songerein | { stroke of midnight }

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{ stroke of midnight }

STROKE OF MIDNIGHT

Although the Masquerade is being held on the night of the Fourteenth, some new problems arise in the days after. This log is split into two sections, the Masquerade and Around Town. Everyone is free to participate in either or both, whichever catches your interest.

More details on everything can be found here and here. As a reminder, events double as our TDMs and information can be found here with arrival details here. Any outside characters participating in the log are canonly logged as appearing in Songerein in February and will remain in Songerein from the IC date of February 14 through 28. TDM only characters can only thread within this log. Anyone who apps in and is accepted will have their character count February as their first time in the game without any disruption, so all content will carry over. Those who do not apply will disappear which should not seem too unusual, however players in game can choose to retcon and pretend a character was never there to begin with if it would be easier; or even think their presence was just a dream.

IMPORTANT! All outside characters MUST have "TDM" in their subject line, even if you might not app. This will help people differentiate those who are already in the game and those who are not.

TDM threads are required for samples. Refer to the Game Info for general information and feel free to toss any questions here. Reserves will open Wednesday, February 22nd and Applications will open on March 1. Our next cycle after won't be until JULY.

TDM Toplevel Link Directory (click to view, updated 02/22)

Avatar: The Legend of Korra - Korra
Avatar: The Last Airbender - Iroh
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night - Miriam
Chainsaw Man - Power
Dr. STONE - Dr. Senku Ishigami
Elsworld - Noah Ebalon (Nyx Pieta)
Final Fantasy VII - Cloud Strife
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core - Zack Fair
Final Fantasy XIV - Erichthonios
Final Fantasy XV - Noctis Lucis Caelum
Final Fantasy XV - Prompto Argentum
Genshin Impact - Shikanoin Heizou
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist - Solanaceae
Katekyou Hitman Reborn - Hayato Gokudera
Kingdom Hearts - Ienzo
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Link
Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Sheik
Marvel Cinematic Universe - Kate Bishop
NieR: Automata - 9S
Percy Jackson & the Olympians - Jason Grace
Percy Jackson & the Olympians - Nico di Angelo
Persona 3: FES - Shinjiro Aragaki
SinoAlice - Sleeping Beauty
Tales of Arise - Shionne Vymer Imeris Daymore
Tales of Symphonia - Kratos Aurion
Tales of Symphonia - Martel Yggdrasil
Tales of Zestiria - Mikleo
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Sena
Your Wings and Mine - Shealtiel

We will request any thread submissions for certain prompts during AC and TDM threads will count. For more information, refer to the Game Notes.

I. MASQUERADE

It's time for the masquerade and the carriages will start arriving before sunset. Upon arrival, everyone who leaves the carriage (or mercilessly spat out if they try to resist) will be greeted by fairy godmothers with an eye for the most dramatic and extravagant fashion. It's a masquerade, after all! For those who already arrive with their outfits, the fairy godmothers may add a little embellishment here and or just change it completely if they think it could look better. For those who did not, they will create a whole new outfit that would fit the wearer perfectly—with magic of course. They will also create the masks and half of the glass slipper brooch that everyone will wear. The masks are enchanted so that regardless of obvious personality or physical traits, they are somehow unrecognizable at first. While it is possible to figure it out through interaction, or if it's someone they already know well, it's more likely they need to reveal their identity first. These outfits can be kept even after the masquerade is over.

A. Get in the Carriage. As the pegasus drawn carriages begin to arrive to transport those who have decided to attend the masquerade, there is some commotion from others. The pair of coach mice—who are only about four feet tall—can be found smiling and cheerily squeaking about the masquerade as they grab and literally throw protesting individuals into the carriage, whereupon the door will immediately shut behind them. Ho ho ho, it'll be such a grand time! Will anyone try to help the poor soul? Or perhaps help the mice? Maybe you're a struggling victim instead. Should anyone want to try and drive the carriage, they might have a chance…but good luck having the pegasi listen to them. Eventually the carriage will land and take them to the front of the castle where the masquerade is hosted.

B. Half of a Pair. Near the entrance, everyone is encouraged to pull out one or more of the shoe brooches contained in a large bowl. The rules are simple: 1) use the brooch to lead them to the person wearing the other half; 2) spend whatever time or activity with them, be it general socializing, a dance, a walk in the gardens; 3) keep the brooch or return it to a designated "Used" bowl. The brooches will absorb whatever kind of dreamotion energy is formed between the two, and the stronger it is, the brighter (if positive) or darker (if negative) it will glow. The interaction can be romantic, platonic, or hostile. For those who do happen to "click" and wish for some privacy, there are numerous terraces and balconies available. Some are public, but there are quite a few with curtains, so be sure to close them to signal the balcony is occupied!

C. Dancing in the Air. The main draw will be the dance floor, and the ballroom is wide and spacious to accommodate numerous pairs to dance to their hearts' content—the music is played by enchanted instruments so they'll keep going without much of a break! Of course, what makes this dance floor truly special is how it uses dreamotion energy to lift everyone up—literally. Pairs who are having a fun time may find themselves floating up and dancing in the air instead of on the ground. Somehow they can maintain some balance…but it's just as easy to lose it.

D. Royal Banquet. There are numerous tables one can use and be served an assortment of foods. In fact, one could make special requests and somehow the dragons serving will be able to make it, or at least as close as possible. One just has to imprint the idea of the dish onto a special card that the chefs will use to recreate it. There are also two bowls filled with special tear drop chocolates, one with only white, pink, and red, and the other filled with the other colors. The "game" is to randomly choose one from each bowl and share a kiss depending on what is picked.

E. Out in the Gardens. Every castle has extravagant gardens, and this one is no different. Filled with numerous pink, red, and white flowers, the gardens have their typical fare…with not so typical effects.

Extravagant mazes that one could easily get lost in are common, but what's special about these gardens is that the flowers will emit a soft, sweet scent that will feel as if they are walking through a dream. In fact, the section they are going through will begin to change to look like a place from their world and must now find their way out. When this change happens, only those who are in the area will be affected and no one else can enter the area until the main person affected gets out. Those inside can help, and there are no threats—it's all in simple fun…unless the place evokes certain memories and emotions for the person. Might not be as fun for them, then.
A crystal greenhouse where the temperature is perfectly warm (or cold!) and houses various different flowers. Here some may recognize flowers from their world, the scents also creating nostalgia. There are instructions left that indicate anyone can try to help grow the flowers. The key ingredient will be dreamotion energy, and should they succeed in creating a blossom, a small marble containing a symbol of their home. There are also special daisies that can be used to play the "they love me they love me not" game. If the last petal is "they love me," then become extra flirty and clingy. If it's "love me not," they become angry, jealous, and possessive. The effects only last for a short time…unless they keep plucking flowers.
The white fountain in the center of the gardens will have a bit of a musical playful side. It will splash colorful water at any who pass by, chime-like notes playing out as it does. But if one were to drop a flower that has absorbed positive dreamotion into its water, it will calm and let people sit to look and relax. There is also a strange frog wearing a crown that claims to be a prince. For those who believe its words that a kiss will free him from the curse, they will be sorely disappointed as nothing happens and the frog just laughs and hops away.

II. AROUND TOWN

A. Mask Up. Attracted by the masquerade, some enchanted masks have found their way to town and are now finding their way onto people, be it by tricking their victims to be put on or just forcibly latching themselves on. Depending on the type of mask, the wearer will behave based on a festive, dramatic emotion. While wearing the mask, the dreamotion that is projected is stronger. Examples are angry emotions will cause tremors and cracks on the ground, happiness could blind people or will cause confetti to fly everywhere, while sad ones will cause clouds and drizzling rain to appear overhead. The only way to remove it is to somehow make the other person feel the opposite of whatever emotion the mask is using. Once the mask’s emotion is countered and stabilized, it could be removed or even fall off if the countering emotion is strong enough. Masks can also be captured and collected before they attach to someone.

B. Special Messages. Throughout the month, valentine's are being delivered to people all over town. Some are even receiving some from the fae and dragons who live outside… Perhaps some caution should be had from those. Regardless, while the messages are brimming with both platonic and romantic (and questionable) love, the messengers are a bit… Well they need help.

Insightful Mockingbirds. Special mockingbirds are flying around and perch on random shoulders. They have the ability to "read" a person's thoughts and repeat them out loud. Without warning. Hope there aren't any secrets because that bird is going to make it public, especially if it's an observation or thought—good or bad—about another person. Good luck shooing it away, too—it'll stick around for a while because it might enjoy sowing this bit of chaos.
Arrow Delivery. The group from last year have decided to use their prank arrows for good and start a business in delivering special Valentine's messages via arrow. A "shot to the heart" in the less literal sense this time! While some of their archers are skilled, others are…less so. Some are hitting a bit too close to comfort or way off the mark. Some messages are going to the wrong person entirely. Help avoid, retrieve, or even deliver these messages around town.

C. Candy Kisses. A special assortment of flat bottomed, tear shaped chocolates are currently selling like hotcakes and can be found practically everywhere. Their main selling point is they come in different colors and each color has a special effect that will make the eater want to kiss the person near them in a certain way (see chart). Some people are deliberately swapping the wrappers around, so be careful!

D. Bleeding Hearts Return. It's Valentine's, yet Cupid is nowhere to be seen. That is because he's still corrupted from last year and now he's thirsting for love, any love. Using the Bleeding Hearts from last year, Cupid is using them to gather all that jealous, possessive love, but of course that's going to make it worse. We're not tackling Cupid here, but the main goal will be helping those who are afflicted by the Bleeding Hearts and purifying them via dreamotion instead of just destroying them. Purifying the Bleeding Hearts with pure love—romantic, platonic, familial, reminders of how they are loved and cared for by others—will help Cupid. Of course this could backfire and make the person feel worse, so be careful!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

“I’m talking about getting out! Not the giant mice!” But if the mice were so easily able to load his dressed-up ass into the carriage, how strong are they? Does he want to fight a swarm of giant magic mice?

“Are they magic?” He asks mostly himself. Suddenly Gokudera is a whole lot more fascinated with the idea of giant magic animals than getting out of the carriage. He’s not even in a seat, just eye-level with the handle to the door.

“Do you have idea where we’re going? Any guesses?” Gokudera stands and brushes off his fancy red and gold outfit, the golden leopard spots on his mask equally as ornate. He looks like an average teenager aside from that, and seems a bit uncomfortable to sit next to this guy.

"I try not to leap from moving vehicles. The impact would be uncomfortable." Senku responded a little dryly, hence the waiting until they stopped.

"Somewhere definitely formal." Senku murmured and held up the mask. "A masquerade of some kind. Sounds tedious if you ask me."

He didn't mind his suit, although the jewelry was probably a bit much. It was the kind of thing that Gen would probably dress him up in, given the opportunity. An opportunity he was never going to get.

"With giant mice and magic in play it's going to make it more difficult to break out of here. It'll take more time. I'm not afraid of time, but you seem kinda more impatient than that." He looked like he about a decade on the teenager, and he was much, much older than that. Senku turned his attention to the door and ran his fingers along the edge, seeking to determine if it was magical or mechanical.

“S’not that bad.” He grumbles. Gokudera wanted that door off or open, and wouldn’t encourage this person to jump out as well. Just… help him destroy the carriage a little.

But what if it makes the bigass mice angry?

“Just because I’m supposed to keep someone safe and I was doing something important before I ended up here.” So it’s not like he could even help his boss if he jumped out of the moving carriage.

“And now I don’t know shit about what’s going on!” It’s not this person’s problem. Gokudera is just very… exclamatory.

"You're asleep." Senku offered, not looking away from the door just yet. He didn't see any hinges, nothing he could easily pop open, so it was probably magic. He didn't have a grasp on this magic yet. Or any kind of magic for that matter.

"It's like a very long dream. I'm not sure you're missing out on anything. That's probably more of a metaphysical question." He finally lowered his hand and turned his attention back to Gokudera.

"So I was told. I was working on a project, but if I'm just sleeping then I'm not really missing anything and I can start a new one." His eyes seemed to be alight with interest. "After all, there's some kind of magic here, isn't that fascinating?"

“!!!”

Gokudera turns suddenly at that claim. How the fuck does this guy know something like that?! He feels like he’s not being taken seriously, but doesn’t snap at him, because maybe this guy has some kind of point to make.

His boss had mentioned having a dream about what they were going to do. His dream is just… connected with this guy’s, and so much more strange than anything he could explain. It kind of makes sense, though. He doesn’t like it, but that changes nothing.

He moves over to take the seat he should have when he was first tossed into the carriage. Gokudera listens and nods. “All magic is fascinating.”

It just is. He’s fond of mysterious things, like the giant mice, and he has his own powers. Maybe he can develop his magic a bit more using whatever he learns in this dream?

“Who told you you’re asleep, hm? I have a few more questions for them.” Maybe he also wants to beat the information out of them, cause he’s a pissy teenager like that.

"There was a small creature I couldn't identify that gave me a very brief overview, at least about that much. Didn't seem too inclined to take questions, but maybe if you find one you'll get lucky." Senku thought that was annoying, but at the same time, he could deal with finding out answers for himself if and when he had to.

"I've never encountered magic before. A few fantastical things, certainly, but science proved there was logic and reasoning behind it, we just didn't understand it until we did."

Until Senku figured it out, but that part was far less important than humanity's collective understanding.

“What kind of small creature?” Gokudera asks. “Would it kill ya to be more specific?” If he’s going to hunt something down with a barrage of questions, he doesn’t want to fire them off at just any small creature. He would if he had to, but that seems like a waste of time.

“Really? Are you interested in studying magic?” Because he’s got some cool mafia magic he could show off. Gokudera isn’t much for showing off unless it’s to an opponent, though.

“Ever heard of Dying Will?”

"No..." He chuckled lightly. "If anything people would say I'm far too specific. It was roughly this big." He cupped his hands together. "It was shaped in something that looked like a stuffed animal and was a barrage of pastel colours. If I had a better comparison to an animal I was familiar with, I would use it."

Senku smirked. "Given a rare opportunity? Absolutely. I'm not entirely sure magic exists in the sense that it's completely mystical and without method, but at that point it becomes science."

He was a scientist, he couldn't help it. "Dying Will? No."

“Hmm…” so that small. Okay. That’s better.

“Tch! Was that so hard?” Even if the info isn’t super specific, it’s more helpful than the vague ‘small animal’ description. At least now he has a better idea of how small, and what color it is.

“If we’re all just sharing the same dream, maybe someone was thinking about giant mice before they fell asleep.” Unlikely but not impossible. Gokudera moves over to the scientist and holds out his hand.

“Everyone has a dying will. It’s like your own personal energy. And in my world it presents to those with a strong enough resolve. It’s sort of that last-ditch, desperate life-or-death energy. Does that make sense?” It makes sense in his own world, but he wonders if there is anything similar to it in Senku’s world.

On Gokudera’s middle finger, a pink and red flame jumps up but doesn’t put out any heat. It’s definitely not fire despite looking like it.

"I can confirm I wasn't thinking of any of this before I went to sleep. I was likely thinking about various calculations." Senku leaned forward to look at his hand.

"Your explanation makes sense, in a way. Sort of your biological imperative to remain alive. Only..." Senku trailed off when the flame appeared. "Manifested somehow. Interesting."

He reached out, not to touch his hand but to attempt to put his finger in the flame. Clearly whoever taught him not to play with fire, well, the lesson hadn't stuck.

“Have you dreamt calculations?” That sounds boring as hell. Gokudera is a bit of a nerd, but he’s not interested n thinking about ‘various calculations’ before going to sleep. It’s the kind of thing that would bore him to sleep, though.

“As far as I’m aware, every person has a Dying will. Some are more pronounced than others, but it requires some circumstances being met.” Like having a magical mafia ring, and a box weapon system. He’s not going to give that too much attention. It’s easier to just assume that it was initially triggered by an intense survival situation.

The flames don’t make any noise or produce heat. They just look pretty. If Gokudera wanted them to do anything, he’d have to will that. Senku can even try to smother the flame if he wants.

“I’ve got five types, but this one is my strongest.” It’s probably a result of his mixed bloodline that he has so many flame types.

Senku laughed at the question about dreaming calculations. "Not usually, no." He chuckled. "If only I could work while I was asleep, I could be that much more productive. I sometimes dream I'm counting, but that's less of a dream and more of a nightmare." He commented offhand.

He'd just wanted to see if it was hot, and it wasn't, which was all the more curious. "Huh. I wonder how it works." He murmured despite himself. An intense survival situation seemed logical, based on how he was explaining it.

"I don't have any magic like that. Anything I could make that would impress anyone takes a considerable amount of time, usually."

“I’m saying, maybe someone else dreamed up this whole scenario and we’re just having our own little dreams in it. That sounds more likely… that maybe a majority of people have dreamt something like this.” He’s never dreamt about being tossed into a carriage by giant mice, but someone had to.

Gokudera wonders what this guy uses his knowledge for, so asks.

“What do you do back in your home world?” The bomber has an interest in this guy ‘cause he’s smart. Aside from that, it just depends on how that intelligence is applied.

"I wouldn't discount it, without evidence to the contrary, at least." Senku agreed. It was possible someone had a micenapping fetish. Who knew? Humans could be very strange.

"These days I'm the Head of Scientific Development and Innovation, located in the Kingdom of Science. I sit at the head of a board undertaking a worldwide initiative to rebuild civilization and technology on a global scale, but I'm also working on the centre's main project, developing a time machine with the use of data we've been able to gather from an alien AI." Senku explained, and that would either sound incredibly interesting or incredibly boring.

"It keeps me pretty busy, but every job I've had does."

“Kingdom of Science…” Gokudera says softly. He nods his understanding, but honestly, most of it just flies over his head. They definitely are from different worlds.

“Never heard of it. I time-traveled after I got shot by a magic bazooka?” It’s not his bazooka, and it’s not his first time being shot by it, but almost no one knows anything about it. To most people, it’s just some weird legend.

“A five-year old hitman in my world carries it around and blasts himself with it when he’s upset. Then, he swaps places with his self from ten years into the future.” That’s all there is to it!

"No, perhaps you wouldn't have. The Kingdom of Science occupies the southern half of what was Japan. For the moment, at least, although considering all the borders are going to be redrawn over time, most likely, that may remain to be the case." They had far too much power to be assimilated back into the country. "I founded the country in 5738, when there were no other countries to be in conflict with."

Senku quirked a little smile. "Interesting. Potentially very helpful if you know how to make that kind of device, otherwise I'll have to continue with my calculations. I'm looking to cross a bit more time than that. Roughly 3800 years, give or take."

“What happened to Japan?” He asks with a gasp. Of course, he’d understand if this guy can’t tell him. And maybe that’s not the future that Gokudera will ever see, because it’s a… different Japan, right? He won’t be happy if Senku can’t tell him, but he will have to just accept that.

“Ah, no… it’s a different family’s thing.” Despite the five-year old hitman that his boss is taking care of, it is the kid’s bazooka.

“Why are you looking to cross that much time?” Gokudera is fascinated. This guy sure is weird, and he doesn’t have any reason to doubt that what he says is true. Just… not the bomber’s truth.

Senku did not mind in the slightest, because it was by far the most fascinating thing he'd ever encountered. "In the year 2019, there was a global petrification event, where these AI aliens landed on the planet and petrified all of humanity with the singular goal of motivating humans to develop technology to perform maintenance on the individual units. All humans close to the surface of the planet were immediately turned to stone and for the vast majority of them, their consciousness went to sleep. Six members of humanity were stationed on the International Space Station. They would return to Earth and live out the rest of their lives."

He held up a finger. "So when I broke free in 5738, civilization, countries...all of them were gone. There wasn't much of a human population at all. Approximately three hundred across the entire globe, as far as I know. Every other human was still petrified. Over the course of time, some of the statues would get damaged or worn which prevented the person from being revived later. The goal is of course, to restore any of the lost. Save everyone." It had always been Senku's goal from the start. "Including many of the AI beings that were destroyed over that time."

"Japan." Senku continued. "Didn't end up being reunified because as the kingdom that did all of the work we hold a lot of sway and esteem among our global partners." He tapped a pin with a gold chain on his lapel. It looked like two crossed rocket ships with a star above them. "This is our insignia."

He happened to be a very high ranking member of the kingdom, not that that was important.

“!!!” Aliens?! Gokudera is in awe. He’s not envious enough to think being turned to stone could be a good thing, but he’s from around 2010. Skipping into the future, he saw nothing that would indicate what this guy’s been through. It’s a relief, and he listens on, nodding, clearly beyond fascinated with this topic.

“Only three hundred?!” He can’t imagine that few when he’s used to people being mostly everywhere.

“So you’re trying to go back in time to prevent this from happening?” Time-travel is confusing.

He looks at the little pin, hums. It does look important, and with so few people, and this guy’s brain-power, it’s no shocker that he may be ‘very high ranking.’

"Yes. The six astronauts returned to earth and had many children, and began a lineage over the past 3700 years. They got incredibly lucky with genetic mutations in that most of the people are relatively healthy. What kept the population down were the conditions. They didn't have much by way of scientific knowledge, and were a hunter/gatherer society, meaning that food scarcity and famine, as well as illness were major problems. The village I came upon on the mainland had about a hundred members. The others were on a satellite island. The mainland village came from there, they'd migrated over a couple hundred years before." Senku continued to explain because biology was genuinely interesting to him.

"No, not at all." He explained. "I suspect we cannot change the future. We could, in theory, pull people from the time before they died to the future though. Same with the AI that died in South America. The math says it shouldn't be a problem because if they just die there's no likelihood we're messing with something that would interfere with their past selves. I intended on saving 7.8 billion people, and I meant that." Senku responded, even though that might come outside of his lifetime. It wouldn't matter. He'd have contributed.

“That’s some goal.”

Gokudera looks very impressed. In fact, “I wish there was some way I could help.” But they’re just stuck in a carriage on their way to some kind of event he’d not been briefed on before being dressed appropriately.

“You’re a good guy, then.” Not that things are always so black-and-white. Just… that’s something worth wanting, and clearly Senku is giving lots of consideration.

"Giving up would be entirely too boring. It's not a challenge then, is it?" Senku chuckled to himself. "By that metric, I suppose I am."

He softened his expression slightly. "I appreciate the sentiment, but if it's any comfort to you, most places are moving onward, technology is pulling itself to about the mid 1900s as an overall average, with significant blips of improvement based on the field. There are also many places that are beginning to look a lot like they used to. It's just the borders are likely to all be redrawn, even at a city level. Not as much overcrowding, perhaps."

Senku hummed. "I am looking forward to having indoor plumbing in my house again, that will be nice. It was pretty low on my priority list before, but should be coming about soon enough. We have some facsimile of it at the lab."

Gokudera gives a hum and a nod of agreement. Yeah, he’d be happy to help this guy out.

“I’m not offering for my sake!” Why would he need to find any comfort in someone else’s future he’ll likely never see?

“Maybe this world has indoor plumbing?” He hasn’t checked. Hasn’t even thought of going to the bathroom. Right now it’s just… waiting to see where they’re being taken.

"Here's hoping." Senku laughed. "Having a shower would definitely be a welcome experience. I'm a stickler for cleanliness, but rivers and the ocean is not the same thing."

He would've been regardless, it was the number one way to prevent illness and he'd been a doctor for quite a long time in the village.

"This seems like some event we'll be forced to make an appearance at, at least." Senku sighed softly. "My least favourite kind of event."

The carriage seemed to be slowing down, they must be close.

“Did you bathe before dressing up?” Gokudera says and looks him over. Senku doesn’t look dirty, and he doesn’t think anything in the carriage smells bad aside from his cigarettes and dynamite.

“You attended something big like this before?” He remembers his father throwing parties, so maybe it will be something like that. Maybe he’ll get to meet the host?

Maybe they’re someone with a lot of power that might be able to wake him up, or pull someone else in.

{ stroke of midnight }

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