March Event Log

[kaisoumods]

March Event
Dominant Element: Wind
Waning Element: Earth

Full Moon: March 8th - March 10th

※
The seasons have finally begun to shift. As the Spirit Vein shifts to hues of green, the city experiences increasing warmth throughout the month. The snows of winter melt and from it the grass begins to turn green. Early buds on some of the trees and plants begin to sprout as the month progresses. Of course, being a wind month, it's not all nice weather. Strong gusts of wind will blow throughout the month, making any early spring picnic difficult. Enjoy the warmth, but be careful not to get swept away!

Top of the Season

At long last, spring is here. The citizens of Kaisou are more than thrilled that the winter has finally passed. Even though the temperatures are still on the cooler side, many people are acting like it may be summer from the way they are walking around in t-shirts amongst the melting snow drifts. People are finding just about any and all excuse to be outside, just to enjoy some fresh air and sunlight after being stuck inside all winter. Expect to see many stores offering outdoor seating, even though the strong winds keep knocking things over.

For the students, March is something of a reprieve month before the end of the year marathon kicks in. Spring break for all the schools will take place March 12th through the 18th, so everyone gets to enjoy a shared week off from their studies and homework. Those who still interested in involving themselves in school activities, they can begin practicing their auditions for the spring play at Kaisou High. Pride and Prejudice will be this years play, so you better work on your British accents! Meanwhile for art students its' time to start working on their piece for the spring art gallery, and those involved with sports might want to consider trying out for a spot on a spring sports team such as baseball or soccer.

But for the older crowds, there's no March in Kaisou without some good old St. Patrick Day celebrations. During the week of the holiday, bars throughout the town will serve green beers and have drinking specials. There'll be small parades throughout different neighborhoods with people sporting green, leprechaun hats, and clovers. Even the Undertown is getting into the spirit, with the vendors selling spells that turn anything green and hexes that will make someone dance an Irish jig for a minute.

The Rainbow Connection

Throughout the month, rainbows will appear sporadically throughout the town. Unlike the typical rainbows you see in the sky, these seem a lot closer too- sometimes arching between two buildings or sticking out of the state park's forest. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to why they're appearing weather wise, and we're several months away from Pride Month- so what could be going on? Should you ask the folks of Undertown or at the ENKI learning center, the answer they speculate could be none other than there must be leprechauns around. Why else would they be appearing this month of all months? And for those unfamiliar with the story of leprechauns, folks will more than eagerly tell you that at the end of leprechaun rainbows lie a pot of gold, if the legends are true.

Well, there's only one way to find out! A person determined enough can follow the rainbow to their end, whether it be on the top of a building or in the forest or behind a gay bar. At the end of each of these rainbows, will be a large cauldron where the rainbow and a golden light are emitting from. However, inside the cauldron is not a pot of gold but a few golden glowing salmon that are swimming around in the cauldron's golden water.

Well, it's may not be gold gold, but the salmon have their uses. Zodiac in particular will pay upwards to $1300 per salmon. You can also sell them to other folks in Undertown, albeit it for half the price, who will in turn cook them up and sell them in various food dishes for purchase. Of course, you can always cut out the middle man and cook and consume the salmon yourself. You could even keep them as a pet, if you have enough space for a salmon tank.

However, all these actions have consequences. Whether you eat the salmon (be it from your own cooking or eating it at an Undertown food vendor if you're not interested in chasing rainbows), or spend a great deal of time around them - you'll start gaining new memories of yourself in alternate universe, regardless of if you're an AU or an OU. These lives in alternate universes can take all sorts of strange and interesting forms: perhaps it glimpses of how your life would've been if a certain event hadn't happened, or it's a life where you grew up in a different setting, or maybe even a life as a rock with googly eyes. How many memories you get of this alternate life depends on how much salmon you consume or how much time you spend around them. [Mod Note: The only "alternate universe memories" that are off the table are memories for OUs that'd reveal plot points in their canons that are revealed past their stated canon point! Aka you still need to use the proper channels for a canon bump.]

Unwelcome Guests

During the weekend of March 4th, an unusual Zodiac message will appear on the Libra app.

ALERT: SPIRIT REALM BREACH IN BLUE FISH LAKE PARK.
Element Classification: Wind
Danger Level: Unknown
Designation: Spirit Realm Breach
Zodiac has detected an unusual number of presences from the Spirit Realm appearing in Blue Fish Lake Park. Early reports indicate that they may be part of the Fae, but contact has yet to be established. This is a highly unusual situation, so please approach with caution.

If you decide to head to the Zodiac office first, the overall atmosphere is tense. The Zodiac attendant are there, as well as the fuzzy Professor, but they certainly seem to be working with less resources than usual. The attendant apologizes that they couldn't send out any earlier agents to investigate the situation, citing that the higher ups cut their department's budget to devote to "other projects". The Professor chides in at this point with clear agitation, "Yeah because creatures invading from another world isn't a high priority apparently!!", before he takes a deep breath and tries to calm down.

Even with their shoestring budget, the attendant and the Professor will try to answer the best they can. The attendant explains that normally it's impossible this this number of Spirit Realm occupants to come into this side of the world unless there's a manmade tear- and no new ones have been detected. They have concerns it's a sign the Spirit Vein is leaking energy, but the higher ups won't approve the resources to perform tests that'd detect that. Meanwhile the Professor will chime in. It turns out the "early report" mentioned in the message was him going to Blue Fish Lake Park, getting a look at the fae, and then scurrying away before they could spot his small puppet body. While he insists that history is his specialty and not myths, he will concede he's read some things about the fae. Particularly that they are nasty tricksters with egos and temperaments that'd give high profile celebrities a run for their money. Do anything to make them angry, and they won't hesitate to curse you and ruin your life. However, the fae can never tell a lie, and if you get them to promise something- they can never break that promise. Also if any types of diplomacy fails, iron works great on them!

That intel in hand, it's time to head to Blue Lake Fish Park to meet the guests.

Arriving in Blue Fish Lake Park, you'll immediately tell that something is off. Despite the rest of the city's flora still being in the very early stages of spring, the plant life in this park looks much closer to the late spring. The grass is fully green, flowers are in full bloom a month early, and the trees have their foliage fully grown in. In fact, it's almost like new plants and trees have sprouted and grown in the last few days. And it's not just the plant life that's unusual. Amongst the normal visitors of the park (many of whom are normal people who notice nothing unusual is afoot) are the occasional fae, sticking out with their insectoid wings and other inhuman features. All of them on the outer edges of the park seem to be moving with purpose, either guarding or scouting. Should you approach any of these fae demanding answers, they will state that they in service of the original leaders of the Fae court. Seeming to recognize that you are no normal person, they will inform you that you should head into the forest to speak with the court themselves.

Stepping into the forest, you'll find a forest that's further along in being changed than the rest of the park. The trees have grown taller and been warped in ways the Fae find more appealing. The lush green canopy looks like it belongs in the depths of summer than March. And there are Fae everywhere, among the trees and the underbrush, watching you as you come in. Head deep enough into the forest, and you'll come across a make shift throne room out of trees and stone in the area- its under construction, if you will. All around the court are numerous fae guards, ready to attack at a moment's notice. The leader of the Fae, a Fae queen who act as arrogant and dismissive as ever, will react as if you're the one who has stepped into her land.

It'll take some coaxing and insistence to finally get an explanation to what's going on. Since the kidnapping attempt last March, a division has happened among the Fae court between the Seelie and the Unseelie Fae. This rift grew only deeper as time went on, until it turned violent. The Unseelie managed to get the upper hand through a surprise tactic, managed to drive the Seelie - the Fae here- out of the court. The Seelie Fae decided rather than attempt to take their court back, that they would take advantage of Kaisou's ever growing spirit energy and lay claim to a court here. The entire time, the Fae Queen does her best to paint the Seelie as the wronged party and perfectly innocent in every way - but despite her attempts, many will get the sense that the Seelie are nowhere near as blameless as she's painting them as. And as for her claim that the Seelie fae intend to live with the humans of Kaisou in peaceful coexistence and won't cause any trouble? Well...

The Seelie are Assholes

Yeah, so as time goes on, it becomes quickly apparent that the Fae Queen's claim of peaceful coexistence was, to put it, an exaggeration at best. These are still the same spiteful and vengeful Fae that kidnapped a bunch of app users last year, after all. Throughout the week, there are numerous attempts by various Fae to kidnap babies and children to bring them to their court to raise as their own, so have fun sorting out those incidents. By the end of the week, they've gotten it in their mind without any discussion that all of Blue Fish Lake park is their territory, and therefore everyone who steps into the park is subject to their rules. And what rules are these you may ask? Well honestly, there'd be too many to list, and they seem ever constantly changing. They all seem to boil down to not doing anything at all that'd annoy one of the Fae, especially if they hold status in the court.

Should one break one of these rules, a number of consequences can happen. They may decide to curse you in some fashion, either with a classic curse or start turning you into some monster. Thankfully, being on Earth renders their powers weaker, so many of these curses are either weaker or not as long lasting as they could've been if they were in the Spirit Realm properly. Alternatively, they could just decide to attack you or try to kill you. And if you really make them mad? They might decide to kidnap a loved ones of yours and bring them to the fae court to curse them instead. Great.

That said, for some endearing yourself to the Fae Court may come with some advantages, though it may also run the risk of them deciding to try to change you into a fae. But whether or not you avoid that fate, you can get something truly valuable. Namely: information. Should you get into their good graces (by them doing favors, offering them gifts, flattery, etc), they will provide what they know about the ongoing situation. Their ability to be in Kaisou? Is thanks to the unusual levels of spirit energy coming from Kaisou's Spirit Vein. The ruptures caused by Professor Willow (with a certain portal in August exacerbating the issue) has caused spirit energy to flow into the city unchecked, making the Spirit Energies rise to levels not normally possible on Earth. The new powers and monstrous forms that people have been exhibiting? Is due to the increased Spirit Energy levels. Normal human bodies don't typically do well to prolong exposure to the Spirit Realm. Some may have a higher tolerance than others, but it's still unhealthy in the long run. The Fae mitigate this problem by changing their kidnapped victims honored guests into Fae with their magics. Most likely, they speculate, the increasing Spirit Energy is attempting to do the same in its own way, as a way to prepare for...

Prepare for what? The Fae at this point become more evasive, not wanting to give a direct answer. If you push them enough without angering them, they will ask "Did they ever find Roanoke?" as a rhetorical question, before dropping the subject altogether. While this may lead to more questions than answers, it wouldn't be a bad idea for someone to inform everyone else of what you learned.

Tír na nóg

So yeah, it's safe to say that letting the Seelie Fae stay is not going to work out, right?

While Zodiac itself continues to be preoccupied with other matters, after the third Fae mistook him for a human baby and attempted to kidnap him, the Fuzzy Professor is thoroughly done with their new guests. He sends his own message on the Libra app, proposing a plan. He's done some research and found that per the rules of the Fae, should the leader of the original Fae court (the one in realm of Tír na nóg) announce that it's time for a Gathering - all the Fae associated with that court are required to return to the Court to attend the Gathering. So if they travel to the Spirit Realm these guys came from and convince the current Unseelie Ruler to announce a gathering - the Seelie Fae will return to that realm and once they're all gone, they can seal any gates so the Seelie can't come back in the city. If asked if the Unseelie ruler is unwilling to cooperate with this plan, but Professor gives an ambivalent "well then uh...overthrow them, I guess? Look, I just want these guys gone okay! I'm sick of getting kidnapped!"

You know what? Fair enough.

Per the Professor's instructions, while the main gate the Seelie Fae used is heavily guarded, they can reactivate the old gate from last year that's hidden away in Brick Alley. Sure enough when they arrive in Brick Alley, there's no obvious standing tall gate. Instead, they will have to search around until they find a circle of mushrooms that have popped up on a patch of grass. If you can't find it, the blue little puppet who is standing nearby will be a good clue. He wave you over and gives anyone who cones by a piece of Ariandhe's Yarn, so they can teleport out of that realm immediately once their job is done. The mushrooms that make up the fairy circle are impervious to harm, and you'll have to stand in the center of them if you want to enter the realm. It'll take a moment or two to activate, leaving you feel a little awkward as normal people pass by and stare at you standing in a circle of mushrooms, but hold fast, because soon you'll find yourself warped into another realm.

Some older app users may recall their previous visit to this realm as stepping into a beautiful fairy tale realm. Certainly, many of the old familiar features are there: the rocky cliffs, the meadows, the Fae castle in the distance. But past those familiar sights, there's been a lot of changes. It's colder in this realm, with everything having the look of late autumn and early winter. It's darker as well, with the daylight hours being no brighter than twilight, and the nights lasting much longer than normal. The forest has become overgrown, wilder and more twisted. This place looks less like a fairytale and more like the setting for a halloween story. Seems this is what happens when it's only the Unseelie controlling the land.

Your goal is to once again reach the castle. However, the journey is much more perilous than before. The path that was once a straight shot to the castle now has become more winding. It now crosses through bogs full of Will-o'-the-wisps which attempt to lead you off the path and into the bog...which is still full of undead skeletons who are more than happy to try to drag you under. And these are hardly the worst dangers, as unlucky travelers may happen upon a banshee whose screams may paralyze anyone. Going near any body of water runs the risk of happening upon the Kelpie's more violent cousin, the Each Uisge.

Also remember the Dulahan and the large, fire breathing, dragon from last year? Yeah, they are no longer restricted to their little spots and are roaming free, able to attack and breath fire on any poor soul they happen upon. The trip is a long one, possibly taking a few days (though luckily, barely any time will pass in Kaisou itself). So go prepared and...have fun!

The Unseelie Court

After a long and dangerous journey, they finally reach the castle. Just like the rest of the realm, its been twisted and turned darker to represent the Unseelie's particular aesthetic. And if you think that the danger was over now that you reached the castle, oh, you're quite mistaken. These Fae, either because they know your intent or they simply do not like intruders, will likely attack on sight unless you're extremely good at talking your way out. Either this will do this with direct assaults or through trickery, conjuring illusions that reflect your own personal nightmares in order to break you.

Struggle through the winding halls of the castle best you can until you reach the throne room of the court. There stands the Unseelie King. You can go about this a few ways, either attempt to persuade him to initiate a Gathering, though he will protest quite a bit - and has every bit of arrogance that the Seelie Queen showed. Should persuasion tactics not work, it's a matter of fighting. Either kill or incapacitate him, all you need to do is take his crown that sits upon his head. Though be careful, he's not the king for no reason. He'll be a tough opponent, with both fighting prowess and magical skill alike.

If you fight him and obtain the crown, all you need to do is put it atop your head and declare that it's time for The Gathering. A bell ringing sound will ring out throughout the realm, alerting all the Fae. The task done, it's best to make your hurried escape before the Fae have caught onto your deception or you get sealed in with them. Use the yarn that the Professor gave you, or find another way out and head for home.

Aftermath

When you return to Kaisou, you'll find the Seelie Fae are quickly making their exit back into the realm they came from, having been summoned for the gathering. As soon as the last one steps in, the members of the Black Order can use a sealing spell granted by the higher ups in order to seal the gate. With the Fae gone, Blue Lake Park will slowly turn back to how it looked before. Some of the temporary curses will fade. Unfortunately, not much can be done to cure the more permanent curses. And for many, the information that the Seelie Fae provided may still trouble you. Just what is going to happen to this town? Is there a way to fix it before it's too late? Why is Zodiac suddenly so disinterested? Only time will tell, it seems.

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Wind! Anyone with an affinity to the wind element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for Earth will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.

For the month of March, courtesy of the Fae, characters can obtain up to 3 monster transformation purchases for free. This does not count for your usual monthly limit, so you can also pay for 2-3 more if you wish! And for this month only, characters can regain monster features for up to two monster types (for example your character could gain monster feature from a unicorn AND an avian if they wish to be an alicorn). The IC justification for this is that it's Fae magic. After this month, the monster transformations will go back to their regularly scheduled limitations.

The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here. Another Zodiac Post will be going up March 15th to serve as an intro post for new characters and allow characters to react to developments over the network.

Comments

Danny Fenton | Danny Phantom | Normal AU

[schrodingersghost]

Spring Break:
Danny starts spring break with full intentions to spend the entire time relaxing, The last few months had been exhausting at best, so he was more than ready for a break.

He takes his dog on long walks around the city and stops in to visit with friends. He even bundles up one evening and sets up his telescope. (Carefully, while wearing gloves to protect his hands from the stainless steel in the casing.)

Apart from one incident with a salmon dish at a restaurant he tries, its a very relaxing couple of days. And even that wasn't too bad. If there was one thing he had experience with at this point, it was ignoring memories from other lives.

Meeting the Fae:
It is curiosity that brings him into Blue Fish Park. In Danny's defense, he hadn't been there for the last incident with the Fae, so he had no idea of the danger. And he didn't know about his own partial transformation into one of them, let alone the possible dangers that came with that.

And at first everything is great. As he heads deeper into the park he looks around at the all the changes with fascination. And when he finally does meet a Fae, they welcome him in. After only a few minutes of conversation, he learns that they recognized what was in him. That he was Fae, at least partially. And well, as much as he protested against the idea, the evidence was pretty convincing.

They teach him a little about what he is now. And.... its nice. Its the first time since Danny started changing that anyone could teach him anything. He feels a little less alone.

You Can Never Leave:
But Danny never comes home.

At first they're nice about it. Suggesting that he stay just a little longer, finding reasonable excuses for why he can't leave just yet. Danny makes his first attempt to politely sneak away the next day, but gets easily turned back.

On the second day he wakes up in a panic to the presence of large green moth wings on his back. A helpful Fae explains to him that they'd decided to help him along. He had wings now, and magic. Wasn't it wonderful? Danny... is less enthusiastic. But they thought they were helping. Could he really be mad at them for that. He spends some time trying to get used to his new wings, and gets persuaded to stay a little longer so he could learn to control his magic.

When they still won't let him leave after that, Danny's attempts to sneak away and go home become a little more desperate.

The Rescue:
By the end of the week Danny is starting to give up. All of his attempts to go home at this point have failed. And an attempt to get straight answers had ended with pointed wonderings about why he would want to go home. His family was here. Which apart from being completely unhelpful and making him realize that he'd been basically kidnapped at this point, also triggered a memory recall that his other self had also dealt with people trying to adopt him via kidnapping. Which was... great to know really. Awesome.

Danny can be found huddled under a tree near the center of the park, his wings wrapped around him, as he tries to figure out what to do now.

The Rescue

[schrodingersghost]

To collect all rescue attempts in one place.

You Can Never Leave

[schoolingfish]

On the bright side, Luca seems to have made a good impression on the fae. Unfortunately, this seems to be more due to them finding him entertaining than anything, so they seem more inclined to keep him as a new pet than to actually give him much in the way of information.

As Luca wanders through the park wondering what he should do, he spots Danny. Danny who, apparently, has wings now and isn't looking too happy. He decides to head over.

"Hi, are you okay?"

The Rescue

[prontissimo]

[ Alberto can't completely relate to Danny's plight, but he's certainly in one of his own. He was here last year, and likewise had been kidnapped then. But back then, he'd been kidnapped to a fancy castle and ate multiple feasts a day. The Fae took special interest in Alberto, and it felt nice to be the center of attention. They were keen to indulge this open book of a boy, amused by how he insisted on doing favors for them (without them even threatening him or manipulating him or using magic, totally voluntarily!) and how eager he was to ingratiate himself to them doing chores and labor (even things they could usually accomplish with magic, just to give him something to do)... But Alberto felt it was the least he could do for all the special treatment he felt he was receiving. It was great. It was his first month in Kaisou, and he spent most of it in Tir Na Nog — he even went back after they were all released...! He has strictly fond memories of his first kidnapping, as he'd told Danny on the Network.

But this time round, he's been proven sorely wrong. He'd endeared himself to the Fae, who know his whole life story and everyone's names in his life because of his big mouth — and likewise about Luca's whole life — and now they're paying for it. The boys were some of the first children kidnapped. The Fae remembered Alberto — he's hard to forget. They've been here over a week now, too, and while he's made fewer escape attempts than Danny, he and Luca are getting to their breaking point, too. It's the day after an unsuccessful escape attempt of their own, and Alberto's feeling discouraged, himself. He spots Danny wrapped in his wings, off by himself, visibly miserable, and approaches him quietly, then cooly leans against a tree just behind him, leg propped up, arms over his chest. His tone and face are flat, raising a brow derisively as he speaks up, low-key intending to startle Danny just for gits and shiggles. He likes that 'joke' too much... ]

So this sucks.

Harry Potter/Jamie Carter | Harry Potter | Paranormal AU

[phoenixwiz]

Spring Break
Finally spring break is here and Jamie is pretty relieved that he doesn’t have to worry about making up excuses to avoid swimming for the whole week. He is pretty much looking forward to take part of St Patrick’s Day festivities as he has Irish blood in him. While he is not that into drinking, he decides to get into a local bar near Kaisou Uni to hang out and see what is happening and maybe enjoy some nice bangers and mash with onion gravy and peas.

Or he could be seen having a blast at the parade near his family’s house since he is staying in there for the week.

Seelies are Terrible Unwanted Guests
Who knew that the Seelie could be this much of trouble? He was just walking into Blue Lake Park, thinking it was going to be a nice walk around the park, when he unfortunately finds himself in hot water. The Fae apparently think that this will be their home and he is seen as a trespasser. Jamie is clearly baffled when confronted that he tries his best to appease.

“Hey look. I hate to say this but this is a public property,” he tries to beg them as they begin to surround, “I just want to go on a walk in peace, that’s all.”

Tír na nóg
Jamie has his jaws drop in shock as he took a good look around the horrible state that Tír na nóg is in. It feels rather chilly in here, the skies are much darker, the forest looks very overgrown and messy. He has a bad feeling about this place and he is not looking forward to what lies ahead between the Zodiac users and the castle of the Unseelie.

“Oh gee, this is looking not great at all,” Jamie shivers in fear as he takes a good look of the place post Unseelies takeover, “Now how are we going to get to the castle with the path looking mostly unseen?”

Ash Carbide (Ash Cabott) | Trails of Cold Steel | OTA

[switchaxe]

Practice Practice Practice

[It might come as a surprise to most people, but Ash is very serious about the school play. Pride and Prejudice is one of the few Austen novels he'll re-read willingly, and he likes to think he's pretty good at playing a part.

So people may very often find him in one of the smaller, non-infested parks, practicing for the auditions. And if you know one Jusis Albarea...]

"You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged"--tch, dammit, not like that.

[...you'll probably realize who it is that Ash is channeling for Darcy.]

Faeries are Assholes (and So is Ash)

[Well, we all knew this was going to happen.

Ash had been asked by the higher ups to look into the faerie bullshit. Ash knows better than to disobey his orders (at least straight away). Ash is also a fighty bastard.

So yeah, no one should be surprised when they see Ash literally getting kicked from the park, now possessing a wolf's tail and a few bruises and cuts that aren't healing as quickly as they normally would. At least they went easy on him. They even were considerate enough to magically tear a hole in his pants so his tail isn't stuck!

Yeah, Ash is pissed and he's looking like he wants to go back in and fight them again.]

Unseelies are Bastards

[Fuck it, FAERIE FIGHTING TIME. Ash can be found not going after the Unseelie King himself (he ain't stupid) but fighting any and every other minor fae that he comes across. He has a lot of anger to work out.

And the little asshole in his head is loving this anyway.]

faeries are assholes, and so is ash, but morgan is a good boy

[nosferatanking]

[Everyone told Morgan to avoid the park, so of course, it's the first place he goes. He was conscientious enough to bring the wards Ash suggested, at least.]

[It's probably a good thing he ignores everyone's advice, because he finds Ash before he even enters the park! That tail, it's new. It is new, right? Everyone has been extremely forthcoming with what this place can do, or maybe Ash is just into that?]

Ash!

[Okay, he's definitely not into that. He looks pretty beat up.]

Uh, you okay? You look kinda worse for wear.

faeries are assholes (but we knew this already)

[infezione]

[Yeah, that's-- hm.

Immediately, he's setting his own anger aside, to rush over and check on Ash.]

Ash, hey! Shit--

Morgan (Male) | Fire Emblem: Awakening

[nosferatanking]

[The Seelie are Assholes, but are they, Really?]

[The answer is of course, yes, and Morgan is aware of this. Thankfully, Amal's advice comes in handy. The Seelie may be immune to puppy dog eyes (unfortunately), but they aren't immune to thinking they're taking advantage of someone!]

[Morgan has somehow convinced one of the Seelie that the worst, most tragic fate is to be trapped in a boardgame with one, and he's set up a chessboard to play. This time, though, he's not playing to win, he's playing to draw the match out.]

[In a war, the most valuable thing someone can have is information, and he's well aware of this. The longer he plays, the more he gets to talk with the creatures, and the more data he can gather. None of this shows on his face, of course, as he moves a piece with a smile.]

Your move!

[On the Road to Tír na nóg]

[Morgan may be smart, but he is ultimately a teenage boy, and that means he's easily distracted. He can avoid most of the monsters in the fae realm, but the Will 'o the Wisps manage to distract him off the path into a horde of undead skeletons.]

[Thankfully, Morgan can defend himself! He holds a book close to him as he sends a rather large gust of wind to knock the skeletons off their feet. The book is a calculus textbook. It doesn't help. But holding it makes him feel better.]

Take that, evil skeleton things!

[Are they getting back up? Oh no, they are getting back up.]

seelies

[medicgunner]

[Right. So, they needed to seal the Fae up again at some point per their orders. And yet here was Morgan. Casually playing chess with them like no big deal.

Yeah, Eunie's a little skeptical. So she's going to just whisper in his ear.]

You sure this is a good idea?

Yusuke Kitagawa | Persona 5 Royal (and Strikers) | OTA

[stripartist]

Hearts, Stars, and Rainbows

[Things Yusuke is doing: going rainbow hunting, because money! Disappointing when he sees it's salmon, since he doesn't know how to prepare that, but all the same.

Things Yusuke will not do: sell the salmon to Zodiac.

Things Yusuke will absolutely do: sell the salmon to people in the Underground, once he realizes the pots are all fish and not money.

Look, an art teacher's salary is bullshit and he needs more money to stock the art class rooms. And also pay rent. And buy his own supplies. And actually buy groceries maybe. The salmon are going for a couple hundred dollars, okay, and he does not see an issue with selling them to the very nice people in the Underground, especially not when they offer to let him try some.

So either you'll see him hauling cauldrons off to sell...or you'll see him curled up on a bench in the Underground with a splitting headache from all the weird memories. Oops.]

Paintings are Better Than Faeries

[As you are walking by the park, two things happen in very rapid succession:

-You see Yusuke Kitagawa and a faerie sitting on a bench, Yusuke sketching something on his sketchpad.

-You see him show the faerie the sketch.

-You see the faerie get offended.

-You hear the faerie say something about "water, as that's where you belong" and "perhaps a different art will suit you better" right before they poke Yusuke's head.

-You see the faerie vanish.

-You see Yusuke very quickly grab his pencil and paper and sigh in relief when it seems he can still sketch.]

I wonder what they meant by that...

[He is yet to notice the strange, faintly glowing markings on his face now. Oops.]

rainbows

[hoshikiri]

[Takame did not, in fact, see Yusuke sell any of the fish. What he is seeing is Yusuke on a bench, holding his head in a too familiar fashion.

So there was a worried boyfriend rushing over to him!! Sitting right next to him, setting a hand on his back.]

Yusuke? Are you alright?

Rose | FFXIV

[poisontippedcure]

[The Rainbow Connection]

[For someone who has journeyed from one end of Eorzea to the other, it doesn't prove hard for Rose to find the other end of the rainbow. And of course, Rose does what Rose does best. She doesn't know what the salmon is, and there's no one around, so she puts it in her mouth.]

[Immediately, she's assaulted by memories of home. Except, she's older. It doesn't take long to realize that this would be her future if she had never gone to Eorzea--if she had never been Warrior of Light.]

[She walks around the rest of the day in a daze, until she runs (quite literally) into someone she knows. She looks lost in thought, even moreso than normal. It's a little concerning.]

I beg your pardon. I had a lot on my mind.

[Tír na nóg]

[Rose is not friendly. She is traveling into the fae realm with a giant scythe and a demon, and it's not long before she gets attacked.]

[Thankfully, Rose has fought fae before. She's quick on her feet (thanks to her voidsent friend) and she's able to cut through most of their illusions. That is, the fae eventually figure out her weak point.]

[To anybody nearby, she isn't going to say what the illusions are. But she does drop her scythe and fall down to the ground. Someone isn't having a good day. Someone is now reliving her worst trauma courtesy of the fae.]

No! No one was supposed to get hurt!

[She appears to be in trouble, and any helping hand is welcome.]

[The King Himself]

[Somehow, she made it out of the first trap, and she's now facing the Unseelie King himself. Some people talk through their problems. Today, Rose chooses violence.]

[Rather unceremoniously, Rose draws out her scythe. For good measure, she goes ahead and fuses with her voidsent. She doesn't know what's about to happen, but she knows she's going to have to put up a fight. Normally, she doesn't like to do this unless she's on the edge of death--but given what she's already been through in this realm, she has no doubt this will be necessary.]

𝕴'𝖛𝖊 𝖐𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖉 𝖆 𝖋𝖆𝖊 𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖔𝖓𝖈𝖊 𝖇𝖊𝖋𝖔𝖗𝖊. 𝕯𝖔𝖓'𝖙 𝖉𝖔𝖚𝖇𝖙 𝕴'𝖑𝖑 𝖉𝖔 𝖘𝖔 𝖆𝖌𝖆𝖎𝖓.

[And she attacks.]

Tir na Nog

[thaumewturge]

Rose?!

[Rhel had come along because obviously she wasn't going to let people go into the fae realm alone, but to see Rose fall to her knees in pain...

It bothers Rhel to know she can do this, but she pulls what light she can from the surrounding area to do something to distract the faeries while she rushes to Rose's side.

--huh. Clones. That's new.]

Rose, it's alright. 'Tis just an illusion...

takame kesi | ffxiv oc | ota

[hoshikiri]

i. loser loser fish dinner (rainbow connection)

[Besides the leprechauns, the Fae have yet to appear in dangerous numbers. Takame knew better than to follow whatever rainbows they had. He largely ignored them. In fact, he seemed to ignore most people these days. Strange for a man usually so friendly albeit quiet.

There are times where he’d drink to forget, but he’s done enough of that. So on this day he’ll go for a nice, completely normal dinner at a place in Undertown that makes good fish.

Not that he realized where they got the fish from.]

Ah. I... I see. [... And still ate the entire thing because he’s allergic to being rude.]

[The trip away is a mental assault. He could get as far as a street corner before he was clutching his head as if it would will the image of him donning a Garlean legatus’ attire and eliminating insurgents and the rabble out of his mind.]

ii. fae-n fae-n go away (double court catch all)

[With the Fae courts, Takame did not say a word. These were not the same as the pixies of his realm.

For as weird and somewhat obnoxious as the fuzzy Professor was, seeing him along with others being taken away by the Fae is something he wouldn’t stand for.

His sight has become stronger in the last month, so he’ll use that to monitor the skies as the group proceeds through Tír na nóg.]


[Through the Unseelie Court on the other hand, his approach is far less passive. In fact it was more aggressive than usual, even for someone like him. As if he’d seen something during his fights against the Fae that insulted him to his core.

Like he saw people clad in black and blood reminding him of how useless he was unless he was one of them.]

Shut your mouth. [Who was he talking to? Whoever it was would swiftly face a cartridge shot to the face, even if it seemed like nothing but air.]

iii. another fae pun (wildcard)

[[ ooc: uh. It’s the wildcard option!! For anything we might have planned but isn’t here lets goo pm discord or plurk @ bonpuns me if you wanna hash things out. ]]

Unseelies

[lancernexttime]

ANSUZ! [A fire spell is going to fly over his head, hitting another shadow figure in the distance.

A blue clad man is a few steps behind Takame, staff at the ready for another spell.]

I see they haven't changed in centuries... You ok there, kid?

diluc ragnvindr | genshin impact | normal au

[burntilldawn]

i. rainbow rainbow go away-nbow (asshole seelies)

[For all of his mental preparation, all Diluc could do to prepare for the Fae was acquire what charms he could. He went with a simple iron one as the March celebrations began to kick in. For the man who owns a strong contributor in the wine industry, seeing so many people enjoying their beer did nothing but sour his already poor and stressed mood given the past week.

Nothing he couldn't handle. Except when his charm fell out and he didn’t know it cause someone bonked him

It’s because of that as he passed by the park to get to his office that a Fae called out to him. “Hello there, you with a sour face! It’s too lovely of a day for that frown.”]

Hmph. [And that’s all they got. Which was more than enough to offend. A fucking scoff. For the fae to pop in front of his face and scold him. “How RUDE!” said while giving him a tiny head bap which he blinked at. Then a gust of wind to knock him to the ground face first before disappearing.]

Urgh! [Absolute faceplant. It was with a groan that he pushed himself back up, brushing the dirt off of his suit and touching his head to fix anything else out of place.

… Then he noticed the cat ears. And the sharp claws. And patting himself down, eventually the tail.]

Are you serious… [He could practically hear the fae’s laughter at his expense, the little shit.]

ii. more like tír-nya-nóg

[You know what’s not going to stop hm from trying to get the hell out of here? Cat ears. Sure his sword is a lot fucking harder to use with the claws, but he still had his fire. Last month’s issues made him more comfortable with using it, and it was no different here. Using his fire to light the way or you know burn out any bad forest things.

The Will o Wisps brought up a memory again. Of similar creatures around his… his winery. Less malevolent to be sure, but.]

If it’s not a flame I’m holding, don’t follow it. Who knows where it will take you. [He spoke like a man in charge, whether there was someone more capable or not. Either way it was sound advice. Follow or argue against him, your choice.]

iii. it’s fine don’t worry about it (wildcard)

[[ ooc: It’s the wildcard option!! For anything we might have planned but isn’t here lets goo pm discord or plurk @ bonpuns me if you wanna hash things out. ]]

asshole seelies

[drewthetower]

[August is passing by, mostly to get a read on the state of the park, when Diluc lands pretty much right in front of him. He just sort of stands there until he gets to his feet.]

Pissed 'em off?

Waver Velvet/Lord El-Melloi II | fate/ servantswap au

[fionnuisce]

[i; rainbow connection]

[Nothing good would be at the end of rainbows, and so to avoid them deliberately was a simple task. Yet the smell of freshwater fish seemed as pervasive as a poison miasma to him; it was as disorienting and distracting as it was nauseating, and sooner or later he'd take a wrong turn down the wrong street corner and find himself faced with a cauldron all the same.]

Ugh...damn it. [Lighting a cigarette in an attempt to overpower the sickening (to him) smell of fish, Waver risked leaning over slightly for a better look and spoke under his breath:]

...That can't be the real thing. How did it go again--something about hazelnuts, for some reason-

['A king must laugh more loudly, and rage for much longer, and embody the very extreme of all things good and evil.']

[Immediately, he turned ashen white and backed against a wall, hand pressed to his head. Voices he didn't recognize, faces he did, a courtyard he knew as well as a second home--but something was wrong. This had never happened. He didn't know this Servant, but somehow knew him already. This towering man addressing an impromptu banquet was-]

Ri...der...?

['That is why his retainers envy his very existence, and adore him as well. And why the flames of aspiration--to be just as the king is--can burn within his people.']

[Waver's unsteady legs gave out, and he slowly sat on the ground staring blankly at the scars burned into the back of his hand. Unheard and unseen in Kaisou, a powerful wind blew and carried with it a voice that would not be drowned out:]

['Does the king stand alone?']

[ii; tír na nóg]

[Waver had made several things abundantly clear to anyone who would listen upon their arrival: follow the path, stay the hell away from the water, do not touch the horses, basically don't look at or touch or interact with anything unless strictly necessary. Overly cautious, perhaps, but not unwarranted. For some reason...he seemed to be taking this whole situation strangely personally, and was thoroughly aggravated as a result.]

[When not giving explanation or direction, he'd be strangely quiet as if in quiet (angry) contemplation. Foul-tempered or not, the journey along the way was probably the best time to actually talk to him--whether for advice in dealing with the Celtic pantheon or any other reason.]

[iii; unseelie court]

[There were others who could do the direct fighting, when fighting was necessary. Waver was there as long-distance support and healing while the others were on self-defense. Simple tactics, even if a direct assault was not exactly how he wanted this to play out. At this point, emotion no longer factored into it.]

[Or so he thought, at one point stopping cold in his tracks with a wide-eyed stare. Unseen by any other was the long-dead nightmare given form in front of him, and the mercury weapon he so easily commanded. The form of a man who ruthlessly cut down his enemies as a mage should, even the nineteen-year-old Master standing in defiance against him.]

[Despite himself, Waver took a half-step back and just for a moment, hesitated.]

[iv; unseelie king]

[Diplomacy would have been the wise option. This was several orders of magnitude greater than any minor fae, they may as well have been taking on what Waver understood to be an untouchable god. He should have been scared--and he was, but that kind of weakness was felt like a sound was heard over a great distance. It existed, could be percieved, but was so far away as to be indistinct and easy to ignore.]

Fervor mei sanguis. [Silver liquid flowed from a hidden compartment in his cane, taking the shapeless form of something akin to a writhing snake with no true direction or grace in its erratic motions.]

I am Lord El-Melloi II, knight of the Fianna and oathsworn lord to the greatest among them. I kneel to no other lord and bow to no other king whether mortal or divine.

[His cane was snapped up into one hand, hidden blade revealed with a sharp click as reinforcement magecraft ran through his right leg to keep him standing. His full arsenal brought to bear without hesitation, no matter how weak it was compared to some.]

You can either cooperate now, or we will claim your authority by force.

[He already knew what the answer was.]

[v; wildcard]

[he'll be around the rest of the month having a Very Normal One, so this is for aftermath/whatever else]

i

[hoshikiri]

[Perhaps he'd just gotten used to the smell by now, or perhaps it was because he ate some of the damnable fae fish without realizing it, but Takame had long recovered from his own bout of visions by the time he found Waver.

His friend seemed to be just as much a victim to them. Waver didn't need to have helped him a few days ago for Takame to immediately go to his side, kneeling down to be the only relevant thing in his view behind his hand.]

Waver. [Said placing a hand on his shoulder.]

Sorey | Tales of Zestiria | POKEGO AU

[notevensorey]

Tír na nope

[On stepping through the Gate (after waiting for the world to load them in, apparently. Who knew Gates had lag times?), Sorey immediately begins looking around as he makes way for more people. He's armed with a blunt, ornamental sword that's sheathed on his right hip, a pen in the breast pocket of his lab coat, and a couple of notepads in his pockets. He takes one out now, making a quick sketch of their surroundings and shorthand notes.]

We should get moving and stay cautious. I highly doubt it's simply the landscape that's changed. I'd bet that the path has become far more treacherous.

[The brunet's a scientist first and a fighter second, so he knows he's not going to do well going it alone. Though his training with Amal has helped refine his form (without the showboating), he knows he's better off with other people than flying solo.]


The Unseelie Court

[Sorey's been very dutifully taking notes when it's safe to do so, and they're always quick observations. A full report write-up can be done once they're out of this wretched place. However, on stepping inside the castle itself, the Unseelie Fae screech out, "Intruders! Unleash the beast hidden within your soul!" Sorey is hit with some kind of curse, which becomes immediately apparent when he abruptly transforms into a dragon. The Fae look about as surprised as the new dragon does, especially with how suddenly cramped the room has become due to his size.

At least his serpentine body is easy to manipulate, and he's quick to figure out how to hover just high enough to make room for everyone else. It's clear that Sorey won't be able to help much in these close quarters as he is. Yet, as he's trying to figure out how to change back to human, one of the Fae send an illusion his way. Possibly on accident, possibly to try to make him crush everyone else underfoot if he's spooked enough by it. Sorey does reel back, but instead of going down he goes further up. Though hard to tell on his draconic face, it's clear that he's been startled, and yet there's something... sad in his eyes. As if he's remembered something he really wished he hadn't.

Sorey shakes his head and then abruptly snaps at a Fae. He doesn't eat them, but it does frighten them enough to shriek and flee. It's good enough, and he does threaten each one he can reach to help dwindle their numbers.]


Aftermath

[Sorey's back in his human shape on arriving back in Kaisou. He's looking a lot more tired and a bit sadder than when he went in. Still, he's gotten some good data, Fae curse notwithstanding. It does unsettle him that a dragon is the "beast within his soul," according to the Fae that cursed him. However, he doesn't... feel malevolent? Perhaps a second opinion from Mikleo will help assuage his fears.

Still, anyone staggering around looking hurt will immediately get his attention. He'll approach them with concern in his expression.]

Are you alright?


Wildcard

[Hit me with your best shot!!]

aftermath

[reenforces]

[Mikleo has been waiting outside of the portal for his colleague to appear. Jun is nearby, but not so close that he needs to concern himself with what's going on. Sorey's only been free of the fae realm for about ten seconds before Mikleo runs up, a clipboard tucked beneath his arm and a pen behind his ear.]

Sorey! Let me look at you.

[Without even asking, he recites the brief incantation for Resilient Aid under his breath. A blue wisp circles around Sorey and heals any light wounds he might have.]

I'm sorry we weren't in there with you. [But he did learn some things...]

Yuu | Twisted Wonderland | OU

[areyuuserious]

All That Glitters
[For better or worse, Yuu can't exactly deny their curiosity about the rainbows. And... okay, salmon isn't exactly what they were expecting, but it's novel enough that they don't hate the outcome. Doesn't hurt that folks in Undertown are paying pretty nicely for the fish (they refuse to go to Zodiac on principle).

And, really, the money can only help.

So, really, it's not terribly uncommon to see them chasing down rainbows or hauling the salmon in the direction of Undertown.

Or, at least once, they can be found on a bench nursing a headache and just staring at the sky.]

The Seelie are Assholes, but Things Could Be Worse
[All things considered, it might be a surprise to see Yuu in the park at all.

Over the course of a few days, though, they've definitely been in and out of the park, and those hanging around can see that the normally cautious Yuu has spent that time in the company of one of the fae. One particular fae, if one catches sight of them on multiple days. Perhaps even more of a surprise is that it actually consistently seems to be going rather well--if not because of Yuu but because of the fae. The two merely wander the park and converse (or maybe, most of the time, it's more like the fae talks and Yuu listens. They're at least good at that).

It's gotten them some important information, at least.

On the last day of this, the fae seems to be a lot more thoughtful in his interactions with Yuu, and even worried, almost. By the time the pair are about to part ways, he claps a hand on their shoulder, murmuring something about a blessing of sorts, for this child of man to protect themself and their own.

It mostly just leaves Yuu confused, and when the fae has left...]

... Huh. Wonder what that was all about.

[They haven't noticed the tiny horns now peeking out from their hair.]

Wildcard
[For anything else! Hit me up if you want to plot something out.]

all that glitters!

[bladecaller]

[ Like Yuu, Aki is also of the mind that any money can help, especially given his current predicament. He's not necessarily a fan of hauling fish around, but he's admittedly pretty desperate to line his pockets, despite already having a part-time job.

He runs towards the next cauldron he sees after figuring out what its contents contain, as well as the reward for them, and happens to see Yuu gunning for the same one. Aki stops in front of it and gives them a fairly neutral expression, though his back is straight and there's no indication that he's going to give it up so easily. ]

You got here quickly. [ ... ] Just so you know, I don't intend on leaving here empty-handed.

[ He didn't mention anything about not wanting to compromise, though... ]

Re: Luz Noceda | The Owl House | OU

[a_cute_batata]

Top of the Season

Last month had been a mess. Luz had been possessed, she'd fought Fern and, worst still, she'd lost Amity, left with only the necklace she had given her for Christmas. Now Luz had it with her wherever she went, wearing it and yet unable to use it'd capacity for shadow magic.

That had hardly mattered, of course. Luz wore it in the absence of her girlfriend, not for its properties.

In any case, Luz is catching back up with school again, with remarkably less pep but feeling strangely more grounded. She was maintaining her grades, and art was actually becoming more of a drive for her, between school and her off time so she could eventually show Jane.

You can catch Luz preparing for her art project in the school's art studio, or, by chance? Luz is starting to feel more adventurous and is seen in the dog park, looking more than a little reckless.

Tír na nóg

Undead is NO good!

Welp, looks like Luz doesn't even HAVE to concoct any new dangers for herself this month. With their new unwanted guests, Luz was starting to get more curious about how any of this magic stuff even WORKED, and with Amity gone Luz has all the impetus she needs. With a briefing from the professor, Luz now has it in her head that she might need to take a more active role this month.

As it turned out though? This was WAY more perilous than Luz had expected. She had to use her own light glyphs to counteract the Will o' the Wisps that were trying to lead her astray. The first part of this lead her to a bog, which would not have been do bad if she wasn't suddenly being pulled in by skeletons!

"Augh! Nightmare fuel, NIGHTMARE FUEL!"

Luz was about to start scorching up some skeletons, which might be fine or turn out disastrous. Either way, she could use a hand!

Dragons. Of Course.

Because why would anything be easy?! Of course it would be a dragon, of all things!

You will see Luz zooming around frantically, trying to avoid getting scorched, doing some pretty impressive flying. It's less impressive that Luz is pretty much screaming the whole time, mostly because there are some rather near misses with her catching fire and the dragon not appearing to be losing stamina anytime soon!

The Unseelie Court

Oh, she tried to be nice. She did her best to persuade the King it was in their best interest to call the Gathering and bring the Seelie back, that it was causing complications with their realm. But it appeared the king didn't really care about Kaisou, and moved to adjourn their conversation.

The king didn't count on Luz's immediate reaction to be pulling up her witches' cloak, with glyphs in hand, a whirlwind MUCH stronger than usual (thank you wind month)!

"This isn't for negotiation. Your fae don't belong in our realm, and they're endangering our friends. Either call the Gathering, or we make you do it."

It had not helped that before seeing the King, Luz had to fight out nightmares, including a visage of Amity mocking her. Luz's patience was tried, and now she was willing to fight if it meant getting the Seelie out of their realm.

Unseelie Court

[senorita_perfecta]

Isabela is having the worst time ever. With almost all of her family no longer in Kaisou, the Fae wrecking havoc, her earth magic being super weak, and the stress she has been dealing with, it might have spelt the end for her right there and then as she gets surrounded by illusions of her family being so unsympathetic to her in an attempt to break.

But no, Isabela is not the kind of woman to give up easily and, even with her earth magic weak as a twig except for her gift, she is determined to fight harder and give the Fae a piece of her own mind after what they did to put Luisa and Mirabel’s lives in danger a year before. She has so gotten fed up with these illusions of her Abuela scolding her for not being lady like enough and Mirabel cursing at her to no end that she shouted “Enough!” at them.

Jusis Albarea | Trails of Cold Steel | Black Order AU

[noblerise]

The Seelie Are... Fine, Sometimes

[Jusis is at least prepared to deal with the Seelie and get some information from them. He's learned some tricks to keep himself within their good graces. Though it means swallowing his pride and dignity at some points, if it keeps him out of their curse-happy sights, it's worth it. The best placation he's found, other than sincere flattery, is a gift of some sort.

This is how he's able to get to the Queen. He manages to persuade her to tell him their story in exchange for the Mishy plushie, which he's hyped up a little to make it rarer than it is, and the thin, 12-layer honey cake he's kept in a satchel. The information he gets when he tries to press his luck for more information about Kaisou's fate... unsettles him, to say the least.

The blond is able to come out of the park unharmed by the Fae, but he's deep in thought when it's safe to do so. "Did they ever find Roanoke?" The question echoes in his head. It rings so many bells in his head, alarm and familiarity both. Hasn't he heard about a missing colony from his time living in North Carolina? Or perhaps from one of the Virginia-based Guardians? Jusis can't help muttering in German:]

More questions than answers... as usual.


Tír na nóg

[Naturally, Jusis volunteers to help. It's in accordance with his mission, after all. Well, and he feels as though he needs to prove himself that he's still trustworthy. As if his connection to Kreuzen and Krusnik aren't enough, the way Fern's spun what happened in the Constant is only exacerbating the situation he's found himself in. Still, the only thing he can really do right now is to keep moving forward.

Hence why he's here in this blasted place. The blond immediately takes stock of their surroundings, on alert for any danger. This is highly different from what he's read the Fae realm is supposed to look like. Perhaps that's to be expected, though, when the Winter Court is fully in control.

Without waiting for anyone else, and maybe not caring if anyone else follows, Jusis begins walking down the path. No words are spoken as he does so.]


Court Is Now in Session

[As if the trek isn't enough, now they have to fight their way through the castle itself to reach the King. Jusis grits his teeth, his patience wearing dangerously thin, especially when he's hit with a stray curse that gives him the wings of some sort of falcon. Another curse changes his shape into that of a unicorn with wings, but he's able to quickly adapt and regain his human form.

It's as he's finished casting a spell that harms the Fae with holy light, scattering them, that one wises up. They use an illusion on him that only he can see, and it makes him go pale. First in shock, then in sorrow, and then there's fury. Jusis stretches out his free hand, snarling:]

Not good enough!

[Instinct takes over and gravity abruptly increases on the offending Fae. They're brought crashing to the ground, unable to move. Although Jusis looks frighteningly murderous, he simply turns his back to them in disgust.]

You're hardly worth any further effort.

[And he's going to keep going, shaking slightly in pent up emotion.]


Wildcard

[Jusis is definitely not doing so well in the aftermath after all of this, but hit me with any other prompt!]

Tír na nóg

[infezione]

Hey, wait up!

[Despite the curse he'd gotten slammed with, that didn't dissuade Fugo from doing his duty. If nothing else, his danger sense would be useful.

But Jusis going off on his own? That's worrying. And while he knows the man can take care of himself, there's something about all of this that doesn't sit right with him.

So, of course Fugo takes off after Jusis.]

Pannacotta Fugo (Patrizio Fugo) | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure | Black Order AU

[infezione]

When the Fair Folk Call, Don't Let Them Near
[Fugo tried to be careful, he really did.

But ultimately, capricious beings such as the fae and someone with a temper as bad as Fugo's just do not mix. Maybe it's not entirely surprising when Fugo ends up literally thrown out of the park and cursed for his troubles.

He groans--anyone around might detect something off about his voice when he does--then starts checking himself over for injury once he picks himself back up.]

Ow, goddamn it--

[When he speaks up, though, he freezes. That's not--]

What the hell?!

[That's not Fugo's voice.]

Tread Not Here 'til the Light of Day
[With the still largely unidentified curse under something resembling control for now, Fugo's not going to let getting cursed once get in the way of doing his job. And hey, if nothing else, his new ability to sense danger is going to be helpful.

He's not going alone, of course, that'd just be stupid. That being said, though, he is placing himself at the front of the group, a summoned flame hovering above his hand to help light the way. He calls back to the rest of the group--]

Stay on the path and stay away from water, alright? And let's try to stay together!

I Tarried Once and Listened Long
[You know, on second thought, maybe actually going to the castle was a bad call for him personally.

At first, he doesn't seem terribly fazed at the illusions thrown his way, striking out with fire where he can, but then one... One has a bit of a stronger effect. A strange figure that moves as if it's under Fugo's control, that's what makes him blanch and stop in his tracks.]

No! No, no, no, no...

[He looks like he could be sick at any moment now.]

Wildcard
[Got any other ideas? Hit me up!]

don't let them near

[doubledollar]

[ a certain professor has already warned him that staying far away from the park is the best idea--and while Vash, definitely enjoying not being cursed and alive--can't fully keep away if only because there exists that pesky need to help people in need. even on a planet that isn't his own.

so he's made himself this idiotic promise that he'd not go inside--but try to help the people who manage to escape, in case they need it. so that's why the gun-slinging man with weird sunglasses is pacing closer to fugo when he's expelled, kind'a violently from the park. he doesn't get there quite in time to help him up, but that doesn't mean he's just gonna walk away. ...Fugo seems to be panicking, after all.]

Took a nasty tumble there. Something inside doesn't like you very much, looks like. Are you alright? Nothing broken, right??

I got a first aid kit-- [ oop, fugo's yelling, now. you okay, bud? frog in the throat? ]

vivian vintis // vyne · dragon ball xenoverse · normal au

[mehjin]

1 · somewhere, over the...

[if someone had started talking to her about rainbows and leprechauns a month ago, viv would have rolled her eyes and walked away from the crazy person. now... well, suffice to say, she's gained some new perspective. look, she's a college student, she could always use some extra cash. viv will quite shamelessly be chasing rainbows wherever she sees them throughout the month — particularly during spring break — and flipping any successful hauls at undertown (because no, she's not desperate enough to hand them to zodiac after she's been made well aware of how shady they are).

of course, in the process she gains not only wealth, but memories of lifes unlived. she sees herself with people she knows only from what she would have dismissed as mere dreams, if she didn't know better. sometimes she fights alongside them, other times she fights against the same. while her experience here isn't nearly as emotionally taxing as some others', it's still rather disorienting, and you may find her struggling to regain her footing.]

2 · now you seelie, now you don't

[the message from zodiac certainly served to pique viv's curiosity, if nothing else. would it be wiser for her to avoid the fair folk at all costs, especially given her lack of experience with the supernatural? absolutely! does overwhelming ennui foster strong self-preservation instincts? sadly not! and so, despite her better judgement, she decides to check out the park.

it's really quite pretty, she muses. seeing all the faeries just hanging out all over the place and people acting like they're not even there is still a little jarring, but considering that she herself would look more in place as the denizen of a magical realm, she supposes she'll just have get used to that dissonance.

unfortunately, with the seelie growing increasingly domineering, it was never a matter of if but when she would tick one of them off. it's as mild an offense as accidentally trampling a flower that rouses one of the fae's ire, and her flippant response of "I don't remember you owning the place" is of course ample reason for the vindictive little creature to place a curse upon her.

fortunately for viv, what was supposed to be a curse of chronic pain only succeeds in giving her an itch that simply will not go away. she doesn't feel very fortunate, though. it's maddening. at least she can't damage her skin by scratching it incessantly, since she no longer has skin.]

3 · face your [fae]r

[yeah, to hell with this. these little shits need to go. once again, her lack of combat experience — in this life, anyway — isn't going to stop viv from venturing into the fae realm, though she at least has the good sense to stick with others rather than forging ahead on her own.

that said, it's Spooky™ and all, but she's actually rather fascinated by what she sees in tír na nóg. just a shame about the mortal peril, she'd love to look around otherwise.

if she finds herself forced to fight, she'll... actually give a pretty decent showing for someone with zero training. muscle memory leaking in from the time before.]

somewhere over the...

[bolledivita]

[And perhaps unsurprisingly, Caesar's been joining Viv for rainbow chasing--he and Mercedes have three younger siblings to take care of, the money's very welcome.

But of course, considering they're both dealing with the fish so much, the memories come rolling in for the both of them.

When it's clear that a new wave of memories is disorienting Viv, Caesar starts gently guiding her to a bench.]

We should probably take a break for now.

[dangerouslyinlove]

Top of the Season

Ryoji is trying very hard not to think too much about the warnings he's been given regarding what's coming- which mostly means going about his life as normal. You're most likely to run into him at coffee shop, decked out in his greenest scrubs and with one of those ridiculous clover headbands bouncing on his head.

The Seelie are Jerks

Around the park, after their new guests have been around a few days, there is a very distressed raven toddling along the ground. Since it's not flying and screeching at anyone who passes by, the first instinct is probably to assume its hurt. But it seems undamaged, just... distressed. Which is weird, isn't it? And, actually, the raven looks a bit... off, like wifts of shadow are licking off it and making up some of its feathers, its shadow being a little wrong and not quite fitting.

In other words, Ryoji is having a really bad day, and is hopping around trying to get anyone to help. "Um!! Do you know how to stop being a bird?? I don't know how to be one at all!"

The Seelie are Jerks

[phoenixwiz]

Jamie has the misfortune of stepping into the park when it has begun to be overtaken by the Seelie and he has been on the run from them when he soon hears a voice calling for help. Wondering where the voice is coming from, he turns to find a talking raven asking for help.

“Um hi there. I don’t have anything to try to stop being a bird, but I can try to help in any way I can,” he checks in on Ryoji.

Jamie may not be cursed right now, but if he doesn’t get the two of them out of there, he might get cursed too.

Velvet Crowe | Tales of Berseria | OTA

[gotbadblood]

I. The Bogs
[Velvet wasn't much of a negotiator unless it involved extremely hostile threats, so she was pretty quick to volunteer for the more violent part of the mission. She marches into the realm. She's not really put off by the place, and instead just offers a word of warning]

Don't follow the floating lights if you don't wanna die.

[And with that, she starts heading into the bog! Friendly!]

II. Don't eat the Fairies (cw: mild body horror)
[Velvet had actually behaved while dealing with the Seelie and let Jusis handle most of the issues. However when it came down to facing the Unseelie? She figured it was no different from fighting anything else. She cut through several with blade, and when one came at her directly? She caught them in her claw and consumed them whole. Just like she's done with so many monsters and humans in the past.

Except man, something felt...off about this one as it went down. She ignored it at first, but once they managed to return to Kaisou? She's unsteady on her feet, looking ill and--- are those black feathers growing on her?

Maybe one should be more careful what they eat]

III. Wildcard
[Got another prompt for me? Hit me up!]

II

[infezione]

[Oh, that's. Hm.

Once they're back in Kaisou, Fugo realizes something's wrong very quickly.]

Miss Velvet! Shit, this doesn't look good... Those feathers... a curse?

Gravelord Nito | Dark Souls | OTA

[end_singer]

The Rainbow Connection

[Being a creature of the dark who's spent most of his existence far underground, the rainbows offer a particular fascination for Nito. Especially the idea that they have endings that he can just go find. What a novel idea!

That he finds fish when he gets there is a nice bonus to the experience of it. Nicer than the gold coins everyone had been talking about as far as he's concerned.

If one is quick (relatively speaking, given that there is little in this world or any other that can make Nito hurry), they can find him alternating between admiring the rainbow and contemplating the fish. If one is a little less quick, they might be greeted with the somewhat surreal sight of a skeleton dragging a cauldron of still-living golden fish down the sidewalk. It might be polite to assist.]


Wildcard

[Got an idea of your own? Go for it!]

Kanade Yoisaki | Project Sekai

[composalvation]

[A; The Seelie are Assholes]

[A simple trip through the park. That's all this was supposed to be.

It's a rare day where Kanade is outside; it's only been a few weeks since she got her computer back, so she's still figuring out the best places to order online for food and such. This means that, for now, she has to go out to pick things up. And now that she's living with someone else... well. She can't just get a few packs of ramen from a corner store. Even if she thinks it's too much effort to cook her own meals, she doesn't want to force Mafuyu to eat like she does. So that means going out to pick up some fresh groceries every once in a while.

Kanade was only crossing through the park to get to the store she was most familiar with. She'd kept to the edges as best as she could, having seen the notification earlier in the month, but... well. She's familiar with her own country's spirits and stories, not those of an entirely different culture. She vaguely knew that "the Fae" were also called fairies, and what little she knew seemed. Harmless? So maybe if she kept far enough away, things will be fine.

But the Fae are fickle. As she crosses through the park, earbuds fit snugly in her ears, a wandering Fae's attention is caught. Flittering around her, the small pixie tugs at one of the earbuds in her ear. Only momentarily startled, Kanade smiles and pulls it out, offering it to the Fae to listen...

... But the Fae just makes a disgusted face after a few seconds, throwing the ear bud back at Kanade and yelling something, waving their hands menacingly at Kanade before flying off, leaving the poor girl standing in the middle of the walkway looking both baffled and extremely concerned.]

... Did I do something wrong???

[An observant watcher might notice that, beneath that long, long hair, there seems to be... spines growing? No, not spines... they look like brand new feathers.]


[B; Like A Baby Bird (body horror mention but not part of the prompt)]

[... So uh. The few days between Then and Now sure were a thing. Being awoken in the middle of the night (or rather, midday, but considering Kanade's sleep schedule it's more or less the equivalent-) by an ungodly intense burning in her back, followed by the stomach-turning sound of skin ripping as two giant wings exploded from her back was quite possibly the worst thing Kanade has ever had to deal with. And she's dealt with some pretty terrible things in her short life.

So she'd needed a few days to recover from that. It's not like she leaves her room much anyway, but after cleaning up the mess left behind by that, she'd needed to rest, to sleep off the remaining pain and blood loss. But after those few days, Kanade's felt... different. Like everything's pressing in on her in a way that's been far more stifling than her self-imposed isolation has ever felt before. So, when she's sure that she won't keel over just from walking, she... makes her way outside again.

It's strange. This feeling of wanting to be outside for once.

When she returns to the park, it's long after the Fae have retreated back to their own realm and things have returned to normal. Still, she makes sure to find herself a nice quiet spot out of the way of some of the heavier foot traffic, taking a seat under a heavily shaded tree and, literally, stretching her wings.]

Ow...

[... Or tries to, at least. Both wings look as if someone sat on them, like they broke and reset wrong. Feathers - a soft, light brown color - have grown in wrong and the bones look crooked, but it looks like Kanade can still move them at least. One gingerly curls around to her front and she reaches out, running one hand gently over the ruined wings. She gently tries to straighten some of the feathers, but there's a slightly pained look on her face as she does.]


[C; Wildcard]

[Wanna throw something at Kanade that doesn't fall under one of those prompts? Throw it here! If you'd like to hash something out first, feel free to hit me up at OwlKnight or OwlKnight#3531 on Discord]

b

[fionnuisce]

[That most recent excursion was...it could have been worse, he had to begrudgingly admit. As far as he knew, everyone had gotten out alive. Unscathed, not remotely, but at least alive. That was already a stunning accomplishment, rampant curses or no.]

[And speaking of rampant curses, the isolated corner of the park where he'd planned to get a second to himself without someone staring meaningfully at him for smoking was not quite so isolated. Unlit cigarette practically forgotten, he stared at Kanade's wings in a mixture of concern and alarm--those didn't look like they were supposed to bend that way.]

Are...you hurt? You didn't fall and land on those or something, did you?

Alberto Scorfano | Pixar's Luca | ota

[prontissimo]

a. spring break / rainbow connection

[ Spring Break is sorely welcome. It's been a rough few months for Alberto, losing several of his closest friends back-to-back... Christmas Break was great but for the snow. Now he can go outside safely without worrying about getting wet and exposed as a sea monster and potentially captured/murdered/experimented on/etc... Y'know, his usual concerns. Now that it's warming up outside and he's got time off school, he's eager to get out and about again, so Alberto's back on his beat, thoroughly exploring the city on his own like he loves to do. All the rainbows are irresistible, then, of course. Why wouldn't he follow them, uhm? He asked around and heard rumors about the leprechauns and the gold at the end of the rainbow, and while he's maybe a little curious about the leprechauns (hey, fellow not-human people!), he's definitely more interested in the gold... So no matter where the rainbow leads, he's following. He's tracked this particular one for quite a few blocks, and is frustrated to find that it seems to end on the top floor of a building. But he thinks he sees a way up via a fire escape, but he can't quite reach the ladder to pull it down. Find this feral child climbing on top of a dumpster and leaping in the air frantically, trying to grab the bottom rung of the fire escape ladder. But he's a good foot or so short... If someone approaches him (cuz, uh, kid, what are you doing?), he'll hastily ask for assistance. ]

Hey! You. Help me out, will ya? Gimme a boost.

[ Nevermind that this is an apartment building that Alberto does not live in. Just trying to climb up onto some stranger's fire escape. Don't mind him. Ahem. ]


b. unwelcome guests

[ Two words: Huge. Letdown. Alberto's experience with the Fae last year had been largely positive, if not a little delusional, having endeared himself to them right away with endless compliments and favors... but that didn't pay off this time. If anything, it was to his disadvantage. The Fae were keen to kidnap both Alberto and Luca, whom they'd already heard a lot about last year from Alberto and his big mouth... along with their full names and life stories and anything else the Fae had asked about. Alberto was glad for their attention, total open book. And now, fast forward a year, Alberto's indiscretion has landed both Alberto and Luca in hot water. Imagine that... At first, he was excited to be reunited with the Fae, even found the idea of them "coming to visit" Kaisou rather charming... until it wasn't.

He's found himself under much stricter "care" than he'd been under last year. Last year he had fun chatting the Fae up over fancy feasts and essentially playing house, helping them in the castle voluntarily. This year, things are more down to brass tacks. They're much more directive now, trying to raise him up as their own, much stricter, and more intent on teaching him rules — and lessons. He's over a week into this and the fun is now starting to wear off. So far, no curses, but that could change at any moment... And he's well aware of it. It's a tightrope, following the Fae's rules and trying not to impugn their sensibilities. It's been a struggle. The kid can't even keep out of detention in a human public school. It's only a matter of time until he earns himself a curse...

Alberto makes himself useful around the forest camp, still does whatever the Fae tell him to do (usually fairy shit-work that they don't wanna do — that's, like, his favorite thing to do, if they recall correctly, right?) and tries to bite his tongue as best he can. He's well familiar with how to handle capricious but strict "parents" with ever-changing rules — his old tactics with his dad had usually worked out fine for him: don't ask questions, just do what you're told, and then do whatever the shell you want when they're not looking. But as time goes on trapped in the fairy colony, his sour attitude can't always be swallowed. He's seen pouting as one of the Fae puts him to task, and cheerily tells him to 'buck up, buddy.' Alberto can tell it's not a cheery boost — it's a warning. So he stands up straight, forcing a grin in response, but as the fairy floats away, Alberto locks eyes with whatever non-Fae person is nearest, and lets his face fall into a sneer behind the fairy's back. ]

Well, you heard 'im — let's buck up, buddy... Whatever that means.

[ He rolls his eyes and waves whoever it is he's speaking to along to walk with him. He's growing bitter now, resenting being told what to do, and doesn't want the company of fairies. He was a lot more appreciative of being kidnapped last year. Granted, last year he got kidnapped to a fancy magical castle. This year he's living in the park... Alberto's lived outside before, and he has to say, he prefers living inside. ]


c. the seelie are assholes (and so is the goose)

[ He's taken to hanging round the lake in the park, often dipping in for a swim, because it gives him a sense of distance from all this. He doesn't care if anyone sees him transform, all things considered... He's too annoyed to be cautious, anyway. ...Which also lands him in much hotter water, when he's surprised by another unfortunate reunion: the goose. You all know the one. Fae or not, that goose still lives in this park, and continues to live its best goose life, making everyone else's lives worse for it. You ever seen an angry goose chasing a purple fish-boy at top speed? Now you have. At least Alberto has the good sense to just run this time, rather than punch it like he did before; but still holding a grudge after Alberto aggressively tried to shoo it off at first, the goose doesn't seem to want to let up the chase. Alberto also smells a lot more like fish this time, to be fair. Alberto's too busy trying to keep the goose from biting his tail to notice all the Fae on the sidelines watching these shenanigans disapprovingly... This goose is gonna be the final straw to get him cursed, isn't it. Perhaps some kind, brave soul might like to intervene? Or maybe snap a picture with their phone, because... wow, what a sight. ]

A

[senorita_perfecta]

(Isabela has been feeling rather down following Luisa’s disappearance and she doesn’t feel like celebrating Spring right about now. She knows that she has plenty of work to do at the flower shop, which she doesn’t mind, but she just wishes that the city would stop taking away more loved ones from her in this city.

While she is walking around near the building she could see a rainbow leading up to the rooftop. Strange she never sees rainbows taking one to building before but she is intrigued. Hence why she runs on it to find Alberto trying to reach the bottom rung of the fire escape ladder while jumping up and down from a trash dumpster.)

Hola Alberto! You said you’re looking for some help, right? I can try to get that ladder down for you in no time. With or without the use of vines?