【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

[dereban]

Saving yourself through a wish isn't the right way to go, anyway.

[ It a nonchalant answer but an honest one. ]

[fallenwishingstar]

You can say that, because you get to exist. I... do not.

Nothing I do will change anything.

I can only fulfill the desires of others.

[dereban]

You say that and yet... me, seeing you right here and now. Isn't that 'existing'?

If you say that nothing that you do will change anything, or that you're fated to just simply fulfill the desires of others.

Isn't that already giving up?

[fallenwishingstar]

I’m here because of my wish.

I wished to see what it was like to have hope… and what people who have dreams would wish for.

Because I don’t remember anymore. I’ve tried and tried, and only been met with failure.

[dereban]

Having hope, huh... well, I can't say that I don't have that. But dreams are odd, you see? One person's perception of their own wish is not necessarily 'correct'. Nor is it always what they truly want.

[fallenwishingstar]

Are you lying to yourself?

[dereban]

About what I want--no. How to achieve it might wind up being different in reality, though.

[fallenwishingstar]

I see.

Is this the ideal way to achieve your dream, then? It seems sad. I don’t think it will make anyone happy if it happens this way.

[dereban]

I don't know.

[ It's an immediate answer. ]

There's probably better ways. I suppose that this way... was just the only one I could think of at the time.

[fallenwishingstar]

... You seem to think very little of your own happiness, but I would be a hypocrite to complain. I made a wish to see the hopes of others, because I am too frightened to imagine hope of my own.

Still.

It is a pleasant enough dream that you are having. Even if it will likely be used against you.

[dereban]

I won't let that happen.

[ Inaba's words are immediate and swift. ]

[fallenwishingstar]

Are you so sure?

Because unlike you, I am not kind. I am done being 'selfless' and I am done with 'hope.' I traded what remains of my life for a chance to see some final glimmers of it, but it came at a cost. Certainly you know who gave me the power to fulfill my greedy wish and how they operate.

[dereban]

Of course. You say you're not kind, but... someone unkind wouldn't have said anything at all.

[ That goes to beg the question of why bother saying anything at all? ]

And more importantly. I've been determined from the start to not be used by anyone else except for [that person].

[fallenwishingstar]

... I don't agree. I don't say it out of kindness: I pity you all, who make the mistake of having such fragile dreams.

[She shrugs,] Determining to be used by someone sounds foolish, but again. We're the same. I've allowed someone to use me as well. Even if the consequences hurt you, I don't really regret it.

[dereban]

Having a dream isn't a mistake.

[ Just saying that. ]

Well. I can't exactly... exist without [that person] [ she says, as strings appear on her wrists and ankles ] so that's just something that I'm going to have to live with. But nobody else. I'm not going to let them have their way with me.

cw: suicidal ideation

[fallenwishingstar]

[The Rumor looks unbothered by the strings. She nods, as if understanding the sentiment... But then, abruptly, shakes her head.]

I would rather burn up and die than have my life used one more time. I'm sick of it.

But if you're so determined to struggle, then I have one more regret. I won't be here to see you fall apart and learn your lesson. [...] The Wishmaker. Do you know them?

[dereban]

Ha. I understand the feeling. I just unfortunately live a life of... coexistence.

[ She says those words in a melancholic way before the strings disappear from the vision. ]

I've seen them in person before. What about them?

[fallenwishingstar]

... They're probably watching. You should be careful.

Ah. But maybe not too careful. Their plan is to wear you down in the coming weeks, after all. I'm here to make you all uncomfortable, I think.

[dereban]

Well, isn't that just fucking great -- whatever. They probably can't comprehend the scope of all of this, anyway.

Besides.

I already had planned on not being out in the front lines.

[fallenwishingstar]

I see. Well. It may not matter much to you anyway.

None of the people who are going to die are in your dream anyway. I haven't seen them. Even then, watching people fall apart because you're useless isn't very pleasant. You'll be doing yourself a favor by staying away.

[dereban]

Wait... die? Who the hell are they planning on killing?

[fallenwishingstar]

I don't see them here, so why would you care?

You're right. "It's just one person anyway," right? There's no reason for anyone to get wound up over a single stranger. Just stay in your hiding place and wait it out.

[dereban]

This and that are totally different things!

I'm sick and goddamn tired of people dying. Of murder. So who the hell is it. Answer me.

[fallenwishingstar]

Are they really so different?

What would you even do if you knew? You don't plan to be involved. Will you involve others on your behalf?

[dereban]

They're totally different.

[ ... ]

Yes. Many of the people I know care about the others in this world just as much as I do. And more importantly... they'd actually be able to do something. Just because I won't stand up front to face them doesn't mean I won't do nothing.

[ She just doesn't have the skillset to fight. She knows that all too well. She's reminded of those final fights back in the Underground, where she had to stay back because her abilities were practically useless.

It felt awful.

Information gathering, data analysis... that's all she can do. So if she can retrieve something --

Then she can pass it down to people who can do something about it. ]