My blind optimism to blame

[reddosmod]

APRIL 2022 EVENT

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: A large green butterfly.]
[Image Two: A woman staring in a daze at light orbs floating around her face.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: A volcano with meteors falling down around it.]
[Image Two: A ball of quivering light hovering in the dark with woman standing in front.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: A woman staring at a mirror-like humanoid being staring back at her.]
[Image Two: A woman in a field of grass with humanoid-shaped flower sculptures nearby.]

[NAVIGATION]

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

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

MIGRATION OF MOONLIT BUTTERFLIES

WHEN: April
WHERE: Everywhere outside
CONTENT WARNINGS: Hopelessness/corruption, heavy themes of mental trauma/health, killing of gentle creatures.

---

Excerpt from BEASTS OF DEER COUNTRY Chapter 12: Migrations:

"One of the most beautiful natural phenomena of Deer Country is the migration of the mysterious Moonlit Butterflies. These giant creatures are most often the size of a house, with exceptional wingspans. Fear not: they are not violent creatures. Most will fly well above the city of Trench, leaving trails of glittering orbs of light that fall all throughout the city. However, it is common for some Moonlit Butterflies to land and rest throughout Trench. Despite their massive size, these creatures appear to weigh very little, able to rest harmlessly on homes, lampposts, and the like. Don't be surprised to find some scattered throughout your neighborhood.

They have a gentle aura about them and are most famous for their behemoth wings which glow a radiant green. They are aptly named due to their ability to store immense power from the moon during April and are seen as distant children of Argonaut. Being near them will enchant the air with the scent of amber and fresh linen, and you may hear a soothing song emit from these beasts.

Despite their rare and incredible beauty, it is wise to not linger in their presence no matter how captivating they are...And they are captivating. Many residents of Trench have been known to stop and stare, enthralled by the wings or the orbs of light that are shed by the butterflies. Those who have been staring for too long will have an unnatural glowing green glaze over their eyes, obscuring their pupil and gaze. This is known as the Moonlit Drain.

These butterflies do not gather all of their energy from moonlight...but they gather it from hopeful beings as well. It is why they gather among populations of sentient beings. They soak up all hope in the area and the longer you stand in their presence, the more hopeless you may become. Standing in the presence of a Moonlit Butterfly has driven people to rapid, severe corruption in under ten minutes. It is best to avoid these butterflies no matter how mesmerizing they may be to look at.

The little orbs of light are actual manifestation of everyone's hope. Touching them may restore hope and they can be gathered into jars for future treatments of corruption. They do not "go bad" as they are the essence of emotion. One way to restore hope to a corrupt or beast-ridden soul is to slay one of the Moonlit Butterflies. They are incredibly easy to kill as they are naturally delicate and non-hostile.

Be warned: the one who slays a Moonlit Butterfly will be consumed with instantaneous corruption and possibly even beasthood. But once the butterfly has been slain, anyone in the surrounding area besides the killer will have corruption alleviated. Killing a Moonlit Butterfly has been known to fill people with incredible grief and guilt. Few have survived."

WONDERKIND

WHEN: April
WHERE: Everywhere outside
CONTENT WARNINGS: Possible spoilers per canon, time/vortex style presence, variety of possible monsters.

---

Excerpt from an essay titled "The Wonderkind Pthumerian" from the book The Curious Nature of the Weakest Pthumerian: Argonaut and Misconceptions:

"Most of the other Patron Pthumerians are known for exceptional strength and durability during trying times. It is only Argonaut in which people think of weakness. They believe the Patron to be a fickle, tiny thing with little worth, but there is a unique and powerful quality to Argonaut that should not be overlooked.

This is the phenomenon known as Wonderkind. It has only been known to happen once every few years and only ever during April, but those who have seen it would testify to the hidden strengths of our explorer Patron. There is much to be said about curiosity and resilience, after all. Argonaut has wandered through the lives of many without most ever realizing it. He has likely seen into your own life, curious about the odd Sleepers that show up on the shores of this world.

Wonderkind appears as a meteor shower, but these are no meteors. Balls of flaming light will fall from the sky, silent, beautiful, striking, and somewhat ominous and terrifying. They rain upon Trench in intervals throughout April. They do not crash into the city so much as glide throughout. These balls of light are shimmering orbs that have split open time and space itself into unraveling cocoons, exposing portals into worlds foreign to this one.

These portals cannot be entered for they are not portals out of this world...But portals into this world. Sleepers have claimed to find beloved items and pull them out of these portals. Some may find old pets that come out to greet them. It can be a lucky and cherished event for many. Tragically, these portals do not seem to be able to bring in sentient beings applicable characters, but you may be able to talk briefly to a loved one who isn't yet in this world.

But that's not all that can crawl through these portals...Monsters from other worlds have been known to flock to these portals and make their way through. Monsters from your worlds or other worlds slip in to wreak havoc on the streets of Trench. It is during this time that it is of the utmost importance that our Hunters take up arms and protect the vulnerable. If you recognize the monsters or disasters from your world entering ours, then please, make sure to caution those against it.

The portals close after a few hours and cannot be manually closed by anyone. Nothing can be sent into portals, but one can stand by a portal and guard it for potential dangers. Portals from your world may reappear several times throughout the month, so don't let your guard down for even a moment, and always expect the worst even when hoping for the best."

Quick Facts:

1. Respect the setting. Do not bring in monsters that would be capable of destroying the world/city/etc.

2. Things like unique plants/items can be gained through these portals.

3. You do not need to engage with portals from your own canon. You can invent new worlds, engage with other canons, or alternate universes. It's up to you.

FROM WITHIN AND WITHOUT

WHEN: April
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Instant beasthood, corruption of soul, draining of soul, replication of soul, mistreatment of sex workers/night walkers.

---

An excerpt from a journal kept by a Night Walker named Charlotte Finch. Finch was known for being one of the first established Night Walkers and was known for her advocacy on the front of Night Walker work and its relationship to beasthood. This journal is kept in the Archives. It contains content pertinent to Beasthood yet, unfortunately, due to ongoing biases against Night Walkers, this journal is kept in the autobiography section rather than the section for beasthood. Good luck finding it.

"the job of the Night Walker is, of course, undervalued by this world. we do our best to soothe the troubled souls of this place and yet they continue to doubt our worth. what must we do to convince them? must we wield blades to show them how we fight? must we shed blood to prove our dedication? must we pick up books to show our intelligence? nei, we not do that. we sleep beside our worn hunters and rest heads upon the chests of scholars and hold the tired hands of architects. we guide the way to light in a way disciples could never.

all us are valuable, it be true, but why must the night walker be left to the wayside? why must our duties be written off? why must it be that it always a night walkers blood in the streets that leaves no tears to be shed? nei, nei, it is hatred of those who understand the soul and body have a close connection.

you know what i believe? these souls of ours change the landscape of our bodies. you cannot have one without the other. when the soul is corrupt, it only be natural that the body corrupts, turning rigid and hideous and monsterous and beastly. aye yes i have seen it myself, though none of the others believe except for other night walkers.

you see, there is a shape that comes to us in the Long Night of april, a shape much like our own. looking like a person ought to look but with no face and no features, like a mirror glimmering in the shape of you. they look like us, and they will mimic us. these odd mirror beings is the shape of our soul, you see, and once it finds you, it will copy you, and you will be driven mad! mad! how does this thing move as you move? how does it replicate what you replicate?

aye, it is your soul, my friend. your soul in a shape you can see. or something like it, may not soul be in your lexicon. it is you, as you are it. it is the Tether between you and beasthood, see what i say. the Tether will begin to soak into you if you let it, if you let it consume you, and it will consume you rapidly. people have been known to be ravaged by the Tether and turn into beasts within seconds, AYE yes, seconds, not minutes, into a vicious beast. the Tether wins.

But you need not let it be a victor, my friend. you see, we proved it, we did, us night walkers, we proved to lay with the Tether is to soothe the Tether. Allow yourself the kindness of another soul, another companion. touch and feel and express companionship. holding the hand of your lover or your friend or your brother or sister will cause the Tethers to weaken before ye very eyes! i do swear it, my friend, i should not lie on a subject i hold so dear.

you see, when we hold one another dear, when we cherish one anothr truly and wholly, we abate the darkness in our souls. listen to your companions, my sweet friends, and let your souls heal, and you can stop the Tether from consuming. you see, you see. surely you see. this is what it looks like. the Tether is always with us, but only in April under this moon can we see it always and will it be vicious and invasive. do not allow it.

do not allow it."

Quick Facts:

1. Tethers will take the exact body shape/size of you and mimic your moves. They may follow you around for several hours/days. Once they decide to "consume" you, it will be quick. It will essentially look like your body is turning metallic and then you become a beast.

While Charlotte states it happens in a matter of seconds, this can happen in several hours/days as well. Depends on the character and their general resolve.

2. People can be pulled back from this through emotional support whether verbally or physically and general acts of kindness. It's the sincerity that matters here. You do not need to be familiar with the person to help them.

3. Everyone can see each other's Tethers so you can determine how severe someone's Tether has become. The more severe the Tether, the more silvery the impacted person will look.

4. Tethers cannot be destroyed with weaponry/attacks. Trying will only hurt the person they are mimicking. You could actually kill someone by trying to "kill" their Tether. The tether will vanish with those who died but reappear once they have reincarnated.

CODING

Comments

manabu yuuki, coldblood, ota

[siriusly]

Butterflies.

o1.
"What the-?!"

The first time Manabu sees one of those gargantuan insectoids on the outside of the house in Crenshaw, he cannot help but expect a fresh kind of hell is at work. So, dear bystander, housemate, or passer-by...

Behold: a man whipping out a laser saber and pointing it up at the completely oblivious creature, ready to zap it.

What do.

---

o2.
One way or another, he winds up learning about the butterfly thing. Eventually. Now it's his turn to help.

"Hey..."

He'll put a hand on the shoulder of someone seemingly caught up in staring too long, give it a little squeeze and shake if there's no reaction.

"Hey, snap out of it. Can you hear me?"

Wonderkind.

o1.
Falling stars...?

No... Those aren't stars...

Manabu's hopes shift to uneasy dread when he sees them fall, certainly ignorant to their meanings. Seeing that none of them, y'know, set buildings ablaze and instead seem to just glimmer and glide around like errant fireflies helps a little, but given the way those monstrous insects have people acting up, he's...not completely consoled. And when the few closest in view blossom here in Willful Machine?

"Whoa..."

He'll draw near to one - one showing a view of an unfamiliar world, unfamiliar people...perhaps familiar to someone nearby! Maybe even unsavory sorts? Who knows? He's gonna find out here in a second.

"Is this...real...?"

---

o2.
YEP THEY'RE REAL. And they're not all that great, he's coming to find! So his next times out into the city, he's giving these little portholes into other places a wary, wide berth before he draws near some to investigate, hand hovering near the pistol on his hip.

This time, though?

"...Wait."

Is that...?

He may be found stuck in place before one, eyes wide and mouth hanging open in surprise at what's before him!

Wanna see what it is? It's probably some cool junk like space or something.

[note: I won't be doing Manabu-specific Tethered prompts, but I'm 100pct down with helping others with theirs - just drop me a link to your tl or start one here!]

01

[droptheious]

Varian's only been going outside when he needs supplies- making the whole journey done as quickly as possible. He doesn't trust any of this. He does slow at seeing a friend here, though, moving a little closer to Manabu.

"Buddy, I don't think it's a good idea to get too close to-"

The a weird little jangling sound and then a sweet little creature tumbles out of the orb. It sits there, wall-eyed and rattling the bell. It's a hollow, tinny sound that can definitely get annoying after longer than five minutes. Varian looks at the creature for a minute- he was a little too busy having his whole mental breakdown when Rapunzel dealt with one of these but he sure remembers the stories.

"...Whyyyyyy is there an Uumlaut here?"

Luz| Paleblood | OTA

[imaglyphwitch]

Butterflies even Owl City would avoid

Luz had been so used to ugly and strange, watching something truly beautiful, akin to shooting stars, was enough to keep her entranced. She'd been walking with Owlbert and Tempest in the forest to give the two a chance to stretch their legs when she was the huge, glowing butterflies descending upon Cassandra. It was enough to keep her attention, much to both Owlbert and Tempest's unease. The big Timberwolf and Palisman both did their best to pull Luz out of the underbrush to move on, but to no avail. She was transfixed.

Worst was that she appeared motionless, the light in her eyes starting to wane.

"Pretty," she murmured. "Think we'll ever see anything this beautiful again? Would this place even allow it?


Wonderkind, or Let the Wrong One In

Several nights later, when Luz started to see something like meteors, immediately her guard was up. Oh no, they were NOT going to do all of that again, thank you.

"Owlbert! We're not even going to look at that thing. Nope! You're gonna turn into a staff, we're going to blow out of here, top speed, go home, have a nice pot of tea and have a good laugh at how we managed to avoid some strange new phenomenon, ok?"

She'd seen enough scary movies. Owlbert turned into his motionless staff form, but just as Luz was about to mount the staff, she heard something akin to a dark hiss, and voice very VERY close to her ear.

"Luz Noceda. No good to collect."

She would have loved ignore it, she really would, but this time the thing blew past HER, and now she had to sneak a glance and oh boy. She knew what this was.

She'd seen the tail and recognized the slinking speed from her first day at Hexside. It was a basilisk, gray blue instead of that sort of greenish yellow color, but how? They were thought to be extinct! Willow had said that.

OH NO. THEY FED ON MAGIC.

"Owlbert! Change of plans! We're going to have to head that creature off!"

It looked much stronger than the last basilisk too, so. Uh oh. Even more danger.

Circles on Circles on Circles

[Wild card one].

There was a lot on Luz's plate. The notes about that poor guy who was captured. The school Ozpin was running that Luz was trying to join, and the martial arts competition she was bound to lose. The Fathiers. Everyone in the house doing their own thing, or recovering from losing Cassandra (the person, not the city they lived in). It was all a lot, and Luz barely had time to do the thing that she'd been trying to improve on. She kept saying she'd follow up with it with Saeri.

And now she was gone, as were several other people Luz met. So. No time like the present.

It was night, no big surprise, but she'd already cast several light balls around, with Tempest watching with rapt attention. She'd managed to sequester herself in a dark part of the forest, and had several different books open, alongside several notebooks Luz had. There were a lot of scribbles with several different symbols and explanations and glyphs in the making, most of which Luz had discarded.

She knew by now that her glyphs, as Saeri had once told her, needed to be given purpose. For that to happen, she'd come to understand, she needed to figure out their combinations first.

If you come upon Luz now, she'll be deep in one of three spells.

*Teleportation- Not working out as well as she hoped. In fact, you might see the girl furiously scribbling on the floor, only to blip away...a few paces.

"Shucks," she said to no one in particular. "I have the disappearing part down, but the range is where I keep tripping up! How the heck can you dictate travel though glyphs?"

*Disappearing- This is one Luz has actually started to perfect! You'll come upon her books and even her omen Tempest but won't see anyone there at first. Then you'll hear a loud exhale, and Luz is right behind you, heaving a bit.

"I...I did it! Just about anyway! I think I stayed invisible for at least three minutes! Just have to figure out how to do it without needing to hold my breath!"

*Shield- This seems to be giving her the worst trouble.

While the other two spells at least seemed to be in the process of being figured out, Luz kept attempting a shield spell that would immediately pop, which would have Luz muttering some pretty murderous sounding things in Spanish.

"I did it with Lysithea before, why won't this stay?! What's blocking me?"

Might have something to do with mentioning the name of her boss, who was still not around and this causing Luz apprehension she hadn't expected. Losing Saeri had been bad enough, but Lysithea she knew since Deerington. What would she do if SHE were gone??

Butterflies

[fogsong]

Sharon spotted Luz on her trek home, a bag slung over her shoulder. She could tell immediately that something was wrong with the way the two animals seemed desperate to get the younger girl to move but it was only when Sharon spotted the butterfly did it hit her: she was transfixed.

She had seen it a few times by now, Trenchies staring up at the butterflies, eyes glazed over in a green sheen. It was as if they were mesmerized or asleep on their feet and she could see that same effect taking hold of Luz.

Shit. Sharon didn't waste any time, jogging up to the girl, waving one hand in front of her face, "Luz? Hey, can you hear me?"

blue, paleblood, ota

[firstroar]

Butterflies.
cws: blood/needle reference, body horror

Blue can't help it, both returning to the empty cottage and filling his vision with the sight of the massive, luminous creature's form. It's taken residence atop the freshly-completed extension of the house - the one which was to serve as his new room...back before the family dissolved.

How peculiar to feel any hope at all...let alone feel it leave him. Siphoned like blood from a vein, it leaves behind...little else but more room for what's already been building up within him.

It's happening again. He can feel it. His skin starts to harden, and each gentle shift or shudder brings about hairline cracks and flaking of that skin. Corruption courses in that familiar way, prompting him to hug his arms to himself as he's seized by the feeling.

He knew this would happen. This is why...he shouldn't be here, right?

Please...not...again...

Tethered.

Don't. Don't touch it.

Blue's thoughts are strident, hoping to pull focus from the unnerving figure forming before the person, stranger otherwise.

Don't let it touch you.

Because there'd be no way for Blue to help them at that rate. But at least in this moment...?

[note: i'm not doing a tl for Wonderkind for Blue specifically, but am happy to jump into any of yours if you wanna throw me a link or tl here!]

Butterflies

[searingwing]

[There is a thundering sound of a horse’s hooves. A black horse and cloaked rider bear down on where Blue is standing. The hood flies back and it’s Diluc.

He leans out over the saddle. If Blue allows it he sweeps him up onto his steed and bears him away from the desolation caused by the butterfly.

Either way on closer inspection there is a horn on his horse’s head and the horse as zero fear of the situation. It could even be said to be bearing teeth in defiance.]

Klee | Coldblood | OTA

[sparkknight]

1. They Fly in the moonlight

[It took a while to get used to the eternal night, but it didn't bother Klee too much. Today she wandered around to see any new sights before she spotted the butterflies. Well, she spotted the glowing orbs first and stuff two orbs into her pocket before her eyes landed on the butterflies. They so much bigger than any crystalfly at home. Klee stares in wonder at the humongous butterflies as more orbs rainee down. She's utterly enraptured by the glowing insects and simply stares at them in awe. ]

Ooh, crystalflies.

[She murmurs as she keeps staring. Klee knows she should move but they're so pretty. The little girl stands there simply staring and doesn't move as everything slowly turns green. She can't look away. ]



2. Far and close from home

A. [The scene in the portal is an enclosed room with high walls, glowing torches and beautifully decorated walls. Occasionally, the room flickers to one cold as ice then hot as fire before flicker back the the empty room. Though the environment changes, the only thing that remains the same is an enormous white tree in the background surrounded by a glowing floor. Its branches are completely bare as it sits at the back of the chamber.

Scattered around the foot of the portal are various items. First, there are many different types of odd artifacts strewn aboutwhich include  decorated hourglasses, ornately decorated cups, ornately decorated circlets, ornate decorated feathers and decorate flower. Not to far lies something the looks like an odd fashioned camera and finally several stacks of books. If you look at the title of the book, it says Teyvat Guide. ]

B. [The swirling portal bounces between a child's room filled with drawing and schematics, a barrack full of armoured soldiers all laughing and chatter around a dinner table and finally a wide open field with a beautiful green landscape with large mountain with a city surrounded by castle walls with large windmills. It's beautiful and picturesque.  It's soon settles to the lush field

Klee many feet away is sorting out a small pile of various plants and berries. She singing some sort of odd song while sorting through her pile and unafraid of the portal.

The dark figures appear in the portal before shudders. It ripples before a monster emerges from the portal and make an odd sound. ]

[Occ: You can pick the following monster from least dangerous to sort of dangerous: slimes of any element, Abyss Mages of any element, or a Ruin Hunter.]

3. Those that wander along lost

[Klee doesn't mind the dark. She's almost a big kid being scared of the dark is a little kid thing. Staying indoors had made her antsy since it didn't feel right to explore in the dark. Still, after nearly a week and a half, Klee couldn't stay indoors anymore. She got some treats for herself and maybe her housemates. No chocolates since she remembers all the things that happened when gave them out. She knew the store was an easy walk and wouldn't take much.

But the dark changed everything. Klee nothing seemed familiar as she wandered. The familiar trees all looked different in the moonlight and the path was much more difficult to find. Clutching the straps of her backpack, the treats safely inside, Klee continues on slowly. Nothing seems familiar. She could call for help on her Omni, but she doesn't know where she's at.  ]

Klee is a brave girl. This is the way home. Klee is a brave girl. This the way home.

[She chants outloud while looking utterly lost. ]

4. Wildcard

[If you don't like any of the prompts feel free to make one up. Or if you want a specific starter hit me up at my plotting post or PM me ]

3

[imaglyphwitch]

Well guess who has plenty of light? That would be this girl, on her staff, who pretty much has no choice but to be surrounded by her light spells since there's no actual sun light. She was actually planning on going home soon until she hears some small murmurs down below. Intrigued, she lowers herself down, and Owlbert shakes himself awake and perches on Luz's shoulder. Luz, meanwhile, is squinting to see who she'd spotted].

K-Klee? What are you doing, wandering around by yourself?

Allen Walker | paleblood

[likethelight]

[ Prompts for monstrous angel-beast things and saving monsters and souls over here!

Mostly doing private prompts for people but have a couple open. Hit me up if you want to do something or just wildcard something my way! ]

viktor | paleblood | ota

[mehanizovati]

1. butterflies, open

[a curious mind means viktor's first instinct when these butterflies show up is not to check the network immediately or err on the side of caution, but to go to the door of his lab and observe from what he assumes is a safe distance. in all fairness that seems a perfectly safe thing to do, complete with the intent to vanish back into his lab at the first sign of trouble.

unfortunately trouble is not a snarling thing ready to pounce but the sight of the butterflies themselves.

he finds himself drawn out to get a better look, an odd heaviness in his chest that brushes away any concerns about being out in the dark. did it really matter? increasingly he wonders how much any of it matters, thoughts he largely keeps at bay but now seem to be sliding easily through his defenses to settle like parasites.

so a dazed scientist can be found leaning on his crutch and staring at the butterflies, likely in the Willful Machine but possibly he wandered. There's that green haze to his eyes, a clear sign something is wrong and he could really use someone dragging him away before the corruption starts to settle in.]


[alternatively he will be out collecting those orbs, so anyone doing the same might hear some fantasy-arcane version of czech cursing when one flies up too high to grab with his bottle.]


wonderkind, open

[viktor is trying not to get swept too much into the fascination of glimpses of new worlds. can anyone blame him? have you seen some of the technology star wars or trek ships have? either way he's well aware he's not a fighter and could easily be overrun by monsters if he lets his curiosity get the best of him. one day he really does need to build a proper laser.

what he wasn't expecting was the monsters to come to him, in the form of an alleyway full of slime. yes, slime, those low level blob monsters that tend to split into smaller and smaller pieces until they finally just go away. the kinds that really don't do much damage at all as long as they're small, and these are pretty tiny. the biggest are the size of his head, and they don't really hurt so much as sting a little if they hit bare skin. and the sound. awful.

unfortunately this alley happens to be the one right outside viktor's makeshift lab, so anyone coming by can here a very irritated czech accent going,] Bah! Shoo! Get out of here, I cannot work with all this racket!

[seriously the slapping sound is just the worst. he tries in vain to push them away with his foot and and of his crutch but they just aren't cooperating.

also maybe be careful, because like most generic slime monsters they could end up fusing bigger again and then they're an actual problem.]

tether, open

[at some point in time viktor can be found sitting at the docks of Willful Machine, watching the boats as they drift by. normal, except across from him is a mirror image of himself aside from, you know, small details. a face, for one.

he regards it with a heavy frown, lifts his hand to see it lift the same. lowers that hand, the hand lowers. he doesn't seem particularly impacted yet, and anyone who approaches will be greeted with,] Eerie, isn't it? I've never cared much for symbology and omens of the dire variety.


wildcard

[ooc; i'd be happy to do something else too, my plotting comment for the event is there. please let me know if i missed someone i said i'd do something with! i'm putting closed prompts in my catch all]

1

[swellter]

[ Coincidentally, Todoroki is out and about at the same time diligently collecting those orbs. This is his third harvest of the night. His stash of glass orbs piled on a bed of ice currently waiting for him just off the street. When he hears a familiar voice nearby, he wanders over just in time to see him miss the orb of light as it floats up into the air. ]

You're collecting them too.

Kokichi Oma | Darkblood

[violetlies]

[Series of opens over here!

osomatsuniisan to set up anything private~]

L Lawliet | Death Note | OTA

[hearthebell]

I. Moonlit Butterflies (Gaze)

[Reliably, L is a pragmatic man without much use for hope. It's a thing that feels deceptively nice, like the bloom of warmth and comfort that sets in right before one begins to freeze to death in earnest. It's a pernicious influence, in other words, better kept at arm's length.

Trench has a way of melting into one's core, though. Human contact, relationships and gentle kindness have warmed him through, bit by bit, and with those he would call friends, one he would call nemesis, and even one he might call a crush, in spite of the darkness L has perhaps more legitimate hope than he ever has before.

The result is that he guards it jealously. When you happen upon him in Gaze, he is filling a third container with orbs. He's no killer, but his fevered greed has resulted in a dearth of them in this area.

Maybe you're in dire need of hope, yourself.]

II. Wonderkind (NETWORK in Crenshaw, CW: Monster attack, tongue eggs, amputation by hand-melting]

[L is crouched in his latest deserted hovel, scouted for a week prior before he moved in for a mere two days. He has one day left before he'll move to his next location; it's important to him that foes and friends alike never have an easy time finding him, that his exact residence is never easily or readily known, because then it can be shared, sold, purchased, exploited.

As a result of his approach, he has to travel light. His sleeper backpack contains all his worldly goods, a compact bedroll in the form of a single tatty blanket, and a set of clothes in addition to the ones on his back to allow for occasional laundry. His lamp friend remains, as he's never set it down in a place he can call home permanently. Bits of food, bloodstones, and a carefully-wrapped journal also reside in the bag, and tonight, this final item is what he stoops over to study, careful to only handle it with a glove on his right hand, and only then turning the pages with his fingertips.

He's read it twice, now, a piece of necromantic literature purloined from The Emperor's study, but he is going over it again for missing pieces, anything he perhaps failed to memorize perfectly.

A ball of glowing light glides through the open window. The shift in shadows immediately catches L's attention, but the ball seems to blot and burn a hole into the fabric of the world right before his eyes. It isn't his world he's staring into; it's one that's both very similar and very strange. A battle on a subway platform between a tall muscular man with red skin and sawed-off horns, and a sickening and gruesome monster is occurring...

...and then, the monster is in L's secluded room, all slobber and disconcerted rage. He bolts to his feet, but not before it has lashed out its tongue, wrapping its slimy length around his ungloved left hand. There's a piercing sensation near the delicate bones there, something between sucking and penetration, and when the thing lurches away to propel itself out the window, L's left staring at the slicing wound in his left palm, and the half-dozen gelatinous orbs nestled secure inside.

He steadies his breathing, dissociates to the best of his ability. Using the hook of his right index finger, he tries to pry the eggs loose, but they're snug inside, practically glued. He swallows, starting to shake in spite of his best efforts to remain calm, when his eyes fall on that warded book. He thinks of the promised effect of touching it, the care he's taken so far to avoid doing just that.

Surely just one corner, strategically applied, might yield the result he needs. Hating that he doesn't know the timeline he's working within, or whether seeking medical attention instead would be prudent or folly, he lifts the book in his gloved right hand, turning it so that he can ever-so-carefully apply a little bit of prodding pressure to the embedded eggs in his palm with the tiniest possible portion of its cover.

It works immediately; it works too well. L sets the book hastily aside as the eggs disintegrate, and, with them, his entire left hand, down to sinew, down to bone, and then the bones, too, are puddled and fizzing at his feet.

He steps back, watching the blood that drips from the stump of his wrist drip and pool and follow him. Wherever he goes, there it is, and he is calm but it is a weaker insistence now as his vision starts to blotch around the edges.

His blanket is his compress until it's soaked through and summarily tossed aside. Then his spare clothes; by this point he's had the presence of mind to tear a sleeve off his bloodied shirt and use his fork to create a makeshift tourniquet.

He manages to type a message with fingers jittery from adrenaline, clumsy from blood loss.]

UN: ENPAWNSANT

ATTN sleepwrs in crenahw

rhter is a movstert that has emedged grom a oportAL

watch the tobgue

effectiva devense measures not nknow at tis time

III. From Within and Without (Cellar Door)

[A little later in the month, L is whole and mended once again, but his troubles in April aren't yet done. He knows because he's begun to notice his shadow, perhaps for the very first time.

At first he thinks he's cracking up, maybe in the sort of way that isn't all bad. It's like having a friend, after all, someone who follows him and does what he does and doesn't shun or judge. He even laughs at it sometimes, the absurdity of it all. Gradually, his milky skin starts to take on a silver hue, which is not as alarming as it might be for one who isn't as pale and paleblood as L.

It feels very natural, even. He always knew he'd be devoured. Now that it's happening, how can he truly fault the creature that's bested him?]

Hey...

[The edges of the strange man's eyes and veins seem to be molten silver.]

I wonder if you can give something to a friend of mine. He'll want to have it, and I don't think I'll be able to do it myself. I'll pay you in bloodstones, or... actually, you can just take everything I have, OK?

IV. WILDCARD

[Don't see it? Want it? Have at it! Wedge some slice of life in between these events, offer to get the book back to Jod's study for a price, or anything else your heart desires. I'm easy.]

i.

[encyclonepedia]

Locked.

[The word is spoken with a sort of absent annoyance, as if he's too distracted to let the concept bother him as much as it normally would. Much of the natural knowledge of this place is lost to him. Having to write the books himself is a pain. They will sometimes appear on the shelves of his mental library, but far too many of them require keys that he wouldn't even know where to start or whether it was even worth his time.]

With the keywords "glowing butterflies" I've found Princeps nireus, but a bit of florescence on the wings doesn't compare to this.

[Cross referencing with anything involving floating lights had brought up the will o wisp. While a fascinating subject, he doesn't believe there's a connection here. Perhaps vaguely.

He has to shake himself out of research mode (never an easy task) to recognize that he isn't actually alone and talking to himself.]

What are you doing?

amaterasu (ōkami)

[brushy]

ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀᴋɪɴᴅ

[ would you like to help a furry mother with pest control? would you be in trouble and need said wolf at your rescue? choose a demon, fight a demon! boss battles are first come first serve, common demons are unlimited! comment here! ]

uchiha sasuke | naruto | darkblood | closed prompts

[retsuden]

[[ I'm going to be sticking to closed prompts only this event since I'm swamped IRL. If you'd like to plot something, feel free to PM me, or hit me up on keshet or cunnilinguist#4424 on discord! ]]

mako - wonderkind

[retsuden]

[ Sasuke had been mostly trying to avoid the portals to the best of his ability. The fact that monsters could come through the things was enough of a pain, he didn't want to know what else was possible through them. Sometimes he felt like he heard someone calling his name, or he thought he saw a glimpse of the village, the cherry blossoms in full bloom, taunting him with where he should have been.

There's one voice that is impossible to ignore, though. It's not just gotten his attention, but he's almost desperate to figure out which portal it's coming from. He glanced in a few that had shown unknown worlds, looking for the right one, and it's distracted him enough that he ends up nearly running point blank into Mako. He almost goes to snap at him, but he hears the voice of a gentle woman calling his name again, closer than ever.

So instead of snapping or even apologizing, he feels like he has to know that he's not crazy. He grabs Mako's sleeve to keep him there, in case he'd thought of walking away. ]

You hear that too, right?

Jason Kolchek | House of Ashes | Paleblood | OTA

[hearuthinking]

CW: Disturbing images of monsters in links

1. Wonderkind

The portals that are opening around Trench could be spitting out any number of monsters. Unfortunately for Jason, one particular monster was all too familiar. The creature had wings like a bat and long fangs, and seemed to be thriving in the darkness. But there were other monsters, too. One creature looked like it might have once been human, the mouth bearing sharp teeth and the eyes glassed over like it was blind. It had long limbs and an almost emaciated build, but it was quick and deadly once it caught sound of its prey.

Probably most disturbing was the thing that floated silently through the portal. It looked like a corpse with wispy hair and a bloated tongue that lolled out of its mouth. Its toes were just barely dragging across the ground as it moved, a noose pulled around its neck.

If one isn't feeling up to the monster mash, they could just see a portal opening to what looked like a Chinese port town. There they will see a man who looks and sounds just similar enough to Jason that they could be confused as twins.

2. Self-Defense Training

[Jason never really advertised being a self-defense instructor. If he saw someone asking for teaching over the network, he would offer to help and send them to the Gate. There were enough weapons available. He tried to be there at the same time every day (pending any bullshit Trench threw at them) for both new and returning students.

Given that there are monsters coming out of the portals, teaching people how to fight feels even more important these days. He makes time to offer lessons in between his duties as Hunter tracking down the monsters and taking them out]

3. Wildcard [For anything you want to do that wasn't covered!]

[ooc: For those who aren't canon familiar! First image is the vampire from House of Ashes. "Sees" with ecolocation like bat, can be killed with sunlight or a stake through the heart. Second image is the wendigo from Until Dawn. They can only see you when you move and fire weakens them enough to kill. Third image is the Hanged Demon from Little Hope. Uses its tongue to strangle victims. In the game there's no real way to kill the demons so we'll handwave this one's weakness.

And of course feel free to use your own portals. I'm open to anything and will match style]

wonderkind! (i choose the hanged man!)

[asas]

[ shoyo was left and right in search of enough fishnets to drag the copious amounts of volleyballs that had dropped through the portals springing all over trench to his home, to kos orphanage, anywhere he could keep them and possibly never run out of volleyballs again. it was the dream scenario, but what floated out of a different portal as he walked with a loaded net of balls hadn't been expected. had anything? no—

shoyo does an immediate double-take when the shape of it seems human, floating, the rope around the phantom's neck tight enough to engorge its blue face with blood. for the most part, the athlete came to a full stop and waited, completely still as only his eyes moved to accompany the ghost. a chill starts at his heels and rises right up his spine in a wave. his gut falls like anchors thrown to sea. for a second, he doesn't know where his legs have gone. ]

Melius Senyan {The Dragonborn} | Skyrim | OTA

[fusrodaaaah]

THE POTION HUT ;; GENERAL
[Do you need a potion? Are you here to visit someone else entirely? It's okay. Despite the weird lack of daylight, the Potion Hut is still open for business. It's lit inside with oil lamps, with paper lanterns, and even a few electric sun lamps for the plants.]

[Melius is here to help. He can't cure the corruption with his wares, but there are plenty of healing potions for trade. Plenty of resist magic potions. He'll even try to make custom potions if the ingredients are available.]

[No matter what, when someone steps inside, he looks up from his work, and motions them in.]

H-hi. Um. What did you need?


NOW YOU'RE THINKING WITH PORTALS
1) THE GOOD
[Melius seriously did not even want to look at the portals. They just seemed like a bad time. A very, very bad time. So he'd scurried around Trench with his head down, his mace always strapped to his hip. He fully expects to be attacked as soon as one of them appears... ]

[Until a voice resonates from inside one of them. A deep, vibrating voice that seems to shake his bones.]

𝔻ℝ𝔼𝕄 𝕐𝕆𝕃 𝕃𝕆𝕂, 𝔻𝕆𝕍𝔸ℍ𝕂𝕀𝕀ℕ

[Turning, he is faced with a dragon, staring at him, from within a portal. And Melius' expression twists. Something between shock, pain, and relief.]

Drem... Drem yol lok, Paarthurnax...


2) THE BAD
[He was right! Bad things come through the portals! He'd so much as glanced at one, and it had exploded with one of the worst things to run into in Skyrim.]

[A troll.]

[Melius is booking it away from the beast. Faster than he's run since he got to Trench. Looking for something - while the troll lumbers after him, bellowing. It moves like some kind of mutant gorilla, breaking through everything in its path to reach the lizard.]

Fire! I - fire please!!

[... sir, you're a coldblood. Make fire.]

3) THE OH SHIT
Oh...

[Surely the beach would be safe. He could hide in his old tent and keep all the portals, all the monsters in them, away from the house. It was a great plan!]

[Until a massive portal spit out a dragon. One of the nameless many who had been slain in ancient times. It moves like a massive bat down the beach, stopping only a few feet away from the Argonian. And bellows out a ground-shaking roar.]

... fuck.

((ooc: feel free to hit him up for any gen threads you like in the Potion Hut! If you want anything else, lemme know and I'm happy to write something up!))

the potion hut

[tealeafs]

[ So Chizuru would have been here before at the Potion Hut after expressing interest in learning how to make potions...

But today she isn't here for that. After all, the darkness outside has been on her mind a lot, and even though it doesn't seem more dangerous yet than anything else they've seen in this place, she still can't help but fuss. About the people out there, about those who surely must be running their shops despite it.. like Melius.

So after considering it for a while, Chizuru ends up fussing just a little too much to not at least go see if things are okay over at the Potion Hut.

Which means that when he asks what she needs.. Chizuru just smiles, a tad awkwardly. ]

Sorry, I didn't come to get anything.. [ Or to learn more about potions, either. ] I just.. um, wanted to come check up and see if everything was okay here..

Diluc Ragnvindr | Coldblood

[searingwing]

Desolation in the Moonlight.

A.[Tiny balls of pale light fall from the sky and glitter like stars brought to earth. In their wake vast shadows that feel safe and comforting trail in their wake or simply descend and alight themselves in populated areas. The giant creatures seem safe. Maybe you get too close and the majesty of one takes you.

As you stare there is a sense of despair beginning to take hold. Then a great black horse with a horn on its head trots up to you and shoves his shoulder against you. He circles around if you don’t move. Then he does it again. He snorts if there is a need for a third time he grabs at your shoulder and lets out a loud whiny.

Then something vast blocks out the light. The street lights catch on red and gold scales. Powerful wings beat as it’s feet seek to grab you. And someone calls out.] Let us grab you!

B.[As you come around the corner the street lamps catch on the reflective surface of glass. Small jars sit in a pallet, some holding a small glowing white ball. If you look up towards the roof someone is coming down a ladder with a jar in hand. If you know, Diluc Ragnvindr is easy to identify. His hair is tucked into the back of his cloak but, the fiery red color is not so easily concealed.

His gloves hands clutch the jar close to his chest. The ball inside casts a weak glow. He descends and says without glancing up.] I saw one of them coming this way. Help me get these jars away from here, would you? I want to put one in the hands of as many people as I can. It isn’t much but it’s some defense.

A time of portals.

A. [You turn a corner and a glittering view spreads before you. A massive tree towers in the background and the scent of dandelions carries to you from across the waves of grass. The faint trickle of water is strong enough to suggest some kind of lazy river is close by.

A tall, red haired man in formal looking clothes leans against a wall close to the dome blocking this view from being a place you can go. A blonde haired woman with a strong air of authority about her stands as close to the dome as she seems to dare and they pair seem in conversation that cuts itself short. Both turn their eyes to you and behind her what looks like jiggling bubbles of water with simple eyes are hopping towards her back.

A few choices to make here. The man says,] Yes? What can we do for you?

B. [Or you are unlucky and happen upon the portal when jiggling slimes hop out and try to body slam into you. Or the ground near you changed to ice, fire, or lighting and a horrible looking flower bursts out of the ground.

Or maybe you get close and there is a creaking sound before a mechanical hand slams down into the stone. But fortunately the hand looks damaged. The rounded torso is dragged through by another hand and you get a look at a mostly featureless round face with a burning eye. Regardless of what you run into something gets smacked aside as Diluc Ragnvindr drops down from a rooftop, his claymore smashing into the ground. He glances around with narrowed eyes and sighs as he rises, flames swirling around the blade as he seems to flick it.]

Let’s get this taken care of now. The people here deal with enough as it is.

Wildcard

[Don’t see an idea you like here? Pm me. We can plot out an idea and I will set up a custom starter for you.]

1b

[siriusly]

Mn-?

[Manabu's eye lifts from the pallet of curious objects at the sound of Diluc's voice and the gentle clanking of his boots on the ladder as he descends.

blink. blinkblink.]

One of 'them'? You mean those enormous bugs, right?

chizuru yukimura 🌸 hakuouki 🌸 closed prompts

[tealeafs]

( will be putting up prompts for people here. want to do something with chizuru? please pm me or contact me at queeningsquare and i can put up something for you! c: )

for kaneki

[tealeafs]

[ Something about the darkness seems to make the streets a little bit more quiet at times. Maybe people are just being cautious, trying to not go out too much when it seems like something dangerous could happen at any moment with this ominous darkness hanging over the town.

But the slight quiet also makes any sound that does happen stand out even more. It makes it easy to hear a sudden scream out on the streets - one that might sound faintly familiar to Kaneki's ears, considering it's Chizuru screaming.

If he decides to follow the source of the screaming, he will indeed find Chizuru there. It's hard to tell why she was screaming though, since she seems to be all by herself, panting like she's trying to catch her breath as she's leaning with her back against a wall.

She seems freaked out, and so caught up in said freaked out state that she doesn't even notice him nearby. ]

Sangonomiya Kokomi | Genshin Impact | warmblood | OTA

[dokoyou]

I. Moonlit Butterflies

[ The butterflies were so easy to defeat, even Kokomi could do it. And so she did, and so the inevitable happened. After years of keeping her emotions to herself, she breaks.

She falls to her knees, crushed by the weight of the war she waged back home. For the first time in a long, long time, she starts to cry... sobbing and all. ]

I am so sorry... not all my apologizing can bring you back. As Divine Priestess, every life lost is purely my fault and I have failed all of you...

II. Wonderkind (possible bleeding)

[ Kokomi rushes towards a person who is being attacked by a pack of Riftwolves, creatures who can slowly bleed a person dry with a single bite. Back in Teyvat, this would be a difficult enemy. Here in the Trench, with all the strange effects of blood, this could have absolutely devastating effects. ]

Allow me!

[ She summons a Bake-Kurage from thin air. The floating jellyfish can heal wounds gradually, and can weakly attack the wolves as well. ]

It might not be much, but it should keep us alive until we defeat these creatures. Or mount a strategic retreat.

IV. Wildcard
(( comment a starter and get a reply, or hit me up at aiyayayaya or Aia#9124 so I can set up a personalized starter for you ))

butterflies weeee

[monoceroscaeli]

[He's been doing his best to shield his eyes from these butterflies, given what he's seen so far. He saw it on the network days earlier, of someone who'd succumbed to the corruption of killing a butterfly. And it's not hard to find the sobbing figure that he thinks will suffer the same fate.]

Oh no...

[Except when he finds her, it's Kokomi. She probably didn't know. She couldn't of known, or she wouldn't of...]

Hey, [he says hurriedly, eyes darting as he inspects her, looking for signs of corruption, signs of beasthood. He tries to coax her to get up on her feet, because he knows if he doesn't get her to touch the small orbs that have floated into the air, that had been shed by the butterfly that once threatened to steal the life from those captured by it...she may die.]

Come, if this despair consumes you, you may join them. Listen...those who lost their lives did so knowing full well that the battlefield may be the last thing they would ever see in this world. This is the nature of the warrior. All that can be done is honor them for their sacrifice.

Mebh Óg MacTíre | Wolfwalkers

[mactirebeag]

A. Moonlit Butterflies
[Of course something weird has to be going on when Mebh comes into Trench to scrounge up some food. She's well accustomed to all manner of insects, but she's certainly never seen butterflies this enormous before. Still, they don't seem to be particularly dangerous, and it isn't long before Mebh finds herself drawn in by their gentle aura. Living in the wild among wolves has given her a pretty good survival instinct, but somehow she can't look away from that huge butterfly...

Someone may want to snap her out of it.]

B. Wonderkind
[Mebh's been seeing all kinds of weird things coming out of those portals that have been appearing all over Trench, so for a good while she's been avoiding town as much as she can. But there's still a point where she can't put off going anymore, so she ventures in to see if she can snag herself some more bread.

When she gets what she came for and rounds a corner, though, she suddenly finds herself face to face with a huge, open forest, much like the ones she's familiar with back home. But there's someone else there as well--someone who looks very much like an older, taller version of Mebh.]

Mammy?

[Dropping the already-forgotten bread, Mebh rushes to the portal, under the impression that her mother has finally arrived here...but once she gets there, she finds she can't pass through it.] Huh...?

Mebh, love. You've been so brave, out there on your own.

[Mebh's face falls when she realizes that this wasn't the reunion she was hoping for.] I know, but...why can't I reach you?

C. Argonaut?
[At any point throughout the month, whether you're in Trench or near Trenchwood or out in Ache, you may see Mebh making her way around as usual. At some point she'll stop, look around, and reach up to touch a place on her head.] You alright up there?

[A moment later, Argonaut himself pops out of Mebh's huge mane of hair, blinking and looking around. It seems he's decided that Mebh's hair is as good a place as any to keep safe.]

Good. Just stay in there and you'll be fine.

D. Wildcard
[Feel free to hit up Mebh with any other prompts! If you want to plan something out, you can PM this journal or hit me up on Plurk at oliviousness.]

A. Moonlit Butterflies

[thisislife]

[Lexi didn't know the girl who was looking up at the butterflies (which was fair, this was only her second month) so fixedly, but she knew from experience that doing so was bad. really a terrible, no good day level of bad.

so she tried to stand between her and the butterfly, hoping that the switch in what was being gazed at might shake her out of it.

and she should probably talk, too, right? right] Hey. Um. I don't know you, but I do know that the butterflies are more trouble than they're worth. They kind of like eat hope? Close enough.

Vyng Vang Zoombah | Warmblood | OTA

[spiritwalks]

Moonlit Butterflies.

I. Songify This: Childhood Lullaby Edition [Crenshaw]

[If Vyng heard warnings to avoid the butterflies migrating through Deer Country, any worries go out the window the first time he encounters one in Crenshaw.

Transfixed, he stares up at the creature resting on the roof of one house. What a magnificent wingspan! The delicate way it perches, despite its size? A fucking inspiration, that's what. And its surrounding globes of light, piercing through the dark — the very embodiment of hope.

The scent of amber and fresh linens put Vyng at ease. An enchanting song floats through the air, drawing him closer. The chords are strangely familiar. Instinctively, he murmurs an old song to himself:

🎵 The Ranger King drew back the string
and aimed for other skies.
His arrow coursed through the frozen forest
as he watched the eagle's eyes 🎵

🎵 He said wherever it shall fall
is where you'll find the key
Through day or night, the arrow's flight
will bring you back to me 🎵

Scenes from another life bubble to the surface: Fresh-baked wapple strudel. Long, wavy tresses of dark hair. White fur wrapped around broad shoulders. And the smile of a man who still roams across the frozen tundras of his old world...but who ceased to exist long, long ago.

Vyng swallows hard. Without realizing it, he's already taken a seat on the edge of the street.

His face is ashen. And he doesn't look like he's about to shake himself out of his own morose thoughts anytime soon. Someone help, please?]

---

II. Free Mason Jars [Various]

[O-kay. So studying butterflies through direct observation is obviously a no-go. Thankfully, Vyng quickly turns his attention to other pursuits...namely, collecting their light for its healing properties. And since there's no shortage of light, he's happy to help Sleepers who need it.

In fact, Vyng extends a jar — or two — for anyone collecting orbs of light.]

Nothing like a little hope in a bottle, eh? Lemme know if you need more mason jars.

[He pats the green suede bag hanging from his side.]

There's puh-lenty where those came from. Trust me.

Wonderkind Portals.

I. A Girl and Her Wolf [Boardwalk]

[Vyng rests on the dark sands of the beach, one arm slung around a large arctic wolf's neck. The two of them are staring intently into one of the portals...and at the young woman — ears pointed, with snakeskin-like patters on her dark arms — sitting in an opulent room suitable for a princess, with plush rugs and elaborate artwork.

By now, Slippers the wolf has realized she can't reunite with her old master. But she dutifully remains close, for as long as Trench will allow. Sometimes a soft whine escapes her throat, and she restlessly shifts her paws against the sand. But Vyng is always quick to scratch behind her ears, stroke her fur...or give an eerily canine-like whine in solidarity.]

---

II. Hello, (Voodoo) Dolly [Cassandra]

[He's on his way to Odd End — mainly to pick up an antler he can carve into a spearhead, as well as to browse some of the plants they have available this time of year — when yet another rip in time and space hatches in front of the store's entrance.

A sack doll skewered with needles is curled up on the other side of the portal, seemingly crammed into a small, dark enclosure. Dusty and dank. Alone and forgotten.

Creepy? Absolutely. Does Vyng care? No. He's already plunging his hands into the portal.]

From Within & Without - Tethered.

((Note: Any character who

1) tags into prompts I or II and
2) tries to be helpful

...will later receive an IC gift from Vyng: A jar of Salt Lake water, which "has incredible healing properties, soothes the soul, and restores sanity" as long as it's being exposed to full moonlight.))

I. Fear and Self-Loathing in Deer Country [Archaic Archives]

[cw: emeto, vague references to animal sacrifice and being eaten alive]

[Vyng's body reacts before he fully understands what's happening. His chair clatters to the floor, and the echo reverberates throughout the Archives' vast halls.

He scrambles back, reaches for his spear...and faces a ghastly sight: Pointed ears. Eyes made of frozen river stones, pale and dull beneath translucent ice. Long, bleached seaweed for hair. A zombie constructed of animal parts, moss and black glass. Its mouth is split open, revealing the gaping maw of a glass-fanged viperfish.

Like a mirror of Vyng's own fear and shame, the creature crouches down into the same defensive stance. Now, more than ever, their similarities are apparent. The tall, lanky frame. The way its wild hair cascades down its shoulders. Its angular elven features...

A monster.

Vyng had been trying to prepare himself for this moment. But the unexpected turn sends his mind and spirit into a tailspin of garbled memories. Cold stone digging into his aching back. Rope chafing against bloodied wrists. Long, thin fangs tearing into his flesh — and the cascading screams and howls of every animal he was forced to turn into while this disgusting creature feasted on them all.

(But he only had himself to blame, didn't he. His true self had reared its ugly head.)

The tall ceilings of the Archives leave him feeling much too open and exposed, as the sudden tidal wave of self-hatred engulfs him. So Vyng does the only thing he can. He stumbles into the labyrinth of shelves, through the dimly-lit pathways, until he finds himself heaving into some remote wastebasket.

His monstrous Tether hunches next to him, like a predator waiting for its prey to stop struggling.]

---

II. Think Pink [Salt Lake]

[For any Sleeper brave enough to make a perilous journey to the bright-pink lake that shimmers beneath April's perpetual full moonlight, a curious sight greets them.

A massive, 15-foot bird rests along the shore. The creature's form is almost a cross between an eagle and a crow: Long, black beak. Sharp talons that look like they could pierce through a man. A white head, streaked with gold, bears a gem in the forehead. Raincloud-colored feathers cover its body. It will turn its head sideways, as if to warily size up any Sleeper who might approach.

At the same time, Vyng's tall, lanky silhouette can be seen wading into the water...along with the an identically-shaped Tether trailing after him. He moves with purpose, as if intending to submerge himself completely.

Do you call out to him? Follow him? Or do you chill out with the giant bird for a bit?

On the other hand, Sleepers with dreamwalking abilities may find themselves wandering into the psyche of a certain half-elf. Because today, Vyng is meditating beneath the lake's bright-pink surface. But unlike his bathtime meditation session in December, the water's soothing properties keep him grounded. He doesn't need to drift closer and further away from darker memories like a spooked fish. Instead, the gills in his neck gently flare in and out with each slow breath.

In and out...

...Until Vyng detects a foreign presence, that is. Though to his credit, he retains a state of calm as he addresses the visitor:]

Hello.

---

III. Wildcard Tether
((Feel free to respond with a prompt involving your own character's Tether! If you want more detailed plotting, hit me up at jackets or Jansen#8997.))

I. Fear and Self-Loathing in Deer Country [Archaic Archives]

[unphase]

[Tinya was always on the lookout for books about resurrections. and the Terran father god's book didn't count, she was looking for something far more practical. after all, she'd stilled her "sister" after a time of struggle. d but Tinya knew that she had to be the prime body, from the way she'd survived after the loss of her "sisters" to the easy way Phase's body had transformed into hers.

but that didn't mean she wasn't alert to her surroundings.

she heard Vyng's approach long before she saw him, a--a being of the sort she'd never seen chasing him through the stacks. they barely knew each other, but she wasn't about to let him face this alone]

Hey! Get behind me, I'll try to--to get rid of this! [though Coldblood powers were anything but subtle. she wasn't about to use fire in a library, so ice it would have to be should it come any closer]

Sayo Yasuda | Umineko no Naku Koro Ni | Darkblood | Mostly OTA

[forwantofahorse]

a. in memory of satan (Butterflies)
[If the moths that led her to that ruined city with a gateway into her own ruined mind had been the insult added to injury, what did that make this? Indignity? Inanity?

She stands, staring at the massive butterfly alight on the dock that was her usual training spot, sea spray dampening her hair. Sayo has been trying so hard to escape, to build a new life, to construct some kind of habitable zone in the burnt remains of the withered forest that was her mind, and yet the embodiment of her sins kept on haunting her.

Sayo staggers forward, cackling weakly, hollowly, without humor as she eyes glaze over, looking up at the beautiful butterfly. It was all too cruel, wasn't it?

She'd learned by now that there was no one who would save her when she truly needed it. There was no point in hoping.]

...white horses... really, what was I...

cotton (Wonderkind)
[There's love in the air.

No, no, that's reductive. It's not just love. It's conclusion. Satisfaction. A happy ending, with an unpenned epilogue to further savor the sweetness. It's the feeling of closing your favorite book shut after reading it for the umpteenth time. It's not just a vague feeling, it's almost a physical presence permeating this particular area of Trench.

And there's the sound of wedding bells. Following them will lead to a particularly large Wonderkind portal overlooking a pure-white chapel, full of streamers, banners, a eclectic gathering of well-wishers, a crowd of goat demons, a veritable feast... and most prominently, as if bending them image to focus on them, a man and a woman who look like they're the happiest people in the whole universe.

In front of it is Sayo, in a rumpled suit, bags under her eyes, staring blankly at the scene in front of her as she sits on a foldable plastic chair. A letter is in her hands, the only part of the dismal scene in Trench that looks crisp and pure.]

...they didn't invite me, [she says dully, voice totally lacking in any emotion. Her eyes are dead, but there's no butterfly in sight.] This is Lambdadelta's invitation.

They don't even...

[She trails off, unable to complete that thought.]

c. until i am whole (Tether, warning for suicidal ideation and extremely likely Beasthood)
[Sayo stares at Sayo stares at Sayo in a hall of mirrors.

Not really, that was a mere illusion. They're walking on empty air.

Not really, that was a hackneyed metaphor. They're standing on the edge of the tallest building that Sayo could find, but of course it wasn't that easy, it wouldn't make it that easy.]

Why? [Tears stream down her face as she clasps palms with her Tether, its forming melting as its silvery sheen crawls up her skin.] I know. I know.

Even you're better at being me than I am. You... you reflect properly. What I should be. What they- she- I- nobody needs of me, while I...

Even I...

[She hangs her head, sobs silent and tears mercury as they fall to the ground.]

cotton

[makingthetime]

[The happy couple in the portal makes Leon’s throat briefly close up, and for a moment he thinks of a red dress, a compact mirror, and a coy smile. This happy ending, with an epilogue to go—people like them don’t really get that, do they?

Then he catches sight of Sayo, staring dully at it, an invite in hand. Oh. Oh, no. He thinks he knows what’s going on here—she’s watching an ex get married and have the happiest time of their life, and she’s not there. They didn’t even invite her.

He doesn’t know if that’s cruel or the only kind thing they could think to do. Instead he kind of shuffles awkwardly closer, watching this scene. Then:]

You’ll find someone else, I’m sure of it. [Bless him. Once again, he has no idea what is going on.]

Rose Da Silva 🌹 Silent Hill

[rosae]

CLOSED STARTERS

^{plotted starters here. feel free to hmu if you'd like to do something!}

— Sharon Da Silva (cw: Silent Hill Fest up in here)

[rosae]

( The perpetual night makes Rose very nervous. There's a tension there in the air, like something's waiting. She can't help thinking of what the town called The Darkness back in Silent Hill — and she can't know how real that threat will actually become, very soon.

Rosa is sitting on the porch of the home she shares with her daughter, legs draped over one of the front steps, facing the cobblestoned streets of Crenshaw. There's a cup of hot cocoa wrapped in her palms, which she takes little sips of every so often. Despite her anxiety, she has to admit that quiet nights like this are... nice, in their way. Of course, there's the fact that those strange meteor showers have been raining down throughout the month.... but they stop after awhile, and things are calm again.

The allergies still have her sniffling every once in awhile, but the sickness and pain of last month have faded away, and so Rose has no complaints. She can finally move around again, and she's been enjoying breathing some fresh air. Sitting out here with Sharon has become one of her favourite activities these days — long hours spent talking, or sharing periods of silence inbetween. Her daughter's gone inside to fetch something or refill her own cup, and Rose is alone for a moment.

Then she notices someone walking down the street up ahead, coming her way. It's hard to see them at first; that eerie green fog makes everything cloudy, hazy, but Rose can see movement. She straightens up a little, staring. Crenshaw is said to be the safest district, close to the orphanage, and there are lots of families here, too. It's probably a person out for a peaceful stroll. Maybe even someone she knows.

...Except something to the way the person is moving seems...... strange. Unnatural. They're sort of moving around with little jerking motions, and their legs seem to be having a hard time. Rose sets her cup down and stands, stepping off from the porch. She's about to call out to see if they're all right when she realises the person doesn't have arms.

Alarm rings through her and Rose becomes very stiff. Her breath cuts off for a long moment; she doesn't move. Until she starts slowly shaking her head, horrified. No, it can't be—

It isn't a person. It's a thing with mottled skin that seems to convulse as though it's trapped in itself, legs bent inwards, hobbling along slowly out of the fog, and Rose has seen things like that before. She's immediately rushing back towards the house, calling out for her daughter. Not in a shout, however. She doesn't know if The Thing has noticed her yet, but she doesn't want to draw attention to herself. )

Sharon! ( It's a hushed whisper through the foyer of house as Rose moves back inside, fumbles for the steel pipe she's recently found, something recovered from a pile of scrap in the city. She figured it might come in handy, and she grabs it now with shuddering hands, holds it like a bat close to her chest. )

There's something outside. Something from Silent Hill.

Mako | The Legend of Korra | ota

[arclightning]

1. wonderkind // meet the (grand)parents flavor

—just got it cut, though—

You're freezing to death! Look at you, your lips are blue!

This is normal! Look, it's a long story, alright—

[ On a dark street corner in Cellar Door, illuminated by the yellow glow of a portal, Mako is having argument with his grandmother.

Well. To be more accurate, a somewhat blue-cheeked Mako is being somewhat berated by what sounds like a disembodied old voice, the owner of which is only visible when you get closer enough to see a small older woman scowling fiercely at Mako with her arms crossed.

If you get close enough, she perks up and leans close enough to talk to you. Yes, you.She calls out in a crisp, commanding voice that wow, really carries along damp cobblestones. ]

Hello, yes, excuse me! Mako needs a new coat! Would you mind—

Grandma!

[ Mako hisses, clearly embarrassed. ]

2. wonderkind // big rude monster flavor

Look out!

[ It sure is tough to do whatever it is you were planning to do when you're being slide-tackled by a 6'2" bender in a trenchcoat. Hope you didn't have any particularly big plans for your day! Maybe you were just minding your business in Willful Machine's markets or strolling along the streets near Cellar Door, but now a massive shadowy thing has slammed a tendril of darkness into the space you had been occupying up until a second ago, and several more dark tendrils are currently whipping out toward the two of you. Mako stumbles to his feet, his teeth gritted, and with a sharp motion, encases the bottom half of the thing in ice. It starts to crack a moment later. ]

Move! You can't beat these things with bending!

3. wildcard // hit me with monsters or people from y'alls homes

[torpour]

[ah... the typical grandmother. nehan knows this easily. and the clothing she wears? he knows even moreso how to deal with this, because he recalls how the "aunties" of the clan acted.

then he tugs the bottom of his cardigan down so it doesn't look rumpled, and hides how his shirt is actually backless and sideless.]

Yes, Auntie. I know where to find clothes. [he looks at her grandson with his eyebrow raised-- play along, he's trying to convey with a single look. no one will get out of this unscathed if an elder gets something into their head, but maybe they can mitigate the damage.]

kaworu nagisa | evangelion

[peripheries]

i. entry plug (wonderkind)

[There's a curious object sitting partially in a yard and partially in the road near a house in Gaze: a massive metal capsule with a metal hatch open at the top and the words EVA-02 printed on the side. It stands at an impressive 20 meters long and 4 meters high. And definitely somewhat of an eyesore. The winking light floating off to the side gives a pretty clear indication of where it came from.

Oh, and one more thing. Atop the capsule is a young boy, hands in his pockets, peering into the hatch with something almost akin to nostalgia.]

I never thought I'd see one of these again. [He kicks it a bit with the heel of his shoe.] It's not so impressive now that I see it again.

ii. a cruel angel's reunion (wonderkind)

[There's a strange creature floating in front of you. A octahedron, a meter high, floating around in front of you, drifting like it has no place to go. It's certainly alive, sometimes it makes movements in one direction or another but it never actually goes anywhere.

Except if anyone steps nearer than a meter or so in the nearest direction, it suddenly fires a bright laser at the offender. So basically, you have to go around this thing. Deeply annoying.

You know what's even more annoying? A kid sitting on the top of the wall, watching all of this like it's the funniest thing he's ever seen. If he catches your eye, he'll grin.]

Oh, don't mind my brethren. Ramiel just has no idea what to do since it can't fulfill its purpose in this place. I'm sure it'll get killed or sent back through the portal eventually.

[Boy, you can really feel the family(????) bond.]

iii. Wildcard.

[Feel free to toss in your own starter or if you want to plot, message me at worldtype or PM]

ii. a cruel angel's reunion (wonderkind)

[unphase]

[what's in the sky is unlike any life form she's encountered during her time with the Legion. she initially tried to go towards it, to introduce herself, but there was that laser. fortunately, she was able to force herself to phase, making the laser go right through her, the outline of Tinya herself shaky.

she unphases as soon as it seems safe, trying to walk around the being, but that was when she saw him. the guy who arranged the birthday party for Paul. but she hadn't caught his name then, had she?

and she supposes she should be glad someone is amused by this. for her own part, she now has a screaming headache]

Does its usual purpose involve lasers? Then I can see how someone would take offense.

sansa stark (alayne stone) | open prompts

[dohaeris]

i. hope on fire [early april-ongoing]

[sansa is nearly home, but the butterfly is pretty, and she stops to admire it. she thinks about how her father might like to show it to her mother, and how jon always pointed out such things to her, even though they didn't talk very much otherwise, and what robb's face would look like if it came near him, his smile, and how arya would chase the butterfly, and maybe catch it, and then bran would want to catch one too, and rickon would cry because it was so pretty and he couldn't have it, and she would tell him to see how much prettier it is when it's flying--lady barks, sharply, and sansa blinks. she turns away from the butterfly, her eyes glowing green, and blinks a few times in rapid succession. then she and lady make their way home.

a few minutes later, they come back out the door. sansa is clear-eyed, and she holds her bloodhound on a tight leash.]

ii. fire and ice [all month]

[comment for a completely random wonderkind window into asoiaf that has nothing to do with sansa.]

[I'll make another tl for her semi-open prompts when they're all done but for now you can find jon and bran in her catchall!! thanks!!]

i.

[acknowledgement]

[Much like Sansa, Naruto is waylaid by the beautiful creatures that currently occupy the city. Fortunately, he’s snapped out of hypnosis by a passerby native—one who slaps him sharply upside the head, calls him a “damn fool” for staring at the butterflies, and then keeps walking on. Ow. The shinobi watches the old geezer for a moment, rubbing his abused temple. But while he may have been saved from the Moonlit Drain, no orbs of light were used to bring down his corruption levels. Consequently, he’s suffering from low-level corruption now. The phenomenon is new to him; Naruto doesn’t yet realize the danger he’s in.

The moonlight spills over him from above, throwing his silhouette into sharp relief. Behind the teen, the shadows of eight fox tails twitch back and forth. He doesn’t notice—too preoccupied with the fact that his psyche feels wrong.

When Sansa crosses paths with him, the bloodhound should be able to easily pick up on the corruption leaking out of Naruto. As for the blond, he simply gawks at the strange canine, blue eyes lingering on the impressive rack of antlers.]

…Nice doggy, [he greets cautiously, curiosity getting the better of him as he inches closer.] …Deer? Doggy-deer? Deer-doggy?

[Naruto glances up at Sansa, looking for some kind of expertise on the topic.]

Waver Velvet | Vileblood | Fate/

[slightlytaller]

Butterflies

[...he wasn't collecting the floating lights like a child collecting fireflies in the evening hours of the summer, although it certainly looked like he was. Waver Velvet was a smart person, and he had quickly divined the way these lights functioned. While he was no stranger to fear, he knew that any little boost could help-- especially in situations where a warm cup of tea did little. Thus, clad in a cloak that had practically yeeted itself at him when he was going about his life, he kept his gaze peeled for anyone who seemed.... transfixed.

Popping up next to them from the shadows, he tapped at their arm.]

This is a situation where you just keep moving. Standing and gawking is more trouble than it's worth.

Tethers

[The apparent young man was tired and depressed as he sat was huddled underneath his heavy cloak along the beach, a silvery sheen gleaming on ends of his hair and in the edges of his eyes. A frown turned his lips downward while he stared out at the sea, as if searching for someone stepping out of the waves that glittered underneath the full moon. Waver had heard that people washed ashore under the full moon, and was determined to be there in case someone emerged.

Unseen and unknown to him was the gossamer thin thread extending down the shoreline and into the shadows. It wouldn't be the first time he had run afoul of strange magics and wouldn't be the last, and for the moment his weary nostalgia that verged on even being lovelorn dominated his thoughts.

Although he was determined to push forward and see a better future... this was still the closest parallel he had seen to Okeanos.

The opportunities were endless, but he wanted to see them alongside someone in particular.]

u know

[megatheorem]

[In all honesty, Palamedes isn't intending to see anyone he wants to see crawl up onto this beach. He has no delusions about the kind of luck he has in this place (that is to say: fucking terrible) and he's honestly skeptical that anyone else will crawl out of the sea at any given random time, despite the moon being full all this time.

He's written that one off as a technical error, like the sun being out, but, well.

The heart and the logical mind so rarely cooperate, and so he is going down to the beach, just this once - just to see. He's been having, despite all odds, a half-decent time this past week, so naturally he's due for some latent, unavoidable heartbreak.

He sees the thread first before he sees the figure sitting down by the waves; the silver thread he nearly steps on directly, stopping to just look down at it before he turns to see where it goes. There's a nonzero chance he doesn't know whoever is at the end of this, and so what will he be able to accomplish, really — but it'd be unconscionable not to try. So he changes course from aimlessly heading for a spot of beach to following the thread to this spot, specifically, where he finds — a lump of cloak, sulking at the ocean.

Relatable.]

You're metallicizing, [is what he says as greeting, arms folded to keep his cloak wrapped against the sea breeze, tilting into the sulking mass' periphery to confirm— yeah, it's this guy. Hey.]

How long have you been out here?

Rika Furude | Higurashi no Naku Koro Ni | Darkblood | OTA

[miiraculous]

1. Greenlit Eyes

CW: Mentions of Child Death, Violence, Trauma

[The migration of giant butterflies would have caught Rika's attention even without the added magic. She had been taking a carefully studied path from her home to the grocery when she first saw one. Her hopeful soul, weary but still persistent after so long, is captivated by the sight of those giant wings. When one of the butterflies lands on a nearby lamp post, Rika thinks it's a marvel of fantastical nature.

She stands in silence. At first, the sight of such a beautiful creature reminds Rika of how excited she is for the future. She wants to see more of the world and see what each day has to hold. And now she has Satoko by her side, closer than ever, to hold onto as tomorrow comes.

But the hope is slowly sapped from her. Rika's eyes begin taking on a greenish glow and tears fall down her cheeks.]

Impossible... It's impossible. There's not way 'tomorrow' exists for me.

2. The Creepy Small Child Prompt

[After being shaken from that hopeless state, Rika reads up on the butterflies and learns about capturing their glow in jars. It seems fantastical and childish to store hope in jars like fireflies, but it's something helpful that she can do. She ties a few jars to a belt, fastens it around her waist, and begins hunting butterflies.

In this situation, Rika is prepared. She's experienced the hopelessness of staring at them for too long, so knows to look out for others with green eyes. When she spots someone looking at the creatures for too long, she walks over and gently tugs at their sleeve. She herself seems almost too calm, as she is purposefully keeping her emotions in check.]

Mii. You should look away, mm. It is not good to watch them for too long.

1

[the_obedient_servant]

[Chara watches Rika fall into despair at the sign of the trap and sighs. What a pitiful girl, falling for a trap as easy as this... Hope is an illusion. It always has been. Feeding on it, allowing it to fill you? Of course that could only be poison. There is no greater despair than having your hope stolen away from you.

They're not a good person. But they will save her from this fate. She is, after all, like them. Satoko confirmed that much already. They approach, grabbing her by the shoulder and pulling them away. They're not rough, but there's no room for resistance either. They're a lot stronger than they look.]

Miss Furude. Pull yourself together.

Haruno Sakura | Naruto | Paleblood

[creationrebirth]

[ Migration of Moonlit Butterflies | Collecting Orbs ]

[ Sakura has been out studying the current affairs, watching as others deal with varying degrees of corruption and providing assistance where she can. It's in her nature to study and learn and treat, sometimes to a risky degree, but she can't just hide away because things are dangerous.

Instead she's taken to learning about the butterflies and the orbs. With a little bit of deductive reasoning, she's learned that the orbs can be preserved. Like fireflies in a bottle, she's been outside collecting them in hopes of using them for future treatments within her clinic. She isn't sure how long they will last, but she's set on making sure she attempts to gather as many as possible as a treatment to restore the mental health of those who are dealing with the impact of corruption.

She can be found in the fields, trying to avoid looking at the butterflies filling as many glass jars as she can with the little orbs of light.

If she comes across someone who may have been looking at the butterflies too long, she will set aside what she's doing to assist the person, whether that is to talk to them or remove one of her collected orbs to help restore some of their hope to them. ]

[ Migration of Moonlit Butterflies | Getting lost in the butterflies ]

[ Of course, there is always risk to any scientific endeavor that takes places in a dangerous situation. Try as she might to avoid getting caught looking at the beautiful creatures, it's too hard a task to collect the orbs without catching sight of them.

When she does, she's overtaken with their beauty. It's like she's caught in a genjutsu, hypnotized by the very sight of them. Once she is, she starts to feel her energy being drained from her. She feels crippled with self doubt, old fears creeping up on her like she's nothing more than a twelve year old girl who can't do anything to help anyone, all over again.

As easy as it would be to simple open one of the jars and utilize the very thing she's collecting to help others, she can't bring herself to do it. It feels like a silly idea, one that won't work because she can't really help anyone else.

She may be found dealing with mid to high level corruption. Of course, due to the nature of her corruption this won't stop her from trying her best to help you or help others. It creates a vicious cycle of collecting orbs to help others and getting lost in the butterflies. ]

[[ OOC: Throughout the month Sakura's focus will be on the butterfly prompt. She's both collecting orbs for future treatment of corruption/beasthood and simultaneously getting lost in the butterflies. Because of this, she'll end up in a loop of feeling like she's not good enough so she tries harder to prove she is. Basic prompts are above and can be expanded upon as desired. Message me on iasant with any other ideas. ]]

lost in the butterflies

[retsuden]

[ Sasuke has been doing his own part to try and help, leaning in to where his strengths usually lie: killing things. He'd been ridding the city of the excess of monsters from the portals the best he could, but he'd heard that the butterflies should be left alone. It had made them on his list of things to avoid as much as possible, but he still had a tendency to stumble on people who had got stuck looking at them for a little too long.

For some reason, he hadn't expected one of those people to be Sakura. He'd known she'd been out here risking herself for the sake of helping others, but that was pretty much par for the course for a medical ninja. He would have been more surprised if she hadn't been out and about. But with her resistance to illusions back home, he had thought maybe she'd have some sort of natural immunity to these things.

Apparently he'd been wrong. He reminds himself striking out at the butterfly won't help her, but he hasn't actually heard yet about how to make things better, so he also doesn't reach for the orbs as he gets close to her. Instead, he tries to stand in the way of her vision, blocking her from the glowing insects. ]

Sakura...?