016 | The Good Old Days

[godsoffortune]

Who: Everyone!
What: Ageswapping
When: July 15-17
Where: Everywhere
Summary: A breach in the space-time continuum is messing things up.

Edit: OVERFLOW is here!



The Far Shore has been dealing with a lot of space-time pulsating through the past week or so and everything is culminating on the night of the 15th, even though the Heavens are preparing for an all-out Obon bash. They had planned to have the celebration on the 15th itself, but Amaterasu asked to postpone a day due to the horrible feeling that is permeating the Far Shore.

And it turns out she was right to postpone everything. In fact, it will have to be postponed another whole month at this rate...



Before

Late in the day on July 15th, the new batch of shinki will arrive to a Far Shore with a thick, tense atmosphere. All night on the 15th it feels like something is about to happen - and it's difficult to tell whether that something will be good or bad. Any attempts to contact the management of the Far Shore have fallen on deaf, slightly harried ears and so everyone is left to their own devices to try and figure out why things are so tense.

July 16

Just after midnight, an explosive shock wave rips through the Far Shore, bringing on the age changes with it. Even the spirits of the Far Shore seem to be affected - for example, the library goblins are either toddling around on wobbly legs or are dragging themselves from place to place and looking decrepit. There are a few gods and shinki that seem to have been exceptions from the change, though it is not clear why.

July 17

Another wave of energy comes in the early morning of the 17th. Fewer people are affected this time and it seems to alter those people's ages a second time. There is no rhyme or reason to who is being affected further. Several of the library goblins have just dropped dead from severe old age. Oops.

Aftermath

Late on the 17th brings about one final burst from the energy that has been plaguing the Far Shore. For a short moment, every new temple glows with a soft light, seeming to beckon to their owners. But the light is gone quickly and everyone will find themselves back to normal with complete memories of everything that happened during their age adventures. The goblins that died, though, are still very dead. Looks like the library will need to get some new help soon.

In Summary:

• Meet the newbies
• Get aged or de-aged
• Deal with other too young/too old people
• Try to handle the consequences
• Have fun~

Comments

Cardia | unaffected | OTA

[drops_acid]

[Cardia is unaffected by the timey wimey nonsense going around but she's having some trouble keeping track of her newly de aged shinki. He keeps wandering off. Are all kids like that? Not that she's ever talked to anyone under the age of ten before.

But she's worried about all the awful things that could happen to him while he's like this. What if he runs into an ayakashi?

She starts off searching the library, both on the near and far shore. Then she tries several bookstores, a local park (kids like those right?), and eventually just starts looking in any random place that comes to mind.]

La- I mean, Shaye? Can you hear me?

[And anyone from the far shore will likely get stopped for a quick question.]

Pardon me, have you seen a small boy with red hair and an eye patch?

[ripplesoflosttime]

[Sorry for your wayward shinki, Cardia.

He's worse as a kid. But eventually, he catches word that this person is looking for him, so he goes off to find her on his own. He soon finds her, reaching up to tug on the back of her shirt to get her attention.]

[drops_acid]

Oh!!

[Sudden tugs on her clothing always make Cardia nervous, but the shocked expression melts into a smile of relief when she turns to see who it is.]

Oh, thank goodness! I thought I'd never find you.

[ripplesoflosttime]

[And assuming that they've been sticking together long enough for Lavi to trust her, his fingers curls a bit in her shirt.]

I wasn't gone that long.

[Who knows, he could've been missing for a while if she's been going around looking for him. But then he might look a little embarrassed as he tightens his grip.]

[drops_acid]

[An overactive imagination supplying an array of hypothetical child eating ayakashi may also have contributed to her growing concern. Possibly.]

I know. Perhaps I just... worry too much.

[Very carefully and gently she reaches out and puts one gloved hand on his back in something very like a hug.]

But I'm glad you're okay. Did you go anywhere interesting?

[Cardia doesn't want to sound like she's questioning him, but she does want to know what he's been up to.]

[ripplesoflosttime]

[Cardia, you really do have an overactive imagination.

But that--is it a hug? Feels nice.

A blink.]

No, I was with a group of kids earlier. [A band of them actually, but he doesn't mention it.

Though, he does hold up a flower to her.] Here.

[drops_acid]

Did you have fun?

[Cardia was never a child, so the question is an honest one. Children are supposed to have fun playing together, right?

The flower is.... a surprise. Because it's such a common gesture and yet no one has ever offered her flowers before. Flowers are so delicate and fragile. Not really suitable for someone like her.]

That- that's so sweet. Thank you.

[Cardia takes the flower with the utmost care and gives him a warm and gentle smile.]

I'll treasure it.

[She really will.]

[ripplesoflosttime]

I did.

[Even if it means that Lavi's been possibly stealing and whatnot.

He looks a bit surprised that she actualy accepted the flower before looking a little pleased. He's never given anyone anything before, so it's....nice to see her smile.]

You're welcome.

[He sucks at using words, but the bond they still share should make Cardia aware of how pleased Lavi actually is.]

[drops_acid]

That's good.

[Cardia is surprisingly open minded about stealing. And she's glad he had fun.

Cardia is pretty pleased herself. The feeling coming through their bond is almost confused with her own. When she realizes where some of that is coming from she almost wants to hug him again. Funny how a little flower can be so special.

Which gives her an idea...]

Say, would you like to help me out with something?

[ripplesoflosttime]

I'd take you to meet them, but they don't trust adults.

[Because that's what Cardia is, despite being a 'monster' in her own words.

He blinks, looking both confused and curious.

She needs his help? Lavi gives a nod in response.]

[drops_acid]

[Encouraged by the curious nod, Cardia continues.]

I like the flower you gave me a lot. But flowers don't last very long, do they? So I was thinking that if we go to the library we might find a book that would tell us how to preserve it.

[She knows that flowers can be pressed and dried but not exactly how it's done. Plus a little project like this might keep him from wandering off for a while.

And she... really would like to keep the flower.]

What do you think?

July 16, later in the day

[tinyrainbow]

[ Cardia would find the small blond blissfully making her way through town, doing something that might seem rather curious to someone who has never been a child before:

Jumping from sidewalk block to sidewalk block, arms out and balancing, as she lands each time on a different foot.

She stops as soon as she manages to stick her landing, arms still spread and wobbling a little on one foot. Tipping her chin upward, she tries to look at Cardia from over her shoulder ]

Hmm—wha...

[ Careful, Lux, you're going to fall at that rate. A bit of correction (she has to stay on one foot, that's part of the game or SHE'LL LOSE), some hopping and flailing in place to turn toward the goddess, and there. Good to go. She's still in this! ]

A small boy with an eye patch?

[ Wait. Oh! ]

Yes! I have seen him! We said that he lost his friend.

[ The goblin, not Cardia. ]

Re: July 16, later in the day

[drops_acid]

[If Cardia weren't worried preoccupied wit searching for Lavi, she'd probably ask what was wrong with the sidewalk.]

You have? Can you tell me where?

[tinyrainbow]

[ Nothing is wrong with the sidewalk, just the cracks! The game is that you can't step on them, or something bad will happen.

She's just putting a bit of added difficulty with the hopping on one foot thing. It's what you do when the only person you've ever had to play games with is yourself. ]

At the park. He told me that he was chasing a goblin, and I told him that goblins aren't real and that they were just stories. Then he got angry at me, but I think that was because I figured out that he was a pirate, and that it was a secret.

[ She sounds a bit proud of herself. But then she thinks on this for a moment (wobbles, adjusts), then frowns a bit. ]

I'm not sure where he went after that. He said he was going to find his friend the goblin and ran off...

[drops_acid]

[She frowns. One of the library goblins probably...]

The park...?

[That's not too far. If she hurries then she might run into someone else who saw him...

Wait....]

A pirate?

[Wat?]

[tinyrainbow]

That's right.

[ Lux nods once, bobbing a little before finally decided, okay, she can pause her game for now. Explanations are going to take both feet firmly planted on the ground, which she does, lowering her arms then. ]

Because he has an eye patch. That must mean he is a pirate. But I think I made him angry because I told him his friend wasn't real, and because I figured out his secret. But his friend isn't real because he is a goblin, and if you wear an eye patch, then you are obviously a pirate, wouldn't you agree? It's not a very good secret if you ask me. But I'm not sure why he was so upset.

[ Lux think about this for a minute. ]

[drops_acid]

[Do pirates wear eye patches? Cardia has to admit that she's not too well informed on pirate fashion.]

Well... I don't know much about pirates, but I'm fairly sure he isn't one. And the goblins are real. You can see them for yourself if you go to the library.

[But they are getting a little off topic now.]

Um, do you remember when it was that you saw him?

[If it wasn't too long ago maybe she could catch up with him.]

[tinyrainbow]

[ Continued here ]

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto turns at the question. She'd again been lost in her own thoughts, attempting to come up with some sort of credible theory as to what was going on. She blinks for a moment, attempting to recall if she's seen such a boy today.]

Red hair and... an eye patch? No, sorry, I haven't seen any boy today that matches that description. You were calling out for a "Shaye," yes? That's his name?

[drops_acid]

Yes.

[At least, that's his name at the moment. But Cardia will worry about that later.]

He's my shinki but he's been affected by the... current situation. I'm a little worried.

[She's a lot worried.]

[fortune_detective]

I see. No wonder you're worried.

[Naoto touches a finger to her chin, racking her brain to recall if she's seen any signs of such a boy over the course of her day.]

Where have you tried looking already?

[drops_acid]

I've searched my temple and the ones nearby. The library, several parks, some bookstores...

[She sighs heavily.]

I'm honestly not sure where else to try.

[fortune_detective]

[Naoto tries to brainstorm some other places a child might be drawn to. He must apparently like books, but Naoto can't quite think of other similar places to try. Instead, she tries a more general route of thought.]

What about someplace like a sweets shop? Or an ice cream parlor? Do you think he would go there?

[drops_acid]

Oh! That's a good idea.

[And it's not like she has any others. At this point Cardia would be willing to try anywhere.]

There's a candy shop a block over. I'll try there next.

[fortune_detective]

[Continued on the Overflow Thread.]