{ stroke of midnight }

[dreamposts]

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.

1. 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.
   
   
2. 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.
   
   
3. 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.

1. 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.
   
   
2. 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!

Comments

[itstillhurt]

[Once they've got the basic steps down, she actually starts to fall comfortable into the rhythm. This-

Well, this isn't... unpleasant. There's an elegance to it, a grace she finds appealing, even if they're only repeating the same basic steps and rotating slowly in their little corner of the floor. She almost feels herself relaxing. And then she sees the broad grin on his face, feels the gentle squeeze of his hand on hers.

The strange spike of panic returns, and she has to restrain the urge to immediately flee the dance floor.

Without missing a beat, he signs 'You have me,' staring at her as if it was the most obvious thing in the world-
"I suppose it's making the music a bit more tolerable"-
A sharp pain in her right shoulder, a dull impact on her left side, and the Boiling Rock gondola platform is suddenly rushing up to meet her face-
"Sooner or later," the younger version sneers, "they all realize what you are"-

So much for escaping the intrusive memories. She forces herself to ignore them, but her posture become rigid, her grip on his hand and shoulder suddenly tightening.]

[zomboii]

[ It's not easy to see the changes in Azula's demeanour. He's know her for several months now and he's still learning what to look for in her expression, in the way her lips turn downward or her eyes narrow. He's still learning to read body language, to understand the cues that point to something being wrong rather than different.

Unnamed has a long way to go. But even he can see the way she goes from effortless grace to something more stiff. Feel the way her hands clutch and her fingers dig into him. He's confused. Did he do something wrong? Is she not having fun anymore...? It's only been a few minutes, but maybe she's had enough of dancing? He doesn't want to be done just yet, but if she doesn't want to...

He tilts his head and gives her an inquiring look--despite the fact that the masks make it all the more difficult. ]

[itstillhurt]

[...Ah. Ah. Okay she's clearly causing a scene- get a hold of yourself, Azula. She forces her grip to relax, wills the tension out of her muscles, and lightly shakes her head- it's fine, Nanashi. She even tries to muster a reassuring smile.

She's not notoriously good at those, but uh

There was

An attempt.]

[zomboii]

[ Oh god, it's the smile. Or a version of it. An uncanny valley, something isn't quite right smile. The sort where he doesn't know if he's in trouble or if her face has broken--

Azula might force herself to relax, but now it's his turn to be a bit stiff. He stumbles a little on his next step, catches himself, and looks flustered. ]

[itstillhurt]

[Of course. Of course he was losing his nerve already.

She very nearly stops dancing right then, but- no. No, she said she would dance one full song, she's not going to give up just because he's easily intimidated. She smoothly adjusts her own step to make up for the stumble and keeps them moving in time with the song, but the smile slips from her face.

"But you probably would do something horrible to them"- Not useful. "All your life, you've used fear to control people"- Stop it. "Tell me, mother, did you have to have a new daughter because the last one turned out to be such a monster?"

Rrgh. She had to suppress the urge to scream. it was just supposed to be a stupid dance.]

[zomboii]

[ The smiles goes, but Unnamed doesn't feel any better in its absence. He knows something must've shown on his own face or in his actions, because just like that, Azula's demeanour shifts again. This time it feels like she's mad rather than...whatever that was a second ago, and while it's a more familiar "flavour" of Azula, he still wishes she'd feel good rather than this--which she'd probably describe as 'fine' if he asked.

She catches his stumble at least, so he's able to nod his head to her in thanks as she corrects their pace and gets them back on track.

He grips her a little tighter to keep himself focused, relaxing only once he's made it through a few more steps without fault.

He exhales. ]

[itstillhurt]

[Azula only dimly registers the nod of thanks. It's not until she feels him hold her more tightly that she's pulled from the intrusive memories.

It's obvious that it's a response to the stumble, nothing, more, but it's still... odd. She can't put a finger on why, but chasing the odd thought to its conclusion at least gives her mind occupation as she continues dancing with him, and keeps her from any more upsetting memories or feelings.

The panic and the odd clenching frustration at least seem to ease up, anyway, and the tension in her chest begins to relax. She almost feels lighter, somehow.]

[zomboii]

[ Unnamed doesn't know what's caused it or what cured it, but it seems like they're back to normal...or close to it. He wishes he could ask her about it, but even if he hands were free, he's sure she'd just tell him she was 'fine'--which very much does not seem to be the case during the moments he asks.

Still. It's good to see whatever came over her dissipating, and now that confidence has returned to her steps there's no more stumbling on his end. Or well--almost no more stumbling. He doesn't quite lift one foot high enough when shuffling and stumbles just a tiny bit, but that's within the realm of his usual lack of coordination; he even laughs a bit when he does it, giving their joined hands a little swish to show he isn't bothered by it.

He's just glad to be able to share something he likes with her. ]

[itstillhurt]

[The brief stumble concerns her again- what did she do to upset him now?- but then she sees him laugh and he tugs at her hand in amusement.

So he wasn't upset, he was just clumsy. And as ridiculous and easily pleased as ever. She actually gives a small but genuine smirk of amusement at that, though it's followed by an oddly alien pang, a sensation she can't quite place or identify- she's not even sure if it's good or bad, exactly.

She ignores the feeling, but the moment still distracting enough that she doesn't notice the way her backward step doesn't quite land as low as the last one. Or the step after it, which seems to carry them slightly up and off the ground.]

[zomboii]

[ It carries them both up. Azula first, then Unnamed as he moves to match her steps and feels the ground vanish from beneath his feet. It's a little confusing at first--did he stumble or slip again?--but no. They're just not on the ground anymore, and when he realizes that he lets out a gasp of delight.

He follows Azulas next step, then the next and--yes! They really are floating! Wow...!!

Unnamed doesn't have words for it, but he huffs and puffs a little in his excitement as he tries tugging Azula lightly, just to see if she'll let them spin. ]

[itstillhurt]

[On the step forward, she realizes the height in the room is off. She'd seen a handful of others floating on the dance floor, but she hadn't really thought much of it until now.

She wasn't even sure how she'd done it. Did he do it? Or was this just a thing that was happening to people? Well, it seems harmless, so she doesn't concern herself about it. It seems, at least, to still let them dance uninterrupted, slowly turning higher above the floor. That is, until he gives his strange little voiceless huff of excitement and pulls her into a spin, which she has no idea how to prevent given their current situation.

Her first instinct is to catch herself with firebending, her second and third thoughts in no particular order are that firebending would make a scene and firebending would give her identity away to the entire room, and her fourth thought is that she can't use fire around Nanashi unless she needs to. That's all the time she has to think- instead. her instinctive reaction is simply to grab onto him as they spin.

It's only afterward that she realizes that since they were dancing normally even in the air, she probably could have just stopped them normally in the air just as well, despite the lack of solid ground.

Ah.]

[zomboii]

[ There she goes over-thinking it, as usual. Azula worries about the how and why and what-if, and him? He's just excited to share a moment of pure Wow^TM with a friend. He's never floated before! Never flown! It's just like when Percy helped him to 'swim' in the ocean by controlling the water--the experience is novel and new and amazing.

Azula grabs him, they spin, and it's just as if they were standing below. They don't twirl up endlessly into the ceiling (something he hasn't even thought of) and they don't go flying off in any other direction. Gravity...works. Or whatever's happening while they float it does! Success! ]

Ihih ihh~~

[ The sound is nasal and wheezy, but it's delight nonetheless, to the point where he waits until Azula is looking at him again before he tries mouthing an exaggerated 'fun!' at her.

Unnamed can't really read lips, but he's seen that word enough to want to try it himself.

For the first time.

With Azula, of all people. ]

1/2

[itstillhurt]

[As the spin slows and she reclaims her... footing? Well, it sort of worked like 'footing,' even if they were a few feet off the ground now. As she reclaims her footing, she realizes that she's grabbed onto him for stability, rather tightly.

There's a sudden stab of discomfort, and she hastily begins to pull back from him, about to do or say something hostile- she hasn't made up her mind yet just what. He did that on purpose.

He didn't do that on purpose. She knew better immediately Nanashi doesn't do clever or tricky things on purpose, he has all the guile of a baby turtleduck. Don't be ridiculous, Az-]

2/2

[itstillhurt]

[-zula?

When she meets his eyes, his entire face is lit up with joy, and he mouths something to her.

It looked like he said 'fun.'

It... it was sort of fun, but-

Her expression softens, and she can't quite suppress a smile, a slight huff of laughter. This inane, ridiculous diversion has- in defiance of all expectation and reason- been fun. She rolls her eyes and nods, still smiling.

...oh, right, she should... probably...

She pulls her arms away from his shoulders and back into the dancing frame, nudging him back into movement to resume the dance.]

[zomboii]

[ That was--that is--a smile. A real one. On Azula's face. Towards him.

Holy guacamole.

Unnamed doesn't know if it's because he's never seen her look like this before, or if it's because she really, truly looks like she's enjoying herself--but it feels...profound. Important. And for some reason in makes his insides feel like they can't stop flip-flopping. His heart can't skip beats, but sentiment is the same as he stares at her in awe.

He helped Azula look happy.



He's going to remember this night for the rest of his life. ]

[itstillhurt]

[As the song winds down and they slowly begin sinking back to the floor, she becomes acutely aware of him staring at her.

Normally, she'd probably be annoyed- in fact, she sort of expects the stab of indignation and hostility- but somehow it never comes. Instead she just feels a sudden flash of self-consciousness.

She never feels self-conscious.

But even that doesn't actually manage to provoke her. Instead it just makes her face flush slightly.]

Why are you...?

[He can't hear you, Azula.

So she waits until they're back on the floor, and the song finally ends, to pull back and try to force the smile off of her face.]

[zomboii]

[ "You look happy," he signs once their feet are on the ground once more. He doesn't know what Azula's said, but he has to comment anyway. Even if she tries to hide it, he insists:

"This is the first time you smile like this. Your smile is..." He draws his hand across his face from left to right, up to down.

"Beautiful."

And he hopes that he gets to see more of it, even if it's only when she's wearing a mask. ]

[itstillhurt]

[Happy? Ridiculous. It was just a silly... admittedly fun dance. She doesn't, as she told him many times, do 'happy.' But any intrusive thoughts of those conversations is derailed by what he says next. She... wasn't sure, it wasn't a sign she'd spent much time on, but did that sign mean-

What?

What?

Several instinctive responses spring to mind- that of course she is, she's always beautiful, that it's one of her many talents, all the usual smug retorts that she tends to offer in response to insincere flattery... and she can't sign well enough to properly convey any of them. And he's not being insincere, because he seems, by all appearances, utterly incapable of it.

Her smile? Ridiculous. Ridiculous, sentimental. Soft. Weak.

Him, or you?

She blinks at him, the smile slipping from her face. Her heart stabs in her chest, and the clenching weight resumes in her gut. She can't quite muster the scowl she wants to, but she's still frowning as she suddenly whips out her journal and quickly jots down.]

Do not ever presume to spin me without warning like that again.

[She hastily tucks the journal away, turns around, and quickly stalks away.]