avalar_logs | A Christmas surprise!

Who: Ryoji and anyone who is dumb enough to be walking around in the middle of the night!
What: Ryoji has just arrived in Avalar. He is wet and cold and also appears to have something glowing under his scarf. Wonder what that's about?
Where: The lake! And wherever we go from there.
When: Exactly midnight, the start of December 25th.
Warnings: Ryoji! Ryoji is a mess in general. And now he'll probably get hypothermia.

[A shout echoes in the cold evening, followed by a splash, as a newcomer suddenly arrives in the forest. There's silence for a few moments after, and it's almost like there was no disturbance at all by the time a boy finally gets his head above water, gasping and scrambling onto the icey shore.

He curls up for a moment, shivering, and his dragonfly flits about nervously as it flashes a bright blue, a beacon for help, but it's not the only thing that's glowing... Underneath the teen's scarf, there's a purplish light, emanating from something. Who knows what it is? He'd have to take off his scarf before anyone could see.

The guidebook, orb, and gems are only stared at in shock for now, before he surveys the area. His lips are blue, and his teeth are chattering so violently that he can't actually speak... but if he spots anyone, he'll at least look at them with wide eyes, silently asking for assistance.]

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[He's coughing and shuddering, and he can't seem to stop, even when he hears a voice calling for him. He'd like to tell whoever it is that he's fine, but it'd probably be obvious even if he could speak that he isn't. He's entirely drenched, at risk of catching a very nasty cold, and lost in an unfamiliar place... not to mention all the problems he was having back home.

Water is dripping from his hair into his eyes and making it hard to see, but the towel helps a little, so by the time she's done, he can look up at Minako for the first time. The recognition is apparent in his eyes, and he gapes for just a momment before managing a small smile. All he knows about her is thanks to the other Ryoji, but he still knows she's important to both versions of himself, and-in case it wasn't obvious from how she'd dropped everything to help a newcomer-a very good person.]

Minako-chan... I-It's been a while.

[He hasn't seen her since just after that one awful experiment. She'd been so kind to him, despite how shaken he had been. He had known right away why the other Ryoji had loved her so much.]

[She's smiling with him when she pulls the towel away, looking gentle and helpful and hoping the new kid wasn't upset about her being all in his business... and then she sees the look of recognition. Her smile doesn't fade, but her eyebrows knit just a little. She doesn't want to hurt his feelings, but as loveable as his newcomer looks, he isn't familiar.

... Or is he? That feeling she had at first, of de ja vu, was still there. She's sure she's never met him before, but he feels somehow familiar. She shakes her head in apology.]

I'm sorry I... don't know you. But you look cold, we should warm you up.

[Priorities. She sets to patting the rest of him down with the towel that she can reach.] I have a small house not far from here.

[He frowns and shivers more at her response. A Minako that doesn't know him? The first time they met, he was the one who didn't know her... was she from an earlier time period, like the Minato at the Tower? This is so bizarre... He brings a shaking hand up to pull his scarf tighter, offering what he hopes is a reassuring smile to Minako.]

N-Not important...

[He's not important. It's not necessary for her to know him, even talk to him if she doesn't want to. He really doesn't want to cause her any worry.]

Let's g-g-go.

[He shakily gets to his feet, ready for Minako to lead the way.]

[He's trying to protect her and brush it off, but she saw that frown and the rejection in his eyes. Minato had told her she has a long way to go... could this be someone who she will meet in the future? It would explain why he recognized her.

Her smile back is a bit heavier than it was a minute ago, but she takes his arm gently and leads him toward the portal.]

It's not far, but we will have to jump a small gap with our dragonflies. You uh... get a dragonfly when you drop in here.

[He notices the change in her smile, and immediately berates himself. Here he tried to keep it secret, and she’d ended up more upset. Perhaps he should explain to her once he gets a chance… after all, the Minato in the Tower had felt better when Ryoji had explained everything than when he was still left in the dark.

Her next statement, however, clears his mind and leaves him with confusion.]

You mean this little guy? How do I jump with him?

[The dragonfly flits around, glowing a sunny yellow as if pleased to be recognized.]

[Minako would be very appreciative of some explanations and answers. There's too much going on around her already that isn't being explained. She's about to go crazy from secrets.

One thing at a time, though.]

Uh, yeah. It sounds crazy but I promise it works. I was shown my first day here, too.

[She smiles at Ryoji's dragonfly. When they reach the spot she gestures to the gap and points at her own dragonfly, who flits over as though bored with the whole thing.]

Watch!

[She takes it's hands and... yeah. Sort of, hover-glides over the gap. It looks pretty ridiculous.]

[And Ryoji wouldn’t like it if she went crazy. He’ll tell her… as soon as he can. As soon as they’re somewhere that’s warm and he can speak without his teeth clattering together, making his words indistinguishable.

He watches attentively, and as ridiculous as it seems, he thinks he understands it. Honestly, there were some pretty weird things back in the Tower too. Magically gliding over gaps using glowing dragonflies is pretty tame.]

I g-got it…

[And he does! He copies Minako’s movements with his own dragonfly and they quickly make it over the gap.]

[She just needs, from the bottom of her soul, for someone to trust her. And she can tell that even Minato and Seito... no, especially Minato and Seito don't really trust her. Maybe Ryoji will. She will keep hoping.

She watches him cross, ready to help at any moment if something goes wrong, but he seems to get it fairly well. In fact he's hardly fazed by the strangeness at all as far as she can tell. Maybe that's just because he's too busy being cold. She wraps the towel back around his shoulders and helps support him the rest of the way, to the portal, and the short distance to her small house.]

It's warmer inside. I can make tea or cocoa or just warm milk... I don't think I have any dry clothes that would fit you but you can borrow a robe I guess.

[Minato should have clothes that would fit the boy. They seem to be the same size. She can ask him later.]

[He sighs quietly as they make it into the house, already shivering a little less. She’s right, it is much warmer in here, even if he’s dripping over the carpet.]

C-Cocoa, please… do you have any towels?

[He doesn’t want to make a mess in Minako’s nice house, even if she’d argue that his safety is more important than some silly rug. He just can’t help but worry about other people, even when he might catch his death of cold.]

[She gets the door shut tight and scoots off to the bathroom to get towels immediately, as well as the robe which she hangs up near the door.]

Of course, here! Get out of those wet things before you catch your death. I'll be in the kitchen!

[She'll let the poor boy have his privacy. No use stripping him herself when he's perfectly capable of that. With that she drops one towel on his head and another in his arms and disappears behind a barrier into what is most likely a small kitchen.]

Th-Thank you…

[He’s still a little embarrassed and concerned that Minako will pop out before he’s done, but his need to be dry overcomes that worry, and he eventually scrambles to dry himself and get into that nice warm robe.]

A Christmas surprise!

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