【EVENT】 New Year's Wishful Dreaming

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Wishful Dreaming Event

On the Eve of the New Year, the city of Starsand is surprisingly quiet. For a place so eager to throw parties, you might think that the streets would be full of life. But instead, Starsand’s streets are quiet and it’s citizens shutting down shops early. In this city, the last night of the year is contemplative and quiet. Citizens might make their last shrine visits, but it’s uncommon to see them out past 11.

They say that it’s important to fall asleep before the New Year, because you want to treasure your first dream of the New Year. Supposedly it’s lucky and prophetic. If you write it down and remember it, that dream can even guide you to your greatest desire. And rumors are always good ideas in Starsand.

Sleep comes easy on this night. Characters will find themselves getting drowsy by 4am at the latest. When they do fall asleep, they fall into a deep and elaborate dream.

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OOC NOTES

The first dream of the New Year will show characters their wishes come true. They will get to enjoy the life they long for. But strangely, they may find other Fallen Stars wandering into their dreams. These encounters may shake them out of their dreamlike state and make them aware that the dream is just that: A dream. If the dreamer denies their dream or has doubts, then the dreamscape will fall apart into a nightmare before both dreamer and visitor wake up.

It is possible to have multiple dreams: Characters must wake between dreams, even if just briefly, then fall back asleep in order to change their dream. There can be multiple visitors before the dream ends for good.

On the morning of January 1st, all characters who had a dream will find a prismatic crystal clenched in the palm of their hands. The crystal will reflect the contents of their dream, so long as they hold the same wish. If they change wishes or lose faith, then the crystal will turn black and melt into Rumor goo.

NPC characters may reply to dreams with clues. Please indicate which characters you want to receive clues by putting a “*” in their toplevel title. You may request clues for up to 3 characters. Thank you for your help!

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Comments

[myturf]

Mm... puccho maybe? That's a weird request.

[ ...Huh. Hasn't she seen this guy around before? Maybe not... whatever's happening behind him, that's new. ]

Could always get 'em some 10 yen candy. Onee-san usually gives some to kids comin' through anyway.

[ubiquitously]

[Well, she isn't reacting with recognition... Perhaps for the best. Uai doesn't want to have anyone knowing about his kids and using them against him, but he doesn't want to dream the girls away either. How long has it even been since he heard their voices?

The two girls are picking up candies and weighing them in their hands. If Karin listens closely, she'll hear that the girls are accurately weighing them and announcing how many grams each handful weighs.]

... They can't eat. Taste, maybe, but they'll just lick it.

Lollipops, I guess? [He shakes his head,] The smelly one works for now. How do I pay?

[does capitalism exist in this girl's dream or what??]

[myturf]

Here, we'll go with lollipops then-- [ As Karin glances behind him, at the outside. Nonchalantly. She glances at the silhouette next to her, which glows just a bit. ]

You sure? I think we're almost done here.

[ They're sure, and in an instant, they're gone. It's fine... she'll be back. ]

Anyway, don't worry about it. The owner said it's on the house-- but, you mind if I have a small contest with 'em? Kids usually get a kick out of it.

[ This might be a bad idea, but it's rare that she's trusted to be left alone with children. She was the muscle, after all. ]

[ubiquitously]

You sure?

[Though 'on the house' seems easier than him trying to dream up some money. This place seems to be Karin's dreamscape and Uai is lucky enough to have imagined his daughters into it.

The girls chirp like birds when they notice the lollipops and run over; The blonde hiding behind her dad and the white haired girl stepping boldly in front.]

Yeah, that's fine. Just be careful. They're... competitive.

[myturf]

Alright alright, here.

[ She steps away for a second, looking around... ah, there it is! She swivels back and places a large candy jar full of individually wrapped taffies in front of her. ]

So, real simple. Get the closest to how many are in the jar, the jar and the taffy's yours. One guess each, so make it count.

[ It's chewy and has flavor, maybe they'd like it? Probably better than gum. ]

[ubiquitously]

[The two little girls stare at the jar with bright and wide eyes, while Uai himself watches on with some bemused concern. He knows that they'll have no trouble with the challenge. Their eyes can literally scan the jar and count out the candies: After all, they're robots.

But rather than guessing correctly and with complete confidence, the two girls give incorrect numbers. Uai knows from the moment that they give his guess that... right, they're fakes. His real daughters aren't here. These are figments of his imagination, shaped into an idealized memory. It feels sickening, like he's eaten all of the candy in that jar at once, to realize he's manipulated his daughters with his imagination.

He sighs and ruffles their hair.]

Good try. Nice confidence... and you didn't kick anyone, Sakura. Good job.

[The white haired girl chirps in confusion. She was thinking about it though.]

[myturf]

Hey hey, kickin's illegal. You would'a forfeited your prize.

[ She pops open the jar, and places four taffies on the counter. Two for each of them. ]

Good kids. They were close, but I prob'ly shouldn't ruin their appetite, huh?

[ubiquitously]

[Uai ruffles their hair one last time. It feels real and their chirping sounds like he remembers, but he has to remember that they aren't real. He's never going to see his kids again, even if it's all that he wants.

In that moment of regrettable weakness, where the girls take their taffies and begin analyzing them, he admits:]

They wouldn't have had appetites anyway. They were robots, made to house spirits. But they never let that stop them from having fun.

[myturf]

Hm. Y'know, I never figured that robots could have fun... but, I hear spirits don't usually get t'have bodies, so it must be somethin'.

[ ...where did she even hear that from? She's sure she read that somewhere... that doesn't have anything to do with this store, or this city though... does it? ]

You got a sweet tooth? You might like 'em.

[ubiquitously]

[He looks a bit surprised by the offer. Slowly, he chooses to nod.]

... Sure.

You work here or something? Or just friends with the owner?

[myturf]

Nah-- I couldn't take her money. The owner's my big sis.

[ Tapping the counter a bit... ] Not by blood or anythin'. She took me in when I didn't have anywhere t'go, so... best I can do is watch the store for her when she's busy.