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OPEN SEASON (click to reveal!)
29 / male / bisexual / ace of hearts
Details
Your humble servant Aventurine at your service.
A senior manager of the IPC's Strategic Investment Department, though I suppose that might as well be on pause. Right now, I'm a senior manager at Phoenix Casino, instead - why don't you stop by sometime during the evening, and you might as well be met with a bunny surprise.
Meet new people, form new bonds, and have fun. Isn't that what everyone comes to casino-resort for?
Glad you asked! Though I'm not sure how much it counts for a talent, I have quite the impressive luck. No matter the gamble, the danger, the puzzle ahead of me - if I bet it all on my "luck", then I know I'll come out of it the winner.
Though if you want actual talents, then you will have to get to know me and find out yourself.
I haven't yet read all the books in the universe, or watched all the movies, or listened to all the songs, or eaten all the food... So it's hard to say I have a proper favorite, isn't it?
Are we finally addressing the elephant in the room? Let's see...
Someone kind, interesting, intelligent, who enjoys a good conversation. Is that too broad? Then perhaps I'm just that easy to charm, haha!
I find wine suits my palate better, but I won't turn down the offer for beer if you'd like.
.02 CLOWNS OR MIMES
No real preference. If they're both meant to entertain, isn't the one who makes me laugh the better one?
.03 SHOWER OR BATH
A friend of mine would stand by a quality bath time, and after spending so much time with him, I've got to say the same!
.04 PIRATES OR NINJAS
Between a group of people known for freedom and rule-breaking, and those bound to loyalty... Is this a question about which I find more interesting, which I would want to be, or which of these sentiments I relate to the most?
.05 TITS OR ASS
Does it really matter, if both have their own appeal? Or rather, perhaps I should say it truly depends on the person.
.06 COFFEE OR TEA
A proper morning starts with a good cup of coffee. It's essential to any corporation worker like me.
.07 SPICY OR SWEET
Though both have their appeals, sweets are easier on my tongue. Perhaps it's hard to let go of my inner child? Haha!
.08 SUMMER OR WINTER
Most of my childhood was spent under the scalding hot sun of the desert, and though I'm quite used to it, I can't help but enjoy the comforting cold of winter nights the most. Besides, sharing a warm blanket with someone isn't so bad of a way to spend a winter day, is it?
.09 LEATHER OR LACE
Each kind of fabric has a time and a place to belong. Leather for something more formal, perhaps even casual. Lace, for a more intimate encounter. But both do suit me, don't you think?
10. ROUGH SEX OR GENTLE SEX
Am I on top, am I on the bottom? Those things are necessary to know for a proper answer. Whether you want me to be nice or not, whether you want to be nice or not... Knowing your partner's preferences is what matters the most, isn't it?
ESTJ-A
:)
for all that aventurine does quite belong at such a party - and arguably, in the entirety of the golden peacock itself -, nothing in it is so enticing as a normal casino would be. it lacks the true appeal of gambling, what makes him feel all the more alive and just as equally empty whenever the dice is rolled, the cards shown, the gamble won.
but it's. well. not bad, really. it certainly works for what the house enjoys - connections, ice-breakers, the connection between people, strangers or not. it works splendidly perhaps, because for all that aventurine strolls through the party without being so much of a willing participant just yet, it gives him the opportunity to find a familiar face, and alongside that long overdue meeting, an immediate ice-breaker.
(not that he would have needed one, but this makes things a little more fun, doesn't it?)
so, wishes come true: a dressed-up gambler, whose steps lead him next to a dressed-up professor. he doesn't so much look at him as he pays attention to the current enthusiastic players of roulette. )
Ahah, who would have thought the good doctor is interested in this kind of thing? ( hear hear, students of veritas ratio. your beloved professor is considering playing in the sex toy roulette < totally not fake news. ) Wanna give it a try? There's nothing shady about it, if you're wondering. Might as well have a little fun at a party, hm?
:(
in the same way that aventurine does not turn to look at him, so too does ratio keep his attention seemingly fixed on the wheel, as though it were the most interesting thing in the room. his true thoughts are elsewhere, mired somewhere in the mixture of begrudging relief from a familiar face and the distress of having seen one at all. there are— worse things. )
Your endorsement hardly makes things less suspicious.
( a brief hush falls over the crowd as the roulettes slows, eventually landing on one (1) regular spoon. the girl looks bemused as she's handed such a simplistic prize and shooed away, to whatever newfound silverware-fueled ventures the future has in store for her. no one else steps up to take her place as a contestant, at least not immediately; here, ratio directs a sidelong glance aventurine's way. )
I believe this is your area of expertise, not mine, ( and let's take half a breath to truly appreciate how apt the following epithet is: ) gambler.
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( a thrown-away statement, because the both of know are well familiar with the answer to that question.
but good, aventurine thinks. it's that kind of behavior that reassures him this is at least the real ratio or, if nothing else, that he's still sane of mind. who knows with the house - one day, he might just wake up and find a carbon copy of the esteemed professor from the intelligentsia guilt; an unsurprising turn of events, for there have been times aventurine thought the man too cautious and smart both to be brough to a place like this. but veritas ratio is a man like any other, and not immune to the whims of an entity that could even rival the aeons themselves.
well. that's that. it's a party, and figures it's one they should enjoy. he is, after all, being given permission to do the one things he does best, and aventurine can't help but laugh. )
Well well, now color me surprised, Doc. And here I thought your opinion of gambling was a less than favorable one. And now you want me to do it? Well, might as well make sure I don't miss out on this opportunity.
( even if the roulette didn't really appeal to him so much; gambling is far more fun when there's the possibility of a loss, of something potentially going wrong. the adrenaline is what aventurine is really addicted to, not the victories he heaps along the way... but he's not going to turn down the chance of having fun at a party.
give him five minutes, to walk up to the non-existent line of the roulette, spinny spinny spin the wheel, and return with... )
ough
who's wearing this. not him. )
Well Doc, consider this my gift for you~ A welcome gift, fairly won at the roulette~ No need to say thanks.
( he's putting it on ratio's free hand, thanks, because the imagery of the veritas ratio holding such thin and lewd piece of fabric is kind of hilarious, actually. maybe his luck really is that good? )
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…
distaste aside, and though he scowls, ratio hurriedly shoves the accursed thing into his pocket before too many eyes view him holding it. does this count as accepting the gift? as far as technicalities go, the answer can only be a yes. )
Tell me this isn’t actually considered to be the pinnacle of entertainment by our ( what’s a good term ) hosts. ( as well as, you know. anything else relevant that also doesn’t need a more private venue to discuss. )
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( hand gestures. a sex toy roulette, the famous dirty dice - now with twice the faces -, the lovers' hideaway and... the house of cards that, for all aventurine knows how the house works, could certainly have a discerning amount of intimate-and-overly-personal cards asking for all kind of details of a person's sexual life.
it's an environment not so uncommon for aventurine; casino aside, many back in pier point would vehemently believe that the very last avgin would even be the one behind such a thing, that it's some kind of revenge, or a result of his wicked mind. they give him too much credit, really. but it's one thing for aventurine to be a player of this game; who would ever in their right mind imagine ratio partaking in such environment?
it leaves a sour taste even in his mouth. )
This is the sort of place this is. And before you ask, Topaz and I have already tried everything. ( casual lore drop that topaz is also around, much unfortunately. ) All that's left is to play the game and win it fair and square.
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however. )
"Everything" is a bold statement. I assume you have conclusive evidence showing there are truly no possible alternatives. ( something in his tone implies he doesn't believe said evidence exists. such is the academics' way: to doubt, to prove, lest the truth be misunderstood. as much as he trusts aventurine's judgment—in this particular case—due diligence is still in order.
and maybe there's something three minds can discover, something that two could not. <— clueless )
... I hope you two have been well, despite suffering this debauched congregation of fools.
( "are you okay btw?" —the similarities to penacony have not been lost on him. he almost wants to say more. )
And if we could move on from the... ( sex toy roulette with an attached quest that definitely won't come up later ) game at hand.
( all parties have isolated spaces for clandestine arrangements. not necessarily away from people; no, sometimes, quite in the thick of things. this, too, is something where he would trust aventurine's assessment above his own. the look is pointed. he waits for the other's move. )
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( no physical evidence though, sowwy. and it is true, though; he hasn't quite tried everything - all things considered, he could use his cornerstone to try and destroy the resort from the inside, if he wanted. smash a hole in the wall. threaten its safety, much as he had planned to do in penacony. but all of that requires far more planning and chips on his table than he currently has.
besides. he would rather not endanger anyone but himself, and he would much rather not have his cornerstone taken right after having it back. so, the thought was shelved, and in part discarded. nothing ratio needs knowing yet. )
What, you're done playing? ( joke jest etc ) Let's see, then... ( the much unfortunate thing is that they're a little bit trapped within the casino; the fortunate thing is that aventurine knows pretty much all its corners, and gestures for ratio to follow him, navigating through a sea of people towards the staff-only part of the casino, where aventurine slips in far too casually. most people are too busy with the main attraction, anyway. )
Topaz's spirit is hard to shake, but I think she has been making ends meet. She even has friends now. ( /teasing, as aventurine holds the door open to the staff backroom™. they get privacy to talk and mostly quiet from the festivities, and no sex toy roulette to deal with. just don't worry about the red dot notification on it or something.
nothing to say about how he has been doing, btw. this isn't about him. ) But first. What of Penacony? ( elephant in the room for him, thanks. )
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( a pause follows.
it’s commonly accepted in scientific circles that time is not so linear of a concept as how the average man experiences it. rare are there any ways to alter that experience, however, and fewer still are ones that could be considered accessible in any way to someone like either of them. a metaphysical prison capable of sourcing its inmates from all across the imaginary tree, however? there was too much curiosity in that question; were he only wanting to confirm their mutual knowledge, there were a million other ways to initiate that ask. )
Your performance was considered satisfactory.
( the statement is a quiet one, words heavy and dragging under the weight of all their implications. it speaks to success, one way or another. surely, even a past aventurine (assuming his hypothesis has any merit) would understand what that means. )
heartbreaking #ratiorine disgusting
there are worlds and worlds, he knows. imaginary tree lore and all. he may not be the most well versed in it, but at least there's a common factor in all the reports they've gotten. his job has always been successful, and to the ipc, that's all that matters. and so, aventurine puts the case to rest. )
Satisfactory is a huge compliment from you, so I'll take it. ( c student, etc.
aventurine moves to sit on one of the couches, sprawled comfortable on it. ratio would know what this means, if he's ever any curious - that aventurine has been around long enough, if he allows himself to 'intrude' this much space somewhere that is not his own apartment. small little things. )
I asked because Topaz and I don't remember anything that happened after a certain point. Or, I guess it's easier to say we never experienced it. Last thing I remember is talking to you in the Reverie, then going into the Dreamscape. I have been here ever since, so it's good to know I won't lose my job.
( stoneheart's oath ring: both ends of the scale myriad celestia aside btw. )
going to drop before i even get accepted
Your job being your primary concern, of course.
( many, many IPC workers wouldn’t hear the admonishment in such a dry statement, for the way it reads on the surface as an affirmation of their priorities. what could be more important than their position with the company? is that security not something to celebrate? the corners of ratio’s mouth briefly crease, as if trying to suppress a deeper frown—as though such an expression would be out of place on him. he simply dislkes… the flippancy of it. the casual wager of something far too precious; maybe, the wager of anything at all.
but as ever, it’s hard to argue with results. )
Has it brought you relief to know of your success, distant though it seems? ( that he lived, continues to live? there’s so much ground retreaded in this conversation, but ratio supposes—that’s true only for him. ) If there is any other news you’ve been awaiting, I can do my best to relay what I’m aware of.
can you make a new mockup drop sticker with ratio
aventurine is not blind nor oblivious to the in-between the lines of their conversation, but neither does he think so much of it. it's a particular inevitability that comes with being as high-ranked in the ipc as he is, and worse yet, a stoneheart besides. the only difference between being aventurine and being no.35 is that he has a soft bed and running water, this time.
but that's neither here nor there, is it? inevitabilities. )
Haha. "Relief"? Hm~ ( is he to include his pretend-death in that relief? because if ratio's behavior is anything to go by, he doesn't think there was much success at all.
maybe he shouldn't be so disappointed. death is not real in penacony - he knows this, has known this, has made this single de-facto information the entire basis of his plan. but maybe it had ben opal's words, before he departed. maybe it had been wishful thinking, chasing after the high of a gamble without the confirmation of a result.
is he relieved now, knowing come the day he experiences himself, it will truly be a successful job as peaceful as diamond would have wanted it? knowing that there will be - someone, he might just leave behind, and is that a lucky little thing for him, or should aventurine keep on ignoring the ache in his heart at the thought? )
It would have been troublesome otherwise, so I suppose so. Penacony's the kind of high risk job I enjoy working on, and it's good to know I can continue to tease Topaz about my perfect rating, especially after her case in Jarilo-VI. ( shrugs. ) But I'm just doing my job. I've been confident on its success from the beginning, so I wouldn't exactly call it relief.
( sentence ended there, because who knows what aventurine would really call it. )
as you saw
wasn’t your fist clenched behind your back the whole time?
if words alone could make him understand, though, perhaps the entire dreamscape would’ve unfolded differently. perhaps the ipc’s interest in penacony would have fallen through. perhaps it’s impossible to say what other outcomes there are, only that this particular one may as well be little more than a footnote, given their current situation. easy, then, to pivot the conversation towards such, the excuse of immediacy demanding more attention. anything to move past the churning frustration in his chest. )
Has that been your approach to this resort as well? “Just doing your job.” ( he saw the staff-only sign… ) Unsurprising that a vaunted member of the IPC would seek out an employment opportunity during a vacation.
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( spoken in jest, to lighten up the mood. something that isn't his suicidal plan in penacony, that ratio was one of the few privy to it. there's nothing to do about it - not here, not now, not when he can't yet tell which solar or star system they're even currently in.
he hops back on his feet, walking up to the staff lockers. little does ratio know there's so many bunny suits inside these lockers, man. but it's something to think, maybe. the normalcy that is slowly creeping up around aventurine's current life. he has a job, yes, one that started off as punishment, but one he enjoys, all things considered. he has... a place to return to, warm and comfortable, somewhere he would even call — )
I guess that's what a vaunted member of the IPC does when faced with more free time than he knows what to do with. But working at the main hub of the resort gets me information and contacts. Or did you think I was working for fun?
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( a compliment, of sorts, said plainly and without hesitation. he has no reason to think otherwise, at this point in time. whether those around him wish to admit it or not, aventurine of stratagems didn't come a stoneheart just from a pretty face and a few well-placed words. )
As a newcomer, perhaps there are many variables that I still have yet to understand. ( the casual acceptance that was in his sprawl, for one. ) Still, there are many routes to the heart of a casino. There's merely something ironic about your choice given the ample opportunity to gamble your way there as an alternative.
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( hand gestures, stoneheart and all. the casino is just a means to an end, here or elsewhere. those who find its sheer attractive understand one another, and many have little to lose, material or not. money isn't the only thing that can be won through a gamble either, so doesn't it make all the more sense, that aventurine would want to familiarize himself as much as he can to each crook and corner of the illustrious phoenix casino?
when aventurine looks down for the briefest moment, there's something pained, behind the dullness of his eyes. it has been too long. )
Or maybe I just really became a frivolous person. People change, after all. You know that better than anyone. ( ... ) A lot happened while you weren't here, Ratio.