「 TDM 02 」

[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. While it's not freezing outside it's still not a pleasant experience and 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, warm them up, 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 huddle under blankets 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 shiver, but at least there are friendly locals that are willing to answer any questions for them.

Those that wander the city will find it a touch disorganized. Between the visible police patrols and half-repaired storefronts it's clear that something just went down. Asking around will net newcomers brief explanations about a recent epidemic caused by a strange drug with withdrawal symptoms that drove users berserk. They'll be immediately reassured that there's nothing to worry about, though. The police apprehended the dealers, so those that have just arrived should go and enjoy the parties happening throughout town.

ii. Hanami

After all, a little bit (or a lot) of chaos isn't enough to deter the residents from doing what they do best: charming their way into visitors' wallets. Hanami is the perfect excuse to celebrate, and this year's exceptionally beautiful and fragrant blossoms have drawn a larger crowd than usual. Picnics and parties can be found in all of Yoshiwara's parks, and while many of them are private a fair number are open to all comers. A few groups will be generous about sharing their food and drinks (though either may be spiked with apho, alcohol, or both), and there's always the option of simply playing games and making conversation with other partygoers.

But while the newcomers are encouraged to take it easy and enjoy themselves, there's limits to how much they can do for free. Luckily, someone has already taken that into account. Newcomers that want more food, drink, or excuses to socialize are encouraged to pair up with both established workers and other newcomers in order to put on a show for Yoshiwara's guests.

The shows don't have to be lewd, however. As a general rule, the guests are most interested in the new beginnings and blooming romances associated with early spring, so they're largely content watching Yoshiwara's workers play ice breaker games. 'Would you rather', 'two truths and a lie', and 'corrupt-a-wish' are all popular options and many workers can satisfy guests simply by indefinitely chatting with their partners.

Guests are free to make requests, however, and if two workers have good chemistry they may be encouraged to ramp up the flirtatious behavior. If it feels a bit demeaning that's because it is, but it has the potential to pay well. In addition to free food and drink, workers that put on good shows can expect to receive tips (and more than a few phone numbers) from their happy customers.

iii. Kiss Kiss Fall In Love

Of course, hanami itself is still a celebration, and newcomers and old arrivals alike are encouraged to take a break from work to relax and enjoy the flowers - but the longer someone sticks around, the more likely they are to experience some unexpected side effects.

At first, the scent of the sakura will simply lull someone into a pleasant, fuzzy sort of relaxed contentment. Eventually, the 'fuzzy' element of that relaxation can be identified as mild arousal underscored by directionless affection. It's the desire to touch and be touched, and it seems like the only way to rid yourself of that pesky warmth is to cuddle up to someone else. That's not always enough, however, and sometimes cuddling up will only intensify the arousal and affectionate feelings.

This effect is most likely to take hold from dusk to dawn, with the bright light of day chasing away the worst of the trees' aphrodesiac. The feeling will linger, regardless of contact, for up to an hour after leaving the area of the trees, leaving ample time for anyone to find a partner and make their escape to a more private location.

iv. Portentous Moments

Sex may sell, but that's not the only industry in Yoshiwara. Stores and stalls hawking a tremendous variety of goods and services can be found all over the city, and rather esoteric goods are no exception to this. Anyone wandering around the central district may stumble across a fortune teller, swaddled in a heavy cloak, sitting at a small table situated at the end of an alleyway. She calls any passersby over in a calm, soothing voice, inviting them to have their fortunes told for the low low price of free - no strings attached!

Anyone who approaches and accepts the offer will be handed a deck of tarot cards and told to shuffle, after which the fortune teller will take the deck back and ask her customer to draw a single card. But no matter when a character arrives, where they draw the card from, or how thoroughly they shuffle the deck, they'll only ever draw one of three cards - the Lovers, Death, or the Three of Cups. The fortune teller will offer no explanation as to what each card means, only promising that good things are to come before shooing her customer away. The fortune teller will vanish the second her customer departs, leaving said customer to figure out the effects on their own. That won't be hard, though. The effects aren't subtle.

The Lovers creates instant chemistry between strangers. Not just in a romantic or sexual sense, but in a platonic one as well. Hateful misanthropes will find themselves draw to and intrigued by other people, who will in turn find said misanthrope charming. Those afflicted by the the Lovers card may be aware of how strange this reaction is, but realizing that isn't enough to shake the attraction they feel for their new friend, crush, or lover. This effect can last for several hours before it wears off over the course of a few seconds. It may not wear off both parties simultaneously, however, leaving one party to wonder what they've done to make the other act so cold.

While the Lovers card draws people together, Death drives them apart. Those that draw Death will find themselves both regarding others and being regarded by others as a mortal enemy. It's just that the vehemence of those feelings doesn't always match the 'crime', and something like cutting in line at the grocery store may be treated with the same severity as burning someone's village to the ground. Arguments over the most minor of infractions are breaking out all over town and things are starting to look ugly, but no one will get hurt. As soon as the arguments escalate to the point of either personal insults or physical violence, both parties will suddenly snap out of their rage. Neither party will have any idea of why they got so angry, though whether they apologize for losing their cool or simply continue the fight is up to them.

The Three of Cups works a bit differently from the other two. Anyone who pulls it will be inflicted with 'wrong luck'; that is, incredibly good fortune that doesn't benefit them at all. Vending machines will dispense two cans of their least favorite drink. They'll win a free meal at an all-you-can-eat seafood buffet despite their deadly fish allergy. The cops decide to let them off easy after harassing them for crimes they didn't commit. The Three of Cups may also get stuck to either the Loves and Death cards, and thus the two effects can combine. That said, the Three of Cups' effect lasts until the character gets a solid night's rest, even if the paired effect wears off well before then.

While the Lovers and Death can't be drawn at the same time, they can interact. Should someone afflicted by the Lovers encounter someone afflicted by Death both effects may kick in for both people, leaving them with intense and complicated feelings for one another. Alternately, each person may only experience one of the effects, which won't necessarily be the same effect for both of them.

v. Rainfall

cw: mild gore, mentions of death
Did you know that underneath every cherry blossom tree a corpse is buried? The roots tangle themselves around the body and feed off its nutrients, and by absorbing its blood their pure white blossoms are dyed a soft pink color.

... That's the story, at least, but it's an easy one to forget in Yoshiwara. Even when the town's bright facade cracks and the seedier dark side shows through, such grim urban legends rarely take center stage. Newcomers that aren't already familiar with the story are unlikely to hear it before they depart the docks and start familiarizing themselves with the city.

Which is unfortunate, since knowledge of the story might spare them some trauma. As they go look at the town's various trees, some of them may be overtaken with a strange compulsion. It's as if the trees is calling to them, filling them with the urge to stretch out beneath the branches and take a nap. Of course, if they do make themselves comfortable they'll find it increasingly more difficult to wake up; even the sensation of being slowly but steadily buried under falling blossoms may not be enough to rouse them. If they can't work up the willpower needed to wake up and walk (or at least crawl) away they'd better hope that a helpful stranger stops by.

As for those that don't feel compelled to lay down, they may find that it's suddenly raining despite the clear skies. It only takes a brief look around to realize that rather than falling from the sky, the rain is falling from the cherry blossoms - and that instead of water, it's blood. The droplets well up from the center of each blossom, staining the petals red before finally falling to splatter against clothing, hair, and skin. The 'rain' is limited to the immediate area surrounding whoever happens to be watching, and it stops the moment they leave. While the rain can only be witnessed by the person being rained on, the blood does not conveniently vanish. Hopefully the observers weren't wearing anything nice, though there's no helping the alarmed looks they'll receive for their blood-splattered state.

vi. Wildcard

Hanami may be in full swing, but there's 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 in the parks if they don't want to.

OOC

Hello, and welcome to the second TDM for Yoshiwara Nights! 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.

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

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

rider ☣ fate/ ☣ ota

[cybele]

☣ arrival;

[ the city name of "tokyo" is one of the few rider recognizes. for now, she can tell that it's not the holy grail that is giving her the gift of being able to understand the locals; it's an entirely different sort of magic. there's a supernatural feeling that buzzes through the air and envelops the whole city, but her disoriented state prevents rider from putting a pin in what, exactly, is going on. it's like there's a static covering her senses, deadening them and making it a little difficult for her to tell which way is which. usually she can navigate her way around without worry, but that mask on her eyes is now a hindrance. letting her mystic eyes survey the scenery, however, is not an option, so removing the mask she does not.

if she bumps into your character, she'll mumble a soft "excuse me," and rest a hand against the wall, or a trunk of a tree. she will stay still for a moment before continuing on, trying to stay in the flow of traffic to find her way to the dormitory for a change of clothing. with her long purple hair and her tall stature, she certainly does stand out, looking more awkward than usual. this is so weird. she would like her senses back at 100% please.

later on, at the dorm, rider has found her glasses in the box of newcomers belongings and has been wrapped up in a mulberry kimono by the friendly locals. it's a surprise to her that they had something that would fit her size, but she doesn't argue as they tie up her obi and send her on her way. ]

Excuse me, do you know where the nearest library is?

☣ hanami;

[ she tried to get out of this.

but she didn't try hard enough.

by now she's used to being told to do dumb little errands for either her master or her sisters, so she takes this assignment in stride, swallowing down her embarrassment with a sigh. a maid's apron covers her kimono now, and there's a tray full of hanami sweets in her hands. ]

I have two older sisters. I am the tallest in my family. [ now a lie... uh ... ] I dye my hair.

[ for those supernaturally inclined, it's as though a faint cry can be heard from that loose braid under rider's shoulders, a dozen tiny voices crying out in panic before being silenced. ]

☣ kiss kiss fall in love lust; nsfw & blood possible, men only

[ ah... the faint smell of aphrodisiac. rider doesn't immediately recognize it for what it is, but it doesn't take long to figure out that's what the fuzzy feeling in the atmosphere is. and she can use this to her advantage.

rider takes a seat on a large hanami blanket near one of the sakura trees. she has undone the top of her kimono, letting it fall open enough to display the curve of her breasts, and any man who looks her way will be met with a laid-back gaze and a curl of her lips. her long legs peek through the slit in her dress, and the material falls to the side. if she's lucky (rider is rarely so, but she will take this gamble), perhaps an unwilling mouse will fall into the viper's pit. a servant can live without magical energy for only so long and rider is loathe to make a contract with a stranger so soon. blood, however... a little blood can sustain her for a few more days. ]

wildcard;

[ so there's a glowing white pegasus galloping through the streets, parks, rivers, whatever area of the city you're in. he looks distressed. maybe you should help him out. ]

( ooc; heaven's feel route spoilers inevitable, but rider here is from fate/grand order, post time temple! pm or contact me on bloodfort if you'd like to plot something out or if you'd prefer a custom starter! please let me know if you would like to opt-in to rider drinking your character's blood on the nsfw option! by default, her prey shall escape after sex. )

Hanami

[scalpedsociety]

[Aramat doesn't know why she called over one of the maids to her picnic. It was for a lark. (And the maid was cute, she admits it.) Aramat cajoles her over, encourages her to play some games, join in food and fun. At least she's willing to play along and for that she's grateful.

Aramat looks over at the maid. She's met her fair share of punk runaways that dye their hair that exact shade but none of them have that amount of health.]

Hmmmm.

[She pretends to think for the sake of everyone else and the maid.]

[cybele]

[ rider doesn't show it, but inwardly she's sweating from nervousness.

please... please don't prolong her torture, pretty lady.

outwardly, she's as cool as they come, her expression unreadable. ]

Would you like a sweet while you think?

[ she leans over from the waist, offering the plate of mochi and dango to aramat. ]

[scalpedsociety]

[But why not? It's fascinating to see the girls chill under fire. She offers Aramat some sweets, she gladly partakes in them gingerly taking a mochi.]

You're rather... stiff. Is anything bothering you?

[She takes a bite out the mochi. It's... rather delicious. Different, but delicious.]

Mmmm! Just what are these?

hanami.

[izou]

[ Other newcomers might have ample hesitations concerning this new environment. Being pulled into new worlds is normally something to be highly skeptical of, but thankfully for him, Izou is an astoundingly simple man. Free food, drink, room and board in exchange for a job? A culture dedicated to the art of simple pleasures— or, as he’d so colorfully put it, screwin’.

Izou is about to simply pluck a hanami sweet from her tray, muttering an off-hand thanks between mouthfuls, but when he looks up, he can’t help but gawk at the woman providing the freebies. ]

I believe ya. [ He reaches forward, still taking a sweet for himself, before making the meaning behind his words abundantly clear: ] Women yer size are sure hard to come by.

[cybele]

[ gods-damned assassins.

rider doesn't need to know who he is — she can already feel the magical energy radiating from him which immediately marks him a servant. there's no grail here to fight over, so she can assume a tenuous truce... for at least long enough that it takes this man to speak. ]

So have you discerned the lie, or shall I repeat the options?

[ there's a bite to her words, a flash of fang in her reply. make all the tall jokes you want, buster. class advantage has no place here!! ]

[izou]

You’re tellin’ me a lie?

[ The point of this charade has largely been lost on Izou. A lot of what is going on around him just so happens to be beyond his grasp, a side effect of information overload.

Lips turning downward as he quickly glances over her, eyes flashing from her head to her toe, and back to the hair of purple, he makes a rapid fire decision. An answer that he has full confidence in. ]

... Easy. You don't have two older sisters.

hanami 🎕

[redundead]

[ "emiya-kun, you're gonna be by yourself for a while, but we'll send someone new to help soon."

that had been six minutes ago, when his partner host had gotten sick from something and needed ushered away from the blanket of partying guests. it's been an incredibly awkward six minutes since, giving him time to finish the tea and serve it, carefully dodging loaded questions and sidelong glances. he's the host, not the... dinner,...

when rider is finally ushered over to help, shirou is in the middle of serving tea, carefully handing teacups the guests, taking his time. his muscles still shake from the exertion of the night he came here, and the tea set is truly gorgeous, he doesn't want to break anything, or spill it. "emiya-kuuuuun, look who's here!"

he turns, intending to rise from his kneeling position so that he can greet the new person, and is met with a familiar face. a face that he saw last half covered in a mask, with blood smeared across her face, atop a neck fatally twisted three times too many. a servant's face, hale and whole.

( she has striking eyes. )

shirou freezes, staring and not hiding it -- the moment before a body chooses fight or flight. it's not like he hasn't faced a servant before. he's faced his fair share, and every time he's done it, his record's gotten better. but he knows he's as weak as a kitten, magically and physically, and he's not an idiot—

one of the guests, drunker maybe than others, leans over to a fellow guest and stage whispers, "we lucked out, we're getting a love at first sight show instead," startling him out of his headlights moment. whoops. lucky he didn't drop the tray of drinks, then. ]

[cybele]

[ for her part, rider shows no sign of recognition, though she can see (and smell) the fear from shirou. it's been... far too long, and her memories of that timeline are hazy at best, but she remembers shirou just as clearly as she remembers her former master and the sudden thought of her brings a pain to her chest.

though maybe it wasn't so sudden. maybe it was a thorn rider had been trying to ignore since she arrived, a memory of when they all watched the sakura trees back in fuyuki, a year after the grail war. the spring here was just as the same, and there was guilt sitting in a pit in her stomach, telling her she shouldn't be here without that master.

her face remains impassive, eyes shifting to the local and then to this red haired boy. ]

Shirou, you are letting the tea get cold.

[ serve it you fool ]

[redundead]

[ w- wow, rude? he is not. the tea is fresh.

that's. thats a really weird observation to be getting from an enemy, but if meeting and working with lancer ever taught him anything, it was that. enemies could be weird. enemies could be not your enemy until they decided they wanted to be. enemies that aren't hostile in a group might change later, and... and rider is here, and corporeal, and there's no blades or chains or (as far as he knows) people drained of mana-- even the grove of trees theyre standing in feels... well, less normal than at home, but it certainly does't feel like the school did, and it doesn't feel any different from the rest of this place: fuzzy and half unreal, blanketed in a heavy mist of something he can't describe. he's probably safe... for now.

he forces the tension out of his shoulders, and finishes handing out the teas, accepting the polite thanks from his guests, all the while watching rider and her purple kimono out of the corner of his eye. by the time he's finished, conversation has sprung up once again, though he can feel the discreet gaze of the guests on the two of them: the hosts are entertainment, but the show they want is not something as gauche as a scripted act. they want to see natural growth and exchange, and whether or not shirou intends to put it on for them, they will watch.

apart from that drunk asshole earlier. that was so awkward.

shirou stands, setting the emptied tea tray aside and carefully retreating to a respectful distance away -- from both the guests, and the servant. like that'll make a difference if she moves to strike, but six times stabbed, twelve times shy, as they say. ]

I... didn't think you would be here, Rider.

[ he didn't think he'd be here either, but. you know. whatever! shut up! he's not awkward, as he says this awkwardly, and awkwardly tucks his hands away into his sleeves, subconsciously hiding behind habits he observed in his old man. ]

I'm so sorry, but I can't help it; kiss kiss

[leatherdaddy]

[ Gladio just turns to the nearest thing to soft close at hand, amber eyes falling on a cascade of glossy, lavender hair that seems to glow in the dying light of the day. He leans against his hand and summons his best bedroom voice, the kind that knows how fine a figure he cuts and has no problem using it to his advantage.

...Except instead of being lured in, he's trying to lure her in... in a very familiar fashion.

The both of them appear to have had the same idea, because when they finally turn to face one another, each of them is equally undone -- but perhaps Gladio has gone even further by abandoning his jacket, the only thing covering his chest at all, while the maiden turns out to have loosened her kimono to reveal an abundance of cleavage. ]

Hey.

[ Guess who has two massive guns and his own masculine brand of cleavage? THIS GUY. ]

this is good and you should feel good

[cybele]

[ ... well.

let it be said that rider knows a snack when she sees one. in truth she has always preferred the company of women if only because ladies were less rambunctious and entitled in ancient greek society, but men have their uses.

rider's unique eyes fall over every line of this man's figure and no, she hasn't found a snack, she's found a full three-course meal. he's much taller than her, and by comparison she feels quite dainty: already a point in his favor. well-worked muscle, almost no fat on his body; rider sizes him up as though he is a slice of meat at the butchery. he is a specimen that takes care of himself, which should make his blood (and other parts of him) much richer. so rider will let herself smile, a slight tilt to her lips as she leans toward him, her breasts pressing together to better display their curve. ]

Hello.

[ hm, she's no good at this smalltalk thing. ]

RIP GLADIO, not even your charm can get you out of the danger of running into this Rider, maybe...

[leatherdaddy]

[ At least he's not the usual sort, the type looking to consume the beauty of this world without putting any more work in than flashing some wealth... or worse, some entitlement. Gladio himself knows he's a tool of his trade, a literal shield meant to protect his ward with his body and mind... any day could be his last and with that comes certain responsibilities.

And certain mindsets. All things are impermanent. All things are permissible when on effective shore leave so long as the aftermath doesn't interfere with his calling. Yoshiwara is that leave, until circumstances tell him otherwise. He is, at least, easy on the eyes.

The same, of course, could easily be said and more of this beautiful woman with the enchanting eyes. Gladio finds his attention unusually arrested, and realizes that he thinks she might just be his type. Looks can be deceiving, however, so he remains vigilant. Vigilant, and charming. ]

Gladiolus Amicitia... but you can call me Gladio, Miss...?

[ Oh, and I did fail to mention... he has a devastating weakness for 'built' women. Take it any way you like -- he likes his women strong, be it in body or spirit. He feels an undeniable pull of attraction towards women who either can hold their own in a fight physically or in debate, or both. Nothing turns him on harder than a woman who has a goal and will reach out to grab it. By all outer appearances, this lavender-haired woman seems to speak to his desires in more than one way. ]

arrival;

[kivatteru]

[ New arrivals had been flocking the city and Wataru had kind of appointed himself with the welcome committee duty of plucking the poor saps out of the waters and giving them a rundown of what's going on in Yoshiwara. The woman asking him for directions just now must be one of the group he didn't meet there. He couldn't really help everyone, even if he wished to. ]

I do know one around here. [ Wataru regards her with a polite smile. ] It'd be simpler for me to guide you there myself, if you don't mind that.

[cybele]

[ well that just sounds a lot like two people she knows very well.

rider gives wataru a delicate smile and nods her head. ]

Then I will follow you. Is it far?

[kivatteru]

Not very far. It's definitely easy to reach by walking.

[ Outside the dorm, Wataru indicates one direction and makes sure he and Rider walk side by side as he starts leading the way. He asks, for the sake of starting a conversation: ]

Are you doing some research?

1. ba-bump!

[stonehead]

[mystic eyes really are a pain, aren't they? but eh, what can ya do???

shiki's minding her own business, making her way down the street both hands in pockets, head down- when she bumps shoulders with another girl. well, she's only 5'2" so maybe not rider's shoulder exactly but- close enough!!!

it's probably not every day the average person runs into someone wandering around willy nilly in a blindfold (among other anomalies) but hey, she's been there. besides, this place isn't exactly normal by any standards really.

initially it appears as though the brunette is content to shrug it off and keep going, yet her feet do come to a halt two steps past. oddly enough, she doesn't turn back or even address rider directly, seemingly muttering to the wind as the servant takes that moment to recollect herself.]

Hoh?

[canting her head back juuuust a smidgen, just enough for her to glance over her shoulder without actually turning it.]

Not much of a fashion statement, is it?

[the blindfold..... yeah, sorry, she's fucking rude.]

im so glad

[cybele]

[ she wants her senses back at 100% right now. she's dying for it. mystic eyes are great when they can freeze a man in his steps but when you have to bind them for fear of people discovering your identity or out of concern for ... humans ... then they really do suck.

rider hesitates a moment, resting a hand on the wall next to her. she can tell they're not far from the river and she was hoping to get to a place she could dissipate into her spirit form, but hm... doesn't look like that's happening any time soon. ]

I have no use for fashion.

[ she can be rude right back, it's fine ]

Arrival

[bridge_princess]

Library?

[Fuck, the woman in front of her was stunning. Parsee stared up a little at her and practically had to bite her thumb in reaction. Of course she was. Everyone was. It was a red light district, so why should she have expected anything else? She mumbled something heatedly under her breath and just sighed, starting to look around.]

Uh... right, Library... I... you know, I've never actually been to it.

[cybele]

[ parsee are you ok. rider's used to this sort of reaction from men, but not often from women.

also why do you feel fainty magical. ]

Hm... That is a shame. [ well... okay, time to try somewhere else. ] Thank you for your time.

kiss kiss...

[disenchant]

[ unwilling is a stretch, given kento's got his toes on the edge of the pit at all times. hanami is an old tradition kento's played a part in for as many years as he's been in the entertainment industry, so he knows the motions by heart. they're fun, but safe, enjoyment wrangled in and subdued by rules and propriety. that yoshiwara's put this particular spin on it with its smoky sweet air baked by lazy sunlight - he could get used to that kind of encouragement. dangerously so.

aphrodisiacs aren't much more than an overlay to what's already there for him, and rider catches his eye effortlessly, the natural line of a long leg unobscured by fabric drawing up to the curve of her chest first, then that of her mouth. he smiles in response to the display. ]

No partner yet?

[ a shame... ]

poor kento

[cybele]

For the moment, I am alone.

[ that smile becomes a bit more pronounced, but never enough to be blatantly obvious. ]

Will you be the one to join me?

[ the mystic eye killers she wears thankfully kill the magic in her purple eyes, but it doesn't stop them from sizing kento up. rider appreciates a man who takes care of himself, and she can tell in the way his skin is clear and his hair is well groomed. his blood will be more substantive than if he was someone who simply rolled through life without a care in the world. if she's lucky, she won't have to feed too often.

but again, she has never been that lucky. ]

arrival

[princesstenko]

[ The lack of reaction to Ran's features after the initial bump was quickly explained by a glance at the other woman's face, her eyes covered (and seemingly sealed, if her senses were to be believed). Everything about this woman seemed like she was another newcomer, the first since the batch she arrived with, and she definitely looked out of place. The fact that she clearly couldn't see only made matters worse, and it tugged at Ran's heartstrings a bit. ]

It's no problem. Here, let me help you. [ She placed a hand over Rider's, gentle in her touch. She could sense the nature of this woman, though it confused her, but she was polite enough to not comment on it. ]

I'll be happy to guide you to wherever it is you intend to go.

☣ hanami

[cycloning]

[ Fortunately, with Blue Rose's dominatrix facade, Ivan is used to imposing women. That doesn't mean he's not a little intimidated, but the maid costume (costume? outfit? it's hard to tell here) does temper some of it.

And so, somehow, he finds himself playing this game with her. ]

Are you... not the tallest in your family?

[cybele]

[ please don't stand so close to her, ivan... you're not that much taller than she is, and it makes her very uncomfortable. ]

Incorrect. Both my older sisters are 134 centimeters tall.

[ rider you just gave away the rest of the round... ]