+++ 奇跡国 - Miracle Country +++

[Pink and fluff everywhere, that's the sight that might greet you today, as you find yourself in one of the many kiddy pool-like pits around Kiseki. Well, not just pink, but we like to shove pink at your faces. Yes, it could be full of marshmallows. But perhaps the little pool you're in has plastic balls in it, like the ballpit at the playground. Maybe it's full of mud. Or flowers. Or cupcakes. Or cottonballs. Or jell-o. Some actually have water in them!

But worry not! (You weren't worried? Even better) You're not alone in them. You'll end up with someone else, it's the whole point of them. You and your companion might notice, all the little pools have a sign saying:

"Find common ground."

What does that mean? Precisely that! You won't be able to leave the pool until you find something in common with the person you're sharing it with. Then, the contents will disappear, and once it's all gone, you'll be able to leave. Maybe you'll need to find more than one thing in common, if you're very similar people. These pools can be picky. And tricky, given that even if you've managed to get free, you might find yourself in yet another of those, with someone else...

In case you're growing bored in them, the content of the pool will change randomly every now and then - so maybe you're perfectly comfortable in a sea of nice cushions, only to then find yourself sitting in fresh paint. At least, Miracle Country will make sure to clean you up once you're out of it, or when the content of the pools changes... sometimes, that is. Enjoy!]

Toooooooh~

[Anyone walking by Sakura park today has likely noticed the unfamiliar bird calls echoing around it. If they try to ignore the noise, they might find a golden bird with long, trailing feathers, swooping down in front of them, landing on nearby branches and just generally trying to get their attention. Once he has it, he'll somehow give the strange impression that they should be following him and starts flying towards the river.]

Kiiiiiiiiiii~

[Eventually the bird will lead your character towards a spot not far away from the river's edge. There the Supreme Kai of Time is sat crosslegged on a rug with a crystal ball placed on her lap. She smiles and waves over anyone passing by (lead by the bird or not) and the bird lands gracefully on top of a wooden sign, feather beard nearly blocking the Free Fortune Telling written on it.]

Hello~! Come on over here, you!

[ooc; This is a log for Time's regain of Tokitoki! She needs to tell five people their fortunes- but she can't actually do that so she'll be cheating. Let me know if you want a silly fake fortune, a more serious one based off guesswork, or one based off mindreading.]

[If you don't happen to walk by these two while they hang out near the fountain in the shopping district, Bull sitting down with Dorian draped across his lap as he usually does, maybe you're watching the journal record a video of it. At first it seems they're having a vaguely serious sort of chat. The journal’s started to record about halfway through Bull’s response, and he’s clearly very excited about whatever it is he’s talking about – he’s grinning and petting through Dorian’s hair, looking completely relaxed]
( And then there's chatter )

[[... Silliness. Let us know if you want one or the other, or both, in the tags!]]

[Today is a regular day in Miracle Country - no more pestering Usyagi (outside of their usual, that is), no sudden life changes, so surely everyone can go around and do their routines without much worry...

That is, for those who don't have the unfortunate encounter with a blur of pink as they walk outside, and find themselves suddenly flying through a magical, colorful tunnel of light, and reappear at... Well, somewhere else on the islands. Perhaps they'd travelled all the way to the museum island only to realize they're now out of this dimensional portal and at the hotel's underground common rooms. Maybe they'd only gone out to buy some snacks, and are now showing up inside a cave in the forests. Maybe they had been heading to work, and now find themselves inexplicably inside one of the trains, travelling to whichever station.

Now, a ridiculous inconvenience combined with pink definitely sounds like Miracle Country's doing, but in this case, it isn't its doing. Turns out a certain magical pink pet has been feeling unwell, and as a result been hiccupping these little portals... And because he does what he wants, he's been moving all over the place, which means catching more unsuspecting victims with it. Perhaps it's a good time to suggest some rest, or maybe look up whether a Lion can safely drink tea.]

[ less apprehensive about the journal function this time, he narrates with a few scrawled words and allows the video to speak for itself like a running silent film. it's parsed together not unlike an old movie montage anyway, of tony and his trusted bot helper dum-e. now that his free rent has run through in the hotel, he's moving his lab to a commercial space. ]

Amazing what you can do on credit in this place. [ he's used to throwing money at his problems, of course, but it was usually of the tangible variety rather than loaned to him by a mystical bank. he's determined to make this work though, and so he's made a few exceptions to the ideas he'd had upon first arriving.

as the video goes on, clearly spliced together through several days, leo also arrives as a mainstay. at first he helps tony stock various equipment but then at some point he seems to just be sticking around. tony seems okay with this arrangement. ]

Stark Mechanics is officially open for Business (?).

[ whatever come see him, profit etc. he can fix pretty much anything or if you want something specific he'll commission anything that's not a weapon. all prices negotiable.

OR if you just want to come bug him or leo or see what the hell they're up to (hint: it's making iron man suits), then have at. ]

[Normally, the Usyagi are off doing their own thing, unless someone requires their assistance - new arrivals, customers at the various shops in the city, people who wish to request something from them. So it might be surprising at first to see them much more present than usual. Unsettling to many, considering their apparent link to the magic of this world, and various events...

What are they up to? Well, should you approach them, or should you ignore them for long enough that they decide to seek you out instead, they'll hand you a little card, and leave. In this card, there's a simple question:

"Truth or Dare?"

Should your characters answer this question, out loud or mentally (maybe they think anyone would pick 'dare'!), the card will then change to a specific truth or dare set out of them, with a note that they must fulfill the requirement (talk about a deep secret, say what they really think of someone they know, help out somebody, insult the first person they meet, get up to the middle of the park and sing a song at the top of their voice, make a new friend, try to steal a cake from one of the shops, and so on) within the next few days. If they picked truth, then it'll be up to them to find someone to tell these things about. If they picked dare, then the same applies, as long as the dare involves other people.

And what if they ignore the note? Or pick one, but choose not to follow through? Well, they'll be pranked by Miracle Country. They'll find themselves with an embarrassing outfit, or realize their shop was invaded by stray cats that won't stop making a mess, or find that their rooms have been turned upside down. Nothing fatal, but it might be easier at times to simply play along... Of course, if you absolutely hate your truth/dare, you could always complain enough that maybe you'll get a different one - usually switching to dares, as people sometimes are more comfortable doing ridiculous things than being honest about some topics.

Oh, and of course, nothing says someone can't get more than one card. So have fun with that!]

[[Truth or Dare post, as you can see! It isn't mandatory, so feel free to use this for mingle purposes outside of these shenanigans.]]

[So far, Mickey's been a lot of talk with little action, in regards to getting in and out of this world. But he's decided it's time to really put it to the test. He stands outside of the Welcome center, the one place many have agreed is 'central' to this world, where everyone enters. He takes a deep breath, and then holds out his big, gloved hands. There's a bright glow within them, and then in an instant, the Kingdom Key D Keyblade appears in his hands, tightly clenched.]

Well, pal... it's now or never.

[Concentrating, he lifts the Keyblade higher, and a bright singular line of light emerges from the tip, shooting straight into the sky. It appears to hit an invisible surface - the shaky form of a keyhole seems to appear - but then both the light an the keyhole evaporate, leaving only temporary sparkles behind. Whatever that was, it was a failure.

Mickey sighs heavily, lowering his arms.]

... Suppose it was worth a shot. I wonder what Master Yensid would make of that.

[Walking around today, you might start to see signs pointing you towards the entrance to the park. And should you follow those signs, you're going to see a pretty, old-fashioned booth set up. Those seem kind of common lately, don't they? Likely because this is another instance where a certain someone wants to retrieve something from their world - and this is the payment:

Bull is sitting a little wooden booth with a sign - Free Kisses! - overhead. And, yes, it's exactly what it sounds like. Doesn't have to be on the lips, of course. But how can you say no to the... big qunari... person? And with such a winning smile, too! Or something. Yes.

Yes, that's right. A certain number of kisses is what's going to get The Iron Bull what he wants.

The Bull, for his part, seems perfectly content with this set-up. Hey, not exactly his idea, but he's also not going to complain if it means he's getting that necklace back. He's gotten himself nice and comfy - comfortable enough stool that also leaves him level with most people's heights around here. He also has a stuffed animal companion, a stuffed nug courtesy of Dorian.

For all intents and purposes, Bull is perfectly happy. If there's any underlying anxiety or frustration, it's definitely not showing on his face.

He's friendly enough, despite appearances. Want to get a kiss?]

Let it never be said that Sebastian doesn't provide exceptional and enthusiastic service: everywhere you go, on every island, in every store window, and possibly on the back of a certain person's head are posters advertising the Funtomhive Company's new sister line.

That's right, kind citizens. If you are homesick and want to surround yourself with more familiar items, or miss sleeping by the light of that special lampshade that beautifies your side table, or even worse, can't live without your Aunt Martha's ugly figurine, the Funtomhive Company's new decorative line, Funtom Décor, will work with you to recreate whatever your heart desires. He'll even make bread lamps for you, if that's what you want.

There's nothing so gaudy as a price list in print, but the phrase "Commission on Demand" does guarantee that your piece will be one of a kind. Or ten of a kind, if you seriously want to go that route. Any requests, the flyer says, inquire within through care of post or visit to Earl Ciel Phantomhive or Sebastian Michaelis. The address listed underneath will lead you to a newly opened store in the shopping district- tasteful, small, and with this logo hanging over the door.

Thank you, Sebastian, for correctly interpreting the animal Ciel had chosen.

Inside the door is where the restraint stops, the interior resembling a mini-mansion to the extreme. Why? Because Sebastian. That's why. And because Sebastian's involved, light refreshments are placed to the side, mysteriously refilled every so often with no visible maid in view.

Come explore if you're strolling on by and partake in the fresh, baked goods.


(ooc: Will adapt to your posting style. Anyone looking to commission their services can also seek out Sebastian at his various job locations (what is it, 7 now? you definitely can't miss him), or Ciel at his educational institution or around his hotel. Also feel free to use this post as a mingle, to discuss furnishing/item requests among yourselves. Or discuss it and ixnay it, whatever works!)

[The tremors from the earthquake may be over but things are shakier than ever in the days that pass since the ball. Exposed vampires and their motives have been brought into question. Humans have been turned and fed from in the bloody mess of it all, and even the balance of the kingdom is at stake now. Hunters gather to decide how to handle the situation, while vampires with the most to lose from the leaked secrets must be frantic to keep anyone looking to flee Samara from escaping. No one can simply leave, not now.

But the fact is that neither side can hold out for long either. What will those caught in between do? There's plenty of injured (and vampires crazed by all that blood, even more likely to lose it and attack) and visitors that had nothing to do with the conflict and now dragged into it beyond anything they could have imagined. The rumors are running wild among those recovering and there's the feeling that they all have only moments before hunters and vampires are facing off against one another. Samara may well be on its way to becoming the location of sparking a full out war.]

[Beyond any skirmishes that break out, they won't get to decide -- A powerful wind of black flower petals sweeps through the world in a blur and with that everyone returns! To themselves and their own memories and the familiar landscape of Miracle Country. Typical cutesy Halloween decorations hang everywhere in sight, most so at the park where they'll all return to, greeted by food and drinks and candy alike, and costumes of all kinds courtesy of the same magic. Hope you enjoyed the drama... and Happy Halloween.]