October | Event: A Night of Moonless Splendor

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A Night of Moonless Splendor↲ OOC Plotting

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On the morning of the 14th, as citizens throughout Nippon prepare for final day of the Tsukimi festival, the refugees will receive a message on their magi-comm from MRU in Kyoto.

"To all refugees who will be staying in the Western Kingdom for the annual Sakumi Festival, please be aware that there is a curfew for all Humans and Hanyo before sundown. It is for your own safety that you heed this curfew, and remain indoors until sunrise.

The Festival will continue until the night of the 31st. It is recommended that refugees do not look at the night sky for the duration of the festival. If you must go out, make sure to hide your face behind a mask.

Should you or anyone else you know experience strange symptoms after dark, such as erratic behavior or transformations unrelated to the side effects of Kizuna bonds, please contact the MRU right away. Affected individuals are encouraged to remain indoors and in brightly lit rooms, away from any open windows.

Additionally, we have a prepared a special area of refuge for those who have not been able to secure safe transit to the Eastern Kingdom, located in Tengoku's Skytower. More information will be available in the coming days.

Please enjoy the festival, and may the gods bless you all."

Understandably, this message is not met well.

Upon hearing of curfews and strange happenings, many refugees choose to flee, flooding the last train to Tokyo and contacting the NRL to secure accommodations in Nihonbashi on short notice. But they aren't the only ones, as most of the seats have been reserved by native Hanyo and Humans, as those who can afford it are also choosing to leave until the end of the month.

But what's the big deal? Weren't people excited for this festival? Well, as it turns out: it's only "celebrated" by Yokai. For everyone else, the Sakumi Festival is the worst time of year to be in the Western Kingdom.

A Festival of Darkness

According to legend, the moon was a gift from the gods. Once a beautiful string of pearls, now only one remains, the others shattered by greed and war, their remains gathered together to form Gaia's ring. This is the story of the Tsukimi Festival, celebrated throughout Nippon.

But there's a continuation to this story, told only in the Western Kingdom. Because this gift was no ordinary gift. It's said that the light of the moon is what allowed the Yokai to evolve from mere Ayakashi into enlightened and intelligent beings. However, that same intelligence is what would prove to be their downfall, as various clans rose in power and sought the magical radiance of the pearls for personal gain. As more and more pearls were destroyed, fewer and fewer ayakashi were able to benefit from their light, with the last remaining pearl not strong enough to offer even the slightest of blessing.

As punishment for their greed, the gods took back the final pearl, with no intent of returning it. Without its light, the Yokai became twisted, devolving back into their basal instincts, and feasting upon one another with reckless abandon. Saddened by their plight, the gods quickly reversed this decision, and the final pearl returned to the sky after 15 nights of darkness.

This is the Sakumi Festival, held in honor of those fifteen days their ancestors spent in perpetual darkness. As the festival begins, on the evening of the 15th, the full moon will begin to fade away, like a lightbulb that's gradually losing power. Within an hour after sunset, it will have disappeared entirely, causing the rings around the planet to dim in turn.

All through the Western Kingdom, Yokai will be celebrating late into the night, and most of them will be wearing strange masks that are designed to reflect their inner-self. Perhaps the Refugees should follow suit?

Monster Mash Western Kingdom, Nippon
Those who stay indoors between sunset and sunrise, or who simply avoid the Western Kingdom all together, won't notice anything special about this festival. But for those who venture out into the darkness of the moonless sky, they'll find themselves transforming and turning into monsters.

The exact form of these monsters varies widely. Some simply become more monstrous forms of themselves. Others may not transform at all, instead gaining supernatural abilities or minor cosmetic changes. And even others may become entirely unrecognizable. These transformations will last until sunrise, and will return every day they go outside or look up at the night sky. And as refugees from different worlds, the monstrous forms they're capable of taking seem nigh endless.

But what now? Well, that depends.

For some, they remain completely lucid throughout the transformation, merely transformed in body but not at all in mind. This is most common for those who choose to head indoors upon transforming, away from the transformative effects of the darkened night sky. For these refugees, the transformations are just a fun quirk of the holiday or an inconvenience. Thankfully, this is generally pretty easy to avoid happening more than once, as they won't feel compelled to transform again.

For those who were unfortunate enough to stare at the sky for any extended period of time, their transformation may be more extreme, as their personality becomes corrupted. Certain aspects of their personality may completely overtake everything else, while others may act entirely out of character. But perhaps the worst part is that those who experience this corruption will feel a strong desire to trigger it again, despite the lack of a guarantee that it won't be any worse the next time.

And for the truly unlucky, they may find themselves in a state the Yokai refer to as a lunar curse. Those who are under the effects of a lunar curse will be overwhelmed with an insatiable appetite, hungering for any number of things, be it a specific type of food, a heightened sexual appetite, or even a desire to feed on the flesh and blood of others. As it turns out, this is the most common side effect, and is the true reason for the curfew: as Humans and Hanyo caught outside by a Yokai afflicted by a lunar curse may find themselves attacked or even devoured. Once someone has been afflicted by a lunar curse, they'll do whatever they can to continue the cycle the following evening, growing irrational and violent near sunset, even while wearing a mask.

You've Got Mail Everywhere, Nippon
But even those hoping to avoid the Sakumi Festival by fleeing to the East will find that the holiday spirit has followed them. With the advent of technology, mischievous Yokai have found ways to send curses via text message, which just so happens to overlap with the festival. Upon opening a message that will appear to be from someone on their friend list, they'll be directed a website that automatically activates the spell.

The exact spell seems to vary depending on which variety of curse they happen to receive. Some of these are quite ordinary, and will simply send salacious or otherwise overtly sexual messages to their friends or even complete strangers, with some capable of combing through their magi-comm for compromising photos to share. Of course, the latter feature is quite buggy, so the photos sent alongside such messages may in fact just be random.

But others may find themselves opening something more dangerous. Among these, one such curse will trap whoever opens it in an enclosed space alongside whoever happens to be nearby, forcing them to perform specific actions to escape. While some are relatively harmless, such as a dance more or shouting something humiliating, others will demand the pair perform particular sex acts in order to escape.

These closed spaces can occur anywhere, but to an outsider, they won't look like anything. Those trapped will look as though they've disappeared until the curse is lifted, but they'll still be able to see the world around them through the magical walls. So those who choose to browse their magi-comms on their morning commute best be careful not to open any suspicious links, lest they be forced to fuck on a crowded train.

Fly Me to the Moon

After a few days, all Refugees will receive notice that an area of refuge has been created for any Refugees who weren't able to leave the Western Kingdom prior to the festival starting. Provided by the Tengu of Tengoku, those looking to flee the chaos will be asked to meet on MRU campus on the morning of the 20th to be teleported to Skytower.

Unknown to many Refugees, Skytower is the only city of Tengoku that floats in the sky high above the Eastern Kingdom. Built long ago during a period of war between Humans and Yokai, it now serves as a watchtower to report on any danger approaching either kingdom, due to its strategic location above the Chubu region.

As the effects of the moonless sky do not exist in the Eastern Kingdom, it is believed that this location will prevent the Refugees from experiencing the transformative aspects of the Sakumi festival.

Or at least, that was certainly the intent.

Castle in the Shadows Skytower, Chubu
Perhaps due to their unusually high magical resistance, Tengu are rarely affected by the Sakumi Festival, and can often be found stationed as guards throughout more populous cities. This remains true at Skytower, where the Tengu monks who lives there assure their guests that they will not be harmed by anyone who calls Skytower home.

"For generations, we Tengu have watched over the lands of Yokai and the lands of Humans. We show no loyalty to anyone except the peace we have worked to maintain all these years.

"Rest assured, although you may be closer to the moonless sky on this sacred tower, you are not in any danger. May Tsukuyomi, goddess of the moon, grant you her protection during this time."

Refugees will be housed together in random room assignments, and although the rooms are small, every amenity they could ask for is provided free of charge. In addition to gourmet meals and access to an exclusive library that few humans have ever set foot in, extravagant outdoor hot springs that seemingly floating atop the clouds are available for the Refugees to relax in at any time of day.

Still, there are some spooky happenings at Skytower. As an ancient tower built many generations ago, many of the passageways throughout the tower are quite narrow and dimly lit. Refugees roaming the halls at night may find their shadows behaving strangely, moving on their own and even creating the sensation of being touched when one shadow reaches out to caress another. These effects are only mildly stimulating, and may even be mistaken for some kind of prank. Only those who dare bathe in the hot springs at night will encounter something more, their shadows engaging in blatant sexual acts under the water, leaving the shadow's owner to writhe as they experience every little sensation.

Curiously, this never seems to occur when the Tengu are around, and those affected may leave such encounters believing they hallucinated it.

Still, true to their word, for the first few days, Refugees at Skytower will be otherwise completely unaffected by the Sakumi Festival, regardless of whether they wear a mask or stare up at the eerily dark night sky.


Please note: Players have the option of having their characters leave for the Eastern Kingdom by airship on the 24th if they do not wish to engage with the second prompt.

Generic Horror Movie Title Skytower, Chubu
But on the 25th, as the Sakumi Festival enters its final week, those bold enough to look up at night sky will notice that the stars are disappearing. The sky will appear to grow blacker and blacker, absorbing any nearby light and appearing more like a dark void overhead than a night sky. Even with the lights on, Skytower will be notably dimmer, making it difficult to navigate the corridors of the tower at night.

Ordinarily, this would simply be yet another aspect of the Sakumi Festival, and one that should be avoidable due to their location on Skytower. But as paranoia among the Refugees grows, Kizuna powered by their fear manifests by causing the area of effect of the Sakumi festival to grow, reaching beyond the borders of the Western Kingdom, until Skytower is enveloped by it.

As the sun sets, an otherwise peaceful night will turn to chaos, as every Refugee on Skytower begins to change due to the power of the moonless sky. A number of Lunar Cursed Refugees begin prowling the tower, driven mad both by fear and by the effects of their own monstrous transformations, attacking everyone and anyone they come across.

And for certain refugees, the gradual loss of the stars and the moon will have more devastating effects. Those with an affinity for stars, space, the moon, or who have begin learning Sora magic will begin experiencing bouts of sudden weakness, causing them to collapse or lose consciousness. This effect escalates as the night goes on, as those afflicted will begin to fade away, their bodies growing translucent the weaker they become. Only prolonged contact with someone they've bonded with seems to have a positive effect, slowing or even reversing the symptoms. But others may disappear entirely until the festival ends, only capable of reaching out to loved ones through their dreams.

Refugees with mild symptoms will be tasked with assisting the Tengu in securing the Lunar Cursed refugees, as well as reaching the control center at the top of the tower to put out a distress signal. By the end of the night, all Refugees will be evacuated by airship to Kyoto.

Paper Faces on Parade

All of this culminates on the final day of the festival on the 31st, during which the sun never rises. A perpetual night blankets the nation, as the final celebrations of the Sakumi Festival take place.

Following news of the disaster at Skytower, Emperor Katsuragi decides to take matters into his own hands. Utilizing his own immense magical power, he cloaks his palace in a protective shield that will limit the transformations produced by the Sakumi Festival. Although negating the effects of the moonless sky using magic is borderline sacrilegious for a devout Yokai, after everything the Refugees did for the people of Shikoku last month, the least he can do is try and support them during this difficult holiday season.

And so, on that morning, all Refugees, no matter where in Nippon they may be, will receive an invitation to a Masquerade Ball to be held in the Imperial Palace in Kyoto. Those who want to attend need only wish it, and the invitation will automatically bring them to the castle grounds.

Additionally, all Refugees who disappeared as a result of the moonless sky will reappear thanks to the Emperor's power, just in time for the Ball to begin!

Kink Convention Gion, Kyoto
The Imperial Palace is much different from the Emperor's villas: a vast, sprawling mansion that seems to defy the laws of physics, with certain floors and walkways arranged in a way that makes them appear impossible to reach. Thanks to the many enchantments, those who walk the hallways of the palace won't notice if a corner suddenly twists, turns, or even has them walking along the ceiling of another room.

But the palace is far from empty! Exploring the mansion will reveal special rooms tucked away with certain enchantments, with many designed to entertain guests who happen to be staying there. Aside from generic things such as black and white movie theaters, libraries, and spas, some of these rooms seem to be tailored for this specific event.

One room is offering demos and workshops revolving around particular kinks, specifically designed to get the most fun out of whatever transformations they've been dealt by the Sakumi Festival. Refugees will be able to rent out sex toys and devices to use throughout the palace, and will even be offered a map of hidden and secluded spots to play in without getting caught.

In another room, a Yokai-turned-tentacle-monster teaches on the importance of safety during bondage sessions, complete with a live demonstration that will require volunteers. Whether this demonstration is simply about proper binding techniques, or an outright public tentacle-fuck, seems to depend on the enthusiasm of the volunteers.

And in another part of the palace, those who want to indulge in their desires anonymously will find special stalls seemingly designed for completely anonymous play, with variously shaped holes cut into the walls to reach out and touch one another. The way the room is set up, there's no way of knowing who is in each stall, as each one has a separate entrance. There's even a special stall that instead blankets the pair in complete darkness, allowing full-body touches and embraces with relative anonymity.

Just don't wander too far. Those curious enough to venture deep into the palace may instead come across a number of cursed rooms designed to trap intruders. Those captured will remain in these rooms until an attendant happens to find them to let them out. In addition to rooms filled with aphro-laced incense, some contain complex mechanisms designed to fully bind intruders, with some even doubling as fucking machines. Thankfully, there are multiple warning signs posted, so only those feeling especially naughty will end up in these corridors.

Party in a Labyrinth Gion, Kyoto
Those who are familiar with the Emperor's penchant for parties won't be too surprised by the offerings on display tonight. Although officially a Masquerade Ball, in which all guests must wear either a mask or appropriate costume, the actual theme is a bit more raunchy, and all Refugees will be welcome to choose from a selection of outfits that come in varying degrees of sensual and erotic.

Refugees will find no shortage of fun and interesting things to do at the party! A live music performance will play throughout the night, allowing guests to dance their hearts out on the dance floor. Food and drink are plentiful, with all alcoholic and uki-laced goods carefully labeled for the Refugee's convenience. And of course, those who want to indulge in their Sakumi transformations can do so knowing they're at no risk of becoming Lunar Curse and will retain their wits about them until the festival ends.

But as the night grows long, a more traditional event takes place in the palace garden, where the various Yokai attendants and aristocrats present gather around a large bonfire for the Sakumi Festival's end. They dance and sing, and then give prayers to the moon goddess Tsukuyomi, begging forgiveness for whatever sins they committed during the festival.

Refugees who are curious enough to take part in this Sakumi Festival tradition will find themselves compelled to confess their guilt for anything they may have done during the festival as a result of the moonless sky's effects. Whether these confessions are truly anything worth feeling guilty about is up to the individual, of course.

As the clock strikes midnight, all masks are thrown into the fire, and the sky lights up with a brilliant display of stars as the moon takes its rightful place in the sky once more.

But as for Katsuragi? He can be found curled up in a corner, thoroughly exhausted from using so much magic, with his head resting in the lap of a certain individual. Probably best to leave them be.

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

• If you do not wish to participate in this event: characters who are able to flee to the Eastern Kingdom will not experience any of the effects of the moon's disappearance.

• If your character would flee but you want them to participate, it's entirely possible that they may find themselves utterly unable to secure a ticket to leave the Western Kingdom, given there is only one train. Additionally, all teleportation terminals to Tokyo will remain offline until November 1st, and due to the lack of the moon, teleportation magic may be weakened.

• While the sky will continue to look spooky in the East as well, this annual phenomenon is explained as a scientific one. As Gaia's moon and rings are magical in nature, the increase in energy expelled during the Tsukimi festival causes them to release a gas-like by-product that blots out the sky at night for a period of two weeks. This has been proven to be true, but the reason this happens at the same time each year is still unknown.

• You have 100% freedom to pick whatever sort of monster your monsterfucker heart desires, be it from Japanese lore, your character's canon, or another canon all together. Whether transformations are painful or not is up to you, and monsters with supernatural powers or abilities will also be allowed to keep those powers! Go wild!

• As a reminder: there are roughly 10,000 Refugees in Nippon, so if you would like to utilize a random Refugee NPC for monsterfucking purposes, this is of course allowed!

• As stated above, characters who go to Skytower will have the option of leaving for Tokyo before things turn sour. These characters will still be able to attend the Emperor's Ball on the 31st!

• Please be kind to your fellow players and utilize content warnings for any graphic monster-related violence, kinks, etc! If you're not sure if something needs a warning, warn for it anyway!

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[lightduties]

There isn't any other crate available, at least not any that doesn't have other things stacked on top, so he sidles over to give Lilja some space to sit with him, mulling over her words.

Terrifying, is it?

His gaze falls to his hand atop his grimoire, the wings faded. Lilja might not be a Garlean, but it serves as a reminder that magic is not a plain fact of life for her. He hopes she never has the misfortune to see more of his spells.

"I am fortunate indeed, then." It's easy to lose the lingering pull of desire when his thoughts are occupied by the nature of his magic, magic designed to slay, not salve. He lets out a quiet sigh. "Were healing my field of expertise, I needn't have taken from you. Still, magic cannot fix all injuries."

His blind eye, for example.

He glances over to Lilja. "How do you feel? It was not overly taxing, I hope?"

[gangfanged]

Of course it is; to live life is terrifying in its possibilities, if you look hard enough. As to seeing more of them... she certainly hopes she doesn't, too. Not from the other end, anyway.

"Mm... that's right though - they said we all had some... affinity for some of it when we got here, didn't they?" She immediately dismissed the thought for how clumsy she actually is with things. "Perhaps it's something you could learn, if you wanted. But— I suppose it makes sense. Were everything fixable with magic, there wouldn't be much need for anything else."

Her hands lace together then, gaze drifting to him at that question. Oh... right. He said he hadn't used it on anyone but enemies, didn't he?

"Ah, I'm fine. A little thread of fatigue, but that's all. Blood is... well. I don't know what to compare it to for you, actually. Back home, we have these energy drinks that give a burst of caffeine to keep one awake and aware, but I assume that's not really a thing for you. So it's like..." don't relate it to sex, Lilja. "Well, I can't think of anything not sexual to compare it to. Anyway, I'm fine. You? Not too dizzy or anything?"

[lightduties]

Were everything fixable with magic, there wouldn't be much need for anything else. Rhea'li turns that comment over in his head. The ancients were mages unparalleled but in the end they were undone, in an oblique way, by their own hand.

He lets out a huff of quiet laughter, stretching out his legs. "I am fine."

More than fine. Taking energy, despite dissipating it through spells, always has him feeling revitalised. Even with the blood loss, he's not feeling the typical symptoms of weakness or fatigue, so as far as he's concerned he's alright.

"You need not hold back on your commentary." He explains, gesturing with a hand, "I grew up with sailors. There's little that can embarrass me in that regard any more."

[gangfanged]

"Oh, it's not about embarrassment, really." Lilja can't help but laugh, watching him quietly. "I just learned long ago that it's not reasonable to assume others are half as enthused, let alone knowledgeable, about sex as I am. Plus, after the circumstance, it didn't seem fair to put any thoughts in your head."

She's just concerned about the effects of the bite, honestly - she's already spoken her enthusiasm, but that doesn't make it alright to hedge things in that direction, even accidentally. "But, sure. I was going to say it's a little like spending most of your night on foreplay. Winding up and up, and every moment of climax and relaxation barely touches the high." Exhaling a sigh, she leans forward and rests her chin on the back of her hand.

[lightduties]

Rhea'li laughs.

"Is that so? What of keeping someone on the brink? Never quite allowing them to spill over until finally, finally..." He makes a gesture for something exploding with both his hands, fingers spread apart.

Still, they are rather stuck until the night has finished. While he could go outside with his mask, it doesn't strike him as a particularly wise decision. And huddled in storage doesn't seem to be a very good place to update his journal.

"Bite effects or no, the night is young and there's little to do while we wait for the dawn to come. I'm not opposed to having some fun."

It's not the most ideal of places, but...

[gangfanged]

"Mm, I do enjoy a good round of edging. Little harder with me, I suppose, and when you're paying by the hour, most people aren't too gung-ho about dragging things out." Too bad, really. She was always so lenient... well, not the point, really.

Lilja does pause as he speaks, considering his words with proper brevity. It isn't as though the rest of her hunger has been sated all day, and he's plainly not lost any of his own agency.

"Well, I'm not about to refuse an open invitation. But," Leaning forward to place a hand on his thigh, the vampire presses her weight against him just so, "should we try to find somewhere a little more comfortable? I'm not too impatient to wait just yet."

[lightduties]

Rhea'li leans into it, bumping shoulders with her.

"So how long does payment in blood last me?" he jokes, resting a hand over her one on his thigh.

She's not the type he is typically attracted to -- that is, people who could crush him with their legs -- but he can appreciate her looks, even with the doll-like changes to her appearance.

Carbuncle is still there, however, and the creature begins to move about the storage room so its dim glow can light other areas of it. Aside from the door they had entered, there is one other and carbuncle waits patiently outside it.

He gestures to the door. "Shall we, then?"

[gangfanged]

There's a laugh in turn, a thoughtful hum as she tilts her head.

"Well, you're cute to top it off, so... I'll figure that out later. Hard to decide when you're not back in it for work yet, you know." she jokes right back, her other hand rising to wiggle her fingers. Menacing, truly.

They're not dissimilar in their attractions either - though Lilja has a broader preference than that overall, perhaps. But, to some measure, the carbuncle beckons. Her gaze slips off toward it and she exhales a hum, brushing her skirts aside. "So we shall. Hopefully, we've some luck and it's not just another storage room." She's not that fussed at the idea, though. There are worse places for a romp. Rising to her feet, she offers him a hand absently, though he certainly has no need for it.

[lightduties]

Rhea'li laughs; truly menacing indeed. While he doesn't need the hand, he won't turn down the offer, taking her hand with one slightly calloused as he stands.

"Shall we then?"

And so he leads the way forward, hand in hand, before opening the door, carbuncle immediately bounding through it before coming to an abrupt stop.

It's crates.

So many crates.

Crates crates crates, crates all the way down to the ceiling. In fact, there's almost no space to enter. One could fit, perhaps, one more column of crates in there.

Rhea'li glances at Lilja, bemused.

[gangfanged]

It doesn't take long to get there, and it's even less time for that sense of bad luck to kick in, isn't it? Lilja arches a brow at the crates, her gaze going up to the ceiling... and back down to the floor, where the carbuncle shimmers and lights the space, as if to say "ta-daaaaah!"

"Oh, í guðanna bænum." The exclamation is a simple one ("for the love of God," indeed), and she can't help but just... giggle. It's so stupid that there's nothing else to do, is there?

Sure, she's resourceful enough to note that it's still a usable space, but considering they're not falling all over each other in lust and need, why bother? "Well," the offers instead, "now we have more choices, right? There's the crate, the menacing wall of crates, the door, the actual walls, the floor..." as she rattles them off, her fingers raise to count each one, as if any of the options matter.

"Or we could rearrange things I guess. Don't suppose you have a preference, Rhea'li?" She doesn't, hip leaning on the doorframe. Actually— "I'm always a fan of making the biggest mess someone else has to clean up." Actually, she's terrible. Also only being half honest at best, by the quirk of her lips.

[lightduties]

He doesn't need the Echo to know that the unfamiliar words are an exclamation of exasperation.

"We are in storage, not an inn," Rhea'li replies with a wry smile. "Let us save that for when we've the comfort of a bed and someone paid to launder the sheets once we are done."

It's one thing to enjoy a good mess -- and he so does enjoy a good mess -- but at least let the person who has to deal with it be someone who is already accustomed to such things.

"As for now..." He leisurely drops to one knee before looking up at Lilja, hand sliding up her leg as he grins. "I can think of much better options than moving inventory."

[gangfanged]

The wry half-admonishment is met with a soft laugh, a wave of her hand.

"You'd be surprised what they regularly handle, but you're right enough. And why skimp on comfort for the sake of a joke?" They can test their individual ideas of a joke anytime, at this point.

"Ah." he does look good down there, doesn't he? Lilja's gaze softens as a hand slides up her leg, hips shifting just a little in response. "Well, now you have me a captive audience, don't you?" One hand moves to brush fluffy hair away from Rhea'li's eyes, lips pursed in a thoughtful hum. "Why don't you enlighten me?"

[lightduties]

Rhea'li isn't unaccustomed to roughing it out in the wilds, but certainly there is something to be said for the comforts of a bed. That was perhaps one of the better perks of being part of the Adventurer's Guild and then the Scions... a guaranteed place to rest with creature comforts.

And now he has room and board provided again, but no coworkers to share them with.

Beneath Rhea'li's hair are more tattoos, lines in symmetry, ending in points. Turning his head, he presses his mouth to the stocking of her exposed leg, running gentle kisses up the fabric, maintaining eye contact with her with his single good eye as he lets his fingers wander.

What does it feel like, to have a body of a ball jointed doll?

Carefully, he slides his fingers over the joint of her knee, gauging her reaction as he slips nails between the grooves.

[gangfanged]

Loneliness is, if nothing else, a resilient trial. But those thoughts fade from their usual house at the edges of her conscious, replaced by more interesting things.

Like tracing along his tattoos, careful to turn the sharpened tips of nails away in the motions. She'll ask about meanings later, she thinks, when they come together to chat more. Right now, as her weight shifts back against the crates, Lilja gives a contented sigh as lips press to her stockings. The skin isn't precisely as solid as one might expect from the porcelain look of each crack, but neither does it properly squish beneath the top of the stockings...

And as his fingers move, he'll find much the same. The changes to her flesh seem to be some Amalgam of rubber and who knew what, sturdy but with enough flexibility to give a little of you pressed hard enough. The joints, though?

Those are a little different. Those are much more solid, round balls smoothed over effortlessly; she gives a curious twitch as the sensation of nails between the ball and the grooves of her leg, but no more. It doesn't... hurt, exactly. Sort of like the pressure of a limb wanting to be stretched after it's gotten too tight, twitching involuntarily when nails touch the tightly threaded, flexible cord holding the pieces all together.

What does it feel like to be this way? Surreal, she would say, but not unpleasant. Kind of funny, honestly, as a person who can admit to liking it when she molds herself to another's whims and expectations. She doesn't speak in the moment, earnestly curious as to his intent there, her eyes still carrying that sense of awareness and personality.

[lightduties]

Rhea'li takes his time, marvelling at odd texture of Lilja's legs through her stockings. He lets her trace the lines of his tattoos, slowly blinking as he pauses, before he lifts his head and presses kisses to the flesh peeking out above her stockings. Lilja isn't he only one with fangs, though his aren't nearly so long, and he nips lightly at the inside of her upper thighs.

It has been some time since he last knelt before someone like this. Oft is it his pleasure to give and though he is rather out of practice, he surmises Lilja would enjoy an enthusiastic partner.

Fingers withdrawing from the grooves, he strokes and squeezes her leg with his hand while his mouth traces a line along the inside of her thighs -- peppered with bites and kisses -- that makes it quite clear his destination is the junction of her legs.

[gangfanged]

Despite how obvious it should have been, really, Lilja finds herself a little surprised by how pleasant the attention is. It's not that she's had any complaints with any partners up til now, but neither were they the specific kind of curious Rhea'li happens to be. There's a certain sense of relief too, at the pressure of hand against leg, seemingly drawing out more sensitivity with each touch.

His observation isn't wrong either - enthusiasm certainly covers for a lot of flaws people think they have. She rarely thinks those flaws exist, mind, but even so.

Fingers withdraw from her joint and there's a soft exhaled sigh as one hand squeezes the pliant material and teeth press carefully against softer skin. One hand reaches to brace against the boxes behind her, leg lifting to press a long heel into another. It's one of the many conveniences of both her height and her typical dress, honestly, and as his mouth draws ever closer to the vee of her hips, her fingers tease through hair and brush the base of an ear. Every little bite gets a markedly sweet reaction, one fang pressing into her lower lip.

It's almost too bad, she thinks, that she's not as easy to mark anymore. Vampirism has its ups and downs.

[lightduties]

Briefly, Rhea'li closes his eyes and butts his head up against her hand, rubbing his ears along her fingers much like an actual cat to encourage her to keep tousling his hair and ears. At her response to his bites, he bites harder along her inner thigh.

"Promise you won't hold back?" he murmurs, before pressing his face right up between her legs, the movement of his nose and mouth rubbing Lilja through the fabric of her underwear.

Briefly, Rhea'li lifts his gaze so he can look Lilja in the eyes, almost as though silently asking for permission as his fingers slip beneath the waistline of her underwear so he can tug them down, wondering idly if the changed texture of her skin from her transformation also affects what's between her legs.

[gangfanged]

Honestly, she's glad he likes it. She'd be lying to claim she hasn't wondered since they met, and her fingers are deft in their rubbing and scritching. It's an easy encouragement between them, and an even easier way to share her reactions really.

"Why on earth would I hold back?" She seems genuinely perplexed at the thought, a little hitch in her breath as his face presses up against her panties. Ah, what a nice feeling...

Their gazes meet and Lilja offers a soft nod - barely a nod at all really - of permission. Fingers slip beneath fabric, and as it lowers down, he'll get some of his answers at least. The natural line of her legs, first, ends in a sharp cut where each attaches to her hips. It's fitted more precisely than her knees were, easily presumably for functionality. Curiously, in fact, the cut doesn't seem to encompass the whole of her hip, fusing at the innermost junction. That leaves her lifted leg to pull a bit more naturally around her groin.

As for her actual genitalia, though... the differences aren't terribly clear just from this angle. With her leg lifted, it pulls her folds apart just so and giving a glimpse of the very normal-seeming anatomy therein. Her clit seems a little long, almost protruding past said folds, but otherwise? She certainly looks normal enough.

When he starts feeling around, he'll note some of the differences. Namely, she's certainly soft to the touch, and there's little resistance to any pressure placed on them - even compared to normal, her folds in particular seem quite squishy. Especially compared to her clit being almost a hard nub, sensitive and rigid, and her actual entrance being just rigid enough to suggest it'll be tight no matter how much it's stretched. All of it's coated with a thin sheen of arousal, and honestly? Lilja has never been good at muting her reactions in the first place, so every one here is echoed in little jolts and squirms.

[lightduties]

Why on... earth? A strange turn of phrase, to be sure.

Rhea'li hums, fingers tracing lines where her legs join to hip, touch feather light as he observes the unusual way her doll-like body fits together, the appearance of her genitalia.

"Some like to maintain an illusion of control," he murmurs as he lowers his head.

Hands sliding up to rest on Lilja's waist, Rhea'li presses his face right in, flat of his tongue licking a long line up to her clit, lightly sucking on it but taking care not to use tongue on the sensitive nub yet. Instead, he lowers his head yet again, this time using the tip of his tongue to part her folds, curling it and dipping it in and out, hands massaging her waist. He takes his time, leisurely exploring her with his mouth as though he could only form an image by touch, leaving no part unlicked or unsucked save for her clit.

[gangfanged]

"Ah, yes. I forgot." Lilja exhales a little laugh, watching as Rhea'li moves in slow, methodical measure. It's strange, almost soothing, where he traces the grooves of her joints curiously. "I much prefer—" a hitch of breath as his face presses in and that tongue draws a line up to her clit, one hand threading delicate fingers through his hair (and being careful of pinching, as it turns out), "to just give in... haah..."

Light suction makes her hips shift, the scrape and stretch of joints almost audible and tactile, with hands on her waist. It's all smooth and firm up to her belly, the edge hidden mostly by cloth where it transitions to more of that stretchy, more pliable material. The more he takes his time, the more she shifts and shivers, guiding his tongue with minute motions. It's been a minute since she was last in this position, she thinks - both in being serviced thus and in the intrinsic sense of control. That last bit is almost novel, if she's honest.

[lightduties]

Rhea'li prefers his partners to feel safe, to feel a sense of comfort. Lilja had told him about her previous work, but that doesn't mean that she doesn't have her own preferences.

The sensation of fingers in his hair is rather pleasant, a tilt of his head having him rub one of his ears against Lilja's hand.

"Then let me hear you," he says in a low voice, lips curled up into a grin as the flat of his tongue swipes briefly over her clit. Freeing one of his hands, his fingers circle her entrance as he adds, "What is it you desire from me?"

[gangfanged]

It's strange, the sensation of his ear against her fingertips. Not for any particular reason, mind - everything just feels a little different right now. Warmer, more alluring, just dulled enough to want to experience more.

"Haaah— I thought you wanted less mess." It's half a joke, spoken breathlessly and sweetly in the wake of his tongue. Her fingers shift and curl, immaculately careful with her claws to avoid injuring his ears in her rubbing and encouragements. "I'm greedy, you know... I want you to make me tremble and plead." Her desires, really, are not complex. The focus is even narrower than normal, lucky for the poor sap who'll have to deal with the aftermath of all this.

[lightduties]

"Hmm," he hums thoughtfully, fingers stroking, warm breath fanning over skin. "I'm certain I can manage that. I'll be sure to clean up after myself."

And how he plans to do that is quite apparent as he laves her with his tongue, a finger slowly sliding inside Lilja, aided by her arousal. Her body is noticeably more rigid that what he normally experiences, so using cock could possibly end in tears if he made the attempt. But one doesn't need a dick to ensure a woman has an enjoyable time...

His focus is entirely on Lilja, watching her reactions as his fingers curl and stroke inside her, paying careful attention to what makes her squirm, what makes her legs tremble. But he also keeps his mouth busy, tongue curling against her clit, carefully sliding into the fold where it joins to the rest of her body before flicking up in a quick, abrupt motion.