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Entry tags:
TDM #12
Welcome! Everything is fine.
Uploading. . . Complete!
The Lobby.
- When you open your eyes, there is quite a lot of beige to take in. The unassuming walls of the room you've found yourself in are barren save for a single motivational poster directly in your line of sight. An illuminated sign above an open door on the far wall reads 'lobby exit.'
"Welcome," chimes a polite, synthesized voice. "I'm happy you're here." A moment later comes the clarity of the situation: you have died and so has the world you came from. "This is Amani, your new reality," continues The Peacekeeper. "Everything will be fine."
At least you aren't the only one here, you'll soon find out, as others who are just as confused and concerned as you are might be mingling on the main hub's first floor. Hopefully, you find a familiar face among the crowd. If not, that's all right. You'll get to know quite a few people very well soon enough.
- If you're one of the unlucky few whose death required a bit more intensive re-coding to maintain stability in the simulation, you'll instead awaken on a bed in the infirmary. Everything is strikingly white save for the occasional string of vines with lavender growing in bursts to help keep people calm. Whether or not it works seems to be on a case-by-case basis.
While there is active medical staff, the voice of The Peacekeeper is also there to explain the situation in a more delicate manner to these individuals. It's already stressful enough having to have gone through such a violent death, after all!
If characters want more questions answered, they'll need to speak to The Peacekeeper directly. But first, it will encourage socialization in the main hub and hopefully, you'll find someone you recognize to make taking things in a little easier.
WHAT
The twelfth Amani TDM!
WHEN
July 26th, 2023 (and until the next TDM!)
KINKS OF THE MONTH
★ Voyeurism/ Exhibitionism
★ Public Sex
★ Group sex
★ Temperature Play
★ Sexual Exhaustion
★ Public Sex
★ Group sex
★ Temperature Play
★ Sexual Exhaustion
WHAT'S YOUR DTF STATUS?
If the main hub and its features don't appeal to you, that's perfectly fine. This is the perfect time to configure your Digitized Technical Friend or your DTF status. A DTF is similar to a dæmon from His Dark Materials in that it is connected to and a reflection of a character's soul. These DTFs take shape accordingly and are projections similar to the NPCs. Think of them as your own personal Clippy except less annoying. Hopefully.
Once that's set-up, there are other locations of the main hub to investigate! You can visit the training grounds, music lounge, library, and onsen. Also, feel free to leave an offering for the resident deity of sleep (Hypnos) at his shrine! You can even visit The Peacekeeper themselves on the second floor. They're always happy to have visitors! They're also conveniently where you might place a complaint about that status of the main hub and its amenities. Even if you do complain, The Peacekeeper will encourage others to set off and find their own place to live out in the simulation.
Granted, the housing market in the afterlife isn't exactly robust. It doesn't help that every place you find has a leaky roof or broken window. No, unfortunately that will need to be fixed the peaceful way. If you'd like more lighting or even cozier clothes, simulation inhabitants are reminded that 'peaceful interactions' are very important!
It might be a good idea to stick close to someone you know, for now, since even the smallest amounts of intimacy might see subtle changes occurring where they're staying. Perhaps that broken window is now fixed, the grime and dust seem a little less, or the floor doesn't creak quite as loud.
Larger changes, however, will only come after demonstrating the more powerful peaceful interactions. If you want new hardwood floors or a fresh coat of paint on the walls, you're going to have to demonstrate how well you 'get along' with others against them first.
SUMMMER OF TRANSFORMATION
One summer morning, inhabitants will be greeted not by the artificial rhythmic chimes of The Peacekeeper's announcement but instead a more natural one. It is the sound of a wind chime; specifically, the source will be a furin (or furins, for multiple-people households) that seems to be customized to suit whoever it belongs to.
The slip of paper attached to the bottom also is an invitation. Inhabitants are being invited to Hiromitsu's worldwide summer matsuri - festival, for those who might not be aware! - in mid-August. In order to help you all prepare, this invitation also provides a yokai disguise once activated by someone's touch.
A menu screen will open up on their DTF's main screen hub that allows them to choose a yokai to present as. They're even customizable! In every way you could want. Someone can even mix and match different yokai features if they so desire. After all, hanyo (half-breeds) and hybrids are a thing in Hiromitsu so no one will even bat an eye.
The slip of paper attached to the bottom also is an invitation. Inhabitants are being invited to Hiromitsu's worldwide summer matsuri - festival, for those who might not be aware! - in mid-August. In order to help you all prepare, this invitation also provides a yokai disguise once activated by someone's touch.
A menu screen will open up on their DTF's main screen hub that allows them to choose a yokai to present as. They're even customizable! In every way you could want. Someone can even mix and match different yokai features if they so desire. After all, hanyo (half-breeds) and hybrids are a thing in Hiromitsu so no one will even bat an eye.
PROPHECY, SPEAK TO ME
Out in the ocean waves has also suddenly appeared a Tori gate and a small fleet of ships sailing through them. Between the columns of the gate, all inhabitants can see is a film of golden light that looks as though it is a portal of some kind. Swimming closer will show that the light is actually an iridescent golden sand ever-sifting and moving in intricate, organic patterns.
Passing through will have no effect other than suddenly looking like you've been golden glitter-bombed. Don't worry, it'll wash out!
If someone stares at the gate, they will start to feel strange. At first, it's nothing more than minor auditory and visual hallucinations. Of what? It depends! Someone might see someone familiar in the corner of their eye, hear a voice believed to be long gone, and looking away will dispel the effects.
Staring longer, however, will see something more extreme occurring. Rather than simple hallucinations, inhabitants will see prophetic visions* flash before their eyes. It is brief, alarming, and disorienting. Staring longer again won't bring the vision back no matter how hard someone tries.
Unfortunately, it is fleeting as the hanami of spring and gone in a blink only leaving you with only a sense of unease.
(*NOTE: If your character would stare long enough to see a prophetic vision, comment here to let us know!)
Passing through will have no effect other than suddenly looking like you've been golden glitter-bombed. Don't worry, it'll wash out!
If someone stares at the gate, they will start to feel strange. At first, it's nothing more than minor auditory and visual hallucinations. Of what? It depends! Someone might see someone familiar in the corner of their eye, hear a voice believed to be long gone, and looking away will dispel the effects.
Staring longer, however, will see something more extreme occurring. Rather than simple hallucinations, inhabitants will see prophetic visions* flash before their eyes. It is brief, alarming, and disorienting. Staring longer again won't bring the vision back no matter how hard someone tries.
Unfortunately, it is fleeting as the hanami of spring and gone in a blink only leaving you with only a sense of unease.
(*NOTE: If your character would stare long enough to see a prophetic vision, comment here to let us know!)
FREE SAMPLES
The ships that come upon shore are no more than four or five. Upon each is a yokai and their wares for sale. Although initially confused, they do take stamps as payment... and inhabitants can watch as those stamps convert to an actual form of currency after the transaction. Huh! How about that?
Although limited in what is available, they promise that their full stocks will be accessible when inhabitants visit their homeworld of Hiromitsu.
Although limited in what is available, they promise that their full stocks will be accessible when inhabitants visit their homeworld of Hiromitsu.
- ★ Food » A couple of the vendors have brought some delicious food that no summer matsuri can go without! According to them, anyway. Some are strange, others are "sensual", and then the rest seem to be just regular food!
Inhabitants will be able to find mochi, chocolate-covered bananas, grilled green onions, meat skewers, meat buns, and more! Just be warned: anything that is labeled as not safe for work will have you feeling pretty peaceful before you know it.
★ Kites » One vendor is selling a variety of colorful kites. All of them use a red string though, inhabitants can note, and seem prone to tying people up together. This seems especially true of people who maybe have interest in one another but haven't been brave enough to talk about it. Or maybe they just need to talk in general.
Either way, the line won't untangle without a little bit of good ol' fashioned healthy communication. If you want to make-out first though just to be sure, well, the vendor isn't going to judge any.
★ Goldfish Scooping » Known in Hiromitsu's native language as "Kingyo sukui," this game translates to goldfish scooping. Some inhabitants might remember it from their time before but for those who are new... The object of the game is simple! Using a small paper net, you have to scoop out a goldfish gently but quickly enough to transfer it to a separate bowl before the paper breaks.
These goldfish come in different colors that denote different levels of prizes. Gold earns five (5) stamps, silver earns three (3), and bronze gets one (1). If you fail to get a fish, there is still a consolation prize!
(Please comment here to have your catch RNGed if you'd like to play the game!)
★ Katanuki » The last vendor has a game prepared called katanuki. This game is a lot more difficult than it appears at first glance but not complicated! Using a special candy, the vendor will have shapes pressed into it. Inhabitants have to try to carefully cut out the pressed-on picture with a small needle or pin without breaking it.
If they succeed, they win a prize! These images can be something familiar, sexual, or bizarre! There's no telling what you'll get. Literally. If an inhabitant succeeds in not breaking their picture, it will pop into a real construct rather than the image before their eyes. That phallus you were just carefully carving out? It's now a nice, new dildo in your hands. Enjoy!
SURF'S UP
Remember those baby turtles from a couple of months ago? Well, they aren't babies anymore! Although not as big as their parent, these turtles are now large enough to ride on. In fact, they seem to encourage it! That's right, it's time for some turtle surfing.
As with anything, there is bound to be a learning curve. Each turtle will attune to its rider... just give it some time! Being thrown off or wiping out is to be expected in the beginning. After a while, a bond will form between you and your aquatic pal and you'll be riding the waves in no time at all.
You might even be able to do some fancy tricks as a fun duo with enough practice! Just make sure not to wear your new friend out since they'll need their stamina for the trip to another world with you.
Why can't inhabitants use the ships to sail to Hiromitsu? These ships are only big enough for the yokai and their wares, that's why! If anyone attempts to sneak on or insist, they'll find that it isn't just because of the boat's size though. The fleet is outfitted with anti-theft and anti-yokai measures. What does that mean?
It means that the very boat itself is a yokai and will come (more) alive should anyone it doesn't recognize set foot on its decks. Floorboards with teeth will open up to try and eat someone's feet. Or they might instead shoot up to smack or launch someone into the cold sea water below. Whatever they do, the point should be clear: you aren't their owner or a yokai so get out of here.
As with anything, there is bound to be a learning curve. Each turtle will attune to its rider... just give it some time! Being thrown off or wiping out is to be expected in the beginning. After a while, a bond will form between you and your aquatic pal and you'll be riding the waves in no time at all.
You might even be able to do some fancy tricks as a fun duo with enough practice! Just make sure not to wear your new friend out since they'll need their stamina for the trip to another world with you.
Why can't inhabitants use the ships to sail to Hiromitsu? These ships are only big enough for the yokai and their wares, that's why! If anyone attempts to sneak on or insist, they'll find that it isn't just because of the boat's size though. The fleet is outfitted with anti-theft and anti-yokai measures. What does that mean?
It means that the very boat itself is a yokai and will come (more) alive should anyone it doesn't recognize set foot on its decks. Floorboards with teeth will open up to try and eat someone's feet. Or they might instead shoot up to smack or launch someone into the cold sea water below. Whatever they do, the point should be clear: you aren't their owner or a yokai so get out of here.
SEXY STAMP CARD
If you're wondering about these 'peaceful interactions' that keep being mentioned or what the kinks of the month are for... Here's your answer! Upon arrival, all characters will receive a digital copy of their very own sexy stamp card.
Completing peaceful interactions (i.e. kinks) will reward characters with stamps that they can turn in for re-gains and many other things! While the example one here is the standard issued card by The Peacekeeper, players are more than welcome to customize it how they see fit. Have fun with it!NOTES
Completing peaceful interactions (i.e. kinks) will reward characters with stamps that they can turn in for re-gains and many other things! While the example one here is the standard issued card by The Peacekeeper, players are more than welcome to customize it how they see fit. Have fun with it!
★ Please comment to the appropriate threads with your character if you'd like them to receive a prophetic vision or get a reward from the goldfish scooping!
★ The motivational poster in the beginning is of a daruma and the text translates to fall seven times and get up eight! This means, when life knocks you down just get up again and keep on trying!
★ We are currently at 30/40 slots taken! Anyone wishing to claim a character must have an invite from someone currently in the game and follow the proper rules in place to be accepted into the community!
NAVIGATION
III. thanks, fatebama
But the yokai at the stall practically shoves one into his hands, and he did tell Rosie he wanted to get to know this culture that's so similar to hers, so sure. A kite. Why not? Not that he's actually going to fly it or anything. He'll just hang onto it and let Rosie explain its purpose to him later. At least, that's the plan.
Instead, just as he's about to finish looking it over and banish it to the Armiger, part of the string unravels from the spool on its own to wrap multiple times around his wrist. "Whoa, what--?"
He doesn't notice that at the same time, the far end of the string wiggles out from the spool to loop around a floating woman's ankle and tug her toward him.
fatebama is rose's favorite fictional rapper by virtue of not actually rapping
If Rose had been walking, the sudden tug on her ankle would have tripped her flat on her face. As-is, she throws her hands forward to catch herself, but she merely catches air and her hover merely becomes more sharply-diagonal. She swivels in the air to spot the culprit and sighs loudly at the sight of the red string. Of course, it was just a matter of time.
If she knows anything about this phenomenon (And she does. See: "a lot of anime"), there's no point in trying to break it. Instead she looks along it, to see who she's been bound to. And... wow. Okay. That's a Protagonist if Rose has ever met one (and she's met several). That tracks.
She straightens her posture and floats toward him, as much to instill a sense of gravitas as to avoid tripping over the string tied to her ankle. She peers at him from beneath her hood, eyes bright despite her sickly appearance.
"Hey," she says, a little awkwardly.
that she KNOWS of
"Uh..." He steps back, trying to pretend that definitely didn't happen. "What's up? Besides you, I guess." Because she's floating, of course.
"Soooo, I don't know what this is all about," he gestures vaguely at the string, "but this is Amani so I'm gonna go ahead and assume it'll be weird. Sorry ahead of time?" He shrugs, a bit sheepish.
While he's talking, he tries to snap the thread, and when that doesn't work he tries to pry his hand out of its grasp, but no luck. He rolls his eyes with a tired sigh. "Right. Shocker. Anyway, I--hey!"
Apparently, the string wasn't a huge fan of his attempts to escape it, because the spool starts to spin on its own, shortening the length of the tether between them to draw them closer together. He drops the kite, but all that really does is give the string more leverage. "Cut it out!" he chides the string, as if it can hear him. Maybe it can, who knows?
no subject
She folds her arms as Noctis worries over the string. "Don't worry. The moment I saw those kites I knew something like this would happen. Even if I hadn't studied many long, dull hours under the tutelage of a dedicated manga-sage, the Red String of Fate is a popular sort of trope among aficianados of what historians once called 'lemon'--" Rose's eyes widen as she sees that Noctis hasn't waited for her monologue to finish before tugging at the string. "Wait, don't--"
The string yanks Rose's leg upward as she lets out a strangled sort of sound. The dropped string uses its leverage to forego subtlety: who has time for incidental contact and furtive glances? The next thing they know, Rose's tights-clad thigh is resting firmly in Noctis' palm. Fortunately Rose can still fly, so this position is more socially-awkward than physically-uncomfortable. Unfortunately, Rose's muscles are still somewhat atrophied from her unusual convalescence, and as much as she did not want, expect, or intend for them to be in this situation, she's a bit miffed that this stranger isn't getting the proper Lalonde Thigh experience.
Rose looks down at her thigh, caught in history's least-accurate handshake, then at Noctis. "...it seems we're destined to become acquainted. Why don't we start with the basics and see if we can earn some leeway? I'm Rose."
no subject
In the middle of her monologue, he glances up from the string with a frown to interject a complaint: "The Red String of what? Ugh." He sort of tunes out the rest - not deliberately, just...listen, she's using a lot of words and some of them are fancy, plus she reminds him of Ignis, and he's historically been terrible at paying attention to either of those for too long. (Sorry, Ignis.)
Which is why he doesn't hear her warning in time, and then the string is moving and suddenly he's...holding her thigh, and before he can even try to pull his hand away, the string doubles down by wrapping itself a few times around his forearm and her thigh. Of course.
"Oh, come on..." He tips his head back with his eyes closed and groans, exasperated and embarrassed in equal measure. When he lifts his head again, he can't look her in the eye. "S-sorry."
But he does look up with a sour expression when she uses the D-word. "Destined, huh? Great. Just what I needed in my life, more destiny." He sighs - it's not her fault - but then she introduces herself and he blinks.
"Rose? Seriously? --uh, sorry, it's just, that's...that's my girlfriend's name." Also blonde, not that he plans to mention it. "Anyway, I'm Noctis, but most people just call me Noct."
no subject
Add in his complaints about destiny, and Rose is already developing a profile of this guy's role in his own epic tale. "I thought that might sound familiar," she says. "My condolences, both for this indelicate meetcute foisted on us, and for the fact that my presence is generally going to be lousy with destiny. I'm a diviner of sorts, and meaningful coincidences come with the territory." It's true that it's not her fault, but there's also no real getting around it.
"Rosie and I have met, if that's who you mean. She seems nice. And it's a pleasure to meet you, Noctis." She moves her leg a bit, seeing if introductions have meaningfully-loosened the string binding hand to thigh--no such luck, unsurprisingly. But if there's one thing Rose has gotten good at over the years, it's adapting to inconvenient and embarrassing situations, and not letting anyone see her sweat.
"Right. Okay. I'm new to Amani, but I'm assuming you'll get free use of your hand back after a meaningful heart-to-heart about responsibility versus free will. Or else some more intentional groping, I suppose." She looks around for somewhere Noctis can sit, or at least feel more proactive and less awkward. "It looks like there's a goldfish-scooping stand over there. Maybe it'll help if one of us catches a fish for the other."
no subject
Her presence is lousy with destiny? A blonde Oracle, literally tied to him by fate? Haven't the gods, or the Overseer, or whoever - haven't the forces that be had enough of fucking with him by now? Was this necessary? He grits his teeth, something between anger and heartache in his eyes, and looks down, no longer seeming to care or even perhaps remember the awkward situation they're in.
Rose says something else, but Noctis is barely listening. Not until she says something about catching fish and then seems to be waiting for some kind of response from him, does he tune in and look up again.
"I'm...sorry, I can't do this. It's not your fault, I just..." He flounders, searching for the words. "There was...someone else, another Oracle, and she...she was already gone before I got here, thanks to destiny. I..." He sighs heavily, the anger draining out of him, leaving only the heartache. "Yeah, the solution to all this weird Amani shit is usually intimacy, that's the whole point of everything. I, uh..."
Fuck. He can't just leave things like this.
"You know what, sure, I'll catch you a fish. I am the King of Fishing, after all." He smiles a little, trying to lighten the mood at least enough to distract her, if not himself. It's pretty unconvincing, but what else can he do?
no subject
Speaking of messy thoughts: she doesn't know what to do with the fact that she's reminiscent of two important women in Noctis' life. On one hand, she's immediately curious about this Oracle, and on the other she knows it's inappropriate to grill a new acquaintance about lost loved ones. On the third, she's annoyed at the haphazard resonance of this conversation--she's a secondary Rose and a secondary Oracle? Might as well say she reminds him of his mother and complete the sloppy Triple Goddess symbolism.
Fortunately he gives her something simpler to work with (as long as she ignores the Fisher King symbolism for now). "I didn't realize I was in the presence of fishing royalty," she says with a faint smile and raised eyebrows. "But you could just be a pretender. I know another claimant to the fisherman's throne, and I could introduce you if you prove your worth--he won't be impressed just because you caught an orange clownfish, especially if you can't even get her off the hook."
no subject
In the meantime, he can at least prove his ability to scoop up a goldfish. It's a good thing she's floating, it makes moving a lot less difficult. He just heads over there, tugging her along like a particularly vivid balloon.
As it turns out, Noctis is pretty good at scooping goldfish, considering he's never done it before. He ends up with a bronze fish, which the vendor puts into a water-filled plastic bag and hands to him. He in turn hands it to Rose, with a teasing little mock-bow (also only possible because she's floating). "Your fish, my lady."
no subject
"Your rival prince is a reclusive sort," Rose explains as Noctis gets to fishing with an adorable gusto. "He honed his fishing skills where man had not set foot in hundreds of years, taught by sheer necessity and a surprisingly-stable wireless signal, driven to enact vengeance upon the fishy empress who had cost him everything. His name's Dirk. He's... family." If Noctis has encountered Dirk, then he's likely left an impression. She allows Noctis space reveal through his reaction if the name sounds familiar.
Rose puts a hand to her chest in faux-disbelief--a fish? For her? She takes it with all due reverence, and peers at her new pet. Against her will, she loves it immediately. "How chivalrous of you," she says to Noctis. "Now I suppose I have to find somewhere to live, for the sake of Sir Galahaddock here."
It's a bit strange, just spending time out and about with someone she's just met. Rose has spent so damned much of her life stuck in a house, lab, ship, or cave. She could hardly relate to the many festivals she saw in the Dirk's many anime, and now she's... out on a date, of sorts. It's nice.
The string loosens, enough that Rose can finally stop floating and stand, fish-in-bag-in-hand. She and Noctis are still bound, though. Now that she's not floating, he's a little taller than her, so she looks up to him
"Progress. What should we do next? I think the record will show that fish-scooping was my idea, after all."
no subject
But Rose isn't finished giving him things to question. The more she talks, the more skeptical Noctis' expression becomes. "Fishy...empress." And then he blinks.
"Dirk as in, Dirk Strider?...riiight, the floating. Must run in the family." Hey, warping runs in his, it makes sense to him. "He did say something about thinking my fishing game was 'alright,' which I assure you is a gross understatement. But I don't even know how he knew anything about it in the first place, I'd never met him before. He also gave me some really weird compliments. Or...something vaguely resembling compliments, anyway."
He grins at her oh-so-reverent acceptance of his gift, and then tilts his head. "What-a-haddock? If you don't have anywhere to stay yet, there's an apartment building at the hub that's honestly pretty empty, you can just grab a place. I'll show you when we get back to the city."
Noctis, by contrast to Rose, has attended many festivals in his time - but he rarely had a chance to just wander around and enjoy them, because everyone in Insomnia knew who he was. So he agrees: this impromptu outing is nice. (He's not inclined to call it a date, but he might end up wrong about that.)
"Oh, hey, look at that," he says when the string loosens and he can finally stop unwillingly groping this poor woman. "No kissing necessary, that's a first. Refreshing."
He chuckles at her talk of the 'record.' "Well, we can't have the record implying I was slacking off, so hmm..." He glances around, but it's his nose that really does the deciding for him. "When in doubt, food." A little chirp that sounds like Carbuncle's vocalizations but also sort of like a digital ringtone comes from his pendant, prompting him to reach out and summon his phone from the Armiger to see a message from his DTF.
"Huh. Aaaand we can choose yokai disguises on the way." He turns the phone screen toward her so she can see the explanation, too.
no subject
More irony, then, as Noctis reveals something Rose didn't know about Amani. She should have intuited that there were apartments up for grabs--or simply looked down while floating over the city--but she clearly hasn't been paying close enough attention to her surroundings. She chides herself, but it's nice of Noctis to offer his help. "Thanks," she says, "and what a haddock, indeed."
Okay, maybe she should dial back the cryptic seer act. She's about to explain the legend of Galahad, fully aware that Noctis probably doesn't really care about the details, and that the topic of a knight chosen before birth to find a miracle that everyone before him failed to discover might turn the conversation sharply serious/uncomfortable... when Noctis suggests food. Rose nods along, relieved at the opportunity to pretend for a little longer that their meeting is fully low-stakes bullshit. The record will show that Noctis' suggestion is sound.
On their way to the promised food, Noctis summons his phone (does Amani have sylladices?) and reminds Rose of the disguise she chose upon arrival in Amani. In retrospect, the disguise she chose feels lazy and un-fun--why not enjoy herself, and show off a little?
"Viceroy," she addresses the DTF hiding in a small pendant dangling from her neck, "I'd like to be an octopus-wife, please."
Over the course of a few moments, Rose's legs flicker and warp, splitting half a dozen times into a writhing mass of tentacles. (The disguise is kind enough to alter her current outfit to gain a skirt.) Rose could float, of course, but she finds it more pleasing, aesthetically and kinetically, to move along the ground through the power of her new undulating appendages. She feels more comfortable in a strange way--less like some nerd and more like a strange and powerful entity.
Unfortunately this strange and powerful entity failed to consider how the Red String of Fate might respond to her sudden lack of ankles.
no subject
He laughs at her further fishy wordplay, apparently not minding having not gotten an answer to his question, and starts making his way toward the closest food stall as he pages through the information on the various yokai. Her request to her unseen DTF makes him look up again, though, and watch with interest as she transforms into her disguise. "An octopus...wife? Isn't that just also an octopus?--aw man, you can walk on yours?" He certainly can't when he's half-octopus, but then, this yokai form is probably not just your average everyday mer-octopus.
Noctis also fails to consider how the string might respond to her sudden lack of ankles, so he's jerked to a halt by the bit wrapped around his wrist when it starts to slide away from the tentacle it ended up on and quickly moves to compensate. "Whoa, wait--"
But the string does not wait. Instead, it shortens the length between them and pulls Noctis' arm to settle around her waist, and then wraps itself around said waist a few times for extra measure. And there goes Noctis turning red again, although--
"...uh, at least this is...less suggestive?" No less awkward, though. At least, for him.
no subject
But she's happy to show off her tentacles. "But my experience also helps me with these. I've been playing around with tentacles since I was a teenager." She's aware of how that sounds and doesn't care. "It helps that I'm--as you've noticed--pretty light. And an octopus-wife is a shapeshifter--the same way octopi change colors, the yokai disguises itself as a human woman--"
And then another stupidly-obvious thing occurs. In just a moment or two, Noctis has Rose in a classic BF/GF waist-lock. One side of her chest brushes against his, and her temple grazes the wispy black hair that frames his face. Truth be told, Rose preferred the more suggestive position--there's a difference in her mind between "sexual" and "intimate," and the red string has pulled them over that line. This time, she's blushing too.
"Ugh. Stupid," she berates herself. So eager to show off that she didn't think about the consequences, as per usual. "Okay, clearly it's time to get down to brass tacks. Noctis, you're going to have to hand-feed me." Rose is not going to have her first kiss-or-whatever in Amani be dictated by a fucking string, and she can't have a serious conversation about destiny and the price of knowledge while locked in a lover's-lane stroll.
no subject
At that comment about knowledge and freedom, he scoffs. "Don't I know it. But destiny doesn't allow for freedom regardless, so I'd at least like to know how exactly it plans to use me."
Noctis has a vague idea of how that might sound if he looked at it in a certain light, but he doesn't care, either. "Huh. I'm jealous - I've been half-octopus a few times, but mine definitely don't hold my weight on land."
Noctis nods along with her until-- "Uh, I, *what?*" For a moment, he's mystified. It takes him a moment of staring at her, acutely aware of how close she is, before he puts it together. Once he does, he glances away. "Oh, uh...right, yeah, sure." He steers them away from the stall he was going to take them to - takoyaki is hard to feed someone and would probably be pretty tasteless besides, considering the whole octopus-wife thing. Speaking of--
"I'd...better pick a disguise first, though." Before he approaches a food stall and gets gnawed on by some giant, man-eating gerbil or whatever. With one of his hands forcibly occupied, he scrolls around on his phone with just one hand - he can't just ask Carbs to do it like Rose did, because he doesn't know what the options are. Eventually he goes with the ryujin, specifying that he'd like to have a humanoid hybrid form too, and soon enough he's grown horns, spines, a smattering of scales, and a long tail, all derived from what will be his full ryujin form.
"So, uh...what kind of food do you think is best for...y'know, this?"
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Rose is actually a little disappointed about the swerve from takoyaki--the "tasteless" aspect appeals to her sense of irony, and besides she likes the taste--but as Noctis asks the question, Rose can't avoid the answer. It's her nature, her power, and her curse to know with certainty which options would be most effective toward achieving a given goal, and if their shared goal is to escape the string... there's one obvious option.
Rose reaches out with a tentacle and plucks one of the candy-shell cocks from a nearby stall run by a giant hungry-looking gerbil, then transfers it to her free hand. She'd turn to face him (and maybe even comment on his new, horny look) but the string doesn't give her any wiggle-room, and her attempted wiggle is... well, Noctis' lithe body feels all right against Rose's bony body. Anywah, she holds the ridiculous food item where both of them can see it, considering.
She supposes she could hand-feed him. He's taller than her, but not by enough to make it much more awkward than it will already be. But upon reflection she feels her original idea will be most effective. "Your weapon," she says in an even tone.
THE GERBIL SFKJG
He has to admit, her bit of silliness when she hands over the dick-on-a-stick helps him feel a little less awkward about it. He takes it in his free hand and, with a faux-solemn air, brings it up in front of him as if it were the Blade of the Mystic. "And a mighty weapon it is. Perfect for combating the tyranny of this damn string."
Now comes the even more awkward part. He turns toward her as much as the string will let him without getting entirely all up in her space and gingerly brings the candy cock up...toward...her mouth.
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Rose takes a breath through her nose, as her lips fight opening. Look, she tells herself, this is what you're signing up for. This is probably the least invasive shenanigan Amani is going to throw your way, so you might as well be a big girl and take your medicine. The journey of a thousand cocks begins with a single something-or-other.
She lets the breath out through her mouth and raises her chin to plant a peck on the pecker. She chose it for a reason, after all, not (only) out of sophomoric humor. She makes a ring of her lips to suck the tip, then uncertainly glides her tongue along its length. Is she doing this right? She makes eye contact with Noctis, then looks away, blushing.
Enough playing around. With a low "aahh," she leans forward, allowing the confectionery cock into her mouth and down her throat... only to immediately gag and start coughing. She tries to face it again, but her watering eyes reflexively shut and her hands instinctitively ward off the offending member.
"Fuck," she manages to say. She imagines this is probably the least-sexy display Amani has ever witnessed, but the string appears to take pity on her and loosens its grip. After all, the string recognizes what Rose does not: that her vulnerability is probably more intimate than anything she was going to do on purpose.
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She makes eye contact with him and he feels a little like a deer in headlights as heat rises to his face, but she looks away with a blush of her own a moment later. He thinks, maybe she'll try something else, or--
Or she could make it worse, apparently! She's well on her way to deep-throating this thing he's holding in his hand and it's...it's hot, dammit.
At least, it's hot until she suddenly gags and he hurriedly pulls the candy penis back. He's about to tell her it's fine, they can do something else, when she tries to go for it a second time. He's gotta respect the hustle, even though she doesn't even get it back into her mouth before she's pushing it away. He pulls it back again as the string slackens a bit - huh, interesting. But now he's hyperaware of the saliva-slicked edible dick in his hand, that she just had down her throat...
"You okay? I, uh...kinda thought you were just going to...eat it." Although, in retrospect, would he really have wanted to watch her bite off the tip of--no, he's just going to wipe that image from his mind, actually. "We could switch, if you want. Or just accept defeat in the face of our formidable foe and find some other way to appease this thing."
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"God, that was so stupid," she says once she catches her breath. "I'm okay, though, Noctis, thank you. Don't worry, I won't throw my life away over a phallic dessert. I have to keep living for Sir Galahaddock's sake."
She's about to agree that they can try something else--maybe hand-holding?--when she registers that Noctis made another suggestion. "Oh. Um. Actually... if you want to switch, my powers of prognostication suggest that could do the trick."
Because Rose would find it really hot.
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His brows lift when she accepts that offer he made without really thinking much about it beyond the fact that evidence suggests he has more practice sucking cock than she does. "Oh, yeah? Well, if it's written in the stars, who am I to argue? Here." He hands the cock-kebab over to her, only just now considering the fact that it's covered in her saliva and he's about to put it in his mouth. Ah well - not like she's sick or anything. Can they even get sick in the simulation? He has no idea.
"So, uh...you hold it and I...go down on it. Right? That's the plan?" Saying it out loud makes it sound like a pretty ridiculous plan, but he has no better ideas.
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Rose takes the candy-wiener from Noctis with a nod of acknowledgement, then observes it for a moment. The glistening evidence of her abysmal failure is admittedly pretty hot, in a gross way that appeals to Rose. Her eyes flick from the confection to Noctis' adams-apple, then his mouth. She bears a faint smile of anticipation.
Rose floats upward, just a foot or so off the ground, her tentacles brushing against Noctis as they sway in the air. She raises her hand and inverts the dessert, letting it dangle over Noctis.
"Say ahhh," she says, so breathy it's almost a purr.
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The way Rose looks at him when she pauses with the confection in her hand gets his heart beating just a tiny bit faster. It beats just a tiny bit faster than that at the touch of her tentacles and the way she rises to float slightly above him, so that he has to look up to meet her eyes.
...which, he's noticing only now, are a strange but pretty lavender. Huh.
Then he has to tip his head back further, and wow, she really turned this whole thing up to eleven fast, didn't she? Funnily enough, while he does have more experience with giving blowjobs than she apparently does, he doesn't do it as often as one might think. His partners tend to want it the other way around, which he sure isn't complaining about, but right now he just hopes his limited experience is enough not to embarrass himself in front of Rose.
Her voice sends a little shiver down his spine as he opens his mouth, though what he says isn't 'ahhh' but more like "uhh?" His eyes close as he waits for her to...do whatever she's planning to do, exactly.
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She hums approvingly as Noctis does what he's told. They're new acquaintances who haven't yet had their kinks blasted at each other, so Rose stops short of calling him a good boy, but her hooded gaze communicates the sentiment well enough.
Her plan, such as it is, is to become more intimate, ideally in a way that doesn't damage their burgeoning relationship. To that end, she wields her weapon deftly, with insight and precision. She brushes the tip across Noctis' lips first, dipping down into his mouth by degrees, playing with his food. It isn't like she's ever done this before, but she has a preternatural knack for knowing just how comfortable Noctis is and what he can handle.
"Just like that," she murmurs, as she sees just how well Noctis can take it. "How much can you take?"
For the first time since arriving in Amani, Rose forgets about her situation, her responsibilities, her reputation... all of that. It's enough to explore this new moment. Perhaps it's even enough to break the string's grasp? But that depends on Noctis, now.
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It's for the best that Rose doesn't say the words 'good boy' aloud, because Noctis actually kind of hates it under most circumstances. He's been a 'good boy' all his life; no thanks to more of that.
Still, he can be obedient when he gets the sense that doing what he's told is a means of helping the other person out and it's not too condescending. And right now, Rose is taking the lead on helping both of them get free of this string.
He meets that lavender gaze of approval as the confection and its slick coating of Rose's saliva touches his lips. Like kissing her, but not. She gets the tip inside and she's clearly in no hurry, so Noctis sits back (figuratively) to enjoy it.
That murmuring in her low, breathy but precise voice pricks at his ears like trickles of tingling sensation sliding down his spine. He can't answer her question with words, so he'll have to show her instead. ...unfortunately for Noctis, this situation isn't quite like sucking an actual dick. For one thing, the texture is all wrong. It doesn't have that unique duality of being hard and soft at once, so it's less comfortable in his mouth. For another, the angle is too steep - tipping his head back as far as he is makes it harder to keep his throat open.
But he's determined to give it a shot. He's just starting to feel overwarm with the slight twitching in his pants when Rose pauses, leaving him with the first few inches of the delectable dick just shy of grazing the back of his tongue. He makes a questioning noise - why'd she stop? He tips his head up just a little more, straightening up to his full height--
--and then the tip does graze the back of his tongue, and he gags immediately. Not wanting to actually choke, his body reacts without thinking...and snaps his teeth shut, biting the cock in half. It takes him by surprise, enough that he stands there blinking with half a candy cock stuffed in his mouth for a good three seconds before he starts laughing and simultaneously trying to chew and swallow the dessert before he really does choke on it.
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