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!

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“That doesn’t make any sense.” What even is big magic? How is it scaled?! If the point is that this Nico-chan is used to odd things, Gokudera understands.

“Do you mean strange? How do you measure magic from big to small, hm?” He crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow.

“I didn’t give my first kiss to a frog. It is still mine to give away to whoever I think should have it.” But he’s also been around some dangerous people who did not respect him. Kisses could easily be stolen, and he’s had little important to hold on and call his own.

“It is not something that you have to prove to anyone. You could lie, but the only person that it will matter to is yourself.”

"No," Nico agreed. "It doesn't."

He considered Gokudera for a moment. "I've never met the god of dreams, but I'm sorta familar with how dream magic works, as he is part of my father's domain. In my world I have limited control of my own dreams, can travel into others, and can send people into deeper dreaming if I really try." He waved his hand. "I can't do that here. I'm small potatoes compared to Morpheus. And he can only effect one world. And even then, the most I've seen him do is put Manhatten to sleep. Doesn't me he can't do more, but that's all I've seen him do.

"This place, appears to draw people from multiple worlds. That's over my head. That's over his head. It's over my father's head."

Nico blinks his lips turning into an 'oh' he looks down, feeling a little guilty. "I don't think I could lie about that," he said. "I dunno. Gods take the form of animals all the time, or turn people into animals. So in my head it'd be the same."

“Morpheus…?” Noted. Gokudera isn’t entirely certain who that is, but he’s placing it together a little bit.

“There must be some head I can speak to.” If it’s so clearly out of Nico’s range, and over the heads of everyone else he knows.

“I’ve never seen a person turn not an animal or an animal turn into a person. What if someone possessed an animal, then kissed you as that animal… So it’s like, an extension of their will, but not really their kiss.” Why yes, he could go on about this for hours, probably.

"Yeah, the god of dreams," Nico said. He thought he made that apparent.

Nico bit his lips at the question. "Zeus, maybe? He's the only person more powerful than my father, well, the other children of Kronos, but they're all kinda equal except for Zeus is the most powerful of the six of them. But this would be outside of his influence. He, uh, doesn't do subtlety. Or anything with dreams. So you could pray to him. Just make sure I'm not nearby."

Nico doesn't like Zeus. He does his best to make sure Zeus doesn't think about him at all.

"Okay, no, I disagree with you there. The body is only a vessal for the soul. It's the soul's that's important, not what vessel it's in."

Not every day he hears mention of the God of Dreams, so he just had to be sure.

“No thanks. Have you considered there may be other Gods in other worlds that might be at play here?” Gokudera isn’t praying to anyone, thanks.

“So what if that was a normal frog and someone just put a curse on it or something, so if you don’t kiss it, you get bad luck?” What then, Nico-chan?

"If they are, they're more powerful than my gods, and that's terrifying." He blew out a sigh. "Well, it's possible they're more powerful because they're actively worshiped, so there's that."

Nico doesn't blame Gokudera for not wanting to pray to the gods. If he didn't need help, he wouldn't pray to his father. But that's more because he doesn't want to be a burden than irreverence.

"Then I'd curse the gods for fucking around with my love life again," Nico said. "Eros already took my right to come out on my own terms. I'll be damned if they control anything else. Besides, it's not like my luck can get any worse."

Edited 2023-02-21 15:55 (UTC)

“Does a god need to be worshipped in order to be powerful?” Is that how that works? Gokudera’s never really discussed anything like this before. It’s kind of cool.

“If this is just a dream, and you dream you kiss a frog that maybe someone else in the dream cursed, NOT a god… then… you don’t lose your first kiss.” Gokudera points out, then gives another little shrug.

“You choose how you come out to people upon your first interaction. I wouldn’t presume to know anything about you, Nico, aside from what you’ve told me so far.” So who cares what Eros did? Gokudera’s not met Eros. His opinions are his own to form based on what Nico does.

“Oh, this feels unlucky? Maybe it’s because you haven’t kissed enough frogs.” Get on my level, kid.

"Yes, and memory keeps them from fading." Nico is a nerd who likes knowing how things work. If Gokudera asked, Nico would tell him about anything, especially if it might help.

"Ugh, you're just playing devil's advocate now, and it's giving me a headache," Nico grumped. They're obviously at a standstill about this.

He goes silent for a minute, trying to think of a way to explain it. "It sucked. I got shot at with arrows until I admitted it." He knows he's right, and he is a lot more comfortable with himself now that he admitted it out loud and made friends who are also not straight, which was why he was comfortable saying it to Gokudera.

But Eros/Cupid was a dick. And he's never going to forget that.

He looked around, humming thoughtfully. "This is actually a bit of a vacation. Existitinal crisis aside."

“I wonder if that applies to all gods. There must be some exceptions in other worlds…” It would be foolish to assume all worlds operate the same way, after all.

“I’m trying to figure out where you draw your lines, understand better how you think things through. I think it’s kind of stupid to care so much about a kiss.” Says the boy who also has never been kissed.

“If you don’t like talking to me, you’re always welcome to fuck off somewhere.” Gokudera points out plainly. He looks away and continues to smoke his cigarette. Getting struck with arrows until coming out? That’s rough. No one has ever asked Gokudera about his orientation, and he’s so focused on work that the idea of creating or developing relationships felt like a distraction he would not need. Gokudera doesn’t even know how to make friends, and is comfortable pushing people away.

“Good for you, Nico-chan,” said unenthusiastically.

"I don't mind talking to you. About other things. I just don't think talking in a circle is productive."

Nico sits on the fountain's edge, sees the frog, and gives it a rude hand gesture; the frog laughs and hops away. "You seem like a smart person," he said. "And I haven't been able to speak Italian in forever. It's nice."

He aches for home sometimes. To walk down the canals of Venice, eating pastries from Rosa Salva. When he visited earlier in the year, there hadn't been a chance. Not when he was transfromed into a cornstalk. "I don't know if it applies to all gods. I think, and Apollo more or less said it, that the gods are around because humans need and want to believe and have answers. This place could be like that. Only on a multiversal level."

Gokudera was having fun with the conversation, but if that’s unproductive, he’s not keen on more. Feels kind of like a waste of time. He watches Nico and scoffs at the compliment. It does little to sweeten the interaction for him.

“Or it could be nothing like that.” He’s not going to make it similar to his own world, as comforting as that may be to this guy, it won’t make anything easier on Gokudera. He knows this is different.

“I’ve no use for that. I’d like to make sure I’m doing my job for my boss’s sake.” This dream is getting on his nerves.

Nico's head snapped towards Gokudera at the word 'boss.'

No. No way. He's too young. Venice had their troubles with the Mafia. Venice, with all of her canals, was a prime spot for smuggling. He heard about it, didn't pay much attention to it because they weren't pirates, and to his child's mind, pirates were way more interesting than the mafia.

He decides he doesn't want to know. Better not to know. What does the mafia have on gods?

Oh gods, Hermes. Hermes was probably in every mob ever for shits and giggles.

"Or it could be nothing like that," Nico agreed. "But it's a working theory. I'm going to find out what is going on. It's what I do." He looked at Gokudera. "I could use some help though."

Gokudera would notice, but he’s busy musing over his cigarette. He is Mafia, but he’s also not announcing or sharing something like that. Why should this guy know? The bomber is born into the mafia, but not allowed because he’s a bastard… so it’s a good thing his boss is around his age, and in Japan, and… a really really good person. Makes him feel that much more lonely to not be around him and here instead.

At the agreement, he looks back, but then takes another long drag, wondering when he offered to help this guy. “What’s your plan?” He’s not agreeing to shit unless it can help him somehow help the Tenth.

Well, Nico would know what it's like to be a bastard son.

"Poke around, ask questions, be annoying, test the limits of this place. I'm coming back from a near-death experience that left me drained, so it's going to be a bit before I can teleport safely. I have some friends from my world here. Okay, one friend and his friend who's annoying, and a guy I have very complicated feelings for." Read: former crush, and other stuff, but that's all he'll admit to right now. "Basically, fuck around and find out."

“Lucky you.” Gokudera responds, wishing he had a familiar face for company, but also glad he doesn’t. He feels like a fool dressed up as he is, and put in this place without much of a leg to stand on. He may seem smart, but he has zero resources. No place to stay, or anywhere to go after this party.

He’s not going to ask anyone for help. The Tenth isn’t in attendance, and he’ll wake up later and they’ll invade the Millefiore base and kill Iris Shouichi, and go back to the past, and everything will go according to plan. Hopefully. Probably not, but… he’s got to be ready for that. Gokudera is armed to the tits, but it’s all well-concealed.

“I’ve got nothing for you.” Just unproductive conversation, apparently.

Nico nods. Starting to get the idea, he pissed the other boy off somehow, probably when he didn't want to talk about kissing frogs anymore. Whatever. People are allowed to dislike him for being annoying. Better that than being disliked for things he can't control. (Hurts a little, though)

"The offer's open if you change your mind," he said and stood; he was not going to shut the door on this. He was honest; he thought this guy is smart. And while his friends are very capable, they, including him, don't have a lot of sheer intelligence. Okay, Leo was an engineering genius, but still. "Thank you for listening. It was nice speaking in Italian with you. Even if I talk weirdly."

He offers a smile to show no hard feelings. It probably looks more like a grimace because he's so out of practice smiling on command.

It was more the comment about Gokudera’s topic of conversation being unproductive. He’s not the kind of person to discuss gods or believe he’s talking in circles. To him, hearing about god is unproductive. That, and this guy acting as if Gokudera wants to help him is a bold assumption.

“What offer?” To irritate people? Gokudera had been pretty unsuccessful, considering how friendly Nico has been.

“Yeah, it was.” He did genuinely enjoy speaking Italian again, and he’s not bothered saying as much.

"To find out what's happening here, and maybe get out," Nico looks confused. "If you change your mind about wanting to help."

He's not assuming anything. If he's coming off like that, it's on accident. Nico does his best to be polite. Doesn't always succeed, because teenage boy and poor impulse control, but still.

"If you want to speak it again, look me up. I'll be around." Wouldn't be the first time he slept on the streets if had to.

“Ask around, and we’ll likely come to the same conclusions,” Gokudera replies and rolls his eyes. “I never said anything about wanting to help. Not much of an offer if you are the one in need.” Because what is he supposed to get out of that arrangement?

Gokudera is struggling a bit to get out of his ‘lone wolf’ mentality. He’s learned plenty in the future, but this new world… without anyone familiar feels far too strange for him to change a part of himself he was using to keep safe. He has no reason to trust Nico.

No reason not to, but the bomber doesn’t usually offer trust to most people. “Good luck getting your teleportation back.” At least he was listening.

Nico blew out a sigh. He wasn't one to defy logic when it stared him in the face. "I think we're all in need of help," he said. "But I'm sorry for assuming."

He scratches the back of his head. "Thanks. See you around."

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{ stroke of midnight }

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