lunaecalamitas | thousand dreams, lotus boats upon the waters

thousand dreams, lotus boats upon the waters

NEW MOON ADAGIO

Between the constant requests from the North and the sense of tension that pervades the manor, Sage Tatara makes an executive decision: we're going North, baby.

Of all the things that have happened thus far, let this be the ultimate test of your magic. Even as we near summer, it's frigid. Protect yourselves and your allies from the cold. Protect yourselves while also fighting off monsters (or other territorial wizards, should you make the terrible mistake of wandering into another's territory), flying through the vast wilderness, or protecting the poor humans who need your help to survive. Time to blow off some of your steam. Just be sure to obey Tatara's one rule: don't kill each other.

One particular problem of note is in the Forest of Dreams. Without its guardian, many of these rogue monsters and dangerous predators, displaced from their normal habitats, have found their way into the forest. Many of them, however, are unable to survive against the fatal toxin, and there are plenty of animal corpses and mana stones that litter the forest. It might be best to clean these up before the forest guardian returns...

That said, the toxin is yet another thing you must protect yourself against in addition to the cold. While you can likely keep yourself from dying from the toxins, you may not be immune to its effects. This deadly toxin causes anyone who breathes it in to dream and hallucinate vividly, be it images of the past, imagined futures, thoughts of the present processed and warped...

Strangely enough, those nearby may end up sharing in your dreams... Did you want the darkest recesses of your thoughts, hopes, and fears unearthed for others to see?

Those who decide to venture far past the more populated (in relative terms) parts of the North may find themselves stumbling upon what looks to be an abandoned bandit hideout. It seems it's been abandoned for quite a while—nothing to loot here, sorry!—but there sure are a whole lot of monsters that have decided to make this hidden corner of the North their home.

While you're at it, you may find a nearby cave. Beautiful crystals dot the walls and the floors, and there are small pools of hot spring water free for relaxing. It seems to be relatively free of monsters, too. So maybe this wouldn't be a bad spot to relax, away from everything else?

However, there's one thing that makes this cave truly unique, and it isn't the vistas or the springs—it's the bats. These bats hear echoes of the past and replay them for visitors. Should you stay a while and listen, a bat may pay you a visit. And when it does, it may play for you the voices from the memories of visitors past, whose stories may hold a clue or two to your circumstances...

While the Forest of Dreams is a memory/dreamshare free for all, the aural memories replayed by the bats in the Cave of Time will come from one of the original wizards only. If you'd like an audio replay of a perhaps significant moment either in their personal life or a clue as to what happened to them (it will be randomized), then please reply to this comment!

JOB BOARD

Clean-up and repairs. While thanks to the hard work of your Eastern friends the worst was prevented, the City of Rain emerged from their short ordeal a little worse for wear.

Buildings need repair, blood needs to be cleaned off the streets, the injured need help. This is, perhaps, the only time you will be allowed to use magic openly in the city (you've been given permits and everything!), but you still are not allowed to talk outside of designated zones. Please, please don't get arrested...

As for the scrap that litters the streets? Unfortunately, you'll have to take it back to the scrapyard. But this time, there's a big, roaring bonfire out there. Just chuck all the scrap and debris in the fire. The city isn't taking any second chances—extreme situations call for extreme measures.

Reverence. Several Northern villages are currently outside the protection of a wizard, and have requested the sage's wizards' presence. They're terrified of the monsters and worried the barriers for their villages will fail sooner than later. They don't simply ask for help for free, however, and these smaller villages are steeped in their tradition—they'll pay you their respects, praying to you, offering you gifts, groveling at your feet, in hopes for a modicum of your time and protection. Do their offerings please you? Then assist them with what you deem appropriate for their worship to you: kill a few monsters for them, or a lot if you're pleased. Strengthen the barrier a lot, or not at all if you're displeased. It's up to you! You have the power here. What's it like to be a god for a day?

Ladies' night. The monthly lady officers' gathering is coming up in the City of Affluence—it's an exclusive meetup for the women involved in and related to Western military and bureaucratic affairs. Anyone is welcome, so long as they meet two requirements: they are outwardly presenting feminine, and they have an invitation to the gathering. Here's your chance to flex your transformation and glamour spells! Infiltrate the meetup with a disguise and a fake invitation, mingle, enjoy the drinks, the jazz, the entertainment, and find out what you can... What's the Western army up to? Be careful, though—don't get caught and kicked out!

The attendees seem to be excited about the new phantasmagoria technology and the upcoming display, and many whisper about the upcoming Venator meteor shower...

G'RAHA TASKS

Greetings, new friends! I am G'raha Tia, and while I hesitate to call myself a mentor or a replacement for the one you had, I am eternally grateful for the assistance I received and will do my best to help your cause in any way I can. To that end, I feel I may need to be caught up to speed on the events and get to know all of you.

We can have some tea and sandwiches and have a discussion! That's the best way to learn, sometimes.

TATARA ACTIVITIES

Even if we're not here for very long, I think we should leave our mark (not literally! Don't paint on the walls!). I got paint and big paper in the dining hall, but no brushes... Do you know what that means? Finger paint! Finger paint a portrait of yourself with your name and I'll hang it up in the library when they're all done!

Thanks to Cid and Khun, my camcorder works now. The thing is, what's the point of filming anything if we have no way to watch the film?! Could you guys work together to make some kind of projector? Or like...VHS player? We could have a movie night together!

OOC NOTES

🌙 Welcome to your fourth event! It's your dreamshare and memshare event! Ready to open up with your deepest and darkest secrets?
🌙 We're halfway through the game. How do you feel?
🌙 Back at the manor, Kurapika and Maya have set up a bulletin board! Leave comments, argue with your neighbors, have fun. Be nice. Don't set it on fire.
🌙 On the admin side of things, Lav has swapped out Wanderer for G'raha! Please say hello to your new mentor NPC.
🌙 Your OOC plotting post is here! Remember to keep all wider plotting to the post, and remember to check back frequently, since not everyone checks plurk or discord all the time.
🌙 The next country to go on their mission is North. Do you think a PVP-enabled mission will go well?

» NAVIGATION

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[ It's nice when his wizards keep him warm! Yippee!

Still, Tatara's all bundled up in winter gear (what is it? almost summer? and yet?), and he trudges through the trees as close to Day as he can manage. Save him, neighbor... ]

Still...it's hard to believe people will come all this way just to die. It's so far. [ And so cold!

Speaking of, the sky above them begins to darken. It's not a sudden dropping of the curtain of night, but it is quick enough and early enough in the day that it's both noticeable and unusual. Tatara gazes upward, his tracks slowing. ]

There's always gonna be people who'll take a gentle death. [ Which is a morbid thing to say, but they're talking about morbid things right now, so it's only natural.

But then the sky changes, and Day also looks up in confusion. ]

Huh?

[ Tatara frowns. If this takes Day by surprise, then he probably should be concerned, right?

Hmm. ]

Do you remember which way we came?

[ Not a particularly urgent question, but the implication is: we should probably head back. ]

[ The sky darkening for no discernable reason is always bad news, if you ask Day. ]

Sure do. [ Which is why he's taking Tatara's hand and trying to turn them both around, like he's concerned he might end up losing him on the way out otherwise. ]

[ Tatara is pretty used to having his hand grabbed by now (weird things he did not realize he would find normal after becoming the sage), and follows Day's lead. The quicker they get out of here the better, especially in a place like the North—

Except they'll turn a path, only to be suddenly met with the sight of a quiet side street somewhere in the heart of Tokyo. Regardless if Day knows what that is or not, there's concrete all around them, a narrow asphalt street at their feet. Buildings in the distance are lit, and a streetlamp illuminates them from overhead, buzzing quietly.

It's night above, the stars different from the ones in the wizard world. No trees to be seen at all.

Tatara freezes in place, the exhale of his breath white in the early winter air. ]

...We're...

[ ...home? ]

[ Day is familiar with streets. He is not familiar with asphalt, or concrete, or modern streetlamps, so their sudden appearance alarms him, enough that he remembers something about how the trees in the forest can make you hallucinate. But didn't they have protection charms? Were they not enough?

Then he sees Tatara's reaction and the recognition in his voice. ]

...You know this place?

I do.

[ Tatara slowly begins to relax as he takes in the city streets. He's taken this path hundreds of times, nestled halfway through the bar and his apartment. If it were any other familiar place, he would have brushed it off as nondescript. But this street? He knows precisely the last time he walked down this way.

His hold on Day's hand remains tight. ]

I used to live here. [ A casual choice of words, he doesn't really think about it. ] I think I know where to go.

[ He sets off again, his gaze set straight ahead. He tugs on Day's hand, signaling him to follow. ]

[ There's an ominous feeling about this. Maybe he thinks this because of how tightly Tatara's holding onto his hand, which seems rather unlike him. But he follows after Tatara. ]

[ Ominous would be right.

Tatara pulls Day farther down the street, and he eventually comes to one concrete box of a building—it's tall, though not a skyscraper, and all the windows are dark. There's a nondescript side door, unlocked. Tatara pushes it open to reveal a dim stairwell leading upwards.

He doesn't pause before going up the stairs, but he does eventually speak, partway up. ]

If I'm right...then I don't think you'll like what you see up there. [ He glances over his shoulder at Day. ] Are you okay with that?

[ Day lets Tatara lead, staying quiet until he asks him that question. He looks surprised at first, but then he gives a small, wry smile. ]

I think I ain't got much of a choice.

[ He can tell that this is something inevitable. ]

Neither do I.

[ Tatara says this quietly, almost under his breath.

They reach the top in what feels like an instant. Tatara pushes open the door for both of them, revealing a small rooftop area. There's a lovely view here, one of the city lights stretching endlessly in to the distance. They almost mirror the stars above.

Tatara sighs, nostalgic.

Standing here already, leaning against the railing, is a young man with white hair, dressed in black. He hums, pleased, and doesn't seem to notice their presence.

Tatara looks at Day, at once apologetic, and proud. ]

I loved this scenery. [ He says quietly, glancing out over the city. ] I loved taking night shots on clear nights like this. Especially this night... See over there? [ He points in the distance, little red lights scattered in the distance, blinking high above the others, at irregular intervals. ]

[ Day comes a kind of era where even when the cities are lit up, they would never be as bright as this. He looks at it in awe, though his eyes shift to the other man already present. Also ominous, huh...

He looks over to where Tatara is pointing. ]

What're those?

[ Red lights glint, briefly, then vanish, only for more to take their place. They're gentle lights, flickering in and out of existence. ]

People's phones. [ Tatara absently places a hand on his pocket. He doesn't carry his phone around with him anymore. ] There's an app called Candle. People believe that if they put their wish into the app, it'll send it up to the blimp in the sky, and the First King will make their wishes come true.

[ He looks up. And indeed, far in the distance, is a blimp. ]

It's all just an urban legend, really. But...it is beautiful. I thought it made the city look like...a really big birthday cake. I wanted to give this whole sight to our little princess on her birthday.

[ Just as he finishes talking, as if on cue, the door they came through opens again. Out steps Tatara, clad bundled in a dark blue coat, camera in his hands. He's fiddling with it, unaware of the white-haired man or the two visitors.

Real Tatara doesn't look. ]

[ Day does not understand what a phone or app are—the struggles of coming from a medievalesque setting—but he thinks it's irrelevant as long as he understands the result.

A part of him is always wary when wishes get brought up, because it rarely bodes well back home. And in a way, wishes are adjacent to prayer. But he can understand what Tatara means, because he'd agree the sight is beautiful too, in its own way.

If Tatara won't look, Day figures he will instead, though he can already tell he won't like it. ]

I think she would have loved it. [ He thinks it's worth saying. ]

Yeah.

[ He's glad Day agrees, because he's a bit nervous to see what's coming next.

After a moment of silence, dream-Tatara seems to notice the white-haired stranger's presence. A bright, innocent smile crosses his face, and he brings the camera up to his eye, training it on the stranger.

"December 7th, 11:45 PM."

He takes a few steps towards the stranger, who still hums as he gazes out over the scenery.

"Hey! It's a nice night out! I came here to shoot the night scenery—what about you?"

The stranger stands up straight as dream-Tatara approaches.

"My name is Tatara Totsuka. You are?"

The stranger turns. In the briefest of seconds, Day will see the look on his face—wide-eyed, deranged, his mouth stretched in either direction in an unnatural grin.

From his pocket, he pulls out a gun. And without word or warning, he shoots Tatara square in the stomach. The sage, camera and all, crumples to the ground, and blood begins to pool on the concrete below him.

The real Tatara still isn't looking, though his eyebrows are knit upward, his mouth folded into a frown. He's doing his best to keep back tears. ]

[ Ah.

Perhaps this is what senseless, absurd cruelty is; something that happens so suddenly and unceremoniously that you can't assign rhyme or reason to it. It's a good thing he's holding onto Tatara's hand, because it keeps him from whatever knee-jerk response he might have otherwise. His grip tightens briefly as he watches the dream-Tatara bleed out.

After a moment, he moves to stand in front of Tatara—no need to call him that way and have him see all...this. ]

...Tatara. [ And Day notices he looks like he's trying not to cry. ]

[ Day comes and stands before him, and Tatara's expression twists. He's trying to smile.

It's okay. He genuinely believes that, and he tries to show it. But it's hard.

The white-haired stranger continues on a tirade about who he is, what he's doing, but Tatara pays him no mind. Instead, he speaks over him— ]

I'm just sad I never got to give her the footage for her birthday... [ His voice is quiet, his tone wavers slightly. ]

[ Indeed, if Tatara won't pay the stranger any mind, Day won't either. He watches Tatara's face, trying his best to keep his own expression neutral and failing. This...does not seem like Tatara has managed to reach a peaceable conclusion. Who would, with a death in these circumstances?

So he ends up asking, quietly: ]

Do you want a hug, Tatara? [ Because Day doesn't know what else he can offer. ]

[ The stranger eventually leaves, leaving dream-Tatara alone on the cold concrete to bleed out. He reaches for his phone, makes a phone call, and distressed voices come from the other end.

The real Tatara's eyes lower to look at Day. He bites his lip, keeping his tears back, and gives a small nod.

Please. ]

[ Day carefully moves to wrap his arms around Tatara's shoulders and pulls him into a hug. It's perhaps a little tighter than he might have done otherwise, like some part of him is irrationally afraid Tatara will be gone if he lets go. Much like how he kept holding his hand this entire time.

Tatara deserved something better than what had happened. And maybe life in this strange world is a second chance, but it still hurts to know this was what he went through. ]

[ Tatara remains perfectly in place in Day's hold, and doesn't move. His breathing is deliberately even as he tries to keep a handle on himself, and his eyes remain flat, and open. If he blinks, he thinks to himself, he might cry. And he doesn't want to do that.

Dream-Tatara mumbles to himself as his death nears, and Tatara remembers saying all of this. It's himself, after all. He can carefully trace the lines of his own thoughts and knows his conclusion.

So he says it again, in tandem with his dream self, to assure Day: ]

I was...happy...

[ Not about his death, of course. But— ]

My life wasn't perfect, but it felt like it was... I had everything I needed, and everything I wanted. I just...

[ He pauses to bite his lip again. ]

...wish I could've wished her happy birthday.

Edited 2024-05-27 22:20 (UTC)

[ Day has to tell himself to believe in Tatara when he says that he was happy with his life. Even if he died that way, he still had a fulfilling life.

It still hurts to see him like this. ]

I know, but... You can cry if you need to. [ Not want to, because Day is alike in this regard. ]

[ Tatara remains still and his eyes, dry for a little moment longer. The door to the roof swings open and several thuggish looking young men rush and surround dream-Tatara's body. One falls to his knees and cradles him, shouting his name.

But it's too late.

It's hearing the voices of the people he cared so much for that eventually breaks the dam. He's not a loud crier, but his shoulders shudder in Day's hold, and his tears dampen whatever part of Day's clothes that Tatara rests his shoulder on.

The boys keep shouting Tatara's name, but it all fades as the dream does, and eventually, the two are left standing in the Forest of Dreams once again. ]

[ Day realises that, perhaps, it is terrible timing to be thinking this, but he still has the thought anyway: he's glad that Tatara loved and was loved in return. And he hopes that this is still true of him, even now.

He lets Tatara cry on him, rubbing circles on his back with one hand to try and comfort him. ]

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thousand dreams, lotus boats upon the waters

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