songerein | { 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

[Mikleo is quick to nod and follow his lead, grateful for Sorey's foresight, since he does hate to be a spectacle and he's still not used to being so... visible. Having all these eyes on him - or to those with no resonance, on Sorey, hugging and talking to empty air - is only going to bother him over time, and he can't speak plainly to Sorey in the middle of a crowd. Or a dance floor, apparently. Sorey's last comment does draw a blush to his cheeks, so it seems not that much has changed. Mikleo is still very much Mikleo.

He's quiet as they head out, his hand drawing warmth from Sorey's, watching his back and marvelling at the simple comfort found in his presence. How many times has he walked behind or alongside Sorey? Watched the way his back muscles shifted beneath his shirt as he moved, upright and unslouched, heard the soft noise of beaded feathers jostling against the fluff of his hair, followed the beat of each footstep? Two centuries and he remembers every bit of it. The way they used to move as one, years of practice evolved into pure instinct over time. He'd missed this. He'd missed this.

At the outskirts of the party at last, the chatter of a crowd reduced to a distance lull in the background, he glances briefly down at their hands, the one aspect of this that is unfamiliar, new. Not unwanted, though, so he doesn't let go. That singular point of connection is satisfying his urge to vanish into a ball of light and phase into his vessel, to nestle in like a child burrowing into a sea of blankets. Maybe he'll get there at some point. He doubts Sorey would refuse. For now, though, this is better. Truly, like old times.

He doesn't know where to begin, so after grasping hesitantly at his options for a few moments but unable to commit - there's so many, so many, a million things he'd thought he might say when they reunited - he finally starts with,]

Rose was my last Shepherd.

[It's blurted out like a confession, a sin to be purged. He's not sure if the sin is that he seemingly gave up on purifying the world alongside the rest of their friends, or that he took another Shepherd at all. It's selfish, isn't it? They were supposed to have outgrown that selfishness, when they'd committed to sacrificing themselves for the world, sacrificing their friends, sacrificing Gramps. The responsible choice should have been to recruit more Shepherds, more Squires, work tirelessly towards their shared dream until Sorey woke up. He didn't. Selfish.

It's just. Rose was acceptable only because she'd understood them. Because she knew him. Because she didn't mind how often he left them to be on his own.]

I don't know if it matters to you, but... I thought you should know.

[Outside, away from all the voices and eyes, from the different pulls of malevolence and divinity alike, with the crisp air extra cold on his heated cheeks, it's easier to catch his breath. Mikleo's hand is still in his and he hasn't pulled away yet, another difference from before, though not an unwelcome one.

Sorey's eyes are still adjusting to the dimmer lighting of the outdoors, tracing over the intricate gardens and decorations, little couples or small groups of people speckled throughout instead of the shoulder-to-shoulder surroundings of the inner halls (wow those two people are just straight up making out over there) when Mikleo's voice pulls him out of his reverie.

About Rose.

It's clear from the look on Mikleo's face that he hadn't quite meant to say it- or maybe he hadn't meant to say it just yet? It takes a moment for Sorey to parse out what that could mean, Rose was my last Shepherd, that Mikleo just wanted Sorey to know. So, even though it's been centuries, Mikleo never teamed up with another Shepherd after Sorey and Rose.

...does he think Sorey will be disappointed?] Okay, [Sorey says softly, giving Mikleo's fingers a squeeze.] That's what you wanted, right? You have to be true to your own heart first.

[There is some measure of relief at Sorey's answer, something that is admittedly a little shameful. What did he expect, for Sorey to be angry? Disappointed, distressed? Not really. But Mikleo himself would feel dishonest if he'd hidden it. Most of the work he'd put into mending the wounds of the world had been indirect, supportive, when their whole journey had been on the front lines. Malevolence still needed to be cleansed. Hellions fought. Squires recruited. And he... well, he'd learned a great deal about sealing magic, to ensure that as the decades passed, more of Maotelus's malevolence couldn't escape and make things worse as the world healed and Sorey purified him. To ensure that Symonne and Lunarre, their unfinished business, couldn't interfere with all they'd accomplished. Protecting Sorey had been his priority. Logically speaking, it wasn't a selfish act. But anyone who knew him knew his motivations.

He glances down at their joined hands, feeling an 18-year-old's urge to withdraw and cross his arms over his chest. He resists it for a long moment, his thumb brushing idly over the back of Sorey's palm. And then, with a noisy exhale, he gives in and lets go. He's being too clingy. It's probably weirding Sorey out.]

You don't have to phrase it in such an embarrassing way. I had plenty of work to do outside of the Shepherd's journey! We left a lot of loose ends even after freeing Maotelus, you know.

[-oh. He's letting go. Okay, Sorey can probably just...like. Put his hands in his pockets- no that's not going to work. Clasp his hands behind his back? ...feels formal. Lean back against this pillar also?]

So are you saying you were too busy to have another Shepherd because of the mess I made?

[Sorey looks awkward, suddenly. Did he say something off? Did he misread the situation? Two hundred years apart has him reeling in nostalgia, frantically scratching at buried memories from ages ago, trying to re-examine them without the rose-tinting of longing and loss attached. Parts of it come back so naturally, but other parts are disjointed, off-balance, Edna in Eizen's boot: it's normal, but still a bit off if you examine it long enough. He's done something wrong. He let go too soon.]

That's not what I said! If you want to look at it so uncharitably, that's your call. I did say we, you know.

[He crosses his arms to resist the urge to offer his hand back out, looking exasperated. He's not sulking, though! That would be immature for a 200-year-old seraph. (He's absolutely sulking. He screwed up and he knows it.)]

I know, I know. Joke. [Bounces a little back against the wall, restless.] Poor taste. I'm sorry.

[The distance feels longer and longer the more time Sorey spends not touching Mikleo. Here he is, hundreds of years older, and though there are some differences he's so very much the same. Mikleo really won't ever age, will he? And even once Sorey wakes up, he'll have a few decades with him before he eventually passes on.

Maybe-

Maybe it's cruel to not encourage Mikleo to distance himself from him.]

( here! )

{ stroke of midnight }

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