mingles your jingles THIS IS YEAR FIVE????

[alittlefuninstead]

Well. He's back. That goddamn small elf has reappeared. You really can't escape, can you? It waves a golden envelope at you, and as soon as you open it the familiar flurry of snowflakes blasting you directly in the face as the letter unfolds to reveal its contents.

...strange. There's no fancy invitation this time? Instead, all you'll find is a sheet of paper with the word "Boo." written on it.

The moment you register the words (whether by willingly reading the letter or as an attempt to placate the elf attempting to bite you), the snowflakes encase you in a cyclone of winter-y chilliness. You feel as though you're shoved inside a freezer, like the kind you'd find at a supermarket, and everything around you goes dark as you slip and slide your way down, up, side to side and upside down.

For once, you aren't dumped off in a snowbank. Your arrival to the village is almost pleasant as you're gently set on your feet at the top of the valley, buildings appearing before your eyes. They unravel and unfold, popping up like a picture book and springing to life as the sound of music and jingle bells fill the air. Behind you appears a mountain perfect for climbing, but perhaps the village ahead is far more enticing.

As you enter the valley and leave your troubles behind, you'll find your attire soon will match the vibe. Some of you may find yourselves in the ugliest Christmas sweaters known to man. Some of you may be lucky and get away with cuter winter fits to keep yourselves cozy. But worry not, there are still plenty of shops for your perusal.

Since you're already here, why don't you take a look around?

As you turn, you may notice the familiar sign stating murder is prohibited, as usual. Wow, this sign is looking a little worse for the wear by now. Just how long has this been around? Ah, well, never mind. Enjoy the festivities!

❄️ The Mall
Ah yes. A special hell on earth, Christmastime at the shopping center. Nestled in the center of the village is a large multi-shop complex with a constant stream of shoppers flitting about. Money isn't a problem here and you'll find a silver credit card somewhere on your person. Talk about a Christmas miracle. Inside the mall is everything imaginable, just in time to buy gifts for everyone on your holiday list. If you can think it, you can find it. Head on over to the food court for a little afternoon pick-me-up (any sort of fast food place you can think of) and get ready to shop 'til you drop! But if you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for…?

Well, drop on by Santa's workshop! You can't miss it...but too bad it looks like jolly old Saint Nick's stepped out for a while. That's okay! There's still a camera set up and all sorts of fun and silly winter props for a cute little photo op for you and your friends. But maybe don't linger for too long...the more time you spend in Santa's chair, the higher the chances are you'll find yourself sporting a full, white beard.

❄️ The Island
On the outskirts of town, opposite of the mountain, you'll find a small sandy beach and an icy ocean before you. Several boats are docked near the shore, ready for you to take them sailing off to an island you can just barely see in the distance. As you sail closer to the island, you'll find it's much larger than anticipated, and you aren't alone. A variety of small toy-like occupants can be found once you reach the short, curious and uncertain about your arrival. There's a spotted elephant, a water gun that shoots grape jelly, a cowboy that rides an ostrich, a train with square wheels and an assortment of other misfits. They'll clamor around you, wondering if you're here to visit or if, perhaps, you'll be kind enough to bring them back to the village and give them a new home.

Spending time on this island will instill feelings of childlike wonder, nostalgia, and a little bit of longing. Maybe you'll even find yourself in the middle of some self-reflection, willing to share a secret or two with those around you. There's nothing wrong with you, is there? Don't worry. Someone out there probably loves you.


❄️ Winter Sports
Maybe you don't go to the island and you stick closer to the mountain. That's okay. There's plenty of things to do on this side of the village. For one thing, you’ll find a small stand nestled among some trees holding all sorts of winter items including skis, snowboards, snow mobiles, toboggans, and sleds. The snow is fresh and the hills are alive with the sound of laughter. Or screams. Depending if you know how to ski or not. There are a few plowed trails heading into the small surrounding mountains, little paths and a few walkways that wind around and around toward the highest peak. Try not to get lost on your way up, and watch out for the abominable snowman.

❄️ The Party
You skipped 90% of these prompts to get here, didn't you? Respectable. Powerful. We all know why you're here. Even if you don't actually know, other guests will likely be able to catch you up to speed and mention the holiday party for everyone invited. Unlike years of the past where the party's been hosted in a mansion, this year you'll find yourself ushered down a slippery slope and brought to a frosty blue door. Knock once, twice, three times and soon you'll be treated to a large, icy cavern-esque area. Despite the chilly appearance, the temperature's just right for comfort and still gives you an excuse to snuggle up close to whoever's closest. There are halls that are decked with boughs of holly leading off to rooms filled with fireplaces, games, food and more. Christmas music echoes through the halls, and just like last time should you require anything special the staff will answer every beck and call.

In the center of the bar resides a massive Christmas tree, along with boxes of ornaments should you wish to try your hand at decorating. If you watch long enough, you may even see some of them floating on their own as streaks of frost wash over the branches.

...but don't think you're safe just because it's a party. It's mistletoe season, baby! Similar to last year, the plant truly seems to have a honing device attached as it persists the more you resist. It can, and will, appear at random in places you might not expect, and often times it will show up at inconvenient moments. Unfortunately, it's not just the mistletoe conspiring against you. The garland hanging in the halls will slither down on occasion to tie you to another person, ushering you both under a sprig of mistletoe and binding you until you comply. Every now and then, a patch of ice will appear underfoot, sending you careening into another person or two with the hopes your lips will collide. And even some of the sweet treats appear to be special, filling you with a burst of affection you just have to get out.

Or maybe you've had the great fortune to avoid all of these pitfalls to enjoy the party! You're free to mingle and jingle. Eat, drink, and be merry and bright...but do keep in mind that if two people are together and avoid the mistletoe for too long, you will find yourselves in a frosty, snowglobe-like barrier for one hour or until a kiss is shared. Dealer's choice.

Happy holidays!

[ooc: it's once again mgcu mingle time! this mingle is open to characters from the following: reapsody, grimmoired, plasmatio, subdivided, thotordie, bluesclues, tropicalgetaway, notagain, redactable, snowend, 7rings, seasonality, chasma, uturns, chroma, courtrooms, suitedreams, superhell, homophonic,becomehero, spacecoast, scawwy, & wenis

however. you may also bring special guests in the form of characters you considered playing in previous games or characters you are anticipating playing in the future, sort of like a TDM for potential options! this also includes any characters you may have brought to past endgame mingles for extra shenanigans because honestly, we've all had the itch of "OH X WOULD BE SO FUN OFF OF Y" and our castmate missed connections. otherwise, have fun mingling with strangers!]

Comments

i

[flameguard]

[ oh... rondo's here also, glancing over at the lady and her...ears (!) (wow!), at first out of curiosity from where he was soothing a misfit toy of his own, and then - well, he just gets wrapped up in what she's saying. and by the end of it, rondo nods, enthusiastically. ]

Yes - very well said, miss! [ very well said indeed!!! he nods to the little toy he has which has like. too many legs. ] Everything in life has its purpose, and even if you feel like you don't have one, or even that you lose one, you just might be looking in the right place. So, there's no need to be disheartened at all!

[slashing]

If you say that out loud, you're going to manifest that hellhole with the tacos for being ungrateful, fluff.

[ :/ ]

Didn't crack a tooth, did you?

[fried]

[ ear flick... his tail whacks therion in the ass and he pretends like he didn't do it. ]

My teeth are in perfect condition. Very sharp! [ c: ] Is there a food on this table that you like? Perhaps some sort of apple-themed dessert.

[slashing]

[ hey!!!!! he jumps and immediately, reflexively, tries to swat back at the tail. you are not slick!!!

however once that begrudging annoyance is whacked away, he does look back to the table, despite all grousing, and then rolls his visible eye. ]

Whether there is or not, I'm not eating anything here. [ it's probably poison. and - hey wait a second, how did he... ] Apple?

[ not in the "yes i want apples" tone but more in the "how did you know that" tone ]

[sootprints]

Muelsyse? [ There's surprise in her tone, and warmth when she continues. ]

I suppose I wouldn't want to waste the opportunity... There isn't much snow where I come from.

[honourous]

Truth be told, I am uncertain. 'Tis not a dish I'm familiar with.

[ ( throws dart ) mumu gets to witness the glory that is 1950s gelatin molds, as hulkenberg gives the dish she holds a small jiggle. ]

But, regardless, I find it quite delicious. A sweet sort of dish, with an interesting shape I'd say.

[honourous]

[ oh, you. hulkenberg's friendliness immediately dissipates, unimpressed and displeased in spades, but she keeps in mind the well-worn sign saying that murder is frowned upon during such festivities. perhaps something like the king's magic is in play..?

regardless. at least he has the manners to wait for her to finish speaking with the stranger, as she takes her hor dourves fork and stabs - perhaps more forcefully than necessary - a wriggling morsel. ]

And I should say the same of you, as I see that you're not trailing beneath another's shadow today. [ ... she pauses before she actually eats the twitching bit of food when he asks that, though. ] Have you not had the local delicacies of Martira? Truly a loss for you.

[honourous]

[ elda..? squints

regardless, they're talking about how differences are wonderful, so she won't be so rude as to ask the young man what tribe he comes from. instead, she returns the nod much more calmly. ]

'Tis true. Should you lose heart, you need only find a new purpose, or rediscover your path - and 'tis not something you need do alone. Many will lose their way, for one reason or another. But you should not let despair - [ wait they're toys ] - sadness rule you.

[liar]

[ kaeya is leaning back on the bar behind them, propped up by his elbows. he's holding a flute of champagne in his hand and wearing a santa hat.

his gaze follows her gestures to the couple under the mistletoe. it's..... (throws dart) viktor and owner. kaeya's lower lip pouts upward as he thinks. ]

That's quite a difference in height. Perhaps the taller one in blue is trying not to hurt his back...? He looks a little frail.

i

[rav3n]

[How is it that we like so many of the same characters in general but I don't play enough freaks to ship with yours... thoughts I am having on this christmas eve eve

Anyway Luke was probably already wearing some kind of awful grandpa christmas sweater so he gets to stay in that instead of becoming christmas merlin like VIKTOR. As a self-styled photographer, of course he's interested in taking photos with friends!! So he's rummaging happily through the props too. He pulls out some tinsel and drapes it over Viktor's shoulders while Viktor is distracted by the train.]

Perfect! [no]

[ballies]

Okay.

But.

[ she gestures widely. the glasses and bottles on the bar rattle concerningly, somehow not falling over but it's a close, close call. ]

Look at those cheekbones. He deserves tongue.

[ she's insistent on this now. slip viktor some tongue, owner!! ]

[shirtbag]

i. you'd better watch out

[ there's another santa claus in the workshop! this one doesn't look very jolly, though. he looks about done with the world and ready to take out anything that moves.

except you move and when he spots you, instead of shooting you on the spot, boothill just narrows his eyes, frowns deeper, and cranes his neck forward. (there's a soft, whirring sound of something mechanical moving.) ]

I'll give ya' fifty credits for the strongest liquor you can find in this pile of fudge.

[ do credits work here? should santa be drinking on the job? idk and neither does he. ]

ii. wildcard

[ aaaa i'll do whatever i just wanted to make him be santa, if you love me you'll pick mistletoe ]

[liar]

[ kaeya reaches over and saves a half-drunk cosmo from spinning to its death. otherwise kaeya is totally unbothered! he tilts his head and gives viktor a once over. they're just watching him like he's a zoo animal now. ]

Don't tell me he's your type.

[ballies]

Pssh.

[ the cosmo should’ve suffered, because now it has to live with tama drinking it. she’s probably a couple deep now and it’s not like she’s used to drinking alcohol in her fancy new real girl suit yet.

it’s being used like a pointer. which she points at kaeya, slopping some of the drink onto the counter ]

Please. If he tried to step on me he’d probably snap an ankle. That’s no fun.

It’s like— [ she gestures again. the cosmo clings on for dear life and does not lose more of itself ]— looking at a painting. You can see the painting and be like “wow that’s a pretty painting” but you don’t want to make out with it in the storage room, y’know?

[liar]

Mm. [ brows lifting. she's so sloshed. ] I'm almost curious about what kind of storage rooms you've visited.

[ while she swings around her cosmo, kaeya is going to surreptitiously drag the other half-drunk cocktails down the bar counter and away from her. he distracts her by yapping. ]

So what is your type then? [ he gestures to the room. look over there! ] Anyone catch your interest?

[frotag]

1a. ichibanta can you hear me...

[ every good respectable mall has a mall santa around this time of year, right? at this particular mall, find a very festive ichiban with a load of presents sitting behind him. "wait, isn't there a santa area in the mall already..." don't worry about it. while that santa is out, ya boy kasuga is ever reliable. though he can't exactly fit a santa hat over his signature mane, he does have a list... three lists, actually! ]

Heya! Wanna know if you're on the nice or naughty list this year? Or, got anything on your Christmas list that you're hoping to get this year? Let good ol' Ichiban know and I'll see what I can do! I can't promise anything, but you'd be surprised at some of the connections I've got, hehe.

[ he's about to leave it at that as he hands one of the lists to an equally festive nancy (with "santa claws" written on the white trim, because when does he ever go anywhere without her? ... but he grimaces for a second. ]

Oh, uh. You don't need to sit on my lap or anything. That'd be weird for us both...

1b. deck the halls with custom t-shirts, falala la la, lala la laaaa

[ this one shouldn't be a surprise at all. where there is a mall, there is a shitty custom t-shirt printer. on display are all the shirts from sprace (thank you eric xoxo), as well as some more shirts of like. whatever you want. i'm here to make your dreams come true. he's in the middle of printing his own silly shirt when he looks up and waves. ]

Wanna get in on some t-shirt action? The first one's free! [ he laughs. ] Hehe, just kidding, they all are. Merry Christmas!

2) staminan x-games

[ are you enjoying a nice outing on the slopes? in that case, i'm so sorry, because some snowboarding asshole is racing down the mountain paths with reckless abandon. ]

Cowaaabungaaa!!

[ watch your head!! or get covered in snow from doing that thing that snowboards do when they come to a halt and spread snow everywhere right in front of them. ]

Pretty sick moves, huh? Snowboarding isn't all that different from surfing, and I've got a ton of experience doin' that! Definitely a lot chillier, though...

3. ICHIBAN has joined the party!

[ idk man i don't remember how to do toplevels anymore. this is the party catch-all prompt. wanna eat some crimmas food together? he's serving some turkey and ham. feel like making some ornaments? he's got markers and baubles and glitter. need someone to kiss under the mistletoe? hahaha he wishes. feel free to hit me with anything and everything over here! ]

( last but not least, please specify if you're requesting spacecoast or scawwy flavor! )

ichibanta

[sootprints]

Y, yes, it certainly would! [ Kate sounds taken aback at the suggestion, having no context for how Santa works. ]

... You have lists? What for?

[ballies]

[ HER COSMOS, KAEYA. ]

It's not the type of storage room, the storage is just the-- the vessel through which you can secretly make out! [ do you see her wisdom? ]

Ooh. Good question.

[ she's thinking about it. there are many types. ]

[liar]

[ tama please at least have standards... you're too good for everyone in this room.

now the drinks have been successfully moved far away from her, ]

While you think about that, I'm going to get you a glass of water, I think. You've been drinking like a fish. [ waves down the elf? bartender ] Perhaps it's time for a break.

[toyska]

[I don't remember how to rp. Also the title of this post made me realize I've been in genshin hell for this long... why is childe still alive get me outta here

ANYWAY]

1. island

[He's probably already hit up the mall to buy 10000 things for his siblings, but that's not the same as THIS, now is it!!! You can catch him standing on the beach with a hand on his hip, eying the various toys around here... specifically the OSTRICH.]

It can't be that hard to catch, right? [Childe do not send your baby brother an ostrich]

2. sports

[He's up here to fight the abominable snowman. That's it.]

Ahahaha, these trips are always worth it--!

[Stop him? Or don't. Your call]

3. kisses

[The prompt for kisses]

[ohthehumanities]

[AU where Alhaitham has been in murder and they show up here like this]

1. mall

[This time around he is in the mall!! He's been out of Shibuya long enough to start forgetting what shopping is like outside of Teyvat, so he wanders around with interest, checking out the different gifts and goods. You can probably catch him getting roped into long sales pitches... getting convinced to round up his purchase to donate to a child in need (what child???), or getting pulled aside and trapped in conversation with some little old lady who just has SO much to say about her grandchildren, conveniently long enough that the other old lady behind her can shove her way to the front of the line with her purchases. THIS IS A SET-UP. SAVE HIM]

2. party

[ONCE AGAIN he is happy to be here at the party!! His fwends... he wants to see them... even though half of you live in Teyvat now BUT STILL!!! You can easily find him with a glass of mulled wine in his hand, chatting happily with just about anyone--though, naturally, if you let him take the lead, he's just going to start talking about the architecture.]

Some of it certainly is masterful--see, look here--at first I thought the irregular lengths of these blocks was unintentional and chaotic, but if you step over here, you can see they were designed to catch the light from this angle. Now, the ceiling--

[Feel free to tell him to shut up]

3. kisses

[The prompt for kisses]

1

[diffract]

[ THEIR GET ALONG CHRISTMAS SWEATER

with almost no prior mall knowledge, this place is like hell. the good thing is that the bazaar is like this sometimes too.

anyway. he grabs kaveh by the arm, right at the elbow, and looks flatly at him. ]

We're holding up the line. [ to this conniving old lady: ] Excuse us.

[ PULLS HIM AWAY and yes they're going to cut back in front of this lady. it's every man for himself!!! ]

II. gives you a fox for your fox

[toyska]

[Almost replied with my Gideon icon

Anyway who better to teach him about Christmas-y traditions than Mr. Snezhnaya himself, even though we probably won't know anything about their holidays for another like 4 years because as everyone knows the only true holiday in Teyvat is Lantern Rite.

He does not have a piece of fruitcake, or any food in his hands for that matter, but he leans over to look at it anyway.]

Looks like a slice of cake to me, comrade! I couldn't tell you the name of it, though, if there's a specific one. [He's a good housewife but not that good]

B

[toyska]

[I think they should snowboard so fast that they crash through the house and conveniently land underneath some mistletoe

But until then Childe just laughs cheerfully, wandering over to him. They're going to make a snowboarder character for Snezhnaya I can feel it in my bones.]

I'm pretty sure you're supposed to stand on it, comrade!

1a

[scrapdraught]

That so?

[Camille is here, irrationally. Still in a dark sweater but a holy night themed one for a change, arms crossed and looking down at Ichiban as he sits doling out holiday cheer.]

Never had anyone try?

[Sitting on your lap. He's like 40, come on.]