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OPEN

WHO: Misa & co.
WHAT: event aftermath!
WHERE: Achamoth, tiny smidge of Godsblood
WHEN: late Soviseri, early Firaseri
WARNINGS: will add if applicable!

I. early return (citadel, misa's room)

[ The return to Achamoth is, ironically, uneventful.

Misa is unconscious for most of it, and when she makes it back to the Citadel, those who see her right when the Godsblood envoy returns will see that she needs the servants' assistance walking to her quarters, and she favors weight far more to her right side. Even still, she doesn't wrap an arm around those who assist her, either, the reason for which is a net of bandages that cover and wrap around the entirety of her right shoulder.

Those who don't witness her directly may still become privy to her weakened state; she doesn't emerge from her quarters for a full day after after the return, which is highly unusual behavior for the outgoing and boisterous Misa, often seen around the Citadel bothering anyone she lays eyes on. Should any other Kenoma try to reach out to her with Communion, or further yet, knock at her door, she'll answer with a tired and irritable: ]

What is it? I'm trying to sleep, here.

II. later return (in the city)

[ When Misa gathers the strength to do more than keep herself contained to the Citadel, the first thing she tries to do is drag other people out with her. It's her number one way of dealing with anything unpleasant in life - to bury it, deeply, beneath something fun and happy and exciting. She's certain she won't be thinking about everything that happened in Godsblood if she spends a little time outdoors with a companion. And luckily, she'll drag just about anyone she knows out with her.

But it's perhaps that over eagerness to go do something to take her mind off things that prompts her to... push herself too fast. While she seems enthusiastic to go outdoors, the fact of the matter is that she's still not wholly herself - her hair remains un-styled, face bare of makeup, due to the lack of mobility in her right arm while it heals. Heavy blood loss in Godsblood has rendered her complexion a little paler than usual, and difficulty moving has rendered her wardrobe much less extravagant and cute than is typical of her outdoors fare.

Not long after she and her trusty out-on-the-town friend have made it away from the Citadel, she suddenly stumbles and slumps heavily in her companion's side in an uncharacteristically awkward fashion. ]

Woah...! I guess I'm still a little woozy.... [ She gives a nervous laugh, clearly trying to play off her dizzy spell— she even tries to reorient herself (with little success, still basically leaning into her Kenopal for support), sticking her tongue out cutely as if she'd just tripped on a rock instead of come close to fainting. ] Gosh, I feel so clumsy.

III. wildcard + closed starters

( feel free to reach out to me on plurk

lunarians or in the discord if you'd like to do something aftermath flavored that doesn't fit into these! i'm ofc also open to communions for any pleroma that wanna do aftermath stuff, since it's not likely misa will be up and about in godsblood for long. anywho, i'll be putting closed starters below! )

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[ Funnily enough, she very quickly drops the tired and annoyed persona as soon as she actually hears Howl on the line. She's been so tired, she hasn't even really been registering who's trying to contact her - it's only in the moment that she realizes who she's talking to. ]

Howl! Oh, sorry. I'm glad to hear from you...

[ The relief in her voice is genuine, despite her prior grousing— at the end of the week they'd had in Godsblood, she had never ended up finding out what had happened to him. Her face-off against Caitlyn, and the ensuing injuries, had effectively taken her out of commission - to the point that she truly and honestly had little knowledge of what had become of most of the Kenoma that were on the mission, or how badly anyone was hurt.

And, beside that..... there's guilt on her end, too - because she wasn't very helpful to him in the end, was she? There had been a bitter sense of personal failure, when she hadn't been able to endure more, hadn't been able to stay by his side. Glad as she had been to be partnered with him, she feels she let him down right when the moment mattered most. ]

I've been worried about you too, you know. I've just been too tired to act on it... so don't go thinking I was ignoring you.

[ Which is true, she really has been asleep for the majority of her time back in Achamoth. But this is more important than rest, at present. ]

[ A reverb of relief flows through their connection as Misa speaks. And to feel the relief that she has upon hearing from him... it's something he does not deserve, considering what happened, but he'll quietly, selfishly treasure it anyway. She isn't mad at him, and that's as much as he'd hoped for.

Laying back on his own bed, he holds his Shard in front of him and 'speaks' to her without speaking aloud. ]

How are you feeling? [ The message, half words and half feelings, feels sluggish but earnest. He's still recovering too, but he's glad to finally talk to her. ] I know we'll all make a full recovery with enough time, but... are you in pain?

Yeah.... a lot, to be honest. I never knew getting shot hurt so much.

[ She answers honestly and a bit like an airhead, her mental voice sounding similarly tired and deflated, but no less earnest. In their week up there on the roof together, she's grown rather comfortable just chatting with him, so she doesn't bother trying to put on a tough face. ]

I lost a lot of blood from getting hit twice, so apparently that's the main problem, and why I'm so tired. You're not stuck in your room too, are you...?

[ It's the easier, more tactful way to ask about the extent of his injuries - to keep things as lighthearted as they can be in this regretful situation following their failure. ]

[ Her initial answer makes Howl huff a laugh to himself. It'd be a silly thing to say if it weren't so clear how much Misa means it — and an endearingly typical sentiment, too, coming from her. ]

Not stuck exactly. A bit more akin to... self-imposed exile.

But I've been resting in the meantime. [ For now, that's as vague of an answer he's willing to give. Howl would really prefer to hide what's happened to him, despite knowing that he can't, and having to put it into words is burdensome. But... maybe he doesn't have to. ]

I'm sure you're making use of your retainer for anything and everything you could need, but is there anything I can do for you? Anything I can fetch?

[ There's a pause while she thinks, genuinely trying to come up with something to convince him to come over, instead of politely declining as she has from other offers before. There's a bit of ease between them, one she doesn't find among most of the other Kenoma— they're both not so grave all the time. It'd be nice to have brighter company, and besides, she wants to see for herself just what state he's in. With a hint of mischief: ]

Wanna share something to drink? It's pretty boring in here.

[ She knows for a fact there's plenty of bottles of champagne and wine and any liquor a person could desire in the Citadel— but it's also probably one of the few things she couldn't convince her retainers to bring her while she's in recovery. Not that she really cares about going behind their backs. ]

[ Oh — a drink, is it? This is starting to sound less like something they'd do out of guilt or obligation, and more like some genuine fun. Howl hasn't had a drink with a friend since they returned, and as he's considering her proposal, he's starting to think that he really could have used one by now. Where's his brain been? ]

How could I say no to an invitation like that? I shall be around shortly. See you soon.

[ "Soon", of course, is relative to Howl's sense of soon. He doesn't actually arrive until nearly two hours later, and should Misa try to contact him to ask where the heck he is, he wouldn't answer. Instead, it's a sharp rap on her door that finally announces his arrival, followed by a sweeping entrance once she invites him inside. Judging by how immaculately Howl is dressed and groomed, he spent those two hours making sure he looked very presentable to Misa.

With the exception, of course, of the feathers on his face and hands and the long claws peeking out from his coat sleeves, remnants of the transformation he'd been stuck in for five days while in Godsblood. Howl has never incorporated elements of his transformation magic into his daily appearance, but the wizard is already rushing to strike up a conversation, quietly hoping to avoid the topic for as long as possible, if not entirely.

A retainer pushing a serving cart enters behind him, peering around Howl's figure with a curious look. A large bottle of champagne, two glasses, and a domed serving platter sit atop the cart. ]

Misa! Judging by the look of you, I daresay you're recovering quite well indeed.

[ He'll find that she's just short of presentable (by her standards) when he actually enters the room: her hair is still brushed neatly, yet remains unstyled, and her clothes lean more towards the comfortable side of things than the fashionable. Most notably, she lacks the kiss of cosmetics on her features, giving her a much more natural appearance. Still, Misa seems at ease as ever with being seen, not paying her less dolled up self any mind. ]

Oh, yeah, I'm doing better. I can even sit up now.

[ She hums, doing just that and maneuvering herself to the edge of the bed, her eyes instantly drawn to the serving cart. And then, belatedly, to the feathers freckling his skin, the claws just peeking out under his coat. But her look is glancing, curious - not prying. She doesn't know any better, after all: for all she knows, it could be normal for him to be this way, after transforming for so long. In any case, she's long since stopped being visibly freaked out by the supernatural, and Howl is no exception. He looks to be in high spirits, so maybe she shouldn't worry... for now. ]

You're looking much better than me, though. You can't go telling anyone what I look like in here, okay? [ There's a good natured laugh, the threat clearly not serious (and perhaps equally meant to deflect, as his own behaviors have done), before she tilts her head dramatically to try to get a peek at the dome. ] What's this, some special treat you brought?

[ That curious glance to his new features does not escape Howl's attention, but when Misa moves on without bringing it up, the relief he feels is energizing. With his smile widening into a grin, he beckons the retainer further inside and pulls a chair up to the side of Misa's bed for him to sit in.

She does look to be recovering well, and it's relief for her to be in good spirits on top of it. ]

I wouldn't dream of telling anyone, don't worry. I've been granted the privilege of visiting you after all.

[ Howl looks to the serving cart as the retainer pushes it to his side; in this spot, it can be used as a small table. Howl thanks and dismisses him; once he hears the front door close, he pulls the bottle of champagne out of its ice bucket to show her the label. ]

My personal favorite. The grapes are grown in Venera... considered among the best, from what I've heard. And this — [ he removes the metal domed cover from the platter to reveal a charcuterie spread. ] Just something simple for us to munch on. Nothing too fancy. [ The fancy part is the sparkling wine. ]

Ehe, it seems fancy to me.

[ She hums a note of delight, feeling rather spoiled, all things considered. Even if having servants at their beck and call is the norm to the Kenoma Aions, it's impersonal, and transactional. Howl went out of his way to bring her something nice, so it feels a bit more special. ]

Especially after eating all that boring stuff at the prison, [ Plucking a small cracker straight off the board, she bites into it with a crisp snap. ] I mean, can you believe we put up with all that for five days? It felt like a hundred at times.

[ And while she means that mostly in jest, she ends up sighing at the tail end o it, looking to him for a sign of agreement - that, and to gauge how willing he is to talk about anything in the realm of Godsblood. ]

[ Howl nudges the cart closer to the edge of the bed with his foot, so that Misa can easily reach anything on the platter of food, while he pulls the foil wrapping the champagne's cork and pulls on it. It pops loudly, and Howl can't help but flash her a gleeful little smile, like he's inviting her to take as much simple pleasure in the cork popping as he did. ]

Ah, I usually abstain from food and drink while I'm transformed. [ and yeah, this means he didn't eat anything for five days straight in Godsblood. haha...ha. ] But, I believe you... the prison food did not exactly look appetizing.

[ Howl pours the champagne into two flutes set beside the platter and passes one to Misa by the stem, his newly long, sharp black nails clinking on the glass softly. ]

You can't imagine how relieved I am to put that affair behind us. What a miserable mission we were given, in every sense. I'd rather by drinking champagne in Achamoth with a pretty girl.

Edited 2022-08-20 16:47 (UTC)

[ Her fingers brush with his when she takes the glass by the stem, unable to keep from glancing at the long black nails that have grown there. A mite of concern, beneath her curiosity blooms, though it only manifests in the slightest twitch of her brow. Quick as ever, she dons a friendly smile to cover it. ]

Ahaha, you're a sweetie, Howl. You're pretty handsome yourself, you know!

[ It's said matter-of-factly, and not flirtatiously - she has a boyfriend, after all, but she's not going to deny what's plainly the truth. Plus, it feels right to pay back the compliment, and, perhaps her other motive is to communicate to him that she doesn't find the sudden changes to his appearance much of a difference. He's still the same old Howl. And besides, black feathers from a monstrous frame are actually rather familiar to her, in a funny way— nostalgic, almost. In every sense of the words, it just doesn't matter to her, not in any negative fashion.

In any case, she clinks her glass against his before taking a long sip, swirling the liquid around in the glass when she finishes. ]

But I'm glad it's over, too. Especially if you were enduring like that for so long. There's no way it wasn't tiring... [ Not eating for so long, especially? That can't be normal, can it, even with magic? She keeps her tone in the realm of curious gossip, rather than prying— she has no interest in digging into the grittier details of his transformation, as she imagines he may find it hard to talk about. No, the only reason she's interested in hearing a note more is because: ] If there was something I could've done to make it easier, you should've told me, dummy.

[ That's the heart of her feeling after Godsblood, really... a wish that she could've eased the burden on him. ]

[ Howl withdraws his hand and tries his best to keep his composure in the wake of that brief touch between them. Handsome, she says? No. He definitely doesn't feel handsome anymore. He hasn't allowed anyone to touch him since being unable to dispel the entirety of his transformation magic; he feels ashamed at the same time that he worries whether Misa felt disgusted to have brushed her fingers against his. Eager to hide his kneejerk reaction and hoping to move on from the moment as quickly as possible, he takes a long, long sip from his glass, and manages to stop before it gets to the point of chugging such an expensive drink.

...ah, that helped. Misa, too, seems to be moving on promptly. Howl is happy to listen, sitting back in his chair and touching his free hand to his chin. ]

By partnering with me, you made the task of standing guard much easier. I had company for the time we were there. [ He can offer a smile to her upon saying that, as wholly true as it is. ] Plus, we do make a good team. It took them five days to figure out that they needed to separate us.

[ She gives a non-committal hum at that, as if turning over his words in her head. No, she doesn't doubt that Howl really does feel that way— that Misa helped by nature of just being there, and making the task more bearable. But still, guilt lingers in her heart, for the way she'd so easily folded against one attack. It'd be stupid to think that way back on Earth. She's a normal human, any girl her size would surely fall from being shot. But she's an Aion now, supposed to be able to be equal with the rest of them here in the Kenoma... so she can't help but feel that she fell short. ]

We do, huh...? You know, it's great fun flying around like that, too! I want to team up again sometime.

[ Her words are open, honest - more sincere and mellow than her typical overenergetic, boisterous flair. It's because she really does mean that; there'd been a sort of synchronicity to their partnership, which had heightened both of their efficacy in their roles. ]

And when next time comes, I promise I'll be stronger. I shouldn't have let you leave me behind like that, so... I'm really sorry, Howl.

[ Because she could have helped him against Akua, right? And maybe she wouldn't have had to lure Caitlyn out by injuring herself more. They could've taken on the task together, if she hadn't been so weak. ]

[ ...How did this happen? Howl came here out of his own guilt and shame, wanting to do something to make it up to Misa, and here she is apologizing and comforting him. He earnestly does not feel that Misa has anything to be sorry for, which makes her words feel that much more ill-fitting.

There's no use in the both of them trading apologies and responsibility back and forth. But he does know one thing: that he is the wizard here, not her, and that if anyone should have performed better, it's Howl. Not the girl who only just unlocked new, foreign abilities, and giving it her all to keep up with everyone else.

Howl shrugs his shoulders and gives her a relaxed, resigned smile. A slice of dry meat floats up from the platter and into Howl's empty hand, which he then eats. ]

...It sounds like a date, then. I'll hold you to that — to teaming up in the future. [ He does not comment on her apology or promise, instead floating the champagne bottle into the air to offer to refill her glass. ]

[ She considers pressing on, but ultimately, she decides to take his avoidance of addressing it as him accepting her apology, or merely thinking nothing of it. He seems more used to situations like the one they were in, after all, maybe it wasn't as big of a deal to him as it was to her.... so she just smiles, a little tightly, nodding once in acknowledgment and letting him refill her glass. ]

Okay, no take backs! Especially because I can think of lots of ways we could help everybody. Like patrolling? Or search and rescue? Finding spies? I can see so far when I'm on your back, I don't think there's anybody who can hide for long from Howl and Misa. Not even that sniper lady.

[ Misa sticks out her chin with a bit of pride while she tilts her glass back once more, relieved at least that she's not totally useless in his eyes. That he would agree to working together with her in the future. There's a certain comfort in an agreement to collaborating down the line— because that means he sees himself here, in the walls of Achamoth, for the time being. It's a comfort that'll be more and more valuable not very long from now, when people begin to pull away from the Kenoma in full. ]

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i lost this tag in my inbox somehow, im so sorry!!!

omg no worries at all!! 💞

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