♥ November (Malom) Event Log

[hugtopiamods]

November (Malom) Event Log

With most of Havenwell left in varying degrees of shambles from the prior month's catastrophe, the city seems just a little bit more quiet and stony in ways not just owed to the chill of oncoming winter. However, the gray mood doesn't need to last; the offworlders and locals alike might just be able to band together to pick up the scattered pieces before long.

Unlike previous years, winter is approaching at a slower pace than usual. Whether this is believed as coincidence or the gods opting to give the city more pleasant weather while the reconstruction is ongoing is entirely up to each individual. Nevertheless, the sun is out and there is work to be done.

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❥ PROMPT I: Fetch Quest Frenzy

With the widespread damage of the previous month still a large issue, offworlders may find the marking-based powers of that incident manifesting again in different, passive forms. Regardless of the color one's ability takes, a little bit of trial and error will lead the markings' bearers to understand the powers are now geared towards helping rebuild or rehabilitate the city in various ways; examples being manifesting as telekinesis to move heavy objects around, or a magical compass to help locate something lost in the chaos. Some may find themselves inexplicably filled with knowledge previously unknown, Matrix-style: characters who have never picked up a hammer before will suddenly possess the skills needed to rebuild furniture or repair structural damage, weld parts together, or get really good at organizing search parties. Feel free to get creative with it, but these abilities are meant to build, not destroy like last month, so destructive powers are not likely to manifest unless for good reason.

There's no shortage of work to be done either; from dismantling petrified worms to running errands for the surviving locals, offworlders may find themselves lucky to have the supernatural assistance of the markings and their powers. With time and effort, taking up such tasks to aid the locals and fellow offworlders alike might just go a long way towards healing Havenwell on both physical and emotional fronts.

❥ PROMPT II: Fruits Basket

In places where the worms were slain before their fellows were petrified, their massive corpses have been reclaimed by the ground--specifically, they've turned to surprisingly fertile soil. So fertile that it would appear trees are already sprouting where they fell, bearing an arrangement of oddly-shaped fruits. With how delicious they look, one would surely be forgiven for daring to try them, but the result might be just a bit surprising...

-Eating a round fruit will make one have a sudden desire to cuddle up to someone else; the more of the fruit they've consumed, the more insistent the desire. Just take a bite? Maybe you could do with a light shoulder touch, but eat the whole thing and you'll realize you might be suddenly looking for some big hugs with anyone receptive to the idea.
-The square shaped fruits have a somewhat more subtle effect. The more one eats of a square fruit, they gain a steadily more obvious gentle glow and warmth to their bodies. With enough of one, someone could easily turn into a combination nightlight and comfortably warm space heater.
-Being curious enough to eat a spiky fruit will end up with one having some trouble keeping their footing; this fruit leads one to find no traction underfoot, sending them slip n' sliding around. Be careful, you might just skate right into someone's arms!
-Eating a star-shaped fruit may cause a gradual drowsiness, where residents will feel the urge to lay down and have a nap. Seems the aftermath of the worm attack left some lingering magic. (A small percentage may alternatively find themselves transformed into sheep. Weird.) Being held or gently cuddled, whether on the spot or while being carried home, will reverse the effects.

❥ PROMPT III: Corporate Concessions

You might recall that the research towers were awfully unhelpful during the attacks, preferring instead to seal themselves up in protective shielding and leave the rest of the city to fend for themselves. Now that the danger has passed, there have been some understandably divisive responses to this decision from their fellows. Many of the tower workers have pleaded ignorance for this choice, openly (or quietly, to avoid disciplinary action) blaming the higher-ups for creating company-wide lockdowns and not allowing anyone in- or out. Many were helpless to assist in relocating friends or family, and some have quit their positions over this stance. Those in charge of the decision-making are unapologetic for the most part, stating that due to previous security breaches, their priority was to protect their research and their employees, for the greater good of the world.

They are aware that doing this was not by any means a good look, so as an olive branch, they have released the research materials confirmed as stolen in the previous security breach to the public network, as they have been unable to track down those materials and would rather control its distribution themselves. Damage done, after all; those who know could pass it on as they please. Additionally, they are reallocating some tower resources to helping with restoration and rebuilding the surrounding areas and public buildings, and have donated a substantial amount of dora to the city budget for whatever purpose the council deems appropriate. Whether you think the released data is true or if their efforts are sufficient is up to you, really.

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This event will run from November 15-30. 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!

Comments

[daikonrose]

The nudge didn't get returned, but there was no protest to having him nearer either. It was nice, after all, and Allowed. Kyoko only turned her head to give him a deadpan look as she said, "Hohh, so that's why you won't confirm whether you have them. How underhanded. Should I detain you for this level of offense?"

[whenyouneedme]

That look was just met with a scandalous grin. "Should you? You gonna frisk me?"

[daikonrose]

Okay, now he was getting a hearty shoulder bump. Kyoko looked away, face flushed. "You already told me where they are, that's unnecessary!"

[whenyouneedme]

Uwoh. Kai stumbled a step, but just one. He was back to being close and obnoxious in a jiffy. "Never hurts to be thorough~"

[daikonrose]

"Y-you're thorough!" Wait that's not a comeback. "Thoroughly--thoroughly a menace!"

[whenyouneedme]

"Mmm, guilty as charged on that one."

But at least he gave the area a proper once over before he went in to place a nefarious smooch on her cheek. Guilty, but also attempting to be considerate. (Attempting.)

[daikonrose]

The march halted as Kyoko stumbled to a stop and burst into flames, or close enough anyway.

"N-na-n-not in public please!!!"

[whenyouneedme]

Kai looked at her, renegade grin going just a little lopsided. "Sorry, sorry." Even if only a little. He took another bite of fruit instead of becoming a true criminal, and gently tugged her back along with him.

... Was there a little more haste in his step now? Who could say. "I'll save the rest of 'em for when we get home."

[daikonrose]

The rest of them, he said. "Thoroughly a menace," Kyoko mumbled again, the heavy heat of her blush stifling any capacity for clever comebacks she might have had. The fluster was also thick enough that she didn't manage to think much about whether she should remind him not to eat so much of that fruit while they were still waiting on potential side effects, but oh well! Home they went! Through that welcoming doorway to safety, away from prying eyes!

"N-now then!" Kyoko mumbled as she toed off her shoes by the door. "Probably you should just sit still for a while, right?"

[whenyouneedme]

They'd made it. They were here, where the Rest of Them were totally legal. A good thing too, since it appeared that fruit he'd had in his hand was missing now. Where had it gone? Potentially entirely in his stomach. It hadn't been too bad at first, but the closer they got to home, the more the urge to simply pull Kyoko up close against him and hold her for a long time was growing restless in his limbs. The urge itself still wasn't all that weird, but the intensity of it...

Hm.

The chance to reflect on this was quickly overshadowed by the current prospects happening as they removed their shoes. "Maybe? Guess so." Her hand still in his, Kai followed through on a little bit of those wants urging him along and pulled her in a little closer. "You'll sit with me though, won't you?"

[daikonrose]

Wow Kai, you just went and ate the whole thing, core and all? It's like nobody ever feeds you around here.

But at least that meant the temptation of the fruit was removed from Kyoko's immediate attention now. All the more space to be tempted by other things, probably.

Kaito really did not need to pull her closer just to ask a question like that. The lack of necessity was reflected in the warmth rising up into Kyoko's cheeks again as she stammered, "Huh? I mean, I need to observe you, so... I have to be with you, right?" In the name of science.

[whenyouneedme]

There'd just been the fear (from where??) that maybe Kyoko would have slipped away from him. Science could probably very easily be conducted without actually sitting together. In fact, science probably would have worked better if they were sitting separately! An extremely disagreeable idea, that one.

That pretty blush was just the balm his desires needed. "Yeah." She did need to be with him. Just, y'know, all wrapped up in his arms. Getting cozy. All that. They could do that and be still, right? Sure. "Okay."

Off to somewhere to sit then. Kai led her closely along, but it soon became apparent that there was a choice to make. The comfortable, tried-and-true couch was always there for them to depend on. A prime cuddle spot. There was another spot down the hall though, her room beckoning all those prospects of the menacing that had been put on hold.

[daikonrose]

As Kaito led her along, Kyoko took a moment to try to gather herself a bit. She'd thought she was getting used to this sort of thing--and she was! holding hands in public was more than she used to be able to do without combusting! that was progress!--but it was really something, how easily he could still send her careening off balance. Goodness.

But she was starting to feel more composed when they reached that crossroads and Kaito paused. But? What? Was the matter? He had been leading confidently, so she thought he had their destination in mind, but they were not sitting yet? Kyoko tilted her head. "Hm?"

Sorry Kai, no help from this corner. "Is there something wrong?" Perhaps he had felt one of those mystery side effects just now??

[whenyouneedme]

In the end, he really didn't need that much help deciding. If she'd headed in a particular direction, that would have been one thing, but if it were truly up to him then there wasn't much to think about. They lingered just long enough to pass Kyoko a grin of no concern.

"Nah." Down the hall they went.

[daikonrose]

Oh--you know, she hadn't really paused to even think about where they were going, but there was still a moment of surprise when she realized they were veering away from the living room. That meant they were going to her room, most likely, which in turn meant--

Her cheeks flushed again, the color staying as they slipped in through her doorway.

"U-um." Here, let her just tug him over to sit on the edge of her bed, where she joined him. "So then--you're not feeling anything unusual, still?"

[whenyouneedme]

It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the couch. It was just that he knew everyone in this house was far too considerate. If anyone else popped up while they were in the living room, that would be that. That would have been a very deeply unsatisfying conclusion.

"Mmm..." Kai pondered it deeply as he slipped his arm around her. The things that he should have been noting (how strongly he wanted to hold her and how much relief he felt now that he was getting there) slipped past him as he tried to take stock of everything else. "Pretty sure I'm still the same temperature," he mused, "and I don't feel any more... I dunno. Extra? Am I still the same colors?"

[daikonrose]

That arm circling her waist was familiar enough by now, but still made her heartbeat kick up a notch, the privacy afforded by her bedroom both reassuring and feeding into the anticipation of whatever might be coming. But she needed to focus! Science was supposed to be happening!

"You look the same as usual," she confirmed, and brought a hand up to test the temperature of his forehead and cheeks. "And you're not any warmer than usual, I don't think." Let her just pull his head down a bit to examine his scalp. "No abnormal growths yet."

[whenyouneedme]

Oh, down he went. "Fluffy ears or somethin' wouldn't be so bad. I've gotten a fluffy tail before." It'd just been a little embarrassing with it wagging all over the place with no discernible reason. But it'd been weirdly nice when Shinji had pet it then, and it'd probably be just as weirdly nice if there were some fuzzy ears for her to scratch. "It was better than being a bear."

Though this did bear some similarities to beardom. Simply staying down there and nestling his head against her shoulder was a sneaky one.

[daikonrose]

Oh, hello. Kyoko looked sidelong at his head as it found a resting place there against her shoulder. She was done inspecting it now, but this was... fine? Very cute, and she wasn't sure what to do with it--this was a bit outside of Kaito's usual menace habits.

"Are you... tired?" Perhaps he needed a nap? Was that what he was trying to communicate?

[whenyouneedme]

There was a little shake of his head. He was feeling pretty alert actually! Really keyed up for... something! Something cozy? A very natural thing to get amped over.

"Really just wanna hold you for a while." Though let him think about it for a moment, humming softly into her shoulder. "Laying down with you would be real good though."

[daikonrose]

Wow, right out with it, in typical Kaito fashion. The boldness was still enough to make her blush, but the already cozy proximity just amplified her fluster.

"That! ... would... be fine," she stammered weakly. "I... have time."

[whenyouneedme]

No reason to beat around the bush when they were already right here on the bed, already getting cozy. Kai lifted his head to look at her intently, something eager shining bright in his eyes.

"You sure?"

[daikonrose]

Those bright golds were inescapable. If Kyoko had had any protests--and she hadn't, really--they would have melted away under that warm gaze.

She nodded, going quieter as her cheeks burned darker. "D-do you want a blanket, too?" There's an extra one folded up at the foot of her bed there, ready for any supplemental coze needs.

[whenyouneedme]

The blanket in question was given a momentary look of consideration. "Maybe. If it gets chilly." The chances of it getting chilly were admittedly pretty low, especially if she was going to keep burning up like that.

It was probably a bit inevitable that she was going to keep burning up like that. Especially when he grinned at her like he was doing now, moments before he simply flopped backwards against the bed while pulling her down with him. There they go!

[daikonrose]

The blanket's rejection just made it that much harder to rationalize all this as anything besides a pure affection session. Goodness. Gosh.

She did indeed keep burning right up as he pulled her down, letting out a soft gasp when they hit the mattress. "You--you're sure you don't feel anything out of the ordinary happening?"