❖ TEST DRIVE [ APRIL ]

[whentheymod]

TEST DRIVE MEME.

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The last thing you recall is falling asleep -  regardless of whether you have the capability of doing so or not, they find themselves whisked away into a world of dreams.

Everything is pitch black, tinges of darkness overtaking their sights.

But, in the distance, there is a light. If you try to run towards it, the light doesn’t seem to get any closer, nor does it seem to get any further.

Eventually, you can hear a voice. 

“Help us. If you do… your one true desire, your one wish - it shall be granted.”

Most will notice that this voice, if paid close attention to, has a strange sense of familiarity, even if you have never heard it before. It is a voice which people will place as kind, gentle, someone you can trust. Whatever kind of voice that you would associate those words with is the one that you wind up hearing.

Regardless of whether or not you respond to the voice, it continues to speak.

“There is a curse that plagues our land. I bring you here to save it, as this land’s kami.

Fret not, child of man: as you will not be alone in this journey. And we shall make sure to protect your soul as you traverse the Fragments. It may be a difficult, arduous path. But we believe that you will be the ones who can help.”

And just as you open your mouth, whether it is to answer back or to protest…

There is the sound of chimes and running water…

… as you open your eyes. 

❖ WELCOME WAGON

The sunlight hits your eyes as you wake up on a stone pathway. It seems that you have been sleeping on solid ground for quite some time. 

The chirping of the hummingbirds can be heard everywhere as you find your bearings.

The weather is quite nice and temperate, typical for a spring morning in the city.

Checking upon your person, you soon realize that you may be missing some of your items.

But in place of any potential missing items, you also find three items on your person: a sleek, silver touchpad cellular phone, a striking red debit card with the symbol of a hummingbird that graces it, along with your full name in capital letters that denotes that it is yours, and a key. Regardless of whether or not you may have knowledge of these items, you find yourself intimately familiar with their basic workings.

Looking around, you soon notice that you are at the steps closest to the main entrance of a Japanese shrine. However, while the building is intact, it looks rather old and worn down, like there hasn’t been any proper maintenance on it for years, made even more evident by the amount of dried leaves on the ground.

There seems to be a small garden close by, but all of the plants seem to be practically withering away. 

Others like you are here as well - feeling confused, uncertain, or any amount of different emotions. For a good minute or two, you are all left to your own devices, but you get the strange feeling that leaving the shrine grounds is a very bad idea. 

Soon enough, perhaps in the midst of conversations, the doors of the shrine opens to reveal a young girl with bright green hair tied up in a ponytail and aquamarine eyes in typical shrine garb - slowly making her way down the stairwell and towards everyone else.

There is a dignified air to her posture as she bows from the waist down before straightening herself to speak in a polite, proper manner.

“Welcome, everyone, to Yawara-cho. 

I am certain that many of you have your questions, and that you are wondering why you are currently here. I will be answering those, and any more that you may bring up to me. 

I am the current temporary miko here at the Tokimoto shrine, home of the current kami of this land. And as such… I am also the mediary between all of you and the kami. Any questions that you may have for myself or the kami will go through me.

The kami here just wants one thing: to get rid of the curse that plagues Yawara-cho. 

In exchange, the kami will grant those of you who decide to assist a single wish of any kind. 

That is the basic gist of it. Now, I shall open the floor to questions, to which I will answer to the best of my ability. Be warned, however: there are things that I currently cannot say at the moment. But that is not because I am trying to keep secrets from you, or to make you distrust me. There are just some things that simply cannot be spoken, lest the balance of the Fragments go into chaos.”

She bows again, from the waist down before taking any questions. Of course, for those who may be angry and attempt to fight her - that is also an option, although it might not be in everyone’s best judgment to do so.

And there may be some in the crowd, to boot, that may recognize this face and voice, in spite of her not having properly introduced herself. For those who do recognize her, they might find it rather strange that she’s referring to herself as a miko at all, especially one of a world besides their own. But perhaps there might be some reason behind that…?

Once all, if not most questions are answered, the miko then goes on to explain that they have received a key to the communal housing next door to the shrine, along with their stipend and that she can be contacted through the cell phones or spoken to in person at the shrine before the bad feeling that they may have felt earlier soon flees away, allowing them to explore and investigate their surroundings as they please.

❖ SPRING IS HERE

Upon leaving the shrine grounds, the entire city is their oyster!

Checking their phones, they’ll notice that the date is April 1st, 20XX. For some reason, the two last digits seem to be obscured, although there doesn’t seem to be any reason for that… probably. If asked about the date from any of the other cityfolk, they’ll hear the date properly - but as for the year, they’ll hear the words “two thousand” before the rest seems to come off as static, in spite of the person’s mouth still moving. Even if there’s static, however, you find yourself with a keen understanding of the year, and that the last two digits, strangely enough, don’t really hold much meaning in the greater picture of things.

Starting with the Central District, where the shrine is, they’ll find themselves rather close to the communal housing, where they can either drop off their stuff or at least check out what the rooms are like. They’re pretty basic, all things considered, but at least you’ll have a roof over your head…?

In the early parts of the day, people may notice kids of varying ages heading towards the school - if they pay close attention, you can hear the chattering of excitement of returning to school for the year and even talk about what clubs one might join. There also seem to be rumors floating about regarding this year’s End of Spring Flower Festival - what kind of festivities that they might be participating in, or who they’ll be giving flowers to. 

In the late afternoon, many people can be found at the mall - although those who are more in tune with their spiritual side may sense unease from that area, strangely enough. There doesn’t seem to be anything inherently wrong, however - not on first sight, anyway. It seems that even the mall is preparing for the festival months in advance, as decorations are slowly going up and will only increase as the weeks pass by.

There are even signs of spring at the Central Park, where the cherry blossoms seem to start to bloom.

Heading up from the Central District, some people might find themselves in the Northern District. 

While rather quiet on most days, starting in May 20XX, people may notice Mayor Kawakami outside of Town Hall proclaiming that this year’s Flower Festival will be the best one yet! 

The Jewelry Store will also start selling flower-related accessories and gems that are purposely shaped into various flowers to emphasize the Festival.

Going south will eventually lead people to the Southern District, which is much more seedy than either the Northern or Central Districts. 

Lining up every corner are the 7/11 convenience stores and WcDonald’s - both of which are selling sakura themed items the closer it gets to June. The WcDonalds in particular seem to be offering their very special themed menu, where you can order the Sakura Mcfloat - a pink drink that has cherry soda topped with vanilla ice cream - along with  Sakura Shrimp French Fries, which seem to be rather popular on the menu.

❖ THE NIGHTMARE COMES

April eventually comes and goes… 

… and eventually, May comes marching in without any remorse.

For some strange reason, the air feels heavier, like the passing of time may have taken its toll on the world.

For those who are more privy to spiritual things, they will soon notice the unease felt in the mall has increased quite a bit. And it’s not just in the mall anymore.

The unease is everywhere.

And then, the world fades into a darkness, followed with a black snow -

Snow that is, in fact… actually soot. 

When you enter the world for the first time, all sound disappears, and even if you see others around you, for some strange reason, you cannot hear what they are saying. When your hand touches the fallen snow - the soot - you realize that it’s neither cold or hot, and it just disappears when it touches skin.

Before you even dare to ask where you are, that darkness fades, gone just as suddenly as it came.

Throughout the month, you are taken to that same darkness - sometimes for minutes, sometimes for hours… and it gets progressively worse as time goes on.

Welcome to the land of Nightmares.

For those who spend their days at the mall, they will find themselves falling into the Nightmares more frequently than others that do not. But eventually - the Nightmare catches you in its grasp.

Whether you are alone or perhaps with someone else, fear creeps in… almost inviting. Almost as if welcoming you.

And the world is no longer dark. And the world starts to have sound.

The darkness is instead replaced with a rural village, the chirping of cicadas, and houses that are strangely always familiar with you in spite of the environment shifting, as if trying to get used to something…

...as if trying to get used to you.

Familiar voices can be heard.

Those of friends, of family, of loved ones… and they all say the same things.

They do not trust you.

They plan on killing you.

They plan on taking away everything from you.

And in spite of whether or not you’d believe these things normally, in this world of the Nightmare, which purposely tears down those walls - 

For a brief moment, you believe that they would actually do those things.

That the potential is there.

But then you blink your eyes, and you’re back in reality.

But then you blink your eyes, and you’re back in the Nightmare.

Back and forth it’s like that, to the point where it seems to grow difficult to tell which is reality and which is the Nightmare. What is truth? What are lies…? Those are questions that can only be answered by you, and you alone.

❖ LET THE FESTIVAL BEGIN

May is agonizing.

Even in June, the Nightmares don’t seem to stop.

But for some strange reason, there seems to be no Nightmares on the day of the festival, a reprieve of the anguish of the month.

School is out, as it is also a city-wide holiday and the streets of all the districts are lined with various booths. Some are selling flowers - if asked, they explain that the festival is one where people can exchange flowers with others, and that if they get cherry blossoms, if they give them to someone they love on that day, you will live together forever with them. However, if they give those flowers to someone that they absolutely despise, you are cursing them to death. Of course, they go on to explain that flowers outside of cherry blossoms can also be given to others, too.

There are also the typical food booths, where people can order varying foods like takoyaki, onigiri and the like - a lot of the more popular ones seem to have a cherry blossom theme, though: such as sakura mochi, or hanami dango. 

You can even play various games - at a price, of course. You can catch goldfish through a net. You can even use a toy gun to shoot targeted items to win. There’s even senbon biki - a game of chance where you pull a string attached to a treat… although if you pull the wrong one, you might just wind up having to deal with a penalty game of sorts. And there are so much more games, too.

There are even live performances from the city’s local artists. Of course, you’re also welcome to perform yourself if you ask.

Masks can also be bought, whether they be already premade or ones that are blank, allowing you to custom paint it. There are even areas to do just that!

For those of you who might be visiting the shrine on this day, you might notice that the shrine has been tidied up for the occasion, and that there seems to be a stage set up on the grounds. When asked, you are told this: “Now that we have a proper shrine miko again, we can have her honored performance!” Many praises and talks about excitement for her are spoken about, but if asked further about her, personally - they’ll get the same response. “I don’t know.” It seems that in spite of how overjoyed they seem to be for her performance and how it will make the festival better… they don’t seem to actually know much about the miko, and who she is. Strange.

Nevertheless, the shrine offers many varying fortunes especially for this day. If one is looking for the shrine miko in particular, she appears to be missing - asking for her will be told that she is busy preparing for the evening’s festivities.

During the evening festivities, the shrine takes center stage. 

In the performance area, three people come up to the platform: the city mayor, Mr. Kawakami, Old Lady Abe, and the shrine miko, dressed in her usual garb.

The mayor speaks up.

“Good evening.

To end today’s festivities, we shall be blessed by our miko’s performance and grace, honoring a long tradition that we continue to improve on each year. During this performance, we ask you to remain silent and raise your flowers to the sky.”

He then gives a proper bow as both the mayor and Old Lady Abe walk down the stairwell of the performing stage as the miko takes a bow, holding in her hands what seems to be a cherry blossom branch. Her head turns towards the musical performers, nodding at them before they begin to play. 

As the music plays, the miko’s performance begins, taking practiced steps on the platform, raising her branch in time of the beat.

When the music ends - so does the performance, as the miko bows, quiet, and leaves center stage, only to be replaced, once again by the mayor and Old Lady Abe.

This time, Old Lady Abe speaks up.

“As tradition goes…

Please, look up to the sky, and give thanks to the kami of this land.”

And as if on cue, people can even see the fireworks that go off - all in the shapes of various flowers and also in varying colors. If you ask around, you can even buy some fireworks of your own to light up in the night sky.

And it seems like maybe, everything is going to be alright...

❖ TILL DEATH DO WE PART

[cw: brutal murder]

...the day after the festival is when the beginning of the end truly starts.

You can see it online. On the television. On newspapers.

SHRINE MIKO FOUND DEAD ON THE STEPS OF CITY SHRINE!

For those who might be wondering if this is true or not, if they run to where the shrine is, the area seems to be covered up in a massive amount of police tape. Not to mention that there are many police cars surrounding the shrine itself. 

Days play out as normal until the final day of the month. The Nightmares have ceased, at least for now.

That is, when everyone wakes up to the sight of the entire city in flames. No matter what abilities they may use, the fires just cannot be doused as everything, everything turns into ashes.

Opening their eyes again after everything has burst into their flame, they find themselves in what seems to be a purple void, where their feet can reach the ground of some floating platforms. 

Surrounding them are glass shards - to which if they look at them, they will find the scenery of their home worlds, along with the world that they had all just died in. 

And amongst them is the miko that they had met on the very first day - the very same one that had been killed.

“I am very sorry that things had come to this…” she speaks, her eyes not meeting any of theirs, sounding apologetic. “As promised, your soul will continue to be protected. Some of you will return. Some of you will not. That choice is not mine to make, however. So, whether I will see you again or not… has yet to be seen.”

Therefore -

This is where our chapter ends, in our prologue - of Paradoxium Fragment: When the Hummingbirds Cry.

—

Welcome to the world of Paradoxium Fragment: When the Hummingbirds Cry!

This is the first test drive meme, which will also serve as a proper interest check for the game’s release. As of right now, the estimated length of the game will be something from 12 months (4 cycles) to 2 years (8 cycles). This is an invite-only game, meaning that upon reserving or applying, you must be on either of the mod’s timelines. We will be allowing +1s as well after an initial reservation period. Please check the FAQ for more details.

That being said, a few things: characters will have their powers upon arrival with nerfs as necessary. If you are unsure, please feel free to contact either of your moderators and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

This TDM will also not be considered as canon, meaning that any interactions will not be pulled over for the game proper, but can be used as a sample for the application.

If you have any questions regarding this particular TDM, leave a comment in the questions section below. If you would like to investigate any particular area, either mark it in your toplevel - if going solo - or mark it in your tag. We will also have a toplevel for players to link us their investigation threads so that we do not miss it.

NPC interactions are also welcome and will have their own separate toplevel for both general NPCs and for the miko. When asking for an NPC, please state in your toplevel who you are looking for and what time period. The mayor and Lady Abe are currently unavailable at this time. In addition: the miko cannot be contacted on the day of the festival until her performance is done.

We thank you for your time and hope you have a wonderful test drive! And we’ll see you guys once again… when the hummingbirds cry.

Comments

QUESTIONS

[whentheymod]

If you have any questions regarding this specific TDM, leave them here. Anything else can go in the FAQ linked above.

[keichan]

Regarding the fragment world/purple sea of shards: are the images just still images of the scenery from their home, or can they portray specific events? And can other people interacting with them see what's happening in their shards?

INVESTIGATIONS & PLAYER ACTIONS

[whentheymod]

If there are any investigations or any player actions (i.e: stealing the Ronald statue from the WcDonalds, setting a building on fire, etc) that you would like to link for us to respond to, let us know here.

[precrackedproeggcracker]

What happens if a character tries to open the elevator doors between floors 3 and 5 of the mall?

Investigation

[quietblueflame]

So Rena said fuck the police and she's going to see her dead friend. What's gonna happen?

"are you tired of being nice? don't you just wanna go apeshit?" (cw for violence, self-harm, murder)

[keichan]

Oh boy, where to begin?

In the second prompt here, Keiichi has gone off the rails and done the following in order:

• Stolen a baseball bat from the supermarket
• Brandished said bat in WcDonald's
• Committed destruction of property (smashing light fixtures, windows, cash registers)
• Beaten over a dozen people (NPCs) to death with said bat in a fit of homicidal mania while screaming about them "taking Mion away"

He'll be dead within thirty minutes due to blood loss. So... I assume there will be some consequences for that regardless.

Re: INVESTIGATIONS & PLAYER ACTIONS

[angelmort]

Shion will initially let the blood rush to her head and demand to be let through because, I mean, that's her twin. But seeing as how they're not really helpful, she'll cool down pretty fast and be a good girl and let the police do their job.

And then just stake out the shrine and try to sneak back in after they're gone.

[gravechoked]

Asking here first because I figure that's it's better to ask permission beforehand, but would it be okay/possible for Molly to (attempt to) charm the miko? As in, charming with magic, so that she treats him like a close friend instead of a stranger. Of course, I have no idea if it'd actually work, but... just wanted to check that it was alright before he tried it!

NPC CONTACT

[whentheymod]

If you would like to speak to any NPCs - ask here. Just make sure to notate the date and which NPCs you would like to speak to. The miko will have her own, separate toplevel, so do not ask for her here.

MIKO CONTACT

[sononizaki]

If you would like to speak to the miko, comment here.

Please state the date and time that you want to speak with her. As a reminder, she is unavailable during the day of the festival until the end of her performance as well as all of the days after until everyone perishes and reunites in the purple void - the Fragment space.

Welcome Wagon (implied RGU spoilers)

[therevolutionarygirl]

[ If Miko can be pulled aside for a moment, Utena's gonna do so. She has something she wants to ask, an she's clearly struggling to meet Miko's eyes when she finally works up the nerve: ]

Hey so like... haha, I know this gonna sound kinda crazy... well actually all of this is crazy. But I wanted to ask...

Is... this the afterlife?

[gravechoked]

[ Molly will approach the Miko, if possible, as soon as she's finished welcoming everyone to Yawara-cho. He puts on his most charming expression - with a affable smile on his face, betraying (almost) none of the nerves he's currently feeling. ]

Excuse me! I have a few questions, if you don't mind. These kami... I'm assuming they're the ones who brought us here, but... I don't suppose that you could talk to them about letting us go home? You see, as much as I'd love to help- [ Which is an absolute lie- ] I really can't afford to be here right now.

Welcome Wagon

[recry]

[ Rika has stayed quiet so far, but her eyes have never left Mion--a Mion that looks too young. Perhaps it's the other way around--Rika is too old. Finally, she takes her opportunity to walk up to the miko. She's wary, uncertain. This reminds her too much of the loops--the place between fragments, perhaps. ]

Mion?

Utena Tenjou | Revolutionary Girl Utena | OTA

[therevolutionarygirl]

I. Another for the Welcome Wagon

(( CW: Ending of RGU spoilers, implied impalement/stabbing ))

[ Utena blinks… and suddenly she’s somewhere she shouldn’t be.

The tall girl stands frozen for a moment as she tries to gather her bearings. Just a moment ago, she was at the End of the World, and now, she’s in a place where she’s never been before. With things that aren’t hers despite having her name on them. And…

Her hands pat over her chest and torso as she searches for wounds. But nothing’s there; she’s totally fine when she shouldn’t be. Even her uniform seems to be fixed.

She should be dead… for sure… right?

Utena’s weirdly quiet while miko gives her speech, but as soon as it’s over, she hurries forward to try to pull her aside. You might even overhear their conversation if you’re close enough. The talk mostly just leaves her more confused and unsure of things. At the very least, though, she feels like she has a goal: solve whatever’s going on here and get her wish fulfilled. ]

I mean… How hard could it be anyway? [ She realizes she said that out loud, looking over to the nearest person and letting out a laugh. ] Sorry, that was rhetorical!

II. But She’s Sick of Flowers

[ Once everything’s said and done on the Shrine Gounds, Utena decides to go exploring. Cities aren’t exactly new to her or anything, but arriving at a new one is always kind of exciting. She just wishes it wasn’t under such weird circumstances... ]

    A. [ Utena decides to stop at the jewelry store purely out of curiosity. Though, she almost immediately regrets it as she’s a bit bombarded by sale’s clerks who have so many suggestions for her. “These earrings will match your ring!” or “This hair clip goes so well with your pretty pink hair!” It’s just a lot for her…

Eventually she will try on a cherry blossom themed necklace to get them off her back even if for the moment. Looking at herself in the mirror, though, Utena can’t help but shake her head. ]

Nah, I don’t think this is my style at all. [ She is careful as she takes it off, but when Utena sees someone else standing nearby, she holds it out with a smile on her face. ] I bet it’d look great on you, though!

[ It might seem like a joke at first, but the smile on her face is genuine. ]

    B. [ Toward the end of the day, she’ll be at WcDonald’s, and it’s clear Utena’s ordered a lot of food. Like more than enough for multiple people. Yet, here she is, shamelessly scarfing it down.

Though if someone’s gonna stare, she’s gonna notice, and she’ll turn toward them with her mouth full between bites. ]

What? You hungry?

    C. [ Or maybe you see her somewhere else! In the communal housing getting settled in maybe? Or at the park looking at the cherry blossoms? You decide! ]

III. Let’s go to the Mall!

(( CW: RGU spoilers, impalement/stabbing, death threat, choking attempt ))

[ Time marches on, but Utena’s struggling more with settling in than she expected. Even knowing time is frozen back home, she’s restless as hell. She feels like she’s already hit a wall too with this whole kami thing. Ugh she just hopes Mion will forgive her…

She flinches when something suddenly hits her eye, and she goes to rub at it. But it’s gone instantly, like she had only imagined it. Holding out her hand and looking up, she notices something terrible- ]

Ash…?

[ But… she’s inside the mall, right? Well, she was anyway, but suddenly she’s not. Looking around, nobody is here now, and she’s in a weird place. Somewhere rustic and traditional. Not home or the city they were spirited away too.

Turning around again, there’s someone suddenly behind her: a familiar face with purple hair. Her expression is flat as she looks at Utena, but Utena’s full of very obvious horror. Especially when the person speaks- ]

”You should feel blessed to have this second chance. After all, it’s not one you deserve. A failure prince… a waste of a sacrifice… You didn’t save me. You only left me to suffer.”

[ She blinks, and suddenly the figure before her has changed again. She’s been stabbed by dozens of swords. It’s a horrible sight, and yet Utena can’t do anything but gawk in horror. Someone despite it all, the other girl manages to speak again, reaching out to wrap her hands around Utena’s neck. ]

”Whatever you’re trying to do here, you will fail again. Do everyone a favor and die already, failure prince.”

[ But Utena comes back to reality just in time to yell out: ]

I’m sorry, okay!? I’m sorry I couldn’t save you! I’m so sorry, Himemiya! Just forgive me already!

Wildcard

(( If these prompts aren’t working for you, feel free to make your own! Plot with me at sekoshi!! ))

iic

[rosewitch]

[The communal housing isn't anything special. Despite its spacious layout, each room is simple and plain. Minimalist and utilitarian.]

[Except for one.]

[Inexplicably, by chance, this is the room Utena is assigned. The rooms are randomized, so there is no reason for this in particular except a roll of the dice. But Utena will be able to see the difference between the empty rooms she passes (doors open, empty but for two beds and small tables per room) and the one she's led to, whose door she pushes open to reveal . . . something eerily familiar. Despite the different layout, it's as close as can be approximated to her room at Ohtori, from the color of the sheets to the pajamas tucked into a half-open drawer to a clothes rack carefully set up to air out the inevitable sweaty clothes she engenders from Sports. It could have been created from a photo of Utena's old dorm.]

[No one is in the room waiting for her. However: at the end of the hall, facing out of the window to watch the outdoors and with her back exposed, is a small, slim figure with purple hair loose down her back. Waiting for whatever comes.]

Mollymauk Tealeaf | Critical Role | OTA!

[gravechoked]

WELCOME WAGON.

[ Molly doesn’t even remember falling asleep.

But as he awakens, slowly pulling himself off the ground with a grunt... he realizes with a start that he doesn't know where he is. And as he looks around, it quickly becomes obvious that he’s completely, utterly alone. Not literally – he can see others around him, looking just as lost as he does, come to think of it, but…

None of the Mighty Nein are here. He doesn’t know where they are – and when he begins to hurriedly search around, ignoring everyone else, he finds that they’re nowhere to be seen. For a brief moment, he wonders if this is what happened to Yasha and the others – but he can’t see them either.

Fuck. Fuck.

Fighting off what feels like the beginnings of a mild panic attack, Molly starts to assess the situation. He was with the rest of the Nein, or at least those among them who hadn’t gone missing, and there was that dwarf, Keg – she was telling them about the Iron Shepherds, the slavers who had taken their friends. Who’d taken Yasha. After that, his memory goes frustratingly fuzzy, and trying to recall the exact moment he’d fallen asleep feels like wading through a thick swamp, but…

He had a dream. He remembers that much. In fact, as he thinks about it, it all comes back to him at once – the voice that had sounded so familiar, speaking of curses and wishes and- and something about fragments… he doesn’t understand any of it. Has he been brought here by some power beyond his understanding? To help, what- save a world?

He doesn’t have time for that. Doesn’t want anything to do with it. He needs to get back - Yasha’s in danger – they’re all in danger. And he’s sure as hell not leaving her – or any of them behind.

As soon as he moves to leave the shrine grounds, though… he’s hit with a feeling that makes his stomach lurch, and his body freeze up. It’s a silent dread creeping up the back of his neck as every instinct in his body screams at him that he needs to stay here. That he can’t leave.

And Molly trusts his instincts. But… he needs to go, doesn’t he? He can’t stay here, not while his friends are in trouble! Unless there’s some clues in this place that’ll help him figure out just what the hell is going on? Caught between the urge to leave and the desire to stay, Molly’s tail twitches anxiously as he looks back and forth between the shrine and the way out – until his eyes land on you. And he smiles - though it's a forced, awkward smile. ]

I don’t suppose you know what’s going on here, do you?

SPRING IS HERE

[ By now, Molly’s calmed down significantly, if only because he knows that panicking isn’t going to get him anywhere. If it’s really true that time is frozen in the world back home, then Yasha and everyone else should be fine, at least for now… and while Molly still doesn’t know whether or not he’s been lied to about that, there doesn’t seem to be an immediate way home that he can see. His best shot is probably to go along with this whole “saving the land” thing, gathering as much information as he can - and maybe once this curse has been lifted, he’ll be able to go home.

This place doesn’t exactly look cursed, though. Actually, it’s pretty fascinating – Molly’s never seen a place quite like it before, and he’s seen quite a few places in his admittedly short lifetime.

Nonetheless, all he can do now is explore, so explore he does. He’s particularly fond of the mall – it caught his attention pretty much as soon as he saw it, and there’s plenty for him to do. The shops sell all kinds of clothes of different fashions, and food, too. Right now, he’s trying on jewelry at the jewelry store, although Molly is plenty adorned with jewelry already. He really… doesn’t need any more. Honestly, he’s gaudy enough as he is - but that doesn’t seem to be stopping him anytime soon.

Holding up an arm with a bracelet on it, Molly suddenly notices your eyes on him. Maybe you’ve been staring at him for a while – he is quite a sight, especially for those who’ve never seen a tiefling before – or maybe you just happened to look over for a second. Either way, he turns, and flashes a smile in your direction, holding out his arm with the bracelet on display. ]

What do you think? Personally, I’m quite fond of this one.

THE NIGHTMARE COMES

[ The first time he experiences the nightmare is almost the worst.

He can hear their whispers. Whispers of those he’s known ever since he pulled himself up and out of the ground, people he trusts with his life. Those voices… they’re supposed to feel comforting - supposed to feel like home. But there’s a malice to them that he’s never heard before. A cold, calculating feeling that chills him to his core.

I knew we couldn’t trust him. There’s nothing good about him. Everything about him is suspicious… Who knows what kind of awful things he has planned?

We’ll do it quickly, when he’s not paying attention. We’ll kill him.

And the funny part is… while he should be aware that this is some kind of trick, he finds – just for a moment, that he believes it. That they really mean these things they’re saying… That they really intend to kill him.

But no, he knows they wouldn’t. They wouldn’t. ...Would they?

Yasha would never hurt him. She’d never dream of it. The others are just the same – for fuck’s sake, Toya couldn’t harm a fly! He knows that. But…

( but deep down, maybe he always knew they’d turn on him. that trust was never an option from the very beginning. kylre turned, didn’t he? didn’t you know, molly? didn’t you know that this would happen? )

Over the course of just a few days, he’s pulled into and out of the nightmare without mercy. It’s exhausting. It’s hard to keep his head straight… to keep track of what’s real, and what’s a lie. Because it has to be a lie, doesn’t it?

Even so – each word cuts deeper than he could possibly imagine. Each whispered word feels like a betrayal. Yasha’s voice, Gustav’s voice, Desmond’s voice… It hurts to hear them, more than he'd ever imagined possible. And it suddenly strikes Molly, now trapped inside the nightmare once more, that he’s angry. His fists are clenched, and he’s shaking almost uncontrollably.

For once in his life, Molly is lost for words. He's just overwhelmed... by that frightening sensation of betrayal, and pain. And by the strange, unsettling desire... to hurt them. To hurt the people he cares about the most. ]

WILDCARD

[ Feel free to throw anything at Molly here! You'll be able to find him pretty much everywhere and anywhere, though the Mall is his favourite place to be so far. I'm available at Rivenix if you'd like to plot! ]

welcome wagon

[ultimatedespear]

I don't know anything more than anyone else does.

[If Mukuro seems uncomfortable it really has nothing to do with Molly's appearance. She's just not great in social settings whether the person she's talking to looks human or not. Add that to the whole brought to a different world to help deal with a curse thing, and those mediocre social skills of hers are going to atrophy even further.]

...at least I don't think I do? I heard that voice and then found myself here, and heard...all of that.

[She's not even going to try and recap the miko's speech, so “all of that” will have to suffice for now. Still, she says she doesn't think she knows anything more like she's not really sure of it. But that's less her having any important information and more she's not really sure of what's going on enough to be sure.]

Momoe Sawaki | Wonder Egg Priority | OTA!

[precrackedproeggcracker]

dream again. (Welcome Wagon)
["Five! Four! Three! Two! One! Zero!" Momoe turns on her heel, sees the curtain fall, and-]

...Haruka?

[Now she's here, in a dingy, disused courtyard, with a new sort of dread roiling in her gut and mixing into the already-volatile emotional concoction bubbling inside her stomach. Renewed guilt, exhilaration at finally being free, worry for Haruka, joy that she can worry for Haruka-

(And now relief that whatever conversation Momoe was going to have with her is put off, although she'd never admit it-)

Most rendered fruitless by the change in scenery. Really, it should've been obvious that there would be some final, extra challenge before Momoe could revive Haruka.

Taking a quick measure of those around her, Momoe steps back, sliding a needle out of her pocket—which erupts with light and turns into some sort of spear—takes out a pendant, whispers,] Veni, [and watches as out pops a crocodile with a mohawak.]

Panic, watch for Haters. [The crocodile... squawks? in response.] Now... [Momoe whips her head back and forth as she tries to puzzle out where the heck she ended up.] Ai said she and Rika shared a dream in Rika's field, but if that's what's going on here, whose dream is this?

fever dream. (Hospital Pharmacy)
[Once it finally sunk in that she was here for the long haul, Momoe made a beeline for the hospital pharmacy, breathlessly giving thanks to the kami and making a note on her phone to leave an offering at Mion's shrine for getting to take her prescription with her.

So now Momoe is pacing back and forth in the pharmacy as she waits for her number to be called, anxiously tugging on her collar. Getting her treatment wasn't life threatening, but it was definitely urgent.

Tug, tug.]

Haha, it's a little hot in here, isn't it?

dreaming on cloud nine. (Second Floor of the Mall)
[In one of the trendy cafes in the Yawara-cho mall sits Momoe, not even changed out of her school uniform yet (what kind of square chooses to go to school when she gets isekai'd, seriously?) and staring dead-eyed at the two letters opened on the table in front of her. Her expression isn't so much despondent as carefully-practiced blankness, with maybe a hint of exasperation that she can't hide no matter how hard she tries.]

Twice in one day. That's definitely a new record. [She sighs, sipping pensively on her boba tea... but when she notices someone nearby, Momoe startles and shoves the papers into her lap.] A-ah! Don't look at those, they're very personal!

glittering dreams. (First Floor of the Mall)
[Click.

If there was one good thing about being in Yawara-cho, it was the fact that the city still had Instagram. Even though she'd had to rebuild her account from the ground up, Insta was one of Momoe's greatest pleasures in life. Knowing that some great mass of people out there liked her, followed her, only occasionally made horrific mistakes that publicly embarrassed her in front of dozens of people, was soothing. So she kept up with the brand.

Wait. Momoe peers at the latest selfie she's taken, and-]

Hold on! Your outfit looks really cute. Could you come a bit closer and pose so I can get you in the shot?

NIGHTMARE. (See Note)
[One moment, Momoe is standing stock still in the middle of a throng of people, hyperventilating, heaving, skin ashen, looking like she's about to throw up-

The next, she spins, spear already in hand as she lunges for you, trying to pin you against the wall, eyes wild- is she half-mammoth or something? That strength could toss an elephant foot over trunk.

Regardless, her sallow eyes speak volumes. This time, the nightmare has pulled her too deep. You'll either need some serious pep talk skills or a good plan to escape and/or whack her awake at this rate.]

((OOC Note: Momoe's nightmare would deal with some pretty hardcore themes of transphobia and suicide, which is why I didn't include the details in this prompt. In the header for a reply to this prompt, please say whether or not you're okay dealing with one or both of those themes. Thank you.))

NIGHTMARE

[knightglow]

( tw: some implied abuse, i hope its okay o/. I am okay with whatever you want to write. )
[ The spear makes contact along her waist line. The other plunges forward, and the spear head rips through a layer of clothing and digs deep into the wall behind her. Then before the one whose name were Nana, Momoe stood with the look of depravity that the Warrior of Light had seen many times before.

Being placed in a position where her own life would be at the cost for another was not something irregular. Facing the battled harden truth and anguish of those before her, bellowing their life's agony for the Warrior of Light to see. Was not irregular, this was normal. She knows, it is not anger for her to drink in nor is it one to hold or have for herself. However, instead she were once again needing to witness the pain of another person again.

The hurt that had been done to others, embodiment of anger and injustices going unserved. Nana meets the others gaze with a calming reflective one, acceptance. As a Warrior of Light she knows she cannot save them all, and as a Warrior of Light - this was her agony of it. She accepts she cannot save them all, and she accepts that one day she will die for it. Even in this strange new world that accosts her to become a Kami for it. Nana understands that, her own life is for the sake of others and not for herself to gain. ]

It's okay.

[ She says softly, accepting the anger of what were untold within the others eyes. Whatever horrors were a drift within their heart, Nana would gladly accept and die with it. If it would make the other happy, then she too would find peace and harmony. ] Your anger is not volatile. I accept it. [ Even when she were a courtesan and the lonely men would harbor their hearts and agony or anger upon her. Seeking for a sense of salvation, if it meant their loneliness or the hard life of war upon their shoulders taking so much from them. Nana gladly let herself be used, if for the sake of this young soul who seemed battled and rattled by the unkindness of the world then she would harbor no pain or regret in doing what she can for them. No matter the sake, nor cost. Nana wished to pay for it. ]

What darkness haunts your heart? [ Because the Dark Knight-Astrologist knows, that the Void and its Darkness are the truth to feeding emotions. ]

Rena Ryugu | Higurashi no Naku Koro ni

[quietblueflame]

(( Canon point is post-Matsuribayashi-hen. Let me know if you’d like me to avoid spoilers! ))

I. It’s Tradition

[ There’s no way Rena’s gonna miss a festival; Watanagashi is one of her favorite times back home after all! They just celebrated it really recently, but hey, she’s not going to complain about more fun.

You can catch her trying out as much food as she can at the food stalls, in which she’ll gladly share her food with you (because she can’t possibly eat as much as she bought). She’s also going to try out some of the games, musing to herself that she’s going to take all the cute prizes home. Rena will also pick up a mask she thinks it is cute!

When she realizes Mion is going to dance, she’s going to grab the nearest person and try to drag them along with her. ]

Come on, we gotta hurry!!

[ Because everyone has to see Mion dance of course! ]

II. Even in Death

[ Mion Sonozaki is dead. Rena’s very important friend is dead. That’s what the news says. No matter where she looks, she can’t escape it. It’s like a slap in the face each time she reads it. Even if she doesn’t want to believe it. She can’t believe someone as strong as Mion would die. And eventually, Rena finds herself in front of the shrine.

It starts to really sink in as she stands there, taking in shallow breaths. The only thing standing between her and the scene of the crime is the police tape. ]

Mii...chan...

[ She calls out meekly, not expecting a reply. The only answer is silence, and it feels like it’s swallowing her whole. But... Rena builds up her courage and pushes the tape aside to step through.

She has to see for herself...

You can either try to stop her from going in or catch her sneaking off after. But if you ask to go with her, her answer is going to be a hard no: this is something Rena has to do by herself. ]

III. Wildcard

(( If these prompts aren’t working for you, feel free to make your own! Plot with me at sekoshi!!
EDIT: Also open to threading something post Keiichi Maebara's death (see TL for cw's). ))

wildcard!

[strengthfound]

Rena-san...

[ Satoko is crying. She couldn't stop the heavy stream of tears flowing from her eyes even if she tried... How could she? Keiichi and Mion are dead. Not just one, but two of Satoko's closest friends... her are dead.

It feels like a cruel joke being played on her by some god. Weren't they supposed to have got their happy ending? Didn't they defeat Takano and the Mountain Hounds, all working together to create a miracle that would never fade? This isn't right. It's not fair. How is Satoko supposed to live in a world without them? Without Keiichi and Mion... it feels like the world has lost all it's colour and joy. No - she doesn't want to live in that world. Not like this.

And so, Satoko cries with her head in her hands, lost in utter despair. ]

Why did this happen? Why did Keiichi-san and Mion-san... have to die...?

Fischl | Genshin Impact | ota

[babelfisch]

[Welcome Wagon]

[That's all...a lot to take in honestly. But while the land is unfamiliar, and the sudden knowledge of things is a bit concerning, the gist of it is easy enough to follow. A curse, this kami being needing help, it all sounds like the stuff of fantasy stories, but also not...terribly outlandish. Not given some of the things that happen in Teyvat anyways. Now, what might sound outlandish is...]

As the Prinzessin der Verurteilung, I will answer this call to provide aid, endeavoring to use all of my profound power to deliver this town from the dark curse that plagues its fate.

[She's standing off to the side, still close enough to the group to be noticeable, one hand dramatically covering the side of her face while she announces all...that. Which really, it's just saying she plans to help, which is kind of just restating things that have already been asked of them. So not really saying a lot with those theatrics, but give her a break, she's still finding her footing in this world.]

[Spring is Here]

[Now that she's left the shrine Fischl can see that this is definitely pretty different from the world she was in before. The mall gets her attention, so she'll spend a fair amount of time there, marveling at how different it is from the shops of Mondstadt. Though different isn't entirely good, she'll dress it up of course, but the simple way of expressing it is that she's getting some bad vibes from this place, commenting on it as she leaves the arcade.]

It's not just the corruption of consumerism, my Auge der Verurteilung detects some foul energies at work here. Though some unnatural force has obscured its awe-inspiring clarity.

[Her hand rests on her temple while she goes on about that. Could just be a headache from all of the flashing light and sounds, but she's not really sure, despite the pretty definitive declaration of...a vague something.]

[The Nightmare Comes]

[By now it's probably clear to most that interacting with Fischl is...an experience, but what's out of the ordinary is her standing with a shocked expression on her face. For a moment it's like she's frozen still on one of the park's walkways as the things she heard in that strange village echo through her head.

“She's too hard to understand.”

“She's delusional.”

“We would be better off without her.”

“It's not like she has any friends anyways.”

“She needs to grow up.”

“It's like she can't act normal.”

“Perhaps it would be best to part ways, Mein Fräulein. After all, you are used to being alone.”

Some things that she's heard before, some that she can't bring herself to think about, due to how real they sounded, despite sounding like people she knows would never say such things. And while she dwells on this, she'll start to move again, slowly making her way over to a bench and sitting down staring at the ground, uncharacteristically silent. She'd much preferred it when these things were just darkness and soot, instead of this. It was still jarring and strange, but much less cruel.]

[Wildcard]

[If you'd like something different, feel free to let me know! I'm over at opticblast!]

Na'na Niall | Warrior of Light FF14:SHB 5.3 | ota

[knightglow]

Welcome Wagon

Well this seems like a fun little trip!! [ The woman states, her arms folded beneath her... Rather bountiful chest, she is adorn in her usual expedition wear. World hopping and being grabbed by the world this way and that - was a normal occurrence. She supposes this is just another one to add to the book of memories for herself. At least it wasn't as daunting as the issues of Alexander or the Ascians. ] I am up for some exploration? If anyone else is~? [ Nanas tongue clicks naturally. ]

S p r i n g

[ Theres a joke in another realm, a festering sort of comical value that people call her Ari- Nana Grande (its a ooc mun joke we have to keep it going). And since there is apparently no actual year - she is gunna sing a song. In this moment, for all excitement is behest her nerves. Nana being but a bundle of joy when she wishes it to be, prattling about the very bogus personality of hers. That draws attention and makes people laugh - the sort of jest most people of Eorzea would find showcased daily through a casual stroll of Limsa. ] Tell me why I get this feeling!!!!!
That you really wanna turn me on~~~!!!!
[ Well unfortunate for your character, who may have just been passing by. Nana has decided to scoop their hands up and spin them around while singing about! Spring is upon them, and the beautiful presence of Cherry Blossoms is a welcoming sight. Having felt lofty and whimsical - also extremely bored. She is stealing your character and spinning them around in a circle. ] Tell me why I get this feeling~~!!

N i g h t m a r e

Ah. [ With such suddenness about her, the woman laughs rather loftily. However the expression upon her face is one of dry humor, and seemingly ever festering anger. Unbeknownst to her, she has no idea if her Dark Knight Stone is broken again - or perhaps something else is foot. However, rather exhaustingly.

Having apparently gone through this sort of behavior in her life many times over before - she exasperated says with a click of her tongue. Talking specifically to your character, presuming you're the case of her enmity taking shape as another version of her subconscious. ] Frey, is this a refresher? Because you're actually pissing me the fuck off - stop.

F e s t i v a l

Lets enjoy this night together. [ Nana says, wearing what was a gifted Yukata. It was not the first time she wore one. However with her tail promptly hidden and wrapped with the obi, she is inherently quietly uncomfortable. Though she is dealing with it rather well, staring up at the night sky. Nana was not done speaking, and before you could bring yourself to say anything. There is a sharp statement made, with a deep sadness to it. ] For all we know, it may be our last.

W i l d c a r d

[ If you have an idea of your own hit me up.witchcess ]

festival

[facelifting]

... Our last?

[ Shiki herself frowns a little bit at that statement following 'enjoying the night.' ]

Why do you think that?

keiichi maebara | higurashi no naku koro ni

[keichan]

[ I - The Festival Music Chapter ]

[ It would be an understatement to say that Keiichi hasn't been sleeping well, what with the Nightmares that have been plaguing him, even when he's awake. The bags under his eyes make that clear. Still, the day of the festival seems to be the end of that waking hell, and he's cautiously optimistic about it.

Still, as Keiichi walks around the festival grounds, anyone that sees him may notice that he's looking around the crowds a lot, as if trying to find someone in particular. Multiple someones, really. People without whom it just doesn't feel like a real festival to him.

But he's trying to distract himself with the festival games. He's making a real effort of it, too. Right now, he's at a water balloon yo-yo stall, though given his tired state, he's not doing a very good job of hooking the balloons with his stick. When he finally gets one, it seems like he might finally be in luck, and his eyes light up in excitement. ]

C-Come on...! I've almost got you...! [ The paper string holding the balloon, however, starts to pull apart. ] Crap! Get back here!

[ He reaches out to try to grab the balloon before it can fall, but it bounces off of his hand and directly toward the nearest person... whom it happens to burst upon, soaking them with water and leaving Keiichi looking horribly embarrassed and apologetic. ]

Uh... s-sorry...

[ II - The Skin-Crawling Chapter ]

( HEADS UP: this prompt contains heavy content warnings for blood, self-harm, and mass murder, so it's been spoiler tagged. It's also the longest prompt, so... sorry about the wall of grey blocks. )

[ After the death of the miko, Keiichi fell into a very deep depression. They were from the same world, but more than that, she was someone very dear to him. Her death in this strange world had a profound impact on him, and he became more and more withdrawn.

It's in one of the last days of the month that there is a great commotion, terrified screams coming from the WcDonald's. Vague, panicked warnings about someone going on a rampage there. Of course, by the time anyone manages to get to the restaurant, it's far too late.

The scene is a truly sickening one to all but the most hardened of individuals. Multiple lifeless bodies are strewn across the floor, broken, battered, and covered in blood. Others never even made it out of their seats, crumpled over in the booths from fatal blunt force trauma to the head. The interior of the restaurant is eerily dark, those few light fixtures that haven't been completely broken hanging from the ceiling and flickering. There are no signs of life in this restaurant, only death and destruction. There are well over a dozen corpses, and that's just in the dining area. If one is brave enough to enter the sight of the carnage, a young man's voice will speak from one of the booths. His voice sounds delirious and choked with pain. ]

I thought I'd figured it out, you know... I thought I'd figured out who killed her...

[ The lights go out for a second, and when they come back on, the lone "body" that had been in one of those booths is gone. No, not gone... it's upright in the middle of an aisle, clad in a black shirt, red vest, and green shorts, covered almost completely in blood. His gait is weak and unsteady, one hand holding onto the end of a bent and bloodied aluminum bat he'd stolen from the supermarket. Its other end scrapes along the tile floor, a sound as unpleasant to the ear as the sound of nails on a chalkboard.

Keiichi's other hand is at his neck, and in the dim light, it's hard to see what it's doing. The blood that covers the young man's body and face does not appear to be his own. But judging from the way it falls in droplets onto the floor, the blood seeping from where he holds his neck is very much his. He continues to approach, but he only makes it about three quarters of the way before he stumbles, falling down to his knees. ]

Haha... hahahaha... now I'll never find out the truth... I'm sorry, Mion... I'm sorry...

[ An almost manic smile is spread across Keiichi's lips as he looks up at whoever has entered for the first time. His eyes are wide open, pupils dilated despite the darkness. For the first time, deep gouges can be seen where he's been clawing at his own neck. ]

I killed them all... and it didn't change anything... it can't bring her back... I'm sorry I'm sorry I'msorryI'msorryI'msorry...!

[ He begins scratching even faster at his neck with both hands, the bat dropping to the floor with a metallic thud and rolling to one side. He doesn't have long left, it seems. ]

( Questions? Want to plot something? Want to do a different prompt? Hit me up at bofubutt! )

grumbles LOUDLY II (Matsuribayashi spoilers)

[quietblueflame]

[ Rena tried really hard to be there for him. She did, but it wasn't enough. There's only so much you can give sometimes when you're feeling just as defeated. And she doesn't know what to do when he pulls more and more away. It makes everything hurt more, but she doesn't know what to do for him without forcing him.

She just happened to be out when it happened. The commotion caught her attention, and she almost got caught in the crowd. But... when she hears a bat is involved, she's compelled to go see for herself.

The scene makes her stomach turn when she walks in. Horrifying is an understatement. Part of her says to run, that this isn't worth it, but it's the sound of his voice that makes her stay. If anything, it freezes her in place even as he walks toward her. Even as he stumbles and falls. What finally snaps her out of it is him scratching at his neck. Just like Takano did...

She lunges forward, grabbing tightly to his wrists and trying to pull his hands away from his neck. ]

Stop it, Keiichi-kun! No more, you've done enough!

Madotsuki | Yume Nikki

[dreamsick]

Spring Is Here

[You might have noticed her during the initial gathering, but otherwise she had made no moves to introduce herself to anyone at the time: as soon as she had been able to, she had left the shrine and took to wandering around, focused more on the sights than on the people around her. She has a rather stone-faced sort of expression as she takes everything in quietly, eyes almost closed as if simply drifting from there to there.

The only time she seems to be properly "awake", so to speak, is when she can be found at the WcDonalds, sitting at a table with a various amount of different food in front of her. For once, her expression actually seems a little more curious, if not perhaps rather cautious as she tries each food item. From the way she eats, you'd think she's never been to a WcDonalds before, eating her meal as if she doesn't think she's ever going to get this chance to do so again... hopefully she doesn't choke from eating that fast sooner or later.]

The Nightmare Comes (cw: flashing imagery, threat of violence)

[She's experienced nightmares before, when walking the realm of her dreams. She's allowed curiosity to win before in her explorations, allowing that sense of unease to seep in until she wakes up throwing herself out of the bed screaming from one wrong turn too many. So of course it's only a matter of time before she explores the mall despite feeling that similar unease she gets in some sections of her dreams.

And sure enough, when the world around her starts to shift unpleasantly, her first instinct is to try to draw a knife... only to falter. Because instead of any friends or family she may have had in the waking world, she thinks she can see glimpses of the denizens that had existed in her dreams, bringing a sense of wrongness. They shouldn't be here, they shouldn't be able to speak at all... the people she has allowed herself to speak with in this place said that this wasn't a dream they were all trapped in, so why are they here?

And then between one blink and the next, she sees IT, the face that had been buried so deep in the realm of her dreams that she had always done her best to avoid going too deep to find. And now it has a voice, whispering insidiously, and before she knows it, Madotsuki has drawn a knife, slashing wildly at the air in front of her trying to slice it apart. Screaming in a way she normally hasn't before, given her usual quiet demeanor.]

Go away... go away go away goawaygoawaygoawaygoaway!!

Let The Festival Begin (cw: slight paranoia)

[Unlike before, despite the nightmares and unease seeming to disappear on this day, Madotsuki still seems wary of everything around her, eying everything at the festival with some amount of caution. What if the food is poisoned? What if someone's face suddenly morphs into the same as one of the things that lives in her dreams?

She does, however, pause at the goldfish scooping game. Even in the midst of all the fear she's been feeling in the past month, a part of her childlike curiosity is taken by the sight of the fish swimming about. It's almost calming.

She doesn't make a move to try to play though, so if you're waiting in line, you may need to nudge her gently into either trying the game or moving aside so that other people can play.]

Till Death Do We Part (cw: dissociation, possible murder attempts, suicide)

[The miko is dead. And everyone seems to take it as a tragedy, but at the time, Madotsuki isn't sure what to feel. This is all just a dream, after all. It doesn't matter if any one of them die here, because they're not real. She's the only one that is "real" in this place, if the nightmares of the past months have taught her anything, even if they seem to have faded along with the death of the miko.

That is, until the city is engulfed in flames. And yet, even then, Madotsuki can only feel a sort of grim satisfaction despite the pain of the flames she can feel. One shouldn't be able to feel pain in their dreams, but she's willing to consider that this nightmare is one of the few exceptions where, perhaps, her sleeping self is experiencing pain from just how terrifying the mental image of everything happening is.

... Still. It's time to wake up from this nightmare once and for all. Pinching herself has long since stopped working, so there's time for more drastic measures.

So Madotsuki walks, seemingly out of touch with the flames and with the suffering of anyone around her. In fact, anyone that tries to stop her from calmly walking away will be met with a knife aimed for their gut for trying to touch her, until she reaches a place high enough to look down over the city. This place was nice to look at, once before. What a shame it is now.

There's only the slightest amount of hesitation, before Madotsuki jumps, waiting to wake up upon meeting the ground below.

... She has no reason to suspect that there will be a void to greet her, or that this dream is going to happen again.]

[ultimatedespear]

[She can really say seeing someone wave a knife around wasn't high on the list of things she expected to see. Or at least, if she expected someone to use a knife, it'd be her and probably more purposefully than Madotsuki's flailing.]

Calm down.

[Mukuro tries to keep her tone even, stepping away whenever the knife comes near. She doesn't think it'd be terribly hard to snatch it away from her, but with her experiencing her own nightmares here and there, she isn't entirely thinking clearly at the moment. Somebody else would probably handle this better...or make things a lot worse, but since that somebody else isn't here, she's kind of left to try and handle this herself. Especially since nobody else at the mall looks like they want to get involved.]

I'm not going to hurt you.

[Unless she has to? But she hasn't seen much reason to do that to anyone. Here.

Just stop swinging that around. It's...dangerous.

sayaka miki | puella magi madoka magica | ota

[lacrimosa]

I. we'll all float on

[ Sayaka approaches the table with two Sakura McFloats in hand. She slides one to the other person, then grins. ]

Our top secret meeting is now in session! What have we learned about the upcoming festival?

✧✧✧

II. nightmare radio

[ Sayaka tentatively grabs a pair of headphones and puts them on. There's a disquieting sense of something, but she tries to tune it out.

The music comes to life. It's familiar, but--

She blinks, and the awful Nightmare consumes her.

First, it feels like she's drowning in silence. Then, slowly, sound filters into her ears. Although she can't see her friends anywhere, she can hear them, and oh, she wishes she couldn't.

-- I don't need help from someone who gave in to despair once before.
-- I can't trust you. If you come any closer, I'll shoot.
-- We've never been friends.

She tries to run away, but finds herself tethered in place by the headphones' cable.
She's still in the mall. Everything is fine.

She smiles apologetically at anyone who might have seen this display. ]

Looks like I got too absorbed in the music...

✧✧✧

III. wildcard!

[ I haven't decided on a canon point or a particular nerf for her powers, and it's been quite some time since I've indulged in journal RP! Please excuse my clumsiness! ]

i

[facelifting]

Can you really call it 'top secret' when we're in a public establishment...?

[ Not that she'll say no to free drinks. ]

But it seems that the festival does seem to deal with a lot of flowers. Did you find out anything yet yourself?

[ While she's saying this, she's also glancing at her phone every now and again. ]

shiki misaki | the world ends with you

[facelifting]

[ OOC. In regards to her canon point, she's going to be taken immediately after the end of week one, so there won't be spoilers past that here, although I'm fine with spoilers from the original game and stuff from the Switch port's additional content. ]

option i: WELCOME WAGON.

[ Shiki, of course, listens rather carefully to the words of the miko while looking at her cell phone — no, not the phone that everyone was given to them, her actual pink flip phone as she keeps opening and closing, as if that would give her any levity whatsoever, or even calm down her racing thoughts.

And a part of her can't help but wonder if this is secretly another Reaper's Game, in another city...

...but she had already won, hadn't she? She was supposed to be the one to come back to life. And yet, here she is. But the girl - the miko on the stage seems genuine, unlike the Reapers.

She doesn't know what to make of it, so she's just quiet, for the most part, allowing others - people that know her? - to converse with the miko, while she stays idly distracted. It's probably for the best, anyway.

But she can be easily surprised by someone else? ]

option ii: SHOPPING MALL (the good version)

[ When she learns that they're basically getting free cash for doing almost nothing, off to the shopping mall she goes.

Her eyes are sparkling with excitement at just how big the mall is, and how the first floor seems to have a bunch of fashion... ]

So this is what the clothes are like here? It's not so different—-

[ And then, she spots someone. Perhaps that person is you? ]

Hey! Do you want to go clothes shopping with me? I think it'd be better if we went together. [ Better than being alone with her thoughts. ]

option iii: SHOPPING MALL ( the nightmare version; cw: murder mentions, minor spoilers for Shiki Week )

[ She spends so much of her time in the mall that she easily gets sucked into the nightmare.

It's a village, but at the same time, some of the buildings are Shibuya.

If you're in here with her, you can see the 104 in the distance.

And then, there's the voices. Familiar ones, taunting her. Voices that everyone who has joined her in this particular Nightmare can hear, too.

"I never wanted to be your partner, anyway. I should have killed you, back then... when I could."

"Oh, Shiki? Yeah, she was nothing special. Just a seamstress. I'm much better than her. I don't need her anymore."

"Don't you think it's disgusting that she's running around, looking like that? Who does she think she is anyway?"

"A thief."

"She's not talented."

"Who can trust someone like that?"

"We should— oh. She's watching. Let's talk about this elsewhere."

Her breathing practically stills, harsh and caught in her throat. Her face is pale, as she clenches onto her hat tugging it down as if it would help her trembling legs or the fear that settles there. She doesn't seem to be moving, even as the Nightmare fads in and out, but it's clear that she's far from any sort of happiness right now. ]

Stop... please...

[ It's all she can say, barely. ]

option wildcard.

[ Want to play something completely different? I am here for you! Feel free to utilize any of the other prompts and feel free to hit me up at tsundereban too for any customized starters. ]

shopping mall (good version)

[dreamsick]

[Madotsuki blinks in surprise when the other girl suddenly speaks to her from where she had stopped to linger looking at the clothes... even proceeding to look around her to see if maybe she's addressing someone else, before awkwardly pointing to herself.

You are asking her, right?]

Mukuro Ikusaba | Danganronpa

[ultimatedespear]

[Spring is Here]

[Okay this is...not the greatest situation, definitely not. Curses and kamis and all of that is way outside the realm of things she's used to. Almost unbelievable even, or would be if it weren't for that weird dream and that voice. Sure, it could've been a hallucination or the effect of something, but that doesn't explain some of the other people here. Maybe if someone else were here, someone way smarter, they could explain it, but since that someone isn't here, she doesn't see a lot of reason to not accept the explanation for the time being.

But still, it's an unfamiliar situation, and the best way to deal with one of those is to familiarize herself with it, so that's what she's going to do, and perform reconnaissance of a sort. This includes inspecting the communal housing. Not great, but she's stayed in worse, so that's not going to get much more than indifference from here. The Park gets a little bit more of a reaction from her, it's gorgeous, so while she's still on her guard, she can't help but be drawn to all the flowers. And for the last part of her public intel gathering, she can be found exiting the WcDonald's, the Sakura Mcfloat in her hands at odds with her serious expression. Hey, a soldier has to eat too and sometimes there's not much of a choice as to what to go with. ...okay, she thought it looked good and figured there's no one around who's going to knock it out of her hands or make fun of her for it or worse, so why not?]

[Let the Festival Begin]

[It's nice to have a break from the nightmares. Doesn't really put her at ease, but she'll take not having to deal with something she can't deal with over having to experience it. Still, she doesn't seem to be having the best time, really she feels out of place at something like this, but she's here anyways. The idea of staying in her room wasn't something she thought about.

But she looks very much out of her element, drifting around the festival, not really participating in anything, until she sees the toy gun game. That'll immediately get her attention as she steps over to try her luck at it. Once the gun's in her hand, she'll take a moment to adjust her aim and...

...well, it's not going to be too long until she's accumulated a pile of prizes that she really doesn't know what to do with.]

...do you want one? I don't really need any of these.

[She'll just ask the first person she sees because the pile is really starting to build up and it's probably getting in the way of the other people playing the game. On the other hand, it would make for excellent cover she needed somewhere to hide, but that seems pretty unlikely?]

[Wildcard]

[I'm over at opticblast! Feel free to let me know if you'd like something else.]

hanyuu | higurashi no naku koro ni | ota

[auyamaru]

((as a heads up, Hanyuu herself is kind of a walking spoiler and there will be spoilers in the first and fourth prompt from the end of Matsuribayashi-hen, so let me know if you need me to work something out so you can avoid them!))

i. welcome wagon

[She had been thinking... it would be right to sleep for a long time, after everything was done with. Hanyuu just hadn't banked on waking up.

She shouldn't have a wish. It should already be fulfilled, because Rika is no longer being hurt, so...

...Maybe there's one other thing she wants. But there are some things it's more important to not have.

But she wakes, just as the others do, and it's an odd feeling. Something has pulled them here, something she doesn't know, and it's... unnerving. Hanyuu is very used to being able to see just about everything, but this is not Hinamizawa.

It's not Hinamizawa, and that's why it's very startling to see a girl she knows claiming to be a shrine maiden in a very unknown place. She will go and talk to her, but before that you may find her pacing and fretting while she waits for other to be done speaking with Mion.]

It doesn't make sense... Why she's doing this, and how she knows... It really doesn't make sense... Auauau...

ii. spring is here

[Hanyuu continues to be able to tell that something is very strange here. She can't read or hear the year past the first two digits... is someone or something trying to conceal it?

Hanyuu's concerns aren't forgotten, but it's put to the side momentarily as she arrives at the mall. Her wonder at how modern everything looks is very short-lived, because she can feel something off the moment she steps inside. Unease, trouble deep in her spirit, but she can't put her finger on what it is. Furrowing her brows, she tries to heighten her senses and slowly figure out what the source is.

The only times she'll pause is when she sees the cherry blossom jewelry on display or the float at WcDonalds, eyes lighting up in wonder - before she suppresses it as quickly as she can. Hanyuu is not a normal girl by any stretch of the definition, and she has not been a "girl" for even longer, even if this is the younger body that she lives in now. There's no time for her to waste on simple pleasures, but especially not when she needs to be figuring out what's going on.

Hanyuu needs to get to the bottom of this, before something goes very wrong.]

iii. the nightmare comes

((CW: talk of gore))

[But Hanyuu does not get to the bottom of this. Not fast enough.

Her face is cold and still every time she is brought into the land of Nightmares. She survived generation after generation of loneliness until Rika was born; it's not the worst she's ever been through.

However, even Hanyuu is not immune to the effects of the land. As time goes on, the Nightmares are more potent - and they strike at her heart in a way she isn't prepared for.

She's walking to the mall to investigate it again, because she can tell that things are worse there than anywhere else and she wants to find out why - but she doesn't recognize how much of a mistake it is until the world before her shifts into something familiar.

Hanyuu's face goes pale. There's a figure before her that she couldn't forget even if her soul were torn to pieces.]

"Bad demons that fail everyone deserve to have their stomachs cut open and their entrails torn out. Don't you agree, Mother?"

Ou... [Hanyuu's voice shakes. From a distance, she can recognize it's almost her real voice.] Ouka...?

[Ouka has been dead for a long time. Ouka would not say these things to her.

Ouka cried while she killed her.]

You're not... You can't be-

[The world shifts. The young woman before her is not Ouka anymore.]

"Hmmm... If I slice open your stomach and call you 'Mother', will you cry more than if I eat spicy food?"

Enough-!

[It could have been a roar, in another life, but Hanyuu's vocal chords aren't capable of that anymore. A woman trying to speak as a child.

At some point, she's ended up on her knees. Her hands are clamped over her ears, even though she can still hear the words echo in her head, and tears pour from her closed eyes.]

Begone... Begone, you foul thing... You are not Ouka, you are not Rika, you are not of my blood... Leave my presence at once...

[And then, smaller, in the voice that is not grown:]

Stop... Please stop already... I'm sorry, I'm sorry-

iv.

[By the time the festival rolls around, Hanyuu is exhausted.

Her steps are haunted by the ghosts of Ouka and Rika that want to tear her apart, and she can't even convince herself they aren't right. After all, shouldn't that be her punishment, for being such a powerless god that Rika had to die for a hundred years?

She's so worn out by the Nightmares, that she notices the moment they are gone. For the first time in weeks, it feels like she can breathe again.

Hanyuu is quiet throughout the festival, watching most things with a somber expression, her mood somewhere between longing for the Watanagashi of the modern age and too upset to celebrate it adequately. She may be able to be pulled along for festivities, if the right person comes along or if the right words are used.

Unless snapped out of her stupor, the most emotion she'll show all night is during the festival performance when Mion lifts the branch - and she flinches, almost imperceptibly but unmistakable if you happen to be looking at her.

She knows the Nightmares have had a lasting effect on her. In all of Rika's performances as the years went on, Hanyuu had never flinched when the ceremonial tool was raised before striking the mattress to tear it open.

When it's finally over, Hanyuu isn't expecting the fireworks that light up the sky - but she is entranced by them all the same.]

Beautiful... [A tear tracks down her face as she watches, unable to tear her gaze away.] It's so beautiful...

[For the first time in days, her heart is filled with hope.

She wants to get it back. That peaceful night where she had stood with Rika as they all sent their cotton drifting down the river, finally victorious over June of 1983. Hanyuu wants it back.

I can't let my heart become overwhelmed. If Rika endured everything and won... I owe this to her. I must resist this and fight!]

v. wildcard

((if any of these don't work, feel free to throw something at me or hit me up at Yamadori!))

ii

[keichan]

[ Keiichi has felt the same exhaustion as Hanyuu has, in large part because he doesn't feel particularly satisfied with the answers he's gotten. Mion told him that she showed up in the same manner as the rest of them, but that she simply had been here for much longer. That didn't explain how she ended up getting chosen as this place's miko. It certainly didn't explain why everything about this place made the hairs on his arms stand on edge.

The mall is supposed to be a place where he can be distracted. Hinamizawa doesn't have a mall, and the shops in Okinomiya don't really compare to what's on display here, either. He had spotted a familiar-looking bat in one of the shops, though, and his eyes linger on it for some time, wondering if he should get it. Maybe he can join a baseball team or something to try to fit in...

Then, as he's leaving, he sees something out of the corner of his eye: a most unusual girl, with purple hair and what look to be horns on her head, browsing at the Jewelry Store nearby. His first instinct is to just go on, but something about her is... really familiar.

So, he decides to be his usual good-natured self. He stands behind her, being careful not to make a sound, and watches her for a second. He strokes his chin thoughtfully, as if thinking to himself. ]

Let me see... I think a bracelet would look pretty nice. The earrings would probably be a bit too much, though.