[EVENT] March Memory Madness

[khuimods]

Characters: Everyone!
Date: March 5-9
Location: All around Aifaran
Situation: The Dreaming is a bit enthusiastic about the research at the Aisling Tower. Memories ensue.
Warnings/Rating: Shouldn't need any, but add to subject lines as needed!


Outside the Aisling Tower, the first clue anyone will have that something is wrong is small. Little things: trinkets lost, but fondly remembered, appearing in your hand when you reach for something else. A snatch of song that tugs your heartstrings.

That alone might have been nice. Unfortunately, things escalate quickly.

How did memories get loose on Aifaran?

Science Fair

Well that all went a bit wrong. Researchers at the Aisling Tower sent out a request for volunteers, hoping to get to the root causes of just why Dreamfolk frequently wind up with memory loss. The tests are reasonably painless beyond the occasional blood samples taken and rather tedious questionnaire volunteers must fill out.

And then there’s the machine.

It’s not big or scary looking - just a small, strangely organic looking earpiece linked up to a console used to measure neural oscillations. All very new, high-tech stuff that the researchers just barely control their enthusiasm about. Again, the tests are mostly tedious. Just a lot of sitting around while researchers display pictures, ask questions, have you smell a variety of scents, and other things to spark various mental associations. Though side-effects may include dizziness and nausea afterwards. It’s still a little bit too ‘mad science’ for some, even if the researchers involved don’t even cackle maniacally even once.

But as all things of this nature must go, something takes a turn for the weird.

Memories On Display

The Dreaming takes an interest, insofar as much as an omnipresent force of nature can be assumed to take an interest - maybe it just reacted strangely to the mental probing of the Dreamfolk. The how, for now, is not important.

The immediate problem is that memories are running rampant in the city - and not just from volunteers for the little research project, but also any Dreamfolk who come in contact with them. It starts off small - little things appearing in and out of your peripheral vision such as an old toy or a beloved pet. Maybe the echo of friendly laughter, or the incomplete form of a first love’s smile. These flashes of memory only grow more potent, however, as entire scenarios begin to play out for you and those in your proximity - just as vividly as you remember them. And just as accurately as you perceive them.

---

OOC Notes: Your characters will have the option of seeing memories play out, and/or being drawn into a mind-share memory experience-- basically, however you want to play it, the Dreaming will accommodate! It's also more than possible that the Dreaming will oblige if someone really wants to show someone else something specific-- but there may always be a little more than bargained for.

There is a specific starter for shenanigans at the Aisling Tower but the rest of the post is open!

Please address questions regarding the event to the monthly agenda post.

Comments

open!

[ursulamajor]

[ooc: Just doing one memory for this, I had a good idea and couldn't think of another.]

One of the memories that comes to life is, in its own way, delightful: a full-blown magic show.

The audience doesn't appear, save for the occasional ghostly outline of them. The focus, instead, is on a woman up in the sky. She clutches a broom between her hands, gripping on tightly and with a broad grin on her face. She wears a white witch's hat, a white and red performer's outfit, and carries a polished rod in one hand. In the air, shooting stars of green light shoot and zip every which way, darting and swirling together. Her red eyes widen with delight as she watches, and as she directs it with her fancy wand, like a conductor and their baton.

More than that, animals made of light romp through the air. A herd of elephants rushes by, while fairies flitter on by. Over it, the red-haired young woman holds her rod up -- and it shimmers, light pouring out of it, and rising up from the ground. She draws it back into her hand, and the performer's voice rings out -- though it is a little tinny as the memory takes form. She calls out to the crowd:

"A believing heart is your magic!"

And, standing to the side, Ursula Callistis watches this with an expression hidden behind her glasses. She takes note to push them up with her finger, pressing them up to her face; it conceals her red eyes nicely. One hand tugs, idly, on the length of blue hair that falls over her shoulder. Her expression shifts, slightly, from a frown to a wistful smile.

But then pointedly back to neutral.

The way her fingers tighten nervously about her wand, until her knuckles whiten, may say more than her expression.

[lasergrenades]

Okay, this whole 'memories spilling out onto the streets' thing isn't exactly the strangest trick the Dreaming has pulled - there was that time when memories could be shared just by physical contact. Pepper's threshold for weird is pretty high. She turns the corner and stops when the sparkles and lights burst in front of her eyes, leaving spots on her vision for a moment. It looks really cool--

--and then her gaze falls on Ursula, who looks.... Pepper isn't sure, actually. Her attention is riveted to the memory, but the performing witch isn't Ursula. Right...? There could definitely be a resemblance.

Only one way to find out. Pepper edges towards her new friend, eyes drawn back to the swirls of color. "Hey, Ursula!" The greeting is cheerful, but there's an edge of curiosity to it. "Do you know what's going on?"

[ursulamajor]

There is definitely a resemblance, though it is faint; the performing witch looks a few years younger, for one, and her outfit is much more revealing. Along with the different color hair, worn much shorter. Ursula pushes her glasses up when Pepper approaches -- and glances sideways at her. Her glasses help to hide her eyes and their color.

"I do," she says. "This is a stage actress from my world--she was very popular about... oh, about ten years ago."

Ursula falls quiet, for a moment.

"Her stage name is Shiny Chariot," she says. "She did magic shows like this. It's pretty impressive, isn't it?" Behind her, Shiny Chariot has used her magic to turn into a glowing centaur -- and runs across the sky, sparkles trailing after her.

[lasergrenades]

"It's amazing," Pepper agrees, watching the transformation of light and magic intently. It's almost enough to transfix her; she's seen a lot of magic here, but it's usually not like this. Not performative, or full of the joy that's so evident here.

Ursula's quiet is not lost on her, however. She glances between the two witches, curiosity in her eyes. They don't know each other that well yet, but that's never stopped Pepper before. "Are you okay? This doesn't seem all that... happy, for what looks like a happy memory." Appearances could easily be deceiving.

[ursulamajor]

"Well..."

Ursua hesitates. She could start with the truth -- but the truth is one she hesitates to say aloud. Thus, she doesn't. Instead, she looks to Pepper, and considers for a moment. "Her story ended sadly. She vanished," she says. "It's sad to think of. Things must have gone wrong. And..."

Ursula looks back to the illusion of Chariot. "...She must not be the person she used to be, now."

[lasergrenades]

"Oh." The word is spoken softly, but there's a weight to it. That both answers Pepper's question and leaves her with three more. Ursula seems to care very much about Chariot, or at least about her story. She can't help but wonder what she's missing here. In her own experience, at least, celebrities sometimes had hugely dedicated followings and their falls from grace could be this kind of upsetting. Maybe she's just overthinking it.

"Well, change isn't always a bad thing," the redhead reasons. "As long as she's still alive, she can start a different story. Endings usually have to come before beginnings." Pepper looks back up at the memory, sparkles reflected in her eyes. A smile tugs at the corner of her lips. "Maybe she'll get a better ending the second time around."

[ursulamajor]

"Mm... yeah," Ursula murmurs.

The magic show keeps playing on. Without sound to it -- save for the occasional cry of Shiny Chariot, all of the sound is very muted -- there is an otherworldly quality to it, but it also feels a little like a home movie. Ursula's fingers slide down, hooking into the pockets of her coat. She looks sideways at Pepper.

A smile crosses her face. "I do like the idea. That she would find a better ending, next time around," she says. "It's... it feels right. Of course... some people make mistakes, and it might be hard for her to see past those."