Jack Frost (
alittlefuninstead) wrote in
glocksuke2021-12-11 12:11 pm
Jingle Mingle...2
Some of you may be used to this by now. For some of you, this may be your very first time being swept away in a flurry of snowflakes. (Though some of you may have been particularly naughty and were shoved into a burlap sack before disappearing into the storm.) As usual, it seems as though the time for bloodshed has passed and when you open your eyes you're greeted with...
...a ski lodge.
Worry not! This isn't the lodge Krampus had taken residence in but it's a rather large and cozy getaway. You may even find that your clothes have changed into something holiday-appropriate for the occasion. It seems as though someone has gone around decking the halls with boughs of holly, lights strewn along the walls, Christmas trees in large corners, and plenty of food and drink to go around. (Yes, this includes alcohol. Please do try to be responsible though, hm?)
Similarly, some of you may recognize the frosty patterns that lightly dust the walls and surfaces and the usual staff and their assistants are back in action. Should you require anything, you may ask one of them and they'll be at your service!
The lodge has plenty of rooms filled with furniture, fireplaces, games and more. And for those of you feeling a little more adventurous, you may venture outdoors. To the left there's a sprawling garden with gazebos, firepits, flowers and lit topiary displays. To the right, you may follow the path down to a hot spring. And straight ahead? There's the path leading you right to a rental shack holding skis, snowboards and snow mobiles.
This almost seems...quaint, doesn't it? And perhaps it's a little too easy, but you should know by now everything comes with a price.
Sprigs of mistletoe are pinned up in every doorway once again, bright red bows and dustings of frost lingering around them. Don't try to escape to the outdoors to avoid it! Ice sculptures appear in every direction each decorated with the mystical plant. You could try to avoid it, really, but avoiding it too long will earn a chilly breath of air directly in your ear as you're pushed straight into the nearest person. Wouldn't you rather choose on your own?
Well! The choice is yours, and you might want to make it fast. There's no way out without paying the kiss tax, after all.
[ooc: it's mgcu time! this mingle is open to characters from the following:

no subject
[ what? ]
Hmm... Well, if we're going to make the attempt, we might as well see what we're working with first. [ either one of their daemons can probably fly to try and snag it, honestly, but what if the enchantment also affects them? bird kisses??? or would it reflect through to them themselves? hm.
so first things first, he just casually yeets a single card at the ribbon and bow holding up the sprig closest to them. predictably for the purposes of this post/thread, it does not cut the ribbon ... or seem to damage it in the least, actually. so roxis just recalls the card with as casual a flick of the wrist as he'd used to fling it up there in the first place. ]
Well, if nothing else, we know that's enchanted against breakage.
no subject
[ things to teach roxis: vocaloid.
however seeing roxis throw the card for naught is… disappointing!? flat considers sending a curse to the plant in order to set it on fire, but… that would probably scare others? and, from what he could analyze from roxis’ attack, that would be nothing but troublesome…and most likely ineffective, too.
SIGHS. ]
Well… what should we do? What do you want to do? Maybe you get on my shoulders? But it might be glued on or something…
no subject
I see.
[ no he doesn't. anyway, sigh! ]
If it's glued on then generally there should be some sort of solvent that'll work on it, it just depends on what kind of glue it is.
[ the chemist part of alchemist, everyone... even though i. don't know if acetone is still called spirit of saturn in a non-earth world that clearly has kept other random earth things like the calendar and western zodiac for funzies because mana khemia is not about the worldbuilding. hell maybe it's even just called acetone by now. not like i know!!! fridges and vacuum tubes exist! ]
Worst comes to worst, we scrape it off?
no subject
[ though flat has been looking at the mistletoe for quite a bit now and...he can't really understand it? weird. this is some w e i r d magecraft that's keeping that thing up there.
however... ]
Why don't we just burn or break the area that's holding it instead? I think that might be easier.
no subject
[ but roxis is also scrutinizing the mistletoe now, but like, outside of what they've already discovered, he's also not getting much from it. w e i r d , huh? it's almost like there's thread magic forcing them into not being able to do anything about it. there's a glint of light that thrums briefly in his palm as he considers testing something... but hm, nah. ]
Maybe if it only nulls any attempts at doing anything to the decoration itself ... not the worst idea, honestly.
[ like, what are the odds the entire lodge is constructed out of alchemically or magically reinforced material? ]
no subject
[ how do you sharpen cards, actually? is it like knives? now flat is wondering if roxis would make a good chef with them…
he taps his chin, observing the mistletoe closely before smiling. ]
Do you wanna try?
no subject
[ which normally he'd hate to admit, not understanding something like this, but like, they just blew up angels all across the universes with a quote unquote bomb. sometimes you accept that there are wild things out there outside of your existing frame of reference that you'd need to study up and do more research on.
he is eyeing the card he recalled a little dubiously though, trying to see if it picked up any material worth analyzing on the edges or if it's just... pristine. hint, it's the latter. anyway: ]
I don't have anything imbued with a fire ether trait on me. ... I'm sure I could figure something out from what we have available here if you gave me a moment, but do you want to do the honors?
no subject
[ what could they use? there’s many glues out there, both natural and synthetic… could they mix them together? correct the properties to improve its resistance? how do to that in the first place—no, the how doesn’t matter.
either way, he’ll grin at the offer, nodding. ]
Sure! Game, select!
[ though he poses, with arm and hand outstretched, it’s largely unnecessary as nothing comes from his hand. the area around the mistletoe, however, spontaneously lights on fire… but nothing burns. after a few seconds, the flames disappear, as if they had never occurred in the first place. ]
Total failure!
no subject
... nullification within a certain radius, do you think? Or— stasis?
[ any damage incurred won't actually actualize if time doesn't pass...? ]
no subject
[ he looks around, and then at roxis, head tilted. ]
Any other ideas? I got one, but it’s not great.
[ and if flat’s saying that… ]
no subject
[ put it in front of vayne and have him rattle off properties the way he and sulpher had once played off as being one of sulpher's abilities as the mana of sulfur if he really runs into a dead end on his own, even. ]
... What's your idea?
no subject
[ and this makes things so much easier because— ]
I can’t understand it well enough, so I thought that it would be easier if I exposed myself to it. However I think that it needs two people to activate the spell, so why don’t we go?
[ for science! ]
no subject
[ for?? science...???? ]
no subject
It would.
[ for science! ]
no subject
vosgetel is going to look up from preening herself while still situated on flat's shoulder, glance over at roxis, more or less just shake her head at her person, and then go right back to preening. preening, but judgmental.
thanks, soul. ]
...... fine? We can go. I suppose.
[ for. science, (????) ]
no subject
[ is this a convoluted set up for roxis to get under the mistletoe or not? there was a time when something like that would have been more than possible… but it isn’t now.
jack, on the other hand, is glancing between roxis and flat…though it quickly goes to preening its wings.
flat will reach for one of roxis’ hands, gently tugging the alchemist towards the mistletoe. ]
Come on, don’t look so nervous, Roxis. It’ll be over before you know it!
[ is he going to kill roxis, or kiss him? ]
no subject
it's easy enough to pull him along, at least, he doesn't really offer any resistance. honestly he wouldn't really mind it if it weren't for the venue, and how many people are around. if this becomes a public spectacle he's going to die on the spot for a third time.
anyway, haha. mistletoe. ]
no subject
anyways, roxis, don’t worry about it. sure, there’s people around them, but flat doesn’t look worried in the least.
once they get under the mistletoe, flat looks up at it, still holding roxis’ hand. ]
I kind of get it! It’s like… a condition—like a troll that lives under the bridge and asks you riddles before you may pass or like an event that has to happen to move into the next scenario. You get it, right?
[ d…does he? ]
no subject
anyway flat leads them over, hands still interlinked, and actually he has seen something like this before so he does manage to follow along, in fact, especially when flat mentions the second example. haha. ]
... A conditional lock or barrier that releases only when certain parameters or prerequisites are met? Encompassing this entire area, apparently.
[ and of course, with the condition being. well.
... if he has to be honest it almost more rankles that they're going to be doing this because a plant told them to. ]
no subject
[ he gives a firm nod, glad to see that roxis is following! ]
And the mistletoe is… is like… hm… like an amplifier? Maybe!? Because the story about having to kiss under the mistletoe is so well-known on mine and a bunch of other people’s worlds, it’s probably the best and easiest way to amplify the power of this spell without using a lot of energy…or something like that!
[ good luck roxis ]
no subject
I don't know that other worlds' magic all necessarily follows the same principles as yours, considering how more people knowing about something apparently is simultaneously a good and bad thing there.
[ you want more people aware of something because that gives it a foundation of power or strengthens the concept, or something, but you don't actually want people knowing it because understanding how it works weakens it, or something. it's a wonder mages get anything done...
this
all seems like a lot of effort to get people to kiss each other. if someone actually set this up, why. also if that's the case, then he doesn't know the story, that means he's excused, right.
is this stalling. ]
no subject
[ it makes perfect sense, roxis! jeez :/.
anyways, does flat know he’s stalling? that’s the million dollar question. ]
What’s your hypothesis, then?
1/2
[ which is to say, he has none. also we are not talking about ghosts today.
anyway. ...anyway. they can draw this out. they can just keep standing here, under the mistletoe, increasing the chances that some passersby eventually notice and call them out on it. sure. he has half an inclination to test the limits of this kiss tax anyway; like, if he just tries to walk away what's this plant going to do about it, huh.
but you know what. fine. fine!!! i am not putting myself through ten more tags of this or however long an hour is in dwrp tag time.
so roxis is going to exhale a quiet breath, mutter something under his breath, before— ]
2/2
no subject
[ not in a thousand years would have flat expected roxis to be the one to initiate the kiss. it’s a bet that he would have never made, and the look of surprise in his eyes before their lips connect should be enough of a sign of how unexpected this was.
(thank god putting up a decent bounded field is as simple as breathing; he’d die if someone saw them.)
with his free hand, he cups roxis’ cheek as he kisses back with similar energy, because he is also not a coward. there’s something sweet and fuzzy about this, but he sure as hell cannot put the words to it. however when he pulls back, his face is red right to the tip of his ears, and for once, he’s at a loss for words.
(jack has also flown away, watching the scene play from a distant perch, amused.) ]
You— I— um— [ he’s short circuiting, thanks. ] Spell’s broken.
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