middaeg | [open] your ambiguous true face is hidden in the magic hour

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[open] your ambiguous true face is hidden in the magic hour

Who: Momo and you!
When: Throughout Aguril
Where: Around and about...
What: Catch-all feat. Lunasa + Antler Fruit, Forget-Me-Nots, and Darkness and Frost quest things (plus some closed prompts)
Warnings: Potentially raunchy discussion in Lunasa and Antler Fruit prompts, and Violence (tm) in the Darkness and Frost prompt.

[a: don't do the fashion crime if you can't do the fashion time (lunasa)]

[While Momo isn't exactly dressed in a not-extra way when he's out and about during Lunasa, what with the pinstriped dress shirt and useless fashionable suspender aesthetic because why not, the fact that he has modelling as a more permanent side job here now means he has to get involved in Lunasa things one way or another. And as far as he's concerned, it's better to have a little fun with it than just get set up with a bunch of local models. He figures Yuki will only have the patience for a little of it, though the single red string trailing off Momo's finger (coincidentally, it's chosen to tie itself around the finger he wears his repeat ring on, the left middle) somewhere off into the abyss of the city may be a dead giveaway to some people that Momo's oft-mentioned partner isn't directly present.

As such, anyone who comes near the right modelling locations may find themselves being propositioned by more than just the locals, as Momo taps shoulders (or just takes arms in cases he knows someone well enough or they look relaxed enough that he can assume he won't get hit for it) and starts trying to guide people towards the hell of designers and glitter and flashiness.]

Have you tried out a little modelling yet? You'll get some cute clothes out of it, I promise! [Or just. Good useful clothes for if anything fancy happens. He may have to change his tactics with some people...]

--

[b: pursuing the elusive hornyfruit (antler fruit, 18+ characters only)]

[Considering Momo tends to favour trap tactics initially when fighting things out in the Wilde anyway, something that involves having to keep an animal still long enough to pluck fruit off its horns seems pretty ideal. And the pay is good, and the jury is very much out on how long Momo is going to hold out before he makes one or more horny puns. Maybe they should be offering extra hazard pay for that part.

As it stands, though, it's still out in the Wilde and that still means Momo is going to have to pick up interested parties to help him out in the collection process. Out of habit he'll favour adults, in large part because of the nature of the quest, but other than that he's not particularly picky as long as his company has some idea what they're doing. Most of his supplies are concealed under his very covering clothing since he'll be drawing on magic much more here, but on occasion he can be seen tapping at things under his clothes as if to make sure they're still in the right place.

On final approach, behind some trees from which clear sounds of the deers' presence can be heard and one or two of them even start to be visible in a clearing nearby, Momo finally cracks while peering out to check how many there are around.]

Wow, I guess they really are as horny as advertised. [In reference to the giant "branches" of antlers hanging with fruit that are visible even from here, but he's still grinning like he knows he just made the worst joke in the world and isn't at all sorry.]

--

[c: animal crossing cheat codes (forget-me-nots)]

[Another particularly handy aspect of having focused primarily on distraction and protection magic in his early months is that thorny plants aren't a huge concern. He covers up habitually when travelling to the Wilde anyway, because Cwyld is like that, but some of the plants here are remarkably good at getting through gloves and he doesn't really want to learn if these prickly bushes are like that the hard way. So he's gathering the seeds with a layer of pink around his hands - a shield to prevent giving himself dead arm for the duration - and a nostalgic sort of smile on his face, courtesy of the fumes. He's dropping his own seeds into vials similar to those used to collect plant samples with a bit of soil, and while he knows time is of the essence, he'll spare some for anyone else who comes collecting.]

Are you here for seeds? If you've got something to transport them in I can get you some real quick, might as well carry as many as we can.

[He was told about the time limit when he came out, but at worst he can leg it back to the city after he helps.]

--

[d: tattoo responsibly (darkness and frost)]

[With the amount of time Momo is spending in the Wilde and on the outskirts of the city this month, of course he hears the warnings about the screaming and the creatures. And initially he classes it as a general danger, something to be wary of but that he's not necessarily more at risk of than anyone else.

Unfortunately, he is as yet blissfully unaware of the creatures' targets of choice, and he happened to get an enchanted tattoo not at all long after he arrived in this world. And spends a solid chunk of time in Dorchacht for the open spaces.

Initially, it's just that the screams seem to come remarkably close a few of the times he's near the borders of the Outer City or in the Wilde - but in the case of the former he's generally in the company of the Wilders and others helping out beyond the walls. It's not until he ends up having to chase a Shade a little further out from locals that can muddle his scent than is entirely ideal that one of them bursts from the trees, giving off its eerie screaming. On the one hand, it spooks the smaller Shade enough for it to hightail it back into the deeper Wilde for the moment. On the other, it's much bigger and more vicious than what he was just dealing with, and Momo barely gets a shield up before it crashes into the pink dome, trying to stomp through it and screaming all the louder. It's rare to see Momo look legitimately afraid of something, but he definitely does for the first few moments of holding it out of the shield.]

What the fuck...? [The cuss slips out in his absence of care for pretense in this kind of situation, and while the flayed creature's screaming is probably attraction enough for help, he does call out to anyone who might've seen fit to follow him.] Stay back! And if you have any idea what this thing is I could use the update!

[Unless whoever came to assist fills the target criteria for the nuckelavee as well, it's likely to remain very obviously focused on trying to get through that barrier to stomp and/or chew on Momo. Otherwise...well, it's going to turn its attention to the target that doesn't have a shield in front of it.]

--

[e: wildcard]

[[Feel free to hit me up at

reviseleviathan for other plans! Momo will also be doing his usual Out of the City duties besides the ones that involve getting attacked by weird revenge horses. Also feel free to tweak prompts slightly as needed to suit any plans we might've had for certain quests!]]

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What do you mean, a novel?! ( he's lived in deserts, forests, caves, all kinds of places while trying to keep the burnish safe from kray and his foundation. and while the promare mostly kept them healthy, they did have to think of ways of taking care of themselves from the occasional venomous snake, just in case somehow things went awry. but he deflates, wings drooping as he shakes his head. )

Sorry. I... of course magic can do that.

( holding his hand up, it doesn't seem to be growing cold or anything that might worry him. )

I can still fly them to wherever you need them to go. At least I still have that.

[Momo isn't getting any impression that the thorns are more dangerous than just deading a limb for a while - it helps that he's a reasonably regular visitor to Dorchacht's Coven and they warned him before he left, though. Lio's reaction to his joking doesn't seem to bother him, as he just shrugs slightly and grins at the apology. As it is, the arm-deading is probably just an inconvenience, though he imagines it'd be more so if Lio was an arm-wings style harpy.]

Sure, but if you're gonna do that then let me pick a few more. If we're set up for a speedy return, I can worry a bit less about the ones I've already picked. [He claps his shielded hands together and bends down to resume retrieving seeds, pulling another vial out of his pocket to keep them distinct from the ones picked earlier.]

( he grumbles to himself as he bends down again, though he first ensures his arm won't get in the way. using his other hand, he pulls his numb one up and through the collar of his shirt. it'll keep the elbow out, but at least it won't do too much dangling as lio continues to observe, this time with a little more caution than before. )

I still want to try to gather some. Do you think you could...

( he holds out his free hand, the one he can do stuff with. could momo's magic extend to lio? )

[Well, Momo figures at least Lio can't extra-deaden the already dead arm even if it might not be the most conducive to seed-picking. So he nods slightly and puts the vial back in his pocket for a moment, before drawing a pair of symbols on his wrist that look like they might've been writing at some point but just deteriorated into scrawl as Momo got more used to the subject of the spell.

Once it disappears, as if sinking into his skin, he takes Lio's forearm in both his hands and draws them up all the way to and over his fingers. The same translucent pink layer that seems to be protecting Momo from the thorns appears where his hands have been, creating something like a shield glove effect.]

Alright, that should keep this arm safe from the terrible fate of your other one. [Because he couldn't let that get away without some joking dramatic framing.] That one probably won't undeaden itself while we're still here if what the local Coven told me is accurate, but if it does tell me so I can cover it too.

( with curious eyes, he watches as momo basically creates a glove over the one non-afflicted hand and wrist. it feels like barely nothing, and he wiggles his fingers once momo is done. )

Ah. ( carefully, lio reaches underneath the bush and feels for the seeds. once he grabs a few, he's still very cautious about placing them into his little pseudo fanny pack. )

... they smell nice, don't they? ( there's the tiniest smile on his face, as he stares downward. ) Not sure why, but it reminds me of Galo. ( and then he blinks. ) Have I ever told you about him? He's probably the only human who cared enough about the Burnish to do something.

( and him, too. enough to risk his life to help lio. )

Yeah, it's kinda...nostalgic? [Probably a side-effect of the magic the plants are supposed to have, though Momo wasn't expecting it to be quite so pervasive. He's ready to hear a bit more about Lio's world if it puts him in the mood for talking, though, so he tilts his head with a curious grin.]

I think you've kinda alluded to him, but I don't think you've mentioned him by name before. [He does recall one or two references to Lio not being entirely alone besides the Burnish, he thinks.] But I'd be interested to hear more if you're in the mood to talk about it.

( even without the plants somewhat enabling him through a spark of vivid memories, it's been some time coming. it's hard for him to keep galo out of his mind, someone who looked out for him and cared for him despite not knowing very well at the beginning. )

Galo's a firefighter. And me, a Burnish... we were natural enemies at first. ( their first fight was memorable. they were evenly matched the entire time! and at the end galo had the upperhand, using a little trickery with his matoi tech. )

I think at first, he thought I was a terrorist. Thought I wanted to watch the world burn for fun... but no. He understood once I explained it, once he saw someone turn to ashes right before him.

( his smile is directed somewhere far away. )

I wish everyone was as understanding as him. Or dumb. Probably both.

[Momo nods understandingly at the natural enemies thing, because he kind of knows the feeling. He and Yuki are polar opposites in just about every way, and yet they get on so easily they only figured out how to actually talk about problems recently. He can certainly see how Lio would've ended up in a more dramatic version of that position. He listens through to the end, but he can't help but laugh at the finisher Lio picks.]

It might just be because I've only known you here, but I'm pretty sure I looked more like a terrorist than you the one time I acted as one. [Which Momo actually has on his phone, because it was a music video and he likes to have those around for nostalgia purposes. Jokes aside, though, he looks happy for Lio.] Sometimes it takes people who don't overthink things to really understand, though, so there's the dumb and understanding coming hand-in-hand. That said...I kinda don't want to ask because it sounds like it'd be bad, but I'm not sure what the significance of the turning to ashes was.

[It's obviously a death thing, but the context doesn't quite fit since he was under the impression Burnish would be immune to fire. So he's wondering if it's related to the experiments Lio mentioned previously.]

Hm... you think?

( well. actually, the longer that lio does think? momo might've fit in well with the burnish aesthetic. a gang-ish look on those who were out fighting on the front lines, trying to save their people. maybe that flamboyant nature of his would get him into more trouble? but then again, his attitude in that particular memory would've made him great to protect others. )

It's death. The experiments the Foresight Foundation performed left the Promare weak by draining the fire out of us. If the flames die, we die too.

( closing his eyes, he bows his head. )

We've lost so many, and despite my best efforts, I couldn't save a single one. Even though we rescue them, we don't truly save them. But I think Galo... Galo wanted to save us too. He really wanted to save me.

( and so he hopes that it would extend to others, especially if he were to turn to ashes as well. )

[Momo gives a broad shrug at the question, because he can't define it entirely on how he's seen Lio here, but he's heard he played that role pretty convincingly himself. And his character was actually trying to be malicious, which is a big difference compared to what Lio was doing back home.

But he doesn't continue with that subject when the specifics of the turning to ash are explained. It makes sense, in the way that an unpleasant connection someone doesn't make until it's too late does, and despite the effects of the plants, Lio's woe makes him frown and puts a rather less than happy memory into his head.

"We didn't make it in time..."]

So it's like literally burning out. [With some very callous assistance on their way. He does wonder how long they would have lived otherwise, but as it is, there's some slight hesitation in what he says next, as if carefully choosing his wording to avoid something.] Rescuing someone but knowing too much has happened already...must be difficult. And I hope he wants to save your people as well. But it's also good you found someone who wanted to save you. The Burnish might have you, but then, who do you have?

["Who watches the watchmen" logic. Lio dedicating himself to that kind of protective role is brave and important, but Momo also knows that at a certain point in those cases, there's an impasse and one side decides that the other's safety is worth more than their own. It's good to have a third party.]

There are two other Burnish who could take my place, if they wanted to... together. At first, they wanted nothing more but to burn everything down to the ground.

( more seeds are carefully placed in his bag, and his eyes continue to follow up and down the bush--- just in case something might be waiting for him inside. he's pretty sure he saw at least one set of tracks from some kind of four legged animal around here, so! )

But they got captured too. I figured at worst, I could somehow get everyone free and do whatever I had to in order to make it happen.

( with a thin smile, he looks at momo. it turns inward and a little sad, but that's sort of how it is. )

Still. Yes, I do have Galo. That's not always a good thing, but I think he'd always have my back. And... I think I'd always have his, if I get another chance to see him again.

That's the thing - sometimes if someone else is behind you when you're planning to do whatever you have to, it can be the difference between "whatever you have to" being putting your life down for it or surviving.

[His tone is again consistent, almost too much so, like he's deliberately trying to level it. He's almost thrown his life away for people before, believing it to be better if it was just him, but somehow his worst nightmare playing out in the midst of it, someone else being endangered by it, had led to them both being saved.

Momo leaves that subject behind rather quickly, probably aware that he's not disguising his hand as well as he'd like.] Having someone you can put that kind of trust in is a really great feeling! Especially since it seems like there's a precious few people you trust like that. Being able to find another one would be extra important.

( would someone who didn't have this kind of experience before say something like this? lio is pretty sure momo wouldn't. there's plenty that he doesn't know about momo, but what he does know is that... if there's a reason for anything, momo would do or say what he knows best for that matter. but in lio's case, he definitely put himself in more danger when he saw the opportunity to strike first.

little did he know that his strength wouldn't mean anything in the face of someone with the same kind of power. )

I think I've found more people here to trust than anything else... I hope one day I can say the same thing about the people back home.

( unless the burnish find somewhere to live far away, and then he probably won't have that same issue. )

I like to think that if I wasn't Burnish, I'd be able to have a friend like you.

[Momo nods understandingly as he drops some last few seeds in to fill up a vial. He might not seem like it, but he's had some real trouble with people trying to use him back home and it seriously dented his ability to trust people at face value for a while. Here, where he doesn't have the level of celebrity that makes people want to take advantage of him, it's much easier.]

I hope you find friends like that back home as well. You deserve that, whatever kind of person you might be. [While he doesn't like the idea that Lio would have to be innately different to find more people to trust, discrimination exists in any world. But he can hope he finds good things despite that.] But if we're just talking about here, Momo-chan doesn't mind if you invite your friends over.

[A cheeky wink as he caps the vial and adds it to Lio's carrier. He's still in the habit of putting a positive spin on most things, including being here.]

Maybe. Maybe one day... if I live through it all. I can't think of life without being always on the run. I might never. It's hard to say.

( why does his heart hurt so? is it the fact he's aware that those who return home won't have memories of aefenglom? of the monsters, the witches, the city or the forests, the cwyld? that every experience he's had would be all for nothing? what permanence would he have? he doesn't want to forget momo.

lio closes his eyes. sighs again, but shakes it off soon after. )

I hope you'll get to have all you want, too.

( and then he laughs, a very small and cheerful noise. )

Well, actually. I know someone who might want to come by once in a while. Their name is Enkidu. They are... very kind.

It's usually hard to say how things will turn out, but I really hope you get the chance to live peacefully in the end.

[Someone like Lio doesn't deserve to die, even though it's usually the good people who put themselves in harm's way like that for others. He'll just have to hope it works out, like it has with his people back home.

There's a slight laugh at the notion of Momo getting all he wants, but he doesn't remark on it until Lio is done, uncapping another vial in the meantime.]

I've never wanted much, honestly. [He'd barely wanted anything until his early 20s when he had the crushing realisation that the person he'd sworn to serve only as a temporary replacement for someone else had awoken that kind of "selfish" desire in him.] I don't think I've met them, but I'll keep an eye out! If you say they're kind then they must be a real standout.

I do too.

( even though he doesn't know what peace looks like, what it feels like... will he get to live with someone? by himself? what about his two right-hand men, and the dozens upon dozens of burnish that might get displaced? what about kray foresight?

there are so many questions and thinking of them gives lio a headache. )

They stand out. They call themselves a 'hero of humanity'. I don't know what that entails, but I believe them. Something about their poise despite having lost a bond recently...

( he looks down and away. )

... it's a little scary. ( a beat, then: ) I don't plan on leaving any time soon.

( somewhat confidently, he reaches and takes some more seeds, though he makes a noise as he feels like he's going a little too quick. )

[While the last remark is a little ominous in a "did you just jinx it" kind of way, Momo just tilts his head a bit and starts filling the new vial.]

Maybe they're from a world with dramatic stakes like that. [He shrugs. He's seen memories of someone having a god-tier magical fight over what would've been his home city in his own world, he'll buy someone being a legendary hero.] Anyway, I don't think any of us really plan on leaving, but I'd prefer to go home when everyone can go home, at least. Especially now that Yuki's here. I have to be with him, whichever side we're on.

[Momo could deal with being here without Yuki for a little while. He has reasons to believe vice versa wouldn't go so well, so he doesn't want to disappear while Yuki is still here.] But it's also because I don't want to leave anyone behind before we all part ways. The friends I've made here are still my friends.

I don't know. The way they are... I don't think they'd embellish anything.

( and later, he'd know that enkidu was telling the truth. their bond would make it apparent. still, a part of him wonders how and why a literal hero would be able to be pulled through the mirror? maybe hero is defined differently from place to place; lio is certainly no hero, but he was definitely stronger than most. )

I'm glad he's here. ( a smile, as he hums in thought. ) What I wouldn't give for Galo, but the last thing I need is for him to stare at my wings and my feathers and then ask if I lay eggs...

( a beat, then: )

I don't think harpies lay eggs.

[Momo barely stifles a laugh at the initial idea of Galo asking if he lays eggs, then fails to when Lio adds that little bit of an afterthought.]

I wouldn't be surprised if they did, but considering you're a guy I don't think you have to worry. [He hasn't heard of any bird species where the male carries the eggs, at least.] Though I haven't exactly looked much into all that. I'm sure someone out there probably has that information hoarded.

[It seems like the kind of thing someone would decide they wanted to know all the facts about from Monster to Monster.]

( listen, lio's not going to assume anything is normal here! the last thing he wants to do is wake up next to a bunch and wonder 'what the heckie just happened'.

unless he went shopping in his sleep. this is as likely as male birds carrying, probably. )

I'm kind of afraid to ask or even find out, but I guess I should if I'm curious enough to.

( his cheeks start to burn, and he stands up. )

Okay. I should deliver these... they can't sit around in my bag for too long, right?

Someone has to do it eventually! [Momo's seen some weird things posted on the Watches, he's not going to assume someone else isn't going to ask the same question if Lio doesn't get around to it.

Once Lio mentions heading back, Momo scoops a last few seeds into his current vial and caps it.] Yeah, take this one too. I might just stay out here a bit longer, if I take a batch back on my own as well then that's a decent amount more and I don't have to worry so much about the time limit.

[If Lio takes what he already gathered previously, Momo can essentially just restart and go back later with a separate batch.]

( as long as it's not him being the one that is eggs-plored, then he'll be okay with it. weird things being posted aside, he doesn't want to be the one who gets investigated and/or experimented upon... not again. )

Okay. I'll come back once I get these dropped off.

( rolling his shoulders, he flexes his back then puffs out his chest. )

To give you company, of course.

You don't have to, Momo-chan is used to the occasional lonely night! [He says that in a very joking tone, because while he's always the type to remind people that they don't need to go out of their way for him, hiding it under humour tends to work better.]

Have a safe trip, anyway. No more manhandling thorns.

[Not that it's so much of a risk when someone is travelling, but still.]

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[open] your ambiguous true face is hidden in the magic hour

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