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The City of
The City of One Thousand Stars
Once upon a time, perhaps long ago, perhaps in the distant future, perhaps now, perhaps stretching between all of those, perhaps in a time that is beyond anyone's imagining, there was a city.
A city with tall majestic buildings made of glass, and tiny dull ones made of wood, and several imposing ones made of stone. A city built where the waters of the Blue Sea and the Winding River meet, a city just warm enough to have winters where, unless things are more extraordinary than usual, it doesn't snow.
But, despite the location and the timing and the climate and the architecture, the City of One Thousand Stars was most special because of its inhabitants. Each of them, young or old, big or small, farmer or writer, trader or leader, just-moved-in or fifth-generation resident, from the time they set foot in the City with an intent to stay, had a special ability. A power, a knack, a savvy, a gift, their own special sort of magic. What in olden times was to be called a star, which lead to the city's name. For instance, one of the inhabitants had never needed to breathe. Another could be invisible whenever they chose. And yet another had the power to tell when fruit was ready to be picked.
In this City, everyone was different, but everyone was kind to one another, because the only thing they had in common was being different from each other. Mostly, that is. Sometimes there were cases of people doing things that were untoward, or rude, or even occasionally illegal.
But most of the time, in the City of One Thousand Stars, everyone helped, everyone listened, and everyone cared.
-----------------------
This is an RP (my first one, so I'm excited), and there are a couple of things I'd like to clarify, because the introduction doesn't explain too much other than what the city's like:
1. Your character can be any age. Children and teens ages 5-17, however, will attend the City School unless you'd like them to be homeschooled. The City School is an institution spread out around the City, with different buildings for different subjects in different areas. It is connected by the City's underground train system (students will ride trains between classes).
2. Characters' powers will only be one ability, like telekinesis or flying or baking pies, as opposed to, for instance, telekinesis, healing, and telepathy.
3. I don't really know what the plot will be like, but it can be relaxed, or mystery-related, or (if we have a lot of school-aged characters) centered around the City School, or something else. Not all characters have to meet each other (the City is fairly large), but they can.
4. You can have up to 5 characters, although you don't need that many.
5. Here is the form:
Name:
Age:
Gender/pronouns:
Personality:
Appearance:
Power/Ability (magical):
Strengths (non-magical, also optional):
Weaknesses (optional):
House, house's location, and/or housemates:
Shipping:
Other:
submitted by Seadragon, The City of 1000 Stars
(September 29, 2023 - 5:18 pm)
(September 29, 2023 - 5:18 pm)
•• Holly ••
Sunlight filters in through the window into my small room. I'm trying to focus on my English homework, due tomorrow, but I waited until today to start working on it, and it just seems to big a task to get done in just one day. I drum my fingers on the table. Noelle's off to find a new job after she got fired from Smith's Ice Cream for eating on the job, and I haven't seen Cass in a few hours. I consider asking her to play a game of cards with me, but I figure she's probably listening somewhere else and wouldn't hear me.
And anyway, I need to study.
My reflection stares at me from the mirror above my desk. I idly brush my fingers through it, turning it brown, then black, then blonde, then back to orange. I've been wanting to try an exotic hair color sometime, like green or purple, but my hair doesn't work like that. I can only change it to natural colors by playing around with the pigments that occur in normal human hair. I would have to get it dyed just like anyone else.
Focus, Holly. I stare down at the blank piece of paper on my desk, willing words to come, but it's no use. I could use a walk to clear my head. I shove open the window and shimmy onto the tree in the front yard before dropping down to the ground. I'm thinking I'll buy myself something to eat, visit the river, and come back with a clear head.
|| Noelle ||
(October 7, 2023 - 9:20 pm)
*: Candy :*
"IT WORKED!" I exclaimed as I thrust my fist in the air along with the large glass vile in my hand.
"Oop." I carefully placed the vial back on the cluttered desk, praying the liquid wouldn't spill. "Yeesh...this is amazing." Tesla, the black and purple mechanical spider skittered ouver to see my work. She chittered a bit before climbing back up her web. Her, and many other mechanical animals roamed around the office. Most of them giving off light. Tesla's abdomen was a large, round plasma bulb. It's light growing brighter every step she took. Most of the animals got along, of course...they were all programed to be peacful with those whom they know. Sylvester, the large, mechanical vulture sat on his metal perch with Athena, the owl. My largest animal was Charon, the six foot buck. His horns were my best invention get. The bio-luminecint jelly fish that swin in his antlers also give off a slight electric shock that powers his engine. He's quite slow, although big and heavy, a gental being. Pip, the bronze and silver fox was curled up by the forge. Her bronze plating had been removed to be shined (she's a very vain fox), leaving the intracite exsposed and shining in the fire of the light. Although many of the mechs are animals, one of them is my flower, named Sunny (for reasons unknown). Sunny is the only mech of mine who can talk. She's gives off the most light and sits in her pot on my desk all the time. Her roots are able to move her around quite a bit...but she's a lazy bud (see what I did there?). I blinked, my train of thought screeching to a halt, but ultamitly derailing and crashing. I sighed, looking at the time. "Oh..I need to get groceries today." I muttered, throwing on my lab jacket, the clean one. Slamming the door behind me glared at the steps "I regret the choice I made..".
After reaching the top of the endless stair case I soaked up the warm sunlight. Pulling out the list, I scan the contents "Okay...okay." I mutter to my self while heading to town square.
(October 8, 2023 - 3:13 pm)
-Celeste-
"I really want to make it snow," I say.
"Haha, snow?" Violet, my roommate and friend, replies, laughing. "So unlike you." Her face becomes serious again. "Remember you promised not to since you arrived?"
"But it's so tempting," I protest. "It, like, never snows here!"
"And maybe we shouldn't go disturbing the climate," Violet says reasonably.
Currently, I'm sitting at my desk, working on my history report I have to do, which in my opinion, is the most boringest. I mean, why do I need to write a whole essay about how the abilities came to be? I just want to write: They just do! I don't need to explain more!
To add to it, there is a large window in front of my desk overlooking the ocean, which is nice and all, but that means the sun always hits through my window, blinding me. Not very fun.
Violet is sitting down besides me, when she has a perfectly nice room with a desk to herself. But I do like company, especially when writing the most boringest essay.
She looks over at my wilting flowers, which she put on my desk to make it look better or something. "You seriously haven't been taking care of Lily!? Have you not been watering it or anything!?" She waves her hand over it and unwilts the flowers.
"Lily!?" I exclaim. "You've named it!?"
"Mhm," Violet says. "If I do, maybe you'll grow more attatched to it and take care of it better."
"Not a chance," I say, laughing. "Anyways, don't you have homework to do?"
"I've done it already," she says. "I was only assigned a little narrative writing assignment, and I got that done in an instant."
"And I'm stuck here with boring, boring, history," I groan.
"If you finish, we could go down to the port for a walk," she suggests.
"No, anything but that!" I exclaim.
"I'll buy you ice cream," she says, knowing my weak spot.
"Ugh, fine," I respond, giving in. She smiles at me.
(October 8, 2023 - 11:36 pm)
l..Cassidy..l
The chimes on the door jangle and I look up as a girl walks into the store, green eyes darting all over the place, looking guilty, though maybe that’s just her natural expression.
"Um, hi," she says, her voice uncertain. "Are you the one to talk to about getting a job here?" I study her, average height, brown hair, sturdy nose. She could easily be old enough for a job, but her unsureness is making me unsure also, and anyways, it never hurts to double check.
"How old are you?" I ask, and the girl shifts uncomfortably.
"Sixteen, but I've got my work permit right here," she replies, rummaging in her bag. A few seconds pass and still she can't find her permit, I'm getting impatient. My shadow dancing ballet out of the corner of my eye isn't helping either. Just then, the door tinkles again, and another package of books slide though the door. I groan and start bringing the boxes to the back room to unpack. The girl rushes to help, and I have to admit it's nice having an extra pair of hands around.
"What's your name?" I ask her.
"Noelle McNamara," she answers.
I sigh, setting the box down. "I'm Cassidy Efferia, nice to meet you. Tell you what, Noelle," I say. "I'll bring you to meet the owner of the shop, August, right now, and see if we can get you a job here. Sound good?"
•|_Cassandra_|•
I'm at Iceberg Treats, the local ice cream store, ordering my usual: vanilla. Many people say it's too plain, too simple, for them, but I love it. Well, ok, I guess I don't love the vanilla itself. I love it when paired with some Oreo cookies hanging on a rack in the store next door. I know I probably shouldn't be using my powers to taste packaged Oreos for sale, but it's not like my saliva gets on them or anything. I just taste it, and oh is it good. A few years back, Iceberg Treats cancelled their cookies n cream flavor due to the fact that someone replaced the chocolate in the oreo with something... not so pleasant, and, unwittingly, the staff served the dish to the mayor of town, and I have lived in despair ever since. I live, breathe, and subside on cookies n cream. Only recently did I learn the trick of eating vanilla while sending my taste out to the cookies. Of course, this means I can't taste the vanilla, but I can feel it, the texture and the temperature, and it's almost as good! Someone taps me on the shoulder and I look up to see a man mouthing and gesturing for me to move. I realize I'm standing in the way of the door as I eat my ice cream, and I quickly move to the side. My ears are listening to a particularly good western playing at the theater right now, but I force myself to bring them back to me. Your hearing is good to have when you're out in public, I've realized. Which seems obvious but it really isn't, I mean, people walk around with their earbuds in all the time, so I figured, why shouldn't I? Apparently, my situation is different though. I finish my cone and toss it away. I should probably head back to the house anyway, I've got some history homework I need to finish, as well as a bit of math and science. I start walking.
(I'm writing Cass's part as late night ramblings, so that's why it sounds horrible, sorry)
btw, @Seadragon, is August one of your charries or an NPC we can all play or something else? And, if the latter, what are their pronouns?
(October 9, 2023 - 2:41 am)
I think August is an NPC; I don't have any plans for them. I was thinking that August would be a he/him but if anyone has any other suggestions then they can say so.
(October 9, 2023 - 8:33 pm)
--Morrigan--
I stop typing my "once upon a time" story and walk out behind the counter, appraising Noelle McNamara. "August will be here at ten," I say. "Can you wait?" She can.
"Yeah," she says. "Do you mind if I stay here until then?"
"Not at all," I say.
"I can help you shelve these books," she says, indicating the box of books that's just arrived.
"I'd appreciate that," says Cassidy. I go back to my typewriter and pull out the folder full of my novel's yellowed pages, then take a red pen out of the case inside my typewriter. I'm not in the mood for writing that particular story, so I'd better edit instead.
(October 9, 2023 - 8:39 pm)
Name: Una Derbright
Age:19
Gender/pronouns:Female:She/her
Personality:Loud,brave, very opinionated, and will protect her friends.
Appearance:Bright red hair in a pixie cut with teal highlights. Has bright green eyes.
Power/Ability (magical): Telepathy
Strengths (non-magical, also optional): A good leader, protective, never lies.
Weaknesses (optional): Gets very upset if you think she is lying.
House, house's location, and/or housemates: if possible, with Holly, Noelle, Cassandra. If not, I will get back to it later.
Shipping: yes
Other:excited
(October 10, 2023 - 2:11 pm)
~Dorrie~
I am wondering if all my teachers will have disappeared. However, Ms. Davids, our English teacher, is there and teaches us about grammar, which is dull but at least not hard. However, the phone rings in the middle of class. For some reason, Ms. Davids always has it on speakerphone, which means that I can hear every single thing that the person is saying, which is:
"Hello, Sophia Davids," says Ms. Davids.
"Hi, Sophie, it's the science building coordinator, Alex. I'm wondering if you've seen Mr. Erlenmeyer? He isn't here today and he didn't file an absence or call in sick," says the caller.
"No, I haven't," says Ms. Davids.
"Bye," says Alex, and they hang up. Ms. Davids does too, but immediately the class becomes antsy. The word "Erlenmeyer" is on everyone's lips. My neighbor on the right is turning their chair and I bet they're going to talk to me--
"Hi," says the neighbor, who is either named Joseph or Jonas, I forget which.
"Hi," I say.
"Have you seen Mr. E?" Joseph/Jonas asks.
"No," I say. I add, "I had to retake the test I did yesterday and he wasn't there." Sometimes I get embarrassed about admitting my lack of science skills, but right now there are bigger things in the air. I really like when there's a mysterious thing.
"Class! Back to work!" shouts Ms. Davids, and Joseph/Jonas turns his chair back and I start writing. But nobody is as focused as they were before, and there is a very big elephant in the room.
(October 10, 2023 - 6:05 pm)
~Violet~
"Finally, finally, finally, Celeste!" I exclaim. "Finally you're done with your history report!"
Celeste laughs dryly. "Mhm. My hands are absolutely dead!"
"Ready to go to the port?" I ask. My purple bag decorated with flowers is already slung across my neck, and my purple sneakers are also already on.
"Yep," Celeste says. "Let's go to the ice cream place first."
"Iceberg Treats?" I say, watching Celeste as she nods. "Alrighty! Let's go!"
We leave the house, which I called Beachside, since it's by the beach, of course! It's certainly rather cute, with it being painted in beautiful shades of teal and white. But so far, only Celeste and I live there, though there are certainly plenty of rooms for other guests. I think that most people prefer living by the Winding River.
I step into the cool air of the ice cream store. I see that it's mostly empty, besides a teen with big glasses and brown hair, who's about to leave.
"Can I have...ooh, lavender ice cream, please?" I ask the lady at the counter.
"And can I have mint chocolate chip?" Celeste adds.
The lady nods. "That will be $5.70."
We quickly pay, and she hands us two cones, one a light purple and one a mint green. I grab the light purple one and immediately begin to eat it. It tastes pretty good, calm and soothing like lavender. I usually picked strawberry, but after I saw this new flavor, I picked it immediately.
Meanwhile, Celeste is enjoying her mint chip. We talk to each other as we eat our ice cream, before going out of the ice cream shop and over to the port.
"Ah, isn't the port nice?" I breathe, taking in the lovely scent of the sea. A light breeze travels around, rustling the leaves of a nearby tree. The beautiful waves crash against the sandy shores, in colors of blue mixed with the shades of the sunshine above it. Truly majestic. I take out my camera and take a picture.
I see that Celeste, too, is admiring it, a small smile on her face. The Blue Sea truly is a beauty.
(October 10, 2023 - 6:44 pm)
I'm just going to make another charrie to help with shipping.
Name: Kyleine "Ky" Luneswift
Age: 17
Gender/pronouns: male, he/him
Personality: calm, independent, humorous, adventurous, however can be quite serious at times, a more quiet demeanor but not shy, smart
Appearance: raven-black hair, dark brown eyes with flecks of gold, skinny
Power/Ability (magical): can control water
Strengths (non-magical, also optional): athletic, good at thinking things through
Weaknesses (optional): can come off as cold, easily jealous
House, house's location, and/or housemates: lives in Beachside
Shipping: open to girls
Other: got out of school a year early because he skipped a grade, works as a cashier at a local cafe near Riverside Books called Water Lily Cafe, secretly does poetry on the side, and publishes them under the anonymous name "Aqualune"
(October 10, 2023 - 7:06 pm)
~Holly~
I've acquired my fruit parfait and am walking down the seaside when I see two people walking my way. They both have dark hair and blue eyes, and I wonder if they are related. As they come closer, I realize I've seen them before.
"Hey," I say as we pass each other. "You guys go to City School, right?" I gesture to Violet. I know I've seen you in the halls, and... Celeste? I think we have the same homeroom."
"I recognize you!" says the one I don't know. "Your hair is pretty hard to miss. I'm Violet, by the way. You are...?"
"Holly," says Celeste, absentmindedly licking her ice cream.
"Yeah, Holly," I say. "I'm a sophomore.
|| Noelle ||
August is friendly and welcoming, and I feel myself relaxing. Cassidy leaves to finish unpacking the books, and August and I sit down. I finally find my work permit and hand it to her. She reads it in silence.
"I assume you're looking for a part time job?" she asks finally.
"Yeah," I say. "Weekends and evenings, of course..."
"I don't think Cassidy would say no to a little help every now and then," she grins. "Tell you what, you can come by Saturdays and Sundays and help out around the store. Work for you?"
"Yeah, that would be awesome," I smile.
--
sorry this is bad i just knew i needed to write something quick
(October 13, 2023 - 1:05 pm)
--Morrigan--
August has approved the work permit, which I'm glad of. I can do Sundays but not Saturdays, because I visit my parents on Saturday mornings and go adventuring or have time to myself in the afternoon, and Cassidy does Sundays only, so there are only one or two people in the bookshop at most (August has a kid named Aventurine and a spouse named Cora) and it takes more people than you'd think to run a bookstore.
Noelle, my new colleague, seems to like it here. She says to August that today she'll stay the entire day and then goes to the counter, where I am.
"How do you do the behind-the-counter job?" she asks me.
"When someone buys a book," I tell her, "take it, scan the code on the inside of the cover with this scanner, put a bookmark inside, and, if they need change, the key to the register is inside this lockbox." I point to the small lockbox near the cash register. "The key is 2264. August is paranoid about security, so don't leave it lying about." I learned that the hard way.
"Great," she says. "What should I do right now?"
"Well, you can go behind the counter with me, or help Cassidy shelve the books, your choice."
"Excellent," she says.
----------
~Dorrie~
For life science, which is after lunch break (wherein I eat my sandwich in the Arts building, which has a beautiful lobby), I have to go back to the Science building. While I'm on the train, I don't see Erlenmeyer, and I don't see him on the escalators or in the building either.
My teacher, Ms. Rosen, loves plants, so there are several thousand plants in her room and she spends as little time as possible doing zoology. Unfortunately, she finished that part of the curriculum earlier in the year, and today we're talking about xylem and phloem. However, she likes to do interactive demonstrations, which is normally fun, but as I'm watching her pull little water-filled tubes up and down a model of a stem, I'm thinking, Where on earth is Erlenmeyer? All right, all right. If he's not here tomorrow, then I'll go to his office and see what's going on.
(October 13, 2023 - 4:56 pm)
l..Cassidy..l
August sorts Noelle out and so I return to the box of books. I scan each one into the system, slap a barcode of our own on them, and then put them onto the new arrivals shelf. There are some interesting publications in the box, including a thin book titled A Collection of Poems: How Everyday Life is in Actuality Rather Absurd, by Aqualune, that I leave in the box for a bit of personal reading later. There are some perks to working in a bookstore.
As I fall into the rhythm of shelving books, my shadow loses interest and FINALLY leaves me alone, going to the front desk to see what Noelle and Morrigan are talking about. I relax, suddenly realizing how tense I was before. Peace, at last! Other people have annoying siblings, I have an annoying shadow. I can hardly get any privacy with it always hanging around, poking fun at me and enjoying how frustrated I get with it (and if you don't think shadows have feelings, you haven't met MY shadow yet)! It doesn't even have the good sense to disappear at night when it's pitch black and all the other, smarter shadows have retired! It just inverses itself so it's glowing bright as a spotlight. Makes it an obstacle to fall asleep each night. I have to take advantage of the rare times I'm free from it.
(October 13, 2023 - 5:55 pm)
~Dorrie~
Next morning arrives. I go to school and everything works out normally (I'm ignoring my promise to myself about investigating until lunch break, when I have more time between classes) until fifth period, which is, today, physical science. I go to the sciences building anyway, before there's an announcement:
"Those who have Mr. Erlenmeyer for physical sciences today should be assured that they will not have class with him. Those in seventh year and above will have a free period, whereas those in sixth year and below will go to the Recess Area for free play." Essentially, 10 and under gets time on a playground, and 11 and up gets to do whatever. I am 13, so I get to do whatever.
And whatever means investigation. I go up the escalator and am walking towards Erlenmeyer's office (actually a little room off his classroom) when I notice a girl in my physical science class, Belladonna Fisher, walking towards me. She is turning towards me and she is going to say something...
"Dorothy, remember, we don't have class today?" she says. She always says everything like a question, which annoys me to no end.
"It's Dorrie," I say.
"Okay, Dorrie, but why are you heading to Erlenmeyer's classroom?" This actually is a question, which annoys me less.
"I just have to pick up a test," I say.
"I don't think he'll have left you a test specifically?" she says.
"He said he'd leave it on Friday, but I forgot. I'm in Rem for physical science," I tell her, trying to be confessional. That's true; Rem stands for Remedial Education Methods, which means "basically anyone who gets a repeated F". City School loves to pride itself on turning out good students, and it does a good job. Rem basically means that you are made to do lots of tests to make sure you understand.
"Oh, okay, then. See you tomorrow?" Belladonna asks.
"Maybe," I say. She is going to turn around and say goodbye, and she does. I walk to the door of Erlenmeyer's classroom and open it. The room is deserted and full of desks. I open the door to his office, which is on the side of the classroom, and walk in.
It is an absolute mess, but not a ransacked-the-room-type mess. There are pieces of paper everywhere and at least three empty cups of coffee. And on the desk that supports this mess, instead of graded student papers, is a bulletin board with a name on it: Casey Rosenberg. And, scribbled directly on the cork, are the words "I was taken by".
So that's probably where Mr. Erlenmeyer is.
Taken by someone named Casey Rosenberg.
(October 14, 2023 - 8:29 pm)
--Morrigan--
My fear of strangers is making this interaction with Noelle very hard. I'm not really scared of people, just saying the wrong thing. And saying something they might not like.
"So," says Noelle, "do you like books?"
"Yes," I say.
"Me too," says Noelle. "I went to a bunch of other bookstores asking to work there but they were so big and boring. I like Riverside more."
"That's good," I say. "Um, do you have any family members?"
"Yes," says Noelle. "My sister. Holly. Eventually you'll get to meet her. She works at an ice-cream shop near City School. And we have housemates, Cassandra and Una."
The thing in my mind is Why are you not in school? However, that's impolite, so I'm not going to say that.
"How's your day been? I ask. Her day has been okay, although she's been nervous about this interview.
"Good," she says.
"I'm so glad you're here," I say, and she smiles. That's good.
(October 17, 2023 - 6:00 pm)