♥ December Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

December (Ranir) Event Log
The city of Havenwell is recovering very well thanks to your efforts, offworlders. The hole in the wall is sealed up and, while maybe not looking like new, it certainly looks sturdy and safe. The city itself has removed much of the rubble from the battles you fought, and the people are back to their regularly scheduled lives. They're eternally grateful that you continue to put in the time to rebuild this final bastion of civilization and are pleased to see that you enjoyed their festivals so far. As the weather of Ranir turns colder and the nights longer, some may even see snow dust the cobblestone and paved streets in the morning. The time of Rawna has come and with it...

---

❥ PROMPT I: At Least It's Not a Sweater

Normally when a new season belonging to a god rolls around, the temple priests gear up and start with temple festivities. Seeing how this is Rawna's month, however, nothing much of the sort seems to be happening. In fact, it's almost as if Rawna's priests don't even care that their god's season has started. Rawna is, after all, chiefly the god of Apathy, so is it all that surprising?

What might be surprising is the sight of Ainea's priests in pairs out around the city in their stead. Each pair carries with them a single bright silver sash and they alternatively stand in broad daylight or hide in the shadows of the buildings. Walk by on your own and you'll be left alone, but when the priests spot two people walking even remotely near each other, they spring into action.

The two robotic priests zip around you and another person with surprising speed, tying the sash off around you - either around your wrists, your waists, your legs, whatever it takes to tie you to another person. With a triumphant buzz of excitement, they declare "Happy Ranir! Kindness comes in many forms!" and depart to find a new pair of victims patrons. As they leave, one of the pair calls out an additional clue for you: "Be kind to unwind!"

Good luck, everyone, you're now stuck with this other person. You can either wait until the sash naturally falls off in a few hours, or you can take the direction of the priests and be kind to the other person to encourage the magical knot to come undone. Each compliment, word of encouragement, or other act of kindness directed at your new partner seems to loosen the sash a little each time, so get to winning the Niceness War.

Oh, and in case you were thinking of blasting, teleporting, or cutting your way out? No amount of magic or physical force seems capable of cutting or removing the sash. Hopefully you went to the bathroom before they got you.

❥ PROMPT II: A Delicious Delight

After a long hard day of dodging Ainea's priests or just slogging through the colder weather around the city, what could be better than imbibing a seasonally festive drink? Well, the scientists in charge of Experiment 73 certainly think so! They've added a limited edition drink selection to all of the replicators and have some delightfully festive booths spread about the city staffed by a few robots wearing Rawna's colors in their sashes and hats. There are five drinks in total to choose from and you should certainly try them! They're only here until the end of the month and then the scientists say they'll be gone! The best things in life are fleeting, aren't they? The best things in life are also surprises, so when you take a sip of these exquisitely delicious (honest! For once they're good) beverages, prepare yourself for a little trick with your treat.

• Ginger and Honey Tea: A hot, thoroughly warming drink with the bite of ginger and the sweetness of honey. Drink this and you'll be shored up against the cold, but also feel compelled to tell or blurt out the truth. Whether you're asked a question or trying to tell a little white lie, you find you can't say anything but the truth. This effect lasts for up to an hour after drinking the tea.
  
• Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie: A cold sweet treat of vanilla smoothie topped with sweet strawberry pieces and whipped cream. At the bottom, you'll find a layer of sweet sponge cake cut up into pieces. Drink this with its own special thick straw and enjoy the taste of cake; and the effect of a personal miniature snow cloud that appears over your head. The cloud dusts you and your immediate area within a foot of you with beautiful multicolored snow - and that snow leaves splotches of color behind that last for up to an hour after drinking the smoothie.
  
• Hot Cinnamon Apple Cider: A deliciously steamy beverage that tastes of apple and cinnamon and comes with a cinnamon stick stirrer for effect. This beverage smells as delicious as it tastes and the aroma wafts around the area more strongly than the others. Drink this penultimate holiday drink and you'll find yourself heating up so much that you'll want to stay cold by giving your heat away via holding someone else. You'll want to be everyone's personal heater for up to an hour after drinking the cider.
  
• Gingerbread Latte: A nice piping hot latte with the hint of gingerbread threaded through the coffee, topped with whipped cream and dusted with gingerbread spice. Served in a tall red cup that seems to transfer the heat uncannily well through its thin walls, sip this and you'll find yourself painlessly sprouting an animal's appendage at random. You can have one functioning or non-functioning, cosmetic animal appendage like a cat's ears, a dog's tail, a duck's beak or whatever else you can think of for up to an hour after drinking the latte. They can replace your original body part (e.g. your ears become cat ears) or grow superfluously (e.g. you have regular ears AND cat ears). You can move the appendages or talk with them as if they are your own, but they don't confer any special magical powers with them. So you can fly with those griffin wings, sure, but you're going to need to put the effort into it.
  
• Hot Mulled Wine (alcoholic): This one isn't for children - and in fact, under 18 people might find it hard (but not impossible, be industrious, little ones!) to get their hands on this drink. Red wine is heated with spices and citrus fruit over low heat for several hours - or it would if it wasn't all synthetically created. The effect is the same though, a delicious adult beverage that's a nice way to spend an evening with someone special. And you'll want them to be someone special because drinking the hot wine makes you inclined to get a little steamy with people. Kisses, both chaste and passionate, seem to alleviate the urge which you'll be under for up to an hour after drinking the wine.

❥ PROMPT III: Winter (VR) Wonderland

There isn't quite enough snow on the ground to allow it in reality, but in the VR Cafes anything is possible. This month, the VR Cafes are decorated with snowflakes in odd patterns and designs - holograms, naturally - that spin and change shape and color in a timed routine. Plug into the games and you'll find a new selection among the usual offerings: Winter Wonderland.

There are two modes to Winter Wonderland and each are fun in their own ways.

Snow Fight! Head out into the powdery snow where fantastic snow forts await and battle it out with snowballs to claim the most territory or just see who can hit the other side the most. You can choose Team Battle, Solo 1vs1, or Battle Royale. All magic, skills, and cunning are at your disposal. While the snow might not be falling outside, it's definitely going to be raining down on you here, so bundle up and have some fun. You earned it!

Ski Lodge But maybe you don't want to go flinging snow down someone's shirt and would rather cuddle up on a couch in front of a big warm fire, huh? Sure, we understand that. Welcome to the Ski Lodge, a cozy getaway up in the mountains where you can relax with a hot chocolate (or cider, or glass of wine even) and curl up on the couches and experience a lazy afternoon in thick fluffy sweaters. It's even better with a friend, they say, so why not create this private little getaway for the two (or three or four, we're not judging) of you? For people wanting a romantic lean, you can always slip out the back (and out of your clothes if you prefer) into the private jacuzzi on the wooden deck, too.

For people who want to have some fun tearing it up on the mountain-side though, we suggest trying Ski-venture! A year-round game that lets you ski or snowboard your way down the mountain.

❥ PROMPT IV: A Mysterious Gift [REGAIN EVENT]

Toward the end of the month starting from the 20th and on, some people may find themselves drawn to Rawna's temple late at night, when most of the priests are offline or elsewhere. The only native creatures you can see here are the fledgling rainbow dragons which watch you from their various perches all around the sanctum. As you approach the temple's altar, you realize someone else has been drawn here as well. In the quiet, dim lighting, the barest of candles still burning and the watchful eyes of the dragons, you feel compelled to unburden yourself to the other person. Tell your tale of woe or sorrow, relieve yourself of a secret you've kept hidden for too long, and listen to your companion as well. They say a burden shared is a burden halved after all.

Once you've both shared something, a pair of dragonlings crawl up into the altar's clawed hands. They wind around each other until an iridescent light shines from their scales. The light is blinding and you must look away as it reaches its pinnacle and releases a burst of rainbow light. When you look back, the dragonlings are slithering away and in their places are two objects - one familiar to you and one to your partner - so long as both of you have shared. It seems your tithe has been rewarded with something from home.

OOC: These items from home must be approved by a mod. They cannot exceed the Medium Item regain limit. It cannot be a power or other ability. It cannot be something your character did not own or have knowledge of in their canon or their CRAU. Please post your regain request in the Regain Request thread before threading out the receipt of the item.

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This event will run from December 6th to December 31st. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. You are welcome to use this log, or create entries of your own! If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread.

Comments

Vianca | Pikmin [ohma] (ota)

[pinkmin]

✿ i. It’s Not Mistletoe Either
With the chill in the air that just seemed to linger all day, Vianca was getting the feeling that it was just about that time of year-- the mistletoe time. It was a little confusing when that didn’t seem to be the case, but it was a different planet. It wasn’t good to make assumptions about traditions, even if this totally seemed like one that the robots would be all over. Maybe someone would let it slip for next year. Vianca wasn’t. She used to look forward to it, but that was when she could eat the berries! There was no point in getting stuck in one spot for hours on end when she couldn’t even have a toxic berry snack.

So this kind of “getting stuck” was better. They could still move around! They were just! Kind of attached now! Huh! Vianca had only been trying to sneak her way past, but here she was, all tied up to someone else’s hand.

“Oh. I think they call this… a pickle.” A pause. “Or a jam…? Oh, no, we’re in a bind.” Literally!


✿ ii. Sweet Treats
Vianca hadn’t bothered much with the actual food experiments from last month, since she really didn’t need to eat that much. Drinks though. She could be enticed by drinks. You could find her sipping on a sweet beverage any time this month. She was partial to the ginger and honey tea, but she wouldn’t know it had any fun effects. She was a very honest pikmin after all!

It’s the strawberry shortcake smoothie that got a lot of secret delight out of her. Here and there you could find shimmery paths of color, which if one cared to follow would lead them to one (1) pink child, quietly having a little twirling party by herself. She would make a little spin, letting her skirt fan out and all the snow gently fan out around her. Then she’d watch, and do it again.

You might find her with a cider too, but she’s not very fond of coffee. She’ll try it if you ask her to though, just to see.


✿ iv. This is Past Vianca’s Bed Time
The likelihood that Vianca would be at Rawna’s temple at such a late hour was slim. She was usually already in bed! Should the stars align, however, you might find her there with plenty of secrets to whisper in your ear. If you really want her there, we’ll find a way. Once she’s been once, she might swing by a bit more in case anyone else needed a listening ear.


✿ v. Something Something Else
Want to do something else with the childe? Go for it. Mix and match where your heart desires. Give me those sweet action brackets if you prefer. If you want to figure out a secret prompt or anything else, hit me up!! (OR WING IT i am constantly in a state of winging it.)

[shroudedsecrets]

[Well, this was unexpected. Honerva had been being careful, wary of this new priest activity, but so it happens, she has a stack of electronic books that she seems to be floating along with her, so perhaps her intended location is a bit more clear... down the road, there might be more of a commotion of another pair getting roped together. Certainly easy to think that she could escape notice.

... and then they strike! And are off to bother another pair. So quick. So sneaky. And now attached to her arm was a very small person indeed.]

... Perhaps this was bound to happen sooner than later.

[It is difficult to tell whether or not that was intentional by the even measure of her tone, but somehow she follows suit to Vianca's quip.]

i

[meridio]

Indeed, they were in a bind. Somnus glanced down at Vianca—a new face, soft-spoken and unassuming—then the junction at which they'd been joined by the priests, whose words he echoed as he tugged lightly at the sash: "And we must be kind to unwind."

It wasn't an impossible request. The situation had little going for it, though, unless the contact meant something to the gods. As for the sash, it predictably held its knot through mechanisms that were unknown to him.

kaito | ajin [rawna] (ota)

[whenyouneedme]

★ i. Stuck Together With Yoooou
Well. Here we are. Kai hadn’t suspected Rawna imposters. Who even wanted to do that? Why did they do that. Poor Rawna, undercut by all his friends going behind his back because he was cool to do nothing.

So here Kai was, assaulted outside his own temple. He stared down at his wrist, all tied up with someone else’s, and sighed.


★ ii. Doggo Time
With this month long drink affair, Kai’s bound to try all of them at least once, so you could catch him with most any flavor’s effects at any given time.

It’s readily apparent that he’s real fond of that gingerbread latte though, because the sight of Kai wandering around with a fluffy, curly tail sticking out from his shirt. He’s pointedly not acknowledging it. But it’s there. Frequently.

But sometimes… its ears. Ears with an awfully familiar shape. Gosh it seemed like they’d be able to fit under a hood or something. Golly. Gee!


★ iv. Secrets for the Dragon God
Late night haunts of the temple weren’t new. On the restless nights that had followed Kai here, he’d take off wandering through the night to wherever his feet would lead. Usually… it was right here, to this quiet altar. Kai was never sure if there was gentle persuasion involved, or if he just didn’t know where else to go without a highway or a mountain pass. Watching the dragons always helped.

So chances were, it might have been Kai that was sitting there at the altar that night. The low light flickered in the golds of his eyes as he turned his head to look, gesturing towards the empty spot beside him. That was yours now, friend. He was here to listen.


★ v. Those Wildcard Notes
Want to do something else with the boy? Go for it. Mix and match where your heart desires. Give me those sweet action brackets if you prefer. If you want to figure out a secret prompt or anything else, hit me up!! (OR WING IT i am constantly in a state of winging it.)

I

[daikonrose]

What kind of world was this, where you couldn't visit the local rainbow reptiles without the threat of ambush? Naturally, Kyoko was stunned at first, but only a few moments passed before the rage set in.

"What..." She was stiff, trembling. "What kind of half-baked capture was that?! Don't just leave your war prisoners hanging out in the street!"

Shinji Ikari | Neon Genesis Evangelion [Rawna]

[hedgehogsdilemma]

I
It's almost a little odd to see basically nothing happening at Rawna's temple as the month changes over, or it would be if Shinji had managed to nail down which months belong to which deity. Still, the calm break from holiday hi-jinks is a welcome one, even if it is also a dreadfully short-lived one.

Ainea's priests? Out there for blood skinship. Their work? Fast, efficient, and over in a flash. The partner you've now found yourself tied to? Completely unwilling.

"W-wait-!!" He attempts to call out after the priests, but it is in vain. Off they run, and as they do, Shinji turns to the person who has unfortunately been shackled to him with an apologetic frown. "Sorry..."

That... was unexpected.


II
Fancy novelty drinks are well and interesting, perhaps worth a sample under typical conditions for this kid.

Conditions right now are, however, not typical for him. What we have here is one boy who is accustomed to summer and summer only, so as the temperatures only continue to drop around him, being outside for very long sounds less and less appealing. What could possibly chase away those shivers as he's making his way around? Nice, warm drinks, offered by stands staffed by robots who can make a very compelling argument for why you should give them a try! Come on, now! It's a good way to warm yourself right back up!

Upon finding out that, oh! Wow! These are actually really good? Shinji figures it couldn't hurt to try all of the hot drinks at least once. Occasionally, he can be found with one of them in hand to help combat the weather - the effects of the ginger and honey tea wouldn't be immediately obvious unless he's spoken to, of course, though a little more noticeable is the ridiculous discomfort the hot cinnamon apple cider brings with its particular brand of Warm Toastiness (of which Shinji is Far too Polite to seek out assistance combating from any strangers, but might perhaps be alluring enough to someone both perceptive and cold enough to leech some of that heat). Somewhere between those two, however, we have the gingerbread latte, inflicting a certain kind of... spikiness? Or maybe... spine...niness? To the hair on the back of his head. Shinji himself seems oblivious to this change, perhaps thinking he has found himself a beverage with no side-effects, though the hedgehogginess is much more clear to outside observers. Ah... huh.


IV
As the month starts drawing to a close, Shinji finds himself feeling just... generally more blue.

Whether or not it has anything to do with the inherent draw of the temple Ranir has brought with it, the last handful of days in the month bring about plenty of late, restless nights where Shinji can be found lingering around Rawna's temple. Most of the time he figures he might as well make himself useful by doing some late-night tidying, though other, more subdued nights will have him quietly attempting to offer snacks to the fledgling dragons. With the temple being quite a bit busier with the Ranir, uh, 'festivities', it's probably a little harder to catch any real spot of quiet, but when he's sure he's there with no one else around, he might even be simply hiding out in one of the corners, just trying to catch a moment of solitude.

So, you know, the perfect participant for sharing secrets with. He is, at the very least, there, and perfectly willing to box up his own melancholy long enough to engage with any late-night visitors.


Wildcard
[Hit me up with your wildest dreams, plot with me here or sandshrew<-here, formats will be matched, all of that good stuff /fingerguns]

I

[daikonrose]

At least it is a mutual unwillingness!

Kyoko is scowling, but not at Shinji. It could be in the direction those Ainean priests fled, but if you really look at her, her stony gaze is fixed on nothing. This again, already?

"In this situation," her voice is low, about half an octave below her usual range, but measured, "you are not the one who needs to apologize."

noctis lucis caelum | ota

[carbungle]

( i: wrapped around your little finger )

[Maybe you're just passing by one another, maybe you're walking side by side. Either way, when the priests wrap that sash around and leave the binding in place, Noct's first reaction is to pulse blue and try to phase through the "danger" like normal. It doesn't work, of course, but it leaves him gazing down at the fabric in confusion.]

...That usually works.


( ii: deliciousness ahoy )

[This boy loves sweets! So he will be trying most of the drinks over the course of the month, some more than others.

Ginger honey tea: he's only trying this once, so catch him during that first hour to enjoy his intense discomfort, the poor guy.
Strawberry smoothie: he doesn't mind the snow so much - in fact seems curiously fascinated with it - but considering his usual all-black aesthetic, he probably looks pretty weird in technicolour.
Gingerbread latte: he is drinking this all. Month. Long. Catch him with either cat ears or a tail (pick one if you wish!), each wiggling away, betraying any attempt he makes to stay casual. He's enjoying this one more than he'll probably say.
Mulled wine: he doesn't drink often, but he will at least try it. Catch him at the right moment to get cozy maybe…]


( iii: winter at home was very different. )

[So… he's from a bit of a desert region, originally. Never left it much until recently. The snow in the streets of town was neat, but it's just a light dusting, so he is eventually drawn to the VR cafes to see what all the fuss is about. Come join him in awkward frolicking! Or at least slipping and flailing his way into a snowbank.

...Yeah he probably won't last too long before he's taking refuge in the jacuzzi. Not built for the cold, this one.]


( iv: dragon for the dragon god - regain is planned but OTA to help others! )

[He's usually not such a nighthawk - sleep is too important! - but there are a few nights when he is drawn, inexplicably, to wander. At this point, he's not all that surprised to find himself at the temple of Rawna, where he follows the path he's drawn down to the altar. With a weary sigh, he drops to his knees and shrugs.]

...Fine, I'm here. What now?


( wildcard - solo yolo )

[Got an idea for something else? Hmu, he's around.]

iv. slides into this pocket

[pinkmin]

[Gosh, the sun had been down for a while hadn't it? That pretty much meant it was time for tiny plants to be completely conked out, tucked away somewhere safe and warm for the night. She was certainly tucked away in such a place, but for the night? Maybe not. It felt like something, or someone, was trying to knock on the door of her colorful dreams. Time to wake up.

She wiggled a little, trying to roll over as she stretched. Where was this?

From Noctis' jacket pocket came a soft, sleepy sounding squeak.]

lup | ota

[necromanswers]

( i: tied to trauma, oops )

[She's not the easiest to sneak up on at the best of times, but even Lup is not infallible. She also has limited spell slots, so while she'll manage to dodge away from some of the attempts, through clever illusions or speedy teleports, sooner or later even she runs out of luck.

Unfortunately, she does not take to being bound up very kindly, even if the person she's tied to is a friendly face. Immediately she's wrestling with the sash, dragging her unfortunate new partner along as she tries to chase the priests, her unbound hand catching fire.]

Hey, hey! Get back here! Get this off, right now!

[It's fine, it's fine. She can't panic if she's unleashing her fury, right?]


( ii A: RNG those drinks for great justice - say which one or I'll roll! )

[You know what's fun? Magic food. Or drink, in this case. Lup's feeling adventurous, and it doesn't take long for word to spread that the offered drinks are doing weird things to people, so of course she's going to take a swing at them all. What has she got to lose, at this point? Plus if it all goes sour, at least she's a lot harder to kill off than most people.

Thus, Lup can be found wandering the vicinity of where the booths are set up, casually sipping at whatever drink she happened to pick up and waiting for the effect to kick in. She's also people-watching, keeping an eye out for anyone else who shows signs of change.]


( ii B: tactical lunch date - closed to Cor )

[The morning spar has come and gone - down a few spell slots as usual, but wiser for it and more at ease with her blade - Lup had made a suggestion before she and Cor parted ways: a meeting for lunch, once she's had a chance to freshen up, change her clothes, and prep some decent food for them both to share, at a little public cafe table down the road. She's not entirely sure if Cor understood her intent, but he's a smart guy, and she'd brought it up not too long ago under very particular context, so she has faith that he'll catch on. And sure, she didn't have to dress up as much as she did, but there's no shame in looking nice even if it's just for show... thus, she's sitting at the table with a basket at her feet, her hair bound up in layered braids, a silky gradient-coloured cocktail dress with a long sweeping back, and brilliant red lipstick. In short, she looks like a woman waiting for a date, and she's ready to play her part as perfectly as can be.

There's even a cup of steaming wine in front of her, though she has yet to touch it as she waits.]


( iv: gift? from gods? sounds fake - closed to Carl )

[She has no idea what she's doing here; it's the middle of the night, this isn't even her temple, and that stupid siren's song that guided her this way is fading now that she's here, making its intentions known. She glowers for a long moment at the scene before her: the dragons, the altar, the... everything.

And then instead of kneeling reverently she turns away and flops down on her back, glaring upside-down at the statue above her and the dragonlings peering over the edge.]

Okay, you've got five minutes to tell me what you want. Then I'm out.


( wildcard - feel the rhythm )

[Got an idea for something else? made plans w/ her? she's around all over, hit me up.]

i

[iustaegis]

[ OOF, she's tugged along as Lup attempts to free them of their bonds. They're tied all the way up their arms, her right and Lup's left, with the sash fashioned neatly into a great big, silky bow at their wrists.

--And then she sees the fire. THAT SEEMS DANGEROUS. ] L--Lup, wait!

[ Surely she doesn't mean to throw it at the priests? Pyra makes an effort to reach for Lup's opposite wrist, as if it might stop her. ]

[iustaegis]

A: Complimentary Ties
[ Whether tied at the wrists, arms, or waists, it seems that  Ainea's priests have caught both you and her within their plan. Happy Ranir, they cheer, and vanished down the path onto their next patrons. Pyra is left standing there, tied tightly to you as she blinks after the retreating forms of the robotic citizens, and only after a moment does she return her gaze to meet yours.

She smiles apologetically, as if this is somehow her fault in being caught; nonetheless, there is a tickle of amusement in her eyes. ] "Be kind to unwind".... mm?

[ Tilting her head to the side, her lips curl into something far softer than before. ] To each other, you think?

B: Ginger Honey Tea
[ Tea is her absolute favorite drink, so of course she takes a sip of it.  You just happen to be passing by, and that's when the words slip through her lips without filter. Spoken with the most utmost sincerity and a tender look in her eyes, she steps forward to even catch your attention. She will even reach for your hand, as if to honestly emphasize the point! ] I only wish to let you know... I love you.

[ She blinks once, twice in confusion, but nope, it seems that the truth is coming out. ] You are wonderful.

[ And then her hand goes to her mouth in horror, as if she could stop herself from speaking again. Where are these words coming from; yes yes, she adores everyone and loves the world because of everyone in it, but that doesn't mean she just says it randomly at others without prompting! Including strangers!

Gingerly, she lets her hand slip from her lips. Unfortunately, it looks like she has more things to repeat:  ] I--... I truly love you.

[ Dammit. ]

C: Gingerbread Latte
[ By now, it's known that some of these drinks they've been serving have effects. With a playful-- and sightly challenging-- tone, she'll encourage you to try one with her, leading you by the hand to the stand that distributes them. One the both of you have obtained the lattes, she gives your hand a squeeze. ] ...Are you ready? [ Her words come with a small giggle of excitement, and then she clinks her mug against yours. ] Cheers!

[ The ears she gets? Are red, long, and appear with fur so soft it rivals velvet. Her eyes will fall or raise to whatever new trait you acquire. ]

D: Let it Snow Let it Snow
[ Be it just from inside one of the temples or one of the cafes within city center, Pyra will join you just as the awning leading to the outside. Her palm is held humbly upwards as if she might catch one or two of the flakes just beyond the steps. They all melt instantly upon her skin. ]

...Oh. [ Light and soft, the flakes descend like crystals affected by a lazy, slow gravity.  Her eyes are wide with amazement, as if she has never seen the weather be so gentle before.  While the air is cold enough to generate clouds of with breath, the warmth she gives on her own, should you be near, may feel like a blanket wrapped about your shoulders. Gently, she tugs at the sleeve of your elbow, as if to gain your attention. ] The snowflakes... look like they're dancing as they fall.

[ She can only hope others may have such happiness as they spin, descending through life. She turns her soft gaze to you. Wistfulness marks her expression, accented by only a touch of whimsy. ] Do you know how to dance as they do?

E: Wildcard  
[ Have an idea for Pyra? HMU here, PM, or PP me at drinksteapots! Uhh feel free to assume the animal traits carry on over to other prompts too o/ ]

c

[scourgingstars]

[Startled though he was by the pull on his hand, Ardyn stumbled into step with her, accepting a drink and sipping it with only mild unease. For him, even that much was a lot where social interaction was concerned.]

[Speaking of concerning things, also concerning was the particularly fluffy violet fox tail that had most definitely not been there before.]

Lance | OTA

[the_tailor]

[I - All Tied Up]

[Lance is beginning to realize that some of the priests in this world tend to be a little...devious. They don't quite ask the outsiders to join their traditions and festivities so much as forcefully rope them into thnem. None have been particularly egregious, but really, anyone would want a little bit of warning before this kind of stuff happened.

With his habit of wandering about often, it isn't long at all before he finds himself securely tied to someone else. He gives them a sheepish grin and a shrug.]

So, uh. Looks like we're gonna be cozy for a little while, huh?



[II - Delicious Nomnoms]

[With the food experiments last month being a general success, Lance is more than happy to try out the beverage sequel. Without knowing at first the unique effects of these drinks--and even after knowing--he's eager to taste all of the drinks on offer from tea to wine.

Lance has a tendency to wear his heart on his sleeve for better or for worse, but the ginger and honey tea will get him to loosen his tongue more than usual. The spice of the hot cinnamon apple cider catches his nose, but when he starts feeling like he's overheating, he wonders if perhaps it was a bit too much spice... The gingerbread latte catches him by surprise when his ears suddenly move and shift into fluffy brown cat ears. Oh, and there's the equally fluffy brown tail just hanging out behind him. As for the hot mulled wine...well. They call him Loverboy Lance for a reason, don't they? Spoiler: they don't.


Drink with him to days gone by!]



[III - Walking in a Winter Wonderland]

[Having grown up in Cuba, snow in general is a sort of wonderland to Lance. And even if it's just VR, he's more than eager to throw himself into it and get his fill of winter weather. The first thing that catches his eye are the snowball fights, and oh, he will definitely be partaking in them. He has excellent aim as it is, and he's sure he'll be able to whoop ass in this. Care to be his teammate? Or be on the other side, battling him?

When that's all said and done, he decides to warm up in the cozy looking ski lodge. After changing into leggings and a fluffy, thick blue sweater with cats printed on it, he cozies up by the fire with a large mug of hot cider (maybe spiked, maybe not?). Feel free to join him!]



[Wildcard!]

[Any other ideas? I'm down for anything! Hit me up here, or PM, or hmu on plurk: relika!]

I

[daikonrose]

[ Let's go ahead and say this isn't the first time Kyoko's been roped into the Ainean plot to spread cheer and skinship. In fact, she's about ready to assume she's just outright being targeted. Those priests are ruthless.

The good news is, she understands the conditions for her release by now. Turning her eyes sharply up at the face of her fellow prisoner, she almost deadpans. ]

No. You've pretty much got the right physique for a model. [ she barely even looked but shh ] Have you ever been scouted?

Verstael | OTA

[original_is_best]

I - Cor

Festivities left Verstael briskly moving about the city to note everything. He did like to keep an eye on the natives, and he did like to study, so it worked out well enough as he trotted about the city with surprising energy. A pair of ears on his head indicated that he'd already tried some drinks.

Eyes on his notebook, he was taken off guard when the priests suddenly attacked. He made to withdraw but didn't have the time to do so, instead finding himself tied to a very stubborn man, getting jostled around in the struggle.

Letting out a disgruntled groan, he figured Cor would at least have the same idea as him.

"All right, let us get this off."

Just untie it and they could both move on.

II - Will

Verstael spent a fair amount of time looking into a window. But not to look inside a building. No, he was checking his reflection intensely. How could he not when a pair of animal ears had suddenly adorned his head?

He poked them. Prodded. Tested temperature. Pinched to see if they would hurt. Attempted movement. He studied himself at intensely as he would any other specimen, and decided to try another drink.

That one, however, didn't make any new body parts. Though it warmed his body as it poured into him.

Ah, well, he'd just have to make another attempt. Grabbing another drink, he brought it over energetically to a familiar face, holding it out to Will with hardly a greeting before fervently demanding, "Try this."

And just as quickly taking a seat and watching Will with the intensity of a hawk eying its prey.

II - OTA

After experiencing his own reaction, Verstael was intrigued by the drinks, staying close by to observe what happened with others. He could be spotted taking notes of anything interesting, and might even encourage drinking. They didn't appear to cause harm, so no harm no foul, right?

Wildcard

[Open to stuff!]

[twistedempathy]

"Hmm?" Will's not sure which he's more confused by, being suddenly accosted with a drink, or confronted with the sight of Verstael with some absolutely adorable pointy ears peeking out of his hair.

He accepts the drink readily enough even so, sniffing curiously at it. It smells nice and sweet, at least..... and everything looks surprisingly normal. "It's a little chilly out for milkshakes, isn't it? Since when do you wear cute hairbands?"

That has to be what the ears are, after all. Right? The sort of accessory little kids love wearing? Verstael doesn't really strike him as the kind of guy to be into that sort of thing. Still, sometimes you just never know..... He could have a whole bedroom full of stuffed Teddiursas back home, and who would ever see it?

The mental image is enough to make him grin, even as he raises the straw to his lips. Hmmm..... definitely not the sort of weather he'd normally drink one of these in. Still, he can't deny it's actually delicious. Props to the scientists for pulling that off! Will is distracted enough that he doesn't even notice the little cloud starting to materialize over his head.

Ardyn Lucis Caelum | FFXV [Ainea]

[scourgingstars]

[ii; the sky above's an endless blue of sapphire]

[Did he need to eat and drink anything? Not really, no. Did he like it, on occasion? Sure, and curiosity tended to get the better of him with things like this. So one could, at varying points, catch him with one of any sort of drink (and maybe a small snow cloud, a pretty violet fox tail, or perhaps a pair of cat ears in the same color.)]

[All in all he tended to keep away from the city crowds; sticking more to whatever dark corners or shade might be found. 'Lurking' was a strong word, but usually wallflowering didn't necessitate shadows.]

[iv; it's color inviting me there]

[Being more active and outside at night, it was hard to miss that something was going on. Harder still to ignore it. He'd made his way to Rawna's temple, hesitant to draw too close to the altar; whether out of superstition or some ancient fear of the divine, he was more than a little skittish in a temple of what amounted to a divine dragon.]

[Still...something was going on, and so far the gods themselves hadn't descended from on high as a direct threat within the city walls. So there was no reason to seek an escape route...yet.]

[wildcard; so I let open the window that I always kept shut]

[whatever else; keep in mind any use of prompt I would be better off with close cr/castmates!]

IV

[hedgehogsdilemma]

[With the upsurge in activity in Rawna's temple, that's all the more reason to hang around long after the sun goes down and make sure everything is taken care of. Shinji's here frequently doing this kind of work anyway, so there's no harm in sweeping up after the late-night visitors clear out.

Except... he has not actually found himself in an otherwise empty temple yet, has he? He regards Ardyn with a brief look of mellow surprise before offering him a more proper greeting.]

Hello.

Shouto Todoroki

[thermoregulate]

❄️ 1) All wrapped up; [ for Momo/yaoyoroshka ]
[ At any other time, although Shouto wouldn't be downright angered by the circumstances, he also wouldn't be as content as he is right now. Amused, even, as he glances over to Momo (not for the first time since this began). There's a light hum from him as he further laces their fingers, giving her hand a squeeze.

Being literally connected like this might not ultimately be useful. Which he'll bluntly point out— ]

This is nice, but the ribbon is not the most practical. Should we begin on making it loosen up?


❄️ 2) Drink up;
[ Considering his time in Empatheias, and how often the food and drink had some sort of emotional effect, Todoroki is instinctively mindful of the drinks. Although, he does want to have faith in this world, even if it's also a blind risk without very much doubt.

Whatever the case, it's the strawberry shortcake smoothie that catches his attention almost immediately. His favorite dessert, but in drink form? There's no way he would pass up on this.

Its snowy effects don't even faze him. Still, he acts: seemingly out of nowhere does a thin, though sturdy layer of ice arc up from his upper right arm, all the way until it completely blocks the snow from directly coming down on him. Similar to an umbrella, more or less. It's really quite nice!

The hot cinnamon apple cider similarly doesn't bother him. Considering his dual ice & fire ability, his core body temperature isn't quite the same as the average person's. Still, a layer of ice forms (under his scarf) upon the right side of his throat and down his right arm, with a bit of frost having gathered on the tips of his white hair.

When he spots someone who's possibly afflicted, he'll make his way over. ]

Do you need to cool down at all? You almost look feverish.

[ Finally, and some time later on during the day/event, the gingerbread latte has Todoroki sporting both a cat tail and ears, both appropriately colored. Naturally, this doesn't bother him one bit. ]


❄️ 3) A Very VR Winter;
[ Particularly competitive by nature, you'd better believe that Todoroki is involved with the snowball fight! Apart from this being virtual, the only other time he's played was in Empatheias for his birthday party. He'll make for both a skilled 1on 1 stand-off, as well as a great team player. — Catch him trying out snowboarding as well.

Later, he might be deliberating whether or not an ice skating rink would even be possible, here, all VR things considered. How awesome would that be?

Sometime later he can be found relaxing at the lodge, content and comfortable. ]


❄️ 4) Gifts, regains, and more;
[ Todoroki normally isn't still awake at such hours, but eventually finds himself at the temple. ]

I don't mind talking, if you don't. But. . . it isn't very pleasant.*

[ To speak of sorrows and difficult times from his past. He's a little subdued.]


wildcard!
Come at me with whatever! If it'll be helpful, here is Todoroki's plotting comment.
CW that his childhood contains physical, emotional, and psychological abuse.

does he even have a chance against her in a niceness war? u_u

[yaoyoroshka]

[Momo sees his amusement at their predicament and responds with a light slap on his shoulder with her free hand, a half-hearted reprimand seeing as there's also a smile on her face.]

It's not funny, you know, it's a safety hazard to suddenly tie people together while they're walking.

[Really, she should be getting used to these type of things just suddenly happening by now. Besides, she is in good company. She then recalls the clue they were given.]

'Be kind to unwind' they said. If that's the case, compliments should work, yes?

[She clears her throat, seemingly preparing to give one. Yet a few seconds pass in silence as if she's evaluating something.]

...promise first that you won't tease me for anything I'll say.

Goofy | Kingdom Hearts

[thekingsshield]

|

Whoa-whoa-whoa-HAAAAA!

[Seeing as this is... well, Goofy... the ribbons may have merely gotten his partner around the wrist, but the dog man himself? He trips, flips, and winds up covered in sash from head to toe! He dizzily tries to stand up, looking like a giant Christmas present.]

Huh... ? For folks sayin' stuff about bein' kind, this doesn't feel very nice!

II

[Goofy chose the Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie, and as he sips away, he seems oblivious to the fact that he has a snow cloud over his head. He sips... then sneezes, due to the snow on his head, then brushes the snow off. He walks away, sips, sneeze, brush. Walk, sip, sneeze, brush. Repeat.]

Boy, the weather in this place is always somethin', ain't it?

III

I got an idea for a fun victory!

[With his shield - hey, it's VR, who says he can't have it? - he lays it down in the snow, then gestures to you.]

Hop on in - we'll go for a big ol' sled shield smash! Y'ready?

IV

[Here he is, and there he stands. He's not a person usually burdened by much to begin with - so it doesn't take long for him to spill his guts. He gives a wistful sigh, hands in his pockets.]

... My best friend is a King, y'know? And that's what we all call him. He deserves it, and he's real good at it. But... sometimes, just sometimes... I miss when we were just kids, and not worryin' about titles or nothin'.

Wildcard
[Make your own prompt!]

II

[21kingpuddings]

[The strawberry shortcake smoothie is definitely the best choice, even if it's a cold drink for the cold weather. And at that, a cold side-effect, too...

It's pretty delightful, though! Tamaki's enjoying it alongside his smoothie, though it looks like there's another offworlder having... some kind of time of it. He sips his own drink as he watches Goofy goes through this routine a couple of times before stepping in to --

well. uh. he's not sure what he could actually do to help in this situation, but he kind of wants to give it a shot anyway.]

You think when it snows for real it's gonna be all colorful like this?

[Super colorful? Because as odd as it is, he's kind of digging the look. It'd be pretty spectacular covering the whole city!]

[yallstupid]

i. I'll Drink to That

[Welp, there sure is a lot of hub-bub going around these days. Guzma is still new, he doesn't know the intricacies of this world's holidays and goings-on. To be perfectly honest, the first few days of his stay here were spent washing and cleaning up his appearance, getting some passable clothes and building a wardrobe for himself again, as well and simply sleeping. Sleeping and eating. One misses the beauties of a full-sized, functioning bed and a goddamn cheeseburger after two years spent having to hunt and kill your own food.

He's well bundled against the cold, being more familiar with hot and tropical weather than the chilled air and frost that covers the ground, walking about with his face half obscured by a thick, knit scarf. He honestly looks...as pleased by the developments as a wet cat, grumbling to himself anytime someone brushes past him. Honestly, do these people here not know about personal space?

At the very least, there are cafes here, and he's cold enough to try something hot, praying quietly that something even resembling his favorite, Tapu Cocoa, exists in this world. Sadly, no, but there's at least a few treats here that may appease his sweet-tooth a bit. That there smoothie thing looks good, even if it is very obviously iced. He'll take it to go, and return to his home to unwind, maybe there's some, like...arcade or something he can visit to entertain himself inside and out of the cold. Bah humbug.

It's after the first three, maybe four sips of the smoothie (it's shockingly very refreshing, even in the cold), that Guzma feels...colder. His teeth begin to chatter against the straw of the drink, and he's shivering from head to toe. Not only that but--]

What the heck?! [He puts out a hand, catching large, colorful flakes of what appears to be snow on his hand, before his body heat melts them away and there's a nice, purple splotch on his skin. He looks up, only to get a face full of that same, colorful powder - red, blue, yellow, and green - wiping it away quickly.] Yo--come on! These clothes are new!

[If this shit stains, he is going to go absolutely apeshit.]
---

i-2. ANOTHER

[You think a guy would learn after the first one, right? Nah, not Guzma. He's positively fuming, a crumpled cup of Gingerbread Latte (again, delicious, and nigh irresistible for this sweet-loving asshole) gripped in his hand. He's going home. Right this second. This place stinks - it's cold, have trap drinks, and people are trying to cuddle up to him something fierce and by Arceus it's uncomfortable as heck. If he has to shove another robot out of his way, he's going to straight up toss them into a trash bin, head first. With his cup.

The new set of long, almost rabbit-like ears, a heinous yellow and tipped with black, twitch and flick both with his irritation and the flecks of ice and tiny bits of snow in the the air that irritate the soft fur. Unreal. Of all the Pokemon in the pokedex, all one thousand plus of them, he gets stuck with the defining features of a Pikachu. He doesn't even like electric types...unless they're Vikavolt.

Approach with caution, Chuzma here is ready to pounce, and he's high voltage.]
---

ii. Dashing Through the Snow...

[In a horrible one-man tirade... Pelting people as he goes... Cackling like a knave! Ah, yes, Guzma knew there had to be something entertaining and fun to do in this godawful weather. Snowmen? Nah. Sledding and skiing? Pass. Hitting people in the face with icy missiles, consequence free? NOW, you're talking! The VR cafes were definitely a hotspot for the Big Bad Boss of Team Skull, but this is just delightful fun in a way he knows and loves. Poor fools that log in to this server may soon find themselves being sought out by the large male, who's learned enough that hiding behind forts, trees, or bushes is the way to go here.

He has a damn good throwing arm, and his aim is nearly perfect, especially on a static target. Years and years of being a Pokemon Trainer help with his ball-throwing skills, and Guzma's going right for the face every time. And he is neither being gentle nor is he taking prisoners. Of course, he's not actually out to really hurt anyone (on purpose), so he'll tone it down if any of you pansies start crying or anything.

Listen, he'll even take the losers in for hot cocoa in the lodge if they put on the water works enough, and Guzma can make one mean cup of cocoa. Fair warning though, he likes it actual molten lava hot, so be sure to let it sit a while before drinking. And these drinks? Don't cause any negative effects, so enjoy!]
---

iii. What's Your Sign - Gift Regain

[Thank heavens that Guzma is a night owl, because being compulsively brought to this weirdass temple place while he was in a deep sleep would have been a poor idea. He's not a morning person, and dislikes greatly when his rest is disturbed, much like a bear. Or a dragon. However, it's colder at night, with no sun to warm his skin, and Guzma is grumbling soft curses into his scarf, more messy and tightly wound around his face than it was during the daytime hours. His hands are shoved deep into his pockets, to stay warm, and he has half a thought to pick up some gloves at some point.

Yes, he is that kind of whiny, cold-hating islander. Sue him.

But, there's rumor spreading about gifts, thought Guzma is...dubious, at best. He's done this song and dance before, and gods never give shit away for free. The Storyteller didn't, that fuck off water dragon didn't, and heck knows the ones here aren't as giving, either, though they sure like to air the facade that they are.

Let's see how this goes, shall we? As of now, the whole week has been relatively harmless shenanigans, though some were pretty obnoxious. It's better than the actual, real threat of death nearly every month, so...who's he to complain? The beady eyes of the dragons watching him has Guzma on edge, like he's facing a trial back home in Alola, and he's almost ready for one of the little bastards to pounce at him, chewing his lower lip anxiously.

But no, they do nothing. Though he does hear another set of footsteps approaching. Ah. There's the catch.]
---

iv. WHAT'S IN THE BOOOOX??

[Wildcard option!! Write your own prompt or ping me on plurk at MelonFlavored to plot something!]

i

[meridio]

[Drawn by the ruckus, Somnus looks in Guzma’s direction on his way past. He slows to a stop. Volume aside, Guzma quite stands out with all the colors staining his face.]

You have drunk the scientists' mixture. Those are its effects.

[Should their eyes meet, Somnus will nod his head at the cup of smoothie.]

Kiwi | Wandersong | Ainea | OTA

[wannabethehero]

I - Silly young bardlets all tied up with string:
[If ever there was an easy target, Kiwi might have had one right on their back. They often wandered Havenwell singing or making small talk, which meant they were highly likely to be in close proximity to another person at any given time.

And so here they were, ambushed by their own goddess's priests. At first they don't even process what was happening, just letting out a yelp of surprise as they're caught around the middle and thrust up against another body. They blink, looking over at this person they're now uncomfortably close to, then down at the sash around both of their waists, literally joining the two parties at the hip.]

Um...h-hi?

IIa - A cup of coffee???:
[Kiwi was quickly attracted to the warm drinks on this cold day in Havenwell.  They mulled over the seasonal options at the cafe, and all of them sounded delicious, but ultimately they chose the gingerbread latte.  They didn't really know what a latte was, but they remembered how their mother used to make gingerbread cookies for dad's birthday - though they didn't recall him ever being home for it.

Of course, if they knew what a latte was, they would have resisted, because what they didn't know was that lattes were made with coffee.  And coffee had been proven to bring out the worst in them.

Of course, they don't remember anything that happened before they ultimately passed out from the crash afterward. They didn't even remember that they'd ended up sprouting wings from the enchanted beverage, leaving green feathers in their wake as they bounced off the walls. Hopefully they made it hope before crashing, but depending on how wild a spree it was, they might be waking up in a jail cell for destruction of property. You were a victim in this caffeinated freakout...do you tell them what ruckus they made?] [[OOC: this prompt is left relatively open on purpose for the sake of potential noodle incidents, but feel free to come in with specifics! Needless to say lots of running around and singing at speeds that'd make a hummingbird blush would be involved.]]

IIb - Any price, any pain, I would pay to have wings:
[Well, somehow they found out about the wings they'd sprouted from drinking the gingerbread coffee, and now they were curious about it, and went back to the cafe to ask. The workers panicked and attempted to shoo them away, not wanting a repeat of the incident, but with some persuasion and exasperation, they offered a magical alternative that would hopefully not prompt another destructive freakout;

Decaf.

The hot cup was thrust into the bard's hands and they were promptly shoved out the door, leaving them to their own devices. With trepidation, they take a tentative sip. And...nothing. No rush of energy, no tunnelvision. Just a hot, sweet, gingerbread-flavored drink. But sure enough as they downed it, there was a puff of feathers as a pair of wings sprouted from their back, almost tangling on their capelet. They hastily found the nearest reflective surface to check, and their eyes lit up in excitement as they confirmed the presence of wings. They had wings! They practically squeed. They should do something! Maybe they could try to fly! They should show their friends! Should they clean up the feathers and do something with them?

...well, mostly they're now bumping into people and accidentally whacking them in the face with their newfound wings. They're not used to taking up this much space.]

Sorry, excuse me, sorry!

III - I want the truth from you:
[For some reason, Kiwi couldn't sleep. Will had gone to spend the night with Cor, leaving them alone in the house, and suddenly that meant the house was too quiet. The whole city was too quiet, if they were honest, but for some reason tonight it left them tossing and turning for over an hour, before they gave up, deciding to take a walk.

They hadn't given much thought to where they were going. They just followed the dim street lamps, hands tucked under their capelet to keep warm against the chill in the air. They just walked, and when they looked up again, their feet had taken them to Rawna's temple. They weren't sure what compelled them here, especially as a follower of Ainea. But some urge in their head told them this was where they should be right now. And besides, they were getting cold, so they quietly crept in through the doors.

They weren't entirely sure what to do, now that they were here. There weren't even any priests to greet them at this time of night. It was...almost eerie, being here alone.
But then they realized they weren't actually alone - someone was sitting near the altar.
And so, still not entirely sure what's happening, they come closer. Their silhouette would look unusual at a quick glance; they left their feather cap behind, leaving their wind-tossed, fluffy pink undercut exposed, but even in the dim light the bard becomes recognizable. They sit down and smile.]

You couldn't sleep either?

IV - Wildcard!:
[[HMU for other ideas!]]

ii b. (no game spoilers, please! i intend to play this one day since it looks cute af)

[yallstupid]

[You know what? This place sure is giving Guzma the impression that staying indoors and becoming even more introverted and reclusive than he already is may be something highly beneficial to his mental health. Not only has he been tied to a stranger (perhaps more than once), and had to endure the hideous cold and snow, but now he's sporting a pair of Pikachu ears and getting slapped across the face by a pair of feathery wings.

Is this punishment for something? He didn't even do anything, but boy is he gonna if this sort of shit continues. Shoving the appendage away from his face, he growls quietly under his scarf, looking the poor bard up and down. Really, he'd look far more intimidating if not for the cute wiggle of those ears, probably. Pika. ♥]

Watch it.

[meridio]

A. LITERAL SILVER LINING

[The natives strike, binding them together with a silver sash. Somnus knows this song and dance by now to simply offer his hand to the other party. If they must be tied together, let there at least be this form of positive contact to appease the gods.]

Let us begin.

B. HONESTEA PARTY

[The tea is not good.

He moves purposefully through the city, moving from one destination to the next in spite of the drink’s effects. Returning to the townhouse with sealed lips will only waste time. On his way past a booth, a native adorned in Rawna’s colors flags him down for another drink, which he promptly refuses.]

I‌ have partaken of it once. Never again.

[Is he sure?]

There is no doubt in my mind.

[The native then thrusts the drink out to the nearest character. Best wishes.]

C. ACCOSTEAD

[Eventually, the tea’s effect filters out of his system. He continues on his now merry way, only to perhaps be stopped by another character. Should he be approached for assistance or something more direct in terms of contact, he won’t pull away. Rather, he points out the obvious for the sake of confirmation:]

You have partaken of the scientists' drink.

[Or perhaps he’s wrong and someone just happens to be feeling incredibly needy.]

D. CLOSED TO PYRA

[Later that month, an intense urge to seek Rawna out at the altar strikes him. It rouses him from his sleep, and that alone is enough to merit an investigation. He changes, freshens up, and goes to the door to retrieve his cape when, sensing movement, he looks over his shoulder.]

D

[iustaegis]

[ Rising from her own slumber, she need not glance at her communicator to know the time is well past midnight. Her feet carry her into the living room, where she spots the only other that lives with her...

He sleeps at night. He rises at dawn. Yet he's here with her, standing fully clothed as if prepared to venture out into the darkness alone. Her eyes widen before her expression softens. ] ...You too, then?

[ WELP, might as well honor the god they're both bound to in the meantime. Stepping up to him, Pyra slips her hand into his. She takes some comfort knowing that she is not the only one, although feeling compelled to do anything is unsettling. ]

Emet-Selch | FFXIV

[unsunderworld]

1, sort of (Special add-on content, lmk if you're interested)

[One incidence of seeing the priests happen to someone else is enough; anyone who makes conversation with Emet-Selch out in the open might find themselves the recipient of a sudden apology before he vanishes in a warping of dark energy. If you stick around, once the priests are past, he may reappear; however, chances are that you don't want to stick around for the ten minutes or so it takes before he declares an area safe. Catch up later?]

2; Hope is the thing with feathers (and claws, and snow)

[By Garlean standards, this is hardly even winter. While the warm drinks are appreciated, it is primarily the milkshake that Emet-Selch can be caught drinking, seemingly completely unaffected by the glitter of multicolored flakes that rains down around him. Rather than attempting the indignity of slurping the cake bits at the bottom out with a straw, he's Created a long silver spoon with which to fish them from the bottom of the cup, a tool that seems inclined to go most everywhere with him at the moment.

One must have some standards, after all.

Aside from pretentious milkshake consumption, he favors the tea and lattes, with no apparent taste for the cider or wine. Those who encounter him under the effects of the tea will find that nothing, seemingly, has changed; omission is safer than a lie, after all, and so there are only a few subjects about which he hasn't been entirely honest in the first place.

As for the lattes? Well, the keen-eyed might catch him with the sharp claws of a crow or raven tipping his fingers, his gloves banished for the moment. It takes no keen eyes to see the other change the drink is wont to work on him. Huge black feathered wings - crow's wings, for those with such familiarity - spend most of their time closed against his back, though they do occasionally follow the motions of his arms if he gestures particularly expressively. Best watch out if you're standing to either side of him.

As a related matter, Emet-Selch has adopted a backless shirt under his short jacket, which is easily removed if the wings should appear. The result is that there's a window of flesh visible under the edge even when he's wearing said jacket, for those who might be interested in that sort of thing.

Look, he lived his last lifetime in Garlemald, this is practically shorts weather by Garlean standards. It's fine.

You can catch him at his usual haunts of watching the comings-and-goings from the temples, or if you're the type to avoid the priests as much as possible in this season, the botanical gardens.]

4. Tell me your every truth

[It is not only one night that Emet-Selch spends at the quiet temple; he remains far enough from the altar to give people privacy, but it is not unlikely that anyone arriving, especially when no one else is there, will catch him in the far corner with the dragonlings.

That is not to say that he has no burdens to share, and should anyone find themselves here without anyone else to share with, he's receptive enough... Though, of course, those he knows are more likely to get anything beyond a nod of acknowledgement and a polite retreat, should they wish it.]

2

[scourgingstars]

[It was later on in the month when Ardyn sought out Emet-Selch in the way he rarely sought out anyone--but he had made a promise, and it seemed neither the cold nor the pair of large fox ears on his head were going to bother him in the slightest. Either way, Ardyn found his way to the gardens looking...not strictly happy by regular standards, but far less despondent than was usual.]

So here is where you were hiding out. I hope I've not interrupted something.

Cor Leonis | FFXV [Diacht]

[flawed_immortality]

I.Pale on the horizon
[Cor spends time nearly every afternoon venturing from temple to temple making sure the priests don't need assistance with anything before he ventures into the business areas to offer the same. Maybe he should see about establishing a proper job but he is capable of the kind of hard labor that is not needed on a daily basis. So... he's rather turned into something of a handy man.

That does mean it's incredibly easy to get captured crossing paths with him around the city, especially anyone he's familiar with as he'll often stop to check in with the people he cares for. Luckily the sudden cinch of ribbon around his wrist does not unnerve the Marshal... not nearly as much as being ambushed does. Once they're bound though he simply sighs, looking from his partner to their wrists in an amused sort of resignation.]

II A.Like leaves frozen in the snow
[Anyone spending any amount of time with Cor throughout the month is going to have to deal with the fact that he has a pair of tall, almost comically so, brown and white harlequin pointed ears. If not the ears a long thin whippy tail that betrays so much of his stoicism it's infuriating. Every now and then you might even find long whiskered barbels arcing back over his shoulders, the tufts sparking with electricity.

And yet he seems perfectly content to indulge in an absurd amount of these lattes.]

II B.Your eyes burn bright against the frost-bit sky
[Cor will, in fact, be indulging in a little wine. For propriety's sake that starter is on his Inbox.]

III. For WillYou never seemed more lovely than you do tonight
[The night comes on earlier and earlier and it will be the Longest Night itself that finds Cor meandering up to Rawna's temple. At first he questions it but he accepts it easily enough. He's long since used to not thinking too hard about what the gods or their messengers might be planning. He's there in what would normally be the end of the day, though the Solstice means some shops close up early. And regardless of how chilly it is he settles on a bench outside the temple, staring up at the clear sky and bright moon overhead, idly wondering if he'd ever see such a sight back home again.]

i

[scourgingstars]

[He'd been doing his best to avoid exactly this situation; warped away from a few priests, even shadowstepped clear out of existence a time or two. But this time he'd let his guard down for just a moment, hand linked to Cor's in red ribbon up to their wrists.]

[Ardyn himself had gone very still and very quiet, mind racing as he tried to evaluate whether dissolving into shadow in front of someone would be worth escape at the cost of being seen as human.]

Ciel Phantomhive | Kuroshitsuji

[sweetlies]

✴ I. Would Rather the sweater.

[Being tied to someone is not something Ciel is comfortable with. There's enough trauma in his past regarding that that, when he sees it happen to a few other people, he tries to avoid traveling close enough to anyone else when he's anywhere near Ainea's priests. And it seemed to have worked most of the time.

Until it didn't. And he let his guard down, getting too close to someone and finding himself tethered to someone. At first he starts cussing at the priests, first in English and then a little French, before he sighs and just sort of sags.

At least the last time, he'd been cuffed to his brother.]

I suppose we should make the best of this.

✴ II. A bit of delicious.
a. Ginger and Honey Tea:

[He's sixteen, british, and a nobleman, all from the late 1800's. Of course he couldn't help but accept a nice, hot, cup of ginger and honey tea. It's not like the tea that he and Undertaker usually get, or what Sebastian made for him in England, but it's hot and it smells pleasant. And it definitely warms him against the chill.

Too bad he can't help but feel the urge to be painfully honest. Maybe he if hides somewhere for awhile, no one will ask anything he doesn't want to answer.]

b. Strawberry Shortcake Smoothie:

[He likes chocolate better but a smoothie sounds nice. Even with it being chilly, he likes sweet things and he wants to try some of the newer things the natives are offering. Offering for free, which was even better in his mind.

And he has a nice, cozy, sweater on to combat the chill of a smoothie. It's flavor is surprisingly good, for people who can't eat or drink anything. And he's comfortable for a little while until he feels some snow falling on him. At first he doesn't pay it any mind but then... That snow doesn't look like it's falling anywhere else.

He looks up and- nope. Just him. And into the trash that smoothie goes.]

c. Gingerbread Latte:

[Coffee is... gross. He's tried it a couple times in England and found it too bitter, too plain a flavor even when he added cream and sugar like Sebastian had suggested. That had been regular coffee though, mostly for business and official meetings, not because he wanted to.

This is different. A latte? And gingerbread? Of course Ciel is intrigued. So he gets a cup, makes a face at the flavor, adds a bit of sugar and then things sound... different?

His ears flick- wait!

Flick? His good eye widens and he reaches up to his ears that are suddenly missing. His ears flick again and he reaches up a little further to feel a pair of cat ears with 'fur' that matches his blue-black hair.]

UGH!

✴ III. Winter VRonderland?

[He's never played much in the snow. When he was younger, he wasn't allowed to play outside too often because of how delicate his health was. Not unless he was bundled up well and hadn't been too sick recently.

A VR game is different. And he's much older and healthier now.

He isn't much for a snow fight unless dragged into one but it is fun to explore the ski resort, not actually ski but it is nice to watch people ski and snowboard instead.]

✴ IV. Regaaaaaaains

((ooc: spoiler warning! I'll actually write this one up for the person that claims this prompt. Only one person for this one for his actual story but if you want him with your character, let me know here or on plurk lenneths_wings, direct me to a top-level. However you like.))

ii-c

[yaoyoroshka]

[While the newly sprouted cat ears aren't quite noticeable from where Momo's standing, the groan of annoyance was heard at the very least. Call it instincts from her being her class's vice president, but if someone isn't enjoying themselves she does feel compelled to help out.]

Was the drink not to your liking? They have various others prepared, you should try them instead!

ignis scientia | ffxv [ohma]

[promittere]

i; it's not good, though
[To say that Ignis doesn't see it coming would be obvious, but that doesn't mean it's not true. He's simply making his way down the street when he feels someone approaching, and before he can react he's tied up like a present to...

Somebody else.]

Well. [Hm.] This is rather troubling, isn't it?

ii; a delicious delight (a)
[Someone can't hold back when it comes to coffee, so he's happily had a gingerbread latte. And with the painless nature of the appearance, he hasn't even noticed the ears that sit upon his head. They're definitely a cat's ears, and they swivel as he makes his way around, but...

He's completely oblivious. They feel like a part of him, so he hasn't even noticed they're there.]

ii; a delicious delight (b)
[Okay, the latte was...interesting. He knows it's probably a bad idea to try more of these seasonal drinks, as the effects might be worse than some harmless ears, but...

Well.

They do say curiosity killed the cat, and Ignis has been finding himself more and more in tune with the feline these days.

He goes for the tea first, curious as to what it can do. When he feels no ill effects, he's...admittedly a little disappointed.]

I was hoping that would do more. [He cocks his head over to his companion.] Have you tried the tea?

ii; a delicious delight (c)
[Latte: good. Tea: Ehhh. Time for one last go at these drinks before deciding if it's worth pursuing all of them. He decides on the wine, this time, and the effect is...

Well.

The effect is immediate. He can't stop thinking about kissing, which is embarrassing enough in his own right, but worse yet is the desire to do it. Ignis...has kissed people before. He's had relationships! But none of them lasted very long because he was always so, so busy and just...He had more important things to do. More important people. But now, though... Now maybe he doesn't have to worry so much. Maybe he can...

Maybe he can pursue something.

He's wandering around, looking deep in thought with his fingers pressed to his lip. He's so absorbed in his own thought he doesn't notice someone else is there until he stumbles right into them.]

iv; a mysterious gift (closed to ardyn)
[He's drawn to the temple. Perhaps because of the festivities, perhaps because of something else. Whatever the reason, it's late and he finds himself there nonetheless.

And he's not alone. He takes in a breath once he realizes that, already apologizing.]

My apologies. I can leave if you'd rather the privacy-

ii-c because yolo

[necromanswers]

[Someone's distracted, huh. And Lup knows it because she's much the same way, which is why she fails to dodge around Ignis before their shoulders collide trying to pass by. Her arm lifts to steady him (and herself at the same time), grateful that he's blind and therefore can't spot the embarrassment on her face.]

Whoa, careful there! You feeling okay?

[He looks a bit red in the face.]

Magolor | Kirby

[begguiling]

II

[He was doomed from the start. Magolor, 1, has something of a sweet tooth; 2, he's still craving literally anything that tastes good even if the food situation on this planet is improving; and, 3, he's a bit weak to the cold, and always eager to warm up. What was he going to do, not drink the drinks?

He also has something of bad taste in food, honestly—for all that he complains about the menu here—and his first thought was to combine the apple cider and the gingerbread latte. It's the best of all worlds! Caffeine, apples, and sugary goodness! The three food groups!

And that excellent decision is why he's now shamelessly barreling over to cling onto anyone who looks like they won't murder him for it, and probably some people who do. Hello, would you like your own personal barnacle? He's even more noticeable than usual with his streaming tail of long golden feathers, which he's had to modify his robe to make a hole for . . . that's so annoying, geez. But that's a problem for Later Magolor. Current Magolor's problem is imparting this cuddle fever to anyone he can.

If your character has animal parts of their own, and ears in particular, he's even more likely to approach them.

tl;dr enjoy your new burning hot living feather plushie.]


III

[Heads up! That snowball is coming right for you! It might be your face, your back, a knee, or it might even just be a warning shot flying wide to get your attention. But either way, the culprit behind it is not making a secret of the fact that he's nearby, in sight, and laughing it up.]

Hehehe! You should've seen your face! Encoooore, let's see it again~!

[He does in fact have another snowball in his hand, ready to make good on his threat.

The VR used to be so boring and stupid, but between last month and this? Maybe he's finally coming around to it.]


IV

[And here he is. Here you both are, in the dead of night.

Magolor doesn't like any part of this—he doesn't like dragons much. He doesn't like honesty. He super duper especially doesn't like the feeling of mental compulsion. But it had happened so seamlessly; he was elsewhere, and then he was here, as if it were his own decision, before he could fight back against it. And now that he isn't alone . . .

No, it's still tempting to just teleport away, but he doesn't do that. Not yet. Compulsion on this planet always means something, and he trusts himself (perhaps against all evidence) to judge whether that something is worth abiding by or not.

Still—he's in the shadows next to the altar, lurking to see what happens. When he sees he has company, he crushes down every bit of discomfort he can get his hands around to ring out cheerily in the dark:]

Woooow, do you come here often in the middle of the night like this~?

[But he can't entirely mask his anxiety over whatever's happening here.]



(( Hello friends, here I am late! Feel free to pick from the above, wildcard me, and/or check out my ooc comment here! As a note, I'm totally open to ginger and honey tea/truth effect for II, just drop me a line and it can come up in the thread! And as another note, I'm probably going to be slow until the weekend! But my body is ready. ))

III

[thekingsshield]

[Let's face it, Goofy makes a darn good target. And when that snowball hits, he doesn't just go down - he goes down HARD, sliding down a hill! He dizzily sits up, and you'd swear you almost sweet little birdies circling around his head.]

... Someone get the plate off of that truck?

Sebastian | Kuroshitsuji

[hellish_butler]

I. Winter (VR) Wonderland
[It was during his free time, which is quite a luxury for the butler that he came to the VR cafe. The games match the season with it's winter games. Once he logs in, he found himself transported to a winter wonderland where snow cover the hills and forests. There's a ski resort closeby, where Sebastian give himself permission to rent out a pair of ski gear from the ski lodge and go out skiing and snowboarding on the hills, around the forests, and near the mountains.

Sebastian can be found in the lounge, drinking hot chocolate, wearing a sweater while reading a book by the fireplace inside the main lobby of the lodge. At times outside, looking for a player to engage in the snow fight. It's a rare time a butler can spare having some fun.]

II. Wildcard
[Make up any starter basing on the VR winter wonderland prompt only! Sebastian is very keen in playing the games in the VR game. Very short simple prompts, considering it's the holidays. Hmu me here for plotting!]

=D

[morality_pet]

[ Rin smiles when she sees him - she remembers this nice man! ]

Hello Mister Sebastian! [ She chrips, slipping carefully through the snow ] Are you enjoying yourself?

Doudanuki Masakuni | Touken Ranbu (diacht, ota, late as hel orz)

[helmsplitter]

❄ i. all tied up
[He might not pride himself on his stealth or his agility, but Doudanuki would have thought he'd be strong enough to cut his way out of a stupid piece of silver fabric. He'd ripped through cloth flimsier than this when he Awakened and he'd taken worse hits than this when he went up against the keibiishi. And yet?

And yet.

Here he is, awkwardly wrapped together with someone else as he struggles to bite and rip at the sash tying them together. His sword left at his side for the moment since he doesn't think the other person will take too kindly to potentially getting stabbed if the blade somehow glances off the cloth. Which isn't logical? At all? And yet here they are. Stuck.

Doudanuki growls like a feral animal and takes the sash between his teeth again, trying to rip it.]

What kind of weird attack is this?!


❄ ii. gingerbread and shame
[He's never one for sweet drinks, but it had smelled interesting and like nothing Doudanuki had ever tasted before in his life. The whipped cream had been discarded after a quick initial taste test as too sweet, but the coffee underneath wasn't so bad. It was coffee, not black like he'd prefer, but it was still coffee. It was nice and it actually tasted like it should. He'd prefer tea, but he could deal with this. He took another sip where he stood, not far from the booth in the town square, and hummed thoughtfully.]

Eh. It'll do.

[Behind him a thick bushy and somewhat stubby tanuki tail sprouts, but he doesn't notice right away. Surely someone else does though? It is...really obvious.]


❄ iii. confessional
[For a spirit, he's not exactly the spiritual type, which is why the pull toward Rawna's temple is so weird to him. It's so strong that he can't ignore it, and one night when he should probably be sleeping, he's instead standing at the dragon god's altar, staring up at all the sleepy-eyed dragonlings. Someone else was already here at the altar when he came in, but he wonders if they're supposed to pray silently or something since it's so quiet in here.

After a moment of waiting, he clears his throat and scratches the back of his head.]

...Do you know why it called us here?


❄ iv. wildcard
[If there's something else you'd like to try, hmu at wagashi!]

i

[21kingpuddings]

[Oh, whoa! Not that his sense of awareness is terribly sharp, or anything, but Tamaki's not really sure how he was snuck up on so thoroughly, or how he managed to wind up tied at the arm so solidly to someone so willing to tear through the sash binding them together by whatever means necessary, apparently.]

Whoa, whoa, I don't think it's an attack?

[It's not like either of them were really hurt for it! But if this guy keeps trying to bite through the sash like that, that could very easily do the trick!!]

H-hang on a second, maybe if we both try to pull it loose? [Perhaps? That could work? Make it a team effort!]

Taako | The Adventure Zone (Ohma)

[abracafcku]

☃ i. this tangled web
[He's not called a flip wizard for nothing. The first time the robot priests tried to catch Taako, he managed to wriggle out of the way at the last second, taking off into a dead sprint as far as he could get. The second time? He Blinked just before they tied the knot. The third time?

He was tired as fuck and was catching his breath on some random street.

The sash catches him right at the wrist and pulls him in toward someone, snapping them together a little more brusquely than was probably intended. As the priest cheerfully tells them to be kind to unwind, Taako turns and shakes a fist at them, yelling back.]

I'm gonna let Mags rip your arms off next time, tin can!

[Then with a heavy sigh, he glances back to see who is unfortunate enough to get stuck with him.]

...Well, this'll be interesting. You think we can burn this thing off or what?


☃ ii. the season for cider
[The drinks are festive and hipster as hell and Taako is 100% here for all of them. First up, though? Gotta get that holiday cider in him. He'd prefer it if it had a little extra kick to it, but non-alcoholic is a good way to start it off, right? He picks a cider on his way around town and sips it, reveling in the way it fights off the cold. He's never been very good with icy weather and without a good winter coat yet, he's been suffering. --Or he was.

As he drinks the cider, he finds that it's cinnamony-gingery goodness is warming him head to toe and then some. He sheds one of the scarves he has on, then another, then a third layer comes off. He's burning and Taako has to fan himself with his free hand, banishing the discarded clothes into the Pocket Spa in his pocket. He's busy trying to get his second jacket off when he bumps into someone, and the momentary contact brings him a flash of soothing cold. He instantly tries to go back in to lean against the hapless bystander like a cat.]

Oh my gods, just stay right there, will you? Just like, for a minute or uh, twenty.


☃ iii. let it go let it go
[He's not unaccustomed to the pull of a god. He's felt Istus tug on them when they went to her temple, saw her power and her reach, watched her snip strings in her endless knitted scarf and felt, for a little bit, intimidated. This isn't quite the same, but he recognizes what it is as the feeling gets stronger anytime he's near Rawna's temple. At first? He resists, naturally. But as the month draws closer to its close, he can't ignore it forever and so he ends up wandering into the temple like he isn't here with a very singular purpose.

Hands in his pockets, Taako sidles up to the altar and huffs, glancing around at the dragonlings sleeping and feeling his skin crawl at the anticipatory quiet in the air.]

Well? You got ol' Taako here? What do you want?

[His ears swivel as he hears someone else walk into the temple, turning away from the altar to eye them warily.]

Or, I guess, what do you want since you're here, too.

☃ iv. wildcard
[If there's something else you'd like to try, hmu at wagashi!]

i

[necromanswers]

[This is what they get for trying to walk down the street together like a normal pair of sibs, clearly.

As the bot vanishes down the street, and Taako yells after them, Lup barely notices. She's busy staring down at the binding around their joined wrists, trying desperately to stamp down the irrational flare-up of panic. The idea of being tethered anywhere is always going to be a hot spot for her, isn't it? Unfair. Uncalled for. Scarves are ruined. Silks are ruined. Kinks are-

Did he just say something?]

What? [she manages in a voice that she hopes would be less strained than she actually feels. It's fine, it's fine. It's just Taako. It's not like she's actually trapped somewhere dangerous, or alone. It's Taako.

Fuck, though, she hates this place. Again.]

Miles Edgeworth | Ace Attorney [Diacht] | OTA

[turnaboutson]

IIa. - Spill that tea!
Miles is always going to try the tea, no matter how bad it is. And this tea is surprisingly nice, actually. Ginger and honey wasn't a combination he'd have come up with, but it's good at warding off the cold.

IIb. - Smoochy boochies.
Mulled wine isn't something he'd usually try. While Miles isn't a teetotaler, he's not overly given to drinking. Tea is his vice (and super sentai TV shows). But he's opted to try it anyway.

He's not particularly a lightweight, either, so the warm, tingling feeling after one glass is surprising. Am I allergic to something in the recipe? He doesn't have any food allergies that he knows of (and it's certainly not hay fever season). It's definitely centered in his face, and particularly his lips. Must be the alcohol, so no more for him. He rubs at his tingling lips, hoping to dispel the sensation. It doesn't work.

IV. - Honesty is the scariest policy. (For Will)
Miles tends not to sleep much in December - or whenever this is (Ranir? The way he's marking time has it as December). Not sleeping is better than dealing with the nightmares that had largely dried up after the case of the DL-6 incident had been solved by that man--

--don't think about it.

So perhaps it's not so surprising that his feet have taken him to Rawna's temple. While it's not the god he's pledged himself to, the unfamiliarity is welcome in some ways. It gives him something to think about, to look at, that isn't dwelling.

IV

[twistedempathy]

He feels that pull again tonight, though gentler than before. It doesn't need to be so insistent, now that Will understands what it means; he lets himself be drawn towards Rawna's temple without protest. In a wistful mood like this, it's even a nice walk in spite of how dark it is; the air is crisp and clear, the stars are bright, and the cold is bracing.

It's a beautiful night, and a beautiful temple. Will is already settled in and kneeling near the altar by the time Miles arrives. For once, he's not even trying to smile; he simply looks meditative, gently stroking a tiny dragonling's snout with a finger. "You're out and about late. What brings you here at this hour?"