hugtopia_logs | ♥ June (Dianir) Event Log

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♥ June (Dianir) Event Log

a line of rounded streetlights with colorful flowering plants hanging from them

June (Dianir) Event Log
Ainea's time has ended and now Diacht's months have arrived. Dianir marks the beginning of the hot summer months with a rise in temperature as well as humidity. With each passing day, spring gives way to summer, and the natives of Havenwell are enjoying the blue skies along with the newly expanded barrier. With the most dangerous of the beasts gone thanks to offworlder help last month, researchers and conservationists head out on occasion into the newly opened areas to continue the work of cataloguing and preserving what they can find. Some take time to study the barrier and some just seem to enjoy being outside the walls for the first time in centuries. Meanwhile, the city within seems to have calmed from Ealom's excitement, settling into its usual routine with only a few…"hiccups."

❥ PROMPT I: Hana-hack-i

drawing of a girl sitting on the floor, covered in scattered flowers and flower petals

With the turning of the seasons, the weather warms up and Diacht's influence grows in strength. 'Tis the season to be honest with one another, because if you aren't, you may begin to feel a tickle in the back of your throat…

For those who have feelings repressed, secrets unaddressed, or maybe just won't confide in a friend when they're feeling depressed, the gods work in mysterious ways. Specifically, in the fact that the offworlders may find themselves coughing up flower petals. Whether petals of plantlife from Havenwell itself or another world entirely, the longer one goes without confessing their troubles or sentiments the more insistent their condition until they might even have trouble getting through a whole sentence without finding a corsage's worth stuck in their mouth. Speaking minor truths will lessen the effect a little at a time, while larger or more impactful ones will work to cure it completely.

While not painful or otherwise physically harmful, the affliction does feel awkward and very likely doesn't taste all that great. Not to mention it's going to be difficult to keep secrets when everyone can see you have a mouthful of flower.

❥ PROMPT II: Uproot of the Spirit

hearts made of different colors of yarn laid out on a wooden table

Those offworlders that have been present in Havenwell since the previous June may remember an outbreak of traits and desires not necessarily their own, reflecting the dominion of their associated god instead. With the return of the early summer season, so too do such urges begin to resurface--but not quite in the same fashion.

This time around, things are a bit different--adherents to one god may find themselves with any other god or gods' traits, with one or more applying at once, one and then another on different days, any multitude of combinations apart from those of the deity to which they belong. For example, one under Diacht may have the effects of Rawna one day and Ainea the next, or perhaps Ainea and Ohma both at once, but never contend with Diacht's influence. And while the previous year seemed to deal with the gods' animal natures, it seems this time things are a little different as people begin manifesting extreme versions of their gods' emotional domains.

Ohma: As the god of wisdom, Ohma's influence becomes a desperate and insistent need to exchange knowledge. The affected may ask friends and strangers all manner of questions, ranging from 'where did you get that shirt' to 'how do you like your eggs' and everything in between. In exchange, the affected also wish to share their own information on just about everything they know, whether the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow or the entire plot of a book they read that one time. They simply have to give and seek knowledge to and from whoever they can find.

Ainea: The influence of the god of compassion leads the affected to be almost aggressively kind. Complimenting every little thing those around them might say, do, wear--if it can be spoken kindly about, those under Ainea's influence will do so excessively and well past the point of obnoxious. So too might they feel a compulsion to give gifts to others--specifically, giving away the affected's own possessions. Once the effect wears off, one might even have to track down their new and old friends to get their more important things back...

Diacht: Honor and honesty being Diacht's domain, those affected by them will be incapable of lying. They will be compelled to not only speak the truth, but do so out of obligation no matter how awkward for them or the other party. Even if it means speaking a brutally honest opinion or divulging a carefully hidden secret, so long as the words are true to the affected speaker they will have the urge to share it. To tell a lie or general untruth will make them feel suddenly ill, dispelled only by speaking something truthful instead.

Rawna: Rawna's reasoning takes the forefront of their influence; anyone under their affect will be insistent upon hearing and soothing the emotional hurts of others. They are certain they need to be a listening ear or comforting shoulder to the absolute best of their abilities and beyond--that is to say, they will not only go out of their way to find others' problems, but potentially assume ones exist where they do not. Some dear friends haven't spoken in an entire day? Clearly they had a terrible fight, and it's up to Rawna's affected to fix it.

❥ PROMPT III: 'Cause I'd Get A Thousand Hugs

a painting of trees backlit by a full moon and covered in small lights

Yet another indication that the world is recovering is the reappearance of the Fairy Lights. As the weather turns warmer, these beautiful little insects take to the air for their mating dances at night, dimly and softly glowing like Earth's fireflies or lightning bugs. These tiny little bugs float through the air, flitting about as their bodies pulse with light. The Fairy Lights come in a multitude of colors from red to purple, turning the night into soft rainbows of light. They make their triumphant reappearance in two locations: the botanical gardens and the green belt that grew up where the old wall used to be. Their beautiful displays start once the sun goes down and stop at sunrise, and natives are delighting in their return by taking walks among them.

If offworlders follow suit, they'll notice that the Fairy Lights are attracted to those who come in pairs or more, especially those who engage in sustained positive contact with each other while among them. The Fairy Lights seem to enjoy it when people are touching and will land upon them, one of each color until a rainbow has formed - usually in a crown around the head. Once the rainbow crown of Fairy Lights is complete, that character will feel a pleasant calmness and a feeling of peace and happiness wash over them. For as long as you and your partner(s) are in contact, the Fairy Lights will stay and so will the peace they confer. Once contact is broken, one by one the little insects will fly away, off to find a new perch.

This event will run from June 15 to June 30th. Click on each prompt's title to see the text. If you have any questions, feel free to direct them to the FAQ or to the Mod Question thread. You can also use the Havenwell Status page or the General Plotting Comment to give you other ideas for original prompts!

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Too occupied--finally--to worry about touch or all the danger running rampant right now, Kyoko stared down at Kaito's hands with a sharp frown, though her eyes were still wide with worry.

"It's not fine! Can you move them? Does it hurt too much? Wiggle every finger!"

"It's fine," he repeated with a frown.

Still, he didn't make a move to pull his wrists away. He just begrudgingly did what she asked, moving each finger one at a time for her as she watched them like a hawk. No real winces or sharp intakes of breath from him just yet. It was more of a gentle grimace when he went to stretch out all his fingers at once.

"It's not fine," she repeated right back. This could go on as long as you wanted it to, Kai.

And she might not have been watching his face too closely, but it was still well enough in her range of sight that she caught that little expression. Hey now. "Make fists, too!" she demanded. "Do it properly!"

Yeah? So could he. "It is. If this is the only hurting I can stop then I'm gonna stop it."

He'd make those fists though, sure. Ah, hmm, there was definitely pain there, but it felt like it was more like he was just noticing something that had already been there. Nothing sharp or sudden, but enough to make his brows knit together a bit. "Don't think anything's broken."

"It's not fine!" She couldn't even touch that bit about stopping hurting, but she could stay firm on that--she had to.

And she was right. This time, her eyes stayed trained more closely on his face, so there was no missing that expression. "But it hurts," she accused. "Kaito! How are you gonna drive home if you can't grip the handles! This is bad!"

"It'll go the way it always does."

He'd driven just fine with worse. Sure it wasn't smart, but it wasn't like he had options at the time. The point was that he knew some sprains (?) weren't going to be an issue when the roads were so quiet.

"And if it doesn't, I'll just walk it home."

"If it hurts just making a fist, you shouldn't be pushing something as heavy as a bike around, or driving it!" Take it from someone who's broken a leg performing a tea ceremony (a story he might have even heard by now, given how the past couple weeks went).

Releasing his wrists at last, Kyoko launched to her feet and trudged over to the bike. "I'll drive you."

A story that clearly meant she was in no position to patronize him for a sprain. That was the moral, right.

But uh. Huh.

Kai blinked, watching her head towards the bike. "You'll drive me."

Look, she was already all the way over there next to the bike in question, inspecting it from front to back. "I will drive you."

Any questions, bud?

"....... Do you know how to drive?"

"I've successfully driven a bicycle many times in my life! I even had a paper route for a while!" It's ffffiiiiiiiiiine.

"You don't drive a bicycle, Kyoko."

He was up on his feet now, making his way over. Here came a gentle pat of his hand at her shoulder. At least that wasn't a strenuous activity.

"I'll just leave it out here and walk."

"S-sure you do!" It couldn't be that different! She wouldn't even have to pedal this thing! Easy!!

With that pat to her shoulder, she whirled around to face him, eyes wild and pleading. "What if it gets stolen!"

"Who's gonna steal it?" Had it been anywhere but Havenwell, he would have worried about the same thing. But honestly, who was gonna take it here? When so many people knew who it belonged to? "It'll run out of juice on someone anyway."

His expression softened a bit though, and Kai sighed. "I can show you how some other time, when I'm not making things worse."

That finally got Kyoko to pause, at least long enough to frown softly at him for a moment. "The only one making things worse is me."

Turning back to the bike, she settled her hands on the handles. "If I can't drive it back, I'll push it back."

"You're not the one making folks hack up a lung just for being here," he pointed out quietly.

Kai leaned against the bike, settling his weight there. "Consider it karma for not leaving you alone sooner."

For a long moment, Kyoko was silent.

"... Why would you say that?" she murmured finally, trying and failing to keep the tremor out of her voice. "Why would you think... you're making this happen?"

There were a lot of little things he could have pointed out. That mountain of petals they'd left behind. All those facts she'd touted at him to keep all the others down. The way she'd tried to hide in plain sight. Whatever had happened with Shinji might have contributed, but it didn't start with it.

"'Cuz I wasn't supposed to know."

"Nobody was supposed to know. Not... just you." It was true, and she could say it without any hardship, but she couldn't stop shaking all the same. Because she already knew--that wasn't going to cut it.

But what could she say? How could she make him understand without breaking everything?

"Sometimes... wanting is just wanting. You know?" Whether he remembered or not, she didn't wait for him to answer, afraid of what he might say to unravel her, afraid she would unravel on her own if she didn't keep going steadily. "As long as it's only wanting, it can't hurt anyone. But with this... if I tell you about it, or Shinji--or anyone--that's the already same as taking action."

Kai frowned softly as he looked at her. He remembered. He'd had a secret he thought was ugly too, but she was the one that had said it was nice. So he couldn't wrap his head around what she could possibly want that would warrant all of this when she still hadn't asked for a single thing.

"But it's hurting you. So I don't get it," he admitted after a bit. "I'm doin' my best here but... How is just talking about what you want going to take action?"

He still didn't get it. Kyoko had thought she was already revealing too much with that, but.... Jeez. This guy. For a few long moments she surrendered to the ache in her chest and just looked at him softly.

It was strange, and wrong, but some part of her was kind of sad. Of course it was all her own fault for trying so hard to hide it and selling herself as the anti-romantic, but having that level of obliviousness thrown in her face, especially coming from Kaito... it hurt in a way she'd never expected. She really was an idiot, huh.

"That's what a confession is," she said at last, voice quiet with defeat. "It's taking action on what your heart wants."

With that, she reached over to gently shove him off the bike. "I'm going home now."

He'd been watching her intently, looking for any kind of hint or scrap he could get to figure anything out. That soft expression just made his heart ache. There was really nothing she was going to let him do, was there? Not until she spoke again.

"... Oh."

That was the problem.

His lips parted slightly as he pulled in a breath, something pulling uncomfortably tight behind his ribs. That knot of anxiety from earlier, maybe, but deeper. Any processing of what that was was put on hold as Kyoko shoved him out of the way, and Kai moved easily. He didn't know how to protest, and he... didn't want to. Didn't deserve to. How'd he miss this? With all the time they spent together, how'd he overlook it?

Despite himself, he couldn't ignore the questions that came with it. Who...? Here? There? Was it someone she missed? Why did his heart hurt? Was it someone far away, in a place she'd rather be than here? Was that why she was so adamant about not saying anything? Did she think they wouldn't want her to be happy? Why did his heart hurt?

He glanced off at the rainbow lights drifting slowly over the green, curling his hands into slight fists at his sides so he could feel something else. It was a little too late though. He was already having an epiphany as he turn his gaze back forward, falling in to step behind Kyoko.

Kyoko walked about as fast as she could while pushing the weight of that bike, which... ended up not being much faster than usual. It was fine. It was something to focus on.

Did Kaito still not understand at all? Or did he understand everything now? Neither option made her want to look at him, but it seemed like that wasn't going to be a problem for a while, if they kept the current arrangement for the whole walk home.

Which was what Kyoko intended to do. There were faint worries tugging at her mind--was this it, then? would she have to move out now? should she do that anyway? what kind of face would Shinji make when Kaito told him?--but mostly, she was numb.

Slow going as it was, she was still getting a bit of a distance on him. He hated that he was a bit grateful for it, but he needed a moment to contend with himself. Ruining things was inevitably what Kaito usually did, but he didn't it want it to be because he did this wrong. ... Obviously wrong, anyway. He was still probably going to get things wrong.

Remembering what a broken heart felt like wasn't really the ideal way to piece together your feelings, but Kai wagered he could work with it. There was a tickle at the back of his throat, but it was fine. This... Nothing had actually changed? (This was Incorrect.) He was going to convince himself of this though. Nothing had changed. The only thing that had happened was that he'd pushed her into a corner and that wasn't good at all.

Every few steps he took a longer stride, slowly making his way towards her side. In a brief, painfully fond motion, Kai reached over to give her head a single pat.

"Sorry I'm an idiot," he apologized softly as he drew his hand back. Sorry he was an even bigger idiot than he even knew. "But y'know its... I don't think loving someone is something you gotta punish yourself for."

Focused so stubbornly on the road ahead and the weight of the bike under her hands, she didn't notice Kaito drawing closer until he was right next to her. With that familiar pat to her head, Kyoko's heart dropped.

Oh. So he'd understood after all, then. Oh. Oh.

He was sorry he was an idiot. She didn't have to punish herself. Freezing in her tracks, Kyoko stared dully into the night air, towards the cheery twinkle of lights in town. Of course it would be this way.

So much effort had gone into avoiding this secret getting out, so much worry about the damage she would do--but now it was here, it was all done, and she hadn't even thought to worry about how a rejection would feel until this moment.

But here it was, the most obvious conclusion.

She was supposed to be apologizing now, telling him how it was fine and she'd never bring it up again, and could he please please not ever tell Shinji, just forget this whole episode--but she wasn't ready, she couldn't do it yet.

"No." Her voice was broken, and she couldn't find it in herself to fix it. At some point, the bike had turned into a support to cling to as she buckled over, pulling up one arm to block her face. "Don't." Don't look at her.

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