[WORLD TWO | FEBRUARY INTRO LOG]

[spellbindmods]

Who: All coven members, especially new folk!
Where: In and around the new world’s apartment building where the coven is staying, as well as the rest of Shehui
When: Day 226
Open/Closed: Open to All
IMPORTANT: While some prompts are newbie exclusive, all characters can tag this intro log!

How did you get into this building? This apartment room? What the fuck is going on? Let's refer back to this page for a semi-in-depth, wow so detailed, explanation of your current situation. You'll also have a letter slipped under your door with some explanation about your whole coven situation, as well as info that explains you have magic now! And yet what kind of magic is conveniently left out. Are you up to speed? Great. Now, here's the question of the hour: what are you going to do about all this? A ▢ One of the places you may arrive in Shehui is your apartment -- and if you're not a newbie, then that may be where you're hanging out anyway. There's likely going to be at least one other person in there with you. Are you going to say hello? Are you on good terms with your roommates? Do you even know who they are? Discuss. B ▢ If you want to go out and do something else, that's also acceptable. Because no access card is needed to enter the recreation floor, which contains the game room, garden and more, it's likely a lot of coven members are hanging out there instead of waiting around for roommates to let them into their rooms. If you want to blow off steam, the game room now also features a karaoke machine and photo booth. C ▢ Word of the recent jailbreak -- which you'll likely need to be caught up to speed on, if you're new -- has made it out into the greater part of Shehui. The job board in front of the apartment is somewhat depleted now that a number of coven members have been "black carded," and thus have no need for credits. This doesn't mean jobs aren't available, though! The newest jobs are going to be related to the upcoming festival, which includes card delivery, chocolate carriers and water holders. These will be explained in a bit -- but there are a lot of other jobs you can utilize to make money. What interesting position will you find on the job board to try out?

Those coming into Shehui today are in luck -- today is Neyi, which translates to "the day of darkness." Today you'll see a lot of old furniture on the sides of the road, people drinking depressedly in bars and a general melancholy aura in the air. The point of Neyi is to get rid of the pain, heartbreak and toxicity you've been carrying around in your relationships. D ▢ Chocolate carriers are walking around the busy streets of Shehui with boxes that are held with straps that go around their necks. Some of these boxes contain four pieces of chocolate, containing a very strong liquor. It doesn't take much for these to get you drunk. Other boxes circulate as the night goes on, other boxes circulate that are a lot more gentle and amorous. These chocolates contain a caramel that has a slight aphrodisiac -- not enough to turn someone into some raging horndog, but they are inclined to make someone a little more cuddly than usual...although, it's worth noting that the more you eat, the less true the previous statement becomes. E ▢ A lot of Shehui residents who aren't into the somber feeling of Neyi have begun to get their true Yuenai party on. One of the most traditional charms of Yuenai is giving out cards with well-wishes, romantic sentiments and other positive emotions. Those who want to send cards can choose from two options: personal, or competition. Personal cards are a lot bigger and more ornate depending on the credits used to purchase the card. Competition cards are part of a little game played on Yuenai that focuses on who can get the most well-wishes. These cards will contain one sentence and then the name of whoever sent the card, and are meant to be a small symbol of appreciation. These can be received all day on Neyi or Yuenai. F ▢ One of the biggest rituals of the day is the ceremonial bonfire that's held in the middle of Shehui. Participants are welcome to bring photos or mementoes of those they hate or ache for, then throw them into the fire. Usually, there's a special powder that's inserted into the fire in order for it to change colours once objects come into contact with it -- it helps with the symbolism, you know? Instead, because of a lot of confusion and ruckus within the contraband rooms, the powder has been mingled with something a little more magical. Now when these items ignite with the fire, a representation of that person springs to life within the flame. They aren't a true physical person, but instead an eerily accurate visage. While they can't possibly be that person, they do speak tormenting or heinous things to those who dare to throw in an object. Bear in mind, this can be performed with something even as simple as writing their name on a piece of paper. G ▢ If you want a less drama-filled evening, then you may want to skip out on the big bonfire and instead head out to one of the smaller parks. There are more personal canister fires scattered throughout each park, and water carriers are asked to patrol in case fires get out of hand. These smaller burns don't contain the same contaminated powder and instead will ignite into a fierce array of colours if anything is burned in them. Others who don't have the same relationship needs as the sad sacks on Neyi have actually begun to use these fires for marshmallow roasting, scary stories, or just outright warmth. It is a little chilly out. H ▢ The discovered magic has, of course, put the residents of Shehui in a tizzy, even if most of them think that this is just an amplified version of what happens on Neyi anyway. Despite this internal reassurance, that doesn't stop most Shehui residents from being very on edge. Fights are becoming commonplace in the street, and the added liquor candies and open bars aren't helping this out, either. What kind of person are you? The kind who has been devastated by Neyi yourself, or the kind to break up those who are causing a scene? There are also an assortment of sad drunks on the street who may need some cheering up. I ▢ Unlike the Valentine's Day that many worlds celebrate, Shehui's Yuenai is open to more than just romantic love. There are also tiny kiosks that are giving away personalized pins that state the holder's name. They can receive up to five of these for free and are asked to give them to those that they consider family. The pins are in the shape of a bouquet of lilies, with the ribbon connecting them the location of the engraved name. The person who requests these will have their name on the pin, and those who receive it are to wear it proudly, showcasing who cares for them. J ▢ Those who are completely new to Shehui may feel a little left out if they don't quite have any close relationships already present in this world. Citizens of Shehui will be given a gift basket by the monitors that contains the names of several already established members of the community -- this is an exercise in relationship building. They're to give the people on this list part of their gift basket, including a competition card and a box of chocolate -- you can pick which kind! Have fun hunting down the people on your own list. [OOC: You have the choice of either selecting your own names or picking people at random based on the taken list. You can also keep this open-ended -- hey, can I ask you to help me find this person? Oh that's you? What a coincidence! etc. Also, this is open to everyone -- not just newbies!] K ▢ Finally, the fact that the Shehui government has been put through the wringer lately is evident by the rain that begins to fall ahead of schedule, around 10 PM instead of at midnight. The major bonfire is a little too powerful to be taken out quickly, but the smaller park fires will be put out eventually. This rain is also a surprise to a lot of residents, and taking cover is a slow process with so many people out and about. L ▢ Wildcard! How will your character interact with this new and unusual world?

Comments

[pigii]

J.

[ unlike most, if not all other people in the coven, ruby won't be partaking in the festivities swarming the city. the physical and emotional wounds from testing still have some healing to do, which means that she's staying in her room and likely also in her bed. being attended to by healers had helped some of her rougher injuries, but she still has some bandages around her midsection, a smaller bandage on her cheek, and a brace around her left wrist. on top of that, she's much more jittery and timid than normal, nearly freezing up even at the sound of movement on the other side of her door.

all the same, hearing everyone's thoughts about the celebrations of love and watching people from her apartment suite window has her a little bummed out. if none of this had ever happened, she'd likely be out delivering valentines to all of her friends and tasting all kinds of chocolates. suffice to say, she's a little lonely... a visitor or two might help things look up a little. ]

[oceanaria]

[ From what Riko has read, Yuenai is the day you spend together with people you care for, and it's only natural that her thoughts are directed towards Ruby. In this state, she can't even celebrate with everyone. There's no doubt that Dia will watch over her little sister that day, but she wants Ruby to know that they're all in this together.

She knocks at the door three times, hoping that Ruby's awake. ]

Ruby-chan? May I come in? It's Riko. I have something I'd like to give you.

[pigii]

[ oh, thank god riko gives her warning. chika had sort of just barged in without saying anything, which prompted her to hide under the comforts of her bedsheets. riko's approach is much better, only prompted a muted squeak rather than the desire to hide. ]

Y-Yeah. The door is open.

[ she'll find ruby in bed with her hair down, still in her jammies. she looks much better than she did when she was taken out of her cell, but the bandages and cast are enough to prove that she still has some healing to do. ]

[oceanaria]

Hello.

[ Now that she can properly greet her friend, Riko smiles sheepishly. She doesn't want to bother Ruby for too long—she might want to get some rest, after all—still, she'd like to keep her company for a while, too. ]

Are you feeling any better, Ruby-chan? If you're tired I can just give you what I've brought and leave.

[pigii]

I didn't sleep very well. [ quickly, she realizes how that might sound- ] B-But you don't have to leave so fast...!

[ her voice tapers off as she asks riko to stay, feeling a bit shy for asking... but she really does want her friend's company. she smiles meekly. ]

You brought something?

[oceanaria]

Just tell me if you'd like to get some rest, okay?

[ To think of it, it's a miracle that Ruby can get any sleep after all that happened. ]

I did. Just for you, Ruby-chan.

[ Riko steps in closer quite slowly and shows her friend a small box that contains a personalized pin. Apparently, that's not everything she's brought with her. Soon enough, she'll present a drawing of all members of Aqours on stage with Ruby being in the middle. ]

I hope you'll feel better soon.

[enflame]

( The whole Neyi/Yuenai thing is the perfect way for Emil to truly get his jush, especially with the news that pretty soon everyone would be leaving to go...somewhere else. Where? Who the fuck knows. In the meantime, everyone has to enjoy the pleasantries of Shehui as much as they can before they're magicked away to some other horrible place with no electricity or takeout food.

Emil was already planning on leaving something in that apartment anyway, so he grabs a few extra things to take for a quick Ruby visit. Her story was extremely saddening and unsettling to him, and it feels wrong for her to have to sit in bed and not enjoy anything about the holiday.

His knock on her door is soft and gentle. ) Ruby? It's Emil. ( Opening the door a crack; it's him, he promises! ) It's okay if you don't feel up to visitors.

[pigii]

[ the uncertainty of qri sending the coven somewhere else is pretty scary, though maybe not as scary as the idea of staying in shehui for longer than they have to. as long as she has magic, ruby feels like there's a target on her back; like she can't truly relax. even now she's half-expecting a monitor to find her and bring her back to her cell, which is why the initial knock on the door makes her freeze up.

thankfully, the familiar sound of emil's voice lets her calm down some. she knows he's not out to hurt her, and she'd love to have some familiar company now that she's out of LP on her mobile games. ]

No! [ oh geez, that was a little much. ] I-I mean...you can come in... I don't mind!

[ pls :( ]

[witchwithoutacause]

Hey Ruby. You get any chocolate yet?

[ Asked from afar, while Amanda scouts the vendors and asks questions about like... which ones don't have booze in them. Amanda's down, but she has this strange feeling that getting Ruby wasted won't be a good time for anyone.

No, she'll be avoiding chocolates that are anything but pure and innocent. ]

[pigii]

Mmhm. I wasn't really expecting anything, but some people gave me some friend chocolate.

[ getting her boozed up is definitely not a good idea, especially since one liqueur-infused chocolate would probably be enough to get her smashed. she's currently enjoying the box that riko got her, but she does have a soft spot for sweets - who's to say she can't have more?

in any case, she definitely sounds better than she did the last time they talked. ]

Did you get some, Amanda-san?

[witchwithoutacause]

[ Maybe if there was less trauma, getting Ruby smashed would be funny but... no, Dia would probably be Actually Justifiably Angry about that. Amanda's here to have fun, not to ruin things.

Still, thank goodness Ruby is chatting casually like this. ]

Not yet, but I've kinda been looking at it for one or two other people.

[pigii]

There's a lot of different kinds, right? I can't really pick a favourite...

[ she's been warned by her sister not to overdo it, but milk chocolate with cream filling is just so good... she may have had more than a couple. ]

If they're getting chocolate from you, I bet they're really nice.

[witchwithoutacause]

Oh, trust me, I only give chocolate to the right people.

[ Maybe she should slip Dia a liquor chocolate. Calm her down a little. ]

[pigii]

[ no one needs to see dia drunk, especially her sister! she's far too innocent for that. ]

If you want, we can share some. I think I'll get a stomachache if I eat all of it by myself...

[witchwithoutacause]

[ Duh, Amanda would do it when Dia was confident she could leave Ruby alone for a few hours. ]

...you know, that sounds nice.

[lalliho]

[Lalli's noticed the way noise makes her nervous, and his normally wouldn't be much of a problem for him, but...he gets the feeling that a silent approach wouldn't do her much good, either. He comes up with a compromise, steps quiet, but tablet cheerfully singing idol songs about banding together to destroy, or something. Hate Death sure is a Thing.

Anyway, he opens her door with his elbow, eyes glued to the screen and one hand plunking at the screen every now and then -- he's clearly switched it to easy mode for this, wanting it more for the sound than actual progress. He sits down next to her bed, without a word or glance, and sets down a red purse in the shape of a fish, which is filled with wrapped chocolates in a variety of flavors. This is the smoothest he's ever been, don't tell Emil.]

[pigii]

[ her skittishness towards noise isn't something that she'd want to talk about openly with most people, so lalli's observation is more appreciated than he knows. even her friends coming to visit have sent her into a short panic - it isn't any fault of their own, but things are going to be a little different for the next while.

she lifts her eyes up from a magazine she was rereading at the unmistakable sound of a hate die song and the jingle of notes being tapped. the approach works as intended - she doesn't freeze up or scream, but before she can say anything she watches him set down the purse. wordlessly, she climbs out of her sheets to scoot over and examine the accessory. it's cute enough to bring a smile to her face, but it's nothing compared to when she opens it and sees the chocolates. ]

Lalli...

[ the gesture is incredibly sweet. so sweet, in fact, that ruby feels grateful enough to only hesitate for a moment before clinging to his shoulders in a sort of awkward hug. ]

Thank you.

[lalliho]

[The effect of her embrace, or attempt at something close to it, is immediate. Lalli...isn't used to contact that wasn't some form of punishment or a mere second of praise. Emil had made it easier, but that still mostly had to do with how to deal with Emil, and not being touched in general. Still, Ruby is gentle. Ruby is quiet and keeps to herself. Ruby...is hugging him, sort of, and even if he's tensed up and stopped breathing, he decides it isn't so bad. An exhale is eventually shuddered out.]

...O-okay.

[sorry, he hasn't learned manners yet. he's a few chapters away from that Lalli.]

...I don't know what kind of fish it is. Oh. Live show failed.

[SO GOOD at conversation, man. The best.]

[pigii]

Um... Yeah.

[ she knows just how painfully awkward that was, but she doesn't regret doing it. though he's had his off moments, lalli has been largely kind to her since they've become roommates. this gesture solidifies it. ]

T-That's okay! It's really cute... And I like red. [ it's more of her sister's colour, but it matches her hair. more importantly, though- ] Ah- sorry! Did I waste your LP?

[lalliho]

[He'd feel bad if she regretted it because of him, when he's doing his best to accept it. He appreciates the hug...! He just. sucks at this.]

Yes... But it's okay. It wasn't a lot.

[He sets his tablet into his lap and shifts so he can rest his cheek on the bed and watch her.]

I don't have a lot of people I think it's okay to...hug. Mrh, weird word... Weird feeling.

[pigii]

I think I get it.

[ she re-adjusts herself back on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. she looks as shy as ever, but her small smile is a tell that she's okay with the idea. ]

I've never really had friends that were boys before... [ hell, she couldn't even think of getting near men that weren't in her family. ] But I think you're nice.

[lalliho]

[wow this is a lot for his sheltered brain to process right now]

What about Emil...? [Surely Emil counted as a friend before he did? Lalli wasn't friends with people. That's impossible! Still, friends, huh... Guess he's up to four.] Oh. You're the first girl for me... Most girls are pretty scary. Mrrh, like your sister...

[pigii]

Emil-san, too. I was really scared to talk to him at first...

[ but things have been looking up, since both he and lalli have treated her with kindness. maybe boys aren't so scary after all. ]

Mmhm... Sis can be pretty scary and strict, but she's really nice when you get to know her.

[lalliho]

If you say so...

[He's not so sure, but it isn't like Ruby to lie, so. Maybe.]