awashlogs | Event Ten.

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Event Ten.

Little Willie, mean as hell,
Pushed his sister in a well.
Mother said, while drawing water,
"My, it's hard to raise a daughter."

t's pretty dark and miserable down in the well. The cavernous area feels much larger than a well should be, bodies milling about in the darkness and knee deep, frigid water. So you're here -- and you're not alone, and the only way out appears to be the thin circle of sunlight from above, the opening of the well.

(And elsewhere, in the Town, everyone's waking up to gifts of various usefulness, but hopefully they remember to check the well today even so!)

What now?

Welcome to Awash's tenth event log, and the intro log for this month, everyone! All new characters have found themselves waking in the well in the middle of the Town. Hopefully they can get a hand out! For more information, please go here!

Meanwhile, the current characters have some new gifts.

If there are any questions, please ask them here, and have fun! Thank you!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ Momo, from the bottom of this stupid well, watches the exact opposite of a Jackass episode unfold in front of him with the sort of stupefied awe that only a complete normie could convey.

Can you get out on your own, says the Real Life Ninja, and Momo doesn't even have it in him to be offended.

So here's a muffled: ] Uh.

Sorry, I really don't think so!

[ He's down there, a huddled blob knee-deep in water, with his arms out like an infant. ] —Is there a ladder up there I could use?

[Hm, hmm. A little bird trapped in a well.

Sasuke disappears again, but only for several seconds this time. When he comes back, he's already hopping over the mouth of the well and descending--as painfully Actually Ninja as he had went up.

Manipulating chakra allows him to fall at a better, slower pace, and he hits the bottom of the well with a splash not befitting the distance from above.] Sorry.

Come here. [Momo is tall enough Sasuke doesn't have to really squat, but the cloak is knocked widely open, and he offers the curve of his right arm as if saying he's about to play elevator.

The only weird thing is--that's it, just one arm. (And a sword...) The sleeve on the left side of the shirt is hanging limp.] Hold on tight and keep your head down.

What's your name?

[ Either this is the coolest thing Momo has ever seen in his life, or he's hallucinating; he's not sure which option is kinder for his sanity, at this point.

Dumbly, he stands and watches as Sasuke offers the crook of his elbow. It occurs to him that his silence isn't actually an answer, so he squeezes air out of his too-tight throat and exhales in what passes for a vague laugh. Appreciative, even if notices the missing left arm and the frankly terrifying weapon strapped to this stranger.

He doesn't comment, for now. ]

Oh, don't worry about it— I mean! Don't apologize! Thanks a lot!

[ A quick "excuse me", as he. Wiggles on over and wraps his arms around this intimidating guy's frame.

Under his breath: ] Ah, this is so cool... so this is what it feels like to be swept off my feet...!

—I'm Momo. What's your name, handsome stranger?

[Lifting himself and another person takes more chakra than Sasuke had used getting to the top before. Carefully, he loops his right arm around Momo's middle, cutting from the ribs to the waist across the back. There's the briefest moment when he pauses, waiting for the name.

Momo, what a silly dork.]

Uchiha, Sasuke.

[And then he quite literally blasts off. The squat with his knees is slight, the spring is surreal. Only several times does he need to use his feet on the wall of the well to keep the momentum up. His arm doesn't ever loosen.

Unfortunately, the top of the well has a little roof on it. He won't be able to toss them forward over the mouth of the well with added weight, not at this angle. Instead, at the right moment, just at the top, he kicks with his feet and sends them flying backward through the space between well and roof, flipping to land on their feet and skid just a bit along the ground.

Luckily for Momo, this all happens in about thirty seconds. Thanks for riding Sasuke's Fast and Wild Ride.]

[ It's official: this is Next-Level. Before he has time to remark on the fact that 'Sasuke' is quite possibly the single most fitting name for someone who could probably backflip and decapitate him without blinking, Momo is airborne. Middle-finger to gravity, middle-finger to physics; all Momo can do is bite back what would've been an undignified half-yell and cling on to that steady single arm for dear life.

When he feels grass under the soles of his sneakers, feels the weight of planetary forces settle back on his wet shoulders, he releases the breath he'd been holding.

Slumps.

And tips his chin up, heavenwards. ]

Wwwwwwwhat!? Seriously?! Did we just do that?!

[ Correction: did Sasuke really do that??? Momo's about to buckle, knees weak and clothes wet, but he manages to shift and take a step away from his savior. ]

Sasuke-san!!! My hero...! Don't move, let me put my palms together in front of you...!

[It's often he forgets there's completely normal people even in his world who have never had a single tickle of ninja ability in their lives. Being amazed about something which seems so terribly simple to him is... humbling maybe.

He hasn't been this revered since Boruto called him cool and demanded to be his student.]

You don't have to do that.

[Momo steps away, but Sasuke's hand lingers on Momo's elbow and forearm until he's sure the guy isn't going to collapse, especially not in thanks. Sasuke's arm doesn't drop so much as pull a disappearing act beneath the cloak.]

We should look around. Where are you from?

[ "You don't have to", Sasuke says, but Momo does it anyway: palms together in the universal posture for prayer, eyes shut and brows furrowed. As if he's at a shrine on New Year's.

(he's confused, disoriented, and still anxious about where he is and how he got here, but most of all, he's grateful— he can think of a million questions that start with how and why, but he doesn't insult Sasuke's intelligence by asking any of them.)

When he recovers, all Momo does is flick water from his sleeves and smile. ]

Me? I'm just another guy from Tokyo, so I'm not that great at wilderness exploring... sorry! [ Not too apologetically, though, because he wants to keep it light. ] But I've got a lot of stamina! I can try to keep up.

[ A wink, as he starts pushing through tall grass. ] —Thanks again, though, Sasuke-san. I really owe you one, so let me know if I should keep my owl eyes open for anything or anyone for you!

[Tokyo. ????]

You don't have to apologize so much. [Thank God he isn't some edgy, unstable youth, or he maybe would have put the sword through Momo's stomach by now. No... he's only a humble dad now. Momo lucked out.] Three teenagers.

Their names are Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki, if you happen to see them. [Naruto, Sakura, or Hinata could be here, too. So could any of their class. But they can handle themselves. They'll find him.

He's worried more about the kids.

Momo goes, and Sasuke falls in line to follow. They get maybe several yards before he slows to a stop and twists in another direction. He stands there still, almost as if he's listening.]

[ Imagine meeting a ninja and getting murdered 0.002 seconds into the interaction... Sounds like any given Tuesday.

That said, Momo just assumes that Sasuke is from some cool regional place like, say, Koyasan, and contents himself with memorizing these three names for the time being. Mitsuki is an easy one to remember, given that he also knows A Mitsuki. ]

Boruto, Sarada, and Mitsuki— got it.

[ And that's as far as he gets with that, before he's spinning on his heels to catch up with this new course of action. ] ...What's up? Did you see something...?

[The hilarious discrepancy between their Mitsukis' looks is astounding; one is a very cute idol, the other is the son of Lord Voldemort. Except they practically have the same energy. Weird...]

No. I feel something. [Again, he's quiet and still for a few seconds, and then he turns to lift his hand and poke two fingers into Momo's chest.] Here.

A calling. I felt it when I jumped out of the well the first time, too. Do you feel anything? A place.

[ Predictably, Momo runs with the wrong initial interpretation of that two-fingered gesture; his shoulders roll up near his ears, and he gasps. ]

S... Sasuke-san...! We're moving too fast, I don't even know what your favorite food is...!

[ And then, you know, he actually digests the rest of Sasuke's statement beyond the first 5 words. Again, Momo is lucky Sasuke mellowed the hell out. ]

—I mean!

[ good save nerdlord ]

I think I know what you mean... It's just a general gut feeling, but those are usually right. Like, "I should be heading this way".

[God. He thought he left these days back at the Academy. What did he ever do to unintentionally woo idols? Help him. At least, true, he's mellowed enough not to give much of a damn.

He lets the meaning catch up to Momo without any kind of disgust or correction.]

Rice balls with tuna flakes and tomatoes. Nothing sweet.

[And without any kind of clarification, he turns and begins walking slowly in the direction the town is pulling him. He doesn't seem to be trying to lose Momo, at least.]

[ RIP Momose Sunohara

Sasuke's biggest mistake is giving Momo even an inch to work with; Momo's databank of useless facts about people is ever-expanding, and he files this new tidbit as something he can weaponize against Sasuke later.

Which is to say, one day he'll show up at Sasuke's door with tomatoes. Again, RIP. ]

—Tuna flakes are super good, I love them too! [ Beam...ing, as he trails behind. The town is pulling him in another direction, but he ignores it for now; his heart can follow its own path later. ] Here's to hoping that there are things here that remind us of home.

[Sasuke will at the very most not be a high-and-dry kind of date. He'll escort Momo to Ruga after. Unless the two of them die along the way. And then he can casually break the news he's married. RIP Momose Sunohara.]

It's possible. We'll have to see.

[Unfortunately, Sasuke makes the worst conversation partner. He's quiet along the way unless Momo is the one who decides to initiate conversation. His focus is mostly on their surroundings and the way ahead to Flavo, the other portion on Momo in case there's danger.

Someone please save Momo from Sasuke Uchiha.]

[ Why did Momo think he could chaperone Sasuke when Sasuke Uchiha has actually seen war, whereas the biggest of Momo's childhood problems is that he hurt his leg playing soccer? A real mystery.

But the fact of the matter is that this stupid fucking nerdlord follows Sasuke all the way to Flavo anyway, even after the conversation's dried up into a husk of a corpse that they trample over. As if anyone asked or even needs help from a 20-something who is, in fact, a lot less remarkable than his stage persona.

When they finally hit Flavo, just on the outskirts of all of those ominous trees and thorns, Momo heaves a breath. ]

—This is like something out of Snow White, isn't it? Or maybe Goldilocks and the Three Bears... [ He laughs. Lowers his shoulders. ] Be careful, Sasuke-san. Don't drink soup that's been set out on tables or accept apples from strangers from here on out, okay?

[It's a sad day in hell when Sasuke doesn't know one bit about Snow White or Goldilocks. Fantasy ninja Japan is just terrible that way. All of their legends are... well, about ninjas, or Tailed Beasts, or the origin of chakra.

Mostly.

He glance at Momo, the single visible eyebrow rising briefly, curiously.] Are those tales? I've never heard of them. [Hopefully, Momo won't die of shock.] Are the soup and apples superstition?

[ Momo's face scrunches. Under the sleeve of his jacket, he clenches his fists. ]

Hold it in, Momo...! Be respectful...! Don't use the word 'cute'...!

[ please just kill him

But with that momentary crisis out of the way: ] —Sort of! I guess they don't teach you Western-style fairytales where you're from...? [ That seems. Legit?? Monks probably don't know about Snow White?? Is Sasuke a monk?? Who knows. ] The general gist is that a lot of bad things happen when you eat food that's not yours.

[While Momo explains, Sasuke slows to another stand-still. It feels much like a compass, one trying to reorient itself to his new location. The pull is faintly all around, something warm and inviting in each direction.

But there's a pin-prick in the middle, somewhere.] The Land of Earth and Land of Wind are west of us in the Hidden Leaf Village. I don't think there's any legends about Snow White or Goldilocks.

[For a moment, he glances at Momo. Food theft, huh. Reminds him of a certain someone when they were kids. Being impersonated and racking up a high diner bill sounds like fairytale all on its own.]

Sounds like stories I need to tell someone I know.

[ Momo's personal compass is haywire, tugging his feet in another direction entirely even as he wades through cobblestone paths overrun with tall grass; because he can feel his own push and pull, he doesn't question the surety of Sasuke's steps. It seems stupid to keep asking, because nothing about this place makes too much sense.

Speaking of sense, though. The Land of Earth???? Hidden Leaf??? Momo's Japanese enough to identify the vocabulary as something that would show up in His Japanese Animes, but that seems patently disrespectful, so. He keeps mum.

When Sasuke looks over his shoulder, Momo tips his head to the side. Attentive. ]

They're more like bedtime stories... but, haha! We all have someone in our lives who likes eating so much that they'd dine and dash, even at a stranger's place, huh?

Who's the special someone in your life that gives you trouble, Sasuke-san?

[Briefly, the mellowed existence of his face is sucked dry and replaced by the most deadpan, scary look which is shot over the top of Momo's head and through the fabric of time and space toward a particular person not present.

Somewhere, the Seventh Hokage gets chills and isn't sure why.

And then Sasuke's face softens at the edges, though the line of his brows are still a bit playfully irritated.] Naruto. A loser. [Without waiting, he turns maybe five degrees and begins to walk again, letting Momo hurry along after him like before.]

If he shows up, tell him I'm looking for him.

[ Subzero to sunlight in 0.05 seconds. At first, Momo isn't sure if he stepped barefoot on a landmine, but the gentle furrow of Sasuke's brows post-"loser" puts life back into Momo's half-stopped heart.

Momo, misguided optimist that he is, sees all of this and thinks to himself: "what a kind soul". ]

－Okay! I won't forget it. [ A weavearound past a decrepit cabin, crumbling around its edges. Momo is glad that this doesn't seem to be the place that Sasuke is gunning for. ] If he's as mysterious and cool as you are, he won't be hard to find!

Edited 2018-09-17 03:37 (UTC)

[The stealth compliment gets no correction or attention from Sasuke, but he'll be damned if he won't redirect misinformation about Naruto:] He isn't. [It sounds less as if Sasuke is trying to claim he's mysterious and cool and more he's trying to get Momo to understand Naruto isn't at all.]

He's a good-for-nothing. A moron. You can spot him anywhere because his hair is the same color as bananas, and he has a big mouth.

[In the depth of a few houses, Sasuke finds the one he's searching for, the one which calls for him. It's not much. Surely, not as awful as some of the other, but it also appears... unlived in. If he has a roommate, they just arrived as well.

Briefly, his right hand slides back to motion for Momo to wait behind him out of the way, and then it comes forward to press in the door. The house opens without resistance, leaving gaping darkness inside until he steps in. Hm.

Nothing seems amiss.]

No one's here. You can come in.

[ Way harsh... except not really, since Momo interprets the easy insults as a sign of closeness; you usually don't get to know people enough to care about their flaws unless you invest your time and heart in them, he thinks.

So. Momo laughs, even if the house in front of them is big and dark and lonely. He really wishes this were all just a prank, but he doubts it. ]

...What, me?

—It's fine, Sasuke-san! You made sure I got out of that well safely, so I just wanted to make sure you got somewhere safely, too. So don't worry, I'm not gonna impose.

[ He does a mock glasses-pushing-up gesture here, feigning the quintessential 'coolguy'. ]

'Now... we're even'.

[There's only one extra step Sasuke takes. The house doesn't swallow him quite yet, but with the dark cloak, he almost vanishes in the first room's shadows--at least, looking in from the bright outside. He doesn't even turn around to look back at Momo.

His voice drops a single octave.]

Get in here.

[Don't make him use his weird eyeballs on you, Momo.]

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