middaeg | [open] going it alone is tough, let me help out

Entry tags:

[open] going it alone is tough, let me help out

Who: Momo and you!
When: First half of Juril, up until the event.
Where: Various places (but mostly Aef, the Outer City and Northern Outpost)
What: Quests (A New Look, Cheerful Buns, Out of the City and Branching Out) and catch-all.
Warnings: None yet.

[a: muffled "i'm too sexy" playing in the bg (a new look)]

[Momo's picked up some modelling work here before, since as it turns out, a combination of industry experience and being in the habit of taking care of your appearance makes it considerably easier to get work like that even when starting over somewhere new. But this seems more of a potentially regular deal, and while his primary job at the moment is still radio, it can't be a bad idea to get his face out there more. Especially now that Yuki is here and he might need to use what little sway he's managed to build here in the last few months as it was always intended to be, for his partner.

As it stands, since they want modern fashion he turns up to the fittings in what he arrived in, a bright orange horror movie hoodie with a sleeveless turtleneck under it, slim black jeans and lace-up boots. He is also visibly extremely used to this kind of setting, chatting easily to the designers when it comes to consultations and helping people get details just right for the modelling part, regardless of what the garment might happen to be. He gets around quite a bit checking on everyone who's doing the modelling work and waiting to have pictures taken, just...walking up and starting to straighten things about their outfit gently without much regard for personal space.]

Have you done this type of work before? If you need any quick tips, Momo-chan is here for you! [He offers a cheeky little wink, but the offer is sincere enough.]

[b: are you bready to roll (cheerful buns)]

[While Momo is by no means opposed to complimenting whoever he's breadmaking with, the specific aspect of complimenting bread offers some promising opportunities, and he did a bit of food prep work way back in the day when he was desperately picking up every part-time job available to keep himself and Yuki afloat. So he's quite enthusiastic about this particular job, even if people working with him may become somewhat less enthusiastic when he settles on his particular method for getting the bread to rise.]

What round and shapely buns you have! It's real proof of your quality, you know! [It's rapid-fire puns time and he is not slowing down any time soon. Nor is he particularly apologetic when he grins at whoever has had the bad luck to end up working alongside him in particular.]

I hope I'm not making you want to leave...n. [Save yourself before it's too late.]

[c: a prickly reception (branching out)]

[Momo's still helping out with the Northern Outpost where he can, considering it was one of the first things that started getting established after he arrived here. The Yarglweed is certainly a problem, but being an Abjuration-class Witch has its advantages, and Momo has an idea of how he can deal with it a bit more easily.

About twice the trigger distance away from the nearest Yarglweed, to make sure he's safe while he's setting up the spell, Momo can be found with a series of small symbols drawn around each wrist, running his hands closely over himself. It leaves a faintly pink-tinted barrier where he's gone, almost flush to the skin so it doesn't impede getting close enough to the plants to remove them. Impact barriers are much easier for him to make than something that needs to block magic or Cwyld, so this feels like a fairly straightforward solution.

If anyone else comes by looking like they're helping out with the plants, he'll raise a hand to them.] Want me to cast this on you as well? I just need a second to check I haven't missed any spots on me.

[Considering he looks very much pink at the moment, he probably hasn't, but better safe than sorry.]

[d: out of the city (medical and entertainment)]

[As per usual, Momo can also be found in the Outer City every so often. While he's still restricted to standard healing for the moment rather than healing Cwyld, he's gotten more effective at it since he started, able to be left alone with patients that have more straightforward injuries or ones that can be patched more simply before being sent along to him for a proper heal. Though he's wearing a black medical mask and very concealing clothing when he's working on medicine, his hair is hard to mistake, as are the hot pink eyes that crinkle with a smile at the corners when he spots any other Mirrorbound around.]

You need a hand with something or did they send you to help out over here? [He knows there's a variety of Mirrorbound that come out to do this with a variety of experience levels, so he might as well make sure.

Alternately, he can often be found entertaining the Outer City locals instead, currently doing some fast (and decidedly modern, potentially recognisable as a more mixed Contemporary style to people familiar with it) dancing along to a band offering a high-energy and raucous backing track. A bunch of the children who've seen him out here before are clapping him along, and a few of the adults look rather curious about the dance style, murmuring to each other when he does something that looks more like a handstand than a dance move.

But Mirrorbound won't be left off their feet too long, and he'll end his solo dance by spinning out to offer a hand to anyone who's been wallflowering too long.] I need a partner for the next one. Want to give it a shot?

[e: wildcard]

[[If you'd like to plot anything else, hit me up at

reviseleviathan or by PM/Discord! Momo would also up for doing the fighting variant of Out of the City, or if you want to plot for another quest entirely that could also be an option. In terms of non-quest things, he's studying Evocation and Enchantment primarily this month so he'd be open to study partners for that.]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Momo raises his eyebrows pretty noticeably at the reasoning of "I've always been fine", because that seems like a particularly bad logic to apply to injuries. But he leaves it at that for the moment, since it's not exactly relevant right now.]

I mean, the point would be punching them in the face as a deterrent...I don't know many people who'd keep doing something if they were getting beaned in the face every time. Or getting their nose or jaw broken, with how strong you are.

[Momo can punch a decently robust person out in one hit if he lands it in the right place, so he imagines Mikasa would be able to do considerable damage with just a punch in the face.]

[Their average lifespan was 15 Momo...She was doing amazing when it came to health and injuries.]

I don't think that'd work with a dragon. I ran and kicked one and he didn't even flinch...

[She'd literally ran at him, jumped on his back and he just stood there. Not even bothered by the sudden weight barging into him.]

Where did you kick him, though? [Just casually asking that question, because Momo very much goes for weak points by default when he's fighting anyone, so he's curious if dragons just lack them or something.]

I'll admit I haven't met many dragons, but they've gotta have a weak point somewhere that's not just cutting their tongue off. [Stick a knife in his mouth as a warning, clearly.] Does that mean that guy is still stalking you, though? Even after you had that talk?

In the back... He hadn't noticed me. [It had been a revenge dropkick, some alcohol might have been involved. But asking about the dragon and his current status gets a wince, her eyes narrowing as she hesitates on an answer.]

We're talking again now...Though I'm still not sure why he followed me. [She'd gotten a bit distracted by punching him in the face for kissing and running under a fake name.] I think it's to do with him being a dragon though...

See, that doesn't sound like a weak point to me... [Clearly you need to go for the ~~throat~~ ~~eyes~~ underbelly or something on a dragon. Or at least that's what he'd assume considering how many dragons he sees depicted with back spikes.]

He did mention some weird stuff about fae when I talked to him, so it's probably about that...still, are you okay with it? You didn't look totally comfortable with talking about it.

[Momo picks up body language very easily, so the wince didn't slip him.]

I wasn't really aiming for one... [She'd just seen him and charged to bully. But the question gets a tight shrug. The fae's back tensing as she took a moment to think about how to answer that.]

...I'm not. But that wouldn't change anything that happened or give me an answer, would it?

Well, there's your problem, you need to find the dragon's weak point! [Because that is at least one thing Momo remembers from certain dragon depictions back home. Too much armour otherwise, but there's a weak point somewhere and clearly she needs to aim for it next time.

He frowns a bit at her take on not being okay with it, though.] Even if it wouldn't change what happened, can't you still hold someone accountable for their bad behaviour? Caving when you're still not okay with it just because it won't change anything is the kind of thing someone will take as a sign they can just do the same stuff again.

I wasn't trying to hurt him... [She was trying to be a pain in the ass.] and I made him drop his drink. [The little victories.

Her face falls as he keeps going. The slight amusement by her pranking fading as she snorts.] It's funny. His bonded said I was being too mean because I've not forgiven him... I've not caved, I'm just letting him explain. [Honestly at this point she was more pissed at Elliot than Eren. Because Elliot knew what Eren had done, then expected her to just...stop feeling hurt by it. Because Eren felt bad. Like it was her fault and not Eren's, when she'd been the one who'd been hurt.]

I think I understand why he did it...Everything. I just don't like it.

[She didn't like it, and she wasn't as forgiving as Jean. Jean was willing to forgive Eren killing so many, because it was to defend them. While Mikasa wasn't so sure.]

It sounds like you pretty much couldn't do anything without finding a weak point, let alone hurt. [If it was basically like her being a fly clinging onto his back. That said, Momo knows one person Eren's Bonded to and he wrinkles his nose at the idea that he would've had that take.]

Elliot said that? I mean, he seems pretty open, but that's kind of screwed up that he just expects you to forgive him with that little time and after it took so long for him to even explain himself. Especially if it's about what you told me before, that's a lot to expect someone to just...get over. [Widespread murder, even if it was to defend someone, doesn't exactly sit well with everyone.]

[That's exactly what she was doing. Being annoying, the only pain, had been the pain in the butt. Not that she points that out drawing a breath to sigh.]

Ah, you know him then...[She slumps at the name.] Yeah...Turns out he knew all about Eren calling me a slave. Then tried to tell me I shouldn't hate him because he had a good reason...[It's a quiet, a murmur lacking the normal strength her voice had. Slowly regaining it's self as she continues.] Then he had the nerve to say he was my friend and I could trust him. [The snort probably said her thoughts on that more than words ever could.] Oh, and he said I was a coward for not talking to him about my feelings.

[Elliot lost the friendship card the moment he tried to get her to hurt herself for the person who'd hurt her. It'd only got more and more shredded the more he'd tried pressuring her into talking. She shouldn't have had to threaten him to get him to stop.

But she'd done so. And decided that she didn't want friends like that.]

[Momo definitely pulls a face at the particular detail of Eren calling her a slave, because he didn't hear about that earlier and that makes the whole thing that little bit worse. On one hand, if Elliot is Bonded to Eren then he probably has some kind of in-the-head understanding of the situation, but on the other, Momo wouldn't consider that a justification. And especially not grounds to demand someone just change how they feel about something that hurt them.]

Wow. I don't know what world he came from where talking about feelings is easy, even if it's not something as complicated as all this, but that sounds like a load of bullshit.

[It's no idol public image filter hours, apparently, because Momo doesn't even hesitate to say that.] Did he fault Eren for stalking you for months without saying a single damn thing to explain what the hell was going on or does he just get a pass on that? Because he had a "good reason"? Because I feel like you have a few pretty stellar reasons to be pissed off at the both of them if they're trying to act like you're the one in the wrong here.

[The swear makes her look up blinking like she was guessing if she'd even heard it. But then he swears again.] No. He said he promised to keep quiet and it was my fault for not asking...[But she eventually glances down again. Swallowing.]

No matter if people tell me it's a good reason or not I don't think it is. I told you about what he called me, and the cell didn't I? [A pause as she thinks, rearranging her thoughts. Because it was a lot.]

Apparently it was to defend us. So Eren could kill everyone else... But no matter what anyone says, I can't think of any way to justify killing children.

[Eren running off alone had hurt. Had he attacked a military base, that'd have been bad. He'd have been in trouble with the higher-ups. But been fine with that. A soldier could die any day, it was a part of what they'd agreed to. But the moment she'd grabbed Eren and watch parents pull their children out of the rubble...That had been the line for her.]

[Momo is looking like he might want to exchange Some Words with Elliot when they meet next, though considering they often meet for work-related things it's probably going to be held off for business purposes for a little while. Still, it's something he's going to stick in the back of his mind for when it's appropriate to raise with him.

He nods when she asks if he remembers the stuff about the cell and what he called her, but he's looking all the more mutinous as she discusses what he's been trying to justify.]

Look, I don't know all the circumstances, but we've had plenty of wars in my world and the sides that try to commit genocide are the ones that get overthrown and go down in history as monsters. [It sounds like Eren's murdering literally everyone else to protect where they are, which...does not sound like a good solution, to put it lightly. But since he can't speak much on the context, he leans forward to place a bracing hand on her shoulder.]

For what it's worth, I don't think it's a good reason either, and you're justified in feeling how you do. He hid things and lied to you for months and then tried to only make it on his terms that you met to discuss it. And Elliot honestly just sounds like he's covering Eren's ass and making excuses for someone who was acting way worse than you and deserves your reaction. You might be able to put it aside and move on sometime, but that stuff takes time. Not giving you space to yourself just feels like they're trying to pressure you into falling into line, you know?

[If it meant anything. Mikasa didn't seem bothered beyond the annoyed sigh. She'd told the witch to shut up before she lost her temper and hit him, and he'd shut up and cowered away while she walked off. No intentions of even bothering to go back and talk to him.]

I know that...What's why I wanted to find another way. [The hand gets a glance, her own awkwardly lifting. Like she was going to give him a shove, then it just drops.]

Yeah...[He'd worded it much better than she'd be able to. 'fall into line' she hadn't exactly thought of it that way. More that she'd misplaced her trust. Then was expected to explain why she no longer trusted them. But the rest...] If I had just forgiven them, it'd mean nothing. My feelings wouldn't have changed. It'd just be empty words.

[Words didn't mean as much as actions in the end.]

[Momo nods along with the point about empty words, because boy is he all too used to that.] Exactly. The only use for that kind of "forgiveness" is to make the person who did something wrong feel better, not actually let the person who was hurt move on. It's selfish of them to expect that out of you, since the only point of it would be to make them feel like they've been absolved.

[It wasn't usually in the shape of forgiveness, but the general impression reminds him a lot of Ryou. Expecting empty words to prop him up and trying to force them out of people if they didn't offer them freely. Ryou was a lot more direct and methodical about it, but it still rings an unpleasant bell for Momo.] I don't know how many people you've met here, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who'd have your back on this.

[She pauses, then gives a slow nod.] Thanks... I'm glad. The people here are so much nicer than home, I thought I could trust them more. [She trails off giving a small shrug. Annie, Berthold, Reiner, Ymir...Eren. All people who'd hidden things and hurt them in varying levels of severity. Mettaton and Elliot though... Mettaton had been oblivious to her issues with him hiding at first, then the gradual drawing horror as he learned what Eren had done.]

I still don't understand. I shouldn't have to explain why I'm upset... [She'd have thought most people would have been distressed and what Eren was doing. Without an explanation as to why talking about it made them uncomfortable. Other than his supporters like Floch. She gives a shake of the head, antenna giving a small twitch as she regained control of it.]

...Though I don't think I have to worry. He stopped when I told him I'd smack him if he didn't shut up. [She hadn't been happy about it, she didn't like hurting people, but she'd gotten very close to losing her temper. What had been a grouchy warning to back off from her had been taken as an actual threat.

Not that the fae had a chance to add anything else there. Cut off with her mouth still open by a crash and chorus of mewls from the other room.]

Uh... [Oh damn...what did the kittens do now?]

[Momo nods understandingly when she says she shouldn't have to explain, because Bond aside it's striking him as incredibly weird that Elliot was so forgiving of it all. He has said some odd things here and there, but Momo's never really asked him about it more deeply.

That thought gets set aside for the moment when they hear that crash, Momo's head whipping around.]

Ah...if you need to talk more, we can do it after work, but I guess since we're being paid we'll have to focus on this for now, right? [He springs upright with a remarkable burst of energy, then offers her a hand up if she wants it. Either way, he'll head over to the next room quickly, because kittens are great at finding trouble that's bigger than they are.]

Yeah...Thanks... [Don't leave her, she's rushing in too! And...That sure is a big mess the kittens had made. There was shredded paper covering the floor.

Time to round up some kittens.] I hope things have been more peaceful for you... [And she's setting to work. Nabbing one kitten, who teleports away immediately.]

[Well. Not quite as bad as he was expecting, but that's going to be some cleanup. Thankfully, Momo's worked altogether too many part-time jobs in his time, so he'll get on that once they've handled the kitten part of the equation.]

It's been fine, mostly? Yuki's still kinda settling in, so looking after him is about the busiest I've been!

[On that note, he pulls up his sleeve to scrawl a few symbols on his arm with one finger, as he does when he's spellworking. Once it's done, he creates a sort of dome shape with his hands and flicks it towards a clump of the kittens.

The shield settles over them, and when one of them tries to teleport, it ends up reappearing inside the shield, gently bouncing off the side and looking very confused.]

I knew learning anti-magic shield stuff would be useful eventually. [Or basically smashing together a shield and a counterspell in this case.]

[Oh, the kittens where mushing themselves into the wall. Trying. So hard. Mikasa just watched, still tired but her face smoothing out again from the frown as she watched.

...She really didn't have much of a job here with them caught like that. So she crouches nearby. Watching them for a moment. Large eyes scanning to make sure there was no injuries from whatever mischief they'd gotten into.]

That's good...The first changes are the worst. When you don't know what medication you can take.

[Rip those poor fuckers who were suddenly allergic to some foods.]

[The shield is more of a stopgap, but Momo usually makes shields for combat so he's pretty sure this one is going to hold up to a bunch of kittens trying to storm it for a little while. That taken care of for the moment, he starts to clear up the paper.]

I can do a bit of pain relief with my healing magic, I've done it for others with whole-body changes that can take a bit of time, like the harpy hollow bones thing. I couldn't let my darling be in any more pain than necessary.

[While he says that in his usual jokingly dramatic tone, he does actually mean it this time. He'd feel horrible if he let Yuki suffer needlessly.]

[With them safe she gets to cleaning too. Hollow bones? She knew birds where fragile, but that was new information to her. Even if it wasn't worth asking about. Just another thing known in other worlds. Just not theirs'.]

I know. My arms and legs... [The chitin that had slowly grown covering them. Skin that didn't stop itching as fairy dust formed and hardened, eating away at what had been there before. She didn't even know how her legs worked anymore. She'd spent quite a bit of time looking at the joints on her changed hand wondering but gotten nowhere.

Maybe one day, someone who understood bugs could explain. Even if she hated asking.

Because she wasn't going to no, tutting under her breath.]

...He's turning into a bird person then?

Oh, no, Yuki's turning into an octopus merrow. [Momo waves a hand apologetically for the misunderstanding.] My Bonded, Lio, is a harpy. He had the hollow bones before we Bonded, but it means I knew it was a thing when I saw it come up with others.

[And with a whole load of new people, he figures it's probably going to come up with a fair few of them now.] So it's basically just that I know I'm prepared if that kind of thing comes up with Yuki. Even if it won't be pain for the same reasons, I've at least done pain relief on Monsters.

Oh...The squishy fish spiders... [That is what an octopus is right? She'd not seen the ocean until a few years ago, it was close enough. And while she was okay knowing what one was, she wasn't interested in reading up the details beyond 'strange sea thing'.]

So I'm a test subject then? [It got a small noncommital noise, but she was going to get to work now. Not all that upset by the idea, just bullying.]

[Momo snorts at her description, because it's definitely a take he hasn't heard before.] I feel like crabs fit "fish spider" better...octopi are way more dextrous! They can even open jars from the inside.

[You have subscribed to octopus facts.

Mikasa's comment on test subject just makes him arch his brows with amusement, though.] You gotta actually ask me to do that for you before you become a test subject, you know! Experimenting on people without them agreeing is unethical.

[So apparently the problem is that Mikasa never actually mentioned wanting it so much as just other pain relief being frustrating.]

[open] going it alone is tough, let me help out

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