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starsand2022-12-02 07:02 pm
starrystorytellers) wrote in starsand2022-12-02 07:02 pm
【MINGLE】 December Mingle
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dec intro
It’s the final month of the year… and one month until the ‘Fallen Star’ phenomenon will be one year old. One month until this world will have survived a year without a timeloop. And one month until the Wish Maker appears to keep their ominous promise. Come January, this wish granting being will attempt to create a tidal wave of Rumors and flip the city of Starsand on its head. They’ve promised to overturn the power of the Kami of Love and create a sorrowful chaos unlike anything that the Fallen Stars have experienced yet. And the days to prepare for this attack of despair are ticking by fast…
But until then, Starsand City is a blissfully unaware winter wonderland! Snow covers all of the buildings and beautiful sculptures line the streets. There’s some disappointment voiced among the natives about how the snow statues haven’t come to life this year, but it isn’t more than a low rumbling of gossip. Spirits still populate the city in the form of glowing lights, blinking in all colours of the rainbow, but they seem to be avoiding the city center this month. They can mostly be found on the outskirts, such as forests or quieter residential areas. They also continue to make wishes on the Wishing Boards, which are seeing a few more wishes than last month; and a few answered as well.
There is no traditional holiday celebrated in December. The New Years celebrations of Starsand don’t actually start until January 1st. Even the concept of a New Year’s countdown is foreign to the people here, who insist that it’s bad luck to be awake when the year changes. This means that the Fallen Stars are free to celebrate any of their own December traditions. The civilians will show polite curiosity and offer help, but most will not want to engage in the holidays themselves.
(A) NEW ARRIVALS
Arrivals in Starsand are different again this month… but different in a familiar way. While some arrivals may still follow the standard procedure— opening their eyes and being in a new, but friendly city,— Others will find themselves in total darkness. And if their muns want this prompt, they should tag over here so that they don’t get missed!
This darkness seems to go on forever. If characters try to walk, they will see that their footsteps leave glowing ripples on the dark surface. Within those ripples, they can briefly see images of their life flashing before their eyes. Their bodies, too, give off a faint light in contrast to their dark surroundings. After a few minutes of being alone, whether they walk off or not, they will see the glowing form of a girl in the distance…
… Once that encounter ends, they wake up in the city like any other arrival! The city is cold and snow covered, so civilians will rush to the strangers and offer them free winter clothes. The native population is extra insistent on getting Fallen Stars hooked up with free housing and warm food as soon as possible! Just… Beware of the free hot chocolate. When Starsand City calls it ‘hot’ chocolate, they don’t just mean the temperature. It has chili powder in it and is quite spicy!
(B) BETWEEN TIME & SPACE
The Spacetime Shrine has locked itself again this month. The door that usually leads into the shrine’s other dimension isn’t just closed: It’s an empty doorframe of glass, with the usual door entirely removed. Even the natives have taken note and turned it into something of a curious tourist attraction (it’s not like they have anywhere else to tour!) During the day, crowds of people gather here and walk through the empty door frame like it’s some kind of novelty. It’s so busy that there are even food stalls set up during the day, which sell warm drinks and deep fried snacks. No one seems particularly worried, since this shrine and its kami have never done anything for the city to begin with!
But if Fallen Stars wander here during the day, they may find it harder to tolerate. The closer they get to the doorframe, the louder they will hear a buzzing sound. It’s like radio static inside their heads, sometimes making the sound of voices from home. And mixed into the cacophony of noise is a girl’s distant voice, pleading: "Visit me at midnight."
If they do return to the shrine at midnight, Fallen Stars will find that the doorframe is no longer empty. For a single minute, they will see another space through the doorframe. It’s completely black and glitters slightly. A familiar goo seeps out of the door frame… If they dare to step through, they should post over here.
(C) A SNOWY DAYDREAM
Snow isn’t the only wintery delight to be found in Starsand City, though it is certainly a huge appeal. Carving snow sculptures is a popular pastime and beautiful statues of snow can be seen on nearly every street corner. The roads are generally shoveled by the shopkeepers who operate nearby, but a bit of help will be rewarded with a few starling pieces. Thanks to the efforts from last month, the shrines are covered in lights and colourful flowers are miraculously blooming in winter! The cityscape is coated in crystal white, dotted with colourful lights, decor, and plantlife…
But as promised, there is more!
The Kami of Winter has finally made her shrine, which is a huge ice castle located in a forest clearing. The lake outside this three-story castle is frozen solid and perfect for ice skating. When you’re done skating, you can retreat into the castle and get free hot tea. Unfortunately, it isn’t spicy… But fortunately, the castle itself is surprisingly warm and comfortable. The upper floors have icy furniture, delicate sculptures, and a telescope on the third floor balcony. Anyone is welcome to hang around the castle, though the Kami of Winter still isn’t showing herself. People say that she is quite shy, after all
(D) SNOWED IN
For all of the nice things that people say about the Kami of Winter, she is still a mischievous spirit at her core. While her general role in town is to keep the snow fresh and winter weather mellow, she is prone to emotional outbursts… and, with them, bursts of power. One moment, you may be having a relaxing day with snow-laced sunshine. The next, you’re snowed into the grocery store. She’ll randomly dump feet of snow on a place and forget to remove it. After a few minutes (or hours,) she will usually come back and remove the snow. Until then… Well, hopefully you’re a patient person!
(D) THE WISHING BOARD
Many of last month’s wishes were successfully granted, which has boosted faith in the Wishing Board! Unfortunately… It still isn’t the most useful device ever invented. And with the recent snowfall, the monitors often get so cold that they simply stop working. Still, some stubborn spirits are trying to leave their wishes. And thanks to helpful Fallen Stars, they’ve managed to leave wishes despite those technical difficulties! Some of those new wishes include…
01. I want to see everyone eating hot ramen and smiling!
02. I want to form a spirit contract with someone who likes to cook.
03. I want to leave an offering for the new kami.
04. I wish someone would find my ice sculpture and admire my art.
05. I want to see the Kami of Love fall.
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[ Inaba's quiet, shuffling on her feet. She doesn't know what to say, so she just remains silent, not looking directly at Asakura. ]
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As she tries to focus on literally anything else, her eyes briefly catch Inaba's cart, and... she forces herself to look away, chewing on her tongue. There's a million things she wants to say about that, but what really gives her the right to criticize her, other than her own hangups?
...she's never really had that right. Even before their last conversation.
Still. Ryoko has to say something to apologize. If she doesn't... she probably won't get this chance again. Inaba will run away and this'll never get resolved. ]
...Um. I...
[ ...
tasukete, aisaka-san. ]
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[ Inaba sounds exhausted and admittedly her words come off as blunt, but nothing's going to change if she doesn't at least be a little bit more forceful. ]
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Out of everything, what does Ryoko Asakura want to say right now? ]
...
I'm... sorry for lying to you, Inaba-san.
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Whenever I go out and do something by myself, or I try to pretend that I can handle something... I mess it up. Someone always has to bail me out, or rescue me, and it always leaves me wondering why I bother with it.
[ Her mind drifts to that dungeon. Multiple people surrounding her, and the one thing she contributed wound up with most of them ceasing their progress to clean up her mess. To make sure she didn't die. ]
But... regardless, I do it anyway. I just think it's easier for others if I do it myself. Knowing that my friends would be upset at me, knowing that it's stupid and selfish, it's just... easier to accept something bad happening to me instead of them. It'd be retribution for every stupid mistake I've made, every person that I've hurt, for making a wish in the first place.
I'm cruel and suffocating. Despite how anyone might see me... I'm not a good person. I don't think I ever have been.
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That doesn't only go for you. For things as important as this mission... going out alone, doing things alone is almost akin to a suicide. Sure, people can come back to life here.
[ She's read the threads about that, after all. ]
But that doesn't change the potential...impact on the mission that something like that could have.
I knew-
[ No.
She shakes her head, correcting herself. ]
I know people like that. Who would do reckless things for themselves. And while I can say that I don't like it, that doesn't mean you're a bad person. Selfish? Sure. But not a bad person.
If you were truly a bad person at the very core, I wouldn't have heard any of this from you in the first place. And perhaps I shouldn't be the one to say this, but... a bad person would have simply not bothered at all.
You're just, I suppose... inexplicably human.
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[ Ryoko can feel something stuck in her throat, and it ends up with her taking in one more deep breath. ]
I kept letting myself get angry at you. Knowing that you're in pain, knowing it wasn't fair. I got upset over the stupidest things--
[ She shakes her head, eyes unable to even look in Inaba's direction. ]
--I was wrong. I was stupid, and angry, and scared, and jealous, and wrong.
And I'm sorry.
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[ She pauses. And... pivots a little. ]
What do you think you should apologize for?
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When I said that I couldn't offer myself, it's... true that I didn't have much in the way of faith. But it's--
[...]
That's not just something that applies specifically to you.
[ She's just lost a lot of trust in everybody. ]
Plus, if I came along, I'd just be useless baggage. I know self defense. How to use a gun. I can even deal with magic if that happens. But... I couldn't help but remember how terrifying it was to get knocked out while on a stakeout. Not because I was hit from behind but because my soul was tampered with in spite of all the kinds of precautions I could take.
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Until she starts speaking on her hangups. On how she was knocked out, on how she'd be useless. ]
...it's frustrating.
[ She's quiet, barely audible saying that. ]
When... everyone around you is capable of so much, and all you can think of is how scared you are... of course that's frustrating. When you know you're just a burden to everyone who's doing their best...
[ She takes a shaky breath. ]
...it's not easy. The first time I even fought a witch, it put me to sleep and captured me. I want to say I've learned a lot since then, but I haven't.
You're right not to have faith in anyone like me. I know you said I must be reliable, but... I'm not. I'm only good as a backup. I can't lead a mission.
...I'm only good at protecting others. That's it.
[ Not herself. ]
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[ Even though it was boring, at least she was safe. Away from the fights. And the work she did was good, so she was allowed to live.
Her work pay was that, in the beginning.
Living. To survive. ]
I'm... further than that. An 'observer', really.
I was good at calling up meetings, sharing my ideas... I wrote up timelines of events that happened and theorycrafting. I could come up with many strategies for other people when I knew what their capabilities were.
But I can't protect anyone. At least... with protecting others, you're able to do something.
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You say that it's boring and dull, but I wouldn't have minded that. I don't really like fighting... but, I was forced into it. I mean, I did have to call up a meeting, but I wasn't very good at leading them, or explaining what was happening.
...you don't know how important that kind of stuff actually is.
[ She sighs. ]
That guy I told you about, in August. He was friends with someone who communicated with us from outside of town. She always gave us advice, was always willing to give us ideas on how to proceed... even though she should have hated us. She was a strategist.
Paying attention, coming up with ideas, coming up with strategies... even, taking on a task that very few can do...
[ One more, bitter laugh. ]
...when did our jobs start to define us?
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[ When her job became the thing that she needed to do to survive. ]
I know it's important. I'm not going to deny that, but... it always feels like it isn't enough.
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[ Who is she to really dispute that? If she didn't hunt Nightmares... she would turn. ]
That's the problem. It's never enough. No matter how much you do. That's why I still want to help. If I don't, then--
[ She stares down at the cart, at the turkey she found. The reason she has to keep herself from going too far. ]
...Inaba-san... we aren't at work here. We have stuff to do, and stuff to help with, but we still can live our lives. It doesn't have to be enough right now... we can always work on it and make it enough together, if we need to.
If... if you're okay with me, I mean.
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[ She knows that she isn't at work.
This world isn't like the Foundation. And yet-- ]
I...
[...]
I don't know.
[ She's still so afraid. ]
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But, as always... she has to force herself to be strong for someone else's sake. ]
If you're not comfortable, I understand. I've been really pushy about this... but, I still want to try to get along and be friends. We can take this at your pace, alright?
...at least, between you and me. I can't speak for anyone else who... might try to help.
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I can at least... try.
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[ She exhales, not even realizing that she was holding a breath? ]
Just... don't hesitate to tell me if I mess up. Humans aren't really perfect, you know.