005 - You Are Invited

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You Are Invited December Gift Exchange ▲ New Imprints ▼ Comments Invitation
Only some of the people received a personal gift, but another oddity makes an appearance at around the same time. Each and every person in the world will find a plain letter in their vicinity - if they choose to ignore it, it will reappear continuously until they finally peek inside. Within is a simple handwritten message.

You are invited
When: 6 hours
Where: Galleria del Funghi, Messiah
Trains are running
Thank you

Curiously, the handwriting appears to be your own.

As promised, the trains are running smoothly thanks to a distant, rumbling storm. Should you choose to follow the letter's instructions, you're likely to meet someone else along the way.

Celebration
Exactly six hours after the letter's initial appearance, a party materializes in the lobby of the Galleria. A party for what, you might ask? It's not entirely clear. A banner hangs over the entrance that reads “You are invited” in large, fanciful letters, but nothing else indicates what the celebration is for.

The decorations in the lobby match the Galleria's usual flair, featuring brightly colored roses and the odd mushroom tied with a bow. Soft piano music fills the room, imitating songs that people may have heard or played before, though the exact source of it cannot be found. The main floor has been left open for dancing and mingling, and several round tables and chairs have been arranged on one side of the room. The other side is lined with a large buffet table.

The buffet is stocked with a large variety of snacks that vary from fancy high-end dishes to packaged foods you might find in a convenience store, all displayed proudly on tiers of extravagant platters. There are several platters filled with nothing but raw mushrooms, and a few that don't have food on them at all - it seems the world still gets confused sometimes when trying to figure out what is and isn't food. Regardless, it's still safe to sample the platters of rocks, batteries, or the punch bowl filled with lava. Drinks are also available in both shared punch bowls as well as individual cans and bottles, stacked neatly beside the buffet area.

There doesn't seem to be a specific end time for the party, but the music will keep playing and the food will keep mysterious restocking until the last party-goer decides to leave. Afterwards, the entire setup will vanish as quickly as it had appeared, leaving no trace behind but a neatly folded banner on the floor.

Precipitation
While the party is still in full swing, another change has started to happen in the world - snow, a concept that was once isolated to only the high peaks of Mount Silver, has finally realized it can be anywhere. The world may be a touch overeager to prove itself.

What starts as a delicate sprinkle of snowflakes quickly turns into a full-fledged blizzard, leaving every inch of the world coated in a thick blanket of snow and ice. Fortunately for those who attended the party, the roof of Messiah's exterior provides some cover from the elements, though it doesn't take long for the constant trickle of seawater to turn into a layer of ice across the entire city. It at least makes for a fun impromptu skating rink, if you're careful to mind the railings and stairs.

Unfortunately, the ice has also frozen the half-submerged train station into a solid block, so you may have no choice but to wait out the storm. Those who left early or chose to skip the party may also find themselves caught in the frightful weather. Best to bundle up somewhere safe and warm - and bring someone else for company!

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code bases by tricklet

Comments

[psychokinesia]

[Add continues to wheeze and struggle, gripping a nearby table with his other hand to try and keep himself steady. He might even be tearing up a little, his face starting to go blue from the oxygen deprivation. Dynamo is whirling next to him in a panic. This is it. After everything he's been through—the destruction of his family home, escaping from slavery, living on the road fighting monsters just to get by, going up against the might of demon lords and gods alike—the last heir of the Grenore family will die in the most tragic of accidents, choking to death on his own poor life choices.

As his life flashes before his eyes, and just as Izumi brings the cup of lava to his lips... he stops choking.

Not because he can breathe again, but because he... is fine, actually? But like, in a weird way. He stares in blank confusion for a moment, blocking the cup with a raised hand.

... and then he very calmly takes the cup from Izumi and drinks the stupid battery down.

Anyway,]

What the fuck.