Test Drive Meme #13

[seasonshelpers]

Test Drive Meme #13
LOGS | NETWORK | OOC | MEMES | NAVIGATION

Arrival

Part 1

You arrive in an unknown space, dressed in white clothes (player choice what kind of clothes, as long as they cover everything). Whatever was happening to you before no longer happens. It's like everything was put on a pause and you were transferred away from the situation without you realizing it happened.

The space that you find yourself in is one of these four options:

An empty landscape filled with snow and ice, almost like a blank canvas.
A field with cherry blossom trees and spring flowers.
A sunny beach near an ocean that seems never ending.
A quiet forest with falling autumn leaves.

All of the spaces seem to continue endlessly. No matter where or how far you walk it almost seems like you're not moving at all. There are no animals here - just those who happened to wake up there at the same time, in the same place. Everyone is wearing the same kind of plain, white clothes.

Despite the possible rollercoaster of emotions you might be feeling, the place somehow feels familiar. Like somehow you belong there.

And it looks like you're not alone.


Part 2

After half an hour has passed the surroundings change as everyone is teleported into a room with all the other new arrivals, no matter what space they woke up in. It's a large place with plenty of seats to sit in and beverages to enjoy. Medical attention is offered to those who need it and the doctors here are very prepared for any challenging situations.

Here, in this room, everyone gets an answer to where they are and why. A hologram of a man appears at the center of the room, waiting to be heard. He brings a message on behalf of the leaders of Ellipsa. The staff nearby tells them that the message has finally been properly updated from the original one that can still be found from the records.

The Message [ Click to Expand ]

Hello, my name is Olwen. I'm one of the leaders of Ellipsa as it currently is. I'm also one of the four who summoned you here.

Our world is in trouble and we need your help. I apologize for tearing you away from your world and forcing you to come here but I hope you understand. The magic we used doesn't let us ask in advance, nor does it let us choose who we bring here. We wouldn't have resorted to it if we weren't desperate. Our world has lost the majority of power holders who kept the balance in our world and dealt with the dangers of the Segments. Just having one power holder for each Season isn't enough. That's why we have summoned you to become the new Seasonal Power Holders.

This world is composed of four Seasonal Segments. All of them represent one of the seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer and Autumn. They were the places we used to get our resources from, but now they're dangerous places no one should go into unless they have the power to fight back. All of them have their own sets of powerful monsters and natural catastrophes. We have recently managed to regain some footing in the segments and made them safer, but there is still a lot of work to be done. The Darkness still plagues our world, but we are constantly finding ways to fight back.

Otherworlders like you have already made great differences to the world. They have managed to find and free the dragons who in turn helped us expand the area we live in. They also managed to find the Fairy Queen and even the Mermaids and Sirens of the Great Ocean Lake are at peace due to the efforts of a few otherworlders. All of these things we couldn't have accomplished with just four power holders.

My sincere wish is that you would join us in working towards saving this world. We promise to send you home afterwards, or enable a way to travel to your world and back, as a compensation for your efforts here. You're even free to stay here, if that suits you better. This world can also be yours.

I know we're asking you a lot and that it might be hard to trust someone who just talks as a hologram, but you are always free to approach us at our guilds to talk in person.

The hologram can be viewed in private in a separate room later, should someone wish to look at it again. For now, the staff of the Research Center hands everyone their new smartphones with their small flower lucky charms (the flower is anything the player decides). They're also told that the building next door is where everyone can find a room assigned to them with some of their belongings there and possibly even any animal companions. Those concerned about their mount-sized companions are welcomed to the stables downstairs to see if their friends are there. The mounts are allowed to stay there until you find a place more suitable for them.

In the arrival's hall there are also several stands with information pamphlets.

First type of stand is for the local Guilds and about the benefits of joining one.

Second type of stand is for the Welcome Center that aim to show otherworlders what the world is like and help guide people in the beginning of the journey and helps in getting settled into the new world. They even have people to help if you're unfamiliar with the new phones.

Third type of a stand has various pamphlets about businesses opened by otherworlders.

Once you get your smartphone and necessary information, you're urged to go out and find your apartment. After that whatever you want to do is up to you.

The building next door is where everyone can find their new apartments. As you enter, you're told by a friendly native that for the first two months you can live anywhere rent-free and five meals a day are paid for you. After that they get a monthly payment that helps with some of their living expenses, but otherwise they have to have a job to support themselves.

All of the apartments are comfortable, two bedroom apartments with all necessary utilities. They are also completely soundproof. Sometimes the magic system, however, does glitch and you might find yourself rooming with a stranger. This is not the intention and the staff will immediately prepare you a room of your own. But maybe having a roommate isn't all that bad?

Part 3

The locals have taken upon themselves to advertise the Welcome Center that is run mostly by otherworlders. Newcomers are encouraged to visit it, but sometimes the people might think someone who has been a while is new.

Inside one finds a modern Japanese style lobby with plenty of sofas, soft seats and cushions to sit on. Anyone is welcome to just sit around and eat some home-made snacks. There are also computers for searching information and practicing technology skills. There's usually someone behind the front desk, but if no one seems to be there they might be in the kitchen behind the front desk area.

Upstairs there are many rooms that can be into familiar places for characters (not exactly the same, but similar) with futuristic technology. It's set up to help fight any homesickness and provide a quiet place to relax.

One bonus the Welcome Center provides is a gift basket with some treats, basic ingredients for making meals and some gift cards for the Underground Mall, to possibly shop for new clothes or other necessary items. All of these have been donated by volunteers to help newcomers settle in.

Of course the people working here are always looking for new volunteers to help around! There are plenty of things to do, all in the name of making otherwolders' arrival to a new world more comfortable.

Love You Furever

Part 1

Local news stations report that there's been a spike in stray animals found on the street lately needing homes. In the face of hitting capacity, the Nightwake City animal shelter is running some fundraisers in town!

First up is a petting zoo. Fenced areas have been set up in an open space in Blossomcrown Central Park. For a small donation, characters can come in and pet and feed treats to any animal found in the animal shelter, from ordinary pets to Pegasus Dogs, Trash Pandas, and elemental animals.

Of course, since the animal shelter is running this, all the animals appearing in the petting zoo are up for adoption themselves. If the visitors to the petting zoo get attached, they can always take one home! Taking their time to decide is encouraged to make sure every animal finds the right home.

The event also has a Valentine's confession wall set up outside the petting zoo. Attendees are encouraged to anonymously write seasonal confessions and post them to the wall, whether it's a love confession, a silly gripe about their partner, or a serious worry about romance. Volunteers are watching carefully to remove any inappropriate ones as soon as they go up, so don't try!

Part 2
The second fundraiser is a Valentine's Day charity ball, for all you romantics out there! Ballroom dancing is the order of the day, and lessons are available if you doubt your skills. The decorations are pink, the string quartet is live, and the atmosphere is fancy. Come in your nicest clothes (or at least the nicest ones you have here) and celebrate!

There's also a dinner provided, and since it's Valentine's Day, emphasis is on the dessert. There's as much chocolate as they could harvest from the Summer Segment, but that's not all. The ongoing Delicious Syrup quest is bringing in barrels of maple syrup, and while this is mainly a Valentine's Day party, the end-of-winter festival and its customary pancake stacks are just as seasonal this time of year! We've got pancakes, maple candies, salad with maple dressing, maple-sugared sweet potatoes, and some snow and ice have been trucked in from Frostreign for frozen maple syrup on a stick.

Later in the night, the atmosphere seems to have relaxed a little, and the MCs come up to announce a change in the program. The organizers have been doing some research and decided to bring in music and dance styles to make the otherworlders feel at home! They begin to demonstrate some different dances, and the musicians start to play the songs... wait, is that Caramelldansen? Wait, they're all meme songs and dances from various times. Seems what Ellipsans catch onto is still unpredictable.

Locked Together

Part 1

There's a rumor floating around that small wishes are being granted in Amberfall with enchanted locks. Following up on this rumor will lead everyone to a recently set up stall not far from a statue in town. Everyone who approaches the stall will be given one lock for free, though they can purchase additional ones if they'd like. These locks come in various shapes, sizes, and colors; however, they are all a padlock style lock so that they can easily attach to the fence. They're encouraged to make a wish on the lock then put it on the fence surrounding the statue. They're told that simple wishes are best - things like love, money, and luck. These wishes will be filled in the smallest, most random of ways.

Such as, if someone is wishing for love, they may encounter the person on their mind on the street and share a meaningful glance. If they wished for money, they may find some moon coins on the ground, if they wish for luck - they could get a free meal at their favorite restaurant as part of a promotion! It can manifest in so many different ways, but whatever it is - it seems like your wish was granted in such a way that it improves your day. While the wish may not be fulfilled instantly, it is fulfilled within 24 hours of it being made.

And don't worry, the locks can't be removed by anyone other than who made the wish and the one who set up the enchanted locks.

Part 2
A mage wants to grant the wishes in bigger ways as he doesn't feel the smaller grants are enough. He has decided that he is going to try to layer another spell on top of the one that's already present within the locks to enhance what's been done already. However, these locks are not meant to be used like this and it overloads the capabilities of everything. Rather than one wish for everyone being granted in a little bit of a bigger way, one wish gets applied to everyone in a very big way - whether they initially put a lock on the fence or not.

People will wake up throughout this with a magical red thread attached to one of their fingers. This thread connects them to one other person that they need to find. Don't worry - no one will have any trouble finding that person, as they'll be inexplicably drawn together. Only the people who are attached to the string are going to be able to see it, as well. This string cannot be broken, removed, or cut by any means. The only way that seems to work to remove it is generating touch energy - whether it's from something as simple as holding hands to a kiss.

Some people may find, after one is removed and resolved, they could end up with another string attached to someone else, whether it's after a few hours or the following day.

At least until they find the culprit of the spell and have it undone - sending out their apologies and dismantling the stall and fence.

OOC TIPS

Summary of the prompts [ Click to Expand ]

Arrival
• Characters appear in one of the four seasonal spaces, depending on what season they are
• After half an hour they are teleported to the Research Center lobby and given information
• Hologram of Olwen (Winter Guild Leader) plays, explaining the situation
• They're given their smartphone-like device and told about the Starter Apartments next door
• Possibility of finding a roommate!
• Welcome Center welcomes newcomers and those who have been here for a while alike

SECTION 2
• After an influx of animals, the animal shelter holds Valentine's Day fundraisers
• Petting zoo event where you can pet or adopt any domestic animal or companion creature
• There's also a Valentine's Day-themed anonymous confession wall
• A fancy-dress fundraising gala is also held to celebrate both Valentine's Day and the End-of-Winter Festival
• Dinner and dessert are served, with many items including chocolate and/or maple, as well as pancakes
• Later on, the atmosphere relaxes and the hosts teach meme dances


SECTION 3
• Characters are given the chance to put an enchanted wishing lock on a fence.
• Their wishes will be granted in small ways to help improve their day.
• Magic goes awry; they will wake up with a red thread connecting them to someone else, where they must use touch energy to rid themselves of the thread.
• Only the people connected to the string can see it, it can't be cut, broken, or taken off.
• It can happen as many times as you want - with different people, the same people, or any combination of that.
• The spell is finally undone and everything is dismantled in a hurry.

- Ask your questions related to the TDM here.

- The TDM is available only to friends of the mods and their friends. If you want to play in the TDM, please leave a note here to inform us who invited you over. We will get to you as soon as possible.

- Test Drive is open for current characters to make a top level as well. New characters can add TDM on their subject line to indicate they're new!

- Current characters cannot access the starting area again to meet new arrivals. They can, however, be at the Research Center when the newbies are teleported in.

- The TDM is game canon so anything in the TDM can happen for your character(s) in the game as well.

- Smut is not allowed on the TDM. You can play situations leading to it, but if the thread is turning into smut, please move it to a private space such a post in your character's journal, or a locked post in the game's log community if you decide to app!

- Check Locations: City to find more areas to explore inside the city. Every place in the districts are open.

- Similarly, Locations: Segments is useful for outdoors adventures.

- You can find monsters to encounter on the Bestiary.

- FAQ has information on characters' smartphones as well as general things about the world that might be handy.

code bases by tricklet

Comments

[itsmypower]

[A range of emotions play on the taller boy's face. Naturally, since he'd harbored the hopes that they might be a group, but his thought's expired behind his quiet-lived shock. The disappointment's died as soon as he's blinked. Sulky, prickly, bad-mouthed Bakugo has a cat. Something soft depends entirely on the other boy's strength. He dips his face, though it's easy to catch the flicker in his mismatched eyes, that this news too prevents him from his sinking any further...

He almost glows.]

You like cats too?

[Then, asking-not-asking to see his home:]

Can we see him? "Deku"?

[boombam]

[Katsuki is a little surprised, to see how quickly Shoto's expression goes from looking like Katuski had just kicked his dog to looking like Katsuki just bought him a new one. The news of Katsuki owning a kitten seems to have put him in a good mood, and Katsuki feels like he has to look away to avoid how bright Shoto's eyes were. He's aware that it's probably really silly, having this aggressive tough guy take care of a baby animal all on his own. It has him feeling a little flustered, but he ignores that feeling for now.]

...yeah, why not. He'd be happy to meet someone new, I bet.

[Katsuki... loves cats. He'd never admit it, but he enjoyed how much he could relate to them. They take time to befriend, and tend to be angry and aggressive and moody. Just like Katsuki. And when he and Izuku were young, they used to go around chasing and catching stray cats together. So he has a special memory attached to them, as well.]

Follow me. We'll figure out how to take care of this stupid string when we get to my place.

[Katsuki turns around, and motions for Shoto to follow as he leads him back to the apartments. When they get there, he takes him up to the fourth floor (of course his room is on the cursed floor--) and to his door. He could hear little Deku crying inside, and it has him hurry to pull his keys out of his pocket and unlock the door after a bit of fumbling.]

Hold on, hold on--

[Click! The door unlocks and he opens it, leading the way in and flicking a light switch on the wall on his way by. His apartment was pretty bland, as he had only been here for about a month. He hadn't had a lot of time for decoration, though there's some skull designs here and there. On a couple of couch pillows, on some of his kitchen utensils, and a poster on the wall. And the home was littered with cat toys, all over the floor leading to his bedroom where they seem to mostly congregate. The little cat itself was in a carrier in the livingroom, which Katsuki moves to take a seat in front of, cooing gently at the kitten as it cries and cries.]

What? What's wrong? You wanna see Half-and-Half?

[He carefully moves to open up the crate, and pulls little Deku out of it with his one hand so he can set him on the ground next to him. And Deku is immediately wobbling towards Shoto, still young enough that he's a little clumsy as he walks.]

[itsmypower]

[Something golden-hued ignites in his chest. Again, the warmth, since he can tell his softened demeanor isn't the slightest bit forced. He eyes the skulls, intrigued where little's managed to capture his tastes. It's nothing like home, but then, he half imagines sprucing the place up himself, and he daydreams briefly of gifting the same, hard work that makes his lived-in house his home. Flowers here; tatami floors and a thick, white scroll with fat broad strokes of scrawled ink. The scattered toys aren't any less a shock. He sees the "mess", only to realize that mess should only truly mean "loved". So, Bakugo sits, and Shoto examines where his care is found with the rest of it...

The room, the floor, displays of evidence scattered in fuzzy-soft bits; plush-shaped birds beside fine stitched balls and jingling-bell mice and string. The blond's made a sound he's never heard in his life. He shifts in place, peeking around a shoulder's edge before he's taken steps back, then holds his breath. Those tiny paws, no bigger than buttons on a shirt, slip and stumble and pad their way; and Shoto stills with the wonder of already too widened eyes. He takes in air, and when it wobbles small steps, he folds to knees as if it'd shrink his taller form too. Anxious pulse—

He cups his palms, but then there's the tell-tale tightening beneath his ribs; his reaching out...]

How do I- [he blinks up damp again, swallows.] How do you hold him?

[boombam]

[Katsuki quietly watches Shoto, as he gets down on his knees to be on little Deku's level. It's kind of charming, how he looks like a deer in headlights when faced with a little baby animal. He was so excited at the idea of seeing one.. is this really his first time holding a kitten?]

Here. Keep your hands cupped like that.

[As Shoto follows instructions, Katsuki picks up the little one carefully with his one hand, scooping up from underneath. And he gently plops Deku into Shoto's eager palms. Deku immediately is wiggling and whining, wanting all the attention!!]

Just make sure you have a solid base underneath him, don't move too much unless he's moving. I don't think he'd get hurt if he fell from this height, so don't worry if that happens. Relax and make sure he can't tell if you're nervous.

[Katsuki has a ton of experience thanks to his catching strays. And part of him feels proud to be able to show off his knowledge in front of Shoto, even if it's a little embarrassing how much he knows about cats.]

[itsmypower]

["Relax", he says... As if his heartbeat hasn't dropped from his chest. The kitten squirms and his heart jumps. For two or three moments, he keeps so still he's all but rooted in place, then holds his breath. He dips his face, keeps his forehead to the warmth of its brow, then meets his nose. Slow nuzzles like he'd break if he's touched. Like he might break.]

A kitten's this small...?

[Eyes all wonder.]

They really do look alike, though-

[Deku and "Deku".] You really liked him to choose that name.

[boombam]

[Katsuki tries to keep it away, but he has a hard time fighting the little smile that creeps up on his face while he watches Shoto gently nuzzle at the little kitten like that. It just feels good to be able to give him this experience, okay?! And... alright. Maybe it's kind of cute that the first thing Shoto decides to do is shove his face into it's face. It's really obvious this is his first time.

That tiny smile on Katsuki's face doesn't last long. Because as soon as Shoto accuses Katsuki of really liking Deku and naming his kitten after him because of it-- it has the blonde puff up like a cat himself. So angry and loud all of a sudden.]

It's not because of that!! I only named him "Deku" because of his eyes! Their eyes are the same!!

[He points at Deku, accusingly almost.]

I don't give a shit about that nerd otherwise! He and I have our own lives, okay?!

[That's obviously a lie. Izuku is his best friend, realistically speaking. And he's been worried about him ever since he arrived here, but he's been doing his best not to.]

[itsmypower]

[Separate lives...?]

But you said- I mean, [What does he mean? The Katsuki he's known—knew?—seemed impossibly affixed to the other. What he recalls is a long, string of texts from a boy still very much close. Things he wasn't meant to hear; things he doesn't understand same as French or paintings or puzzles or fate. He lifts his stare as if the boy's made of glass; tongue-tied a moment before he leafs through his thoughts. He drops his eyes, and he bites back words in his efforts to fence in the peace. He wants to ask, but there's still the vaguest attempt to measure its consequence first. Whether to say—more, confess—that he's privy to things this Katsuki may not be aware of, that he knows things he shouldn't.

The cat's pulled close.]

Is that really all it is?

[Eyeing the string... This bit makes it impossible to "escape".]

You seemed much closer before.

[boombam]

[The way Shoto eyes Katsuki like that, with this mixed look of hesitation and a little suspicion, he feels on the spot. He definitely doesn't miss Izuku!! Definitely not!!! That's what he thinks Shoto is sure of, but then he speaks and says something that completely takes Katsuki by surprise.]

...what do you mean? "Before"? Before what?

[He's a little confused, and needs clarification. It's not like he and Izuku aren't on good terms, and they certainly wouldn't have been closer before the war. The war brought those two almost too close, at times. He remembers fighting with his hand being held firmly by Izuku's at some point... gross.]

I mean... I can't see us being closer before any time than now. We're.. pretty close.

[UGH EMBARASSING TALKING ABOUT IZUKU LIKE THIS]

B-but that still doesn't mean I miss him!

[itsmypower]

[More knots in his throat. There's a forced swallow, the strain in his jaw before its tell-tale ache, and then he's looking as if he might seem ashamed of himself. He peeks at Katsuki, who seems as calm as Katsuki's calm's going to get, then dips his face. He should say, and he hasn't; because he's always so honest, and hiding the truth feels something akin to his own mute betrayal. It's troublesome, too, since revealing does carry the risk of it confusing him more...

In the end, he sets the kitten in the folds of his shirt; then toys with his string.]

There was another "you", I think—

[He starts, reveals its next bits, cautious:]

Here, I mean. He said you two were dating, before...

[A thing he'd barely understood-]

I don't think he'd meant to tell me, though. [Stumbling to clarify-] It happens here, the way things work. Meeting a different "you" or "me"... [If that makes sense? He doubts as much, since he's barely glued the halves of its words to make wholes; still fumbles-] I keep meeting you, again and again...

[Here, Avalon... wherever he goes.]

[boombam]

[Katsuki curiously watches the other boy. How his expression twists into something unsure, torn. And how he can't seem to look at the blonde anymore. How he gently puts the kitten in the folds of his shirt, so he can instead nervously play with the red string still tied to their fingers.

The shift is enough to make Katsuki feel uncomfortable himself, but nothing could prepare him for what Shoto is about to say. First, there's the mention of another version of himself. One that's been here before. That alone makes Katsuki's hair stand up on the back of his neck, this odd feeling of being replaceable taking over his heart. Something he's never felt in his life, before. Katsuki was one of the most unique people on the planet... yet he's been here before. That sucks.

But he doesn't have the time to think about that, really. Because what Shoto follows that new information up with is the most shocking thing Katsuki has ever, EVER heard. In his whole life. The mere mention of it has his expression completely change. His eyes widen, with a horrified disgust behind that piercing red stare and he feels like he can't breathe.

Even after Shoto finishes saying everything he has to say, Katsuki is silent. Dead silent. Staring at Shoto so intensely, yet unable to hide the fear written all over his face. But despite that, still judging if he should believe him or not. But... why would Shoto lie about something like this in the first place? He's not the kind to tease Katsuki, or try to get a rise out of him. In fact, it's the complete opposite and it makes sense why Shoto seems so worried about bringing this up.... but Katsuki doesn't want to believe it. He can't believe it.]

...y..you...y-you're fucking with me. You're lying! Y-you gotta be...!

[Finally, he chokes something out, but his brain just swirls with denial, denial, denial. And yet the smallest, bittiest part of him that he pushes deep down inside also felt... intrigued. Intrigued at the mere mention of "dating". Romance. It's something he's never, ever thought twice about. He's never had a crush. He accepted years ago that his Quirk would die with him, and he'd be alone until the end of time. And he was completely fine with it. It didn't bother him at all.]

D-Deku and me...? Dating?

[He assumes every version of himself would be the same....yet that "other" Katsuki dated Izuku. He DATED Izuku----]

[itsmypower]

I'm not...

[Wrong words, a pause accompanied by his new sense of shock. His hearing disgust chills his heart; its audible aftermath a bomb and found in the ash of his voice. He's found the wrong thing to say, stumbled stupidly and naive through his clumsy, human thing to do. His eyes drift up, only to find the seed-young starts of some visible thing he can't explain; and its intangible something grips him where he's tensed at his throat. He bites his lip, sharp eyes lifting from his lap to his face, then finds the floor. Hand still bound, while he waits for its magics to gently fade from existence.

And where else should he go?]

Do you really... hate it that much...?

[Asking the wall. Flickering gaze against the white, to Katsuki's face, and back and forth-]

I thought it was true, since you're friends-

[Crowding the silence; lab-animal's understanding and childish logic in one. Friends were new—its concept recognized just in his last few years. Less than 1, subtracting the 4 he's lived from his past couple "lives". His grasping at people—their hearts. How love was a swordsman, a knight, the girl with her missing left hand, the boy with bruises the color of dirt and sun in his too-freckled face. And Shoto cannot comprehend this shift. Bonds were a lucky, golden-radiant thread; and still he wonders "if friends kiss friends"; wonders if Katsuki's maybe the one who Midoriya too-shyly asked about; and panic rises in the walls of his chest.

His heart feels choked, and fishes his memories seeking the "right" thing to say:]

You're not that "you", though, I think...

[Lost, dumb boy.]

I wasn't sure.

1/2

[boombam]

[This was probably the worst situation to happen, for the both of them. Shoto, struggling with wanting to be honest but not wanting to upset the delicate friendship between the two of them. And also having to now grasp with the fact that he is faced with another "new" Katsuki, yet again.

And for Katsuki... he's having an inner battle with himself. One that's leaving him wide eyed, his stomach twisting and turning painfully as if he's eaten glass. He keeps thinking about it. About how he used to date Izuku. He's thinking about it way too hard, wondering how he could have gotten to that in the first place. He sees Izuku more of a brother, than anything else. Someone he's known since he was a baby... he can't imagine anything going further. And for Katsuki, himself, to fall for another person is also something he just can't understand. How could he let his guard down enough to let someone else in like that...?

He hears Shoto, but he's not actually listening. Instead, his hand slowly lifts up to tug and play with his fluffy blonde hair. A nervous tick as his heart beats so fast and panicked in his chest. As his breathing speeds up and he has a hard time keeping himself from completely losing it.]

..we.. D-Deku and I are...

[He starts to say something. A thought that was screaming loud in his mind. Louder than anything else.]

We're... b-both.. guys....

[Beyond just the fact that it's Izuku, or the fact that he's romantic at all-- he's terrified at the idea of being with another boy. It's still taboo in their Japan, to the point where there were some Villains who were evil just because the other Villains were more accepting of their identities than normal society was.

And when he thinks about it, his mind goes to what others would think. His friends, his teachers. His mom....]

cw: emeto 😔

[boombam]

[The mere idea of Mitsuki's reaction was enough to push him over the edge. And Katsuki suddenly feels his stomach clench... and he rushes to his feet. To the bathroom.

Where he, quite violently, empties absolutely everything out of himself. Out of nerves, out of disgust. Out of fear... he empties every single thought, idea, imagined scenario out of his mind. He just can't handle it anymore.

It's just too much.]

[itsmypower]

[There's a physical ache beneath his chest-tight uneasiness. "Anxiously helpless" shifts to "entirely lost". A freezing emptiness in the small, pitted, hollowed space beneath his ribs. The kitten gently and gingerly brushed to his side. "Sheltered" as he was, prevented from knowing as much as he should, he stumbles mentally through his thick cloud of fog; aware that prejudice still exists, though he could hardly relate to such a fear for himself...

No thoughts of dating missing an interest to date. Nothing for boys; nothing for girls or gender or secrets or this. And how can he possibly understand when he isn't attracted to one or the next? He thinks, "I'll never know this fear", the flush of shame, or the hurt. The words mean nothing. Attraction means nothing. Watching his friend expel the sick, only to slowly, mechanically rise to his feet. Without a reference; never observing enough to care for more than half of his life; watching the feelings forced from his gut; over another, heart-kept, still closer friend. Caught in a stupor before his hand, reaching out without his input at all, finds his shoulder with wary, tentative downy-soft touch.]

Bakugo- [Trying his name before the breath-]

I already know there's more than one me...

[Because he's seen; younger, violent, angry, unhealed—]

But I'm "me" too. So, I'm the me who decides what I'll do; and whether those two or more exist, I'm mine. [His life, his choice, his feelings, his thoughts?] We might share a past but it's all that it is...

[He knows he's changed now; he's certain.]

Your life's your own, if that makes sense. The "you" you are decides how he lives.

[Losing his string, still-oblivious how their tether's dissolved; beneath his notice.]

The "you" you are... isn't the you I met. [So-] You're not the same. And he's not.

[boombam]

[Normally, Katsuki would flinch away and yell at anyone touching him in such a raw and vulnerable moment like this. But as he kneels on the floor, breath heavy and fast as he tries to catch it, he finds that he just doesn't have the energy to be mad. The hand, gentle and wary, rests on his shoulder and comes with it is a warm rush of magic that quells Katsuki's stomach ache. The red string on their fingers slowly disappears, but neither the blonde nor the red and white haired boy notice. Instead, there's soft words exchanged between them.

Shoto's, reassuring and gentle. Telling him that even though that other Katsuki might have certain feelings towards boys, that doesn't mean that he does. That his life is his own, and he doesn't have to compare. Doesn't have to worry or care about what the other Katsuki had done during his stay. And that was true, wasn't it? That they weren't the same Katsuki. They may have had the same past, as Shoto had put it, but he doesn't need to be like him. He can relax, a little. It's okay.]

...I'm sick of this place. It's all so fucking confusing. And stupid.

[When his body allows for a chance, Katsuki responds with his own words soft and worn. His throat sore, and voice rasped from the violent expelling of his feelings moments before.]

That "other me". The "magic" everywhere. The whole reason why we're here in the first place... I'm just sick of it. All of it.

[His arm, all the romance everywhere, the people who mock him for being a Hero. The list of things he dislikes about this place was very, very, long. And the only good thing he could think about it at this moment was the fact that Shoto was stuck there with him. That he wasn't completely alone. If he were, he might genuinely start to lose his mind. Katsuki is a being of habit, and of familiarity. He likes his routine, and he likes knowing where he is and what to expect of the day ahead of him. When huge change happens, he never reacts to it well. Never has, really. And never really will.

Katsuki, without really thinking about it, finds himself leaning towards Shoto a bit. Leaning into that gentle hand still placed on his shoulder, towards the warm magic that soothes his soul in a quiet way. And he lets out a defeated sounding sigh, as he admits something he usually would keep to himself.]

I wanna go home.