April | Event: Skybound Travelers

[jikan_mod]

Skybound Travelers↲ OOC Plotting

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As everyone settles into a routine in Nippon, newer refugees may find that visiting the Western Kingdom is something of an undertaking. Although considerably faster than traveling by airship or on foot, the underground train that connects Tokyo and Kyoto still takes at least five hours. And not everyone enjoys the roller coaster-like experience of the Sunday-only time surge that shortens that ride into ten minutes. But lucky for them, the NRL are finally ready to release a special new travel system!

Developed in part thanks to the refugees for gathering the necessary etherblossoms back in March, refugees will now find teleportation terminals available at the NRL in Tokyo and MRU in Kyoto. These terminals only connect to each other, with plans to expand to other cities in the future.

Or at least, that's what they're supposed to do.


Nippon Traveler

With the announcement of fast travel between kingdoms quickly spreading among the refugees, many of them are clamoring to be the first to take advantage. After all, the train is rather inconvenient for those with friends and family in both kingdoms, and even more so for those who wish to work in one while living in the other.

Thankfully, the NRL took this into consideration, and made sure to add additional platforms and a timed queueing system to make things run smoothly, essentially creating a small station on the top floor of the NRL's main building. And with exclusive elevator access on the outside just for traveling refugees, it's certainly built for convenience.

Ready, Aim... Kyoto, Western Kingdom
Despite the fact that the NRL has been using these teleporters just fine for transferring between Tokyo and Kyoto for the past few weeks, the sudden inundation of users is causing the system to overload ever so slightly. As a result, the teleporter hasn't been sending people where it should, occasionally redirecting them to random areas throughout Kyoto.

On the one hand, magic is so commonplace in the West that no one really thinks anything about the Refugees popping in and out of existence, with most natives just assuming they're teleporting using the local magic. But on the other hand, this assumption means the natives will think it's intentional, resulting in a large number of refugees finding themselves in both literal and metaphorical hot water after teleporting straight into a public bath, fully-clothed. Hopefully it's a mixed bath, or they might find themselves being carried away by the patrolling samurai guards for questioning.

In addition to becoming a public nuisance for the natives, some may find themselves teleporting into the homes of fellow refugees instead. They may wind up as an uninvited dinner guest, or perhaps they'll appear during a private or intimate moment between lovers. Some may even end up appearing in a closet, giving them ample opportunity to hide until they can make their escape!

Thankfully, this bug is discovered quickly enough that it only creates a few days of chaos -- so don't let that put you off the technology forever!

Here Comes a Thought Higashiyama, Kyoto
But of all the locations the teleporters are sending people to, perhaps the most common one is Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto's Higashiyama neighborhood. As one of the most famous temples in Kyoto, its already a popular tourist destination, with beautiful gardens, a veranda overlooking all of Kyoto, and is home to a magic school that specializes in the Mizu Element.

Those who are lucky may simply find themselves suddenly standing in front of a very tall pagoda, or overlooking the view of Kyoto. But most refugees will instead find themselves standing before the Tainai Meguri, a dark underground passageway beneath one of the many shrines in Kiyomizu-dera. Naturally, it'll be assumed they want to go in, and they may find themselves ushered down by a shrine maiden or two who don't want them holding up the line.

Blanketed in an inky darkness, the Tainai Meguri is composed of a single hallway and a rope along the wall to help guide visitors down to the lowest part of the passageway, where a mysterious stone can be found. Glowing with a mysterious power, the stone is the only source of light in the tunnel. And those who touch the stone with a clear mind will see the carving in the center change, showing which magic element they have an aptitude for: Tsuchi, Mizu, Hi, or Kaze.

However, those who touch the stone without a clear mind will witness something different. Because the stone in question is a Memory Stone, an ancient magical artifact capable to creating illusions of a person's memories. Once the stone is touched, the light of the stone will jump out into the darkness, projecting illusions of their past on the walls around them. Whether these illusions appear as text, an exact replica of one's memories, or something more abstract, varies by the person.

Those whose memories are being projected may find themselves completely overwhelmed by the emotions they felt at the time of that memory. For this reason, no one is allowed into the Tainai Meguri alone, so those affected better hope that their partner in the darkness is prepared to drag them out of it.

Into the Unknown

As the technology powering these terminals is still quite new to the scientists at the NRL, actually releasing these to the public is still a way off. Although there's zero risk of harm coming as a result of using the terminal, they have noticed that occasionally the terminal registers another point of travel, as if another terminal exists. A reverse transfer always brings them back just fine, but little is known about where these objects are ending up.

To that end, the NRL is asking brave enough refugees interested in exploring to take the teleporter to these unknown locations and report what they find. But don't worry, they're not asking they do this for free! All participants will receive a moderate sum of money, as well as a week-long stay at the Ōwakudani Hot Spring Resort in Hakone, to be redeemed whenever they like.

Cold Cuddles Sapporo, Hokkaido
For the first mysterious location, volunteers will be bundled up in warm clothes, as objects that come back always arrive very cold. And indeed -- upon teleporting, they'll find themselves in the midst of a snowstorm, an ancient version of the same terminal below their feet, and strange ruins all around them. And stranger still, the walls of the ruins appear to be covered in dark blue ice that won't melt no matter how much heat is applied.

It seems this teleporter is somehow connected to Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Nippon. Due to an ancient curse, the land is perpetually snowy and plagued by unmelting ice called everfrost. And while those who visited the region prior may recognize their surroundings enough to know they're actually very close to the city of Sapporo, others may not be so lucky, nor willing to take the risk of missing their return window.

Worse still, they're just far enough away from the city that their magi-comms won't work! With no way of activating the terminal from their side, and two hours before the NRL reactivates it on their end to bring them back, it looks like they'll need to huddle together for warmth to ensure they don't freeze.

Thankfully, the terminal is located in a covered area, and the remains of an old campsite nearby even has some blankets and supplies. And upon their return, they'll be given hot drinks and no shortage of apologies for not considering the risk of giving them such a long window to explore.

Party in the Dark Jigoku, Shitaya
The second mysterious location is by far the most intriguing, as it's clearly somewhere that people have access to, and yet no one has tried coming back through the terminals. Instead, empty cans and half-finished drinks sometimes end up on the terminal, with no explanation as to who was drinking them prior. And as this phenomenon only occurs late at night, that's when the volunteers will be sent.

Upon arriving, at first they'll find themselves blanketed in a perpetual darkness, surrounded by some sort of stone tunnel, with the sound of music echoing from further in. They'll still be able to contact the NRL, leading the scientists to suggest that they may be in Jigoku, the catacombs of an abandoned subway system below Tokyo.

Should they be brave enough to follow the source of the music, they'll stumble upon what appears to be a secret speakeasy in the dark, run by the Hanyo who live in the neighborhood of Shitaya. As many Hanyo still possess the Yokai ability to see more clearly in the dark than Humans, the lack of lighting is more a feature than a gimmick.

Still, for having made it all the way down here, they'll be offered free drinks and a playful atmosphere -- so long as they promise to keep their illegal supply of Uki-based drinks and snacks a secret from the authorities. A popular recreational drug in the West made from the naturally sweet Uki Weed, Uki is highly regulated in the East, and causes lowered inhibitions, feelings of calm or euphoria, and even functions as a mild aphrodisiac.

Which might just be why many patrons are taking advantage of the dark and inviting atmosphere for romantic trysts in the dark, with futons set up in nearby tunnels for all your sensory deprivation needs. The Refugees can contact the NRL to return at any time, so why not let loose and join the fun?

Castle in the Sky

After a week of using the teleporters, Refugees will discover a new warp point is now listed alongside Kyoto and Tokyo: Tengoku, the nation of Tengu, comprised of dozens of airborne cities that float high above Nippon. According to the NRL, the technology used for these teleporters was developed thanks to the Tengu of Skytower, as a much belated thank you for the refugee's help back in March 1921.

And while Skytower itself remains off-limits, the Tengu Capital of Miyazaki has decided to open its doors to outsiders for the first time in centuries.

Fly High Miyazaki, Tengoku
The Tengu cities are unlike anywhere else on Nippon, comprised of a single, massive amount of land that towers upward, and numerous smaller islands that float up and around the main part of the city. Mysterious magic-powered technology can be found all around the city, though the appearance is quite different from the more modern magi-tech.

But perhaps the most notable thing is that these cities are not designed to be very accessible to those who can't fly. Very few actual pathways lead upward into the city proper, and the entrance to most buildings are located on the top floor, with only a small balcony in front to land on. But thankfully, there's a means around it!

Upon arrival to the capital of Miyazaki, all Refugees will be offered a small backpack with a tiny pair of wings attached to it. Upon putting it on and jumping, the wings will grow larger, acting like a part of their body and allowing them to fly! These backpacks will only function in Tengoku, but they're welcome to keep them should they decide to visit again.

Of course, just because they have the power to do so doesn't mean they'll actually be good at it. Refugees may struggle to become airborne at all, or may find it difficult to control themselves in mid-air, flying into walls, other refugees, or accidentally hurling themselves over the edge of the city. Thankfully, there's patrolling Tengu who are always prepared to catch those who fall, but considering it always comes with a lecture, it's really not the best experience.

But those who persevere will be able to fly up to the very top of the city, where they'll find a beautiful garden overlooking the clouds. The flora here is far more alien than anything commonly found in Nippon, with plentiful etherblossoms, crystal-like mahougi trees, and-- is that a nuruname bloom? Maybe stay away from that one...

Liquid Happiness Miyazaki, Tengoku
Being so high up in the sky, completely isolated, meant that the Tengu cities were designed to be completely self-sustaining. Although they do conduct trade with the mainland below, almost everything they need is either grown or produced by the land itself. Which might just beg the question: where is the water coming from? Because nearly every level of the city is accented by canals and waterfalls.

But those who visit on a rainy day will get their answer. As high as they are, the Tengu cities are close enough that they can draw from the magic properties of the ring that circles the planet of Gaia, which is only visible at night. Thus, the rain that falls in Miyazaki has magical properties: in audition to a rainbow color, it can be infinitely multiplied, instantly heal wounds and certain illnesses, and seems to cause feelings of euphoria similar to Kizuna when one stands in it. For this reason, the rain that falls in Miyazaki is referred to as liquid happiness.

But for Refugees, these effects are even more extreme. Those who visit Miyazaki during a particularly rainy week at the tail end of April will begin to manifest severe Kizuna side-effects, especially the supernatural variety. While ordinarily these effects are only possible when feelings of love are present, the power of the rain will allow Refugees to share their thoughts and feelings with the people around them, whether they want to or not.

So strong are the effects of the rain that these effects will linger well after they leave, and may even become contagious to those they meet later on the surface. In the end, the NRL issues a warning for Refugees to avoid lingering in Miyazaki in rainy days until a more conclusive study on this "liquid happiness" can be conducted.

OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's April event! Please direct any questions to the Question Thread in the OOC Plotting post.

• Characters will not be allowed into the Tainai Meguri alone, and must descend in pairs.

• Sapporo is roughly a twenty minute walk away, and characters who are familiar with their surroundings will be able to go to the city proper. Magi-comms will also begin to work again. More information on Sapporo can be found on the Setting page!

• You are welcome to assume there is Uki-based incense in the underground party if your character would need an extra nudge to participate.

• Given their isolated status, the Tengu cities only contain Tengu Yokai, who range from entirely human-like with wings, anthropomorphic birds, and the traditional long-nosed variety! Although Refugees may be treated as a novelty by the people there, only elderly Tengu will treat them rudely for being outsiders.

• Characters will find that inns and hotels are both plentiful and cheap in Tengu cities, as the cities are very far apart from one another, and it's very common for Tengu to travel far from home. Miyazaki, for instance, floats above Kyushu near the Westernmost point of Nippon!

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Comments

[steponme]

Oh, of course! So that's all we'll need...?

[Hm. That seems simple enough! SO off he goes. Of course, this is Hokkaido, so naturally-occurring wood is actually rather rare now. But given they're closer to civilization than it seems, he eventually stumbles upon a nearby campsite.]

[Which means when he comes back, it's with a bundle of fire wood, some rolled up blankets, and even a bag of rations -- all nicely preserved by the snow, though still somewhat old.]

Look, I found all of this! Hopefully whoever left it behind isn't missing it too terribly... there's a tent, but it's pretty tattered, so this has probably been there for a while.

[Let's not think about why that is!]

[accursedwings]

For now, yeah.

[ Oh he wasn't an idiot. He knew exactly what tools would be needed for making a fire, but that was for people with more patience and less magically inclined people.

He was content to wait the short time until the other man returned, with more than he'd initially expected to be found amidst all this awful snow and cold. Briefly his gaze fell upon the items in question but pushed aside any bad thoughts about why those things were left here. ]

It's fine. Arrange the bundle of wood into a pile near me and i'll take care of the rest.

[suitandshades]

Not disappointed. It's good to see you, Zack.

[Reno had already given him a headsup, as well as more proof against the idea that this is some crazy afterlife and they're all actually dead. Having seen Aerith and now Zack, it was hard to deny.]

[suitandshades]

It was only fair to return the favour, Reno had paid attention to his own neck the last time. Rude moved up then, to his jaw, lips curving in slow smile when his ass was grabbed. Unlike Reno's, that were a little on the softer side, Rude's cheeks were firm, hard, but still a decent handful.

"I suppose that would make us even." He replied before finally finding his way to Reno's lips where he covered them with his own.

[ancientflower]

[Seeing Maglor standing there, Aerith went straight for him. She grabbed for the front of his clothes and pressed her face into his chest, refusing to look.

Because she knew what that wall would show.

Her mother. Dead. A strange woman standing over her, the woman who would eventually take her in, and a small Aerith screaming out her anguish. And what was worse was she could feel that remembered anguish. She wanted to scream against it, bit bit down hard on her tongue.]

...

[ancientflower]

She'd been about to tell him her name, until he told her it didn't matter. Aerith held her tongue. If he didn't wish to know her name then she wouldn't force it on him.

"Names have meaning. How else do you address another? Just because I don't know who you are to know whether to praise or dislike you, does that make me unworthy to know who you are?" She shook her head then and sighed. Her stick was now nicely charred so she dropped it onto the fire and leaned forward a little, hands reaching out to warm, and then to move her warmed palms to her cold nose.

"I don't know what I did to offend you so deeply..."

Setsura Light née Yamaguchi | Original

[chichichi]

I. READY, AIM...

[ Having made use of the teleporter at the beginning of April thanks to Shigure's generous assistance when things went awry with Aether, Setsura's expectations of the technology -- namely, that it works as intended -- are weighted with experience and a degree of confidence new users might be lacking. Time is a valuable thing, something she's looking to use more effectively as she tightens up yet again in the face of Spring, so it only makes sense to take advantage of the teleporter to visit Kyoto in her continued pursuit of the perfect anniversary gift for her husband.

The thirtieth isn't far away, after all, and by her count, they've been married, together, and aware for something like a year. It should be fine, she thinks and doesn't think to question the accuracy of the teleporter as she steps onto the platform at the NRL on a brisk morning in mid-April. She even chirps a pleasant reassurance to a nervous looking refugee down the way and mentally prepares herself for the spatial shift and its effect on her senses in the moments before the device is activated.

Rather than blinking her eyes open to the familiar sight of the platform at the MRU in Kyoto, Setsura finds herself -- ]

A. WATER WATER EVERYWHERE

[ -- utilizing her dexterity to keep herself from falling face first into the ground. Her movement is a likely blur to any unwitting civilian bathers as she utilizes the momentum to catch herself and swing into a perch -- er, a crouch accentuated with a splash. Two fingers are pressed to the ground in stabilizing her physically while her senses adjust and she realizes where she is and is not.

This is not the MRU. This is an occupied public bath house.

Setsura remains crouched for a very brief moment. Her shorts are a casualty of the water due to her position -- temporary, she'll see to that, but the bag over her shoulder is and remains safely dry. She's unharmed, in no danger, and not quite as exasperated as one might expect.

She drops her head, smiling wryly -- ]

You have got to be kidding me.

[ -- and begins to stand as the bathers fully register what's occurring. ]

B. HOMEWRECKING

[ -- uh, where she isn't entirely sure.

The transition isn't as smooth as it should be, but she's in no danger of falling. No, she's standing in the midst of some dark place. A room? A closet? Her senses are quickly adjusting to the change in space, the difference in the energies in the area. ]

Where...?

[ This isn't the MRU. Of that much, she's sure. Is she in a closet? Someone's pantry? (You decide.) ]

II. COLD CUDDLES

We're out of range.

[ Setsura pockets her magi-comm promptly upon putting that idea to rest. They're out of range of any city in the middle of a snowstorm atop an ancient version of the terminals with strange ruins all around them and just under two hours before the NRL activates the terminal to return them. That the area is covered and there's a nearby campsite is a small, potentially good fortune. It's abandoned, and that raises more questions, but it might have some provisions then can make use of.

The jacket she'd thought to wear upon being informed that the objects return cold isn't exactly big enough for herself and another person, after all. ]

I don't suppose you specialize in Hi, do you?

[ Shoving her hands into her pockets, Setsura turns her eyes upon her company, taking stock of them again, their apparel. She's been assessing their situation since the moment of their arrival and that means taking everything and everyone into account, and quickly. This cold isn't forgiving and she isn't at all fond of it. ]

III. PARTY OVER HERE

[ She'd followed the music. Of course she had. Setsura Light is nothing if not thorough when it comes to whatever mission she takes on and her hearing and eyesight had made the task that much easier. Make it that much easier for her to comfortably claim and occupy a seat in the familiar company of Shitaya's hanyokai, who know her for her minor celebrity in that neighborhood.

Many people seemed to forget Shitaya after last year's troubles were resolved, but she hasn't. She still visits Shitaya, shops there, plays with the kids. She hasn't forgotten Jigoku and the events that occurred there either. That unsatisfactory resolution... she exhales softly, running her pointer around the rim of her glass as the faint, sweet scent of uki incense tickles her nose.

She doesn't mind it. Cheek in her other hand, half-lidded eyes roll to observe the speakeasy's other 'patrons' before she turns her gaze ahead again. ]

Your lips look like they know how to get away from you.

[ A smile tugs at her mouth, deep violet eyes sliding to lock gazes with the person she's addressing. ]

I'd be happy to catch them for a price.

IV. FLY HIGH

[ High is where Setsura likes to be, higher than everyone else. Given that and her longstanding curiosity about the tengu's cities in the sky from which she'd been barred entry all this time, it should come as no surprise that she's selected the new warp point and headed to see Tengoku for herself.

She has other reasons, of course, and she's no hatchling. The tengu must have their reasons for opening their city to the refugees and she's both aware and quietly cautious in that regard. There doesn't appear to be any danger at the moment, however, unless one counts the potential injury of those refugees struggling with the winged backpacks with which they've been furnished, which Setsura does not.

She doesn't need a winged backpack to appreciate Tengoku either.

One might see it should they happen to arrive at roughly the same time. A pair of pitch black wings emerge from her back, fitting neatly through her modified top. They're the same color as the numerous feathers in her hair and smaller than one might expect if comparing hers to the average winged humanoid depiction, but then, she's a yosuzume, a night sparrow, and sparrows are small birds with a different wing type, one that sets Setsura apart from any winged tengu one might encounter. Those wings might be familiar, though, if one happened to glimpse any small, pitch sparrows since their arrival in Nippon. Familiar right down to the inky darkness that seems to cling to her wings.

She doesn't give anyone much time to question her. She's a quick thing, faster than anyone has any business being, and she's off without a word, a sound.

Eventually, eventually, she settles at the edge of the garden at the very top of the city not for any difficulty, but desire. Perches, really, and looks out over the expanse. ]

Mind yourself.

[ She says simply, and without turning her head to look at her new company. She does not immediately elaborate. ]

V. WILD CARD

[ Don't see anything to your taste? Wild Card me or hit me up at c_anon to plot. ]

[ancientflower]

[WELL THEN. Of all the places to have landed, why a bed? At least it was a comfortable landing?

She rolled to the side and peered at the face of the man beside her, he knew her name? He looked familiar... He looked... Her eyes widened and she immediately sat up, kneeling on the bed and gave a quick look around. She recognised the room faster than she recognised the person!]

Uhm... You're here too, huh?

[ancientflower]

[Aerith looked behind her at where she had come from and laughed again. She felt like she needed a bingo card for all these places she kept popping out of. But at least the people all seemed to be generally nice. So far no one had gotten angry with her or thrown her out. In fact some had offered her tea!

This pretty lady was offering her fruit!

She smiled brightly and shook her head.]

Thank you but I... oh, maybe an apple! For later! [She walked over just as she was offered tea and almost laughed again.] I wouldn't say no to tea though.

[ancientflower]

[If you couldn't be comforted by a friend then who could you be comforted by? This was a stressful situation. She was so glad she could be there for Zack. To deal with this alone would be so very cruel.]

You know you can tell me anything, right? Zack this... I know it must be a terrible memory, but I'm not sure why you were afraid to tell me?

[ancientflower]

I can't have anything against it if I don't know what it is!

[She replied with a smile. Sure it was probably a flavour of tea, but she wasn't nearly that fancy. Tea was tea. It came in a cup!]

[ancientflower]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder! And I beheld something very beautiful.

[So there, good luck arguing with her. She was stubborn.]

[fairlyheroic]

It's good to see you, too, Rude.

[really, it was nice to run into anyone he knew, especially knowing he had no reason to be on-guard with most.

He carefully shifts off of Rude and the couch, scooping up the book the Turk had dropped when he had teleported in. He holds it out]

[pilot05]

"Is that what a name is to you?" He asks, letting his gaze linger on the fire, turning his hands over again. "Then the name I was given at birth was Chang Wufei. In my culture the family name comes first, and that is how most people would refer to me, if they choose to use my name at all."

When she asks how she offended him, he snorts softly. "You've not offended me, I'm just not a very nice person," and he sounds downright amused by the idea that she thought she'd done something to earn the treatment. "It doesn't help that I'm accustomed to most people hating me before they meet me. There's no one in the earth sphere who can't claim me as their enemy. Even Duo could, if he chose."

[ancientflower]

"I don't know what a name is to me, I've never thought about it really. But isn't a name important? To honour your family, to introduce yourself to a new friend, for a lover to call. A name can give a sense of identify. Without one... who are you?" She was thinking about it now and that was where her thoughts had lead her. But now she had a name, so she supposed she should share her own.

"My name is Aerith. People just call me Aerith."

"I don't hate people, Chang Wufei. Not even the people who killed my people, or my mother. And I'd never met you." She laughed quietly. "I don't even hate you. You angered me though." Which was a very bad thing, when she had several big, strapping men who would happily take Chang Wufei to task for being mean to her. Not that she'd let them. She could look after herself.

[pilot05]

"I used to think so," he replied softly. "But three of the men I consider my closest friends don't know their birth names. Their identities now are tied to what we did during the war, and what they've chosen to do with their lives since," he shrugs his shoulders, though it's hard to see under all the layers. He pulls his hands close, presses warm fingers to his face.

He chuckles when she says he'd angered her, and glances in her direction. "Really? I couldn't tell. But as for who I am... I suppose the most appropriate answer is a relic of a bygone era. A warrior without a war, a leader without a clan, a sacrifice waiting to be made in the name of peace." He turns his gaze back to the fire, lets his mind wander. "There are a great many people who will celebrate the day of my death."

[bythewaves]

[ He doesn't hesitate before wrapping his arms around her and cradling her close ]

Sîdh, sîdh [ he soothes, gentling his voice ]

Don't look, Aerith. Weep if you need to.

[ He looks, for her, not recognising the woman, but recognising her pain ]

[maxwellsdaemon]

[Dodger? Duo would have gone still and pale had he been somewhere else. As it was all he could do was remain huddled in on himself, shivering fit to make his bones ache.

And then he was being pulled close to someone warm. And by rights he should have fought. He should have yelled and kicked the guy in the balls. Who did he think he was touching him? Except... Duo knew this guy. The voice was familiar. And when he was able to open his eyes and look... He found himself leaning more heavily into him, soaking up that warmth desperately.

And through chattering teeth he spoke.]

D-D-Duo... n-names... Duo...

[maxwellsdaemon]

Fuck. How the hell did that sound, just the sound, get Duo immediately hard? What the hell was wrong with him? But if it wasn't the sounds Wufei made, it was hands on his neck then fingers in his hair and... damn but Wufei needed to cut his nails! Though somehow even that was hot!

And then he heard the order, delivered directly into his mind, and he pulled away from the kiss with a breathless kind of laugh. They couldn't walk and kiss... So maybe it was time to run?

"Hotel it is... C'mon." He grabbed at his hand and turned and started to run, laughing, through the rain. His tail lashed, the black, cat-like eats upon his head tucked back a little. Duo was feeling so damn good, he was energised like never before. And it was all he could do to stop himself from coming to a full stop and just throwing Wufei down on the ground. He had never felt a desire so strong before. He had never wanted someone as much as he wanted Wufei right then. And if he was able to properly think about things he might have made the connection to the rain and his feelings. But he pushed it aside for now. He would deal with it later.

[silverselfie]

Sorry, sorry!

[Prompto had rushed over to try and help the pretty man up, cheeks flushed with embarrassment, even as he gave an awkward laugh.]

It's harder than it looks, huh? They said it's just an 'extension of our bodies', but my body kinda hates me!

IV

[accursedwings]

[ It was hard to tell just exactly what a tengu city was going to be like, so Yukie had allowed himself to go along with using one of those teleporters to get there. If only out of curiosity, and upon arrival it didn't seem to be dangerous by any stretch of the word but who knew how long that would last.

He'd seen others in the sky trying to maneuver around with one of those winged backpacks like little hatchlings, politely turning down their offer before he'd moved to unfurl his wings a little since they'd been aching a little with the position they'd been held in for the past few minutes.

Admittedly it did feel nice to simply fly about without any worries, not needing to do so out of any rush or obligation. It was just like a person who took a stroll outside instead of a walk or a run. Sometime after this, he couldn't help but catch sight of what appeared to be a winged woman fly past rather quickly, wings a deep black that the very darkness seemed to cling to.

That left him quirking an eyebrow and surveying the city. Just where would someone want to spend time here?

Yukie shook his head and set off up towards the very top, and sure enough? There was a woman perched there, though he didn't even have the chance to get too close before she'd spoken up. While her wings were such a dark color, his were the opposite in the way they were a whitish-beige in contrast but much bigger in their size alone. ]

Hm. Not even going to elaborate after saying something like that?

[ His tone is smooth, low but held a distinct german accent that came out stronger with some words but not all of them. ]

[fairlyheroic]

. . . it isn't that I'm afraid to tell you.

[he hugs her tightly, briefly, before carefully drawing back. He feels like he needs to fidget and pace, put all that energy into something active, so it doesn't go elsewhere] I'm still sorting through everything that happened, you know? My head gets messed up just trying to figure out when things happened, let alone - what happened to us in that lab.

[he pauses, then laughs a little helplessly] I'm all thrown off. And it's easier to just roll with it instead of trying to make sense of any of it, because I don't know if I'm ready to yet.

[pilot05]

He laughed into the kiss as he felt that reaction, rocking his hips -- and his own erection -- against Duo's. He followed when Duo pulled away, reluctantly letting him go and actually licking his lips as he took a moment to let his gaze drag down his friend's body.

Yeah, yeah there was magic at play here, but it was only enhancing what he already thought and felt. And right now he felt filthy, like he wanted to drop to his knees and... he squashed that thought, just in case it was bleeding out, too, and took Duo's hand.

He ran, meeting Duo's pace easily and forced his mind away from sexual thoughts and instead focused on the idea of being held, touched, possessed in other ways. And it turned to memories of all the gentle touches Duo had used while he'd been blind. When there'd been an excuse to accept the affection, and an equally strong excuse to give it. How he'd allowed himself to linger in the comfort he normally denied himself in the name of strength and independence. Let himself focus on his desire to simply be held and wanted and loved.

He was never going to stop blushing.

[oneandoni]

[he glances over at the yelling too - then down at Aether as he crouches, and . . . look, all he needs to know is that this is really bothering Aether and it's not something either of them should be seeing. He could try to talk the traveler into leaving, but -

There's also another option, which is what he's going with.

And that's leaning over to scoop his friend up in his arms and physically carry him away from the memory and the room. Surely if they get away from it it'll stop, right?]

[tightbod_bigrod]

He let out an appreciative "mmm," against his mouth, hands sliding up to the small of his back before he reached down to smack his steel ass with one. The fabric of his pants softened the strike.

When he had a chance to breathe he spoke up in that teasing, devilish tone, "Hey, partner. Have anything you ever wanted to try? Ever secretly wanted to play with a pair of handcuffs or something?"