sticksandbonesmods: (Default)
sticks and bones. ([personal profile] sticksandbonesmods) wrote in [community profile] sticksandbones2024-05-03 05:05 pm

EVENT & TDM 012

IT'S GONNA BE MAY
WAKE UP
You open your eyes, and with a jolt, find yourself within the clearing of a miniscule town surrounded by trees and thick, black fog. Despite the ominous backdrop, nature seems to be thriving — it’s a pleasantly chill spring day, as far as anyone can tell, and everything is vibrant and blooming… even some of the animals. At some point, a friendly old dog with red fur approaches, carrying a basket in his jaws. Inside are blackberries and apples other fruits. Did he find this himself? Or did someone give them to him to bring to new arrivals? Regardless, he very clearly hopes that you’ll share.

A giant golden brown turtle sits by a tent, napping in the sunlight. Two statues sit in the courtyard by an old well — a haloed woman marked as the Goddess of the Sun, Beiwe, and a gentle woman looking adoringly at her counterpart, marked as the Goddess of the Moon, Ourania. If you pay your respects, the air feels gentle and warm in the day, and like a fresh cool breeze at night.

As you explore more, perhaps the bloomed animals will approach — a mossy squirrel, or a frog who happens to also be a lilypad. It’s charming, almost. Whimsical and kind.

Shame that the wall of fog looms ever on, watching. Waiting.
SHINING, SHIMMERING, SPLENDID
cw: hallucinations, compulsions, near-death experiences

For a while, spring seems gentle, almost. Peaceful. The previous month may have been full of jokes, but things are actually safe. Of course, that can’t last forever. Every night, a purple, shimmering mist floods the town. It does not breach the doors and windows, even if left open, but looking at it is… enticing.

Should you give in, the mist is cool and gentle, swaying around you like smoke. The longer you stay in, the more your eyes feel blissfully heavy. Soon, you find yourself surrounded by loved ones, in a place that brings you joy — a childhood home, a vacation spot, some place warm and safe and dear to your heart. Everyone is playing and having so much fun. Join them! Join them!

Of course, by the time you do jump into the fun, you’ll find yourself awakened with a start, just about to fall into danger. Perhaps you climbed a tree and were about to leap to the ground from too high up. Or maybe you stuck your head in the river and your lungs were about to empty. Regardless, the happy dream shatters with imminent danger, and perhaps you’d better hope that someone else is nearby to help you. … Especially since with each night you give in, the more enticing the mist is the next night.
DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY
At some point, the mist is forcibly dissipated and instead the moon shines brightly, almost like a spotlight. Investigation will reveal an absurdly large capybara that seems more like a vehicle than an animal, even with the jasmine flowers hanging off of it, siting down with the ‘door’ accessible to anyone willing to climb in.

“Come with me, and I will bring you to a night of festivities.” is all that it says when asked. And it knows that you will — you’re all curious as kittens, after all. Once the last person takes a fuzzy seat within the capybara, it slowly stands up and begins walking through the woods, and for the first time, everything seems peaceful. Normal, even. Why, there’s not even a monster or misshapen, grabby tree! Just a moonlit forest, and fireflies in the distance.

Eventually it brings you to a small but beautiful cabin, crouching down to let everyone out again. Outside is a layer of marble surrounded by pillars decorated with sheer fabrics and an abundance of lilies and calendula, jasmine and marigolds, hydrangeas and gladiolus. A buffet table has also been spread out, and within the cabin are changing rooms with a multitude of ornate gowns and suits, alongside sitting rooms and other potential necessities — though you get the feeling that you should still be on your best behavior here.

Gentle music plays from an unknown source. The capybara is resting, until it’s time to leave come sunrise. For one night, everything is at peace. You may as well enjoy it, and dance to your heart’s content.
SPARK NOTES
CLICK TO EXPAND!
WAKE UP
Welcome to Aldric's Grove! The fog wall is a little creepy, but worry not: A dog has brought you a snack, and the plant-bearing wildlife are pretty friendly. If you've been here for a while, no worry: You, too, are getting a basket of treats from the dog.

SHINING, SHIMMERING, SPLENDID
A purple mist fills the Grove at night, and stepping into it makes you experience a euphoric dream... shortly before you wake up because you nearly walked into death. Be careful, because the mists are addicting, and you may not have an easy time avoiding their temptation the following nights.

DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY
For one night, the mists clear up and peace settles over the forest. A giant capybara gleefully takes everyone to the site of a grand dance, where the clothing and food are all free, and the music swells with joy. Dance your hearts out until dawn breaks, and then the capybara will take you back home.

OOC
Happy May! This is a reminder that TDMs are game canon. Enjoy your dreams, enjoy your prom night, enjoy the capybara. OOC Plotting Lives Here if you'd like to plot anything out!

UPDATES
❖ None yet!

lupusxylem: (66)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-06-16 11:39 pm (UTC)(link)
[Hah. As if Wolfwood would tell Zazie where other humans were, regardless of what he knows and doesn't know. He's not about to put the others willingly into the line of this worm's fire, because he knows what Zazie is capable of. Zazie may not have genocide on the brain as a default, but they only have the concerns of the hive at the forefront of their priorities.

Not that Wolfwood has ever cared much about the masses, the people here in the Grove are different. He seems to have grown a feeling for most of them, unfortunately.]


None of your business. I ain't your puppet here, buzz off.
lupusxylem: (3)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-06-16 11:41 pm (UTC)(link)
[Lol, lmao, "kindly"]

...Nicholas D. Wolfwood. Just Wolfwood is fine.
heartspeaker: (012)

[personal profile] heartspeaker 2024-06-16 11:42 pm (UTC)(link)
[Well, the random bugs sure weren't what she was here for. If she's bothered at all by it, though, it doesn't show on her features, and she merely continues the song. If they get on the strings, though, she's going to be forced to gently brush them off. That's where the music is played, little bugs, she can't play music if you nearly get squashed by her bow strokes.]

I'm not quite used to my audience being insects, [an observation she makes as she continues to play,] but this is fine, too.
heartspeaker: (005)

[personal profile] heartspeaker 2024-06-16 11:46 pm (UTC)(link)
[Kindly :)]

Wolfwood, then. Are you fond of music? You seem to be... [she hums, as if searching for the words she already knows she wants to say,] stressed, if I may say so.
bugbrained: (pic#17247304)

[personal profile] bugbrained 2024-06-16 11:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Oooh~ Mean! I thought we were friends! And you seem to be mistaken. You were never our puppet.

[ He's not buzzing off either, instead he kicks his leg out to wonk his foot against Wolfwood's metal one. It seems his body is real enough here to actually make connections like that. ]

Are you just mad they broke you? Humans tend to get upset over that. Is that why you wont introduce us?
lupusxylem: (33)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-06-16 11:51 pm (UTC)(link)
Hah. You noticed?

[Wolfwood sighs and sinks a little deeper into the couch, his head falling back against it so he can look up at the ceiling.]

But yeah, I guesso. Didn't really have access to a radio all that often back home, so I didn't listen to it much.
lupusxylem: (28)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-06-16 11:57 pm (UTC)(link)
[The moment Zazie touches his leg, Wolfwood hisses and pulls back. He's coordinated enough with it by now that he doesn't end up falling over, but only just.

His gaze narrows.]


What makes you think I should tell you anythin'? You haven't given me any reason to believe you wouldn't pull the same shit you're doin' back home.
heartspeaker: (003)

[personal profile] heartspeaker 2024-06-17 12:03 am (UTC)(link)
The melody your heart sings is a frightful one, [comes the answer,] and you could say I am particularly in-tune with such things.

[She gestures with one hand to her cello, remaining unplayed so far.]

Would you like me to play something to quell your nerves?
noencore: (37)

[personal profile] noencore 2024-06-17 12:05 am (UTC)(link)
[Obstagoon, who has been off socializing, comes trundling in not far after. She definitely has been adorned with shiny baubles and hair accessories. Because of course he made sure she would be pretty at the ball who do you think he is.]

Better watch yer mouth, mate or I’ll give you a proper thrashin’ here in front of all these blokes we don’t know.

[He is both so relieved to see a familiar face while also wanting to stand at the edge of a cliff and shriek until he passes out. We are all coping here.]
foxrightsactivist: (hey check this guy out!)

Kaden | Fire Emblem: Fates | Current Player/New Character

[personal profile] foxrightsactivist 2024-06-17 12:07 am (UTC)(link)
i. waking up

[ Funny enough, the first time that Kaden woke up, it had only been enough to briefly lift his head, sniff his surroundings, and upon smelling green forest and dirt, his subconscious declared "nothing out of the ordinary here, go back to sleep". There's a nice breeze, the sunshine feels so warm on his fur, and the spot he's laying in is oh so comfortable. Why would he ever want to move when he's still sleepy and the midday sun is still covering him like a beloved blanket? No, he'll stay right here, thank you.

Which means, there is a very large fox curled up sleeping just within the treeline surrounding the Grove proper. Are you going to disturb a fox as big as a horse? Are you? ]



ii. prom

[ Kaden hadn't originally intended to board the capybus, but everyone else had been, so his curiosity ultimately got the better of him. And boy, is he glad that he did! He isn't used to human parties, but he's been to Cyrkensia, which is a far grander scale than this. And he's actually invited to this one!

Human parties are different from kitsune parties, that's for sure. Fancy dress, fancy foods! He may not have taken any of the fancy dress for himself, but he likes to think that the sleek shine of his fur is all the fanciness he needs.

He is sniffing around the food table, though. He has no idea what half of these things even are, but he can at least differentiate between what's vegetable, fruit, and meat and... none of those things. Looking at you, cheese cubes. ]


Wow, everything smells great! Is this really all for us to just take?
lupusxylem: (53)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-06-17 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
[Hahaha so far. Wolfwood has no idea what "so far" even means. Kinda weird that she can assume what's in his heart just at a glance, but he guesses he's been grumpy since her arrival. It's easy enough to hazard a guess and be correct.]

Sure. Knock yourself out.
bugbrained: (pic#17247316)

[personal profile] bugbrained 2024-06-17 12:08 am (UTC)(link)
Huh?

[ It's worth noting the confusion may be real, because they still don't quite get humans and their weird shit. For a moment they seem to be pondering it, while giving Wolfwood a Look that says don't be stupid.

Ah! ]


Why would I do anything here? This is not our home. And "Nomans" was. I was merely looking out for the good of our world. Would humans be the best for it, or would Plants? It's not my fault humans were failing that. You ate us, you hunted us, you used us for your skins and smokes. We didn't care. But then you started to build, and build! That's when we started to watch, you know.
Edited 2024-06-17 00:09 (UTC)
bugbrained: (pic#17247315)

[personal profile] bugbrained 2024-06-17 12:11 am (UTC)(link)
Oh! Rare, you admitted it! I like you. You're neat.

[ :) He does not need to pee, weird human, but the question gets a demonstration. So he goes ahead and breaks himself up into bugs, swarming over and around Raihan, one or two landing on him to blink their multiple eyes at him, before continuing on to reform behind him. ]

Tada~!
bugbrained: (pic#17247313)

[personal profile] bugbrained 2024-06-17 12:13 am (UTC)(link)
We like it. It sounds nice, and it vibrates through us like our own method of talking.

[ The ones on her cello clear off, but the weirder ones remain, perched nearby, vibrating their wings with the cello's strings. They make almost a similar noise, as if joining her in her playing. ]

You speak well with it!
bugbrained: (pic#17247326)

i

[personal profile] bugbrained 2024-06-17 12:17 am (UTC)(link)
[ They sure are, because they've never seen a fox, let alone a horse, let alone a horse sized fox. In their quest to check everything out, the swarm will descend upon the fox. Some land on it, tapping their way over fur and ears. Others buzz nearby.

All eerily staring at it.

Is it food? ]
heartspeaker: (014)

[personal profile] heartspeaker 2024-06-17 12:23 am (UTC)(link)
[AU where I TDM'ed Federico instead and he grabbed Wolfwood by the arm like "no don't", Wolfwood's day is about to be so not normal.

She is, at least, gleeful. Outwardly, this might appear to be because Wolfwood not only said she could stay here, but because he said she could play music as well. That's the normal response for someone to have, especially a defenseless, somewhat-pouty girl who lamented the dangers outside. The reality is much different.

Arturia is a sympathetic person, of course. She wouldn't grab her cello and play music if Wolfwood wasn't in some form of distress and clearly trying to suppress it. When it comes to emotions, to quote her darling cousin, she is the most moral person of all. Alas, that morality might not show through when the melody starts, depending on how Wolfwood takes it.

She takes up her cello, casts Wolfwood one more thoughtful glance, and begins to play a song. One that will, in time, conjure emotions and memories to the surface. He's stressed, she sees. Tumultuous, in need of healing. He needs to hear a song of relaxation and peace, but it's up to him if the slow, thoughtful melody provokes images that guide him to relax, or guide him to becoming more high-strung.

What do they both see when she strikes the first chords?]
foxrightsactivist: (JESUS CHRIST)

[personal profile] foxrightsactivist 2024-06-17 12:32 am (UTC)(link)
[ RUDE AWAKENING VERY RUDE AWAKENING

The fox most certainly is not food! The tapping along his fur makes him twitch, and his ears flick in an attempt to rid themselves of whatever is crawling across them. It only takes a few seconds of this before Kaden's brain says "okay, NOW we wake up" and he stirs enough to actually, fully wake up. And realize he's covered in bugs.

The fox makes a shrill, yelping sort of noise that's half bark and half distressed vocalization, and immediately there is... a poof, and no fox. Instead, there's a man with fox ears and a tail, and he is frantically waving his arms about. He isn't sure what decided to swarm him while he slept, but he is taking no chances. What if it's spiders?! ]


Nononononononono, get off of me--!!
dischordance: (4)

[personal profile] dischordance 2024-06-17 12:38 am (UTC)(link)
[ She'll have to wait a moment, because although Vigna does run enthusiastically up the stairs to go grab her guitar, she doesn't immediately come back down. Arturia may even hear a loud THUD! from upstairs followed by what was probably meant to be a explicit word, but Vigna very cooly said "SSHHHHHH...OOT!" instead.

Anyway, Vigna is coming back down with her guitar strapped to her back and just carrying a whole ass speaker. Don't worry about it. ]


Okay! [ And she'll set it down in the middle of the lobby and swing her guitar around, even adjusting her hat. ] I'm all ready!!! You ready to have met your match?! I'm real good at guitar, lady, so I'm not gonna go easy on you!!
bugbrained: (pic#17248394)

[personal profile] bugbrained 2024-06-17 12:40 am (UTC)(link)
[ The swarm easily avoids the flailing, ducking under hands, around arms, before coming together in front of him.

And out of them steps a ... boy? A girl? A human(?), whose laughing merrily, as most of the swarm seems to disappear into the trees. ]


What a weird looking Plant, I've never seen one as fluffy as you. The other's are all really human looking.

[ Space Invaders time, as Zazie walks over to grab those ears, gleefully rubbing the fur between his fingers. ]

Ooooh, soft! Is it hair or petals? It's certainly not chitin!
lupusxylem: (52)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-06-17 12:40 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, yeah. I get all of that.

[Wolfwood can't help but feel like that all isn't his fault, since it was his ancestors- however short that timespan has been- that started building on the planet. He didn't ask to be born on it, he's just surviving, and barely at that.]

You've just historically sided with the people on the side of "mass human genocide", which is why I have reason to be a little concerned.
lupusxylem: (13)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-06-17 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
[Wolfwood has, of course, NO fucking clue what's about to happen to him here. He's just listening to the music, which...honestly is beautiful. It's hauntingly beautiful, actually, and...it's sad. Sadness. That's what he feels.

And suddenly, they're both in a prison cell. The walls of the house are dark and metallic. There are no windows, and the only light comes through the grated door that offers Wolfwood a sliver of contact with the outside world.

He feels trapped. He is trapped. That's been his whole life, from birth. Trapped in an orphanage, trapped in a cell. Trapped like a mouse in a cage, forced to do tricks for food or he'll get zapped or punished for deviating from the path.

That is where Wolfwood's heart is.]
bugbrained: (pic#17248439)

[personal profile] bugbrained 2024-06-17 12:48 am (UTC)(link)
And humans have historically not proven their case they deserve to live.

[ Zazie shrugs their shoulders, hands in the air. To be fair to Wolfwood, Knives didn't exactly prove to be good for the planet, either. Sorry, Wolfwood, Zazie has no where else to go and nothing else to do, so you're It.

At least they're not whining like a certain Plant would about being bored.

Time to antagonize, as normal. ]


You really have us all wrong, you know! But I guess someone like you would automatically see something to be destroyed, huh?
heartspeaker: (014)

[personal profile] heartspeaker 2024-06-17 12:53 am (UTC)(link)
[Music is her entire life, so holding a conversation while playing is child's play to her. This song, she has down to muscle memory. Arturia, if she thinks about it, hears multiple little heart-melodies all leading back to the head honcho here. It's curious; she's never met someone like this before.]

Why, thank you. I'm pleased with the accompaniment. Are they yours?

[She nods her haloed head toward one of the odder bugs.]
ezellotry: (60)

[personal profile] ezellotry 2024-06-17 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
[ Why can't he put his finger on it? If he recognizes her, it can't be a good thing. The most wanted list, maybe? That sounds familiar. What has she done?

He gives a little sigh. ]
Ezell Pastore. [ Not like his name means much of anything, anyway. And even if it did, what would it do for Arturia? She's going to have to deal with him taking lead as soon as she lets her guard down for just a moment, but for now, he'll follow. ] And you?
lupusxylem: (badjura @ tumblr)

[personal profile] lupusxylem 2024-06-17 12:58 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, sure. Why am I not surprised you see me as nothin' but an attack dog?

[It's all he's ever been, around Zazie. He's posed as a nice guy, an unassuming Priest, yet swindled his way into the good graces of Vash's group solely to get close to him. To steer him to JuLai, which is where Knives has been waiting for him.

But what Zazie doesn't know is that Vash knows this now. They've talked about it, it's no longer a secret here in the Grove. So even though Wolfwood's memories end at the botched attempt to destroy Hopeland, that doesn't mean everything is the same as Zazie remembers it.]

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