jikan_rpg | December | Event: With A Bang

December | Event: With A Bang

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In the weeks following that rather heavy announcement, anxiety and unease become familiar emotions among the refugees. Eventually, rumors begin circulating throughout the city, as the "first" anniversary of the time loop's end draws ever closer. Even without concrete evidence, it seems some among the native population have started to believe that time will simply loop again as well.

But the refugees have more than a few powerful allies on their side, and with a little bit of work and a little bit of love, they'll find a way to move forward into next year.

For The Big Night

As the day of the potential loop draws near, all refugees will find themselves receiving a special invitation to a Winter Gala being held at the Imperial Palace in Nihonbashi on the night of the 24th. The refugees themselves are the guests of honor, with the Emperor of the East scheduled to be making an appearance. Surely this can't be a coincidence, right?

But unlike the casual atmosphere of the Western Emperor, here in the East, this is likely to be a far more formal affair. Thankfully, they'll have a few opportunities to prepare themselves before the Gala itself.

Dance Dance Perpetuation Yoshiwara, Tokyo
For a fancy Winter Gala being held in the Imperial Palace, it goes without saying that there's going to be dancing. And for those who don't know how, they'll find a certain dance troupe in Yoshiwara is offering free lessons for all refugees attending the Gala.

The dances range from a formal Waltz to traditional dances native to Nippon, with the instructors patiently teaching the steps and correcting dancers as they practice in their studio. They even offer to let the Refugees borrow some of their costumes to practice dancing in more restrictive wear.

But their patience has a limit, and their offer, an ulterior motive. Because the costumes they offer are no ordinary costumes. Built into the fabric is a special magic-conducive material that connects to a small magi-tech device hidden under the collar of each outfit. And when activated, this magi-tech will cause the wearer to move against their will, following the dance routines programmed into the device. Supposedly, these are used for training beginners, as well as ensuring that dancers who need to sync up with one another can do so seamlessly.

Of course, the reality is they're mostly just used for hazing newbies, because the sensation of having your body dance dance dance the night away against your will is unpleasant. But hey, at least you'll remember the steps!

Binary Blowout Shibuya, Tokyo
Over in Shibuya, the Central Station Department Store is holding a special winter sale for couples purchasing matching outfits for ringing in the new year. Thankfully, couples won't have to do anything embarrassing to prove they're together in order to get the sale, and merely need to buy one half of a matching set at the same time.

For the most part, these outfits will consist of traditional kimono and hakama sets. However, it seems gender equality was not taken into consideration for this sale, and with few exceptions, couples looking for up to 75% off luxury clothing may find themselves forced to pick who gets the masculine hakama set in muted colors and who gets the bright and colorful floral kimono set (complete with matching hair accessories). Unfortunately, this seems to extend into their more Western styles as well, perhaps to a more extreme degree. Flapper dresses and fancy suits? Well, at least the sizes are inclusive?

Thankfully, given the cost reduction, it's still worth it to buy the full set versus buying only one half. But seeing as the sets do need to be purchased at the same time by the couple, and the ever so helpful employees will insist on giving each person a proper fitting and even offer professional photos, this may just end up being a more embarrassing experience than they expected.

Winter Wonderland

At last, the day of the party arrives! The palace is tucked away in a large garden in Nihonbashi, set atop a man-made island with a moat surrounding it. No doubt a common sight when traveling through the city, this will be the first time any refugees have been allowed to enter the castle grounds.

Inside the castle proper, the entire main hall has been fitted with a wintry theme, complete with magi-tech powered snowflakes that aren't cold, but fall gently from the ceiling and disappear before touching the floor. As the guests of honor settle in, the Emperor himself makes an appearance, dressed in extravagant blue robes and speaking in a soft, gentle voice.

"Greetings, my dear time refugees. Although previous circumstances prevented me from extending you all a proper introduction sooner, tonight I shall hope to make up for it.

I am Karu, Emperor of the East, and the one responsible for initiating the Time Refugee Project. Although it is customary in Nippon to address me by my title, Tennō, I do not wish to impose such formalities on all of you. Call me as you will.

I am well aware of the many difficulties our world has imposed on you. Hence forth, I hope to become a more reliable ally for all of you in this world. It is my hope that together, we can move forward towards a brighter future, both here in Nippon and in all of your home worlds."

After delivering his speech, he can be found mostly surrounded by his attendants and just quietly enjoying the atmosphere. While guests are welcome to speak with him, they may be quick to notice that he's not quite as eloquent when his words aren't pre-written.

Sus Snax Imperial Palace, Nihonbashi
Beautiful decor aside, the Gala has a live orchestra supplying the music, which seems to be of a more classical affair, with a Nippon-like twist. Dances will shift from playfully energetic to slower and more romantic as the night draws on. Enjoy a slow dance with a sweetie? It might just be your last chance before time resets at the end of the night.

And of course, no party would be complete without plenty of food and drink. Drinks are unlimited, with no shortage of beer, locally-brewed sake, and very expensive wines imported from before the time surges made international travel too dangerous. Should the Emperor really be giving this out for free? If asked, the attendants managing the party will simply explain that the Emperor is not very fond of alcohol, and wishes to share the collection he's acquired over the years with those who will enjoy it.

But at some point after the party has begun, some rather mysterious snacks make an appearance. Although looking like perfectly innocent manju, just one sniff will reveal the unmistakable scent of Uki weed laced within the sugary treat. How did someone smuggle these into the Imperial Palace of all places?? Well, as long as no one's a killjoy, the attendants won't recognize the scent, and the snacks will remain until they've all been eaten!

But what of those looking for a little... privacy? There's far more to the palace than just the main hall, and with just a little sneaking around, they'll find a door that leads to the upper floors. Despite being closed off, it looks like some of them have been decorated for the season as well, although it only takes a glance to see that most of the rooms are clearly unused. Wasn't this the Emperor's home? Well, regardless, there's still plenty of futons to be found in the closet of each tatami-lined room, so there's no reason that guests can't have a little fun in secret.

Mistleno Imperial Palace, Nihonbashi
It seems there's some other sort of trickery afoot at this Gala. All around the main hall, and even in some of the private hallways and outdoor areas, colorful paper cranes can be found hanging from doorways and ceilings. There's only ever one, and they seem to following some kind of colorful theme. Naturally, it should come as no surprise that these little fellas are enchanted, with different effects triggering depending on the color of the crane itself.

The red cranes will cause whoever walks under it to kiss the first person they see. A second variety, with a glittery sheen, will instead make them seek out someone they've never kissed before for a smooch.

The orange cranes will cause whoever walks under them to spontaneously teleport to the side of the last person they were thinking about, whether they want to be there or not. It seems someone thought it was funny to stick one of these above the bathrooms...

The green cranes will only cause an effect if two people walk under one at the same time. This crane will cause their minds to switch places, putting them in the other person's body. Passing under additional green cranes while the effect is still present will cause another swap, until no one knows who anyone is anymore.

The blue cranes will cause whoever passes under it to suddenly confess something out loud to the first person they see. Thankfully, it doesn't have to be a major secret, and may even just cause them to offer a spontaneous compliment, or admit they've have a little bit of the Uki snacks from earlier.

The purple cranes will manifest a random Kizuna effect that may linger for the rest of the night. This can be anything, from a mild physical change like growing flowers in their hair, to a severe mental change like intense levels of possessiveness.

And the pink cranes are of the most predictable sort, causing whoever passes under one to become almost insatiably horny. Thankfully, these ones are the rarest.

But how long will the effects last? Good question! Although none will last past midnight, the range seems to be anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours. If pointed out to the Emperor's attendants, they'll immediately begin trying to remove them, but the cranes will simply take flight and flutter to another hidden location. So they weren't intentional, after all... so who put them there?

Party Crashers

As the evening progresses, the source of the mysterious Uki and magical paper cranes is revealed, when a number of Yokai abruptly crash the party. But this is no ordinary group of party crashers, as they're all dressed in imperial regalia, and are joined by the Emperor of the West himself, Katsuragi no Mikoto.

"Salutations, my dear guests from another world! Please, do not let me and my entourage disturb you! You see, I simply have very important business with a certain Karu-chan who stood me up last summer... no regrets, right?"

After a brief kerfuffle, the two emperors quickly take their leave to the very private balcony that absolutely no one can sneak into or blatantly peek at from the windows, not at all. Those hoping for a steamy scene may leave a little disappointed, but the lingering glances and shy smiles shared between the two say plenty on their own.

Boom Boom Boom Nihonbashi, Tokyo
Although the party may have been winding down before, once the Yokai join the group, things grow very lively very quickly. The classical music playing on the dance floor is replaced with some swinging jazz tunes, and dancers may find themselves literally dancing on air, as the Yokai use their magic to allow for weightlessness on the dance floor. They're being very careful that no one falls, and those affected will find their dance steps unaffected by the chance in altitude, but it's sure to be a little disorienting for some.

In addition to the Uki-laced snacks from before, drinks bearing magical effects are also brought out, with each effect carefully labelled to prevent accidental ingestion. The blue soda bottles cause drinkers to grow or shrink in height or size, in varying degrees of strength. Some may simply grow to a respectable six-feet tall, while others may find themselves shrunk down to no more than six-inches tall! The red berry-flavored drink causes those who drink it to become overtly flirty and confident, earning it the nickname "suave soda". And the mysterious sparkling sake causes those who drink it to become imbued with powerful Kizuna magic, causing severe Kizuna side effects to manifest. Strangely, it seems this one effects Yokai very differently, as the intended effect is simply a magical amplifier. Oops?

But aside from escorting their amorous emperor to his long-awaited date with the other emperor, the Yokai accompanying him have one last present to offer the refugees to make the evening even more magical. As the night grows late, a special spell is cast upon the ceiling, making it entirely transparent. And following a brief countdown, a spectacular show of fireworks is played overhead, visible from all over Tokyo. Magical in nature, the colorful bursts often take the shape of creatures, bounding across the sky before bursting into a brilliant show of light and magic.

By the time the show comes to end, few will have noticed that the clock has long since passed midnight.

Your Best Friend Everywhere, Nippon
It's not until the sun begins to rise that the last of the party goers begin filtering out of the castle and into the streets. Although none of the people sleeping in their homes are aware, it seems yet another time loop has been successfully stopped thanks to the refugees!

...sure, they did cause this one, but it still counts for something!! Though it seems they'll be left with no definitive answer for exactly how the time loop was prevented in the end. Maybe someone just needed to let loose a little for once?

Over the next few days, things really do seem to be progressing as normal. And more importantly, the people seem to be in even higher spirits than before. As another year safely passes by without any word of another loop, the native population begins to feel a true sense of relief, as if this year was proof that the time loop was truly over. Perhaps this is why scienz_rulz_1899 was so insistent that no one else find out the truth: because she knew just how important this peace of mind would be for the people of Nippon.

As thanks for their efforts, all refugees will find a gift addressed them to delivered to wherever it is they're staying -- and regardless of where. How did it find their way to them? It seems she still has her secrets! Each gift will include either a box of fancy pastries, a bottle of wine, or a small amount of money for those who can't enjoy either. And alongside that, an item from their home world that they would be happy to see again.

And at the bottom of each box is a small card, printed in their native tongue: from your best friend, Tomoko.

OOC Notes
Welcome to Jikan's December event! Please direct any questions to the Question Thread in the OOC Plotting post.

• While there is no official dress code, characters will ICly be encouraged to dress up for the occasion! For outfit ideas, consider searching 1920s fashion trends and Taisho era fashion!

• Feel free to make the effects of the paper cranes and drinks as mild or as strong as you'd like! Only the sparkling sake is alcoholic.

• Attempting to destroy the cranes will cause them to fly away. With effort, they can be torn up, but the effects they cause will linger unless burned to ashes. They are not living creatures, so don't feel bad about it.

• Characters who are in one of the upper floors when the fireworks begin will also experience an invisible ceiling. However, thanks to the way the magic works, the floor will not be invisible, and those on the floors below will not see them fuckin'. Unless you want them to, in which case, exactly one room will have this effect for all you exhibitionists out there.

• The item received in their gift from Tomoko/scienz_rulz_1899 can be normal or magical in nature, but it must be something they would want to see again, and something that would realistically fit in a large box. They do not need to attend the Gala to receive this item.

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Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[why is this world so horny??]

Geez, that's some magic. [he has decided that he hates it, a decision he will one day change, maybe. Who knows]

I thought pranks were supposed to be funny - or harmless, at least. [the good kind, anyway. It's probably good, though, that he can't reach any of them to tear them up - who knows how that might backfire] Stupid things—

C'mon, before another one gets us. Now I want to sit down.

[Oh................ did he dislike kissing him that much? Maybe he should try and keep his distance, just in case they pass by another.]

[Well, he nods. And thankfully, the chairs are right there, so they don't have to go too far to sit down. Honestly, after all that, he's not exactly feeling tired anymore. But it was nice to sit down and relax for a little while--]

[And watch as one of those cranes flies over towards them. They can move?? Why can they move, that's cheating??]

[Alas, all he has time to do is point up to it and then--]

I beat the Raiden Shogun in a fight.

[...a h.]

[that's part of the problem, he liked it, he just doesn't like that it was a spell making him do it.

He sits down next to Aether - and immediately crosses his legs, ok maybe that is a little embarrassing too - but - why is it coming near them? Oh no—]

—you what? [he was expecting another kiss, not a - confession?] When?!

[how in the world did he miss that]

Er... well.

[All right, so also confirming that Itto doesn't know who Aether really is -- he's starting to think that maybe they just happened to cross paths in some way. Then again, it's not like he went around advertising himself as the hero who saved Inazuma's people or something.]

[...advertising himself as the mighty traveler who beat a dragon and a harbinger is different, clearly!]

I guess... sometime before she ended the vision hunt decree?

[He's not lying, but he's leaving some pretty important information out right now.]

[if it was before that . . . he had been more focused on trying to get his vision back, and that meant making a lot of noise and making himself into a bigger menace than ever, especially for Kujou Sara. The unfortunate side was a lot of what he heard going on in the city was second hand, since the commission really don't like when you're a pain in the neck.

He opens his mouth to respond, but pauses - when they last saw each other, the soldiers had known him, like he was important despite claiming otherwise . . . ]

You said you weren't a big deal. I think defeating the Shogun's a pretty big deal!

I can't really argue against that, can I? But I had my reasons for saying otherwise.

[He can't be 100% sure, of course, but after everything that happened in Inazuma as a result of his reputation, maybe it would be better if he just went back to being a nameless traveler. He didn't really need people thinking of him as some kind of all-powerful hero when 99% of the time it just brought him trouble.]

I hope this doesn't change your impression of me too much?

[he huffs and crosses his arms, but he couldn't pull off a genuine annoyed expression even if he tried. Defeating the Shogun is a huge deal, but . . . ]

It probably should. [and in a way it does, but probably not in the way Aether would expect] But if you had your reasons for not saying anything, I guess I can understand that.

Besides, my impressions of you come from something just as important.

[. . . well, at least to him]

[Whether it did or not ultimately doesn't matter, as long as he doesn't start treating him like some kind of bigshot. That's the last thing he wants, really.]

Oh? What do they come from, then?

[Did they meet in some kind of special way, maybe?]

From helping me and my family out.

[he laughs a little, scratching at his cheek] Putting it like that doesn't make it sound like a big deal, but - you were supposed to arrest me. Instead, you stuck around after hearing what was really going on, and because of that we were able to rescue a bunch of people and stop a blockhead Oni from doing something stupid.

Not a lot of folks would do that.

[. . . he coughs, clearing his throat] Anyway, defeating the Shogun is cool and all, but not as cool as helping out the Arataki Gang.

[...]

I'd say that sounds like a pretty big deal to me. What could be more important than family?

[If someone's family was in trouble, he's certain he would have had a hard time turning down any requests for help, regardless of who they were -- or offering his assistance whether it was wanted or not.]

...wait, why was I arresting you?

Ah . . . aha, this all started because the Kairagi were going around robbing and kidnapping people. My guys saw an Oni at one of the crime scenes with different colored horns than mine [he reaches up to tap at one of his horns] so I had to get involved to find out why he'd be caught up with them.

I took the blame for the crimes in the meantime, and went on the run to track down the real criminals and Takuya, the other Oni. So, the Tenryou Commission sent you after me.

[He took... the blame...]

[He's getting a much better picture of the kind of guy he's dealing with now. Dumbass with a heart of gold, it seems.]

I guess that's one way of doing it... but were you able to clear your name in the end?

[he's trying his best, okay, even if his best is "lie about being a criminal"]

For that, yeah! The real bad guys got arrested. Takuya too, but he isn't in as much trouble as the Kairagi.

[...]

I, uh . . . still got arrested, though. I beat up a bunch of the soldiers they sent and they kind of don't like when you do that, no matter what the reason.

...yeah, they don't really appreciate that.

[Says the guy who has also fought his fair share of soldiers at some point or another during his time in Inazuma smh.]

But hopefully they'll be a little more lenient given the circumstances. It'd be a shame to see you punished for just trying to help someone... even if the methods were a little rash.

But I can't exactly say I haven't gotten into my fair share of trouble during my travels, after all.

They might, we're pretty familiar with each other. [Itto getting arrested a lot is not being "familiar" with people] But then again, they believed it was me so easily . . .

Ehh, either way, I get a comfy place to sleep for a few days.

Worse trouble than that?

Well...

[Folds him arms, thinking. I don't think Itto is prepared for just how casually all of this is going to come out of Aether's mouth:]

There was the time we broke into the cathedral in Mondstadt to steal the holy lyre, after they wouldn't let us borrow it to stop a rampaging dragon.

And the time I was blamed for assassinating an Archon after getting caught in the wrong place at the wrong time in Liyue.

And the time I stopped the Shogun from taking a vision personally from one of my friends, and faced her head-on in combat before fleeing and joining the resistance army.

[he is . . . absolutely not prepared for how casual Aether is about any of this. Shouldn't fighting a dragon be a bigger deal? Or being accused of murder?! Or -

Sir you are a much bigger deal than you let on, what the hell. Where does he even begin]

. . . I, uh, I think I heard a little bit about the last one.

How can you be so calm about any of that?!

[.............]

Well, I'd like to say it's because my life is just that exciting on the regular -- and sometimes it is! But... it's probably because I haven't had a full night's sleep since November.

[He did say he was already pretty tired when he got to the party, after all. Did they ever actually end up sitting down?? Doesn't seem like it. Honestly, the fact that his personality is functioning at all is a small miracle.]

[............

They got distracted on the way to the chairs but NOW - Itto takes Aether by the shoulders and starts marching him over there to sit down]

You know that's a bad thing, right? Sleep is kind of important, especially if you're gonna fight dragons.

[He doesn't exactly fight it, allowing himself to be easily directed to a chair -- which he gladly sinks into with a sigh.]

I know! Trust me, I know. But-- don't worry! Hopefully an evening of dancing and excitement means I'll... sleep like a baby tonight.

[Assuming, of course, that he'll even have the chance to try. Does Itto know anything about the time loop? At this point, it just feels like it would be mean to explain.]

[he kind of knows what's going to happen, but he also hasn't given it much thought. It wasn't like he'd been here long enough for it to matter more]

Here's hoping. Or maybe you can find someone to pet your ears until you nod off.

[part joke, part serious - please sleep later, traveler]

...is that an offer?

[Is this a joke or is he serious?? Depends on the answer he gets, honestly.]

It . . . can be if you want it to be?

[technically he did owe Aether for helping him out . . . would this count for that, hmm]

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spoilers for itto's story quest

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