Intro Log: February

[faileas]

Intro Log: February

I. ARRIVAL Out of nowhere, a glint of light catches your eye; your heart thunders in your ears as your body moves on its own, your mind consumed with inspecting the source. Your reflection stares back at you, just as curious from the surface - a mirror, a pool of water, your most trusted sword, something fleeting that your mind can barely remember - then ripples at your touch. A moment later, you feel a tug, and you find yourself stumbling into a dark, musty room. Behind you, a mirror stands ornately decorated with reminders of home wrought in brass and wood: the faces of people you know, and symbols important to you; all things that send a pang through your chest with the desire to return to them. Touching the mirror's surface does nothing but leave the stain of your fingerprints. When you turn to survey the room, you find there are hundreds of other mirrors. None of them are as decorated as yours - they're plain and dusty, speckled with age. Then you realize a second thing: You're not alone. Distantly, the ringing bell of a clocktower can be heard. But no matter its distance, the time is clear to make out: it chimes three times, stark, resonating like a pulse of something in this mirrored hall that you and many others have found yourselves in. For those familiar with magic, they might feel the power of the witching hour upon them, though it will feel different from what they're used to - in fact, everything does. You're certainly not the only ones here, however. On the first floor, with the doors wide open behind them in the foyer, is a small group headed by two individuals. As people begin to arrive, to come from the higher floor, they're waiting - and they're waiting for you, and your questions. Explore the rest of the mirrored halls you've now found yourselves in, or proceed to the foyer? Leaving the Looking-Glass House makes it obvious that the clock striking three was for 3 AM - the night sky is faintly cloudy, but the stars are dim in the face of two moons, even so close to the new moon as it is. The Looking-Glass House is rather nondescript two-story cottage made of grey brick, sitting at the edge of The Coven's courtyard; stones which glow as you step on them mark the path to and from the two buildings. While fairly small and plain on the outside, the inside has been enchanted to be the size of a large library, with hundreds upon hundreds of mirrors hanging, standing, and resting inside its walls. Some are broken, some are cracked, and some seem completely uninjured - but all of them are just as plain as the cottage itself, showing age in the silver beneath their glass and in the greening of their metals... Well, all except a character's personal mirror; to characters, one mirror - the one they came through - will be decorated lavishly with metal-and-wood-wrought reminders of home, and the surface will be as clear as a brand-new mirror.

II. THE WELCOME PARTY Whether you've decided to find a way out of the building you've arrived in, or decided to explore the rest of the Looking-Glass House - and perhaps finding a few familiar faces among the crowd - you feel a pull towards the foyer of the first floor. It's like a firm suggestion, as if to take you by the hand and draw you to where it begins, and the source of it becomes quite apparent upon finding one's way to the front room: a tall, comfortably-dressed older woman and her even taller wolfish companion, along with those which feel to resemble yourselves in a world-traversing sense: Mirrorbound, they're called. "There's always a right lot of you coming in, aren't there." The woman sets her hands on her hips, with her Bonded casting a glance at those looking confused - newly arrived - and those who may have followed them in to talk to the newest addition of their mirrorbound bunch. "About time for introductions though- this here's Mhairi Ainsley, ambassador to the Parliament and my Bonded, and I'm Nerissa Bell, Head Witch of the Coven - but you can just call me Miss Nessie, you can," she adds, winking. "The lot of you must be as tired and confused as the last batch - hullo to those who've joined us, too! - so just a moment, dearests, I'll set all you right up—" With nothing more than a wave of her hand, rows of seats are summoned; despite their wooden nature, they're all sturdy and comfortable, filling the foyer and spreading out a ways into the lawn behind them, making room for all of the new arrivals as well as the previous batch. After all, they'll find this just as interesting. The Witches and Monsters that accompanied Nessie and Mhairi move to make room, and some disperse into the building itself to see if there's anyone who needs tending to. Mhairi steps forward as the chairs materialize. "Please, those who are able, join us for a moment. There are many questions that I'm sure you have - we will do our utmost best to answer them, and you may take any that we can't as a promise to find some sort of solution or answer." NOTE: If you wish to interact with Nessie and Mhairi, please comment here. You have the option of handwaving the IC interaction to OOCly ask what questions your character might have for them, or for us to summarize an answer. Simply specify in your comment's subject and we'll respond accordingly. For those that'd like a more player-based interaction, Aefenglom has its own Welcome Wagon under the same header! These are players who've volunteered for the role, and those that didn't sign up may assist as well if they'd feel their character would -- have fun, and make friends. Additionally, those with notable injuries or sickness will be attended to ASAP by Coven-based witches, and should anyone be curious about what they are - if they have magic potential, or if they swing a different way - then this can be done during this and the general hour or so the new arrivals are within the Coven's grounds. There are ongoing classes on magic, monsters, and Bonding as well, though they take place more during the day than at night - feel free to have your characters attend them at any time!

III. THE HAVEN After an hour or two of general chaos, questions that the natives attempt to help with, and injuries tended to for those who arrive in poor condition, it's time to make a trek to where you'll be staying while Nessie and Mhairi continue to search for a solution to the situation. As you're leaving with a few Bonded for guides, peculiar-looking devices - watches, the native Witches explain, compliments of Parliament - are passed around to all the new arrivals; they're given a quick rundown on their functions and bid to test them out when they can. They can even do it as they make their way out of the Coven's courtyard and to the Haven. Formerly part of the Aristocratic District, The Haven is just as well-kept and brightly-lit as the district it hails from. The houses err on the tall and ornamental-side, large enough to fit several families (or, according to the upper class, their one family, several dozen servants, and guests), especially closest to the Aristocratic District. They become a little more modest and smaller as one gets away from the realm of high society and nearer to the Residential District proper. Newcomers are shuffled here and invited to find somewhere to live - the Coven is currently handling expenses for the houses themselves in a program implemented by the Parliament, though if your character wishes to have anything extra - like maids, chefs, and so on - they'll have to pay for them themselves with their own earned money. Much of the landscape and fixtures are the same as in the Aristocratic Districts, though it lacks formal emergency services due to its roots as part of a district that already did. Much of the housing already has furnishing due to the speed at which homeowners were relocated; they were given enough time to collect their valuables, but standard furniture such as kitchenware, couches, beds, etc. were left behind for those moving in. Other houses appear the same, but the dust on the floors suggest these houses were left before the new arrivals even showed up - a reminder that the Cwyld can strike just about anyone, regardless of standing. Another portion of this district has been opened up to the new arrivals: the barracks, the row of buildings pressed against the very edge of the Bright Wall. As the city's military force no longer has the same presence it previously did, the barracks have gone into disuse, and a cleanup effort has been in place since before the new arrivals came through the Looking-Glass House. For those who desire something a little less opulent, the barracks might just be the answer. The barracks can also be used for business, for a welcome center, a communal space, for anything that the residents of the Haven see fit to use it for - so long as the legality isn't questionable, on the surface. To help with filling up the larger houses - and even some of the smaller ones, and the shared rooms in the barracks - the Witches put together a little roommate finding service, on a smaller scale from the grand opening of the Haven. For those who aren't entirely sure who they want to shack up with, they have a small survey for them to fill out and post on the board they've magicked up in the center of The Haven. The board also very helpfully reads aloud each form for everyone to hear in a cheerful, monotone voice. It isn't able to be shut up, nor is it easy to ignore, being imbued with a kind of amplification magic. It reads simply the information you've offered up yourself, or that someone might have written up for you, should that be their idea of fun.

IV. Faiolleach From the 1st to the 3rd of Feoveuer is the holiday of Faiolleach, a time of spring-cleaning and purification in preparation for the new solar year, of rebirth and youth. It comes at a fitting time, after the dark happenings of the previous month - happenings that most natives are not willing to discuss, except in hushed, sympathetic voices. It was horrible, you know, best to cast that negative energy out. They won't discuss the details, not being privy to them; that's for Mirrorbound to clue the new arrivals in on. Many who have been here longer, though, will notice that Mirrorbound do not receive such a negative response in the wealthier areas of town as they did before. The vast majority of citizens, wealthy elites included, are, at the very least, polite. Despite the storm cloud of the Rathmores' trial on the 3rd hanging over the city, citizens are trying to put on their cheerful faces to celebrate Faiolleach. Originally celebrating the arrival of the sun, it was represented by a daughter of heaven whose name has been lost to ages - many still leave small offerings of food and drink out to this mythical figure, believing it bad luck not to do so. This is mostly done by older natives; the younger generation brushes it off as superstition. They're much more excited about speed-dating parties set up around the city, and blind dating, encompassing the traits of good luck and fertility traditionally held by the holiday. a. Speed-Dating The popular Faiolleach trend among the youths of Aefenglom is speed-dating, normally held in small to mid-sized gatherings of similarly-aged humans and Monsters both. The parties are all independent, usually held at small restaurants or bars, or other local shops rented out for the occasion, and many try to out-do the others - different themes, costumes or dress codes, and magical gimmicks are present at different bashes. They all hold to a similar mechanic: party participants are encouraged to make the rounds and spend just a handful of minutes with each person, sharing information about themselves in order to determine compatibility, but the level of structure (casual to organized) and the types of icebreaker games differ wildly. Revelers in the streets are out to pull walk-in participation in whatever bash is going on nearby, but they back off easily if the person isn't interested. It's certainly not a required part of the holiday, but they're eager to see people having fun. Whatever a person's tastes or interests, it's probable they'll find a gathering to their liking; some are skewed more toward finding someone to Bond with or making a new friend rather than finding someone to date, while some held in the Red Light District are a little spicier, with lingerie or kink themes to their parties. Participation is all optional, but meeting new people, regardless of how, is highly encouraged. b. Bonfires After dark, on all three nights of Faiolleach, bonfires of different sizes are held, scattered around the city, the flames magically contained in circles of runes (to avoid more possible fire damage, with repairs still ongoing from last month). People gather around them to dance, sing folk songs, and share warming drinks with one another. Like the speed-dating parties, they vary wildly from area to area; some are folksy, all-ages affairs where grandmothers tut and offer hot chocolate to ward against the evening chill. A common children's and young adults' activity at these bonfires are decorating wands of white birch wood with ribbons and baubles, and using them in the group dances to create mesmerizing swirls of color and sparkle. Others, especially those in the Entertainment District, feature beautiful dancers of all species in fine silks and satins, performing dances that are a little more sultry. At the obviously-adults-only bonfires, the favorite drink passed around is alcoholic in nature, and lightly spiked with a potion to help the drinker lose some of their inhibitions and help them loosen up. These effects will be readily disclosed to anybody who is offered a cup, to let them choose for themselves - but hey, where's your sense of adventure? c. Light a Candle The 2nd of Feoveuer brings with it a more minor, but still well-loved tradition. As dusk falls, all candles in the city are lit, casting a warm glow from every window and on every street corner as the dark of night sets in. The flickering lights lining paths and shining in homes lend a more metaphorically-magical air to Aefenglom, bringing with it a sense of renewal and shared joy. Light a candle with loved ones and new bonds alike, and it's said to bring good fortune to your friendship or relationship. As the candles burn, several food vendors can be found selling a particular festival dish, a thin pancake topped with fruits, nuts, and cream, meant to be shared with someone by feeding it to them. For couples (or those pretending to be couples), often the vendors will offer the sweet treats for free with well-wishes for their future together.

V. Inkchanted For some time already this has been hailed as the opening day for Inkchanted, a Mirrorbound led tattoo parlor in the Harbor district that offers… well tattoos, but not normal tattoos: these are enchanted. It’s not a popular use of enchantment school, but it works nevertheless. With the use of special ink, runic spells are weaved into the tattoo’s design, which allows for various effects. For Witches, this can mean instant activation of spells without the need for chanting or gestures. Just run your magical energy through the design and the effect is instantaneous! For Monsters... that’s where things become interesting because Monsters also are granted use of that specific tattooed spell. The caveat is that the tattoo must be charged with Witch magic, or draw on magic stored in a sort of ‘battery’ they also have in the store. Said batteries are made of various jewelry or pendants, ranging from simple materials like copper and glass to more expensive made of silver and opals. Ink in the tattoos does not last forever, though; they will fade away entirely after reaching the limit of their use (which is said to be anywhere between 15-30 hours of continuous use, depending on the design’s size). A cheaper alternative to the tattoos are painted spells, with similar specialized paint to help them stick to the skin. Instead of a time limit, these have a limited number of uses and will disappear afterwards. That’s what it says on the paper, but a keen eye will notice that despite opening on the advertised day, there must have been some complications quite recently. There are signs of fire around the building, and any help with painting over them is greatly appreciated. Likewise, windows seem particularly new, and there are still shards of glass that could be found outside; anyone willing to help with this particular detail will be compensated by an old sailor named William who is renting the space to the young Mirrorbound, If asked what happened here recently, he becomes serious but tries to brush off the questions. When it becomes apparent that new Mirrorbound have appeared, the owners of the parlor scramble to find something for them to do, and thus end up encouraging a simple activity meant as practice for Witches and Monsters, both old and new. They offer a vast amount of magical energy batteries and encourage the Mirrorbound to form pairs, where one person fills the battery with magic, while the other attempts to siphon it out, cycling the energy this way. The only thing they ask is to have the batteries left fully filled. Soon, it turns out that the exercise might come with some side-effects, from getting memory-flashes of another person that used the battery, to sharing their emotional state or even simple thoughts. And should someone try and steal the magical battery… they might find themselves chased by one of the owners or… knocked right into the harbor’s water by a magical ward placed on the entrance if they don’t have a way to counter it! Note: More on this player-run business and its owners can be found on the Locations page! Big thanks to Shuu and Lena and co. for this prompt!

Welcome to the intro log! While mingling on the log itself is highly encouraged, feel free to make your own logs; take the prompts offered and go wild, go crazy, go stupid, have fun. The network system is free to use once characters have their watches as well; information on that can be found at the bottom of the Setting page, while any extra questions about it can be found in the FAQ index. Quests can be picked up now as well! While new characters will have to get settled in, you can go ahead and put your name on some by replying to the February's Quest Pickup thread on the Quest Board. Finally, if your character is getting into any Shenanigans, let the mods know and if you have any questions about the log, ask them here!

Comments

OOC QUESTIONS

[moustre]

GENERAL

[moustre]

ROOMMATES AND HOUSEMATES FINDING

[faileas]

Fill out the following form if your character is the type to participate, post it here, and comment around for some ??? profit! Since we know that character desires don't always line up with player desires, we have both an IC and an OOC portion to fill out; the IC portion is what gets read aloud by the board, while the OOC portion is just for plotting among each other - which can be done on this thread!

If your character wouldn't participate, but you'd still like to plot for housemates, just use the OOC portion of it.

• IC Portion (All of this should be filled out as your character would - if that means lying about any of the information asked after, or omitting certain things, go for it.)
Name:
Age:
Three words you'd use to describe yourself:
Favorite color:
Seeking: What they'd like in a roommate/housemate.
Not Seeking: What they wouldn't like.
Preferred living situation: With just a few people, in a house that house multiple groups (like an apartment or twin house situation), etc.
Extra notes: Pets, special circumstances, etc.

• OOC Portion (All of this is just for you, the player!)
Character name:
Character age:
Canon:
Choice: Witch or Monster?
Preferred housemates or plans: What kind of characters/living situations you'd like. Need someone to bully your character into being nicer or less lazy? Want someone to help your character loosen up a little? Put your wishes and plans here.
Extra notes: Anything else, be it ways to contact you, notes about your character, and so on.

• <B>IC Portion</b> <b>Name:</b> <b>Age:</b> <b>Three words you'd use to describe yourself:</b> <B>Favorite color:</b> <B>Seeking:</b> <B>Not Seeking:</b> <b>Preferred living situation:</b> <B>Extra notes:</b> • <b>OOC Portion</b> <b>Character name:</b> <b>Character age:</b> <B>Canon:</b> <B>Choice:</b> <b>Preferred housemates or plans:</b> <B>Extra notes:</b>

[sneaksweet]

• IC Portion
Name: Juza Hyodo
Age: 17
Three words you'd use to describe yourself: ...
Favorite color: Purple
Seeking: Roommate or housemate. I'm not real picky or anything.
Not Seeking: It'd be weird to room with girls. Sharing a house with them's fine.
Preferred living situation: I don't mind sharing a room. A crowded house is fine. Got used to that at Mankai.
Extra notes: I grind my teeth when I sleep. Sorry. Can't help it.

• OOC Portion
Character name: Juza Hyodo
Character age: 17
Canon: A3!
Choice: Monster: Turnskin
Preferred housemates or plans: He doesn't really have any plans, but somebody outgoing would be good for him.
Extra notes: Contact me on discord! Mira#5533

IC QUESTIONS

[moustre]

If you wish to interact with Nessie and Mhairi, please comment here. You have the option of handwaving the IC interaction to OOCly ask what questions your character might have for them, or for us to summarize an answer for you. Simply specify in your comment's subject and we'll respond accordingly. We do not currently have the time to do full IC threads, sorry guys!

Those who volunteered for the Welcome Wagon may also respond in our place, if it's an answer your character would know the answer to! Nessie and Mhairi trust you all.

Handwaving is 100% fine, thank you for your time!

[foundfamilies]

Leslie would like to ask if there's a way to send a message back to her home world. She doesn't sound super hopeful, because she was told by a person in a dream that it can't be done, but she really would like to let Duchess Salvatore know what happened before the duchess gets accused of hiding her.

(This is also for me to ask if anyone is going to bring up the shadows following her around or do an initial Cwyld test or anything like that, since I expect Nessie and Mhairi to be the sorts who can notice them, or if they just shrug with a "Mirrorbound are weird" for now.)

Prompto Argentum | OTA

[clickclickbang]

Arrival | OTA

[For Prompto, it's like one minute he's here in the city, the next he's back where he was on Eos, and then he's back in the Looking-Glass House with Primula squawking in outrage.

Also? He's...human again.]

Oh, don't tell me I have to go through all that shit again...think Noct kept my pants, Prim?

The Haven | OTA

[Once he gets reoriented (and a Coven member confirms that yes, he's still a Monster), Prompto doesn't stick around for the information meeting. He knows what's going here, and Prim needs to get out of the house before she starts pecking people. If anything big happened in the apparent month he was gone, he's sure someone will tell him later.

After sending a message out to everyone he knew before he was pulled home, Prompto decides to wander around the Haven and see if maybe, just maybe, he can get a new place with space for Prim. (Unless Noct is in the old house, in which case he'll just move back in there.)

Of course, Prim is Upset at all of this nonsense, so at some point she's just gonna take off running and leave Prompto trying to catch up.

Help?]

Wildcard

[Hit him up!! Previous CR is totally welcome to have just not gotten the message if hilarious in person meetings are your style]

Wildcardish

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot had been on the look out for Ash, but hadn't thought to look for Prompto. So getting a text from him? Well, it's a surprise]

Prompto?? Is it really you?

atsuko kagari | puca

[recklessbelief]

i. a solid first impression is important

[She'd been told to stay away from reflective surfaces. But her appearance here in this place certainly shows that it didn't really stick. Or maybe it was a little too tall of an ask.]

[But what she remembers now more than that is the numbers. She asked Fang just how many people had been brought to this world, left trapped here, and Fang could really only give her a rough estimate. But standing here now, in front of her own mirror, freshly arrived...]

[Akko's grip on her binder tightens slightly.]

[It's one thing to hear the number, it's another to see it laid out before her like this. It's horrible to think that this many people are trapped, or could become trapped. With no immediate answers as to how any of this is happening by standing about near her own mirror, Akko abandons it for now for the first floor just in time for Mhairi and Nerissa introduce themselves. She doesn't really bat an eye at the appearance of chairs, instead looking for people she recognizes. From her world, from a dream, whichever...]

[She hurries over the moment she recognizes someone.]

Hey! I know you!

[But this is Akko we're talking about. It's entirely possible that she just tripped over a chair or collided straight into someone in her attempt to get to that recognized person (who may or may not have noticed her calling to them in the first place). If you find yourself on the receiving end of her clumsiness, once she's gathered her binder back up (and any potential cards that fell out), she will apologize for it.]

ii. get your dancing shoes on

[She doesn't really know the moves or the songs, but that sounds like excuse-making as far as Akko is concerned. She fairly readily agrees to decorate a wand when she questions a little girl where she got hers. Once that's done, she's immediately joining in, clearly freestyling a bit as she goes. No one seems to particularly mind though some clearly are amused by her embellishments.]

Where are you going?

[Akko pauses when she notices someone perhaps trying to slink away from the bonfire and motions them over to join her. She glances over her shoulder and takes a quick step out of the way to avoid getting mowed down by an enthusiastic dancer. They are only about six or seven years of age though, so Akko laughs a little breathlessly before looking back at her fellow Mirrorbound and gesturing more urgently.]

C'mon.

iii. akko can have a little pancake, as a treat

[Akko puts a finger to her lips and winks reassuringly as the line continues to move. Once it's finally their turn -- Akko and her companion -- she turns on the, uh... Well, it's supposed to be charm. Who knows if it really passes? She giggles and while it doesn't sound completely fake, there is something a touch overdone about it.]

We'll take one! [Whether she's managed to successfully convince her companion to pose as her other half or simply dragged them into it, Akko firmly has a hold on their arm. She holds it a little tighter to "sell" the act a little more.] Isn't that right, Sweetums?

[Sometimes it's not a sweetums she throws out. Sometimes it's a Pooky or Honeybun. Or Poopsie or Jujubee. Or her Cutie Patootie. The list goes on. Whatever horrendous pet name she deems them to be though, they have a decision: either collude with this ruse and get some sweet pancake treats for free or blow her cover and she'll probably try to milk it for a bad break up and seek out conciliatory pancakes. They just won't get to share in the latter.]

((ooc: this prompt is limited to similarly aged characters only, but any gender is fine!))

iv. wildcard

((ooc: none of these prompts doing it for you? feel free to go off-script! i'm also open to doing closed starters for folks if requested. feel free to contact me with questions or requests for closed starters at plurk [rebreather] or via pm this journal.))

i

[belligerentwarrior]

[Yes, yes she does. Fang, waiting outside the Mirror House welcome with one hand on her hip, raises her hand in a little wave.]

Hey, kid.

[She was really hoping she wouldn't see Akko here, but nothing to do with it now. Fang looked... different from the dream. Still with pointed teeth and ears and dark fur on her back, shoulders, and lower legs, but... new scars crisscrossed her fur, and it was missing a few patches. Her wrists and neck were still wrapped in fresh bandages, and above all, Fang seemed tired.]

Guess your little rescue project didn't go so well.

Mikasa Ackerman | OTA

[stopfen]

Arrival and Welcome OTA
[When the dream ends, Mikasa braces herself. Expecting, hoping that when she opened her eyes she'd see Armin's blue ones peering back at her. For once she would have been glad to have seen titans after the last few strange days. But she doesn't and the fi-]

Ah-

[Burning, it burns. And she's scratching at the buckle trying to push it away, but it's burning her hand too.

It wasn't super painful. Getting boiling steam to the face had hurt more. But it was enough to make her focus and gasp, trying get it away instinctively.

Eventually she'll manage to not have any metal touching her. It'd do for wandering, until she had somewhere to put her gear. Because even if she couldn't use it, it was too valuable to just leave behind. She's one of the ones the witches heal up. Mostly for the burns, but some for the scratches and scrapes that she'd gotten fighting. She had a few questions but then she was off to work out how she was going to live.]


Wildcard
{{I'll probably post another comment with more later. But I can be contacted via pm, kittylyoko or on the discord if you want to plan anything detailed.
But I do want to do some Faiolleach things, just she needs to get a bit sorted first.
I guess this can cover people responding to her roommate request to.}}

wildcard bonfires!!! 🔥

[usurpers]

[ a plethora of different scents and tastes hit aefenglom on the first, and nearly made eren’s head spin. they’re here, it’s happening. it’s an explosion of new walking left and right from the looking glass house, in the coven when he neared it, disturbing a rather steady map of the city that could be visualized differently by the reptilian kinds. it’s almost akin to overstimulation, where the dragon’s tongue flicks and flicks and flicks yet cannot for the love of him get proper reads on his surroundings. too many people to separate, to many monsters, too many witches— very little fae.

rare like diamonds. even now in the evening, when little has settled, but just enough to venture by the bonfires, it’s a fizzy tang that gets his attention more than anything. it might still be some ways crowded with the festivities, but a massive man, at least, what’s still vaguely shaped like a man towers above the majority at seven feet. obsidian horns curve back following the slope of his head and taper off into what seemed like brilliant-blue crystal; his talons, long, curved and of the same texture hang loosely at his sides— more than half of his body is scaled, plated with blacks and scattered reds, occasional oranges and sheens of purple appearing pink against the fire’s reflection.

his legs bend differently as he stalks and gently nudges those in his way aside— they’re not human in the slightest, and accompanies the gentle sway of a lengthy needled tail. eren could hardly blink when the taste seized him and tells him to look harder, his forked tongue (longer, like a snake’s) slipping past his fangs. many of them. it nearly tickles people’s hair as he hunches, and doesn’t seem to pay them heed, might even step on a foot or two . . .

he just needed to find this thing. ]

trucy wright / ace attorney

[cardtrick]

— welcome party.

[ Questions run through Trucy's mind at a million miles a minute, as heavily as they did through Mr. Stickler's testimony. What was this place, what was with the mirrors, and why were so many others looking just as lost as she was?

It seems only logical that she investigates by following directions, right? That's what daddy would do, isn't it? Or Polly? She just has to put on her figurative attorney's badge and find out what she needs to!

(She'd make a good attorney, Trucy thinks, but her calling is as plain as the silk top hat firmly on top of her head.)

She finds herself at the edge of the crowd which has gathered, too short to really see anything while they're all standing, and she taps a nearby person on the elbow, all smiles, so bright one wouldn't think she'd just been dragged into another world. ]

Excuse me!

[ Could she just... squeeze b—

Oh! Or maybe there'll suddenly be chairs conjured for all of them, a fact which is far more interesting to a young magician than anything else. ]

... Wow! That was smooth! [ She couldn't even see the trapdoors which surely made them appear. That's impressive. ]

— the haven.

[ Okay, so, she's in a city of Monsters and Witches. There's still a lot she needs to absorb there, but the people at the Looking Glass house were really helpful and forthcoming about everything. (Man, if only Mr. Stickler had been as nice on the stand as those guys were at the talk.) But it sounds permanent and Trucy knows there's only one thing to do in this situation:

Find a house and an audience for her shows.

... Okay. Two things. Surely even a city of Witches appreciates stage magic, right? Of course they would. She's the Amazing Trucy Wright! She'll have them all enchanted in a second.

But first, she needs to get settled. And maybe make flyers. Unfortunately, they weren't among the things she had on hand in the courthouse, and even if they were, they would have been incorrect.

She won't have the Wright Anything Agency here. She won't have any of it. No Mr. Charley, no Polly and no Daddy. Just Trucy, herself, and Mr. Hat. But that's okay, right? She's a big girl now, like she's always reminding daddy — not a child. She can take care of herself.

Still...

Trucy swallows, pushing back the gloomy cloud of thoughts and replacing it with another smile as she wanders into the Haven, blue eyes taken by all the architecture here, how glamorous places look in comparison to the tiny apartment she and daddy call home in Los Angeles. Almost like the kind of place Mr. Edgeworth would live in.

But there's a lot of people here, and people are a potential audience. Maybe she doesn't have all her tricks, but she does have Mr. Hat. So, without hesitation, Trucy sets herself up on a corner, smiling brilliantly at all passers by before a strange puppet appears from seemingly nowhere and stands beside her. ]

Oh ho! Bringing out the big guns, eh?

[ The voice is nothing like her own, and her lips remain perfectly still in their sparkling grin. ]

Sure am, Mr. Hat! A new city deserves nothing but the best, right?

Quite correct, Miss Trucy! Where are we performing?

Well... I don't know yet.

! Maybe one of these lovely people have somewhere we can go?

I hope so! After all, I'm the Wright magician for the job!

— bonfires.

[ This is so lovely that Trucy could almost forget about home, forget about the thoughts of daddy, Polly and all of daddy's friends whose absence makes her ache, quiet and hidden behind the smiles she throws at every stranger she speaks to.

It's getting late, and cold, and Trucy finds herself accosted by a particularly well-meaning old lady who thrusts hot chocolate into her hands with astonishing speed. Surprised blinking turns into a stuttered thank you and a smile which lights up blue eyes as she takes a sip. ]

O-oh! This is amazing! Even better than pudding cups!

[ She rocks and bounces on the balls of her feet, nodding her thanks once more to the kind old woman, and wanders back towards the fire, idly watching others, the distraction enough that she doesn't notice the person next to her until it's too late. ]

Eek!

[ Oh no, not the hot chocolate. ]

— wildcard.

[ Throw me anything you want, or contact me at isanghae#8071 / isanghae to discuss specifics! ]

[stopfen]

[Mikasa was a rather large figure...Though maybe not by most standards here. But still the gear made her slightly harder to navigate around. Mostly cause, while it wasn't iron, it was steel. Enough to cause a nasty sting if touched directly.

Mikasa herself isn't too bothered at being bumped. She's used to worse,there was no ill intent. But she looks back over her shoulders, squinting for a moment.]

It's you...Trucy?

[They looked different now. No animal ears or tails. Just normal people. For now...Supposedly.]

Hakuno Kishinami | Fae | OTA

[sealeted]

i. the haven

[Hakuno fiddles with her new watch as she tours the city, getting used to the familiar mechanics and the new limitations of it. It's almost a nervous twitch, the way her fingers skim over the buttons, but the only other clear signal of any burgeoning distress is the way her eyes flicker around, cataloguing the buildings and passersby with practiced threat assessment.

She lingers longest around the talking board, waiting on pins an needles for a familiar name to pop up.

After the first fifteen minutes of this, she looks like nothing so much as a lost child, beginning to look around the crowd with a bit more fervor in her calm, placid expression.]


ii-a. speed dating

O-Oh, um—

[Hakuno hadn't fully intended to be doing this, but pausing too long to peer at the party and its eye-catching gimmick had seen her ushered in and sat at a table. She blanks at her apparent partner for the moment, and gives a small, feeble wave.

How... how is she supposed to do this? She's been on exactly one (1) fake date that was more of an etended stroll, and it ended... poorly.]

Hello. My name is Hakuno.

[That seems like a safe enough start, she figures.]


ii-b. bonfires

[Hakuno sits with a nice, boring cup of normal hot chocolate, watching the fires and festivities grow more and more riotous around her. She's a Monster, apparently, and she hasn't quite taken a moment to really absorb that just yet. Aside from darker eyes and pointed ears, she doesn't feel...

Well, no, she definitely feels different. She can't use Code Casts or feel her contract with her Servant, the clothes she arrived in fit more closely loosely by the day, bit by bit, and her spine itches and aches in odd intervals. If she had ever been a child, she might liken it to a new tooth coming in, but as it stands she can't really put a name to the sensation other than 'uncomfortable' right now.

Her wings, when they come in over a week or two, will be an ordeal in and of themselves. But for now, blissfully unsuspecting, she takes another sip of her hot chocolate and sighs.

It sounds a bit more content than she's comfortable thinking about.]

I wonder what the significance of the birch is...


ii-c. light a candle

Those look amazing.

[Hand to her mouth, arm folded across her waist pensively, Hakuno looks at the signboard for the festive treat with perhaps a smidgeon more seriousness than the average individual would. Within her war two wolves: one, the desire to save up her money, and the other, the desire to indulge her sweet-tooth.

Before coming here, she would have enough self-control to put it in the 'maybe next time' box.

Here and now, her Fae blood cries out for sugar and self-indulgence, and it might just be winning.]

That price, though...


iii-a. painting

[Doing menial, methodical work is old hat to hakuno; that this doesn't involve fighting in the slightest is an unexpected pleasure, and so she didn't hesitate to discard her jacket and push up her too-long sleeves, painting with gun-shy care and a newbie's enthusiasm. She's a little clumsy at first, but her pace is steady and soon she more or less gets the hang of it. Early on she wrestled her hair into a loose, amateur's attempt at a ponytail, however, and finally it tumbles loose and leaves her long, fluffy hair fluttering merrily around her.

The tie lands somewhere down below, possibly at somebody's feet.

Hakuno twists to look from atop the ladder, carefully stowing her paintbrush.]

I'm sorry, would you mind getting that for me?


iii-b. battery practice

So I just... pull?

[Forgive Hakuno if she looks skeptical. In her experience, magic has never particularly worked like that.

Her experience is only about two to four months long, however, so with a faint sigh she shrugs and gives it a try, willing the magic to drain out of the battery in her fist.]

Well, here goes.


iv. wildcard

[I'm plenty interested in getting her out there and doing anything! Feel free to hit me up/add me at shanatic for plotting or general chatting!]

iii-b. battery practice

[futhark]

[ The girl is a new face around, so it's not yet easy to tell whether she's a witch or a monster before the changes settle in. Though the fact she went for draining the battery suggests the latter.

It's a brief break between the clientele, his hands start to hurt from all the inking and painting done. He can play a partner until someone comes ]

Go ahead, just don't try to drain it too quickly. It could make you feel dizzy.

Diana Cavendish | OTA

[murowa]

[Welcome Party]

[She absorbs the information pretty well, mostly due to already hearing it from Chariot before. Whatever holes are left, Diana will take it upon herself to read up on after a visit to their nearest library. Already, she's planning on not only studying the city's history, but the history of their magic as well.

But more importantly, she's interested in finding those familiar faces from the dream.

Her eyes wander all over the place, and maybe it's after making eye contact with her that you might stop by and introduce yourself.]

Honestly... It's too irresponsible for something of this scale to be happening.

[Confused? Not really.

Scared? Nope.

Annoyed? Definitely.]


[Faiolleach - Bonfires & Wand Decoration]

[Her presence for the bonfires is two-fold.

Firstly, she's curious about the runes that are being used to actually contain the fires. Hungry for as much knowledge about this city's magic as she can obtain, Diana carefully and intently studies the runes. She gleams as much information as she can from merely looking at them, and also more closely inspects fires that have been safely put out, or any runic circle that isn't currently in use.

Her second reason for staying there is wand-crafting. Already a witch, Diana was intimately familiar with wands, and was interested in the idea of crafting one. She's never crafted one quite like this before, but the learning process is appreciated nonetheless. Ah, but she doesn't seem all that interested in decorating it just yet.

Not until the wand itself is up to her own high standards.

The only real break she takes is a sip of the warm beverage that had been politely offered to her.]

Thank you, I hadn't realized how much time had passed since I began.


Inkchanted

[First of all, she's not getting a tattoo.

How dare you.

But as a new arrival and student of this city's magic, Diana is far more interested in the opportunity for practice. The idea of cycling magic seems rather basic, so she signs up at a moment's notice.]

I expect you to keep up.

Inkchanted

[belligerentwarrior]

[This one must've slipped away, while she was dealing with Akko.]

[The scarred, weary Turnskin offers the haughty girl a cocky smile as she extends a hand with a bandaged wrist to the battery.]

Tough words comin' from a newcomer. Show me what you can do.

zelda | breath of the wild | witch

[lucubrates]

I.: feoh byþ frofur fira gehwylcum ( ARRIVAL )

[ Indeed, it's all so disorienting she feels sick before she feels her limbs. Coming to in a mirror of halls is ominous, but Zelda keeps her cool— there's certainly a new feeling in her, but she knows her powers have waned in such a way that even the tiniest bit of raw light won't muster. She can feel it in her fingertips as easily as she feels the breeze: A natural understanding.

The golden haired girl's fingers trace across the mirror that reflects images of her Knight back at her. Carved with precision are the geometric markings of the Sheikah, and at each corner is the triangular image of the Triforce. When she touches it, tilting the frame, it glints like it glows radioactive blue. It doesn't, naturally. It's a trick of the light.

All the same, when she hears the approach of another person, she gestures to it, before holding it out for the other person to see. ] I have only a simple question, and then I'll leave you be. But I ask you this: Do you know the geography and images in this reflection?

[ Images of Hyrule castle melt into images of Lake Hylia and into images of a young man, a desert, a snowy mountain, a world that seems so lush and rich that it could only be home to someone who looks like she's walked out of a Tolkien novel. But her words are true; that's all she asks of you. Her expression, somber yet undefeated, is bathed in the silver tinted blue of the halls. It must be all the mirrors. ]

II.: sceal ðeah manna gehwylc miclun hyt dælan ( THE HAVEN )

[ What catches her interest, unsurprisingly, is the technology she's handed. Once fitted with the watch, Zelda inspects it curiously, looking like she wants to take it apart. She won't! Certainly, she will not do that, but her inspection of the thing is so fervent. ]

Very well.

[ Without much else warning, she aims her watch at the nearest person— you, unfortunately— and taps away at it. ] Shall we test it? It's a fascinating thing!

III.: gif he wile for drihtne domes hleotan. ( FAIOLLEACH: bonfires )

[ She's a scholar, not an artist, and it becomes abundantly clear the more she tries to decorate her wand. Zelda wraps it in blue and brown, tries to twist orange bulbs onto the end of it, and seems to lose more and more ribbon each time, somehow. Whether it's because of the wind or a mischievous child, she seems none the wiser, and merely counts it as her own failure.

So there's a lot of blue and brown ribbons just sort of, you know, rolling about in her vicinity. And no one else seems to be opting for such colors, though the blue admittedly is pretty enough to match her adventuring garb. As it is, there just seems to be a bit of a mess accumulating around her, and then a fire-y bell falls again. This time, Zelda huffs and follows it's track where it nearly comes to rest under... your foot. Watch out!

She moves to pluck it out quickly, hopefully without notice, but uh. You know.

Zelda is crawling around on the floor by the bonfires with a half decorated stick, it's a bit hard to miss. ]

IV.: ur byþ anmod ond oferhyrned ( INKCHANTED )

So.

[ Zelda halts, holding the battery. She looks down at it with a conflicted expression, as if it might have insulted her at some point in her procurement of it. All the same, it's just a battery, as far as anyone can see. The thing surely hasn't insulted her. Probably. (It really is kind of an insult. You get spit out somewhere else and after a lifetime of failing to master your other abilities, now you've got this? It seems like the Goddess is giving her trial after trial.) ]

I am ... a witch. If it is to my understanding from how this corner of the world works, something like this exercise is actually quite important for my kind and... your's, yes? [ She pauses and turns her head before holding it out. ] I make no claims about my magical ability. However, an attempt might be good fortune for us both.

[ An awkward beat. She seems to flush, just a tad. ] I suppose what I am asking of you is if you would like to try this battery exercise with me.

V.: felafrecne deor, feohteþ mid hornum ( WILDCARD )

[ Zelda will be present for all of Faiolleach, though she's not very likely to try the speed dating. She's also easily roped into helping out at Inkchanted, if you'd like to write your own starter for me. That said, I'm contactable through PM and hagclub, if you want to plot something specific out. I'm down for anything! ]

IV

[sneaksweet]

[As he's addressed he freezes before turning towards the person who spoke to him. While he kind of got what they were talking about, with the witches and the monsters and the bonds, it's all hard to believe. Though he hasn't woken up back home yet, so for the time being, he'll believe it's really going on.]

I think so? [Does he need magic to survive? Not sure about it.]

Sure. [Give it a sincere attempt.] Let's try. What do I do?

Juza Hyodo | Turnskin

[sneaksweet]

I. THE HAVEN

[He's had the board in his hands for a good five minutes before he finally just submits it. It's positive, right? When somebody asks for three words to describe yourself, they're usually hoping for some positives. Probably not looking for a roommate who's messy and awkward. But he also can't manage to come up with three words. Or even a word. So he's given up and just submitted it.

Somebody didn't explain to him that the board would just start shouting after he finished writing in his survey.

So there's this 6' guy in this outfit looking like he'd like the ground to swallow him up right this second. Tragically, it's not happening.]

II. SPEED DATING

[He didn't pull away when he was dragged in. It's probably best to learn about the people he's stuck in this world with, right? So it only makes sense to agree to this. Even if he's incredibly stiff and awkward and really doesn't know what he's doing here.

They said something about bonds, if he remembers right. And he'll need one eventually.]

... Name's Juza. What do you wanna know?

[It's not great, and he knows it. At least he managed to say something.]

III. LIGHT A CANDLE

[There are sweets. He knows it and looks delicious. It reminds him of crepes. He's been sitting here staring at the vendor for a good long while, even though he's yet to approach. At this point, the vendor's locked eyes with him several times, immediately he looks away like he hasn't been eyeing the dessert for the past ten minutes.

Perhaps you'd like to help him actually get one? Mention that he could really just go up and buy one for himself?

Juza certainly doesn't look content, somewhere right between fleeing and staying here, glaring at the dessert for the rest of the night.]

IV. BATTERY

[The last time he heard "Let's form a battery" was when he got roped into playing baseball. He never thought it would be a battery that he had to use? He's not sure he really gets how this works, but he was given one and now he's just standing awkwardly in Inkwell with a battery in his hands.]

You wanna try...? I'm a Monster, I need a Witch.

[He'll hold it out for whoever else is around.]

V. Wildcard

[If nothing here works, feel free to write up a different starter! If you want to chat about it first my discord is Mira#5533, or aureatian.]

iii

[sealeted]

It looks pretty good, huh?

[Hakuno isn't the most expressive person herself, at first glance, but there's a tangible longing in her gaze as she eyes up the stall herself.]

[hearthebell]

II. The Welcome Party

[L makes a habit of dropping what he's doing to head to the Mirror House and scope out new arrivals whenever they show up. It's less a courtesy, and more some assurance that he can get a jump on anyone he might recognize who could unwittingly out information about his role in their world. That number should be low, just by merit of the fact that he kept his name and face a complete secret during his entire career as a detective... but he's seen Misa and Mello already since arriving with the first wave, and he's recently dreamed of Near. He believes that people who arrive from the same worlds have a higher likelihood of knowing one another, and so he arrives not with food or blankets, but with the opportunistic streak that has served him well in all his life and doings.

He's also looking out for a departed Bonded of his, who is not among the new arrivals. This is disappointing to him; you may unwittingly catch the brunt of his foul mood when you speak with him. He's clearly too pale, too thin, and likely anemic, and he practically snaps at you.]

Do you have any questions? I'll try my hardest to answer in terms you can understand.

IV. Faiolleach

A. Speed Dating

[The human in his mid-twenties sitting across from you has wild hair and sunken, dark eyes. He seems fidgety and agitated in a low-key and possibly medicated way. His reactions seem either a little too twitchy and hairtrigger, or delayed in some fashion; no, he's definitely imbibed in something before coming here. Perhaps merely alcohol, perhaps some potion or pill that's a little stronger. With this in mind, he might not be thinking as clearly as he normally does; he thinks he's in a speed-dating setup for finding a new Bond, but he could just have well have found himself in a saucier setup without properly realizing it.

"Going out" and "mingling" aren't really his thing.]

I'm Linden Tailor.

[That is a lie. A lovely foot to start out on.]

I want to find a new Bond as soon as possible and I'd prefer a powerful Witch. And you are...?

[His tone sounds like he's judging you before you've even spoken.]

C. Light a Candle

[L is sitting on a bench, by himself, in a softly lit city. He has several plates of the thin fruit-topped pancakes sitting beside him on a bench, in place of a significant other. If you're Bonded, he might offer to share; otherwise, he seems fully intent on finishing them all himself.

It probably wouldn't hurt him. He's emaciated. In spite of the good rich food he clearly needs, he doesn't really seem to be enjoying himself, so if you're feeling especially friendly or kind tonight, you might have some luck asking if there's room on the bench, after all. He wouldn't turn you down; even antisocial detectives get a little lonely.]

V. Inkchanted

[L is shirtless, exposing his blindingly white and bony arms and torso to the rest of the parlor as an artist works on one side of his noticeably curved spine. It looks like the image of a black, feathered wing, standing out stark against skin that is almost translucent, and though the process is hardly pleasurable, he seems to endure it with relative grace.

Maybe you have arrived halfway through the tattoo. Maybe you've been paired with him as a part of the exercise in pairs. He's been offered a small discount if he's willing to provide magical energy for batteries, and has begrudgingly agreed to assist in this venture. He is not yet aware of any kind of potential side effect.]

I guess we're partnered...

[He cants his head, eyes narrowed, cocky in spite of his languid presentation.]

Try to keep up, if you can.

~WILDCARD~

[Don't see it? Want it? Go for it! Hit me up on Discord at ladylazarus#2235 if you want to plan something specific.]

IV-C

[plasticasshole]

[Connor hasn't seen L since he was freed from the cells, but now he approaches him and notes the pancakes silently. He doesn't have it in him to suggest he eat something healthier; just the fact that he's eating at all is good enough. He watches for a moment, then speaks.]

Can I sit with you?

[There are no physical signs of what he endured at the hands of the Rathmores, but his eyes dart around every so often as though he's expecting to be set upon again. His mind hasn't stopped sensing danger around every corner since he escaped.]

sephiroth | ffvii | harpy

[supersoldier]

THE HAVEN

[He’ll need a place to live, a place to stay. These are paramount considerations, allowing him to sort the priorities in his head, newly detached from his planet and supplanted to a very new, very strange world. One thing at a time, tackled effectively, without delay, assessing the situation at hand. Adjustment will drag itself along on the coattails of action.

Sephiroth seeks housing first, more exploratory than committed to one particular space. With so much of the previous owners’ furnishing still present, it feels a bit more like a mausoleum than an area to rest one’s head. The fine sheen of dust coating nearby flat surfaces — dressers, coffee tables, nightstands — further cements this impression. Personal belongings are gone, but everything too large to carry has been abandoned. That’s more the sign of a quick evacuation than a purposeful move, he thinks.

Dust shudders across each step as he moves downstairs, the soft thud of his boots announcing his presence to any below. With him, as always, Sephiroth carries his blade, an almost impractically long sword which catches the light let in through unadorned windows. Everything about his body seems unaffected. His tone, more so, even if it’s shaped like a question.]

They made a quick retreat, didn’t they?

FAIOLLEACH

[He avoids all notions of speed-dating like he’s a magnet turned on the wrong end. Sephiroth doesn’t have to give wide berth to those who would encourage him to participate; an unimpressed look coupled with stolid uninterest is usually enough to smother even the most enthusiastic of the well-intentioned.

Still. He’ll observe those dressed in strange attire, or who walk in with far more eagerness than he could manage even on a good day. An expectant look from someone else, and he’s already nipping the idea in the bud—]

Don't relay the advantages of familiarizing myself with the people better here. I know. But I’m not interested.

[Though you can certainly try to be stubborn about it, nonetheless. Maybe you’re very curious in how much a fuddy-duddy he can be.

Later that night, the bonfire blazes warm. And again, the festivities exist all around him in a whorl, but ever the eye of the storm, Sephiroth watches. Observes and does not throw himself deep into the dancing, or the food, or the cascade of laughter making the rounds.

But even he’s not completely immune from the excitement of some. Children are least likely to be put-off by the man in black, standing silent and alone. One in particular, a tiny thing that has to crane his neck up so very high to even look at Sephiroth, runs up to him, all laughter and smiles. He pushes a wands of white birch wood into his hands before anything can be done about it. It’s studded with sparkling baubles that glisten and shimmer in the night to an almost hilariously blinding degree — and, before he can so much as open his mouth to protest, off the child goes, doing whatever children concern themselves with in the next moment. Definitely not adults they’ve just left hanging with a bright wand, and with no use for it.]

INKCHANTED

[Considerations and priorities again. It’s the only reason why he’s doing this, battery held in gloved hands. Eyes flick up to meet the person standing across from him.]

Magic works differently here than what I'm used to.

[Clarification. Smoothing out expectations. Caution, maybe, that this might take more than one try, as loathe as the thought might be.]

I’ll need a witch for this.

WILDCARD

[I’m down for just about anything! Feel free to plot with me over at aurajen if you want!]

the haven

[lucubrates]

[ A man of few words, but heavy footsteps and a blade. When Zelda turns at the the hip to look at him, she takes in his form quickly. He does look intimidating, but she assumes guard or knight before she assumes threat. Someone who aimed to harm might have attacked her by now, though a nagging feeling in her brain makes her question why she'd assume as such. Wishful thinking, perhaps, as she travels through foreign land with nothing but a watch and the remnants of her life from one hundred years ago.

The dust settles, and it feels fitting. She nods, once, before turning to pry open a tall cabinet in the kitchen. There are cobwebs. ]

I have seen the ruins of homes like this, before. Chased out by monsters— Bokoblins, moblins, and worse. It's safer to retreat than it is to stay in some cases.

[ She pauses, and then looks back at him. Zelda half expects a giant spider to descend. ] But I seen nothing implying a struggle.

ash carbide | witch

[voidbreaker]

i. arrival

[ For someone who's just stumbled into god knows where, via god knows what kind of method, Ash seems... pretty chill? Or at the very least he's keeping his calm admirable, even though there's a distinct tenseness about his shoulders. He's taking in every corner of the room; eyeballing all the mirrors but pointedly not looking at his own for more than a moment.

After a moment though, he just lets out a short, sharp sigh. His shoulders slump a little. ]

... Tiny meistro isn't going to let me forget this one, is he?

[ It's rhetorical. But do ask. ]

iii. haven, and messing with technology

[ the one thing that actually makes sense here is actually is the little device that's pressed into his hands. once ash gets a moment, he sits himself down and flips it out, spending a few moments tinkering with the functions.

a couple of moments later, he digs into his pocket and pulls out something that looks like a bulky cell phone, and flips it open. ]

... It's not all that different in function. Ignoring the size and orbal stuff. [ he looks back at the watch like device in his other hand before snapping the "cell phone" shut again. ]

Text thing's new though. [ after a moment he drops his palm to flatten it and, using the other hand, props the device upright and spins it on the palm of his hand like a particularly oversized coin. ] Not bad.

iv, b. into the entertainment district -- precautionary cw because ash sure is here around alcohol, but will probably have the bottle slapped out of his hands at every chance.

[ it doesn't take long for ash to sniff out the entertainment district and make a beeline there -- slipping past groups of people congregating around bonfires, dancing and talking, until he finds the kind of interactions that are interesting to him going on.

he's careful enough to stick to the fringes of these bonfires. this isn't his hometown, after all, people don't know him well enough to let him in under supervision, and he's got no interest in being kicked out of the festivities because someone has a bee in their bonnet. once he finds somewhere suitable to sit down, far enough away to hopefully avoid detection, but close enough that he can see the dancers and people milling around.

if someone's looking hard enough though, they might wonder what's going on with the guy in what sure does look like some kind of uniform? on the outskirts of the party? hm? ]

Wonder if one of them'll get distracted long enough I could sneak a bottle of something.

[ he seems pretty relaxed for the moment though. ]

0. wildcard

[ open to anything, really. pm me if you want a specific scenario, otherwise roulette a scenario and come at me if that's what you want? roommate chat, bonding discussion, "witch or monster?" conversations, etc, etc. whatever works. ]

iv, b.

[overworker]

[With the expectation of visitors, Towa had been planning to quick grab various things in order to prepare a nice meal for everyone and properly welcome Ash.

Ash might have been a bit faster than she gave him credit for; as it looks like he's already finding his way to the entertainment district.

She watches him eye the drinks and sighs. He hasn't been here that long and he's already just a few inches away from disaster.]

Not happening on my watch, Ash Carbide!

[Just the Instructor you wanted to see, right?]

Goro Akechi | Witch

[fabrications]

( i. speed dating )
[ After what feels like days of asking around, gathering information, figuring out what that dream was, and getting used to the literal monsters milling around, Akechi finally feels like he's more or less got a grip on what's going on and what his place in this strange new world will be. And just when he thought he might have had a chance to finally rest, it turns out there's a party going on and making the city harder than expected to navigate.

Akechi manages to free himself, however, and finally finds his way into what seems to be a quiet little diner, intent on ordering literally anything edible. What Akehci doesn't realize is that the reason it's so empty is because most of the restaurant has been rented out for one of the speed dating events, and that the inexperienced waiter assisting him accidentally sat at one of the reserved tables.

That's why he looks so startled when someone sits across from him, giving them a look that sits somewhere at the intersection of shocked and resigned. ]

... Can I help you?


( ii. bonfires )
[ Akechi had skipped the bonfires the first night, the task of finding a place to get a solid night's rest feeling substantially more pressing. Now that he hasn't been up for approximately 24 straight hours, going out to get familiar with the town and the culture seems a little more manageable and a little more important.

Granted, the particular bonfire he's decided to stop in on seems a little... unusual? As far as he can tell this is a celebration of spring and new beginnings, so stumbling across a bonfire where a group of teenagers appear to be telling ghost stories is a little unexpected, to say the least. Akechi keeps a slight distance, close enough to hear the stories without being close enough to really be considered a part of the group. After a few moments have passed he finally approaches another person, someone else that seems to be sticking to the outskirts of this fire. Voice low, though not quite a whisper, he asks: ]

Do you know if this is normal for this celebration...?


( iii. inkchanted )
[ Magic and related concepts aren't completely foreign to Akechi, but the particular brand of magic that seems normal here isn't something he's familiar with. So while he's not intending to stop and help with whatever mess befell the tattoo parlor, the invitation to experiment with their batteries is an appealing one. He listens to the shopkeepers' explanation closely, even going as far as to take down a couple of notes in the process, though he doubts they'll be much help.

Once the explanation is over and Akechi has been assigned a partner, the first thing he does is he greet them with a pleasant smile. ]

I'm afraid I'm completely new to this, so I hope I won't slow us down too much.

i

[plasticasshole]

[Connor is focusing very intently on the new arrivals this time around. Partly because it's been a long time since any newcomers showed up, but also partly to take his mind off the terrible things he's recently gone through at the hands of the Rathmores. Learning about new people could be an excellent distraction. So when he sits across from Akechi, he almost doesn't note the surprised look on the other's face before he goes on to introduce himself.

Almost, anyway. He does notice, and pauses with his mouth half open before tipping his head to the side curiously.]

...You could give me your name, to begin with?

[He gives Akechi an expectant look.]

lan wangji ★ the untamed | witch

[taciturnly]

II. THE WELCOME PARTY

( lan wangji can’t remember when he awakened, if he awakened. he’s somewhere else, faint remnants of gleaming leaves and ropy vines in the back of his mind, and earth, shaking beneath his feet. there’s an old woman inviting him to come closer, a wolf, and lan wangji stands out like a sore thumb amidst the small crowd of strangers, knuckles white around the hilt of his sword. always dressed as if in perpetual mourning, like a certain someone would say, all in pale blue and white, with his guqin firmly secured on his back.

he doesn’t look particularly friendly, poised and stoic, straight-backed; a sliver of disquiet regularly flashes in his eyes for those who might stare long enough, something a little wistful in the crease between his brows.

he cranes his neck, slightly withdrawn from the others, as if vehemently looking for someone. )


IV. FAIOLLEACH

( he doesn’t dance. he doesn’t drink—or he really shouldn’t anyway, because then things happen—but he feels a little more at peace here, warmed by the flames with the scent of birch wood teasing his nose. it doesn’t exactly remind him of home, but the implications of this purifying festival calm his nerves well enough. he doesn’t really mingle, choosing solitude as he expertly plucks the strings of his guqin, playing a melody he knows by heart. its effects would have been soothing back home; here, he can’t be sure, though he plays anyway, for himself and anyone who might need it, letting the strange sensation simmering beneath his skin flow to his fingers. witch, they told him, not so different from his cultivation ways, and if he can help here and bring peace to this world, he will. )


WILD CARD

( feel free to poke me on plurk (wujii) if you have questions or would like to plot things! just keep in mind that lan wangji is, in general, a very poor conversationalist and a bit of a stick in the mud and might outright ignore you depending on your approach. don’t let his seemingly aloof demeanor fool you; he covertly wears his heart on his sleeves, he just needs time. and understanding. and patience. in his case, his eyes and/or body language speak louder than his voice, though if you aren't close to him, he’s also easy to misread. sob into hands. )

faiolleach, though this might just be "two dudes not talking"

[redeemed]

[ Unlike the man with the strange instrument, Arthur is drinking. It might be the alcohol that draws him over, though. Normally he's not one to approach strangers, to sit nearby and just listen to music being played when he doesn't know the player. Back home, he's never had the time.

Now... well, he's not sure what else he's got.

Before things got bad, Javier would play. The songs weren't as soothing - more upbeat. But it's familiar, music and drink and fire, and Arthur lets himself soak it up for a moment. When he has to cough, he tries to do so quietly; at least the magic from the Coven has helped those fits be easier, is helping him recover. And if there is magic in the music, if it's soothing... he needs that, too. ]

[spirialink]

[Arrival]
Oof!

[With a crash and a clatter, Kor fell to the ground. Last he remembered he and his friends were making the largest journey of their lives, warping themselves straight up into the sky to board the otherworldly fortress known only as Mysticete. But now he's here, in this strange room, and he was alone.]

Huh? H-hey, where'd everybody go? Helloooo? ...Guys?

[No answer back, at least not from the people he was hoping to hear from. He taps a knuckle to his chin.]

What's going on? Is this really Mysticete...?

[Speed-Dating]
[After attending the welcome party and starting to get his bearings and meet everybody, Kor's definitely managed to come to the conclusion that this... is definitely not where he was supposed to be. He still didn't really get how he got here, and he definitely didn't get how he was supposed to leave, so he resolved himself to make the best of things while he was here.

He didn't get what speed-dating was supposed to be or why everyone was so excited about it, especially the guy who practically yanked him off the street to do it, but hey, they said it was a great way to meet new people, so why not?

He takes a seat across from the next person he's supposed to socialize with, greeting them with a joyful grin.]

Umm... Hi there! I'm Kor, nice to meet you!

[Bonfires]
[Okay so this place? Was actually pretty cool. He couldn't help but marvel at some of things going on here. The fires and how colorful and mesmerizing everything is was impressive, sure. But what was really impressive was how... happy everybody was. There was so much good-spiritedness and cheer being spread around at these bonfires, everyone was so kind and welcoming, including all the new folks in their festivifies... It was nice. It was exactly the sort of Kor hoped to see more of in his world, people connecting with one another regardless of their own circumstances.

Sitting at the bonfire, he was content to enjoy a warm drink and appreciate the revelry going on. People watching was its own fun sometimes. At least, for now.]

[Dancing]
[For now. But eventually, the desire to be part of the festivities was far too great to resist. He had to join in on the fun too.]

Hey, c'mon, let's dance!

[He's quick to jump into the center of it all, and starts putting on an impressive, albeit overly flashy, display of steps and moves. But are you one to take up the challenge, or just awkwardly let the opportunity pass you by?]

[Inkchanted]
[A witch, huh? Well, he didn't like being called that at first, disliking anything that could possibly relate him to somebody like Incarose. But once things were clarified, he felt better about it.

So, he was supposed to charge these "batteries" with magical energy? That was weird, and something that left Kor feeling a bit unsure.]

Uhhh... So how am I supposed to do this? Sorry, I never really got how magic's supposed to work. I'm more of a "swing a sword around" kinda guy than a "shoot a fireball" one!

[Wildcard]
[Hit me up with something special!]

Dancing

[stopfen]

[She'd found somewhere to stay. Her gear had been locked up. It was safe, or as safe as it could be given she couldn't use it.

With that sorted it was time to look around. Not that she could get very far. Most of the people she'd spoken to had said the same things. Enjoy yourself, oh you're one of the new mirrorbound?

So she'd ended up moping on a bench with a drink. Because what was she supposed to do? She couldn't do anything about the war from here, she couldn't get back... So the guy just gets a blank stare, a blink.]

Dance?

lance / ota! / merrow

[loverboi]

arrival.

[ well. it's not the first time lance has found himself drawn to a strange place, but the manner of arrival is a bit troublesome. he has no idea where he is, who brought him here, and he's disoriented for a while as he stares at the mirrors. at the first mirror, he actually checks his reflection and does a cheesy grin.......okay. looking good, lance.

then as he moves forward, he starts to look more and more visibly disturbed. ]

Iiii'm not the only one who thinks this is freaky, am I?

speed dating

[ lance is fine with this, even if it was all kind of sudden. he does want to meet the other people who are here with him, though how he treats the ladies around his age is...a little special!!!

if you're a lady, lance will run his fingers through his hair and flash a cheesy grin, do a little finger gun. ]

Well hello. Name's Lance. And whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?

[ with all guys and older/younger ladies, though, lance is a lot more casual. not so tryhard-y. it's nice, and it's probably more convincing than his display in front of the ladies. ]

Hey, I'm Lance. Just got here, barely have any idea what's going on. Wanna fill me in? Or we can just get to know each other, too!

battery.

[ this is...an interesting exercise. it's not one that lance hasn't done before, though; he had to share his thoughts with the other paladins of voltron as a bonding exercise once. that didn't go well. maybe this will.

he's holding a battery in his hand, looking around for anyone who seems to not be partnered up yet. he'll approach if he sees someone who might be available. ]

Hey! Are you a witch? [ a grin, then: ] I'm looking for one to help me out, here.

[ he doesn't particularly enjoy being referred to as a monster, but if that's the terminology they're using...it's not wrong? ]

wildcard.

[ ota! you can plot with me at amplitude too! ]

I was going to wait till she had a 'home' but speed dating sound hilarious after the ooc intro

[stopfen]

[Mikasa had no idea what she was doing. Her gear had been bundled up into a cloth sack that she was just lugging around. She was hungry, so much was happening.

It's the promise of mostly free food that even made her enter the building. And the person who asked her if she was interested was leered at until she was sure what was going on.

Just talk to someone for a bit, get free food.

Seemed easy enough.

So she just puts the bag on the ground and sits down. And tilt her head when he does, whatever that was with his hand.]

Mikasa.

[10/10 start. She's truly earning her food.]

kadaj | final fantasy vii | witch

[aremnant]

the haven

[ Kadaj stands before the rows of houses that he's to seek some sort of residence within. The idea of claiming some place to stay like this is... strange to the remnant as he's never had anything like that before. Some place to call his own? But why when Mother was to be that for him? But Mother isn't with him. Even if he wishes she was. ]

So it's just me, is it? [ Because he hasn't been able to find Loz or Yazoo and while his words sound sad, he chuckles a little to himself then. ] I guess that means more fun for me.

[ And as bright a smile that touches his face, he turns then, arms stretched out at his sides, speaking to anyone. To no one. To the very street he stands on himself. ]

Let's all have fun here!

bonfires

[ For anyone around the warmth and cheer of the bonfires come night, they might catch a glimpse of a silver-haired youth quite a ways from everything happening. He's against a tree, arms crossed, bright green gaze lingering on the activities at times while others, simply staring to the snow he stands in. He still doesn't entirely understand what this place is. Is this what comes after death? Questions had been answered, Kadaj having asked none of his own. A witch they called him... how dare they! But maybe he is... how is he to know? A remnant wouldn't know a certain blond brother said. The thought makes fingers dig into his arms and his face scrunches up in annoyance at the memory... before it slips away and he sighs with a smile. ]

So what if I am... aren't we all just puppets in the end?

[ He knocks his head back against the tree. Speaking to himself, yes. Possibly unaware that anyone might be close by. ]

I'm thirsty.

candles

[ In his wandering this curious new world he's found himself within, Kadaj has come across the flickering glow of candles bringing warmth and light to windows and a magical ambiance to the streets they line. It's... so magical, he thinks. Eyes of bright green lighting up with curiosity as a child's would upon seeing wrapped gift on Christmas morning and he comes to hum to himself as he takes slow but curious steps down the streets.

But it's when he comes to learn what the candles are for- when he's handed one himself that he looks to the wax he holds within the palm of his hand, feet blindly carrying him down the street. Until he finally stops. ]

But I have no loved ones to light a candle for.

[ As sad as the words are, he laughs then a moment later. The candle snapped and carelessly tossed to the ground. ]

How can a candle strengthen a bond? With magic?! [ He shouts this to the night sky, arms stretched out beside him before they come to slowly fall to his sides and he laughs softly to himself, strands of siler hair falling in front of his face. ] Not everything can be fixed with magic. Didn't you know?

wildcard

(( kadaj has his info and permissions here with mention of his temperament in the OOC portion. for prompts, if you'd like something more personally tailored, feel free to shoot me a PM or PP at escaflownes! o/ ))

candles

[sealeted]

[The man may have stopped by where Hakuno was eating her latest holiday snack cake in relative peace, a candle flickering beside her, but Hakuno is self-aware enough to know he isn't actually talking to her. He might not even be aware of her.

Still.

Still. She can't help but speak up, after hearing something so sad.]

...'Magic' killed just about everyone I ever met, so... yes.

Sasuke Uchiha | Naruto: Shippuuden | Newbie/Vampire

[eyeforaneye]

[ 1. Arrival ]

[ He feels it instantly. Not just the dull throbbing in his head, not just the shift in the air when he travels so sharply from one environment to another, but the heaviness in muscles that aren't experiencing any pain or fatigue that might hint at the cause. It takes a few seconds of him scanning the mirror-filled room to diagnose what is; the chakra that had previously run through his body doesn't respond to his efforts to activate his sharingan or hasten his reflexes. There's no drain on his body due to the immense power normally collected in his left eye, but equally there's no pool of energy from which to drain.

As such he's far more on edge than he might be even normally, and all it takes is the softest of sounds – a footstep, a creaking floorboard, a nudge against a nearby mirror – for him to whirl around, sword drawn. Sasuke can save any apologies for later, but for now he's brandishing a blade against any other unfortunate Mirrorbound in the vicinity. If he gets the chance he'll have the sharp edge against their throat, even forcing them back against the mirror they just emerged from. ]

Who are you?

[ 2. Faiolleach: a ]

[ Speed-dating.

Two words he understands separately but together? He has yet to decide if it's efficiency or a time-waster, a strangely wide disparity between the two, but when the advertiser on the street had suggested it as a good way to form new connections here within the city he'd accepted the possibility and gone inside. Now here he is, dark cloak drawn around him forebodingly in a way that hardly seems suited to the environment. Notably it's clashing horribly with the basket of cookies in the center of the table and the adjacent vase of flowers, but he's unmoved.

Instead he's waiting, watching all too closely when his partner finally has a seat opposite him. And so we begin. ]

Have you ever killed a man? [ Maybe not the best default greeting.

And yet it's the one that he'll offer regardless of which speed-dating event he's at, and you can expect he'll be at any of them regardless of theme or sultriness. ]

[ 3. Faiolleach: b ]

[ Information-gathering was never a challenge for him back home, not given the array of skills in his proverbial tool chest. Here, with those self-same abilities robbed from him? He's forced to engage where he might otherwise not care to. The bonfire is like a beacon to which people are drawn and therefore he is likewise no exception, quietly taking a seat against a stone fence so that he might listen to the songs. The lyrics help him as much as the wand he's suddenly presented with, staring down at the beautiful white wood... and the ribbon he'd also been given in order to spruce it up a little.

Not the easiest task for a one-armed man. Nor is affixing the feathers, bit of leather, or bells. ]

I'll trade these to you if you give me your drink, [ he offers to whoever is closest, feeling parched enough to make the offer. ]

[ 4. Inkchanted - a ]

[ Sasuke had noticed the damage outside, what with the glass shards littering the road and the soot-stained walls. He'd also promptly ignored these signs of trouble and any requests for aid by marching right inside the store, seeing it now as a place of interest.

What he's greeted with initially disinterests him, not so physically vain as to desire any kind of body markings, though two things succeed in getting him to stay. First, the enchantments themselves. In a world where he's now bereft of his former power, this could end up being extremely useful. And second... Well, he'd been told at the Coven that he didn't have magical potential and the exercise proposed by the shop's minders offers him a chance to test that out for certain. ]

Are you a witch? [ Time to snag a victim. ]

[ 5. Inkchanted - b/wildcard ]

[ Interested in sharing thoughts/memories as a side effect of the batteries? Feel free to message me on discord at pyrrhicbattles#0508, on plurk at pyrrhic, or via PM to this journal and we can plot out something fun! ]

[ 6. Network ]

I want aid in determining what this place has turned me into. If you know of tests, send them to me. Otherwise I need to know if public loitering is a crime here.

2a

[sealeted]

[Sasuke, holy shit.

Hakuno pauses, her own mouth half-open in what would have been a softer open—something more along the lines of Hi, I'm Hakuno, have you been here long?—and blinks.

She snaps her mouth shut and just stares at him for a long moment.

Then, quietly, she visibly comes to a decision and nods slightly, her expression steady.]

I have. Not with my own two hands, though, if that's what you mean.

[She reaches for a cookie, and at a glance, that parses. Her hands don't look like they've ever held more than a pencil.]

kaden | ota

[nishiki]

I.) ARRIVAL

[ it's almost like nothing changed while standing in front of his mirror! with a brush in his hand, he's already gone back to swiping it through his hair, making sure to be careful with the ear fluff that sticks out just enough to get the briefest touch by the tool in his hand. in fact, kaden is almost too focused on making sure every hair is in the right place, and that he doesn't look like he's some kind of unkempt and wild animal. no, he's a proud kitsune and he needs to be well-groomed--- who knows when it will save him? ]

Ninety-nine! And, one hundred! [ sparkle sparkle ] Okay, all finished. [ with a flourish he turns around, though kaden's ears immediately flatten as he looks around. ] Wait, this isn't... hello? Is anyone else here?

[ then, back to his mirror. he reaches to touch the frame, where paw prints have been painted into the wood and tiny orange and cream colored bows have been glued on as well. it's basically a gaudy collection of Things That Kaden Likes. ]

Wonder who found this...?

[ he unconsciously starts to brush again, mostly out of a sudden bout of discomfort making his fur itch. ]


IV-A.) FAIOLLEACH

[ he's sitting in a comfortable plush couch, with plenty of room next to him. even with his tail curled neatly to his side, it could easily fit one or even two more people. when the person running this particular speed-dating session approached him and asked kaden to do a favor, what was he supposed to do? refuse kindness? scurry away? no, kaden does his favors justice every time, and this is why he's sitting patiently with his hands in his lap with his preferred brush of choice in one of his hands.

it's because when someone approaches: ]

H-hey! I'm Kaden. I'm a kitsune, just in case you can't tell.

[ one ear twitches as he holds out the brush. ]

The best way I can get to know someone and if they're genuine, is through brushing.

[ of course this is also just another way for him to reach his one hundred brushes a day... so, easy! ]

Don't worry, I won't get angry if you're not good at it. Not everyone has a touch or eye for fur. Just try your best, okay?


VI. WILDCARD

[ leave something here if you wish, or pm me if you'd like to plot something out. ]

I.

[voidbreaker]

[ Let's focus on the most important thing here, shall we: ]

Did you just sit there brushing your -- [ And, jeez, here we go. ] -- extra appendages one hundred times?

jonas | oxenfree | witch.

[coherer]

𝚒𝚒. 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝𝚢.

(after several failed attempts to convince his reflection to send him back home, jonas is finally compelled to follow the trickle of fresh-faced mirrorbound downstairs. unfortunately, he can’t make it past the last step. he takes up residence there, silent and unmovable for the hour or two it takes the entire group to swap information with mhairi and nessie, half-listening. his mind’s determined that this one spot in the whole of aefenglom is the safest place to be.

still, it won’t be difficult to inspire him to leave.

anyone who lingers in his general vicinity after the question and answering session will get a slow once-over and an eventual:) Sorry, I don’t mean to hold anyone up, I just– I needed a sec.

Are the guides leaving now? We can head out together if you want.

𝚒𝚟. 𝚏𝚊𝚒𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚌𝚑.

𝚊. 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐.
(an overly enthusiastic shop owner hosting speed dating festivities throws a large rubber snake around his neck, ensuring him “it’s an enchanted toy, sweetheart; it only feels real” and a “silly gimmick” for the party’s theme. looking around, what jonas fails to realize is that the snake—currently coiling snugly around his throat—is actually a glorified lie detector seeking out the pulses of the dishonest.

what a fun party trick.

corralled to the first table, a magic timer sitting faintly over its veneer of polish, jonas waits for his pair up. a glance to the side gives him an eyeful: someone two seats away, decked out in an albino python, lies to his partner about never having a sexually transmitted disease. it earns him a spritz of water in the corner of the eye from the snake’s fang, an indignant huff from his temporary date, and the ring-a-ling of their time up.)

… wait, I changed my mind. Can I go–? (feel free to take a snake and sit down, jonas will eventually realize he’s being stared at and turn back in his seat.) Not that I don’t want to chat with you or anything. The– it’s–… fine, what’s your perfect Sunday?

𝚋. 𝚋𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚒𝚛𝚎𝚜.
(kids are a universal constant that’ve always had a comforting presence. no matter where you are in the world, they’re always laughing, playing, and goofing around with one another. jonas can’t help but spot them by the bonfire and take solace in the fact that they’re exactly the same—especially all huddled around bright lights and sparkles, offering an “ooo” and an “ahhh” at their friends’ wand creations.)

(one offers theirs to him, which he takes gingerly in hand.) Oh, wow. This is the coolest wand ever, did you make this all by yourself? I’m like, super jealous. (the little girl is joined by a boy who challenges him to do an impressive trick with it. since he’s a witch, he should be able to, right?)

Uh, sure. I guess I can try.

(a lift of the tip and it’s creating a gradient of colour in the air, captivating him enough that he’s looking around for fellow mirrorbound support.) Jesus– are you seeing this? Am– am I seeing this? (the children start giggling at him, because the spell’s automatic and not at all related to skill, but we shouldn’t tell him that when he’s having this much fun.

or do, embarrass the shit out of him. let your heart be your guide.)

𝚟. 𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚍.

I don’t know… are you sure they’re not permanent? (his father would have a meltdown—especially given his past run-ins with the law. that kind of rebrand would not be conducive to bettering himself in the eyes of the general population.

the artist reassures him the painted versions are cheap and ephemeral. she looks friendly enough… despite the wild hair, myriad piercings, and tattoo sleeves. he’s never been one to judge a book by its cover or breed hostility in new acquaintances of a strange, foreign land. fifteen minutes later he’s walking around sporting a rather eccentric design on his forearm.

kind of new and exciting, but anyone can hear him muttering about the style.) I look like an Easter egg.

–excuse me? Hey, sorry, do you– (a heavy sigh, out of breath from his wanderings.) –have one of these? Do you know how to work it? I kinda’ zoned out during her explanation…

ii. welcome party

[eyeforaneye]

[ Monsters. Witches. The drain he's feeling without his chakra is a concern that leads him away from suspecting himself to be the latter, sure he'd be attuned enough to the presence of magical potential to feel it. But then perhaps that's ego talking.

He makes a note to visit one of the members of the Coven to undergo a test for it, busy mulling over the many frustrating options when he hears a voice that snaps him out of it. His gaze lowers immediately, catching sight of a boy who can't be much younger than he is. One who looks rattled. Tired.

Instead of speaking Sasuke extends his hand, waiting for Jonas to take it so that he might help him up. ]

cloud strife | final fantasy 7 | turnskin

[bravers]

iii. the haven

["Our next room is a FREE roomshare for females! Please apply with information about yourself (age, height, occupation) and at least two clear photographs of yourse-"

Next.

"We're a couple of discreet, professional witches that happen to be turning 40 this summer. We're looking for a Harpy who has really big-"

Next.

"Seeking! A roommate that DOESN'T wake up if they feel someone touching them in their sleep. Most people do and it's really annoy-"

Gross. Next.

"I'm 29 and single and I have a free room to anyone, any age basically for free, the only thing I want in return is I have a foot fetish. I'm not a freak or anything! But I want to massage-"

...Screw this.

The oddly cheerful monotone of the listings board continues to amble away about the virtues of sharing a room with someone who throws in free footcare, but honestly, it falls on deaf ears. He's out. Out, out, out, and it's a good walk of around ten or so feet after the automated voice blends into the hustle and bustle of the busy Haven that he feels content enough to stop, finding the nearest wall and shoving his back against it, in attempt to blend into the background.

...Ugh.]


iv. faiollech

a) speed-dating;

[Perhaps he had a problem with being roped into things. Because it seems to be a matter of seconds between roaming the streets and occupying his mind by trying not to step on the long, flowing hems of any of the skirts that seem to be so long here, all while trying not to get jabbed in the eye with any parasols and just generally trying to clear this area of town before he's suddenly grabbed and brought into some kind of... speed dating... Thing? with a brief explanation and an 'It'll be fine!' being the only sort of statement he's furnished with before the party begins.

This...
Isn't good.

He's never exactly been... popular?

So Of course, most of the candidates thus far have sat down at his table, and either downed what's in their glasses in a single draught before moving, silently, to the next table - or given him a long, unimpressed Look- something that... honestly, he's been all too keen to return. So, as the next person is ushered down (along with a 'Wonder how long this one'll last...' by the attendant) they might be treated to a long, vaguely cold stare.]

...

[Move on. Please, move on.]

b) bonfires;

[Bonfires make you remember all kinds of things, don't they?

Her voice, a distant memory, is prevalent in his mind as he stares at the central bonfire within the Entertainment District, paying little mind to the dark silhouettes prancing around it. ...It's not their fault, that he's not that interested. It's not like the nature of the dances or even the costumes being displayed are. exactly. forgettable. Or even that the bodies underneath them aren't interesting in their own ways- one part hypnotic actually, barely covered and... yeah, but they're also kind of weird. Some of the dancers' nails are claws. Hair is feathers, and with some of them, he's pretty sure that they're covered in fur.

...Really weird.

But he's... not really looking. It's not that they're not interesting. It's more the fire itself is his focus. The heat against his face feels... almost terrifying. It reminds him of Nibelheim, in a sense. How he'd lain on the floor... how he could only watch the villagers flee from the blaze, right into that katana.

But... that's not it, either.

It also reminds him of the central fire of Cosmo Canyon. Of things being uncertain, pensive, but at the same time... everyone was there. It felt safe. It felt right, and...

He's jolted from his thoughts with a tap on the shoulder.

"You fancy a drink, love? You'll catch your death out here!"

A small nod is his answer, and he takes his chin off his knees before he half-turns his upper half, to accept a mug of something... alcoholic. And hot. Interesting.]

Thanks.

["No problem at all, dear! Now, that's a hot Toddie, and it's got quite a kick in it! Oh, I should tell you, actually. It's got a bit more than alcohol in it if you know what I mean. You seem pretty tense if you don't mind me saying so! It's a little help to loosen you up- to help you find a friend."

...Oh.

He eyes the contents before he places it down by his feet. He's... no. He sure as hell didn't want a "friend" right now, but the woman that gave him it seems too well-meaning to snap at.]

...Thanks. I guess.

[He repeats, moving his chin to his bunched up legs again, resting it on his knees, and turning his gaze back to the fire. The woman, in turn, squeezes his shoulder, and goes off on her way.]

bonfires

[aremnant]

[ Surprise, Cloud! Did you really think Kadaj wouldn't be around in the Entertainment District? It's just all so colourful and new to him! Why wouldn't he want to curiously wander the streets and ignore everything and everyone that isn't you?

Ah, but truth be told, he had only caught a glimpse of that spiky-blond hair out of the corner of his eye. No, this time he hadn't been searching for the one who killed him. Instead, he just happened upon him! It's like magic! Just as this world seems to have for itself. But Cloud is here... big brother is all alone! He should really go and say hi to him. ]

Why so glum, brother?

[ The voice comes from behind him and Kadaj stands there. Smiling. The glow of the fire gently touching his face and bringing a sort of warmth to his cheeks that he normally lacks. He tilts his head, strands of silver falling in front of his face as he hums with a glance around and slowly begins to take steps around the blond. ]

Look at allll the pretty things that are here and wanting your attention... [ A glance to Cloud, he offers him a look of disdain. ] ...don't be so pathetic.

Yuma Ilvern | Harpy | OTA

[reluctantradiance]

[ Arrival ]

[ Yuma scarcely had time to recover from wrestling his powers back under control, nor did he have time enough to worry about his companions' safety, before he found himself completely out of place. This wasn't the ruins, or the Seagull Inn... Where was he? Where had that mirror led him? And on top of all of his confusion, something in him felt empty. He wasn't sure what it was, right away, but a strange silence plagued his heart. It's a feeling that only worsens when he looks back at the ornately decorated mirror he came through.

It's a lot to handle at once, and Yuma doens't even know where to start. There is, however, some reassurance in the fact that he's not the only one lost and confused. He holds out some hope, however, that there might be someone familiar in the crowd that might be able to fill him in. ]

Kirika? Sonia? Agnum?

[ The lack of response to any of those names is making him worry a little. And it's not going to be long before that worry spirals into dread. ]


[ Speed Dating ]

[ It figures he'd end up roped into this. One minute he was walking down the street, the next someone was pulling him in to...whatever this event was before Yuma could really protest much. So, well, he's doing this now I guess.

Though the oddest thing about it is perhaps the fact that he has to introduce himself. Sure, that might be strange to anyone else, but back in Marga most people seemed to already know his name. It's somewhat refreshing to have no one really know who he is. Odd, sure, but refreshing. It's almost as though he can breathe a bit easier, knowing there's no pressure put on him, or a pedestal that someone's trying to nudge him onto.

Doesn't mean he's not nervous, though. Having gone so long without needing to introduce himself, it only makes sense that he's not exactly great at it. ]

M-My name's Yuma Ilvern. It's nice to meet you.

[ He's doing his best. ]


[ bonfires ]

[ Yuma has of course found himself at a bonfire, sitting quietly off to the side while others nearby are singing. While he doesn't recognize the songs at all, he can still understand some of the feeling behind them. Eventually he finds himself humming along to some of them once he catches on to the melody, pausing only to take a sip of his hot chocolate.

Eventually he gets a little wrapped up in listening, smiling and allowing his eyes to close as he hums along. Despite the aching loneliness he's suddenly found himself with, the shock of all his strange surroundings, music always seems to be a comfort for him. ]


[ wildcard option ]

[ you do you \o/ ]

speed dating

[oathkeeper]

[Festival games and food and that's all anyone has to say to Sora to get him to participate in anything. The events are full of so many different faces and people that he's kind of excited to see what everything is about. And when Yuma is sat with him at this little speed dating business Sora simply offers a friendly smile and a wave.]

Hey! Nice to meet you too, Yuma. My name's Sora.

[His smile does turn into a bit of a playful grin though.]

You look kinda nervous. Are you okay?

leslie | momster duchess | witch

[foundfamilies]

I. Sweeter Dreams (Arrival)

[ Leslie hasn't dreamed of the mirror in the basement of the Sperado mansion in a while. At first, the dream seems to be running like normal, but she realizes that, this time, the grip of the marchioness's hands on her shoulders aren't actually holding her in place and she is able to take a step forward, and then another, and then another, until she passes straight through the mirror. The dream continues into a strange "forest", which is a much more pleasant dream....

But what this means is that Leslie dropped through the mirror while she was asleep. She half wakes up as she stumbles into this reality, but she doesn't wake up enough to do much more than sleepwalk. She stumbles along a couple of paces from her mirror, one hand groping around for her bed, before giving up and just curling up on the floor and falling back to sleep.

So there's now a child in the mirror cottage asleep on the floor, barefoot in a nightgown, cuddling a stuffed bunny to her chest. The stone floor isn't the most comfortable in the world, but she'll make it work. She'll eventually wake up on her own, but people are free to speed up the process or try to get her to something that isn't stone to lie on. ]

II. Dreams Do Come True (The Welcome Party)

[ Leslie has gotten some experience at climbing up into chairs that are too big for her, and these ones aren't quite as oversized as she's been working with lately. She listens to Nessie and Mhairi as they answer questions, her feet swinging from their position where they don't touch the ground, and even asks a question of her own. After, though, she mostly stays in her chair, looking more thoughtful than worried. She'd had it explained in that TDM strange dream that things would be like this, but it was still a lot to realize, yeah, that's all true.

Speaking of the dream, she looks around the room, wondering if she might see someone she recognizes from that dream from her perch on the chair. However, while coming to this 3 AM from basically a different 3 AM means she's not going to have a single problem with jet lag, as it were, it means she actually is awake way past her bedtime. She might be seen to nod off in her seat. ]

III. Give This Child A Map (Non-specific daytime)

[ Thanks to the help of a very convenient bout of dreamtime noblesse oblige, Leslie has a warm coat and boots for the sake of wandering around outside. She's only been on a street one time in her life. It's time to go EXPLORING. ]

(a)

[ If you look sufficiently non-busy, you may have a small child walking towards you, standing several feet/a few metres away and obviously staring at you while fidgeting. If she thinks she's caught your attention, she will straighten up a little. ]

Um. Would it be okay if I asked you a question?

(b)

[ It's not all asking passerby questions about things around haven and other safe parts of the city. Leslie has been on a city street outside of a carriage once in her life, and there she was accompanied by people who knew how cities work. She does not.

Leslie is pretty good at recognizing people who look hostile, so she's not completely just walking straight towards dangerous people, but she's not nearly as good at recognizing hostile places. Do you see a small child wandering into the less savoury parts of the harbour district, looking like one of the orphans who get picked up for labour at the factories and dockyards? Is this road one that will eventually lead to the red light district, of which she has literally no idea what is going on down there? Is she about to walk through the aristocratic district, which may after last month bring back bad memories for some Mirrorbound? The answer to all these and more is YES. please teach her the ways of the city. ]

IV. What Do You Mean It's Age Restricted?? (Faiolleach)

[ Leslie is completely absent after dark and misses most of the festivities. Something something panic-inducing fear of fire, but it probably just seems like she's getting an early bedtime. Especially since there aren't any candles in her bedroom window on the 2nd.

However, what she can participate in is the daytime things. She's not quite sure what speed-dating means, but it seems to be about meeting new people and that sounds like it would be really fun --

What do you mean it's age-restricted? ]

(a)

[ This restaurant has failed to explain to Leslie's satisfaction, which has left Leslie sitting in a snowbank pouting enormously. She can be heard mumbling under her breath. ]

Why does my age matter when it comes to talking to people? I can talk about adult things. Like....like philosophy!

[ That's not what they're going to be talking about. Still, Leslie's level of grumpiness is only partially out of a desire to participate in one of the few parts of this holiday that doesn't involve fire. A look in the restaurant's window shows quickly that their gimmick was costumes. She thought it looked like a lot of fun, getting to dress up like someone else. ]

(b)

[ Finally, she achieves success in her attempt to participate in the festival. Sort of. She's still not allowed at any of the speed-dating events she's found (it's possible someone's done one more age-appropriate for kids to imitate adults, but Leslie never found it). However, her last stop was at DiplomaTea and the owner, Everett, takes pity on this very small Mirrorbound who seems much too young to be here and provides her with something to do: advertise his own speed-dating event!

So you may find yourself being approached by a small child with a basket of flowers (lilies and carnations -- we don't want to have any accidents with thorns). She holds out a flower for you. ]

Have a flower from DiplomaTea! They're holding a... [ ......give her a moment what were they called?? ] speed dating event, and you should go! Please?

[ She has no experience with advertising, but she's enthusiastic. ]

(c)

[ She can also be found later in a corner of the DiplomaTea cafe away from the actual speed-dating, celebrating a successful (it's hard to tell but who's going to tell this child that it wasn't) advertising campaign with tea and cookies that she accepted as payment for her services. ]

V. What's A Battery (Inkchanted)

[ Leslie has not gotten it into her head to get a tattoo, which may be for the best, but she's definitely interested in the battery. Magic training exercise? Yes please. She did one the day before she arrived here when she had her previous magic and she was convinced it was an important way to learn magic control.

Except she had a lot more control with her old powers, which came with friendly living shadows to help her through it. She's got her hands over the battery and has her eyes squeezed shut in concentration, but the battery just isn't charging. ]

It was so easy in the dream! Why can't I remember how to do it?

VI. Wildcard

[ These options not doing it for you? Got another fun idea? Hit me up! Also I adjust the tagging style to whoever I'm tagging, so action tags and prose are both fine by me! ]

IV. c

[proudofme]

[At some point since arriving, Soren has been made aware that DiplomaTea is where his father works. He's been vaguely hovering around it, curious what his dad could possible get out of... something so quaint. It seems like a nice place, a bit creepy with the skull over the entryway, nothing entirely sinister...

He quirks his head to see a familiar face out on the porch, sitting aside from others who were doing their own activity. He moves over and leans onto the railing from the street side, waving to her]

You ended up here too, Leslie? You seems to be... [he looks at the piles of cookies in front of her and the tea set] Doing pretty well for yourself! That's good.