January Event Log

[kaisoumods]

January Event
Dominant Element: Water
Waning Element: Fire

※
As December comes to an end, it's time to head into the true depths of winter. Throughout the month of January, it will be extremely cold. Temperatures either below zero or in the single digits will be typical throughout the month. Every few days, another round of snowfall comes, constantly blanketing the city in fresh blankets of snow. It's best to bundle up this month and find ways to keep warm.

Kaisou Winter Carnival

The holidays may be over, but that doesn't mean this is a month without celebration! Over in Blue Fish Lake Park, Kaisou's Annual Winter Carnival is in full swing! Scattered across the snowy park, magnificent ice sculptures have been set up as part of the yearly sculpture competition. The crown jewel of the ice sculptures is an extensive ice castle maze, which visitors are welcomed to venture through. Different games and activities will be found throughout the maze, consisting of the usual carnival fare like throwing snowballs at a target or answering winter trivia. The prizes for completing these events range from candy to small toys to winter-themed plushies. Not a bad way to kill some time!

The winter carnival is more than just ice sculptures of course. A section of the lake has been set up with holes to do ice fishing, while another section is reserved for any ice skating you want to do with a ice skate rental plate included. The skateboard park has been converted into a spot for snowboarding and cross-country skiing. The park restaurant is serving lots of warm foods and drinks to help stave off the cold. Hot chocolate, funnel cake, fried cheese curds, poutine, mulled ciders, and a whole host of other items. And for those seeking something more combat-aligned, one of the soccer fields has been transformed into a battlefield for snowball fights. Build a fort and trench and hunker down, it's gonna be a long war.

If you're looking for activities that get you out of the cold, you should head to Undertown. The entire area of Undertown is being kept nice and warm thanks to a combination of electric heaters and fire enchantments. To celebrate the new year, red decorations have been hung up all over with a theme of tigers and rabbits. If you want to know how this new year will pan out for you, there's a vendor offering fortune stick readings. Pulling one of these sticks will give the character a fortune ranging from small to large luck or misfortune. Whatever your fortune ends up being, it seems to really follow you around for the rest of the day. Someone with great luck might find a $100 on the ground or land that promotion they wanted, while someone with great misfortune may trip down a flight of stairs or have their pipes burst. [mod note: the fortune sticks results will have no effect on gacha or side quest results. You can decide which stick they pull, though if you want it RNG then I suggest using the (draw) mechanic on plurk].

The First Full Moon

When one lives in the city, it's easy to not pay attention to the night sky. And in Kaisou, if anything in the sky gets attention, it's that bright and beautiful Spirit Vein. However on the nights of January 5th through January 7th, it'll be the moon that some will realize they need to pay attention to. For on the nights of the full moon, those with certain monstrous changes will find themselves struggling to hold onto their human mind. Bestial instincts will become deafeningly loud inside your mind, demanding to be listened to. It'll take a great amount of willpower to keep oneself from giving in completely, especially for those who never dealt with something like this before. Those who fail will find themselves going completely feral, leaving it up to other people to keep you in check. Once dawn breaks following the long night, they'll be able to regain control of themselves once more. Those who went feral may or may not remember what happened the night before, depending on the person.

Concerningly, it's not just the app users who are experiencing these effects. Throughout the three nights, there are cases of other city residents also succumbing to monstrous instincts. Someone will need to patrol the city and help keep these folks in check before they hurt other people or themselves. While there's not a great number of these cases - the signs are clear. Whatever is going on with these new monstrous changes, they aren't just limited to the app users.

The Other Zodiac

On January 9th, a message will be sent out by Zodiac on the Libra app.

ALERT: SHIFTING GATE LOCATED ON CATHEDRAL HILL.
Element Classification: Water
Danger Level: Medium to High
Designation: Celestial Race
A new spirit gate has been detected upon Cathedral Hill. Initial investigations indicate that this gate leads to the location of the famous Zodiac race. Due to a recent demon infestation, we've been invited to perform security detail for the race participants so they can complete their annual race. Those who help complete the race will be allowed to join the Zodiac Banquet, receive a gift from the Jade Emperor, and make sure the concept of time doesn't collapse on us all.

If you head to the Zodiac offices, the atmosphere has returned mostly to normal. The fuzzy professor is back and has made himself comfortable with a puppet-size armchair. He's happy to tell you what he knows, that according to legend the Chinese Zodiac was created as a result of a race that the Jade Emperor, a ruler of heaven, held. During the original race, the first twelve animals that finished were made part of Zodiac that's used all over the world today. He will also have a bit of a tangent about how the cat was left out because he got told the wrong day, and maybe that's a good thing because cats freak him out. As for the race they're being asked to help with now, the Professor isn't entirely sure, but he surmises it's a tradition done in order to uphold the power of the Zodiac and make sure the concept of time doesn't get out of whack - so pretty important!

If you talk to the Zodiac staff, they will explain that your job will be to escort the animals of the Zodiac through the race course and make sure no demons get them. They also caution that since the upcoming year is a water year, the race track will be cold and snowy on top of being dangerous and long, so they REALLY recommend bringing cold weather gear and and plenty of supplies. As usual, they are willing to rent out any supplies or weapons that your character needs. And for those they know are looking for extra income, they will mention that if you could bring back a peach from the banquet...they'll pay very generously.

Once you're finished with the Zodiac offices, it's time to gear up and head to Cathedral Hill. While the area is named for the cathedral that sits atop the hill, it's not the only place of worship around. Per Zodiac's instructions, you're to head to the Buddhist temple that's located nearby. Once there, it'll be easy enough to ask access to the gardens. It's normally a modest garden, so the massive and ornate spirit gate being guarded by two large guardian lion statues will certainly stick out. No doubt about it, this has to be the gate.

The Zodiac Race

When you pass through the gate, you'll find yourself up in a snowy mountain range with steep mountains that resemble the mountains of Asia rather than anything on North America. Once you're done surveying the scenery, you'll be waved over by a man dressed in finely made court robes. He introduces himself as an attendant of the Jade Emperor's Court, and assumes that you're here to be the security detail for the Zodiac race. Once it's confirmed, the attendant will begin to explain that it's your job to escort a zodiac animal through the mountain passes and across the river. The animals will know the way, but you'll need to make sure to protect them from any demons that try to attack. Apparently the demons seem under the impression that consuming those involved in the race will grant them immortality, which isn't true, but good luck explaining that to hordes of demons.

If you ask why they needed to get outside help for assistance, the attendant will give the most exasperated look on his face and simply say "You can thank Sun Wukong for that. Again." and not elaborate further, as if that explanation alone is self-explanatory and should not be pressed further. That said, some may hear the attendant grumbling under his breath that he hopes Buddha drops another mountain on that sha bī.

After the basic explanations you'll be escorted to the zodiac animals and their corrals. There's a whole lot of them, as they wanted to make sure at least one of each animal type makes it to the finish line. Characters will be assigned the animal the corresponds with their birth year. If your character is a special case who was born under a different calendar system or before the concept of time, the attendant will sigh and assign you an animal at random. Each animal assigned will come with their own quirks, that may help or hinder the journey ahead. The animals are:

• Rat: Will ride upon you during the race. Clever and on high alert, the rat will warn you of any ambushes and potential shortcuts.
• Ox: Can be ridden or pull a sled. An animal with high endurance, it'll need to rest less than other animals.
• Tiger: It's a tiger. It'll help fighting any demons and may even pull a sled. For your own safety, keep it well fed.
• Rabbit: Can be carried, ride in a sled or hop along. You seem to be luckier in small ways throughout the trip.
• Dragon: An eastern dragon about the size of a tiger. Cannot breathe fire and can only fly short distances. It'll help with fighting any demons and may pull the sled, will not allow you to ride it and tends to be prideful.
• Snake: Unfortunately due to the cold weather, the snake is useless and will try to hibernate the whole time. Using your own body to warm the snake will bring luck though.
• Horse: Can be ridden or pull a sled. Faster than the ox, but needs to rest more often.
• Ram: Has a very easy-going temperament. Can pull the sled and has horns it'll headbutt into demons. Also fluffy.
• Monkey: A monkey that'll ride on you or in a sled, and can use tools to help out. Unfortunately, it gets easily bored and is prone to pulling pranks.
• Rooster: It's a chicken. However if you hold onto its feet, it can fly you short distances. Will always wake you up early.
• Dog: A good boy. Can do all the things dogs can do, including helping with demon fights and pulling the sled.
• Boar: While more stubborn, the boar can also pull the sled and do many things that dogs can do. Will charge at demons.

The animals while more intelligent than many of their species counterpart, are still animals. So they will behave as such, and respond to characters accordingly. Characters that are good with animals will have an easy time bonding with their new companion, while others will struggle. Once all the animals have been assigned, characters will be given a bag of feed for the animals (though the dragons and tigers will need to have food hunted for them). They also are allowed access to a sled painted red if they have access to an animal that can pull one. Those with animal that can't pull a sled are encouraged to team up with others if they want, otherwise they'll be expected to go on foot. Finally, they'll be offered a pack of fireworks and firecrackers, but cautions them to be careful where they set them off.

Once everyone is ready, it's time to being the race! You all will be brought to a starting line, and once everyone is there, a gong will ring out! The race is on!

Challenge One: The Elements

As the race goes underway, it soon becomes clear that it's less a race of speed and more a race of endurance. The trip is a long one, lasting several days. While there are paths through the mountains, they are numerous and all winding. You will either have to get along well enough your animal to show you the way, or you'll be left up to your best judgment. Being in the mountains in winter, it's freezing cold. You'll have to make sure you don't succumb to the elements: keep warm, rest often, and keep yourself hydrated. Once and while, you'll find mountain lodges that have been set up to be used to warm up from the elements and restock your supplies. Be sure to take advantage of these. As for those accompanied by a dragon or tiger, make sure to let them hunt once and awhile- before they turn on you to feed.

Of course, these are the challenges if everything goes well. There are plenty of things that can go wrong. Many of the paths you travel on will be narrow passages over a steep cliff. One wrong step could make you fall to your doom. And some areas, marked with small warning signs that are easily missed, are prone to avalanches. In those areas, be careful not to do anything big enough that could set one of those off and bury you under a thick layer of snow.

Challenge Two: The Demons

The elements were bad enough, but remember you were brought on to act as security from demons. So throughout the trip, your party will be attacked and ambushed by various types of demons. These demons are less the classical residents of hell that western cultures are familiar with, but rather closer to anthropormophic animals beings. These "demons" vary in their intelligence level, elemental alignments, and skills- but overall seem to be more interested in eating you for the sake of their own benefit rather than some great evil plan. As such, any holy relics won't have any stronger effect on them.

It'll be up to you to make sure the demons don't harm you or your companion. While some demons can be persuaded that eating you won't actually bring immortality, many will not listen and will have to be battled. Whether you incapacitate them or kill them is up to you, though the dragons and tigers sure won't hold back their own predatory urges, and the boar will certainly try to consume any demon body that is left lying around. Lovely.

While many demons will try to attack you outright, or make simple ambushes- there is one foe that is extra dangerous. On some paths, characters will find come across a cave with a beautiful woman that is wearing very little despite the weather. She'll act friendly and charming, even flirtatious to those who'd seem interested, inviting the characters into the cave to escape the cold and share a meal with her. While she is being truthful about the food, turning your back to her is a dangerous mistake as that's when she'll strike. Her true form is that of a massive scorpion, with a stinger full of powerful venom. She'll proclaim that she is so powerful she managed to injure even the Buddha. And while that claim is a bit of an overstatement, she'll still be a tough opponent to fight. Do your best not to be caught off-guard.

The Final Challenge: Nian

After a few days of travel, the characters will finally make their ways out of the mountains. As they come down the mountainside, they'll see the frozen river that's meant to be the finish line of this race. The ice on the river looks thick enough to cross with ease. However as soon as they step out onto the ice, there'll be a deep rumbling before a gigantic beast bursts out from the ice below, landing on the ice. Standing twenty feet tall, it'll lunge at the party. This is none other than the legendary beast Nian, looking to feed itself during the new year season.

Characters will have a number of options. They can choose to fight the beast, though it'll be a dangerous fight and you run the risk of breaking the ice beneath you. You can also try to outrun it and hope it'll stop chasing once you make it to the other side. Finally, you can attempt to scare it off by using the firecrackers and fireworks given to you earlier, if you haven't used them up already. Nian also seems to avoid anything that's the color red, so maybe something can be done about that. Though no matter what you do, you'll need to be mindful of the ice beneath you. Do anything that breaks the ice, and you'll find yourself being plunged into freezing cold waters and having a whole new problem to contend with.

Whatever choices you make, you'll have to do your best to make sure you and your companion survive this encounter, as it'd be a shame to lose the race so close to the finish line.

Aftermath

Once you survive that final challenge, it's time to cross the river. Once you do, you'll no longer be in a wintery landscape but a beautiful courtyard that's warm and full of blooming plant life. You have reached the true destination of the race: the Heavenly Palace. More friendly demons and other celestial beings are there to welcome and cheer your arrival, and you'll be invited to join in a massive new years feast full of the finest Chinese cuisine. At this point, your animal companions will part ways with you, as they are off to have a private banquet with the Jade Emperor as is tradition.

Once you are fed and warmed, you'll be given rewards for all your work by attendants of the palace. The first will be a small charm of the animal you helped. This charm will allow you to summon your animal companion within the Spirit Realm, should you ever want to see them again. You will then be offered one of two choices: the first choice is a bright red envelope with about 8,000 dollars within. The other choice is to have a peach of immortality. Anyone who eats the peach will become immortal and unable to die, however it will come at the cost of being forever tied to the spirit realm. This means unless you travel through the spirit realm, you'd never be able to leave the boundaries of Kaisou as you need to stay near the spirit vein. And for otherworlders ... well, you'd never return home. Though they say you don't have to consume right right away, so people may choose to take the peach with them and save it for later. Still you can only choose one option, so choose wisely.

Whichever you choose, once the feast winds down, they will open a gate that'll allow you to return directly back to Kaisou without going through the mountain again. Once you return home, the rest of the month shall prove relatively peaceful. As for anyone who actually heeds Zodiac's request to hand over a peach. Well...they will hold up their offer to pay handsomely and hand over 40,000 dollars for your work. Surely they're just feeling extra generous and this shouldn't leave you with a feeling of dread, right?

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Water! Anyone with an affinity to the water 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 Fire 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.

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

Comments

Harry Potter/Jamie Carter | Harry Potter (Paranormal Modern AU)

[phoenixwiz]

Kaisou Winter Festival
(Jamie has a big soft spot for Kaisou Winter Festival: growing up, his family would often visit the festival a lot every January, though not everyone has the time to attend it as often. This year, Jamie is attending this solo and he is pretty excited to have fun and forget about his initial freak out over the Libra app. With this month being attuned to Water, he is feeling water magic being so strong within his veins and feeling more inspired than ever.

You can catch him taking part in snow mazes, participating in snowball fights, getting his fortunes read, or having a nice hot cup of apple cider and poutine. And despite being dressed for the weather, you might notice that Jamie is not freezing out in the cold as one would expect. Yes it is a pretty normal thing for him, just shrugging off the cold like it is nothing.)

The Other Zodiac
(Jamie is not sure of how to feel about his first Spirit Realm adventure as he walks up to the Buddhist temple at Cathedral Hill. To make things even more interesting, he has gotten a ‘weapon’ in the form of a strange stick that was found in his pencil holder a few days. Grasping onto the wand, he looks at the temple before turning to the nearest person next to him and telling them this.)

So this is my first time entering into a Spirit Realm and I’m pretty nervous of what lies ahead. By the way, is this your time doing something like this before?

The Zodiac Race Begins
Okay, Mr. Ram. Are you ready for this?

(The ran blissfully bleets out to him while Jamie packs up the last of the race supplies onto his sled.)

This is looking very promising, isn’t it?

(Jamie just got very lucky that he got a Ram due to his birth year and, so far, the Ram has been very cordial and friendly to hin. While he is nervous about how the race will turn out, he is hoping that it will be a fun experience while not trying to die even i he has the ability to resist some cold temperatures and has water control in his favor. Perhaps some encouragement can help him out before the race begins.)

The Nian Strikes
Whoa! This beast, this beast is pretty freaking huge!

(The aspiring journalist has his jaws dropped to the figurative ground upon seeing the Nian being in the way, blocking the last leg of the race. The Ram understandably wants to get there as safely as possibly as Jamie stares at his ‘wand’, thinking about the possible options he can think of.

Should he fight the thing and risk falling into the freezing water? Or maybe he is better off getting the Ram to run fast and distract it with the fireworks he hasn’t used up yet? He turns to find another person nearby and calls out to them for some advice.)

Hey there! I would like to ask you if there is a good way for us to take on the beast. Got any suggestions we can use to get our companions to the Heavenly Palace?

other zodiac

[fionnuisce]

No, I've been through a few of these by now. [The answer came from a man walking with a cane on his left side, shrugging with his right shoulder.] This might on the more harmless side judging by what our usual precognitives say, but it's wise to stay alert all the same.

Isabela Madrigal | Encanto | OU

[senorita_perfecta]

Winter Festival Fun
(This is Isabela’s first Winter Festival and there is so much excitement running in her adrenaline that she wants to check out everything and anything. But where to start? What else to start the festival fun than a good snowball fight. Whether you’re on her side or on the opposing team, Isa is going to give it all she got to fight and surprise anyone who tries to get her covered in snowballs. Just watch for any cactus needles that might get stuck with the snowballs, they can hurt.)

The Race: Elements
(Isabela has been preparing to get her sled for the races, packing up the much needed supplies like Ram feed, food, water, fireworks and firecrackers, and more. She has given a Ram for her to escort on and this one seems to be very peaceful at the moment.

As soon as the race begins, she and the Ram are slowly beginning to have a good relationship as she gently supports the Ram from the sled and attacks demons left right and center with her now full control over plants and throwing cacti whenever possible. Yes, they did have some trouble with some of the obstacles but they did managed to overcome them like a team.

During at some point, she and the Ram make a stopover at one of the log cabins to rest up for the night and refill for the next part of the race. She is currently getting warmed up by the fireplace while feeding and petting the Ram accordingly.)

Aftermath
(The race itself was a long emotional ride for her: shooing demons, dealing with breakable ice, and having to defend her Ram friend from the Nian could have easily broken anyone, but Isabela manages to persevere through it all. After making it to the Heavenly Palace, Isabela feels really sad to say goodbye to the Ram as it leaves to join the Jade Emperor’s feast but she is still glad that they made it after days of racing across the snowy landscape and she will fondly treasure their shared time together.

As she heads into the banquet held for the Zodiac app users’ honor, she couldn’t help thinking about how happy and family would her parents and other family members would be upon learning about her amazing race with a Ram. Clearly losing herself in these blissful thoughts for now because she really needs something to lighten her up after the previous emotionally distressing month.)

Winter Festival Fun

[a_cute_batata]

Luz was exactly the kind of girl who would like to get into a snowball fight with a friend! So with Isabela joining the other side, Luz was grinning like a cat.

"All right, get read-"

Luz got a full on snowball in the face and YELPED when she got a cactus needle in the face.

"No flora!" Luz protested, pulling out the needle and wincing.

Suzume Kujo | JJBA AU | OTA

[suzume_odori]

{WINTER CARNIVAL - PROMPTS IN UNDERLINE}

The Winter Festival is one that Suzume greets with the expected zeal of any small child given a holiday to enjoy it with. School isn't in session again until the next week for her, and the prior week was spent largely being toted about by zodiac staff and friends alike since no one could exactly leave a child unattended for the holidays, but they also didn't want to just miss their holiday, and a fun and handy compromise on family get togethers is much easier to sort out when the only one being compromised for is 6.

Or at least, they assume she's 6 by now. She probably is. The Birthday Skeleton will be rolling in late just in case.

But here she is- bundled and cozied up, with a brand new coat for the new year (a little large for her admittedly), scarf and things all tightly wound around (she's not hiding anything right?), and great big stompy boots (big to her at least) tromping through snow.

She has brought, as well, a stuffed dolphin, alongside her large stoutland- because what are you going to do, stop her!?

At any rate as she runs around all the ice sculptures- not to mention the ice maze- it might become apparent that something...Odd happened over the new years mark. Scarf down, Suzume starts pulling face after face at the warped reflection as offered in the glass, but the scales across her nose and cheeks- like a strange glistening sunburn if sunburns were more violet- are definitely real. Huh?

It's more evident late in the days of the festival, when steaming hot chocolate is cupped in mittened hands, the little one blowing gently over the hot fluid. The steam mists particularly oddly over those scales, so they're...Definitely there.

But maybe it's best to ignore them. She certainly seems to be! And hey- There's ice skating! And while it might be a slower pace than you want to be going, maybe you want to join a certain little first time skater with her skate balance!

{THE GREAT ZODIAC RACE - PREP}

Suzume of course is too young to enter the gate alone, but fortunately for Zodiac, she has not come alone at all. And that's not because there's a great big Stoutland with her- as has been pointed out to her, Muland does not count, even if he is very big and very fluffy. But while Kakyoin is attending as a chaperone of sorts, the attendant seems to have hone in on Suzume...

And then paused. 'Oh...How strange, I thought you were...older,' is all he mutters, a scroll of bamboo slats unraveled as he looks from it to the child. 'Maybe the most recent set then? But no, that's too small isn't it?'

After much of this muttering- which others are certainly free to comment on if they wish- the attendant apparently finally decides the matter is fine enough and waves them over to the corral. A sled is presented to them, brilliant and red and soon to be loaded with supplies. The animal meanwhile, proudly walks over with a regal gait-

And stares.

"...." Suzume stares as well.

"Snn...Smfmnff..." The dragon sniffs a bit, great big bunny-like eyes staring right down.

Suzume finally whispers, either to Kakyoin or whoever is near- "....our scales are the same..."

The dragon is sniffing more now, and impossibly, astoundingly, getting onto its belly for a closer look.

Well they're certainly bonding, then.

{THE RACE; DEMONS & DRUMSTICKS - PROMPTS IN UNDERLINE}

The great Zodiac race is certainly great. The first thing that ends up on the list of things to do as they initially set off, is hunting. Suzume of course has no idea of this, and doesn't seem to be directing it at all. She actually offers the dragon her own bits of food every now and then, which is politely turned down and for good reason. For while Kakyoin might be helping them to cook meats and things as they go, the food that they're procuring for the dragon is...well.

PSCH-t! [CW: Animal death, hunting for food]

Rather interestingly taken down! Suzume's stand is equipped with keen eyes, and swift speed- the two things combined make it more than easy to simply throw sharp and tiny stones in the direction of unsuspecting prey animals ahead on the path before retrieving it to be eaten. Of course, if anyone actually spots the group doing so, they'll notice Suzume has her eyes covered... "...Umn...Hoshi can I see yet..?"

Not until it's been swallowed.

But those pebbles unfortunately, can only do so much. At least once along the route, demons will be encountered. Some are easily dealt with- more easy than one would expect at least. Simpler demons after all, just don't know how to deal with...with...!

"ORRRrrRRRRAAORAORAORAORAOA-"

A screeching and hopping mad child floating in the air!! The dragon as well is snarling and snapping of course, but often times it's of no need. They expected something to eat for immortality. A baby with a tantrum, no thanks!

Demons of 'greater stuff' are far more plentiful than those, however- and naturally they're far less likely to be so small that Suzume's guardian misses them entirely. The group's sled takes them far around such ambushes spotted in advance...but at least once, perhaps, you might come upon them hiding out behind a large outcropping of rock and snow, dragon coiled somewhat protectively around the little one while Muland- notably the one harnessed to the sled- grumbles softly in the direction of the demons.

Once, in fact- well. If you come upon the sled as it's stopped, Suzume will wave, and speak. "...Hoshi doesn't want us to go that way..." she says, looking up to him. "...ummm....he saw...a really pretty lady, but she must not be nice I guess..."

Trust them.

If there's one thing they're firm about though, it's getting to the lodges. Suzume is small- they can certainly set up shelter and camp, but it's more preferable to make it to a nice warm building where they can all bundle up beside a fire and-

...Oh they're bringing the dragon right into the lodge, alright. He can probably fit yes? No? Suzume looks up while the dragon is worming through the door. "...Are we sharing..?"

{Y'KNOW, LIKE....NIAN - CLOSED; KAKYOIN}

The race, best anyone can tell, has been going fantastic. They might not be first- they're going quick, but they're not especially gunning it, though the way that dragon keeps pausing to dote on what it seems to have determined is a phenomenally odd infant (un-helped by Kakyoin's own matters), that might actually not be too much of an issue. Not this year anyway. Just up ahead though, there lies the frozen plain of the river. Pristine and smooth, and easy enough a crossing it looks like!

And then-

CRRKC- CRUCHK-

The ice behind them shatters, and the group turn.

"Nnnnn....Nrrrrrriiiooooooo...."

Oh.

"...uh oh..."

{THE GREAT KAISOU WINTER HUNT - CLOSED; JAMIE}

With all the hustle and bustle of the Zodiac race behind her, it's time for Suzume to chase the next Fun Thing. It's still cold out- she's still bundled, great big coat, great big scarf and all that- but now she's got school and things happening every so often, which honestly gets her a lot more busy.

Busy- but of course, not so busy that she's busy on the weekend.

The minute she can, she's free to run about and play in the snow all over Kaisou! And it's there-

...Well. It's somewhere in that big city, that she spots someone searching a lot of places. Just what could he be looking for?

"....did you lose things..."

She's going to ask. If Jamie didn't expect a sudden voice from a few feet down, then he can be excused, she does that.

The Great Kaisou Winter Hunt

[phoenixwiz]

Jamie has probably spent a lot of hours just trying to find a medallion within the city and it is getting a little stressful for him to handle this on his own. He is really good in finding news and gathering stuff from tons of camping trips but ho boy, it is a lot for one guy to tackle.

So it is a miracle then that someone, a little girl, has dropped by and asked him something.

“Oh me? Well, it looks like the only thing I seem to be losing at the moment is time. That and this medallion everyone is looking for too,” he replies to her before he asks Suzume, “Are you also participating in the treasure hunt too?”

[a_cute_batata]

Why, Luz, why?

Luz had never gone skiing before. Sure, she was going to indulge in some got chocolate and funnel cake, but what about regular activities that involved a little bit of daring? After Luz gets her fill of treats and manages to grab a stuffed doll or two, she proceeds to make an attempt at skiing!

An attempt.

So watching her flailing through the snow, falling at least several times, screaming all the way down. Really, she is trying her best, but only Luz could trip over her own skis.

More than once.

Full Moon Fiascos

When she heard about what was happening to other residents in Kaisou because of the moon, Luz volunteered to help try keep people corralled so they might go back home and recover. After learning what happened to a few friends who had this very affliction, Luz figured it might be good to check on them and be careful not to use any extreme methods to get them to stay calm.

She just hoped it wouldn't be too much of a challenge!

For right now, she was on Owlbert, checking for anything out of the ordinary happening.

Zodiac race

Luz really wished she was allowed to use her staff, but in that event, she still had Owlbert for company. She also had another buddy for company too: the zodiac snake, who had chosen to stay up Luz's shirt to avoid the cold. Luz made sure to have an extra comfy coat that gave her the snake enough room and set out to get him beyond the mountain pass. Maybe you meet her while she's on her way, possibly give her a lift, or just some company?


Luz is trying to stay upbeat despite the disadvantage, though this does start to get put to the test the farther on she goes.

The demons, for instance, do slow her down a little. If you want to lend a hand there, you'll see Luz blasting at a demon with Owlbert a staff again, trying to whittle down her opponent.

"Hey, can you lend a hand?"

Or maybe you'll see Luz taking on Nian. She's got the staff again, only now Luz is looking a little shakier, due to the ice. Nian, meanwhile, is bearing down on her and Luz is looking a little nervous.

She looks like she had a plan, but will need a little help in its execution.

Zodiac race

[droptheious]

While he's in the spirit realm, Varian's wolf changes are in effect. So when he comes to Luz's aid with the demons, he's covered in black fur- that's definitely new- the wolf tail and claws aren't so new, but they're definitely...noticeable. He hucks an alchemy bomb at a nearby demon, ice crackling around it and encasing it in a thick sheet of the stuff.

"You okay? Did they hurt you?"

There's more demons to handle, but he feels that's an important thing to check.

[poisontippedcure]

[The Other Zodiac]

[If Rose knew what a New Year's resolution was, hers would be to be more helpful. The last few months have been surprisingly boring, and so she readily takes on the Zodiac Race challenge.]

[She expected the cold weather, and is appropriately bundled in a red winter coat. What she did not expect, in any capacity, was her traveling companion. She had reasoned that the animal she would be given would share some of her features. Instead, she has a rat. It's small and looking up at her with curious eyes, while she can only frown in response.]

I hadn't expected something so...tiny.

[En Route]

[Thankfully, because it's small, it makes a convenient traveling companion. Rose lets the rat sit on her shoulders while she travels, and slips it into a pocket when she sees a demon nearby. Should you encounter her on such an occasion, she'll have her Scythe drawn, and be readying an attack.]

Believe it or not, you aren't the only demon here. Let's see who can last longer.

[In From the Cold]

[Unfortunately, Miqo'te aren't well accustomed to the cold, and Rose isn't accustomed to the wilderness. Even with her many layers, she's shivering, and she feels like she hasn't eaten in days. When someone calls her over, she doesn't pay attention to how they're dressed. She's just relieved that there's a warm cave and a hot bowl of soup.]

[She's so entranced that she doesn't notice the other woman transform while her back is turned. Thankfully, Rose's rat companion has gone out in the cold to seek help.]

[Perhaps the rat has lead you here, or perhaps you came across the cave on your own. Either way, Rose seems extremely unaware of the scorpion about to strike.]

[OTA]

[Want to do something not listed here? Hit me up!]

in from the cold

[hoshikiri]

[A little of column A and B, as Takame did spot her rat but also sensed something amiss with the cave.

There's next to no warning for Rose, but Takame's aim is true and he launched a Lightning Shot clean at the Scorpion Tail before it even thought of touching Rose.]

Danny Fenton | Danny Phantom | Normal AU

[schrodingersghost]

This Could Be A Problem:
At first, Danny had had high hopes that the change in his ears would be all he had to deal with. Which... okay it definitely took some getting used to. But for all he knew this was something normal for ghosts. And it least it wasn't yet another power he'd have to figure out how to control.

But as the days went on he began to realize that he hadn't escaped quite as easily as he hoped.

It was metal. Not all metal, of course. But he'd started to get sharp shocks when he touched certain things. Spoons, forks and knives. Various appliances in his parent's kitchen. The metal frame of his desk. A screwdriver. There didn't seem to be any pattern to it, but it was getting super annoying.

And he'd had enough. He couldn't figure out the pattern? Fine, he'd just have to test it. So today he was out at a hardware store eyeing a display rack of doorknobs made out of different kinds of metal. Gingerly he reaches out and touches the first one.... and bites back a pained sound as he pulls his hand back.

Race Preparation:
Danny had been more than happy to volunteer to join the race. But now that he was here, he stares down at the rooster in his arms with a confused expression. What exactly was he supposed to do with this.

The rooster stares back.... and crows at him. Loudly.

Demons Challenge:
Danny had already been well aware that endurance was one of weaknesses. He really hadn't needed the reminder that had been the first part of the race. He'd found himself having to be careful how much he used his ghost powers. But even with that he was getting tired. Chasing after the rooster, the avalanches, the ice.....

So of course that's when he spots a demon lunging at him. Danny levels a look at his chicken as he raises his shields once more.

"Roosters are bad luck, aren't they?"

race prep

[hoshikiri]

It didn't take a lot to convince Takame to lend his services. They barely had to say please, even a simple request worked just as well. He'd been trying to get himself acquainted with his mandated Ram when Danny's rooster decided to crow loudly.

And someone's attention was caught by it. It was not the ram. It was a very overly literal scaly man.

"... Good morning."

Yusuke Kitagawa | OTA + one closed to Takame

[stripartist]

Festival

[Yusuke's always loved the Kaisou winter festival, so naturally he's spending a day there. He's only in a light jacket and not much else, but no one seems to be judging. People are just weird like that!

He helps himself to the festival food and wanders around, but honestly he ends up spending most of his time in the Underground, now that he can see it for what it is. This does mean he ends up lost at some point, so maybe help a poor lost fox?]

Zodiacs

[Oh thank God, they went by birth year. Yusuke, frankly, is extremely pleased with the ox and wastes no time in getting a sled and hitching his new buddy up to it.

He turns to you, assuming you don't have one of the bigger animals (or even if you do).]

You know, there's safety in numbers and we'll probably want to stay together for warmth as well. Should we travel together? I have a sled.

[Sure he doesn't feel the cold but like. Principle of the matter.]

Closed to Takame

[Their date had to be moved from the 6th to the 11th, once Yusuke was sure that odd ferality wouldn't strike and once the Zodiac nonsense was well and truly taken care of. They're meeting at a hotpot restaurant that Yusuke knows to be good, and when he spots Takame, Yusuke hands over the good luck charm and flowers he'd gotten him.]

For you. I am so sorry we had to reschedule.

that's this guy he's takame

[hoshikiri]

[It was more concern than anything that Takame felt on postponement. It didn't take him long to put two and two together on why it happened but it in combination the Zodiac race had him quite busy either way.

It would have been nice to fix his hair color, but a well pleated braid would suffice. He wasn't expecting to receive anything, so when he's given the flowers he's surprised.]

Ah, thank you. [He shook his head as he handled the gift with care.] They're lovely. You needn't worry about rescheduling, so long as you are alright that is what matters.

Rhel Fashonti | OTA

[thaumewturge]

Around Kaisou

[Rhel can be found at the festival, yes, but what she's doing most of the month is something less fun.

Very, very frequently Rhel will be found wandering the city with her glowing light familiar of indeterminate shape and big blue chocobo following her, looking at her phone and looking around her to find addresses. She is trying to find a place to rent on a book store employee's salary that has room for her chocobo.

Twelve help her, this is hell.]

The Nian

[Rhel, her little rooster buddy more or less strapped to her back for the moment, just gives the Nian a Look as she pulls out her rod.]

Right. If someone would rather draw it's attention away from me, we can have this thing beaten before the hour's out. Don't worry about the ice, I can refreeze it!

[And that sure is a bolt of lighting hitting the Nian's ass.]

Wildcard

[Want something else? Hit me up!]

[gwaynestanding]

[What have we said about DPS pulling before the main tank?! Ah, well. Gwayne pulls out his sword and shield, and tells his rabbit to stay with Rhel. He throws his shield at the Nian, smacking it dead on the head, and rushes forward.]

Over here, big boy!

[It seems to work, at least! The Nian's attention is suddenly on the Hyur instead of the Miqo'te.]

Elliot Craig | Trails of Cold Steel | OTA

[fiddlestick]

I. Kaisou Winter Festival
[Elliot can't say he's a big fan of winter. He's not very fond of the cold weather. But there was something fun about this festival. So while his boyfriend is off competing in the ice fishing competitions, he himself is wandering around looking at all the ice sculptures. He's got a hot cocoa in hand, using to keep his fingers warm]

You know...I think I used to know a sculptor. [He says out loud, as the memory comes back in] She was really into her craft. I wonder if she'd do something like this?

II. Full Moon
[It's not unusual for teachers to stay late to work on various things. That's what Elliot had been doing, not taking any notice to the moon or the time. Which would work out much to his detriment.

Anyone who comes by the fine arts department office won't find Elliot the man. Instead they will find things from the desks knocked over, and a ginger cat sitting atop the desk. It meows as you come into the room, flicking its tail]

III. The Other Zodiac
[Elliot really didn't want to go on any race, but he knew full well his students would try- and he rather keep an eye on them. When it came time to get animals, part of him was hoping for something cute, like a rabbit or a rat.

But instead? A dragon gets brought out to him. His eyes grow wide and he gulps as the mythical being stares him down]

A-Ah...Oh boy. E-Easy now...

[Once him and the dragon get acquainted and...well, he stops fearing for his life, he realizes this can be useful. So he'll try to wave down any people he knows, particularly students]

Hey, wanna travel with us? It'd be safer to go in a group!

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

[arrowtotheheal]

[Will, surprisingly, is getting along well with the boar he's been assigned. Maybe because he's good at befriending the stubborn children of Ares? Well, anyway. He's got her hitched to a sled, and waves back at Elliot with a smile.]

Sounds good to me, Mr. Craig!

[He looks at the dragon for a moment.]

You were born in the year of the dragon? That's pretty cool!

Fern | Adventure Time | OU

[laminae]

Kaisou Winter Carnival

[Winter is a bad, bad time for Fern, but being the stubborn kid that he is, he isn't about to let a little thing like not generating his own body heat stop him from enjoying the snow. Taking Elliot's advice he stuffs his pockets with handwarmers from the drug store, bundles up, and goes out to enjoy the carnival.

Specifically, the snowball fights going on in the soccer fields. He can't enjoy the food and maybe moving around will help him keep warm, so he starts to work building up a large pile of snow before forming a grass sword and starting to carve a big snow fort for himself. It looks pretty solid, definitely enough to protect a couple of people while snowballs are being flung at them.]

The Zodiac Race

[It's only after Varian goes through the gate on a scouting mission, deeming it safe enough, that Fern goes through himself. After seeing August's warning about dads he was nervous - anyone would be, when they've had his kind of bad experiences with father figures - but it seems safe enough, so... there he goes!

He, of course, brings a whole pile of swords sticking out of his backpack. Not grass ones either, there are three additional metal swords he's brought along. He's still a little nervous, and you can never have enough swords. Thankfully, the animal he gets paired up with doesn't mind. In fact, he and the tiger spend quite a bit of time before the race begins comparing his swords and the sharpness of the tiger's claws on trees. It's cute in a weird way, and a surprisingly good way for the two of them to bond a little. Fern is certainly reassured, given he isn't sure if he was put with the tiger because of Finn's birthday or because of his own.

The two of them make a great team. The tiger has no interest in eating Fern, and they're both on the same page when it comes to violence. He has no problem feeding the tiger, so characters might come across the two of them hunting.

... Really, Fern isn't the most responsible of guards, so people might find themselves stalked by the cat, or worse - getting ambushed! If it's the latter, Fern will come bursting out of the snow-covered foliage flailing his arms.]

Hold up, I don't think they're dinner!

Kanto Adventures

[It's part way through the month when Fern finds himself getting a little stir crazy and decides to head to one of the more stable gates. The weather has been causing him to stay indoors a lot more than he's used to, and he's hoping hopping to another world for another world will give him a small reprieve from the cold (and some much-needed sunlight).

He's in luck! The variety of biomes means the one he's starting out in is warm and sunny, and it's more than enough motivation for him to get his explorer on. He spends several hours out wandering, checking out the ruins for treasure, and occasionally fighting the occasional aggressive pokemon with his swords. All he finds is a stray empty pokeball, but that's enough and in the evening he makes his way back through the gate.

... Except he isn't alone. Shortly after returning to Kaisou he notices something out of the corner of his eye, and he turns to see a little pink and green -- bug? It's toddling after him, and when he notices her she stops.]

Uh, dude. You gotta go back home. [He gives a wave at the gate, and in response she wiggles her little scythe-looking arms excitedly. Thus begins a very strange scenario where Fern tries to make his way home with a little grassy mantis creature following after him, chirping insistently.]

Winter Festival

[senorita_perfecta]

Hey Fern, I noticed that you’re building a pretty sturdy snow fort right now. Must be for the snowball fights, isn’t that right?

(Isabela has walked into the soccer field to see the grass sword fighter prepping up a snow fort in time for the incoming snowball fight. She is pretty excited to participate in one so badly but she hasn’t made a decision on which side she should be playing for.)

Is it okay if I could join you in here? I haven’t picked which team I should be playing for.

Moana | Moana | Paranormal AU

[findingways]

Kaisou Winter Carnival

[ Moana isn't quite sure what it is, but she finds herself feeling a lot better this month than she had in previous months. The weather is freezing, and it still makes her a bit tired, but not as lethargic and sluggish as she had been before. So she wanted to take advantage of this burst of energy and actually be outside for a while.

She still has to be careful, of course, and she makes sure that she's properly bundled up. And maybe attending a winter festival isn't the safest decision, but darn it she wants to have a little fun right now. Besides, ice skating is a good way to help warm her up, isn't it?

She stays away from some of the colder activities asides from that, though, but she does stop into some of the restaurants to grab some food or something warm to drink as well. ]

Zodiac Race: Preparation

[ When she had heard about the race, and needing to escort animals through the mountains, Moana had been eager to help. Part of it was still the energy high she's riding, despite knowing that they'd be traveling through snow, but mostly she liked animals, and it kind of sounded like fun.

There's...something about the rooster she's paired up with, though. She can't exactly explain it, but there's something in the rooster's rather blank stare that has her worrying a little bit. ]

...anyone wanna trade?

Zodiac Race: Elements

[ Okay, but seriously, what is up with this rooster?

It's been a few days now, and Moana is having serious doubts that they'll even be able to make it to the end. Not only does this rooster not eat the feed when she puts it in front of him (instead choosing to peck at anything else), but whenever they're taking a break, Moana finds that if she doesn't keep an eye on him, he will attempt to walk himself off the nearest ledge.

And maybe letting him put himself out of her misery would help her out a bit, but she's also a bit worried about maybe being cursed if something happens to him. So of course she has to keep saving him.

It's about the tenth time that she manages to grab hold of the rooster's tail feathers before it drops off a cliff when a vivid image flashes in her mind, and she's filled with déjà vu; instead of a snowy mountain, though, she sees herself on a canoe in the middle of the ocean, and a very similar looking chicken walking to the edge of the boat and nearly falling off before she manages to catch it. A few more flashes of this same chicken actually falling into the water, and a watery appendage depositing him back onto the canoe, each time with seemingly more frustrated.

Then she blinks and she's back on the mountain, and she can't help looking at the chicken incredulously. ]

...are you serious?

Wildcard

(( Feel like something like doing something else? Feel free, or hit me up at usamichan13 to plot something! ))

Zodiac Race: Elements Edition

[phoenixwiz]

(Jamie has been making some progress with his Ram companion for a good while now in the past few days. He does make sure to feed the guy and look after him while navigating the perilous snowy landscape. And luckily for him, the Ram does his part in keeping the demons away with the power of headbutts though Jamie still carries much of the weight in demon kicking.

And he just so happen to pass by Moana and the rooster when she had memory flashes with a similar rooster, though he can’t seem to see them himself. The young man then gets out of his sled and see what’s up.)

Oh hey there. Is everything alright, Miss?

Waver Velvet | fate/ [AU] | ota

[fionnuisce]

[i; full moon]

[Late afternoon on the sixth, there came a brief network post:]

silverrose: Something seemed kind of unusual last night. Did anyone else hear all that howling?

[Definitely just that and nothing else having him wondering what was going on. It's fine.]

[ii; zodiac race]

[Upon telling the attendant his birth year was 1975 and once more being quietly struck by how absurd the current time discrepancy felt, Waver was introduced to his race partner...a small rabbit. Which he looked at, then back at the attendant as if waiting for 'haha, just kidding, here's a horse or something useful'. When no such punchline came, he smiled in the sort of way that resembled someone on his last nerve, leaned over to cautiously pick up the rabbit in one arm, and calmly stepped away.]

[Yeah, of course his own birthday would screw him over.]

Please tell me someone has extra space on their sled, because I am not walking this whole damn thing. I can fight, if someone needs better defenses.

[iii; wildcard]

[whatever else, maybe festival hijinks if you want, i'm easy]

[drewthetower]

I mean, Julian can turn into a horse-sized bird?

[Says August, on the back of said bird with his bunny in his lap. He has a little nest and even a makeshift saddle for the nest, so he doesn't fall off.]

We'll have to walk a lot still, don't wanna tire him out too much, but hey, he can carry two people.

Scintilla Caminus | FFXIV | ota

[sunforging]

[i; winter festival]

[If you dare venture onto the (soccer) field of battle, may the Twelve preserve you, for you walk into deadly danger. If you're sharp of eye and wit both, you may be fortunate enough to be warned by the twitch of a barely visible tail behind a hastily built snow fort.]

[Which is all the warning you get before a snowball comes barreling at you.]

[ii; demons]

[While she had at least pulled and fastened her coat closed, one might wonder how certain people don't freeze to death when dressed for combat rather than the weather. And the answer may surprise you.]

[The glowing weapon combines into a staff, and with a moment's concentration lightning crackled in the air and crashed down on the crab demon that had been advancing on her, followed by a sudden burst of fire.]

Really don't get it. No reason to go t' all this trouble over a silly rumor. This little guy probably don't even taste all that great. [Scintilla gave a small headpat to the snake coiled around her neck, peeking out from under her scarf.The crab did not hear this, as it was unconscious and smoking slightly.] Well, guess we better keep on movin'.

[Hard to be more than just 'cold' when you're throwing around fire and also seem completely incapable of holding still.]

[...but she is definitely going to catch something after this is over.]

[iii; wildcard]

[anything else! i promise she's wearing seasonally appropriate clothes outside of combat it's fine.]

i

[cantgetanyworse]

[It's a bad time for Jane to not be looking out for snowballs. She really should be, all things considered, but she's skirting the edge of the battlefield looking for a likely spot to set up when the missile comes hurtling at her and smacks against the back of her head.

Luckily, she's wearing a hat that absorbs most of the impact. Not so luckily, this does not stop a good amount of cold snow from sliding down the back of her neck. She scrunches her shoulders up and lets out a squeak.]

I'm unarmed!

Luisa Madrigal | Encanto | OU

[neverbreaks]

Kaisou Winter Carnival

[ Though Luisa had seen snow occasionally (usually when Tía Pepa had been a bit upset), it was nothing like winter here in the city. She still wasn't entirely used to the cold, but it felt worth it to get to see something like the Winter Festival, which was unlike anything she'd ever experienced before.

And there was so much to see, that it was hard to figure out where to begin. She spends a lot of time watching people ice skate, though hesitates on trying it out herself. She might be convinced if someone does it with her, though...

She also finds herself standing in front of the ice castle maze, gazing up at the beautiful-looking building and marveling that it was all made of ice. She hasn't entered the maze just yet, but it does look like it might be fun. ]

The First Full Moon

[ During the first week of January, Luisa was surprised to find that she wasn't experiencing the intense hunger that she'd gotten used to feeling during the start of the month. She'd wondered a little bit, but decided not to worry about it too much, and just decided to enjoy it for now.

Unfortunately, the breather from the usual routine didn't last long, as near the end of the week when she'd usually be preparing to sleep for a few days, something else seemed to be happening. As soon as the skies grew dark and evening fell, Luisa would feel something clawing at her mind, something so intense and ferocious it scared her.

Wherever she was at night, the feeling would rush so suddenly that it caused her to fall to one knee, and she gripped at her head as it felt like something was trying to split out of her mind. The cat-like ears were pinned back against her head, and the tail she tried to keep hidden twitched erratically as she makes a low noise, a half-groan half-growl sound in the back of her throat. ]

Before the Race

[ By the time the message from Zodiac is sent out, that familiar deep hunger had returned, and Luisa isn't sure if it was because of the previous few days (or nights), or if it was just the typical hunger that she'd experience each month.

So it was probably a risk to head into the Spirit Realm anyway, but Luisa still wants to help out. But as soon as she steps through the gate, she knows that...something is wrong.

Maybe it's the hunger, or maybe it's just being in the Spirit World. Maybe it lingering stress from the frightening nights of fighting for control, or possibly a combination of all three. But passing through the gate into the Spirit Realm, she feels that same clawing sensation that she'd felt before, of something inside her trying to escape again. It's a little less intense than it had been the previous nights...but still strong enough that her jaguar tail starts twitching again, and her breathing starts to quickening.

She can't...She can't be here right now... ]

Wildcard

(( Feel like something like doing something else? Feel free, or hit me up at usamichan13 to plot something! ))

Before the Race (AKA here is a wild Luz)

[a_cute_batata]

Luz is concerned for Luisa.

While she'd been riding around at the dark the last few days, she'd kept an eye out. She hadn't forgotten their conversation and wanted to help however she could. So far, there'd been so sign of Luisa, so she was at least relieved for those few days.

Unfortunately, once she popped in for the Zodiac race, she DID spot Luisa. Something was happening too, because she was pretty sure she'd never seen her friend look like something was happening.

Also, the tail. There was that.

"Luisa? Are you ok?"

Crito | OC | Paranormal AU | OTA

[psychonductor]

i. zodiac...2!

[Crito lines up with the rest of them to get their animal, appropriately bundled up with a large coat, scarf, and conductor's hat planted firmly on their head. As the attendant assigns animals, their mind wanders to hopes of a horse, or maybe even a tiger, or --

-- Crito is handed a rabbit.

Now, being a 4'11 Certified Little Guy, Crito's animal is suitably small, and manages to fit in their hands. Pygmy rabbits, they're called.

Disappointment clouds their face for a mere second, with a mumbled 'Aw, I wanted a horse' before they turn to the rest of the group.]

Anyone wanna swap?

ii. elements

[Unable to exchange their rabbit for something more ride-able (something about rules), Crito gets on with the race, leisurely towing the bunny along in a (what's not meant to be) hilariously oversized sled for the thing. Intermittently they'll blow on a tinny little whistle, with an announcement:]

This is your conductor speaking! We'll be making a brief stop for some much needed R-and-R before continuing our journey. Thank you for riding the Zodiac railway!

[The rabbit, of course, makes no response. But Crito will come to a dead stop in the middle of the course, sit down, and unpack a picnic. They might be a tripping hazard, but they have no intentions of moving.]

iii. demons

[Slow and leisurely doesn't win you the race, but it does get you surprisingly far! Far enough that Crito encounters some...unsavory types. And with no combat ability and armed with only a bunny, they simply turn to whoever else happens to be around with a click of the tongue.]

Ssoooooo...[Slow click.] You've got this handled, right?

zodiac 2 the return of the zodiac

[escardos]

[ as flat approaches with his ram, he coolly looks over at crito and their pygmy rabbit.

the ram, in the meantime, chews on some grass. ]

I mean, it's cute...maybe you should keep it as a pet instead?

Varian | Tangled | OTA

[droptheious]

The First Full Moon

Varian had already been dealing with fur appearing all over this body- yet another change to push him closer into...well, a wolf. He's a smart kid. By now he's worked out that he's a werewolf, but he's been unsure how to feel about it. This isn't like Catalina's deal at all, and it's left him...uneasy. But he hasn't been freaking out about it. He figures so long as he can keep his head, he'll be able to figure out how to cope with it.

Which is a shame when the first full moon wrenches that ability away from him. He was out getting takeout when the moonrise did its thing and Varian's human thoughts were pushed into the back of his mind. The wolf thoughts that had been nipping in the back of his head for the past month take over. It's probably fortunate for everyone that he's not too deep in his wolf change when he goes feral- all he has is black fur (with a couple of teal highlights, of course), a tail and claws. And the howling of course. He lets out a long, loud howl before scurrying off towards Blue Fish park. There are a few people he might not immediately attack, but anyone unfortunate enough to not be considered part of his pack might have a tiny werewolf snarling at them. At least he's only 5'2 and noodly as hell. He's easy to deal with.


The Zodiac Race

Varian's got his mind back together by the time he gets into the race. He's still got all those werewolf features, though- he hasn't yet gathered the presence of mind to maintain a human form in the spirit realm. He has a rat nestled around his neck, enjoying the warmth of the ruff of black fur around there. Ruddiger is trailing behind him on the ground, glowering up at the rat and chittering angrily at it for taking what he considers his rightful place. This is not the first time Varian's been in a race, and he might be eyeing anyone around him with a deep-seated suspicion.

"You better not cheat. You don't need to do that to win."

He might have some bitter memories about that. Regardless, so long as someone isn't cheating their way through the race- he'll join them to help them out. He'll even point at certain routes his little rat companion squeaks about.

"Um...apparently that's a dangerous route...we'd better take another way round."


Aftermath

Varian can be seen wandering around the party, enjoying the food and drink and winding down after the exhaustion of the race. As usual, he sticks to the edges of the celebration, never really mingling too much. He's never a big fan of parties. But he might head over to someone he recognises with a small, worried smile.

"Well, that was...actually kind of what we've come to expect from the spirit realm at this point, huh?" he rubs the back of his neck. "I mean- do a thing, nearly get killed by another thing. The usual."

After the peach option is given, he'll definitely be beating a hasty retreat out of the spirit realm- probably looking a little shifty. Weird.

Wildcard Want something else? Give me a holler.

[OOC: OTA- for extra plotting hit me up on teeff or the game discord! Will match style!]

The First Full Moon

[laminae]

About a half hour passes before Fern starts texting Varian. He knows grabbing takeout shouldn't take this long, which means something must have happened. It's probably a 50/50 split on whether Varian got up to shenanigans or whether he accidentally fell through a gate, but either way Fern wants to make sure he's alright.

So the texting starts. And when he doesn't get an answer he reassures Ruddiger that Varian is probably fine, maybe before heading out to look for him. He knows where the takeout place is so he starts by following the shortest route there, then starts expanding his search when he doesn't notice any sign of his boyfriend. Eventually he hears the howling, and he makes his way to Blue Fish Park.

It might not be the safest thing to be wandering around an empty park at night, but Fern isn't worried. He's chilly, sure, but he can handle at muggers or weird gate stuff that might be lurking around.

flat escardos | fate/strange fake | paranormal modern AU

[escardos]

a. winter festival

[ though flat doesn't exactly enjoy leaving his apartment for any reason that isn't absolutely necessary, he won't lie and reject the idea that he was curious about the festival. maybe just to stand in the sideline or watch people go buy while he sips on a hot chocolate.

he's good at that, actually. watching. enhanced sight and magical detection help him take in the surroundings, but it's in fact too much. too much stimuli causes a headache, so to avoid that, he wears sunglasses, even indoors.

at the fortune stand, he pulls out a stick: bad luck. how funny. the smile plastered on his face loses some of its polished shine, but he forces himself to laugh it off anyways. ]

Haha, well, I'm sure those things don't mean anything anyways. [ he tilts his head towards you, owlish eyes staring behind the tinted lenses. ] What did you get?

2. the other zodiac

[ a spirit gate... flat has never been even close to one this ornate, and the magic that's pouring out of it is pretty incredible. a huge part of him wants to investigate more about it, which is why he enters, but...

wait, are people actually signing up for this race? for real? to fight demons?

haha, nope, that's far beyond flat's agenda. who gives a damn about the spirit world or whatever? anyways, flat pulls his phone out, ready to take a selfie. ]

Hey, do you want to join?

[ with that same practiced smile on his face, flat makes a peace sign-- come join him! ]

3. wildcard

[ hmu on discord @ tori#3410 or odasaku if you wanna plot something out! or just drop something here, i can work with most things! ]

festival

[fionnuisce]

[Waver wore sunglasses for several reasons, very few of which were out of genuine practicality. (Admittedly, they were useful when one fought with the alchemist equivalent of flash grenades.) For one thing, they held no small amount of sentimental value.]

[For another, they went a long way towards hiding what he was really thinking. Like right now, glancing over the boy who was and was not his student in an uncomfortable sense of unfamiliar familiarity. He'd hoped to get a better read on Flat upon seeing him in person, but that was proving trickier than he thought. The uncertainty of reincarnation complicated the issue, as well as having no earthly idea what in the name of Zelretch he could have been or done in his past life.]

I'm not doing much better. [But all the same he held up a stick reading 'misfortune' with his right hand, left leaning on a cane at his side.] But it's hardly what I would call precision prophecy work.

Tsunayoshi Sawada | Katekyou Hitman Reborn | Normal AU

[theskyaccepts]

[Ice-Mazing?]

[Tsuna hadn't actually planned to be here long.

Really he was just going to look around before heading off for the day. Nothing fancy. More like a glorified shortcut really. But then he'd stopped to look at a few booths.

And then there had been crowds.

And then he'd tried to make a desperate bid for escape which only landed him in the ice castle.

And well. Now he's stuck.]

Hey! Does anyone know the way out? Or is this castle nothing but dead ends?

[The Race is On]

[This is not how Tsuna wanted to spend his day.

He's cold and tired and frustrated. He'd holding a chicken who looks less than pleased to be there, but mollified by the fact that it's being hugged to Tsuna's chest. It's certainly better than running after the chicken, which is how Tsuna had spent the earlier part of his day.

Eventually he looks up.]

I think I see something up ahead!

[Maybe it's a checkpoint. Maybe it's the end! Maybe it's...

A very rickety looking rope bridge across a very wide and deep chasm. The kind where you can't see the bottom.]

Hiee?

[With Dying Will]

[He doesn't have a complete handle on these powers yet, but it's starting to come a little easier to him. It's unfortunate that the trigger usually involved Tsuna taking some kind of hit.]

You go on. I've got this guy.

[Tsuna says, his wavering only slightly. But he turns to face the demon, standing his ground as it rushes and knocks him back.

But then, there's the flash, and flame burning in the center of his forehead, Tsuna is ready to fight.]

With Dying Will

[whatsamada]

Are you sure? It wouldn't be right to just leave you be.

[As much as Ken did want to win the race, he also knew that he just couldn't leave somebody behind. That said, he was prepared should anything happen.]

nero // devil may cry // ota

[sassery]

[school. The start of the year goes by smoothly, at least for the first week. Nox greets his kids and learns their names, already notes who may be a troublemaker, and potential things to do during the year.

The second week, though? The school seems to have discovered a very faulty fire alarm system. At least once every day (if not more), without fail, the system wails loudly, forcing everyone to leave the building. No one can figure out where it starts, and at best it seems like a new prank the kids are playing.

Nox stands outside with everyone for what feels like the umpteenth time, hands tightly wrapped around his arms and sighing.]

Well, at least the new year's off to an interesting start.

[We are not going to talk about how he might keep accidentally setting off the fire alarm because of Spirit Realm bullshit. NOPE. No siree.

teacher chat (locked to elliot, yuri, and yusuke). Sometime later, towards the end of January, the teacher gang on the app gets this:]

noxxed has added i_do_leclerc, paintedfox, ecraig to a group chat.

hey so uh
i feel like i owe you guys an apology for the bs of the second week
yknow
with the whole fire alarm deal
the system wasnt faulty actually

[Thanks! Nox hates this and wants to die.

the race. So maybe the whole thing is a bit odd for him, but surprisingly, Nox doesn't mind working with someone else, or even a few someones, to get through this. His rat is easily nestled right against his neck, and to anyone but himself, Nox feels like a space heater in the freezing cold. He's warm, and he doesn't feel the cold really as much at all, thanks to his demonic heritage. He listens to his companion and tries to go the routes pointed out to him and the others, shrugging after a while.]

Hey, it's what she said! [He points to his rat companion and she gives a verified squeak.] Turn left here, and make sure you don't look to your right- there's apparently some weird shit that will mess with you if you do.

[the nian.

This big old demon is getting a whistle like it's some sort of pet. The rat hides under his collar while Nox mocks the absolute shit out of it.]

Here, kitty kitty kitty! C'mon, you got your target riiiiight here- unless you're too scared to come out and play!

[Might want to back him up on this? Facing the demon alone almost seems like suicide, especially when it's on ice.]

Teacher chat; un: ecraig

[fiddlestick]

Really? Then what was it?

[Was it one of the kids????]

Jane Porter | Disney's Tarzan | Normal AU

[cantgetanyworse]

i. Winter Carnival

[The winter carnival has a different feel about it this year, at least as far as Jane is concerned. Though it’s something that she has attended with delight every year for as long as she has lived in Kaisou it feels different with the backdrop of the supernatural, and it takes her a little longer than usual to get into the spirit of enjoying it in the way she would like to.

She does eventually find her way into the ice maze and quickly gets lost, though that doesn’t bother her at all. Jane meanders back and forth through the maze looking for the way out, cheerfully greeting anyone she might see trying to do the same thing and asking them if they’ve already tried going a certain way.

And of course she doesn’t shy away from the food. At any point in time she might be seen with cake in her hand, or a mug of hot chocolate, or any other kind of snack. Unfortunately she’s not really looking where she’s going, so… she’s only going to be able to apologise should she walk into someone and accidentally spill her drink on their sleeve.]

ii. The Zodiac Race

That’s a tiger…

[Prize for stating the obvious goes to Jane Porter! That is definitely a tiger, and though it doesn’t look like it wants to eat anyone just yet it also looks like it has a great number of very sharp teeth. That’s a tiger.

She casts a look around at the other people near her to see what they have, but honestly she’s (quite reasonably!) wary about taking her eyes off this large predator for too long. The tiger, for its part, looks as if it’s waiting for her to get over it.]

Um… [Jane lets out a dry, nervous laugh.] Okay, I’m sure that nothing can go wrong with this.

iii. The Final Challenge: Nian

[Aside from having to stop now and then to deal with the tiger’s hunger or the occasional demon, Jane manages to reach the end of the few days of travel without too much incident save for being a little cold and hungry. She’s sure that absolutely nothing they could possibly face at the end of this could compare to what she had to deal with in the Duat and has been telling herself that for the past day and a half (to the point that people might have heard her muttering that very thing to herself).

When they reach the edge of the river, it looks like they’re home free! But of course it isn’t going to be that easy.

The first thing she does, being aware of her own lack of fighting ability, is try to outrun it. This works well enough while the Nian is distracted with others, but an unfortunately well-placed stomp of a foot has a crack in the ice racing after Jane and almost sending her plunging into the water. Thankfully, she just ends up with a wet leg before she manages to scramble clear.]

Oh, really-- [It’s cold, but there’s not really much for it as she throws off her coat to free her wings and shoots up into the air at high speed. Though she’s almost immediately shivering she manages to grab her firecrackers and something to light them with and spends the next several minutes running interference on the creature, distracting it with loud bangs and blasts of colourful sparks. Maybe someone can make use of her position?

Once they have the creature down she lands at the far side of the river with every feather fluffed up to maximum and her arms wrapped tight around her torso.]

Ugh… I don’t suppose anyone found my coat on their way across?

iv. Wildcard

[Wanna do something else? Hit me up via DM or on the plotting post :> ]

The Final Challenge

[schrodingersghost]

Danny was so tired, but he couldn't quit yet. They were almost at the finish line. He just had to make it through one more battle. He could do that.

Preferably without passing out at the end this time. He really didn't want to deal with the lectures he'd get if he did two months in a row.

Tucking his somewhat windblown rooster under one arm, Danny rises into the air to join Jane, and promptly starts blasting green energy at the creature with his free hand.

Thanatos | Hades | OU

[inevitablerest]

i. The Zodiac Race

[There is a very large dog standing in front of Thanatos, slowly wagging its tail back and forth. Thanatos himself, who looks as much like he wants to be here as he generally tends to look like he wants to be anywhere, is regarding the creature with a cool, speculative expression.]

… Is this supposed to be funny?

[Someone at Zodiac probably just has a sense of humour, right?

As it turns out, though… it’s not that bad of a match. About half an hour later the surly death god can be found a little out of the way of everyone else, crouched down in front of the dog and clearly not minding giving it all the pets it wants (and deserves, for being a very good boy) while it braces one massive paw on his shoulder. For being so bad at socialising with actual people, Thanatos actually likes animals quite a bit and it seems that they like him too.]

ii. Challenge Two: The Demons

[If there’s one thing Thanatos excels at, it’s fighting back against vermin and wretches that want to attack him. Even now, when he isn’t at full strength, he can make short work of the various demons that think it’s a good idea to try and eat him.

Anyone following in Thanatos’ path may be treated to the sight of him fighting something (or several somethings) - teleporting across the snow in flashes of sickly green, wielding a scythe that is almost as big as he with as much ease as if it weighs nothing while his canine companion sits some way off to the side wagging crescents into the snow with its tail. Though he doesn’t need help, he won’t turn it down… or perhaps you’d just like to enjoy the show.

Either way, once he’s done, he leans his scythe against his shoulder and fixes his new companion with a dull golden stare.]

That’s that, then, for the moment.

iii. Aftermath

[He doesn’t even think about taking the peach, not only because the idea of needing mortality from a piece of fruit is a dryly amusing one but because he can see how doing so could end up being a bad idea. It’s the money, then, though he doesn’t really understand how much the amount he’s been given is worth. The envelope is tucked somewhere inside his clothes along with the charm he’s given without him even opening it to see what’s inside and Thanatos is predictably disinterested in the overall proceedings, not being much of one for parties.

Rather than join in with the feast he goes back out into the courtyard, crouching down beside some bright flowers and touching the side of his fingertip to one of the delicate blooms. It does not, as one might almost expect, immediately wither against his hand.

Thanatos never looks particularly approachable, but right at that moment he does seem to be a little softer. Contemplative, even, as if his thoughts are far away. A good time to try to approach, perhaps.]

iv. Wildcard

[Wanna do something else? Hit me up via DM or on the plotting post :> ]

[arrowtotheheal]

[Well, that guy looks like literal Death. Not that Will immediately thinks he's Thanatos at the moment. He's never met his own world's Thanatos, yet, either, so it's at least understandable. Still, this son of Apollo has never let a grump get in the way of a connection. Will approaches casually, though his eyes are on the flowers blooming in the courtyard.]

It's beautiful here, isn't it?

Eve | Black Cat | OTA

[playtag]

The Other Zodiac (Closed to Danny)

[A Banquet!]

[Even if she still remembers the demon kidnapping, Eve really wants to be at the banquet. However, when she reaches the temple gardens, she finds that this Spirit Gate refuses to let her in. The struggles of being eleven.]

[After trying a couple more times, the winged girl sits in the garden to quietly sulk. Well, others got the message about the gate. Maybe someone will come by who can help.]

The Zodiac Race

[Eve is thrilled to see the horse that she's been assigned, but there are a couple problems. For one, she doesn't actually know how to handle horses. This is only the second one she's seen. So for now she's giving them respectable space as resources are handed out.]

[The sled also leaves her more questions than answers. Eve picks up the ropes attached, then pokes its wooden frame.]

What... are you supposed to do with this?

[A little help?]

Birds Eye View

[Going up the mountain has definitely not been a walk in the park, but Eve is getting by. Having the horse definitely helps, even if they both need to rest on a semi-frequent basis.]

[Her white wings have also been a big help. Last month Eve had been a bit frustrated that the wings weren't appearing and disappearing on command like usual. Yet the feathers offered an extra layer of warmth when tucked around her.]

[Another advantage of the wings was surprisingly new. For some reason, the wings hadn't really worked during the first month, only offering the slightest of lift. Juuust enough to get her feet off the ground. But now, Eve she could fly again! While she can't race ahead with her horse stuck firmly on the ground, there were other uses.]

[Midway up a mountain, one might spot the young girl soaring back to the path. Eve drops to the ground not far from her steed, then points up the mountain.]

There are several demons further ahead.

The Other Zodiac

[schrodingersghost]

Danny arrives at the gate casually, although with a little more hesitation than usual. He'd never felt out of place there. It had felt more like a second home. But as he'd recently learned, maybe that itself was something to worry about. He lingers at the gate a moment, and that's when he spots the kid.

"Hey. Are you waiting for someone?"

[not_a_possum]

Zodiac

"Right! Got it. I'll make sure no demons get to them! You know. Other than me. Which doesn't count because I'm not trying to eat them."

...probably not the best thing to remind everyone that he's a demon when demons seemed to be, once again, the enemy du jour, but at least he's talking to the zodiac staff rather than someone at the race. He's feeling pretty confident, though, and he'd actually really enjoyed having that history lesson with the Professor. It was kind of nice being around someone who's actually smaller than him for a change.

"Well, I'll see you guys around, and I'll keep your offer in mind!" He waves and turns to head off to go on his adventure.

The Race

He shows up to the race in a tiny little coat, gloves, scarf, and even a hat that he's shoved his horns through making it incredibly secure on his head. Even with all of that he's still a bit cold, and once he arrives, he's soon assigned...a monkey. Well, not the most useful animal, but he's there to protect the monkey, not the other way around, so he'll make do. The two guns he has on holsters around his waist will help with that, as well the backpack full of ammo, snacks and supplies.

"All right, Monkey, let's..." Then the monkey climbs up onto his back. "...go."

There's a monkey on his back.

"Um...you're not really that much smaller than me, do you have to..." He looks, and it's clear the monkey isn't moving. "Um...well, okay. I guess this is fine."

And with that he sets off to go do this race.

Demons!

"Oh...wow...when they said demons, you weren't quite what I was picturing..."

But in a way this made things easier. He's not looking at something that looks like it could be related to him, but rather a large, anthropomorphic stink bug like creature. It makes it easier to not hesitate as he pulls out his guns and starts firing.

Jun Nightroad | Tokyo Xanadu | OTA

[whiteshroud]

I. Full Moon times
[Luckily for Jun, he already spent a good chunk of December going feral and practicing with the wolf form, meaning his transformation will be a bit more under control. So when the full moon rolls around, anyone out near Kami State Park can happen upon a white wolf with green markings. When it sees you, the wolf will pause and stare at you, as if trying to discern your moves.

Run away or try to communicate with the wolf? It's up to you]

II. Zodiac Races
[Another month, another mission. Jun got assigned the ram for his animal. Ironic, he supposes. Wearing his shroud to cover his identity (and keep himself warm), he gets to work preparing his own sled and also calm his own animal. Or you know, pet the wool because it's soft and fluffy.

He'd be willing to take on any passengers if you want a ride. Though it's understandable if you rather stay clear from the shrouded figure]

III. Demon Fight
[There is one advantage to traveling with Jun. Whenever a group of demons draw nears? Jun will freeze, slowing the sled. He then summons his blade and gets to work, teleporting to where the demons are and taking them out. Each time, he makes quick work of them, sometimes even taking them out before they have a chance to reveal themselves.

He then teleports back to the sled.]

Let's keep going.

[He'll say is heavily modulated voice before starting the sled again. He does nothing to volunteer information, but feel free to ask him questions anyway]

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

wildcard

[drewthetower]

August Villareal has sent you $35

"I heard those howls, get something not rabbit or w/e on me. and text me"