hugtopia_logs | ♥ January (Lasra) Event Log

♥ January (Lasra) Event Log

indoor decorations with winter wonderland theme

January (Lasra) Event Log
The new year has dawned and many natives are busy with their VR pilgrimages to the sacred mountain. Others are busy redecorating the town after all the excitement of the last month. With the cold winter days and nights continuing, the occasionally clear blue skies seem all the colder even with Havenwell's nicely temperature controlled environment. The winter has fully set in and so the celebrations continue as natives try to incorporate more of the offworlders' traditions into their own. They know it can't be easy being away from your homes for so long, but they hope adding touches of home to their celebrations might help ease the loneliness some.

❥ PROMPT I: Festive Flora Festoons

festive holiday garland with metallic colored berries

They're trying to keep the holiday spirit going with some greenery among all the cold wintery snowy weather! All around the city, over doorways, strung across roads and walkways, threaded in entryways and hallways alike, people can find colorful wreaths and garlands hung overhead. Prominently displayed among the Rawna-centric ribbons and synthetic greens are real live plants! It seems the natives have picked up on the idea of holiday decorations involving seasonal flora and other decor to brighten the darker winter days. Sadly, it seems they've missed the mark on what kinds of plants are meant to be involved. Here and there, people can find all manner of plant strung up from things that look like ivy to pine-adjacent trees to weird decorations that miss the 'plant' mark entirely. Moreover, it seems these decorations are being tampered with by the gods in a haphazard manner. Some, not all, of these decorations carry a strange field around them, affecting people when they walk beneath them. Watch out, offworlders! While the natives are also getting caught sometimes, you're the most susceptible to this mysterious meddling.

♥ Mistletoe: Some of these plants are actually mistletoe, and for those familiar with the Earth tradition, they carry the same effects. On occasion when you and another person walk under the mistletoe, an invisible force field springs up, trapping you both in a six foot circle beneath the plant. Any attempts to destroy the decoration does nothing to dispel the field and teleportation does nothing but bounce you to the other side of this odd bounded circle. For those in know, they may have an inkling of what needs to happen to escape this little trap: positive physical contact in the form of hugs or kisses! Platonic kisses on the hand and cheek do seem to work for some people, though, so maybe you can both escape this without too much embarrassment? ...Maybe?

♥ Missile...toe??: Some of the plants around town have brightly colored stockings and socks hung in them. The natives seem to think that hanging footwear is an integral part of the offworld winter tradition, so they've carried it over to Lasra. On occasion, when you and another person are caught under these decorations, a cloud will form overhead and begin pelting both of you with tiny foam darts. The cloud moves with you both and will give chase for an indeterminate amount of time. It even seems that it can follow you indoors, which is entirely illogical but so is a cloud blitzing you with foam darts and here we are. It isn't omnipotent though and quick thinking or some fancy moves can throw it off your trail for awhile. The only problem is you and the other person can't seem to get more than six feet apart from one another, so you better come up with an action plan to either dispel the cloud or figure out a way to elude it or you'll be spending your day annoyed at the constant barrage of toys.

♥ Verdant veritas: This is just getting weird now. Some of the garlands have miniaturized versions of entire trees hung upside down from them. These trees range from off-colored pines to what passes for this world's version of plastic palm trees to miscolored birches, oaks, and fruit trees. Most of these trees are plastic, but it can be a little strange to see a scaled down tree hanging into the roadway. Getting caught under one of these with another person when they go haywire will trap you both in an entirely uncomfortably small circle of 3 feet from one another. The only way to widen it is to tell the other person a truth about yourself that they may not know. With each truth you tell, the circle widens by 1 foot until it snaps at some indeterminable point. For some, this might just be 2 truths and you're free. For others it might be 20. The natives tend to get caught by this one the most, so at least you have examples of what needs to happen should you find yourself trapped!

♥ Berries aplenty: Some of the decorations are filled with red and white berries hanging in clusters. These are the most innocuous seeming of all the garlands and, since the berries are small enough, the easiest to miss. They do, however, seem to be causing quite a stir with anyone caught beneath it. When you and another person walk beneath these garlands, you'll find yourselves trapped with one of you suddenly wearing a Santa outfit projected over your normal clothes like an illusion. You cannot escape the six foot circle under the berries unless you sit on Santa's lap and tell them what you really really want for the holidays. You've been a good person/robot/cat/creature this year, right? The gods hope so because only those on the Nice List who say what you want and mean it get to leave the clutches of the berries.

❥ PROMPT II: Ski for Free(dom)

Stick figure yeti creature running and gnashing teeth

For those of you who frequent the worlds of virtual reality, there's a new game available! In SkiFreezin', you and a friend can enjoy an excursion to a beautiful mountain covered with freshly-fallen snow for a fun ski trip!

But hopefully you're quick to clear the course; every so often innocent skiers looking for a fun time might find themselves in the sights of the mountain's inhabitant; a cranky creature giving chase with stick figure limbs and angry eyebrows. Better get to the finish line quick! If it catches up, you just might find yourself dumped into a pile of snow with a hat placed on your head at a jaunty angle befitting a snowman.

And the chase doesn't end there! The VR network's errors that brought on Havenwell's cube-shaped bee friends is acting up again, bringing the particularly pixelated pursuer to the city's snowy streets to chase around the local inhabitants. And if it catches you...well, Frosty, hope you like snowbanks!

❥ PROMPT III: The Weather Outside (and Inside) is Frightful

dog with white face and black fur buried in snow

To some, the best part of winter is the beautiful snowy landscape and Aellyn is delivering on that this year. All across Havenwell, the snow is drifting down in lazy, cozy piles that turn the city even more picturesque than usual. It's a lovely sight and even the natives are enjoying it by doing things like building snowrobots, snow forts, snow sculptures, and snow fights! Some of the less jolly ones are grumbling about the need to shovel the snow to keep roads and walkways clear, but overall the city seems to be enjoying the weather.

The grumbling might be justified, however, because at random times and in random places all over the city, the gentle drifts of snow suddenly become small localized Snowpocalypse pockets! Small storm clouds will whip up in pocketed areas, dumping feet upon feet of snow all at once before dissipating. These massive snow drops have the potential to trap people inside homes, businesses, in doorways, or even bury them outside. If you're unlucky enough to be caught outside, you'll need to cuddle up to keep warm until you or the locals can dig you out. If you're stuck inside, you better start digging out from your doors or you might be stuck for awhile. The cold of these snow drops seem to seep in through the walls, making even those inside want to cuddle up for warmth before either digging themselves out or awaiting rescue.

The gods must not know the saying, "All things in moderation" when it comes to snow!

This event will run from 15 January to 31 January. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread. You can also use the Havenwell Status page or the General Plotting Comment to give you other ideas for original prompts!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Could there ever possibly enough secret sharing between these two? No, right?? Right???

That's something they'll have time to grapple with later, though--right now, making sure nobody's too badly banged up takes precedence. Still reeling from her own collision, Kyoko automatically reaches out to brace Shinji's shoulders.

"Careful!!" If you stumble again, you're just gonna bump into another wall probably! "Uaaah, I really did it this time!"

Thanks for the extra support, Kyoko, even if Shinji stiffens up a little at the sudden, unexpected contact. It does at least keep him from stumbling again, and once he figures out who has landed him in this situation, he lets some of that tension fall off his shoulders with a small sigh.

"Kyoko-san, are you okay? What happened...?"

Subconsciously, he raises a hand to lightly rub at his own arm where he bonked it into that invisible barrier, but he looks a bit more concerned with looking over Kyoko to make sure she isn't visibly hurt somehow.

That stiffness in his shoulders is a swift reminder that she really should let go as soon as possible! And she does, just as soon as Shinji is steady on his feet.

"I'm sorry...!" Her voice isn't particularly loud, but somehow there's a bit of a wail in it anyway. "Shinji-san... we might be in a pinch. Did you get hurt?" Because she is uh! Not super sure what to do for him right now if he is! And that's bad!

"I-I'm fine," nothing worse than the results of the clumsy streak he appears to have been on all through the month, anyway! But also! She did not answer his question! His brow knits a bit in concern, both over the grand dodge she just pulled off as well as the apparent pinch they were in.

"Are you all right?"

"Nothing is broken," she assured him quickly--no need to worry about a sturdy girl like her! "But it looked like you took a pretty hard bump--are you sure? Your arm--does it hurt a lot? I'll--I'll make you a sling right now!!"

Hold on, just gotta take off her coat.

"Don't."

He holds his hands up and levels a firm, serious look at Kyoko, though one that's edged with a hint of concern. He's been through worse, you know this! And he's honestly not hurt badly at all! Don't go out of your way for him to such an extreme!

"I don't need a sling, I'm fine. Keep your coat on, please. It's cold out."

At his word, Kyoko halts, though her frown only deepens--she can't help wanting to fret! Especially when it's easier than tackling the real problem that awaits them!

"I wouldn't mind," she insists, but she pulls the coat back up around her shoulders. "But... I really don't know how long it'll be until we can get home, so... don't hold back if there's something I can help with."

If the two of them are going to be trapped out here, it's better if only the one of them actually ends up freezing. May as well let it be Shinji, in that case.

But, his own frown mirrors hers at that very troubling thought, and he reaches out to cautiously press his hand against the apparent barrier that he had run into. That is some very solid airspace, right there.

"Ah." He exclaims, suddenly and grimly realizing the full scope of their situation. "I see."

How unbelievably rude, Havenwell.

Kyoko nods, with a tiny sigh of defeat. "Like I said... I'm really sorry. I was trying so hard to avoid these situations, but I ended up dragging you down with me...."

Stepping back a bit to give him a bit more space, her back brushes up against the wall sooner than she would have expected, making her brow furrow with dismay. "... But jeez, this really is an extra-small bubble." What's with that?

"You don't have to apologize, it's not your fault that this is happening in the first place."

Even if Havenwell is really vying for them to get close and cozy with each other, it seems... kind of meanspirited to be literally trapping them together until they hug it out or whatever it is they're being expected to do. At least they aren't being literally tied together this time? Is this better, or worse actually? Hm.

As he thinks this particular predicament over, he glances upwards, as if to cast the blame squarely on the garlands that are no doubt up there, but to his surprise - "Those are... different?" Not mistletoe, hopefully mercifully? But little trees? What??

Kyoko had been fretting more, wondering how she ought to approach the subject--was it kinder to suggest trying alternatives, or just go straight for the obvious one?--when Shinji looked up, and his remark pulls her back into the present.

"Huh?" Following his gaze upwards, Kyoko stares. And stares some more. Eventually, she has to admit, "I kinda... don't get it."

Yeah, he's... pretty lost with this one, too.

"I'd get it if they were pine trees," those are what you use for Christmas trees and wreaths and the like, he's pretty sure. But that's not what's up on the garland above them, but ones that look more like... palm trees? Bootleg palm trees. "You don't usually decorate for winter like this, right?"

"No.... Maybe there are office Christmas parties with tropical themes, but...." That still doesn't lend much clarity! What are they meant to take from this?

"Palm trees... pa...lms...." Kyoko mutters quietly, face blank. She's deep in thought over here. After a moment, she turns abruptly back to Shinji with a hand raise.

"Here, Shinji-san! Let's try a high five!"

Palm tree? Palm... contact.... ??

It's a better guess than he has! So, "Yeah... yeah, all right." Let's! Try that! He lifts his hand up, and gives Kyoko's hand a good-natured slap. Nice!

It does absolutely nothing to pop that bubble around them, but it might be kind of moralizing. Come on, team. Get hype!

See, it's all very logical! She's really sure she's onto something here! Maybe!

Having received that excellent high five, Kyoko spins around to slap her hand against--a wall of air, right where she left it. Oh.

Hand still pressed to the wall, she sags. "Ah... I was too naive, again...."

"It was a good guess."

Better that they try something, after all. Don't be too hard on yourself, Kyoko. Shinji looks back up at the trees, scouring them for some kind of clue, as he leans back and gently rests against that wall. If it's not going anywhere, may as well get some use out of it.

"Do you think it could just be as simple as holding hands...?"

He's not entirely convinced, since the ones that trapped-then-freed himself and Kai with the right kind of contact earlier on had been more berry-like in appearance. Not... this. But it's a thought to throw out there either way.

Standing straight again, Kyoko pulls her hand down from the barrier to look at it, considering. "I guess that would involve palms too...." Still very on theme, and surely worth attempting.

Sighing a bit, she turns to Shinji, and gives him a sheepish smile along with her outstretched hand. "Sorry... I didn't wanna make you go this far, but do you mind trying it for a minute, then?"

He regards that outstretched hand quietly for a fraction of a moment, letting that apologetic tone really stink in along with the action. Shinji knows that Kyoko doesn't like this sort of thing as a matter of principle - she's reached out to him of her own accord plenty of times to make it clear that her reservations with casual contact aren't the same as his. But... having her preface it with an apology makes him think that he should probably make his current stance with the current offering more clear for her.

"You know, you don't have to always ask for my permission or forgiveness," he says, reaching out with his own hand. "For me, it's easier with you than it would be with most people, so I really don't mind it as much as I used to."

His hand doesn't reach hers before those words leave his mouth, though, and with a condition for their release fulfilled, the wall he'd been leaning on scoots back ever so slightly. It's not a far or fast topple, but it does throw him off-balance pretty unexpectedly! Falling backwards, the back of his head hits the new barrier with a dull thud, and Shinji hisses out a soft, mostly shocked, "Ow!"

That... was an unexpected revelation, one that leaves Kyoko stunned for that brief moment before the next surprise comes and pushes it to the side. They can come back to soft talks about comfort levels later, now is the time for Concern.

"Sh-Shinji-san!?" Kyoko doesn't grab him this time, since he steadies himself again quickly, but her hands hover outstretched, uncertain. What even was that? Not being able to see what he's leaning against just makes the whole thing look like maybe his legs gave out or something? It's hard to say, it all looked pretty weird. "Hang in there! Did you get light-headed suddenly, or--?"

"I'm - I'm okay," he answers, reaching up to lightly touch at the back of his head. He's definitely had worse spills than this, it probably won't even really bruise, but gosh that sure was super bizarre.

"It kind of felt like the wall disappeared?" He sounds uncertain, though, and when he tests the air behind him again, his hand is stopped once more. The barrier is absolutely still there. "Or maybe it just... moved?"

Edited (Autocorrect :/) 2021-01-21 20:45 (UTC)

There's a little frown as he rubs at his head--is he really okay? Coming up next to him, Kyoko reaches out to knock on that solid air.

"It's definitely still here, so... if anything, it did move. Is it getting bigger in here, then? I guess that would be better... but jeez, we're gonna have to cover you in ice when we get home, at this rate."

Dryly, "I'd really prefer if we don't." He just wanted to make sure his head isn't worse than it feels! It's fine!! There's no need to freeze him over something so minor, especially when it's already so chilly out and they're likely to be stuck here for at least a while longer while they puzzle out how to escape.

"But I don't know why it would have done that... was it something I said, maybe?"

Is it another one of those 'say nice things about the person you're trapped with' situation? Mysterious.

It's fine Shinji, Kai will be there when they get back to counteract the chill, it'll all balance out again.

"I'm saying we can't let you keep getting hurt," she fusses, but relents with a sigh. Better to focus on getting out of their goldfish bowl, motherhenning can always recommence later. "But I guess it would have to be, right? Since we weren't touching, and nothing else was going on...."

There's a pause, before she goes on a bit bashfully, "I was kinda surprised, by the way. That you feel that way about it. I'm not sure how to put it exactly, but... I was happy, too."

He's not trying to get himself hurt, but with Kyoko's fussing a factor to look out for, he'll have to do a better job of actually keeping himself safe, huh?

But, enough of that worrying for now, instead let's be surprised in turn by that warm admission from Kyoko. Was it that unexpected...? Probably, if he thinks about it long enough. He knows he's not a very open person, it would only make sense to assume his stances haven't softened even after spending so much time together.

"You're a very considerate person, Kyoko-san," he says, the words falling out of his mouth a little carelessly. He means it, though, and so he's not about to make any effort to take it back. "I'm lucky to have someone so kind watching after me, but I don't want you to think you have to be so careful."

rubs my hands together

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