LOVE POTION #9

[metamods]

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.)

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.)

Comments

MEET CUTE-PID + QUESTIONS

[metanpcs]

The comment for engaging with Eros! 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.)

[portolan]

1. TOWN SQUARE

[ This is the closest thing Balthier’s seen to a proper market since arriving. It’s still a little on the small side, but the energy and chaos are as close to a sense of home as it gets for him. Something about throngs of people, laughter, shouting, and the smell of body oder and baked goods has him feeling -- lighter.

He’s dressed for the occasion, of course – some absurd outfit he found in some upscale fashion designer’s store. He’s having to control himself as a result – that screams recognizable, even for him.

He stops at a booth selling emoji cookies. Hearts, skulls, and that infamous poop one flash around people as they taste the wares. Oh to have had these in school. ]

What’s the shelf-life on these beauties?

2. LONELY HEARTS

[ The Sunset Housing tour was fine – charming, but a little quaint for his tastes. He can tell he’ll be coming back here regularly to source antiques and other fineries, but it’s all a little too quiet for a pirate. Still, good to see more of this world, stay busy for the day.

He’s feeling weirdly lonely today. When was the last time he had a room for more than a few days that wasn’t on his airship? Back before he met Fran, really. The idea of going back to his temporary room isn’t exactly pleasant, so he instead turns toward the center of town. Crowds have a way of soothing him, and maybe he’ll pick pockets if he gets bored.

As he strolls down the picturesque streets – laughable, really – a perky young person stops him. “Lily?” they ask, holding out a white pin.

Why not? He pins it on, not looking where he’s going, and runs smack into you. If you’re larger, he goes flying. If you’re smaller, you go flying.

And boy, you’re the most inviting thing he’s seen since he got here. He really, really wants to make your day special for some reason. ]

3. MEET CUTE-PID

[ Balthier sits in the back corner of the seediest bar in town -- largely because he enjoys living up to pirate stereotypes, but also because he hasn't seen that curly-haired beauty go near this place yet. He’s put a message out to other metahumans via phone and word of mouth: strange things have been happening in Sunset Falls, and he thinks he knows where it's coming from. ]

Alright, [ he says as you settle in. ] Here’s what we know. Bloke looks like this. House looks like this. [ He shows you on his phone. ] There’s something secret or of value in there. I want both. 60-40 split, organizer’s bonus, of course.

[[ OOC: If anyone wants to storm the mansion with me but doesn’t want to thread, lemme know and what you might want to contribute and I’ll include you in my post to mods on the 12 ]]

4. WILDCARD

[[ OOC:Want something else? Hit me up on plurk or DM!!]]

✗ Jean Grey

[heartofthedream]

🤍 WHITE HEARTS FESTIVAL 🤍

Jean has not quite in, or against, her better judgment joined the train to visit all of the main cities. To see the living conditions and housing options if one took up Guardian on their offer. She's begrudgingly edging more toward it, but she still doesn't love it. There was a point when logic had to balance with the best of not-great options.

The festival was an unexpected amusement. Jean couldn't stop herself from smiling at the silly decorations of hearts and little cupids, booths and curiosities, and food decked out in red, white, and pink. She's not a hopeless romantic the way those things go, but she has an appreciation for the sentiment behind it. Reminding people in every walk of your you love them, need them, see h. Maybe, even more so this year, with the way her life, and especially her love life, has blossomed on to a freer, less than previously (and sometimes violently) drama-filled, shore.

"I'll take one of each," Jean told one of the cookie vendors. Grabbing for herself a complete set of the emoji cookies, bolder biscuit, and a small fireworks delight cake. She starts with the first, leaving the rest in a small bag hanging off her wrist. She only gets a bite in before a musical accompaniment of 'pops' suddenly bursts into life over her head along with a swarm of spinning, sparkling heart-shaped balloons.

"You can't be serious." She's turning her head and trying to look up, but they keep zipping along with the movement, doing their best to stay right above her head, and it's easier by far to see the mess of hearts over her head through the eyes of the people around her. It's a baffling surprise, but she's still smiling (it's harmless and kind of cute), even as she can't stop looking for them at the edge of her vision as she continues down the path of booths.

💖 SERGEANT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB 💖

Jean stares at the white rose pin held between the tips of her fingers, giving a small snort, after a passing pin-girl rushes by handing them out to anyone who so much as looks at her and her overflowing bowl of them. "I think someone really got their wire's crossed. This is the last thing I need."

For now, she drops it into her bag with her cookies and other purchases.

❤️‍🔥 THAT LOOK ON YOUR FACE, FULL OF WILD DESIRE, HEART(S) ON FIRE ❤️‍🔥

The festival wears on and on, cute and strange at different turns, as some of the events around seem to be just a little out of hand. The sudden bursts into song, or dropping to a knee, or jumping up on benches and making loud speeches to those right below them. Families and friends in bunches tell each other how much they love them and what they love about them, in enough verbose fashion it seems a little overdone.

A little too everywhere, everyone.

There's a slight frown on her face, but it vanishes suddenly as her gaze settles on a particular person. Her eyes widen as she takes a breath through her nose and heads for them suddenly, the sudden need filling her up and demanding to be let out. Is it you she needs to confess to?

---

[Yes, it absolutely had to all become music lyrics today.

From Jean's pov-side, I'm going to be keeping these platonic for all threads that aren't Logan, but feel free to throw friends and family at Jean or to SUDDENLY BECOME friends and family with Jean with either of you under the platonic love fest effects, or to end up all distressingly Heart-Eyes yourself in the other way. If you want to plot things or request a private start for pre-planned etc., Jean & I can be found at wanderlustlover. ]

loki laufeyson | marvel-616

[ikols]

( for david ) arrival & hearts on fire.

[ There's a rumour of magic being in the air, something Loki can't resist. Not being a fool, however, he invites David to teleport along with him to Sunset Falls as a way of ensuring neither of them arrive alone (and continuing to mend their friendship after their fight by essentially offering to magically drive). It's after they appear in the middle of a fair that Loki's eyes widen and he rubs his nose as if about to sneeze, looking around in delight. ]

This place is saturated in magic!

[ He peers at the nearest food stall, letting go of David where he was stabilising them during the teleport. ]

( for josh. ) hearts on fire.

[ After the love spell hits Loki like an atomic blast, knocking him off his feet with the force of it, he paces restlessly around Sunset Falls' picturesque stalls with his senses on high-alert as he pulls the threads of his own spells taut in order to find ... people. Peter; not currently near, Loki will find him later. Same with Stephen. David, he arrived with.

He feels the warmth of the rune drawn invisibly on Josh's lavender hoodie and turns on his heel to stride over to him. No matter where Josh is or with whom, he is shortly scooped off his feet and into a bridal carry as Loki finds him. Green eyes are heavily dilated as the godling holds him, standing there staring at his quarry with a pleased sense of self. Yes, Loki ought to be the one holding him, only Loki. ]

... Josh Foley.

( for stephen. ) hearts on fire & meet cute-pid.

[ After a few hours stewing in a love spell that boils his blood like a pan left on a constant heat source, Loki manages to subconsciously make a plan. It involves texting Stephen, as that is about as much restraint as Loki can handle in a bid not to humiliate himself (again). ]

stephen i am in danger
i am in love
with everyone

[ He barely scrapes by with his pride by avoiding typing with you. ]

naruto uzumaki ( 🍥 )

[chashu]

WHITE HEARTS FESTIVAL

( naruto hasn't joined a guild yet, but it hasn't deterred him from participating in the housing tour available to prospective (and current) members. after this month, he won't be able to live in the diadem, so he wants to consider all of his options. it feels kinda weird signing up for either the GA or the society. sure, he considers himself a hero (and definitely not a villain), but he is already a shinobi of konohagakure.

he doesn't think it's appropriate for him to join the alliance, despite the benefits. it's probably something he needs to discuss with sasuke first.

in any case, naruto is here to enjoy the white hearts festival! he is wandering through the booths, checking out all the different foods on display. they all look so freakin' good! there is no way that he's gonna pass up the chance to try the emoji cookie or the firework delight cake.

depending on when you catch him, he will either be swatting away little hearts floating above his head in annoyance or crying out, ) AAAHHHHH!!! DATTEBAYO, NOT AGAIN. ( —whenever fireworks go off from accidentally grazing against someone. please help this idiot. )

HEARTS ON FIRE

( is it just him or is everyone acting super weird?

whatever's going on, naruto is ready to play the best supporting role character (and quasi-wingman) ever! he is feeling overwhelmingly energetic and upbeat, and he just wants to offer hugs and spread positivity. are you wavering on confessing to somebody? maybe feeling a little shy or anxious? well, you're in luck because uzumaki naruto is here! he will help you succeed in your confession!

—or maybe you've made your confession and you've been rejected. don't worry! he can give you the best pep talk ever! it isn't the end of the world just because someone doesn't reciprocate your feelings. after all, he can relate on a personal level and he won't hesitate to provide some words of comfort and encouragement. why not go eat your feelings out at the food booth with him or go searching for a new person to give your white enamel pin to?

disregarding what's going on, naruto is gonna stick his nose into your business and make it his personal mission to help you through it! ✌️ )

WILDCARD

( ooc | i've left the prompts open-ended, so feel free to play around with them! if you want to do something else, don't hesitate to slide it in. got any ideas or questions you want to hash out first? you can hit me up at voicelog or pm! )

David Alleyne | Marvel-616 | OTA

[helpdesk_hero]

I. Bold Of Heart
When David had arrived with Loki to investigate a swelling of magic, a little pseudo-Valentine's festival hadn't been what he'd thought would come of it. And yet here he was, at a fair, his companion having disappeared off who knows where, leaving David to try and investigate alone. For now he had litlte choice to continue on his own, trying to figure out just what was so magical about this event.

That didn't mean he hadn't missed lunch with Loki's sudden call to join him. What was the harm in a dessert or two to power him through the day he asked himself? David found hismelf walking away with two, and soon he was taking the bit of the first one.

This, he thought, was cooking that even his baking could outpace, and he found himself telling the vendor that before turning and walking away.

And there, in the crowds, another person. Someone that he had the overwhelming need to approach.

"Hey, wait up, I've got to tell you something!"


II. Setting A Spark
The boldness he'd experienced earlier was something he didn't want to deal with again, so once he was free of the experience, he tossed the remains of his biscuit and instead started through the crowds to quietly touch strange locals to try and come to some understanding of what was going on here. Sure his Psychomimetric powers weren't as good for things like this that were more experiential and cultural than proper knowledge, but he wanted to believe there might be something under the surface.

Of course excessive use of power came with a need for more energy, and without thinking David took a bite of another one of the desserts he'd acquired. Firework Delight, they'd called it. Supposedly it would mean fireworks if he touched someone special who would make his life complete. That was such bullshit, so David didn't even think about it as he approached another person and reached out to touch their arm.

"Hey," he said before his hand touched someone's arm lightly, and then he didn't even know how to finish that sentence anymore because there were bursts of blue and gold sparks going off over his head.

What?


III. Romance Support
A white rose pin now adorned the collar of David's yellow turtleneck, forced into his hands by a local. David, never one to cause tension with strangers that wasn't needed, had just taken the pin and put it on. Well, that had been about twenty minutes ago. And the change that had come over him at that point had been rather extreme. At least he found himself mostly dancing at the edges of other people's stories. Perhaps the universe knew that David was not a leading man.

Some romcoms, he didn't remember, were about always being the bridesmaid and not the bride, until you found your luck at the end.

"So what you're saying," he was currently occupied in saying to another whose story he had gotten caught up in, "is that you want to get noticed. Yeah, I get that. Let's see... Hold on, this might help."

A flower in full bloom, plucked from a nearby display.

"This can help. It really matches your eyes."


IV. His Heart Burns For You [Male or female recipents of attention welcomed]

Love. It's like oxygen. It lifts us up where we belong. It's all you need. It's every fucking trite cliche that the world has to throw out in the form of music. For David, it was something he didn't like tripping into easily. For him Love was meant to be a slow ember, growing slowly, being fanned until it was a nicely crackling and popping fire. To be consumed to the point of flash flames wasn't him. And yet here he was, dealing with a fire burning in his breast.

"I can't help but be caught up in you," he declared to one person, an intensity in his voice that was undeniable. "Your beauty overwhelms me, and I just... I can't go another moment without you knowing how I need you in my life."

[kid_flash_found]

I. Arts and Crafts

When Bart heard about the festival, he couldn't help being curious, and also wary. But he knew he could handle himself if things got hairy, and it mostly sounded like a bunch of cute Valentine's traditions that had grown into a whole excuse of their own. He mostly enjoyed poking around and seeing what kind of goods were on offer, helping himself to an interesting slice of fireworks cake at one point, or some emoji cookies at another. He also peruses the various love charms and trinkets meant to help one find that perfect someone or deepen the relationships you already have.

II. Offerings of Love

As the excitement grows, though, he wonders if he should make an offering, too. He knew gods existed, although they weren't really the people you wanted interested in you. But insulting them was also a bad idea, which is why he eventually finds himself with the appropriate chocolate heart at the altar, considering his words carefully.

"For any gods who may be listening, all I really ask is for a relationship that isn't going to result in continual threats of mortal peril. I don't mind playing white knight, but I really don't want to be murdered by potential future inlaws..."

Okay, maybe that was enough. He didn't want to talk the poor deity's ear off.

III. Pins and Pining

The pin seemed totally inoccuous and he didn't even notice the faint stirrings of strings in the background as he continues meandering his way through the festival. It's a shame he's alone, though. There really should be someone to share this time with, even if he's just helping to find their special someone.

At one point he even finds himself at the edge of a dance area, carefully coaching people on the intricacies of ballroom dances guaranteed to show why dancing is a wonderful way to show off how well your partner moves. Everyone deserves to look good and move with confidence, and really, it isn't that hard. He just wished he weren't always stuck playing sidekick.

IV. Wildcard

[ooc: Got an idea, want another location, need something specific, hit me up. Bart is available to anyone for entanglements, he's not good at noticing interest at the best of times, so feel free to smack him upside the head with all your feelings!]

Logan | Marvel 616

[howlett]

THE WHITE HEARTS FESTIVAL

The smells of the food-stalls are welcoming enough to make anyone want to investigate. If only for a beer and a chance to see what passes for fair food around here. Turns out it's not much different than home and he can't rationalize why that only stands to make him more suspicious.

When offered the baked goods though, he declines. "Not much of a sweet tooth."

"Then for a friend. Makes a great gift," the bright eyed sales clerk tries again.

Suffice to say he ends up with cute little package of cookies in his pocket, and in his ignorance, he may accidentally pawn them off on any hungry companions.

THE ETERNAL BOND

Closed to jean
While he still comes and goes from the hotel, most of Logan's time here has been spent getting to know the city. It's easier to feel like he has some semblance of control in a strange place if he at least knows how to get lost out there.

Of course, for a man prone to bouts of isolation, crowds are irritating after a while. An evening's reprieve from the festival is exactly what he needs.

The largest park at sundown isn't exactly the remote wilds of Western Canada, but somewhere at the foot of a old stone footbridge it's far flung enough from the rabble of the festival to light a cigar and pretend that the distant white noise of the city is actually silence.

He plucks a little trinket out of his pocket. He can't remember the last time he saw a finger trap, but it reminds him of the toys village children in Gunma used to trifle with.

{ Why do I get the feeling someone's eavesdropping on me? }

LONELY HEARTS

The people running this festival sure seem to be working overtime to deck out every passer by in pins and patches and beads and hats. So he's not exactly surprised when one such volunteer assails him with more of the same until he's agreed to take their little white pin if it'll make them go away.

As soon as he's free of their meddling hands fastening that white heart to his shirt, he turns to continue on his way and crashes into you.