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[songstressedout]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, SongDiva. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 018.07.154.55 *** SongDiva has joined 018.07.154.55 <SongDiva> Hello? Is this thing on...? <SongDiva> Oh! Good! It's working! <SongDiva> These computers are... strange, but it looks like I managed to get it working alright! I'll uh, try to get back to you as soon as possible if you say anything here!

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<sweaterqueen>

[meowbel]

You there?

I know you're reading this! Don't think I can't see you doing that!

< SongDiva >

[songstressedout]

who is this...

ACTION | Around Bavan

[isawallflower]

[ Everyone's needed a little time to breathe after the circus. However, Riley worries she's taken...a little too much time.

Bavan is a big city. Not, like, New York big, but bigger than the town she lives in, bigger than most places. It's a bit overwhelming, especially on your own. So, though the thought has crossed her mind, multiple times, she hasn't...really been able to seek out Yuzu.

Yet, the other girl's terrified expression won't leave her head. She sees it in her mind's eye, with all the other terrified expressions, taking seat like it lives there. Which, honestly, isn't entirely fair, it's not like Riley did anything to cause this one, it's not fair that it's mixed up there, with the team from that night, replaying on loop as she tries to sleep, mixing with the countdown of when she'll one day start warping and changing—

It's all there in her head. Like everything is. Squealing and screeching, not giving her a moment's rest. It's why she goes on runs, not out to the cemetery this time, but just...around the city. Trying to empty her mind of everything but her beating heart.

It's funny, then, that while out on today's run, while trying to put all that away in its box, it sneaks up on her. Well, no, it's right there, in broad daylight.

Yuzu, minding her own business, just across the street.

Part of Riley wants to turn tail and run, a sneaking stabbing guilt clawing at her insides. The rest of her, however, the louder part, immediately changes her trajectory. Honestly, she barely looks both ways before crossing the road, a stupid thing to do but Riley is nothing if not impulsive, despite her meticulous, control freak nature. Little things like that, beautiful contradictions. ]

Yuzu...! [ She calls out when she's almost to her. Luckily, she hasn't been on her run for too long, so she's not sweaty and fatigued. ] Oh my gosh, hey, are you- how are you?

[songstressedout]

[ Yuzu's eyes widen. She's been... trying to act like herself. Try to heal... which wasn't going well when she was locking herself in her room, so she tried to make herself go outside again. ]

R-Riley...?

[ As for Yuzu's physical state... well, her blackened arms look completely fine, though the rest of her now has more bandages than when she and Riley first met. ]


I-I... I'm fine...

[ Yeah, sure she is. ]

<KrisKringle>

[getmeoutofthedraft]

Ho ho ho! Your secret Santa gift recipient for this year is kyouken on the network.

His real name is Majima Goro. He's a werewolf, so avoid anything silver or chocolate.

Please spend no more than 20 solars on a gift for Majima, and ensure he receives it on or before Christmas Day (December 25). If not, Santa Claus will come to your house and glare disappointedly through the windows until you cough up.

Merry Winter-Holiday-Of-Your-Choice!

Forward Dated to around the 14th

[meowbel]

[Should Yuzu look around the door of her place, she'll find one pink sweater with the note "Thank you for being my friend! You're awesome sauce!"]

december 24.

[digiorno]

[Late in the evening, Giorno leaves a package at Yuzu's door. It contains a small, carefully-wrapped box of almond cookies, a square heating pad (winter sucks), and a neatly-printed note thanking her for allowing Giorno into her home.]

guess who lwj got for secret santa

[wangxian]

[ at the end of it all, even despite lan wangji's being volunteered, he still completes what has been assigned to him.

the gift itself took more time than his deducing where it was she resided, but: yuzu will discover a gift wrapped in pale pinks, its corners crisp and sharp. tied neatly with a gold ribbon, it looks more as though a display piece than an actual gift to be opened.

but, when she so chooses to divest the paper from the box, she will find the following: a hand-carved animal befitting of his observations of her, and small container of what appears to be a handful of baked goods. they are mild in flavoring, but seem to be made using seasonal ingredients wherever possible.

if yuzu does not look carefully, she will miss the note (tucked as it is under the lid): These are best enjoyed with tea.

— "Secret Santa." ]

Back dated to the 25th

[pendulumentertainment]

[It was Christmas, for some the holiday was more special. To Yuya it meant he needed to gift something to the important people in his life.

Only problem is, he has no money...

Oh well, he could make something, right?

With these giant claws, making something so tiny was... a challenge. He had started by trying to make a necklace like he had for Sora's birthday. But he ended up snapping the rope. He tried paper mache, but his claws were too big he couldn't see what he was making.

In a last ditch effort, he had decided to make a sculpture out of wire and clay. It had stayed together... For the most part, but it also was incredibly rough looking. It was supposed to resemble Mozarta. One of Yuzu's very own monsters! Though it's... hard to tell at first glance.

He holds it delicately in one of his claws before knocking on her door.]

Um, Yuzu? Are you up?

[songstressedout]

[ Yuzu rustles in her bed for a bit. It’s in the morning, and Yuzu’s ended up choosing Christmas of all times to sleep in. ]

Mm... Yuya...?

[ She yawns, still tired, and her hair down (and in a mess). She may as well get up now, right? ]

I’m... I’m up, hold on...

[ A minute later, the door opens to show a still-slightly groggy Yuzu, a few tendrils holding hairbrushes moving around behind her and combing her hair down so it isn’t sticking out in every direction. She’s just wearing some loose pajamas and nothing else, but she’s just woken up, so she’s not thinking of her appearance too much yet. ]

Merry... [ She yawns. ] Christmas, Yuya... [ And then she smiles at him. ]

<sweaterqueen>

[meowbel]

Yuzu, you there? It's me, Mabel.

You have a minute?

< SongDiva >

[songstressedout]

Yeah, what's up?

[ Once again, recent events have not left Yuzu feeling very well, but hearing from Mabel makes her feel a little better. ]

BACKDATED DEC 25

[soft_focus]

[Merry Nattenfest! Reira's giving Sora a teddy bear from Bavan! Cute, soft...wait does this match with Yuuya's somehow??]

<CheeryCherry> | backdated to January 10th | cw: painkiller abuse

[isawallflower]

helo
hello?
are you there??

< SongDiva >

[songstressedout]

Y-Yes?

I'm here?

< Monkeyboard >

[pendulumentertainment]

um hey... its me- um- im not sure exactly why im typing this but i just wanna get stuff off my chest, for whatever reason its been really hard to say it with words... so im trying this... sorry if its all over the place...

that network post... about how you said you liked girls? and where we... um... admitted to liking one another- first off, i wanna just say sorry, i think i might have taken the talk away from the main question, ive been feeling super guilty about it for a while now but i want you to know that i support you, ok?

secondly i... i dont think i want to date you, d-dont take it the wrong way, i still like you a lot! i just... i guess i just... i feel confused when i try to think of us... together- or me with anyone to be honest. cause couples do like... kissing and stuff, but when i think about doing that with you i...am i weird? i like you a lot, i always wanna be around you, but physical affection makes me feel... gross?i-idk- i dont know if im making sense, but you know... you know couples do those couple things... and i dont wanna do that, im also like... l-like i dont... you know how boys call girls attractive and stuff? i... never mind- this isnt making any sense i should just-

[He had the intention to delete it in that moment, but he accidentally hits send anyways. Screams ensue, followed quickly by another message.]

im sorry im sorry, please dont be mad, i didnt mean it like that or anything-

< SongDiva >

[songstressedout]

[ To be honest, she gets pretty scared when she reads that he doesn't want to, like, be in a relationship with her... but then she reads his reason.

The heart wants what it wants.

She remembers those words fondly.

Basically... Yuya doesn't want to d-date her because... he doesn't like kissing and stuff? Well, he was fine with hugs and holding hands... in fact, he would often be the one to ask for them, even before all of this. ]

Yuya, it's alright... thank you for supporting me... you have no idea how much that means to me.

Secondly... so you, like, don't think kissing and stuff is nice? You think they're gross?

Yuya... I mean, I guess I do like those things, and couples in movies do those things... but like, we don't have to?

Isn't it good enough that we... like each other?

We've already been, like, hugging and holding hands... isn't that alright?

L-Like... so, Tsukikage said something to me... he said that the heart wants what it wants.

If you don't wanna like, kiss or anything...

[ Well, she can't say she's not at least a little sad. Considering how much it's been hyped up all her life, she's always dreamed about her first kiss... but if Yuya isn't comfortable with that, then what gives her the right to invalidate that? It's not like she'll die just because nobody kisses her on the lips.

She wants Yuya to be happy, and if kissing makes him unhappy... then the answer was simple. ]

I-If we do date... or if we become a couple... isn't it fine if we just like... hug and hold hands and just... be close to each other?

[ Cuddles, she wants cuddles. ]

<sweaterqueen>

[meowbel]

Hey Yuzu?

You around for a moment? I think I just need someone to talk to right now.

< SongDiva >

[songstressedout]

Of course, always.

What's wrong?

White day time

[pendulumentertainment]

[Yuya grumbles as he over looks the rather small sachet within his hands. He didn’t have a job, he had to rely on Crash of all people to help him pay for it even.

But he did it- and it’s pretty if he does say so himself... still he wishes that the chocolate he had tried and failed to make turned out better... buying chocolate almost feels like cheating...

Yuya let’s out a small chuckle before heading out of his room. Though he realizes right after... he has no idea if Yuzu is even in her room.

He hums in thought, he almost wishes he had more energy to just belt out her name like he used to... but he settles on just knocking on her door, unsure if she’s even there.]

Yuzu? A-are you there?

[songstressedout]

[ Yuzu in fact is in her room, currently looking at the bright-red sparkly dress she had just recently splurged her funds on. She'd tried it on at the store, and it fit her perfectly... even working well with her being a Harpy. It was tight to her frame, but it was able to flow neatly even past her feathers... and it was sleeveless, just the way she liked it.

Though... she wasn't sure if she was ever going to use it—Oh, Yuya was at the door. ]

Ah, yes...

[ She's up quickly, opening the door to see him there. ]

Hey, Yuya!

[ Her face brightens... just seeing him was enough to make everything so much better, honestly. ]

< Ecliptica > (back dated to right after bingo event)

[dejabrewed]

Yuzu, my little songbird.

Care to tell me why you let a girl dressed as a sad mime tear you down like that? On television, no less?

< SongDiva >

[songstressedout]

[ Oh.

Oh no.

The worst part is that she knows exactly who her dad is talking about. ]

YOU SAW THAT!?

[ Wow, her face is bright red. Perhaps Sandy can tell, even through just text. ]

< Monkeyboard > (back dated like a day at most)

[pendulumentertainment]

hey yuzu uh... i have something to ask

[songstressedout]

What's up?

Happy Nattenmas!

[unholey]

[Throughout the month of December, Fugo has slowly been placing a number of items underneath the Hill House Nattenfest tree. They are all neatly and precisely wrapped with paper featuring ugly sweaters (of course). He also fries up a large batch of struffoli and bakes some mustaccioli for the house. If you get a gift, you get a carefully-packaged portion of struffoli and mustaccioli.

Although he struggled a bit to think of a gift for Yuzu, after happening on them in the mall, he settled on collection of cute hairpins. She also gets a few samples of pink fabrics, with a mix of "cute, actually" and "discounted for a reason" patterns, that she could use to make the wrap tops she likes to wear.]

Nattensmas!

[softspokenlandlord]

[From Ryou, Yuzu will receive a detailed but still rather basic figure of a phoenix that very clearly shares Yuzu's feather coloring, and even has two massive backswept feathers extending from the crown of it's head into a trail behind it that are of a lighter pink. It's almost like the locks at the sides of her face!

The figure is small enough to go on a desk, but big enough to draw the eye nonetheless, and the paintjob is fairly crisp, done with care.]

I truly hope you have a peaceful Nattensfest, Yuzu. I will need to visit you soon so that we can catch up. I do apologize for being scarce. I'll have to fix that.

-Ryou Bakura

LATENATTENSFEST TIME

[noasark]

[Despite not knowing them especially well, the meetings were strong enough that he feels he should send SOMETHING. Thus, Yuzu receives a card for the holidays containing a voucher for a local cafe, as well as a small container of pastries. Delicious!]

NATTENSFURST

[gobo_projection]

[In addition to the cookies and key charm, Reira's gotten something else for Yuzu!

Yuzu's gift, wrapped carefully in pink with multicolored ribbons, is a handmade windchime and mobile to hang in her room, themed around flowers- which might seem odd unless one thinks about the fact that harpies have wind magic. She's also had toe-less socks for her feet made by some knitting grannies she knows! Toasty warm, and great for the gal who can't really wear snow boots.]

<Zigazigah> very beginning of February

[figlia_morbida]

Yuzu, before you ask: I'm fine.

I'm checking on you because I've apparently missed a lot, and not everyone was able to keep track of one another. For understandable reasons.

[Because with doubles, who knows what the hell happened and if everyone is truly accounted for. This is a nightmare to wake up to! Trish would be checking on everyone herself if she didn't feel so woozy from being asleep for so long!!! As it stands, though, changing back to her human form after being a bear for a solid two weeks and not having a bite of food in that time has left her exhausted.

Anyways:]

Are you okay?

< SongDiva >

[songstressedout]

[ Let's be completely honest here... Yuzu hasn't been doing okay. She's been doing good at hiding it before, but then you suddenly have to clean up the remains of your identical double, and...

Yuya is still gone. Not that she'd have gone to him for this, he had already been too emotionally unstable being here... in fact, considering what just happened, she now has even more reason to think he shouldn't come back.

Doesn't mean it still doesn't hurt.

Still, her eyes widen when she sees a message from Trish. ]

Ahh!! Trish, you're awake!

[ Thank god she's fine... ]

I'm fine, don't worry about me. Do you need anything? You were asleep for a super long time...

action, towards the beginning of the monster swap!

[ourtomorrow]

Somebuggy is watching Yuzu. Following her, even, at a distance, while she makes her way around town, navigating her new mer life. Staring up at her with big blue eyes, stunned in awe. This feeling....

Ken doesn't understand. This is the girl who had been a bird monster earlier, right? She had helped him, and he's grateful. But he doesn't understand why that would make him so enthralled by her. Why being by her side (if from several paces back) feels so right. Why it's like - something he hadn't even realized he'd been waiting for has just clicked into place, and he's whole.

He drinks in every detail of her behavior, admiring it. No matter what she's up to, he thinks she's being AWESOME.

This is totally not creepy or awkward at all.

[songstressedout]

[ Something that Yuzu has gotten good at since she ended up here is telling when somebody is following or watching her. She typically avoids starting trouble and will just try to lose them... but it's different right now.

Mostly because this particular someone... seems less like an issue and more of a situation of curiosity. Which, to be fair, it's not like she hasn't been curious about herself either. This is her first time as a Mer, after all!

In any case, she lets out a sigh as she turns the corner and leaves Ken's sight... presumably continuing onward, but instead, she hides behind the corner and waits for Ken to turn it. ]

Near the end of Oct!

[assblasted]

[what is time/space idk

BUT AT SOME POINT after Bakugo blows himself back into Ryslig and regrows his wings and such, he'll start going back to the cafe. . .only, he hasn't seen Yuzu there in a while. Is she still in Felfri? Wait, wasn't she kind of scarce before then. . .? After a few days, he's going to message her.]

Pigtails are you alive?

[songstressedout]

[ Oh. Bakugo... yeah, she should've expected this to happen eventually. ]

Yeah I'm fine.

Sorry I haven't been to the Cafe.

I'm not the owner or anything anymore, though, so it should be fine.

<KrisKringle>

[getmeoutofthedraft]

Ho ho ho! Your Secret Santa giftee is CHIAKI NANAMI, also known as "galagamer".

Buy or make Nanami a gift by December 26, or Santa will come down your chimney and box your ears.

If you need more information, contact me C/O Hawkeye Pierce at Crowe Clinic, and I'll delegate him to tell you to do your own research.

Nattensfest

[waitingforplayer2]

[ Yuzu will receive a new book to display her favorite cards in, as well as a scarf to keep her warm in the cold months, decorated with playing cards. ]

Happy Nattensfest!

[demogorgoned]

[Left at Café Millenia is a small package wrapped in brown paper that's been stamped with a coffee bean design and labeled TO: YUZU FROM: SANTA. Inside is a handmade cookbook containing a recipe for tiramisu and pineapple upsidedown cake written out in careful, slightly childish handwriting. These pages also contain a drawing of the intended result, made with a level of detail that belies the fact that the designer spent too much time drawing the food. The rest of the book is blank, but each of the pages is decorated with various little doodles of both music-related things and coffee-related things.

There's also a little slip of paper in the back of the cookbook that contains a list of songs from Ryslig-native artists in the same careful handwriting. At the end of the list Sorry, I don't know how to make a mixtape here is written with a little frowny face.]