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

[kurukuruchan]

H-hibiki.

[ Hicbiki, more like. She hiccups in the middle of trying to say it.

The strangest part is that he knew how to make the scary voice go away. Everybody lies, but he was right. This does not add up. Except. Except.

She decides to test the theory that makes the most sense. ] Y-you're...not real.

[ If he vanishes, then she will know! If not....Then things will be very, very confusing. ]

[sweetdeath]

... Am too.

[Nope, not a single flicker. He's staring at her as though she's grown an extra head. Poor kid, is she that confused by whatever was messing with her? It sounds like this goes back further than just being scared once by a talking fruit monster.

Although those puns were terrifyingly bad.]

[kurukuruchan]

[ They were. And things are now very, very confusing.

Hibiki rubs at her temples with the heels of her hands. ] ...Liar.

[ But she uncurls. A little bit. ]

[sweetdeath]

What's it gonna take to convince you I'm not lying?

[He's still here and still not flickering. At least she's not as scared now? Maybe? And the fruit monster is gone!

Really, the situation's headed nowhere but up. It's just that he doesn't totally understand what the situation is yet.]

[kurukuruchan]

Th-then...

[ That is a good question, and one Hibiki had not really thought over. She considers it. She sits up. Everybody lies. And when they're done lying, they leave. That is the way the world works.

So, the simple fix for that, where it won't matter if he's lying or not... ] Become a butler.

[ Because then there's nothing actually between them! He's just staff! That'll fix it.

Except, no, that's not strong enough. Hibiki thinks about the kind of person she'll need to become, to exist in a world full of lies. She thinks about the happiest she's ever been. It was the school play, and she was - ]

Become my butler.

[ Boku no shitsuji.

This false world full of lies needs to be cut apart by a Prince! ]

[sweetdeath]

I, um...

[Butler?! He's nobody's butler. He doesn't have the right manners, for one thing, but if that's what this poor kid wants in order to help her calm down and get over being as scared as she's been, then he can pretend, right?

It's not like it's a real job.]

... okay, if you want. I'm not good at being a butler, though!

[kurukuruchan]

It's okay.

[ He said yes. This is encouraging. He's real. He can keep the bad stuff away. And even if he's lying, if he hurts her, she can just fire him. Simple.

She tries to smile, but stay calm, and in control, like a Prince. So it comes out more of a smirk. Whoops. ]

You just have to do what I want.

[sweetdeath]

I guess I can do that.

[Or at least keep an eye on her. She's just a kid... even if that smirk is a little bit creepy.]

First, how about I walk you back home?

[kurukuruchan]

Acceptable.

[ She has to use her big words, now. That is what Princes do. It means she has to think longer before she speaks, but that's okay, too. Princes also only say cool things that are worth waiting for.

She considers this situation with all the gravity it deserves. ]

Your name's Tsuzuki?

[sweetdeath]

Yeah, Asato Tsuzuki.

[He smiles at her, and offers a hand to help her up.]

Okay, so if I'm walking you home, you'll have to tell me where you live.

[kurukuruchan]

[ Hibiki holds onto that hand a bit tighter than a Prince probably should, but when she catches herself, she stops. Don't. Even if he made the bad thing go away, he's a liar. Just by virtue of being a person. ]

This way.

[ And she starts to walk. ]

[sweetdeath]

Okay.

[Tsuzuki keeps pace with her carefully, trying not to let his much longer legs outpace her. She's trying to look stern and brave, but she's holding onto his hand awfully hard. She must not be over the whole bad dream thing just yet, he thinks, and smiles.

Cute kid. Imperious, but cute.]

[kurukuruchan]

[ Hibiki thinks as they walk, and as they walk, it becomes increasingly obvious there's some kind of gigantic Disney castle monstrosity thing on the horizon and getting closer. Whoever could that belong to.

Thinking about her castle, and the fact that she's pretty sure it's hers, makes her think about some of the other stuff she just Knows but doesn't know how she Knows. She's fuzzy on the details, but... ]

You should have another name.

[ It kind of. Sticks with her. That that's what people do with servants here?

Maybe???? And then that will show he's not allowed to disobey her! ]

[sweetdeath]

Huh?

[Another name?]

Why do I need another one? I like Asato just fine.

[Unless she means his shinki name, of course, but that's just for Sakura's use, so he doesn't need to tell everybody about it.

At least, not as far as he can tell.]

this is a joke btw (unless you don't want it to be)

[kurukuruchan]

But it doesn't mean you serve me.

[ This concept is growing on her. What should she name him? "Goat"....?

That's weird. She has no idea why she just thought of that. ]

I want proof.

[sweetdeath]

Like... what kind of proof?

[What the heck? This kid is weirder than he'd thought at first, and when he first saw her she was being chased by dancing fruit puns.]

[kurukuruchan]

[ Hibiki drops his hand. She steps back. The words - there are special important words. She is pretty sure. No, she's positive! Princes know everything. ]

My name is Hibiki. Grasping your true name, I bind you here. With borrowed name, I dub you my servant....

[ It's not as Fancy as it should be. She's focusing just on remembering how this was supposed to go. And none at all on the fact that she shouldn't know it.

Or that it's kind of a jerk move. She should probably be stopped. Or at least talked to first. ]

[sweetdeath]

Whoa! Wait, I --

[-- should have figured out what she was talking about, that's what he should've done --

He stumbles back a step, wide-eyed and flailing both hands in a no-please-wait gesture. He's not actually trying to stop her, though, mostly because, well. She's a kid. Who wants a friend. He can't tackle her and make her stop, that would just be too mean.]

[kurukuruchan]

[ She looks over at him through squinty eyes. To show her Derision and Superiority. Or her new villainous character design. ]

Is there a problem?

[sweetdeath]

I've got a god already!

[He's not a cheater! Or something like that....]

Look, I just - um - how about I just walk you home, I bet you've got your own shinki already, it's fine, really--

[kurukuruchan]

Then, were you lying?

[ A frown. ] About becoming my butler?

[ You've already got somebody. You don't need Hibiki.

Is that what you're saying? She knew it. ]

[sweetdeath]

You're the one who said you wanted a butler....

[Can't he just get her home...

He rubs a hand over the back of his neck.]

Look, why do you need to give me a name? I mean, I don't want you to be out there all alone or anything, just... it feels weird.

[kurukuruchan]

If I don't give you a name, you'll leave.

[ A cross frown. ] You're just staff, after all.

[sweetdeath]

That's not true! I offered to help you out and you're the one who decided I was staff.

You don't even know me....

[kurukuruchan]

If you don't want to listen to me, then go.

[ She thinks of the most hurtful thing in the world. The most hurtful thing she can imagine in her tiny little head.

Saying it makes her feel stronger. ]

I don't need you.