WEEKS 7 & 8

[linkupmods]

WEEKS 7 & 8

THE SEASONS TURN...

Time really passes, doesn't it? Before you know it, you're halfway through the time that the goddess Braphine has promised that you'll be here, your home away from home. You are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, maybe, even through all the challenges and eventful (!) twist and turns that have followed you through your stay here. Surely there can't be anything else lurking in the wings, right?

Through the efforts of all of Braphine's chosen, the city definitely is starting to feel a little bit cheerier, in contrast to the temperatures that are starting to cool as the seasons in Sunset City turn and the leaves change their colour. The Shopping District and the Entertainment District look and feel decidedly more warm, and a quick trip into the Nekyia also show that the haze has cleared from both districts, with the Shadows lurking much fewer in number.

Further exploration will find that the haze has thinned to explorable levels in the Nekyia Fashion District - there are Shadows to be cleared, after all. Maybe if you are lucky, they might drop you a little something in reward for your efforts.

DO YOUR PART FOR CHARITY!

On Saturday, there's a notice pinned in the lobby of the dormitory:

CHARITY EVENT FOR THE TEMPLE OF BRAPHINE
9/21
FLEA MARKET AM
FORMAL MASQUERADE BALL PM
Come and support the temple when we need it most!



Yes, you read that right: There will be a Charity Event for the Temple of Braphine, hosted by no one other than her devoted followers. They sent this over to the dorms to request the Chosens' assistance, it seems, and as the flyer says, this is an all-day event to take place on September 21st.

In the morning, there will be a Flea Market! There's a note from the hosts that they'd like the Chosens to either find a vendor to assist, provide entertainment, or participate as vendors in the Flea Market. At night, a ball will be held with live music, dinner, refreshments, and an open dance floor for all. They are not asking for your assistance with the ball, however; rather, you are automatically invited as esteemed guests and are encouraged to dress your finest for the occasion!

Given that this isn't for another week, however, it is highly encouraged that you shop around to find an outfit you'll look snazzy in for the ball. You can also start preparing merchandise to sell; or maybe, perhaps, you'd like to save that street performance for the Flea Market? Either way, you've got a long week ahead of you…

…but it won't be all rainbows and sunshine.

KEEP DREAMING.

Late into the night on Saturday, you will dream. What that dream consists of varies with each individual, but you will have one, even if you've never dreamed before. This dream could be a core memory, or perhaps about something you've always wanted, your worst fear...the list goes on.

The next day, anyone who enters the Nekyia will find that, aside from the strange "Palaces" that have popped up, things aren't right yet again…but for an entirely different reason. No matter where you are, you enter the Nekyia to a hallway full of dressing rooms. It's a fairly long hallway, because venturing down it will eventually lead you to a door that has your name on it.

Why don't you journey there and find out what awaits?

–

After seeing "Sayaka" and finding your door, you'll find something even more strange.

That dream you had last night? Well, it's here. Your dream may manifest as a small, contained landscape from your dream; a creature that you may have dreamt of might be scurrying around; another version of you, different from a Shadow; or you could be unlucky and have one of your memories on full display for everyone to see.

This phenomenon will last for the next two weeks, and dreamscapes will shift with the different dreams characters have. It won't be a one and done ordeal, unfortunately…but there is, perhaps, a way you can stop it.

(OOC: Sayaka's top level is NOT time sensitive, nor is it a mod-run event. This can be treated like a regular top level to be tagged at your own pace!

Please see the "A Dream Unraveled" commission for some details on what's causing the dreamscapes to appear! Welcome to your dreamwalking/memory share event!)

WEATHER FORECAST

Temperature: hot and humid, but gradually getting cooler! Surprise showers may occur during these two weeks when you least expect it, so stay sharp and don't get drenched!

Characters who journery into the Nekyia when it is raining may find HP-restoring items dropped during combat with Shadows.

COMMISSIONS

REAL WORLD COMMISSIONS

BATTLE OF THE BRANDS

Two boutiques on Amaranth Avenue have been at war with each other - figuratively, at least. The sweet lolita brand Cookies for Mice and the punk brand Panthera Punks started out merely vying for advertising space, but have now been taking rather pointed pot shots at each other in their marketing. As the shops are across from each other, it’s plain to see the owners are taking it personally as they can’t seem to stop glaring at each other from across the road. Won’t somebody help mediate before it escalates any further…?

AN ALTERNATIVE CANVAS

Up-and-coming makeup artists are looking to land a job with a new makeup brand in the area, and their final test: finding a model (or two) to model their work and prove their skill. Characters will find that these artists are on the prowl for willing (or not so willing) faces - but at least you’ll be compensated for your patience as they endeavor to make you look your best?

FISHY FUN FASHION

Saffron Street has been chosen to host a highly regarded fashion show! The theme: aquatic life. They need models of all sexes and sizes to walk the runway in ethereal clothing that brings to mind deep sea creatures like bioluminescent jellyfish, or even angler fish! For those who are not brave enough to walk the walk, volunteers are needed to help maintain the large, specially made tanks the city’s aquarium has generously lent out for the occasion. The tanks are full of friendly fish and plant life to create the perfect backdrop for the show! …You know how to use diving gear, don’t you?

NEKYIA COMMISSIONS

THE LION AND THE MOUSE

She thinks she’s so great… I’ll show her! We don’t need her prissy, holier-than-thou attitude around here! We’ll see how she behaves when her shop’s reduced to shreds…

It seems the owner of Panthera Punks having beef with the owner of Cookies for Mice isn’t just a real world problem - she has her very own Shadow in the form of a level 30 Narcissus. Take him on in battle and help to loosen its grip on her in reality before things get much, much worse.

HER HEART WON'T GO ON

How could he… After all I’ve done, after all the money I’ve spent… He leaves me behind for her?! I’ll make him pay… I’ll make them both pay!!

It seems one of the local models has had a rather nasty breakup, and the ex and other woman may end up suffering a rather harrowing fate if all these feelings of anger are left to fester… Characters who follow these angry rants will find themselves face to face with a Level 32 Leanan Sidhe, a jealous lover all too willing to enact a very real harm on those who wronged her. Fight back against the Shadow and teach her the value in moving on from a lover who was never worth her time to begin with.

A DREAM UNRAVELLED

Deep in the Nekyia, whispers and wails can be heard; a fashion designer bemoans their dearth of ideas, and hotly defends their choice to steal their designs instead. After all, this was their dream, and they can’t give it up now - no matter the cost.

Characters may find the Unfaithful Dream-King in a nest of collected dreams of the populace - including some of Braphine’s own chosen. He will be a powerful opponent for sure, but it seems solving this particular Shadow problem is the only way to ensure everyone can have a good night’s rest once more.

Once he is defeated, he will drop a rare item. Who knows, maybe this will help you in your journey ahead.

(OOC: Please turn in your threads for this commission on the rewards page to receive a stat boost item, valid for one time use during any battle.)

OOC

READ ME!!!!

Welcome to your log for Weeks 7 and 8! Feel free to use this log for any developments that happen during the next two weeks. There will be no log posted next week, but a top-level for the charity event will be posted instead on next Saturday!
For plotting, please feel free to head over to this post on the OOC comm to post your plotting top levels.
For Nekyia commissions, you can assume that the Shadows will respawn until they've been beaten enough times to go back to normal.
Don't forget that the deadline for applications and character swaps is on September 28!

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Comments

[goei]

[He's just choosing not to see. That's what Izou's assuming.]

I don't know what the hell whimsy is, but a fancy party's supposed ta be when you wear yer best clothes and look as cool and sexy as possible! So that's what I'm doing!

[Despite how grubby he typically is, he actually likes getting dressed up.]

[vogelfrei]

[ Montag looks very cool, excuse you. ]

Well, you do look nice tonight.

[ A different strategy from just repeating an argument over and over, but also entirely truthful. Izou looks good. McGillis isn't particularly familiar with the fashion of the Oceanic Federation (where Japan is, in his time), but he can still tell the outfit is finely made and perfectly fitted to the man. ]

Your wardrobe never ceases offering surprises either.

1/2

[goei]

[??????????????????????????????????????????????????]

2/2

[goei]

Wh- Surprises??? What's that supposed ta mean? You makin' fun of me??

[He is SO flustered even though he JUST said he looks cool and awesome or whatever.]

[vogelfrei]

[ ....... there is something sincerely impressive about the way Izou can crumble even from words that McGillis quite honestly did not intend to have any kinds of barbs. He blinks, though it's below the mask eyes right now, rip. ]

I'm saying your style is more varied than I would have expected. I'm not insulting you, Izou.

[ It doesn't really matter whether or not Izou feels insulted, but he does want to at least try and be clear about that for this wilting flower of a dog. ]

[goei]

[It's called catastrophizing, look it up, white boy!!!]

O-oh.
[Somehow that's worse in a way??? Being complimented??? By McGillis?? What should he think about that????]

Well you look better without that crazy mask. Wastin' the face you got with that thing on.

[vogelfrei]

[ The stupid mask eyes flip open again. It's so earnest, the way Izou feels like he has to repay one compliment with another. ]

And you're very invested in me looking good tonight.

[ Implicit question: why?

Izou has grilled him about all his most intimate issues, he gets to be a bit annoying in turn. ]

[goei]

[STOP DOING THAT!!!]

You-You tricked me! I didn't, I never said I cared!!

[Unfortunately, as Izou gets worked up, he also gets closes to McGillis so he can properly do his typical agitated finger pointing. Boys, your threads...]

1/2

[vogelfrei]

[ Okay, forget the whole argument they were just about to have. There's barely enough time to be surprised by the colorful strings suddenly coming from Izou's hand when they had not been there before, before McGillis experiences a sensation that feels like the mental equivalent of walking into a glass wall. ]

-- what.

[ Okay, actually, Izou wins because McGillis is taking the mask-wig combination off. This is not a conversation he can have in this get-up. ]

[vogelfrei]

You never said you cared, yes.

[ There is absolutely no fire behind this bit of banter, it's more like he's just continuing the conversation on autopilot.

There's a lot to process here, and maybe the most surprising part of it is how little of it is actually surprising. ]

[goei]

[THE FACT THAT MCGILLIS CAN EVEN ATTEMPT THE PRETENSE OF CONTINUING THE CONVERSATION AFTER THAT.]

Don't take the damn thing off after that happened!!

[HE DOESN'T WANT TO LOOK YOU IN THE EYES NOW!!!!!???]

[vogelfrei]

[ The thing that gets McGillis is the difference in temperature between their feelings. Hurt vs kill, kiss vs fuck. For all that Izou thinks of himself as a tool, a mere object to be wielded, when it comes to the strength of his emotions he's so unbearably intense that it almost makes McGillis feel like only half a person by comparison.

It's what makes McGillis look down on him. He's a man who goes full force in every direction at once and as a result seems to be standing still instead.

But it's also what makes McGillis feel like he can't simply escape him. It's hard to slip away from something that is burning so hotly.

If nothing else, McGillis has some gratitude for the fact that those sentiments appear to be too complex to be transfered via the threads. He tries to reach out to the damning things, but his hand just goes right through. Of course. ]

... the goddess really never learns.

[goei]

[Say what you want, McGillis, Izou isn't the one composing poetry in his damn head about you???

Anyway, of course this is a disaster. This is like eight different kinds of disaster, he doesn't know what to address first, doesn't know how to react to the fact that neither of them are dealing in entirely negative feelings, doesn't know how to deal with the fact that while McGillis apparently judges him for his intensity he at the same time wants to see Izou at his most intense.

Wanting to hurt him is fine, even expected. Izou certainly isn't going to address his own far more embarrassing pink thread. So that leaves;]

F-First of all, I ain't the kinda guy who'd think about someone else when he kissed somebody!!
[Why is he yelling. Everyone is going to hear.]

[vogelfrei]

[ Okay. First of all. McGillis just thinks in flowery language because he reads too many books, DO NOT LET IT GET TO YOUR HEAD.

Second of all. Well. There goes all hope of just pretending they never received any of that specific information. It's... certainly public now. Alright. ]

... how pure-hearted of you.

[ He does not believe this for one second, actually. ]

[goei]

[Izou will have the sense to be embarrassed about it later. Right now his little dog brain is overloaded and he's not thinking clearly.]

Second of all, why the hell're you goin' around assuming I wanna kiss Ryouma anyway!?
[Izou continues his stellar record of telling on himself.]

[vogelfrei]

[ It's incredible how Izou is instantly working on embarrassing himself and McGillis is very inclined to let him. Yes, let's talk about Izou's feelings about an unrelated(?) third party, that's a very safe route to take!! ]

If you didn't, would you really have spent all of your afterlife conflicted about a matter that could be clearcut?

[ Just hating the man and dropping all positive memories would have been an option! ]

[goei]

[Izou somehow manages to keep "Ryouma isn't even good at kissing" as an inside thought, instead focusing on the matter at hand;]

Yes?? Just cause we grew up together and it's hard ta forget all that even after gettin' fucked over don't mean I want him like that!?

[BUT THIS DOES ALSO GIVE HIM A THOUGHT CABINET PROJECT: MCGILLIS WANTS TO SMOOCH GAELIO?]

[vogelfrei]

[ That is... a fair enough point. In truth, McGillis doesn't know if Gaelio feels this way about him either and Gaelio is his closest point of reference in this mess. Hm.

He decides not to push the matter too far. ]

Then I apologize for my thoughts - even though they were meant to remain private forever. Trust me, I have no interest in going around speculating about your love life with others.

[ He's not acknowledging the context in which this thought came up. Izou should not, either. ]

[goei]

Yeah, you better! I don't wanna get eaten by his damn snake wife!

[Is he going to explain that, of course not. Instead he's getting closer (no point in distance now, the threads are already out) so he can jab a finer in McGillis's face more effectively and drop his voice to a still extremely audible hissed tone.]

The hell does a guy like you wanna kiss a guy like me for anyway!? I almost had yer arm off.

[vogelfrei]

[ McGillis barely stumbled over 'snake wife' anyway - after all he's learned about Izou's world, this does not seem too concerning even if Izou should mean snake literally instead of metaphorically. He merely stashes the information away as 'Ryouma is married' and then... Well, then he's forced to move on to unfortunately more relevant matters.

At least Izou actually manages to control his volume on this one. ]

And you want me dead, so I could much ask you the same thing. Or am I not good enough for 'kissing' as part of the process?

[ His own voice is quiet but sharp. Izou has just outed himself as enough of a romantic that this seems like a plausible assumption and it irritates McGillis to no end. His eyes narrow into a glare. ]

[goei]

[The glare actually seems to land a blow on Izou, he actually looks guilty??]

Wh- No that ain't it at all! That's obviously part of it! Just- I mean, I got eyes, alright??

[Apparently to Izou, being devastatingly attracted to McGillis is just natural and expected.]

[vogelfrei]

[ Well, McGillis has ample experience with people being really into him - his adult life has included a great many admirers of both sexes. Though money and status were surely large parts of the draw, he knows being tall and handsome doesn't exactly hurt his chances with people either.

So in a way, sure, he's not shocked by this. But also... He hadn't taken Izou for somebody who thinks with his dick even more than his heart.

But if the shallow route is the one they're taking... ]

So do I. Is that not answer enough for you?

1/2

[goei]

[McGillis literally why would you think this barking dog is above thinking with his lower half.]

I...
[???? McGillis thinks he's hot too????]

2/2

[goei]

Oi. Come down here a sec.

[Stop being so tall.]

[vogelfrei]

[ For a second, there is a whole Death Note style monologue running through McGillis' head about the mind games Izou could be playing with this request... and then he remembers he's dealing with Izou. He raises an eyebrow. ]

Really? Here?

[ This is not a 'no', but it is a 'you're aware we're making everything worse, right?'. It might also have a note of a 'make me though.... ]