WEEKS 9 & 10

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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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Comments

[goei]

[Ok after he gets up off the ground, Izou sees staking still isn't happening yet, but he does think maybe that is the key to stopping the spell, so he's holding back. Especially seeing Celeste and Eli...]

I know you care about us, Celeste! And see, Eli's gonna stand with ya no matter what! You and I both know he's someone you can count on! So put yer trust in him and the rest of us'll help the both of ya get back to the dorms safe and sound!

If you don't... I'm gonna have ta kick yer ass some more!

ROUND SIX

[cirquedesang]

[You can rest while I protect you.

Oh, he wants to. Not even his shadow is immune to the exhaustion the utter lack of sleep he's gotten over the past week has caused, and while he isn't pulled back entirely, not yet, the tension in the air does seem to lessen as he leans a little more into Eli's embrace.

Forgive him, he's Old, so his shadow is kind of set in its ways. McGillis understands.

But he's trying, and Izou's "threat" gets a short little huff of an almost-laugh.]

Are you? Please, I would love to see you try.

[Have an Eigaon (19) for the threat, Izou. Devil on Devil violence...!

And as for the Majesty-- McGillis, Yi Sang, Haruka, and Rutile, you're up.]

[prozaic]

[Hey. Eli. Do you feel a chill on the back of your neck? Perhaps a crawling dread? You should be.

Shalem is tired of this bullshit, and he's coming up behind Eli (banked 20), snatching him away and holding him fast in a headlock, tail wrapped around Eli's leg and squeezing tight, a threat that he will crush that leg if he were to move.]

I can't keep this up for long! [Especially if he gets attacked by anyone brainwashed. He can't handle those and any struggling Eli will do.]

[fullmoonmutt]

[ Before Eli can move to take Celeste's Eigaon himself -- he'd meant to take hits from both sides if needed or, at least, that had been his foolish plan -- he finds the choice is no longer his. He makes a startled noise right before being ripped away from Celeste. ]

What?! Hey! What the fuck! Let go of me!

[ He isn't in on what the rest have plotted, however, which is for the best! Still, his instinct is to struggle as much as Shalem's instinct is to squeeze. That said, he is well and truly restrained here. ]

cw: discussion of terminal illness

[prozaic]

I suggest you cooperate if you wish to have your lover and your friends alive and well after this adventure. [Shalem's voice is a hiss in Eli's ear.] Otherwise... You've doomed this entire world and you'll never be seeing anyone again.

I'd rather not die and unleash a pandemic on this poor world, everyone in this building, and the others in the dorms, if it's all the same to you. This sort of thing lingers in the air, you see.

[cleansewithfire]

[ Sunrise is once again trying to look for any clues to stopping the Majesty that preferably doesn't involve staking Celeste, for at least a couple of people's sakes (19).

Things she manages to do right as people are staking. ]

[cirquedesang]

[Sunrise gets the braincell!

She has successfully figured out that the staking would stop it, yes!

She can also notice that fewer people seem to be getting hit by it the less gold his eyes are.]

1/3

[cleansewithfire]

[cleansewithfire]

[ Of course. ]

[cleansewithfire]

[ Screw this, she'll see how the stakening is going and try to find SOMEONE smarter she can share this observation with. ]

[vogelfrei]

[ McGillis is once again affected by fear this round, so he's going to toss a Media at Izou, Mafuyu, Rutile and himself. ]

[supherb]

[With Eli grabbed and safely out of the way from taking hits for Celeste, Arven takes a deep breath and moves in with his stake.]

Please let this work...please let Celeste be okay...

[He rushes for the shadow and aims to pierce the stake into his chest (15).]

[beathollow]

( mafuyu flinches, but...

she closes the distance, slower. while celeste is incapacitated, he can listen. )

... I love you. I didn't think I could love someone the way I love you- that I could trust an adult to not hurt me. From the very start, you've taken care of me and refused to let me do the same for you.

I'm not giving you a choice this time.

Listen to me. Listen to us- we want to help you. We want to be with you, and let you have the same joy you've given and enabled for us.

But we can't do that while that Bastard has his clutches in you, and honestly... do you really want to live bound to someone like this? Bound to anyone at all?

Come home. I know you can.

[supherb]

[Arven lets out a relieved sigh when he hears Mafuyu's speech in the wake of his attack.

This has to work. It has to.]

[metagame]

Mafuyu...

[Please, Atem prays, Lady Braphine, let Mafuyu's words strike true.]

[imperiosity]

[Well, this is the opportunity they were waiting for, weren't they? With those heals from Arven and Argenti, Aaron's feeling good enough to make another attempt with that stake.

So while Shalem is restraining Eli, Aaron eyes Arven making the attempt from up front, so he'll dash all the way around the Shadow and try to stake him from behind (14), too. Pincer attack!!]

[speedingticket]

[ Rutile fails against Majesty (2) and the memories of the movie come rushing back. Overwhelmed by sympathy, by a future that could be his, by a past that could belong to anyone he knows, his heart aches again. Celeste is his name, huh...

He sighs.

Wordlessly, he casts Diarama on Celeste. As the stakes sink into his heart, Rutile sends a quiet prayer of hope from a juvenile immortal being to an ancient one—be healed! ]

[bloodweapon]

[This is so much, but since the others are in the process of staking... Fray's just going to be a healbot. Energy shower for Rutile, Haruka, and McGillis!]

[speedingticket]

[ Gasp—

Snapping out of it. Thank you helmed stranger! ]

[beathollow]

--Nii-san!

( izou's taken so much and she's just been- fuck.

diarahan. )

[goei]

[Yeah, he needed that, he was fully laid out on the floor.

But with that heal, he's able to get back on his feet ]

'M fine, don't worry! Aniki's alright, thanks to you!!

[Even if the situation is still very situationy]

[metagame]

[Atem sucks in a breath... Please, let the staking work... They can't take another round of Majesty.

He casts Marakukaja on Aaron, Arven, Mafuyu, and Izou just in case.]

[beautifulknight]

[ Well, Argenti isn't planning on attacking this time around.

He will leave the others to stake the man, as well as any further back-up plans, or methods - he is trusting that perhaps this will work out? Tes, he is.

Instead, he'll decide to see if he can reach out to a dear companion, (16), even if he is certain that he is lacking crucial pictures to the puzzle, perhaps. But he will try with what he's had - others have done the same, after all! ]

...Céleste, you must understand.

There are friends awaiting your return, that would wish for you not to see you so tied up in the darkness that has been woven over your heart.

There are those who care even deeper that desire your return as well [ a glance towards Izou, McGillis, and Eli, because he has eyes ] and of course, the bonds woven between you like family.

[ He has seen the love that has been granted in Céleste's direction in varying respects - the actions are so clear that he knows that the man's subconscious can't deny or refute it. And he thinks it the most wondrous and beautiful thing to have witnessed with his own eyes. Naturally, of course, just as the man supported him, so will he him. ]

In your heart, I know you wish to return to them. To your dear loved ones, to your family, to your friends.

You must understand, we do not wish for your destruction, nor to enter the void, only to never return. So, please...find it within your heart to reach back out. I know that we all would wish to see you walk amongst us once again in our daily lives. To see you light the way you have in your own way, cherishing the beautiful people and aspects of life.

[vogelfrei]

[ ... he has better sense than to argue with this, but it's news to him that he is Celeste's family or dear loved one, hello?? ]

1/???

[cirquedesang]

[Eli is pulled away from him just as he was actually beginning to relax into the embrace. His hand is even left hanging in the air, proof positive that he was about to return it, too.

That alone is unlikely to have dispelled the shadow, or ceased the mental assault on those assembled, but... it didn't hurt.

But he's pulled away, and threatened, and Celeste wheels on the perpetrator of the act, gold flashing back into his eyes along with burning, violent intent--]