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

"I'm pretty sure I'm a pirate, kid!" Ace just laughs, because he knows the Grand Line has weird animals compared to the ones he's seen here at least.

"And I think you have now met an indestructible door," He sighs, but takes the moment to show off because he can. "Yup! I'm a man made of fire!"

“A pirate that’s never seen a manatee? You must not be the kind that’s out on the ocean very often.” Not that Gokudera has much room to talk.

“Hot beef, then.” He walks right back over to take his seat next to Ace.

Funny, considering he can't really go into the water. Ace laughs, "Have you seen a sea monster then?"

"Hot beef? I got upgraded?"

“Depends on what you would consider a Monster, wouldn’t it? No, if you’re talking about maybe the Ogopogo, or Nessie, I’ve not seen them in person but I hope I will some day.” It’s just a personal little dream of his, and he doesn’t think it will ever happen.

“Customized. I could always just call you Beef if you prefer.”

"I have no idea what those are, but in my world we get these gigantic animals that live in the sea, and eat people." Wait, "you want to see a sea monster?!"

Ace laughs, and shakes his head. "please don't."

“Oh so it’s the ‘eating people’ part that’s the problem.” He could understand that, but if they’re gigantic and living in the sea, couldn’t they just eat other sea monsters? That’s maybe too reductive a thought. He clearly has no idea how Ace’s world works.

“Yeah. I do.” Gokudera knows it’s weird to want something like that, and he pouts, looking away, as if that were embarrassing.

“Alright.”

"Mostly, yeah. The merfolk live with them surrounding their island, so it's really cool seeing them swimming around it!" The merfolk island is underwater, a thing Ace might have forgotten to mention.

"Hey maybe you'll see them here! anything can happen in this world, you know?"

He smiles, "What should I call you though?"

“Merfolk are fantasy in my world. I’ve never seen them, either.” Maybe he’d like to some day.

“It can? How should I know? It’s not like anyone gave me a fuckin’ introduction before I was tossed into this carriage!” Huff! But it’s kinda nice to know he could meet something cool like a sea monster or a merperson some day.

“Gokudera.” Since that’s his name.

"they're very real in mine, and sadly not treated well." He huffs, remembering some of the treatment they went through.

Ace then blinks, laughing at the kid's words. "Yup! It's a dreamworld, so everything you can dream up can become true!"

"My name's Ace, if you want to call me something else."

The carriage then is starting to slow down, and Ace gasps. Unable to open the door, or a window to look out of, he just turns to Gokudera excited.

"We're almost to our destination! I can feel it!"

“That’s awful!” Someone should do something! Not that he has any idea what anyone could do in a world he’s never been to with merpeople he’s never met.

“Not everything.” He’s got some serious doubts, okay?

“You don’t like Beefneck?” Gokudera smirks and then blinks surprise at Ace gasping.

“Hm…” He’s very much not excited, and is actually super nervous. What if it’s dangerous? What if it’s a trap?

It’s a dream. Gokudera closes his eyes and takes a few deep breaths. “I think maybe the carriage is just slowing down.” Traffic? Maybe they are reaching their destination.

"Yeah... the ones that care are trying to help them!" He knows his brother will get on that for sure.

Ace scratches said neck and smiles, "it's a bit embarrassing, it's all!"

"Slowing down means we're almost there! And I'm sure the masks will do something weird."

And of course, as he finishes talking, the carriage actually stops. The door is opened from the outside and Ace smiles at Gokudera.

"I'll go out first and see if there's anything weird, ok?"

And so he leaves the carriage, and gasps. The castle!

"come on out! You'll love this I think!"

“More people should care.” Gokudera’s a good kid, even if he’s a bit grumpy. He doesn’t know the full context, but still… thinking about mermaids being mistreated doesn’t sit right with him.

“It’s accurate.” And if it’s a little embarrassing, that just makes it more fun to use that nickname.

“What do you mean ‘the masks will do something weird’?” He doesn’t like the sound of that. Gokudera watches as Ace steps out, wary but not uninterested. He gets up and follows at Ace’s prompting.

“The… castle?” He doesn’t not love it. It’s definitely really big and cool, but… he’s been to Mafia Land. That place was the coolest he’s been to. It had castles and rides and traps, and underground training facilities.

“Who is throwing this big party…?” Gokudera just feels more suspicious towards this event. Why are they all being gathered in this one place? Why is it all so fancy and over-the-top? What is the occasion?! Is it really safe? He’s just gonna stick by Ace, since this guy seems to know a bit more than him. Gokudera adjusts his leopard-print mask on his face… is it going to do something?

"Yeah I mean, there's a reason we have masks, right? So probably they are to make us stand out or to make us blend in, one of the two."

Ace watches Gokudera's reaction and laughs, "So you've seen better?" He shrugs, and starts making his way to the castle as they're being directed, "Come on, we'll find out soon enough."

Gokudera doesn’t understand the point. He’s going to be a stranger to everyone whether he has a mask on or not, unless his boss or family is around. “You think everyone’s going to be dressed fancy, too?”

“Yeah.” His father has a lot of money and he never realized how good he had it. But nothing really compares to the wonders of Mafia Land.

“What if it’s some kind of trap…?” Maybe he’s a little paranoid, but he did just get yanked out of his own future the night before they were supposed to invade an enemy base, and where it would be unsafe to even go outside.

"Absolutely! If we could have gotten away with normal clothing, believe me, I wouldn't be wearing this." Shirts are constricting, and when he always run hot it's uncomfortable.

Ace laughs, because "it does look like a trap right?" He shrugs, "I can deal with traps, what about you?"

“Then maybe your neck could expand properly.” Gokudera says with a little grin.

“Mnnn I usually set them up.” He can’t deal with traps alone when he doesn’t know who he’s up against. Gokudera’s going to stay by Ace, though. He’s learned sometimes you have to work together to accomplish something, and… Beefneck doesn’t seem like a bad guy.

Ace blinks, and laughs. Necks can expand?!

"We'll be fine, if anything goes wrong, we can always burn everything to the ground!"

He winks at Gokudera and starts asking his way to the castle.

"Though hopefully they'll offer food."

Well yeah if you pull the muscles or shift your shoulders a certain way, right? He’s pretty sure they do!

“What about other people? They probably don’t need to burn unless they’re bad.” Gokudera may be aggressive and a little bit of a jerk, but he’s not a bad guy. He doesn’t like the idea of anyone innocent getting hurt.

“Be kind of dumb not to with a space that large. And other people attending.” He can see some other carriages.

"I can control my fire enough not to burn everyone, but you're right."

Ace smiles and wraps his arms round Gokudera's shoulders, to pull him along if the teen will allow it.

"Gotta find out!"

“Oy! Get off me!”

Since when did they get so close that this level of affection is allowed?! Gokudera will walk along with Ace, but he’ll be damned if the guy is going to keep that arm on him.

Ace laughs and hugs the kid a bit before taking his arm off his shoulders and putting his hands on his pockets.

"How old are you, by the way? You look way younger than you act."

Gokudera straightens up his fancy outfit with a little indignant huff.

No one has ever asked him his age directly before.

“Why does that matter?”

He’s never really been treated his age anyways.

"It doesn't! I'm just curious to know if you're as young as you look."

Age is so weird to him, considering Marco is immortal and has been in the crew for so long that no one knows how old he really is.

“I think I’m sixteen,” he answers back. Time travel’s gone and screwed him up a bit. There’s no way being stuck in the future isn’t going to have some impact on him.

“I don’t want to know how old you think I look, by the way.” Because no matter what, it’ll bother him. If he looks older, he’s gonna be worried that time travel really is messing with him. If he looks younger, he’ll just take it as an insult.

It’s probably not easy to guess his age through his mask, and he’s not very tall. He knows he’ll get there! Has roughly another foot of height in a growth-spurt to gain based on the clothing his older self had.

"Not bad! that's a good age." Ace smiles and laughs, because really, he thought Gokudera was younger (oops).

"Come on, lets get full on what i think is amazing foods."

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