A Tropical Thanksmas (Thanksmas 2023)

[[brackets lover]]

[Snack Attack]

Asami awkwardly laughs at Brinika, looking away out of vague fear,

While holding a half-eaten cookie in one hand, Asami's mind is invaded by a strange voice. "Not right now, no. I'm in a good mood and she said she was hurt recently, plus its Thanksmas," Asami flatly replies, not wanting to mention the fact that she also doesn't wanna look bad in front of her potential girlfriend's sister. Speaking of said sister, Asami tilts her head at Brinika and gives a brief explanatory aside while gesticulating with one hand, "Ah, voice inside my head."

"What did you have in mind, anyways?" Asami asks the disembodied voice curiously. Now would be a good time for Libra to mention the 'present' Asami made for Mary and forgot about, something put together with less pleasant thoughts in mind and likely something made for the sole purpose of "messing up Mary".

[Gullara]

[Scarlet's Day Out]

"This swimsuit barely fits me anymore," Ana grumbles shyly, beginning to button together the absurdly-patterned shirt - then noticing exactly what the demanding poinsettia pattern is and hesitating on whether she prefers it on or wants it off entirely. "How was it? Did... everything go well?" The kitsune snuggles up to Eliseo and scans his expression.

[Scarlet's Day Out]

"Yeah, we had fun. It was, I dunno, easier than I thought I guess?" Eliseo gives a little shrug. He's not entirely sure how to fame it. His eyes flit down covertly. "I think the swimsuit fits fine by the way." He offers.

[Shadowcaller]

[Snack Attack]

"Well, bye then. Hope you have a good thankmas and all." Libra declares before suddenly blinking out of existence.

However, her voice remains within Asami's mind remains. This is the fun kind of messing up. Completely harmless. See, if you point at her now, and hold your hand like a gun, you're, ah, gonna steal something from her and give it to someone else of your choice. Which will be the next person you point at. You can undo it by repeating the process.

There's a bit of a pause as Libra remembers she can actually find out things about people. Uh, also, didn't you have a present for Mary? This is something like that really.

[Rebonack]

[Snack Attack]

And then just like that Libra vanishes while Khannie is awkwardly holding out a little gift box to her.

Huh.

That was...

Kinda weird.

Oh well.

Khannie gives a shrug and puts the box into her pack again. She can just give that gift to someone else instead.

Now that there aren't strangers nearby Khannie gestures at the pretty lens she made for Mary. "So it's a reading aid, sorta. I made some spells for reading and translating old text, right? But they can be used for regular old writing, too. If you slide it across a page it'll read the words. But if you flip it over the other way it'll sound 'em out. I thought it would help?"

Something to help Mary get better at reading.

[Morty]

[Santa's Throne]

"A fine eye. I knew a chieftain once who had a similar one... but his didn't allow him to see," Askeladd comments.

[Snack Attack]

Brinika's right ear quirks upwards as she eats a cookie and observes Asami.

"Do you get voices in your head often? And it sounds like this one is suggesting some mischief."

[[brackets lover]]

[Snack Attack]

Asami grins at Brinika, grinning and replying joculary, "Yeah, they're called thoughts. This one is new, though. I'm not quite sure what movie this is supposed to be parody-ing."

"Huh? Why would I..." Asami checks in her backpack for a second, pulling out a gift shaped like a 2-liter soda bottle wrapped in plaid paper with some illegible handwriting in marker on it. "Oh, I do not remember doing this. May as well..." Asami tilts her head in uncertainty as she examines the gift before looking around for Mary. "Brb, Brin-chan."

Asami walks towards Mary at a brisk pace, holding the present out with one hand towards Mary and looking away completely, silent and scowling.

[Shadowcaller]

[Snack Attack]

Parodying? Oh, you're one of those people. Well, I can still make this work. Probably. The voice remarks, talking more to itself than Asami at this point. Better not be anything too nasty in that bottle.

[bc56]

Snack Attack
"Oh, thanks," Mary says more sincerely now that she knows what it is
But then Asami appears holding... That looks like a big bottle. "For me?" She very carefully takes it and unwraps it, holding the top of the bottle away from her.
She doesn't like or trust Asami at all, so she's expecting a bad gift.

[[brackets lover]]

[Snack Attack]

"Duh," says Asami bitterly.

The gift doesn't seem bad, being a simple 2-liter bottle of coke. But then again, you know what they say about Asami and seeming. Still, there's no obvious signs of Asami having tampered with the product, it being still sealed and all.

[Arkhosia]

► SHOW SPOILER

[Scarlet's Day Out]

"Yeah, we had fun. It was, I dunno, easier than I thought I guess?" Eliseo gives a little shrug. He's not entirely sure how to fame it. His eyes flit down covertly. "I think the swimsuit fits fine by the way." He offers.

[Scarlet's Day Out]

"Oh. So you two got along? Okay, that's... good." Ana relaxes a little, then blushes as she realizes where Eliseo's focus drifts. "Menace," she teases, elbowing lightly. "You didn't get into any trouble while I was gone, did you?"

[bc56]

Snack Attack
Mary checks the seal on the bottle. It's still closed. Huh.

"...

...

Thanks?" she says, questioningly. It's not exactly a thoughtful gift. She sets the coke aside, likely ruining whatever great prank Asami had in mind. "I know we don't always see eye to eye. I didn't think you'd be here, I don't have anything for you, sorry." She doesn't sound all that sorry.

[Shadowcaller]

Snack Attack

Libra rolls her currently non-existent eyes as she listens in to the exchange. Right now this seemed totally lame but she was gonna give Asami a chance to perform whatever prank she had planned and then just go ahead with her own. She didn't have high expectations though.

[Gullara]

[Scarlet's Day Out]

Eliseo winks at her. "Trouble? What kind of trouble would we get up to? Sounds like you take me for some kind of troublemaker. I'm a reformed member of society." Eliseo laughs. "And it could have been anyone that convinced Cresh to push Senril in the pool."

[Halae]

[Conversation on Growth]

See, Skye is smiling.

Dawn is doing a good job already. In fact, her mere existence is doing a good job.

The sea, though. The sea is certainly something else. To feel the warm wind in your face. To feel the warm sand between your toes. To watch the sun sparkling off the water that's a brilliant as the sky. Dawn dips down to pick up an odd stone covered in clearly organic patterns, turning it over in her hands. Obviously an animal of some kind made this. But animals making rocks? Isn't that something.

"This place is beautiful. I'm glad you made it here. And I'm glad you've found friends that will be safe around you."

All good things, to be sure.

[Conversation on Growth]

"I'm glad you made it here too," Skye responds honestly. She closes her eyes then, and takes a moment to simply breathe in the situation. The curse upon her power means she'll never be truly content, never truly able to just stop and enjoy life. But in this moment, reunited (sort of) with family, she finds herself about as close as she could be.

Maybe this festival nonsense is worthwhile after all.

The only way this could be more perfect is if she was fighting, enjoying the company of someone on her level of technique and power. But she won't press Dawn into that.

[Morty]

[Lounging About]

After the confrontation with Raven Ebondark, which ended rather ambiguously, Hiep is lounging in the shade of a tree, drinking something from a very large glass. Her hat is on the ground next to her.

[Arkhosia]

[Scarlet's Day Out]

Ana's eyes widen. "wait, you got Cresh to - oh my gosh, and I missed out on that?!" The disappointment is clear.

[Earl of Purple]

The Swarm

Cheasadh blushes again as Darko asks what day works for her. "Uh... Friday? I think Friday. Yeah, I'll be at GLoG Friday." Also a few days before Friday, but Cheasadh wanted time to prepare first.

Santa's Throne

"If you can't keep your hands clean, wash them better. I don't have any issues with my hands getting dirty." Mat the Squirrel frowns at Krayger, and holds one of her own hands up. There's fur on the back and along the fingers, which end in trimmed claws, but not along her palm or the front of her fingers, to help her grip things.

Not that Fred's paying any attention, though. She grins, holds her hand out and with a flourish, she's holding a curved nimcha, and a glowing circle is spreading down her arm. When it reaches her upper arm, it expands and leaves a puffy yellow sleeve behind, and it speeds up as it hits her torso, transforming her outfit from summerwear to a yellow dress with a hoop skirt and layers of crinoline underneath, buckled black Chelsea boots and a gold tiara set with a large heliodor, with a sheathe for the sabre at her waist. She'll scabbard her sword and smiles. "I should be fine. Magical Girls don't get sick. Uh... do you know where to find a bathroom? I need a mirror." And a bit of privacy so she's not just changing her eye in the middle of the beach.

[[brackets lover]]

[Snack Attack]

Asami crosses her arms and sticks her nose up in the air. "I wasn't expecting any better from you," says Asami haughtily, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I've wasted enough time on you lamers."

Asami begins to walk away, left alone to her thoughts. The idea of Cheasadh liking Asami swirled in her mind. Asami also momentarily dwelled on her own feelings for Agate.

In an instant, Asami was filled with a torrent of emotions, more than she was ever used to. She began loudly humming, vibrant rainbows manifesting in the shiny rays of her corona and decorating all across the manor. Simultaneously, she broke into a sprint, increasing in speed until she began to run up the walls and across the ceiling over and over. She sometimes randomly exhibited this behavior in the middle of class, it essentially just being the zoomies.

[Lounging About]

Never missing an opportunity to mingle with a pretty lady, Mogzoku was scampering about nearby, munching on a bag of kupo nuts and making various "mhm" sounds of enjoyment. He was wearing plain leather clothes and had an air of harmless about him, directly contrasting with his Goemog persona. The 2-foot tall gray-furred moogle approaches Hiep and shoots a casual glance in their direction. "So, you come here often?" he flirts curiously, "Wait, fuck, that makes no sense, kupo." He raises an eyebrow at Hiep, hoping for a laugh at least.

[Morty]

[Snack Attack]

Brinika watches Asami zoom around while eating a slice of Thanksmas cake. If Cheasadh does fancy her, she sure has her work cut out here...

[Lounging About]

Hiep has seen a lot of different people and creatures on her travels, but a tiny furry guy is still someone new. She does laugh when he cuts himself off.

"Believe it or not, I've been here before. I know the owner. She doesn't like me much, though."

[Mee]

[A Fated Meeting]

Wenomir observes Naku's scars, his own marks visible all over his arms and legs. Naku has clearly been through a lot, just like he has. And just like he does frequently, she finds herself managing someone very enthusiastic. Civvy is a goddess, but Wenomir has trouble thinking of her as one. She's so... cheery.

"She likes playing fetch and tag. I have a toy here if you want to use it." He reaches down to the sand. It's a long line of rope with a chewy bone at the end. "She is a hunter so she needs a lot of stimulation."

[A Fated Meeting]

"OOooOooOoo! Okay! Thank you so much, Wenomir!" Civvy beams happily at him, her smile wide and full of joy, as she takes the offered toy. "We'll be right over there!
C'mon Coco!" Civvy says excitedly, dangling the toy so the chewy bone bounces along the ground, all hopping and moving and very noticable and easy to follow and pounce and tackle and go grr grr over! Civvy would take them just maybe a good 10-15 feet away, to where it's a bit less sandy overall hopefully, so that the poor raptor wouldn't -- hopefully -- get tooooo much sand in her beak.

And Naku lets out a bit of a breath of release, and her shoulders fall just . . . just a fraction of a quarter of a smidgen. Just a tiny, almost invisible clue of a little bit of relaxing. "Thank you. Both of you." Naku reaches her right hand over, across her torso, to fiddle a little with the top edge of her left sleeve. She doesn't have one on her right side, and it clearly is the single part of her outfit that isn't sitting easily on her. "May I?" She asks in her low tone, gesturing at the seat just across from Wenomir, clearly asking if she could take a seat, but not wanting to impose.

[bc56]

Snack Attack
"... Was it something I said?" Mary is genuinely bewildered at why Asami ran off like that.

Of course this means Libra has lost her vector for her prank; she'll have to find another option or just do it herself.

[Meowmai]

Gnoll & Unicorn

Jace blinks and then gives as much as a smile as his face is capable of. It's mostly in the eyes.
Oh no, she's quite my daughter. Our souls are linked, due to the very magical nature in which she was born. So my 'ascension' spread to her as well. Naturally, she figured out how to take any form she wants near-instantly so she's had none of the problems I have.
Yeah he's definitely a tad envious of that one. Just a little.

Gnoll & Unicorn

Ah, right. Weird magic shenanigans. Ginger shouldn't be surprised, honestly. She hadn't been here long but magic babies seemed extremely common here.

"Ahh. I think that's the strongest case of beginners luck I've ever heard of. Good for her, though."

[Keeper]

Gnoll & Unicorn

She's been using shadow magic to disguise herself as a human for quite a while. I just...didn't really expect her to adapt to it so fast? Well either way it's not a problem.
It's not an issue!
He's just envious!
From the sound of it, you're not settled down enough to have any daughters of your own, yes? Though really he's just going by the things she's said. Jace has never met a gnoll before so he can't judge Ginger's age.

[quillpleasant]

The Swarm

Cheasadh blushes again as Darko asks what day works for her. "Uh... Friday? I think Friday. Yeah, I'll be at GLoG Friday." Also a few days before Friday, but Cheasadh wanted time to prepare first.

The Swarm

"Great! Friday works great," says Darko, a little too quickly. "I'll, uh. I'll see you then?"

He stands there for a moment. Should he leave now that they've made plans? Would that be rude? Why is it so much harder to talk to Cheasadh than his other friends?

When it doubt, magician's trick.

"Alright thanks Cheasadh goodbye see you Friday!" He tosses his hand down and disappears in a cloud of red smoke. Nothing like it for saving face when you're feeling overwhelmed.

[Earl of Purple]

The Swarm

"Yeah, Friday." Cheasadh nods, wondering whether this qualifies as a date and also unsure as to what comes next.

Fortunately, Darko's smokebomb helps solve that issue as he's no longer in front of her when the smoke clears, and she's left looking around wondering where he's gone.

[Keeper]

Santa's Throne

"If you can't keep your hands clean, wash them better. I don't have any issues with my hands getting dirty." Mat the Squirrel frowns at Krayger, and holds one of her own hands up. There's fur on the back and along the fingers, which end in trimmed claws, but not along her palm or the front of her fingers, to help her grip things.

Not that Fred's paying any attention, though. She grins, holds her hand out and with a flourish, she's holding a curved nimcha, and a glowing circle is spreading down her arm. When it reaches her upper arm, it expands and leaves a puffy yellow sleeve behind, and it speeds up as it hits her torso, transforming her outfit from summerwear to a yellow dress with a hoop skirt and layers of crinoline underneath, buckled black Chelsea boots and a gold tiara set with a large heliodor, with a sheathe for the sabre at her waist. She'll scabbard her sword and smiles. "I should be fine. Magical Girls don't get sick. Uh... do you know where to find a bathroom? I need a mirror." And a bit of privacy so she's not just changing her eye in the middle of the beach.

Santa's Throne

"I meant that you won't want to put an eye in with my hair on it. And also you should wash them before putting them in anyway." It's standard practice!
"I believe the bathroom is inside, on the left." How does Santa know that? Thanksmas magic. Or possibly a sign.

[Shadowcaller]

[Snack Attack]

Yep, this was just as disappointing as Libra had imagined it to be. She even had the gall to call others lamers when she was the lamee!
Stupid kids, they could never be relied upon. Yet here she was surrounded by them. Why couldn't they all be smart and reliable like Skye?

Unless...
Now that would be nasty.
But then again, this chick was immortal or something wasn't she? So it would be fine.
Besides, she went to a school for heroes. She could probably get credit for this.
So it would be a perfect way to teach her a, uh-

...

Hold on, why was she doing all this again?
Mary' Had a Little Lamb Big Bust had refused her help and then she figured she should be punished for that? Libra was pretty sure there was some kind of lesson in it somewhere but she couldn't figure out what it had been. Something about the thankmas spirit? One about not being a stuck-up rich person maybe?

Yeah, she was a princess so she probably deserved it at least a little bit. But in case she really did it maybe she frame this more as a quest. Like one of those coming-of-age rituals. If she came through Libra would give her a reward, or invent someone to give her one so this wouldn't be traced back to her.

Yes, this made perfect sense now. She was really helping Unvirgin Mary by doing this.

And she was so welcome.

And with that Libra works her magic and Khannie and Belle can only watch as Mary suddenly disappears in a flash of light.

[Rebonack]

[Snack Attack]

Whoop.

Mary just vanished.

That gets an immediate reaction out of Bella.

"Wait, what happened?!" Bella exclaims

Khannie, meanwhile, gives the space Libra was in a VERY serious expression. "Yeah, that's making my teeth itch. That weird star thingy just poofed Mary I bet. Imma go find Sekhmet."

And then!

She sets off to do exactly that.

[[brackets lover]]

[Snack Attack]

Asami's zoomies happen to wear off at this time, leaving her panting and confused as a trace of immense magical power up and vanishes. "Huh!?" Asami exclaims, bewildered.

She now rushes to the scene of Mary's disappearance and stands tense in front of her former position. She arrives just in time to see Khannie setting off and reaches out towards them. "Ah, wait! ...Er, I mean, hurry back!"

Asami takes another look at Mary's location, furrowing her eyebrows seriously. Asami's spiritual sense was acute, so if there was any essence of Mary left it would be detected. Otherwise, Asami grits her teeth and takes on a stern attitude. First off, she calls out to Brinika, "Brin-chan, I sense danger. Go back to Cheasadh and the others." Asami also gives a brief nod to Bella and warns, "May not be safe here for you either."

Finally, Asami's eyes glow golden and in an instant, a wave of light surges forth and limns the presence of anything magical as well as dispelling darkness and illusions.

[Lounging About]

"Haha, yeah, rich and powerful are usually mutually exclusive with agreeable, kupo."

He chuckles a bit, picking out a handful of kupo nuts to chew on while listening to Hiep's response.

[Shadowcaller]

[Snack Attack]

Whatever presence Libra still had here it disappeared the same moment Mary did.
However, that's not to say she isn't watching them still but that isn't detected by any sort of senses. Imagine it more as a pair of binoculars watching them from afar than any nearby scrying sensors. Though such senses might still give them a whiff. Much like the feeling of being observed without actually knowing why.

But they can't directly see anyone watching them or who that person or being is.

There are no magical traces of Mary either though there might be less mystical ways of finding her location. Such as giving her a call or trying to track her phone down. If there's any reception in the areas she's in of course but who knows how her cellphone works? It might not even need such things.