I love you and that's all I really know

[reddosmod]

FEBRUARY 2022 EVENT

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Bloody fingers hovering over chalice of blood.]
[Image Two: Semi-nude people dancing in circle with joined hands.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Hauntingly large man coming up behind young girl while other girl screams.]
[Image Two: Old woman walking towards a panicked young woman.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Obscure, nude bodies twisted together in a circle. Non-graphic.]
[Image Two: Nun holding holy book while red liquid pours from unseen face.]

Prompt Four
[Image One: Chocolates.]
[Image Two: Chocolate.]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Prompt 4 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

BONDING PACTS

WHEN: Anytime
WHERE: Anywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Blood ceremony, bodily ceremony, telepathic/empathetic connections, possible forced/coerced relationships.

---

[From BEGINNERS GUIDE FOR BLOOD PACTS. Found in the Archives:]

"There are a variety of blood pacts one can make, but the most popular are Bonding Pacts. Bonding Pacts should never be made on a whim: they are a serious commitment.

PROCEED WITH CAUTION!
We can thank the Doorway for Bonding Pacts. Everyone knows the story: the Reckoning was made to go fight the impossible battle against blood pollution, corruption, and beasthood. The Doorway vowed to wait for the Reckoning to return and has never moved since. This is ultimately believed to be the first Bonding Pact ever made in Trench and it is considered to have opened up Bonding Pacts as a possibility in general.

The most common misconception about Bonding Pacts is that they must be exclusively for romantic partners. This is not true The majority of Bonding Pacts, as a matter of fact, are actually familial and platonic in nature. Most romantic pairs decide that marriage is a safer option just in case someone gets a case of cold feet. On the other hand, this also means that the Bonding Pact can be the ultimate sign of devotion in a romantic relationship. We aren't interested in telling you what is right for your relationship, but the history is worth considering before taking that step.

So what is a Bonding Pact and how do you do it? Despite being one of the strongest pacts in this world, it is also one of the simplest to perform! Here's what you'll need:

1x Vial of blood per participant wishing to enter the pact
1x Small essence* of each participant
1x Live red rose
2x Live white roses
1x Pouch of ashes
1x Silver cup/container of some sort

*It was once believed that "essence" translated to organ, but we have since learned that this can be a single strand of hair, nail clipping, eyelash, teardrop, spit...You get the gist. It has to be something that came directly from your body that isn't blood.

You need to leave the silver cup out under the moonlight for at least one full night. You must complete this ceremony the evening after and only in the evening. Bonding Pacts cannot be made during the day. When you plan to begin the ceremony, you will need to perform it in a doorway or under any type of arch. This is to allow the Doorway to bless your pact and strengthen it permanently.

You will combine all the ingredients into the cup and thoroughly stir with a fragment of bone/antler. This concoction will thicken into a pastelike consistency and it should be black in color. If it smells like fresh roses, you did it right. If it smells like rancid food, you messed it up and will have to completely redo the ceremony.

Finally, each participant will cover one hand with the paste. To seal the bond, you will need to place your hand upon the one you wish to bond with. Where you place it matters and will determine the nature of your Bonding Pact. Each will have a drastically different consequence/benefit.

ROMANTIC BONDS: Place the hand somewhere on the face. This indicates a public relationship that is to be respected by all involved. This bond will create a telepathic connection between all participants. This telepathy cannot be heard by anyone else nor can it be interfered with from distance or chaos. It is possible to bring your romantic partner back from beasthood through this connection. Extreme cases of this bond have allowed romantic partners to take over one another's minds in severe situations. It can be difficult to shelter your thoughts from your Romantic Bond partner, but it is possible. They will know when you are keeping thoughts from them. Some partners have learned to respect each other's privacy while others have gone insane from the connection.

PLATONIC BONDS: Place the hand somewhere on the chest/shoulder area. This bond will create an This bond will create a physical connection. between all participants. This physical bond will allow participants to pick up on each other's physical pain or pleasure. You will be able to know when your friend is in physical harm. This creates a "phantom pain" of sorts. This can either weaken you substantially or give you an enormous boost during a fight. Best friends have been known to harness this ability well and use each other's pain to literally get stronger during a fight with monsters. On the other hand, a strained relationship can just cause you to feel the same debilitating pain as your friend. This cannot be used to bring someone back from beasthood.

FAMILIAL BONDS: Place the hand somewhere on an appendage whether arm, leg, tail or otherwise. This bond will create an empathetic connection between all participants. This empathetic bond will allow participants to naturally know what the other is feeling and may be able to sway one another's emotions through this connection. Like the romantic bond, it cannot be ruined by distance or chaos and has been used to bring people back from beasthood. Extreme situations have allowed partners to take total emotional control. You will always know when your Familial Bond partner is in emotional distress. You can send your Familial Bond emotional support when you can feel their stress, even at a distance. While this may not always work, many have reported it can greatly alleviate corruption and can even be used to recognize corruption patterns in order to prevent it.

HOSTILE BONDS: Place this bond exclusively on the neck or on anywhere on the back. While it may seem farfetched to make a bond with your enemy, there is some merit to the madness. This will create a unique power connection between all participants. This bond will allow one another to feel the ebb and flow of one another's powers. It is said the most well-forged Hostile Bonds may even allow characters to share abilities between one another. Hostile Bonds are known to drastically increase aggression and competitive behavior between participants. This has caused hostility to stir and may even lead to hatred. However, a successful Hostile Bond that is worked on with steady communication and agreement can be enormously successful and horrifically powerful.

Once you have left your handprint on your partner's skin, the spell will take hold. The handprint will glow and everyone will briefly have a vision of the Doorway standing before them. Don't be alarmed: they are only here to solidify the connection. You will feel great warmth and then the connection will be made. The handprint will stain your skin permanetly so choose wisely. The stain may be extremely light, barely visible. For others, it may be much darker. It is unknown what causes the variation.

This pact can be performed any time of year but is strongest when performed during or near the Egg Moon. While it is not required to have an audience for this ceremony, it is believed that an audience greatly strengthens the bond. It has become customary for people to make vows in combination with the ceremony for an additional layer of power.

As a further point of caution...These bonds can be forced on an individual."

FAQ
1. These bonds cannot be broken except by extreme magical interference such as through some sort of game event, a character being dropped from the game, or something like the Blade of Agency. Death will not disturb the bond.

2. There is no "limit" to the number of participants for the ceremony. Romantic bonds can be made between multiple people. The connection will only exist between those who partook in the ceremony at the same time.

3. People can be added into a Bonding Pact at any time.

4. Gender/species has no impact on the bond.

5. People can create different bonds with the same person.

6. These bonds are open-ended and can be translated to better fit your character.

IMPENDING INTIMACY

WHEN: February
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Intimacy-based monster, intense themes of stalking, jealousy, possession, guilt, shame, physically violent deaths, possible themes of adultery/cheating, some negative ideaology towards promiscuity.

---

[From History of Blood Crazed Zealots: Chapter 15 Caution About Curses found in the Lumenarium:]

"Do not be fooled by this seemingly passive curse. There are few things more potent than a Blood Crazed Zealot's magic, and few emotions are stronger than that of jealousy. The story goes that one Blood Crazed Zealot was in love with another and entered a sacred blood pact to unite their blood and souls. However, the other Blood Crazed Zealot's love was not as pure, and soon they strayed in body and in mind. Of course, no secrets can be kept in a blood pact, and one thing led to the other.

The jealous and betrayed Blood Crazed Zealot created a vicious curse that still plagues the world to this day. We know of no cures, no remedies, no way to beat it. We only know how to keep it at bay. But It is always around, It is always near, and It will always follow. We have not yet determined the exact way It is transmitted from one person to the next, but we believe it has to do with exchanging some form of intimacy. Whether that be with sex, words of love, or even just saying a loved one's name, the curse will follow.

It appears as a person walking directly towards you. At first, you might not even pick it out from the crowd, until it gets closer. Then you see oddities. Water spills from its body, or its arm looks broken, or many walk along completely naked. There is something off about the creature, and worse yet, no one sees It but you and anyone previously cursed by It. It moves slowly, and it would be easy to assume that it can't really hurt you. After all, if you shoot it with a gun or tear it down with powers, it breaks apart as easily as a human body...

But then It gets up. It reforms. It is impossible to kill. It doesn't react to pain. It doesn't react to words. It changes appearances when you lose sight of it, making it almost impossible to keep your guard up against it. The last time you saw it, it might have been a little girl, but now it looks like a six foot tall man. You might buy yourself some time, might be able to distance yourself by taking a swim or a fly...But It will find you. It will always find you. It can break through doors and windows. There are no wards against it.

When it finds you, it will kill you. It matters not what your powers are, what your blood is. This creature existed with the single purpose to destroy and it has perfected the art. Once it has a hold of you, you are powerless. You first lose all abilities, and then rapidly, your life follows in one crushing moment of paralyzing fear and agonizing pain. It throws its victims to the ground and breaks their bodies apart. No one wants to find the bodies of those it has consumed. It takes only seconds to kill you. Don't let it touch you. Don't let it get close enough to touch you. It will win.

When it has finished, it begins to stalk to the person that had passed it off. It's a never-ending cycle. Person A has it then gives it to Person B who gives it to Person C. Person C dies, so it goes back to Person B until person B can find someone new to give it to. Be wary of giving affection this month. You tenderly saying your beloved's name or engaging in sex or flirtation might just pass the curse along."

FAQ
1. The curse is meant to be severely undermined. The creature appears as an ordinary, unsettling-looking person with no obvious abilities. It can kill anyone regardless of their abilities or species.

2. The curse can be passed by saying a loved one's name (platonic/romantic/familial), sex, kissing, loving touches. To break the curse, one can sleep with a Trenchie or say the name of a loved one not present in Trench.

MOTHER'S MERCY

WHEN: The hex only appears during February
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Religious based trauma/forced guilt/shame, extreme themes of self-mutilation and possible sucidial ideations, hexes, altered mental state, forced confessions.

---

[A sermon by Mother Mercy as recorded by an unnamed Disciple, followed by an attached document titled MOTHER'S FORGIVENESS. A misspelling or unusual wording throughout the sermon is intentional. Disciples debate whether the document was intended as support of Mother Mercy's hex or as a way to help people avoid it. The sermon and Mother's Forgiveness are written in different handwriting. The documents can be found at the Pale Sanctuary:]

THE SERMON
"It was in the midst of Febuawry that the Doorway suummoned me for council,
They had fallen in love with the Reckoning and desird to create an eternal bond,
They wanted to have me present at the seremony to [provide] blessings,
Yet it was with regret I [had to] deny them their wish and instead provide cawsion,
But you see, that is the role of a Mother. We tell our spawn what they do not want to hear but muust.
It is a Mother's Mercy to pass on wisdom, to show compassion and care.

I told the Doorway that we live in a cruuel world, a cruuel world that can rawt a gewd heart,
I told the Doorway that it would be kindr to leave bonds uuntethered,
That it would be a kindness to both to let their love lingr and fade,
Than to let it be subjected to the atrocities of this world's bluud lost.
For what is a strongr emotion than jealousy? I ask of you.
What is a strongr emotion than loneliness? I ask of you.
What is a strongr emotion than longing? I ask of you.
What drives people to insanity quickr than being denied their heart's desires?
No, I told them, they should let go, for a Pthumerian owes this world selflessness,
And a Pthumerian's love can permanently stain this world in a way no one else can.
It would be a kindness to all.

But the Doorway did not want to listen. The Doorway defied [my] advice and created bonds,
The Doorway opened an eternal connection to the Reckoning, The Doorway stained this earth with the consequence of love, of relationships.
Do not be fewled by the luuxury of these words.
There is suuch a thing as selfless love, and this was not it, And so the time came for me to regrettably be proven right.

The corruuption of our cruuel world festered as people created bonds,
For the bonds made the agony of loss so much greater.
With the Doorway's curse*1, people who lost their family, their spouses, their friends also lost themselves.
Loss is painful no matter how you enduure, but the Doorway's curse ensuured it would ruun*2 deep into your soul.
It would corrupt. It would ruun*2.
This was not merciful. This was not love.

And so I counseled the Reckoning to go and keep the corruption at bay,
The Reckoning will not return to the Doorway for corruption will never end,
For beasthewd will never end.
The Reckoning keeps her sword high, and the Doorway will wait for eternity for a lover who will never return.
This is a mother's mercy. Perhaps one day, the Doorway will dissolve their curse.

Now let us bow our heads and pray. And remember, my Disciples, abstain from the curse.
Regulate your desires. This is not to cast shame, but to cast cawsion."

*1: The "curse" refers to the Bonding Pacts that are now popular in Trench. There may be some logic to Mother Mercy's rhetoric given the intensity of corruption experienced post-Bonding Pact. However, one could argue there is an equally high chance of counter-corruption due to deepening relationships through blood magic.

*2: It would appear that the word "ruin" and "run" were spelled the same at this time.

[Footnotes are in the Wayward Watcher's handwriting and clearly added at a much later date than the original sermon was recorded due to the darker quality of the ink. The following document "Mother's Forgiveness" is in the Wayward Watcher's handwriting as well.]

MOTHER'S FORGIVENESS
"Thus shortly after the sermon, a hex began to spread throughout Trench. The source of which seemed to be people who were actively resisting personal desire in some shape. People who tried to resist lust or love or other basic desires began to experience convulsions of pain. The internal agony would rapidly escalate the more they resisted "temptation" and eventually, people found one of the only ways to alleviate this pain was to mutilate themselves. A small cut would bring some relief, but the more harm they brought themselves, the more relief they felt.

I have theorized that this may be the first incident of Sleepers transforming themselves into the Blood Crazed Zealots. This was the first time I began to experience Sleepers who had permanently modified their physical bodies in drastic ways. Many would seem content with the modifications but their personalities were distorted by exacerbated corruption. Those who avoided harming themselves would fall into beasthood in alarming numbers. For a while, the only solution the Hunters and I believed in was to mercifully put these creatures out of their misery.

I quickly learned that many people, especially Sleepers, had burrowed down so many desires that it became an outright plague of corruption throughout the city. We needed to do more than just hunting down those who fell to it. The bodies were piling in numbers and the blood pollution was creating more beasts than we were killing. I sought out Mother Mercy and demanded a solution. I reasoned with her that while she may want to avoid the Doorway's blood magic, it was unfair to allow Sleepers to go punished so severely for a Pthumerian's choices.

Eventually, we came to an agreement. She would purify those who came to the Pale Sanctuary and asked for her forgiveness. They must confess their desires to lift the hex. Mother Mercy will, fittingly, take mercy on those who wish to redeem themselves. Be careful of your desires, Sleeper, for if you keep them locked up, they may just be your ruin. Confessions to Mother Mercy should be a last resort. To avoid the hex, consider honesty.

Good Luck,
The Wayward Watcher."

FAQ
1. The "desires" do not need to be romantic or sexual. They can be someone who desires to resolve an issue, someone who wants to have more friends, the desire to be successful/powerful/famous etc. The "desires" should be prominent. Small desires like wanting a donut for breakfast will not cause harm.

2. Crippling feelings of guilt over desire will consume and corrupt. Characters can avoid the hex by admitting their desires to someone. It does not have to be to Mother Mercy.

3. Those who confess to others or Mother Mercy will feel immediate relief of the hex. People can experience the hex multiple times if they go back to hiding their desires.

4. Confessions can be given to anyone. If you're in love with someone, you can just confess it to a friend rather than the person you are in love with. Of course, it's not like Sleepers would know that...It would be easy to think you have to be forced to confess to your loved one.

5. Characters do not need to self-mutilate for this prompt. Many can just go through their usual corruption stages/beasthood that you would have planned for your characters ahead of time. This is intended to be a bit of history for the Blood Crazed Zealots. You can be flexible on how your character goes to extremes to alleviate their pain. This may include substance abuse, irrational behavior, etc.

THE CHOCOLATIER: BONUS PROMPT

WHEN: February (Chocolates can be saved for the future via freezing.) The drive to find the Chocolatier only lasts during February.
WHERE: All throughout Trench and surrounding areas.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Themes of temptation (non-sexual and/or sexual), addiction, blood sacrifice, severely warped personality/reality including temporary amnesia, inability to use body, paranoia, vomiting organs, homicidal feelings, mild body horror.

---

"What is the weight of your pleasure?"

You hear the gravely, sexless voice greet you somewhere in the streets of Trench. You knew the creature had not been there just a minute ago, but now you are no longer alone. A creature roughly the size of an elephant sits beside you, a chalice hovering in the air between its outstretched hands.

The scent of chocolate wafts from the creature. But this isn't just the smell of chocolate. It is the experience of pleasure itself. You can feel the warm melt of chocolate over your tongue, your body wrapped up in inexplicable warmth and silky softness, something whispering across your skin. Your scalp tingles as if someone were playing with your hair or you just heard the best song in your life. It's like sinking into your own bed after getting home from a long trip away.

It's nearly impossible to resist the stupor the creature puts you in. The Chocolatier gazes at you calmly. This is an infamous beast, rare to show its face, but known among locals as one of the most dangerous...For no one can bring themselves to slay it. They dare not even write about it in fear of this creature being capable of taking pleasure away from Trench altogether. Corruption has thoroughly consumed this soul, any sense of self lost, but is this truly the kind of beast that Hunters wish to bring down? It pacifies all those that meet it, even the most violent of souls. The desire to fight, to be hostile will be greatly diminished in its presence. Surely...Surely it cannot be bad.

"I only ask for a token of your blood. For that, I will give everything...Your pleasure, your desire...It is yours. In one single bite...Or perhaps...You may think to give one of my chocolates to someone you admire...For surely...Who could resist such a gift...?" It offers its chalice. "Just a drop will do, my friend..." It seems like such a reasonable request for such a grand gift. Common sense would normally be kicking in right about now, but the Chocolatier drives common sense from the mind and replaces it with sheer want. Someone with mental protection abilities, enchantments or blessed items may be able to resist the temptation and step away. Most people however will likely give over a drop (or more) of blood. The more blood you give, the more chocolates you receive...

And oh! Even if you dislike chocolate or typically can't eat it, you know that you can eat this piece. You know that you will like this chocolate. It's perfect in every way. It was made exactly for you...Or perhaps, even, a special someone in your life. A chocolate for your friend, your lover, your sibling, or...maybe even your enemy. Once you have been given the chocolate, the Chocolatier vanishes. You don't have to eat the chocolate right away, but the longer you resist, the greater the temptation will become. God forbid you lose the chocolate. Some have gone completely insane by the loss. Maybe you should just eat it or get it to your buddy!

There are a wide variety of chocolates you may be blessed with and each one has a different effect. The Chocolatier may seek you out multiple times, but it seems impossible to intentionally summon the Chocolatier.

All effects last a few hours to a few days. Consuming paleblood or darkblood will help alleviate symptoms. All chocolates may lead to corruption and beasthood if they get out of control. Resisting the symptoms worsens effects. While these chocolates are intended to set up new connections, the effects will be doubled if the effect is layering on a pre-existing situation (ie; if you eat a dark chocolate around the person you're sleeping with, you'll find them even more irresistible. If you eat a milk chocolate around your significant other, you'll feel even more in love). You can eat multiple chocolates at once to experience multiple effects at once.

Milk Chocolate: This will inspire extreme romantic attraction to the first person you interact with after eating this chocolate regardless of if you know them. Melted and consumed with other food, it will provide additional feelings of being loved.

Dark Chocolate: This will inspire extreme sexual attraction to the first person you interact with of your preferred gender(s) after consuming. This has been used as a powerful aphrodisiac. Melted and put directly on the skin, it can cause extreme pleasure.

White Chocolate: You desperately want to befriend the first person you interact with after consuming. Melted and consumed with other food, it will provide additional feelings of security in your relationships.

Caramel: You will feel deeply indebted to the first person you interact with after consuming. You will want to do anything they ask, be anything they ask, and follow every order or command they give you.

Almond: You will be extremely compelled to communicate exclusively through song to other people. You will also be compelled to randomly sing your inner monologue and overshare via a spontaneous, musical number.

Raspberry: This will cause you to start vomiting a variety of organs. They aren't your organs. Some of the organs may still be functioning when they come up.

Orange: You will begin to completely confuse people for each other. Their faces and names will swap around in your mind. You might mistake your best friend for your partner. You will have difficulty remembering who is who.

Strawberry: Your emotions will be projected from you without your control through an aura. This aura can provide visual cues (such as a golden light around you when you are happy or a blue when you are sad) as well as smells and possibly even sounds.

Cherry: This will make you extremely flirty and cheerful. You will find it difficult to be in a bad mood and wind up hitting on people regardless of your personal attraction to them.

Coconut: This will cause temporary amnesia either long-term or short-term. Some people may have false memories put in their heads by this chocolate, many of which will be better than the lives they originally lived.

Coffee: This will cause extremely erratic, irrational behavior. You will become reckless and arrogant, making moves in situations you normally never would. It can boast confidence and ego. The crash from this chocolate is terrible and feels worse than a hangover.

Hazelnut: Some physical marker will appear on your body to show that you are romantically and/or sexually compatible with someone. This may be their name appearing on your skin, the first words they ever said to you, or your eye color changing to theirs. This does not force sexual/romantic attraction but rather lets you know who you might make a good match with!

Peanutbutter: You now have animal features of some sort. Dog ears, wings, new eyes. This has been known to provide temporary abilities similar to the animal you have been combined with. Some have even been known to be able to transform completely into the animal at this time!

Peacan: You will drastically lose function over certain body parts. This can cause feelings like your arm is no longer there or under your control. It may cause a complete surrender of your bodily functions in general.

Truffle: You will feel a crushing sense of paranoia that something is controlling you, watching you, and dictating the experiences around you. You will become increasingly suspicious of interactions and start theorizing about little things.

Vanilla: You will become obsessed with specific individuals and begin to actively plot their murder and likely attempt to commit it. This isn't just bloodlust: it's plotting violence. It's about wanting to get away with murder as much as committing murder.

CODING

Comments

alisaie leveilleur / final fantasy xiv

[adelphoi]

i - mother's mercy: a shoulder to confess on

[ alisaie has not been here terribly long, yet she nevertheless takes her new job quite seriously - and if she's honest, it fits her well, and offers her both something to keep her busy, and a way to keep her combat skills sharp.

so it is the life of the hunter that she has chosen, and it is not so simple as taking care of ornery wildlife on the roads. the monsters and beasts here are violent and cunning and quick, and it reminds her very much of her time spent in amh araeng, facing down brutal sin eaters every day. though killing sin eaters did not lead to madness and corruption.. a new threat to which she must be vigilant. thus far it has not affected her too badly, but she is lucky enough to have a support system here, however small.

regardless, most of her time on the job finds her patrolling - whether it's the streets of trench or the woods beyond, she does what she can to keep the paths clear and the people safe. which means she happens to be conveniently there when your character stumbles along, in pain or half-corrupted from denying their desires. wherever in the city or the trenchwood you may be, alisaie will be there when you fall, or stumble against her shoulder. reacting quickly, she reaches out to grab your shoulders, steadying whatever poor soul is suffering. ]

Are you all right -- ?

[ a foolish question, of course they aren't all right. she clears her throat. ]

What can I do to help?

ii - chocolatier: wolfing it down, cw for blood and body horror

[ you would think that the red bean bun might have taught her that consuming questionable food is a very bad idea.. but pthumerian willpower is a powerful thing, and before she could even consider saying no, alisaie was giving over her blood for a small peanut butter chocolate. before she can even think better of it, alisaie is popping the sweet into her mouth.

the transformation is quick, and brutal.

on the outskirts of the city, near along the beach, alisaie turns. one might think at first that she is becoming a beast, for the way her body cracks and contorts. her long elezen ears stretch and pull, the skin splitting, sprouting white fur, her fingers crack and elongate, sharp black claws piercing their tips, and her legs bend and snap into digitigrade shape, her calves and feet furry white and ending in sharp-clawed paws. more white fur bursts in fluffy tufts along her forearms and the back of her hands, in a ruff around her neck, and at last the skin at her lower back splits, from which a long, white-furred tail snaps free.

in the end she is left shuddering with pain, dripping with blood gone milky white under the early moonlight, some half-wolf half-girl amalgamation, struggling to keep her balance. the fog in her head is cleared immediately for the pain, and she groans both in agony and frustration. ]

Gods strike me down for a fool..

iii - chocolatier: take your pick

[ despite her painfully wolfish transformation, alisaie is, apparently, unlucky enough to be approached by the chocolatier's irresistible wares a second time. she tries to resist, and for a good time puts up a good fight, but in the end the creature's hold over her mind is far too strong. for another offering of blood, this time she is left standing in the center of the trade district, with a small handful of chocolates.

before her mind has the chance to clear and consider, you know, not eating cursed chocolates, she has already lifted one to her mouth.

but which will it be, my friend? take your choice of white chocolate, strawberry, cherry, or coconut. whichever she chooses, in the end, she smiles with a gentle hum, for this chocolate is, indeed, quite tasty. still hazy and mildly addled, she offers the handful forth. ]

Would you like one?

iv - wildcard!

[ want to tweak one of the above prompts, or come at me with something entirely different? go for it!! if you'd like to plot anything i'm available via plurk at owlcoholic, discord at redmage#4848, or through pm! also, i shall generally try to avoid endwalker spoilers but please do let me know if you would like them to be omitted altogether! ♥ ]

Wolfin'.

[grandtheftperson]

They're almost irresistable, aren't they?

[..How.. long had Thancred been there? Off to the side, in between a tangle of weeds and the dilapidated side of one of many abandoned buildings, he might have been very easy to miss amongst the sudden horror of transformation, and certainly he'd been very quiet and very still when she'd changed.

Just in case.

He'd not seen, but he'd heard, of what happens when corruption rises too high, and he hadn't intended to do a thing til he knew if she still had her mind. He knew her, from his own memories and from Thancred's, she looked.. a bit taller than he recalled, but she was about the age where elezen turned into weeds and doubled in height overnight.. or maybe a bit less than double but not much!

But his tone is exactly as cautious as one would expect upon seeing a girl turn into a wolf beast, and his approach is just as wary, slow and careful.

'Thancred' himself looks like he might have lost a good five, six years somewhere, significantly younger than he was while running about the First. And he is not, as ever, dressed even remotely for the weather; the benefit of being a coldblood. Comfortable pants and shirt are plenty where others might need sturdy jackets.]

You're not feeling some thirst for blood alongside the chocolates, I hope.

Luz Noceda | The Owl House

[imaglyphwitch]

Mi Familia PRIMERO

While the month has started out a little rocky, Luz has found herself strangely consumed by the lor surrounding Doorway, and one of the things that fascinated her most was the concept of bonds. Now reading up on all that was required, Luz understood very well that this wasn't something to do lightly. It was, in her estimation, out of the question that anyone was going to romantically want a bond, since she was null on that end. Platonically, she thought it unlikely that anyone was going to want to be bonded in quite this way, as that had to be something of a strong feeling to want to grow through all that. Friends could just be friends, after all.

But familial bonds? That was different. Luz cared a lot about all of the people in the house, and the thought that one of them might be hurt where she couldn't help them bothered her quite a lot. So she already started preparing for the ritual itself by finding a silver cup and leaving it under the moonlight, then collecting ashes from the hearth and buying up roses (it WAS going to be Valentine's Day, after all, which was also her birthday). Luz was not a girl who, at this point, would just hope everything would align.

Now she just had to ask her housemates their view on the matter...

CHOCOLATE! CHOCOLATE!

Unsurprising to no one, Luz LOVES sweets! She can't have too much if they have milk products, but in small doses, she was more than happy to consume what she could. When she saw that she'd been given some from Klee, that girl she talked to a little bit ago, she was thrilled! At least she could celebrate her birthday early!

She inspected her chocolates and...

Cherry- eats a cordial. BOY, does that give Luz a bit of a head trip. Luz was relatively a reserved girl when it came to attraction, because at most she would tell someone they were attractive in the most polite way she could, mostly if you were a boy or an older lady. If you were a teen girl around her age or older, Luz would likely blush and mumble something.

Not now though! Luz will happily slide up to you with a wink and a flower.

"Hey you. Where've you been lately?

Coconut- eats a macaroon, and if she thought the cherry was a bit much (it was) now she just seemed to be wandering aimlessly, talking to herself a little bit, gazing off in the distance. If you ask her what's going on or what she's doing, this is her reply.

"Oh, I'm good! Thanks! Hey, uh, who are you, and why are you calling me 'loose?' That's impolite!"

Orange- she eats a nice, citrusy chocolate, and it's pretty pleasant! It's all warm and gooey, and she seems to be in a blissful state. When she sees you, however, you'll clearly know something is up.

"Hey Willow/Gus/Eda/Amity! When did you finally get here?!"

Truffle:- she eats a nice, chocolatey one, and while it tastes good, Luz gives off the impression that something is watching her suddenly, as she starts to turn around and look about anxiously as she moves about Trench. If you ask her what's wrong, she'll shake her head sadly.

"You don't know, do you? They're here. THEY. Always watching. I had a hunch but...no, no. Couldn't be that. The water maybe? No, no that'd be too easy...

And off she goes, talking to herself.

((OOC: feel free to use any of these prompts, OR insert your character having one and meeting Luz OR if you want to use another chocolate, hit me))!

Valentine's Day and chocolate shenanigans

[sparkknight]

[You can hear someone shouting your name as it grows louder. It's Klee who is running at Luz at top speed. She has a happy and excited look on her face. She keeps running and stops a few feet before Luz. Her arms pinwheel to keep her balance before settling back on her heels]

Luz! Luz! Klee found you! I have something for you!

[Klee digs out of her backpack card that reads Happy Valentine's Day Luz in sparkly red letters. Underneath the card is a small cardboard box and a small item wrapped badly in tissue paper. If Luz looks inside, she see a little pressed flowed owl bookmark ]

Happy Valentine's Day! I made this for you and chocolates!

Klee | Genshin Impact

[sparkknight]

Cards and chocolates

[Klee looks a little different today. Perhaps it's the serious look on her face as she looks at her list, or perhaps it's the small stack of cards in her arm and a bag with something in it. Looking up, she smiles and hastily stuffs away her list and pick up the bag. Taking off running, she makes a sudden stop with a little wobble ]

Found you! Klee made a super secret surprise for you! Here Klee made this card all by herself! [She holds up a card with the heart in the centre. In the heart is written in a Sparkling red letters Happy Valentine's Day and their name. Once the card is taken, she digs out a little box and something wrapped terribly in tissue paper before proudly present it. ] Tatara! Klee also made you this and got you chocolate! Happy Valentine's Day!

Chocolate Run In

[Klee looked at her list and surroundings. Okay she was in the right place but the person she was looking for wasn't here. Still, she had cards and presents to deliver! Looking down at her list, she started walking to figure who the next person would be. She was too engrossed in her task. Her hands loose on the bag of chocolate. ]

Maybe I should find Big Brother? But he's really far away. I already gave her the card and chocolate. Klee did put a check mark- Eep!

[Suddenly, she accidentally slammed against another body as she stepped back she felt her foot slide on an icy patch of snow. Letting out a little yelp and tumbles backwards, trying not to fall she lets go of the bag and lands a little awkwardly. The bag spills out a the tiny boxes of chocolate and the list lands on Klee's face. After wrestling it off.

Oh no the chocolates. [Then she remembers that she ran into somebody. Ack, this is why everyone told her to pay attention. She was going to get a scolding for sure! From who, she doesn't know, but still she hastily get up to apologize.  ]

Oh no Klee's sorry! Klee didn't mean to walk into you. Um, please don't be mad or tell Kaeya or Mister Diluc. Klee hasn't gotten solitary confinement, yet. And I still have surprises to give out! I'll give some chocolates as a sorry.

[Sje hastily picks up a few boxes and holds them as offerings. ]

Snowman Army

[As the snow falls, Klee is bundle up quite warmly. Despite the fact she feel less of the cold due to running hot and being a Coldblood, she has been dressed for a heavy winter. At the moment, she doesn't seem at all bothered by the cold not her clothes. She is happily humming a little tune as she puts the finishing touches on one snowman. Should you look closely they might resemble some people of the Trench.

The first is a smiling snowman with a black eyepatch. Next to it is a snowman that is wearing a black cloth draped over it like a coat and on very close inspection a tiny smile. Next a pair of snow people leaning against each other. One is wearing a little white cloth that resembles a dress with a flower pin. The one next to it it wearing a cream cloth and something that resembles a dangling earring. Both are smiling. The next smiling snowman is wearing a red cloth at it's and a blue rock at it hip with an odd symbol. The next little snowman is wearing a white cloak with a yellow pebble on it neck.

Klee hops back and claps at these finished snowman. Should you look there still more rows snowpeople. As well, as long row of unfinished snowpeople. It looks like she's been busy.]

Wildcard

[Have an idea? Want to use a different chocolate? If you want to plot out something or a closed starter hit me up on here or Plurk (tinyrosepanic)/Discord (Genesis Peachie#1138 ) or PM. ]

chocolate run in

[tealeafs]

[ Although it hurts to be ran into, especially when it's so easy to slip on these icy patches, Chizuru doesn't really mind. Sure, her butt hurts after landing on the floor, since apparently the bump was enough to make her fall as well, but.. it's really hard for Chizuru to get angry in general.

And probably even less so when she is faced with this of all things. An apologetic, yet adorable little child. Rather than looking annoyed in any way, Chizuru's mouth just drops open in surprise as the other rambles..

.. all the way until Klee gets to the chocolates. Chizuru quickly shakes her head. ]

Oh, no, it's fine! It was just an accident.. [ She offers the other a small, only faintly awkward smile. ] If anything, you look like you're having more trouble.. Should I help you pick up some of that chocolate before someone steps on it?

dirk strider | homestuck | darkblood

[givehead]

🧡 𝟙. 𝔹𝕖 𝔾𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕦𝕤 (ℕ𝕖𝕥𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜 𝔸) 🧡
IMPENDING INTIMACY | CWs: Impending Intimacy content warnings probable, themes of suicidal thought/action, self-hatred, self-harm

Sup ya'll. How's it hanging?

Seems to me like this place does have its own equivalent of an STD. Haven't seen it myself, but with how it appears to work, that ain't too shocking.

If you know, you know.

Feel free to pass it on to me. I'm not gonna fuck you, but if you flirt it off onto me, I can at least put the thing through the wringer before it gets me. Should buy you some time. Consider it a freebie.

You're welcome.

💜 𝟚. ℙ𝕝𝕒𝕪 𝕎𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 ℙ𝕦𝕡𝕡𝕖𝕥 (𝔸𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝔸) 💜
GENERAL PROMPT (in Willful Machine) | CWs: Terrifying ass puppets

(There is a puppet on the sidewalk and it is staring you dead in the eye. It's kind of creepy as fuck and although it's just a puppet, you could swear that it's really watching you. As a matter of fact, did its head just turn ever so slightly to follow you? Yes, it did. Then you blink and it's gone. Oh no. Oh no, no, no, super fuck that, right?

The puppet is in front of you now. It's just standing on its own...Except not really. Its body seems to be twitching all over. Those with keen senses or abilities might pick up on the fact that someone is actually moving so fast around the puppet that they're practically invisible, but they are indeed controlling the puppet's motions. There seems to be a little show it wants to put on! A tall robot that was standing nearby starts to play some music. Aww! The puppet looks like it wants to dance with you! Dance with the puppet. Dance, monkey.

Don't question what the hell is going on here.

Actually, no, you should probably question what the hell is going on here.)

🧡 𝟛. 𝔹𝕖 𝕊𝕖𝕝𝕗𝕚𝕤𝕙 (ℕ𝕖𝕥𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜 𝔹) 🧡
GENERAL PROMPT | CWs: Soul manipulation, emotional manipulation, possible death of characters willing to help Dirk out

Hello. I'll cut to the point: I require assitance figuring out how my new blood abilities operate with my original abilities.

The only problem is I need a soul for the experiment. It's going to hurt like a motherfucker. I might kill you in the process or worse. Any consenting takers?

💜 𝟜. ℙ𝕣𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕎𝕠𝕣𝕜 (𝔸𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝔹) 💜
CHOCOLATIER (in Cellar Door) - Multiple Days | CWs: NSFW location, NSFW language/humor, possible chocolatier prompt warnings may be applicable.

(Dirk officially opened up his store front for his sex shop, Yow Ease, just in time for Valentine's Day. Even if this place doesn't actually celebrate the holiday, it was the thought that counts. The store is stocked after he figured out a way to get everything made. There's a limited inventory, but he had a hunch that he wasn't going to get a rush anytime soon with how gunshy some of the people in this place seemed.

Dirk himself seems entirely comfortable in the atmosphere around him. Sometimes he's wearing ordinary clothes: tank tops, baggy pants, backward caps. Other days, he's wearing some of his store products: collars, even a skirt or two. Most of the days he has a set of very real fox ears sticking out of his head and a fluffy fox tail behind him. There's even a bit of fox hair on his forearms, his hands complete with new black claws. It was a dope look, in his opinion, and he fully embraced it.

He spends most of his time staring at the projection he had going on the other side of the store. Sometimes nasty pornos are playing for background ambiance, but mostly it's just anime.

Please spare him of capitalist boredom.

Plus, he has a small pink bowl sitting on the counter. There are a dozen chocolates that he had gotten from the Chocolatier sitting inside. If you come inside around this time to poke around the store, Dirk will greet you with a casual:)

If you get anything, I'll give you free chocolate with your purchase.

(As if there's even currency in this place. Whatever. He could use some metal.)

💔 𝟝. 𝕄𝕒𝕜𝕖 𝕐𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕆𝕨𝕟 𝔸𝕕𝕧𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 💔
If you are interested in your own starter, feel free to make one up! I'm down for Dirk dealing with people's confession things and am open to other chocolate experiences. If you're interested in discussing details, shoot me a PM or contact me at PROSSY SLUT#3856 on discord or clussy on plurk.

Per network posts: You don't need to carry through with either of the intended prompts! I'm totally down for Dirk to just have some conversations with people about those subjects. We don't need to fully interact with him actually taking away the curse or him damaging characters.

4 because I hate myself (also tentative cw to vague mentions of past sexual abuse in this thread)

[syncopathic]

[With his short stature and youthful face, Dito definitely doesn't seem like he'd be the sort of clientele Dirk's used to seeing in a place like this. And honestly? He isn't. The name of the store is what initially catches his interest, and he doesn't realize what kind of shop it is until he's already inside, the tinkling of a bell signifying his arrival.

Dito looks around at the various toys and sexual sundries stocked haphazardly yet shamelessly around the store, and if Dirk is expecting a horrified or scandalized reaction, he's in for a disappointment. Dito's only reaction is a tired, exasperated sigh, reaching up to rub his forehead as if he's been seen this shit countless times before and has long since gotten sick of it.]

Of course there's a shop like this here. Of fucking course.

[He scratches ineffectually at his chest. Several downy feathers can be seen peeking out of the neck of his shirt.]

riz, beastars | ota

[sideeffect]

i. chocolates

[ riz had, apparently, given enough blood to receive multiple candies. 

he'd eaten the white chocolate first. it'd smelled the sweetest, and it's unsurprising that it's delicious. he hadn't thought of sharing the other candy - not immediately, anyway - until he spies another trench resident. he would usually keep any desire to sincerely befriend someone else to himself. not in this case, however, feeling inexplicably drawn to approach, and then to spark conversation. ]

[ he's staring maybe a bit too intently, seemingly unawares that most people actually don't enjoy the close vantage point of being loomed over by a giant bear. ]

Hi. [ his mouth curls into a broad smile, wide enough that he's unable to hide his fangs. he holds out a little wrapped candy -- one of the chocolates he'd been given by the chocolatier. ] Did you want one? If you wanted to share...

( ooc: i don't have a preference on the type of chocolate; but if you do, and should your character ask, riz would likely be able to sniff it out. lmk! )

ii. truffles

[ he hadn't a clue about any adverse side-effects, or else he wouldn't have eaten the truffle.

but nor are the unpleasant results anything he'd be able to trace back to it. it's a cold, anxious realization that washes over him in the midst of a crowded street; dread weighs so heavily on his chest that it begins to feel hard to breathe. and it's a passing, quiet thought at first, that of they know, and they're onto you, until it becomes a louder, more drowning mantra that only he can hear. they know, they know, they know - ]

[ the bear wheels round, his eyes round with terror. it's with a concentrated effort that riz smooths his expression into something approximating geniality. he stalks his way towards one of the alleged perpetrators. he looks like he's about to reach out, his claws extended, when he stops short. his voice is low, accusatory, but somehow still soft enough to be only just above the murmur of the crowd, ] 

Would you stop staring at me?

[ hey, who can blame looking at a talking bear among humans? perhaps even if you hadn't been watching at all? his tone suggests something much more serious has transgressed - riz, for all the world, looks convinced that something's suspect, here. ] 

iii. wildcard ( ooc: hit me with w/e, or feel free to contact me through PM or at kirbies if you'd like to plot! )

ii

[entreats]

[ To be entirely fair here - Ange had been looking at Riz.

Though it had mostly been since she was trying to determine whether that was the same bear-guy she talked to a few months ago. Not that Ange thinks there are a particular amount of bear people here in Trench, but on the other hand, she sure doesn't want to mistake them if there is more than one. It'd be rude towards someone who was - relatively speaking - pretty nice to her when they went to look for mushrooms.

.. it makes this moment all the more surprising. Ange's facial expression doesn't shift when he comes closer like that, or when he speaks up.. but that's just because she's very good at pulling a pokerface.

Underneath it? She's a whole lot more surprised. What could get him to act in such a way..? ]

I don't have the wrong person, do I? [ Now she's a little less sure. Maybe it's a different bear after all? But it still sounds like him, even with the entirely different tone.. ] You're Riz, right?

Jason Kolchek | House of Ashes

[hearuthinking]

1. Mother's Mercy (CW: alcohol use, probably drug use in future tags, possible symptoms of corruption)

What is a strongr emotion than loneliness? What is a stronger emotion than longing? It's like a one-two punch that came straight for Jason's gut. He was already feeling like shit because of his blood calling out for platonic love-- a love he hadn't found so far in the time he lived in this place.

Salim was here so briefly that his absence made it so much worse than if he had never shown up at all. And then Jason saw that stupid ad on the network.

So when the hex came for him, the impact was already enough to have Jason doubling over in pain. It was worse than anything he ever felt. He writhed, suffering, not sure what to do. Jason wanted to escape it so badly. And that was how he eventually found himself in Earworm trying to drown out the pain with alcohol.

2. The Chocolatier

[You know what? Jason has had a shit month and he deserves some fucking chocolate. The taste, the smell is so enticing that he can't resist taking some. He pops one in his mouth and let out a sigh of pleasure as the taste rolls around on his tongue.

The magic of the peanut butter takes effect quickly, though he doesn't notice it right away. Not until he hears a noise and his ears flick. Jason lifts a hand to touch it and feels furry ears like a cat's]

What the fuck?

(ooc: also open to other chocolate effects. Strawberry and almond are OTA, please PM me or plot with me on seraphjewel if you're interested in dark chocolate! As always, will match style)

2

[fusrodaaaah]

[Just passing by, don't mind the lizard attempting to make himself look inconspicuous among any other people. He was just out to pick up some supplies, just to grab a few things for the house, nothing major. Still too uncertain, too rattled, to leave for too long.]

[Hey, was that - ? He could have sworn he saw cat-like ears out there. Maybe someone from Tamriel? A khajiit?]

Uh - [But, as he takes a step closer, no. No, it's a human. Just a human with - ] You um. You have... [He makes a gesture toward his own head.]

[Trying to indicate "ears".]

Nil | D&D OC | Paleblood

[nilheality]

Merciless Mercy CW: hexes, trauma, self-hatred, possible forcible mind reading/thought insertion, possible corruption

Nil had many things that she desired, many fears, and many regrets. She had experienced a lot of pain in her 21 years and did her best to keep them to herself. Under the most of circumstances, she would keep them to her chest and never mention them. As the hex takes hold, however, the first signs of pain are felt. It starts mild: a headache, a displaced thought, a tensing of the muscles. After a while, the pain begins to take hold and deeper pains are felt: the headache becomes splitting, thoughts of herself and others become blurry and bleed out like a haze of whispering, and the pain becomes so unbearable that her hands and tentacles start to clutching herself to keep her body from falling apart.

And the worst part? She doesn't know the source. She doesn't understand that this is a hex, but rather feels this as a kind of karmic justice. As she makes her way around Trench she tries to make it off as any other day. Only, this day was one that felt like it would never end.

Bad Case of Food Poisoning cw: body horror, physical helplessness/inability to use body, vomiting organs

The chocolatier had visited her twice, and two times she had resisted temptation. Each time, though, the tantalizing smell and texture of chocolate washed over Nil like silken decadence. The creature itself seemed to have realized this, for it appeared before her one final time. It was that time that she finally broke, reaching for two of the more appealing-looking ones to consume.

While nothing happened immediately, the first sign of trouble started was when a white giblet came spewing forth. Her eyes narrowed at it, realizing that something was wrong. Then another one: this time a dull aquamarine and... undulating. Nil attempts to flee but there's no escape. Worse, the sensations in her legs began to give out as a beating organ with large aotars and wide vein-like protrusions passed through her mouth.

As she makes her way into the square, all motor functioning of her limbs gave way. She can feel a heave as five smaller organs -- this time in shapes of slugs -- comes pouring out in sticky viscera. These "organs" appear somewhat sentient and start slithering away now free of their gastrointestinal confines. Nil can feel her stomach beginning to distend as another round of organs begin to manifest themselves into her stomach. Not wanting to be put on this public display, she tries to pick herself up, but is prevented by a lack of movement from her limbs or the uncomfortable feeling of foreign organs spewing forth past her esophagus.

She looks for help, a pool of pale and sticky ambergris and giblets piling up beneath her face.

Bad Case of Food Poisoning

[bookbrawler]

Jacob Stone was not having a good day.

There's a clip-clopping sound that manages to sound grumpy somehow as he walks, wondering if maybe he should just hide the rest of the day, but he's also low-key looking for the chocolate beast to see if he can figure out how to reverse this, or maybe just yell at it a lot. He's not entirely sure he would be able to fight it, especially since he's not used to having four legs instead of two.

He's not sure anyone was having a good day at this point, when he walks into the square, still a little unsteady on his hooves. There's a pair of antlers sticking out of his head, with deer ears, reddish-brown and white fur mixing together along his neck past his shirt, and along his hands and arms.

He stops dead cold when he sees the sluggish...things moving away from a familiar person on the ground, before rushing forward to her side. He tries to crouch down but his hooves slide in the path of the sluggy organ things and he goes flying into the ground.

"Ow! The hell--...Nil!? That you? What happened!?"

sal fisher | sally face | pale blood

[sallyface]

Peggy's

[ Okay, he hadn't expected to see a shop just for prosthetics. It immediately draws him in and he's very, very, pleased by this. If you happen to come inside you'll see him spending time checking out the glass eyes for a while — or perhaps you notice him focused on the masks. His taste varies; he pays an equal amount of attention to the ornate looking designs with flowers as he does to the more...creepier masks.

At some point he grabs one that's painted with the markings of a jester and holds it up to his "face", not caring if he knows you or not—]

I think it suits me.

The chocolatier

[ Who among us could truly resist the temptation that is chocolate? Probably the people who know it's bad to take candy from strangers — but Sal is reckless enough, take into account the fact that he just really wants this chocolate and it's no surprise when, later on, he can't resist the urge to actually eat them. ]

a

[ If you catch Sal after having an almond chocolate, well...first you will see him hanging out on a bench somewhere strumming his guitar. But if you stick around there's a good chance he'll start singing...not that he realizes it yet. At the moment, he simply feels like playing some alternative rock. ]

b cw: disfigurment, possible mentions of violence to a child

[ Or, you've come across him after he's had a coconut chocolate. Or rather, less coming across him and more hearing a very loud and confused scream that — should you follow — will lead you to Sal staring at a reflective surface (could be literally anywhere idk) holding his unbuckled mask to his face as if afraid of it coming off. ]

What the fuck happened—?!

c cw: gore galore

[ At some point he should stop eating the fucking chocolates, but that point is not now! He just has to, okay! Unfortunately, he ate a Raspberry chocolate.

At first, it's fine. But then his stomach starts to churn, and he feels a bit dizzy, and once he stops his walk and leans over in pain he can't hold it in anymore. He knows what's coming — he briefly panics and freezes with indecision before he rushes off somewhere slightly less public, yanks off his mask, and begins heaving painfully.

If anyone happens by he absolutely goes out of his way to keep his back to them, guarding his face as he hacks up a — is that a heart? Yeah, that's a heart, and it's beating?]

...What...?

[ooc: feel free to wildcard me as well, or pick something where sal can be reactionary because I'm totally cool with that! if you want to talk ideas hmu at dicktadora#8988 or nicknacked i am pretty open since i just threw this together lmf. also i defaulted to brackets but i will follow whatever format! ]

b

[nilheality]

[The day has been long, and the moments tense. Nil is in a good moment at present, having just unloaded a few of the desires to someone. There's some niggling worries piling up again, but the pain is a low hum.]

[The noise is what caught her attention. Though they had only talked, Sal's voice had made an impression. So she rushes up to him, eyes full of worry. One of her tentacles wraps around his waist delicately, despite herself.]

Sal? What's wrong?

The Operator | Warframe | Warmblood

[devilmind]

i. little bird, little bird (peanut butter chocolate)

[ The price had been cheap: a few drops of blood from a finger on each hand. The pain hadn’t even been worth flinching for and what the Operator has received in return has already made up for it tenfold.

They soar on new wings over the districts of Trench, the taste of chocolate still rich on their tongue. Flight itself is not new to them—they’ve flown as a Warframe before, Archwing hooked to their back. But they’ve never flown in this form and never have they had wings that were an extension of this body. They can feel cold wind ruffle their features, the warmth of the sun close above them. Many times, it’s all they can do not to burst out laughing from the sheer joy of it.

Yet, the one downside to flying in this body is that it’s much more easily exhaustible than a Warframe’s. After an afternoon spent flying, they’re forced to flutter down for a rest. Still, the Operator isn’t so keen to give up the sky just yet. They’ll perch on a rooftop rather than the ground, figuring they’ll only need to rest for a few minutes before they’re ready for another round of “aerial reconnaissance.”

Hopefully, no one inside is too alarmed by what sounds like a very, very large bird landing on their roof. Anyone who goes out—or up—to investigate will find a winged teenager sitting at the edge of their roof, feet dangling off the edge as they enjoy the last hour of late afternoon sunlight. ]

ii. know evil (chocolate truffle)

[ The second chocolate is consumed the next morning with a good deal more anticipation than the first. The black-and-ivory feathered wings are still a comforting weight on the Operator’s back and they’re eager to see what other blessing they might receive from a second helping. Yet, once they eat the chocolate, they’re disappointed to find that nothing seems to happen. Maybe it’s because they’re still under the effects of the first one?

In the end, they can only shrug and continue on with their day. It’s a letdown, but the Operator can’t be too dispirited with the taste of enchanted chocolate still lingering in their mouth and wings still on their back.

Yet, as the minutes tick by, an uneasiness begins to steal over them. Flying doesn’t feel as good as it did yesterday. The openness of the sky that had once been so liberating now feels disconcertingly exposed. How had they not noticed it before? Everyone can see them fluttering about up there. Anyone could see them.

They decide to continue the rest of their errands on foot. They’re already in Willful Machine, so they head towards the market to pick up some incense for Junia’s church. Still, as they walk, they can’t shake that feeling that they’re being watched. They turn around at multiple points, eyes casting around for their hidden observer, but nobody ever seems to be paying them any mind.

Why does that only make them feel worse?

’You know the answer already. Don’t you?’ The thought echoes in their head, low and mocking. It makes them start, their head jerking up as if a voice truly had been whispering in their ear. But it was only a thought. Of course it was. ]

Ridiculous, [ they mutter, face reddening. Yet, the very act of speaking makes their heart pound. The silence that follows is full of promise that there will be a reply.

They veer unthinkingly into the nearest shop entrance, suddenly desperate to be out of the open. The fear in them is growing more and more familiar. They know what it is—how could they not? But acknowledgment only makes him stronger.

Their thoughts, traitorous, run on anyway. If he appears to them alone, they can cope. They always have. They can pretend that the Lotus was right: that he isn’t real, that they’re just confused, that it’s all in their head. They can keep him quiet—keep themself quiet. But they can’t end up like Rell, driving everyone around them to madness. They won’t let themself— ]

Don’t be stupid, [ they whisper. ] He’s not here.

[ But they still have their powers, don’t they? They’re still connected to the Void. They’re still connected to him.

They find the quietest corner of the shop they can and put their back to the wall. He’s coming for them, the same way he’d come for Rell. That much, to them, is increasingly certain. They need to get everyone out of the store, get everyone away from them, but their voice is stuck in their throat. What if they call out and it just brings people running? People don’t know what they are here—they’d see only a frightened child in need of comfort, nothing more. No, they can’t talk, can’t cry out. Rell had tried for so long and look where it had gotten him.

They’ll stall him, then. If they don’t speak, don’t look, don’t show their face, then he can’t appear to them like he usually does—a Void-eyed doppelganger, vying for their attention. They’ll cut themself off, deny him a reaction from them or anyone else.

Of course, it won’t matter if he goes straight for possession. They’ll just have to hope that his hunger for their acknowledgment outweighs his practicality.

In the end, they can be found in the corner of the shop, turned towards the wall, face hidden behind their wings. They’ll remain there, unmoving, for however long it takes for the terror to pass—which, unfortunately, may be very long indeed. ]

i. little bird, little bird

[natzoom]

[There are wards plastered across every wall of Natsume's new room, which affords him...some measure of comfort. Not a lot, but some. At least it'll slow down anything that tries to get inside.

Which is why the thump is so alarming. He's in a second-floor apartment, the curtains drawn, window closed tightly, curled over a book. Natsume pauses for a long moment, staring at the window, curiosity battling with the desire to pretend he hadn't heard anything.

Finally, curiosity wins, and he slowly inches over to the window, pulling the curtain aside to peek out.]

...hello?

Natsume Takashi | Natsume Yuujinchou | Paleblood

[natzoom]

i. the chocolatier | cw: just wacky hijinks

[Natsume isn't usually a huge sweets person, but -- well, the standard Chocolatier effects happened, and he ends up with a big handful of them. Considering that he still can't cook anything more elaborate than a sandwich, he decides that throwing them away would be a waste, so he absently nibbles at one or two as he wanders around Trench, still trying to get his bearings.]

a) peanut butter [The first one he tries is, of course, the peanut butter one. There was absolutely no way Natsume was going to get out of this without animal features of some kind. Stereotypically, the ears he gets are those of a cat -- orange tabby to be specific. There is, of course, a tail to go with them. A tail that promptly coils around a nearby lamppost, jerking Natsume to a halt.

He frowns, twisting around and glaring at the new appendage.] Stop that. [The strangeness isn't that he has a seemingly self-aware tail, but that this hasn't ever happened to him before.]

b) strawberry [Strawberry isn't too sugary of a flavor, so Natsume feels fairly lucky to have picked that one next. What's less lucky is the sudden, grey cloud that appears above his head. He leans back to look up at it, frowning, the still-present pointed ears twitching and pressing back against his head.

This makes it darken in color, which in turn prompts an even deeper scowl.] What's this?

c) cherry [This one is definitely the worst. Natsume will take a thousand little black rainclouds, a million animal transformations over this. He just beamed at a shopkeeper, tail twitching, hearts in his eyes, thanking them profusely for their outstanding service as a market professional. The poor man was clearly baffled, at least four times Natsume's age and working alongside his wife.

Now, Natsume is sitting on the curb, face buried in his hands, debating the merits of crawling into a hole until this entire thing is done.]

ii. mother's mercy | cw: self-harm (unintentional, fingernails in palms, possible escalation in thread), mentions of child neglect/abandonment

[Wanting things isn't anything new for Natsume. Basic human psychology says that when you're a lonely, unwanted child shuffled from home to home, you grow up with a fairly deep-seated envy towards anyone who had a normal childhood. You see other kids with their parents or their siblings or their friends and you ache for that exact thing, so deeply and strongly that it chokes you from the inside out. Because there you are with your things in boxes, waiting on a front porch to be picked up by another stranger, and you're counting down the days until you turn eighteen and don't have to do this anymore, but a part of you still hopes that this time will be different. This time they won't be scared away, they won't say you're too strange, too frightening, too much. This time you'll stay.

And it had, for a little while. Back in the real world, Natsume had just started letting go of that anticipation, had finally unpacked his boxes and exhaled into his new life and it was good. It was so good. And then he woke up on a beach and every relaxed muscle tensed right back up again, because he'd done this a hundred times before. At least this time he got to be alone, he didn't have anyone watching over his shoulder, trying to parent him, trying to make him be a normal teenager. He'd finally gotten what he always wanted, to live alone, far away from everyone.

Except. Except it's not like he'd dreamed of. Because Natsume could remember home, he could remember the Fujiwara's and his friends at school and the youkai who knew him by name and Sensei, and they were all gone again. And it was so much worse this time, because he'd finally gotten what he'd ached for all those years, only to have it wrenched away from him again. He'd forgotten how to not care about it.

Seeing the homes and families people in Trench have built is what really prompts the hex, in the end. It tempts Natsume, whispers to him that maybe if he tried, if he reached out first, if he went against every lesson he'd ever learned, he might get that too. He might find people here who he could care about. Natsume refuses every temptation, of course, turns it aside, even as it eats him up with jealousy, even as he stops and watches someone out in the markets or at the Library or other places around town.

Natsume watches, and that ugly, angry, desperate guilt flares up inside him, prompting him to curl his hands into tight, tight fists, nails biting into his palms. He doesn't notice he's doing it, doesn't register the blood welling up between his fingers and drip-drip-dripping onto the cobblestones. He just recognizes that something made that envious guilt ease, for a moment.]

um cherry obviously because im the devil

[givehead]

(Poor Natsume. Dirk wasn't even looking for him. He's just taking a stroll, minding his own damn business when he catches sight of the boy. Obviously he makes a beeline straight for him and twirls about on his heel to lean up against the lamp just next to Natsume. He digs out a cigarette, slips it between his lips, and lights up. Clearly, he intended to stick around.)

We keep runnin' into each other, kitten. Are you lost again?

Winter Schnee | RWBY

[winter_bestowed]

First Mercy: Early in the month
Regulate your desires. This is not to cast shame, but to cast cawsion. It resonated a bit with Winter after all she had long felt that emotions gave you strength but you can't let them control you. Only currently she wasn't feeling those emotions, the warmth of her veins chilled by the corruption of the coldblood that pumped through them. But she didn't pay the sermon much attention beyond simply ensuring that there were no problems from the zealots or the crowd. At first, the pain was a dull throb that would come up during her training when leading a sparring session for other DART members or hunters looking for practice, or after a hunt. But gradually it was back and grew, her chest from her desire and longing for someone who had left, her shoulders for the desire to not constantly bear the burden of her past mistakes. Despite the pain, Winter hid any indication of it, instead just gritting her teeth and continuing forward with whatever task she had at hand to keep other dreamers safe.

Second Mercy: Mid to late February CW: Body horror, self mutilation, mentions of blood, religious based trauma/forced guilt/shame.
Winter's hands appeared black, the appearance of frostbite covering them entirely and sprawling up her arm. But it was hidden under the coat and gloves that she always wore now. Around her left leg, a subtle indention in her uniform from the cilice that was tightly wrapped around so the spikes dug in, providing a constant distraction from the pain of the hex. Her training regimen increased and become more demanding, taking on multiple opponents and fighting a bit more callously, taking blows to ensure a successful strike of her own. The brace she'd returned to Deerington with managed to make an appearance, with a minor modification that prodded Winter anytime that she allowed her posture to slip or moved in the wrong manner.

The ponytail vanished once more as she returned to the neat and well-kept bun, which seemed more practical. She found herself cursing the lack of uniformity that would make an organized unit easily recognizable and efficient. Donning a uniform that many said made her an image of a long past huntress even as she slid to a halt the blood of a beast splashing across the ground she seemed unmoved. Several zealots had taken to calling her by the name Maria. Winter had come to tolerate them and understood them a bit more now than at the beginning of the month. They were more among those that she had to protect, those that she couldn't fail again least their own guilt and pain increase.

"Adequate, but not good enough. We'll have to intensify our training."

Final Mercy: Beasthood - Feb 21 CW: Body horror, self mutilation, mentions of murder, & violence
She was betrayed, those that were supposed to be the ones that understood what needed to be done, that were supposed to have shared the same goal, were against her. Saw her as the monster as that man, they had dared to compare her to Ironwood who had allowed Fear to dictate his every move. No, she wasn't one to sacrifice others without herself, and so Winter wandered out stumbling away from the corpse that was now on the ground at her feet; those mismatched eyes still staring at her. After several steps the saber falls, Rakuyo striking the ground without leaving Winter's grip as her arm breaks off just below the shoulder. Another few steps find the other breaking off. Blue flames engulf her eyes as the Aura struggles to try to recover, trying to contain something. Even with the maiden's abilities though it erupts as Winter lets out a scream a blinding flash engulfing her and leaving instead the shadow of a beast where she had stood. Everything that Winter feared of becoming, everything she had tried to warn others and prepare for, she had succumbed to it all. Hopefully, others would be as passionate in their hunting of her and her desire to atone for those she failed to protect would be fulfilled.

Final Mercy + Ange

[onekindsoul]

Ruby had been concerned about Winter to say the very least. She knew the last few months could not have been easy with what she's already lost and the effect this place could have someone. She had brought Ange with her to go and check up on her but when she turns the corner she catches sight of the beast and a pit forms in her stomach. It takes a moment to put the pieces together but Winter's limbs on the ground give her a good idea of what had happened. It was just like with Dipper all over again.

She's quick to draw Crescent Rose and stand between the beast and Ange to provide some protection.

"I-I think we're too late for her."

lysithea von ordelia / chocolate emblem three chocolates

[notimeforfailure]

[a. chocolatier 1]
Hm...?

[Lysithea can be found somewhat dazed on the streets, eyes blank and staring at nothing in particular. Her hands are cupped around a tiny little heart-shaped box wrapped beautifully with a pink ribbon. As she totters forward along her path, she inevitably bumps into a passer-by on the street (perhaps you) and her little box goes flying.]

Ah -- !

[She lunges for it with uncharacteristic ferocity.]

[b. chocolatier 2]
Good morning.

[Customers to the bakery are greeted with an overly enthusiastic welcome and a smile that is far too cheerful. The Chocolatier has found an unsuspecting accomplice in a girl whose mind is usually too rigidly controlled to be susceptible to mental corruption... but who has one very clear and obvious weakness.]

Will that be all today? And before you go, may I suggest a complimentary chocolate?

[Lysithea holds out a box for her customers to pick.]

((This prompt is for other characters to eat one of the Chocolatier's chocolates, as Lysithea is under its mental sway and believes she ought to pass them out.))

[c. chocolatier 3]
[And of course, the inevitable ending to this saga. Lysithea has consumed the chocolate (or chocolates) meant for her and spends a psychedelic few days in February oscillating from one chocolate effect to another. Her friends, acquaintances, and employees will doubtlessly immediately notice how truly bizarre she's acting...

Unless, of course, they're under the influence, too.]

((Open to white (befriending), caramel (feelings of indebtedness), orange (face confusion), strawberry (emotion aura) with anyone. Open to milk (romantic), cherry (flirtation), hazelnut (demonstration of compatibility) with closer CR. Will not be doing vanilla (murder), dark (sexual), raspberry (organs). Unstated ones are also fine with anyone, just not my first preference though I'm happy to play.))

C- Strawberry (and by the way, Luz turns 16 this month, though she'll be missing her birfhday)

[imaglyphwitch]

[Guess who she's about to run into? It's Luz, who's been finding herself in weird moods, and retreated into chocolate mode, and is right now unaware that its altered her quite a bit. She popped into the bakery, giving her boss a wave, Owlbert circling around his companion].

Lysithea! I feel like it's been too long! How're ya doinggg?

[Luz's face is a bit flushed, but she is beaming, finding that she feels much better than she had only a few hours ago, to be in a place where she felt comfortable].

L Lawliet (Lazarus Sauveterre)| Death Note | OTA

[hearthebell]

II. Impending Intimacy (Willful Machine)

[Try as he may, L can't pin down when it happened. Intimacy, after all, is a butchered and bloody thing in his hands. Things that should mean a lot to any human slide through his fingers like ash or terrify him; what might seem minor or trivial he'll clutch tightly until it's smothered and dead.

He understands that he's like this, and yet he's let people closer lately. Even if love twists and mutates in the often ugly place that is his mind, he apparently feels it authentically, and his guard has clearly slipped, because he has a stalker. It's not the first time in his life, but it is the first time he hasn't been able to shake them.

Maybe he looks like he's trying to start a new fitness regimen, running along in his odd, loping way with his shoulders curved forward. His omen, an orca whale, is at her full size, following him closely and occasionally turning to hiss or charge before doubling back.

He seems to feel that enough distance has been gained to relax for a moment. Whatever beverage you're holding, the breathless, disheveled man grabs it from you, drinking it as quickly as the temperature will allow.]

II. Mother's Mercy- (Lumenwood) CW for intentional poisoning

[Even with his consistent presence at the campsite, L makes his way at least weekly to the Pale Sanctuary, and it's inevitable that he runs across a copy of the sermon at some point in the month. He reads it, considers it, but doesn't dwell. It doesn't have much to do with his antivenom project, and the project has his current focus completely cornered.

He's been very disciplined on the whole matter. He's moved into the central strategy tent at the campsite and cuts corners on food and sleep, but that's not unusual for him. L is legendarily good at depriving himself of pleasure or opportunities for it, so the hex rather sneaks up on him, and like a frog brought slowly to a boil, he doesn't recognize it getting worse.

As he works to concentrate the jellyfish venom and make it more potent, a thought strikes him: he doesn't need a beast's immune response for the antivenom. He has an immune system; he has blood.

It escalates quickly from there.

You meet a scrawny, disheveled man with glassy dark eyes slouched somewhere in public. He looks extremely ill, even by L's typically peaky standards. In spite of this, he seems in relatively high spirits, this fine day in Lumenwood, where he's been purchasing syringes and vials. If he's sitting, he may even have them scattered next to him.]

Excuse me! I need help.

[He certainly does. His omen looks dizzy and dazed. Have you ever wondered if orcas could get rabies? Right now, you just might be.]

III. The Chocolatier (Gaze)

[The follower and the hex have taken a lot out of L. He should probably just stay at the campsite until the Leviathan is vanquished and stop making trips into Trench... but on his way back from the archives, he stops to rest for just a moment, and when he looks up, he sees a monster.

No, a friend. So acquainted is L with constant and dull suffering that the wash of gentle, warm pleasure knocks the wind out of him. He's burying his face in the creature's fur, inhaling that intoxicating scent, clutching it tightly, eyes and throat suddenly hot and aching.

His desires, at the moment, consist entirely of sitting beside this friend for much longer. Not the Chocolatier's objective, of course; when it asks for blood, L obliges, and keeps on obliging until the monster rests a hand on his head like a pet that's done very well, handing over a large heart-shaped box full of various chocolates.

All of them, in fact. At least one of each is in this box, and they're beautiful colors, creamy textures. The only kind of love he's consistently received from anyone in his life, sweet things presented prettily. He swallows the thick lump in his throat, blinks away the faintness from blood loss, and picks one, eating it in small savoring bites.

Then another. He'll get through this whole box to fill the giant hole inside of him if he's allowed, which is why it's great that you happened by.

Seriously, thank God.

You tagged this prompt, so please choose which chocolate(s) L ate, and which one he's offering you (or you can leave that one up to me!). The childish lack of nuance in this language of affection is not beyond him. He has so much; he can do this much, whether you're a stranger or a friend.]

IV. Fated Leviathan Campsite Prompts

[Right here!]

V. Wildcard

[If I forgot your heart's desire for a scenario, throw it my way!]

III. The Chocolatier (Gaze)

[unphase]

[Tinya should know better than to eat chocolate in places like this, especially so close to Valentine's Day (and she's pouting because she doesn't have a valentine, boo! but she's working on it), but the scent of chocolate fills the air and why not? it probably won't have the same effects as the other place.

at least, that's what she's telling herself.

but as she's waiting in line, she sees a young man with an entire box of chocolates. he looks exhausted and worn down and she can't help herself from going over to him. she's always been too kind for her own good. according to Mother, anyway.

so she gets out of line and goes over to him]

Hi! Looks like you have the full array. Have you tried any yet?

prompto argentum / final fantasy xv

[punshots]

i. fess up (cw: hallucinations, claustrophobia, implications of self-harm)

[ It starts with that same, small insidious thought that he always has. It's nothing new, so why would he be concerned about it? Besides, his loneliness has only become more amplified since he arrived here without any of his friends at his side. They're...a lifetime away now, in a place he can't go back to, but it's not like he can just move on that easily. Even making new friends is such a daunting prospect. It took everything he had to hold onto the ones he made before, and by his own account, it had all been a fluke. A stroke of luck that ran out in the end, when he'd wound up alone in Niflheim. And then he'd awoken here.

So it's only natural that he'd keenly be feeling the desire for companionship, and equally as natural for him to try to play it down, to not appear too desperate to the people he's met. After all, everyone here seems so cool and special - who would want to be friends with a Vileblood loser like him?

It's whatever. He's used to dealing with that feeling of dejection, until...it escalates into something beyond that. It starts with headaches that strike hard and fierce out of nowhere, then he starts to lose whole chunks of time, uncertain of where he's been or what he's done. That leads into the paranoia, the sensation that there is always someone watching over his shoulder, which keeps him from sleeping, and then it's only a matter of time before the hallucinations set in.

Wherever you may find him - on a crowded sidewalk, in a deserted side-street, or a quiet park - he will be in the same state of being, staggering about like there is something strapped to him that no one can see but him, restricting and stilting his movement. He only makes it a few paces before he drops to his knees and begins to scrabble at his forearms, trying to pry off whatever's there, then doing the same to his head, though he is unable to lift the burden, to free himself. ]

I-I can't - can't get it off, can't breathe like this -

[ There's a small knife strapped to his belt. There is no sign that he has used it yet, but one trembling hand reaches for it, the clouded yet rational part of his mind urging him to stop, but the corruption grips him tight.

One thing is for certain. If he doesn't free himself from whatever he thinks is constraining him, he will only get worse. ]

ii. life is like a box of friendship bracelets

[ The Chocolatier hardly needs to ask it of him. No sooner does he appear and make his offer than does Prompto offer his blood from a quick cut to his palm, and he is gifted a decent helping of chocolate in return. Some he wants to give out, some he wants to keep for himself, though the latter certainly amplifies after he consumes a white chocolate.

Well, he always says go big or go home, so the next person he passes by, he grasps their shoulder to get their attention, and regardless of whether or not he's ever spoken to them before, he asks urgently: ]

Hey, wanna go get matching BFF tattoos? Like, right now? I was thinkin' we could each get a half so when we, like, stick our biceps together or something, they say "best friends five-ever!" What d'you think?

[ When did he think about this? Don't worry about it. ]

iii. life is like a box of kidneys on ice (cw: vomiting organs)

[ .........He tried one of the raspberry chocolates. ]

hey quick question
anyone got any home remedies for like the worst case of indigestion you've ever heard of in your life
like indigestion that may be a sign you're super dying or way messed up inside
unrelated to the above is there somewhere that takes organ donations
these things aren't related i swear
please don't ask if they're related!!!!

iv. wildcard

[ Have something else you'd like to throw my way! Feel free to hit me with whatever! If you want to plot something in particular, feel free to reach out to me on Plurk at bespin or journal pm! ]

i!!!

[adelphoi]

[ alisaie's patrol takes her far and wide across the city - though mostly she sticks to trenchwood and crenshaw when she can, for the wood always needs clearing of beasts and monsters, and crenshaw is as ever the most vulnerable of all of the city's districts.

it is on the path to the wood that she finds herself, in fact, when she all but stumbles on prompto, crumpled to his knees and trembling, reaching for his knife -

immediately she is moving, darting forward and seizing not one but both of his wrists as she drops to her knees as well, her dark eyes wide and searching his face. alisaie's heart pounds hard against her ribs, and there is a strange electric feeling that shakes her when her hands meet his skin, but she shrugs it off. things always feel.. bizarre, and familiar, between them. it's nothing new. right now, she is far more concerned for his wellbeing. ]

Prompto! Prompto, can you hear me? What in the world are you doing?

[ is this the corruption that she has heard so much about? ]

nehan | granblue fantasy

[torpour]

a: impending intimacy (the start)

[at first, nehan doesn't notice it. it's only when he's looking around in a busy market that he realizes he's being stalked, and then he thinks it's just someone well into beasthood. and then he tries to bait it into following him into an alleyway, and shoots it in the head when it does, the bullet muffled by the noise of crowds. but when it doesn't die and merely snaps back up without a hole in its head, nehan realizes that it's not actually a person, but a ghoul or wraith of some sort, and not even light magic can deal with it. nor the blade strapped to his back with a simple leather holster.

so nehan runs as fast as he can, with a bum leg and a crutch to rely on. and accidentally slams into someone else, stumbling back and rubbing his nose.]

Hmf-- [he opens his mouth as if to apologize, then shakes his head, ears waving with the motion.]

No, no time to explain, I have a tail I must shake.

b: impending intimacy (conclusion??) (cw: possible talk of past trauma bc nehan's life is just Like That)

I don't see it any longer. [thus, nehan deems it safe to rest. he sighs heavily and leans against his crutch, winded. that was some running, huh?

perhaps at the edge of the city, where not many people are milling about, it may be easier to tell who is simply someone passing by, and someone who is it, and headed straight for them. or nehan. or his companion. whichever one is its target for now. but nehan is working under the impression that it is he who the thing wants.]

What were we talking about, again?

[he sits on a nearby bench, glad that this city is accommodating like that, benches and chairs everywhere, and stretches his legs out before himself to relax them. nehan is just resting now, after just running around.]

c: the chocolatier: various chocolates

[curiosity urges nehan to offer his blood in exchange for chocolate. curiosity and sheer want. somehow, the chocolates are quite interesting to him, no matter his opinions about sweets and treats, and the chocolatier themselves. he may have some resistance to being controlled, but influence as insiduous like this still manages to catch him. and, of course, he eats them.]

vanilla: I wonder... [nehan looks down, flexing his right hand, then replaces it onto his crutch, before looking at his left. he flexes it as well, balling it into a fist and listening to the leather of his glove creak.] Do you think my left hand has recovered enough to be able to wring someone by the neck, for instance?

[this is not the sort of conversation one has so casually... but perhaps some people might not realize this is not typical of nehan, even for someone like him.]

strawberry: [nehan's ears flap once, and then pull back when he realizes that there is indeed some light shining around his head and tinting his grey hair different colors. but right now, his fur is tinted red by the light shining around his head-- irritation. annoyance. not anger, the red is not dark enough for that, but perhaps soon it may be. when he spots another person looking at him, he raises his his hand, all fingers curled into his palm except for the forefinger. but his expression says he would like to raise a different finger instead.]

Chocolates. [just a single response, which he hopes answers everything.]

caramel: What would you like? [as an incredibly tired-looking adult, nehan does not do "earnest" well. in fact, right now, he looks like a mulish teenager, given the deep shadows under his eyes. but his ears are perked, attentive. and if the person he's fixated on decides to walk or run away, he will doggedly follow as fast as he can with his crutch.]

wildcard
[[ bring your own prompt! feel free to drop into my plotting comment if you want to discuss things first. for prompt C, i'm open to the other flavors of chocolate as long as they're not the ones i explicitly opted out of. ]]

Chocolates - strawberry

[searingwing]

I gathered as much. [Diluc says as he pulls the hood of his cloak back. A pair of elegant red wolf ears sticking up through his hair seem rather natural on him. One twitches and he reaches up, scratching at an itch.]

It has been going around. Nice to see you all the same.

[Along the right side of his face is a faded hand print that ends at his jaw. He seems hardly worse for wear. If anything he looks better, more relaxed.]

Dito | Drakengard 3 | Vileblood

[syncopathic]

[Dito has a great many reasons to mistrust the hulking beast that suddenly appears before him. For one thing, past experience has taught him to be wary of these kind of offers-- they very rarely were as clear-cut as they seemed. For another, he wasn't particularly a fan of sweets. Years of having to share second and third and fourth dessert with Five had very quickly lost its appeal. Even the smell of pastries made him sick nowadays. He was definitely more of a savory guy.

But there was something appealing-- something altogether beautiful, in fact-- about the creature that has stepped out of the shadows to confront him, and the promise of pleasure that it brings him is more appealing still. Dito doesn't even realize he's giving the beast his blood until it's already happened-- indeed, he doesn't even register the fact that his blood is now sickly green. All he knows is that this being has something that he wants; something that he desperately needs, and in this moment he will gladly give a piece of himself to obtain it.

Once the Chocolatier has disappeared, Dito gazes down at the morsel in his hand, his mouth watering even before he brings it to his mouth. The taste fairly explodes over his tongue, causing him to close his eyes and tilt his head back as he lets out a soft sigh of pleasure. No dessert has ever been so sublime.]

Branch A - Fool Me Once, Shame On You (cw: body horror, slight self-harm)

[So. That was a strange encounter, though he supposes it was no more strange than anything else he’s come in contact with. When you come from a world run by sorceresses who can do anything– literally anything, even reshape reality itself– with the power of their songs, strange occurrences like this seem almost commonplace. At least it wasn’t another Cerberus or centaur or any of the other dime-a-dozen enemies he had to fight back home and why the hell is his fucking chest so itchy right now what the shit–

It suddenly occurs to Dito, with a sudden painful jolt of clarity, that he’s been scratching his chest almost raw for nearly a minute now, and the itchiness has not only persisted but has actually reached near-unbearable levels. Hastily he unbuttons his shirt, hoping to god that there wasn’t some sort of insect or weird parasite feeding off of his flesh.

In hindsight, he wishes it was something that simple. The skin of his chest is almost completely covered with soft white feathers, which stir slightly as he exposes them to the frigid air.]

What the actual fuck–

[Using his thumb and forefinger, Dito takes hold of one of the largest of these feathers and gives it a yank. The pain is exquisite, actually causing his blood to rush in his ears and his vision to wobble and swim. He grits his teeth against it, tugging sharply at the feather until the quill is torn free of his flesh. A thick greenish-red liquid oozes out of the wound, and Dito’s nose is suddenly filled with the scent of flowers, so strong that he’s nearly overcome with another wave of vertigo.]

The fuck is happening to me…?

Branch B - Fool Me Twice, Shame On Me (Wildcard)

[After an ordeal like that, only an idiot would decide to go through that experience again, but either Dito can’t find a correlation between the chocolates and his strange transformation or he likes to live dangerously. One of the two. Which means whether you come upon Dito in a blissed out state or see him about the town, he will be under the influence of a variety of chocolates. Along with peanut butter, you’ll have your pick of white, caramel, almond, cherry or pecan. Feel free to put your preference in the header (or decide to just have Dito react to your character) and I’ll adjust accordingly! (As always, you can hit me up at pillowtalkative or Kaiya_Mya#0844 on Discord if you wanna get some last-minute plotting in!)]

Branch A

[natzoom]

-- the peanut butter? [Natsume says this very grimly and solemnly for a guy with cat ears. He's trying to ignore them and hope that they go away. Them and the long, fluffy, orange-striped tail that's twitching back and forth behind him as he hesitantly approaches the angry feathery guy.]

It's happening to a lot of people.

Ruby Rose | RWBY | Deerington CRAU | Cold Blood

[onekindsoul]

Bonds.

[OOC: If someone would like a platonic of familial bond with Ruby please respond with which bond you'd like and I'll make a starter specific to that. Or feel free to wildcard it.]

Chocolates.

[Look. Ruby was weak to chocolates and sweets. She couldn't help herself. She was more than willing to part with some blood to get her hands on as much of this as she could. She's got a stash set up and she's found herself a picnic table to sit by. Anyone who approaches she'll wave down with a friendly smile.]

Hey! Do you want some of these? I've got plenty. Nothing says friendship like tasty treats, right?

Almond: RUBY WINS

[Ruby bursts out from around a corner. A box of chocolate hitting the ground as she makes eye contact with the first person she sees. She's got a rappers swagger as she starts belting out rhymes at whoever she has crossed paths with.]

Say my name mother trucker, It's Ruby Rose
Got a blood covered scythe with glistening chrome.
Time to break some necks and pick some bones.
Introverts at home and in my bedroom, ooooooh snap!
No wonder I've lost my marbles.
Now I've got cookie hands flaring up my carpels!
Step off, Deku, I‘m the one true marvel
Call me Sarah Connor- I can heckin' beat up Arnold!

I‘m the queen of the crows, gonna rule this town
You can kiss my boots while you’re on the ground
You got your feet on the floor, but your head in the clouds
You can dream of beating me, but you won’t have my crown
I'm the chaotic goddess, on the battlefield I reign
The meteorologist is forecasting pain
Taking you down is my only plan, snitch
Ange, can you please come up and make me an ice cream sandwich?

[She is getting right in anyone's grill as she belts this out. Good luck with that.]

Peacan:

[The last thing Ruby expected was to be betrayed by chocolate. It was one of her one true companions in life and she thought nothing would come between the two of them. Except here she is laying on the ground surrounded by empty chocolate boxes and her limbs wont respond to her commands. All she can do is weakly flop around until she manages to roll onto her back. Anyone who passes by her in this state will see the chocolate stains on her lips and it's hard to tell if she's paralyzed or having a sugar crash.

She manages a couple weak words.]

Totally worth it...

Wild Card

[OOC: Do any of these not catch your eye? Choose your own adventure or hit me up on jjabarrett on plurk to plot something up!]

almond

[hauntedsavior]

[anna is in a tricorn and longcoat, fully leaning into the aesthetic of a well-dressed noblewoman and/or pirate captain (save that for later in the month), and her eye watches ruby rose with the most careful of scrutiny.]

[when it seems like she's finished dropping what could, in certain circles, be called bars, anna reaches up and just. pushes at ruby's shoulder with three fingers.]

You really need to start swearing in your raps if you want to sound as tough as you think you are.

Equius Zahhak | Homestuck (CW for possible masochistic tendencies in prompt 2)

[alternia_strength]

Impending Lack of Intimacy
You know what? He was going to blame this on Karkat. He wasn't sure how. He wasn't sure why. But someone said that saying the name of a loved one was the way that this started, and Karkat was just about the only person that he had even the slightest bit of emotional connection with in this rotten, blood obsessed town.

He was one extremely narrow miss past having encountered the creature. It had been approximately two inches from getting him when he'd realized that he suddenly felt way too weak, and that this was one of those things that was impossible to kill normally. And, in that moment? He'd beat a hasty 'Strategic repositioning' into the next county.

At this point, he was staring back over his shoulder and panting. "Glob damnit, it's there again, isn't it?!?" he practically shouted. "Oh would you just go bother someone else?" He wasn't afraid. Trolls didn't get afraid. He was just tactically concerned. That was all.

Mother's "Mercy"
How had he survived that whole incident? He barely knew. Someone probably had taken pity on him and he'd shouted Marisa's name. Why her? Because he wasn't risking that thing going after the two trolls he actually cared about in their world, no matter how powerful they were, and Marisa could fucking fly. So... yeah. He'd probably said her name.

At this point, though, most of the month was left with him spending a lot of time away from people. Anyone coming near for something so much as a handshake was getting growled at. He was focused in a workshop attached to the local foundry he'd found to work at, getting his shop set up. However, there was a problem. For all that he was trying to focus on himself? He kept having those thoughts that made him use a towel, but as soon as he'd done that.

"NGH! What... is... AUGH! Going on here?" He was getting angry, frustrated. His hammer slipped and hit his knee. Nothing broke but it bruised and suddenly he felt better. Oh... this ... this wasn't good. Lifting the hammer, he stared at it with a squinty eye. "Did someone put a hex on you?"

The Chocolatier
a) Hazelnut
He'd felt the compulsion, and honestly? He wasn't one to admit that he couldn't resist it, so now he was staring at the least sweet confections this strange creature could provide. He'd insisted. Grunting and popping a hazelnut into his mouth, he chewed and shrugged. It was tolerable. With a swallow, he continued his work, looking over at the other person.

They'd seen him eat what was clearly a magical concoction, but nothing happened. "Aren't these supposed to be ensorcelled in some fashion?" he growled in weird irritation. Where was the kaboom? He'd expected an earth shattering kaboom? Don't tell him that it was because there was literally nobody in this town compatible with him that way. He might feel bad. Or do. It could be good for a cheap laugh.

b) Pecan
Now this was more like it. Only it wasn't. His left arm hung limply at his side and he grumbled in irritation. "As bad as the trickster god," he muttered, working with his hammer in one hand and looking over at someone. "You there. You want this work done, I require assistance. Hold the tongs hard. I will beat the metal."

Uh... it might be worth mentioning that even one-handed, Equius was strong enough that this might be an unpleasant experience, but he wouldn't let his hand slip at leaast.

c) Almond
"You load sixteen tons, what do you get... another day older and deeper in debt!" Oh god. He was singing. He was pounding hammer to steel at the foundry, and he was singing. Who taught him that song? Nobody. That was the chocolate's fault. And damnit, but he was off-key, out of tune, off tempo, only knew one song, and WAY TOO LOUD.

This might have been the day that his boss finally decided it would be best if he had his own stall. For the sake of his ears and sanity.

b) this will end well

[nilheality]

Nil wasn't having a great month. Between the incident with the hex, and the public shame of puking her guts out (except it wasn't her guts), she just wants this month to be over. Nevertheless, there was more of Trench that she had seen, and her most recently curiosity had put her directly into the Equius Zahhak's domain.

She is shocked at what she could only assume was a beefy goblin--or perhaps he was a small orc--shouting at her. Not really wanting to make a scene she quirks a brow and tentatively picks up the tongs as instructed.

"Like this?" She did not know what she was in for.

Neopolitan | RWBY

[threelayers]

1) The Bonds that Tie Us Together
Neopolitan wasn't one for these types of things. It had been discussed with her by one of the Trenchies what was going on, and it made her miss Emerald more. She wanted her to be here, and part of her was sure that they could endure being able to hear each other's thoughts. They had few if any secrets. They could have done it, and she was imagining it with her. But the thought of anyone, literally anyone that close to her besides Emerald made her get the heebie jeebies. She could put up with pork buns giving telepathy for a few minutes... That was one thing. This was permanent.

She leaned against a wall, watching two people performing their vows in the distance. Elbowing whoever was next to her, she gestured and raised an eyebrow. The querry was obvious in her eyes. What did they think of all this.

(OOC: If you want, and your character is one of those rare ones she might perform a Pyshical or Power-based [Familial or Enemy] bond, we can start a thread related to that. She wouldn't invite others for that kind of event.)

2) Mother Mercy can go @$%& herself
Neopolitan clenched her eyes shut. She had her hand pressed against the wall. It was obvious she was in pain. No matter how good she was at illusions, she couldn't conceal this one. Panting through her gritted teeth, she bared her lips in the rictus of a snarl, barely containing the response that she felt. She had a little glance in the direction of Cassandra, but she spit right afterwards. Not exactly ladylike, but definitely how she felt about Mother Mercy's offer of help.

She finally sat down heavily on a bench, flopping in and hissing in pain again. Eyes opened blearily as she heard footsteps or a voice, and she glanced in their direction, not sure she was up for handling social interaction right now. Well, she didn't have a choice did she?

3) Chocolate's Part of Neopolitan
Neopolitan had a small box of chocoolates, and looked to be in a marginally better mood. Part of her knew this was a bad idea. She was sure of it. She didn't care. Chocolates were a pick-me-up, and she wanted a pick-me-up right about then. She settled at the table of a restaurant in town and, seeing someone she knew (or even just someone she didn't dislike), she gestured them over.

gifts were meant to be shared!

(OOC: You can pick any chocolate type you want to be in there except milk or dark chocolate.)

4) Ye Olde Wildcarde
I'm usually open for anything, so just start her up and we'll get rolling.

( strawberry )

[danserai]

Oh, is this for me?

[ she's seen the chocolates around, but she had assumed it was . . . y'know, for valentines' day. ]

renfri | the witcher | paleblood

[laniidae]

i. GENERAL LOCATIONS AROUND TRENCH | alcohol, trench-typical themes

[Well, if there's one thing to be said about Trench, it's that there's certainly plenty for Renfri to keep herself occupied with — particularly so this month, what with the competing highs and lows of one imminent wedding and also one imminent, well, Leviathan. It's a lot to balance out, but at least it's keeping her moving, and that's why she can be found various places over the course of the month, including:

At the Raccoon Room, where you'll find her picking up shifts behind the bar and capitalizing on her pretty face whenever possible. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to encounter her there on the day that she figures out the various bottles juggle well, and catch her testing out the various weights and balances of the wares before gradually starting to play around with flipping and tossing them. Alternatively, maybe you're unlucky enough to show up on a day when she's playing mad scientist and building new experimental cocktails that are definitely not on the standard menu, and that may or may not be an abomination against all that is good and holy. Sit there too long or look too interested and she might just bully you into drinking one! Good fucking luck.

At the Archives, where you'll most likely encounter her by accident from the way she instinctively buries herself deep in the shelves, tucked away like a burrowing animal while she peruses her wares. It's at times like these that her Omen sometimes puts in an appearance — an ink-black shrike with overlong tail feathers and an odd, smoky character to its edges, almost like a little cloud of soot that hasn't quite solidified into its proper shape. If you manage to catch a glimpse of the books she's pulling, you might notice she seems to be studying up on nervous systems. Interesting choice...

Out along the Farther Shores, where she stops in every so often to check in on the base camp for the Fated Leviathan plot! Despite all the commotion, she tends to keep to herself and just sort of roams around, taking stock of all the goings-on without really going out of her way to try to contribute much. More than once, she drifts over toward the Oracular Spectacular, but always redirects herself and wanders away again before she ever actually makes it close enough to become a part of the action. For whatever given value of "action" goes on in a tent full of seers, anyway.]

ii. CHOCOLATES | all chocolatier content warnings possible

[Renfri is also available for chocolatier prompts anytime, anywhere throughout the month! Please see her plotting comment for opt-outs and the types of chocolates I'm currently interested in / have ideas for as far as Renfri being the one consuming them. I'm happy to write individualized starters if you have a chocolate preference, or if you want to drop me a top-level yourself you can assume Renfri can be encountered for chocolate shenanigans in any of the locations in the prompt above!]

iii. WILDCARD | mark as appropriate

[Have an idea for a prompt that doesn't really suit any of the above prompts or ideas? Toss it here and let's run with it, or hit me up on her plotting comment!]

for sasuke | orange chocolate

[laniidae]

[The taste of orange is still clinging to her tongue when she spots him.

It doesn't really occur to her to be suspicious of the Chocolatier, not when its persuasion had been so reasonable and its request so relatively minor by comparison. A drop of blood or two? She's shed plenty of that in her day, and always had more to spare. It's not as though she's going to miss whatever bits she gives over, any more than she'd miss the ones that would leave her through a cut finger or a bumped knee. And the promise of chocolate —

The stinging of the cut on her finger is still as sharp as the orange citrus when she steps onto the beach and notices from a distance the white shock of hair, the black studded armor. Of course she remembers the last visage she ever saw; it's not as though she could forget. Thoughts of the witcher have been plaguing her lately, anyway, and moreso than usual. It would just be her luck that he'd go and wash up on shore now.

Honestly, the thought of it irritates her a little. Like he won't just leave her alone. Like he's come to see if she's making something of herself like he tried to convince and persuade and enchant her into doing back at Blaviken, just before he'd sent her here. Like he can't just leave her to it, and let her be what she chooses to be, for better or for worse.

When she slinks across the sand toward him, there's a smile on her face and a sharpness in her eyes.]

Well, well. Now you've gone and washed up on the shore, have you?

[This would be, perhaps, extremely confusing for a person who has absolutely no idea what she's talking about.]

Reaper | Overwatch

[no_reload]

I. Bonding Pacts

[Does anyone wonder how easily it would be to disrupt such a ceremony from happening? It was a simple matter of finding all the stupid little silver cups that were left out under the night’s sky to be christened and toss them back inside the nearest house, pile of trash or even into a sack so that they could be thrown into the ocean or the forest when it was worth making the trip outside the city.

That wouldn’t be cool, but that’s exactly what Reaper did if he came across a silver cup bathing in the moonlight. He’d pick it up, look for the nearest house and throw it through a window (open or not). Or he would take it with him to dispose of in a better place. Bonds were dangerous, and if anyone thought otherwise, they were stupid.

Oh, he could be caught in his adventures walking into yards, plucking silver cups from fences or rooftops. One could even shout at him or make a move to get the cup back. Prepare to pay to get it back and be left alone for the night though.]

II. Impending Intimacy

[Reaper had heard whispers about the odd looking humanoid, but he hadn’t expected to see them on his normal rounds. He had recently welcomed Maul back to his bed after that disaster of a curse breaking, and he had done what he could to help put his lover back together. Their closeness, their trust and their intimacy wasn’t something that he took for granted, but neither was it something that ruled his life in such a way that he thought it might draw consequences.

His first inclination was of an old woman shuffling along the streets. It was nothing out of the ordinary until she turned her eyes up to him and stared. Her face was like melted wax that had cooled, and he watched from his rooftop perch as she walked right over to the building and began to ascend. She wasn’t in a hurry, but she came on.

He ghosted away, slipping down to the streets and walk away. Then it was a young girl next, shambling along on twisted legs. He teleported away. Third was a naked man padding along after him; this time he tried to pull the curse to the forest to lose them there, testing if it was a curse limited to town. He left the man there as he jumped up and over the walls, hopping along buildings and losing his quarry.

It was a full eighteen hours and by now the use of his powers was costing him greatly. He stumbled as he walked, pausing in darkened alleys to catch his breath and the bare exposed skin of his upper arms appeared ghostly pale.

It was another man this time, naked with so many scars it looked like the curse had been shattered apart and sewn back together. Otherwise, the body was muscled and pale with a dusting of white hair. The curse came on was a casual determination, in no hurry but closing in quickly.

Reaper sensed the danger at the last moment as he had been bent over with his hands on his knees breathing hard. He shot upright as pale hands extended to settle on his shoulders, and behind his mask, Reaper felt a shock as his anemia caused his vision to blur and he thought he saw someone else.

Someone he had once loved very, very deeply. And secretively.] …Jack? Is that you, Morrison?

[The hands stopped a hair’s breath from making contact then those hands dropped away and the curse turned and moved on.

Blinking rapidly to try to clear his vision, Reaper collapsed down to sit in the snow. He managed to pull his legs up so he could rest his arms on his raised knees. He shivered uncharacteristically.]

III. Chocolatier

[He was not one to be easily swayed mentally or otherwise into being convinced to eat anything. He had learned one hard lesson in Deerington and swore off eating anything that didn’t come from a trusted source. It wasn’t worth the risk. Normally, no one could convince him to ignore his personal rule either, but this creature overrode his ability to resist faster than he could realize what was happening.

So, he made the offering of a drop of blood, expecting he would get it back anyway. He knew blood was far more important to him than he ever let on. He’d take his prize all the same, even make the effort required to eat it too. There was something special about chocolate…]

White

[When he saw the first person after consuming the chocolate, he felt an uncharacteristic need to be close to them. He even made the effort to ghost his way over to walk or stand beside this person, crossing his arms over his chest to look both dramatic and imposing to anyone else that might be too close. Even his coat seemed to flare and billow in the air very dramatically even if there wasn’t any wind.

He used to make friends fairly easily when he was younger, but as he had grown older, he had taken the ‘too cool for school’ approach and usually kept most at a distance. Now, he tilted his head to view his new future friend – whether they wanted it or not]

If someone you disliked could suffer, who would it be, hmm?

Peanutbutter

[Reaper hissed as two pairs of wings sprouted from his back thanks to the effects of the chocolate. The larger pair had sprouted from his shoulders and were a white colouration with golden highlights that folded neatly and definitely clashed with his all black attire. The second small pair were attached mid-back and were pure white, quick to act as stabilizers to make up for a lack of tail feathers.]

Great. Now I’m an angel…

[What most people didn’t know was that Reaper had been named after an angel, so now he supposed he could look the part. It also meant that he had to take some serious flying lessons for as long as these wings were present. He also expected to channel his inner swan and bash opposition with them.]

white chocolate

[natzoom]

[As far as intimidating people go, this guy is...up there. As far as intimidating questions go, that one is also up there. Natsume is just trying to mind his business, but alas.

Still, he doesn't want to be rude. So he glances up at the cloaked figure, then around at the passers-by, trying to gauge if any of them can see it too.]

Nobody. [That's a lie; he has a list. But again; trying not to be rude.]

Jacob Stone | The Librarians

[bookbrawler]

A. Mother's Mercy - cw: hallucinations, paranoia

[Jake had been doing a lot of reading and research since he's arrived. Knowledge was power, of course, and that was quite literal in his job as a Librarian back home, with his team, keeping the world safe from wild magic and lost magical artifacts that could hurt people were they misused. Now this world, full of even more magic than his own--and that was saying a lot--seemed to be full of new rules and curses and all kinds of things that he wasn't familiar with.

He'd come across the Wayward Watcher's document at an appropriate time, it seemed.

So he thought he was prepared. Honesty will help. He's done this before, he defeated the Hoklonote with truth, and he could do it again. Right?

It's magic that gets to him.

Magic, that he shouldn't be using. Magic, that he should be using, because he could you know, because it could keep people safe, because if you had the power and someone got hurt, was it your fault for not using it? It's Cassie's voice, over and over again, whispering, telling him that magic wasn't so bad, they all used magic to save the world, they use magic every day in the Library, so what's the problem? Are you scared? It's Cassie's voice but not really, it's Cassie standing in front of him but not really, and he wanders the streets, trying to move his hand in front of him, trying to get her to quit it.

You've used more magic than most people on earth ever had, Not!Cassie whispers at him, her words honey, drifting like musical notes. Sometimes she looks like herself, sometimes she's dressed in a cloak, like an enchantress, or witch. You wouldn't have been able to have been trapped in a Blumhardt Loop if you weren't magical yourself. Why do you keep denying it? It's who you are. Who you're supposed to be.

No, quit it. [Jake rubs his face, nearly tripping over a dip in the ground and leaning against a brick wall. Where is he? When did he get here?]

I don't--you know I don't use magic! I don't want you usin' magic either! It'll corrupt you! It'll be your downfall? We're...we're Librarians! That's not what we do!

[So what if it does? Cassie purrs, walking in front of him, as graceful as ever. Would that even be such a bad thing?

She reaches over and lifts his chin. All anyone would see is Jake standing shakily against a brick wall, talking to himself, his eyes glassy.

Why not use magic if you already are?]

B. The Chocolatier - cw: blood, self-harm

[Jake had never seen what his blood looks like before. Now, at least, not in...not back home. When the creature appears, he's done for. He misses home, he misses the Library badly, and it doesn't take much for him to be convinced. He smiles at the creature, utterly content, and he just can't think. Which is weird, because he can usually think pretty darn good, and he was thinking pretty much all the time.

Oh well.

He gets out his pocket knife and makes a cut, and there's a blast of--something, something that sends little rocks and pieces of trash floating in midair around him for a split second. Huh. It's probably nothing. His blood is weird though, it smells like the Library and it just sort of glitters away.

It's probably fine. ]

B1. White Chocolate - closed to Ariadne

[He really didn't mean to eat the chocolates, but they are proving too irresistible to deal with. Before he can figure out some way to get rid of them, he eats a white chocolate. And now, Jacob Stone, who is literally just as difficult to get through as the armadillo armor he's now sporting, is walking up to the first person he sees all happily and cheerfully without a care in the world.]

Hey! How ya doin'?

B2. Peanut Butter - cw: body horror, blood Open to all - [He's always liked a good peanut butter chocolate, like Reeses', so he pops that one in his mouth without thinking about it. He realizes he should probably be freaking out more about the state of his blood and that thing that just asked for it--giant creatures asking for blood was never a good sign--it was too late, he'd already eaten it.

It happens too fast, too fast for him to react with nothing but sheer and utter horror when his mind catches up to what's happening. His shoes go flying off when something in his gut and spine just twists and he goes down, like some giant is trying to squeeze him like a toothpaste tube. All he can do is yell and hope he's not, y'know, actively dying when something loud cracks and splits, and there are hooves kicking in the dirt below him. Something painful spears him in the head and he actually does feel like he's dying, for a second, because there's no way that chocolate didn't kill him--and then it all stops. He groans, patting his head because he's probably bleeding at this point, but his fingers knock into something else against his hair--his eyes widen as he follows the trail of the thing--things, there's two of 'em, and as far as he can tell they're...

...antlers. He tries to get up but he can't, legs split like a colt trying to get footing on ice when he realizes there are, in fact, hooves where his feet should be. Four of 'em, like he's riding on top of a horse--no, deer. Those are deer hooves.

...

...

...]

What...the hell!?

[He's been changed against his will before. A robot, a super strong muscle guy, and he'd been merged with a tree. So he wasn't entirely unfamiliar with this happening. But he's certainly never been some kind of...deer...person...before. At least that's what he can figure. Deer ears flick back and forth under his hair, nervously.

...

He still can't get up.]

B3. Caramel - Open to one taker only, option of normal Jake or deercentaur!Jake, good luck

[He really needs to get rid of these chocolates. But he downs another one and for once, something doesn't seem like it's happening. Maybe it's fine. Maybe this one is a dud. Maybe it's actually a normal chocolate, because why can't they have normal chocolate in this world, huh? Why is that such a problem!?

Jake throws a hand up when the next person he sees crosses his path.]

You'd think I'd learn. You'd think I'd learn a thing or two.

C. Wildcard - Open to more white chocolate, caramel, almond, raspberry, orange, strawberry, cherry (age 21+), coconut, coffee, hazelnut (age 21+), peacan, truffle, and vanilla! Plotting post is here if you wanna hash something out, otherwise go for it!

B.1.

[demonicbeauty]

[In the dead of winter, Ariadne's orchard only requires so much of her. More and more, she's exploring new corners of the city, observing little places where someone can easily disappear or hide. Not that she's expecting a siege or rampage. But after life in Deerington, one would be foolish not to consider every single possible future an actual possibility.

She's on her way through the Willful Machine, back to the orchard when she hears a voice she doesn't recognize and turns to spy an oddly-familiar Human male approaching her. Familiar? Not exactly. But there's something about the contours of his face...

Well, certainly not her. Someone else.

She turns to look over her shoulder. But there's no one there.

Back to the man, she gestures uncertainly to herself.]

Me, sir?

ahiru | princess tutu | warmblood

[danserai]

( i. mother's mercy — girl )

[ something is weighing on her chest.

it almost feels like it's hard to breath. every step feels weighed down as if she's struggling to walk, swaying from side to side. her vision feels blurry and all she can think of . . . is mytho. mytho, with his sad eyes. mytho, waiting for her to fix him. mytho, mytho. she loved him didn't she? shouldn't she be trying to do everything she can to go back home? is drosselmeyer right in that she's changed? changed too much. she holds the storybook the prince and the raven close to her chest.

she wanders the streets blankly, unmindful of any kind of danger that can be around the corner . . . ]

( ii. chocolatier — girl ) picks: white chocolate, caramel, almond, strawberry, coconut, orange.

[ ahiru surveys all the chocolate with wide eyes. she had never seen so many varieties. it is blowing her mind! there's so many kinds of foods and things people have. it feels every day is a new discovery. ]

So which ones are good? Which should I try?

( iii. closed to fakir — impending intimacy )

[ something is following her.

ahiru can feel them, like chills traveling down her spine. it was just like the time with the ghost knight. the heavy oppressive feeling . . . the fear, the paranoia. her steps pick up their pace but her gut instinct is telling her that if she didn't come up with an option, she wasn't going to last.

mind made up, she starts heading to fakir's residence. fakir would help her. fakir would know what to do. she — she needs fakir. ]

( v. wildcard )

[ got a different prompt you’d like to do? ping me on timmtams / pm this journal / hit up my plotting comment ]

i

[the_obedient_servant]

[Chara's been avoiding talking to Ahiru this month, mainly out of a genuine belief that the girl has a good chance of getting in their way and doing something stupid, so it's best to just not give her any cause for concern.

But now it seems that the princess is grappling with something of her own. Perhaps the Doorway's curse that forced their own dark secrets out of their throat has inflicted her as well.

There's a dark temptation, to prod it along, just to see what secrets she'd spill when she's before the altar of the mother.

But no. Within their soul is a smaller piece that knows that's a level of cruelty they personally find distasteful. So when Ahiru turns the corner and finds Chara directly in front of her, they offer a smile that is not at all comforting.]

Penny for your thoughts?

Lucille Sharpe | Crimson Peak

[blackmothwings]

A. Chocolatier

[She knows she shouldn't trust the strange creature asking for blood in exchange for potentially false promises. Alas, the temptation is too strong, and she (foolishly?) does as requested.]

1. Peanutbutter

[Lucille doesn't usually like sweet treats, but she eats the chocolate without much of a thought. It isn't long before the powdery, delicate wings begin sprouting from her back -- a dusty, charcoal color similar to the moths from her homeworld. The fuzzy moth antennae soon follow, sprouting from the top of her skull. It is all, thankfully, relatively painless, and Lucille looks at herself in her mirror with a great deal of curiosity. She has gained animal features before, and they are the same every time.

She has always adored moths has always been fascinated by them. So it seems fitting that she should be cursed with moth-like features.

During the evening, one might see a winged creature moving through the streets of Trench, features obscured by shadow. It may look a little unsettling to see the figure lurking in the street, wings fluttering slowly. Especially since she says nothing as she approaches and floats about an inch from the ground. But don't worry, she means no harm. Simply call out, and she shall answer.

Alternatively, one might find her standing in front of a gaslamp, staring up at the light as though she's entranced by it. She... most likely is entranced by it and will probably need help snapping out of her stupor.]

2. Strawberry

[There's a golden light surrounding Lucille, and the cheerful scent of citrus follows her wherever she goes. She doesn't notice, too busy looking at the books on sale at one of Willful Machine's many stalls. She's holding a heavy-looking tome in both hands, its pages yellow with age, and its worn cover indicating that it's been used many times. She keeps reading through the book, seeming perfectly content in this moment.]

Surely it wouldn't hurt to buy one more book...

3. White Chocolate

[The effects are almost immediate. It's strange how drawn she is to the pale, sweet treat considering she normally loathes sweetness and prefers the bitterness of dark chocolate. However, for some reason, she feels like she simply has to try the white chocolate. Perhaps it's the presentation of the chocolate that draws her to it, the little rose carved into the top. A lot of effort has been put into crafting it, and she appreciates that.

She looks up, grimacing at the overly sweet aftertaste, and sees someone who suddenly seems interesting to her. How strange. She'd barely noticed them a second ago. With a smile, she moves forward, velvet gown sweeping against the cold cobblestone ground. She looks... almost friendly, though she can never shake the imposing, stern aura that so often follows her.]

It's a splendid day, is it not?

B. Bonds

[She's heard of the ceremony, had researched it with fascination after hearing whispers about it on the wind. Lucille, who is always so closed-off to others, won't perform the bonding pact with just anyone. That person has to be particularly dear to her, has to be someone who has successfully broken through the ice encasing her heart. Few have managed to do that, but if you're one of them, then she may invite you to her home. She sends a message explaining what she'd like to do, and she won't be offended if they say no. Of course not. But if you do accept, you'll find her sitting by the front door. Roses, a dusty pouch, and a silver cup sit beside her. She has... almost everything she needs.

She's ready if you are.

Please excuse the moth wings and antennae.]

C. Wildcard

[Feel free to tag me with another scenario, if there's something else you'd like to do with Lucille!! I'm open to most of the other chocolate options but would like to avoid dark/milk chocolate. Vanilla and Truffle are okay, but only with some prior discussion! If you're not sure, please feel free to pm me.]

1. Peanutbutter cw: mild body horror

[bookbrawler]

[On first approach, that...looks an awful lot like a moth-person entranced by a gas lamp.

Jake pauses and stares, it's not the weirdest sight he's seen since he's gotten here, nor is it any weirder than the stuff he deals with back home, but still. Then again, he too has eaten a peanut butter chocolate and right now, he is a deer-centaur, complete with antlers, deer ears, and fur on the back of his hands and arms, up to his neck. He's wearing a perfectly ordinary plaid shirt however, which somehow fits with the sort of North-American cryptid aesthetic.]

Uh. Hey.

[He's genuinely not sure if said moth person is another Sleeper, or simply an ordinary citizen of Trench, but it also looks like they might be mesmerized by that light.]

You okay?

Cassandra | Tangled: The Series | OTA

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[A: Home is where your pain is buried | Original | Closed to the members of Varian's Disaster House]
[So. She's here.

Fresh (give or take a day) pie in her hands. It's apple, and a little misshapen, but them's the breaks when you're not a master baker like certain thugs and outlaws. There reached a point where she simply had to accept her handiwork and hope that it might help ease the way into the topic of conversation she had desperately tried to avoid these past few months.

Was this okay? Maybe she should just leave, yes, that's it. She should move to the woods and never come back - wait, no, why is she stepping up to the door.

Knocking on a door seems like such a minor feat, but, in the moment, it felt downright herculean. Her feet trudge up the front steps like they're made of lead, her arms heavy. She fears for a second that the pie will tumble from her hands. It's even worse when she has to shift it into one hand to actually knock.

She's got this. It's like... back in Corona, when she crashed Eugene's birthday party: this isn't about the power. It's about showing confidence and remembering to breathe.

And so, Cassandra knocks. First time is quiet, but the rest are strong and practiced.

(For the sake of not having a million meetings at the door, feel free to run into Cassandra once she's already inside, looking around the place).]

[B: Sweet Tooth, Sweetheart | Chocolatier | OTA]
[By all accounts, Cassandra should have listened to the well-taught instincts burning in her stomach, telling her to get away from this perceived threat. Or, at least, to reach for her sword in the event this meeting turned to the worst. A simple wave of her blade, or a swipe of her hand, and a fight would be over in moments.

Instead, she found herself yielding to pthumerian willpower and the mouth-watering scent of chocolate wafting in the air. Before she's fully aware of it, Cassandra's already willed the armor on one hand to peel back, revealing the skin underneath - just enough of it to draw blood from. Enough blood for more than her fair share of chocolates...]

[B-1:]
[Always a fan of bitter flavors, it's no brainer that Cassandra would pop in one of those almond chocolates and give it a taste.

And... it's good. Pretty good! Good enough that a few seconds pass before-]

All of my life I have been waiting for a chance
So much of wasted time has slipped between my hands-

[She starts to sing. Yes. She's singing. It's a whole number if you're inclined to listen.]

[B-2:]
[Alright. That... happened. We're moving past it, as we can only do. But the bitter taste is still present in her mouth, she's got to wash it out. Maybe with something sweet?

She lets herself bite down on a different chocolate and... Ooh. Cherry. Not her favorite, but that's okay. It's fine. Actually, everything's fine! Better than that, it's great!]

Hey, buddy! Great day we're having, huh? [Yes, the blue-haired woman with a sword and rocky armor is acknowledging you. Look at her, she's even smiling.] You know what's so great about it?

[B-3: | Open to adults, female and female-presenting]
[She shouldn't. She really, really shouldn't. Just. Let her tear her mind away from the horrid idea and get back on to doing literally anything else with her day than constantly pondering the small handful of chocolates she had and whether or not she should be eating them - including the one she's eating right now.

...Mm, dark chocolate. Not bad, actually.

But not a couple minutes later, Cassandra's locked eyes on a woman across the street and... oh, wow. Even with the intoxication effects of the pthumerian on her mind, some semblance of common sense inside of her is telling her right now that this is not normal.

And she loves women as much as the next homosexual, but this was a whole entirely different reaction. Her heart jumped, her chest burned, and even if she was mistaken, she felt as though she was at serious risk of accidentally falling over. If matters weren't even worse, her armor, black and blue as the dusk, was quickly turning to a particularly fascinating shade of... purple?]

I-I, uhhh...

[Also, she's babbling. A little. It's not a great look.]

[C: Wildcard]
[Have something in mind that you can't fit into one of these prompts? Put it here! Feel free to plot something out with me at lightdrizzel]

A

[prodigalhairess]

[Rapunzel was trying to remain cool about all of this. Cass had agreed to come - this was great! She hadn't wanted to get Cass to commit to any solid date, so that her once-friend didn't feel pressured by any sort of obligation. This was all about making sure that Cass could do this on her own terms. It did mean, however, that Rapunzel was often left pacing around the house, jumping at the sound of anyone passing by or knocking at the door. Like an anxious golden retriever waiting for the mail.

So when Cass knocks today, there's only a few short seconds before the door nearly flies open; Rapunzel almost seems to swell with joy when she sees it's finally her, and for a brief moment it looks like she's going to rush in for a hug. She takes a step forward, but stops herself - Cass has to feel comfortable with this, don't let it be too much at once - and retreats a step, hands fisting hard into her skirt to stop them from reaching out.]

Hey, Cass!

[Again. Cass. The excitement is clear in her eyes and bright smile, and she's quick to step aside and motion for her to come in.]

I... I'm really glad you came.