+++ 奇跡国 - Miracle Country +++

[It’s that time of year again! Anyone around the last few years will remember that it's a certain someone’s birthday - and time for the birthday tradition. As is typical of a Porthos Birthday Party, there’s food and drinks everywhere. Also lots of fruit. In the past, the party’s mostly been stuck at the park or beach and near the hotels… but not so this year. In fact, it seems that Kiseki wants to get into the party spirit along with Porthos since there are new areas to explore.

As if by magic – funny how that works – there’s suddenly a Town Hall - a new place for everyone to gather and meet for important discussions, or when those pesky events strike. There’s also a new arena for training, expansive and well-suited for all the warriors out there. It's about time you guys got your own place to train, right?

Not that you’d necessarily be able to tell today that these are fancy and sparkling new. There’s food everywhere, after all. And, well, the mess that comes with it. Is that a table full of cakes on the ceiling? Maybe. Anything is possible today when Miracle Country gets in the spirit of celebration. Try not to slip on that puddle of... beer? Well, let's hope that's beer.

You’ve probably been invited to this party, though. Or maybe you’re party-crashing. Or maybe you were trying to find a quiet corner to spend the afternoon and people won't shut up. Miracle Country might even help with that. Not likely to visit the beach today? Well here you are! Maybe you feel compelled to check out those new areas, or try to find where the party’s slowly migrating to. Maybe your foot's gotten stuck in a bridge and some nice party-goers are going to help you out. Everywhere you go, it sounds like there’s music and talking happening, so it might be hard to pinpoint everything down. Also, did we mention the food and drink?

Trying to ignore the party? Good luck, cause it’s lasting all day and well into the night. And just getting progressively louder and louder....

..... Did you just hear gunshots?


[ooc: this is an open log and feel free to jump in however you’d like. If you’d like to interact with Porthos specifically, his top comment is here; otherwise, use this as a mingle as you see fit!]

[Things have been pretty calm recently, with time to relax at new places and everything... Which means that when you get ready to sleep tonight, and find yourselves completely unable to, it might feel strange to many who don't currently feel stressed out or worried about anything in particular. As the minutes turn into hours, it's clear any attempts to relax and get some sleep are pointless - no warm beverages or sheep counting will do the trick.



So perhaps you'll opt for embracing the sleeplessness and staying up in your rooms, alone or with whomever shares it. Perhaps you feel like heading down to the common rooms under the hotels and watch a movie, or hang out with others who might've had the same idea. Perhaps you feel like going outside for a walk - it's a good night to do that, with a bright full moon to light your way.

In any case, the following day will be declared a holiday, to account for those who might be exhausted after staying up all night. Never say Miracle Country isn't fair.]

[The first, most obviously noticeable thing: all the lights have gone out. Not only are the buildings and other spaces not illuminated any longer, but the sky is completely dark as well, no sun, moon or stars to light up anything. No matter the hour, the whole of Miracle Country looks this way, swallowed up in darkness that doesn't change.

The second thing to notice: it's not easy to create new sources of light. Are you grabbing some candles? Perhaps want to attempt building a bonfire of sorts? Using your own magic? All new sources of light created, even large ones, will glow very faintly, dimly, in a blueish light. Like they're struggling to stay there at all. So while they might be better than sitting around in full darkness, they won't fix the issue that much.





The third thing to... possibly be alarmed by: there are certain sources of light. Unpredictable, creepy and changing around, there're phrases and words written in different ways across walls, on tree trunks, on the surface of the caves, anywhere you look at. They glow brighter than fire or magic lights, shining for a while before it stops, and another phrase somewhere else lights up. Not only that, but the words they show might appear... relevant? Accusing? Sad, even? Confessions, bold statements, secrets, it'll be soon noticeable that these aren't random phrasings, but things that those here might think, even if they might not ever wish to say them out loud. Once that much is clear, it's likely easy to have misunderstandings. What if you think a certain phrase is something you believe your friend thinks, deep down? How can you know for sure? Nothing in the words shows who they truly belongs to. Perhaps it's a relief, if your own secrets are something you cannot afford to have out in the open...

In any case, it'll all be over after the weekend. Try to manage in the dark until then.]

🌸

[[Secrets in the dark~ event! Secrets list is here, remember you can ask here about anything concerning the event.]]

[Were the recent outfits fluffy enough? If your answer is a resounding yes, clearly you don't know this world well. Today it looks like Miracle Country is feeling like adding to the general cuddliness again... Or maybe there're other reasons? In any case, the result is the same. Teddy bears.

Lots of them, all over the place. In your rooms, on the hallways, at school (with proper little toy glasses, of course), laying around on the park, the bridges, even on the train seats... You get the idea. Some big, some small, there's even a really big blue penguin toy somewhere. What can you do with them? You could keep some, if you'd like. Or make a teddy bear fort. Or use them for shooting target practice. Make a teddy bear bonfire. Have a tea party. No one's judging. The bears that don't get claimed will simply disappear eventually.

Of course, if you're paying attention to the ridiculous bears scattered around, you might notice that the path leading to the Cherry Blossom Café & Candy Shop combo seems to have a whole lot more of them than any other place. If you get closer to them, it's easy to see the CBC in particular has so many of them that several are sitting on the café's available chairs, a few even on the counter. Maybe there's a point to that?]

[[Tiniest dumb mingle for Sakura & Syaoran's intro! Sakura be here, Syaoran be here]]

[Lately it’s been a couple of days to get closer to each other, to get to know others, make friends. Whether it’s by sitting in a pool of soup together or cooking chocolate for Valentine’s Day, Kiseki loves to have its residents bonding with each other. And with White Day starting… well, it’s not like there had to be a reason to make something happen, but it’s always nicer when that’s the case, isn’t it?

So today, everyone will wake up with white strings around their fingers. They are long, long enough that following them might take some time. Each string represents a bond, a friendship, and to people that have a lot of friends they might soon notice that having so many strings is… quite bothersome, to say the least. They might get tangled or stuck on something and of course it’s not possible to just cut them and be done with it: they are a physical representation of a bond, after all. But luckily, the Usyagi have a solution to your problem! Soon they’ll appear everywhere with little signs, telling people that the strings will go away if they find the person it connects to and proves their friendship. So gifts, a hug, nice words, hanging out, anything is fair game.]

[Replay of the white string of fate event in honor of white day. Haha, get it? Either way, have a mingle!]

[Ah, jealousy. Who hasn't felt jealous once in a while? If your answer is never, I'm so confident and secure, well, today's your lucky day. Or everyone else's unlucky days, however you'd like to see it. While people go around doing their usual thing, they'll occasionally feel jealous - it's that simple. It can range from small, little bursts of it to a more complicated situation.

Does it feel like your best friend is ignoring you? Or maybe you can't stand watching them talk to someone else? Are you suddenly convinced they're going to ditch you forever, and must clearly be showing this by deciding they won't stick by your side at all hours of the day, maybe even dared to act friendly to others?

Perhaps you're jealous other people are paying attention to them, rather than you. Or feel jealous about things others have, maybe driving you to more questionable methods of obtaining them for yourself. Perhaps you're feeling particularly possessive of your significant other, or upset thinking of all the times they obviously were flirting with that one person they usually interact with.

Maybe you're already usually a jealous person, and then you'll either notice nothing different, or become fully melodramatic and ridiculous at the smallest things. ... Or you're the poor bastard who isn't affected by any of this, and is tired of people making a scene at them. Well, before you start considering giving out sleeping pills or shaking your partner for a while out of sheer frustration, keep in mind that while the unjustified jealousy can easily come up for a couple of days ahead, it should wear off after a short while. It'll simply be a matter of putting up with it, and... maybe try to suggest no one challenges anyone else to a duel, or takes other extreme measures, until a few hours have passed.]

[The eclipse is now fully over, and it's time to return to the usual routine... and hey, what better way to clear your head from a series of bad dreams than with some exercise? If anyone mentions being hit with sticks, don't listen to them.

It so happens that today you'll have a perfect chance for this. Where the (momentarily) half-empty bike shop was, now you'll notice a whole lot more activity. The place was refurbished, and a weapons shop has been added to it. Perhaps because of the empty storage place, or because the current owner is somewhat responsible... In any case, passing by the store will likely catch your attention: if it isn't the impressive sword collection currently on display (and don't bother trying to grab them or steal them, they're all carefully protected with magic), or the actual (less impressive, surely) swords, bows, arrows and other items on sale, it'll be the noise: now and then you'll hear a robotic-like voice repeating PARRY PARRY, THRUST over and over.

You might hear those outside of the shop, as well, since the opening of the new shop means it's a great chance to try out weapons and train a little, and so people are taking advantage of its closeness to the park, to have a special practice day. Whether you're a complete newbie to any sort of fighting technique, or an expert, surely there'll be someone who can match your skills, or teach you... or simply put up a bit of a show to impress you. We're not running out of show-offs, either.]


[[Training/shop log! Pearl can be found here, Neal is here, otherwise mingle as you'd like!]]

[Winter is... nearby! And Miracle Country is now shifting to reflect it. With a little extra this time. Snow will fall across the island, with occasional hailstorms now and then.

But of course, our residents won't be left to freeze. For maximum cozy points, today people will find that the hotels are temporarily gone, and the forests seem to have expanded to take over that area. Accessible through many ladders and interconnected through hanging bridges, large treehouses meant to accomodate everyone have been set up. You'll want to look around to find your own, as rooms don't exactly match: the tree houses are big, some meant to house several people in it (with only the usual mini-kitchens missing from them), while others will work the part of the common rooms such as the cafeteria and other underground locations, holding food supplies, blankets and clothes, or even the TVs and other items like books or electronics available.

You might not even notice this at first, however. Some will not be in one of these treehouses, and instead find themselves in smaller huts found across Miracle Country's islands, even on places such as the beach, deep in the forests, or outside the amusement park! Small and cozy, they can either work as more private housing, or simply be an option to take a short break in while walking around. Some of them will carry fitting items for the occasion - things like bags of marshmallows, chocolates, or even scarves and dry, fluffy socks for anyone who might've been caught up in the storm.

With everything looking so accomodating for the most part, it might come as a surprise if certain events happen during these days, given the chances of them happening seem to be a little higher than usual. Perhaps you'll be lucky and simply get to enjoy the changes as they are. ... If you're not the type to enjoy sharing a space with others too much, though, you'll have to learn to manage - the treehouses and huts will remain this way until Sunday 20th!]

[That's right, dear Kiseki residents, it is that time again! The time you have all been waiting for with bated breath! It is time... for the Modernity Club to gather once again!

Throughout the week, posters similar to this one can be found in various places: the hotel lobby, the school, the bulletin boards in different shops. And on the weekend, should you venture down to the common rooms of the hotel, you shall find-- well.

Something that looks pretty chaotic at first.

All the rooms have been labeled on the doors: one of them reads "well-known movies in three minutes or less", one of them "electronic appliances and how to use them" (the room is full of all small electronic appliances found in Kiseki, along with some posters, such as one that depicts a man in a bath, holding a toaster in his hands, with the headline Don't drop a toaster in a bath unless you want to become toast!), another "interpersonal skills 101" (with a bullet-point list taped next to the door, about How to sneak around (but seriously just talk to people instead), on the cafeteria door "dishes you never knew you could cook", and finally, on the wall next to the lounge, "eat and mingle --->".

Stiles, not being able to be in all the places at once, starts in the room about the movies, standing around with books and actual DVDs he's been able to find; the other rooms have their own people in charge of the education. So pop in, learn things, come in to teach others, or maybe just come there for the free food and drinks!]


( ooc: this is a mingle log! if you want your character to be in charge of one of the very educational presentations, feel free to just assume it or poke me on plurk! if you want to interact with stiles himself, his top level is here. )

[The last few days have been rather beautiful and sunny -- so it's about time that stopped being the case.

Perhaps because there's a new arrival today who's from a relatively rainy place, but it seems that the typical late autumn weather has decided to disappear for the time being and it'll be sprinkling all day today.

Not prepared for that kind of weather? You're in luck, since the shopping district will have sales on rain clothes and umbrellas all day. And you might want to stock up since by late afternoon, the wind will pick up and the rain will start falling harder. It won't be long before it's a complete downpour, knocking leaves from the trees and flooding the streets and park with deep puddles (don't fall in or misjudge the depth!).

And because it's so close to winter, don't be surprised if that rain turns bitterly cold, almost sleet and icy as the night falls.

Hopefully you didn't get caught out in the rain! You'll hear it drumming against your windows all day long and well into the night, so maybe now's a good time to cuddle up with someone special and stay warm. Pity those out in the forests, who have to suffer leaky roofs.]


[ooc: This is an open mingle so feel free to use it as you see fit! If you'd like to interact with Lili specifically, go here]