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

[It feels like she's just been stabbed in the back. Betrayed... by a brooch!?

She stares at the one he wears, utterly dumbfounded, and her mouth even falls open before she's looking at her own and lo and behold... It's glowing to match. She thought they were just decorations!?!?

Then, there's a soft, tired sigh from under her mask before she's unpinning it.]

Are you supposed to take it now, or what? Here.

[She holds it out for him.]

[Ah ha ha... This one is a prickly one.]

I could, but I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to charge this with dreamotion first.

[Not a lie... He thinks?]

C'mom, it's a party! Should try to cut loose and have fun.

[Cut loose...? Just who is this guy?

Though, she supposes she could try being a better sport about it. Maybe if she charges up her pin with dreamotion, the mice and the fairy godmothers will finally let her leave this godforsaken place. Maybe it's better that she has no idea who this man is, and he doesn't seem to know her either, so... no harm, no foul, if she's going to remain a mystery.

Velvet retracts the brooch and pins it back to the front of her dress.]

And do what, exactly?

[There may be some exasperation to her voice, but at least it's faded a bit.]

Are you asking me to dance?

[...Hmmmm. Seeing that she's starting to relax a bit and seem to be going along with it, he grins.]

Sure, why not? Can't say I know more than a few basic steps, though.

So. [He'll hold out his hand with that easygoing, cheerful smile.] Will the beautiful lady honor me with a dance?

[Yes, he is playing it up and being silly. ...And the sparkles are just going to add to it.]

[Ah—

Beautiful... lady...

Velvet thinks she's far from that, but she's never really thought about how she looked before. Never thought of herself as anything, really. and his words catch her off guard, and she suddenly feels more self-conscious about her dress and her hair and everything about herself. Uncharacteristically so.

Her mask helps to hide the colour that's risen in her cheeks, and she tries to shake it off with a grit of her teeth.

She's only doing this so that she can get out of here!!! This stupid brooch is her ticket out.]

I don't really know how to dance either.

[At all.

As she takes him by the hand with a surprisingly firm grip, letting him lead her out to the dancefloor.]

So keep it basic.

[With her hesitating, he wondered if he said something wrong...but it dawns on him that she might have gotten embarrassed, and that just amuses him a little. Too bad he can't see her full expression, it probably would have been cute.

Being a gentlemen, he takes her hand with a light grip when she finally accepts and leads her to the floor, finding a space for the two of them. As they walk he listens to the music and hums the beat a little...aha!]

Sounds like a waltz, and a slow one at that. Really easy to do, so I can at least teach you the steps.

[Even her walk is incredibly stiff as she lets him lead her to the dancefloor, and already, she's plotting her escape route from behind her mask as her eyes scan the room. Someone bumps into her as she shuffles along, knocking her gently into Rokurou so suddenly that she has no choice but to catch herself on him, using him to keep herself from falling over completely.

... Not without a grumble in the direction of the couple, who have already moved on as if nothing had happened.

Straightening, Velvet bristles a bit and looks at him, her brow raising.]

I thought you said you only knew the basics.

[Rokurou notices the bump too late and is slightly surprised when she catches herself on him.

...

...?

Why...does her body figure feel familiar...?

As he's puzzling over that, he barely notices her grumbling and almost misses her question.]

Huh? Isn't the waltz basic?

[That's what he learned when he was younger, anyway...]

[It probably is. She has no idea—]

Didn't think that meant ballroom dancing.

[In which case, he's going to have to show her the ropes, because she thinks it's just a step, step, step. That, and he's really going to have to take the lead on this one, because even as they stand in the center of the dancefloor together, she remains stiff as a board.

She does lift her other hand, however, though it hovers in the air before she asks...]

Where do I...?

Haha, guess there are traditional ones, too. I know a few of those, but don't think they'll work here.

[He's not sure if she would be familiar with them, anyway. Even if from the same world (which he doubts), different regions would have different traditions and everything. Not to mention his own unique upbringing... Well anyway—]

But here.

[Catching onto her uncertainty, he gently takes her hand to place one his shoulder and keeps the other in his hand.]

And...well, you'll have to excuse me for this.

[He has to put his own hand behind her back. It's a light touch since he's trying to be respectful still.]

[Her entire back goes straight when she feels his hand rest there. She's not used to being touched, nor does she like it, but... She sees the way that his brooch glistens and it reminds her of why she's doing this in the first place.

Just an escape plan. This is just an escape. The fairy godmothers will let her leave after this, right? If she just proves that she had a little bit of fun!?

Ugggggghhhhhhhhhhhh...

And now she's just awkwardly standing there with one hand on his shoulder and the other in his, and she's never been more thankful for the anonymity than she is right now. So, Velvet puts on a smile... awkward as it is, it isn't fake. It's just... not... an award-winning one.

And the moment he starts to lead, she'll accidentally step on his feet on the very first beat.]

That's not— [Her voice shrinks into a quiet grumble.] Sorry.

[She might actually feel a little bad for this guy. Of all the people to end up being paired with thanks to these brooches, it had to be her.]

Edited 2023-02-23 17:25 (UTC)

[Just a light wince before he gives her a goodnatured grin.]

Haha, it's fine—I can take a few hits.

[A light attempt to joke around.]

So the steps are like this—

[And while it might be off rhythm at first, he'll slowly and carefully show her the simple box steps.]

[He'll have to go really slow. Velvet's steps continue to be tense and a bit awkward, but she follows along... okay enough. It's passable, but she could stand to relax her posture a little as she focuses too much on his feet and not enough on his.

...

But it seems simple enough, and she's a quick learner, so she slowly picks it up until she's moving somewhat naturally... With maybe a few steps on his toes before she finally learns. Which is good, because now she can actually work on "filling up this brooch", apparently. She can be friendly enough for a while... she thinks.

And she's been wondering...]

So, who picked this outfit for you?

[Not even going to sugarcoat it.]

[Throughout it all, Rokurou remains patient and encouraging—and hiding the pain whenever she steps on him a little too hard. BUT IT'S GOOD, IT'S ALL GOOD... Until at least she starts getting the hang of it. Still, he'll take it nice and easy.

...And then dryly laugh.]

Those fairies.

[Even now a small trail of sparkles follow them.]

Definitely not my first choice. They at least let me have the mask.

[As long as none of those sparkles get on her! She does notice them, and she'll try to carefully avoid them when they flutter a little too close to her—]

It's unfortunate.

[The outfit, she means. And unfortunate for anyone who has to bear witness to it, too.]

You didn't go back and ask for something else?

I tried, but they just shoved me away. [SIGH.] Well it's fine, just one night, anyway. Except for the sparkles, it's pretty easy to move in.

[He then looks at her, not exactly eying her, but he does look over her dress again.]

And you? Fairy's work or of your own choosing?

All of it's the fairy's.

[She doesn't mind him looking. It is a nice dress, if she's being honest, and she doesn't care how she looks—good or not—but...]

None of this is of my own choosing. I didn't even wanna come here tonight.

Ah... Well at least for you they did a real nice job. Looks good on you.

[And there's a genuine smile. He's not even trying to flirt, just wanting to give her a genuine compliment.]

Were you shoved into one of those carriages?

[Irony of this conversation right now.]

[The correct thing to do here would be to say thank you for the compliment, but all he gets is a noise from the back of her throat. Whether it's one of discomfort or in thanks... not even Velvet knows the difference at this point. She's not used to people complimenting her.

But it's the next part that has her rolling her eyes.]

Yeah, I was by a couple of... [A pause. Friends? No, they are her mortal enemies right now. She just moves on.] ... and when I tried to break out of it, the mice shoved me right back in.

[HOW, SHE DOESN'T KNOW, but they were very powerful mice.]

Now I'm stuck here.

Yeah, those mice were something, huh? Makes me wonder how tough they would be in a fight.

[Is this something he should be talking about while dancing, no, but that's how his brain goes.

And of course he wouldn't admit he helped the mice.

Not to a person that was shoved in by one, anyway.]

[What the...?

Something strikes a bell of recognition in her head at that. It's a ring that she can't quite place just yet, but it's there, loud and clear. Does she know him...?]

Why would you wanna fight a mouse?

[Of all the things to choose from in this world, why the coach mice?]

Why not?

[A light shrug.]

Think about it. If they were able to just grab and pull in so many unwilling people, and some probably capable fighters, they have to be strong, right? Just sounds like an interesting challenge.

[...]

Sounds like an unfair challenge.

[Mice? Fighters???

This guy just keeps getting weirder and weirder, and he almost reminds her of—

Velvet feels a body bump right into her back when another couple comes spinning right into them. It knocks her off balance and she teeters forward, missing the way the man apologizes before he's whisking his partner away as fast as possible...]

Damn it—!

[Because she's tumbling right into Rokurou, reaching for whatever she can grab onto, which so happens to be him—]

[Wuh oh! Seeing her tumbling towards her, Rokurou will also readjust his hold, arm more around her waist and hand more firmly gripping hers as he also spins a little on his heel to help keep the momentum between them.]

Whoa—you okay?

Yeah. Second time someone's bumped into me like that tonight.

[And this, dear Rokurou and Magilou, is one of the hundreds of reasons why she didn't want to come! She prays they are here somewhere, also suffering—]

Ugh. Maybe this was... [She straightens immediately, not wanting to be too much of a burden on him, but as she does, she sheds a ton of glitter while more of it still sticks to her dress from his suit, and she just... sighs...] A bad idea.

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