auroraexpress | Love on the Railway!

Who: Everyone
When: Day 12, morning into afternoon
Where: the Aurora

[Morning today comes easily, the early stars of a false sunrise shining in with the same cool softness as usual. Though it remains the eternal darkness of the corrupted jungle, it's a little warmer than it's been so far, as if something somewhere is emitting a comforting heat. If you're outside you can hear a faint ringing like the chime of a bell, off in the direction of the beach. It's a bit far to walk through dangerous jungle, but you could try, if you're determined.

Back at the Aurora, however, things are also awfully... cheery. When you wake up in the morning and leave your carriages, you'll find the hallways and public areas lit with tiny pink, red, and golden hearts, shifting and glowing on the walls with no apparent source. On your Chain is a message that comes without any annoying jingle:

Good morning, heroes! You've had a hard time so far, so here's a little gift from me. Today is the Star Kingdom's most lovey-dovey holiday: Heartbeat Festival Day! First, let me tell you the local legend:

"Once upon a time, a beautiful girl lost her home to war. After wandering the universe for awhile, she noticed that the further she traveled, the more a certain pink constellation began to resemble a heart. With no destination in mind, she followed it until she arrived here, in the Star Kingdom. Stopping to warm her hands with a hot drink, by chance she bumped into a handsome young man at the same stall -- a man who happened to be the newly crowned Star King! Under the light of the Heartbeat constellation, the two fell in love at first sight. Their union was blessed by the universe, and when they had a child, she was born with twinkling stars in her hair and eyes. And that's where the royal line got their sparkles!"

The festival is a celebration of love -- for friends, lovers, family, and the whole universe. It's a time to show your appreciation with gifts, kisses, and a whole lotta drinking! We could use some love right now, so even though my kingdom can't celebrate today, you can do it for us.

To foster some affection, the drinks we've provided will give you a bit of a boost... but it's all harmless, I promise! So cozy up and show some affection. If you're lucky, you might stumble into the most heart-racing kind of love: romance!

In accordance with the message, the dining area in the lounge car has plates of various desserts in chocolate or strawberry flavours, and trays of champagne glasses full of drinks with several different colours of edible shimmer. Each one has a different effect, and is more alcoholic than the last:

☆ Gold: Those who drink this sweet, vanilla-flavoured concoction will find their hand gravitates towards the nearest person's. Once you're holding hands you're glued together, for an hour or until you're both having a good time. The drink has a star-shaped charm around the stem.

★ Pink: Strawberry champagne is ~~valentine's~~ Heartbeat Festival in a glass! Drinking it unfortunately roots you in place, along with the first person you see. You're stuck until you share a kiss -- any kind of kiss will do! This drink has a pursed lips charm around the stem.

☆ Red: A bright raspberry liquor, this drink is berry tasty, and makes your heart flutter. After drinking, you'll find your affection for other people enhanced. It's based on what you already feel, so you won't be attached to someone you dislike, but you'll feel extra adoring towards your friends, and any crush you might have will turn into true love! Effects last anywhere from one to four hours. This drink has a heart-shaped charm around the stem.

★ Brown: Though this drink smells and tastes like hot chocolate, it's actually very potent, both in its alcoholic effects and its nudge towards love. Drinking it enhances your desire for physical affection -- platonic or sexual is a real coin toss. Effects last anywhere from one to four hours. This drink has a rose-shaped charm around the stem.

Drinking multiple drinks will stack effects -- you can have all four at once if you like. This will go on til evening -- where something else magical might just happen!]

[[OOC NOTES: This is a harmless cute Valentine's post! It has the potential for NSFW threads, so please be aware, and remember to put a warning in the subject line or move such threads offcomm.

Placements are tomorrow: and with them comes a major IC update! Please look forward to it!]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Hlasoh still doesn't look so good, but she's out and about after holing herself up for a couple days.]

Do you know if they're safe?

Nope.

[what a blunt answer]

Feeling brave enough to risk it?

I need a drink, and I think you know why.

[his expression turns sympathetic, the small ghost of a smile twitching up the corners of his mouth]

. . . how are you feeling, anyway?

Eh.

[Lets try the red. After a sip she doesn't notice any immediate changes, so she takes another.]

[. . . . casually sips his coffee as he watches her drink. THIS IS A NO-JUDGMENT ZONE!1]

Bbbbetter yet?

Hmm. It's very sweet.

[huh. . .]

Sweet alcohol? I suppose that fits the holiday.

[Wow, oh, okay, what's this sudden wave of sentimentality. Feeling emotions is hard. And bad.]

...Er. Yes.

[oblivious to the sudden wave of feelings, Akira just raises a brow]

I prefer bitter things, anyway.

[not much of a sweet tooth on this one]

My thoughts too.

[bitter like my soul!!!]

...Thanks.

[-- ah?]

Hm? For what?

The most obvious thing I could thank you for, obviously.

[oh]

[pulls up a slightly lopsided smile, rubbing the back of his neck as he does so]

Don't mention it. I couldn't just leave you when you were injured.

[what the fuck, why am I blushing, what]

Even so- I behaved very foolishly at that time. I was- well- [She stammers over several words, not really sure how to apologize for strangling somebody.]

[bright side! the bruises around his neck from her strangulation attempt have practically faded into nothing]

Don't worry about it.

[and he's giving her an out]

I still don't know what those blobs were, but I know they were messing with all of us.

Nonetheless, I'm utterly disgusted by pathetic lack of willpower. I- never mind, I always get like this. Disregard me.

[shakes his head]

No, it's okay. If it's still bothering you, then you can talk about it.

[a pause. . .]

Would it help if I said, "apology accepted?"

[of course it bothers her, it just confirms what she already knows to be true. she hangs her head.]

Really, I really am so sorry.

It's okay.

[instinctively, Akira reaches out to drop his hands on her shoulders, giving them both a reassuring squeeze]

I'm alive, you're alive, and those blobs are gone. There's no better outcome than this one, right?

[Oh no, you're making her feel things. Why must she feel things?!]

I just- I know it's good. But it doesn't change the fact that I am a monster. That's all there is to it.

[HE ISN'T EVEN DOING IT ON PURPOSE]

You're not a monster.

[and he says that firmly. with feeling]

Nothing about what happened makes you a monster.

I- I don't want to explain it. And I don't need anybody's pity. It goes back a long time. Only a few years, but a long time.

I want to thank you for helping me. But I also want to say that I won't let anybody get close enough for me to hurt them.

This isn't pity, and I'm not asking you to explain it if you don't want to.

But I still don't think you're a monster.

[She shakes her head glumly- not quite tearing up, but at that point where she's on the verge of it, so she just rubs at her eyes a few times. Why does she have to be so sentimental? After all the terrible things she's done? It must be the drink.]

I- I appreciate the sentiment, at least. It's greedy for me to feel that way, but I do appreciate it.

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