In the early hours of the morning, as the clock strikes eight, the speakers begin to sing. There's the sound of bells singing out through the morning air… and then a woman begins to sing. It's cheesy, cheery holiday music. As people begin to stir and look out their windows across all of the islands, the ground begins to shake. Poorly hidden beneath the cheer of the holiday music, an earsplitting screech erupts from the cracks in the ground.
The situation becomes blaringly clear to any onlookers. Anyone close to the site at the time is in the line of fire, people left cowering and crumbling to the ground in terror to try and hide from the oncoming barrage. The tremors hadn't been the cause of an earthquake, a volcano, or even a sinkhole. Beneath Keposis was the beast's lair, and now they had finally clawed free. Incubators slightly larger than their original forms begun to erupt from the cracks. They're furry and brown, dressed promptly like little deer. They're a little over a foot tall, each of them clad with little bells that jingled with every step. Maniacal laughter fills the air as they trample over any bystanders, even stepping on their own as they erupt from the cracks and flood the streets. This isn't even central to Keposis in itself- it spreads over Mistellein, Plantarium, Salus- it seems wherever people reside, these little creatures have been dispatched. On the main island, a party begins.
Where the fountain once stood, the marble and brick had cracked as a stage rose from the ground. On it stood another Incubator, slightly larger than average. They stand alone despite the flood around the stage, as if unaffected. "Ahem…atooo~" they say into the mic, bouncing gently in place.
As if to put a temporary halt to the chaos around them, the skies darken. There's a flash of light to mark the arrival of the guides, Sora the first to appear with his key raised high. He lands on the stage as the other guides drop through the gate alongside him. Zhongli stands firm and proud, Maki landing third and assessing the land before Whitebeard shakes the ground with his own landing. "Attention!" Sora cries, and a meteor follows them from their opening- when it strikes the ground, the chaos around is forced to a temporary pause. The monsters that erupted from the ground are forced to pause at the site of their landing. Sora is the first to grab the mic from the incubator, who looks about at the new arrivals in shock, stomping its little foot as its performance is rudely interrupted.
"Attention- people of Keposis! I know it doesn't look good right now- I know this is scary! We need to work together to handle this, if we don't cooperate, it'll only make it worse. Cheer's arrival is going to set things out of control for a while. There's too much good! Keposis is run on emotions- and that means all this good is very, very bad! I'm sorry we weren't able to warn you. If we could have- we would! But right now- we NEED everyone to listen. Listen carefully! If you don't, you could get really, really badly hurt. We have a plan!"
The boy holds the mic out to Zhongli, next.
Many a millennia of existence, of leading, of building a nation gives Zhongli a sense of confidence when it comes to preparing people for war; preparing people for something daunting and unavoidable. But it never gets easier, regardless of the experience, Zhongli never finds it easier to inform a population about an ongoing disaster. "Sora is correct; cooperation is a must within this time, to ensure we all come out of this and keep things balanced. With so much cheer and positivity, there is a need for negativity. The world feeds off of the emotions of those within it, and so I request each of you, to whatever capability you have, do something to bring forth negativity either within yourself or those around you. However big or small, we can do what is necessary to keep this world functioning, and to make it out of this moment alive." Zhongli nods solemnly, and offers the mic out to the next guide.
The festive cheer of the season is infectious, bleeding into the homes of the residents of Keposis-- even going as far as the Island of Salus. December was never a good month to be a sorcerer back home, even the ever-so-romantic December 24th had history to it that predated the aspirations of the one who cut her family line short. Much of Maki Zenin's time had been spent investigating deep within the cracks and crevasses, going far beyond where any resident would feel comfortable exploring or being allowed to reach. After relaying information to her fellow guides when returning from the depths, it was a quick decision to limit the intrigue of cheer to come to better contain the situation and look for possible solutions… that which seemed to work well until a massive Pine tree split open from the crack in Plantarium; decorated with garland, popcorn, and large ornaments heavy and large enough to crush a village.
The headache that followed barely allowed Maki time to answer the concerns of the residents before needing to regroup with the other guides, this were getting out of control fast. Maki waited for Zhongli to finish his remark, clearing her throat before administering her advice into the microphone. "Too much good being bad has a fix, first ten people to cause chaos large enough to stave off the scented pinecones gets a free week pass on not going to therapy. I'm the judge, try not to get anyone killed. I know there's a few of you out there who can topple cities with ease." She offers the mic out, holding it upwards to offer it to their final guide. Whitebeard takes the stage with his looming presence.
The strongest man in the world.
The man closest to the one piece.
An emperor of the sea.
He who could break the world.
All those fancy titles,
Look where that got you…
Despite everything you manage to procure throughout your long life, from unimaginable wealth, power, to a love so strong it keeps you kicking far after your expiration date.
You could never do anything against man's greatest enemy.
You have been weathered by time. It left you weak. You knew your prime was long behind you, but to see just how much of a difference some decades could make right before your eyes was disheartening at least.
Though it was always bound to be right?
Life at sea is not kind, you have seen your fair share of tragedy, of pain, and loss. Sometimes all so close together coping with it was impossible so you simply kept moving.
Now… even if everything is different, its all the same.
Here you are with all this power at your finger tips, yet both from age and situations far beyond your control you can do.
Nothing, other than parting words. Your bitterness clings to your voice, your frustration bleeding out through you.
"GUARARARA. as far as plans this could all be much more thought out but well. What can you do? To those that cant handle the heat, to those that are not cut out for what is to come, there is no shame in seeking shelter. There is no shame in prioritizing your safety. But to those that have strength and are more than willing to use it? Whatever mess you make we can clean up. To my sons and daughters. I'm sorry we could not do more, the failures of a father should never fall onto the laps of his children."
With the mood set into something somber, Cheer looks in awe at the four that had stormed the stage. Cracks can be heard as the petrification begins to break, the creatures about to burst free. Sora takes the mic again. "It's awful, I know. But if we don't do something about this, the world will be destroyed. Contribute to the joy, or feel your greatest sorrow, your anger, we need it! Just…please. Stay safe." Sora lingers for a moment in hesitation, then he very reluctantly hands the mic back off to Cheer. The incubator rights themself, and clears their throat.
"Anyways!" They say, continuing right where they had left off. "Ato! I've got in mind to give you all a beautiful show! It's being broadcast across all the islands, so smile please!" They count themselves in, and as the music begins to boom, the cracks give way. The creatures petrified in place burst free, and begin to rampage through the city streets. They flood all off the islands, trampling, tormenting people. Broodlings laugh maniacally as they follow suit, crawling from the cracks and beginning to prowl the islands in search of prey. (edited)
EVENT SUMMARY
The world is a set of scales. Both Negative and Positive emotions make up a side of the scale, and if there is an influx of one, the scales will tip and the world will begin to break apart. As a result of this, the offset of cheer and joy brought by our newest introduced incubator "HOLIDAY CHEER" sets the world off balance and begins to break it apart. Project Krampus was released as a countermeasure, incubators set to destroy all in sight and wreck this cheer. It's a dangerous measure. Emotions are high and broodlings have begun to infest the cities as well, contributing to the madness. It is your responsibility to help with the leveling of the scales- be it in holiday cheer, or in utter, purge level destruction. You may pick your side- but keep a watchful eye out. It's dangerous, and we don't yet know the puppetmaster that is inciting this nightmare upon us.
Pictured: Cheer, and the Krampuses
