thenearshore | 38 - Power Palette Swap

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38 - Power Palette Swap

Who: Everyone!
What: Power Palette Swap Event!
When: April 15th - April 18th 2017 (March 1st - March 8th 2019)
Where: Throughout the Far Shore and Near Shore
Summary: A couple of intrepid magical investigators unknowingly trigger some mishaps among the New Gods and Shinki.

For two weeks, the Ama investigators have been combing the compound where Cultists were dealt a heavy blow by the New Gods and Shinki. Among them, two in particular had been looking to move the Crystal that the cultists had in their basement, the stand that it sat on, and the dolls nearby. Combined with Waver's analysis, Judar succeeds in using his magic to transport the Crystal out of the basement.

As they manage that, a ripple effect washes over the New Gods and Shinki. There is a slight sense of Vertigo for some, a stronger wave for others, and then things start to change...

As It Happens: April 15

Everyone was minding their own business. Perhaps they were on the Near Shore helping complete a prayer, or they were in the Far Shore attending to various godly duties. Regardless of where everyone was, it's around noon when some things start to change. A mild sense of vertigo happens to those who start to experience physical body changes, while a stronger wave seems to wash over the God or Shinki's skin if their powers are changing, or perhaps even a sudden stop-in-your-tracks deadening of feeling if being depowered entirely.

April 16

Later in the afternoon, through no extra effort of the Crystal-movers, a loud noise like a subwoofer kicking into effect issues from within the Crystal, knocking anyone away who was near it by several feet. The one-shot noise reverberates in the ears of all New Gods and Shinki, triggering another change for some. At the Crystal, the black color that appeared when the former Goddess entered the Crystal fills more of it.

April 17

Closer to 7pm, once more, the noise issues forth from the Crystal, louder and knocking people back several yards this time. The Crystal fills with black and grey. Some might swear they can see a face of the white-grey against all of the black, resembling an Inkblot / Rorschach test style picture.

Aftermath: April 18

Around 10am, the black coils from within the Crystal settle down into more of whispy smoke, much harder to see in it. There's a slight tug in the direction of the Crystal regardless of where New Gods and Shinki stand, and with that pull, the change effects go away and all are returned to as they were.

In Summary:

Swap powers with another character!
Gain or lose powers!
Swap physical appearances with another character!
Use or abuse the changes while you can!
Investigate who and what is responsible!
Have fun~

Questions? Leave us a question on the OOC Plotting Post and we'll do our best to answer ASAP.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"I'm not sure." The iris follow her, not seeming to blink. Does it need to? It's hard to say. There are a lot of things he's learning about Add as he goes through the days adjusting to the changes in his body. After a moment, however, there's a small surprised breath. Oh, wait. There's only one person he knows of that uses a phone to communicate like this, isn't there?

"Jitsumi?"

In turn there's only person Ginia can think of that calls her Jitsumi and was also in a void-touched body horror state. She sighs as she nods; a pity the last change didn't right things. Did the last change worsen things? Her lips press together as she types again.

"You aren't only an eyeball now, are you, sir?"

"Oh, no. I'm experimenting with something. Please allow me a moment." Slowly, the eye slides shut, and out of existence. It only takes a moment before a portal spirals into existence out of thin air, and a much taller figure steps through than the child god Ginia is otherwise familiar with. A lot of it is familiar even past the changes of being void touched, they're simply... more mature now.

But perhaps they're more familiar than that to Ginia.

At least Ebisu doesn't seem to be falling apart worse than he was only a couple of days ago, almost seeming put together as he closes the portal behind him with the help of the Dynamos floating about him almost naturally. Without attending constantly to his temple, he's had some hours to spare in experimenting with himself. Frankly, his shinki have even encouraged it, worried as they've all been. He's still chosen to wear the same thing, however: that deep purple kimono with brilliantly glowing pink scales that culminate in the trailing tail of an obi that's behind him. It's all still unearthly and strange, but in a slightly different flavor than when he was accidentally falling through portals.

With his cell phone tucked on the inside of his obi from the front, his hands are free to be loosely tucked in his sleeves, and he looks over Ginia. "So, it's like this now, is it?"

That's a relief. Ginia takes a small step back as the eye closes and the portal opens, looking up. She's not used to being so short and despite the overall circumstances, the height reversal is amusing. Even beyond the void-touched parts, he's familiar. Not because she's seen pictures or video of him from her coworkers, but she swears she's seen and heard him like this before.

Well, not all of this. He's certainly more stable. That's a relief to see. The kimono is also just as impressive, an exotic look that still seems entirely him. She smiles and whistles lightly. Maybe after all this, Terumi and Natsumi can pull a similar look together.

"So it seems." She changes back to audio now that he's here, taking another step back to look up at him. Her nose twitches a little, but not because she can smell blood. She can't smell much of anything actually.

"I can't say I like being short, but I guess I was this short at some point." Ginia rocks nervously on her feet, knowing how dangerous it is for a shinki to talk about themselves, to assume anything. "I'll stay away from the others until I'm back to normal.

"I understand." They're both here for similar reasons, after all. Him, because of how unknown his own existence is... and her for what is honestly the same thing. What if they will hurt those closest to them?

But then, that sort of consideration and concern is why he finds Jitsumi to fit into his temple so well.

Instead of borrowing one of the chairs, Ebisu carefully perches himself on the edge of the table. For all that he's fairly certain his clothing is now a part of himself and so there's no real need to worry about it, he still doesn't want to wrinkle the obi unnecessarily. "Then, I shall stay along with you. I have learned enough to be more certain of my current condition." In other words, he won't go disappearing on her with no warning.

She'd never forgive herself if she hurt someone in the temple. That guilt and lack of forgiveness is a danger too. Best to stay here, stave off the loneliness with work and research. If it persists for another day, she'll move to Chris's temple. If it continues past the week...

Ginia doesn't want to think of that possibility. It's not only her, a child again and now a vampire, but everyone else affected. That even Ebisu could be affected is troubling, though if any other old god was similarly affected, would they ever admit to anything?

She gathers up her books and sets them on the table. She's made herself at home there, the outlet claimed by her laptop and phone charger, paper and books strewn about. A few books are related to work - tourism guidebooks, region guides, books on various traditional arts - but a few are more for recreation.

"Thank you, sir." Ginia sits down, a bit dwarfed by the table, feet dangling above the ground. She sends a quick text message to the others so they won't worry ("Ebisu is with me, we're safe").

"If it's safe to do so, can you confirm something for me? In January, when people were falling in and out of dreams, we spoke, didn't we. When you were like this." Ginia pauses, glancing over his elaborate appearance. "Less ornate, less void, but you were an adult."

It's good that she's sent a message already. On some level, Ebisu is fairly certain that his body feels... different in a way that has nothing to do with the fact that parts of his are just casually flaking off in scales of light. Even like this, he's somehow better in control of his body than before. Still, he doesn't want to accidentally drop his phone, or do something strange to it. Best to save it for emergencies.

Ebisu folds his hands on his lap at her question, making it more visible where the light is flaking off the lengths of his fingers and along his knuckles. This is delicate territory, as they both know. So, with the odd glow of his eyes focused on her, he asks, "What do you remember of those dreams?"

There's the urge to poke him. It's a urge Ginia keeps a lid on because it's rude and potentially dangerous, but it's still there. Maybe it's her mind's way of trying to steer away from the topic. For a shinki of the old generation, it's an impossible conversation. Easier with the new, but still not without its dangers.

"I remember a few incredibly well. The dreams of gods, but other shinki too. I did my best to remember them because I knew they'd forget when they woke up."

Zhao. Petra. Maria. Joss. Forgotten lives, some good, some not, promises to remember, some voiced and others made by herself. Which only stands to reason the dreams she's forgotten or exist as blurry fragments were dreams about herself, about her life. That Gojyo came to her to tell her about herself only confirms that.

"Others are blurrier. I remember who was there, fragments of what was said, but not much else."

Ginia pauses because she can remember a few things said to her incredibly well. Words that have lightly etched into her soul as a reason to keep moving on.

"I remember someone telling me that I could do more. That my hands could help people and not only hurt them. Was that you?"

Patiently, watching her the entire time, Ebisu listens. He stumbled through a few dreams himself during that time, mostly of other gods, sometimes in peculiar places. He'd remembered all of them, of course. For all that he is no shinki, he understand the importance of remembering. Perhaps because he's not a shinki.

"That is something I would say," he responds, not quite confirming it. Caution is still warranted here, when so much is blurry. He doesn't want to lose her. He doesn't want his temple to lose her.

"What do you think of those words?"

If it's all the confirmation he can give, it's what Ginia accepts. Lately she's been walking too close to the boundaries a shinki shouldn't cross, questioning too much. Shinki can save each other by talking and helping each other, but that same support can be deadly too. A chain reaction of thoughts and questions spurred by innocent musing or not-so-innocent thoughts. Oh, Waver, you're too smart for your own good and the conversations have helped, but it's made her think too much about things.

It's made her more honest too, voicing thoughts she's been too scared to admit to, afraid of shattering only slowly mending back together. Ebisu's reply instills a flicker of hope, a small burst of happiness at his support, tempering as she thinks on his question.

"I don't think I believed it then, but I was having a rough time." An understatement to say the least.

"I've been here for six months as of the 15th. Three months since I joined your temple. It's the longest I've been at any temple. I've learned how to do more than fight. The words are right by all accounts."

Yet why is it so easy to doubt herself when the facts are in front of her? Is it because a knife or gun still feel so natural in her grip? That she can attack someone with effortless ease to protect someone else? That she can consider a crime as easily as breathing in the name of the greater good?

"I want to be able to live up to the name you gave me. I want to be someone people are proud to know. I want to be here for more than a year, but I don't know if I'll get that chance. Not when a doll can almost kill me. Not when my presence could hurt the people I care the most about."

So, it's many of the same worries that she's had since the beginning, or as much as Ebisu can tell. Perhaps if he had access to so much more of his memories than he currently does, he would be able to offer her the answer that would solve everything. As it is, he can only sit, listen, and give what little he can.

Right now, that's mainly an outsider's perspective, and he places one hand on the table between them.

"Some things... become more frightening when we become aware of them. Yet not much truly changes besides that awareness." He tilts his head slightly, looking to her. "Your existence may be different than that of shinki in the past. That's true. However... Are the results of your circumstances are unique only to you? Any of my shinki could disappear suddenly, from many types of accidents or events. They could also hurt one another, even if they do not mean to. Not in the same way as you fear for yourself... But the end result is still the same, isn't it?"

For a brief moment, he closes his eyes. "Even with your differences, you are more alike than you think. You are more valued than you think." He opens his eyes once more to her. "I cannot promise anything for the far future. However, you have been with us long enough to find more answers to your predicament. Remember that, and that we can only deal with one day at a time in the end."

It's many of the same concerns. It's gotten better with time to settle into a routine and a temple watching her back (literally and figuratively). But all shinki are their own monsters and hers is founded on her doubt and fragile self-worth.

Ginia listens to him, hands folding together. Despite his appearance, he's still Ebisu, recently reincarnated. He lacks experience, but his words are always honest and she can't argue with the logic of his words. Her worries are valid, but no different than the others at the root. An important reminder, especially for a temple still recovering.

You are more valued than you think. Oh. Her breath catches. A simple reminder, but always welcome. A day at a time. Continue looking for the answers to her problems, continue improving, continue forward. Six months isn't much in how long her life as a shinki be, but may there be six more.

"Thank you, sir. I'll try to continue to do my best." Remember to breathe, slowly, in and out. "I hope this current problem doesn't continue much longer."

Ebisu seems to be making the best out of his situation. Her own situation isn't as bad as it could be. It's still a disruption to a life she would like to return to.

"May I show you what I've been working on in the interim?"

"It seems to be a ever shifting issue. I am sure it will settle eventually." Granted, for a god, 'eventually' can be a ways off farther than the average person might think of. Still, he's pretty confident in this. After all, there is a status quo that so far seems to be holding things together so far.

In the meanwhile, he leans over curiously. "Do any of these books have to do with the project you are working on, or are they all strictly for recreation?"

If only she had his confidence. But what is three days of strangeness in a god's life? This too will pass, hopefully sooner rather than later. Not being able to reach higher shelves even with a step stool is highly inconvenient.

"The books are for work and recreation. I have a few reports I can work on away from the temple."

But there's one book that's highly relevant. Ginia leans across the table and pulls over a small, thin cloth-covered book, more personal journal than anything published. She turns to a page with a diagram, the writing on the pages faded from time and also on the sloppier side.

"I found a shinki's theory on borderlines. Their theory is a careful hand can cast a borderline to fill a space without damaging the area around it. It's a sound theory and I've had some success replicating the idea."

"Oh? That's an interesting idea." Ebisu can't say it's ever come up yet in his current incarnation. Perhaps a past one. There are so many shinki in the Far Shore, ideas would always inevitably come up, right? Especially with their afterlife span.

"Then, what do you plan on using it for?"

Ginia grabs a pen and a piece of scratch paper. She draws a short line across the paper, then traces her fingers in the halberd position around the line, creating a tight circle. There's a light flick of her wrist as she completes the circle. It's a motion that should be familiar to Ebisu.

"If a borderline can cut and shield, why not heal too?"

"Why not indeed." Even if Ebisu's voice is a calm as usual, his eyebrows rise up in clear interest and approval. This is exactly the sort of thing he was talking about when he speaks of this new generation able to change things up for the better in the Far Shore.

"How far along are you in your research on it?"

"I've been practicing filling a space with a borderline. I understand the idea, but I think there's something wrong with my borderline." As the message plays, Ginia gestures at the pieces of paper on the table with various shapes cut out.

She moves a piece of paper with a circle cut out closer, repeating the same motion as earlier, but this time actually channeling a borderline. The space fills with the shimmer of a borderline, but it's dull and inconsistent. It also feels like it takes more effort to maintain and she quickly dismisses it. Turning in her seat, she casts a new borderline on the ground, signing "Line!" with her right hand to help focus the spell. A borderline springs into place, but it's weak and flickers, a far cry from the solid borderlines she knows she can cast. Ginia frowns as she grabs her phone, but doesn't seem too bothered either.

"I think it has something to do with my current form." Ginia opens her mouth to show off the fangs she's now bearing too.

"Your current form... Ah." He leans in closer, one hand curled at his chin while he takes in the change. So it's more than just being a small child. Well, that seems to be a common denominator in this place.

"It will be something to keep in mind when all of this is corrected, then. Do you know what you have those teeth?"

Ginia closes her mouth and nods, looking a little uncertain. It's safe to share with him, but she worries more for Joscelin's sake. When all this rights itself, how will he handle being young and a vampire again?

"My friend, Joscelin. He's a vampire, but he's not aware because he's a shinki." Suspects, yes, but there's no way to confirm things without sending him spiraling down. "He would normally sustain himself on blood, but here he has to drain energy from ayakashi. It's the other reason I'm avoiding people; I don't want to risk biting someone."

So it's something like that. This new generation of shinki truly do come in a variety of different existences. Still, while he'll certainly keep quiet on this matter for Joss, there's something else he's worried about. "Then, have you been sustaining yourself on ayakashi as well?"

He can understand her concerns, but even those of the Far Shore need to eat somewhat regularly.

The pause is the telling answer before Ginia even writes anything.

"No. I think it's safer if I stay on the Far Shore." Away from the noise and bustle and beating hearts and warm veins. Ginia likes to believe she has everything under control, but why go into a situation and put everything at risk? And while she accepts feeding on ayakashi is a part of Joscelin's physiology, the idea makes her uneasy too. Sure, she could feed on ayakashi now, but will there be any lingering side-effects after?

"If this is only a temporary thing, I'll be fine."

Ginia.... Ebisu is already frowning a little in disapproval before anything is said. "You still shouldn't risk things," he says, mildly admonishing in a way that is far more effective in the voice of an adult. Pulling his hand away from the table, he reaches over to lay it on top of Ginia's head. "I would offer help if I could right now, but I don't believe that this body is sustainable for feeding in any way." There are a lot of strange things when it comes to the void and what Add is connected to. Best not to test it, especially with Add telling him to be careful as it is.

"Would any sort of blood would do?"

How quickly the tables turned. Is this what it's like having a parent? Between his words and the gentle hand on her head, Ginia feels thoroughly chastened. She can still dig in her heels though.

"It has to be ayakashi, blood doesn't work." Though it still tastes disturbingly good. "Sugar helps keep my energy up though, and I can eat food, but it won't do anything."

So there's no danger of starving any more than a shinki can starve. It's only been two days, she's snacked on enough chocolate bars and soda to keep going. Maybe it's time to have someone pick up the energy drinks Kimi favors to see if that helps.

"If this continues for more than a third day, I'll speak to Chris about hunting ayakashi."

"I suppose she would be more adept at such a duty..." Ebisu isn't a combat god in any way, shape, or form, and that probably means double when he's in such a state. Add has stressed being careful until they learn more about the situation, after all. Still....

He nods his head to her. "Tell me if there is anything you need assistance with. There are still things I can do, even with the current situation being what it is." Sure, what those things are might be a little mixed up right now, but Ebisu is confident that he can do that much. He is, after all, a God of Fortune, and this is one of his shinki.

38 - Power Palette Swap

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