The weather was still bitterly cold, and the snow was still thick on the ground, but it was finally possible to at least go outside by the front doors. The King and Queen have still forbidden anyone from staying overnight at the museum district in case it started snowing again. But the King could be seen outside trying to shovel snow enough to make a path to the castle at the least.

The snow was still too thick to get easily anywhere not shoveled, and the snow was so heavy that even beasted out, Ben needed to take constant breaks inside to sit down and dry off. This wasn't going to be a fast task.

It was only made harder when it started. For those who slept, it would start after they have fully awoken for the day. For those who don't sleep, they'd find that they had fallen into a pleasant daydream, even if it wasn't normal for them to do so. When they came out of it, that was when it would start for them.

But what is it, exactly?

Small snippets of memories, playing for anyone who was with the person remembering to see. But the thing was, these memories... were memories the person had not yet made. Memories of the future.

Not enough to give answers, probably not enough to give reassurances for much other than "oh hey, I do have a future after all," but generally pleasant, and short. Hey, it will give people a thing to talk about, at least. Especially since this will go on for the next two weeks or so.

Not long after the return from the Isle everyone would find themselves waking up around eight am, no matter how early they usually got up. They'd all feel rested and smell... was that...? Yes! It was! They would each smell their favorite breakfast food, whatever that might be.

Following the scent would lead them to the school cafeteria, through a light snow flurry that was dusting the campus in a thin twinkling of white natural glitter. Auradon looked like a painting or a holiday card. In the cafeteria there were two long buffet tables set up. Where did they come from? Who knew. One of them was laden with plates, cutlery, cups, tea, coffee, water, juice, and... two of each character's favorite breakfast food. Enough for one person to pig out, or to share with a special friend. There was also a large platter of cookies and another piled high with fruitcake.

The other table was laden heavily with brightly wrapped gifts! Each had a name tag, one that had to be unfolded to see who the gift was for - as if the wrapping in that character's signature or favorite colours didn't give it away, that was. There was a gift for everyone known to be in Auradon. And on the Isle. Anyone want guess who the gift in the reflective paper was for? Or that coffin wrapped in ribbons leaning against the table? But oddly...? There were gifts also for people whose names may seem unfamiliar. This was because there was a gift for every tag along character, even those like Temari and Rhythm who couldn't be seen by most people, as well as a gift for all alter egos. Wherever these gifts came from they weren't spoiling anyone's secret identity shenanigans.

Also set up were the usual small round tables one finds at Auradon Prep all over. Except that they were gathered in groups of three, one below two above, as if to encourage people to sit together as much as possible to share in this joyous morning.

There was soft pleasant music playing, and all that food waiting to be eaten. Though even if normally the food on offer would grant some power or magical boost they wouldn't here... it would still be super yummy. Just a pleasant time for all.

Waking to bird song isn't exactly shocking in Auradon, but it seems... louder than usual on the first morning of the event. And there is a reason for that. Auradon has been visited by a rather large flock of Golden pheasants. An odd flock as experienced birders might notice there are only the brightly coloured males in evidence. But there isn't much time to think about that because with them comes... a complication.

Now this is Auradon, of course, so the only mess the birds are dropping are bright colourful feathers. But the feathers, like the flowers last month randomly trigger a memory. Once again the memory shows in 3D, looking the most solid to the one who touched the feather - and unwittingly contributed the memory. No one can interact with it, and no matter how solid it looks, the figures and places and things in the memory can be walked through with ease. Well, physical ease, anyway. The memory, once again, will not be from the perspective of the one it belongs to; they and their companion or companions will be observing from a third party perspective, thus allowing a person to see their own face in the memories without the aid of a mirror.

The memories this time are memories of fathers and paternal figures. Generally good memories. After all, this is Auradon.

If one interacts closely with the birds or their feathers they might also have strong vivid dreams of their paternal figure. Again, genrally happy dreams given this is Auradon. While the birds will fly away after two weeks, and the feathers will lose their power to share memories at the same time, for every day spent handling the birds or feathers during the event, the character might have up to that many day of intense dreams after.