1.0 game launch log

[gamedevs]

1.0: Game Launch

Patch Update
Maybe you’ve been getting settled in for a little while now, maybe you just arrived yesterday. Either way, a big change is coming! All Dodo residents will receive a city-wide broadcast on their phones:

> Thank you for your patience with our construction, city-goers! As our month of pride celebration has wrapped, all our streets are once again open. Hope it sets your hearts aflutter for 🤍 White Day! 🤍

The streets of Crane City have opened, and what glorious streets they are! Decorated with gently blooming white flowers, ivory streamers hung from building to building, and floating snowy balloons, everything seems to be elevated with a touch of elegance. What’s that? It’s looking a little bridal? Now you’re getting in the spirit! The city is abuzz about an upcoming celebration...

Meanwhile, Duocaeli has also become the loveliest storm. It’s a tornado of silks, a cyclone of chiffon, ribbons as far as the eye can see - that’s right, it’s time for a parade of princesses. Avis Isle is tittering with gossip, airship after airship coming to land as royalty gets to enjoy the fresh air and roguish sights of a guild town. There’s princesses from faraway lands, kingdoms large and small, excited to rest before they depart soon to their next destination—some kind of royal slumber party? rich people—and they’re so excited to be here! Some are children, others as mature as their late 300's—once a princess, always a princess.

Avisle is excited for their business too! ♥ Looks like everything’s a little more expensive around these parts (know your audience) but there’s also better service and rumors of special treatment for those of blue blood pedigree, or their staff. Why don’t you slide on in? If anything, you might want to teach your friends how to pass for royalty, lest they get mistaken for a worker!

Speaking of roleplay, it seems like there’s an abandoned chest in one of the roadways, likely fallen off a carriage in the chaos… Inside, characters will find gorgeous adornments, including lovely gowns, crowns, etc. The criers looking for royal customers ring in the back of your mind – “Princess business welcome!!” – do you do the proper thing and look for the owner of the chest, and see if you can get a reward? Or is it time for royal cosplay? (Though should you return it, and the shopkeep may ask you to wear some garments as advertisement anyway...)

Alternatively, in your plain clothes, or... most clothes, it’s easy to be mistaken for a page. Well, they’re all awfully young ladies–have a sense of humor! Don’t let it rankle you too bad... or do?

Guild business is in high demand now especially, with most specialties being sought after by a monarch-to-be for one reason or another.

♔ Crafters are highly sought after, especially those who specialize in adornments. Won’t you make them some hair ornaments that bloom just like true roses?
♔ Warriors are being asked to fulfill more bodyguard roles. You know! Just like in their romance novels…
♔ Scholars are being asked to fulfill divinations—how good are you at fortune tellings? The future of their kingdoms are prosperous, aren’t they? Aren’t they?
♔ Wanderers are being requested as tour guides and escorts. They have a higher chance of being mistaken for pages. Sorry.
♔ Menders must clean up after everyone’s messes, as usual. Stained gowns, broken hairpins, the occasional sprain of a princess fallen out of a tree (we told her not to!)—you name it.

1. Questboard

The quest board at the guild hub has been updated with the latest patch! Excited players are gathered around to collect new bounties, which are open to all. The guild hub also provides a useful bestiary, which is readily accessible by guild members via crystals.

2. Dungeon Crawl - Guild Hub Catacombs

Welcome to your first limited time domain! Princess Andalina is the belle of the ball, and the one organizing the royal slumber party... when she's suddenly attacked by robed figures in the Guild Hub! It's your job to escort her safely through some secret underground catacombs so that she might be smuggled aboard an airship and escape–though naturally, there's a catch.

Task: Escort Princess Andalina Quartzrosen Pili Majesteria the Third
Reward: Daiya, diamond jewelry of choice.



Chamber 1: Once Upon a Time...
Right in front of your eyes, the exhausted Princess suddenly transforms… into a beautiful diamond? Housed in a necklace, it seems that this icy stone is her dormant form, and is entrusted to players for safekeeping. Dungeon party members will be given roles in the first chamber: knight or princess. Knights will be in charge of defeating foes; princesses will have to wear the enchanted stone and keep it intact. If princesses are hurt, the stone will be damaged. If they're grievously injured or killed, the stone will be destroyed outright.

Additionally, knights will find themselves buffed overall and invulnerable to damage. But it's not that convenient–princesses will sustain any injuries meant for their knights. In RPG terms, princesses serve as the HP for all members of their parties.

It's imperative to keep moving to avoid the incoming assassins, though that's easier said than done: some of the hallways are incredibly narrow, there's constant forks and uneven terrain, and the darkness is thick and suffocating. It'll be easier to stay close–or maybe even get a piggyback ride? A princess carry, if you will? It's easy mana!

Chamber 2: A Sticky Situation
The catacombs are damp and stale–and of course, in their neglect, they're teeming with danger. The pitch black corridors make it easy to stumble into giant spiderwebs, which are nearly impossible to escape alone, though they can be burned or otherwise destroyed with some help. The webbing itself is weaved with magic, and will quickly drain the mana of anyone trapped within.

But where there's spiderwebs, there's bound to be… spiders! Careless knights and princesses may find themselves kidnapped and carried away by these hunters, which can attack with sharp barbs and acid that lingers on every surface. Knights are invulnerable, but can still be incapacitated by webbing–be careful!

Chamber 3: Sins of our Daughters
The light is at the end of the literal tunnel, but one obstacle remains: the young leader of the assassins who introduces herself as Nina.

Nina doesn't attack outright, instead first explaining Andalina's crimes against her kingdom, and her desire for justice. Proudful and grieving, Nina will only accept Andalina's death, but nevertheless offers the players a choice:

Destroy Andalina: By deliberately injuring a party's princess, Andalina's crystal will be destroyed, and she'll be killed. Nina will thank the party and slip away without another word, looking wearied.
Save Andalina: Protecting Andalina will cause Nina to attack, leading to a boss battle.

BOSS: Nina the Emerald
HP: 10000
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Weakness: Water, despots
Resistance: Earth

Attacks

• Crystal Cage: Summons giant, emerald shards to create walls, isolating party members.
  
• Shatter: Anything her knives touch turns temporarily into crystal, including limbs and portions of flesh. Nina will often throw these knives, though she can also be turned to stone using them. Payback's a bitch!

Nina is a talented assassin, and moreover, she's mad as hell. Basically a flurry of knives that lashes out from the dark corners of the room, she'll specifically target princesses.

Defeating her can be as "simple" as beating her in a fight before the party sustains too much damage, but there's also a large, deep lagoon in this chamber. If you can make Nina sink like a stone, the water might be enough to dispatch her permanently…

G̴̮͇̽ĺ̶̻͉̓͝i̷̜͓̙̊t̵̤̄́̏c̶̝̘̃̉̀h̶̯͓͘i̶̖͙̭͆ń̷̻̦̘g̶͐͒͜ͅ: Occasionally throughout the dungeon, including during this boss fight, the role between princesses and knights can switch without warning! Don't get too comfortable.

In the end, only one of the two girls can survive. While others may view this as just a cutscene in a game, to PCs, something about both these women feels quite real. Claim your reward, and step into the glowing portal that will teleport you back to the dungeon entrance. Players may thread any number of outcomes, but can only report one of their threads here for rewards!

OOC Notes

March's OOC Event Plotting Post is also here for your reference!

Please look forward to our next gamewide mingle for Dodo's Doki Doki White Day Auction on Friday, March 17th.

---

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Comments

[terraria]

• unconventional shield | patch update; noon

( come one, come all to see the two prettiest princesses in all the lands.

except one of them has beautiful white wings and a tall crystalline staff and - hold on! that's not a princess at all, that's aspen! with a direct comparison to the way the princesses carry themselves, aspen fits in with royalty without a second glance; he carries himself with a tipped-up chin and with the self-assured air of someone who knows their worth. it's easy to mistake him for another visiting royal, but beware: calling him a princess will not end well.

but things are a bit different when it comes to guild work. depending on his charge for the day, aspen dresses differently. with a tiny little princess, possibly only around eleven, she's insisted that she get to pick what he wears and he's ended up in a cupcake-like fluffy pink dress to match her green one. an older woman has instead happily splurged on a handsome crimson red tailcoat with gold piping, a sky-blue sash and ribbon, and tight white pants with matching boots.

no matter who it is and what he's been pushed into, it ends the exact same way: aspen dangling a would-be thief from a tangle of vines about six feet off of the air. he delicately takes the purse the thief had, handing it back to his charge. )

Perhaps think differently about pickpocketing a royal.

( such displays are not confined to the city. whenever his charge wants to look upon the fields, one can find aspen erecting pretty lattice thorn barriers to keep the low-level wolves and the like from feasting on their royal hides. )

• vogue | patch update; afternoon

( when aspen enlists the help of a kind (maybe) stranger to bring the trunk over to its shopkeeper, he does not expect his hand to be grabbed.

he does not expect to be asked to put on the garments anyway and bring in more clientele. aspen visibly hesitates, clearly torn. after all, the entire way to the shop, he'd checked the time and fussed about having an important date. yet he'd stuck to his principles - this needed to be with its owner.

and now he's asked to do more. he struggles, leafing a hand through his hair, except when he locks eyes with his partner. )

Oh! I know! What about...

My dearest most faithful friend can fill in for me for a little bit, and I'll return once I'm done with my errand? I'm willing to do as you ask, of course - but what I need to do is very time-sensitive.

( the shopkeeper seems to mull it over, just as aspen mumbles to his companion: ) I promise you I'll pay you afterward.

• rewind | chamber 3; ???

( it's a sad story.

aspen listens, but his face is difficult to read. for a man who has consistently threw himself into danger whilst using healing magic and who tore enemies apart with potent vines and needle-like thorns, he almost seems too passive. where, suddenly, is the aspen who could make a decision on a dime? the very perceptive might be able to notice that his wings keep flexing open and shut, erratic, the only signifier that aspen is even really listening.

but when silence reigns, aspen speaks. )

And what happens after that?

So you kill this princess. Who rises in her stead? She is beloved by her people. You can't expect they won't retaliate, either attacking us or the rest of your people. What happens to those who are left of you and yours? You expect everyone who survived to happily die at the hands of those who killed their brethren? Or will you kill them, and make resurgents and rebels of those people who lost their loved ones in turn?

You'll just feed the cycle. She needs to answer for her crimes, I agree... but not at your hands. That won't solve anything. It'll just cause more bloodshed, and no solution.

( and at that, he steps in front of the closest crystal-bearer, staff raised in a protective stance. )

People are capable of change and repentance, but they need to be alive to do it.

vogue

[prozaic]

I-- [shalem has the feeling that if he says yes, he's going to be abandoned and he'll never see this man again. well, unless he finds him in the other world... which shouldn't be too difficult. shalem has no problem with being dealt the short end of the stick, but he doesn't want to be taken advantage of from the get-go, and by strangers no less.

the end of his tail wraps around his companion's calf and squeezes once, before letting go. and in a very soft voice meant only for their ears.] Come back quickly, please, or I will no longer do you a favour.

[then his entire demeanour changes, the serpent stand up straight and brushing his long hair off of his shoulders. he keeps a smile on his face, gentle and welcoming, but is confident in his body language. like a model who knows his worth.]

I'll be glad to take his place. I am a Crafter, but I specialize in the performing arts. That is enough, yes?

[terraria]

( thankfully, shalem's gut feeling is wrong this time around. aspen jumps a little at feeling the tail curl (feels like a snake! he dislikes that immensely) around his leg, but he gives a short nod. )

I will. I promise.

( he puts emphasis on his words this time, trying to get across how earnest he genuinely is before he steps away. the shopkeeper seems ecstatic to get someone who knows their way around a stage - and is all too happy to stuff shalem in and out of various costumes until the perfect one is found. he keeps gushing about how perfect he looks in this and that, but it's not enough. so get out of it! and into another one.

it's a little over fifteen minutes before aspen returns, out of breath and rosy-cheeked. )

Alright! I'm back, I'm back -

Ah, I see it! If you put on this dress and pose next to him, it'll be perfect! That's what's missing - ahhh, I didn't see it earlier...

Uh, I... well...

No, no, I promise! This is the last one, this is what I need!

( shalem may have heard this ten times before. )

Well... if it's really the last one...

[prozaic]

[why are we here, just to suffer?

shalem sighs softly, but the sound veils just how ragged and stressed he feels right now. he would just like to go now, and do something else. maybe have some tea...]

It's clear that he only wants you, so please give him a chance. [and maybe they can be finally be released from this. he likes to be calm and easy-going, but... this truly is too much work for him.]

[terraria]

( aspen is not so sure about that, but he dutifully agrees, if only because he sounds exhausted. it's only when he's changed and stands beside shalem that the shopkeeper seems pleased, though he looks to his fellow captive newfound companion to give him a sympathetic smile. )

I apologize for leaving you earlier. I must take medication at a certain time daily for my condition. To make up for it, could I buy you a meal set? Or anything else. I didn't know this would be anything but a quick trip.

[prozaic]

[shalem shakes his head, but not because he's turning down the meal-- he wants something else entirely.]

Buy me tea, please. [it is a calming draught, a pick-me-up, a magic potion to make him happy.

he needs it after this horrifying adventure, because the things that this person didn't see are... something else. really, just something else. and it seems the intensity of the shopkeeper has been tempered some by shalem and his earlier work, but it's still quite intense, especially when the serpent is asked to wear "one last outfit", which makes him sigh, and start to tug off the one he's currently wearing, revealing the scales dotting his lower back and leading down to his tail.]

Apologies, but that's what you said the last time. My guild needs me too, you know?

[terraria]

( while shalem is politely refusing the shopkeeper, albeit in an understandably exasperated way, aspen begins to untie the flouncy cherry-red chemise dress he'd been asked to wear. the shopkeeper tries to push his luck again, insisting that the guild would understand a public service and blah blah blah. aspen tunes him out, waiting for shalem to be back in his usual clothes before he cuts in. )

He said no.

( aspen - more than a head shorter than shalem and much thinner, much daintier, more like a pretty winged mannequin than a living person - steps in front of him to stare at the shopkeeper, his gaze unflinching. if shalem's refusals have not curbed the shopkeeper's enthusiasm, he's going to step in. it's strange how someone so small can unleash such a huge presence on a dime, a borderline threat in his pretty smile and birdlike cant of his head. ) We'll be leaving now. Good night.

rewind

[nagano]

[ He's known. Not for their entire journay through the dungeon, and certainly not the extent, but Kaito's felt the princess' guilt seep into his psyche ever since he placed her gemstone around his neck. Whether it's guilt for her purported crimes or guilt for having been caught, he can't say.

All he knows is that the longer Nina speaks, the more he shifts until his figure is firmly behind Aspen's. All things aside, it's entertaining that he's playing princess while the winged brat knight does the majority of sweeping their enemies away. It's less entertaining to feel the painful throb of Aspen's emotions bleed through his silence. Neither of them seem keen on speaking until Nina has finished her proposition—and when the silver-haired birb speaks up, Kaito finds himself exhaling, relieved. He's used to bickering, but this is an argument he'd rather avoid.

Thankfully, they're in accord. Kaito flicks out a katana hilt and forms its watery blade with a quiet incantation. ]

You've heard our stance. Please consider laying down your blades and allowing us passage. We can't guarantee justice, but we can at least end this cycle of bloodshed before it c—

[ Crrrrrrack!

Kaito's tail snaps like a whip as he swings high to deflect an incoming knife. His liquid blade crystallizes... but quickly melts back into water. The dragonling frowns and taps Aspen's shoulder. ]

I know this is a video game, but I still don't feel great about a fight to the death. If only these stories would give us broader options to advance the plot...

[ A beat. Kaito's gaze hardens as thick fog begins to spill from his lips. ]

Ready?

[terraria]

( aspen lets out a soft "tch", a noise that seems wholly unlike him. but then - the weight of his words probably ring strange too, he figures. he takes care to manufacture his outward appearance and mannerisms a certain way; like an airhead, like an eccentric, excitable young man who doesn't really have anything on the mind. petty and superficial.

still clad in his red waistcoat attire from earlier, aspen watches like a hawk and analyzes. it's because of that strange patience that when the knife comes, he inclines his head out of the way. )

I don't want to fight to the death either. Normally I would find another option, but it doesn't seem like that's available to us.

( he breathes in slowly and stamps the end of his staff onto the floor. the sound seems to echo and prickle the air itself, enveloping kaito in what is - by now - probably a familiar healing aura. )

Ready.

( undirected thoughts and emotions fasten to a single point: determination and grit. aspen is quick to cast, feathered wings spreading as ropes of vines twist and shoot to the would-be assassin, intent on snagging onto an arm to stop her from launching more projectiles. )

Careful in the front!

[nagano]

[ Kaito knows a thing or two about facades. His aren't nearly as elaborate as others, but there's complexity in simplicity. Hanging back, allowing others to take the lead, whether in conversations or combat. Letting the world move around you while taking everything in.

Maybe that's why the two of them mesh well in Duocaeli. Aspen the unassuming airhead, Kaito the unassuming layabout. And when it's time to doff their masks... ]

Forgive us, then.

[ The sound of ice snapping accompanies Aspen's healing spell. In an instant, the fog billowing from Kaito's lungs surges forward—and its caster vanishes. A blink later, he's leaping out of the frozen cloud, liquid blade raised high to cleave.

He's an easy target, literally throwing himself at the assassin's knives. She doesn't hesitate to plunge her crystal weapons into his chest... but that's when the trap springs. It's a fake—the gouged mist clone explodes into a frigid blast of wind that frosts over Nina's forward arm and slows her down long enough for Aspen's vines to tangle around her other arm and yank it behind her.

A status message illuminates in gold over her head: FROSTBITTEN, TANGLED, 10 SECONDS.

Kaito reappears out of a puddle to Aspen's left, placing one gloved hand over his knight's staff. An azure aura bleeds around his fingertips. The same glow burns in his eyes as he glances down and sidelong. Another message flickers, this one over the birb's staff.

ELEMENTAL EMPOWERMENT: WATER. ]

Good job. Think we can convince her to back off with one blow?

[terraria]

( his staff thrums with augmented power, making him shiver a bit. the addition of water, especially in such close proximity to his green magic, amplifies his own. he's fairly sure kaito doesn't actually mean to do so and it's just a byproduct of both of their elements aligning, but it's nice to feel anyway.

shame that aspen can't read the status effects, but he can see the timer. 8... 7... )

Think so.

( he admits, always giving estimates and never saying for sure. there are too many things that can go wrong, after all. 6...

even so, he's fast, spreading his wings open and pelting forwards. it only takes two steps for him to achieve flight.

5... 4...

aspen lifts his arms to swing, wings shifting to stop his forward motion. in the same second, his vines let go, in an effort to pelt her backwards over the edge.

3... 2...

in the span of a second, his hit connects. FROZEN, the message triumphantly reads, blinking over her head.

but something pops up over aspen's, too. SEIZED. nina's frozen hand managed to grab hold of the white scarf tied around his neck in a cravat, and with her stilled state, aspen can't detach her from his person.

1. )

- bitch!

( it's the last thing aspen can get out before he disappears from view.

the momentum carries both nina and aspen over the edge, nina's weight pulling aspen with her into the lagoon, down deep. )

[nagano]

[ When they get out of here, Kaito's gonna teach his ass how to read.

It's tempting to give the bird an encouraging pat on the back, but that would be awkward, probably. Maybe? Either way, Kaito simply watches, gloved fingers wrapped tight around his magic weapon's hilt in case Aspen's next attack goes wide.

It doesn't. He's ready to cheer the silver-haired striker when his eyes register the pair of CC effects over both their heads. Frozen. Yeah, that's the water. But where's Seized coming from...? ]

—Oh, fuck!

[ Aaaand down go both the assassin leader and his mouthy winged friend. Aspen's got wings, though. He'll probably be able to wrestle free from the frozen Nina and flap his way back onto their platform arena.

...

.....

Kaito doesn't dare wait more than a few seconds before sprinting over to the edge. It deosn't matter that this is a virtual reality game, that there are supposed to be "no stakes" to player deaths save for a respawn. Duocaeli is one of the only places where his natural gifts work. There has to be more to this online world than the simple interactions of an MMORPG. Death, then, is likely just as nuanced.

Swapping his spellblade for a small dagger, Kaito glances down to catch sight of Aspen's wings, his hair, his ridiculously fashionable robes—anything to guide what comes next. Without further hesitation (despite the bountiful fear that weighs him down), Kaito dives into the lagoon, aiming to swiftly swim his way to Aspen and free him by slashing off the end of his scarf.

Sorry, high fantasy fashion. You're not going to be the death of his birdbrained knight. And if Nina even dares to try and assault the younger man as Kaito enters the lagoon, she'll find out the hard way that water is his domain.

After a few paddles, Kaito snags one arm around Aspen's waist and grabs his scarf. His opposite hand slices through the fabric with some effort, and despite his quickly-burning lungs, the dragonling kicks and propels them back towards fresh air.

...It helps that he's got a thicc tail with a big fin. The thing seems tailor-made for Vaporeon cosplay assisting in swimming. ]

shield

[humblepie]

[HELP. Riku is not a frilly costume sort of guy, but here he is, in a pile of flowy top layers secured by a fitted vest and this jacket. He at least matches in pants and boots, but they aren't anything fancy.

He also has a small, square metal case full of what must be cards of some kind.]

You have it handled?

[It's less doubt of skill and more an inquiry for any desired assistance. He at least gives the thief a cursory appraisal, most of his expression disapproval. But maybe a little pity.]

[terraria]

I do.

( there's no uppityness or self-aggrandizing, merely a simple affirmation. of the two, riku is clearly the one who looks more like a true guard, but aspen's strength is perhaps being able to pass as a young, fragile person while actually being far more capable than he lets on.

the end of his staff smacks against the cobblestone, and the vines let the thief down but secure him firmly. and painlessly. the thorns have minimized to nothing now. )

That's the only one, right? I don't want to get ambushed if there are friends.

[humblepie]

[Okay, well. Aspen definitely does. He glances from the staff on the stone to the worming down vines with the thief.

Riku slides the box into the inner pocket of the blue jacket, and his head turns to glance over his shoulders around them.] I think they're alone. [He moves by Aspen and toward the thief on the ground where he squats before them.]

Don't cause trouble.

[He reaches out to place a hand on the thief's shoulder where it meets the arm. A translucent swirl of violet-black shadow whispers around his hand.] Go back where you came from, and don't come here again. [His voice is firm, but not venomous.

Their nod stutters, and he releases their arm to stand again. He looks back at Aspen.]

You can let them go.

[terraria]

( hm. aspen wonders what that was, but he won't question him here. he trusts riku knows what he's doing. he stamps his staff against the ground one more time as the vines wither away, returning to the ground from whence they came.

after a moment or two, he sighs and stretches his arms above his head, staff still in hand. )

Ugh, I never understood how exhausting bodyguard work was. Now I feel sorry for all the ones I was given before.

( he makes sure to watch their surroundings one more time before he steps forwards, beckoning riku with him with a jerk of his head. )

We should stop for lunch before it gets much later.

[humblepie]

[It's so funny he is such a baby, but he stands there so serious and sentinel to watch this thief scramble away. Like he thinks he's going to have to expect retaliation. But no, it's fine.]

It's a thankless job, but you are keeping someone safe. Maybe they didn't mind as long as you were.

[He faces Aspen, expression mildly surprised in the way which says he is probably the type of boy who forgets to eat. Maybe not to forget to tell others. But he forgets himself.]

Okay.

[He falls in line beside Aspen, gait strong but unhurried.]

shield

[windsongs]

[ All this pomp and circumstances feels a little excessive if she's being honest. It feels like a lifetime ago since she's seen crowds this large, which makes it hard for the small, white-haired woman to focus on any one thing at a time. It's sensory overload--but that's part of the fun, right? Maybe she'll even catch a glimpse of the princess in person!

And for a moment, Hibiki thinks she might have caught a glimpse of Andalina herself, dressed like... a powder puff? A flash of insight hits a millisecond later, as she stops suddenly, nearly clipped by a bramble of vines cracking the cobblestone and grasping at what appears to be a random bystander. She stares for a moment, blinking owlishly as the scene seems to play out in slow motion (did she just trigger a sidequest?).

But wait. She's heard that voice before, she knows she has. Something in her knows it from... This life? Her prior one? Give her a second to thumb through her mismatched memory bank here-- ]

...

[ ...

WHY IS HIM STANDING IN FRONT OF HER NAKED THE FIRST THING THAT COMES UP?! Ears and cheeks boiling hot, her eyes snap open as she stares. ]

Wait, it's you!

[ And why is he dressed like a powder puff?! Be grateful he's wearing anything at all, Hibiki. ]

[terraria]

It's me?

( aspen echoes, looking to the voice that calls out to him. is this another stalker? his brows are knit in a displeased expression, clearly unhappy to be interrupted - but when he spots hibiki, that disappears in a snap. )

Oh! Miss Hibiki! I didn't know you... played this.

( ... )

Ah. The dress, is it? This isn't what I usually wear. Is that why you're confused?

( aspen's initial recollection was that she was a fellow performer, one he had shared the stage with before in their 'real' world. of course, not even in the 'real' world would he stop wearing skirts and dresses, but he prefers the sleeker sort. this powder puff monstrosity was only for the little princess. )

[windsongs]

[ Hibiki knows that part of him as well, even if those memories feel... wrong.

Yet her brain immediately goes to the sight of him unapologetically naked. She can't remember anything else, but unfortunately(?), that visual has been seared in her mind. It's why both the tips of her pointed ears and cheeks are a very unflattering shade of pink right now.

But he doesn't seem to remember? This isn't about the dress, Aspen, it's about your di-- ]

You look like a cake-topper!

[ Phew, yes, nice pivot! Now just focus on that. Focus on the very pretty, pink dress. ]

I mean, I--I almost didn't recognize you! I swear, you can make just about anything work! And yeah, I guess I play this too!

[terraria]

( he can be another kinda topper if she'd li-- )

Well, thank you.

( he dips into a little curtsy, and the princess beside him giggles, following suit. it lightens aspen's mood. )

I do try to live up to the elegance of my family. Seems the fleet of princesses haven't snagged you, though. What have you been preoccupied with?

[windsongs]

[ NOPE NO THANK YOU OFFER DENIED.

Quickly trying to curtsey as well before Tilting her head a bit, silver-haired Hibiki (who probably looks like she's related here, wild) smiles ruefully at him. ]

Me, a princess? Haha, no way. I'm way too plain for something like that. I can't pull it off so effortlessly like you do.

[ She wouldn't wear cake topper very well. ]

I just got back from a material run. Trying to build up a good stockpile, just in case. Potions and gear won't make themselves, you know.

a very belated shield!

[paraselenes]

[ The pickpocket is shouting obscenities overhead, which is what really draws Dimitri's attention. But magic is a commonplace entity here; he's not expecting a familiar face at the other end of the spell.

Except... ] ...Aspen?

[ There's some concern—the standard what are you doing here, how did you get here—but the dress and his wings demand more attention. It's all very voluminous. He glances from his choice of attire up to the thief. ]

Is this one giving you trouble? [ Though it's clear he has it under control... ]

[terraria]

( he hears his name, and it's strange - where he would be familiar with people speaking it, it's weird for people to know him on sight. at least in this game, anyway. )

Oh. Ah.

( the thief looks like he wants to give aspen a right hook. aspen, in return, tilts his head and splays a hand in front of the young girl hiding behind the skirt of his puffy dress. )

No, not me. Her Little Highness, on the other hand, has been gravely wronged by this thief. - oh, good grief, someone should clean your mouth out with soap! ( aspen covers the little princess's ears. )

I'm a bit surprised you remember me, Dimitri.

[paraselenes]

[ Dimitri shoots a practiced glare at the would-be thief, not above a little intimidation when the young princess can't see the way he rests a hand against the hilt of his sword. Which seems to be enough to earn them some silence.

The look he gives Aspen and his baby girl charge is softer, though. ]

You're not one to forget. [ Wings and all. It's his job as a dignitary to be good with faces and names, even if they've been transported from the afterlife. ] Though admittedly, my memory is... less reliable here.

[ Because rather than forgetting Aspen, he feels—closer to him, somehow? Something in the shape of emergency sessions in the libraries leading up to an exam, textbooks splayed open. An odd thought to have here in fantasyland. ]