songerein | { lindwormeo and juliet }

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{ lindwormeo and juliet }

LINDWORMEO & JULIET

It is the third dreamshift, and when everyone rouses and becomes aware of their situation, they find themselves dressed in Verona, a gothic city where night reigns everlasting and violence lurks around every corner. Not because of crime, but because of the two main families, the Montagues and the Capulets, everlasting feud. Fights break out almost every other minute and peace is hard sought after. However, peace is perhaps on the table, for the Capulets are hosting a grand masquerade in a gesture of truce. But it's difficult when one of Montague's sons is cursed as a Lindworm, one of the key reasons why there is a feud to begin with.

"But that's not really all that important," a voice echoes around them. It's a voice different from the tapirs that they've grown accustomed to, and after another moment it chimes in again. "Up here my fair little dreamwalkers."

And lo, high above in the permanent night sky is a moon so full and bright that it almost feels as if it could swallow them whole. After learning about the Story Eater's actions against Songerein's moon, the appearance of a face would certainly alarm many. But then the face seems to recede before it changes into a full person holding a quill and manuscript.

"Greetings! I am William Shakespeare and you are now within my own dream, a dreamscape I believe you call it. My works can be found in many places and in many worlds. Yet that accursed Story Eater has been devouring my masterpieces! I must now pen them all over again, but one of its minions is invading my mind and altering everything and I refuse to become a brainless puppet like Marlowe. I have isolated it within this place of my own design based off of Romeo and Juliet. However it seems after my reading of the Lindworm King, my visions have been affected a bit, but no matter. A playwright must find inspiration where he can!

But it is now up to you to see this play through completion. Doing so will help those outside draw out the fiend through the accumulated dreamotion energy, and if you could give it a few stabs that will help as well. Not all of you need to partake in my play, and I have already chosen my leading actors and actresses. You should find a brief copy of the script on your person, but you may act however you wish. However, I should warn you—this is a tragedy, so deaths are expected. But fear not, you will leave this dreamscape perhaps a bit tired, but unharmed. It's all a dream after all.

Now that should cover it. I look forward to seeing how everyone's tragic romances will play out. It may give me material for my next masterpiece!"

And just as suddenly as he had appeared, Shakespeare disappears from the moon, leaving it to loom brightly over the otherwise dark city.

I. GENERAL PROMPTS

Reminder that those cast as Romeo and Juliet can participate in most of these prompts, but the timing would be set early on before they move onto their designated scenes.

A. Family Feud. Everyone in Verona is randomly split in allegiance between the Montagues and the Capulets, and whenever they meet there is some kind of tension. It could be violent, hostile, passive, petty, or even attraction. Surely Romeo and Juliet aren't the only ones who can love across the aisle. If not pit against each other to fight or exchange snide comments, opposing parties can also work together to deal with Erasers posing as creepy looking family members/soldiers/knights/etc.

» BONUS: TO ARMS. A city-wide family feud makes for good business if you’re in the weapons-and-armor trade. Gather materials to help smithies in creating armor and weapons.

B. Masquerade. Almost as if it's the opening act, everyone, both Montagues and Capulets are to attend a masquerade held within the Capulet's ballroom. It's a momentary "truce," and though tension between the families is still rampant, everyone is welcome to wear the finest clothing they can imagine and to partake in the festivities. The masquerade itself is in the ballroom, but there are also gardens and large terraces that guests can go to if they want some fresh air.

» BONUS: PREPARATIONS. Any good party requires a lot of preparation, and all of Verona is abuzz with activity leading up to the big night. Tailors need help getting fabric, jewels, and other baubles to create the finest dresses. Caterers need quality ingredients for the food that will be prepared and served. Someone needs to step up and be the band for the night. There are plenty of ways in which Dreamwalkers can help make the masquerade a success!

C. EXTRA SCENES. There are a few specific "scenes" featuring key characters from the original play. Whether taken voluntarily or "beckoned" by Shakespeare, those who participate will have a little "essence" of the original character. No full personality change, but they might feel certain impulses or find it easier to slip into the role. Note: anyone can fill in the roles of "Romeo" and "Juliet" for the Paris scenes; it is not exclusive to those who signed up for Romeo and Juliet.

PARIS V. JULIET. Paris meets and dances with Juliet, taking a fancy with her. With his arrogance believing he can win over the Capulet princess, throughout the night he attempts to woo Juliet, either in the ballroom or the gardens just outside. Juliet must not be swayed! (Or maybe a little swayed, but try not go totally off-book here). Juliet can shut down Paris however they want. (This scene happens during or immediately after the "Masquerade", but before the Balcony scene.)
PARIS V. ROMEO. Paris bullies his younger brother about the Lindworm curse on a near-constant basis. And to add insult to injury, after meeting Juliet he’s decided that he wants Juliet for himself. Obviously, Romeo is not about to let his stupid mean brother steal the love of his life! They’re going to have to fight this one out, either with words or via fisticuffs. (This scene happens during or immediately after the "Masquerade" but before the "Balcony" scene.)
BENVOLIO'S ATTEMPTS. Benvolio is trying to find a cure for Romeo's curse, and after some research in the library he finds something! Good cousin that he is, he puts the theory to the test immediately. Unfortunately, his attempt backfires and he gets turned into a lindworm (fully or partially) instead. The poor guy is now out of sorts, and he needs protection so that someone doesn't mistake him for some monster and kill him. At least the transformation is only temporary.
TYBALT V. MERCUTIO. The infamous duel. Considering how much their families hate each other, the inciting incident can be just about anything. The original story has Tybalt goading Mercutio into a duel by calling Romeo a villain, Tybalt killing Mercutio, and Romeo killing Tybalt. But no one’s enforcing the particulars very closely here, so players are free to proceed with the fight any way they please. (If this fight does end in one or more deaths, please refer to the event details on how death works within the dreamscape.)

D. Love is a Battlefield. As if there wasn’t enough drama to deal with, a large, winged noctaere can be found throughout the dreamscape firing arrows at the residents, turning them into Erasers. It can summon smaller winged noctaere to fight for it, and if a dreamwalker gets hit by the arrows, they will slowly turn into a lindworm that is full of hate. It's difficult to combat the boss itself, but it can be weakened by defeating its minions and those hit by its arrows. Love of any form will be a powerful counter that will hit the boss as well.

» BONUS: ROSE COLLECTION. In the forests are white and red roses that are hidden under logs and stones. They will sparkle a bit to make them look different than other flowers. They must be collected before the Erasers can get to them. A white rose fed to a lindworm will return them back to normal. Eating a red rose will allow characters to turn into a pink, heart covered lindworm for ten minutes to fly up and try to combat against the winged noctaere or the Erasers.

II. ROMEO AND JULIET'S OBJECTIVES

The following objectives are locked to those who signed up for Romeo and Juliet. Please refer to the notes for all the stipulations and effects characters will experience as the tragic couple. Final reminder that the characters will be aware of the tragic ending as well as reassurance that they will awaken unharmed at the end of their final scene.

Click for objectives.

A. Love at First Sight. Time to get your party-crashing pants on, Romeo, because there is a masquerade that you are not invited to but are attending anyway. Who doesn’t love a good party? If you wear a mask, no one will know it’s you! Here Romeo and Juliet have the opportunity to meet and flirt and make goo-goo eyes at each other. And if they really want to get into the spirit of things, they can go into a laborious metaphor about how holding hands is super hot but kissing is way hotter. (Yes, really.) At this point Romeo's curse is only a partial transformation, something along the lines of scales down one side of his body.

B. Balcony Scene. The time for light flirting is over–this is where Romeo and Juliet get to declare their undying love for each other. Romeo really needs to work it as his brother, Paris, has also made moves on Juliet. There’s some strangeness in the dreamscape at this point that seems to have mistaken Shakespeare for musical theater, so the loving couple must sing their love for one another. With that spirit in mind, the moment should be suitably big and dramatic! Immediately after this scene is when Romeo and Juliet get married, so there’s no reason not to put it all out there. Shakespeare will lend a "helping hand" in giving them knowledge of the lyrics to sing, though they are free to create their own song and freestyle it. (Players can use existing songs or make it up as they go.)

C. Elope. Being the very mature and intelligent lovers that they are, Romeo and Juliet decide to get married after knowing each other for a whole day. Time to get to the chapel, meet with the Friar, and exchange vows. Shakespear will lend a helping hand by providing wedding attire fitting for those who are cast in their role. That's right, every Juliet will have their own special bridal dress, isn't he so considerate? And then it’s time to do whatever it is that newlyweds do, if that's what they are into. Otherwise, Romeo and Juliet will need to return home to prepare for their future.

D. Runaways. Juliet learns that she is being forced to marry Romeo's brother, Paris, which is a problem because she’s already married and also she doesn’t like that other guy anyway. In a major divergence from the source material, Romeo and Juliet decide to make a run for it instead of that whole poisoning-yourself business. It’s just a better idea all around. The goal is to get out of town undetected, which means that this is a stealth mission. Romeo and Juliet must follow a path and avoid getting caught. Whatever it takes to get past the guards and would-be snitches that would turn you in!

E. Find the Cure. Even after making it out so far, fate is against them. At this point Romeo's curse is advancing, so they need to look for the cure. Just outside of town they encounter a very trustworthy set of three witches who provide a list of items for them to retrieve and mix into a potion: rainbow mushroom, feather of a dove, three snails, and lavender. No one said this was going to taste good. However, while it will work temporarily, only Juliet is told that the final ingredient must be the blood of his lover. It's a cryptic message, however they do not specify how the blood is taken. Do they mean just a few drops? Or her life?

F. Tragic Ending. Upon learning of the young couple's running away, the Capulets have declared war with knights out hunting to kill Romeo and bring back Juliet. They are soon found and no matter what they do, death will await them. But how? Players can direct this however they want. Did the soldiers catch them? Did they decide that the whole double-suicide poison thing was a good idea after all? Does one tragically sacrifice themself to save the other? Does Romeo go full Lindworm and eat Juliet? The possibilities are endless. At this point Romeo is capable of turning into a full lindworm if he's taken the cure without Juliet's blood. If he drinks the cure with Juliet's blood, then he will revert to a normal human (teenager) with no extra powers.

[Mod Note: Details on this event can be found here and we request all thread submissions to be made here.]

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[He feels that ripple once more, a small hint of joy now with it. It's still strange, but... He knows for certain these feelings wouldn't exist with anyone else. With anyone else he would feel a little awkward but otherwise treat everything like a mission that needs to be accomplished, completely distant.

But not with Tifa.

And although the ring sits heavy on his finger, he smiles widely when she pulls him down, his hands instinctively moving to cradle her head as he returns the kiss in full...and tempted for more, but when the kiss is prolonged a little too much, the friar coughs and clears his throat.

"Congratulations. I wish you both a blessed and happy future, and that this union will help bring peace to the families. Remember to practice moderation—"

But the words don't even finish before Eustace takes Tifa's hand and pulls her away so they can escape down the aisle, footsteps echoing through the empty chamber. They're done, they don't need the lecture. Just time for themselves.]

[Even as the Friar clears his throat at them, it isn't until Eustace pulls her away by the hand that she bothers to break it, none of his words sinking in as they rush away, and Tifa only manages a wave and a very rushed "thanks!" before he vanishes from view, the last she sees of him is him shaking his head as the two newlyweds rush off to "practice moderation".

And there's that rush—the exhilaration of finally being free again as they rush out the front doors of the chapel and back out into the crisp air, the cool winds a refreshing welcome after the time they spent enveloped in the warmth of the chamber. It's the rush of contentment that Tifa feels around him, and perhaps the buzz of anticipation that grows within her on behalf of Juliet that leaves a trail of bright blue and red lilies in their wake.

She doesn't know what's going to happen next but seeing him dressed up and waiting for her at the altar, that kiss that they shared in the chapel, those silent glances exchanged... they awakened something within Tifa she's sure she's never felt before. It's so deeply rooted and vast, so soul-crushing that it leaves her red in the face and out of breath when the wind hits her.

Tifa could blame Juliet, and surely that's playing a large part of it, but there's a selfish part of her that wants to take it all for herself. Whatever this feeling is, it's the first time she's felt this content in this dreamscape, and she wants to hold onto it for as long as she can. To make this sliver of a happy moment last before things inevitably crumble, and they wake up from this dream within a dream.

So when she finally picks all those thoughts up off the ground, she pulls him back to her so that their lips can crash against each other once more for one last kiss. Just in case, because this feels like the calm before a storm...]

Edited 2022-02-19 19:18 (UTC)

[There will certainly be many storms in the horizon, but there is one brewing between them now. A storm of unbridled feelings and passion that sweeps them away.

He once again receives her, arms going around her waist as he pulls her to the side with him, mouth never leaving hers as it all seems to escalate—

Only for it to be rudely broken when there's a hard nudge at his back, causing him to almost stumble forward on top of Tifa. There's a ripple of thunder when he hastily glares back, only to be dumbfounded when he finds him face to face with the horse.]

You...

[The horse whinnies and bobs its head before its teeth grab his sleeve and starts tugging.]

Hey, knock it off!

[HE WAS HAVING A MOMENT WITH HIS MAYBE GIRLFRIEND EXCUSE????

But the horse seems adamant in pulling him before it let's go only to whinny and toss its head in a direction. With a snort the horse looks at Tifa. Maybe she can figure it out?]

[If she isn't too embarrassed and ashamed to figure it out. Tifa had been so caught up in the moment that she'd forgotten to take the horse into consideration. All she could think of was leaving no space left between them, her body acting before her mind could tell it not to. So, when it finishes with pulling Eustace off and looks to her, she looks down at her feet and the flowers that have blossomed all around them, and awkwardly tucks a hair behind her ear.]

... Sorry.

[Like a pet who's been caught doing something she knew was wrong, but rather than look the horse in the eye (stop staring at her like that!) she turns in the direction it was nodding to.]

You want us to go that way?

[Whatever "that way" is. She's all turned around now, and she only has herself to blame.]

[The horse nods and once again bumps Eustace. He's still sour about the whole thing, but when he finally looks down the direction, he recognizes it.

...

T'ch.]

...I suppose the scene is still going. If I remember correctly, that's where the Romeo of this play's secret dwelling is.

Secret dwelling...?

[Ah, right. That would make sense. This is supposed to be their—Romeo and Juliet's—wedding night after all. Of course the script would have prepared itself with some sort of secret hideout to go...]

Is it far from here?

[She looks to Eustace and then to the horse expectantly, wondering if they should get on. It would probably be wise given the dress and its train, but even with a perfect jump, she doesn't think she could get on its back very easy...

Help?]

Not too far, but...

[He stares at her dress. It's beautiful, but the skirt and train...]

...If you hold up your skirt I might be able to lift you up like before.

Hold up my... Oh, uh, right.

[She's worn dresses before, but nothing this fancy, and definitely nothing this big. It's a wonder that she was able to rush out of the chapel in this, but when it's dragging behind, it's entirely different than trying to mount a horse with it...

So she turns and starts to bundle up the train as best as she can, until she's left with a massive clump of very thick, very sparkly silk and lace in her arms.]

Okay. Let's try like this.

[Although she sounds entirely unconvinced.]

[.......

He is definitely questioning if this will work, but here goes nothing.]

Hold on.

[Picking her up is easy, as is lifting her into the horse who just continues to wait with some level of patience. However she has to sit side saddle, and with all that fabric in her arms...]

...Try letting the fabric go, see how your balance is.

[She takes hold of the reins first with her free hand before she does.]

Alright. This is gonna be a bit heavy.

[Just a little courtesy warning to the horse before she lets the train fall, and there's only a very small noise from her and a teeter when the fabric drapes over the saddle and her legs. It almost reaches the ground, but if she hoists it up just a little bit...

As for the rest of the saddle...]

There isn't much room, but we could probably make it work...

[As she tries to shuffle over and make space next to her.]

[He looks and reaches up to tuck some more of the train against her.]

It's enough.

[And then he's hoisting himself up behind her. There is definitely more space between them and he's further in the back than before, but it's a short enough ride to deal with the discomfort. At the very least he can help keep her balance as he leans forward, arms around her.]

Ready?

Yeah.

[She sighs and gives a small nod, him being back in close proximity like this making her brain whirr and buzz, and her heart feels like it might burst again. The horse probably senses it because it shakes its head when Tifa shifts in the saddle a little closer to him, closing the distance that he's left between them as best as she can.]

So, is the secret hideout where you went back to?

[She has no idea what to even look out for. Is it a building? A cave? A hole in the ground?]

Yes. I thought I would be heading back to the Montague estate, however it makes sense that a "cursed prince" would have acquired his own place away from the prejudice and torment he would face at home.

[Speaking of cursed princes...

Tifa's eyes flick to the scales, checking them over to make sure they haven't worsened. It all looks the same above his clothes, but she can see how it stretches beneath them, across his neck and down to his shoulder, she assumes. Not that it matters to them where they wind up in the end, but she still feels that guilt and worry for him.]

Well, better for us, I guess. I'd rather avoid going back to the castle if I can help it...

[Even though she knows that she should return... They should return, if only to "prepare themselves" for the "rest of their lives together."]

Mm... We'll still have to, but... [He holds her a little closer, face momentarily pressed into her hair.]

You're mine for the rest of the night.

[He's not even trying to "tempt" or "seduce" her—instead his voice is quiet, as if tired of how often they've had to separate after emotionally charged events. They could just lie next to each other holding each other and he would be fine with that... ...Though knowing them it certainly won't be all.

Regardless, he just wants to be with her and have a little bit of peace and quiet, whatever form that is. That's all.]

[She rests her head against him, allowing the relaxation to finally hit as the horse walks along at a steady pace. Tifa won't argue or protest with him either—she's just as tired and she wants nothing more than to lie down next to him and finally breathe and exist away from prying, nosy eyes. To just be, and this will be the first and likely only time they'll be able to until they return to "reality."]

And you mine.

[Her voice turns into a light lull, and her breaths steady. If it weren't for the gentle rocking of the horse, the wind, and the anticipation that slowly continues to climb within her, she might have fallen asleep right then and there, her head tucked away against his chest. She closes her eyes and listens to his breathing, the sound of the horse's hooves thumping on the grass...

From there, she chuckles quietly.]

Thine warmth is like the embrace of a thousand suns... Thine eyes that of a summer sky's clearest blue day, shining with more beauty than thou will ever comprehend...! Thus does my heart go, um... pitter patter...!

[ ... ]

How was that? ... Pretty bad, huh?

[She never got to try complimenting him earlier, and now she knows why.]

[Although he shifted so that his eyes watching their path—though the horse seems to know the way just fine—he still remains close, relaxed against her. Aaah... If only they had more moments like this and less than...the entirety of what they're trapped in right now.

...Until she starts...complimenting him??

His ears twitch slightly first before he pulls back to stare at her in disbelief. And he can only stare at her for another second before his shoulders shake, his face averted to the side as he tries not to laugh too loudly.]

Thousand suns...pitter patter...pffttt—

[Yes it was so bad he can't stop laughing he is literally hunching over her now as he continues to laugh. He hadn't laughed this much since Cassius's stupid spaghetti joke, so congratulations, Tifa, achievement unlocked.]

[She thumps a fist against his chest when he hunches over with laughter, her own trying to fight back against her attempts to bite it back. She wasn't sure what kind of reaction she was hoping for or expecting besides that she just wanted to fill some time on their short journey but hearing Eustace laugh is warm and energizing. She's heard it before, in smaller and quieter helpings, so it's not entirely new, but never quite like this.

And then her own peals of laughter echo along with his, and her arms wrap around his waist to keep them together and upright on the horse.]

I tried, okay? Wasn't as good as yours.

[Tifa's laughs turn to breathless sighs, and she nuzzles her face into his neck.]

But I meant it... Romeo. ... Sorry, I'll wait until we get to the hideout.

[He's wheezing—okay no perhaps not that hard, but each second he's laughing it's like that heavy atmosphere of them stuck in this play is carried away with it. It still takes him a few more seconds for his chuckles to die down and he can answer.]

If it's anything like that, then it would be for the best.

[He gives her a teasing grin.]

[She boops his nose with a finger.]

Mm-hm, wouldn't wanna subject the horse to it, but we could always try coming up with something for him too if he feels left out.

[Tifa's free hand reaches around to give it a pet along its neck, but she dips her chin away, hiding her face behind her hair.]

... Guess I'll just need to practice my theatre skills some more when we get back.

Hm... Only if I'm the only audience.

[Just leaning against her, teasing her in a slightly different way.

Horse, meanwhile, thinks there's too much flirting going on back there and is going to pick up the pace. ALMOST THERE.]

Mm-hm. You'll get your very own show.

[Teasing right back, but the horse picks up its pace again. Nope, having none of this.

The sudden change knocks Tifa into him, which probably won't make anything better for the horse, but she does fall quiet, pressing a finger to Eustace's lips with a giggle and a knowing gaze. She'll give the horse one last moment of respite as thanks for carrying them from the castle to the chapel and now to the hideout, so Tifa will happily remain silent for the remainder of the trip.

She does close her eyes again with a hum and curls up against him and remains that way until they arrive at this secret hideout of his.]

[He just chuckles as he keeps a firm hold around her, that once rare smile now becoming more common around her.

And fortunately the horse doesn't have to suffer from all the butterflies and flowers that are following it much longer as they soon reach the outskirts of town and reach an old rundown building. Definitely not the most romantic—but certainly secretive. The horse stops near the door and stomps its hoof, shaking its head and tail as if to tell them to get off.

With no need to tarry, Eustace dismounts first and once again holds his arms out for Tifa to jump, fall, or however she wants to get off.]

[Tifa falls this time, allowing him to—and hoping that he will—catch her in his arms to help break the landing. She could have easily done it on her own were it not for the dress, and she was never one to accept help quite like this from someone else, but it's different with him. Even when she almost trips over the train, she rarely feels silly about it.

She offers the horse a hardy pat on its head as a thank you, with the promise of an apple after they've had some rest, and of course it happily agrees.

And when she gets a look on the building, she doesn't mind the rundown look to it. It's far away from both the Montagues and the Capulets, and all of the people who fawned over them at the party, and that was all that mattered. It could have been a small hole in the wall and she would have been fine to stay, as long as they could have some quiet rest. Even with it being on the outskirts of the town...]

It's so quiet.

[Only the chirping of crickets responds, and the lilies that dance in the warm breeze.]

Edited 2022-02-20 07:15 (UTC)

[Eustace will of course catch her, ensuring she lands safely and steady her when she does trip. And with everything settled, he gives the horse an appreciative pat on the shoulder and it ambles off to its own housing, ready for some nice rest.

Guiding her inside, it looks more like a storage building than a house—but that just makes it a perfect cover. And inside it opens as a big empty room, old debris left as if deliberate as he leads her to a door in the back.]

Yes, that's at least one thing going for us.

[There were many options their little place could have been set in, at least this for once fit their preferences.]

Although there's an attic, everything is on the ground floor.

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