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XOXO ❅ VALENTINE'S EVENT
One major problem with being the group that's responsible for solving all kinds of problems in the myth world is other myths can kind of be dicks about it. That's why, on Valentine's Day, Cupid shows up, quickly offloads his kid (the toddler Baby Cupid), and runs off to take care of spreading love on his holiday, with barely a how'd you do. He doesn't even say thank you.
To be fair, you can't fault him too much for only trusting the Guardians to babysit his kid in these dangerous and uncertain times, especially when children at risk against the fearlings.
Still, that means there's a giggling toddler, about 2-years-old in appearance, but maybe with the mental age of a 4 or 5 (he is definitely old enough to understand he's being naughty and deserving of a time out) flitting around the Pole causing all kinds of Valentine's related problems. Fortunately, the toddler has learned that he's not quite old enough to know the right times to help people fall in love (Adult Cupid just helps things along when they're already falling, or when they need help falling back in love, of course).
Instead, Baby C is doing what his father taught him to do and causing all kinds of tricks to try to get people to admit feelings that already exist or manufacturing ways for them to become closer to each other.
HONESTY ARROWS ♥ Baby Cupid isn't shooting magic arrows that cause anyone to develop feelings for each other but he sure is trying to make sure people talk about whatever feelings they have. Anyone hit will be compelled to blurt out various truths about themselves, their personal history, and their feelings to whoever is around them and will have difficulty stopping or drawing themselves away. In fact, if someone walks away they'll feel compelled to find someone else to confess to. The effect wears off anywhere between 5 minutes to a half hour.
TATTLETALE ROSES ♥ Vines of roses are now growing all over the Workshop. For those who are in love, they take the form of the face of the person they're in love with. The more they try to hide it or deny it from someone they're talking to, the more of them bloom with the person's face.
THORNY VINES OF CLOSENESS ♥ The rose vines have their own annoying purpose: bonding! For people that clearly need to become friends, fall in love, or fall deeper in love, thorny vines will wrap around both people, forcing them into a little cage together. The thorns fortunately won't poke them - they seem to be maneuvered in a way to just make sure there are no gaps to escape through. The vines are magically reinforced and can't be opened with any physical or magical means. After that, one of two things will happen:
1) A card will fall from the ceiling of the cage saying: Tell each other how you really feel about each other!!! This will happen if the cage thinks they need to affirm the status of their relationship, whether they need to admit they're in love, admit they've been bitten by the friend bug if they're reluctant to, or really need to talk about how much they mean to each other as friends. Only then will they be let out of the feelings shame corner.
2) If the two don't know each other, or both people could afford to get to know each other better multiple cards will drop from the ceiling with icebreaker questions, as if they're a bunch of new hires at an orientation.
How many will they have to answer before they're released? Who knows! But they have to answer them honestly or the cage won't open.
CANDY LONELY HEARTS ♥ People who are on the lonelier side and in need of support might find a candy heart on a random surface. The messages on them are on the platonic side (Like "You rock!" or "Shine on!") They'll feel compelled to eat them (even if they're on the floor). When they do, a glowing red thread will appear and tie itself around their finger. Briefly, in the air, the glowing string will form into letters that tell the person what they need to do to be release, whether it's telling someone they're lonely, asking for some kind of support, or admitting a vulnerability.
Then it'll whip out and grab someone else nearby, wrapping around their finger as well. Sometimes, two people might eat a candy at the same time and each have a string appear and they'll tie in the middle.
The strings are unbreakable, and they won't be set free until whoever ate a candy talks about their loneliness or vulnerable feelings - regardless of whether or not the other person is an eager listener.
❅ Starters: You can make up your own wildcard effects, feel free! If you do, please consider posting it to the Wildcard comment below so others might be able to pick up the same effect as well if they like them.
❅ Multiple effects: Feel free to have characters slammed by as many of Baby C's traps in the same thread as you want. No reason someone can't have the worst luck and trip three Cupid traps at once or several of them in a row.
no subject
Dan actually sounds excited for Price; he's been hoping that the counselor would find some way to apply his skills in a way that would make him valuable to the group, and he's glad that others are trusting him in the infirmary, even if Dan has no particular intention of ever going himself.
"How's that going?"
no subject
Is it though? That most people just prefer to stay injured just because they don't trust him?
"I still believe someone else should apply as well, we would not want a personnel shortage during an emergency."
Price sounds very calm as he explains it, contrasting the newly appeared writing that goes MAYBE THE BRAIN DAMAGE JUST MADE ME COMPLETELY STUPID AND I AM WORTHLESS EXPENDABLE GARBAGE AND SOMEHOW THE DIRECTOR KNEW IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AND THAT'S WHY HE NEVER TRIED TO GET ME OUT PRISON AND LET ME DIE THERE.
no subject
Dan raises an eyebrow at how many words the red strings make over Price's head; he can only make sense of the fact that this secret must be quite deep and complex to take up that much space.
"You reckon I might could do it with you, maybe? I know field medicine, and you could might apprentice me the way I'm apprenticing you farrying."
no subject
A position of mentorship? For him? Absolutely insane of Dan to trust him with that. Unless he doesn't and it's a trap, or a test. Ah! There it is, Price caught himself projecting because he's the one constantly testing people. Good intentions have to be the most fascinating symptom of mental illness he's observed. Or at least, sign of abnormality. The standards for niceness are...Interesting, in his home world. Either way, caution is never enough.
"That would be very nice."
timeskip!
But he doesn't have a chance to meet Price in the infirmary until after the Project Prometheus disaster, and then he shoots Price a quick message to meet him there. For the last hour, he's been slowly bleeding through his clothing thanks to manticore scratches going down his left shoulder, and by the time he gets to the infirmary he's pale and shaky underneath the smear of blood on his forehead where a phoenix gave him some much shallower and less painful cuts. When Price meets him, he's alternating drinking from his flask and guzzling a bottle of water, sitting on the exam table.
"Saw you helping us do the evacuation. It's much appreciated," he says, giving Price a small wave. "My shoulder got cut up. Might could need stitches, but might could just need to be patched up. It feels longer than it is deep, but I ain't got a chance to check it for myself."
If he had his way, he'd still be back there helping some of the injured myths home, but he can no longer hide a bloody injury under his coat when it's making him wan and feeble.
"You make it through that whole thing okay?"
no subject
"Yes, it has been manageable so far. Can you take off your shirt by yourself?"
He knows that the cuts should not restrict Dan's movements but Price is not that far gone that he doesn't understand that stripping others without asking is weird.
"Also, I would like to scan your vitals again just to make sure."
no subject
Dan starts to peel away his clothing, leaving just his wifebeater on, since it doesn't cover the injury.
"Why, you worried about my blood pressure?" He winks.
no subject
Price has never been big on humour but he is also focused. He proceeds to gently clean up the wounds.
"Good news, the wounds are not infected. You said you were scratched by a manticore. I am not familiar with manticores." Price is not familiar with many things, there is no such thing as 'catching up with magic', especially when new things keep popping up "It is probably best to look into preventative care for diseases they can transmit. When did you have your last tetanus shot?"
no subject
He lets Price keep working, but he's sort of glad Price is focusing on his shoulder and can't see the way his brow furrows and his mouth sets into a skeptical line. "My what?"