turned dreams into an empire

[reddosmod]

JANUARY 2023 EVENT

Due to the cyclical nature of Trench, last year's January prompts are available for use. Please be sure to mark if your prompts are from this year or last year to avoid confusion when plotting/playing.

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: A dark, cloudy sky over a city street lit by lanterns.]
[Image Two: Dark woods with spots it up by moonlight. ]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Two, mostly melted candles burning in holders. ]
[Image Two: A spider web on top of sticks and berries. ]

Prompt Three
[Image One: An apple cut in half and clearly rotting. ]
[Image Two: A person lying in bed with their head on their arms. ]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

A NEW CITY

WHEN: January
WHERE: Outside Trench
CONTENT WARNINGS: Seemingly living buildings, possibly paranoia and/or heavy anxiety, blood, beasts, hauntings

---

Those who continued to charge their compasses will find that they are finally able to go farther than they ever could before. They will have started to glow, much the way the pieces did back in October when they were searching for their other half. There will be a pull towards the new city skyline, urging the holder to explore.

The journey to this new city takes time. For the average travelling group, it would take a week to get to the edges of town. For the fastest movers, it would still take roughly four days. The forest seems to get strangely thicker and denser as the city gets closer, before it suddenly disappears and opens up to brick streets and stone, gothic buildings. The aesthetics are very much like Trench, clearly built around the same time period. However, unlike Trench, this city has been completely and utterly abandoned.

Old, rusted lanterns are attached to the sides of houses, without any candles or oil to light them. At night, the bricks lining the street almost seem to glow, allowing for people to see their path in front of them, but not much beyond it. The buildings loom above, massive shadows with an almost unnerving quality to them. At night, sometimes one could get the strange idea that the very stones of the buildings are alive: are actually moving and breathing.

There's also an unpleasant sound that follows around as the city is explored. A low hum in some places and outright whispers in others. They could be mistaken for the wind or creaking window panes that never got nailed shut. Othertimes, the whispers can become so clear, one would think that there was someone standing right next to them. These clear whispers can only be heard by the person they are directed to. The words will be direct and harsh, usually targeting a person's worst fears and insecurities, memories that still haunt them, or targeting characteristics that they hate the most about themselves. It's like having a personal ghost bully, but they can't be intimidated into being quiet, no matter how hard one tries. Hopefully you have strong self-esteem.

Those who continue to explore the city will find much of it barren and useless. The buildings are overgrown with plants and some even have trees starting to break through the stone floors, leaving cracks and rubble on the ground. Thick vines have taken over many of the streets, dark in color, and they almost look like they're pulsing when they're hit with moonlight. Another interesting thing to note: some of the trees surrounding the city, as well as the trees within the city, house the delicate mushrooms that help the ill Pthumerians. They seem to be in a much larger, more sustainable supply in this city. Maybe it would be wise to take some back home.

There are a couple of buildings that seem like they might hold useful information for those who choose to explore them. One is City Hall, a large building with all the gothic characteristics one would expect: buttresses, arches, spires, and even gargoyles line the edges of the top of the building. Looking away from the gagoyles might make it seem like they're changing positions or their wings are flapping. Inside the building, some of the stone has crumbled and is broken on the marble floors, but for the most part, the foundation seems to have held up. Moss is the biggest issue, coating the walls and much of the furniture throughout the building. Even the cabinets. Opening the cabinets will find mostly rotted and unreadable papers, but some of them look like they could have been town records at one point. Comparing them to records found in Trench will show that the city was founded around the same time, maybe even a little earlier, but there's no indication of when or why it was abandoned.

Another location that can be explored is a library. This building is not as intricately decorative as others, the windows have been smashed at some point, and vines have taken over much of the building. But it was clearly well funded, as the inside is filled to the brim with books. Most of the pages and covers are falling apart, destroyed by the elements over the years, or were shredded by the vines that took over the bookcases. There are still a handful of books that look like they're intact and possibly readable. The language isn't familiar, but for someone who is good with translating, or who has abilities that help them to translate text, they will find stories of varying worlds, just like the Archives back in Trench, as well as a few local legends and folklores. They all seem to be formed around the Pthumerians: one or two mention the Patrons that we've all come to know and... feel something about, prbably not love. The Tower is a common character in many. Another popular Pthumerian throughout is also... Riteior.

Which makes the final location characters may find of interest less surprising: a church that was clearly dedicated to Riteior still stands tall. A few other worshipping areas throughout town also exist, dedicated to minor Pthumerians that are unfamiliar to Sleepers, and whose names have been lost to time. There are also a few alters dedicated to some of the Patrons as well, particularly the Tower and Madam Generosity. But Riteior's church is the largest of them all and the decorative windows made of blood stones show just how important he clearly was to so many people.

There is a door in the back of the church that seems to be glowing at first. It becomes clear quickly that behind it, there is a great deal of red colored light shining through. It pulses gentle, never going out entirely, but clearly having a bit of a flicker to it that could cause some people, especially those with light sensititivies, to have extreme headaches.

NOTE: Currently, it will not be possible to set up a lantern in the new city or near its edges. The city itself seems to be rejecting the possibility. This restriction will be lifted in the near future!

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

TOWARDS A CURE

WHEN: January
WHERE: Trench & The New City
CONTENT WARNINGS: Blood rituals, cursed effigies

---

Going through the door with the light will bring characters into a room that looks like it may have once been a nursery. There are shattered pieces of furniture that were once cribs, toy chests, and kids playsets. They're covered in moss and vines, but some of the wood may be salvagable for those who want it.

More importantly, there is one thing that really stands out here: a large hole in the wall that is filled with pulsing red light as well as swirling clouds of fog. Getting closer will show that the hole leads to the same world that people were being pulled into back in September. This Other World doesn't go to the Other Trench, but clearly an alternate version of this current city. The mirrored side is that of the very church you're currently standing in.

Those who went to explore the library will recall reading in lore about Riteior's powers. The reality warping and world-building like powers were clear, given the existence of the Other Trench, but another power that was mentioned was his ability to use his blood magic to create powerful effegies. These doll-like figurines could be of anyone and were often made of other Pthumerians in an attempt to control them. Legends say the abuse of this power was ultimately what made him unpopular among the other Pthumerians, and rituals were created to try and seal his powers away. The back and forth fighting eventually created the Other World that Riteior was banished to and ultimately ruled over.

There are books in the Other Church that will talk more in depth about his effegy creations and how it was that they were utilized. One form of these effegies created an illness, one that altered the very cells within Pthumerian blood and could be spread to other Pthumerians through close contact. This illness was said to have destroyed them from the inside out over a slow period of time. Many of the symptoms listed will line up with ones that impacted Pthumerians have shared with curious Sleepers, or been observed over the past few months: aches, pains, bleeding, power warping, personality changes, memory loss, brain fog, eventual disfigurement, and ultimately, death.

(Those who read about this might remember that, while he never mentioned feeling physically ill, the Tower's lover, Nevermind, was unable to find the answers to the illness (something he's never had trouble with before) and was unable to pull up much information on Riteior, despite having existed at the same time as him. It seems like he may have been more impacted by this illness than he realized.)

It's clear that Riteior has found a since September to further break the barriers between his Other World and the world the Sleepers and Patrons live in. It's clear he has begun to create effegies of the Patrons. There are a few choices left to the Sleepers with this information. The easiest would be to leave it be. If you hate the Patrons and want to see them die, obviously that would be something that a character is welcome to do. Knowing the outcome is ultimately death obviously can sway some people in this direction if they wish to see the Patrons destroyed.

Some people might argue that this is unwise, considering how much chaos has come from the Pthumerians being sick thus far. They are worshipped for a reason by the natives and long time Sleepers, so perhaps getting rid of them would cause more pain to this world than is worth risking. The next option is to a temporary solution to the issue: find the effegies and destroy them. Characters who choose to go this route can go into the Other Church to enter the world and try and find Riteior's figurines. It may take time, as he could be located in the Other Trench, and it would take the same amount of days to travel in the Other World as it does in regular Trench. Asking the compass to help you locate the effegies will work: it will glow, leading you through the woods, until you find a small building hidden in the trees.

Going inside will show a series of figurines on a table, but they can not be destroyed by typical means. The texts that discuss the figurines talk about a ritual that can be used to destroy them, one that invovles making a mixture that must include a small amount of every kind of Sleeper blood. Then, a powdered form of the mushrooms from the trees must be mixed into the blood until it bubbles, similar to carbonated drinks. This mixture must then be poured over the effigy, which will dissolve as though it has been covered in acid. This will begin to lift the illness from the Pthumerians, who will take time to recover, usually over a month. However, as Riteior can make more figurines, this solution will not help the Pthumerian illness long term.

The last option involves a little more research. The ritual for sealing away Riteior's powers is hidden somewhere in the books in both the library as well as in the archives in Trench. It's deeply hidden, almost forgotten by time. It will be inside a book with a blank cover, a layer of dust on the binding, and the pages yellowed by age. It's handwritten in a local language that hasn't been used in ages, and may be difficult to translate at first, but comes together easily once the cadence is figured out. Magic of some sort has been placed on the pages to stop those who have powers from being able to translate it with them. It will only be able to be translated through good old fashioned research.

Natives will be willing to help, though, and in the end, the translation will state that the ritual again involves using each Sleeper blood type. It must be mixed with rose oil and the ashes from a burned yew branch until it forms a paste. The paste must then be used to draw a swirling pattern on the ground, one similar to a Celtic knot, though it does not need to be nearly as intricate so long as the pattern has no visible beginning or end point when it is done. Afterward, a Darkblood stone must be smashed, and its pieces scattered over it. It will glow a bright, blinding red, before disappearing as though it was never made at all.

This ritual must be repeated twice a month for three months in order to guarantee the Riteior's magic will no longer be able to impact the Pthumerians across worlds.

[JUMP TO TOP] • [JUMP TO COMMENTS]

ROTTEN TIMES

WHEN: January
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Food poisoning, illness, emetephobia

---

For those who have stayed behind in Trench, Madam Generosity's party is still going off the same as one would expect! It's a good place to go to take shelter from the cold and have a good time. Despite her illness, it seems that Generosity is living up to her name once again.

But when one isn't feeling well, they're bound to make a few mistakes. After attending the party, some people may find that they're feeling less than spectacular. Maybe it's just a hangover? Or staying up too late. Either seems reasonable. But the feeling is a little heavier than that, and it doesn't take long to see that you might actually be sick. Looking into it will bring up a simple answer: some of the food provided was definitely rotten, whether visibly, physically so or magically.

Symptoms will vary from person to person. Some might be able to walk away with some minor aches, a sniffle, a sore stomach. Others could end up having some strange things happen with their blood powers: a Coldblood could get the hiccups and set their porch on fire or freeze their sandwich. A Darkblood might sneeze and unintentionally glitter bomb someone rather than giving a spray of usual spit. A Paleblood might cough and cause the people around them to get a surge of empathy or heavy emotions. These blood impacts seem to be unique to each person and have no bounds. Feel free to create whatever outcomes from it you might wish.

There are also some who may get hit truly hard by the food poisoning in Trench. They will be hit with more classic symptoms, like fevers and chills, vomitting, body aches, and more. They could become weak and vulnerable, needing the help of another to care for them, put a cool cloth on their forehead, fall asleep at their bedside, until they feel better. Classic hurt/comfort is the goal here. You know what to do.

Regardless of severity of symptoms, they should clear up within 72 hours. After effects, such as weakness and dehydration, can last longer, but people should start to feel back to themselves within a week.

[JUMP TO TOP]

CODING

Comments

Vi | Arcane | Vileblood

[faceblocks]

i: shedding ceremony (ota)

[she hasn't so much as settled in as she's returned to her old antics - picking pockets, running the streets (and the roofs) and refusing to stay put. oh, she's in and out of the entertainment feed's daycare, but mostly caring for smaller kids, maybe trying to start some foodfights, sneaking out the windows, you know. normal behavior.

she'll happily encourage and include other kids to try out climbing things, parkour, and maybe a little break and entry all over trench. viktor's lab, for instance. breaking into jinx's treehouse, and planting herself there for a little while because her sister is obviously here, there's evidence everywhere. (who's gonna tell her?)

breaking into her own room and looting her own things - some of which she will sell for coin only to find out there's no coin. so she'll barter them away. an act at which her omen remains curiously silent on - because it's fucking hilarious. fang will tell her, but only after the fact.

if there's a fight that seems fair, she'll be in the crowd, cheering for one or both parties (and maybe taking bets) - if it seems like a bit of bullying, she will not hesitate to launch herself into the middle of it.

she carries a portfolio of older vi's drawings, and will ask here and there about the guy that keeps appearing in them (it's d. because of course it is) and where she might be able to find him.

as far as she's concerned she's an adult, and she'll enter bars and gambling dens (and other people's homes/businesses) accordingly.]
*ooc: replies will come from fistprize


ii. snake den (ota; no au; pre-shedding)

[vi can be found mingling after her first performance, (fang will troll it by being an ominous smoky backdrop, but she'll also blink her golden eyes to the beat) still wearing a black and gold hat gifted to her by madam generosity - she's learned a few hat tricks, but she's not particularly great at them. she's in good (if slightly nervous) spirits, her forearms wrapped in black as well - convenient camouflage for a flakiness that's begun to crop up everywhere she's tattooed. the little 'vi' on her face is spattered with a bit of gold glitter to hide that.

she's a bit more melancholy, but ultimately more chill after her second performance, which she has dedicated to her sister, publicly, with a small addition of "i see you. i'm proud." (fang will leave this one alone. and though it might seem to be wholly about jinx, she's also speaking a little about herself here.)

she's up for drinking, talking, dancing - even if she's scanning the crowd for a certain enforcer she knows is here somewhere. she might be deliberating on sending a message to cait before she's politely (or impolitely) interrupted.]


iii. rotten times (ota; no au; idgaf fun before timelines)

[it starts with sniffles. she can't remember the last time she'd had the sniffles - not even in prison - she's the picture of physical health despite her habits, and despite her birthplace and home. she has a handkerchief - and there are shots to finish. but when she sneezes, it smells like flowers.

then comes the dizziness. her whole sense of balance is off. fuck dancing, she can barely walk, and she certainly can't make it home. eventually, she lies down near the bar. it's not a hangover. well, if it is, this is the oddest one she's ever experienced. she hadn't drank enough for this to be happening, but here she is, and she's overheated one moment, too cold the next, and the sweaty sheen on her brow smells more of earth and blooms, and is numbing to the touch.

OR FLIP IT AND HIT ME WITH YOUR SICK CHARACTER!]

cw: abuse symbolism? i don't know how to explain it

[opheliac]

ii. snake den (blood blond response)

( is it possible for a heart to stop beating but still able to be among the living? because during vi's second performance, it's a no brainer it's dedicated to her -- well, it might be clueless to those who are very unaware of jinx in a deeper level. and as she dances on, jinx is trying to hold herself together (which is funny given the song is about her keeping herself jointed with all of her demons mocking her day in and day out) -- a poker stone cold face while she sits.

because the one thing she will not do is cry in front of all of these people. but throughout her sister's dance, she needed to shut her eyes or tighten the grip of the hem of her skirt every so often. jinx isn't angry about the dance nor the fact vi wishes to do this. not when she's throwing out love, care, and feeling honored. she... isn't fully sure why she feels proud of her. she has done heinous things in which a lot of them, she feels no remorse over. or is it because underneath the mask and makeup she puts on, there are cuts and bruises from her monsters she shields away. )

( that every single day, they chain her up unexpectedly or she wakes up in shackles around her ankles. and they tug with their laughter echoing in the night as they try their damnest to bring her down to hell with them. and each time, she crawls her way out of their holes -- pleading for mercy, a peace of mind, a fucking rest from running away. her wrists and ankles are so sore and imprinted of the fetters. it's truly a wonder how in the hell she manages to get away each time without her legs growing weak every single time.

but that's the thing. jinx is getting exhausted. and as much she wants to fall into a deep slumber, there's no such thing as that in her world. her "jinx" will make sure of that. so what vi will feel from her baby sister is exactly like the song is representing. she is sitting there, watching, with a default look with the voices and monsters are around her -- hitting, throwing garbage, hackling, spitting on her, and she just... has to sit there and take it. ... until they go to the next level of swinging the rope around to tug her down. then she'll have to fight to break free and sit back down on that seat. rinse and repeat. )

( when the song dance number ends, the pigtailed girl finally stands up to excuse herself; pushing away through the crowd. again, she isn't angry or furious. the dance was beautiful, in fact. she just... needs a moment to hide in the bathroom to compose herself. )

iii. rotten times (blood blond response) // not here. mostly just feels to reference for your future threads of this prompt.

( if this is a scenario where vi is sick, unfortunately for her, jinx is nowhere to be found to assist her or tend to her need. because for starters, she disappeared off into the city of trench to be... who knows where. maybe chatting with viktor in the future will give her some idea or clues of why she suddenly vanished. but one thing is for sure, vi will get a breeze of someone else feeling not up to par with her. does this make things twice as worse? maybe. but there's some positive sensation with this, strangely enough.

she'll get a hit of warm tingles on her back? her side maybe? it seems very similar of something or someone wanting to nuzzle or latch on and not wanting to let go. a lot like a baby monkey clinging onto its mother. until vi, herself, or the both of them feel better, she will have this feeling of clinginess throughout her day(s). )

Shedding - Rousting from a Gambling Den and ensuing fun

[threelayers]

[Brothers, she didn't have the patience for this shit. she was back dealing with kids. Why couldn't she have had a shedding ceremony induced break again this year? That'd be lovely. But now there were snot-nosed brats all over the place and Neo was going to need to stick around just to keep them all from getting their butts killed, wasn't she?

Worst part was some of these kids were still taller than her. WHATEVER. She saw one of them trying to waltz their way into one of the gambling houses and waltzed right up to grab for the scruff of their collar, raising an eyebrow at them. Really?]

[fistprize]

[consider: she might be getting a break by being passed over and not shedding, but it's not necessarily the kind of break anyone would want. who would want this? with great responsibility comes great annoyance. and this kind of bullshit right here.

responsibility? well, vi has a bit of that with regards to smaller kids she sees, but she's not going to find them here, and had been about to enjoy a bit of betting for maybe even better loot than what she'd already managed to find: bloodstones? totally worth trading and betting, and the place she found had a lot of those. also, whatever these weird vials were.

and just like that, because she hadn't even thought of the possibility of being caught let alone physically manhandled (????seriously????) she finds herself in the air, but ...barely. she's only taller by a couple inches.]

Hey!

[she's not really struggling yet, but it's mostly out of surprise. did you just ...scruff her?]

Excuse you, I got places to be!

[threelayers]

[She gave her the biggest, shittiest-eating of grins as she raised an eyebrow right at Vi and gestured towards the gambling hall before putting the hand not trying to keep her scruffed and held on her hip with a cock of her head. Oh, so she had places to be? Fine, a quick circling of her fingers followed. Go on. Tell her where you're supposed to be. She wants to hear this story.

She was soooo looking forward to this one.]

[fistprize]

[she points right at the entrance to the den, with a bit of a what? obviously there! shrug.]

I got bets to make! Maybe even a fight. I can get someone else to bet on me, and then we can split it.

[her small bag is full of stuff. she just jams her hand in her pocket and pulls out a handful of bloodstones - it's a variety pack of types.]

I gotta pay you to get in, is that it?

i. shedding

[wolfhunted]

[Robyn has long gotten used to leaving her body behind as a wolf whenever she sleeps. Unfortunately, the streets of Trench aren't quite as easy or fun to run through as the woods are, so there are some nights where she doesn't stay out for that long. This is one of those nights, as she heads back to her small house in Crenshaw.

As she approaches the entrance, though, she can already hear the sounds of someone unfamiliar inside. Did somebody break in while she was away? She doesn't have anything that valuable aside from her crossbow, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be dealt with, so she slips inside to find out.]

[fistprize]

[vi's an expert at being quiet - even at this age, and maybe that's enough for a sleeping girl, but it's definitely not quiet enough to avoid a wolf's senses - which is not a thing she is counting on at all. she's tiptoed around robyn, and has made short work of pocketing any food she might find lying around - carefully glancing to and fro as she moves before she spies the weapon, and deliberates over it. it's not a fancy place, and taking someone's only weapon? well, that feels kinda wrong, even if the thieving itself doesn't.

frowning, she runs a finger over it before pulling away with a shake of her head.]

[wolfhunted]

[Of course, what Vi doesn't know is that Robyn's human body won't wake up at all until she goes back to it. Which may be convenient for when she's out of the house, but not so much right now. Robyn has learned how to be quiet as well, so she's able to sneak in without making much of a sound.

She tenses up a bit when she sees Vi touch her crossbow--not only is that her only weapon, it's one of the only things she has from home, and a reminder of her father to boot. It's not something she wants to lose, for a number of reasons. But then Vi seems to change her mind, and she feels herself relax a little.

Still, she needs to deal with the fact that some older girl she doesn't know has broken into her house. It's at this point that she stops bothering to be quiet, as she steps out from her hiding place and lets out a bark.]

[fistprize]

[wait, what?! vi turns sharply at the sound, hands up as she backs up a step.]

Shit!

[that's a ...that's more than a dog, and wait, her omen's a wolf, right? where's her omen now, isn't it supposed to come out to help? (nope.) older vi would casually drop a hey, because she lives in the house of dogs ...not to mention two wolves, but this vi has no idea what to do. if she could climb? sure. but in here? she can't dodge and weave, and she probably can't outrun it either, not on flat land.

and she's not about to punch a wolf. that feels even more wrong than taking a girl's weapon - not to mention that ...that was a bark and not a growl. so ...a warning?]

H-hey. Hi there. Uh. This isn't my place. [cause she doesn't have a place, really. not yet.] Weird, huh?

[she's mentally going over the map - wondering if she can make it to the window, but the bark has her confused.]

Do you live here?

[stupid. to ask a question. but ...it's an impulse, and she's all impulsed and no filter right now.]

i: shedding ceremony

[topside_cupcake]

Things were, complicated in Trench. And Caitlyn had not been in the city very long at all, no more than a week at this point, so there was still a lot for her to figure out. Luckily Viktor had been kind enough to offer her a room to stay along with his other room mate Palamedes. She'd heard movement from the other move when she came out and spotted the other darting out and chased out after her.

"Stop, wait."

Her eyes had to be playing tricks on her, because while she didn't get a great look it almost looked like. But it was a kid. Caitlyn dashed out of the lab to follow her, and hopefully recover whatever it was that she might have taken.

[fistprize]

Stop and wait - yes, those words are both in her vocabulary, though she often chooses to ignore at least one of them, if not both. And this time proves no different. She's taken what she's taken (no idea what it was, looked cool, felt like a great idea) - so it's time to book it, and that's exactly what she's going to do.

She zigs when she should have zagged, unfamiliar with the lay of this land - and so she's easier to follow than she ought to be, stepping right into her pursuer's path - another stranger, (everyone's a stranger!) a woman, with a fancy-sounding voice. Vi jumps up to a ledge and attempts to climb higher, to get to the roof and it's anyone's guess where after that. Another possible mistake? She turns back to wave cheekily at the woman, adding, "See ya!" as she moves.

[topside_cupcake]

Caitlyn at least had the advantage of longer legs this time, so even if she was just as unfamiliar and far less graceful with her pursuit, she was at least able to keep up with the kid. When Caitlyn managed to cut her off, blocking her path for a second she had to take a second to breath before she said anything.

"Look I just want to talk a second. Vi, please."

Watching her starting to climb, Caitlyn stands back up.

"Really, so she was always this insufferable."

Looking around Caitlyn spotted her own way up, the fire escape. Running she jumped and managed to catch the bottom rung it lurching down as she tried to climb. But stairs and steps certainly were a lot easier to take going up the side of a building. Though she was still playing catch up.

"How about hear me, look I'll get you something to eat."

[fistprize]

Wait a minute. Had the woman said her name? She's pretty sure the answer's yes, and that's worth a pause. It's not as if she isn't faster, even if she doesn't know this place the way she knows the Undercity. She's got every reason to believe she has the upper hand when it comes to a dash.

And it's funny to see how doggedly the other is pursuing, so slow that Vi pauses again to laugh, still sure she's got enough distance, the sight of Caitlyn climbing the ladder unexpectedly hilarious.

(Yes, she's always been this unsufferable, sorry. Kind of.)

"You chasing me down just to buy me some lunch? Well, that's a new one." Still, she doesn't look like she's full of shit, and Vi is pretty good at a read on that kind of thing.

She stays put as Cait makes the climb, arms folded across her chest, but ready to dodge if she's reached for.

ii

[fogsong]

[ The moment Vi's on the stage for the talent show, Sharon will cheer as loud as she can, cupping her hands around her mouth to be heard over the din of the music and a similarly cheering, drunk crowd. When it's over and Vi's coming off the stage, Sharon immediately seeks her out to wrap an arm over her shoulders so she can gush. ]

Goddamn, Vi. That was pretty impressive. Didn't know you could move like that. [ She's certainly in her cups at this point, her words slurring just enough to be obvious. ] Teach me, sensei.

[faceblocks]

[as soon as she can track that familiar cheering, sharon will earn a couple gestures from the stage - a wink, a point, a nod - there's no shortage. and some enthusiastic finger guns when it's over, unable to contain her grin.]

Awww, shucks. [ the grin turns faux-bashful in a bit of a goofy flirt, but she's not serious serious, and the slurring also keeps the smile. oh, vi will get there, too - not shitfaced, but pleasantly drunk enough - just after she's done with all her dancing. but at the mention of sensei she breaks into a karate stance - and laughter.]

It's a lot of practice. You think I'm good, you should see my sister. [a little lean in.] You might, later. We're gonna try and crash the show. Shhhhh.

You should join our totally informal just for fun dance group! Then we can do one of those flashy mob things.

[fogsong]

[ Sharon lets out a bark of laughter at the mention of crashing the show. It doesn't surprise her in the slightest. Together, those sisters were a dangerous duo.

She brings her finger and thumb together and then drags it across her lips, 'zipping' them together. ] I know nothing.

[ At the offer, she snorts. ] No offense, Vi, but I would never be caught dead doing a 'flashy mob' thing. I thought they were lame back home and I don't think even you and Jinx could make them less lame.

[faceblocks]

There's a catch. Everyone's gotta get up to speed, like [nods to the stage] up there, so there's not even the faintest whiff of lame.

Everybody kills it. Maybe we'll even get tips. I think we might try for Robby's birthday. Or hell, maybe it'll just be a solo flashy mob of one. But I gotta pick the right one.

How's your night going? [a grin - sharon seems to be doing all right. all things considered that's a bit of a win. sure, people can fake it til they make it (or don't) - vi's got a history, there. but when they're drunk? a liiiiittle harder to do.]

i

[tealeafs]

[ At first Chizuru feels a little alarmed. It's been a little harder to find Jinx this month - until she crashes over at Chizuru and Scorpia's place, anyway - and maybe that's why she makes her way to the treehouse to see if she can find Jinx there..

.. only to see the alarming sight of someone trying to break in there. And since it's so easy to recognize Jinx by her hair colour, that's definitely not Jinx. Could it be one of her other friends? But-- surely a friend wouldn't be breaking in, right..

Chizuru feels conflicted for a moment, especially when she's unable to recognize the girl as the younger Vi she saw in the memory with the other's back turned towards Chizuru right now. But in the end she decides to do what she hopes is the right thing, calling out and trying so hard to sound brave as she yells: ]

H-Hey! You shouldn't just break into other people's places..!

[fistprize]

[like she hasn't heard that before. objectively she knows this. would she want someone breaking into the last drop? no, of course not. she doesn't even like mylo rifling through her stuff without asking, which he almost never does anymore (powder can rifle, she doesn't love it but she doesn't care that much) - but this is different. new city, new rules. also: new her, kind of. maybe it's a squid thing. maybe squids don't give a fuck about rules.

but there's something about that voice - it's like someone just took all their energy to speak up and say the thing, even if they sound like they'd much rather have kept silent. well, huh. so she'll pause just shy of entering and call out:]

Why not? This your place?

[tealeafs]

No. [ .. she realises that answer might take the wind right out of the sails of the confidence she has momentarily found though, so Chizuru doesn't leave it at just that, quickly adding: ] But I know the person that treehouse belongs to!

[ See, factually true. She doesn't even have to lie for this one.

(Which is probably a good thing - Chizuru is a terrible liar.) ]

And I know they wouldn't be happy if someone just entered it without her permission..!

[ She follows up her words by stepping a little closer. Not close enough to fully see who this is yet, but there is something vaguely familiar about that head of hair now she's getting closer, even without seeing the face just yet.. ]

[fistprize]

Oh. Well, that's ...something.

[inconvenient is what it is. if this person knows who lives here, who's to say that party isn't on their way, or already alerted? shit's real weird here - and these communication devices might have trackers, or alarms.

she huffs, stepping away from the partially open window and closing some of the distance between herself and an older girl. she would have guessed younger on voice alone, but sometimes people surprise you.]

Well. What about getting your permission? You know, like, a proxy? I just want a look around.

[and she can always circle back to it later. if it's still unoccupied.]

ii

[hachitaro]

[Target sighted. He's... reasonably sure she's not a minor, so he heads over to Vi and leans on the bar near her.]

I haven't seen you around. Am I just missing you or is this a special occasion place for you?

[faceblocks]

[vi is familiar with being a target for all sorts of things, it's a knack for getting into (and sometimes) and out of trouble, maybe. it's not even a weird time to approach her - she expects it after all that.]

I'm kinda hard to miss in case you haven't noticed.

[a bit of a pun, but she'll save her fingerguns for later - she's sipping a fruity drink (it tastes like candy - not the serious business shots she's used to) and that takes up one hand.]

But you're also kinda right ...it's not my usual place. I take it it's yours, though?

[she has not seen him around, either. he doesn't sound that new.]

[hachitaro]

Yeah, you are.

[He's got a drink in his hand too - a little stronger, but not too bad. He does want to keep his wits about him.]

It is. Well, sort of. When I'm not hanging out at Tinya's place and bartending. I like people-watching. Still haven't been here that long, so it's good to get a sense of who's around, y'know?