Event Log: August, Lunasa Celebration

[faileas]

Event Log: Aguril, Lùnasa Celebration

Lùnasa From dusk of Aguril 1st to the dusk of Aguril 3rd, Aefenglom celebrates something fairly special: Lùnasa. Traditionally, Lùnasa celebrates all kinds of traditional marriages sanctioned by Parliament, generally of the arranged kind, and handfastings, a ceremony based more on love and how long it lasts. The Coven's Bonds err on this side of things, though some Witches do have official spouses - Miss Nessie and Mhairi, and Theodore and Sowilo, are examples of this, though not everyone marries their Bonded, either. Many of them are made during this festival, prompting the city to dress for the occasion just in case they find themselves in the middle of a ceremony, and just as many of them are formally renewed. Like during Litha, shops offer lovemaking potions, but only to those renewing vows or taking them; smaller fireworks, like sparklers and fountains, are also a common sight. Lùnasa is also home to the city's largest fashion show, showcasing fun and upcoming trends in the city. No experience is required to sign up to show off designs or to model them, and hundreds of tailors and needlework experts come together to quickly make dreams into reality for the end of the festival, when the show happens in genuine. The clothing is often wild and sorted into three categories: children, where those 14 and younger can submit their designs and model them as well; popular, where those 15 and older can do the same to try and vie for the judges' vote on what's in and what's out; and bonding, where all ages aspire to modify and make personal the traditional garbs of marriage and handfasting.

I. Poppin' Parties With Lùnasa beating bright from day one, there's already a need for celebrations and celebrators alike across the city! Citizens are dressed to the nines just in case the occasion calls for it (and, in true spirit, it usually does) and anything that seems worth celebrating, be it the holiday's weddings and bonding ceremonies or something else, is absolutely celebrated with appropriate noise and fanfare! If you're in a good mood, they are too–– And if you're not, well. All it takes is a wildin' party to bring the mood back up! That means you, yes you, and you and you are all invited! Maybe if you smile a bit and have a good time they'll let you go, but others be prepared to be part of a comedy routine, sung around as you're swung around, and to be cuddled by various furry creatures who're more than happy to be pet and scritched all you'd like. Turn that frown upside down, this is a joyous occasion! They're taking willing volunteers too, of course, as the more the merrier, so whether you're the harasser or harassed it's sure to be a ball! Perhaps you can even earn some tips by joining in to these impromptu parties as needed. It's considered good luck to have as many people as possible celebrating your marriage or Bonding around this time of year, and several natives want to encourage participation in their own little celebrations.

II. Say Yes To The Dress Some of the fashion shows that pop up around the city during and after Lunasa have taken on a new, interesting bent. With many of them having large categories for wedding and handfasting wear anyway, some groups have gone the full mile and set up "mock marriages" to show off a variety of themed outfits or collections all at once. Appropriate wedding guest attire, dresses and suits for brides and grooms, designer robes for those who want to be a little extra with their Bonding ceremonies, they're showing them all, in a variety of patterns and eye-catching colors, from the simple to the overly-embellished. It's not unusual to stumble into one of these 'show' weddings, which usually have the officiant talking about the merits of the collection of clothes and their designer, rather than the usual vows and the like. It's also not unusual to get roped into one of these mock weddings if you aren't careful! Watch out you're not grabbed off the street and manhandled nicely into a changing tent with an array of outfits, and told to play a bride or a groom or some other role at a traditional wedding. At least they're happy to let you keep the clothes you modeled when you're done! The biggest trend this year is a special fabric that magically fits itself to the wearer, draping and tucking in and falling just right, no matter how tall or short you are, no matter if you're human or have pesky Monster parts getting in the way. Most designers are using this fabric now, dyed in a rainbow of colors and embroidered with a whole catalogue of patterns. It means any outfit you get thrust into in the name of impromptu modeling will fit you perfectly, at least. Some designers may also take requests and throw something together at the last minute that's more to your style! Thanks to efforts last month, though, many of the fashion designers are currently really into shoulder-pads and glitter, so maybe keep an eye out that they don't take any liberties with your request... Even if you aren't in the wedding spirit (come on, at least pretend), Lunasa is a good time to fill your closet with the latest and best, so make sure to take advantage!

III. Red-String Strung Along With love in the air, a gaggle of single Witches at the Coven decided it's high time they stop being single! The group of them managed to cast a Red String spell together to find their true loves, wherever they may be - but with the Sisters full in the sky during much of Lunasa, they vastly overestimated the amount of power needed, spreading the effects of their spell city-wide and skewing the results. In such a large area, the accuracy of this Red String spell... may be called into question. A Red String spell, often used by silly Witches searching for their True Love, does exactly that: it causes a softly glowing, semi-tangible red string to appear, tied from your finger to the finger of someone else. The string can be felt by the other party when tugged on, but otherwise will be unobtrusive in the day to day. While normally this spell is only visible to the user and the person their string is tied to, with the spell going a bit out of control, these strings can be seen by everyone, creating quite a chaotic sight in the streets. Luckily, only the strings you yourself are tied to will be tangible. Yes, strings. Another malfunction of the miscast! It's possible for one person to have multiple strings tied to their fingers at once, tying them to multiple people, which is certainly not the norm! What in Geardagas could that mean? Which one is your true love, if any of them? If you wish to make your string disappear, the only way is to track the other person down and state your feelings for them - even if those feelings are only "you're a stranger to me", or "you're just my good friend". Once a mutual admission of feelings has occurred, the string tying the two together will dissolve into a lovely little show of red sparkles. Sadly or not, this isn't necessarily the end, because you might find another string, tied to another person, forming on your finger at any point! Or maybe you're one of those who never find a string tied to their finger; some may look at you with pity in that case, thinking you utterly alone in the world. Regardless, the effects of the spell fade completely one week after Lunasa ends, and any remaining strings will disappear by that point. Your character can have their red string broken and reformed as many times as you'd like, with as many people as you'd like, and it's possible to have multiple strings at once. They'll all disappear when the enchantment fades in a week, but you can play with it as much as you want until then.

Welcome to August's holiday log for Lunasa! As always, please direct your questions here! And as a reminder, this will be the only mod-posted event log this month, as the next events this month are all very exciting player plots that we're happy to give a chance to shine!

Comments

QUESTIONS

[moustre]

GENERAL

[moustre]

EVENT

[moustre]

Saber

[arturiarex]

I. Wedding Parties

[ Saber has found herself unexpectedly roped into an on-going block party celebrating - uh. Someone. She isn't sure who. A gaggle of party-goers dragged her in and thrust a glass of something into her hand and offered her a plate of food and her head is still spinning a little from how sudden its been. She can't really complain, although she does think she ought to get back to her errands at some point.

Probably after she finishes this plate of food.

She's trying to stick to the edge of the swirling celebration, playing a bit of a wallflower. She's still not used to this. She takes a small sip of whatever it is they've given her and catches the eye of someone passing by, who looks a little out of place (like her). ]

They seem to be very enthusiastic about invitations, don't they?

[ It's not really a joke, but there's a hint of dry amusement. ]

II. Dressed to the Nines

[ Admittedly, she's been getting a little bit more experience with modeling helping Tataru, but she's still not quite the type to volunteer for this sort of thing unprompted. Which hasn't stopped someone else from volunteering her, despite her (somewhat feeble) protests. It just can't be helped, can it? She's making the best of it, though, and she's been allowed to change into a very smart looking sort of suit, one with allowances made for her wings. Are you her "bride"? Or just a passerby who might recognize her or who want to ask a few questions about the outfit and the mock wedding? She does seem a bit stiff, but maybe that's just stage fright... ]

III. Cat's Cradle

[ This is ridiculous. She was minding her own business and then there were strings. Everywhere. Fortunately, only a few of them seem tangible.

Wait, a few?

Yes, Saber seems to have multiple strings tied off on a couple of her fingers and she is very busily trying to get rid of them before they cause her any more irritation. She's following one at the moment with dogged determination, pausing to give it a tug now and again and to make sure she's heading in the right direction - or maybe just to see if the person on the other end will come and find her. Help her find out where she's going - or maybe you're the one she's looking for. Or possibly you're one of the other strings.

Please help. ]

IV. Wildcard

II

[ua_duibhne]

[For the second Lùnasa running, Diarmuid has found himself incapable of turning down last-minute modelling requests from desperate designers. This time, though, the theme just so happens to be something that makes him a little uncomfortable- that is, weddings. Good looks and a charming smile aren't quite enough to hide it but he's doing his best and after an hour of fussing, the designer deems him ready.

As he hurries over to Saber, he's still fussing with the front of his jacket. He might be dressed as a guest rather than a groom but the stylist seems to have fun with him anyway; a small gemstone glints beneath each eye, matching the sweep of pearly highlighter across his cheekbones.]

One of the assistants told me this was for-

[Only then does he register who he's looking at- and it completely throws him for a loop. The brooch in his hand, meant to accessorize her suit, is completely forgotten as he tries to work out the appropriate response for this situation. Though things have calmed down considerably, Diarmuid still isn't sure how to feel about the woman standing before him.]

... ah... I didn't expect to... [Weakly, he shakes his head.] My apologies. You look lovely.

III.

[grandspark]

[The small tug on his finger was unexpected to say the least. Rude was still getting used to how crazy this city was on a weekly basis. It felt too much like a dream still sometimes.

He would get over it eventually, settle into the routine of bizarre and strange occurrences. Until then--well, currently he was staring at a red string attached to his finger and wondering just what was going on here. What was this now?

Rude frowned as the string gave another tug to his finger. He tried to take it off but it was no good. It wouldn't budge. Pity he didn't have his knife with him. Out of options he--

--gave the string a tug of his own. There was definitely something attached to the other end. The real question was: did he want to find out what it was or not?]

i.

[tryhard]

[ ...very out of place, in fact. It seems they've somehow ended up in the same situation.

Their eyes meet, and Waver looks momentarily surprised, and then immediately relieved. He hurries over, clutching a glass of something himself and looking just as baffled as she is. ]

Saber!

Ugh, you can say that again! There's having a celebration, and then there's... whatever this is. It's a bit out of hand, if you ask me! I don't even know who got married.

...I think someone got married?

ii

[apocryphas]

[ Mordred tried to keep to her own business and stay out of Saber's way, but their fates are so intertwined that it's impossible for them not to run into each other anymore. This is something she's still trying to get used to. Thankfully, the binds that tie them haven't come in the form of them being married or anything weird like that. No, Mordred simply watches the ceremony as Saber is about to tie the knot with some no-name bride. It's not until everything is about to be finalised that she steps out of the crowd, stomping towards the soon-to-be newlyweds. ]

I OBJECT! This marriage is a farce!

[ Well, yeah, it is a mock marriage, so to speak. Something about it still doesn't sit right with her, though. ]

Besides, don't I get a say in this?!

[ The bride looks at the two nearly identical Sabers in utter confusion. ]

II.

[finesseblade]

[ Felix isn't here for the wedding, precisely—he's here because he heard tell of this new fashion trend of enchanted clothing that fits to the wearer and wants to inquire for himself. He's suggested such to Tataru before. Maybe the tailors will share a few of their secrets with him to pass on.

Unfortunately, it doesn't take long before his inquiries catch the attention of a breathless attended, who shoves a folded suit and snappy dress shirt into his arms and harries him into the back room to, she says, hurry up and get dressed! You're the ringbearer! And by the twins, take off those swords, you'll ruin the whole ceremony.

Before he can protest, she's gone, shutting the door in his face, and Felix is left to turn toward the room behind him in search of another exit. Which is how he finds out he's not alone in this room.

Forgive him if he gawps a moment in surprise. ]

Isn't it a little short notice for you to be getting married?

ii

[peacewithouttyranny]

[Much like some others, Soundwave isn't here for the wedding but was forced- sorry, 'volunteered' into modeling/mock conjunx endura ceremony. Although he tried to protest, the fashion designer insisted on it and gotten him a wedding dress to wear. Probably something about how he- the avatar -looks perfect as a bride. He doesn't really get it... Looks aside, it's not like he knows how to play the role of a 'bride'. It's nice that he gets to keep the dress though, but clothes aren't ever going to be something Soundwave would find wanting. Especially a wedding gown.

Still, Soundwave is protesting about this as he's being lead into the back room, before the attendant leaves him there and shuts the door on him. He crosses his arm and huffs in mild offense... And in just a couple of steps, he trips over the dress and falls.

Sorry, Saber, he didn't notice you there, and this is the first he's on a dress. Might want to catch him before he falls facefirst to the ground? Either way, he'll groan and mutter himself this:]

Grr... How do you walk in this strange dress?

ii

[fulgency]

[This year, Ozymandias is not lending his services as a model even when more insistently asked. It is less than he doesn't have any interest as he had quite a lot of fun last year, but he lacks the time this year. Still, it's difficult not to be cutting through some part of the festivities all the same with how quickly they overtake the city.]

[He cannot help but stop when he spots Saber standing so stiffly in her suit. She doesn't exactly look ready to pass out from fright, but the discomfort has settled onto her in such a way that it seems a detail woven into the very fabric of the suit itself. Inextricable and detracting all at the same time.]

[Ozymandias huffs a laugh.]

Is that how you would choose to greet your bride?

i

[sneaksweet]

[Juza's bear ears are flat against his head at this point. It's too loud and he's also just been pulled in. They really bring in whoever to these parties, huh?

He feels entirely out of place.]

It's good luck or somethin'. Can't... really blame 'em, I guess.

III

[foundfamilies]

Sir Saber?

[ By the time Leslie has been out long enough to run into Saber, there have been several strings that passed through her harmlessly, but she still ducks under another red string as she moves closer — resulting in a different one going right through her. She tried. ]

Is this some event for the Lunasa festival? Do you have to sign up somewhere?

[ She looks down at her own completely unbound fingers. being a child lets you skip so many awkward issues. She doesn’t know how much of a pain they can be yet, assuming it to be an intentional part of the festival. ]

Soundwave | Witch

[peacewithouttyranny]

i - Party

[Using the avatar today was poorly-timed for Soundwave. He hadn't expected a celebration today about... something or someone, he isn't sure what, much less be invited and dragged into it by the partygoers, offered food and drinks that won't benefit him at all. It's not like he could get full eating via the avatar...

He's managed to get away from all the dancing and singing, fortunately. While he had intended to leave at first, not finding any particular reason to celebrate, he changed his mind very quickly when he met the furry creatures. Well, sticking around for a bit wouldn't hurt him, and that rings true without his empath powers. Soundwave crouches and allows himself to be surrounded by small creatures, giving them all pets and scritches.

If you happen to know Soundwave's avatar, you might notice that his expression is notably light and he's smiling a little, unlike how he carries himself usually. He might not even notice you while he's giving attention to the furry animals.]

ii - Suit up

[Okay, he ought to go back to his errands. But that again gets immediately sidetracked when someone out of nowhere grabs the avatar's arm and pulls him into a tent. Without even having the second to react to what's going on, he's suddenly whisked into a wedding dress. He's given an explanation that he's 'volunteered' into a... mock wedding of sort. He's confused...

He looks back over his shoulder as he leaves the tent, wondering what the heck all that was about, and then turns towards whoever's nearby. Are you his bride, or just a random passerby. Either way, please help the confused Cybertronian?]

iii - Red strings

[Why? It seems today he can't get away from the ridiculousness of this party, and now there are strings attached to the avatar's fingers. Soundwave had given up on trying to get these off and follows one in hopes that wherever this led to would get him out of this ridiculous mess.

Maybe he'll meet the one he's looking for, or you too are in this predicament.]

iv - wildcard

[ooc: feel free to make your own prompt or something! hmu @ Sharkbyte if you wanna talk]

suit up!

[guesser]

[ here comes the groom . . . it's a groom. tendou is a feathery chimera with a lovely pink-salmon crest suited up in a fancy black and red velvet, well, suit! glittery and fitting splendidly into his clothes (his new additions to changes included: black scaled legs that seemed to bend the ankles back like a bird with toes of a cockatoo), even his hyena-spotted hands, padded like paws, don't feel restricted in movement and coarse fur is slicked back to comfort. no bristlies.

fixing his tie-dye bow-tie (his own addition), he looks to his "bride" and puffs his feathers out in friendly greeting. when he opens his mouth, a curved beak hides behind thin lips and pokes out of hiding to speak up: ]

Don't worry, I'm a pro at this.

Yona | Witch | Event & Quest Catch-All

[darkestbefore]

A. Say Yes To The Dress

[ Yona is not sure how she got drafted into Wedding fashion parties, but here she is. Decked out in a pink and white sundress with cherry blossoms in her hair. It's not the first outfit she's ended up modeling - and most are quite strange, in her opinion, as someone who comes from a much older time and place than the Coven's city. Mostly because most of the dresses and outfits she's ended up in have seemed so short. And with so little to them. Shorts are still an utter mystery to her. But it's not hard to tell that she's a little uncomfortable in her current outfit, even though she's doing her best to try and blend in.

...But that could be the fact that the fashion designer hosting this party seems to be using his current models as bait and many that wander up to have a moment of conversation end up getting roped into modeling something new themselves! So... approach with caution? ]

B. Red-String Strung Along

[ Yona had had nothing to do with the casting of this spell. She'd been just as surprised as anyone when the magic had suddenly tingled along her skin and then unexpectedly there were three - three! - red strings materializing around her fingers.

Even after she'd had the spell explained to her, she's still staring at them with a puzzled expression. Who is tied to her in such a way in this place? Did the red string mean she had a true love waiting here somewhere or was this all a strange mistake?

Needless to say, she spends quite a while wandering the streets and trying to figure out who her strings are attached to. And what that actually means, depending on who she discovers she's tied to. ]

C. Cavern Cowboys

[ It's not at all surprising to find Yona wandering in and out of the Underground still this month. Still serving in her unofficial capacity as a dignitary, she's been transporting messages and samples between the Underground city and the Coven, searching for ways to make these two people ally, as well as providing research of the moss and the scourge of Red Death encroaching in the tunnels. The faster they discover the threat of this new infection, the better, and if the moss might also be helpful in fighting back the infection aboveground? Yona is quite dedicated to seeing the Cwyld pushed back on all fronts.

Of course, then the tunnels proved to be a little more unstable than she'd realized when a quake has blockages collapsing and several herds of the wormipedes escaping out into the dark caves. While she has little experience with the beasts themselves, she has spent a lot of time out in the tunnels of late and this matter is clearly important to the people of the Underground. Which means she'll make it important to her.

....Which is how she ends up with a search (and rescue?) party deep in the caves, searching for runaway wormipedes. Her bow is slung over one shoulder, the top of it enchanted to give off a soft glow that lights up the cavern in a warm radius around the party, better and farther than any torch could. Although she doesn't look so certain about how else she's going to be of help here at the moment. She glances over at her companions who have ended up here along with her. ]

Do you know anything about these wormipedes? Have you interacted with them before?

D. Lady in the Lake { Closed to close CR }

[ She'd first heard the rumors of the haunted lake within the Coven when she'd been delivering samples from the Underground. She hasn't really spent a great deal of time in and around Dorchacht, considering that had all gone down before her arrival, but for such a mystery? Perhaps it was time to change that.

Which is how she finds herself traveling to the distant city and approaching the shore of a wide lake. Even from here, she can see the soft pearlescent glow from the bottom of the lake. It was a beautiful sight, entrancing almost, but she wasn't going to let it distract her from her other purpose here. She wanted to see if this lake was truly haunted, and perhaps to seek out the true cause of that. And it looks like she's not the only one interested in those answers... ]

E. Wildcard

(( Want something else from the event or the quests, or just a general thread for this month? Feel free to hit me up at chaneystarr with questions, or leave me a prompt here. ))

Closed; Bonding Ceremony

[darkestbefore]

[ They'd been dancing around this for a while now. Almost since the very first moment she'd Dreamed of this place. Both Caster and Archer had been among the first she'd encountered that time. They were among the first she'd met in reality after stepping through the Mirror. And it seemed that they'd been by her side almost every step of the way of her journey here so far. Oh, she'd made a great many friends, yes, but the connection she'd found springing up between the pair of them was... special. It reminded her of home, and yet held a warmth of uniqueness all its own.

It's why, after several weeks of trying out a temporary potion between them, they were gathering here. Making it official.

It was just before dawn, but she was not at all sleepy. She was practically humming with nerves and excitement. She's not sure enough of the potion lingers between them that they'll be able to sense that, but she knows it'll be a moot point once the Ceremony is finished.

They're Bonding. All three of them.

That should feel stranger than it does, but instead... it just feels right.

Taking a deep breath, she reaches up to check the careful arrangement her hair has been twisted up into before smoothing down the folds of the dress she'd picked out for today. The Bonding Ceremony was sacred and special - at least all those days of modeling fashions for designers had left her with an idea of what would work. She just hoped they approved. Maybe even liked it?

Refusing to let her nerves and her insecurity get the best of her, she stepped out of the chamber she'd been given to get ready and headed into the larger room where the Ceremony itself was to take place, her eyes already searching for the two men who were about to become her Bonded. ]

Petra Macneary | Monster ~ Naga

[islandhuntress]

i. Parties
[The festivities, like so many things these days, had Petra thinking about bonds, about her own lack of a bond. It almost felt as if she were constantly walking on eggshells, or slithering on eggshells at least. Without a bond for so long left her in a dangerous position. At any moment, she could slip into a feral, mindless state, which put everyone around her at risk.

The sparkles and the loud noises of the fireworks makes her nervous, not because they actually scare or startle her but because they have the potential to. Everything around her does - someone running by, a bright flash of color from the twirl of a skirt, a sudden laugh or shout.

She really wants to stay and enjoy herself but she knows it's too much of a risk, she's too much of a risk.

Without warning, she turns to try to get out of the crowd, doing her best to push past people. She mumbles apologies as she moves past people, seeking out a quiet, secluded place.]

ii. Red-String
[The appearance of the strings is incredibly strange. There are all manner of things that happen here that are strange but this is a new one. The strings are very obviously not tangible... most of the time. Despite not being very well versed in magic, it's fairly obvious that these strings were magical. But where did they lead?

Of course, she had to find out. The strings were nearly impossible to ignore with what felt like phantom tugs on them every now and then. But even if they weren't so obvious, her curiosity is piqued.

Naturally, she picks one and starts to follow it, wherever it might lead.]

iii. Wildcard
[feel free to hit me up on plurk @ squissie if you have something else in mind]

i

[recklessbelief]

[Akko is one of the ones that are a bit easier to push aside. Although her legs are a lot stronger since becoming a Puca, she's still not all that big or tall. But just because she's easier to move doesn't mean she's one to let go all that easy. Akko watches Petra as she pushes past, hanging back a moment with a slight tilt of her head.]

[Truth be told, she's seen this before during festivals. They tend to be really loud with a lot of people at a minimum, but a lot of time there also seems to be music or fireworks or something just adding to the noise and movement. People who aren't used to that in general or with some of the changes that come with being a Monster can get overwhelmed really fast. Akko decides against leaving her be because although she should probably move to someplace a little quieter and removed from this stuff, she shouldn't have to do it alone. At least, not in Akko's opinion.]

Hey, hang on! [she calls after, taking the quick few steps after Petra.] Are you okay?

Rude | Final Fantiasy VII | OTA

[grandspark]

I. Not Here for the Parties

[The bald man was surrounded by merry-makers on all sides. From the look of his expression he was getting more annoyed by the minute. He managed, however, to keep calm and polite somehow as he was heckled and cajoled more and more.

He just wasn't having any of it. He was more intent on walking down the street and getting to his destination--a job probably from the look of him--than stopping to smile for the party-harders.

Joining in on the heckling would probably illicit another frown from the bald man, but helping him get rid of the harassers might earn brownie points. Which would you be?]

II. Dress Up

[It finally happened. Somehow Rude was roped into one of the crazy random celebrations happening all over the city. Except this one appeared to be one of the mock wedding slash fashion shows. At least they weren't shoving food and drink and music in his face.

They were, however, shoving him into a dressing room before he could object and thrusting clothing at him as they tried to decide what to dress him in. Rude stammered repeatedly as they twirled about ceaselessly, trying to get a word in while a person was holding up a suit in front of him only for them to whirl away before he could get out his full objection to this nonsense.

He eventually gave up with a deep sigh and let them continue on. This just seemed to be one of those things he'd have to get used to living in this new city. Resigned, he watched the fashion designers dart about and try to pick something out. At least this wasn't his first experience with modeling thanks to last month's gig at the clothing shop. Not that he had particularly wanted to do that either. He had a certain someone to blame for that one.

On the plus side, he heard something about keeping the clothing they put him in. The minus side being that wedding suits were really not something he wanted hanging in his closet. Maybe he could coax one of them into giving him something semi-practical that he could gut and repurpose later.

...Also hopefully he wouldn't end up having to pretend to be a "bride" or groom in any of the mock weddings. Any role was too embarrassing to him but the main two would be the absolute worst. He wasn't going to hold his breath for the easy way out but he still hoped.]

III. Red Strings

[Rude wasn't ready for another miscast spell to take the city by surprise again. (Everything else was trouble enough.) He hadn't been here long enough to realize it was practically a staple of the place. In retrospect, perhaps he should expect a city full of witches to have a load of magical mishaps fairly regularly.

He was still adjusting though, still working on convincing himself this wasn't just a long dream, and that when he awoke he'd be back in Midgar. A month was time enough to let that dream slip...to begin to realize this was going to have to become the new normal. And that he was going to have to get used to stuff like this happening.

Well, here it was, happening. Rude looked around at the street full of red string. At least it looked like red string. He could pass through the illusion of it though as if nothing was there. Until--

He paused and looked down at his fingers. He tugged experimentally on the string attached to them. That was less illusion and more tangible than he would have expected. There was definitely something on the other end of it, too.

Rude suppressed the urge to sigh and started to tug on one of the strings with the intent on finding the other end. It wasn't coming off otherwise--no amount of pulling at it would remove it, nor cutting it with something sharp--which left figuring out where it led and seeing if there was a way out of it there. Or at least a clue to how to get unstrung.

He began to follow the first string to its destination.]

IV. Wildcard

[[Something else coming to mind? Go for it.]]

Dress up

[towards_okeanos]

[Rude might be forgiven his grumpy attitude towards hard-working and just a little over-eager people of the fashion industry but he is Just The Right build for what the main star of this show is looking for. The star is not here yet, there's still some time before the main event so no reason for him to hurry. All the designers that he saw up to this point are just hired help.
Iskandar strides the place with ease of someone used to all the attention. He's wearing a dark crimson suit with just a little touch of glitter. Not his favourite honestly. He stops when he spots a new face. Not unusual, this is fashion week after all but something about this man piques his curiosity. He doesn't look completely out of place here.]

Greetings friend! I haven't seen you here before!

Waver Velvet | Fate/Zero | Turnskin

[tryhard]

Open Log for Lùnasa and some quests over here!

hmu via PM or at gunsandchocolate if you want to plot. also open to wildcards!

eren jaeger 💥 dragon

[usurpers]

sᴀʏ “ᴊɪʏᴜ̄”

[ eren isn’t one to model for clothes (or anything), but fashionistas in lunasa’s fever seem to have other plans when stalking him on the street and pulling him (begging and hounding, really) into a piece made for those with arm wings. the looming stature, the natural smolder! look at that innate pensiveness and melancholy!! what makes those icy eyes so cryptic, so mystifying?!

eren wouldn’t respond to any of that beyond passive lizard blinking, but the answer was omnicide. now, the witches and monsters alike take advantage of such a rare opportunity to fit him into sleeveless cloaks of warm summer hues, slacks with tail space that compliments the expose of calves and scaly legs, topping off with glitter to compliment his scales. flashes go off like static when pictures snap one after another. his eyes . . .

they’ve managed to get you into a mock marriage with whatever you’re being forced to model as they gaggle and chatter about the coming spouse about to walk down the hallway’s red carpet catwalk. they’re tall, daunting and handsome. i hope you’re into size difference . . . a sharp eyed witch winks as she dazzles you with a blast of glitter, and one more says make sure you land a good one for the camera, okay?

live music begins to swell and pictures snap from all angles. it’s especially important when the daunting dragon in question steps through tall swinging doors with something not very handsome on his digitigrade feet. he makes the distaste past a flat stare prominent and meets you, gracelessly, at the alter. ]

You can have these.

[ curtly!!!! he doesn’t seem phased about the event and more disgruntled with the footwear than anything. even if he has to keep things professional, he doesn’t want these state of the art boots for your claws please his feet are free to roam shoeless. ]

ʏᴏᴜʀ ɴᴀᴍᴇ

[ all these . . . strings. maybe the one leading him on this time is tied to his horn. his tail? word around town says it’s a spell for true love’s mate, a tethered soul twin! not of those break a crack in eren’s simply stilted gaze because he 1) has no soul and 2) is emotionally constipated. still, to get these off he’ll gladly follow along and waits not for one to come to him. no.

he starts forcibly dragging at the string until he hears something, or the person attached to the other end comes out. hopefully you’re not doing something important, wherever you are— you’re being lugged like a lasso’d bull or a hooked fish and he will not make the battle easier. ]

ᴡɪʟᴅᴄᴀʀᴅ

[ anything else, prompt-wise or quest in mind and it can go here! eren also hosts a quest this month, wanted! with the open log here! i can easily be reached on plurk at liberos or discord at owlie#3609! ]

i guess they're getting married

[trost]

[ The only reason Jean had tolerated being cajoled into mock wedding photos for the benefit of a tailor that specializes in wedding outfits is the chance to keep whatever he's wearing. Though he's spent most of his life in fairly modern clothing, he would certainly prefer to own something fancier if given the chance. The suit they put him in is trim and accentuates his tall and lean figure nicely, a simple and streamlined fit with a bit of texture in the textiles. It's a smart look that isn't too flashy. Perfect for someone like Jean.

He's been tuning out the voices of the fashionistas as they hype up this apparent other model, especially when they sing praises of this monster being 'tall' or 'daunting' or 'handsome'. The mention of 'size difference' especially grinds his gears. Are they doing this because they like making him feel like chopped liver? Is that's what's going on here? He's tall too!

Jean just has to take the photographs and leave with his slick new suit.

The actual sight of his fake 'spouse' makes his entire heart drop. As Eren trudges over like the floor is made of eggshells, Jean grabs the 'priest' ordaining them (actually an organizer) by the scruff of their collar and shakes them. ]

Why him ...? Of all the people you could have chose, why him ...?

[foundfamilies]

I. poppin' parties

[ When Leslie first arrived in Aefenglom, her enthusiasm for the first festivals of her life was intense, but this Bond-focused society has a lot of those, and they all have a number of Adult Only events. (The closest she's gotten to a satisfactory explanation as to why there are so many of them is that adults like to have time with other adults sometimes, which she supposes is fair.)

That isn't to say she isn't excited. She's got twelve years to make up on, and marriage is also something she has never seen before. And these days, she tends to dress a little fancy as a matter of course, so she's easily drawn into the parties, her usual caution around non-Mirrorbound citizens at a low ebb in the festival mood. ]

a-1. parties aren't for everyone

[ Her own enthusiasm for festivals doesn't keep her from recognizing there are some people who just wanted to get to an appointment without being accosted, thank you very much.

If she sees someone who looks like they are not happy about being accosted, she waits for them to be left alone for a moment and sidles up to them. Standing on her tiptoes and cupping a hand over her mouth doesn't allow her to whisper in someone's ear most of the time at her 4'3"ish height, but she does it anyway and tries to strike a balance between quiet enough to avoid getting overheard and loud enough to be heard over the party. ]

Do you want me to make a distraction so you can leave? If...if that's what you want. You didn't look like you wanted to be here.

a-2. thanks uncle hubert

[ But sometimes the partiers are unwilling to let go of a passerby without trying their hardest to get them in the party spirit. If Leslie feels like she's seeing the victim of unwilling party pressgang and can't find an opening, she will make one herself.

If you're trying to shake off some well-meaning party enthusiasts, you might find your sleeve or hand or other easily accessed grabbing spot grabbed by a smaller hand. ]

There you are! I was looking for you, [ And here Leslie will use some familial title that seems appropriate to her based on appearance: big sibling, aunt/uncle/anuncle [name, which may be your real one if she knows you or may be something picked out of thin air], grandparent, etc. (She is too formal to provide any cute shorthands, so no "papa" or "mama" in this corner.)

...She sure hopes that this rescue attempt is both wanted and understood, because it's going to be so embarrassing if she's misread the situation. ]

b. catch as catch can

[ As one of the many weddings starts to wrap up, Leslie can be found wandering through the slowly dispersing crowd with a quite lovely bundle of flowers in her arms, looking like she's thinking hard about something. ]

It was really nice of them to hand out flowers to the guests, but shouldn't they have given them to more than just one person? It doesn't really seem fair to the others....

[ It seems that Leslie victoriously participated in the tossing of the bouquet without any clue that it was anything other than a fun little wedding game with a prize. She really expected there to be at least a few rounds with more than one bouquet so that it could be distributed more evenly. ]

c. a test of will

[ Much of the time, Leslie can be found as a mildly stiff but happy party participant, but during a party that runs on into dusk, she can be found having slipped away from the crowds. She holds an unlit sparkler in her hands and she stares at it with a mixture of worry, uncertainty, and melancholy. Occasionally, she looks over where the lights of other people drawing shapes in the air with the sparklers can be seen.

She's been working with Hubert on her fear of fire, but...she's not sure if this is something she can really participate in. They look really pretty and it seems like some people are having a lot of fun with them, but it might be too much for her right now. ]

d. bombs away!

Watch out!

[ -- is all the warning you get as an upside-down child hurtles in your direction. A reconstruction of the scene would suggest that someone swung Leslie with a little too much enthusiasm and accidentally launched her in your direction.

Hope you've got good reflexes! ]

II. say yes to the dress

[ Leslie has become quite popular with fashion designers who want to show off outfits for some of the younger members of the wedding entourage. Someone who looks young enough to still be in the age range for flower girl or ringbearer or such, but is very well-behaved and polite? A gold mine.

So Leslie can be seen in the background of quite a few mock weddings at the fashion show, whether as a flower girl walking ahead of a fashion "couple," a "page boy" walking behind to carry a bridal train, or a ringbearer arriving a little after. Sometimes, her hair will be done up to match the outfit, but often it ends up pinned up under a wig to make it slightly less obvious how often the flower girl of a recent mock wedding at the fashion show shows up as the page boy of the next. ]

a. weirder things have happened

[ If you're taking part as one of the partners involved in the mock wedding, you might find Leslie, dressed in one of the child roles of a wedding, addressing you somewhat awkwardly and glancing over toward your opposite number. ]

Are you actually, um...are you courting them?

[ It turns out that there was an actual romantic couple playing the roles at the mock wedding at an earlier set that Leslie'd helped with, which has lead her to wonder how common that is. ]

b. a moment to catch your breath

[ Leslie has a lot more stamina these days than she used to, but it's still only a little over half a year from the time when people had legitimate reason to believe her arms with snap like twigs if she fell over, and she's still a kid, so sometimes, she has to take a break.

She can be found on a chair (somewhat too big for her, like most chairs) in a quiet corner backstage. It seems that someone brought her a glass of juice that she's sipping on. She hasn't gone to change from her last jaunt on stage -- which might be either the white dress and colourful satin sash of a flower girl or the little suit of a page "boy."

She looks up at the sound of someone entering and smiles. ]

Did you need a break, too?

c. disaster on the catwalk

[ Of course, while she doesn't come with the usual problems of working with animals or children, she's not perfect and, while rare, slip-ups can happen: tripping and sending the cushion with the fake rings flying off into the crowd, dropping an entire basket of flowers and spilling it everywhere, getting tangled in the bridal train, or something along those lines.

And when she does, she is so embarrassed. It's visually obvious from her red face while on the stage, but the moment she's away from the crowd, she adds verbal confirmation. ]

I'm so sorry! I messed it up. I'm sorry.

[ This could honestly be directed at anyone or everyone involved in the process. She just feels so very guilty. ]

III. red-string strung along

[ For the most part, Leslie escapes the difficulties of the red string spell through the day, but for a short period in time, the spell really messes up and ends up tying a finger on one of her hands to the finger of another hand. If anyone needed proof that this doesn't come with 100% accuracy....

So Leslie might be able to be found somewhere around the Haven, looking rather like she's trying to play skip-rope as she tries to get the string strung around behind her to at least be in front of her so she has a little more range of motion with her hands as she tries to figure out what to do with it.

But she doesn't even know that skipping/jumping rope is a thing that exists, so she's not good at it and the string keeps just thwapping against the back of her legs as she jumps at the wrong time. This...might take a while. ]

IV. wildcard

[ Because you're worth it. ]

I-d

[sneaksweet]

[Juza doesn't play much baseball, but his little brother does. So the moment he hears the yell he's on high alert.

He wasn't expecting a girl to go hurtling towards him- bu tat least he does manage to catch her, only taking a few steps to balance himself before putting her back down.]

You okay?

[silentsavant]

(( Some open Lùnasa prompts over here at Soren's catch-all log! ))

byleth eisner | fe3h | witch

[hegemonwings]

[ she has a catchall log over here with lunasa prompts. ]

closed for @seemstressed

[morbide]

Lùnasa

[With the weather as hot as it's been, Tataru kept in mind the airiness of the attire she'd finalized to get them settled and Bonded. Bonded... for the second time. It's not what's in vogue by Lùnasa's standards this year, but perfectly trendy, and Henry would be lying if he said he hadn't been stopped frequently for compliments. Bonding ceremonies, both of the first-Bonded variety and the eternal type, would stop the dark mage and ask if he was available to be a pretty guest for a model wedding, to which he'd have to firmly decline: he had a real Bonding ceremony to attend, and his Bonded made his clothes, not a native designer!

And what a lucky Mirrorbound this one must be, they'd agree, the roses upon his dark attire sure to match a lovely Bonded partner.

Henry hadn't seen Tataru's outfit on her yet, and he ran ahead, telling her that he'd be there as soon as it was time for their ceremony. That he had things to do, but Tataru was probably plenty aware of the sorcerer's evasiveness. His caginess. ...His nervousness.

But he showed up. Early. And he had to swallow down all of the strange compliments he had, compliments that he could only dish out if he could make them into lighthearted jokes: "You make me look like a lowlife pretending to be your prince!" "Did you enchant your clothes to make you prettier? Promise I won't be mad! I won't even dispel it." But amidst all of that, he wasn't capable of stopping the very first reaction he'd had to seeing Tataru before their ceremony: "I'm excited."

Was he? Is that how he's feeling? The nerves are pretty awful, he thought. The dizzying thoughts buzzing his head are distracting. It's not pleasant, but... Excitement. The part that made him zoning out during their more official ceremony right now, the part that was making him think over it all while Tataru has her round eyes trained up at him wearing something so light and flowing and bright, her hair done so nicely and with an ornament to match her ensemble...

Maybe he's excited, in a sick sort of way.

The Witch hosting their outdoor ceremony is a lot more connected with the pair than their last ceremony, pleased to see a Mirrorbound couple reaffirming their vows. But here, he opens the floor for their reinstating of their promises to each other, and Henry flushes.]

Oh! Our turn to stumble over words, already? [Being solemn and sincere is not at all Henry's style. He turns to Tataru.] Did you wanna go first, or should I put my neck on the line?

[He would do it over and over, he thought. Tataru's a bold lady, but he'd do whatever she wanted of him. She'd never be doing it to make a fool of him, and even if she were, Henry wouldn't mind. At the end of the day, Tataru's shown over and over that she's looking out for him.]

[seemstressed]

<sub>[She's lived with him long enough and has been Bonded to him long enough that it's rather easy to read Henry's moods now. His cagey nervousness is simply a product of his uncertainty, of buried fear and a slew of other things. He's excited though, just as she is, and it's a bit hard not to be, isn't it? Renewing the vows of a Bond shouldn't be too pompous, she thinks, but it's a ceremony worth dressing up for none the less. It's only when she's on her way, the ornament he'd given her for her birthday tucked in her hair, that she's hit with a sudden wave of apprehension. The theme of the month that seemed to have gripped the city was all about weddings and what was a wedding in Eorzea than a Ceremony of Eternal Bonding. The irony is like a slap to the face, causing her to giggle nervously to herself as she hurries her way toward where Henry should be.

This isn't a wedding...but there doesn't seem to be too much difference between the events now, does there?

There's a lump in Tataru's throat at that thought, one she can't seem to swallow.

Finally they're before one another and they make quite a pretty pair in their matching outfits. All Tataru can do is smile up at her Bonded, cheeks as pink as her hair, lips curled up into a smile. He's handsome, she thinks. Sure, he cleaned up rather well, but there had always been something charming about him. Maybe it was simply part in parcel of being a mage - charms were a specialty of his, after all. ]</sub>

You go first then, since you've offered.

_{[Tataru might be all about 'ladies first' but in this instance she doesn't mind Henry taking center stage to begin.]}