I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't

[reddosmod]

DECEMBER 2021 EVENT

Hello! We are trying a new style of event this December with archival-like entries that characters can ICly find in the Archives. This should allow characters to be able to plan against certain events that occur in-game and do research ahead of time, during the event, or after the fact.

The idea is that these prompts will provide you with all the possibilities characters could theoretically face from the prompt. We hope this leaves more open-ended opportunities for people to engage with. Anything mentioned in the excerpts could be an experience characters encounter. You can always ask for clarification on any prompt on the plotting page.

This is a way to keep all event prompts relevant since new characters would be able to "read up" on these events/excerpts by visiting the Archives or other such resources for information about past events and what they can anticipate from the setting.

We hope this new style makes sense and is fun for players to work with! They will rely on players creating more of the atmosphere than the prompts, but we think that the prompts will provide the perfect guidance as to what the atmosphere should feel like. Enjoy!

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Holiday themed antler decoration.]
[Image Two: White stag with perfect, circular antlers with bits of ice attached.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Sculpture of white rabbit with neck caught in a snare. Non-graphic.]
[Image Two: Person in red cloak and wolf mask turning around.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Puppet making bloody snow angel in snow.]
[Image Two: Bloodied hands wrapped in bandages clenching.]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

WINTER MOURNING

WHEN: Begins in December and can last until the end of Feb.
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Spoilers for various canons, survival situations, forced memory share

---

[A passage from Rituals of Trench: Remembering Our Pasts reads the following:]

"A long-standing tradition to celebrate Bone Season is for Deerians to collect antlers and bones salvaged from natural resources and create decorative home accents. These antler-bone decors are known formally as Winter Mournings and can be found in almost every residential home throughout Deer Country. Winter Mournings can be made to look like wreaths, candle holders, or simply an antler with a bow hung up on a wall.

Winter Mournings is seen as a way to honor one's past tribulations and how one has managed to survive and overcome hardships during their life. Winter Mournings serves as a testament to survival and a willingness to keep surviving even when things look bleak and dismal.

Creating Winter Mournings is considered a blessing to the Pthumerians Dorothea, Remina, and Argonaut. You will know if the blessing was accepted once your Winter Mourning begins to glow like the moon. Touch your Winter Mourning and you will be pulled back in time to a memory of a specific time when you or someone else had to survive something physically or mentally challenging. For some, it is merely a memory that cannot hurt, but for others, you may want to proceed with caution as it has been known to pull people physically back to times of war.

One cannot choose which memory they wind up in if it is their own, a friend's, or a complete stranger's. Winter Mournings was designed to create a sense of union and empathy among residents and is meant to open your mind and heart to those who have suffered around you. It is time you explore your past, or someone else's past, with an open mind and see how the other side has lived through hard times. These memories are known to be from adolescence, adulthood, or sometimes even futures that have not yet happened or timelines you have never known. After all, Remina sees all past and all history. That means they see all of your past and history too.

No memory lasts forever though. Once the memory has been concluded, you shall be brought back to the present by the Winter Mourning Stag: a great white beast with a circle of frozen antlers. It will come to you when the time is ready, and you will return to the present like waking from a dazzling dream.

Experiencing Winter Mournings can stabilize one's mood and provide restful sleep after, even if the memories may be difficult to swallow. It truly is a tribute to honor past horrors and traumas. Some memories are painful to remember, but forgetting them will never do anyone any good either. So hang your Winter Mournings and remember what matters.

Survive another day. You are worth it."

FAQ

1. Winter Mournings can produce new memories every time you touch them or the same memory.

2. Characters cannot choose what the memory is.

3. Characters can arrive in each other's memories regardless of if they already know each other. Multiple people can experience the same memory.

4. You can either experience the memory as a memory you can't touch or experience - or you can physically be in the memory and have to survive the situation as well. If you die in memory, your body will die wherever you had been touching the Winter Mourning.

5. Palebloods are capable of altering memories or how they or others experience memories.

6. Characters can be pulled into memories at random - as long as one of the characters in the memory share is touching a Winter Mourning at first.

RUN, RABBIT, RUN

WHEN: Month of December
WHERE: Everywhere/the woods
CONTENT WARNINGS: Themes of hunting, ghosts, curses, attempts at animal violence, hunting people based on blood types.

---

[An excerpt from Legends of Trench: Curses and Causations reads the following:]

"One of the most notorious legends of Trench is without a doubt the tale of The Huntress and the Hare. Most Trenchies have been told this tale since they were children, but for those unfamiliar, settle in.

This story begins with a mischievous god and an ambitious huntress. The Pthumerian Dorothea loved to play tricks on hunters trying to survive the Bone Season, setting animals free from traps and remaking the traps to catch the hunters instead. One day, a darkblood Huntress was fed up with Dorothea preventing her from catching food for her family and decided to settle the score. The Huntress began to hunt for Dorothea specifically, but it is no small feat hunting the god of trickery and survival.

The Huntress started to rely on her darkblood powers to alter reality to make the perfect traps. Innocuous trees turned into glue traps that anyone would stick to until they were freed by a darkblood or death took their pain from them. Walking through bushes would snag legs and necks, effectively trapping whatever creatures were unfortunate enough to wander for food. Magical snares and beartraps lock around victims with unrelenting force, leaving people and animals to try for help until they cry no more. While this took many innocent lives in the woods, animals, and people alike, it never seemed to work on Dorothea.

Dorothea continued to outwit the Huntress until she eventually drove the Huntress insane. The Huntress died without ever catching Dorothea, but they say her vengeful spirit awakens in winter and begins to set her traps yet again. The Huntress sends her traps and her dead animals after vilebloods and warmbloods to spite Dorothea and hope to maybe catch the god's attention. But Dorothea is no passive god. Dorothea spurs vilebloods and warmbloods to defend themselves against darkbloods and coldbloods.

Infamously, this has created enormous tension between the blood types during December some years, and it is said that the blood lust has caused the types to begin hunting one another regardless of old friendships and alliances. Beware the Huntress's curse. Some believe darkbloods and coldbloods can still hear her haunting commands and cries from the Trenchwood.

They say there is no ease for the tension between the bloodtypes until December has passed, but some believe palebloods may provide relief if they are willing."

FAQ

1. Characters will increasingly feel the urge to actively hunt one another using traps/etc.

2. The Huntress's curse includes undead animals/beasts chasing after warmbloods and vilebloods and magical traps. Players can invent unique traps for their characters.

3. There will be an innate urge to chase/hide from one another.

4. The curse can be broken by paleblood intervention, character death, or a gradual wearing off by the end of the month.

LOCKJOINT

WHEN: All of Bone Season
WHERE: On Sleeper bodies
CONTENT WARNINGS: Mild body horror, blood magic curses, physical curses, cures through blood ministration/blood letting, possible skin removal, injuries, possible death via starvation/exposure.

---

[An passage from The Sleeper Condition; Chapter 13: Bodily Aches and More. Found exclusively at the Lumenarium:]

"Generally speaking, Sleeper blood allows Sleepers to navigate this world without the fear of illness and disease. However, no organic body is perfect, and Sleeper blood has its own set of ailments to fret over. Blood Ministers have studied the phenomena of Lockjoint for years now and believe that it is linked to the crystalization found in Sleeper death, though the exact connection remains unknown.

Lockjoint tends to begin and last throughout Bone Season. Some Sleepers may never experience it, but for many, it becomes a reoccurring issue to dread each season. This condition forces blood magic to gather at the joints and effectively lock up. Sleepers find it difficult to move their bodies at the bends, fingers, knees, shoulders, etc without some form of discomfort. Minimal lockjoint can be painful and annoyance, but critical lockjoint can be fatal.

The most severe cases of lockjoint documented have shown Sleepers to have crystalization form over their joints, rendering parts of their bodies completely immobile. Some Sleepers have been found dead in this condition, all their joints crystallized, and it is believed most died from natural causes thereafter.

One can determine they are experiencing lockjoint when the coloration around the joints begins to darken in color, typically looking like a bruise. Calcification may occur rapidly the more magic a Sleeper uses or the more they expose themselves to outside elements. It is imperative that Sleepers remain properly clothed during Bone Season, even if they are coldbloods, and to invest in enchanted clothes that can lock in heat.

A known cure for lockjoint is the art of bloodletting. Puncturing the joints with small incisions seems to allow a release of the built-up magic and can provide immediate relief to the Sleeper. Catching lockjoint early is imperative. Alternative methods are soaking in hot springs and salted water.

Those who are in a more severe state will have to carefully have the crystals removed. This will likely remove the skin as well. Local anesthesia is highly recommended for the procedure. This process is known to leave scarring. The crystals can be saved and used as bloodstones from whoever they were harvested from. If you find a Sleeper dead from lockjoint, make sure to harvest the crystals as they are incredibly valuable.

This curse is believed to stem from Sleeper blood magic congealing within the body in contrast with the atmospheric magic of Bone Season. There is no known prevention for lockjoint. Lockjoint can impact all Sleepers regardless of bloodtype or the material their bodies are made from."

FAQ

1. This impacts characters regardless of blood type or their body - meaning it can impact characters with metal/plastic/plant/wood/etc bodies.

2. Players can choose how rapid or severe this gets and how quickly they can be healed.

CODING

Comments

[loveandduty]

Minako had been asleep for at least the last month and woke up to issues with joints not all that long after. She knew at least how to deal with it, but she could see that getting annoying after a certain while and it only seemed to be for a set amount of time for her.

So feeling a tiny bit defeated, she had decided to visit her girlfriend and see if ther was anything else she could perhaps be doing or something. After all Vira always knew a lot more than she did.

So with a knock she waited, hands moving to her wrists as she rubbed them slightly, stopping when she finally clocked eyes on the other.

"Hey there. How are you?"

[onerthes]

Vira-Lorr's countenance visibly brightened when she saw her. A hand went to take her by the forearm lightly and draw her in for a kiss, foot closing the door behind them. She let it linger for just a second before smiling and drawing back. "Better, now that you're here." That wasn't really an answer, was it? "Though I admit that I've been having a few problems lately."

It was then that she noticed the way that she seemed to notice the way that she'd moved her hands to her wrist. Her smile slipped fractionally, but returned swiftly enough. "And what about you? How have you been holding up? You've certainly been getting plenty of beauty sleep lately." She giggled, trying to keep things light. There was a pause. A little awkward silence and then... "Uh... are they just bruising or have the crystals been forming for you too?" No, she was just going to say it. There was no use hiding this condition. That was how you got in more trouble, trying not to worry people.

[loveandduty]

Minako enjoyed the kiss which was surprising but nice. Made what issues she was having in the moment going away even if that was not going to last for that long. But at the mention of problems Minako tilted her head hands moving down in front of her.

She was trying not to rub her wrists too much to avoid questions and instead wanted to try and focus on the other.

"What kind of problems? I assume something world related because if it was something us related you would just come out and say it."

So she was at least positive with that. "As for me. I'm fine for the most part. Small issues here and there but who really doesn't have issues here, right?" she added with a chuckle before looking down at her wrists. Seems like she might understand the situation which means in her mind the other might be having her own experiences with it.

"Ah just the bruising I think. Nothing too bad."

[onerthes]

"Oh, definitely just the usual madness you and I get to deal with like the others," she said, leaning in a little to rest her forehead against Minako's, hovering affectionately close. "You've been nothing but wonderful to me and I feel incredibly lucky to be this close to you." She'd tell her if there was anything wrong, and she was pretty sure Minako would likewise, at least that way. "And like you said. It's always one thing or another in Trench."

She rubbed again and pulled her sleeve back from one arm. There were bruises, nearly identical to the kind that Minako might have considering they were both palebloods. Nestled in elbow were a string of small white crystals that glittered a little from the moonlight coming through the window in the doorway. There weren't many and they weren't blocking her movement yet. But they were there and that was dangerous enough with the knowledge that they'd grow.

"Lockjoint. I've been reading up on it for the last week. You're having pain when you move too aren't you?" she looked at her carefully. "I know a few cures, but ... I don't know that I want to go to Lumenwood again today. I don't know about you, but unless I know them it's hard to completely trust the Ministers."

[loveandduty]

She looked at the bruising and it was something she automatically recognised, but didn't know what the name of what was going on was. She had known little bits like blood letting, but that was for the most part the extent of it.

"That is something that does come with it, unfortunately. Makes doing my two jobs a lot harder if they are needed." With joints this bad protecting Usagi at least if needs be would be considerably more difficult.

"I don't fully trust them either really. Don't know anything about them to really form an opinion. But are they the only way to deal with it?"

[onerthes]

"So...," she said, starting to walk into the living room after locking up. "Blood letting is obvious the easiest way. I... did a little of that early on, but my case hasn't quite gone away, so I'm thinking of other methods. The Minister I trust, and there aren't many of those, seemed to think it's something to do with the magic in the blood pooling and freezing. So that lets the bad blood out. It works, but it's painful and... you have to trust them."

And frankly, the one Minister left in town that she trusted enough to actually do the blood letting was Wesker, and she wasn't sure Minako would find him as trustworthy. Rifling through the cupboards in the kitchen, she pulled out a jar and then blinked looking inside again. The jar was filled with little green crystals. "Oh dear. Uh... well, as long as the case is still mild, and yours and mine isn't severe yet? A bath with bath salts should work to loosen and dissolve the bad blood, and I have some very powerful ones. But there's a bit of a hitch. I'm out of the red." She turned towards Minako and shook the jar. There was probably enough for one bath in there properly.

"These will work, but uh... there's side effects." She knew they'd work for this disease, but the green salts weren't exactly intended as cures so much as aphrodisiacs.

[loveandduty]

Minako went to follow once again her hands rubbing the area that was currently causing her problems. But she soon tilted her head for a moment.

"You have a minister you trust, huh? Is there a reason you don't trust the others?" She honestly could understand why it might have to be someone one can trust considering what they might be doing as part of their job. But at the same time to Minako she knew she had to learn to trust them because of that.

But at the mention of bath salts Minako's mind changed to focus on that aspect. "Bath salts work too? How exactly does that work? Also what side effects?"

[onerthes]

"Their work is a bit unsavory... and I'm not entirely sure of all their methods. They're sort of a necessary evil," she said, shrugging and sighing to herself. "Working with blood as much as they do. I think it's corrupted a few. But I'd trust Wesker with my life. We've been through a lot. That's important." She would have included Eddie, but he was gone now.

"But I'd rather not make you go to them. Blood letting is not really pleasant as treatments go," she said, reaching a hand to run along the edge of Minako's wrist and hand. Her other hand patted the salt container. "These are, I guess you'd say magical? It's one of the last little prizes that survived the nightmare in my backpack that is magical. They'll heal and ease the suffering. Should be enough for one bath, which would mean we could share." Her cheeks were heating up pretty badly. She wasn't stammering, but it was obvious she was having a little trouble concentrating as she finally got the next part out in a rush.

"Uh... but... well... they're aphrodisiacs, Minako. If we use them, every little touch is going to feel like your skin's on fire and wants more. It's pretty powerful." She laughed a little softly, glancing at her, cheeks visibly on fire. "So that's on the table, if you want to use them."

[loveandduty]

"Wesker... I think I've spoken to them before." If she saw the face she would know right away she had spoken to him before. She had offered blood for him to be exactly previous because she simply wanted to help.

"But you know I can handle a lot, it would be fine and if needed then I would go regardless. Cant let anything prevent me from doing what I have to after all." She still had various jobs she needed to do after all. ACtual work and Usagi making sure she is okay work.

Soon her eyes went from the others hand over to the container, wondering just where this was going to go. So they were magical which sounds nice at least and it sounds like they might help. But right away she didn't understand just why the other's cheeks were heating up. At least not until she finally said the lines.

Oh. So that was why. Perfect sense. Minako herself had figured what she was going to say before that revelation but now she found her face getting a little flushed. She knew perfectly well what that meant.

"So... basically taking a bath with them means that... I think I got it. But really wasn't expecting that." It's not like the other has never actually seen her naked at this point, so that wasn't the issue. She just didn't know what would happen.

"I guess before I make a choice, is it better than blood letting?"

[onerthes]

Both of them, it seemed, were blushing at this point. But Minako had given Vira-Lorr such a perfect lead-in, right in that moment. The hand nudged the container safely into the center of the counter and she stepped in close and personal. Suppressing a wince from the small crystals making movement slow, she reached up and put her hand to her girlfriend's cheek and got up close, right to eye level, an impish look in her face.

"Are you asking me if the possibility of sex with me is better than blood letting?" she teased, giggling. "Oh Minako, if it isn't, I am doing something very wrong." Her thumb grazed along the side of the other's cheek and she couldn't help the way that she was smiling, though something felt important to say.

"Uh, but... It won't force us to actually do that though. Our bodies might really want sex, but if you're not ready we'll just ache in a good way the whole time, be really sensitive. But it will make the urge pretty strong." she swallowed a little. "Even if we don't, it won't hurt, so I'd say the bath's better either way. I just..."

She breathed slowly. god she was rambling. She closed her eyes. "It's nudging a little... and I'm trying not to nudge, to let you choose your own pace. This is up to you. I won't be upset if you want to go to Albert. I'll take you myself." She did bite her lip though. The way her body language showed, Vira-Lorr wasn't even bothering to hide the fact that part of her really wanted it.

[loveandduty]

"E-EH?!?! No... No, no. That wasn't what I meant when I asked that question. I was wondering if the side effects were better. I didn't actually think about that." Which considering it was Minako was rather surprising really. She had thought about how there relationship was going and that someday it would lead up to that, but she never thought much about the when.

She just figured it would happen on it's own and she wouldn't think about it too much. The body would always know after all and even now thinking about it it didn't sound like a bad or awkward thing in the moment.

"Well it sounds like the better option, I mean we have been together for a few months now right? But I will take it as a see how it goes."

[onerthes]

"Mmm, sorry. Couldn't resist being the one to catch you in a tease just once," she said in a mild tone, the mirth easing some of the heat in her own cheeks. She was pretty much in a similar boat to Minako when it came to 'that.' She didn't want to push what would come naturally, when it came. She wanted it. She didn't hide it when she looked at her girlfriend, when she touched her. By nature, she was an affectionate woman, so the thought of doing more was ... natural to her. She just didn't want things to go 'too fast.' If her life in the nightmare had taught her anything about relationships, it was that she had an easy time lunging into emotional and physical situations. But, even if this was a little pushed, it didn't feel too awkward for her. After all, they had options. They were choosing one that simply might go that way.

She leaned in and breathed the other's scent, lips brushing the ear while she smiled to herself. "I think I like that option. I know I want more with you, if you're ready for it. And if we do something... well, then that's what we wanted. And, as soon as our joints aren't feeling quite so stiff?" A little chuckle. "I might just try to take you to heaven." She glanced over her shoulder, and as she did she caught sight of her little candle friend. One little jerk of her head upwards, and it looked at her quizically before making an 'oh' face. It grabbed two other candles it had next to it and waddled up to light them in the bathroom while the two were out. It remembered she liked candles around the bathtub.

[loveandduty]

She couldn't argue about her being able to get a shot in teasing for a change. As much as Minako liked to do it whenever she can it wasn't often one could do it back. At least not to this extent where her cheeks were warm enough that she was pretty sure she could cook something on them.

She felt he heart beat that little faster when the other was close, her fingers moving to slowly try and grasps the others hand lightly. For Minako she couldn't tell if she was juts being awkward or if she was perhaps nervous. Which all things considering would make sense.

But she soon followed the other, hand firmly grasped as she could before looking around her. With each step she felt herself get increasingly more nervous, but she didn't let it show as much.

"We'll see what happens, but I will hold you to your world about taking me to heaven if and when it happens."

[onerthes]

Vira-Lorr was not hurrying, giving her little friend time to set up the candles and make sure the bathroom was comfortable. One hand reached to take the salts and hold them under her arm firmly while she hovered close. There were sensations, in the way that her hand was being grasped, the faint reactions of the body near to her. She breathed out, eyes closed while she moved into the living room. "The night that it happens... I won't hold anything back from you. I want you to feel wonderful when I touch you. Because you deserve nothing less than perfection," she whispered, winking and then going to her ear to whisper. "But we'll see what happens. You're still in charge. You will always be in charge."

"Are you ok, Minako?" She had a little bit of nerves herself. It was that nervous energy that came with being near to something she wanted a lot, and not wanting to screw it up.

[loveandduty]

Minako found herself blushing even more. What did she mean by not holding anything back? She didn't know at all. She only knew so much herself when it came down to that area. Honestly Minako only ever really focused on the love aspect of things and never the sexual.

Soon though she was snapped back to reality as she looked over. "Ah, yeah I'm okay. I mean minus the whole...join thing of course."

[onerthes]

It didn't dawn on Vira-Lorr in that moment that there was a gulf in their experience sexually. On the one hand, she knew Minako had never done that before, but on the other? She'd actually bought into her girlfriend's self confidence and so it never quite occurred to her how much of it might be bluster right then. Thankfully, she didn't mean anything scary by 'not hold back.' She just knew a few tricks on how to make it feel good, and meant to use them. But still, as they started to take the stares, she noticed how badly someone was blushing and it made her blink a little owlishly for just a moment before she smiled softly.

A kiss behind the ear and she rested her forehead against Minako's, one step at a time. Her knees were killing her and she wished the bath was on the first floor. "Don't worry. We'll have that taken care of soon. I promise that. The salts will dissolve them just fine."

[loveandduty]

Minako who was usually a perfectly calm and collected woman was pretty sure if her heart beating any more faster it might literally jump out of her chest. She was just happy that wasn't the case.

"I hope so. I mean I trust you when you say that. Sooner we can bathe the better, I think."

[onerthes]

The stairs were thankfully easy enough to traverse. It just took one step a little more carefully at a time. That added slowness probably wasn't doing any favors for the fluttering of certain hearts, but Vira-Lorr wasn't moving quite as fast as she normally would. Still, on the second floor, she opened the door to the bathroom. Thankfully her little friend had already toddled off. It left the low light with a couple of candles to either side. She settled on the lip and began to run the hot water. There was no way the little candle was going near the water after all.

As the tub began to fill, she started sprinkling some of the crystals in, causing a light aroma to fill the room. It had a strong odor of citrus, like oranges floating into the air while the water took on a very lightly green hue. Her fingers traced the edges of the water and she felt a little shiver. "You know it's been a long time since I soaked in any of these," she said before standing slowly and reaching for the sash around her waist. "They might just be the only nice thing about that boat ride we had." She stepped in a little closer, resting a hand on Minako's wrist. "This is a little different than the time I washed your back isn't it?"

[loveandduty]

As they slowly reached the bathroom Minako at least felt herself calming down a bit. Not fully but enough that she could at least focus on what she needed to do anyway. Plus it helped with the smell of the salts.

It was enough to calm her and focus on that if anything. Her eyes were focused on the water as it made it's way into the sink all the while Minako herself was paying attention to what Vira was saying.

"I don't think I was around during that. So what happened exactly?" she asked as her fingers soon went to her top skirt which she figured she needed to at least undress. But she stopped as soon as she felt the others hand.

"Very different. I mean with washing that was more of a different necessity."

[onerthes]

While the tub filled with both water and orange-scented steam, Vira-Lorr was smiling, sliding in a little closer. "There was a vessel once. Apparently quite famous? The Titanic sank in the ocean. I believe it was supposed to have been an iceberg, though in her nightmares it was a great monster they called Godzilla?" she said, tapping her lip while her other hand trailed up Minako's forearm. "We saw visions of the boat sinking all month and couldn't get off until the ship collapsed and monsters surged everywhere, forcing us to flee to the sea and eventually a city beneath the waves that was even worse."

As she rested her fingers on Minako's elbow, her free hand reached down and gave her girlfriend's skirt a tug playfully before winking. "Rapture, however, is a story for another day. Perhaps we should undress each other today, mmm? Like you said. It is different today."

[loveandduty]

"I think I remember a ship called that. Lots of people died." She was also pretty sure it wasn't anything to do with Godzilla right? Makes sense to be a nightmare though and not based on actual events.

But it seems like there is more to the story, but the other seemed to want to talk about that for another day and that was okay. But for now her focus was on looking over the other briefly, looking at what she was wearing.

"Undressing each other doesn't sound too bad. Even I can do that."

[onerthes]

"Yes, that was what I was told too," she said as her fingers threaded underneath the hem of Minako's top, starting to tug it upwards while she giggled right back at her. A step backwards and she was both gently nudging her girlfriend towards the bathtub and helping her to disrobe, letting her have access to whatever she wanted.

"Mmmm, it's always a fun little way to get things started," she could admit, winking and grinning. Her own clothes were easy to access, and it was just a game of reaching up to a few ties to unlatch them and then unwrap the fabric, to part the ao dai, leaving only her leggings. It was a remarkably simply outfit at times like this. "It also kind of makes it feel different, the way we get to look at each other right now, doesn't it?" Because, there was seeing someone naked, and then there was intentionally doing it at a time like this.

[loveandduty]

Simple and easy even with Minako being nervous about even doing that. But she kept her calm externally as her fingers skimmed over the fabric lightly, finding the areas that she needed to go to.

Minako was at least glad it was easy enough both ways at the end of the day as it meant they could feel better quicker.

"That's because it is different. While we spend time together it never feels as intimate as something like this." At least that was how she saw it as she was soon looking for the last part, which didn't take too long thankfully.

[onerthes]

As the fabric slipped from their shoulders and hit the tile, Vira-Lorr idly nudged it away from the water, allowing a hand to linger on Minako's shoulder and trying not to lean in too much. There were small crystals visible at her elbows and knees, barely there but enough to indicate that she needed the salts as much as her girlfriend. Her hand reached down, testing the water and she nodded in satisfaction, turning it off and starting to get in while offering a hand to help the senshi in.

"Mmmm, you're not wrong. We have fun all the time, but this is a ... different sort of fun isn't it?" she said, quirking an eyebrow as she shivered. Even as the salts started to dissolve the crystals, more was happening. There was a definite and obvious effect from the salts as she was getting into the water. It tingled and spread warmth and both a craving for contact with it very quickly, one that she already had to an extent. "But very soon you and I will feel much better, first in one way and maybe in still more."

[loveandduty]

Minako looked down for a moment, seeing the crystals on her own joints. She was pretty sure there was more than there had been when she first arrived, so getting this sorted even if it might be temporary was still good.

With a grip of her hand she slowly took a step to get in, lowering herself shortly afterward. Once she was in she lowered herself and felt a bit a relief right off the bat. It was nice.

"Different is correct." Minako moved her hands in the water, the feeling that had started to bubble up. She knew right now the feeling was odd and unusual, but she didn't mind it all that much.