[Ghouligan]

“And that’s why you have to go to the Star Festival.” Bernard said with a clap of his hands. He stood up from the table with unfounded confidence. “Either that or you die alone.”

“Then, I die alone.”

“No one wants to die alone, kid.” A few steps later, he started massaging Antoine’s shoulders. “I know you think you can do everything by yourself. And you’re already making friends—”

“Begrudgingly.”

“And you’re begrudgingly making friends. So, why not add love to that very short to-do list?”

“Because I’m not looking for love?”

“Good!” Bernie takes a step back, pulling on Antoine’s chair. “When you’re looking, you’ll never find it.”

“So, I shouldn’t go to the Star Festival. Because then I’d be looking for love and I won’t find it. Making it a moot point, yeah?”

“You’re going because I told you to. And since you don’t want to go, you’ll definitely find the love of your life.” Bernie said with a shit-eating grin. He respected the attempt but Antoine was an amateur. “Try not to slug on anyone this time, yeah?”

“I won’t slug.” Antoine’s blushing.

“Promise?”

“Promise.” Antoine grabs the ridge of his nose. “Can I go?”

“That’s the spirit!” Bernie laughed. “Enjoy~”

It’s not too long before he’s at the Star Festival. Yeah, he’s heard all about it. He knows about Vega and Altair. He’s learned to say ‘Milky Way’ in Japanese, too. But that doesn’t help with geography. Or the ability to find where the hell you make those wishes. And it definitely doesn’t help with knowing what he’s supposed to put on the paper in the first place. It’s either be here or have Bernie annoy him to death. That doesn’t mean he’s suddenly looking to find his soulmate. Then again, maybe he should. That’ll guarantee this is a waste of time, right?

---

Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

The stars had already witnessed Momo coming and going from the festival grounds. She had been arm-in-arm with a few of her many cousins. The picture of light and laughter as they made wishes with less depth than the paper they were inscribed upon. Good grades. Attention from the person they liked. The ability to eat whatever they wanted without consequences. They were as vapid and shallow as any their age. Momo loved the simplicity. The act of living out their days without big worries. So she doubled back after the group went their separate ways as to not burden them with what lurked beneath paper thin hymns and grins.

Momo felt guilty. Clandestine affairs were hardly her forte. A knot twisted its way from sternum to stomach. Not that it deterred the young woman. She navigated her path off recent memory while her eyes busied themselves with furtive glances to make sure that she hadn’t been followed. While sneaking wasn’t typical for her, running directly into someone because she wasn’t paying enough attention absolutely was.

They were notably more solid than most people Momo walked into. Enough so that she bounced off of them and fell on her backside. “Owwww, who left a wall in the middle of th-” She looked up from the ground and saw that it was in fact, not a wall. “Oh! Oh no! I’m so sorry, mister…” Momo had no idea who he was, obviously, so she stalled out before her mind filled in the blank with the only word that was still there.

“...wall.”

Mr. Wall? Why are you like this, me???

Notes & Tags: Ghouligan | Outfit

[Ghouligan]

If there’s anything he had learned from watching decade-old American sitcom reruns, it was banter. His wit preceded him. There was an instinct to say something clever imbued in his DNA, an instinct dulled by the new language. His tongue had finally taken shape, understanding the nuances of the language with far more proficiency than one would have expected from him a week ago — even without the slug, sitting in the pit of his chest, translating the intention of every foreign sound that found its way pounding against his eardrum.

Antoine barely felt the collision and was more taken aback when he heard a thud behind him. He turned around. And while he was on the back foot from being called ‘Mr. Wall,’ at least he wasn’t flat on his ass.

“Mr. Wall is my father,” He offered a helping hand. “I’m Antoine.”

He’d help Momo back to her feet and respond to her apology in kind. Even if the incident wasn’t his fault. Or anyone’s fault. Accidents happen.

“No, no. It’s my bad. I shouldn’t have been standing…” Think. Think. “So… solidly?”

Nailed it.

“You okay?”

---

Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

Her mother had always said Momo was lucky. The delicate ladybug necklace draped around her neck was a symbol of said luck—and her Quirk. Good fortune was so ingrained into how Momo saw herself that she had even taken Red Girl as her future Hero name. The very same term the Japanese used for ladybugs. Yet with all that being a core part of who Momo was, she still couldn’t believe her luck when the wall introduced himself.

“Antoine Wall? How lucky,” she said after he had helped her up. The joke had gone over her head completely. She simply believed him to be a foreigner with the last name of Wall, and a testimony to how fate worked in mysterious ways that were often favorable to her. Except when she was running into things.

“I’m Aimoto Momo! And I’m...” She paused to dust herself off and check for injuries before continuing. “A-okay! Thanks for asking!” Momo bowed. The motion was instilled in her more from reminders from her mother before trips to see her Japanese family than it was from habit.

“It’s nice to meet you! Even if you are so solid!”

Momo, please! Solid is a good thing! I think…

Solid meant dependable, right? Probably. At the very least, he was nice. Which was a good thing. Maybe the stars already knew what was written on one of the wishes she had squirreled away on her person. Maybe meeting Antoine was a sign. There was one way to confirm that. And to distract from her bumbles and fumbles.

“Are you here to make a wish, Antoine-san?”

Notes & Tags: Ghouligan

[Ghouligan]

Oh, He smiles. She’s funny.

It’s not often that people wholeheartedly lean into the bit. Momo was quick-witted in her own right, not fumbling over the opportunity presented. It felt natural — something Antoine had the luxury of stumbling into only on rare occasions.

She bowed. Antoine followed suit. If you could call awkwardly leaning ‘moving an inch forward at most with stiff arms to the side of him’ a bow. He was done before Momo finished hers.

“Solid is a good thing,” He paused, eyes glancing upward as he second-guessed himself. Being solid was why she fell onto the ground. But if he were any less, then they both might have. “I think?”

A wish. Right.

Truth be told, he had forgotten about the wish. Their interaction, as brief as it may be, provided him solace from the embarrassing gruntwork that Bernie sent him on. A quest to find his true love for reasons beyond him. No matter the explanation, Antoine didn’t understand Bernie’s motivations. It was never as simple as it seemed. Not with him.

“Just Antoine is fine.” Antoine looked around a bit before returning his gaze to her. He found comfort in having someone to talk to — someone familiar. Not that you could call a stranger bumping into you someone familiar. Momo did, however, have that unspeakable thing. That Je ne sais quoi.

They were strangers, but it didn’t feel like it.

It was too easy.

“But yeah, actually.” Sheepishly, he adds. “I just know don’t… how to?”

---

Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

Momo tilted her head to the side. Her expression flashed all the usual signs of being perplexed before a few puzzle pieces fell through that very empty space and clicked into place. “Oh! You aren’t from Japan, are you?” With a name like Antoine Wall, that made sense to Momo. Granted, that wasn’t actually his name, but she had a knack for getting to the right answer with the wrong logic.

“Don’t worry, I’m not either!” Everything but her big blue eyes said otherwise. Her Asian heritage was obvious, even without the traditional garments draped over her short frame. “My mom is though and I have lots of family here that I got to visit a lot growing up. So I can help you!” Excitement radiated through her, its presence obvious in the way she clapped her hands together and the smile unfurling across her lips.

Her hands came apart and she reached for Antoine’s hand instead so she could lead him to the right area. Momo wasn’t shy in the slightest, but she hesitated before they made contact and looked up (and up some more) at him. Shy she was not, but polite she was. Especially to strangers. Though Antoine didn't seem to be looking at her like one. That made Momo happy and she smiled all the brighter.

“If you want me to, that is!”

Notes & Tags: Ghouligan

[Ghouligan]

“I’m not.” Antoine scratched the back of his head. He remembered when he first arrived in the country and how his life had changed. What was meant to be a brief visit, an opportunity to reconnect with his brother, Emile, had diverged. Now he found himself working as security in a local, burger joint. Despite his chronic adventuring, he still knew nothing of the country. “I’ve been here… a few months? Spend most of my time working.”

Unbeknownst to himself, Antoine had been staring. Momo’s blue eyes were impossible to ignore, but so was the way she eagerly smiled or clapped her hands together. Her energy was infectious and something bubbled inside of him. What is that?

Momo offered her hand.

Oh.

His heart is pounding.

It shouldn’t be.

Bernie’s an idiot.

A charismatic bastard at best.

Antoine took it.

“Lead the way.”

---

Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

He looks kind of nervous…

“You look nervous!”

Momo couldn’t help herself. There was a direct pipeline from brain to mouth and she had already held back the tide of her inner thoughts as long as she could in the small amount of time that had passed since she bumped into the man. Delicate fingers intertwined with his. It was intended as an act of comfort. Momo was utterly unaware that she was the cause and seemingly unphased by the unwavering nature of his stare.

“Is it because you have a really important wish,” she asked as she gently tugged him in the direction of their joint destination. Her eyes flickered from the path to Antoine to meet his eyes. Her mother always said that eye contact was important. Clearly Antoine thought the same thing and Momo didn’t want to disappoint him. Odd, considering they had just met. Her grip on his hand tightened without her noticing.

“You don’t have anything to worry about if that’s what’s wrong. You seem really nice, so Orihime and Hikoboshi have to grant your wish. And just in case they don’t, I’ll even make a wish for your wish to come true!”

Now she consciously squeezed his hand. “Promise!” She added another smile for him over her shoulder. "I'll also make an extra wish that you don't have to work so much. Then you can explore Japan more. I could even be your guide!"

Why was she offering a stranger so much?

Notes & Tags: Ghouligan

[Ghouligan]

“I am nervous.” Don’t just… say it. Momo brought out his honesty. And he loved lying. It was the crux of banter, humor, socializing. Maybe it was the guilt from knocking her over. Maybe it was the gratitude from her guiding him to the wish. Maybe it was how Bernie wormed his way into Antoine’s mind. Maybe it was how soft her hands were.

“Yeah, it’s an important wish.” He squeezed back. Instinct. “How many wishes do we have? If you’re gonna use wishes on my wishes, then I’m gonna use my wishes on your wishes.” Antoine spoke without thinking. “I mean… If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have any.”

Good cover.

Swear to god… if Bernie’s pranking me right now. Despite his paranoia, he vomited out words without a second thought.

“If you’re my guide, I can take time off of work.” Antoine worked as much as he did because there was nothing better to do. As far as he could tell, he found something — someone — better to do. “Look… one of your wishes came true. I’m sure the rest will, too.”

A pause.

“Is this like a birthday wish? Can we share them or is that taboo?”

---

Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

“It’s a date then!”

She seemed ignorant of her word choice given the situation and Antoine’s counter-offer for spending time together as they neared a cluster of bamboo strung through with garlands made from colorful paper. Momo’s pace slowed until she came to a stop. Her expression had turned contemplative, but surely the pause on her part was only because of proximity to the wish display and not because she struggled to walk and think beyond a superficial level at the same time. Really.

In spite of halting, Momo didn’t release Antoine’s hand. There was a good chance that she simply forgot, but there was an equal chance that she didn’t. “I think it would actually be my second one that came true! But I haven’t technically made it or the other one yet…” Her voice was as thoughtful as her face. One of her secret wishes that she had doubled back for was to make friends in this foreign land. Antoine felt like an answer to that—or something adjacent.

Her eyes drifted to their interlocked fingers, dispelling any notion that she had forgotten. “Taboo means wrong, right? I don’t think it is. I’ve already made multiple wishes today.” Momo looked back up at Antoine and grinned. “My mom always said I was lucky though, so if I am breaking rules and my wishes are still coming true even without me writing them down, then if I share my luck with you, you’ll definitely get what you want!” Momo finally freed his hand and took a step toward a shrine where pens and paper had been set out for visitors. “So you can tell me, if you want, and I’ll write it down with all the luck I can put into it.”

Notes & Tags: Ghouligan

[Ghouligan]

“It’s a date.” Whether he was accepting the date or parroting her words in disbelief, the manufactured dissonance between his heart and tongue melted away. Antoine does not believe in love at first sight. The simulacrum of his boss’ constant pestering finally subsided. Megumi’s words echoed for a moment before dying down. And Antoine accepted what was in front of him.

Momo.

The moment.

Nothing else mattered.

Antoine hadn’t realized they had been holding hands still until she released it. With it gone, it felt as though something was missing. His hands weren’t meant to be empty. His cue stick, the pool balls… they were close, but they weren’t the right fit.

“Funny thing about that.” His hands quickly found themselves full. In one hand was the paper, another was the pen. And he started writing, blocking Momo’s view in the process. “I had a wish come true already, too.”

Antoine steps out of the way and slides the paper toward her. On it, his wish, written in sloppy handwriting:

a date with momo :-)

---

Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

“Huh?”

Momo once again cocked her head to the side then squinted at the scribbles on the paper. Even after she had finally managed to make out what the chicken scratch said beyond the smiley face at the bottom, the meaning was lost to her. Or rather, the deeper intent. Not for the first time that day did Antoine’s words go over her head.

“You didn’t have to waste a wish for that, Antoine. We already agreed! Besides, I was talking about the wish you made before we met. It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me though. I totally get wanting to keep some stuff private.”

She had ditched her cousins earlier for a reason. Another of her wishes flashed behind her eyes. Mei. Momo desperately wanted the other girl to find peace wherever and whatever the afterlife had in store for her. But Mei wasn’t here. She wasn’t part of the moment. Antoine was—and he made it hard for her focus to linger on anything else.

Momo moved past him in her oblivious state to retrieve her own pen and paper. In much neater hand writing, she inscribed: I wish for all of Antoine’s wishes to come true forever and ever! She showed the paper to Antoine and pointed to the end of the sentence. “This way, even if something happens after we hang out and we never see each other again, we'll always be connected because you’ll always have a little of my luck with you!”

Notes & Tags: Ghouligan

[Ghouligan]

Momo was a mastermind.

While Antoine played these childish, schoolyard games — an honest attempt at expressing his romantic interest — Momo rejected the notion. They had a date. This was the coward’s way out. And Momo was forcing him to own up to what he wanted. She demanded her externalize his desire into the world. Let the words flow from his heart, not his tongue. Momo valued authenticity over performance. What a woman.

“You aren’t a waste of a wi—” He’s doing it again. When you’re a liar, for the fun of it no less, it’s hard not to rely on your quick wit and poetic inclination. He needed to speak less like Antoine and more like Ghouligan. Direct.

By this point, she’s made her wishes. Even now, while testing him, she shows her true colors. Momo is kind, considerate, and all the things Antoine wishes he was. It’s so natural for her, too.

“From the top.” He claps his hands. “We just met but I like how blue your eyes are. And how soft your hands are. And how you clapped them when you were excited.” He claps again. “I think we could be great friends. But there’s a part of me that thinks we could be more than friends.” A pause. It’s hard to tell if it’s an awkward one or not. Is a non-awkward pause possible when you’re giving a high school-level confession to a girl who genuinely thinks your last name is ‘Wall?’

Only god knows.

“I want our date to be a more-than-friends date.” He says. “And we can see what happens?”

---

Aimoto Momo

[Aimoto Momo]

AIMOTO MOMO

THE RED GIRL

“Oh.”

Oh…

“Oh!”

OH!!!

It wasn’t a want that forced Antoine to be direct. It was a need. Nothing but the bluntest admission could break through the platonic lens of pleasantness that Momo viewed the world through at large. She wasn't unfamiliar with relationships or that she considered herself unworthy of them—quite the contrary. It was simply that friendship was the driving baseline for all of Momo’s interactions. Anyone that wanted more had to force their way out of the accidental and proverbial friendzone.

Antoine had done just that.

When she looked at him now, it was through a different lens. A new filter cast across their previous exchanges. Her hand felt warm where his fingers had once been. Her eyes lingered on him with more weight behind her gaze—and more appreciation for who and what she was seeing. Then she nodded and grinned, the happiness radiating from her in that moment rivaling the stars above and the sun beyond with its brilliance.

“A more-than-friends date it is!”

Momo turned away for a brief moment to hang her wish from the bamboo. She had to make the promise of her eternally pledged luck official now more than ever. “Let’s see what happens,” she echoed, then added, “And how lucky this gets you!” Her obliviousness in regards to her word choices and situation had returned in full force already.

Notes & Tags: Ghouligan

[Fanthes]

[nospaces]

[attr="class","rc2plotr"]

[attr="class","rc2plotrname"]
✨EVENT SUCCESS!✨

[attr="class","rc2plotrmid"]

[attr="class","rc2plotrmid5"]

[attr="class","rc2plotrmid6"]



✓ Wishes made at the start of summer! Converting all tokens to exp as requested! [break][break]

+ 75 TOKENS!

[break]
Ghouligan - 0 // 75[break]
Momo - 0 // 75

---

Tag: Ghouligan, Aimoto Momo

[googlefont=Montserrat]
[newclass=.rc2plotr]width:450px;padding:9px;border:solid 1px #e61919;background-color:#eeeeee;color:#555555;text-align:center;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rc2plotrname]font:bold 25px Montserrat;color:#ffffff;line-height:25px;text-transform:uppercase;padding:37px 0px;background-color:#e61919;letter-spacing:-1px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rc2plotrmid]padding:20px;background-color:#f5f5f5;border-bottom:solid 10px #e61919;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rc2plotrimg]width:90px;padding:4px;border:solid 1px #e61919;background-color:#f9f9f9;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rc2plotrmid2]width:90px;padding:4px;border:solid 1px #e61919;background-color:#f9f9f9;margin-top:10px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rc2plotrmid3]background-color:#e61919;width:90px;font:bold 10px Calibri;color:#ffffff;white-space:nowrap;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rc2plotrmid4]font:15px Oswald;line-height:20px;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rc2plotrmid5]padding:14px;background-color:#f9f9f9;border:solid 1px #e61919;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rc2plotrmid6]padding-right:10px;font:10px Verdana;text-align:justify;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rc2plotrmid6::-webkit-scrollbar-thumb:vertical]background-color: #e61919;[/newclass]
[newclass=.rc2plotrmid6::-webkit-scrollbar]width: 5px;background: transparent;border:solid 1px #e61919;[/newclass]