「 TDM 03 」

[watertrade]

i. Arrival

There isn't any strange feeling or sudden blackout to warn someone of what's to come - it simply happens. One moment they're in their own world attending to their own business, and the next they're underwater. Specifically, the dark, cold waters of the Sumida River. With the final days of spring having already given way to the summer heat the water is actually quite refreshing, but the sudden shock leaves new arrivals at risk of drowning.

Luckily, they aren't alone. The crews that constantly patrol the river are quick to fish the newcomers out, dry them off, and explain the situation. Maybe the words and names mean something to said newcomers, and maybe they don't. No matter the case, they're the same for everyone: you're in Yoshiwara, near the city of Tokyo in the country of Japan, and you're here to stay. If your surroundings aren't familiar, that's to be expected; this world isn't the one you know.

New arrivals that feel up to the task are encouraged to help with retrieving other newcomers. Those that don't welcome to sit quietly out of the way until the boats return to docks. Once there everyone is given directions to a nearby dormitory, where they can find temporary housing - and maybe a change of clothes - before their faction assignments are finalized. Those that still feel overwhelmed are permitted to mingle on the docks. There's not much to do but sit around and drip dry, but at least there are friendly locals that are willing to answer any questions for them.

ii. Humidity Is Rising

The onset of summer hasn't just brought high temperatures. The rainy season is in full swing and this week in particular has been plagued with heavy downpours. Hopefully everyone has an umbrella!

But even those that don't aren't out of luck.

Ougai, the old man that runs an oden cart in the west district, has some spare umbrellas, left behind by previous customers. Anyone who happens to pass by and is in need of an umbrella will be given one for free. It's a simple act of kindness, but it's one that inspires a warmth in the heart, and the desire to spread that warmth to others.

Anyone who accepts one of the umbrellas will feel compelled to share it with other people, inviting even strangers into the dry space beneath. It seems that even the shy and antisocial are drawn in by this compulsion. It doesn't stop there, of course. Once two people step beneath the same umbrella to share it, they'll be overcome with romantic feelings for one another. It's not unusual to feel symptoms similar to a school girl with a crush, hearts beating faster, each brush of shoulders causing a rush of ecstasy, the risk of rain bringing the couples closer together with each step. However those feelings might show is up to each individual, of course, but one thing is for certain: this is love.

At least for now, anyway. These feelings certainly seem real, and they can last for up to a few hours after the umbrella has been set aside. They do eventually fade, however, leaving behind nothing but confusion and, perhaps, a faint longing for what was just lost.

iii. No Sun Up In The Sky

Unfortunately, lovey dovey umbrellas aren't the only ones being passed around. On occasion, someone may pick up or be handed an umbrella that's not so nice. Some begin to fight the user, closing over their head while they're walking, pinching fingers, or smacking any passerby to instigate violence. Others sprout legs and take off, leaving you soaking in the rain. Some might even stretch out subtly above you and create holes for the rain to fall through anyway.

These tricky umbrellas love to catch people off guard, so it could be a good while into your stroll before they pull a fast one on you. Hopefully there are some kind souls around to lend you a hand, since sometimes even ditching the umbrella and heading indoors doesn't solve the problem. Some people will find themselves stuck with an unfortunate case of bad luck that can last up to a few hours after leaving (or being abandoned by) the umbrella. Bad luck can manifest in a number of different ways, such as horrible butterfingers (especially when it comes to handling fragile items), tripping over your own feet (and into others, most of the time), and standing under the wrong portion of roof just before it collapses from the rain and pours all over you.

Though the umbrellas look quite normal, something about them may seem distinctly odd or unusual to those that are exceptionally perceptive or sensitive to the supernatural. These individuals have a chance to avoid these pesky umbrellas or even warn other people away from them, provided they're present when said umbrellas are being passed out.

iv. Just Play For The Fun

The heat and the rain are both driving residents inside, which means that certain indoor-only businesses are booming. One of said businesses happens to be an arcade! With big posters advertising a discount on tokens and a special tournament, word gets out fast, and people of all ages are making their way inside for a break from the rain with some fun. Tokens give you access to plenty of games, so try your hand at anything from crane games, side-scrollers, platformers, puzzle games, and rhythm games. It's easy to get pulled in to spending more and more tokens, but with the discounts, what harm is there?

In addition to the average arcade games that can be accessed, there are posters and signs all over announcing a special tournament for some kind of shooting game called LOST CONFLICT: DREADHUNT, the title of which is written in letters that drip blood. The game is played in teams of two, and centers around killing demons that have overrun a resort town. It's over-the-top gory, liberal in its use of nudity, and seems to be something of a classic. To enter, players simply fill out a form at any of the various locations throughout the arcade and wait for the announcements later on in the evening. Characters will be paired off and have the very simple rules explained to them: shoot everything you can, and earn points doing it! The team with the most points advances.

A little friendly competition never hurt anyone, right? Unlike normal tournaments where only one main winner gets a reward, competitors are rewarded with each battle won. Vouchers for food, drinks and prizes within the cafe are handed out to each winner of each round, meaning that it's a tournament focused on getting the most wins. Have fun!

v. Cafe Lazy

But don't think that the rain, arcade games, and umbrella-related mishaps are enough to make Yoshiwara give up on its true nature. The cafe Lazy is running another one of their special promotions, offering a free full serving of an iced (on sunny days) or hot (on rainy days) drink to any passersby who look appropriately warm and sweaty, wet and cold, or just plain unoccupied.

Anyone who accepts will find themselves whisked into the cafe, seated at one of several kotatsu (which are all partitioned off with thick curtains), and presented with a tall glass of the drink of their choice. They won't be alone, either. Everyone is seated with at least one partner and encouraged to make idle chatter while they drink. The socially awkward might find the small book labeled 'conversations starters' helpful, and if that doesn't work there's also a small box of goodies on each table. It sure is a friendly atmosphere.

Perhaps too friendly, which may be familiar to some established residents. It turns out that some, but not all, of the drinks are laced with aphro, a variety that causes both arousal and mild giddiness. The thick, nearly soundproof curtains might make more sense now; they're clearly meant to muffle the sounds of lovemaking from other patrons. Visitors don't have to mingle so extensively, of course. Again, some of the drinks are just regular drinks, and there's no discernable pattern behind which are spiked and which aren't. Still, the 'conversation starters' book goes from fairly innocent prompts (like 'if you could have any one animal as a loyal pet, which would you choose?') to more risque ones ('describe your ideal sexual encounter') in a hurry, and the box's goodies consist of lubricant, sexual position guides, and bullet vibrators. Sex is clearly the intent here.

On the way out customers will be told that the whole process is an advertisement for the cafe's 'couples service', thanked for their participation, and sent on their way with a smile. Maybe it's a good idea to accept Yoshiwara's generosity with caution from now on.

Wildcard

As always, there are plenty of other things to do. Perhaps some newcomers will want to poke around the town's various locations, check out its assorted businesses, or even visit a legitimately haunted house. There's plenty of things to see and very few limitations to exploration, so there's no reason someone has to stay near the docks and temporary dorms if they don't want to.

OOC

Hello, and welcome to the Yoshiwara Nights TDM! Use this post to voice test characters, decide who you want to app, and get a feel for the game and your fellow potential players.

Events of the TDM may be kept as game canon. Once you've been accepted you can submit a thread of your character pulling people out of the river (Arrival) to gain bonus reputation with your starting faction. You can only submit one thread, and it must have five comments from you to qualify. Both new and current characters may submit reputation threads.

Reserves will open on June 3rd (that's tonight)! Our monthly schedule can be found here. If you haven't already please make yourself familiar with our information pages.

Due to this TDM being a last minute change in the schedule and going up so late, we will be allowing 10 comments required for applications to come from as many individual threads as needed. If you’re still unable to reach 10 comments, you may also provide a standalone written sample. This applies to this application round only.

If you have any questions about the TDM prompts please direct them here. You can also follow us on Plurk at yoshiwara for further updates.

Comments

QUESTIONS

[watertrade]

Please direct any questions about the TDM to this comment.

Misaka WORST | Toaru Majutsu no Index

[neurallycorrupt]

i. Arrival

You've been pulled from the depths of the cold river and brought back to the docks where other similarly drenched new arrivals sit and stand waiting. One of them, a teenage brunette young lady wearing a drying pink and white aodai gives you either a curious or bored onceover and asks a question.

"Hey, how close were you to drowning? This Misaka would like to know how such a near death experience felt."

Direct, succinct, and potentially invasive. What's also odd is the smirk she may be shooting your way. Is that.. is that what normal people ask complete strangers about?

Or, maybe instead of her approaching you directly, instead you're minding your own business on the dock when suddenly purple electricity sparks and fizzles behind you. It could just be to startle you with the noise, or maybe the mysterious electricity shocks you or the metal you may be wearing. Shit, man, using electricity anything near water and wet things or people is dangerous. Turn around and spot her, and she only gives you a look of feigned innocence.

"Yes, what is it? Did you want something?"



iv. Just Play For The Fun

Of course she signed up for the shooting game tournament. All Misakas held a general interest in video games, but Misaka WORST had more of a taste for the dark and dangerous things. Something like LOST CONFLICT: DREADHUNT that advertised shooting everything ever sounded like much more fun than the more general gaming the rest of the Sisters favored.

Holding her gaming gun, she scrutinizes whoever's been paired off with her and makes her stance perfectly clear: "Misaka expects you not to drag her down here, I am playing to win." She aims her gun at her partner and mimes firing. She's joking. Mostly. Actually, is she? Would she be that ruthless?



Wildcard

For anything else that doesn't fit into the above.


[ooc: Character is a human clone about 16 mental years old. Open to both m/f and f/f, and both gen and smut, so just communicate with me if keeping it gen is something you would prefer. I am inthetatras.]

iv.

[arzt]

She might not have been a crack shot, but Angela was no slouch, either. The way she saw it, this game would probably be easy enough for somebody with even just a bit of military training, and the chance to win vouchers for food and drink was, bluntly, too good to pass up while she waited for a job assignment.

"Don't worry. I may not look like it, but I'm not a bad shot." Clearly assuming Misaka was joking, Angela returned the gesture while waiting for the game to start.

Osomatsu Matsuno | Osomatsu-san

[relieable]

I) out to dry

[after he's been fished out of the river, Osomatsu hunkers down into the boat wrapped up in a blanket that he's got around his body and over his head]

What the hell... happened?

[this must be a dream of some kind, right? though, if it is, why is he wet and shivering from the cold? he listens to the explanations in a daze, never lifting his head. he doesn't recall going swimming in a river. but now's not the time to be despondent, Osomatsu! wake up, start asking questions...]

Oi. Can I get some cocoa?

[...not the right question]

II) under my umbrella-ella-ella

[Osomatsu is actually eating at the oden cart when the rain comes. he sat down there a couple hours ago, before the rain started, so he has no umbrella]

Really?

[he whines, but, luckily the old man is kind enough to give him an umbrella! he is sent on his way with a smile and leftovers. the people here are really nice, huh? he is walking along under the umbrella, feeling happy and warm, maybe even a little generous. so when he sees another person dripping wet from the rain, Osomatsu can't help but offer to share space. that... is completely unlike him!]

Hey, get under here!

III) what's the name of the game?

[ah! an arcade! that is where Osomatsu wants to be! he ducks in out of the rain, grinning at the loud noises pelting him left and right. he's not bothered by them at all. he practically lives in the pachinko parlor back at home. since he has been thrust into the World of Jobs now, he has money to buy tokens! ...not a lot of money, but it's enough with all these discounts flying around.

his luck at the crane games is dismal, but he's pretty good at the rhythm games. of course, rhythm games don't give out prizes, and Osomatsu wants to win something. he's gone back to staring at one of the crane games now, trying to figure out the next best move to knock the prize into the hole. he only has a few tokens left]

Hmmmm...

IV) wildcard

[i'm open to other options! feel free to wildcard it up, by posting here, or poking lovebakery to plot!]

Soaking wet Oso

[bridge_princess]

[First he was getting a blanket while some dirty-blonde haired person with pointed ears helped haul the next one up. She caught the question and request and grunted, looking around before she gave him a cup from a little thermos of luke-warm cocoa or coffee. She honestly didn't know if it was those, or tea. It was dark and hopefully would help.

Thrusting it at him, she raised an eyebrow.]

You fell in a river.

[...Parsee.]

I

[socute]

[ okay she's in the spirit realm right now but yeah

Totoko generally didn't spend that much time around the river. It didn't really matter too much to her if anyone else showed up after all! She was focusing on the most important things: mainly herself and her current career! Still, taking a stroll to see if there are any hot men who are drowning and need her to save them!

Except once she gets closer to the boats, she sees a familiar... a very familiar head, along with a familiar (if not soaked) red hoodie.

...

Ah. She gets it. ]

I see, I see. What a weird dream this is. There's no way they'd let a guy like him wash up here.

[ No sir, this place would never allow any shitty NEETs! ]

3!

[earrdrums]

...

I think it needs to be knocked to the right some. You know, with the edge of the claw.

[That's even said with one of her earphone jacks motioning with what she says, of course.

How long has she been here? Who knows.
But it was easy enough to see what Osomatsu was having trouble with, and what kind of Hero would she be to not help someone with what's bothering them?

Of course, she's also just nosy, but y'know.]

II

[chief_of_staff]

[If asked, Sabo would admit that he isn't a big fan of the rain. Sure, it's relaxing to watch, but to be in -- that's a different story. He's fire. Fire and water don't mix very well, all things told.

So, when he walks by the stranger and is offered a place under his umbrella, he picks up the pace and sidles next to him, his expression grateful and happy.]

Thank you! [His hair is dripping wet. He hadn't worn his hat today, unfortunately.] I really appreciate this. Not a big fan of rain.

II

[kivatteru]

[ The downpour of these days ended up messing a bit with Wataru's schedule. He had expected something like this to happen once the rain season reared in, but with the way Yoshiwara was unpredictable at times he expected something weird to happen again. But no, it's just rain. He doesn't hate it, but it does push a wrench in his patrolling plans.

... Today, he also forgot his umbrella. He feels so dumb. Should have welcomed Kivat's suggestion to chill at his dorm for once. His familiar now must be all cozy under the blankets, unlike him.

But all hope is not lost, as a voice beckons him under their umbrella, and his gaze crosses with that of another man. ]

Oh... thank you.

[ He's quiet and polite, not refusing the kind gesture as he ducks into the restricted space and combs a hand through his wet hair, pushing it back. ]

I didn't expect it to be this rainy today, too.

Wataru Hibiki ☆ Ensemble Stars!

[doving]

i. arrival

[Even he can end up in unpleasant scenarios like this. The shock of the water catches him off guard, and he does require assistance. Soaking wet, hair everywhere, he has to be pulled out of the water just like everyone else. Maybe you're even the one who does it? If so, enjoy the very brief moments of silence from him. You'll likely never get it again.

After that, however, he turns to help others out of the water, as well. At that point, he's able to speak more, calling out for people's hands, joking to lighten the mood, and so on. It's all pretty standard! You'd almost think he was normal.]

ii. humidity is rising

[It must be fate that Wataru was handed one of the brightest and ugliest umbrellas on the streets. Certainly so, since there's no way he could stand out any more than this. In a school uniform with the jacket hanging only from his shoulders, and long, beautiful hair trailing behind and along with him in every dramatic movement, he's bringing a light to the streets as he walks. Originally, he'd been without an umbella, trapped in the rain and wandering about to find one, but the kind old man who'd handed him this one had quickly been offered a daffodil out of thin air in thanks, and now the idol is safe to stroll along more actively, engaging anyone who he crosses paths with.

Children are granted little shows of magic, sleight of hand, teens and adults are greeted enthusiastically and questioned in over the top ways, cheery and amusing, and finally, he comes across you— yes you, without the umbrella!]

Oh my, what's this? [Spinning around to step before the stranger (or maybe a not-so-stranger), he places his free hand over his chest, speaking loudly, and gesturing throughout like he's acting out in a play.]

Here, on a crowded street, lost and alone in the rain, without a thing in the world to shield you! You poor thing! It must be fate that has led us to this day! Oh, my heart is swelling with incredible love...!

[With another spin back to his target, he lowers himself in almost a bow, one hand keeping the umbrella held high above him so not to clock anyone, and the other extending in offering, and he smiles.]

Allow me to offer you aid in this trying time. ☆ Won't you join me beneath this umbrella?

v. Cafe Lazy

[So, you've been dragged in to sit at a table, huh? Well, lucky (or not) for you, Wataru is already here! Here, as two drinks are set out and the curtains are closed to encourage their discussion, Wataru doesn't waste any time in getting to the whole chatting part.]

Welcome! ♪ Fufufu... What an honor, to be joined by someone such as yourself! Come, come, have a seat, enjoy yourself! It seems that we've entered a tale for two, a journey of unexpected twists and turns even while hiding from the rain. What will happen next, I wonder? Ah, to be joined by you, of course, is a blessing!

[He gestures with his hand, and in a flourish, a rose appears, offered out.] For you! A rose. How else shall I celebrate? Doves? Fireworks? Shall I turn the rain into flower petals?

[Whether or not his partner here takes it (and if they don't, it vanishes in a puff of smoke), he pulls his hand back shortly after and makes a show of both of his hands splaying fingers to show they're empty.]

Simply name it, and I will make it so! After all, I am nothing but a jester, here for your entertainment! That's right, it is I! Your Wataru Hibiki. ☆

(ooc: I mean feel free to have this be aphro too, if you want to sex up a clown (I don't have any restrictions for that!))

vi. Is this your Wildcard?

[But of course!! Find him anywhere! Rescuing you from bad luck? Reenacting a tragicomedy in the streets? Or maybe you catch him in the rare instance of quietly window shopping on his own, that's also possible. But make up whatever you'd like! Please be gentle, he's a new muse and I'm voice testing, thank you!]

ii

[comburst]

[ ...This is so fucking overdramatic and while Katsuki doesn't exactly relish being soaked just for forgetting his umbrella, there's just...so much going on here. Like, what the fuck is this guy doing? What's with all the spinning and posing??? It reminds him a little bit of disco ball from his class, and that's not really the bet comparison...

Also, that umbrella is hideous.

But it's mostly all the dramatics that causes him to answer: ]

I'd rather catch pneumonia.

[ AND DIE...

You're so embarrassing, Wataru. ]

Ayana Amamoto | Caligula Effect Overdose

[androphobe]

[I. Arrival]

[She's pretty sure this is what dying feels like as she's hauled up out of the river, coughing up water onto the ground. She's soaked and shivering and confused, looking around.

This... Wasn't Mobius. It couldn't be, right? Or maybe it was just some as-of-yet unexplored region Mu had created? She still looked like she did in that virtual world, after all, so...

Ayana pulls the offered blanket around her a little tighter, edging away from any men as she tries to figure out what was going on.]

Hey, uh... Is this-- I mean, here is this? Is this still Mobius? [She'snot really looking at who she's addressing as she slowly scans the area for signs of where they could. Which is probably for the best, honestly, give that if you're a guy she's really not going to react well when she notices.]

[III. No Sun]

[This place is still weird and uncomfortable, but at least she's...sorta been settling in, getting an idea of the place. And it's nice to walk around wit a cute umbrella in the rain, taking a stroll. Not many people are out and about when it's downpouring like this, so it's... Nice. Just wander around, take in the sights.

Like the sight of her umbrella suddenly gaining a mind of its own and quite literally running away what the fuck.]

Hey, what-- Wait!

[Ayana cries out in surprise before she just sort of stands there in shock, getting soaked by the rain.]

...What just happened? [bitch WHAT]

[V. Cafe Lazy]

[Well this is nice! It's rainy and miserable outside, but comfy cozy inside, just how she'd like it.

She sits at the kotatsu, giving a content little sigh as she sips from her iced tea, looking up with a bright smile as whoever it is is ushered into their little space.]

Oh, hello! Was there not enough open spaces...? Ah, well, sharing a kotatsu wit someone can be nice too! Welcome!

[...Unless you're male-presenting, in which her happy greeting and look immediately changes to one of disgust and horror, recoiling a little.]

Wha... N-no way, go away! I refuse to sit with the likes of you! I demand a change! Get out! [She picks up the glass, looking like she's about 5 seconds away from chucking it at your head.]

III.

[inthemiddle]

[A second umbrella appears above her head, tipped over her by Silas. He'd been walking along and witnessed the whole ordeal. He does hold the umbrella out to her at an arms length, not standing too much in her space without a warning. He'd rather stand in the rain than that, a more chivalrous thing to do than crowding her.

Besides, the vibrant lily flowers on his head are sort of like mini umbrellas! And those odd ears of his love being in the rain, he'd been out all day in it]

Seems the umbrellas are sparking minds of their own, good miss. Here you are.

Kyoka Jiro | My Hero Academia

[earrdrums]

[1 - arrival]

[To say the change was abrupt is an understatement. One moment she's training with her classmates -
The next, she's deep underwater. Almost like she blinked, and there she was.
Whether the locals or otherwise fish her out or not isn't too much of a concern, she's quick to start swimming to where she's in reach, but once she's out of the water and she's filled in on what's happening?

She's just as quick to peel herself out of her bulky (and now sopping wet) leather coat, tossing it to the side as she turns around to help. Not even stopping to question if anything the locals say is true - that can come later if there really are others still deep in the river's waters.
The moment someone's in reach, she's stretching out to grab them - by an arm, by an ankle, by the collar of their shirt, doesn't matter - and starts helping the locals hoist them out of the water.

Is it your character she saves? Probably! If so, she's quick to haul them up onto the boat before turning around to continue searching, even shooting out her jacks - the long, extendable appendages hanging from her ears - into the water to feel for others.

Is it NOT your character she saves? In that case... it's probably weird that a small girl like her just fell right into helping like this, right?
Hell, she hasn't even said anything to the people around her, yet...]

[2 - no sun in the sky]

[Honestly? Jiro couldn't really care less about the rain. Sure, it'd be nice to not have to wander around in it, but there she is - doing exactly that. It's probably why someone was kind enough to hand an umbrella off to her!
She seriously looked like she needed it. And for a while, it really helps!

... At least, until the thing snaps closed over her head entirely - in the middle of a crowded street, no less. There's some obvious struggling and a local - or maybe someone from another world like herself - manages to help get it off, and the thing scampers away into the cracks of an alley. But jeez... of all the weird things.
And now she's stuck in the rain again.

That's not all it's done, of course. Sure, the rain sucks, but she can manage - she was doing just fine before the stupid umbrella, after all! - but now... right when she feels like she's brushed it all off, right when it feels like her day's back on track?
She trips. Hard. Not just eating concrete, no - she trips into someone, landing hard against their back or their shoulder with a painful sounding "oof" and everything.

But at least Jiro's quick to try and peel herself right back off of whoever was on the other end of that, looking sheepish.]

-- S-sorry... today's just not my day, I guess...

[3 - just play for the fun]

[Unlike most of the other patrons, Jiro... doesn't seem too keen on playing with others. The competition's going totally ignored by her - instead, she seems plenty happy to stay tucked into the corner with her cup of tokens, plucking along at a little button-smash-style rhythm game and, well --

"New High Score!!"

Again. That's like, the fourth time this afternoon. Not only that?
But once someone walks by, they're being handed off a handful of tickets.]

- Here. There's nothing at the prize counter I care about.

[She's just here to wait out the weather, man, she doesn't care. The most she'd want from the prize counter is a pair of headphones they've got on display and, well... it's not like she really needs a dorky pair of cheap arcade-prize headphones when she doesn't even need to use them.]

[4 - wildcard & etc.]

[ooc: As always, I'm open for any prompts not listed here! Just shoot me a PM if you're not sure, but anything's fair game; you can even wildcard the prompts I've got if you want! Maybe your character's taken aback by her weird, ticket-giving generosity? Maybe they saw her trip and wanna laugh? Whatever you wanna do is good with me!

And because she's from My Hero Academia, details on her Quirk can be found here since her jacks are definitely gonna come up in tags!]

2

[comburst]

[ HONESTLY...He was about to snap at whoever ran into him. Katsuki's not Big on physical contact at the best of times, and while he's automatically checking that whoever it is didn't fall on their face (asshole, but still a hero) he's already opening his mouth to bitch them out.

He is, in fact, already bitching her out with - ]

Watch where you're fucking - [ Before his brain catches up to his mouth and his eyes register someone he actually recognizes. Not one of the chucklefucks he met here, either, but someone from home.

...Right. It's around the time of month people get randomly dumped in the river sometimes. ]

Tch. [ There's an annoyed sound as his hand snaps out to drag her closer instead, under the shelter of his own (normal, actually owned by him) umbrella. ] You look like a drowned rat.

[ And he's quietly assessing her for any injuries or ills he should give attention without saying so, besides the whole "soaking wet" thing. ]

Dirk Strider → Homestuck

[mechanics]

S I N K • O R • S W I M ♔

( Well, this wasn't exactly how he planned on waking up, but that's fine. Basically drowning! Sure, super, great.

Dirk flails for a moment or two, sputtering and choking on water as his shades threaten to float away from him, before he manages to right himself. Before anyone from a faction can reach for him, Dirk's floating himself up and out of the water, suspending himself mid-air. Not venturing to a boat, he instead shakes water from his hair, finishes coughing up a lung, and flicks water from his sunglasses before shoving them back on his face. He's in the process of wringing out his shirt when he hears someone splashing around in the water below him, but doesn't exactly pay any mind to the fact. There are boats! And people pulling others onto them. It's fine, probably.

Except the gasping and flailing continue and god, if he has to figure out how to resuscitate someone in a world that is, quite clearly, not his own, Dirk's going to immediately crl+alt+del his ass out of this new world.

So, hey, incoming? Dirk's going to swoop on in, hook his arms under said flailing arrival, and unceremoniously dump them onto the nearest boat.

Did he save your or a new fellow faction member? You're welcome! He's likely not sticking around, but maybe ask about this whole 'floating in mid-air' thing and he might hang out for a while. )

A N T I • L O V E ♡

( As soon as the compulsion to share had started to rise in him, Dirk knew something was amiss, that his world felt a little off. It's possible it was his own astute observations of how own emotions that led him to notice it first, or perhaps his aversion to warmth towards strangers. Most likely, though, was his power over heart that made it so Dirk had literally zero inclination to hold on to the umbrella any longer than usual, feeling something otherworldly pulling at his emotions, manipulating them in a way that he wasn't exactly keen on.

The umbrella is tossed into the hands of the next passerby that seems to need it while Dirk stays under the awning of a building, hair plastered down, and- Is this guy wearing dumb anime shades when it's already dark outside from the rainstorm? What a weirdo!

Still, said weirdo sure did just throw what seems to be a perfectly good umbrella at someone. If he catches you looking even vaguely confused about it, he'll hitch a thumb in the direction of the person he gave the umbrella to. )

Cursed. ( And you just handed it to someone else??? Prick. )

G A M E • O V E R ♫

( Dirk went solo.

He doesn't play well with others, deciding to fill out the second form with Lil' Hal's name before brushing it off as though said partner had ditched him when it came to his turn. Oh, what a damn shame! He had the unfortunate business of someone offering to be a stand-in, which Dirk had opted to turn down. He had this. He had this.

The first round seemed to be almost too much for him. Not that he wasn't trying, but Dirk needed to learn the in's and out's of the game, memorizing the level layout and how each gun worked, the weight in his hands, if firing both at once was moreoptimal over operating one and trying to rein in his flash movements to not be accused of cheating.

Because he's not.

Probably?

He barely skates through the first round to advance, again being offered to take up a partner (declined), before moving on. It's probably a bit of a spectacle to behold, watching as some asshole millennial shoots down demons in the game as though it's what he does for a living while looking entirely impassive while playing. A few rounds in, he stumbles in the game, his score lacking, and Dirk takes a swift exit from the tournament. Playedjust right to make it appear as though he was bested, but enough tells given for anyone paying attention that he was intentionally throwing the game.

Not for the sake of anyone's pride or feelings, though. Entirely due to the fact that he had literal fistfuls of vouchers for various food and drink items, plus a large stack of tokens for future use.

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE:

FOLLOW Dirk away from the tournament while he cashes in on some of those vouchers and maybe see if he's willing to share those chili cheese fries that are still steaming hot and looking mighty delicious.

TAKE UP ARMS against him when he puts those tokens to good use on an old school fighting game to see if you can beat him.

LOSE all your tokens on a bet you had going in hopes of Dirk winning the tournament? Maybe you should talk to him about that, because you definitely know he threw that and maybe cost you some cash.

WATCH as he does a little too well at rhythm games. Did he just beat it on Super Max Ultra+++ difficulty? Did his arms just blur with movement? This dude is ridiculous, someone stop him. )

W I L D C A R D ☽

( ooc | find me on plurk @ strifedeck to hash out something else, or throw something at me! )

ANTI-LOVE

[comburst]

[ Honestly, Katsuki barely cares what the fuck people do as long as it's not something he needs to care about as a hero. While there's a brief moment of "should I give a fuck he just threw an apparently cursed umbrella at someone" as he stands under his own (perfectly normal and owned by him) umbrella, red eyes narrowed, he eventually settles on the more obvious choice: ]

Cursed how? Another fucking aphrodisiac?

[ He just assumes anything that's weird here is an aphrodisiac at this point, with a sort of wary resignation.

There's absolutely no acknowledgement of the dumb anime shades. As far as character quirks go, it's pretty fucking mild comparatively to some people he knows... ]

Charlotte Katakuri ☠ One Piece

[guardog]

1. Arrival ~ Black Licorice from the Depths
[Water! It’s all he feels. The feeling of his trident pulling free of the soldier’s body has barely left his arms before everything is deluged. The utter shock of it compounds with the damning effects on his person and his eyes widen in a mixture of rare shock and other emotions he’s not willing to admit. He never foresaw this! He can’t move! His arms, his legs, nothing! Like lead all over his skin, weighing him down in the water, nerves numb and every part of his body no more responsive than solid stone. It’s cold, soaking into his clothes and skin. There’d been no warning, no time for him to even attempt to suck in air to empower held breath.

He's going to drown.

Instantly, his mind explodes from the shock, burning with incredulous disgust and searing anger and a strange rueful acceptance. There’s no way of knowing how his enemies managed to pull this trap on him. The dark water gives him no answers to where he is or the methods of how he’s suddenly thrown into the mortal enemy of any Devil Fruit eater. All he can do is sink into the water, an utter mockery of everything that would normally count as his overwhelming power and ability. Any attempts of his mind to make some logical sense of this fail. There’s nothing he can do… but wait for his breath to finally give out and his life to end.

Splash

He hears it more than feels it and in a few moments, he feels hands on him. Or nets. Nets and hands. Lots of them. Hauling him up and out of the water. The liquid pours off his face, drools down his limbs, and finally he’s deposited onto the ground. It’s going to be a strange sight to anyone walking by. After all, it’s not every day the crews fish out a gigantic man that looks to stand almost three times the height of any average person nearby. Black leather creaks over his legs as his body starts to reactivate once freed of the water’s rejecting grasp. Metal clashes to the ground as the head of a three-pronged trident sinks into the stone. The jangle of huge spurs on the back of his boots sound as the pirate pushes himself up to a sitting position, gloved hand tightening on the wooden pole of his trident.

He can move…

A second later, hell breaks loose. What appears to be white tendrils abruptly sprout from the man’s body, swiping through the air and snapping around waists, splattering against chests, and otherwise pinning down, tying up, or lifting into the air any of the workers around him. Huge muscles, stacked and impossibly perfected, ripple under his skin, veins pumping in his forehead and biceps as he stands up completely. Eyes the color of bloody meat narrow in deathly focus above a massive shredded scarf that covers his face from the nose down. The pirate—for the foreseeable future—has completely locked down the entire area he’s in, preventing anyone from going anywhere via the tendrils.

Good news is, he’s not killing anyone yet. Bad news is, he’s stoically pissed and determined to get an answer as to what’s going on here.

Charlotte Katakuri has arrived in Yoshiwara ]

~ 0 ~

[OOC: He’s just coming down from a threat-high and not happy with the situation. Feel free to either be the one he’s dragging over to get answers from or a passerby offering to explain things yourself if you feel you can prevent his threatening others for his answers. Or, if you’re the hero type, feel free to get into a fight alongside that explanation.]


4. Just Play For the Fun ~ Jellybean Bullets on the Mark
[The rain was different than the semi-sweet hints drifting in the falling rain around Totto Land. It’s strange actually, testing simply pure water. But even though the falling rain doesn’t bother him, heading inside is probably for the better, considering wet leather likes to chafe slightly. The bright lights and energetic colors of the arcade seem to be a modicum of interest to him, have a slight reminiscence of the saccharine-soaked displays he finds back in his own world. His mother, after all, likes putting on very colorful and showy parties. Games and celebrations are nothing new to the various islands of the Totto Land archipelago. Plus there’s a word about “tournament” passing around, and the pirate is intrigued at the prospect. Doubting it’ll be something physical, however, he’s inclined to check in out of pure curiosity.

Of course, his presence in the place is hardly mistakable. The man’s taller than the ceiling for anyone’s look. Being a 16-foot walking stack of muscle and leather isn’t going to be hidden easily. Good for him he’s quickly drawn towards the reason he’s come here. The tournament. Almost instantly, he sees the point of it. Marksmanship. Such frivolous time wasters such as games have never been high on his list, being an efficient and practical man with too many jobs to count. However, the splash of blood and gore are a rueful reminder of other parts of life and he’s got a bit of pent up stress to take care of. Exercising some marksmanship shooting is as good a way to blow off steam as anything else.

Which is what sees him crouching within the space created for the game, eyes trained on the screen in front of him. The simple rules are amusingly familiar. Shoot to kill. Anything that threatens is a target. He’s to be paired off with a partner; that’s fine. The pirate has worked with others before. However, this is a two-person team rather than a commander over a bunch of soldiers. A different dynamic. Considering the tool he's to use for shooting is far too small for his hands, the man simply holds the gun in his open palm and smaller tendrils of white mochi stretch up from his gloved palm to wrap around the gun and slot into the trigger. No worries; they’re as adapt and skilled as using his fingers.

Tucking his chin slightly, lower face ever-hidden beneath the voluminous folds of his shredded scarf, the warrior focuses, his eyes briefly glowing a visceral red color. As a partner, he’ll be sure to keep an eye out on his companion and take out whatever the other competitor doesn’t. It might help there’s also a certain little skill the second son of the Charlotte Family possesses…]

~ 0 ~

[OOC: He’s in it for the stress relief and skill. Partners should note that he has the ability to see a short distance into the future, on top of superhuman reflexes, so perfect scores are expected with him. That said, he understands working with others in his own way and will allow his partner to get plenty of shots and scores of their own. Though keep in mind, if you miss a shot, he’ll get it for you.]


5. Café Lazy ~ Keep Calm and Enjoy Some Tea
[No one whisks him anywhere. For several reasons. But he does accept the hospitality of some hot tea to get out of the cold, wet rain. The building he’s entering, however, is a strange-yet-familiar one. While the construction is unique and different from what he’s seen, there’s no mistaking there are elements of it that seem similar to the mochi shrines he crafts and to the legends of the far away land of Wano Country found within his mother’s vast library. Still, he’s curious about the furnishings that greet him in the room. A table with a blanket over it? If it weren’t so low to the ground, it would remind him of the forts his younger siblings would sometimes create using similar designs. The heat drifting from beneath it makes it clear there’s something under the blanket and table for comfort. Quite a method of soothing the chill the rain’s caused.

Deliberately, he refuses any room that isn’t on the corners of the building, eventually accepting one in the back that gives him two solid walls and two heavy curtain walls. Might actually require two rooms depending on the size of these things, considering the sheer length of his body and legs. Provided sitting upright proves to be uncomfortable. Either way, he’s content to take a momentary time to sit back and just try and make sense of this new place he’s in. And worry over what’s going on in the world he’s now separated from. His mother, his siblings, his crew… What’s become of them? Do they know? Can he get back?

The tall glass of hot black tea is a comfort, though he’s going to keep the entire kettle as well, thank you very much. Especially since he’d be needing a refill after only a few sips. The pirate eyes the small book nearby, finding the term “conversations starters” to be a little telling, considering what he’s seen of this place already. So he’s going to ignore it and just let himself drift with his own thoughts. The atmosphere is friendly, which means he doesn’t trust it at all. Mama uses much of the same techniques as well. Creating a charming and welcoming aura to lure those she wants into happiness. And so long as they remain happy and indulging her, then they’re safe and well. Yes, he’s seen this before, and from a place so amiable and welcoming, Katakuri, one of the Big Mom Pirate’s Three Sweet Commander, expects ulterior motives without a doubt.]

~ 0 ~

[OOC: He’s lucked out and received an unlaced pot of tea. Chalk it up to no one wanting to piss him off finding out he’s been drugged. Regardless, he’s here for some personal relaxation and reminiscing time. Feel free to come in and visit with him; we’ll assume he’s been told he’ll be sharing the room (or two) so he doesn’t get pissed at having an intruder rather than a random joint patron. He’ll make some small talk once he’s comfortable enough.]


OOC
[And now for something completely different. This is Charlotte Katakuri from the One Piece series. Feel free to run into his journal and get lost among the information stuffed away inside of it. His 101, appearance, personality, powers, and permissions journal pages are probably most important to understand him.

Quick summary notes. He’s a half-giant human, standing at over 16 ft 8 in tall and built like a brick shithouse. His powers include superhuman physical abilities, control over mochi (yes, mochi), and haki utilization (armoring, future sight, and willpower). His presented personality is a serious, threatening, and dangerous man. Final note: for now, don’t try to see what’s under his scarf. He’ll kill you for it. Seriously. Considering yourself warned. That said, feel free to interact with him. You can find my contact information in his journal or feel free to shoot me a PM with questions.]

5. (hey there! :D)

[chief_of_staff]

[A cafe.

Sabo doesn't trust the cafes or restaurants in the city, for the most part. He's aware of the fact that pretty much any food, any drink can be laced with aphro. It's just how it is here. Everything he consumes has that risk, whether he likes it or not.

But today, he's tired and he figures it wouldn't hurt to hang out in this cafe for a little while. Perhaps without having anything to eat or drink. He might just read a book or take a nap if nobody else is around. But --

When he walks into one of the private rooms, he sees a very large man whom he's heard of. Of course he has, he knows pretty much anyone with a bounty on their head in his world.

He just didn't expect to see any of them here. Fiddling with the end of one glove, he slowly walks forward and sits on the far end of the couch, away from the other man.]

Guess others from home are being brought here now. [The thought of Luffy arriving -- that is honestly terrifying to him. He'd have to keep a close watch on his every move.]

Fujiki Yusaku | Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS (Begin S2)

[thr33reasons]

I. WHAT?

Things had been quiet since the destruction of the tower of Hanoi, with the Knights fading away into silence and life seemingly returning to normal. Or, as close to normal as it got. Over three months had passed, with Yusaku continuing with his school classes and Playmaker not making a single appearance in the Link VR world since. He was on his way home when the world around him lurched and flashed, eyes wide, then shut immediately as water surrounded him.

Eventually, he spluttered his way to the surface, coughing out water from his mouth and looking around in a panic. As cool-headed as he usually was... He wasn't a strong swimmer, he only had brief glimpses of a boat in the distance, one hand waving out for it in the hope of being seen before the flow of the river started to drag him away.

II. Under my Umbrella

With his soaked clothes traded out for a simple yukata and the situation explained, it's much easier to calm down and keep a level head once he knows the situation. One hand tapped at his duel-disk, slightly concerned that it didn't work here, while his protected decks had been shifted to a bag he carried alongside his wet clothes. The first thing he needed to do was explore and figure out where in Japan he was! No surprise, no one here had heard of Den City.

The heat was... a slight issue, but having recently been pulled out of a river he had a while to adjust. The rain, on the other hand, was another matter. With no money, he couldn't get himself anything to deal with it and businesses were presumably out of the question. It's then that a voice calls out to him, a kind looking man at an oden cart beckoning him over.

-We all know how this goes-

Yusaku nods, offering Ougai an uncharacteristically warm smile and thanks for the umbrella as he backed away from the cart, opening it up and adjusting it to cover himself from the rain. He barely makes it to the next block when that strange warmth settles in, encouraging a more genuine(?) smile on the usually straight-faced boy. By the time he passes a stranger without an umbrella, his voice acts before his mind can even rationalize it:

"You can walk under mine too if you'd like. There's plenty of room" Plenty is, as they'll discover, a bit generous. Only after he says it does his cynical mind question the random decision, pushed back by the compulsive warm sensation.

IV:

Perhaps there's no surprise that Yusaku's made his way to the arcade, drawn in by the familiar sound of games and lights. Here, he can at least relax in something that seems more at home. Though none of the arcade games seem to have duels. The quiet 17-year-old shifts, leaning against a wall off to one corner of the shop while eying the puzzle games, working them out in his head since he lacks the money to actually play them. It's fine, it's not like he wants to play, or anything...

V: Finally, something that doesn't cost anything!

Free is the main draw here, of course. While he's been filled in and isn't entirely comfortable with the whole 'faction' thing, he doesn't have any actual cash of his own and isn't keen on making his forced debt any larger. Curious green eyes scan over the cafe's choice of decorations and name, noting it's odd setup. Perhaps it's designed to let customers sleep? That seems reasonable enough.

After accepting one of the waiter's offers, he's escorted to one of the isolated booths and left to wait. A cold rainy summer day is the perfect time for a pleasant hot chocolate. When the curtains about his booth are drawn back, though, what he wasn't expecting was for someone to be joining him! He blinked up, glancing over the stranger in quickly suppressed surprise.

"Ah- Hello. Sorry, I wasn't expecting anyone..." His mind quickly found a suitable answer. "The cafe must be busy with this special."

VI: Wildcard and OOC

[Want to do something else? Feel free to hit me up on plurk though my nav page or just go for something!

I'm pretty flexible with Brackets or Prose, any style is fine!
I figure Yusaku is around 17 by the end of Season 1. If you want to stick to Gen RP only due to his age though, just let me know!]

V

[chief_of_staff]

Free is good. Free is really good, honestly, since Sabo is admittedly lacking funds at the moment. He's smart enough to know that there's probably a catch with this cafe, though, so he's going to keep an ear open just in case as he's assigned a booth to sit at.

When he pulls the curtain back and heads inside, he smiles. Honestly not surprised someone else is here already. This city likes to throw people together, after all.

"It's fine!" He can sense the surprise from this guy, so he smiles in an effort to calm him down a bit. "Name's Sabo. What's yours?"

He'll proceed to sit across from the stranger as he introduces himself.

[OOC: 17 is fine with me for smut stuff, in case the thread goes that way.]

Noctis Lucis Caelum • Final Fantasy XV

[broplaints]

I • ARRIVAL

[The speed with which his thought processes completely changes is insane.

One minute he's wondering where his best friend is and the next he's drowning. So this is how it ends. In some unknown pool of icy cold water he's suddenly been plunged into. Honestly, he always thought he would probably die in some ridiculous manner, but this just takes the cake.

Those thoughts are ceased as someone reaches for his hand, clasping it and dragging him upwards and he breaks the surface gasping, shaking his head to try to clear his vision before taking in the sight that lies before him.

It's even worse than he thought.

Only once he's properly on a boat - okay, more likely slumped into the corner of one with a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, looking very much like a cat who was just forced to take a bath - does he actually bother speaking.]

So, what is this place anyway?

II • WHAT IS LOVE

[What was it with this place and water anyway? You arrived practically drowning and apparently mother nature was bound and determined to keep you as wet as possible. Thankfully an old man had paid him a kindness - more like taken pity, because Six did he look that right now - and had given him an umbrella. So he was relatively dry.

Well. At least he wasn't getting rained on anymore.

He was still freezing though and for some reason the idea of having someone else close to him actually seemed pretty appealing. Just for the body heat. That was definitely all that had him approaching the first random person he came across, stepping in close to hold the umbrella over both of them.]

Looks like we're gonna have to share.

[He could, technically, just take them back to the old man and see if he had any more umbrellas. But then that could cost him the warmth he could feel radiating off the other person and he really was not about to give that up.]

III • KINGS KNIGHTS CHAMPION

[This. Was. His. Jam.

Finding the arcade was like spotting a mirage at the edge of the dessert - only the bright lights had shown through the rain and he had ducked inside faster than you could say video games. The fact that tokens were on sale? Big bonus. Hours were going to be wasted playing everything.

Until the sign caught his eye: LOST CONFLICT: DREADHUNT. And he knew. This was his destiny. Screw being the chosen king, his fate was to win this tournament.

Of course, he'd have a way better chance if it was Prompto by his side, but he was going to win.]

You ready for this?

[Because he is. So ready.]

IV • OOC

[Noctis is from the end of chapter 12 which is a super not fun time but that just makes all of this so much better. Feel free to wildcard it up, or contact me @ anauroraborealis if you want anything specific!]

III

[neurallycorrupt]

[Someone else here is ready, presently checking the toy gun for ammo and any funky quirks related to its usage. Loading it, she spares him a solid look of determination.]

Misaka is ready, but unless you're well trained in using a gun she suggests you bring extra ammo with you.

[You know. In case he misses a lot. Misaka WORST had firearm training electronically downloaded into her brain among all the other combat knowledge she and the other Misaka Sisters were trained in.]

Ogata Hyakunosuke | Golden Kamuy

[whatteam]

[OOC: First time voice testing! Better (and more) icons incoming this evening orz]

ARRIVAL

[Wet wool is uncomfortable - heavy and itchy. Ogata welcomed the rush of warmth when he came up thrashing from the stream, but now his mood has soured. His gun had, of course, gotten dunked as well.

It's been set out to dry, and he's refusing to go where any locals lead him until the weapon is in working order again.

He stays near it, wading into the river with the rifle in his periphery. An outstretched hand finds yours, firm grip easily wrenching you from the waters. He'll help you steady yourself and stand, before taking one step back and scanning you head to toe with very obvious scrutiny.

If you're a threat, he might just dunk you back into the river. If you have a weapon visible, he'll hold out his hand once again.] Let me see your weapon. [Or, if you're not clearly packing, he'll ask-] Where's your weapon?

[In his world, armed and dangerous is the default.]

DREADHUNT

[CLEAR The screen announces victory in bloody text to match the game's title. The scores follow, and unless you're a savant of a sharpshot, your partner's far, far exceeds yours. Every time a demon rushed the screen, its head exploded in a pixelated mess of blood before you could even get a shot in.

Ogata doesn't gloat, he simply sets his gun back into place and tucks away a strand of hair that had fallen into his face.

He turns, perching against the machine and leaning his head back, eyes fixed on the ceiling.] So. What are you trying to win? [A cute stuffed animal behind the counter? Your meals for the next week? All of these prizes seem trite - there isn't going to be any real competition here.

Disappointing. But in the very least, by participating, he can figure out if anyone else involved has any skill with a gun.]

CAFE LAZY

[When you're lead to your clandestine room, there's already someone there. A man dressed too warmly for the weather, wool military garb and cloak over top, seems to have suffered the consequences for his choice in fashion. Parched, he's already finished his drink.

And is now sitting with his face against the table, eyes open but staring into the empty middle distance.

A potentially startling expression - it's rather corpselike. Except for the flush on his cheeks, accompanied by slow and heavy breathing. Ogata's drink was laced, but his reaction to aphro is...

To keel over.]

Dreadhunt

[chief_of_staff]

[Sabo hasn't been here long, but he's been here long enough to know that a game like this must have some sort of ulterior motive to get people to play. The prizes don't seem like anything special; some plushes here and there adorn the walls, but he's an adult. He doesn't need one of those. Nor does he have anyone to give one to, really. Food vouchers could work, though, since he's admittedly not high on funds at the moment.

After mulling it over, he decides to give the game a go for some food. He'll deal with any ulterior motive if it comes up. But his attempt at the game is pathetic, laughable. His assigned partner has bested his score effortlessly, and it's frustrating.]

Trying to win some food. But you're -- making it nearly impossible to.

[If he sounds a little annoyed, it's because he is.]

Angela 'Mercy' Ziegler | Overwatch

[arzt]

Ia. Arrival

After years of serving with Overwatch, there wasn't much that surprised Dr. Ziegler these days. Disappearing from the make-shift hospital she was running in the middle of a procedure, though, and suddenly being immersed in a river? That was still surprising.

She managed to keep her cool, however, surfacing and shrugging off her white coat. It could be recovered later if needs be, but it wasn't exactly the sort of thing that helped with swimming. The simple sleeveless dress shirt and khaki shorts she'd been wearing beneath it (good thing she'd been working at an aid camp and not in a more traditional facility) were much easier to swim in, and soon enough she was reaching for whichever hand happened to be offered her at the edge of the river.

Ib. Mercy on Call

Even with her own clothes still soaked, Dr. Ziegler wasn't about to leave other newcomers to fend for themselves. She could be found assisting as much as she could-be it helping them out of the river, explaining what little she could about their situation, or-perhaps most importantly-checking on those that might need any sort of medical attention.

III. No Sun Up In The Sky

Simply waiting at the dormitory she'd been shown to wasn't going to keep Angela occupied for long, and a desire to explore was what eventually pulled her away from those confines. The near-constant rain might have bothered most, and while she did want to stay dry, she at least enjoyed the weather well-enough, especially after being provided with an umbrella.

All good things were destined to come to an end, however, and this simple exploration was no exception. As she made her way down a particularly crowded street, her umbrella-acting of its own accord, as best she could tell-began to flap in the wind with great force.

Only there was no wind. And the handle seemed to keep a strong grip on Angela's hand, bodily dragging her into other people and even occasionally somewhat off the ground, though luckily she wasn't *quite* light enough for it to take flight. Still, some help might be nice.

V. Cafe Lazy

"Oh! Hello there, I hadn't realized anybody would be joining me." Despite the size of the kotatsu, it had taken a few minutes for anybody to be placed with Angela. Smiling brightly, she pulled away the hand that had been idly turning in her hair, let down thanks to a combination of the rain and lack of any pressing reason to keep it up. Offering it to the newcomer, she shook their hand if they took it. "I'm Dr. Zie- er, Angela. I suppose being a doctor at home doesn't mean much, here." The cup of hot cocoa to her left was already half-gone, though whether or not it was providing anything besides warmth was anybody's guess.

((ooc: If you've a preference for whether her cocoa is spiked or not, lemme know. If not I'll probably just flip a coin to decide.))

V. No Preference!

[mrnobody]

"A Doc, huh? That's pretty impressive. They really are snagging all sorts of folks here."

'Mr. Nobody' is leaning with an elbow propped against the table, head tilted attentively, as he takes long swallows of the steaming mug of coffee in his hands. It is possibly not the most polite of stances, but he's definitely opening up, his whole manner indicating casual friendliness.

Dr. Angela seems more comfortable with their surroundings than he is, necessarily, so its possible that the locale is a little closer to her world than his. And wasn't that a fun thing to find out, that people had to pay for stuff, here. When the cafe offered freebies; even with his usual distrust, he wasn't going to turn them down.

Musings for another time, though. Can't start pumping for questions before friendly chatting.

"I'm more of an amateur boxer, myself." Though amateur might be underselling it. "So while you're definitely one of my favorite kinds of people, I doubt I'm one of yours."

Wei WuXian | Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation

[dogfearing]

Arrival

[Nothing like a nice deep in the river on a hot day... except this is really not that. The last thing he remembered was being with WangJi when suddenly there was water surrounding him. It was dizzying, not knowing which way was up or down or how he’d even gotten in the water. At least he knew how to swim. Not everyone he knew could.

Lucky for him, though, there was someone pull him from the water. They tried to explain where he was, but all of those names went over his head; the only thing that made sense was that he wasn’t where he was supposed to be.

Being the brave and also foolish person that he was - also because it would temporarily keep him from focusing on what he had been told - WuXian helped pull others out of the water. But once that was done, there was nothing else to distract him from it. Standing on the dock with a blanket that they had given him to keep warm, he scanned all of the faces, both hoping to and not wanting to see Lan WangJi there]

Just Play For The Fun

[Rain was not something that particularly concerned Wei WuXian. Neither was heat. The Lotus Pier had always been hot in the summer and rain was just something that happened. When he could wrangled to actually train, he had do so in both conditions. In fact, he had been handed an umbrella by someone, but never actually opened it.

But here he had found himself at the arcade, surrounded games he doesn’t know and bright lights. Is that going to stop him? No way! Getting a handful of tokens, he marched up to one of the games studying it. Finally though when someone passed him by, he looked up]

Any idea how this is played?

Cafe Lazy

[It’s a rainy day when he encountered Cafe Lazy, lured inside by the promise of a drink. A free drink? Why not. Given his usual lack of money, free was good.

It was nice hot drink in this quiet little room with curtains. This table was certainly interesting. Why didn’t they have ones like this back home?

For all of the few moments he’s alone, he poked at the book of conversation starters, not yet getting to the racier ones when someone else came in. He grinned at them]

Come in and join me!

Wildcard and OOC

[Have another idea of something that you want to do? Feel free to hit me up!

Feel free to have the drinks be laced. He’ll hit on ladies knowingly, men accidentally without aphro's assistance. He’s pretty much a disaster at figuring out others are hitting on him.

Also he’s from essentially ancient China so all this newfangled technology goes right over his head]

Cafe Lazy

[chief_of_staff]

[Even though Sabo doesn't particularly trust anything given for free, he's intrigued by the notion of having a nice warm drink to counteract the cool rain outside. So, after mulling it over, weighing the pros and cons, he decides to head inside the cafe.

He's told that he'll be sharing a table with someone, which comes to absolutely no surprise. This city is based off of pairing people together, after all.

He's led to his table, and after pulling the curtain back, smiles. He's never seen this man before, so he may be new to the city. But he seems friendly enough.]

Hello! Seems I've been partnered up with you today. My name's Sabo. It's nice to meet you.

midare toushirou | touken ranbu

[kisekae]

[ i - arrival ]

[ This was the absolute dog worst.

A blow from an enemy unit, though blocked, had enough force behind it to have sent the lightweight sword flying into the river, and the current was so swift from the rains that he hardly had a chance to call out for help before he was rushed along. But that river, as far as he knew, would have only taken him down to the outskirts of 15th Century Kyoto, not where he has so obviously wound up. Which meant some kind of time warp had occurred while he was in the water, and now was totally and hopelessly lost.

At least it was early summer now, and he wasn't freezing cold, but his uniform was an absolute mess, as was his hair, and he just kind of looked miserable, sitting alone, holding tightly to the small tantou he'd had on him when they found him... ]

I don't sense any of them nearby... do they even know where to find me? [ He was trying not to cry... not that it would be that noticeable with his face as wet as it was. ]

[ ii - humidity is rising ]

[ He'd still been pretty miserable despite the best efforts of others, walking through the rain, just as lost as before but at least knowing one of the town's four factions could help him. The oden merchant could tell, offering what little kindness he could to Midare, insisting he take the old umbrella that had been left behind. This kindness of a stranger, a reminder of humanity's inherent warmth, went miles in improving Midare's mood.

It wasn't like him to be this mopey at all, was it? He had to pick his chin up and start making the best of it, carrying with him the hope that he'd get back home to the Citadel someway, somehow. His smile grew and grew as he went along, even merrily kicking about in some puddles, his life shining like new again, as if he'd just gotten out of a bath instead of a heavy rain.

When he spies someone else having poor luck with the weather, he happily waves over to them, calling ]

Heee~eey~! You wanna share this umbrella with me? [ Midare being 4'9, of course, made sharing with taller folks a little more difficult, but he was still happy to do it, to pass on this new radiant hope he'd discovered in the kindness of an old man. ]

[ v - cafe lazy ]

[ Finally! While a kotatsu in summer may seem silly on most occasions, Midare had been soaked to the bone and was ready to relax and dry off before he hopped into a plan of action. Plus a free drink sounded way too enticing to pass up. The idea of having a random seating partner didn't bother Midare at all, of course, eager to socialize with the folks around Yoshiwara, possibly find out more information as to what's been going on.

He'd gotten pretty comfortable and toasty, enjoying the super sweet drink he'd gotten, before finally deciding to open the goodie box. And he was certainly surprised by its contents, face going deep red before shutting the box with a gasp, clasping his other hand over his mouth. Sure, he'd been feeling a bit warm inside, the drink especially doing its job, but this was... a lot, all the sudden. And of course he felt his body react instantly, deeply grateful he was under the kotatsu blanket

That is, of course, when the other person came in. Because that was just his luck today. ]

H-hi! Welcome, ha ha... ha! [ A nervous laugh, trying desperately to act like he didn't just look at a box full of sex novelties... ]

[ wildcard ]

[ if you have an idea you want to try that's not covered, hit me up, and you can contact me on discord or plurk (contact info in the journal) if you have any questions! ]

i

[wickerman]

[ Another month, another set of people washing up on the shore. Caster's off for the day, spending his time at the dock fishing and gambling with the locals. He sets his rod down when he spots Midare sitting alone, wet and miserable. Oh no, this one's cute...

He makes his way over to him and wraps his cloak around him. It's got some kinda magical properties to it, but mostly it's just absorbent. It's not like he was carrying a towel, so his cloak would have to do. ]

Hey, hey, don't look so sad, cutie. Guessing you just went for a swim you weren't planning on?

Takashi "Shiro" Shirogane ■ Voltron: Legendary Defender

[everaegis]

[■ Arrival]
[Keith… The last thing he remembered was the explosions rocking the world around him, the sight of his companion standing in front of him, the pain of his wounds glowing on his body. And then nothing. Just as suddenly, everything came rushing back in a choking whirl of water. He jerked backwards, arms and legs lashing out in the dark waters. Where--?! How?! Gray eyes snapped open, only to slam shut as cold water molded to his eyeballs. His heart thudded against his chest, his lungs burned under his ribs, and he pressed his lips shut as tight as possible. Okay… okay, Shiro calm down. The frantic struggle of his limbs stilled, and the Paladin came to a stop in the water.

Telling himself to stay patient was a little easier said than done, but he managed. First question: which way was up? Shiro opened his eyes against the water, noting the lack of sting meant he was in freshwater rather than salt. A lake or a river most likely. Didn’t explain anything but it was something. Swirls gushed past his face and ears as he turned his head one way, then the other, kicking his legs and sweeping his arms to twist around in the water. Light. He needed to find a light. Anything to point him in a direction. Before the very limited air in his lungs could compromise him. The idea of letting himself float abruptly came to mind a moment later. His armor right after.

Right when that realization smacked the stunned man in the face, he felt hands grabbing onto him. Shiro arched hard, wrenched one shoulder forward on pure instinct. And his head broke the surface. Voices! People’s voice came over the splash of water as he shook his head, dazed and a quarter suffocated from the experience. The urge to fight off the people grabbing him was countered by the utter relief he found in gasping lungful after lungful of air and Shiro ultimately clapped a hand around a wrist. He was conscious of being bumped and scraped against the side of and over the edge of a boat, ending up in a cluttered and awkward sprawl on the seat. Okay… Okay just going to lie here for a few seconds and breathe, grateful for not drowning at least.

Yoshiwara? They’re saying something about that. A city? -kyo? … Tokyo!] Tokyo? In Japan? [Shiro grabbed onto the city’s name instantly.] Where am I? Is this Earth?! [Earth?! He’s back on Earth?! But despite his questions, trying to protest just ended up with a few pats on the shoulder to try and comfort or assure him, though no attempt was made to really give him more beyond Yoshiwara, Tokyo, Japan, permanent, and that was it. Shiro stared at the man looking at him, momentarily speechless. This was… It wasn’t possible that he was on Earth. There was no way Voltron and the others…

Unfortunately, that was the time the boat bumped against the dock and the dazed pilot was given a good heave upward and helped out of onto the dock. Still soaking, water leaked off the white and black of his armor, Shiro was left standing amid a… gathering of other people. He turned back to the group climbing back into the boat.] Please! You have to tell me more than that. I… [It didn’t appear the people in the boat were going to be of more help. Someone said something about directions towards a dormitory (complete with pointing hand) and then needing to rescue more from the river. That was enough to silence Shiro once again.

Rescue more?

With that, Shiro was left on the dock, staring out into the water, desperately searching the boats for any sign of his friends. Keith. Lance. Pidge. Hunk. Allura. Coran. Did they make it here? To Yoshiwara…]

[■ Play for the Fun]
[It feels like it’s been raining forever. Enough that he hasn’t had the “pleasure” of encountering the sweltering heat yet. At least he managed to make a break for the nearby building before it really started to open up (come down) again. Initially only intending to hang out under the eaves for a bit, Shiro’s attention is captured by the posters flying on the windows. An arcade? It brings back memories of Clear Day and the glowing lights of the festivals. And a few sour faces… Sigh. But, with the rain being a complete grayout, it wouldn’t hurt to take a swing inside and check it out. At least this time around, Shiro’s not decked out in his Paladin armor, having exchanged that for a black vest, dark gray turtleneck, and black flight pants with combat boots and a fingerless glove on his flesh hand. Which ends up holding a chunk of tokens.

To no surprise of himself, Shiro gravitates towards the flight simulators and racers, gaining some pretty hefty scores (and a decent audience behind him) by the time he’s run out of tokens. It’s only after he’s gone to trade in some of the rewards of those scores that he notices the tournament.] Lost Conflict, huh? [That sounds interesting. Minus the lurid blood drooling down the letters. He guesses instantly that it’s going to be compensating for something.

Yep.

At least they’re killing demons and monsters, so that’s a small breather. He can’t say he’s enthralled with the overblown gore or the exaggerated nudity in the game, but there’s a classic ring to it that’s hard to ignore. With his form filled out a while ago, Shiro’s in the bracket for a partner. Hoisting the gun, he checks the weight of the plastic prop, judging the shape to get a feel for how it’ll handle. This is more Lance’s expertise, but the Black Paladin’s no slouch in the marksman department. Simple rules too. Shoot what moves and don’t die. Very military. Giving his gun a final review, Shiro cocks it and then glances to the person assigned as his partner.]

You ready? We’re in this together now.

[■ Café Lazy]
[And theeere’s the heat. He should’ve expected it after the rain. It’s like a magnifying glass and a steam bath. Enough to make someone feel half melted and half choked. Shiro’s missing the regulated temperature of his armor and the climate control of the Castle of Lions soon enough. Someone should’ve reminded him that wearing all black out in this kind of heat is borderline idiotic. It’s almost sheer relief when a promotion thrower from a passing café hails him and offers a drink. Tall. Deep. Cold. As far as Shiro’s concerned, that’s a good enough selling point.

He's surprised by the interior of the of the café though. Curtains for walls? Settling down behind the table (crosslegged for now), Shiro accepts the drink, fingers instantly basking in the water droplets and chill covering the glass. Patience and moderation are a thing… but he’s chugging half the glass before he realizes it’s down his throat. Sounds like a man coming up from drowning for a brief moment as he lowers the glass, head bowed and eyes closed under the sensation of cool sweeping through his torso. That’s more refreshing than he can admit right now. It’s tempting to throw back the rest and go for a refill, but… he’ll wait.

The book catches his eye and Shiro reaches for it to thumb through. Conversation starters? A loyal pet. Favorite vacation dream. Sex—OKAY! He slaps the thing down with a stunned blink. Whoa. That escalated. Dare he chance a look in the small box on the table? … He’s going to avoid that for now, mostly because he hears people just outside the entrance to his little sequestered area. Sitting up a bit to appear formal, Shiro glances to the partition in the curtain. Someone’s coming in. Well, he’d been told this may be a joint experience, so sure.]


[■ OOC: Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane, from Voltron: Legendary Defender fame. If none of these prompts suit you and you want to throw in another, shoot me a message or just comment below and I’ll run with it! His information’s in his journal, as well as contact points for me. For aphro shenanigans, let me know if you want them in the thread. Check out Shiro’s 101 and Preferences for information on the adult side~]

Café Lazy

[chief_of_staff]

[There are two red flags about this cafe that has Sabo on alert. One, it's in this city. The city centered around sex. Two, it's offering free drinks. Drinks that are almost guaranteed to be laced with aphrodisiacs. He's been through this song and dance before, and he doesn't like it. He doesn't like not being in control.

But, it's been raining and he's cold, and this cafe is in the perfect location. He can't take the rain much more. His hat is soaked, and his pipe is honestly at a risk of rusting at this point. So, he heads inside after awkwardly adjusting his cravat, even though deep down he knows there's little point in doing so.

The host says something about this being a joint experience, which causes Sabo to chuckle. Whatever. He's done this before, and honestly, he doesn't need to actually consume a drink if offered. He makes his way to his assigned table, and --

He finds himself straightening up quite a bit when he sees just how attractive the man already seated there is. His cheeks actually flush a little, and he looks away, down at his feet, for a second or two.]

Hi. I've been assigned to sit here with you. If you don't mind.

[He tries to brush some of the lingering water from his jacket.]

Sorry for being so wet.

Yukari Mishakuji | K

[violentbeauty]

III. No Sun

[ Rain usually doesn't bother Yukari, but the downpour is enough for him to want some shelter. He desires not to be drenched. When someone offers him a free umbrella, he accepts it. Only to find that upon opening it, there are holes within the fabric that makes the water fall through. He sighs, looking slightly annoyed.]

That's so not elegant.

[He looks back to see if he catch the person that passed him this faulty umbrella, but the person is nowhere to be seen. Regretfully, he tosses the umbrella into the nearest bin, but Yukari's bad luck continues to plague him. He might accidentally lose his footing and trip into someone. Maybe, he keeps running into doors and lamp posts. Probably having the misfortune of standing in the wrong place and a bucket of water falling over his head. Comfort him? Laugh at him? Maybe the universe is also playing their naughty games with you, and misery desires company.]

IV. For Fun

[ Yukari isn't really into video games or the like. That was always Sukuna's forte. Young kids like him can be easily amused by flashing lights and blaring noises. Something like that doesn't interest him...at least, that's his initial thought.

He roams around the arcade, the cacophony of all the sounds from the electronics games threatening to give him a headache. Until he happens upon a pair having a sort of dance battle. It makes him pause in his step, watching curiously from the sidelines as the opponents watch the display and following the commands. It seems simple enough. Once they finish, Yukari steps up to the platform, raring to go. He looks back towards the crowd for a challenger, winking one eye as he smiles.]

Anyone up for the challenge? I'm pretty light on feet.

V. Cafe Lazy

[ After his string of bad luck, he believes his day might be turning around when he's offered of a free drink. The weather is not particularly hot or cold, but refreshing drink could do wonders to brighten his mood. His former master has always pressed the importance of taking in the moment. So he decides to stop at the establishment and sit at the kotatsu. He orders a hot green tea, and when it arrives, Yukari slowly sips at his drink. He soon notices another patron sitting at the same table as him. It's a little odd, but he rolls with it.]

Hello, there. Were you also intrigued by the promotion?

[He shows the stranger a small smile.]

Two strangers sitting at a small table is a bit intimate? A simple introduction should remedy that. My name is Yukari.

V

[chief_of_staff]

[Honestly, Sabo had been sitting at this table for about fifteen minutes or so before the other man arrived, but was so absorbed in this book that the cafe had provided him that he didn't actually notice that he wasn't alone the entire time. When he hears that voice, though, he looks up, smiling.]

Intimate isn't always a bad thing. I'm Sabo. Nice to meet you.

[He has a tea for himself, too, and he's been sipping on it once in a while. He knows he probably should be warier about free food and drink, but he was very thirsty, and the smell of the tea brewing was too enticing to pass up.]

Nagare Hisui ⚡ K

[hisui]

２) Humidity is rising
[The rainy season in Yoshiwara is yet another similarity to the Tokyo he knew and observed for many years. It isn't a particularly comforting feeling per se, because to Nagare, the weather means just a probability of climate. It's not something that evokes any kind of emotional reaction.

Even when that probability turns into a downpour. He doesn't do much other than gaze up curiously at the sky when the drops start falling furiously from the sky. For someone who rarely found himself out of his underground base, even something as bothersome as heavy rain is an intriguing experience. The parrot perching on his shoulder, however, doesn't seem very fond of the idea of just standing under the rain, agitatedly flapping his wings and squawking in protest.]

Cover! Cover!

[The scene might be pity-inspiring, at the very least. A young man, whose upper limbs are completely restrained by a long straitjacket, seemingly stuck in a large, technologically advanced-looking wheelchair, at the mercy of weather's whims. And his parrot friend visibly in a bad mood.

Whether it's out of pity or kindness is unknown, but an old man approaches them, holding an oversized umbrella, one that is huge enough to shelter the entirety of the wheelchair and still squeeze another person in. Kotosaka, the parrot, immediately caws happily in response to the old man's prompt help. Nagare stares quizzically at the extended umbrella. He can just use his powers to change himself dry, but if the man is going as far as to offer an umbrella, then there's no harm in accepting it.

Or rather, the mechanical arm that mysteriously sprouts from the wheelchair does so, holding it up high enough for an adult to fit under it as the wheelchair begins to move again.]
≪Feel free to squeeze your character in!≫


３) Just play for the fun
[Anyone who happens to be nearby the Lost Conflict machine will be greeted with a rather peculiar sight.

The gaming gun left ignored in its place as the in-game camera moves around, the tiny aim cursor dancing upon the screen as if acting on its own. But one thing is certain: the game is not on demonstration mode, evidenced by the score numbers going up and the oddly flawless gameplay. Nagare is in his wheelchair, arms completely restrained by the straitjacket as usual. But his eyes are focused on the screen in front of him, staring intently, expression blank.

If one looks attentively, they might notice a faint spark of green energy flickering in his eyes every now and then. This is certainly not cheating: he's merely using his powers to access the game machine directly. It's the only way he can play games without exhausting his limited energy.]


❔) Wildcard.
I'm open to pretty much anything, but feel free to poke me through PM, positron or Yunnu#8255 on discord to plot. c:
And an important (and spoilery) note: Nagare can only move his body freely for a limited time because of a certain limitation regarding his very life energy. While he can fully control the wheelchair through his powers, he often needs to stay in it and the restraints to preserve his powers within himself. For those interested in his situation, check the wip that is his journal or his wikia page.

2 - hello!!! :D

[chief_of_staff]

[If that scene is pity-inspiring, then Sabo has been inspired quite a bit. The sight actually makes him sigh and frown, because it's almost heart-wrenching. This man is alone in the pouring rain; he must be a new arrival, but that doesn't mean he should have to deal with this terrible weather by himself.

So, the blond wanders over. It's more of an enthusiastic sprint, because the rain is annoying and he's getting drenched, but either way, he makes it over to the stranger in no time at all.]

Hi.

[That mechanical arm holding up the umbrella only gives Sabo a second's pause, because he's fairly familiar with robotics from his world. Sure, he didn't interact with any of them on a daily basis, but he was aware of their existence. And he thinks they're cool. This arm is cool.]

I like that arm. [Wow, that came out wrong. He laughs.] I'm sorry; the arm that's holding up the umbrella. It's neat!

Wakatoshi Ushijima | Haikyuu!!

[okaygoodluck]

i. arrival

[ Ushijima doesn't meet his current fate with many questions. You could think from his demeanor that he expected it, but that's far from the truth - he's simply taking it in stride. All the information is soaking into him like a sponge, but he's done nothing with it yet. He has one goal in mind - helping fish others out.

After each person, he says the same thing, accompanying the statement with a clap on the back. ]

Come on. You can do better than that.

[ He does not accompany this with a smile, but he does dawdle for a minute, waiting to see if anything else is needed. ]

ii. humidity

[ Ushijima doesn't often care about things like the rain or the heat, but the downpours have gotten bad enough that even he has noticed that the sky has opened up and dumped water on his head. So when he notices that there's an old man giving out umbrellas, he accepts one gratefully.

Now, normally he would be inclined to march forward and get to his destination successfully within as little time as possible. But for some reason, as soon as he started holding this umbrella, he started dawdling. Looking at others, even. He's been noticing the things about everyone else that he doesn't usually notice when he walks by them in a crowd. Jacket colours, smells, tones of voice, snippets of conversation... he's tempted to join them in some small way.

In the end, he beckons to no one in particular, and feels odd hoping someone catches the bait. ]

Join me. I have room.

v. cafe

[ Ushijima is seated and flipping through this 'conversation starters' book. He looks quite puzzled as he does so. It is, quite simply put, Greek to him. His hot drink sits untouched to the side. While it is one of the spiked ones, he has not taken one sip yet.

After a moment, he puts down the book and turns to the box. Opening that, his brow furrows. ]

Hmm.

[ Studying the contents for a minute, he leaves it wide open after he sets it back down. After a moment, he pries out one of the bullets and sort of... brandishes it. ]

Is this what passes for riveting conversation around here?

[ Despite the phrasing, he doesn't actually sound annoyed? More curious than anything. He really just literally wants to know. ]

[ OOC: I will match whatever writing style you prefer! So reply in brackets or prose, and I will reply in what you give me. :) ]

ii

[chief_of_staff]

[Alternatively, Sabo doesn't particularly enjoy the rain, which should come to no surprise to anyone who knows his Devil Fruit ability. He doesn't drown in the rain, thankfully, but he dislikes it when it's a downpour, mainly because he nearly feels as if he will.

So, when he spots someone with an umbrella who seems to be open to sharing, he heads over, his expression all smiles.]

Ah, thank you.

[And then he takes a deep breath.]

I was getting soaked without any cover. Even this hat couldn't protect me.

Thereth | World of Warcraft OC

[unholy_rebirth]

[Arrival]

Being dunked in a strange river doesn’t bother Thereth as much as one might expect it to; she’s a good swimmer, and she’s not entirely sure she needs to breathe anymore, so it isn’t particularly dangerous for her. It is, however, a bit of a pain to get soaking wet when you’re a full 8 feet of fur. It takes a long time to dry herself, especially when she’s only been given a human-sized towel. Her plate-mail armor doesn’t help, either; so she’s going to have to remove it.

On the docks, a large cow woman is slowly stripping off a full set of red medieval armor. The padding beneath is soaked through as well, so she has to take it off, too, leaving her in nothing more than a sarashi and some thin britches.

Might this pique your interest? Perhaps the huge, faintly-glowing battleaxe nearby helps?

[Lazy Cafe – men 18+ for smut]

This table is very cute. It reminds me of the inns in Pandaria.

[Thereth is happy to make small talk with strangers who’ve been paired with her, sitting at a kotatsu that is just a little bit too small for her and holding a mug that appears similarly undersized in her hands. She doesn’t seem to mind, though - most things aren’t made big enough for tauren unless they’re specifically made by tauren, so she’s used to it. She smiles at her conversation partner and waves a hand over the center of the table.]

But they put the heather on top of the table, not under it. It’s more to keep the food warm than the people...

[Of course, in examining the kotatsu more closely, Thereth's eyes are now on the table's box of...gifts? conversation pieces? Whatever they are, Thereth is worldly enough to realize that some of them are rather...suggestively shaped. She pulls her hand back quickly.]

Ah.