WEEKS 9 & 10

[linkupmods]

WEEKS 9 & 10

AS YOUR BONDS DEEPEN...

The charity event and the dreamscapes have come to an end... and the Fashion District seems a little better than it once was. Your efforts are being recognized, acknowledged by the environment and by Braphine herself. There's still work to be done - the thinning fog allows you to venture even further into the Office District, where there are stronger foes lurking around the corner and in dark alleyways.

Speaking of Braphine, she is pleased by your progress as a group thus far, and has given characters a little blessing: If there is something you've always wanted to tell someone – whether it be how you feel about someone else here, someone at home, a secret you've been holding in, or something else entirely – but have lacked the courage to do so, you may find the strength to say it now. While the God of Conflict forced ugly truths out of you, Braphine would like ones that come from a place of willingness without fear. This sensation will last until the end of your stay here.

How nice, isn't it? To feel like you're finally starting to get somewhere with your fellow Chosen.

The God of Conflict, however, thinks otherwise.

A LOOK IN THE MIRROR...

The world around you has seen a few changes. There are the positives, thanks to your efforts in completing commissions and forming connections, both of which aid Braphine.

However…

If you look in any sort of mirror, window, puddle that will give you your reflection, The God of Conflict is there, looking back at you, gazing at you eerily, freezing you and holding you in place.

"Well, well, well. Fancy running into you here, Chosen. Tell me…do you really believe that you're aiding Braphine in her mission? Do you really think any of the bonds that you've made here matter all that much, so much that it'll stop me, in the end? Don't make me laugh. We'll see how much your flimsy little chains hold up in time."

And then, just like that, he's gone…not without another little gift, though. You will be surrounded by 2-3 Nekyia Shadows once he disappears…in the real world. The Shadows, notably, will not attack unless provoked, and the locals will not be able to see them. As always, the only way you can attack them is through using your Personas; as soon as you engage in combat, you will also disappear to the locals like the Shadows.

For those who decide not to fight them, they will simply stare at you as you leave... but they will each briefly flicker into another form: The God of Conflict. But before you can say a word, they’ll disappear.

However, should you choose to engage in battle with them, any harm done to the environment or the locals themselves through the battle will be tangible. If you slam a Jack Frost into a building, it will leave a dent, in other words. The locals will not be able to see the actual fight, but they will notice the weird explosions and damages happening to them and around them. An important thing to note is that, being outside of the Nekyia, you will drain energy faster as you fight them, but you can defeat them with your Personas as usual otherwise.

THE DARKEST BEFORE DAWN.

So, maybe you didn't spawn a Palace, or even create a weird Nekyia environment like Soujuurou and Joshua have. That, however, does not mean you are free of your Shadow selves.

However, you are trapped with them. If you venture into the Nekyia, every so often when you look over your shoulder, they may be there, watching you, taunting you, following you around, even interacting with people (yourself or others) as if they were corporeal-- blink and you may miss them hovering over your shoulder, and turn the corner and you may just see them in the distance.

What follows your Shadow selves even after you return back to the safety of the dorms are the nightmares... which you find yourself having a little more often than normal. If you happen to stumble into a shared dreamscape, it looks... slightly different from when you last saw it. The nightmares always end the same way, though, even if the dreams are different: your Shadow self is staring back at you, haunting you before you wake up.

For anyone who has already confronted their Shadow selves, however, there is a glimmer of hope. In the Shadow's place is the best version of yourself, reminding you that although this is a nightmare, it does not have to continue forever. You have changed thanks to the people around you. Perhaps this is Braphine's reminder to you that she is still here, and despite her quiet, she's still watching.

Speaking of quiet, though…

…Has anyone checked on Mina lately?

And why does a certain brown cat keep on pacing in the dormitory hallways?

( OOC: A few limitations to keep in mind regarding this prompt:
• Shadows can now appear exclusively in nightmares, in the Nekyia, OR BOTH.
• Since the Dream King has not been vanquished yet, those who want to continue the dreamscape prompt as your nightmares are free to do so (this is optional though). Your Shadows are going to be here regardless!
• In this prompt, Shadows are NOT going to possess any characters. They are haunting you in the Nekyia (and may engage with other player characters, should you desire to go that route)!
• On that note, you can let your Shadows manifest however you'd like – they can yap, they can be completely quiet and stand menacingly, they can appear in quick glimpses and jumpscare you or linger for as long as you're in the Nekyia. They can stick to you or talk to others. Either way, everyone will see each other's Shadows.
• At this time, Shadows cannot be defeated outside of Palaces and mod-run mini-events.
• The same limitations apply to those seeing their best selves over their Shadows. )

WEATHER FORECAST

Balmy weather with a light breeze. Weather looks fair and comfortable for the next two weeks but don't forget to wrap up warmly or risk catching a chill! You wouldn't want to fall sick, would you?

Characters who journey into the Nekyia when it is getting chilly may find that Shadows in combat may be randomly afflicted with Freeze during combat.

COMMISSIONS

REAL WORLD COMMISSIONS

NO HORSING AROUND

The zoo is looking for volunteers! They need hands available to feed and clean up after the petting zoo animals in particular. You won’t be dealing with lions on this job, but you will be face to face with goat kids with a penchant for headbutting, so do take care while you work!

ONE FOR THE BOOKS

A new writer is in town to promote their book at the library! The problem is... very few people signed up for the meet and greet. Library workers are looking for volunteers or, really, anyone off the street who can be convinced to at least attend the poor author’s reading and fill out the room a little. Those who do end up attending will be treated to a reading of a high fantasy tale with romance, trysts, and a surprising number of werewolves, but those who manage to stay attentive may just notice a suspicious individual slipping in partway through... A disgruntled netizen has decided to make a mess of the author’s first meet and greet, and will get violent unless someone stops them.

DABBLING IN DELINQUENCY

Some of the students on the island have decided not to return to the classroom after all - instead roaming in packs around the city and causing general mischief. Try to turn them back on the path of decency! Especially when the boldest of them decide you’re a prime pickpocketing target...

NEKYIA COMMISSIONS

FANDOM WARS

“Disgusting... Anyone could pick up that slop and read all kinds of depraved things... People who write that stuff should just die.”

It seems someone got a little too into fights online about books - because their gripes about today’s tales has created a Shadow in the form of level 39 Thoth in the Nekyia. Worse yet, those who are inflicted by Rage by this Shadow cannot be cured with a simple spell - instead, those afflicted will find themselves venting out their frustrations for their battle companion to hear. The effect ends once the battle is completed, or they finish getting everything off their chest, whichever comes first.

KILL THE LIGHTS

“Don’t they see? There’s so much money to be made! If we just expanded our influence...”

A crooked politician trying to drum up support for military activity has generated quite the shadow. A level 40 Eligor can be found deep in the Nekyia’s business district, muttering to himself about all the profits to be had with a little conflict. Needless to say, things will get very, very bad if he goes through with it - take him down before he can start anything!

HORSING AROUND

The Nekyia business district is overrun with Unicorns teaming up with Ganesha to make quite the formidable team of a fierce fighter and a powerful support. That said, those who defeat the pair may just find that their foes have dropped quite a useful healing item...

(OOC: Please turn in your threads for this commission on the rewards page to receive a Bead Chain, which fully restores HP to all allies (maximum 4 including the user) and is valid for one time use during any battle. This is only valid for the first turn in of the commission.)

OOC

READ ME!!!!

Welcome to your log for Weeks 9 and 10! Feel free to use this log for any developments that happen during the next two weeks. There will be no log next week.
We're heading into endgame and AC is due 30 September, Monday, at 2359 EST! The boon for this month's AC has been updated as well - please have a look!
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.
Palaces are still going strong - sign ups for Atem (here) and Kirumi's (here) capped palaces are still open, and sign ups for our FFA palace will be going up later today.

ic comm | inboxes | ooc comm | full nav

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[linkupmods]

[ ah, several people walk into The Horrors.

together...? or not...?

somehow, characters who enter this theatre will feel like they entered in here alone, regardless of how many people entered into the cinema together with them.

the cinema operates just like any cinema would in the real world would - there's some kitschy advertisements and warnings that are played before the movie, like the ones that talking is prohibited and to turn all mobile devices off or on silent mode, thank you! the main advertisement, however, seems to be for a c*rque de sole*l advertisement, although no dates seem to be mentioned anywhere or if at all.

weird,

anyway, once the movie starts playing - it's evident that it is a very strange indie arthouse film, complete with odd camera angles, lingering shots, and a mostly black and white color palette - with splashes of color for visual effect. the plot may be hazy and hard to follow for many characters, but those who pay especially close attention may be able to pick up that it follows the nightly life of a young man who happens to be a vampire haunting a town of miscreants and people on the fringes of society, at once belonging and not.

whenever there is a flash of color in the movie, characters will feel compelled to share a time they felt like an outsider - it’s an empty theater, it should be fine, right? as soon as they share their secret, they will be aware of everyone else there with them - and will be very aware of everyone else’s secrets. people who have yet to share will be invisible to those who have. ]

[prozaic]

[Shalem doesn't talk at the movies-- like with plays and the opera, it's only polite to yourself and everyone else in attendance to just shut your mouth and watch.

But right now, the feeling, the need to speak is overwhelming, and while he managed to resist for a time, eventually, he cannot.]

Hmm... I wonder if I could ever reintegrate into Rhodes Island after this--many people know me, but they do not know me. I have never been so friendly, and refused their little gatherings. [Which is why he never goes to post-palace parties either.] There's no point... and no reason to subject them to myself.

I'm not sure that's changed. I've grown, but where shall I ever fit in? I'll be killed in my own home, and driven away in other places. [Especially with what's happened here!] Perhaps I'll simply live on the fringes of society a little longer.

I am forever an outsider-- but I'm fine with that.

[goei]

[Honestly this is a feeling Izou knows rather well. It's probably what he'd have said about himself before, or something similar. Someone like him was meant to be alone and he'd come to terms with it. But.]

I dunno what yer deal is, Petal, but with the kinda people here, I don't think you gotta be if ya don't want.

[There there, or as good as someone like Izou can manage.]

[prozaic]

Hmm. I think I would rather have people simply consider me part of an odd moment in their lives, however their opinion of me may be. Like a play they came to watch once, experienced once, and then moved on with their lives afterwards.

[goei]

[Huh... What a long, complicated metaphor.]

Why wouldja want that?

[goei]

[Just one time??? That's a feeling Izou's experienced so much it at times felt constant. He barely belongs anywhere.]

I went ta Edo to learn more about the sword! Any I really did think none'a them could help me reach my full potential! But also, I, wherever I went in that damn city, same as Kyoto, I felt like those big city people could tell I didn't belong, like they smelled Tosa on me and weren't ever gonna accept a guy like me at their dojo!

[Wait! Wait everyone else here heard that! Heck!!!! Why had he thought he was alone in here!?!!]

[townmusician]

[?????]

Edo?

[speedingticket]

[ It's funny, because even though the flashes of color do pull that impulse out of Rutile, it isn't very strong at first. He's been blessed, to be honest. He was blessed to be born where he was born, he was blessed to have a community that accepted him for being what he was, a tight and loving family, and people he could still call family, even after both his parents were gone. His brother, the doctor, the shepherd, everyone at school, all his students—they love him and he loves them just as fiercely in turn.

Even when he had to say goodbye to his home and set up a new life in a place faraway amongst unfamiliar people, they welcomed him and accepted him and oh how lovely and friendly everyone was. Maybe he was blessed here, too, to have Mitile and Figaro and Lennox with him. He was blessed to have reunited with a long-lost familial contact, and even though things were tough at times, they worked it out, worked with one another, forged stronger bonds. Not once did he ever feel like he didn't belong...

But now, that's all gone. His magic's gone, his family's gone, his friends are gone, his purpose is gone and everything he quite obviously took for granted—gone, in the bubbles of the ocean. Everyone has been friendly and welcoming so far, and oh, though he's remained optimistic, he still can't help but think...

He sinks into his seat, his shoulders draw up to shrink himself. The fingers of his left hand gently grip to his opposite sleeve, and he pulls it up—at least, there, on the inside of his right wrist, he has a reminder of what he's left behind. ]

I don't know if I should be here... [ Here, of course, meaning Sunset City. With the tip of a finger he traces the petals of the lily and tries to recall voices. Just anyone's really. ] I don't think I belong here.

[ He's pretty sure he sees some familiar faces in his peripheral vision, but. Is he talking loud enough for anyone to hear him? He doubts it. Maybe if he sinks into his chair some more, they won't notice him.

Maybe movies aren't fun... ]

[vogelfrei]

[ Somehow that admission manages to be a lot more pathetically sad than all of the other sobstories in the theater.... ]

None of us do.

[ They were all stolen away to be here, tossed together like dolls. And a lot of them have found belonging, sure. McGillis feels like a lot of them are natural talents at forging bonds, even. But regardless... ]

You were kidnapped. You need no qualifications for that.

[speedingticket]

[ Rutile jolts when he hears McGillis's voice. He's embarrassed at first, not really sure what to make of the realization that someone heard his moment of weakness, but... After staring at him for a moment, he eases. ]

Right... Everyone was kidnapped, weren't they? No matter who they were or what they had at home...

[ He falls quiet, in thought. ]

[townmusician]

[Movies are fun, but this one just sucks.]

Who cares if you belong here or not? I think we've all embarrassed ourselves enough to make a new island of misfits.

[He's allergic to emotional vulnerability, is all.]

[speedingticket]

[ Rutile slowly turns to look at Haruka, expression wide, and sympathetic. ]

You were embarrassed...?

[ He turns a little more to face him. ]

There's nothing to be embarrassed about by hoping for a place to belong, only to be let down. That...would hurt anyone.

[ he heard u ]

[townmusician]

Who wouldn't be embarrassed saying something like that in front of a bunch of strangers?

[He's! Fine! Or, well. He thinks he's fine. Most people aren't really sympathetic towards him, ever, so Rutile's kind of weirding him out even if that's a normal response.]

[vogelfrei]

It clings to me regardless of where I go. Sometimes it's obvious to all who see me, but even then they never know how deep it goes. Me, a bastard of high blood? I have to laugh. My parents were presumably dead in a ditch before I hit my first birthday.

[ Not that he cares. Whoever they were is of absolutely no interest to him. They are not connected to any memories, and he feels no yearning for them. ]

It doesn't matter where I go or who I'm with - the gap will persist. The life I've lived is not an experience many share.

[ ... ah. Well, there's the others. It's a good thing he'd already been sharing his true origin with some others a little before this, or else he'd be taking this worse. ]

[townmusician]

[The movie isn't super impressive, even though the concept of it isn't the worst. A bit cliché, but any impact the movie could have is ruined by the style over substance approach to its directing.

Not that he complains, not that there's anyone to complain too, even though he's pretty sure he caught one of the super tall guys entering the theater before him...? Strange, but he could give it a pass if not for how he suddenly feels chatty. He tries to push aside the feeling because it's rude to talk in theaters, and even if the movie sucks it's not like he has anything to say. He doesn't.]

I always knew it was strange that I didn't have any parents. Everyone always got so weird about it when they found out they died, but it's not like I ever really knew them.

[And he had his grandmother, even if he knew, he knew that he made her life harder. If her no-good son was still alive, her life would have been so much easier. The house would be in better shape, she wouldn't have to cook and clean for some kid, and she'd be happier.

(She loved him, and Haruka loves his grandmother, but that doesn't mean he didn't know.)]

So when Kujou offered to make me his son, I thought it was a great chance for me to find a place for myself. I was so stupid, and I should have known better. He just wanted me to sing, to be his perfect idol, but I'd never be more perfect than Tenn.

[He was never a part of the family. For all that he could say Acchan was his sister and for all that that's how he saw her, the fact that is that he would never have a family at all—it would always just be himself, on his own, looking at what he couldn't have.

(But he was so young when Kujou approached him, so could he really have known better? He just wanted to find any way to make things easier for the only person who had ever shown him any kindness, to make everyone happy, to have people who were glad he existed.)

And then he got thrown away, because Haruka never belonged with them. He never mattered. He was also just another expendable experiment, one of the many who Kujou raised and discarded.]

But whatever. Fuck him, anyways. I don't need to find a place to belong.

[prozaic]

[Shalem is leaning against his armrest, chin on his hand, as he listens to Haruka's story. It does explain some things! Not everything, but enough that Shalem can start to fill in more about his knowledge.]

You'll carve your own place. You're that sort.

[townmusician]

[God. Everyone heard that, huh? Probably fair, considering he knows what everyone else said, somehow... (He does not understand how these places work and he probably never will.)

Still, he can't help being embarrassed. It's not like him to say so much so casually.]

Am I? Well, maybe it'll happen. I'm fine with whatever happens even if I end up on my own.

[...Hm.]

[beautifulknight]

[ Weird. Argenti was here all along.

He isn't certain about what's going on here, but he's watching all that is happening before him - and, ah. A vampire?

There's only one vampire that he knows of here!

...But, he supposes he must share this one thing where he felt like an outsider. Argenti is pretty sure people have a fairly good idea of his entirety of what happened to him so there's further motivation even if he was not around to say something-

He does take the time to share his (just not posting it in a separate because there is a cleared comment and don't want to take away from that!) But, he turns his attention towards Haruka. ]

...I believe that your sentiment is true.

You are fine just the way that you are.

[townmusician]

[He was there the whole time, so Haruka doesn't get jumpscared by his sudden appearance!

He is, however, thrown for a loop by what Argenti says, blinking at him owlishly for a moment. That's... not something that he gets told a lot, but he manages to recover.]

Hey, I'd like to think I'm more than just fine! I'm great like this.

[100%!! He's the best.]

MOVIE CLEARED

[linkupmods]

[ everyone in the theatre spills a secret just as the credits of the film roll to its completion - everyone can see each other now, and that's a relief, right? you don't feel so alone, right?

the movie disappears from the screen with a film burn effect.

characters will find themselves thrown into a memory, witnessing it from the owner's perspective: ]

[You're a child again. You've just witnessed something horrible you're running, running, running into the street, tears streaming down your face, until you collapse in a little heap, aware, all too young, that you are, without a shadow of a doubt, alone in this world.
———
You're slightly older now, brown hair streaked with white, and you see a man, tall and ethereal and strange. He's dressed well, too well for the area he's walking so confidently in, alone at night. He's a target. He catches your wrist when you try to pickpocket him - fast, too fast - and he holds you aloft in a too-strong hand. He could kill you. He could have you arrested. He offers you a gift.

You take it.
———
You haven't seen the man in months. Bitterly, you wonder if he's forgotten you. But then again, it wouldn't be the first time he disappeared only to saunter back into your life believing years passed to have barely been weeks. It was painful, the first time, to age a year all at once as his gift leaves you. You're used to it, by now.

It doesn't keep you from desperately wishing today will be the day he returns.
———
You're older still. You've watched too many others live and die beside you, too young, too fragile. You've watched more still grow and age and make something of themselves... or make one last mistake to be taken away, no longer a child, no longer able to be forgiven for a lapse in judgement.

Your hair has gone white completely, now.

You no longer register that you feel anything when someone else disappears.

The man returns once more and offers yet another gift.

You take it.
———
It's your turn to leave, old enough to find something like a family, something like a home. A group of misfits not unlike yourself, with a shared passion, taking the pain of loss, the pain of being other, and painting a beautiful dream for all who come to watch.

Time stretches on, though, and everyone else ages around you.

The whispers begin. It's uncanny. There's something wrong with him. He'll bring misfortune down upon us.

One evening, you wake up and once more are all alone in the world, the family you thought you'd found packing up and leaving while you slept.
———
Once more you're older, though you don't look it. You've become numb to the inevitable loss that comes with reaching out, that comes with connecting to others.
———
You find a space. You settle in. You learn an act. You leave.
———
You find a space. You settle in. You learn an act. You leave.
———

You find a space. You settle in. You learn an act. You leave.

———
Je t'aime. Te amo. I love you.
———
A lie. A lie. A convenient and useful lie.
———
You're old. There's a soul-deep exhaustion that hangs over you like a shroud.
———
You're young, not even a century yet.
———
Tu me manques.]

[ when the memory ends, each character will find that they have an Invitation to a Circus Act (multiple friends are welcome!) suddenly in their possession.

the doors are missing from the cinema hall.

weirdly, so is the screen. but what remains is a dark void with a pinprick of light in the distance.

looks like there's only one way to go. ]

[vogelfrei]

[ McGillis, usually extremely gung-ho on concluding palaces pragmatically, remains in his seat after the memory has finished playing. He knows who this is now - that is a problem, but it's not the problem.

The problem is the memory. It's not the same as his life, not even close, but the way this man has a leash around Celeste's heart makes McGillis feel genuinely sick to his stomach.

He needs to breathe for a minute. ]

[goei]

[Izou suddenly feels very stupid, because for all he chased after Celeste, he suddenly feels like he doesn't know him at all, doesn't know this pain, this struggle, and yet it slots so many things into place. Other things make more sense now. He feels like he might even owe Celeste an apology.

Beyond that, parts of it feel familiar, but in a distant, abstracted, second hand way. He can't fully understand it, nor can he fully understand the source of the scowl on McGillis's face, but he knows it, it doesn't take a genius to connect the dots.

He'll stand there silent a moment, but when McGillis's breathing seems to steady, he holds out a hand.]

C'mon. He's waitin' for us.

[townmusician]

[yikes]

...Ugh.

[Haruka rubs his face, feeling so incredibly tired. Why don't they ever get to experience anything less than miserable in these places?

But... being offered a gift and being desperate enough to take it and to hope for more. Definitely absolute totally not relatable content right there.]

A circus, really...?

[goei]

That explains how come he's so damn flexible...

[They have stuff like that in the circus he's pretty sure.]

[speedingticket]

[ Rutile doesn't know who this belongs to.

But as the memory unfolds, Rutile feels a stronger and stronger connection to the stranger. He feels like he's seen a possible future for himself, perhaps even a life someone he knows could have walked, and his heart aches for whoever this is.

Quietly, he thinks to himself: if he ever finds this person, he's going to give them a hug.

And so, he goes into the light. ]