Event Log: May, An Inauspicious Arrival

[faileas]

Event Log: May, An Inauspicious Arrival

I. Boaltinn (1st - 3rd) Boaltinn comes around again. A handful of Mirrorbound will remember the holiday from last year, but for others, it will be brand new. In both Residential Districts, bonfires burn in central locations through the night, frequented by the residents celebrating another summer come to Aefenglom. Curiously, while last year the bonfires seemed quite segregated by human or Monster, this year, there is more of a noticeable mix at each, and Mirrorbound are invited to join the games and festivities quite happily. Characters are invited to try and jump through the bonfire's flames to burn away any poor relationship experiences, be it romantic or platonic, past or present; to aid them in this, those at the Eastern Bonfire will give those participating rune-etched accessories to protect them from the fire. The city has quite a bit to offer for this holiday: shared rose baths at public bathhouses and pleasure establishments that increase feelings of friendliness and talkativeness, poles draped in ribbons meant to be danced around, wrapping a ribbon around the pole to bring good luck for the summer, food stalls whose offerings are meant to be shared, and fortune-telling set up by Divination students of the Coven, who can tell your day is going to go. To see last year's Boaltinn prompts, you can take a glance right here! Much of it, including the bonfires, baths, and entertainments will be similar this year, so feel free to use those in your top levels.

II. An Unusual Arrival (3rd on) A full year from the arrival of the first group of Mirrorbound, the 1st passes quietly, with no one showing up in the mirror-lined halls of the Looking-Glass House. Dates and times are important in most kinds of magic, and this is strange enough that some Witches of the Coven get together on the night of the 3rd to try a probing ritual, attempting to gather some kind of clues that could be useful in prying out the cottage's secrets. Boaltinn is the best time for such things, when the boundaries are thinner, and magic is stronger. Those who are awake that night at 3 am might notice a pulse of harmless silvery light that spreads like ripples on water throughout the whole city, originating at the Looking-Glass House, but nothing further happens, and the Coven receives no answers. Well, nothing happens in the Looking-Glass House. Before long, the reports start coming in: people are emerging from mirrors, regular old mundane mirrors, all over the city. Anything with a particularly reflective surface could be an entry point for someone from another world! Inhabited homes, businesses closed and locked for the night, pools of still water in fountains or the river, these unorthodox Mirrorbound pop up anywhere and everywhere, causing chaos for the City Guard (folks aren't happy to find strangers in their bathrooms at 3 in the morning) and the Coven both. Out of nowhere, a glint of light catches your eye; your heart thunders in your ears as your body moves on its own, your mind consumed with inspecting the source. Your reflection stares back at you, just as curious from the surface - a mirror, a pool of water, your most trusted sword, something fleeting that your mind can barely remember - then ripples at your touch. If you are one of these unfortunate arrivals, it's likely a rude awakening for you, to find yourself somewhere inconvenient, somewhere other than where you've been. It only makes sense to be confused. Hopefully someone finds you and explains to you what's happened to you. Resident Mirrorbound will hear a message from Miss Nessie shortly after it begins, a call to arms: "Dears, I'm quite sorry to disturb you, but it seems your fellows are arriving elsewhere than the Looking-Glass House this month! We're trying to track them all down for the usual welcome, but we could use a hand or several! If you could just bring them by the Coven, the usual spot, that would be lovely." She'll give her usual orientation and pass out Watches, but no doubt the Mirrorbound will be more helpful in this regard, with so many arriving.

III. The Goblin Market (All Month) Life goes on in Aefenglom, despite the addition of so many new residents. With the City Guard decidedly busy dealing with the sudden flood of break-ins (or, more accurately, break-outs?), the vendors of the Goblin Market find opportunity to set up their stalls more openly than they have since the crack-downs some months ago. They pop up all over the city, but clustered more often in the Residential Districts and the Harbor District, where there are even fewer law enforcement agents out and about to run them off. These sellers, while not as devoid of morals as those major players of the Black Market, still have very few compunctions when it comes to lying, cheating, fencing stolen goods, and misrepresenting their wares to unsuspecting buyers. It's also the place to find those things that are- not quite legal, shall we say. They won't say a word if you don't. If confronted, they are quick to pack up their things and slip away, however; they know this city and its hiding places a lot better than you do. With a brand new batch of what the natives assume are Mirrorbound, many undergoing rapid transformations into their Monster forms, many of the wares on display are potions: supposed cure-alls for aches and itches, calming draughts for the full moon restlessness, some even claim their brews can halt changes entirely! Some concoctions are meant to increase a Witch's magical ability, or decrease it, or provide them a finer control. They offer potions that they say will eliminate the need for a Bond, or temporary Bonding potions of their own that they claim are more pure, stronger, than the ones offered by the Coven. Claims are only claims, though. A few remedies for the pain of changing or some regular temporary Bonding potions can be found here and there, but for every potion that works, there are twenty more that have less than pleasant side effects. A brew that will cause everything you touch to turn to solid gold for up to an hour; a potion that will invert your sense of direction - trying to turn right will make you turn left, trying to go forward will cause you to walk backward; a potion that will remove all traction from your feet, causing you to slide around as if cobblestone are the slickest ice. Worse, some shadier vendors sell things more sinister, including a potion that gives you the appearance of being moderately to heavily infected by the Cwyld. Even if you don't drink any, the vendors are not at all careful where they're sloshing those bottles around, trying to show them off, and they all activate on skin contact.

IV. A Wilde Hunt (7th - 22nd) All Mirrorbound, temporary or not, are likely to feel it. Monsters are always affected by the full moons, but this month, it is more. Stronger. Instincts rise to the surface as the Sisters emerge full and visible in the night sky, and for many Mirrorbound, they are undergoing rapid transformations into whatever type of Monster they are meant to be. Curiously, the natives get along like they usually do, noticing nothing out of the norm, other than the increased agitation and restlessness from Mirrorbound Monsters. Monsters' aggression fades when the Sisters start to wane, but as the new moons approach on the 22nd, Mirrorbound Witches will notice their magical reserves overfilling, and will find themselves stricken with the overwhelming urge to use it, until casting spells, pushing one's magical limits, is almost a compulsion. Those who are not in proper Witch-Monster Bonds will feel it even stronger, with no stabilizing magic to consume (for Monsters) or avenues to expend magic (for Witches) other than casting spells. (For those who are interested, the Coven does offer temporary Bonding potions which can be used to help alleviate the effects somewhat.) The Coven Witches notice the signs, and they take decisive action on the morning of the 6th, the day before the full moons. So many Mirrorbound, likely to be so heavily affected by the lunar cycle this month, many of them coming into new features and abilities at a breakneck pace, only spells danger for the city. They barricade off a massive chunk of Wilde outside Aefenglom, largely free of Cwyld and totally bereft of farms, homes, and Wilder outposts. They invite anyone who feels the effects of the moons too strongly to control to come out for a Hunt. The hunting grounds will be open nightly to anyone who needs to work off restless energy or overflowing magic; all participants will be warned that their safety cannot be guaranteed from others, but they won't be able to harm bystanders out here. The woods are thick, with the river cutting through them, and full of wildlife. There is room to run and chase prey, or room to play with your developing magic. Play cat and mouse with your friends or Bondmates, or stalk a stranger. If playing games isn't your thing, there is something else to hunt out here as well. With the deep Wilde entering into Winter, this patch of land so close to the city is much warmer, and fearsome Shades have emerged to search for prey. These were once living beings, Monsters, Witches, or animals, who have been overtaken by Cwyld infection long ago, leaving them dead but for the infection, white-eyed and seeking out sources of magic to consume and infect. Anything could become a Shade, but the most common out right now are the ferocious remains of bears, wolves, and nomadic Arachne and Turnskins. If not killed, these Shades threaten the people of the Outer City, when they inevitably escape the barricade. Careful to limit your contact, though; anyone infected upon their return to the gates will be escorted straight to the infirmary.

Welcome to May's Fourth Wall event, An Inauspicious Arrival! The comms are now open to comments from all registered users and will be until June 1st. Current players, if you don't want fourth wall characters tagging your posts, just say so in your text. Fourth wall characters can use this post for their own network top-levels, or this post for log top levels. This event is game canon; threads from this fourth wall can be used as application samples later and current players may use these threads for AC. As always, be courteous to each other! Let the mod team know if there are any problems and we will handle things.

As always, please direct your questions to this thread!

Comments

Momo | IDOLiSH7 | Witch | OTA (he's an oldbie)

[yesdoubt]

[a: boaltinn]

[Momo enjoys a good festival, but he also enjoys a good chance to just schmooze and get to know people, and what better place to bare all (ha) than a public bathhouse? He hasn't been to one in a little while, but it is a nice reminder of home and a break from the monotony of doing it alone, so it's not hard to find him at the rose-watered bathhouses potentially multiple times a day during Boaltinn, particularly if he's just finished some exercise or been practicing his magic. The lack of separate men's and women's baths only throws him for the seconds it takes him to remember he won't be flayed alive by the media here for being naked in the vicinity of women, so ultimately he just ends up using the combined monster-witch baths, because he really couldn't care less about bathing apart from monsters.

He's already sociable enough, but as he leans back against the side of the bath, toned chest curving back a bit as he stretches, he's liable to strike up conversation with basically anyone who happens to be nearby, whether they're just walking past the bath or if they're actually in it with him.]

They should do this sort of thing every festival. Seems like a good way to get everyone talking, right? [Who doesn't love meeting people via mutual public bathhouse nakedness.]

--

[b: unexpected arrivals, radio* (5th-ish)]

[Perhaps you have a radio in your house, or wherever you happen to be staying for the month. Maybe it's one you pass on the street, or that's playing in a cafe or other business you're visiting. Regardless of where you've come across the radio, there's a talk show winding down with a cheerful and bubbly-sounding host, Momo's radio manner walking that line of professionally clear and crisp while still being full of energy.]

--and that's it for our talk with the Monsters and Men theatre troupe! I think our theatre revival is in good hands...ah, but some of the newcomers wouldn't have heard about that, right? It's time for our call-in question segment, and today, I'm putting out a call for any of the new arrivals from the last few days to call in with any of your burning questions that haven't been answered about things here just yet! It's been a confusing time for all of you, I'm sure, so if you've got confusions that just aren't going away, call in, sit back and let Momo-chan see if he can get them answered for you!

[He gives a number afterwards to call the radio station via their Watches, putting a little bit of orchestral music on in the meantime so people have time to respond.]

[[*As this is a radio prompt, call-in threads will be on-air and thus public.]]

--

[c: wilde hunt, 15th-22nd]

[For the most part, Momo's familiar bond has evened out what would be the normal recoil from not having a proper bond by this point. He's thus far escaped the agitated moods and buildup of magic that precedes a Witch losing control, and he's confident that's going to last for at least a few months longer from the reading he did before making the bond in the first place.

Unfortunately, these moons aren't one of the things the familiar bond can protect him from. In the week approaching the new moons, the need, the itch to use his magic, to push his current boundaries and channel this new reserve of energy into something, creeps through his veins until it becomes impossible to bear. The power feels like a burn under his skin, and as much as he practices on a normal day, it's not enough to alleviate it, barely sates it at all. In the end, though he worries for anyone else out there, his worry that this might be too much for him and he'll harm someone inside the city wins out, and he ventures out to the field of the hunt to burn some of his power off.

It's almost a relief that there's Shades out there to vent on, but like hell he's risking that they get into the Outer City after all this is done. Most of Momo's magic is defensive anyway, but the knife he uses for fighting Shades remains concealed under his loose shirt as he instead draws one away from the middle of the marked hunt location, back towards the forest. It howls eerily, long and gnarled claws swiping at him with powerful, unhesitating sweeps, but he meets them evenly with barriers, semi-transparent (and hot pink, because he has an Aesthetic to uphold) and circular like an old-fashioned shield, one hand held up to spawn them after a quick motion drawn on his wrist precedes each one.

Of course, there's a chance he'll back up into someone else's area when he's luring something backwards like this, and if he spots anyone over his shoulder, he'll call out a warning.]

Heads up, this guy's got a real rotten temper and I'd hate for him to infect you with it! [Leading aggro Shades around for magic practice is a fine and normal activity to be doing, though at least Momo is resolutely staying between it and anyone who might cross their path.]

--

[d: wildcard]

[[Feel free to hit me up at reviseleviathan, PM or on the CR meme for other ideas! I'll have a more general open log later this month as well, but I'm open to other Boaltinn and Wilde Hunt scenarios here, or helping newbies get out of the goblin market disaster area.]]

B

[marchrabbit]

[ Forgive the deep inhale on the other side of before he can get himself to speak. He just needs to psyche himself up! Listening to the radio was comforting when he was confused... And now they're taking calls if you're feeling just that!

Not to mention, he kind of recognizes that cheerful voice behind the slightly off typical radio quality! Hopefully at least, even if Momo is not that unique of a name. What has Mitsuki got to lose. ]

...Hello, Momo-san! This is Mitsuki. Mitsuki Izumi, and I'm a new arrival!

[ His confidence naturally builds the more he talks. ]

How are you doing today, Momo-san?

Haha, I kind of rushed to call in, so that was the first question that came to my mind. Sorry. But if you've got a job on the radio, I'm curious!

[ In case this is not the Momo he knows, at least he's providing something entertaining for the other listeners before he gets cut off. ]

[yesdoubt]

[The sound of Momo clapping his hands against his cheeks is audible, and the extra bounce in his voice when he replies probably speaks for itself.]

Well, I'm much better now that one of my cute juniors decided to call in! I must have missed you in all the mess of this month's arrivals...aah, but at least it's only been a few days, so I guess mother Momo-chan can let you off without a scolding for taking your time.

[So at least he doesn't have to get roasted by his self-declared second mother for not calling often enough.] I'm also really happy that I get to help people out today! I've been here for a few months now, so I'm no expert, but I at least know enough to answer most of the big questions people have when they show up. And it's fun to hear the kinds of questions people will put up on air.

[He figures he might as well roundaboutly answer why it is he has a radio job here instead of being a wandering newcomer, since he's the only person from their world who didn't show up with this particular weird arrival group.]

[marchrabbit]

[ Mitsuki the good and well behaved child he is responds accordingly: ]

I-I'm sorry! I won't disappoint you again!

[ The lighthearted tone of Momo takes a bit to get used to when it's directed right at him, and in such a friendly way... But it's also welcomibg to know there's someone familiar and seemingly the same. ]

I bet! Your voice and personality come through like you're a variety show host, still! It's really admirable, Momo-san...

[ Hm, better stick to the formula, he wouldn't want to hurt his rep. Plus, it might be fun? ]

What's the most unusual advice have you got for new people? Help your cute junior survive long enough to say hi and make you a peach tart!

[yesdoubt]

Don't worry, I trust you~! [Mitsuki's always eager to please, so while Momo can't help some light trolling of his juniors when the opportunity arises, he's not going to give Mitsuki a heart attack. Or at least, not on live radio.

Though that internal promise gets harder when Mitsuki puts that question to him, and Momo gives a very Knowing sort of hum that sounds like he's trying not to laugh.] Oh, that's a loaded question...this is still daytime radio, though, so I can't talk about anything too weird...

[His tone in saying that is almost exaggeratedly secretive, carrying the comedic mood, but it also gives him time to think of a weird piece of advice. A lot of what he encountered coming here would be "weird" for someone from their world, but "weird" for everyone...] Since I was just talking about theatre, maybe I should give you and the other dramatically-inclined newbies a tip: don't do any impromptu street performances if you don't want to get arrested! They recently lifted a ban on theatre inside the city, but on the caveat that every performance has gotta go through the City Guard for permission, and no magic allowed! So if you get the acting bug too insatiably, grab a friend and go outside the walls for a bit instead. The Outer City folk love a good improv comedy skit!

[That last thing is said with a tone that implies Momo has absolutely done at least one improv comedy skit for the Outer City folk.]

C

[timenace]

[ Tossing himself into dangerous situations and burning his magic like crazy has been Sougo's go-to from pretty much the start. He's gone on expeditions whenever possible, he's hit up outposts to deal with dangerous Witches lurking out in the Wilde, and you can bet this fool of a boy is tossing himself into them once more to deal with the Shades that have appeared.

He's a lot better equipped for it too since the last time he fought, and his abilities amounted to shoving his magic into something like some sort of magical battery. He's taken a couple of months to finally properly study what he's supposed to be doing, and like Momo he's got a lot of pent up energy, though it Sougo's case he's starting to get dangerously close to bursting at the seams.

He's keeping it together well, but as the new moon began to approach Sougo was pretty fast to take up the suggestion to go out and run himself ragged. It's a good place to practice his evocations, though whenever he's run into shades he's fallen back on defensive magic as well. Though there's a little difference between the shields he's been making, and the type Momo has been.

Did you know if you make small ones right in front of a curled fist they work shockingly well in place of gloves or knuckles? Use them on the bottom or side of your feet and you basically don't even need boots or greaves.

The trick is just learning how to make them at the right time without having to mutter things under his breath to summon them. He's still working on that part.

It's what he's likely to default to in just a moment, now that he's heard Momo call out to him, and has frantically waved out the fire he had just set. ]

Momo?

[ He's quickly skittering sideways to avoid being backed into. ]

Do you need help?

[ There's a surprising lack of excitement or fear in his tone given the situation, though he at least has the decency of sounding mildly surprised by all of this. ]

[yesdoubt]

[Momo grins in greeting, but shakes his head at the second question. He's mostly keeping his eye on the Shade to make sure it doesn't do anything unexpected, just flicking his gaze back every few moments towards Sougo. The Shade stays fairly focused on Momo as the more "immediate" threat - it definitely seems aware Sougo is there, but is more intent on trying to claw Momo's face off through the barriers he continues neatly meeting it with right at the moment.]

Nah, we're out here for the same reason, right? Practicing? [He tilts his head towards where the fire Sougo just waved out was. He's assuming Sougo isn't secretly an arsonist who likes setting magical spot fires in random places outside the wall. The lack of fear is something Momo does note, but then again, he sounds pretty casual himself. Largely because he's fairly blase when it's his own life at risk more than anyone else's.]

If you want dibs on getting rid of it in a few minutes, though, you're welcome to help out, I still don't have all that much in the way of offensive magic.

[He does have his knife and a worrying lack of self-preservation, but if it'll help someone else out then he's happy to give Sougo the chance to practice knocking off a Shade in a somewhat controlled environment.]

[timenace]

[ The assumption is a safe one to make, and all the burns on Sougo's hands are pretty freshly made. He should really learn a least a little healing magic, because largely he's just been banging himself up out in these woods without any way of fixing himself up.

For now he holds to Momo's request by stepping back, but watching the fight carefully for any signs of the tides turning. For now it looks like Momo is holding his own just fine, and he's already seen for himself that the guy is a capable fighter despite his job title not necessarily leading one to expect he would be.

In all likelihood Momo won't have any problems here! But it's not like Sougo's going to be able to keep concentrating on making fires with this fight raging behind him. ]

Huh? Really? I can if you need me too, but isn't it dangerous to pick a fight with these guys if you can't finish them off?

[ Right now his magic definitely feels unending, but he does know it has an eventual limit. ]

[yesdoubt]

[Momo seems a little confused at how Sougo took that remark, and he shakes his head a bit, grinning again after a moment.] I didn't say that, I just said I didn't have any offensive magic. So I'd just have to do it the old-fashioned way, but that's a little riskier, so this way it helps both of us out a little bit, right?

[The Shade changes tactics slightly and tries to go in on Momo's side on its next shot, leading him to sweep out a longer, more curved barrier rather than the small round ones he's mostly been using. Considering his lack of an actual bond, the magic surge is affecting him particularly badly, so he's definitely got no problems with using a little extra.

And on that note, as soon as his gaze passes over Sougo's hands, he makes a little bit of a motherly tutting sound.] And once we get rid of him, let me take a look at those hands. This is why you lot need support mages like Momo-chan, otherwise nobody's a healer and you all start doing things like that to yourselves.

[timenace]

[ There's definitely an irony to being chided about burns on your hands on a guy that went to fight a dangerous creature that wants him dead, but Sougo either isn't catching onto that irony or seems to be letting it slide right by him with only a passing nod. Instead he just grins sheepishly as he continues to move carefully, keeping some distance while still staying close by to charge in if need be.

Or whenever Momo decides he's done and wants this guy gone. Sougo didn't get these burns all over his hands not to be able to cast some decent fire based magic! ]

Ah, you saw it? They're not that bad though!

[ So far at least he's gotten the kind of burns someone might get from touching a hot stove for a few seconds. The problem is it's like someone kept touching that hot stove repeatedly, and now their hand is covered with small burns. ]

[yesdoubt]

[Momo is one of the reigning kings of "do as I say, not as I do", so the cognitive dissonance goes entirely over his head. As it is, he covers his bases for a moment with a larger, more semi-spherical barrier that covers the front of his body so he can focus a tiny bit more on Sougo for a moment. Not that much, though, because he doesn't want to lose track of what the Shade is doing.]

That's no reason to let them get worse, though, is it? Little injuries can become something worse if they build up enough. Besides, you'd be helping me practice too.

[There's his bonus drawcard for people like him who are more about helping others than themselves. It's technically helping Momo practice since he did only start doing healing on people recently.]

[timenace]

[ There's a small quiet impressed "ohhh" at the change in Momo's shield as well as the very solid point he makes as to why Sougo should let Momo heal him up. It's not like he was really going to resist in the first place, considering it's not really a benefit to him to leave his hands all burned up, but he certainly didn't want Momo feel like it was a pressing matter by any means. ]

That is true.

[ But he's still got to concede to that solid logic. ]

Do you think you can tell me what you're doing when you do? I haven't done well with healing magic so far.

[yesdoubt]

[Slowly, Momo starts to fold his current barrier outwards - it's a little experimental, like he's trying it because of the excess of magic, but the shape of it follows along quite well. It starts to dip in towards him and curve out towards the Shade instead, which doesn't look like it quite knows how it wants to react other than starting to back off slightly.]

I can try. I feel like all the Witches here end up with their own style in terms of how they cast and stuff, and I haven't been that great at conveying how to do certain kinds of magic before, but I probably get it a little better than I did the last time I tried.

[The last time he tried was with illusion, which he's more experienced with...but it was also in his first month, so he definitely wasn't more experienced with it back then.]

[timenace]

[ There's more "ooh"s and "ahh"s from the peanut gallery as he watches Momo experiment with his magic. It's pretty damn impressive to watch how flexible he can make that shield of his. Sougo has poured so much of his concentration into making his shields strong that he hasn't really done as much with the shape as he would like. It does give him some ideas of what to try on his own time though. ]

It's okay, if I understand a little bit how it works it'll be easier for me than whenever I try to learn by theory. It's easier to see someone do something and try it out yourself, right?

[ Or just charge in blind and figure it out, which is a lot of how Sougo learns. It hasn't worked too well for magic so far though. ]

[yesdoubt]

[Momo does tend to prefer flexibility before anything else, because he likes to be able to respond to whatever gets thrown at him. His barriers clearly aren't flimsy, considering the time the Shade seems to be having, but there's a reason he's been switching styles every couple of hits. He'd probably be needing to toss up a new one at those points anyway even if he wasn't messing with shape.

For now, his barrier extends further and further...until it quite suddenly "snaps" into a bubble shape around the Shade. The Shade does not react terribly well, but with the magic surge that's going on right now, the cracks that start appearing as the Shade proceeds to go absolutely berserk inside the enclosed space are something Momo has the spare magic right now to seal as they appear.]

That definitely works better for some people, yeah. I was always like that, but then I have friends who work fine from theory...have you been to any of the Witch study groups around? There seem to be a couple of them...

[He trails off a bit distractedly as he starts trying to move the round barrier in the same direction as they were heading before, like he's seeing if it's any faster than the walking backwards was. It's definitely a bigger magic sink, but without a true bond to handle his excess, he needs that right now.]

A! ♡

[doublesharp]

[Being alone in a new world is... well, lonely. Dangerous and confusing and full of mysteries, yes, but in the end, Riku can't help but dwell on it.

A bathhouse is like a little taste of home, promising comfort, so there's no wonder that he can't help checking it out. Even though he can't find anything that indicates that this side is for men (or male monsters? witches? does that matter?), this is probably the right one. There's no way to confirm, either way - even as he swallows thickly and hesitantly peeks around the corner to make extra sure there aren't any women here, seeing an empty bath doesn't bring him that much relief.

It's nice, of course - the warm water is just the right temperature, and as he eases himself down into it, it does provide a bit of much needed relaxation. But the longer he sits here alone, the more empty he feels, and he hugs his knees to his chest out of habit and closes his eyes... until quiet footsteps and a splash of water indicate that someone else has decided to use the bath too. Maybe he should open his eyes to greet them properly--]

Mo-- [He couldn't be seeing things, right?! Nobody else has hair like that!] Momo-san?!

[yesdoubt]

[That red head did look a little familiar, but with Riku's face in his knees, it was kind of hard to tell. Once he brings his head up, though, the recognition is immediate, and Momo looks practically over the moon to be seeing someone from his own world.]

Riku~! I thought that hair looked like you! [The bath isn't that deep, but it's deep enough for Momo to flatten himself out and kick off from the side of the bath to propel himself at Riku, arms out.

Ignoring the fact that they're both naked, apparently it's hugs time and there's nothing embarrassing or untoward about this. Clearly it's fine.

Also, Momo got a lot of mileage off that kickoff and he may well just end up collecting Riku into the side of the bath.]

[doublesharp]

[No matter how many times he blinks, the person across the bath doesn't disappear or morph into someone else, and upon realizing that it's actually Momo (who looks delighted to see him, at that), the confusion on Riku's face almost immediately gives way for a brilliant smile.]

Momo-san!

[Are they both naked in a bath? Absolutely. But a hug is honestly all he really wants right now, and even though he's definitely knocked back way more than expected, hitting the wall behind him only means that he can accept Momo's hug properly instead of being bowled over! ...Even if the wind was nearly knocked out of him, but nobody needs to know that.]

If you knocked me back that much, I know it can't be anyone but you! [Squeeze, squeeze.] And you're just as warm as ever!

[yesdoubt]

[Momo is the last person who's ever going to care about being naked around someone he knows, really, considering the number of questionable photos he has on his phone. As solid as Momo's build is, Riku definitely gets a good squeezing in return, because what's the point of muscles if you can't use them to squeeze your juniors within an inch of their life?

Hopefully not literally, considering Riku's condition, but he's not entirely thinking about that right now.]

Of course I'm warm, you're warm too, you've been sitting in the bath, silly! [He's into joking mother mode already at the sight of one of his actual younger juniors.] Now you've made me worry. If I missed one of my youngest juniors showing up, who else could I have missed out on...are there more of you wandering around with only the Coven's explanation...?

[It's clear from his vaguely pouting tone that he's not that serious, but still, he would've liked to help people be Less Confused considering he had a confusing enough arrival himself.]

[doublesharp]

I know, but I haven't hugged anyone for so long! I mean... I guess it hasn't been that long, but it sure feels like it! I'm really happy to see you!

[Of course, part of him would rather have Momo home safe and sound... but even though it's a little selfish, Riku can't help but be overjoyed to see a familiar, smiling face. All at once, so many of his worries are already put at ease.]

I don't think so. I haven't seen anyone since I got here a few days ago... But that only makes me even happier that we've run into each other!

[Squeeze, squeeze. It's like they've met by fate... or something! Something like that. A vague explanation is good enough for the time being. He can think about all of the details later... It's far more pleasant to bask in the company of a dear friend and smile wholeheartedly.]

Do you know if anyone else is here?

[yesdoubt]

[Momo gives a happy little giggle when Riku says he's happy to see him, and gives him a particularly strong squeeze. He'll probably let go eventually, but it remains to be seen how long that eventually is going to take. Riku might have to cave first.

The question of others here does make him take one hand off Riku to count off his fingers, though.] I caught Yuki and Ryuu coming out of the mirrors...and Mitsuki contacted me when I was doing a radio show the day after everyone started showing up. And now there's you too. Four all at once is pretty wild, since I'd already been here for three months without anyone from home showing up!

[He says it brightly, but considering it's Momo and he's not exactly shy about how much he loves company and people and so on and so forth, it's probably not hard to imagine that he took that span of time rather worse than he's implying.]

[doublesharp]

[Riku may not directly pull away, but he does sound a little exasperated as he laughs fondly at the squeeze. The mention of the other idols, however, does startle him enough to pull back a little bit.]

Wait, really?! I haven't seen anyone! I'll have to find them and let them know I'm okay! But...

[He probably shouldn't, but he furrows his brows in concern anyway. It's kind of hard to help.]

Three months? All on your own?

[He's sure that Momo has made tons of friends - it's Momo, after all. But not having Yuki around in particular must have been hard...]

Um... If it makes you feel any better, I saw you the day before I showed up here. But I don't really know how that works...

[yesdoubt]

[Momo grins encouragingly, like it's fine that he's been here that long, but also this is Momo and lying about how he feels about things is basically his m.o. Considering Yuki's reactions to loss, though, ensuring how things back home worked while he was here was actually one of the first things he confirmed upon arriving here.]

I've heard things kinda...pause? Or something, while I'm here. Or I go back to the same time I left or something like that. But it's nice to have confirmation...what's the last thing that happened before you came here?

[He's curious, now - he came from when things were ramping up towards Black or White, but he does know Yuki arrived in a performance outfit while Momo arrived in civvies, which implies Yuki's from at least a minimally different point in time than he is. If Riku's from any earlier or any later than him, it'd be basically complete confirmation what he was told about time passage was true.]

[doublesharp]

[Well... If Momo isn't saying anything about being on his own, that must mean he doesn't want to elaborate. The needle of Riku's perceptive to denseness scale falls a little toward the former, but Momo looks fine even though Riku has his doubts that being without Yuki and the others was that easy. On the other hand, pushing him to talk about sad things would just make both of them depressed, so...]

Pause? So then nobody knows that I'm gone either! If any of us disappeared without a trace, it would cause a huge scandal...

[He looks relieved, but the worry and confusion that were present on his face before are still hidden underneath it. As Iori reminds him far too often, he really does wear his heart on his sleeve.]

Um... Well, we played the brass band for your rooftop concert not long ago! Do you remember that?

[yesdoubt]

[[Continued to overflow...]]