguns! ]

for WRIOTHESLEY | body swap

[pyrolyzed]

[ Honestly, he really shouldn't be here. He shouldn't have ventured into this stupid dungeon at all! But it all seemed so true to all the fantasy MMO stuff he's so used to -- how the hell was he supposed to resist the urge to go poking for just a little while? But a nervous exploration of one floor had led to one more floor, then stumling further downward while looking for the way out, and now ...

Fuuta is looks extremely tired and frazzled by the time he somehow manages to reach the sixth floor, though that also doesn't stop him from being as obnoxiously bossy as always. Exhausted or not, he still snaps at the first person to enter the little rest room he's hunkered down it, ]

-- hey.

[ Hi, Wriothesley. Not that Fuuta's actually going to greet him in any sort of mannered way, instead just pointing across the room at the other panel. He is, of course, already standing on one; this is standard RPG puzzle bullshit, he's pretty sure he knows what he's doing, hence the confidence in his voice as he growls, ]

Go stand there for a sec. [ And then, before Wriothesley can even say anything: ] Just do it, alright? I bet it's do something helpful. That's how this shit works.

[ Surely his judgement can be trusted! ]

[armwriostle]

[He hadn't been able to truly stretch his legs out the way that he wanted in the resort, so the resort turning into an adventurer's dream really had lit a fire that has him akin to a dog frolicking in a field. He's excited to test his mettle and the access to weapons and forgery and the such means he can tinker and collect materials that he couldn't really do previously.

While Fuuta might be tired and frazzled, Wriothesley still seems like he has plenty in him to be going when he arrives.

He raises an eyebrow as the other orders him around upon arriving. I guess at least there was a "hey" first, right?] I suppose so... [Something like that usually leads to unlocking something.

Can't it also be a trap though? But hey, maybe Fuuta knows what he's doing. They did arrive here and must have been waiting for someone to help with it.] Next time, you could at least say please~ [To his credit, instead of waiting for some kind of please though, Wriothesley strides over to step onto the spot indicated.]

[pyrolyzed]

[ How dare you give him sensible advice about having basic manners. He will immediately be disregarding it. At least Fuuta refrains from rolling his eyes, only giving a huffed exhale as he crosses his arms over his chest with disrespectful -- ] Yeah, yeah. Whatever.

[ How charming .............

At least he doesn't try to bully Wriothesley along any further, settling for tapping his foot impatiently while he waits, and when Wriothesley finally steps on the switch --

Embarrassingly, the sharp click of the switch activating is enough to earn a startled flinch. Especially since it's accompanied by a weird ... jolt? Something that feels a bit like a sharp static shock, enough to make him look up warily. At least a cool breeze immediately starts flowing through the room, and Fuuta hurries to cover up that startled noise by clearing his throat and standing taller as he looks back across the room. ]

See? I told y --

[ wait. His voice sounds weird in his ears? And also

he appears to be staring across the room at ... himself. Sorry, he's just going to stare uselessly for a moment; Wriothesley deserves to get mad at him for daring to look so stupid while wearing his face. ]

[armwriostle]

...?

[Is this what they mean by FOV slider?

Wriothesley notices a lot of things immediately. The soreness of his body. The way the ceiling seems farther away. The fact that his vision definitely has changed? It all hits all at once that he finds himself a little thrown off for a moment.

When he hears his voice, he immediately turns to look and-

Isn't that him? If his body is there then-] Oh.

[He puts two and two together pretty quickly and he just lets out a laugh because the situation is a little ridiculous, isn't it? He should probably be mad, but the dumb expression on his face is amusing.] Sooo? [He can deduce that Fuuta didn't expect this to happen. Unfortunate.]

You got any new ideas?

for ESIKKO | body swap

[pyrolyzed]

[ This maze is awful. Like, just the fact that it's a maze sucks? Who has the time to deal with bullshit? Then there's the heat, which makes every passing minute worse than the last. And don't even get him started on the fucking monsters. Minotaurs? Minotaurs??? What the hell's a normal person supposed to do when faced with a fucking minotaur?! Which is to say -- Fuuta is a jittery, panicked mess, mostly just desperately looking for a safe way back to the upper floors, by the time he ends up on the sixth floor. Nervously skittering from alcove to alcove in search of someplace safe that he can catch his fucking breath. He's had way too many close calls with monsters, and having long since completely lost his sense of direction, he's only focused on scrambling his way into the first safe room he comes across.

-- in such a rush, honestly, that he doesn't even note the other person already in the room? Or the fact that he's stumbling straight onto one of those switch-plates to activate the room's trap. There's the click of the switch activating, and Fuuta has just enough time to look up and lock eyes with Esikko -- why this asshole?! -- before there's the spark of magic.

Cue a startled jump and a loud yowl before Fuuta hurriedly stumbles back a step. Too late, of course! The switch has already done its job, as cool air begins sweeping through the room. Pure, panicked reflex has him practically groping over his unfamiliar, borrowed body with both hands as he stares across the room at ... himself. Esikko, who now looks like himself. ]

-- are you kidding me?!

[loosestrifes]

Ah—?

( In an instant, icy magic rushes in, and Esikko almost believes that this must be the relief that he feels. But it hits him only moments later that things feel off— sure, his whole body is no longer dully aching with the effort of moving this far, he can no longer feel the thrum of the gods' curse burning like ice beneath his skin, and his heart isn't pounding unevenly like it had been before. Even his lungs seem to be able to take in a breath a bit better, though he finds it odd that there are new sorts of pains in his chest as he attempts it... It feels less like hurting just for existing, and more like he's injured? Huh.

Wait a second. As he blinks— both eyes, he thinks, although he'll realize the truth soon enough— his vision clears and he spots the figure from a few feet away. And this time, it's not Fuuta he sees, but himself.

It clicks then, and even moreso when he throws a hand out in an aggressive point and recognizes the strange twist of his depth perception, face twisting into something furious. It's funny, how Esikko's anger in Fuuta's body seems to subconsciously account for trying to look as good as he can. )

What the hell?! You stole my pretty face!

( One hand jabbed out, the other clutched at his own chest... Hope Fuuta enjoys the way Esikko holds himself in his body. )

[pyrolyzed]

[ Of course what immediately snaps Fuuta out of his shocked disbelief is that accusation. Sorry, Esikko, you're about to hear your own voice make the most undignified, ugliest squawk as Fuuta barks, ]

You think I want your dumb face?! -- and stop touching me like that!

[ That sounds so bad ... but also, it's actually good advice. If Esikko rests his hand against his sternum the wrong way, it's going to elicit some pretty horrendous chest pains.

Fuuta, meanwhile, hurries himself stomping a foot back down on the switch, trying to get it to trigger again. And when that doesn't work, hurriedly getting off it and back on again. Then once more? ] Come onnnn ... [ A frustrated snarl as he smashes his (Esikko's) foot down on it as hard as he can, like that'll force the magic to kick into action again. Which, unfortunately, is getting them nowhere. ] -- fuck! Ughhhh, are you serious?!

[ He's fully intent on saying something shitty when he turns to Esikko (himself????), but -- Fuuta actually ends up wobbling a little on his feet. Doubling over slightly as a dozen different, unfamiliar muscle aches race through his body. And whatever else he was thinking of saying is tossed aside as he instead blurts out, ]

-- your body sucks, what the hell. [ It's different from the persistent aches of his own body, throbbing pains radiating from his injuries. This feels more ... all-encompassing? Steadier, in a weird way. Fuuta grimaces as he grabs a hand at his own chest, where his heart feels weird. ] Did you get hurt on the way here or something? This ... doesn't feel right.

[loosestrifes]

Your body sucks!

( If only that good advice had been worded a little differently, Esikko might have minded it. Instead, he can only assume it's some weird prude-thing from Fuuta, and it flies right over his head as he continues to yell, stomping back off the stupid switch and over to him. )

And no, you idiot, I'm in some of the best health of my lives, actually. It was just insanely warm, so of course I'd be a little tired, but that's not my fault!

( As he yells this, for emphasis, he smacks at his own chest—

And immediately regrets it. The pain that follows is sharp and digging, and he doubles over in a pathetic coughing fit that gives Fuuta an excellent view of how that really looks to everyone else, by now. Wheezing and all. )

Unlike you and your stupid, never-healing-whatever-curse! ( Choked out, weakly, he's fine. This is fine. It takes him a moment, but he does stand back up, eye a little teary. ) This is the worst... How long am I supposed to be stuck like this? I can't even use my magic to get us back to normal!

ii [1/2]

[edelstein]

[While things hadn't completely resolved between them, Rin doesn't hold the hard feelings needed to be offended when Fuuta tries hiding behind her as the mimic comes hopping around the corner. In fact she's actually quite excited to unleash a little punishment on it because of previous unfortunate dealings with other mimics prior to this current dilemma.

Tohsaka pushes mana into her magic circuits and readies a stun spell. When the mimic is close enough she lets the spell cast—]

2/2

[edelstein]

[But unfortunately the protective barrier that the mistletoe above them has in place gets in the way. In fact the spell isn't neutralized: it rebounds. The stun spell hits both Rin and Fuuta, temporarily and partially paralyzing them so that they can't physically fight off the inbound mimic. The monster gets within reach and begins using its tongue to rip and tear at anything the pair may be wearing.

It really wants at those holes!!!!]

What the hell!? WHY DIDN'T THAT WORK!?

[Rin has also not noticed the kissy plant above them which is requiring that smoochies happen before any violence can be committed.]

[pyrolyzed]

[ It's not like he's completely gotten over their last little point of friction, but -- that's that, and this is this. This, being the imminent threat of getting eaten (?) by a fucking mimic. So Fuuta is shameless in scrambling behind Rin for cover; the only thing preventing him from gasping out his frazzled thanks is the tightness in his lungs as he wheezes for air. And just as he starts gathering his wits, assuming that a mob monster like that will be a piece of cake for Rin --

something happens? There's a flash of light accompanied by an electric jolt, and Fuuta gives a large, startled yelp as he collapses to the floor. His extremities feel numb? He can't feel his feet. ]

... wh -- what the hell? [ It's so hard moving, like his limbs are made of lead, and Fuuta barely manages to shift to give Rin a thoroughly boggled stare, voice cracking as he barks, ] What was that? What did you do?!

[ Fortunately for Rin, she won't have to put up with too much more of his accusatory yapping, because Fuuta's next words cut off with a yowl as the mimic's tongue rips his pants off. The drag of a huge, wet tongue up the back of his thigh earns a high-pitched, startled yip, and unable to do much of anything significant, Fuuta ends up just ... pathetically papping a hand against the flooring in his attempts to gesticulate at Rin. ]

Do something!

[ Not only useless, but also rude. Terrible. ]

[edelstein]

That was supposed to stun it! I don't know why it back fired?!

[Everything Rin does feels so... sluggish, and devoid power. Even reaching out to grab the mimic's tongue feels like an arduous task! So much so she misses twice as it yanks Fuuta's bottoms off. Though she gets it the third time!

A mistake. That strong muscle isn't deterred in the least, and begins coiling up her arm like a slimy snake leaving her covered in its viscous saliva. The sensation leaves Rin screeching, and she tries to yank away to no avail.]

Why the hell would my spell backfire? does this freak have some kind of protection that the other monsters don't?!

for AAK | body swap

[pyrolyzed]

[ How long's it been now, since they switched bodies? Or more importantly: how long's it been now since Aak basically bolted in his body, set off like a fucking bottle rocket the moment he'd snapped, 'Don't go doing anything stupid in my body, you got it?!' A part of him's admittedly furious with himself, since he really should have known better than to say something like that around that asshole, but ... Fuuta had really thought, despite his shitty attitude, Aak would at least understand this was a matter to be taken seriously.

-- yeah, as if he's ever placing his faith in Aak again after this whole mess.

He'd been too flustered at the time to check his Watch, but quite some time's passed now since their initial swap. Time he'd spent frantically looking for some hint of how to undo this stupid body swap, only to come up with nothing. Time he'd ended up wasting just running around this dumb maze! And time -- more than enough time -- that he's starting to get seriously worried about what the hell Aak might be up to in his body.

Has Aak even been reading his messages? The number of furious all-caps texts and shouted voice messages he's left Aak by this point definitely count as blowing up his watch, most of them furiously demanding that Aak show back up at the room where they'd initially swapped. And Fuuta waits there -- tail swishing furiously behind him, sharp teeth bared in a growl that's deeply uncharacteristic for Aak, ears basically pinned back against his head in his irritation.

An added complication is the fact that the switch in this room seems to have been recently re-triggered given the still-running air conditioning, but ... he'll deal with that later. He just needs Aak to show up, first. There's the steady tromp of sneakers against the flooring as Fuuta (in Aak's body) paces the room from end to end, tail swishing furiously with each step, and the moment he hears anyone approaching the room, he immediately lunges over to stick his head out the door and grab at them.

This is going to be so embarrassing if it's not his own body he's faced with. ]

[malpwactice]

[Aak had kind of wondered how long this was gonna last. In his infinite capacity for experimentation he could tell it definitely wasn't making someone else come or coming himself. Was it maybe that he had to specifically do it with Fuuta? Or maybe if he went back and slept the rest of it off that'd work. The novelty of not being in his own body was starting to fade, getting replaced with a pain in his ribs and behind the eye patch.]

[(he had gone into one of the public restrooms to use a mirror and carefully inspect everything, of course, not batting an eye when someone walked in on him)]

[When he does check the Watch he realizes,]

[oh they just gotta step on the trap again? Whoopsies.]

[He does consider going and taking a nap anyways. Fuuta had a nice room, right? He's burned a lot of stamina getting down there in the first place, then flirting around, and there's no way the other guy would just stubbornly wait there until-]

[-his body is definitely in danger, Fuuta's just gonna stubbornly wait there until they can swap. If a monster doesn't get him then he's gonna catch a nasty cold. So, it's back down the dungeon, borrowing someone to hold hands with, dodging dripping slimes, making it back to floor six. Suddenly hands crash against him and a loud yelp that Fuuta should find pretty familiar echoes through the dungeon halls.]

Dude! What, did you get my body zombified or some shit?!

[he reaches up and grabs his own wrists, patting the furred skin to feel for any lesions or grossness]

[pyrolyzed]

[ Oh, he hates that. Hearing his own voice yelping like that. It sounds extremely pathetic coming from a whole other person, and Fuuta tries not to think about the mortified heat he can feel rising in his cheeks even as he snaps, ]

Shut up, I thought you might go running off again if I didn't grab at you! [ He ends up tolerating about five seconds of patting before swatting one of Aak's (his own) hands away with a growl. ] And stop that!

[ At least Aak can rest easy knowing his own body's been kept fairly safe. A little sweaty and scuffed up in spots from running around the maze, sure, but otherwise not too much worse for the wear. (Yet.)

Fuuta, on the other hand ... It must be a weird experience for Aak, seeing his own features crinkled up in that typical, fretful, tense way Fuuta usually tends to look. His ears flick sharply back as he looks his own body over from tip to tie, before looking back up with a click of the tongue. ]

What the hell were you even doing? [ A huff before he looks aside. Hoping for a moment that the ice magic in the switch room has turned off, but ... nope, it's still going strong. ] I was looking for how to undo this bullshit, you know. While you were off doing whatever. I overheard some people saying just doing the same thing again fixes it, but ... we should look for another room, I think. I dunno how long it takes for a room to reset.

[ And he does not want to risk waiting around until a minotaur comes sniffing for them. ]

[malpwactice]

[Aak doesn't like seeing Fuuta's usual expression on his body, sure. It's not like it was an impossible expression for him to make. He felt the way Fuuta looked right now plenty of times in the past. He learned that he should never let that anxiety show on his features. So it feels like a failing to see Fuuta's eyes nervously canvas the halls.]

[He liked Fuuta well enough, anxiety and all. He doesn't really like himself.]

I thought I'd do you a favor! [Aak shrugs and holds his hands up defensively. He considers asking who Fuuta thinks would get credit for any cards but the other interrupts with his plans. That's probably for the best. Asking that would make it way too obvious what he'd been up to.]

Oh, so you were just listening to gossip? [It sounds like some really intensive research into fixing the problem. Definitely he spent his time more wisely than Aak! Fuuta's face doesn't lend itself quite as well to Aak's catlike grin but his cheeks still press up to curve his eyes with a smug look.]

Couldn't hurt to try. If we run into anything too strong we're screwed, though. You've got some nasty debuffs on this body, you know?

[Aak hovers his hand over the spot in the armor that covered the bruised ribs.]

ii

[paperpusher]

[Natori wasn't enjoying his time in the dungeons, actually. For one thing, he's once again reduced to trying to scrape together a normal wardrobe after all of his clothes went missing. A part of him feels guilty collecting the clothing from the chests scattered around the floor once he's put together that some of it is undeniably other guests' belongings, but... he's happy to give it back to the rightful owner if he can ever identify them. In the meantime, at least he can put on a sweater that doesn't have pieces cut out of it.

The second, more annoying thing is that even as the hotel changed around him, he still hasn't been able to get rid of the stupid mask from his uncle's house. He has managed to figure out how to get the eyes to open (show vulnerability in the ayakashi sex hotel, naturally) and could only hope that he'd be able to remove it once he gets the sixth one, but until then it's stuck on his face as thoroughly as if it'd been glued there. Only the topmost eye remains closed, but Natori isn't sure if it will work if he repeats an audience member and even getting the other eyes open has made him want to shrivel up and die, so. Here he is, sorting for clothes in abandoned crates while wearing an immovable mask. The glamorous life of a movie star.

He does hear Fuuta shouting, and even looks up to see what's chasing him. At first, he parses Fuuta's abrupt stop as a trick of the mimic's-- he's not familiar with what the mimics are able to do, since he has actual tools at hand to sort out real boxes from ayakashi. Literally. He doesn't even mind Fuuta hiding behind him; he just reaches into his messenger bag and pulls out a paper talisman, twisting it between his fingers as he holds his hand out towards the approaching mimic.]

Sleep, bonded artifice. Heed my call, grab hold and drag into slumber.

[A string of paper dolls whips forward and winds itself around the mimic, dragging it to a standstill-- though not, unfortunately, fully exorcising it. Instead it thrashes mindlessly in place a few paces away from them, that long tongue out and flailing as his paper dolls try to hold it back. Not ideal, if that tongue is actually damp, but it should hopefully hold long enough for Natori to draw up a proper spell circle... if he could move from this spot, which he hasn't realized he can't do yet. Without looking down at Fuuta, more because he's aware of how unnerving the mask could be to a normal person than because he's purposefully trying to ape a stoic anime mage, he says:]

Go on. I'll take care of it.

[pyrolyzed]

[ Under different circumstances -- if he were in a better state of mind, mostly, and maybe not battling the thread of a light concussion from hitting that barrier, and also if he maybe knew it was just that one annoying asshole from the network under the mask -- he would have immediately made fun of Natori for that chuuni-ass incantation. But the circumstances are what they are, and so

Fuuta only gives a wobbly nod as he stiffly gets back to his feet, trying to get his field of vision to stop spinning. Invisible or not, hitting that wall (?) sure scrambled his brains. ]

H -- okay. Yeah. [ A stumble as he glances over to at least get a proper look at who's saving his sorry ass. ] Got it --

[ Actually. He was thinking he might thank them? But never mind. He changes his mind the moment he lays eyes on that creepy mask. Like, he knows well by now that this place is full of weirdo freaks, but that mask is still. Kinda. ... ugh, whatever! He'll think about it later. And so Fuuta starts to run away again, off to the side this time

only to whack face-first into the invisible barrier around them. Again.

At least this time the impact isn't violent enough to completely spill him to the ground, and Fuuta instead stumbles back with a loud yip -- staggering right into Natori's back, hand grabbing at his newly-foraged clothes in search of purchase. Two impacts in such quick succession are more than enough to leave his thoughts scattered, and Fuuta struggles to even stay on his feet for a moment, scrabbling and sagging against Natori even as he stutters, ]

What th -- ... there's something? There's something there. Like a wall.

[paperpusher]

[The first sign that Natori gets that this rescue is going to be more complicated than he anticipated comes in the form of Fuuta scrabbling back into him. It throws Natori off balance, forcing him to take a step forward and tearing his eyes away from the thrashing mimic. He turns to look down at Fuuta (though Fuuta will just have to guess that that's what he's doing; there are no eye holes on this mask), but before he can say anything too accusatory his momentum bumps him up against his own invisible wall in front of him.]

What-- a ward?

[Natori reaches a hand out, feeling carefully for the point where his fingers hit that invisible wall. He can't immediately place the power behind it, but it does seem to extend in front of them as well as in the direction Fuuta tried to go. Could the mimic have thrown this up as a reaction to his spell? He'd had the impression that the mimics weren't that strategic.]

Feel around for the edges, see if we're completely surrounded, [he tells Fuuta with a matter-of-fact efficiency; surely Fuuta will just keep doing what he says?] ...Carefully.

[Meanwhile Natori fishes a single paper doll out of his bag and lets it swoop around their heads. The doll takes larger and larger circles each time, and doesn't seem to encounter any barrier. Once it flies well out of reach of Natori's outstretched fingers:] ...It doesn't block everything from going out. Or coming in.

[The mimic thumping against the ground in front of them manages to scoot forward another inch despite the bindings. Natori frowns behind his mask even as he gestures for the circling paper doll to smack into the mimic to rock it back The same amount. The mistletoe hanging above them totally escapes his notice; he's too busy trying to calculate how long they likely have to undo this before the mimic breaks free. More than the worst case scenario, since he can send more dolls out, but he doesn't have a limitless supply.]

Chamber Two - Spoilers Warning for the thread

[stillamonster]

[The man in the Fox Mask is not amused by this development. He has his arms crossed and tucked into the sleeves of a very short yukata he found in a chest. Which was better than being naked, but not by much. He fights to not scowl at the suggestion of what they gotta do-]

I do not mean to be rude, [his tone is very formal,] but I am not interested in men.

[He's from the 1960's in Japan, he's never had to specify this in all his life. It's a real culture shock, but he's trying to be polite.]

There must be another means of escape.

[He does sound rather judgemental of how quickly Fuuta jumped to deference of this place's whims. Then again, Fox Mask gives the aura of a mysterious and stuffy guy, kind of a buzzkill.]

[pyrolyzed]

[ Is this --

is this guy judging him.

Faced by that blunt refusal, all Fuuta could do for a moment was gawp the other guy with brow furrowed and mouth open, equal parts flabbergasted and indignant. And then the moment passes, and the yapping begins. ]

H -- haaa?! [ He's so flustered that his voice actually cracks in the middle of that incensed noise, but Fuuta forges on regardless. ] The f -- that's n -- what, you think I'm fucking dying to screw you? Talk about narcissistic! [ Accompanied by a finger rudely pointing right at that stupid fox mask as he keeps barking: ] Like hell I'd wanna do anything with a freak like you either, so get that straight! I just know how this place is! If there's a sign like that, then it means there's no other way to get the door open!

[stillamonster]

[oh, the yapping has begun. That really set the young man off, didn't it? Fox Mask keeps a straight(ha) face at this, letting Fuuta tire himself out with his outrage for a moment before responding,]

Calm yourself. [said SO condescendingly calm,]

We haven't even tried another option. You have no other ideas, only complying to their wishes?

[Less judgemental on the latter half of that response, but more so curious for understanding.

Is that what this place does to people? Wears them into the shape of such submission to their whims? A familiar enough tactic, the Tsuneki family would use similar tactics themselves when beneficial to them. Fox Mask has little interest in just complying,]

iii a this is tiny bc of the panic but lmk if it doesn't work!!

[luxuriant]

Oh, you've got to be kidding me.

( In the dark of this deep, windowless room, it might have been easy to miss Zelos' silhouette. But now that the walls are beginning to rumble and he takes a more serious stance, his voice is unmistakable to anyone who's heard it once, probably. Even as serious as it is now. )

There's no way they'd let it go all the way, right?

( But this is no time for a reunion, and so Zelos shoots right towards his worried thoughts, mind racing. He does not want to be emotionally vulnerable in any way, thank you, with anyone— but those are spikes on those walls, and as he shoots out a spell of fireball towards one of them, it doesn't do more than cause it to stutter in its movement. )

this works perfectly!!

[pyrolyzed]

[ Zelos' appearance sure does catch him off guard! But whatever surprise he's feeling both due to his presence and due to the fact that he looks kind of familiar (didn't he see this guy ages ago?) are completely squelched under the more visceral alarm he's feeling from the walls starting to rumble closer.

Unhelpfully, when that fireball puffs off the wall and barely slows it down, he ends up blurting out the first thing on his mind: ]

That's all you can do?! [ Says the literally useless guy ... ] I thought all you people who can do magic and shit could do more than that!

[ At least it's obvious he's speaking out of panic, not genuine malice or condescension, and Fuuta ends up spinning a little 360 degree circle in place as he frantically looks for some sort of hint of what to do. And when he finds nothing ... he ends up turning on heel to look to Zelos with shoulders squared, hands clenched to nervous fists. ]

-- s-say something vulnerable, already! [ Why doesn't he go first ... ]