【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

[loveedition]

[ Ryoko pauses, staring at the newcomer. Ryoko doesn't recognize her from this school at all, and something about her was... immediately off. How she didn't blend in. ]

Wh-what're you talking about? Of course it is. It's the start of the rest of my life, you know.

[fallenwishingstar]

Is that really it? If you're going off to a new start, then did you need to bring so many people from your past here?

[loveedition]

--[ For some reason, her chest aches. This question... ]

...Because, I want to say goodbye to them.

After I graduate, I'm leaving. I'm studying abroad.

[fallenwishingstar]

... Why?

This place seems happy. You've gone through the trouble of recreating the people that you missed and weaving them into a comfortable dream. Why would you leave it by choice? Are you just a waste of my energy?

[loveedition]

Because-

[ Her voice momentarily cracks. Ryoko's fighting back tears, though she can't necessarily say that it's sadness, but more... frustration. Why would she leave her home by choice? One was obvious... ]

Because I don't belong here anymore.

[ ...which, also, explained the other too. ]

If my family asks me to go with them, and I need to let go of the normal that I'm used to for the sake of someone else... I can't just say no.

[fallenwishingstar]

If that's what it means to have friends and care about people, then maybe I don't want it after all.

You have more freedom than I could even dream of and yet you squander it like this. You're no different from a spirit or kami; You define yourself by the whims and wants of those around you?

Pathetic.

[loveedition]

[ --oh.

Suddenly, it clicks.

Something wells up inside of her, and yet again-- she finds herself subconsciously transforming. She does remember that, along with her high school days, she, Kakyoin, the twins, the two girls and Taiga would alternate saving the city and school...

No, wrong. They didn't alternate. They worked together. Almost all of them did.

Not only subconsciously transforming, but naturally slipping right into that same mode she was in the first time they had met. Purple aura flowing off of her. ]

What's the point of freedom if it means never caring about anyone? If it means never loving someone? This is the only thing I want. The more I want, the more pain I'll be in, and the more I'd let someone manipulate me.

I don't need any bigger dreams. If you think my dream's pathetic, try looking in a mirror.

[fallenwishingstar]

... I can't. Even if I looked in a mirror, I would have no reflection. And even if I had a dream, it would be blank, empty, and void. A waste.

[She watches Ryoko with an unchanging expression.]

I wanted to see an interesting dream... not a sad one. I can be sad without a Rumor to guide me.

[loveedition]

[ She goes to get angrier, but... she sighs instead. It was pointless. ]

This dream isn't sad. I was feeling happy until you showed up. Goodbyes don't have to be sad in the first place.

[fallenwishingstar]

... Don't they?

They always look so sad... But what would I know? I've never said it myself. Simply watched other humans say goodbye to others. They cry tears and make mournful sounds... is that not a sign of sadness?

[loveedition]

Sure. There are times like that. But other times... you get to reflect on how far you've come knowing each other, think about everything that made you get close to them in the first place, and know that... know that sometimes, it's not a full goodbye. It's a "see you later".

It's sadder to not get to say goodbye than it is to share that moment together, I think.

[fallenwishingstar]

[She listens. Even goes startled for a few moments, contemplating what she's hearing.

Then she nods slowly.]

... You're lucky to know enough people that you can let some go, I guess.

I don't get it, to be honest. But I've never had anyone to say 'goodbye' to. If I did, then I'd never let them go.

Also. What is 'Canada?'

[loveedition]

I don't know if I'd say lucky. Although... yeah. I feel lucky for having met them, honestly.

[ A sigh. ]

The thing is... I don't want to be selfish. Everyone I meet has their own lives, their own dreams, their own autonomy. I don't want to force anyone to stay in place because of me. That would be cruel to them.

--Oh, and... that's a country from the world I'm from. It's where my parents work.

[fallenwishingstar]

... I see.

Would it be better to go places with them? Together? I don't understand, but then again... That is why I made this wish. I don't know. I don't understand.

I've never experienced a life like this one.

[loveedition]

[ That... gets Ryoko to pause. ]

Your wish is to just... understand us?

[fallenwishingstar]

I... wanted to see what it was like to have 'hope.'

But it looks foolish to me. I don't understand.

[loveedition]

...hope is... complicated. It's not something that can really be explained. It can be foolish, but when that hope is realized, it's one of the best feelings in the world.

[fallenwishingstar]

... and when it isn't, it's one of the worst feelings.

I'm tired of that.

[loveedition]

...yeah.

I guess... I get why you'd be upset at what I want. In comparison, it's probably a small thing to hope for.

[fallenwishingstar]

Even a small hope is painful when it is not met.

But that is why I wonder… Is this really your hope? Leaving your friends? Is this truly what you desire or what you think you should desire?

[loveedition]

Mm... no, it's not so much leaving my friends. I guess it's...

[ After everything she's said... ]

It's not... missing them as much as I do sometimes. I should be happy that they can live their lives without me. On top of that... feeling like I had a chance to tell them I was going somewhere. The thing is, if you don't tell someone you're leaving, then they'll assume the worst when they can't find you.

[fallenwishingstar]

Should you?

I always envied humans and their bonds. Being happy without someone doesn't sound happy at all. It sounds like the truest form of loneliness.

[loveedition]

I should. After all, they'll meet new friends, like I did.

I grew to be depressed without Nagato-san or Kyon-kun around to cheer me up. Then, I met Aisaka-san and Kakyoin-kun. They trusted me, taught me how to take care of myself, and never lost faith in me.

I thought I would be alone here... then, Fauna allowed me to be with her. Yuuto helped me understand this world better. Kokoro-san and Ceto-kun have been nothing but kind to me... Inaba-san helped me, in her own way, to remember how human we can be.

...being human isn't easy. Being a magi isn't easy either... but, my wish was to ensure that my best friend would never be lonely without me. I still want to extend that to all of my friends, under my own power.

[fallenwishingstar]

... I don't get it.

[She shakes her head, giving a soft sigh.]

But I suppose I am a greedy person. Far too greedy to want for people to be well without me. I'd rather be wanted and needed... It should come as no surprise, then, that I made my greedy wish knowing full well of the consequences. I wonder if the people you've imagined will be in danger because of it?

[loveedition]

[ That does... cause the smile to fall from her face. ]

I can't say.

But... if anything happens to them, I'll be there to protect them with my life. Imaginary or not.