imaginarymods | NPC Inbox.

[ When Honoka spots Niely, she– well she doesn't think the words "is that a fucking furry" because Honoka's a good girl. But the emotion she experiences is more or less the emotion conveyed by the words is that a fucking furry???. She sort of stares at them for just half a second and then promptly decides that everything about this situation is weird enough that she's not going to question this. ]

Um, hi! [ She starts picking her way through the sand to close the distance between them a bit. ] I'm not hurt, I don't think? Just kinda confused. I have zero idea where I am right now.

[The goldfish in the little ball-bowl Niely's carrying glorps excitedly a few times, but doesn't say anything, which is maybe weird to say, since goldfish don't talk. ~~The Furry~~ Niely themself approaches Honoka as well, apparently not too threatened. Honoka's just some human girl, after all.]

You're on Baisla island! You're another one of those silver bracelet folks like Detective McDonald, huh?

[And then, with all the care in the world, Niely waves their paw in front of Honoka's face.]

You didn't lose your memory too, did you?

–Bracelet...?

[ She hadn't even put any thought to the bracer around her wrist until Niely drew her attention to it, and she finds herself pulling it protectively against her chest. ]

Um, I don't think I know anybody called McDonald, but I'm... wait. [ She blinks a few times, like she's trying to clear her eyes. ] No, wait. I think...

[ Her fingers start tracing the insignia stamped into the metal and she has a feeling like– like there's a word on the tip of her tongue, like she hadn't even realized she'd forgotten what it was until she tried to use it. ]

I think... there was something I was supposed to be doing? Something important, like, super majorly important, but I can't remember what it was anymore. And–

[ Her eyes suddenly sting with the onset of tears and she's started out of her own thoughts by the realization. A little flustered, she wipes at her eyes with the heel of her hands to try and dry them before they can streak down her face. ]

W–whoa...! Geez, what am I even crying about?!

[Oh no! Honoka's crying? Niely can't stifle a few whiny dog noises, stepping closer.]

Hey- hey! You don't have to feel bad!

Everyone who showed up kinda forgot things, even the Detective! It'll be okay.

And I know just how to cheer you up!

[With a bit of a grin, Niely holds out the fish bowl for Honoka to take.]

Hold this for me, and I'll make your whole day better.

Edited 2020-09-24 18:08 (UTC)

N–no, I'm okay, really! Um, I'm not even sad, this is just kind of happening...

[ Oh god, now the nice dog guy feels bad, and Honoka feels bad and in her haste to compose herself she makes a horrible, unflattering snorty noise as she sniffs. This is not her day.

But she's game to become a fish babysitter, if it's what they're asking, so she sticks her hands out readily to take the fish bowl from them. Surely she can't heck this up. ]

[Oddly, even the fish seems glad to be in Honoka's hands! It swims around happily, but still doesn't say anything intelligible.]

Don't worry, you're gonna like this.

[. . . It seems Niely's adamant about whatever they're doing despite Honoka's reassurance. They just have a feeling that they have to do this.

What they do is take a few steps back and pull what appears to be... a flat... rock... out of their shirt. But then they press something on that flat rock, and it begins to light up and hover next to Niely!

Niely presses a lit-up space on the rock, and a drum beat starts. A few more buttons, and a pre-recorded pattern starts repeating.

With an invisible microphone imagined in their paw, Niely steps back again as if on a stage, grinning Honoka's way and... looking for all the world like any other idol.]

Hey! You came from a land real far away On Baisla's where you've come to stay Welcome to the land of dancing animals I'll be your guide on this island fantastical I'm Niely! The rapper, extra-ordinaire! That's my best friend in that fish bowl right there You're at the nicest place in Faerun that a person could be So sit back, relax, and enjoy the beat with me! Hey! What's your name? I could swear I've seen your face before but with all the newcomers I'm actually not so sure...

[ She's not really sure what she's expecting – in fact, for a half-second, her gaze is fixed expectantly on the fish bowl, like she's expecting the fish to be the star here. But then when she hears the beat, her head snaps back up and her eyes immediately begin to sparkle.

That's a song. And for some reason... it really feels like a long time since she's heard someone sing her a song. ]

Uh, I'm– My name's–

[ She stumbles over her words a few times, trying to follow the beat with Niely, but then she just gives up. Rapping isn't exactly her strong suite but she can always practice later. ]

I'm Honoka Kousaka!

[Niely laughs good humoredly when Honoka gives up, tail wagging behind them. In that fish bowl, actually, it kind of seemed like the fish was beatboxing, but that'd be weird. Now that the song seems to be done, though, it's just cheerfully swimming along looking between Niely and Honoka.]

Honoka Kousaka. That's really nice!

What name do I call you? And what pronouns? Humans are pretty strange about theirs.

[Or so they've noticed since a bunch of humans started showing up, anyway. Niely reaches back to tap the side of that floating rock a few times and the volume lowers, but it doesn't stop playing yet.]

[ She kind of wants to clap after that performance, but her hands are full of fishbowl, so she'll have to settle for giving them her biggest, most effusive smile. ]

Just Honoka's fine! And um– [ It takes her a second for her brain to catch up with pronouns but thank god there was someone on the Moon Base to teach her uneducated ass about that. ] I guess you can use she and her and stuff like that!

[ Shout out to Lion honestly ]

How about you?

[Shout out to Lion indeed, the real MVP.]

They's good for me!

So, so, tell me, did you like that so far? Are you a bard, too?

[Fellow bards just know this kind of thing!]

[ The word Bard hits her brain in a way that feels like fizzing orange sherbert and although she's almost one hundred percent sure she's never even used the word before in her life, as far as she remembers, Honoka suddenly finds herself nodding. ]

I think so, yeah! I mean, it just kinda feels right. You know?

But anyway – it's sounding real good so far! It's really fun, it has a lot of– [ She sort of gestures helplessly with her hands, trying to get across something she doesn't have the exact words for. ] A lotta energy, I think! That's super important.

[Niely's tail wags really fast!]

I'm so glad! Hey, um, I know you kinda just got here. But maybe, um, I can help you find the rest of your friends, and then we could hang out!

I could show you my beat machine, and we could make something together!

[ Her smile turns even sunnier and that happy orange-sherbet fizz fills her chest this time – the cheery excitement that comes with realizing you've made a new friend. ]

Yeah! For sure! [ she pumps her fists excitedly. ] Whatever the heck I do or don't remember, music's like the one thing I'm super good at! I'm totally down!

[ Bonding Roll: 1d20, no dc: 17.

Niely gives Honoka a broad smile. They help Honoka to the Cabanas that day, and once Honoka's all settled, they even offer a tour around the island. But true to their promise, they spend a whole day together with Honoka making music. They show Honoka the magitech drum machine they have and even encourage Honoka to make a song with them, showing her how the different repeating pattern buttons on the drum machine work. They tell Honoka about their dream of being a performer and traveling all of Faerun, telling them stories about Baisla.

As the night draws in, Niely brings up a request.]

You're really good at this, you know.

Hey, do you think, before you guys leave, do you wanna perform a song together?

Huh? A song?

[ It's been a wonderful day – being surrounded by music has made Honoka feel so much more like herself. She can't even explain why, she just knows somewhere deep in her gut or even deeper that it's true.

So being asked to perform a song with Niely – that should make her really happy, right?

So why does she suddenly feel so sad? ]

Uh... yeah. That'd be really fun! I...

[ And then she trails off, her expression suddenly distinctly Bothered. ]

Huh.

[It's not hard for Niely to notice! Rolling the goldfish's bowl-ball between their hands gently as the little fish floats happily, they tilt their head like the curious dog they are.]

What's wrong, Honoka?

Did you remember something?

I... dunno. Maybe. I think?

[ She folds her arms across her chest and furrows her brow. There's that feeling again, of having a word on the very tip of her tongue, but the more she pushes to try and remember what it was, the further away it slips. ]

It's just, when you said about singing a song together... I really was like, super, majorly excited about it! I was! But then all of a sudden, I kind of thought... wasn't there somebody else I was supposed to sing a song with? Or um– actually, maybe I was supposed to be singing for them.

And I don't know why, but... thinking about it made me feel really sad all of a sudden.

[For some reason, Niely looks very sad, too. It might just be the puppydog eyes.]

Well... even if you can't remember them,

[They twitch their nose a little, trying to think of what might be most helpful to say, holding their fish's little orb tight.]

Maybe they'll hear you, one day, if you keep performing.

Maybe there's a way a song could be played... everywhere, you know?

... yeah. [ And then, with a little more enthusiasm; ] Yeah!

[ Honoka pumps her fists, trying to hype herself up a little... or at least make herself feel a bit less sad. It... sort of works. ]

That's the awesome thing about being a Bard. It means your music really is as magic as it feels! I've just gotta work my butt off and I'm sure I'll be able to figure something out. And I bet when I hit on just the right song, it'll all come rushing back!

[When Honoka seems to try to cheer up, Niely's tail begins to wag.]

Yeah! That's right!

Hey, what if you perform for me, right now? Your first performance in Baisla!

[Even the goldfish in Niely's bowl seems exited about this, fluttering its fins.]

We can call it paying me back for our introduction!

[They laugh.]

Oh wow, for real?

[ She giggles, looking a little closer to her usual Honoka self. ]

I can sure give it a try... it won't be as good without the music, but I'll make up for it!

Yeah! I'd really like that, Honoka.

[They start to giggle, holding up the fish in that glass orb, who's doing flips in the water.]

I think he's all for it, too.

[ At last, Honoka laughs properly, sunny and bright. ]

Okay, okay! Then I definitely can't disappoint you! Just–

[ She looks around for a moment, and then dashes back a few steps so she's got all the room she needs to actually perform. Then she picks her spot and takes a deep breath. ]

Just watch me!

[ And with that, Honoka starts to perform. She doesn't even have to think of what song to sing – it just comes flowing out of her. And it's strange because she doesn't know this song, even though she does know this song, this dance, this whole performance.

There's something here. Just under the surface, too far for her to reach just yet but so close she's brushing it with the very tips of her fingers. She'll be able to reach it eventually.

She just has to keep trying. ]

[Niely watches, enraptured with Honoka's simple performance. If the smile on their face wasn't enough, the way their tail wags gives it all away.

By the end of Honoka's performance, they're already cheering for Honoka and clapping.

But for some reason, they're crying, too.]

Honoka! That was great!

[It's only then that they notice their own tears, and, surprised, wipe them away with a little laugh. If they think it's weird, they don't comment on it, trying to barrel past.]

Are you sure you're not already a famous bard?

[ Honoka laughs, pleased and bashful and scratches the back of her head. ]

Uh! Not as far as I know, I guess. I don't feel famous, I don't think? So probably not.

[ Whatever 'famous' is supposed to feel like, anyway. ]

I'm just super glad you enjoyed it!

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