Tatterdemalion

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

SECOND PLACE
WEREWOLF MAGNET
1 XP

In the mirror sits an idol. Her skin is the pale, glossy glow of heartwood, and her dark hair is tipped with pink that is now less neon and more the pale blush of a morning rose. Her eyes, downcast, flicking here and there, are the startlingly vivid green of grass. Poking up through her hair are two russet-red ears, decadently fluffy. She is a holy thing to be worshipped and praised, even as her shoulders hunch and her fingers curl nervously.

“You did an amazing job,” Elodie says. Don’t thank her. Don’t imply you’re in her debt, or she’s in yours. “Well done.” Her voice is steady. It should be shaking! It’s steady, warm as honey fresh from the hive.

She lets herself fall back into Margot’s arms, and smiles. Her teeth are shockingly white.

“Margot, have you ever thought about the earth we all live on?”

Masks: Resurrection Roundabout

POTENTIAL 1

“It’s a job.” Sara crosses her arms, almost protectively. For a moment, she considers leaving it at that. If she keeps things close to her chest, she can’t be hurt.

But Locker has seen her at her lowest and didn’t give up on her. Let her drag him into danger, trusted her to save him and Angel from Vicki. If she can trust Euna, and it works, it does... she can trust Locker.

“A job means you have security. And part of that is making sure people pay attention to you. Hate mail and love letters and begging for feet pics are all ways of saying: we see you. You won’t fall through the cracks again. You’re loud enough. And, yeah, it’s intense. But it’s better than the alternative.”

She takes a long, slightly shaky breath. “You know, for a while, I did magtrain work? It was super illegal, but I faked my ID, said I was 16, and got the job. It’s garbage. It’s a garbage job that made me want to cry every night. And that’s what keeps me going. I do this so I never, ever, have to do that again. That’s where I get the energy, Locks. It’s desperation. It’s me clawing at the top as everything tries to drag me down.”

Time for things to be About Sara Now!

“And now that I’ve hit the big leagues... I don’t know what to do with myself. Do I sign on and become some megacorp champ? Do I keep throwing myself at problems until the day Euna isn’t there to pull me off the moon and I become a beautiful, sexy supercorpse? Or do I retire and immediately kill myself out of boredom?”

Princess-Champions of Hyperborea

Adila I!

Eupheria hits you.

To be fair, that’s because you’re holding her.

To be even more fair, that’s because she’s trying to struggle to her feet and take the Caduceus back, and that would destroy everything in the room, including— perhaps especially— Euphie herself.

She’s the way you remember her. She hasn’t aged a day. She’s gangly and her hair’s full of bouncy curls and she’s old enough to be a queen herself. Just like you, really. When she cries it’s a messy affair full of snot and great big tears rolling down her cheeks and snorting breaths through her upturned nose.

She hits your chest with one long hand, curled up into a shaking fist, and it’s like having a beanbag gently tossed at you.

“I hate you,” she gasps out, broken. “You abandoned me and broke my heart so bad it’ll never ever be fixed. I hate you. I hate you. Why don’t you love me? Why don’t you kill me? At least then...”

She leans forward into you, blows her nose on your shoulder, and sobs incoherently.

***

Alina!

The room recedes. No; you grow. You lift your chin as you stand radiant in your battle regalia, easily the match of Helya. Your lavender hair cascades down in perfect curls. This is what you want. Yes. Yes, it is. Maybe now, when Oberon sees you, he’ll take you seriously. He’ll regret stabbing you, rue the day he made that mistake!

Your crown blossoms, new colors twinkling into place alongside the old: powder blue, sea green, ash grey, burnt ochre, midnight maroon, and the grand centerpiece: radiant diamond. Each and every one has powers you never would have dreamed of wielding! This is what you want. Princesses love lights.

When you blink, emerald tears run down your cheeks in rivulets, dropping to the floor as tiny, flawless emeralds, until your eyes are wet and soft and whole. Your limbs, instead, become gleaming silver crystal, shaped like ones belonging to a knight you once met. Effortlessly strong! Beautifully shaped! Yes, these are much better than the eyes. The eyes made you sad. These make you want to jump to the sky. This is good. This is right.

You should give everyone else what they want most, too.

But where to start? Maybe you should pull the void out of Kazelia’s soul; she’d thank you! You could give a curse— no, a blessing, to make Azora a good little princess, guilty forever, groveling at your feet. You could have Helya and Tashanna and Rita as your royal consorts, and give them dresses befitting their new station, glass corsets and translucent silks and dainty veils! You could stuff Adila’s soul full of lights, and lock Adila I and Eupheria in a room until they apologized to each other or made out, and you could make Jessamine twice as strong and fast and nimble, and, and...

***

Kyouko!

When you come to, it’s to a headache that’s already slipping away, rain dripping down your fur, and the sound of Kazelia’s voice. She is more lovely than the nightingale which calls down the close of day, and you sigh happily as you sit up and dust down your dress. Already that silly skirt seems a passing fancy.

Yes, everyone seems enthralled by your destined to be betrothed... at least everyone who wasn’t tossed down or knocked aside in the battle against Eupheria. That’s why you’re the first to notice the wavering in Kazelia’s voice, and the first to notice that Alina is playing a dangerous, dangerous game.

As the King of Ilumina and the Princesses of Askaia and Ilumina gasp in surprise, jolted from their appreciation of Kazelia’s song, you slip a weighted line out of your sleeve. While you’re very sure that Kazelia will be able to handle this... it’s always prudent to have a plan B for pulling it out of her hands.

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

SECOND PLACE
WEREWOLF MAGNET
1 XP

The thing that looms out of the mist of the showers is the sort of thing that emerges from the bottom of bogs in order to fight heroes. It is the sort of thing that is dredged up by children who scream and see it in their nightmares for the rest of their lives. Its eyes are dull, chipped jade, darting and low; its face and body are caked with wet earth, and it smells like the underside of a rotting log. It trembles when it moves, losing circulation in its limbs from the wicked shadow claws of its assailant. Its triangles twitch.

When it moves, it is not with any practiced coquettishness. It peels away the last remnants of its ruined clothing with the single-minded purpose of a snake shedding its skin, and underneath is more clotted mud. The tatters slough to the wet tiles. It stands before Margot, its body heaving with every breath, then squatting suddenly. It cocks its head like a bird, before reaching out and stroking Margot’s cheek, as if trying to understand what a face is, what a person is. Its fingers leave smeared, trailing earth along Margot’s fine, downy cheek.

“Wash me,” it hisses. “Work me clean. Hold me fast.” Reward is only implicated. This is not how these stories go. Only once the monster has been transformed do we speak about dates or kisses or worship. The first thing that must be done is to obey the cryptic commands, or else you will be eaten, or cursed, or the like.

[Turned a 6 into a 7 on turning Margot on by stealing The Wild Hunt from the Fae. Gaia is at 2 Strings.]

Princess-Champions of Hyperborea

Adila!

Caddy is in your head. It’s not a natural telepath, the way you are; it inserts seeking tendrils of curiosity into your thoughts, rummaging around, trying to understand: what do you want? What do you want?

You want... normality. The thoughts twine around the word. Normal. Beat. Investigation.

Criminals.

The colors grow bolder, even as the shadows deepen. When you move, your scales glint for a moment like your Watch badge. A seasonal rain begins caressing the windows. Goblin saxophones begin playing.

In this world, a Princess might think she can get away with a crime. She’s wrong. No matter how far she runs, how well she thinks she can hide... the Watch will find her and bring her to justice—

And that’s when you realize Stick is missing!

***

Helya!

A crisp mountain breeze cuts through the air. The sun shines brilliantly through the windows, and the distant thunder of hooves tells you that you are home.

You turn, triumphant, and there she is, your love, her head wreathed in a garland of forget-me-nots and ivy, wearing the dress you wove for her yourself. Her eyes are so beautiful over her veil, which you also wove for her after taking a class on traditional Jedadi crafts. She’s carrying the Mare’s Bouquet, and—

She lifts her veil and kisses you, and you melt into her, and you don’t even notice when she slips the Caduceus out of your hands.

***

Tashanna!

Violins play a stately waltz as you dip the stunned Helya onto the floor. Black Lily Lipstick: never leave home without it! You spin, your beaded dress swirling about you, and curtsey to your worthy but defeated opponents. You can’t wait to show Shazari! For once, you managed to win!

“I thank you all for helping me get this far,” you say, to the sound of courteous applause. Your heart is doing cartwheels in your chest! “You have made this celebration one of the happiest in my life. I value each and every—“

Dandy roundhouse kicks you in the stomach.

***

Dandy!

The walls begin to bloom. Vines wind their way around pillars, flowers burst from the stone in high speed, and the air fills with the smell of apple pies and roasted corn.

What’s stopping all of Hyperborea of being a garden and a farm, when you think about it? It’s already fruitful, it just needs that push over the edge. It just needs someone to sort everything into neat little rows and organize the harvest.

A crown of wheat stalks blossoms around your head as you tramp your hooves eagerly on the floor. You’ll make all of Rowan into a garden just for Adila, or at least, the parts that nobody’s really using...

And that’s when Hornet drops out of the sky onto your face.

***

Hornet!

This is the Ultimate World you came up with! Ba-bong!! Gears and wheels and pulleys cover the walls, churning away to provide the power to do anything! Do you want to fly? You can, tucked inside a Unusual Flying Object or a Dragonfly Glider! Zooooooom!! Do you want to be a good person? Just walk inside a Moral Rebalance and Refueling Station! Dun dun!!

You even have a Friendship Wall, covered with the faces of all the princesses who are friends with you! A Miraculous State Analysis display next to their faces ticks ticks ticks as all of their hands swing to: SAFE, or WITH FRIENDS, or even ABOUT TO HUG YOU.

Now you know how your friends are all the time, and don’t need to worry about reading them wrong or not being there when they need hel—rrrrrkk!

***

Azora Howl!

The room darkens, lights extinguishing, and the boom of thunder rattles the windows. Rider blades keen and wail as they are drawn by shadowy figures, holding them to the throats of all these silly little princesses. You drop the silly unconscious goblin, holding the Caduceus victoriously, and cackle! Yes, you cackle! It’s your right!!

“If you want this dumb stick back,” you say at Eupheria, who is looming furiously over you, her eyes spinning so violently it looks like they’re about to pop out of her skull, “you have to promise that you’ll do all the boring things I don’t want to do, and that I’ll get to keep my kitten and my sisters and make them do whatever I want! Though... why should I make you promise, when I can just make you?”

Chains begin clamping at every one of Eupheria’s wrists, dragging her down to the floor screaming as you hold the Caduceus between the two of you.

And with the crunch of frost on the tiles, your father begins to appear. He’ll be happy to take the Caduceus from you... but maybe you should make him kneel, too, until you’ve made sure that he really will love you best forever and ever.

[Azora has replaced the environmental trait with Shadow Riders, Slowly Becoming More Solid]

***

Kathelia!

Interesting! The Caduceus seems to be making shadowy Riders out of nothing instead of real ones. Possibly it is limited in its ability to create life? That would have massive implications about the Nightmare Army. Or perhaps Azora is just so narcissistic right now that she’s only able to think of others in vague terms, defining her guards by their weapons and your father by his Presence. That suggests that clear intent is required to use the Caduceus, despite the anarchic events of the past minute. Or perhaps making so many changes in quick succession is wearing on the Caduceus, and soon it will need to rest? If true, that would open up many possibilities for conflict resolution here! If you keep passing it around, eventually it will be worn out!

Unfortunately, you can’t voice any of this, because a cold, shadowy hand is clamped over your mouth, holding your jaw shut and pressing up against your nostrils. You take big, desperate breaths, despite the fact that it makes the three swords held to your neck uncomfortably dig into your skin.

Of course Azora sees you as a uniquely dangerous threat, which is why you’re surrounded by shadow Riders, your arms pinned and your words unintelligible. All you can do is watch helplessly as Azora achieves Ultimate Power...

And then your father touches you.

***

Mittens!

He steps on you. Jessamine howls in fury and lunges at him, only to take a backhand to the face that sends her sprawling. He steps on you and twists his heel cruelly. Stars burst in front of your eyes.

Then he’s continuing forward, without a backward glance. He’s not all here, you know that instinctively, but... but he’s coming. Wherever he is in Hyperborea, Oberon Greymane is fading away to appear here.

You’re hauled to your feet roughly. “Distract her. Now.” Adila I pushes you down the hall to act like a good pawn, even as she reaches into a pocket of her Watch uniform and brings out a vicious little brass knuckle clenched in her fist. If there’s anyone who deserves it, it’s definitely Azora, but...

But do you trust Adila I with this power? And if you don’t... do you have any way of stopping Oberon Greymane from taking the Caduceus for himself??

Masks: Resurrection Roundabout

POTENTIAL 1

Blink. Blink, blink.

“Wait, you’re trying to fake your death because you’re getting optioned by a super team? Because that’s what this is,” Sara says, perching on the hood of the kicked car in question. “Not the worst plan, except for the part where you leave all your friends behind and die alone in a motel room in Sicily, starving to death because nobody was around to poke you with a sharpened stick.” Oof. Harsh. Subtlety and tact have never been “on brand,” you know?

“Like, dude, I get it. I really do.” Arguable. “You’re kind of a mess. But, like... you don’t have to do it full time, you know? Except you’d probably feel all the guilt if Angel got hurt while you weren’t there, and then that means you have to be there all the time, so you burn out, and... woof. All this hero stuff is stupid high stakes, which, uh, probably isn’t good for the Big D?”

She makes an undulating shoulder motion of vagueness.

“Have you tried, like... talking to people who aren’t me about it? Like, uh, the superfriends? They probably know a little bit more about...”

She stops and thinks about her fans. Angel. Bound Eagle. Ferraphim.

“Well, uh. Shit. Forget I said that. How about someone like... like a therapist, maybe? I can use some of my connections with the Union to get you in touch with someone who specializes in supers.”

Masks: Resurrection Roundabout

POTENTIAL 1

Is that much of a surprise? Locker is a chill bro. Which means he’s too deadpan and oddly sincere to be a good actor. He doesn’t have flair, can’t project his voice and enunciate, and doesn’t know how to commit to a bit. If there’s one thing that Sara, conversely, is an expert at, it’s committing hard to a bit.

“Locker, Locker, Locker,” she says, shaking her head and placing one hand on his shoulder. “Nobody has ever benefitted from a half-assed death. As soon as somebody finds out, that’s it, you’re always the super who faked their death for clicks. That means if you do it, you either have an ironclad reveal up your sleeve or you intend to never come back up. And given that you don’t have an audience — no offense — it’s got to be the second, right?”

She pulls him in for a bro hug, thumping his back with her fist. “I’ll miss you, dude. But whoever has you in the deep shit — the Russians, the Indonesians, the Martians — I’ll make sure they think you’re dead as a fucking doornail. Now put the bodysuit on, we don’t have all night.”

[7 on Comfort and Support. He opens up!]

Princess-Champions of Hyperborea

Adila!

“Well, well, well.” Eupheria steps out from behind the Caduceus, and it’s just as freaky as it was the last time. She’s back to the black bodysuit and the writhing, neon silks draped loosely over her, and the big floofy cyan-and-black bow in her magenta hair. Her lights (and Alina’s gold) spin in wild wheels around her head. “It looks like you figured it out! Congratulations! Those doors are where every one of you losers are going to go— all except for the lucky winner. That would be the first princess who comes and touches my hand, by and by.”

She holds out one perfect hand, even as the Caduceus hums, and inflicts in the hearts of every princess here the wish to hold that hand, to have their wish come true, to win.

[Eupheria has inflicted the Location Stat: I’d do anything to win.]

But you? You are a good girl. And you know that if you dive for the Caduceus... well, you’ll get turned into a plush doll, probably. Or muzzled and locked in a cage. But if you wait just a moment, and let all of your friends make a big distraction... then you can win. You can dive for the stick and then you’ll have all the power in Hyperborea.

And then you’ll get headpats! No one will be able to deny you headpats! You can make Dandy and Iron Star happy to share you! You can let Adila I stay out of your head and eat hot noodles in the Bazaar with you! All of that will be possible once you hold the Caduceus!!

Behind you, there is chaos. Half a dozen princesses are stampeding down the corridor, but all you need to do is whimper and stand aside and wait just a moment. The minute Eupheria is distracted enough... pounce.

***

Mittens!

You have to win. Once you win, you can have a perfect world with your family. Faces seem to float in front of you, almost impressionistic, allowing you to imprint whoever tugs your heart most on them. You can have that perfect day, you can be safe while outside your doors the world changes daily— but you and yours will be safe forever and ever.

Then... something shakes you, not all the way out of it, but enough to dull that need to a muted roar in the back of your head. Around Eupheria’s head, her tainted lights spin merrily... and one gleams perfect, shining Gold.

You can’t win this except by Eupheria’s own rules. If you try... she’ll just use the power of Gold, and she could keep it going for as long as she wanted. You need to take her hand and make your wish, because otherwise... how can you fight someone who can become invincible with a thought?

That’s what you’re thinking when Helya effortlessly elbows you in the stomach on her way down the corridor, slamming the wind out of you and bouncing you off the door frame.

***

Kathelia!

This is the most terrifying thing. You are watching six princesses (and Adila I, honorary princess) charge down the narrow corridor. Hornet is going over everyone’s heads using her Extraordinary Rotational Backpack, but Ninian is clinging to her ankles and trying to claw her way up. Helya just slammed Alina in the gut so hard that she nearly punted her right back through the door, but she has a silk sash wrapped around one wrist as Tashanna tries to reel her in. Old Adila and Azora are on the floor, having a cat fight at the end of the corridor, and Old Adila is screaming about how only she can be trusted with that power. Jessamine, meanwhile, is at the back of the pack, but preparing to make a mighty leap over everyone’s heads!

You glance back over your shoulder at Eupheria and your Adila, and notice the tiniest little wiggle of Adila’s haunches. She’s planning to pounce. If you distracted Eupheria, she might have a chance!

(But you shouldn’t let her. She can’t be trusted with that power! She’d make a silly wish. Only you are smart enough to undo these curses with a carefully worded wish! You need to figure out a way to stop all of them!!)

Monster Hearts: Sleepshy Rise

SECOND PLACE
WEREWOLF MAGNET

Look. It’s not intentional, right? It’s totally not intentional. It’s instinct. Their hearts are intertwined. Of course, of course Elodie goes and seeks out Margot.

With what remains of her forest high, she clambers head-first down a wall and breaks into the one place she knows the werewolf often hides to lick her wounds: the locker room.

Princess-Champions of Hyperborea

Adila!

Princess Azora Howl, greatest witch of her family, the wicked scion of Oberon, wipes her nose on her sleeve and makes a gross sniffling noise. “Okay,” she says, and puffs out her chest. “Okay. I’ll decide what to do with you all after I get the Caduceus.” Don’t worry. Even as a dog, you can recognize when someone is just saying something in order to have something to say. She turns and marches down the hall to speak with Kazelia.

As you watch her go, down at the other end of the hall, there is spontaneous creation: something from nothing. It’s subtle, the sort of thing you might only notice if you were a very good puppy, yes you are. It’s an hourglass, perched neatly next to the Caduceus.

It’s very small. You don’t have much time until it runs out, and then... game over? Difficulty spike? Confetti? Who knows!

***

Mittens!

When you hear that silly little voice, it’s like it’s coming from down the hall. You have to perk up your triangles to be able to make out any of it.

How much of it do you make out?

***

Kathelia!

You probably weren’t expecting Azora to march down the hall, were you? She’s sniffling and trying desperately to cling to a little bit of her dignity, which breaks completely when she asks: “Bring my kitten back!”

But... there’s no sign. No sound. You wouldn’t put it past Eupheria to actively scramble attempts to get anything through the door; it’s what you would do, if you were in her position. And you’re likely running out of time fast. Even if you manage to get Alina out, Eupheria’s not going to sit around and let you rescue everyone...

***

Eupheria!

Everything is perfect.

Hyperborea is yours, now, and everyone agrees that it’s an improvement! You know this because of the massive carnival taking place all around you. Glass pinwheels make delightful whistling sounds that cut through the tumult of everyone in Hyperborea celebrating the most special, most beloved queen in Hyperborea’s history. You are mobbed by commoners and princesses alike asking for your autograph; with a wave of your hand, you create Autonomous Autograph Ants, which dutifully take to the air and, buzzing, use their quill-heads to sign book after book, not to mention foreheads and articles of clothing.

You hug your laughing great-granddaughters close; they’re all wearing masks you made for them, snarling cats and dragons. They love you. Everyone loves you. Even Adila loves you, and is happy to be on all fours underneath you, locked into place with glass chains for being a naughty girl. It’s all right, though. After the carnival ends, you’ll forgive her. She just needs to be reminded of her place, that’s all.

“Eupheria! Eupheria! Eupheria!”

You start crying, and your heart hammers huge and warm in your chest. They’re finally all happy. You did it. You made everybody happy, and they all love you. Even Adila.

You did it.