XOXO ❅ VALENTINE'S EVENT

[nightmods]

XOXO

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.

OOC DETAILS
❅ 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.

Comments

[hallelujahjunction]

Dan hasn't met Garurumon before, but he perks up at getting to meet one more nonhuman in the Pole. He loves learning about all the different species and cultures that exist out there; it's one of the things that first drew him to hunting monsters, getting to learn about all this world he only knows a little about. Now, his world has expanded to include the fae, the Guardians, and several different universes.

But no one who's explained the solar system to him.

"No, I ain't sure-- but I also don't know why that just came out of my mouth." He leans to look around Garurumon. "Did a tiny archer come through here?"

[kemonookami]

That question gets Garurumon to laugh.

"Those elves wouldn't know how to shoot a bow even if their lives depended on it."

It's not like he underestimates anyone based on size...well, no, he has a bit of an ego...but after having observed the elves he wouldn't ever think they can do much.

But yeah, not having seen nor fallen victim to a certain little cherub, he thought the only tiny archer that could exist around here was an elf fooling around with things they shouldn't.

"If there was anyone shooting us everyone would be alarmed. Only thing weird today are the candies forcing you to talk about feelings." Garurumon settled down on the floor like a much smaller dog would, unwittingly leaving himself open to arrow attacks, grumbling. "I didn't need to tell anyone about me trying to hold conversations with the reindeers."

He may be somewhat misanthropic and not trust humans at all, but also he gets lonely!

[hallelujahjunction]

"That makes them even more dangerous. Ain't nothing so frightening as an inexperienced gunman." Dan isn't sure it wasn't an elf, but he thinks he got a glimpse of someone slightly too large and toddler-shaped to be one of those little munchkins.

Like Garurumon, Dan's vigilant of the setting, scanning behind Garurumon and half-listening as he keeps keen for the patter of tiny mischievous feet. It isn't obvious; Dan's hunter career, and his father's survivalist training before that, has primed him to keep aware of threats even as he looks completely at ease.

"The reindeers are friendly, but they ain't the most eloquent bunch." He laughs. "I like them, though. I keep my horse in the stables with them."

[kemonookami]

"Wouldn't know for sure. Pretty much every human coming into my world is defenseless, no weapons like that." Therefore assessing how dangerous anyone who doesn't know a thing about guns or weaponry can be is just guesses for him.

Still, some things are easier to be attuned to. Flaps of wings, the whistle of something crossing the air, all that is universal and easy to catch if you got good hearing like he does -- or experience like Dan does. It's unmistakable, and Garurumon stands up and pretty casually blocks an arrow with his paw. In matter of less than a second he saw the arrow, he saw how small it is, and foolishly and born from a little too much confidence in his own strength, merely let it hit a paw. Doesn't even break skin, really, it just hits a bean and pretty much bounces off.

But magic arrows is something he knows nothing about. Just that much contact was enough.

"The stables are fine but I'd like more a place for myself up here. I tolerate you all far more than I like to show."

Pause. And Garurumon slaps his paw over his eyes.

"I didn't just say that!"

It's pretty obvious he distrusts humans but also warmed up to the place more than he wants to admit. He's the kind of person who digs his heels instead of admitting being wrong or changing his mind about something, really.

[hallelujahjunction]

Dan smiles. It's a gentle smile, a your secret is safe with me smile, even though they've just met. Dan's not going to be the person to spread around that which people would rather keep under wraps.

"Want me to show you around and see if we can't could find you a better place for yourself here at the Pole? I know this place well." Dan had the benefit of living in a world very similar to this, Bunny's world, with the Guardians. He visited the Pole regularly. "After we find this miscreant."

Because so far no devastating secrets seem to have emerged, but Dan would rather not be compelled to blurt out confessions, and he's sure no one else would either.

[kemonookami]

See, it's for reasons like those that Garurumon is finding he tolerates the people around here more than he wanted to admit. They have been turning out...far more considerate and thoughtful than the one human he hates. It really seems as if virtually all humans he has met other than his former partner are likable, with Jake being as a minor exception.

"Look at me for more than two seconds. I'm not some puppy that'll fit under a bed, you know."

Garurumon is seriously underestimating how much space there might be at the bedrooms themselves. True, he's a sizable beast because he being a quadruped means he takes a lot of space, but it's not going to be so much he's a burden -- yet he really seems to underestimate that.

"But fine. I won't turn you away if you insist. Come on, there's a little rascal to hunt down."

Use a verb that isn't as strong as 'hunt down', Garurumon.