seasonsrpg | Event #3: Can't Defeat the Temple

Event #3: Can't Defeat the Temple

Can't Defeat the Temple
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Game Start

Part 1

A new message appears on everyone's smartphones. There's been a change in the Temple of Life: the door has finally opened! No one knows how or why, but the sensors left by quest goers alerted them to it suddenly being open. Preparations are made in each guild to finally explore what's inside it.

Those interested in helping are greeted by researchers in the guilds that will provide everyone with one single use item: Escape Rope: an item they found out about while investigating the temple. Should the Temple really prove to be a place "no one can return from" they should be able to use this rope to escape. It should teleport the person using it (just one) outside of the place they're in (can only be used indoors). Of course the rope can be saved for later use if it becomes unnecessary. Everyone also gets basic climbing and survival items, just in case. They have no idea what to expect inside, but better safe than sorry, right?

The new Teleport Crystal system will get you to the Temple of Life in a minute, but no one is forbidden to use a longer route if they want to travel rather than take the easy route. Once they get to the Temple (the teleport stones take them to the surroundings of the fountain in the courtyard) they will notice a lot of natives collecting various tropical fruits as the area is safe and the fruit are nice and nutritious. Anyone eating a fruit will notice a boost in stamina, too.

All that's left now is to climb the stairs and enter the Temple of Life.

Part 2

Inside the Temple of Life is a "lobby". It's actually just an empty room made with the same stone as the temple, but it has four different doors, each with a different symbol: lightning strike, snowflake, fire and a hurricane of sand.

Characters inside will notice that the door they walked in from is now gone (of course) and they may feel different as the temple has stripped them off of all their powers, including Seasonal ones. Instead they may feel like they're lighter (their jumping ability has increased to triple their normal one) and that they have three holographic hearts on top of their heads.

There's a holographic display near the doors and a shelf for laser guns. The display says the following:

This is the Gigaman simulator. Welcome, players. Each of you have been given three extra lives. Once all of your total of four lives have been used inside the levels you will get a Game Over. For native participants this unfortunately means you Die.

However, otherworlders! You are in luck. If you die four times inside the simulator you will be thrown out of the simulator, into the courtyard of the temple and you can try again! Dying is painless. Getting hit, unfortunately, is not. You have ten regular hits before you lose a life. Your lives are indicated by the hearts on top of your heads.

Things that will instantly kill you include: lava, falling into an endless pit and spikes.

Please take a laser gun and enter the level. You may bring any other items as well, but your powers will be gone and so will the special effects of the items. Except for the legendary "Escape Rope". That is something that can bypass our system. Keep the rope at hand if you get scared. If you lose your other items inside the levels, do not worry, they will appear outside. However, if you lose your laser gun it will reappear next to you.

Oh and you may keep the laser gun afterwards.

The question is: cAN yOu deFEAt [redacted]?

Well, the choice is yours. Do you enter one of the doors or use the escape rope to get out of the temple?

Part 3

All of the levels start with a normal room of just the environment of the level. But there, in the starting point of the place, there are natives of Ellipsa sitting around with a look of defeat and desperation on their faces. They're physically fine as the simulator grants you the ability to just ignore hunger and other basic needs, but they're also stuck here. It seems the simulator is just too hard for them to get past. Most of them have no holographic hearts over their head or just one: they're close to dying and don't want to take the risk.

Escape ropes are their only hope of getting out of the place and they promise anything if you give them the item and help them escape.

If you give away your Escape Rope, the only way to leave is to either Game Over or Finish the Level. Good luck, players.

(There are also some natives in various other parts of the game, too scared to go further or go back. They can also be saved by taking them with you to the end and defeating the boss monster together but if they die, they die, so there is a risk in that method.)

The Levels [ Click to Expand ]

All basic monsters and boss monsters are weak to the laser gun. Some can even be jumped on to decrease their health.

Electricity
Design: A factory with plenty of platforms and conveyor belts over bottomless pits (or spikes) that change directions occasionally. The main hazard of the level is the beams of electricity that will damage players. They can be switched around with buttons, but deactivating one beam will activate another.
Instant Deaths: Bottomless Pits, Spikes

Basic Monsters: Ufo Catcher (a claw with googly eyes that will try to drop characters into a pit or spikes), Small Robot (small robots that throw wrenches at players), Slinky (slinkys with googly eyes that won't stop for anything)

Final Boss: Squirmle: A slinky minion mass-producing machine (looks like one of those Worms on String with googly eyes, but mechanical). Occasionally fires electric shocks that stun players for 5 seconds while the minions attack them. Weak to Smokescreen as the sand jams its machinery and makes it temporarily lose the ability to produce minions.
Boss Loot: Laser Gun Upgrade: Electric Shock (damages and has a chance to stun the opponent)

Snowflake
Design: A snowy mountain cave with active waterfalls. The ground is slippery (ice physics!) and some of the platforms have a limit as to how many times you can jump/walk on them (they reappear after a time). Occasionally, while on a normal platform, a strong stream of water will fall on it, intending to push players into a bottomless pit (it can be predicted by a few drops of water before it).
Instant Deaths: Bottomless pits

Basic Monsters: Snowmen (throw very sharp carrots at players), Skeletal Fish (fish that appear from the waterfalls and spit out lasers), Yeti (a monster that will try to stomp on players)

Final Boss: Frosty: A bipedal monster made of spiky ice (doesn't have a distinct form to refer to, just looks like a giant block of animated ice) that breathes a frosty breathe that both damages and makes players go slower. Tries to stomp players by jumping high in the air. Weak to Fire Bullets, as they will melt it little by little.
Boss Loot: Laser Gun Upgrade: Ice Beam (damages and has a chance to slow down an opponent)

Flame
Design: Inside of a volcano where all bottomless pits are lava pits. Platforms are mostly normal, until a notorious section where the only way to get over a lava pit is to jump on disappearing blocks. Learn the pattern and follow it. Occasionally lava rocks will fall from the ceiling (but luckily not during the disappearing block section).
Instant Deaths: Lava

Basic Monsters: Demonic Fireballs (fireballs that jump around from spot a to spot b and hurt a lot when they hit), Lava Bomb (occasional lava rock with googly eyes that can move towards players like a homing missile), Fireman robot (a robot that will try to douse fires with scorching hot water).

Final Boss: Lavadoom: A volcano headed monster (a volcano with eyes, mouth, arms and legs) that shoots fire bullets and lava rocks at players. Occasionally makes part of the floor be literal lava that burns players health little by little. Weak to Electric Shock as it will stun the monster for long enough to turn off the volcano on its head and then you can jump on it.
Boss Loot: Laser Gun Upgrade: Fire Bullets (damages and has a chance to cause burn damage over time)

Sandstorm
Design: A desert area full of bottomless pits and rocks with spikes. The floor is mostly quicksand that can only be crossed if you stay constantly in movement. Late in the level massive sandstorms will block players' view and push them towards the pits and spiked rocks, making movement during it very dangerous.
Instant Deaths: Bottomless Pits, Spikes

Basic Monsters: Walking Cacti (cactus that shoot spikes at players), Angry Missiles (ride the sandstorms and try to hit players), Sandworms (appear from the sand and try to bite the player)

Final Boss: Hurrisand: A bipedal sand monster (looks a bit like a it could be a human, but at the same time has animal features, not to be mixed with a certain Looney Tunes character) that will turn into a literal sandy hurricane that makes it hard to see anything and makes bullets miss. Weak to Ice Beam because it slows it down so that it can't turn into a hurricane.
Boss Loot: Laser Gun Upgrade: Smokescreen (enables easier escape from situations)

You're free to challenge all of the levels and gain all of the upgrades to the laser gun, which you can then use outside the temple as a weapon. Even after all of the natives are rescued or all of the levels have been beaten, you can re-enter the levels and do them again. You won't get the boss loot again, however.

When Your Heart's Not Open

Part 1

Back in the city, the weather is strangely cold in every district (except the central one that's safe due to the artificial weather there). Even the hottest of them, Solarpeak, is advising people to wear long-sleeved shirts, just in case, even if the temperature only drops to +10 Celsius/50 degrees Fahrenheit at worst.

The reason for the unexpectedly cold weather is simple: a cold breeze travels through the whole city. Sometimes the wind even appears white, as if it's laced with snow and ice. It's easy to tell that this is not a normal sort of wind, but a very magical one.

The wind indeed has a special effect: there's a chance of the wind freezing someone's heart. This doesn't instantly kill anyone, but instead it starts to freeze people from inside out. This effect especially targets people who either have secrets or have feelings that they hide. The freezing is a slow and painful process, taking two weeks to completely encase someone in ice. Once that happen they will end up breaking into pieces and die.

Somehow this wind doesn't affect the plant life or animals at all.

Part 2

Scientists are quick at work to work on a cure. They have found that there are certain ingredients in all four of the Segments that when mixed together into a potion will undo a frozen heart. So, to help those affected, there are some options that you can do.

Stay in the City to take care of the affected. The key to healing a frozen heart is not only the potion that they will make but also affection. So those brave enough to touch someone who feels cold as ice to touch are encouraged to hug and cuddle, tell them positive things about them and making sure they're comfortable. This will ease the pain and slow the spreading down.

Head to one of the Segments to find the ingredients. The guilds are helping with the preparations to go outside and providing anyone interested clear instructions and maps on where to find them:

• Winter Segment: Bottom of the Unfrozen Lake, a coral that can survive in cold temperatures
• Spring Segment: Breeze Hills, the eggs of a monstrous Firebird (a bird that has wings made of fire that spits out fireballs, not to be confused with a phoenix)
• Summer Segment: Deserter's Desert, a special cactus flower that only blooms during a sandstorm
• Autumn Segment: Mushroom Sanctuary, a special mushroom that only grows on top of the mushrooms that are a size of a house

Once all the necessary ingredients have been found and delivered, people can also participate in potion making. The more people helping with making potions, the quicker everyone affected can get their potions and be cured. The potion is successful if it smell like a warm fireplace during a winter night.

The Towering Jenga Heights

Part 1

The VR Arcade of the Underground is holding a special event: they have managed to come up with a technology where you can minimize yourself and enter board games! They're looking for volunteers to test this new way of gaming.

For example, there are games like Jenga, Monopoly, Chess, Hungry Hungry Hippo, Checkers, Scrabble and many, many more! The games are made to fit the tiny people, but are also very realistic. Oh and Monopoly has an actual jail, but the money is as fake as can be.

It seems Jenga in particular is at its regular size and people will have to climb to push pieces out. That definitely seems like a fun challenge? Everyone gets a safety rope that's attached to poles around the Jenga towers, that will act as sort of a safety bungee jump rope.

Usually the minimized effect wears off once you end the game and leave the game board, but occasionally the technology glitches and leaves players small. The unexpected side effect wears off between 2 to 12 hours.

Anyone who did participate in the experiment will either get a month of free VR gaming time or a handheld gaming console with classic 8-bit games like Tetris.

Part 2

Those stuck in a tiny form longer than expected may discover jumping platforms to the fairy mall. It's located in the ceiling of the Underground Mall and is fit for small people like fairies. Here the fairies are all visible as they go about shopping and relaxing. They're all friendly and will make sure you have a lovely time relaxing in this small fairy oasis. Be warned, however, that the food here is strictly for fairies so if you eat it, you might end up sprouting fairy wings for a week. And not necessarily on your back.

Don't worry, you can't turn back to your regular size in the middle of the fairy mall. The magic there prevents that for the duration. Once you return by jumping onto one of the cushions left below the mall, you will return to regular size.

For souvenirs, why not buy a little bit of fairy dust? It's useful for potions, as it gives them stronger magical capabilities but used as is will make anyone be able to fly for 24 hours. The problem is you cannot use it on yourself or else it will horribly backfire and turn you into a talking frog for 24 hours.

OOC TIPS

• Ask event related questions here.

• Smut is not allowed on the event post, so if your thread is heading that way, please move it to a private entry of your own (your own entry or a new locked post on the comms).

• Remember to content and spoiler warn as necessary!

• All of the prompts happen around the same time but you can get affected by the frozen wind after visiting the Temple of Life or the other way around.

• All natives will be rescued by the end of the month, but the Temple can be accessed later just for fun.

• The frozen hearts potion will be done by the end of the month as well.

Temple of Life
• More Escape ropes can be picked up from the guilds to save more natives, but there's no way to tell there's someone trapped inside until someone goes in, so they'd have to get back after the first visit.
• Smartphones do not work inside the Temple of Life.
• You are very much allowed to work together inside the temple.
• The boss door will only open once the previous group of players has defeated it and have been transported out of the Temple. Then the boss will respawn.
• No one will have basic human needs inside the temple. It's basically a simulator so it doesn't matter how long you spend in there. Once you get out you might need to refuel on touch energy and food as soon as possible, but other than that all one needs to worry is surviving the temple.
• We admit the inspiration for this came from "I can't defeat Airman" without shame.

Frozen Hearts
• The event can affect anyone, not just those with secrets and hidden feelings.
• At the same time, the event can completely miss people as well.
• Samples of the wind can be collected and analyzed but it will turn out as a classic "it's magic" explanation.

• Reminder that this month is Activity Check-in month and check-in ends on July 31st, at 23:59 PST.

code bases by tricklet

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Well, it's not a bad idea. And definitely worth a shot, if it means speeding up the process of getting Cloud back to normal. ]

Then... shall we stay like this a little longer?

Well...what'd you plan on doing after I was done eating?

Nothing, really.

[ ... she was more thinking of asking Cloud what he wanted to do, so she could try to work around that. ]

Though, I suppose I should clean up and rest for a little while.

[ Well, if they want to hotshot this attempt to get him back to normal...! ]

Then I'll stay with you. Can't do much else like this, and I wanna hold you back.

[ No hesitation in his words. If it means riding her shoulder or sleeping on her stomach or against her side, it mattered little. As long as he was in contact with her so that the physical contact hopefully accelerated his recovery, the better. ]

... Might be little, but I'm still plenty strong. [ A beat. ] Y'know. In case you want help cleaning too.

A- Ah, well...

[ Ayaka looks away, her cheeks so red, they may as well be tomatoes. Put them on the tiny sandwiches for Cloud, too... ]

Um, I was... thinking of tidying the kitchen. And then... taking a bath.

[ That's what she meant by "clean up" before resting .-. If Cloud came with her though, then he wouldn't have a fresh change of clothes... Hmmmm... ]

W- We could handwash the clothes you have on, and it should be dry quickly. If- if you wanted a bath, too.

...

[ He's thinking of the logistics of this all. And ultimately? There's no one else to see him at his most vulnerable. What was he going to do? Stubbornly stand there and do nothing? No. And besides, he may not be a proper mindreader, but Cloud knew that letting her help him was fulfilling in a way.

Even if the notion of what was to come seemed embarrassing. Taking a deep breath through those teeny-tiny lungs of his, he huffs a higher-pitched sigh before pushing himself to his feet, looking to her with a more confident nod. ]

Might as well take advantage of my size. Let's do it.

[ Ayaka gives her tiny hamster boyfriend another pat on the head before she sits up. Mochi also gets a pat on the head before Ayaka gets up, too, and she's told to go back to her bed since she and Cloud will be leaving the kitchen soon.

Fortunately for them, there isn't much to clean up in the kitchen! Ayaka tells Cloud to put the salt and pepper shakers back on the stand where the other condiments are kept on the table, and she takes care of the bigger items that need to be washed.

When it's time to go to her room that's only ever used when Cloud isn't around so that she can get a fresh change of clothes, she invites Cloud to hop onto her hand again so she can place him on her shoulder. Or... on her chest. Wherever... he wants................... When that's done, she takes them to the bathroom! One of the bathrooms so she can draw the bath... ~~this house is big~~

Cloud's set down on the sink first, so the two of them can wash his itty-bitty clothes. Since he'll be naked for it, Ayaka supplies him with a square of tissue paper to use as a towel FSADGDHF ]

We can just use the hairdryer to dry your clothes later.

[ Salt and pepper shakers? Nothing! Like lifting thick logs that can spill out the top. So...no hauling them over his shoulder this time. lkadjfs Instead, he makes sure that they're secured in their stand on the countertop. Close to the soy sauce that's not kept in the fridge. When it's time to retreat to her room, Cloud doesn't hesitate to hop onto her hand again. Now more comfortable than before, he does stick to her shoulder. Only this time, he's sitting down comfortably, legs dangling from the front of her shoulder as he leans back on his hands.

Looking to her with a confident look in his eyes, he nods, reassuring her that things are going to turn out fine, and that he'll be fine in the process also.

Perched down on the sink, he turns around to look up at her as she supplies him with the tissue paper. At first, he's confused, but then realizes that due to his size, there's...really no actual towels that would be best for him. He'd wind up lost in one at his current stature. Carefully setting it down beside him for the moment, he starts by removing what little pieces of armor he has on his person. Which is his pauldron and the straps that hold his gear up. ]

That's convenient. [ Though now as he strips down (he'll cover up when he gets to the bottoms! he promises!), he thinks and remembers... ] Best not try it on me directly.

Last time I walked in front of something big that blew, Barret was worried I'd get flown over the side.

[ Or so he says... He was totally chickening out. And Cloud omits the part where he gets called a "bony ass". ]

Edited 2023-08-10 06:25 (UTC)

[ Cloud can get naked all he likes!! Ayaka has turned her back so she can give him some privacy. Granted, she'll be stripping down later on too, and even getting in the bath with him next to her. It really shouldn't be an issue! But she wants to be respectful, nonetheless.

She waits for his signal to turn around. ]

O- Oh, no! I can do the drying. I can place your clothes on the counter. I would not use the dryer on you, too.

[ Silly Cloud! She did think about that already. ]

It does sound scary... I would be worried, too. [ Barret sounds like a good and respectable guy if he was worried for Cloud's safety!! Though... ] Where were you that there was a big fan?

[ Some sort of ruin, perhaps? Then again, Cloud's never said anything about exploring ruins before... Something Shinra-related, then? ]

[ And get naked he does! Well, once he nods up at her with both hands on the belt of his pants, anyway. ]

Would be one helluva heatwave...

[ Not that he wants that, personally. Off go his wee little boots! ]

Right underneath the plate of Sector 4. With Shinra on high alert, we needed a way to sneak into the next Mako Reactor.

[ And off go the pants! Boxers are all that are left now. He sighs with relief. ]

So we snuck in through cargo platforms right under it.

[ '-' She still can't paint a picture as to what Mako Reactors look like... But that's okay! She can learn more from Cloud's stories, which is something that she likes doing!

And while she's listening, she begins taking off her ribbons and other hair accessories. ]

Then... what happened? Did you get blown away?

[ Aaand off go the boxers! But he's careful to turn around with the piece of tissue wrapping around his waist, now decent enough for her as he turns around to watch her up until the point that she's going to undress too. ]

Nope. We all just hung onto the railing and walked in front of the big fan.

[ Come to think of it...has he ever tried explaining what a Mako Reactor looked like to her? The tissue feels nice and snug around his waist so he lets go, raising a hand to his chin in thought. ]

If I were any good at drawing, I'd show you what the reactors looked like. [ But until then... ] They look like...oversized chimneys. As big as some of the tallest buildings in Nightwake.

[ She already told him before, when they went out to the Spring Segment on their first big quest together. Being able to travel is fun! But admittedly, there is a lot Ayaka doesn't know about being out there. She may know how to fight, but she's also worried that anything more difficult or challenging, and she may not really be of much help. Sometimes, she likes to imagine herself with Cloud on his adventures, like how she's doing now, but she stops herself because she has a feeling she would just be a liability.

It doesn't make her feel down, at least. She knows she can support Cloud in other ways. So it's okay if she doesn't really know what he means, so long as he has a place to come home to. A place that will welcome him, let him rest his feet and relax. He can be himself at home, and with her.

And him having someone to come home to, after everything he's been through... she thinks that's the best kind of support she can give. ]

In your memory— the one from the portals... that was inside a reactor, wasn't it?

[ The one with Sephiroth and Zack. She doesn't want to talk about that event too much because of the pain it brings, but... ]

So the outside of it is a big chimney. I think I get the picture.

[ It must be really intimidating to see up close! But her beau is brave and strong. He even got through a big fan and conquered it! 😌 It doesn't sound as scary anymore.

With her hair now loose, and her accessories in her hands, she asks: ]

May I turn around now?

[ So she can set those down and undress. ]

Yeah... 'Cept that one's nowhere near as big as the ones in Midgar.

If I ever get a chance, I'll show you.

[ The Mako Reactors did help make day-to-day living easier for the people. But of course, it comes at a price that everyone would inevitably pay for, in the end. ]

Mm?

Oh, yeah, right. I'm decent. [ A beat. Two beats as he looks down at himself. ] 'Bout as decent as it gets wearing a piece of tissue.

[ Sorry, Cloud... She knows you deserve better than a square of tissue, but that was the first thing that came to her mind...

Ayaka turns around to place her belongings on the counter. She still has her clothes on, but she doesn't really want to start undressing while Cloud's looking! ]

I'll take you to the bath tub, then.

[ The bath is ready for her, but she was more thinking to just pour water on him so she can get clean, too! She'll undress once Cloud's settled on one corner of the tub.

She places her palm on the counter next to him. Hop on! ]

[ He's hardly complaining in his current state! He's made peace with being so tiny a while ago now. It helps that he's in the best company he can think of. Hopping onto her hand, he patiently waits for her once he's at the edge of the tub, turning his back on her so she can get changed. Catching her as she slips in or while she's already in the tub isn't an issue, he thinks to himself. ... Even at full-size, watching his girlfriend undress wasn't cool. If there's one thing that his brief tenure in Midgar and subsequent ventures in Nippon taught him? It's common sense when it comes to social cues.

There's a time and a place to watch your loved one. This? Was one of them. So! He takes his time checking out the vast pool ahead of him. Part of him was tempted to go diving right in, but... ]

Kinda looks like a pond at my size.

A very deep pond.

[ Down he goes! And she makes sure it's pretty dry where he is, so he doesn't just slip and fall over.

Turning around, she removes her armour and her layers one by one, covering her chest with her hair as she splits it from the back in half. It'll be fine once she's in the water and is more comfortable! Right now, she just feels she should be modest, is all.

The bath water is already nice and warm, and Ayaka feels an instant sense of relief now that she's soaked. Now, she can't very well get Cloud to join her, unless he wants to rest on her chest while she's seated in the tub. ~~it could actually work~~, so she scoops up some water with both her hands and faces him. ]

Ready?

[ Cloud...will pass on resting on her chest in the tub. He's a good swimmer and if he has to, he'll just take her shoulder again. ... That, and he wagers it'd be too slippery with them all wet like that— He really needs to stay focused here. As she cups water in both her hands, Cloud secures the tissue around his waist as tight as possible without tearing it. He knows it's going to get wet and stick to him. But he's tiny. As long as it doesn't get washed off...

"Ready?"

Cloud raises his arms, ready for the drenching. ~~Uppies.~~ ]

Set.

[ CLOUD SHE CAN GET YOU A DIFFERENT SQUARE SKDSJF WHY DO YOU STILL HAVE IT ON

Splash! It might sound loud to Cloud, but it just sounds like a bunch of droplets to Ayaka. It's warm though, with the weight of the water succeeding in flattening his normally spiky hair. Ayaka scoops some more water on him after that to make sure he's completely wet. ]

Hehe... You really are so cute like this, Cloud.

[ She loves you and wants you back but 🥹🥹🥹 He's just so adorable... ]

[ If it weren't for Nippon, he would have never known what it'd be like to be under a huge rush of water before. It's like getting an oversized bucket dropped on you at a waterpark! Not that it's a bad thing. He makes sure to close his eyes and close his nostrils so that he doesn't go coughing. But it's a relief to say the least. He shakes his head, running his hands through his hair that's now completely drooped and flat. ]

Well enjoy it while you can. [ A beat. ] S'kinda cute seeing you like this too.

[ It's such an innocent and genuine affection, one that doesn't come from a place of mockery or teasing in the slightest. And it's...about the only reason why he's not so huffy anymore. The longer he spends like this with her, the more trust he has in her in just about every single way. Whether he likes it or not? Cloud was rather vulnerable like this. When everyone around you was the size of buildings, he actually has to rely on others more now.

...

And hopefully this? Isn't a repeat. ]

Wonder what it'll feel like when you drop shampoo on me.

[ He's gonna get. Covered. LSDJKFA ]

[ Hmm... She hums a little as she pours a drop of the shampoo on the side of the tub, next to Cloud. That squeeze was loud! Oops... sorry, babe. ]

Just get what you need, then? And then I can pour more water on you.

[ She can take care of herself later! Cloud's first. ]

... Smarter than me. [ Way smarter. dasjkhlf ] I woulda tried putting a drop right on you.

[ This is significantly better. So of course he kneels down with the wet tissue of a towel around his waist. It leaves very little to the imagination, but at least he's not completely buck nekkid. Scooping up the shampoo, it's a little excessive for his size, but...he honestly can use it for bodywash at the same time. ]

Might as well use it for bodywash at the same time. Two birds, one stone, right?

[ And on his head it goes. Cloud doesn't really think about it, but...this would be one of the first times Ayaka's ever seen her beau's hair all soapy and struggling to stay spiky. As he scrubs his head, he closes his eyes as he threads through it all. ]

[ Cloud, you can be naked if you wanted to...

God, he's so cute, though... She really meant it when she said it earlier. And so, while he's scrubba-dub-dubbing, Ayaka relaxes some more, leaning back a little and closing her eyes. She'll wait for Cloud's signal that she can pour more water on him. For now, hopefully he doesn't mind a little tune.

One that's close to home. ]

[ At this stage, if Cloud's tissue towel falls off, he'll likely not care. He's already gone this far, right? He notices the way she relaxes further, closing her eyes and truly being at peace. He can give her a signal, but...at the same time? He almost doesn't want to disturb her. Just as he decides to tear away the wet tissue from his waist so he can take another glob of shampoo to wash his body down, her voice fills the air, adding to the serenity of this private space they share.

His hair is suddy and an absolute mess, but he could care less right now. Instead, he stands sideways to her, watching as he starts cleaning up the rest of himself. The shampoo can sit in his hair a little longer too. No harm there. ]

When you first danced for me...and I couldn't think of what to say...

[ It was this melody at first, before she graced him with her elegance and captivated him. A Cryo Vision-wielding Princess, and yet all she could do was melt his heart. It still feels like yesterday they were...well...

Falling in love. ]

When I kissed you right after?

[ He didn't know for certain at the time, considering the 'Month of Love' and what it did to everyone at the time. But the more he thinks about it... He knows now. It was the most impulsive thing he'd ever done. But it wasn't somebody else's whim. Not the thirst of a Daikou staking claim. The first signs of the man hidden underneath the Ex-SOLDIER. The same person standing beside her right now. ]

I wanted that.

[ Ayaka opens her eyes once more when she hears Cloud speak, but she doesn't move from where she's resting just yet. What he says takes her back to such a fateful day. Where, for some time before that, Cloud was always on her mind.

She knew she liked him then. She wanted to spend time with him always. She wanted to hear his stories, his adventures, no matter how dangerous they were. She wanted to have more snacks with him, prepare tea for him even just one more time... But circumstances led to them being away from one another. Ayaka had said she did it on purpose, because she was afraid of ruining what they had. Their friendship was far more important than her fondness for Cloud then, because that was all she could ever want. She never imagined Cloud would see her the same way she did.

The only thing she didn't know then was that she was falling in love already. But it did not take long for her to think she was.

As for Cloud? The time they've spent getting to know the other has lent to Ayaka knowing that he'd been struggling with his identity. She swore to always support him and be there for him, and she tries even in the littlest of ways. She always gives Cloud the option to choose, to show his preferences, his likes and dislikes. Him knowing what he wants and doing what he wants is so important to her. Hearing him say he wanted to kiss her does little to her own ego, but it makes her heart swell knowing it was his own choice to do so. Not the pull of the yokai, not by his muddled memories, not by anyone else. ]

Silly Cloud. You would say that now, when I cannot kiss you? You must be doing this on purpose.

[ Ayaka's laughing, at least, her shoulders shaking when she giggles, covering her mouth with her fist.

She did make a commitment though. For how silly her beau can be, she'll support him until the end! So she sits up properly and faces him. ]

Would you like to rinse now?

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