EVENT & TDM 012

[sticksandbonesmods]

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!

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Comments

Luca Aurelius | Original Character | Current Player

[unheiring]

[Good news, everyone. Luca is at prom. He's been more or less dragged here by someone. Maybe it was his sibling. Maybe it was Zahilya. Maybe it was you! Regardless, he is here. And for a decent chunk of time, he can be found directly beside the cabin entrance. He fusses with the sleeves of his jacket, then pulls at the deep red lining of the cape. His lips are pursed as he glances between the fabric to the capybara. Surely he can just... leave, right?

Yeah, no.

If anyone tries to make eye contact, or disrupt his line of sight, he quickly glances away once more. Don't perceive him, please don't perceive him. His neck feathers are poofed, this is a threat display, don't do it.

Eventually, though, he'll at least make his way to the buffet table. A few snacks are picked up and scrutinized. Those pigs in a blanket? he is very confused by them.]

What... is it? [He asks it mostly rhetorically before popping into his mouth. Three more are promptly picked up shortly after.

Of course, he wouldn't be much of a bartender if he didn't have a few flasks on his person. He doesn't really drink that much, but when your friends are cajoling you to get on a freak ass capybara to the middle of nowhere, you come prepared. A liberal amount of clear liquid from a flask is poured into a cup already partially filled with punch. He sips it, before making eye contact with the nearest soul.]

You want some?

[Eventually, the liquor has its intended effect. He makes his way to the dance floor, boldly grabbing a familiar hand and pulling them along. Or... maybe not so familiar? He's a little tipsy, so maybe he got confused. Either way, he pulls his partner into a waltz.

Will you manage keep up?]

garg delivery

[purifier]

[To be clear, Zahliya doesn't know what a "prom" is, but his moms (the sun and moon) really wanted him to be here, so he rode that weird bus all the way down and then got dressed in something cute. This is what he steps out of the dressing room wearing when he goes to find Luca at the snacks table. It took him a hot minute, because he had to do his hair differently this time; it's in a thick, heavy braid over his shoulder, and he is sans his horn chains for once.

Luca will probably hear him coming because he has hooves, but he's going to try to—]

Boo!

[—scare him anyway.]

[unheiring]

[While Luca does hear the telltale clip-clop of Zahliya's hooves, he doesn't immediately think anything of it. He's a guardian, after all. It made sense that he'd do his rounds at the dance and make sure nothing happened. Who could blame him, when the last time the group had gotten together, things had gone so wrong.

So no, Luca doesn't see it coming. And that's precisely why is poor pig in a blanket goes flying. The man, meanwhile, squawks in the most scandalized of ways, and turns around to face Zahliya. His feathers were already ruffled, but now they're practically touching his ears.]

Excuse y- [He cuts off abruptly. It turns out that white is a very nice color on Zahliya, who already looks "very nice" by default. It's only by some small miracle that his jaw doesn't outright drop.]

Ahli - [He clears his throat, as if it might somehow distract from his already embarrassing display.] I thought you might have been busy.

[purifier]

[Ahli is giggling into his hands, don't mind him. He wasn't expecting Luca to throw that pig in a blanket to the stars, that's for sure.]

No, not busy. I scoped the area out and got dressed. Sorry about your breaded meat-thing. I didn't expect you to squawk like that!

[Giggling continues, so sorry Luca you picked this one.]

[unheiring]

I - didn't squawk! [He puffs his cheeks out, matching his still poofed feathers. The look he gives Zahliya is stern, but it doesn't last nearly long enough. He cracks through Luca's defenses so easily, doesn't he.]

In any case. I am glad to see you here. More than glad. [Wait, that sounds stupid. Cheesy. Idiot.]

You look nice. That's all.

[Time to look anywhere but at Zahliya, before he makes an absolute fool out of himself. Again.]

[purifier]

[It sounds cheesy, but the gargoyle loves cheese. Come on now.]

I hope so, even though you aren't looking at me. Tell me, am I so radiant it blinds you, therefore you must look away?

[Scooches in front of Luca's eyes hey lol]

[unheiring]

I - Did not

[He glances this way and that before... finally losing his cool. His hands reach out, gripping Zahliya by the cheeks and holding him in place. There is a very firm glance fixed upon him. He is... trying so hard here.]

And I am not blinded, for no one would be so cruel as to deny me the sight of your beauty for the rest of my days.

[There, that's enough rizz. He's pulling his hands back and fussing with his sleeves now, thank you.]

[purifier]

[Cannot believe these two slept together and they're still acting like teenagers in love. Adorable. But oh my god.

Anyway, tail wagging.]

Lu! [Holding those hands sorry fuss with your sleeves later.] You fancy yourself a poet. Luckily, I find poets charming.

[Come here babe we're gonna go dance.]

[unheiring]

[They're idiots but they're our idiots, Wolfie.]

I'm not a poetic. I prefer romantic.

[He's petulant, but only until Zahliya startles him into movement. He stumbles after the gargoyle onto the dance floor.]

Can you even - dance with those hooves?

[purifier]

Poetry and romance are sort of the same thing.

[Zahliya has no idea how to dance, but he looks out at the others and figures he should put one hand on Luca's hip and the other in Luca's hand. There we go.]

And yes, I can dance with my hooves! Do you fear being stepped on, Lu? I may just do it on purpose at this point.

[unheiring]

You, my dear, need to read more poems if you think that.

[He has read some very tragic poems in his time, thank you.

But hey, at least it seems like Zahliya knows what he's doing. His hands are placed right, at least. But Luca, in the interest of being stubborn, doesn't caox him into any kind of motion. That would be too merciful. He wants to see what Ahli does with it.]

If you step on me, I will leave this dance floor right away. And I suspect you will not enjoy that.

[purifier]

You are so mean! What if it was playful? What do you call it — "footsies"?

[That is not how footsies are played oh my god

But either way, it seems that he doesn't actually know what he's doing. Dancing to Zahliya is a little more wild, and he doesn't know the steps, so instead he just.

Spins the both of them in a circle and sways their intertwined hands and grins.]

[unheiring]

That is - not how that works.

I think.

[Luca doesn't know, but he's pretty sure he has a slightly better idea than Zahliya.

In any case, he's stumbling about after Zahliya, trying to work out the strange steps he's being led to before realizing that there isn't any rhyme or reason to it. And maybe that's a good thing, because he finds himself grinning with wild abandon as they twist to their own rhythm.

... Everyone else better watch out though. They're going to get plowed into.]

[purifier]

[It's more fun to let the beat carry you. Zahliya can't say he's ever danced freely before or felt free enough to do it, but with Luca, it's entirely a different story. He twists and spins and manages to, somehow, not step on Luca's feet. It becomes a little more hip-wiggly the longer it goes on. Following the tempo of the music turns out to be really easy if he lets go of his need to appear put together at any one time.

(Not that he's been good at maintaining that, but he'd like to think he is.)]

Isn't this fun? I told you I could dance, see?

[It's not professional. He's not trained. But he is dancing and that's what matters.]