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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[sultanofsquat]

[ Fuck this table. More specifically, fuck Ayaka on this table. Ayaka's adorable little squeal of pleasure has his cock pulsating faster, little spurts of precum lining her inner walls and making their riding session all the more slippery. It's a good thing that she already made him cum earlier, because he would have been popping inside of her. When she leans forward to cling to him, his hands move down to her ass, roughly squeezing as she rocks and rides up and down the length of his cock. He doesn't bother being discreet about it, smelling her hair as he breathes in deep of her while the soy sauce spills on the table. He just wants to keep going. He wishes that this wouldn't end after three climaxes. Combined or otherwise.

Then she's telling him to move even faster. Something they would have reserved for the bedroom, or even before this whole month in general. That does it. It sets something off inside her beau as he watches her balance herself between his shoulder and the table beneath her. ]

Gonna wanna hold on tight-

[ Because now instead of staying seated the way he was and letting her do most of the work? He turns the tables on her completely, his movement as he shifts his legs out from underneath the table forcing him to pull out of her as he lifts her up a little higher, getting on his knees. If she looks down between them now, his cock is hot and red, dripping with the combination of their juices before he hastily realigns himself up and shifts against her again, the broad cockhead wasting no time in stretching her out on him again as he thrusts forward. She's either going to need to hold on tight to him? Or trust in his strength, lean back and use that table as he keeps a tight grip on her hips before he starts thrusting again.

Her lower half is supported completely by his strong hands now, his hips working like a piston that builds with speed and force as she's about to get a hard, fast fucking that she pleaded him for. Meanwhile the table protests, little plates shifting and the soy sauce bottle having to be taken off the damn table as the couple try calling over a server. Something's wrong with their desk?! It's so unstable! It keeps moving. And rocking.

Back and forth and back and forth, when unbeknownst to their eyes Ayaka is getting railed hard and deep over the table, the angle he drives into his arching girl leaving his cock to drag and knock on her womb over and over again, a rapid yet rhythmic clap. ]

Ayaka—!

[mistsplitter]

[ They're lost in one another again. Which technically isn't a bad thing. The two are so in love with one another that they wouldn't dare look at someone else the same way, despite the pushes and pulls in this world. It's why Ayaka's stopped caring about her surroundings or how she could possibly look right now given they're in public. No one can see them, sure, but she'd normally be a lot more self-conscious.

Yet, here she is, in her safe space. And her safe space in her Hugging her safe space tight because she'd end up covered in soy sauce otherwise. Comfortable and on edge at the same time, to the point that she wants her lover to fuck her harder out here in the tea house. She calls out his name again, more, don't stop, when—

"Let's just eat outside. The tables there seem more sturdy." The couple comes back to get their belongings before leaving. And the moment Ayaka hears the word "outside"? Her eyes jolt open and she tries to get Cloud's attention by pulling away and tapping on his shoulder. ]

Cloud— [ Oh god don't cum just yet... ] Finish outside, you can't—

[ Don't cum inside her while you're on a date 😭😭😭 ]

[sultanofsquat]

[ Thankfully, thankfully, he's not mindless despite how lost in her he's become. So her calling his name along with tapping his shoulder? That earns her the attention of her beau as his grip on her hips keeps its firm hold. As for those thrusts? They begin to slow down as they lose their rhythm. He really was on the brink of popping when she asked him to finish outside before, as he becomes aware of the fact the couple was taking their belongings and leaving, he stops. Letting Ayaka be fully seated in his lap, his cock resting hard and deep inside her, he's throbbing wildly. Like any little movement could set him off as his hands shift from her hips to her ass, giving it a squeeze as he heaves a hot and heavy sigh.

Fucking hell. You're asking for a hell of a lot from him with a pussy this good. But Cloud steels himself, breathing through his nose and out his mouth before he recomposes himself. The mood wasn't ruined. He's still as eager to continue as she was. But that's just it. ]

Can't just...leave a mess elsewhere.

[ So no cumming all over her or on their surroundings. He can hold on. As long as he has to for her as he looks into her eyes. The fact she's leaning back a little now, still within his arms makes this next part a little easier then. Because while she's still rooted on his cock, one of his hands dips between her legs, twisting his hand comfortably enough as he slowly starts rolling his hips up, rubbing more insistently on her core as he helps her start rocking again. All while his fingers circle her little clit to apply more stimulation. ]

You first.

[ That'll make two. Even if what he's doing would make it even harder on him if she starts tightening her pussy more. ]

Then I'll cum anywhere you want.

[mistsplitter]

I'm sorry, but we're outside, and— [ Oh, hell, why does she have to apologise? He already knows the inconvenience of going home all... spoiled and dirty. They certainly had to experience that just the other day. Well, Ayaka did. Cloud. . . not so much. And given that there's still light out? She's going to attract attention for walking weirdly or if something starts dripping down her leg????

Ayaka isn't cut off because she realises that there's no need to actually apologise. She lets out a little yelp when Cloud begins touching her. Her everything is already so sensitive, already so close to her climax already from the pace they were going at. It's really going to be a challenge for Cloud not to cum inside, because as it is, her whole lower half twitches, her body shakes, her walls gripping his cock so tight-- ]

Oh—!

[ Her hand was just on his shoulder to call his attention, but now her nails are digging into the cloth of his sleeve as she falls back into him. All it took was a push of a button for her to crumble, her whole body giving up on her.

That's two. ]

[sultanofsquat]

[ He gets it. He gets it. Cloud may have developed some hidden, debauched little fantasies in the time he's spent in Nippon. Awoken some desires he never would have known existed until this world threw them through every hoop imaginable. But unlike the wolf that 'devoured' this little white rabbit earlier within the festival, he wasn't without reason. And he really wasn't going to make his girlfriend walk home with panties soaked in cum and rolling down the inside of her thighs. The fact she's already so sensitive to begin with, feeling her thigh muscles twitch and her body shake as her walls grip his cock almost painfully so, in that moment where her nails dig and her walls continue tapping on his cock...

Cloud still manages to help her ride it out, pressing his fingers even more firmly against her clit, wanting to make this as good for her as she'd made him feel before. As her waves taper away, his hand lifts a little higher, palm pressing down on her stomach slightly as he rolls his hips up and grinds on her core. The outline of his cock pulses faster now. That's two. But.

He's to the point of no return now. He squeezes down on her hip to try and get her attention as she falls into him. ]

Ayaka...hurry... I'm gonna— [ If she keeps twitching like that? She won't get much of a choice in the matter. His loins are burning in the most pleasant, overstimulated way, his balls tight, and his throbs heavy and constant as his abdomen clenches hard. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ There's no time to bask in the afterglow when Cloud's voice is so clear, telling her to hurry. Goodness— ]

Y- Yes, I apologise...

[ Her clit is still throbbing wildly, having felt so much stiulation earlier on. And even slowly pulling herself up and off her beau's cock is making her feel good, her hips rolling forward when she lands on his lap, his length resting right by her entrance. It's too much to move away completely; her legs feel a bit too wobbly for that right now. ]

1/2

[sultanofsquat]

[ It's that long drag up his cock when she pulls herself up that sets him off. The corners of his vision begin to blur a soft white and his whole body feels like it's clenching up so tight. Thankfully he's not prone to cramping, but...he also seems to forget himself in the moment as his hands move to the curve of her hips, thumbs strumming up and down as he grunts and moans through his climax. It feels so good...the release that's been kept from him for what feels like an eternity. And she already made him cum once already!! ]

Shit... Haa...

[ Catches his breath. Aaand- ]

2/2

[sultanofsquat]

[ He's jizzed up the front of his shirt. ]

... Oh.

[ The clock's ticking, by the way. You're about to return to the real world in the next couple moments. ]

[mistsplitter]

That was the third—

[ Ah crap, she wants to relax a little bit longer, but she realises after saying that that—

Oh no.

Quickly, she gets up and off, immediately pulling her panties back up and under her skirt, hands beneath her skirt too as she fixes herself before quickly sitting back down. Looking around, no one seems to see them just yet, but that's because no one is passing by. She then turns back to look at Cloud and— ]

O- Oh dear.

[sultanofsquat]

[ In a perfect world, they would have had the time to rest up before needing to return to reality in the teahouse.

...

Wait. In a perfect world, they wouldn't be fucking in the teahouse at all. They need to hurry! ]

Hold on. Got an idea.

[ It's not a... "gross" idea? At least when he's the one going through with it. There's really no choice in the matter. While they think no one is looking? He quickly pulls his shirt up and over his head in one smooth motion. Yup. That's her beau completely topless right now. But he looks positively focused despite the fact he's got a limp dick hanging out of his pants. ...he'll fix that momentarily. Right now he's just trying to turn his shirt inside out as fast as possible. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ She... SHE'LL STAND GUARD THEN. And... make sure to be on the lookout for any passersby. A waitress seems to be on their way here... oh no. . . ]

Someone is coming. I can't tell if she can see us!

[ But she will do her best for Cloud, anyway! They've gone through embarrassment enough. ]

Please k- keep your distance!

[ Oh! The waitress stops in her tracks and looks for the source of the voice. She's... being told to stay away? Huh? Eventually? She spots Ayaka! But she wasn't there earlier... was she?

"Miss Kamisato!" SHE WAS LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR HER!!! And she starts walking over to the regulars' table, before Ayaka jumps out of their table to get the waitress to back away first. Hurry up, Cloud 😣😣😣 ]

If- If you would be so kind... we would like some milk tea, please! With lots of ice. And... I would also like to borrow a chef's kimono.

... please!

[ Said with such urgency! The waitress is rather clueless, but she nods very quickly and heads back to the kitchen to get everything ready. Even the chef's kimono. 🤡

Phew! ]

[sultanofsquat]

! Shit—

[ Cloud, without thinking, immediately lays down flat at the table. ...which means that now he's going to need to flip over his shirt and stuff himself back in his pants sideways. His heart races for a completely different reason now, the high from having sex dying really quick as he's sobered up at a record rate. He can hear Ayaka blurting out to what he assumes to be a patron or server that got a little too close. He stops shuffling, doing his best to hunker down as much as he possibly can. ...his one shoulder is still visible as he eyes the situation from his peripheral. ]

(Quick thinking, Ayaka...)

[ But this was hardly the time to keep commending her. He has to hurry. Tugging the shirt down (ew ew ew ew he can feel it in globs flush on his front he doesn't wear baggy clothes thank god the fabric is thick- ) ]

...

Coast is clear? [ Said with an audible zip, hand patting the countertop blindly to try and find a loose napkin somewhere. To wipe his hands. This is so embarrassing. Spending time with Ayaka? Never a bad thing. Having fun with Ayaka like this? Over and over again. Being forced to do it in the middle of a teahouse now that the adrenaline and fantasy was over? Yeah, if Cloud ever finds the yokai responsible for this little mobile curse...

When he finds one napkin (whether himself or with Ayaka's held), he swipes it from the tabletop and wipes his hands clean of any mess before finally pushing himself more upright.

Save for the inside-out shirt? He looks just fine! ...save for the flush face.

An audible phew. ]

Good going.

[ ...but, ]

Why the kimono?

[mistsplitter]

[ Oh! Was... she not supposed to get him a change of clothing? Ayaka cants her head to the side, a bit lost as to why Cloud would ask that. But she supposes it was a weird request all the same. She was just looking out for him, is all. ]

Your shirt is dirty.

[ ... is? Was? It's hard to tell if he's wearing the same shirt, just inside out. It looks clean now, though looking at it closely? Oh, you can see the seams— he really did put his shirt on inside out! Goodness. ]

You should get changed, Cloud.

[sultanofsquat]

[ No, no, Ayaka did the right thing. Cloud's just never been in a situation like this before. ...neither has Ayaka. So, that just makes Ayaka smarter. Big surprise there. fajklsd ]

Oh—

[ Now he feels embarrassed. He really was prepared to just throw money down on the table and just walk out. But the fact that they were willing to lend him a kimono? They were regulars here, so...if he had to borrow one and bring it back later? The Kamisatos were well reputed here. The last thing he wanted to do was screw any of that up! Flustering now, his shoulders slump a little. ]

When they come back, then. I'll go change.

[ But...before they do come back, however. He's gonna sigh and slip his hand in hers. Giving it a squeeze.

Hey. They can talk about what they did after they've put this teahouse behind them. Right now, ]

Thank you.

[ She's gotta know how much he appreciates her. He can still feel a faint warmth in the pit of his stomach, and spreading from his chest. But Cloud can kiss her again when they make it back home. ...and when they're both clean and have taken a bath. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ That's a good beau! Get changed to be more comfortable. When Ayaka's hand is squeezed after he takes it, she puts a smile on her face and a nod. A simple "you're welcome" response.

The milk tea with lots of ice is supposed to help then cool off. And she's gotten quite thirsty from such an exercise! But they should probably just take their drinks to go, and head on home. The sun is still out, sure, but they should head on home, regardless.

Before that, though— ]

Please excuse me. I need to go to the washroom.

[ Slipping her hand away from her beau's, she gets up to wash her hands. This is very, very important, okay!!

By the time she comes back, the waitress has given Cloud a fresh and clean kimono, and has served milk tea for the two. Big straws for the boba! ]

Shall we go?

[sultanofsquat]

[ When his heart rate finally settles down? He's going to feel that thirst hit him as well. A nice bath when they returned home sounds nice right about now. But it seems they've fulfilled their parts! Embarrassing as it was, they narrowly avoided somebody noticing by the skin of their teeth. ...that or they were noticed or suspected and no one has said anything. That thought was going to linger in the back of his mind for quite some time, now. ]

Mm? Sure thing.

[ He would wait here for the kimono and milk tea. And once Ayaka returns? It'd be a good idea to swap out of this shirt so that he wasn't just walking home feeling the mess beneath the fabric. At least, thankfully, this was all temporary. At the end of it all, once Cloud's received his own change, adorned in a chef's kimono that they would return at a later date and milk tea in hand for both of them, ]

Yeah. Sure thing.

[ Regardless of who pays on the way out, he retrieves Tsubaki from the front of the teahouse (as per usual, weapons weren't permitted beyond the entrance,) his inside-out sweater in one arm, boba in hand. Once they hit the street proper, he'll take Ayaka's hand again. No need to run. There's at least another hour or so before night falls. And the estate wasn't so far. Still, ]

...

That just happened.

[ He doesn't laugh but. And perhaps it's a blend of their Kizuna bond and the lingering effects of the Lunar Curse that beckon to return when the sun descends, but he can't help at least half smile at that. No. They would not be doing that again. But he sure as hell wasn't going to forget it, either.

... sips boba. ]

[mistsplitter]

[ Ayaka doesn't let go of Cloud's hand, but she does look away. Her hold of his hand loosens a little because of it. ]

It, um, did.

[ ... It most certainly did. And it is not something she intends to do again unless they absolutely have to. She likes the romance and intimacy aspect of the act more than the fun she gets out of it.

She takes a sip of her own drink, swallows the pearl, then look up at Cloud as they walk. ]

They didn't seem to know anything...

[ So there's less shame in what they did! Probably?? ]

1/2

[sultanofsquat]

[ He sighs, chewing on the pearl in his mouth before swallowing it. ...they're addictive. No wonder her brother loves them so much. ]

If we're lucky, they'll just think the corner's haunted.

[ Because they did make the table shake, after all. ]

2/2

[sultanofsquat]

[ That wasn't meant to be funny. It really wasn't meant to be funny but- ]

...pff— [ He tries not to laugh. ... It's not working. ]

[mistsplitter]

...

[ At first, she's not sure what is so amusing, but if he's making light of what happened? Then it should be okay for her to do so too, right? ]

I liked what they ordered. They were good choices.

[sultanofsquat]

[ It's easier to make light of it when they got away with it. That and he feels better not being in his messed shirt anymore, either. ]

Salmon and Unagi Nigiri.

[ Yes, they were meant to try and stay focused on one another while they were abiding the rules of the 'game', but they heard Salmon and Unagi.

...

Unagi's gonna be their safe word down the line, isn't it. ]

[mistsplitter]

It is what we usually order.

[ What a coincidence! Hehe. It's funny to think about though. And as they walk, she leans on his arm and nuzzles her cheek against it.

Part of her wants to make things right. Make what they did into a private thing-- something just for them. But she figures it'd be best to let things happen naturally. Especially after what they did. ]

[sultanofsquat]

[ Feeling Ayaka's cheek nuzzling his arm, if it weren't for the fact they were still walking, he'd have stopped to kiss her atop her head right about now. Instead, he's still determined to get them back home. The streets were already beginning to thin out. Most have either fled on trains to the East (a reason behind why they haven't been able to leave so easily themselves) or shut themselves indoors with their masks.

Having been deeply exposed to the Lunar Curse already, it's already too late for Cloud. But... ]

Maybe... I should stay the night once we get back.

[mistsplitter]

Would you like to?

[ Of course, the doors to the Kamisato Estate are always open to Cloud. And Ayaka would like that more. They don't have to do anything specific; she just wants to be in his company more than anything else. It is with him that she feels the safest. ]

I'll prepare a special dinner, then.

[sultanofsquat]

Yeah. Think I would.

[ Cloud wants someone to keep him occupied when the sun goes down... More importantly, ]

Ever since I first went out at night during this Sakumi Festival... I get the urge to wanna go back every time the sun goes down.

[ As of late? It's been more of a bloodlust and urge to fight. ]

I just...want to stay inside.

[ With her. With Ayato. She says she'll prepare a special dinner? She can take the lead, but he's curious, hopeful even if it means he can be distracted with her. ]

Mind if I help? Even if it's just passing you stuff.