March Event Log

[kaisoumods]

March Event Log
Dominant Element: Wind
Waning Element: Earth

Full Moon: March 24th - March 26th

※

Spring is once again arriving in Kaisou. The temperatures warm and the snow begins to melt away in the early part of the month, with it being completely gone within the first couple weeks. Slowly the plants awaken from their slumber and the landscape becomes green once more. In the sky at night, the Spirit Vein is covered in bright hues of greens and emeralds. Thanks to the dominant wind element, it'll be a rather windy month as well. Strong gusts of wind are a daily occurrence, so you better make sure things are well secured if you're going outside. Wind aside though, the weather is a breath of fresh air compared to those cold winter months.

Seasons Turn

As usual, Kaisou is ready to celebrate any sort of holiday and March has two great ones! On the 1st March, you will find celebrations for St. David's Day around the city. Daffodils can be found in plant pots all over, and some over-enthusiastic celtophiles might even try to pin a leek to your shirt. A lot of the trendy restaurants in Brick Alley will be trying their usual trick of selling culturally significant foods to match the energy of the Fae. This time, bara birth, cawl and laverbread are on offer. On the 17th March, celebrations turn to St. Patrick's Day. Where St David's Day was largely about the food, this one is about the drinks. Bars across the city provide special, green beers, cocktails and everything in between. These can come in alcoholic or non-alcoholic fares. For youngsters, they will be encouraged to "follow the rainbow" - where adorable rainbow stickers have been put around the city- all leading to various "pots of gold"- or rather very enthusiastic volunteers with pots of chocolate coins to hand out for a reward. Adults can play too, but they will be judged.

March 19th sees the spring equinox come to the city. Everyone is delighted to see the end of winter and the beginning of spring and all the new life and new hope that comes with it. You can find groups of excited townspeople with stands offering flower pots and seeds to plant- ready for the coming spring. Some stalls in Undertown offer bundles of sage and other various plant life, stating to burn it in your house to cleanse it. The night offers you the chance to go to Kami State Park to stay up until sunlight, to greet the new season. There's dancing (some of it naked), there's drinking, and there are altars- luckily with no sacrifices, though some merrymakers do encourage leaving offerings there for the various deities who are heralds of the new season. Either way, it's a grand celebration to see in the Spring.

The Egg Hunt

Towards the end of the month, you will find flyers put up all around the city, advertising Elisa's Exciting Egg Expedition. It encourages city residents to come on by to Blue Fish park for a very exciting egg hunt- all ages welcome! Going to the park on the specified day will lead you to an excited young witch sitting at a table with sign-up sheets, wicker baskets and paper numbers to pin to your shirt. She explains she really wants to boost some community spirit and thought an egg hunt would really help with that! She is very insistent you join in- the person with the most eggs at the end of the day will get an exciting trophy! The trophy in question is next to her. You're not sure why anyone would want that but she seems so earnest about it! She explains she made the competition as exciting as she could, though does admit she might have gone a little overboard with it all.

You soon learn she wasn't kidding. The eggs you have to hunt a small, brightly colored things- what you would expect in an egg hunt really. Where things get weird is that these eggs have legs. They actively scurry away from you, trying to find new hiding places around the park. Even if you should capture one, there's a chance it will heave itself out of your basket and go running gleefully to a new hiding spot. If you want half a chance of getting that (amazing???) trophy, you will need to find a way to keep them inside your basket as well as capturing new ones. The eggs remain within the confines of the park, at least- but that doesn't mean they can't get into plenty of mischief, disrupting people's picnics, trying to take flight on children's kites, getting into almost impossible-to-reach places and dancing to taunt you. Some are foolish enough to get near the Terrible Geese, who decide to put them into their nests to sit on. Perhaps those ones aren't worth trying to get? Pick your battles and all that. Regardless, they will give you an absolute runaround, but at least they provide plenty of exercises and it is a little fun.

Disappearances and Replacements

In the early days of March, people begin to go missing from the Paranormal community. People stop showing up to work, friends don't respond to texts, and no one seems to be home when you check on them. It's not the first time people have been whisked away, so alarm bells to something afoot should immediately begin ringing for a lot of people. Just where are people being taken this time?

Well, the behaviors of others some folks might give you an idea. While there are some people who are straight up missing, it seems that others are acting very odd. They look like themselves, but their behavior feels more like a mediocre actor playing the most extreme versions of the person. They'll mistake names and not know the answers to really personal questions. If you have any magical sensing or you throw a bit of iron at them- the imposter will reveal themselves to be a changeling Fae. Turns out, they were asked to pose as a person while the Fae courts borrowed people for awhile.

Seems the Fae are at it yet again.

The Fae are at it Again

On March 5th, Zodiac will send out an alert.

ALERT: SPIRIT REALM ANAMOLY DETECTED IN BLUE FISH LAKE PARK.
Element Classification: Wind
Danger Level: High
Designation: Tír na nóg
The realm of the Fae has reappeared in Kaisou. We have reason to believe that like with previous times, the Fae are behind the recent disappearances. We request assistance in retrieving the kidnapped victims. Please show caution with the Fae, as they are prone to curse anyone they dislike or like too much.

Should you visit the Zodiac office, you'll find the staff to be rather agitated. Three years now, they've had the Fae come to visit the city, and three years now they've made a real mess of things. Even worse, they've been experiencing their own bits of trouble lately, though inquiring about those will get the staff to be evasive and say it's not really their place to disclose it right now. It's fine, probably.

Regardless of their agitation, they'll explain the situation. The Fae courts had returned to Kaisou once again, and once again the Seelie and Unseelie were feuding once more. However this time instead of all-out war, the Fae had reached out to Zodiac about helping them with an "Olympics competition" that would help them determine who should lead the realm. Zodiac had declined to help due to the numerous problems the Fae had caused in the past, which resulted in the Fae deciding to go with Plan B: kidnapping a bunch of people to make them compete on their behalf and stack the odds in their favor.

Around this time, you might notice that there's somewhere missing in the office. Rather, the Professor (fuzzy) is nowhere to be found, with his little chair sitting empty. When you bring attention to this, the Zodiac staff member will sigh and say "Yeah. They kidnapped him too."

If nothing else, it seems you'll have to go save the Professor if you ever want to hear borderline-useless history facts again.

Once you've finished talking to Zodiac, it's time to head to the gate. Zodiac will inform you that the gate is located over in Blue Fish Lake park. Once you're are the park, your destination is into the forest grove that the Fae took over last year. Before you reach the forest, however, those kitsune that made themselves at home in the park will intercept you. They've caught wind about what's going on, and they've decided they want to help. After all, this city only has room for one loveable group of magical tricksters (their words). So they will offer up some medallions, claiming that they will "protect" you from Fae magic. Maybe. The medallions look like something cheap you'd find at a party store. They will dismiss any attempts to point that out, and also tell you they got some other kitsune agents inside- so keep an eye out for them! And with that, they skitter away.

That interruption out of the way, it's time to head into the forest. The magic there is still quite active, with the trees and flora having grown much larger than normal, and the whole place looking closer to a fairy tale forest than anything you'd normally see in a city park. There's giant mushrooms, glowing flowers, and woodland critters everywhere. Deep into the forest you'll find the gate: a large circle of mushrooms on the ground. One will only need to step into it to be teleported away.

The Kidnapped

What about those who have been snatched and replaced? Some may recall an altercation with a Fae before they were subdued, while others will simply remember getting extremely sleepy as a sleeping spell got cast on them. No matter what they recall, they will find themselves waking up in a rather posh bedchamber. Fae attendants will come in to check on your needs, checking if everything is to your liking, though any requests to go home will fall on deaf ears. Even though this place is much more medieval in terms of technology, they seem determined to make your stay as comfortable as possible. Anything for their "honored competitors", they claim. They'll even allow you to wander the hall of the wing to visit others who have also been kidnapped, among them including a certain fuzzy professor whose clearly stressed out being here. It's clear you're not allowed to leave. There's magic preventing any teleportation spells, and any people considered to be "dangerous" will have a wood and silver cuff on their wrist that'll limit using their powers entirely.

Around midday, they'll bring the now hungry competitors down to the main hall of the castle for an elaborate meal. Any type of food you could possibly desire, as well as foods you've never heard of, are laid across the giant banquet table. The Fae attendants will highly encourage you to eat, piling food on your plate and insisting you try various things. Among the Fae, the court seems to be a mix of Seelie and Unseelie Fae... in other words, a mix of goth and prep Fae, if you may. The relations between these two Fae types is rather tense, with the two groups sitting in different areas of the dining hall and interacting as little as possible. But considering last year they were actively killing each other -- you have to admit this is a big improvement for them.

Finally, they've made sure everyone has eaten, the leaders of the Fae court will make an announcement. Since the slaying of the Unseelie King last year, the two courts have reached the conclusion that their society can't afford the losses caused by these regular conflicts. Ergo, they've decided to find more a less lethal method to carry out their disputes. After studying modern human culture for ideas, they learned of the Olympic games and were struck by an idea. To settle their disputes, they would be holding a "sports" tournament. And to ensure no precious fae lives were lost in these games (what), they decided to bring in outsiders to compete in the games for them. Since the app users have more than proven their value, they seemed like the perfect candidates for this... high... honor.

As objections get raised, the Fae will attempt to placate them. They'll insist that anyone who willingly competes in the games will be returned home at the conclusion of the game. They'll even throw in some prizes for any of those who do well, whether that be in the form of a new power, to be rid of a pesky curse, or just a cash prize. But that's about where the placation ends. They'll let everyone know that now that they've consumed food of this realm, they'll be unable to leave until the Fae of this realm lets them leave. And for those who plan to refuse to help or do anything to sabotage the games... they will curse them to become fully a monster- which means erasing their memories and sapient mind forever.

Tír na nóg

As for the would-be rescuers? They'll arrive at the gate of the realm. The landscape of Tír na nóg is beautiful, looking like it came out of the pages of a fairy tale. Golden sunlight washes over lush meadows and forests ahead of you. Behind you, are tall rocky cliffs that drop down into the raging sea below. In the distance, there is a castle that stands on higher cliffs and looks like the only place of civilization in this realm. If there's any spot where the kidnapped folks are being held, it's there.

Unfortunately before you can begin the long trek towards the castle, you'll find that the Fae were ready for you this time. A whole squad of Fae soldiers surround you. Anyone who tries to fight against them will find themselves either being hit with a sleep spell, or on the nasty end of a curse. Once the Fae are sure they have apprehended you, you'll be lead to the castle to join the others that have been kidnapped, being filled in on the situation along the way. The march takes so long that you're practically starving by the time they reach the castle, so convincing one to eat won't be difficult. Seems this isn't going to be your finest hours as a rescuer.

However, the rescue attempt is not all for naught. Remember those cheap medallions the kitsune had given the rescuers? About half of them are actually enchanted with a special spell that'll negate the effects of the Fae-realm food if you're wearing it. This means that at least some of those trapped in the realm will be able to escape. It's up to you to choose to save yourself, or give the medallion over to another person so they can be spared the fate of whatever these Olympics will entail.

As for the other half of the medallions? Well. Yeah. They're completely worthless. Thanks Kitsune for half-assing that job.

Training Montage

Now that all the "honored competitors" have arrived, the Fae decide it's time for everyone to begin training. First, everyone is assigned to the faction they're meant to represent. Fire, Earth, and Light characters will be assigned to Team Seelie; while Water, Wind and Shadow characters are assigned to Team Unseelie. Those who haven't found their elemental calling will be decided by a flip of a coin. Each of them are given garments that are meant to represent their associated teams. Team Seelie's garments will be light in color, with a natural cottage core look. Meanwhile Team Unseelie... well "goth witches" is probably the best way to describe your look.

Time moves quicker in the Fae Realm compared to Earth, with several days passing in the Fae Realm while only one day passes on Earth. So for the next several days, the Fae will give various training exercises to help everyone prepare for the games. There's only one training ground, so Team Seelie trains during the day, while Team Unseelie trains at night. At the training grounds outside the castle, there's an obstacle course that looks like it's more out of American Ninja Warrior: Medieval Edition than any normal obstacle course. There's also a combat ring, where you can spar against dummies that are enchanted to move or other Libra App users (the Fae will decline on fighting). Finally, there is space for the most difficult challenge of all: the ribbon dance. For this, the Fae will hand you ribbons and expect you to have a full dance routine prepared for the games. They do not elaborate further to what's going to be expected. It seems they expect each competitor to compete in at least one of the events, but they also will encourage them to compete in all of them.

Of course, while the Fae are famous for being creatures of their words, they are also known for being tricksters and cheaters. So as they observe your training, they may try to "assist" by means of giving curses they think will be beneficial and give you an edge. Or by contract, Fae from the rival court may try to curse you in ways that will hinder your efforts. No matter the case, the Fae as unapologetic as ever.

If there's one mercy, it's that the Fae quickly realize that the Fuzzy Professor really isn't cut out for athletics due to his tiny puppet legs. Therefore, in a rare act of compassion, they allow the Professor to serve as a commentator and expert on the Olympics. If you want a moral boost to hear the insanity that happened during the 1904 Olympics between your grueling training sessions? He's your puppet.

On the final evening before the games, some kitsune will approach any characters they happen across alone. These sure enough are the same kitsune from the park. They'll tell you they want to help you in the games. So they will offer you a golden drought to help improve your odds, before disappearing into the night. If you take it, you have a 50% chance of having your overall ability approve for one of the events. On the other hand... it has a 50% chance of backfiring and making you faint, causing you to fail the event all together. Thanks Kitsune, really.

First Event: Dance-Off

After days of practice, the first day of the Olympics finally arrives. The court area of the castle has been decorated for the first event, with a large stage set up in front of the thrones of the Court. Here, the honored competitors are expected to perform the dance routine they've prepared in front of the Seelie and Unseelie courts. There's a group of Fae musicians, ready to play any medieval version of songs you have requested. Costumes have also been prepared to match the mood of your dance, just to add to the aesthetic.

Just go on stage and danced what you practiced! Should be easy enough, right? Well. Maybe not. While the Fae are paying attention to the normal things dancers are graded on, there's always a chance they might decide to spice things up with a little spell here or there. Footwork is too slow? Well some fireballs being thrown at your feet your way might take care of that. Or the stage might become slippery, just to try to trip you up.

But a true dancer won't let that get in their way! So dance your heart out and try to impress the crowd. At the end, they will give score cards on how you think they did, though it's really hard to figure out what metric they're scaling this on.

Second Event: The Marathon

On the morning of the second day of the games, it's announced you will be taking part of a marathon. You've always heard marathons are grueling, nightmarish things. They require a lot of stamina and strength of body and mind. Naturally, the Fae's version of this is considerably worse, because, of course, it is. If you were expecting a regular grueling cross-country run with perhaps a little swimming and climbing you will find that's exactly what you're in for. Well. That and the head.

The Fae delightfully hands you a decapitated head- it's resting in a pouch with a chain so you can attach it to your belt. The head, they say, is an important part of the process. You must take this head through the marathon course to the end- the head cannot be left behind nor damaged, it's super important it gets to the end unscathed. The head, it turns out, is enchanted and will provide a running commentary on everything you're doing- it might provide some encouragement through your ordeal, but it's just as likely to give you some unhelpful tips or tell you how badly you're doing. Maybe keeping the head unscathed will be harder than you think when you want to punt the thing into the nearest lake.

The marathon sees you racing others across a long, difficult terrain. It starts through verdant forests, with roots and rocks to trip you up, and not much space to maneuver between the massive tree trucks that surround you. It then leads into a bog, where you'll need to navigate through the muck and grime. No matter the time of day, it's dark and gloomy here. These bogs are extra treacherous than normal, as taking the wrong step could lead you to fall under the deep murky waters. Will-o'-the-wisps appear as lights floating over the bog, intent on leading people off the path, and into the waters below. If you're truly unlucky, you might even come across some undead skeletons that want you to join them, or a herd of Kelpies who are keen on drowning you. And if all that doesn't get you - the leeches might.

Finally, you come to a mountain, which you are expected to climb up to the top. Unfortunately, the Fae forgot to mention the fun addition to this climb- a massive red dragon, that is easily a hundred feet in length. The dragon attacks anyone trying to climb past its cave- it breathes fire and will absolutely eat anyone it catches. You will either have to battle it or try and find a way around it through stealth. Make it to the top and place the still obnoxiously chattering head on the plinth and victory is yours!

Final Event: The Duel

The final event, on the third day, is a duel between yourself and another app user. You are first led to a room with racks upon racks of various weaponry. There's everything from swords to hammers, to maces and guns and so on- just about any sort of weapon you can imagine is here to use so long as it's not made of iron. You are told you may pick any weapon you'd like- but they will not tell you what weapon your opponent chose. If you are wish access to your own weapons, they will allow it, summoning it here for you. You're allowed as many weapons into the ring that you can carry on your person, so choose wisely.

You climb a ladder up to a huge raised circular platform, below you is a large body of water, ready to catch anyone who falls. It's high enough the drop won't kill you, but it'll sure hurt all the same if you belly-flop onto the water's surface. Once both you and your opponent are in position, you are told the battle will continue until someone yields - or dies. They don't mind either way, it's entertainment for them however this ends. Other than that, there are no rules - all powers are allowed, as are any monstrous changes you have at your disposal. With that out of the way, a gong sounds and the battle commences. Crowds of Fae and spectators, who are guarded by a magic barrier, will cheer and boo every move- some may have very clear favorites. However the battle goes, it will not end until one of you yields.

Or, again, dies. If you're both too damn stubborn to stop. Once the battle ends, you will be brought back down the ladder and allowed to collect your things- either hailed as a winner or mocked as a loser. If you require healing, you can either seek out a Fae healer or one of the healers from the Libra app who are less likely to curse you. Though some of you don't get to rest just yet, as some may be asked to fight once again should the Fae be rather taken with them.

If you're not currently fighting, you are even welcome to spectate yourself! There is a section of the bleachers set up for the app users to sit and safely watch the fights. And don't worry about not understanding what's going on, as the Professor (Fuzzy) is acting as a commentator on the match, along with the.... severed head from the last event. Oh great, it seems they've bonded. Wonderful.

Though if any parties try to be too cheeky and attempt to yield "too early" to get out of a fight? They'll find themselves in for a nasty surprise, as the Fae will boo before summoning three fire breathing chimeras of varying animal combinations into the ring. These Chimeras will attack the fighters on sight with intent to kill, and your only hope is to defeat them before you wind up as dinner.

Aftermath

After the final event comes to a close, the Fae will announce the end of the Olympics. Between the questionable scoring system and the different Fae throwing around accusations of cheating (you ALL cheated), it's really not clear who is the victorious side. It seems like it's going to be something the Seelie and the Unseelie will be debating for a long while.

But, that's not your problem. You completed the Olympics, and so the Fae are bound to their word to let you go. Those who participated in the battle tournament and gave a good show will be given a boon from the Fae, granting them an ability different from their own element.

[OOC note: please redeem this boon on the regain page. Ability can be from ANY element and worth up to 3 points in value. You must link a thread from your battle, with a minimum of three comments from each participating character. Characters are free to duel as many people as they like, but they are only eligible for ONE boon.]

After the boons are given out, it's time to return home. Either travel back to the gate, or teleport home. Kaisou is waiting for you, and not much time has past since your departure. The Spirit Realm will be available through the end of the month, in case you decide for some reason you WANT to spend to spend more time with the Fae.

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.

During the month of March, players can obtain up to 3 free monster regains! Please redeem these regains in the Regain page

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

Ritsuka Fujimaru | Fate/Grand Order | open!

[prunedworlds]

[I. Training Time]

Regardless of whether Ritsuka was kidnapped or would-be rescuer she was probably kidnapped, let's be honest she plans to at least put in a good effort at these games. Honestly, as far as she's concerned, a little and occasionally mildly dangerous competition is a pretty tame deal, especially for creatures like fae. So she, for one, isn't bothering much with complaints and instead is setting to work.

Most likely, you'll spot her attempting the obstacle course, which Ritsuka is actually... not terrible at! She's not fast and doesn't have any moves, but it's clear she's pretty used to being physically active. Somewhat less often, she'll at least make the occasional attempt at the combat ring, though her inexperience at actually fighting herself clearly shows.

And then there's the ribbons, which she definitely has no idea what to do with. Offer some help or advice? Or tell her it's not worth bothering?


[II. Marathon Running]

Of all things, this is probably where Ritsuka, for once, really shines. Not because she's fast, oh no, but when you've spent as much time as she has traversing all kinds of terrain on foot, well, you acquire a bit of stamina. Not to mention, for once, having a tendency to turn into a fox actually comes in handy, letting her slip through small spaces or avoid getting stuck in mud.

That said, the dragon is definitely a problem. She doesn't really have the means to fight, which means either sneaking past with some careful use of illusions (and hoping the talking head doesn't give her away too soon) or... sitting back and hoping someone else who can take on a dragon comes along.

"So... Think we can get past if we work together?"


[III. A Day of Duels]

Perhaps oddly, for someone who broadly has a strong dislike for fighting, the duels in principle don't seem to bother Ritsuka much. So long as people end them when one party yields, and everyone keeps it relatively friendly, it can be all in good fun, after all? Which is why she can often be found in the stands when someone she knows is in the ring, cheering on her friends. Or, if someone's been hurt, possibly rushing to help with her recently-acquired healing magic.

Alternatively, if you've found yourself in the ring with her, whether as an ally or an opponent? Well, she definitely doesn't seem too put out about it, given her greeting: "Let's make this a good, friendly match!"


[IV. A Dash through the Park]

Later in the month, once all that fae business is settled, things are probably more or less back to normal. By Kaisou standards, at least. Whether or not a two-tailed fox tearing through the park with a swarm of bees hot on its tails counts as 'normal', however... well, that's just a matter of perspective, isn't it?

Should Ritsuka see someone she recognizes, she'll try to shout a warning. Did you know she turned into a kitsune sometimes? Well, now you do! Alternatively, perhaps she ran right into you as she tried to look over her shoulder to see if the bees are still after her... (They are.)


[V. Swimming Lesson(?) - CLOSED to Vash]

Ritsuka's standing at the edge of the lake, already decked out in her magic cloak. This whole thing seemed like a good plan for getting Vash to at least try going in a body of water--the lake only went so deep, and lacked big waves or currents like the ocean, so it'd definitely be pretty safe. Plus, if they found that special plant, they'd get paid! The trick was, of course, convincing Vash to actually go through with all this.

"Don't worry, if anything happens, I can use the cloak to help get you out. I've already tested it out a few times!"

Surely nothing could go wrong...


[Wildcard]

As always, feel free to hit me up in PMs or Discord (Altocumulus) or just throw a tag my way! As far as duels go I'm still open to plotting; Ritsuka's pretty lacking in offensive abilities but has decent dodge game, at least. THAT SAID I'm fine with her getting her butt handed to her, just no death please!

Training Time;

[ganymed]

Of course, that's a familiar face. Enough to shock the blond out of his own efforts, as sullen-emoting as he is. He asks, "Ritsuka? You're here too?"

Then, he pauses, seeing the way she's a little lost at the ribbons. He doesn't particularly care who wins this or not, but he also figures it can't hurt to help either. "Are you also having trouble with those?"

Rose | FFXIV | OTA

[poisontippedcure]

[Waking Up]

[This isn't the first time Rose has been kidnapped here. This isn't even the second. But this is the most pleasant, and Rose doesn't know how to feel about that.]

[Wait, no, she does. She's still extremely angry about it. She actually heeded the warnings to avoid the fae this time, and it didn't even matter. In her fury, she tries to cast a Holy spell. It doesn't work. She tries to use her vision. It doesn't work. She tries to use healing magic, it doesn't work.]

[Eventually, she gets to the last weapon in her arsenal--complaining. She runs out into the hallway in the hopes that someone, anyone, is there.]

Hello? This isn't funny!

[Feast of Champions]

[Even the angriest cat can be coaxed with kibble, and Rose is no different. When they bring out the food, she instantly caves. She's hungry, okay?]

[And she actually has a happy expression on her face! Up until the point that they announce that since they've eaten the food, they can't leave the fae realm, anyway. She never wanted to be an athlete. But it could be worse.]

[She looks to the person beside her:]

At least if we're competing in sports, no one is likely to die. It could be worse, right?

[That right there is some grade-A copium, ma'am.]

[Eorzean Ninja Warrior]

[Rose is...not particularly good at athletics. She has never been, and she isn't now. That she managed to survive being a Warrior of Light until her time in Kaisou stumps even the most studied of scholars.]

[Nowhere is this more obvious than on the obstacle course. Sure, she's able to pull off some good moves with her Anemo Vision, and she's able to dodge some things. But without the help of her void sent friend (that she is actively trying to avoid using), there's only so much she can do.]

[At some point, she tries the striking dummy. It goes poorly.. Poorly enough that she ends up sitting next to it, regretting her life choices.]

[Perhaps a word of encouragement would help?]

[Let's D-d-duel!]

[Despite her poor showing earlier, Rose is still out on the court. She trusts her friends to hold back. She does not trust the fae to.]

[She'll smile at whomever's on the other side of the ring, her scythe drawn. Well, time to do her best (tm).]

I won't go easy on you.

["But please, go easy on me."]

[Wildcard!]

[She might be a Warrior of Light but she's absolutely the worst of them at fighting, your character could absolutely take her on in a Denny's parking lot.]

Let's Duel, 2V2 Vs Takame and Rose!

[hoshikiri]

[Maybe you were fighting alongside someone. Well, so was Rose! She had Takame by her side. And he certainly looked like the more threatening of the two at a glance.

Which was not wrong, but Rose was the White Mage too. So they're more formidable together.]

Underestimate us at your peril. [That is a threat.]

Caelus | Honkai Star Rail | OTA

[actnormal]

Around the Town - Caleb Why

[It's been a while since Caleb was in Kaisou, so he's taking most of the month to get re-accustomed to the city and just sort of vibe.

And by "vibe", we mean "can absolutely be found doing one of two things: dumpster diving and hitting up his favorite thrift stores". If you're lucky, you'll just see him leaving the thrift stores with so much random shit, most of it likely not even fully functional.

If you're unlucky, you might run into him as he is climbing out of a dumpster somewhere, tossing something into the crate labeled "NOT TRASH". There is a Delcatty and a Dewott guarding the crate, for some reason. Don't ask questions.]

Trash Panda

[Caleb is lucky. Caleb has not been kidnapped by the fae.

Caleb has still been cursed by the fae. The park isn't the best place to go properly dumpster diving, but it is surrounded by some nice houses and apartments, and the thrift store nearby always has the coolest shit. He's passing through the park on the way back to his (somewhat junker) of a car with his latest haul when a very pretty person (read: faerie) spots him. Without even saying anything, they just wave a hand at Caleb and leave.

All Caleb feels is a weird breeze and then something brushing up against the back of his legs. He tries to turn around to see what it is, but he's struggling to see his own, new tail.]

Wildcard

[HMU if you want something different!]

Around the Town - Caleb Why;

[ganymed]

[ What in the name of... ]

...What are you doing?

[ Ganymede asks because he saw him just crawl out of a dumpster HELLO??? ]

Waver Velvet | fate/ servantswap au | ota

[fionnuisce]

[i; glitter and gold]

Are you out of your goddamn mind?

[Amidst the objections being raised in the castle was of course Waver, who had politely declined to eat or drink anything until he now decided to be decidedly less polite.]

Don't get me wrong, better this than some all-out war again. But what the hell possessed you to think I was a good option here? [Gesturing to himself in obvious disbelief, which prompted the particular faerie he was speaking with to offer a shrug and something that sounded a lot like 'the Seelie court thought it would be worthwhile to enlist the son-in-law of Aengus'.]

[At which point Waver turned bright red and spluttered incoherently while a few wayward sparks flickered up around him in the far too warm air.]

Wh-...f-first of all--you can't just-?!

[ii; devil's dance floor]

[The dance competition was out, and the marathon was even more right out as far as Waver was concerned. Hard and impossible respectively, when one already walked with a cane. But fighting? Sure, he could do that in short bursts. Outmatched as he might have been in a one-on-one match, he'd still be fully prepared to give it his best.]

You don't have to hold back. I'm tougher than I look.

[Or he could be faced in a two-on-two fight with Diarmuid on his side, visibly much more confident in his chances there than he was when fighting on his own.]

Show us a good fight, would you?

[iii; icarus; cw: mention of blood/death/forced suicide;]

[Pragmatism was what it was, and he'd tried not to eat or drink anything that hadn't already been in his pockets for safety's sake. But before long, that got more than a little troubling. He already needed to eat more than the average person to keep his mana reserves in check, so the current situation wasn't sustainable. So much so that he really didn't bother to question the copious amounts of food offered by that weird goth software programmer. Either he ate something or passed out and died of mana deprivation, so-]

[Unfortunately, several things happened at once. Revulsion, for one. The taste rang of freshwater tainted with blood, of iron and rot and choking miasma, flashing the sight of seaglass-green disdain and a memory of agonizing pain-]

[Everything turned white-hot in an instant, a phoenix taking Waver's place and flying off in an erratic path fueled by blind panic as the initial shock paired with something else. A memory not his--seen through a familiar? Did it matter?]

[It was over in a flash. Irisviel and the fourth's Saber gasping in shock as the crimson blade spilled its wielder's own blood. Kayneth and Sola-ui, badly injured. And a man in black Waver had never met and yet knew too well, watching it all unfold. Hearing a screamed tirade of anguish and rage. 'Let the grail be cursed, let the wish it grants bring disaster-']

[The panicked streak of orange feathers didn't land so much as it crashed and stumbled, skittering into the shadow of a tree in a trail of long tailfeathers and trying to catch his breath.]

[...But he'd known all along, hadn't he? Somehow, he'd known that was how it would have ended.]

[iv; wildcard]

[you know how this works]

i

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose ended up next to Waver, because of course she did. Though she was much less hesitant about imbibing the food and drink, she was just about as confused about why the fae chose them. Sure, she was a Warrior of Light, but she wasn't particularly good at it.]

I don't expect that they considered that when they kidnapped us. Likely they thought anyone on the app would be a suitable champion.

[And then the fae say something that she catches the tail end of. Wait, that doesn't make sense.]

[No.]

[Wait.]

[It does.]

[Rose does a horrible job of stifling her laughter as she looks away from Waver. They have you on read, ser.]

Noctis Lucis Caelum | Final Fantasy XV

[illucesco]

i. kidnapped!

This really couldn’t wait until we’d gotten preorders up? Christ.

[There’s not much Noctis can do about having been kidnapped. The teleportation block in place affects even his warping, so he can’t just chuck a fishing lure out the window and warp out. He ought to know, he tried that already. He doesn’t know shit about faerie lore so he ate the food they gave him, taking care to leave the vegetables untouched. By faerie logic that means he’s a willing participant.

This, he thinks, is really going to put a hamper on the level he was working on.]

I’d have appreciated a warning, at least. I have an Oshawott who isn’t going to like being separated from me. [The deepest sigh as he leans on the practice sword, clearly a little winded from the exertion.] Anyway—

[He’s griping about it now during training. Thankfully, without the warping the fae don’t see him as a threat, and he can’t even say they’re wrong, because boy is he getting hammered in this practice round. A lance crackling with lightning shimmers into his hand out of thin air, and he swings it at his opponent—either the training dummy, or you.

Damn, does he telegraph that swing from a mile away.]

ii. the marathon

[Are you racing past the bog? Great! You might find Noctis standing nearby, fishing rod in hand, a bucket scrounged up from somewhere, and a very annoyed severed head hanging from his belt beside a seal pelt. Despite the head telling him to get a damned move on already, Noctis stays put and instead casts his line out into the murky waters again.

There’s…boy, that’s a lot of shiny-looking salmon in the bucket.]

D’you want one? I’m planning to get them grilled up later, take them back home once this whole mess is done, but you can have one now if you want.

[Is he going to come in dead last? Yes. Does he care? Listen, man, as long as he can spend hours fishing then he’s a happy man. This is the most relaxed he’s ever been including in sleep.]

iii. the king of light

[Of course Noctis ate his own catch. He worked hard for all that fish, of course he wanted a taste of one. And then he’d gone for a nap and when he woke up…

The thing was: Noctis Lucis Caelum hadn’t expected to wake up at all. He blinks awake and stares, surprised, at whoever’s shaking him awake. This is—definitely not what he was expecting to see. To be honest he wasn’t sure he’d be seeing anything, so he’s stunned at the fact that there is so much going on around him: there are people, there are walls, there’s a lot of weird shit happening—]

—you’re not Luna. [He says this with some surprise at whoever’s woken him.] Where am I? How am I—ow, okay, that’s my back. How am I alive?

iv. when the daylight comes

[After the games’ end, Noctis (Lucis Caelum) walks out of a portal, sore and tired, and stops right in place as he looks up at the morning sky. His breath catches in his throat, and he spends just…a solid minute staring up at the sky.

Oh.]

It’s been a long time since I saw the morning. [He sounds…very soft and sad. Like he doesn’t expect to see this again.

He knows he won’t. He’s not going to stay long in this world—this isn’t his life to live, and this world’s Noctis has friends who would miss him. He’s made his peace with his death and his grief, and he won’t get in this Noctis’s way.

But.

God, just for one day: let him live in the sunlight again.

A single tear slips down his cheek, and he wipes it off with the back of his hand.]

I wonder what this world’s got to offer.

iv. when the daylight comes;

[ganymed]

[ Well, that is a bit of a familiar face; Ganymede sees Noctis walk out, looking just like that.

And is kind of mildly concerned. ]

...Noctis?

Beredvyn of Nal (Meredith Nelson) | OC | open!

[thewarriorqueen]

[I. Attempted Rescue]

Meredith, as luck would have it, was not one of the kidnapped. As luck would not have it, however, the same didn't necessarily apply to certain of her friends, on top of the whole general principle of the thing. Which meant here she was at the gate, ready to do her part on the rescue mission.

For all the good that did.

Whether at the spirit realm gate or captured back at the castle, expect to find a somewhat exasperated but no less determined woman doing her best to cope with yet another bizarre situation.

"The Olympics, really?"

Not to mention, she may or may not have gradually acquired a short tail and some fuzzy ears as the days went by, compliments of some mischeivous fae...


[II. In the Arena]

Of course, Meredith wasn't one to shy from a fight. You didn't get caught up in nonsense like HEMA if you didn't enjoy the occasional full-contact spar, after all. So here she was, ready to do her best, whether to support a partner or take down an opponent.

"Let's just keep this friendly, alright? Let the other guy have a chance to yield."

That said, she'd adamantly insisted on having her own weapon rather than one provided by the fae. Not because it was more powerful or anything, but rather the opposite: the sword she was carrying, while definitely a proper sword, had a blunted edge to make it safe(r) for competitive bouts.


[IIa. An Unexpected Opponent - CLOSED to Noctis]

Regardless of whoever else she fought, there was one match that was to end up standing out to her in particular. It didn't start out oddly at all, however: Meredith simply preparing herself and her weapons when she spotted her designated opponent. A friend of hers she'd made since she began using the app.

"Hey there, so you're fighting too, huh?"


[III. Local Festivities]

Once all the fae nonsense was dealt with, Meredith was more than happy to get back to the relatively mundane activities around the city. Whether indulging in some St Patrick's Day booze or giving the egg hunt a suspicious sideye, she could be found out and about, largely minding her own business.

Feel free to interrupt, naturally.


[Wildcard]

As always, feel free to hit me up in PMs or Discord (Altocumulus) or just throw a tag my way! I'm still very open to duels, Meredith is reasonably strong from Earth element buffs... but that also means Earth element, so she's not at her best, either. But if you want someone who can either survive a pretty solid beatdown or knows how to hold back against a weaker opponent, she's your gal! My only condition is no death, please. Coin flip also said she got a working amulet from the kitsune, so if you want one, it's yours!

2a.

[illucesco]

He hasn't picked up any of the weapons here. Whatever's brought Noctis here has severely limited his magic, but that's fine, he's worked with limits on his abilities before. It does mean, though, that he can't just pick up a weapon and stuff it into the Armiger like he usually would, and since he doesn't trust their hosts, he's not about to touch their shit either.

He blinks, and looks up to see—a woman? Who seems to know him, judging by how familiarly she's greeting him. Noctis feels flat-footed, a stranger in his own skin. Perhaps he is. People have known him since he opened his eyes here, people he's never met in his life, and he can't find Luna anywhere. Or his retinue, though he was very much hoping not to see them so soon.

"Uh, yeah, I guess so," he says, after a second. "I, uh. I'm sorry, Miss, but we haven't actually met." Or at least Noctis Lucis Caelum hasn't met her, and the difference between him and the Noctis she knows is subtle but there: the regal bearing, for one thing, that the game developer lacks.

JONATHAN JOESTAR | JJBA / DAYBREAK CRAU | OPEN!

[standless]

PRE-OLYMPICS

[standless]

{DISAPPEARANCES AND REPLACEMENTS}

[Something is very strange about Jonathan today! He goes about town doing his usual business, sitting cozily on his Indeedee- Alfred- but the thing is, he doesn't seem to be...chatty. He's not saying a word in fact! Occasionally he even squeaks. Instead-]

Oͦhͪ,̓ hͪeͤlloͦ ᴛⷮhͪeͤrͬeͤ! Woͦndͩeͤrͬfuͧl dͩaͣy iͥs͛n'́ᴛⷮ iͥᴛⷮ?

[why is the indeedee talking]

{THE KIDNAPPED}

[Probably, no one in Kaisou will be especially surprised to hear later that the real Jonathan was tucked cutely into a massive bed that really doesn't suit him at all. It's adorable, look at him. Baby bat. Baby.

(He is 21,)

Anyway, there's a fae attendant absolutely fawning over him the entire day. No matter who approaches, who says what, they're just giggling over this teeny bat in their hands like it's the most precious lil thing. Maybe it is. Who knows. They're going on and on about how their delightful little bat doesn't have to worry over a single little thing, they will make sure of that.

And with that in mind they plant a big ol' smooch on his teensie little head, set him down at the table to eat, and leave everyone to it.]

Well, if you insist of course! Rather have the impression there's no choice here... [He coughs into a wing.]

Oh, might you pass that dish of gooseberries?

[...........there is a Rock, in his Head.]

{TRAINING MONTAGE}

[Did you expect to see Jonathan try his hand at Dancing? Mayhaps the obstacle course instead? While his indeedee might well be spotted over there (so that's where Alfred went...), that's not the case for Jonathan.

Jonathan is here to fight, thanks. Equipped handily with the Soul Device kept in his phone, kept in his korok pocket, whoever comes in on Jonathan's turn with the sparring dummies is in for a show.

The blades cut handily at the 'opponents'. One might be on fire. Another seems to have been shot down, also by fire. Forget watching a bat zip around, it looks more like a flying dagger is darting through the arena, good golly!

Maybe it would be worth challenging him for a spar after all.]

Yasuho Hirose | JoJolion | OTA

[youwouldntdownloada]

PRE-GAMES

[youwouldntdownloada]

{SEASONS TURN}

[The start of Yasuho's month goes about the way she starts most months; visiting the various little cafes and eateries with her laptop ready for work, studies, and everything in-between. There was a brief break of cycle in February for....Reasons, but she's back!

...Even if it's for people to watch her grumbling around as she tries to get comfortable on a chair. With a tail like that, it's no surprise why- though at least she got her clothes tailored by the end of February.]

Ugh- How do people even work with these things...

[This goshdarn thick tail-]

{THE FAE ARE AT IT AGAIN}

[Among the many who have been kidnapped, is at least one of Yasuho's friends. And as much as she grimaces at the thought, she's actually gotten to the point where, well. Maybe she CAN make a difference! She has a sword, she has a shield even, she's got....magical clothes that somehow adjusted for her tail, which she's not going to think about...It's perfect!

...

There's a fox in her way.] I'm telling you-kon, THESE medallions- these ones right here-kon, you NEED one of these.

.....

[Yasuho bites.]

...Why do I need one of them.

I'm glad you asked-kon! These little things will PROTECT you...from THEM. Let you leave their flowery buffet AFTER you eat-kon!

[The kitsune in front of her gestures dramatically behind them to the gate. Yasuho follows the look, and then looks back at the medallion.]

Why does it say 'I love USA'?

Well don't we ALL?!

[She's going to suffer for this bargain isn't she.]

{TÍR NA NÓG}

[OKAY, well one medallion later and here she is. Marched right up to the castle after taking the Long Nap. This wasn't her best showing, she'll acknowledge this.

But she has hope. The medallion sits under her shirt, and she quietly enjoys a bit of soup. Night falls, and it's time for her to head off to get back home. Should be easy right?

Right? ..........Right?

Well if anyone runs into her the next morning they'll find her stomping real good on the now crushed medallion!] Stupid..! Piece of plastic..!!! I should have known it was a scam..!!

[It's fine she's probably fine.]

{TRAINING MONTAGE}

[One would expect a training montage to involve a lot of training, but Yasuho isn't really a noteworthy sight in the fields. She tries (and fails) in the obstacle course, tries (and flounders) on the dance floor, and tries (and screams) on the sparring arena.

She's doing. Fantastic.

But she could be doing better, or at least. That's what this fox she's glaring daggers at on the last night seems to be saying.]

It's just a little bottle, what's the worst that can happen-kon!

[Yasuho drops the broken medallion in front of the fox. They seem to consider this, before looking up to say-]

Well you see the problem here-kon, is this one is broken-

It wasn't working before it was broken..!

Ohhhhhh...well, that's not my problem-kon...

[If it were possible, Yasuho's glare intensifies. The kitsune just shakes the bottle again. C'monnnnnnn...It'll totally wooooooork..~]

Mmmmnnnnhnhnnhnnhnnnhngnngngn....

Ganymede | Olimpos | OTA

[ganymed]

i. stolen away;

[ Ganymede isn't exactly happy about the circumstances, to say the least. By which we mean is that there's a long time in which he doesn't respond to the fae's attempts to appease him, because they make him angry.

No, they couldn't, not like this. He, quite frankly, doesn't give a rat's ass about them, or their stupid little "feelings", or their vague threat. What about him, hm? He didn't ask for this!

Other fellow kidnappees might actually witness the shout from him: ]

You know what?! You and this stupid little competition of yours can all just piss the hell off!

[ The blond begins to stomp away from the commotion. If he sticks around, he'll really make them regret they brought him here... ]

ii. preparations;

[ If one would like to presume that Ganymede was dragged kicking and screaming straight into a training area of some kind or whatever, they would be right!

Ganymede is unenthusiastic about the practice routines for many of the activities, and purposely ends up fumbling a lot of them, even with helpful additions to make him perform better. Though, once he is certain most fae aren't looking (as certain as he can be without it being an actual certainty), he does give an actual practice for dancing. For that, the blond's movements are actually not all that bad; graceful, light on air, practically perfect.

...It better be, it is one of the very few good things he's excellent at.

Dancing, that is. He was the best sword dancer to boot, before everything went to hell when Apollo showed up. When he finishes his routine, he sighs, tosses the ribbon to the ground angrily. ]

I can't wait until this stupidity is over!

[ Yeah, Ganymede is still angry. ]

iii. the moment (dance);

[ Ganymede still isn't happy about being made to participate in this stupid thing, even if he has indeed chosen one category out of them all; he doesn't greet the stage with a smile. But as he moves, feet gracefully sliding across the dance floor, sending a seething glare straight into the crowd, and probably not earning him friendly points. Still, he is playing along.

He is also wearing his robes for this dance, and well, Ganymede's footwork isn't an issue; fast-pace movements are easy for him to pull off. But, some feel like causing trouble, conjuring barriers like suddenly icing the floor at his feet. And, well, to be quite honest, he does end up slipping, falling forward—then, easily catching himself with both hands. He isn't able to propel himself frontwards, but instead its a roll, that allows him to spring back to his feet, and finish the dance off in a seamless movement that makes it all appear natural.

Even with applause, he swings his head away from the crowd before huffing, departing swiftly. It shouldn't be too hard to catch him regardless. ]

iv. audience;

[ Ganymede isn't participating in all the events for obvious reasons; only as a dancer, but he is keeping a close eye occasionally on others up to theirs.

Maybe he is here after they're done, but whatever the case, it isn't like people aren't allowed to be spectators.

For those running the marathon, when they're done he will ask: ]

...How did everything go?

[ For the duels, he will watch to see how that goes, because yeah. He has Concerns. These fae are just as bad as certain gods. ]

v. wildcard;

[ Feel free to throw me a wild prompt that is neither one of the above! ]

audience - marathon

[illucesco]

[Guess who spent the whole time fishing and came in literal hours after everybody else? Yeah. Yeah. Somehow Noctis has scrounged up a bucket from somewhere, and is now carrying a bucket full to the brim with salmon. Despite being dead last, he looks incredibly pleased with himself.]

You know, besides all the undead and the leeches and the seal that tried to attack me, there are so many good fishing spots in those swamps. It's crazy how much fish I got!

Frieren | Frieren: Beyond Journey's End | OTA

[beyondtheend]

[Training Montage]

[Frieren, for all of her part in this, doesn't mind being here terrible much. She likes magic and dislikes most of the real world. Being kidnapped by the Fae is almost like a blessing.]

[So she's giving it her all on the training court. Having awakened to new powers recently, Frieren will spend most of her time with a training dummy. She appears to be doing two thing--sending magical lasers at it and shielding. It...works?]

[Later on, she tries the obstacle course. She spends the entire time flying on her palisman? Is it cheating? Well, they didn't say 'no.']

Huh. This might be easier than I thought.

[Marathon!]

[It turns out plan "flying" was a good one. She can't fly terribly fast, but she can fly far. What's the solution to kelpies? Fly over them. Skeletons? Fly over them and send a laser their way. Getting tired of running? Believe it or not, the solution is to just fly instead.]

[It works, up until she reaches the dragon. Somewhere in her memories, she fought a dragon like this. She couldn't do it without the help of a frontliner then, and it leaves her at a loss now.]

Hm. This is a problem.

[Duel!]

[Frieren stands on the other side of the arena, palisman in hand. She doesn't love fighting--but she doesn't hate it either.]

[She does, however, love magic. And this is the perfect opportunity to see what Kaisou has to offer. With a small smile on her face, she addresses her opponent.]

I want to see what you can do. Use your magic on me.

[Wildcard]

[OTA! Feel free to dm me on this journal or discord if you wanna talk about the outcome of a match.]

[fionnuisce]

[It wasn't really his intention to make a flashy entrance, but like hell he was climbing that ladder. A tiny orange bird flew into the ring, and in a burst of flame turned into a thin and unassuming man with a cane, pulling a loose orange feather out of his ponytail.]

Sounds good. Let's both have a little fun with this, shall we?

[If he was asked, Waver would probably say he disliked fighting, but that wasn't strictly true. What he disliked was mortal peril; fighting in itself was something he enjoyed even if he wasn't fully conscious of the fact.]

Shape ist leben! [Silver wire glowing faintly blue snaked out from beneath his sleeve, the end forming a tiny sparrow-shaped frame streaking towards Frieren trailing a long line behind it.]

Opal | FFXIV | OTA

[scholarlywarden]

1 - Departure and Arrival

How did they know? How did they know that any advice was going to be worthless, as they wouldn't even get the chance to follow them?

"I'm pretty sure one of the three rules we were given was 'don't eat the food,'" they mumble grumpily to whoever is sitting next to them at the table, eyeing the lavish feast in front of them. They are starving, but the fae's clear coaxing is not making them feel better about the potential of injecting magical and or cursed food.

2 - The Marathon
At first, this seems like it will be fine. Opal is one of those people who gets up at 5am to jog, so a marathon? They've never actually done one, but at least they've had more than few days to train.

This notion is immediately discarded they are handed a chattering head (who at least seems to be impressed that they don't immediately get winded, which considering it's just a head with no lung system they wonder how much it would even know about that), and then become more irritated as the 'obstacles' begin to appear. But through the dense trees and the bog, it seems safest to keep going, so they do, until--

Opal stops dead in their tracks as they spot the dragon laying in their path, a very living mountain that needs to be surpassed. "They must be joking," they say, though it's clear to whoever hears it that, no, they know the fae aren't joking. They're just wondering what the fuck to do now.

3 - The Duel

This... is a horribly bad idea, which Opal tried to impress upon the fae as they were shepherded towards the arena. They don't have any magic, they don't have any fighting skills or experience, and since they weren't sent it with fucking triage equipment there wasn't much they'd be able to do medically. But the fae just cheerfully patted them on their back and told them to do their best, before shoving them in the arena with only the book that had shown up next to them the other day.

They glower back at the fae, before looking at Noctis, their apparent duel partner, apologetically. "Apologies in advance," they say, before looking over at their opponent. "Here goes nothing, I suppose."

They look down into the book, trying to figure what the hell any of these symbols were for or what to do with them. On instinct, they swiped a hand across the page- to their surprised, they felt a prickle of magic beneath their fingers, and next to them appeared a small blue creature with three tails, looking up at them hopefully. Ok. Well. That was... something? Apparently they could do magic. They'd work through that startling revelation in a minute.

They flip through a few more pages, something stirring in the back of their mind. They gestured across the page again, before letting go of the book to outreach their arms, letting it float in front of them for a moment as--

A spectre of a dragon appears behind them, roaring before letting out a blast at the opposition. Opal just kind of... stands there for a moment, looking at the blast and then back at the figure behind him.

"....Huh." Ok. This is definitely going to take some processing time later.

the duel - ota for 2v2

[illucesco]

Do you ever just wake up from being dead and hanging out with your also-dead wife and then a bunch of assholes ask you to entertain them in gladiator matches? No? Cool. So Noctis is already having kind of a pretty crappy day and when he sees Carbuncle he actually looks like he might, uh, simply lie down on the ground. When he sees the fucking dragon show up he briefly looks up at the sky and heaves just the greatest sigh.

All right. "We're doing this, I guess," he says, in a tone that says he would really like to get this over with so he can have a nap. He flicks a hand out to the side and a lance that is crackling with electricity materializes right in his hand. "Till one side or the other yields." He's not interested in killing anybody in the arena, jeez.

vash the stampede || trigun maximum || open!

[doubledollar]

i. //__ a hunt for eggs : || OTA

[ egg hunt? exciting. eggs with legs? less exciting. either you came to the park alongside vash for the egg hunt or met up with him later--but whatever it is, the man is DETERMINED to win that trophy. Even if everyone else thinks it's lame? Vash knows the exact shelf in his teapot house that he wants to put it so he WANTS it.

Problem is, quick on his feet and amazingly nimble as he is, the little eggs keep escaping his basket.

He looks exasperated, and has started using vines--grown from under the metal arm he's currently wearing, to start to tie the legs of the little damn things together so they stay the hell put.

If you approach him or compliment him on his weird-but-effective plan, he's just going to whine at you. ]

You know, I had TWICE as much as this before I realised they could run around! I just thought they were there for--I don't know, staying stable when they were up in trees, and now look.

Once again, the goddess of bad luck is looking down on me...

ii. //__ An altar for spring : || OTA

[ Vash the Stampede. Vash, of all people, a man who's always clicked his teeth at the very idea that gods existed--and yet, here he is, on top of Catherdral Hill, putting together what LOOKS to be an altar.

A few pillars of stone he'd dug up from the riverbank back at the cottage and carried out to the hill (thank you, superhuman strength), he's somehow managed to cobble them together via convincing vines to grow, curling around them and stabilizing them in a sort of stone table. Little pink, blue, and yellow flowers bloom along all of the vines, and sitting atop it is a carefully wrought together planter of soil and moss and spring flowers, growing directly out of it, covering most of the wooden structure that keeps it all together. Little pots with sprigs of mint decorate the outside of it, as to not be directly in contact with the soil, lest it get taken over.

Finally, atop and center of the whole thing is a small, but beautifully painted picture of Persephone, goddess of Spring, with some more flowers surrounding it and framing it up where it's kept stable with another bunch of smaller, but neater looking stones.

Vash is staring at it, both looking unsure and anxious.

Approach him and either get a rather unceremonious yelp from him, or a sort of embarrassed look. Either way, he's gonna ask. ]

I don't know. Is it too much? Not enough? I've never done anything like this before.

iii. //__ a questionable trip : || closed to Choso

[ he shouldn't be doing this again. the last time he did a job for garfield, he and wolfwood got stuck in a huge labyrinth and got chased by skeletons the whole time.

And yet, here he is, standing side-by-side to a guy he's never met (a new friend whose name he's just yet to know), with a new job.

He sure isn't CERTAIN about it, but. Deep breath. Here goes. He's gonna turn to his new companion and offer him a hand. Sorry, Choso, this man is seven feet tall and dressed in all red. a nightmare, truly. ]

I'll be your partner today, looks like! I promise, no matter what happens, I'll protect you, alright??
So, are you from this city, or are you new to it? I'll be happy to take the lead if needed! But if you're feeling up to it, I can also follow along! Today's job doesn't seem too hard--a simple fetch job.

[ he's so noisy, choso. ]

II, what's a WoL without some weird god bullshit (TM)

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose started following Vash because he's her friend, and she wanted to say hello. But then she kept following him because he's her friend, and she wanted to see what he was up to.]

[When she approaches Vash, she does so cautiously. She's never quite asked him about his religious beliefs. Rose has more experience with gods than most people in Kaisou, and that's precisely why she doesn't usually talk about them.]

I believe it's the thought that counts? My understanding is that the divine draw strength from their believers. If it's done earnestly, that's likely enough.

[WHITE MAGE SCHOOL DIDN'T PREPARE HER FOR THIS HELP]

Lucy Westenra | Dracula

[honestyandpluck]

i. can't make an omelette...

[Lucy had really thought this would be an easy egg hunt. Well. That's some egg on her face, she supposes, because these particular eggs have decided to make it their goal to drive her well and truly insane. She's tried everything to keep them in the basket, from erecting little paper walls to keep them from spilling out to asking them very politely to please stay inside the basket to outright threatening to crack them into omelettes for tomorrow morning if they don't behave. (Her passenger had laughed at that slip in control.)

And not a single measure has succeeded, and now: this.]

Oh, hell. [Hearing Lucy, radio personality and one of the friendliest voices on air, curse like that is probably a sign something's gone very wrong. Flames are beginning to flicker around her fingertips, but she breathes in, then out, and they sputter out for the moment. Still, even her endless compassion apparently has a limit and these eggs are pushing it.

She stares at the Terrible Geese strolling around. In one of the nests is a whole assortment of the eggs that, five minutes ago, were in her basket.]

What to do, what to do. [This is so tiring. She just wanted a human interest story for her show. Why is this. What is this. Why.] I need to get that goose away from its nest, but how?

ii. network post | un: livefromkaisou

Spring is here! I happen to be quite fond of the season, as it means the growth of new life and a change towards the warmer seasons, but it's not so warm that I can no longer wear my favorite jacket. I could do without eggs suddenly sprouting legs and a rudimentary sort of intelligence, but besides that.

I did come here to ask if anyone was willing to share about their first crush(es) over the radio show. I'll be sure to strip out any identifying details if you wish to remain anonymous—really, I mean to do so anyway, because I imagine quite a lot of you had these crushes under some rather...unique circumstances, let's say.

I'm looking for that moment of when you Knew what your feelings were, and how you dealt with that, or how you wish you'd dealt with it in retrospect. Tell me as much or as little as you like.

iii. the saddest word in the english language

[That man in the park staring in awe at the sky had seemed nice enough. Depressed, certainly. He had quite a lot of fish sandwiches that he didn't seem to know what to do with, so Lucy had kindly offered to take one from him. He'd been so kind, and that's why Lucy is going to give him the benefit of the doubt—she's certain he hadn't known that sandwiches could cause something like this.

See, Lucy Westenra's fate in almost every adaptation of Dracula is to die, and to leave all the people she loves behind, grieving her death and what had to be done to save her soul. She's thankful to them for that, truly she is. But she bites into the fish sandwich and sees—

—a white dress, a gauzy veil over her eyes—

—Arthur standing at the altar, his mouth parting when he sees her—

—Jack and oh poor Quincy standing nearby, just as lovestruck and gobsmacked and delighted to see her—

—Mina, beloved Mina, and her husband Jonathan in the pews off to the side, Mina's forehead unmarked and only a lock of white in Jonathan's brown hair, the both of them so beautifully happy it hurts—

—and oh, Arthur's hand in hers, her heart in her throat as he lifts the veil from her face and—

—and it's gone. Gone, and little more than a dream, but all the worse than her nightmares because she knows in her bones that it was real. Somewhere, there was a version of Lucy Westenra who got to be happy. She comes back to herself in the middle of a café, a tear slipping down her cheek, and quickly yanks a tissue from the tissue box and wipes it away.]

Oh...she—she almost had that.

iii

[aslowburn]

[Perspehone had accompanied Lucy to the cafe- though she'd decidedly not eaten the proffered fish. Call her crazy, but she doesn't think eating food given away by a crazy person in a park isn't a great idea. She very likely voiced that to Lucy. More than once.

And seeing Lucy take a bite and then... still is enough to make her pause, coffee cup to he lips. The cup is lowered and put down on the table with a solid thunk as she sees tears in her friend's eyes. ]

...What happened? Are you alright? Did that scruffy fool put something in your food?

[Her tone at that last one suggests she's moments away from getting up to go after the little wretch. ]

Edward Kenway | Assassin's Creed

[jackdawvision]

i. remember the ratatouille scene with the critic?

[Edward hasn't celebrated St. David's Day in, Jesus, how long's it been, years? Like Christmas and Valentine's Day and all other holidays and feast days, the whole thing had simply slipped his mind out on the open sea. Now that he's on land and is going to stay there for the foreseeable future, he's venturing out of Auguries of Innocence to see what's going on and is smacked in the face with a sudden bout of homesickness.

It hasn't been this strong in, god, a while now, actually. But Edward hasn't been confronted with such a display of his home's goods in a while. He'd thought he'd long gotten past this, but hey! Apparently not! Apparently it was just lying under the surface all this time waiting for him to settle down somewhere for more than a couple of weeks to punch him in the face harder than a drunken thug in the middle of a bar brawl.

And he knows how hard those guys punch.

He wanders over to the cawl first, followed by a Kingler and a Tatsugiri and a blue-white-yellow catke. On top of the catke is a rat with a chef's hat, clearly keen on watching the food being made, and little adorable Yarny is riding atop Edward's shoulder. This little group makes for a very, very strange crowd, and if you're looking for Edward today, you might be able to find him surrounded by his pets, seated at a counter with food right in front of him, looking outright stunned.]

...damn. This is—this is exactly how I remember it.

ii. coming outta my cage and i've been doing not good at all going back in my cage now actually | tw drinking

[Edward is going to blame that weird Latin-named goth forever for this. He'd run into the fellow while the guy was figuring out what to do about an excess of fish sandwiches, and fool that he was, Edward had cheerfully offered to take one off his hands.

If he'd known that fucking sandwich would give him the world's strangest dream of being an Assassin in some frozen hellscape in Alaska (how does he even know what an Alaska is), he would've chucked it into the lake right in front of the man. Alas, he didn't, and now he has to deal with memories of cold and exhaustion and the near-certainty of doom hanging over his head mixed with warmth and kindness and a bone-deep care for everybody else around him. And with the appearance of the necklace with Jenny and his still-unnamed son's faces in it, Edward has decided...

...to get fucking drunk about it.

He'll get his shit together later. For now, though, he can be found in the Vogue's bar with bottles of various alcoholic stuff, a few of them smelling distinctly like his own terrible swill, staring into a mug full of something horribly alcoholic.]

..."nothing is true, everything is permitted." [He says that to himself, mostly, but looks up now at whoever's next to him.] I heard a friend of mine say that, once. I used to think I had it figured out. Now—I don't bloody know, anymore. [Taking a swig of his drink.] What do you think it means?

[bebest]

[Zulius has a natural fear reaction whenever Edward gets too close to his alcohol supply. It is a learned response hard-earned from past experience with the pirate and his goddamn chunky rum. So naturally, he's making his way over. ]

Ed, I swear to god, if you're putting more bottles of that literal poison on my shelves, I'm gonna-

[Oh... wait. No. He's sure getting real fucking drunk there. Worry very quickly replaces any annoyance in his expression, as he comes a little closer to his friend.]

Sounds like someone trying to make themselves seem smarter than they are if you'd ask me, Babe. [He folds his arms, letting out a soft worried hum.] ...What's going on?

takame kesi | ffxiv | closed prompts

[hoshikiri]

i. i’m here to go beyond my limit not to compromise (vs. Wriothesley)

[Being forced into the Fae realm yet again was frustrating. But at the very least Takame was in a better mental state than he was last time, and he was in his element to boot. Granted, war is just as much his element than the ring but this way was more constructive comparatively speaking. A test of strength and skill.

So Takame, or "Tsurugi" of Team Seelie, entered ready to face his opponent. He’s only spoken with the Duke a few times, but their first meeting told Takame that he was very strong. That was all Takame needed. And while he had his Gunblade, there was something he wished to try.]

If you wish, I am fully capable of proceeding unarmed. My body is as much of a weapon as my sword.

ii. and you can tell me if i mean it looking in my eyes (vs. Nero)

[Takame and Nox have sparred many times. Always in the controlled space of the Fight Club. There were many moves Nox had taught him that never existed in his world, or perhaps he's just never seen them within the Three Great Continents. He knew Nox was strong. Ever since August, he’s known Nox was stronger than even that.

He could see it. Sense it.

So facing him in this arena there was an uncharacteristic lightness in his demeanor. A soft smile that just under the surface a striking confidence could be sensed. A fire that wished to rage.]

I trust you’ll not hold back, Senpai.

i.

[loupmorque]

[ well, well. if it wasn't the dragon man who he'd almost gotten into a shitfight with back when he first arrived. By the power of his own anti-social powers, he'd not seen much of him since, but. The Duke never forgot a face. He smiles at him all the same.

He offers him a hand to shake, doglike ears atop his head coming up in a friendly manner. ]

If you want my opinion? I'll fight you at your best strength, be it with a weapon or not. But if you choose to use your fists, I'll be pretty happy about that too.

I haven't gotten to have a good game of fisticuffs since I got in this world.

Let's just have a good clean match, alright? I admit, I've been wanting to see how far your strength actually goes.

Zulius | Centaurworld | OTA

[bebest]

The Kidnapped

[Zulius came here because people were kidnapped and he cannot allow that to happen to anyone. He's got kidnapping-related trauma, okay?!!! So now he's here and he knows his people are... well, as okay as people can be when they've been kidnapped by the craziest assholes in any dimension. He tried teleporting the hell out immediately, of course, but that didn't work, which was rude. The silver cuff was basic-ass too. If they're planning on inhabiting his powers they could at least make it glamorous , wow!

Any of the rest of his worry is quickly removed when he has FOOD provided to him. He'll be found happily shovelling food into his mouth. He's got a mouthful of cake when the fae drop the whole GAMES thing on them, and he turns to you, confused, mouth still full.]

Whauh -ay say?

Dance-Off

[Zulius was genuinely concerned he'd have to do sports. He'd never been good at them, he doesn't even understand most of the rules for them. Sports are weird and unknowable. Luckily, it seems these particular Olympics had theatre kids in mind too - because he has SO got this dancing thing! He's a PROFESSIONAL!!!!

Despite this, he's still Zulius and even if he's highly competitive, he will be hanging around during training to help people out. You need to figure out a routine? A workable outfit? You stuck on a dance step? He is there! He's... pretty intense about this, this is his passion, so it's like being coached by the campest drill sergeant in the world, but he will not let you down, so there's that! ]

No, no. You need to right-step, left-step then turn. C'mon, you've SO got this! Don't let that saltly little B in your head tell you otherwise. [He claps his hands. ] Now! Take! It! From! Th! Top!!!

[Or perhaps you'll see him in the competition itself. He really wasn't bullshitting about his abilities- he's surprisingly graceful for a quadruped. Naturally, his routine is a loud, ridiculous thing, full of flashy lights, fireworks and the sort of moves that got him into Cats in his youth.
He really wasn't expecting them to throw FIREBALLS at him, though and he lets out a screech, leaping out of the way.]

ExCUse me??? What the hell!!! That messed up my two=step!!!

Wildcard
[Want something else? Hit me up!!!]

kidnapped, I'm not sorry

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose is not happy to be kidnapped again, but if she has to be taken against her will, she's glad she's not alone. Admittedly, there is a part of her that remembers the last time--where she died to save Zulius. That sets her on edge. While she doesn't want to go through the ordeal again, she absolutely would if it meant saving her centaur friend.]

[But at least this time things don't look as dangerous? Of course, there's always the chance there's more happening beneath the surface, but for the sake of her sanity, she's gonna take this one at face value.]

They said they were tired of killing each other, so they're having us fight instead.

Husk | Hazbin Hotel | OTA

[wiseoldbartender]

Seasons Turn (TW: alcoholism, spiders)

[Husk has often turned to bar work in both this life and his last one. He's pretty damn good at it, and it doubles up in helping pay for his habits while also giving him the opportunity to listen in and try and take stock of what's going on. Everyone bitches to the bartender when they get drunk enough- sometimes spywork is less James Bond and more pushing fingers of rye at someone until they decide you're their best friend and really need to know what's going on in their entire lives.

So Husk can be found in one of the dive bars in Undertown (they ask FAR less questions about the cat-bird-demon thing there) slinging drinks and listening. That's what the Order sent him to do, after all. To listen and try and figure out just what in the bumfuck the Seers are freaking out about. You might even see a little water spirit companion- a tarantula- scurrying about between glasses or hanging around in a quiet corner, spying. Eventually, the spider makes its way back to Husk, the bartender putting his hand down for it to clamber on. ]

This whole thing is looking like a fuckin' bust, Anthony. No one knows shit. [Yeah he's talking to the spider. If you come closer, he'll glance up, then heave out a sigh. ] Whaddya want?

[He means to drink, but take that as you will. Maybe you'll find him later on, after his shift has finished, sitting at a table, drinking some ridiculous green whiskey. He's only getting into the spirit of St. Patrick's day with the drinking, he's pointedly avoiding any of the other celebrations. Or merriment in general. Should you make the (questionable) decision to come give him company, his tail will twitch in mild annoyance. ]

Lotta other places you can sit here.

The Marathon

[Husk only came to this nonsense because the Order voluntold them into this mess, he'd rather be doing literally anything else than this. He's attached the stupid fucking head to one of his suspenders as he clambers around the forests. He's too tall and his wings are really not giving him much manoeuvrability around the trees, and that fucking head just DOESN'T STOP TALKING. Husk's ears are pinned back as he scrambles around as the head chunders away, where you might find him arguing with the damn thing. ]

You know, I thought a CAT would be better at climbing trees. Isn't that what you guys are famous for? Birds, too, come to think of it. So by that reasoning, you should be doubly good at this.

Shut up, shut the fuck up. You're NOT fucking helping.

You don't have to be tetchy about it. I'm just saying- OH HEY HEY! Don't jostle me! You've got to get me to the finish line, remember?

[You might wanna... stop Husk from just straight up swinging the head into a tree, he's looking like he's bordering on that. Or perhaps you might find Husk a little later on in the marathon - flying over the bog. He gets a mermaid tail if his legs get wet and he's really rather not. Luckily, he has enough space here to take to the wing and avoid the whole mess below. If you seem like you're having trouble, Husk will... fly right the fuck past you. Later loser.

...And then maybe a couple minutes later with a lot of grumbling, he'll double back, hovering above you with idle beats of his wings. The head has a gag shoved into its mouth. ]

You good? Or are you gonna... fuckin' drown or something?

Wildcard
[Want something else? Let me know!! I'm happy to have him involved in the PVP fights too so if you want that, we can!]

seasons

[kanka]

[Luckily Husk doesn't get a very annoying fae on his back- but he may not consider the alternative any better.]

I'm well aware. [A beat, as a certain mediator sits on a chair right next to Husk.] But I'm not exactly one for the spotlight, and I'd prefer a familiar face in a crowd.

[You're stuck with him till further notice. Ayato tilts his head, watching the others around them, eyes focused to see if anything stands out.]

I see you've settled in well enough.

[Unlike his past self, he will have small talk, just to pass the time. For a little while, at least.]

Jun Nightroad | Tokyo Xanadu | OTA

[whiteshroud]

I. The Kidnapped
[That feeling when you're so busy looking out for one threat, you completely forget to look out for the other threat. Jun had woken up to find himself not sleeping on the boat, but rather in a castle bedroom. Which was startling, to say the least. But at least he's one who keeps quiet as he investigates.

During the banquet, he can be found sitting quietly. He won't bother resisting eating the food, he doesn't want to draw unwanted attention on himself. But if anyone seems like they want to talk to him, he'll send a telepathic message.]

Refer to me as Olive while we're here. And I can't read your thoughts, so don't respond that way.

II. Training Montage
[Jun was sorted into Team Seelie, so he's dressed in light colored clothes that don't seem too out of place for him besides the antiquated style. And so far, it seems like the best way out of this is to go along with these games, so that's what Jun does.

Through the training... anyone who observes Jun will notice that his performance is very middling. Every activity, he seems to be performing no better than what you'd expect of someone of his small and nerdy stature. For those who don't know him well or aren't paying attention, nothing seems amiss here. The Fae sure don't seem to notice anything, their attention often going to the other competitors that make more noise

But for those more familiar with Jun, or have a keen eye... they might be able to piece together that he's holding back a lot.]

III. The Duel
[So you've been set up to fight against Jun.

Jun will walk into the arena, seemingly unarmed despite being a tiny nerd. But unnervingly, he seems completely calm about this situation. He instead smiles as his competitor walks up to him, as if he's greeting someone for tea.]

Hello. Seems we're meant to fight today, how would you like to do this?

[Jun is pretty non-competitive, so as mentioned on his plotting post, he'll go with the power level he feels most suitable for the fight! Let me know what you'd be interested in]

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

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose is not always the most perceptive, but she's known Jun enough to know that something is probably up? Jun is smart enough to keep the Fae from using his real name, which means he's smart enough to not draw their attention on the battlefield, either.]

[His performance isn't much better than hers, except she has a feeling that he's purposefully holding back. It's a smart idea, really.]

You're very talented, you know.

Zhongli | Genshin Impact | OTA

[lapislazily]

[I. training]
[After some consideration, he's managed to wrap himself in a white and gold robe that looks suspiciously like it was made out of a sheet, or else heavily modified from what the Seelie gave him. Good enough. The edges are slightly frayed, but it's not like he can get anything better right now. He'd rather die than show up to an event looking like a hedge witch. This does mean he has his full chest out (much to everyone's dismay), and gold Geo leylines crisscross all the way down his arms and torso.

He doesn't seem very busy despite being in the training area. Sometimes he'll offer to hold a dummy so someone can beat it up, but for the most part he's content watching the youngsters run around. Do you need someone to clap along to your dance performance? He can do that.

Maybe you're one of those 'youngsters'. Grandpa is here for moral support.]

Don't grip the blade so tightly. Your hands will thank you later. [Or maybe you're practing archery, in which case:] I'd recommend spreading your feet a little more.

[Maybe your character is a trained killer/dancer and doesn't need help. Zhongli won't provide helpful tips in that case. He'll just say:]

Your form looks good. I only wish we could have such a martial tournament without fae interference... It's been ages since I watched something in a coliseum.

[II. duel]
[It takes a lot to make a god descend to a battlefield, and this isn't the first time for Zhongli. In another life, he was known as the Warrior God. He was also known to have more fashion sense than this poor ass disguise that makes him look exceptionally close to the desecrated statue in front of the mall.

Each step he takes is measured, though his feet are bare. There's a hint of leylines on his toes, too. He summons a spear that glows and hums faintly with energy.]

Worry not. I have no intention of harming you. I will only make sure it isn't a waste of your time.

Are you ready?

[III. wildcard]
[Zhongli is here on a rescue mission, but it seems like no one wants to be rescued, actually. If you have another prompt you want to do, leave it here!]

I

[whiteshroud]

[Jun was taking a water break after hours of phoning it in. As Zhongli speaks up, he'll glance over at the god and what he's wearing before he says:]

I mean, you're certainly dressed to go watch a match in the Coliseum.

[WHATS WITH THE TOGA GRANDPA]

Vergil | Devil May Cry | Closed Prompts

[kowase]

i. // Father vs. Son --: Closed to Nero

[ Vergil probably looks out of place in an outfit like this. Unlike Nero, he's dressed in Team Seelie's colors, and it's at least enough of a distraction to take away from the fact that he doesn't look even one bit bothered that he's been thrown into this ring against Nero, of all people.

No, he's actually grinning, crookedly--the katana he's holding is no Yamato, but it'll do. ]

Well, well. This is a rematch I feel that's been sorely in need. [ he hasn't been able to go all out against Nero in the city, but here.... ] I'm sure you won't feel too off your game if you're beaten in front of a crowd by your 'Old Man.'

Come, Nero. Show me your real power.

ii. // Where'd you Learn to Count --: Closed to Dante

[ And then it's been hours since his last-match up. Honestly, after the battle with Nero where he'd been allowed to use the access energy he's been holding for ages, it felt... oddly good to just let it all go, like this. He was quietly looking forward to his next match, even if part of him was sure it may be an uneven match, but.

Ah, the look on his face as he climbs to the top of that tower-like platform and he sees who his opponent is. He... has to laugh. A quiet, amused noise that causes his shoulders to shake. ]

Now then.
Isn't this just some sort of twist of fate, brother mine? [ ...he's already gripping his new katana--the last one having broken after how much he'd used it-- ] I believe the last time we fought it was a draw.

How long, I wonder, will it take to change that number.
In a place where you don't have to hold back?

iii. // This Is Also Power --: Closed to Dante and Gilgamesh

[ Hours. The answer is hours. At least two has passed since they'd begun--his stupid 'cottage core' outfit torn in many different places, dyed with blood from wounds that just won't linger. Dante's more goth outfit isn't any better, but.

This fight was getting nowhere. Turning into devils and back, trading blows both with sword and steel, teeth and claw--they stand opposed once again on either side of the arena.
Equally matched but also refusing to go down. There needed to be a ... tip of the scale. Something.
And then a look of Brilliance goes through Vergil's eyes, and he turns his head to the audience--to where he knows a certain 'Heroic Spirit' has been hiding. He raises his hand with that insect-like command seal on it. ...He doesn't dare use one of them, but. ]

--Archer. To my side. You are, by technicality, a power of mine. So let's put an end to this nonsense already.

iv. // The Show Must End --: Closed to Dante, Gilgamesh, Ei, and Zhongli

[ ...and yet, somehow, like Dante always manages to do, he's able to hold his own against both Vergil AND Gilgamesh. There's an unquiet in the crowd--from the fae who have been watching this one fight for what was. What. Five? Hours? By now?

To a point where there's another loud bellow on some horn. Vergil looks... confused, as that sound announces new players in the arena. ]

--We aren't finished yet. What IS this? [ he hisses, nearly annoyedly--but that's when he sees it. Two more people joining the ring, and the announcement from the fae: that to the fray enters two more players to try to end the longest game.

The look on Vergil's face when he realises what at least one of them is... ]

Truly, did you have to throw a god into the ring to wring out a winner? [ nevermind that one of the gods is his dad friend, but...

Up comes Vergil's broken katana--snapped off in the middle and yet, he's still using it just fine. ]

Come then. If I must beat you two and then Dante, so be it. [ ...nevermind that the fae had meant this to be a tag team battle. It had now turned into a ... battle royale, apparently... ]

iv.

[lapislazily]

[Zhongli, dressed as he is in some kind of 'heavenly' attire, looks about as excited as a rock. He did not want to be here. Why is he here. He glances over at Ei, then back at Vergil and Gilgamesh and Dante, and he sighs.]

If you two would have simply stopped while you were ahead, [he says to the twins as a gentle admonishment,] it would not have come to this.

As for you, friend— [He glances at Gilgamesh.] Are you going to allow him to fight with a broken weapon? I would hand over my spear before facing him like this.

Regardless, it has been some time since your last lesson, Vittore. [He spins Vortex Vanquisher and snatches it out of the air. Then he tosses it just within Vergil's reach.]

Show me what you have learned.

kamisato ayato // genshin impact // open

[kanka]

[the kidnapped. This is definitely new for him, all things considered.

Ayato is one who usually plans ahead for potential problems, oftentimes thinking of alternatives and different outcomes to make both sides of a view agree. And while that's incredibly good for most arguments, or fights, or disputes, or whathaveyou- it is definitely not for the Fae. Because the Fae absolutely cheat, and when you don't expect to be suddenly put to sleep right outside the Kamisato Estate, things go out the window very quickly.

He's wandering the halls now, eyes cautiously taking in what he can see, and even though he's been given things to remain comfortable, there's absolutely no way he's pleased with it. Coming upon another person at least has him sighing, annoyed.]

I see the Fae are rather busy for this, aren't they?

[Training.

Here, at least, is a somewhat familiar sort of deal- while there was training in the Black Order and in his past life, Ayato hasn't really spent much time in this life doing the same thing. Most of his fighting comes from his memories, from a time where he was trained by his father on how to first use a bokken, and then eventually a sword. The Kamisato Arts were ones Ayato felt privileged to learn and weave in ways that suited him over time, long after both his parents were gone.

So here he is, considering what way to approach one of the target dummies in front of him, hand just above the hilt of Haran Geppaku Futsu- and then he's a motion of blue, streaking across the dummy- and then... still... going...??

The next thing he knows, he crashes right into a pile of inanimate training dummies decently behind where his target was. It takes a few seconds, but there's a bewildered look as Ayato begins to pull himself out of the mess. How did he even get here, he was just doing a mixture of movement with his Kamisato Art: Kyouka-

...well, someone just learned he's suddenly a lot faster, even if this is still pretty embarrassing.

Duels - General

So you've gotten him as your assigned dueling competitor. Ayato seems surprised as he comes onto the field, this sort of thing not really his wheelhouse unless absolutely necessary. He crosses his arms and raises a palm, a sort of gesture that says "I chose this so I guess I'm here now."]

I'm surprised I was chosen to be someone's opponent. [Wait, that- that sounds pompous, and Ayato clarifies.] Usually I'm not one for events such as this. At least, not so out in the open.

I will still give you a fight the Fae seek, however. [A beat.] Shall we begin?

[Duel - Closed to Diarmuid

He's watched several fights by now, partaking in one or two himself, but there really hasn't been any opponents he's wanted to actually cross blades with yet. He isn't one who focuses on being in the main light most of the time, and so he's taken to spectating the sport in the bleachers with some app users. It's incredibly different from almost anything he's ever seen, both here or in Inazuma, and in some ways, it grabs his attention more than he expects. There's an itch that is making him restless, and he feels it as the minutes crawl by. The question now becomes "what will he do with it?"

The answer comes to him pretty quickly, an amused thought crossing his mind. Grabbing his sword once again, Ayato makes his way back to the field, Hydro Vision visible even against the horrendous black he has to wear for the Unseelie.

The request for "Saber" comes shortly after. All the other is told is that his opponent is named "Thoma," and that they have been waiting for "Saber" to arrive. The instant Diarmuid comes into the arena, though, he'll know who it is.

Ayato smiles, amused.]

Forgive me for not asking you beforehand. I'm merely curious and wish to see how well a spar would be with a friend.

[For Ayato to call Diarmuid a friend is a lot, let alone to want to actually fight in sport. This was never something he'd do in his past life- but many things were different back then, and maybe Ayato's chosen to be a little more upfront these days instead of always being in the background.

He does not expect to win this- but that doesn't matter. What does is that he enjoys himself through the entire thing. That's what's most important to him, here.

A hand summons Haran Geppaku Fustu, and he twirls it to let the blade sit across his other hand. His smile hasn't dropped once.]

Whenever you wish to begin.

[wildcard.

Got something for a thread idea? I can run with it!]

hayyy girllll

[twofoldfury]

[Indeed, Diarmuid was elsewhere during the few matches "Thoma" participated in. So when seeing his opponent as he entered the ring, he's met with light surprise followed by a smile. Interesting.]

There's no need to ask forgiveness. If you were curious to test your skill against me, that is all I need to accept.

[Ayato seemed like the type to keep people at a bit of distance. Given what Diarmuid assumed about his past, it made sense. So the comment came out warmly, as if speaking to someone about a mutual fondness they hold for a passion.

Ayato was human, so Diarmuid would need to keep himself more restrained than normal. But that was fine by him, so long as they were on relatively equal footing. There was no honor in a duel where the odds were stacked unfairly. In both his hands, Moralltach and Beagalltach manifested and he rested one over his shoulder while the other pointed towards Ayato in challenge. His Vision was hidden under his clothing, but Ayato could surely sense it was on him in the moment he allowed both sides to ready themselves.]

Show me your best, "Thoma". [And so he began, closing the distance between himself and his opponent with inhuman speed and a clash of swords.]

Elliot Craig | Trails of Cold Steel | OTA (feel free to threadjack too)

[fiddlestick]

I. ARENA AUDIENCE/HEALER
[Truth be told, the only reason Elliot stepped near this realm was because of the orders from the Black Order. He hated the Fae, and he hated sports. There was nothing he wanted here.

Luckily, the Fae figured out pretty quickly that "Ed Sheeran" here was a dead end for doing anything athletic, so he was given healer duty throughout the games. So now here he sits on the benches dressed in his designated Unseelie outfit, with his staff next to him, watching the fights play out and waiting for someone to get hurt.]

... Am I crazy, or has that guy gone three times now? Isn't that a little much?

[CALM DOWN YOU GUYS. HE WANTS TO GO HOME.

But at least if you actually need healing, Elliot knows what he's doing]

II. Wildcard
[Got another prompt for Elliot? Hit me up here!]

i

[fionnuisce]

Oh, let them get it out of their systems.

[In an unusually good mood after his win over Frieren, Waver answered with a short laugh.]

Besides, it's good for us to have a chance to go all out and test their skills in relative safety. ['Relative' was a load-bearing word, but.] It'll see us better prepared for when we actually need to fight for our lives again.

xiao / genshin impact / ota.

[alatum]

i. i was standing on the board / training.

[ cryptid spotted!

surprisingly xiao is also amongst the kidnappees and is one of the few who did not appear startled by it all at first, if anything he seems to lean into the games the fae seem to want them to participate in. dressed in his newly acquired outfit he takes to the training course like a duck to water. he clears the obstacle course more than once, before moving his attention to the combat ring.

with a spear in hand xiao trains with one of the dummies, it does not take long for his combat prowess to shine through as he takes it down which ease. although he does not appear satisfied, turning his sharp gaze towards whoever is closest. ]

You. Do you intend on fight?

ii. and this pain was like a prickly thorn / marathon.

[ why walk, or run for that matter, when you can just fly? which is exactly what xiao does, shifting into his adeptus form immediately upon beginning and taking a lead. sure, it made the first two sections of the marathon a cake walk, however the moment he reached the mountains well... his talking head was quick to point out the problem.

said head is chattering away when xiao perches a distance away from the mountain, sharp gold eyes watching the hundred feet dragon carefully. in his beak he carries the chain that connected the head to his belt, he rattles it around in an attempt to quieten it only for the head to exclaim loudly how much it does not like that.

so xiao drops it. look at below.

if you're not careful you'll get hit, if you are... well a head likely similar to your own is going to drop from that weird bird sitting in the tree. ]

iii. the true nature of my anxiety is a pattern in my heart / duel.

[ even in this life xiao is always ready for combat, he waits quietly with his spear in hand and eyes closed. one could easily assume xiao is by no means worried about the duel, that he is confident in both his combat ability and his victory.

only when his opponent steps into the ring does the yaksha stir, eyes opening to look across the arena and steps forward, steps measured and sure. ]

Lets make this quick.

iii. that makes me want to mistake it for a dream / wildcard.

[ for the rest of your xiao related desires! ]

III

[whiteshroud]

[Jun comes out unarmed, as he does with all his matches. He didn't care that much if he won most of these matches, so he rather get a read on his opponents before he'd decide what power to use.

When he sees his next match is Xiao, he'll give him a warm smile. His own outfit was plainer than Xiao's. With his lackluster performance during training, the Fae hadn't felt the need to invest in much for him.]

Hello Friend, it's good to see you. I like the new look.

[He states casually and in a friendly manner, as if they're not in the middle of a battle arena. ]

Gravelord Nito | Dark Souls | OTA

[end_singer]

Egg Hunt

[If one were to describe Nito, the word "exciteable" would not remotely be one that comes to mind. He is, however, fond of novel experiences, particularly if they involve food. And if one had paid any attention to what he'd mentioned during the last regularly scheduled word from Zodiac...

Well, it's probably still a little startling to see a seven foot skeleton shuffling after eggs with legs, but at least he seems to be having fun...? Maybe in need of a reminder to watch where he's going though.]


Feast of Champions

[In most any other circumstance, Nito wouldn't have minded so much that he'd been taken somewhere without his permission. Again. Or at least he would have been more amicable considering the offerings of food, which had most certainly not been present at his last abduction, and the fact that he can use his werewolf shape to partake of it.

When informed of the trap that was laid and their options however... He nods politely, indicating he understands the circumstances, and returns to eating, though now staring quite intently at every one of the fair folk that passes within eyesight.

If asked what he's doing as he looks around, he gives a little hum.]

Memorizing their faces, so that I might recall them when the time comes.

[The tone is mild and matter-of-fact, and holds none of the warmth that it usually does.]


Wildcard

[ooc: Hit me up for anything else you can think of! Even fighting, if you'd like. The event makes for many potential death puns, hahaha]

Feast

[prunedworlds]

"... You know they probably don't even understand why humans would think that what they're doing is wrong, right?"

Ritsuka's dealt with fae before, even if not these ones specifically. She's, well, she's familiar with this quirk of theirs.

Sung Jinwoo | Solo Leveling | Closed Prompts

[lowestclass]

i.//: __ A Series of Hilarious Events : || Closed to Husk and Lapis

I've visted three clothing stores on the strip and got shoo'ed out by two by suggesting they'd have 'second hand' clothing in stock. [ some of these stores in brick alley, man... ]

But the stuck up lady who works at the Bougie Jeans Shop over there told me there was apparently a thrift store nearby that's an individually-owned shop that specializes in 'weird or insteresting' clothing.

I'd say if our mark was anywhere, it'd probably be there.

[ hey what's cooler than cool? a dad-daughter and boyfriend-of-daughter-trying-to-impress-dad going on a mission as a bonding exercise.
With their bad luck combined, surely this won't go too awful, right? theyre all black order guardians, so... ]

We could all scout the store out from different angles and maybe corner it...

ii.//: __ Scales Tipped Asunder : || Closed to Lapis, Zhongli, and Jun

[ Participating in the Fae Olympics like the order wanted sure was a weird mission for the month, but. Jinwoo supposed there were worse things to do with his time than. this.

though when he reaches the top of the ladder, dagger that he's mostly unfamiliar with in hand, he looks every bit as uncomfortable as a fish in a desert. the sun is out, overhead of the duel arena, and Jinwoo is dressed in what looks like some goth assassin witch garb, complete with deep hood and mask to avoid sunlight touching him.

Sluggish. But he expects once the battle starts, Lapis will at least help create shadows for him.

Standing opposite, he looks... less than confident at their opponents. Seriously? Jun AND Zhongli? Certainly, he belives Lapis could hold her own here, but. For him? it was like a mouse standing up to a damn lion. His luck was here again. ]

Try not to end this too quickly, okay? I'd like to at least try to put on a little bit of a show before getting tossed around... [ is he joking or serious ? ]

ii

[crisantemo]

[ Fighting Jun and Zhongli, and while the sun is out... Really, this was already working against them. While Lapis wasn't exactly sure how long either of them could last against the other pair, they will just have to do their best. At least this was all for fun, even if part of her still really wanted to win.

So she doesn't seem too defeated as they steps into the area though, following behind Jinwoo as she smooths out the fabric of her skirt. At least this won't be horrifically difficult to move in... ]

We'll just have to do our best. [ As she speaks, shadows already gather at her feet - trickling over from the edges of the arena. They move slow but steady, more of a preparation than any sort of threat. ]

... But yeah, give us a chance before we get tossed around. [ She is joking, pls have mercy guys. ]