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[recollecters]

EVENT

PREMISE • RULES • FAQ • TAKEN • RESERVES • APPLICATIONS
REGAINS • HIATUS/DROPS • PLOT SUBMISSIONS • CALENDAR • MOD CONTACT • NAV

Re:Joice
The city of Recollé...it just doesn't end, does it?

PROLOGUE.
The trials and tribulations of winter seem to know no bounds. Those things in the city can almost pass as fine, with the snowflake portals and Jack Frost abound it's hard for citizens to truly relax during the most "wonderful" time of the year.

The snow seems to have let up just enough that the city is a beautiful winter wonderland rather than an icy, endless tundra. The streets are cleared, the sidewalks aren't as crowded, and on the 14th day of December a loud trumpet seems to blare out of nowhere.

It's one loud note that seems to dissipate immediately. Life moves on, but everywhere you go you seem to be followed by a familiar little tune…

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…

The coos, clucks and warbles of French hens, turtle doves and partridges join the song and as the days count down toward Christmas, these birds can be found on the rooftops of buildings in all districts. Their beady red eyes seem to follow as they chirp along in tune, a constant reminder of the Christmas countdown.

…but that's not so bad, right? They're just birds, after all.

I.
Perhaps you've figured out the pattern by the time the 17th rolls around. Or maybe you just know how the song goes and you've braced yourself for it. But is it truly possibly to prepare for anything that happens in this city? As the days count toward the 12th day of Christmas, several things about the city around you draw your attention.

Calling birds will swoop in on the fourth day, immediately diving for your phone and lifting it away to fly off across the city. These birds will make prank calls and may even update statuses for you on your social media accounts, leaving everyone you know with a lot of questions about you. You may wish to hunt them down quickly.

On the fifth day of Christmas, five golden teleportation rings will appear among the districts, zooming under your feet to send you crashing right into the nearest department store, the middle of the park or even your neighbor's bathtub. The rings have zero limits, but you will find yourself transported anywhere people seem to linger.

This pattern continues as the other lines seemingly come to life and come out of order; golden goose eggs roll down the sidewalk as geese chase after them, new eggs appearing each day as the geese bite anyone who get close enough. Swans begin to flock to all bodies of water including swimming pools, fountains, and your kitchen sinks. Pyramids of milkshakes appear in your way as eight women in skates work hard to keep up with the demand of flavors and distribute drinks whether you want one or not.

At one point in time, you may find yourself walking through town and suddenly pulled right into the middle of a flashmob with nine ladies surrounding you. Sidewalks crumble and chasms appear, forcing citizens to leap over the cracks to get to where they need to go and led on by ten men in each direction. The sound of bagpipes fill the air, transfixing you and everyone around you to follow their lead. Do be careful! They may just lead you somewhere you don't wish to go if you don't learn to break the spell with another song.

Good thing there's dozens of bongos around the city to make up your own tunes, isn't it? The twelve drummers will teach you to play any beat you want to reverse these effects.

The manifestations of this song seemingly won't disappear until you find a way to "receive" and undo the giving of these gifts. You can round up the birds to release them in the wild, stump the milkshake-makers by requesting a flavor they cannot provide, ice over the chasms to prevent people from falling...it seems as though whoever's responsible for this brand of magic is testing you and your ability to think quickly, Retrospecters. Teamwork makes the dream work, after all.

II.
At best the 12 Days of Christmas are a minor inconvenience, and at worst they're outright obnoxious. Christmas carols are perhaps best left on paper but it's easy enough to sidestep the events leading up to Christmas.

On the other hand, it seems as though someone other than Jack Frost is hard at work making sure the holidays are present in your lives.

With the days growing shorter and the nights growing longer, it becomes increasingly obvious that the city's growing quieter as the sound of traffic begins to come to a low din. No longer will citizens hear the roar and rumble of cars on the roads or the honking of angry drivers blocking the way. The bright headlights won't shine through the dark and exhaust won't be released into the air mingling with the chilly fog.

For anyone who ventures out after the sun sets, the city transforms before your eyes as the streets are lit with more lampposts than you remember and the sound of bells jingling can be heard from all directions. Rather than vehicles hustling and bustling along it's the clopping of hooves on paved rows as horse-drawn sleighs make their way slipping and sliding down the roads.

Dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh, up on the sidewalks they go and look you're in the way.

Try as they might, the drivers will find that the sleighs have minds of their own, invisible engines revving as they zip up onto the sidewalks and out of the street jingling intensely at anyone nearby. Perhaps you weren't moving fast enough, or maybe you were just in the way. But these sleighs will make sure you get to where you need to go as they chase after you, mowing you down and volleying you up into the next empty seat. As the sleighs travel, you'll find yourself unable to get up from your seat and surrounded by several people you may or may not know.

But judging by the look the driver gives you and the cheery little whistle, the only way out is to start singing along...

III.
The elves tried to warn you. The elves really, truly tried to warn you about being good for goodness's sake. As they scramble around for last minute preparations, the curious types will find that the elves seem to be pooling right back toward Wiffle-Waffle. The waffle house stands proudly in Tisse featuring their new Christmas-flavored batter, but most importantly of all citizens will notice an extra wing added just to the left of the Retrospec mailbox, right behind the wafflehouse. The scent of sugar cookies and milk waft from the open doors and windows, and as elves dart in and out the scene before you unfurls.

A large, seven-story workshop stands before you despite the fact that from the outside it appears to be all on one floor. Crammed from head to toe with elves building toys, running quality control checks, browsing Amazon and more, they will invite all who have made Santa's nice list inside.

Exploring the floors, you'll find more of the snowglobes that have appeared across the city and more importantly you'll start to come across special toys and gifts from Christmases past. Things you've outgrown or things you've lost or broken will appear, yours for the taking and sharing.

Loitering too much will wind up with fussy elves moving you out of the way. Lingering too much will be taken as an invitation as well and the elves will drag you down, pulling you along and putting you to work in the workshops to sort presents, assemble gifts and more. Of course, you're free to volunteer as well. Maybe you're a giving type who would love to spread some holiday cheer. (Or maybe you just don't have anything better to do.)

For those who are especially antsy, the elves will share secretive looks with one another before they herd you to the middle of the workshop where a large, red and white Christmas-themed dunk tank sits before you. Milk rests at the bottom in the tank, and seated on the chair tied up in tinsel and a too-small elf outfit is one James Barnes. A large sign is plastered to the front of the tank next to a basket of toys and another basket of baseballs.

"Dunk the Tough Cookie for a free gift!"

If asked, they'll only reply that James is on the naughty list before giggling and scampering off. Well. That's weird, but sure.

Most importantly of all, as the days go by, the elves begin to twitter with excitement and on December 21st, the jolly old man in red will appear. Santa will enter the workshop with his sack of toys and a ho-ho-ho, making his rounds through the shop and asking his happy elves (and you, the elf apprentices) what they would like for Christmas.

Be careful what you wish for though…Santa has that gleam in his eye and a bag full of tricks. You never know what you'll truly get.

IV.
Somehow the tree wasn't enough. Somehow the giant tree in Tribunal Terrace wasn't enough and Mayor Mayer takes it upon himself to open a reindeer farm and petting zoo for the city. Though the decorating stations are still open and the tree can be decked out until Christmas Day, a pen full of creatures sits off to the right for all to enjoy.

The reindeer seem content to mingle with strangers, allowing themselves to be pet and adored. But there's something about these reindeer that seems a bit…off. Several of them have a golden glow to their fur and one, the ringleader, has a red tint to his nose. The red-nosed reindeer (Comet, strangely enough) will draw the attention of the other reindeer and nudge you closer, surrounding you as the creatures appraise what to do next.

Non-app citizens will find the behavior strange and remarkable, but for those who possess the Retrospec app, a new message will come to your phone. A map of the city appears and asks you where you'd like to go. Upon selection, however, things get a little hairy.

The reindeer help one another to throw you onto the back of their friends, encouraging brays and noises to each other before it's up, up and away! Soaring over the city, these flying reindeer will take you high into the frosty clouds and low toward the snowy banks. The map will guide them to wherever you wish, but don't encourage them too much…the reindeer were born to fly free, and you may just find yourself stuck in the clouds for a little too long. Give them a job or give them a treat; these methods will help guide you home and send the deer on their merry way.

BONUS.
Do you wanna build a snowman? How unfortunate if you don't. Just when you think you've seen everything this season has to offer, you'll find large snowballs around the city decorated with corncob pipes, a button nose and two eyes made out of coal. When you walk past these fixtures, you'll hear a voice behind you.

"Hey! Down here!"

The snowman's eyes follow you from its place on the ground, expression animated and alive. If that doesn't send you running and screaming, the snowman will ask for your help in recreating its body so it can move and be out of the way of the ever-impending snowplow.

Helping the snowman will earn you a new friend! This snowman will come to life and befriend you, following you for the rest of the month until the winter magic disappears. Perhaps it's best not to bring them inside though. They are still snowmen.

As for those of you who tell the snowman you have no interest in helping them, well, that's maybe not the right answer. Unhappy by the refusal, the snowman's expression will turn angry before the mouth opens wide and begins spitting out icicles. You can try to outrun them, but they will begin to roll and follow you on your way out, only giving up when an icicle makes contact or you outpace them.

Heads up.

NOTES.
Welcome to recolle's December event, part 2!

You can claim two freebies on this log!
-Players may claim one freebie for exploring Santa's workshop with another character. This must be at least 5 comments from you.
-Players may claim one freebie by undoing one of the effects of 12 Days of Christmas. This can range from removing swans from bodies of water, beating one of the dancing ladies in a dance-off, figuring out a way to close one of the lords a'leaping chasms or more. Be creative with this one! This thread should be five comments from you for the freebie.

-If you would like to RNG the gift your character gets from Santa, please comment here!

Finally, any questions you have regarding this event may be directed to the mod comment here. Be sure to review the mods' question thread on the plotting post for additional information as well!

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( coding by fleeting )

Comments

MOD QUESTIONS

[recollecters]

If you have any questions regarding this log, please leave them here!

[frostythehitman]

on the 21st, will Santa also ask James what he wants for Christmas too, or....?

[blondferret]

So, if you do dunk James, what is the free gift?

RNG SANTA

[recollecters]

If you'd like to have a gift from Santa RNG'd, please fill out the form and comment below! Remember: you may not get exactly what you ask for, but Santa will do his best.

Character Name: Who is the gift going to?
Gift requested?: What would they wish for? This can be an item or just a generic wish. Please try not to make it a canon-specific item unless you are also purchasing it back with points! This is not an item-freebie at this time.
Any notes? Anything you'd like to happen instead, things to avoid, etc.

<b>Character Name:</b> <b>Gift requested?:</b> <b>Any notes?</b>

Re: RNG SANTA

[standalonehuman]

Character Name: Togusa
Gift requested?: Togusa's exact wish would be "I wish I could hear my father's voice again."
Any notes? He's thinking a phone call, but maybe a home video of Togusa as a kid shows up in his stocking, instead?

[standalonehuman]

I: Tweeter or Twitter?

Hitori Togusa The 1998 Godzilla movie was the best kaiju film of all time.
Hitori Togusa Get back here with my phone!
Hitori Togusa The performances were really understated.
Hitori Togusa I will find you. Anybody want to help hunt down a group of black birds?
Hitori Togusa Anybody want to help hunt down a clumsy human? Oh wait, found him!

III: Making Christmas

Togusa couldn't possibly pass up this opportunity. When he realized that a real-life Santa's Workshop had planted down into Recolle, he had to go get a friend. The newly-named Tachikoma Isamu follows Togusa inside, and it is letting out the oohs and ahhs that you would expect out of any five year-old.

Before long, the both of them are helping the elves out, and the elves are particularly grateful for Isamu's help. While its claw-hands aren't the most dextrous, once they put it to work on something simple, the Tachikoma works far faster than a human. It is slowly learning each of the Christmas carols overhead, and after a while, is humming along.

III

[blondferret]

[Derek walks into the workshop and is looking around when he eventually runs across Togusa and... this machine. He stares at the mechanical claw like hands and the quick movements it was doing in making the toy. It takes him a second to realize that the thing is also humming a Christmas carol. Derek's mouth drops slightly.]

It's multitasking?

[As far as Derek knew, machines don't multitask, so this is a bit mind blowing for Derek.]

I

[motiv8]

I'm not sure which is worse, that birds can type in English or that they're typing blasphemy

Which way did they go?

[frostythehitman]

III.

[ If you dare approach the dunk tank, James will glare at you with all the rage and disgust he can muster. He is trying to hack into your brain through sheer force of will and angry expression in the hopes of making you leave and not consider dunking him.

And if anyone does dare to actually pick up something and start aiming to dunk him, he'll speak up. ]

Don't even think about it, or I'll drag you in here with me and hold you under until you drown in the milk.

[ ...But as the week wears on, he might relent and plead to nicer-looking people who aren't trying to dunk him. ]

Somebody please report these elves to the police, or the FBI, or--or--the UN, someone! They've been holding me prisoner for days.

[standalonehuman]

Togusa is in the workshop, being followed around by a god damn blue robot tank currently decked out with a pair of reindeer antlers on its...head? And a long christmas scarf wrapped around its thinnest section. The two of them have been very helpful with the elves.

But oh, it's when he spots James that his whole demeanor changes. His expression turns to sheer mischief as he approaches that dunk tank. One. Deliberate. Step. At a time.

"Well well well..."

He's going to enjoy this.

[psykick]

Rinka can't help but give James a shit-eating grin when she spots him.

"Somehow, I'm not surprised you're on the 'Naughty List.'"

And then she spots something on a nearby elf's table.

"Hey, can I borrow these for a moment? Thanks"

Rinka hefts the tennis racket that will later become someone else's Christmas gift and bounces the first tennis ball on the floor.

Prepare yourself James.

III

[blondferret]

[Oh, Derek is going to enjoy this. He picks up a ball and starts casually tossing it in the air.]

I heard you came back as an adult. Are you still as bratty as your teenage self?

[beastenderblood]

[....its taking everything in her power not to try and dunk him, she's trying so hard to resist.]

Wow, look who wants be to be a narc after all.

[megatechbody]

The first half of this month was less insane than the last few, but the combination of exhaustion and general discomfort with the holidays meant that Mariko was starting to feel every hour of the day. After avoiding it for the first few days, she approached the workshop and curiously approached the dunk tank and the very surly man within.

"...I can't imagine this is helping your disposition."

[tarotcards]

[ this is what you get for throwing snowballs at unsuspecting strangers and old men, bucky, you brought this upon yourself. souji will pick up a baseball and start throwing it up into the air. ]

But I really want that free gift...

[flametheif40]

[Al was curious and looked inside the workshop before he saw his knife instructor in the customer and the entire dunk tank set up, after reading the sign, Al takes a very casual look at James and speaks very nonchalantly, almost teasingly so]

Huh, So, the elf wasn't talking out of his ass...

I think there is a juicy story here...

I wonder what story that would be...

[Al hovers around the baseballs and looks at them, picking them up as if really considering what's going on, he has a huge evil grin on his face. This promises to be fun! But not in the way James might be thinking.]

[thisloveisjustice]

After spending some time sewing up teddy bears, Tatsuo takes a break and wanders around the workshop a bit more. And thus finds James and his unique predicament.

Tatsuo raises an eyebrow at the sign.

""Dunk the Tough Cookie for a free gift!" What'd you do? Land yourself on the naughty list or something?"

He's kind of half joking, kind of half not. Because they are in the middle of a toy workshop full of elves.

[hauntedsavior]

[Anna's definitely not one of the nicer-looking people, but she's also not trying to dunk him because she's not a total dick. she is tossing a ball in one hand threateningly, though.]

Nice, you dumbass.

[doesn't mean she can't be mean to him, though.]

Didn't think it was that hard to stay off the naughty list this year.

[blondferret]

IA. The Birds Stole His Phone

DEREK MATTHEWS shared a photo. December 17, 2018 near Tisse

This is my most favorite Christmas Song in the whole wide world! I share the love with you! <3

IB: Getting his phone back

These stupid birds had made enough of a fool of him! Derek can be seen out on his broom and running around the city trying to magically catch the bird that have his phone. He's red in the face due to yelling at them.

"You blasted birds! GIVE ME BACK MY PHONE!"

IV: Flyinig Reindeer

Derek wasn't ready to suddenly be placed on the back of a reindeer by other reindeer. He preferred his broom. When the reindeer took of and leaped into the air, Derek flings his arms around the neck of the animal and screams.

"HELP! GET ME OFF THIS THING!"

IA

[psykick]

That is your favorite Christmas song? What are you, three? Because that's how old I was when I liked Baby Shark. Three.

[thisloveisjustice]

I -- on the fourth day

On the one hand, Tatsuo actually has two phones. So after the birds start sending strange texts to various people on his contacts list and he hears about it, he's able to do some degree of damage control. On the other hand... he can't actually stop the birds from texting until he gets his main phone back.

A: I might be a bit late, couldn't find my pants and had to go to the police station. Unrelated.

B: did you really kidnap my goldfish last night?

C: sometimes i like to lay on the floor and pretend im a carrot.

D: This is Tatsuo. Please contact me at this number until I get my phone back from the birds.

Do you reply to one of the odd texts? Or do you find Tatsuo in person to question him about it? Maybe be a friend and help him retrieve his phone?

III -- santa's workshop

"What the... it's bigger on the inside."

Tatsuo looks around in awe as he explores the elves' workshop. Floor after floor of toy making and yet from the outside it'd looked like such a small building. It doesn't take long for the elves to press him into helping with the toys. Namely stuffing some teddy bears and sewing them shut by hand.

bonus -- do you want to

"Hey! Down here!"

Sure, Tatsuo is a little startled by the fact a snowman head is talking to him. But still weirder things have happened in Recolle, so he shakes it off pretty quick. And since it's a Saturday, why not take 30 minutes to build a snowman. He's about half-way through rolling a new base for the snowman when he decides that maybe he needs a little help.

"Hey, you got a minute?"

III

[blondferret]

Derek is also exploring Santa's workshop when he sees Tatsuo... with thread and needle.]

I didn't know you could sew.

[He picks up one of the teddy bears Tatsuo had finished.]

Hmmm... I've seen better. Yet, I've also seen way worse.

[invocate]

IA -- four calling

Li-Na is extremely unimpressed when a bird makes off with her cell phone. The bird on the other hand... did not expect her to follow. But strange things are inclined to happen in Recolle, and Li-Na learned a long time ago to keep her boots on her person at all times, preferably on her feet as they are today. Leaping into the sky after the bird, she's able to retrieve her phone... and a second phone when she intercepts another bird on her way down to the ground.

Which means she now needs to find the owner of the phone. So she starts questioning the people around her with worried or frustrated or angry expressions on their faces.

"Is this yours?"

IB -- eights maids

Yes, it's cold. But that doesn't mean Li-Na isn't tempted by the milkshakes. She has a sweet tooth after all. But after seeing the milkmaids for three days straight and getting tired of seeing the same flavours every time... Li-Na decides it's time to give the milkmaids a bit of a challenge.

"I want a coffe milk tea milkshake. Made with proper yuenyeung."

Take that milkmaids, the one drink she has been unable to find in Recolle.

bonus -- stay frosty

Now this is nostalgic. Was it really a year ago that she bumped into Leon making a snowman on the sidewalk? For that reason alone, Li-Na decides to help the snowman head out of his predicament. Picking up his head and carefully moving it to the side, she starts constructing a new body for him. But two sets of hands are better than one, so she's quick to flag down some help.

"You know how to make a snowman, right?"

IA

[beastenderblood]

[Vella's just walking around, admiring all the birds and the chaos. It takes her a second to even focus on the other girl.]

Huh? Oh, I don't think so. That looks like a, uhhhhhh.... [She squints at it.] Moto E4. Probably about $130 if you sell it on eBay, $140 if you know a guy at the pawn.

[dejerate]

I:

[Yuu is rather loudly cursing at a bird holding a particularly familiar phone in a bright green phone case. And chasing after it. Of course, the bird is teasing him, easily able to fly in avoiding the teen's reaching, flailing arms and hands.]

Get back here! That's mine, featherbrain!

[...Nobody said he was the best with insults. Especially while in a temper like he is now. He may then be trying to climb a tree after the bird perches in one of the higher branches.]

III:

These...I remember these toys. From before...

[So yeah, after finding the familiar toys he used to have at the orphanage in Japan before moving all over with his foster father, he's lingering. Nostalgic about them and the memories they bring up.

Enough that the elves find him hanging around and distracted that they press him into helping out. Probably something simple like helping with the stuffed toys.]

Bonus:

Hm? Wait, who -- ? .....snowman?

[Okay that is. Weird. Unexpected. But a lot of stuff is and Yuu seems to be getting used to that being his life since he got the app about a year ago by now. So he agrees to help out the snowman, rolling his body back over and helping put him back together.

If he sees someone else around, he might gesture and ask for them to come and help too, if they pass by while he's putting the snowman back together and not later when the snowman is following him around, that is.]

i.

[blacksong]

[Naturally, Rose ends up passing by right when she hears Yuu cussing out the bird. At first, she's content to simply watch—it's pretty funny to see, okay, even if she'd be just as pissed in the same situation—but when she seems him trying to climb up the tree, well... Maybe he could use some help.

And thus she approaches.]

You alright there, kid?

[keystaff]

I:

a:

N-no, come back! I need that, bird-san!

[This....this would be so much easier if she had Fly back already. But she doesn't. So she's reduced to trying to chase after the bird on foot. Which is obviously, clearly not working, given the bird's ability to fly and gain height advantage over her. Let alone the speed. But she is trying.

While she's running though, it's easy with her being so distracted that she might literally run into someone happening by.]

b:

[Or perhaps this is when the milkshakes are being divvied out. Sakura initially starts at the sudden appearance of the women and all, letting out a small 'hoeeee?' at it before instinctively answering what flavour she likes as:]

Um, strawberry, please?

III:

H-hoeeeeeee? It's...it's so big! It didn't look this huge from the outside?

[Which, well. Could be explained by 'magic' to 'Retrospec messing with things again' or however one wanted to spin it. But Sakura is in awe as she glances around. Probably in part due to her remaining childlike innocence and all.

She's happy enough to offer to help the elves with the presents, maybe painting some or wrapping them, making bears and wrapping ribbons around their necks.]

Bonus:

E-ehhhhh? Snowman-san?! Oh no! We have to help him!

[Sakura all but immediately flails and panics, of course she would want to help. Which would mean she is running around flailing in trying to find or make a body for the snowman to use so he could move from the path of the impending snowplow.]

III

[standalonehuman]

[Togusa is pleasantly surprised to see some other familiar faces at the workshop. As soon as he recognizes Sakura, he mentally chides himself for not finding a reason to run into her again sooner. But, he approaches with another armful of teddy bears that need to be stuffed.]

"Hello, there. Merry Early Christmas."

[He bows a little and shoots her a bright smile. Someone had handed him an elf hat with a jingle bell on the tip of it that tinkles lightly as he moves.]

"Mind if I help out here for a bit? They've got my friend on heavier lifting. It's too much for me."

[cardcaptured]

I-A: ten lords a-leaping (with a side of swans swimming)

[The chasms that start forming in the city are... inconvenient, to say the very least. Not only do they dredge up worrisome memories for Xiaolang, they're just a danger to everyone around in general, and he didn't want a repeat of what he remembered. It takes some intense thinking from him to figure out what to do, but... oh. Right. He had just gotten back a water talisman, hadn't he? While his other talismans would have been largely useless (unless people wanted to stumble into fiery pits of doom instead), at least this could fill it up to a degree and hopefully ice over.

Summoning his sword with all the appropriate flash and pizzazz, he pulls out one of his newly acquired slips of paper, slamming his weapon against it.]

Obey thy command! Water Dragon, come forth!

[The chasm fills quickly with water, and he can't help but quietly look over his work with a bit of pride. It might be a bit of a process, but he could do it! Just so long as no one disturbs it before it ices over, it should be fine...

... that is, until the swans start to materialize in the large bank of water. There's a few attempts on his end to shoo them off and away with his sword, but there is one thing Xiaolang Li is going to learn, and learn real soon, and it's that swans are huge, HUGE assholes.

... so in short, please help him fend off these hell birds before they try to drag him into the watery abyss, because that's very much a thing that's happening right now.]

I-B: nine ladies dancing with A HEAP OF Disney GISNEY

[Even with all of this craziness, life has to go on and things need to be done. Things like going to school, or shopping for gifts--

-- or being pulled into a sudden twirl by one of the dancing ladies, who also happen to be crooning a rather jaunty, romantic tune.]

'How does she knoooow... you loooove her?

Wh--Wha-- What are you--?!

[The lady who grabs him spins him off into the arms of another waiting lady, much to his flailing and sputtering surprise, who picks up from where the other had left off:]

How does she knoooow... she's yooooours?

H-Hold on, no, I don't-- I don't dance! Stop!

[But the ladies ignore his protests, passing him along and skipping merrily to the song, paying no mind to his stumbling feet and his struggles. It seems as the song goes on, more and more NPCs seem to be joining in with the music and dancing along, giving Xiaolang more people to pingpong into in the process. Maybe it's a fellow app user in the crowd who got roped along too? Or just joining in on the fun?]

I-C: FIIIIIVE GOOOOOLDEN RAAAAANGGGSSS

[Are you chilling in your room, doing your homework? Watching a cool, suspenseful movie on your couch in the living room? On your break at work and trying to unwind?

... that's nice.

Hope you don't mind that flash of light and approximately 110 pounds of screaming teenage boy landing square into your lap!!

(Cute dogs may or may not be included depending on your tolerance for Shenanigans.)]

III: workshopping it

[One would think, with how mature and serious Xiaolang tends to act, he'd snub Santa's workshop as some sort of childish thing.

Oooooh no, siree.

He's positively sparkling at everything and anything around him, taking in every bit of the construction of things, and looks ready to burst in excitement at any moment. Because, for as much as he tries to be a grown-up, he's still very much a kid on the inside, full of innocent wonder at all of this magic around him, and he can't help but accidentally bump into others while staring around.]

Ah-- sorry! There's just so much to see here...

[Of course, the elves don't like lollygagging, and so Xiaolang's pulled along to help with the workload, be it giving whatever mechanical toys a bit of tune-ups and tweaking, or carefully adding the last bit of paint or button to one of the more delicately crafted toys. It feels... rather good, actually, to pitch in like this even in these small ways, and it's a nice way to get his mind off of the headaches from this month. His eyes glance over at whoever else might have been roped in nearby, and whatever they may be working on, and he nods in their direction.]

Um... do you want an extra hand with that?

I-C

[blondferret]

[It had been a long day at work and Derek was enjoying watching re-runs of Star Trek Voyager. Blaise was curled up on his lap, napping away. A lot of crazy stuff was happening around the city, so for a needed break from it, he is taking refuge in his nice, warm apartment. That is, until there is a flash of light. Blaise instantly wakes up, claws instantly going into Derek's legs.]

Ow! Blaise!

[At the same time Derek is looking up and is seeing a body fall from his ceiling and is going to land right on him. Shit. He grabs his cat and tosses him to the other side of the couch, hopefully out of the way of what/who is about to land on him.]

[psykick]

I -- on the fifth day

The 18th started off like any other day. Rinka got up and got ready for school. Except when she goes down to the kitchen to fix herself a bowl of cereal... a portal opens up beneath her feet. Rinka shrieks as she falls through and lands... she's not sure.

Hopefully she didn't land on top of anyone?

II -- dashing... just dashing

Rinka is amazed at the change that comes over the city after the sun goes down. The noise level decreases dramatically, the smell of car and bus exhaust is gone, and it's a lot easier to appreciate the decorations when you're not getting stabbed in the eyes by headlights. And then there are the sleighs. While Rinka passes on hitching a ride on them, it's kind of fun to see them.

Rinka's walking down to where she parked her car after her shift at the cafe when she hears a loud THUMP. Looking over her shoulder, she notices one of the sleighs has driven up on the sidewalk a few yards behind her. And is sliding her way.

"Hey! The street is that way."

The sleigh keeps coming... so Rinka turns and runs, not keen on getting mowed down. And from the jingling she can hear behind her... it's following her.

"Out of the way!"

[ooc: she is going to get mowed down, there's no escaping that]

bonus -- look at frosty go

In her heart of hearts, Rinka isn't that fond of snow. It's cold, it's wet, things get slippery, and it's only pretty for a short while before the snow plows and cars churn it into a grey, muddy mess. But snow and cold weather also mean Rinka get to wear her favorite boots and cute winter accessories. So it kind of evens out.

She's about to step inside a Starbux for something warm to drink when she hears a voice down near her boots.

"Hey! Down here!"

Rinka looks down. And isn't quite sure what's she looking at until the a mouth appears in the snow.

"Hi! Kind of in a predicament here. Could you--"

The snowman doesn't get to finish before Rinka screams.

"AHHHHHHHH!"

I

[blondferret]

[Derek hears a crash from the main area of his apartment and rushes out of his bedroom. He was dreading what Blaise and Bronte had done this time. He stops when he walks out of his bedroom and sees a girl sprawled on top of his... very broken kitchen table. What the?]

Who the hell are you? And how did you get in here?

[Blaise had been on the table when the girl had fallen on it. Luckily he had jumped out of the way and landed a few feet from the destruction. Thought now he was hissing at the intruder. Derek didn't seem to pleased either, so his hissing was justified.]