songerein | { gingerbread town | test drive #09

Entry tags:

{ gingerbread town | test drive #09 - december 2022 }

GINGERBREAD TOWN

On Tuesday the 27th, with no warning whatsoever, everyone will awaken and find the entire town transformed into gingerbread and candy, from peppermint candy cane trees, to gumdrop bushes, to chocolate brick roads. They will also find themselves changed into one of the following forms: gingerbread figures, nutcrackers, or wooden figurines. It's a complete transformation—no costumes or partials this time! Although they can move and use most of their abilities, it's a bit hampered when it's also discovered that everything has shrunk down a bit in size. Not only that, but there is an indestructible magiglass dome over the town to prevent anyone from breaking in—or out. So if there is anyone who happened to be out of town at the time, they will not be changed and will be stuck outside. The Tree of Stories, the Observatory, and the Carnival park are excluded from the change and remain normal.

Fortunately a pair of gingerbread twins named "Hansel" and "Gretel" as well as the tapirs are there to help explain what happened. The town has been cursed by the witch who inhabited that suspicious house from the Dream Board, and everyone needs to band together to do two things to break out of curse: 1) gather enough dreamotion music notes to charge up the golden chocolate bell hanging at the Plaza and 2) break into the gingerbread house and destroy the witch.

————— ⊰∙∘☽༓☾∘∙⊱ —————
More details on everything can be found here, but an important reminder that this event log doubles as our Test Drive Meme and information can be found in this section.

This means any outside characters participating in the log are canonly logged as appearing in Songerein in December and will remain in Songerein from the IC date of December 27 through 31. TDM only characters can only thread within this log. Anyone who apps in and is accepted will have their character count December 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 as people randomly disappear already, 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 Sunday, December 25th and Applications will open on January 1st. Our application cycles are bi-monthly so the next cycle after won't be until March.

TDM Toplevel Link Directory (click to view; updated 12/30)

Adventure Time - Finn the Human
Adventure Time - Jake the Dog
Ai: The Somnium Files - Mizuki Okiura
Bleach - Riruka Dokugamine
Bunjou Stray Dogs - Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Chainsaw Man - Denji
Don't Starve Together - Wendy Carter
Fallout 3 - The Lone Wanderer
Final Fantasy XIII-2 - Noel Kreiss
Final Fantasy XIV - Y'shtola Rhul
Fire Emblem: Three Houses - Bernadetta von Varley
Forgotten Realms - Jarlaxle Baenre
Friends at the Table: COUNTER/Weight - Cassander Timaeus Berenice
Genshin Impact - Amber
Genshin Impact - Scaramouche
Granblue Fantasy - Lyria
Heroes of Olympus - Leo Valdez
Kingdom Hearts - Demyx
Kingdom Hearts - Riku
Persona 5 Strikers - Zenkichi Hasegawa
Pokemon Scarlet/Violet - Penny
Rage of Bahamut - Amira
Shadow Game Series - Enne Salta
South Park - Kenny McCormick
Spark the Electric Jester 1 & 3 - Spark
Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion - Agent 8
Tales of Zestiria - Sorey
Undertale - Flowey

THREAD SUBMISSIONS WILL BE IMPORTANT TO DETERMINE HOW THIS EVENT ENDS FOR JANUARY! We will request them during AC and TDM threads will count. For more information, refer to the Game Notes.

I. IN TOWN

There is a lot to process with everything changed and the appearance of Hansel and Gretel, but by now most people are used to needing to roll up their sleeves and get through the tasks needed to succeed. The giant bell at the Plaza helps serve as a reminder of what they need to do and many will be anxiously watching as the musical notes slowly gather into it. To gather enough notes for the bell, everyone will need to work together and utilize their current forms. Note: all prompts can be done by anyone, however some forms have an advantage over others. Musical notes will automatically appear and go to the bell when the objective is achieved. The gumdrops are also trapped in town and will still pull their "mistletoe" mischief.

A. Woodstock. Those turned into a wooden figure will find they have the least amount of changes appearance wise…but their legs and feet are stuck together, forcing them to hop and slide around. Fortunately they can control their movements and after some adjusting they will find it's not too strenuous to be hopping around everywhere. It can be tough to get up if they fall over, though.

Caroling. What better way to gain notes than making some? With movement a bit limited, singing and playing simple instruments may be the easiest way to help. The catch is the music must be filled with hopeful, cheerful dreamotion strong enough to form those notes, and the instruments can also be a problem. First they have to be found, and then some instruments may try to play music on their own—and it's not always the right genre.
Snowmen Mayhem. Snowmen can be found all over town, most of them built before the town changed. Now they are coming to life, wearing big, giant frowns as they slowly shamble around and chuck snowballs at everyone they see. Melting them or using physical force only makes them reform back into snowmen. The only way to stop them is to participate in the snowball fight until that frown turns into a smile to release a note! People could even just have a snowball fight around them and it would please the snowmen. Perhaps they just wanted to have fun, too…?

B. Gingerbread Run. Those made of gingerbread will find they are quite fast and even have the urge to run for whatever reason. However, although sturdy enough, they are still fragile and can break easily. Fortunately they can quickly repair themselves with an extra bit of dough and icing, but water is the greatest weakness. A few drops or even a brief dousing won't hurt them too badly (maybe make their icing a little runny), but they can't swim and submerged in water too long will make them very mushy.

Obstacle Course Marathon. Some streets are sectioned off to have a simple marathon for those who just can't help but feel restless and want to run, and notes can be released throughout the course. More like a cross country track, there are numerous "checkpoints" participants must pass through while shouting the famous line, "Run, run as fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the gingerbread man!" Each checkpoint mimics the story of "The Gingerbread Man."
1. Avoid the "old ladies" swinging candy canes (non gingerbreads can take this role to help)
2. Outrun the plush pups and kittens (or just stay and play with them, also valid)
3. Climb up and over the makeshift marshmallow chocolate wall (don't let it melt!)
4. Use the "foxboat" (swan boats altered to look like foxes) to peddle across the river (don't sink!)
5. Dash through the finish line
Since it's designed as a group marathon, participants are encouraged to help each other. More notes gained, the better!
The Chase is On! Those who were not turned into gingerbread figures will feel a strange urge to chase those who are. They may be fully aware, or they may desire just a nibble of that delectable baked good. While punching the chasers in the face to try and knock some sense into them will be an option, those who are gingerbread will similarly have the urge to run, run, run! Passing over any type of water, including puddles, will end it. This chase can be long or short, and at the end of it whether the gingerbread is caught or escapes, a musical note will play and fly to the bell, freeing the two from the weird curse…until it happens again.

C. Nutcrackin' Around. Nutcrackers have a sturdier build compared to the general wooden population, with powerful jaws and already armed with a weapon—even if it might feel more like a toy. Their movements might feel a bit stiff, but they have their strength to make up for it.

Get Crackin'. Built to crack nuts, it's no surprise that Nutcrackers are assigned to crack through as many nuts and hard candies to try and find some notes hidden within. They have to go to the farm fields to find the right trees to harvest from, and anyone can assist in this. If they listen carefully, they might be able to hear the note ringing inside as a hint. But they also need to be careful—some nuts are actually cursed and once cracked open will cause the individual to brandish their weapons (or whatever they have on hand) to attack those nearby. Unfortunately there's no tell, so it's truly luck of the draw. Shove a jawbreaker in their mouth and they'll be back to normal. With a slightly damaged jaw, maybe.
Mouse Infestation. Large, toy wind-up mice are causing havoc around town. Although they are just oversized toys and don't attack, they're crashing into buildings and chasing people. Anyone can try to catch and slow them down, but a Nutcracker is the only one capable of inflicting enough damage to break the gears inside and stop it for good. Doing so will release a note.

D. Candy Monsters. While the town is mostly safe, nightmare energy is seeping in from everyone's initial fears and chaos and absorbed into all the candy and delicious goods that make up the town. It makes them come to life to turn into aggressive and sometimes cute monsters made out of candy. Fortunately, they are not too difficult to fend off even with everyone changed into different forms, and dreamotion abilities are in full effect. Other creative ways to defeat them like dumping boiling water or freezing them can also be used.

II. TRAIN CARS

All aboard the Dreamer Express! The toy train has a simple track that circles around the town with the main station right at the Plaza. Anyone can hop on to either enjoy the ride or help get those notes.

A. Past, Present, Future. There are three particular cars that Hansel and Gretel will encourage most to go through because the notes in these cars will be the strongest. When going through either of the "Past," "Present," or "Future" cars, everyone will have a "Scrooge" experience and walk through either a happy or difficult memory or made up simulation of that set time period. The primary theme for each one is something that the individual can learn or reflect on. The experience can be done solo or with a partner. If with a partner, only one simulation will be active, but the other person's could begin after the first ends. Sometimes the memories will be passive like watching a movie and will only stimulate emotional reactions. However, the stronger the memory, the more realistic it will become, to the point that one will live through it all and must face and interact with whatever is there to get through. Once they reach the exit, the note will be granted.

B Unboxing. Most of the train cars are either passenger cars or boxcars filled with presents. A lot of presents. Guess where a lot of notes are hidden. While opening presents seems like a simple task, it can be tricky when some gifts are actually mimics that will pull unsuspecting individuals inside of them instead. Fortunately they are not too difficult to beat up and free the trapped prisoner.

C. Hot! Hot! Ooh, We Got It! There is a special car that's only purpose is to serve hot chocolate…as a musical number. Witness or perhaps even participate as servers dance around with extremely hot chocolate and somehow not spill a drop—or maybe someone gets scalded by an unfortunate spill. But when it's all done, anyone can enjoy some different flavors that can last for quite a while (ie as long as you want it) :

Regular chocolate: Makes the drinker nostalgic, particularly for something in their childhood.
Peppermint: Gives the drinker a spark of inspiration to work on something creative.
Caramel: Gives the drinker extra energy, making them unable to stay still without doing something.
Raspberry: Makes the drinker want to get back to nature by finding an outdoor activity to do.
Spicy (chili powder and cinnamon): Makes the drinker feel more amorous than usual.

III. WITCH'S HOUSE

Getting the notes is just one half of the equation. To completely beat the curse, the witch behind this needs to be defeated. But it won't be easy with everyone transformed and the witch quite powerful. The gingerbread house has a lot of traps inside, from sticky paper to snapping mouse traps to licorice that try to tie them down.

A. Breaking into the Gingerbread House. The witch's gingerbread house will be the biggest piece compared to everything else. The original defense mechanisms are in place and people can get sucked inside like before, however there is no easy way out. A little stealth can help gain an advantage especially as the battle begins by those who enter first.

B. Escape Routes. While some may try to let themselves get caught to get inside faster, having an escape route would be prudent. Since they are smaller in size, it'll be easier to sneak around the house and try to carve a piece out of it to make a hole, or maybe something from the windows or chimney. Multiple routes would be ideal, just be careful not to get caught!

C. Fighting the "Witch." For those expecting some creepy old woman, they will be in for a surprise. The "witch" is actually the oven itself, moving and operating as if it were alive. Rather, perhaps the oven is what the original witch of Hansel and Gretel has become as an eerie cackling can be heard when the doors open and fire flickers out. Regardless, despite its form the "witch" will be a difficult foe to defeat due to its sheer size and everyone still in smaller forms. Restrain it, try to douse the flames, but another effective way to stop it is to just fill its mouth with anything that can go inside, from candy and baked goods, to pots and pans. The more it consumes, the slower it moves. Time to over stuff the oven.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

I. In Town

[The transformation into a literal wooden doll didn't seem to phase this newcomer too terribly much. She was looking herself over and avidly avoiding any fireplaces, but more curiously, she was holding onto a gingerbread shaped like a ghost, roughly half of her own size.]

This is a pleasant break from the typical nightmares. Are you okay, Abigail...?

[For anyone eavesdropping, they unfortunately wouldn't hear any real response from the gingerbread sister - just the faint echoes of a whispering child.]

I won't eat you, I promise.

II. Train Cars - Nostalgia Trip

[While Wendy was given the instruction to go through the Past-Present-Future cars, for the moment, the young lady was instead seated comfortably on a chair and sipping hot chocolate. She's... enjoying... one? Well, it's hard to tell precisely, when large tears well up in her eyes and pour over wooden cheeks.]

Oh. I thought those had dried long ago...

[Her voice is a bit sorrowful, warbling with tears - the gingerbread cookie stuck next to her wiggles to get closer, but it doesn't seem to draw Wendy out of her tears as she stared into the cup of plain hot chocolate.]

III. Witch's House - Bring it on

[Ah, see, violence - that's far more familiar. Her sister has figured out how to float again, and presumably, how to inflict violence - Wendy herself is already fashioning helmets and armor out of leather and wood, hands deft and thoroughly practiced.]

Wait. Before you go.

[She'll stop anyone on the way to the fight as well, offering a hand-crafted piece of armor to them.]

A death here would be whimsical, but wasted.

in town

a. new challenger approaching [snowmen]
[Noel Kreiss can confidently say that no other time, in all his absurdly long life, has ever presented him with a situation this weird before. Never. Because he's currently small and made of wood like some kind of child's toy. He gets the feeling he's had a dream sort of like this before...so maybe it's fitting to end up like this.

Still. Doesn't make it any less annoying.]

Heads up!

[Whether you're gingerbread or a fellow toy, you may hear him calling out (or even pushing you out of the way) just before you're pelted with a snowball from a grumpy-looking snowman.]

You alright? I get the feeling these Frosties mean business. [Whether he means to sound like a doofus or not, he's doing a great job of it, isn't he? Still, he's got a snowball in hand and a smirk. Hey, if this is a dream, or a dreamworld or whatever, might as well make the most of it, right?] Whaddya say we give 'em a real challenge?

b. fuwa fuwa [mistletoe gumdrops]
[Gingerbread or not, it seems like he's here for the long haul, so Noel figures he'd might as well get used to these surroundings. He roams the streets with interest; where Luxerion was stagnant, this place is full of life, and thoughts, and everything. What a difference dreams can make, right? Especially now, with all of this going on.

Moments like these are when the fluffy white gumdrops decide to pay him a visit, at least every so often. He can be found near the plaza or the shops, watching --and occasionally poking at-- these fluffy things.]

And what are you supposed to be, huh? [There's something about these creatures that also tugs at his memories. Something nostalgic. Which of course means he needs to poke at it again. Poke poke.] I don't suppose "kupo" means anything to you, either, does it?

train cars

c. no such thing as a free ride [past, present, future]
[Alright, so this seems like a pretty simple deal. Ride the train, get notes for the bell. It's not rocket science, and so, Noel doesn't think anything of it when he steps onto the car labeled "Past."

Yeah, he regrets that pretty quickly.

Instead of a train car, inside is a simulation of a dying world: colorless sands beneath his feet, a colorless sky overhead, and a land dotted with lifeless, scrub-like trees. It's not a pretty sight. He sighs, casting a sidelong glance at anyone who managed to get stuck here with him. He doesn't have any smart remarks, this time; in fact, he seems to have very little to say, altogether.]

We'd better get a move on.

[Alternatively, maybe he's been pulled into a scene from your past. He'll certainly have a few more dumb quips that are trying to sound cool in that situation.]

witch's house

d. the big bad oven [fighting the witch]
Okay. Can't say I was expecting that.

[How many times has this "I wasn't expecting that" thing happened since he got to this messed-up world? He's lost count by now, and he has no intention of figuring it out -- not with this cooking nightmare shooting flames and causing problems. So here's the deal: how can he fight off an oven as a toy that's made of wood? A quick scan of the area reveals a pot rack a few feet down from the ceiling, pretty much right over where said oven is currently trying to barbecue the lot of them. He glances around for some help.]

Hey. Think you can get me up there?

[He gestures. Those pots are pretty big, and they're all hanging by just one little hook each. It's worth a shot.]

Throw, fly, or use this dream-energy stuff. Whatever you've got, I'm in.

[Oh yeah. This is gonna end real well.]

wildcard
[open to whatever you got!]

Edited 2022-12-16 21:06 (UTC)

Gingerbread Obstacle Course
(Things have gotten very weird for Anya pretty quickly. Just earlier this morning, she has woken up to see in horror that she is now turned into a gingerbread cookie. How is this even possible? And she has barely enough time to sink in whatever information Hansel and Gretel have to relay to her and everyone else.

While she tries to flee from some hungry folks wanting to bite her hand off, she notices that there is an obstacle course on the town that she could get to use. That was weird for the town to have such a thing all the sudden, but whatever. Anya might as well burn off any anxious feelings she has at the moment because this day has gotten very bizarre for her liking.)

The Past is Haunting Me Now
(As soon as Anya steps into the Past train car, things got pretty bad very quickly as the simulation takes shape of the one memory she doesn’t want to remember for this very month: the angry mobs storming the gates, her family being taken down one by one, the loud cries of horror, and Dmitri risking his own life just to get her and her Grandmama away from the Reds.

There is chaos within the halls of Catherine Palace as Anya witnesses the horrific night her family was crushed and her and her grandmama fleeing from the chaos in the hallways towards her room. One can hear Dowager Empress Marie crying out for her granddaughter as she went the other way for her music box.)

Anastasia! Come back, come back!

Fight the Witch
Alright, where do you think that witch is at? She can’t be that far away inside.

(After having to navigate the numerous hallways and sneaking around obstacles, Anya has managed into the where the witch should have been and runs into whoever is wanting to fight off the witch. When she looks around, she is surprised to learn that the witch is now a giant oven that wants to burn anything and anyone in its path. Oh what a day it is going to be.)

Wait, what? A giant oven?!? How is that considered as a formidable foe?

Wildcard
(Throw in any prompts down below. Anya is also likely to doing the hot chocolate, caroling, and breaking into the gingerbread house.

Caroling, with a twist

Angel was kind of confused when she woke up in a rather strange place. It was all rather shocking for her. She was used to cities being in ruin, not looking like food.

The biggest shocker was that she was now a wooden figure and movement was a bit of a bitch. At least she still move around. Kind of. The former Vault Dweller looked out of place, even among other wooden figures. She had on a black duster with thr sleeves torn off, a pair of dirty high waisted jeans and a long sleeved button up shirt. There was a shotgun tied to her back, a pair of pistols on her legs and a sledgehammer that she carried leaning against a shoulder. She looked like something out of an apocalypse film. Because she was.

At least her Pip-Boy seemed to be working. She could only play Christmas music though. She didn't mind.

As she hopped along, she began to sing with the song that was playing

Let's get away from sleigh bells, let's get away from snow
Let's make a break some Christmas, Dear, I know the place to go
How'd ya like to spend Christmas on Christmas Island?
How'd ya like to spend the holiday away across the sea?
How'd ya like to spend Christmas on Christmas Island?
How'd ya like to hang a stocking on a great big coconut tree?

Candy Monsters

Angel was good at killing monsters. Even ones made out of candy. While she might be a wooden figure, her usual weapons still seemed to work, though they fired tiny wooden pellets instead of the usual bullets.

It still worked against the monsters. She stood, looking over the bits of broken monster. "Almost too cute to kill. Wonder if it's edible."

She shrugged a bit and grabbed a small chunk and popped it into her mouth. She then looked up when she felt eyes on her.

"What? A girl's gotta eat..."

i-b: snowman mayhem

Muck.

[it's a rather unladylike thing to say, but she's going to say it. she finds herself feeling very...wooden? and her feet are bound together. bending over sharply to look through her red skirts to see that she might as well be glued together.

she stifled oncoming panic, making her face blank with emotion as she took stock of herself for now. it seemed she really had turned into wood -- something like a toy, maybe, with hinges for knees and elbows and finding that her arms rotated instead of stretching like what it would normally do.

it's got to be a dream, she thought. she'd had so many more scary dreams than this, to be honest.

she tests out a hop or two, realizing that she can move forward somehow if she were to concentrate hard enough. it's nothing like walking at all, but it's progress.

at least, until she gets hit with a snowball, hard enough to have her topple backwards into a snowbank.]

Muck, and to think that I was starting to get somewhere...

[help?]

ii-b: unboxing

[somehow she's managed to figure out how to deal with her new form, and while on the train, she finds herself faced with...a bunch of presents?

she frowns slightly, glancing back and forth, wondering if perhaps it was just a transport for whatever was going on here. Enne actually comes along someone who might be opening a box or considering opening a box, and she clears her throat.]

Don't you think that maybe this is for someone else?

[though she feels drawn to the gifts, herself...]

ii-c: hot chocolate

[it's so relieving when she's able to find some chocolate in this place. everything's been so stressful, and she's been craving sweets something fierce to try to take the edge off of her nerves.

it's after she drinks some of the caramel hot chocolate that she finds herself supremely energized -- and now she can't sit still. years of acting as a dancer kicks in, feeling caught up by the moment of the dancing staff. you'll find her among them, dancing as a ballerina would, and the staff ends up shoving cups into her hands too to give to the other passengers.

her wooden face is flushed by the time she comes to you, with whatever hot chocolate was given to her (your choice on the flavor) offered in her hands as she holds it out.]

Please, take it. It's really very good!

one; woodstock
[ Not unlike many, currently, somewhere along the streets of the town, someone is... struggling. ]

Nn... Nrrgh... Come on! Why can't I move?!

[ It's a new kid in town, unfamiliar with the antics of this new, strange place; and from the looks of it she's now joining the ranks among the wooden dolls, as evidenced by the sudden inability to move her own legs. Her desperation grows with every tiny inch she manages to scoot forward. Should she catch anyone watching, she manages to tentatively speak up: ]

Um... [ ... ] I think I need help.

two; candy monsters
[ Sometimes you're going about town, minding your own business—

And then you come upon a child staring down a massively sized lollipop that's sprouted four legs to stand upon, hissing back with a large maw. Said child is at least wielding a metal pipe defensively, so she isn't completely defenseless. ]

If you don't back off, I will smash you to pieces.

[ Help or hinder, the choice is yours. ]

three; hot chocolate
[ It's been a long day already, so after dealing with a whole lot of annoying boxes in the other train cars, Mizuki is pleased to find somewhere offering something comforting—hot chocolate.

For all of two seconds before a musical number breaks loose. Despite the cheery tunes and well practiced footwork of the servers, she doesn't look impressed. ]

Can't something happen without it turning all weird...?

obligatory wildcard option
[ feel free to drop your own prompt with something else, if you'd like! if you wanna work something out first/would like I write a starter for you, you are welcome to pm me! I'm down for anything. ]

IC 2. Mouse Infestation.

"Merry Christmas you filthy animals!!!"

Loona's foot came down in one swing, catching one of the stupid mice that were whirring around everywhere. It went up flying into the air, and with a quick spin around, Loona's other foot swung, smashing the stupid thing into the side of one of these even stupider gingerbread houses so hard the whole malty wall caved in against her kick.

But that didn't matter. All that mattered was the sweet, sweet sound that came with it, that singular tone that only gears grinding into each other could hit, it was almost like a bell ringing as she flattened the thing. Music to Loona's ears.

Or. Rather. Not Loona's ears.

The hellhound had woken up to a rather unfortunate surprise that morning. Standing up and straightening herself out she gave her neck a good solid crack- no, wait, that was her jaw again. Forget the fact the outfit fused to her was of some weird army guy, never mind the fact her fur had been filched and replaced with a polished white and black finish of woods that mimicked her normal coat. Or the fact she now looked like some kind of gimmick Bond-henchman with a mouth that had changed her muzzle into what looked like a bear trap. No, all of that was a drop in the bucket compared to the fact that whatever unknown power had decided to change her into a nutcracker didn't believe in equal opportunities for females in military careers. "-and a happy new year." she spat at the wreckage, trying to ignore the decidedly male voice she was now sporting. Not that it really mattered when she was as anatomically correct as a Ken doll, but, there was some conflicted emotions that were ready to burst out of her, and right now, stomping these mice all about the place seemed a good place to start. Didn't matter that the bayonet attached to her was as helpful as a sugar life preserver, just meant that she could get good and physical at tearing these things apart one after another. All she had to do was chase the sound of very feminine screams and people dancing on chairs at the things running around. They'd get on this one soon no doubt... but until anyone from IMP or DMC went and came to find her? Loona definitely had some venting to do... IIB. Unboxing Loona had to wonder how some people did it. Get up, put on a fake smile, look into the camera and say- "Heeeeey, Sarge Moon-Moon here, today we got a brand new unboxing to do. Smash that like button and the bell and-" Loona ripped the present open and scowled at the empty box in front of her. Nothing. Not even a lump of coal. She would have clicked her tongue, but, right now in her nutcracker form she didn't as much have one. Still, the clacking jaw made a similar enough noise for her. "Thought this'd be the dogdamn good part... ripping open peoples presents, maybe find... iunno, something!?" "Like, seriously. Didn't expect we'd just walk into the place and there'd be bottles of Jackie D. or shit, but... a lot of nothing? Not even a fucking holiday tie or anything..." There was indeed a good pile of present boxes now litering the path behind her as she growled irately. Maybe she would have to give up and find somewhere to sit in the refreshment car, just call it and give up. Sounded about right now. "Ehhh... who knows... maybe a couple more... hell at this point I'd take personalised stationary." III.C WITCH'S HOUSE Loona crept low and slowly into the kitchen. Stealth wasn't as great an option when you were made of wood now, but Loona was trying to ensure that she at least did her best to keep herself from trouble considering her last encounter with a big bad had landed her in a hospital bed. She certainly didn't want to think about having to sit in a... woodworkers? Carvers? What the fuck did you call people who still used wood besides horny teens? She shoved that away for when she would find an internet connection to ask jeeves or something. Whatever was going on, at this point Loona just wanted to get in here, do the scouting work and get out of here so she had done her part. The place was dank, and pretty musty for a house made of gingerbread - of course it was stale too as she'd found out when she tried a piece - and was dark in a way that made Loona wish she had her normal eyes to see where she was stumbling about in this fucked up piece of fairytale. "Wish we had a light before we came in he-" She began muttering before suddenly stopping at the sound of a flame fwoomf-ing to life. Slowly Loona would begin to curse her opening her big, wooden mouth. Suddenly Loona was channeling an early Maculkin, turning bit by bit to see the kindling red flame that was placed against the wall, slowly illuminating the shape of a grill, rising up and letting out a cavernous noise that almost became a roar. No. Not almost. Loona's expression wasn't exactly interchangeable at the moment, but, her hanging open nutcracker mouth certainly sold some of the emotion as the red light grew and grew, revealing more of the gaping maw that came from the huge object that was tied to the wall. The grill that raised wasn't a grill at all, but metal teeth prising apart, glaring eyes and twisted in a way that looked half-molten from its own hellish heat. There was a wrenching noise as the thing that wasn't an oven began to pull at its own moorings, bolts tearing at the wall. They only had a few moments before the thing broke loose. And Loona had a sudden horrible realization as she tried to think what the hell to do next, "...this is not the fucking time to be made of wood right about now..."

[Enne had just gotten herself all put back together when she gets a shove from someone. back down into the snow she goes, and she bites the side of her mouth to keep from muttering more curses while there's someone to actually hear her.

she looks up at Noel, looking cross with him before making a push to get back to her feet. if nothing else, she's figuring out how to do that...as sad as it sounds.]

I don't think you're any better than the snowmen if you think pushing someone down is safer than a snowball.

[she bends over to dodge a snowball as she wipes off snow from her outfit. pieces of hair is even starting to come out from the bun that the cap is covering, brown at the ends with bright blonde at the ends.

I'll give them trouble all right, and you too. she thinks crossly, as she clumsily and jerkily makes a snowball of her own.]

Do you think that'd be the best way to get them to stop?

[now that she's composed herself, she's just going to change the subject.]

1. snowmen mayhem.

( ever since Amber realised that she turned into a wooden figure, things have been tolerable...ish. so far. suddenly, she finds herself taking the brunt of a snowball which sends her flying backwards with a yelp of surprise. )

--Eek! ( who in the world-!? she scoops the snow off her face before she notices the ominous, frowning snowmen looming over her, with them preparing to make more snowballs once again. not on her watch! ) Oh, so it's like that, huh? You're calling for a snowball fight? Bring it on!

( she scoops some snow up into her tiny wooden hands and pelts it. and ... maybe, just maybe, she hits your character by mistake! oops!! )

1. the chase is on!

( anyone who knows the outrider will know that she loves running. and once she sees all of the gingerbread people running past, she can't fight off the urge to chase them for even a second. the adrenaline rush is pretty amazing, and she can only hope that the gingebread person is enjoying the chase too! )

Hey! Wait up! ( it's hard running while your legs are made of wood, but it's soooo fun! )

3. past, present, future. ( & hot chocolate )

( in the train carriage windows, Amber is going to have segments of her childhood shared alongside some of her grandfather's memories. these are parts of his life that she had only heard by ear and not experienced herself - which causes her to have her eyes fixed to the windows.

the memories show a young man, dressed in clothes that some may regard as traditional Liyue garments, on a mission with a mercenary group. soon after, they find themselves in trouble, and the man is gravely injured. a doctor wearing Mondstadt attire kneels by his feet and tends to his wounds, before carting him to safety. the next few montages show the man travelling back with the doctor and his group, who are none other than the Knights of Favonius. now a member, he starts his own platoon of the Outriders, and trains this enthusiastic platoon himself.

now, Amber appears, as a young child. she excitedly runs up to this man, her grandfather, who scoops her up and places an oversized pair of goggles over her eyes, causing her to laugh and giggle. there are training montages which show Amber determined to impress him, with her archery skills and fieldwork. eventually, the montage reaches a point where a younger Amber hides herself away in a closet in the knights headquarters, intending to jump out and scare her grandfather. just before this, Diluc announced that he was quitting the knights - and once the room had emptied, Amber peeked her head out of the closet before walking out of the room. her grandfather didn't show up that day, and she hasn't seen him ever since. )

... I'm not too sure why I've been shown a flashback of my time growing up with my grandpa, but ... ( she gazes down into her cup of hot chocolate, which is just the regular kind. ) I really do miss him. He's been missing for years now. And I'm no closer now to learning his whereabouts than I was back then.

4. witch's house.

( Amber can't say she was expecting this as far as enemies go. she's battled all sorts of monsters in her time, from ruin guards to giant wolves, but this is an ... oven. and although she's a little bit nervous since - y'know, she's made of wood, she's not about to lose her courage at a crucial time like this. )

Listen here, you big ol' oven! I'm Outrider Amber, and while I might be made of wood, I am not afraid of fire! ( now that she's scolded the oven, she turns to one of her companions. ) We're going to beat this thing. I don't know how, but we will.

Edited 2022-12-17 00:11 (UTC)

[even though Enne had only just figured out how to kind of hop around, she sees the kid struggling. of course, she's going to stop everything to help out a girl, and she hops forward to meet her. she slides almost on a patch of ice, but she balances and manages as she gets to the girl.]

You have to hop. Or slide. [she winces.] Sliding is more likely to end up with yourself in the snow, though.

[he's definitely seen weirder. and he's going to assume that the person she's talking to is an actual person...because he too is a gingerbread man.

he slides up, already having mastered his ability to run as he's so inclined to do in this form, nodding at the two in front of him.]

I don't think any of us gingerbread people would actually taste good.

[he glances at the ghost...thing...]

...What do ghosts even taste like?

[ The suggestion of sliding around would be a near stupid one if Mizuki hadn't just witnessed this stranger doing precisely that. Well. At least she isn't alone in her predicament. ]

... Oh.

[ She makes a tiny scowl, mouth pursed. ]

Can't we get ourselves walking normally again?

╭┈◦•◦❥•◦woodstock ♡

[ there you were, minding your own business... maybe struggling with your own sudden transformation into some sugar-hyped kid's holiday nightmare

when suddenly you feel a sharp tug on your leg — gingerbread, wooden or otherwise — and hopefully you have fast enough reflexes or a steady balance to avoid getting yanked down to the ground. either way, you'll find a wooden riruka with her hand curled around your ankle, with a faint dusting of snow on her that seems to imply she's been down there on the ground for quite some time herself. ]

You! Help me up, will you?!

╭┈◦•◦❥•◦snowmen mayhem ♡

[ honestly? riruka was in desperate need for an outlet for her frustration, so when that first snowman hurled its snowball at her, it had only taken the young woman two seconds before deciding it was war.

it makes for a fairly... interesting sight. at the climax of her battle, riruka has amassed a standoff with four other snowmen who have armed themselves with snowballs, yet somehow still seem unsure of the tiny woman screeching bloody murder at the top of her lungs as she brandishes a ??? gun ??? that spits out a barrage of snowballs to anyone who dares to come near. ]

Ha! Eat it, snowman!!

[ okay maybe she's having a little too much "fun" here... does scaring the snowman count? ]

╭┈◦•◦❥•◦interlude for a sweet tooth ♡

[ wait. wait. you're telling her the entire town is made out of sweets? like. for real?

.............and you expect her to not try and eat it?!

look, don't judge her okay. but she's been standing out in the snow for hours now staring at this mailbox made out of cookies and frosting and good god is that marshmallow and at some point the two wolves inside her her decide they're both hungry as heck so if you see her suddenly lean in and try to lick the frosted numbers on the damned thing just LOOK AWAY OKAY!! NOTHING TO SEE HERE!! ]

╭┈◦•◦❥•◦wildcard ♡

( if none of these prompts work for you, feel free to throw something else at me or pm this journal to plot something out! )

Brave. I like it.

[Percy grins as he looks back at Amber.]

I have some water I can use...if I'm careful. [he's finding he can't just magic the water off of him like normal, and well...he's a gingerbread man.

sigh.] You got anything to throw at it?

[Enne's expression softens a little, and she shakes her head.]

It doesn't look like that's going to be possible right now. From what I understood, we're under a curse.

[lucky her to appear at a time like this.]

[this gingerbread man is minding his own business when he feels something attach to his ankle. his fingers twitch to bring out Riptide, but he stops himself as he sees the figure in the snow.

the figure that's yelling in the snow.

he gives her a long sigh, feeling like he just can't escape demanding women...]

I'm not going to be able to help you if you're grabbing me like that.

[a beat.]

Especially if you melt the snow.

[losing a foot doesn't sound great right now.]

[ A curse. If the day already wasn't bizarre enough, Mizuki isn't certain how much she'd believe it. A part of her still doesn't, and it shows on the skeptical look on her face. ]

Alright, who do we have to punch? I'm gonna knock 'em out into next week.

[Well that's quite a Look. To be honest, Noel wasn't expecting her to fall completely over like that; it's been a while since he's really tried looking out for other people, and it seems he's out of practice.]

Sorry. [He does genuinely look apologetic, at least? He even starts reaching down to help her up............before she manages to pull herself off the ground. Well.] Wooden arms aren't exactly great for finesse.

[He ducks a snowball as well, shrugging a bit as he returns fire with one of his own.]

Saw some other people doing it earlier. I didn't think much of it then, but nothing else's working so far. I think it's worth a shot.

Snowmen

[Not only is he extremely unamused by the fact that he, a puppet, is now made of wood (this feels pointed), he has to hop and try to avoid these damn snowmen! This is why he never liked Snezhnaya. Fuck snow.

At least it's easy to hop away from the snowmen before they realize he's there, but every so often one of them gets him with a snowball and he ends up face-first in a snowdrift. You can help him, but he won't thank you. If you don't, he'll just struggle for a bit before managing to get to his feet.]

That's it, where's a damn snowball...

[He'll show them.]

Unboxing

[This guy just can't catch a break, can he? First waking up here, then realizing he was turned to wood, then the snowmen, and now...

Now he's half inside of one of the mimic presents, fighting and kicking as best he can to get this stupid thing to let go of him.]

Escape Routes

Hey, you. Come here and give me a boost.

[He jerks his head up to the window he's under. There's a barely noticeable crack at the bottom, and he wants to try and break it open a bit more.]

Wildcard

[Come at me! Please note, however, that to respect the game's spoiler embargo I will not do anything with the Past, Present, Future prompt...at least before the 21st.]

in town;
» chase is on
[Bernie has been running all day. This is nothing new. If there's one thing she's good at, it's making a speedy exit, warranted or not. In this case, she thinks it's pretty warranted! She's new here and she was turned into a cookie in some uniquely twisted way of wanting to kill her.]

[In any case, she's speeding through the streets, clutching one dismembered cookie arm close to her body. She spends more time yelling back at whoever is pursuing her than watching where she's going.]

As far as murder attempts go, this one takes the cake! [...] Ooh, not literally! Y'know what I mean!

[The only time she isn't running is when she's in a relatively safe looking corner, to patch her own self up with icing she's found. It'll be rough, attaching an arm with one functional hand, so she takes time to pipe the details of her fancy golden stitching on her arm-sleeves first with some royal icing. Priorities!!]

train cars;
» "nostalgia" trip
[One of her escapes leads her straight onto the train. It gives her a moment to rest, but not for long. The quaint and lovely interior turns into a dark stone cellar, and a train seat in the opposite end turns into an unforgiving wooden chair with arms, a length of rope coiled innocently on the seat.

Anyone who steps into the train car with her will be hard pressed to find the actual, cookie version of Bernie. There isn't much in the way of hiding places in the cellar, but she's doing her best to tuck herself into the shadows of a corner.]

Don't look, don't look, just don't look, Bernie. Maybe it'll go away.

» hot, hot
[Bernie can still be found hanging around the train after her trip down memory lane, trying to calm herself down with some hot chocolate. Or, as much chocolate as she can manage in her little cookie body. Those mugs are almost as big as she is... but she really wants a hot drink right now.

When asked what flavor she might like, she's very surprised.]

There's more than one kind? Isn't it just chocolate? How do you make these other ones? Do you think we could ask for a recipe?

wildcard;
[Feel free to tag in with another prompt, I'm willing to do a less traumatic nostalgia trip, and open to any fluffy gumdrop shenanigans! ♥]

Edited 2022-12-17 00:41 (UTC)

[ riruka squints at the young man for a moment (equal parts because she's suspicious of his intentions and because she's BLIND AS A BAT) before she slowly loosens her hold on his crumby ankle.

but she keeps her hands close by in case he gets any funny ideas like ditching her!! ]

Hurry up, then, I'm freezing.

[ is she actually? does wood get cold??????? ]

You could try that! Just be careful, okay? ( he is made of gingerbread, after all! as for what she can do, Amber glances around the kitchen, contemplating the best course of action for harming an oven. how do you harm an oven, anyway? intentionally break it? )

I mean, normally I would have something to throw at it. Baron Bunny! My own one-of-a-kind bomb. But I can't use that right now, so ...

( she notices some utensils on the kitchen counter, and figures it's worth a shot to try get at them. )

I'm not sure how strong you are, but I'm gonna throw some stuff down! We'll feed it into the oven until it breaks! ( that's good enough for a plan right!? without any further ado, she throws down the following: a pair of tongs, a ladle, a spatula and a cheese grater. whew. it's hard carrying things when you're tiny and made of wood! )

((OOC: Alastor has been transformed into a novelty nutcracker modeled off of this doodle by Vivziepop. Yes, including the shiny red nose.))

In Town - Caroling

Admittedly, it took a little bit of practice to get the trick of hopping everywhere, but Alastor was having a ball. It was almost like that time he'd been turned into a pumpkin back when he'd first arrived only he still had hands!

The little lights on his larger-than-usual antlers twinkled as he bopped along, projecting music to sing along with: various bits of jazzy Christmas tunes with quite a bit of electro swing and other more modern jazz stylings mixed in there. (Who would've imagined a demon having so much Christmas cheer, eh?)

In Town - Mouse Infestation

Alastor hopped energetically towards one of the mechanical mice, jaws opened wide with a gleam in his eye. It was almost like the toy mouse was deliberately trying to run away.

Once he got close enough, he pounced as well as the form allowed. Apologies for any psychic damage caused by watching him chomp down on the thing.

Train Cars - Past

" -- signing off on this very merry Christmas!"

The voice was Alastor's but it wasn't Alastor speaking. Instead, it was a young man of mixed descent in his early thirties that looked very much like him that spoke. He stepped out of the sound booth as Shep Fields and his orchestra filled the otherwise dead air, exchanging brief Christmas greetings with the next radio host that was taking over.

The currently-nutcracker Alastor looked on as the human he'd once been exchanged pleasantries with his coworkers as he slowly made his way towards the exit. He glanced to one side, seeing a forgotten newspaper with the date December 25, 1932.

"...Oh. It's my last Christmas."

Witch's House - Fighting the "Witch"

"Well, this is unexpected. I suppose this answers what happened to the witch after Hansel and Gretel got through with her! Ha!"

Alastor grinned up towards the cackling oven, hopping backwards to avoid a few embers. (Really, this wooden nutcracker body was easy kindling.)

He summoned his microphone staff, twirling it back and forth between his hands.

"It might be best to cool things down before the icing on the cookies starts to melt."

Wildcard
Got something you want to thread with Alastor? Throw it his way!

[yeah, well...Enne's just going to take things as it's told right now. she's not so sure how much she believes it either, but the idea of a Shade possibly being attached to this...dream...??? makes her anxious.]

I think there's a witch out there somewhere. I didn't catch where she is -- maybe we could find some other information around here?

[she probably wouldn't be as grumpy if there wasn't...all of this happening right now. grumpiness is one of the few negative emotions she'll let slip out of her in a setting like this.

the anxiety and fear...she won't let show.

she considers the snowmen for a moment, and then rotates her arm so that she can throw a snowball at one of the snowmen. she actually grins a little when it lands on him, bevause...it's almost actually cathartic.

she starts to form another snowball, her expression starting to relax a little.]

Nothing like a little target practice to blow off some steam, at least.

[she just barely moves out of the way of another incoming snowball.]

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Page 1 of 101

{ gingerbread town | test drive #09 - december 2022 }

Wendy Carter (plus Abigail) 🥀 Don't Starve Together 🥀 TDM

noel kreiss | final fantasy xiii-2 | tdm

Anastasia Romanova | Anastasia (1997)

The Lone Wanderer || Fallout 3 || TDM

enne salta | shadow game series | tdm

mizuki okiura • ai: the somnium files (tdm)

Loona | Helluva Boss

snowmen

amber 🔥 genshin impact ( tdm )

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riruka dokugamine | bleach | tdm

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woodstock

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Scaramouche | 国崩 | The Balladeer | Someone Give This Kid a Name || Genshin Impact -- 3.2 only

Bernadetta von Varley • Fire Emblem: Three Houses • TDM

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Alastor | Hazbin Hotel

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