【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

[composalvation]

[Kanade lets out a small huff, which may have been an attempt at a laugh, but it's far too hollow to pass as such. If he only knew how bad she "messed up"...]

... Of course. You can tell me anything, Yuuto-san.

[spacialeyes]

[And may she never know how he’s messed up.

Even in admitting this much, Yuuto feels very emotionally exposed:]

… I’ve done some truly terrible things. I’ve ruined so many lives… I thought that something like me deserved to be in pain. I still think… maybe I have debts that I can’t pay in normal ways.

But no matter how much I say that to people, they tell me I’m wrong. I didn’t understand it until recently… It’s not because they think I did nothing wrong. I think… maybe…

Our friends love us more than any pain we can cause them. I’m starting to think that maybe… maybe I’ve been underestimating how kind and strong they are. Maybe that’s another sin of mine, but… I wonder if it’s true for your friends too. Maybe it’s time for us to trust their strength and capacity to love..?

[composalvation]

[There's a moment of silence as Kanade process what he says; the words hang in the air between them, heavy and yet... not. There's no shunning of his words, just... letting them sink in.]

I understand. As hard as I work to atone for my sin... a part of me thinks I'll never be able to. Not after what I did.

[There's a creak of Kanade's chair as she moves. It's only a few steps, but she gets out of her chair, setting her headphones aside, so she can take a seat next to him on the floor, leaning back against her bed.]

... I don't know if I can just... let myself be happy like that. It's not fair, that I'm happy. [Not when her father still lies bedridden in the hospital after two years...] But maybe... I can start listening more, when they say good things.

[She's not sure if she can accept it. Not right away. But listening is a good start, right?]

[spacialeyes]

[He makes some room for her on the floor, seeing as the room is a bit difficult to navigate, and listens. Yuuto looks at the ceiling now, pulling his own knees to his chest as her words sink in.

Even if he says pretty and hopeful words, Yuuto knows that it's true. His long life has been marked with more lessons that prove the concept that happiness is distributed unfairly. After all, he's aware that his existence has left a trail of sadness and heartbreak over a hundred years long. His very birth starts a cycle of suffering for his entire family.

'Curses' like Kanade and him shouldn't be happy.]

Mm. I think that's a good start. I think that our friends would like that.

[Yuuto closes his eyes and sighs.]

We should go outside. They'll worry about you.

[composalvation]

... I guess... I could go and see what's going on outside. For a little while.

[...]

Thank you, Yuuto-san.

[Her voice is so soft and gentle, but there's a weight to those words. Not the heavy, stifling, crushing kind of weight. Instead, it's... warm. Like a comfortable weighted blanket.]

[spacialeyes]

I haven’t done anything to be thanked for… [- is probably such a familiar answer. He laughs a bit, realizing that he’s fallen into a bad habit.]

… But you too. It’s easy to talk to you.

I’m sorry that you understand me.

[composalvation]

[Ah, yep. That's a familiar brushing off that Kanade knows well. But because she knows the feeling so well, she doesn't seem put off at all as he says it.]

Me too. I wouldn't wish this sort of curse on anyone.

[And yet... it feels a little less sharp in her chest, knowing someone understands. And she hates herself just a little bit for feeling that way.]

And I'm sorry for all of that happening when you were just... [She trails off, blinking.] Visiting?

[Huh. It's only just now starting to sink in how odd it is that Yuuto's here, all of a sudden.]

Is that why you're here? Did you come by to say hello?

[spacialeyes]

[He’s about to offer to walk outside with her, so that they can share the burden of their friends’ warm concerns, when she brings that up.

Was he… visiting? But he doesn’t remember coming through the front door… or what Kanade’s bedroom door looks like from the outside. He’s never gone far into her house before.

The gears in his brain turn.]

Ah, I- Did I..?

[… Did he break into her room with his power?

Yuuto stands up quickly.]

I am so sorry. I think I need an intervention.

[composalvation]

[Honestly, it's this that's more surprising than his sudden arrival in her room. She stands up with him, blinking in confusion at his sudden fretting.]

I-I think it's fine, really...! There's nothing to worry about.

[Reassure him first, always.]

Is everything okay? Did you appear here on accident?

[spacialeyes]

I must have?! I’m so so sorry- I’ll show myself out?

[Or at least, he tries to. But when Yuuto reaches for his power, all he finds is static. Time and space don’t exist in dreams, after all.

His brows furrowed with confusion.]

… I can use the door!

[composalvation]

I-Is your power okay...?

[Oh geez, is there something weird about her house??? Does she need to help him??? This is fine!]

Sure- I mean, it's okay! I can show you out...!