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

[He was a great husband in keeping her hidden away.

But wow, that hip bump. That only makes him stay behind her and place his hands on either side of her as he presses up against her, lowering his head to lightly drop a few kisses against the back of her neck.]

Better than a broom closet.

[She leans forward over the sink, her eyes closing briefly to the kisses he presses to her neck, but even as she gives him a small wiggle of her hips, she tries to focus on cleaning up the red lipstick that's been smeared across her lips with a napkin, but in the mirror, her eyes dart up to meet his briefly.]

I'd be up for the challenge.

[She's feeling bold tonight. Even just saying that...

Her cheeks turn bright red, and she straightens, pressing her body flush to his, and her hand slides down, down, down... slowly, until it reaches his pocket. From there, she slips out the stick of lipstick that she hid in there earlier and pops it open.]

We've already done the moonlit tryst anyway, yeah?

[Leaning forward again, she starts to apply the fresh lipstick, her lips turning as red as her cheeks are.]

[......Bold, wife.

Very bold.

There's a slight flash of his eyes as keeps his lips near her neck by her ear.]

Hm... What's another place...the gardens?

[A low whisper as he'll return the "favor" by slowly running his hands over her sides and waist, up around the front of her chest...to gently "tug" at the cleavage of the dress to bring it back more to the center.]

Ah—!

[The noise she makes is a cross between a gasp and a yelp when she feels the tug on the cleavage of her dress, and what does it say about her that she hadn't even noticed yet that it was slightly askew. Then again, in her defense, she wasn't given much time to look in the mirror when they got in before her husband stole her attention and held it captive...

Clearing her throat, Tifa checks her lipstick.]

Under a rosy arch? Behind some trees? [Tifa pauses, and her smile blossoms wider.] Wouldst thou like to... meeteth with me there for a most secret... rendezvous?

[...

...............

He's just going to stare at her reflection in the mirror before he sharply bites her ear.]

You're testing me now, aren't you?

[As if she wasn't before—

But if she speaks that horrible Shakespeare one more time—]

[He provokes another surprised noise out of her when he takes her ear between his teeth, but besides that, she simply slides her mask back over her eyes and leans back once more, dropping the lipstick back into his pocket, but making sure that her fingers linger along the way.]

What fair maiden wouldst I be...est... if't I were to... testeth... mine own prince?

[She's no better at this than she was a year ago, is she?]

[...

.........................................

There are a few different ways he could react, some questionable, and some that would definitely keep them in this bathroom for a long while.

So after staring at her for a few seconds, he's going to slowly remove his hands from her...and then slowly pull back...

...

And then just open the door and leave, shutting it behind him.

REJECTED.]

[Tifa doesn't even move a muscle as she meets his eyes in the mirror, retracts his hands, moves back...

...

And then leaves, making sure to shut the door behind him.

He'll hear her bark with laughter from the other side, her uncontrollable giggles echoing through the bathroom. It takes her a moment to come down from them, and an even longer moment for her to come out of the bathroom.

Under her breath, she mutters as she steps out...]

Where art though, mine prince...?

[Hopefully he didn't go far!?]

[OH HE WENT FAR.

HAVE FUN FINDING HIM IT'S HER TURN NOW.]

[WELP.

Tifa is left standing in the hallway searching around for him, her grin never once leaving her face as she lifts her mask up just far enough past her eyes to see. Even in a crowd, she could pick him out in the blink of an eye, but all she sees here are a few of the dragon staff passing through with empty trays.

If he's already rushed off into the thick of things, then he moved quick... Did he really want to get away from the Shakespeare speech that badly? Well, maybe it's for the best. They likely wouldn't have left the bathroom if he had done what she was goading him to do.

So, Tifa scurries back into the ballroom, which is where she assumed he'd gotten to and pauses at the edge of the dancefloor first to look for him, a smile blooming on her face.]

Where oh where, my valiant wolf...

[This should be a lesson to her to not use Shakespeare speech...!!!!

But she's right, he only went as far as the ballroom. In fact he had waited in the shadow of a column right near the entrance. Seeing her back towards him, he quietly waits until she steps further in, following slowly... Carefully...]

He's valiant now, is he?

[His deep voice rumbles by her ear as he reaches out behind her to take her hand. He would have let the game go on longer...but he doesn't want any annoying pests to approach her. Later he'll "allow" it, but for now, she's still his.]

[Tifa jumps at the sound of his voice in her ear and his hand taking hers. She whirls around, a rain of stars immediately bursting from her dress as she immediately latches onto him, needing a moment as she catches up with her heart suddenly racing.

It's a good thing that he showed up when he did—seeing a lady alone searching the dance floor, several gentlemen had started making their way over to ask for a dance, but had immediately backed off upon seeing him swoop in the confident way that he did, and the smile that immediately broke across her expression.

He gets a shy giggle out of her as she starts to fall back into the princess role.]

He might be a little roguish, but he was always valiant.

[Protecting her from lingering gazes, and big bad monsters... or whatever. She doesn't know anymore, nor does she care. She's having fun. Though the first part is true.]

Or do you disagree?

Hmmm....

[A light smile as he takes her hand to his lips.]

We'll see. [Even if it is true, it's better to remain mysterious, isn't it?] But this "valiant, rogue prince" would like to ask if the fair princess is ready for her dance.

[If only she wasn't wearing gloves right now... Briefly, Tifa lets her eyes close, wishing and imagining what his soft lips would feel like on the back of her hand...

But he's made a proposition that she can't ignore, so after a moment, she smiles.]

Thought you'd never ask...

[It feels like it's been a long time coming... Once again, Tifa feeling like this really is the first time they've met after a long night of dodging one another. But she drapes her hand more properly over his in preparation, and waits for him to lead her out on to the dance floor, like a gentlemanly, valiant prince would.]

[Just a soft, small laugh as his fingertips curl around hers to tighten their hold before he leads her to the floor. Upon finding a spot, he'll turn to lightly take her by the waist, pulling her close to him.

...It's been a while since they've been like this. They've danced a few times since, but never with such grandeur as the fateful night a year ago... Has it really been that long? Gazing down at her, those memories flit through his mind, old visions of finding her outside...]

...It's been a while.

[Such a soft and quiet voice. He may be breaking "character" but he could swing it to blend the two if she wanted to keep it up.]

[It's hard to keep it up when he's being so sweet, his voice so gentle and soft as he pulls her to her. Tifa can't help but melt into the warmth, the music a distant sound in the back of her head as his voice fills it instead. It's hard to push away the giddy thought that it's her husband that she's dancing with...]

How long?

[She glances up at him as she falls into step to the gentle waltz that plays.]

We danced at our wedding, didn't we?

[Though, she may be fishing for an answer, because she knows that as beautiful as their wedding was, it was definitely not as grand as this.]

Mm... But I was thinking if something else.

[He lets them dance a few dance, gracefully turning them as he leads her around their little spot before he speaks again.]

...That night in the gardens.

[That night...

As he twirls them around and stops, Tifa brings herself a little closer, gently pressing her body to his to seek out his warmth as they sway together to the music.]

Haven't thought about that in a while, huh...?

[The night in the dreamscape. It's a bittersweet memory, but not one she is likely to forget.]

Has it really been a year?

Mm.

[His hands now hold her in a more intimate embrace as he closes his eyes, cheek resting against the top of her head. It ended so terribly...but everything before that had been so beautiful and spurred them to finally confront themselves.]

And it started with a masquerade just like this...

[She welcomes the closeness, her heart fluttering when her head rests against his chest and she can feel his steady, solid heartbeat. That is the music that she wants to dance to...

There's a short, comfortable silence as she thinks back to that night and how the two of them met, and when she realizes something, the smallest laugh finds its way out of her.]

But we didn't dance in the ballroom, did we...? Not like this.

No...

[A light smile as he briefly closes his eyes.]

But it's better this way.

[Would they have been so close and intimate? They were getting closer at the time, but there was still uncertainty... And they didn't dance too much, either, not after she realized it was him...and what it meant.

So perhaps it is better that their first real ballroom dance is now, with all that behind them and no weird conditions attached. A dance where even if they are surrounded by others it feels as if they are the only ones.

Such a light and airy feeling......]

So...

[Tifa says slowly, her fingers toying gently with his tie.]

This would be the first real time then, huh?

[She giggles and lifts her head from his chest to look at him, her eyes shimmering like stars behind her mask, her smile barely contained.]

It's kinda funny when you think about it... We've been here for so long, done so many things together. Probably some things crazier than this, and yet... We've never really waltzed together in fancy outfits.

[A light laugh.]

For all the festivals that occur, formal ones like these seem rare.

[He then leans in a little closer, his voice dropping lower.]

That just makes this all the more special.

Mm. It does.

[His voice near her ear again makes a dangerous shiver run over her skin, and she huddles even closer to him, if that's even possible.]

Not even just the festivals. Everything. The dreams, the changes in the town. We turned into candy before we even got to have a real dance like this.

[And though not all of those memories were happy moments, they were still memories with him, and that's what makes each of them special. Every one had brought them together, and she knows that they will only continue to strengthen their relationship and their resolve to be with one another.]

But I couldn't have asked for a more perfect anniversary. To have the dance we never got to have.

[A low thoughtful hum at her words.]

Anniversary... I suppose it is one, isn't it? Do I need to take you to a banquet and formal dance every year now?

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