[OPEN] NOVEMBER CATCHALL.

[rerevale]

WHO: Momo and you!
WHERE: All around.
WHEN: Throughout the month of November!
WHAT: Quests, mirrors, miscellanies.
WARNINGS: None atm— I'll update if there's anything notable!



QUEST 32 : THE PLAGUE.

a.

[ He's sick.

He knows what this is, because he's pushed through it before: nausea, headaches, aching joints, pressure behind his ears. When he breathes through his mouth, he tastes that tar-thick illness sitting at the back of his throat. When he talks, he can feel how his voice wants to break between each syllable.

It's bad. But it's not unbearable.

It is, however, enough of a physical burden that someone who meets up with him on the regular might realize that he hasn't rang in a while— that, or someone who talks to him routinely might notice that he cuts conversations a bit faster than usual. He's missing from the streets in the same way that someone who pays enough attention might notice that their local grocery store's changed their looping smooth jazz soundtrack to elevator music; his absence is subtle, and largely insignificant.

Still, he's around. At home, he's in his room with a book he'd pilfered from the library, lying on his side on the bed. If anyone comes knocking, he won't realize until they're standing next to him, bedside— he'll blink and sit up, eyes slightly unfocused before he laughs and looks embarrassed. ]

Sorry, sorry— ahh, you can't sneak up on idols when they're not camera-ready...!

[ If he's out and about, he'll be curiously devoid of emotion until he spots someone he knows. The transition from neutral to cheerful takes a second, but he gets there. A little rusty, a little creaky. ]

...Hey! Look at all this snow! It feels super nice, huh...!

[ Maybe because he's burning up??? Jesus, Momo. ]


b.

[ Or maybe your character's the one that's sick, and Momo's the one that's plodding over for a gift delivery or some soup delivery. Either way, he's here and at your doorstep, hands full and brows downturned. ]

Go lie down, okay? Let Momo-chan take care of things today, no sweat.


MIRROR, MIRROR.

[ Here's what Mirror Momo is: he's an asshole. But here's what Mirror Momo isn't: he's not a liar.

Maybe you're over for a house visit, or maybe you've caught Momo doing his laundry outside, or maybe you've caught Momo looking for food to eat. Either way, at some point, that stupid mirror finds its way into the conversation in an intrusive way: whether it be through its sudden appearance, or because Momo's stuffed it into the front pocket of his sweatshirt in an effort to keep it from spooking him.

Mirror Momo talks a lot of shit. Throughout, he's terminally upbeat. Always, always smiling.

Listen closely, and you'll probably hear a lot of unflattering truths about 'Momose Sunohara'. Oops. ]



(( catchall for November! ♥ feel free to PM me or to shoot me a PP via Plurk (deuil) for anything more specific. if you're hitting up the mirror portion of the log, i'll write up whatever Mirror Momo is saying at that point in time— feel free to leave a blank toplevel and i can hit you up with an insecurity that Momo's nursing! ))

Comments

a day or two after the intro log

[apocalypticist]

[ So. Ryo's first time seeing Akira in over six months did not go well at all and ended with Akira telling him to shut up as he stormed off. Ryo did give him his hex code as a means of contacting him whenever he stops being mad, but a) he doubts Akira will remember it and b) his friend is hopeless with tech and likely needs someone to show him how private messaging works. Still, it was worth a try.

The best course of action for now is probably to give Akira some space until he cools off, but in the meantime? Ryo's going to do some sleuthing and figure out where he lives so he knows where to find him, and maybe check out his housemates while at it. Gotta vet everyone Akira will hang out with and all that.

Thankfully, it's a small town so he doubts it'll take long. He starts with checking out Bluo (Akira cries a lot and his Devilman form is blue, is his reasoning for assuming that his friend is a blue), hoping he'll spot either Akira or the cat there. When that goes nowhere, he heads back to Ruga where he finds Tako moving about near Momo's house, presumably on the hunt for mice.

He lingers near the house for way longer than necessary, stealthily peeking through a window every once in a while. If Akira lives here, he doesn't seem to be home... ]

[rerevale]

[ Unfortunately for Ryo, Akira isn't home— he's likely out exploring the area and getting himself acquainted with his surroundings, or something similarly sensible and reasonable (Momo hopes). The only person stirring inside the run-down two-story is a young man who likes to sing to himself while he does his chores, a veteran idol who occasionally stops mid-housecleaning to practice a well-beloved dance routine in the poorly furnished housing complex.

Incidentally, it's after a half-spin and a shimmy that Momo notices someone looking in through the living room window. A head of blond hair, sharp blue eyes. Calm, cool features settled on a perfectly-proportioned face.

It's a shame that Momo's frozen mid-dance, elbows up and hip popped. How is he gonna finagle this to look cool and suave?

He doesn't. Not really. He blinks, laughs through his teeth, and

puts both hands up to wave, as if he's playing to the crowd at a concert. Here's a wink, for Ryo's trouble. ]

—Thanks for coming to my live concert! ☆ [ This should immediately disqualify him for good roommate material, tbh. ]

[apocalypticist]

[ There's a long moment where Ryo just looks at him with critical eyes, mouth set in an unimpressed line. What did he just watch?? ]

What are you doing. [ He says in a flat tone, his breath visible in the cold crisp air. ]

[rerevale]

[ Oh, ouch. That look is subzero, frostbite in physical form.

But Momo meets it head-on, head tipped and bashfulness receding to make way for an open, wide smile. ]

...Cleaning! With a twist. [ He laughs, and takes a few steps towards the window. ] Hey, isn't it cold out there, though...? Are you looking for something? Need any help?

time to kill momo with b

[ninjanature]

[Bringing the sack of gifts before didn’t destroy Sasuke too badly. It was like a cold maybe. He started feeling incredibly awful for a few days, but then he got better, and he had gifts on top of it.

But now, he’s really dying. It’s probably Nico; Sasuke doesn’t realize this. Momo and Nico are maybe the only bonds deep enough for him to get gratitude. Or maybe it’s even Dave, killing him for the ninja tech and the promised scroll. The fact is: he’s on death’s door, he’s sure of it, and what a way for one of the strongest ninjas to go. Simple, ordinary. Murdered by disease.

And Momo will be dead, too.

Sasuke refuses to stay in bed despite the scream of his body to sleep. He’s burning up from the inside, and relief comes from opening the door without a shirt on. A well-built plane of solid muscle etched with ribs and abs and scars. The only outlier is the missing arm on the left, though the bicep doesn’t end in anything grotesque. A softly gnarled, healed scar.

He doesn’t even look sexy. He’s too pale, with a dark eye socket and a face shiny with sweat. Lips that are sour even when his face softens just slightly at the fact it’s Momo. The chilly air from outside is a blessing he seems to relish, but it brings goosebumps to his skin and makes him shiver unintentionally.]

Are you my brother or my wife?

WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS

[rerevale]

[ Momo tries to read the atmosphere. He really does. Somehow he's managed to cobble together enough information about his ninja friend's current condition to know that Sasuke might need a pot of shittily-made mock-minestrone from yours truly, but nothing in this life or any permutation of his past lives could have prepared Momo for this very moment.

Keep it together, Momose Sunohara, he tells himself. Sasuke-san is sick. Look at him. He's not feeling well. He looks miserable. On the verge of death.

Jeez, what's his workout routine like?

A long exhale, and Momo turns on his heels. Sets his saucepan of soup down onto the porch. Covers his face with one hand, with half his body facing away from Sasuke. ]

Sasuke-san... you can't ask me that question right now.

[ His entire brain is crying. Give him a moment. ]

I can't think of a single thing I can say in this moment that won't end with you telling me to go home.

[ jesus christ ]

a neverending cycle of gay chicken

[ninjanature]

[For a long moment, Sasuke stares at Momo quietly. What a weird idol guy. He’s too foggy-headed, and he hates it. He’s tired but insufferable. Stepping back, he leaves the door open, and he turns around to slowly saunter into the depths of the house.]

Shut the door behind you.

[Leaving the cool air is terrible with the fever burning him up, and yet he can’t control the quivering of cold he can feel in his bones. He doesn’t think he’s ever been this sick in his life. Had this been what Sarada felt when she was ill and he had been away? Guilt churns his stomach; he’s glad for the small, disheveled den and the rough mat of mismatched cloth and blankets he’s made. Maybe Momo will use it to smother him. Put him out of his misery.

There’s no grace when he drops down on the stretched out pile. And he waits for Momo to come in, knowing Momo will.] Have you seen the boy? Nico. He’s been gone a while.

[The room looks like an almost homeless bachelor’s; run down and next to bare. Somewhat unused. Too dark and dreary. Some of the only additions being a familiar jacket and some handmade good luck charms. Maybe it was Momo killing him. On the mantle, lying flat and face-down is a black handled hand mirror.

Hm. Bad!]

[rerevale]

[ Hm. Very bad!!

Which is to say, once Momo gets over having seen Sasuke's bare chest on full display, he picks up his pot and shimmies inside to get an eyeful of... this. A nest of crudely-gathered faux-blankets with a miserable-looking man in the middle.

It reminds Momo of living in a shitty one-room apartment all over again, sleeping on a thin futon on top of musty tatami. He feels a spike of concern for Sasuke's predicament, yeah, but it also humanizes the guy a little. Preternaturally calm, collected Sasuke, down and out in his paradoxical mess of an empty house. Momo stalks around the forums enough to know this, at least. A laugh, and he meanders over. ]

Hey— come on, Sasuke-san. You gotta get more comfortable than that! You're not a cat, you're an ikemen.

[ Going into protector mode makes Momo more bold; the soup gets set aside, and his jacket gets tossed on top of the hand mirror. Momo's hands are cold from being outside, and one of them presses against Sasuke's sweaty forehead to gauge his temperature.

Very bad!!!!!!!! ]

mirror!

[scooptimistic]

[ Maya's doing what she did the last time she dealt with her Shadow-- cheerfully, fiercely ignore it and refuse to accept that whatever it's saying has anything to do with what she actually feels. Or felt, at any point in her life. Because she's fine. She doesn't hold any bitterness in her heart towards people who had only meant well. She doesn't think it's unfair that she'd had her life tampered with because of two... concepts, not even gods, that had placed a bet on humanity's potential and used her as a playing piece.

And she's not lonely.

But anyway, she's got that mirror tucked inside an oversized hoodie, along with the finally-finished Pyonkichi, brightening when she catches sight of Momo doing-- whatever he happens to be doing.

Come at her, Mirrose. ]

Momo!

[rerevale]

[ Momo is taking out the trash when Maya approaches him, hands full with household garbage and other miscellanies. His mood is an undistinguishable warm-neutral, a little less chipper than the usual exuberance he carries himself with— it lifts when he sees Maya, but tanks again when he spots his mirror conveniently appearing within Maya’s line of vision.

That asshole.

Before Momo can get a word in edgewise, his all-too-truthful doppelganger is piping up; arms splayed and mock-sorrowful, his grin incongruous with his monologue. ]

—Isn’t show business the worst? Momo’s gonna say something like “I’m sooo glad to see you, I’m happy if you’re happy!”, but isn’t that just the template ‘idol’ thing to say?

Not that that’s a bad thing! That’s what selling out is about, right? Who’s gonna listen to Momo, otherwise? The only thing he’s got going on for himself is his attitude— he has to sell it where he can. ☆

Friendly, fun, happy ‘Momo’. He’s selling a dream! A package deal! If he doesn’t have the talent, he’ll make up for it by being a suck-up. Please like him! Please love him!

[scooptimistic]

[ Uh.

Maya stops in her tracks, a little unwillingly arrested by this bright, perky mirror version that...

... Is kind of an asshole. And so far, she's been fine, able to happily ignore people's mirrors and guide them to a different topic, but Momo's seems to be a little more persistent. ]

I wouldn't say he hasn't got the talent. He's got a great voice. [ mildly. ]

And I wouldn't call him a suck-up, either. So could you shut up for a minute and let me say hello?

[rerevale]

[ Momo's tossing the last of his trash aside, catches the tail end of his mirror self's speech as he trots down the porch. His brows are turned down and his smile is apologetic, hands a little shaky as he picks up the rude-ass object in question. ]

—Haha, it's been saying stuff like that all day...! Pretty mean, huh...!

[ Mirror Momo, hands at his cheeks and knees bent, laughs. ]

Only because you're a coward, 'Re:vale's Momo-chan'!

a

[osteotome]

[ Momo is usually a lot, as a quiet sword like Honebami has learned. But the Momo of today Honebami meets while doing some errands outside is less so? ]

It's pretty, yes. Solid too, you could make snow bunnies.

[ Why are they on the same energy wavelength...? ]

It's really cold today. You aren't wearing gloves.

[rerevale]

[ Momo is A Lot, so maybe this is how things should be: just a little muted, just a little less Sunny. Manageable.

Still, he brightens when he sees Honebami; even more so when Honebami mentions snow bunnies. ]

Ahaha, I actually haven't found myself a cute pair of gloves yet! But it's fine, I can still make a mean snow bunny...!

[ Just try him!!!! He'll make an army!! ]

[osteotome]

[ No... Maybe it's more manageable, but Momo shouldn't have to change for that! Sadly, a mere reserved wakizashi can't really express that sense of... bewilderment. He'll go along with this? Because that's how he does it, to live with a big family sort of peacefully. ]

We can make a battle between a mean snow bunny warlord and a heroic little snow bunny. There's enough snow for that.

[ And wouldn't you know it, there leftover leaves and plants scattered about too. Importantly though, fun times in the snow. ]

[rerevale]

[ Bami, a precious swordson... Momo blinks, and manages to laugh despite his feverish haze because, you know. This is the cutest thing he's heard all day... Truly precious. ]

Ahaha! Is the heroic little snow bunny gonna look like you?

[ A small blue-violet snow bunny with calm eyes. He can see it now...

Crouching down, Momo starts making a big mound of snow. His warlord rabbit is pretty huge, but he's sure it'll be no match for Bami bunny... Bammi? Bammy?

I wouldn't wanna be the warlord that goes up against you!

mirror; slides in here super belatedly gomen

[messianic]

[Spying Momo around is generally a positive experience for Minato; despite how Momo tries so hard to be Ultimate Senpai, he's honestly a nice guy, with so much pep and charm...

But.

Well.

It's after coming over to say hello that that mirror pipes up, and then Minato's quietly contented expression shifts to something far more resembling a frown.

Oops.]

PLEASE you never have to gomen...

[rerevale]

[ "Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

Mirror Momo is talkative today— of course he is. He's as talkative as his counterpart is, with the same amount of endless energy and tenacity; he does a spin in the confines of his walled-in space, using his cage as a stage.

“Did you know,” the voice behind the glass says, “that it’s all a give-or-take, with Momo?

Kill the old Momose Sunohara, and get a new identity!

Make friends with people he doesn’t like for a spot on the 6 o’clock network slot!

Get rid of his friends and family to be ‘Momo’! Try to replace someone he knows he can’t replace!

What a joke!

How can anyone like that be an idol?”


Momo stops in his tracks. Wipes his palms on his sweatshirt. Turns his brows down, in a bad pastiche of a smile. ]

—Good question, huh? But that's not important...!

[messianic]

[Oh... oh dear.

Minato... takes a long moment, dragging in a slow breath. It's always hard when it feels like you hear something you're not supposed to hear, but this, from Momo...

(It's not something that doesn't resonate with Minato, honestly. He's...a little too familiar with the idea of putting on a proper mask to please the people around you.)]

... Sorry, Momo-san... I can try to pretend like I didn't hear it, but...

[They both know he did.]

I didn't mean to listen in.

THE PLAGUE... BECAUSE HE'S CAUSING IT I GUESS

[bisection]

[ Maybe now Momo will reconsider cleaning Sinistra's house after this affair.

Usually, these little quests don't have consequences BEFORE they're finished, but not this time! Not that he realizes just yet.

Momo's visits aren't regular, per se, but they're enough that Sinistra, who has been thinking about what to reward Momo with, has noticed he hasn't chirped at him in a few days. He's decided to go and check on him.

He doesn't think twice about barging in when Momo's door isn't answered.

Sinistra cracks Momo's door and peeks inside trying to see if Momo is there. He doesn't want to peek too long though in case he's not decent or maybe even not alone! He won't judge.

He raises his usually quiet voice to try and get his attention when he spots him sitting in bed. ]

Momo!

[rerevale]

[ It's rare that Momo doesn't respond immediately to a call; his reaction is usually Pavlovian, whip-fast and sun-bright. He has a radar for people that doesn't go out of service, an antenna that'd pick up wavelengths in a desert.

Not today. On his side on the thin mattress covering his bed, he teeters once, twice, before slowly pivoting towards the source of the nearest sound. Something about him seems a little fainter, tightly-pulled— his brows are pinched, as if he's holding back a cough.

It takes an uncomfortable second for Momo to register Sinistra as Sinistra, but when he does, he sits up and smiles. That'll always stay on-brand. ]

—Sinistra! Ah, sorry— I kinda dozed off, there...!

[ There's something reedy about his laugh. It rasps, like sandpaper worn smooth. ]

You okay? What's up?

[bisection]

[ He's realizing far too late that checking on Momo means he has to admit he noticed Momo hadn't contacted him in a few days. Which means he's admitting he notices how often he contacts him. And also that he was waiting for him to contact him.

Fuck.

His face looks grouchy for a long moment while he's silent. Is there a better way to explain his presence? Does it matter? Something's off with Momo, isn't it? He just can't tell what it is.

He scoots a little further into the room. ]

You ... I did not see you around... I thought something happened to you.

CLOSED TO MAYA.

[rerevale]

[ It's cold.

It's also a bit miserable, really, being unceremoniously tossed into a dungeon after being kidnapped (a kidnapping within a kidnapping? kidnapception). Disoriented, uncomfortable, and distinctly out of his element (literally), Momo is huddled in the corner of his cell when he hears the door creak open and slam shut on the cell opposite of him.

He looks up over the crest of his knees, trying not to let his teeth chatter. It's not a comfort when he spies that it's Maya who's also been thrown into jail like this, but he tries for a half-smile anyway. ]

Oh, come on— what did you do to end up down here?

[scooptimistic]

[ Maya's already wincing, rubbing her shoulder as she slowly sits up. Okay, these knights sure don't know how to treat a lady. Upon realizing that she's not the only captive, though, she blinks rapidly.

And then sighs, a little disconsolate. Not really very Maya-like, but still. ]

Kicking a knight in the crotch only works when they're not made of ice.

[rerevale]

[ STOP... He's not here to laugh, and yet???

Cue Momo blinking and immediately cracking up, because of course. ]

Ahahaha! Props to you for trying?! Even if I just felt my gut shrivel?! [ MAYA THAT MOVE IS FORBIDDEN ] That's a real power move...!!