OCTOBER TDM + EVENT PT 2

[recollecters]

EVENT + TEST DRIVE

OCTOBER TEST DRIVE - EVENT EDITION The city of Recollé...  …is a mess. But that’s probably unsurprising to many of you who have been fighting back to cure the creatures of the night. The golden moon hangs high in the sky and casts its eerie glow over the city. Each day, more members of the Retrospec app fall victim to various strains of the monstrous viruses in the air. Though some of you have discovered temporary cures, they aren't working as well as you've hoped. Even worse, on the evening of the 17th, the moon shifts and wavers in the sky, transitioning from its rich golden color to a deep blood red. The sky remains overcast, never quite dark but the sun refuses to appear. Most importantly? The infection begins to spread further...better hurry. I. - OTA It starts with a rustle. A crinkle. A dry, crackling sort of noise and when you wake up on the morning of the 18th you'll find yourself surrounded by tall, towering cornstalks gently brushing against your window. While plenty of the stalks are healthy several others are dried out and intertwined. The longer you stay in any sort of shelter the louder the rustling becomes and an increased sense of urgency grows, driving you outside and straight into the heart of a large cornmaze that's taken over the city. The stalks seem endless and stretch high into the sky, the tips seemingly touching the moon and providing very little in the way of direction. For those with the ability to fly, soaring up into the sky will lead to an aerial corn maze that's even harder to navigate. Digging your way under will lead you to mounds of roots, too tough to cut through no matter what you try. You could use fire if you really wanted, but do keep in mind that dry stalks will ignite very easily and the flame will spread faster than expected. As for cutting the stalks down? When one's cut down, two more grow back. Work quickly and you can make some progress. Wandering through the maze isn't as hopeless as it seems, at least. Sure, it's incredibly easy to get turned around and lost but as you keep walking you'll find buildings in their appropriate locations to act as landmarks. You might even run into a few friends as you're looking for an exit. However, friends aren't the only creatures looming among the maze. Large, overgrown crows with beady red eyes caw as they linger above, attempting to peck you at every turn. The birds are prone to swarming in groups and will chase anyone who's out in the open for too long. Venturing further into the maze will cause the birds to grow suspicious though and as you walk away from the outer portions they'll stop following you just as something appears in your line of vision. Another person? It may even look like someone you know, though they can't see you with their back toward you. As you approach them, the birds may caw a warning but it's too late. The figure turns around and you come across someone else. The same rustling noise as before becomes louder as the scarecrow advances on you, corn husks spilling from its hands to wrap around your limbs as other scarecrows come to join it. Those who have been on the app for some time will find themselves dragged deep into the maze, disappearing between the stalks. As the scarecrows walk and pull you along, they bind you with their corn husk limbs and your muscles seem to relax against your will. The deeper into the maze you disappear, the less mobility you seem to have. Your clothes soon feel itchy and your hair feels brittle to the touch. A copy of your current outfit appears on the scarecrow that ambushed you as your own clothing fades away into well-worn flannel and patched denim. Hopefully you still have the strength to fight, or you may find yourself alone and abandoned. Those who are brand new to the app, however, will find that the scarecrows have something different in mind. Rather than dragging you deep into the fields, they begin to march along the paths, gathering straw to stuff into your sleeves and the back of your shirt. Patches of mis-matched fabric are placed on your clothes and you find yourself hoisted six feet in the air, tied up onto a pole and looking out at the endless rows of corn. Someone has to protect the crops from crows, don't they? Too bad the scarecrows will just leave you hanging. II. - OTA You would think that the problems would end there. It's bad enough with scarecrows and birds, but as the moon continues washing the city in a soft red glow the primal instincts of the infection take hold. Those who have been infected in the last few weeks will find that the monster side of your personality begin to take its toll. It becomes harder to fight off the instincts to infect and take control, humanity wearing thin even in the daylight hours. On the other hand, at least your luck is better than those who aren't on the Retrospec app at all. In the previous days, your fellow citydwellers had hardly noticed that anything was amiss. Seeing truly is believing and while they could see the changes around them it was all in the Halloween spirit. Your physical changes and your abilities are smoke and mirrors, fun and games, and things they never quite took seriously. Perhaps they should have though. Perhaps if they had, they would have been prepared for the changes brought on by the blood moon. Unlike those on the app, citizens around you will begin to shift and change without any signs of stopping. The monsters in them break through their skin and alter their physique, animal-like instincts immediately shutting down any signs of human life. Sprouting fur, teeth, claws and other tell-tale signs, the monsters around you are the final products of the infection. These are the end game, prime examples of what you can be. And they want you to join them. With their sights set on anyone who isn't like them, they'll be relentless in their attacks to try and change whoever they can reach. Vampires will drink blood, werewolves with bite, mummies will bind and merpeople will lure you in with their siren song. There's nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Everyone is at the risk of becoming infected should you get caught. But you may be able to trick them into fighting their own kind. Monsters by nature want to control, and certain breeds of monsters will attempt to assert their dominance over one another. By leading them on and luring them out, you may be able to pit them against each other for a clean getaway. Traditional warding methods will have minimal success as well, but it's easy to become overwhelmed. This sense of control will even reach those of you who have been infected in the last month. You may love your friends and your family, but if they're an opposing monster, tensions rise and tempers fly leading to fights you may regret if you aren't careful. Don't be afraid to ask for back-up. You have to learn who to trust sometime. III. - IN GAME CHARACTERS ONLY The Retrospec mailbox sits proudly along the side of Wiffle-Waffle, completely untouched and surprisingly free of monsters and corn stalks. While several of you have approaches this place recently for assignments to help quell the infection, the mailbox seems to have a different idea today. Plastered on the wall next to the mailbox is a chart divided into categories, and as you linger to read a small, wrapped bundle will vault itself out of the mailbox and straight into your arms (or, if you're not paying attention, your face.) While the item you have been gifted is randomized, it's easy to locate on this chart. The package begins to glow a soft blue, and in your head you'll hear a small, clear voice. "Into the woods, it's time to go, I hate to leave, I have to, though. Into the woods, it's time, and so I must begin my journey…" As you venture through the corn maze city and fight the night, the voice continues to repeat the phrase until you find your way out of the maze and into the line of trees. Untouched by the maze, the woods are dark but the path is clear. Following the wisps of light and the voice guiding you, it becomes hard to avoid stumbling upon a clearing with twelve stone pillars, each partially colored with a ring of light surrounding its base. For each pillar, there's also an emblem shaped like one of the varieties of monsters attached to the front. The red pillar is for harpy, red-violet is for vampire, purple for shade, blue-violet for werewolf, blue for ghost, blue-green for merpeople, green for slime, yellow-green for zombie, yellow for robot, yellow-orange for mummy, orange for golem and a red-orange for demon. The mouths of these twelve emblems hang open, small enough to fit something particular...like a vial. Before you have time to wonder, a black wolf approaches from behind the trees. Some of you may recognize him as the wolf that's lingered around the cemetery this month, but to others he may be a stranger. As he looks at you, he woofs indignantly before he trots ahead toward the harpy, vampire, and golem pillars. The mouths of these emblems close, a sign that these vials have been found and must be returned to their rightful place. Though he cannot speak for himself, anyone in the woods will hear that same mysterious voice once again as the wolf begins to dig up nine empty vials to carry with him. "Come what may, follow the path and never stray. Only you may draw out the power to light the pillars and drive out the darkness. Fight back." As you look at the pillars, one of them lights up as someone in the city defeats a wayward creature. The ring inches upward, a sign of progress and an example of what you must do. With the collection of cure items on hand, you'll be able to combat anything that comes your way so long as you work together and create the right tools. Reach out to your friends and find those who have items to make yours stronger. Stun the creatures of the night, learn who you can trust, and work quickly to stop the infection from spreading even further. IV. - TDM CHARACTERS ONLY This may be old hat for everyone else by now, but this is very, very new to you, isn't it? Without pause, everything around you suddenly comes into clear focus. You’re not sure what you’ve missed or even what’s happening, but survival instinct kicks in the moment you set foot out of your home. With the city in a state of viral outbreak and several citizens succumbing to their disease, you'll find it hard to go very far without coming face to face with a creature of some kind. Just as this monster looms over you, ready to transform you into one of its own, a blinding white light wraps around you and you’ll find yourself in a brand new outfit. As the light fades, a magic wand materializes in your hand. With an "E" proudly embroidered in the hem of your skirt and a tiara on your head, the monsters begin to back away from you as they eye the wand nervously. Adorning the top of the wand is a clear crystal radiating with power. As the wand meets the eye of a monster, the gem will change to the appropriate color and a powerful beam of light will begin to drive the darkness out in threads and waves. While these powerful wands seem to be the key to fully curing the outbreak, you can't work alone. It will take the combined efforts of residents with cure items from the mailbox and your magical skills to advance upon a creature and exorcise them. As they're fought off with cure items and blinded by colorful hypnotizing light, creatures will begin to rapidly fade to their human selves. While those who are on the app will simply feel fatigued, the remaining citizens of Recollé will fall unconscious in a deep sleep. Nothing you do now can awaken them, but there's still an ample number of threats they face. It's…maybe a little suspicious to be found hovering over someone unconscious, isn't it? A friend will help you move. But a true friend will help you move a body. Good luck, Retrospecters. You'll have to move them to safety, and fast. BONUS. - OTA As the days bleed into the nights and you fight to reverse the effects of infection, a few changes begin to take their toll. The corn stalks begin to dry and even rot as the month continues, the maze becoming easier to navigate toward the end of October. The scarecrows begin to back off, and the birds take a look at you and caw in panic as they fly away in the other direction. Nothing about your situation has changed, but the results begin to show. On the 24th the corn maze begins to fall away in chunks. A winding golden path appears beneath your feet, outlining the roads of the city, and for the next week it becomes harder to walk smoothly. With each passing day, you sink into the ground inch by inch, never quite disappearing, but feeling yourself being pulled under until October 31st. The sky lights up. A wolf howls as twelve beams of light rocket into the air and form one solid column, flooding the city with bright colors as the remaining monsters are quelled and the darkness fades away. As of this day, all monsters are reverted back to their human form. The nightmare seems to be over. Creeping ever closer to Halloween night, you find yourself exhausted from the efforts put forth and as you glance down you notice your hands have begun to fade. Translucent and in some cases see-through, the process spreads slowly. Your body begins to fade away and transform, bursts of color appearing on your skin that light up the area around you including your semi-skeletal frame. Weren't the monsters defeated? Why is this happening now? Asking around never hurts, but maybe a pair of gloves will help. BONUS 2. - OTA On the evening of Halloween, the moon changes to a soft blue and rises higher into the sky. Jack-o-lanterns and strings of light suddenly adorn every shopfront and the chill autumn air sends a breeze through the town. The first thing you think of this evening will materialize over your body becoming this year's Halloween costume. As you look around, piles of sweets, savory dishes, and drinks galore pop up on tables on the sidewalks seemingly out of thin air. Live music begins to play, and those who have fallen asleep rise again to partake. It's...a party? It's a party. A Halloween party takes place on this evening to brighten the spirits of everyone. As everyone around you begins to mingle, you'll find that your phone beeps to notify you that the Retrospec app has entered Halloween Mode. Now decked out in cheerful Halloween colors, with userpics in a randomized (work safe) costume, Halloween Mode comes with a Trick or Treat function. When texting others over the app, users who are asked "Trick or treat?" will have the option to give a treat. If they do, a virtual candy will be gifted to the other user. If they do not, the user who asked the question will have the option to play a "trick" ranging from vandalizing someone's userpic with snap chat filters, choosing a new Halloween scheme for the other person's app, sending the other user into a round of a cutesy Halloween maze game or other light-hearted tricks only lasting up to 10 minutes. Go ahead, give it a try! Post a message and see what happens. It's easier than thinking about how strange this whole month has been, or how it's even stranger that framed photographs of you begin to appear on some of the refreshment tables as well, surrounded by your favorite treats and objects. Oh well. That sounds like tomorrow's problem. If there's ever a time for a celebration, today's the day. Welcome to recolle's October event pt 2 and our TDM! Please read these notes carefully. -All characters who are TDMing will be begin in-game AU'd as Recollé residents. You may use any of the above prompts for ideas or make up your own depicting your Recollé AU! Prompts do not have to be set in the districts listed above. You can review our list of locations for what's available. Please note that TDM threads can be used as samples, can be kept as game canon, and can also be used for bonus points for future item regains. Share a few minor details of your AU, tag around, and have fun! -While only current players may post top-levels using prompt three and TDM players may top-level with prompt four, all players may respond to others who post with these prompts! -If you are TDMing this round, please indicate this by including TDM in your subject line! This will help the playerbase know who is who. -As a reminder for current players, you may still claim multiple freebies! These include: -One freebie for infecting (or being infected by) at least three different characters (this can be on the mod-posted log or in your own logs/inboxes.) -One freebie for exploring with a partner or a group and finding items to begin creating protective gear to ward off the infection. -One freebie for threading with a character that is test-driving. All of these threads must have at least five comments from you to be eligible. To submit for your freebie memories, please link us the appropriate thread with the trigger explanation of "freebie." -As a special note, we will also allow current players to use a thread from this event/TDM for their AC proofs! As this ties into a game-event, we are making an exception. However, your other proof(s) (at least ten comments) must come from sources outside of this log. Likewise, as this is an event log instead of just a standard TDM, you may use this log to trigger regains as normal. -Please note: you will need a reserve to apply, and current characters must have full AC posted at the time of their reservation. This means for players reserving second characters you must link us your full October AC, and players reserving second and third characters must link us to your September and October AC! Finally, you can visit October's AU workshop here! Any questions you have regarding this event/TDM may be directed to the mod comment here. Be sure to review the mods' question thread on the plotting post for important information as well!

Comments

MOD QUESTIONS

[recollecters]

Please leave any and all moderator questions for this log here!

[spirithacker]

Will all NPCs turn into monsters, or do some remain human?

[thesettingsun]

[I: possible demon/werewolf infection]
[The thing about scythes is that their primary purpose, before someone decided to be an edgelord and use it as a weapon, is to cut down plants.

With that and Shuji's bolstered strength, it isn't difficult for him to make headway in the corn maze. He doesn't seem to be going anywhere in particular, however, which makes 'progress' sort of a moot point.

What he's actually looking for is someone being hassled by scarecrows, either dragged along or hung up to a pole.]

You look like you could use some help~

[Shuji smiles brightly, flashing his sharp teeth. Considering his obvious demonic wings and horns...

It might not be a good idea to accept help from him right now.]

[II: also possible infection, tw: violence, limb loss]
[Shuji's hold on his humanity earlier this month had been unstable at best, ricocheting from being terrified of what was happening to him to being unable to understand the problem with murder.

The good news is he's not scared of his mental changes anymore! The bad news is that it's because he's completely given in.

So when a vampire tries to pick a fight with him, even though he knows this is just a regular person, maybe one of his neighbors or classmates- When one of them tries to grab him, he doesn't hesitate to slice the vampire's arm clean off with a swing of his scythe.

Vampires do have senses of pain, or at least that one does, and the screaming may draw you to the location - or you could have been with Shuji earlier. He does like to spend time with his friends still, of course.]

Serves you right.

[He kicks the discarded arm away.]

[bonus I: the one where you don't have to worry about infection]
[Okay so that was a lot and Shuji kind of wants to hide in his room for the next hundred years or so out of shame, but he knows that isn't going to help. So while he's visibly nervous and on-edge, looking liable to burst into a round of apologies at the slightest hint that someone might be upset over all the attempted murder and infection, he is still here at the Halloween party.

As for costumes... at least it isn't a monster that he actually was?

He can be found squinting at the photo of himself he found on the refreshment table.]

...I don't even own all these books.

[Also this is super creepy and he doesn't trust it at all, but what else is new.]

[wildcard]
[idk]

bonus

[maidofmistakes]

Of course you got something cool-looking...

[Lina is... She's not having a good day. She's currently trying to make herself smaller and looking around, hoping none of her classmates see her.]

[promisedyou]

★ option i. [ Mio's been keeping herself inside a hotel room, but the sense of urgency is too dangerous to just simply ignore-- however, she can't just simply rush out without all of the objects that she's been collected over the course of the month. Hence why people might see her rush out with a large backpack along with the stygian whistle around her neck. She's prepared for practically anything because, well, it's obvious that she's been at it. Her eyes are kind of bloodshot and it's clear she hasn't been getting any sort of sleep, which is why she just. Ends up in the maze and stops only when she needs to catch her breath. ] Jeez-- I fucking swear, I'm going to absolutely scream if I end up running into a monster right now. [ She's going to jinx herself, isn't she? Especially with the scarecrows being A Thing. ] ☆ option iii. [ Concern settles in her voice as she sees the chart, taking a photo of it with her phone as a frame of reference. When the mailbox opens, it's with a bit of surprise as it just. Chucks the item right into her face and knocks the wind out of her sails to the point where she's just fallen onto the floor. Help. Or you know, maybe you can make an attempt to try and infect her? ] ★ bonus [ Ironically, the first thing that's on Mio's mind is of a demon, which is kind of why her costume ends up being one, complete with the wings, horns and tail. But what doesn't help is just how revealing it is and she can't help but yell into the night air, at nobody in particular: ] Are you fucking kidding me, you asshooooooles!? [ Thanks, she hates this. ] ☆ wildcard [ Is there anything else you'd like to play? Hit me up via PM or at endlesseight! ]

bonus

[spirithacker]

[In today's news, yelling and cursing tends to get people's attention even if they would otherwise have just been preoccupied with the nearby snack table.

Also water is wet.]

...Want a coat or something? Or a blanket?

[It's October, you're gonna get cold in that.]

[frostythehitman]

[ II. OTA - network - like 10/19 ICly i guess? ]

[ posted by Alpha#03011183 ]
sos, monster outbreak at the prison
it was just me for a while but now everyone else is turning into monsters and attacking each other
it's like shooting fish in a barrel, there's nowhere to go
guards can't help much--they're getting attacked and turned into monsters too
send help, or SOMETHING
what is even HAPPENING

[ because heyyyy, guess who never actually got filled in on what the hell's going on this month! ]

Beta#0901185204

[usurpers]

[ okay so just fuck punctuation and grammar for a bit ]

james you need to get out of there
is there anyone coming?

[commandertoolbelt]

i-a. possible infection of the vampire/shade/mummy varieties

[ Any other time, Leo might like exploring a corn maze. But this has been a shitty month, with a shitty birthday, and he’s tired of it all. The corn seems to go on forever, but they look dry enough. The flames might spread fast.

Good.

With a wave of his hand, Leo sets the maze aflame. ]

i-b. possible infection p2!

[ The person on the pole may look like a scarecrow, but even through the odor of burning corn, Leo can smell blood. He follows it without really thinking, until he’s standing before them, craning to look up at them. ]

Need help? You’re looking a little strung out.

[ Get it? He grins, showing off two brilliant fangs. Maybe you shouldn’t accept his help after all... ]

ii. possible infection p3!

Disgusting. If I wanted to deal with sludge like this, I’d go to the school cafeteria.

[ There sure is a slime monster facing him, and Leo is looking suitably disgusted - though it’s… a little hard to tell, with his eyes looking so much darker than usual. Otherwise he looks relatively normal… that is, until he opens his mouth, and the fangs are right there for everyone to see. ]

Something like this isn’t even worth keeping around.

[ With a sigh, he sets the creature on fire, not even acknowledging when his skin starts to sparkle a little in the light. He’d only been out here looking for subjects, people to serve him. He is, after all, the son of a god. It’s only what he deserves. Instead, when he turns, those dark eyes settle on you. ]

Oh, don’t worry about that, [ he says, gesturing to the pillar of flame behind him with a predatory smile. ] I was just taking out the trash.

bonus. party time!!

[ Leo, being Leo, was obviously thinking about robots when the costume thing happened, because uh. this is a thing? And anyone who sees the photos on the tables will know why - in those pictures, he’s surrounded by robot prototypes, along with the occasional disembodied mechanical arm or leg. ]

It’s almost like a normal Halloween.

[ He’s somewhere between tired and impressed. How we’d go from being murderous abominations to… a party? But there’s plenty of candy out, so... ]

Hey, is eighteen too old to trick or treat?

wildcard.

[ anything else goes here! I’m open to just about anything, but feel free to pm or hmu at seolearo! someone please stake n’ shake leo valdez. ]

ii

[promisedyou]

Don't worry about it? [ Concern sits in her voice, but there's also a little panic there. While Mio is prepared for the worst if it comes down to it. Which also includes being extremely overprepared for an emergency. Not to mention that she's been collecting a bunch of cures for a bunch of things, being someone that isn't currently infected. ] It sure doesn't sound like you were just simply taking out the trash, you know.

TDM!

[jurai]

[I] ScareCROW, GET IT.

[Crow hadn't expected anything strange to happen when he moved here from his home in Maine, and for the two years of his life that he spent here, most of it had been relatively uneventful. He did some odd jobs, he started going to school...life was pretty much standard for a guy his age.

But there's always something that has to come in and tear that apart, isn't there.

It starts off with a rustle, then another, and then more until it's reverberating like a fan in the background. It's enough to get Crow to leave his apartment in both annoyance and curiosity.

From there..

It's just corn, as far as the eye can see both up and out. Brown eyes widen as he steps out into it, watching as people wander around, gathering straw from the ground and collecting it in their fists.

Funny, if he had to guess, they almost looked like--oh.

Oh.

Those aren't people, are they. And they're coming right for him to try and shove that straw into his sleeves, or tugging at the neck of his shirt to stuff it down that way.]

Hey, HEY HEY!! HEY.

I don't know if you guys think this is the best pun or not, but believe me. THERE'S BETTER ONES.

[They don't even know your name, Crow.]


[IV] MAHOU SHOUJO CROW-CHAN

[To say this was "new" was an understatement. Semesters can be new. A pair of shoes can be new. Suddenly finding yourself in what could only be classified as a monster movie meets survival horror needs something with a little more nuance than "new".

Thankfully, Crow's fight or flight instincts have not failed him yet, skirting around the city's newest 'citizens' and opting for stealth above all else. After all, he's got no idea what the heck these things are capable of. He's seen monster movies, man, and they don't shirk on the details of what zombies can or can't do.

All luck has to run out sometime, though, as turning the corner only makes him come face to face with one, blood turning to ice in his veins as it starts to advance. A few steps back won't cut it--this thing was out to get him.
Out of instinct, he'll reach behind him to try and grab something...anything--

Only to be blinded by a flash of light and his fingers closing around SOMETHING that felt like a pole-slash-crowbar-slash-blunt object. When the light fades, Crow's eyes readjust and see the monster skirting around him now, as if whatever he grabbed had suddenly caused it to take caution. Watching it's every movement, Crow readies whatever it is he grabbed--it's a staff. It's a really girly staff.

And what's this tightness in his chest, as if it's being constricted...

His eyes cast down, noticing the outfit and how very much it was NOT meant for a 6'1" man with a decent muscle build. The tightness he'd been feeling? Yeah, that's the bosom of the outfit practically splitting at the seams from his chest. The skirt thankfully hides ENOUGH, but it's certainly going to be showing a lot of this man's leg, bows lovingly adorned on his shoulder and the small of his back. And to top it off--a tiara lovingly sitting right on top of his ebony hair.]

...Well, then.

[He'll just point that wand right at the monster, eyes narrowed.]

NOT. A WORD. OUT OF YOU.

[Be careful what you wish for, Crow, because that zombie panics the moment that staff meets eye level, the gem changing colour and light pouring out of it. The light seems to make the zombie's grotesque form dissipate, changing it back to the human it once was, lying on the pavement unconscious from both the outbreak's effects and the beam of light that had eroded it away.

Crow can only stare in awe and...to be quite honest, shock.]

...

I..huh. Whattya know. [Maybe those magical girls were onto something.]

...Hey, you okay? [There's a light nudge with his boot, trying to jostle the person while not getting hi face too close. Just in case it was extra bitey.

Guess not..Tch.] Can't just leave the guy here...but there is no way I'm gonna be able to explain THIS.


[BONUS] HALLOWEEN PARTY

[After the strange turn of events that became Crow's life this week, he had to say this one was at least the most normal. His first thought of the evening--'servant'--certainly took some liberties with the costume, but you know what? It's got pants. He's not complaining.

He'll just slip right into the party and enjoy himself, playfully chatting up some of the fellow attendees or checking his phone to send the latest digital candy.]

Finally, something normal..

[Although that depends on what you count as 'normal', because he's not caught on to the pictures of him scattered across the table. Not yet, at least.
...

But that doesn't stop him from having a little fun with his outfit, too, putting a hand over his chest and gesturing towards the refreshments.]

Anything I can get you tonight~?

[It's taking everything in him not to break the act, but he's trying his best.]


[Wildcard!]

[If there's anything else you want to thread, you can hit me up at rceus !

Also, a link to my AU workshop for his generic AU history!]

MAHOU SHOUJO CROW-CHAN

[fiddlestick]

[Since being infected, Elliot's preferred to spend as much time as possible in the ocean. But with that instinct to infect others getting stronger as the month passes on, he finds himself grudgingly going into the city to find people. And lucky for him, he spotted a guy he knew from the cat cafe. Perfect. Just follow him until he gets a chance to infect him and---




Okay he didn't see the magical girl transformation coming. In fact it startles him so much, he'll squawk and completely give away his position.]

- W-What the heck?!?

[If Crow looks, there's Elliot who was stalking from behind. He's not quite as monstrous looking as some of the things out here...but there's no hiding the gills or scales or fangs on him. ]

TDM: hina hikawa (au: hina hibiki) | bang dream!

[boppin]

[ ooc: au workshop is here, and i'm open to more plotted connections always! cliff notes differences: very blonde half french half japanese younger sister of wataru hibiki, hina hibiki moved to recolle to live with her brother very recently! she previously lived in france. she's a talented ~genius~ in the same way wataru is and picks things up very extremely easily...also, she likes drama! dancing! and spouting gratuitous french. blame her brother. she also loves astronomy! and junk food! and fasion! that's all her. ]

i-a. pinging google maps

[ you know what's cool? the buildings all being around to act as landmarks is super cool! it sure is helpful when the entire city is now a ridiculous corn maze. except...

except hina hibiki has no goddamned sense of direction. not to crazy anime levels, but she doesn't really know where she is in the city - it certainly doesn't help that she's new. also, one of her few untalented areas is "reading maps" so google maps, while it is open on her phone, doesn't really help.

...admittedly, it would be hard for it to be helpful even if she was good at reading maps, because the corn maze sort of changes everything. hina can be found frowning very heavily at her phone, trying to puzzle it out. ]

Quelle malchance! [ why french. anyway, she said "how unlucky!" ] Mm, I'm going to be late for school...

[ honestly should she even mcfuckin bother going at this point. tune in to find out ]

i-b. this is not the brother she was looking for

[ perhaps you spot hina brightening when she spots the figure of a person with longish blond hair - she knows that blazer, that haircut. ]

Wa~ta~ru! [ her big brother will definitely lead her out of the terrible maze life -

yeah no it's an evil scarecrow. please feel free to rescue the startled teenager now, and/or wait for - ]

i-c. how's it hanging

[ poor hina being set up as a scarecrow. she looks less than pleased??? ]

This straw is so itchyyyyy...

[ ...

maybe not the main thing here, hina. ]

iv-a. she is the one named sailor moon

[ this is way better than being chased by monsters and scarecrows! hina looks about as surprised as the monster (you? some unfortunate npc soul? you decide) at her sudden magical girl transformation but hey. if there's one thing she knows, it's showmanship.

with absolutely zero hesitation or shame she strikes a ~*~magical girl pose~*~ and makes up an attack name on the fly as she points her wand at the monster. ]

Sparkling Hibi-beam! [ and. makes up a fucking attack name for it.

yeah she's entirely going to ham this up, isn't she. ABSOLUTELY!!! feel free to use this prompt to team up with her or be partially or totally exercised by a 16yo girl getting way too into her sudden magical girl life. ]

iv-b. so about this body

[ or maybe you find her having just exorcised an npc? this whle unconscious thing is maybe not great and she maybe has no idea what to do, except then you come by... ]

Ah-ha! C'est magnifique! You're my accomplice now. ☆

[ do you get a choice in this? absolutely not. ]

I'm Sparkling Valkyrie Pisces! [ and she...apparently gave herself an alter ego name? why. ] And we need to move her somewhere safer, I think~!

bonus-i. like we're made of starlight

[ it's disappointing to lose her magical girl alter ego, but hina is nothing if not good natured and generally upbeat. when she notices her hand fading n her way home one night she seems perfectly happy to exclaim and hold her fingers up against the sky. ]

I can see the starlight through them!

[ is. is that a good thing. hina, that's probably a BAD thing, jfc. ]

bonus-ii. witchery

[ the first thing hina was thinking of this evening? a witch! mostly because she saw a decoration...so she's in a cute black-and-orange sparkly ensemble with a hat, and seems perfectly content with this and the random party. her hands are both entirely see-through at this point, and so are her legs - which makes it look like she's wearing some very odd leggings.

the refreshment table with photographs of hina on it has way too much sugary goods surrounding them, as well as various knickknacks and toys, and probably far too many ribbons.

she bounces over without any amount of caution and promptly takes a macaron to take a huge bite out of. luckily the food in't booby-trapped, because apparently she was just going to dive right in... ]

wildcard

[ or throw whatever at me and i'll go with it! please also feel free to plot out other thread options with me at the au workshop or via pm. ]

bonus-ii

[faireleclown]

[ LIL SIS....

wataru is dressed as ..... originally he was going to be a vampire but now that seems kind of tacky given he spent like, the month as one, so he's just dressed up as frankenstein instead. the doctor, not the monster. he's honestly as impressed as always at his little sister's lack-of caution— well not that he's one to like, say anything or judge. like. look at him.

Anyway.

he's joining her at the table, resting his arm on her head like all Tall Big Brothers do, ]

Hina, don't eat too many of these before bed! You'll get nightmares, you know? [ a beat. ] And Tori will try to match you as well, and he'll get even worse ones, oh-la-la, children are so difficult...♪

[parodeity]

i-a. crows are his motif so i had to

[ at least dave doesn't have too much trouble fending off the crows. he's still a vampire/mummy/shade so if you want to be infected, now's the time to approach! you can still approach without him attacking you for just now, though.

he fends them off by freezing them in time, so there are suspended crows in the air, or by binding them with shadow. ]

This is all so generically morbid. Like...holy shit, how many "spooky" Halloween cliches are we up to now? When do we get the actually enjoyable cliches like the goddamned Thriller dance or something?

[ life would be so much simpler if that was what they got. ]

i-b. aerial acrobatics

[ alternately, if you attempt to fly through the maze you might run into dave floating around looking annoyed. how is the aerial maze WORSE than the ground one? usually cheating works! ]

This is massively unfair? Why the fuck are we now gettin' tests we can't cheat on? I demand a test I can loophole the fuck out of instead of weird sky mazes that ain't cereal-box level.

[ alas... ]

ii. what if i made another monster mash joke

[ dave is still a vampire/mummy/shade, but he leans most strongly vampire, so anyone who is a monster other than a vampire may get dave at his most annoyed and antagonistic (and occasionally passive-aggressive because he does have lalonde genes in there somewhere). vampires can get a more friendly and neutral version, while anyone uninfected can try to fight or cure him here, or get infected if you like!

he can be found wandering the maze at pretty much any time, sticking to the shadows. ]

bonus-i.

[ if you happen to be out on the sidewalk near dave when the light show happens, you'll catch him looking faintly impressed. ]

Who do they even pay for their special effects budget? [ it's not a serious question. he runs a hand through his hair, contemplative. ] ...Is it weird I still kinda want blood. Fuck.

[ now he has to undo a month's worth of cravings. AND APOLOGIES ARE PROBABLY IN ORDER. ]

bonus-ii.

[ accordingly with what had happened this month, dave's first thought in the evening is of a vampire although he would not have chosen this costume himself for various reasons, mostly adding up to "I'M SO SORRY I INFECTED SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS. CHRIST. SORRY FOR THE BITING???"

he'll linger near "his" table area, though, and it's predictably a bunch of apple-flavored goods and also photography shit.

if he spots anyone he infected, he'll look immediately guilty and start out with: ]

So, hey, about earlier this month. Uh. I'm sorry? I understand if you want to punch me or something.

[ be gentle.

if you're anyone else, though: ]

What are the odds that candy apple will turn me into some kinda horrific monster, d'you think?

wildcard

[ or throw whatever at me and i'll go with it! please feel free to plot with me more in depth via pm if you'd like! ]

i.a

[windeity]

[And somewhere from Dave's left in the cornstalks...a song begins to play. Be careful what you wish for, Dave.

There's nothing else, but he might also notice a few wisps of darkness filtering through the cornstalks. Even as a shade, sometimes John doesn't care about being subtle.]

[coronae]

bonus-ii. halloween halloween halloween

[ rayne's first thought in the evening was of a sunset. this...apparently translates to a dress that goes through the sunset gradient, dangling star earrings, and black heels. there are also little clouds painted on her cheeks. she's more or less fine with this, although she'd planned on being a flower fairy. rayne immediately takes to the party without any worry at all, for all that her left foot is maybe see-through. she doesn't seem to have any grudges about anyone who turned her earlier in the month, either.

instead you can find her: ]

a. beaming at her phone
[ like it says on the tin, rayne looks thrilled that they've entered "halloween mode" even though she has no idea what that is. ]

Halloween Mode! That sounds so fun! Do we get to play any games? Oooh, can we change costumes?

b. looking at everyone's costumes, speaking of
[ no matter what you got, rayne looks thrilled about it. she's eager to talk about them, too. ]

Were you thinking about anything in particular when your clothes changed? I think that might be the key! It's fun, isn't it? I wonder how many people are dressed like their dinner, though...

c. near her table
[ enjoy all the sweets and art supplies! there are also dozens of pairs of earrings and family photographs, which rayne is smiling at, apparently unbothered that they just appeared. ]

Oh, look. That one's from our fifth birthday party - I got the best set of watercolors, then. My first set!

d. trick or treat
[ while there is definitely a phone version of it, rayne instead bounds up to whomever she sees loitering near their own tables or just hanging around, and beams as she flips her braid over one shoulder. ]

Trick or treat!

[ she may even have some actual tricks planned...! ]

wildcard[ or throw whatever at me and i'll go with it! please feel free to plot with me more in depth via pm if you'd like! for more prompts/options feel free to go to her open log, where i have quests and monster shenanigans aplenty for her so i opted to just stick to the party prompt. let me live!! ]

B

[flametheif40]

[Al's face beams when he sees Rayne. Al's costume is one of the thriller zombies, makeup work and all]

Hey! What was I thinking? Well...I thought

"You know what would be creepy, the voice from the thriller. Every Halloween needs that song to play at least once and someone has to do the dance"

How about you?

[invocate]

I -- into the woods corn maze, it's time to go, it may be all in vain, i know

Oh... this is going to be a problem.

[After realizing the corn is not an isolated phenomenon, Li-Na takes to the skies to get a better view of things... and still finds herself surrounded by gently swaying corn stalks. No matter how high she goes the corn just seems to stay just high enough that she can't see over it. If it wasn't for the fact she could look down and see that, yes, she is off the ground, she would think her boots had stopped working.

But there's no mistaking the fact she's a good thirty feet off the ground. She gives a small growl and lashes out with one leg, slicing through a wall of corn stalks. But barely a second later the hole she'd created is filled as the stalks regrow.

Just as she's considering letting Sound Shackles loose to see if she can move faster than the corn can grow, she hears a 'caw' behind her. And that's all the warning she gets before she's surrounded by a murder of crows.]

Ah! No! Leave me alone!

[Li-Na dives down, trying to get clear of the murder, but the crows keep pace, harrying her and being all around nuisances. If she's not careful... she might just crash to the ground.]

III -- into the woods to get the thing that makes it worth the journeying

[Eventually, Li-Na makes it to the mailbox. As she examines the chart posted next to it, a small package just about does in her nose. With a surprised squeak she manages to catch the package before it falls to the ground. The voice ringing in her head, Li-Na unwraps the small glowing blue package to find a STYGIAN WHISTLE. She looks over the chart again, and when she finds the right description, she nods to herself. It's good for werewolves. Good.]

Into the wood, I suppose.

BONUS 2 -- into the woods, then out of the woods, and home before dark

[As the moon turns an interesting shade of blue, Li-Na hopes it's a sign that all the madness of the month is over. She's had quite enough of ghosts and werewolves and demons and...

Li-Na watches as a long white tutu materializes out of thin air on her body, along with two small myrtle branches in her hands. As toe shoes would be extremely impractical to walk in, a pair of white ballet flats form instead.]

Okay. I just hope I don't have the power to dance someone to death...

[Since willis were the spirits of dead girls betrayed by love, technically that makes them ghosts. And of course the willis would be the first thing Li-Na thinks of if someone said the word 'ghost'.]

III: Test driving

[cherylmason]

[Heather Mason has been looking for two things: someone else who is not a monster, and maybe some answers. She'll settle for number one. A fellow high-schooler, she recognizes Li-Na by sight from school, but can't remember her name.

Heather takes a very cautious step forwards, but almost pulls back into the shadows when she remembers what she's wearing. She doesn't even know yet what she's even doing in the getup. Desire for answers overcomes her embarrassment, and her voice cracks when she speaks up.]

H-hey! It's Heather. Uh, Mason.

[A very weak wave. ...hi? She awkwardly scratches the back of her head with the hand that is also holding on to a magic wand.]

Look, you're the first other normal person I've seen. What in the world is going on?

[dejerate]

I:

....Hm? Corn.....? And ack! Crows?

[Because yeah, he really doesn't appreciate when one tries to swoop down lower, possibly mistaking his mop of dark hair for a nest or something. There's a yelp and a pout as Yuu tries to bat the bird away.]

Where the heck am I anyway?

[Time to go exploring to try find any sort of building to act as some sort of landmark? And hopefully not get hopelessly lost in the process.....not that he doesn't try. Cutting at some of the corn with Ashuramaru, his bright green blade usually in his memories possessed by a demon might seem to initially help. Before he realizes this only makes things worse by it growing two more stalks instead.]

II:

[Since Yuu has been infected, he has been trying to keep to himself, more or less, in not wanting to spread this to others. But that does become harder the longer he tries to hold out. Not to mention his birthday recently. Not to mention even those without the app being affected and thus making this all the more complicated and difficult overall.

Yuu isn't quite sure what to do about this. Now that this involves his friends and family that have so far managed to remain unscathed by this. At least being already infected he doesn't need to worry about this in terms of himself? More worried about others.

Which is why sometimes he might step in if he sees someone in potential trouble. Most likely within seconds of seeing it and not really....thinking about the potential risk to himself in getting in the middle of this.]

III:

The woods....?

[He asks aloud as he reads the mail and hears the voice (once he recovers from having been smacked in the face with his mail, that is). Well, it isn't like he hasn't been out there before. He could probably figure it?

Not that he is exactly sure to go but after wandering for a bit, he finds his way to the woods and follows the wisps.]

This is....?

[Either something helpful or somehow the cause of what was going on? But then he sees the pillars and figures out what is happening. Curing the infection?]

Bonus 2:

[Yes, Yuu will be devouring the food. And enjoying playing 'tricks' on most others around with these harmless, silly games. He now long longer is infected to be worried about his appearance or the emotional side effects either for that matter, so he definitely seems happier than he has in a while now.

He's dressed as a werewolf, too. He's playing with his phone or chatting with friends, not noticing the photos.]

[keystaff]

I: The Way Is Clear

Ehhhh?

[Sakura doesn't exactly expect to wake like this. The corn and all. It makes her pause, glancing around confusedly. She's never lived so rurally as to expect to wake to crops like this. Which is why she initially freaks out at this, giving her trademark 'hoeeeeee?' of surprise as she tries to figure what happened given she fell asleep in her bedroom the night before.

Unfortunately she doesn't currently have Fly anymore, to be able to use that to try get some height, get above the corn to see where she was. So she just has to wander, without any weapon on her to try and cut the crops down to figure a path.]

II: The Light Is Good

[In this, Sakura is rather defenseless considering she doesn't have her magic and cards anymore. Nor is she infected. She has to figure this though. She has to try cure Xiaolang and everyone else that is infected. Particularly personal in this given her boyfriend and foster parents are infected, let alone her other friends.

Which she might be just now finding out in the case of her foster parents, Fai and Iwai, given they aren't on the app anymore and thus she isn't sure what may or may not have consequences with the app concerning them anymore.]

Fai-san.....? What's wrong?

[She doesn't immediately notice the fangs. Doesn't quite immediately click when she notes something doesn't seem quite right. So of course she is more concerned than cautious.]

III: I Have No Fear

Into the woods?

[Where in the woods? Still, it seems as good a hint as any for how to figure this out. Curing everyone. Sakura bites her lower lip but looks determined, as she glances in the direction of the woods from the waffle house. She had to do this. Had to at least try. Which is why she wanders in that direction, following the wisps of tiny lights as they guide her further and further into the woods.]

Vials? The cure? It is! So there's still....there's still a few left.

[But this was some progress, right? It's something towards this being dealt with and everyone being cured and back to normal?]

Bonus 2: Nor No One Should

[Sakura is probably just choosing the option of giving everyone treats, rather than opting for the tricks, as harmless as they are (okay except maybe Touya, because siblings). She's happy enough to be relaxing for once in a while and that everyone seems to be back to normal again. That nobody seems to be infected.]

These snacks are so good!

II

[oniipeach]

Sakura! Get back!

[ Touya's getting there in a dead run, but if she can stay out of danger for another moment, that will be... good. ]

Apparently, now people not on the app can get infected, too.

[ And if either of the adults gets too close to his sister, they may get a very precisely thrown - he's been practicing - Stake 'n Shake thrown an the offending limb. He wouldn't try to actually stake them - it doesn't even compute that he could - but he'll make them hurt enough to back off from Sakura. ]

Have you been outside, yet?

TDM: Heather Mason | Silent Hill 3

[cherylmason]

[OOC: Late workshop post here!]

I: What would you do with a brain if you had one?

[It's as if Heather is just waking up to how insane the entire world around her is. She is wandering in the corn maze, one hand frequently going to her head. How did the whole city around her just disappear? She is taking small steps, cautiously, and holding a flashlight out in front of her defensively.]

Hello?

[The rustling of corn stalks, and the figure that steps out in front of her is very much not another person. The scarecrow flops onto the ground, then gathers itself up and lumbers towards her. Heather's eyes widen, and she starts backpedaling immediately.]

Stay- stay back! I'm warning you! Hello!?

IV: I'm NOT saying it.

[The scarecrows aren't the only danger. In fact, they are the least dangerous part of the city. Heather makes it to a street, still lined with the corn stalks, but this has to be her street, doesn't it? Her building is around here somewhere. She is trying to keep to the shadows, but she keeps having to step out into what little light there is to check her location.]

[Something has tracked her. Heather slowly turns around when she hears the shuffling, dragging foot steps. The thing is wrapped in bandages, still half-transforming, enough of a face is still visible that she can see its eyes, someone crying out for help inside? It raises its hands towards her.]

No! No! Don't touch me! I'll kill you-!

[A bright light, and the flashlight she had reeled back to hit with transforms into a wand. Her clothes have become something a little less genre-appropriate. Heather finishes her scream, but hesitates when she sees that the thing did back off.]

Yeah.. Yeah, that's right! Go away!

[She wave the wand, crystal glowing yellow-orange, at it menacingly. Heather has bought herself some time, the mummy is shrinking away, but now what?]

I

[psykick]

[Having already been hoisted up her self, Rinka isn't keen to see someone else share her experience. So when she hears someone yelling nearby, she shoves her way through the corn, following the voice. Luckily, it doesn't take her long to find Heather and her straw-stuffed harasser.]

Ahhhhhh! Stay down!

[And she kicks the scarecrow, right on the side of its leg. As it stumbles, she darts around it and grabs Heather's hand.]

Run!

tori himemiya ❀ ensemble stars! ❀ tdm

[littlemperor]

[16ish year old high school student with dark brown hair and green eyes; staying with wataru hibiki and is known in class for being sort of aloof/above everyone else in attitude. part of the cult rosetis and has the trademark tattoos on both his arms. also part of french club and sort of volunteers at the library for a lack of anything else to do.]

i.

G-Gah?!

[he's being hoisted?! and stuffed?! the scarecrows shove some straw into his mouth for good measure -- scarecrows are silent folks, thank you -- before they trod off to do their bidding, leaving tori to struggle at his binds and... honestly it is Just enough off the ground that he, a tiny tot, does not appreciate it.

so part of him wants to get down, part of him is Perfectly Okay with being up here, and all of him has tears stinging in his eyes. he whimpers, working the gross dry grass in his mouth as he tries to spit it out, and once he does he wastes no time in calling out to any movement he sees:]

Hey, you! Stop what you're doing and get me down from here! I'm God's vessel, but that doesn't mean I want to be tied up like this!

iv.

[tori knows what this is.

magical girls aren't an unusual sight in japan, even if he'd left it some years ago, so the attire and wand are familiar in a sense; he might have the sparkly pretty light to combat the beasts, but he's all for just using the staff to beat them back too.

which is what he's mostly doing before letting the light shine on them. just so they get second thoughts about preying on someone that seems so small.]

Fufufu~! That's right! Cower! All beasts will bow to my power, granted to me by God himself..! [okay tori.] Run! Tell the rest of your forsaken kin! You'll die soon enough!

[ahahahaha,

ah god he sure is something else, what kind of magical girl raves so gleefully like that..? be wary in your approach, monsters and humans alike, it seems he's not really checking to see if someone's infected or not before "defending" himself.]

wildcard

[anything else!!! whether it's an attempt at more normal going ons or the bonuses, some different variation of the prompts, whatever! if you'd like to plan something, pm this account or hmu on plurk @ sundrymunity ♥]

iv

[promisedyou]

[ While there might be a bunch of people that are terrified, Mio... definitely isn't, if only because she seems to carry a bit of confidence in her step and even manages to answer him rather nonchalantly. ] You know, you really sound like a typical villain of the week from one of those children's cartoons right about now. [ Oh, did we forget to mention that she is, in fact, carrying an assault rifle in her hands? ]

[usurpers]

ＢＯＮＵＳ ＩＩ • ＷＥ ＫＮＯＷ ＴＨＩＳ ＩＳ ＷＨＡＴ ＨＡＰＰＥＮＥＤ ＡＬＬ ＭＯＮＴＨ

option a: [ a party is not the first thing eren could’ve thought of going to after everything that’s happened— he’s here nonetheless, with a woman that looks fairly much like a petite him in costume and clinging onto his offered arm. she seems happy and bubbly, cooing at any children and offering directions to the infirmary where she’ll be hanging around, while eren . . . just looks simply troubled. it isn’t for less. she tries at least! she tells him to cheer up and go find his friends— if anything, she flags you down and asks: hey! mind trying to make my son smile? he usually loves halloween . . .

she covers her mouth as she says the last few words and leaves with a little wave, aggressively scolding back: only come and help me if you’re smiling, eren!!, while eren. frowns and sighs heavily. he’s got a rewarding costume at least. ]

She’s a pain.

[ like mother like son the legend is true ]

option b: [ with his gipsy danger suit surely, even if he has to leave the feasting to find you, he will, especially if you had an encounter with eren during the last month, already infected or if he attempted (or succeeded) in infecting you. he’s sure they need to talk.

but apologizing just sounds so empty compared to the gravity, to where it could have ended up. with a dry throat and parted lips, eren almost calls out when he sees you— ]

—You have a minute?

[ it comes out softer than he intended. maybe for the better. ]

option c: [ over the network, eren’s userpic is return of the furry. either way: ]

Jasmine did this last year and it’s probably the best way to make this thing useful. For every virtual candy gifted to this comment I’ll donate 300 dollars for kids who can’t leave their wards. We’re setting up costume visits and gift bags for all of them by the end of the night.

Let me know if you want to donate and look for me. You can talk/leave anything with my mom at the public infirmary, too, she’s on duty there today.

( for anyone who would like some more infection things, eren had merperson + slime and he’s got an open log for all of that here! i’d still love to do new things or incorporate any of this event post to a closed prompt for you on demand if you’d like!! just let me know!! ✨ as always, reach me at liberos or owlteer#3609 on discord! )

Option A-Bish

[fiddlestick]

[So this sure has been a month. Getting engaged, turning into a monster, turning others into monsters, finding someone from Class VII after so long, getting cured by them while they wore a magical girl outfit....it's been one of the weirder months, to say the least.

So during this party, Elliot is definitely among the withdrawn ones. He's been put into a wizard costume- big wizard hat and all, and kinda keeping his distance from everyone.

He sees Eren and almost calls out to him, but then he sees that he's with his mother. Oh...oh no. How was he supposed to face him in front of his mother after what he did? He can feel his anxiety and guilt just rising through the roof.

So excuse him as he stands there very awkwardly as he tries to compute what to do. What a useless tag this is I'm sorry.]

[yakan]

I.
[ Well. WELL. This is strange. SHOULD be strange. He's too calm about being dragged around, tbh. Kiyoshi's vines aren't too helpful, anyway. He wishes he had some sharp parts to use against the scarecrows but.. Alright then. At least he can hang around and catch some z's for a bit. Except he notices that his clothes appear on the scarecrow and he looks down on himself and he puts a hand to his vine-covered head and- ]

I could forgive you for putting these boring clothes on me but gimme back my strawhat right this moment, young man! Right now or I'll feed you to Dakki-sama!

[ Kiyoshi is a bit loud. It's probably easy to pinpoint his location despite the tall cornstalks. That is his hat! Nobody can have it! Nobody! ]

II. infections: golem, ghost, slime
[ Kiyoshi has not been too successful in infecting people. Some random unimportant ones with a lack of Retrospec access, maybe. But not other Retrospeccers.

And he's even more cold than he was before.

So when he accidentally phases through a wall and falls out in front of or on some person, he attaches himself. He wouldn't, normally. He knows it's important with boundaries- he has his own too. Normally. Normally, yes.

Which means that since things are not like they're supposed to, right now, he eventually starts phasing through walls on purpose, to fall into some person passing by just near, and catch himself against them.

In any case, he's a bit see-through, not completely solid, and his skin is sticky. He's more visible during the night, more dry during the day. None of it goes entirely away. ]

Oh, sorry, sorry. Didn't mean to do that, let me collect myself a couple moments.

BONUS.
[ This is all just so... tiresome... So Kiyoshi just.. decides he's done. He plops down on a bed of cornstalks, ignores that his body seems to be fading even more than it did over this past moth, and just stares at the sky. Pressed his strawhat over his face. Groans. ]

BONUS 2.
[ To be honest, Kiyoshi doesn't really feel up for a party. Or sampling all the food. This past moth has just been that exhausting. In his traditional garb he sits to the side on a bench just watching for once, he taps his closed fan against the parasol in his lap as he smokes cigarette after cigarette as if that's going to make the exhaustion go away. (And the fact that he had to apologize to people over this- particularly over that date he probably really messed up thanks to being one of the very first infected. Fuck.)

[echoing_sutras]

[ i - yea, my whole world's breaking all hell breaks loose ]

[ Kyouko had taken refuge in the Buddhist temple at the worship center after she and Byakuren had gathered all the parts to make the goggles. She had to watch out for them while her mother was out helping others. But the corn stalks came and she had no choice but to flee. She deeply tried to keep herself from freaking out, but this was just all accelerating too fast. Unfortunately, she doesn't take long before she's caught by the scarecrows, crying out for help and struggling against them as they hoist her onto a pole. ]

I REALLY WISH THESE WERE ALIENS INSTEAD! [ It was a dumb thing to scream out loud, but hey, at least she could deal with that. She needed to get away and get back to the goggle stash... ]

[ ii+iii - American nightmare running scared ]

[ By some miracle or the help of others, Kyouko has escaped the scarecrows and now has a crate full of Viewfinder Goggles strapped to her back. She's dashing through the streets, screaming her head off (and probably yours too) as she ducks and dodges non-robomonsters, but actually summons up her gumption to try and strap the goggles to any robot or robot looking thing she comes across. Byakuren had told her to be brave, that she could do this, that she believed in Kyouko's courage. That was enough for her, at the moment, to try and do her part to fight back this menace. ]

Take that! And that! [ But she might have been a little too high energy, slapping the goggles onto the robots while avoiding their attacks in a frenzy. She might accidentally slap them on you, robot or otherwise. Whoops. ]

[ bonus 2 - bonfires burning bright pumpkin faces in the night i remember halloween ]

[ She guessed this was as close to "mission accomplished" as she was going to get out of the situation, brief freak outs about her own transparency aside. She was really starting to see what people meant, about how no matter how terrifying things got, so long as they worked together and kept to the task, things tended to work out. She still wasn't used to or remotely ready for this new Retrospec life, but on top of everything else, she could at least build those experiences into music.

Speaking of, that was apparently her roll for this part. Joining the band on stage as their special guest, high school youtube music star Kyouko Hijiri, in full ghoul make up took up her guitar and started leading the band in a series of all the Halloween Hits.

There were of course the standard classics. Thriller, Dead Man's Party, Superstition, etc. But of course she had to work in some of her more punk and alt flavored favorites too, from the Dead Kennedys, Social Distortion, and of course David Bowie. And maybe some Misfits, too, if she could get away with it.

Between sets, of course, she was partying with everyone else, relieved to finally have the light at the end of the tunnel. ]

[ wildcard ]

[ obligatory wildcard. hmu with whatever! especially werewolves. she still needs that regain. ]

I

[long_live_the_queen]

[As the scarecrows leave in search of another victim, there's a quiet whoosh of feathers as something human-sized settles on the crossbeam of the pole. She's quite feathery, but far too pink to be a crow.]

Are you sure about that?

[Lucy crouched over her taloned feet with her wings half-folded to her sides, looking a lot like a sullen bird herself. Her red eyes were amused, but more piercing than usual. And there was a bit of an opalescent stain on her skin in places, more like a stone than a bruise. Most of those were covered up by gauze.]

[standalonehuman]

Closed to Mariko: Sorry, James

As horrible as the situation is in the rest of the city? Togusa got in contact with James, and the situation inside of the prison is even worse. Infection, if this problem is, in fact, viral. And it's spreading among so many people that can't get out.

Togusa is loaded up as best he can, taking advantage of every single advantage Retrospec has given him. Full riot gear, both his service pistol and the other Togusa's on him. And when he exits his apartment, he rests one hand on the hull of the Tachikoma.

"Ready to go whenever you are, Mister Togusa!" One claw-hand raises in the Tachikoma's best attempt at a salute.

Togusa can't hide his nervousness as he moves to remove the guard from the Tachikoma's center gun. "We're going to try to get to the prison. I'm going to get inside. Stealth is more important than attacking anyone. Don't shoot anyone, unless I directly order it. Okay?"

"Okay!" The Tachikoma just seems excited to be out and about.

Reluctantly, Togusa steadies his shoulders, and then the Tachikoma's rear pod opens for him. He stares in, he can see how to 'ride' it, but he's never done this in combat before. Cautiously, he slides inside, and lets the passenger pod close behind him.

The display lights up, and Togusa grips the sticks that are used for driving and shooting. "You're in charge here." And those words make him absolutely more nervous than anything else.

"Roger!"

The Tachikoma makes its way through the cornfield-lined streets, trying to navigate the new topography of the city. Although Togusa feels very safe inside that tank, it is a very visible target for a hunt. And he doesn't know that he is being hunted by someone specific.

III

Togusa hasn't seen the wolf before, but this is his life now. Following the direction of anyone or anything that seems like it knows what it's doing. He absently grabs at his wrist and rubs it, even though the spectral bite didn't leave a mark or even really a feeling. Maybe the two of them have encountered each other before..

He hesitates in front of the display, the twelve pillars of monsters. His eye lingers on the one for the Harpy for far too long. But it matches the list that was by the mailbox.

"Okay..." Togusa slowly starts, looking around for anyone else. His riot gear is still in place, but Togusa is no longer joined by the convenient giant spider-tank.

"..So now what do we do?"

Bonus 2

The calm after the storm. Togusa isn't terribly in the mood to celebrate, but he can recognize the olive branch being handed out by Retrospec. But his whole physical posture is very tense. His hands, they keep fading out of existence, as if he is activating the thermoptics and then turning it off again. Why? He never got infected...

But never mind that. There are friends that he needs to check up on, people who he needs to know are okay.

And yet, when Togusa sees the framed pictures with gifts sitting on display, almost like..

No, it's a bad sign, but it's another part of Retrospec's attempt to make nice. It doesn't mean anything. Not the best taste. But, for once, Togusa, don't look too deep into it.

At first glance, Togusa is just back in his police uniform, but the badge on his chest is shiny plastic, all the tools on his belt are fake. Even the gun has a bright orange cap on the end of it so everyone can easily see it's not dangerous.

Sorry, James (And Togusa)

[megatechbody]

The city had become irritating, the corn and scarecrows wandering about did nothing for her disposition. Tatsuo had returned to their nest sulking and pouting, upset that Togusa had shot him. He was offended that Togusa had no interest in joining the little pack he'd been collecting. Tsu had always been sentimental and she wasn't shocked that when it came to brass tacks, Togusa defended himself from what he surely saw as an enemy. That meant that infection had been unsuccessful. Deep down, her mate's failure gave her a little flicker of hope.

Hitori Togusa was hers, just as nature intended.

Luckily, her transformation hadn't ruined her ability to carry things and she'd been gifted - blessed, even - to have changes so suited to her baser instincts. After a few days of watching carefully and thinking, Mariko hatched a plan.

First a long soak in a natural water, chlorine seemed to irritate her skin and dry her out faster. Then a stop by her home for her pistol. Togusa was clever clever clever and she had to think more than the last few weeks had required. It was annoying but she was proud he made such good prey.

She hadn't been expecting Togusa to roll with riot gear so quickly - something must be up. Stalking through the corn, Mari watches as Togusa explains his plan to the Tachikoma. Always the hero, Hitori. Don't worry, you'll have someone to save soon enough.

There's a scuffle in the cornstalks before three shots ring out. Mariko screams, pitching it so it reverberates just so, metal and glass particularly affected by the purity of the noise. That's Mariko's voice - no question - terrified and maybe injured.

And with that Mariko flattens to the ground watching for Togusa, or more likely the Tachikoma's approach.

[strawberrypunch]

I. - Crows!

[Why'd it have to be crows...

He's already remembering the last time he got a crow-related memory, which included one whole corpse he didn't want to have to remember, and now we're actually under attack by the things. He's got a wooden sword with him this time, but there's gauntlets over his gloved hands as well.

Any help would honestly be appreciated, because even as he takes up a kendo stance it's still a sword against flying creatures and that doesn't tend to end well.]

Bonus 2

[Now he's a rabbit? Now he's a rabbit. The gloves are hanging from his mouth as he taps into his phone:]

Trick or treat!!

[Play with him, or meet him in person, this is a very important comment.]

bonus 2

[promisedyou]

Treat. I've had enough of tricks this month.

[digthefuzz]

[For reference (especially for newcomers), his AU info is here!]

A: The Corniest Monster [I/possibly IIish]

[ooc: During this prompt, Kurt is infected with the werewolf strain! Anyone tagging into this one, let me know whether or not you'd like your character to be infected, and something can be worked out.]

[Kurt wanders the corn maze with a flashlight in hand. He looks and dresses as he normally does. Well, he might scratch at himself more than often? But that still seems normal.]

Heh. Looks like this maize is a maze... [He says, either to anyone near him or to himself.

Then he stops as he notices something. Either incoming crows, or a scarecrow. Or another person, either before or after a run-in with the scarecrows?

B: A Handsome Devil [Bonus 2]

[Think of the devil and he shall appear! ...As your costume. Well, he'll prefer that over actually looking like a monster, so he'll keep the costume on as he wanders around. He's also feeling guilty as a result of his werewolfy antics, but he still hovers around the party and grabs some treats to stuff his face with. Might as well make the most of it! He greets others with a meek wave.]

...S-some month, huh?

C: Wildcard

[Feel free to come up with an alternate prompt, or hit me up for further plotting!]

B

[psykick]

[Rinka is currently dressed as a cat. She's still not too sure what she thinks about it, but hey, it's Halloween. Might as well get in the spirit right? She's found her way to the festivities and is currently helping herself to cookies and punch when she almost bumps into Kurt.]

Um. Yeah. That was something alright.

rinka urushiba | tokyo esp | tdm

[psykick]

I -- a new scarecrow in town

[This isn't what Rinka had expected when she woke up this morning. It was just supposed to be another day at school with tennis practice afterwards. Instead... there's corn. Everywhere. But she knows the way to Recolle High like the back of her hand. So she confidently sets out for school... and withing fifteen minutes realizes she's lost.]

Oops.

[Standing with the corn stalks waving around her, Rinka can't help but feel a little... nervous. Especially with the crows cawing above. She breaks into a run, hoping that she'll run into something or someone familiar.

And she does run into something, but it's not what she expected. As the scarecrow turns around, Rinka lets out a scream. She turns to run the other way, only to find her path blocked by two more scarecrows. She screams again as the first handful of straw is stuffed down the back of her shirt.]

Hey! Stop that! Stop!

[The next thing she knows, she's six feet off the ground, tied to a pole, not a scarecrow in sight.]

Um... Help!

IV -- vampire vs school girl

[She really should have gone straight home (somehow) after getting helped down from that scarecrow pole. Instead... she's gotten lost again. And found a vampire, who very much wants to drink her blood and probably turn her into a vampire as well.]

S-stay back! I'm warning you!

[Just when it seems like she's about to become the vampire's lunch, there's a bright flash of light. When her vision clears, Rinka sees she's wearing something that looks kind of like a Japanese school uniform. Though, this skirt would probably never pass muster. And a wand. As Rinka looks down at the wand in confusion, she realizes the vampire is starting to edge away from her.]

Oh? You don't like this? Tables have turned now! Take this!

[She's not sure why she does it. It's silly. Magic isn't real. But she thrusts out the wand, pointing it at the vampire, and to her surprise, the gem at the top glows a red-violet and a matching beam of colored light shoots out the end to strike the vampire. Gradually, the 'vampire' features fade away, revealing Rinka's math teacher. And when the light from the wand finally dims, said math teacher sinks to the ground, fast asleep.]

I can't believe that worked.

BONUS 2 -- trick or treat nyan

[It's finally Halloween. The monsters are finally all gone. Everyone seems to be back to normal. Blue moon aside. As the Halloween decorations start appearing, Rinka spots a black cat darting down an alley.]

Awww, here kitty...

[Rinka gives a small yelp as for the second time this month, her clothes transform themselves. This time... into a costume.]

Okay, that was just rude.

[Rinka lets out a huff... but she can't quite be mad. Things had been so... strange the last couple weeks she hadn't even put together a costume. And as music starts to play, she can't help but get in the mood for a little fun. After all the weirdness, she deserves some fun!

And then her phone beeps. Which is confusing since her costume doesn't seem like it's designed with pockets? But she eventually finds one in the skirt and pulls out her phone.]

Retrospec? What is this? I didn't install this! ... 'Retrospec has entered Halloween Mode'? 'Trick or Treat function'? Is this some kind of game?

[Pls trick or treat her.]

[ooc: Rinka is a 16 yr old high school junior. She's on the tennis and track & field teams, and mostly travels in the jock athlete social circles. You can find more of her AU HERE on her workshop thread. If there's anything in particular you'd like to thread out with Rinka HMU @ anacrusis]

IV

[blondferret]

[Derek watches the whole think happen. Her change outfits, that thing that's suppose to be a wand, the glowing stone, and the vampire turning into a normal person. That's new. Derek floats on over and looks over her shoulder at the wand.]

That is the stupidest looking wand if I've ever seen.

[thisloveisjustice]

I -- there's more than crows above you

[Tatsuo doesn't like the corn maze. At all. Trying to fly above it produces no results... nevermind the crows are perfectly capable of doing so. Rude. So he's forced to settle for flying along the paths of the maze, though at least his prey mostly has to stick to the paths as well.

So pay that bird shaped shadow no mind. It's just another crow.

Really.]

BONUS 1 -- time to wake up

[It's like coming out of a fog. One moment he's intent of finding someone to infect and the next... there's a bright flash of colorful light. Tatsuo realizes he's on the ground... and would happily like to stay on the ground, because he hasn't been this exhausted since... the culmination of last August when he slept for nearly an entire weekend? That sounds pretty good right now. Just sleep through the weekend...

Gradually, it dawns on him. He's laying on the ground. Sleeping through the weekend (what days is it again?) is all very good, but he should probably do that in his own bed. So he pushes himself up from the ground and climbs to his feet. Bare feet. Where did his shoes go... For a moment his vision wavers and instead of feet he sees talons. And he remembers. He just spent who knows how many weeks as a bird-man trying to attack and infect his friends and anyone else who crossed his path.]

Shit!

[Tatsuo glances around and realizes he's in Enprise, not far from the aquarium. A quick check of his pockets (thank goodness he'd still needed pants) shows he does still have his wallet, keys, and cell phone in him. But then he notices something disturbing. His hands. They're starting to go see-through. But only partially, as he's still able to see his bones. Just like when he'd encountered the skeleton horde...]

Oh no. Nonononono.

BONUS 2 -- trick or treat

[Tatsuo is almost home to his apartment in Tisse when the blue moon rises. As the district starts becoming more festive, Tatsuo remains on edge. He's still not back to normal and the translucency has spread even further. He can see through to almost all of his skeleton and this point and...

As the Halloween costume materializes on his body, Tatsuo sighs. Of course he would get dressed like this.

At least it's comfortable?]

Really?! You have to rub it in like that?!

[He's not asking anyone in particular. Just shouting into the ether.]

[ooc: Tatsuo is infected with zombie/mermaid/harpy. Physically he's more harpy (osprey inspired), though he has certain mental traits of zombie and mermaid as well. I also have an open log for Tatsuo over here that covers the whole month. Interested in something else with Tatsuo? HMU @ anacrusis]

Bonus 1

[blondferret]

[Derek is experiencing a similar phenomenon not too far away from Tatsuo. It took him a moment to realize didn't have any ghost or slime monsters characteristics anymore. Which means he's walking home. But just as he's picking himself up off the ground he notices something white near his hand. He looks down at the ground and sees nothing. Odd, he could have sworn he saw something. While reaching to see if he had his phone his his pocket, he notices something white again. That's when he sees his hand. What the fuck?

Derek lets out a blood curdling scream.]

AAAHHHHHH!

[No! Being invisible was one thing, but seeing his bones... NO THANK YOU!]

[flametheif40]

1) Popcorn anyone?

[ Everything about this corn maze, the crows, how he can't see anything. Is grinding down his nerves, if this was a regular month. He would have been excited about a giant corn maze...and steal some corn.

He is armed with a can of Febreze and a lighter, a noise startles him and he turns toward it and starts fire spraying whatever the hell was moving.

Could have been you, a cow, a crow, maybe even a brand new toaster oven, either way Al is going Ham]

STTTUUUUPPPPIIIIDDDD MMOONNSSSTTTEERRR!


Party time!

[ When the moon turned blue instead of blood red, he thought about the voice from "Thriller" would be super creepy right now.

He, of course, turns into one of the thriller zombies, makeup and all. He shrugs and goes to the party like that, it was a freaking good costume.

He is snacking on some taquitos before he turns to whoever happens to be nearby with a smile on his face]

You happy with your costume?

For Xialong(Encounters of the pup kind)

[flametheif40]

[Al made it his personal mission at this point, to burn down corn stalks so people can navigate easier. Febreeze, a lighter, followed by absorbing the flames later made him feel AMAZING!

His Magoi was completely overflowing with all the fires he had been absorbing, There were no shortage of monsters coming at him, usually zombies and mummies. Both were afraid of fire and would turn around when they saw his flame magic.

He was taking a break and looking to the moon, despite all the craziness all he wanted to do was to take a nice stroll under such a beautiful moon. Now it's red and he never got that peaceful stroll. But at least he got to enjoy some jerky now after some hard work.]

tdm: rosette christopher | chrono crusade

[timewaitsfornonun]

✞ I. IF I ONLY HAD A BRAIN.

[ It's a cool, crisp and quiet autumn morning. A gentle fog lingers thick in the air, ominous as it is serene, rolling through a city still waking up from a wild night of infestation and "Halloween Spirit". Ghouls and goblins need their sleep too, you know, and it's so hard to find a decent grave to catch some Zs in with people digging them up in search for a cure.

But shhh, none of that matters right now. It's peaceful. Creepy. But strangely peaceful. It would be a shame if someone broke that silence with— ]

GET ME DOWN FROM HERE, YOU ASSHOLES!!

[ That.

Crows scatter as a woman's voice screeches through the fog like a freight train of the rails. Who could it be, you ask? Why, sitting there in the middle of a somewhat deserted boulevard is a strange sight. A screaming scarecrow, newly stuffed and ready to greet the day by bodily hoist her post from the earth, judging from how much she's thrashing. Please help her not fall on her face. ]

✞ IV. WE HEAR SHE IS A WHIZ OF A WIZ.

[ So thanks to some kind passerby (or a well-time face plant), Rosette is free from her duty of scaring crows and everyone else in a five mile vicinity. Unfortunately, she has been given another task, one forced upon her by whatever Weird Shit™ this city has decided to throw at her. Seriously, she is trying to mind her own business!

But God has a sense of humor, and as one of His children, apparently it's her job to take out the monster trash. After getting her clothes stuffed with hay by Tom, Dick and Harry (real nice guys, they live a few doors down), one would think that Rosette would take the sudden Magical Girl transformation with as much blind anger and indignation. This outfit? Stupid as all get out, she wouldn't normally be caught dead in something like this.

But someone gave her something to beat people with, and oh. Oh she is about this right now. It's going to be cathartic even if it is very, very ridiculous. It's a fairy wand! But this has been a day and she's ready to Bippity Boppity Boo the next monster she sees into next week. WILL IT BE YOU??? ]

✞ BONUS II. THAT'S HOW WE LAUGH THE DAY AWAY.

[ Here is Rosette. Here is Rosette, dressed in the most sacrilegious thing that, again, this city has decided to put her in. Today. Standing near a wall, a caramel apple held in one hand, she looks down at her phone. An impish grin spreads across her lips as she hits "Trick" on the app for like the 20th time. Hah. This is great. Chomp.

Basically this is the We're All Going to Hell option, I don't know what else to tell you. ]

I

[standalonehuman]

It's only when the scarecrows seem to have moved on, and the crows have scattered, when Rosette is less guarded, that something happens. Togusa is somewhat sorry, but at first glance, there is nothing there at the bottom of the corn stalk. It starts to shake, there is the sound of something sawing at the bottom of it.

A quiet, hissed voice barely makes its way up to where Rosette can hear. "I'll have you out in a minute, keep it down."

But there's nothing there.

[floret]

i.

[ He's finally gotten the hang of phasing through things (or not) at will, so Jamie isn't actually having a particularly bad time navigating the corn maze. He can't see through it any better than anyone else, but all he has to do is make sure he's facing more or less the right direction and then just forge ahead. (He's relying on his GPS a lot for that. Fortunately, his phone's small enough that even though there's no way for him to make it intangible like the rest of his body, it can fit through even the densest stands of corn pretty easily... It is kind of a problem when he comes to an actual solid wall, though.)

Wherever you are, whatever you're doing, there's a decent chance he'll pop right through the side of the maze right in front of you. And he'll be just as startled as you are! But if you're having scarecrow problems, he feels bad for you, son... and he might be able to help out. ]

ii.

[ Fortunately, Jamie is still in all ways undetectable to quite a few of the monsters (unless they're Retrospec users, of course)! The city may be overrun, but the zombies, merpeople, harpies, golems, slimes, and robots are pretty much leaving him alone... so hey, he's got that going for him!

When it comes to the other monster types, though, he's not so lucky. Still, he's got a few tricks up his sleeve, and he's willing to jump in and lend a hand no matter what sort of beastie is menacing you!

You may also happen upon one of the following tableaus:

• Jamie desperately trying to free his phone from the depths of a slime monster...
  
• Jamie surrounded by extremely confused and frustrated werewolves, who can see and hear but not smell or touch him...
  
• or Jamie being legitimately menaced by ghosts, vampires, mummies, shades, or demons. In this case there's a good chance he's brandishing a sword, but he definitely doesn't know how to use it. Help? ]

iii.

[ Bring it on, infected Retrospeccers!! He's not scared of you!! (ok, well, he kind of is, actually)

He's managed to get hold of some Wrap Battle, a miraculous restorative bandage with the power to squeeze the evil right out of mummies--but it'll work better if combined with iridessence, so hit him up. He also has a few cedarpins, which he has to handle with care since they're designed to stop ghosts. Evidently, they also work pretty well on harpy talons! ]

bonus.

[ For various reasons, the first costume he thought about tonight was a sexy skunk...

...He immediately goes home and changes into the cute bat costume Yogi made for him instead, but if you spot him early enough, then... enjoy (?).

In any case, his phantasmal state is here to stay, it seems. The costume is solid enough, but the body underneath is anywhere from nearly invisible (if you don't have any supernatural affinity) to... completely normal-looking (if you have plenty)!

Catch him chilling out with some cake and punch, frowning at the weird pictures on the tables, or leaning against a wall in a quiet spot trying to determine, once and for all, whether ghosts can get high. ]

wildcard.

[ let's make something happen, you KNOW i am not picky ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ]