TDM 012

[etrayamods]

Event Summary

Genre: Comedy/Romance

Premise: A horse-loving bot has devised a way to transform people to have horse features in order to participate in horse-themed activities and engage in speed-dating.

Tone: Lighthearted, silly, absurd

Objectives: Go to the Fairgrounds either transformed or not and have five dates.

❬ ARRIVAL ❭

Arrival has gone as expected. Newcomers awaken in a sterile hospital bed in a clean, white room to the hum of machines under the unnatural lighting common to well-kept institutions.

The door swings open, revealing a hallway that stretches out ahead of them adorned with photographs of romantic scenery in snowy weather. There’s commotion from outside, but the lobby has a welcome table with treats and refreshments. Today, there are oat cookies, carrot cake, apple cider, and a bowl of sugar cubes.

Helpful companion bots also await at the welcome table to distribute bouquets of flowers to newcomers.

❬ LOVE IS A HORSE ❭

It starts slowly. If you are somewhere less central, you might not even notice it at all until it’s taken over Etraya. They look like love letters, handwritten on pretty, perfumed paper and stamped with wax seals. They are not for any particular recipient, but they espouse love for horses. There’s drawings, facts, copies from books, poems.

Soon, bills are posted around town advertising a wondrous machine purported to bring you closer to love in this romantic season.

A bot is stationed directly outside the hospital next to this purported machine. He introduces himself as Ser Equus Esquire the Third and is dressed in excellent quality riding gear. A banner above the machine calls it “The Love Finder”.

”Any who step inside shall soon learn the true meaning of love!” reads the sign board beside it.

On it is a dial and a switch. The dial is labeled, but covered with a bit of tape and maxes out at 100. The switch is unlabeled, but it’s clear enough that this executes the desired level of whatever the dial is set to.

Should you step inside, the dial will be adjusted and the switch will be flipped. The machine will transform the target into a horse or horse hybrid, and transport them to festival grounds.

Note: How horselike you are can vary greatly. Everything from simple Umamusume ears and tail to centaur to full on horse— Or something awful and in between is fully acceptable. To access the event, it is not necessary to step into the Horsifier Machine. You can simply find the fair grounds on your own.

❬ HORSIN’ AROUND ❭

Whether you are transported there or find your way by yourself, a sprawling, elegant backdrop is here to meet you. In front of the wintered Louvre, the grounds stretch out to give plenty of room to roam and explore. There are tents set up with dressing rooms for an outfit change. It’s all finery and frock, regency era costuming befitting of the mood. There’s food in stalls, all served as dainty bites on toothpicks or in little paper wrappers to mind potential mess. Overall, it looks like a medium-budget Brigerton themed county fair.

Activities and trials have been laid out to help Etrayans understand the true meaning of love. Ser Equus Esquire the Third would like you to complete three activities to prove that you have fully explored the ways that horses can teach us to love.

It is not strictly enforced who does what part of each task, though someone with no horselike qualities may find it more difficult to pull a carriage or carry someone attempting to do archery.

Activities

• Carriage Rides - Take a jaunt through the park with your companion leading the way. Love is about trusting another to lead sometimes.
• Brushing and Braiding - With an assortment of materials to assist, fancy up your partner! Love is helping others look and feel their best.
• Racing - Push yourself to your limits! Love requires focus and dedication.
• Horseback Archery - Hit targets while galloping on horseback (or in horsearms). Love is working together for goals that cannot be accomplished alone!
• Trail Riding - Explore the less trodden paths together in the woods. Love is about discovery and adaptation.
• Dancing - Either mounted or astride, teach or practice moves together. Love is about being able to move in tandem.
• Saddling & Dress Up - Get fitted for a saddle or find some new clothes to match your partner. Love is finding what fits!
• Barrel Racing - Run in clovers around placed barrels. Love is coordinating and avoiding hazards together.
• Jumping - Run and jump hurdles of various heights. Love is about carrying one another sometimes!
• Desensitizing - Use all sorts of objects to help desensitize your partner! Love is about being able to stay calm when things get tough.
• Feed and Treating - Share treats with your partner. Love is about nourishing one another!

But all of this is the backdrop for…

❬ OFF TO THE RACES ❭

Speed play dates! Once you are dressed and fed, you will be presented with a stack of Speed Dating Cards. Turn in three of them to prove you have understood what this was all trying to impart upon you, and Ser Equus Esquire the 3rd will allow you to change back— If you like. You are welcome to stay like this for the duration of the event.

Speed dating cards have a suggested topic at the top ranging from everything as simple as “Colors” to “Ideal Date” to some truly strange ones like “Warcrimes of Insects”.

Otherwise, they expect you to rate your companion like so:

🐎 Make My Heart Race 💘

My Date With Cidolfus

Activity: Swan boats

Topic: Carrot-based foods

Green Flags:
✅ Dad
✅ Good at flirting
✅ Amano design inspo

Red Flags:
🚩 Not over his celibate bro
🚩 Maybe not actually a dad?

Equinity

❤️❤️❤️❤️🩶

Manners

❤️❤️🩶🩶🩶

Humor

❤️❤️❤️🩶🩶

Chemistry

❤️❤️❤️❤️🩶

Conversation

❤️❤️❤️🩶🩶

Overall Rating
❤️❤️❤️🩶🩶

The code for this can be found below and edited to your liking if you wish to make in-character date reviews. Please feel free to change any particular rated stat to suit your preferences!

<!--- START NOTE ---><lj-raw><div style="width:70%;padding:25px;"><div style="background: url(https://etrayamods.dreamwidth.org/file/86245.jpg);background-size:80%;width:75%;padding:25px;"><div style="background-color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.65);padding:15px 15px 5px 15px;font-family:Garamound,Georgia,serif;text-align:left;"><center>🐎<span style="font-family:serif;font-size:18px;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:2px;"> Make My Heart Race</span> 💘</center> <div style="padding:5px 0px 25px 0px;width:100%;text-align:center;"><span style="font-family:Garamound,Georgia,serif;font-size:12px;letter-spacing:3px;text-transform:uppercase;">My Date With <U>!CHARACTER NAME</U></span></div> <div><div style="width:50%;float:left;display:inline;"><B>Activity:</B> !ACTIVITY HERE</div><div style="width:50%;float:right;display:inline;"><B>Topic:</B> !TOPIC HERE</div> <div style="clear:both;padding-top:15px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;"><B>Green Flags:</B></lj-raw> ✅ !GREEN FLAGS HERE<lj-raw></div> <div style="width:50%;padding-top:15px;float:right;display:inline;"><B>Red Flags:</B></lj-raw> 🚩 !RED FLAGS HERE<lj-raw></div></div> <div style="padding-top:25px;clear:both;"><div style="text-align:right;padding-right:5px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;">Equinity</div><div style="padding-left:5px;width:50%;float:right;display:inline;">❤️🩶</div> <div style="text-align:right;padding-right:5px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;">Manners</div><div style="padding-left:5px;width:50%;float:right;display:inline;">❤️🩶</div> <div style="text-align:right;padding-right:5px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;">Humor</div><div style="padding-left:5px;width:50%;float:right;display:inline;">❤️🩶</div> <div style="text-align:right;padding-right:5px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;">Chemistry</div><div style="padding-left:5px;width:50%;float:right;display:inline;">❤️🩶</div> <div style="text-align:right;padding-right:5px;width:50%;float:left;display:inline;">Conversation</div><div style="padding-left:5px;width:50%;float:right;display:inline;">❤️🩶</div></div> <div style="clear:both;text-align:center;width:100%;padding:25px;"><span style="font-family:serif;font-size:14px;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;letter-spacing:2px;">Overall Rating</span><br> ❤️🩶</div></div></div></div></lj-raw><!--- END NOTE --->

🔵FULL NAVIGATION🔵

Comments

Mod Questions Here

[etrayamods]

Any questions, concerns, or comments? Leave them here!

[sweetmilk]

so, uh, can the horse still be part (or mostly) machine?

[threadmage]

Instead of a flesh horse can it be a carousel horse style?

[andreadallover]

what if you are already part horse?

[bacalarius]

If someone is particularly stupid curious about the inner workings of the machine, would anything happen if they poke at it? Walk through it more than once? Ask questions?

Keyleth l The Legend of Vox Machina

[aershari]

Arrival:

[She is sure she last recalls leaving with Vax, heading to continue her Aramente. So Keyleth is rather confused when she wakes up in hospital and all. Wonders about him, what the commotion outside is. She shifts, swinging her legs over the side of the bed and glancing around at the strange machines and all. It's evident this is some sort of medical facility, but it isn't like anything she has seen back home. She chats to Aurora a little, wondering and curious about the robot.]

W-what? Me? Oh, no. No, no, there's definitely some mistake. You don't want me to be responsible for this? I mean. Surely Grog and Pike or Vex, Vax would be better for this?

[This is fine? Just. Kinda inwardly panicking. Not that she hasn't been responsible for saving the Kingdom of Emon and such back home, but. Well. This was a whole other thing. Plus, she had her friends.

Eventually, she might calm down some to leave the room and start to venture out, figure things out more. Get her bearings. She can't say no to some food, and smiles when the companion bots give her flowers.]

Oh. Thank you?

Love is a Horse:

The true meaning of love?

[Why does this have her both curious and suspicious? Like something Scanlan might try? Keyleth is unsure what to make of this, especially when parts seem to be covered with tape. She makes a face, hesitant as she decides to initially just watch, observe and see what happens. There's a panic and instant suspicion when the people who take him up on this seem to disappear. She's aware of the likes of teleporting, but she just wants to make sure they are alright.]

Wh -- where did they go?! What did you do to them?!

Horsin' Around:

[Keyleth is not unused to transforming. It's part of her whole Druid thing. A horse is not her usual choice, though. So she might initially be a little awkward about this. Self-conscious as she's only partly transformed. Her ears and tail twitch and shift with her mood as she glances around at all the activities and tries to decides where to even start.]

This is....um. I'm not sure I've seen anything like this before?

[Sure, there might have been races and the like. Shows with horses. But not that Keyleth actually experienced back home.]

Speed Dates:

D-d-dates? Oh, um, n-no, I couldn't....I mean. I'm already.....?

[She already has Vax? So she isn't sure about this 'dating' thing? Not that she doesn't want to get to know people or make friends, but. Uh. She's already with someone? And she isn't necessarily like Scanlan, who has no qualms about sleeping around with whoever. Keyleth shakes her hands in front of her, shaking her head as her face flushes rather pink.]

Wildcard:

[ooc: want something else with Keyleth? I'm probably down, just hit me up and I can roll with whatever.]

Horsin' Around:

[twin_blade]

[ She might be a horse, but somehow, Vax knows it's her. Maybe it's because he's a horse, too. A jet black stallion with long, nimble legs and a pair of large, feathered wings on his back. 'Horse' is a loose term around here, it would seem. ]

Keyleth?

[ Vax trots quickly to catch up with her. ][ He wonders if she remembers the Earth city from before or if not at all. ]

Artemy Burakh | Pathologic

[haruspicis]

I. arrival —

Hunched over at the edge of the stiff, plasticky mattress, Artemy's forearms are draped over his thighs. Sensitive to the astringent sting on the sterilized room, he sits and listens as the inside of his nose burns. It reminds him of the medical school he attended years ago, organized and impersonal, surgical steel and starchy, over-laundered cloth that stunk of bleach.

With a groan, he stands, crossing the room towards the door. There is some thrumming dread that this is another dream that he will wake from, but not before a masked bird utters a riddle he has no hope to solve. Regardless, he steps through into the long corridor, decorated warmly with photographs of unfamiliar places covered in snow. He doesn't linger long to admire any, following the sound of movement to where the hallway opens up into a lobby.

The puttering things handing out food gives him pause, but not enough to refuse something warm to eat. As he holds his hand out, he can't help but mutter, "Энэ ши юун хун гээшэбши,*" with a somewhat amused tone and he accepts the biscuit gratefully. He doesn't savor it, instead wandering around the lobby for another moment or two before gathering up another handful of whatever food is closest and wrapping it a piece of a tablecloth to take with him.

"Ah," he says, stopping short of walking into someone. His voice is thickly accented. "You first." Artemy gestures towards the door.

(( *Artemy speaks a combination of Russian and his native language. In this case, he says, in the Steppe language (think Central Asian): "What kind of person are you?" to the bots. ))

II. love is a horse —

The air outside is better than inside the hospital, brisk and sharp the way he remembers from his childhood, running around in the shadow of the Steppe until his legs gave out and his lungs burned. The chill was beginning to creep in back home, but it wouldn't have a town to enshroud if the plague reached it first.

Seeing another being, Artemy approaches with the intent to ask if there is a way back to the Town only to be interrupted with an introduction (which he returns as politely as he can manage) before he's drowned out again with some nonsense about horses and love.

"I've never seen a horse close enough to know anything about it," Artemy comments, shifting his weight off his bad knee as he leans forward, fiddling with the dial. At first, he turns it to the max and then down to nothing, and then stops somewhere towards the middle. "What do you think this is?"

III. horsin' around — pick a challenge and we can go from there!

The grounds are nicer than any he's ever stepped foot in, but suffocating. It reminds him of the city, packed with people who all had purpose. Artemy's wasn't on cobbled streets, darting between libraries and operating theaters, though he hadn't known at the time. He hadn't known until the train ride home, quiet and solemn as he left the city and its war behind.

Squinting against the bright light, he looks around and sees the booths and stalls all lined up and he walks up to one and looks more lost than he's felt in years. He laughs to himself and shakes his head, stepping slightly to the side and looking back. "I'm willing to get this over with if you are," he says. It's not really in the spirit of this whole thing, but it could be worse. He's being a lot nicer than he wanted to be.

IV. WILDCARD — dealer's choice

Feel free to also just throw anything at me, or message me at brutallyamish if you want a closed prompt, or want to do anything specific. Brackets are also cool with me, I'll match.

III (archery)

[unpollo]

Of course Apollo gravitates toward the archery range. He's always thankful for an opportunity to flex one of the skills that carried over to his mortal body; A body that is notably un-equine, as Apollo has long since learned not to trust any machine with ill-defined parameters. Especially in Etraya.

Apollo hadn't thought to bring his own bow. He's inspecting the quality of the ones provided when the stranger speaks. The low, rough voice alone is enough to bring a hint of pink to his cheeks; He'd always been a sucker for a sexy voice. Determined to look very Cool and Impressive, he turns to greet the stranger, leaning against the display rack for all of the bows.

"Sounds good. I am a pretty decent shot with these, and—"

The rack is not meant to hold the weight of a young man and starts to tip over. Apollo falters and scrambles to get it back upright and stable.

love is a horse —

[bacalarius]

"A distraction." His tone is short and to the point, as it always is when he's in the middle of deep contemplation. From behind Artemy, someone familiar stands with a gloved hand pressed to his chin, staring hard at the machine through narrowed eyes. He's clearly been studying this thing for a while. Typical. "The dial reverts back to the same point when someone steps inside. It's functionally useless." Ask him how he knows that. Or rather, don't.

Daniil is, in fact, fully aware that Artemy is here with him right now. That's the problem. He's what makes all this real. And Daniil isn't ready or willing to acknowledge that right now.

Instead, he moves to circle the machine again, completely ignoring the proprietor who eyes him with a suspicious look. It's fully warranted, of course, but it also doesn't stop Daniil, who prowls around the thing like a man possessed. "I've been through six times," he continues, which probably explains the brown horse ears that have sprouted from his hair and the matching horse tail hidden by his oversized coat. Daniil acknowledges neither. "That we are expected to simply accept this is for mere amusement is ridiculous." Is it, Daniil? Do you ever have fun?

daenerys targaryen | game of thrones | returning character

[erintys]

+ arrival

[ Still smelling of ash and smoke, her hair in disarray and her clothes covered in dust, Daenerys walks through the familiar corridor stiffly but with a quiet resolve. Her face is paler than usual, a distant look in her eyes as though she's seen something that shook her to her core. And it has. After all she's experienced, every horror she's endured, Daenerys finally looked upon a darkness she's still struggling to comprehend.

It's a long moment before she realizes she's been standing, immovable, in the middle of the lobby. Blinking, Daenerys inhales sharply, attempting — very poorly — to make herself look more presentable. She brushes off the dust still clinging to her riding leathers and picks the ash from her loosening braid. ] I don't suppose there's a mirror, [ she murmurs, casting a tired glance around the mostly barren room. It wouldn't do to go looking for her former companions here while looking like she hasn't touched a bath in months. She still smells of Drogon, and while Daenerys doesn't mind the stink of dragon, most people recoil from it.

Moving to the table for something to drink, Daenerys briefly winces and quickly attempts to cover it by walking the rest of the way stiffly. ]

+ horsin' around

[ Grateful for the fresh air, Daenerys finds herself smiling before she can stop herself, gazing out at the array of horses across the field. It's a welcome sight, if an awkward one. She's fully aware these aren't all horses, but it's difficult to shake the bittersweet sensation burning in her chest. Daenerys will always think of home when she's near horses. It's difficult not to.

But she pushes the feeling aside, focusing instead on attempting to rebraid some of her hair. It's a task in and of itself, the braid long and heavy and tangled from flying for several hours. ] Do you have much experience with riding? [ Daenerys asks, sensing someone approach. ] I suppose I should ask if you have experience with transformation magic. I've only heard stories. [ She continues braiding her hair poorly. Might as well get this done, even if it isn't perfect. ]

+ off to the races

[ Love is a feeling Daenerys knows well. She loves many people — even people she's never met — but that doesn't mean romantic love is something she believes she's capable of. It seems a distant dream, one she might have entertained as a little girl. And if I look back, I am lost, Daenerys reminds herself, clutching the dating cards a bit more tightly than strictly necessary. Like weapons, each one, though she's determined to turn it toward a useful purpose. ]

Did you wish to be free of this form? [ she asks the first horse she approaches. It's possible this is, in fact, just a horse, but Daenerys is at least able to find the humor in such a mistake. It would be her luck to engage in a sham romance with one of her favorite creatures rather than a human. ] I promise to give you an excellent recommendation. [ She raises the cards to indicate her intentions, offering a small, amused smirk. Impish, this one. At least when the mood strikes. ]

+ wildcard

[ ooc: Happy to roll with whatever! Feel free to poke me at mycroftier for plotting. 🫶 ]

off to the races;

[sweetmilk]

[ Curiosity had gotten the better of sense and Viktor regrets indulging it when he's emerged from that machine with augmentations he did not appreciate. The ears were... fixable, with the right tools and time, neither of which he had at the moment. In all honesty, it was about time he did replace them, too, but the ridiculous, horse-like ears were the furthest from his concerns when his entire lower half is bent awkwardly to look like the haunches of a horse standing upright. His balance is nearly nonexistent, which has, for the most part, forced him to lurk on the edges.

Viktor prepares to wave off the person approaching when the voice catches him off guard. He doesn't look right away. In fact, he refuses. It doesn't last long and he turns, wobbling slightly on strange joints, and just stares at her through the mask. After a long few seconds, he takes the mask off. The ears flatten back against his head. ]

How excellent a recommendation?

[ Because it's easier to joke than to admit he's pleased, or whatever it is he's experiencing at the moment. ]

arrival;

[haruspicis]

[ That look is one Artemy is too familiar with, a haunted kind of focus, and as nagging as ringing ears. Artemy's treated it, as well as something like that could be treated, patched them up and sent them out with rifles in their hands and ghosts in their eyes, these men, lost in things they've all seen and nowhere to go to escape it.

From where he's hovering around the table arranged with various cakes and biscuits, he watches out of the corners of his eyes. The scent of ash, blood, and smoke clings to her and something else, earthy, warm, and primal. It's not like anything he's smelled before.

Walking up, he hands her a biscuit wrapped in a napkin. ] What did you see?

horsin' around

[phirouzeh]

Oh, I do, la--erm. Daenerys. I'm not certain if I've the advantage of you. If I do, pray forgive me!

[Ranvir would pause awkwardly anyway; if he knew her name and she did not know him, well. It would be uncomfortable, to say the least. It is still a bit uncomfortable because the last time he saw her, he was a bit less of a horse's ass than he happens to be at this moment. He stamps a rear hoof nervously and sidles a bit; he's given her a decent amount of space. He knows horses well enough that if he's nervous, he might spook inadvertently, and that would be a bad thing all around. More for her than for him.]

And yes, I've experience with transformation magic. Save usually, I'm the one in control of that; this is...a bit new. I hope it wears off, or I can coax it back to normal.

Well. As normal as I ever am. [Ranvir chuckles there, a bit dryly. Even as a centaur, he is a big boy, built more like the storied coursers than any beast better known in the modern day.] Though I am glad you remain unfamiliar with transformation magic. It's certainly startling when you aren't expecting it, to say the least.

arrival.

[littlestderolo]

Cassandra has only one of her cats with her this day; the little spotted orange-red thing with blue-green eyes that lives on her shoulders given half a chance that she’s taken to calling Avandra. She tends to spend her days out of the way, or exploring. Climbing to the top of something tall and staying there for ages.

But sometimes she drifts through the lobby, in the hopes that a familiar face will be there. Not from the world she’d once called home, but those who had been here and gone. Those that she’d come to call friends.

She tries not to hope, but there’s a part of her (a part that she’d long thought dead) that does anyway.

Cassandra’s not close enough to hear Daenerys ask about a mirror, but she cannot miss the wince, the way she moves. Stiffly, as though she’s suffered some hurt before her arrival. (And oh, how she understands that all too well.) So she covers the distance between them quickly.

“Are you all right?”

Edwina Sharma | Bridgerton (+Duplicity CRAU)

[hashtagwifegoals]

Arrival;

If she were going to rank her experiences with waking up in strange places in strange beds she doesn't recognize, Edwina would certainly place this most recent time at the top of the list. The woman's appearance is met with polite confusion- after all, it's just a bit concerning to h ear that this woman has been waiting for her to wake up.

The explanation that follows doesn't do much to ease that confusion, either. Aurora had kindly taken the time to elaborate, and yet, Edwina is no closer to discovering the nature of this place than she had been a few minutes earlier.

Either way, lingering in the room she'd woken up in isn't an option. And so, Edwina squares her shoulders before stepping out into the hallway. The artwork is charming, and she takes a moment to admire it as she makes her way outside. The refreshments table is an immediate draw- Edwina helps herself to a cup of apple cider, and then steps off to the side, and thus out of the way, as she turns to take in her surroundings.

Horsin' Around;

Following the events of her aborted marriage- and her subsequent time in the city- Edwina has done a fair amount of thinking about the nature of love, and the way she feels about it. She'd seen the sign proposing that people would learn the true meaning of love, and walked away from it.

In the end, she finds her way to the Louvre all on her own and is immediately taken aback by the beauty of the scene stretching out in front of her. Most surprisingly is the familiarity of it all. The tents, the costuming, the food stalls... everything comes together to remind her of home. Or rather, of Mayfair.

The purpose of this event is explained to her by a kind soul, and it sounds simple and straightforward enough. Completing three activities should be amusing enough. Edwina is eager to get started.

To that end, she puts on her best smile and turns toward the nearest person. "Pardon me. I'm a bit overwhelmed and unsure of where to begin."

Off to the Races;

The stack of cards and their accompanying explanation leave Edwina feeling somewhat amused. She is technically free to go on as many dates as she wishes, and yet, the notion of doing so and then following them up by rating the other person is an interesting one.

In the spirit of cooperation and adventure, she'll greet anyone who approaches her with a kind smile and a curtsy.

Wildcard;

Feel free to hit me with something else- inform Edwina of the machine, convince her to walk all the way back and go through it. Run into her while she's looking around. The sky's the limit. I'll match either format, so follow your heart. You can also poke me on discord or plurk @ cornyflake for plotting!

Horsin' Around;

[littlestderolo]

Cassandra had also noticed the sign proclaiming that to step inside would let them learn the true meaning of love and avoided it entirely. She’s fourteen (fifteen, she keeps forgetting that she’s fifteen now. Probably. Depending on how time runs, here), and has no desire to learn anything of it. But mostly she tries to avoid strange machines purporting to DO THINGS of any kind. So she’s also found her way to the Louvre by foot.

And once she’s had the machine she’d so easily bypassed explained to her as well as the event itself, she’s very much relieved that she’d avoided stepping into it. She has no desire to be any part horse. (She’s barely beginning to be all right being any part herself.)

Despite it all, it is beautiful. (She tries not to think about what it means that she’d rather be here, despite being kidnapped and despite forever being suspicious of this whole endeavour.)

It’s not until someone turns to her and says something that she comes back to herself, turning her attention entirely to the other woman with a friendly smile, tucking a white-streaked dark curl behind her ear. “It can be quite a lot. I’m glad to help, though.”

Darryl Van Horne | Eastwick (2009)

[screwme]

→ Arrival

[ The whole premise is very interesting. It seems like an obvious lie, but still, it is a fun lie so Darryl approves. All lying should be fun as far as he's concerned.

As he steps out into the hallway he walks directly towards the cider, if he has to go through whatever this is he'll be doing his best not to do it sober. Honestly, what would he even do if the whole thing were true? He's no champion.

As he pours himself a glass, he turns to the nearest person. ]

Cider? I think it's cider. Odd, isn't it? New world yet they offer cider, they could've at least bothered with a decent wine. Or a mimosa. What time is it? Surely it is early enough for mimosas.

→ Love is a horse

[ Darryl skips the horsifier altogether; he can't imagine any horsiness making things better for him, admittedly the whole situation is almost too bizarre for him to find any enjoyment in it, which is upsetting in a new way, he's almost never too wigged out to enjoy novelty.

In any case, no horsification for him, growing a horse tail would push him into not having any fun. Plus, in a situation where there are mounts he'd much rather be a rider.

As he walks into the event, he approaches the largest group he can spot. ]

Is anyone looking for a partner?

[ Maybe if he engages in good faith he'll enjoy this. He's never been shy, so he'll spend the day approaching people and offering a dance or a treat, hell even the whole carriage thing if anyone shows any interest. ]

→ Speed-dating

[ He can think of worse things to do than chat with people. He's not sure of how much he cares for this whole farce yet, and seeing how other people feel about it will probably help him make up his mind.

He leans over across the table towards his assigned partner, conspiratorial. ]

If we get a good grade on speed-dating, are our universes saved?

[ He makes no attempt to hide his incredulity about the whole thing. Sure, we're the chosen ones here to save our worlds, that's believable. ]

((This is fullofmystery voice-testing yet another normal and current character, info on his journal. I'm open to anything, pls bring in chaos.))

Wally West | Absolute Flash (DC)

[wattage]

arrival

[ He sees it.

For a split second, he sees it.

The hospital bed.

For a split second he sees himself. In the bed. He looks dead under the harsh glow of the lights.

It's real. But it's not, because it's not now. It's twenty minutes and 42 seconds ago. It feels like he's vibrating out of his skin and he doesn't know how to make it stop. The machine hums and it echoes a thousand times and it feels like it makes his teeth chatter. Wally has to put his hands over his ears to try, to block it out.

Then the him in the bed opens his eyes, bolts upright and for a split second, their gazes meet. He's terrified. So he runs. Runs past the food and the bots and out into Etraya proper, hands over his ears.

Make it stop make it stop make it stop. Make it--]

STOP.

[ He yells it like the world will stop on command. Like the sharp bursts of electricity he can feel gathering inside of him will dissipate and not shoot in every direction. ]

Don't come any closer.

[ But please do because he needs a moment of connection. He feels so alone out here. ]

Horsin' Around

[ Wally doesn't want to run. But he needs to. He can't sit still and that's the worst part. His thoughts race and his heart races and he feels like he'll explode if he stays in one place for too long.

So when he sees the runners lining up, he takes a breath and trots over, so he can line up with them and offers the person he's standing next to a sheepish grin. ]

Hope you don't mind if I join.

[ Even if he's not really dressed for the part. He didn't know you had to be a horse. But he's pretty fast now so he's pretty sure he can win this. ]

wildcard

[ It's a me, kia. Got a prompt you want to try? Hit me up. I'm in the game server or you can add me on plurk @ tapsters. PMs are also fine. ]

arrival.

[solarson]

( being back on etraya after the last mission has jon feeling all sorts of ways and that's exactly why he's out and about on his own right now. it's an attempt to try and clear his head — not let his thoughts linger too long on that other world and the universe they'd left behind. he's so caught up in his own thoughts as he gently drifts through the sky that he almost doesn't catch the sudden outburst from... someone.

without so much as a second thought, he's floating his way down, looking concerned for this guy here. )

Whoa! Hey. Are you ok?

daniil dankovsky | pathologic | new character

[bacalarius]

+ arrival

cw for vague mention of depression

[ Among all the new arrivals, one in particular seems to have become a fixture in the hospital waiting area. He's a short man dressed immaculately in a leather coat and matching gloves, and he hasn't moved from the seat he claimed for at least a full hour. Everything feels heavy, each attempt to summon a thought exhausting any ounce of energy he has left. So he's temporarily relegated to background decoration as he struggles to dig himself out of a melancholic haze, wondering, not for the first time, whether this is another hallucination.

Eventually, he senses someone approach. Daniil doesn't immediately react, though he wants to — maddeningly, his body refuses to respond — and it takes a full minute before he can. Or is it only a few seconds? Daniil can't tell. ]

Cigarette. [ No. That isn't what he wants. Clicking his tongue in annoyance, Daniil tries again, clearly struggling. ] Coffee. [ Better, even if it isn't a polite request. ]

+ love is a horse

[ Daniil is currently making a scene. This is predictable for anyone in his acquaintance, a known character flaw for the self-made man of science with a penchant for obsessive fixations and a stubborn curiosity that knows no bounds. He's been grilling a very harassed-looking Ser Equus Esquire the Third about the nature of his machine, and when that only offered less-than-helpful horse facts, Daniil grew restless and decided to conduct his own experiments.

Unfortunately for everyone within the immediate vicinity, this is now everyone's problem. ]

You there — [ Ah yes, you've been spotted. Run. ] Yes, you. Come here. I want to test a theory. [ Daniil speaks with a thick Russian accent, his voice clipped and impatient, as though he's used to being dismissed and attempting to overcompensate for that. ]

+ off to the races

[ Rifling through the stack of cards, one might assume they somehow offend Daniil by the look of frustration on his face. His dark brown horse ears, which are pressing flat against his head, only add to the comical expression. ] What on Earth are the point of these? [ He's muttering to himself, which is never a good sign.

Truthfully, though, Daniil is just completely lost. He's never been a very social person — in fact, he spent more time in his lab studying than anything else, save for one or two minor infractions — so the concept of "speed dating," even in jest, is utterly foreign to him.

After a long moment, Daniil glances around with what he hopes is an inconspicuous look (it isn't), attempting to observe what other people are doing with their cards. Some brilliant men are spectacularly stupid sometimes. So it goes. ]

+ wildcard

[ ooc: Happy to roll with whatever! Feel free to poke me at mycroftier for plotting. 🫶 ]

love is a horse—

[sweetmilk]

[ A similarly accented voice answers. ]

A theory.

[ Behind his mask, Viktor's eyebrow arches. It's a private expression, but the fixed stare speaks for itself. The machine had interested him, too, and the reason he's still within earshot of the bot and his seemingly endless equine facts of indeterminable veracity. Viktor, admittedly, never cared for nor was interested in horses, and he can't say his opinion on the matter has changed in the last forty-five minutes.

Assessing the man, Viktor recognizes that bracing ferocity and he responds to it. ]

Tell me about this theory. I have a few of my own.

Shiraki Mayuko|Fruits Basket (CRAU)|current character

[welcome_summer]

Love is a Horse

[All of the fancy notes left everywhere all over Etraya should have tipped Mayuko off that there was something brewing. Like so many Etrayans, however, she's distracted by thoughts of the world they had left to its fate. So much done, and yet not enough to save it. It's with a cynical eye that she sees the outlandish claim on the machine--"the face of true love"? What is there going to be, a mirror inside? Still, she feels inclined on this occasion to "be a good sport". What harm could it do?

Famous last words.

In a few moments after stepping into the machine, a very purple not-so-little pony pops into view at the festival. She swings her head around to get a bearing on where she got transported to, and spots her flank. With a mark familiar to her on it.]

No... no no no, once was bad enough!

[She stomps all of her hooves in succession, red aura flaring with temper. She's so mad, she could be rolling around on the ground in pique, kicking her feet in the air. But no. She has TOO MUCH DIGNITY for that.]

My beautiful opposable thumbs, stolen again!!! Just wait until I find you, Esquire...!

[Just as quickly as it arose, the aura fades as she recommences looking around. The booths might have some clues, and there are others here as well.]

Although the real objective is finding... ourselves? Any ideas where this is?


Horsin' Around

[The one saving grace about being in a fantastical equine form? Mayuko does not have to dress up in fancy Regency-era-esque clothes. She had enough of that masquerading as a faerie, thank you very much.

That said, the activities selected for the festival do seem interesting. One can find Mayuko watching outside any one of the events, tail whisking. Whether you're looking for equine accompaniment or a competitor, she's ready to roll.]

That doesn't look too difficult! Come on, let's try it!

((OOC: Let me know which station you're interested in, they all look fun to me.))

WILDCARD:

((Yes please! Feel free to catch her trying to get into her apartment ANYWHERE wandering Etraya. If you'd like to catch her after she transforms back, or with just the horse ears/tail combo, we can go with that, too!))

[screwme]

[ Well, he's not sure what he expected but a purple throwing a tantrum was definitely not it. He laughs, helplessly amused. ]

You find yourself turned into an animal often?

[ There is some alarm mingled with the amusement. He would rather not be turned into an animal ever. ]

vash the stampede ( trigun / new character. )

[photosympathies]

oo1. arrival.

( He awakes in the hospital with a jerk, heart hammering in his throat and his thoughts a mass of confusion as the rhythmic beeping of a nearby machine mocks him into consciousness. Suddenly there are too many things vying for his attention, too many questions crowded up against a mind that had just seconds before been blissfully empty. He heaves himself from the bed without another thought, breath catching as he stumbles to the door on unsteady legs.

Where is he? What happened? Did he escape? And why can't he feel any nearby Plant? Surely in a hospital that would be needed -.

It doesn't matter, he realises he's not where he's supposed to be the minute he crashes through to the waiting area. There are smiling faces, and that's fine, but it's the flowers that catch his attention. He's only seen them in the HOME biome. Vash stills, metal fingers curling around the edge of the doorway. )

Uh. ( And then, to whoever's clutching them. ) Okay, I need a minute.

oo2. horsin' around.

( Vash the Stampede is not a horse. That's probably for the best considering he'd be turning into something he's only ever heard of in a story book. So forgive him if he's peering a little too close at any four-legged potential new friend he stumbles across. Luckily there's enough to keep him occupied. Because he's also never seen so much tiny food before, and that's got him hovering beside a stall with wide eyed appreciation behind burnt orange sunglasses. Someone moves to give him a better view and -. )

Is that fruit?

( Listen, you live on a desert planet being hunted for sport, you don't often get many opportunities for fresh produce. He doesn't know the conversion rate for double-dollars though, and he's already being semi-shimmied along the stall queue. ) I don't even think I've seen a picture of that one before, wow.

oo3. off to the races.

( He gets cornered fairly easily, which is why he's wandering around clutching the strips of paper like they're a lifeline. )

I don't really know what a 'red flag' is? Also rating people is kind of icky, right? ( To whomstever is beside him. ) I'll just put all fives down. Even if they're not ... does this mean horse-y?

oo4. wildcard

( in my rp life i have made Vash be bitten by a horse twice, who wants to be third time lucky? also hit me up with anything you'd like! if you need me I'm at qingya or discord on sadgaydna. )

Vax'ildan | Vox Machina | current character

[twin_blade]

Arrival - Outside the hospital

[ For a long time, Vax didn't expect to see anyone from home or from his world. In the last several months, however, people have come and gone, so it's with a shred of hope that he lingers around the outside of the hospital when it's evident newcomers are emerging. Across the road, he leans against a tree, looking for any familiar face or someone who might appear to be from his world. Standing there, he also appears to be a possible source of information for one who is lost.

And if someone comes out of the hospital looking distressed, Vax can't help but leave his spot and approach cautiously. ]

Hey, are you okay?

Horsin' Around (open to any activities)

[ Vax never expected to have the power of a druid, but he should've known this place had its own ways of changing people into wild shapes. When he emerged as a handsome, jet black stallion with long, nimble legs and a pair of large, feathered wings on his back, he was quite surprised. Just like all activities in this world, he knows he has to play along in order to change back, so he goes looking for someone willing to participate in some games with him.

If it's another horse he encounters, he trots over to speak with them. ]

Hey, you want to race?

[ And if it's a human who looks even reasonably capable, he walks over calmly and dips his head to greet them. ]

I don't suppose you can ride?

Speed Dating

[ Having been a horse earlier, Vax is glad to be back to normal, but he's still stuck with some speed dating cards to complete. Not like he cares if Echo is happy or not, but as people keep reminding him, this could all be true, and therefore, he might try to play along a bit.

So, he looks around. A familiar face is welcome, but he can get on with anyone. So, in an effort to give a shit, Vax approaches someone (or some horse) from behind and clears his throat. ]

So, you want to try this dating game? I've got some cards for you to choose from.

Wildcard

[ anything! ]

horsing around

[oblige]

[ Perhaps unsurprisingly, Dion had avoided the mystery contraption. Caution had ever outweighed curiosity, especially when it came to something so ambiguously introduced. Besides, he likes to think he understands the meaning of love quite well enough on his own. Love is sacrifice. It always has been so for him.

Instead he makes his way on his own, supposing that new arrivals may be here alongside fresh oddities. His stroll is a casual one, inasmuch as Dion ever manages a casual stroll solo. He still moves with the efficient strides of a military man, back straight and eyes trained on the path ahead.

That is, until a winged horse steps up to him and speaks in human tongue. Dion gawks for a moment, blinking owlishly. Horses other than Sleipnir are capable of speech...? ]

I— on chocobos, yes, but— [ His words stutter to a stop as he belatedly registers that he knows that voice. ] Vax?

Nolan Reston | OC | New Character | Returning Player

[medicalmayhem]

[OOC: Here is a link to Nolan's basic OC info, my OOC info, and permissions.]

I. Arrival

The technology was impressive, and Nolan expressed his appreciation with Aurora before he settled down to listen to the AI’s welcoming spiel.
As she laid out the situation, including the expectations now set upon his slim shoulders, his eyebrows made a slow, but steady, ascent towards the edge of his hairline.

“Are you sure you grabbed the right individual? I mean, my world is full of heroes who would be much better suited to …”

As Aurora did not seem inclined to either confirm or deny Echo’s choice, Nolan let his words fall off. He took, and released, a deep breath before nodding his head to show that he’d heard her. He wasn’t sure he’d go so far as to say he understood these events, but he suspected he wasn’t alone in that sentiment.

What was -perhaps- of more use to anyone in the immediate vicinity would be Nolan’s offer of assistance to anyone who was having a significantly harder time adjusting to their new reality.

For those who simply looked bewildered or overwhelmed, he could offer a friendly face and a calm voice:

“Hello there. Are you like me, a new arrival? It is a lot to take in, is it not?”

For those who are having a more violent reaction, Nolan will try to catch their attention while simultaneously staying respectfully out of their space.

“Hey, hey! Would you please consider putting that down? I understand the sentiment, but I do not believe hurling that is going to get you any answers.”


II. Horsin’ Around

Nolan had settled on a mug of apple cider before he left the building where he’d arrived. He didn’t rush around as it seemed a better use of his time to go slow, make observations, and listen to the people milling about.

His wandering had naturally taken (or was it kept?) him near the hospital where he eventually came across Ser Equus Esquire the Third and his machine.

Nolan had eyed the banner above the machine, blinked twice, then smiled to Ser Equus and politely declined the invitation to ’learn the true meaning of love’.

He eventually found his way to the festival grounds, and for want of anything better to do, Nolan had decided to explore. The theme was actually quite delightful, even if Nolan was feeling a bit bemused by the various states of … horsiness … he saw on display.

Nolan picked up a couple of interesting looking treats laid out in the food stalls. He heard something, from someone, about horses teaching us to love, but his expression was set to ’dubious at best’.

Yet there were a few instances (Brushing and Braiding, Desensitizing, Feed and Treating) where, if he came upon an individual who seemed to be without a partner, he would offer:

“Would you like help with that?”


III. Off to the Races!

Nolan had a handful of cards and an incredibly unimpressed expression on his face.

“Someone is in for a world of disappointment.”

IV. WildCard!

[OOC: Please feel free to hit me up with something outside these prompts! I love surprises!! You can also hit me up in DMs in this journal, or on my plurk laekhund. DMs will be faster, because I have to try to remember my Plurk password. ]

Arrival 👀 heyyyy

[levelshift]

Accelerator is in the hospital today, though it isn't to raid the snack table or to stock up on medical supplies. In one hand is his usual crutch, and in his other one is a normal-looking deck of cards. He's paused in a hall to eye the new decor suspiciously, before glancing over at... who is this? Another newbie? He scowls.

"I'm not new, these shitty decorations are just different than normal," he replies, blunt as ever. Guess who isn't a fan of romantic holidays? This guy! And he decides to be a little helpful, in his own asshole teen away, so he adds, "If you're new the faster you can get used to everything the better. Etraya's a lot better than some of the other places you could've ended up."

Alex Summers }} Havok }} XMCU

[destroyedstatues]

ARRIVAL

[It's not the first time Alex has woken up in a sterile environment like this, but he does wish it would stop happening. After Cuba, he'd planned to return to the school with the professor and the others, but something weird has clearly happened.

Again.

The introduction doesn't make any sense to him, but his uniform is damaged, which means he can't use his powers without more training. He collects his things and resolves to first get a shirt to replace his ruined uniform.]


LOVE IS A HORSE

[Only after Alex has a place to change into a plain shirt and jeans does he start to realize there's more than weird going on here. There's letters everywhere and he follows the trail reluctantly to the odd love meter. He shakes his head and steps back. There is no universe in which he cares about the true meaning of love and doesn't need a machine to get into his head about it either.]

Yeah, no thanks.

[He continues to take more steps back, trying to be aware of those around him as he does so. He doesn't want to bump into anyone, but he's not that small of a guy.]



HORSIN' AROUND

[Weird turns into very weird and is now extremely weird. There's all kinds of events happening around him, places to change, but Alex approaches the faire with crossed arms and a frown. There's so many people here, he shouldn't stick around. Without the disc, he could hurt someone and that's the last thing he wants when it looks like everyone is having so much fun.

He's just turning to leave when he bumps right into someone, possibly knocking them down.

Great.]

Sorry.

[He will at least offer a hand down.]

arrival.

[redvisor]

( scott typically knows how this work when aurora or echo bring in new arrivals. it's usually the hospital they find themselves coming out of, but. not always the case. sometimes you end up arriving in the middle of a mission or something goes wrong. hasn't found a rhyme or reason for that, he just knows it sometimes happens.

being back from the last mission, he swings by the hospital to see if that's the case and when he catches sight of a blond who looks more than a little disheveled, he takes it upon himself to make his way over, hands in his pockets as he gives a quick look around. )

You ok?

Blitzø | Helluva Boss | New Player/Character

[blitzno]

I

Blah, blah, blah, arrival trauma, WHO CARES because Blitzø has found the horse love letters and he's reading them, his own pupils flashing into little hearts.

"It's like they see into my soul!" If he even has one of those. He's not really sure.

He starts collecting them, shoving them into various pockets, possibly stopping to read them aloud when he finds one that seems especially perfect.

"Oh, majestic equine, my heart is thine.. Ugh, yes!!! That's what I'm saying!!!" He clutches the paper to his chest. "My heart goes so thine when I think about horses!"

He does occasionally catch sight of one of the posters advertising the true love machine, but ha, nope, staying far away from that, thanks. Horses are the only true love he needs.

II

Eventually he finds his way to the fairgrounds, and what he sees there makes his eyes go wide and he drops all the horsey valentines he's carrying as he runs towards the actual horsey people. He wants to try all the activities--the more his partner looks like a horse, the more willing he'll be to do things that otherwise would be way too intimate for him to want to do with anyone else.

It's easiest to catch him brushing and braiding (don't worry, he's extremely experienced.... with plush horses anyway), racing, doing archery (he cheats), or engaging in saddleplay, I mean, dressing up and fitting each other for saddles.

III

Eventually, he catches on to the fact that a) not all of these people were horses to start out with and b) what exactly happened to bright them to these much improved forms, which means it's time for him to charge out of the fairgrounds and seek out the "love finder" machine.

"All right, horse me up, bitch!" he shouts as he, well, gallops towards it. (But not as much as he'll be galloping in a minute.)

Some mad science/magic/whatever later, and he's back at the fairground, now a red and white spotted horse with his usual black and white horns and the same pointy tail as usual. He prances in place, enjoying the feeling of living his fucking dreams before galloping off (for real!!) to try the activities. Again, he's down to try most anything, but he's most excited for racing and jumping. And, okay, maybe saddling and brushing too, even if it's weird letting someone else take care of him. But he's a horse, right now, not himself, so it's okay.

IV - Wildcard

[ Hit me with whatever!! I'm antivillain on plurk. Also, will match form! ]