EVENT: Who Do These Belong To? (January 2024)

[citycenter]

WHO DO THESE BELONG TO?

THE NIGHT STARTS TO FALL IN YOUR SPINE. » CONVENTION CENTER — INTRODUCTORY NOTES The day is finally here! If you paid attention to the notices on the announcement board of the convention center (announced in the satisfaction survey at the beginning of the month), you may be aware that the end of January is here, and with it comes the advertised media convention, which will run in the convention center from January 19 through January 22. The first time you pass by the convention center, you realize that it just sounds like fun. Not only because the idea of a media convention intrigues you, but because from inside the convention hall you can hear... people? A lot of people, in fact. It's a hum of noise that sounds to you like the happy murmur of music and conversation, like hundreds of people sharing a space together and enjoying a good time. But surely that isn't possible, is it? There aren't that many people here in the city with you, after all. But even so... you find yourself interested, drawn to the sounds again and again. Maybe the first time you manage to walk away without going inside. Maybe you manage the second time, too, although it's much more difficult this time around. But by the third or fourth time you catch yourself thinking about the convention, the desire to pay it a visit is almost insurmountable, and before long you find yourself making your way to the convention center so you can take a peek at what's inside. The convention center itself is a modern-looking building of glass and metal, letting in plenty of natural light for a warm and inviting atmosphere. Inside, the hallways are wide and carpeted, and all of the panel rooms are kept clean and tidy. Many of the panel rooms are dark and empty, of course, since there's just the one convention taking place right now, but it's easy to see how the place might bustle when there's more than one event going on. Speaking of events—the media convention seems to be taking place in the main convention hall, so that's where you to go find out what's happening. When you stick your head in, you don't see any people, aside from the other city residents who have been drawn to the convention in the same way. That's not surprising; you didn't really expect there to be a crowd. But there is something about being inside the convention center that just makes you feel good. It's not an overwhelming giddiness or any kind of mania, but rather just an overall sense of fun that pervades the space and makes you want to wander around and see what sights there are to see. Between Friday, January 19 and Monday, January 22, characters will feel oddly compelled to pay a visit to the media convention being hosted at the city's convention center over the weekend. The compulsion is a gentle one, making characters feel intrigued by the idea of the convention and interested in knowing more, but there will not be a compulsion aspect that forces them to attend. Upon arrival, characters will be put into cosplay (either by force or by choice), and will have the option to explore the artist's alley, dealer's hall, and the panel rooms around the convention center that will play host to panels on various topics. See below for more information on each of these options! JUMP TO TOP ↑ | ↓ JUMP TO COMMENTS PEOPLE TURN TO YOU IN WONDER. » CONVENTION CENTER — COSTUMES & COSPLAYS As soon as you enter the convention hall, you find yourself wearing a costume, although it's not one you picked out for yourself. That's okay, though! Part of the fun of attending a convention is in dressing up. Maybe the costume is familiar, resembling one of your own outfits from home. Maybe it's the outfit of a close friend (or enemy!), or even that of a fellow City resident. Or maybe the outfit is completely unfamiliar and doesn't suit you at all. If that's the case, never fear—the convention has a set of dressing rooms that you can enter to change your outfit. Just step inside and pull the curtain closed and you'll find yourself wearing a new set of garments entirely. Of course, there's no guarantee that the next outfit you get will suit you any better than the one before. Maybe you had better start hoping you don't come out wearing something silly! Once you've settled on a costume and started to explore, the fact that you're dressed up at all starts to slip out of your mind. Actually, the longer you wear the costumes, the less it feels like you're wearing a costume at all. It just sort of feels like wearing your regular clothes, doesn't it? And if you're going to wear clothes like this, then you had better have the personality to match, hadn't you? After all, part of the fun of cosplay is being in-character! But is there a such thing as too in-character? (If you wear this outfit for long enough, will you be subsumed into it entirely?) It's probably better not to find out. Eventually, you run into someone who knows you well, and that's enough to jolt you out of "character" and back to yourself, and when you leave the convention, you leave your new costumed personality behind… for the most part, anyway. Characters who attend the convention will be put in cosplay upon arrival! This cosplay can be an outfit of their own from home; could be the outfit of a friend or enemy from home; or could be the outfit of another current or former City resident. It could also be something completely silly, like an inflatable t-rex costume. Those who aren't satisfied with their original costume can make use of the dressing rooms to change. However, entering the dressing room to change doesn't mean they'll get a costume that's better than the one they're already wearing—the new costumes are "random" (although OOCly left up to player choice, naturally) and may be even sillier, skimpier, or less suitable than the one they had on before. The longer a character wears a costume, the more they will begin to take on some of the traits of the character whose costume they're wearing. This can be fairly broad (e.g. someone puts on an "adventurer's costume" and begins to behave more adventurously) or fairly specific (e.g. someone puts on Gale Dekarios' robes and starts speaking in precisely his accent). The costume may also be accompanied by physical changes to make the cosplay more "accurate," such as changes to eye or hair color, and may even convey a weak version of that character's canon powers. However, coming into contact with someone who knows the character well and would be able to tell that they're not acting like themselves is enough to break the effect and return the character to their normal personality. JUMP TO TOP ↑ | ↓ JUMP TO COMMENTS WHO DREAMED OF FIRE, OF FLIGHT. » CONVENTION CENTER — DEALER'S HALL & ARTIST'S ALLEY Entering the main convention hall brings you face to face with the Dealer's Hall to the left and the Artist's Alley to the right. The hall is an enormous space with high ceilings and table after table laid out to form rows of booths separated by aisles for walking. There are so many tables to look through, so many that it almost seems impossible to look at all of them, but the colors are bright and the atmosphere is fun, so you figure you may as well give it a try! You decide to start to the left, in the Dealer's Hall. It's absolutely chock full of different types of character (?) merchandise, some of which you recognize and much of which you don't. Some of the characters are ones you've seen before, the mascots from the traveling carnival that came through the city in September: there's a smiling bear with an extra row of teeth, a goose with two heads at the end of its long neck, a dog that's missing a couple of limbs, and a cat with its eyes sewn shut. Further down the aisles, though, you begin to see some familiar faces. At first it's just figures of animals and monsters that you recognize—a chocobo, a sumpter beast, an abnormality. Some of them are cute and stylized, while others are shockingly realistic. And then, even further down, you begin to see the person-shaped merchandise. A figurine of someone you recognize from home; a notebook bearing the face of another resident of the city. There aren't as many types of merchandise bearing faces of people you recognize, but you could easily find acrylic stands, keychains, figurines, and other printed goods for "sale" at the convention. On the other side of the convention hall is the Artist's Alley, where much of the printed merchandise seems to be sold. Similar to the Dealer's Hall, the displays start with the City mascots, the bear and goose and dog and cat and any number of other somewhat off-looking animals. There are posters and wall scrolls, smaller prints, stickers, and even art books available. Further down the aisle, you once again begin to see the faces of people you know, either from home or from your time in the city. There are lovely portraits drawn of them, with backgrounds either evocative of their home worlds or set right here in this very city. In fact, some of the drawings are eerily realistic... almost like they were drawn from a real-life reference picture of the subject doing something mundane. And at the very back of the aisle is the 18+ section, full of "spicy" art and doujinshi. For the most part, the faces in these books and prints aren't visible, similar to the pornography available in the media store—but if you search hard enough, you might be able to find yourself represented somewhere. The Dealer's Hall and Artist's Alley are what one might expect from a smallish-sized convention: a variety of items available for "sale," from figurines to keychains to art prints and everything in between. Some of the merchandise features the same mascot characters as were available as prizes at the carnival, while others feature either animals/monsters from character canons or recognizable characters either here in the city or from back home. Characters are welcome to take things home with them as they desire without consequence! JUMP TO TOP ↑ | ↓ JUMP TO COMMENTS WILDCARD. The city is by no means small, and there are plenty of things for you to see. There's no rush in exploring, so feel free to take your time looking around and peering into various nooks and crannies and alleyways—and don't worry, you're not very likely to find anything peering back. If none of the above prompts appeal, feel free to check out the Locations and Maps pages and write your own freestyle prompt using one or many of the available locations. This month's event headers come from the poem "for girls who are addicted to hurting themselves" by Kai Cheng Thom. JUMP TO TOP ↑

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Comments

EVENT QUESTIONS.

[citycenter]

As a reminder, there is a thread of questions (and answers) available on the OOC plotting post here. However, any additional questions not answered there can be asked here!

[featheradrift]

I'm sorry, I have another question. Out of curiosity, would characters be able to find all the supplies artists and dealers would have behind their tables? Their stock of merchandise, tape, scissors, sticky notes, display stuff that wasn't used, luggage bags, sketchbooks, copics/markers, food for the artists, button makers, etc etc (hi can you tell i tabled at cons) basically, would it be a mess of stuff behind the tables that characters can potentially take for themselves? Would it look like people were operating behind the tables but they vanished mid-con?

How are the booths built exactly? Is it the typical hodgepodge of wire cubes, badly taped pipes, proper display stands with tripod feet, etc? What would happen if a table was ruined? Like someone knocked down the displays and tore up the merch?

Wanderer | Genshin Impact

[featheradrift]

i. The Leaning Tower of Hats

[ Perhaps you've seen someone with the username Hat Guy on the network. It's probably the guy you see walking past you in a distant aisle of the convention center, with his conspicious wide-brimmed kasa and dangling accessories. That definitely is a Hat of all time, you might even think. But he's minding his own business and you're minding yours, so he walks out of sight and out of mind.

But a few minutes later, or maybe even half an hour later, you see him again. And.... is that... more hats on his kasa? He has a few hats stacked on top of the wide-brimmed hat he usually wears, and looks slightly ticked off. He doesn't seem to make any moves to remove them though...

Maybe you still leave him alone, and then you see him for the third time in the convention hall. This time, it's a whole tower of hats on top of his hat, a veritable monolith. And... hey, maybe you even recognize one of the hats in that tower! Perhaps it belonged to someone you knew from home, or someone in this city.

Either way, Hat Guy here still doesn't seem inclined to remove the stack of hats on him, but he looks furious to have to balance his own hat with a hand. The tower looks like it's starting to lean to the side too... this might end up becoming a hatstronomic disaster, if not corrected! ]

ii. Cosplay Outfit Swap

[ At some later point, the Wanderer will find himself in a very familiar outfit. It's actually rather cute on him and suits him well. And of course, at first he's rightfully irritated to be stripped of his usual outfit and forced into another. Yet another way the city takes agency away from them, on top of the forced happiness of this place and the compulsion to attend.

But if there's any silver lining to this, he's investigated the whole area for anything that could be potentially harmful (mentally, because that's what this city prefers, he's realized. Mental damage over physical) and hasn't found a single thing. So this was just some dumb event to placate them, maybe? Make them happy and complacent? ...whatever. Fine, it's better than the previous events. He'll take that for now. It's the calm before the storm, if the plans that have been brewing in the background with other residents actually work out. He can accept a reprieve in all the bullshit that's occurred so far.

He doesn't realize, however, that his attitude and personality slowly starts to shift. From his usual surliness, to genuine curiosity in the booths and displays lining the convention center. It sort of reminds him of the festivals in Inazuma, though the stalls were food and game stalls rather than these cute little accessories of— oh, isn't that...?

He can be found peeking at booths that have a bunch of merchandise of residents of the city. In particular, he seems to be holding an acrylic keychain of Altria Caster, the very person whose outfit he's currently wearing, though he can also be found picking up merchandise of anyone he's seen before in the city, and examining them with an openly curious expression. ]

iii. Portraits and Backgrounds

[ Eventually, he'll be found in a section of the Artist's Alley, gazing upon the realistically drawn prints of various residents of the city, or of environments he's unfamiliar with. The prints tend to be grouped together by association, he's noticed, so he's been taking time to try to connect places to people.

As a wandering soul, he's explored many a place in his home world of Teyvat. Though it is without aim that he wanders, he also holds an appreciation for the places he visits, whether it be the beautiful or interesting sceneries he finds, or the culture of the people who live there. If he ever had the opportunity to explore other worlds, he thinks he might've taken it. Ah, he realizes, is this not why the Traveler travels? Perhaps one day he would be able to call himself a Traveler as well, rather than the Wanderer.

If you approach him, he will turn to you and gesture with a nod of his head towards the prints. ]

See anything you recognize?

iv. Wildcard!

[ If you have an idea, feel free to just slap me with it without discussion, but I'm totally okay to discuss things beforehand at Tenkomi!

Also, feel free to find spicy doujins of the Wanderer in the R18+ section. He might look young but he's actually 400+ years old (and the age appearance of Genshin characters with the young male body type is kind of nebulous anyway. Have at it!) ]

ii.

[excaliburden]

[This is absolutely a refreshing and thrilled change after what's happened this month. Altria doesn't even mind that she's been plopped into a different outfit; she knows exactly whose it is, so there's something warm and sentimental about that for her--and it's comfy too! That's a win-win. Besides, the hat is fun, and she can't help but play with it when she gets distracted by all of the dangles and colors and details.

There is, well. One tiiiiny issue. A few people having seen the memory where she lost a few of her toes is not near enough to overcome the sheer embarrassment she feels about that fact, and Yuu's shoes are open-toed. She finds some truly embarrassing socks at a booth, manages to wrangle them on, and is now wearing these socks with his sandals. Can you imagine anything worse than this? Sorry.

She hasn't been hit yet with the shift in personality--but it's only a matter of time as she snoops around, and then... spies some very familiar clothing.

!!!!]

Oh! Yuu! There you are! Look, we swapped outfits!

ii

[fanstheflames]

Oh, is that Altria?

[ Is she asking this regarding the outfit or regarding the charm he's holding? It might be both.

Tsuruno is definitely just. Wearing what no one would recognize as her Magical Girl outfit, except it's all green. Weird. Her hair is still brown, but her eyes have gained a tinge of pink. ]

i

[justscribing]

[And here's Alhaitham, who is standing to the side in a saucy maid dress and doing fuck-all to help with the precarious stack of hats upon Yuu's head.]

Can't knock those off yourself? [Surely he doesn't want them there.]

iii

[pyrrhichope]

[Given that he's also been looking through the Artist's Alley partially out of curiosity and partially to see if there's anything he recognizes, it's perhaps no surprise that ends up drifting near enough for the Wanderer to spot him. It does, admittedly, take him a brief moment to actually answer the question. Mostly because he needs a moment to actually look over the prints.]

Yes.

[There's a nod with the words, and he points to a picture of a stern-looking man in ornate armor.]

Lord Quintus. He was my commanding officer.

nill | DOGS: BULLETS & CARNAGE

[culver]

i. why'd you come in here lookin' like that [cosplay]

[At first, Nill has no interest in the convention. Why would she? It sounds like there will be a lot of people there, and even after several months in this city where she can go outside and go to parties without fear of being kidnapped by Mel's gang, she still isn't entirely comfortable in crowds. But the more she thinks about it, the more she decides that maybe... maybe it would be nice to take a look. Just a quick one, in and out, and then she'll go back to the apartment.

"In and out" is a lot easier than it sounds.

The moment she steps into the convention center, her clothes change. Just one blink to the next, and she's suddenly wearing... Nill looks down at herself, her lips pulled into a frown. But recognition sets in after just a few seconds--the black dress with pink trim is what Luki wears. Her expression softens, becomes almost sad--are the twins alright? Luki and Noki are unpredictable, to say the least, but at the end of the day, Nill had seen them for what they were: just kids. Twisted and oftentimes cruel, but still kids. They'd shown her that when she had huddled behind the bed in fear with them when Angelika had come to the church.

She tries to take back the too-long sleeves of the dress, and moves to brush her bangs out of her eyes--bangs that are now a greenish color. A... wig? Her brows draw and her lips press together as she struggles to pull up the sleeves so she can adjust the wig, or maybe even take it off. But every time her arms end up anywhere except directly above her head, they just fall down again. How did Luki and Noki deal with this? Her wings (which stick out of the back of the costume thanks to accommodating slits in the fabric) flare behind her in frustration, making her look pretty ridiculous from behind, considering the fluff on the back of the dress meant to serve as a rabbit's tail for the outfit. Whoever heard of a black-and-pink rabbit with wings?]

ii. when you could stop traffic in a gunney sack [dealer's hall & artist's alley]

[Nill has seen some art before--she's looked around at some of the galleries in the city, a little more comfortable now with picking out things she thinks would look nice in the apartment. It's definitely looking more homey than it was when she arrived, and Nill feels no small amount of pride for that.

But there still feels like there's something missing. She wanders up and down the aisle of the art hall, the long sleeves of her cosplay barely above dragging on the floor. Really, how did the twins do this? She can't imagine trying to throw a knife or use a gun with these sleeves--she can't really imagine doing either of those things at all, but it would probably be doubly difficult with these clothes.

Eventually, she comes across a portrait that looks... familiar. Dark eyes, dark hair, and the distinctive hilt of a katana poking out of a bag slung over the figure's shoulder. In a startling lack of restraint (for her), Nill leans close to the picture, focusing on the person's face. The features are there, she sees, and as her eyes track the drawing, she doesn't realize she's actually climbed on to the artist-less table to get a closer look. Her wings are straight out behind her, twitching slightly to keep her balanced as she crouches there on the table, entranced by the art before her.]

iii. why you're almost givin' me a heart attack [wildcard]

[ooc; hit me up with anything! nill is dressed as luki, one of a set of twins from her canon who kind of think murder is a game. and most things are a game, honestly. though she won't be inclined towards the murder part, she will be acting a little more outgoing in cosplay. feel free to pm me or ping me on plurk at watchet for anything specific. i will match bracket or prose.]

i.

[100more]

[ Hob is enjoying the cosplay assortment as much as a person who just walked into a Renaissance fair. A very weird one. Or maybe a circus of some kind.

Although it's been hundreds of years since he lived through the 1500s, his outfit has deemed him a man of that time period and a budding young playwright by the name of Will Shaxberg.

As he walks through the crowd, he comes upon Nill and his eyes light up with delight. ]

How now, young miss! What have we here? A dazzling sprite, methinks. Art thou a faerie come from a magical land to cause mischief amongst us mortal men?

Hob Gadling | Sandman | OTA

[100more]

It was difficult to resist the urge to enter the convention center, and when he does, Hob finds himself dressed just like a certain young bard he once saw hundreds of years ago. Ugh, is he really wearing Shakespeare's clothes? At least they're not as flamboyant as they were in later years; a simple brown doublet, trousers, and a white shirt with a wide collar are tolerable, for now.

Still, Hob was never a fan, especially when Dream took more of an interest in young Will during one of their hundred-year meetings.

As he begins to wander the convention center, he takes in the sights and sounds, and if he's approached by someone, he greets them with a pleasant, yet exaggerated voice. Not so much like the real William, but Hob's ridiculous version of him.

"Salutations, friend! I greeteth thee on this resplendent day. Art thou enjoying the festivities?"

Midoriya Izuku | My Hero Academia

[fullgauntlet]

[☘️ a. costumes and cosplays ]

[Izuku has been more or less trying to avoid going to things just like this. The city hasn't been a place that he trusts all that well. Going to these planned events always leaves a strange feeling inside of his chest. He doesn't like being here. Even if in a normal situation he would love to go to a convention. It's been a long time since he's been to one and he loves to get his nerd on...

Perhaps it's that little nerdy urge that has him compelled enough to wander inside. And the next thing he knows Izuku is dressed up in none other than his classmate's hero costume. He's dressed up as Dynamight with all the same hero gear, grenade gauntlets, exposed shoulders (summer outfit?!), black eye mask, spiky blond hair and all...]

Eh?! How did I get dressed up as ... Kacchan...

[He swears if Katsuki finds him like this he might perish.

As the convention goes on and Izuku slowly wanders around to check out the various booths and stalls he does end up accidentally bumping shoulders with you.]

Oi! Watch where the hell you’re walking?!

[... Wait- That was so mean? Why did Izuku's voice sound so... growly?? He puts his hand over his mouth. He's sorry?? That wasn't like him at all??]

[☘️ b. dealer's hall and artist's alley]

[At one point Izuku finds himself drawn to the table of doujinshi books. He has read a fair amount of these things on his own time back home. He's the secret but proud owner of an AO3 account and has read his fair share of fan fiction and doujinshi manga on his favourite heroes and characters from anime and books.

Not that he would ever admit that to anyone. Ever.

But the table of doujinshi books draws him in like a moth to a flame because he swears he can see some of the blurry faces on the books and they look familiar...?? He cautiously picks one up only to find a mature-rated doujin on himself?! He quickly slams the book closed, face red and his mouth sputtering.

Please don't perceive him...]

Maybe I'll just get one of those strange-looking stuffed animals instead... The bear with too many teeth. Maybe.

[☘️ c. wildcard]

[got something else? feel free to post it here or we can plan something out on my ooc plotting post here.]

b

[apshot]

[ Oh Katsuki is going to find Izuku. It's impossible for him not to. Why? Well that's probably because as soon as Katsuki has entered the area, he looks like Deku. As in Hero Deku.

It's almost perfect. Almost. After a couple of attempts to get the costume off, Katsuki realizes that this isn't a choice. So instead he goes to correct the one singular mistake that he's found about this outfit.

The freckles are all wrong. That shit can't be allowed to happen. Hence the reason he takes the time to wipe off the mistake and then correct it.

Only to run into Izuku shortly after, snatching up the book that Izuku had slammed down. ]

As if you haven't written fanfic before.

b.

[culver]

[Unfortunately for him, he is being perceived by Nill. By now, she's realized everyone is in some kind of costume, and she recognizes Izuku's voice despite how different he looks. She's dressed up as well, though she still hasn't gotten used to the too-long sleeves on her black-and-pink dress. Despite the greenish wig covering up her own blonde hair, the small wings poking out from the back of the outfit give her away easily.

He looks super embarrassed by whatever is in front of him, and Nill doesn't need to be dressed up as one of the twins to be curious. She gives him a small wave once she gets closer, and then leans over to try catching sight of whatever it is he'd seen.]

a.

[featheradrift]

[ The person he bumps into is the Wanderer in Altria's outfit. And he's been in her outfit for a considerable amount of time now, so instead of the snappy, annoyed response he normally would have gotten from the drifter, he instead gets a tiny squeak as the drifter steps back in a fluster. ]

S-sorry! I didn't mean to walk into you! I wasn't paying attention to my path...

[ He sounded so angry, but now he looks shocked and the Wanderer takes a moment to place where he's seen this person before. Oh, right, it was the one who'd asked him for yakitori a while back. He doesn't remember the other being so... aggressive, then. But he's barely spoken to him. Maybe it was just a part of him he never got to witness. ]

Are you okay? You look shocked...

[ He doesn't know Izuku well enough to call him out for being out of character, so they might be stuck like this for a while... ]

A

[theskyaccepts]

Oh, my apologies.

[It's a bit more formal than Tsuna might normally sound, and that might be due to the effect of his costume. While there are a lot of similarities between the first and tenth Vongola bosses, Giotto is a bit more soft-spoken, compared to Tsuna's instinct to panic.

But it's a short lived moment.]

Ah, Izuku-kun! I'm sorry. I guess you're in a costume to?

A

[killed]

[ That complaint might be easier to take seriously if it wasn't coming from a normally shy, lanky kid. As it is, there's a moment where he stares at him, puzzled, before his expression softens, a hint of amusement coloring his features. ]

Oh...? My, my... Has Izuku-kun been hiding the fact that he's a bad boy all this time...?

[ Though that sudden behavioral shift is a cause for alarm, but... ]

[perfectdevil]

I. I'll Always Bleed, You'll Never Blush

[ It goes without saying that Lestat has never been to a convention of any kind before, so the combination of the sound of a crowd and the enticing curiosity when it comes to the unknown just so happen to prove as the perfect storm to encourage him inside.

Stepping through the door, Lestat’s costume doesn’t seem to change him too much, except where once there was lavish finery and a healthy amount of over-accessorising, there now stands a rather modest young man dressed in casual 17th century clothing. His white shirt is a little grubby, the large and wide sleeves turned up around his elbows and tucked in rather hastily into his dark breeches; there’s no coat, no waistcoat, and no jewellery adorning his throat or fingers as there normally is, and his hair is tied back with a simple piece of ribbon slightly curled at the ends.

Perhaps the strangest thing about the whole ensemble, though, is the sudden flush to Lestat’s skin. Where once it was marble white and hard to the touch, now he seems soft and… warm, almost? There’s a certain kind of life to him that could be mistaken for excitement rather easily, but those who know Lestat’s manner better than that might pick up on the way his once ethereal movements seem heavier, somehow, as he moves from stall through the small crowd of onlookers, inspecting costumes as he goes.

If he sees one he finds interesting, he’ll approach with the nature of a child seeing Father Christmas in the flesh. Even if he knows this person well, it might take him a while to remember he knows them, as though seeing them dressed up is hindering his recognition. ]

Oh, what a fascinating look – have you been to one of these gatherings before? You look quite astounding, I have to say.

II. Hear Your Heart? Well, That's Asking Too Much

[ Every convention has to have catering – whether it be over-priced fast food or themed stalls waiting at the outer perimeter of the Dealer’s Hall to catch anyone who hasn’t already spent up buying their hauntingly realistic body pillows and the like.

Lestat isn’t usually distracted by the scent of food, finding it an annoying obstacle to train his senses to ignore as he focuses on the things that can sustain his hunger… so imagine his surprise when he wanders past a stall featuring an assortment of pre-arranged fruit crêpes and his stomach rumbles. Is he… hungry? His flushed hands, pink at the knuckles and dull at the nails, come up to press curiously over his middle, staring in puzzled silence, waiting for the noise to strike again before he decides one way or the other if he believes it was more than a trick of the imagination.

It happens again. The next thing Lestat knows, he’s lifting one of the crêpes from the stall and giving it a questioning – but undoubtedly hungry – look, before he’s shovelling it into his mouth in a series of large bites that only gets faster the more he eats. Taste and the sensation of food explodes in his mind, overwhelming his senses in a manner so powerful that he barely registers picking up another one and giving himself enough time to swallow thickly before shoving that in his face, too.

Perhaps you catch him mid crepe-destruction, with cream and fruit on his face and hands as he chews enthusiastically, or perhaps he collars you a bit later on as you walk past, his face flushed and his once silvery eyes now shimmering a pale blue as he looks at you imploringly and asks: ]

What food do you think looks good here?

III. I'm Ready To Faint, And You're Not Ready To Touch

[ A little while later, once he’s realised that the effects of his ‘costume’ were merely a trick of his mind, and after he’s exorcised his body of the intrusion of human food, Lestat ends up by the changing rooms. He’s curious, of course, because while being given the delusion of mortality temporarily was a hoot, he’s seen some of the fantastical outfits the other attendees are wearing and so can’t help but wonder what else could be possible were he to change outfits.

He steps in, a yellow haired young man, and he emerges a moment later very much changed.

His shining hair now hangs flat and heavy around his face, caked in what looks like mud in such an extreme amount that it looks stained by the colour of it. The same muck clings to his waistcoat, rendering the high quality fabric and embroidery the colour of swamp water. There’s the faint outline of a large bloody stain around the chest and shoulders of his shirt, and the lace cravat beneath his chin is torn and ragged. The worst part of it all, is perhaps the texture of his skin. No longer marble-esque, no longer warm as a human boy’s, now it’s gaunt and hollow, like sodden paper wrapped around a skull, flecked with dirt and with faint tears here and there, as if he’s been caught in the midst of healing from some great disfigurement.

Every step he takes out of the changing room leaves a trail of sodden footprints in his wake, a seemingly unending trail of swamp water and moss dogging his every move. His reaction when he looks into a mirror beside the changing rooms is a curious one; instead of freezing in horror, scowling in shock, Lestat’s expression quirks in a wry smile, and he actually lets out a faint croaky laugh as he turns away. ]

Oh, this sight again. Very funny, indeed. I suppose that’s what I get, hm?

[ And later, because he thinks it’s hilarious, when he catches you digging through the 18+ doujinshi section when you think no-one is looking, he’ll suddenly loom out of the back of the stand to get his swampy little hands all over the books and admonish you. ]

Looking for some light reading, are we? I think I've seen a good one about you nearer to the back.

IV. But All Of The Dead Girls Love Me

[ hit me up here for plotting, or catch me on plurk at mirobug

should you like to wildcard, feel free to assume lestat spends a while wandering around (in both his costumes), picking up a few silly little merch items, and definitely ogling everyone’s interesting outfits! ]

wildcard-ish

[deathoftheauthor]

( The clothing Louis finds himself in is his own, though he hasn't worn it in more than a century, the last time Lestat had talked him into it for an evening on the town. A velvet frock coat with long tails covers a matching waistcoat, elegant gold floral patterns embroidered on a bed of vibrant green that matches the shade of his eyes. He looks immaculate down to the lace at his cuffs and his throat, his green hair pulled back in a ribbon and not yet begun to fall around his face.

His onyx ring still sits on his pointer finger, and he sighs with relief when he confirms that it hasn't vanished.

Louis hears Lestat's heartbeat before he sees him, but the sound of it is different somehow, like a familiar song played in another key. Still, he's relieved by that, too, and he turns, expecting to see Lestat in familiar finery, perhaps dressed as if on his way to a masquerade ball. What he sees instead is…

… Louis doesn't understand at first. Lestat's beautiful eyes are his eyes, only instead of silver they're a bright but ordinary blue, and his lovely hair is merely blond and not ringlets of spun gold; his cheeks, though, his lips, his eyelids, all of his skin is strangely pink, pulsing and alive, capillaries invisible to the human eye blooming with each beat of his strangely mortal-sounding heart. )

Oh, what in Heaven's name...

( Louis' hand moves, starting to reach out to touch his face and then recoiling, afraid of what might happen to his self-control if he should find Lestat warm to the touch. )

Tighnari | Genshin Impact

[wreatharrow]

🍄Costume Disaster ( + Kaveh! )

[ Honestly, this seems to be like any of the other times something has "magically" opened up. Thus Tighnari expects this to be somewhat the same as the other times. There is going to be a catch - there always is. But there's really only one way to find out.

Stepping inside, Tighnari immediately finds Kaveh. ]

Kaveh what are you -

[ But then he looks down. Tighnari had been about to question Kaveh's taste in attire. But Tighnari and Kaveh seem to be a matched pair. Already Tighnari is rubbing at his temples. ]

So this is how it is going to be.

🍄Dealer's Hall

[ By now, Tighnari has decided he is not going to stay in that bunny outfit - though could he really have been called one? After a quick change, he finds himself looking somewhat like someone he knows. Though his ears seem to be tucked into the hat. With a sigh, Tighnari decides that another change might make it worse.

Instead he browses what looks to be a market place? There's definitely things to buy here, though doubtful that he will need to BUY anything. Until - ]

Oh isn't this just the cutest. [ Yup. That's not his usual tone of voice - he sounds more sultry here - as he picks up a plush Aranara. ] Aren't you precious?

🍄Spicy Artbooks

[ Later still, Tighnari will be tucked away from the hall. Looks like he's sitting in one of the windows. A book in hand and a stack to his left. A sizable stack.

Is he feeling like himself or has he left the costume on too long? You can be the judge of that as a wry smile is on his features. Flipping through pages and ah. Questionable content. ]

🍄Wildcard

[ If nothing else suits your tastes, either hit me up or throw a prompt at me. I'll roll with whatever. Tighnari can be found either in that cocktail outfit or in Lisa's causing problems. ]

You know what I'm here for

[justscribing]

[Alhaitham, meanwhile, comes around from the opposite direction. He's arrived a little early, see, found himself in a maid dress that could be described only as "con-appropriate", and decided to check out the opening area which Kaveh caught up in the next five minutes. And he thinks he hears Tighnari, now?]

Oh, both of-[When he rounds around a pillar to the doorway, the sight that greets him is a surprise. Alhaitham stops. His eyes take the slow, slow, slow elevator crawl down Kaveh's body.

Sorry Tighnari. Were you there.]

sighs... costumes...

[fussiest]

[ kaveh, who is still in the process of trying to figure out why it's so tight in certain areas and so incredibly uncomfortable in others, merely gives tighnari a look bordering on exhaustion. this is certainly not how he thought his january would go, and this month isn't even over yet. but the fact that he isn't suffering alone - kave supposes that he's a terrible friend for thinking so, but there's that silver lining.

he turns his back to tighnari with a click of his tongue. ]

Fantastic, isn't it? I think the zipper's stuck, Tighnari - or rather, I don't know what it could possibly be stuck on, considering this costume just appeared on me, but it feels stuck. Is there something it's caught on back there?

[ it is, in fact, a strand of kaveh's hair. ]

Hythlodaeus | Final Fantasy XIV

[nomoresharks]

A. Work It

1. Fanservice Edition

[Having learned over the past few months just how dangerous the city's compulsions could be, Hythlodaeus had held out against the urge to enter the convention center for as long as he possibly could.

Which wasn't long, compared to some, but for a man used to following his whims wheresoever they took him, it was a valiant effort.

Here now in the oddest gathering he's ever seen, he's suddenly aware of a breeze, and when he looks down, he notices that he is now attired in an outfit that, while perhaps not the worst thing he could wear, is certainly not what he would have chosen to wear for himself.

Now that he's here, however, he's reasonably certain he isn't about to be able to leave so soon, an so Hythlodaeus can be found wandering about, trying to figure out just what it is he should be doing.

Or perhaps you've caught him sometime later into wearing his ensemble, having managed to get ahold of a broom and started sweeping the area around the snacks?]


2. Now Without Shadow

[Eventually, Hythlodaeus manages to find a changing room, emerging later in a curious set of robes. They're far more fanciful than the sort of thing he's used to wearing back home, but just familiar enough to keep him from changing into anything else.

Which might be a problem as the day goes on and that bright smile of his shifts from something mischievous to something a little more... callous.

...

Or maybe you catch him struggling to pick up something off the tables or the floor because of the long claws attached to the gloves he's wearing. They aren't the most practical things in the world, after all.]


B. Merch Drop (Can be in either costume)

You know, while I wouldn't exactly call multiple heads inspired, I think I quite like this little fellow. What do you think?

[Hythlodaeus holds up the two-headed goose, another, larger one already tucked underneath his arm]

It looks like the sort of creature to get up to all sorts of mischief.

[Sometime later, Hythlodaeus has come across something else. Something that has him doubled over, positively howling with laughter. As he sees you coming over, he wordlessly lifts the plush up as if to explain himself, making sure the face is on full display.]


C. Wildcard

((Have anything else in mind? Feel free to toss it in here! I don't mind at all. You can also hit me up at shadetoshade or PM this journal if you would like to do some plotting.

Also, please feel free to find merch or doujin of him!))

Merch drop!

[awesomegaolgreatjob]

Oh! Hythlodaeus!

[ Across the way, another Amourotine is waving enthusiastically as he makes his way over. He himself is carrying a massive proto-carbuncle plush nearly as big as himself. He looks very delighted with it.

He's quite happy to see the man. Hythlodaeus had been an immediate, easy presence to feel comfortable with, and Erich very obviously took to him very well. He grabs the paw of the proto-carbuncle plush and makes it wave to him. ]

What an odd bunch of novelties, but I admit I have never been so happy to see this old fellow. What have you found? Two heads hmm? It does have an odd little charm to it.

[ The apparent mirth over the Emet-Selch plush has his attention. ]

What is that supposed to be?

Loki | MCU

[abit_ofboth]

A. Cosplay part 1.

Despite how these things usually went with this place, Loki found he didn’t particularly feel the need to try and avoid this one. Ever since he and Hob had gone to watch a film with Lestat and Louis, he’s found himself intrigued by media in general. Really, they needent have compelled him at all.

What he doesn’t like is that when he arrives, he’s forced into an outfit. Something called cosplay, which he really doesn’t understand nor does he care to, especially once he sees how he’s dressed as Thor. His dark hair suddenly blond and wearing a cheap knock-off of Thor’s armour, complete with red cape and a child’s toy version of Mjöllnir. He groans loudly, clearly annoyed before going and finding himself a change room.

B. Cosplay part 2.

Finding the change room turns out the be the biggest mistake of his life as instead of being able to change into anything he wishes, he suddenly finds himself still dressed like Thor, but a version of him Loki has never seen before. The beard is instantly hot and itchy, his back aching slightly from the sudden size of his gut and he feels more than a little drunk. Loki puts the sunglasses up on his head and peers around, looking as if the light hurts his eyes, which it very much does.

“What in the world is going on here?”

His voice is deeper, like he’s doing a bad imitation of his brother as he scratches at his chest through his dirty t-shirt, his robe dragging a bit on the floor behind him as he drags his feet while walking.

C. Wildcard!

[ooc: I’m up for anything!]

b

[100more]

Although Hob is dressed in a brown doublet and pants, he's still recognizable as himself. Even in simple Renaissance wear. And even if he should know the man before him, Hob doesn't recognize Loki at all with his changed shape and voice. That doesn't stop Hob from engaging in some friendly discourse.

"Why, a festival of sorts! Filled with wond'r 'round e'ery corner, good sir."

fearne calloway ♡ critical role

[fauned]

( escapism is by far the healthiest method of coping, and she will not hear otherwise. yes she's well aware of the fact that a decent bit of the populace likely has beef with her, but she's not about to stay cooped up in her house forever either. is this problematic? oh yes. she has yet to apologize. pick a fight, or let her be - either way she's here. )

 — maid cafe (feat. altria!)

( fearne is playing around, altria got roped into it, but most importantly they're both in very frilly maid outfits. the venue for this maid cafe is presentable, at least. proper chairs and tables and doilies and fresh flowers and there's even some generic upbeat music to drown out the quiet.

the menu is as ridiculous as one should expect, with the addendum that the girls could provide the very helpful service of feeding it to you as well. part of the experience, apparently.

or if you want to get to the really good stuff, the girls will also..... draw on omurice* for you. wow! why? why not.

as far as how you got here? great question. maybe fearne took action and decided to drag you into this game of pretend and sat you down for an afternoon of shenanigans, or maybe you saw these two and decided they were a fire hazard, or maybe you've made the correct choice of supporting altria. either way: fearne's very into all the frills and is happy to show off aaaaall the little bows everywhere. )

Aren't we so cute? C'mon, Altria, show 'em!

 — artist alley

Woah.

( as expected, fearne's already got a bag full of stuff, and still she stares at every booth she happens across. she's also dressed like a cow, yes. dairy cow bell and all, with the cow tail over her shorter pointed one. it's very silly.

the strange mascots are a delight to her especially, considering what some of the merch from her world might feature. but also: she's seen them at the fair before! and now she doesn't even have to win them off of stupidly rigged games to take them home.

it's particularly noticeable when a woman like her stops long enough to be quiet, her eyes going between something on a table two booths down and back to.. you? she looks thoughtful, though, which is never a good sign.

what did she see... )

 — cosplay

( this time she's a little more put together, more reigned in. long gloves and an even longer dress and her hair twisted up neatly into a bun in complete defiance of her usual self. she doesn't seem to be carrying anything this time around either, just her and whatever small crowd she finds herself in.

and apparently, a peculiar interest in everyone else's garb. she'll even pick one out for fun! she doesn't quite fully circle, but she does step around enough to unabashedly look at the costume fully as if it's on display just for her, maybe even taking a chin into her gloved hand to tip it one way or the other so she could better look. different colored eyes? makeup? or perhaps such a change that it's rendered barely recognizable to her eye? )

And who might you be?

( playing as, she means. )

 — notes / wildcard

* cal and i are gonna draw with ketchup on ms paint and it could only go well. we're ready to tag team it or go one way or the other. whatever brings you the most amount of joy.

as far as the merch prompt. if you want to take control of what it is she's looking at, feel free. if not you're entrusting your fate into my hands and i WILL run with it.

as always, if you want to wildcard my ass, go for it! or if you prefer to hash over some stuff first, pm me or hmu at valentione. i got tired writing and you can tell where. hehe

maid cafe

[fanstheflames]

Aww, you both look so cute! I'm a little jealous.

[ She should probably not be jealous of a maid outfit, but Tsuruno's not a coward. Maids bring in business! It's a wise venture to draw in customers! ]

Jullus pyr Norbanus | Final Fantasy XIV

[pyrrhichope]

{All Dressed Up}

[For all that the idea of a convention is something that Jullus understands more in theory than in practice, even he can't entirely deny the fact that there's something that seems to be calling him towards it all the same. Something that is almost certainly the city's doing, if he has any guess. Which is more than a little concerning, given it's not precisely the first time either.

On the other hand, he figures that there's probably not too much harm in it. Not any more than seems to be generally the case anyway. Plus he is still curious about what might be there, and that's enough to see him making his way to the building proper. (It doesn't look like much from the outside, but perhaps that's the point?)

The sudden change of clothes as soon as he steps through the door catches him off guard, as he looks down at the jacket and gloves that are like nothing he's ever seen, and never mind worn.]

Is this normal?

[He supposes the backpack that seems to have come with his new outfit might prove useful if has something to carry. But it also seems less than ideal in potentially crowded spaces.]

{With Everywhere to Go}

[Even for people who know Jullus, the difference in his demeanor is subtle. But as time goes on he seems to settle into the strange outfit, his more military bearing fading away into something a good deal more casual. More willing to be open, to a degree... and distinctly more inclined to go looking for things on someone's behalf. Especially if they're things that might otherwise be difficult to find.

Enough so that it might be almost hard to get a word in edgewise as he moves from one point to the next in search of something, though he's not so focused he can't be interrupted either, especially as he looks though the assorted items on display for whatever it is he's been tasked to find.]

{Faces you know}

[For all that Jullus is not entirely sure what to make of the outfit he's ended up in, he is still curious about what exactly there might be to see. Besides, it's unlikely to anything immediately harmful, surely? No matter how unusual other goings-on in the city have tended to be. And while the dealer's hall sounds interesting (as most everything seems to, now he's actually inside), it's the artist's alley he turns to. Of the options that seems the most reasonable, and the easiest to deal with if it turns weird.

And for a while it is, as he passes faces that he doesn't recognize, and places that are unknown to him. Until all of a sudden that changes, and he pauses.]

Where did...?

[He knows he's never spoken of the people pictured. And yet here they are, staring out at him from amongst the others on display.]

{wildcard}

((Got something else in mind? This is the place for it!))

Faces you know

[nomoresharks]

[Hythlodaeus, standing nearby, turns at Jullus's approach, and it's only once he gets a look at Jullus's face that he finally understands what he'd found familiar about the portraits he had been looking at. He may not know them in the slightest, but he does recognize that pearl-like organ on their foreheads--the selfsame organ that Jullus himself bears.]

You know them?