+++ 奇跡国 - Miracle Country +++

[So, today is just another simple, pleasant day in Miracle Country, right? Everyone'll go on and do the usual routines, head to work, go to school...

But during the day, something might start bothering your characters. Something they're hiding from others. At first it might just seem like a simple annoyance, an unpleasant tingling, an uncomfortable feeling. If they just ignore it, though, it will grow. Bother them more and more, take over their thoughts, make their heart ache, make it difficult for them to move easily, even to breathe without feeling uncomfortable and achey.

Their deepest and/or darkest secrets are weighing them down, becoming a very tangible burden on them. And how do you get rid of a secret? You have to confess, of course. Telling someone what they're hiding will be the only way to rid themselves of it.]

Hey, hey, slow down! You guys just as fast as Usagi, sheesh! I just wanna know where I am! How close is this to Tokyo? Can I just catch a train back?

[A pause.] Yeah, figured as much. It's not like a girl can help save the world and then get automatically transported to some crazy place with magical books and speed-talking ladies.

[More pausing. The ladies are still talking. At this point, Minako's eyes are glazing over, just like they do when she's at school. The Welcoming Center ladies pretty much sound like Charlie Brown's teacher.] Uh-huh, sure, okay... I'm just going to take this pretty book that does things and go over here now, okay?

[And that's when Minako gets the hell out of there. Minutes later, she's talking directly to everyone.]

So hi, I'm Minako. Uh. Maybe someone else who's here can help me. What in the world is going on and what's the quickest way back home?

[It's New Year's! Time to recharge your batteries, start fresh, make resolutions you won't follow through, or curse your luck that you're still stuck in a goddamn sparkly island. Whichever your choice, Miracle Country is set to celebrate and get everyone together.

Starting during the evening of the 31st, the park in the main island, as well as the shopping district and other main areas all around (the Welcome Center, the hotels, etc) will be decorated with lanters, christmas lights, and other colorful things. Even a few stray mistletoes might be found among the mix, although they'll be more rare than before. Tables with all sorts of holiday-themed food and drinks will be set all over the park & shopping district plaza, as well. And by the time midnight strikes, there'll be a huge fireworks display, visible from any point in the islands.

But that's not it!

A few days ago, everyone would've gotten a little note from a Kiseki lady, instructing them on a gift exchange the place has decided to have. How does this work? It's easy - everyone is assigned someone to get a gift to at random. They're meant to attend the end of year celebrations, in order to give that present to whoever was assigned to them.

If they fail to follow through (either they don't get the present or they do but don't go to the party), they'll face some retaliation. Since not wanting to participate in these means you're most likely a big grump, you'll get your own personal grey cloud following you around, in the spirit of old cartoons - it'll randomly rain or snow on you, and getting angry at it will only make it worse. Only through an act of sincere happiness/cheer can you make the cloud disappear.

And that's about it. The list for the gift exchange can be found HERE. Just mingle and have fun, and - because the date matches - happy 6th anniversary, Kiseki!]

[Happy First Day of Winter, Kiseki! To celebrate the winter solstice, Miracle Country has, of course, decided to let it snow all over the island(s), a fluffy white snow. It'll be snowing lightly throughout the day, but be careful of the ice on the walkways or the icicles hanging off the over-hangings. It's been snowing a bit lately, but now it's in full-force, and there's a few cute snowmen hanging around already, just to help get you all in the mood for playing in the snow.

The light snow will stop about mid-way through the afternoon and it'll clear up, sunny but plenty cold - the perfect way to motivate you to get out and play to warm up, right? And don't worry about running out of snow - if it gets too packed-down, the snow will seem to magically fluff back up again!

Afraid of being cold in the snowy weather, though? No worries, as Miracle Country has graciously provided each room in the hotel with a pile of warm coats, mittens/gloves, scarves, hats, and winter boots, with a cheerful little note that says simply "Let it snow!"; there's also some sleds just outside the entrance to the park, in case anyone wants to take advantage of a small hill.]

[The Mistletoe event is back! The older residents might remember our magical, moving pesky little plants which forced people to do certain actions in order to become unstuck from under them.

If your character gets stuck under them with someone else, here's the new list of possible options to become unstuck. They might have to:

1. - Kiss the other person
2. - Tickle them
3.- Give them a compliment
4. - Punch them
5. - Confess a secret to them
6. - Hug them
7. - Dance with them
8. - Sing to them
9. - Make a promise to them
10. - Make them blush
11. - Make them laugh
12. - Make them cry

How your character decides to fulfill the condition is up to them, although the mistletoes can be picky! So no back-handed compliments or anything like that.

The mistletoe will show up randomly starting today and until the 21st.]

[hello, Kiseki! Aqua's smiling pleasantly and politely at the screen.]

I know this seems a bit sudden, but I think it's overdue - I just want to thank everyone here for being so kind. We've all been thrust into a situation out of control, that we have as little influence over how things are now as how to change them, or how to leave...

I think you're all brave for making the most of what we find ourselves in, and to extend a hand to help every new face that you've met since your own arrival.

[she may be quiet and composed, but it's hard to doubt that she means everything she's saying. however, she doesn't usually talk so much, and it might show in how she's beginning to fidget.]

That said, I would like to ask that if-- I hope no one I know becomes stuck here as I have, but if a boy named Sora shows up, it's very important that I talk to him. He might, sooner or later... World-hopping is a sort of... [while she couldn't find a reason not to admit that she world hops (since it's useless now, anyway), Aqua's still a cautious sort and prefers to mention as little as possible. so how to put it...] ...part of the work he and I do.

[she opens her mouth suddenly, as if about to continue, before her expression darkens and she changes her mind. there's no point in asking anyone to keep an eye out for the other two boys... she catches herself, since she is still recording, and smiles apologetically.]

I think...I'll try to find work at the bakery. So, if you hear anything, I may not be responding to the journal for that reason. Thank you again for your time.

All right.

Great.

I'm going to go ahead and assume someone or something is about to show up now to tell me that we went through all of this trouble for the compass, for everything... for nothing. So much for getting home this time. [She grips the compass all the tighter, tense. Could her mother (god, her mother, that's still a whole other issue she can't yet deal with) have ended up somewhere different?] Whatever it is that happened, I'm not about to sit back and do nothing. Magic enchanted things or not.

I have to find her. [Did she inadvertedly say the thing? No, shut up.]

[We were supposed to do this together, a voice in her head reminds her, and she's not sure if it's malicious or too emotional but, either way, Emma doesn't let herself linger on it long. There's a frustrated sigh, a grumble on her end before the recording turns into video and shows her running a hand through her hair and mumbling about talking to herself while the Welcome Center ladies make their approach. Which is really about to push her further on edge. A welcome?] Who-?

Look, I'm sorry, I really don't have time for this. A journal? Isn't going to help me right now, thanks. Keep it.

How about telling me where I am instead? How did I get here, when we were finally just going back to Storybrooke?

[No luck though. Despite her attempts, she's left in the middle of the city with the journal recording in her hands soon after, Emma frowning down at it without realizing what it's doing. How does magic stuff. Eventually she takes up the pen and writes in it with little faith but not much other choice:]

Just help me find where Mary Margaret is. I'll figure the rest out for myself so long as she's all right.

Deal?

[Well, it’s not that he’s unused to showing up in different worlds – but usually when that happens, it’s not without his ship which he was just standing on and certainly not to arrive very abruptly in a tavern.]

[Then again, it is a tavern, and while Hook looks around with a raised eyebrow, surveying his surroundings, he taps his hook on the bar counter and orders some rum. Because why not, right? He glances around, figuring that a bar’s the best place to start – get some information, figure out just why the hell he’s here. Of course, no one is around just yet and he shrugs – the drunks haven’t woken up from their stupor yet, then. He drinks his rum and gets off the bar stool, wandering around and poking his head outside the bar.]

[… Far too cutesy looking.]

… There is a distinct lack of rum for this to be acceptable by any means. [And he smiles to himself, clearly far too amused at his own thoughts]

[He goes back inside, downs his rum, and goes get some more. And downs that, too, only managing to almost knock the glass off the counter as he does so. And then steps outside again, looking around. If they somehow messed up on the whole portal thing, presumably Emma would be around – and the others, too, he supposes, but whatever search out Emma first.]

[And then he is accosted by Welcome Center ladies and has those various shenanigans before he has his journal ceremoniously shoved into his hand]

Yes, alright, very good. Cheers. [Now get the hell away from him.] Speak with friends in a magic book in a magic world I’ve never seen before, sounds splendid. Just how I was hoping to spend my afternoon. I have my hands full already as it is.

[lol get it? Cause he has a hook for a hand. Anyway…]

[……………………] [He cracks it open curiously, flipping each page with his hook with some difficulty, and after a few torn pages and glancing down at what’s written there, he decides it is not worthwhile and he slams it shut.]

This is certainly not Neverland.

Right then. I haven’t time for magical books, entertaining as I’m sure it is. Not that I’m not all for surprises, but quite frankly, I’d much rather I be the surprise. Not exactly the best idea I’ve ever seen for a good time, but then again, Neverland certainly isn’t a romp, either.

[This is around the time he realizes he is either A) talking to himself or B) talking to a book. Neither is entirely sound and he has more important things to do. He sighs and shrugs.]

[He then drops it into a puddle and continues walking, resuming his previous search for Emma]

It was not a welcome that I expected beyond the veil, truth be told. I'm not sure there is anything at all I could have been prepared for.

[There's a quiet, hesitant laugh.] If nothing else, it seemed as though it would be much darker than this.

And though you are very kind, I'm afraid... writing isn't what I require, either. If all is well for those in life, nothing else is necessary. [For Gwen, Merlin, and... yes, and Arthur.] I have done what I needed to.

[Still, the ladies around him insist and he takes the journal with some confusion, frowning down at it as he sits under a tree in the park, looking around, wondering if there would be other spirits that would come greet him. That's what this is, right? But why would they, to someone unremarkable as he? Lancelot breathes out, opens to a blank page in the journal.]

My name is Lancelot. I cannot know who will read this, but I come meaning no harm. I'd like to know more about this land, if it's possible--if there is something to be known, I suppose.

[There's a pause, before he finishes.]

If the place I am to remain in is here, so be it. I accept that. [But admittedly this doesn't seem to be the work of the spirits or the Cailleach... then again what does he know?]

[It's later in the afternoon of Himawari's birthday, and she and Tanpopo are hanging out in the candy shop. Not that it's super noticeable that it is her birthday, since she isn't the type to make a big deal out of it. Instead, she's feeding little bits of fruit to Tanpopo, who is chirping happily each time, fluffing up on her shoulder.]

Thank you for being with me today. [She laughs -- because it isn't as if he's away on other days, really. Even so...]

I'd say make a wish, but, I guess that's what the stars were for the other night...

[She holds up a bit of strawberry to Tanpopo, who eats it and then hops onto her oustretched finger. She smiles at him, fond.]

I have what I need, hm? [Pi!, says Tanpopo]