+++ 奇跡国 - Miracle Country +++

[Fai is sitting outside under a tree, looking a lot more cheerful than he probably did when he met most of the people watching this video. He's got part of his family back, and though he misses the rest of that family dearly, Syaoran alone is enough to lift Fai's spirits dramatically. Having any version of Sakura around helps too!

He's also looking a little more pale and drawn than usual, but he can smile right over that. Nothing to see here!]

Mm, I hope this is working right! Syaoran-kun told me how to use this... [he leans a little closer] ...the magic seems simple enough....

Anyway! For those of you I haven't met yet, I'm Fai. And since it seems as though there's no way out of this place... I guess I'm going to need something to do with my time! I know there's already a bakery and a cafe, and I haven't met anyone yet that needs to learn about magic, so I'm running out of ideas. Does anyone need help with anything? [he stifles a yawn with the back of one hand and rests his chin in the other, looking quite a bit like a lazy cat] Preferably something without heavy lifting~

[...right, there's... that other thing, too.]

Also, just a thought: does anyone here know anything about vampires?


((feel free to threadjack or do your own thing, as one does))

[Now that people's memories are stable, and it seems like the world isn't at risk of suddenly transforming into something else entirely, or becoming flooded, or anything of the sort, it feels like a good time for someone who's only been around for a while to look around a little more in detail. Especially now that it's been long enough that the warnings about some people staying around long-term are looking more and more believable.


After wandering around by the closed-up shops uselessly for a while, Eliot finds his way to the training arena in the main island. It doesn't take long to figure out what it's for, and if you're passing by, you might see him there... rather failing miserably, doing things such as trying to pick up a wooden sword, swinging it around, and losing his grip enough that said sword goes flying across the arena's tiles.

Oh well. At least he can make it fly back to where it was.]

[And in a flutter of sakura petals, suddenly everything returns to normal. That wasteland sweeps away, the vegetation and water growing out to cover the proper main island of Miracle Country. And you’re back to normal, too! Everything that just happened… was it a dream or another life? Those memories will linger, regardless.

You’ll find that with the abrupt change, though, that some of the other effects still linger, too: relationships from that ‘world,’ that expectation that there won’t be enough food or water, residual abilities you had then, your own abilities being slow to return. Don’t stray too far into the forest, either – there are worms out there now. And they're a little uneasy with this suddenly new, foreign environment.

But welcome back. The sakura trees are blooming today – and hey, there’s plenty of food and water after a few weeks of dire scenarios. Maybe it’s a little too abundant. A few areas around Miracle Country are a little flooded with the rush to return to normal.]

[The days pass, and more and more creatures begin to show up on both lands. The border between both sides is now the best hunting area, with easy access to creatures from either side, nevermind the possibility of sneaking around to get some other supplies, to gather info, to steal weapons. Maybe even simply visiting to have a chat, nothing says diplomacy can't be attempted, right? Much as the memories everyone holds say it hasn't worked out so far...

Ah, speaking of memories, they'll be getting a little fuzzy these days. Now and then, you'll feel like you can't recall certain things, some encounters, past events, stories you've heard. Or maybe you remember them, but they're not what you expect. Small flashes of people you can't remember ever meeting here. Locations that aren't anywhere to be seen, neither here nor back home. Like dreams that feel too real, too solid, too important to you, to merely be some construct of your imagination.

Is it the confinement, maybe? A longing for a different life, now that everyone seems trapped here and left to fight a battle not even their own? But then, why is it that some of those memories resemble a trap, as well? Trying to manage in an unknown world, the feeling of helplessness, the bonds you couldn't have made otherwise.

On this clear night, with a full moon visible from either side, these visions will be clearer than ever, more powerful than before. And if the ruins of some destroyed building seem familiar all of a sudden (haven't you seen that exact shade of pink before? Were the ruins the sand covers ever this colorful?), or the vegetation over at the other side looks oddly shaped (like the vines and trees on one area are forming a bridge, all of a sudden), well, it's clear something might be changing. Your own abilities might be shifting, as well. Is your magic not working as it should, doing new things, unable to do the usual spells? Is your aim off, or suddenly incredibly accurate? Does your trusted weapon suddenly feel inadequate? Let's just hope your skills in this world didn't involve things like flying, or aren't needed at a crucial moment, such as when fighting a giant monster, right? You wouldn't want a malfunction at that time, afterall.]

🌸

[[Our CLAMP AU event continues!]]

[It's just a series of short videos that post intermittently throughout the day.

The first, the sakura trees in the park all starting to bloom, there's even a fuzzy out-of-focus shot of a close-up on some of the flowers before the camera adjusts and it comes into focus.

The second, the horses on the farm island, snorting softly as they walk along the fence. Porthos' hand reaches out to offer an apple and one of the horses butts into the other in an attempt to get there.

The third, Aramis napping. He's also maybe snoring.

The fourth, the way the sunlight's filtering in through the leaves of the trees on the forest path - in the distance, one of the forest huts, little birds on the roof tweeting.

The fifth and final video is just a recording of a pile of papers. Porthos' hand appears again, brushing aside a few on the top layer to get to one at the center. The camera moves in close, and up close, it's clear it's a note from Robin, addressed to Porthos. It's nothing too special - just a quick note asking if he'd meet her at the library.

Why is he recording and posting these videos? Not certain. Maybe ask him about it?]



[ooc: feel free to use this as a mingle post! Porthos has his own thread as linked above.]

[Today is the first day of spring. You might have noticed the lingering snow is gone and there are flowers blooming throughout Kiseki. However, beyond that, it’s actually a rather gloomy day. The Usyagi might occasionally be spotted today, leaving little messages of “out with the old, in with the new.” A common springtime motto, although perhaps it’s taking on a more unsettling tone today…

The shopping district still hasn’t opened up again and there are shops boarded up. But there are new shops joining it today. The flower shop, the potions shop, the sheriff’s office, the Charming’s house, and the school have all been closed and boarded up. This plus the message will soon make it clear – some familiar faces are gone for now.

To make matters worse, with the springtime blooming all around, there are the negative energy trees that might be spotted today. None are fully grown, but if you remember the last time these trees showed up, you might want to be on guard. There might be a few outbursts of monsters today, so best stay on your guard. Beyond that, negative energy trees – once you get too close – might cause some unexpected results.

Anyone venturing into the forests today might notice the dragons are particularly uneasy. What’s the matter with them? Hard to say. Too bad there’s no one around who can talk to them, huh? Just be mindful not to upset them or get underfoot.

So be on guard today – even though it’s a new season, you might want to make sure everyone you care about is safe – or still here. Feeling strange? Better destroy those trees, if you can focus on that.]


[ooc: if your character is interested in taking over one of the closed-up businesses/house, be sure to have your character claim it, otherwise they will be permanently closed and eventually disappear from Kiseki. ]

[There's a new look to the old district shop, for sure, but today there's actually a new shop of sorts. Close to the district's fountain, clearly visible to anyone passing nearby, there's a white little booth set up, with a chair in front of it for visitors and a large sign on top:

🌸 Sakura's Life Advice Corner!! 🌸

Rather than being found on the usual Café for the day, Sakura is (obviously) attending said booth, looking wildly flustered and somewhat confused. Will you approach her?]

[Something feels different. Like a déjà vu gone completely wrong, like you've forgotten something important, missed a relevant date. The feeling lasts through the day, and all calendars showing there's been a missing week, or the fact that you might've woken up at a place you don't remember falling asleep in, won't help with the confusion, most likely. But this unusual sensation, or finding yourselves inside the forest for no reason, or floating at the pool in the sports islands, and so on, isn't all that feels off. The world itself seems to be uneasy for a moment, and for those sensitive to magic, or auras, and such things, it's clear something's up...

Until it stabilizes. And then it's back to normal. Except it isn't, or at least not entirely. The Usyagi flutter around, looking busy, most of them heading towards a specific location: the shopping district, which now looks rather different. Quieter, less bright. Most of the shops that one can usually find, and the moving maze of magically appearing and disappearing stores, are now replaced with an odd stillness and boarded up store-fronts. It seems almost every shop has closed up, save for a few of them. These only carry very basic goods - perhaps a few clothes, basic necessities, staple foods. And not much else.

For those with long experience with Miracle Country's shenanigans, it might not seem that unusual, right? Supplies have been cut before, only to come back a while later. And yet, this change is here to stay. The cafeteria in the underground tunnels will now carry some staple foods as well, should anyone go and check for availability there.

But well, it's not so bad, is it? Afterall, there is a massive farm around, now. There're the fast-growing fields at the garden islands. There're fish at the river and sea, there're wild animals at the forests, and the shops owned by those who were brought here are still intact. Maybe it's a good time to get more familiarized with all of those, if you're far too used to the convenience of finding anything right away. And should anything prove too difficult to obtain, there's always the Usyagi to turn to. For a price, of course.]


[[What it says! Changes are established here, do ask us about any questions or doubts you might have regarding what's available or not.]]

[Are you busy watching that special person from afar, convinced they will never notice your existance? At home, working hard on that home-made lunch to share with them? Busy rehearsing that perfect confession to your special person, to say during a windy day so that flower petals flutter all around the two of you? Alone, longingly thinking of that one person you can't meet, the world separating the two of you...



Wait, that doesn't sound right, does it? But today, it might not seem that far-fetched. It's St Valentine's Day, and today, love is in the air. Cheesy, clichéd, corny love, it seems, the kind that makes you trip in slow-motion into the arms of the object of your affections, reach your loved one just in time for a perfect confession, get to do all the things you love with that person, find that ridiculous teddy bear or gift that'll turn you and your significant other into pure mush around each other, and so on.

But of course, there's no need to always stick to the traditional and obvious. So if that confession which you didn't plan on ends up being heard by someone you can't stand, or if you get momentary romantic feelings from someone sneaking into your room at midnight to hide, or maybe something more upsetting such as your confessions being interrupted constantly, well, here's to new traditions!]

[[Romantic cliches event! No need to stick to CLAMP themes, pick your favorite trope and roll with it.]]

[Another bright day in Miracle Country, where everything is calm and quiet and... colorful? Not just pink this time, either. It'll be hard not to notice that something's different, even from simply looking outside each house's windows.

Outside, it's a jungle. A plastic one! Slides, rainbow-colored net bridges or tunnels connecting different buildings, or treetops, or the many maze-like structures that have been magically put up during the night. And all around, ball pits, massive ones full of little colorful plastic balls to swim in, or struggle to get out of. It seems simple enough, right? Climb through the ladders and bridges, slide down the slides, and reach your usual destination... Well, some of the bridges may vanish now and then, leaving you to fall to your colorful, plastic-y doom. There are false steps on some of the ladders that'll cause the same results. Sometimes you'll find yourself taking a wrong step and falling down a slide that you could swear wasn't even there before. Even the usual comfort of the underground seems at risk, given that it's possible to take a wrong step or turn there and find yourself going down a slide... that might lead to another end of the islands entirely.



Basically, you're very likely to get lost, confused, and frustrated... Or have a ton of fun jumping from here to there in this magical game, especially once you notice not all the plastic balls are the same! Some are squishy like stress balls, some might be large bubblegum, others might have effects like tickling the people touching them, and so on. Now, for those who aren't so keen on it, don't despair - some of the ballpits are set with things like picnic baskets, or even pillows - maybe just grab a snack, or rest from a tiresome day of playing around. Some of the bridges and tunnels going across the trees of the various islands lead to little treehouses where you can catch a break, as well. And should you be stuck out there even through the night, you'll notice that the different plastic balls start to glow, helping with visibility.

So perhaps it's better to have a more positive outlook at the situation, and simply have fun with others... Or pray that your tunnel doesn't lead straight into the forests while help is difficult to come by. Well, you do all have a handy way to communicate at least, right?]