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LOVE POTION #9
LOVE POTION #9
LOVE IS... not in the air! The reintroduction of Confluences into this world has left it rocked, so the season of love is not quite as lovey-dovey as it usually is. People are stressed and anxious. Valentine's events are being cancelled left, right, and center in fear that a Confluence may catch young lovers unawares.
Unbeknownst to mortals, the God of Love really can't afford his month to be ruined by a few little dimensional catastrophes. This is his month! ... And for whatever reason, he seems to be stranded on the Earthly plane.
Surely he can fix things. Push it along a little. Though Gods don't usually meddle in mortal affairs, this is a personal catastrophe. All it takes is a few drops of love potion on a token of affection, and voila! Instant-connection.
(This event has a blanket warning for dubious consent of the love spell variety. To opt out completely, characters can simply not be in Sunset Falls at the time of the event, which runs through Valentine's Day.)
Unbeknownst to mortals, the God of Love really can't afford his month to be ruined by a few little dimensional catastrophes. This is his month! ... And for whatever reason, he seems to be stranded on the Earthly plane.
Surely he can fix things. Push it along a little. Though Gods don't usually meddle in mortal affairs, this is a personal catastrophe. All it takes is a few drops of love potion on a token of affection, and voila! Instant-connection.
(This event has a blanket warning for dubious consent of the love spell variety. To opt out completely, characters can simply not be in Sunset Falls at the time of the event, which runs through Valentine's Day.)
WHITE HEARTS FESTIVAL
Welcome to Sunset Falls, the most magical place in all of America! Literally. The streets are charged with magical energies, and while it won't be spinning your words into spells, it will give anyone who is magically inclined a comfortable little buzz. Maybe it's the boost you need to get a spell working, or maybe it's just a pep in your step. Confluence-displaced metas who take the Guilds up on their offer to tour the new housing will arrive just in time to witness the an annual tradition: The White Hearts Festival, a festival dedicated to all forms of love - familial, friendship, and romantic.
The whole town is decked out in pinks, golds and reds. Town square has been overtaken by food booths peddling elaborate meals and desserts with various magical effects. (It's probably better not to ask why some of the cookies being handed out are in the shape of anatomical hearts.)
- Eat an emoji cookie and find yourself sprouting heart-eyes, or gaining a flurry of hearts above your head.
- The Bolder Biscuit - by far and above the densest thing you've ever tried to eat - makes you bold. It compels you to march right up to someone and tell them what you think, good or bad.
- And there's also the Firework Delight cake, which makes you shoot off literal fireworks the moment you touch that special someone that makes your life complete... but honestly, they go off when you touch anyone. Sorry if you end up giving off the wrong impression!
In addition, pop-up craft stands sell trinkets that guarantee you'll be together with your people forever and ever. The most popular item on sale this year appears to be the Eternal Bond - which is just an enchanted finger-trap that refuses to let go unless you tell someone a deep dark secret.
There is an altar at the town park where you can make your offering and give prayers to the God of Love in hopes he will smile favorable upon you. Lay your chocolate heart at its base and offer up a prayer to the God so that your life will be full of love and connection.
Truthfully, when it started it wasn't as cutesy as it is now. It became a lot more wholesome when people began to offer only chocolate hearts to the God of Love. Now it's fun for the whole family! ... So long as you don't veer into the woods. Some people still practice the old ways, and there are (what you hope to be) animal hearts nailed to trees. This is Sunset Falls, after all. Weird often goes hand in hand with terror.
LONELY HEARTS
For those of you who don't yet have those special people, lonely hearts still single can collect white rose enamel pins from the festival committee. They're expected to pick someone to give it out to as a declaration of their attraction by the end of the festival. However... there seems to be an issue this year. There's more pins here than there are people in town. Committee members start handing them out to anyone, single or not, and from there that's where things start to get a little weird...
You clip the pin onto your shirt and at once, your life has suddenly become a romcom. Everything is just a little brighter, the sounds a little more musical (sometimes literally), and you're suddenly compelled to reach out and find connection.
And the universe is conspiring to bring it your way! Cliches won't stop happening around you. Suddenly people are determined to give you a makeover so you can catch the eye of an admirer. Your friends are betting on your romantic future. A complex love triangle is springing out of previously platonic friendships.
You're not not limited to one partner, and that partner doesn't need to be romantic. It could be a best friend, or a nemesis that you're compelled to fight over and over again for the joy of it. What matters is the connection and the way the world seems to stop at nothing to give you that perfect three act structure: You Meet, You Lose, You Get.
Reach the end of your romcom's little arc and you'll find yourself freed from the spell... and probably will have some choice words for its caster.
HEARTS ON FIRE
Regardless of how you participate in the festival, everyone is at risk when the town itself falls under a love spell.
This may be unlike anything you've known before. Perhaps it's the first stumbling steps of puppy love. You want to be with this person all the time. Hold their hands and work up the courage for a kiss. Or perhaps this is something fierce and passionate. You want to be kissing them always, pursuing these passions heedless of consequences.
This doesn't need to be a romantic love. It can be strong and familial. Perhaps the sort you've always desired but never had. You could fall into a family unit with others affected by the spell. Compelled to hug each other and say words of encouragement or praise. Perhaps you, while living your own love story, are the best friend in someone else's - offering up the speech that tells them they deserve more than they think they do.
Whatever your flavor of love may be, you're prone to dramatic declarations. Confessions at the drop of a hat. It's go big or go home, and since nobody's going home right now, you might as well go as big as you can. Perhaps you're arranging for Flash Mobs to declare your feelings! Or making plans to move in together despite only having met a few hours ago.
This is all fine and well at first, but it may become clear pretty quickly that characters who try to hold their burning passions are likely to burn themselves! If you're the repressed type and you try to resist the compulsions that the love spell puts on you, you might just burst into flames, and someone will need to put you out. Don't worry — move quick enough, and there won't be any lasting damage, and if there is, the Guilds' healers can help you out.
MEET CUTE-PID
For those paying attention to that sort of thing, one constant of all these wild declarations can be spotted in the background. A tall man with curly blonde hair and an all too charming smile never seems to be far from the romance.
Those who are curious enough to follow will find he retreats to a lavish mansion on the outskirts of town. The mansion has the gaudy and abundant decor of a honeymoon suite on the Las Vegas Strip, with lights attuned to music and a massive twirling heart above the roof of the building. Peer inside and you will see hundreds of tiny viewing windows, each depicting a different romantic story unfolding outside of town. The door to the mansion appears to be locked tight and the windows are magically sealed, but some quick thinking may get you inside.
If anyone wants to engage him, HERE is a top level where we will summarize encounters. The more PCs involved in an encounter, the bigger its outcome will be. We will determine the impact on the god of love on Valentine's Day, so get your comments in by end of day on the 13th! You may also use this top level to ask event-specific questions about the effects on this page! (Please refer general questions about the setting to the FAQ, and refer any player plots to the PLOTTING page.)
no sorry! i love their obtuse monologuing
It doesn't sound like the boy has had it easy. Losing a beloved friend was hard enough, even knowing they were safe. That's what he hoped was the case with Fran. But losing his Aunt, watching her die -- Balthier can't imagine that. If they were closer, he might hug the boy. ]
It sounds like we've had a similar past few months. I'm not sure if friends or guardians are more painful. Just different, I suppose.
[ He doesn't understand all the details about memory loss or dying for five years, but human emotion is more or less the same across the universe. ]
Your loved ones sound truly remarkable. They were lucky to have you. And I know it does nothing for the gaping hole of grief, but, I'm sorry. Maybe the silver lining of being here is a chance to meet new people, have faces that aren't so recognizable.
[ That last bit is as much for himself as Peter. ]
I think it's wise to seek out mentors who value you and your safety. I have tried to fit myself to people who don't before -- doesn't ever turn out well. And I think it makes sense to honor your aunt, but, sometimes removing yourself can be great responsibility.
[ That's what he's been telling himself, at least. For years. ]
No. Court room judge I maybe could have done. A Judge is a branch of the military. They make political decisions but also carry out justice, as in executing people and leading military strikes, usually on innocent people.
[ Disgust creeps into his voice. All this time and it still makes his skin crawl. ]
I thought maybe having that power, I could help fight bad laws or divert military action. But I was one man, young and inexperienced and naive. They tricked me into votes that led to people dying. When I was supposed to lead an execution, I ran. It's not like I stopped anything, really; they just replaced me. But I couldn't be a part of that, and I certainly gave them pause and wasted a lot of their resources as a pirate.
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[ It doesn't matter that they can't directly relate. They've both been Going Through It. Peter isn't hard to read like Balthier, obviously. He's a pretty open book about emotions, and he's empathetic, which is why he's a good hero even when he doesn't feel like he is. ]
I'm not good at…meeting people or, like, making friends. I mean, I can't tell people I'm Spider-Man. I know that doesn't make a lotta sense to you, but it's important to me to keep it all separate. I guess that's one thing the whole Guild is supposed to help with. But I'm not there yet.
[ He's not sure about that removing yourself thing also being great responsibility. It feels like a cop out. But he's not going to argue the point, just think on it later.
He also wonders about the mentors thing. Mentors who value your safety. Has he ever had one of those? If he's honest about it, well…maybe not. He will probably idolise Tony Stark for the rest of his life, but Tony Stark didn't really value his safety all the time. Sometimes, sure, to the point of being overbearing or even suffocating. Tony didn't always handle Peter well. Tony didn't always handle Tony well. Then of course there was Quentin, but Quentin was never who or what he appeared to be. Peter has the other Peter now as sort of a de factor mentor. At least he can rest assured that his multiverse counterpart absolutely has his safety in mind. ]
Wait, did you say executing people?! At sixteen? Your world is messed up. And you own dad wanted you to do that? Jesus, that's…a lot. That's so much. No wonder you left.
[ And no wonder Balthier doesn't believe in anything. That sort of dry cynicism he has suddenly makes a lot more sense. That's not how Peter deals with the world, even a world that has been cruel to him for almost half his life, but he can follow the logic. ]
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[ Balthier notices very passingly that it's odd for him to actually verbalize thanks. Maybe he's just soft because he feels for this boy. Maybe he's feeling kind because he had such a good date. Which is also strange for him, truth be told. He rarely feels at ease with people this quickly.
He's surprised that Peter is fixated on lack of social ability. Is it just the age? He's not that young, is he? He seems like a very sweet and charming fellow -- Balthier finds it hard to believe he has any trouble making friends. But he does recall how nervous he was, when he first started going as Balthier. ]
You'd be surprised, I think. I ran away from home and changed my name. I had to keep my origins entirely secret, both to keep my father from finding me and to keep any of my loved ones from being used to bring me home. I had to forego seeing my mother, so long she died before I contacted her. But I think you're right. Being a part of a band of pirates helped me connect with people, and that matters a great deal when things are low. It sounds like this other person your speaking too could help you find that to. Just don't -- don't recede too far into yourself. People aren't meant to be alone.
[ It's very tender, something Balthier usually takes a long time to show to people. But he doesn't want this gentle boy receding to the shadows, driving himself to nothingness. He's seen it happen. Been in danger of it. No one deserves that. Once he wouldn't have cared about others, but Peter is so much like him, so much like Vaan -- it's been nice, caring about people.
He's both startled and amused at Peter's strong reaction to his history. He doesn't disagree; he's just not used to anyone reacting that way. Fran did, he recalls. Not as shrilly, but from the same place of kindness and disbelief. ]
Truly a god among fathers. Which I suppose is what he wanted. Don't recommend it. Gods are nasty stuff. But yes, I couldn't stomach that. Piracy was much less offensive. Less violent. Have you ever killed anyone?
[ Alright that one makes him think something may be off. He's not normally that gauche. He was just curious and it slipped out. ]
no subject
[ Gold star for not going off on a very long explanation.
He is surprised. It's not that he thinks Balthier is exactly an open book, but apparently Balthier isn't his original name. Peter is the last person on the planet who is going to ask some inane question about what someone's birth name is, of course. Uh, gross. That doesn't even cross his mind. But knowing that Balthier chose to go by something else to hide who he was…that's a pretty big thing to learn, it feels like. Names and identities are obviously a big deal to Peter anyway, but there's a lot tied up in that for him. ]
Most of the other heroes are a lot older than me, and…uh, you know. The one I cared the most about died fighting Thanos. That's another whole story, the…war…there was this whole galaxy wide war, like I mentioned I died for five years. It was only like a second to me but SURPRISE it was actually five whole years. I remember the dying part, though. Kind of. It was…scary, actually. Lonely.
[ Watching someone else die, someone he loved, that had also been scary. Well, that's a parallel he's not really emotionally ready to deal with, and they might be oversharing but he can only do so much at once so there are some things he just has to skate over or repress or he might start screaming. ]
I know people aren't meant to be alone and I don't want to be alone, it's just…safer so that people don't die. I don't want anyone to die because of me. Not to protect me and not because I fucked up. Not even one person, not again.
[ Even Cap or Tony couldn't save everyone and he knows that but that's not the point. He isn't them and he doesn't want to be them, responsible for whole countries, for the whole world, dashing off into wormholes and racing through time and the whole thing with Thanos. He's not sure he has it in him to do all of those things. That's part of why he's not sure about the Guardian Alliance thing, too, though it's a lot easier to just say "haha but LGBTQIA+ people" than recognise the truth in himself. ]
W-what? Have I ever killed anyone?!
[ It's a god given miracle his voice doesn't crack with the way he reacts, verbally skidding over that question. ]
No! No, of course I haven't.
[ HORRIFIED. ]
I…almost. I almost did. Jesus, I wanted to. I think I could have done it after what happened to May. I was so angry. After all of it, just everything that happened, even if it was my fault, it didn't matter. Nothing was her fault. The only thing she did wrong was be my aunt. She did everything she could to raise me right and most kids just do things like back the car into the mailbox and I fuck up by doing stupid shit like sneaking onto a spaceship and getting stuck on another planet when half the universe disappeared and then talking too much during Dr. Strange's spell so it went all batshit insane and all these other Peter Parkers and their crazy ass bad guys showed up and one of them killed May. And I wanted to kill him too.
[ This is about the point he thinks, you know, maybe this is too much? This is definitely too much. Absolutely no one should ever hear this confession. The other Peters knew, because they were there, and also they were AU him. But this is one of the worst things he's ever had to face about himself. No, this is probably the worst thing he's ever had to face about himself.
He could have killed Norman Osborn. That's a line you can't uncross. And it's not something he means to just…admit to. ]
I…mean. I didn't really mean to say all that, actually.
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Though wait, Peter died? And he remembers what it felt like? He remembers Peter mentioning it before, and honestly David said something of the sort. This situation must be significantly different from a raise spell, and it’s clearly left them both with mental wounds. Balthier feels darkly relieved that such magic is not an option as home. His father needs to stay dead.
Peter’s social difficulty makes more sense though. And Balthier knows what it is to lose loved ones to a war. But he also knows that staying alone doesn’t work. Even if that’s a lesson most people have to learn for themselves. Still he can’t help offering the advice he wishes he had had. Who knows if he would have listened, but he knows he needed it. ]
I had that logic once. I don’t know if I’m wiser or more foolish for having eased on it; I seem to always end up loving someone, and if it’s going to hurt either way, I’d rather have them with me. But what do I know? I’m a selfish pirate.
[ He’s really not. He knows that in a way that is uncomfortable, that doesn’t fit with the persona he’s so carefully constructed. It frightens him, because Peter is also right. As he cares about people, they can be hurt. He can lose them. He can be the reason he loses them. There’s a hole where Fran should be. Honestly the others too. But he knows he wouldn’t trade having had them. He does regret they are likely grieving him. And too upset by the idea that they aren’t to spend any time on it. Worse, Fran may be dead. Because of him. No, because of their choice. He can’t take her autonomy like that.
Peter’s tone changes as he keeps talking. A frown appears on Balthier’s face. This is…fresh. And raw. Even before Peter says anything Balthier’s mind is putting observations together. He thought that spell had faded with David but that must be what this is. That needs to be addressed. But first… ]
Peter, would you like a hug?
whoops hurt my own feelings on that last part there
Yeah. I wish I could have taken the risk, but…I just couldn't get in the way of everyone's life again. I thought I could do it, but my friends deserve to go to college and have real lives. They didn't have that with me.
[ But he manages the tiniest of smiles. ]
You're not selfish, Balthier. That's probably some stony pirate persona you got going on and I won't, like, tell anyone. But you're obviously not.
[ Anyone would know, though. Seems like that's a secret Balthier isn't doing any better at keeping than Peter is at keeping his secret identity secret, whoops.
At that last question, Peter looks genuinely surprised. Actually…when was the last time he even touched another person? He's not sure. He thinks about it. Has he really touched anyone else here? Maybe very briefly in passing. He did touch Balthier, actually, to help him when he was having trouble with magic. He touched a couple people when he was Spider-Man, with Cerberus. He does touch people as Spider-Man. Sometimes he's, you know, hitting people, but that's not the point.
But the last time he just touched another person like it was a normal thing to do, Jesus, he has no idea. ]
Uh…yeah. Yeah, I would like that, I think.
aww peter bb
Peter's observation pulls him back. He shakes his head, but he's smiling. Either he's been a mess since he arrived, dropping his usual careful defense, or Peter's astute. Maybe both. Maybe without Fran he's reaching out for community. But he's alright with Peter thinking that. Glad, even, because Peter sounds like he needs a friend, or a mentor.
Balthier would never admit it, but Peter's comparison that they are both poor at keeping their identities secret is apt. ]
I thank you for your discretion.
[ But he watches Peter's reaction to the question, takes in the discomfort in his affirmative response. Balthier's heart goes out to the boy. He rises silently and goes to give Peter a firm hug, the kind that reaches where words don't. There are things he'd like to say -- you're alright, you're a good person, you're always welcome here -- but they feel trite and impersonal. He hopes the gesture is affirming, at least. ]
no subject
There are things about the whole Thanos thing he absolutely did not and would not ever have told her, and for good reason. Though he'd tell her all of it if it meant he got her back, even if she'd be furious. That's just how loss and grief and regret go.
Peter finds himself smiling back despite all his twisted up messy feelings. ]
I wouldn't ever tell anyone else's secrets.
[ That's true, at least. Ned had come up with some absolute bullshit lies for him over the past couple years, but he'd have done the same for Ned in a heartbeat. Friends just do that! They keep each other's secrets.
Balthier might go on about how old and wise he is, and Peter has no idea how old he is, but he doesn't strike Peter as, like, one of the Avengers. He's not so far apart in age that he feels untouchable or unrelatable (all boomer tech memes aside). He's probably the closest actual friend Peter's made in this weird Confluence city so far, though he wouldn't have quantified it like that.
Despite his words about how he sucks at friends, he'll make others. Bart, Alina, someone else. They're there, too.
He returns the hug, probably too tight, because he needs something to hold onto in the worst way, and Balthier offered to literally be that for a minute. Peter is aware, though Balthier might actually not be yet, of his own strength, though. He's much, much stronger than he looks, and something like holding onto someone too tight without checking himself would be pretty painful for them. This isn't that! This is just…normal human too tight, luckily, hands tight in Balthier's shirt.
He'll check himself on that, too. He just needs a second. Human connection is good, actually! Who knew, right? ]
no subject
And so he's glad when Peter hugs back firmly. There's grief and need in that hold. He finds his throat tightening, feels pressure in his eyes. It's been a long time since Balthier's hugged anyone, either, and when he was in Peter's position, well, the person who'd offered support had betrayed him later. He would never say it, but he might need this hug as much as Peter does.
They really aren't so far apart, in age or experience. Maybe just enough that Balthier would fill the space of a brother or a cousin, but certainly not so much that he's actually Peter's elder. Maybe it's just been a long time since he's made an actual friend. ]
I suppose spilling secrets would ruin your carnival gig.
[ He still does not understand superheroes. But the comment is meant as a joke either way.
He tightens his grip, just a little, because he wants Peter to know it's alright to stay as long as he needs. ]
no subject
Maybe they both needed it, but Peter is way too smart (for once) to call that out out loud. He doesn't want to lose it.
He butts his head against Balthier's shoulder softly at that comment but doesn't manage to untangle himself yet. ]
I'm not a carnival attraction, c'mon! But I can do some pretty neat tricks. I'll show you my YouTube channel sometime.
[ The good thing about the channel here is that all his old ones from back home don't exist here. There's nothing terribly embarrassing from when he was trying to figure out his abilities. These ones are all just pretty impressive. It varies how popular they are, but it gives him something to do, filming them. ]
no subject
Peter, I've no idea what a YouTube channel is, but I will gladly let you show it to me. It will take some more convincing that you aren't a carnival performer, though.
[ No old man jokes, but also less need to monologue about how strange he feels at the huge number of things he doesn't recognize. Maybe the spell is lessening. ]
Peter, I'm sure you're sharp enough to have figured this out, but I suspect we've been under the lingering effects of an oversharing spell. I just want to be clear that anything you've disclosed to me is private. And will continue to be any time you need to talk.